We All Lived In His Yellow Screaming Theater
“The loss of Jerry G. Bishop, the original Sven and my mentor, brings back all the memories of his great broadcasting career, his love of family and friends, and a great big heart,” Svengoolie Rich Koz writes on his Facebook page. “I would not be where I am without him.”
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From The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
“Here’s a truly priceless moment, the two Svengoolies, the original and the Son, singing a song together. Rest in Peace, Jerry.”
With Jerry G. Bishop and Rich Koz. This aired on local Chicago TV Saturday, November 24th 1984.
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From All Access:
“All Access is sad to report the passing of radio and TV personality Jerry G. Bishop.
“Jerry was a big Top 40 jock in the 60’s in Cleveland before joining WCFL-A/Chicago. He was also the original Svengoolie on Chicago’s Channel 32 with the horror movie show Screaming Yellow Theater
“Jerry also did mornings on WMAQ/Chicago before that station flipped to country. He later relocated to San Diego, where he was on radio and TV, and owned a restaurant. Jerry most recently tracked weekends on WRLL-A (REAL OLDIES 1390)/Chicago from San Diego, where he lived.”
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From Robert Feder:
“Jerry G. Bishop traveled the country with the Beatles, worked as a major market radio and television personality over five decades, and created the original character of Svengoolie out of his fertile imagination.
“But he always considered himself a Chicago kid at heart, proud of his roots in the Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side. He even modeled his two restaurants in San Diego after his favorite hometown dining spots.
“Word that Bishop died Sunday at 77 evoked memories of his unforgettable run as morning star of the former WCFL during the golden era of Top 40 radio in the ’60s. ‘He was a great, great talent,’ Bob Sirott recalled. ‘Those WCFL shows he did were very clever.’
“‘Those were magic times,’ Bishop told me in a 2001 interview.”
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Nick Diglio discusses Bishop on his WGN Radio podcast.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on September 17, 2013