Corey's Ramblings

Saturday, December 17, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 17: Norman Corwin's The Plot to Overthrow Christmas

There are so many famous names associated with the Golden Age of Radio....but few have reached the lofty heights that Norman Corwin has. In fact, in the introduction to this piece, they referred to Corwin as "America's Master Radio Poet." And this moniker was given to Corwin for a very good reason - he was! He is connected with one of the more well known Christmas stories on radio - and for whatever reason, I have not brought this famous piece out....UNTIL TODAY! I hope it was worth the wait! 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.

200/365/1661 (December 28, 2012) - Santa had too much to drink

Santa had too much to drink - in Saline, Michigan (December 2012)

This is My Best joins a long line of great CBS radio anthology series including the Columbia Workshop and the CBS Radio Workshop. It ran from 1944 through 1946 and was sponsored by Cresta Blanca wines. From the Wikipedia entry, the program "...adapted a combination of literary classics, contemporary literature and films. It was performed before a live audience." The great Orson Welles served for much of the run as the host, producer, director and star. for the episode that ran on December 19, 1944, the one we feature today, he was simply the host & star. In introducing the piece and its author, Welles called Corwin the "best writer the medium has produced." Part of his reputation came from this script, which was first used on Words Without Music (December 25, 1938), and the Columbia Workshop (December 22, 1940). When it first was broadcast, Billboard had a glorious review:

Billboard - January 7, 1939 (page 9)

Norman Corwin's Words Without Music is so different it bulges when stuffed into existing program categories. Yet it is not freakish. Rather it's an ingenious novelty which tempers the experimental urge with showmanship. Weekly construction shift prevents characterizing the show as poetic reading, narration, drama or comedy. It is one of these one week at a time, leaning towards the dramatic-comedy medium for the Christmas broadcast.

The holiday was a good test, with Corwin's production withstanding the onslaught beautifully. In competition with a heavy run of Christmas programs, he bucked the plethora of trip with a fantasy matched only by the Santa Claus legend itself and a bit of homely observation about this world of ours.

Thus there unraveled The Plot to Overthrow Christmas. Nero, Haman and bedfellows conspired to abolish mortal's annual happiness by destroying Santa Claus. Nero, emissary, not only failed in his assignment but became a convert to the peace on earth, good will to men dictum. Recounting the story is not adequate appraisal. The dialog has a bit of finesse. It's smart, but not too much so.

Words Without Music is grand entertainment. Further, it is a family attraction, and a worth compatriot of Information Please as a pioneer for intelligent product. Weiss.

The program stars Orson Welles as Nero, Ray Collins as Santa Claus and John Brown as the devil. Corwin's script is pretty fantastic, even after all these years. For people who wonder why Nero is the lead in this play, maybe it is his love of the violin that had this Roman Emperor jump into his head! Nero as the lead in this play. This is definitely a fun one and I hope you enjoy it.

The Plot to Overthrow Chrismas - This is My Best - December 19, 1944

Here are some links to programs relating to This is My Best:

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)

Friday, December 16, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 16: Christmas on Broadway (kinda)

New York is the setting of so many radio programs from radio's golden age. One of the shows that I have yet to feature is a great one - Broadway is My Beat (or Broadway's My Beat). This crime show on CBS ran from 1949 to 1954 and I will talk about it more below. My wife reminded me of another great Advent calendar along the same lines - and this episode, we have a common theme. Joe's List - a great website for buying vintage and current dolls (especially Barbie's) has a great advent calendar each year. This year, the focus is Broadway Musicals. Joe does a tremendous job of finding obscure clips that capture the history and beauty of Broadway musicals. Check out that site to get some great video recordings from some of the most well known and beloved musicals ever to hit the stage. While you are there, you can also do some last minute Christmas shopping if you have a doll lover in your life (like I do)! 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 Times Square (New York City) - August 2014

Broadway Theaters - August 2014

Broadway is My Beat is a pretty cool radio crime series that aired over CBS from 1949 through 1954. As is the case with many series, the lead character changed during its run. Starting with the episode on July 7, 1949, Times Square Detective Danny Clover would be played by actor Larry Thor with Elliott Lewis taking on the role as director and producer. Elliott Lewis is well know as being Phil Harris' sidekick on his radio show among many producing and directing roles on radio. Besides some of the leading voices on CBS, the cast included Charles Calvert (Sargent Tartaglia) and Jack Kruschen (Sargent Muggavan).

And like so many Broadway shows...the reviews were kinda mixed. In Variety on November 16, 1949 (after the move to the cast and directors best known for the series), we see this less than glowing review on page 43:

Broadway's My Beat

"The gaudiest, most lonesomest mile...a cold, fantastic carousel" - that's the Broadway of the Times Sq. theatrical district according to some of the poetic descriptions used in "Broadway Is My Beat," which returned to CBS Saturday (12) after a short layoff. Unfortunately, the glamorous word-pictures of New York's mazda belt along with equally fancy musical bridges outshone the plot of this mystery airer.

As Detective Danny Clover, Larry Thor tracks down the perpetrator of two murders - one a police sergeant and the other an ex-convict. In wending its way toward the climax, the script generated ample suspense. But the snap solution at the end, partly rattled off by Thor, took a lot for granted especially in view of the varying clues.

Thor's voice was drab and expressionless. That such a monotone could be sustained so meticulously was hard to believe in face of the numerous dramatic scenes. On the other hand, his deadpanned articulation probably was supposed to indicate a coll, intrepid quality on the part of the fearless sleuth. Large supporting cast was generally competent. Show originally was due to resume last Saturday (12), but a political talk cancelled it out on WCBS, N.Y. - Gilb.

I had to check out what "mazda belt" referenced. This appears to be a term that columnist Walter Winchell said about Broadway in the time - making a reference to a major brand of lightbulb. According to Cassell's Dictonary of Slang - it is also referred to as "Mazda Lane."

On the day before Christmas Eve, Danny Clover and his fellow police recruit a former safecraker named Nick Norman to play Santa Claus for the P.A.L. (Police Athletic League) Christmas party. And while Danny was hoping for an easy day, he was disappointed when hearing that Sargent Tartaglia was causing a commotion and claiming there was no Santa. He had it partly right - turns out, he was supposed to watch Nick Norman - and the Sargent did in fact lose him. So he was right, there was no Santa. So off goes Danny looking for Santa all over Manhattan. In addition to the regulars, the show features Howard McNear, Gil Stratton, Shepard Menken, Peggy Webber, Bert Holland, & Estelle Dodge with a script by Morton Fine & David Friedkin.

Broadway is My Beat (Nick Norman and Santa Claus - December 24, 1949)

Here are some links to programs relating to Broadway is my Beat:

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 15, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 15: Christmas at Mission San Gabriel (Romance of the Ranchos)

One of my favorite historical series is Romance of the Ranchos. This series from the early 1940s showcases the history of the Ranchos and Mexican settlement in 18th and 19th Century California. This historical series featured Frank Graham, who I wrote about on the 100th Anniversary of his birth in November 2014. While this is a repeat for me, this is a great episode and one that you should definitely listen to. 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.

Visit to Mission Santa Barbara - Friday November 1, 2013

Statue of Father Junipero Serra at Mission Santa Barbara, November 1, 2013

Romance of the Ranchos is an interesting radio series. Frank Graham had his great radio role on this show where he was the "Wandering Vaquero" on this historical series which came to the air thanks to the Title and Trust Insurance Company of Los Angeles. This historical series revealed how complicated it was to ensure that you held title to your land - which makes sense given the difficult tracking of land ownership in California. The Ranchos were lands given to settlers by Spain and then Mexico in California before the western settlement of the state. These Ranchos were tied with the growth of the missions as well. Given the great history of the Ranchos in Southern California, this radio series was a perfect way for the Title and Trust Insurance Company to share its stories. Each episode featured a historical depiction of a certain area in Southern California. When I travel in Southern California, I always make sure I have these on my phone or my MP3 player.

The episode that aired on Christmas Eve 1941 (only a few weeks after Pearl Harbor) showcased the early days of the Mission San Gabriel. I have enjoyed visiting these beautiful missions on my recent trips to California (see my pictures of the missions here). I have not visited Mission San Gabriel, which sits in Los Angeles County in San Gabriel - but I hope to do so in the not to distant future. Sometime after the holidays, I hope to write up the missions on the radio, though I expect there will be one more for this Christmas season.

The story called Christmas at Mission San Gabriel starts with Father Junipero Serra planing for the missions that would dot the California coast. The scene shifts to the building of the Mission San Gabriel and the Spanish settlements in that area. These episodes work within the framework of the cultural sensitivities that were in place at the time, so they freely refer to "White" and "Indian" populations in describing the tensions and clashes between the two. The last scene represents Christmas in the 1820s around the Mission and how these populations began to live together. The episode closes with a transcription (or recording) of the 24 members of the Title and Trust Insurance Company of Los Angeles Men's Chorus singing "Joy to the World." Here is the episode:

Romance of the Ranchos - Christmas at Mission San Gabriel (December 24, 1941)

Here are some links to programs relating to Romance of the Ranchos:

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 14, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 14: Bob Hope and Friends at Sawtelle Veterans Hospital (1946)

Yesterday, I highlighted the great Jack Benny. Today, I move to another icon of Old Time Radio and entertainment - Bob Hope! Bob Hope was extremely generous with his time, spending many Christmases doing USO and Radio programs for soldiers and veterans. It is at a Veteran's Hospital that we find Bob Hope on Christmas Eve in 1946. This is the second time I have featured Bob Hope's Christmas Shows, but probably not the last. Bob Hope has a special place at the top of old time radio performers. Or for that matter, entertainers in the 20th Century. Not only was he known for his movies (especially the road pictures with Bing Crosby), Bob Hope was one of the most recognizable figures on all mediums in the 20th Century. 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.

Los Angeles Maritime Museum (San Pedro, California) - Saturday November 2, 2013

Battleship Iowa in the Port of Los Angeles - November 2013

When I was a kid, I remember the Bob Hope specials on TV. They hit at all the big holidays, but they never made a big splash with my family. Not sure why, but I cannot remember watching them as a kid - though I knew they were on. Fast forward many years...and it is happening...I am growing to like Bob Hope. And while I did not love his comedy when I was a kid, there was never a moment that I can remember not respecting the work that Bob Hope did entertaining troops. In fact, Bob Hope wrote a book in 1944 called I Never Left Home about his experiences entertaining the troops.

On Christmas Eve, 1946, Bob Hope's Pepsodent Show brought an all-star cast to the Sawtelle Veterans Hospital in Los Angeles. Among the guest stars for this show were Doris Day, who sang The Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting on an open flame....), Desi Arnaz and his orchestra, Jerry Colonna and Barbara Jo Allen. I'm forgetting one....oh yeah! Bing Crosby was there as well. He wanted Bob Hope to come to his house and play Santa for the Crosby gang. They performed a skit called "The Road to the North Pole" and he sang Silent Night. Also on the show was General Omar Bradley, who was the head of the Veterans Administration, giving a welcome to the veterans there and listening over the radio.

These Christmas shows are wonderful and I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for the memories, Bob Hope!

The Pepsodent Show with Bob Hope - December 24, 1946

Here are some links to programs relating to Bob Hope:

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 13, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 13: More Shopping with Jack Benny (1944)

Jack Benny has a very special place in the history of radio. In his long running show on radio, he had more than a few Christmas episodes. Two years ago, I featured two episodes that were focused on shopping (Christmas Shopping with Jack Benny). What I wanted to do was showcase Jack Benny - but also celebrate (one day late) Frank Sinatra's birthday. Sinatra was born 101 years ago yesterday - December 12, 1915. And while it was a small appearance - it made for a great episode for this series! 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.

Jack Benny Statue (Waukegan, Illinois) - October 15, 2016

Jack Benny Statue - Waukegan, Illinois - October 2016

The Jack Benny Program was a national treasure and it is great that we have so many recordings. Staring in the show was Jack Benny, a vaudeville performer who seemed to hit it big over the airways. Mary Livingstone played second fiddle (no pun intended) to her real life husband. She apparently had horrible stage fright, but hardly shows it as the straight person to many of Jack Benny's jokes. Eddie Anderson played Rochester, Jack's valet and chauffeur. He was one of the earliest African-Americans on mainstream radio and was one of the most loved characters on the show. Don Wilson was the show announcer and did the commercials. He was the constant butt of jokes, primarily about his weight. Irish Tenor Dennis Day (who was on the 1948 show) also had a show of his own. Besides being a 'dim bulb' in all the skits, he also sang a song on every episode. Phil Harris (who also had a show of his own) was the bandleader and the joker on the show. His real wife, Alice Faye would join him on the show as well. The last big name was Mel Blanc (of Bugs Bunny fame). Blanc (who ALSO had his own show) was one of the most famous character actors to play on the Jack Benny Show. He is very commonly the floorwalkers for the Christmas episodes. The shows are chock full of laughs, funny stories, corny jokes and great music.

An all-star cast gathered for the episode that aired on December 17, 1944. Its the week before Christmas and we find Jack getting ready for the holidays, including Rochester filling out Jack's Christmas Cards. When Jack Benny finds himself at a drugstore, Jack decides that he needs to try Sympathy Soothing Syrup. They make a running gag about spelling the name backwards - drawing on the commercials for Serutan (the laxative that is 'natures' spelled backwards). Frank Nelson plays the druggist at the 'old fashioned drug store'. Its so old that they have some products spelled frontwards. While at the drugstore, he runs into Frank Sinatra who reminds Jack that he promised to be on Sinatra's show the following day - and the take the opportunity to take jabs at each other!

Jack and Mary head out to the department store where Mel Blanc gets to play one of his most famous roles on this show - the floor walker at the department store. Jack wants to buy a present for his sister in Waukegan, Illinois - Jack's hometown. While at the store, Jack and Mary run into Joseph Kearns, who plays a confused customer who keeps asking Jack for advice on what to buy his wife! He also runs into Phil Harris who takes the opportunity poke fun at his boss! At the end of the program, there are two appeals. First, he tried to discourage unnecessary travel during the holidays so enlisted men could find space on buses and trains to head home for the holidays. Jack reminded us of a simple rule: "I promise you I will not travel unless my trip helps us win the war." Second, he encouraged people to purchase Christmas Seals (which was featured earlier in this series on the Cavalcade of America. Enjoy this wonderful episode from Jack Benny.

Lucky Strike Program Starring Jack Benny. December 17, 1944

Here are some links to programs relating to Jack Benny:

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)

Monday, December 12, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 12: Double Entry from Suspense

A Christmas story about accounting? Well sorta. In 1945, Suspense aired one of their best lighter episodes for the holidays that saw two big Hollywood actors play accountants and try to desperately keep one step ahead of the auditors at year's end. While the story is not about Christmas per se, altruism plays a big role 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.

John W. Thomas Statue (Centennial Park, Nashville, Tennessee) - April 2015

Among the very best shows that were broadcast during the Golden Age of Radio, the CBS Network's Suspense really stands out as one of the best of the best. Radio's "outstanding theater of thrills" had a 20 year run on CBS - starting in 1942. In fact, the last Suspense episode in 1962 marks the end of the Golden Age of Radio. One of the reasons why I love listening to the early episodes is because I enjoy the sponsor, Roma Wines. Their commercials are the best - Salute! They had numerous Christmas episodes over the years, and I showcased 1943's Back for Christmas last year with the great Peter Lorre. Two years later, they featured Keenan Wynn and Hume Cronyn as accountants who might be in over their head!

In doing a bit of research for this entry, I discovered there was such a thing as an "Suspense Account" in accounting. So...according to the Accounting Coach, a suspense account is:

A suspense account is an account in the general ledger in which amounts are temporarily recorded. The suspense account is used because the proper account could not be determined at the time that the transaction was recorded.
When the proper account is determined, the amount will be moved from the suspense account to the proper account.

OK...on to the episode. This Suspense episode aired on December 20, 1945 and started movie actors Kennan Wynn and Hume Cronyn as best pals who work as accountants at a company facing their annual audit at the end of the year. Keenan Wynn plays Eddie, an accountant who is does not have a care in the world. But his best pal Sam (played by Hume Cronyn) has ulcers...and a secret. Seems a few years earlier, Sam might have...well...borrowed $100,000 from the company. He had been hiding them in the books over the last nine years, but he was convinced that this is the year he will get caught! Eddie is stumped! He had no idea how to fix this. Then, an inadvertent visit by a bookie, gave Eddie an idea. Bet $1000 on a long-shot, win and you can help out your best friend. But where to get $1000? Well, he can borrow it from the company....what could go wrong. And the long-shot's name? Altruism. Isn't that the spirit of the holidays? What could go wrong? Well everything. And just when things looked their darkest, a very surprising confession changes the fate of both accountant!

Wally Maher plays the bookie and Elliott Lews served as the announcer in this Robert Minton written script that was directed by William Spier. Lots of Christmas mentions in the ads for Roma Wines and a greeting from Wynn and Cronyn at the end. This script was used again four years later (December 22, 1949) with a bit more holiday focused. I love this episode, so that is why it is in this series. I hope you enjoy!

Double Entry (Suspense - December 20, 1945)

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

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)