Celebrity Deathwatch: Bill Charuchas, Inspiration for SNL "cheezborger! cheezborger!", 75

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Man behind the 'cheezborger, cheezborger' dies
October 31, 2001 Posted: 3:34 PM EST (2034 GMT)

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Bill Charuchas, one of the hawkers at the
Billy Goat Tavern who inspired a "Saturday Night Live" skit by belting
out "cheezborger, cheezborger" has died. He was 75. 

Charuchas spent 37 years at the Michigan Avenue icon, flipping burgers,
flirting with women and shouting, "Try the double cheese! It's the
best!" He died October 23 of a gall bladder infection in his former
hometown in Greece, tavern owner Sam Sianis said. 

Charuchas and late owner William "Billy Goat" Sianis, Sam Sianis'
uncle, amused lunchtime crowds that often included movie stars and
politicians, former President George Bush among them. They belted out,
"Cheezborger, cheezborger! No fries, cheeps!" 

That line was popularized in the 1970s by a skit on NBC's "Saturday
Night Live." The skit starred onetime Chicagoan John Belushi, who was
familiar with the tavern. The Billy Goat, which is a short walk from
the Tribune and Sun-Times buildings, was also immortalized by mentions
in the columns of the late Mike Royko, a regular there. 

Charuchas emigrated from Greece in 1954 and worked 10 years at a
hamburger stand across the street from the Billy Goat. He moved to the
tavern in 1964. 

Sam Sianis estimated Charuchas served more than 3 million customers at
the Billy Goat, often working six or seven days a week. 

He doled out free bags of potato chips to children, danced with
customers in line and opened thousands of conversations with, "Where
from?" 

"He enjoyed being here all those hours -- not only because he was a
good worker, but because he liked the people," Sianis said. "He had a
lot of fun." 

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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