WMAQ Channel 5 - 5 Cheers Chicago's New Year (Part 3, 1980/1981)

At the Abbey Pub, Carol is speaking with Peter Furlong(?), the pub's owner, who'd come to U.S. from Ireland in 1958; he said every New Year's in Ireland, he probably got drunk, and life in Ireland at New Year's was nothing like at the pub he owns; he then gives New Year's wishes to friends, relatives, pub patrons and Mike Hannigan who's at Western(?) Hospital

At Miomir's, we see a closeup of one of the Serbian delicacies held on a tray by kitchen chef Donna(?) while Warner and Jerry speak with executive chef Alfred; Donna(?) explains what she's holding is Royal Moussaka (also spelled Musaka), made with such ingredients as eggplant, eggs, flour, and meat; Warner then says he plans to sit down to have some of the food

At the Ashland Lounge, Barry spotlights Gladys Stewart(?), a dancer in a green satin dress (who was seen during the previous pre-break bumper), before speaking with one of the partygoers, Carolyn Taylor of Chicago, who explains why she and others are there of all places this night; she is a frequent patron, who comes for everything; before he transitions to Warner and Jerry, Barry notices Gladys has tired out and others are on the dance floor

Back to Miomir's, and Warner and Jerry have doubtless had something to eat, as the minutes count away for 1980, and they reflect on the year about to end, and the kind of people who frequent the club they're in (with 16 languages spoken), and as Warner's ruminating the camera pulls away from them and towards the patrons, and the sound cuts out for a few seconds before we hear a countdown

We then cut to the Abbey Pub where Carol is about to introduce John Kublahan(?) who's about to lead the revelers in "Auld Lang Syne," as she too reflects on the ups and downs of 1980, and we see some of the crowd

Next is a video montage, set to an instrumental rendition of The Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine," with each calendar day seen in strobe effect as we first see a ride on a Gemini rollercoaster, an animated look at a space mission to Saturn, an aerial view of Chicago at night, fireworks at Comiskey Park, scenes of baseball being played, a skier at Lake Placid, a swimmer diving in reverse, an elevator's-eye view of a shopping mall, a pan of the area around the White House, Ronald Reagan in Peoria with Gerald Ford and George Bush, Jimmy Carter embracing a lady during a campaign appearance, Chicago Marathon runners, swearing-in ceremony of (?), additional shots of runners with one runner being handed a glass of water, a runner heading to the finish line, a scene from "The Empire Strikes Back," swimmers diving into the lake, a faraway shot of the Chicago skyline during a thunderstorm, a performance from the Chicago Symphony, and another fireworks display before the strobe calendar effect reaches December 31st

We then cut to the last minute of 1980, with the on-screen countdown starting at :57, with Miomir's at top, Abbey Pub at bottom left and Fireside Lounge at bottom right, as the various attendants count down to 1981 as "Auld Lang Syne" by the Miomir's band is playing in the background; as the New Year begins, 1981 is displayed in short bursts in various parts of the screen in red, green, blue, magenta, cyan, orange-yellow, and white, and the attendants of the various venues are celebrating; midway, the audio dissolves to the rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" at the Abbey Pub, before going back to the Miomir's rendition, and then at Abbey's "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is being sung; after a minute or so, the screen of the festivities at Fireside Lounge come up as the dancers take up the hall to a funky rendition of "Auld Lang Syne," as the cameras dissolve and then zoom in/out amongst the different venues and the audio likewise goes from one (by which time "My Wild Irish Rose" is sung at Abbey Pub) to the other

By the time Carol resumes her reportage, the singers are on "Too-Ra-Loo-ra-Loo-Ral"; she explains it's an Irish medley, and that she also had some champagne spilled over her in the course of the evening

Back at Miomir's, Warner is wishing various patrons Happy New Year, as the gypsy band performs "Beer Barrel Polka," before the audio resumes the Irish medley which is at its ending moments; then back to the "Beer Barrel Polka" rendition at Miomir's; and then the jazz band at Fireside Lounge before the commercial break super bumpers:

PETER NOLAN: I predict that in 1981 we'll all be able to fish in the Chicago River.

5 Cheers Chicago's New Year logo bumper (with "Ding Dong; Ding Dong")

Promo for upcoming appearance by legendary conductor Eugene Ormandy with the Chicago Symphony on January 7th at 8pm (voiceover by ??)

Commercial for Christmas Flower Show at the Chicago Park District - with opening shot of poinsettias and description of the various colors (voiceover by ??)

PSA for American Lung Association's 1980 Christmas Seals cards, letters and gift packs, with animated representations of some of the illustrations - "A Matter of Life and Breath"

This aired on local Chicago TV on Wednesday, December 31st 1980 / Thursday, January 1st 1981 during the 11:30pm to 12:30am timeframe.

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