WGN Channel 9 - Night Beat with Jack Taylor (Complete Broadcast, 9/20/1980) 📺

Here's a complete broadcast of Night Beat with Jack Taylor (and commentary by Len O'Connor) on WGN Channel 9.
Includes:
"Last Farewell" ID (voiceover by Jerry Golden)
Opening titles, with news items following:
- More on feud between Mayor Byrne and "Richie" Daley, as reported by Elizabeth Brackett
- Commentary by Len O'Connor about Byrne's situation and debunking notion that any endorsement by her is "kiss of death"
Bumper
Commercial: Dave Cory Ford
Commercial: Birds Eye frozen foods
Commercial: U.S. Aluminum Recyclers
- Explosion at Titan II missile silo in Damascus, AR kills 1 Air Force crewman and injures 21 - reports from Byron Harris and Sheridan Pressey (an infamous "Broken Arrow" incident)
- At least 6 injured in Fitchburg, MA after explosion of tank carrying highly toxic chloride
- Texas judge rejects efforts to open up Lee Harvey Oswald's grave, as reported by Brad Watson (sketches by Gary Myrick)
- Three NYC banks raise prime lending rate, others across the country to follow
Bumper
Commercial: Luvs disposable diapers (voiceover by Norman Rose)
Commercial: Schaumburg Datsun
- City firemen protest order to remove American flag patches from their uniforms, at Daley Plaza; report by Frank Rios
- About 1,700 workers at two Chicago area International Harvester plants to be temporarily laid off in early October due to declining sales
- Governor Thompson approves Illinois loans to Chrysler, under certain conditions (as he explains in footage)
- Harrisburg, PA jury rules that state's April 24th lottery was rigged by injection of liquid into ping-pong balls; comparisons to Illinois' lottery (as aired on WGN) are shown, leading to reading of last night's number (632) (Posted separately here: • WGN Channel 9 - Night ... )
Bumper
Commercial: Era laundry detergent
Commercial: Long Chevrolet - sales on trucks
- United Airlines announces plans for new $100 million terminal at O'Hare; clips of Mayor Byrne's explanations of deal are shown
- Chicago school board approves new tax levy designed to raise $9 million in property tax revenues
- Aaron Gold's look at People in the News with items on Richard Burton, Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb, and "As the Mayor Turns" saga
- Pouch containing $58,000 in cash in some taxicab in downtown Chicago, left by visiting man from Calcutta, India
Bumper
Commercial: Affordable Art Sale
Commercial: Bounty paper towels
- Cubs beat Phillies 4-3, followed by other National League scores
- White Sox lose to Minnesota 6-3, followed by other American League scores
- Bulls sign Sam Worthen, cut four players
- Deerfield beats Sullivan 20-0 in high school football
- Dave Wilson allowed to play vs. Missouri for Illinois
- Question on health of Bears players re upcoming game vs. Vikings; Mike Phipps speaks with Bill Frink
- Australia wins in America's Cup
Commercial: Bounce fabric softener
Commercial: Lemon Fresh Joy dishwashing liquid
Jack reads weather forecast and then says good night
Ending credits:
Night Beat with Jack Taylor
Commentary by Len O'Connor
Produced by Forrest Respess
Directed by Susan Petix
This has been a presentation of WGN Television News
Portions of the preceding program have been mechanically reproduced
Night Beat - (C) 1980, WGN Continental Broadcasting Co.
Commercial: The Suitery - '2 for' sale
Commercial: Steven's Bedding - 40% off sale
"Last Farewell" ID (voiceover by Jerry Golden)
Late Movie open previewing "Three Faces West" (can be seen on its own here: • WGN Channel 9 - The La... )
Commercial: Bert Weinman, Your TV Ford Man
Bumper slide and movie open
This aired on local Chicago TV early Saturday, September 20th 1980.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The Museum of Classic Chicago Television's primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s and early 80s, primarily) recorded off of any and all Chicago TV channels; footage which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical purposes. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to DVD, and to view more of the 4,700+ (and counting) video clips available for viewing in our online archive, please visit us at:
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[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

Hearing that Night Beat theme makes me cry... Life was so good back then as a kid... My parents and loved ones were all alive and me and all of my cousins were tight. Life was lovely in Chicago for me back then. I wish I could turn back the hands of time like Tyrone Davis when life was simple and happy.

[@norellpolk]

Bring back that classic opening nightbeat

[@joeferguson2606]

i have this great memory of watching 10 minutes of this and my dad saying "Ok time for bed"....this brings back alot of memories of when most of our families were alive.

[@Maggie22002]

Veronica A. I believe it was 11 PM news. Repeat at 1 AM.

[@MrGyro16]

@@Maggie22002 Nope. They were into the late movie by 11. This came after, so it was at 1 or later.

[@joeferguson2606]

im thinking 11pm

[@southwesttexasm]

That opening music...I'm in tears. Thank you for posting.

[@lynettemiller7912]

I LOVE that tune! I find myself humming it every now and then.

[@southwesttexasm]

​@@lynettemiller7912 I'd love to make it a ringtone...

[@michaelfleming9903]

I remember watching this on Saturday night at about 1AM after we drove back from the Chicago harness racetracks. It's was the only time I was allowed to stay up that late. It brings back good memories of my childhood in the Aurora area.

[@borene7100]

instablaster...

[@michaelasebedo8392]

I miss these old programs

[@billrebel1373]

I cry when I hear this opening theme music. I don’t know why. But it brings me right back to my Dad. He has been gone twenty years

[@dafullclip]

"That old car is worth money! Call Victory Auto..."

[@rickgandy3583]

WOW... the memories!

[@larryshaver3568]

that night beat theme was a pleasant surprise i didn't they kept it 12 years

[@jchow5966]

Thank you for sharing history.

[@TomandAmyinthePI]

"And I am Len O'Connor" We miss you brother!

[@townhall05446]

I think Jane Byrne was a great mayor - she got where she was by working her way up, not by marrying a President. She was a GOOD Democrat.

[@Solitaryman70]

And a good Chicago HO. 😝

[@eternalise]

The news anchor reminds me so much of Adam West he could be his brother. Lol 22:04 - it's funny they showed a sneak preview of that Barbra Streisand album, as the single from it, "Woman in Love" was #1 on the billboard charts the day I was born.

[@Solitaryman70]

I was so in love 😍 with Jane Byrne ! And I am Len O’Connor 😂 😝

[@timrobinson7519]

Love the lottery story and how the winning numbers came up 6-6-6 in 2 state lotteries on the same day

[@schmitty139]

@27:10...A young guy at N. Carolina #23🏀was probably laughing at The Bulls 1980 Draft pick😁

[@timharper73]

Noticed that in the broadcast during the weather report it said "1 AM temperatures". So I'm guessing Night Beat on this particular night must've aired then around 1am (probably took a little extra time to write down and then type in the information on our screen for the temperature readings) or so and the late movie was on at 1:30am. Another great find.

[@jmysterio100]

It would air whenever programming dictated, sometimes a movie had a longer run time or the Cubs or Sox played on the West Coast.

[@billybatson8657]

Never heard about the Titan missile silo explosion, love these old historical news broadcasts!

[@timrobinson7519]

OMG Len O'Connor I have not heard that voice in years used to scare me as a little kid. My mother could not stand that voice either always wondered if he talked that way all through his life

[@valerienorris6798]

Lol he scared me too as a kid he looked sinister

[@juanmaldonado4074]

Guess I was a weird kid; Len O'Connor fascinated me. I regularly imitated his close "...and I..am Len O'Connor" which drove my family crazy. One Sunday, I went to church with my aunt in Hyde Park. Just before Mass began, my aunt gently nudged me with her elbow and whispered, "look who's here; it's your buddy, Len O'Connor." Sure enough, seated at the end of the pew just across the aisle, was the man himself. I think I stared at him throughout the Mass. At one point, he caught me gawking and gave me a friendly nod. It made my Sunday.

[@AmericasComic]

lol - the thumbnail and title made me think this was a vaporwave album.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

God, surprised someone didn't do that yet.

[@derrickquintero3872]

WOW just wow man. when doing the news was just doing the news

[@patzimmer1052]

They ended up digging up Oswald's body AND it was him, not a Russian agent.

[@larryshaver3568]

i sure video recorders had been affordable in the late 60's

[@RJS1974]

Notice the pace of this news show. The anchor speaks calmly and clearly. There is no rapid editing or big graphics that assault the senses. This exemplifies what is meant when people from that era say life was simpler. The world has always been a complicated place and so it was in 1980. But the way regular people lived was indeed simpler. It was quieter and less chaotic. People weren’t nickel and dimed to death by rampant greed. They weren’t consumed by social media or enslaved by smart phones. They could watch free tv and get all the variety needed from 3 networks and a couple of local channels. I invite others reading this to comment on why you think life was better in 1980 than today.

[@MediaWest]

the days of getting home late from a gig, watching wgn. then seeing len who had a few too many, go off on the hippies.

[@fredbazzoli5199]

Just love the Bert Weinman commercial at the end of this. Oh, that suit of the announcer! $3998 for a used car..

[@AdrianMartinez-pw1tj]

We will miss you forever Jack Taylor and My condolences to his family and friends and wgn And we will miss you forever Jack Taylor and Rest In Peace Jack Taylor🕊😢💔🙏

[@soxpacker]

Deerfield gets highlights but not the Sox?

[@TomandAmyinthePI]

Nice suit Linn burton! Lol

[@myob214]

You know it's authentic because the picture quality has the ghost image from the antenna

[@jmysterio100]

The lead in music was from the Last Farewell by Roger Whittaker who passed away Sept 13 2023.

[@mcass777]

So United is getting a new terminal, huh imagine that!

[@larryshaver3568]

i wonder what year Len O'Connor came to WGN

[@wmbrown6]

I think 1974-75. He went there after leaving WMAQ-TV during a period of massive upheaval and management changes at that station.

[@davewollenberg1518]

Hard to believe they gave the Celsius temperatures, back then.

[@bobbillings]

Nothing exciting in the news, like a nuclear Titan missile exploding at a Titan missile silo in Arkansas, from a punctured fuel tank, almost detonating the warhead.

[@jmysterio100]

1980 was when the Mob was very influential, especially in the First Ward.

[@misstee101]

Add the Californian emission and it cost more, (when in California)

[@jmysterio100]

Jack Taylor...a rock.

[@mikespillman3075]

wow, no specific host for the sportscast,,,,wierd.....i dont remember that...or weather???

[@MR_MRM_]

Why did a news program intro sound and look like it was "Sunday Night at the Movies"?

[@aboxofbroken8tracks983]

I love that. Gives it kind of a 50s feel.

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

That's just how we did it in Chicago! CLASSY!!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@fredicagoillanoise1309 Should've stayed that way.

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

@@ChristopherSobieniak I agree!

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

@@ChristopherSobieniak Little things like this is what gave each station in each market it's own character. I loved it!

[@jmysterio100]

Prime Rate at 12%...think you have it bad today?

[@raydemos1181]

It is strange knowing the fate of some of these people, Elisabeth.Bracket broke her neck in a bicycle mishap in 2019, her legacy lives on through WGN news reruns.

[@YourMom-jk3gh]

McDonald's

[@larryshaver3568]

sure wish

[@larryshaver3568]

i sue wish is what i tried to say

[@carolannmileshughes7922]

I wish Daley had lost now. Too bad we don't have time machines!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🤬🧟🧌