If you live in northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, or western Indiana, you know who Svengoolie is.

On This Day in Horror reported “On June 16, 1979 the series “Son of Svengoolie” debuted on WFLD, with Rich Koz in the title role! The show originally debuted as Screaming Yellow Theater on September 18, 1970, on WFLD channel 32 and ran on the station until September 7, 1973. Svengoolie was played then by Jerry G. Bishop. In later seasons, Rich Koz (a fan who sent in sketch ideas) became a show writer. In 1973, Kaiser Broadcasting took over WFLD from Field Communications and Screaming Yellow Theater was cancelled and replaced with The Ghoul from Cleveland. The Ghoul lasted until 1974 when it was taken off the air. Field Communications re-purchased WFLD back from Kaiser Broadcasting in 1978, which led Jerry Bishop and Rich Koz to discuss the show’s resurrection. After 334 shows of Son of Svengoolie, the final episode aired January 25, 1986. Neal Sabin, executive vice president of locally based Weigel Broadcasting, brought the show back on December 31, 1994, on independent station WCIU (channel 26, later a CW affiliate). Using “Svengoolie” as the name; Koz took the role of Svengoolie when Bishop told Koz that he “believed he was grown up enough now to no longer be just the Son.” The series was aired on Chicago’s WWME-CA, Milwaukee stations WBME-CD and WMLW-TV, and occasionally on WMYS-LD in South Bend, Indiana. Beginning on April 2, 2011, Svengoolie’s show became available nationally on the MeTV network. Starting January 7, 2023, Svengoolie expanded from two hours to two and a half hours, filling out a full three hour block with Sventoonie.”

The original Svengoolie, Jerry G. Bishop moved from the icy cold winds of “the city with big shoulders, the hog-butcher to the world” to sunny San Diego, California. He spent some time in San Diego as a talk show host and an uncostumed movie host, and eventually became a restauranteur. He owned two seaside restaurants, Greek Islands Cafe, which served Greek food, and Asaggio , a pizzeria, both in Seaport Village, a boutique mini-mall overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In the meantime, actor/writer Rich Koz became the son of Svengoolie. Eventually, Koz dropped the “Son of” and just became Svengoolie. His show is now broadcast nationwide, thanks to the magic of cable and satellite TV, on MeTV, Saturday nights at seven o’clock Central time.

The concept of Svengoolie has been on the air for over half a century. Rich Koz has filled that role for 46 years. Koz is well on his way to becoming a record holder for the amount of Rondo Awards he’s won. He was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards Monster Kif Hall of Fame in 2021. Rich Koz has won ten Rondos for best horror host thus far.

Rich Koz as Svengoolie is ably assisted by the Sven Squad: Gwengoolie, IMP (Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein), and Nostalgiaferatoo It is likely that when/if Koz retires (he is 73), one of the squad will assume the mantle of Svengoolie. Quite possibly IMP, as he keeps insisting that he is Svengoolie’s nephew. Koz is equally insistent that he is not IMP’s uncle.

I<P, Gwengoolie, Svengoolie, and Nostalgiaferatoo {image via Fangoria, October 2023}

A very happy anniversary to Rich Koz, who has managed to make himself into a beloved cultural icon. Here’s hoping Svengoolie continues bringing us its unique blend of horror, sci-fi, and humor for many years to come.