You Are There: “The Chicago Fire”
Sign in to track this film in your collection or want list.
Episode of the television series “You Are There” featuring a fake news report on the Chicago Fire of 1871. Walter Cronkite acts as the news anchor from behind a desk, accompanied by “in the field” voiceover reports from different parts of the city as the fire spreads.
Credits
CBS (production company); James Fonda (producer); Bernard Girard (director); CBS (contributor); Ed Fitzgerald (cinematographer); Bud Small (editor); Walter Cronkite (actor); William Kenneally (actor); Harlow Wilcox (actor); Grant Holcomb (actor); Bill Stout (actor); Bob Ferris (actor); Clete Roberts (actor)
Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Margaret Conneely Collection
Subjects: Chicago (Ill.); Disasters; Fires
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Chicago
Language: English
Shot log: 00:08 - Titles. Walter Cronkite reports that a large fire has broken out in the growing city of Chicago. He turns to report over to the field where voice overs give an account of the fire over re-enacment footage of the streets, fire trucks and fleeing people. 04:47 - The fire begins to spread over the river to Polk St. City authorities are on the court house balcony watching the progress. The firemen are working furiously. In the business section the crowds are starting to panic. The cattle begin to stampede through the streets, breaking out of the stockyard. 09:15 - People jump from windows, the authorities flee the court house. Focus on the strong horses in a TS. The second fire breaks out. At the lake crowds are milling in the water as smoke billows. And oil warehouse collapses in flames. 13:40-15:42 - Aerial view of a burning city then back to Cronkite in the studio as he sums up the rest of the fire, and how Chicago immediately began to rebuild. Extended credits.
Cfa elements: Print, 570 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/2634
Subjects: Chicago (Ill.); Disasters; Fires
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Chicago
Language: English
Shot log: 00:08 - Titles. Walter Cronkite reports that a large fire has broken out in the growing city of Chicago. He turns to report over to the field where voice overs give an account of the fire over re-enacment footage of the streets, fire trucks and fleeing people. 04:47 - The fire begins to spread over the river to Polk St. City authorities are on the court house balcony watching the progress. The firemen are working furiously. In the business section the crowds are starting to panic. The cattle begin to stampede through the streets, breaking out of the stockyard. 09:15 - People jump from windows, the authorities flee the court house. Focus on the strong horses in a TS. The second fire breaks out. At the lake crowds are milling in the water as smoke billows. And oil warehouse collapses in flames. 13:40-15:42 - Aerial view of a burning city then back to Cronkite in the studio as he sums up the rest of the fire, and how Chicago immediately began to rebuild. Extended credits.
Cfa elements: Print, 570 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/2634
Related films
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, creator, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video
Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:06