Radio . . . A Transitional Medium

A nolstalgic look at the history of radio.

Naturally, being in broadcasting for so many years, I have a great love for radio.  It goes back to my childhood days (before television).  I remember listening to Sally Flowers' children's program on our old cathedral-style radio while rocking in my rocking chair.  I rocked too far back and went over backward on one occasion, landing on my head.  I've never been the same since.

 

Radio has truly been a transition medium, a "Marvel of the Ages."  During the 20s, 30s, and 40s, it was our primary source of entertainment and information before television came on the scene.  The sounds of the Big Bands, on-the-spot news coverage of the terrible war being waged on two fronts, comedians who made us laugh, and live drama stimulated our imaginations.  That was perhaps radio's biggest asset -- we had to imagine the sights in our own minds of what we were hearing with our ears.

 

With the coming of television, we no longer had to use our imaginations.  We had pictures to watch.  We no longer had to even think.  Television did all of that for us.  It was thought that radio as a medium would fade off the scene.

 

In fact, radio changed with the times and became more popular than ever.  Disc jockeys played the hit songs of the day, taking the music industry to unparalleled heights.  News coverage continued to use radio as its primary source for late-breaking developments.

 

In recent years, radio has changed again.  With the advent of FM radio, the quality of music programming improved dramatically.  AM radio, on the other hand, adopted a new format, TALK radio.  Talk-show hosts influenced America as never before on such subjects as politics, psychiatry, and any number of specialty topics ranging from gardening to flea-marketing.  A lot of these were call-in shows where the listeners could actually participate.

 

Christian radio broadcasts can be used as a great missionary tool to reach the whole world with the Gospel.

 

A lot of the programs during radio's golden age, though, are unforgettable.  During the day, my Mom listened to her "soap operas" such as MA PERKINS and STELLA DALLAS.  They were called soap operas because almost all of them were sponsored by a laundry detergent manufacturer such as Oxydol, Tide, etc.

 

In the early evening, the children's hour came on and I thrilled to the adventures of CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT, SUPERMAN, or BOBBY BENSON AND THE B-BAR-B RIDERS.  I'm still a member of the Secret Squadron, although I seem to have misplaced my Ovaltine shake-up mug.

 

At night, we were entertained by such comediens as Bob Hope, George Burns and Gracie Allen, and Jack Benny.  Dramatic shows such as I LOVE A MYSTERY, THE SHADOW, TRUE DETECTIVE MYSTERIES, MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY, HOUSE OF MYSTERY, NICK CARTER-MASTER DETECTIVE, or DRAGNET kept us on the edge of our seat.  Science fiction also made an impact with imaginative programs such as DIMENSION X and ESCAPE.

 

Do you remember?

 

. . .And it shall be my duty as District Attorney to prosecute to the limit of the law all persons accused of crime perpetrated within this county; and to defend with equal vigor the rights and privileges of all its citizens.

 

Who knows . . . what evil . . . LURKS in the hearts of men?  The Shadow knows.  Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha!

 

"Henry . . . Henry Aldrich!"  "Coming, Mother."

 

Faster than a speeding bullet -- More powerful than a locomotive -- Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.  Look!  Up in the sky -- It's a bird!  It's a plane!  It's SUPERMAN!

 

Adventures in time and space . . . told in future tense . . . . . . Dimension X-X-X-X-X-X-x-x-x

 

"I've got a lady in the balcony, Doctor."

 

"Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!"

 

Such were the sounds of radio during its heyday.  These were familiar intros to some of the most popular broadcasts of radio's golden era, from the thirties to the fifties.

 

There were some unforgettable characters who were intricate parts of every program.  "Digger" O'dell, the FRIENDLY undertaker of the LIFE OF RILEY program seemed to appear out of nowhere, always with a very GRAVE matter to discuss with Chester Riley, played by William (what a revoltin' development dis is) Bendix.

 

Regulars of FIBBER McGEE AND MOLLY were their maid, Beulah, the meek and mild-mannered Mr. Wimple, and Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve.  BEULAH and THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE went on to star in their own programs.  Then, there was the inevitable McGee's closet, where the contents always came crashing to the floor everytime the door was opened.

 

In his best Mexican accent, Mel Blanc was always apologizing to Judy Canova, "Pardon me for talking in your face, senorita."  Blanc went on to become probably the greatest voiceover comedian ever.

 

On the GRAND OLE OPRY, we always loved Minnie Pearl's greeting:  "Howdeee!  I'm just so proud to be here."  or the Duke of Paducah's proclamation:  "Just take me back to the wagon, boys.  My feet are killin' me!"

 

Who can forget Rochester, Jack Benny's faithful valet, played by Eddie Anderson or the zany Ish Kabibble on KAY KYSER'S KOLLEGE OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE?  Then, there was Baby Snooks, Dr. I.Q., and the ominous squeaking door on INNER SANCTUM.  The sound effects men really had it made.

 

Radio delivered the goods when it came to selling products.  We all went out and bought the products that sponsored our favorite shows.  They became "name" brands.  Pepsodent, Mars Bars, Johnson's Wax, Kellogg's Pep, Ovaltine, Ivory Snow, all became regular household staples -- and, of course, every kid had to have a pair of "Good Ole Buster Brown Shoes."

 

We learned the commercials by heart -- and sang along.  What fan of Tom Mix didn't know the lyrics of:

 

                    Shredded Ralston for your breakfast,

                    Bite-size and ready to eat;

                    Shredded Ralston for your breakfast,

                    It's a treat that can't be beat.

                    Gives you lots of cowboy energy,

                    Made of golden western wheat;

                    Take a tip from Tom, go and tell your mom,

                    Shredded Ralston can't be beat!

 

A handful of the old radio shows made a successful transition to the new medium -- television.  Most did not.  It is an era, however, that will always live in the memories of those who experienced it.

 

Radio continues to be a major medium in the communications field, always able to change with the times.

 

Following is a list of my favorite radio programs of all time:

 

The Abbott and Costello Show-Bud Abbott, Lou Costello.

The Adventures of Archie Andrews-Bob Hastings, Harland "Hal" Stone, Jr., Doris Grundy, Gloria Mann.

The Adventures of Superman-Clayton "Bud" Collyer, Joan Alexander, Julian Noa, Jackie Kelk.

The Aldrich Family-Ezra Stone, Jackie Kelk, House Jameson.

The Bob Hope Show-Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna.

Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders-Ivan Cury, Charles Irving, Don Knotts, Craig McDonnell, Bob Haig.

Burns and Allen Show-George Burns, Gracie Allen, Mel Blanc, Elvia Allman, Margaret Brayton, Sara Berner, Clarence Nash.

Can You Top This-Ward Wildon, "Senator" Ed Ford, Harry Hershfield, Joe Laurie, Jr., Peter McDonald.

Captain Midnight-Ed Prentiss, Marilou Neumayer, Jack Bivens, Hugh Studebaker, Boris Aplon.

Dimension X-Various.  Science fiction dramatizations.

Dr. I.Q.-Lew Valentine, Allen C. Anthony.

Dragnet-Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough.

Fibber McGee and Molly-Jim and Marian Jordan, Bill Thompson, Hal Peary, Marlin Hurt.

Focus on the Family-Dr. James Dobson (host).

The Grand Ole Opry-Roy Acuff, Red Foley, Grandpa Jones, "Cousin" Minnie Pearl.

The Great Gildersleeve-Willard Waterman, Lillian Randolph, Walter Tetley, Louise Erickson.

I Love a Mystery-Russell Thorson, Jim Boles, Tony Randall, Althena Lorde.

The Jack Benny Show-Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Eddie Anderson, Don Wilson, Dennis Day.

The Judy Canova Show-Judy Canova, Ruby Dandridge, Mel Blanc, Hans Conried.

The Life of Riley-William Bendix, Paula Winslow, Jack Grimes, Barbara Eiler, John Brown.

Mr. District Attorney-Jay Jostyn, Vicki Vola, Walter Kinsella.

Mutual's Game of the Day-Major League baseball broadcasts.  Al Helfer, Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner (announcers).

The Neal Boortz Show-Political commentary.  Neal Boortz (host), Belinda Skelton, Royal Marshall.

Nick Carter, Master Detective-Lon Clark, Charlotte Manson.

People Are Funny-Art Linkletter (host).

The Roy Rogers Show-Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gabby Hayes, The Sons of the Pioneers.

The Shadow-Bret Morrison, Grace Matthews.

Smilin' Ed and his Buster Brown Gang-Ed McConnell (host).

Tom Mix-Curley Bradley, Percy Hemus.

Truth or Consequences-Ralph Edwards (host).

 

NOTE:  Where possible, I have tried to list members of the cast that were participants during the time I followed the broadcast.  Of course, over the years, cast members changed often.  It is interesting to see how some who went on to stellar careers got their start -- Bud Collyer, Don Knotts, Tony Randall, for example.

 

These are the 30 radio programs that I consider the best of all-time.  Which would be no. 1?  No doubt about it.  Fibber McGee and Molly, featuring the zany antics of the couple residing at 79 Wistful Vista.  Real life husband and wife Jim and Marian Jordan starred in one of the most durable comedies of radio's golden age.  The NBC broadcast debuted in April, 1935 and lasted until 1953.

 

The children's hour of adventure programs began with HOP HARRIGAN at 5:00, SUPERMAN at 5:15, CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT at 5:30, and ended up with TOM MIX at 5:45.  I was especially a fan of CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT, an on-going adventure pitting the Captain and the Secret Squadron against his arch-enemy Ivan Shark.  Later, the broadcast expanded to a half-hour format with a complete story on each program.

 

CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT was sponsored by Ovaltine and one of the highlights was the many premiums offered to the listeners by announcer Thomas Moore.  For an Ovaltine label and "15 cents in coin," the kids could become an official member of the SECRET SQUADRON.  You received a manual and a Code-O-Graph that was updated annually.  At the end of each broadcast, Moore would read the "Secret Message" that listeners could decode, only if they owned a Code-O-Graph, by lining up the numbers with the corresponding letters.

 

Besides the annual Code-O-Graph, many other premiums were offered by Captain Midnight, including a Mystic Aztec Sun God Ring that had a red plastic "ruby" that slid off.  It was hollow, and thus the ring had a "secret compartment" where, of course, you could store your secret decoded message of the day, if it were written small enough and folded small enough to fit into the secret compartment.

 

There was also a Spy Scope, a miniature Galilean telescope which was black with orange trim at the lenses, though not too powerful.  It was about the size of a bulky lead pencil and telescoped out to magnify.

 

One of the most enduring premiums (no doubt because it helped to sell the sponsor's product) was an orange and blue shake-up mug -- perfect for preparing those delicious Ovaltine drinks.

 

A lot of my classmates at Robert E. Lee School were always coming by, begging for Ovaltine labels.  I don't know why their parents couldn't buy it for them.  I drank it a lot and it sure helped me gain a lot of weight, something vitamin tablets could never do.  Let me say I was a scrawny little kid 66 years ago.  I wish I had saved all of these Captain Midnight articles I once so proudly owned.  I'm sure they are worth thousands of dollars now to collectors.

 

After nearly a 12-year run on radio, CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT made the transition to Saturday morning TV, though it never quite achieved its former popularity.  Some things, I guess, are just better left to the imagination.