American actor and broadcaster (born 1952)
Rich Koz
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Born
| Richard Koz
(
1952-03-12
)
March 12, 1952
(age 72)
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Occupation(s)
| Actor, broadcaster
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Years active
| 1972?present
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Rich Koz
(born March 12, 1952)
[1]
is an American
actor
and broadcaster best known for his portrayal of horror-movie host
Svengoolie
, as well as his early '90s children's cartoon showcase
The Koz Zone
. Koz is also the host of the syndicated
Stooge-a-Palooza
program. In 2021, he was inducted into the
Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards
' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.
[2]
Beginnings
[
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]
Koz got his start in broadcasting at
WMTH-FM
, the
high school radio
station at
Maine East
in
Park Ridge, Illinois
. While Koz was at
Northwestern University
, he sent the original Svengoolie,
Jerry G. Bishop
, material for the horror-movie program. Bishop subsequently invited Koz to join the show's staff.
When the show was cancelled in 1973, Bishop and Koz worked together doing mornings on
WMAQ
radio in Chicago, and Koz worked with radio legend
Dick Orkin
on commercials and syndicated features, including "ChickenMan Returns for the Last Time Again." When Bishop left for San Diego in 1978, he gave Koz permission to create a show known as
Son of Svengoolie
, now simply known as
Svengoolie
.
[3]
Son of Svengoolie
[
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]
In June 1979, on
WFLD
-TV Ch. 32, Koz began as Son of Svengoolie, winning numerous local Emmy awards,
[4]
and having his show syndicated to sister stations in Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, and San Francisco for a brief period. In 1986, after the station was acquired by the
News Corporation
, WFLD canceled
Svengoolie
, believing the show not dignified for a network affiliate. He did some freelance radio, including stints as a fill-in at
WGN
radio.
[
citation needed
]
The Koz Zone
[
edit
]
From 1989 to 1993, Koz returned to WFLD (now "Fox 32") to host a new hosted movie show where he appeared to be "breaking in" to the Fox signal (a take-off of an actual event where WGN and WTTW
had their signals pirated
). The show was originally untitled, but viewers were asked to address letters to "Lose Weight by Selling Real Estate, No Money Down" until the show adopted the name
The Koz Zone
.
The show featured cartoons presented by Koz, interspersed by sketch comedy bits. This show won him his next local Emmy, and later became the daily
Koz Zone for Kids
. Koz also did mornings on WCKG radio for a brief period, co-hosted live 4 July and New Year's Eve programming, and became weekend and fill-in weather anchor for Fox 32 News.
1995?present
[
edit
]
In 1995, Koz came back on the air as part of the launch team for newly independent station
WCIU-TV
, Channel 26. He became Svengoolie (after Jerry G. Bishop?the original Svengoolie from 1970 to 1973?told him he could drop the "Son of" because he was "all grown up now") and resumed weekly horror movie shows, along with numerous other duties. Koz, having won numerous regional Emmy Awards, was admitted to the
NATAS
/Emmy "Silver Circle" for "outstanding contributions to Chicago television". Starting in 2011, he began to be seen nationwide when his
Svengoolie
show became a regular Saturday night staple on the
MeTV
classic TV network.
In his Son of Svengoolie persona, Rich Koz is also known for the early 1980s
3-D
broadcast of
Revenge of the Creature
(the sequel to
Creature from the Black Lagoon
) that resulted in a civil action lawsuit by people who felt they didn't get enough 3-D for the 89 cents they spent for the cardboard glasses.
In November 2012, Koz suffered a heart attack at his home. He had previously suffered a heart attack at his home a decade earlier, in March 2002.
[5]
References
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External links
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]
Wikiquote has quotations related to
Rich Koz
.
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people
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