Old-time radio show celebrates 40 years with new host

Steve Darnall, host of the old-time radio show "Those Were The Days," says he is in no hurry to take a vacation any time soon.

The four hours that he spends each Saturday broadcasting from the College of DuPage - traveling back in time with listeners to the golden age of radio - are joy enough for him right now.

"This is the most fun I could probably have on a Saturday," Darnall said in a telephone interview.

Darnall, 45, has been the host of "Those Were The Days" on WDCB 90.9-FM for the last nine months. He took over July 4 for the show's creator, broadcaster and Radio Hall of Fame member Chuck Schaden, who retired from the show after 39 years.

Darnall also edits and publishes the "Those Were The Days"-inspired Nostalgia Digest, a quarterly magazine looking at the golden age of radio, television, music and movies.

Now Darnall, still fondly referred to as "the new guy" by WDCB staff, and Schaden will team up with comedians Tim Kazurinsky and Ben Hollis, The West End Jazz Band and country music artist Robbie Fulks to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Those Were The Days" from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at College of DuPage.

Tickets for the event have been sold out for weeks, but listeners can tune in at WDCB 90.9-FM or on the Internet at wdcb.org.

"We're going to do things that bring strands of old and new together," Darnall said of the anniversary. "Chuck (Schaden) will bring some sound clips of his years hosting 'Those Were The Days.' I can't say I have as many clips as Chuck, but the goal is to make it a retrospective as best we can. And our announcer Ken Alexander (celebrating 51 years in broadcasting) will be on hand too."

Kazurinsky of "Saturday Night Live" fame and Hollis will join the Those Were The Days Radio Players to re-create some moments from the golden age of radio. And along with musical performances, other surprises await the live audience and listeners, Darnall added.

One of the best things about old-time radio, Darnall said, is that shows and performers like "Fibber McGee and Molly" and Jack Benny offered something for all ages.

"It transcends generations," he said. "It's very tempting to pigeonhole an audience and say, 'Everyone who listens to this must be part of AARP,' but it's not true."

Darnall who was born in Elmhurst and raised in LaGrange, was only 12 when he caught a broadcast of Schaden's "Those Were The Days" in the 1970s.

"I was utterly enthralled. It was a door to another world - inexpensive time travel," Darnall recalled. "Here was a radio show with a live audience, and there was an orchestra. I began to immerse myself in this. I was absorbing it all and reading everything I could get my hands on. What Chuck did was make old-time radio infectious, and that was a lesson I took with me when it became time for me to produce the show."

To Darnall, his duties as host of "Those Were The Days" take a back seat to the magic of the radio shows themselves.

"At the end of the day, it's all about the shows," he said. "The best thing you can do as a host when you have wonderful shows like 'Suspense' or 'The Jack Benny Show' is to tell people what you are going to play and then get out of the way."

From feedback he is receiving from fans, Darnall's enthusiasm is coming through.

"A listener recently told me 'You can just tell by listening to you how much you love what you are doing.' And that's the most I can ask for," he said.

Will there be 40 more years of "Those Were The Days?"

"I never say never," Darnall said. "I don't see why we can't have a 50th anniversary show, if all of the stars are aligned."