Here’s the complete broadcast of “Francis in the Haunted House” [1956] as shown on The Morning Movie over WGN Channel 9.

This, the last in the popular Francis the Talking Mule series, saw Mickey Rooney replace Donald O’Connor as Francis’ sidekick (though you wouldn’t know it from the incorrectly credited return bumper voiceovers), and Paul Frees replacing Chill Wills as the voice of the mule. Also starring Virginia Welles – and David Janssen (years before becoming a fugitive).

Oh, and the plot: Francis witnesses a murder, and takes a bumbling reporter (Rooney) under his wing to help solve the crime and catch the perpetrator(s).

Includes:

Tail end of Morning Movie opening titles

Commercials for:
ITT Longer Distance (featuring Lea Thompson of “Back to the Future” fame)
Bruno Appliance Furniture Carpeting (voiceover by Bob Bell)
Allied Institute of Technology (commercial #1)

Segment 1 (with 7 Arts Associated logo preceding Universal International logo at start)

Animated ‘Superman’ WGN ID

Commercials for:
Birds Eye Sweet Green Peas
Sears Cassette Clearance Carnival
Totino’s Pizza (voiceover by Tom Bosley)
CSO – The Legal Center

Segment 2

Commercials for:
Promo for Boo! (full show posted here: )
Lincoln Carpeting (with full “National 2-9000” jingle) (voiceover by Al Parker)
World Traveler Pack-It Iron (spelled “Traveller” at times)
Sundance Homes Inc. – “Madness Sale” (with Mike Leiderman)

Segment 3

Commercials for:
Extra Strength Ty-D-Bol DX-3
Allied Institute of Technology (commercial #2)
Political ad for Jim Edgar for Secretary of State
Dream Bed

Segment 4

Commercials for:

WGN ‘Superman’ ID

Commercials for:
Gala paper towels
Lennox Pulse furnace
Riley Heating & Cooling
CSO – The Legal Center
Budget Construction

Segment 5

WGN movie promos for The Way We Were, Charles Bronson Week and Smiley’s People

Political ad for Adlai Stevenson for Governor

Commercials for:
Empire Carpets – “Get on the Phone” (with Lynn Hauldren)
ITT Longer Distance (repeat)

Segment 6

Commercials for:
Blake-Lamb Funeral Homes (with Matt Lamb)
People, Places & Things (voiceover by Bob Bell)
Family Circle magazine (November 16th issue)
Weaver chicken

Segment 7

Commercials for:
CSO – The Legal Center
Promo for At the Movies (with Siskel & Ebert)
Bolt paper towels (voiceover by Karl Weber?)
Nestle Toll House Cookies
Sizzler All-You-Can-Eat Barbecue Ribs (with members of the Orange County Rhinos)

Segment 8

Commercials for:
CSO – The Legal Center
Chicagoland Auto Recyclers
Bruno Appliance Furniture Carpeting (voiceover by Bob Bell)
Helena Rubinstein New Moisture
Sundance Homes Inc. – “Madness Sale” (with Mike Leiderman) (repeat)

Segment 9

Commercials for:
London Fog Outdoors Unlimited
Kmart Pharmacy
California Prunes
Political ad for Dick Lugar for Senate

Segment 10 (reception gets fuzzy around 1:35:45)

WGN ‘Superman’ ID

Commercials for:
Family Classics with Frazier Thomas presentation of “My Friend Flicka” (promo) (opening of this broadcast can be seen here: )
Taylor Business Institute
Empire Carpets (with Lynn Hauldren)
Ful-Ly Exquisite Form Bra (available at Wieboldt’s – ending voiceover by Bob Bell)

Segment 11 (the end)

Commercials for:
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Weight Watchers Pizzas (reception clears up again around 1:45:19)
Exelle skin care lipstick (voiceover by Peter Thomas)
Goldberg’s Fashion Forum (voiceover by Bob Bell)
Coast soap

Closing “Morning Movie” titles with voiceover promo for “Roseanna McCoy” for Monday

WGN ‘Superman’ ID

Opening and closing titles for “Hare Trigger” [1945] (rest of cartoon edited out to avoid copyright blockage)

Commercial: Clinomint Smoker’s Toothpaste (with Paul Gleason)

WGN Rebuttal from Kathleen Miller of ACLU, on proposed bail bond amendment to Illinois Constitution (voiceovers by Merri Dee)

Commercials for:
Collectors Art Sale
Henry M. Goodman Furniture Liquidation Center
Tennessee Pride Country Sausages & Biscuits

WGN ID

Opening of The Big Valley
 
Commercials for:
WGN movie Promos for Bronson Week, Taxi Driver and more
Coronet paper products (with Rosemary Clooney)
Benson’s House of Vision
Yes laundry detergent

Beginning moments of The Big Valley episode before recording ends

This aired on local Chicago TV on Friday, October 29th 1982.

About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:

The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. We preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives – the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail [email protected] Thank you for your help!

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