------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2020 : Issue 13
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
This week in radio history 22-28 Mar [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
This week in radio history 29 March [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
This week in radio history 5-11 Apri [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Amplify Headphones [ Fred Berney <fsberney@[removed]; ]
This week in radio history 12-18 Apr [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
This week in radio history 19-25 Apr [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
This week in radio history 26 April [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
This week in radio history 3-9 May [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Writing for radio [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
______________________________________________________________________
ADMINISTRIVIA:
I have to apologize to everyone. Things have been understandably
hectic at Chez Charlie, but that's no excuse for me not noticing the
server shut down. Over a month ago.
I will be manually injecting the messages (which are all safely
stored) today. --cfs3
______________________________________________________________________
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:00:24 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 22-28 March
From Those Were The Days --
3/22
1948 The Voice of Firestone was one of the first commercial radio
programs to be carried simultaneously on both AM and FM radio stations.
3/23
1940 Truth or Consequences was first heard on radio. Ralph Edwards
produced and hosted the [removed] The show was originally heard on only
four CBS stations. Later, NBC picked up the show where it eventually
became the most popular of all radio audience-participation stunt shows.
3/24
1932 Belle Baker hosted a radio variety show from a moving train ... a
first for radio broadcasting. The program originated from a Baltimore
and Ohio train that chugged its way around the New York area. The
broadcast was heard on WABC in New York City.
1935 After a year as a local show from New York City, Major Bowes
Original Amateur Hour was heard on the entire NBC network. The show
stayed on the air for 17 years. Later, Ted Mack took over for Bowes and
made the move from radio to television.
3/25
1943 Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore premiered on network radio. The
pair replaced the popular Abbott and Costello following Lou Costello's
heart attack. Durante and Moore stayed on the air for four years.
3/27
1943 Blue Ribbon Town was first heard on CBS.
3/28
1941 Louella Parsons hosted Hollywood Premiere for the first time on
CBS. The gossip columnist introduced famous guests who appeared in
dramatized stories.
1944 WQXR in New York City, owned by The New York Times newspaper,
banned singing commercials from its airwaves as of this day.
Understandable, since the station has always been the classical music
voice of Manhattan and there aren't many classical singing commercials.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:00:35 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 29 March to 4 April
From Those Were The Days
3/29
1932 Jack Benny appeared on radio for the first time. He agreed to
join then newspaper columnist, Ed Sullivan, on his interview show.
1937 The serial, Our Gal Sunday, debuted. The question, "Can this girl
from a small mining town in the West find happiness as the wife of a
wealthy and titled Englishman?" was asked each day for next 22 years.
3/30
1936 The serial Backstage Wife made a move across the dial from the
Mutual Broadcasting System to NBC. Once there, the program continued to
air for the next 23 years.
1945 The Dreft Star Playhouse was heard for the final time. The show
had been paying up to $3,000 per week ($42,347 in 2018 dollars) to
attract name talent.
3/31
1937 Phil Harris recorded one of his best-known songs, That's What I
Like About the South.
1953 Cavalcade of America was heard for the final time on network
radio. It had been the longest running show of its kind. Cavalcade of
America presented dramatized events in American history for 18 years.
4/1
1941 The first contract for advertising on a commercial FM station
began on W71NY in New York City.
1949 The first all black cast variety show, Happy Pappy was presented
on WENR TV in Chicago, IL.
4/2
1947 The Big Story was first heard on NBC. It stayed on the air for
eight years.
4/3
1939 Mr. District Attorney was heard for the first time on NBC. The
serial about the 'champion of the people' was originally a 15 minute
nightly program. In June of 1939, the program went to a half-hour weekly
format. Mr. District Attorney aired until 1952.
1942 People Are Funny was first heard this day on NBC
1949 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis debuted in an NBC.
4/4
1938 After seven years of singing on the radio, Kate Smith began a new
noontime talk show.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:00:45 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 5-11 April
From Those Were The Days
4/6
1931 Little Orphan Annie, the comic strip character developed by
Harold Gray, came to life on the NBC Blue network.
1942 We Love and Learn premiered on CBS. The serial featured Frank
Lovejoy as Bill. The program would continue until 1951.
1945 This is Your FBI debuted on ABC.
4/8
1941 Earle Graser, the eight year voice of the The Lone Ranger, died
in an auto accident. Brace Beemer, previously the show's announcer, took
over the title role.
4/11
1921 The first live sports event on radio took place this day over
KDKA. Pittsburgh sports writer, Florent Gibson, gave an account of the
action in the lightweight boxing match between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee.
1943 Nick Carter, Master Detective debuted on Mutual.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:01:57 -0400
From: Fred Berney <fsberney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Amplify Headphones
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] stated
but my father once told me of a makeshift speaker that his family used.
They would put the earphones in a wooden bowl, and that amplified the
sound of the earphones enough so that they could all sit around the
table and listen.
On a No School Today show Big Jon told a story of how his father or a
relative of his did just that. I'll have to find that time and figure out a
way to post it somewhere.
Fred
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:29:27 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 12-18 April
From Those Were The Days
4/12
1932 The thrill comedy, Joe Palooka, which would also be a popular
comic strip, made its debut on CBS.
1935 - "Your Hit Parade" premiered.
4/17
1933 Backed by the On the Trail portion of the magnificent Grand
Canyon Suite, Johnny Roventini, pillbox hat and all, uttered the words
"Call for Philip Moooorrrrris" for the first time on radio. The famous
phrase was said in perfect B flat pitch and tone to perfectly match the
accompanying music. This "Call for Philip Morris" phrase became one of
the most famous in all of advertising.
1935 People gathered around to listen for the first time to what would
become the ultimate horror show on NBC, Lights Out.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:29:34 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 19-25 April
From Those Were The Days
4/19
1924 The WLS Barn Dance began airing on WLS.
4/20
1935 Your Hit Parade was first broadcast.
1947 Fred Allen didn't find things so funny when censors cut him off
the air during his broadcast. Allen was telling a joke about a mythical
network vice president when he was suddenly taken off the air. One
moment [removed]
4/21
1940 Take It or Leave It, was first heard on CBS on this day. Bob Hawk
offered contestants a top prize of $64 ($1,183 in 2019 dollars). No,
there were no lovely parting gifts or consolation prizes. Losers just left.
1949 The prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for Broadcasting was
presented to You Bet Your Life star, "The one, the only, Groucho
(Marx)." This was the first time the honor had been awarded to a comedian.
4/22
1940 The first all Chinese commercial radio program was broadcast over
KSAN in San Francisco, CA.
1946 Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg arrived at WEAF in New York City
with an entertaining morning show called, Hi, Jinx.
4/24
1949 Dick Powell starred in Richard Diamond, Private Detective on NBC.
The show stayed on the air for four years.
1955 X Minus One, a show for science fiction fans, was first heard on NBC.
1959 The final broadcast of One Man's Family was heard on NBC after
being on the air 27 years.
4/25
1938 Your Family and Mine, a radio serial, was first broadcast.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:29:41 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 26 April to 2 May
From Those Were The Days
4/27
1921 Weather broadcasts were heard for the first time on radio when
WEW in St. Louis, MO aired weather news.
1931 NBC presented Lum and Abner for the first time.
1932 The Texaco fire chief, Ed Wynn, was heard on Texaco Star Theater
for the first time. Wynn, a popular vaudeville performer, demanded a
live audience to react to his humor if he was to make the switch to
radio. The network consented and Wynn became radio's first true superstar.
1937 The initial broadcast of Lorenzo Jones was heard over NBC.
4/28
1947 Studio One on CBS was first broadcast. The show was full of great
stars, but no sponsors. CBS dropped Studio One after a year on the air.
4/30
1945 "How would you like to be queen for a day!" That opening line,
delivered by host, Jack Bailey, was first heard on Mutual on this day.
The first Queen for a Day was Mrs. Evelyn Lane.
1945 Arthur Godfrey began his CBS morning show. His theme was Seems
Like Old Times. Arthur Godfrey Time ran until this very same day in
1972. Godfrey's show used live talent and not records. His popularity
with listeners was the major reason that several sponsors gave Godfrey
the freedom to ad lib their commercials and, from time to time, joke
about the products as well.
5/1
1931 Singer Kate Smith began her long and illustrious radio career
with CBS on this, her birthday. The 22 year old Smith started out with
no sponsors and a paycheck of just $10 a week ($170 in 2019 dollars) for
the nationally broadcast daily program. However, within 30 days, her
salary increased to a more respectable $1,500 a week ($25,581 in 2019
dollars).
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:29:49 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 3-9 May
From Those Were The Days
5/5
1935 The program, Rhythm at Eight, made its debut. The star of the
show was 24 year old Ethel Merman. Though Merman would become a legend
years later, she didn't fare so well on radio. Her show was taken off
the air after 13 weeks and Miss Merman returned to her first love, Broadway.
5/6
1937 A student of history, a broadcaster or anyone interested in news
coverage, will remember this day and the words of NBC's Herbert
Morrison. "Oh, the humanities!" Morrison's emotion filled historic
broadcast of the explosion of the dirigible, Hindenburg at Lakehurst,
NJ, became the first recorded coast to coast broadcast as it was carried
on both the NBC Red and NBC Blue networks from New York City.
5/9
1936 Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy started their own radio show on
NBC only months after they had debuted on Rudy Vallee's program. [removed]
Fields, Don Ameche and Dorothy Lamour were a few of the stars that
helped Bergen and the little blockhead, McCarthy, jump to the top of
radio's hit parade.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:30:00 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Writing for radio
For those who are interested, the May issue of "The Writer" has an article on
writing for radio.
Rick.
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2020 Issue #13
********************************************
Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
including republication in any form.
If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
[removed]
For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]
To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
or see [removed]
For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]
To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]
In the event of a major mail problem, please contact the listmaster via
the web-based contact form available at [removed]
(on the sidebar) or follow/DM CFSummers on Twitter
To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]