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Old-time radio

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Baby Kermit hosts a broadcast
The cast of an American radio drama, as depicted in Dreamchild
Only the Weirdo knows.

Old-time radio (OTR) is a phrase frequently used by scholars, fans, and companies to refer to a period in American broadcasting history, from roughly 1926 to 1962, when radio was a dominant entertainment medium. While modern radio is dominated by music stations, newscasts, and call-in talk shows, "old-time radio" featured a wide range of programming.

"Old-time radio" featured situation comedies, variety shows, game shows, anthology series, dramas, serials, and live band performances. Soap opera as a form originated in radio, and such programs as The Guiding Light went on to equally long runs on television. Other radio series successfully transferred to TV include Gunsmoke, Dragnet, and The Lone Ranger. Mellifluous announcers, live sound effects (often created through household implements), and dramatic tag openings characterized the programming of this period. Contrary to the impression that old radio was always "tamer" than television, sound men on mystery programs employed such techniques as chopping a head of cabbage with a machete to simulate decapitation, or grilling bacon to suggest searing flesh.

The phrase "old-time radio" is occasionally applied to programs of like vintage from England, Australia, or Canada, but with less frequency, insomuch as radio has largely retained the same basic scope and significance in these countries, with the BBC still producing regular dramatic series, adaptations, and sitcoms. Within the United States, with the exceptions of occasional revivals, mostly as syndicated series, and sporadic dramas on NPR, radio programming of this stripe is relegated to the past, but made available through record, tape and CD collections, online archives, regional re-broadcasts, live recreations, and satellite radio channels.

The last network radio comedy was The Stan Freberg Show on CBS in 1957. Most soap operas ended in 1960, as the genre moved to television. The mystery series Suspense and Yours Truly Johnny Dollar both ceased in the fall of 1962. Thus, Jim Henson grew up during the tail-end of the radio era, and was exposed to such serials as The Shadow and The Green Hornet.[1] The announcing style used on these programs was largely adopted by Jerry Nelson, as the announcer on The Muppet Show and in other broadcasts.

In addition, such radio staples as Bob Hope and Edgar Bergen were guest stars on The Muppet Show, and subsequent Muppet/Creature Shop productions would occasionally reference or pay homage to old-time radio, either individual programs, or as a collective entity.

References

  • Well into the 1980s, on most occasions when Muppets would listen to radios (on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show or in books), the radio in question would be an old-fashioned wooden model, often with glowing dial, resembling the famous RCA or Philco models. A typical example occurs when the Martians discover what a radio is.
  • In Hey Cinderella!, the Fairy Godmother wears a mask to the ball, saying she received it from a friend, a "very generous fellow... wanted to lend me his faithful Indian companion as well" a reference to The Lone Ranger, which began life on radio at station WXYZ on January 31, 1933.
  • In The Great Santa Claus Switch, when Fred the Elf is taken prisoner, he claims that he is not merely a "mild-mannered" toy builder, but "Super Elf, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." This text is from the opening narration of The Adventures of Superman radio serial (1940-1951), which starred Clayton "Bud" Collyer as Superman, and used in several subsequent versions. A variation of the spiel was also used in many Super Grover installments.
  • Sesame Street frequently referenced old-time radio shows specifically, from Dragnet to You Are There, but often incorporated elements and phrases, particularly in the style of the announcers and use of organ music, as well as merging aspects of various shows. One notable example is Granny Fanny Nesslerode's "Answer Lady" skits. Her announcer, using a New England twang, brings the show from "her cozy sunfilled kitchen in Goat Corner's New Hampshire." The intro, cozy kitchen setting, and interaction between Granny and the announcer are all derived from Aunt Jenny's Real-Life Stories, a soap opera which ran from 1937-1956 in which Aunt Jenny would tell the announcer a weekly serialized story. However, the skit intro also recalls the Bob and Ray parody of Aunt Jenny, Aunt Penny's Sunlit Kitchen, and the advice format comes from many radio shows, notably John J. Anthony's The Goodwill Hour (1937-1953).
  • In Dreamchild, while visiting New York City, Alice Hargreaves sits in on an old-time radio broadcast, an adventure drama. The sound man (Ken Campbell) employs coconut shells as horse hooves, a common trope in the radio era. Mrs. Hargreaves subsequently delivers a radio commercial, playing on her reputation as "Alice in Wonderland."
  • The unfinished video script Campfire Songs notes that the character of Hoss the horse would speak like Western actors Chill Wills, Slim Pickens, "or Fred Allen's senator Klaghorn." The latter refers to the character of Senator Claghorn from Fred Allen's "Allen's Alley" radio segments.
  • The Dog City episode "Radio Daze" involved Ace Hart in a crime wave at radio station WFIDO, involving attacks on the cast and crew of the soap opera "It's a Dog's Life." The culprit turns out to be the enraged sound effects man.
  • The third season Dog City episode "Comedy of Horrors" featured Baron Von Rottweiler examining Eddie's brain and saying "So round... so firm... so fully packed," a reference to the Lucky Strike slogan made famous by commercials on radio's Jack Benny Program.

Connections

Many guest stars on The Muppet Show and in movies, plus others with Muppet connections, had widespread experience from the "golden age of radio."

  • Batman and Robin were semi-regulars on The Adventures of Superman (1941-1951) and starred in an audition show (pilot), The Batman Mystery Club (1950)
  • Edgar Bergen, along with Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, starred on The Chase and Sanborn Hour (1937-1939), The Charlie McCarthy Show (1940-1954), and The Edgar Bergen Hour (1954-1955).
  • Milton Berle starred on Three Ring Time (1941) and The milton Berle SDhow (1943-1945, 1947-1948)
  • Victor Borge was a regular on The Kraft Music Hall (1942-1943) and headlined starred on The Victor Borge Show (1943, 1945, 1946-1947, 1951)
  • Roscoe Lee Browne played a native in The CBS Radio Workshop episode "The Endless Road" (March 17, 1956)
  • George Burns starred on Burns and Allen (originally Maxwell House Coffee Time, 1932-1955)
  • Daws Butler played Hugh McHugh on That's Rich (1954), Bob Tainter and others on The Stan Freberg Show (1957), and various roles on Family Theatre, CBS Radio Workshop, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, and others.
  • Peter Capell appeared on over one hundred radio broadcasts, playing various roles on Words at War (1943-1945), Anton Kamp on Wendy Warren and the News (ca. 1947-1957) and Dr. Horst in the Ray Bradbury adaptation "Mars Is Heaven" (on Dimension X, 1950 and 1951, and X Minus-One, twice in 1955), amongst many others
  • Art Carney played Franklin D. Roosevelt on The March of Time (ca. 1939-1944), various roles on Gangbusters (1935-1957), the Athlete on The Henry Morgan Show (1946-1947), Billy Oldham on Joe and Ethel Turp (1943), Red Lantern on the children's series Land of the Lost (ca. 1945-1948), Angus on the soap opera Lorenzo Jones (ca. 1940s), General Dwight D. Eisenhower on Living 1948 (1948), and more.
  • Loretta Clemens played Dotty Marsh on The Gibson Family (1934-1935), sang on Johnny Presents (1934-1937), and co-starred in a series with brother Jack Clemens throughout the 1930s.
  • Ruby Dee was a regular on The Story of Ruby Valentine (1955-1956) and appeared on The CBS Radio Workshop (1956-1957)
  • Mike Douglas was a regular singer on Kay Kyser's College of Musical Knowledge (1945-1946)
  • Dale Evans was the resident singer on That Girl from Texas (1940-1941), The Chase and Sanborn Hour (1942-1943), and co-starred on Roy Rogers' series.
  • José Ferrer hosted The Prudential Family Hour (ca. 1942), played the title role on Philo Vance (1945), and appeared in the United Nations radio play Document A/777 (1948), amongst others
  • John Gielgud played the title role in Sherlock Holmes (1955-1956; BBC transcriptions aired in the United States)
  • Arthur Godfrey served as announcer on Professor Quiz (1937) and Fred Allen's Texaco Star Theater (1942) before starring on Arthur Godfrey Time (1945-1972), Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (1946-1956), and Arthur Godfrey Digest (1950-1955).
  • Margaret Hamilton played Aunt Effie on The Couple Next Door (1957-1960)
  • Bob Hope starred on The Bob Hope Show (1938-1955) and played The Taxpayer in the documentary series The Quick and the Dead (1950)
  • Danny Kaye starred on The Danny Kaye Show (1945-1946)
  • Don Knotts played Windy Wales on Bobby Benson and the Bar-B Riders (1949-1955)
  • James Mason starred on The James and Pamela Mason Show (1949)
  • Ethel Merman starred on Rhythm at Eight (1935) and The Ethel Merman Show (1949), and appeared on many other series
  • Albert G. Miller wrote for many radio shows from the 30s through the 60s, including Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Eno Crime Club (1931-1932), Maudie's Diary (1941-1942), The Fred Allen Show, (1940s), Those Websters (1945), Official Detective (1956), and Theater Five (1965)
  • Zero Mostel was the resident comedian on The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street (1942)
  • Mickey Mouse starred in The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air (1938) and made guest appearances on The Lux Radio Theater and elsewhere.
  • Don Pardo was an NBC staff announcer on such series as The Magnificent Montague (1951) and X-Minus One (1955-1957)
  • Vincent Price played Paul Morrison on the soap opera Valiant Lady (1939), Simon Templar on The Saint (1949-1951), and various guest leads on Suspense and Escape (1947-1954)
  • Tony Randall played Jarrod in the Biblical serial Light of the World (1948) and Reggie Yorke on I Love a Mystery (1949-1952)
  • Roy Rogers starred on The Roy Rogers Show (1944-1946, 1948-1955) and Saturday Nite Round-Up (1946-1948)
  • Jada Rowland performed on The Second Mrs. Burton and Road of Life in the 1950s.
  • Reni Santoni appeared on the Suspense episode "With Murder in Mind" and Yours Truly Johnny Dollar episode "The Deadly Crystal Matter" (both 1962)
  • Harry Shearer played Stevie of the Beverly Hills Beavers on The Jack Benny Program (ca. 1951-1955) and child roles on Lux Radio Theatre and Our Miss Brooks.
  • John Stephenson played various roles on The Whistler' (1947-1951), Suspense (1951-1957), CBS Radio Workshop (1956), Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (1955-1960), and more.
  • Dick Tufeld was the announcer on Falstaff's Fables (1948), The Amazing Mr. Malone (1950), and Space Patrol (1950-1955)
  • Orson Welles played Lamont Cranston on The Shadow (1937-1938), many roles (including Sherlock Holmes, Long John Silver, and Dracula) on The Mercury Theater on the Air (1938) and The Campbell Playhouse (adding Hercule Poirot to his resume, 1939-1940), multiple episodic roles on Suspense (various dates from the 1930s-1940s), The Orson Welles Almanac (1941-1942), and others.
  • William Woodson narrated This is Your FBI (1947-1953) and acted in episodes of Family Theater (1953), Suspense (1954), and The CBS Radio Workshop (1956-1957, also writer), among others.

In addition, several people who worked behind the scenes with the Muppets were directly related to radio personalities.

  • Bernie Brillstein's uncle was Jack Pearl (1894-1982). Pearl, a former vaudevillian, created the character of Baron von Munchaussen, teller of tall-tales and incorrigible liar, on The Ziegfield Follies of the Air (1932), and soon headlined his own series, under various names, until 1937, with revivals up until 1954, culminating in the quiz show The Baron and the Bee
  • Jeff Moss's father, Arnold Moss (1909-1989) played various character roles on the soap operas Jane Arden (1938-1939) and Against the Storm (1939-1940); served as "the Speaker," the deity-like narrator on The Light of the World (1947); played villains and aliens on The Adventures of Superman (1950s); and Col. Lesko on Cafe Istanbul (1952-1953), among others.
  • Tom Whedon's father, John Whedon (1905-1991) was a staff writer on The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1947) and also wrote for Edgar Bergen's The Chase & Sanborn Hour (ca. 1937) and the sitcom Hogan's Daughter (1949).

Sources

  1. ↑ Finch, Christopher. Jim Henson: The Works. p. 3
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