Golden Age of Radio

The Milwaukee Journal – Nov 8, 1942      Radio Stock Troupe Does Well SEVEN actors, an actress and a director are today earning a place in dramatic history. They are radio’s first and only stock company, heard on the Cavalcade of America ” and known as the Cavalcade Players. Since that day in the dim past when men first entertained their fellows with ballads and play, actors have banded together to form “stock companies” that left their mark on theatrical history. From Euripides of Greece to America’s famous chautauquas, groups of actors have traveled together, worked together and suffered together. Today the Cavalcade Players form another noteworthy of radio. The hardships of travel, the tribulations of the road, the grease paint and footlights, the irregular work are replaced by an NBC microphone and a luxurious, air conditioned studio. Aside from somewhat unusual working hours, the players live normal lives—more like businessmen then the ba...

CLAGHORN’S THE NAME BUT CALL HIM KENNY – DELMAR, THAT IS BY TWEED BROWN THAT grinning whirlwind whipping in and out of Radio City isn’t a refuge from the sound effects cabinet. On closer inspection it will prove to be a bushy-haired young gent out of Boston by name of Kenneth Frederick Fay Howard, attempting to keep up with his radio commitments. This bustling Bostonian has ample reason to rush, for under the professional name of “Kenny Delmar” his actor-announcer talents are in such demand as to require would be sponsors to queue up for considerable distances. Not only is Delmar sought for more announcing chores than he can shake a Social Security card at, but his brainchild, “Senator Claghorn” (That’s a joke, son!) is currently the “hottest” thing in radio. If you don’t immediately identify “the Senator” as the unreconstructed tenant of Allen’s Alley—on the Fred Allen program—then he is the person responsible for normally sane citizens from Wenatchee, Wash., ...

Herald-Journal – Feb 14, 1949 Ecuador Mob Kills 6 After Radio Fright QUITO, Ecuador, (AP),—An enraged mob that hurl gasoline and flaming balls of paper took bloody vengeance for a panic caused by an Orson Welles -type radio dramatization of an “Invasion FromMars.” The mob attacked and burned the building of the newspaper El Comercio, which housed the radio station, and killed at least 6 persons and injured 15 others. Army troops were called out. They used tanks and tear gas to restore order. THE MOB wrecked the newspaper building, its equipment and the radio station. Damage was estimated at more than $350,000. Indictments were drawn against Leonardo Paez, director of art at the station, known as Radio Quito, and Eduardo Alcaras, a Chilean who is the station’s dramatic director. Heads of the station said the 2 men prepared and directed the dramatication without their knowledge. Police detained 10 suspects and arrests of several more were ordered. The po...

Elliott Lewis Among some actors—always the less successful ones—to regards directors as frustrated performers who, because they, themselves, have no talent, take delight in lousing up the performances of those more gifted. Not even the most disgruntled thespian in Hollywood , however, would think of muttering such a charge against Elliot Lewis, the new producer-direcer of Auto-Lite’s award-winning “ Suspense ” series, heard Thursday evening on CBS . Lewis can play the leading role, write the script or handle the direction with facility—and if an engineer or sound effects man were turn up missing, he could handle their jobs, too. The 34-year-old producer-actor-writer is unquestionably the most formidable triple-threat man to emerge in radio since Orson Welles —and he has the same zeal, imagination, and boundless energy. As an actor, his range is staggering. This is the Elliot Lewis who won a following of sophisticates throughout the nation with his smooth, romantic narrati...

The Miami – May, 1974 Actress Agnes Moorehead , 67 RADIO AND SCREEN star Agnes Moorehead was nominated for an Oscar five times. In the 1950s she starred in the CBS radio program “Suspense.” Associated Press ROCHESTER, Minn,_ Agnes Moorehead ,, an outstanding and highly versatile character actress of stage and screen for half a century, died yesterday at the age of 67. Cause of her death was not revealed. The red-haired Miss Moorehead made her movie debut with Orson Welles in “Citizen Kane,” in 1941 . She won the New York Film Critics award for best actress of the year in 1942 for “The Magnificent Ambersons.” Miss Moorehead five times was nominated for an Oscar—in “The Magnificent Ambersons,” “Mrs. Parkington .” “Johnny Blinda.” “All That Heaven Allows,” and “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” One of Miss Moorehead’s most memorable roles was that of a woman past 100 years of age in “The Lost Moment,” in 1947 . The actress had been a patient at the Mayo Clinic her...

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...

Some personalities are best suited for sinister old time radio shows. This week we are featuring our spooky favorite stars of old time radio up to 30% off! Vincent Price  -  From The Saint to the Thriller, enjoy one of radio and films great scary men!    Agnes Moorehead  - This marvelous actress was much more than Samantha's mom on Bewtcihed; she was part of the backbone of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater and one of the most talented and versatile voices Suspense and the Golden Age of Radio.  Orson Welles  -  Best known for his airing of "War of the Worlds", Orson Welles made numerous appearances on a variety of different shows during his magnificent radio career. He was truly a creative genius in radio, before he went on to Hollywood.   Peter Lorre  -  This extensive collection follows the lisping Hungarian's guest appearances on comedy, horror and variety shows. Boris Karloff  -  Best kn...

The Milwaukee Journal – Jun 10, 1938 Erno Rapee Believes Radio Creates Music Lovers THE United States, claims Erno Rapee, director of the Radio City Music Hall symphony orchestra, is fast becoming a nation of highly discriminating music lovers, a country in many ways more hospitable to even the most revolutionary in modern music than any to be found in present day Europe. A few years ago in America, Rapee says, to the average man Tschaikowsky was merely an unpronounceable Russian name; Debussy, a radical French composer whom none but a few of the musically elect were supposed to be able to fathom, and Georges Enesco, modern Rumanian master, an artist in composition as well as in concert completely unknown. But now the tide has turned. The voice of a people, long frowned on by “friends of music” on the cultured continent, the accredited home of great art, is being culticated, Rapee believes. And more and more America calls for the masterpieces, both contemporary and cla...

William Spier Director of CBS’s Radio Shows: Philip Morris Playhouse and Sam Spade A beard veteran of twenty years in radio William Spier, director of the  Philip Morris Playhouse , heard Fridays at 10 P.M. EDT over CBS, is generally rated radio’s top-notch creator of suspense-type dramas. Born in New York City, October 16, 1906, he began doing things upon graduation from Evander Childs High School. When nineteen, following a series of small jobs, Spier went to work for the Musical America magazine. Deems Taylor was then editor of the magazine and it was under his watchful eye that Spier rose to the position of chief critic during the five years he remained with the magazine. Spier’s next important assignment was that of producer-director for the Batten, Barton. Durstine and Osborn Agency in New York City. During his years with BBD & O, leaving there in 1941 to join CBS on the West Coast, Spier produced such radio programs as the Atwater Kent Radio Hour, General...

Orson Welles was a Hollywood boy genius. He had a long and prolific career in radio, movies, theater, and television as an actor, writer, producer, and director yet he was also considered a bad boy. Welles and Hollywood had a love/hate relationship. Considered an innovative and artistic director, actor, and writer, his relationships with the studios and studio heads was contentious at best. They didn’t understand the way he made movies, his innovations, or his artistic vision. Welles was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin to a wealthy family. After his parents separated and moved to Chicago. His mother died when he was nine and his father died when he was 15. He was taken in first by Dudley Crafts Watson of the Chicago Art Institute after his mother died. Later he became the ward of Dr. Maurice Bernstein and attended the Todd School for Boys. While at the Todd School, he was influenced by Roger Hill. Hill allowed Welles to study whatever interested him in school. It was at school where ...