Golden Age of Radio

When Jack Benny signed off the air for the summer 1943, his last words stirred the nation.  Many people have written to him for copies of his little speech.  Here it is at last, and we repeat it for what its worth to you.  "Today Valley Forge and Bull Run and Gettysburg and Chateau Thierry come marching out of the past and we see them clearly again ... because marching at their side are the men of Bataan and Pearl Harbor and Corregidor and Wake ... and the mean who fell there are still a living part of it.  And their spirits has given new life to all men who have died since 1776.  Some time will erase the pain of the memory of Bataan and Pearl Harbor as it one erased the pain of Verdun.  But tonight the gold stars are too bright and new, the wounds in our hearts too fresh and the pain too sharp to forget.  And, thus, Memorial Day becomes more than a roll call of our honored dead and a roll call more of the living.  And the living must step forth ...

St. Joseph Gazette- Apr 27, 1982 Don Wilson, radio – TV figure, dies -AP Don Wilson dead PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP)—Don Wilson, the rotund foll of Jack Benny ’s comedy routines on radio and television for more than 30 years, has died at the age of 81. Wilson was found unconscious Sunday at his home in Cathedral City and was taken to Eisenhower Medical Center. Doctors at the hospital were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at 6:51 p.m. The cause of death was listed as a cerebral vascular accident or stroke. He joined the Jack Benny radio show in 1933 after working as a sports announcer for NBC . He was initially only the program’s announcer, but Benny soon worked him into the show as a regular character. His wife, Lois Corbet, also eventually became a character on the radio and television shows, along with Eddie “Rochester” Anderson. Dennis Day , Phil Harris , Mary Livingston , Artie “Mr. Kitzel” Auerbach, Mel Blanc , Bea Benaderet , Verna Felton, Fran...

Sgt. Preston of the Yukon (originally called Challenge of the Yukon) was by far the longest running Mountie series, and definitely the most popular one to be broadcast in the U.S. A vast array of premiums were distributed by the Quaker Company in connection with this radio series. The best one was when the company bought a small parcel of land in the Yukon, divided it into one-inch square sections, and then distributed "official deeds of title" to each tiny square by putting them in boxes of Quaker cereals. In fact, 21 million such deeds were printed and distributed for free in cereal boxes and the resulting publicity was enormous. Today, over half a century later, Quaker Oats still receives hundreds of inquiries from people with these deeds, asking about their "property" and its value. But, the "Klondike Big Inch Land Company" no longer exists. Sadly, Quaker's parcel of land was reclaimed by the Canadian government many years ago for non-payment of...

The Milwaukee Journal – Jan 28, 1945 Unveiling  DUFFY’S TAVERN “ DUFFY’S TAVERN , where the elite meet to eat, Archie the manager speaking . . .” That’s Ed Gardner, Archie himself, who has got himself and his tavern into the movies after winning nation-wide laughter as a radio comedian (7:30 p. m. Fridays, WTMJ) Gardner is a former WPA worker who mangled English so intelligently that the radio industry figured he really was worth $5,000 a week. Hollywood raised the ante so the tavern, with its characters and free lunch, is now before the cameras at Paramount. Everybody from the radio show is there except Duffy himself, the disembodied voice who calls Archie on the phone. And it includes Clifton Finnegan, the well known moron; Eddie, the waiter, and the enchanting Miss Duffy herself. To give the hangout a little style, Paramount has chipped in with Bing Crosby and the four Crosby kids, Dorothy Lamour , Veronica Lake, Eddie Bracken , Victor Moore, Barry...

Fitch Drops ‘ Rogue ’; Harris-Faye Seg To Fill Daley Spot HOLLYWOOD , July 27, -- Fitch Company this week revealed intentions to drop Rogue’s Gallery , mystery seg, at end of current summer fill-in on NBC . Hair tonic company is giving Dick Powell stanza the go-by to concentrate on new Phil Harris-Alice Faye show which takes over the former Cass Daley regular slot. Harris-Faye show is to be given top-drawer promotion and dough. Rogue , which s witches to NBC from a permanent MBS-Sponsored slot, meanwhile is being peddled by MCA with Texaco and other sponsors interested.

But it is something has always struck me about the similarities between Jack  Benny and Jerry Seinfeld. For instance: BOTH were comedians BOTH had historically successful (legendary?) comedy programs BOTH surrounded themselves with a tight 'gang' BOTH deferred the best jokes (or lines) to their fellow cast members. BOTH were content to be the butt of the joke (when appropriate) BOTH broke down the 4th wall (Benny talked to audience, Jerry did it via Stand Up Somedy) BOTH were usually the conduit for story lines  (very involving only Mary/Phil or Kramer/Elaine for example) BOTH involved preparing for and sometimes performing there show as part of their situational comedy. Even the cast member pairings Jack Benny = Jerry Seinfeld Phil Harris = Kramer Mary Livingston = Elaine Bennis [Multiple] = George Castanza Frank Nelson , Mel Blan c = Newman Each show had a wonderfully talented second tier of actors/actresses as well.  From Jerry's parents...

< LAST MINUTE REHEARSAL FOR CAVALCADE OF AMERICA FINDS MEMBERS OF CAST DILIGENTLY CHECKING SCRIPTS FOR LAST MINUTE CHANGES> <DIRECTOR HOMER FICKET (SEATED UNDER FLAG) GIVES THE ENTIRE CAST A QUICK RUN THROUGH THE SCRIPTS BEFORE AIR TIME.> <Sound effects are an integral part of the show, requiring the most experienced men.> <Edward Jerone , versatile actor, plays Abe Lincoln one week, and a bit part the next.> CAVALCADE OF AMERICA TUNE IN WEDS. 8 P.M. E.W.T. (NBC) When the Cavalcade series was first presented eight years ago, few people in radio thought it would succeed. Likely to be tagged as “long-haired” and an “educational program” those in the know felt that a show devoted to historical drama would find a very small listening audience. But Cavalcade has proved that Americans are interested in their country and its great names. The producers of the show were far-sighted enough to see that if the program was to have any real value,...