The late Ernie Anderson, a.k.a. Ghoulardi, was the original Cleveland late-night TV Shock Theater horror movie host on WJW-TV Channel 8 from 1963-1966. He left the show when it was at the peak of its popularity and headed to Hollywood where he would become "The Voice of ABC" and one of the top TV voiceover artists of all time.
"Big Spender" (Ernie stars in a Volkswagen commercial)
Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland TVs Wildest Ride (book by Tom Feran and R.D. Heldenfels available on Amazon)
Starting at WJW-TV as a production assistant for Ghoulardi, the late Ron Sweed (1949-2019) would, with the permission of Ernie Anderson, revive the Ghoulardi character when Anderson left for Hollywood. But Sweed dubbed himself The Ghoul and launched a new show on WKBF-TV Channel 61. The show would be syndicated in several cities through the late 70s. The Ghoul Show would go off the air when WKBF shut down but returned to TV through the late 1990s. Pluck your magic twanger, Froggy!
Ghoulardi sidekick producer/engineer Chuck Schodowski [second from right, with another Ghoulardi protege Tim (originally Tom) Conway] and "Hoolihan the Weatherman" (Bob Wells) took over where Anderson left off at WJW-TV and hosted The Hoolihan and Big Chuck Show through 1979 until Wells left. He was replaced with Lil John (Rinaldi), see photo of Big Chuck and Lil John below, who had been a regular on the show. Big Chuck and Lil John would air in the traditional format through 2007. In 2011, FOX 8 launched Big Chuck and Lil John on Sunday nights at 11:30 p.m. featuring classic show skits and some new production. Big Chuck passed away on Jan. 19, 2025, at 90 years old. What a super-nice guy and a great talent. R.I.P.
(Click the image to visit the Official Son of Ghoul Website)
The Cleveland/Akron area is home to Son of Ghoul (a.k.a. Keven Scarpino). Now in his 40th consecutive year on the air, he is among the longest-running costumed horror hosts in the nation. His show is on every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on WIVM Channel 39 Akron and WIVD Channel 26 Canton or stream it online at wivmtv.com. The show is re-aired on Thursdays also at 8 p.m.
(Click the image to visit the Svengoolie website.)
Svengoolie is on Saturdays at 8 pm/7 pm CT on MeTV. Click on the photo for his schedule. He has been the premiere horror show icon of Chicago since multiple Emmy-award-winner Rich Koz became the hand-picked successor to the original Svengoolie back in the late 70s. Since then, generations of viewers have become fans of the monstrous mirth and movies that this video vampire dispenses every week over the airwaves!
While based in the Chicago area, Svengoolie has fans all over the country who, since 2011, have tuned in to catch his antics every Saturday night on MeTV! Acknowledged by even the most famous horror hosts as a peer, Svengoolie has become the king of horror hilarity.
Note: While there were (and still are) many memorable TV horror movie hosts throughout the country, Ghoulardi, The Ghoul, and Hoolihan & Big Chuck (and Lil John) were the talented performers we grew up watching on many a late Friday or Saturday night with family and friends in Cleveland, Ohio. Fangs for the memories, group!
As Ghoulardi used to say: Cool it with the boom booms, ova-day! Stay sick! Turn blue! Knif! Oxnard! Or, as The Ghoul used to say: Scratch glass! Climb walls! And remember, do it while you can, but don't get caught!
See our interviews with The Ghoul, Big Chuck, Lil John, and Son of Ghoul in Scary Monsters #106, which is still available here!
Disclaimer: All photographs, graphic images and video clips are shared on this site for historical and educational purposes only and were posted by others to YouTube.com. Copyrights, if any, are held by their respective owners. All rights reserved.
