Breaking Walls

In Breaking Walls Episode 73 we spotlight the 1970s CBS and Mutual Broadcasting dramatic radio revival and why it ultimately failed.

Highlights:



• Go Inside the November 1, 1973 Mutual Broadcasting closed circuit press conference from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City announcing Zero Hour


• How Jay M. Kholos came to create The Zero Hour

• How Elliot Lewis came to produce and direct the Zero Hour

• How Himan Brown got CBS to say yes to the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre

• Why Himan Brown wanted the Mystery Theatre on 7-nights per week

• Rod Serling’s feelings about radio

• How the AFRS furthered Howard Duff and Elliott Lewis’ lifelong friendship

• New storytelling methods for the 1970s

• New recording technology

• Why the Zero Hour had immediate Advertising difficulties

• How Tom Bosley of Happy Days got involved in the radio revival

• Why Sears paid $1.2 Million to get involved in dramatic radio in 1979

• What Richard Widmark, Cicely Tyson, Vincent Price, Lorne Greene, and Andy Griffith had in common

• Dramatic Radio of the 1980s

• Why the popularity of FM hurt The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre

• Major Network Dramatic Radio Comes to a close

• What’s next?

Beginning February 15th, 2018 Breaking Walls will be presenting the first in a long-term story arc: Chapter 1 on The History of American Dramatic Radio. To support the show for as little as $1 per month and receive all kinds of BTS material, please go to http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

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”

• The Society To Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy can be found at http://sperdvac.com

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio by John Dunning

• A Pictorial History of Radio’s First 75 Years by B. Eric Rhoads

• The Radio Career of Rod Serling by Martin Grams Jr’s

• The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Handbook by Martin Grams Jr’s and Gordon Payton

I’d like to thank them both for providing fantastic information that helped me put this episode together today.

as well as The Digital Deli’s page on the Mutual Radio Theater - http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-Mutual-Radio-Theater.html

WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - http://patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - http://thewallbreakers.com

Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/