Bob Trendler

American songwriter, bandleader, and WGN TV musical director of the WGN Orchestra. Born: May 11, 1912 Cincinnati, Ohio Died July 18, 2011 (99 years old) Ellenton, Florida. He was married to Annette Bretzlaff, a member of the singing group The Three Graces. He began playing the piano at age 6 and spent many hours in radio stations, as his mother a radio music director in Chicago. He started working as a freelance arranger and musician for WGN Radio in 1935 and became a pianist, arranger and conductor for radio and TV. Robert Trendler was known to generations of Chicagoans as Mr. Bob the bandleader on "Bozo's Circus." He was the musical director of the WGN Orchestra for more than two decades. He reitred in 1975. He returned in 1986 to lead the band for the 25th Anniversary Bozo Special. In 2018, he was inducted into Chicago/Midwest Chapter: National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences's prestigious Silver Circle.