Larry Lujack Memories

This is an edited version of a 73 minute tribute that I produced to honor the memory of Chicago Radio Legend Larry Lujack from WLS & WCFL. I received a holiday e-mail from Larry, and his wife Jude two days before he died. The 73 minute version relates to the 73 years he lived. A DVD of the uncut original video can be obtained at www.vuolovideo.com. I wanted this to be special. I hope that I succeeded. There was only one "Super Jock!"

[@bill1936]

Thanks for the memories 🎶🎵🎶🎵

[@scottwishaw4356]

Growing up in south east Wisconsin, as a kid in the 70’s I would listen to Chicago radio… WLS, WCFL, The Loop…listening to Larry, Dick & Doug, Johnny B, Fred Winston, and Steve & Garry that was when radio was at its prime. I even got a job as a DJ on my local station doing weekends for 5 years when I was in college. I miss those good days of radio!🎸🎶

[@davidwiner8571]

The late Larry Lujack was abd always be the greatest dj. In history. I listened to him for decades and loved All his shows.i grew up in Northern Indiana. A great star has fallen. But he will never be forgotten from those that listened to him. Rip

[@elainecragel4705]

Lived in Lansing, Illinois just outside of Chicago and listned to Larry Ljack in high school, college, and when I left college. Loved his program!!!!

[@WilliamHerlihy-p4g]

Listened to Larry every day in Chicago back in the 70s. Snark at its best.

[@edwardwaldron7813]

I live in northern Indiana. I would listen to Larry Lujack on the school bus. Everyone on the bus loved it great times

[@drakbar5957]

Uncle Lar was so good because he played the world’s most beautiful music.

[@ellenfoss1206]

RIP Larry Lujack! I remember those days when I really begged my school bus driver to let me listen to Animal Stories on the radio, WLS! Larry sure gave us happy memories of when I was a kid growing up in the 70”s!!

[@thomascarley9820]

I listened to the "Early morning rerun of the previous day's edition" as a girl before I got on the bus!

[@Thomas-jl3gn]

I lived near Champaign-Urbana & animal stories would come on, (usually) about 15 minutes before I had to walk to catch my bus to school. I remember those mornings when the segment might be delayed or atmospheric interference would weaken the WLS signal so you could barely hear it.

[@augustmosco]

I remember "Animal Stories" with Uncle Lar and Little Tommy very well. I met Lujack, one time, in 1070. He was upstairs in the cafeteria of tne Montgomery Ward's store in downtown Chicago. He was doing some kind of a promotion, but there was no body there. He sat at a table and as I walked in (to have lunch) we noticed each other. We greeted each other and when he found out I was not there for him he looked disappointed. He was still very friendly and cool. Sorry Lar,, you'll be missed.

[@rogeliosilva8456]

I always listen to him on WLS.great memories.R.I.P Larry.

[@kenroar]

Amazingly he was a DJ at our high school homecoming dance in a small town of 3,500 people in Indiana one year. All I can think is the school paid him well to be there. It was sure great to hear his voice live in the school that night!

[@Magnoliaflwr9006]

Came across this, brought back a flood of memories...grew up near Chicago and listened to WLS, day and night.

[@gedisdiop]

I've often found to be a bit behind the times. I just learned that Larry passed away. I had to pause the video, and wept like it was my brother that had just passed. RIP, bro.

[@betonarchese]

"Uncle Lar" truly was Uncle Lar to us. He was my ex-wife's Uncle and he and his wife Jude were so kind to me every time I stayed with them in Santa Fe.

[@ceciliaclark9406]

Larry Lujack will never be forgotten..

[@WhoFlungPoo2024]

Nothing will ever top his "Clunk Letters of the Day" on WLS in the 70's. He was truly a legend.

[@DarrellColpoHomes]

Loved Superjock. All of my listening came early in the morning or early in the evening in PA. He was worth listening to even through the fuzz. RIP Uncle Lar!

[@mikebednar6243]

Born and raised in Logan Square. Nice remembering all the names long forgotten. Saw this on Chicago rock concerts 1960's and 1970's on FB.

[@davidkerl1431]

What can I say? Listened to 890khs for years in the late 60's thru the 80's. RIP Larry N9HF

[@MichaelKimmelEsq]

I grew up (well, aged, anyway) in Chicago Heights. I HAD to listen to Larry Lujack whenever possible. Larry Lujack - I honestly believe - is the reason I can't listen to DJs/radio anymore and haven't been able to for 40 years or more. There was and is no one who is as good as Lujack was. As far as I can tell, there never will be. Wolfman Jack was a different kind of DJ, so they stood side by side at the top of their profession. By the by, Art; you did!

[@dale60035]

Larry Lujack was so good that I would rush to my car to make sure that I didn't miss a second of his radio show. God blessed Uncle Lar with a talent that will be unequaled forever. RIP Super Jock. Love those jingles too.

[@mooseriddle]

What a blast to my childhood past! I was so happy to find out I could listen to WLS in Virginia once the sun went down. I'd even get up early on Saturday mornings to listen before the sun came up. Thanks for sharing!

[@scottbailey1560]

Today, 12/13/18, marks Five Years that the real "Superjock" Larry Lujack has been gone. He was the "Rock-n-Soul" of Radio.Pop, Rock, and R & B Radio. Please, if not today, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, light a candle and say a prayer for Judy and the Lujack Family. May he be in our hearts for those like me who grew up listening to him! Yes, Larry Lujack had Soul Power like Frankie Crocker, a Country Heart from Nashville, and Chicago Rock-n-Roll all in him!

[@doowopmitzmitz]

Thank you for this....we all miss you Lar

[@petercrowl9467]

The reason Larry had such an impact on his audience was that he never condescended to it. I vividly recall hearing him for the first time in 1967. I was a 14 going on 15 year old kid living in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin. AM DJ's wore suits and were basically like your dad deigning to play rock and roll music. Larry was the pages of Mad Magazine come to life. He looked at me through the radio and said Kid...don't be dumb...this is the way life really works. He told me that I shouldn't believe everything that came down the pike. He treated me like an adult. He expected me to be an adult - all the while playing the music I loved and making me laugh. One day he read my Crank Letter. It was the highlight of my then life. He sent a photograph - that one with him in the print shirt - probably signed by a secretary. Thing is - thanks to him - I knew it was probably signed by a secretary...but I didn't care. I treasured it. I wish I still had it. AM radio was something that was shared by all of us. It brought us together unlike ear buds and an iPod. It gave us a sense of community. Those scenes in American Graffiti where everybody is listening to Wolfman Jack - that was our reality. We loved it. Thanks Larry. You were one of a kind in a world that will never happen again.

[@michaeldbenson]

Remembering Larry from the Summer of '72, he received and read a letter from a woman that proclaimed her husband, all her brothers and brother-in-laws and her dad was DJs and sounded snobbish about it. Larry in his reply, "(Lady's full name), anyone that has anything to do with a Disc Jockeys are tramps!" That was his words! LOL Made me want to hear more.

[@SavileRow65]

Thanks for posting this, Art. He's my favorite DJ of all time.

[@scottbailey1560]

It was six years ago today we lost the best of the best, the greatest of them all "Super Jock", Larry Lujack. We also this year lost the hit TV Show "The Big Bang Theory", with Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco. Maybe "Ole Uncle Lar" got to enjoy that show before he passed. Today and next week, take time out of you busy Christmas Holiday to remember Larry Lujack. He could talk about Jennifer Aniston on his Show Biz Report and I know she would just laugh. As John Rook said, "There was only one Larry Lujack"! Rest In ☮️ Uncle Lar, WLS & WCFL, Chicago. Today and through the holidays, light a candle and say a 🙏 prayer for Judy Lujack and Larry's Family! I loved Larry when I was a kid and he was solo at "Super CFL" in Chicago. I shed a year as I write all this today. The Best Rock Jock Ever!

[@DwightDouglas]

Thanks Art for putting this together. Larry was sure one of a kind. Good to make sure everyone remembers that amazing contributions the city of Chicago has delivered to the art and craft of radio . Thanks.

[@diedreeggleston9073]

RIP Uncle Larry. I really miss him!

[@davidgibbs381]

The coolest thing that I ever heard on AM radio was 'Ole Uncle Lar playing the just released record by Waylon Jennings-"I Don't Think Hank Done It This Way", two times back-to-back. At the time he was on in the late afternoon and after the first play through he was so jazzed that he said He just had to hear that again and did so. I doubt that he even got in trouble. Anyway, Thanx for posting and would like to see the full 73 minute tribute.

[@stevet4350]

Nice video. I grew up in the early 70's listening to Larry Lujack and John Records Landecker. Probably two of the best personality DJ's Chicago ever produced. Larry was a little more sarcastic and John was more creative. He was hilarious to listen to especially when doing his "Boogie Check" bit. Sadly, today that kind of radio that these two delivered to it's loyal audience is not available very much in the larger radio markets. . Corporate radio over the years, started putting more and more commercials on the airwaves which drove the listeners to internet radio or satellite radio. Many of the really good 70's/80'/90's radio DJ's left the radio business. However, thanks to KZbin you can search for those 70's/80's radio DJ's that made radio fun to listen to. If you are not familiar with him, check out Charlie Tuna who spent 40 years in Los Angeles. One of the best on the West Coast. Steve Austin, Tejas

[@REAGAN_1980]

The greatest times in chicago radio

[@scottbailey1560]

Just in my opinion, what made Larry Lujack was he was a great Comedian "On Air" and he didn't have to try. The words just came out naturally. He was himself. He didn't copy anybody. I believe he took life one day at a time and just didn't let the world bother him like these talk show host that have replaced him. I just found out one year later, Larry Lujack was gone. Nobody told me, didn't bother to email me, or anything. Uncle Lar would said, don't worry about it kid. I am 50 years old and radio is dying. Personality Radio is just about gone. The young demographic doesn't know about real radio. We'll, On Line Streaming has taken the place of AM and FM Radio, as talent is getting discovered on You Tube these days. We are at a end of an era. All of us that grew up to AM Radio, and even FM will remember Super Jocks like Larry. Sad the way the world is moving, but I guess it has to be this way. Rest in Peace Uncle Lar! We'll miss you!

[@rjmcallister1888]

Scott Bailey As someone who, in his 33 years of committing radio, only got to take a tour of the Big 89 back in 1976; He's right, the radio I started doing no longer exists. Satellite-delivered formats to smaller markets destroyed the farm system that kept jocks improving as they moved up the ladder, and corporatization wrecked the business itself. Rest well, Larry; you were one of a kind.

[@tashamahurn7339]

Wonderful tribute to a radio legend! Thanks, Art!

[@johnfreim1085]

Larry Lujack passed away one year ago today. RIP Superjock.

[@shaggybreeks]

Larry used to live right behind my house in Caldwell, Idaho. Went by a different name, however. I knew him before he went into radio. Rock musician Paul Revere also is from Caldwell, and he owned several businesses there before he became successful in music.

[@paulakpacente]

Loved Lujack!

[@gregconroy8540]

Moved to Central Illinois in the mid-1970s and first heard Uncle Lar-Lar and his sidekick, Little Snot-Nosed Tommy....never forget the lift they gave me every morning...RIP Super Jock

[@NATHANRICHIE]

Great trip. Thanks. Learned a lot from listening to Lujack, Winston, Brandmeier. Served me well in my own radio stint. Gotta love that thick reverb & processing. Those were the days my friend.

[@KingDavid7]

The Big "89" WLS!!!!!!!!!

[@bobbyvoit5041]

and there was John Records Landecker...and Records was truly his middle name. (as I recall)

[@williamdavenport9824]

Good ol' Uncle Larry and Little Snot Nose Tommy Edwards. I have several albums of their "Animal Stories". They were always so funny! And to think that Larry would ask little snot nose Tommy to try to earn a shiny new dime if he got the question correct.

[@frankolsen5317]

Larry Lujack was needed in the 70s to take your mind off unbearable tollways

[@MichaelCCretu]

Drew and Mike Podcast brought me here. Thanks Drew

[@N4TCM]

Ah the memories in the late 70's & early 80's just before getting on the school bus. Ole' Uncle Lar' was there every morning.

[@timford3599]

Between Lujack, Wolf Man Jack and Don Imus you had clear channel power houses in Chicago and NYC. The god old days.

[@donaldnichols7165]

I knew Larry when he was at KNEW 79 in Spokane, Wa. He was one one of the reasons I got into broadcasting in the early 70's.

[@PontoLyone]

I'm 25, been listening to radio for like 3 years, Limbaugh and some guys in Texas got me into it. Boy it would be so cool to have a career like this guy, unfortunately the importance of am/fm radio, or lack of, seems like that's no longer possible.

[@scottbailey1560]

I freakin sick and tired of people on Twitter in the year 2020 downing The King, Superjock, Larry Lujack! Big fans of Larry Lujack please get behind me. They have NO CLUE how great he was. I own a copy of his book with his signature! Lujack Fans, let's form a Larry Lujack Fan Club, and hit Twitter, and stop all this! SuperJock was not just Chicago, he was America! Where is Tommy Edwards? We need his help! I just got word Clark Webber passed away last week. Rest In Peace, Clark!

[@janeb5725]

I love that Tommy’s petting a chicken.

[@henrycantrell6397]

R.I.P. Larry YOu Was A Great DJ.

[@Dangerman-Original]

God Bless Larry and Tommy Southside

[@BartShore00]

Great to see and hear!

[@meandthemrs7403]

I remember riding the school bus and begging the bus driver to let us listen to Animal Stories.

[@diadora9292]

I missed college classes to listen to Animal Stories

[@TraxandGrooves]

As a youth, I couldn't hear him from my house in St. Louis Missouri. But I surely wish I could have.

[@DateTwoRelate]

The difference between Chicago radio and NYC radio was that there was always on-air room to breathe in Chicago. NYC radio left no air to breathe. That was both a blessing and a curse. The curse was that NYC took some of the humanity out of the listening experience.

[@rickvia8435]

...Played quarterback for his High School football team - where he set new records for interceptions... HILARIOUS

[@gordov2]

Nice work Art!

[@bobjensen8898]

ah.. the memories, Thank you

[@littledebs58]

Rest in Peace, Larry!

[@magicmattsoutlawradio]

No, I was NOT crying, simply enjoying an onion sandwich. RIP the GREAT ONE!!

[@rin3guy]

They should have gone Prime Time! A show about WLS would have been even better than WKRP in Cincinnati.

[@cheapthrilll6323]

I remeber that ad with Rodney Dangerfield !! Nice.

[@scottbailey1560]

I wonder if Larry Lujack got to watch "The Big Bang Theory" before he passed away. That show went on September 24th, 2007. I know he would have loved Jim Parsons, Kaley Cucco, and Johnny Galecki! Larry would have been the SuperJock of "The Big Bang." Now, it's off and over.

[@AnthonyTrendl]

RIP, Uncle Lar'

[@cfgosnell]

Inspiration for Dr. Johnny Fever?

[@marafechner5178]

I loved Animal Stories!! Even have the records,3 of them copied to cd, lol.

[@telsport]

We also lost Frankie McBride of Utica NY ..a real pro (and great car salesman as well as a jock.)

[@jbsmith966]

a little piece of the Chicago i once knew WTF Happened ?

[@wdm213]

Kinda sounds like Adam West @ 9:30

[@AnadosDefered]

I can't type. Worked with Fahey Flynn, Joel Daly. Bill Frink. When you could trust AND enjoy news. Geeze Louise.

[@packard400]

WHAT was the short poem that he read each morning just before the "alleluia chorus" Larry Lujack jingle played.?..it went something like "the rising sun is etched into your mind", etc. First thing I heard on my clock radio throughout high school..just never awake enough to retain it.

[@AnadosDefered]

Just heard. John Coleman. Who Fahey Flynn back in the 60's. Thanks to the beautiful Natural Flirt Gamer for the heads-up.

[@AnadosDefered]

Somebody tell me the name of the guy interviewing Lujack and Bob Sirott. Lujack was going to sell him a book. Johnny? Thanks

[@Patriot-oi7mj]

Is WLS still around?

[@FRANKSNAKE71]

It’s talk radio now. Very low ratings.

[@davewanamaker3690]

What years was he on WLS?

[@abe_froman8360]

4:37 Is that Artie Lange as the theater creep?

[@jerryryan9771]

U

[@stevensmith8666]

*its

[@3oldman]

its, not it's