December 14: Happy Birthday, Dan Dailey

There's no business like show business. Like no business I know! Just ask Dan Dailey, who starred in the film by that name. Dailey was a song-and-dance man, a hoofer with a unique style, not quite Fred Astaire but an entertainer of millions nonetheless. He was twice nominated for an Oscar (Best Actor, When My Baby Smiles At Me and Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for When Willie Comes Marching Home) and took home a Golden Globe for Best Actor (for the TV series The Governor & J.J.)

Dailey's prodigious career is also made distinctive because of the outstanding actors with whom he starred. These included Johnnie Ray, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and John Wayne.

Dan Dailey, like most big stars of the mid-century era, made many appearances on some of the most prestigious radio programs such as Lux Radio Theatre, Screen Directors Playhouse, and Philco Radio Time. On Lux he reprised roles on his films Tomahawk, Mother Wore Tights, and Blue Heaven.

Dailey was born today in 1905, and we salute him and thank him for the memories!

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1946 Great Crepitation Fart Contest

Not for the faint of heart, here is the remarkable 1946 Crepitation (Fart) Contest (part of the 1946 News Broadcasts Collection ). You'll enjoy the fart-off between champion Englishman Lord Windsmear, and challenger, Australian Paul Boomer who had stowed aboard a cabbage freighter. The hilarious comedy recording was apparently created a spoof by two Canadian radio sportscasters in 1946, but this 15 minute recording definitely has some gems in it. Apparently they made several copies, but it was not for distribution. The recording was copied again and again on disc and reel to reel tape. It was distributed underground and played in dark rooms and back alleys around the world. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element This recording is available with many other delightful treats on Random Rarities #7 available on MP3 CD , Audio CD , and instant download .

January 27, 1948: Wire Recording introduced the 'Wireway'

January 27, 1948: The first magnetic tape recorder was introduced by Wire Recording Corporation of America. ‘Wire Way,’ as it was called, had an integrated oscillator and was sold for $149.50 at the time.

October 28, 1922: The First National Radio Broadcast of College Football

October 28, 1922: A collegiate football game was aired by WEAF in New York City, coast to coast for the first time on this day. The football radio broadcast saw Princeton matched against the University of Chicago. They played at Stagg Field in the Windy City with the of score 21-8 in Princeton's favor. The broadcast was transmitted via phone line to New York City where it was then transmitted by radio. The first football game ever broadcast on the radio was witnessed by 32,000 fans. The game was an important moment in history of broadcast because for the first time AT&T, the owner of WEAF, introduced advertising. In addition, college football games in the 1920s generally were aired without charge for airing rights even as the radio station collected funds from advertising that they aired during the games. The WEAF broadcast of the game was one of the most important moment that affected development of radio and college sports. It was apart of the nationalization of foo

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