The Chicago School lives on

Some time ago, we1 here at Garroway At Large World Headquarters received an inquiry. A group near Chicago was planning a Garroway tribute. There was only so much I could do from my far remove, but I was happy to help where I could, of course.

Last week, the result made its debut. Somehow a group of very talented and creative folks put together a live, hour-long tribute to Dave Garroway and the Chicago School, and it is pure enjoyment from beginning to end. It’s a wonderful tour through Dave Garroway’s life, the good stuff as well as the more serious stuff (handled with respect, thankfully), and along the way there are some neat tributes to some of his contemporaries. There’s an interview with a television historian, who gives the context for what we’re seeing. There’s some neat musical moments, including a duet about early television that’s just plain fun (and that itself would have been right at home on Garroway At Large).

Garroway, charmingly brought back to life.

The production has a handmade feel to it. You will notice there’s not that much about it that’s fancy. A time or two it reminded me, happily so, of a school play, which only adds to its charm and makes it feel that much more heartfelt. Not to mention, it’s right out of the Chicago School aesthetic. The real Dave Garroway didn’t mind showing you that there was a stagehand above the set responsible for the falling leaves in a musical number, or incorporating a boom mic into a sketch. In this tribute, you’ll see some equipment, and you’ll see other signs that “it’s a show.”2

I’ve spent the last five years working on Dave Garroway’s life story, and yet if you’d asked me to write a show about him, I could not have captured the man’s spirit any better than this delightful show did. These folks did their homework, and what a surprise and a joy it was to watch this presentation. And from what I know about the man, I can’t help thinking Dave Garroway would have felt very honored by, and very happy with, this tribute, too.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone remembers Dave Garroway.3 I wonder if, for all he took part in that shaped the medium as we know it, he will forever be a footnote. This wonderful presentation reminded me that some people do remember Dave Garroway, and why he must be remembered. To all of those responsible for this tribute, a heartfelt “thank you.”

  1. With a staff that includes me, as well as my editorial assistants Smokey and Gilda, who routinely assist by competing for my lap and by making sure we are never burdened by a surplus of cat treats.
  2. With my personal favorite being the cameo by J. Fred Muggs, which…steals the show.
  3. I’ll have some musings in a future post, but the process of trying to sell the book to a publisher, or interest an agent in the project, really drove home how forgotten Garroway is. Thankfully, I’ve had an expression of interest from a publisher that specializes in entertainment subjects of yesterday, but even my limited attempts at larger exposure left me dispirited. I am grateful to the publisher that is interested and I know we can create a wonderful book together, and that we’ll reach an audience that will appreciate Garroway’s story. But Garroway’s story, given how much it influenced to this day, deserves so much more reach.