Svengoolie December 2022 Newsletter

## Intro

**DECEMBER**

It is somewhat amazing to me that we are nearing the finish line of another year! 2022 has proved to be a memorable year in Svengoolie history — so it seems appropriate that this final month includes a bonus Saturday, filling your stockings with five films, while you try to handle those five golden rings, four calling birds, three French fries — well, you get the idea. Look at what we’re dropping down your chimney!

## Body

Our December slate of films begins with an eerie classic: 1935’s The Raven, starring Bela Lugosi as a neurosurgeon obsessed by the works of Edgar Allan Poe — and is likewise obsessed with a judge’s daughter! He uses devious methods to enlist the help of escaped convict Boris Karloff to achieve his sinister goals. Next, we get into some 1950s nuclear nastiness: Creature with the Atom Brain — in which a gangster has a scientist create a unstoppable mob for him, made up of corpses resurrected by means of atomic energy!

We then move on to Invisible Agent in which the grandson of Griffin, the original Invisible Man, uses the invisibility formula to battle the enemy in World War II. This film treats us to familiar faces like Jon Hall, Ilona Massey, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Peter Lorre! On Christmas Eve, we continue with the invisible theme, and, in view of the holiday, go with some lighter fare — and it kind of combines elements of both the past couple weeks’ films — invisibility and mobsters — as two bumbling would-be detectives get mixed up with a boxer framed for murder who literally disappears — when Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man! We wind up 2022 with an old acquaintance that some high school kids find can’t be forgot — an immense arachnid ready to destroy a small town in 1958’s Earth VS the Spider! That one will definitely make sure that those who are spooked by spiders will be wide awake by midnight!

Something else to watch for this month — Sventa Claus will be making a cameo guest appearance on the Toon In with Me special “Tiny Toony’s Christmas Carol” — featuring some great holiday cartoons wrapped around cartoon curator Bill teaching Toony the Tuna the true meaning of Christmas with his own version of the Dickens classic. Watch for it on Monday December 5th at 8 PM eastern, 7 PM central time on MeTV.

With the launch of my holiday shoppe (I have a shoppe?!), we introduced a new design called the Svengoolie Tree! Complete with rubber chickens up top and festive horror throughout, this design is available in t-shirts and long sleeve shirts for those of you that need a little more warmth during this time of year!

That reminds me, if you're hoping to get the Svengoolie holiday sweater, it's almost sold out! Some sizes will go out of stock this week! So, if you want to get one, order today and take advantage of the MeTV Mall sale happening through this weekend and get 20% off when you use promo code METVHOLIDAY during the checkout.

We could review 2022’s many milestones — from the Svengoolie: Uncrypted special, to some amazing live appearances, including the New York Comic Con, and our fun visit to Joe Bob Briggs’ 100th Last Drive-In show on Shudder — all of which we have chronicled in previous newsletters. Instead, I thought I might reminisce with you about some of my holiday memories of the past.

In our home base of Chicago, December has always brought us holiday parades — and a few times, I have been invited to be a part of them. I remember one where I was on a firetruck with some other local celebrities, where there were some large balloons attached to the truck, and it fell to those of us on the truck to pull the balloons down low enough to make it safely under the elevated train tracks! That same year, someone gave me a drink tumbler with hot chocolate to keep me warm on that cold winter’s day — which did so in another way when it leaked in the inside pocket of my coat!

I also rode solo in vehicles in other holiday parades — including a unique two-wheeled car — and a convertible sponsored by a candy company, which was completely covered with the hard peppermint candies they made. As is sometimes the case, they had me sit up on top of the back of the rear seat, resting on the back portion of the car. This resulted in me having sticky candy stuck to my coat and pants! I should have opted for leaky hot chocolate.

Another part of Decembers past has been being a part of some New Year’s Eve shows — as my alter ego Rich Koz, I helped host some local Fox New Year’s Eve programs, done live on a blocked-off street in downtown Chicago. That was pretty amazing... especially when they came to me, said there were two factions of enemy street gangs in the crowd — and I should go out on stage to keep things calm! A more sedate event was a special countdown done at a downtown Hyatt hotel broadcast live on our local ABC station in the early ‘80s, featuring many celebrities with Chicago roots — including Robb Weller, who you may know from Entertainment Tonight, Ann Jillian, I Dream of Jeannie’s Bill Daly, and more. It was awesome to see, through the glass roof of the hotel, the downtown fireworks going off at midnight. As I was heading out to my room, a perhaps over-served young woman cried out “Look! It’s Alice Cooper!” As one my friends liked to say — “wrong again, honey”!

I also was a part of some fun countdown shows on the radio with my good friends Steve King and Johnnie Putman, broadcasting from a studio on Michigan Avenue. They were always loaded with friends and celebrities, and they would count down to midnight in each time zone. I have to say, one of my truly cherished memories is when Steve and Johnnie had my little daughter who was in attendance get on the phone — to talk to Mickey Mouse and Minnie (the actual voice actors — Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor)! I will always remember how wide her eyes got when they first spoke to her!

I think a lot of us in broadcasting have memories like this that will always come to mind during this time of year. Honestly, however, these days I am very happy to be warm and happy at home as the old year ends and the new year begins.

Speaking of which — let me send my sincere best wishes to you all. I have always said that your friendship, support, and love are among the main reasons that I continue as Svengoolie — and you have honored me with your kindness. Get ready for a new year — that will include our Svengoolie comic books done under the auspices of “Frank Miller Presents” and Dan DiDio, some exciting appearances, new movies, and more of Sven (and I DO mean more!) — as well as more surprises and milestones as we continue our journey. Thank you for being a part of it — and Kerwyn, Boddy Sorrell, Doug Graves, Tombstone, our beloved Sven production crew and I wish you a safe, happy, and successful 2023!

## Upcoming Appearances

**Note**

December 10 — Christmas Mystic Market

Soundgrowler Brewing Company — Tinley Park, IL

Right now, it appears that Sventa Claus’ only 2022 live appearance will be at the Christmas Mystic Market, benefitting Sacred Space Animal Sanctuary and Rescue. Sventa will pose for pictures and give autographs, and you could win a unique hand-crafted Svengoolie doll! There will also be many craft vendors, food available, and even Santa Claus himself! The event runs noon to 5 pm — but Sventa will only be there from 2 to 4 pm. Find further information under the “appearances” tab on our website!

Check out the appearances tab at svengoolie.com for additional media appearances as they are scheduled.

## Photo of the Month

In keeping with the season, AnnMarie Alderman of Woodburn, Indiana sent us photos of some one-of-a-kind artwork she has created. These snowflakes are actually paper cut-outs — she informs us that she is a proficient “scherrenschnitte” artist — that’s a fancy word for paper folded and cut with scissors! I think many of us have made snowflakes like these, but not ones depicting Kerwyn and yours truly!