Elizabeth Brackett (December 11, 1941 – June 17, 2018) was an American journalist and political figure and writer. She was known for hosting WTTW-TV's "Chicago Tonight" program and also worked as a correspondent for PBS' "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer".
In 1988, Brackett was awarded a Peabody Award for her coverage of the 1988 U.S. presidential election.
Brackett was born in Illinois. She studied at Indiana University. Brackett was injured in a serious accident while biking on the Lakefront Trail on June 13, 2018. She suffered from a fractured vertebrae, fell into a coma and died four days after the accident at a Chicago hospital, aged 76.
Chicago Lakefront Trail
The Chicago Lakefront Trail (abbreviated as LFT) is a shared use path for walking jogging and cycling. It is located along the western shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. The trail passes through and connects Chicago's four major lakefront parks along with various beaches and recreational amenities. It also serves as a route for bicycle commuters.
From north to south, it runs through Lincoln Park, Grant Park, Burnham Park, and Jackson Park.
Burnham Park (Chicago)
Burnham Park is a public park located in Chicago, Illinois. It is located along of Lake Michigan shoreline, the park connects Grant Park at 14th Street to Jackson Park at 56th Street. The of parkland is owned and managed by Chicago Park District. It was named for urban planner and architect Daniel Burnham in 1927.
Norodom Ranariddh
Norodom Ranariddh (; born 2 January 1944) is a Cambodian royal politician and law academic. He is the second son of Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and a half-brother of Norodom Sihamoni.
Ranariddh is the president of FUNCINPEC, a Cambodian royalist party. He was also the First Prime Minister of Cambodia following the restoration of the monarchy, serving between 1993 and 1997, and subsequently as the President of the National Assembly between 1998 and 2006.
On 17 June 2018, Ranariddh and his wife, Ouk Phalla, were both seriously injured in a car accident en route to Sihanoukville Province. Ouk Phalla died hours later as a result of her injuries.
Tom Skilling
Thomas Ethelbert Skilling, III (born February 20, 1952), known on-air as Tom Skilling, is an American television meteorologist. He was born in Aurora, Illinois, but works in Chicago, Illinois. He is chief meteorologist for the weekday on WGN-TV (channel 9). He is the highest paid local broadcast meteorologist in the United States. He also writes the daily weather column in the "Chicago Tribune".
WGN-TV
WGN-TV is an independent television station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, United States. It serves as the flagship television property of the Tribune Broadcasting of the Tribune Media Company, which also owns radio station WGN (720 AM) and local cable news channel Chicagoland Television (CLTV).
The station's second digital subchannel serves as an owned-and-operated station of the classic TV network Antenna TV. It is broadcast through a transmitted located at the Willis Tower.
Don Sandburg
Don Sandburg (1930 – October 6, 2018) was an American television writer, actor, and producer. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has worked in television, most notably as producer of "The Banana Splits" for Hanna-Barbera as well as WGN-TV's "Bozo's Circus" as Sandy the Clown. In 1967, Sandburg appeared in local McDonald's ads as Ronald McDonald.
Sandburg died of complications from Alzheimer's disease in Springfield, Oregon on October 6, 2018 at the age of 87.
The Bozo Show
The Bozo Show is a locally produced children's television program that aired on WGN-TV in Chicago and nationally on WGN America. It was based on the children's record book series, "Bozo the Clown" by Capitol Records. It ran from 1960 to 2001.
The series is a local version of the internationally franchised "Bozo the Clown" format and is also the longest-running in the franchise. It is known as the most popular and successful locally produced children's program in the history of television, it only aired under this title for 14 of its 40+ years: other titles were Bozo, Bozo's Circus, and The Bozo Super Sunday Show.
It starred Bob Bell as Bozo, Ned Locke as Ringmaster Ned, Ray Rayner as Oliver O. Oliver, Bob Trendler as Mr. Bob and Don Sandburg as Sandy.
Ray Rayner
Ray Rayner (born Raymond M. Rahner; July 23, 1919 – January 21, 2004) was an American television presenter based in Chicago, Illinois. He was born in New York City. He was known for working with WGN-TV and for starring in "Ray Rayner and His Friends" as Ray and in "The Bozo Show" as Oliver O. Oliver.
Rayner died on January 21, 2004, of complications from pneumonia in Fort Myers, Florida at the age of 84.
Bob Trendler
Robert Trendler (1912 – July 18, 2011) was an American bandleader, songwriter, television actor and musical director. He worked for the WGN Orchestra from 1956 till 1975. Trendler was known in Chicago as Mr. Bob the bandleader of Bozo's Big Top Band, on "Bozo's Circus". He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Trendler died on July 18, 2011 in Ellenton, Florida of cardiopulmonary arrest at the age of 99.
Ellenton, Florida
Ellenton is a census-designated place (CDP) in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,142 at the 2000 census. Ellenton is located at (27.522666, -82.525867).
Ned Locke
Norbert "Ned" Locke (December 25, 1919 – February 4, 1992) was an American television personality and writer, radio announcer and politician. He was born in Red Wing, Minnesota. He was best known for the role of "Ringmaster Ned" on WGN-TV's "Bozo's Circus" from 1961 to 1976. He moved to Kimberling City, Missouri where he was mayor until 1992.
Locke died of liver cancer in Kimberling City on February 4, 1992 at the age of 72.
Kimberling City, Missouri
Kimberling City is a city in Stone County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,400 at the 2010 census. Some episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies" TV series were filmed in the area.
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American sitcom originally broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. The show starred Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts. It was about a poor backwoods family who move to posh Beverly Hills, California, after striking oil on their land.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" ranked among the top 20 most-watched programs on television for eight of its nine seasons, twice ranking as the number one series of the year, with a number of episodes that remain among the most-watched television episodes in history. A 1993 movie remake was made by 20th Century Fox.
Irene Ryan
Irene Ryan (born Jessie Irene Noblitt; October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress and comedian. She was born in El Paso, Texas.
Ryan was known for her role as Granny, the mother-in-law of Buddy Ebsen's character, on the long-running TV series "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962–1971). She was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1963 and 1964.
Ryan died of glioblastoma and heart disease in Santa Monica, California on April 26, 1973 at the age of 70.
Max Baer Jr.
Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr. (born December 4, 1937) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. He is best known for playing Jethro Bodine on "The Beverly Hillbillies". He directed the 1979 comedy "Hometown U.S.A." before retiring to his home at Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
With the 2015 death of "The Beverly Hillbillies" co-star Donna Douglas, Baer is the only surviving cast member.
Bob Bell
Robert Lewis Bell (January 18, 1922 – December 8, 1997), better known as Bob Bell, was an American actor. He was famous for his role as Bozo the Clown on "The Bozo Show". He was born in Flint, Michigan, but raised in Deerfield, Illinois.
Bell died at his home in Lake San Marcos, California on December 8, 1997 from congestive heart failure, aged 75.
Lake San Marcos, California