Mal Bellairs Interviews Mal Bellairs On the Air

In later years Mal used a professional recording of The Night Before Christmas, but I like hearing my Dad's version.

Once upon a time a little girl asked the local paper for the truth about Santa. Half a century later Mal Bellairs interviewed Virginia O'Hanlon, that little girl.

Interview in Chicago after a Cosby performance. Recorded in his dressing room between shows for broadcast on Mal's Sunday afternoon radio show on WBBM.

In retrospect some disturbing rumination by Cosby on the colors of Black women.

And Cosby tries out a bit.

Mal comments that this is shortly after 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.

Mal and Nat King Cole discuss Nat's role in the movie "St. Louis Blues" about the life of WC Handy.

Mal was doing the New Years Eve broadcast from WBBM in Chicago in 1955. He called around the country to talk with band leaders including Nelson Riddle, Duke Ellington, Ralph Martiere, and others. Just a short minute or two with each.

December 27, 1980. Bob Gibson drops by the studio with his banjo and guitar. He tells Mal about early days -- the first time he met Pete Seeger and fell for the banjo. The folk scene in Chicago. The interview includes a couple of new, unpublished songs.