(Kevin is posting this on behalf of Elizabethvf, who apologizes for not posting it herself, but she is having a problem logging in to her ezboard account.)

I would like to make two nominations, if possible...

One is for the book, CHICAGO TV HORROR MOVIE SHOWS: FROM SHOCK THEATRE TO SVENGOOLIE, by Ted Okuda and Mark Yurkiw, released in 2007 by Lake Claremont Press.

The Chicago area has a rich television history of horror movie programs, starting with Terry Bennett as "Marvin" hosting Shock Theatre, and continuing today with television veteran Rich Koz hosting Universal classics on the "Svengoolie" show. Okuda and Yurkiw did an outstanding job of collecting information, capturing history, and compiling it into one very enjoyable book. The authors reach out in a voice that invites the reader to step back in time and revel in warm, nostalgic memories. You don't have to be from Chicagoland to appreciate this book; it captures not only a local broadcast history, but touches on the entire t.v. horror movie show movement, and celebrates the excitement of a by-gone era, before recording devices and home players, when you carefully planned your evenings around movies circled in the t.v. guide.

Secondly, a joint nomination (and I am not entirely sure which category fits best) for Rich Koz and Neal Sabin of WCIU-TV/Weigel Broadcasting, for THE SVENGOOLIE SHOW.

Rich Koz is truly a veteran television horror host. Picking up the mantel of his 'father' Jerry Bishop, who portrayed the original 'Svengoolie' from 1971-73, Koz first appeared as "the Son of Svengoolie" in 1979 continuing through to 1986. A management change at that station resulted in the show being canceled, and eventually Koz was let go.

However, in the mid-1990's another local station was undergoing a programming change, under the guidance of Chicago native and television mastermind Neal Sabin-- and for horror fans, the results have been glorious. Sabin hired Koz, and then approached Koz about reviving the Svengoolie show. On January 7, 1995, THE SVENGOOLIE SHOW was back on the air; and in 2008, it's still going strong.

In fall of 2006, Weigel acquired rights to the classic Universal monster library. When asked about this coup, Koz is quick to give credit to the hard work and persistence of Neal Sabin for securing rights to air the classics.

Perhaps airing the classics on broadcast television, with commercial breaks, does not seem remarkable, in a world where so many of us have cable television and DVD collections that allow us to watch these movies whenever the whim strikes. However, broadcasting these movies is important on many levels. The first is exposure-- airing these movies on this show introduces a new generation of children to these classics, as well as introducing some adults who might have overlooked them to these movies. Secondly, it demonstrates the solid commitment Koz, Sabin and WCIU have to continuing the hosted horror show tradition.

But I think the most important contribution is one that is easy to overlook. Although many of us do indeed own copies of these movies, likewise there are many households out there where that is just not financially possible. There are homes out there with no cable, no DVD collection-- just an old television with a set of rabbit ear antennae. Broadcasting these movies on a publicly accessible channels means the classic monsters that meant so much to our childhood are happily haunting children out there who might not otherwise be exposed to these wonderful creatures.

So a joint nomination:

For Rich Koz, also known as Svengoolie-- veteran horror host, from 1979 to present, and a dedicated horror fan who shares with his viewers a love and appreciation of classic horror, and who is bringing these movies to a new generation.

And for Neal Sabin-- who recognized a Chicago treasure in the character of Svengoolie, who appreciates the rich tradition of a hosted horror movie television show, and who put Svengoolie back on the airways at a time when other stations were completely backing off such shows. Since bringing Koz to WCIU, Sabin has continued to work to give Koz support to make the show better and better, demonstrating his commitment to this unique piece of American television history, the horror host-- and his appreciation of classic horror movies.