Biography for
Ernie Anderson

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Ernie Anderson was born Nov. 12, 1923 in Lynn, Massachusetts. He began working in radio at Burlington, Vermont's WSKI-AM in 1946. He met Tim Conway at WHK-AM in Cleveland and began writing with him. They were hired by Cleveland's WJW-TV in 1961 where they created "Ernie's Place", a daytime show of movies and comedy sketches. He created the beatnik character "Ghoulardi" for himself, wearing a lab coat, fright wig, fake goatee beard and mustache and became popular introducing WJW-TV's Friday night horror movie show "Shock Theater" (1963). Rose Marie, best known as "Sally" on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961), recommended him to Steve Allen who recruited him for his own show. He had many run-ins with his management in Cleveland and moved to California full time in 1966. He appeared in two episodes of Conway's TV series, "Rango" (1967) in 1967 and then formed a comedy act with his old friend. More television followed and, in 1970, he revived the "Ghoulardi" character for the Cleveland TV station, WBMX-TV. He was hired as "the voice of ABC" in the late '70s where he continued to work well into the '80s. He died of cancer on 6 February 1997.

Trivia

Father of Paul Thomas Anderson

Ernie Anderson perhaps will be best remembered as 'Ghoulardi' one of the first TV horror movie hosts. He was also a successful DJ and television announcer.

Buried at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills) 6300 Forest Lawn Drive Los Angeles, California, USA 90068

Was a big-band lover who sometimes said he wanted the Count Basie Orchestra to perform at his funeral.

Fired from his first radio job, WSKI-AM in Burlinngton, Vt. He was fired for making fun of one of the stations sponsors who was in a barbershop quartet.

Was the number one DJ at a Providence, RI station, Ernie was fired from his second job for riding his motorcycle through the halls.

As Ghoulardi, his catch phrases were "Stay Sick" and "Turn Blue".

Ron "The Ghoul" Sweed was later hired by Ernie as an assistant. Sweed "crashed" a Ghoulardi appearence at Euclid Beach Park dressed in a gorilia suit.

Liked to play "Pappa-oom-mow-mow" by The Rivingtons. It was released in 1962.

Liked to needle Cleveland TV personalities like "Dorothy Fuldheim" and Mike Douglas. On "Shock Theater" (1963), Ernie made a running gag out of the Cleveland suburb of Parma.

Drew Carey has worn Ghoulardi T-Shirts on the set of "The Drew Carey Show" (1995) and dedicated an episode in his memory.

Became the on-air announcer for ABC in the mid-1970s. He was known for the way he phrased "The Love Boat" (1977) as "The Looovvveee Boat."

During a video interview segment that ran on the local ABC affiliate in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, he displayed a photo of his wife and kids that sat on his desk. Everyone in the photo was wearing fake glasses and fake noses as a gag.

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