Podcasts about Fred Allen

As you will learn, our guest this time, Walden Hughes, is blind and has a speech issue. However, as you also will discover none of this has stopped Walden from doing what he wants and likes. I would not say Walden is driven. Instead, I would describe Walden as a man of vision who works calmly to accomplish whatever task he wishes to undertake. Walden grew up in Southern California including attending and graduating from the University of California at Irvine. Walden also received his Master's degree from UCI. Walden's professional life has been in the financial arena where he has proven quite successful. However, Walden also had other plans for his life. He has had a love of vintage radio programs since he was a child. For him, however, it wasn't enough to listen to programs. He found ways to meet hundreds of people who were involved in radio and early television. His interviews air regularly on www.yesterdayusa.net which he now directs. Walden is one of those people who works to make life better for others through the various entertainment projects he undertakes and helps manage. I hope you find Walden's life attitude stimulating and inspiring. About the Guest: With deep roots in U.S. history and a lifelong passion for nostalgic entertainment, Walden Hughes has built an impressive career as an entertainment consultant, producer, and historian of old-time radio. Since beginning his collection in 1976, he has amassed over 50,000 shows and has gone on to produce live events, conventions, and radio recreations across the country, interviewing over 200 celebrities along the way. A graduate of UC Irvine with both a BA in Economics and Political Science and an MBA in Accounting/Finance, he also spent a decade in the investment field before fully embracing his love of entertainment history. His leadership includes serving as Lions Club President, President of Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound, and long-time board member of SPERDVAC, earning numerous honors such as the Eagle Scout rank, Herb Ellis Award, and the Dick Beals Award. Today, he continues to preserve and celebrate the legacy of radio and entertainment through Yesterday USA and beyond. Ways to connect with Walden: SPERDVAC: https://m.facebook.com/sperdvacconvention/ Yesterday USA: https://www.facebook.com/share/16jHW7NdCZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr REPS: https://www.facebook.com/share/197TW27jRi/?mibextid=wwXIfr About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset, where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. We're going to deal with all of that today. We have a guest who I've known for a while. I didn't know I knew him as long as I did, but yeah, but we'll get to that. His name is Walden Hughes, and he is, among other things, the person who is the driving force now behind a website yesterday USA that plays 24 hours a day old radio shows. What I didn't know until he told me once is that he happened to listen to my show back on K UCI in Irvine when I was doing the Radio Hall of Fame between 1969 and 1976 but I only learned that relatively recently, and I didn't actually meet Walden until a few years ago, when we moved down to Victorville and we we started connecting more, and I started listening more to yesterday, USA. We'll talk about some of that. But as you can tell, we're talking, once again, about radio and vintage radio programs, old radio programs from the 30s, 40s and 50s, like we did a few weeks ago with Carl Amari. We're going to have some other people on. Walden is helping us get some other people onto unstoppable mindset, like, in a few weeks, we're going to introduce and talk with Zuzu. Now, who knows who Zuzu is? I know Walden knows, but I'll bet most of you don't. Here's a clue. Whenever a bell rings, an angel gets his wingsu was the little girl on. It's a Wonderful Life. The movie played by Carol from Yeah, and she the star was Carolyn Grimes, and we've met Carolyn. Well, we'll get to all that. I've talked enough. Walden, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're   Walden Hughes ** 03:19 here. Hello, Michael boy, I mean, you, you had John Roy on years ago, and now you finally got to me that's pretty amazing.   Michael Hingson ** 03:25 Well, you know, we should have done it earlier, but that's okay, but, but you know what they say, the best is always saved for last.   Walden Hughes ** 03:34 Hey. Well, you know, considering you've been amazing with this show on Friday night for the last year. So here yesterday, USA, so we you and I definitely know our ins and outs. So this should be an easy our place talk.   Michael Hingson ** 03:47 Yes. Is this the time to tell people that Walden has the record of having 42 tootsie rolls in his mouth at once?   Walden Hughes ** 03:52 That's what they say. I think we could do more, though, you know. But yeah, yeah. Well, we won't ask, miss, yeah, we won't ask you to do that here. Why not?   Michael Hingson ** 04:03 Yeah, we want you to be able to talk. Well, I'm really glad you're here. Tell us a little about the early Walden growing up and all that.   Walden Hughes ** 04:12 I'm my mom and dad are from Nebraska, so I have a lot of Midwestern Nebraska ties. They moved out here for jobs in 65 and I was born in 1966 and I was the first baby to ever survive the world Pierre syndrome, which means I was born with a cleft palate, being extremely near sighted and and a cup and a recession. So I was the first baby through my mom and dad debt by $10,000 in 17 days, and it was a struggle for my folks. You know, in those early days, without insurance, without any. Thing like that. You know, people really didn't think about medical insurance and things like that in those days, that was not an issue. So, um, so I've always had extremely loving family. Then I went through five retina detachments, and starting when I was seven years old, up to I was nine, and I finally woke up one morning seeing white half circle so the retina detached. Sometime in the middle of the night, went to the most famous eye doctor the world at times, Dr Robert macchermer, who was the one who invented the cataract surgery and everything. Later, he wound up being the head of Duke Medical that was down in Florida, and they took one last ditch effort to save my sight, but it was a 2% chance, and it didn't work out. So they went blind in November 75 and went into school for people who may or may not know California pretty aggressive in terms of education, and so when I wear hearing aids, so I parted a hard of hearing class. Newport school. Mesa took care of the kids who were hard of hearing and the blind children went up to Garden Grove. So when I walked my site, went up to Garden Grove. And so that was my dedication. I was always a driven person. So and I also had a family that supported me everything I ever did. They didn't it just they were ultimately supporting me in education, all sorts of stuff. So I wound up in the Boy Scout Program. Wound up being an Eagle Scout like you, wound up being visual honoring the OA. And this was always side of kids. I was sort of the organizer all decided kid, and there was Walden that was right, I was that way in my entire life, which is interesting that the most kids are all hanging out. We were sighted and and even the school district, which was pretty amazing to think about it, Newport, they told my mom and dad, hey, when Wong ready to come back to his home school district, we'll cover the bill. We'll do it. And so my freshman year, after my freshman year in high school, we thought, yeah, it's time to come back. And so the Newport school, Mesa picked up the tab, and so did very well. Went up, applied to seven colleges, Harvard, a Yale Stanford turned me down, but everybody else took me   Michael Hingson ** 07:53 so, but you went to the best school anyway.   Walden Hughes ** 07:57 So I mean, either like Michael Troy went to UCI and I graduated in three years and two quarters with a degree in economics, a degree in politics, a minor in management, and then I went to work as a financial planner with American Express and then a stockbroker. I always wanted to go back get my MBA. So I got my MBA at UCI, and I graduated with my MBA in accounting and finance in 1995 so that's sort of the academic part Wow of my life.   Michael Hingson ** 08:32 How did your parents handle when it was first discovered that you were blind? So that would have been in what 75 how do they handle that?   Walden Hughes ** 08:42 They handle it really well. I think my dad was wonderful. My dad was the one that took, took me my birth, to all the doctor appointments, you know, such a traumatic thing for my mom. So my dad took that responsibility. My mom just clean house. But they, they My dad always thought if I were going to make it through life, it was going to be between my ears. It could be my brain and I, I was gifted and academically in terms of my analytical abilities are really off the chart. They tested me like in 160 and that mean I could take a very complicated scenario, break it down and give you a quick answer how to solve it within seconds. And that that that paid off. So no, I think, and they they had complete and so they put in the time.   Michael Hingson ** 09:47 What kind of work did your dad do? My dad   Walden Hughes ** 09:51 wound up being a real estate agent, okay, and so that gave him flexibility time. My mom wound up working for the Irvine camp. Attorney, which is the big agriculture at that time, now, apartments and commercial real estate here in oil County and so. So with their support and with the emphasis on education, and so they helped me great. They helped my brother a great deal. So I think in my case, having two really actively involved parents paid off, you know, in terms of, they knew where to support me and they knew the one to give me my give me my head, you know, because I would a classic example of this. After I graduated from college at UCI, I was looking for work, and mom said, my mom's saying, oh, keep go to rehab. Talk to them. They're both to help you out, give it. I really wasn't interested, so I sat down and met with them and had several interviews, and they said we're not going to fund you because either A, you're gonna be so successful on your own you pay for your own stuff, or B, you'll completely fail. So when I, and that's when they flat out, told me at rehab, so I I had more more luck in the private sector finding work than I did ever in the public sector, which was interesting.   Michael Hingson ** 11:39 I know that when I was in high school, and they it's still around today, of course, they had a program called SSI through the Department of Social Security, and then that there, there was also another program aid of the potentially self supporting blind, and we applied for those. And when I went to UC Irvine, I had met, actually, in 1964 a gentleman while I was up getting my guide dog. He was getting a guide dog. His name was Howard Mackey, and when I went to college, my parents also explored me getting some services and assistance from the Department of Rehabilitation, and I was accepted, and then Howard Mackey ended up becoming my counselor. And the neat thing about it was he was extremely supportive and really helped in finding transcribers to put physics books in braille, paid for whatever the state did it at the time, readers and other things like that that I needed provided equipment. It was really cool. He was extremely supportive, which I was very grateful for. But yeah, I can understand sometimes the rehabilitation world can be a little bit wonky. Of course, you went into it some 18 to 20 years later than that. I, in a sense, started it because I started in 6869 Yeah. And I think over time, just the state got cheaper, everything got cheaper. And of course, now it's really a lot different than it used to be, and it's a lot more challenging to get services from a lot of the agencies. And of course, in our current administration, a lot of things are being cut, and nobody knows exactly what's going to happen. And that's pretty   Walden Hughes ** 13:30 scary, actually. When I went to UCI, the school picked it up the pic, the school picked up my transcribing. They picked up my readers and all that. So interesting. How?   Michael Hingson ** 13:39 But did they let you hire your own readers and so on? Or do they do that?   Walden Hughes ** 13:43 They just put out the word, and people came up and and they paid them. So they just, they were just looking for volunteer, looking for people on the campus to do all the work. And, yeah, in fact, in fact, I had one gal who read pretty much all my years. She was waiting to get a job in the museum. And the job she wanted, you basically had to die to get it open. And so she for a full time employee with the read, can I be taking 20 units a quarter? Yeah. So I was, I was cranking it out. And in those days, everybody, you were lucky they I was lucky to get the material a week or two before midterm. Yeah, so I would speed up the tape and do a couple all nighters just to get through, because I really didn't want to delay, delay by examinations. I wanted to get it, get it through. But, uh, but, you know, but also, I guess I was going four times just throughout the quarter, set them into the summer. Okay, I wanted to get it done. Yeah, so that's, that's how I   Michael Hingson ** 14:50 did it. I didn't do summer school, but I did 16 to 20 units a quarter as well, and kept readers pretty busy and was never questioned. And even though we have some pretty hefty reader bills, but it it worked, no and and I hired my own readers, we put out the word, but I hired my own readers. And now I think that's really important. If a school pays for the readers, but lets you hire the readers, that's good, because I think that people need to learn how to hire and fire and how to learn what's necessary and how to get the things that they need. And if the agency or the school does it all and they don't learn how to do it, that's a problem.   Walden Hughes ** 15:36 If fashioning is just a sidebar issue, computer really became a big part. And with my hearing loss, TSI was really, yeah, telesensory, the one Incorporated, right? And they were upscale, everybody. It was, you know, $2,500 a pop. And for my hearing, it was the was for the card, the actual card that fits into the slot that would read, oh, okay, okay, right. And eventually they went with software with me, a lot cheaper, yes, and so, so my folks paid for that in the early days, the mid 80s, the computers and the software and a lot of that were trial and error terms of there was not any customer support from the from the computer company that were making special products like that, you were pretty much left on your own to figure it out. Yeah, and so time I went to graduate in 1990 we figured, in the business world, financial planning, I'm gonna need a whole complete setup at work, and we're gonna cost me 20 grand, yeah, and of course, when we have saying, We biking it, we're gonna finance it. What happened was, and this has helped with the scouting program. I knew the vice president of the local bank. And in those days, if it was, if it was still a small bank, he just went, he gave me a personal loan, hmm, and he, I didn't have to get any code centers or anything. No, we're gonna be the first one to finance you. You get your own computer set up. And so they, they, they financed it for me, and then also Boyle kicked in for 7500 but that was, that's how I was able to swing my first really complicated $20,000 units in 1990   Michael Hingson ** 17:33 the Braille Institute had a program. I don't know whether they still do or not they, they had a program where they would pay for, I don't know whether the top was 7500 I know they paid for half the cost of technology, but that may have been the upper limit. I know I used the program to get in when we moved, when we moved to New Jersey. I was able to get one of the, at that time, $15,000 Kurzweil Reading machines that was in 1996 and Braille Institute paid for half that. So it was pretty cool. But you mentioned TSI, which is telesensory Systems, Inc, for those who who wouldn't know that telesensory was a very innovative company that developed a lot of technologies that blind and low vision people use. For example, they developed something called the optic on which was a box that had a place where you could put a finger, and then there was attached to it a camera that you could run over a printed page, and it would display in the box a vibrating image of each character as the camera scanned across the page. It wasn't a really fast reading program. I think there were a few people who could read up to 80 words a minute, but it was still originally one of the first ways that blind people had access to print.   Walden Hughes ** 18:59 And the first guinea pig for the program. Can I just walk my site in 75 and they, they wanted me to be on there. I was really the first one that the school supply the optic on and has special training, because they knew I knew what site looked like for everybody, what Mike's describing. It was dB, the electronic waves, but it'd be in regular print letters, not, not broil waters, right? What   Michael Hingson ** 19:25 you felt were actually images of the print letters, yeah.   Walden Hughes ** 19:30 And the thing got me about it, my hand tingled after a while,   Michael Hingson ** 19:35 yeah, mine   Walden Hughes ** 19:36 to last forever,   Michael Hingson ** 19:38 you know. So it was, it wasn't something that you could use for incredibly long periods of time. Again, I think a few people could. But basically, print letters are made to be seen, not felt, and so that also limited the speed. Of course, technology is a whole lot different today, and the optic on has has faded away. And as Walden said, the card that would. Used to plug into computer slots that would verbalize whatever came across the screen has now given way to software and a whole lot more that makes it a lot more usable. But still, there's a lot of advances to be made. But yeah, we we both well, and another thing that TSI did was they made probably the first real talking calculator, the view, plus, remember   Walden Hughes ** 20:25 that? Yep, I know a good sound quality.   Michael Hingson ** 20:28 Though it was good sound quality. It was $395 and it was really a four function calculator. It wasn't scientific or anything like that, but it still was the first calculator that gave us an opportunity to have something that would at least at a simple level, compete with what sighted people did. And yes, you could plug your phone so they couldn't so sighted people, if you were taking a test, couldn't hear what what the calculator was saying. But at that time, calculators weren't really allowed in the classroom anyway, so   Walden Hughes ** 21:00 my downside was, time I bought the equipment was during the DOS mode, and just like that, window came over, and that pretty much made all my equipment obsolete, yeah, fairly quickly, because I love my boil display. That was terrific for for when you learn with computers. If you're blind, you didn't really get a feel what the screen looked like everybody. And with a Braille display, which mine was half the screen underneath my keyboard, I could get a visual feel how things laid out on the computer. It was easier for me to communicate with somebody. I knew what they were talking   Michael Hingson ** 21:42 about, yeah. And of course, it's gotten so much better over time. But yeah, I remember good old MS DOS. I still love to play some of the old MS DOS games, like adventure and all that, though, and Zork and some of those fun games.   Walden Hughes ** 21:57 But my understanding dos is still there. It's just windows on top of it, basically,   Michael Hingson ** 22:02 if you open a command prompt in Windows that actually takes you to dos. So dos is still there. It is attached to the whole system. And sometimes you can go in and enter commands through dos to get things done a little bit easier than you might be able to with the normal graphic user interface, right? Well, so you, you got your master's degree in 1995 and so you then continue to work in the financial world, or what did   Walden Hughes ** 22:35 it for 10 years, but five years earlier? Well, maybe I should back it up this way. After I lost my site in 1976 I really gravitated to the radio, and my generation fell in love with talk radio, so I and we were really blessed here in the LA market with really terrific hosts at KBC, and it wasn't all the same thing over and over and beating the drum. And so listening to Ray Breen, Michael Jackson, IRA for still kill Hemingway, that was a great opportunity for somebody who was 10 years old.   Michael Hingson ** 23:18 Really, they were all different shows. And yes, I remember once we were listening to, I think it was Michael Jackson. It was on Sunday night, and we heard this guy talking about submarines, and it just attracted Karen's and my attention. And it turns out what it was was Tom Clancy talking about Hunt for Red October. Wow. And that's where we first heard about it, and then went and found the book.   Walden Hughes ** 23:45 But So I grew up in the talk radio, and then that, and I fell in love with country music at the time on koec, and then Jim Healy and sports, yep, and then, and then we were blessed in the LA market have a lot of old time radio played, and it was host like Mike was here at K UCI, John Roy, eventually over KPCC, Bob line. And so my relatives said you should listen to this marathon KPFK, which was a Pacific did an all day marathon. I fell in love with that. Jay Lacher, then one night, after I walked my site, I tuned in. Ray bream took the night off, and Bill balance had frankly sit in. And the first thing they played was Jack Armstrong, and this is where Jack, Jack and Billy get caught up in a snow storm and a bone down the hill. And Brett Morrison came in during the one o'clock two o'clock hour to talk about the shadow. And so my dad took me to, oh, I'm trying to think of the name of the record. Or if they gave away licorice, licorice at the at the record store tower, yeah, not Tower Records. Um, anyway, so we bought two eight track tapes in 1976 the shadow and Superman, and I started my long life of collecting and so. So here we up to 1990 after collecting for 15 years. Going to spill back conventional meetings. I knew Ray bream was going to have kitty Cowan at the guest. Kitty Cowan was a big band singer of the 40s who later the fifth little things mean a lot. And I figured nobody was going to act about her days on the Danny Kaye radio show. And so I called in. They realized I had the stuff. I had the radio shows, they took me off the air, and Kitty's husband, but grand off called me the next day, and we struck up a friendship. And so they were really connected in Hollywood, and so they opened so many doors for me. Mike I Katie's best friend with Nancy Lacher, SR bud with the one of the most powerful agents in town, the game show hosting, who could come up with a TV ideas, but did not know how to run a organization. So that was Chuck Paris, hmm, and Gong Show, yeah, so I wound up, they wound up giving me, hire me to find the old TV shows, the music, all that stuff around the country. And so I started to do that for the Sinatra family, everybody else. So I would, while we do the financial planning, my internet consulting thing really took off. So that wound up being more fun and trying to sell disability insurance, yeah. So one wound up doing that until the internet took over. So that would that. So my whole life would really reshape through kitty Carolyn and Ben granoff through that. So I really connected in the Hollywood industry from that point on, starting 1990 so that that really opened up, that really sure reshaped my entire life, just because of that   Michael Hingson ** 27:28 and you've done over the years, one of the other things that you started to do was to interview a lot of these people, a lot of the radio stars, The radio actors   Walden Hughes ** 27:39 and music and TV, music,   Michael Hingson ** 27:44 yeah.   Walden Hughes ** 27:45 And I think when Bill Bragg asked me to interview kitty Carol, and I did that in 2000 and Bill said, Well, could you do more? And so one of Kitty friends, but test Russell. Test was Gene Autry Girl Friday. He she ran kmpc for him. And I think everybody in the music industry owed her a favor. I mean, I had Joe Stafford to Pat Boone to everybody you could think of from the from that big band, 3040s, and 60s on the show. Let's go   Michael Hingson ** 28:24 back. Let's go back. Tell us about Bill Bragg.   Walden Hughes ** 28:29 Bill Bragg was an interesting character all by himself. Born in 1946 he was a TV camera man for CBS in Dallas. He was also a local music jockey, nothing, nothing, big, big claims of fame boys working for channel two. And then he in Dallas, he was at a press conference with LBJ, and LBJ got done speaking, and the camera crew decided that they were going to pack up and go to lunch. And Bill thought it'd be fun to mark what camera, what microphone the President used for his address, and the guys were in a rush door in the box, let's go have lunch. So Bill lost track, and that bothered him. So he started the largest communication Museum in 1979 and he collected and was donated. And so he had the biggest museum. He had a film exchanger. So in those early days of cable TVs, you know, we had a lot of TV stations specializing in programming, and there were channels, I think this was called a nostalgic channel, wanted to run old TV shows and films. They had the film, but they didn't. Have the equipment. And they got hold of Bill. He said, Okay, I'll do it for you. But what you're going to give me is games. Bill was a wheel and dealer, yeah. And Charlie said, We'll give you your own satellite channel. And I was talking to Bill friend later, John women in those days, in the 1983 when Bill got it, the value of those satellite channels was a million dollars a year, and he got it for free. And Bill would try and figure out, What in the world I'm going to do with this, and that's when he decided to start playing with old time radio, because really nobody was playing that on a national basis. You had different people playing it on a local basis, but not really on a national basis. So Bill was sort of the first one before I play old time radio. I became aware of him because of bur back, so I was trying to get the service on my cable TV company. Was unsuccessful.   Michael Hingson ** 30:58 So what he did is he broadcast through the satellite channel, and then different television stations or companies could if they chose to pick up the feed and broadcast it. Did, they broadcast it on a TV channel or   Walden Hughes ** 31:13 on radio public asset channel. Okay, so remember note day a lot of public it would have the bulletin boards with the local news of right community, and lot of them would play Bill can't   Michael Hingson ** 31:28 play Bill's channel because the only because what they were doing was showing everything on the screen, which didn't help us. But right they would show things on the screen, and they would play music or something in the background. So Bill's programs were a natural thing to play,   Walden Hughes ** 31:44 yeah, and so Bill wound up on a stout then he wound up being the audio shop Troyer for WGN, which was a nice break and so. And then Bill got it to be played in 2000 nursing homes and hospitals, and then local AMFM stations would pick us up. They were looking for overnight programming, so local throughout the country would pick it up. And so Bill, Bill was a go getter. He was a great engineer, and knew how to build things on the cheap. He was not a businessman, you know, he couldn't take it to the next level, but, but at least he was able to come up with a way to run a station, 24 hours a day. It was all the tapes were sent down to Nash, down to Tennessee, to be uploaded to play into the system. Eventually, he built a studio and everything in Dallas. And so,   Michael Hingson ** 32:38 of course, what what Weldon is saying is that that everything was on tape, whether it was cassette or reel to reel, well, reel to reel, and they would play the tapes through a tape machine, a player or recorder, and put it out on the satellite channels, which was how they had to do it. And that's how we did it at kuci, we had tape, and I would record on Sunday nights, all the shows that we were going to play on a given night on a reel of tape. We would take it in and we would play it.   Walden Hughes ** 33:13 And so that's how it's done in the 80s. Eventually built bill, built a studio, and then started to do a live show once a week. Eventually, they grew up to four days a week. And so here is about 1999 or so, and they were playing Musa from kitty cat, and did not know who she was. I would quickly, I would quickly give a couple background from AIM hang up. I didn't really they had no idea who I was yet. I didn't talk about what I would do and things like that. I was just supplying information. And eventually, after two years, they asked me to bring kitty on the show, which I did, and then I started to book guests on a regular basis for them, and then eventually, the guy who I enjoyed all time radio shows listening to Frank Percy 1976 built decided that I should be his producer, and so I wound up producing the Friday Night Live show with Frankie, and eventually we got it up and running, 2002 So Frank and I did it together for 16 years and so that so Bill built a studio in Texas, mailed it all to my House. My dad didn't have any engineering ability. So he and my bill got on the phone and built me a whole studio in six hours, and I was up and running with my own studio here in my bedroom, in 2002 and so overhead, I'm in my bedroom ever since Michael, you know, there you go.   Michael Hingson ** 34:58 Well and to tell people about. Frank Bresee Frank, probably the biggest claim to fame is that he had a program called the golden days of radio, and it was mainly something that was aired in the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service on the radio, where he would every show play excerpts of different radio programs and so on. And one of the neat things that's fascinating for Frank was that because he was doing so much with armed forces, and doing that, he had access to all of the libraries around the world that the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service had, so he could go in and oftentimes get shows and get things that no one else really had because they were only available in at least initially, in these military libraries. But he would put them on the air, and did a great job with it for many, many years. Yeah, Frank   Walden Hughes ** 35:53 was an interesting character, a pure entrepreneur. He invented a game called pass out, which was a drinking game, board game, and he for 20 years, he spent six months in Europe, six months in United States. And he was making so much money in Europe, he would rent out castles and lived in them, and he would and he would spend months at a time in Germany, which was the main headquarter of art, and just sit there in the archives and make copies of things he wanted to play on his show, yeah. And so that's how he built that. And then he he started collecting transcriptions when he would to 10 he was a radio actor, and so he had one of the largest collection, collection, and he his house, his family house was in Hancock Park, which was the, it was Beverly Hills before Beverly Hills, basically, what did he play on radio? Well, when he was, he was he was deceptive. He was the backup little beaver. When someone Tommy, writer, yeah, when, when Tommy Cook had another project, it was Frank be was a substitute. And so that was a short coin of fame. He did bit parts on other shows, but, but that's what he did as a kid. Eventually, I think Frank came from a very wealthy family. He wound up owning the first radio station when he was 19 years old on Catalina Island in 1949 and then he wound up being a record producer. He worked with Walter Winchell, created albums on without about Al Jolson worked on Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante and anyway, Frank, Frank had a career with game with creating board games, doing radio and having an advertising company. Frank was responsible for giving all the game shows, the prices for TV and the way he would do it, he would call an advertise, he would call a company. He said, you want your product. Beyond on this section, go to say, yes, okay, give us, give us the product, and give me 150 bucks. And so Frank would keep the cash, and he would give the project to the TV shows,   Michael Hingson ** 38:17 Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills. I remember that on so many shows   Walden Hughes ** 38:23 so So Frank was a wheeling dealer, and he loved radio. That was his passion project. He probably made less money doing that, but he just loved doing it, and he was just hit his second house. The family house was 8400 square feet, and so it was pretty much a storage unit for Frank hobbies, right? And we and he had 30,000 transcriptions in one time. But when he was Europe, he had a couple of floods, so he lost about 10 to 20,000 of them. Okay? Folks did not know how to keep them dry, but he had his professional studio built. And so I would book guests. I arranged for art link writer to come over, and other people, Catherine Crosby, to come over, and Frank would do the interviews. And so I was a big job for me to keep the Friday night show going and get Frankie's guess boy shows. I would have been. He died,   Michael Hingson ** 39:22 and he was a really good interviewer. Yeah, I remember especially he did an interview that we in, that you played on yesterday USA. And I was listening to it with Mel Blanc, which is, which is very fascinating. But he was a great interviewer. I think it was 1969 that he started the golden days of radio, starting 49 actually, or 49 not 69 Yeah, 49 that was directly local, on,   Walden Hughes ** 39:49 on Carolina, and K, I, G, l, which was a station I think heard out in the valley, pretty much, yeah, we could pick it up. And then, and then he started with on. Forces around 65   Michael Hingson ** 40:02 that's what I was thinking of. I thought it was 69 but,   Walden Hughes ** 40:06 and well, he was, on those days there were armed forces Europe picked them up. And also, there was also the international Armed Forces served around the far eastern network, right? Yeah. And so by 67 he was pretty much full on 400 stations throughout the whole world. And I that's probably how you guys picked him up, you know, through that capability.   Michael Hingson ** 40:30 Well, that's where I first heard of him and and the only thing for me was I like to hear whole shows, and he played excerpts so much that was a little frustrating. But he was such a neat guy, you couldn't help but love all the history that he brought to it   Walden Hughes ** 40:46 and and then he would produce live Christmas shows with with the radio. He would interview the guest he, you know, so he had access to people that nobody generally had, you know. He worked for Bob Hope, right? So he was able to get to Jack Benny and Bing Crosby and yes, people like that, Groucho Marx. So he was, he had connections that were beyond the average Old Time Radio buff. He was truly a great guy to help the hobby out, and loved radio very much.   Michael Hingson ** 41:21 Well, going back to Bill Bragg a little bit, so he had the satellite channel, and then, of course, we got the internet, which opened so many things for for Frank or Frank for, well, for everybody but for Bill. And he started the program yesterday, usa.net, on the radio through the internet,   Walden Hughes ** 41:44 which he was the first one in 1996 right? There's a great story about that. There was a company called broadcast.com I bet you remember that company, Mike. Anyway, it was founded by a guy who loved college basketball, and he was a big Hoosier fan, and he was living in Texas, and so he would generally call long distance to his buddy, and they would put up the radio. He could went to the basketball games. And eventually he decided, well, maybe I could come up and stream it on my computer, and all these equipment breaking down, eventually he came up with the idea of, well, if I had a satellite dish, I could pick up the feed and put and stream it on the computer, that way people could hear it right. And he hired bill to do that, and he offered bill a full time job installing satellites and working Bill turned them down, and the guy wound up being Mark Cuban. Yeah, and Mark Cuban gave every every employee, when he sold broadcast.com to Yahoo, a million dollar bonus. So Bill missed out on that, but, but in exchange, Mike Cuban gave him broadcast.com While USA channel for free. So Bill never had to pay in the early days, until about 2002 so when Yahoo decided to get out of the streaming business for a while, then that's when we had to find and we found life 365 eventually, and we were paying pretty good. We're paying a really good rate with like 265 Bill was used to paying free, and we were paying, I think, under $100 and I knew guys later a couple years, were paying over $500 a month. And we were, we were, but there was such a willing deal able to get those things for really dope less   Michael Hingson ** 43:45 money, yeah. Now I remember being in New Jersey and I started hearing ads for an internet radio station. This was in the very late 90s, maybe even into 2000 W, A, B, y. It was a company, a show that a station that played a lot of old songs from the 50s and 60s and so on. And it was, it was, if you tuned on to it, you could listen. And after four or five hours, things would start to repeat, and then eventually it disappeared. But I started looking around, and I don't even remember how I found it, but one day I heard about this radio station, www, dot yesterday, usa.net. Right, yep.net.com,   Walden Hughes ** 44:31 yep, and yeah. And   Michael Hingson ** 44:33 I said, Well, oh, I think I actually heard an ad for it on W, A, B, y, when it was still around. Anyway, I went to it, and they were playing old radio shows, and they had a number of people who would come on and play shows. Everyone had an hour and a half show, and every two weeks you would have to send in a new show. But they. They played old radio shows, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, except they also had some live talk shows. And I remember listening one day and heard Bill Bragg talking about the fact that he was going to have his standard Friday night show with Walden Hughes, it would start at nine o'clock. I had no idea who Walden was at the time. And the problem is, nine o'clock was on the in Pacific Time, and it was, I think, Midnight in New Jersey time, as I recall the way it went anyway, it was way too late for me to be up. And so I never did hear Walden on yesterday USA, or I may have actually listened. Just stayed up to listen to one and fell asleep, but the show, the whole innovative process of playing radio all the time on the internet, was intriguing and just opened so many opportunities, I think. And of course, the internet brought all that around. And now there are any number of stations that stream all the time. And Bill Bragg passed away. What in 2016   Walden Hughes ** 46:15 2018   Michael Hingson ** 46:18 1819 2019 Yeah. And Walden now is the person who directs, operates, and is the manager of yesterday USA. And so when I go ahead,   Walden Hughes ** 46:30 it's fascinating. In the height of the station, there was 15,000 internet radio stations out there in 2000 they did a survey yesterday, USA was number three in the world, behind the BBC and CNN, which I thought was a pretty nice number to be concerned. We had no budget to promote, right? And the last time I saw the numbers been a couple years, we were number 44 in the world, which I don't think of, 15,000 radio stations. Not bad. No, not at all. You know, really not bad. But now there is more talk than there used to be, because Walden and the gasmans, who we had on years ago on this podcast, but   Michael Hingson ** 47:16 have interviewed a lot of people, and continue to interview people. And of course, so many people are passing on that. We're trying to talk to people as much as we can, as they can, and all of us now, because I've started to come a little bit and become a little bit involved in yesterday USA. And as Walden said on Friday night at 730 Pacific Time, see it's earlier, we we do a talk show. Bob Lyons, who did a lot of radio out here, and for 50 years, had a program called Don't touch that dial. And John and Larry and Walden and I get on the air and we talk about, Gosh, any number of different things. We've talked about Braille, we've talked about sometimes, everything but radio. But we talk about a lot of different things, which is, which is a lot of fun.   Walden Hughes ** 48:04 And I think it probably is, you know, in the old days, it would pretty much no entertainment, and Bill telling some stories and things like that. But with me, I always had a focus in interviews, but it's so much more fun to do radio as a co host. And that's when Patricia and I connected back in the 2007 I knew was in 2005 she's my co host. And Patricia didn't grow up with whole town radio. She became a fan after she found yesterday, USA into 2000 but she's a very articulate person, and so through the shows, what she and I did on Saturday night, the audience grab it and just we should talk about everything, and I just generate calls. I mean, when she and I were doing eight hours a night, we would average about 18 calls a night, which was pretty amazing, but we would cover the gamut, and I think a really good talk show host had to know a little bit about a lot of things. Yes, he got it. You got to be flexible. And Patricia and I compliment each other that way, that we're able to cover history and politics and music and just everything. And so when I do a show with her, you never know what direction we go with where. When I'm with John Roy, it's more radio centric. So it depends on what night a week people tune in, is what you're going to   Michael Hingson ** 49:40 get. And Walden has Patricia on now Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, but we know why she's really on there, because she likes hearing Perry Como song Patricia that starts out every show Walden plays that he's in love with Patricia. One of these days, there's still the possibility. But anyway, we. We, he, we love it when he, he has Patricia on, and it's every week. So, so it is really cool. And they do, they talk about everything under the sun, which is so fascinating. Tell us about Johnny and Helen Holmes.   Walden Hughes ** 50:15 Ah, well, it's an interesting story. I I say the second biggest old time radio station in the country, after yesterday USA. It's about half the size in terms of audience basis. Radio once more, and you can find them at Radio once more.com and they do a good job. No else with probably yesterday USA branch offers own internet radio station, and he found he would go to the east coast to the nostalgic convention, and he connected with Johnny and Helen. Holmes and Johnny and Helen are people who love to attend nostalgic convention and get autographs and things. And they became really friends. So Neil convinced them, why don't you come on? Just come on radio once more. And so after a while, they do the presentation the coffee shop. Neil convinced them to take it, take it to the air, and they started to have their own show, and I was aware of them, and I produced the spirback convention, 2017 in Las Vegas. So Johnny helm came to the convention, and Johnny wanted to say hi to me. I said, I know who you are. I think he was for by that that I knew who he was, but I invited Johnny and Helen to come on with Patricia and I one night to talk about their coffee shop presentation and their show on Radio once more. And we just bonded very quickly and easy to bond with Johnny. They really are really fabulous people. He's really a generous guy, and so over the last six, seven years, we have developed a great friendship on you, and almost have created a whole subculture by itself, playing trivia with them. Every time they come on,   Michael Hingson ** 52:17 they do a lot of trivia stuff, and Johnny produces it very well. He really does a great job. And he'll put sound bites and clips and music, and it's gotten me such a major production with Johnny and Helen. And people look forward to it. I sometimes count the interaction people hanging out in the chat room, on the phone, email, about 18 to 20 people will get and get an answer question, was it amazing that that many people will be interested in trivia like that? But and, and Johnny also collects, well, I guess in Helen collect a lot of old television shows as well. Yep. So we won't hold it against him too much, but, but he does television and, well, I like old TV shows too, you bet. Well, so you know, you are, obviously, are doing a lot of different things. You mentioned spurred vac oop. They're after you. We'll wait. We'll wait till the phone die. You mentioned, well, I'll just ask this while that's going on. You mentioned spurred back. Tell us a little bit about what spurred vac is and what they've been doing and what they bring to radio.   Walden Hughes ** 53:23 Sprint vac started in 1974 it's the largest full time radio group in the country, called the society to preserve and encourage radio drama, variety and comedy. John Roy Gasman were two of the main driving force behind the club. It reached up to a membership of 1800 people, and they've honored over 500 people who worked in the golden days of radio and to speak at their meeting, come to the special conventions. And so I attended some dinners at the Brown Derby, which was a great thrill. I started attending their conventions, and it was just, it was wonderful. So I so I really got to meet a lot of the old time radio personality and become friends with Janet Waldo and June for a and people like that. And so I eventually got on the board. I eventually became one young, somewhat retired. I wound up being the activity person to book guests, and started producing conventions. And so that became a major part of my life, just producing those things for spur back and in other places, and I first started to do that for reps. Was it the Old Time Radio Group in Seattle in 2007 so they were actually the first convention I produced.   Michael Hingson ** 54:54 And rep says radio enthusiasts of Puget Sound,   Walden Hughes ** 54:57 right? Reps online.org, G and so I would produce new convention. I was helping super vac, and I also helping the Friends of all time radio back in New Jersey and so. And it probably helped my contact, which is 300 pages long, so, and I would book it. I would also contact celebrities via the mail, and my batting average was 20% which I thought were pretty good. I got Margaret. I got Margaret Truman. She called me, said, Walden, I got your order, and I forgot that I did the show with Jimmy Stewart. I'd be happy to come on talk about my memory. You know, she talked about Fred Allen on the big show, and how, how Mike Wallace had a temper, had a temper. She was a co host. Was among weekdays, which with the weekday version of monitor. Monitor was weekend and weekday, we see NBC. And so she was just fabulous, you know, so and I would get people like that 20% bad average, which was incredible. So I met, that's how it's up to two, my guess was, so I, I was sort of go to guy, find celebrities and booking them and and so in that help yesterday, USA helped the different conventions. And so it and so you're so you're booking the panels, and then you're coming up with ideas for radio recreations. And so I produce 37 of them, ranging from one day to four days. And I get counted, over the last 18 years, I've produced 226 audio theater plays with it. A lot at least, have an idea of how those things   Michael Hingson ** 56:55 work. So right now, speaking of recreations, and we're both involved in radio enthusiasts of Puget Sound, and for the last couple of years, I've participated in this. Walden has done radio recreations, and twice a year up in the Washington State area, where we bring in both some some amateurs and some professionals like Carolyn Grimes Zuzu and so many others who come in and we actually recreate old radio shows, both before a live audience, and we broadcast them on yesterday USA and other people like Margaret O'Brien who won   Walden Hughes ** 57:46 Gigi Powell coming this year. Phil Proctor. David Osmond from fire sign theater. Chuck Dougherty from Sergeant Preston. John Provo from Timmy from Lassie, Bill Johnson, who does a one man show on Bob Hope. Bill Ratner from GI Joe. Bill Owen, the who might have had he is the author of The Big broadcast, Ivan Troy who Bobby Benson, Tommy cook from the life O'Reilly Gigi parole, a movie actress of the 50s, as you mentioned, Carolyn grime, Beverly Washburn and others, and it's just the radio folks are really down to earth, really nice people, and you get to break bread with them, talk to them and reminisce about what was it like doing that radio show, this movie, or that TV show, and then They still got it, and they can perform on stage,   Michael Hingson ** 58:43 and they love to talk about it, and they love to interact with people who treat them as people. And so yeah, it is a lot of fun to be able to do it. In fact, I was on Carolyn Grimes podcast, which will be coming out at some point in the next little while, and Carolyn is going to be on unstoppable mindset. So keep an eye out for that. Bill Owens program is coming out soon. Bill and I did a conversation for unstoppable mindset, and we're going to be doing Bill Johnson will be coming on, and other people will be coming on. Walden has been very helpful at finding some of these folks who are willing to come on and talk about what they did, and to help us celebrate this medium that is just as much a part of history as anything in America and is just as worth listening to as it ever was. There is more to life than television, no matter what they think.   Walden Hughes ** 59:40 And also, we do a Christmas thing too. And hopefully Mike, if his speaking engagement allow him, will be with us up at Christmas saying, Well, I will. I'm planning on it. We're gonna do, It's a Wonderful Life. Keith Scott, coming over from Australia, who's a he's the rich little of Australia. And we'll do, It's a Wonderful Life. We'll do. The Christmas Carol, milk on 34th Street film again, Molly Jack Benny will have a great time.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:07 These are all going to be recreations using the the original scripts from the shows, and that's what makes them fun. And for those of us who don't read print, we do have our scripts in Braille, absolutely so that's kind of fun. Well, Walden, this has been absolutely wonderful. We're going to have to do it some more. Maybe we need to get you, John and Larry all together on that. That might be kind of fun. But I really, I don't think we need a host if you that. No, no, we just, you know, just go on. But this has been really fun. I really enjoy it. If people want to reach out to you, how do they do that?   Walden Hughes ** 1:00:45 Oh, I think they can call my studio number 714-545-2071, I'm in California, or they can email me at Walden shoes at yesterday, usa.com, W, A, l, D, E, N, H, U, C, H, E, S at, y, E, S T, E, R, D, A, y, u, s a.com, I'm the president of radio enthusiast sound, that's reps online.org or on the board of Sper back, which is S, P, E, R, D, V, A, c.com, so while waiting shakes me down, when   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:25 will the showcase actually occur up in Bellevue in Washington?   Walden Hughes ** 1:01:30 That will be September 18, 19 20/21, and then our Christmas one is will be Friday, December five, and Saturday, December the sixth. And then we're also going back and spir back, and I bet we'll see you there. We're going to go back to the Troy Blossom Festival next April, 23 to 26 and we'll know, are we set up to do that now? Yep, looks like that gonna happen? Yeah? Oh, good, yeah. So kick out the phone with Nicholas here a few days ago. So everything's gonna go for that, so that will be good.   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:03 Yeah, we will do that. That's cool. Well, thank you for being here, and I want to thank you all for listening. I hope you had fun. This is a little different than a lot of the episodes that we've done, but it's, I think, important and enlightening to hear about this medium into to meet people from it. So thank you for listening wherever you are. We hope that you'll give us a five star review of unstoppable mindset wherever you're listening or watching. Please do that. We'd love to hear from you. You can reach me at Michael H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, and you can also go to our podcast page if you don't find podcasts any other way. Michael hingson.com/podcast, that's m, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s, O, n.com/podcast, singular. So thanks again for being here and for listening to the show, and Walden, once again, I want to thank you for being here. This has been great.   Walden Hughes ** 1:03:01 Thank you, Michael,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:07 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Fred Allen - Hour Of Smiles 34-04-18 (05) To Buy or Not Buy a Toupee

Tommy Ruben joined me to discuss the closed knit cast of CPO Sharkey; growing up in Larchont, NY and his dad working for Sgt. Bilko; his dad Aaron, writing for Fred Allen, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, The Andy Griffith Show and creating Gomer Pyle USMC; Don Rickles getting booed on Comic Relief; Sharkey's scripts scripts had ad-libs written in; being a class clown; guest starring on MASH; going to the Oakwood School; his dad''s film, The Comic; his father liked to build sitcoms around someone; creating CPO Sharkey; Polish jokes got the most letters; his first scene; episodes focusing on his character; the Johnny Carson incident and how has dad was mad; NBC wasn't all in on Don; Bob Newhart; his brother writing the punk rock episode; appearing in More American Graffiti with Cindy Williams; the difference in Drew Barrymore and James garner's acting methods; appearing and writing and episodes of The Stockard Channing Show; Rhonda Bates; being in his brothers movies; almost getting The Hardy Boys Show; and studying photography at the School of Visual Arts.

This episode was originally released on 12/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls Episode 98 we continue our trilogy on the most popular season in radio history with a look at Christmas Week 1947. —————————— Highlights: • Ralph Edwards and Truth or Consequences—A Record Rated Show • It's Christmas Week and Jerusalem is in Shambles • The Eternal Light and One Man's Family • Jack Benny Does Last Minute Christmas Shopping • Fred Allen's Highest Rated Season Becomes His Downfall When the Music Stops • Walter Winchell gives ABC a Ratings Win • Breakfast with Fred Waring • CBS Dominates Monday Nights and Lux Radio Broadcasts Miracle on 34th Street • Lora Lawton's Husband is Missing • Milton Berle's Finally Cracks the Top-50 • NBC's Tuesday Night Comedy Dominations • The Lone Ranger Hangs ‘Em High • Lionel Barrymore's Christmas Tradition • Christmas Eve with Bing and Gildersleeve • Road to Rio Opens • Merry Christmas 1947 with King George VI • Don Ameche Hosts an Elgin Special • The Right to Happiness—December's Highest-Rated Soap Opera • Gracie Allen is Sick, Al Jolson is Rich, and Casey is Lonely • Father Patrick and Family Theatre • A Crippling Blizzard and the Last Sustained Half-Hour Suspense • Looking Ahead to the End of the Year —————————— 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, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from: • Broadcasting Magazine: December 8th, and December 22nd, 1947 • LIFE Magazine: December 22nd, 1947 and January 5th, 1948 • Radio Daily From the entire month of December 1947 —————————— On the interview front: • Don Ameche, Mel Blanc, Himan Brown, Staats Cottsworth, John Gibson, Jim Jordan, Mandel Kramer, E.G. Marshall, Jan Miner, Vincent Price and Bill Spier were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. These interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Chuck Schaden interviewed Milton Berle, Dennis Day, Ralph Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Jim Jordan, Mercedes McCambridge, Shirley Mitchell, Carlton E. Morse, Hal Peary, Lurene Tuttle, and Don Wilson. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com. • Johnny Carson was with Orson Welles on The Tonight Show, and Fred Allen was with Tex and Jinx on November 24th, 1954. • John Dunning was with Roberta Goodwin Bailey, and Westinghouse interviewed Fran Carlon. • SPERDVAC with Vic Perrin, and Frank Brese was with Elliott Reid. —————————— Selected Music featured in today's episode was: • Sleigh Ride - By Lloyd Glenn and His Orchestra • White Christmas - By Booker T and the MGs • Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - By the Marlborough Cathedral Choir • It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - By Andy Williams • Jingle Bells - By J.P. Torres • I Saw Three Ships - By The Norwich Cathedral Choir • I'll Be Home For Christmas and Baby It's Cold Outside - By Jackie Gleason and Jack Marshall • Christmas Is - by Lou Rawls

Step into the witty, satirical world of The Fred Allen Show, one of radio's most celebrated comedy programs. Airing from 1932 to 1949, this legendary series starred Fred Allen, a master of clever wordplay, topical humor, and biting social commentary. Known for his signature segment “Allen's Alley,” where quirky characters offered humorous takes on current events, Fred Allen blended sharp satire with vaudeville charm. His feuds especially the playful rivalry with Jack Benny—became radio legend, adding to the show's enduring appeal. With a mix of monologues, sketches, and memorable characters, The Fred Allen Show remains a standout of radio's golden age—smart, funny, and always ahead of its time. This episode was originally broadcast October 7th, 1945 on NBC Radio.

Fred Allen and the people you didn't expect to meet 1939. Fred Allen was famously a control freak on his radio shows. Although he used a staff of writers, it was just to generate ideas and jokes that would be incorporated into the final script that Fred always wrote personally. Each minute of those shows … Continue reading When Radio Ruled #137 – Fred Allen’s People You Didn’t Expect to Meet 1939

Fred Allen || Sal Hepatica Review (Series name) || Bedlam's Amusement Agency / Bedlam's Amusement Agency Revisited / Bedlam Penitentiary || All aired: January + February 1934: : : : :My other podcast channels include: DRAMA X THEATER -- SCI FI x HORROR -- MYSTERY X SUSPENSE -- VARIETY X ARMED FORCES -- THE COMPLETE ORSON WELLESEnjoy my podcast? You can subscribe to receive new post notices. Also, if you have a moment, please give a 4-5 star rating and/or write a 1-2 sentence positive review on your preferred service -- that would help me a lot.Thank you for your support.https://otr.duane.media | Instagram @duane.otr#comedyclassics #oldtimeradio #otr #radioclassics #jackbenny #fibbermcgeemolly #bobhope #lucilleball #martinandlewis #grouchomarx #abbottandcostello #miltonberle #oldtimeradioclassics #classicradio #duaneotr:::: :

The Big Show 50-12-03 ep05 Fred Allen Phil Silvers

Fred Allen - Hour Of Smiles 34-04-18 (05) To Buy or Not Buy a Toupee

This episode was originally released on 6/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 92 we open the summer season with a trip to Coney Island, Brooklyn. The New York city summer locale was frequented in radio programs and by radio performers. It was also, in the days of wireless telegraphy, an important station location for Guglielmo Marconi. Highlights: • Marconi's last link • André Baruch Gets His Radio Start at Coney Island • Allen's Alley Opens the Summer • Connee Boswell Sings • The Crime Club Uncovers a Coney Island Murder • Irma and Jane Go To the Beach • Broadway Is My Beat • Vincent Price in Coney Island • Jean Shepherd Stops By • We Take the Subway Home 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, 1932-53 - by Jim Ramsburg As well three tremendous internet resources: Charles Denson's History Project at ConeyIslandHistory.org David Sullivan's Heart of ConeyIsland.com Jeff Stanton's research at Westland.net/ConeyIsland On the interview front: • André Baruch, Larry Dobkin, Lou Krugman, and Herb Vigran, were with SPERDVAC. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com • Hans Conried, June Havoc, Vincent Price, and William N. Robson were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. These interview can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. • Elliott Lewis and E. Jack Neuman were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS program from Denver. • Vincent Price and Allen Reed spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com. • Fred Allen was a guest of Tex and Jinx on November 24th, 1954. • Connee Boswell was interviewed by Lee Phillip in 1963. • And Morton Fine was with Dan Haefele on August 9th, 1988. Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Under the Boardwalk - by the Drifters • And Shine on Harvest Moon - by Joan Morris & William Bolcom

Fred Allen || (479) Chicken Surplus || March 3, 1946: : : : :My other podcast channels include: MYSTERY x SUSPENSE -- DRAMA X THEATER -- SCI FI x HORROR -- COMEDY x FUNNY HA HA -- VARIETY X ARMED FORCES.Subscribing is free and you'll receive new post notifications. Also, if you have a moment, please give a 4-5 star rating and/or write a 1-2 sentence positive review on your preferred service -- that would help me a lot.Thank you for your support.https://otr.duane.media | Instagram @duane.otr#orsonwelles #oldtimeradio #otr #radioclassics #citizenkane #oldtimeradioclassics #classicradio #mercurytheatre #duaneotr:::: :This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

We continue our short series dedicated to writer/director/producer, Norman Corwin, with an episode of The Fred Allen Show that is not broadly in circulation, originally broadcast on May 14th, 1944, with Corwin as special guest. Allen does a satirical adaptation of the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme presented in Corwin's dramatic style. The second half of the discs were badly damaged, but worth presenting, as it is the only time we know of that Allen and Corwin ever appeared together. Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/ Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297 Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

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/

Comedy on a SundayFirst,  a look at this day in History.Then Town Hall Tonight with Fred Allen, originally broadcast June 8, 1938, 86 years ago, Satire on Song Writers. Fred interviews "actors" about the coming summer stock season. People You Didn't Expect To Meet: Ray Smith, a hunting and fishing guide from upstate New York. Ed Albany: "The Human Echo" performs. Followed by the Judy Canova Show, originally broadcast June 8, 1946, 79 years ago, Judy prepares for a Game Show. Then The Life of Riley starring William Bendix, originally broadcast June 8, 1946, 79 years ago, The Bread Shortage.  Riley finds himself in the black market bread business. Finally. Lum and Abner, originally broadcast June 8, 1942, 83 years ago, Lum's English State of Mind.  While they're in the greeting card business, the boys compose a graduation card for Grandpappy Spears. Thanks to Honeywell for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamFind the Family Fallout Shelter Booklet Here: https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/the_family_fallout_shelter_1959.pdfhttps://wardomatic.blogspot.com/2006/11/fallout-shelter-handbook-1962.html

A Funny Thursday, and we remember FredFirst,  a look at this day in History.Then Father Knows Best starring Robert Young, originally broadcast May 29, 1952, 73 years ago, Sorting Through the Old Trunk. Memories in an old trunk conspire to get Jim in a swimming race with the father of one of Bud's classmates. But when Jim bows out to go to the fair, the race gets moved from the YMCA to the Fair!Followed by Lum and Abner, originally broadcast May 29, 1949, 76 years ago, Jot ‘em Down Store Has Big Spring Clearance Sale.  The sudden need for $200 cash prompts a spring clearance sale at the Jot 'Em Down store.Then Biography in Sound, originally broadcast May 29, 1956, 69 years ago, A Portrait of Fred Allen. The life story of the famous radio humorist. Finally. Vic and Sade, originally broadcast May 29, 1940, 85 years ago, Nicer the Goader.   Rush has been fighting with Nicer Scott...and with good reason!Thanks to Honeywell for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamFind the Family Fallout Shelter Booklet Here: https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/the_family_fallout_shelter_1959.pdfhttps://wardomatic.blogspot.com/2006/11/fallout-shelter-handbook-1962.html

This week on A Legacy Of Laughs, we'll hear Fred Allen in Rhyme Does Not Pay, from The Texaco Star Theater. That episode originally aired May 14, 1941. Listen to more from The Texaco Star Theater https://www.archive.org/download/rr12024/LOL277.mp3 Download LOL277 | Subscribe | Spotify | Support Relic Radio

True History: Biographies in Sound “A Portrait of Fred Allen” 5/29/56 NBC.

Kenny Delmar, announcer for Fred Allen, substitutes for Don Wilson while the gang is in New York. Of course, the jokes about Fred Allen kick into high gear. Mary Livingston…

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

A Funny Wednesday First a look at this day in History.Then The Texaco Star Theater starring Fred Allen, originally broadcast May 7, 1941, 84 years ago with guests Amos ‘n' Andy.  Fred dedicates the entire program to Jack Benny, on the completion of Jack's tenth year on the air. A summary of the events of 1931. The show features a Jack Benny Panaversary. Swami Schmaltz tries to discover What happened to the gas-man on the Jack Benny Show?. Fred visits Amos 'n' Andy at The Mystic Knights Of The Sea lodge hall. Rochester is described as The Lone Ranger of Lenox Avenue. The cast does, "The Highlights Of A Lowlife" or, "Benny Marches On.". Followed by Father Knows Best starring Robert Young, originally broadcast May 7, 1953, 72 years ago, The Good Old Days.  Jim tries to show folks how things were done in the good old days instead of making stuff themselves.  But when the lights go out, the family tries to do what they did in the old days.Then The Henry Morgan Show, originally broadcast May 7, 1947, 78 years ago, Salute to the Old School.  A program dedicated to "The American School: The Progressive School, The Grammar School."Finally. Lum and Abner, originally broadcast May 7, 1942, 83 years ago, The boys discuss car pooling. Thanks to Sean for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamFind the Family Fallout Shelter Booklet Here: https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/the_family_fallout_shelter_1959.pdfhttps://wardomatic.blogspot.com/2006/11/fallout-shelter-handbook-1962.html

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PC_2024-028_OTRNow_Radio_ProgramThe Fred Allen Show. November 08, 1939. NBC net. Sponsored by: Ipana, Sal Hepatica. The first tune is "It's A Hundred To One." Fred analyzes the statutes for pedestrians in New York. The program's guest is the man in charge of merchandising research for the doughnut industry. He analyzes dunking techniques. Round table discussion topic: "Do you think women drivers operate their cars as efficiently as men?" The Mighty Allen Art Players perform "The Sound Man's Revenge.". Fred Allen, Harry Von Zell (announcer), Peter Van Steeden and His Orchestra, Wynn Murray, Minerva Pious, The Merry Macs, Portland Hoffa.  Doctor Christian. November 07, 1937. CBS net. Sponsored by: Vaseline. The first show of the series. Dr. Christian is forced to operate in a shack. The program originates from New York City. Jean Hersholt, Rosemary De Camp, Noreen Gammill, Gale Gordon, Art Gilmore (announcer).  GALLANT AMERICAN WOMEN  November 07, 1939.- Gallant American Women (written by Jane Ashman) was a series profiling Pioneer women in history who forged ahead. In cooperation with the US Office of Education and NBC. "Women and Peace"ELLERY QUEEN November 7, 1945."The Adventure of the Message In Red".  Top Secrets Of The FBI. November 12, 1947. Mutual net. "The Vest Pocket Broadcasting System". Audition Show. The FBI tracks down a dope ring by using the latest electronic equipment.  TOTAL TIME: 2:57:25.324SOURCES: Wikipedia and The RadioGoldindex.com

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This episode was originally released on 7/1/2018. 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 81, we spotlight the life and career of one of the twentieth century's most famous comedians, Fred Allen. Amongst other comedians and entertainers, almost no one was beloved as much as him. His comedic feud with Jack Benny was legendary, as were his battles with network executives and sponsors. Highlights: • John Sullivan is Born in Boston • What growing up in Boston with his aunt was like • How his job at the Boston Public library began his career in show business • Learning to Juggle and Early Amateur Performances • Harry LaToy and how Johnny Sullivan became Fred St. James • Freddie James: The World's Worst Juggler • Becoming Fred Allen and going on Broadway • Allen's Radio Birth—Bath Towels, Laxatives, and Mayonnaise • Town Hall Tonight is Born • Jack Benny—The Feud of the Century • Mr. Ramshaw— an Eagle on the loose • Changing networks • Texaco and Problems with NBC • King for a Day • Bowing out gracefully • Fred Allen: Memoirist • What's my Line? • Final Days The reading material used in today's episode was: • The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning • Treadmill to Oblivion & Much Ado About Me … both by Fred Allen Selected Music featured in today's Episode was: • Swingin' on a Star by Bing Crosby • Over There recorded live by George M. Cohan • Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo

Comedy on a FridayFirst a look at the events of the dayThen My Friend Irma starring Marie Wilson, originally broadcast April 18, 1947, 78 years ago, Prize Fighter.  Irma gives Al the girls' rent money to bet on a seedy prize fighter he's managing.Followed by Fred Allen, originally broadcast April 18, 1948, 77 years ago, The Author Meets His Match.  Fred and Postmaster Jim Farley do a parody of "Author Meets The Critics" called "The Author Meets His Match."Then The Jack Webb Show, originally broadcast April 18, 1946, 79 years ago, The Story of Howdyville. A satire of a Western program. A big-budget Army film. Followed by Fibber McGee and Molly, originally broadcast April 18, 1939, 86 years ago, Molly Returns.  Molly returns after an absence of eighteen months.  Fibber decides to stick to a budget. Finally, The Adventures of Jungle Jim, originally broadcast April 18, 1936, 89 years ago, The Purple Triangle. Shanghai Lil offers to fly Jungle Jim to Shanghai in her own airplane, and then admits to having ordered the death of Lo Tongue!Thanks to Honeywell for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamIf you like what we do here, visit our friend Jay at http://radio.macinmind.com for great old time radio shows 24 hours a day

Breakfast Show

Jello again. In the 1930's, there were two big comedians on the radio. Jack Benny and Fred Allen. Fred Allen's show was called Town Hall Tonight. So, Jack does a spoof of it on today's show.Episode 214 of The Jack Benny Show. The program originally aired on on April 5, 1936.Please email questions and comments to host@classiccomedyotr.com.Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/classiccomedyotr. Please share this podcast with your friends and family.You can also subscribe to our podcast on Spreaker.com, Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Google podcasts.This show is supported by Spreaker Prime.

"I Do Do Do Like You" - Bing Crosby; "My Heart Is a Hobo" - Bing Crosby; "Chi-Baba Chi-Baba" Connee Boswell; "Keep on Smiling" - Fred Allen & Bing Crosby; "Misirlou" - Skitch Henderson; "I Want to Thank Your Folks" - Bing Crosby;

Jack Benny || Christmas Gift Exchange || Train to L.A. || Broadcast: January 5, 1941; October 19, 194101:16 ... Christmas Gift Exchange -- Jack and his friends are at the Rose Bowl game, where they meet Shlepperman running a hot dog stand. Jack's date (Gladys Zybysko) seems to know everyone in the stadium.31:52 ... Train to L.A. -- References include Fred Allen in a bathing suit in a radio guide magazine, Bob Hope, Spencer Tracy, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstien, Scottish singer Harry Lauder, and etiquette expert Emily Post.: : : : :My other podcast channels include: DRAMA X THEATER -- SCI FI x HORROR -- MYSTERY X SUSPENSE -- VARIETY X ARMED FORCES -- THE COMPLETE ORSON WELLESEnjoy my podcast? You can subscribe to receive new post notices. Also, if you have a moment, please give a 4-5 star rating and/or write a 1-2 sentence positive review on your preferred service -- that would help me a lot.Thank you for your support.https://otr.duane.media | Instagram @duane.otr#comedyclassics #oldtimeradio #otr #radioclassics #jackbenny #fibbermcgeemolly #bobhope #lucilleball #martinandlewis #grouchomarx #abbottandcostello #miltonberle #oldtimeradioclassics #classicradio #duaneotr:::: :

A Funny MondayFirst a look at this day in History.Then The Campbells Playhouse starring Orson Welles, originally broadcast March 24, 1940, 85 years ago, June Moon starring Jack Benny.  The program features the funny story about a song writer from Schenectady who arrives in New York with plans to conquer Tin Pan Alley. Jack manages to get in a remark about Fred Allen. The story is based on a story by Ring Lardner titled, "Some Like Them Cold."Followed by A Day in the Life of Dennis Day, originally broadcast March 24, 1948, 77 years ago,  Weaverville Land Grab.  Dennis buys and runs a taxicab. He that discovers one of his passengers plans to take over the entire town. Then Abbott and Costello, originally broadcast March 24, 1949, 76 years ago, A Sam Shovel Mystery. The boys do a "Sam Shovel" mystery, "The Case Of The Man Who Burned His Sweetheart's Body In The Fireplace," or "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm." Finally Claudia, originally broadcast March 24, 1949, 76 years ago, Roger's Surprise.   Telling Mama the news. But who bought the land?Thanks to Sean for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamFind the Family Fallout Shelter Booklet Here: https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/the_family_fallout_shelter_1959.pdfhttps://wardomatic.blogspot.com/2006/11/fallout-shelter-handbook-1962.htmlAnd more about the Survive-all Fallout Sheltershttps://conelrad.blogspot.com/2010/09/mad-men-meet-mad-survive-all-shelter.html

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A Funny ThursdayFirst a look at this day in History.Then The Pepsodent Show starring Bob Hope, originally broadcast March 20, 1945, 80 years ago with guest Shirley Temple.  The program originates from Camp Anza, Arlington (Riverside), California. Bob and guest Shirley Temple appear as hot-rodding teen-agers. Bob, Skinnay Ennis  and Jerry Colonna at Camp Anza. With this show, Bob starts his fourth year entertaining the troops by playing for service audiences. Followed by Fred Allen, originally broadcast March 20, 1940, 85 years ago, Eagle Gets Loose in the Studio.  The famous "Eagle Show," in which a trained eagle escapes to the roof of the studio. The Mighty Allen Art Players satirize "The Pot Of Gold" program, with a skit called, "The Tub Of Silver."Then True or False starring Harry Hagen, originally broadcast March 20, 1938, 87 years ago, Male Postal Clerks versus Women of the League of Women Voters. Finally One Out of Seven starring Jack Webb, originally broadcast March 20, 1946, 76 years ago, Equality, A Most Wonderful Thing.   In Germany, unidentified people are executed. In the South, a Negro is whipped. In Alabama, a Negro is denied voter registration. In Tupelo, Mississippi, a clergyman registers to run for the House of Representatives and is run out of town.  (Content Warning - the “N” word is used in context)Thanks to Sean for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamFind the Family Fallout Shelter Booklet Here: https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/the_family_fallout_shelter_1959.pdfhttps://wardomatic.blogspot.com/2006/11/fallout-shelter-handbook-1962.htmlAnd more about the Survive-all Fallout Sheltershttps://conelrad.blogspot.com/2010/09/mad-men-meet-mad-survive-all-shelter.html

A Funny MondayFirst a look at the events of the dayThen George Burns and Gracie Allen, originally broadcast March 17, 1941, 84 years ago, St. Patrick's Parade.  George tries to break up the "romance" between Gracie and Artie Shaw.Followed by A Day In The Life of Dennis Day,  originally broadcast March 17, 1948, 77 years ago, Baby Picture Contest. Dennis enters Mrs. Anderson's baby picture in a photo contest...and wins!Then Town Hall Tonight starring Fred Allen, originally broadcast March 17, 1937,  88 years ago, St Patricks Day Show.  The Mighty Allen Art Players do a hillbilly drama. Town Hall Varieties: Professor Quigley attempts to escape from a packing case again.Finally, Claudia, originally broadcast March 17, 1949, 76 years ago, Telling David.  Claudia has gotten a traffic ticket...or summons. David doesn't yet know. Thanks to Honeywell for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamIf you like what we do here, visit our friend Jay at http://radio.macinmind.com for great old time radio shows 24 hours a day

On this, the 69th anniversary of the passing of a great radio humorist, we present the NBC program Biography in Sound,  This episode was broadcast two days prior to what would have been his 62nd birthday, May 29, 1956.  Ironically that was just 10 days following my birth.  And yes, I chose this picture because of another irony.  Until I graduated college, I played the tuba.  Here's a partial list of those apart of Fred that you will hear in this 55 minute program.Kenny Delmar, Tallulah Bankhead, Doc Rockwell, Jack Benny, Herman Wouk, Jim Harkins, Francis Spellman, Donald Voorhees, Peter Donald, Bill Mullen, James Mason, Jimmy Durante, Goodman Ace, Henry Tugan, Joe DeGray, Mike Jakes, Minerva Pious, Jack Haley, Ed Herlihy, Edgar Bergen, Herb Shriner, Benny Droan, Clifton Webb, George Jessel, John Royal, Roger White, Pat Weaver, Harry Von Zell, John Crosby, Stanley Trablinsky, Morton Green, George Foster, Su Chan, Max Asgur, Alan Reed, and Parker Fennelly.  Each paying tribute with remembrances of Fred Allen.And yes, writer Earl Hamner wrote much of the continuity of this program.  The same Earl Hamner who created The Waltons and Falcon Crest.  One more amazing talent who influenced so many more.  May he rest in peace and know that even today, he is remembered for all the laughs he gave all of us.  

March 13, 1938 - Death in the Night Club. Jack and the gand talk about the Academy awards and do a play about a murder trial. References inlcude Kenny Baker in the movie "Goldwyn Follies", Fred Allen in "Sally, Irene, and Mary", Edward G Robinson, Spensor Tracy, Shirley Temple and Robin Hood and his band.

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King For A Day

A Funny FridayFirst a look at the events of the dayThen People Are Funny starring Art Linkletter, originally broadcast February 7, 1950, 75 years ago, Cinderella Gets Her Greatest Wish.  The first contestant tries to milk a goat on stage. "The Cinderella Girl" from Omaha returns...and gets a job in the movies!Followed by the news from 75 years ago, then Bob Hope, originally broadcast February 7, 1950, 75 years ago with guest Fred Allen. Bob and guest Fred Allen try to break into television as "The TV Twins." Then The Great Gildersleeve starring Willard Waterman, originally broadcast February 7, 1951, 74 years ago, Day Off For Peavey. It's Peavy's 30th anniversary at the drugstore, and Gildersleeve volunteers to run the store for him. Richard LeGrand receives an award from The National Association of Retail Druggists (signed by 60,000 members!) as "America's Favorite Druggist" on the occasion of his 50th anniversary in show business. Followed by George Burns and Gracie Allen, originally broadcast February 7, 1946, 79 years ago, The Marriage Contest.  George and Gracie have made the finals in the contest for "Hollywood's Ideal Married Couple."Finally, Claudia, originally broadcast February 7, 1949, 76 years ago, A Leeson for Jimmy.  A package for David. What's in it?Thanks to Honeywell for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.stream

Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967Jack Benny TV Videocasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6BDar4CsgVEyUloEQ8sWpw?si=89123269fe144a10Jack Benny Show OTR Podcast!https://open.spotify.com/show/3UZ6NSEL7RPxOXUoQ4NiDP?si=987ab6e776a7468cJudy Garland and Friends OTR Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/5ZKJYkgHOIjQzZWCt1a1NN?si=538b47b50852483dStrange New Worlds Of Dimension X-1 Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6hFMGUvEdaYqPBoxy00sOk?si=a37cc300a8e247a1Buck Benny YouTube Channelhttps://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrOoc1Q5bllBgQA469XNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1707891281/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2f%40BuckBenny/RK=2/RS=nVp4LDJhOmL70bh7eeCi6DPNdW4-Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967

January 28, 1951 - Douglas Fairbanks Jr Guest Show. Jack Benny and the gang are in New York getting ready for Jack's second-ever television show. Phil Harris had won the Bing Crosby Pro-Amateur Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach by sinking an incredibly long putt on the 17th hole. References include Bock Beer, Fred Allen, Ethel Merman, and the broadway shows "Guys and Dolls", "Call Me Madam", and South Pacific". 

Our 10th NO SOAP RADIO production is based on an original script written by Craig Shemin. This Jack Benny Program takes place in 1955. Jack wonders what it would be like if he was the subject on the TV show This Is Your Life. All of the usual cast of characters make appearances, including Mary Livingstone, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Rochester, Don Wilson, Frank Nelson, and Professor LeBlanc. Also a number of guest stars appear including Jack Benny's sister Florence, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Groucho Marx, and Fred Allen! The show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. If you'd like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on Youtube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production. CAST: John Bell as Jack Benny Eric Jacobson as George Burns Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Gracie Allen Noah Diamond as Groucho Marx Larry Groebe as Fred Allen Craig Shemin as Professor LeBlanc Victoria Gordon as Daisy and The Lucky Strike singer Paul Kovit as Ralph Edwards Zach Dillinger as Phil Harris Annette Bochenek as Mary Livingstone Tony Semczuk as Frank Nelson and Jack Bailey Paul Patterson as Rochester John Henderson as Don Wilson Zach Eastman as Dennis Day Laura Mirsky as Florence

January 23, 1944 - From Camp Muroc in the Mojave Desert Jack Benny broadcasting for a crowd of soldiers with guest Alexis Smith returning for the second. References include Jack's article in Libery Magazine, Phillip Morris ciggerettes, Fred Allen and the Andrews Sisters song "Shoo-Shoo Baby".

Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967Jack Benny TV Videocasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6BDar4CsgVEyUloEQ8sWpw?si=89123269fe144a10Jack Benny Show OTR Podcast!https://open.spotify.com/show/3UZ6NSEL7RPxOXUoQ4NiDP?si=987ab6e776a7468cJudy Garland and Friends OTR Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/5ZKJYkgHOIjQzZWCt1a1NN?si=538b47b50852483dStrange New Worlds Of Dimension X-1 Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6hFMGUvEdaYqPBoxy00sOk?si=a37cc300a8e247a1Buck Benny YouTube Channelhttps://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrOoc1Q5bllBgQA469XNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1707891281/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2f%40BuckBenny/RK=2/RS=nVp4LDJhOmL70bh7eeCi6DPNdW4-Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967

Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967Jack Benny TV Videocasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6BDar4CsgVEyUloEQ8sWpw?si=89123269fe144a10Jack Benny Show OTR Podcast!https://open.spotify.com/show/3UZ6NSEL7RPxOXUoQ4NiDP?si=987ab6e776a7468cJudy Garland and Friends OTR Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/5ZKJYkgHOIjQzZWCt1a1NN?si=538b47b50852483dStrange New Worlds Of Dimension X-1 Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6hFMGUvEdaYqPBoxy00sOk?si=a37cc300a8e247a1Buck Benny YouTube Channelhttps://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrOoc1Q5bllBgQA469XNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1707891281/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2f%40BuckBenny/RK=2/RS=nVp4LDJhOmL70bh7eeCi6DPNdW4-Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967

December 18, 1938 - Returning to Hollywood by train. An unnamed announcer introduces the show even though Don Wilson appears in the episode. Jack Benny and the gang are coming home from New York. References include Red Cap Porters, the song "Ol' Man Mose", political figure Anthony Eden, fight announcer Clem McCarthy, comedian Fred Allen, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Dracula, The Dead End Kids, and movies "You Can't Take It With You", "Snow White" and "Artists and Models Abroad".

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers On the Sunday, December 31st, 1944 episode of The Jack Benny Program, it's New Year's Eve and Jack resolves to be friends with Fred Allen in 1945. For more information on Jack Benny in 1944, including how and why he changed sponsors, please tune into Breaking Walls Episode 151 which covers Benny's 1944 in great detail.

November 7, 1948 - Jack Sees Psychiatrist About Echo and Mel Blanc does Bugy Bunny and Porky Pig. References include the election where Truman was re-elected after the polls predicted a Dewey win. Plus Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Derby hats, Maxc Factor, and "The Beer That Made Milwakee Famous".

Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967Jack Benny TV Videocasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6BDar4CsgVEyUloEQ8sWpw?si=89123269fe144a10Jack Benny Show OTR Podcast!https://open.spotify.com/show/3UZ6NSEL7RPxOXUoQ4NiDP?si=987ab6e776a7468cJudy Garland and Friends OTR Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/5ZKJYkgHOIjQzZWCt1a1NN?si=538b47b50852483dStrange New Worlds Of Dimension X-1 Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/6hFMGUvEdaYqPBoxy00sOk?si=a37cc300a8e247a1Buck Benny YouTube Channelhttps://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrOoc1Q5bllBgQA469XNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1707891281/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2f%40BuckBenny/RK=2/RS=nVp4LDJhOmL70bh7eeCi6DPNdW4-Support us on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=4279967

October 22, 1950 - Dennis Tries to Borrow Fifty Thousand Dollars. Jack is getting ready to fly to New York for his first ever TV episode. References include the song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", Duz soap, Lifesavers mints, SMU, comedian Fred Allen and actor Gary Cooper.

In August 2023, we launched the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon, featuring a variety of short old time radio programs. In this episode, we offer five samples of the type of programs we feature on the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon.Family Doctor: False Witness"Hello there, this is the Family Doctor...."Join us as we travel back in time to a small town, where Doctor Grant Adams dispenses medicine for the body and common sense advice for the soul, in this little-known family drama series from the 1930s.In this first episode, a teenage girl becomes the subject of gossip after some church money turns up missing. Can Doc Adams prevent a tragedy?Potential series air dates for the series vary from 1932-38. The earliest I can find a record of the series being aired was in the fall of 1937. Unsolved Mysteries: The Borden MysteryOn this first syndicated episode of the 1930s series Unsolved Mysteries, we take a look at the mysterious slaying of Andrew Borden and his second wife Abby in 1892 and how suspicion fell on Andrew's daughter, Lizzie.Unsolved Mysteries not only explains the case in a nutshell but also offers a solution to the crime.While Unsolved Mysteries was a syndicated true crime series in the 1930s, it didn't start out that way.We take a look at the series's origin and the original program's sponsorship by Ken-Rad, a Kentucky-based firm selling radio tubes.The series originated from Station WLW in Cincinnati, and we talk about the station's forgotten role in the Golden Age of Radio as America's superstation, and why it was called that.Cecil B. DeMille interviews Walt Disney about Snow WhiteTwo Hollywood legends share a stage in this listener-inspired Snack Wagon.The year is 1937. A young filmmaker is about to release a groundbreaking new work, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Walt Disney was invited on the Lux Radio Theater to be interviewed Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille about the film and about what future projects he was working on.The interview took place on December 20, 1937 in Hollywood, the day before Snow White's premiere.The Adventures of Babe Ruth: Babe Takes the BlameWhile on the road in Chicago, Babe tries to help a young boy who was pressured to steal from him by an older boy, and finds himself in plenty of trouble.Originally Aired in 1949Sponsored by US Navy Recruiting; the announcer is Jackson BeckJack Benny and Fred Allen Patch Up the Feud for ChristmasFor the special Command Performance Christmas Eve show, a serviceman requested that Jack Benny and Fred Allen patch up their feud, and this is their answer.The segment is introduced by Bob Hope who hands the show to Fred Allen and Jack Benny in New York.Original Radio Broadcast Date: December 22, 1942Subscribe to the Old TIme Radio Snack Wagon at https://www.snackwagon.net