Who Are the MeTV ‘House of Svengoolie’ Characters?

PR-IMAGE-BOONANZA-SQUAD-CLEAN — Courtesy of MeTV

For decades, Svengoolie has been inviting horror fans into his dungeon every Saturday night to watch his latest movie picks. These days, he isn’t always alone down there. About once a month, House of Svengoolie takes over the dungeon, bringing a newer twist to the long-running MeTV horror tradition.

The Sven Squad officially joined the Svengoolie family in 2023, after a nationwide search that began during New York Comic Con in October 2022, and the group now includes Sarah Palmer as Gwengoolie, Scott Gryder as IMP, and Bill Leff as Nostalgiaferatoo.

Sarah Palmer as Gwengoolie

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Sarah Palmer plays Gwengoolie, a ghoul with old Hollywood flair. The character is described as a “Hollyweird” diva from the glamorous age of cinema who crossed over about 65 years ago. Palmer is a California native whose background makes her a natural fit for the role. She has a long-standing love of vintage style, tiki culture, and Halloween, and has spent more than 20 years working in entertainment. She is also known for portraying classic screen and pop culture figures, including Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and the Bride of Frankenstein.

Scott Gryder as IMP

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Scott Gryder plays IMP, short for Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein, a trickster who is always trying to make himself the center of attention, can be slightly grating, and keeps claiming Svengoolie is his uncle. Gryder joined the Sven Squad with a strong performance background, especially in the Chicago theater scene. He appeared in the award-winning Buyer & Cellar with Pride Films & Plays and in Jesus Christ Superstar at Lyric Opera Chicago. He studied theater at Texas Tech University and has continued performing at venues such as Davenport’s Piano Bar and Skokie Theatre. Gryder also won three National Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on the children’s television series Green Screen Adventures and a Non-Equity Jeff Award for Buyer & Cellar.

Bill Leff as Nostalgiaferatoo

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Bill Leff plays Nostalgiaferatoo, an 800-year-old vampire who, according to the character’s joke, does not look a day over 760. Leff and Rich Koz had already known each other for years, and Leff joined the cast as a familiar face to many MeTV viewers. Leff is already well known to MeTV fans as the host of Toon In With Me, the weekday morning show that wraps classic animated shorts with live-action comedy segments. Before that, he built a career as a Chicago radio personality, stand-up comedian, and performer who studied improvisation at Second City.

What is House of Svengoolie?

House of Svengoolie gives the Sven Squad a chance to step forward while preserving the spirit of Svengoolie. Instead of replacing the original host, the format lets Gwengoolie, IMP and Nostalgiaferatoo bring their own personalities into the dungeon. Recent MeTV schedule listings describe the format as a Sven Squad takeover that mixes comedy segments and behind-the-scenes elements with the main feature.