Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Here's the first 11 minutes of a broadcast of an edition of Night Beat on WGN Channel 9, anchored by Marty McNeeley. This aired immediately following the WGN Presents presentation of "A Shot in the Dark" [1964].
(NOTE: There is, throughout the recording, a loud buzzing sound of ~360 Hz that is heard. This seems to have been in the recording itself, though why is not known.)
Includes:
Last five seconds of "A Shot in the Dark" ending credits
Marty previews coming stories
Commercials for:
True Value Hardware Stores - "Tool Value of the Month" (with Pat Summerall)
Old Milwaukee Beer - "Tastes As Great As Its Name"
Life cereal (the famous "He likes it!" ad with Mikey [John Gilchrist], originally produced in 1972)
Olson Rug Co. - "Urgent Sale"
WGN Presents closing titles (with voiceover promo for next night's movie, "Invitation to a Gunfighter," by Jerry Golden)
WGN Editorial by Corporate Vice President Alexander Field on troubles of the RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) (opening and closing voiceover by Len Johnson)
Commercials for:
Plywood Minnesota Carpets (with John Leifser[sp?])
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer
Rothchilds International Style Candies
Alpo Beef Flavored Dinner
WGN "Last Farewell" ID (voiceover by Jerry Golden)
Night Beat opening (with reference to Len O'Connor commentary; alas, he appears after the recording ends), followed by headlines:
- British RAF Vulcan delta-wing jet bomber, preparing for weekend air show over Lake Michigan, crashes and bursts into flames near Glenview Naval Air Station; Steve Schickel reports; interview with Sgt. Brian Korotka of U.S. Marine Corps
- Norma Duran, 9, of Cicero critically injured after 25-30 foot fall from balcony at Country Music section of Navy Pier during Chicagofest; taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in very critical condition; a man and woman also injured (when the girl fell on them) were treated and released
Commercial: Lincoln Carpet - call NA 2-9000
- Pope Paul VI will get outdoor memorial at St. Peter's Square, in contravention of his will which stipulated a simple service; Dave Browde reports on President Carter attending requiem mass for Pontiff in Washington
- Meanwhile, First Lady Rosalynn Carter arrives in Rome as part of American delegation attending Pope's funeral (New York Governor Hugh Carey is also part of delegation); a plug for WGN's coverage of Paul VI's funeral Saturday at 1:30pm is put in
- Vietnam denies holding prisoners of war
- European air traffic expected to slow to a crawl as French air traffic controllers commence a five-day slowdown
- USSR attacks China over imminent signing of peace and friendship deal with Japan
- Attorneys for The New York Times withdraw request for immediate release of jailed reporter Myron Farber
- Port of Jacksonville, FL records largest marijuana seizure to date, aboard cargo ship Heidi
Commercials for:
Dodge Diplomat, Aspen and Magnum - at Your Chicagoland Dodge Boys
Puffs tissues - "Puffs Softens the Blow"
Crest toothpaste (with Karen Anderson, who took a Crest test in 1952)
- State Board of Elections dismisses complaint against Attorney General William Scott which had been filed by his Democratic opponent, Richard Troy; first 16 seconds of film report (by Don Harris) before recording ends
This aired on local Chicago TV early Saturday, August 12th 1978.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv We preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
Here's the first 11 minutes of a broadcast of an edition of Night Beat on WGN Channel 9, anchored by Marty McNeeley. This aired immediately following the WGN Presents presentation of "A Shot in the Dark" [1964].
(NOTE: There is, throughout the recording, a loud buzzing sound of ~360 Hz that is heard. This seems to have been in the recording itself, though why is not known.)
Includes:
Last five seconds of "A Shot in the Dark" ending credits
Marty previews coming stories
Commercials for:
True Value Hardware Stores - "Tool Value of the Month" (with Pat Summerall)
Old Milwaukee Beer - "Tastes As Great As Its Name"
Life cereal (the famous "He likes it!" ad with Mikey [John Gilchrist], originally produced in 1972)
Olson Rug Co. - "Urgent Sale"
WGN Presents closing titles (with voiceover promo for next night's movie, "Invitation to a Gunfighter," by Jerry Golden)
WGN Editorial by Corporate Vice President Alexander Field on troubles of the RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) (opening and closing voiceover by Len Johnson)
Commercials for:
Plywood Minnesota Carpets (with John Leifser[sp?])
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer
Rothchilds International Style Candies
Alpo Beef Flavored Dinner
WGN "Last Farewell" ID (voiceover by Jerry Golden)
Night Beat opening (with reference to Len O'Connor commentary; alas, he appears after the recording ends), followed by headlines:
- British RAF Vulcan delta-wing jet bomber, preparing for weekend air show over Lake Michigan, crashes and bursts into flames near Glenview Naval Air Station; Steve Schickel reports; interview with Sgt. Brian Korotka of U.S. Marine Corps
- Norma Duran, 9, of Cicero critically injured after 25-30 foot fall from balcony at Country Music section of Navy Pier during Chicagofest; taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in very critical condition; a man and woman also injured (when the girl fell on them) were treated and released
Commercial: Lincoln Carpet - call NA 2-9000
- Pope Paul VI will get outdoor memorial at St. Peter's Square, in contravention of his will which stipulated a simple service; Dave Browde reports on President Carter attending requiem mass for Pontiff in Washington
- Meanwhile, First Lady Rosalynn Carter arrives in Rome as part of American delegation attending Pope's funeral (New York Governor Hugh Carey is also part of delegation); a plug for WGN's coverage of Paul VI's funeral Saturday at 1:30pm is put in
- Vietnam denies holding prisoners of war
- European air traffic expected to slow to a crawl as French air traffic controllers commence a five-day slowdown
- USSR attacks China over imminent signing of peace and friendship deal with Japan
- Attorneys for The New York Times withdraw request for immediate release of jailed reporter Myron Farber
- Port of Jacksonville, FL records largest marijuana seizure to date, aboard cargo ship Heidi
Commercials for:
Dodge Diplomat, Aspen and Magnum - at Your Chicagoland Dodge Boys
Puffs tissues - "Puffs Softens the Blow"
Crest toothpaste (with Karen Anderson, who took a Crest test in 1952)
- State Board of Elections dismisses complaint against Attorney General William Scott which had been filed by his Democratic opponent, Richard Troy; first 16 seconds of film report (by Don Harris) before recording ends
This aired on local Chicago TV early Saturday, August 12th 1978.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv We preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
