Golden Age of Radio

THE SQUEAKING DOOR INNER SANCTUM MYSTERY, WORKSHOP OF BLOOD AND HORROR, SPECIALIZES IN WHOLESALE MURDER TUNE IN SUN. 8:30 P.M. E.W.T. (BLUE) When Inner Sanctum Mystery was only a few weeks old, a woman listener sent a can of oil to the producer, Himan Brown . Said she did not mind the blood and ghoulishness of the program, but that darned door sent shivers down her spine. That was intentional, of course, and it is unnecessary to add that nothing has been done about oiling the ghostly hinges since the program was born, January 7, 1941. It is estimated that fifteen million spines are chilled by the blood-curdling slaughter that takes place weekly on this terror-show. It began with an accidental thought that occurred to Producer Himan Brown while he was browsing around the sound effects shop for unusual backgrounds to incorporate in another of his programs. He happened upon a terrifyingly squeaking door, made a mental note to use it some day, and did when asked b

 From Variety magazine October 6, 1937: 'COMEDY STARS OF BROADWAY' With Frank Crumit Transcriptions ALKA SELTZER Tues.-Thurs., 6:15 p.m. WGY, Schenectady Pleasant and diversified entertain-ment is offered on this series of quarter-hour platters spotted over a string of stations to supplement sponsor's “Uncle Ezra” program on NBC red rim three other nights of the week. Waxed show is more in the sophisticated, zippy vein. The probability is therefore that it will have greater appeal for younger and urbanized listeners than does the mellow small-town sketch. Frank Crumit is the biggest radio name on the platters, although the guest acts are not unknown to dial-ers. Johnny Burke led off the spec-ialty group, others including Hilde-garde Halliday, Bert Swor and part-ner, Fields and Hall and Mr. Thing-elbob. Each made two records

    Steve Allen , himself Radio TV Mirror Headliner “I’M THE happy victim of a series of lucky circumstances.” That’s Steve Allen talking, explaining how he happened to get where he is. “Nothing I ever did was the result of any special planning ahead, but each thing led to something better. Even the jobs I was fired from, the shows I wanted but didn’t get, the zany stunts I took a chance on doing. I’ve seemed to stumble onto my successes, and luck has had a lot to do with it.” It started when Steve quit Arizona State Teachers’ College to take a job as a radio announcer for KOY in Phoenix. He hadn’t any idea that he was picking up so much all-round knowledge of show business, including those little trick things that keep an audience interested. Practically everything he does now he began to learn then . When, some years ago, he got a six-night-a-week midnight show over radio station KNX in Hollywood , that was another piece of luck. Steve’s was the only comed

PUTTING THEIR HEARTS INTO IT How realistic performances have won laurels for The Goldbergs THE GOLDBERGS serial has become an epic of the airwaves, and as such is still enjoying one of the longest and most successful consecutive runs in radio history. In 1928, Gertrude Berg, a Manhattan housewife, conceived the idea for a radio serial about a Jewish family. Without any previous entertainment experience, she finally succeeded in selling the idea and building a hit program from it. Mrs. Berg not only continues to write the scripts herself, but she has endeared herself to listeners as Molly, the loving wife and mother of the Goldberg family. She has thought and lived this character for so long that, when she’s before the mike, she can actually sense and experience all the emotions which Molly is supposed to be feeling. Jake, the irascible but kindly Mr. Goldberg, has been played since the program’s debut by James R. Waters, veteran stage actor. He’s so completely

New Faces WILLIAM BENDIX has a special talent for looking dumb and “acting” smart. Took his movie initiation in 1941, and did his first leading part in “Wake Island” last year. Left: In role for Paramount’s “China.” Below:  “Records can be broken,” says Bill <BENDIX in a scene from “China,” with Loretta Young , star of film > —Paramount  Photo by Hai A. McAlpin                                                                    —Bruce Bailey Photo WILLIAM BENDIX First Job Was That of Batboy for New York Giant AS “SMACKSIE” from Brooklyn to his Leatherneck pals in “Wake Island,” Bill Bendix more than justified Paramount officials officials’ confidence in his ability as an actor. But first time Bendix faced a movie camera, he admits has was “panic stricken.” That was when M-G-M signed him for the role of tavern -keeper in “Woman of the Year.” He was on Broadway rehearsing for a new show at the time, and flew to Hollywood to make his picture bow. Recallin

C. B. Pills the Strings— Here’s How Lux Radio Theater Maintains Top Rating Year After Year LUCK and long shots play no part in the year-after-year success of “ Lux Radio Theater .” The consistently high quality of its productions is due in great measure to C . B. DeMille, wizard producer, with his million-dollar-star contacts in Hollywood and his uncanny ability to choose plays that are adaptable to the medium of radio entertainment. Furthermore, C. B. knows how to pick assistants—men like Charlie Forsyth, who handles all the sound-effects  heard on the show; George Wells, radio playwriter who does  the scripts. For every play from stage and screen must be “tailored” to fit radio technique. And Wells has been doing the job ever since the first airing nine years ago. Typical of the all-star casts Mr. DeMille picks for the show is the trio shown on these pages. Flawless performances given mean not only vision on the part of the producer and his helpers, but en

  PINT SIZE—BUT POWERFUL . . . Unique is the word for Johnny. Johnny is radio’s only vocal trademark. Johnny is the only holder of a life-time contract in the history of radio. Johnny is only 47 inches high and weighs only 59 pounds. Johnny is the only name he goes by—and to millions of Americans. That’s right—Johnny is the lad who three times a week gives his famous call over two of our major networks. For little man, Johnny isn’t doing badly. His job pays him $20,000 a year, plus a good deal of fame. The audition which netted him all this was just unique as his career. Johnny was a bellhop in New York hotel. Eleven years ago, a certain Milton Biow —advertising man and genius of a sort—passed through the hotel and got an idea. He had Johnny page a non-existent Mr. Philip Morris . Of course, Johnny paged Mr. Morris without results, but when he reported his failure to Mr. Biow —he found it turned into phenomenal success . He got the contract for the cigarette account, whi