Recollections at Fifty
Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear
to hear these nostalgic moments from a half-century of
Those Were The Days broadcasts.
EPISODE #1
Chuck Schaden has the day off, so announcer Ken Alexander hosts the annual Halloween broadcast on October 28, 1995. Ken is visited by Boris, Bela, Digby O’Dell, Peter and the Monster. (21:35)
EPISODE #2
Recalling the first time The Cinnamon Bear is revived on TWTD, December 5, 1970; a November 21, 1971 chat with Terry Black, an avid collector who did research on the series; and a February 18, 1975 conversation with actor Frank Nelson who recalled working on the Cinnamon Bear program. (15:50)
EPISODE #3
After the WDCB antenna tower crashed to the ground in a heavy windstorm on December 22, 2001, the station was forced to operate at much-reduced power until a new tower was built and operational. On July 27, 2002, back at full broadcast strength, Chuck and Ken decided to leave the studio and take a look at the new structure. (8:47)
EPISODE #4
A pair of “Yesterday’s Newspaper” segments: 1) On April 3, 2004 Ken Alexander looks over a Chicago Times from April 8,1940 where he finds an ad from Carson Pirie Scott & Co. about a set of silverware. 2) On August 5, 2006 Ken has a copy of the November 5, 1948 edition of the Chicago Daily News where he finds an ad from the Chicago Theatre promoting the stage attraction starring actor Peter Lorre and the singing group The Ink Spots. (12:42)
EPISODE #5
After Chuck announced his upcoming retirement from the program, he asked his successor Steve Darnall to be a guest on June 13, 2009, one of Chuck’s last broadcasts as host. Steve brought along a tape of his April 1, 1978 interview with Chuck, recorded for Steve’s high school radio station. (26:03)
EPISODE #6
Recalling the occasions when original (and sometimes not-so-original) musical interludes were performed on programs in 1984, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2019 by Chuck, Ken, Steve Darnall and/or special guests Dan McGuire, the Andrews Sisters, the West End Jazz Band, and Les Paul & Mary Ford. (24:09)
EPISODE #7
From the event celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Those Were The Days, April 29, 1995, veteran announcer Fred Foy and the TWTD Radio Players present a re-enactment of the origin story of The Lone Ranger. (11:08)
Two segments: 1) Movie historian Bob Kolososki and Chuck talk about Danny Kaye and the film, The Court Jester on July 11, 1987. 2) On January 10, 2009, with a Chicago Tribune from September 18, 1948, Ken Alexander and Chuck reminisce about a front page story concerning the new telephone dialing system. (14:58)
EPISODE #9
Two segments: 1) From the 30th Anniversary broadcast of Those Were The Days on April 29, 2000, the West Suburban TWTD Radio Players present Chuck with an original Vic and Sade sketch to open the program. 2) On August 5, 2006 Ken Alexander finds an advertisement for Walgreen Drug Stores in a Chicago Daily News from November 5, 1948. Punctuation is under discussion. (15:10)
EPISODE #10
Two segments: 1) Taking a cue from the Swimsuit Edition of the Nostalgia Digest, TWTD does a July 14, 2007 “remote broadcast” from the Faculty and Staff Outdoor Swimming pool on the campus of College of DuPage. 2) On the last TWTD program of the year, December 27, 2003, while going through a Chicago Daily News from December 31, 1965, Chuck and Ken share some personal radio memories. (14:46)
EPISODE #11
To celebrate the 61st anniversary of Jack Benny’s 39th birthday in 1994, a special event was held in the Chicago Cultural Center on February 13 of that year. Joining us for the occasion were Jack Benny’s daughter Joan Benny and her son, Jack’s grandson, Bobby Blumofe, who spoke fondly of their famous relative. The conversation was later broadcast on our 24th Anniversary Those Were The Days program, April 30, 1994 (14:54)
EPISODE #12
Two segments: 1) On July 3, 1993 big band historian Karl Pearson talks about the United States military’s V-Disc program from World War II. 2) On February 7, 2004 Ken Alexander, reading from a Chicago Herald-Examiner newspaper dated February 26, 1939, describes an advertisement offering three suites of furniture –36 pieces– for $158.(15:41)
EPISODE #13
Two segments. For the annual observance of Jack Benny Month in 1997, each of the TWTD programs that year began with a pre-broadcast phone call from a “faithful listener” who sounded suspiciously like Jack Benny. Ken Alexander provided special lyrics for Bob Hope’s “Thanks for the Memory” theme song on May 2, 1998 to observe Mr. Hope’s 95th birthday; on May 24, 2003 when Mr. Hope turned 100; and on August 2, 2003 when we paid tribute to the popular entertainer following his July 27 death. (19:31)
EPISODE #14
Chuck’s daughters, Sue and Patty, surprised their father on the air during three milestone occasions. During the 30th Anniversary broadcast on April 29, 2000 they showered him with hundreds of cards and letters from listeners telling him what the program meant to them. For the 35th Anniversary broadcast, April 30, 2005, the girls turned up again to tell their Dad what his radio show meant to them. And finally, on Chuck’s retirement broadcast, June 27, 2009, his daughters revealed to listeners “29 things you may not know about Chuck.” (19:19)
EPISODE #15
Recalling unique commercial and underwriter announcements on TWTD broadcasts through the years from North West Federal Savings (1970-1982), Metro Golden Memories (1982-2003), and WDCB Public Radio pledge requests (2003-2009). (23:14)
EPISODE #16
Two segments: 1) During the April 30, 2005 broadcast of TWTD’s 35th Anniversary show, young drama students (ages 4-12) from the Northlight Theatre Academy present a re-enactment of a Jack Benny program. The youngsters appear as the Beverly Hills Beavers. 2) On May 15, 2004, while reading from a December 3, 1944 copy of the Chicago Herald-American, Ken Alexander recalls the time he and a high school friend auditioned for an amateur hour radio show. (17:04)
EPISODE #17
Two segments: 1) From April 1, 1995: The TWTD program opens with the closing of the broadcast as an April Fool prank on listeners. 2) From May 16, 2009: Chuck and Ken reminisce about sardines and ice cream. (15:39)
EPISODE #18
Two segments: 1) From May 12, 2007: Ken Alexander, with a Chicago Sun-Times dated May 8, 1948, points out an article about fare increases for Chicago’s streetcars and elevated trains. 2) From June 12, 1999: A regular listener to Those Were The Days visits the broadcast studio and proposes to his girlfriend on the air. She’s surprised, but says “yes.” They return on April 29, 2000 with a wedding invitation. And they’re in the audience again on June 29, 2009 for Chuck’s retirement broadcast. (21:57)
EPISODE #19
During one of Chuck’s last programs as host of TWTD, on June 13, 2009, he decides that Steve Darnall should audition before taking over the show. Then they decide that Ken Alexander should audition, too. (13:38)
EPISODE #20
From November 6, 1993: The Academy Award-winning songwriter Jay Livingston was in Chicago with his wife Shirley Mitchell, along with Willard Waterman and Mary Lee Robb for a salute to the Great Gildersleeve radio program. The surprised audience at the Museum of Broadcast Communications was treated to an informal “And then we wrote…” session with Mr. Livingston at the piano, singing and playing many of the hits he wrote with his partner Ray Evans. He added some new Oscar-worthy lyrics especially for the radio fans in attendance! (19:43)
E-X-T-R-A-S
THOSE WERE THE DAYS (2-22-2020) Chuck Schaden visits the program during Jack Benny Month to chat with Ken Alexander as they recall the February 13, 1994 special event observing the “61st Anniversary of Jack Benny’s 39th Birthday.” They talk about the original radio script that Ken wrote for the occasion and the participation of Jack’s daughter Joan Benny and his grandson Bobby Blumofe. (12:33)
JACK BENNY CENTENNIAL SALUTE (4-30-1994) An original radio script by Ken Alexander in honor of the “61st Anniversary of Jack Benny’s 39th Birthday.” John Sebert plays Jack Benny, with Jack’s daughter Joan Benny as Mary Livingstone, Harry Volkman as as Dennis Day, Ken Alexander as Professor LeBlanc, and Jack’s grandson Bobby Blumofe as the bakery man, plus members of the Those Were The Days Radio Players in various roles. Directed by Jim Sobczak. Reccorded live by Rick Garofalo and Jim Zarembski for the Museum of Broadcast Communications in the Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center. (61:00)
