October 2008 Archives

Happy Halloween! Tune in ‘the U’ and you just might see the Svengoolie Halloween greeting on the hour or half hour, if not some dogs in costumes! But- that’s not the only place to see Sven today- or, should I say tonight?

As I write this, I just got back from the taping of the “Chicago Tonight” interview with John Callaway at channel 11, WTTW.I was worried that doing a full half-hour interview with just me might really drag, but I’m amazed at how quickly the time flew by! I arrived-on time – for the taping, and was whisked into the make-up room, where a nice young lady named Ruthie gave me a quick makeover. We were trying to recall where we had met before- she said, at a production studio a couple years ago, but neither of us could remember. Then she said that, if there had been other people with me, that maybe I had been there as Sven, and not needed her to put any make-up on me- and maybe that’s why neither of us could really remember!

Her mission accomplished (there’s not too much you can do to make me look any better) –we advanced into the studio, where John was already in place at his interview desk. He is a charming and friendly fellow, and we briefly talked before they launched right into the program! I had brought a rubber chicken with, as they had asked- and, at one point, John actually threw it at me! It fell under the desk on my side, and, during a taped piece, I leaned down to get it- unhinging the microphone they had attached to me! The ever-alert WTTW staff fixed that situation, and on we went. John is a really great interviewer, and makes you feel totally at ease- and he asked me about a few things I really didn’t expect.

He was very kind, and it was a fun experience, not to mention a great honor. You can tune it in tonight at approximately 7:30- check my previous blogs for more information.

My sincere thanks to John and his staff for such a great honor!

And- it will be an honor for me to appear with our Chicago Blackhawks tonight at the United Center! If you’re coming out (and I’d check on ticket availability if you are)-make sure you wear a cool costume, so you might be out on the ice with me for the costume contest! Look for me out on the concourse before eth game for autographs and pictures, as well. Guess I won’t have time for any trick-or-treating (unless you bring me a treat there!)

Finally! Tomorrow is Halloween! Get your costumes and your video recording devices ready for plenty of Sven action…

First, it’s the Rich Koz half-hour interview with John Callaway on “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW-channel 11-what a great honor!(And, pretty appropriate that it happens on Halloween…) As I’ve mentioned, we will talk about my career-so, you may learn some interesting things about my past that you didn’t know before… the interview will air between 7 and 8- most likely starting around 7:30.The show is repeated on WTTW later that night-at 1 am (putting the interview at 1:30) and –yawn- at 4:30 am (putting the interview at 5 !) I’m not sure if it will be available later on, online at their site…just the idea of me appearing on PBS has to be unsettling. The last time I was there was a few years ago, when Sven made an appearance on “the Cheap Show.” I’m pretty sure the hostess had no idea who or what I was, but it was fun…anyway, I promise that I will not take part in asking you to send money to WTTW during the time I’m on…

The reason I mentioned to have your video recording devices ready- is in case you want to be in the same place as Sven on Halloween night- which will be the United Center, for an exciting Chicago Blackhawks game! We’ll be wandering the concourse before the game, happy to take pictures and sign autographs- and, we hear that the original Batmobile will be on display as well (get it? Bats? Halloween?) The lovely ladies of the Hawks Ice Crew will also be handing out Halloween treats. We do have another reason to be out there before the game- we’ll be looking for fans dressed in costume- and the best ones will end up coming out on the ice with me for a big contest, with great Blackhawks prizes! Chances are- at least ONE person in a Sven cotume might make the cut! I’m also hearing rumors that they may challenge me to try to shoot the puck later in the game-and I’m sure my aim will not even be as accurate as the people who toss the rubber chickens at me every week! Please be advised- the Hawks have mentioned to me that they expect the game to be a sellout on Friday- so, I’d get your tickets as soon as possible!

I know I’ve been mentioning these events a lot, but- both of them are pretty important to us. It’s a great compliment to be invited to do an interview with John Callaway- and, just as big a compliment for one of Chicago’s hottest teams to invite me to be a small part of  one of their events-and I want you loyal fans to be able to enjoy them with me! Looks like it’s going to be a memorable Halloween!

I guess it’s kind of weird for Halloween to be on a Friday…because I’m hearing from a lot of people who already have celebrated it- LAST weekend!

It seems that a lot of communities actually had their festivities last weekend, on Saturday-and there are a lot of people who had their Halloween parties last weekend. The lure of a Saturday celebration far outweighs having it on Friday for some people-and, if Halloween is on a Friday- there’s NO WAY they are going to celebrate on the Saturday the next day. Come on! That’s November already! Halloween is OVER!!!

Now, I do know that there are still places that will celebrate Halloween on the actual day- complete with trick or treating, parties, and costume contests.(Once again, let me plug that I’ll be celebrating at the Halloween night Blackhawks game at the United Center, where we are encouraging you to wear a costume and be part of the contest!) I can understand why some communities also declare only certain trick or treating hours, both for safety’s sake and for the peace of mind of the neighborhood. We were talking at work about how, when we were kids (yes, it was a different world then) we would travel all over our area, way into the evening- we didn’t worry about carrying flashlights, having reflective costumes, having our treats carefully checked by a responsible adult, etc.- but what parent today DOESN’T worry about all that?

And- who doesn’t love the six foot tall teenagers who stumble to your door at 9:30, with a pillowcase for a trick-or-treat bag, without any discernable costume? When asked exactly what their costume was, I always liked when they’d use the immortal “I’m a bum”-that used to be the standard answer from the teen tricksters (unless it was a young woman, then it often would be “I’m a babysitter”- quick thinking, kid!)

Have I mentioned how I love the lame seasonal commercials that you hear on the radio this time of year? There’s always the ones that they use the voice pitch modulator on, so it’s that stupid-sounding processed low voice- a favorite in the ads for the “haunted house” places. Then there’s the cheesy Bela Lugosi vampire ones-hey, certainly I, of ALL people, can excuse those! Lately, I’ve heard a few that, I assume, are supposed to sound like Boris Karloff- except they sound like someone imitating Boris who’s never heard him…they end up as a sort of breathy English accent, like a butler with asthma.

Why don’t more people try to do something different-like the “Tales from the Crypt” Crypt Keeper voice (which will rip holy heck out of your vocal chords)- and, am I the only human alive who imitates Larry Talbot? (Hmmm- maybe the answer to that is “yes”)Granted, that might not be the most recognizable voice to use in an ad…but, enough with the pitch-changed low voice, already! Oh well- there’s only a couple more days to endure it…

Finally we bear down on the big day of Halloween…actually, I should be saying “hawk down”-since I’ll be the special guest at the Blackhawks game that night (don’t forget- come in costume- there’ll be a contest!) Through the magic of videotape, I’ll be on AT THE SAME TIME with John Calloway on channel 11 for that half-hour interview, so, if you’re out at the game or just doing Halloween stuff, set your tape, TiVo, or DVR for the interview-it’ll be on at 7:30, I believe…

Thanks to all of you who showed up for our appearances this past weekend- as always, the Portage was a great crowd, though we do have the problem of having more folks showing up for autographs than we can sign for in our allotted time  (due to the fact that the movie does have to start close to “on time!”) does bother me that people who are told that no more people will be allowed in line, since I wouldn’t get to sign for them before my “out time”, would sneak over to the wrong end of the line. I especially feel bad about the little girl who was in the situation, whose mother TOLD her to just sneak up on the opposite side-way to teach your child to follow the rules, Mom! That’s why I always encourage you to show up early for these things…

The Chicagoland Fall Home Show was also a great turnout, with everybody from Sven look-alikes to Santa Claus (!) coming by for a picture. When people were telling me how much they enjoyed seeing “Mothra” on the show, I was amazed that they didn’t notice our lovely salesperson Chris who was helping us out at the event- since SHE was the one who played the modern version of the “Peanuts”- the tiny Asian women friends of Mothra- in the interview bit we did! As always, it was great to see so many of the fans of the show, and it does mean a lot when you thank me for  “being there” to entertain you for so many years! I also appreciate that, in spite of my cold, and my not sounding like my normal self, nobody was ignorant enough to say- “you’re not the real one, are you?” (no, genius- you just stood in line for a half hour with all these other people to meet an imposter…)That will happen occasionally, even when I’m perfectly healthy. There are always a few people with no class and less manners…

…which brings me to one more observation- on one of the news shows, at a murder scene, the reporter is doing his live shot report- and I see a young man coming towards him from behind. The young man notices the reporter and camera, and moves out of the picture. I thought to myself “that’s really nice- the kid had the class to respectfully move out of frame. My faith in people is renewed…”-and, just as I’m thinking that, another kid jumps in on the other side of the reporter, mugging and sticking out his tongue. Look how far we haven’t come.

Remember the old Boy Scout motto- “Be prepared”? It’s always a smart idea to be prepared for a variety of things- for example, to be prepared for bad economic times (I’m sure nobody can relate to that- ahem) by having a nest egg- or, be prepared for a power outage with battery-powered radios and televisions, flashlights, generators, etc. You can be prepared for other disasters, too, like a fire, tornado, or, even atomic attack- they used to have us practice going into our high school hallway and kneel by the lockers (sure protection against an atomic bomb…)

Yet- are you prepared for a zombie attack? Do you know what to do if the world is suddenly overtaken by the living dead (if you call that living?)

Well, now you can learn to be prepared for just that emergency- thanks to Max Brooks’ “The Zombie Survival Guide!” Max is no stranger to zombies- well, actually, I think everyone is a stranger to a zombie, now that I think about it. what I meant is- he’s done a lot of work in the zombie field- having authored the book “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie Wars”-which chronicles the largest world war in history- between normal humans and the zombie faction. This stunning story will be brought to the big screen by Paramount Pictures and Brad Pitt’s production company! Max also has a third zombie-oriented tome on the ay- “The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks”-due out next summer.

How has an Emmy-winning writer for Saturday Night Live- and the son of the great actress Anne Bancroft and comedy legend Mel Brooks -gained such insight into the zombie culture? Well- ask him yourself! Max will be appearing at Harper College tonight-where he’ll conduct an interactive presentation, followed by a question and answer session- plus, he’ll be signing copies of his book.(For more information- call 847-925-6100 or go to harpercollege.edu .)

Max’s book gives you the lowdown on the top ten lessons in surviving a zombie attack, with everything you need to know to avoid these shambling brain-eaters…like, what to wear during a zombie attack- and the best weaponry to use (is pepper spray really a viable alternative?) It’ll also educate you, so you can understand where the zombies are coming from (generally, a grave, morgue drawer, or some other unpleasant place.)

Did you pick up your Sunday Sun Times today? Did you see me peeking out at you from the lower right hand corner? There’s even a Sven ad inside, mentioning a couple of our upcoming flicks! What a cool way to mark the start of our Halloween week!

Even if you got your copy- there’s one thing missing from the listing- and it’s kind of unbelievable. You may be familiar with John Callaway’s insightful interviews that he conducts on Friday nights at 7:30 as part of “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW, channel 11.John spends a half-hour, talking with someone interesting, influential, and noteworthy. Well, this Friday night- yes, Halloween night- I believe he will break format, as far as guests go- and interview…Rich Koz

I was pretty amazed when the invitation came last week, and, of course, very flattered. John plans to talk with me about my career in broadcasting, and, no doubt, about the influences other pioneering Chicago-school broadcasters had upon me-and what lead me to this strange profession that I’ve carved out for myself. John knows the ins and outs of broadcasting very well, and is a great interviewer- so, hopefully, he can make even a half-hour with me interesting!

The interview will air next Friday night, the 31^st, at 7:30 pm…and a repeat at 1:30. I think you can also view the show online.

You’ll definitely want to record that show, if you’ll be out and about on Halloween- especially if you plan to join me –live- at the United Center for the Chicago Blackhawks game! The Hawks will be making things scary for the Dallas Stars, and were kind enough to invite me to participate in their Halloween fun that night, and invite YOU to do so, as well! There will be a costume contest- with the best costumes chosen for final judging by the Hawks fans at the game, with yours truly hosting- so, you just might join me on the ice! The game starts at 7:30, but I know our scouts will be out on the concourse before the game looking for the most unique outfits! It’s great that the Blackhawks organization has really gone the extra mile to make the excitement of the Hawks more accessible to fans…and I’m very proud to be part of their Halloween celebration!

Wow- looks like this Halloween week is shaping up to be an especially memorable one for your favorite Goolie. And I thought last weekend’s Emmy awards would be tough to beat (well, actually, it is…but I don’t mind a little more icing on the cake- get it? Icing? It’s a hockey term…it’s…oh, never mind-I’ll get a penalty for high schticking…)

Tonight- get set for a really scary pre-Halloween flick-‘John Carpenter’s Vampires!”

This is a very modern vampire tale- about a squad of Vatican-approved vampire hunters who go on a “run-of-the –mill” mission- killing a group of blood-suckers in their “nest”- but are suspicious that the head vampire didn’t seem to be around. It turns out that the head vamp is actually the ORIGINAL first vampire, who decimates the vampire slayers ranks…and so begins a major struggle to find him, before he can get his hands on a legendary artifact that will allow vampires to walk in daylight- and, thus, be almost unstoppable! The remaining vampire slayers- James Woods and Daniel Baldwin- use a vampire-bitten beauty (Sheryl Lee) who has not yet completely turned into total undead status as a sort of GPS to try to locate the master vampire. Along with a young priest, they head for a final confrontation with the true leader of the undead!

I like the way this film treats the subject in a modern, realistic mode- especially when they go down the list of things that kill the vampires, or “goons”, and which things are just stuff from the movies! I will warn you that this film is NOT for everyone- even though the film came to us edited (and with extra commercials built in, so we have less time for Sven stuff) and we’ve done some editing as well- there’s still some stuff that may be upsetting to those younger and more sensitive viewers that we have. Nonetheless, this is a terrific modern  vampire movie. I often have to decide if it’s worth it to get one of these films with the commercials included, just because it means less Sven content and more work (as far as paring the movie down to fit our timeslot constraints)- but, if it means I can bring you a decent movie that we might not otherwise get- I think it’s worthwhile.

If you’re reading this early enough, remember that you can visit with me at the Chicagoland Fall Home Show- from 2 to 4 pm- at the Renaissance Convention Center in Schaumburg- for more information, just go to their website- www.MyHomeShow.com  …and, if you miss this one- there’s a very special Sven appearance that you probably should get your tickets for NOW coming up on Halloween, as I head to the United Center Halloween night for the Chicago Blackhawks game! There’s going to be a costume contest- so make sure YOU suit up if you’re going to come to the game. They’ve been telling me they expect the game to be a sellout so, get your tickets as soon as possible…

Tomorrow, I’ll fill you in an a TV appearance I’ll be doing on Halloween night- and it’s probably something you wouldn’t expect- but you’ll want to set your video recorder for, if you won’t be home…

Okay, we have our GPS set- tonight, I’ll be at the Portage Theater (7-8:15- see yesterday’s blog)-then, tomorrow, Saturday, we’ll be wending our way to beautiful Schaumburg to appear at the 23^rd Annual Chicagoland Fall Home Show (come on- when you think of home improvements-isn’t the first person you think of- me?!)

I’ll be there from 2-4 pm, signing autographs, posing for pictures, and answering your questions! This event is at the Renaissance Convention Center- and the great thing is- there’s free parking AND free admission! The location is: 1551 Thoreau Drive- off Meacham Road, just north of Golf Road. You’ll find more info about the event at www.MyHomeShow.com . It’s fun for the whole family- I know that’s a cliché, but- in this case- it’s true! There are door prizes and family activities, plus lots of home improvement products and ideas- and people who can help you carry out those ideas! I really hope you’ll come out to see me…otherwise; the next chance will be at the Blackhawks game on Halloween night. Will Sven be able to handle a stick with his shtick?

Speaking of Halloween- it just occurred to me that I have yet to purchase my pumpkins for this year! Has anyone noticed the shortage of good pumpkins that was threatened by gourd experts earlier- due to the rainy weather we had? I passed one place that had some nice looking ones for only about four and a half bucks. Was this pumpkin shortage yet another ruse by the pumpkin sellers, trying to get us to go for the gourds in a panic, much earlier than usual? Hmmm…

As has been the case in previous years, I’m hearing from a lot of viewers who are planning on dressing as me this year! We already ran into one such person- Brian- at our Morton Grove appearance at “Magical Mystery Tour”- I’m guessing at least one person will dress as me for the costume contest at the Blackhawks game, as well-that’ll probably guarantee you’ll make it to the finals- and, if I’m helping judge- hmmm…(no, actually, I will be fair and unbiased- especially regarding women in those vixen outfits…) With the Sven costumes, it’s interesting to see if people choose to wear the old red turtleneck I used to sport, or the newer red tuxedo shirt…and, what they use for the skeleton lapel pin…for those of you who ask, I don’t think those are available anymore- it was a one-year deal from Hallmark, and mine was given to me by my friends Steve and Johnnie of WGN Radio- just before they put me in touch with Neal Sabin, which led to my job at “the U”- so, I always wear it as a “good luck charm”…

Come back and check the blogs this weekend- I’ll fill you in on tomorrow night’s Sven flick, plus give you more info on the upcoming Sven events- including a very flattering appearance in an interview on Channel 11 on Halloween night!

Ever seen “Son of Dracula” on the big screen? Here’s your chance- and – you can meet me too- tomorrow (Friday) night at our old “haunt” the Portage Theater –4050 N. Milwaukee in Chicago- for the annual Six Corners “Monster Film Festival!”

I will be arriving on the red carpet, whisked thereby the official “Horrorbles” hearse- at 7 pm, and will proceed inside to sign autographs for you. PLEASE- get in line early, so you won’t be disappointed! We will also have a very limited number of Sven glow-in-the-dark t-shirts for sale. Then, around 8:15, I’ll be going on stage to introduce the Lon Chaney Jr. flick- “Son of Dracula!” It’s always fun to see a Universal horror classic as it was originally intended to be seen- on the full size movie screen!

The film festival has some interesting films- including, on Saturday, “The Man Who Laughs”- a famous silent film with Conrad Veidt playing a character that, supposedly, Bob Kane used as the template for the Joker in the “Batman” comics! Also, on Sunday-a seasonal tradition- Abbott and Costello meeting Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (Boris Karloff) and the classic horror comedy- “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein!” we always have a great time at the Portage- hope to see you there! (If not, maybe Saturday in Schaumburg- more about that tomorrow…)

Okay, time for another commercial that kind of irritates me- the one for getting a savings account for college, where some little nipper is rubbing his dinner of strained carrots into his hair and everywhere else- except into his mouth. His off-screen doting parents at no time try to actually STOP him from making a bloody mess- they keep meekly suggesting “maybe you should put that in your mouth”-sounding far too amused by it. Meanwhile, the kid seems to be personally rubbing it into his hair like it was Selsun Blue. Most parents might be amused by such action at first, but will eventually take a hand in getting the kid to just eat his darn dinner correctly and quit making a mess. Actually, from the looks of it, I don’t think the parents are going to have to worry too much about making sure this little genius will have funds for higher education. Just make sure he can handle a broom- not that he has a record of tidiness at this point…(I know- I’m so mean…)

Big fun stuff on the horizon- a special interview with me- that will be on another station- and –Halloween night with Sven at the United Center, cheering on the Blackhawks! There WILL be a costume contest, so you’ll want to show up in your best outfit…and the guys from the Hawks have been telling me that all the Sven fans should buy their tickets ASAP- because the game will probably be a sell-out! I’ll have more information soon…so get ready for Cold Sven on Ice!   #   #   #

I guess I need to address this- for all of you who are writing to me NOW about booking Sven for a Halloween season appearance…I’m sorry to say, it’s a little too late. Seriously, usually by the last week of September, at the latest, my schedule for Halloween stuff is set up. I am grateful that you think of me- but, you just need to think of me…a little earlier next year!

More Sven appearances are coming, by the way- and you’ll read about them here in the next few days. A very busy weekend is ahead, and next Friday –the big day itself- looks like it’s going to be plenty busy…

Hey, other holidays are already rearing their ugly heads- we once again have been inundated with the commercials for the Radio City Christmas show…and, the commercial once again does not disappoint me- because they use the cliché they use almost every year in their commercials for both the Radio City show and the circus (both are sent out from the same company)- there’s a kid who does the dramatic pointing at…something. Seriously- it’s very rare that they don’t include that image in their spots!

Sometimes it’s a little girl with her mom- sometimes a kid with his family…but it’s always the “Point of Wonder!” I know, it’s no big deal, but, with their over-use of it, it just seems so - calculated…

I think I’ve written before about how I am always surprised and delighted to find out that other local broadcasters are fans of our shows.  I had another encounter last Saturday night at the Emmys- channel 2 reporter Vince Gerasole came over and informed me that he and his family-including his two daughters who have their own cookbook and occasionally show up on the WBBM news shows-make it a point to view our shows together every week! I also had the chance to talk again with Second City and SNL alum Tim Kazurinsky-in fact, it was Tim who presented us with our Emmy this time. He has an open invitation to appear on our Svengoolie program some time- I hope he gets to do so! He was very funny, as usual, as a presenter at the event…

I’m kind of dragging today- I’m fighting off a cold, and didn’t get as much sleep as I should have. I’ve got a can of Hulk Hogan energy drink sitting on my desk (someone gave it to me months ago!) and I’m tempted to actually sample it…but I’m not sure how it will react with my coronary medications…so, I guess I’ll stick with the tea, the “Airborne” and plenty of water…that’d be better than feeling a steel chair to the left ventricle…BROTHER!

Here’s a minor point that I neglected to mention during “the Gorgon” last Saturday night, even though I knew it- and I’ve gotten several e-mails about it!

 I mentioned that the police inspector was played by Patrick Troughton- the actor who was the priest who got skewered in the movie ‘the Omen”…but, he is best known to most science fiction fans as the second Doctor in the famed British TV series “Dr. Who!” And-although I mentioned the fine British actor Peter Cushing, whose name, like Christopher Lee, is synonymous with the Hammer horror films- and whom we have discussed many times before on our program- I forgot to mention one important-and related-point about him.

 Several viewers e-mailed me to remind me that here were actually TWO “Dr. Whos” on the film- Troughton, of course, but also-Cushing! Of course, Cushing played the Doctor

two feature films done in England- 1965’s “Dr. Who and the Daleks” and 1966’s “Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 AD.” He was portraying the same character, more or less, as the very first Doctor, William Hartnell, though, I think, a little less severe, from what I’ve seen. The movies were remakes of some of the earlier series story arcs, with a few minor differences. A bit of trivia I found out was that there were actually supposed to be three of these films, but the third was never made! Also, supposedly, William Hartnell, the first TV Doctor, was very disappointed that Cushing replaced him for the movies- a decision made because Cushing was already a familiar name to the American audience, which the filmmakers hoped to cash in on.

 So, yes, “the Gorgon” was unique in that it had two Doctor Whos in the cast- although only one was a doctor in the TV series, which is considered the flagship operation of the legendary series.
 
I would like to thank everyone who wrote with congratulations on winning the eighth Emmy of my career. A few people asked when and where it was televised- and sadly- it was not. The local awards show hasn’t been on television for over ten years- a sad irony, in that it salutes the people who work  right here (and in the Midwest region) in the broadcast business- and yet, it isn’t broadcast-not even online!

Okay- I'm posting this Monday blog a little earlier-on Sunday- because so many of you showed interest...the 50th Emmy awards, local-style, occured on Saturday night at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.

I was a presenter with my old pal, "Bozo"Joey D'Auria, who had come into town just for the occasion.One of the Emmys I presented went to that cute Ginger Zee from channel 5 (and ,no, I didn't try to impress her with my past as a weatherman !)The first presenters were Bill Curtis and Walter Jacobson, and believe me, they were a riot-miscues, smart remarks, etc.- had us all howling! I got to see some great legendary folks, like Joel Daly and Jim Ruddle, and old friends like the lovely Linda Yu, Tom Skilling, Larry Wert,and Al Hall, producer of the Bozo show.

I am very happy and proud to announce that our longtime Svengoolie show director, Chris Faulkner, got an individual achievement award for directing live to tape!Chris works on the Green Screen Adventures show and has been my dirrector now on Sven for over 13 years, and also did many of the early Stooge-a-palooza shows.I am so happy that Chris recieved this award- nobody could deserve it more- his great talent has been a major asset to my shows, and he is a good friend to me! I was very touched that he took the time to acknowledge me in his acceptance speech.

And- yes, I won an award, also...I'm happy to say that we won for the digital TV conversion public service announcement campaign featuring my friend the talented George Blaise and myself! You can catch these, still running on the station, as George and Sven help explain where to get the facts on the conversion.I think some versions are even sponsored now.

For those who keep track, this is my eighth Emmy- and, even before this, I have been acknowleged as the only horror host with so many national television academy awards.That's great, but- quite honestly- it's even better to still have this job, and to have so many great viewers and fans  still making what we do a success!

Speaking of which, I want to thank the big crowd who showed up to visit with me at Magical Mystery Tour on Saturday! Another huge line, with me signing for two hours straight, and us sadly having to cut off the line in order to leave in time, so I could clean up and get to the Emmys on time!Thanks to Randy and all the folks working at the store- it's a great place- with tons of cool Halloween costume stuff-I'd advise you to check it out for your costume needs!They may even still have some "U Vote" buttons to hand out, that we left with them...

Thanks again toYOU for your support- now, to get ready for next weekend's appearances- and start working on new stuff to submit for next year's Emmys!

I’m actually writing this blog before the Emmys, so I don’t have any results to share yet (my precognitive powers are kind of faulty)-but, I will have any results on Monday- so please check back then. I just know that after my Magical Mystery Tour appearance and the Emmy ceremonies, I’ll be pretty worn out, so I won’t be quite in the mood to write a Sunday blog at that time!

Well, it seems that Ringo Starr must have gotten an earful after his announcement that he would not read or handle any further fan mail- now, Mr. Starkey says, no, no, people misinterpreted what he meant- he is just fed up with people requesting autographs, and then selling the stuff on eBay! He appreciates his true fans and loves them and their mail.

Aww, is Ringo becoming a Mr. GrumpyPants as he ages? Speaking as someone who has had autographed stuff sold on eBay (there are a couple items that I have signed and allowed a couple stores to auction)-sure, it’s annoying- I recall some guy coming up to me when I was signing and nervously asking that I sign a picture. “Do you want it personalized? “ I asked. He shifted nervously and said, no, just a signature. Three days later, it was on eBay. I saw that someone was actually going to pay for it, and e-mailed that person, saying that I give these out for free, and, if he sent me his address, I’d send him one, personalized- no charge.

It’s just like people who sell bootleg tapes and dvds of my shows and Jerry G. Bishop’s old shows- people have NO LEGAL RIGHT to sell and profit from that material., and they certainly don’t pay any royalties to Jerry or myself. What they are doing is illegal. I have a strong dislike for the lowlifes who do that stuff.

Okay- I’ll calm down, and mention those upcoming appearances I promised to plug for you today- next Friday night the 24th, I return to the Portage Theater-4050 Milwaukee – in Chicago, for my third year opening the Six Corners Monster Film Festival. I’ll be arriving via hearse on the red carpet at 7 pm- and sign autographs for a little over an hour- then introduce the night’s movie- “Son of Dracula” on the big screen! Please show up early, so you won’t get cut out of the line before you get to see me!

Then- Saturday afternoon the 25^th, I’ll be out at the Chicagoland Fall Home Show- at the Renaissance Convention center in Schaumburg from 2 to 4 pm – signing more autographs, posing for pics, and all the usual fun! You’ll see commercials for it on our air in the upcoming week.

And- there are more Sven appearances to come! Always check here for details. #   #  #

Tonight at 9, we’ve got a Hammer film that hasn’t aired on TV much- “the Gorgon!”

You know it’s going to be fun, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee on board- plus, the lovely Barbara Shelley! The plot- a local artist with a reputation is found hanged- while the woman he most recently was involved with is also found dead-the difference being- she has been turned to stone! When the artist’s relatives arrive to clear his good name- they uncover the fact that there have been several unexplained deaths in the area…and are faced with the story of a mythical creature that the townsfolk won’t talk about- but fear! More petrified bodies are found-and the so-called “mythical” creature, with snakes for hair-is spotted!

Both the dead artist’s brother and his mentor, Christopher Lee, work to solve this frightening mystery-before more horrible hardening homicides occur! Get ‘gorgonized’ with-“the Gorgon!” It’s got all the great atmosphere and color that Hammer horrors are famous for-and, of course, the Sven segments are there to add more to your enjoyment-including a song originally done by a band with as much make-up as Sven (hint-hint!)

Please keep in mind that, while you’re watching the show live, I’ll be at the local Emmy awards. I’ll try to post the results for our station (should there actually be some!) in the Monday blog…plus any interesting stuff that goes on there…remember, years ago, when the local Emmy show was actually broadcast by stations like channel 2?How far we’ve come…

And, speaking of coming far, whether you’re near or far, and reading this in time, I hope you’ll come out to visit with me today from1-3 pm at the ultimate Halloween costume store- “Magical Mystery Tour” in Morton Grove! You’ll find the store (and me) on Dempster Street, just west of Austin. I’ll be signing personalized autographs for you, posing for pictures, and encouraging you to check out all the cool costumes, make-up and accessories there- everything you’ll need for your Halloween outfit!

If you can’t join me there- come back here to the blog tomorrow, and I’ll list a couple other upcoming appearances, as the Sven Halloween season tour continues…

Once again- let me remind you- “the Gorgon” will air at 9- but a classic Sven show will air at 1 am on Me-TV…But- in the two upcoming weekends, we WILL repeat the 9 pm show at 1 am on Me…that will be on 10/25 and 11/1…as the old phone recordings used to say, “please make a note of it…” #    #   #

Looks like we’ll have fine weather tomorrow- no problems for you to come see me in Morton Grove at the “Magical Mystery Tour” costume store! I’m there from 1-3pm…

I’ll have pictures to sign for you, I’ll pose for photos with you- plus- you get to browse through tons of great costumes, plus all the extra stuff you need for your costume- wigs, make-up, prosthetic teeth, props, false eyelashes, hats…get your costume stuff completed, or come find ideas-and everything you need to pull it off in fine style! They call the store your Ultimate Halloween store- so, come check it out-it’s just two weeks until the big night! Magical Mystery Tour is right near Dempster and Austin in Morton Grove (just west of Austin)…I’ll be looking for you!

And, whether you’re looking for your costume, or already have it- you might be interested in what are supposedly the top costumes so far…but- I’m not sure how correct they are. This came from the Gannett News Service, and it’s according to the National Retail Federation (is that anything like the World Wrestling Federation? And before you write in and hit me with a folding chair, yes, I know it’s now “World Wrestling Entertainment”)

According to this- the top adult costume is a witch (come on guys, admit it- you’ve already got that costume!)No, really, come on- feel free to tell me how many witch costumes you see in use this Halloween- and, tell me which OTHER costumes you se more…coming in at the number 4 spot- a cat. Not Catwoman- a cat. Again- number 4? We’ll see…then, they have number 6 a tie between Batman (I can agree with that)- BUT-they list that as tied with political figures, like Obama, McCain, Palin (we’ve discussed that in detail) and…Biden? Once again- if you see even TWO Joe Bidens this Halloween, I’d say that’s a lot…

Number 9 is a tie between clown and vixen/wench (isn’t that a new Craftsman tool?) I think you’ll see plenty of vixens…in fact, I’ll; admit I enjoy seeing vixens-not as in Santa’s reindeer, but- well, you get it… I think the list is missing the Wonder Women, Batgirls, and Supergirls that will be out on patrol.

The top pet costumes are interesting- number 1 is – a pumpkin (which just happens to be the number 7 costume on the kids’ list-which I also think might be a little off! The number 5 spot is interesting- a tie between a hot dog- and Superman! Number 7 on the pet list is just “bow ties/fancy collars”- come on! Isn’t that the equivalent of a human wearing the “this IS my costume “ cop-out t-shirt?

The number 10 on the kids’ list, by the way, is a tie between athlete/ghost…unless it’s supposed to be dead athletes. Look, little Timmy is Ty Cobb! Or athletes that are as good as dead- in view of the past baseball season, I will refrain from mentioning examples…

Okay- I’ll blast you with one more reminder about Magical Mystery Tour- and preview our nest show- right here tomorrow!

Just noticed on my desktop blotter calendar (yeah, we still have those here) that today is “National Boss Day” in the U.S. Actually, I have a good relationship with my bosses here (…uh…think they’re reading this?)-but I know a couple other places I worked where that situation was definitely not the case. I wonder how many of you are in that same boat? I have also been in the situation where the boss is such an enigma, you just don’t know how to take him…and, additionally, had fearless leaders who were just plain nutso Oh, what the heck- let’s send them ALL a Lobstergram!(Would you believe a pajamagram?How about a Golden Graham?)

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about Ringo Starr…the Fab One/Fourth has declared that he will no longer be answering fan mail, and said that, should you send him any, it’ll end up on the trash. Aw, come on, Rings- we know you’ve been inundated by fan mail for forty-something years- but- you won’t want to at least read a piece here and there? I can understand being overwhelmed- yours truly, who’s light-years lower on the celebrity food chain, can’t keep up with my mail. I know people request things, and I sometimes can’t get to it- because of all my work (I know- poor me.)Our department here doesn’t have it’s own secretary (neither do I- regardless of how you imagine the life of everyone in TV)-and things just pile up here. That’s why it’s always best to come to a Sven appearance if you can to meet me, talk, and get an autograph- or, e-mail, because I can answer e-mail easier! But- would I ever pull a Ringo and tell you, if you send something, I won’t even look at it? No way. He could have just said that he can’t answer all his mail, and left it at that, instead of giving the impression that he doesn’t care…unless…he doesn’t care.

I also wanted to acknowledge Paige Wiser’s article in yesterday’s Sun Times, about guys who seem like they still haven’t grown up (and I know many of you would include me in that category!)-that prominently mentioned “Stooge-a-palooza”- even if she didn’t mention me, the station, or the time the show airs (other than “Saturday nights.”) I also want to point out that our friend Rich Roeper said the same thing in his column the other day that I mentioned in a previous blog- that you’ll be seeing way too many Sarah Palin costumes on Halloween- though he did give variations, including the “Photoshop Sarah” in red-white-and-blue bikini, toting a rifle. I suggest you wear the business suit and glasses, and , when someone says, “oh…Sarah Palin”-you angrily cry “No! I’m Tina Fey!”

When reading the papers today, I realized that, when the Sun Times’ Rob Feder signs off soon- there will really not be any regular coverage of the local broadcast beat. Both those of us in the broadcasting business and the viewers/listeners will no longer have anyplace to get the various information that we do now. Think about that- information about who’s changing stations or leaving, new local programs, etc. will no longer be as readily available. I’m sure that Phil Rosenthal in the Tribune might mention a few of these things, but never as much as Feder does now…and that’s no reflection on Phil, who, when he was in line to be hired by the Trib, as much as stated to them that, if they expected him to be Rob Feder, they should just hire Rob. We certainly can’t expect much from the same paper’s “Watcher’- who is too busy writing for the 100^th time about AMC’s “Mad Men” to bother with any local productions…will the Sun Times even try to have someone there pick up coverage of the broadcast beat? I think it’s doubtful at this point- and I know that a lot of local broadcast information and news will no longer be available to those inside or outside the business…

I n other local TV news- I have to laugh at the fact that one local network-owned station recently went so far as to hire out-of-town people to do yet another pointless local magazine show (although some of it is generic junk that can be used by all the network’s local stations.) If one more show decides to show me where to get a drink that will cost me half a week’s paycheck, or a restaurant where they’ll give me a thimble full of food artfully arranged for the same price as the down payment on a one-room condo, I’ll throw up. “Did you know you can buy gaudy over-priced furniture in the Chicago area? We’ll show you where! Then, our poser host will bring you to a club that won’t let the likes of you past the red velvet rope!”

Then, there’s the show with the half-inebriated host whose main goal seems to be to get pretty girls with foreign accents to act as his “co-hosts” as he giggles his way through a half-hour, as he visits clubs and functions and gets bewildered stares from the people he attempts to “interview”…imagine! The male equivalent of Paris Hilton with even less talent!

And, of course, we have the celebrities who come through town and show up on every single show. I understand that the publicists try to get them on as many shows as possible, and the local shows love to get a real name person- but, they shouldn’t act like they’ve gotten a real scoop by having that person on, when everybody else also has the person. How many times do you REALLY have to see Maureen McCormick, book or no book?

First off- lately I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails, asking about when Svensurround will be back…right now, with decent flicks, we’re holding off, although if you watch the Saturday night 1 am Sven on Me-TV, some of our Svensurrounded features will air occasionally. I’ve tried to play nice and, when it’s a good flick, not drop in a lot of stuff.

I actually got an e-mail from someone, right before “Mothra” aired, asking that I not do any Svensurround in it! Relax, kids- we’ll be doing it when the movie warrants, or when there’s a good reason. I just know there are a lot of viewers who really want to see the decent ones intact, without a lot of messing with them.

We’ve had people like Patty H. asking for Hammer flicks from England- well, my dear, there’s one this very Saturday night! And- we will have some more in the future…

People keep asking about upcoming appearances- and, no, the Great America people have NOT scheduled me this year, in spite of the huge crowd we had last time. BUT- you can catch me this Saturday, 1-3 pm at the “Magical Mystery Tour” costume shop, at Dempster and Austin in Morton Grove. Then- the following weekend, it’s Friday night the 24^th at our old stomping grounds, the Portage at 4050 Milwaukee, where I’ll arrive via hearse on the red carpet at 7 pm, and do autographs for about an hour and 15 minutes- then, go on stage to intro the movie! The next day- Saturday the 25^th- you can meet me at the Chicagoland Fall Home Show- at the Renaissance Convention center in Schaumburg. Free admission and free parking! I’ll be signing autographs and posing for pictures with you from 2-4 pm. Watch for the commercial with information on the show. And- right now- it looks like I’ll be spending Halloween night chilling -on ice- with the Chicago Blackhawks! More info to come, soon!

We’re also trying to work out some radio stuff, if my schedule will allow. We’ll plug it all here, of course.

One of our loyal viewers Jim says that, on his digital TV- when he watches the show on WCIU 26.1- when the movie is on, the sound is not synced with the lip movements. Has anyone else had that problem? He says when he watches on the old analog tuner- it works fine. Anybody?

Don’t forget- you can write to me at svengoolie@wciu.com  …

In the old days (like, what twenty or thirty years ago?) Columbus day was celebrated on the 12th...now, of course, in the land of three day weekends, it's observed on the closest Monday.Other than most school- does anybody actually get the day off? Yours truly doesn't...much as I'd like to, and as my Italian heritage half would prefer.

Columbus does have special meaning to me- I like the old 1940s big band tune "Christopher Columbus"(parts of it always remind me of some of the old Carl Stalling background music in the "Looney Tunes" cartoons!)-and, the story of Columbus was an important part of a routine I wrote back in high school.Back then, I was on the speech team (no shoulderpads necessary) and competed in a category that was known as "original monologue"-basically, it was...an original monolgue that you wrote and performed for that year at all the speech contests.I did pretty well in these things- I came in first at several of them, and (pardon my failing memory) think I may have come in first in the state competition (please hold your applause.)

I honestly wish that I could recall the routine, but too many years have gone by...I do remember that my character was that of a lecturing professor from Italy, who was easily frustrated (and spoke in a lovely accent that I lifted from some of my relatives who had originally come from"the old country"-as they always referred to it.I always wondered why they never referred to America as "the NEW country"...anyway, I was this flighty professor who was giving a class his version of the story of Columbus' voyage to America...and how he argued with one student that the three ships were not named Groucho,Chico and Harpo. I'm pretty sure there was some lame joke regarding Columbus discovering Ohio.

I'm a little surprised that I don't have a copy of it written down somewhere, seeing as how I have, for years , kept  copies of almost everything that I've written- as I have mentioned before, I pretty much have every Svengoolie and Son of Svengoolie script ever, plus all my "Koz Zone" scripts-plus, the written parts (we DID ad lib, or, as the kids say today, "improv") of bits I did with Jerry G. when we did radio on WMAQ.I also have lots of the scripts from my tenure with Dick Orkin, including all my "Chicken Man "scripts.

But- I digress...my salute to Columbus has wandered, somewhere into the vicinity of Columbus Drive downtown (an area that I spent a fair amount of time around when I worked at stations in that area.) Though Columbus has been blamed by many for despoiling this native land and its original people, I have to thank him for providing me with material!

The Svengoolie Halloween season appearance tour rolls on, with our next stop being next Saturday afternoon in Morton Grove! The location will be - the “Magical Mystery Tour” costume and magic store, right near Dempster and Austin. I will be there signing autographs and posing for pictures with you from 1-3 pm. Make sure that you are there early, to guarantee that you will get to see me- because I will need to leave at the appointed time in order to make it to the Chicago Emmy awards on time!(Unlike Superman, it takes me a little bit longer to change into my secret identity…)

After visiting with me, you can also browse the hundreds of costumes available, plus-find the perfect accessories for any costume, including props, wigs, make-up, fake teeth, and more! They call it the Ultimate Halloween Store- so, come out and find YOUR costume there! (You can even find a costume for your pet there!) The exact address is 6010 W. Dempster…and the phone number is 847-966-WILD!

I hope to see you there, especially you Sven fans in the Morton Grove / Glenview / Des Plaines / Niles / Skokie sector. Since I went to Maine East High School in Park Ridge (oh, yeah- Park Ridge denizens are invited as well!) I know I have some old friends in the area! I recall the Dempster/Austin location very well, having spent a lot of time there…

Right at that corner, there was a location that, for a while, became the new home of the famed Buffalo Ice Cream Parlor that used to be in the city. Then, for a while, the place became a restaurant where they had phones on each table, and you could make calls to the other tables. I think it went out of business because tens would come in, buy a coke, and proceed to call their pals or would-be crushes at the other tables- thereby tying up the table space, and not buying enough food, etc. to keep the place viable! Across the street, there used to be one of my favorite restaurants- JoJo’s- a California chain that disappeared far too soon from this area. You and I can both see what’s right on that corner now…(Magical Mystery Tour is slightly west of the intersection…)

The store is not far from the park where we used to see 4^th of July fireworks every year…and an area, now built up, where they would always have carnivals that we would frequent as kids. Further west stood a really cool restaurant –based on Al Capp’s “Lil’Abner” character…much like Big Boy, there was a statue of the hillbilly strongman himself, toting a milkshake in one hand, and a big burger in the other! I just wish I had pictures of that place…

Enough of the old memories! Let’s create some new ones- next Saturday afternoon at “Magical Mystery Tour!”

Tonight at 9 pm, 1950s flying saucer paranoia is brought to the screen – but, it isn’t paranoia, because the UFOs are real- and deadly! It’s the famed Ray Harryhausen animated “Earth VS the Flying Saucers!”

For those who don’t know- flying saucers were a major topic back in the dawning atomic age of the 1950s.There would be waves of UFO sightings in various areas every so often- and among the books popular at the time for proclaiming the reality of the saucers were the various volumes written by a retired Marine Corps officer, Major Donald Keyhoe, who claimed first hand knowledge that the unidentified flying objects were real- and that the air force was trying to hide any information about them from the general public. The saucer mania prompted many films featuring flying saucers and invaders from space- and this film, based on Keyhoe’s book “Flying Saucers from Outer Space (as opposed to, from Berwyn?) reflects what many Americans feared would happen when these saucers actually appeared in the sky.

We see newlywed Hugh Marlowe and his wife, Joan Taylor, heading down the desert highway, as he tapes a dissertation on his portable reel-to-reel tape recorder (younger viewers may now intone “what’s that?”) about his latest project- a series of satellites circling the globe. Suddenly, their car is buzzed by a flying saucer! This begins a chilling tale of hidden communications by the aliens, attacks by these saucers, and the eventual attempt of the alien forces to take over the world!

This is another fine demonstration of the amazing craft of Harryhausen’s stop-motion animation techniques- and, it’s especially unusual, because he is not animating humanoid figures or monstrous creatures- but the spinning saucers and even crumbling building effects! As cool as it would have been to have Harryhausen animate the alien spacemen, they are pretty much represented by guys in clunky suits.

The voice of the aliens, although changed slightly using audio tricks, is a popular voice-over artist, who we will tell you about on the show- and, we’ll point out a couple instances of where certain stock footage used in the film originally came from!

The usual Sven shtick is present, of course, including an exciting new product that takes cooking into the space age- sort of- and, naturally, we’ve got a new song for you- plus, some older clips from our previous shows where saucers and aliens played a part!

Once again, let me remind you- “Earth VS the Flying Saucers” will run at 9 pm on WCIU, but a different “classic” Sven show will run on Me-TV at 1 am, due to contractual restraints on the number of showings we can do of this film.

So, come enjoy a classic 1950s saucer film tonight at 9- and, come back here for information about the cool costume shop in Morton Grove- “Magical Mystery Tour”- where I’ll be appearing next weekend!

I think I might have mentioned that the one costume I think will be overdone this year will be “Sarah Palin”- it’s fairly easy to put together, and, heck, there are a lot of women (and, as I said, even men) who can end up looking pretty convincing as the vice-presidential candidate.

Another costume that I see pretty regularly at my appearances is- Svengoolie! Both men and women seem to be able to dress as me with no problem- and even kids can make a pretty impressive Sven. You do have the choice of being the turtleneck Sven, the tuxedo shirt Sven- and, occasionally, we get the “Son of Svengoolie” look- from my WFLD days. Of course, there are also times when some enterprising long-time fan will show up as the original, Jerry G. Bishop- era Svengoolie, complete with hippie vampire green wig and sunglasses!

Looking at the ad papers and visiting the Halloween shops-there’s no shortage of costume stuff available. Some are pretty bizarre- a banana (I guess the idea behind that is, you wear that if your partner is dressing in a gorilla costume)- a giant whoopee cushion (I won’t even speculate on the “positive” features of wearing that)-or, the ever-popular giant birth control device. Maybe the last one is made necessary by the many really cute outfits for women…I saw a sexy “Dorothy” from ‘Wizard of Oz”, along with any number of sizzling service professions- nurses, policewomen, business women (which might be confused with the Sarah Palins- glasses, short business suit) I know one of my friends was planning on being Dorothy, and I know she’d be adorable in one of those outfits- if she can get her little dachshund to stay in the basket as Toto, too! There are times when things don’t seem to work with these costumes- one I saw is supposed to be a sexy Statue of Liberty- but, it looks more like a gal in a short Greek toga, wearing a tiara, holding a replica Olympic torch…come on, you need to at least make it LOOK like the real statue, with the spikier crown, etc. In contrast, the female Freddy (Frieda?) Krueger outfit was actually a pretty good female representation!

I love when the places are pushing the out-dated stuff- one store even had, in its ads, the lame old Saturday Night Live Will Farrell/Cheri Oteri cheerleaders. There are some retro costumes- Ghostbusters jump suits, Jane Jetson- and the weird inflatable ones, like Sumo wrestlers, over-inflated ladies, etc. vampires are everywhere, but –again- almost NO Frankenstein Monsters! Is it just Universal’s licensing fees that keep those from being more available? Or- have the classic monsters lost their appeal to the Halloween costume crowd?

Okay- not only did we have the controversy about how they shot the “red blood in a black and white movie” topic- but, our constant viewer and friend Bluecat has brought up another color phenomenon that she noticed while screening the film- that, in a couple scenes, Vincent Price’s tie appears to be-GREEN! Quite honestly, I hadn’t noticed that-

And nobody else had brought that up. However, Bluecat is not one for hallucinations, and I thought there must be some basis for this. She did e-mail me, and pointed out the exact scene- the one where the deaf woman has fainted at the sight of Vinnie’s blood, and he has revived her, and is about to go on his way. In the e-mail, she also brought up that, in some scenes. Vincent is wearing, as Barney Fife used to call it, “the old salt and pepper” jacket- and that she saw a sort of color effect around the lapels, but that she thought it wasn’t the same as the green tie-she mentioned having seen that effect before in movies and shows.

That effect- which some people call “strobing” –is indeed seen sometimes- it generally is caused when there is a very tight checked or striped pattern that, on the TV screen, where we have those little tiny ever-changing lines that create the picture play havoc with the tight pattern, creating weird “color” effects. I’ve seen reporters and personalities who should be TV- savvy enough to know not to wear such patterns do so, with the strange visual effect causing distraction to the viewers at home.

Anyway- I went back to the movie tape- took a look- and – the mystery is solved! Although BlueCat didn’t think it was the same as the lapel “strobing”- it was! I noticed, on close-ups, that the tie Vincent was wearing was indeed of a tight striped pattern. When the camera was further away from him- you could see that “colorized” effect, as the tie fought the tiny lines that make up the picture. (I’m not sure if the same effect would happen on a digital screen…) when I slowed it down, in fact, it was a moving “rainbow” -and you could see separate lines of the color spectrum ebbing across the tie. Bluecat’s set must have been tuned so that it appeared a more greenish hue.

So- BlueCat- the mystery is solved! It wasn’t green, but a tight stripe pattern that fooled your TV screen. Wow- I actually figured something out! Write THAT down in the history books!

You’ve probably noticed that I occasionally use this space to mention the passing of people we know- or know about, that you might find interesting- and I have a few to bring up today…

One, a local guy that older viewers may recall- Norman Ross. Mr. Ross recently passed away- another old school gentleman we will probably never see the likes of again. He was a second-generation radio host, and did both radio and television. He was adept at doing in-depth interviews with notable public figures, and most people probably remember his last air work as a commentator and reporter on WLS-TV. I’d met him a couple of times, and heard him/watched him any number of times. He was involved in many civic affairs, and was vice president of public affairs for the First National Bank of Chicago. His distinctive low-key voice will no longer be heard.

Less local, but recognizable to viewers of the old Johnny Carson “Tonight” show- was gadget guru Stan Kann. He was a short, energetic fellow, who would show up with unusual old gadgets- which always seemed to backfire, with hilarious results (no small thanks to Johnny’s reactions! On had to wonder how he could screw up all the time- until you hear the back-story on Stan. He was originally a collector of old vacuum cleaners and carpet sweepers (he found them fascinating, for some reason) and was booked on the “Tonight” show to show some pieces from his collection. While on air, parts were falling off some of the vacuums, etc.- the result of some stagehands assembling the wrong parts on the wrong machines. Carson did his reactions, and the results were really funny…so, naturally, this lead to more appearances for Stan- with pre-planned mishaps. So, in his many appearances, Stan actually knew the stuff wasn’t going to work right! A little known fact about Stan- who passed away last week in St. Louis- he was a popular theater organist, playing the big pipe organs.

And, finally- we mourn the passing of a man who wrote a musical jingle many of us will never forget. Marion Dawson passed away late last month. While working for a Chicago ad agency he not only renamed a rust-proofing company with a more memorable name-“Rusty Jones”- but also wrote the catchy jingle  a lot of Chicagoans will recall- sing along with me- “Rattle rattle thunder clatter-boom boom boom! Don’t worry- call the Car-X Man!”

Some people have said that I read the obituaries too much, since I always bring up those who have passed- but- isn’t a final remembrance- for memorable people- worth while?

The jury is still out on how they did the red blood in the sink and bathtub in the primarily black and white “Tingler” movie we showed a couple programs back.

A Wikipedia reference stated that William Castle had the whole bathroom set painted in monochrome colors, so they would match the black and white footage, and even had the actress in grey make-up, shooting the scene on color film, so only the red “water” and bloody arm looked like they were in color. A lot of us feel that this was something beyond Castle’s customary budget- and, quite frankly, pretty difficult to pull off- to get the gray tones, etc., to perfectly match the previously shot black and white. To me, I think one major clue that it was black and white film was looking at the woman’s hair-I would think it would have a different look if it was shot in color, no matter what they did to it-and that they may have hand-tinted, frame by frame, all the water scenes to add the red- a long process, certainly, but cheaper.

And yet- our pal Jeff writes and said he found this out, though he doesn’t say where his information came from: “When the bathroom light switches on, the film stock changes from B&W to Eastmancolor. Everything in the set was either white or painted gray or black; actress Evelyn wears gray makeup on her arms and face. Calling the effect startling doesn't do it justice; in 1959 little like it had been seen before. People screamed bloody murder! For those who have seen The Tingler on cable or home video, these prints attempted to restore the color to the scene with a 16mm print; the quality drop is pretty apparent.”

I went back and looked at it AGAIN. The whole scene does have a rougher looking quality to it, almost like it was optically blown up a little, with a grainier quality- but, looking at the actress, again, I think there are some things it’d be hard to render into the white, gray, and black tones, and certain highlights look like it’s shot on black and white stock…if anything, it looks like they may have shot the tub and blood (and bloody arm) on color stock, then cut that into the scene, using masking techniques to cover the rest of the scene and retain the black and white footage- the arm rising over the black and white background shot really does look like it was “added into” the scene. This seems to be supported by some information that viewer Greg found- he wrote: “When filming the Tingler William Castle only had enough money to by a couple of cans of Color film. Cans are what they refer to as the tin storage cans that the raw film used to come in. They decided to put the limited amount of color film to good use. One scene is split between color, and black and white. Even a film overlay in one section of the B&W film stock for the background and the colour blood filled bathtub in the foreground.” Greg also pointed out that, in this scene, the faucets looked chrome rather than gray.

To me, that sounds like the most likely explanation. Now- can somebody explain if they saw what our friend BlueCat saw? She says she swears Vincent Price’s tie was GREEN in one scene!!! I’m beginning to think I’m colorblind…

What’s been running rampant through my limited brain cells as the week begins?

Well, first of all, if I were a TV station, I don’t think I’d be bringing Drew Petersen on to promote his book. Whether he’s guilty or not, it seems inappropriate.

Yes, I read it too- they’re doing an update of “the Partridge Family” series. Oh, don’t worry-they’ll update it. Sorry- I think it’s a dumb idea. Heck, the original series wasn’t exactly a masterpiece. Its success was definitely fueled by the popularity of David Cassidy (apologies to Danny Bonaduce…)-I really don’t think they’re about to catch lightning in a bottle again. Hello, “Bionic Woman”…

Yes, I read that the CW has approved the creation of a pilot for the series “the Graysons”- it’s Dick Grayson BEFORE he becomes Robin, just sort of like a “Smallville” premise.Wait- he and his family travel around with the circus, doing their trapeze act? No Batman in it? Hmmm…are they going to have other characters from the Batman stories turn up? I will give credit to the guys producing this, though- their deal includes a clause that says that the CW has to pay them extra penalty money if they DON’T pick up the pilot as a series! Great…IF the CW actually manages to continue to exist…

Speaking of TV- I heard from our pal, the fine actor Kevin J. O’Connor- who graciously visited with us for an interview when we were showing “the Mummy”-since he appeared in the new version. Kevin is working on the new A & E series, “the Beast” –featuring Patrick Swayze. Kevin warned me that, should I visit the set, there wouldn’t be any “dirty dancing” going on- no lifts, no leaps. I was tempted to tell him, that, combining both their movie backgrounds, he could be shouting “Nobody puts Beni in a corner!”(Remember, Kevin was the sleazy “Beni” in “the Mummy”…) A lot of the series is being shot all around the Chicago area. Let’s hope it continues, that Mr. Swayze enjoys good health, and that Kevin gets to stay working here in his hometown, instead of trekking back to Hollywood (he did make a trip back there to do an appearance in the upcoming “G.I. Joe” movie, though!)

Speaking of Kevins, it was our audio guy/editor “Hit the Theme” Kevin who said that he thought Jim Belushi was the NEW curse on the Cubs…replacing the goat!(And- don’t miss that new sitcom on channel 9- “According to Goat!”)

We wanted to extend a special “thank you” to the lovely lady from our sales department- who undertook the difficult roles of BOTH of the new, modern version of the “Mothra” twin fairies on our show last Saturday. She did extremely well, reacting to her other self- who wasn’t there- in our green screen effects studio!

Thanks for starting off the week by checking in on the Sven blog- don’t forget, we welcome your messages here- you can add a comment right here on this page, or contact me directly at svengoolie@wciu.com …

As I mentioned, I started off the Halloween season last weekend, with my appearances in Willow Springs and at the Portage Theater (which I will be returning to, before the end of the month…)- and I’ve noticed a lot of people are already gearing up for Oct. 31…one good thing, for many people, is that the election is a handful of days after Halloween- meaning regardless of who wins- there will definitely be way too many people (both men and women) dressing up as Sarah Palin- I guarantee it! Halloween parties everywhere will be over-saturated with Sarahs, many trying to duplicate that “Fargo crossed with Alaskan” accent…”oh, say it ain’t so, Joe, dere you go again…”

Here’s some news I read that you might find useful- if you’re into Jack O’Lanterns…

The word is –the dry weather in August, followed by the flood-level rains in September has resulted in a pretty weak pumpkin crop this year. There are not only fewer pumpkins, but a lot of the larger pumpkins were devastated by the rain- ended up submerged underwater, so there are not as many large-sized pumpkins available.

Some pumpkin patches have said that, with their lower inventory of goof pumpkins, early shoppers may end up buying out the inventory by mid-October! This means- get ‘em now! Don’t worry that they’ll rot away by October 31- if they aren’t carved, and are carefully stored- they’ll keep. Make sure you check that there are no cuts or bruises in the skin, because that’s the road to rot! Experts suggest keeping them, not in your garage or out on the back porch, but inside, maybe in the basement. This is because the even temperature inside, without extreme changes that you’d find outside between day and night this time of year, are more conducive to keeping the pumpkin in fresh condition.

And, here’s something I never heard of, that kind of makes sense- once you carve the pumpkin, if you coat the inside with Vaseline- it’ll seal it up so it won’t rot as quickly!

Just don’t attempt to carve it up later to make a pie-eewww!

One other feature of this season- the haunted houses. Believe me, in my long career doing appearances, I’ve pretty much seen them all. These days, with heart problems, they are probably not a good idea- you know, quick unexpected shocks- not great for the old ticker…I’ve seen some really good, creative ones, and some that were just…unimaginative. Somebody jumping out at you in a Walgreens werewolf mask wears out pretty fast. One of the coolest., most creative things I remember was- you’d go into a narrow, dark area, and suddenly, off to your side- there’d be car headlights snapped on, a loud horn blaring and the sound of the car  taking off- creating the effect that it was coming right at you, and you had no room to get out of the way! Truly a great effect!

Get set for a classic of the Japanese giant monster variety that hasn’t run here in free TV for well over a decade-if not more than fifteen years…if you remember the tiny twin fairies, then you know they’re singing about- “Mothra!”

Yes, it’s the memorable classic from 1961  -that provided us with the humongous winged creature that actually fought Godzilla as “the Thing” in “Godzilla VS the Thing!” (no relation to the hand that lived with the Addams Family…) This is the story of a group of shipwrecked sailors who are rescued from what’s thought to be an uninhabited island used for atomic tests…who reveal that there were natives living there, who counteracted the radiation with a mysterious juice!

This prompts an excursion to the island with some scientists, a reporter, and an unscrupulous rich guy (who chooses these combinations?)- and, before long- they find not only the natives- but also a pair of adorable foot tall females! Mr. Moneybags starts to see dollar signs, and, makes a separate trip back to kidnap the tiny twins- and wipe out a few of the natives as well…

When he puts them on display in a big show, he doesn’t realize that the song they sing not only makes the crowd react like it’s the hottest thing since ‘Tokyo Idol”- but that it also is a homing beacon for- the giant larvae that will evolve into the winged version of Mothra! The pillaging caterpillar starts to destroy Tokyo in true giant monster fashion-as it makes its way to the rescue of the famed “Twin Fairies!”

Anybody who has ever seen this flick fondly recalls the two tiny singers and their siren song…and, as a Sven bonus, we bring you the true story of who they were, and their amazing career-an –uh- “interview” with the diminutive ladies as they’d be today…kind of…plus, some background on the flick, a new Sven song and more!

And, once again- a word of warning- this week begins the split between the 9 pm WCIU show- and the 1 am Me-TV program…for now, the late night Me Sven show will be a “classic Sven” program. So, if you want to catch “Mothra” –either watch, tape, or TiVo our 9 pm showing on “the U!”

And, for those of you hoping to meet me in person- right now, our next public appearance date is Saturday October 18-when we’ll visit the “Magical Mystery Tour” Costume and Magic store on Dempster St. in Morton Grove! We’ll have more information here in the blog, plus information during next week’s Sven show. I think this is my first Morton Grove appearance since I used to hang around that area many years ago…I may just write a future blog talking about that!
Meanwhile, join us for “Mothra” tonight-and turn off the lights- they attract moths!!!

We’ve been puzzling over how the scary scene with the red water in the black and white “Tingler” movie was done, and we’ve gotten one suggestion- which I’m not quite sure about.

Duanne Walton was kind enough to send us some information he found on Wikipedia…

stating the following:

Although The Tingler was filmed in black and white, a single b&w/color sequence was spliced into each print of the film. It showed a sink (in black and white) with bright red "blood" flowing from the taps and a black and white Judith Evelyn watching a bloody red hand rising from a bathtub filled with bright red "blood". Castle used color film to film the effect. The scene was accomplished by painting the set white, black, and gray and applying gray makeup to the actress to simulate monochrome.

Personally, and no offense meant to Duanne, I find that kind of hard to believe. With Castle’s budget, going through the trouble of repainting everything so that the black, white, and gray levels would exactly match the way the actual black and white film looked doesn’t seem to make sense. Plus- getting her hair to match the way it looks in black and white is much harder than you would think. I went back and looked at the scene again- and there also seems to be a strange “edge” to the red colored hand, etc.-

Which wouldn’t be the case if it was filmed on color stock, with the background painted in the monochrome look. As I wrote to Dwayne, Wikipedia not exactly being a 100% factual source, I’d be more likely to give the idea some credence if I saw it printed elsewhere…regardless, I appreciate Duanne forwarding along the information to us…
and, again, request that if anyone else finds information about that scene, we’re willing to contemplate it. Just send it to svengoolie@wciu.com  …

We previously stated that we think the way it was done was by hand-tinting the film, frame by frame- an old technique that was used in film for years before “the Tingler” was produced. But- again- that’s just a guess, as well- today, there are so many sophisticated ways to pull off that effect, via optical masking, computer generated highlighting, etc.- that we’d actually be able to figure it out a little more easily…but, with this 1959 film,it’s a little harder to find out the truth.

I’ve heard from many of you, and it seems that you enjoyed last Saturday night’s showing of the William Castle/Vincent Price flick “The Tingler.” (Okay- I did get one complaint from someone who felt that it was really kind of…well, let’s just say that it didn’t give him much of a tingle…)-and I did get a couple inquiries about something unique that was in the film.

Anyone who watched the show (on a color TV- yes, I know there are still people who have black and white sets!) noticed that, during the deaf and speechless woman’s “hallucinations”- she saw that her sink’s water was – blood red! (I know- old pipes, rusty water…) and then she saw that her bathtub was also full of red water- out of which rose a bloody hand! (Note- and it’s a SPOILER if you didn’t se the movie, so don’t read this if that’s the case- if her hubby was pulling all this stuff off- and wore the mask while attacking her in the other room- who the heck was submerged IN the tub, full of tomato soup or whatever? I guess we excuse these kinds of things in a William Castle film- just like the ending- ahem…)

Anyway- the question was not about who the arm was- but- how did they DO that- in a black and white movie? How did they just get that specific stuff in color? Today, and even over the past thirty years, there’d be other ways to do it- shoot the red water and super-impose it in the scene, use computers to generate the color ONLY in certain places… but, folks, we’re talking William Castle here! He didn’t have huge budgets for special effects- as you might recall from some of the information we gave you in previous Castle flick shows.

I have to admit- I searched among all my research sources, before we even shot the show, to see if I could find out how they did that scene, and pass it along on the program, and my research turned up- no information! Nothing, even in memoirs written by Castle himself!

So- among the suggested ways it COULD have been done is the way I’m guessing Castle actually pulled it off- an old technique, in which each frame is laboriously tinted BY HAND. So, some underpaid Castle crony probably spent hours, going over each frame of film and coloring the areas where the water was on each frame with red pigment. That way of tinting things on black and white film was used in film going back to the silent era!

If any of you are experts on castle and his films, and know the actual scoop on how those scenes were “colorized’- please let me know- svengoolie@wciu.com  - and I’ll pass it on in a future blog!

Okay- a few days ago, I wrote about a story from a new book that has a claim by Rose Marie –“Sally” from the classic “Dick Van Dyke Show”- that her father was, in part, responsible for Curly of the 3 Stooges getting his name. Rather than the set story that most of us know- that, to become a part of the Stooge act, Curly cut off his moustache and long brown hair, and said “if you want me, just call me Curly”…Rose Marie says, as a child performer whose father changed his family’s stage name to “Curley’- that her father would play pranks on the Stooges backstage, eliciting cries of “Cut it out, Curley!” from the popular third Stooge- so much so, that people began to call HIM “Curley!”

This kind of made sense- especially since, on the credits for the earliest shorts, his name was even spelled “Curley” with that “e” that eventually was dropped.

However- our pal, film and Stooge expert Ted Okuda, who originally forwarded the story to us- decided to check it out further, to try to get to the truth. He sent the story to a Stooge historian, Frank Reighter, who also ran it by another Stooge fan named Brent (no last name provided)-who then kind of shed some light on this controversy!

Brent wrote, after reading the entire account by Rose Marie, which also included dates that she worked with the boys-“I have no doubt that Rose Marie remembers it that way, and since her father gave her that stage name, I’m sure her ‘recollection’ is secured as a family memory- but it doesn’t ring true! She specifically states that she met the stooges in 1934- after they had split from comedian Ted Healy. The “Curly” name had already appeared in their 1933 Healy films, like  ‘Plane Nuts’ and ‘Dancing Lady.’”

Ted says these two guys, Brent and Frank, are definitely knowledgeable Stooge historians- so that should settle the issue. Though it does make for a good yarn…and, let’s face it- Rose Marie, up in years, might not remember exactly what was going on from so many years ago- then again, as a child, she might not have even noticed, and is only going by a story her dad might have made up. People do have a tendency to “remember” things a little differently than how they actually occurred- for example, in a book by a legendary local deejay, he states a couple things that I was around for, where the chronological order of things, along with other parts of his story, were- uh- not quite right.

If I ever write a book- I’ll make sure I write it while I still have all the history straight- or, at least, have somebody who would really knows the facts proofread it…