Who was Big Chuck Schodowski? Tributes pour in as Cleveland local late-night TV legend dies aged 90
Well-known television star Big Chuck Schodowski has recently died at the age of 90. He gained recognition as the host of projects such as Shock Theater and was additionally popular for being featured in The Hoolihan & Big Chuck Show alongside Bob Wells, as per USA Today.
The news of Big Chuck's demise was first made public by Fox 8 on January 20, 2025. However, the cause of death has yet to be made official, and other details related to his health issues remain unknown.
Popular personalities from the entertainment industry also took to different social media platforms to express their grief over Big Chuck Schodowski's death. Actor Josh Robert Thompson shared a Facebook post and recalled the memories of watching Big Chuck's show as he wrote:
"So many fond memories of staying up way past my bedtime, downing a 2 liter of RC Cola, eating cold pizza and watching old Hammer horror movies and silly comedy sketches. When I hosted my own late night horror show in the mid-90s, Chuck was kind enough to chat with me a bit and offer advice on how to purchase old films for broadcast."
Fox 8 News Cleveland journalist, Gabe Spiegel, also paid tribute to Big Chuck Schodowski on Facebook by writing:
"Big Chuck brought so much joy, happiness and smiles to this dark world for decades. I've always admired him, and I thank him for being an inspiration and pioneer of TV comedy. I sure hope his lovely family realizes what a legendary person he was."
Netizens also took to the comments section of Spiegel's post to pay tribute, addressing how they have loved his show and jokes over the years.
Big Chuck Schodowski was a part of the television world for many years
Big Chuck spent his childhood on Harvard Avenue and East 71st Street and completed his graduation from Harvard Elementary School in 1946, as per Cleveland.com. He initially worked at a foundry for around eight years and slowly began developing an interest in television.
According to Big Chuck Schodowski's IMDb bio, he joined WJW-TV8 as an engineer in 1960. He first worked with Ernie Anderson and Tim Conway on their show and later started his show with Bob Wells, titled Hoolihan & Big Chuck Show.
Chuck's work also made him a recipient of multiple local Emmy Awards and he later won three international film festival medals. Apart from all these, he even pursued a brief career as a director, helming projects such as The Wandering Muse of Artemus Flagg.
Back in 2008, Big Chuck told Cleveland Magazine that he was initially hired as a temporary employee at Channel 8 and always had a question about when he would become permanent at the place. He said that things became easier when Bob Wells joined him for the show and added:
"The pressure was incredible. I really wanted out of it. Then I figured we were going to be so bad, trying to fill Ernie's shoes, we wouldn't last 13 weeks, and I could stomach my way through that. My family might be embarrassed for a while. Forty years later, I retired from it."
Although Big Chuck Schodowski retired in 2007, he maintained a huge fanbase and during a conversation with cleveland.com around two years later, Big Chuck Schodowski recalled some of his best memories over the years, including from his childhood as he said:
"My grandmother lived above a delicatessen on East 71st Street. There was a bakery a couple doors away. You could smell the bread baking all night long. About nine o'clock, she'd give me some money, and I'd stand in a long line for a hot loaf of bread. They'd put it in a paper bag. It was so hot, you'd have to carry it with your fingertips."
Multiple sketches were featured on Big Chuck's show, including Dueling Accordions, Troglodyte, and Ajax Liquor Store, and they obtained a different kind of popularity among audiences over the years.