Kenny Baker

When Radio Ruled #151 – A 1930s Christmas

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Holiday Spirit from 1937, 1938, and 1939
as served up by Old Time Radio!

Christmas Time is here again. A time when us older folks reconnect with the child we once were. Moments from past Christmases relived, smiles and tears remembered. Longing and gratitude and the laughter of those we’ve lost.

At least that’s what happens to me. Every Christmas that passes magnifies the memories of Christmases from a lifetime ago.

Old Time Radio like this helps me through the bittersweet nostalgia for days that no longer exist.

Starring Santa Claus and The Christian God

Also Appearing

Don Wilson

Mary Livingstone

Jack Benny

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Kenny Baker

Rudy Vallee

Fred Allen

Shirley Temple

Nelson Eddy

Orson Welles

Eddie Cantor

Dennis Day

Robert Young

Baby Snooks and Daddy

Lionel Barrymore

Reginald Owen

And More!!

Click Here to Visit Christmas in the 1930s!!!

When Radio Ruled 143 – Birth of the SitCom

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Early American entertainment included the circus, the minstrel show, vaudeville, broadway revues, all popular forms of the variety show.

And it was talent from those stage shows that created radio.

But radio wasn’t the same as the stage.

Radio was different manifesting new possibilities for entertainment.

An opportunity to entertain with new formats.

The situation comedy was one such format, brand new, a child of radio, never before seen in the history of man.

Although the situation comedy format is only a hundred or so years old, there is still a mystery surrounding who was the first and when.

My research indicates three radio shows have claim to be the first situation comedy. But the early recordings that exist casts some doubt on each claim.

That is, according to my definition of Situation Comedy.

If you know others who might be the first, or have recordings I have failed to discover, or want to argue a different definition of SitCom, please let me know in a comment on BeforeTvBlog.com.

FEATURING:

Sam ‘n Henry

Jim and Marion Jordan

George Burns

Gracie Allen

Fibber McGee and Molly

Groucho Marx

Chico Marx

Jack Benny

Phil Harris

Mary Livingstone

Kenny Baker

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

And More!!

Click Here if You Got Time to Sit and Learn of SitComs!

When Radio Ruled #130-SoundScape 1939 part 11

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Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.

History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.

In today’s SoundScape:

Royalty are just regular folks!

Jack Benny with the Hollywood Gossip!

The Patent Office is Your Friend!

Frank Morgan talks Wizard of Oz and World Fairs!

A Big Dose of Great Swing Music!

And More

Featuring:

Cecil B Demille

Fibber McGee and Molly

Jack Benny

Mary Livingstone

Don Wilson

Kenny Baker

Orson Welles

Zasu Pitts

The Green Hornet

Barney Rapp and His New Englanders featuring Ruby Wright

Baby Snooks and Daddy

Frank Morgan

Connie Boswell

Doris Day

Phil Harris

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Andy Devine

And More!

Click Here for a Radio Journey Down Memory Lane!

When Radio Ruled #128 – SoundScape 1939 #10

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1939 SoundScape part 10, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 22 through June 4, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.

In today’s SoundScape:

Youth committing crimes!

American Freedom!

The Death of John Brown!

Jack Benny: Ladies Man!

Interviews with Civil War Veterans!

Airmail to Europe!

And More

Featuring:

Cecil B Demille

Courtney Riley Cooper

Fibber McGee and Molly

Harlow Wilcox

Orson Welles

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Phil Harris

Mary Livingstone

Kenny Baker

The Green Hornet

Baby Snooks

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

And More!

Click Here To Hear with Your Ear 1939 SoundScape #10

When Radio Ruled #126 – SoundScape 1939 part 9, May 4-21 1939

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SoundScape part 9, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 4 through May 21, 1939

Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.

History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.

In today’s SoundScape:

Mother’s Day 1939 with Jack Benny!

Where are the real high class professional crooks in America today?

As a Lover, rumor has it,  Jack Benny is a regular Caveman!

Featuring:

Robert Young

Connie Boswell

Frank Morgan

Fannie Brice

Orson Welles

Jack Benny

Phil Harris

Mary Livingstone

Leslie Howard

Don Wilson

Cecil B DeMille

The Family Doctor

Fibber McGee and Molly

Ida Lupino

and

Kenny Baker

Click Here to Hear with Your Ear SoundScape 1939 part 9

When Radio Ruled #124 – SoundScape 1939 part 8, April 6-30 1939

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Radio highlights originally broadcast live April 6 through April 30, 1939

Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.

History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.

In today’s soundscape:

A Tribute to Man’s Best Friend, my Dog

Pearl Buck Talks China with Anna Mae Wong and Orson Welles

Jack Benny’s 7th Anniversary on Radio!

And more!!!

FEATURING:

Robert Young

Kitty Carlisle

Meredith Wilson

Lionel Barrymore

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Phil Harris

Mary Livingstone

Cecil B DeMille

General Hugh Samuel Johnson

Errol Flynn

Fibber McGee and Molly

Orson Welles

Anna Mae Wong

Kenny Baker

Eddie Rochester Anderson

Gertrude Lawrence

and

Eddie Cantor

Click Here For A Heaping Earful of 1939!

When Radio Ruled #118 – SoundScape 1939 part 5: February 27 – March 16, 1939

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History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.

In today’s soundscape:

Baby Snooks and Daddy visit the 1939 New York’s World Fair!

An Irish Ghost Story entitled “Faith is Not always a Lady”!!

A Gentle Reminder to Always Remember to Lux your Stockings!!

This episode features:

The Family Doctor

Cecil B DeMille

Jimmy Cagney

Fibber McGee

The Merry Macs

Jimmy Stewart

Robert Young

The Phil Harris Orchestra

Columbia Workshop

Zasu Pitts

Lionel Barrymore

Orson Welles

Warden Laws of Sing-Sing

Jack Benny

Don Wilson

Kenny Baker

Barbara Stanwyck

Sara Roosevelt – the mother of the President

Frank Morgan

Fanny Brice

Hanley Stafford

Robert Montgomery

And

Connee Boswell

Click Here to Give 1939 part 5 a Listen!

When Radio Ruled #107 SoundScape 1938 part 33

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We’ve got both reassuring fantasy and unsettling reality in this episode. On one hand we’ll hear old friends Donald Duck and the Seven Dwarfs in a fairy tale setting, and we’ll hear our soon to be enemy, Nazi Germany take over the real world Austria.

Starring:

Orson Welles

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Mary Livingstone

Phil Harris

Kenny Baker

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Goofy

Walt Disney

Snow White

The Wicked Queen

Donald Duck

The Seven Dwarfs

In this episode:

Orson Welles is Ebenezer Scrooge!

Jack Benny, Movie Star!

Jack is Building a new Beverly Hills Home!

God Bless You Mr. Chamberlain!

Donald Duck is Making Trouble!

Don’t Buy an Apple from the Wicked Queen!

The Disney Gang meets the Seven Dwarfs!

CBS News Reports on the European Crisis!

Why Doesn’t Britain do Something?!

And More!!

Click Here to Listen to SoundScape 1938 part 33

When Radio Ruled #106 – SoundScape 1938 part 32

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This Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live December 25 through December 29, 1938.

Starring:

Don Wilson

Mary Livingstone

Jack Benny

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Kenny Baker

Andy Devine

Phil Harris

Joan Bennett

Cecil B. DeMille

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Walt Disney

Robert Young

Bill Stern

Frank Morgan

Featured Songs Include:

Whistle While You Work –Snow White

The Digging Song – The Seven Dwarfs

In this episode:

Jack Benny throws a Christmas Party!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!

Walt Disney talks with Cecil B. DeMille!

Bill Stern talks about announcing Football Games!

And More!!

Click Here to Give episode #106 a Listen!

When Radio Ruled #105 – SoundScape 1938 part 31

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This Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live December 11 through December 22, 1938.

Starring:

The Cast of Family Doctor

Fred Allen

Santa Claus

Robert Young

Lionel Barrymore

Reginald Owen

Jack Benny

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Don Wilson

Mary Livingstone

Phil Harris

Kenny Baker

Andy Devine

Hanley Stafford

Fanny Brice

In this episode:

Fred Allen interviews Santa Claus!

Lionel Barrymore Narrates “A Christmas Carol”!

Jack and the Gang take the Train Cross Country!

Baby Snooks goes to the department store!

It’s Christmas in 1938!

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 31, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.

Click here to give Episode 105 a Listen!

When Radio Ruled #104 – SoundScape 1938 part 30

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My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use  in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 25 through December 11, 1938.

Starring:

Orson Welles

Agnes Moorehead

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Phil Harris

Kenny Baker

Mary Livingstone

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Cast of Family Doctor

Featured Songs Include

They Say – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra

My Reverie – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra

Who Blew Out The Flame – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra

Pocketful of Dreams – Phil Harris and His Orchestra

In this episode:

Some Smoking Jazz From Artie Shaw!

Jack Benny has a bad cold!

Flash Benny Football Hero!

The Benny Gang Visits New York!

Jack’s Annual Christmas Shopping Trip!

And More!!

Click Here to Hear SoundScape 1938 part 30

When Radio Ruled #103 – SoundScape 1938 part 29

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My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use  in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 17 through November 24, 1938.

Starring:

Louis B. Mayer

Father Flanagan

Don Wilson

Mary Livingstone

Phil Harris

Jack Benny

Kenny Baker

Cast of The Family Doctor

Robert Young

Fanny Brice

Hanley Stafford

Mickey Rooney

Louis Stone

Faye Holden

Cecelia Parker

Ann Rutherford

In this episode:

Louis B Mayer talks about the Movie BoysTown!

Kenny Baker Plays a Cannibal!

Baby Snooks Gets a New Car and Daddy gets a ticket!

The Hardy family show us the true meaning of Thanksgiving!

And More!!

Click Here to Hear SoundScape 1938 part 29

When Radio Ruled #101 – SoundScape 1938 part 27

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The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 2 through November 6, 1938.

Starring:

Fred Allen

Harry Von Zell

Portland Hoffa

Orson Welles

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Phil Harris

Mary Livingstone

Kenny Baker

Bill Goodwin

Charlie McCarthy

Edgar Bergen

Ray Noble

Jean Arthur

And

The Merry Macs

In this episode:

Fred Allen’s Tribute to November!

Sound Poems from Columbia Workshop!

Jean Arthur Tells Charlie McCarthy about Goldilocks

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.

Click Here to Enjoy SoundScape 1938 part 27

When Radio Ruled #100 – SoundScape 1938 part 26

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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.

Click Here to Hear SoundScape 1938 part 26!

When Radio Ruled #99 – SoundScape 1938 part 25

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The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 16  through October 23, 1938.

Starring:

Adolf Hitler

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Mary Livingstone

Phil Harris

Kenny Baker

Andy Devine

Winston Churchill

Orson Welles

Robert Young

Judy Garland

Fanny Brice

Hanley Stafford

and

Joan Crawford

FEATURED SONGS INCLUDE

Zing Went the Strings of my Heart – Judy Garland

and

Bumpy Road to Love – Judy Garland and the Good News Company

In this episode:

Hitler is still getting away with pushing Europe around!

Jack Benny upgrades his old Broadcast studio for a brand new facilitie!

Joan Crawford and Robert Young in a Haunting Radio Play!

And More!!

Click Here to Hear SoundScape 1938 part 25

When Radio Ruled #98 – SoundScape 1938 part 24

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The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live September 15 through October 10, 1938.

Starring:

Cast of Blair of the Mounties

Cast of Columbia Workshop

Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom

Frank Morgan

Fanny Brice

Cast of Family Doctor

Cecil B. DeMille

Ephraim Zimbalist

Neville Chamberlain

Phil Harris

Kenny Baker

Mary Livingstone

Don Wilson

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Jack Benny

Eleanor Powell

In this episode:

Jack Benny’s back on the Radio and Nazi Mind Games!

Neville Chamberlain says everything’s going to be alright!

Fanny Bruce and Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom make with the funny!

And More!!

Click Here for Episode #98

When Radio Ruled #91 – SoundScape 1938 part 18

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This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 26 through June 1 1938.

Starring:

Robert Young

Fanny Brice

Hanley Stafford

The Cast of Columbia Workshop

Georgie Jessel

Mary Livingston

Don Wilson

Kenny Baker

Phil Harris

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Jack Benny

Andy Devine

Agnes Moorehead

Orson Welles

Fred Allen

The Mighty Allen Art Players

Featured Songs include:

I was a Flora Dora Baby – Fanny Brice

Love Please Don’t Tell on Me medley – The Merry Macs

In this episode:

Rochester plays Leading Lady as Jack Benny rehearses for his new film!

The Shadow Confronts The Creeper!

A Vox Pop parody from Fred Allen!

And More!!

Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.

Click Here to Hear 1938 SoundScape part 18!

When Radio Ruled Episode 55 – Soundscape 1937 part 22

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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.

Click Here to Listen to Soundscape 1937 part 22