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Flashback 1982: Chicago Christmas Parade Telecast

Here's a broadcast of the 1982 Chicago Christmas Parade (what was known in previous years as the State Street Christmas Parade) coming to you Live over WLS Channel 7, with Joel Daly and Mary Ann Childers. The Broadcast's Sponsors are the American Dairy Association of Wisconsin, Sizzler Family Steak House (they repeatedly run a commercial for an all you can eat ribs deal for $5.99) , Evans, and Toys R Us.

Two things that show how things have changed since then. Both of the presenters were sporting ostentatious furs and bragging about wearing them (one was coyote and the other was silver fox) which would not be so cool in the present day animal rights fur is murder mindset we live in now. Also, neither presenter nor several parade goers being inquired had anmmy idea how to say 'Merry Christmas' in Spanish. Nowadays, the term 'Feliz Navidad' is familiar to almost everybody.

Highlights include-

Mayor Jane Byrne kicking things off walking down State Street sporting a (trendy for that time) bright cherry colored puffy coat accompanied by her husband, Jay McMullen

Tap dancing Christmas trees from Amundson Arts Academy

Actress Cindy Morgan of "Caddyshack" and "Tron" fame

Members of the cast of Nickolas Nickleby which was getting ready to open in Chicago for an eight week run

Clydesdale-drawn trolley with cartoon characters from Marriott's Great America

This newly uploaded online video originally aired on Sunday, November 28th 1982

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by Anonymousreply 6December 3, 2023 4:12 AM

I jumped to a few random moments in the parade to see if there was any thing hilariously fucked up, and sure enough there’s one at the 56 minute mark. The male host is trying to “find a little girl” to sing a Christmas song, and tries to coerce one, but she refuses while a boy in the back yells “I can sing Jingle Bells! I can sing Jingle Bells,” but of course the host ignores him and moves on. 😂 😂 😂

by Anonymousreply 1December 2, 2023 7:27 PM

This is awesome, my cousin always used to say that when Mary Ann Childers and Bea Arthur died they were going to find out that they both were really men.

by Anonymousreply 2December 2, 2023 10:30 PM

Like with lots of big city news anchors, most had to work in smaller markets first. Many of the ones that ended up in the anchor chair in Chicago used to be on the news in Indianapolis beforehand. Mary Ann Childers came up this way too. I remember her on Indy's WTHR Channel 13 newscasts back in the late 1970s.

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by Anonymousreply 3December 3, 2023 3:12 AM

Sad to watch. Within a decade, half those tap-dancing trees were dead from root rot.

by Anonymousreply 4December 3, 2023 3:19 AM

Back then, wintertime parade tv hosts often wore flashy fur coats on air. At link, pic of Larry Hagman and Linda Gray co-hosting the 1984 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

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by Anonymousreply 5December 3, 2023 3:41 AM

I can'r watch 80s tv and go back to the Reagan years. Best forgotten.

by Anonymousreply 6December 3, 2023 4:12 AM
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