WBBM Channel 2 - So You Think You Know Chicago? (Part 5, 1974)

This clip made possible by the donations from our generous group of "Fuzzketeers" during the Spring 2012 Tape Transfer Fundraiser.

Here's the fifth and final part of a special called So You Think You Know Chicago? on WBBM Channel 2. This was the third broadcast in a continuing series of shows called Chicago Alive. The hosts were legendary anchors Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson, and the panel consisted of Chicago Sun-Times columnist and Kup's Show moderator Irv Kupcinet; Rev. Jesse Jackson of Operation PUSH; Miss USA 1973 Amanda Jones; and WGN Radio 720 personality Wally Phillips. Also featuring Lee Phillip. Includes:

Bill's first question of this part pertaining to which important document was lost in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, written by President Abraham Lincoln and on display at the Chicago Historical Society at the time. Kup initially guesses the Gettysburg Address, before coming up with the Emancipation Proclamation which had been won in a raffle and then donated to the Society.

Walter introduces a piece by Lee Phillip where she first brings up two famous statues, one of Ulysses S. Grant which is not at Grant Park but at Lincoln Park, and one of Abe Lincoln which is not at Lincoln Park but at Grant Park. She next explains a column from the ancient city of Ostia which was a guardian over the fortunes of warships, presented by the Italian government to Chicago to commemorate the flight of a squadron of Italian aviators to the 1933 Chicago World's Fair; the question is about which Chicago street was named after that squadron's commander. Jesse guesses General Balboa, but Walter clarifies it was Italo Balbo.

Bill then poses a question relating to 2121 South Dearborn Street, with a picture of the building as it looked at the turn of the century displayed on the chroma-key screen next to him; it was a residence - or more specifically, a bordello - run by two women, Ada and Minna, and the question is what was their surname. Amanda identifies them as the Everleigh sisters, and mentions that her late great-great-uncle was one of their patrons and had told her stories about the place when she was growing up - he mentioned the decor to her, but not actually what took place there. Rev. Jackson calls them "the greatest contribution to Omaha since Gale Sayers."

Walter then segues "from one zoo to another zoo," namely about Mike the polar bear who was a star of the Lincoln Park Zoo since 1956 when he was donated by the Elks Clubs. Until his diet was restricted by the zoo, he was perhaps the world's greatest consumer of marshmallows. Walter also mentions the Brookfield Zoo's star pandas Su Lin, Mei Lan and Mei Mei (and cites the time when zookeeper Ralph Smith lost his hand to Mei Lan), and a gorilla star of the Lincoln Park Zoo who passed away in 1951 at age 22; the question is what was that gorilla's name? Wally correctly guesses Bushman, who according to Amanda was stuffed and still on display at the Field Museum.

Bill then goes on about a Chicago institution that became famous around the world, with pictures of three men that directed it at one time or another; he wants to know their names. The panelists are stumped on this one, so Bill mentions that those men, at different points, served as music directors of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (in order of appearance: Theodore Thomas, Frederick Stock, Fritz Reiner and the current one as of this show, Georg Solti).

Walter then mentions Studio 1 where this show originated, and asks which famous political event emanating from this particular studio changed the course of an election more than a decade before. Rev. Jackson correctly guesses the first of the 1960 Kennedy / Nixon debates. A clip of this debate is shown as Walter explains how Kennedy looked vibrant while Nixon looked haggard after recovering from an illness, and that this swayed many heretofore undecided voters to elect the Senator from Massachusetts.

Bill then ends the program by mentioning that the panel guessed 25 out of the 29 answers correctly, and says good night for himself, Walter and the panel. With that, the camera zooms out from them to the long shot of the studio with the Marconi Mark VII peering out.

Commercial: McDonald's - a young child mentions about the little things that cause high stress over the course of a day (tying shoelaces, filling in colors, bad lunches, short pants, late school buses, sitting down during spelling bees and math), then going to a McDonald's for a nice dinner - "You Deserve a Break Today" (Copyright McDonald's Corp. 1973)

Filmed montage of Chicago skyline for closing title sequence of Chicago Alive: So You Think You Know Chicago?, with ending sponsor billboard for:

- McDonald's and the Association of Chicagoland McDonald's Restaurants - "You Deserve a Break Today"
- The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Chicago - "It's the Real Thing"
- Continental Bank of Chicago, La Salle at Jackson - "The Big Bank with the Little Bank Inside"

Closing credits:

Executive Producer & Writer - Van Gordon Sauter
Directed by Phil Ruskin, Phil Murray
Produced by Bill Robbins, Lane Vernardos
Additional Film - Robert Berry, Ray Schmitz, Lou Glicksman, Ken Mazawa
Technical Director - Robert Santschi
Audio - George Paul
Art Director - Ron Whyte
Set Designer - Marc Cohen
Video - Stanley Matisiak, Richard Castle, Samuel Pettito
Stage Manager - Nick Reabus
Research - Carole Krucoff
Lighting - Bill McClelland
Film Editor - James Cook
Artist - Marcia Danits
Acknowledgements - Chicago Historical Society, Provident Hospital, Bally Manufacturing, Orchestra Hall, Field Museum, John G. Shedd Aquarium, American Furniture Mart, Chicago History Magazine, Committee on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks, Lake Front Convalescent Home, Doctor Jazz Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor, Vintage Radio Sounds from Chuck Schaden's Hall Closet, Proctor [sic] and Gamble, Inc.
So You Think You Know Chicago? - A Chicago Alive Series Presentation
Recorded

Bumper slides for Here's Lucy and The New Dick Van Dyke Show, advising the shows will return next week (tape cuts out after the last-named title is mentioned) (voiceover by Ed Roberts)

This aired on local Chicago TV on Monday, March 25th 1974 during the 8pm to 9pm timeframe.

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