Blast from the past : a pictorial history of radio’s first 75 years 9781886745063, 1886745064

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A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF

IRST Bv B. ERtc

RHOADS FOREWORDS BY

PAUL HARVEY AND

Copyright© 1996, Streamline P11blishi11g, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmilled in any form or by any means, electronic or meclw11ical, including photocopyi11g. recording, or by 011 i11for111a1io11 storage or re1rieval system, without tlze prior wri11en permission. o.f the Publishe1; except where permined by law. Book Design: Practical Graphics, Inc.

ISBN: 1-886745-06 -4 Library of Congress: 95-7 I 353

Publisher's Cataloging in Publication (Prepared by Quality Books Inc.)

Rhoads, B. Eric. Blast from the past : a pictorial history of radio's first 75 years I by B. Eric Rhoads. p.cm. Includes index. Preassigned LCCN : 95-71353. ISBN: 1-886745-06-4.

1. Radio broadcasting--United States--History--Pictorial works. I. Title.

HE8698.R46 1996

791.44'09 QBI95-20710

Primed in 1he United States of America

S1reamli11e Publishing. Inc. 224 Datum Streel, Suite 718 West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 (407) 655-8778 1-800-226-7857

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A 1'1 crOR!AL H15TOl\Y Of RADIO'S Fmsr 75 YF;\RS

A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF

FIRST BY B. ERIC RHOADS

Bwr hoM THE PAST: A PicrORW. HISTORYOF R..\010'$ FIRST 75YEARS

Dedication

I

n loving memory of Roxie and Brady Goad and \%leer and Luella Rhoads, my grandparems, who left a legacy of love, and m ight me of God's love chrough their example. To Laurie, my wife, who brings me love and laughter.

To my family members who I love so much: My father Dean, mother .Jeanne, brothers Dennis and John. Special fami ly members Cara, Ryan, Molly. Frank, Marri n a11d Morena. Professionally, chis book is dedicaced ro Charlie Willer, who introduced me co radio as a liferime career, and co Dc:Hcr Andrews (Bill Anthony), who made sure I had a chance co make my career happen. lo Jerry Clifton, Dwighc Case, Rhody Bosley, Chris Rachaus and Kaye Levine, my me ncors. Special hearcfelr rhanks co Ron Kyle, who raughr me the value of optimism. T hanks co so many wonderful friends and business friends who have each made a difference and concribucion in my lifo. Listing each of yo u would be impossible, but you know who yo u an.:.

2

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A l'ICTORl.\L HISTORY01' lt101o's FIRST 75 YEARS

Table Of Contents i

I

I

I

Foreword, by Rush Li mbaugh .. ......... ..................................................... 5 Foreword, by Paul Harvcy ........ .................... .......................................... 7 Acknowledgemenrs .......... ......................................................... .............. 9 Preface .............. .......................... ........................................... .............. 11 Pre-20s ......................... ..... .......... ......................................................... 17

ZOs .............. .......... .................... ............................... ..... ................ ....... 35 30s .............. ......... ........ ................................................................. ....... 95 4 0s ................................................................. ........ ............. ......... ..... 171 50s ..................... ........ ............. .......................................................... 257 60s .................................................................................................... 301

70s .................. .................................................................................. 325 80s .................................................................................................... 341 90s ............... .......................................................................... ........... 377 Radio Hall of Fame ...... .... ....... .. ........................................... ......... .... 433 Broadcast Pionee rs Library ....... .. ....... ......................................... ....... 435 Radio Fan Direccory .. .............. ............................... ...... .... ................. 439 Bibliography ............. ...................... ..................... ........ ..... ........ .........447 Index ............... .................................................... ....... ..... ......... ......... 449 About T he Aurho r ... ...... ....... ................ ................................... .......... 461 3

4

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A PJCTORJAI. HtSTOH\' o• ll~mo's FIRST 7) YE.~RS

Foreword by Rush Limb111tgh

T

here once was a "roy" called the Caravelle. It was made by a company called Remco. My parents got me one for Christmas when I was 10 or 11 years old, and I drove them

barty wirh ir. Whar it did was simple: broadcast a scratchy, mostly unintelligible signal on any AM frequency you chose for a range of75 feet. With this toy, one could actually be a

DJ -

nor pretend, mind you, but

actually be on the air. My parenrs, God love rhem, sat patiendy by rhe radio and listened

to

me play music they did nor like, lisrened co me mimic Harry Caray doing Sr. Louis Cardinals' baseball play-by-play and listened co me read news from the newspaper. I would call friends in che neighborhood and ask chem co rurn their radios to 890 (I was bound and dererrnined ro be on the same frequency as \TIS!) and see if they could hear me. T hey, of course, could nor, which forced m e to jury rig, with masking cape, a larger telescopic antenna than

s

what was supplied with the machine. Alas, ro no avail. This

Listeners devoce all their attention to one sense: sound. This is

inability to be heard throughout the neighborhood frustrated me

why there is no name for radio comparable to television's " Boob

and lit the fires of mocivacion co be heard.

Tube." If you really listen

to

radio, you ap ply no other of r.he

What is ir about radio char so fascinatesr For one thing,

human senses ro ic. It is the concentrated applicat ion of jusc chis

radio is inrimace. The microphone is right there, just inches

one sense char arouses the imagination . And if a radio program

away, which means the audience is also just inches away. Think

or personality is exceptionally calemed, what follows all this is

of chac. This is why radio audiences form such deep bonds ofloy-

inspiration.

alty with the programs they love.

Radio has inspired millions and millions of people in count-

Radio is real, which makes it spontaneous. There is very lit-

less ways, bur the most imporram is rhar radio unlocks che imag-

tl e about radio char is artificial. le is almost always live and of the

ination, which unleashes the full range of human porenrial from

moment, and so makes its impact immediate.

within. Devoted radio listeners are thinkers, not robots. T hey are

But: perhaps the mosr. imporca nc ingrediem is imaginarion. Yo u cannot listen to the radio without ir. T here are no pictures in the real sense, yet pictures rhere are, painred and drawn by the listener, as guided and prompted by the program. And here-

active, not lazy, and they are adventurous, for they never know what they are going I am honored

to

to

get.

be on radio, to speak each day w rhe peo-

ple who make this counrry work.

in lies the real secret of the impact and uniqueness of radio.

6

B1Asr fRoM THE PAst: ;\ 1'1c:mR1A1. l-11sroR\' or- !l~DJo's l'11t1r 75 Y~1RS

Foreword by Paul Harvey

hould you visit my skyscraper offices, you r :mention will focus

S

first on a large portrait on the reception room wall. lc's a portrait of a young boy whose clorl1ing dares irsclf to a generation past:

che plus-fours are wretchedly wrinkled. the mis-shapen shoes are worn ouc; one is worn through. Bur rhe boy, leaning forwa rd on one elbow, is listening enrapr ro a I 930s-vintage cathedral-shaped muhi-dial radio. The boy does nor resemble any person in particular except co me. The anise is an Oklahoman, Jim Daly, whom I have never mer, bur with the painting he included chis note: "There is no way for me to express rhc pleasure I received from lisrcning co rhe old radio programs. In my mind chose wonderfol heroes were magnificent. No movie ... no television program ... nor even real life, could have equalled whar my imagination could conjure up. Amazingly, all chose heroes looked a little bit like me." Radio people, in their preoccupied hasrc, have been leccing go of the 7

mighr and majesry of rhe well-spoken word. Van Gogh is pleasing co rhe eye; Shakespeare is fathoml ess.

the window shades, disconnects the telephone and turns on rhe TV -

ro watch the wrestling matches.

Our industry's poets you can counc on your rhurnbs: Charles

Martha admits that she loves co watch those big bruisers

Kuralt when he has time and Jack Whi rraker when some classic

head-bun one another and body-slam one another. Then, when

sporting event deserves added dimensions.

she gets sufficiendy worked up, she throws a stepover roe-hold on

Trusc me ro painr picrures on rhe mirror of your mind and I will ler you feel such agony and ecsrasy, such misery and such

her husband, Chris, and rhere on the floor in from of che TV ser they wresde umil one is able to pin the od1e1'.

would never be able co feel by looking ar i1.

Don'c reU Martha Genson thar wrestling marches on TV are

Ler me painr you a picrure of unrequired love in 17 words:

sraged. She says if d1ere's anything on TV rhar's fuked, it's soap operas.

"\'\Then rhe fire in me meecs wirh rhe ice in you whar could

She says rhe wresding marches are for real, including hers

magnificence as

)'OU

remain bm damp ashes?" Now rell me, wirh what picrure in oil or on film could you duplicate rhar poignancy? We coun wirh the lights turned down co remain undistracted. \Y/e savor a fragrance, a kiss or a foor massage with our eyes closed.

with Chris. Which she usually wins. Marcha Gretson is 76. Husband Chris is 82. The piccure you are right now imagining is infinicely more entertaining rhan any cartoon of rhe same thing. As

;1

boy, I foll in love with words and ran away from home

and joined the radio.

Or comedy.

le was really something. Close your eyes and see ...

ln my book For \'\Thar Ir's Worth, I was able co march car-

le srill can be.

coon sketches with some srories; nor wich rhis one: On page I 35, you meec Marrha and Chris Gerrson of Gering, Nebraska. Every weekday ;1frernoon ar 2, Manha lowers

8

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A J>tCTORlAl HISTORYOF Rw;o's FIRST 7) YEARS

Acknowledgements

A

projecr of chis magnirudc requires conrriburions from many people co sec ic through. I'd like ro thank rhe many people who gave time, cfforr and info rmation co crc:irc

this hisrorical document for radio. T hanks ro my wife, Laurie, who has seen lictle of me fo r six months, and who saw me disappear fo r rhrcc solid monrhs following our wedding. Many rhanks co rhe ream at Rndio /11/: who kept rhings run ning smoothly during my absence while cornplc1ing d1e book: John Montani, Yvonne Harmon, Anne Snook, Tom FJmo, Linda DcMasrry, Chuck Renwick, Helen Brown, Marianne Young, Shawn Occna, Joan Bcnca, Cecelia Brown and Ken Lee. Special rhanks co Bruce Buchanan and Ed Boyd. Many contributed by access co photo fi les or by sending photos and information: Tom Daren, Jim Duncan, Ben Freedman, Don H:tgcn, Perer H:11nmar, Connie Hansel, Bob Harlow, Bob Hcn;ibcry, Lisa Hodor, Julie

Hoover, Gina Jarrin, "Shotgun Torn" Kelly, Seu Laiche, John Long, Darryl 9

McCann, Jeff Mazzei, Chcscer .'vlcKown, Bill Meeks, Willard

Pioneers, Peggy Weber, Jeanne 0. Brown, Gordon Mason, Bill

Score, David Brenner, Tim Moore, Howard Risk, Dickie

Ward, Marty Halprin, Ron Wolf, USC Deparcmem of Special

Rosenfe ld , Dave Scholin, Erika Farber, Hurricane, Bob

CollVestwood One, Rene Casis, Norm

Mike Mashon, Broadcasr Pioneers Library, Tom Connors, Art

Paciz, Laurie Pecers, Mary Kicano Dilcz ar KNX, George

Schreiber, Fred Bergendorf, Joi.:: Franklin, Barry Skidelski,

Nickolau, Jim \1(1illiams, Evelyn Cassidy, Associated Press, Ken

Charles Zoeller ar Associated Press, Jade Luthi, Old Time Radio

Cosca, Rush Limbaugh, Ed McLaughlin, Paul Han'ey, Gary

Digest, Vicky Bowles, Clarke Blacker, Michael Keith, Kaye

Fisher, Maurice Tunick, Sally Jessy Raphael, Tom Snyder, Casey

Levine, C lyde Hanale, George Ross, John Rook, Jane Sparaza,

Kascm, Bare McCJendon, Norman Corwi.n, Paul Drew, Dick

Ralph Guild and Jim Shulke.

Brueio11tm

Library

from rwo \'V'csr Virginia mouncaincops. The kires were covered with a copper screen and

o ne, as are wireless relegraph, wireless ship-ro-shorc communica-

were connecred to the ground with copper wires. T he wire from

ri on and so on.

each kire sering was connected co one side of a galvanomerer; the

To go back ro rhe developmenr of wireless, we musr firsr crack events leading up ro rhe discovery of elecrriciry. Although

od1cr side was held by Loomis, who was ready m make a co n neecio n tO a coil buried in rhc Earth.

some documentation goes fo rrhcr back, elecrriciry as a science

T he receiving srarion conncccion, between rhe merer and

began in 1600 when O r. Will iam Gilberr, who was Queen

the coil buried in chc Earrh, was always closed, and whenever

Elizabech's personal physician, invented rhe decc roscope, which

the circuit was closed at the rransmitting end, c:he galva no merer

detected elecrromagneric energy in the body. He coined the

nr rhc receiving srarion accually di ppecl. Congress rhen awarded

word electricity.

Lc>om is a $50,000 research grant.

Fro m rh:u point forward, ma ny people had their hand in rhc

In 1879, David Edward Hughes discovered rhar when a scick

developmenr of electricicy: Sir Thomas Browne, Benjamin

of wood covered wi th powdered copper was placed in an clccrrical

Franklin, Alessandro Volra and Georg Simon O hm, among orh-

circuit, rhe copper would adhere when a spark was made.

ers. For brcvicy's sake, we'll look ar wireless alte r electricity was

In 1885, Sir William H. Preece and A. W. Heaviside sent sig-

invented.

Exploring Wireless

- - - - - - LARGE M ETAL SPHERES~

SPARK GAP

T he real incerest in wireless began with Samuel F. Morse's

l:=======:::::::Ol()::~====::::::::f

invemion of rhe telegraph in 1837, which required wires (a very expensive proposition). In 1867, a Scottish mathematician, James Clerk Maxwell, conceived of chc electromagnetic rheory of light. Hertz-design oscillator This theory holds that light, clccrric waves and magnetic waves of 18

INOUCTION COIL

lJroadc.11t l'io11em Li/miry

BIAST FROM THE PAST: A PICTORIAL H1;TORYOF !l>J)JO's Fu•sr 75 Yt~!lS

nals co one anocher at a distance of 1,000 yards wich two parallel

used a voice signal co modulacc a lighr

1clcgraph lines and an unwired telephone receiver in d1e middle.

beam, rhcn used a phocoeleccric cell co con-

This was rhe discovery of inducrion. or crossralk.

vcrr rhc light co elecrriciry, which could

Tht: real experiments leading to radio's discovery scarted wi th Heinrich Hem in 1887. Some call him che father of radio because his experimenrs created incercsr by Marconi. Radio waves were commonly called Hem.ian \X'avcs in che early days. Herr£ studied Ma>.·well's theories and, in anempting co dcvclop further data, actuall y ser u p rhc flrsr spark rransmirrcr and receiver. The rransmictec consim:d of a Leyden jar and a coil

rhcn power a convenrional telephone. le was displayed at rhc World's Fair unril 1893. Lace r, a French elecrrician, E.F.P. Mcrcad ier, creared a version of Bell's invenCombridge 1ion and called it the Teleradiophone. This University professor Jomes Clerk Maxwell is rhc flrsr known use of the word "radio" ro published his theory of electromagnetism describe wireless. in 1873. lJro"dmst Pio11mi lihmry

of wire, the ends of which were lefr o pen so char a small gap was

Hell also collaborared wic h Jo hn

formed. For che receiver, he used a similar coil ac che opposite

Trowbridge of Harvard chrnugh chis period ro build a wireless

end of rhc room.

rclcphone using boch che Earch and warc r as conductors. This technique, according ro radio historian Dr. Bob Loclue of Murray Scare Universiry, had been used successfully fo r many years for wireless telegraphy. Morse first employed ic in 1842. In 1882, Bell rransmirred from a boar

in che Pocomac near \Xlashington ro orher boars and co sho re, but rhc results were unimpressive. Bell soon gave up work on wireless; however, Trowb ridge continued co Nathan B. Stubblefield and son posing with his wireless ielephone demonstroted on his form in Murray, Kentucky, as early as 1892. experiment wirh wireless unril 1891 . Bmt1tfr11s1

Pibnurs libmry

In 1892, a French invemor, Edouard \Xlhcn rhe jar was charged, sparks Aew across the gap and

Br:inl y, crcarcd a rube containing loose zinc and silver filings, wich

were received on rhe ocher end. Hertz rhcn measured rhc veloci-

comacr plugs on each end. The shavings would srick rogcrhcr after

ty of rhe waves and found they were rhe same as lighr, 186,000

che first spark was received; a method of separating them for the

miles per sernnd.

nexr signal was necessary. Popov, a Russian, came up wirh rhe idea

Ir was in che year 1880 rhac Alexander Graham Bell parcnc-

eel thr.: flrsc wireless rclcphonc device, called chc Phorophoae. le

of using a vibrator and che hammer of an electric bell to srrike che tube and cause che filings

to

separare. 19

Professor Amos Emerson Dolbear came up with a wireless

including Thomas

cclephone design by accidenr when he disconnected the tele-

Edison,

Lucius

phone he had st:t up in his physics lab at Tufo College in Boston.

Phelps of Western

'lo his surprise, he could hear sounds from across tht: room

Union and Gran-

th rough the receiver. He then learned that the cu rrent in the coil

ville Woods, a cal-

at the cransminer was inducing a current in the passive coil at the

emeel

receiver, and thac his electromagnetic induction was completing

American rnvenror

the audio circuit.

from

Afric.'ln-

Cincinnari.

He rhcn perfected chis wireless telephone so char he could

Boch Edison and

reliably communicate from his lab to his home, a chi rd of a mile

Phelps used tele-

lo achieve chis, he used aerial condensers elevated to the

phone receivers as

away.

same height and accached to both the transminer and the receiver.

dececcors, a com- De Foresrs oudion lube. Bwult11'1 l'ionrrn libmry

Dolbcar demonstrated this ac scientific conferences through-

mon modification

ouc rhc world and patented ic in 1886. Lee De Forest bought the

of rclegraph systems of rhc era. but Woods devised a complete

parent and aHempccd

wireless telephone appar:m.1s, which hi! parenced in 1887.

to

prove char Dolbear had invented radio a

decade before Marconi because the devicc generated an RF signal

In England, William Preece and Willoughby Smith pursued

and uscd crude antennas as a runing mechanism. Ir lacked, how-

parallel experiments. Preece also designed and reseed induction

ever, :111y way to dececc the RF (Radio Frequency), so any com-

wirdess telephones co communicate with coal mines and nearby

municacion was solely rhc result of induction.

islands.

Building an inducrion wireless rclcgraph ro com municate

Three parencs in wi reless tdephone already exisred by rhc

with moving rrains occupied die arcencion of several people,

cime Marconi, Tesla and Srubblcfield emerged on the scene wirh rhcir forms of wireless.

Tesla, Marconi and Stubblefield In 1893, a Serbian, Nikola Tesla, suggcstcd a means of conduc:cion using rhc Earth. He invented the Tesla coil, which created high-frequency oscillations. In 1895, Marconi experimemed wirh Herrzian waves and was able Stubblefield demonslrotes o ship-to-shore broodcosl on lhe Polomoc on Morch 20, 1902.

to

send and

recei ve messages over a mile and a quarcer.

8ro111/r11.11l'ionun Libmry

He made great strides when he crca red 20

BLAST FROM TM! PASTl ,, PICIUKIAL HISTORY OF R.w1o's Fl~ST 75 YF.\ R.\

transmission becween two ships 12 miles aparr. He then solicired and seemed investors for rhe Marconi \Wireless Tdegraph Company, the firsr

to

commercialize wireless. He was 23. By

1899, he had covered discances of74 miles. In 1899, he adopted Sir O liver Lodge's principles of rnning circuirs, perfecting diem and obtaining a parent in 1900. In December 1901, when Marconi sent the firsr rrans-Adanric signal, inventor H. Oris Pond told Tesla: "Looks like Marconi got the jump on yo u." Tesla replied: "Marconi is a good fe llow; Ice him continue. He is using 17 of my parenrs." Tesla's mirnde 1oward Marconi lacer changed, after )•ears of litigarion berween chem. Tesla later referred to Marconi as "a donkey." Tesla had come up with something different from :md superior ro Hem's original ideas. He developed a series of high-frequency ahernarors producing frequencies up ro 33,000 cycles per second (33,000 Hz). This, of course, was the forerunner ro high-frequc:ncy alrernarnrs used fur continuous wave radio communication. Tesla went on co build rhe Tesla coil, an air-core tra nsformer wirh primary and secondary coils runed ro resonate -

a seep-up

nansformer that convercs low-volcage high currenr co high-volr· age low current ac high frequencies. Ir is used coday in all radios

Thomos Edison's impact on radio was great becouse of his invention of the phonograph. He olso conducted significant work on wireless transmission but later ignored it for olher projects. He is seen here ol age 32 with Cha~es Batchelor ond on early phonograph model. This rare April 1878 photo wos token in Washington by President Lincoln photographer Mathew Brody.

and televisions. In 1892, a Kconrucky former and invenror, Narhan

documented (by The St. Lou fr Dispatch) distance of 500 ya rds. He

Srubblefield,

publicly

demonstrated a ship-co-shore broadcast on che Pocomac River in

demonmaced wirdess. Noc

Washingcon, D.C., on March 20, 1902, and received parent

only did he broadc 1st sig-

number 887,357 for wireless rclephone on May 12, 1908.

nals, bur he also was able ro broadcasc voice and music.

Brondcasr Pioneers libmry l'Rt.-1920s

May 24, 1902, had merely replicated Bell's 1882 experiment. The

demonst rared

difference was chat Srubblefteld showed he could broadcast co

wi rclcss again in 1898 m a

multiple receivers simultaneously. Srubblefteld was so afraid thar

He Nikolo Tesla

However, Srubblcficld, ir was said by Scientific Jlmerirnn on

21

Radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi al his receiving set at St. John's, Newfoundland, on December 12, 1901. Broatl(ll!f l'iomm Libnzry/Hauril/11 Colftction

someone would sreal his invenrion, he shelrered ir from everyone.

stock and became forever fearful of being ripped-off.

He had been offered $500,000 for his invencion co The Wireless

Srubblefield envisioned rhe device in mocorcars (as shown on

1clephon'

61

The FLIT Soldiers, o bond formed by Horry Reser prior to his famous Cliquot Club Eskimos. BroiUkmt Pio11rm li/irn~)'

Henry Field of KFNF, Shenandoah, Iowa, one of many broadcasters who received local broodcosting licenses. Bivadc11s1 Pionrm librmy

In on effort to secure the advertising of the sparkling ginger ale that hod o parka-hooded Eskimo on its label, WEAf executive George Podeyn suggested the company sponsor o bond, coll it The Cliquot Club Eskimos and make them wear parkas like the label of the bottle. It resulted in huge soles for Cliquot Club ginger ale. BrondCtzsl Pio11rrl's Lihm•J'

1920s

63

Baseball legend Bobe Ruth mode his first rodio oppeoronce on WWJ on Jonuory 31 , 1922, while in Detroit for o vaudeville engagement ot the Temple Theoter.

One of the pioneering women on the oir, Morie Neff, storied on NBC Chicogo in 1927 ond wos NBC's Chicago women's editor from 1928 to 1932.

Broadcast Pioneers Libn1ry

llro111lrast l'ionerr 1 Libr,1ry

64

B LAST h o M THE PAST: A Pll1\)RJAI 111\ lllRYll~ R.•.rno's F1R>r75 YFAl\l

Pete Bontsema and his Hotel Tuller Orchestra. Pete is the second from right (1923). /JrondrflJt Pio11rrrt li/m1ry•

Starling out as The Jop 0 Loe Twins, they later become known as Al & Pete (Al Cameron and Peter Bontsema). Broadc111t Pio11rm l.ilmrry

A story told by author Eric Barnouw says o former employee went to Thomas Edison (lek) to borrow o phonograph for a broadcast. Edison later asked that WJZ stop using it, saying: "If the phonograph sounded like that in every room, nobody would ever buy it." When the phonograph was returned, Edison sketched a circuit and gave it to the lad. Back at the station, engineers studied it, resulting in a circuit breakthrough for radio.

19l(h

65

The devices used in lhe early days of radio broadcasting lo creole sound effects were very basic. Some blew horns, onolher rolled a boll ogoinsl a pair of lenpins, shown here wilh orlist Ernest Hore. Still, lhe public took odd background noises as port of the program and enjoyed them thoroughly. Alwiattd Prru

An early NBC microphone. Auorimd l'rru

One of the first well-known radio singers on the West Coast, Peggy Chompon was heard from NBC Son Francisco in 1928.

Molt Grovenhors was one of the early NBC Orchestra directors.

f'nrifir l'i1111ms 1.ilmny

Pacific Pio1um Lihm1J•

66

BLAST FROM THI PAST: A l'IC10RJAI Ht~1'0RY OF RAo:o's F!RST75 YEARS

The Merry Milkmen, heard on Boston's WEEI in the early '20s. BrMd(4SI Pio11un librJry

A portrait of the young entrepreneur ond founder of The Columbia Broodcosting System (CBS). Williom S. Poley discovered the power of rodio when purchasing time on WCAU, Philodelphio, in 1927 for his father's cigor compony. With o loon from his dod, he purchased United Independent Rodie Stations, o choin of 16 foiling radio stations. It wos reborn os The Columbia Broodcosting System. Btoadtast Piontm libm7

The KGO players song regularly on KGO, Son Froncisco. Pacific Pionrm Lilm17

Vaudeville teom Burm ond Foran on WEEI, broodcosting their donce routine.

Joe White, The Silver Masked Tenor, ond WEAF onnouncer Phillips Carlin with the Goodrich Silvertown Orchestra. Carlin was also studio director at WEAF, New York.

Brondaw Pionun Libm7

Broadcast Pio11rm libmry

1920S

67

The Gold Spot Pols, on early NBC radio equivalent to The Lillie Rascals, starred Graham McNomee and was sponsored by Groton & Knight leather. Broadr1111 Pio11rm Libmry

In the ear~ '20s a trend developed to name acts and programs after sponsors. The Cliquot Club Eskimos were named for Cliquot Club Ginger Ale. Director Horry Reser, banjo in hand, requi red the band to perform in their winter parkas - even on hot summer days. 8rtJJu/r,m 1'1011rm Library

NBC Red's Dork Quartet: Horry Stanton, Ben Klassen, Everett Foster and Myron Neisley.

68

For some unknown reason, Hawaiian music was considered THE thing to ploy in the early days of radio. Something about the vibrating tones of steel guitars come across well on ~1e air. Shown ore Al Davis and the WKAV, Laconia, New Hampshire, Hawaiian Boys: (standing 1-r) Charles Shastony, Anncr; Clint Elkins and Wolter Varrel. (sitting) Ed Coulburn, William Blake, Al Davis and Jim Penmore. Bro.1dr.ur Pio11cm lib,,,ry

BLAST hoM THE PASt: A PiCTORW. HlSTORl" 01

R.w1o's F!m 75 YEARS

Whitings Grade A Entertainers ot WEEI, Boston. IJ>v11drns1 Pionem l ibr11r;·

Comedy teoms, a lot of patter and moth·eoten jokes, and music thot shattered the airwaves helped fill up hours of programming in the eorly doys of radio. Then came a surge in novelties, ond the radio listeners got an earful of the bizarre. A ladies bond wos con· sidered an unusual feature, and the Melody Belles here blared ond thumped owoy, to the amusement of listeners. As10cirutd f>rc·»1

Entertainers in the eorly days of radio felt a need to entertain in costume, even though there was ohen no live audience. Sponsored by Neopoliton Ice Cream on WEEI, this 1925 photo shows the Neapolitan dutch girls. Bro1ulc1u1 Pionun

1920s

Libmry

69

Freemon Gosden {Amos, lefl} and Charles Correll {Andy, right) pictured during their early years in broadcasti ng on Chicago's WGN as Som and Henry. They changed their names a year later when the show was picked up by the red network and become a notional hit. Theirs was the first nightly program to be continually broadcast (circa 1928). 1b1ocit11ttl l'rtss

Referring to them· selves as "dispensers of information" were KMTR Hollywood's 8 Boll, ployed by Vol Jomes, and Charlie Lung, ployed by B.C. Dovey. During this early period, black· faced whites and pre· tend Orientals gained popularity across America, reinforcing negative stereotypes. Pacific Pio11em l.ibmry

Early minstrel act Tom and Wash. Tom was Tom Breneman, who later went on to notional fame with Breakfast at Sardi's. Parijir /'1011rr11 Ulmtry

70

BLAST FROM THI Pam A l'!CTORlU HISlURV or R.~rno'> F1RSr i5 YI.AAS

. ,•i''·

Tom Breneman of Tom and Wash become most well·known for his program Breakfast al Sardi's, which was eventually renamed Breakfast in Hollywood. Breneman's show ran notionally from 1941 unti I 1948, when he died suddenly at age 47. Pt1cific Pionan Lilmuy

A pioneer in radio entertainment, NBC Son Francisco's Dapper Mox Dolin. WTAT, Boston, uses o converted firetruck for its live broadcast onboord o ship. Bro1uk11St Piomm Libmr;·

1920s

71

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When the Zenith Electronics Corporation got into the business of owning radio stations, it added a unique twist- it made them mobile like Zenith radios. Chicago's WJAZ base studios were built in 1922 and the mobile unit in 1925.

11t H,.("f'., Y-1.. '-fU'i\lRY or RAo!o's FIRST 75 YEARS

C.B. Collins, known in the eorly days os The Radio Janitor al WEEI, Boston, one of the first stations in the Red Network. Broaden}( Pionrm Li/miry

Boston's WEEI took on imporlont piece in radio history as one of the first stotions in America. It launched many dramatic and comedy shows including The Radio Janitor, ployed by C.B. Collins. Bro11lcflst l'iourm 1.ibmry

Dove Rubinoff direded the NBC Orchestra in its makeshift studios, the RKO soundstage and rehearsal hall, when the network first moved to Hollywood in 1929. f"tl'ijic Pionren librmJ'

83

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Marian Driscoll and Jim Jardon met and married in Peoria, Illinois, and went on to a lifetime of radio. Aker hearing a bod act on the radio in 1924, the Jordans wondered into their local station telling the management that they could do a better job than what they hod just heard. They were hired on the spot. Ploying many radio roles, they ended up with their own show, Fibber McGee and Molly, on NBC's Blue Network in 1935; it lasted until 1957. Parific 1'1011rm lilmuy

Orchestra leader Glennholl Taylor and the first NBC dance orchestra in San Francisco in 1926. l'tm'fir Pitmrrn librr:ry

84

BLAST hoM THI PASt: .\ i':oCJ'OiU.U. H1rn:i;u· Of R.w.o's FIRST -5 Y!ARS

When NBC first moved to Hollywood in 1929, it used the RKO soundstoge for broadcasts while its studio was being built. Audiences look on during a broadcast of Rudy Vollee's Fleischmann Hour. P'1It /I r ,..Jil/11; "

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These 1934 Weslinghouse odvertising slicks were provided to dealers for use in local newspa pers. Interesting how the first radio company used newspapers to promote the sole of radios. FIJ1dio Ink CoUrrtiu11

• 1930s

111

.I

I

Humorist Will Rogers pioneered radio entertainment. He first appeared on WEAF New York's Eveready Hour in 19231 hod his own program, T/1e Gulf Show, on NBC's Blue Network in April 1930 and was port of The Ziegfeld Follies of tl1e Air in 1932. He was known for taking slobs ol Congress, politicians and the president, but he did it in a gentlemanly, poking-lun way. Rogers was killed August 15, 19351 with Wiley Post when their private aircrah crashed in Alaska. /Jrvndtmr /'ir111tm Libmry

The original Radio City speaker's studio ot NBC in 1933.

The 1931 Chicago studios of NBC. Bro111lr1m /'io11rm Lilm1ry 112

Bun FRoM THE Pur: A P1e mRIAI IhsioRY or R.~01(1·~ F1R.11 iS Yim

NBC and RC.A:s World's Fair building in Chicago (1933-34). 8f0fldrm1 l'io11em Libraq

The sleek, streamlined lobby of NBC's fresh new Hollywood ond Vine studios.

A rare 1932 photo of Jim and Morion Jordon, who first ployed Smockouf, a grocer who was "smock out" of groceries. This show's name was changed lo Fibber McGee and Molly in 1935 when it went national.

0,.0111kr111 f'io11em Uhrnry

lJrorufMH Pio11tm Libmry

19305

113

Once newspopers realized the impoct of rodio, they refused to allow newscosters to read from the newspopers. Mony networks began gathering their own news. As o result, Lowell Thomas become extremely successful because of his clout and influence on the air, scooping both the other networks and the newspapers. llssudnted Press

The Pertussin Playboys, one of the early acts heard singing on The Columbia Broadcasting Network (December 22, 1930). Broadaur Pio11em Library

The Mutual Broadcasting Network and WOR New York's Rodre Horris interviews actress Bette Davis (left). Dick Willard and Jeff Sparks assist. Bn11ulc11st Piom·cn libn11J• 114

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A l'ICTOl\L~L HISTORY Of j\,\f)!O'S f!R>r 75 Yf.1o's Fut.'T 75 Yf,\RS

The Jack Haley Show ron on NBC in 1937 ond CBS in '38 ond '39. Holey is best remembered for his role os the Scarecrow in Tl1e Wizard of Oz.

Morton Downey in 1931 on The Come/ Quarter Hour. llrq1ulm11 l'ionm> Ulm1ry

BroatfcrtJt Pianeers lilmlry

Actor Walter Pidgeon during o guest performance for Columbia's Lux Radio Theatre. Bro.1drnJ1 Pio11rm lihmr)'

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Hollywood's top gossip, Hedda Hopper, was well-known for her hots, which could be described on her program but never seen. The Hedda Hopper Show was sponsored by Sunkist on CBS, starting in 1938. Bro:ulmsr Pioneers Library

1930;

167

NBC's Evelyn and Her Magic Violin (a rare Bergonzi) on General Electric's Hour af Cl1arm feotured Phil Spitalny and his all-girl orchestra in 1938. Brollll(llS/ f>ionrm librdry

168

8 LAST FROM THE PAST: A l'KTOIU.ll. l ll>l•lR\' m lt11)1(l S FIRST ' 5 Yt.\RS 0

The Nunn Bush Singers conduct o musical broodcost (circa 1930). WGY Schenectady's Stars of Tomorrow featured a clown ond o local talent search. /JmadraSI Pionem Libml)'

This young beauty, Sadie Marks, worked ot The Moy Company in the hosiery deportment in 1926, when she met Jock Benny. They married o year later. She joined his program and become known as Mory Livingston. When Benny died in 1974, his will stated that o Aorist wos to deliver roses to her every day for the rest of her life os o reminder of his love for her. Broadcast Pioneers Library1

1930s

169

170

BLAsr fRoM THE Pur. AP1c ToR1AL Htsroi:v Of RAtno's F11llr 75 VF.All'

s

R

adio was well-csrablished by 1940. The '40s were rhe lasr big hurrah for whac was considered radio's Golden Era. As rhe decade dawned, a world war was being foughc in Europe,

and America was being dragged into it. As a res ult, chc '40s arc often referred was The \Xlar Years in radio. Tremendous efforrs wenr inro rhe war effort, and radio led char charge wi th bond drives, cnrcrraincrs enlisting or being drafted, and wich special programs fo r the soldiers.

Programs like Music for Millions, Treasury Stnr Pnmde and MiUiom far

Defense were scanered across rhe radio dial. For rhc flrsr time in hisrory, all che nerworks cooperared in an efforc co produce srar-fllled programs rhar were sent via shortwave co "our boys overseas." Radio was used co rally Americans behind the war crforc for everything from collecting scrap mecal co car pooling co selling war bonds and stamps. Program content often included war-related icems from rhc srarr of the war rhrough irs end in 194 5.

t940s

171

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Born John Florence Sullivan in 1894, Fred Allen become one of the biggest radio stars of all time after starving in vaudeville. While in New York, he met and married Portland Hoffa, who become his sidekick on his CBS debut, on October 23, 1932, in the Unit Both Club Revue.

Programs like This Is W~u; An Americn11 in Engl.and and

We

Hold These 7/·nths were classics produced by No rman Co rwin,

broadcasrs abour his experie nces and recording rhe people and sound~

he enco un rerecl.

whose prose evoked emorions rhroughom the counny. Corwin,

Radi o broug hr Wo rld War H inro rhe living rooms fo r rhe

the war zones and i:rnvdcd rhc glo be wri ting

first ri me. Every bo mb, every march, every speech, every cri sis,

like oi:hcrs, went

172

tO

BLAsr FROM THE PAST: .A P1CTORL'L HISTORY

or K~Dlo·, FIR.IT 7SYEARS

spying in the United Srates." Insread, the networks devoted d1cir efforts to waving the flag and building rhe patriotic spirit in America, to contrasr wirh rhe fascist acrivirics r.hcy were not to mencion. Unlike today, programming was audired ro eliminate any hint of political prejudice. But one day changed everything in the Unired States and eliminated c:he policy of not ra king sides. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was atracked by the Japanese. Lt came ro be characterized by President Roosevelt as "A Day That W ill Live In Tnfarny." Within two days, Germany and

Italy had declared war against America. Programming began reflecting America's position immediate· ly. Children's programming was Fiiied wirh moral lessons about the

Jack Benny admires a watch Phil Harris received as a going·oway present, of course commenting that he'd never owned one because watches were so expensive. Benny's running gag was his miserly attitude.

war, and about things they could do ro help. Kids were encouraged

Pariflr Pioneers Librar:t

by their heroes ro save electriciry, gas, water, clothes and roys. Heroes li ke Dick Tracy, Superman, T he Green Horner, Tom Mix and Jack Armstrong focused on the \~ar effort with srories of

every bear of rhc war was available on rhe radio. Some hisrorians believe radio is rhe reason America cnrercd c:he war. Accouncs by in-rhe-crenches newsmen like Edward R.

spies, saboteurs and dissidems. Shows like Hop H11rrigan and Don Winslow ofthe Navy were sraged in the bacdeFields of rhe war.

Murrow, Eric Sevareid, William Shirer and Robert Trout made listeners aware of the arrociries going on in Europe, bringing those events inro rhe lives of people who had never before experienced the sounds of war. These correspondenrs risked rheir lives to bring the realiLy of war to rhe American public, which in mrn pur pressure on poliricians ro cake action. Yet rhe networks and correspondenrs walked a thin line, trying w maincain objectivity prior to America's declaration of war. According ro aurhor/hisrorian

J.

Fred MacDonald, ner-

work policies prohibited any program from taking sides.

Jock Benny entertains troops in 1943. Programs were not allowed 1940>

to

exhibit "sabotage, subversion or

J>,1cific Pioneers

libr

fucilirics rransmirring rclcvision. Mose only existed in r:he big cities like New York :md Los Angeles, buc r:hac all changed rapidly. In 1948, CBS cxecucivc Hubbell Robinson Jr. declared: "Television is abouc co do to radio whar chc SiolLx did co Cuscer. There is going to

be a massacre." Radio networks were in a quandary. Were mey

to

put their

dollars inro saving radio or into providing programming for television? The answer was obvious, and ar rhe end of che '40s radio began dying a quick, agonil.ing death. Scarions were on meir own again, vying for survival wirhouc much hope from the networks. Nine out Bill Brennon, producer of The Jack Smith Show goes over lhe scrip! wilh guesl Sue Roney on CBS in 1945.

of cen stations were resorting co local calenr wich deejay programs. LocaJism was rhe only hope fo r radio, and being in the radio

Panfir Piomm l.ibmry

business in 1949 seemed preny grim. m

Alice Reinheort ployed "Chichi" for eighl yeors on the soap Life Can Be Beautiful. She also held major roles in NBC's The Woman in My House and The Abbot Mysteries.

The king of daytime radio, Tom Breneman and his Breakfast in Hollywood become a notional phe· nomenon, heard on more !hon 220 slolions, lwice as many as Hope and Benny. The show hod 20 million listeners ond in 1941 wos the most popular daytime show in radio. Needless to soy, it was no problem getting slors like young Orson Welles to visil lhe show.

/'arifir Pionurs libmry

Pacific l'ioff(efl Lihmr)'

1940s

179

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In spite of more than 800 letters of listener protests, Peg lynch, author and lead role on Ethyl and Albert, kept odor Alan Bunce in the role of Albert when odor Richard Widmark le& to pursue film roles. The show started in Minnesota in 1938 and come to ABC in 1944.

Making her notional radio debut in 1944 on The Chase and Sanborn Hour, 14 year old soprano Jone Powell was o&en wooed by wooden dummy Charlie McCarthy. Powell weot on to be a frequent guest on many musical programs and variety shows, including The Railroad Hour.

Pacific Pioneen LibntJ)'

l't1Cijim1)'

Poul Whiteman was getting all the attention at this luncheon, flanked by Demo Harshbarger and Hedda Hopper. Whiteman was one of the leading radio orchestra leaders at the time. Ptuifir l'ioJl(m l.ibmry

1940s

181

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Funnymon Fred Allen reading a script from Allen's

Alley, a regular feature on his program. Allen would toke a stroll down the imaginary street and speak with characters who lived in various tene· ments, farmhouses and mansions. /Jrrindmsr l'ionrm l.ihm1J•

A caricature featuring Fred Allen and the regulars on his program. The Fred Allen Show. Bro.1crORIAL HISTORY OF K~rno·s FIRST 75 Yf,\RS

Rodia comedian Bob Hope. llt11lio Ink Collec1io11

Radio star Eddie Cantor and Bill "Bojongles" Robinson. Brrwfr1111 Pion= l.ibrary

Jock Benny. R111lio 1111tl Rn-orris

One of the biggest stars of stage and screen, Groucho Marx never hit it big on radio until You Bet Your life, which premiered on ABC in 1947. N.1dio "1~· Ci1/lmio11

203

Fanny Brice strikes a usual pose as the spoiled brat Baby Snooks. Bronrlmst Pioneers Li/miry

Golhered around the NBC microphone are (l·r) Bob Burns, Tommy Riggs, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Rudy Vallee, Joe Penner. f)l'Ol1drt1s1

Piom·m librt/J)'

The musical entertainment for Joe Penner's (bottom) The Baker's Broadcast, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson eventually moved to Hollywood lo join The Red Skelton Show in 1941 . They left three years later when Skelton was drafted, which led lo The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. 8rtuulrasr Pio11tm Li/miry

204

BLAST fRoM THE PAST: t\ PJCTORJ..>J. HISTOR\' OF RADIO'; l'msT 75 YEAltl

....t

Cliff Arquette and the cast of Point Sublime, which ran on NBC in 1940, Mutual-Don Lee in 1942 and ABC in J947. /{1rifir f>itmars Libmr;'

Truth Or Consequences emcee Ralph Edwards is seen here with guest Eddie Cantor.

Bing Crosby, seen here with his favorite microphone. Although others of the some model existed, Crosby hond-corried the some microphone with him to every broodcosl ond recording session because of its sweet sound. CBS

Htf'ijir l'i1111rm librdl)'

0---Rolph Edwards, host of The Quiz Show on CBS. l\irijir l'ionrm Libmry

205

-

?

A broadcast of Our Miss Brooks with Gale Gordon (I) and Eve Arden (r). CIJS

Jock Benny and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. CBS

The King of Swing, Benny Goodmon, on CBS. CBS

Glamorous Ava Gordner, a frequent radio visitor. CIJS

206

BLAST hoM THE PAST: A P!CTO!U.\l. HJ>tORY ()f R.n1o's FIRST 75 YF.AA.1

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Appearing frequently on The Kraft Music Holl as a summer replacement, Dorothy Kirsten may have been best known os co-star of NBC's Lig/1/ Up Time. l't1cifii· f'io11urs i.ibmry

Once the movie roles begon, Grot1cho Morx sported a moustache, but it wasn't needed on the radio. Groucho, seen hugging Joan Blondell, herd four failed radio programs, believed to be caused by his desire to ad lib ond not read pre-written material. His biggest success was You Bef Your life. Pacific Pw11tm libmry

A director readies the actors for o cue al CBS's KNX Hollywood. CBS

Rodia listeners across America felt sorry far contestant Mrs. Dennis Mullane, who missed o question on radio's Truth Or Consequences program. As a result, she received 70,000 let· ters, earning her more thon $11,000. /~1ciflr

1940s

/>in11em librt11)'

207

Actress Mercedes McCombridge on the NBC Red Network. Parifir Pio11rm I i/m11J•

The Pied Pipers ond singer Jo Stalford look through o copy of Radio life to reod the latest Hollywood gossip and industry news. Pan.fir Pior.rm Libmry

Stations not only aired drama programming provided by the networh , but many also produced their own local programming. In Schenectady, the staff of WGY ere· ates The FBI in Action, o weekly series written from oclvol FBI files. Jim and Morion Jordon spent o lifetime together - both married and on the air together os Fibber McGee and Molly.

BTOJllkaJt PiMrm l.1br~ry

Anoriaud Prrs1

208

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A l'ICIOl\IAl HISTORY Of RA01o's F1~;1· 75 Yf.ARS

.·~ ./.' Laughing it up on the NBC Red Network ore: (l·r} Judy, Annie and brother Zeke Canova with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chose and Sanborn Hovr. Broadaur Pionrm l.ibmry

Jvnior Town Meeting was the high school equivalent of Town Meeting of the Air, seen here on WSAI in Cincinnati. Brondavt Pio11rm Lib1>1ry 194~

209

I i Before they hit it big in the movies, Bud Abbott (lett) ond Lou Costello were a success on radio, sterling out on The Kate Smith Hour and Edgor Bergen's The Cl1ose and Sanborn Hour. They got their own regular show on NBC in October 1942, then switched to ABC from 1947 through 1949, after their NBC controct expired. Their radio popularity with more thon 20 million listeners mode their films an instant success.

W.C. Fields (left) curiously wonders whot Charlie McCarthy is whispering to Dorathy Lamour as ventriloquist Edgar Bergen controls every word on The Chase and Sanborn

Hour. Bro11dr1u1 PionecT'i Libmry 210

BLAST FROM THE PAST: :I 1•11 lllRIAL 1li>lllRY m R.-1mo\ FIR>I 7) YfAK.1

Perhaps the most well-known radio ad of all time, Amos and Andy (Freeman F. Gosden and Charles J. Correll) started in New Orleans in 1920. In 1926, they made their debut on WGN as Sam and Henry. When they switched la CBS' WMAQ two years later, WGN insisted on keeping the name, so they become Amos ond Andy, remaining on the air until November 1960. Bro:ukaJt Pionun library

Once it was decided a female sidekick was needed on Jock Benny's program, auditions were held, but the job ended up going lo Benny's wife, Sadie. She became popularized as Mary Livingstone and stayed on the show from 1934 through the early 1950s. Broadcast l'ionrm librrrry 1940s

211

I

Jock Benny tries his hand al a bigger sound than his violin.

Spike Jones and Brenda Lee as they appeared on The Arkansas Traveler on NBC in the mid-' 40s.

Hrmt NrwRY OF R.•.DIO's FIR>l 75 YF.\RS

During on appearance al Duffy's Tavem, Archie (Ed Gordner) wears his autographed apron while Cory Grant tries to pull it off.

Ed Gordner ployed Archie the Monoger on Duffy's Tavern for l 0 years on CBS and then NBC. The Brooklyn-accented bartender would goof with famous guests who stopped in to the bar. Each star signed his bar apron. 8romlr1111Piomm Ubmr)'

Rehearsing o Duffy's Tavern program ore: (1-rJ Sandro Gould (Miss Duffy), Eddie Green (Eddie the Waiter), Cho~ie Cantor (Clihon Finnegan) and Ed Gordner {Archie). Duffy himself never appeared on the program. Broadr1111 Pionrm Libmry

1940s

213

Actors William Powell and Sharon Douglas on NBC's My Mothers Husband. BroadmSt Pim'"" Li/miry

Making her notional radio debut in 1944 on The Chase and Sanborn Hour, 14yeor-old soprano Jone Powell was often wooed by wooden dummy Cho~ie McCarthy. Powell went on lo be a frequent guest on many musical programs and variety shows, including The Roi/rood Hour. P11rifir Pio11tm Lib"'IJ

Vocalist Lily Pons with noted conductor Andre Kostelonetz as guest on his CBS program The Pause That Refreshes on the Air. It was sponsored, of course, by Chesterfield cigarettes. Pause, as ii was known, first appeared on NBC in 1935. Koslelanetz took the program over on CBS in 1940.

Beating ratings leader Fred Allen on Sunday nights in 1947, Berl Porks' Stop the Music would call homes al random for the name of a lune just ployed on the air. listeners could win up to $30,000. The program become so popular that Allen's show was discontinued and he was never to return to the air. Eventually, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy were put against Porks' show, leading lo its ratings demise.

Brom/mu l'io11t'm lihmry

IJ1'011dc11s1Pimrem Lilm11J•

2 14

BLASI f ROM THl PAS'!: A P1c roRLAL HISTORY OF R.o\DIO's Fmsr 75 WARS

Starling a fruitful career in Son Francisco in 1928 on The Spanish Serenader, Hal Peary become besl known as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, a chorocler who started as a neighbor on Fibber McGee and Molly. He eventually was spun off inlo The Great Gildersleeve, owner of Gildersleeve Girdle Works. Peary is seen wilh Shirley Mitchell and Louise Erickson. /Jrondow /'io11rm /.ihn11J•

The CBS program Dangerously Yours wos shorl-lived, leaving oclor Victor Jory on opportunity to ploy many other roles on radio, including Quick os o Flash on Mutual in 1944. 8t011rkt111 Piofl•W S l.ibrmy

'

.,,

Four radio greals who storied oul in vaudeville together: (l·r) George Jessel, George Burns, Eddie Conlor and Jock Benny. Bro.1dcm1 Piomm Libmry 1940s

215

The Donny Kaye Show originated from Hollywood and premiered on CBS in Jonuory I945. II immediately was ranked in lihh place notionally, although it only stayed on for o yeor. Kaye become known os The Prince of downs. Broadcast Pimrem Libntry

A caricature of radio clown Donny Kaye. Broadrasr Pio11mi Libra>)•

216

BLUT h oM THE PAST: ;\ P1Cn>RIAI. HJSTORr ()f RM>ro's FIRST 7; Ytw

Composer·conductor Gordon Jenkins, author of Son

Fernando Valley, Indian Giver, Every Time, Homesick and other hits, also led the 31 ·piece orchestra on The Dick Haymes Show on CBS. 8roJdr11S1 Pio11rm Libr,1ry

Jose Morion Goold and pianist Jose lturbi on The Cresto Blanco Carnival, which aired on CBS in 1943. /Jrondc.m Pio11rm libmry

Sisters Betty (left) and Morion Hutton were o featured act on many o radio stage.

Singer Betty Hutton and emcee Win Elliot in Belly Crocker Magazine on the Air, which ron doily in the midday in the late '40s on ABC.

Brolfllm11 l'io11rm libmry

Bro1ulta11 Pio11ms library

218

BlAST hoM THE Pur: A l'K:rtlRLll. HISTORY Of R>\Ol(J°S FIRST 7; \ws

Known for his whiny delivery and gravelly voice, Andy Devine had o heolthy career on radio and film. He did comedy on The Fitch Bandwagon between 1944 and 1945, and was frequen~y heord on The Jock Benny Show on CBS. Bro(l{ltflJt f'io11un l ibrary

Porks Johnson and Warren Hull became the voice of the people on CBS' Vox Pop, which ran on Monday nights. lhe interview show started wilh Johnson (left) in 1932 in Houston and came to NBC from 1935 to 1939, then moved to CBS through 1947, when it jumped to ABC. 8ro.uka11 f'ioncm Libr.zry

Poul Douglas was one of the most recognized announcer.; in radio, announcing or acting on Abie's Irish Rose; Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; The Chesterfield Supper Club; Community Sing; The Fred Waring Show; The Horn ond Hordort Children's Hour; Jock Armstrong, the All-American Boy; Meyer The Buyer; Saturday Night Swing Club and The True Story Hour with Mory and Bob.

Rex Dole with feotured guest Gloria Swanson on WC~. Broadtn..io11rm library

235

KSL in Solt Lake City broodcosting to the lnterrnountoin Region.

NBC's Graham McNomee (right) reports as the S.S. Normandie burns in 1942 at Pier 88. /Jro.11/rm1 l'io11" '1 library•

Presidential condidote Thomas Dewey making o speech from Saginaw, Michigan. lll'l/11tlt1111 l'io11e"'"' li/Jrm:J•

236

BLAST fROM THE PAST: A Ptrl'OKIAI tils'IORY Of ll.Al>I0°S FIRST 75 YMl>S

The newsroom wos bustling on D·doy os WOW, Omoho, covered the event from o local perspective. /Jmadm.'011dnm Pimreers library

1940s

237

Lowell Thomas ot home, preparing for o broadcast. Broadu.sr Pio11rm Libmr)'

Lowell Thomas is seen here with CBS chief William Poley on the occasion of Thomas' 20th anniversary at CBS. Thomas spent 30 years at CBS and 16 at NBC, and holds the record for the longest tenure of any news broadcaster. Asuiti11trt! Prm

238

BlAST fROM THE PAS!l A PICTORIAL 1-ilSTORY t>i' l(..11 11ti'~ FlllW 75 YL~RS

A CBS News lrio: Robert Troul, Linlon Wells ond Elmer Davis. Broadam Pionem libmry

Asa Yoelson, the Russion·born son of a rabbi, become known as The World's Greatest Entertai ner under the name Al Jolson. Although he started his career as an actor and was in the first talking molion picture, Jolson was no stranger to radio. His first appearance wm in 1928. By November 1932, he hod his own series on NBC called Presenting Al Jolson. 11imciared Prt:it

!,

.I -rti1

During World War II, !he Supreme Court proved that Marconi was not officially the Father of Radio and that the distinction belonged lo Tesla. Some believe that this reversal occurred because the U.S. was at war with Italy. Marconi is seen here leaving the Italian Royal Academy ofter being elected its president. The ceremony was attended by dictator Mussolini, a friend and confidant of Marconi's. Associated Prm

CBS News anchors prepare for o noon broadcast. Broadcasr Piq11urs Ulmt')'

1940s

239

240

Bun FROM THE PASr. A l'ICTORL\i. I l1m>Rr ()f R.'01o's FIRST 75 Yt\lti

Newsman Chet Hunrley interviews The King of the Jungle in April 19.4.4.

Rodia opera star Jessica Drogonette on November 2, 19.46, doing Hail and Farewell. Broadr1m Pio11rm Libn1ry

l\1rifir 1'1011rm Ubmry

Arthur Godfrey compares the 12" disc currently used on the radio with Columbia's new 7" record (33 1/3speed). 8rOt1dl1Y Qf R'JJIO·~ Futsr - 5 YlID

Spike Jones and The City Slickers brought a new meaning to music, adding on element of fun and frolic, incorporating every sound, grunt and noise they could get into a song on the beat. The music satire Der Fuhrer's Face brought notoriety to the group and become o regular on The Bob Burns Show in 1942. Bm11dcn.;t Piontm libmry

Riggers climbed the KDKA tower doily during its construction. The innovo· live free·stonding tower was 718 feet tall and built of 60 tons of metal. llnJ1ulats1 />ioneers libmry

An all-night broadcast of a semi-pro baseball tournament in Wichita, Kansas. KGH sports announcers dressed for the occasion. Jock Benny seen before the mic on January 2, 1949.

/JnitlflcnJI Pi1im'm libm1y

1lssfJl:imed Press

1940>

253

As Poul Harvey did his broadcast on WKZO in Kalamazoo, little did he know that he was later lo become one of the most·listened-to voices in America on ABC. /111dio ink Co/kc1io11

The networks weren't the only ones with eloborate facilities. Many local stolions in small-town America were also very prominent, as evidenced by this elaborate lobby at WOWO, Fort Wayne. /1;1dio Ink Col/eaio11 254

BLASI FROM TH£ PAST: A P1crOl\li\L H1sro1:v 0 1' R,11J1o's FIRST 75 YF,\RS

1940s

255

256

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Al'!CltliUAI 1lllrOR\' OF RA01o's FIRST 75 YEAR\

s

R

adio, ir seemed, was washed up. Mose of rhe big srars on the radio were now doing television. As comedian Fred Allen said: ''Television is rrying to ger radio ro pucker up for the

kiss of dead1." L;ew personalities remained loyal

to

the medium char made chem srars.

But their loyalty was to cheir audiences. Americans were purchasing celevisions and wanted to see cheir favorites on the screen. as opposed ro hearing diem from a speaker. The radio srars who wenr ro television really had no choice. Television was a fo~sh, new, powerful medium wid1 picrures and sound, and its impacr could no r be denied. Just rhc same, che radio networks chougbr chere was some hope of mainraining radio liscenership, so rhey gave radio a last chance. NBC's David Sarnoff refused to believe mat radio would die, because mere were so many radio sers in die markec, so NBC creared The Big Show and pulled out all the stops wirh massive budgets and rhc best talent available for a bear-all 1950s

257

The Quiz Kids become one of America's most popular programs, running from 1940 to 1953. llrondt1111 {fo11rm Li/nary

varicry show from 1951 ro 1953.

agai n re-invent itself in order to have a purpose.

Some of lhe besc radio ever created came out in the early '50s,

Radio's strength came from its localism and itS portability.

including G1111smoke, Farr L11rn111ie, Fromier Gemkmnn, Dimension

AJthough it was no longer the focal point of the household, pco-

X, X-Mi1111s 011eand Dragnet. Bur dcspin.: these creative efforts, the

pie were familiar with and fond of radio and only had to be shown

evening programs couldn't even kc.:c.: p r:idio in rhe cop rcn. The

new ways ro use rhe medium.

highest-rated evening show was Dmgner ar number 14. Although more than 46 million households had radios, fewer than a million were lis1cning co 1he radio.

Of course, ic rook radio some rime co come co rl1c reafo.arion th.at instant informacion and inseam music were grear suengchs. With the invencion of che transistor, radio became more portable

The good news for radio was chat the gradual decline of nerwork listening had given local radio che time to experiment and

and ljghtweight and had longer bacrery life. This made a significane impact.

develop its own programming. Stations across the county experi-

As the '50s cominued, radio began ro find a new parh co gain

mcnrcd wich alrernacives, mostly in chc form of deejay programs,

listeners; however, the radio industry had suffered a grear self-

which were much cheaper co produce chan live local

drama~.

Tn fuct, radio had nor fallen out of grace wirh lisreners at all; it had simply failed co reflect socicry, which had always been irs greatest strength. Television was reflecting society, and radio had to 258

csreem problem. Ir had been ar the rop of che world and was no longer able to recapture that posicion. This was ro plague chc industry for two decades. For years, a trend had been brewing char few had noticed. Busr FROM THEPAST: ,\ PICTORIAL HISTORY OF RADI0°S FIRST 75 Yl:ARS

Deejays played 78s, then 33'/ls and then 45s in the wee hours of

local markers. People Like Jack The Bellboy (Ed McKenzie), Art

the morning, filling non-nerwork time on radio stations. Swing

Hellyer, Wally Phillips, Howard Miller, Bob Severs, Bob Clayton,

records became the rage wirh the original disc jockeys, Marcin

Bud Weddell, Frank W.1rd, Alan Courmey, Freddie Robbins, Dick

Block and Al Jarvis, who created Make Believe Ballroom.

Gilbert, Gene Norman, Jim Hawkins, Par Henry, Soupy Heinz

Ochers, like More Lawrence's Dawn Patrol on WlP m Philadelphia, Hank The Night Watchman on KfVD, Al Fox on

(lacer ro become Soupy Sales) and Willian1 B. Williams played the hit parade.

KGFJ and The Nutty Club on WBBM Chicago, were scarring a new movement by playing jazz records.

l ate-night deejays like Barry Gray, Sceve All.ison, Sherm Feller, Mort Sahl, Mike Wallace and his wife, Buff Cobb, carried

Suddenly, the deejays were starting

to

get noticed. Decca

enormous influence.

Records was stunned to learn that Kurr Webster, The Midnighr

Deejays had become encrenched as a pare of radio for all kinds

Mayor on WBT, Charlotte, was playing a previously released tune

of music: swing, jazz, country and wesrern, big band and the hit

called Heartaches by Ted Weems. The mere action of the airplay forced a run on the record scores, resulting in the re-release of die record, which became a national hir.

As a spoof, Al Jazzbo Collins played I'm

Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover for three and a half hours straight in Salt Lake City one night, making rhe tune a national best seller. The power of the deejay was being recognized. Variety called the deejay movement "a posrwa.r show business phenomenon as revolutionary as the atomic bomb, and with about the same effect as far as the orthodox form of talent purveyed is concerned." Suddenly, the airwaves were filled with deejays. Names like Dave Garroway, Jack Paar, Steve Allen, Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, Dick Martin, Bob Crane and Ernie Kovacs dominated the radio dial. Deejays became household names 1950s

Helen Sioussont holds o walkie-talkie for Sen. Austin of Vermont and Michigan's Sen. Vandenberg for a remote CBS interview. Ill

d1cir

BroadtaJI l'io11(m library

259

Amos 'n' Andy were firsl known as Som 'n' Henry when rhey begon broodcosting in 1926, shortly ofter lhe Cots whisker ero ended. They become Amos 'n' Andy on Morch 19, 1928. The photo on the left is from 1928, end the photo on the righl is from the '50s. AJSodnud Pms

260

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A PIClORJ.~I Ht~fORY Of RAD1o's F!RST 75 YR'li

19505

261

Deejay Jo Warner gives "Bedroom Eyes" to the camera as she posses 192 hours awoke and on the air. The stunt was designed to raise money for the March of Dimes. She ended up staying awake for 203 hours (February 11, 1959).

Finally, otter a 203·hour "wake·athon" in a Pocatello, Idaho, store win· dow, KYTE deejay J~ Warner waves good night and is about to go to sleep (February 1959). Airocitued P1w

Assotiat«fl Pre5s

parade, and a new style caJled "Negro music," which was only

up against deejay shows on WNBC, WHN, WCBS and WINS.

played by Black deejays.

Each experimented with mixtures of personality chatter and

One of the pivotal points ending radio's live music era was when WINS New York's union contract expired and the station

music, playing recordings from Tony Bennett, Jo Stafford, Rosemary Clooney, Hank Williams and Mitch Miller.

said it would no longer air live music and would only use records,

Although radio was gaining some strength after its golden

employing no musicians. The controversial move created a huge

past, chis music alone was not enough to bring listening back to

dispure with the union, because playing records was eliminating

previous levels.

the jobs of musicians. Stations also began laying off staff announc-

Legend has it rhat a whire-owned "Negro music" Memphis

ers because c:hey were no longer needed to introduce the musi-

radio station, WDIA, had a lot

c1ans.

radio when a deejay is said to have played the first rock 'n' roll

Wayne Howell became c:he firsc: net\vork disc jockey on NBC with a Saturday afternoon half-hour program. This signaled the network realization c:hat rhe deejay would become a prominent pan of programming.

ta

do with the revitalization of

record. Ir was the spark that would ignite a generation and incite a movement unlike anything in previous history. Rock needed radio, and radio needed rock. The marriage of convenience was rimed perfectly, and both took off like a rocker.

NBC created Monitor, hiring deejays Gene Rayburn and

But with the success came controversy. Songs like Rock Around the

Dave Garroway. NBC also convened its flagship, WNBC, to an

Clock from Bill Haley and the Comers were considered co have too

compete with WNEW, which was already all-

much of a rhythm and blues sound. Many "white" stations feared

disc jockeys and had a dominanr position in New York City. The

the "Negro sound" would have a detrimental effect on their lis-

barrle was on, and the war zone was bet\veen disc jockeys.

teners, causing advertisers co go elsewhere. Yet chat 1954 release

all-deejay format

to

\VNEW had Marrin Block, and Klavan and Finch, who were 262

became a huge hie, as did Maybe/line from Chuck Berry. BLAST FROM TM£ PASr. A PICTOJU.o\J. HiSTORl' Of RA01o's FIRST 75 YEARS

Following criticism by Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Edward R. Murrov./s connection with the Institute of International Education in 1935, Murrow responds on the air (Morch 12, 1954). Associated Press

In spire of the outcries that rock 'n' roll would ruin the young generation, only a reluctant few stations held back. Of course, rock

Rosemary C looney, and rhc eclectic sound was accepted because no one knew better.

'n' roll sk1'rockercd co new hcighcs when Memphis deejay George

Bur, as fure would have it, a young man by the name ofTodd

Klein played the first record from Elvis Presley, giving new legs

Storz was sirring in a bar near his homewwn of Omaha, Nebraska.

(and hips) w rhe rock 'n' roll revolmion.

He noticed that rhc patrons in the bar would play rhe same mnes

Ar most radio stations, rhe deejays picked their own music,

over and over again, and when rhey left, dte bartenders and wait-

and their success o r failure depended on thei r abili ty co "pick the

resses would play those same reco rds again and again. He rhoughr

hits." Deejays were playing an Elvis record next to one by

ir would be wonderfi.d ro have a radio station that played all the

1950s

263

KSL Radio often did remote broadcasts like this one from the site of the Utah Solt Flats, where land speed records were often broken (circa 1950). Bomlfvillr Collmin11

jukebox hirs from chc club over and over, all day long.

New York Ciry wrircrs said rhe Top 40 approach would never

He believed in his idea so much that he talked his wealthy

work in the Big Apple, bur WMCA, \\'l! NS and WABC quickly

fo thcr, owner of the Srorz Brewery, into buying him ~I local radio

pur an end ro that theory, taking New York by srorm with their

station, KO\X'l-1. After invesring $60,000, rhe Top 4·0 formar was

Top 40 formars.

launched and rhe srnrion's r:uings soared.

Before long, every ciC)' in America had rwo or three Top 40

S1or1. rhen duplicared his success by buying WQAM. Miami;

starions, each wirh irs own variarion of the formar. ln one marker,

\XITIX, New O rleans; \XfHB, Kansas CiC)'. and WDGY,

a programmer named Chuck Blore shocked the industry by play-

Minneapolis. He rook his concepr furchcr by creating conresrs

ing only cl1e Top 40 hi rs from d1e pasr five years, creating rhc firsr

designed to increase rhe rime spenr listening ro rhe station.

oldies srnrion.

\V'hen broadcasters in Miami heard Sror'l. was coming ro

Top 40, like anything new, wasn'c perfect, and ic had cnor-

rown, tht:y filed a complaint with the FCC requiring hearings and

mous room f-o r growth. Enter Gordon McClendon, a radio station

delayi ng chc sale. Ukimarely, ir didn't m:mcr. J\ few rnonrhs later,

owner in Dallas who had recently closed down his Liberry network

Srorz owned a 40 percenr share of listening in Miami and made

afrc r a Few frustrating years of trying co make it fly, not knowing

radio history, proving his forrnac wotlld work in a big ciry.

char rhe nerwork business was aboll£ ro fold nationwide.

264

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A 1'1c mRIAl HISTORY OF lho1o's FIRST 75 Yl;All.'i

Decermined w make his scacion KLff the success ir once was,

rhe "Top 40 sound" wich his deejays and promorions.

McClendon adopced che Todd Storz. idea of roraring rhe hit

Though Storz discovered or invcnrccl Top 40, McClcnclon

records frequencly. In 1952, McClendon did nor allow any of his

perfected ir. He, Todd Sc:on and rhe Barcell brorhcrs (Jerry, Mel

deejays ro repeat any record during rheir four-hour shifr, meaning

and Lee) were called "rhe fathers of modern radio" by Sponsor

they could play cen records per hour o r 40 per shifr. This is where

magazine. McClendon was credircd wi rh sysremari1.ing radio for-

che name Top 40 came from, a phrase which McClendon penned.

ma tics and ha vi 11g more innovarions rhan any ocher person kn own

McClendon eventually dropped rhe rheory of nor repeacing records within a shift. Additionally, his deejays played two oldies

ro rhe industry. T he '50s brought the dearh of radio from the ncrwork perspecrive, bur ir sprang back ro life wirh rhe adve nt of rock 'n' roll music and the idea of Top 40 formars. l o p 40 deejays became big personaliries in every ciry in America. Linked closely wirh rhe music rhey were playing, many became big scars in their own ri ghl's. Amo ng rhe bigges r was Moon Dag Alan Freed, who became c:hc consummare deejay wirh a style and parrcr all his own. Freed loved rock 'n' roll and, in a way, became irs official spokesperson. He pilorcd some or rhc ftrsr rock 'n' roll concens in America, called Moon Dog Coronation Balls. Hundreds of orher prominenr deejays ser rhc

Station breab in the lote ' 40s ond early '50s featured three or more announcers - one to give the coll letters, one to give the time and one to read announcements. The announcer on the right is KSL Salt Loke City's Joseph A Kjar.

rock ' n' ro ll rone for an era never ro be repcacecl. Ir

8011nevil!t Collmit1T1

was as compelling and exciri ng as the golden clays of

per hour and a Glen Miller song hourly, because Gordon liked

radio. and wirh ir carried huge audience shares and advertiser dol-

Glen i'vliller. Evenrually, he developed rhe righr formula.

b rs. Al rhough ir couldn'c compare ro rhe '30s and '40s and rhe

The magic behind McClendan was chac he moni to red local record srore sales and ignored d1e narional charrs. lvlcClendon was che fuse co pay close arcenrion co rhe listeners' needs, monicoring requesrs from lisreners and designing d1e formar ro be listener-

dominance radio held rhen, Top 40 radio m;tincainccl huge auclience sh:ires againsc irs rclcvision counrerparr. Ir became rhe mood of a ge neration. jusc as radio had sec rhe to ne fo r rwo decades before ir.®

frienclly. He focused on mainraining a righr, quality sound, incorporared rhe firsr radio jingles (singi ng d1e call lerrers) and creared 265

:U L

Singing his theme song, lnk-a-dink·ado, Jimmy Durante continued to entertain on radio until there were no more big shows. As a port of NBC's lost-ditch effort to keep radio listening olive, The Big Show wos created in 1950, starring Durante and every other major entertainer. But television had too firm a grip on the audience, which never returned to radio in the same way. BrMdcf/st Pionnrs Libmry

Although best-known as television anchorman for CBS, Walter Cronkite started out as a war correspondent on radio and is seen here with Sandro Nemser, host of CBS Radio's Answer Please (circa 1958). A.ssocimetl PreJs

Jack Roth, Jimmy Durante and Eddie Jackson clowning at the piano. Pacific Pioneen l.ibmry

Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy and Ginger Rogers in 1956, toward the end of the show's long run. /Indio Hnll 11f Fnme phoro

266

BLAST FROM THE PASr. A PICTORIAL HISTORYOf RA01o 's

Fmsr 75 YEAll>

Jock Benny crocks up during o rehearsal for his radio show in 1954. Benny's radio and lY shows ran continuously for 32 years, until his death in September 1974.

The microphone conveniently placed in Mildred Bailey's kitchen was for her radio program The Modern Kitchen.

.-1..ssocimed Pms

Bro111kt1$1 f'io11fm l.ibr,,ry

i'fi.µ

;,._

,Wi';l ·

One big happy family: (1-r) Mortimer Snerd, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen and Effie Klinker. 1/,11/io Hflll ofFame phoro

19)0s

267

Gathered together ot WNEW, New York, ore Louis Primo, Dinah Shore, unidentified woman, Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, Grace Kelly, Ross Martin and Poul Winchell. /Jrr111drn!I Pionrm Libr.zry

Starting their 30th year os Amos 'n' Andy, Freeman Gosden (Amos, left) and Charles Correll (Andy) look serious about the business of making people laugh as the voices in their current CBS Radio series, The Amos 111 1 Andy Mvsic Holl. Their first Amos '11 1 Andybroodcost was made in Chicago on Morch 19, 1928. The two comedians had teamed up eight years ear· lier on on experimental station in New Orleans. As of 1948, they still had on audience of 30 million listeners on Sunday nights.

268

BLAST FROM THE PAST: A PtCfUlIOR\ Or R.~nto'> FtllST 75 Yt.-\RS

Why did you do it? Each week WIAC, Nashville, went to the State Prison to interview convicts from the warden's office. Crime Never Pays was designed to discourage others from a life of crime by talking with those in prison. /Jrot1dw1 f'io11fm lJbmry

Gome shows become the rage on radio os dromo programming began to fade. That is, until the government investigated the shows a&er learning that some were fixed. Contestant Charles Von Doren gives his answer on

The $64,000 Question. ilirifir Pi1111rm Library

Ador Douglas Fairbanks during on appearance on The Hallmark Playhouse on CBS in I951. Bromlrt111 l'imum libmr1

Bryon Palme and Joan Weldon from On A Sundoy Ahemoon, which ran Sundays at 5 p.m. from Hollywood on CBS in 1955. llroa1/t,l}f l'io11rm Library

270

BLAST FROM THE PAST: 1\ 1•1c!'OKL\l I l11rn• r Of ll-1DI0°S F1R~r ~') YEARS

Most of America listened while Lum ond Abner sol around the Jot 'Em Down Store and chorocters from Pine Ridge dropped in. Starling notionally in Chicogo in 1931, the program ron on NBC, CBS and ABC through 1951. Bro,1dcns1 Pio>rtm libftlry

'Who knows whot evil lurks in the heorts of men? The Shadow knows!" Ployed in loter years by Brei Morrison ond Groce Motthews, The Shodow first aired 1930· 1954. Reruns of the program still oir on stations to this doy. Bm.uicnst Piontm Libotry

Mory Adams (Fanny, Mother Barbour) and J. Anthony Smythe (Father Borbovr) giving one another a hug al NBC's 25th onniversory show of Carlton E. Morse's One Mon's Family. The show, which outlasted all other dramatic shows on radio, began in 1932.

1950


1950s

299

300

BLAST hoM THE PAST: A PccrocUAL H1~TORY OF

RArno's F1RIT 75 YFAllS

s

R

adio encered che '60s with several black eyes. In late 1959, che Mucual Broadcascing Syscem's Chairman Hal Roach Jr. and MBS Presidenc Alexander Gucerma were indicced by a

foderal grand jury on charges chac che network, which had been financially troubled, had accepted advance payme nt of 5750,000 in exchange for "dissemination within the U.S. political propaganda on behalf of and

fovorable co rhe Dominican Republic." Gurerma was found guilty of fraudu lenr srock manipulations and got almosc five years in the slamme r and $160,000 in fines. Anocher black eye marred rhe indumy when an investigation of payola began. Ir was alleged by a Senate subcommirree char radio deejays were taking bribes in exchange for playing records. These bribes of cash, booze, drugs and proscirures were in exchange for preferemial rrearmenr of cerrain records. Those offering rhc bribes -

1960s

record companies and independent pro-

30 1

Zenith's Royal 500-E, on all-transistor "pocket radio," wos the world's mos! powerful radio of its size in 1962. II slipped into pocket or purse for !raveling and lectured o three-position carrying handle ond a non-breakable nylon case. Radio Ink Coikcrio11

morers -

had realized thar enough air play exposure could sell a

In 1959, rhere were almost 2,000 record companies gcnerar-

lot of records. They also realized thar the audience ofren hung

ing as many as 250 new records :i week. Not all of rhcm could

omo the words of a deejay, and chat a plug (referred ro as plugo-

ger rheir runes on che air; cherefore, payola see1m:d a logical solu-

la) could mocivace kids ro go our and buy a record.

tion. I11 Los f\ngelcs, for inscancc.:, rhe disc jockeys were earning

302

BlAST fRoM THE PAST: i\ P1c10RW. HISTORYo i: l1-11>1o's f.11t>r 75 VF.Alls

Communications Commission began a witch hum, ordering all radio and celevision srarions ro report whenever "things of value" were paid to the station or its employees but nor identified on the air.

In the meantime, RCA agreed ir would nor pay disc jockeys to play records unless rhe deejays told the audience over rhe air char rhey were being paid for air play. Ar rhis poinr, Rep. Oren Harris (D-Ark.), Chairman of rhe House

Gordon J. Dinerstein, vice president ond general monoger of Music Suppliers, Inc., o Boston·bosed record distribution firm, tokes the stond in the hearing room of the House Legislative Oversight Subcommittee as the poyolo hearings begon (February 16, 1960).

Legislarive Oversight Commirree, began an extensive payola invescigacion. Some Felt rhe investigation was an arcempr ro srop rock 'n' roll, which was considered by many ro be rhe downfall of America's you ch. Alan Freed, rhe king of rock 'n' roll disc jockeys, was arrested in May 1960 and charged with commercial bribe1y for receiving $30,650 from six record companies ro plug disc~ on his show. He pleaded guilty and received a six-month sencence and a $300 fine. After his prison

WMEX, Boston, disc jockey Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsberg testifies before the House Administrative Oversight Committee in o poyolo probe.

sentence, he was indicted on income tax

ilssoda,ed !'ms

evasion as a resulc of unreported income.

an exrra $300 co $500 a week on top of rh eir $25,000 ro 550,000 ann ual salaries.

In early 1960, rhe Federal Trade Commission officially charged Cameo Records, London Records, RCA Reco rds and six disrriburors for bribing disc jockeys. Additionally, che Federal 19605

Freed always rnaincained that he never accepted advance payola bur never rL1rned down a gift afrer rhe fucc. Hea rings continued, and many popular radio deejays were broughr before rhe House Commirtee to testify. Bosron jock Scan Richards defended rhe practice of payola

303

$130,000. Additional testimony revealed char The $64,000 Question, a radio game show, had also been rigged.

Charges were filed and several former quiz.-show conrescants were charged with perjury. Congress also made amendments ro the Communications Act that made rhe practices of rigging contesrs and deceiving audiences punishable wich revocation of broadcast Licenses. Radio's credibiliry was in serious quesrion. The newspapers finally had r.hcir opporcuniries ro place rhe final nail in the coffin Federal Communications Commission Chairman Frederick Ford (left) discusses the payola hearings with Chairman Oren Horris (D-Ark.) on April 12, 1960, following the opening of the House hea rings oimed ot prevent· ing quiz show and payola scandals.

of che medium rhcy had ra rge red as their enemy. Nor onl y were

Associated Prm

by saying: 'This seems ro be chc American wa)' oF life -

'I'll do

for you. Whac will you do for me?' " According co amhor Arnold Passman in The Deejnys: "The Philadelphia-lawyer rrappings thac surround the legal entanglemems of music and radio were put co focus with the investigation of a Philadelphia disc jockey. Clean-cur Dick Clark was che all-American subject, and payola was rhe temptress." Although many were investigated, payola was hard to prove. Freed was one of rhe few

to

be imprisoned, because a precedent

had nor existed making payola illegal. lax evasion was rhe loop· hole used for rhose who had nor reporred their income. Additionally, all rhose involved remained right-lipped, nor admirting ro any payola acriviry. Freed died ac rhe age of 43 in 1965, having raken rhc full for the indus rry. A third black eye for radio came:: when Chades Van Doren, a

Payola scandals rocked the radio industry in the early '60s. Shown here is WBZ, Boston, announcer Dove Maynord appearing os o witness on February 8, 1960, before the House Subcommittee on legislative Oversight, which was looking for evidence of payola. Assodmed />reii

there c:he Mutual scandal, the payola scandal and rhe quiz show scandal, bm d1e big nerwork programs were no more, offering

long-running win ner on die quiz show Ti11enty-One, aclmicrcd

more fodder

that each of his l 4 appearances on rhe show had been rigged. He

'60s were full of unflarrering srories abouc radio.

had been given rhe answers in advance and walked away with 304

to

signal radio's problems. Newspapers in rhe early

November 1960 saw the last of rhc radio soap operas fock BLAST fRoM

THE

PASr. A Picroiu~t HISTORY oi: RArno's F11L1T 7S Y!'Alll

Chairman John C. Doerfcr had resigned lx.'Ctuse of alleged improprieties in his acccpcance of vacations on the Storer Broadcasting yacht, and his submission of double and triple billings on his travel expenses. Minow broughr fear inro che hearcs of broadcasters, demanding char stations embrace the principals of public service, giving indicarions that he would arrcmpr ro circumvent the First Amendment. Broadcasters were concerned char Minow's policies would censor programming, yer he seemed ro fuvor radio more rhan television. Minow sraccd rhat "while TV is a vast wasteland, radio is America's roommate; radio is America's traveling companion. Ir travels with us like a welcome shadow. \'

FM became identified with the formar of soft, bland, background music. 305

In 1952, Dick Clark joined Philadelphia's Bob Horn show called Bandstand on WFIL. Four years later, Horn was arrested for drunken driving, leaving Clark to run the show alone. A year later, Clark took the program to television. Clark is seen here testifying in the 1961 payola hearings. IUioci111fd !'rm

In the early '60s, many smions turned cheir FMs back co

WNEW personality Scott Muni looks thrilled to be leaving the District Attorney's office on November 27, 1959, oher appearing in payola hearings as VP of the recently formed Disc Jockey Association. Aswi111rd /'rm

the fCC because chey saw no focure in FM, and the case of run-

involvement promocions like "The Battle of rhe New Sounds"

ning an extra scarion char few lisrcncd ro was noching more than

under program director Les Crane.

;1

burden. Only a small number of"hi-fi" systcms were on chc

markei: to c:ake advancages of rhis new st:crco service. Following the payola scancl:-ils, a number of"Easrern" dee-

As a result, a new trend in radio began thac would again revolurio11ize radio. ln 196 I, a young Phil Yarborough, known as Bill Drake, picked up on the !Tend and created a tightly for.mat-

jays were to head west co restart rhcir careers after facing public

tcd l op 40 format he called "Boss Radio." The personalities of

embarrassment. 1om "Big Daddy" Donohue and Bobby "The

this format were resrricted in rhe amount of time chey could calk

Great'" Mitchell left Philadelphia's Wll3G, where they had shared

and what rhcy could say. This was a huge departure from rhc car-

the airwaves wirh other greacs like .Joe Niagara, Hy Lit and

lier stages of Top 40, when personality "chatter" was srill allowed.

"Humble" Harv Miller. They began playing many of rhe black cuncs rhcy had

In the: "Boss" format, Drake's disc jockeys would talk over 1hc musicaJ imroducrions of rhe records and had

to

express their

played in Philly, and created "Jingle-Free Radio" on KYA in San

personality in very shon bursts of energy. Phrases like "more

Francisco. The srarion, which called icsclf"Thc Boss of cl1c Bay,"

music." "Boss jocks," "Hitbound'' and "20/20 news" were the

sk)'rocketed to the tap of che ratings. T hq created audience-

nawre of the sound Drake wanred co capture. Be brief, be

306

BLAST fRoM THE PAST: A 1'1rroRJAL H1m>RY OF RAmo's F1Rsr 75 YEARS

Boss radio became No. I in Los Angeles in a heared battle

upbeac and lee che music be che se:tr. The music was rocaced co

with dominant Top 40 station KFWB/Channel 98. During irs

play the top songs hourly, in some cases.

heyday, "Boss Radio" KJ-lj sporccd names like Rohen W.

Drake, a KYA employee, cook his format concepr ro KYNO in Fresno, which was owned by the visionary Gene Chenauh,

Morgan, The Real Don Scecle, Ga ry Mack, David Diamond,

who had scarced in che business :is a radio actor. The scacion was

Roger Christian, Johnny Williams, Sam Riddle, Chuck

up againsc "K-Make" (K.i\1AK) and was in for a barcle ro win the

Browning, Scotty Brink, Tom Maule, Humble Harv Miller, Terry

racings KMAK already owned. KMAK's nacional program direc-

Frank, Bobby Tripp, Charlie Tuna, Donn Tyler and Tommy

cor was Ron Jacobs and ics program dirccror was Bill \'V'acson,

Yance. Top 40 in its various forms was rhc predominanr radio for-

two of the industry's besr. When Drake launched che new KYNO, rhe famous "bactle

mac in i:hc early '60s. A new breed of deejays came onro the

of Fresno" began. KMAK's air scaff consisted of Jacobs, Wacson,

scene, with a fuster, righter way of incorporating cheir pcrsonali-

Frank Terry and Roberc W. Morgan. Drake's "Boss" scacion had

ties inco rhcir very brief "over the record" rnlk segmencs.

Gary Mack, Les Turpin and K.O. Bayley. The scacions bacded

According

back and forth, each tryi ng to play more music, each trying to

something better ro say than the record. which cosr cl10usands of

ouc-contest the other.

dollars ro produce."

to

programmer Ron Jacobs: "A disc jockey has co have

Abouc che fasc-calking boss jocks, radio personality Sceve

Ultimarely, KYNO, Drake and Chcnaulc were victo rious. All the eyes of the radio business were on this legendary Fresno

Allen said: "I am personally put off by rhc screaming, fusc-calking

barcle, and everyone in radio wanced co duplicate Drake's success.

sore of rock 'n' roll dccjar- 1 believe there is an inccresting parallel

As a resulc, Drake and Chcnaulr formed a consulting business.Their fi rsr success oucside of Fresno was at KGB in San Diego, which chey rook to No. I . Drake and Chenault became one of the firsc radio programming consultancies to duplicate success en masse. Drake's "Boss" sound rapidly found its way to radio sracions across the United Sraces. He was one of the mosr-soughc-afr.er consultants in American radio, and also one of che most-imicaced. "Boss" radio was in every markec in America, either under Drake's direction or as a copycac of his form ac and jingles. Drake later recurned to San Francisco. He wenr up againsc KYA wii:h KFRC, and beat the station thac had been "The Boss of tl1e Bay."

Rodio comedions George Burns (le&) and Jock Benny clown around ot o charity benefit in Moy 1961 . Benny, who tried to toke the place of Grocie Allen, Burns' longtime sidekick and wile, succeeded in proving there is only one Gracie. Auorinud !'mt

1960s

307

1ommy Shannon. Ocher jocks around the cou ntry revolutionized rhc Top 40 sound. ln New York, che lop 40 baule was heared berween \VINS, which had been rhe No. I srarion, and rhe newly Top 40-formarted \XIABC. \XflNS personalii:ies were Paul Sherman "The Crown Prince of Rock and Roll," Scan Z. Burns, Brad "Battle of i:hc Barirones" Phillips and Murray "The K" Kaufman. \XIA.BC had "rhc swingin' seven": Herb Oscar Anderson as "The Morning Mayor of New York," Charlie Greer, Jack Carnhh c-~ier: ~ ~nlllcy, t.OIU.~ I lh10RI Of R.\DIO's FIRST 7) YEAA.1

WKRP in Cincinnati, lhe television show obout radio, was loo close lo the way lhings oll-roo·often really ore. Each character in the relevision series was supposedly based on exisling radio people. Wirhin rhe radio industry, it wos rumored that lhe character of "Big Guy" was patterned ofter WQXI/ Atlontc1 General Manager Gerold S. Blum (February I977). R&l/ Coll1·i'lfm1

WKRPs "Big Guy" Mr. Colrson, rhe GM {actor Gordon Jump). kndio Ink Cl>ilmio11

Winner of lhe Silver Sow Award, WKRP newsman Les Nessrnon {played by odor Richard Sanders).

WKRPs slick sales guy Herb Torlek (odor Fronk Bonner). l?i1dio lnl· Collmio11

R11di" Ink C,.//rm1111

l'J801

375

376

BLAST fRoM THE PAST: A i'JCTORJ."1 HISTORY Of lhmo's FIRST 7) Yf.ARS

s

T popularity.

~

he 1990s broughc the return of AM radio. Although primary listening still occurs on the FM dial, A.i'vf radio has seen a

huge resurgence, primarily as a result of Rush Limbaugh's Limbaugh became more popular in rhe early 1990s, and as

he gained clout in W.1shingcon, his listening levels became enormous. Mose of the radio sracions char inicially signed with Rush Limbaugh were struggling AM stations. Today, chose stations are having fi nancial suecess because of rhe listening audience Limbaugh commands. By l995. Limbaugh had more rhan 20 million daily listeners, more than any other radio personaliry since die so-called golden days of radio. But d1ese st~rions needed more.:. Many were up against local A.t'vf giancs char had main rained rheir srrc.:ngrh, :\lld once Limbaugh was off the air, they had nothing. But char changed rapidly. Talk radio was becoming so popular chat calk hosts were springing up all around rhe coumry. Talk was nothing new. Local raJk hoses like Jerry Williams in Boston 19905

377

Probobly more well·known thon ony other rodio personality on the planet, Cosey Kosem become fomous with his American Top 40 countdown, which ron in olmost every country in the world. \t"mwood Onr Photo

378

I LAlr fRoM THE PAST:

A Px:1om1 Ih\TORl l'f RM.m's Fum '5 YE.AAS

WCBS-FM in New York became the prominent oldies-formatted station over the years. frequently they would host reunions of top New York rock 'n' roll deejays. Shown: (front, 1-r) Dean Anthony, Jack Lacey, Bruce Morrow, Herb Oscar Anderson, Dan Ingram and Ron Lundy; (rear, 1-r) CBS VP Rod Calarco, Ed Bear, Harry Harrison, Joe O'Brien, Charlie Greer, Jock Spector, Hal Jackson, Alan Fredericks and Joe McCoy (November 11, 1991 ). R&R Collmion

have been on the air for many years, buc calk was becoming a

Radio saw a mass of radio talk hoses and boutique necworks

natio nal phenomena. HistoricalJy, ralk stations were jusr someone

enter che national scene. Stations char were already talking locally

in che studio talking, but the change came when they began inter-

managed

acti ng with rhe audience.

New York created narjona l personalities ouc of locals like T he

O nce the listener became a major part of the programming, calk radio rook off. 1alk became the conscience of America. Ir was the cown meeting, where every opinion was heard. This made calk radio more imerescing and drove rhc format's success.

to

uplink their personalities to other stacions. WOR in

Dolans, who do a financial talk show. T he '90s became the era for talk radio. A new fom1 of talk also emerged. In the past, even the promincm morning hoses on music radio stations were told to do their

Technology also drove the success of talk radio. Satellite tech-

bits and move back co rhc music. But it was Howard Stern who

no logy allowed ralk hosts to uplink less expe nsively, and suddenly

broke rhar pattern. Stern began tal king and spen t his entire show

chc prohibitive coses came down. Previously, only the big networks

calking. le was rnlk in rhe lifescyle of the liste ners, and it was a huge

could bear such expense. Simultaneously, cechnology for pucring

success.

phon e calls on the air impcove Yl.~R.\

--"""""'~

After years of no children's programming on the radio, Minneapolis executive Christopher Dahl created The Children's Broadcasting network and Radio Aohs, using kid deejays. The crew is seen doing a remote broadcast from Disney World in Florido. Dimry Photo

at play. It accompanies people wherever rhey go. le does n't requi re

prominent personaJiries. Someday, Rush Limbaugh, Paul Harvey

d forr. You don't have m hold it, wa tch ir. read ir; you only have ro

and Howard Srern will be gone too. Bur radio will breed new per-

listen. T he resr is up ro rhe imagination.

sonalirics wirh new ways of communicating.

People turn

to

radio dming disasters because ir's always rhere,

even when their electricity is off. T hey rely on radio

to

enrertain

People will listen. Since radio broadcas ting was invented 75 yea.rs ago, they always have. ·E l

and rn info rm. Radio provides company, and ir provides people with a voice that can be heard all rhc way m \Xfas hingcon, D.C. Radio has been a part of life fo r 75 years. Although its face may change, irs programming may vary and it may rake on new methods ofdimibucion, just as it has in the past, radio will remain a p~ll't of life because of the personal connection it offers. Just as radio's mp personalities Jack Benny and Fred Allen cvcmually we nr away, their popularity was replaced by ocher 383

\

Talk host lorry King gained notional popularity doing on all-night talk show on Mutual. After many years, he joined CNN (Cable News Network) for Lorry King Live, while continuing to do his radio show. Rt1di11 Ink Col!mio11

Country singer Dolly Parton ploys a radio talk show host in the movie Straight Talk. lltlllio /11/r Callmio11

384

BLAST FROM THE Pam J\ P1c r0Rlt1L I llSlORY01: lt~rno's FIRST 75 YEARS

When Larry King left Mutval's all-night talk slot, Jim Bohannon slipped in without skipping a beat. Bohannon is heard by millions every night. \\'ltJ11111lf1tl 0 11r l'ho10

t'l?Os

385

\

L

.

•

~

a ti 3 iJ }i'~1:1~ \

- ~ 3 #~ -

--

CBS Radio coverage of the 1992 Democratic Notional Convention with newsman Mitchell Krauss. Rntliu Id· Col/mio11

386

BLAST fRoM THE PAST: A PICTORIAi. HISTORY OF RADIO'S FIRST 75 YF.ARS

Wearing his trademark bow tie in the CBS newsroom, Charles "See You On The Radio" Osgood. Hr11/i

419

Sixteen·yeor-old Jennifer Howkins storied on WBZT, West Palm Beach, Florido, at age 14 and is known as lhe youngest radio talk show host in America. Ilalio /11J: Collmio11

One of lhe lop counlry radio disc jockeys is WSIX/Noshville's Gerry House. Not only was he one of the funnies! entertainers on the radio in Nashville, House was also notionally syndicoled, and was a successful country music songwriler. R1ulio Ink Col/,.,.rion

WHO, Des Moines, hos a reputation for being visited by presidents. President Bill Clinton visiis with WHO·AM's News Director Bob Quinn in Moy 1993. /Indio Ink Col!mion

Former VH I video jockey and longtime air persona lily J.J. Jackson slorred in Westwood One's program The Beatie Years. FV1dio Ink Colltr111:1I orga nization. \Virile to be pu t on mailing list. One wimcr and one spring 111CC( each year. Grc:Hcl' New York \lineage \Xiirclcss Associarion (C NYVWA). Bob Schcps. 12 G:miry Ave., Ro nkonkonrn, NY 11 779. Pub: Meeting notices. Dues: $4. Six mcc1s/ycar and momhly mcccings. Housron Vintage Radio Associatio n (HVRA). HVRA, P.O. Box 31276, Houston. TX 77231 -1276. Membersh ip info: David Moore, 32 13 Regal 0;1ks, Pearland , TX 77581. Pub: T he Grid Le:1k, monthl y. Dues: $15. Monrhly meetings and speci:tl n..-gional events. I Judson Valley Antique R;idio annon, Mark.................. 120 WAVZ (New Haven, Connecticut) ... ..............291 Wayne, John .....................22 1 WAYS (Charlorre, Nonh Carolina) .......................404 WBAY (New York Ciry)45, 53 WBBM (Chicago, Illinois}..... . 259,333,338 WBGN (Chicago, Illinois) .70 WBIG .............. 198, 200, 306 \'V'BLS (New York City) ....412 \'