Golden Age of Radio

The Milwaukee Journal – Oct 20, 1940 The Gooks—Vic, Sade and Rush NINE years ago last June, Paul Rhymer was dozing comfortably in NBC continuity office in Chicago. Everyone had gone and, in the quiet of the Saturday afternoon, he was enjoying his spring fever in an orgy of laziness. Into this placid scene strode C. L Menser, looking for a continuity writer to dish up a script for three actors he wanted to audition the unluckiest guy in the world, simply because he hadn’t gone home, but he pounded out a script and turned it in. The three actors never were hired, but Rhymer’s script was it was “ Vic and Sade ”-now the most popular serial story on the air. Just recently, the women’s national radio committee announced its last survey showed that the whimsical story of the “Gook family, halfway up in the next block,” appeals to women in every block and every farm because it’s “complete in each broadcast” and because it’s “about people like ourselves.” “ Vic and Sade...

The Milwaukee Journal – Mar 16, 1941 Alice Faye Still Going By Carlton Cheney JUST take a glimpse at Alice Faye if you want to realize how swiftly eight years can spin by. To most of you—and us, too—Alice seems like a mere youngster, who has come along pretty rapidly in the last two or three years. But now let’s look at the record: Back in 1933—a good eight years— Rudy Vallee publicly asserted: “No, I am not going to marry Alice Faye , that beautiful blond singer in my band.” And Rudy kept his word, too. He never married Alice. Jump ahead to 1937 and let’s hear a pronunciamento of Miss Faye herself: “I will never marry Tony Martin . I don’t like young actors. They’re too selfish.” Three days later she eloped with the 22 year old singing actor, Tony Martin. She explained a few days after the ceremony: “I guess it was because of a quarrel or something. Tony insisted that I marry him or else. I’m still up the air. Marriage is a kind of letdown to romance. I...

The Pittsburgh Press- Jul 19, 1942 Inner Sanctum Host Isn’t a Bad Guy If You Look at Him Out of Character He’s been a caddy, a soda jerk, a bus boy, an insurance salesman, a bank teller and a tennis pro. His favorite composer is Sibelius, he is a profound a thinker as a college professor but he usually dresses in casual tweeds and sport jackets. His friends sum him up simply as “a heck of a swell guy.” That’s Raymond Edward Johnson, much-heard NBC actor. Currently Ray is heard in “The Story of Bess Johnson” as Clyde. Bess’ outspoken but sincere’ friend. That’s pretty close to real life, too. The real Bess Johnson (no relation) gave Ray his first radio job some years back. He also is “The Host” on the Blue Network’s “ Inner Sanctum ” and his fan mail brings carloads of oil cans for the famous squeaking door that opens the program *         *        * The first radio job Ray landed was in “T...