Big Chuck & Lil’ John Conquer Cleveland!
Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties
Storyteller: Lil' John Rinaldi
Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm
- Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
- FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
- In addition to our regular menu, we will be offering affordable specials on these nights
Story topic this week…
Big Chuck & Lil’ John Conquer Cleveland!
Lil’ John isn’t just a local legend — he is Cleveland’s story. As half of the beloved Big Chuck and Lil’ John duo, he brought laughter into living rooms for decades with unforgettable sketches and midnight movie magic. Behind the jokes is a man with incredible tales: from late-night TV hijinks to the heartbeat of a changing Cleveland, Lil’ John has lived it all.
This is your chance to hear the stories behind the skits — raw, hilarious, and straight from the source. Whether you grew up watching or just love a great story well told, Lil’ John’s voice is one worth hearing live.
Lil’ John Bio
John Rinaldi is known throughout Northeast Ohio as Lil John, co-host of the Emmy award winning Big Chuck & Lil’ John Show. Prior to joining Big Chuck Schodowski as the program’s co-host in September, 1978. John served as a regular in various skits and productions on Fox 8’s Hoolihan and Big Chuck Show, the forerunner to the Big Chuck & Lil’ John Show.
A graduate of Cleveland’s John Adams High school, John attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1968 with a degree in marketing. In 1980, John opened a jewelry store in downtown Cleveland with his wife, Sherry. Rinaldi jewelry moved closer to John’s home in Solon in 2004. Valentine’s Day of 2017 John closed his jewelry store and semi-retired. Not able to dissociate himself from jewelry entirely. Jewelry has been John’s business and passion since 1968.
John has 12 local Emmys and a Cleveland Addy. He was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1996. He has received the Silver Circle Award and the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Award for Excellence in Broadcasting in 1995. John has earned more than 250 service awards for his involvement in numerous community service and fundraising projects. John serves as the celebrity chairman for several charity golf outings. In 2022, John served his 50th year as the Woolybear race coordinator at the Vermilion Woolybear Festival.
A native of Cleveland and a resident of Solon, John enjoys sports and making people laugh. he and his two sons, John and DIno, and 5 grandchildren. John stands 4’3″ tall and weighs 115 lb.
The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.
See all Cleveland Stories dates here.
