Winnetka resident Mike Leonard regaled the club with tales of the serendipitous events that help shaped his career and make connections around the world.
While growing up in Glencoe and attending Loyola Academy, he tended to focus more on hockey than his studies. One night while attending Ravinia, he was mesmerized by a then-little-known performer by the name of Bob Dylan. From that moment, Mike knew he wanted to do something creative with his life. But, he had no idea just what that might be.
A scholarship to play hockey for Providence College took him East and he graduated in 1970. His career didn't match his dream of a creative life for nearly 10 years until someone suggested he give television a try. He interviewed with every station in Phoenix, finally ending up at the local public TV station. All he had to demonstrate his creativity was some home movies he'd shot of his family with an 8mm movie camera (more on that later).
He got the job, at the whopping salary of $40/week. But soon the local CBS station saw his work and offered a better job there. Then, the NBC Network saw his work and brought him on as a producer for The Today Show. He's been there for 28 years.
Now, about that camera. The last summer Mike was in college, he had worked in Chicago and saved up $1,000 ... $800 for an engagement ring and $200 for himself. His plan was to finish work on a Friday, buy the ring on Saturday, propose on Sunday and drive back to school Monday. He called is father in Phoenix and told him his plan. His grandmother lived with his parents and she got on the phone as well. When she heard of the impending engagement, she said she wanted her engagement ring -- which had been brought to America by her grandmother from Ireland -- to be given to the first of her grandsons to become engaged. But how to get it from Phoenix to Chicago in 24 hours?
Mike's Father had a plan: He connected with a stewardess in Phoenix and asked her to take the ring -- wrapped in a napkin -- to his son in Chicago. Mike was directed to meet a specific flight, and once the passengers were off, the stewardess found Mike and gave him the precious package. A side benefit: With the $800 he no longer needed for the ring, he purchased a movie camera ... which eventually launched his career in television.
One more camera story: Once while filming a Today Show story in Iowa, he stopped at a picturesque monastery and visited with a monk there. They happened to strike up a conversation about Ireland. With much prodding, the monk told Mike he was from a tiny town called Fethard in County Tipperary. The monk left there when he was 17 and had been in the Monastary ever since. Amazingly, some years earlier when Mike was in Ireland filming a show for Today, he had happened through that tiny town and for some reason took out his movie camera and filmed many scenes from around the town. He recalled that film, made a copy and sent it to the Monastary. Some time later, Mike received a letter from the elderly monk with this message: "Thank you for helping me to go back home."
Mike has written a very entertaining book about a long family trip with his parents and family: "The Ride of our Lives". It's also been made into a video series. To view clips from the show and even buy the book, go to Mike's website: http://www.mike-leonard.com
He got the job, at the whopping salary of $40/week. But soon the local CBS station saw his work and offered a better job there. Then, the NBC Network saw his work and brought him on as a producer for The Today Show. He's been there for 28 years.
Now, about that camera. The last summer Mike was in college, he had worked in Chicago and saved up $1,000 ... $800 for an engagement ring and $200 for himself. His plan was to finish work on a Friday, buy the ring on Saturday, propose on Sunday and drive back to school Monday. He called is father in Phoenix and told him his plan. His grandmother lived with his parents and she got on the phone as well. When she heard of the impending engagement, she said she wanted her engagement ring -- which had been brought to America by her grandmother from Ireland -- to be given to the first of her grandsons to become engaged. But how to get it from Phoenix to Chicago in 24 hours?
Mike's Father had a plan: He connected with a stewardess in Phoenix and asked her to take the ring -- wrapped in a napkin -- to his son in Chicago. Mike was directed to meet a specific flight, and once the passengers were off, the stewardess found Mike and gave him the precious package. A side benefit: With the $800 he no longer needed for the ring, he purchased a movie camera ... which eventually launched his career in television.
One more camera story: Once while filming a Today Show story in Iowa, he stopped at a picturesque monastery and visited with a monk there. They happened to strike up a conversation about Ireland. With much prodding, the monk told Mike he was from a tiny town called Fethard in County Tipperary. The monk left there when he was 17 and had been in the Monastary ever since. Amazingly, some years earlier when Mike was in Ireland filming a show for Today, he had happened through that tiny town and for some reason took out his movie camera and filmed many scenes from around the town. He recalled that film, made a copy and sent it to the Monastary. Some time later, Mike received a letter from the elderly monk with this message: "Thank you for helping me to go back home."
Mike has written a very entertaining book about a long family trip with his parents and family: "The Ride of our Lives". It's also been made into a video series. To view clips from the show and even buy the book, go to Mike's website: http://www.mike-leonard.com