The Jack Benny show made Phil a huge star. Even though Phil would go on to do more films and have his own radio shows, and tour the country with his band, and appear on television and build a real estate empire he would always be known first and foremost for his Jack Benny years.
What you are about to hear are a series of musical selections Phil and his orchestra played live on Jack Benny’s Jello program in 1938.
Some are instrumentals and some feature Phil’s distinctive vocals, but all of them bring a joy and a bounce that will carry you through your day. So much fun to listen to. Enjoy Phil Harris and his orchestra playing live from 1938.
Born Edward Israel Iskowitz in 1892 to a poor family of recent immigrants, through sheer tenacity and talent street urchin Eddie Cantor became a show biz giant for half a century. Starting out in vaudeville in 1907, starring on Broadway, a movie star in both silents and talkies, and a radio and television pioneer.
For three Generations Every household in America knew the name Eddie Cantor as well as they knew their own names.
Eddie was many things, actor, songwriter, comedian, humanitarian, patriot, Union president, father, and all around thoughtful, decent, kind, and generous human being.
Old Time Radio’s Jack Benny show was a sitcom disguised as a variety show.
The cast used their real names, or rather their real stage names, but they all played characters unlike themselves. Characters of diverse comic points of view, each character contrasted with the others. Each funny in their own way and all together a delightful mix of contrasting attitudes and motivations.
rJack Benny was the center of this comic universe. He portrayed a cheapskate, self centered scardy cat who imagined himself a rugged ladies man.
Jack’s real life wife, Mary Livingston, played Jack’s sassy gal pal, boy crazy but not easily impressed by the rich and famous.
Band leader Phil Harris was cast as a drunken, womanizing, musical man about town. More talent than brains and care free.
Tenor vocalist Dennis Day presented as a simple minded momma’s boy. Innocent and child like.
Announcer Don Wilson was the adult in the room, often the object of fat jokes, but treating all with affection and respect. Almost a big brother figure.
The formula for the show was to move back and fourth between the world of putting on a half hour musical/variety radio show and the interpersonal world between the characters.
As you might expect, these characters endeared themselves to their listeners. It was fun listening to the real Jack Benny playing the radio character Jack Benny who was portraying some character in a radio play. It was fun to hear radio Phil Harris pretend to not know anything about music. It was funny when radio Dennis Day believed everything he was told, or Radio Mary recounted the story of a disastrous date.
These moments were broken up with songs from Phil and Dennis, sometimes Mary, and comical Jello commercials from Don. Sometimes sketches with guest stars who in most cases also played themselves in encounters with radio Jack Benny, like the time Barbara Stanwyck rehearsed a radio play with Jack or the time Orson Welles came by to give Jack acting lessons.
In truth, the characters the cast portrayed became so well known and loved that they could stand alone, outside the variety show world.
In early 1940 Jack and his writers did just that. For an entire month, the Jack Benny radio characters were sent on a fictional ski vacation to Yosemite.
The Jack Benny Radio shows February 4, 11, 18, and 25 1940 presented the trip to and the adventures at Yosemite starring the Jack Benny Gang.
Although presented episodically because of Jack’s half hour time slot, these four shows are a single radio play running approximately 80 minutes. It is a radical break from the Jack Benny formula, and adds layers of nuance to the characters as these actors get to really act in the longer more sustained narrative involving these characters.
And that’s what you are about to hear, the entire radio play cut together with commercials etc. edited out in order to focus on the story and maintain pacing.
Believe me, this is good stuff. Jack Benny and the Gang go to Yosemite parts 1, 2, 3, & 4.
Best known today as the third angle in the Bob Hope Bing Crosby road pictures romantic triangles, or perhaps as the sarong wearing eye candy in several other films, Dorothy Lamour started out as a big band singer.
Appearing weekly on the Charlie McCarthy show afforded Dorothy opportunities to remind audiences of her musical roots, and her lovely expressive voice.
And that’s what this episode is all about. For your enjoyment, Here is a delightful collection of tunes sung live by Dorothy Lamour on the radio in 1938.
This is the second year in a row that Charlie McCarthy has proven himself the greatest lover in Hollywood, or anywhere else for that matter.
Among those that Charlie McCarthy charmed are the some of the most accomplished and beautiful women of his time. Some of them tried to resist, some didn’t bother, in the end they were all putty in Charlie’s hands. The previous year, 1937, Charlie McCarthy had earned quite a reputation as an irresistable bounder and cad. His list of conquests included Olympic Skater turned film star Sonya Henie as well as famous movie stars Carol Lombard, Glenda Farrell, and Bette Davis. Charlie’s torrid affair with Sex Siren Mae West and her guest appearance on his show caused a great scandal, resulting in Mae West being banned from network radio for many years. Charlie emerged a more infamous lover than ever. Such is society’s unfair double standard.
The Fred Allen material you are about to hear is from his radio show, Town Hall Tonight, in 1938.
Fred Allen was unique in the radio world of corny set up/punchline type snappy patter his former vaudeville and current radio peers like Eddie Cantor, Ed Wynn, Georgie Jessel, the Marx Brothers, and others favored.
Oftentimes Fred’s comic voice is compared to that of Mark Twain. All American and homespun wisdom disguised as jokes.
Fred ‘s wit focused on social commentary, gently poking fun at the foibles and eccentricities of human nature. Fred was gruff but mostly cheerful with a small town attitude, advocating common sense but tolerant of the mistakes of others.
Two of Fred’s greatest strengths were his ability to relate to regular people, and his improvisational skill. Very comfortable going off script and usually much funnier off the cuff than what was on the script.
These two factors influenced the head writer of Fred Allen’s show, a fellow by the name of Fred Allen, to put himself in situations on the radio where he could interact with people from all walks of life. And that’s what you are about to hear, Fred interviewing regular, not in show business folks, in a segment of his show entitled “I know You Didn’t Expect to Meet…..”.
The unexpected folks interviewed live in 1938 for this Podcast are:
Judy Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922, and soon revealed a talent for song and dance. Her first public performance was when she was just 2 and a half years old, singing jingle bells at a Christmas pageant.
Her father was a successful vaudevillian with Judy and her sisters following in his footsteps, touring a singing act “The Gumm Sisters” in the waning days of Vaudeville.
When sound came to movies, so did song and dance acts like the Gumm sisters. The act moved to the big screen in early Vitaphone musical revues with seven year old Judy sometimes billed as Baby Gumm.
Fast forward to 1938, now 16 years old and being groomed for film stardom recently starring with Mickey Rooney in the very popular “Love Finds Andy Hardy “.
Judy, as a rule, did not appear on radio. She was too busy and important for that.
Except for The Good News program, which was created by Judy’s film studio MGM to feature MGM stars, movies, songs, and to convince their listeners to see MGM films in the theater.
As one of MGM’s newest stars, Judy dutifully appeared on a handful of the Good News programs in 1938 as their musical guests.
This collection of songs is from those appearances, 16 year old Judy Garland and her magnificent voice performing live 1n 1938. You are in for a treat.
Its time again to celebrate the holiday season and all it stands for with a Christmas stocking full old time radio yuletide magic.
This very special episode stars Phil Harris, Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Don Wilson, Kenny Baker, Joan Bennett, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Rudy Vallee, Andy Devine, and many other makers of Christmas magic
And magic it is. The magic of celebrating Christmas with old friends from 1938. The magic of our imagination. The magic of the golden age of radio. The magic of Santa Claus. The magic of the Jesus story. The magic of the subtle changes within ourselves, all of a sudden thinking and acting more like santa than scrooge. At least for a little while.
Bie Mir Bist du Shön – The Andrew Sisters created a Craze for this Catchy Song
This song shot up the charts, appearing in the top ten on January 8 1938, going to number one two weeks later and staying in the top spot from 5 to 10 weeks, depending on your source.
And it went international before that was really a thing, becoming a massive hit in Germany and Poland as well as the United States.
Dozens of established recording artists, Like Kate Smith and Benny Goodman, rushed to record their own version of the song.
This incredible popularity made singers on the Radio of every style cover the song , and that is what you are going to hear, Radio greats interpreting this song each in their own style and bringing something new to it each time.
You are about to hear “Bie Mir Bist du Shön” performed by The Andrew Sisters, Pinky Tomlin, Phil Harris, Georgie Jessel, Eddie Cantor, Little Dorothy Wade, Kenny Baker, and child star Bobby Breen.
Our Old Time Radio Thanksgiving menu is made up of:
A first course of The Good News show from Thanksgiving eve , November 24, 1938.
Featuring:
Robert Young
Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks
And the cast of the very popular Andy Hardy movies, including star Mickey Rooney, in an original radio play.
Followed by an Entre of The Jack Benny Show from just after Thanksgiving 1937, November 28, entitled “Jack Cooked the Turkey” where the gang talks about their thanksgiving day.
Appetizer and desert provided by Fred Allen, courtesy to the cold open you just heard and the cold close to come.
All in all a delicious and satisfying audio thanksgiving experience with zero calories.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast December 14 to December 30, 1937.
Starring : Dr Arthur C. Christie, Dr Gilbert W Hague, Dr Kingsley Roberts, Rudy Vallee, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Cecil B DeMille, Slim Hoffman, Brian Ahern, Madge Evans, Fibber McGee, Myrt and Marge, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Jack Buchanan, Winston Churchill, Marlene Dietrich, and more.
Featured songs include Rudy Valle “Down with Love”, Gracie Allen “I love you from Coast to Coast”, and Marlene Dietrich “Lilli Marlene”
Starring Fibber McGee, Eddie Cantor, Rudy Vallee, Mary Livingstone, Jack Benny, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, The Seven Dwarves, Snow White, Cecil B. DeMille, Walt Disney, Pinky Tomlin, Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, and more.
Featured songs include Eddie Cantor “Getting some fun out of life”, Rudy Vallee “Oh, Promise Me”, and Pinky Tomlin “I want to be in Winchell’s Column”
Halloween approaches – the night when the boundaries between the living and the dead, reality and imagination dissolve. Evil witches mount flying brooms. Brain starved Zombies, restless spirits, supernatural spooks, savage monsters and all forms of malevolent miscreants shamble across the earth creating terror among the hapless and tasty human populace.
Above all, Halloween is the best time for scary stories. In that tradition welcome to When Radio Ruled episode 56, Spooky Halloween Special 2022.
The show is going to give you a couple of spine tinglers to get you in the spooky Halloween frame of mind. The first one is entitled “Til Dead” and was originally broadcast February 2, 1943. It is a great example of the Suspense Genre that was so successful throughout the era of old time radio.
The second story is called “The Hitchhiker” and stars Orson Welles. It’s a classic supernatural tale, full of tension and mystery. It was performed by Welles multiple times over the years by popular demand, this performance was broadcast September 2, 1942.
So hang the garlic in the door to keep away the vampires, put a crucifix in your pocket just in case, lock the doors and windows, shut out the lights and brace yourself for When Radio Ruled Spooky Halloween Special 2022.
Mae West and Charlie McCarthy – Great scandals if 1937
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast November 29 to December 12, 1937.
Starring Cecil B Demille, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Rudy Vallee, Tommy Riggs and Betty Lou, Frank Case, Andy Devine, Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Kenny Baker, Don Wilson, Fibber McGee, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Nelson Eddy, Mae West, Pinky Tomlin and more.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast November 8 to November 28, 1938.
Starring Bing Crosby, Jimmy Wallington, Eddie Cantor, Fibber McGee and Molly, Benny Goodman, Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livingstone, Orson Welles, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor, “Getting some fun out of Life”, Bing Crosby “I’m Humming”, Some smoking Benny Goodman Swing Instrumentals and the Benny Goodman orchestra featuring vocalist Martha Tilden “Mama that moon is here again”, Pinky Tomlin “The Lady who couldn’t be Kissed” and Phil Harris “You can’t stop me from dreaming”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast October 18 to November 7, 1937.
Starring Fibber McGee and Molly, Edward G. Robinson, Pinky Tomlin, Jimmy Wallington, Eddie Cantor, The Cast of the March of Time, Ben Davis Jr., Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Kenny Baker, Andy Devine, Don Wilson, Cecil B. Demille, John R. Kissinger , and more.
Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Can’t stop me from dreaming”, Eddie Cantor Medley of hits and “Doe to Doe”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast October 11 to October 18, 1937.
Starring Fibber McGee & Molly, President Franklin Roosevelt, Eddie Cantor, Pinky Tomlin, Benny Goodman, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Clark Gable, Dorothy LaMour, Nelson Eddy, The Stroud Twins, Cecil B. DeMille, Jimmy Starr, Madge Evans, Fred MacMurry, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “Laugh Your Way Through Life” and “Keep it Over There”, Benny Goodman “The Old Apple Tree”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast September 5 to October 10, 1937.
Starring W.C. Fields, Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly, Al Jolson, George Jessell, Eddie Cantor, Bette Davis, Cecil B. DeMille, John LeRoy Johnston, Rudy Vallee, The Stroud Twins, Orson Welles, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, and more.
Featured Songs include Al Jolson “Tootsie”, Eddie Cantor “Now’s the time to fall in love” and “Love is on the Air Tonight”, The Connecticut Yankees with an unidentified female vocalist (possibly Annette Hanshaw) “Basin Street Blues”, Eddie Cantor and Pinky Tomlin “Sweet Varsity Sue”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 29 to September 5, 1937.
Starring Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Pinky Tomlin, Fibber McGee and Molly, Benny Goodman, Eddie Stanley, Ida Lupino, and more.
Featured Songs include Don Ameche, Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “Have You Got Any?”
Pinky Tomlin “The Love Bug” and “Stop Breaking my Heart”
And The Benny Goodman Quartet, a super group made up of swing and jazz legends Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman, with an especially hot version of “Vibraphone Blues”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 22 to August 27, 1937.
Starring Harlow Wilcox, Fibber McGee & Molly, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Glenda Farrell, Edgar Bergen, Dorothy LaMour, W.C. Fields, American Refugees from Japan’s invasion of Shang Hai,and more.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 8 to August 15, 1937.
Starring Pinky Tomlin, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Nelson Eddy, Edgar Bergen, W.C. Fields, Wendy Berrie, Benny Goodman, Eve Sully and Jesse Block, Robert Armbruster, Dorothy Lamour, Alice Brady, and more.
Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Cowboy Medley” and “Seven Stages of Man”, Benny Goodman “Remember”, Eve Sully “Swing, Benny, Swing”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast July 11 to August 8, 1937.
Starring Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Gladys George, Edgar Bergen, W.C. Fields, Robert Armbruster, Dorothy Lamour, Pinky Tomlin, Fibber McGee and Molly, Harlow Wilcox, Bruna Castagna, Eddie Stanley, and more.
Featured Songs include Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down”, Pinky Tomlin “I Guess I’m Just a Country Boy at Heart” and “That’s What You Think”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast June 21 to July 11, 1937.
Starring Cecil B. DeMille, Don Wilson, Phil Harris, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Jimmy Wallington, Pinky Tomlin, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Sonya Hennie, W.C. Fields, Dorothy Lamour, Robert Armbruster, Zasu Pitts, Hoagy Carmichael, and more.
Featured Songs include Mary Livingston with the cast of the Jack Benny Show “The Love Bug”, Pinky Tomlin “As Far As Your Concerned”, The cast of the Charlie McCarthy Show with Hoagy Carmichael, “I love you like my old felt hat”
Songs Recorded Live on the Eddie Cantor Radio Show 1937
Eddie was a multi-talented entertainer who was a huge star in vaudeville, and on broadway, and in silent film, and in radio, and in talking pictures, and in television.
Eddie Cantor is a true show biz Legend with a vast body of work spanning decades.
But this podcast is going to focus on Eddie Cantor the singer of songs old and new as recorded live on the Eddie Cantor radio show in 1937.
Eddie’s musical recording career began in 1917 and he had several hit songs throughout the 1920’s.
When these songs were recorded live on his radio show in 1937, Eddie Cantor was still a very popular singer, selling out concerts and charting records in addition to being at the very top of the radio ratings.
Mary Livingston (a.k.a. Mrs. Jack Benny) of the Jack Benny Show
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast June 13 to June 20, 1937.
Starring Pinky Tomlin, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Joan Blondell, Rogers & Hart, Jack Benny, Don Wilson, Kenny Baker, Phil Harris, Cecil B. DeMille, Helen Wills Moody, Fibber McGee and Molly, Rudy Vallee, Fanny Brice, Charles Winninger, May Robson, and more.
Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Ragtime Cowboy Joe Medley”, Don Ameche “A little of you on toast:” Rudy Vallee “We danced the night away”
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson from the Jack Benny Show
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast May 31 to June 11, 1937.
Starring Fibber McGee and Molly, the Cast of Texaco Town, Pinky Tomlin, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Rochester, Kenny Baker, Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Constance Bennett, Ray Middleton, Natalie Bucknell, Cecil B. Demille, Errol Flynn, Frances Farmer, Chico Marx, Groucho Marx, and more.
Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Tetched in the Head”, and Dorothy Lamour, Charlie McCarthy and Don Ameche with a Gilbert and Sullivan Medley.
W.C. Fields threatens Charlie McCarthy as Edgar Bergen looks on
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast May 23 to May 30, 1937.
Starring Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, Mary Boland, W. C. Fields, Fibber McGee and Molly, Cecil B. DeMille, Louis Vandenecker, Bing Crosy, Zasu Pitts, Bob Burns, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Jack Benny, Kenny Baker, Mary Livingston, The Phil Harris Orchestra, Don Wilson, Josephine Hutchinson, Jose Iturbi, and more.
Featured Songs include Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “Let’s call the whole thing off”, Bing Crosby “How Could You?” and “Time on my hands”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast May 9 to May 23, 1937.
Starring Don Ameche, Warner Janssen, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Fibber McGee and Molly, Cecil B. DeMille, Rudy Vallee, J.B. Priestly, Kenny Baker, Jack Benny, Andy Devine, Don Wilson, Carole Lombard, Mrs. James Roosevelt (FDR’s Mother), Maurice Evans, Kate Smith, Phil Harris, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “How You Gonna Keep ‘em Down on the Farm after they’ve seen Paree?” , “Margee”, “Wake up and Live”. Kenny Baker and Jack Benny “Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.” Rudy Vallee “My Little Buckaroo”, Kate Smith “They Can’t Take That Away From Me”, Phil Harris “Nobody”,
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast April 30 to May 6, 1937.
Starring Fred MacMurray, Gracie Fields, Louella Parsons, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livingston, Andy Devine, The Hindenburg Disaster, Herbert Morrison, The Lord Mayor of London, Rudy Vallee, and more.
Featured Songs include Gracie Fields “I Never Cried so Much in Me Life”. And Mary Livingston with Andy Devine “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast April 11 to April 29, 1937.
Starring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Eddie Cantor, Ella Logan, Ted Weems and his Orchestra, Harlow Wilcox, Fibber McGee and Molly, Rudy Vallee, Pinky Tomlin, Judy Starr, Alice Marble, Johnny Burke and Russ Brown, and more.
Featured Songs include Ella Logan “You take the high road”, Rudy Vallee “Good bye boys”, Pinky Tomlin “The Love Bug”, Judy Starr “I’ve got my love to keep you warm”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast March 11 to March 28, 1937.
Starring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Ben Bernie, Fibber McGee and Molly, Duke Ellington, Harlow Wilcox, Albert Sullivan, Rudy Vallee, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “There is anything that love can’t do” and “I’m on a sit down strike for love”, Some Great Duke Ellington tune with Ivey Anderson on vocals.
Judy Starr “Swing Swing your mother in law”. Rudy Vallee “This Year’s income taxes medley” and “Mr. Paganini”.
American actor, singer and comedian Eddie Cantor (1892 – 1964) with child actor Bobby Breen on CBS, 28th March 1936. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast February 21 to March 8, 1937.
Starring Father Coughlin, Douglas Fairbanks, Erroll Flynn, Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Bobby Breen, and more.
Featured Songs include Rudy Vallee “Let’s Go Slumming” and “Here in the Moonlight”. And Bobby Breen “Trust in Me”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast February 1 to February 21, 1937.
Starring Gary Cooper, The Cast of the Lux Radio Theater, Cecille B. Demille , Faye Gillis, Kay Kyser Orchestra, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Rufus Le Maire, Gene Raymond, Anna Sten, Father Coughlin, Leslie Howard, Rudy Vallee, and more.
Featured Songs include Kay Kyser “Hey Hey Your Cares Away” and “I don’t want to get well”. Eddie Cantor “Gee but you’re swell”, “That’s the Baby for me” and “My dream of the Radio”. Rudy Vallee, “Social Security Song” and “You’ll love me someday”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast January 17 to January 31, 1937.
Starring Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Andy Devine, Mary Livinston, Buck Jones, The Cast of The March of Time, Cecile B DeMille, Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, The Charioteers, Phil Harris, Eddie Cantor, Basil O’Connor, Jimmy Wallington, Charlie Butterfield, Irving Berlin, and more.
This one is a short subject, about 15 minutes long, starring Jim Jordan as Fibber McGee as in Fibber McGee and Molly.
Classic Fibber and Molly episodes featured jokes, gags, and situations that often repeated from episode to episode and became running gags that listeners looked forward to each week.
One of my favorite running gag is because Fibber can ever admit ignorance on any subject, When invariably asked if he knows anything about this or that occupation, Fibber not only knows all about it, he used to do it professionally and was the best ever at it.
And he bragged about his professional success using alliteration to great comic effect.
You’ll see what I mean.
Here, just because why not, is Fibber’s resume, 1937
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast January 1 to January 6, 1937.
Starring Eddie Cantor, Cecil B. DeMille, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livinston, Kenny Baker, Don Wilson, Al Jolson, Harry Von Zell, Jimmy Wallington, Edith Head, opening day of the 75th Congress of the United states, Tony Martin, Dinah Shore,
It sure has been a strange year – we could all use a dose of Traditional Christmas. And here it is!
Two Great Episodes from 1939!
Jack Benny’s Christmas Open House
A Christmas Carol (starring Lionel Barrymore)
Featuring: Jack Benny, Rochester, Dennis Day, Mary Livingston, Phil Harris and his Orchestra, Orson Welles, Lionel Barrymore, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Pat Brady, and more!
Actor Don Ameche (1908-1993) and actress Dorothy Lamour (1914-1996) with an NBC microphone in a publicity image for the radio show, ‘The Chase and Sanborn Hour’, USA, 20 May 1937. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Tunes from Old-Time Radio!
Voices from the past singing live on the national radio May 24, 1937 – July 11, 1937.
Lots of Charlie McCarthy and Dorothy Lamour!
A couple of Bing Crosby croon jobs!
Clever compositions from Pinky Tomlin!
SONG LIST:
Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy – Let’s call the whole thing off
Bing Crosby – How Could You
Bing Crosby – Time on my hands
Eddie Cantor – Patriotic medley
Pink Tomlin – Touched in the head
Cast of the Charlie McCarthy Show – Gilbert and Sullivan Medley
Pinky Tomlin – Rag Time Cowboy Joe
Rudy Vallee – We danced the night away
Don Ameche, Dorothy Lamour, Charlie McCarthy – Any more at home?
Pinky Tomlin – I’m on the wagon as far as you’re concerned
Hoagy Carmichael and the Cast of the Charlie McCarthy Show – I love you like my old felt hat
Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy – Merry Go Round
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast November 29 to December 31, 1936.
Starring Eddie Cantor, Parkyakarkus, Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Harry Von Zell, Rudy Vallee, John Gunther, Ed Wynn, Amos ‘n Andy, Kenny Baker, Jack Benny, Cecil B. DeMille, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Don Wilson, Gabriel Heatter, Walter Houston, Billie Holiday, and more.
Excerpts from Old Time Radio originally broadcast October 4 to November 11, 1936.
Lots of Eddie Cantor, if you like that sort of thing. Who doesn’t?
Also featuring James Wallington, Cecile B. Demille, Carl Hubbell, Lou Gerhig, Joe E. Brown, Fred Allen, Harry Ranzel, Jack Renard, George Burns, Gracie Allen, and more.
These Soundscapes are a result of the research phase of the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary series.
A Montage of Old Time Radio Excerpts originally broadcast from August 24 to October 3, 1936.
Starring Cecil B. DeMille, The cast of the Major Bowes Amateur Hour, The cast of the Jello Summer Show, Eddie Cantor, Irene Ryan, Walt Disney, The 1936 New York Giants, Mickey Mouse, The 1936 New York Yankees, Donald Duck, the 1936 Chicago Cubs, Stoopnagle and Budd, the 1936 Chicago White Sox, President Roosevelt, and more.
This Podcast is a montage of excerpts from Old Time Radio originally broadcast May 27 to August 19, 1936.
Featuring: Your Hit Parade, Fred Allen, Dick Powell, Myrna Loy, Al Jolson, Stoopnagle and Budd, the 1936 Democratic Convention, Cecil B. DeMille, D.W Griffith, The Joe Louis/Jack Sharkey Fight, Lionel Barrymore, Jessie Owens, Amos ‘n Andy, Walter Houston, and more.
We are lucky that Soundscape #5 is featuring Fred Allen.
Fred was a legendary wit, his improvisational style and warmth made him a favorite in Vaudeville, on the radio and later on television.
His partner in show biz and real life, Portland Hoffa, was one of the most popular Dumb Dora character actors of her era, second only to the great Gracie Allen.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast from August 28 to December 31 1935. Featuring stars like Al Jolson, Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Little Orphan Annie, Jack Benny, Porky Pig and dozens more.
This Soundscape Montage was developed as part of The When Radio Ruled Documentary about the year 1935. These excerpts are offered without commentary for your entertainment and education.
So here are the voices of 1935 – Voices sadly now silenced – Great performers alive again because you’re listening now.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast in 1935, Spanning from January 1 to August 27 1935. Featuring stars like Jack Benny, Lum ‘n Abner, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Ed Wynn, Bing Crosby, Will Rogers, Al Jolson, Franklin Roosevelt, Senator Huey P. Long and dozens more.
This Soundscape Montage was developed as part of The When Radio Ruled Documentary about the year 1935. These excerpts are offered without commentary for your entertainment and education.
So here are the voices of 1935 – Voices now silenced – Great performers alive again because you’re listening now.
Jimmie Foxx, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in Honolulu en route to Japan on the 1934 tour.
The Fleischmann’s Yeast Hour – Rudy Vallee – Franklin Roosevelt – The March of Time -The Hour of Smiles – Fred Allen – The Jack Benny Program – Milton Berle – George Burns – Gracie Allen – Portland Hoffa – Mary Livingston – And More!
Episode 2 features the years 1930 and 1931 when Radio began to be a part of the everyday lives of Americans, and brought some comfort into homes dealing with a great economic crisis.
Radio broadcasting began in Detroit when WWJ-The Detroit News played photograph records through a DeForest transmitter (center with receiving horn) on Aug. 20, 1920. From left, Howard Trumbo, Elton Plant and Keith Benand.
Old Time Radio came into millions of homes bringing entertainment, news, music, and comedy. Old Time Radio also brought the United States together during two of the greatest threats it ever faced; the depression and World War 2.
This podcast examines how entertainment, radio and America grew and changed during those pivotal years.
Radio broadcasting began in Detroit when WWJ-The Detroit News played photograph records through a DeForest transmitter (center with receiving horn) on Aug. 20, 1920. From left, Howard Trumbo, Elton Plant and Keith Benand. The Detroit News
This Podcast is a montage of excerpts from Old Time Radio originally broadcast May 27 to August 19, 1936.
Before TV 