Corey's Ramblings

Sunday, December 11, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 11: A Radio Nutcracker

It's Nutcracker Weekend for me in Michigan, so I will go with a repeat here from last year that gives me a bit of time to catch up...and it is so very appropriate! What could be a better story for the holidays than the Nutcracker! Here is a gem from the Railroad Hour variety show when they broadcast their Christmas special in 1952. Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

Ann Arbor Dance Classics Nutcracker Rehearsal 2016 (Milan High School, Michigan)

Ann Arbor Dance Classics Production of the Nutcracker
Milan (Michigan) High School December 2016

A ballet is a hard thing to convey via the radio. But that was just what happened in 1952 when the Railroad Hour broadcast their Christmas Party on December 22nd of that year. The Railroad Hour is a classic variety show that was sponsored by the Association Of American Railroads and was on the NBC Network. This show features great songs and music and Gordon MacRae was the longtime host. Ironically, it never was an hour (as far as I can tell). This episode is 30 minutes.

From their site - you can read that the Association of American Railroads (or AAR):

America's freight railroads operate the safest, most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound freight transportation system in the world — and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is committed to keeping it that way. Founded in 1934, AAR is the world's leading railroad policy, research, standard setting, and technology organization that focuses on the safety and productivity of the U.S. freight rail industry. AAR Full members include the major freight railroads in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. AAR Railroad Affiliate and Associate Members include non-Class I and commuter railroads, rail supply companies, engineering firms, signal and communications firms, and rail car owners.

This show is called Christmas Party and is hosted by Gordon MacRae. Included among the stars on the program (from the great RadioGOLDINdex) are: Dorothy Kirsten, Noreen Corcoran, , Marvin Miller (announcer), Carmen Dragon (conductor), Norman Luboff (choir director) and Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee as writers (pretty sure that we are not talking about THAT Robert E. Lee). This musical variety show has great Christmas carols, including the 12 days of Christmas, Silent Night, O Holy Night, among others. The reason I wanted to showcase this today was the Nutcracker portion of the Christmas party. In the second half of the program, they created a radio version of the Nutcracker, with words set to the great Tchaikovsky music. Hope you enjoy the great music from this episode. Bet you did not know that the Nutcracker had words!

Christmas Party (December 22, 1952)

Here are some links to programs relating to the Railroad Hour:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Saturday, December 10, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 10: Christmas Shopping with Casey, Crime Photographer

Stepping away from the comedies for a bit, so that puts us my crime and mystery! Lets visit Casey and listen to a crime series at the holidays. In last year's blog, I showcased Santa Claus of Bums' Boulevard (Casey Crime Photographer). This year, we return to Casey and we learn the lesson that not all crimes are equal. This year's episode features a known crook, who gets fingered for something that he did not do! This is exactly when you need a photographer to help you out! Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

Shopping in Bugis Street - Singapore (May 2015)

Casey, Crime Photographer is the crime series as features...as you could imagine...a guy named Casey who is...anyone...a photographer for a newspaper. He is joined out and about in the city finding stories with reporter Ann Williams. The show almost always opens and closes at the Blue Note Tavern and their great bartender Ethelbert. The voice talent was primarily Staats Cotsworth as Casey, Jan Miner as Ann Williams and John Gibson as Ethelbert the bartender. Despite being part of the CBS Network, these are not brilliant shows. I love them because they have a charm that comes with the opening and closing conversations at the Blue Note. It is a great frame for these programs and I think gives it a bit more than what one might imagine.

I really enjoy this series for a goofy reason. If you knew anything about me, you would know that I am an avid photographer, so when I find another one out there - we have something in common. This is true of people in both fiction and non-fiction. So one of the great radio characters I found was Casey, Crime Photographer. I love the idea of following a cameraman through the rough streets of the city. The series was sponsored by Anchor Hocking glass company of Lancaster, Ohio.

Casey and Annie are moving slowly through a department store getting some last minute gifts for family. Oh they should have planned in advance! When Casey spots "Fingers" Fogharty, one of the best pick-pocket in town, in the crowd at the store, Casey actually sees a crime in progress. When Casey and Annie tell the victim that he was pick-pocketed....they were surprised at the response. The person was not interested not concerned. So when that same pickpocket gets arrested for spending money that was marked as a kidnapping ransom payment, Casey and Annie know something's rotten in the city. The cast includes Tony Marvin (announcer), Herman Chittison (piano), and Lesley Woods. The Christmas script was written by Alonzo Deen Cole. Enjoy - and watch out when you are in Christmas shopping crowds!

Christmas Shopping (Casey, Crime Photographer - December 19, 1946)

Here are additional links to Casey, Crime Photographer items on the web.

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Friday, December 9, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 9: Looking for a Christmas Tree with Fibber McGee & Molly

One of the difficult decisions during the holiday season can be when to buy a Christmas tree. If you are buying a live tree, you need to make sure you do not buy it too early. If you wait to late, you might not get the selection. Such is the problem that befell Fibber McGee and Molly as they raced all over their town looking for a tree on their Christmas Episode of 1943. Last year, I featured their problems with a Record Player for Gildy (1940). There are so many great holiday episodes from this classic American comedy series, it is hard to choose! I think you will like this one for sure. Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

Squirrels Outside the Michigan State Capitol (Lansing, Michigan) - December 7, 2015

Squirrel in the Christmas Tree at the Michigan State Capitol (Lansing, Michigan)
December 7, 2015

Fibber McGee & Molly had one of the most famous addresses in all of popular culture. 79 Wistful Vista was their home for the entire run. I heard that they never bothered to give Fibber McGee or Molly a job - so they could use artistic freedom to put them in any scenario possible! This series is one of the all-time classic radio comedies, running from 1935 through the fifties. 1935 was also when Fibber McGee and Molly started - and they received some good reviews right off the bat:

Fibber McGee and Molly - Billboard - April 27, 1935 (page 10)

Fibber McGee, aided by his wife and heckler, Molly, Contributes a funny and enjoyable program, one, in fact, that is likely to send the name of the team into the higher bracketed radio field. In common with other radio acts, the Fibber isn't actually a new wrinkle - he is sort of an Irish Baron Munchausen - but with the combination of a good delivery with good materials insures success. First show was well paced and liberally sprinkled with laughs.

From the WMAQ studios in Chicago, Jim and Marian Jordan starred in over 1600 shows as their alter egos, though only a fraction survive today. During the early years, they were sponsored by Johnson Wax, headquartered in nearby Racine, Wisconsin. They were a staple of the NBC Network and one of the most famous voices from Old Time Radio.

Today, we feature the Christmas episode from Fibber McGee & Molly that was broadcast 73 years ago this month, on December 21, 1943. Billy Mills and his Orchestra gets the show started with a rousing performance of Oklahoma. (So if the Mrs. is reading this - it will all make sense why I was humming it this morning). We find ourselves in the days before Christmas and Fibber McGee & Molly are learning some very important business and economic lessons about both supply & demand and scarcity pricing. While Fibber was certain that everyone was charging too much early on for trees, he was seething mad about the prices as the lots thinned out. He was so outraged that he made a comment that perked up my librarian ears upon hearing the price of the last tree in one lot:

Twelve BUCKS! $12 for that sad looking cedar? Why that cone carrier has more broken branches than the Berlin Public Library

Just when all hope was lost for having a Christmas tree in their house this year, the true spirit of the holidays was revealed from their friends and neighbors. They closed the show with Teeny and "The King's Men" singing a version of "The Night Before Christmas" which was first aired on the show the year before. Teeny of course is voiced by Marian Jordan. Joining her in the cast were: Jim Jordan, Harlow Wilcox, The King's Men, Billy Mills and His Orchestra, Ransom Sherman, Shirley Mitchell, & Arthur Q. Bryan. I hope your Christmas tree shopping goes more smoothly, but has an equally happy ending.

Looking for a Christmas Tree (Fibber McGee & Molly - December 21, 1943)

Here are some links to programs relating to Fibber McGee and Molly:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Thursday, December 8, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 8: Miracle in Manhattan from the Columbia Workshop (1941)

With the 75th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, I wanted to showcase a show that was broadcast in that difficult Christmas of 1941, just over three weeks after the United States declared war on the Axis Powers. So I saw this episode from the great series Columbia Workshop called Miracle in Manhattan. What is not to like about that. Just turns out that it had a very familiar story line....very, very familar! Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

Various Shots of the Garment District (New York City) - August 2014

Picture of New York's Garment District from 2014

The Columbia Workshop was a staple of the CBS Network from 1936 through 1942 and from 1946 through 1947. According the Rob Lackmann's Encylcopedia of American Radio, the Columbia Workshop was designed "to develop new writing talent for radio and to experiment with innovative techniques for presenting drama on the medium." One of the most creative voices from the Columbia Workshop was Norman Corwin, though he did not work on this episode.

So yesterday on my blog, I featured Duffy's Tavern and the stranger who took Archie around the neighborhood and showed what was possible at the holidays. Well, maybe the stranger showed what was possible all year long, but I digress. So when I started listening to Miracle in Manhattan, it immediately struck me that it sounded familiar. It was one of the featured Christmas programs on CBS as reported in Variety on December 17, 1941 (p.44):

Number of special Christmas shows will be broadcast this year by CBS. Virtually all the regular network series will observe the holidays in some fashion, but among the specially planned season programs will be 'Miracle in Manhattan,' written and directed by Charles Vanda with Ed Gardner for 'Columbia Workshop.'

So where I am going with this - by now your figured this out. 'Miracle in Manhattan' is the early version of the script we showcased yesterday. As Ed Gardner developed the Archie character on different shows, he used it on the Columbia Workshop. There are many elements that are virtually the same. There are some great twists to the opening phone call that Archie received for sure.

Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat. Archie the manager speaking. Duffy ain't here. Oh, hello Duffy. What am I doing? I'm in the Columbia Workshop. What am I in for? Duffy, I said Work-SHOP. Yeah. Tonight I am a artist. Yeah. An Actor. Were doing a thing called 'Miracle in Manhattan.' What do you mean, if its good it will be a miracle? Duffy, you ain't got no Christmas spirit, that's all. Who's idea is it? Well, it's Columbia's Western Program Director, he dreamed it up. Yeah - Charlie Vanda - he's a friend of mine. Came to New York on a bus, on a busman's holiday from Hollywood. He's directing it too. Well, I don't know, it starts like all Christmas plays, the band plays Silent Night, and we're into it.

One of the key differences is that they are moving around town in a cab - since that is his job. But there are some great features that really warrant having this show up in the blog as well. One of the great aspects of this episode is the car horn chorus of "Silent Night."

The Columbia Workshop always did a great job with their programs - and this is certainly no exception. Even though it is just like yesterday's program, to see a story develop from concept to a regular series is a great way to view the history of radio.

The Miracle in Manhattan (Columbia Workshop - December 21, 1941)

Here are some links to programs relating to Old Time Radio and Columbia Workshop:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 7: Duffy's Tavern Christmas with Jeff Chandler (1948)

There is a series that I have never gotten around to showcasing in all my blog entries on Old Time Radio is a pretty big one - Duffy's Tavern. In showcasing this episode from 1948, I am also pivoting from a key actor in yesterday's blog entry (Our Miss Brooks). That actor is Jeff Chandler, who played Phillip Boynton, Connie Brooks long suffering love interest. In today's episode, he plays a characters with a much higher standing in the world. Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

Kelly's on the Hill (Irish Hills, Lenawee County, Michigan) - July 2011

From 1941 through 1951, Duffy's Tavern was one of the most popular comedies on radio. It appeared on the CBS, NBC and NBC Blue Network (which would become ABC). The show was the brain child of Ed Gardner, who played Archie the bartender for its entire run. As reported in Broadcasting on February 3, 1941:

New half-hour show is being build around Gardner's Archie character which he created on This is New York, CBS sustaining series two years ago. Gardner terminates activities on the Rudy Vallee Show following the Feb. 20 broadcast.

Gardner was the producer on Vallee's show, but gained far greater fame and acclaim as the star of his own show. Each episode would open the same way:

Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat. Archie the manager speaking. Duffy ain't here. Oh, hello Duffy.

While Duffy does not ever make an appearance, the episodes revolve around Archie and the who's who of celebrities who come to this famous dining establishment. Many of the stars come as themselves, especially Monty Woolley who seemed to be on the program a good number of times.

On December 23, 1948, Duffy's Tavern aired a great Christmas episode staring Jeff Chandler. Its Christmas Eve and Archie is hoping to shut down Duffy's early and head home. He was in the dumps after not getting a Christmas bonus from Duffy. Actually, all he got was a Christmas card with a exclamation to get back to work! Archie's co-workers and Duffy's regulars all tried to cheer him up, but to no avail. But a visitor shows up after he thought the doors were all locked. Jeff Chandler plays the mysterious stranger that could be reminiscent of the episode Berlin, 1945 (Quiet, Please). And when Archie tags along with the stranger for a walk around the neighborhood, he sees all sorts of sights he did not think he would ever see. Their first stop is a church, where Archie goes reluctantly. The church is not only a place to pray, but a place to stay warm - especially when you do not have another place to go. Archie donated a quarter on the way out of church - pretty impressive for someone who only wanted to help himself. They then ran into Jimmy the newsboy. Jimmy sold papers every day - but he couldn't walk. He got his present for Christmas over the summer when he got to see the Yankees play! And when the stranger pointed out that he just sold a newspaper to his hero Joe DiMaggio. He found a way to walk over to his hero (much to everyone's surprise and amazement). That was not the only miracle that Archie noticed when walking around with the stranger.

Joining Gardner and Chandler in the script are: Eddie Green, Charlie Cantor, Florence Halop, Florence Baker, Robert Bruce, Scott Elliott, Bobby Ellis, Frank Gerstle, Betty Lou Gerson, Marvin Miller, Franklin Parker, & Donald Woods. For those keeping score, the script was used two years earlier (not that it matters)! I hope you enjoy this sweet episode from one of the Golden Age's best comedies.

Duffy's Tavern Christmas Episode - December 22, 1948

Here are some links to programs relating to the Duffy's Tavern:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 6: Christmas Clothing Drive with Our Miss Brooks (1950)

And now...the comedies! There are many Old Time Radio comedies that revolve around Christmas and I will definitely get to them. One of my favorites is Our Miss Brooks which I featured the last two years - Holidays with Connie (2014) & Department Store Contest (2015). I covered the Magic Christmas Tree in my 2014 entry. But I found another Christmas episode in this wonderful series and that is what we are focusing on today. Christmas is not only the season when we give gifts to those we love, but hopefully to those less fortunate than us. Food drives, clothing drives, secret Santas are just a few of the ways we help. And when this comes to Madison High, well, it does not turn out completely as expected. Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

Salvation Army Giving Tree - Briarwood Mall (Ann Arbor, Michigan - 2012)

There are so many comedies from Old Time Radio that just do not hold up well to today's tastes and humor. One that I think does the trick (and is one of my favorites) is Our Miss Brooks. From 1948 through 1957, Eve Arden played the lovelorn English teacher at Madison High, Connie Brooks. This series is one of the very best comedies that we have from Old Time Radio days. Arden leads an all-star cast in this well written series on CBS Radio that actually holds up well, even today. Between never having enough money, job responsibilities that seem to change from week to week, a cat that is a character all to herself and a love interest who is more fixated on frogs than women...Eve Arden's Connie Brooks always maintains her grace and charm. The show also featured Jeff Chandler as Mr. Philip Boynton (Connie's long suffering love interest), Jane Morgan as Mrs. Margaret Davis (Connie's landlord), Gale Gordon as Mr. Osgood Conklin (Madison High School's principal, and Richard Crenna as Walter Denton (a student at Madison High).

The episode on December 17, 1950 brings us to Madison High where Miss Brooks is in charge of a clothing drive for the needy. As she likes to point out on this series, there are some people less fortunate than teachers - though few are paid as poorly! She even wondered if the needy should have a clothing drive for teachers? In the process of both planning the clothing drive and picking up the clothing, she ended up collecting something else....shopping lists from friends. As you might imagine, a huge mix up occurs and the money given to Connie to purchase gifts ended up in Mr. Conklin's new suit - and that ends up as part of the clothing drive. When Mr. Conklin learns that he inadvertently also left some jewelry in that suit....he jumps into action as well! In an effort to get the suit back, Connie Brooks, Philip Boynton and Osgood Conklin negotiate with the person who claimed the suit. That person is Cosmo Ferguson - who was played by Gunsmoke's Parley Baer. All's well that ends well - as typically is the case at Madison High! All of the regulars joined Baer in the Al Lewis written script including Eve Arden, Gloria McMillan, Richard Crenna, Gale Gordon, Jeff Chandler, & Jane Morgan, The script was used again five years later (on December 18, 1955) as was the norm in those series. While played for laughs, please remember those who are less fortunate than you are this holiday season. And enjoy this classic episode of Our Miss Brooks.

Madison's Christmas Clothing Drive (Our Miss Brooks - December 17, 1950)

Here are some links to programs relating to the Our Miss Brooks:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)