Editing Larry Lujack (section)

==Professional life==

Lujack came to Chicago to work for [[WMVP|WCFL-AM]]. He spent a few months there before being hired at [[WLS (AM)|WLS]]. While at WCFL, Lujack closed the air studio curtains during public visiting hours.<ref name=Lar>{{cite book |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/Chicago-Trib-1979-Mar-About-Chi-Radio.pdf |title=Larry Lujack, Permanent Fave |date=March 4, 1979 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |author=Bridges, Les |pages=39, 41, 54 |access-date=March 9, 2014}}([[PDF]])</ref>
 
His ''Animal 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.<ref name="Interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.manteno.com/wcfl/lujack.html |title=1985 Larry Lujack Interview |access-date=2010-04-01 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030816121659/http://www.manteno.com/wcfl/lujack.html |archive-date=August 16, 2003 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.qsl.net/n9bat/audio/lujackanimalstories.mp3 audio file-Lujack's own words about how Animal Stories began]</ref> A perfectionist about his work, Lujack would review every word he spoke on the air after each broadcast by listening to an [[Compact Cassette|audio cassette]] ''skimmer'' tape which recorded only when the microphone was open.<ref name=Lar/>

Lujack retired in 1987,<ref>[http://www.reelradio.com/ram/beg2.ram?llwls87b.rm~0:00.0~25:54.2 audio file-Lujack's Farewell-WLS-AM-August 28, 1987]</ref><ref>[http://www.wlshistory.com/jox/lujack.htm Copy of "Last Day" WLS memo from Lujack to the staff]</ref> shortly after his son John from his first marriage died in an accident.<ref>Multiple sources:
*{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3768383.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103094335/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3768383.html |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |publisher=Chicago Sun Times |date=May 29, 1986|title=Larry Lujack's son John, 22, dies in fall from motel roof. (Boise)}}
*{{cite news |title=Larry Lujack bids dead son farewell |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |author=Gillis, Michael |author2=Franchine, Phillip|date=June 3, 1986}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~idfs/Cems/ch_i-m.htm |publisher=RootsWeb |title=Canyon Hill Cemetery-Caldwell, Canyon Co., Idaho-Lujack, John S 1963-1986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917012515/http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~idfs/Cems/ch_i-m.htm |archive-date=September 17, 2009}}</ref>  In 1997, Lujack moved from [[Palatine, Illinois]], to the outskirts of [[Santa Fe, New Mexico]], and, in May 2000, began working again, for then-WUBT ([[WKSC-FM]]) in Chicago, via a remote [[Integrated Services Digital Network]] (ISDN) link from a [[New Mexico]] recording studio, teaming up with [[Matt 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), on [[WRLL (defunct)|WRLL]] (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's ''Real [[Oldies]]'' format would cease on September 17, 2006.  The broadcast duo were on the air once again as part of the [[WLS (AM)|WLS]] "The Big 89 Rewind" on Memorial Day, 2007<ref>{{YouTube|Imh-HiSPaDE|Video of Big 89 Rewind-2007}}</ref> and 2008<ref>{{YouTube|Jnl8_tdEtA8|Video of WLS Rewind 2008}}</ref> when the station returned to its ''MusicRadio'' 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,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ilba.org/hall_of_fame.php |title=Hall of Fame Award |access-date=2009-02-11 |publisher=Illinois Broadcasters Association |year=2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100709233405/http://ilba.org/hall_of_fame.php |archive-date=July 9, 2010}}</ref> the [[National Radio Hall of Fame]] on November 6, 2004,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiohof.org/discjockey/larrylujack.html |title=Larry Lujack, Disc Jockey |access-date=2009-02-11 |publisher=Radio Hall of Fame |year=2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050113095210/http://www.radiohof.org/discjockey/larrylujack.html |archive-date=2005-01-13 }}</ref> and the [[National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame]] on April 15, 2008, during their annual convention in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]].<ref>[http://www.nab.org/documents/newsroom/pressRelease.asp?id=1490 National Association of Broadcasters Press Release-Larry Lujack to be Inducted into NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame]</ref>