John Williams (radio personality)

John Williams
Born (1959-10-19) October 19, 1959
Chicago, Illinois
Show The World of John Williams
Station(s) WCCO (AM)
Time slot 3:00p-7:00p
Style Interviewer
Country United States
Previous show(s) WCCO (AM) (1993–1997)
Children 2 sons

John Williams (born John Fillipitch, October 19, 1959) is an American talk radio show host at WCCO (AM) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He hosts the afternoon drive show at WCCO in Minneapolis, from 3pm until 7pm. Once, he was also the midday host at WGN in Chicago. There was a period of time, he was doing a WCCO show while still in Chicago, and then a WGN show from Minneapolis. That routine eventually got old for him, and he stopped doing shows from another city in 2012. [1] During WGN's controversial 2008-2010 programming changes, Williams hosted the morning drive and mid-morning shows, also remotely.

Early life

John Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois.[2][3] He attended grade school in different places while his father was in the U.S. Air Force, but the family moved back to Joliet, Illinois after his father's retirement from the service.

Williams graduated from Minooka High School and later from Joliet Junior College, where his father was a school counselor. He eventually graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale as a broadcasting major.[2]

Radio career

Williams worked briefly at WSPY-FM in Plano, Illinois, then spent 10 years at WMBD (AM) in Peoria, Illinois.[2][4] He also wrote a series of joke books, titled The Spieler Scale of Comedy.[5] After four years at WCCO (AM) in Minneapolis, Williams was hired at WGN (AM) in Chicago in September 1997.[4][6]

Williams annually hosts a show interviewing President Thomas Jefferson. 'Jefferson' is portrayed by an actor who speaks and replies in a manner consistent with the real Jefferson's known writings and sayings. This act is occasionally used on Williams' regular WGN AM radio show, the most recent occurrence being June 29, 2011.

Timeline

Recognitions

Life outside radio

Williams enjoys reading, running (including once around the block outside WGN in long underwear to fulfill a pledge), and playing basketball. He is married, has two sons, and his late dachshund named Fred, who he called "The World's Largest Wiener Dog".[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "WGN Radio 720 - John Williams - WGN Radio". Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  2. 1 2 3 John Williams (c. 1997). "An interview with John Williams" (Interview). Interview with E. Allen Campbell. Crown Point, Indiana: E. Allen Campbell (Wolverton Mountain Enterprises). Retrieved 2009-06-17. I was born in Chicago in 1959: I’ll be 39 in October.
  3. ↑ Joliet Junior College Winter '04 Commencement Keynote Speaker. Retrieved 2006-12-28. Archived July 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "John Williams - WGN Radio". Chicago: WGN Radio. 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
  5. 1 2 "Former WMBD Radio Personality on CBS". Retrieved 2006-12-28.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 WGN Radio - John Williams Archived May 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Scott, Greg (4 May 2005). "Chicago-area social features broadcasters". Saluki Times. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  8. 1 2 Cox, Ted (17 October 2001). "Old Pro Steals the Show at Chicago Radio Awards". Daily Herald (Arlington Heights). Retrieved 24 August 2013.
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