Big Chuck!: My Favorite Stories from 47 Years on Cleveland TV

by Chuck Schodowski, Tom Feran

“A vivid picture of an honest man in the insane world of television. Highly recommended.” — Midwest Book Review 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 wrote and directed two thousand hilarious sketches that were watched religiously by adoring fans. Revisit favorite characters including the Kielbasy Kid, Certain Ethnic Guy, Ben Crazy, and many more. Chuck's stories will entertain fans—and anyone who enjoys behind-the-scenes tales of television and celebrities.

Genres: Biography

306 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2008

About the author

American entertainer and television presenter (Big Chuck and Lil' John).

Reviews

[Jim Zubricky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a Cleveland transplant, and this book made me long for the late 80s/early 90s Cleveland TV. This book was a real treat!

[Matthew Kobilarcik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought by adding small details into small stories within the book, really added a sense of imagery into the story, despite me not knowing very much about Cleveland TV. I do understand, people from Ohio would understand this (specifically, the 60's), sometimes, the book makes me a bit confused.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read that brought back so many memories of Friday nights and staying up late watching the great old movies and being entertained by Big Chuck, Hoolihan and Lil' John.

[Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of my earliest memories are of Cleveland TV. Way back. We got a TV in 1948 and I can still name off early Cleveland TV folks: Bob Dale, Linn Sheldon, Miss Barbara, Earle Keyes, Pooch Parade. Why I would remember the name of a director on Channel 5 is beyond me, but I do. And commercials for Cotton Club, haluskha noodles, a pickles. Go figure. Later came Ernie Anderson and Tim Conway (then Tom) and Ernie's Place and their hilarious bread commercials. Then, of course, Ghoulardi (Ernie) and Big Chuck--later with Hoolie and Lil John. Was any television ever as good as Cleveland television?

I clearly remember Big Chuck's debut on Ghoulardi as the new Indian's pitching coach. I fell in love with Chuck at that moment and still am.

Big Chuck! is a wonderful walk through Chuck's wonderful life on Channel 8. I knew he was an engineer and later director, but I had no idea how much work Chuck put in all those years. The show would have been enough. But directing (news, specials), producing ,running lines at the stadium, playing football, basketball, baseball with the All Stars,, boxing Mike Tyson! And those skits. 2000 of them. And characters, Downstairs Neighbor Jerry Kleegle (Parma Place), the Kielbasy Kid, Soulman, King the Wonder Dog, Mushmouth Mariano, Ben Crazy, and hundreds more. The WSJ, in a front page story called Big Chuck and Lil John the last vaudeville show. Chuck never went beyond high school--except for broadcasting school. He started out working in a foundry his senior year, yet he won a gazillion local Emmys; had a chance at Hollywood, but chose Cleveland. Who needs freaking phony Hollywood when you've Cleveland: the best location in the nation.

The number of celebrities who graced Big Chuck/Hoolile/Lil John is outstanding. Muhammad Ali, Lawrence Welk, Andy Griffith, Mike Tyson, and many more. And the huge number of locals: Indians and Browns luminaries. One curious member of the All Stars was prominent heart specialist Dr. Robert White (the Pope. Gorbachev) who also, at Christmas, liked to clerk at Lil John's downtown jewelry store, Rinaldil Jewelers. I can't imagine this anyplace but Cleveland.

Big Chuck! is conversational and fun. It's also an important historical document in television history and shows us just how bereft local TV is today with its drones in suits and hairspray. The book is a great companion piece to Linn Sheldon's Barnaby and Me and Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland TV's Wildest Ride--which I'm going to re-read next.

I haven't lived in the Cleveland area since 1979 and the one thing I've always missed is Big Chuck. I was sad when he finally went off the air, but at the age of 73 he's earned a rest. He and John are still dong personal appearances and remain as popular as ever. Compilation shows of the skits are now shown on Channel 8.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you grew up in Cleveland between 1960-2007, you grew up with Big Chuck, from his Ghoulardi days, to Hoolihan, and finally with John Rinaldi on Big Chuck and Lil'John, Chuck is/was a local television institution. Wbat I and many Big Chuck fans might not know, is how he came to be a legend. I never kwew what behind the scenes work he did with engineering and directing until this book. Chuck is facinating and tells great stories, especially sports stories from when he got to see Jim Brown, Lou "The Toe" Groza,and other greats play for the Browns and the Indians. All the characters are here, from The Kielbasy Kid, Certain Ethinic Guy, King the Wonder Dog,......

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaking amazing and Cleveland-tastic, which is somehow fittingly and sadly furthered by the 12 or so typos that I encountered (seriously) while reading it. Cleveland ... sigh.

[Alicia Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a story about one of Cleveland's favorite people. I'm a Clevelander. Great read for anyone who loves Cleveland!

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for anyone who grew up watching "Ghoulardi", "Houlihan and Big ChucK" or "Big Chuck and Lil' John".

[Darlene]

Very interesting read, since he is from the area