Breaking Walls

On August 14th, 1982, SPERDVAC (Full interview: http://www.sperdvac.com/sperdvac_presents.html) hosted a conversation with some of radio's most famous character actors: Harry Bartell, Vic Perrin, John Dehner, Virginia Gregg, Parley Baer, and Peggy Webber.

During the conversation, Harry Bartell recalled his experiences working for Bill Robson on Escape.

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 100: The Radio Career of Lucille Ball (1938 - 1952)

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During the 1949-1950 radio season, Network revenue dropped for the first time since 1933. Radio’s ratings had dropped 30% since 1947.

The U.S. was in an economic recession and television was becoming a serious threat. Over one-hundred TV stations were now on the air.

Advertisers were learning that production costs for new medium were much greater. NBC, CBS, and ABC used their radio profits to fund TV.

On May 8th, 1950, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz officially formed their own production company. They called it Desilu, Inc. If the networks and agencies didn’t believe in the couple, maybe a paying audience would.

On June 2nd, Lucy and Desi’s new act debuted at the Chicago Paramount Theater. It was a combination of vaudeville routine and song. Variety called it “one of the best bills to play the house in recent months.”

The next week they opened at New York’s Roxy to rave reviews.

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 100: The Radio Career of Lucille Ball (1938 - 1952)

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In November of 1947, The Lux Radio Theater was the CBS Monday night centerpiece for an evening of audience domination, with a rating of 31.2.

On November 10th, Lucille Ball guest-starred in a condensation of “The Dark Corner.”

In late fall with Lucy appearing in Dream Girl in Detroit, Desi left his band in Wisconsin for a surprise one-night reunion. He was to charter a flight to catch up. A phone call awoke Lucy and Desi in the middle of the night. The bus was in an accident. Although no one was killed, the spot on the bus with the most damage was where Desi normally sat. The couple took it as a serious omen to spend more time together.

After Lux went off the air, My Friend Irma signed on at 10PM. By February of 1948 the new hit comedy had a rating of 28.3. Now more than ever, William Paley wanted Lucille Ball for a new CBS series.

She said yes.

On May 13th, 1990 radio and TV legend Gale Gordon joined Chuck Schaden on his WBBM News Radio 78 radio show for a conversation about Gale's life and career (Full interview here - http://www.speakingofradio.com/interviews/gordon-gale-actor/).

During the interview Mr. Gordon spoke briefly of playing Richard Denning's boss on CBS Radio's 1948-1951 series, Mr Favorite Husband.

In 1961, My Favorite Husband/I Love Lucy Producer and Director Jess Oppenheimer sat down for a wide-ranging interview on his life and career. During the course of the chat, he spoke about why he was so lucky to work with two of the most popular female comedians of all-time, Lucille Ball and Fanny Brice.

This clip comes courtesy of Jess' son, Gregg Oppenheimer, and Gregg's book, "I Love Lucy: The Untold Story."

In Breaking Walls episode 100 we focus on the radio career of Lucille Ball, arguably the most famous comedienne of the twentieth century.

She rose through the ranks in New York as a model before a small role in Eddie Cantor’s Roman Scandals brought her to Hollywood in 1933 where she gained prominence.

When the 1940s began, Ball was a b-film actress known for playing the other woman. As she gained critical respect for both her dramatic and comedic ability, she insisted that her and Desi Arnaz made a perfect on-screen duo. It led to a revolution in the way TV was shot and produced in the 1950s, all under their company Desilu.

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Highlights:

• Jack Haley, Phil Baker, and RKO

• Lucy Meets Gale Gordon

• How a Holiday Publicity Trip to New York changed Lucy’s Life

• Lucy meets Desi

• Too Many Girls

• Lucy and Desi Elope in November 1940

• Harold Lloyd’s A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob and The Old Gold Comedy Theater

• The Tragic Death of Carole Lombard and Lucy’s First Miscarriage

• Lucy Stars on Suspense

• Desi Strays and Lucy Files for Divorce

• The Couple Reconciles and Decides To Work in Radio

• Desi and Bob Hope

• CBS, My Sister Eileen, and My Friend Irma

• Lucy Guests with Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope

• Eve Arden and Our Miss Brooks

• Lucy Says "Yes" to Bill Paley and My Favorite Husband is Born

• Jess Oppenheimer, Bob Carroll Jr., and Madelyn Pugh Join The Team

• Lucy Wants to Work With Desi

• I Love Lucy is Developed and Philip Morris Signs On

• The I Love Lucy Radio Pilot

• Changing History and Looking Ahead

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The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

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The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• The I Love Lucy Book - By Bart Andrews

• Love Lucy - By Lucille Ball

• On the Air - By John Dunning

• Desilu - By Coyne Stevens Sanders and Tom Gilbert

• The Complete History of the Most Popular TV Show Ever - By Michael McClay

• Forever Lucy - By Joe Morella

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as several articles from:

Broadcasting Magazine and Radio Daily, from between 1938 and 1951

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On the interview front:

• Lucille Ball was interviewed by Dick Cavett in 1970 and 1971; by Johnny Carson in 1974; and by Joan Rivers in 1984

• Desi Arnaz was interviewed with Bob Hope by Johnny Carson in 1976 and by David Letterman in 1983

• Jess Oppenheimer was interviewed in 1961. This interview came courtesy of Gregg Oppenheimer and I Love Lucy: The Untold Story. Gregg also provided My Favorite Husband outtakes.

• Chuck Schaden spoke to Gale Gordon, Jack Haley, and Herb Vigran. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• SPERDVAC was with Madeline Pugh Davis and Bob Carroll Jr. on March 12th, 1994

• Hans Conried was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. These interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org.

• William Paley gave a speech while receiving an award on November 20th, 1958, and spoke in memoriam of Lucille Ball in 1989.

• Lee Philip was with Connee Boswell.

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Selected Music featured in today’s episode was:

• Black Coffee and Fly Me To The Moon - By Julie London

• The Look of Love - By Billy May

• Cuban Pete - By Desi Arnaz

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Special thanks to our sponsors!

The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com/

Radio Drama Revival

https://www.radiodramarevival.com/

Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://www.twelvechimesradio.com/

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A special thank you to Ted Davenport and Jerry Haendiges: two radio show collectors who helped supply material for this episode. They’re who the large retailers go to.

Ted’s got a Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/otrteddavenport/

For Jerry, please visit http://otrsite.com/

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman of SPERDVAC - http://sperdvac.com/

In the 1980s with Joan Rivers subbing for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, Lucille Ball was guest for a conversation about her life and career. During the chat, Joan asked Lucy if she was uncomfortable being a living legend.

In August of 1982 SPERDVAC (http://www.sperdvac.com) hosted a CBS panel at the Thousand Oaks Library in California. The panel featured some of the best known radio character actors of the 1940s and 1950s. One of them, Parley Baer told a funny story about fellow radio actor Howard McNear.

In the Spring of 1948 as Lucille Ball readied herself to star in My Favorite Husband, she appeared as a guest on friend Jimmy Durante's radio show. In this episode, Lucy tries to convince Jimmy that if he wants to be elected President of the US in 1948, he should champion women in industry.

On March 20th, 1984, Chuck Schaden sat down with noted radio and TV character actor Herb Vigran for a fantastic conversation about his life and career (full interview here - http://www.speakingofradio.com/interviews/vigran-herb/). During the course of their chat, Chuck asked Herb about transitioning to Television. In the 1950s, Herb Vigran did a lot of TV character work on shows like I Love Lucy and Our Miss Brooks.

Here, Herb shares why he accurately felt I Love Lucy will be rerun forever