Here's an edition of the 5:30pm Eyewitness News on KYW Channel 3 in Philadelphia, PA, which was the last co-anchored by Jessica Savitch before she joined NBC News as a reporter in Washington and Sunday news anchor in New York. Her other co-anchor was Roy Weissinger, and also featured are reports by Charles Bierbauer, Malcolm Poindexter, Jay Scott, Andy Gastmeyer, Sandy Starobin, Dick Sheeran, Don Fair, Robin Mackintosh and Tony Hernandez, and appearances by Vince Leonard and Jack Jones (later of WLS Channel 7 in Chicago).

Includes:

Tail end of preview

PSA for Temple University's Association for Retired Professionals - with Frank Tooke of Temple U.

Promo for Evening Magazine for 7pm (voiceover by Gary Geers - not to be confused with WLS Channel 7's Gary Gears)

Commercial: Ear Piercing at Gimbels

Animated station ID (voiceover by Gary Geers)

Opening titles (voiceover by ??)

Jessica opens newscast with news of thousands of Pennsylvania state workers walking off job in protest over not being paid; Charles Bierbauer reports on a Philadelphia demonstration, and Malcolm Poindexter reports on coordinated campaign by unions

Roy reports that walkout affected jails and hospitals in Western Pennsylvania, and introduces report by Pittsburgh station KDKA Channel 2's Jay Scott who in turn introduces report by Andy Gastmeyer

Sandy Starobin and Dick Sheeran in Harrisburg report on failure to pass state budget

Jessica reports on world and national news:

- Hubert Humphrey operated on in Minneapolis, diagnosed with terminal cancer

- Four people (including two sisters) shot to death in St. Louis; possibly triple murder and suicide

- Earthquake and tidal wave hit eastern part of Indonesia, no reports yet of death or destruction

In place of vacationing Bill Kuster, Jessica gives weather forecast

Jessica and Roy preview upcoming stories before break

Commercial: Exxon Dealers (voiceover by Peter Thomas)

Bumper with Data Bank (traffic conditions at I-95, Schuylkill and Roosevelt, plus mass transit and Conrail/Trenton rail service info)

Commercial: American Tourister Verylite (ending voiceover by Gary Geers)

Roy introduces special report on criminals preying on elderly by Don Fair

Roy reports on YM-YWHY guitar concert for Jewish Singles Group for August 24th, then introduces report by Robin Mackintosh on walkout by workers at Pennhurst State School and Hospital

Jessica and Roy preview upcoming Tony Hernandez fishing and dining report before break

Commercial: N.B. Liebman Furniture-Carpet Showcase Warehouse

Bumper with preview of 6pm edition

Commercial: Sugar Twin

Commercial: Haley's M-O Laxative Lubricant

Tony Hernandez completes a special report on fishing and dining

The rest of the newscast is devoted to Jessica's farewell, with a few words from her including her national news reports and anchoring to be aired over KYW, followed by outtake clips and comments from Atlantic City H.S. Principal William Vaunce, a brief appearance (from a vintage clip) by Al Meltzer, and (pre-taped) closing wishes from Vince Leonard.

With that, they pass the baton to Jack Jones who previews the stories of the 6pm newscast.

Commercial: Serta Sale Time at Gimbels

Promo for The Mike Douglas Show for 4pm, with Kate Jackson co-hosting for week beginning Monday, August 22nd (ending voiceover by Gary Geers)

Brief commercial for Caton ginger ale and tonic water (voiceover by Gary Geers)

Animated station ID (voiceover by Gary Geers)

Opening titles (voiceover by ??; Vince Leonard is off so Jack anchors by himself)

Jack opens with Pennsylvania state workers' walkout and start of Charles Bierbauer report, before tape cuts out

"I find myself in the unique position of leaving and staying at the same time."

This aired on local Philadelphia TV on Friday, August 19th 1977 during the 5:29pm to 6:01pm timeframe.

This footage was donated to the MCCTv as part of the Savitch Family Collection.

About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:

The Museum of Classic Chicago Television's primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s and early 80s, primarily) recorded off of any and all Chicago TV channels; footage which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical purposes. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to DVD, and to view more of the 4,700+ (and counting) video clips available for viewing in our online archive, please visit us at:
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