FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2014 – Noon (CT)
MeTV Media Contact: MBC Media Contact:
Molly Kelly 312.705.2632 David Plier 847.612.7888
THE MUSEUM OF BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS&MeTV NETWORK
TO HONOR RICH KOZ • CELEBRATING 35 YEARS AS ‘SVENGOOLIE’
CHICAGO —The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) and the MeTV Networkare proud to honor award-winning television personality Rich Koz as he celebrates 35 years as ‘Svengoolie’. An event will be held in his honor on Friday, October 10 at 7PM at The Museum of Broadcast Communications. The evening will include an exclusive interview with Rich Koz, the unveiling of a new ‘Svengoolie’ exhibit featuring his original coffin and artifacts from the original set, a Halloween Costume contest and a featured horror film with classic ‘Svengoolie’ bits. Svengoolie will also be meeting and greeting all his fans during an autograph session.Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at www.museum.tv. A private reception before the event is available for $100. All proceeds benefit the museum.
‘Rich is a true Chicago television icon, who I proudly rank with the likes of local TV legends Bob Bell, Frazier Thomas and Ray Rayner” said David Plier, Executive Board Director of The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.“His ‘Svengoolie’ character has entertained us in Chicago since the late 70’s, now nationally, and I am thrilled to have our museum honor him and enshrine his original set, coffin and a flock of rubber chickens into a permanent exhibit for all to enjoy’.
“We are so proud to be Rich’s TV home for the past twenty years, not only because he’s Svengoolie, the best horror host ever, but because he’s Rich Koz’, saidNeal Sabin, Vice Chairman of Weigel Broadcasting.
“Rich Koz is a television icon and Svengoolie has become one of the most beloved characters in Chicago TV history” said Bruce Dumont, MBC’s Founder and President. “The MBC is pleased to add the Svengoolie set and coffin to our permanent collection for all to see. We also congratulate Rich Koz on his remarkable 35 year career of television creativity.”
Rich Koz launched his career in broadcasting at WMTH-FM, a small low-powerednon-commercial FM station operated by the students of Maine High School in Park Ridge, IL.Rich found his calling and later while still a student at Northwestern University, sent comedy material to Jerry G. Bishop, a popular WCFL-AM personality who began the character as‘Svengoolie’ in the early 70’s at WFLD on “Screaming Yellow Theater.” Bishop, impressed by Koz’s work, hired him as a writer/voice-over talent. Bishop later brought Rich along to WMAQ as producer/writer and ”second banana” on his WMAQ-AM morning Show.
In 1979, with Bishop’s blessings, Koz returned to WFLD as “Son Of Svengoolie” for nearly a decade. Over the years, Rich has also hosted shows on radio stations WCKG and WGN. In 1995, broadcast executive Neal Sabin invited Rich to return to the role at WCIU, The U.
Rich now portrays ‘Svengoolie’ each Saturday night seen across the country on the MeTV Network, with his cast of “Doug Graves” the laid back musical sidekick, Tombstone the talking skull and the beloved Kerwyn. He continues to popularize rubber chickens and bad movies, in addition to the popular musical numbers and commercial parodies. Select movies feature a segment of the movie produced in Svensurround with added sound effects, dubbed-in dialogue and visuals. He currently has received 8 regional Emmy Awards, and was inducted into the prestigious Chicago Television Academy’s 2004 “Silver Circle” for outstanding contributions to Chicago television. An entirechapter devoted to Rich’s career appears in the popular book- “Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows- from Shock Theatre to Svengoolie”. Svengoolie has also won many “Favorite Horror Host” ‘Rondo Awards’. In May 2011, Svengoolie joined the national MeTV Network.
WHAT: AN EVENING WITH RICH KOZ, CELEBRATING 35 YEARS AS ‘SVENGOOLIE’
The event will include the following:
6:00pm Doors Open
7:00pm Welcome, Bruce DuMont& David Plier
7:10pm A Word from Our Sponsors
7:20pm Neal Sabin, Vice Chairman Weigel Broadcasting
7:30pm Exclusive Interview with Rich Koz
8:15pm NEW ‘Svengoolie’ Exhibit Unveiling
8:45pm Halloween Costume Contest
9:00pm Svengoolie Movie Feature
The event is sponsored by MeTV and The Ankin Law.
TICKETS: General Admission is $35.00 and can be purchased online at www.museum.tv.
A Private Reception with Rich Koz is available from 6pm-6:45pm for $100, which includes admission to the event.
WHERE: Museum of Broadcast Communications
360 North State Street, Chicago, IL
WHEN: Friday, October 10, 2014
7:00-11:00 PM
Doors Open at 6PM
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS:
For over 27 years, The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) collects, preserves, and presents historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform, and entertain the public through its archives, public programs, screenings, exhibits, publications and online access to its resources.
ABOUT WEIGEL BROADCASTING CO:
Weigel Broadcasting Co. and affiliate companies own and operate The U/WCIU-TV 26.1, The U Too/ WCIU-TV 26.2, MeTV/WCIU-TV 26.3, Me-Too/WCIU-TV 26.4, Bounce TV/ WCIU-TV 26.5, WWME-CA 23, WMEU LP 48, Bounce TV/WWME-LD 23.2, TouchVision/WMEU-CD 48.2 in Chicago, IL; CBS/WDJT-TV 58.1, MeTV/WDJT-TV 58.2, This TV/WDJT-TV 58.3, Touchvision/WDJT-TV 58.4, MeTV/WBME-CD 41.1, WMLW-TV 49.1, Bounce TV/WMLW-TV 49.2, Telemundo-Wisconsin/WMLW-TV 49.4, Telemundo-Wisconsin/WYTU-LD 63.1 in Milwaukee, WI; and ABC/WBND-LD 57.1, MeTV/WBND-LD 57.2, Movies! WBND-LD 58.3, CW/WCWW-TV 25.1, THIS/WCWW-TV 25.2, My Michiana/WMYS-TV 69.1, Telemundo-South Bend/WMYS-LD, 69.2, TouchVision/WMYS-LD 69.3 in South Bend, IN. Weigel Broadcasting Co. also owns The MeTV Network as well as MOVIES! Network, which is a joint venture between Fox Television Stations and Weigel Broadcasting Co.
