Phil Harris and his Orchestra

When Radio Ruled #147 – SoundScape 1939 part 20

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Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. Radio highlights originally broadcast live October 8 through October 15, 1939.

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

In today’s SoundScape:

What the Jack Benny cast did on Summer Vacation!

Dennis Day Joins the Jello Cast!

Orson Welles takes us to Tangiers!

Bert Lahr visits Fred Allen!

Andy Devine visits Jack Benny!

And More!!

Featuring:

Jack Benny

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Mary Livingston

Phil Harris

Don Wilson

Dennis Day

Orson Welles

Paulette Goddard

Fibber McGee and Molly

Fred Allen

Portland Hoffa

Wynn Murray

The Merry Macs

Bert Lahr

Andy Devine

And More!

SoundScape 1939 part 20 is just a Click Away!!!

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 #114 – SoundScape 1939 part 3 (January 24 – March 2, 1939)

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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:

Fibber McGee

Harlow Wilcox

Orson Welles

George Kaufmann

Jack Benny

Don Wilson

Mary Livingston

The Phil Harris Orchestra

Andy Devine

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Nelson Eddy

Charlie McCarthy

Edgar Bergen

Don Ameche

Dorothy Lamour

Maureen O’Sullivan

The Family Doctor

The Billy Mills Orchestra

Helen Hayes

And more!

Give a Listen to SoundScape 1939 part 3!

When Radio Ruled #112 – SoundScape 1939 part 2

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1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the death to come on land, sea, and in the Air

Seems obvious now, but at the time lots of people thought the first great war  had been so terrible it could never happen again. I wish they had been right.

The Soundscapes for 1939 series is the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.

Here is part 2, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 12 to January 23, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.

Highlights include

Do we have a free press or don’t we?

Better food with less kitchen time!

Mutiny on the Bounty descendants on Pitcairn island.

How Jack Benny saved Fred Allen’s life!

Featured Performers include:

America’s Town Hall of the Air

Orson Welles

Kenny Baker

Jack Benny

Mary Livingston

Don Wilson

Phil Harris Orchestra

Cecil B Demille

Fred MacMurray

Paulette Goddard

Floyd Gibbons

The Family Doctor

Artie Shaw Orchestra featuring Helen Forrest

Eddie Cantor

Fanny Brice

George Arliss

And more!

Click Here to Live Through January 12 – 23 1939 as Told by Old Time Radio!

When Radio Ruled #110 – SoundScape 1939 part 1

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For the Previous 2 episodes, The Year 1939 – Politics and the year 1939 – Culture and Technology, I listened to almost 1000 hours of OTR in chronological order. I got to hear 1939 unfold through broadcasts from the day and learn what the podcasts should be about.

As I go, I create a best of collection of clips I might possibly use in the podcast that isn’t written yet.

This results in a rather large number of clips, 36 hours for the year 1939, history from those living it.

1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the war we all saw coming.

The Soundscapes for 1939 series will tell the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.

Here is part 1, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 1 to January 12, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.

Highlights include

Goodbye 1938 hello 1939

How to have happiness in marriage?

A Great Playlet “Rose by Any Other Name” starring Melvyn Douglas

Other Feature Performers include:

Don Wilson

Mary Livingston

Jack Benny

The Phil Harris Orchestra

Andy Devine

Cecil B DeMille

Errol Flynn

Joan Blondell

Mae Robeson

Robert Young

Meredith Wilson

Orson Welles

Kenny Baker

Henry Morgan

Fanny Brice

And more!

Click Here to Listen to SoundScape 1939 part 1

When Radio Ruled #54 – Soundscape 1937 part 21

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Jack Benny and his faithful Maxwell

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”

Click here to hear Soundscape 1937 part 21

When Radio Ruled Christmas 2020

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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!

Listen to the Podcast Here!