One step closer to Halloween on this 2012 countdown, and what better way to celebrate than to talk about one of the wackiest horror hosts to ever grace the airwaves, straight out of Cleveland, and every bit as talented as the Indians, It's Ghoulardi! Now I never got to enjoy the Ghoulardi experience first hand until Professor Grewbeard, wherever he is, sent me a DVD chock full of this wild man's antics! So if Ghoulardi is too weird for you, it ain't my fault, you just might have needed to be there!
Ghoulardi, Oh Oh, Cantare, Oh Oh Oh Oh!!! Horror host Ghoulardi was a nut, pure and simple, and unlike somebody like Zacherley, his unique character was that of a hipster, calling his own shots, making up his own slogans and phrases, and doing pretty much whatever the Hell he could conjure up and get away with!! His
tomfoolery was something akin to what people used to call fun, pure, unadulterated, unpretentious fun!
Ghoulardi somehow managed to stay on the air in Cleveland from 1963 to 1966, unfortunately today, he wouldn't last five minutes, that's how sick our world has become! His show was called "Shock Theatre" and it played on WJW Channel 8!
Ghoulardi was unique in the fact that he didn't just introduce films, he had skits, music, and was even known to intersperse his own footage into a chase scene of a film he was showing! At one point, he also hosted a weekday children's show titled "Laurel, Ghoulardi, and Hardy!"
"Cool It!"
"Stay Sick!"
I love this letter from a fan, "Please try to be less obtrusive." Like that was even close to being in the realm of possibilities of an option! Not in Ghoulardi's world!
One of Ghoulardi's ongoing skits was titled "Parma Place," a takeoff on a popular mainstream soap opera of the time "Peyton Place!" Although nothing and nowhere were safe, Parma, Ohio, and Oxnard, California were the most frequent targets of his sarcasm!
Ghoulardis' real name was Ernie Anderson!
Ghouldardi's influences go on to this day! Jazz Organist Jimmy McGriff released a song called "Turn Blue," and everybody's favorite band, The Cramps titled their 1990 release, "Stay Sick!"
If you just happen to find yourself in the area, the 2012 "GHOULARDIFEST" will be held in Parma, Ohio in just a couple of weeks on the weekend of November 2nd, 3rd, and 4th! Be there or be sick!
If you don't know what a 'knif' is, then I guess you're just not sick enuf! Pretty simple, 'knif' was fink spelled backwards, that's how elegantly simple Ghoulardi's schtick was!
No medium was spared the comedic forces of Ghoulardi's wit and wisdom! Irreverent? Sure! Irellevent? You betcha! Freakin' Prefect? You can bet your sweet ass!
Some of the artwork sent in by the minions of Ghoulardi's fans was brilliant, some of it was rubbish, but he would show it all off, and treat it all with the same amount of folderol!
After Ghouldardi left the airwaves in Cleveland, he moved to L.A. to do voiceover work! He passed away in 1997, another victim of cancer, but his spirit will live on forever!! So remember not to forget,
"Stay Sick!"
4 comments:
perfect post, guys! i'm still around in spirit...
Imagine Ghoulardi as your father. The result was Paul Thomas Anderson, director of Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master, etc. Blood will tell.
Stay sick bro!
Hey! Thanks for this great post. I am trying to find DVD copies of the show, would you be able to help?
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