Snippets and Interviews From Breaking Walls

Los Angeles, 1935. It’s the heart of the great depression, with glitz and glamour right next door to misery and suffering. It’s the kind of world where those with money don’t want to share it and those without it have no idea how to get it. It’s the kind of world where Philip Marlowe will take a case he’ll regret, but will he get to live with them?

Author Raymond Chandler set his first Marlowe novel, The Big Sleep, in (then) present-day 1936, but who was Marlowe before The Big Sleep? In A Man Named Marlowe, we’ll find out.

It’s a story with an empowered woman, back room deals, gruesome murders, hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold, and two long-dead gunmen who teach us that heroes can live forever.

A Man Named Marlowe: An Original Six-Part Audio Drama

Launched in the summer of 2014 and hosted by James Scully, Breaking Walls is the podcast on the history of American network radio broadcasting.

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting

New York 1835: A City at its tipping point. It’s ten years since the completion of the Erie Canal. New York City’s population is now over 270,000. Most of these people live below Fourteenth Street in wooden or brick buildings no taller than five stories. The gap between rich and poor is rapidly expanding as each week thousands of new men and women pour onto New York’s dangerously overcrowded streets. Many come to earn an honest living. Others for more nefarious reasons. Several historical lives converge in this scripted audio fiction series about the fastest growing city in the world, and the opportunists who shaped it.

Burning Gotham—The New Audio Drama Set in 1835 New York City

This November, experience New York City like you’ve never before.  Will you make the right deal? Or fall to greed? But whatever you choose, just make sure you get out in time. 

Coming This November to your favorite podcast app, Burning Gotham — The new audio fiction soap opera about the fastest growing city in the world, and the opportunists who shaped it.

Subscribe anywhere you'd get a podcast and find out more at BurningGotham.com

Burning Gotham: Coming November 2022

BURNING GOTHAM 001: MOVING DAY
May 1st, 1835 — It’s a cold and rainy Moving Day. Every renter in New York is out on the street looking for lodging. Most of the city’s quarter-million live below Houston Street in buildings four stories or smaller, but construction is booming. 

New people are pouring onto New York’s dangerously overcrowded streets by the thousands. Rich and poor, many come to earn an honest living. Others for more nefarious reasons. It’s the perfect place to begin.

Aaron Columbus is an illegitimate son, desperate to make his fortune. Together with Aaron’s brother Wyndham Bowen—an African man born in Europe—they involve themselves in backroom deals, Abolitionism, potential war with France, and City politics. 

Aaron has struck an illegal import deal with John Jacob Astor, America’s richest man. The import? Two exiled Russian Countesses; Sorina and Raisa Zubov, and their inheritance—eleven pounds of diamonds.  

The two women have just arrived in New York.

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Download Episode Transcript

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Written By:
Olga Lysenko & James Scully

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Cast:
Eirik Gislason
Kacie Laforest
Roland Lane
Mary Murphy
Anna Pirogov
Nancy Pop
Matt Roper
James Scully

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Music:
The Hesperus Early Music Ensemble
The Itinerant Band

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Engineer:
Josh Wilcox of Brooklyn Podcasting Studio

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Director & Post-Producer:
James Scully

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Support Burning Gotham on Patreon

Burning Gotham 001: Moving Day

On November 18th, 1969 Ozzie and Harriet Nelson were guests of Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. During the segment, Ozzie told a funny story about the couple visiting Rutgers (his alma-matter) for a centennial parade.

Ozzie Nelson Tells a Funny Story About Being Handed a Lit Joint at a Rutgers Parade

On February 24th, 1953 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis played host on their radio show to Marilyn Monroe. All three of the entertainers were on the rise. Martin introduced the play she'd perform in as, "Tonight's play is the story of a cold-blooded newspaper editor who has no friends, but who is loved by Marilyn Monroe, entitled, 'So Who Needs Friends?"

Both Dean and Jerry were on their game, and Marilyn plays ditzy, sultry, and sensual to the t. 

Breaking Walls, Episode 83 will feature the era of radio after World War II and be available on September 1st, 2018 wherever you get your podcasts and at TheWallBreakers.com

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis with Guest Marilyn Monroe—02.24.1953

In early 1943 Orson Welles was in production alongside Joan Fontaine with 20th Century Fox for Jane Eyre.

Although Welles enjoyed acting for the screen, he preferred live radio. In March, when Jack Benny took ill with pneumonia, Welles filled in as host of The Jack Benny Program.

Jack returns on April 11th, but Orson isn’t quite ready to let go.

(Photo: Actors Mickey Rooney, Jack Benny, and Orson Welles talk things over before going on the air in a recent broadcast here in connection with the March of Dimes for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.)

Jack Benny Program: Orson Welles Guests as Jack Returns from Illness—04/11/1943

After Fred Allen passed away on St. Patrick's Day in 1956, the entire radio community mourned. That May 29th, in honor of what would have been his 62nd birthday, NBC Broadcast a Biography in Sound on Fred Allen. As part of the broadcast lyricist, writer, and TV producer Mort Greene shared a story about Fred Allen and a pan handler named The Whistler. Within the industry, Fred Allen was known as "the easiest touch on Broadway" due to his generosity.

Songwriter Mort Greene Shares a Fred Allen Story About A Panhandler Named Whistler

Tuesday, April 15th, 1947. 12:30PM. It’s damp and overcast. We’re at Ebbets field in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. The visiting Boston Braves are playing the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day. We can smell hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, knishes, and beer. 

Manager Leo Deroucher has been suspended by MLB’s offices for conduct detrimental to the team. He’ll have to sit out the whole season. Burt Shotton, known to be calm and steady, is managing the Dodgers. They’re expected to contend.

Red Barber is up in the press booth calling the action for CBS and Gladys Gooding is on the organ. Here with us are stadium celebs like the Dodgers Sym-phony and Hilda Chester the Cowbell Lady, along with more than twenty-six thousand others. These men, women, and children are wearing Dodgers caps, windbreakers, flannel jackets, letterman’s sweaters, sport coats, and suits. They’re Italian, African-American, Jewish, Irish, Polish, Norwegian. 

At 12:45 the melting pot stirs as the Dodgers trot out of the clubhouse. There’s Second Baseman Eddie Stanky, Center Fielder Peter Reiser, Catcher Bruce Edwards, and pitcher Joe Hatten. Hatten warms up as one by one the rest of the Dodgers starters come out. Right fielder Dixie Walker. Left Fielder Gene Hermanski. Third Baseman Spider Jorgensen, Shortstop Pee Wee Reese. 

There’s an audible buzz as the Dodgers first baseman and final starter comes out. This man was born in Cairo, Georgia. The youngest son of a sharecropper, he was a four-sport letterman at UCLA, and an Army second lieutenant in World War II. His name is Jack Roosevelt Robinson and he’s the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues since Moses Fleetwood Walker in 1884. 

Robinson tosses infield practice until Home Plate umpire Babe Pinell signals for the start of the game. 

Robinson smooths the dirt in a playing path by first base and sets himself, knees bent, slightly crouched. His glove is on the ground and open. Boston’s Shortstop Dick Culler digs in. Brooklyn’s lefty Joe Hatten winds and delivers the pitch. Culler swings and slaps a ground ball towards third base. He digs out of the batter’s box as Spider Jorgensen charges in and fields the ball on a high hop, throwing slightly off balance towards first base. Robinson, right foot on the bag, stretches as far as he can, catching Jorgensen’s throw and getting Culler out by a step.

And just like that, a fifty-year old gentleman’s agreement between changing owners and the commissioner’s office, that had barred any dark skinned men from playing in the league, was dead. It died here in Flatbush at 1PM, on Tuesday April 15th, 1947 as twenty-six thousand people looked on, and wildly cheered.

Later, in the bottom of the Seventh inning, after an error while batting allowed him to reach second base, Robinson scored the Dodgers fifth run of the game on a double from Pete Reiser. The Dodgers would win five to three.

Although he was the subject of taunts, bean balls, spikes, and scuffles with opposing players and fans all season, Jackie Robinson had the faith of African-Americans and Brooklyn Dodgers fans, as well as the quickly-earned support of his teammates. 

Robinson would go on to hit .297 with one-hundred-twenty-five runs scored, forty-eight extra-base hits, and lead the league with twenty-nine stolen bases en route to winning the Rookie of the Year as the Brooklyn Dodgers went ninety-four and sixty, winning the National League pennant.

BW - EP138—006: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Jackie

Right now, experience New York City like you’ve never before.  Will you make the right deal? Or fall to greed? But whatever you choose, just make sure you get out in time.

Out now on your favorite podcast app, Burning Gotham — The 2022 Tribeca Select audio soap opera about the fastest growing city in the world, and the opportunists who shaped it.

Find out more at BurningGotham.com

Burning Gotham: Out Now

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

In July of 1940 CBS’ Lux Radio Theatre was scheduled for its summer hiatus. Lux aired sixty-minute condensations of films Mondays at 9PM. Pulling a rating of 23.7, it was CBS’s highest-rated show and Monday’s most-listened to program. 

Head of CBS William Paley and Program Director Bill Lewis wanted to use the vacated time slot to attract both audience participation and potential sponsors. At that time, CBS’s story editor was William Spier. 

They decided to launch a pilot series to workshop new shows. They called it Forecast. It debuted on July 15th, 1940. 

Each week two thirty minute shows — one from New York and one from Hollywood — aired live. CBS petitioned their audience to write in about the pilots they liked. On July 22nd at 9:30PM, a Forecast took to the air starring Herbert Marshall, Edmund Gwenn, and Noreen Gammill. This particular one was conceived by Charles Vanda.

Born in New York on June 6th, 1903, Charles Vanda got into radio and moved to Los Angeles in 1935 to be the CBS West Coast Program Director. Although Los Angeles was still a minor outpost for radio, by decade's end it overtook Chicago and matched New York as a major broadcasting hub.

William Paley was keen on pushing programming in Hollywood and Vanda’s boss Bill Lewis was a man who proudly championed shows like The Columbia Workshop. Among the people Lewis helped was Norman Corwin.

Vanda conceived the mystery program as a drama with famous stars, a large orchestra, and a well-known host. The man Vanda wanted was Alfred Hitchcock. It was Hitchcock who came up with the show name, Suspense.

On July 22nd, the day Suspense was to air, Hitchcock was unexpectedly called to New York and wouldn't be able to appear. Rather than change directions, British actor Edmond Stevens imitated Hitchcock. 

But, the broadcast flopped. Variety said, “Alfy, old boy, don't ever do that to us again,” referring to the open ending. That, along with Hitchcock’s spotty availability spooked advertisers. No one wanted to sponsor the program. Suspense was mothballed. 

Of all the pilots that aired during season one of Forecast, only Duffy’s Tavern got picked up, and even that didn’t happen until March of 1941. 

Charles Vanda was soon called back to New York to produce shows like The Columbia Workshop. There he worked with William Spier. Within two years the duo would finally bring Suspense to the air.

BW - EP154—001: Stars On Suspense In 1944—Suspense Is Born In Forecast

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

The man you just heard is famed actor Vincent Price. While Price was a film star, he had a unique contract which allowed him to act in as much radio as he wanted. 

By early June 1944 Price was thirty-three years old and had starred on Broadway and appeared in more than ten films. 

On Thursday June 1st and then again on Monday June 5th for the west coast, Price appeared with Ida Lupino in an episode of Suspense called “Fugue in C Minor.” Written by Lucille Fletcher, it’s a horror story about a widower and woman who fall in love through their sharing of classical music. As their relationship progresses, the woman learns the man’s children think their father murdered their mother and hid her body in a room behind the mechanism of their home’s pipe organ. The instrument is so large it is part of the very structure of the house.

While Vincent Price was very comfortable working in radio, many film stars weren’t.

By the time this west coast version of Suspense was airing Monday June 5th, 1944 at 9PM over KNX, allied soldiers were in their boats, slowly making their way across the English channel to begin their invasion of the Normandy coast of France. This would be Vincent Price’s last broadcast before departing for military service. 

For more info on the D Day invasion, tune into Breaking Walls episode 152 which covers the entire broadcast day.

BW - EP154—007: Stars On Suspense In 1944—Listen to Vincent Price As A Mad Man In "Fugue In C Minor"

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Speaking of actors playing roles on Suspense that went against their usual type, on September 28th, 1944 Gene Kelly guest-starred in an episode called “The Man Who Couldn't Lose.” Kelly, already known as a singer and actor, became famous in For Me and My Gal, Du Barry Was a Lady, and Thousands Cheer. However, it was his dramatic debut in Pilot No. 5 where Kelly played an antagonist that portended this appearance on Suspense.

In “The Man Who Couldn't Lose” Kelly plays Leonard Snell, gambler, two-timer, and all around heel who runs into a string of good fortune that causes the audience to hate him more and more as the play goes on.

BW - EP154—009: Stars on Suspense in 1944—Gene Kelly is a Villain in "The Man Who Couldn't Lose"

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Well, we’re back where we started, but we’re not the same. I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that when you run on the treadmill to oblivion, you don’t always go where you want, but you get in shape doing it.

When I began Breaking Walls ten years ago I envisioned it as a sit-down interview show. Over time it slowly morphed into on the scene reporting, and eventually a history of U.S. Network Radio Broadcasting. When I made this programming switch permanent in February of 2018 I didn’t know how long I’d be able to keep it up. In many ways these documentaries have been a means of teaching myself the business of broadcasting in order to use the past to inform the present. They’ve also been about teaching myself how to be a good writer, sound designer, and narrator. 

My life has undergone many changes in the past six and a half years. I now have paid work in the world of audio thanks to Breaking Walls. This paid work is encroaching upon my time and honestly, it’s paid. It needs to be a priority. This is a long-winded way of saying that I need to take a break from the treadmill. So, for the next three months Breaking Walls is undergoing a change. 

Don’t worry! I’m still going to put out new content. You’ll still see an episode 156 of Breaking Walls, which, incidentally, will feature shows from Halloween 1944. Rather than contain my narration and sound design as one giant documentary, they’ll be standalone radio shows with the usual information written into the description of each track. 

I’m also going to continue to post the Breaking Walls archives to Youtube, and post additional content on Patreon.com/TheWallBreakers. On Patreon the next episode will drop early as one giant playlist of shows. 

I’ve been on the fence about how and when to pause. Eighty months is a long time to run on any treadmill without a break. Given that this was the tenth anniversary of the launch of Breaking Walls, I feel like it’s a good time to give myself that break. You never know, when you close one door — even temporarily like this is — what good things can come in through a window or a side. My plan is to come back to documentary-style episodes of Breaking Walls on January 1st, 2025.



(Half Pause)



The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On The Air — By John Dunning
• Gleason's Second Honeymoon — By Pete Hammil 
• The Great One: The Life and Legend of Jackie Gleason — By William A. Henry
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles and features from
• Broadcasting Magazine
• Ephemeral New York
• The Library of Congress
• Naval History and Heritage Command
• The New York Times
• The Sydney Morning Herald



(Half Pause)



On the interview front:
• Don Ameche spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear this full chat at Speakingofradio.com.

• Mel Allen and Edgar Bergen spoke to Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org

• Norman Corwin spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver. 

• Bob Hope spoke with Dick Cavett

• Gene Tierney spoke with Mike Douglas

• Fred Allen spoke with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg


(Half Pause)



I’d like to thank Chuck Schaden, the late Dick Bertel, the late John Dunning, and SPERDVAC. Without these people and their tremendous work I’d never have been able to do a single episode of Breaking Walls. I’d also like to thank Dr. Joseph Webb for opening the door for me into this world.

BW - EP155—013: New York And The 1944 Radio World—Taking A Break From The Treadmill

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

Edgar Bergen came to the attention of American audiences on Rudy Vallée’s NBC Royal Gelatin Hour on December 17th, 1936. Five months later NBC gave Bergen his own show Sundays at 8PM. He was an instant smash hit. 

Don Ameche worked with Bergen in those years. He was emcee on December 12th, 1937 when Mae West was the guest for an innuendo heavy skit called “Adam and Eve.” Over the next six seasons his show was never rated lower than fourth. Twice it was the country’s top program. 

In October of 1944 Bergen’s rating was 22.5. Roughly eighteen million people tuned in on October 29th when the guest was Orson Welles for the first of back-to-back appearances on the show.

Chase and Sanborn Program

BW - EP156—002: Halloween 1944—Bergen and McCarthy with Orson Welles

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

This program, originally airing on KPO San Francisco, was in conjunction with the 5th War Loan Drive. Thanksgiving 1944 was also called “War Bond Day.” It featured the likes of Rudy Vallée and others.

Old Time Radio - RadioEchoes.com

BW - EP157—004: Thanksgiving 1944—Thank You America with the War Bond Drive

This is the Thanksgiving 1947 episode of The Jack Benny Program, which originally aired Sunday, November 23rd, 1947.

The Jack Benny Program: Movie Of Jack's Life (Thanksgiving Show) — 11/23/1947

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

In November of 1949 Broadway is My Beat returned to the air on Saturday evenings. It remained there until late January of 1950. The show couldn’t find national sponsorship, though companies like Ford were buying single episode sponsorship to promote their products. 

Beginning with the February 3rd, 1950 episode called “The Lieutenant Jimmy Hunt Murder Case,” the show moved to Friday evenings at 9:30PM eastern time. 

Featured in this episode was Jeanette Nolan. She and her husband John McIntire were longtime friends of both Lewis and his second wife Mary Jane Croft.

Broadway is my Beat featured some of the best hollywood radio talent like Barney Phillips, Virginia Gregg, Tony Barrett, Herb Butterfield, Betty Lou Gerson, Hy Averback, Cathy Lewis, Harry Bartell, Lawrence Dobkin, Mary Jane Croft, and Herb Vigran. 

Years later, Jack Kruschen remembered how many of them, including himself, often played more than one part on radio shows.

BW - EP160—002: February 1950 With Broadway Is My Beat—Friday NIghts With Danny Clover

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

As Broadway Is My Beat was taking to the air on February 3rd, 1950, snow was on the ground. Three inches had fallen on the 1st.

That Friday, nuclear physicist Klaus Fuchs was arrested by agents of Scotland Yard. He was charged with providing American atomic bomb secrets to the Soviet Union. The next day, U.S. Army Lieutenant General Leslie R. Groves testified before a joint congressional committee that, as a result of the secrets Fuchs gave the U.S.S.R., the Soviets had begun development of both atomic and hydrogen bombs.

At the Cort Theatre In New York, Katharine Hepburn was starring in a production of Shakespeare’s comedy,  As You Like It. Located at 138 West 48th Street, The Cort was renamed the James Earl Jones theatre in 2022. 

Meanwhile The New York Daily News cover showed Ingrid Bergman, who’d just given birth to her son Robin Rossellini. The child was born out of wedlock. She filed for divorce from husband Dr. Peter Lindstrom, and shortly thereafter Stromboli premiered in American theaters. It was accompanied by a great deal of controversy from the affair between Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini. The pair would marry on May 24th, 1950. 

The biggest international news was coming out of England where a general election was to be held on January 23rd. With that in mind, Elmo Roper took to the air on CBS’ The People Speak with more information.

BW - EP160—003: February 1950 With Broadway Is My Beat—International News

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

The February 10th, 1950 episode of Broadway Is My Beat took Danny Clover to the wrestling matches in search of a missing woman. At that time New York City’s top wrestling promoter was Roderick James "Jess" McMahon. The patriarch of the McMahon wrestling family, Jess McMahon spent several decades as a sports promoter of all kinds, including professional wrestling matchmaking at Madison Square Garden.

Featured in this episode was Lawrence Dobkin. Years later, he remembered how he got into radio. Another famous featured character actor was Virginia Gregg.

BW - EP160—004: February 1950 With Broadway Is My Beat—At The Wrestling Matches

Support Breaking Walls at https://www.patreon.com/thewallbreakers

The February 17th, 1950 episode of Broadway is My Beat took Danny Clover to Greenwich Village. 

By the early 1950s, the sound effects men working in radio had begun to refine their craft to a fine art. In September of 1987 Jack Kruschen and Shirley Mitchell were guests of Jim Bohannon on his radio show. They remembered some of those men.

The actor playing Camden Drake was Elliot Reid. Here he is speaking with Frank Bresee. Featured in this cast was Virginia Gregg. By 1950, she was one of the most versatile actresses on the air.

BW - EP160—005: February 1950 With Broadway Is My Beat—The Death Of A Greenwich Village Writer

This episode was originally released on 9/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes beginning with this episode on the birth of radio.

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In Breaking Walls Episode 83, we focus the radio industry of the 1930s and 40s—especially on the career of David Sarnoff, as RCA’s network, NBC begins to lose its grip on the top spot in the broadcasting industry while they introduce Television. We’ll also focus on the introduction of new talent to the industry, and the CBS talent raids of 1948-1949.


Highlights:
• David Sarnoff announces the birth of TV at The 1939 World’s Fair
 • Edwin Howard Armstrong Invents FM
 • Television Experiments in the 1920s and 1930s
 • Sarnoff and Armstrong’s Crumbling Friendship
• How World War II Stopped Television’s Commercial Expansion 
• William S. Paley’s Plan to make CBS the #1 Network
 • The Rise of Arthur Godfrey 
 • Sarnoff’s Court Battles
 • The Death of Edwin Howard Armstrong 
• The CBS Talent Raids of 1948-49 
• Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
 • The Simple Art of Macabre

 The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

The reading material used in today’s episode was: 
• The General: David Sarnoff & The Rise of the Communications Industry - by Kenneth Bilby
• The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning
• Empire: William S. Paley & The Making of CBS - by Lewis J.  
• The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling
• The Network - by Scott Wooley
• As well as an article on Martin & Lewis from the August 2018 issue of SPERDVAC’s Radiogram, by Michael Hayde  

Selected Music featured in today’s Episode was:
• Mr. Lucky, by Si Zentner
• Begin the Beguine, by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra
• Seance on a Wet Afternoon, arranged by John Barry

BW - EP83: Sarnoff & Paley: Tainted Friendships, Tall Tales, Talent Raids, and TV (1934 - 1952) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 11/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 85, we spotlight the radio career of Frank Sinatra. We’ll find out how a brash, skinny kid from Hoboken, New Jersey became one of the most popular and influential music artists of the 20th century, selling more than 150 million records worldwide, winning an academy award for Best Supporting Actor, and using radio to launch it all.

Highlights:

• How Sinatra’s Difficult Birth Affected The Rest of His Life
• Growing Up In Hoboken
• Not Interested in School, Interested in Singing
• WAAT, WNEW, WOR and the Rustic Cabin
• The Hoboken Four
• Early Hustling
• Harry James and Tommy Dorsey
• Sinatra’s Popularity Explodes
• Going Solo
• Success on CBS during World War II
• Marriage, Infidelity… and more infidelity
• The Havana Conference
• Problems with Sponsorship
• The Decline Begins
• Ava
• Losing His Voice
• Bottoming Out
• The Slow Rise
• Maggio and an Oscar
• Rocky Fortune
• A Reborn Sinatra

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers
 


The reading material used in tonight’s episode was:
• The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio by John Dunning
• Why Sinatra Matters by Pete Hamill
• Frank: The Voice by James Kaplan
• The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling



Lots and Lots of interviews in today’s episode:

• Frank Sinatra was with: Walter Cronkite in 1965; Johnny Carson in 1976; Arlene Francis in the early 1980s; and Larry King in 1988

• Nancy Sinatra was with: Walter Cronkite in 1965 and Larry King in 1995

• Chuck Schaden interviewed Ken Carpenter And Carroll Carroll. Both of these conversations were recorded on February 17th, 1975. To listen to many complete interviews Chuck conducted throughout his career, please go to SpeakingofRadio.com

• Bob Eberly was with Arnold Dean. Hear that full interview and many others at Goldenage-WTIC.org

• Jo Stafford was with Matthew Feinstein for Jo Stafford’s “Ballad of the Blues”

• Gary Moore and Andre Baruch spoke to Westinghouse in 1970.

• Les Tremayne and Jack Brown were featured from their 1986 history of radio called “Please Stand By” 



BW - EP85: From Hoboken to Eternity—Frank Sinatra's Radio Career (1935 - 1955) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 12/1/2018. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

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In Breaking Walls episode 86, we spotlight what was on the air over the US’ major radio networks during December of 1945.

Highlights:
• The First Peacetime Holiday Season in Five Years Begins
• Radio’s Three Main Production Hubs
• Macabees
• Frank Nelson, Lurene Tuttle, and Mandel Kramer
• I Can’t Stand Jack Benny
• Soap Operas and Kid’s Shows
• NBC Dominates Sunday and Tuesday Nights
• Falling Mid-Week Ratings Open the Door for CBS
• Victory Bonds and Bing’s Strike
• Christmas Draws Closer
• Fibber, Molly, Red and Christmas Day
• Dinah Shore and Groucho return Christmas Gifts
• I Still Can’t Stand Jack Benny
• New Year’s Eve
• What Comes Next


The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers


The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning
• Christmas 1945: The Greatest Celebration in American History - by Matthew Litt
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg
• The Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Radio - by Christopher H. Sterling

And several articles from: 
• The New York Times
• Broadcasting Magazine
• Radio Daily


The Interviews
Chuck Schaden was with:
Mel Blanc
Himan Brown
Phil Harris
Danny Kaye
Barbara Luddy
Mercedes McCambridge
Shirley Mitchell
Frank Nelson
Olan Soule
Larry Stevens
Lurene Tuttle
Don Wilson

All of Chuck’s Interviews can be found at SpeakingofRadio.com


Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran were with:
Jackson Beck
Edgar Bergen
Mel Blanc
Staats Cotsworth
Howard Duff
Jim Jordan
Mandel Kramer
Jan Miner

All of their interviews for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio can be found at GoldenAge-WTIC.org


SPERDVAC was with
Harry Bartel
Jack Johnstone

For more information please go to SPERDVAC.com

• Jo Stafford was with Matthew Feinstein for Jo Stafford’s “Ballad of the Blues”
• Fran Carlon was with Westinghouse for their 1970 50th Anniversary Production
• Bing Crosby was interviewed for Same Time, Same Station in 1972.


Selected music featured in today’s episode was

• Kay Starr’s The Man With The Bag
• Nancy Wilson’s What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
• Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and I’ll Be Home For Christmas

The clip of CBS’ Cimarron Tavern came courtesy of Jerry Haendiges. Visit his site at OTRsite.com. I’ve been visiting since 2002. Thank you Jerry.

I’d also like to thank Walden Hughes and John and Larry Gassman. Listen to their shows on the Yesterday USA radio network.

BW - EP86: Home For the Holidays—December 1945 On the Air [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 1/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 87, we spotlight some New Year’s Day radio programming from the Golden Age of radio, specifically beginning in 1946 after the end of World War II and television's post-war rise.

Highlights:
• Skelton
• Casey Crime Photographer and the Invasion of TV
• Radio City Playhouse and Our Miss Brooks
• The Railroad Hour and NBC’s Monday Night of Music
• Memories from the 1939-40 World’s Fair
• On Stage with Mr. and Mrs. Radio
• The Greatest Western
• Radio Drama’s Demise


The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers



The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg
• And Edison Research’s June 2018 Podcast Consumer Statistics www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/



On the interview front:
• John Gibson, Tony Marvin and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org

• Jack Benny, Harriet Nelson, Elliott Lewis, Eve Arden, and Parley Baer were with Chuck Schaden. His interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Elliott Lewis, E. Jack Neuman, and Eve Arden were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71K Newstalk Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• Al Lewis was with SPERDVAC’s Larry Gassman in 1998. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• And Norman Macdonnell, Bill Conrad, and WIlliam N. Robson were interviewed for a 5-part audio documentary on Gunsmoke in the early 1970s.


Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Voodoo Dreams, and Pyramid of the Sun by Les Baxter
• Exotique Bossa Nova by Martin Denny
• I’ll Be Seeing You, by Harry James
• Auld Lang Syne by the Manhattan Strings
• And Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como



BW - EP87: New Year's Day On the Air (1946 - 1956) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 2/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 88, we spotlight the 1945-46 season of The Jack Benny Program. This season introduced characters like telephone operators Gertrude and Mabel, press agent Steve Bradley, hot dog vendor Mr. Kitzel, and Ronald and Benita Colman. This season featured guest appearances from Ingrid Bergman, Isaac Stern, Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Peter Lorre, Louella Parsons, Fred Allen, Ed Sullivan and others. It also was the season in which Dennis Day returned from the Navy and one of the most ingenious marketing campaigns in entertainment history took place: The “I Can’t Stand Jack Benny” Contest. 


Highlights:
• Jack’s slipping ratings
• Problems with General Foods
• Jack changes sponsors
• The War ends and a new season begins
• Mabel Flapsaddle & Gertrude Gearshift 
• Steve Bradley and his big ideas
• $10,000 and $646,000
• Jack gets robbed
• The Contest
• Mail pours in
• The Colmans can’t stand Jack Benny
• Jack’s ratings soar
• Christmas of 1945 & The Rose Bowl
• Fred Allen and the end of the Contest
• Isaac Stern
• Palm Springs
• Van Jackson
• Ed Sullivan and the end of the season
• King for a Day


The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers


The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• Sunday Nights at Seven - by Jack and Joan Benny
• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg
• As well as articles from Radio Life on January 27th and February 3rd, 1946


On the interview front:
•Jack Benny, Ezra Stone, Kate Smith, Don Wilson, Eliott Lewis, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson and Dennis Day were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck’s interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Vincent Price and Mel Blanc were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org 

• Dennis Day was also with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• And Finally Jack Benny, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, Don Wilson and Mel Blanc were also with Jack Carney for his early 1980s Comedy Program. Much of this audio was originally taken from a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians. Thank you Goodmond Danielson for supplying me with the audio.



Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Love in Bloom by Bing Crosby
• It’s Been a Long, Long, Time by the Harry James Orchestra
• Chickery Chick by Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams &  Nancy Norman
• Manhattan Serenade by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with Jo Stafford 
• It Might as Well Be Spring by Larry Stephens
• Danny Boy by Dennis Day
• Along the Navajo Trail by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters



WallBreakers Links:
Patreon - patreon.com/thewallbreakers
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

BW - EP88: I Can't Stand Jack Benny—The Story Behind His 1945-46 Season [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 4/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 90 and on the second part of our western trilogy, dramatic radio goes from boom to bust in a nine year period after World War II, as a group of actors become radio legends, while the radio western grows up.


Highlights:
• William S. Paley’s Plan to Overtake NBC
• The West-Coast Hollywood Actors 
• Robson, Yarborough, Lewis, and Hawk Larabee
• Escape Moves the Western Forward
• The Life and Death of Jeff Chandler
• CBS Becomes Number 1
• NBC Fires Back with New Western Shows
• Elliott Lewis, Suspense, On Stage, and Crime Classics
• The Birth of Gunsmoke
• Jack Johnstone, Jimmy Stewart, and The Six Shooter
• The Networks Pull the Plug in 1954
• What’s Next


The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers


The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning
• Radio Rides The Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air, 1929 - 1967 by Jack French and David S. Siegel
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

As well as passages from
• Broadcast Magazine — 12/22/1947, 2/16/1948, 3/1/1948
• Sponsor Magazine — 10/1/1951


On the Interview Front:
• Parley Baer, Harry Bartell, Lillian Buyeff, Mary Jane Croft, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards, Herb Ellis, Virginia Gregg, Jack Johnstone, Byron Kane, Elliott Lewis, Jeanette Nolan, and Herb Vigran were with SPERDVAC, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• Hans Conried, Howard Duff, and Elliott Lewis with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. The full interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org 

• Jack Benny, Hans Conried, Betty Lou Gerson, Elliott Lewis, and Lurene Tuttle were with Chuck Schaden. Chuck’s interviews from an over 39-year career can be listened to for free at SpeakingofRadio.com

• Eve Arden, Elliott Lewis, and E. Jack Neuman were with John Dunning for his 1980s 71KNUS Radio program from Denver. Some of his interviews can be found at OTRRLibrary.org

• William Conrad, John Dehner, Rex Koury, Norman Macdonnell, John Meston, William N. Robson, and George Walsh were John Hickman of WAMU for his Gunsmoke documentary. 

• Mr. Hickman was the longtime host of “Recollections.” A modern version of this program is heard each Sunday evening as “The Big Broadcast.” For more information, please go to WAMU.org

• William Conrad was also with collector Chris Lambesis for a December 15th, 1969 interview

• Jimmy Stewart was with Larry King in 1986

• And William S. Paley and Frank Stanton were interviewed for CBS’s 50th Anniversary program in 1977. 


Selected Music Featured in Today’s Episode Was:
• I’ve Got the World on a String - by Frank Sinatra
• Pyramid of the Sun & Voodoo Dreams - by Les Baxter
• I’ll Be Seeing You - by The Harry James Orchestra
• Route 66 - by Nat King Cole

BW - EP90: The Hollywood People Behind Radio’s Baby Boomer Boom (1945 - 1954) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 10/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls Episode 96, we laugh, scream, and cry while we join radio’s best as they celebrate Halloween on the air.

——————————

Highlights:

• The Birth of the Great Gildersleeve
• Sam Spade has a Halloween adventure
• Ernest Chappell says, “Don’t Tell Me About Halloween”
• Spike Jones and His City Slickers Celebrate
• Sherlock Holmes and the Laughing Lemur
• The Story Behind Bing Crosby’s Departure from NBC and move to ABC
• Ozzie, Harriet, David, and Ricky
• Jack Benny goes Trick-Or-Treating
• John Guedel, Art Linkletter, and People Are Funny
• Looking Ahead to the Holiday Season

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On The Air — By John Dunning
• Terror On The Air!, Horror Radio in America — By Richard J. Hand
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles by:
• TUNE IN Magazine - September 1946
• Broadcasting Magazine - April 14th, July14th, and September 15th, 1947


——————————

On the interview front:
• Chuck Schaden interviewed Jack Benny, Ken Carpenter, John Guedel, Shirley Mitchell, Arch Oboler, Hal Peary, Lurene Tuttle, and Mike Wallace. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• Howard Duff, June Havoc, and Bill Spier were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. These interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. 

• John Gassman of SPERDVAC was with Art Linkletter in 1991. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com.

• Jack Kruschen and Shirley Mitchell were with Jim Bohannon on September 12th, 1987.

• Chuck Cecil interviewed Ozzie Nelson.

• Johnny Hayes, David Nelson, and Jack Wagner were interviewed by KRLA

• Johnny Carson interviewed Orson Welles, Ozzie, Harriet, and Ricky Nelson for The Tonight Show, while David Hartman interviewed David, Harriet, and Ricky for Good Morning America.

• Frank Bresee interviewed Bing Crosby, John Scott Trotter

• And Dick Joy was with John Dunning for 71KNUS.

——————————

Selected Music featured in today’s episode was:
• A Wicked Thought - By John Zacharely
• Ghost Bus Tours - By George Fenton for High Spirits
and
• Travelin Man - By Ricky Nelson

BW - EP96: Halloween on the Air (1943 - 1953) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 11/1/2019. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls Episode 97 we usher in the holiday season with the first of a three-part mini-series on the 1947-48 radio season. The 1947-48 season had the largest radio audience in history. Homes with radios jumped 6%, car radios 29%. 

The major networks—NBC, CBS, ABC, and the Mutual Broadcasting System added 147 new affiliates. 97% of the nation’s AM stations were now linked to one of the big four. Network revenue topped $200 Million. 


——————————

Highlights:

Famine in Europe; Anti-Communism at Home—The World is Changing
Boomer Babes Fuel a Ratings Increase
The Annual Hollywood Santa Parade
Happy Thanksgiving 1947
Breakfast with the Couples
Prepping With the Soaps
The Answer Man Takes to the Air
The Annual Elgin Thanksgiving Special
Juvenile Adventure At Dusk
Settling Into Prime Time
George Burns: French Crooner
Casey Gets His Turkey
Home is Where the Heart Is
Eddie Cantor Has Been Kidnapped
Late Night and Looking Ahead

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
Frank and Anne Hummert’s Radio Factory - By Jim Cox
On the Air - By John Dunning
Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg


As well as articles from:
Broadcasting Magazine: January 20th, 1947; October 27th, 1947; December 1st, 1947


——————————

On the interview front:
Jackson Beck, Hans Conried, Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson, Tony Marvin, and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. These interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. 

Chuck Schaden interviewed Ken Carpenter and Les Tremayne. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

While SPERDVAC was with Betty Lou Gerson and Jack Johnstone. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com.
 
Barbara Walters interviewed George Burns for 20/20.

——————————

Selected Music featured in today’s episode was:
“Over the River and Through The Woods” — by the US Airforce Band
“Holiday On Skis” - by Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani
“Joy” - by George Winston
“Star of Bethlehem” - by John Williams

BW - EP97: Thanksgiving 1947—The Most Popular Season in Radio History [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 2/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 100 we focus on the radio career of Lucille Ball, arguably the most famous comedienne of the twentieth century.

She rose through the ranks in New York as a model before a small role in Eddie Cantor’s Roman Scandals brought her to Hollywood in 1933 where she gained prominence. 

When the 1940s began, Ball was a b-film actress known for playing the other woman. As she gained critical respect for both her dramatic and comedic ability, she insisted that her and Desi Arnaz made a perfect on-screen duo. It led to a revolution in the way TV was shot and produced in the 1950s, all under their company Desilu. 


——————————
Highlights:
• Jack Haley, Phil Baker, and RKO
• Lucy Meets Gale Gordon
• How a Holiday Publicity Trip to New York changed Lucy’s Life
• Lucy meets Desi
• Too Many Girls
• Lucy and Desi Elope in November 1940
• Harold Lloyd’s A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob and The Old Gold Comedy Theater
• The Tragic Death of Carole Lombard and Lucy’s First Miscarriage
• Lucy Stars on Suspense
• Desi Strays and Lucy Files for Divorce
• The Couple Reconciles and Decides To Work in Radio
• Desi and Bob Hope
• CBS, My Sister Eileen, and My Friend Irma
• Lucy Guests with Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope
• Eve Arden and Our Miss Brooks
• Lucy Says "Yes" to Bill Paley and My Favorite Husband is Born
• Jess Oppenheimer, Bob Carroll Jr., and Madelyn Pugh Join The Team
• Lucy Wants to Work With Desi
• I Love Lucy is Developed and Philip Morris Signs On
• The I Love Lucy Radio Pilot
• Changing History and Looking Ahead


——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• The I Love Lucy Book - By Bart Andrews
• Love Lucy - By Lucille Ball
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Desilu - By Coyne Stevens Sanders and Tom Gilbert
• The Complete History of the Most Popular TV Show Ever - By Michael McClay
• Forever Lucy - By Joe Morella
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as several articles from:
Broadcasting Magazine and Radio Daily, from between 1938 and 1951 


——————————

On the interview front:
• Lucille Ball was interviewed by Dick Cavett in 1970 and 1971; by Johnny Carson in 1974; and by Joan Rivers in 1984

• Desi Arnaz was interviewed with Bob Hope by Johnny Carson in 1976 and by David Letterman in 1983

• Jess Oppenheimer was interviewed in 1961. This interview came courtesy of Gregg Oppenheimer and I Love Lucy: The Untold Story. Gregg also provided My Favorite Husband outtakes.  

• Chuck Schaden spoke to Gale Gordon, Jack Haley, and Herb Vigran. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• SPERDVAC was with Madeline Pugh Davis and Bob Carroll Jr. on March 12th, 1994

• Hans Conried was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. These interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org. 

• William Paley gave a speech while receiving an award on November 20th, 1958, and spoke in memoriam of Lucille Ball in 1989. 

• Lee Philip was with Connee Boswell.

——————————

Selected Music featured in today’s episode was:
• Black Coffee and Fly Me To The Moon - By Julie London
• The Look of Love - By Billy May
• Cuban Pete - By Desi Arnaz 

BW - EP100: The Radio Career of Lucille Ball (1938 - 1952) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 3/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 101, we spotlight the career of John Dehner during 1958. In February of that year, Dehner was cast in the title role of J.B. Kendall in Antony Ellis’ short-lived western, Frontier Gentleman.

We’ll focus on four episodes of the series which had a recurring character named Belle Siddons, a beautiful gambler and ex-Confederate spy.

Although Frontier Gentleman only aired for nine months, it has left a lasting impression on listeners in the years since.

——————————

Highlights:
• John Dehner: Artist and Disney Animator
• How John Dehner Got Into Radio
• Breaking Into the Inner Circle of CBS West-Coast Character Actors
• Television Usurps Radio Drama in the 1950s
• How Gunsmoke Influenced the Western Drama
• Antony Ellis
• CBS Radio Turns a Profit in 1957
• Frontier Gentleman Is Launched
• The Radio Landscape in February of 1958
• The Travels of J.B. Kendall
• Who Is Belle Siddons?
• Love and Honor
• Have Gun Will Travel Replaces Frontier Gentleman
• Radio Drama Dies
• Looking Ahead to the Return of Johnny Dollar

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio - by John Dunning
• Radio Rides The Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air, 1929 - 1967 by Jack French and David S. Siegel
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-1953 - by Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from:
• U.S. Radio, 2/1958, and Broadcasting Magazine 2/101958, and 12/8/1958

——————————

On the interview front:
• Harry Bartell, Lilian Buyeff, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Jack Johnstone, and Vic Perrin were with SPERDVAC, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• Virginia Gregg was also with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chat at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• William Conrad, John Dehner, Norman Macdonnell, and William N. Robson were with John Hickman. Mr. Hickman was the longtime host of WAMU’s Recollections. Today, this program is heard each Sunday evening as The Big Broadcast. For more information, please go to WAMU.org

• John Dehner and Vic Perrin were also heard with Neil Ross for KMPC in 1982.

• Vincent Price and William N Robson were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. These interviews can be heard at GoldenAge-WTIC.org.

• And Roberta Goodwin was with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver on February 7th, 1982.

——————————

Selected Music featured in today’s episode was:
• Hog of The Forsaken - By Michael Hurley
• Ghost Bus Tours - By George Fenton for High Spirits
• Sligo Creek - By Al Petteway and Debi Smith for Ken Burns’ The National Parks—America’s Best Idea
• Get a Job - By The Silhouettes
• Someone to Watch Over Me - By Rosemary Squires & The Ken Thorne Orchestra
• Young at Heart - By Frank Sinatra
• Guess Things Happen That Way - By Johnny Cash

BW - EP101: Frontier Gentleman and The Saga of Belle Siddons (1958) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 4/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls Episode 102, we travel back to the fall of 1955 for the re-launch of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. Although the five-part Dollar format would last for only a year, listeners then and in the years since have praised the productions as some of the best ever.

——————————

Highlights:

• Who is Johnny Dollar?
• Dick Powell: Not Johnny Dollar
• Dollar Launches in February of 1949
• Enter The Movie Star
• Enter The Second Movie Star
• Dollar Signs Off
• The Radio Networks Revamp Programming
• Jack Johnstone and Jimmy Stewart
• Dollar Reborn, with Gerald Mohr?
• Bob Bailey Gets the Role
• Relaunching Johnny Dollar
• After The Final Curtain
• Looking Back to Look Ahead

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• The 1955 Broadcasting Magazine Yearbook
• The 1955 Radio Networks Annual
• The Winter 1956 Journal of Broadcasting Quarterly
• The Who Is Johnny Dollar Matter — By John C. Abbott
• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg
• Broadcasting Magazine — September 19th, 1955; October 3rd, 1955; and April 2nd, 1956
• Radio & TV Mirror — 1955

——————————

On the interview front:
• Mary Jane Croft, Herb Ellis, Jack Johnstone, Elliott Lewis, Jeanette Nolan, were with SPERDVAC, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• Virginia Gregg and Parley Baer were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• Roberta Bailey Goodwin and E. Jack Neuman were with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver

• Hans Conried was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear their full chat at Goldenage—WTIC.org

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Caravan — By 80 Drums Around The World.
• Pyramid to the Sun & Roller Coaster — By Les Baxter
• Exotique Bossa Nova — By Martin Denny
• I’ll Be Seeing You — By The Harry James Band
• Sleep Walk — By Henri René
• Good Timin’ — By Jimmy Jones

BW - EP102: The Return of Johnny Dollar (1955) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 5/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls Episode 103 we visit the town of Wistful Vista to spend a weekend at Walt’s Malt Shop with Fibber McGee and Molly. While between 1938 and 1950, Jim and Marian Jordan’s comedy never finished lower than fifth in national radio ratings, in this episode, we’ll focus on the period after, when the show became a closed production and aired for fifteen minutes, five days per week.


——————————

Highlights:

Jim Jordan—Saver of Things
Who is this Fibber McGee and What does he do?
First Smackout, by way of Chicago
Marian Jordan—Molly McGee
Fibber and Molly join NBC
When Tuesday Night was Comedy Night 
Television takes over as NBC’s Stars Jump Ship
Fibber and Molly Take a Ratings Hit
Marian’s Health Deteriorates
NBC’s plan for the 1950s
Fibber and Molly Becomes a Serial 
Finding Success
Taking Over Walt’s Malt
After the Weekend
Winding Down
Looking Back to Look Forward


——————————


The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
On the Air — By John Dunning
Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as several articles from Broadcasting Magazine, Radio & TV Mirror, and Sponsor Magazine.


——————————



On the interview front:
Parley Baer and Harry Bartell were with SPERDVAC, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

Elvia Allman, Jim Jordan, Jim Jordan Jr, Phil Leslie, Willard Waterman, and Don Wilson were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

Jim Jordan was with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver in 1982.

Don Quinn was interviewed in Hawaii by Owen Cunningham while on vacation in 1951. 

And John Gibson and Jim Jordan were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear their full chat at Goldenage—WTIC.org


——————————



Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
Caravan — By Gordon Jenkins
Goodbye Montana, Pt. 1 — By George Winston
I Forgot to Remember to Forget — By Elvis Presley
Route 66 — By Nat King Cole

BW - EP103: A Weekend at the Malt Shop with Fibber McGee and Molly (1955) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 6/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls Episode 104 we focus on Orson Welles’ radio career from Pearl Harbor through the end of radio’s peak, and pick up where we left off in Breaking Walls episode 79.


——————————

Highlights:
• Orson Returns to Radio In the Fall of 1941
• The Magnificent Ambersons Enters Productions
• December 7th, 1941
• Orson and Norman Corwin Collaborate
• Orson is Named Pan-American Goodwill Ambassador
• It’s All True and Brazil
• Problems with RKO
• Endings Changed, Others Destroyed
• Orson gets fired—Returns to the United States in the fall of 1942
• Ceiling Unlimited And Hello Americans
• Jane Eyre
• Jack Benny Gets Sick, Orson filles in as host
• The Mercury Wonder Show
• Rita
• Marriage, again
• Busy Radio Days in 1944
• The Orson Welles Almanac
• Campaigning for FDR
• Donovan’s Brain
• D Day
• Election Day—1944
• Rita and Orson meet Rebecca
• Christmas 1944
• This is My Best
• Our President is Dead
• More Collaborations with Corwin
• The War Ends
• The Stranger
• Around the World in Eighty Days
• The Mercury Summer Theater
• The Lady From Shanghai
• Divorce
• Macbeth
• Europe and the end for Welles on American radio

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• Citizen Welles  by Frank Brady
• This is Orson Welles by Welles and Peter Bogdanovich
• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Discovering Orson Welles by Jonathan Rosenbaum
• Orson Welles on the Air, at OrsonWelles.Indiana.edu
• Wellesnet.com. 

——————————

On the interview front:
• Orson Welles was with Peter Bogdonavich, Dick Cavett, Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Leslie MeGahey, Dinah Shore, and Huw Wheldon.

• Byron Kane and Jeanette Nolan were with SPERDVAC, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety, and Comedy. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com

• Norman Corwin was with Chuck Schaden. Hear the full chat at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• Howard Duff was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear their full chat at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Robert Wise was with Leslie MeGahey.

• Jack Benny spoke with Jack Carney.

• Lurene Tuttle spoke with Same Time, Same Station in 1972.

• Agnes Moorehead was with Dick Cavett in 1973.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Perfida — By Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra
• The Klezmer’s Wedding — By Andre Moisan
• The Third Man — By Anton Karas
• Hooray for Hollywood — By Don Swan 
• The Battle Cry of Freedom — By Jacqueline Schwab
• Star of Bethlehem — Conducted by John Williams


BW - EP104: Orson Welles' Radio Career From Pearl Harbor to the End of Radio’s Peak (1941—1948) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 7/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls Episode 105 we pour shots and take dictation with The Adventures of Sam Spade. 

——————————

Highlights:
• Bill Spier’s Musical Beginnings Lead to Suspense
• Howard Duff: Unknown Actor
• How About Now For Sam Spade?
• CBS and ABC compete for Spade
• Spade Versus Bergen & McCarthy
• 1947-48: Radio’s Highest-Rated Season
• Spade Hits Its Stride
• Stop The Music
• June Havoc, Uncredited Spade Actress
• Unamerican Hammett? Unamerican Duff?
• Spade Gets Cancelled—Twice
• Howard Duff: Radio Preservationist
• What’s Next

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

On the Air — By John Dunning
Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg 

As well as articles from the archives of Billboard Magazine, Broadcasting Magazine, Radio Daily, and Variety. 

——————————

On the interview front:

• Eve Arden, Howard Duff, and Lurene Tuttle were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

• Dick Joy, Elliott Lewis, and E. Jack Neuman were with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver.

• Howard Duff, June Havoc, and Bill Spier were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear their full chats at https://goldenage-wtic.org/

• Lurene Tuttle remembered radio with Same Time, Same Station on February 6th, 1972.

• Frank Stanton spoke with CBS in honor of their 50th anniversary in 1977.

• Mary Jane Croft was with SPERDVAC on March 14th, 1992. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Fever — By Peggy Lee
• Smoke Gets In Your Eyes — By The Mallett Men
• Young At Heart — By Frank Sinatra
• The Prologue and Main Title piece from High Spirits — By George Fenton
• Atomic Cocktail — By Slim Gaillard 


BW - EP105: Sam Spade Comes to Radio (1946 - 1951) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 8/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 106, we join Eve Arden at Madison High School and find out why we all love Our Miss Brooks. 

——————————

Highlights:
• Who is Eunice Quedens? 
• Eve the heroine with Elizabeth Arden cosmetics.
• Starting out in Hollywood
• Getting on the Radio
• Teaming with Danny Kaye, Jack Haley, and Jack Carson
• William Paley and his Packaged Program Initiative
• My Friend Irma and Two New Proposed Female-driven Situation Comedies
• Our Miss Booth—Not Happening
• Eve Arden, meet Connie Brooks
• Our Miss Brooks—The New Summer Hit
• Colgate Signs on in the Fall of 1948
• Cast Camaraderie
• Eve Arden—Radio’s Top Comedienne
• Miss Brooks Gains Traction
• Taking the Show into TV without Jeff Chandler
• Winding down the Radio Show
• Looking Ahead to September

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

On the Air — By John Dunning
Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg 

As well as articles from the archives of Broadcasting Magazine, Radio Daily, and Radio Mirror. 

——————————

On the interview front:

Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Jack Haley and Gloria McMillan were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingofRadio.com.

Eve Arden was also with John Dunning on July 25th, 1982 for 71KNUS

Mary Jane Croft was with SPERDVAC on March 14th, 1992. For more information, please go to SPERDVAC.com.

Shirley Booth was with Dick Cavett in 1971. 

And Ozzie and Harriet Nelson were on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show on November 18th, 1969. 

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• It’s Been a Long Long Time — By The Harry James Band
• Easy Street — By June Christy
• Living Without You — By George Winston 
• Hello Mary Lou — By Ricky Nelson

BW - EP106: Summer Vacation with Our Miss Brooks (1948 - 1954) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 9/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 107, we go back to school with the Nelson family and find out why David and Ricky joined the program, and how it affected the entertainment industry forever.

——————————

Highlights:
• Oswald George Nelson—Boy from New Jersey
• The Ukulele Craze and the Boy scout Jamboree
• Ozzie Starts a Band
• Splitting Time Between Football and Music
• Cleaning Up Around Town
• On the Banks of the Old Raritan
• Law School and WMCA
• Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra Gets on Radio
• Ozzie Meet Harriet
• Harriet Hilliard—One Heck of a Talent
• Harriet Joins the Band
• Joe Penner and Robert Ripley
• Getting Married—Harriet Becomes a Film Star
• Touring—David and Eric Are Born
• Red Skelton
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is Born
• Changing Networks in 1948
• Jack Benny Jumps to CBS—David and Ricky Join the Show
• Finding Their Groove as a Family
• ABC and a Ten-Year Contract
• Here Come The Nelsons to Television
• Looking Ahead to Halloween 

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Ozzie — By Ozzie Nelson
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg 
• Before Television — By Glenhall Taylor
• As well as articles from the archives of Broadcasting Magazine, Sponsor Magazine, Radio Daily, and Radio Mirror. 

——————————

On the interview front:

• Ozzie Nelson spoke with: Johnny Carson, Chuck Cecil, and James Day
• Ricky Nelson spoke with Johnny Carson and David Hartman 
• David Nelson spoke with David Hartman, and KRLA
• Jack Wagner and Johnny Hayes were also with KRLA
• While Harriet Nelson spoke with David Hartman and Chuck Schaden
• Chuck Schaden also interviewed Jack Benny, Lurene Tuttle and Janet Waldo Hear these chats and others from Chuck’s forty-year career at SpeakingOfRadio.com

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Theme from A Summer Place — By The Ventures
• Colorado Trail — From Stephen Ives’ The West
• On The Banks of the Old Raritan — By The Rutgers Alma Mater Choir
• Auld Lang Syne — By the Manhattan Strings
• Dream a Little Dream of Me and Jersey Bounce — By Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra
• Get Thee Behind Me Satan — By Harriet Hilliard Nelson
• I Will Follow You — By Ricky Nelson
• The Haunted House Boogie — By Jack Rivers and Happy Wilson


BW - EP107: Back to School with The Nelsons (1933 - 1954) [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 10/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 108 we go back to October 31st, 1948 and open a five-part mini series on that season’s business and programming. 

——————————

Highlights:

• You Are There
• Dewey V Truman
• Let’s Sit This One Out
• Halloween 1948 in New York over the Mutual Broadcasting System
• Ozzie and Harriet Visit a Haunted House
• Jack Benny Goes Trick-or-Treating for a New Network
• Phil Harris and Alice Faye
• Sam Spade, Rocky Jordan, and Connie Brooks
• Walter Winchell Spits Fire
• Cabin B-13
• A Tremendous Election Upset
• Looking Ahead to Thanksgiving 1948

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• Sunday Nights at Seven — By Jack and Joan Benny
• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg 
• WOR Radio 1922-1982

As well as articles from the archives of 
• The Los Angeles Times 
• The New York Daily News 
• The New York Times
• Radio Daily
• The Saturday Evening Post.

——————————

On the interview front:

• Eve Arden, Jack Benny, Alice Faye, Phil Harris, Elliott Lewis, Bret Morrison, and Lurene Tuttle were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Hans Conried, Howard Duff, and June Havoc were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Dick Joy spoke with John Dunning for 71KNUS. 

• Ben Grauer spoke with Westinghouse in 1970.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Danse Macabre — by Camille Saint-Saëns (Camille San Sons)
• I’ll Take Manhattan — By Blossom Dearie
• Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton
• The Look of Love — By Nelson Riddle
• Verdi’s Macbeth Overture — Conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli
• Flag of Columbia — By Jacqueline Schwab
• Over The River and Through The Woods — By the U.S. Air Force Band

BW - EP108: Halloween 1948—Dewey Vs. Truman [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 11/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 109 we continue our mini-series on the 1948-49 radio season by focusing on news and programming from Thanksgiving Day, 1948. 

——————————

Highlights:

• Tex and Jinx for WNBC with photographer Robert Capa
• John Nesbitt’s Passing Parade for WOR while CBS broadcasts the Macy’s parade
• Cornell vs. Penn in the Turkey Bowl Game
• Norma Young’s Happy Homes for KHJ in Los Angeles
• Let’s Get Married with Bride and Groom on KECA
• The Elgin Thanksgiving Special with Don Ameche
• Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis with Vera Vague
• Jack Benny Gets a Turkey on the Cheap — Signs A Big Contract with CBS
• David Sarnoff Overplays his Hand
• Fulton Lewis Jr. with the News from Mutual Broadcasting
• Henry Aldrich’s Turkey Run
• Burns and Allen Loose a Wedding Ring
• Pre-teen Margaret O’Brien Stars on Suspense
• Casey, Crime Photographer’s Holiday
• James Hilton Hosts The Hallmark Playhouse with Free Land
• Virginia Gregg and Willard Waterman Guest-Star on The First Nighter Program
• Thanksgiving Leftovers and Looking Ahead to Christmas

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg 


• The fantastic work by Doctor Joseph Webb on 
Suspense — https://sites.google.com/view/suspense-collectors-companion?fbclid=IwAR1L18Vl___MNGzqrDnJQd9fMgoyzxFboroMVC2akJBkfhDe5DHJHXgrYsE)

Casey Crime Photographer — https://sites.google.com/view/ethelbertsarchives/home?fbclid=IwAR1MRDebzXn8uVYd36uaJBcwIcKV-PEu_IFMKOqOo12S38ka3UXlT39wAmo

As well as articles from the archives of 
• Broadcasting Magazine
• Radio Daily
• The New York Times


I’d also like to thank Mark Greenspan for supplying the audio from Penn vs. Cornell.

——————————

On the interview front:

• Virginia Gregg, Barbara Luddy, Margaret O’Brien, Olan Soule, Ezra Stone, Willard Waterman, and Don Wilson, were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at http://www.speakingofradio.com/

• Don Ameche, Hans Conried, Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson, Jan Miner, and Vincent Price were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at https://goldenage-wtic.org/

• Cedric Adams spoke with Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin in 1952.

• Jack Poppele spoke with Westinghouse in 1970.

• Jack Benny was interviewed for a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians.

• Barbara Walters spoke with George Burns in 1979.

• Virginia Gregg spoke with SPERDVAC on August 14th, 1982. For more information, go to https://www.sperdvac.com/

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Sleigh Ride and Jingle Bells — By Al Caiola, Riz Ortolani & Jimmy McGriff
• Thanksgiving — By Michael Silverman
• Greensleeves — By Steve Erquiaga
• Night Pt. 1 - Snow — By George Winston
• Deck The Halls — By J.P. Torres

——————————

BW - EP109: Thanksgiving 1948—The Changing Radio Landscape [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 12/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 110 we continue our mini-series on the 1948-49 radio season by focusing on news and programming during Christmas week, 1948. 

——————————

Highlights:
• Jack Benny: Leaving for CBS
• A northeast blizzard starts holiday week
• Edgar Bergen: Also leaving NBC
• Walter Winchell’s big new ABC deal
• Soaps,  Queens, and the Chesterfield Supper Club
• Monday night belongs to CBS
• Lunch with WOR while NBC still owns Tuesday evenings
• Fred Waring and Yukon King Gear up For Xmas
• Blackie, Gildy, Duffy, and Bing
• Abbott, Costello, and Jolson fade, while Suspense soars on Thursday
• ABC wins Friday while Skelton gets ready to leave NBC too
• Merry Christmas from the Royal Roost in Manhattan
• Mary Lee, Grand Central, and Elgin Celebrate Xmas
• Sinatra’s up-and-down 1948
• Benny and Bergen say goodbye to NBC

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg 

As well as articles from:
• Broadcasting Magazine
• The Los Angeles Times
• NationalParkService.gov
• The New York Daily News
• Radio Daily
• WhiteHouseHistory.org

——————————

On the interview front:

• Edgar Bergen, Mel Blanc, Himan Brown, Ken Carpenter, Gale Gordon, Jim Jordan, Harold Peary, Alan Reed, Lurene Tuttle, and Don Wilson were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Edgar Bergen, Hans Conried, John Gibson, Jim Jordan, and Jan Miner were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Ralph Bell, Himan Brown, and Jack Johnstone were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com

• Bing Crosby and John Scott Trotter were with Same Time, Same Station

• Eve Arden was with John Dunning

• Phil Harris with Jack Carney

• Bob Hope with Johnny Carson

• Jo Stafford with Michael Feinstein

• Frank Sinatra with Larry King

• Red Skelton was with Dini Petty

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year — By Andy Williams
• Christmas Dreaming — By Frank Sinatra
• Somewhere in My Memory and Star of Bethlehem — By John Williams for Home Alone
• Christmas Blues — By Washboard Pete
• Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day — By The Marlborough Cathedral Choir
• Christmas Carols for 1928 — By Elsie Holt
• White Christmas — By Bing Crosby
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas — By Mel Torme
• Ya Viene La Vieja — By JP Torres

BW - EP110: Christmas Week 1948—The CBS Talent Raids [Rewind]

This episode was originally released on 1/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 111 we resume our mini-series in January of 1949. CBS is now the nation’s number one network, and NBC is left to come up with programming answers. We’ll focus on the shows they launched in the spring and summer of 1949. 

——————————

Highlights:
• Jack Benny: Now on CBS
• First The News
• Network Radio Opens 1949 with Record Earnings
• John Wayne, Claire Trevor, John Ford, and Ward Bond Open The NBC Theater 
• David Sarnoff and the Mass NBC Exodus
• It’s the Martin and Lewis Show!
• Alan Young and Henry Morgan
• Richard Diamond
• Jack Webb Launches Dragnet
• Fred Allen Finally Has Enough
• William Conrad, The Killers, and The Four Star Playhouse
• Dangerous Assignment
• San Francisco’s YUkon 3-8309 Lady Detective
• Looking Ahead to the Fall of 1949

——————————

The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from:
• Billboard Magazine
• Broadcasting Magazine
• Radio Daily

——————————

On the interview front:
• Virginia Gregg, Lurene Tuttle, Herb Vigran, Mike Wallace, Don Wilson were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Parley Baer, Lilian Buyeff, Herb Ellis, Betty Lou Gerson, Virginia Gregg, and Peggy Webber were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com

• Arnold Stang was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were with Cedric Adams

• Fred Allen was on Tex and Jinx

• Donald Vorhees was interviewed for Allen’s Biography In Sound

• Jack Kruschen was with Jim Bohannon

• John Dehner was with Neil Ross

• William Conrad was with Chris Lambesis 

• E. Jack Neuman was with John Dunning

• Frank Sinatra was with Walter Cronkite

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Takin’ A Chance on Love — By Helen Forrest
• The Pavane — By Steve Erquiaga
• Lenore Overture Number 3 — By Ludwig Van Beethoven
• And Fly Me To The Moon — By Frank Sinatra

BW - EP111: NBC Answers the CBS Talent Raids (1949) [Rewind]

Tuesday, April 15, 1947.

It’s a damp, overcast Tax Day. The smells of hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, kinishes, and stale beer are in the air. 

We’re at Ebbets field in the neighborhood of Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York for a 1PM opening day National League baseball game between the visiting Boston Braves and our hometown Brooklyn Dodgers.

Right before the season manager Leo Deroucher was suspended for the entire year by the offices of Major League Baseball for “conduct detrimental to the team.”

at the last minnute, Burt Shotton, a calm, steady presence was called in to take the helm. 

The bums are expected to contend this year and the fans are excited.

The old Red Head, Red Barber is up in the press booth calling the action on radio for the Columbia Broadcasting System. 

The Ebbets Field celebrities are all here: 

There’s the Dodgers Sym-phony. Hilda Chester the cowbell lady. Gladys Gooding is on the organ...and like Brooklynite writer Pete Hammil one said, the rough democracy of the upper deck is filling up with restless natives.

There’s 26,623 total in attendance. Men, women, and children with all kinds of faces donning Dodgers caps, windbreakers, flannel jackets, letterman’s sweaters, sport coats, and suits. 

They’re Italian, African American, jewish, Irish, polish, Norwegian. It’s the proverbial melting pot, come to life. 

At 12:45PM, the Dodgers begin to trot out of the clubhouse as Second Baseman Eddie Stanky, Center Fielder Peter Reiser, Catcher Bruce Edwards, and pitcher Joe Hatten run out. 

Hatten warms up as the time ticks towards 12:50, and one by one the rest of the dodgers come out taking their positions for infield warmups.

Right fielder Dixie Walker. Left Fielder Gene Hermanski. Third Baseman Spider Jorgensen. Short Stop Pee Wee Reese. 

Finally, to the fans begin to buzz as the team’s new acquisition from Montreal of the International League jogs out to first base.

He was born in Cairo Georgia, the youngest son of a Share Cropper that grew into a four-sport letterman at UCLA, and a second lieutenant in the army during World War II. 

His name is Jack Roosevelt Robinson and he’s the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues since Moses Fleetwood Walker in 1884. 

He casually tosses his teammates infield practice until 1:01PM when Home Place umpire Babe Pinell signals for the start of the game. 

Robinson smooths the dirt in a playing path by first base and sets himself, knees bent, slightly crouched, with his oversized first-basemen’s mitt on his left hand on the ground and open. 

Boston Short Stop Dick Culler digs in as Brooklyn lefty Joe Hatton winds and delivers the pitch.

Culler swings and slaps a ground ball towards third base. He digs out of the batter’s box as Spider Jorgensen charges in to his right and fields the ball on a high hop, throwing slightly off balance towards first base. 

Robinson, right foot on the bag, stretches as far as he can, catching Jorgensen’s throw and getting Culler out by a step.

And just like that, a fifty-year old gentleman’s agreement between changing owners and the commissioner’s office, that had barred any dark skinned men from playing in the league, was dead.

It died here in Flatbush at 1PM, on a Tuesday afternoon as 26,000 watched.

And wildly cheered.

Jackie Robinson's First Game — April 15, 1947

Los Angeles, 1935. It’s the heart of the Great Depression and Philip Marlowe is broke. He’s contemplating whether he should pawn his .38, give up his Private Investigator’s license, and find another profession. He stops into his friend Lou’s automat for a sandwich. Lou tells Marlowe he’s got some work for him to do. It sounds like it’s Marlowe’s lucky day… or is it? 

Author Raymond Chandler set The Big Sleep, the first of his novels involving famous private detective Philip Marlowe in (then) present-day 1936, but who was Marlowe before The Big Sleep? In A Man Named Marlowe, we’ll find out.

It’s a story with an empowered woman, heinous crimes, back room deals, gruesome murders, hundreds of thousands of dollars of gold, and two long-dead ghosts that teach us heroes can live forever. Premiering May 15th, 2018, a new episode will debut every two weeks for twelve weeks. 


Heard in this episode:
Christopher Bradley as Lou Parker
Javan Ivey as Joe Briggs
Nancy Pop as Ruth Moriarity
James Scully as Philip Marlowe

Closing Song: 
Can The Circle Be Unbroken by The Carter Family


A Man Named Marlowe is available in the same feed as Breaking Walls. Subscribe on itunes and everywhere else you get your podcasts by searching for Breaking Walls or at TheWallBreakers.com. 

… and if you enjoy A Man Named Marlowe, tune in to Breaking Walls, a documentary series on the history of American Radio Broadcasting. The most recent episode—number 79—chronicles the career of Orson Welles between 1931 and 1941. Both of these shows are available in the same feed, by searching for Breaking Walls wherever you get your podcasts or at TheWallBreakers.com

To support these shows for as little as $1 per month, please go to patreon.com/TheWallBreakers.

Nancy Pop’s website is - http://www.nancympop.com … Go check her out! She’s Director of Media and Production at The Theater Collective, and the host of both “SHEbang,” a monthly variety show in New York City featuring an all-female line up of comedians and poets, and "In Cold Read", a monthly playwriting workshop at Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers in Bushwick, Brooklyn.


A Special Thank you to:
Christian Neuhaus
Rebecca Shield


WallBreakers Links:
Patreon - http://patreon.com/thewallbreakers
Social Media - @TheWallBreakers
URL - http://thewallbreakers.com
Online Store - jamesthewallbreaker.com/shop/

A Man Named Marlowe Episode 1: The Man & The Case

Previously on A Man Named Marlowe:
Los Angeles, 1935. It’s the heart of the Great Depression and Philip Marlowe is broke. He stops into his friend Lou’s automat for a sandwich. Lou tells Marlowe he’s got some work for him to do. It sounds like it’s Marlowe’s lucky day… or is it?

Part 2:
Marlowe gets tailed across town to Bernie Ohl’s house. After leaving Bernie’s he heads up to Big Bear Lake to investigate the cabin Ruth mentioned. There he finds something unspeakably gruesome.

Heard in this episode:
Dan Mountain as Bernie Ohls
James Scully as Philip Marlowe

Closing Song: 
Red Sails In The Sunset by Bing Crosby

A Man Named Marlowe is available in the same feed as Breaking Walls. Subscribe on iTunes and everywhere else you get your podcasts by searching for Breaking Walls or at TheWallBreakers.com.

… and if you enjoy A Man Named Marlowe, tune in to Breaking Walls, a documentary series on the history of American Radio Broadcasting. The most recent episode—number 79—chronicles the career of Orson Welles between 1931 and 1941. Both of these shows are available in the same feed, by searching for Breaking Walls wherever you get your podcasts or at TheWallBreakers.com

To support these shows for as little as $1 per month, please go to patreon.com/TheWallBreakers.

A Man Named Marlowe Episode 2: The Advice & The Horror

Previously on A Man Named Marlowe: Marlowe gets tailed across town to his friend Bernie Ohl’s house. After leaving Bernie’s he heads up to Big Bear Lake to investigate the cabin his new client Ruth Moriarity mentioned. There he finds something unspeakably gruesome.

In Episode 3, Marlowe's offered a large sum of money to drop the case and stop looking for John Moriarity, even though he's already stumbled upon two horrible murders.

Heard in this episode:
Nancy Pop as The Waitress
Olga Lysenko as The Telephone Operator
Fernando Sanabria as The Homicide Detective
Christopher Bradley as Gus
Will Benson as Benny Chance
James Scully as Philip Marlowe

Closing Song: 
Farewell My Lovely by Richard Himber, with Stuart Allen singing

A Man Named Marlowe is available in the same feed as Breaking Walls. Subscribe on iTunes and everywhere else you get your podcasts by searching for Breaking Walls or at TheWallBreakers.com.

… and if you enjoy A Man Named Marlowe, tune in to Breaking Walls, a documentary series on the history of American Radio Broadcasting. The most recent episode—number 80—looks at a summer series called Forecast that ushered in an era of public pilots, and gave rise to three incredibly popular shows.

Both of these shows are available by searching for Breaking Walls wherever you get your podcasts or by going to TheWallBreakers.com

To support these shows for as little as $1 per month, please go to patreon.com/TheWallBreakers.

A Man Named Marlowe Episode 3: The Aftershock & The Proposition

Previously on A Man Named Marlowe: Marlowe stops in at an all-night diner in an attempt to decompress from the murders he’s witnessed. When he gets back to his apartment, he receives a call from a henchman, telling him that Krypton Club owner Benny Chance wants Marlowe off the case, and he’s willing to pay to see it happen. 

In Episode 4, Two more murders bring Marlowe to the edge, until an unbelievable visit from an older man sends him to Spokane looking for answers.

Heard in this episode:
Dan Mountain as Bernie Ohls
Sam T. Wilson as Henry Long
Brett Solimine as The Desk Clerk
James Scully as Philip Marlowe

Featured Music: 
Riders on the Storm by George Winston from Night Divides the Day – The Music of the Doors
You Did It, You Did It by Rahsaan Roland Kirk & His Quartet

A Man Named Marlowe is available in the same feed as Breaking Walls. Subscribe on iTunes and everywhere else you get your podcasts by searching for Breaking Walls or at TheWallBreakers.com.

… and if you enjoy A Man Named Marlowe, tune in to Breaking Walls, a documentary series on the history of American Radio Broadcasting. The most recent episode—number 80—looks at a summer series called Forecast that ushered in an era of public pilots, and gave rise to three incredibly popular shows.

Both of these shows are available by searching for Breaking Walls wherever you get your podcasts or by going to TheWallBreakers.com

To support these shows for as little as $1 per month, please go to patreon.com/TheWallBreakers.

A Man Named Marlowe Episode 4: The Ghost & The Odyssey

Previously on A Man Named Marlowe: After Marlowe’s meeting with nightclub owner and gangster Benny Chance, he drives to his friend Lou’s automat only to find that Lou has been murdered. Marlowe goes to his office building where he finds the elevator boy also dead. In Marlowe’s office is an older man with a gun. The two talk. Afterwards Marlowe drives to Spokane, Washington to try to solve the case. When he gets there, the woman who hired him knocks on his hotel room door. 

In Episode 5, Spokane begins to yield some answers as Marlowe makes a new friend, and pretends to be interested in buying land before getting ambushed.

Heard in this episode:
Nancy Pop as Janice Tomlinson
Sam T. Wilson as William W. Powell Jr. 
Dr. David Linton as William T. Phillips
James Scully as Philip Marlowe

Featured Music: 
In a Sentimental Mood - Duke Ellington
A Picture of Me Without You - Paul Whiteman & his Orchestra w/ Ken Darby
Don’t Let It Happen Again - Isham Jones & his Orchestra w/ Joe Martin
On The Good Ship Lollipop - Shirley Temple

A Man Named Marlowe is available in the same feed as Breaking Walls. Subscribe on iTunes and everywhere else you get your podcasts by searching for Breaking Walls or at TheWallBreakers.com.

… and if you enjoy A Man Named Marlowe, tune in to Breaking Walls, a documentary series on the history of American Radio Broadcasting. The most recent episode—number 81—delivers an in-depth look at comedian Fred Allen’s career, complete with interviews, show clips. fights with executives, and a good feud or two.

Both of these shows are available by searching for Breaking Walls wherever you get your podcasts or by going to TheWallBreakers.com

To support these shows for as little as $1 per month, please go to patreon.com/TheWallBreakers.

A Man Named Marlowe Episode 5: The Release, The Ruse & The Meeting

Breaking Walls is the podcast on the history of American network radio broadcasting. It focuses on people, places, stories, and events from the Golden Age of American Radio. Find us and subscribe everywhere you get your podcasts and at TheWallBreakers.com

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on The History of American Radio Broadcasting

COMING SOON 
New York, 1835: A city at its tipping point.

It’s ten years since the completion of the Erie Canal. New York City’s population is now over 270,000. Most of these people live below Fourteenth Street in wooden or brick buildings no taller than five stories. The gap between rich and poor is rapidly expanding as each week thousands of new men and women pour onto New York’s dangerously overcrowded streets. Many come to earn an honest living.

Others for more nefarious reasons.
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As New York grows, widening old streets and creating new ones is paramount. It raises property value, but property taxes can only increase if the land is improved upon. Buyers are purchasing land on credit and selling to someone new before needing to pay back the original balance. 

This artificial inflation is creating a very unstable economy. 
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The city has no reliable source of drinking water. Although New Yorkers vote in favor of the Croton Aqueduct in April, construction is yet to begin. The aqueduct needs to be paid for. That same month, officials place a twenty-four hour guard in the cupola of City Hall to ring a large bell and hang a light in the direction of any fire. The potential for a cholera epidemic or a crippling blaze is a constant source of fear.
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These fears are stirred by the City’s penny papers, chiefly The Sun and The New York Herald, whose publishers Benjamin Day and James Gordon Bennett are battling for readership. In August, this battle leads to the greatest literary hoax of the nineteenth century—fooling both layman and scholar—portending the existence of intelligent life on the Moon.
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Even as he calls the hoax remarkable, Phineas T. Barnum is orchestrating one of his own. With the help of William Niblo, Barnum is set to display a woman named Joice Heth: Ms. Heth claims to be the one-hundred-sixty-one year-old nursemaid of George Washington. Remarkable indeed. 
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New York is a powder keg. On the frigid, blustery night of December 16th, 1835, it finally explodes as the worst fire in city history sweeps through Manhattan. The East River is frozen solid. The undermanned and exhausted team of volunteer firefighters are no match. Everything south of Maiden Lane and east of Broad Street—the chief merchant district and the one with the highest property value—turns to ash.

The fire causes the modern equivalent of $500 million in damages. The official investigation finds it to have been caused by a leaky gas valve near a lit coal stove. No public blame is assigned. 

But what if New York’s greatest fire was no accident?
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Coming soon to your favorite podcast app: Burning Gotham, the new audio drama about the fastest growing city in the world, and the opportunists who shaped it.

Burning Gotham Teaser 001: The New Audio Drama Set in 1835 New York City

March 1835: Paris, France.

What does an inheritance, a proposition, and two lovely Russian countesses have in common?

Don’t be fooled, danger is coming.
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Premiering soon on your favorite podcast app, Burning Gotham, the new scripted audio fiction podcast, set in 1835 New York City. Subscribe to this audio feed to learn more, or go to BurningGotham.com.

Burning Gotham Teaser 002: The Letter

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