Orion Samuelson, 1934–2026

Published April 10, 2026 5:01am ET



On the morning of Sept. 26, 1960, a 26-year-old man from the dairy farms of Wisconsin walked up North Michigan Avenue toward Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago. He was about to begin his first day at WGN Radio, one of the most powerful stations in America, and he was terrified.

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