Pictures on the Prairie:
The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television
$19.99 plus tax
Book Signing/
Lecture Update:
Would you like an autographed copy of "Pictures on the Prairie: The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television?"
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 later in 2021. 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.
CLICK ON THE DROP DOWN MENU ABOVE TO VISIT THE PAGES OF HISTORY OF THE LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS
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.
CLICK ON THE DROP DOWN MENU ABOVE TO VISIT THE PAGES OF HISTORY OF SOME OF THE RADIO STATIONS THAT INFLUENCED ME IN MY EARLY CAREER.
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
CLICK ON THE DROP DOWN MENU ABOVE TO VISIT THE PAGES OF HISTORY OF AUTOMATED RADIO AND ITS PROGRAM PROVIDERS
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 the 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
Bus Stop (1961) ABC
"A Lion Walks Among Us"
According to the authors of "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable Shows," this particular episode led to the early cancellation of the TV series "Bus Stop."
It starred Marilyn Maxwell, John Freeman, Richard Anderson and guest-starred Fabian. It was produced by Roy Huggins and this episode was directed by Robert Altman. The series took place at a Colorado diner in the mountains. The stories revolved around various people who would stop in the diner as they traveled across through the small town of Sunrise.
This episode was based on a Tom Wicker novel, in which Fabian played a psychopath bent on murder. It was "denounced for its explicit violence and sadism and was cited in Congressional hearings on violence in television."
The quality of this YouTube video is less than ideal, but the significance of this series along with this particular episode makes it a worthwhile watch. I would recommend shrinking the screen size to the smallest size you can bear to watch.
Not many people probably saw "Bus Stop" as it aired on Sunday night at 8 pm (CT) opposite "Bonanza." CBS aired "The G.E. Theater" and "The Jack Benny Program." It likely aired throughout mid-Illinois on WTVP, WTVH, and KTVI.
Hollywood Place (1965) David Janssen and Tim Conway
Tim Conway was known to crack up the cast with his skit role-playing on the "Carol Burnett Show," but this was during the days of "The Fugitive" with Janssen and "McHale's Navy" with Conway. This particular bit was featured on ABC's "Hollywood Palace" in February of 1965. It was broadcast from the theater in which "The Jimmy Kimmel Show" was broadcast in pre-pandemic times.
"Hollywood Place" featured a multitude of guest hosts, many from ABC shows, like Adam West, Elizabeth Montgomery, David Jenssen, and Tim Conway as seen above but also well known classic hosts such as Bing Crosby, Ed Wynn, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Milton Berle, Jimmy Durante, Sid Caesar, and Sammy Davis Jr..
Musical guests included many middle-of-the-road acts, but also many rock acts of the era. The show also included stand-up comedians and acrobatic acts throughout its run.
Another interesting installment of "Hollywood Palace" was hosted by Bing Crosby with guests that included a number of co-stars of CBS's "Hogan's Heroes." Why? Because "Hogan's Heroes" was produced by Bing Crosby Productions!
"Hollywood Palace" was seen on Saturday evenings, 8:30 to 9:30 pm (CT), and seen throughout mid-Illinois on WTVP, WTVH and KTVI.
Movies on TV
The Golf Specialist (1930) W. C. Fields
I've always been a big fan of W.C. Fields. This week, I present one of the very early "talkies" with Fields, "The Golf Specialist" from 1930. Here he demonstrates part of his vaudeville routines as a golfer that he used several times in later movies, like "The Big Broadcast of 1938" and "You're Telling Me."
This film shows his character's personality traits that followed him throughout his movie career, such as making up a story to justify whatever he was doing (playing pool, golfing, swimming, etc), along with his disdain for children.
This film came before his move to Paramount Pictures in the early 1930s and his move to Universal Studios in the early 1940s. If you're looking to get into his film library, start with his best, "It's a Gift," then go to the previous mentioned, "You're Telling Me," "Man on the Flying Trapeze," "International House," "The Big Broadcast of 1938"(the movie that made Bob Hope famous with his theme song, "Thanks for the Memories"), "Nover Give a Sucker an Even Break," "Tillie and Gus," "The Bank Dick," and anything else you can pretty much cast aside.
(Source: YouTube and various posters and contributors.
They may be removed without notice)
Classic Radio
WLS-Yvonne Daniels (Dec 2, 1976)
If you were old enough to remember listening to your transistor radio all night long with either the radio tucked under your pillow or with that single wired tinny-sounding earphone and listened to WLS, you probably heard Yvonne. She did the overnight shift, that was heard over the entire central part of the country on the 50-thousand watt AM "blow torch."
Here the YouTube host Ellis Feaster tells Yvonne's story as the first female DJ on "The Rock of Chicago" WLS. This particular aircheck was from December 2, 1976 (despite what the graphic says).
(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?
November 21, 2020-The Peoria TV Market continues to disintegrate with the downgrading of Channel 19 from a once heritage TV station to now being an empty shell of junk video and a shopping channel. The lack of viable programming could disqualify it as being a legitimate TV station.
Meanwhile, WAOE has also become a shopping channel. That will disqualify it as being a legitimate TV station as well. Both Channel 19 and the WAOE channels will be delisted soon.
November 22, 2020-TV Today has been completely updated. Since the repack of many of the area TV stations is now complete and the "dust has settled" it was time to complete my pages.
Some changes include those above in the previous update, but also I've added some stations to the listings including WEIU-TV, Channel 50, Charleston, IL. It has been added to the Mid-Illinois listings, but I also added it to the Terre Haute, IN listings as well.
I added two St. Louis stations, low-powered stations, but reach enough population to make them significant. Plus more importantly, the stations list entertainment networks as part of their lineup, despite having religious or shopping channels. Note: Those exclusive religious or shopping channels are excluded from these listings.
January 17, 2021-Two Peoria TV stations have been delisted from the TV Today-Peoria/Bloomington/Normal, IL listings of local TV stations. The two stations have failed to operate within the guidelines of broadcasting as described by the FCC. Neither station broadcasts any kind of viable programming.
"In exchange for obtaining a valuable license to operate a broadcast station using the public airwaves, each radio and television licensee is required by law to operate its station in the “public interest, convenience, and necessity.” Generally, this means it must air programming that is responsive to the needs and problems of its local community of license."
from FCC: The Public and Broadcasting
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