Turn Blue: The Short Life of Ghoulardi

Turn Blue: The Short Life of Ghoulardi (2009) blends Documentary elements. Top cast includes Ernie Anderson, Chuck Schodowski, and Rich Heldenfels. The narrative builds around escalating stakes, urgent decisions, and action-driven momentum.

Actor: Ernie Anderson

For northeast Ohioans who grew up in this area in the 1960s, the new TV production Turn Blue: The Short Life of Ghoulardi is an entertaining blast from the past. Ernie Anderson, who played Cleveland's counter-culture media celebrity Ghoulardi, hosted WJW-TV's late-night horror movies from 1963 to 1966 and was an incredible influence locally. The one-hour production premiered on Western Reserve PBS in 2009. It earned two Emmy Awards, for directing and editing for producer Phil Hoffman. Turn Blue is the work of award-winning producer/director Phil Hoffman, Ed.D., who also teaches radio and television courses at The University of Akron. It is the latest in a series of local history productions that Hoffman has created in cooperation with Western Reserve Public Media. The program has also aired on WGTE Public Media in Northeast Ohio.