When Radio Ruled #133 - Orson Welles and Guests 1939
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Voices from 1939 talking with one of the Greatest Voices on Old Time Radio In 1939 Orson Welles was only 24 years old but a veteran of Radio. He’d been a regular on The March of Time and was enjoying a very successful run playing The Shadow. These excerpts are from the Campbell Playhouse in 1939, previously named Mercury Theater of the Air. These interviews were a regular feature of the Campbell Playhouse. And were meant to deepen the audience understanding of that week’s Radio Play. FEATURING: Orson Welles Dorothy Hall The Warden of Sing-Sing Prison Laurence Olivier Noah Beery Jane Allen...
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When Radio Ruled #132 - SoundScape 1939 part 12
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Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today’s SoundScape: The Town Hall News! A Newsreel Camera Man! Fred Allen Bad Mouths Jack Benny! Life Begins at 40! And More Featuring: Cecil B DeMille Dr. Ronald W. McCorkle Fibber McGee and Molly Harry Van Steeden Fred Allen Portland Hoffa The Merry Macs Jack Benny Don Wilson Phil Harris Mary Livingstone Andy Devine Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Edgar Bergen Charlie McCarthy Don Ameche Ginger Rogers And...
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When Radio Ruled #131 - Eddie Cantor vs Father Coughlin 1939
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In public, Eddie Cantor was known as a charming clown with a side of song. In private, Eddie Cantor was a concerned citizen who dedicated much of his personal time and wealth to Jewish charities and causes. The more he saw the rising hatred directed at the Jewish people, the more he felt the need to ease their burden. Radio Priest Father Charles Coughlin preached we should give the Germans benefit of the doubt. Communism was just as bad. And did you notice all those Commies are Jews? Not subtle, but effective and a message that would meet with brave resistance from Eddie Cantor. A real...
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When Radio Ruled #130 - SoundScape 1939 part 11
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Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today’s SoundScape: Royalty are just regular folks! Jack Benny with the Hollywood Gossip! The Patent Office is Your Friend! Frank Morgan talks Wizard of Oz and World Fairs! A Big Dose of Great Swing Music! And More Featuring: Cecil B Demille Fibber McGee and Molly Jack Benny Mary Livingstone Don Wilson Kenny Baker Orson Welles Zasu Pitts The Green Hornet Barney Rapp and His New Englanders featuring Ruby Wright Baby Snooks...
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When Radio Ruled #129 - Charlie McCarthy and Guests 1939 part 2
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Edgar Bergen was also Charlie McCarthy but Charlie McCarthy was one of a kind. The cutest little obnoxious guy on the radio. A big personality in a tiny package. Charlie McCarthy took radio by storm and Edgar Bergen rode his coattails to fame and fortune. Actually Bergen rode his own coat tails, but it was so easy to forget they were the same person. Charlie seemed to have a life of his own. Given his first big radio break by Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen himself doubted the wisdom of a ventriloquist act on Radio. But audiences couldn’t resist Charlie McCarthy and history was made....
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When Radio Ruled #128 - SoundScape 1939 part 10 May 22 - June 4
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1939 SoundScape part 10, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 22 through June 4, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today’s SoundScape: Youth committing crimes! American Freedom! The Death of John Brown! Jack Benny: Ladies Man! Interviews with Civil War Veterans! Airmail to Europe! Featuring: Cecil B Demille Courtney Riley Cooper Fibber McGee and Molly Harlow Wilcox Orson Welles Don Wilson Jack Benny Phil Harris Mary Livingstone Kenny Baker The...
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When Radio Ruled #127 - Wynn Murray Sings 1939
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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 on the Good News Program, and Charlie McCarthy’s Dorothy LaMour were part of their show’s ratings success.Those Shows broadcast from Hollywood so those singers came from the film industry. Fred Allen broadcast from New York City so he had access to Broadway Talent, and Wynn...
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When Radio Ruled #126 - SoundScape 1939 #9 May 4-21
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SoundScape part 9, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 4 through May 21, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today’s SoundScape: Mother’s Day 1939 with Jack Benny! Where are the real high class professional crooks in America today? As a Lover, rumor has it, Jack Benny is a regular Caveman! Featuring: Robert Young Connie Boswell Frank Morgan Fannie Brice Orson Welles Jack Benny Phil Harris Mary Livingstone Leslie Howard Don Wilson Cecil B DeMille ...
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When Radio Ruled #125 - Charlie McCarthy and Guests 1939 part 1
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Charlie McCarthy is really Edgar Bergen. Or the other way around. It was a ventriloquist act. On the radio. Go figure. But you can’t argue with success and the Charlie McCarthy show was more than a success, it was a cultural phenomenon. The Kids loved Charlie McCarthy, so did the parents and Grandparents. The biggest Movie stars didn’t have time to do radio. Except for the Charlie McCarthy show. They all wanted to do the Charlie McCarthy show. Starring: Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen Maureen O’Sullivan Jackie Cooper Kay Francis Andrea Leeds Tony Galento Ida Lupino And...
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When Radio Ruled #124 - SoundScape 1939 part 8 April 6-30, 1939
beforetv's podcast
Radio highlights originally broadcast live April 6 through April 30, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio. In today’s soundscape: A Tribute to Man’s Best Friend, my Dog Pearl Buck Talks China with Anna Mae Wong and Orson Welles Jack Benny’s 7th Anniversary on Radio! And more!!! FEATURING: Robert Young Kitty Carlisle Meredith Wilson Lionel Barrymore Don Wilson Jack Benny Phil Harris Mary Livingstone Cecil B DeMille General Hugh Samuel Johnson Errol Flynn ...
info_outlineFor the Previous 2 episodes, The Year 1939 – Politics and the year 1939 – Culture and Technology, I listened to almost 1000 hours of OTR in chronological order. I got to hear 1939 unfold through broadcasts from the day and learn what the podcasts should be about.
As I go, I create a best of collection of clips I might possibly use in the podcast that isn’t written yet.
This results in a rather large number of clips, 36 hours for the year 1939, history from those living it.
1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the war we all saw coming.
The Soundscapes for 1939 series will tell the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.
Here is part 1, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 1 to January 12, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.
Highlights include
Goodbye 1938 hello 1939
How to have happiness in marriage?
A Great Playlet “Rose by Any Other Name” starring Melvyn Douglas
Other Feature Performers include:
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Jack Benny
The Phil Harris Orchestra
Andy Devine
Cecil B DeMille
Errol Flynn
Joan Blondell
Mae Robeson
Robert Young
Meredith Wilson
Orson Welles
Kenny Baker
Henry Morgan
Fanny Brice
And more!