Not long ago, during my post on Jim Cornette’s appearance at The Squared Circle with Svengoolie, I mentioned something really amazing that happened later at the event that I couldn’t go into any detail about at the time. Well, it’s now official and I’m happy to report that October 31st, 2014 will officially be Rich Koz Svengoolie Day in Illinois!
Photo by Jim Roche
With just a few days recovery from mine and the other Terror Dave’s vacation/road trip, it was time to resume my favorite Chicago past time…keeping up with national horror host, Svengoolie! We enjoyed seeing him at Brookfield Zoo for my AAZK Chapter’s annual Vital Grounds fundraiser (which David covered HERE) and were honored when he agreed to also have dinner with us the following evening (this time as mild-mannered Rich Koz) along with Jim Roche at The Squared Circle restaurant.
Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s we didn’t have a local horror host here in Rhode Island, until our Creature Double Feature decided to syndicate the Son Of Svengoolie out of Chicago. I had always been a fan of the Creature Double Feature but to be honest, the show had started to run its course as it started to show less of a variety of films, and those that they were showing had been shown dozens of time before. When they introduced the Son Of Svengoolie for me it was a breath of fresh air and a fan for life was created, despite the fact that the Creature Double Feature was soon to be cancelled for something called Kung Fu Theater.
The second and final stop of Svengoolie’s 2013 “Sventa Claus” appearances…
The next weekend, Svengoolie would return, this time appearing at Alternative Reality Comics in Mt Greenwood: a shop owned by a man named Tim Davis. Davis is pals with my fellow Goolie, Brian Bernardoni, and it’s his store window that hosts Brian’s amazing Svengoolie coffin & props when not being utilized for Brian’s Halloween yard haunt (and you can check out that fantastic set-up by clicking HERE). At last our mutual idol would get to see Brian’s great work in person which I know had always been a dream of Brians. It also gave the world another opportunity to meet Sventa Claus…the first ever outside of Comic Collector.
Well my friends, it’s that time of year when we celebrate family traditions, gathering with friends, gift giving…and Svengoolie! Yes, leave it to our national TV horror host to throw conventional holiday wisdom down the chimney and make the yuletide season friendly for us horror fans (who, contrary to Andy Williams, consider October to be the “most wonderful time of year”) as well! A few years back, Sven adopted the persona of “Sventa Claus” which, in Chicago, has become something of a holiday tradition in and of itself.
Conclusion to the 2013 Nightmare on Chicago Street…
Feeling a bit awkward, I made my way up the stage and starting snapping photos of Svengoolie addressing The Nightmare on Chicago Street crowd. I later learned there were nearly 7,000 people out there which, had I known at the time, would have me a nervous wreck! Elizabeth Haney was determined to capture a Sven’s eye view of things and the last thing I wanted to do was let her down. Seeing the immense crowd really brought home the full power Svengoolie had on my fellow fans. Sven cracked a joke about it being so cold he was glad he had his iphone because he’s “freezing his apps off” and the conest began…
Terror from Beyond the Dave 