Rudy Vallee

When Radio Ruled #151 – A 1930s Christmas

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment

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 #141 – 3 Best Variety Shows of the 1930s

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment
Bing Crosby

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.

Meanwhile, give a listen to:

Al Jolson

Fred Allen

Portland Hoffa

Rudy Vallee

Charlie McCarthy

Edgar Bergen

Don Ameche

Dorothy Lamour

Nelson Eddy

Jimmy Dorsey

Bob Burns

And More

Great Variety is Just a Click Away!

When Radio Ruled #139 – Vera Vague 1939

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment

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.

Guest Starring:

Edgar Bergen

Charlie McCarthy

Don Ameche

And

Rudy Vallee

Click Here to Hear Vera Vague 1939!!

When Radio Ruled #119 – Dottie Lamour Girl Next Door 1939

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment

 In 1939 Dorothy Lamour was the leading lady on a show that was neck and neck with Jack Benny for number 1 in the ratings.

Not bad for a lower class girl who dropped out of school at 14 to support her family.

Now, at only 25 years old, her ambition and talent had paid off handsomely.

Also Featuring Don Ameche and Rudy Vallee. Charlie and Edgar also make an appearance.

Popular songs and Novelty Tunes from America’s girl next door, 1939. Dottie Lamour singing:

Go Fly A Kite

One Cigarette for Two

All In Favor Say Aye

ChatterBox

Dream Beside Me in the Midnight Glow

An Awful Lot of Dreaming to Do

Begin the Beguinne

When you Came into my Heart

I Spell Love with You

A Boy Named Lem and a Girl Named Sue

Sing a Song of Sunbeams

What’s New?

Two Blind Loves

I’ll Remember

What’s New?

Two Blind Loves

I’ll Remember

Oh Johnny

Are You Having Any Fun?

Give a Listen to the Talented Dottie Lamour, Girl Next Door

When Radio Ruled #102 – SoundScape 1938 part 28

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment

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 10 through November 17, 1938.

Starring:

Cast of Columbia Workshop

Lionel Barrymore

Don Wilson

Jack Benny

Mary Livingstone

Phil Harris

Kenny Baker

Eddie “Rochester” Anderson

Peter Van Steeden

Fred Allen

Portland Hoffa

Harry Von Zell

Rudy Vallee

Joe DiMaggio

In this episode:

Lionel Barrymore prays for peace!

Jack Benny Steals Phil Harris’ Girlfriend!

Fred Allen talks Taxes on False Teeth!

Song of the Vice Presidents!

Rudy Vallee interviews Joe DiMaggio

And More!!

Click for a Listen to When Radio Ruled #102!

When Radio Ruled #96-SoundScape 1938 part 22

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment

The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 1 through August 28, 1938.

Starring:

Cast of Blair of the Mounties

Orson Welles

Al Jolson

Irving Berlin

Cast of The Shadow

Seabiscuit

Charlie McCarthy

Nelson Eddy

Edward Arnold

Edgar Bergen

Ella Logan

Rudy Vallee

Featured Songs Include

Marie – Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

My Bonnie – Ella Logan

Heatwave – Ethel Merman

My Lucky Star Medley – Rudy Vallee and his Orchestra

Automobile Theme Song Medley – Rudy Vallee and his Orchestra

In this episode:

Irving Berlin Sings!

Charlie McCarthy becomes a banker!

Big League Woman’s Softball!

Rudy Vallee Sings Jingles about 1938 Cars!

The Munich Crisis!

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 For SoundScape 1938 part 22 (you won’t be sorry)!!

When Radio Ruled Episode 55 – Soundscape 1937 part 22

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment
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

When Radio Ruled #51 – Soundscape 1937 part 18

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment
Ida Lupino on the Radio

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”

Click Hear to Listen to Soundscape 1937 part 18

When Radio Ruled # 34-1937 Soundscape #3

~ partnic ~ Leave a comment
Buck Benny and Others Await!!!

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.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE 1937 SOUNDSCAPES part 3 PODCAST