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138 episodes with ed corcoran
This episode was originally released on 3/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 89, we explore the birth of the dramatic radio western show, specifically targeted to adult audiences. This is the first of a three-part mini-series on adult western radio shows. Highlights: • Back to the Very Beginning • What is a Western Show? • The Birth of Western Dramatic Radio Shows • Empire Builders • Death Valley Days • The Western show on local stations • ...And in syndication • Lux Presents Hollywood • The Triumph and Tragedy of Buck Jones • Americana and the Cavalcade of America • Howard McNear and Romance of the Ranchos • The First Western Soap Opera • The War Ends and the Western show grows up • What's Next? The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning • Radio Rides The Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air, 1929 - 1967 by Jack French and David S. Siegel • Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg • Hello Everybody! The Dawn of American Radio by Anthony Rudel & • The Network by Scott Woolley On the interview front: • Don Ameche, Joan Fontaine, Hans Conried, Rudy Vallée were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org • Agnes Moorehead and Anne Seymour were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck's interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com • John Dunkel and William N. Robson were with John Hickman for his WAMU program “Recollections.” A modern version of this program is heard each Sunday evening as “The Big Broadcast.” For more information, please go to WAMU.org • Ruth Woodman was with Ida Blackburn in 1961 for KOCO. The full video clip can be seen on the Oklahoma Historical Society's Youtube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnsye8K4SEsY9Ssi8EzzHg • and journalist Robert Bendiner was with Westinghouse for their 1970 50th Anniversary program. Selected music featured in today's episode was: • The Colorado Trail Opus 28 by Elizabeth Hainen - http://www.elizabethhainen.com • The Last Rose of Summer by Tom Waits • Morning Prayer by Kenneth Little Hawk • All Mortal Flesh Be Silent by Deirdre Fay • Across the Wide Missouri, by Mathias Gohl, Molly Mason, Jay Unger, and Andy Stein • Jefferson and Liberty by John Owen Lardinois • Amazing Grace by Leta Rector • Across the Alley from the Alamo by the Mills Brothers I'd also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network. WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers URL - thewallbreakers.com Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
In Breaking Walls episode 88, we spotlight the 1945-46 season of The Jack Benny Program. This season introduced characters like telephone operators Gertrude and Mabel, press agent Steve Bradley, hot dog vendor Mr. Kitzel, and Ronald and Benita Colman. This season featured guest appearances from Ingrid Bergman, Isaac Stern, Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Peter Lorre, Louella Parsons, Fred Allen, Ed Sullivan and others. It also was the season in which Dennis Day returned from the Navy and one of the most ingenious marketing campaigns in entertainment history took place: The “I Can't Stand Jack Benny” Contest. Highlights: • Jack's slipping ratings • Problems with General Foods • Jack changes sponsors • The War ends and a new season begins • Mabel Flapsaddle & Gertrude Gearshift • Steve Bradley and his big ideas • $10,000 and $646,000 • Jack gets robbed • The Contest • Mail pours in • The Colmans can't stand Jack Benny • Jack's ratings soar • Christmas of 1945 & The Rose Bowl • Fred Allen and the end of the Contest • Isaac Stern • Palm Springs • Van Jackson • Ed Sullivan and the end of the season • King for a Day The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: • Sunday Nights at Seven - by Jack and Joan Benny • On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg • As well as articles from Radio Life on January 27th and February 3rd, 1946 On the interview front: •Jack Benny, Ezra Stone, Kate Smith, Don Wilson, Eliott Lewis, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson and Dennis Day were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck's interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com • Vincent Price and Mel Blanc were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org • Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org • And Finally Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, Don Wilson and Mel Blanc were also with Jack Carney for his early 1980s Comedy Program. Much of this audio was originally taken from a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians. Thank you Goodmond Danielson for supplying me with the audio. Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Love in Bloom by Bing Crosby • It's Been a Long, Long, Time by the Harry James Orchestra • Chickery Chick by Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams & Nancy Norman • Manhattan Serenade by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with Jo Stafford • It Might as Well Be Spring by Larry Stephens • Danny Boy by Dennis Day • Along the Navajo Trail by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers URL - thewallbreakers.com Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
This episode was originally released on 1/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 87, we spotlight some New Year's Day radio programming from the Golden Age of radio, specifically beginning in 1946 after the end of World War II and television's post-war rise. Highlights: • Skelton • Casey Crime Photographer and the Invasion of TV • Radio City Playhouse and Our Miss Brooks • The Railroad Hour and NBC's Monday Night of Music • Memories from the 1939-40 World's Fair • On Stage with Mr. and Mrs. Radio • The Greatest Western • Radio Drama's Demise The WallBreakers: thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: patreon.com/TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg • And Edison Research's June 2018 Podcast Consumer Statistics www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/ On the interview front: • John Gibson, Tony Marvin and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org • Jack Benny, Harriet Nelson, Elliott Lewis, Eve Arden, and Parley Baer were with Chuck Schaden. His interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to at SpeakingofRadio.com • Elliott Lewis, E. Jack Neuman, and Eve Arden were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71K Newstalk Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org • Al Lewis was with SPERDVAC's Larry Gassman in 1998. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com • And Norman Macdonnell, Bill Conrad, and WIlliam N. Robson were interviewed for a 5-part audio documentary on Gunsmoke in the early 1970s. Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Voodoo Dreams, and Pyramid of the Sun by Les Baxter • Exotique Bossa Nova by Martin Denny • I'll Be Seeing You, by Harry James • Auld Lang Syne by the Manhattan Strings • And Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como
This episode was originally released on 12/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 86, we spotlight what was on the air over the US' major radio networks during December of 1945. Highlights: • The First Peacetime Holiday Season in Five Years Begins • Radio's Three Main Production Hubs • Macabees • Frank Nelson, Lurene Tuttle, and Mandel Kramer • I Can't Stand Jack Benny • Soap Operas and Kid's Shows • NBC Dominates Sunday and Tuesday Nights • Falling Mid-Week Ratings Open the Door for CBS • Victory Bonds and Bing's Strike • Christmas Draws Closer • Fibber, Molly, Red and Christmas Day • Dinah Shore and Groucho return Christmas Gifts • I Still Can't Stand Jack Benny • New Year's Eve • What Comes Next The WallBreakers: thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: patreon.com/TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning • Christmas 1945: The Greatest Celebration in American History - by Matthew Litt • Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg • The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling And several articles from: • The New York Times • Broadcasting Magazine • Radio Daily The Interviews Chuck Schaden was with: Mel Blanc Himan Brown Phil Harris Danny Kaye Barbara Luddy Mercedes McCambridge Shirley Mitchell Frank Nelson Olan Soule Larry Stevens Lurene Tuttle Don Wilson All of Chuck's Interviews can be found at SpeakingofRadio.com Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran were with: Jackson Beck Edgar Bergen Mel Blanc Staats Cotsworth Howard Duff Jim Jordan Mandel Kramer Jan Miner All of their interviews for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio can be found at GoldenAge-WTIC.org SPERDVAC was with Harry Bartel Jack Johnstone For more information please go to SPERDVAC.com • Jo Stafford was with Matthew Feinstein for Jo Stafford's “Ballad of the Blues” • Fran Carlon was with Westinghouse for their 1970 50th Anniversary Production • Bing Crosby was interviewed for Same Time, Same Station in 1972. Selected music featured in today's episode was • Kay Starr's The Man With The Bag • Nancy Wilson's What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? • Bing Crosby's White Christmas and I'll Be Home For Christmas The clip of CBS' Cimarron Tavern came courtesy of Jerry Haendiges. Visit his site at OTRsite.com. I've been visiting since 2002. Thank you Jerry. I'd also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.
This episode was originally released on 10/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes beginning with this episode on the birth of radio. ___________ In Breaking Walls Episode 84, it's the Simple Art of Macabre, to your ears from the mouths of some of the best who ever produced radio's stuff of nightmares. Highlights: • Why Do We Like To Be Scared? • What pre-dated the radio horror program in the United States of America? • The Witch's Tale • Cooper, Oboler, and Lights Out • Orson Welles, Himan Brown, and Bill Spier • Macabre Programming during World War II • How Transcription Advanced the radio mystery program • Escape, The Saint, and Vincent Price • ABC and The Clock • Quiet Please and Crime Classics • The Decline of the American audio drama in the 1950s • Attempts at horror revivals • Where we are today The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: • The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning • The Witch's Tale: Stories of Gothic Horror from the Golden Age of Radio - by Alonzo Dean Cole • The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Handbook by Martin Grams Jr's and Gordon Payton • Forecast: Is there a Sponsor in a House by Martin Grams Jr. • The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling • Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran's Golden Age of Radio programs can be found at goldenage-wtic.org • John Dunning's Interviews can be found through the Old-Time Radio Researcher's Library at OTRRLibrary.org. • Chuck Schaden's interviews can be found at his site, SpeakingofRadio.com Selected Music featured in today's Episode was: • Seance on a Wet Afternoon composed by John Barry and rerecorded by Nic Raine * I've Got You Under My Skin - by Frank Sinatra
This episode was originally released on 6/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes beginning with this episode on the birth of radio. ___________ Question? What do starlets Marlene Dietrich, Kay Thompson, Margaret Sullivan, and Loretta Young have in common? How about writers and directors Norman Corwin, Helen Deutsch, and Bill Spier. How about Danny Kaye, Mel Allen, Gerald Mohr, Elliot Lewis, Byron Kane, Lurene Tuttle, Paula Winslowe, Joseph Kearns, and Arthur Q. Bryan? Answer: They guest-starred, grew, or launched their careers on CBS's Forecast! Forecast was a summer replacement series for the Lux Radio Theatre which ran for two seasons in 1940 and 1941. It ushered in an era of show pilots for public viewing and helped give rise to countless actors, writers, and directors, as well as two huge shows: Suspense & Duffy's Tavern. On Breaking Walls Episode 80, we present an in-depth look at Forecast featuring interviews, insights, and episode moments. Highlights: • Why would Forecast have come to the airwaves in the first place? • Hear CBS head William S. Paley's insights on programming • How Alfred Hitchcock helped launch the famed mystery show, Suspense • Bill Spier: Music critic, turned producer and director of mystery • How Elliott Lewis got his start on Forecast • Mel Allen & Duffy's Tavern: Where the Elite Meet To Eat • Norman Corwin's Two pieces for Forecast that helped catapult his career • How radio actor Byron Kane got his first role on Forecast • Jim Backus & the Class of 1941 * Hopalong Cassidy • The Country Lawyer: One of the most experimental radio broadcasts of its time • An all african-american jubilee to close Forecast The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. Featured in today's episode were interviews with: • Bill Spier and Mel Allen for Dick Bertel & Ed Corcoran's WTIC Golden Age of Radio program, who's episodes can be found at GoldenAge-Wtic.org • Elliott Lewis and Byron Kane, for the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy, which can be found at SPERDVAC.com • and Jim Backus and Norman Corwin with Chuck Schaden, who's interviews can be streamed for free at SpeakingofRadio.com. Norman Corwin was also interviewed by Michael James Kacey for his DVD The Poet Laureate of Radio: An Interview with Norman Corwin, which you can pick up on Amazon. Selected Music featured in today's Episode was: • My Blue Heaven by Glenn Miller • Begin the Beguine & Stardust by Artie Shaw • Alcolba Azul, by Elliot Goldenthal The Battle Cry for Freedom by Jaqueline Schwab for the Civil War, by Ken Burns Falling played by Michael Silvermann • Catch a Falling Star, by Perry Como
This episode was originally released on 5/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes beginning with this episode on the birth of radio. ___________ In Breaking Walls Episode 79, we present a detailed look at Orson Welles' radio career through the end of 1941. Highlights: • Beginnings in Illinois and China — How they helped shape Orson • The Todd Seminary School — His first exposure to theater and Radio • Connections and Early Breaks — How his mentor Roger Hill, Thornton Wilder, Alexander Woollcott, and Katharine Cornell helped Orson get to Broadway • Orson meets John Houseman and Archibald MacLeish, and first appears on the March of Time • 1935-1937 — From the March of Time to the Columbia Workshop, and how Irvin Reis taught Orson how to create for radio • How the US Government shaped the opportunity for Orson to write, direct, and star in Les Misérables on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1937 • The Shadow Knows! — Agnes Moorehead and Orson Welles' one season on The Shadow • The birth of the Mercury Theater on the Air as First Person singular. • How it's success led to the most infamous night in radio in October of 1938 • Mainstream success with Campbell's Soups • Orson goes to Hollywood, and signs the greatest autonomous film contract in history at 24 • Citizen Kane — How William Randolph Hearst and RKO shaped the film • Lady Esther Presents — Orson comes back to radio in the autumn of 1941 • Pearl Harbor Day and collaborating with Norman Corwin • Joseph Cotton introduces Orson to Rita Hayworth The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: • Citizen Welles: A Biography of Orson Welles by Frank Brady • This is Orson Welles by Welles and Peter Bogdanovich • The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning • Discovering Orson Welles by Jonathan Rosenbaum Other materials included: • http://www.wellesnet.com - an incredibly comprehensive website on Orson's career • Orson Welles on the Air, 1938-1946 at https://orsonwelles.indiana.edu • The Radio Preservation Task Force also has a great Facebook group headed by Josh Shepperd Selected Interviews in this episode were: • Orson Welles with Dick Cavett, Johnny Carson, and Huw Wheldon, • Agnes Moorehead and Alan Reed were with radio Hall of Fame Member Chuck Schaden, who interviewed over 200 members of the radio community during his 39 year career. Chuck's interviews can be streamed for free at SpeakingofRadio.com. • William Robson was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio in January of 1976 and Kenny Delmare was with John Dunning in 1983. Those interviews can be found at the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group at Otrrlibrary.org • William Herz was with Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman in 2013 for their program on the Yesterday USA Radio Network, which you can visit at http://www.yesterdayusa.com.
This episode was originally released on 3/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes beginning with this episode on the birth of radio. —————————— In Breaking Walls Episode 77 we pick up our story on the history of American radio broadcasting, as a few ramshackle radio stations become large national networks, giving rise to an entire generation of entertainment giants during the roaring 1920s. Highlights: • July 2, 1921— Jack Dempsey defends his heavyweight boxing title in front of 80,000 fans as RCA broadcasts the event Closed Circuit to over 300,000 fans. Its the first broadcast of its kind. • The Radio Craze begins as almost 600 stations sign on in 1922 • Herbert Hoover tries to better organize the radio dial and put small stations out of business • AT&T's attempt to monopolize radio broadcasting • The formation of the National Broadcasting Company • The Radio Act of 1927 • William S. Paley buys The Columbia Broadcasting System and turns it into a 2nd major network • Rudy Vallee becomes radio's first mega-star • Chicago becomes radio's 2nd capital • Hollywood's radio recording rise in the late 1930s • The Mutual Broadcasting System is formed—The Shadow debuts • War, once again, comes to Europe The reading material for today's episode was: • The Rise of Radio, From Marconi through The Golden Age by Alfred Balk • Inventing American Broadcasting 1899-1922 by Susan J. Douglas • The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning • A Pictorial History of Radio's First 75 Years by B. Eric Rhoads • Hello Everybody! The Dawn of American Radio by Anthony Rudel & • The Network by Scott Woolley Featured on today's show were interviews conducted by Dick Bertel and the late Ed Corcoran and numerous others for Westinghouse, CBS, and NBC. Harold Arlin's was interviewed by author J. Fred McDonald for his book Don't Touch That Dial.
This episode was originally released on 2/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes beginning with this episode on the birth of radio. —————————— Highlights: * Why the Blizzard of 1888 played such an important role in the need for wireless telegraphy * Who Was Heinrich Hertz? What experiment made him the father of Hertzian Waves? * What Oliver Lodge, Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell, and Amos DollBear have in common * Guglielmo Marconi, father of radio? * The benefits to wireless telegraphy * David Sarnoff — His start between 1900 - 1906 * Why the press want to get involved * Lee Deforest — Inventor, Fraud, or both? * What incredibly important event happened in December of 1901 in New Foundland * Why the American Government wanted to regulate wireless telegraphy * Reginald Fessenden, Christmas Eve, Oh Holy Night, and Brant Rock * The Titanic Disaster — How it changed wireless telegraphy forever * The Radio Box Memo * What's next? —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— A tremendous thank you to today's cast: Samantha De Gracia Olga Lysenko Justin Peele Nancy Pop Fernando Sanabria William Schallert & John Stephenson —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • Inventing American Broadcasting 1899-1922 by Susan J. Douglas • Empire of the Air by Tom Lewis • A Pictorial History of Radio's First 75 Years by B. Eric Rhoads • Hello Everybody! The Dawn of American Radio by Anthony Rudel & • The Network by Scott Woolley —————————— The interview clips in today's open: • Chuck Schaden, who's interviews can be found at http://www.speakingofradio.com and • Dick Bertel and the late Ed Corcoran's Golden Age of Radio program that ran on Hartford, CT's WTIC in the 1970s, who's interviews can be found at http://otrrlibrary.org —————————— Todays' introduction music of Clair de lune was arranged for harp and vibraphone by David DePeters and played by Elizabeth Hainen. You can pick up her album, Home: Works for Solo Harp on iTunes and Amazon, and listen on Spotify and Pandora. Her website is ElizabethHainen.com and she is on youtube @Elizabethhainenharp —————————— I'd also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman of SPERDVAC - http://sperdvac.com/ That thank you also extends to the late Les Tremayne and late Jack Brown for their wonderful 1986 documentary series, Please Stand By: A History of Radio.
Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers Well, we're back where we started, but we're not the same. I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that when you run on the treadmill to oblivion, you don't always go where you want, but you get in shape doing it. When I began Breaking Walls ten years ago I envisioned it as a sit-down interview show. Over time it slowly morphed into on the scene reporting, and eventually a history of U.S. Network Radio Broadcasting. When I made this programming switch permanent in February of 2018 I didn't know how long I'd be able to keep it up. In many ways these documentaries have been a means of teaching myself the business of broadcasting in order to use the past to inform the present. They've also been about teaching myself how to be a good writer, sound designer, and narrator. My life has undergone many changes in the past six and a half years. I now have paid work in the world of audio thanks to Breaking Walls. This paid work is encroaching upon my time and honestly, it's paid. It needs to be a priority. This is a long-winded way of saying that I need to take a break from the treadmill. So, for the next three months Breaking Walls is undergoing a change. Don't worry! I'm still going to put out new content. You'll still see an episode 156 of Breaking Walls, which, incidentally, will feature shows from Halloween 1944. Rather than contain my narration and sound design as one giant documentary, they'll be standalone radio shows with the usual information written into the description of each track. I'm also going to continue to post the Breaking Walls archives to Youtube, and post additional content on Patreon.com/TheWallBreakers. On Patreon the next episode will drop early as one giant playlist of shows. I've been on the fence about how and when to pause. Eighty months is a long time to run on any treadmill without a break. Given that this was the tenth anniversary of the launch of Breaking Walls, I feel like it's a good time to give myself that break. You never know, when you close one door — even temporarily like this is — what good things can come in through a window or a side. My plan is to come back to documentary-style episodes of Breaking Walls on January 1st, 2025. (Half Pause) The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Gleason's Second Honeymoon — By Pete Hammil • The Great One: The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason — By William A. Henry • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles and features from • Broadcasting Magazine • Ephemeral New York • The Library of Congress • Naval History and Heritage Command • The New York Times • The Sydney Morning Herald (Half Pause) On the interview front: • Don Ameche spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear this full chat at Speakingofradio.com. • Mel Allen and Edgar Bergen spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Norman Corwin spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. • Bob Hope spoke with Dick Cavett • Gene Tierney spoke with Mike Douglas • Fred Allen spoke with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg (Half Pause) I'd like to thank Chuck Schaden, the late Dick Bertel, the late John Dunning, and SPERDVAC. Without these people and their tremendous work I'd never have been able to do a single episode of Breaking Walls. I'd also like to thank Dr. Joseph Webb for opening the door for me into this world.
Here we are, back at Bill Pogue's. It's after 11PM. What do we know? Well, there are less people drinking here than last night, most would rather stay in and listen for updates. On the air over CBS right now is Joan Brooks. Me? I'm just trying to have that nightcap I started yesterday. There are still news bulletins coming out of Europe. It's almost dawn there. The men will be continuing their missions with D-Day: Plus 1 So far, we know that at least four-thousand Allied soldiers have been killed in the initial attack, but the German forces on the Normandy peninsula have either been killed, captured or forced to withdraw to Caen. I'm sure as we speak troops and equipment are being ferried across the Channel. I know the hope is that by the end of June we'll have nearly a million men in western Europe as we advance north from Italy simultaneously. With the Russians pushing Germany west it's only a matter of time, but the Germans won't go down without a fight. But, I know American resolve. We'll be up for the task, no matter how long it takes. It's why next month on Breaking Walls we'll move just a few weeks into the future and focus on Independence Day, 1944. —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • Radio Speakers--A Biographical Dictionary — By Jim Cox • On The Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • CBSNews.com • GlobalNews.ca • LIFE Magazine • Military-History.org • The New York Times • The New York Daily News • Presidency.UCSB.edu • RadioArchives.com • Radio Daily —————————— On the interview front: • André Baruch, Mel Blanc, Ken Carpenter, Norman Corwin, Alice Frost, Barbara Luddy, Bret Morrison, Ken Roberts, Kate Smith, and Olan Soule spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Himan Brown, Staats Cotsworth, Jim Jordan, Mandel Kramer, and Jan Miner, spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Joan Banks spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com • Fran Carlon, John Daly, and Ben Grauer spoke for Westinghouse's 50th anniversary. • Ned Calmer, Doug Edwards, Lowell Thomas, Charles Osgood, and Bob Trout spoke to CBS for their 50th anniversary. • HV Kaltenborn spoke to NBC for their 50th anniversary • Charles Collingwood and Bob Trout spoke to the makers of Please Stand By • Bob Trout also spoke to the Television Academy • George Burns spoke with Barbara Walters • Red Skelton spoke with Dini Petty —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Romanian Folk Dances #3 — By Béla Bartók, played by Avi Avital • Wilderness Trail — By Walter Scharf for National Geographic —————————— A massive special thank you to Walden Hughes for supplying so many master quality recordings used in this D-Day episode. Listen to Walden's shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.
In Breaking Walls episode 151 it's the spring of 1944 and Jack Benny's sponsor, General Foods, thinks he's in a slump. Benny got mad and it changed the broadcasting landscape forever. Tonight, we'll find out how and why. —————————— Highlights: • Benny's Early Radio Career in the 1930s and Ratings Peak • Early Problems with General Foods • Dennis Day Leaves for World War II • Jack Fires General Foods, Signs with American Tobacco • Dick Haymes Replaces Dennis Day as Singer • The Importance of Benny's Supporting Cast • Jack's Split Personality • Danny Kaye Guest Stars To Play Jack in A Movie • The Last General Foods Sponsored Show • Looking Ahead to D-Day's 80th Anniversary —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • Sunday Nights at Seven — by Jack and Joan Benny • On The Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • Radio Daily • Variety And a massive special thank you to William Cairns for providing me with invaluable research on Benny's 1940s run. William has a Jack Benny book on its way. —————————— On the interview front: • Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Mel Blanc and Mary Jane Higby spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, and Don Wilson were with Jack Carney • Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. • Orson Welles spoke to Johnny Carson —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • The Hut on Fowl's Legs — By Modest Mussorgsky —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Gerrit Lane Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. WildEyeWheel —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In the fall of 1944 after Jack's switch to Lucky Strike, General Foods did move a show opposite Jack. It wound up being The Kate Smith Show. The company uprooted Smith's Friday program, countering Benny with a One-Hundred-Seventy-Thousand-Dollar ad campaign. While they did temporarily put a dent into Benny's rating, Kate Smith lost forty-percent of her audience, dropping to ninety-third place in the overall ratings. The following season General Foods moved her back to Friday, but Kate Smith never again had another Top-fifty show. Well, that brings our look at Jack Benny's show in the spring of 1944 to a close. I mentioned that Benny's last episode for General Foods aired on June 4th, 1944. Our next episode of Breaking Walls will move only two days into the future, for perhaps the most important day in broadcasting history. Next time on Breaking Walls, we spotlight radio broadcasting on June 6th, 1944 to align ourselves with the Country's heartbeat on the day the invasion of western Europe finally began. The reading material used in today's episode was: • Sunday Nights at Seven — by Jack and Joan Benny • On The Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • Radio Daily • Variety And a massive special thank you to William Cairns for providing me with invaluable research on Benny's 1940s run. William has a Jack Benny book on its way. On the interview front: • Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Mel Blanc and Mary Jane Higby spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, and Don Wilson were with Jack Carney • Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. • Orson Welles spoke to Johnny Carson Selected music featured in today's episode was: • The Hut on Fowl's Legs — By Modest Mussorgsky
In Breaking Walls episode 150 we parachute into Easter Sunday, 1944 for a day of radio, recollections, and reconciliation. It's now less than two months before D-Day and U.S. citizens are awaiting word of a full-scale European invasion with held breath. —————————— Highlights: • Cracks In The Nazi Foundation • Invitation To Learning at 11:30AM • Ceiling Unlimited with Joseph Cotton at 2PM • The Life of Riley at 3PM • Bulldog Drummond at 3:30PM • The Shadow at 5:30PM • The Catholic Hour & Radio Hall of Fame at 6PM • The Great Gildersleeve at 6:30PM • Jack Benny and The Mysterious Traveler at 7PM • Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy at 8PM • Fred Allen at 9:30PM • Bob Crosby and The Thin Man at 10PM • Duke Ellington and The News at 11:15PM • Looking Ahead to Jack Benny Changing Sponsors —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • Treadmill to Oblivion & Much Ado About Me — By Fred Allen • Citizen Welles — By Frank Brady • On The Air — By John Dunning • Invitation To Learning — By Martin Grams Jr. • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg —————————— On the interview front: • Don Ameche, George Balzer, Jack Benny, Conrad Binyon, Himan Brown, Joseph Cotton, Shirley Mitchell, Brett Morrison, Les Tremayne, and Paula Winslowe spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Jackson Beck, Edgar Bergen, and Hans Conreid spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Ralph Bell and Himan Brown spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com • Jack Kruschen and Shirley Mitchell spoke to Jim Bohannon in 1987 • Jack Benny spoke with Jack Carney • Fred Allen spoke with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg • Parker Fennelly spoke with David S. Siegel • Duke Ellington spoke with Dick Cavett —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Besame Mucho — By Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Gerrit Lane Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. WildEyeWheel
In Breaking Walls episode 149 we'll spend March of 1944 with Hal Peary and The Great Gildersleeve. —————————— Highlights: • The Men And Women On The Front Lines of War War II in March 1944 • Hal Peary and the Birth of Gildersleeve on Fibber McGee and Molly • The First Ever Sitcom Spin Off and The Great Gildersleeve Premieres • Registering To Vote • Mid March 1944 News with NBC War Telescope • Gildy Wants to Run For Mayor • The Campaign Photo • A Night In A Foxhole • Looking Ahead to Easter Sunday 1944 —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from: • Broadcasting Magazine • The Library of Congress • The New York Times • Radio Daily —————————— On the interview front: • Ken Carpenter, Alice Faye, Shirley Mitchell, Frank Nelson, Hal Peary, Lilian Randolph and Lurene Tuttle spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Shirley Mitchell also spoke with Jim Bohannon in 1987. • Howard Duff spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Don Quinn spoke with Owen Cunningham —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Besame Mucho — By Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Gerrit Lane Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 148 we spend February of 1944 with America's top comedian, Bob Hope, as he whisks himself around the country, entertaining troops and broadcasting to the masses. —————————— Highlights: • Leslie Townes Hope's Rise to Stardom • Broadway and Early Radio Shows • The Big Broadcast of 1938 • The Pepsodent Program • Early February 1944 World War II News • NBC Dominates Tuesday Nights in 1944 • Bob with Guest Ginger Rogers • The 4th War Bond Drive • Command Performance with Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland • Mid February World News Roundup • Bob with Guest Bing Crosby • Bob with Guest Carole Landis • News as we Leave February • Bob Gets Sick, Is Honored by The Academy • Looking Ahead to March with The Great GIldersleeve —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Bob Hope: The Road Well-Traveled — By Lawrence J. Quirk • The Spirit of Bob Hope: One Hundred Years, One Million Laughs — By Richard Grudens • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Bob Hope: The Road from Eltham — By Charles Thompson As well as articles from: • Aces of World War II • Broadcasting Magazine • The Military Times • Radio Daily • The Seattle Times —————————— On the interview front: • Bob Hope was with both Dick Cavett in 1972 and Johnny Carson in 1974. • Ken Carpenter, Jim Jordan, Hariet Nelson, Wendell Niles, Hal Peary, and Lurene Tuttle spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com • Jim Jordan also spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Red Skelton spoke with Merv Griffin in 1975 • Bing Crosby spoke with Same Time, Same Station —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Thanks For the Memory — By Bob Hope and Shirley Ross • Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. An extra special thanks to Doug Hopkinson who provided the Bob Hope episode with Bing Crosby that aired February 15th, 1944. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Gerrit Lane Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Well, that brings our look at Bob Hope's career in February of 1944 to a close. We'll be staying in 1944 the remainder of the year and next month we'll spend March 1944 with a program considered to be the first spin-off in sitcom history. Next time on Breaking Walls we spotlight Hal Peary and The Great Gildersleeve, which between February and March of 1944 pulled a rating of nineteen points, making it the most-listened to show airing at 6:30PM in radio history. The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Bob Hope: The Road Well-Traveled — By Lawrence J. Quirk • The Spirit of Bob Hope: One Hundred Years, One Million Laughs — By Richard Grudens • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Bob Hope: The Road from Eltham — By Charles Thompson As well as articles from: • Aces of World War II • Broadcasting Magazine • The Military Times • Radio Daily • The Seattle Times —————————— On the interview front: • Bob Hope was with both Dick Cavett in 1972 and Johnny Carson in 1974. • Ken Carpenter, Jim Jordan, Hariet Nelson, Wendell Niles, Hal Peary, and Lurene Tuttle spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com • Jim Jordan also spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Red Skelton spoke with Merv Griffin in 1975 • Bing Crosby spoke with Same Time, Same Station —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Thanks For the Memory — By Bob Hope and Shirley Ross • Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. An extra special thanks to Doug Hopkinson who provided the Bob Hope episode with Bing Crosby that aired February 15th, 1944. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Gerrit Lane Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 147 we go into the studio with Himan Brown for the CBS radio drama relaunch in 1974. —————————— Highlights: • First a January 1974 World News Roundup • Himan Brown's Big Idea to Relaunch Radio Drama on CBS in 1974 • Tuning Into January 8, 1974's Episode of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater • Mason Adams in I Warn You Three Times • January 13, 1974 World News Roundup — Nixon Still On Hot Seat • Producing The CBS Radio Mystery Theater With The New York Radio Crew • Dead For a Dollar • The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Beyond January 1974 • Looking Ahead to February by Looking Back to Bob Hope —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • The CBS Radio Mystery Theater, An Episode Guide and Handbook to Nine Years of Broadcasting — By Gordon Payton and Martin Grams, Jr. As well as articles from: • The Cleveland Plain Dealer —————————— On the interview front: • Himan Brown, Larry Haines, Mary Jane Higby, Joseph Julian, and E.G. Marshall spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Joan Banks and George Petrie were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com • Mason Adams spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • January Stars — By George Winston • Amid Flowers, Beside the River, Under a Spring Moon — By Elizabeth Hainen • Perfida — By Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Gerrit Lane Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Well, that brings our look at the launch of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater to a close. We've spent the past five months making our way forward in time from 1957, to 1963, to 1973, and finally 1974. But, next month on Breaking Walls we'll head back to the middle of radio's golden age and focus on one of the most successful comedians of all-time. Next time on Breaking Walls, it's February of 1944 and between entertaining troops, smashing box office numbers, and notoriously carousing, the man jokingly referred to by friend Bing Crosby as “ol trowel nose,” Bob Hope, is radio's top comedian. For the first time in six years of Breaking Walls episodes, we'll focus on the man who always reminded us to say, thanks for the memories. The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • The CBS Radio Mystery Theater, An Episode Guide and Handbook to Nine Years of Broadcasting — By Gordon Payton and Martin Grams, Jr. As well as articles from: • The Cleveland Plain Dealer —————————— On the interview front: • Himan Brown, Larry Haines, Mary Jane Higby, Joseph Julian, and E.G. Marshall spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Joan Banks and George Petrie were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com • Mason Adams spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • January Stars — By George Winston • Amid Flowers, Beside the River, Under a Spring Moon — By Elizabeth Hainen • Perfida — By Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. ——————————
In Breaking Walls episode 146 we spotlight the Jay Kholos, Elliott Lewis, and Rod Serling series The Zero Hour in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of its debut on the Mutual Broadcasting System in December of 1973. —————————— Highlights: • Radio Drama Coming Back in 1973 • Jay Kholos Conceives The Zero Hour — Rod Serling Will Host • The Zero Hour Is On the Air • WRVR and Selling Radio Shows In the 1970s • Nixon On The Hot Seat • AFTRA's Moving Goal Posts — Kholos Must Sell The Zero Hour's Rights • Selling The Zero Hour to Mutual • Elliott Lewis and Jay Kholos Leave The Zero Hour • Mutual Cancels The Zero Hour and Rod Serling is Disappointed • Life After Radio Drama • Looking Ahead to the CBS Radio Mystery Theater —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • A Pictorial History of Radio's First 75 Years — By B. Eric Rhoads • The Radio Career of Rod Serling — By Martin Grams Jr's The archive from Digital Deli's Zero Hour page. As well as articles from: • The Arizona Republic • The Associated Press * The Cleveland Plain Dealer * Pacific Stars and Stripes • The San Mateo Times • The Van Wert Times Bulletin —————————— On the interview front: • Himan Brown and Howard Duff spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Howard Duff, Elliott Lewis, Les Tremayne, Janet Waldo, and Paula Winslowe spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these chats at Speakingofradio.com • Mary Jane Croft, Byron Kane, and Elliott Lewis spoke with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com • Jay M. Kholos was interviewed by Yours Truly, James Scully in January 2018 —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Caravan — By Eighty Drums Around The World • What Are You Doing New Year's Eve — By Nancy Wilson —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Arizona Republic, June 11th, 1973 “If you loved the old radio shows, you'll like what KOOL-FM has in store for you. The station has bought the brand-new radio drama series, The Zero Hour, which promises to revive the good old days, but in a modern format. “Announcing the new series was E. Morgan Skinner Jr., promoted last week from KOOL-AM account executive to KOOL-FM assistant station manager. Judging from the pilot tape, it should be an interesting show. Each story lasts a week. A half-hour episode is presented nightly, Monday through Friday, with the climax coming on Friday. A new show starts the following Monday. “KOOL has bought twenty-six weeks of the series, all that Hollywood Radio Theater has available so far. The program originally was to be started in mid-June, but the unsettled Writers Guild of America strike apparently has created some delay. “Current plans are to begin in mid-July. Each show will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on KOOL-FM and then rebroadcast on KOOL-AM at 10:30 p.m. "But that's during television's prime time," you say? That's the whole point. "Zero Hour is contemporary, but reflective of radio's golden era," said Skinner. “And they're doing the thing in such a way as to leave people free to utilize their minds. “By Beginning in July, it takes the series into the fall to compete against the new shows on TV. A lot of us have become disenchanted with what television has to deliver. "It's going to be interesting to see what a top-quality radio series will do against prime-time TV. The quality of this show is superb. It's crisp and well-done." “Hollywood Radio Theater is the brainchild of Jay M. Kholos, a veteran in the advertising and communications field. Rod Serling hosts the series. The first episode, titled "The Wife of the Red-Haired Man," stars Patty Duke Astin, John Astin and Howard Duff. The yarn is about the pursuit of a dead couple. Duff, of course, does the pursuing.” — Jack Swanson Before this September 3rd, 1973 debut episode of The Zero Hour, over WRVR 106.7FM in New York, Kholos spent the summer of 1973 traveling around, selling the series to stations in Syndication. After that, he was joined by Rod Serling on a promotional tour. Radio legend Les Tremayne played Patty Duke's husband Albert. In November 1973, Howard Duff was a guest of Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran's WTIC Golden Age of Radio program. He spoke positively about his experience with The Zero Hour.
In Breaking Walls episode 144 we present part two of our mini-series on radio and the world in the fall of 1957. —————————— Highlights: • The 1957 World Series • Unit 99 • Sputnik, Bing Crosby, and Current Events • The Eternal Light and The Glastonbury Cows • Algeria Aflame • Stan Freberg • Bill Kemp, ABC, and More News • School Integration Update • Sorry, Wrong Number • You Bet Your Life • NATO, Syria, and Sputnik • LIFE and The World with Carl Sandberg and Frank Lloyd Wright • Looking Ahead to Jean Shepherd and JFK —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • I Have a Lady in the Balcony: Memories of a Broadcaster in Radio and Television — By George Ansbro • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • The New England Historical Society • The New York Times • Sponsor Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Stan Freberg, Byron Kane, and Peggy Webber spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Andre Baruch, Ken Carpenter, Virginia Gregg, John Guedel, and Agnes Moorehead spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Jackson Beck, Vincent Price, and Bill Spier spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Jack Benny's snippet was recorded by CBS and played for their 50th anniversary in 1977 —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Plunkett's Lament — By George Fenton • The Pavane and Window To The Sky — By Michael Silverman • As Time Goes By — By Herman Hupfeld • Road — By George Winston • Metamorphosis 2 — By Elizabeth Hainen • Amazing Grace — By Wind Drum Spirit —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Next time on Breaking Walls, in honor of the sixtieth anniversary of John Kennedy's Assassination, we spotlight Jean Shepherd and his November 1963 broadcasts. —————————— Highlights: • The 1957 World Series • Unit 99 • Sputnik, Bing Crosby, and Current Events • The Eternal Light and The Glastonbury Cows • Algeria Aflame • Stan Freberg • Bill Kemp, ABC, and More News • School Integration Update • Sorry, Wrong Number • You Bet Your Life • NATO, Syria, and Sputnik • LIFE and The World with Carl Sandberg and Frank Lloyd Wright • Looking Ahead to Jean Shepherd and JFK —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • I Have a Lady in the Balcony: Memories of a Broadcaster in Radio and Television — By George Ansbro • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • The New England Historical Society • The New York Times • Sponsor Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Stan Freberg, Byron Kane, and Peggy Webber spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Andre Baruch, Ken Carpenter, Virginia Gregg, John Guedel, and Agnes Moorehead spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Jackson Beck, Vincent Price, and Bill Spier spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Jack Benny's snippet was recorded by CBS and played for their 50th anniversary in 1977 —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Plunkett's Lament — By George Fenton • The Pavane and Window To The Sky — By Michael Silverman • As Time Goes By — By Herman Hupfeld • Road — By George Winston • Metamorphosis 2 — By Elizabeth Hainen • Amazing Grace — By Wind Drum Spirit —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 143 we begin a mini series on radio and the world in the fall of 1957. —————————— Highlights: • LIFE and The World • The Man from Tomorrow • The American Forum of the Air • Atomic Testing • Pat Buttram and Just Entertainment on Labor Day • Ray Bradbury and the End of X-Minus One • Ms America • The Hattie Cotton School Bombing • Biography in Sound • Howard Miller and Steve Allen • The End of Family Theater • The Grand Ole Opry • Meet The Press and The Right of Self Determination • CBS Still Doing Drama on Sundays • Bing Crosby's Road Show • School Integration • The Dodgers and Giants Leave New York • Looking Ahead to October and Sputnik —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Times • Radio Daily • U.S. Radio Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Lilian Buyeff, Mary Jane Croft, Sam Edwards, Herb Ellis, Bill Froug, Jack Johnstone, Jeanette Nolan, and Herb Vigran spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • John Scott Trotter spoke with Same Time, Same Station. • Jackson Beck, John Gibson, Larry Haines, Mary Jane Higby, Jim Jordan, Joe Julian, Mandel Kramer, Jan Miner, Arnold Moss, Bill Robson, and Guy Sorel spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Parley Baer, Ken Carpenter, Bob Hastings, Jim Jordan, and Herb Vigran spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Roberta Bailey-Goodwin spoke with John Dunning for his KNUS program from Denver * Norman Macdonnell was with John Hickman for his Gunsmoke documentary • Jack Kruschen and George Walsh spoke with Jim Bohannon in 1987 • Ray Bradbury spoke with Jerry Haendiges • Ernest Kinoy spoke with Walden Hughes • Ben Grauer spoke with Westinghouse for their 50th anniversary • William S. Paley gave a speech on November 20th, 1958 in New York —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Scarborough Fair, Shenandoah, and Autumn Stars — By Michael Silverman • The Last Rose of Summer — By Tom Waits • Corrina, Corrina, Old Friends, and Where Are You Now — By George Winston • Death Runs Riot — By Matthias Gohl • This Room is My Castle of Quiet — By Billy May and His Orchestra —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Next time on Breaking Walls, we continue our 1957 mini series by picking up in October with Sputnik, Algeria, Queen Elizabeth's royal tour, and dying radio drama. —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Times • Radio Daily • U.S. Radio Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Lilian Buyeff, Mary Jane Croft, Sam Edwards, Herb Ellis, Bill Froug, Jack Johnstone, Jeanette Nolan, and Herb Vigran spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • John Scott Trotter spoke with Same Time, Same Station. • Jackson Beck, John Gibson, Larry Haines, Mary Jane Higby, Jim Jordan, Joe Julian, Mandel Kramer, Jan Miner, Arnold Moss, Bill Robson, and Guy Sorel spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Parley Baer, Ken Carpenter, Bob Hastings, Jim Jordan, and Herb Vigran spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Roberta Bailey-Goodwin spoke with John Dunning for his KNUS program from Denver * Norman Macdonnell was with John Hickman for his Gunsmoke documentary • Jack Kruschen and George Walsh spoke with Jim Bohannon in 1987 • Ray Bradbury spoke with Jerry Haendiges • Ernest Kinoy spoke with Walden Hughes • Ben Grauer spoke with Westinghouse for their 50th anniversary • William S. Paley gave a speech on November 20th, 1958 in New York —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Scarborough Fair, Shenandoah, and Autumn Stars — By Michael Silverman • The Last Rose of Summer — By Tom Waits • Corrina, Corrina, Old Friends, and Where Are You Now — By George Winston • Death Runs Riot — By Matthias Gohl • This Room is My Castle of Quiet — By Billy May and His Orchestra
In Breaking Walls episode 142 we feature one of Brooklyn's native sons, Bill Gargan, who made more than sixty films, and good money on radio in the 1950s. —————————— Highlights: • Brooklyn's Native Son • Hollywood and An Oscar Nomination • The War and Being a Radio Detective • Martin Kane • Launching Barrie Craig • Radio Ratings in 1954 • Hollywood vs. New York • Hay is For Homicide • Ghosts Don't Die in Bed • Throat Cancer and Thereafter • Looking Ahead to 1957 —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Why Me? An Autobiography — By William Gargan • The Big Show — By Martin Grams Jr. • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg —————————— On the interview front: • Parley Baer, Himan Brown, Lawrence Dobkin, Betty Lou Gerson, Virginia Gregg, Herb Ellis, and Herb Vigran spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Bing Crosby and Lurene Tuttle spoke with Same Time, Same Station. • Himan Brown spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Parley Baer and Himan Brown also spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at Speakingofradio.com. • Connee Boswell spoke with Lee Philip. • Ernest Konoy spoke with Walden Hughes for Yesterday USA. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • The Man With The Golden Arm — By Elmer Bernstein • String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 — By Avi Avital • Pyramid of the Sun and Voodoo Dreams — By Les Baxter • Living Without You — By George Winston, who recently passed away —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams Jim W. —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 140, we examine the under-appreciated radio career of the one and only Humphrey Bogart. —————————— Highlights: • The Broadway Kid • Lux Presents Hollywood • High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon • Bogie with Hope, Benny, and Vallée • Casablanca • Suspense, Lauren Bacall, and Command Performance • Staying at Home for More Radio • HUAC • Fatherhood and Bold Venture • The African Queen and The Academy Award • The Final Years • Looking Ahead to July and Orson Welles —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • Lauren Bacall By Myself — By Lauren Bacall • Humphrey Bogart — By Alan G. Barbour • On The Air — By John Dunning • Bogart: A Life in Hollywood — By Jeffrey Meyers • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Bogart — By A.M. Sperber & Eric Lax As well as articles from: • The Chicago Sun-Times • The New York Times • Variety —————————— On the interview front: • Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall spoke with Edward R. Murrow in 1954 • Humphrey Bogart and John Huston spoke to George Fisher • Humphrey Bogart also spoke to Ed Sullivan • Morton Fine spoke with Dan Haefele for SPERDVAC in 1988 • Howard Duff and William Spier spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Here these interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org • Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Here this chat at SpeakingOfRadio.com • Ingrid Bergman spoke to the CBC • William Holden spoke to Dick Cavett —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Manhattan Serenade — By Richard Alden • As Time Goes By — By Herman Hupfeld • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 139 we spotlight The Martin & Lewis show, and pay close attention to Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. —————————— Highlights: • Capital Gains and Thanksgiving on NBC • The Nightclub Act • Opportunity Flops • The My Friend Irma Movie • Dragnet • The Show Relaunches — Frank Sinatra Guests • Marilyn Monroe Makes a Rare Radio Appearance • Splitting, Then Reuniting • Looking ahead to Bogie —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Dean & Me: A Love Story — By Jerry Lewis • Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime (Especially Himself): The Story of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis — by Arthur Marx • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Marilyn Monroe: The Biography — By Donald Spoto As well as articles from: • Billboard • The Cleveland Plain Dealer • LIFE Magazine • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Times • Variety —————————— On the interview front: • Jack Benny and Virginia Gregg spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these interviews at SpeakingofRadio.com. • John Gibson spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Both Frank and Nancy Sinatra Jr. spoke with Larry King. • Marilyn Monroe spoke with Dave Garroway for NBC's Monitor in 1955. • Both Martin and Lewis spoke with Cedric Adams for WCCO in 1952. • Dean Martin spoke with Edward R. Murrow in 1958 and with Randi Oakes in 1984 • Jerry Lewis spoke with Sam Denoff for The Television Academy in 2000. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Hen Ferchetan — By Avi Avital • Memories Are Made of This — By Dean Martin • Manhattan Serenade — By Richard Alden —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Well, that brings our look at The Martin & Lewis Show to a close. Incidentally, we'll be staying with this energy next month. I mentioned earlier that Dean made films with The Rat Pack. Frank Sinatra was also a member. Some people called Frank the leader. Some others have incorrectly attributed him as the founder of this crew. But, our focus in Breaking Walls episode 140 will spotlight the true creator of The Rat Pack. Next time on Breaking Walls, we focus on Bogie, and Bacall too, when we spotlight the unsung radio career of Humphrey Bogart. —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • Dean & Me: A Love Story — By Jerry Lewis • Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime (Especially Himself): The Story of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis — by Arthur Marx • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Marilyn Monroe: The Biography — By Donald Spoto As well as articles from: • Billboard • The Cleveland Plain Dealer • LIFE Magazine • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Times • Variety —————————— On the interview front: • Jack Benny and Virginia Gregg spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear these interviews at SpeakingofRadio.com. • John Gibson spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Both Frank and Nancy Sinatra Jr. spoke with Larry King. • Marilyn Monroe spoke with Dave Garroway for NBC's Monitor in 1955. • Both Martin and Lewis spoke with Cedric Adams for WCCO in 1952. • Dean Martin spoke with Edward R. Murrow in 1958 and with Randi Oakes in 1984 • Jerry Lewis spoke with Sam Denoff for The Television Academy in 2000.
In Breaking Walls episode 138 in honor of opening day, we'll share stories, and sounds from Baseball history and the radio. —————————— Highlights: • Dots and Dashes • The Babe • Mel Allen • Dizzy • The War • Jackie • The Death of Babe Ruth • Baseball Radio Drama • The Shot Heard Round The World • Westward Ho! • The TV Era and the Death of Jackie Robinson • Looking Ahead To May with Frank, Dean, Jerry, and Marilyn —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material for today's episode was: • On The Air — By John Dunning • The Voice: Mel Allen's Untold Story — By Curt Smith • Those Great Old-Time Radio Years — By Aubrey J. Sher As well as countless other references and websites for baseball stats and history. —————————— On the interview front: • Mel Allen and Vincent Price spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at GoldenAge-WTIC.org • Vincent Price also spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear this interview at SpeakingofRadio.com • Red Barber and Ben Gross spoke to Westinghouse for their anniversary special in 1970 • Red Barber spoke for Please Stand By in 1986 • Red Barber and Phil Rizzuto spoke to CBS for their Fiftieth Anniversary Special in 1977 • Marilyn Monroe spoke to Dave Garroway for NBC's Monitor in 1955. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Take Me Out To the Ball Game — By Dorris Day and Frank Sinatra • Love Echoes in the Pine Hills — By George Winston • Someone To Watch Over Me — By Rosemary Squires & The Ken Thorne Orchestra • Swing Into Spring — By Benny Goodman • I'm a Fool To Want You — By Billie Holiday • Battle Cry of Freedom and Steal Away — By Jacqueline Schwab • The Colorado Trail, Opus 28 Fantaisie for Harp — By Elizabeth Hainen • There Used to Be A Ballpark — By Frank Sinatra • The First Baseball Game — By Nat King Cole • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saens —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 136 we spotlight John Dehner and Have Gun, Will Travel. —————————— Highlights: • John Dehner's radio career • Norman MacDonnell and Palladin • The Radio Dial on Sunday November 23rd 1958 • A Matter of Ethics • Killer's Widow • The Lady Doctor • From Here To Boston • Looking Ahead to March —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Martin Grams' article on the origin of Have Gun Will Travel. —————————— On the interview front: • Harry Bartell, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, and Jack Johnstone were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • William N. Robson was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Bill Conrad, John Dehner, Norman Macdonnell, John Meston and William N. Robson spoke to John Hickman for his Gunsmoke documentary. • John Dehner and Vic Perrin spoke to Neil Ross for KMPC in 1982. • Jack Kruschen and Shirley Mitchell were guests of Jim Bohannan in 1987. • Dennis Day spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear this full chat at speakingofradio.com —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Living In The Country and February Sea — By George Winston • Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton • It's Only Make Believe – By Conway Twitty • Loch Lomond — By Musica Intima • Danny Boy — By Dennis Day —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In late 1972, Vincent Price sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full interview here - https://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-32.html). During the course of their conversation, Price spoke about the power of dramatic radio for the listening audience.
In Breaking Walls episode 135 it's February of 1958 and CBS has just launched a new western, Luke Slaughter, of Tombstone. It's a forgotten sixteen episode gem. Five years earlier it might have been a hit. —————————— Highlights: • William N. Robson and The Hollywood Radio Western • Planning Luke Slaughter • Slaughter Launches • The Radio Dial on February 23rd, 1958 • Tracks Out of Tombstone • The End of Slaughter • Looking Ahead to Paladin —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • “Luke Slaughter of Tombstone: The Man Too Tough To Die.” by Stewart Wright's for the April 2018 SPERDVAC RadioGram —————————— On the interview front: • Lilian Buyeff, Mary Jane Croft, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards and Jeanette Nolan were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • William N. Robson was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Norman Macdonnell, and William N. Robson spoke to John Hickman for his Gunsmoke documentary. • Roberta Bailey-Goodwin and E. Jack Neuman spoke with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. • Vic Perrin spoke to Neil Ross for KMPC in 1982. • Jack Kruschen and Shirley Mitchell were guests of Jim Bohannan in 1987. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Pavane — By Steve Erquiaga • I'll Be Seeing You — By The Harry James Orchestra • Who Lives Up There — By Snuffy Walden —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 134 we spend our holidays with one of the most-beloved figures of the twentieth century: Jack Benny. —————————— Highlights: • Picking Up with Benny Leaving NBC for CBS • A World in Turmoil • Benny Launches his Fall 1949 Season • The Texas Benefit • What About 1950? • Jack Goes Christmas Shopping • Christmas Week 1949 in World News • Christmas Day with Jack and the Gang • Bringing 1949 To a Close — Looking Ahead to January —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • Sunday Nights at Seven — By Jack and Joan Benny • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg —————————— On the interview front: • Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson, were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Mel Allen, Mel Blanc, and Vincent Price were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Jack Benny, George Burns, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson were also interviewed by Jack Carney. • Dennis Day and Dick Joy spoke with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. • Don Quinn was interviewed by Owen Cunningham in 1951 —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Somewhere In My Memory — By John Williams • What Are You Doing New Year's Eve — By Nancy Wilson —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 132 we go back to the late 1940s and say Happy Halloween with Mutual Broadcasting. —————————— Highlights: • The Seedy Underbelly of Coney Island on The Crime Club • Take a Ride with The Mysterious Traveler • Mystery is My Hobby • Quiet Please • 1948 Halloween News with Arthur Bario • The House of Mystery • True Detective Mysteries • Halloween 1948 with Holmes and The Shadow • Truman Wins a Stunning Reelection • Murder By Experts • Finishing With I Love a Mystery • Looking Ahead to Thanksgiving —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: American Radio Networks: A History — By Jim Cox • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio — By Christopher Sterling • WOR: The First Sixty Years As well as articles from the archives of • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Daily News • The New York Times • Radio Daily • The Saturday Evening Post —————————— On the interview front: • Jim Boles, Bret Morrison, Carlton E. Morse, and Russell Thorson, were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Joseph Julian was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Harry Bartell and André Baruch were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. •Orson Welles was with Johnny Carson —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Halloween — By Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians • Manhattan — By Blossom Dearie • Flag of Columbia — By Jacqueline Schwab • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
We're going to stop here, but we're not even close to finishing with I Love A Mystery. Next time on Breaking Walls, while we spend Thanksgiving with Carlton E. Morse, Russell Thorson, Jim Boles, and Tony Randall, we utter a simple statement: Bury Your Dead, Arizona. The reading material used in this episode was: American Radio Networks: A History — By Jim Cox On the Air — By John Dunning Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio — By Christopher Sterling WOR: The First Sixty Years As well as articles from the archives of • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Daily News • The New York Times • Radio Daily • The Saturday Evening Post —————————— On the interview front: • Jim Boles, Bret Morrison, Carlton E. Morse, and Russell Thorson, were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Joseph Julian was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Harry Bartell and André Baruch were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. •Orson Welles was with Johnny Carson —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Halloween — By Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians • Manhattan — By Blossom Dearie • Flag of Columbia — By Jacqueline Schwab • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers The reading material used in today's episode was: American Radio Networks: A History — By Jim Cox On the Air — By John Dunning Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio — By Christopher Sterling WOR: The First Sixty Years As well as articles from the archives of • The Los Angeles Times • The New York Daily News • The New York Times • Radio Daily • The Saturday Evening Post —————————— On the interview front: • Jim Boles, Bret Morrison, Carlton E. Morse, and Russell Thorson, were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Joseph Julian was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Harry Bartell and André Baruch were with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. •Orson Welles was with Johnny Carson —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Halloween — By Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians • Manhattan — By Blossom Dearie • Flag of Columbia — By Jacqueline Schwab • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls we spotlight Orson Welles' time as The Shadow in 1937-38. —————————— Highlights: • Orson Welles' on The March of Time and The Columbia Workshop • The Shadow as Narrator • Les Misérables • WOR and Network Radio In The Fall of 1937 • The Shadow Launches With Orson Welles • Jeanette Nolan and The Temple Bells of Neban • Early Reviews • Agnes Moorehead and The Three Ghosts • The Circle of Death • The Mercury Theater Leaves The Shadow • Orson In The Fall of 1938 • Looking Ahead to Halloween with Mutual Broadcasting —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • This is Orson Welles — by Peter Bogdanovich with Orson Welles • Citizen Welles — by Frank Brady • On the Air — By John Dunning • The Shadow: History and Mystery of the Radio Program — By Martin Grams Jr. • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg • Discovering Orson Welles — by Jonathan Rosenbaum • WOR: The First Sixty Years As well as articles from • Billboard • The New York Times • Variety —————————— On the interview front: • Agnes Moorhead spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear the full chat at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Rosa Rio and William N. Robson spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full chats at Goldenage-WTIC.org • Jeanette Nolan spoke with SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Agnes Moorehead and Orson Welles spoke with Dick Cavett. • Orson Welles also spoke with Peter Bogdanovich, Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, and Dinah Shore. • Jack Poppele spoke with Westinghouse. • And Walter B. Gibson, Rosa Rio, Ken Roberts, and Sidney Sloan spoke for the 1984 documentary, The Story of the Shadow —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Teenage Brain Surgeon — By Spike Jones and His Orchestra —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva John Williams —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 129 we honor the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Roswell incident by focusing on Radio and the mid-century flying saucer craze. —————————— Highlights: • World War II, Kenneth Arnold, Roswell, and “Project Saucer” • The Chicago Roundtable Attempts to Answer What Life on Other Planets Would Look Like • Sightings in The Spring of 1950 — Dimension X Launches • The 1950 Radio Landscape with Red Skelton • Fibber McGee Sees a UFO • Harris And Remley's UFO Hoax • Edward R. Murrow's Report on Flying Saucers • Dangerous Assignment's UFOs in Ecuador • UFO Sightings during the Korean War • You Bet Your Life's UFO Enthusiast • KNX, Ralph Story, And UFO Mania • Roy Rogers Takes Us Home • Conclusions? Closing Credits and a New Mystery —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from: • Broadcasting Magazine • LIFE Magazine • Radio Daily —————————— On the interview front: • Alice Faye, Jim Jordan, Elliott Lewis, and Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • John Gibson, Jim Jordan, and Arnold Moss spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Jim Jordan also spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver • Lilian Buyeff and Sam Edwards spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Elliott Reid spoke with Frank Bresee • Red Skelton spoke with Dini Petty —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • I Put a Spell on You — By Screaming Jay Hawkins • Pyramid of the Sun — By Les Baxter • What A Fool I Was — By Percy Mayfield • Happy Trails To You — By Dale Evans and Roy Rogers • Someone To Watch Over Me — By Blossom Dearie —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 128 we wrap up our six month look at 1954 by ending in June with network cancellations. —————————— Highlights: • The State of Radio and The Union • The End of Escape with John Dehner • News with Frank Edwards on Mutual • Let's Pretend with Arnold Stang • Autolite Drops Suspense • Goodbye To Jack Benny (For Now) • What's At Stake in the Fall 1954 Midterm Elections • CBS Cancels The Lux Radio Theatre • The End of James Stewart's The Six Shooter • Looking Ahead to July and Roswell —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg • The Complete Escape and Suspense Logs — By Keith Scott As well as articles from: • Broadcasting Magazine • LIFE Magazine • Newsweek • Radio Guide —————————— On the interview front: • Parley Baer, Ken Carpenter, Elliott Lewis, and Paula Winslowe spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Herb Ellis, Virginia Gregg, Jack Johnstone, Elliott Lewis, and Herb Vigran spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • John Gibson, Elliott Lewis, Vincent Price, and Arnold Stang spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • John Dehner and Vic Perrin spoke with Neil Ross at KMPC. • Dennis Day spoke with John Dunning for 71KNUS. • Morton Fine was with Dan Haefele. • Orson Welles with Johnny Carson. • Jimmy Stewart with Larry King. • Jack Benny spoke with CBS. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Living Without You and Too Much Between Us — By George Winston • The Last Rose of Summer — By Tom Waits • Seance on a Wet Afternoon — By John Barry —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Perri Harper Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Earl Millard Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw Filipe A Silva —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 127 we keep on with our look at 1954 by picking up in May during one of the most important months of the decade. —————————— Highlights: • The Big Sound in Nashville • Everett Sloane and The 21st Precinct • Ray Milland and Meet Mr McNutley • An Eisenhower Presser and Other Current Events • I Love a Mystery — Born Again • Wild Bill Hickok • Grace Kelly Guest Stars on Bob Hope's Show • Brown vs. The Board of Education • Lewis and Clark on NBC's Inheritance • The Army/McCarthy Hearings Continue with Roy Cohn's Testimony • Bing Crosby on Anthology's Memorial Day Show • Looking Ahead to June and The End as We Knew It —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: On the Air — By John Dunning Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from: Broadcasting Magazine and LIFE Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Parley Baer, Jim Boles, Mercedes McCambridge, Carlton E. Morse, and Russell Thorson, spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Harry Bartell, Himan Brown, Lawrence Dobkin and Virginia Gregg spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Vincent Price spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Bob Hope spoke to Johnny Carson • Andy Devine spoke to Betty Rogge —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Once I Had a Secret Love — By Dolores Watson • The Battle Cry of Freedom — By Jacqueline Schwab • Bare Necessities — By Matthias Gohl, Jay Ungar, and John Kirk • Morning Prayer — By Matthias Gohl and Ken Littlehawk • Loch Lomond (arranged for Choir) — By Musica Intima —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw
In Breaking Walls episode 126 we continue our mini-series in April of 1954. —————————— Highlights: • Eisenhower talks fear • Lum and Abner's April Fools' Joke • The Eternal Light • Nightwatch — A New CBS Real Police Show • Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator • Illegal Immigrant Fears • Gildersleeve's Dinner Party • Easter Sunday and The End of The Whistler • Jack Benny Holds a Seance • The Army-McCarthy Hearings Begin • Phil Harris and Alice Faye's Red Cross Blood Drive • Looking Ahead to May —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg • The Complete Escape Log — By Keith Scott As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • LIFE Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Parley Baer, George Balzer, Himan Brown, Phil Harris, Elliott Lewis, and Willard Waterman, spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Himan Brown also spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Himan Brown, Bill Froug, and Betty Lou Gerson spoke to SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Elliott Lewis also spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Voodoo Dreams — By Les Baxter • Manhattan — By Blossom Dearie • Walking In The Air — By George Winston —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 125 we continue our mini-series in March of 1954. —————————— Highlights: • Edward R. Murrow Sees It Now • Perry Mason Busts The Syndicate • The 1954 DNC in Florida • Cathy and Elliott Lewis Can't Fight City Hall • Groucho Marx Bets His Life • Phil Harris and Alice Faye: Happy Couple In Cancellation • The End of the Expense Account For Johnny Dollar? • Escape's Violent Night • Bing and Frank Swap Oscar Stories and Sing Songs • The 1954 Tony Awards from NBC with Audrey Hepburn • Looking Ahead to April with The Army/McCarthy Hearings —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg • The Complete Escape Log — By Keith Scott As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • LIFE Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Alice Faye and John Guedel spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Mandel Kramer and William N. Robson spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Harry Bartell, Mary Jane Croft, Don Diamond, Jack Johnstone and Byron Kane spoke to SPERDVAC. For more info, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Dick Joy, Elliott Lewis, and E. Jack Neuman spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. • Norman Macdonnell was with John Hickman for his Gunsmoke documentary. • William Conrad spoke to collector Chris Lambesis in 1969. • And Bing Crosby spoke with Barbara Walters in 1977. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Fever — By Peggy Lee • Sleep Walk — By Henri René • Exotique Bossa Nova — By Martin Denny • The Venice Dreamer Parts 1 & 2 — By George Winston • Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In Breaking Walls episode 124 we pick up our 1954 mini series in February. We'll focus on radio programming and national news from that month. —————————— Highlights: • Radio Billings Are Down. Now What? • Dragnet—Still Going Strong • Lee Deforest and The Hallmark Hall of Fame • Americana • Jack Benny Turns 39? 40? 60? • Guest Star and The McCarthy News • The College Quiz Bowl • Mr and Mrs North • Polio • Stars Over Hollywood • Ending with Bergen and McCarthy • Looking Ahead to March with Edward R. Murrow —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • LIFE Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Jack Benny, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Jack Benny also spoke for Great Radio Comedians in 1972. • Harry Bartell, Himan Brown, Lilian Buyeff, Bill Froug, Virginia Gregg, Lou Krugman, and Peggy Webber were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com • Hans Conried and Edgar Bergen spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-wtic.org. • Dennis Day spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. • Lee Deforest spoke at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Sh-Boom — By The Crewcuts • Serious Serenade — By Duke Ellington —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw —————————— WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
Well, that brings February to a close, but for many of these topics, we've only just begun. Next time on Breaking Walls, it's March of 1954, and Senator Joseph McCarthy's four-year anti-communist tirade begins to come to a head. —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from • Broadcasting Magazine • LIFE Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Jack Benny, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Jack Benny also spoke for Great Radio Comedians in 1972. • Harry Bartell, Himan Brown, Lilian Buyeff, Bill Froug, Virginia Gregg, Lou Krugman, and Peggy Webber were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com • Hans Conried and Edgar Bergen spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-wtic.org. • Dennis Day spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. • Lee Deforest spoke at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Sh-Boom — By The Crewcuts • Serious Serenade — By Duke Ellington —————————— A special thank you to Ted Davenport, Jerry Haendiges, and Gordon Skene. For Ted go to RadioMemories.com, for Jerry, visit OTRSite.com, and for Gordon, please go to PastDaily.com. —————————— Thank you to: Tony Adams Steven Allmon Orson Orsen Chandler Phil Erickson Jessica Hanna Briana Isaac Thomas M. Joyce Ryan Kramer Gary Mollica Barry Nadler Christian Neuhaus Aimee Pavy Ray Shaw ___________ WallBreakers Links: Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
In late 1972, Vincent Price sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full interview here - https://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-32.html). During the course of their conversation, Price spoke about how he became a radio actor even though he wasn't part of any radio stock company. Price acted in numerous dramatic radio productions in both in the United States and Europe.
In 1975, long-time New York radio actor Staats Cotsworth sat down with Ed Corcoran at a radio convention to chat about his career. This interview was later featured in a 1977 episode of WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (https://goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-82.html). In this clip Staats talks about his acting and radio beginnings.
In August of 1971, radio, television, and voice over actor Hans Conried sat for an interview with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for their WTIC "Golden Age of Radio" program (full interview here - goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-17.html). During the interview Hans talked about being able to double and triple different voices in one broadcast during radio's heyday.
In August of 1970, prolific New York stage, radio, TV, and commercial actress Jan Miner sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for their WTIC Golden Age of Radio program (Full interview here - https://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-05.html). During the course of their conversation about her career, Jan explained how significant the Frank and Anne Hummert production company was. In 1947 the couple produced eighteen shows and owned a 4.5 hour block of mid-day programming, coast-to-coast.
Radio actor John Gibson of Casey, Crime Photographer and Terry and the Pirates (seen here, far left, with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran) was a guest of the pair for their WTIC Golden Age of Radio Program in September of 1970 (full episode here https://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-06.html). During the course of their interview he told a story of when he sensed, during a moment in the late 1940s, that television would displace radio. This early realization helped John get a head start on breaking into television after World War II.
In 1971 Jim Jordan, better known as Fibber McGee, sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's the Golden Age of Radio to talk about his career (full interview here - https://goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-14.html). In this clip Jim explains how Fibber McGee and Molly came to be in the mid 1930s.
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