Here's a complete broadcast of Eyewitness News at 5pm on WLS Channel 7, reported by John Drury and Terry Murphy, in what would be their last newscast together.
Includes:
End of station ID / promo for "Rage", Saturday at 10:30pm
Preview of newscast
Incomplete commercial before recording cuts (for ?? - "These incredible photographs..." )
Newscast open (voiceover by Al Parker), and items:
- Stanley Misloski, 65, of Aurora dies after freak demolition accident while he and 10 others were dining at Deluxe Restaurant (Deluxe Sandwich Shop, 112 W. Galena) as demolition of Galena Hotel was taking place; others were hospitalized
- Hugh Hill on Mayor Byrne press conference where she calls out Department of Streets and Sanitation's Bureau of Services over deficits in that department
- 2 American spies released in exchanged for 5 Soviet dissidents including Alexander Ginzburg, in bid to improve Senate ratification of SALT
- Armed sniper opens fire on parade-goers in San Antonio, TX; 2 killed, a dozen more wounded
Commercials for:
"California Suite" at Drury Lane Theatre (voiceover by Al Parker?)
Riunite Lancellotta wine
Long Chevrolet (with Timmy as news reporter in yellow jacket)
Samsonite - "vs. Steelers"
- Pilot George Schneider of Addison and passenger Helen Reilly (sp?) of Northbrook rescued from twin engine plane that fell into man-made lake near O'Hare Airport
- 4 vehicles collide on northbound Dan Ryan around Roosevelt Road; 2 cars, 2 trucks involved; Carolyn Robertson of South Side injured, taken to Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's
- RTA to provide more rail service along Edens Expressway; Frank Mathie reports on potential headaches for motorists using parking lots along key lines
Commercials for:
Car-X muffler shop
Mexican National Tourist Council (voiceover by Alison Steele?)
Promax Compact 1200 hair dryer - "Asbestos-Free"
Montgomery Ward - "Recipe for Lawn Grooming" (sale on lawn mowers)
People in the News:
- Johnny Carson may leave NBC, eyeing ABC
- Princess Lee Radziwill to marry San Francisco hotel executive Newton Cope
- Arbor Day celebrations at Grant Park, Mayor Byrne plants first tree
Dr. Frank Sechrist's weather forecast
Commercials for:
Northbrook Court
"Annie" at Arie Crown Theatre (through June 9th)
Yellow Pages - "Get in the Yellow" (featuring Joe Mantegna) (sung to tune of "We're In the Money")
Steamex carpet cleaners
- Premature baby girl abandoned by her mother in stable condition at Illinois Masonic Hospital's Special Care nursery; mother, Harriet DeVinzanzo (?), to be charged with neglect if found
- Investigative report by WLS and ABC's 20/20 on Pure Industrial Catering Service who provides catering to business despite license being suspended; also serving spoiled and recycled food to mental health centers; among those cutting ties to Pure are the CTA and WTTW Channel 11; interview with Ron Berler of the Better Government Association
- Contract talks break off between United Airlines and machinists' union which have been on strike since March 31st
Commercials for:
Levitz 12 Hour Furniture Sale (9am-9pm)
St. Paul Federal Savings
Ariens lawn mowers (voiceover by Ken Nordine)
Sound Investments - from Magnavox
Bill Frink sports:
- Preview of Cubs and Sox play over weekend
- Expos beat Giants 14-8
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign deciding future of athletics director Cecil Coleman
He then shows a sparkly '7' jacket he'd gotten 7 years before as a promo, then introduces his replacement at 5pm, Jay Berry
Terry says final words to John, then provides a picture of when they were first paired together; then they close the newscast (and note that from April 30th on, the 5pm anchors will be Joel Daly and Diane Allen) and hand over to Joel for a preview of the 6pm edition, after which John promotes the coming World News Tonight
Close, with last look at 5pm team as constituted (and more complete version of the "Tar Sequence" edit) before segueing to World News Tonight (recording cuts out after first second of opening theme and date shown)
This aired on local Chicago TV on Friday, April 27th 1979 during the 5:00pm to 5:30pm timeframe.
This is from a videotape donated to the Museum of Classic Chicago Television as part of the John Drury Family collection.
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. 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!