Pictures on the Prairie:
The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television
$19.99 plus tax
Book Signing/
Lecture Update:
This Summer hasn’t turned out at all as I expected. I was hoping to do about 5 or 6 book signings/lectures at various venues across central and east central Illinois.
I’ve had several requests recently for signed copies of “Pictures on the Prairie: The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television.” Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do that for book signings in the near future, so I’ve come up with this plan to fulfill the wishes of those wanting signed books.
I’d love to be able to offer to send them each to you without charge but the USPS mailing charges are a bit pricy. USPS mailing charges for the book/container via priority mail would get the book to you within a couple of days at a cost of around $8.50.
So I’ve created a plan to make it work for those of you who already have a book and would like it signed to you(or someone else), and for those who would like to purchase a book from me directly, plus have it signed to you(or someone else).
If you already have a book:
E-mail me (at dougquick @ dougquick.com) with the fact that you have a book and would like it signed. Include the exact name of the person(s) to be named with the signing. Make sure the name(s) is spelled correctly. Make sure you include your mailing address where your book is to be sent with your initial e-mail.
I’ll return an e-mail to you with the mailing address of where you should mail the book. When you mail it make sure you use a USPS envelope for priority mail. It will cost you around $8.50. When you send me your book include either cash of $8.50 or a personal check for $8.50 to cover the postage so I can get the book back to you.
If you would like to purchase a book and have it signed:
E-mail me (at dougquick @ dougquick.com) with your request for a book and to have it signed. Include the exact name of the person(s) to be named with the signing. Make sure the names(s) are spelled correctly. Make sure you include your mailing address where the book is be sent with your initial e-mail.
I’ll return an e-mail to you with the mailing address of where you should send either cash or a personal check of $28.50 to cover the cost of the book and postage back to you.
I have a limited number of books, and this offer will end when I run out, so don’t delay!
If you miss this opportunity, I hope to resume book signings at various locations either this fall or by the Holidays. Keep checking back to this website for updates.
Classic TV, Illinois, TV History, Central Illinois, Doug Quick, WCIA, WICD, WICS, WAND, WTVP, WCCU, WRSP, WEEK, WTVH, WRAU, WIRL, WHOI, WMBD, WCIX, KSD-TV, KSD, KTVI, WTVI, KPLR, KMOX, KMOV, WBLN, WTWO, WTHI, KHQA, WGEM, WDBR, WLRW, WTIM, WDNL, WDAN, Jerry Slabe, Paul Davis, Judy Fraser, Mr. Roberts,
Local Television Today
Looking to "cut the cable?"
Find out what's available to you "off the air" with the use of an antenna. Some times an indoor antenna is all you need, but most of the time an attic, rooftop or tower mounted antenna will be necessary. Find out what is available absolutely free once your investment in an antenna is made.
No matter where you are in mid-Illinois, Peoria, Terre Haute, St. Louis or Chicago areas you'll see what available to you with no monthly subscription fees.
CHECK OUT THE NEW "CUTTING THE CABLE" PAGE by clicking on the link here or from the drop-down menu above under TV Today.
You can also click on the Yahoo link for a program grid of the current "over-the-air" channels in your area.
Examine the history of each of the mid-Illinois TV stations along with stations in Peoria and St. Louis
Each station has a unique history, with ownership diversity and a different path to success. Some achieved success and are now some of the oldest businesses in their respective cities of license. Others fell by the wayside.
Follow their paths from the very beginning in "Pictures on the Prairie: The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television" then catch up with the histories of each station from the early 1960s to the present on Central Illinois On-Line Broadcast Museum.
I spotlight stations that became very special in my radio career. WTIM/WTIM-FM in my hometown and WDAN/WDNL at which I spent most of 25 years.
The select area radio stations all have something in common, in that they were all automated and I worked at two of the stations highlighted.
Legendary radio stations include in my opinion the greatest radio stations heard in mid-Illinois during the era
Automated Radio formats include those program syndicators as well as the equipment used by stations to establish many FM stations during the AM radio era.
There's audio from the companies represented of demos of many of the formats. You'll also see which local stations subscribed to each format.
See photos of many automation systems used by many radio stations from around the country as well as local stations.
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Industrial audio/video training
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Industrial video narration
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Infomercials
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TV commercials
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Public Service announcements
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Radio commercials
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Powerpoint presentations
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Telephone on-hold messages
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In-store announcements for music services
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TV Station news/promo image voice
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Website Audio narration/training
Videos of the Week
"The Addams Family"
"The Munsters" documentary
Just in time for Halloween, we bring back two families who premiered in the fall of 1964.
First, "The Addams Family" from ABC. This series premiered on September 18, 1964, and aired through September 2, 1966. It held on to the Friday evening, 7:30pm CT time slot during it's entire run. The show based on the cartoon characters created by Charles Addams for The New Yorker magazine.
The stars were Carolyn Jones, John Astin, Jackie Coogan, Ted Cassidy, Blossom Rock, Ken Weatherwax, Lisa Loring and Felix Silla.
"The Addams Family" was seen across mid-Illinois on ABC affiliates, WTVP(WAND), WTVH(WIRL) and KTVI.
An animated version aired Saturday mornings on NBC from September 1973 to August 1975 with Jackie Coogan and Ted Cassidy providing their voices to their animated characters. There was a second version airing on ABC from September 1992 to January 1995 with John Astin as his former portrayal of Gomez Addams.
Meanwhile, "The Munster’s" premiered on September 24, 1964 and aired through September 1, 1966.
The series was produced at Universal Studios, the home of many of the horror films of the 1930s-1940s. In fact, some of the sets used in the TV series were formerly seen in some of the "Frankenstein," "Wolfman," etc. movies of the era.
The stars included Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick, Beverly Owen and Pat Priest. Note that Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis worked together on the New York based police sitcom "Car 54 Where Are You" from 1961-1963 (NBC).
The series would have been seen throughout mid-Illinois on CBS affiliates WCIA, WMBD-TV, KMOX-TV, KHQA, and WTHI-TV.
Here is an hour-long documentary telling the story of both series, A Celebration of TV's Two Most Wackiest Families.
"The Addams Family" ABC
Here is one of the series most popular episodes when "Lurch" learns to dance.
"The Munsters" CBS
Unfortunately, the whole episodes of "The Munsters" have been eliminated from YouTube. There are, though, abbrivated episodes that have been shortened to 10 minutes or so.
Here is one example co-starring two other well known TV character actors, Richard Deacon (The Dick Van Dyke Show) and Pat Harrington (Steve Allen Show, One Day at a Time).
Here's an abbriaviated episode called "UnWelcome Guest."
Movies on TV
"Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein"
1948 Universal
Speaking of Universal Studios, let's go back to 1948 and the Abbott and Costello film, "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein."
This series combining the popular comedy duo and the horror feature characters from Universal brought about some of the most hilarious movie moments ever.
If you get a chance to view any of the "Abbott and Costello Meet....." movies, watch them and laugh!
Here is the trailer for "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein."
(Source: YouTube and various posters and contributors.
They may be removed without notice)
Classic Radio
"Orson Welles' War of the Worlds" 1938 CBS Radio
One of the most popular classic radio shows, especially around Halloween is the Orsen Welles version of "The War of the Worlds."
The most shocking thing about this episode of the Mercury Playhouse is the fact that it shocked a large number of listeners who actually believed it was real. Even though disclaimers also aired during the opening of the episode, many were probably listening to "The Edger Bergen/Charley McCarthy Show" on NBC Radio and missed the opening disclaimer. Even so, there were so many clues that the coverage was contrived and couldn't possibly occur.
If you think this couldn't possibly occur today as people are more educated and smarter than they were at the time, all you have to do is check out what people are believing what they see on today's social media!
The Mercury Playhouse aired on CBS Radio on Halloween of 1938. It would have been heard on the major market CBS radio affiliates across the country.
(Source: YouTube and various posters and contributors.
They may be removed without notice)
Historical
Television
Highlights
Click on each Graphic/Title Below to go directly to an in depth story of each with pictures/videos of Television's Past
What's New?
February 9, 2020-Added a list of Radio Automation Program Suppliers on the Automation Radio Format page. The list was from "Billboard Magazine" published in February of 1975.
February 14, 2020- The latest on the Repack plight of WAND. Visit Mid-Illinois Television here.
February 27, 2020-Added the WAND history video produced by Sean Streaty at WAND and broadcast on February 25, 2020. Watch the video by clicking here.
March 14, 2020-Thanks to former WCIA personality from the early to late 1950s, Scott Craig. He sent me an update on his life since his early days hosting "Cartoon Time" for Channel 3. See what Scott Craig has done over the years and check out a more recent picture of him. Go to WCIA 1953-1965 and Scott Craig here.
April 12, 2020-Thanks to Pete Barrett, WCIA Production Manager for sharing an incredible collection of historical photos from WCIA. Some of which have already been added to the History of WCIA 1953-1965. They're easy to find and are displayed in galleries labeled "WCIA Archive Photos." More will be added to the more recent pages in the coming weeks. Click here to go to the WCIA, 1953-1965 page.
May 24, 2020-"Star Trek" has been added to the Historical Television Highlights page.
June, 14, 2020-Added a video block featuring Taylorville's Frisina Drive-In Theater. To see the video and a short narration of its history go to Videos here.
July 19, 2020-Added the story of the first live broadcast from the "new" Disneyland Theme Park in Anaheim, California from July of 1955. It was an epic live TV broadcast on the ABC Television Network and was seen in mid-Illinois. It's on the Historical Television Highlights page.
September 12, 2020-Saved the Video of the Week from September 7th, to the Historical Television Highlights page. The feature spotlights the ABC Season Premiere that took the last place TV network to prominence. Click here to go directly to the ABC Season Premiere from September of 1963.
Central Illinois On-Line Broadcast Museum and dougquick.com supports the work of the St. Louis Media History.
Visit their website at:
