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Podcast Summary
The #1 most popular Jack Benny and OTR Podcast on the internet! Listen to the most talented actors and comedians in radio history, new audio intros on many episodes. Every week we are celebrating the episodes that are exactly 60, 65, 70 and 75 years old from 1951, 1946, 1941, and 1936! Come get a ton more podcasts from my website! Tell me what you think at buckbennyotr@gmail.com
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70 years ago Jack came back on the air.
60 years ago with the boys and Alexis!
During the 1940s Alexis Smith appeared alongside some of the most popular male stars of the day, including Errol Flynn in Gentleman Jim (1942) and San Antonio (1945) (in which she sang a special version of the popular ballad "Some Sunday Morning"), Humphrey Bogart in Conflict (1945) and The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), Cary Grant in a sanitized, fictionalized version of the life of Cole and Linda Porter in Night and Day (1946), and Bing Crosby in Here Comes the Groom (1951). Among Smith's other films are Rhapsody In Blue (1945), Of Human Bondage (1946), and The Young Philadelphians (1959). She also appeared on the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Radio (NBC) broadcast on 25 January 1952[citation needed]
She toured in several stage hits including the 1955 National company of Plain and Fancy co-starring her husband Craig Stevens, Jean Kerr's Mary, Mary and Cactus Flower also co-starring Stevens.
She appeared on the cover of the May 3, 1971 issue of Time as the result of the critical acclaim for her singing and dancing role in Hal Prince's Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Follies, which marked her long-awaited Broadway debut. In 1972, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.
70 years ago we saluted the sad passing of Jack Benny's co-star in the film materpiece, "To Be or Not To Be," the wonderful Carole Lombard who died in a plane crash on January 16th 1942.
When the US entered World War II at the end of 1941, Carole Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally with her mother, Bess Peters, and Clark Gable's press agent, Otto Winkler. After raising over $2 million in defense bonds, Lombard addressed her fans, saying: "Before I say goodbye to you all, come on and join me in a big cheer! V for Victory!" On January 16, 1942, Lombard, her mother, and Winkler boarded a Transcontinental and Western Air DC-3 airplane to return to California. After refueling in Las Vegas, TWA Flight 3 took off and 23 minutes later, crashed into "Double Up Peak" near the 8,300 ft (2,500 m) level of Mount Potosi, 32 statute miles (51 km) southwest of Las Vegas. All 22 aboard, including 15 army servicemen, were killed instantly.
On January 18, 1942, Jack Benny did not perform his usual program, both out of respect for Lombard and grief at her death. Instead, he devoted his program to an all-music format.
Shortly after her death at the age of 33, Gable (who was inconsolable and devastated by her loss) joined the United States Army Air Forces. After officers training, Gable headed a six-man motion picture unit attached to a B-17 bomb group in England to film aerial gunners in combat, flying five missions himself. Gable attended the launch of the Liberty ship SS Carole Lombard, named in her honor, on January 15, 1944.
Lombard's final film, To Be or Not to Be (1942), directed by Ernst Lubitsch and co-starring Jack Benny, a satire about Nazism and World War II, was in post-production at the time of her death. The film's producers decided to cut part of the film in which Lombard's character asks, "What can happen on a plane?" as they felt it was in poor taste, given the circumstances of her death.
At the time of her death, Lombard had been scheduled to star in the film They All Kissed the Bride; when production started, her role was given to Joan Crawford. Crawford donated all of her pay for this film to the Red Cross.
65 Years ago Boris Karloff stopped by to have some fun with Jack and the gang.
From 1945 to 1946, Boris Karloff appeared in three films for RKO produced by Val Lewton: Isle of the Dead, The Body Snatcher, and Bedlam. In a 1946 interview with Louis Berg of the Los Angeles Times, Karloff discussed his three-picture deal with RKO, his reasons for leaving Universal Pictures and working with producer Lewton. Karloff left Universal because he thought the Frankenstein franchise had run its course. The latest installment was what he called a "'monster clambake,' with everything thrown in — Frankenstein, Dracula, a hunchback and a 'man-beast' that howled in the night. It was too much. Karloff thought it was ridiculous and said so." Berg continues, "Mr. Karloff has great love and respect for Mr. Lewton as the man who rescued him from the living dead and restored, so to speak, his soul."[7]
During this period, Karloff was also a frequent guest on radio programmes, whether it was starring in Arch Oboler's Chicago-based Lights Out productions (most notably the episode "Cat Wife") or spoofing his horror image with Fred Allen or Jack Benny.
65 years ago Dan Duryea kept us in Suspense!
Dan Duryea moved to Hollywood in 1940 to appear in the film version of The Little Foxes. He continued to establish himself with supporting & secondary roles in films such as The Pride of the Yankees & None But the Lonely Heart. As the 1940s progressed, he found his niche as the "sniveling, deliberately taunting" antagonist in a number of films noir (Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window, Criss Cross, Too Late for Tears), though he was sometimes cast in more objective roles (Black Angel, Ministry of Fear, One Way Street).[3]
Television
Dan appeared on the Jack Benny TV show as a gangster holding up a lunch counter. Duryea starred as the lead character China Smith in the China Smith from 1952 to 1956); and "The New Adventures of China Smith" from 1953 to 1954). In 1959, Duryea appeared as a alcoholic gunfighter in third episode of The Twilight Zone, "Mr. Denton on Doomsday". He guest starred on NBC's anthology series The Barbara Stanwyck Show, and, in 1963, portrayed Dr. Ben Lorrigan on the NBC's The Eleventh Hour. From 1967 to 1968, Duryea appeared as Eddie Jacks on the soap opera Peyton Place.[4]
65 years ago Bing gets a visit from Mickey Rooney!
In 1937, Rooney was selected to portray Andy Hardy in A Family Affair (1937), which MGM had planned as a B-movie.[2] Rooney provided comic relief as the son of Judge James K. Hardy, portrayed by Lionel Barrymore (although Lewis Stone would play the role of Judge Hardy in later films). The film was an unexpected success, and led to 13 more Andy Hardy films between 1937 and 1946, and a final film in 1958. Rooney also received top billing as "Shockey Carter" in Hoosier Schoolboy (1937).
Also in 1937, Mickey made his first film alongside Judy Garland with Thoroughbreds Don't Cry. Garland and Rooney became close friends and a successful song and dance team. Besides three of the Andy Hardy films, where she portrayed Betsy Booth, a younger girl with a crush on Andy, they appeared together in a string of successful musicals, including the Oscar-nominated Babes in Arms (1939). During an interview in the documentary film, When the Lion Roars, Rooney describes their friendship:
Judy and I were so close we could've come from the same womb. We weren't like brothers or sisters but there was no love affair there; there was more than a love affair. It's very, very difficult to explain the depths of our love for each other. It was so special. It was a forever love. Judy, as we speak, has not passed away. She's always with me in every heartbeat of my body.[7]
Rooney's breakthrough role as a dramatic actor came in 1938's Boys Town opposite Spencer Tracy as Whitey Marsh, which opened shortly before his 18th birthday. Rooney was awarded a special Juvenile Academy Award in 1939[8] and was named the biggest box-office draw in 1939, 1940 and 1941.[9] Unquestionably a well-known entertainer by the early 1940s, Rooney, with Garland, was one of many celebrities caricatured in Tex Avery's 1941 Warner Bros. cartoon Hollywood Steps Out. As of 2011, Rooney is the only surviving entertainer depicted in the cartoon.
60 years ago talented voice actor Hans Conreid joined Jerry and Dean!
Conried appeared regularly on many radio shows during the 1940s and 1950s, notably the George Burns & Gracie Allen Show, on which he played a psychiatrist whom George regularly consulted for help in dealing with the dizzy Gracie.
Conried's most important single year was 1953, in which he made his Broadway debut in Can-Can and received screen credit in six films (among them The Twonky and The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T). His other Broadway productions include 70, Girls, 70 and Irene.
Hans Conried's inimitable growl and impeccable diction were perfectly suited to the roles he played, whether portraying the dim Professor Kopokin in the radio show My Friend Irma or portraying comic villains and other mock-sinister or cranky types, such as Captain Hook (and Mr. Darling) in Walt Disney's Peter Pan and The Grinch/Narrator from Dr. Seuss' Halloween is Grinch Night. According to the DVD commentary of Futurama, he was also the inspiration for the voice created for that series' "Robot Devil".
Conried also was a cast member of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, voicing the character of Snidely Whiplash in the Dudley Do-Right shorts, and also hosted Fractured Flickers, another creation of Jay Ward and Bill Scott, as well as Wally Walrus on The Woody Woodpecker Show, Uncle Waldo P. Wigglesworth on Hoppity Hooper, and Dr. Dred on Drak Pack. He was well known as the Williams family patriarch, Uncle Tonoose, on the sitcom Make Room for Daddy, a role he played for 13 years. He was also a regular performer on the Jack Paar Tonight Show from 1959 to 1962.
60 years ago this week with Dean, Jerry, and Mona!
Mona Freeman (born June 9, 1926) is an American film actress. [1]
The 5' 1" blonde was a model while in high school, and after becoming the first "Miss Subways" of the New York City transit system, eventually signed a movie contract with Howard Hughes. Her contract was later sold to Paramount Pictures. After 1944, she became a popular teenage movie star. As an adult, her career slowed and she appeared in mostly B-movies, though one exception was her role in the film noir Angel Face (1952). Freeman's appearances in films ended in the 1950s but she continued to work in television.
Ok, let's try this one last time! Here is the true last version that follows this track list! All three versions are substantially different from each other.
Track List
01 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - GI Silent Night Before Christmas 1951
02 Phil Harris and Alice Faye - Baby its cold outside 1949-05-08
03 Alice Faye - I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause 1952-12-21 (229)
04 Bing and Gary Crosby - Jingle Bell Jive (SamSong Mix) 1950-12
05 The Sportsmen - Christmas Elevator 1950-12-17 (ep 750)
06 Bing Crosby and Judy Garland - Rudolph Jive 1950
07 Dinah Shore - A Merry American Christmas 1941-12-21 (ep 08)
08 Bing Crosby and Trudy Erwin - Silver Bells 1951-12-19 (086)
09 Eddie Cantor-The Only Thing I Want For Christmas
10 Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart - Baby it's cold outside 1949
11 Dennis Day - Christmas in Kilarnay 1950-11-12
12 Phil Harris - Jingle Bells 1951-12-23
13 Lindsay Crosby - What I want for Christmas 1951-12-19
14 Sportsman - Winter Wonderland 1953-12-20 (865)
15 Alice Faye - Santa Clause is Coming to Town 1950-12-24
16 Bing Crosby - Rudolph 1949-12-14 (013)
17 Dennis Day - Frosty the Snowman 1951-11-25 (ep 784)
18 Bing and Gary Crosby - That Christmas Feeling 1950-12-20
19 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa
20 Twins - Dennis and Phil Crosby - The Snowman 1950-12-20
21 Bing and Crosby Family- That Christmas Feeling Medley 1950-12
22 The Sportsmen - Yule Train 1949-12-25 (ep 713)
24 Bing Crosby - The Christmas Song 1949-12-21 (ep 014)
25 Doris Day - Here comes Santa Clause - Bob Hope Show - 1949-12
26 Bing Crosby - Jingle Bells (Skitch Mix) 1946-12-25
27 judy garland - WhiteChristmas44radio_JudyGarland
28 Kingsmen - Christmas Story 1944-12-19
29 Larry Stevens - Let It Snow, Let It Snow 1946-02-17 (ep 574)
30 Jack Bennys Three Tenors - Christmas Medly 1944-12-24
New and Improved ultimate Buck Benny OTR Christmas Album! Added tracks since last weeks offering and better sound!
Track List
01 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - GI Silent Night Before Christmas 1951
02 Phil Harris and Alice Faye - Baby its cold outside 1949-05-08
03 Alice Faye - I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause 1952-12-21 (229)
04 Bing and Gary Crosby - Jingle Bell Jive (SamSong Mix) 1950-12
05 The Sportsmen - Christmas Elevator 1950-12-17 (ep 750)
06 Bing Crosby and Judy Garland - Rudolph Jive 1950
07 Dinah Shore - A Merry American Christmas 1941-12-21 (ep 08)
08 Bing Crosby and Trudy Erwin - Silver Bells 1951-12-19 (086)
09 Eddie Cantor-The Only Thing I Want For Christmas
10 Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart - Baby it's cold outside 1949
11 Dennis Day - Christmas in Kilarnay 1950-11-12
12 Phil Harris - Jingle Bells 1951-12-23
13 Lindsay Crosby - What I want for Christmas 1951-12-19
14 Sportsman - Winter Wonderland 1953-12-20 (865)
15 Alice Faye - Santa Clause is Coming to Town 1950-12-24
16 Bing Crosby - Rudolph 1949-12-14 (013)
17 Dennis Day - Frosty the Snowman 1951-11-25 (ep 784)
18 Bing and Gary Crosby - That Christmas Feeling 1950-12-20
19 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa
20 Twins - Dennis and Phil Crosby - The Snowman 1950-12-20
21 Bing and Crosby Family- That Christmas Feeling Medley 1950-12
22 The Sportsmen - Yule Train 1949-12-25 (ep 713)
24 Bing Crosby - The Christmas Song 1949-12-21 (ep 014)
25 Doris Day - Here comes Santa Clause - Bob Hope Show - 1949-12
26 Bing Crosby - Jingle Bells (Skitch Mix) 1946-12-25
27 judy garland - WhiteChristmas44radio_JudyGarland
28 Kingsmen - Christmas Story 1944-12-19
29 Larry Stevens - Let It Snow, Let It Snow 1946-02-17 (ep 574)
30 Jack Bennys Three Tenors - Christmas Medly 1944-12-24
60 years ago Phil fell in love... with a chair!
Complete Ray Singer Interview and Frank Nelson Interview!
Radio Spirits just released a new set of 20 episodes of the Phil Harris Show and 18 haven't been heard since their original on air broadcast 60 years ago! If you use this coupon code, M12NC007, then you can save 15% on your order and get a free 2012 OTR Calendar!!!
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220 years ago the Bill of Rights was created! 70 years ago today there was a star studded celebration of the Bill of Rights 150th birthday! I hope you enjoy this wonderful historic show with two intros!
The First 10 Amendments to the
Constitution as Ratified by the States
December 15, 1791
Preamble
Congress OF THE United States
begun and held at the City of New York, on Wednesday
the Fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.
THE Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.:
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
70 years ago Frank Nelson made his debut as the Floor Walker character, in this fun Christmas Shopping episode just one week after Pearl Harbor was attacked. I have an old and new intro on this show.
Here is a link to Frank Nelson's entire interview!
Frank Nelson first found fame as the put-upon foil to Jack Benny on Benny's radio show during the 1940s and 1950s. Nelson typically portrayed a sales clerk or customer service worker. For example, needing airline tickets, Benny would call the ticket agent, "Oh Mister? Mister?" Nelson's appearance began with his catchphrase, a bellowed "EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?". The two men would banter, with Nelson gleefully delivering one-liners such as "Is that a hairpiece or did someone plant moss on your head?" and sarcastic responses like "Do I work at this airport? No, I'm a DC-4 with a moustache."
Nelson performed on a number of Hollywood-based radio shows during this time, including Fibber McGee and Molly, and did radio work well into the late 1950s, on the few shows that remained on the air, including dramatic roles on such programs as Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.
Nelson continued to appear on Benny's television show in 1950, doing the same "rude clerk" shtick. His other catchphrase, that would be worked into every routine, would have Benny asking something mundane, such as, "Do these shirts come in a medium?" and Frank would bellow, "Oo-oo-oo-ooh, DO they!" He also appeared on several other radio programs. Nelson's sudden appearances usually led to spontaneous laughter or applause on the part of the audience.
After Jack Benny, Nelson continued to work in sitcoms in similar roles, most notably in: The Hank McCune Show and I Love Lucy (including a hilarious turn as a train conductor in "The Great Train Robbery" episode from 1955 as the Ricardos and Mertzes begin heading home to New York after Ricky's stay in Hollywood courtesy of MGM) during the 1950s; The Addams Family in the 1960s; and Sanford and Son during the 1970s. In the 1960s, Nelson voiced Mr. Cow in the Tootsie Pop commercial once again using his "EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?" catchphrase.
Towards the end of his life, Nelson enjoyed some newfound stardom among a new generation of fans. In 1981, he did a string of commercials for McDonald's doing his trademark "EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?" catchphrase, as part of the fast-food chain's highly successful "You Deserve a Break Today" sweepstakes promotional campaign, where he played an over-the-top passport agent. Garfield in Paradise in 1986 was the last recorded time he used his signature phrase. He also did a cameo appearance in the 80s on SNL as a newsstand vendor when Tim Curry was the guest host.
In addition to his onscreen work, Nelson was an in-demand voiceover artist for animated cartoons, appearing on The Flintstones, The Jetsons and as Governor Wetworth on The Snorks among other programs. He also served as the head of AFTRA (a performers union) between 1954 and 1957.
Nelson was not as prolific in motion pictures, but he did appear occasionally in variations of his oily clerk characterization. One of his larger roles is in Down Memory Lane (1949), in which he plays the apoplectic manager of a TV station. He also appears memorably in So You Want to Know Your Relatives, a Joe McDoakes spoof of This Is Your Life; Nelson plays the master of ceremonies, happily ushering unsavory guests onstage.
Cinnamon Bear: the crazy bunch of links edition!
Here is a link to the above CD set that has the best sound available on all 26 original episodes, plus all eleven songs seperated out and some bonus material.
Here is sample audio of the sound on the set. Here is the complete instant download version of the same set for under $15!
Here is a link to the Cinnamon Bear 56 page full color illustrated story book for 10 bucks!
My favorite Cinnamon Bear Toy!
Here is a link to get this "Crazy Quilt Dragon," for 10 bucks!
Here is the "Silver Star" Cinnamon Bear Ornament for your Christmas tree for 5 bucks!
Link to all the Cinnmon Bear stuff below!
Cinnamon Bear 16 page Coloring Book for 5 bucks!
Chuck Schaden's 64 page book about Cinnamon Bear with three TV Cinnamon Bear puppet shows!
60 years ago the podcast focuses on Howard Duff and the Red Scare that took over our country at the time.
Howard Duff Complete interview page.
Howard Duff Complete Interview in MP3 form.
A special Christmas present from your pal Buck! I hope you all enjoy this!
Track List
01 Bing and Lindsay Crosby - GI Silent Night Before Christmas
02 Alice Faye - Santa Clause is Coming to Town 1950-12-24.mp3
03 The Sportsmen - Christmas Elevator 1950-12-17.mp3
04 Bing and Gary Crosby - Jingle Bell Jive (SamSong Mix) 1950
05 Judy Garland - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.mp3
06 Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart - Baby it's cold outside 1949
07 Dinah Shore - A Merry American Christmas 1941-12-21
08 Bing and Peggy Lee - Silver Bells 1950-12-13.mp3
09 The Kingsmen - Christmas Story 1944-12-19.mp3
10 Dennis Day - Christmas in Kilarnay 1950-11-12.mp3
11 Bing Crosby - White Christmas 1946-12-18.mp3
12 Phil Harris - Jingle Bells 1951-12-23.mp3
13 Eddie Cantor-The Only Thing I Want For Christmas.mp3
14 Lindsay Crosby - What I want for Christmas 1951-12-19.mp3
15 Larry Stevens - Let It Snow, Let It Snow 1946-02-17 (ep 574)
16 Bing Crosby and Judy Garland - Rudolph Jive 1950.mp3
17 Dennis Day - Frosty the Snowman 1951-11-25 (ep 784).mp3
18 Bing, Gary and the Crosby Family-That Christmas Feeling
19 The Kingsmen - What Do I Want For Christmas 1941-12-23.mp3
20 The Sportsmen - Yule Train 1949-12-25 (ep 713).mp3
21 Bing Crosby - Santa Clause is coming to town and Chestnuts 1946
22 Skylarks - Winter Weather 1954-12-24.mp3
23 Bing Crosby - Jingle Bells (Skitch Mix) 1946-12-25.mp3
24 Doris Day - Santa Claus coming to town - Bob Hope Show - 1949
25 Dinah Shore - Happy Christmas Little Friend 1954-12-22
26 Gene Autry - 32 Feet and Eight Little Tails.mp3
27 Jack Benny Christmas Medly 1944-12-24.mp3
65 years ago Jack goes shopping and runs into the unfortunate Mel Blanc... needless to say comedy ensues!
Here is the full Mel Blanc interview from 1971!
Streaming video of the Christmas shopping episode from television!
60 years ago Elliot Lewis and a very young Harry Shearer were on Jack's show, see if you can recognize their voices. Bet you can't. This podcast also features part of an interview with Elliott Lewis from 1975.
Here is a link to the whole 50 minute interview with Elliott Lewis!
70 years ago Jack had both Andy Devine and Elliott Lewis on his show!
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1941 horror film starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner. Rather than being a new film version of the novel, it is a direct remake of the 1931 film of the same name, which differs greatly from the novel. The movie was based on Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and directed by Victor Fleming, director of Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz two years earlier. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (where Fleming was based) acquired the rights to the 1931 film, originally released by Paramount Pictures, in order to keep the earlier film out of circulation.
The MGM version was produced by Victor Saville and adapted by John Lee Mahin from the screenplay of the earlier film by Percy Heath and Samuel Hoffenstein. The music score was composed by Franz Waxman with uncredited contributions by Daniele Amfitheatrof and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. The cinematographer was Joseph Ruttenberg, the art director was Cedric Gibbons, and the costume designers were Adrian and Gile Steele. Jack Dawn created the make-up for the dissolute Mr. Hyde's appearance.
65 years ago another episode with Phil and the gang!
Complete Phil Harris Interview.
Radio Spirits just put this up today! They have a sale with free shipping and a free 2012 OTR Calendar ending tomorrow! Here is the code to enter "m11nc007" for the free shipping and calendar, offer expires mid-nite eastern 11-30-11. I have last years calendar and it was pretty nice.
Here is the new set that takes off chronologically where the last set left off!
Phil Harris was brash, egotistical, and charming as hell. Alice Faye was regarded by George Gershwin and Cole Porter as the best female singer in Hollywood. Together, they starred in one of the most uninhibited and funny comedy series on radio.
Benefiting from the likeability of its stars, a wonderfully cast group of supporting players (Elliott Lewis, Walter Tetley, Robert North, Jeanine Roos, and Anne Whitfield), and one of the most prolific and clever writing teams of the mid-twentieth century (Ray Singer and Dick Chevillat), The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show is a complete delight.
This collection features 20 digitally remastered programs, eighteen of which are available for the first time anywhere . So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the misadventures of the Harrises, their two daughters, and one left handed guitar player.
Includes a Program Guide by Rodney Bowcock with photographs and background information about the programs.
EPISODES INCLUDE: Alice's Easter Dress 04-13-52; Alice's Old Boyfriend, George Henderson 04-20-52; Phil Is Directed To Fire His Band - 04-27-52; Helping Alice With Spring Cleaning 05-04-52; The Harris Kids on TV 05-11-52; Julius Is Missing 05-18-52; Alice's Surprise Party For Mr. Scott 05-25-52; Hotel Harris 10-05-52; The Stolen U.S. Mail 10-12-52; Phil, The Television Star 10-19-52; Baby Alice's First Date 10-26-52; Phil Helps Get Out The Vote 11-02-52; Surprise Party For Phil 11-09-52; Alice Buys a Business 11-16-52; The Football Tickets 11-23-52; Elliott's Girlfriend's Name Is On Phil's Chest 11-30-52; Julius Is In Jail 12-07-52; An Elephant For Mr. Scott 12-14-52; The Women's Club Santa Claus 12-21-52; New Year's Eve Party At The Harrises' 12-28-52
Here is the cover of the new calendar! Last years had some great OTR photos, I can't wait to see the picture of Don Wilson that they show on the cover.
Wow our first 2011 podcast for the Cinnamon Bear with Buck and his son Hunter!
Joseph Kearns began his acting career in radio in the 1930s (playing the Crazyquilt Dragon in the serial The Cinnamon Bear), becoming active during the 1940s, with appearances on the shows The Adventures of Sam Spade, Burns and Allen and dozens of other shows. On Suspense, he was almost a mainstay, heard regularly as the host "The Man in Black" in the early years, announcing many episodes in the later run, and playing supporting and occasional lead roles in hundreds of shows throughout the series' tenure in Hollywood, from judges to kindly old-timers to cowards.
His best-remembered radio role was that of Ed, the security guard for Jack Benny's underground money vault, on The Jack Benny Program. The 'running gag' was that Benny had kept Ed on duty at the vault's door so long that the guard was not conversant with current events. When Benny informed him that "The War (World War II) had ended," Ed asked whether the "North" or the "South" had won, assuming that the American Civil War was the one Benny was referring to. He was also the first actor to play the part of Matt Grebb, one of a pair of police detectives in the radio version of the procedural cop series The Lineup, relinquishing the role to Wally Maher in 1951. He appeared in regular roles on The Mel Blanc Show and The Harold Peary Show.
65 years ago Jack and the gange were visited by Phil Baker! Phil Baker (August 26, 1896 – November 30, 1963) was a popular American comedian and emcee on radio. Baker was also a vaudeville actor, composer, songwriter, accordionist and author.
65 years ago we were all kept in Suspense by Chester Morris and some of the best actors in radio history! Chester Morris (February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970) was an American actor, who starred in the Boston Blackie detective series of the 1940s.
Here is the second episode with Gale Gordon as Weary Willie!
The voice of the Cinnamon Bear was provided by Buddy Duncan, a little person and vaudeville comedian. Many notable radio voices lent their talents, including:
- Barbara Jean Wong as Judy Barton
- Joseph Kearns as The Crazy-Quilt Dragon
- Verna Felton as Judy & Jimmy's mother
- Lou Merrill as Santa Claus
- Martha Wentworth as The Wintergreen Witch
- Gale Gordon as Weary Willie the Stork and Oliver Ostrich
- Rosa Barcelo as Queen Melissa
- Elvia Allman as Penelope the Pelican
- Joe DuVal as Fe Fo, the Giant
- Frank Nelson as Captain Tin Top
- Hanley Stafford as Snapper Snick, the Crooning Crocodile
- Howard McNear as Samuel the Seal and Slim Pickins, the Cowboy
- Cy Kendall as Captain Taffy, the Pirate, and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer (Indian Chief)
- Ted Osborne as King Blotto the Third, and Professor Whiz, the Owl
- Elliott Lewis as Mr. Presto the Magician
- Ed Max as the Inkaboo Assistant Executioner
- Dorothy Scott as Fraidy Cat
- Lindsay MacHarrie as Westley the Wailing Whale, the Grand Wonkey, and others
Dennis Morgan (December 20, 1908 – September 7, 1994) was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name.
In 1945, Dennis Morgan played "Jefferson Jones" in Christmas in Connecticut opposite Barbara Stanwyck and Sydney Greenstreet. He starred in God Is My Co-Pilot, Kitty Foyle, Perfect Strangers and the now rare big budget musical epic The Desert Song.
Morgan was a top leading man with Warner Bros. in the 1940s, starring with best friend Jack Carson in many movies, several of which were "two guys" buddy pictures. His peak years were 1943 to 1949. He appeared in sporadic TV guest roles in the 1950s, including on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He quietly retired with an occasional spot on TV after 1955.
In 1958 Morgan spearheaded the drive for a new park in La Crescenta, California. He dedicated Two Strike Park on July 4, 1959. The park was named for Morgan's declaration that "a kid with no place to play already has two strikes against him".
By request were going to try this again, maybe we'll make it all the way through this time!
The voice of the Cinnamon Bear was provided by Buddy Duncan, a little person and vaudeville comedian. Many notable radio voices lent their talents, including:
- Barbara Jean Wong as Judy Barton
- Joseph Kearns as The Crazy-Quilt Dragon
- Verna Felton as Judy & Jimmy's mother
- Lou Merrill as Santa Claus
- Martha Wentworth as The Wintergreen Witch
- Gale Gordon as Weary Willie the Stork and Oliver Ostrich
- Rosa Barcelo as Queen Melissa
- Elvia Allman as Penelope the Pelican
- Joe DuVal as Fe Fo, the Giant
- Frank Nelson as Captain Tin Top
- Hanley Stafford as Snapper Snick, the Crooning Crocodile
- Howard McNear as Samuel the Seal and Slim Pickins, the Cowboy
- Cy Kendall as Captain Taffy, the Pirate, and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer (Indian Chief)
- Ted Osborne as King Blotto the Third, and Professor Whiz, the Owl
- Elliott Lewis as Mr. Presto the Magician
- Ed Max as the Inkaboo Assistant Executioner
- Dorothy Scott as Fraidy Cat
- Lindsay MacHarrie as Westley the Wailing Whale, the Grand Wonkey, and others
60 years ago Verna Felton played Dennis' Mother for another brilliant time!
Verna Felton worked extensively in radio, notably playing Junior the Mean Widdle Kid's grandmother on Red Skelton's radio series and Dennis Day's mother on The Jack Benny Program. In addition, she performed on radio as a regular on The Abbott and Costello Show. Felton was married to radio actor Lee Millar (1888–1941), who also did animation voices (notably for Disney's Pluto, and their son, Lee Carson Millar Jr. (1924–1980), appeared as an actor on a variety of TV shows between 1952 and 1967, including "I Love Lucy".
Felton appeared too in a recurring role as the mother of Ruth Farley, a young woman played by Gloria Winters in the 1953-1955 ABC sitcom with a variety show theme, Where's Raymond?, renamed The Ray Bolger Show. The series starred Ray Bolger as Raymond Wallace, a song-and-dance man who was repeatedly barely on time for his performances.[1]
While some sitcom aficiandos assume that her guest appearances on I Love Lucy led to a regular supporting role as Hilda Crocker on the CBS sitcom December Bride, the truth is that Felton had played that character on the radio incarnation two years prior to the television production. The latter also starred Spring Byington, Dean Miller, Frances Rafferty and Harry Morgan. Verna continued her Hilda Crocker role on the December Bride spin-off, Pete and Gladys, with Harry Morgan and Cara Williams. She was also the original voice of Pearl Slaghoople (Wilma Flintstone's mother), voicing the character as a semi-regular on The Flintstones from 1960 to 1964.
I thought you folks might like this Thanksgiving special brought to you by the Elgin Watch company, hence the name. Some of the stars are Allan Jones, Louis Silvers and His Orchestra, Jimmy Durante, Garry Moore, Candy Candido, Mary Jane Smith, Sir Lancelot, Larry Storch, Margaret Whiting, Barbara Jo Allen, The Page Cavanaugh Trio, Al Viola, Bob Sweeney, Don Ameche (host), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Hal March, The Doctors Of Harmony, Yehudi Menuhin, Jack Benny, Artie Auerbach, Betty Wright (writer), Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Red Skelton, Verna Felton, Lurene Tuttle, and Pat McGeehan.
Getting ready for Thanksgiving with guest Arthur Q. Bryan!
Arthur Q. Bryan's work in animation did not go unnoticed by radio producers. Although his first forays into that medium were inevitably accompanied by instructions that he use the Fudd voice, Bryan soon came to the attention of Don Quinn and Phil Leslie, the production and writing team responsible for Fibber McGee and Molly and their supporting characters, two of whom spun off into their own radio hits, The Great Gildersleeve and Beulah.
The Gildersleeve character, played by Harold Peary, became series broadcasting's first successful spin-off hit; that plus the onset of World War II (which cost Fibber McGee & Molly their Mayor LaTrivia, when Gale Gordon went into the Coast Guard in early 1942, and "The Old Timer" Bill Thompson was drafted almost a year later) nabbed nearly every other remaining male voice.
Bryan was first hired for the new Great Gildersleeve series, to play the part of one of Gildersleeve's cronies, Floyd Munson, the barber. His work on the series (in Bryan's natural voice) so impressed the Quinn and Leslie, that Bryan was added to the cast of their main show, Fibber McGee and Molly, in 1943.
On Fibber, Bryan found himself in the unusual position of being smarter than, more educated than, and generally superior to his foil, titular braggart McGee. Playing Doc Gamble, Bryan was a polar opposite of the Fudd character—Gamble was well-spoken, even-tempered, and usually got the best of McGee, which Elmer could never do with Bugs.
65 years ago with Phil and Alice. The podcast focuses on Alice Faye. Here is the whole interview with Alice.
Alice Faye gained her first major film break in 1934, when Lilian Harvey abandoned the lead role in a film version of George White's 1935 Scandals, in which Vallee was also to appear. Hired first to perform a musical number with Vallee, Faye ended up as the female lead. She became a hit with film audiences of the 1930s, particularly when Fox production head Darryl F. Zanuck made her his protégé. He softened Faye from a wisecracking show girl to a youthful, yet somewhat motherly figure such as she played in a few Shirley Temple films.[2]
Faye also received a physical makeover, from being something of a singing version of Jean Harlow to sporting a softer look with a more natural tone to her blonde hair and more mature makeup, including her notorious "pencil" eyebrows. Considered less than serious as an actress and more than serious as a singer, Faye nailed what many critics consider her best acting performance in 1937's In Old Chicago. The film was also extremely memorable for its twenty-minute ending, a recreation of the Great Chicago Fire, a scene so dangerous that women, except for the main stars, were banned from the set. Her co-stars in that film were Tyrone Power and Don Ameche, two of Faye's most frequent co-stars, as it was customary for studios to pair its contract players together in more than one film.
Faye, Power, and Ameche were reunited for 1938's Alexander's Ragtime Band. Although the film was mainly designed to showcase over twenty Irving Berlin songs, Faye again received strong reviews and the film was considered a landmark from changing the status of musicals as light, frivolous fare to a respectable film genre. One of the most expensive films for its time, it also became one of the most successful musicals of the 1930s.
By 1939, Faye was named one of the top ten box office draws in Hollywood. That year she made Rose of Washington Square with Tyrone Power. Although a big hit, the film was supposedly based on the real life of commediene Fanny Brice and Brice sued Fox for stealing her story.
Because of her bankable status, Fox occasionally placed Faye in films that were put together more for the sake of making money than showcasing Faye's talents. Films like Tail Spin and Barricade (both 1939) were more dramatic in nature than regular Faye films and often did not contain any songs for Faye to sing. But due to her immense popularity, none of the films that she made in the 1930s and 1940s lost money.
In 1940, Faye played one of her most memorable roles, the title role in the musical biopic Lillian Russell. Faye always named this film as one of her personal favorites, but it was also her most challenging role. The tight corsets Faye wore for this picture caused Faye to collapse on the set several times and it shrunk her waist six inches. After turning down the lead role Down Argentine Way, for unclear reasons, Faye was placed alongside the studio's newest musical star, Betty Grable (who replaced her in Down Argentine Way), in the film Tin Pan Alley.
During the making of the picture, a large rumor arose that there was a rivalry between Faye and Grable. Grable's popularity soon became even more immense than Faye's. Between 1940 and 1945, Grable made more films than Faye and her films consistenly made more money than Faye's. During these years, Grable was named the #1 box office star in the world. However, both actresses were very close friends and they never displayed rivalry between each other, perhaps because the two had vastly different personas in their musicals.
In 1941, Fox began to place Faye in musicals photographed in Technicolor, a trademark for the studio in the 1940s. She frequently played a performer, often one moving up in society, allowing for situations that ranged from the poignant to the comic. Films such as Week-End in Havana (1941) and That Night in Rio (1941), as a Brazilian aristocrat, made good use of Faye's husky singing voice, solid comic timing, and flair for carrying off the era's starry-eyed romantic storylines. 1943's The Gang's All Here is possibly the epitome of these films, with lavish production values and a range of supporting players (including the memorable Carmen Miranda in the indescribable "Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat" number) that camouflage the film's trivial plot and leisurely pacing.
In 1943, after taking a year off to have her first daughter, Faye starred in the Technicolor musical Hello, Frisco, Hello. Released at the height of World War II, the film became one of Faye's personal favorites and one of her highest-grossing pictures for Fox. It was in this film that Faye sang "You'll Never Know." The song won the Academy Award for Best Song for 1943 and the sheet music for the song sold over a million copies. However, since there was a clause in her contract (as was the case with most other Fox stars) stating that she could not officially record any of her movie songs, other singers like Dick Haymes (whose version hit #1 for four weeks), Frank Sinatra, and Rosemary Clooney have been more associated with the song than Faye. However, it is still often considered Faye's signature song. That year, Faye was once again named one of the top box office draws in the world.
65 years ago Hume Cronyn and Cathy Lewis kept us in Suspense! Cronyn in Lifeboat, 1944
His family had hoped he would pursue a law career[citation needed], but subsequent to graduating from Ridley College, Cronyn switched majors, from pre-law to drama, while attending McGill University, and continued his acting studies thereafter, under Max Reinhardt and at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1934, he made his Broadway debut as a janitor in Hipper's Holiday and became known for his versatility, playing a number of different roles on stage. He won a Drama Desk Special Award in 1986. In 1990, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[3]
Hume Cronyn's first Hollywood film was Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943). He later appeared in Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944) and worked on the screenplays of Rope (1948) and Under Capricorn (1949). He was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance in The Seventh Cross (1944) and won a Tony Award for his performance as Polonius opposite Richard Burton's Hamlet (1964). Cronyn bought the screenplay What Nancy Wanted from Norma Barzman — later blacklisted with her husband Ben Barzman — with the idea of producing the film and starring Tandy. However, he sold the screenplay to RKO which later filmed it as The Locket (1946). Cronyn also made appearances in television, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode "Kill With Kindness" (1956) and Hawaii Five-O episodes "Over Fifty, Steal" (1970) and "Odd Man In" (1971).[4]
In 1990 he won an Emmy award for his role in the TV Movie Age Old Friends
Still a good idea today! Here is the script for the missing Jack Benny episode this week.
Wow, what a show! Don't miss this one! Some of the stars are Lauritz Melchior, Lina Romay, Lionel Barrymore (m. c.), Nelson Eddy, Fred Allen, George Murphy, Ginny Simms, Greer Garson, Harry Von Zell, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Danny Kaye, Dinah Shore, Don Wilson, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Bill Goodwin, Paul Lukas, Peter Lind Hayes, Portland Hoffa, Eddie (Rochester) Anderson, Ernst Lubitsch, J. Lawton Collins (Lieutenant General), Robert Anders (Secretary Of War), and Orson Welles!
70 years ago Jack and the gang talk to Leo Durocher!
After the 1938 season — Durocher's first year as Brooklyn's starting shortstop — he was appointed playing-manager by the Dodgers' new president and general manager, Larry MacPhail. The two were a successful and combustible combination. MacPhail spared no expense in purchasing and trading for useful players (and sometimes outright stars), such as Dolph Camilli, Billy Herman and Kirby Higbe; he purchased unknown shortstop Pee Wee Reese from the Boston Red Sox, and signed another young star, Pete Reiser, when he was ruled a free agent from the Cardinals' farm system; and found stalwarts such as American League veterans Dixie Walker and Whitlow Wyatt off the waiver wire.
And in his first season as a manager, 1939, Durocher epitomized the position for which most would remember him. As a manager, his temperament came into its own, and the most enduring images of Durocher are of him standing toe-to-toe with an umpire, vehemently arguing his case until his inevitable ejection from the game. In assembling his teams, he valued the same characteristics in his players, his philosophy best expressed in the widely quoted – but misunderstood – phrase for which he is now best remembered: "Nice guys finish last."
65 years ago this week Jack Carson, Cathy Lewis, Paul Frees, and Elliott Lewis kept us in Suspense!
Jack Carson was one of the most popular character actors during the 'golden age of Hollywood', with a film career spanning the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Primarily employed for comic relief, his work in Mildred Pierce (1945) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) proved he could also master dramatic material. During his career, he worked at RKO, MGM (cast opposite Myrna Loy and William Powell in Love Crazy), but most of his memorable work was at Warner Brothers. Carson's trademark was the wisecracking know it all who eventually and typically was undone by his own excessive self-confidence.
Carmen Miranda signed a movie contract with Hollywood and arrived in the United States in 4 May 1939[3] with her band, the Bando da Lua. Carmen grew to fame in the country quickly, having formally been presented to President Franklin D. Roosevelt at a White House banquet shortly after arrival, and going on to star in 13 Hollywood films.[3] She was encouraged by the United States government as part of President Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy, designed to strengthen links with Latin America and Europe; it was believed that in delivering content like hers, the policy would be better received by the American public. By 1946 she was Hollywood's highest-paid entertainer and top female tax payer in the United States,[3] earning more than $200,000 that year (=$2.2 million in 2010 adjusted for inflation), according to IRS records.
60 years ago George Jessel Told Jack's Life Story!
George Albert Jessel (3 April 1898 – 23 May 1981) was an American illustrated song "model," actor, singer, songwriter, and Academy Award-winning movie producer. He was famous in his lifetime as a multitalented comedic entertainer, achieving a level of recognition that transcended his limited roles in movies. He was widely known by his nickname, the "Toastmaster General of the United States" for his frequent role as the master of ceremonies at political and entertainment gatherings.
65 years ago Brian Donlevy, Hans Conried,and Cathy Lewis kept us in Suspense!
Brian Donlevy's break came in 1935, when he was cast in the Edward G. Robinson film Barbary Coast. A large amount of film work followed, with several important parts. In 1939, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the ruthless Sergeant Markoff in Beau Geste, although the Oscar went to Thomas Mitchell for Stagecoach.
The following year, he played the role for which he is perhaps best remembered, that of McGinty in The Great McGinty, a role he reprised four years later in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. In 1942, Donlevy starred in Wake Island and The Glass Key. In 1955, he played the lead in the British science-fiction horror film The Quatermass Xperiment (called The Creeping Unknown in the US) for the Hammer Films company, playing the lead role of Professor Bernard Quatermass. The film was based on a 1953 BBC Television serial of the same name. The character had been British, but Hammer cast Donlevy, who was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and raised in the United States, in an attempt to help sell the film to North American audiences. Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale disliked Donlevy's portrayal, referring to Donlevy as "a former Hollywood heavy gone to seed". Nonetheless, the film version was a success and Donlevy returned for the sequel, Quatermass 2 (Enemy From Space in the US), in 1957, also based on a BBC television serial. This made Donlevy the only man ever to play the famous scientist on screen twice, although later Scottish actor Andrew Keir would play him two times, once on film and later on the radio.
Throughout his film career, Donlevy also did several radio shows, including a reprise of The Great McGinty. He played the lead character in Dangerous Assignment between 1949 and 1954, taking the series to TV in 1952. He featured in a number of films over the following years until his death. He also appeared in a variety of television series from the late 1940s until the mid-1960s, guest-starring on such popular programs as Crossroads, Perry Mason, Wagon Train and Rawhide,. In 1957, he appeared in a CBS production of the A. J. Cronin's Beyond This Place. In 1960, he appeared as John Ridges in the episode "Escape" of CBS's anthology series The DuPont Show with June Allyson, with Sylvia Sidney portraying his wife. His last film role was in The Winner, released in 1969.
