Len Johnson

Len Johnson
Announcer/Newscaster/Sports Play-By-Play Announcer

Len Johnson joined WGN Radio & Television in 1962 as Staff Announcer. He was radio newscaster for the Wally Phillips morning show from 1967 through much of 1975. From 1965-1976, Johnson handled numerous Cubs baseball games on both radio & TV (primarily the latter) as play-by-play fill in working along side Jack Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau. Len’s “It’s Gone” saying became widely known when a home run was hit.

Len Jonson as worked as the fill in play-by-play announcer for Bears football on radio throughout the years. He was Play-by-play announcer on Bulls basketball when the team was new in 1966 on both radio and television. Johnson also was the announcer/director for Ray Grey on The Great Outdoors show on Saturday mornings, 1975-1981. He also performed daily announcing duties such as dozens of commercials and newscasts on both radio & television.

Biography

Following service in the U.S. Army during World War II, Len Johnson began his broadcasting career working at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago on the studio set-up crew for NBC Radio and occasional work with the ABC Radio Network. Len’s on-air career began at WLPO Radio in LaSalle/Peru, Illinois. From there, stops included WFDF Radio in Flint, Michigan, WLAP Radio and WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, WTOP-TV, in Washington, DC, and KDKA-TV and WIIC-TV (now WPXI-TV) in Pittsburgh.

In 1962 Len returned to his home town of Chicago accepting a most sought after position as Staff Announcer at WGN Radio & Television. After his very successful 19-year career at WGN, Len held various announcing duties at WAIT Radio in Chicago from 1981-1986 mainly as music host handling afternoon drive at the Big Band/Adult Standards formatted station.

(Photos and biography courtesy of Kevin McCarthy)

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