Lombard Resident Gene Doretti Presents 50 Years of Broadcasting at Lombard Service League Meeting, Mesmerizes Audience

Doretti, who attended Northern Illinois University in the 1950s, was first bit by the radio bug in high school and his first radio gig was broadcast from a station at the old Oak Park Arms Hotel. In college, he majored in speech and journalism and his first job was at Radio WLBK in DeKalb.

In 1960, he was offered a job at WGN, where he was employed for 31 years.

Doretti recalled that while interviewing John F. Kennedy when he was senator, “he was a terrific stand-up comic,” and during the entire course of their conversation, Kennedy never mentioned politics once, he said. He also commented at how accurate the impersonation that comedian Rich Little did of Richard Nixon was “spot on.”

“Nixon was a jovial man,” Doretti recalled. “We had a great conversation.”

Following his WGN career, he did voiceover work for radio and TV including commercials and industrial films.

Doretti shared stories of “Bozo's Circus”and commented that people often ask him about celebrities that he has met and what they were like.

“One of the most beautiful people I ever met was Barbara Eden,” Doretti commented. Eden played “Jeannie” on the popular television show, “I Dream of Jeannie.” “She was something else,” he said.

Lombard Service League is a woman's social/philanthropic/service club and is affiliated with the Illinois General Federation of Women's Clubs.