Donald T. McNeill (December 23, 1907 – May 7, 1996) was an American radio personality, best known as the creator and host of The Breakfast Club, which ran for more than 35 years.
McNeill began his radio career in Milwaukee in 1928, first as a script editor and announcer at The Milwaukee Sentinel's WISN, and later working for crosstown competitor WTMJ, owned by Sentinel rival The Milwaukee Journal. McNeill moved on to Kentucky, working for the LouisvilleCourier-Journal's station, WHAS. This was followed by working in San Francisco as a comedy act with singer Van Fleming, called "The Two Professors". After a failed career move to New York City, McNeill returned to Illinois in 1933.
The Breakfast Clubedit
McNeill applied for a job at NBC and was sent to Chicago to audition. He was assigned to host an unsponsored early morning variety show called The Pepper Pot, which had an 8 AM time slot on the NBC Blue Network (later to become ABC radio). McNeill re-organized the hour show as The Breakfast Club, dividing it into four segments he called "the four calls to breakfast". The show premiered on June 23, 1933, with informal talk and jokes based on topical events, and often included audience interviews. In its final form, the show featured piano music and vocal groups and soloists, with recurring comedy performers. McNeil gained a sponsor, Swift and Company. McNeill is credited as the first performer to make morning talk and variety a viable format in radio.[citation needed]
Archie Bleyer, who led the band for Arthur Godfrey's daily Arthur Godfrey Time on CBS radio, had founded Cadence Records in 1953. That year, Bleyer traveled to Chicago to record some patriotic spoken word recordings by McNeill. Although Breakfast Club ratings were below Godfrey's, the latter took umbrage that Bleyer had taken time off from the Godfrey show to record McNeill, who Godfrey considered a competitor despite the fact Godfrey's shows had far broader appeal. In October 1953, on the same day Godfrey fired singer Julius LaRosa on the air, Godfrey privately dismissed Bleyer for recording McNeill.[1]
McNeill attempted to transfer the show to television as Don McNeill's TV Club (1950–1951). The Breakfast Club was simulcast on television in 1954–1955. McNeill appeared occasionally on game shows, and in 1963 hosted a short-lived game show Take Two, built around photo comparisons. McNeill's radio series finally ended in 1968, when McNeill retired from entertainment and public life.[1]: 114
Later yearsedit
After his radio career ended, McNeill taught communication arts classes at Marquette and Notre Dame from 1970 to 1972, represented the Deltona Corporation, Florida land developers, from 1970 to 1980, and served as a director of the Sears Foundation and on the advisory boards of Notre Dame, Marquette and Loyola University of Chicago.[2]
Legacy and deathedit
Don McNeill's Breakfast Club was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. Seven years later, McNeill died at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, aged 88.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abDunning, John (1998). "Arthur Godfrey Time". On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 46. ISBN978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
^ abGelder, Lawrence Van (8 May 1996). "Don McNeill, 'Breakfast Club' Host, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
External linksedit
Highlights from The 1953 Breakfast Club Year Book
Donald T. McNeill Collection
November 25, 2023
mcneill, radio, presenter, tennis, player, mcneill, tennis, player, american, football, player, mcneal, donald, mcneill, december, 1907, 1996, american, radio, personality, best, known, creator, host, breakfast, club, which, more, than, years, mcneillmcneill, . For the tennis player see Don McNeill tennis player For the American football player see Don McNeal Donald T McNeill December 23 1907 May 7 1996 was an American radio personality best known as the creator and host of The Breakfast Club which ran for more than 35 years Don McNeillMcNeill in a 1942 publicity photoBornDonald T McNeill 1907 12 23 December 23 1907Galena Illinois U S DiedMay 7 1996 1996 05 07 aged 88 Evanston Illinois U S OccupationRadio personality Contents 1 Early career 2 The Breakfast Club 3 Later years 4 Legacy and death 5 References 6 External linksEarly career editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message McNeill was born in Galena Illinois son of Harry T McNeill and Luella R Weinberger The family soon moved to Sheboygan Wisconsin and he later graduated from Marquette University just to the south in Milwaukee He was a first cousin of United States Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger McNeill s mother was the elder sister of Weinberger s father McNeill began his radio career in Milwaukee in 1928 first as a script editor and announcer at The Milwaukee Sentinel s WISN and later working for crosstown competitor WTMJ owned by Sentinel rival The Milwaukee Journal McNeill moved on to Kentucky working for the Louisville Courier Journal s station WHAS This was followed by working in San Francisco as a comedy act with singer Van Fleming called The Two Professors After a failed career move to New York City McNeill returned to Illinois in 1933 The Breakfast Club editMcNeill applied for a job at NBC and was sent to Chicago to audition He was assigned to host an unsponsored early morning variety show called The Pepper Pot which had an 8 AM time slot on the NBC Blue Network later to become ABC radio McNeill re organized the hour show as The Breakfast Club dividing it into four segments he called the four calls to breakfast The show premiered on June 23 1933 with informal talk and jokes based on topical events and often included audience interviews In its final form the show featured piano music and vocal groups and soloists with recurring comedy performers McNeil gained a sponsor Swift and Company McNeill is credited as the first performer to make morning talk and variety a viable format in radio citation needed Archie Bleyer who led the band for Arthur Godfrey s daily Arthur Godfrey Time on CBS radio had founded Cadence Records in 1953 That year Bleyer traveled to Chicago to record some patriotic spoken word recordings by McNeill Although Breakfast Club ratings were below Godfrey s the latter took umbrage that Bleyer had taken time off from the Godfrey show to record McNeill who Godfrey considered a competitor despite the fact Godfrey s shows had far broader appeal In October 1953 on the same day Godfrey fired singer Julius LaRosa on the air Godfrey privately dismissed Bleyer for recording McNeill 1 McNeill attempted to transfer the show to television as Don McNeill s TV Club 1950 1951 The Breakfast Club was simulcast on television in 1954 1955 McNeill appeared occasionally on game shows and in 1963 hosted a short lived game show Take Two built around photo comparisons McNeill s radio series finally ended in 1968 when McNeill retired from entertainment and public life 1 114 Later years editAfter his radio career ended McNeill taught communication arts classes at Marquette and Notre Dame from 1970 to 1972 represented the Deltona Corporation Florida land developers from 1970 to 1980 and served as a director of the Sears Foundation and on the advisory boards of Notre Dame Marquette and Loyola University of Chicago 2 Legacy and death editDon McNeill s Breakfast Club was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989 Seven years later McNeill died at Evanston Hospital in Evanston Illinois aged 88 2 References edit a b Dunning John 1998 Arthur Godfrey Time On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio Revised ed New York NY Oxford University Press p 46 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 Retrieved 2019 09 07 a b Gelder Lawrence Van 8 May 1996 Don McNeill Breakfast Club Host Dies at 88 The New York Times Retrieved 22 June 2018 External links editHighlights from The 1953 Breakfast Club Year Book Donald T McNeill Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Don McNeill radio presenter amp oldid 1145166917, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
