January 2 As the Twentieth Century draws to a close, TWTD begins a twelve month, 52-week look at “Old-Time Radio in the Twentieth Century” with milestone broadcasts, significant programs and representative shows from the 30-year Golden Age of Radio.
March 27 The Framemakers (“not Rainmakers”) of Hinsdale, later Westmont, becomes a long running sponsor and supporter of TWTD.
June 12 A TWTD on-the-air Engagement. Edward Brodizky pops the question to a surprised Jillene Mittleman and she responds with an on-air “Yes!” The couple had been dating for a while before they discovered that each was a regular listener to TWTD. Ed secretly conspired with Chuck to accomplish this surprise.
August 7 Those Were The Days program number 1,500 since May 2, 1970, presenting “a word and sound portrait of Chicago Radio in the Good Old Days.”
Robert Feder
September 10 Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder reports:
Chicago’s aficionados of old-time radio have voted The Jack Benny Program the best show of the 20th century. It’s a choice that few would dispute. Benny’s top-rated comedy show, which aired on radio from 1932 to 1958 (and became an equally successful television spinoff), was the hands-down winner in a month-long poll of listeners to Chuck Schaden’s Those Were the Days. Among a field of 73 nominated shows, Schaden reported, The Jack Benny Program received 26 per cent of the votes cast.
September 11 TWTD listeners choose the “20 Best Old Time Radio Shows of the 20th Century.” The complete list of winners was published in the October/ November 1999 issue of Nostalgia Digest and are announced on this program. Here are the top five: The Jack Benny Program came in at Number 1. Number 2 is Suspense; 3 is Fibber McGee and Molly; 4 is The Shadow and 5 is The Lone Ranger.
October 4 TV appearance: Not Just for Seniors, Aurora Cable Television. News magazine for senior citizens with host Jay Harriman. Guest Chuck Schaden chats about the glory days of radio.
October 22-26 At the Friends of Old Time Radio convention in Newark, New Jersey, Chuck interviews announcer George Ansbro, actress Beverly Washburn and writer Hal Kanter.
November 7 Chuck has the honor and pleasure of inducting Gale Gordon into the Radio Hall of Fame and accepts the award on behalf of the late actor.
December 1
Nostalgia Digest observes its 25th anniversary with a special 64-page issue featuring selected reprint articles from the 183 issues that were published over the magazine’s first quarter-century.
