Bob Wells (newscaster)

:"This is an article about the news anchor/television personality. For the former MLB baseball player, see Bob Wells."

Bob Wells (born September 27, 1933, in West Point, Nebraska) is a former news/weather anchor, and television personality who is best known to Cleveland, OH television viewers as "Hoolihan", one half of the Hoolihan and Big Chuck picture show hosting team that appeared on Saturday, then Friday nights. Wells replaced the late legendary television personality Ernie Anderson in 1966 at then-CBS affiliate WJW Channel 8 when Anderson left for ABC television in Los Angeles to become their TV program announcer.

Career Beginnings

Bob started his broadcasting career in 1959 at a Kansas City NBC radio affiliate. After only a year a spot opened up doing part time weather on the weekends at a Kansas City television station. He stayed there through 1965.

In 1966 Wells arrived in Cleveland to replace the departed Anderson, andwas also used by WJW as a newscaster and weatherman. At the time the weather personalities were Dick Goddard, Don Webster and Howard Hoffman, all of whom did a very serious forecast. The production manager asked him if he could "be funny."

Wells teamed with then-station engineer Chuck Schodowski to create the Hoolihan and Big Chuck Show which used to air at 11:30 PM On Saturday then eventually Friday nights. The show usually showed Z-grade movies, and in-between comedic skits, usually featuring Wells, Schodowski (Big Chuck), as well as local TV personality John Rinaldi (Lil' John), who replaced Wells when he and his family departed for Tampa, Florida.

Wells also worked full time as part of their weekend news staff.

In 1971 Wells quit the staff of WJW, although he did continue to do weekend weather and The Hoolihan and Big Chuck show until he departed the station in 1979.

Later Years

Bob also hosted "Joint Witness" with his wife Barbara a Tampa-area Christian-themed program on WCLF-TV, a Christian station there. Although it gained widespread appeal in that area, it was abruptly cancelled after only 3 months. Shortly after, the Jim Bakker led ministry "The PTL Club" scandal rocked the headlines.

Bob and his wife also ran a successful financial planning and advising company in Florida. They also did TV commercial spots in the Tampa area. Wells and his wife would regularly appear at "Ghoulardifest" functions held by WJW in tribute to Ernie Anderson, who died in 1997.

Since 1979 Wells had been living with his wife Barbara, in Clearwater, Florida. On August 28, 2007, Barbara died after a lengthy battle with cancer. Bob and Barbara had been married 51 years. [http://www.clevelandseniors.com/people/hoolihan-update.htm] Wells, who is a grandfather, has three adult children and is semi-retired and still lives in Clearwater.

References

*http://www.clevelandseniors.com/people/hoolihan.htm Bob "Hoolihan" Wells Biography Article on "Cleveland Seniors" website

*http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html Barbara Wells passing posted on Ohio Media Watch Website, 9-23-2007.

*http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/3257/HoulandChuck.html Houilhan and Big Chuck tribute site

*http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0920119/ Bob Wells imdb page