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Vintage Chicago TV, WCIU Ch. 26: “Rock of Ages” Gospel Fashion Show

November 12th, 2007 by Scott Marks

From the late 70s to the early 90s, the first Saturday of the month meant one thing to me: a fresh fashion show on Isabelle Joseph Johnson’s Rock of Ages.

WCIU-TV proved to be a great source of entertainmen. First came Arkansas Big Bill Hill whose Red Hot and Blues program was a Friday night staple throughout high school. Big Bill was a low rent Don Cornelius, a giant man with hands the size of canned hams. God only knows how many sound engineers suffered permanent hearing damage every time Bill clapped his pancake-sized palms together.

With an ever-burning cigarette in his hand, Bill would talk up a bunch of “crazy plate mates” and a gang of a dozen or so kids would wriggle for the cameras. In addition to providing thunderous applause, each song would conclude with Bill shouting “Eeeeeeeeeee-Yah. How ’bout that, huh?”

Bill shared his microphone with advertisers eager to get their faces on television. Don, from Don’s Cedar Club, 1184 Milwaukee, Milwaukee at Division Street, was a two bit hood fronting a dance club in the then un-trendy Wicker park neighborhood.

Don frequently brought acts with him, none more astounding than Alfred Farrell. Bill’s introduction was as memorable as the performer himself: “Here’s a man with one leg! Alfred Farrell, huh?” After a small smattering of applause, Farrell emerged from the wings on crutches. The music started, the crutches went flying and Alfred hopped around on one leg for three minutes.

How ’bout that, huh? Can I get an Eeeeeeeeeeee-Yah?

Bill was on WOPA-Radio, but it wasn’t the same. He would kick off each show with, “You’re listening to the Big Bill Hill Shopping Bag Show by choice, not by chance,” and proceed to spin records and exchange leaden banter with advertisers. You needed the visuals.

Bill never smiled. I don’t think he ever moved a muscle on his face. With the exception of bringing his hands together, he stood motionless. The week after the King riots, Bill showed up wearing a cast on his left arm. Unable to clap, Bill would slam his hand against the cast with such force it’s a wonder the plaster didn’t crumble to dust.

Most of his advertisers probably did jail time for fraud and Red Hot and Blues didn’t make it beyond the early seventies. Years later I hooked up with another Ch. 26 staple, Rock of Ages, a Saturday night Gospel show hosted by the unflappable Isabelle Joseph Johnson.

Not much is known about Isabelle. She owned a beauty shop on the south side that was a regular advertiser. As was Catfish Digby’s (”Eat Fish! It’s so good!”), meat packing companies like Moo and Oink, Nita’s Shoes and the incomparable Marhoul’s.



Marie Marhoul was a God-fearing Bible thumper who must have poured tons of dough into Isabelle’s coffers. Along with her husband Rev. Paul Marhoul, Marie owned a clothing store on 28 W. Madison in Oak Park.Mrs. Marhoul, or “Miz Muh-hull,” as Isabelle called her, was a cross between an African missionary and Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz. The first Saturday of every month found Mrs. Marhoul gussying up a bunch of God-fearing Baptist gals to parade before the camera “modeling” her latest fashions.

What;s the opposite of flame retardant? Marhoul’s fashions. There wasn’t one stitch of natural fiber in any of the poly-blend garments. Never comfortable in front of the camera, Mrs. Marhoul would sit opposite Isabelle and deliver a play-by-play brimming with sartorial insight. Hat’s by Chapeau (isn’t that redundant?), bags by Paul Marhoul and miles of “black trim” frequently punctuated her scintillating ability to paint with words.

Helen Roberson, Ernestine Mitchell, the mischievous Mary Smith and particularly Amanda Bunton (”a good Christian and a testament to the fuller-figured woman”) soon became as recognizable to me as Columbia bit players in Stooge two-reelers.

This excerpt is very rare among fashion shows inasmuch as Isabelle and Mrs. Marhoul taped their appearances on separate days. Try as she might to mask her impatience with her long-winded sponsor, Isabelle, who could frequently be caught rolling her eyes, probably begged to be absent when Marie taped her segment.

Pay close attention to the obligatory passing of the check. Remember how Hitchcock seamlessly edited the reel changes in Rope? You ain’t seen noting yet!

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