WLTD General Manager and Program Director
January 8 Cummings Communications, owner of WLTD, names Chuck Schaden as General Manager and Program Director of the radio station, replacing Floyd Beaston, who has been assigned to another Cummings station.
March 3 Edens Plaza Shopping Center becomes a long-time sponsor of TWTD.
July 3 Chuck interviews Jim Jordan, radio’s Fibber McGee, in his Beverly Hills, California, home.
July 30 Advertising agency for Chrysler Air Temp Air Conditioning asks Chuck if he might have any ideas for a special radio event to mark their client’s 40th anniversary. The result is a 7-part radio series called Fibber McGee and the Good Old Days of Radio. Chuck suggests Jim Jordan, coming out of retirement to resume his role as Fibber McGee, who has a “special” radio that enables him to tune in to programs from the past. Chuck also has a part in the program, typecast as a super-fan of old time radio who visits Mr. McGee in his home at 79 Wistful Vista each week for seven weeks, tuning in to a different day of the week with each visit.
The agency accepts the idea, so Chuck and Todd Kaiser form Radioland Productions to produce the series. They find former McGee writer Phil Leslie to write the scripts. Harold Peary and Gale Gordon agree to appear as Gildersleeve and Mayor LaTrivia. Larry Thor takes on the Harlow Wilcox announcing role. The series will be written during the summer and recorded in Los Angeles during the fall and winter months. The program will be heard in the spring on more than 50 stations, including WGN Chicago, WOR New York and KABC Los Angeles.
August 10 First TWTD guest appearance of big band historian Karl Pearson.
September 15 TWTD takes an 11-week hiatus for Northwestern football on WLTD.
October 3 When Radio Was Radio premieres on Chicago Public radio station WBEZ, 8-9 p.m. Thursday with Saturday repeat broadcast.
December 1 TWTD resumes the regular Saturday afternoon schedule and Paul Meyer Shoe Store becomes a long-time sponsor of TWTD.
December 12-13 Chuck interviews actors Les Tremayne, Bret Morrison and writer Phil Leslie in Hollywood, California.
