Dave Plier
884 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsThe Dave Plier Podcast from Chicago's Very Own, 720 WGN
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Episodes
Author & TV Personality Dr. Ian Smith: Healthy Tips to Maintain Your New Year’s Resolutions, Clean & Lean
January 11, 2020 07:18Dr Ian Smith, best selling author, medical contributor on The Rachael Ray Show on WGN-TV, and host of the nationally syndicated show Health Watch, joins WGN’s Dave Plier to talk about healthy ways to eat clean, exercise and live a better life throughout the year. For more information, visit doctoriansmith.com.
Illinois Attorney Ross Morreale: How You Can Still Get In on the Weed Business, Recreational Sales Shortage
January 11, 2020 07:15Illinois attorney Ross Morreale talks to Dave Plier about the millions spent in the first weeks of Illinois’ new marijuana laws, the current supply shortage and how you can still get in the game.
This is History: Chicago and Prohibition, Henry Ford’s Assembly Line, Whamo Introduces the Frisbee, Ernie Banks and the Hall of Fame, ‘All in the Family’ Debuts, Blizzard of ‘79
January 11, 2020 06:45Dave Plier and Dave Schwan talk about the beginnings of prohibition, Ford introduces the assembly line, Whamo and the frisbee, Ernie Banks is nominated to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the warnings surrounding the debut of legendary sitcom ‘All in the Family’ and a look back at the Blizzard of ’79 in Chicago.
WEATHER UPDATE with WGN-TV Meteorologist Demetrius Ivory: Winter Storm Outlook Improving But Sleet, Freezing Rain and Snow Still on the Way
January 11, 2020 05:34WGN- TV Meteorologist Demetrius Ivory joins WGN Radio’s Dave Plier with a winter storm update at 11pm Friday night.
Dave Plier’s Favorite Conversations of the Year III: Chicago’s Own Gary Sinise, Mick Jones of ‘Foreigner’, David Eigneberg of NBC’s ‘Chicago Fire’, Comedy Legend Carl Reiner
January 04, 2020 07:00Dave’s conversations with Chicago’s own Gary Sinise on his acting journey, The Steppenwolf Theater, ‘Forrest Gump’ and his unwavering support for our veterans; rock legend Mick Jones of ‘Foreigner’; David Eigenberg, best known from ‘Sex in the City’ and NBC’s ‘Chicago Fire’; and comedy legend Carl Reiner.
Dave Plier’s Favorite Conversations of the Year Part II: Olivia Newton John, Christopher Knight; Peter Brady from The Brady Bunch’, George Schlatter of ‘Laugh-In’ and Larry Potash on 60’s and 70’s classic TV.
December 28, 2019 08:09Dave shares more of his favorite conversation of the year featuring music icon Olivia Newton John; Christopher Knight; Peter Brady from The Brady Bunch’ on the series’ 50th anniversary; George Schlatter, producer/director/writer of ‘Laugh-In’ on fifty years and this year’s new retrospective on Netflix; and Larry Potash and Mike Toomey look back at 60’s and 70’s […]
Dave Plier’s Interview with Lee Mendelson, Executive Producer of the ‘Peanuts’ Holiday Specials, Who Died Today at Age 86
December 28, 2019 01:48Dave celebrates 50 years of ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ in a 2015 interview with Executive Producer of the Peanuts specials, Lee Mendelson, as they talk about cartoonist Charles Schulz and the journey to make this American holiday classic.
30th Anniversary of ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ with ‘Ellen Griswold’, Beverly D’Angelo
December 24, 2019 15:06Beverly D’Angelo, who played the long-suffering wife of Chevy Chase’s ‘Clark Griswold’ character in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ about the movie’s 30th anniversary, the cast, the set and the news that Johnny Galecki is bringing a new take on ‘Vacation’ to HBO Max.
Deana Martin, Dean Martin’s Daughter, Speaks Out About John Legend’s New Version of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’
December 24, 2019 14:15Deana Martin, daughter of Dean Martin, joins Dave Plier on WGN Radio’s ‘The Sinatra Hours’ to talk about the legacy of her father, Christmas at the Martin house and her comments on the controversy and re-written lyrics in her father’s classic Christmas song ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’.
Holiday Traditions with The Plier Family
December 24, 2019 14:13Dave is joined by his kids, Josh, Emma & Alex to talk about the importance of holiday traditions.
Beloved WGN-TV Holiday Classics ‘Hardrock, Coco & Joe’, ‘Suzy Snowflake’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’
December 24, 2019 13:35Dave Plier shares the story of Chicago holiday classic ‘Hardrock, Coco & Joe’ which first aired on WGN-TV’s Garfield Goose & Friends’ in the 1950s and continues to air on ‘Bozo, Gary & Ray: WGN TV Classics’, along with Suzy Snowflake and Frosty the Snowman. A DVD of this holiday trilogy can be purchased at […]
A Winter Wonderland with ‘The Voice of Christmas’, Johnny Mathis
December 24, 2019 13:16It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! WGN Radio’s Dave Plier shares his conversation with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Johnny Mathis to talk about his career, his legendary holiday album and more.
The Merriest Holiday TV Episodes Ever
December 24, 2019 13:09Dave Plier, Dave Schwan, Dave Eanet and listeners talk about their favorite holiday TV episodes of all time including I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Brady Bunch, All in the Family, Cheers, Seinfeld’s ‘Festivus for the rest of us’, Johnny Carson’s ‘The Tonight Show’, Modern Family and more! What is […]
Dave Plier’s Favorite Conversations of the Year: Stevie Van Zandt from Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, TV Icon Henry Winkler, Comedy Legend Bob Newhart
December 21, 2019 07:02PART 1: WGN Radio’s Dave Plier shares his favorite conversations of the year featuring Stevie Van Zandt from Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, TV Icon Henry Winkler and Comedy Legend Bob Newhart.
Mo Rocca of ‘CBS Sunday Morning’: ‘Mobituaries’, A Curious Collection of Lives Forgotten
December 14, 2019 06:45WGN Radio’s Dave Plier is joined by CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and humorist Mo Rocca, to talk about his entertaining and rigorously researched new book called ‘MOBITUARIES’, with all new essays on artists, entertainers, sports stars, political pioneers, founding fathers, and more.
Elliott Bambrough’s 200th Episode of WGN-TV’s Chicago’s Best: The City’s Most Legendary Spots, Best Comfort Food
December 14, 2019 06:44Elliott Bambrough from WGN-TV’s ‘Chicago’s Best’ joins Dave Plier to celebrate his 200th episode and talk about his favorite segments over the years and where to find the best comfort food around town.
This is History: Chicago’s Christmas Tree Ship, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ with Jimmy Stewart’s Daughter, Kelly Harcourt, ‘The Grinch’
December 14, 2019 06:42Dave Plier and Dave Schwan talk about the history of ‘A Christmas Carol’; ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, featuring excerpts from Dave’s interview with Jimmy Stewart’s daughter Kelly Stewart Harcourt; and the making of ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ with Dr. Seuss biographer, Judith Morgan.
Those We Lost in 2019: Doris Day, Tim Conway, Valerie Harper, Peter Tork, Rip Torn, Gloria Vanderbilt, Rep. Elijah Cummings, and Bill Buckner
December 14, 2019 06:41Historians Walter Podrazik and Kevin Pokorny join Dave Plier to celebrate ‘Those We Lost’ in 2019.
‘The Sinatra Hours’ Premieres Sunday at 6:30 AM!
December 07, 2019 20:00Join us for ‘THE SINATRA HOURS’! The premiere episode airs THIS SUNDAY December 8th, from 6:30am – 9am on 720WGN, wgnradio.com or just tell your smart speaker to ‘play WGN Radio on Tune In’! Every Sunday morning, host Dave Plier will ease you into your day with selections from Frank Sinatra’s 45-year recording career, featuring music that is most […]
Preparing Your Thanksgiving Feast with Rachael Ray: Memories and Meals from a Sweet and Savory Life
November 28, 2019 15:02Rachael Ray join WGN Radio’s Dave Plier to usher in the holiday season with Thanksgiving tips, recipes for her favorite sides, and her passion for food and feeding people with her new book ‘Rachael Ray 50: Memories and Meals from a Sweet and Savory Life’. ‘The Rachael Ray Show’ airs weekdays at 10am on WGN-TV. […]
Dr. Phil: Easy Ways to Make Your Holidays Stress-less, Avoiding Family Discourse, Finding Peace
November 28, 2019 14:57Dr. Phil McGraw joins WGN Radio’s Dave Plier to talk about how to make your holidays stress-less, dealing with family discord and how to get through the holidays with the loss of a loved one.
Lecy Goranson from ABC’s ‘The Conners’: Favorite Things to Do and Places to Go Around Chicago
November 28, 2019 13:27Chicago’s own Lecy Goranson joins Dave to talk about her favorite things about Chicago and life on the set of ‘The Conners’ on ABC.
WGN Radio Personalities: ‘What Are We Thankful For?’
November 28, 2019 13:27WGN Radio on-air personalities share what they are thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day. What are YOU thankful for?
The Greater Chicago Food Depository: We Can Break the Cycle of Hunger Together
November 28, 2019 13:26With 1 in 6 Cook County residents turning to their network each year, our neighbors who need emergency food assistance are much closer to home than many realize. To discuss what you can do to help, Dave Plier talks to Jim Conwell of The Greater Chicago Food Depository.
This History of Thanksgiving in America: Plymouth Rock, Pies, Parades and Presidential Pardons
November 28, 2019 12:35Dave Plier and Dave Schwan share the history of the very first Thanksgiving and the traditions that have developed over the years.
LaRoyce Hawkins from NBC’s ‘Chicago P.D.’: Spreading Good Cheer this Holiday Season with the Salvation Army
November 24, 2019 11:32LaRoyce Hawkins joins WGN Radio’s Dave Plier to talk about the 5th season of NBC’s ‘Chicago P.D.’ and his great work with The Salvation Army this holiday season with the Salvation Army. For more info, visit centralusa.salvationarmy.org/metro/christmas-bell-ringing/
Exploring Chicago’s Lost Shopping Experiences: Wieboldt’s, Marshall Fields, Goldblatt’s, Zayre, Polk Bros.
November 24, 2019 11:31As the holiday shopping season is in full swing, Dave, Roger and listeners look back at the places we used to shop and share holiday memories with Craig Locaciato from craigslostchicago.com including stores Marshall Field’s, Wieboldt’s, Zayre, Musicland, The Mister Shops, Service Merchandise, Madigan’s and more. craigslostchicago.com What classic department store do you remember from Chicago’s past?
Be Thankful for Dessert! Thanksgiving Treats at Bang Bang Pie
November 24, 2019 11:31Dave talks to Michael Ciapciak, owner of Bang Bang Pie about their sweet and savory Thanksgiving delicacies, locally sourced ingredients, and more! For more information, find locations and to order your pie for future holidays, visit bangbangpie.com.
This is History: WKRP in Cincinnati’s Turkey Drop, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Talking Turkey with Johnny Carson & Doc Severinsen
November 24, 2019 11:30Dave Plier and Dave Schawn talk about classic Thanksgiving TV episodes the first national Thanksgiving, the classic WKRP Thanksgiving episode debuts, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and a classic conversation with Johnny Carson and Doc Severinsen about their Thanksgiving plans.
Radio Rewind: A Conversation with Rock Legend Elvis Costello
November 17, 2019 09:51As rock icon Elvis Costello is preparing to perform next Friday, November 22nd at The Chicago Theater, WGN Radio’s Dave Plier presses the rewind button back to 2015 and his in-studio interview with Elvis and WGN Radio’s own Wendy Snyder. For more information visit, elviscostello.com Do you have a favorite Elvis Costello song?
Previewing the Highly Anticipated 2019 Bourbon Country Stout Variants with Goose Island’s Mike Siegel along with WGN’s Dave Plier & Brian Noonan
November 17, 2019 09:48WGN Radio’s own and well-known beer connoisseur Brian Noonan joins Dave Plier to preview this year’s Bourbon County Stout releases, the inspiration behind each recipe, the Black Friday phenomenon and the growth of the barrel-aged beer industry with Mike Siegel from Goose Island Brewery.
Radio Hall of Famer Chuck Schaden: Adding Decades to the Golden Age of Radio
November 17, 2019 09:43Dave Plier talks to Radio Hall of Famer Chuck Schaden about his passion for the golden age of radio, the experience of ‘Theater of the mind’ entertainment and his new book: Chuck Schaden’s Radio Days.
Holiday Gifts to Break the Bank: How About a Daniel Craig (‘007’) Designed Aston Martin?
November 17, 2019 09:40Dave Plier, Roger Badesch and Curtis Koch check out the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book and other luxury guides for the perfect holiday gifts that will break the bank.
Radio Hall of Fame Inductee Ryan Seacrest and The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon: Impact of Radio, Legacy of Dick Clark, Ryan’s 15 Years as Host of America’s Top 40
November 10, 2019 09:38WGN Radio’s Dave Plier goes backstage at the Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and talks to 2019 inductee Ryan Seacrest about the importance of this honor for him, the legacy of Dick Clark, the impact of radio and the induction speech by The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon.
Secretary Robert Wilkie, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Celebrating our Veterans, The Mission Act, Mental Health Care and Suicide Prevention
November 10, 2019 09:37WGN Radio’s Dave Plier welcomes the Honorable Robert Wilkie, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to discuss the Mission Act, the new and expanded programs take care for our veterans, the stigma of mental health issues across America and efforts to reduce and eliminate the growing rate of Veteran suicides.
45 Years of Nostalgia Digest: Chicago’s Classic Hotels, 80th Anniversary of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, Rudolph on TV
November 10, 2019 09:37Steve Darnall, editor-in-chief of Nostalgia Digest Magazine, celebrates it’s 45th year with Dave and discusses the Fall Edition featuring Chicago’s classic hotels, the 80th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz and the television history of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
This is History: History of Veteran’s Day, The Beatles White Album Debuts, Clinton Impeachment Hearings, Sesame Street Turns 50
November 10, 2019 09:36Dave Plier and Dave Schwan talk history including Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg address, 1st issue of Time Magazine in 1928, ‘Meet the Press’ debuts, Chuck Connors, future star of ’The Rifleman’ plays for the Cubs in 1951, the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal begins Clinton’s Impeachment hearings, Sesame Street turns 50 and Garry Meier shares a Veteran’s Day […]
TV Legend Henry Winkler from HBO’s ‘Barry, TV Classic ‘Happy Days’ and Author Lin Oliver: ’Alien Superstar’, Kids Reading for Fun, Glamour of Hollywood is Manufactured, Struggles of Dyslexia
November 02, 2019 03:18TV legend and children’s book author Henry Winkler along with producer and author Lin Oliver join WGN Radio’s Dave Plier in studio to talk about their writing partnership and new book ‘Alien Superstar’, Henry’s struggles with dyslexia and the inspiration behind their Hank Zipzer book series, the upcoming season of HBO’s ‘Barry’ and what character […]
Music Icon Debbie Harry of ‘Blondie’: Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘N’ Roll That Defined an Era
November 02, 2019 03:18Music icon Debbie Harry of ‘Blondie’ just release her new memoir ‘Face It’ and talks to WGN Radio’s Dave Plier about her journey on and off stage and her music which forged a new sound that brought together the worlds of rock, punk, disco, reggae, hip-hop and fashion to create some of the most beloved pop […]
Macy’s Chicago 112th Annual Tree Lighting: 100 Years of Frango Mints, Legacy of the Walnut Room, State Street Windows
November 02, 2019 03:17Dave Plier previews Saturday’s 112th Annual Great Tree Lighting with Andrea Schwartz, VP of Macy’s, in the historic Walnut Room on State Street , the reveal of the State Street holiday windows, the 100th Anniversary of Frango Mint and more. For more information visit www.visitmacysusa.com/chicago
244th Chicago Marine Corps Birthday Celebration: Marines Helping Marines with Former Marine Dana Oswald
November 02, 2019 03:17Former Marine Dana Oswald from the Chicago Marines Foundation talks to Dave Plier about their event next Friday November 8th, just before Veterans’ Day to celebrate the Marine Corps 244th birthday. For tickets and more information, visit chicagomarinesfoundation.org
The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace: A Century of the American Film Experience
November 02, 2019 03:17Dave Plier talks to filmmaker April Wright about her new documentary on the definitive story of The Movie Palace… including all iconic movie houses in Chicago… large, elaborately decorated movie theaters built between the 1910s and the 1940s… it’s debuting here in Chicago on November 12th at the Music Box Theater.
Stay Tuned, Rock on TV: New Multi-Sensory and Multimedia Exhibit at the Museum of Broadcast Communications
November 02, 2019 03:17Susy Schultz, Executive Director of The Museum of Broadcast Communications, joins Dave Plier to talk about the new STAY TUNED: ROCK ON TV exhibit. From The Ed Sullivan Show to The Voice, rock and roll has shaped television (and vice versa). This new exhibit tells the story of how TV launched rock’s iconic stars, brought them into our homes, kept them in the spotlight and connected them to us with music and visual imagery. This new multi-sensory and multimedia exhibit brings archival footage,...
This is History: Tomb of the Union Soldier, Bob Trendler and The WGN Orchestra, The Civil Rights Act of 1960, 50 Years of ‘Sesame Street’
November 02, 2019 03:12Dave Plier, Dave Schwan, Roger Badesch and Brian Noonan talk history including when Congress formed the U.S. Marine Corps, President Harding dedicated Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, bandleader Bob Trendler took over the WGN Radio Orchestra in 1941, the premiere of ‘Rocky & His Friends’, the US Senate passes the landmark Civil Rights Bill, the debuts of TV’s ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ and Paul McCartney releases “Wonderful Christmas”.
Chicago’s Own Paranormal Investigator Dave Schrader on the TV Afterlife of Ghost Hunter Hans Holzer in Travel Channel’s ‘The Holzer Files’
October 27, 2019 08:46Chicago’s own paranormal investigator Dave Schrader talks to WGN Radio’s Dave Plier about The Travel Channel’s series “The Holzer Files’ which investigate terrifyingly true hauntings from the recently discovered case files of America’s first ghost hunter, Dr. Hans Holzer.
Butch Patrick, ‘Eddie’ of ’The Munsters’: TV’s First Family of Fright
October 27, 2019 08:45Butch Patrick, Eddie Munster from TV classic ‘The Munsters’ looks back at life on the set with his co-stars, the influence and history of the Universal monsters and the connection to the sitcom and how horror and comedy work together.
Vintage WGN Radio: Supernatural Chicago with Eddie Schwartz with Ghost Hunter Richard Crowe
October 27, 2019 08:45A WGN RADIO TRADITION: Culled from a vintage conversation recorded in 1982, the late WGN radio legend Eddie Schwartz is joined by late Chicago Ghost Hunter Richard Crowe to talk about Resurrection Mary, Archer Avenue and other ghostly stories around Chicago. What is your favorite Chicago ghost story?
Horror on the Air: ‘Suspense, On a Country Road’ Starring Cary Grant, Cathy Lewis and Jeannette Nolan
October 27, 2019 08:39Dave shares his favorite classic horror radio play ‘Suspense: On a Country Road’, a chilling story about a couple traveling on an old country road, listening to news bulletins about an escaped crazy woman on the loose from a local asylum who carry a butcher’s knife as she travels.
A Conversation with Joyce ‘Trixie’ Randolph of TV Classic ‘The Honeymooners’: Celebrating Joyce’s 95th Birthday!
October 22, 2019 19:48WGN Radio’s Dave Plier looks back at his 2015 interview with the last living cast member of iconic sitcom ‘The Honeymooners’, Joyce ‘Trixie’ Randolph, who turns 95 this week, as Dave Dave talks about the original 39 episodes and working in LIVE television with TV legends Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows and Art Carney. What is your favorite ‘Honeymooners’ episode?
Shudder’s ‘Creepshow’ Reboot with Actor David Arquette, Why ‘Scream’ Movies Matter, New Wrestling Documentary
October 20, 2019 09:42Actor David Arquette joins Dave to talk about the reboot of Creepshow on AMC’s streaming channel Shudder, his new wrestling documentary and how the ‘Scream’ movie franchise made an impact on the horror genre.