April 28 Buddy Black, General Manager of Cummings Communications’ station WNMP, Evanston, introduces Chuck Schaden to listeners. Black, a longtime Chicago radio personality, interviews Schaden, who tells his plans for his upcoming program series.
May 2 Chuck Schaden’s Those Were The Days premieres, WNMP Evanston, Illinois, Saturday, 1-4 p.m. (with Mutual Broadcast System news and sportscasts scheduled at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. throughout the program). North West Federal Savings is TWTD’s primary long-term sponsor.
May 23 A Jack Benny program (5-18-47) is played on TWTD for the first time. Jack and the gang welcome guest Al Jolson.
May 30 Chuck hosts and produces A Memorial Day Album, a special program from 9 a.m. to noon on WNMP.
June 16, 1970: Chuck and Captain Midnight (Paul Barnes)
June 16 Chuck conducts his first broadcast interviews for TWTD at a special event honoring Chicago radio pioneers held at Sages’ Restaurant on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Among those interviewed are Shirley Bell Cole (radio’s Orphan Annie), Paul Barnes (Captain Midnight), Harry Elders (Curtain Time), John Gannon and Sarajane Wells (Jack Armstrong).
June 29 Radio appearance: Celebrity Time WRSV-FM Skokie Valley. Host Del Clark with guests Chuck Schaden, newspaper editor and old-time radio fan, and Dorothy Jordan, actress, who talk about the vintage radio days in this remote broadcast from Jimmy Wong’s North restaurant at Lincoln and Peterson avenues. The program, billed as “Chicagoland’s longest-running live remote talk show” is one of the first radio broadcasts on which Chuck appeared as a guest after beginning his Those Were The Days program.
July 4 Chuck hosts and produces Three for the Fourth, a special Independence Day program from 9 a.m. to noon on WNMP.
July 17 TV appearance: Cromie Circle WGN-TV Channel 11, Chicago. Host is columnist and book editor Robert Cromie, who discusses the Golden Age of Radio with guests, actors Paul Barnes, John Gannon, Sarajane Wells and Norman Gottschalk plus Chuck Schaden, “host of the new radio series Those Were The Days.”
July 18 TWTD Program Guide debuts, listing broadcast schedule.
July 31 TV appearance: Kennedy and Company WLS-TV Channel 7, Chicago. Host Bob Kennedy’s early morning talk and variety program. “Old-Time Radio” with guest Chuck Schaden and radio actors Shirley Bell Cole, Paul Barnes, and Harry Elders.
September 16 Chuck interviews Jack Benny in a one-on-one conversation in the Green Room of the Mill Run Theatre in suburban Niles, Illinois.
September 20 TWTD moves to Sunday during the 11-week Northwestern University football season, broadcast on WNMP.
October 1 Central-Milwaukee Liquors becomes a long-running sponsor of TWTD.
November 2 WNMP call letters are changed to WLTD.
November 8 First TWTD show on WLTD after change of call letters.
November 13 An Old Time Movie Night for TWTD listeners is held at North West Federal’s Community Room. Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin silent comedies are shown, along with some early short “talkies” starring Burns and Allen.
November 22 First annual TWTD Thanksgiving program.
November 30 TWTD returns to Saturday afternoon as football broadcasts end.
December 5 Cinnamon Bear revival in Chicago begins on TWTD with broadcast of six episodes from the series. North West Federal Savings sponsors Cinnamon Bear Coloring Contest.
