Breaking Walls

By James Scully

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting.... more

· History

4.8

107107 ratings

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FAQs about Breaking Walls:

How many episodes does Breaking Walls have?

The podcast currently has 1,381 episodes available.

Breaking Walls episodes:

December 31, 2017 BW - EP72: Johnny Dollar and The Death of Dramatic Radio (1948 - 1962)
In Breaking Walls Episode 72 we tell some of the story of American dramatic radio’s last decade on the air through one of the last shows to air, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar.
Highlights
• The cautionary tale of the Mutual Broadcasting System and why CBS, NBC, and ABC killed their own radio business
• The 3rd Floor of NBC and Colby's Restaurant
• Why Johnny Dollar was relaunched as a 15 minute, 5x per-week serial in 1955
• Jack Johnstone's unusual and effective directing methods
• The many voices of Johnny Dollar
• Why Bob Bailey was so popular as Johnny Dollar
• The many actors and actresses who doubled and tripled parts on various broadcasts
• Why these stories were so strong
• What the dying radio industry was like in the late 1950s
• How the death of the radio industry ruined Bob Bailey and so many other people’s careers
• Life after the Golden Age of Radio… what happened next and what is yet to come
Today’s episode of Breaking Walls could not have been possible without the interviews by Chuck Schaden, Dick Bertel, Ed Corcoran, SPERDVAC, and John Dunning.
• Chuck’s interviews are available at http://www.speakingofradio.com
• Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran’s interviews are at http://otrrlibrary.org by searching for The Golden Age of Radio program.
• John Dunning’s interviews are also located at http://otrrlibrary.org under “John Dunning interviews”
Editor's Note: I incorrectly stated the OTRR Library URL vocally. The above is correct.
• The Society To Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy can be found at http://sperdvac.com
The complete list of today’s interviewees is:
Chuck Schaden
with Hans Conreid - 1.1971
with Norman Corwin - 8.1976
with Virginia Gregg - 3.1984
with Parley Baer - 3.1984
with Shirley Mitchell - 10.1984
Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran
with Bill Spier - 11.1970
with Hans Conreid - 8.1971
with Vincent Price - 11.1972
with Mandel Kramer - 9.1974
and with William Robson - 1.1976
SPERDVAC
with director Jack Johnstone - 8.8.1987
John Dunning
with Roberta Bailey-Goodwin - 2.1982
E. Jack Neuman - 5.1982.
The reading material used in today’s episode was:
Raised on Radio - Gerald Nachman
Speaking of Radio - Chuck Schaden
On The Air - The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio - John Dunning
The Who Is Johnny Dollar Matter - John C. Abbott - who also edited this week’s show
as well as numerous articles from the Radio Recall archives, courtesy of The Metropolitan Washington Old-Time Radio Club, who’s website is http://mwotrc.com
The podcast growth statistical information I mentioned can be found at http://edisonresearch.com
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - http://thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 22min
December 31, 2017 BW - EP72: Johnny Dollar and The Death of Dramatic Radio (1948 - 1962)
In Breaking Walls Episode 72 we tell some of the story of American dramatic radio’s last decade on the air through one of the last shows to air, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar.
Highlights
• The cautionary tale of the Mutual Broadcasting System and why CBS, NBC, and ABC killed their own radio business
• The 3rd Floor of NBC and Colby's Restaurant
• Why Johnny Dollar was relaunched as a 15 minute, 5x per-week serial in 1955
• Jack Johnstone's unusual and effective directing methods
• The many voices of Johnny Dollar
• Why Bob Bailey was so popular as Johnny Dollar
• The many actors and actresses who doubled and tripled parts on various broadcasts
• Why these stories were so strong
• What the dying radio industry was like in the late 1950s
• How the death of the radio industry ruined Bob Bailey and so many other people’s careers
• Life after the Golden Age of Radio… what happened next and what is yet to come
Today’s episode of Breaking Walls could not have been possible without the interviews by Chuck Schaden, Dick Bertel, Ed Corcoran, SPERDVAC, and John Dunning.
• Chuck’s interviews are available at http://www.speakingofradio.com
• Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran’s interviews are at http://otrrlibrary.org by searching for The Golden Age of Radio program.
• John Dunning’s interviews are also located at http://otrrlibrary.org under “John Dunning interviews”
Editor's Note: I incorrectly stated the OTRR Library URL vocally. The above is correct.
• The Society To Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy can be found at http://sperdvac.com
The complete list of today’s interviewees is:
Chuck Schaden
with Hans Conreid - 1.1971
with Norman Corwin - 8.1976
with Virginia Gregg - 3.1984
with Parley Baer - 3.1984
with Shirley Mitchell - 10.1984
Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran
with Bill Spier - 11.1970
with Hans Conreid - 8.1971
with Vincent Price - 11.1972
with Mandel Kramer - 9.1974
and with William Robson - 1.1976
SPERDVAC
with director Jack Johnstone - 8.8.1987
John Dunning
with Roberta Bailey-Goodwin - 2.1982
E. Jack Neuman - 5.1982.
The reading material used in today’s episode was:
Raised on Radio - Gerald Nachman
Speaking of Radio - Chuck Schaden
On The Air - The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio - John Dunning
The Who Is Johnny Dollar Matter - John C. Abbott - who also edited this week’s show
as well as numerous articles from the Radio Recall archives, courtesy of The Metropolitan Washington Old-Time Radio Club, who’s website is http://mwotrc.com
The podcast growth statistical information I mentioned can be found at http://edisonresearch.com
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - http://thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 22min
December 15, 2017 BW - EP71: A Vintage Christmas Murder Mystery
In Breaking Walls Episode 71, we offer season’s greetings, glad tidings, and a preview of what our next episode (72) of Breaking Walls will be on January 1st.
We've been getting a lot of traction with the golden age of radio mini-documentaries we've have been producing. If this is foreign to you, check out episode 70 which delves into the life and career of comedian Jack Benny, featuring show clips and interviews with Jack Benny and his supporting cast by Chuck Schaden, Dick Bertel, and the late Ed Corcoran.
Our next episode of Breaking Walls will focus on a show called Yours Truly Johnny Dollar and the decline of the American radio drama.
Johnny Dollar was a freelance insurance investigator with the "action packed expense account." The show came to radio in the late 1940s and featured three unremarkable runs before a 1955 reboot with a new star, under a new format.
In 1955 CBS director Jack Johnstone cast radio actor Bob Bailey in the title role and rather than one weekly 30 minute show, the show aired mon-friday in a 15 minute serial format. So, the total runtime for the show each week was 75 minutes, allowing for great story and character development.
As a lead-in for Episode 72, today we will feature the 5-part "Nick Shurn Matter," which aired on CBS at 8:15PM from 12/19 - 12/23/1955. It was that year's Christmas movie.
We've remastered the audio and added new sound effects where applicable, while cutting each episode's epilogue so that this story runs as one feature movie.
Happy Holidays!
More episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 14min
December 15, 2017 BW - EP71: A Vintage Christmas Murder Mystery
In Breaking Walls Episode 71, we offer season’s greetings, glad tidings, and a preview of what our next episode (72) of Breaking Walls will be on January 1st.
We've been getting a lot of traction with the golden age of radio mini-documentaries we've have been producing. If this is foreign to you, check out episode 70 which delves into the life and career of comedian Jack Benny, featuring show clips and interviews with Jack Benny and his supporting cast by Chuck Schaden, Dick Bertel, and the late Ed Corcoran.
Our next episode of Breaking Walls will focus on a show called Yours Truly Johnny Dollar and the decline of the American radio drama.
Johnny Dollar was a freelance insurance investigator with the "action packed expense account." The show came to radio in the late 1940s and featured three unremarkable runs before a 1955 reboot with a new star, under a new format.
In 1955 CBS director Jack Johnstone cast radio actor Bob Bailey in the title role and rather than one weekly 30 minute show, the show aired mon-friday in a 15 minute serial format. So, the total runtime for the show each week was 75 minutes, allowing for great story and character development.
As a lead-in for Episode 72, today we will feature the 5-part "Nick Shurn Matter," which aired on CBS at 8:15PM from 12/19 - 12/23/1955. It was that year's Christmas movie.
We've remastered the audio and added new sound effects where applicable, while cutting each episode's epilogue so that this story runs as one feature movie.
Happy Holidays!
More episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 14min
December 15, 2017 BW - EP71: A Vintage Christmas Murder Mystery
In Breaking Walls Episode 71, we offer season’s greetings, glad tidings, and a preview of what our next episode (72) of Breaking Walls will be on January 1st.
We've been getting a lot of traction with the golden age of radio mini-documentaries we've have been producing. If this is foreign to you, check out episode 70 which delves into the life and career of comedian Jack Benny, featuring show clips and interviews with Jack Benny and his supporting cast by Chuck Schaden, Dick Bertel, and the late Ed Corcoran.
Our next episode of Breaking Walls will focus on a show called Yours Truly Johnny Dollar and the decline of the American radio drama.
Johnny Dollar was a freelance insurance investigator with the "action packed expense account." The show came to radio in the late 1940s and featured three unremarkable runs before a 1955 reboot with a new star, under a new format.
In 1955 CBS director Jack Johnstone cast radio actor Bob Bailey in the title role and rather than one weekly 30 minute show, the show aired mon-friday in a 15 minute serial format. So, the total runtime for the show each week was 75 minutes, allowing for great story and character development.
As a lead-in for Episode 72, today we will feature the 5-part "Nick Shurn Matter," which aired on CBS at 8:15PM from 12/19 - 12/23/1955. It was that year's Christmas movie.
We've remastered the audio and added new sound effects where applicable, while cutting each episode's epilogue so that this story runs as one feature movie.
Happy Holidays!
More episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 14min
December 15, 2017 BW - EP71: A Vintage Christmas Murder Mystery
In Breaking Walls Episode 71, we offer season’s greetings, glad tidings, and a preview of what our next episode (72) of Breaking Walls will be on January 1st.
We've been getting a lot of traction with the golden age of radio mini-documentaries we've have been producing. If this is foreign to you, check out episode 70 which delves into the life and career of comedian Jack Benny, featuring show clips and interviews with Jack Benny and his supporting cast by Chuck Schaden, Dick Bertel, and the late Ed Corcoran.
Our next episode of Breaking Walls will focus on a show called Yours Truly Johnny Dollar and the decline of the American radio drama.
Johnny Dollar was a freelance insurance investigator with the "action packed expense account." The show came to radio in the late 1940s and featured three unremarkable runs before a 1955 reboot with a new star, under a new format.
In 1955 CBS director Jack Johnstone cast radio actor Bob Bailey in the title role and rather than one weekly 30 minute show, the show aired mon-friday in a 15 minute serial format. So, the total runtime for the show each week was 75 minutes, allowing for great story and character development.
As a lead-in for Episode 72, today we will feature the 5-part "Nick Shurn Matter," which aired on CBS at 8:15PM from 12/19 - 12/23/1955. It was that year's Christmas movie.
We've remastered the audio and added new sound effects where applicable, while cutting each episode's epilogue so that this story runs as one feature movie.
Happy Holidays!
More episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 14min
November 30, 2017 BW - EP70: Christmas Shopping With Jack Benny—How One Man Changed The Entertainment Industry
In Breaking Walls Episode 70, we’re celebrating the month of December by spotlighting The Jack Benny Program. Jack Benny was the highest rated comedian of his era. Beginning on radio in 1932, he was a radio mainstay until 1958. The programs’ Christmas shows are some of their most famous.
Highlights:
• Jack’s beginnings in Waukegan, IL
• How Jack began playing the violin.
• His transition to comedy
• How Ed Sullivan changed Jack’s career in 1932
• How Jack Benny saved Jell-O
• The secret to Jack’s comedic success
• How Jack Benny was a situation comedy pioneer
• What Bugs Bunny and Bing Crosby have in common
• How Jack Benny used a tax loophole to change the entertainment industry’s entire tax structure
• How Jack helped CBS become the broadcasting giant of the 1950s
life after radio and television
• A gentle man
The episodes featured in today’s broadcast were from:
December 11, 1938
December 18, 1938
December 24, 1944
March 16, 1947
December 26, 1948
December 31, 1953
Special thanks to Chuck Schaden for his interviews with Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Don Wilson, and Jack Benny. The full versions of these interviews are all available to stream for free or to download for a small fee at SpeakingofRadio.com. I’d also like to thank Dick Bertel and the late Ed Corcoran for their interviews with Elliot Lewis and Mel Blanc. All of their interviews from the 1970s hartford-based Golden Age of Radio program can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
Reading material used in this episode:
The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning
Raised on Radio by Gerald Nachman
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 6min
November 30, 2017 BW - EP70: Christmas Shopping With Jack Benny—How One Man Changed The Entertainment Industry
In Breaking Walls Episode 70, we’re celebrating the month of December by spotlighting The Jack Benny Program. Jack Benny was the highest rated comedian of his era. Beginning on radio in 1932, he was a radio mainstay until 1958. The programs’ Christmas shows are some of their most famous.
Highlights:
• Jack’s beginnings in Waukegan, IL
• How Jack began playing the violin.
• His transition to comedy
• How Ed Sullivan changed Jack’s career in 1932
• How Jack Benny saved Jell-O
• The secret to Jack’s comedic success
• How Jack Benny was a situation comedy pioneer
• What Bugs Bunny and Bing Crosby have in common
• How Jack Benny used a tax loophole to change the entertainment industry’s entire tax structure
• How Jack helped CBS become the broadcasting giant of the 1950s
life after radio and television
• A gentle man
The episodes featured in today’s broadcast were from:
December 11, 1938
December 18, 1938
December 24, 1944
March 16, 1947
December 26, 1948
December 31, 1953
Special thanks to Chuck Schaden for his interviews with Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Don Wilson, and Jack Benny. The full versions of these interviews are all available to stream for free or to download for a small fee at SpeakingofRadio.com. I’d also like to thank Dick Bertel and the late Ed Corcoran for their interviews with Elliot Lewis and Mel Blanc. All of their interviews from the 1970s hartford-based Golden Age of Radio program can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
Reading material used in this episode:
The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning
Raised on Radio by Gerald Nachman
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 6min
November 30, 2017 BW - EP70: Christmas Shopping With Jack Benny—How One Man Changed The Entertainment Industry
In Breaking Walls Episode 70, we’re celebrating the month of December by spotlighting The Jack Benny Program. Jack Benny was the highest rated comedian of his era. Beginning on radio in 1932, he was a radio mainstay until 1958. The programs’ Christmas shows are some of their most famous.
Highlights:
• Jack’s beginnings in Waukegan, IL
• How Jack began playing the violin.
• His transition to comedy
• How Ed Sullivan changed Jack’s career in 1932
• How Jack Benny saved Jell-O
• The secret to Jack’s comedic success
• How Jack Benny was a situation comedy pioneer
• What Bugs Bunny and Bing Crosby have in common
• How Jack Benny used a tax loophole to change the entertainment industry’s entire tax structure
• How Jack helped CBS become the broadcasting giant of the 1950s
life after radio and television
• A gentle man
The episodes featured in today’s broadcast were from:
December 11, 1938
December 18, 1938
December 24, 1944
March 16, 1947
December 26, 1948
December 31, 1953
Special thanks to Chuck Schaden for his interviews with Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Don Wilson, and Jack Benny. The full versions of these interviews are all available to stream for free or to download for a small fee at SpeakingofRadio.com. I’d also like to thank Dick Bertel and the late Ed Corcoran for their interviews with Elliot Lewis and Mel Blanc. All of their interviews from the 1970s hartford-based Golden Age of Radio program can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
Reading material used in this episode:
The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning
Raised on Radio by Gerald Nachman
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 6min
November 30, 2017 BW - EP70: Christmas Shopping With Jack Benny—How One Man Changed The Entertainment Industry
In Breaking Walls Episode 70, we’re celebrating the month of December by spotlighting The Jack Benny Program. Jack Benny was the highest rated comedian of his era. Beginning on radio in 1932, he was a radio mainstay until 1958. The programs’ Christmas shows are some of their most famous.
Highlights:
• Jack’s beginnings in Waukegan, IL
• How Jack began playing the violin.
• His transition to comedy
• How Ed Sullivan changed Jack’s career in 1932
• How Jack Benny saved Jell-O
• The secret to Jack’s comedic success
• How Jack Benny was a situation comedy pioneer
• What Bugs Bunny and Bing Crosby have in common
• How Jack Benny used a tax loophole to change the entertainment industry’s entire tax structure
• How Jack helped CBS become the broadcasting giant of the 1950s
life after radio and television
• A gentle man
The episodes featured in today’s broadcast were from:
December 11, 1938
December 18, 1938
December 24, 1944
March 16, 1947
December 26, 1948
December 31, 1953
Special thanks to Chuck Schaden for his interviews with Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Don Wilson, and Jack Benny. The full versions of these interviews are all available to stream for free or to download for a small fee at SpeakingofRadio.com. I’d also like to thank Dick Bertel and the late Ed Corcoran for their interviews with Elliot Lewis and Mel Blanc. All of their interviews from the 1970s hartford-based Golden Age of Radio program can be found at the Old Time Radio Researchers Library at OTRRLibrary.org
Reading material used in this episode:
The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning
Raised on Radio by Gerald Nachman
WallBreakers Links:
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/
...more
1h 6min

FAQs about Breaking Walls:

How many episodes does Breaking Walls have?

The podcast currently has 1,381 episodes available.

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