famous radio personalities 1940s

Father Coughlin exerted enormous influence on America during the Great Depression. Kendrick, Alexander. New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc., 1997, pp. In the beginning of the 1930s most Americansincluding President Rooseveltshared the view that the conflict was someone else's. The Golden Web: A History of Broadcasting in the United States, Volume II, 1933 to 1953. Very quickly programs became fairly sophisticated in these techniques. The dramas were called soap operas because manufacturers of the major brands of soap, including Proctor and Gamble and Lever Brothers, sponsored them. The program began as Sam n Henry on Chicagos WGN station in 1926 and quickly became a national phenomenon when it made its network debut under its new name in 1929. #44 of 164. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968. In 1943, Beulah moved over to That's Life and then became a supporting character on the popular Fibber McGee and Molly radio series in late 1944. Live big bands, for instance, were scrapped in favour of recorded rock and roll, which was played on local programs by voluble and irreverent disc jockeys. Sports played a major role in the escapism from the Great Depression. How did radio change American's understanding of the people "over there?" In 1937 Welles became the voice of "The Shadow." Originally employed as a print journalist, McBride hosted an extremely popular daily radio program during the late 1930s, the 1940s, and the 1950s. The chat demonstrates Roosevelt's friendly style that many found comforting. The conventional, amplitude modulation (AM) form of radio signal proved limiting in broadcasting, producing much static at times. Colbert was one of radio's earliest and most prolific soap opera performers, appearing in "Stella Dallas," "Life Can be Beautiful," "Young Dr. Malone," "Portia Faces Life," and "Aunt Jenny," among others. On site to report on the Hindenburg's voyage, instead the reporter's response to the tragedy was recorded and later broadcast, bringing the horror into thousands of living rooms. October 1999. The Department of Commerce, however, lacked the discretion to reject license applications or to enforce frequency assignments. Radio stations in nearby Morocco and the Canary Islands broadcasted in support of the rebels, and rebel resistance grew. Onair performances of works by playwrights William Shakespeare and Henrik Ibsen, and author Leo Tolstoy were produced, as well as radio adaptations of some of Hollywood's best films. As more world leaders and their opposition realized that, they were able, increasingly, to take advantage of it to reach millions of prospective supporters for their programs and causes. Such creativity by non-whites and non-Protestants did not mesh well with the racist doctrines of the Nazis who preached the dominance of white society. View More. It was on the roof of the original Riechman-Crosby Building at Beale and Front Street. The program lamented the German military planes flying at will over his native country and wreaking havoc with their bombs. on E. 105th between Cedar and Carnegie avenues in the late 1940s and early 1950s, before landing . Broadcasting had become a profession in the 1930s and was experiencing the growing pains of becoming an established and accepted part of society. Welles's Mercury Theatre produced Shakespeare and other classic literature, as well as more popular fare such as "The League of Terror" and "Dracula." There were Actors would appear on the show to plug their movies, and sometimes would appear in brief versions of their movies on "Hollywood Hotel." As a result there was vigilance to keep off the air anything that might be interpreted as supportive of these politics or in opposition to government efforts to bring about economic recovery. Millions of others saw their paychecks reduced or lived in constant fear that they, too, would finally be hit with economic hardship. Indeed, as radio became more and more of a business, station owners banded together to seek stronger government licensing regulation. The 1950s was a decade of change for radio. Known as an American DJ, music historian, radio personality, and actor, he was the host of several music radio countdown programs, notably "American Top 40" from 1970 until his retirement in 2009. The specialists had to be very creative to discover ways to communicate and support the actionthe sound of walking, breaking glass, a door closing, a train whistling. For example, newspapers were still more a local and regional form of information sharing. The Great American Broadcast: A Celebration of Radio's Golden Age. The fireside chats allowed Americans to feel an intimacy with their president that few had felt beforePresident Roosevelt was in their living room, expressing his concerns, empathizing with their situation. He began as a supporter of President Roosevelt and the New Deal social and economic programs, but he eventually changed into a harsh critic. Some radio programming was used for propaganda purposes, while other programs were aimed at keeping up the morale of the public. The show has subsequently been criticized as racially insensitive and insulting, but some critics contend that it humanized black people. Decoder rings enabled listeners to decipher messages given in code language during episodes of the program. Golden Age of American radio, period lasting roughly from 1930 through the 1940s, when the medium of commercial broadcast radio grew into the fabric of daily life in the United States, providing news and entertainment to a country struggling with economic depression and war. She also appeared in prime-time programs including the "Lux Radio Theater.". Fireside Politics: Radio and Political Culture in the United States, 1920-1940, by Douglas B. Craig "Remembering the LadiesA Salute to the Women of Early Radio," by Donna L. Halper, "Popular Communications," January 1999. At the beginning of the explosion of radio in the 1930s, radio advertising increased while newspaper advertising decreased, though newspapers eventually bounced back. It was created by Fibber McGee & Molly co-creator/writer Don Quinn before being adapted into a CBS television comedy (1954-55) produced by ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America. 1. One master of the use of radio was Father Charles Edward Coughlin. Previously, Simmons was a radio and television personality for Indianapolis' WHHH-FM. 1940s: TV and Radio. Nearly 60 years ago, WJSV, a radio station located in Washington, DC, recorded their entire broadcast day. Nachmann, Gerald. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds by Orson In the early 1930s the phonographic record player was a standard appliance in many middle class American households, but as the Depression continued fewer people could afford the steep price of $.75 per record, resulting in the decline of record sales. 1930s radio created an environment for new expressions of cultural identity and cultural criticism. Some sources say the whistling theme for The Saint was created by Leslie Charteris while others credit RKO composer Roy Webb.Price left in May 1951. The Adventures of Amos 'n Andy: A Social History of an American Phenomenon. He hosts The Adam Carolla Show, a talk show distributed as a podcast .more. This program provided a key opportunity during the Depression when many could not afford to go to movie theaters. We ought to tell him. This constituted yet another form of escape from the daily problems of the Great Depression by becoming temporarily absorbed in the problems of others, and maybe in even gaining some comfort that others besides themselves were facing difficult times. Many of the 1930s programs would set the standard for programming in all media for the rest of the century. Radio was the best buy for escape and information during hard times. The witness has just confessed, clearing the condemned man. Many of the production companies employed correspondents who wrote back with suggestions. Early Years, 1920s-1940s. At Hoovers behest, most frequencies between 550 kHz and 1,350 kHz were turned over for broadcast use in May 1923. Episode 2 of the children's science-fiction series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; unknown airdate, 1932. As the world faced changes and challenges, radio was an integral part not only in reporting and commenting on the changes, but in some cases, in instigating them. Lillian Disney. View More. I <3 Gracie. Kaltenborn, and William Shirer broadcast reports of the bombing of London and the German occupation of continental Europe, the view of many Americans began to change. In 1922 he introduced the Radiola, for $75, and made radio a household appliance. Historic Events for Students: The Great Depression. In the 1930s, Father Coughlin was one of the most influential public figures in the United States. The stock market crash and following Great Depression brought economic hard times to many Americans. In 1934 Parsons launched a variety hour, "Hollywood Hotel" that included interviews with actors and celebrity news. New York: The Free Press, 1991. The less expensive radio model made radios a household item. The studio, however, was three hundred miles from the actual game. Bergmeier, Horst J. Hitler's Airwaves: The Inside Story of Nazi Radio Broadcasting and Propaganda Swing. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Children would mail in a label and a modest amount of money for the ring. As radio developed, daytime shows such as soap operas and childrens programs generally ran 15 minutes. So you would never be famous. Licenses for Edwin Armstrong's "static-free" frequency modulation (FM) concept of radio transmission were first granted in 1940-41. Hardships of the Great Depression increased hatred toward racial minorities by society in general. She also played Butterfly, Rochester's niece and Mary Livingstone's maid in the Jack Benn. The National Association of Broadcasters created standards of performance and objectivity that spawned discussion and that evolved throughout the rest of the twentieth century. There were several great radio theater companies during the 1930s including Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre on the Air, the Lux Radio Theatre, Screen Guide Theatre, and Studio One, later known as the Ford Theater. It was during the Great Depression that America became a more unified nation and regional differences significantly declined. Roosevelt believed he needed to keep close contact with the American people given the severe hardships many were suffering through the Great Depression and ensuring as much support as possible for his New Deal programs. The military tried to convince the people of Spain that Richar Diamond starring Dick Powell.First came Rogue's Gallery *where I know him from originally*in 1945-46. While in London Murrow brought together several exceptionally talented newsmen, known as "Murrow's Boys.". ." Radio provided a shared national experience of entertainment and information. For example, during Bing Crosbys tenure as host of The Kraft Music Hall, the talent and staff were hired by the Kraft food companys advertising firm, the J. Walter Thompson agency. "Radio 1929-1941 As radio blossomed during the 1930s, network censorship did too. The "public interest" will determine whether the FCC should provide a license to broadcast. RM2HJCMA2 - Dr. Seuss (1904-1991) sketching Clifton Fadiman (1904-1999) as the Cat in the Hat. His critics charged that he was able to use his unique position and access to mass media to support his views. Born Benjamin Kubelsky, comedian and musician Jack Benny became an American phenomenon. The success of this show established Hollywood as a major centre of radio production. He was known for his rhyming wordplay . Andy: Now, lissen yere, Amosdon't never try to tell me whut to do or whut not to do. The hot drink Ovaltine and "Little Orphan Annie" were partners for many years. All other chats were similarly big draws among the public. In 1932 NBC posted a profit of $1 million and CBS posted a profit of $1.6 million. Grote Reber talks in 1938, reportingcorrectlythat Munich was a "complete victory for Hitler." AM radio arrived in Milwaukee in the early 1920s, followed by FM radio in the early 1940s, and then HD radio and streaming audio in the early twenty-first century. Variety shows included a range of entertainment including music, singing, dancing, and comedy. Composer Irving Berlin complained that Americans were becoming listeners rather than singers. In the November 1936 election President Roosevelt used the radio much more effectively than opponent Alf Landon, which partially contributed to Roosevelt's victory. The expansion of radio also played a key role in this change of national character. London and Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1999. Mutual did not own any of its affiliated stations, however, whereas NBC and CBS each owned and operated several stations. Early in 1927, a competing network called United Independent Broadcasters was formed. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001. Most Cleveland stations began making applications over the decade. Early efforts to regulate the radio industry were not very effective. The Halls of Ivy is an NBC radio sitcom that ran from 1950-1952. KELLYSUTTON KELLY SUTTON. The disc jockey became important in Chicago radio during the 1930s, well before the term "disc jockey" was coined in the 1940s. In black-appeal radio, the disc jockey role was pioneered both locally and nationally by Jack L. Cooper, who began playing . "Watch on the Rhine," an episode of the motion-picture adaptation series Academy Award Theater, starring Paul Lukas; airdate August 7, 1946. Kaltenborn, Edward R. Murrow, William L. Shirer, and Eric Severeid. Radio entertainment played on the imagination of the listeners by creating visions of the action and characters portrayed. People in the cities, farms, and suburbs listened to the same programs at the same time. Andy: Dat's whut you git fur not tendin' to yore bizness. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, Inc. 1995. 35. Two types of music were banned when Adolph Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933: swing and jazz. Clifton Fadiman was an editor, author and well-known radio and television personality. The world was suddenly smaller and as a result, more frightening for many Americans. Skillful sports commentators were able to imagine the details of a game and pass them along to listeners using play-by-play provided in type across the wires. Given the impacts of the Great Depression on the average citizen's entertainment budget, it seemed that everyone in America turned to radio for entertainment in the 1930s. News programs and commentary provided direct challenges to long-held views, likewise many "entertainment" programs provided cultural criticism. Isolationist beliefs, opposition to the United States entering the war, made even the mention of the possibility of war controversial, but the airing of the program resulted in a thousand favorable letters being sent to CBS. Tommie!' Amos: I got tell him though 'cause he known I ought to have mo' milk dan dis. . He was introduced (with actress Verna Felton playing his mother) as a young (nineteen year old), naive boy singer a character he kept through his whole career. However, the record company soon sold its shares to a group of financiers that included Leon Levy, whose father-in-law was cigar magnate Sam Paley; before long, Paleys son William decided to invest his own million-dollar fortune in the new network. OPERATOR: (Distant at first, as if coming though receiver on floor) When you hear the signal the time will be eleven fifty-nine and one quarter. Bolino, August C. From Depression to War: American Society in Transition1939. The condemned man's sister is a telephone operator (from Leonard Maltin. The FCC was created to regulate communication services and rates and license radio stations. In the early 1940s, World War II catalyzed the growth of network news, as local stations depended on the major networks overseas correspondents. Writer-producer-director Norman Corwin, one of radio's brightest talents, ruefully made the point that radio's most creative era was "the shortest golden age in history." During its brief heyday, however, dramatic radio thrived and was a vital part of . The first such network was the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), primarily organized by the general manager of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), David Sarnoff, who wanted the company not only to manufacture radios but to broadcast as well. Coughlin was highly popular in the early 1930s with his radio program attracting an estimated 30 to 45 million listeners each week. These attacks that were so strong that he was sometimes called the father of hate speech. Isolationism seemed less tenable. Radio Days. There were moves towards self-regulation in the 1930s also. They could also employ elaborate sound effects and various other techniques that would play on the listeners' imaginations. I am reminded of that evening in March, four years ago, when I made my first radio report to you. Other forms of paid entertainment had become prohibitively expensive in the lean times, and so Americans turned to radio. Originally sponsored by Alka-Seltzer, the series was first broadcast on NBC from Chicago, June 28, 1940, airing as a summer replacement show for Alec Templeton Time. By the time the infant son of national hero Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped and murdered, the role of communication in radio had become so important that the 1935 verdict in the Lindbergh kidnapping trial was broadcast over radio. 32. Stars of the stage, including theater stars and musical groups, became the stars of radio, with performers such as Edgar Bergen, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Kate Smith, Guy Lombardo, Orson Welles, Barbara Stanwyck, Cary Grant, and Humphrey Bogart gracing the airwaves. Eventually, the Radio Guild protested the actors appearing on "Hollywood Hotel" without pay and in 1938 the show was cancelled. Comedian Bob Hope was an exceptional radio performer who went on to an extraordinary career in television and film. (b. Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom, 27 September 1918; d. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, 14 October 1984), ra, radio- comb. New York: Crown Publishing Croup, 2000. The performers would have a set of gagsjokesthat they could perform night after night in venues all over the world. After the initial expense of purchasing a radio, it was rather cheap to enjoy the programs. With the growth of broadcast news organizations at this time, the public could be informed as never before. Movies. The Roman Catholic priest from the Detroit, Michigan area was broadcast throughout much of the 1930s. The first, delivered on March 12, 1933, only eight days after Roosevelt took office, attracted more 17 million families. Radio played an important role in politics during the Depression. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-and-education-magazines/radio-1929-1941. View More. Networks competed to hire famous conductors, orchestras, and soloists. She was born in Spalding, Idaho on February 15, 1899. In the age of the Depression with limited expense budgets, radio provided an economical way of reaching millions of people. Her distinctive, high-pitched voice also took people by surprise. Russo, Alexander. Quiz Kids, a popular radio and TV series of the 1940s and 1950s, was created by Chicago public relations and advertising man Louis G. Cowan. At the time it was said that so many households listened to Jack Benny that you could walk the streets of small towns and not miss a word, as the sound of the program drifted through the open windows of each house. Age: 70 . Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., 1993. Omissions? Listening in: Radio and the American Imagination: From Amos 'n' Andy and Edward R. Murrow to Wolfman Jack and Howard Stern. He built the first radio te Martin Sir Ryle, Ryle, Martin RYLE, MARTIN (b. New York: Oxford University Press, 1966. New York still had a bustling radio community, but the Chicago shows began moving to one coast or the other. The FCC consisted of seven members appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate. Ronald Reagan (served 19811989) became another president skilled at using mass media to charm the public and press while seeking to gain support for his programs. Hour-long blocks of time were generally reserved for prestigious big-star shows, such as Lux Radio Theatre, or for low-rated but esteemed and experimental shows, such as The Columbia Workshop. FM (or frequency modulation) radio did not experience a similar reduction in sound . Radio had given a voice to Americans' fears about the coming world war. My Favorite Husband is the name of an American radio program and network television series. By 1948, his program received higher ratings than Fred Allen or Jack Benny. Rogue's Gallery was just a warm up for Richard Diamond, a series that took the best of the Richard Rogue character and made it even more suave and swinging by placing Diamond in New York City and giving him a Park Avenue girlfriend that purrs like a Jaguar. Beyond the proliferation of entertainment, radio addressed some more serious issues. Radio programs capitalized on these emotions that were heightened by the Depression. 1. Carpenter, Ronald H. Father Charles E. Coughlin: Surrogate Spokesman for the Disaffected. NEIL: We'll have to move fast. These well-funded productions were high quality with a great deal of planning, classic scripts, and major stars and they attracted large audiences. In addition newspapers owned many early radio stations including WGN (named after the "World's Greatest Newspaper," the Chicago Tribune). Dat's goin' make Mister Hopkins mad if he ever find dat out. Sablan is a radio personality and the first radio producer inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2016. They warned that children should be running and playing outside, not sitting inside being entertained by a box. Daily soap operas, mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy programs were performed alongside radio productions of classic plays and live musical performances. In 1934 four powerful stationsWOR New York, WGN Chicago, WLW Cincinnati, and WXYZ Detroitbanded together to form "The Quality Group," which later became the Mutual Broadcasting System. In 1947 he becomes a player for the Dodgers. Critics complained that the use of radio deterred thoughtful analysis of political issues. They felt that if a single company owned all of the radio stations and newspapers in one town, they would not express a variety of views. "The Keys of the Kingdom," an episode of the motion-picture adaptation series Academy Award Theater, starring Gregory Peck; airdate August 21, 1946.

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