June 18- Goodbye Stan- and Hello 29 Years as Sven

Just in case you didn’t see the news, special effects wizard Stan Winston passed away last Sunday. Stan passed away at age 62 after a long battle with cancer. The list of movies he worked on is an amazing array- from the current “Iron Man” to “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” to ‘Predator” and “Terminator,” with movies like “Batman Returns”-“Jurassic Park”- and “Aliens.”
Stan started out trying to be an actor! He then got into make-up, and then all the visual effects creation, with his work earning him four Oscars. He truly created magic and worlds we never would have seen as clearly without him. Here’s to Stan-he will not be forgotten!
A couple blog readers have taken me to task for not mentioning a “significant” milestone- a couple days ago, we passed the date at which I have officially played the Sven character for twenty-nine years. Granted, I have NOT been on the air with a continuous program for twenty-nine years- but, since I first put on the top hat back in 1979, there has not been a time when I was completely away from playing the character. Even in the non-“regularly scheduled Sven” TV times, people had me appear as Sven (actually “Son of …”)
For public appearances, radio and TV guest shots, etc. As I’ve often said, it’s all the people who would recognize me in the non-Sven years who would tell me how much they loved the show and the character, and ask me when I’d bring it back, that are the reason that I’m still here in the Goolie business.
A lot has changed since I first became the successor to the Svengoolie legend- I’ve (ahem) gained weight (hey- at least I still fit in the coffin)- I’ve lost that stick-on fake moustache, green disco scarf and odd chain I used to wear-I’ve switched stations and jobs numerous times-and my personal life has changed in a lot of ways- ways I’d never expected. And- I can honestly say that I never expected to be doing Sven twenty-nine years from that first appearance, where the movie was “In the Year 2889” (marked down from 29.95!)
So, next year, at this time, I’ll hopefully be celebrating a full thirty years of Svengooliness. Right now, there are no signs of that not happening. I’ve got an audience of people who watched me back then- along with their kids, and even their grandkids. To all of you- let me again say thank you- because, seriously, you’re the reason we’re still doing it- successfully-that we’re still on the air (with equal thanks to Weigel Broadcasting)- and still having a great time!!!