When Radio Ruled

Edgar Bergen was also Charlie McCarthy but Charlie McCarthy was one of a kind. The cutest little obnoxious guy on the radio.  A big personality in a tiny package. Charlie McCarthy took radio by storm and Edgar Bergen rode his coattails to fame and fortune. Actually Bergen rode his own coat tails, but it was … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #129 – Charlie McCarthy and Guests 1939 part 2

1939 SoundScape part 10, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 22 through June 4, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today's SoundScape: Youth committing crimes! American Freedom! The Death of John Brown! Jack Benny: Ladies … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #128 – SoundScape 1939 #10

17 year old Wynn Murray already had two Broadway hits on her resume when she joined The Fred Allen show as the resident Female Vocalist in 1939. Fred Allen's decision to bring a famous female vocalist onto his show in 1939 was a recognition that female singers were now in vogue. Singers like Connie Boswell … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #127 – Wynn Murray Sings 1939

SoundScape part 9, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 4 through May 21, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today's SoundScape: Mother's Day 1939 with Jack Benny! Where are the real high class professional … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #126 – SoundScape 1939 part 9, May 4-21 1939

Charlie McCarthy is really Edgar Bergen. Or the other way around. It was a ventriloquist act. On the radio. Go figure. But you can't argue with success and the Charlie McCarthy show was more than a success, it was a cultural phenomenon. The Kids loved Charlie McCarthy, so did the parents and Grandparents. The biggest … Continue reading When Radio Ruled episode 125 – Charlie McCarthy and Guests 1939 part 1

Radio highlights originally broadcast live April 6 through April 30, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today's soundscape: A Tribute to Man's Best Friend, my Dog Pearl Buck Talks China with Anna Mae Wong … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #124 – SoundScape 1939 part 8, April 6-30 1939

Close harmony groups were popular in the 1920's, 30's,40's and  50's. The Merry Macs were among the most successful and were certainly the longest lived of all the Old Time Radio harmony groups. Close Harmony singing evolved from the Barbershop Quartets of the 1880s and 1890s, but with a jazz age sensibility. Closer harmonic chords … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #123 – The Merry Macs Sing 1939

Radio highlights originally broadcast live March 22 through April 5, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today's soundscape: Nothing about the war in this one, things were quiet there and we were more than … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #122 – SoundScape 1939 part 7, March 22 – April 5, 1939

Cecil B. DeMille was a legend, a trailblazer, and a person of ambition and talent. In this episode, DeMille talks with others like him, movers and shakers who have risen to the top of their chosen fields. Greatness, talking with greatness on the Lux Radio Theater. DeMille's guests include: Father Flanagan H.V. Kaltenborn Grand Duchess … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #121 – Cecil B DeMille Interviews part 2 The Movers and Shakers

History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. In today's soundscape: Mary's Springtime Poem! Ed Sullivan wants to know! Is Jack Benny the real Jack Benny?! And more!!! This episode features: Orson Welles Laurence Olivier Noah Beery Cecil … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #120 – SoundScape 1939 part 6, March 17-26 1939

 In 1939 Dorothy Lamour was the leading lady on a show that was neck and neck with Jack Benny for number 1 in the ratings. Not bad for a lower class girl who dropped out of school at 14 to support her family. Now, at only 25 years old, her ambition and talent had paid … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #119 – Dottie Lamour Girl Next Door 1939

History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today's soundscape: Baby Snooks and Daddy visit the 1939 New York's World Fair! An Irish Ghost Story entitled “Faith is Not always a Lady”!! A Gentle Reminder to Always Remember to Lux your Stockings!! This episode features: The Family Doctor Cecil … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #118 – SoundScape 1939 part 5: February 27 – March 16, 1939

These Interviews were a regular feature of The Lux Radio Theater, a show that presented radio versions of current Hollywood films. At act break host Cecil B. Demille and an expert guest would comment on the radio play so far. Sometimes the guest would be from the rich, famous and powerful classes, we'll hear those … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #117 – Cecil B. DeMille interviews 1939 part 1 – the Common Man

History through the eyes of people as they live it, reported by radio. Voices from the past alive again because you're listening now. In today's soundscape, you can hear the dark cloud of war gather. Earlier in the year, as evidenced by When Radio Ruled Soundscapes 1939 parts 1, 2, and 3, Old Time Radio … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #116-SoundScape 1939 part 4

I had thought Dorothy Lamour to be just another pretty face who had a technically good voice but was somewhat interchangeable with the other bright, young, pretty songstresses of old time variety radio in that Dorothy's songs were good enough but stylistically the same you heard on other popular shows. Then I discovered this musical … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #115 – Dorothy Lamour Sings 1939 part 1 Smokey and Sultry

1939 was a year where everything changed. An uneasy peace became all out war.  Society and culture and government were questioned as never before. The evil inside the human race made itself known that year, as ferocious as in the past but applied with an improved efficiency. Radio was there to witness it. And I … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #114 – SoundScape 1939 part 3 (January 24 – March 2, 1939)

Charlie McCarthy  was created by Edgar Bergen based on a wise cracking newsboy named Charlie from the neighborhood.  High Schooler Edgar Bergen sketched the design for Charlie. More than a little obsessed,  Bergen decided to bring his Charlie to life. Bergen built Charlie's movable body but paid woodworker Theodore Mack $35 to carve Charlie's head. … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #113 – Bergen, McCarthy, and Snerd 1939

1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the death to come on land, sea, and in the Air Seems obvious now, but at the time lots of people thought the first great war  had been so terrible it could never happen again. I wish they had been right. The … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #112 – SoundScape 1939 part 2

Connee Boswell was one of the first white artists to integrate the jazz and swing experimentations of black New Orleans musicians into popular music. The tempo, rhythm and pitch changes she and her sisters introduced to close harmony arrangements fused together Classical, Jazz, Swing, and Blues as never before. The work she did on the … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #111 – Connee Boswell Sings 1939

For the Previous 2 episodes, The Year 1939 – Politics and the year 1939 – Culture and Technology, I listened to almost 1000 hours of OTR in chronological order. I got to hear 1939 unfold through broadcasts from the day and learn what the podcasts should be about. As I go, I create a best … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #110 – SoundScape 1939 part 1

There was no happy ending for 1939. The whole decade was spent clawing our way out of financial disaster, now we got a humanitarian disaster beyond imagining as slaughter continues world wide. But Life doesn't hold still! This episode features the cultural, technological, and social changes that occurred over the noise of the war in … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #109 – 1939 part 2 Culture, Technology, and Arts

1939 as told through the Radio Broadcasts of the day!! The dreaded war finally begins with the German invasion of Poland. Neville Chamberlain is forced to grow a spine. Winston Churchill returns to Government. Franklin Roosevelt Hates War. And some Really Hot Swing Licks by Artie Shaw. FEATURING Mary Livingston Jack Benny Fibber McGee and … Continue reading When Radio Ruled Episode #108 1939 part 1 – The War Begins

We've got both reassuring fantasy and unsettling reality in this episode. On one hand we'll hear old friends Donald Duck and the Seven Dwarfs in a fairy tale setting, and we'll hear our soon to be enemy, Nazi Germany take over the real world Austria. Starring: Orson Welles Don Wilson Jack Benny Mary Livingstone Phil … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #107 SoundScape 1938 part 33

This Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live December 25 through December 29, 1938. Starring: Don Wilson Mary Livingstone Jack Benny Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Kenny Baker Andy Devine Phil Harris Joan Bennett Cecil B. DeMille Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Walt Disney Robert Young Bill Stern Frank … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #106 – SoundScape 1938 part 32

This Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live December 11 through December 22, 1938. Starring: The Cast of Family Doctor Fred Allen Santa Claus Robert Young Lionel Barrymore Reginald Owen Jack Benny Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Don Wilson Mary Livingstone Phil Harris Kenny Baker Andy Devine Hanley Stafford Fanny … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #105 – SoundScape 1938 part 31

My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use  in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #104 – SoundScape 1938 part 30

My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use  in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #103 – SoundScape 1938 part 29

My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use  in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #102 – SoundScape 1938 part 28

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 2 through November 6, 1938. Starring: Fred Allen Harry Von Zell Portland Hoffa Orson Welles Don Wilson Jack Benny Phil Harris Mary Livingstone Kenny Baker Bill Goodwin Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen Ray Noble Jean Arthur And The Merry Macs … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #101 – SoundScape 1938 part 27

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 23  through October 31, 1938. Starring: Orson Welles Lionel Barrymore Clark Gable Robert Young Frank Morgan Don Ameche Judy Canova Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen Dorothy Lamour Madeleine Carroll Don Wilson Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Jack Benny Mary Livingstone Kenny Baker … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #100 – SoundScape 1938 part 26

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 16  through October 23, 1938. Starring: Adolf Hitler Don Wilson Jack Benny Mary Livingstone Phil Harris Kenny Baker Andy Devine Winston Churchill Orson Welles Robert Young Judy Garland Fanny Brice Hanley Stafford and Joan Crawford FEATURED SONGS INCLUDE Zing … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #99 – SoundScape 1938 part 25

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live September 15 through October 10, 1938. Starring: Cast of Blair of the Mounties Cast of Columbia Workshop Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom Frank Morgan Fanny Brice Cast of Family Doctor Cecil B. DeMille Ephraim Zimbalist Neville Chamberlain Phil Harris Kenny Baker Mary … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #98 – SoundScape 1938 part 24

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 28 through September 13, 1938. Starring: Edward Arnold Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen Robert Young Meredith Wilson Fanny Brice Hanley Stafford Alice Faye Frank Morgan Father Flanagan Cast of Family Doctor Orson Welles Judy Garland Cast of Family Doctor Cast … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #97 – SoundScape 1938 part 23

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 1 through August 28, 1938. Starring: Cast of Blair of the Mounties Orson Welles Al Jolson Irving Berlin Cast of The Shadow Seabiscuit Charlie McCarthy Nelson Eddy Edward Arnold Edgar Bergen Ella Logan Rudy Vallee Featured Songs Include Marie … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #96-SoundScape 1938 part 22

This episode starts out solemn with references to the marauding Japanese and unreasonable bully  Nazis but ends with lots of laughs thanks to Charlie McCarthy and Friends. It consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live July 3 through July 31, 1938. Starring: Orson Welles Edward Arnold Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #95 – SoundScape 1938 part 21

Peace on Earth Good Will Towards Men A Celebration of Christmas through Old Time Radio! Featuring Two Great Radio Christmas Time Broadcasts Casey Crime Photographer – Christmas Shopping from  12/19/46 The Lone Ranger – 3 Wise Men from 12/24/54 With Songs and Excerpts from War Time Radio Christmas Broadcasts! Starring Franklin Roosevelt Fibber McGee Lionel Barrymore … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #94 – Old Time Radio Christmas 2023

My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the script. And … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #93 – SoundScape 1938 part 20

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live June 4 through June 19, 1938. Starring: The Cast of Colombia Workshop Fred Allen Ray Smith Portland Hoffa Harry Von Zell Peter Van Steeden Don Wilson Jack Benny Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Phil Harris Don Wilson Kenny Baker Mary Livingston Joan … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #92 – SoundScape 1938 part 19

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 26 through June 1 1938. Starring: Robert Young Fanny Brice Hanley Stafford The Cast of Columbia Workshop Georgie Jessel Mary Livingston Don Wilson Kenny Baker Phil Harris Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Jack Benny Andy Devine Agnes Moorehead Orson Welles Fred … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #91 – SoundScape 1938 part 18

Todays turkey filled audio feast is made up of two broadcasts from the World War Two years, the first from 1942 the second from 1944. During the big war, Thanksgiving had an extra emotional impact. So many families had empty chairs where sons and daughters used to sit but now were stationed all over the … Continue reading When Radio Ruled episode #90 – Thanksgiving Special 2023

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 18 through May 25 1938. Featuring: The Cast of Cavalcade of America Robert Young Joan Crawford Frank Morgan The Cast Of The Columbia Workshop Georgie Jessel Mayor Jimmie Walker Josephine Starr Ned Wayburn Norma Talmadge Don Wilson Jack Benny … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #89 – SoundScape 1938 part 17

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 5 through May 18 1938. Featuring: Judy Garland Robert Young Frank Morgan Una Merkle Clark Gable The Cast of the Green Hornet Jack Benny Phil Harris Mary Livingston Don Wilson The Cast of the Lone Ranger Fred Allen Featured … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #88 – SoundScape 1938 part 16

When Radio Ruled #87 – Halloween 2023 Old Time Radio Ghost Stories from 1938. The Devil and Daniel Webster Dracula starring Orson Welles With Guest Appearances from Fibber McGee and the Ghost of Harry Houdini Click Here to Hear These Ghost Stories from 1938!

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live April 20 through May 4 1938. Featuring: The Cast of the Lone Ranger The Cast of Blair of the Mounties Fred Allen Harry Von Zell Charles Atlas Winston Churchill The Cast of Columbia Workshop Jack Benny Phil Harris Mary Livingston … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #86 – SoundScape 1938 part 15

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live April 3 through April 18, 1938. Featuring: Jack Benny Don Wilson Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Mary Livingston Kenny Baker Phil Harris Fred Allen Portland Hoffa Harry Von Zell Harry Morgan Robert Taylor Fanny Brice Featured Songs Include: Dear, Dear, What Can … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #85-SoundScape 1938 part 14

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live March 24 through April 3, 1938. Featuring: Gabby Hartnet Frank Morgan The Cast of the Lone Ranger Georgie Jessel Jack Benny Harry Von Zell Abe Lyman Bob Ripley Fred Allen Orson Welles Robert Taylor Connie Boswell Louis B. Mayer Adolf … Continue reading When Radio Ruled episode #84 -SoundScape 1938 part 13

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live March 14 through March 23 1938. Featuring: The Cast of Blair of the Mounties The Cast of The Lone Ranger Eddie Cantor Jimmy Wallington Orson Welles Agnes Moorehead Georgie Jessel Joe the Chimpanzee Jack Benny Phil Harris Don Wilson Mary … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #83 SoundScape 1938 part 12

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live March 9 through March 13 1938. Featuring: Eddie Cantor Gloria Swanson The Mad Russian Deanna Durbin Bobby Breen Georgie Jessel Norma Talmadge Jack Benny Don Wilson Mary Livingston Andy Devine and Phil Harris Featured Songs Include: Broadway has Gone Hawaii … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #82 – SoundScape 1938 part 11

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live February 27 through March 9 1938. Featuring: Don Ameche Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen Dorothy Lamour Rosalind Russell Eddie Cantor Jimmy Wallington The Lone Ranger Norma Talmadge Josephine Starr Georgie Jessel Jack Benny Don Wilson Phil Harris Mary Livingston Leo Robin … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #81 -SoundScape 1938 part 10

The Soundscape series is a happy side effect of the research phase for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary Podcasts. I listen to hundreds of hours of old time radio shows in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen I extract the most interesting and entertaining … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #80 – SoundScape 1938 part 9

This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live February 17 through February 20, 1938. Featuring: Jack Benny Robert Taylor Maureen O'Sullivan Jack Conway Meredith Wilson Fanny Brice The Cast of Dick Tracy Don Wilson Phil Harris Mary Livingston Kenny Baker Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Orson Welles Norma Shearer Sigmund … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #79 – SoundScape 1938 part 8