Here's the complete broadcast of a Christmas Eve edition of the 10pm Eyewitness News on WLS Channel 7, anchored by Mary Ann Childers and Jim Gibbons.

Includes:

Commercial: Timberland waterproof work boots (available at Ara's in Lansing and Zoots in Chicago)

Station ID segueing into newscast open and intro

The top stories of this edition:

Record cold across part of the country, with Chicago close but not breaking its record low temps for this day (with phone number for emergency shelters given); 18 have died this week alone from cold

However, Denver and Salt Lake City did shatter records (out of a total of 21 states and 60 cities) with their cold waves

Parts of I65 along Indianapolis shut down due to cold and ice

Alan Krashesky (yes, the anchor was once a weatherman!) promises relief in sight from severe cold snap (in a few days), but for now travelers' advisories are in effect in all or part of 4 states due to blowing snow

Grant Hospital's emergency room closed due to water main burst

Russ Ewing with other such stories: Automobiles stranded and tow trucks unavailable; 26 mph winds causing audible noise from waving flags; State Street shoppers staying home due to cold

Commercials for:

Burger King "Every 10 Seconds"

Anais Anais fragrance from Cacharel

Illinois Bell "We'll Still Be Your Phone Company"

Jordache Jeans "You've Got the Look"

More news:

Firefighters dealing with both severe cold and massive fire at 2251 S. Kolin (near Cermak)

A house (no address listed) has no heat due to frozen pipes; building owner Alise Moore speaks of situation

Some last minute shoppers brave cold to buy Christmas gifts

Masses celebrating birth of Jesus taking place in churches such as Holy Name Cathedral, where Joseph Cardinal Bernardin will preside over midnight mass

Lonnie Lardner reports on Cusman extended family of Ravenswood celebrating Christmas Eve

Commercials for:

Tele1st (coming in two weeks)

Mauna Loa macadamia nuts with John Hillerman

Diet Coke now with NutraSweet

Las Vegas (featuring Sammy Davis, Jr.) "Resort Bargain of the World"

Back to news:

Chicago City Council finally agrees on next year's budget

President Reagan, in his weekly radio address, urges Americans to help needy and lonely this Christmas and remember Soviet dissidents trapped behind Iron Curtain

Marines in Beirut try to celebrate holidays as shelling breaks out

Thousands in St. Peter's Square for midnight mass at Vatican City presided by Pope John Paul II

8yearold Chuck Haney of Glendale Heights, dying of a rare disease, made honorary cop thanks to Officer Paul Cerise; Police Commissioner Don Taylor presides over kid's swearing in

Commercials for:

CelozziEttelson Chevrolet test drive an '84 Chevette

Harveys Bristol Cream with Peter Cook

Recollection of last Christmas when it was a balmy 62 degrees

Alan returns with weather forecast (including a white Christmas)

Commercials for:

Wendy's new Hot Stuff baked potatoes and Side Salad

Cap 10 pure Artesian mineral water

Republic Airlines (letter from David Godfredson of Minneapolis, MN)

Cadbury's Milk Tray candies

Jim Rose with sports stories:

Forest Gregg named head coach of Green Bay Packers, replacing fired Bart Starr; team president Robert Parins speaks

Seattle Seahawks beat Denver Broncos in AFC wild card game

Alabama beats SMU in Sun Bowl in El Paso

Kentucky beats Illini in high school basketball play

Maryland beats Boston College

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner fined $250,000 by Commissioner of Baseball over team's involvement in infamous Pine Tar game

After that, Mary Ann and Jim close with Christmas wishes to their viewers and advise to stay tuned for ABC News Weekend Report

Incomplete promo for "The Shoes of the Fisherman" (voiceover by Ernie Anderson) before recording ends

This aired on local Chicago TV on Saturday, December 24th 1983 during the 10:00pm to 10:30pm timeframe.

About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:

The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of offair, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: [email protected] 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 preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to DVD, please email [email protected] Thank you for your help!