Breaking Walls

In Breaking Walls episode 89, we explore the birth of the dramatic radio western show, specifically targeted to adult audiences. This is the first of a three-part mini-series on adult western radio shows.

Highlights:

• Back to the Very Beginning

• What is a Western Show?

• The Birth of Western Dramatic Radio Shows

• Empire Builders

• Death Valley Days

• The Western show on local stations

• ...And in syndication

• Lux Presents Hollywood

• The Triumph and Tragedy of Buck Jones

• Americana and the Cavalcade of America

• Howard McNear and Romance of the Ranchos

• The First Western Soap Opera

• The War Ends and the Western show grows up

• What’s Next?

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Radio Rides The Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air, 1929 - 1967 by Jack French and David S. Siegel

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• Hello Everybody! The Dawn of American Radio by Anthony Rudel &

• The Network by Scott Woolley

On the interview front:

• Don Ameche, Joan Fontaine, Hans Conried, Rudy Vallée were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Agnes Moorehead and Anne Seymour were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck’s interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com

• John Dunkel and William N. Robson were with John Hickman for his WAMU program “Recollections.” A modern version of this program is heard each Sunday evening as “The Big Broadcast.” For more information, please go to WAMU.org

• Ruth Woodman was with Ida Blackburn in 1961 for KOCO. The full video clip can be seen on the Oklahoma Historical Society's Youtube page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnsye8K4SEsY9Ssi8EzzHg

• and journalist Robert Bendiner was with Westinghouse for their 1970 50th Anniversary program.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

• The Mutual Audio Network

http://mutualaudionetwork.com

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• The Colorado Trail Opus 28 by Elizabeth Hainen - http://www.elizabethhainen.com

• The Last Rose of Summer by Tom Waits

• Morning Prayer by Kenneth Little Hawk

• All Mortal Flesh Be Silent by Deirdre Fay

• Across the Wide Missouri, by Mathias Gohl, Molly Mason, Jay Unger, and Andy Stein

• Jefferson and Liberty by John Owen Lardinois

• Amazing Grace by Leta Rector

• Across the Alley from the Alamo by the Mills Brothers

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Terry Wallace

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 88, we spotlight the 1945-46 season of The Jack Benny Program. This season introduced characters like telephone operators Gertrude and Mabel, press agent Steve Bradley, hot dog vendor Mr. Kitzel, and Ronald and Benita Colman. This season featured guest appearances from Ingrid Bergman, Isaac Stern, Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Peter Lorre, Louella Parsons, Fred Allen, Ed Sullivan and others. It also was the season in which Dennis Day returned from the Navy and one of the most ingenious marketing campaigns in entertainment history took place: The “I Can’t Stand Jack Benny” Contest.

Highlights:

• Jack’s slipping ratings

• Problems with General Foods

• Jack changes sponsors

• The War ends and a new season begins

• Mabel Flapsaddle & Gertrude Gearshift

• Steve Bradley and his big ideas

• $10,000 and $646,000

• Jack gets robbed

• The Contest

• Mail pours in

• The Colmans can’t stand Jack Benny

• Jack’s ratings soar

• Christmas of 1945 & The Rose Bowl

• Fred Allen and the end of the Contest

• Isaac Stern

• Palm Springs

• Van Jackson

• Ed Sullivan and the end of the season

• King for a Day

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• Sunday Nights at Seven - by Jack and Joan Benny

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• As well as articles from Radio Life on January 27th and February 3rd, 1946

On the interview front:

•Jack Benny, Ezra Stone, Kate Smith, Don Wilson, Eliott Lewis, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson and Dennis Day were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck’s interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Vincent Price and Mel Blanc were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• And Finally Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, Don Wilson and Mel Blanc were also with Jack Carney for his early 1980s Comedy Program. Much of this audio was originally taken from a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians. Thank you Goodmond Danielson for supplying me with the audio.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

• The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

https://www.ghoulishdelights.com/series/themorls/

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Love in Bloom by Bing Crosby

• It’s Been a Long, Long, Time by the Harry James Orchestra

• Chickery Chick by Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams & Nancy Norman

• Manhattan Serenade by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with Jo Stafford

• It Might as Well Be Spring by Larry Stephens

• Danny Boy by Dennis Day

• Along the Navajo Trail by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 88, we spotlight the 1945-46 season of The Jack Benny Program. This season introduced characters like telephone operators Gertrude and Mabel, press agent Steve Bradley, hot dog vendor Mr. Kitzel, and Ronald and Benita Colman. This season featured guest appearances from Ingrid Bergman, Isaac Stern, Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Peter Lorre, Louella Parsons, Fred Allen, Ed Sullivan and others. It also was the season in which Dennis Day returned from the Navy and one of the most ingenious marketing campaigns in entertainment history took place: The “I Can’t Stand Jack Benny” Contest.

Highlights:

• Jack’s slipping ratings

• Problems with General Foods

• Jack changes sponsors

• The War ends and a new season begins

• Mabel Flapsaddle & Gertrude Gearshift

• Steve Bradley and his big ideas

• $10,000 and $646,000

• Jack gets robbed

• The Contest

• Mail pours in

• The Colmans can’t stand Jack Benny

• Jack’s ratings soar

• Christmas of 1945 & The Rose Bowl

• Fred Allen and the end of the Contest

• Isaac Stern

• Palm Springs

• Van Jackson

• Ed Sullivan and the end of the season

• King for a Day

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• Sunday Nights at Seven - by Jack and Joan Benny

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• As well as articles from Radio Life on January 27th and February 3rd, 1946

On the interview front:

•Jack Benny, Ezra Stone, Kate Smith, Don Wilson, Eliott Lewis, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson and Dennis Day were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck’s interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Vincent Price and Mel Blanc were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• And Finally Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, Don Wilson and Mel Blanc were also with Jack Carney for his early 1980s Comedy Program. Much of this audio was originally taken from a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians. Thank you Goodmond Danielson for supplying me with the audio.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

• The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

https://www.ghoulishdelights.com/series/themorls/

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Love in Bloom by Bing Crosby

• It’s Been a Long, Long, Time by the Harry James Orchestra

• Chickery Chick by Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams & Nancy Norman

• Manhattan Serenade by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with Jo Stafford

• It Might as Well Be Spring by Larry Stephens

• Danny Boy by Dennis Day

• Along the Navajo Trail by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 88, we spotlight the 1945-46 season of The Jack Benny Program. This season introduced characters like telephone operators Gertrude and Mabel, press agent Steve Bradley, hot dog vendor Mr. Kitzel, and Ronald and Benita Colman. This season featured guest appearances from Ingrid Bergman, Isaac Stern, Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Peter Lorre, Louella Parsons, Fred Allen, Ed Sullivan and others. It also was the season in which Dennis Day returned from the Navy and one of the most ingenious marketing campaigns in entertainment history took place: The “I Can’t Stand Jack Benny” Contest.

Highlights:

• Jack’s slipping ratings

• Problems with General Foods

• Jack changes sponsors

• The War ends and a new season begins

• Mabel Flapsaddle & Gertrude Gearshift

• Steve Bradley and his big ideas

• $10,000 and $646,000

• Jack gets robbed

• The Contest

• Mail pours in

• The Colmans can’t stand Jack Benny

• Jack’s ratings soar

• Christmas of 1945 & The Rose Bowl

• Fred Allen and the end of the Contest

• Isaac Stern

• Palm Springs

• Van Jackson

• Ed Sullivan and the end of the season

• King for a Day

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• Sunday Nights at Seven - by Jack and Joan Benny

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• As well as articles from Radio Life on January 27th and February 3rd, 1946

On the interview front:

•Jack Benny, Ezra Stone, Kate Smith, Don Wilson, Eliott Lewis, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson and Dennis Day were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck’s interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Vincent Price and Mel Blanc were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• And Finally Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, Don Wilson and Mel Blanc were also with Jack Carney for his early 1980s Comedy Program. Much of this audio was originally taken from a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians. Thank you Goodmond Danielson for supplying me with the audio.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

• The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

https://www.ghoulishdelights.com/series/themorls/

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Love in Bloom by Bing Crosby

• It’s Been a Long, Long, Time by the Harry James Orchestra

• Chickery Chick by Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams & Nancy Norman

• Manhattan Serenade by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with Jo Stafford

• It Might as Well Be Spring by Larry Stephens

• Danny Boy by Dennis Day

• Along the Navajo Trail by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 87, we spotlight some New Year’s Day radio programming from the Golden Age of radio, specifically beginning in 1946 after the end of World War II and television's post-war rise.

Highlights:

• Skelton

• Casey Crime Photographer and the Invasion of TV

• Radio City Playhouse and Our Miss Brooks

• The Railroad Hour and NBC’s Monday Night of Music

• Memories from the 1939-40 World’s Fair

• On Stage with Mr. and Mrs. Radio

• The Greatest Western

• Radio Drama’s Demise

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• And Edison Research’s June 2018 Podcast Consumer Statistics https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/

On the interview front:

• John Gibson, Tony Marvin and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Jack Benny, Harriet Nelson, Elliott Lewis, Eve Arden, and Parley Baer were with Chuck Schaden. His interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Elliott Lewis, E. Jack Neuman, and Eve Arden were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71K Newstalk Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• Al Lewis was with SPERDVAC’s Larry Gassman in 1998. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• And Norman Macdonnell, Bill Conrad, and WIlliam N. Robson were interviewed for a 5-part audio documentary on Gunsmoke in the early 1970s.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Voodoo Dreams, and Pyramid of the Sun by Les Baxter

• Exotique Bossa Nova by Martin Denny

• I’ll Be Seeing You, by Harry James

• Auld Lang Syne by the Manhattan Strings

• And Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Rebecca Shield

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 87, we spotlight some New Year’s Day radio programming from the Golden Age of radio, specifically beginning in 1946 after the end of World War II and television's post-war rise.

Highlights:

• Skelton

• Casey Crime Photographer and the Invasion of TV

• Radio City Playhouse and Our Miss Brooks

• The Railroad Hour and NBC’s Monday Night of Music

• Memories from the 1939-40 World’s Fair

• On Stage with Mr. and Mrs. Radio

• The Greatest Western

• Radio Drama’s Demise

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• And Edison Research’s June 2018 Podcast Consumer Statistics https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/

On the interview front:

• John Gibson, Tony Marvin and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Jack Benny, Harriet Nelson, Elliott Lewis, Eve Arden, and Parley Baer were with Chuck Schaden. His interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Elliott Lewis, E. Jack Neuman, and Eve Arden were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71K Newstalk Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• Al Lewis was with SPERDVAC’s Larry Gassman in 1998. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• And Norman Macdonnell, Bill Conrad, and WIlliam N. Robson were interviewed for a 5-part audio documentary on Gunsmoke in the early 1970s.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Voodoo Dreams, and Pyramid of the Sun by Les Baxter

• Exotique Bossa Nova by Martin Denny

• I’ll Be Seeing You, by Harry James

• Auld Lang Syne by the Manhattan Strings

• And Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Rebecca Shield

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 87, we spotlight some New Year’s Day radio programming from the Golden Age of radio, specifically beginning in 1946 after the end of World War II and television's post-war rise.

Highlights:

• Skelton

• Casey Crime Photographer and the Invasion of TV

• Radio City Playhouse and Our Miss Brooks

• The Railroad Hour and NBC’s Monday Night of Music

• Memories from the 1939-40 World’s Fair

• On Stage with Mr. and Mrs. Radio

• The Greatest Western

• Radio Drama’s Demise

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• And Edison Research’s June 2018 Podcast Consumer Statistics https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/

On the interview front:

• John Gibson, Tony Marvin and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Jack Benny, Harriet Nelson, Elliott Lewis, Eve Arden, and Parley Baer were with Chuck Schaden. His interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Elliott Lewis, E. Jack Neuman, and Eve Arden were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71K Newstalk Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• Al Lewis was with SPERDVAC’s Larry Gassman in 1998. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• And Norman Macdonnell, Bill Conrad, and WIlliam N. Robson were interviewed for a 5-part audio documentary on Gunsmoke in the early 1970s.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:

• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Voodoo Dreams, and Pyramid of the Sun by Les Baxter

• Exotique Bossa Nova by Martin Denny

• I’ll Be Seeing You, by Harry James

• Auld Lang Syne by the Manhattan Strings

• And Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Rebecca Shield

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls Episode 86, we spotlight what was on the air over the US’ major radio networks during December of 1945.

Highlights:

• The First Peacetime Holiday Season in Five Years Begins

• Radio’s Three Main Production Hubs

• Macabees

• Frank Nelson, Lurene Tuttle, and Mandel Kramer

• I Can’t Stand Jack Benny

• Soap Operas and Kid’s Shows

• NBC Dominates Sunday and Tuesday Nights

• Falling Mid-Week Ratings Open the Door for CBS

• Victory Bonds and Bing’s Strike

• Christmas Draws Closer

• Fibber, Molly, Red and Christmas Day

• Dinah Shore and Groucho return Christmas Gifts

• I Still Can’t Stand Jack Benny

• New Year’s Eve

• What Comes Next

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Christmas 1945: The Greatest Celebration in American History - by Matthew Litt

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling

• And several articles from The New York Times, Broadcasting Magazine, and Radio Daily from 1945.

The Interviews

Chuck Schaden was with:

Mel Blanc

Himan Brown

Phil Harris

Danny Kaye

Barbara Luddy

Mercedes McCambridge

Shirley Mitchell

Frank Nelson

Olan Soule

Larry Stevens

Lureen Tuttle

and Don Wilson

All of Chuck’s Interviews can be found at SpeakingofRadio.com

Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran were with:

Jackson Beck

Edgar Bergen

Mel Blanc

Staats Cotsworth

Howard Duff

Jim Jordan

Mandel Kramer

and Jan Miner

All of their interviews for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio can be found at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

SPERDVAC was with

Harry Bartel

and Jack Johnstone

For more information please go to SPERDVAC.com

Jo Stafford was with Matthew Feinstein for Jo Stafford’s “Ballad of the Blues”

Fran Carlon was with Westinghouse for their 1970 50th Anniversary Production

And Bing Crosby was interviewed for Same Time, Same Station in 1972.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:



• Join The Party


https://www.multitude.productions


• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

Selected music featured in today’s episode was

• Kay Starr’s The Man With The Bag

• Nancy Wilson’s What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

• Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and I’ll Be Home For Christmas

The clip of CBS’ Cimarron Tavern came courtesy of Jerry Haendiges. Visit his site at OTRsite.com. I’ve been visiting since 2002. Thank you Jerry.

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Rebecca Shield

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls Episode 86, we spotlight what was on the air over the US’ major radio networks during December of 1945.

Highlights:

• The First Peacetime Holiday Season in Five Years Begins

• Radio’s Three Main Production Hubs

• Macabees

• Frank Nelson, Lurene Tuttle, and Mandel Kramer

• I Can’t Stand Jack Benny

• Soap Operas and Kid’s Shows

• NBC Dominates Sunday and Tuesday Nights

• Falling Mid-Week Ratings Open the Door for CBS

• Victory Bonds and Bing’s Strike

• Christmas Draws Closer

• Fibber, Molly, Red and Christmas Day

• Dinah Shore and Groucho return Christmas Gifts

• I Still Can’t Stand Jack Benny

• New Year’s Eve

• What Comes Next

The WallBreakers:

http://thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning

• Christmas 1945: The Greatest Celebration in American History - by Matthew Litt

• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

• The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling

• And several articles from The New York Times, Broadcasting Magazine, and Radio Daily from 1945.

The Interviews

Chuck Schaden was with:

Mel Blanc

Himan Brown

Phil Harris

Danny Kaye

Barbara Luddy

Mercedes McCambridge

Shirley Mitchell

Frank Nelson

Olan Soule

Larry Stevens

Lureen Tuttle

and Don Wilson

All of Chuck’s Interviews can be found at SpeakingofRadio.com

Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran were with:

Jackson Beck

Edgar Bergen

Mel Blanc

Staats Cotsworth

Howard Duff

Jim Jordan

Mandel Kramer

and Jan Miner

All of their interviews for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio can be found at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

SPERDVAC was with

Harry Bartel

and Jack Johnstone

For more information please go to SPERDVAC.com

Jo Stafford was with Matthew Feinstein for Jo Stafford’s “Ballad of the Blues”

Fran Carlon was with Westinghouse for their 1970 50th Anniversary Production

And Bing Crosby was interviewed for Same Time, Same Station in 1972.

Special thanks to our Sponsors:



• Join The Party


https://www.multitude.productions


• Twelve Chimes, It’s Midnight

https://twelvechimesradio.blogspot.com

• The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.com

Selected music featured in today’s episode was

• Kay Starr’s The Man With The Bag

• Nancy Wilson’s What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

• Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and I’ll Be Home For Christmas

The clip of CBS’ Cimarron Tavern came courtesy of Jerry Haendiges. Visit his site at OTRsite.com. I’ve been visiting since 2002. Thank you Jerry.

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Rebecca Shield

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

In Breaking Walls episode 85, we spotlight the radio career of Frank Sinatra. We’ll find out how a brash, skinny kid from Hoboken, New Jersey became one of the most popular and influential music artists of the 20th century, selling more than 150 million records worldwide, winning an academy award for Best Supporting Actor, and using radio to launch it all.

Highlights:

• How Sinatra’s Difficult Birth Affected The Rest of His Life

• Growing Up In Hoboken

• Not Interested in School, Interested in Singing

• WAAT, WNEW, WOR and the Rustic Cabin

• The Hoboken Four

• Early Hustling

• Harry James and Tommy Dorsey

• Sinatra’s Popularity Explodes

• Going Solo

• Success on CBS during World War II

• Marriage, Infidelity… and more infidelity

• The Havana Conference

• Problems with Sponsorship

• The Decline Begins

• Ava

• Losing His Voice

• Bottoming Out

• The Slow Rise

• Maggio and an Oscar

• Rocky Fortune

• A Reborn Sinatra

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• The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

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The reading material used in tonight’s episode was:

• The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio by John Dunning

• Why Sinatra Matters by Pete Hamill

• Frank: The Voice by James Kaplan

• The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling

Lots and Lots of interviews in today’s episode:

• Frank Sinatra was with: Walter Cronkite in 1965; Johnny Carson in 1976; Arlene Francis in the early 1980s; and Larry King in 1988

• Nancy Sinatra was with: Walter Cronkite in 1965 and Larry King in 1995

• Chuck Schaden interviewed Ken Carpenter And Carroll Carroll. Both of these conversations were recorded on February 17th, 1975. To listen to many complete interviews Chuck conducted throughout his career, please go to SpeakingofRadio.com

• Bob Eberly was with Arnold Dean. Hear that full interview and many others at Goldenage-WTIC.org

• Jo Stafford was with Matthew Feinstein for Jo Stafford’s “Ballad of the Blues”

• Gary Moore and Andre Baruch spoke to Westinghouse in 1970.

• Les Tremayne and Jack Brown were featured from their 1986 history of radio called “Please Stand By”

Too much music to credit it all here, but Frank Sinatra: A Voice on Air - https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Air-1935-1955-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B014GJSL88 was incredibly helpful with finding additional research audio

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

Frank Sinatra’s appearance on Fred Allen’s show in 1937 comes via Jerry Haendiges. Visit his site at OTRsite.com. I’ve been visiting since 2002.

A Special Thank you to:

Ron Baron

Ryan Kramer

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Rebecca Shield

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