Breaking Walls

During the Korean War, NBC sent reporters to talk to the soldiers on the front lines during the conflict. This is some of what they said.

After the November 20th, 1947 episode of Suspense, Roma Wines wrapped up its sponsorship of the series. For the next five weeks CBS broadcast Suspense on Friday evenings. Beginning on January 3rd, 1948 the program changed directions.

William Spier’s last date with the production was January 24th, with the episode “Eve,” starring June Havoc. They were married the next day.

When the couple finished honeymooning, Spier looked for his next project. He found it on the American Broadcasting Company with The Clock.

This is a tale of struggle. Set in the Lower East Side of New York City. A Jewish immigrant and his wife are trying to realize their American dream, but another dream is getting in the way. The dream that he has every night, which he wakes from covered in sweat, shaking, that seems more real with each dreaming, the dream that he has done the unthinkable, and is paying the price... for murder.

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 103: A Weekend at the Malt Shop with Fibber McGee and Molly (1955)

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In May of 1955 NBC’s programming department was busy readying for the launch of Monitor. It would debut in June and quickly revamp NBC’s weekend programming. Although dramatic radio took up less and less network airtime, there was still interest in creating new dramatic programming for NBC.

"... Well everyone knows that our school system out of necessity is a carefully budgeted operation and our Miss Brooks, who teaches English at Madison High School has some very definite ideas on the subject of economy."

The Sunday, April 23rd, 1950 episode of Our Miss Brooks aired on CBS. It starred Eve Arden and had a rating of 11.1.

On February 3rd, 1949 comedians Jim and Marian Jordan appeared as Fibber McGee and Molly on "Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills" Suspense.

By 1949, Fibber and Molly been radio’s most popular couple for a decade. When Anton M. Leader took over the production of Suspense, he continued Bill Spear’s method of casting non-traditional roles. It was the first time the Jordans had appeared on the program.

In Breaking Walls Episode 103 we visit the town of Wistful Vista to spend a weekend at Walt’s Malt Shop with Fibber McGee and Molly. While between 1938 and 1950, Jim and Marian Jordan’s comedy never finished lower than fifth in national radio ratings, in this episode, we’ll focus on the period after, when the show became a closed production and aired for fifteen minutes, five days per week.

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Highlights:

Jim Jordan—Saver of Things

Who is this Fibber McGee and What does he do?

First Smackout, by way of Chicago

Marian Jordan—Molly McGee

Fibber and Molly join NBC

When Tuesday Night was Comedy Night

Television takes over as NBC’s Stars Jump Ship

Fibber and Molly Take a Ratings Hit

Marian’s Health Deteriorates

NBC’s plan for the 1950s

Fibber and Molly Becomes a Serial

Finding Success

Taking Over Walt’s Malt

After the Weekend

Winding Down

Looking Back to Look Forward

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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:

On the Air — By John Dunning

Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as several articles from Broadcasting Magazine, Radio & TV Mirror, and Sponsor Magazine.

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On the interview front:

Parley Baer and Harry Bartell were with SPERDVAC, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

Elvia Allman, Jim Jordan, Jim Jordan Jr, Phil Leslie, Willard Waterman, and Don Wilson were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

Jim Jordan was with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver in 1982.

Don Quinn was interviewed in Hawaii by Owen Cunningham while on vacation in 1951.

And John Gibson and Jim Jordan were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear their full chat at Goldenage—WTIC.org

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Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

Caravan — By Gordon Jenkins

Goodbye Montana, Pt. 1 — By George Winston

I Forgot to Remember to Forget — By Elvis Presley

Route 66 — By Nat King Cole

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Special thanks to our Sponsors:

The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

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

Hey It’s Jali Entertainment

https://www.heyitsjali.com/

The Fireside Mystery Theatre

https://www.firesidemysterytheatre.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/

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A Special Thank you to:

Tony Adams

Briana Isaac

Ryan Kramer

Barry Nadler

Christian Neuhaus

Aimee Pavy

Terry Wallace

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WallBreakers Links:

Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Social Media - @TheWallBreakers

URL - thewallbreakers.com

In November of 1970, Actress June Havoc and her husband, the prolific radio director Bill Spier were guests of Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full interview here -https://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-08.html).

During the interview June Havoc remembered her experience listening to radio during the Golden Age, while Bill Spier pondered whether or not someone was at fault for dramatic radio's demise.

In 1975, long-time New York radio actor Staats Cotsworth sat down with Ed Corcoran at a radio convention to chat about his career. This interview was later featured in a 1977 episode of WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (https://goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-82.html).

In this clip Staats talks about his acting and radio beginnings.

In the Spring of 1947, the cast of Casey, Crime Photographer recorded a special presentation at sponsor Anchor-Hocking Glass' convention in Lancaster Pa. It includes the introduction of the cast and Anchor-Hocking commercials and was fictionally broadcast from The Blue Note Cafe.

On May 29th, 1982 John Dunning had famous radio comedian Jim Jordan on Dunning's 71KNUS radio show, via the telephone. During the course of the chat, Dunning asked Jim Jordan if people still called him "Fibber McGee."