Ted Okuda is a Chicago-based film historian whose most recent book with Lake Claremont Press, Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows: From Shock Theatre to Svengoolie (coauthored with Mark Yurkiw), was published in December 2007. His previous books include The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television (coauthored with Jack Mulqueen), The Columbia Comedy Shorts, The Monogram Checklist, The Jerry Lewis Films (coauthored with James L. Neibaur), and The Soundies Distributing Corporation of America (coauthored with Scott MacGillivray). Other recent book credits include coauthoring Charlie Chaplin at Keystone and Essanay: Dawn of the Tramp with David Maska, contributing chapters for Guilty Pleasures of the Horror Film and Science Fiction America, and writing the foreword for Castle Films: A Hobbyist's Guide.
Okuda's articles, interviews, and reviews have appeared in such media-themed publications as Filmfax, Classic Images, Cult Movies, Outré, Classic Film Collector, The Big Reel, and Movie Collector's World. He has discussed film, television, and pop culture topics on The Today Show, Chicago Tonight, Three Stooges Stooge-A-Palooza, Nude Hippo: Your Chicago Show, and NBC–Channel 5 News. Ted was also a research consultant for the cable access anthology series The Kings of Comedy.
Film/television historian Ted Okuda's public programs explore the heyday of Chicago children's television and the rise of local horror programming through fun, historic video collages and his own pop culture expertise.
A true fan and prolific writer in the field, author Ted Okuda is available for entertaining and informative talks, programs, and special events throughout the Chicago area.
His typical one-hour presentation on The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television includes historical and cultural background on this era; a 15-minute VHS-format video collage highlighting many of the local kids' shows from the late '40s to the mid-'70s—Kukla, Fran and Ollie, Ding Dong School, Super Circus, Garfield Goose and Friends, Ray Rayner and His Friends, Bozo's Circus, Gigglesnort Hotel, and more; and a question-and-answer period.
His one-hour presentation on Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows features clips of monster and horror movies featured on local programs as well as historical information on the shows and their zany hosts.
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