ELYRIA — The days of live TV evoke memories of hokey skits, cheap sets and the unmistakably energized fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants atmosphere of live programming.

They elicit lots of laughs still, as attested to by the clearly appreciative fans who turned out Tuesday night at the Elyria Public Library’s West River Branch to relive a bit of their own pasts with Cleveland TV icon “Big Chuck” Schodowski.

With that still-rugged face, strong cleft chin and a full head of graying hair, Schodowski was clearly in his element, looking dapper in a black sport jacket, white, open-collared shirt and jeans.

Before the program began, the crowd of 60-plus sang “Happy Birthday” as Schodowski was handed a cupcake with a single candle in observance of his turning 75 on Sunday. And some 40 fans hung around afterward to get his autograph on copies of “Big Chuck,” which he co-wrote with Tom Feran of The Plain Dealer.

“I was very self-conscious when I started out,” Schodowski recalled. “It was hard to be in public and be recognized. Now no one recognizes me.”

Despite scoring top honors on a Cleveland police and firefighters exam, the native Clevelander began his career as a summer engineer at KYW (forerunner to NBC affiliate WKYC-TV). In the fall of 1960, he landed a full-time engineer’s gig at WJW-TV, where he befriended Ernie “Ghoulardi” Anderson, Cleveland’s first late-night celeb and host of the station’s Friday late-night horror movie show.

Schodowski’s big shot came when Anderson left for L.A. in 1966 and stardom as the voice of ABC-TV.

“He made $2 million a year … and he spent it,” Schodowski said of Anderson.

Anderson and fellow Cleveland native and famed TV comedic actor Tim Conway “really pulled strings to get me to Hollywood,” Schodowksi said.

“I could have been an assistant director on ‘The Della Reese Show,’ but I never liked L.A,” he said. “I’m from Ohio, and so much of my family is from Cleveland. I couldn’t live where the seasons don’t change.”

Running from 1966 to 2007, the Friday night 11:30 p.m. “Big Chuck” show had the distinction of topping the “Johnny Carson Show” as a local market program in the late-night ratings.

Each time the station got new management or a new network, the show was threatened with a move to Saturday afternoons by bosses who thought it outmoded or passé. But each time it survived. “That (Saturdays) would have killed us,” Schodowksi said.

The show was hosted first by Schodowski and Bob “Hoolihan” Wells from 1966-79, and “Lil’ John” Rinaldi from 1979-2007.
Nothing beat the spontaneity of live TV.

“One time Hoolie (Wells) was so sick,” Schodowski said. “He kept throwing up, but when the camera was on, he was talking all over the place. As soon as the light went out, he ran off to throw up again. The brain overrides things when you’re on (the air).”

While the show’s “Certain Ethnic” skits poking fun at his own Polish roots may be the best-remembered, Schodowski said they were outnumbered by the “Ben Crazy” bits mocking the 1960s “Ben Casey” TV doctor drama.

“These days, everybody is a transient in TV,” Schodowski said, lamenting the similarities of TV stations everywhere. “You work someplace six months and move on.”

To order a copy of “Big Chuck,” or to read more about Schodowski and Co., visit the fan-based www.bigchuckandliljohn.com Web site.

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