September 10, 1935: The Premiere of Popeye the Sailorman on Radio

September 10, 1935: The famous show Popeye The Sailor Man was aired for the first time on NBC on this day. The show was adapted from a comic strip written by Elzie Crisler Segar. The characters on the show were Popeye (main character), Olive Oyl, Brutus, Wimpy, and Sweepea. Many remember the unforgettable opening, "I'm Popeye the sailor man....toot..toot...!"

Previously a famous cartoon strip, Popeye was adapted as a radio broadcast by over three different networks and by two sponsors from 1935 to 1938. Popeye aired as a thrice-weekly 15-minute radio program, Popeye the Sailor was played by Detmar Poppen, along with Olive Oyl (Olive Lamoy), Wimpy (Charles Lawrence), Bluto (Jackson Beck) and Swee'Pea (Mae Questel). The program was initially sponsored by Wheatena, a whole-wheat breakfast cereal, which would routinely replace the spinach references made throughout the show. Music was provided by Victor Irwin's Cartoonland Band. Announcer Kelvin Keech also sang (to composer Lerner's "Popeye" theme) "Wheatena is his diet / He asks you to try it / With Popeye the sailor man." Wheatena paid King Features Syndicate $1,200 per week for the ads.

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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 .

October 14, 1906 Benita Hume was born

On this day in 1906, Benita Hume was born.

February 10: Happy Birthday, Jimmy Durante

February 10: Happy Birthday, Jimmy Durante Actor, personality, voice-over expert and owner of a famous "schnozzola," Jimmy Durante was born on this day in 1893. Jimmy's calling card was his raspy, urbane voice. He hosted the Durante-Moore Show with partner Garry Moore and went solo with The Jimmy Durante Show in 1947. "Dat's my boy dat said dat!" was a catchphrase on the first iteration of the program. Like many shows of the era, The Jimmy Durante Show featured comedy and music. Do you remember guest appearances by: Lucille Ball , Victor Moore, Bing Crosby , and Al Jolson ? After his radio career, Durante voiced the Narrator of the 1969 cartoon special "Frosty the Snowman." He died in Santa Monica on Jan. 29, 1980.

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