Golden Age of Radio

The Milwaukee Journal – Jan 28, 1945 Unveiling  DUFFY’S TAVERN “ DUFFY’S TAVERN , where the elite meet to eat, Archie the manager speaking . . .” That’s Ed Gardner, Archie himself, who has got himself and his tavern into the movies after winning nation-wide laughter as a radio comedian (7:30 p. m. Fridays, WTMJ) Gardner is a former WPA worker who mangled English so intelligently that the radio industry figured he really was worth $5,000 a week. Hollywood raised the ante so the tavern, with its characters and free lunch, is now before the cameras at Paramount. Everybody from the radio show is there except Duffy himself, the disembodied voice who calls Archie on the phone. And it includes Clifton Finnegan, the well known moron; Eddie, the waiter, and the enchanting Miss Duffy herself. To give the hangout a little style, Paramount has chipped in with Bing Crosby and the four Crosby kids, Dorothy Lamour , Veronica Lake, Eddie Bracken , Victor Moore, Barry Sul

Fitch Drops ‘ Rogue ’; Harris-Faye Seg To Fill Daley Spot HOLLYWOOD , July 27, -- Fitch Company this week revealed intentions to drop Rogue’s Gallery , mystery seg, at end of current summer fill-in on NBC . Hair tonic company is giving Dick Powell stanza the go-by to concentrate on new Phil Harris-Alice Faye show which takes over the former Cass Daley regular slot. Harris-Faye show is to be given top-drawer promotion and dough. Rogue , which s witches to NBC from a permanent MBS-Sponsored slot, meanwhile is being peddled by MCA with Texaco and other sponsors interested.

But it is something has always struck me about the similarities between Jack  Benny and Jerry Seinfeld. For instance: BOTH were comedians BOTH had historically successful (legendary?) comedy programs BOTH surrounded themselves with a tight 'gang' BOTH deferred the best jokes (or lines) to their fellow cast members. BOTH were content to be the butt of the joke (when appropriate) BOTH broke down the 4th wall (Benny talked to audience, Jerry did it via Stand Up Somedy) BOTH were usually the conduit for story lines  (very involving only Mary/Phil or Kramer/Elaine for example) BOTH involved preparing for and sometimes performing there show as part of their situational comedy. Even the cast member pairings Jack Benny = Jerry Seinfeld Phil Harris = Kramer Mary Livingston = Elaine Bennis [Multiple] = George Castanza Frank Nelson , Mel Blan c = Newman Each show had a wonderfully talented second tier of actors/actresses as well.  From Jerry's parents t

< LAST MINUTE REHEARSAL FOR CAVALCADE OF AMERICA FINDS MEMBERS OF CAST DILIGENTLY CHECKING SCRIPTS FOR LAST MINUTE CHANGES> <DIRECTOR HOMER FICKET (SEATED UNDER FLAG) GIVES THE ENTIRE CAST A QUICK RUN THROUGH THE SCRIPTS BEFORE AIR TIME.> <Sound effects are an integral part of the show, requiring the most experienced men.> <Edward Jerone , versatile actor, plays Abe Lincoln one week, and a bit part the next.> CAVALCADE OF AMERICA TUNE IN WEDS. 8 P.M. E.W.T. (NBC) When the Cavalcade series was first presented eight years ago, few people in radio thought it would succeed. Likely to be tagged as “long-haired” and an “educational program” those in the know felt that a show devoted to historical drama would find a very small listening audience. But Cavalcade has proved that Americans are interested in their country and its great names. The producers of the show were far-sighted enough to see that if the program was to have any real value,

“If we had it to do OVER AGAIN” A Great Radio Pair Look Back Over Their Career on Their Fourteenth Anniversary By Amos ‘n’ Andy WHEN the nation turned the hands of its timepieces to adjust them to the new war time , we started wondering what we would do if some magic power could enable us to turn back over the years of Amos ‘n’ Andy ’s existence. We wondered if, perhaps, we would be guided differently. We talked about what might have been done with the characters Madam Queen, Brother Crawford, the Kingfish and all the others. Would we have made them mean what they do today? Would we have changed any of the patterns we have followed steadily all these years? Of course, in the first place we don’t want to turn back the clock. Even though we realize there were things we could have improved, we’re content to carry on from here. But it’s always interesting to go back over the past and perhaps remodel it in imagination. It’s interesting to us to do so, because we have

Jean King was the lonesome gal , who went from rags to riches with the show. King had a sexy voice that was perfect for the role, and especially for its male audience. She begins the show with a sultry solo, "Sweetie, no matter what anybody says, I love you better than anybody in the whooooole world". Then, she sang and told her listeners to shake off their shoes and get ready to relax. The musical interludes of The Lonesome Gal radio show were interspersed with her own brand of chatter, sexy and intimate. The audience loved it and wanted to know more about her. But, her identity was kept a secret until 1953, before that King wore a mask to all events, which only served to heighten the anticipation of her identity.

In this great photo taken 75 years ago today: February 1, 1942: Urban Johnson, sound chief at WBBM-CBS in Chicago, has more than 60 gongs and bells at his elbow. Each serves a different sound purpose sharply defined in the scripts in  old time radio shows .