"Son of Svengoolie" (1979) TV series 1979-1986

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Writer:

Rich Koz (writer)

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Weekly Television show that originally aired on WFLD 32 in the Chicago area (and originally went by the name "Son of Svengoolie"...

Plot Keywords:

Horror Host | Character Name In Title

Cast

Rich Koz

...

Son of Svengoolie (125 episodes, 1978-1981)

Also Known As:

"Svengoolie" (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

WFLD

Trivia:

The original Son of Svengoolie set contained a couple of surviving flats that were set pieces used in Chicago's original "Shock Theatre" (1957) on channel 7. It was donated to Columbia College after the show was cancelled and when WFLD Chicago (channel 32) moved from Marina City to Michigan Avenue. Sadly, the collage destroyed it not long after.

Movie Connections:

Follows "Screaming Yellow Theatre" (1970)

Oddball humor, sci-fi and Horror B-movies, coolness!

A quirky, oddball Chicago area TV show incorporating local guy Rich Koz as the "Svengoolie" character who hosts a series of (mostly) low budget horror and sci-fi movies. The series was originally called "Son of Svengoolie", now simply "Svengoolie", and was actually spun off from a previous series (which Koz was a writer for) called "Screaming Yellow Theatre". Much of the humor is self-deprecating and admittedly cheesy, but is usually funny for just this reason. Koz, in full makeup and costume, opens the show with some slapstick humor and then inbetween the show and commercial breaks, jumps in with more, often with his buddy "Doug Graves" who plays ditties on the piano. The show usually ends with Koz standing in an upright coffin and making a series of jokes so lame that the cameramen start pelting him with rubber chickens. Some low-grade special effects often make an appearance in the form of a moustacioed talking skull and other oddities.

I grew up watching this. It was on once a week, in the evening, after The Incredible Hulk. This show was a major precursor to shows like Mystery Science Theatre 3000, so if you're a fan of that you might get a kick out of this as well.

Cool old movies you don't see very often on TV (if at all!), silly slapstick humor that borrows a lot from The Three Stooges and such. Lots of fun!