Rich Koz (born March 12, 1952) 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.
17-662: 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
34-506: A frequency of 88.5 MHz. This continued from 1960 until 1983 when the frequency was changed to 90.5 MHz and the power reduced to 10 watts. This leaves it as one of the lowest powered FM stations in the United States, and one of few remaining under the now-discontinued Class D license. WMTH-TV is another section of WMTH, they broadcast a mixture of school news, school sports events, and other programs of local interest. All of
51-518: A heart attack at his home. He had previously suffered a heart attack at his home a decade earlier, in March 2002. WMTH-FM WMTH-FM , located in Park Ridge , Illinois , was among the first FM high school radio stations in the United States when it was licensed in 1959. Established by the Student Council at Maine Township High School , now Maine East High School, the station went on
68-583: 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
85-436: Is constructed in brutalist style, and its architect was Donald Stillwaugh. As student population declined, the decision came down to closing Maine East or Maine North. Maine East, the oldest school in the district, opened in 1929, but also had considerable numbers of alumni and students with the S.O.S. (Save Our School) campaign pushing to keep it open. On November 17, 1980, the school board voted, 4–3, to close Maine North by
102-548: The 30th anniversary of the film's release, the Chicago Tribune specifically asked the film's cinematographer, Thomas Del Ruth, to address this controversy. He was quoted "The field shot? We did it behind the same school where we were shooting. We never left the premises during production." The school was also used as a training facility for the Chicago Blitz of the short-lived United States Football League and
119-537: 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 . In June 1979, on WFLD -TV Ch. 32, Koz began as Son of Svengoolie, winning numerous local Emmy awards, and having his show syndicated to sister stations in Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, and San Francisco for a brief period. In 1986, after
136-604: 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
153-519: The air during December 1959 . The station became known as "The Voice of Maine Township". The radio station was built by electronics teacher, Theron Whitfield, and electronics students in the school. WMTH-FM has studios at all three existing Maine Township High Schools ; Maine West High School in Des Plaines and Maine East High School and Maine South High School in Park Ridge. There
170-399: The broadcast events are streamed on their respective YouTube channels. In addition, all events broadcast are staffed by WMTH Club Members and the broadcasts are in care of their respective instructors. 42°02′14″N 87°51′30″W / 42.037164°N 87.858291°W / 42.037164; -87.858291 Maine North High School Maine North High School (officially
187-459: The following year, citing that it was not only the smallest school, but the least centrally located of the schools in the district. In October, the board voted to close the school at the end of the 1980–1981 school year. The building was subsequently sold along with the District's administrative building, which had its offices relocated to Maine South High School . After its closing, Maine North
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#1732786893918204-402: The highest point of the school building at Dempster and Potter Roads in Park Ridge. The studio from 1959 through 1970 was located in room 147B, across the hall from the auditorium. When the center courtyard building opened in the fall of 1970, the radio station relocated and the first WMTH-TV television studio was built. The original power of the station was 16 watts effective radiated power at
221-561: 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. 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
238-407: Was also a studio at the former Maine North High School in Des Plaines . Maine East, South, and West currently broadcast from about 8:30 AM - 5 PM on Weekdays, with East broadcasting on Mondays, South on Tuesdays, West on Wednesday, and the schools rotating Thursday and Friday every week. The call letters were chosen "MTH" as in M aine T ownship H igh (school). The WMTH-FM antenna is located on
255-509: Was known as Maine Township High School North ) was a public four–year high school in Des Plaines , Illinois , United States, located northwest of Chicago . Maine North was located in unincorporated Maine Township, part of Maine Township High School District 207 . Maine North served parts of Des Plaines , Glenview , and Niles . Opened in August 1970, Maine North closed in May 1981. The building
272-540: 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. In 1995, Koz came back on
289-462: Was used for location shooting of the 1985 movie The Breakfast Club , filmed in the spring of 1984. The library scenes in the movie were shot in the school gymnasium, where a set was constructed. A plaque downstairs in the building commemorates the movie being shot there. Decades after the film's release, alumni of other area schools have claimed the final shot of the film was shot at their school's football field. However these rumors are false. On
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