Mal Bellairs

Mal Bellairs (born November 9, 1919 – July 12, 2010) was a well-known Chicago-area radio and television personality during the second half of the 20th century. He was named a National Radio Hall of Fame Regional Pioneer by the Illinois Broadcasters Association.[1]

Mal Bellairs
Born
Malcolm Keith Bellairs

(1919-11-09)November 9, 1919
Cheyenne, Wyoming
DiedJuly 10, 2010(2010-07-10) (aged 90)
Woodstock, Illinois
Alma materPasadena Playhouse
OccupationRadio and TV host, writer
Years active1946-1997
Known forLifelong career in Chicago radio and TV
Notable work
The Christmas Show
Now Why Is It Ye're Comin ta Ireland
Spouse(s)
Josephine Elizabeth Morrissy
​
​
(m. 1941⁠–⁠1975)​

Maria Henslee
​
(m. 1976⁠–⁠2010)​
Websitebellairs.org

Early Days

Mal was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1919, the only son of Keith Bellairs and Gertrude Sackett of Telluride, Colorado. In his teen years he was raised on the ranch of his uncle Thorwald Sackett in Colorado. He recounted being enthralled by the wonder of radio on a visit to Denver as a boy. He also recounts a family trip to Chicago to attend the worlds fair in 1933.[2]

Radio History

Mal's career in radio began at WCFL (AM) in Chicago in 1947. He left WCFL to do freelance radio and television in the Chicago market.[3]

Mal then spent most of the 1950s and 1960s at WBBM (AM) radio in Chicago Illinois. His history with WBBM is recounted in an oral history interview from 1987.[4] Mal's contributions to WBBM were highlighted in a subsequent history of that radio station, WBBM Radio Yesterday & Today.[5]

In 1969 Mal and his wife Jo purchased WCLR radio in Crystal Lake, Illinois and changed the call letters to WIVS.[6] They later purchased an FM station in Woodstock, Illinois and used the call letters WXRD. Subsequently, WIVS became WAIT (AM).

The Chicago Tribune reported on Mal's "semi-retirement" in 1992.[7] The article quotes Chuck Schaden, Chicago radio history buff and host of ``Golden Age of Radio`` programs on WBBM-AM and WNIB-FM 97.1 saying "Mal Bellairs was, and still is, as far as I`m concerned, a giant in Chicago broadcasting."

The Christmas Show

In 1955 Mal presented a Christmas Show that became a Chicago tradition. He did a Christmas Show every year after that, continuing at WBBM (AM) and then at his own station, WIVS. The recording of the Christmas Show that is available online[8] was made from a live broadcast in 1997. A copy of the clearances for the playlist of the 1961 Christmas Show is in the National Archives.[9]

Later Years and Ireland

In his memoir, Now Why Is It Ye're Comin ta Ireland, Mal discussed his decision to leave WBBM radio for much smaller stations of his own—WIVS, Crystal Lake, Illinois and WXRD, Woodstock, Illinois—and his subsequent purchase of Liscrona House in Doonaha near Kilkee in County Clare Ireland.[10][11]

Honors

The Illinois Senate adopted a resolution in his honor citing "his 50-year legendary broadcasting career".[12] The Chicago City Council adopted a resolution in tribute to Mal Bellairs in 2014.[13]

References
  1. "Illinois Broadcasters Association Broadcast Pioneers Award". 2009.
  2. Bellairs, Mal. "Mal speaks at Illinois Broadcast Association award ceremony".
  3. Hellyer, Art (2008). The Hellyer Say. Lulu.com. p. 105. In 1950, Mal Bellairs informed WCFL program director ...
  4. Schaden, Chuck (Nov 16, 1987). "Oral history interview with Mal Bellairs".
  5. Schaden, Chuck (1988). WBBM Radio Yesterday & Today. WBBM Newsradio 78. p. 61. ISBN 0-9620240-0-7.
  6. Ghrist, John R. Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications, May 1, 1996.
  7. Dan Kening (September 13, 1992). "Still Crystal Clear Mal Bellairs Has Maintained A Mellow Spot". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 January 2014. Even in semi-retirement, Mal Bellairs can`t get too far away from radio. Some 46 years after he made his debut on Chicago`s airwaves, the longtime northwest suburban resident can still be heard on Crystal Lake ``Beautiful Music`` station WAIT-AM 850.
  8. Bellairs, Mal (1997). "The Christmas Show".
  9. US Information Agency Office of the general Counsel. "Mal Bellairs Christmas Show, 1961 - 1961". Record Group 306: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, 1900–2003. National Archives OPen Public Access. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. Bellairs, Mal (1997). "Now Why Is It Ye're Comin ta Ireland".
  11. Becker, T. J. "Fairy Tale". Chicago Tribune, 13 March 1994.
  12. "Illinois Senate Resolution SR0943". 4 November 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  13. "Tribute to Late Mal Bellairs [R2010-843]" (PDF). Chicago City Council Journals of the Proceedings: 38–39. July 28, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
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