Old Radio

November 14: Happy Birthday Dick Powell ! Richard “Dick” Powell was born on November 14th, 1904 in Mountain View, Arkansas. Powell’s original success came as a musical comedy performer, but eventually transformed himself into a man who could play much darker roles. Even during his film career, he kept a strong presence on radio. He appeared as a star on several of the of the top radio shows during the 1930’s. He performed on Lux Radio Theatre over a dozen times. Powell was the first actor to play private detective Philip Marlowe on the radio, and also played the private detective Richard Rogue in the radio series Rogue’s Gallery . From 1949-1953, Powell played the lead role in the NBC production Richard Diamond, Private Detective . Powell died on January 2nd, 1963 at the age of 58.

February 28: Happy Birthday to the lovely Louise Erickson was born on this day in 1928. Ms Erickson appeared in the radio comedy,  The Great Gildersleeve, as niece Marjorie Forrester .  Enjoy a free streaming episode of the series from Old Time Radio's extensive Great Gildersleeve Collection .

Leonard Franklin Slyke, better known by his stage name of Roy Rogers , was born on November 5th, 1911 in the Midwest city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Slyke began his career by moving to California to sing, performing in the music group the Sons of the Pioneers. After making his first film appearance in 1935, he steadily worked in western films. While working on a film with Gene Autry in 1938, Slyke was rechristened Roy Rogers after Autry walked out on his contract. Roy came from a shortening of Leroy and Rogers came from the last name of Will Rogers, an American cowboy and humorist . His radio show, The Roy Rogers Show , ran for 9 years before moving to TV from 1951-1957 and starred his wife, Dale Evans . Over the years it changed its format. Originally it appeared as western music and variety show. There was always an element of action in the programs, and usually the episodes are broken up with songs, performed by The Sons of the Pioneers. Rogers, “King of the Cowboys,” passed away on...

November 26: Happy Birthday, Eric Sevareid (WWII Radio News Correspondent) He was the first to report the fall of France to the Nazis. He was shot down over Burma and rescued by a commando unit. He also reported from Paris as American troops marched through its streets triumphantly. Remembering Eric Sevareid, CBS radio news correspondent , who was born on this date 90 years ago. He was one of Murrow's Boys. Cecil Brown got torpedoed on a British ship by the Japanese and presumed dead.  Winston Burdette was a Soviet spy and his wife was murdered.  William R. Shirer tricked the Nazis and became the first correspondent to break the story of the French surrender.

Happy Birthday, Bob Burns ! Bob Burns was a radio comedian was best known for playing his "bazooka".  After a stint in vaudeville, he  came into comedy radio starring on the Rudy Vallee Show and Kraft Music Hall .  He ultimately had his own program, "The Bob Burns Show" with  fake hillbilly relatives characters including Uncle Fud, Grandpa Snazzy and Aunt Doody.

An ethnic Hungarian born on November 11th, 1904 as József Pintér, Joe Penner passed through Ellis Island as a child when his family moved to New York City. Penner began his successful radio career with the help of Rudy Vallee , who helped him earn his own radio show, The Baker’s Broadcast. The program began on NBC’s Blue Network on October 8th, 1933. Penner’s crazy , zany comic style was punctuated by his catchphrase, “Wanna buy a duck?”  Joe Penner  was voted as radio’s top comedian of 1934, but an ad dispute caused him to quit his radio show. Vox Pop began as a summer replacement series for Penner in 1935 until the creation of The Joe Penner Show on radio in 1936. Penner died of heart failure in 1941 at the young age of 36.

October 25: Happy Birthday, Minnie Pearl! Minnie Pearl was a regular on radio's Grand Ole Opry .

Aug 30: Happy Birthday, Shirley Booth! Shirley Booth played the role of "Mrs Duffy" in the old time radio comedy, Duffy's Tavern and appeared in classic old time radio shows including  Cavalcade of America , Fred Allen Show , Royal Gelatin Hour , Our Miss Brooks , Kate Smith , Theater Guild of the Air , and UN Story .

August 29: Happy Birthday,  Charlie Parker ! Live From Birdland , "the jazz corner of the world, 52nd and Broadway in New York City, we bring you Count Basie and his Orchestra!" When New York emerged as the top jazz house in the country after the 1920s, Count Basie and his Orchestra quickly made the bigapple, and Birdland, their home. Birdland opened its doors in 1949, inspired by the great Charlie Parker (knowyn as Bird, a shortened nickname of Yardbird) , Parker was headlining the joint. (Source = Live from Birdland Old Time Radio Show)

August 26: Happy Birthday, Phil Baker ! Phil Baker had his career beginnings on the stage of his local movie house, then later in the vaudeville circuit. He went on tour in the 1920s with  Ben Bernie  as an accordion-violin playing headliner. His early work included accordion music and radio skits with an English butler character who had a love for Shirley Temple dolls. Phil Baker   was a very nervous actor, and would get the trembles before he went on the air. To calm his fears, he created a heckling character nestled somewhere in the audience that would shout at him through a megaphone.  The heckler shouted that he was no good and should get off the air. By creating and thus controlling his worst fear, the heckler, this helped Phil to relax and allowed him to proceed with his show in a calm manner. It also provided great comedy relief that kept the show moving. (Source = Phil Baker Old Time Radio Show)

Aug 25: Happy Birthday, Bob Cro sby ! "Welcome to Bob Crosby's Club Fifteen ... [toot toot toot] ... Fifteen Minutes of the best in popular music..." Every weeknight at 7:30pm, listeners tuned into  Club Fifteen .  Debuting in 1947, this fifteen minute musical variety show, sponsored by Campbell's Soup Company,  was hosted by charismatic crooner Bob Crosby .  Crosby, brother of  Bing  and a reknowned Dixieland jazz singer, was joined on the show by  The Andrews Sisters  and Margaret Whiting and the Modernaires.   (Source = Club 15 with Bob Crosby Old Time Radio Show)

Aug 24: Happy Birthday, Jimmie Fidler !   Fiddler turned  to tattling on the stars about their tantrums, foibles, affairs, births and divorces .   Jimmy Fidler was thought to be in the shadows of  gossip columnists  like  Hedda Harper  and  Louella Parsons , but he was generally more feared by the studios because he was more brazen in his reporting.  Jimmie Fidler is honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to Radio at 6128 Hollywood Blvd.