Dave Plier

As iconic TV anthology series ‘The Twilight Zone’ celebrates its 65th Anniversary, WGN Radio’s Dave Plier talks to the daughter of TV legend Rod Serling, writer Anne Serling, on her father’s legacy, ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Night Gallery’.

Children’s television historian Jim Engel talks to WGN Radio’s Dave Plier about WGN-TV’s Ray Rayner, celebrating the 1964 launch of his own self-titled show ’Ray Rayner & His Friends’ which premiered 60 years ago along with Cuddly Dudley, ‘Ark in the Park’ with Dr. Lester Fisher and Chelveston the Duck, his years on ‘Bozo’s Circus’ as Oliver O. Oliver, ‘Dick Tracy’ and more.

What’s your favorite memory of Ray Rayner?

Comedy legend Robert Smigel joins WGN Radio’s Dave Plier! Smigel is the voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, he’s co-written films with Adam Sandler, wrote sketches on 425 episodes of SNL, and he has won countless Writer’s Guild and Primetime Emmy Awards throughout the years. His contemporaries at Saturday Night Live were Conan O’Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Al Franken, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and other legends from the Golden Era of SNL who he has collaborated with over the years. Then Conan O’Brien replaces Letterman back in the day… whereas Robert played a big role in that too. Then comes Triumph, The Dana Carvey Show, collaborations with Adam Sandler and so many others. Triumph’s new You Tube Special is ‘Let’s Make a Poop’.

WGN-TV’s Mike Lowe talks about his exemplary reporting and today’s press conference on infrastructure investments. Mike then talks about his recent cancer diagnosis, the importance of early detection and seeing your doctor, new statistics on cancer rising in people under 50, and beating this! You’ve got this, Mike!

WGN’s Dave Plier and Wally Podrazik, television historian and author of ‘Watching TV’, break down top TV dads by decade including Howard Cunningham (‘Happy Days’), Andy Taylor (‘The Andy Griffith Show’), Jim Anderson (‘Father Knows Best’), Mike Brady (‘The Brady Bunch’), Archie Bunker (‘Archie Bunker’s Place’), Cliff Huxtable (‘The Cosby Show’) Phil Dunphy (‘Modern Family’), Andre Johnson (‘Black-ish’) and more. TV’s ‘Father Knows Best 70th Anniversary Marathon featuring 70 episodes airs this Sunday on Antenna TV!

Scott Dehn from the McHenry Outdoor Theatre and drive-in documentarian April Wright talk to WGN Radio’s Dave Plier about the revival of the drive-in theater, a true piece of Americana, discovering the retro magic, and watching cinema under the stars.

WGN Radio’s Dave Plier talks to Smashing Pumpkins frontman and Chicago music icon Billy Corgan about the CW’s ‘Adventures in Carnyland’, the National Wrestling Alliance, the Smashing Pumpkins summer tour, Bozo, and more.

Barely living comedy legend John Cleese is heading to Chicago for a truly memorable evening of comedy and conversation at the Vic Theatre on Wednesday, June 12th and Thursday, June 13th. John talks to WGN Radio’s Dave Plier about his journey in comedy, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and how political correctness is killing comedy.

WGN Radio’s Dave Plier talks about this week’s news that Dr Pepper is now the second-most popular soda brand in America, outselling Pepsi and behind Coca-Cola. Dave also shares the history of sodas that were created in Chicago and the retro soda brands we still love.

WGN Radio’s Dave Plier talks to Chicago’s own Joe Mantegna on Memorial Day to honor our fallen, the importance of the National Memorial Day concert streaming now at pbs.org, his ‘Bleacher Bums’ and throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley this Friday.