The first generation of radio talent, performers, directors, and writers came from the worlds of vaudeville, minstrel shows and Broadway revues. All forms of variety theater, so it isn’t any wonder that the variety show quickly emerged as a common Radio format.
Here are the three Old Time Radio shows from the 1930’s I feel best exemplify the variety format, and the reasons why.
I expect you, dear listener, might respectfully disagree with my choices. Leave me a comment on my blog, BeforeTVBlog.com, I’d love to hear your opinions.
Sometimes an actor playing a character becomes so popular with their audience that it becomes more than a character, it becomes a persona that the actor inhabits.
Such was the case with Vera Vague, a creation of actor/writer Babara Jo Allen.
Vera Vague was a constant presence on Old Time Radio, man-hungry, misinformed, and most amusing.
1939 was a year where everything changed. An uneasy peace became all out war. Society and culture and government were questioned as never before. The evil inside the human race made itself known that year, as ferocious as in the past but applied with an improved efficiency.
Radio was there to witness it.
And I got to Live 1939 second hand through these radio voices from the past.
In my OTR collection I have hundreds of hours of 1939 broadcasts. I listened to them in Chronological order to research the documentaries, the year 1939 as seen through comedy, drama, music, and of course news broadcast at the moments the history happened.
Here are curated highlghts of that journey for you to experience. This Soundscape delivers January 24 – March 2 1939 as seen by Old Time Radio, presented by the following voices from the grave, alive again because you’re listening:
Charlie McCarthy was created by Edgar Bergen based on a wise cracking newsboy named Charlie from the neighborhood.
High Schooler Edgar Bergen sketched the design for Charlie.
More than a little obsessed, Bergen decided to bring his Charlie to life.
Bergen built Charlie’s movable body but paid woodworker Theodore Mack $35 to carve Charlie’s head.
Edgar named his completed dummy Charlie McCarthy after newsboy and woodworker.
None of this carpentry could be seen by the radio audiences. Didn’t matter. On the Radio Charlie was just as real as any other voice.
The little boy con man Charlie sparring intellectually with his exasperated father-figure straight man Edgar was what they loved.
Didn’t matter that Edgar was them both. Charlie was the star.
Charlie had been with Edgar since the beginning. Mortimer didn’t appear on Radio until 1939
Mortimer Snerd was created by Edgar Bergen sometime during 1936 or 1937. He appeared in his first film, a short called “A Neckin’ Party” in 1937.
In my research I have yet to uncover what motivated Edgar to create Mortimer.
I can only conjecture that Edgar welcomed a creative change of pace, or might have wanted to get out from under Charlie’s shadow, at least for a little while.
Whatever the reason, Mortimer was created by comedy genius Edgar Bergen and became a great foil for Charlie McCarthy.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 23 through October 31, 1938.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Lionel Barrymore
Clark Gable
Robert Young
Frank Morgan
Don Ameche
Judy Canova
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Dorothy Lamour
Madeleine Carroll
Don Wilson
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
Phil Harris
Andy Devine
and
Seabiscuit
FEATURED SONGS INCLUDE
Two Sleepy People – Dorothy Lamour
Hounds on My Tracks – Judy, Annie, and Zeke
What Have You Got That Gets Me? – Phil Harris and the Jello Gang
In this episode:
The Martians Invade America!
Edgar Bergen tries to Tell a Ghost Story!
Jack Benny throws a Halloween Party!
Seabiscuit races War Admiral!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of show biz from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Soundscape 1938, part 26, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
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 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”
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.
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