Reunion to salute three generations of TV stars

Reunion to salute three generations of TV stars

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At a time when the city’s troubled broadcast industry could use a shot in the arm, a galaxy of Chicago television’s brightest stars will be honored June 11 at a benefit for the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

dumontBruce Dumont

In what’s billed as “the first-ever reunion of three generations of Chicago television icons,” a who’s who of local luminaries will fill the Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Hilton, 720 S. Michigan. In announcing the names of those already confirmed to attend “A Salute to Chicago Television,” Bruce DuMont, founder and president of the museum, said:

“The tri-generational reunion will provide contemporary Chicago television personalities with an opportunity to honor those pioneers who paved the way and also give fans a chance to meet their favorite local TV personalities in person.”

Among those expected to attend are Lee Phillip Bell, Jim Conway, Jorie Lueloff, Merri Dee, Jack Taylor, Harry Volkman, Frank Mathie, Jim Tilmon, Bill Kurtis, Walter Jacobson, Rich Koz, Bob Sirott, Joan Esposito, Roy Leonard, Robert Jordan, Roger Ebert, Teresa Gutierrez, Linda Yu, Scott Craig, Warner Saunders, Tom Skilling, Cheryl Burton, Alan Krashesky, Marion Brooks, Anna Davlantes, Alex Perez, Amy Freeze, Kevin Roy, Corey McPherrin, Dick Johnson, Leah Hope, Mark Saxenmeyer, Dean Richards, Bill Zwecker, Ron Weiner, Howard Shapiro, Bill McCarter and Sheldon Cooper.

A highlight of the event will be a video program on the history of Chicago television. In conjunction with the salute, the museum recently published Chicago Television, a pictorial history of the first 50 years of the medium, as part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series.

Tickets go on sale today for the $350-a-plate dinner, with proceeds benefitting the final phase of construction for the museum building at State and Kinzie. (Here is the link for ticket information.)