04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Vintage: Early photos of WGN-TV in Chicago
WGN-TV newsreel photographers Fred Giese, left, and Leonard Bartholomew, right, shoot pictures in front of Tribune Tower on March 22, 1948. This photo ran on April 9, 1948 with the announcement that WGN-TV had started its transmission. Both Giese and Bartholomew were the first cameramen appointed to the eight man WGN-TV Newsreel staff. Giese was WGN-TV's assignment editor. (William G. Loewe/Chicago Tribune) Engineers monitor the reception inside WGN's mobile unit at Illinois Street and the WGN building. The unit was put into operation for the opening of WGN-TV on April 4, 1948. (Hardy Wieting/Chicago Tribune) The WGN-TV mobile unit in operation on the street as it rehearsed programs for the opening tonight at Illinois Street at the WGN Building on April 4, 1948. (Hardy Wieting/Chicago Tribune) Angel Casey, Chicago model and radio actress, in front of the camera for WGN-TV, circa 1948. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) The finals of the Golden Gloves was the first scheduled televised show on WGN-TV with Jack Brickhouse, center at table, as the first voice at the Chicago Stadium on March 5, 1948. The Golden Gloves boxing matches were held through-out February, culminating on March 5, 1948 with the finals. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) WGN-TV operated from the organ loft at the Stadium during the first scheduled telecast of the Golden Gloves fights on March 5, 1948. (Robert MacKay/Chicago Tribune) Two 'dollies' try out a two-person dolly unit on which the camera can be raised, lowered and moved, circa 1948. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) WGN-TV newsreel photographers Fred Giese, on the curb, and Leonard Bartholomew, positioned on the car, shoot pictures in the Loop on March 22, 1948. This photo ran on April 4, 1948 with the announcement in the Tribune that WGN-TV would start its transmission the next day. Both Giese and Bartholomew were the first cameramen appointed to the eight man WGN-TV Newsreel staff. Bartholomew had been a veteran still photographer for the Tribune who earned the nickname 'the man who's late for dinner.' (Chicago Tribune historical photo) A model of the post-war television studio is viewed at the Palmer House by G. William Lang, from left, WGN chief engineer; Frank P. Schreiber, WGN general manager; P. C. McCabe of the Austin company which built the model; and J. D. McLean of General Electric company's television equipment division on Aug. 28, 1944. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) A view of the floating television studio in WGN's building, in Tribune Square, which has begun operations on Jan. 25, 1950. The studio is 34 x 52 x 22 feet and floats on inflated rubber bags. Air space is provided between the walls and the ceiling and the building to eliminate outside noise and vibrations. The cameramen were filming 'Chicago Cooks with Barbara Barkley,' one of televisions earliest homemakers. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) The WGN-TV mobile unit photographs the polar bears at Brookfield Zoo, circa 1948. (R. A. Farrell) Flower Vocational High School student Esther Riff practices a cooking demonstration for the WGN-TV program 'Women's Magazine of the Air', in 1951. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Ukulele playing disc jockey Eddie Hubbard in a promotional photo for his show 'Catalog Quiz' on WGN-TV, which premiered on Sept. 12, 1949. (WGN) Carol Johnson, of Austin High School, and Bob Dipper, of Evergreen Park High School, take a quick look into the camera during WGN-TV's Bandstand Matinee on May 29, 1956. WGN and popular disc jockey Jim Lounsbury hosted the rock 'n' roll show for thousands of gyrating teenagers from 1954 to 1963. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Teenager's dance to rock-n-roll in the main studio at WGN during an hour-long radio show called the 'Hi-Fi Club' on April 16, 1959. (William Bender/Chicago Tribune) Spencer Allen, seen here in 1953, was the first news director for WGN-TV. Allen had been a WGN Radio news reporter and writer starting in 1938. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) J.E. Faragan, program director for WGN-TV, explains the workings of a television camera to Franklin Weinstein, from left, Glen Swanson, Robin Wright, Al Cohen, Roberta Zells and Gail Gustafson of the Chicago Public Schools' radio workshop, circa 1951. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) WGN TV and radio announcer Jack Brickhouse, center, in the late 1940s or early 1950s. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) The WGN-TV studios next to Tribune Tower, shown here in 1955 before the station relocated to the Northwest Side. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Jack Brickhouse, sports service manager of WGN-TV, at his mic overlooking Wrigley Field, circa 1950. (Chicago Tribune archive) WGN television cameras covered the ballpark for their at-home viewers in the 1960s. (WGN) Peppy Wonso, of Agnes McDonald High, and Bob Dipper, of Evergreen Park High, dance for the television cameras on May 29, 1956, during Bandstand Matinee, a WGN-TV program. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) A Girl Scout troop from Palatine learns about the operation at WGN-TV studios during a tour given by guide Frank Kapanowski in 1965. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Mary Jane Dlouhy, seen here in 1961, was the host of the WGN-TV morning children's show 'Treetop House.' Dlouhy hosted the show with Mr. Widgin, a marionette. (WGN) Jack Brickhouse and the WGN-TV camera crew bring to Chicagoland viewers each season all daytime home games of the Chicago White Sox and the Cubs' entire home schedule, circa 1963. WGN-Television telecasts many night road games in black and white. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) A WGN-TV mobile unit is parked outside Wrigley Field for a Cubs game, circa 1949. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) After a hard day at the studio, Bob Newhart rests up for another gag at the WGN-TV studio, circa 1960. (Chicago Tribune archive) Jack Quinlin and Lou Boudreau announce for WGN from the bleachers in center field at Wrigley Field on May 29, 1964. (Phil Mascione/Chicago Tribune) Frazier Thomas with the puppets Garfield Goose and Beauregard Burnside III with Thomas' son Jeff, 5, behind the camera at WGN-TV studios, circa June 1958. Garfield Goose and Friends was a popular children's television show that aired from 1955 to 1976. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Ray Rayner was the host of 'Rocket to Adventure,' which ran until 1968. The WGN-TV produced show featured appearances by Gigantor and Tobor the Eighth Man, with Rayner hosting the show as an astronaut. Throughout his career with WGN-TV, Rayner would play many characters, including Sergeant Pettibone, several parts on 'Bozo's Circus,' and eventually his own show 'Rayner and Friends.' Rayner started with WGN-TV in 1961. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Bob Bell as Bozo the Clown, left, and Ray Rayner as Oliver O. Oliver, right, during 'Bozo's Circus' in the late 1960's. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Bob Bell, who played Bozo the Clown on WGN-TV in an undated photo. (WGN)
