Old Radio

Hey, thrill seekers, did you know that superstar Gene Kelly appeared in several episodes of Suspense ? One of today's birthday boys did just that, lending his considerable acting chops to such episodes as "Thieves Fall Out," "The Man Who Couldn't Lose," and "The Most Dangerous Game."   But what's just as thrilling is that in 1946 Cresta Blanca wines launched its radio program Cresta Blanca's Hollywood Players , on which it very proudly rolled out its stable of top Hollywood stars . Bette Davis , Gregory Peck , Joan Fontaine , and Gene Kelly were among the players. The show brought to listeners recently-written productions, both dramas and comedies. These included "Heaven Can Wait," "Kitty," "Pride of the Yankees," and "The Glass Key." The latter, in November of '46, presented Kelly's debut on the show. This show's Kelly's versatility, since no one dances on the radio. Be

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Don Pardo (1918-2014) this week at the age of 96. In most recent history, he was best known for his legendary voice on SNL ("Saturday Night Live"). He was also one of the first voices heard in 1963 reporting the assassination of John F Kennedy . During the golden age of radio , his voice talents were used on broadcasts of Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator , Just Plain Bill , The Magnificent Montague , The Catholic Hour , Pete Kelly's Blues and the sci-fi  radio classic, X Minus One . Enjoy this broadcast of X Minus One episode from 1955: "The Parade":

The secretary was a minor, nearly throwaway character in many a TV sitcom or radio comedy.  Not so with Irma of My Friend Irma , played on the radio by today's birthday girl, Marie Wilson . Irma was a Midwestern-born stenographer in the employ of a lawyer, Mr. Clyde (played by Alan Reed ).  Though, even as the star of the show, Wilson was thrust into the "dumb blonde" role, seen by some as a forerunner of Marilyn Monroe . She came to the part as a dancer of some Broadway repute, and would go on to play a role in the now-classic The Maltese Falcon. According to Robert Kistler of the LA Times, the typecasting of Wilson "belied her personal zest for learning and intellectual self-improvement."

"She was at least 50, because you can't get that ugly without years of practice"  - Jack Webb as Pat Novak for Hire , 1949

August 14, 1945: Orson Welles voiced "Fourteen August" , centered on the fall of Japan, The show was scripted by Corwin and broadcast on Columbia Presents Corwin . Ray Bradbury described Corwin as the world's greatest writer/director/producer. His talents and radio shows  attracted the attention of high profile people, including Orson Welles . Corwin died at age 101 in 2011.

August 13: Happy Birthday to  Alfred Hitchcock ! "Drama is life with the dull bits cut out." - Alfred Hitchcock

People can debate whether it was "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup," or "I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille," but there can be no dispute over the fact that the film director was also a huge figure in oldtime radio . Cecil DeMille was a regular actor and frequent host of The Lux Radio Theatre , working alongside such greats as Loretta Young , Lionel Barrymore , Clark Gable , and Geraldine Peck. His run on the show stretched from 1936-1945. DeMille was amazing in his ability to adapt to media after media. Born--today--in 881, he began as a stage actor and writer. He met the new medium of film and began directing silent films in 1914. When radio began crackling over the airwaves, he became a virtuoso in that form, also becoming a legend in talkies--motion pictures with sound. We salute a paragon of versatility, a man known as a filmmaker whose legacy also includes great work in front of the microphone.

1928: The Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland; Lev Trotsky was arrested in Moscow; WMAK begins broadcasting in Buffalo, while W2XAD from Schenectady airs radio's first "melodrama," The Queen's Messenger; Haile Selassie becomes king of Abyssinia; and in Philadelphia, Eddie Fisher was born on August 10. Fisher was a silky pop crooner, singer of such hits as "Wish You Were Here," "Any Time," "Tell Me Why," "Oh! My Pa-Pa". In 1952, Fisher became a regular on the U.S. Army-produced program Forward March, on which he sang numbers such as "I'm Yours," "All By Myself," and "Lady of Spain."  In a similar capacity, he hit the airwaves in 1954 on a program called Coke Time , belting out tunes, usually backed by Axel Stordahl and His Orchestra. We commemorate the birth of the great entertainer, Eddie Fisher.

August 9, 1942: Our Secret Weapon ,featuring the character Rex Stout, was transmitted for the first time on CBS. The wartime show was aimed at countering the Axis propaganda. American listeners were treated to a one-of-a-kind radio program , ' Our Secret Weapon ' aired over CBS Radio. The radio program was created specifically to counter against enemy propaganda and featured Rex Stout, the famous American writer of detective fiction. He was to refute everything that the Axis claimed against the Allied countries.

Happy Birthday to Garrison Keillor (born Aug 7, 1942), star of "Prairie Home Companion" -- an ongoing weekly broadcast "from Lake Woebegone" which references the golden age of radio.

  August 6, 1939: Dinah Shore , who performed every Sunday evening, started her own show on the NBC Blue Network after her success on network radio with Ben Bernie Orchestra. Dinah Shore, whose real name is Frances Rose Shore,  was an American singer-actress. She was a popular radio and television performer with a career lasting for more than 40 years. She was well-known for her sincerity and great stage presence.

August 4, 1921: KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the first private radio station in the United States to broadcast a match of tennis over the airwaves. The broadcasting of sporting events on the radio could bring large profits. Broadcast of the Davis Cup match between Great Britain and Australia made many listeners of KDKA wonder, "Is tennis on the same level as boxing?" In the match, Great Britain was defeated by Australia. The match was reported by Arlin, from Pittsburgh's Allegheny Country Club in suburban Sewickley. In the beginning of radio broadcasting, some sporting event organizers paid the broadcasters for having their event on the radio. Later on, the situation was switched: some broadcasters paid organizers for the license of the aired program as compensation for their loss because of the decrease in stadium attendance.

Happy Birthday to Myrna Loy today! Born today in 1905, the film actress was known for her many film roles including opposite William Powell in " The Thin Man " and with Cary Grant in "Mr Blandings." During the Golden Age of Radio , Myrna Loy also appeared in such radio shows as " Good News ", " Lux Radio Theater ", " Screen Guild Theater ", and " Suspense !"