On January 12, 1971, All in the Family premiered on CBS. By its second season it was the highest-rated show on TV. Its legendary producer, Norman Lear, would have half-dozen of the most popular shows on the air by the end of the decade, including The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Good Times, and Maude. But Lear directed only one feature film: Cold Turkey. more ›

Today we'd like to offer belated birthday greetings to Bob Newhart, who turned 79 last Friday. Mr. Newhart, an Oak Park native, came to comedy via careers as an accountant and a copywriter. He also claimed to have been a clerk in the unemployment office who made $60 a week but who quit upon learning weekly unemployment benefits were $55 a week and "they only had to come in to the office one day a week to collect it." more ›

Mo Ryan, the Trib's genius TV critic and FOC*, poses an excellent question, one for the ages: "Why [have] some of the lamest sitcoms ever been set in Chicago?" more ›

Chicagoist was reminded yet again of the filmic lip service given to our city when we were viewing the first season of The Bob Newhart Show on DVD recently. Excited to get a glimpse of Chicago in the 1970s, our hopes were dashed after the opening credits. Sure, you see Bob making that long walk from his office to the Ravenswood El as he journeys to what appears to be the only Cabrini-Green housing project with Lake Shore Drive-condo style interior. But after that: nothin’. The Bob Newhart sculpture has now spent more time being filmed downtown than the Newhart crew ever did. The whole experience had us rushing for our DVD library to remind ourselves how good Chicago can look on film. more ›

The Ellen DeGeneres Show airing on Thursday morning at 10am on NBC5, will be all about Chicago. The people in the audience are from here and the show will be all about our great city. more ›

» The readers weigh in on thier favorite chocolate shops, record stores, and indie bands more ›

Chicagoist was on the scene today as TV Land and the City of Chicago commemorated Bob Newhart's role as Dr. Robert Hartley from The Bob Newhart Show with a life-sized sculpture. The unveiling was actually a much bigger "to do" than we'd expected. Hundreds of people, mostly the media, gathered to hear presentations by Larry Jones, the president of TV Land and Nick at Night; Rich Moskal, the head of the Chicago Film Office; and Dan Sorkin, a long-time friend and radio personality. more ›

Oak Park native Bob Newhart will be honored by TV Land and the City of Chicago with a life-sized sculpture commemorating his role as Dr. Robert Hartley from The Bob Newhart Show. The bronze sculpture will be located on the sidewalk at 430 N. Michigan (right next to Chicagoist's office!), the very building that is seen in the opening credits of the show, and will be unveiled next Tuesday. Newhart is expected to be on hand for the statue dedication event. In November, the statue will settle permanently at Navy Pier. more ›