Larry Lujack | |
|---|---|
 Lujack at WCFL in 1974. | |
| Born | Larry Lee Blankenburg (1940-06-06)June 6, 1940 Quasqueton, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | December 18, 2013(2013-12-18) (aged 73) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Other names | Superjock, Lawrence of Chicago, UncleLar, King of the Corn Belt |
| Alma mater | College of Idaho Washington State University |
| Occupations | Radio host,disc jockey |
| Spouse(s) | Gina(div.) Judith Seguin (m. c.1972–2013; his death) |
| Awards | Illinois Broadcasters Association's Hall of Fame (2002) National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame (2008) |
Larry Lujack (bornLarry Lee Blankenburg; June 6, 1940 – December 18, 2013), also calledSuperjock,Lawrence of Chicago,Charming and Delightful Ol' Uncle Lar, andKing of the Corn Belt, was aTop 40music radiodisc jockey who was well known for his world-weary sarcastic style. Some of his more popular routines includedKlunk Letter of the Day,[1] the darkly humorousAnimal Stories[2][3] with sidekickTommy Edwards asLittle Tommy, and theCheap Trashy Show Biz Report.
Lujack came to Chicago to work forWCFL-AM. He spent a few months there before being hired atWLS. While at WCFL, Lujack closed the air studio curtains during public visiting hours.[4]
HisAnimal Stories routine came about because WLS was still receiving farm magazines long after the station changed to a rock-music format in 1960. Lujack started reading some of them and began airing stories from them instead of reading the grain reports connected with the Farm Report. When the Farm Report was officially discontinued, the feature became Animal Stories.[5][6] A perfectionist about his work, Lujack would review every word he spoke on the air after each broadcast by listening to anaudio cassetteskimmer tape which recorded only when the microphone was open.[4]
Lujack retired in 1987,[7][8] shortly after his son John from his first marriage died in an accident.[9] In 1997, Lujack moved fromPalatine, Illinois, to the outskirts ofSanta Fe, New Mexico, and, in May 2000, began working again, for then-WUBT (WKSC-FM) in Chicago, via a remoteIntegrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) link from aNew Mexico recording studio, teaming up withMatt McCann who was based in the Chicago studio. The ratings for the show out-paced the rest of the radio station. In 2003, he reteamed with his Animal Stories partner, Tommy Edwards (Little "Snot-Nosed" Tommy), onWRLL (1690 AM) in Chicago, to broadcast his signature features on weekday mornings. On August 16, 2006, Lujack was terminated with the entire WRLL on-air staff as it was announced that the station'sRealOldies format would cease on September 17, 2006. The broadcast duo were on the air once again as part of theWLS "The Big 89 Rewind" on Memorial Day, 2007[10] and 2008[11] when the station returned to itsMusicRadio programming, featuring many of the former WLS personalities and special guests, other DJs, etc.
Lujack was inducted into the Illinois Broadcasters Association's Hall of Fame in June 2002,[12] theNational Radio Hall of Fame on November 6, 2004,[13] and theNational Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame on April 15, 2008, during their annual convention inLas Vegas.[14]
Born inQuasqueton, Iowa, asLarry Lee Blankenburg, the family moved toCaldwell, Idaho, when he was 13.[15][16] He later changed his last name to that of his football idol,Johnny Lujack. He attended theCollege of Idaho inCaldwell, Idaho, andWashington State University and was aradiodisc jockey, starting in 1958, atKCID in Caldwell.[17] His entry into radio while a biology major at College of Idaho was a matter of finances; at the time he was looking for a part-time job. He originally intended to go into wildlife conservation.[5] He subsequently worked at several otherradio stations, includingKJR (AM) in Seattle,[18] but is best known for his antics onChicagoAM radio stationsWLS andWCFL.[19]
Lujack had three children from his first marriage and a stepson from his second.
Away from the job, he was agolf enthusiast. After triplecoronary artery bypass surgery in 1991, Lujack marked his calendar for the date his doctor told him he could return to the sport. Not just a "fair weather" golfer, Lujack suited up inwinter clothing andsnowshoes to play Chicago area golf courses in winter. On January 23, 1985, he played a full 18 holes atBuffalo Grove, Illinois; the temperature was 27 degrees below zero with a windchill of -75 degrees. Lujack collapsed afterward.[20]
Lujack, a heavy smoker who lived in fear of getting lung cancer, died December 18, 2013, at home inSanta Fe, New Mexico, under the care of his wife Judith with the help of in-home hospice ofesophageal cancer, caused by untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) which was likely exacerbated by his excessive coffee consumption.[16][21][22][23]
| Station | City | State | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCID 1490 | Caldwell | ID | 1958 | |
| KGEM 1140 | Boise | ID | ?[17] | |
| KNEW* 790 | Spokane | WA | 1963[17][24] | |
| KPEG 1380[25] | Spokane | WA | 1963[17] | |
| KRPL 1400 | Moscow | ID | ?[17] | |
| KFXM (AM) 590 | San Bernardino | CA | 1963[17] | Morning Drive, All Nights |
| KJRB 790 | Spokane | WA | 1962 –1963[17] | evenings[a] |
| KJR (AM) 950 | Seattle | WA | April 1964 –September 1966 | |
| WMEX (AM) 1510 | Boston | MA | September 1966 –December 1966 | as "Johnny Lujack" |
| WCFL (AM) 1000 | Chicago | IL | 1967 | four months; all-nights |
| WLS (AM) 890 | Chicago | IL | August 1967 –July 1972 | afternoons, then mornings |
| WCFL (AM) 1000 | Chicago | IL | July 3, 1972 –March 16, 1976 | afternoons[b] |
| WLS (AM) 890 WLS-FM 94.7 | Chicago | IL | September 16, 1976 –August 28, 1987 | mornings; then in 1985, afternoons[c] |
| WUBT 103.5 | Chicago | IL | May 25, 2000 –January 10, 2001 | |
| WRLL 1690 | Chicago | IL | September 8, 2003 –August 15, 2006 |
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