Wild Chicago, no. 407

Wild Chicago Episode #407. Ben Hollis visits Disco bowling, the Connecticut School of Broadcasting formerly in Lombard, IL, the "Terra Cotta Kingdom," the Cascade Drive-In, and the Old Town Aquarium.

00:28Copy video clip URL Production credits displayed.

00:58Copy video clip URL Ad for the Illinois Lottery, a corporate sponsor of the program.

01:33Copy video clip URL Clips of the episode’s subjects are shown over carnivalesque music, with Ben Hollis narrating brief depictions of each.

01:58Copy video clip URL Opening to Wild Chicago, montage of Ben Hollis’s introduction and clips of various eclectic scenes across the Chicagoland area.

03:02Copy video clip URL “Disco Bowling.” Monday night at the Fireside Bowl (2648) W Fullerton Ave.) is Disco themed. Bowlers dress up in colorful, wide-collared, flower-pattern clothing intended to resemble Disco style. Disco music plays over the bowling alley’s speakers.

06:12Copy video clip URL “Broadcast School.” Hollis visits the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, which has a campus located in Lombard, IL. Students practice their broadcasting skills, such as a news anchor for a television broadcast, a camera operator, or a radio host.

09:47Copy video clip URL “Terra Cotta Kingdom.” The store Architectural Artifacts sells ornate chunks from demolished buildings (3759 N. Ravenswood). Salvaged architectural elements from statues, terracotta wall plaques, furniture, and ornamental pillars from torn down buildings in Chicago are repurposed for purchase. The owners, a brother and sister team, recount the various stories and locations taken from a number of the artifacts. Among these are pieces of the old Chicago Stock Exchange and what they believe is one of the first driver’s education cars, a wooden replica of a car that would have been attached to hydraulics and used for simulation purposes.

13:08Copy video clip URL “She’s the Boss.” A sharp-dressed woman, along with her mother, run the Specific Colors Auto Body shop (5908 W Grand Ave). The shop repairs high-line and vintage cars. A 1961 Mercedes, 1971 Oldsmobile convertible, and other vintage cars are being restored.

16:32Copy video clip URL “Drive-In Movies.” The Cascade Drive-In in West Chicago is a vintage drive-in movie theater. Hollis interviews a number of movie goers in their cars.

19:47Copy video clip URL Wild Chicago’s “Dumb Question” segment. Hollis travels to Chinatown to ask what “words of wisdom” people might impart.

21:31Copy video clip URL “Mad Mexican.” Pepe’s (formerly 3145 N. Mannheim Rd., Franklin Park, IL). Hollis meets Frank, the effusive 61 year old owner of Pepe’s restaurant chains, dressed in eccentric clothing. Frank wears various wigs and fits wigs on customers to wear, in addition to performing oddball characterizations, and lying on a bed of nails.

24:38Copy video clip URL “Fish Story.” The Old Town Aquarium, (formerly located at 1538 N. Wells St.). The aquarium sells rare specimens from around the world.

28:06Copy video clip URL Scenes from the next Wild Chicago episode shown.

28:48Copy video clip URL Ad spot for “Wild Wear.” A short commercial by Hollis for viewers to buy official Wild Chicago merchandise.

29:22Copy video clip URL Main credits shown.

30:48Copy video clip URL Wild Chicago closing graphics.

31:00Copy video clip URL Illinois Lottery advertisement.