wgngold.com - The History of Chicago's WGN Radio 720

On Friday May 18, 1962, at 2:00pm, WGN Radio celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a special three-hour broadcast from the Mid-America Broadcast Center. Jack Brickhouse was the host, joined by Pierre Andre, Eddie Hubbard, Robert Trendler and the WGN Orchestra, and many special guests including Shirley Bell and Quin Ryan. A full run-down is below.

Note that this special marked the anniversary of the founding of WDAP, the station that would eventually become WGN. In other years, the station marked the anniversary of the date that the Chicago Tribune took control of WGN. Also note that this program was reassembled from a number of reels of tape, and there is some question if the tapes include the complete program. Because this broadcast took place on a weekday afternoon, there were breaks for news, traffic, commercials and other program elements. Some of these were not included in the tapes, but in the cases where they remain (sometimes in partial form) they are included here.

0:00:00	Musical Introduction.
0:00:50	Welcome by Jack Brickhouse.
0:02:00	Presentation of citation scroll to General Manager Ward Quaal and Operations/Engineering Manager Carl Meyers.
0:04:35	Review of radio in the 1920s.
0:08:20	Pierre Andre introduces Henry Selinger, former Music Director and Program Manager, and Brickhouse introduces Quin Ryan, long-time announcer for numerous types of programs, followed by a discussion of WGN in the 1920s.
0:14:19	Discussion of Sam 'n' Henry/Amos 'n' Andy.
0:18:50	Brickhouse welcomes Bob Elson who joins Ryan and the others for more memories from WGN's early years.
0:23:20	Brickhouse introduces "I Won't Dance" performed by Bob Trendler and the WGN Orchestra
0:24:50	Review of radio in the 1930s, featuring excerpts from several programs including Little Orphan Annie
0:30:30	Brickhouse and Andre introduce the cast of Little Orphan Annie including Shirley Bell who played "Annie."
0:37:15	Andre reads a commercial
0:38:20	Brickhouse introduces a song by Lawrence Salerno, "On The Way to Mandalay"
0:40:25	Andre tells a story about being a guest on Little Orphan Annie
0:40:55	Andre reads a commercial
0:41:55	Andre introduces Ralph Ginsberg for a discussion of music programs from the Palmer House.
0:44:40	Brickhouse introduces a break for news
0:45:00	News update read by Vince Lloyd, plus commercials.
0:48:25	Music from the 1940s by Trendler and the WGN Orchestra.
0:51:05	Commercial break
0:52:05	Greetings from Mayor Richard J. Daley.
0:53:30	Review of radio in the 1940s, featuring excerpts from several programs including "Chicago Theater of the Air."
0:57:50	Commercial break.
0:59:05	Brickhouse introduces a pair of radio and television columnists to discuss WGN memories.
1:04:30	Commercial break.
1:05:30	Brickhouse introduces segment on Barn Dance, featuring Dolph Hewitt and the Sage Riders.
1:07:50	Commercial break.
1:08:05	Andre introduces segment on live music heard on WGN.
1:11:00	Commercial break.
1:12:00	Brickhouse introduces former WGN announcer Ed Allen.
1:14:50	Brickhouse introduces news break.
1:16:10	Eddie Hubbard welcomes listeners back to the program by introducing Bob Trendler and the WGN Orchestra who play "Get Me to the Church On Time."
1:17:55	Commercial break.
1:18:55	Hubbard introduces Gloria Van who performs "I Enjoy Being a Girl."
1:21:10	Commercial break.
1:22:15	Brickhouse introduces Robert Clary who performs "All By Myself."
1:24:35	Commercial break
1:25:10	Hubbard speaks with Robert Clary.
1:30:20	Commercial break
1:31:20	Andre introduces Robert Clary who performs "Out of this World."
1:34:35	Commercial break.
1:35:35	Andre introduces greetings from LeRoy Collins, former Governor of Florida and President of the National Association of Broadcasters.
1:38:05	Commercial break.
1:39:05	Brickhouse introduces news update and trafficopter report.
1:40:50	Brickhouse introduces Trendler and the WGN Orchestra for a performance of "Everything's Coming Up Roses."
1:43:00	Commercial break.
1:44:00	Review of radio in the 1960s, featuring excerpts from news coverage.
1:45:50	Brickhouse introduces Bob Trendler to talk about various music performers over the years as well as other members of on-air staff, past and (circa 1962) present.
1:50:20	Greeting from Chicago Superintendent of Police O. W. Wilson.
1:51:45	Andre thanks Bob Bradford and Dick Jones and others working behind the scenes.
1:52:35	Commercial break.
1:53:55	Trafficopter report with Irv Hayden who recalls Leonard Baldy (incomplete).
1:54:55	WGN Orchestra plays "Love Makes the World Go 'Round."
1:56:45	Hubbard and Andre wrap up the show.