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* Now In Paperback * Cleveland TV legend "Big Chuck" Schodowski tells hundreds of funny and surprising stories from a lifetime in television--in his familiar, good-natured, Cleveland-to-the-bone style.Since 1960, Chuck has been on camera, behind the camera, and in the director's chair. He collaborated with Ernie Anderson on the groundbreaking "Ghoulardi" show, and continued to host a late-night show across four decades--the longest such run in TV history. He worked alongside a host of talented people, from Tim Conway to Burgess Meredith to Muhammad Ali.Chuck literally has fans of all ages. This book will entertain them and anyone else who enjoys behind-the-scenes tales of television and celebrities. Great fun at a great price!
What made the summertime special to a Cleveland kid? Building sandcastles in your clam diggers at Edgewater Park. Pulling up to Manners Big Boy in your parents' car for a burger and a Big Ghoulardi. An ornate sundae at Boukair's. Watching the Indians lose (again) at Municipal Stadium. Being terrified by Laughing Sal at Euclid Beach Park. And more!
Midnight, 1954. A striking woman in a torn black dress slinks down a cobwebbed, candelabra'd corridor. She stops, shrieks hysterically into the camera, then solemnly says, "Good evening, I am Vampira." Her real name is Maila Nurmi and she was the first in a long line of television horror movie hosts, commonly seen on independent stations' late-night "grade Z" offerings dressed as some zany ghoul or mad scientist. This book covers the major hosts in detail, along with styles and show themes. Merchandise tie-in and fan reactions are also chronicled. The appendices list film and record credits.
Ever since the first settlers arrived in 1816, Parma has steadily been growing, residentially and industrially. It was once called Greenbrier, named after the thorny shrubs abundant in the area. Parma became a city in 1931 and is now the largest suburb of Cleveland as well as the seventh-largest city in Ohio. The city is home to notable landmarks such as General Motors and Cuyahoga Community College. One of the homes in Parma was even a stop on the Underground Railroad. From the first tavern opening in 1819 to presidential candidates dining at local establishments, Parma is full of inspiring people, places, and history that have made the city what it is today. The historical images in this book bring to life the stories and people of the past, which will carry on to future generations.
Cleveland television meteorologist Dick Goddard shares stories, cartoons, facts, and essays about weather, pets, Ohio history, the television business, and other topics.
Remember when TV was just three channels and the biggest celebrities in Cleveland were an outrageous movie host named Ghoulardi, a gentle elf named Barnaby, and a tough-as-nails newswoman named Dorothy Fuldheim? These pioneering entertainers invented television programming before our very eyes while we watched from our living rooms. Revisit the early days of local TV in these fun and fact-filled stories featuring . . . Paige Palmer, the fitness host who smoked four packs a day . . . Smooth-voiced Captain Penny, who reminded us, “You can’t fool mom” . . . Volatile talk show host Alan Douglas, who pushed guests’ hot buttons—sometimes until they punched back . . . Gene Carroll, longtime king of the amateur hour . . . Woodrow, the Woodsman . . . Romper Room’s Miss Barbara . . . Jungle Larry . . . and many other local favorites.
In the 1970s, Peter Laughner was a founding figure in a primordial ooze of what would come to be called punk rock, in the somewhat unlikely, somewhat necessary place of Cleveland, Ohio. Bands like Pere Ubu, the electric eels, Rocket From the Tombs, the Dead Boys, Devo, and the Pagans all intermingled in this psychosphere; Laughner touched them all. In 1977 at the age of 24 he became punk rock’s first casualty. While his short life ended more than a half a century ago, his legacy continues to resonate; Henry Rollins and Guns N’ Roses have covered his songs, while Wilco and the Mountain Goats drop references to him in their lyrics. Underground comix stalwart Aaron Lange makes his much-anti...
Bill 'EL Wingador' Simmons, Sonya 'The Black Widow' Thomas, David 'Coondog' O'Karma, Bill 'EL Wingador' Simmons, Sonya 'The Black Widow' Thomas, David 'Coondog' O'Karma, Eric 'Badlands' Booker, Timothy 'Eater X' Janus - just a few of the stars of one of America's fastest growing sports: competitive eating. In a country in which a third of the population is clinically obese, competitive eating has made the leap from trestle tables and paper napkins to stadium arenas - in the past two years, more than 1.4 million households have tuned in to Nathan's hot dog contest on ESPN. Beginning with a trip to Japan in search of the elusive (and surprising slim-line) champion Takeru Kobayashi and ending u...
“To be up on stage, shoving food in your face, beats everyday existence for most people.” —David “Coondog” O’Karma, competitive eater “Hungry” Charles Hardy. Ed “Cookie” Jarvis. Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas. Joey “Jaws” Chestnut. Will such names one day be looked back upon as the pioneers of a new manifestation of the irrepressible American appetite for competition, money, fame, and self-transformation? They will if the promoters of the newly emerging sport of competitive eating have their way. In Horsemen of the Esophagus, Jason Fagone reports on the year he spent in the belly of this awakening beast. Fagone’s trek takes him to 27 eating contests on two conti...
A useful resource for people of all ages who want to know more about rock history, Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection links national and international events in music and the world, though the primary focus is on Cleveland. Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection is the first in-depth look at the people, venues and artists that made Cleveland the "Rock 'n' Roll Capital of the World." Author Deanna Adams conducted personal interviews with more than 150 musicians, managers, DJ's, promoters, record executives, journalists, and club owners--all pioneers of this new musical movement--to compile these chapters of musical history.