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Ed East

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By Old Time Radio Shows



ON THE AIR TONIGHT: The Ask-it-Basket, with Ed East as master of ceremonies, on CBS at 8:00, rebroadcast to the West at 8:30, P.S.T.—sponsored by Colgate Dental Cream.
Although it suffers from one of the worst titles ever devised by man, the Ask-It-Basket is one of radio’s most entertaining quiz programs. Its new master of ceremonies and head quizzer, Ed East, helps make it so.
He’s a fat man, Ed East is, and doesn’t mind admitting it. Standing six feet one, he weighs 265 pounds, living proof that a life time in show business doesn’t always impart a lean and hungry look.
Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Ed went to school with Hoagy Carmichael, who rose to fame later with his tune “Star Dust” and many other hits. Ed interrupted his own education when he was fifteen, by running away from home to join a carnival. He says he’s never regretted the act. In the carnival he started out as odd-jobs boy and finally worked his way up to being the barker for a high diver. Then the carnival closed and Ed went back home to complete his education.
When he was seventeen and out of school, he tried vaudeville as a black-face comedian, but didn’t get very far. He made his debut in Indianapolis, got stage fright, and was withdrawn after one disastrous performance. So he gave up vaudeville and took to leading a dance band. Later, he managed to conquer his stage fright and now is one of the best masters of ceremonies in radio.
In 1928 Ed met Ralph Dumke, another hefty gentleman, together they formed the comedy team, “Sisters of the Skillet.” They made their radio debut over station WGN in Chicago. After eight weeks nearly everyone at WGN was of the opinion that the station would be greatly improved if they’d take their act somewhere else. Harry Selinger, the boss, thought otherwise, and his confidence interested a sponsor in them.
Ed and Ralph have split up their partnership now, but they’re still foo friends. Ed came to the Ask-It-Basket this Fall from another quiz show, Name It and Take It.
Besides being a comedian, Ed is quite a composer. He has written about 500 songs which have been published, and more which haven’t. At one time he used to dash off ten songs a week for the “Sisters of the Skillet” act. He’d be the last person in the world to claim that they were all masterpieces.
He takes life easily, and his favorite saying is the one about “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday—and it never happened.” He’s never in his life had enough fishing or cold beans.
If you ever get to be a contestant on the Ask-It-Basket, you’ll discover just how much Ed helps the program. He’s a master at putting people at their ease. 
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