A Saturday Morning Salute to Roy Leonard

Roy Leonard

Roy Leonard, who personified cool on Chicago radio for more than three decades, will be honored for his coolness by the hipsters from Second City and his colleagues from the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

A Saturday Morning Salute to Roy Leonard, co-sponsored by the famed improv company and the broadcast museum, is in the final planning stages for December 3. The event will be from 11am to 1pm at the new home of the museum at 360 North State Street.

The lineup of special guests was still being finalized Tuesday, but tickets are available online for $20 on the museum website.

Leonard, 80, retired in 1998 after 31 years as a top personality at WGN-AM (720), the Tribune Co.-owned news/talk station. In addition to hosting his daily talk show, he served as the station’s resident arts and entertainment critic. The following year he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Radio Broadcasters of Chicagoland.

Leonard doubled as host of Family Classics on Tribune-owned WGN-Channel 9 for more than 15 years.

One of Leonard’s six sons, Kelly Leonard, is executive vice president of Second City.