Hollywood on the Radio

Hunky movie action star of the 1950s, Jeff Chandler, got his start as an actor on radio. First, he played supporting roles on anthology series, working his way up to leads and co-starring parts in three series.

Marlene Dietrich appeared frequently on radio in the 1930s, mostly in Lux Radio Theater adaptations of her films. During the war years, she actively raised funds during bond drives and entertained the troops in person and via radio. She appeared in post-war years on variety shows, and in 1953, she briefly had her own series, A […]

Breakfast in Hollywood aired on the Blue Network from 1941 to 1948. The show originated daily from Tom Brenneman’s restaurant in Hollywood and featured Brenneman walking through the restaurant, chatting up the mostly female, and frequently tourist patrons. In 1946, Harold Schuster made film by the same name, using the show (and Brenneman) as a backdrop […]

MGM star, and serial Academy Award nominee (she won once) Greer Garson spent her radio career performing in adaptations of her own films for Lux Radio Theater. She was also active in on-air wartime fundraising, and performed on variety shows with Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy and Jimmy Durante. This episode of HOTR, which was […]

In the post-war years, Judy Garland appeared on many of the leading radio variety shows, including Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and The Big Show. She also contributed her time and talnet to charitable and political causes. In this episode, however, we hear one of Judy’s several dramatic performances. From December 1946, it’s an episode of Suspense called […]

Judy Garland was among the most active film performers on radio during World War II. The war happened to coincide with the height of Garland’s early film success, but she was also an enthusiastic participant in the war effort. On this episode, you’ll hear Judy play Esther Blodgett, twelve years before her crowning achievement as […]

Long before she made her first MGM film, Judy Garland was known to radio audiences. Shortly after signing with the studio in 1935 (at age 13) Judy began appearing on radio shows sponsored by the studio, and eventually landed regular roles on other variety shows including Jack Oakie’s College, and the Popsodent Show. Her first national […]

Command Performance was Hollywood’s gift to the men and women serving overseas during World War II. Produced by the US War Department with 100 percent donated labor and facilites, the show featured appearances by performers as requested by servicemen. Each show featured a star MC, musical acts, comedy, and variety. Today’s episode was produced June […]

In this final episode of my Lux Radio Theater series, I bring the saga to a close, with a show dated February 22, 1955. Starring Alan Ladd and Van Heflin in their film roles, Shane offers an excellent example of how the Lux program maintained its quality, even at the end of its 20-year run. This recording […]

In the fourth in our series of Lux Radio Theater programs, we mov beyond the Cecil B. DeMille years, to the William Keighley era. DeMille left his position as host after nine years, following a dispute with theAmerican Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA). After months of on-air auditions Keighley was named permanent host in November […]