Photo courtesy of the National Packard Museum Big Chuck Schodowski, right, and John Rinaldi started the “Big Chuck and Lil’ John” show in 1979. It ran until 2007 on Cleveland TV station WJW-TV. Here, the duo appeared at a fundraiser for the National Packard Museum. Schodowski died Sunday at the age of 90.

Big Chuck Schodowski made multiple generations laugh in northeastern Ohio.

Schodowski, who died Sunday at age 90, was an engineer at WJW-TV in Cleveland when he started making on-camera appearances in the early 1960s on “Shock Theater,” hosted by Ghoulardi (Ernie Anderson). He then partnered with Bob “Hoolihan” Wells for the show “Hoolihan and Big Chuck,” performing comedy sketches during commercial breaks for old movies. He was joined by John Rinaldi starting in 1979 for “Big Chuck and Lil’ John,” which aired until 2007.

Schodowski became a star in greater Cleveland and wrote a book about his career, “Big Chuck! My Favorite Stories from 47 Years on Cleveland TV” in 2013 with Tom Feran.

While Mahoning Valley viewers may have needed a good antenna to pick up the late-night show in the pre-cable television era, Schodowski and his comedy partners had a loyal following locally as well.

He and Rinaldi made several appearances for fundraisers at Warren’s National Packard Museum.

“They always were so attentive to the fans and just the nicest guys to work with,” museum Executive Director Mary Ann Porinchak said. “They always looked forward to coming to the museum, because people from all over the place came to see them. They were one of those groups that, as teenagers, you watched them continuously. You grew up watching them.

“And they were funny right to the end … they would take over my office, and the laughter was just hysterical. Watching that from the sidelines was such a kick. Yeah, they were as funny off the stage as they were on.”

Those visits to the museum were arranged by Dr. Robert Walton, who was a fan dating back to the Ghoulardi days. In addition to events at the Packard museum, Walton promoted book signings and other events with Schodowski, and he and Ellie Kovell, who make up the duo Take II, performed at every Ghoulardifest except one.

“He treated everyone like family,” Walton said.

Schodowski would always invite Walton and Kovell to stand next to him on stage when all the celebrities at Ghoulardi were getting their photo taken. Schodowski stayed and talked to everyone who came to see them whenever he and Rinaldi appeared at the Packard museum, and Walton watched him sign autographs and pose for pictures for hours, even when he was in pain from various ailments.

“That’s just the kind of guy he was,” Walton said. “And the stories he told us. We would go out to dinner and those stories he told were invaluable.”

Eric Thompson, a comedian / magician and owner of Satolli Carpet & Floor Covering in Warren, was one of those who was fiddling with the antenna to watch “Hoolihan and Big Chuck” as a teenager in the ’70s.

He loved the low-budget opening credits, which featured Godzilla climbing up Cleveland’s Terminal Tower like King Kong on the Empire State Building. He remembered watching Braceville heavyweight boxer Earnie Shavers on the show as well as Tim Conway (who grew up in Chagrin Falls and worked with Anderson on a pre-“Shock Theater” movie show before becoming a comedy star) and many Cleveland media personalities.

“It was so low budget and so funny, stupid but funny,” Thompson said. “It wasn’t a big Hollywood production that was syndicated out to all the stations like it is now. There’s no individuality now in TV. One or two companies own a lot of TV stations in every market. Everything’s the same. If it works in Des Moines, it’s going to work in Cleveland and Tampa and everywhere else. It wasn’t like that back then.”

A lot of Schodowski’s comedy traded in ethnic stereotypes, but it never was mean-spirited, according to Thompson.

“Anybody that was the target of a joke was in on the joke,” Thompson said. “It taught me that comedy doesn’t have to be cruel or have a mean, targeted intention. It’s all fun, and everybody can work together and make everybody else laugh … Being the butt of Big Chuck Schodowski’s jokes was a badge of honor.”

Arrangements for Schodowski are being handled by Waite Funeral Home Brunswick Chapel. Private services will take place, and the family suggest donations be made in Schodowski’s honor to the Animal Protective League, 1729 Willey Ave., Cleveland.