Rich Koz is an American actor and broadcaster best known as horror-movie host Svengoolie and his early '90s children's cartoon showcase The Koz Zone. Out of costume, he is also the host of the syndicated The Three StoogesStooge-a-Palooza program.
Beginnings
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 on to the show. 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 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.
Son of 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 Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, and San Francisco for a brief period. In 1986, after the station was acquired by the News Corporation, WFLD canceled Svengoolie, believing the show not dignified for a network affiliate. Koz did some freelance radio, including stints as a fill-in at WGN radio.
The Koz Zone
From 1989 to 1993, Koz returned to WFLD to host a new hosted movie show where he appeared to be "breaking in" to the Fox signal. The show 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 Koz 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.
1995–current
In 1995, Koz came back on the air as part of the launch team for newly independent station WCIU-TV, Channel 26. He became Svengoolie and resumed weekly horror movie shows, along with numerous other duties. Koz is now well known and well regarded in the Chicago area, having won numerous regional Emmy awards and having been admitted to the NATAS/Emmy "Silver Circle" for "outstanding contributions to Chicago television." Beginning in 2011, Koz began to be seen nationwide when his show became 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 '80s 3-D broadcast of Revenge of the Creature 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 a heart attack at his home. He had been stricken by a heart attack previously in March 2002.
