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  • PBS

Chicago Stories

  • 2020 – 2024
  • Returning Series
  • Documentary
  • 4 seasons

An original documentary series from Chicago PBS affiliate WTTW uncovering the city’s fascinating history. Each story presents an entertaining and intriguing tale about a person or event that shaped Chicago. The series reflects the rich diversity and breadth of human experience that shaped this great American city.

Latest: Season 4 · 2024

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  1. E1. Deadly Alliance: Leopold and Loeb

    Sep 20, 2024 · 56m

    In 1924, after several months of meticulous planning, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks for the thrill of committing a "perfect crime."

  2. E2. The Black Sox Scandal

    Sep 27, 2024 · 54m

    It's the most notorious scandal in baseball history. Eight Chicago White Sox players are charged with throwing 1919's World Series--ruining the reputations and careers of some of the game's greatest players and breaking a nation's heart.

  3. E3. Amusment Parks

    Oct 4, 2024 · 56m

    Dive into the history of Chicago’s amusement parks and the role the city played in shaping the amusement industry. Explore Riverview Park, Ravinia, Santa’s Village, Kiddieland, and more

  4. E4. The Young Lords of Lincoln Park

    Oct 11, 2024 · 55m

    Before Lincoln Park was known for its multimillion-dollar homes, the neighborhood was the beating heart of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community, and the base of operations for a band of Puerto Rican revolutionaries known as the Young Lords.

  5. E5. The Making of Playboy

    Oct 18, 2024 · 57m

    Playboy, a brand now synonymous with sex, was launched by Hugh Hefner in the 1950s in Chicago. Hefner bought the iconic Playboy mansion in Chicago’s Gold Coast where his raucous parties became the stuff of legend. He also opened the first of 30 Playboy clubs in Chicago, outfitting cocktail waitresses in heels and bunny tails.

  6. E6. When the West Side Burned

    Oct 25, 2024 · 57m

    In the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, chaos erupted on Chicago’s West Side. Grief turned into anger as protests, riots, looting, and fires consumed some neighborhoods. Audio-narrated descriptions of key visual elements are available.

+2 more episodes — open all seasons to browse every episode.