The Depression listening public followed the exploits of "Babe" Ruth, Lou Gehrig ("The Iron Horse"), the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame football players, female track star Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias, the boxer Joe Louis ("The Brown Bomber"), and others. 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. By 1944 it had been renamed the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). Grote Reber (born 1911) was a radio engineer who became interested in radio astronomy as a hobby. Richar Diamond starring Dick Powell.First came Rogue's Gallery *where I know him from originally*in 1945-46. The most famous radio show was the Lux Radio Theater, which was performed live on stage in front of a studio audience. President Roosevelt in early 1934 The American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) brought advertising to American radio when their New York City radio station, WEAF, began selling time for toll broadcasting. Its first radio commercial, broadcast on August 22, 1922, was a 15-minute real-estate ad offering apartments in Jackson Heights, Queens. "It probably was in 1970 or '71 when a radio station in Manistee started playing Rock and Roll," Kittleson says. Listening in: Radio and the American Imagination: From Amos 'n' Andy and Edward R. Murrow to Wolfman Jack and Howard Stern. New York: Pantheon Books, 1998. Former radio personality Doug Allen is a jingle archivist and now maintains Jinglefreaks.com, where his growing collection of radio jingles is available online. Corrections? Writer Archibald MacLeish produced "The Fall of the City," which symbolically represented the growing threat of war in 1937. View More. Like The Whistler, the program had an opening whistle theme with footsteps. Previously, Simmons was a radio and television personality for Indianapolis' WHHH-FM. The Department of Commerce, however, lacked the discretion to reject license applications or to enforce frequency assignments. They warned that children should be running and playing outside, not sitting inside being entertained by a box. Programs during the Golden Age of Radio frequently took the name of their sponsors. While classical music was important to the success of early radio, not everyone liked the side effects. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. (Tone) (A high-pitched oscillator whine starts low behind the last call, then is brought up as the full resonance of the Hammond organ and low-frequency oscillator are added. The Broadcast Century and Beyond: A Biography of American Broadcasting. One of the most popular radio personalities of the 1950s was (18901972). Many Philadelphia DJs became celebrities, actively engaged and influential in . FM (or frequency modulation) radio did not experience a similar reduction in sound . Sponsored by Eversharp, the first series ran on CBS Radio from July 5, 1945 to March 28, 1947. List of old-time American radio people. 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. They feared that the exchange of ideas and clash of opinions essential to democracy would be compromised. Regional differences further melted as national programs brought the same information and advice to everyone with a radio. The Golden Age of American radio as a creative medium lasted, at best, from 1930 to 1955, with the true peak period being the 1940s. In this way radio was an excellent form of escapism during the particularly tough period when the public was greatly affected by the Great Depression. "Cookie Vejar Killing," an episode of the police drama series Calling All Cars; airdate December 27, 1933. Barnouw, Erik. Sports commentary was popular on radio and play-by-play commentary on baseball and other games was popular, though not always what it seemed. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001. The stock market crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed, however, really spurred the growth of radio. Part of its responsibilities was to assign specific radio frequencies and call letters to radio stations. Radio offered Americans a shared common entertainment experience, right in their living rooms. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Radio, however, had a rocky start in America. The orchestra of Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians were made famous by radio, as was jazz musician Count Basie. Singer Bing Crosby provided audiences with decades of entertainment. His first song was "Goodnight My Beautiful". Our story begins in the 1920s, when networks began to sponsor a few hours of weekly programming for Black audiences, including live musical and theatrical performances. People in the cities, farms, and suburbs listened to the same programs at the same time. In black-appeal radio, the disc jockey role was pioneered both locally and nationally by Jack L. Cooper, who began playing . As at the start of the twenty-first century advertising paid for most radio programming. Programming was innovative and daring, with pioneers exploring new ways of making the medium of radio captivating. As Germany's aggression in Europe became increasingly evident, Coughlin lost some of his popularity, however, for much of the Depression he was a significant voice in American radio. The 50 Most Influential and Most Listened-To Streaming Talk Show Hosts. Later recorded music was regularly broadcast, and radio stations had a series of continuing battles with ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) over how to charge fees for playing recorded music that had copyrights. The open discussions with the public had a major impact on Roosevelt's presidency, building a high level of trust. Later in the 1930s as Spain descended into civil war, radio became pivotal in rallying the forces opposing the military government. The Great Depression especially brought new and troubling problems. Dials ME 7-1212. She also worked with NBC, ABC, and New York Herald Tribune's radio broadcasts. German Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels was reportedly very sensitive to the enormous impact that radio could have. Actors would appear on the show to plug their movies, and sometimes would appear in brief versions of their movies on "Hollywood Hotel." Regional differences in the United States began to diminish as radio, hand-in-hand with mass production and mass consumerism, grew through the decade. He began as a supporter of President Roosevelt and the New Deal social and economic programs, but he eventually changed into a harsh critic. A refinement of this was created by another company, C.E. The Adventures of Maisie (aka Maisie) was a radio comedy series starring Ann Sothern as underemployed entertainer Maisie Ravier, a spin-off of Sothern's successful 1939-1947 Maisie movie series. WSM Radio - Air Personalities. The complex drama was both criticized for its racial insensitivity and lauded for showing a humanistic portrait of a particular subset of society (from Charles J. Correll and Freeman F. Gosden. The Beulah Show is an American situation-comedy series that ran on CBS radio from 1945 to 1954, and on ABC television from 1950 to 1952. Radio played an important role in politics during the Depression. The success of this show established Hollywood as a major centre of radio production. 22 Feb. 2023 . 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. ." March 3, 2023 6:21 PM PT. Audiences were able to hear performances by entertainers that they would never be able to see in person. For example Fred Allen sometimes told jokes about the "Full Moon Nudist Colony." Vicki Vola c.1936 *She was best known for her portrayal of Edith Miller on both the radio and television runs of Mr. District Attorney. In 1937 Welles became the voice of "The Shadow." . Hysterical people hid in basements, and listeners called the police to volunteer in the fight against evil invaders. largely derived by black American musicians and frequently played by Jewish musicians. Davies, Alan. Richard Rogue was a working stiff kind of a private eye, and had a quick tongue. form 1. denoting radio waves or broadcasting: radio-controlled radiogram. then cuts suddenly into a body fall. The chat demonstrates Roosevelt's friendly style that many found comforting. Indeed, as radio became more and more of a business, station owners banded together to seek stronger government licensing regulation. In 1926 NBC (National Broadcasting Company) went on the air nationally, using telephone lines to carry the signal to nineteen stations and ten million listeners. Children would mail in a label and a modest amount of money for the ring. Many of the production companies employed correspondents who wrote back with suggestions. Murrow's broadcasts during the Battle of Britain were often accompanied by air raid sirens or bomb explosions. A Tower of Babel: A History of Broadcasting in the United States, Volume I, to 1933. As the reporter broke into the performance several times over the next few minutes, he described strange flying vehicles landing in various parts of the United States and strange creatures emerging from them. The chats were highly popular and pioneered a means for future presidents to communicate directly with the public outside the normal news channels. Andy: Wait a minute, yere, son. "The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour" became the first radio variety show. Along with this Hooperating, as it was then known, the audience share of a given program was listed; this was the rating divided by all the sets then being used. The public found these programs a welcomed escape from worries of the Depression and the demand grew for more. Colbert provided an escape for the women of the nation toiling under difficult economic conditions. Dramatic shows and situation comedies, the bulk of prime-time programming, ran 30 minutes each. Attendance at the movie theaters remained strong through the first few years of the Depression, but that also would eventually decline substantially. Mail-in premium offers were very successful on youth shows, and one of the most successful was the decoder ring offered by "Little Orphan Annie." In 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first black to play Major League Baseball. By 1948, his program received higher ratings than Fred Allen or Jack Benny. Other news events also came into the homes of many Americans. Productions were often broadcast during "prime time" evening hours so families could enjoy the shows together. New York: Crown Publishing Croup, 2000. Paley developed and ran the CBS radio and television networks. 122123). Available from the World Wide Web at: http://www.old-time.com/otrlogs/390921.html). Popular soap operas received thousands of letters from women asking for help with real-life problems. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-and-education-magazines/radio-1929-1941, "Radio 1929-1941 You ain't got no bizness shootin' de milk on de ground. He hosts The Adam Carolla Show, a talk show distributed as a podcast .more. Haile Selassie (1892 - 1975) Emperor of Ethiopia 1930 - 1974. In the 1930s, Father Coughlin was one of the most influential public figures in the United States. Key Facts. The show is notable for being the first sitcom to star an African American actress.Originally portrayed by white actor Marlin Hurt*pictured*, Beulah Brown first appeared in 1939 when Hurt introduced and played the character on the Hometown Incorporated radio series and in 1940 on NBC radio's Show Boat series. View More. Radio Days. Individual or local or state effort alone cannot protect us in 1937 any better than ten years ago. It was almost too late . Radio became the primary media for entertainment and, increasingly, for information. Famous People. 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. Radio, with its thrillers and mysteries, classical theater and musical performances, and slapstick and silliness, provided a means of escaping the dreariness of life. The world was suddenly smaller and as a result, more frightening for many Americans. The radio series was broadcast on CBS Radio from A, Dennis Day (born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty )appeared for the first time on Jack Benny's radio show on October 8, 1939, taking the place of another famed tenor, Kenny Baker. Radio was used to communicate political positions, and to show support of, and against, politicians. "The First Radio War: Broadcasting in the Spanish Civil War, 19361939." Though only relatively wealthy Americans owned radios a decade earlier, in the 1930s radios became a common appliance owned by the majority of Americans At the beginning of the explosion of radio in the 1930s, radio advertising increased while newspaper advertising decreased, though newspapers eventually bounced back. View More. Detroits WXYZ remained a world unto itself, producing popular adventure shows through the early 1950s. Tonight, sitting at my desk in the White House, I make my first radio report to the people in my second term of office. Old genres of entertainment, such as vaudeville, which was a form of live entertainment consisting of various short acts including songs and comedy routines, were adapted for radio, and new genres were developed for the emerging media. In those days, it was easier to tune into a radio station in Chicago than in northern Michigan for Rock and Roll music. His special comedic style allowed the joke to be at his expense, instead of at the expense of others. Pluggers were named for "plugging" or aggressively selling the idea of recording a publisher's music. . She was an ink artist and wife to Walt Disney. Young reporters such as Edward R. Murrow, William Shirer, and Walter Cronkite covered breaking news at the front, while commentators such as Walter Winchell analyzed events at home. The addition of two more frequencies, 619 kHz in December 1921 and 750 kHz in August 1922, helped somewhat, but most larger cities had far more than three stations and thus continued to use shared-time arrangements. In 1895 Guglielmo Marconi became the first person to communicate by sending radio signals through the air. This was Radio. Radio was fast becoming a way of life. The shift to television in the 1950s, however, had a major impact on radio. As the 1930s progressed, and as reporters such as Edward R. Murrow, H.V. Discuss how radio changed America's response to the war in Europethe war that would eventually become World War II. Even in the 1990s and early twenty-first century presidents Bill Clinton (served 19932001) and George W. Bush (served 2001) used weekly radio broadcasts to With the consolidation of radios into networks, the configuration of the radio industry began to look like the major television networks of the late twentieth century. Not everyone approved of the escapism of radio. . Writer-producer-director Norman Corwin, one of radios brightest talents, ruefully made the point that radios most creative era was the shortest golden age in history. During its brief heyday, however, dramatic radio thrived and was a vital part of American culture. Date of birth: 8 August 1952. For example candidates for public office must be treated equally and sponsors must be identified. The wide dissemination of incorrect or selectively chosen information could invite or reinforce opinions. A band remote broadcast of Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with vocalist Martha Tilton, from the Madhattan Room of the Hotel Pennsylvania, New York City; airdate November 4, 1937. Germany was mobilizing to occupy a large portion of Europe and much of the world was moving towards what would come to be known as World War II (19391945). Many of the 1930s programs would set the standard for programming in all media for the rest of the century. Early Work Millions of radio listeners believed the report of the invasion, which was actually an adaptation of H.G. Though they married in 1926, Burns and Allen did not tell their radio audience for many years. Radio news had reached its maturity. Networks used telephone lines to transmit their signals to affiliates, and because they were designed to be broadcast from the East Coast to the West, AT&T charged $1,000 an hour to reverse the circuits. Birthplace: Pikesville, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1997. Other once-influential radio personalities, such as Mary Margaret McBride (1899-1976), are not as well known today. The networks encouraged the companies to develop programming to attract more and more listeners. is an American radio personality, author, and actress, best known for being the long-running news anchor and co-host of The Howard Stern Show. 5) Petey Greene. Americans expected to learn about events quickly, and as television gained momentum later in the century, this expectation was carried into television broadcasting: viewers expected to see events virtually as they happened. One master of the use of radio was Father Charles Edward Coughlin. Prestige anthology shows brought together writers such as Archibald MacLeish and Norman Corwin with actors from the legitimate stage such as Helen Hayes and Orson Welles, and film-based anthology shows such as The Lux Radio Theatre and Academy Award Theater featured movie stars of the day reading live radio versions of their motion-picture roles. He built the first radio te Martin Sir Ryle, Ryle, Martin RYLE, MARTIN (b. New York still had a bustling radio community, but the Chicago shows began moving to one coast or the other. There was a new profound sense of community, both in the homes, in which families and friends grouped around the radio, and in the discussion of the programs at work and school. Some became concerned that America was becoming a land of spectators, rather than a land of participants. Coughlin was highly popular in the early 1930s with his radio program attracting an estimated 30 to 45 million listeners each week. Radio in the 1930s established the framework for broadcasting for the rest of the twentieth century. Brown, Robert J. Manipulating the Ether: The Power of Broadcast Radio in Thirties America. In the past this approach had been successfulthe military had been able to convince the people that the rebellion was local and that it was futile to fight against the military, thereby discouraging action. Franklin D. Roosevelt used radio to talk directly to Americans in his fireside chats. News events such as the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and the Hindenburg disaster captured the nations attention. Historic Events for Students: The Great Depression. Throughout the 1930s, as the world careened toward war, America debated the appropriate response to the emerging conflict. In 1983 a television movie, "Special Bulletin" used the broadcast format to tell the fictional story of a nuclear explosion in South Carolina, and, despite regular disclaimers, caused some concern and panic. Andy: Let him git mad wid you. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A license would be issued only if the public interest, convenience or necessity was served. WKN New evidence has been sent to us by Alfred Cowles, Jr. that his father Alfred L. Cowles, Sr. started WKN, the first Memphis radio station in 1921. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968. "The Death Mask Killer," an episode of the police drama series Gangbusters; airdate November 11, 1950. Comedian Bob Hope was an exceptional radio performer who went on to an extraordinary career in television and film. Marie Wilson portrayed the title character, Irma Peterson, on radio, in two films and a television series. the insurgency was under control, but was soon countered by broadcasts calling for a general strike. Andy: Dat's whut you git fur not tendin' to yore bizness. JEFFHOAG JEFF HOAG. The future president Ronald Reagan, a sports announcer at WHO in Des Moines, Iowa during much of the Depression, called play-by-play for the Chicago Cubs. The series was heard on CBS Radio, NBC Radio, the Mutual Radio Network, and on Mutual flagship radio station WHN in NYC. Everyone in America knew Jack Benny and his foibles. Walter Winchell specialized in publishing gossip and other information that some critics deemed inappropriate. Edward R. Murrow (19081965). One of Hollywood's greatest celebrities was columnist Louella Parsons. Americans were buying radios at a rate of 28 per minute. It was "The Golden Age of Radio.". Watkins, T.H. The Saint .The longest-running radio incarnation was with Vincent Price, who played the character in a series between 1947 and 1951 on three networks: CBS, Mutual and NBC. The chain was purchased by Edward J. Noble, president of the Life Savers candy company. A radio personality is a person who hosts a radio talk show and interacts with the audience via telephone or email. In February of 1936 the Popular Front, a left wing group, opposed by the military, had been elected. New York: Great American Audio Corporation, 2000. In the late 1940s, . The military tried to convince the people of Spain that Radio provided a huge and attentive audience, but it also provided unique demands. ." On paper tape, a stylus would scratch a signal showing which station a radio was tuned to during every moment that it was in use. Not only news shows, but also entertainment shows, frequently provided perspective and gentle criticism, helping to break down barriers between communities. Advertisers were creative in positioning products. An episode of the variety series The Kraft Music Hall, starring Bing Crosby with special guest Phil Silvers; airdate December 16, 1943. These are some of the most famous black Radio DJs on the planet. Radio use was not confined to economic class. With his comfortable style, Roosevelt had the uncanny knack of speaking to the people through the radio as if he was sitting in their living room. In the age of the Depression with limited expense budgets, radio provided an economical way of reaching millions of people. Andy: On second thought, yere, we better not tell him nothin' 'bout losin' part o' de milk 'cause I don' want him jumpin' all over me. Encyclopedia.com. Originally employed as a print journalist, McBride hosted an extremely popular daily radio program during the late 1930s, the 1940s, and the 1950s. Please be aware, presenters aren't ranked in order. Radio programs capitalized on these emotions that were heightened by the Depression. This program provided a key opportunity during the Depression when many could not afford to go to movie theaters. Radio writers often wrote their sound requirements into the script, as did Irving Reis in his radio play "Meridian 7-1212." Born Benjamin Kubelsky, comedian and musician Jack Benny became an American phenomenon. "Death Crosses the River," an episode of the western series Hopalong Cassidy, starring William Boyd; airdate April 14, 1951. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., 1993. "Stage Holdup," an episode of the western series Gunsmoke, starring William Conrad; airdate January 2, 1954. The term "DJ" emerged in the 1950s with the popularity of rock and roll. Rather than performing on stage in vaudeville or nightclubs requiring steady travel, they could reach the entire nation from a small studio, week after week. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. . In 1922, David Sarnoff introduced the Radiola console, which sold for $75not an insignificant amount but still within the reach of middle class citizens in the 1920s. This lack of self-regulation and mutual cooperation between station operators resulted in increased pressure on Congress to update radio legislation, which was accomplished with the landmark Radio Act of 1927. 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 . Besides escape, the radio also brought the news and President Roosevelt's Fireside Chats. "The Presidential Election," an episode of the comedy series Amos 'n' Andy, starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll; airdate July 17, 1928. By Amie Tennant. On radios musical front, the National Broadcasting Company established its own symphony orchestra, led by Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini. In the November 1936 election President Roosevelt used the radio much more effectively than opponent Alf Landon, which partially contributed to Roosevelt's victory. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Theater emerged as a popular genre on radio. Jean Colbert (?1995). The studio, however, was three hundred miles from the actual game. "The Maltese Falcon," an episode of the motion-picture adaptation series Academy Award Theater, starring Humphrey Bogart and Sidney Greenstreet; airdate July 3, 1946. 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. Russo, Alexander. In 1937 a reporter captured his reaction to the crash of the Hindenburg. Add links. To complete our program of protection in time, therefore, we cannot delay one moment in making certain that our National Government has power to carry through. We ain't for no bizness puttin' water in de milk. The growth in radio provided a large audience for various voices in cultural and political criticism. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. A major leap forward occurred in 1929 when "The All-Negro . Kaltenborn (18781965). Almost one-fourth of the nation normally listened to his fireside chats. Episode 2 of the children's science-fiction series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; unknown airdate, 1932. 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. official reviewing the program material and determining what might be morally or politically objectionable to the public. #37 of 61. The growing war in Europe produced some of the most creative and thoughtful programming on radio. Some of the key provisions established by the Communications Act of 1934 are still familiar at the first of the twenty-first century. A 1939 poll indicated almost one-fourth of the population usually listened to the chats while almost 40 percent sometimes listened, adding up to almost 65 percent of the population. Andy: Yere's de well right yere. The disc jockey became important in Chicago radio during the 1930s, well before the term "disc jockey" was coined in the 1940s. Arthur "Al Benson" Bernard Leaner - WGES. 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 Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium.It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the early 1920s and lasted through the 1950s, when television gradually superseded radio as the medium of choice for scripted programming, variety and dramatic shows. This also represented the golden age of sportscasters who eloquently described the sporting events and created colorful images of the sports stars. "The Seventh Victim," an episode of the science-fiction series X Minus One, based on a short story by Robert Sheckley; airdate March 6, 1957. Prime-Time: The Life of Edward R. Murrow. HYLAND: Good lord! For example they created the character of Dick Tracy, Jr. who encouraged listeners to become Dick Tracy Junior Detectives by sending in box tops from certain cereals. She also played Butterfly, Rochester's niece and Mary Livingstone's maid in the Jack Benn. The list was selected from more than 300 nominees plus write-ins and was announced at a reception in honor of . Sound effects were created in the most innovative ways. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates.