Old Radio

In 1898,three years before her brother, Fred Astaire , was born, Adele Astaire entered the world on Sept 10. A child raised in a New York boardinghouse and educated at the Alviene Master School of the Theatre and Academy of Cultural Arts, Adele began performing on the Vaudeville circuit with her sibling at the tender age of seven. Astaire appeared on the sustaining program Magic Key on Jan. 12, 1936. The episode also showcased the Pickens Sisters .

There's no business like show business. Like no business I know! Just ask Dan Dailey , who starred in the film by that name. Dailey was a song-and-dance man, a hoofer with a unique style, not quite Fred Astaire but an entertainer of millions nonetheless. He was twice nominated for an Oscar (Best Actor, When My Baby Smiles At Me and Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for When Willie Comes Marching Home ) and took home a Golden Globe for Best Actor (for the TV series The Governor & J.J.) Dailey's prodigious career is also made distinctive because of the outstanding actors with whom he starred. These included Johnnie Ray, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and John Wayne . Dan Dailey , like most big stars of the mid-century era, made many appearances on some of the most prestigious radio programs such as Lux Radio Theatre , Screen Directors Playhouse , and Philco Radio Time . On  Lux   he reprised roles on his films Tomahawk , Mother Wore Tights , and Blue Heaven . ...

A stirrer of the imagination, a soother of souls, a gentle and loyal companion, Bing Crosby is a crooner for all-time, a superstar of the twentieth century. Known for his songs "White Christmas," "Surrender Dear," and "Sweet Leilani," the baritone was called "the most admired man alive" by Yank magazine. From 1935-'43, Crosby appeared regularly on Kraft Music Hall . He also made many appearances on Command Performance and Philco Radio Time. These performances, in addition to showcasing his now-legendary vocal skills, allowed him to work with the biggest names of the day, including Peggy Lee , Boris Karloff , Al Jolson , Groucho Marx , and Fred Astaire . The story has it that his nickname Bing (he was born Harry) came from his infatuation with the comic strip Bingville Bugle.

The Rogers of Astaire and Rogers was born July 16, 1911. The lovely Ginger Rogers was a  captivating dancer and actress would perform more than 10 movies with Fred Astaire and be a romantic focus of his as well. Born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence Missouri, Ginger would grow up with her grandparents in Kansas City. During this time her mother worked in Hollywood writing scripts. Due to the fact one of her cousins could not properly pronounce her first name, she took on the nickname of “Ginga’.” “Ginga’” moved to Texas where where her mother was working as a theatre critic for a Fort Worth newspaper. During this time, Miss Rogers became fascinated with the stage and started to learn to sing and dance. She became involved vaudeville and the stage, performing in a number of productions. One of her most memorable was Girl Crazy, where she met the choreographer, Fred Astaire , for the first time. By 1929 she had moved onto Hollywood and became a film performer. During th...

On June 24 of 1904, Baloo...well the voice of Baloo...was born. Phil Harris (first name Wonga ) was an actor, jazz musician, singer, comedian and so many other talents. Raised in Tennessee, Harris began his foray into entertainment as a drummer for a circus.  He later formed a band that many runs at the St. Francis Hotel. Following a dissolution of the band, Harris formed a new band that still exists to this day. Through the 1930’s, Phil Harris made recordings for a variety of major labels, including Columbia, Decca and Victor. From the 30’s through the 50’s, Harris would be cast alongside some of the big names in the industry, like Walter Brennan.  He also performed in a film that also created Flying Down to Rio, which set in motion a couple of top names in Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire . During the 1930’s, Harris made his radio debut by being the Musical Director and comic relief for the Jack Benny Program. The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show also spent time on ...

Somewhere over the rainbow can be found the face and voice of Judy Garland . Although hers was a sad end of life tale, her time entertaining people holds a mark as one of the most loved and cherished with fans. Judy Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922 and was discovered as a teenager in vaudeville.   Judy Garland had been performing with her two older sisters in musical acts in Minnesota, than California when Busby Berkley went to watch one of her performances with her sisters. She signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, where she met and performed with Andy Rooney in 9 films. in 1939, Miss Garland starred in the classic hit Wizard of Oz .  Her fame continued to grow and saw her cast with the likes of Deanna Durbin and others. One of the highest accolades laid at her feet was that of Fred Astaire who described her as, “one of the finest entertainers to ever live”. Miss Garland was as adept a singer as she was an actress and proved it with many famous...

"Can't act. Can't sing. Balding. Can dance a little." So read the RKO screen test of none other than...Lassie! No, not really. We're talking about today's birthday boy, Fred Astaire , who soft-shoed into the world today, 1899. Astaire  went into the world of dance with his older sister on the Vaudeville circuit. By 1917 the duo was appearing in big-time musicals on both sides of the Big Pond. Fortunately for all of us, his sister married a British aristocrat and decided there'd be no more professional dancing for her. This left the little brother to re-invent his career. He landed work in a Cole Porter musical, Gay Divorce . From there--failed screen test aside--it was on to celluloid. As far as the world of radio, in 1936 he hosted the Packard Hour , whose colloquial name was "The Fred Astaire Show." He also graced Bing Crosby 's variety program late in his career. Let's salute Fred Astaire !