WGN Channel 9 - The Cromie Circle - "Ludlum, et al." (Complete Broadcast, 4/23/79) 📺

Here's a complete broadcast of "The Cromie Circle" on WGN Channel 9, hosted by Robert Cromie whose "Book Beat" program had been a staple on WTTW Channel 11 in the late 1960's and early '70's and was aired nationally on NET and later PBS.
(the reception for this recording was quite ghosty, as you can see, but we did the best transfer possible utilizing a time-base corrector)
The guests on this edition are Sparky Anderson, Jerome Holtzman, Robert Ludlum, Miriam Ottenberg and Mike Jaroch. Their respective books will be mentioned in the segments they appear in.
Includes:
Animated 'Last Farewell' station ID (voiceover by George Bauer)
Robert previews his guests and what books they'll be talking about, followed by opening title sequence with clips of what's to come in this show (theme music: "On The Road" by The Cyrkle, from the soundtrack to the 1967 film "The Minx").(title logo set in Futura Bold)
Commercial: Fireside Chrysler Plymouth with new '79 Cordoba and Newport (voiceover by George Bauer)
Commercial: Close Ups Discotheque in Barrington (closed Mondays) (just a few months before Disco Demolition Night, folks)
Commercial: Video Forum at 824 West Diversey - latest in video technology
Commercial: WBMX FM 103 - "Chicago Set to Music"
In first segment, Sparky Anderson (at that point, former Cincinnati Reds manager) discusses his "Pitch, Hit and Run" book and Chicago Sun-Times' Jerome Holtzman talks about his latest books "Three and Two!: The Autobiography of Tom Gorman" and "Fielder's Choice."
"Next on Cromie Circle: More About Baseball" bumper
Record offer for Al Morgan's "The Place Where I Worship" 2-record set (ending voiceover by Mal Wyman, with 3M Datavision fonts suggesting WSNS origin of production)
Commercial: Highland Park Pontiac-Honda
The discussion with Sparky and Jerome continues
"Next on Cromie Circle: Blood and Thunder" bumper (notice the zoom towards the studio light with 'WGN' on one of the covers)
Commercial: Tower Oldsmobile (voiceover by Al Parker)
Commercial: Nelson Brothers - "Furniture of the Future" (voiceover by Al Parker)
Commercial: Bolton & Co. alarm systems
Robert Ludlum (1927-2001, later to be author of the Bourne books) comes to talk about his latest novel "The Matarese Circle"
"Next on Cromie Circle: The Pursuit of Hope" bumper
Commercial: Olympia Dodge (voiceover by George Bauer)
Commercial: Polk Bros. - "Mohawk Carpet Truckload Sale"
Commercial: Accord Refrigeration
Commercial: Main Line Equipment
In the next segment, Pulitzer Prize-winning former Washington Star reporter Miriam Ottenberg discusses her book "The Pursuit of Hope" about multiple sclerosis (with which she had been diagnosed years ago, leading to her retirement from the Star in 1975; she would die of cancer in 1982)
"Next on Cromie Circle: Children's Books" bumper
Commercial: Grand Elm AMC Jeep
Repeat of Polk Bros. commercial
Repeat of Accord Refrigeration commercial
In the last segment, Robert speaks with Mike Jaroch who, with his three brothers Chip, Randy and Timothy, is a publisher of children's books (in "The Adventures of the Sneeky Sneekers" series) such as "The Tornado," "The Ghost of Gleason Mansion," and "Washout at Liberty Valley"; towards the end of the discussion, Robert shows his own Sneeky Sneekers certificate before saying good night
"Next Week on Cromie Circle: Meet Sharron Moran and Annie" bumper
The Cromie Circle
(C) 1979 WGN Continental Broadcasting Co.
Robert Cromie - Host
Ron Weiner - Director
Robert Stebbins - Designer
A WGN Television Production
("The preceding was...recorded" voiceover by George Bauer)
This aired on local Chicago TV early Monday, April 23rd 1979 around the 1:28am to 3:10am timeframe.
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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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