Ed Schwartz - Professional Career

Professional Career

After working as a gofer at WLS (AM) and WIND (AM), where he began as music librarian, Ed became a full-time late-night host at WIND in 1973. Ed Schwartz did not have a voice that was naturally suited for radio. His multiple attempts to win an on-air position at both WLS-AM and WIND had failed, but feeling he had something to offer the public via the airwaves, Schwartz never gave up his hopes.

The beginning of Ed's on-air career was something of an accident. The usual late-night radio personality phoned the station to say he would not be in a half-hour before airtime. WIND had made no arrangements for a replacement because of such short notice. Ed was there and was asked to fill in. It soon became his full-time overnight job, as the audience liked his style of honestly speaking his mind and addressing community concerns. During his programs, Schwartz led discussions on local Chicago issues, inviting listeners to call in with their problems so that Schwartz and the listening community could offer some assistance. He frequently telephoned aldermen in the middle of the night to inform them of listener complaints, and he held open forums on racism, poverty, and health care. While still at WIND, Schwartz started a dating service for listeners of his show. There were 22 weddings before management made the decision to close it down because of possible legal issues.

Ed Schwartz enlivened late-night radio—tracking news stories and doing various types of interviews, along with his willingness to use the power of the media to solve listeners' problems. While other late-night radio programs set a tone of quiet entertainment or discussion, Schwartz's shows kept a pace like those done at earlier times of the day. Another regular feature of Schwartz's radio shows was his Chicago History programs. Ed's panel of experts would gather at the studio and invite listener questions; stumping the panel meant winning a prize. At the end of these shows, both the panel and the audience learned something about the history of the city. The interviews Schwartz did with local television personalities provided much historic background for a book on Chicago children's television, The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television. Ed's interviews with Frazier Thomas and Ray Rayner are cited in the book; he is mentioned in the authors' acknowledgments.

In 1982, at the suggestion of popular WGN radio host Bob Collins, Schwartz moved his program to the more powerful WGN (AM), where he began his Good Neighbor Food Drive. This event annually raised up to $200,000 while collecting several tons of food; it was the largest one-day food drive in the United States. According to Schwartz, the food drive was initially a response to mayor Jane Byrne's decision to spend several thousand dollars on fireworks while Chicago food pantries were struggling to feed the homeless. Schwartz's generous deeds brought him much attention throughout the Chicago area, and by 1992, his program was reaching nearly 380,000 listeners a week and was considered the top-rated overnight radio show in Chicago. Even though Ed was no longer on the air in 1996, WMAQ (AM) played host to the food drive and invited him to preside over it on their airwaves. WBBM-AM has hosted this annual holiday event since 1997.

Rival radio personalities, especially those at WLUP, frequently ridiculed Schwartz's upbeat radio program and made light of his battles with obesity. Kevin Matthews, for example, often referred to Schwartz as "Ed Zeppelin"; another was Steve Dahl. Schwartz rarely acknowledged their barbs, however, and actually accepted an offer to join WLUP in 1992. However, Schwartz failed to attract the same number of listeners he enjoyed while at WGN, due in large part to a constantly changing time-slot, and he parted ways with WLUP in 1995. Afterward, Schwartz became a columnist for Lerner Newspapers, which published neighborhood-specific periodicals throughout the Chicago area.

Eddie's last appearance on radio came a few weeks before his death-on his old station, WIND, with Geoff Pinkus.