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Breaking Walls

501 EpisodesProduced by James ScullyWebsite

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

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Farewell

February 22nd, 2024

0:39

An important message from RadioPublic

BW - EP150—002: Easter Sunday 1944—Ceiling Unlimited With Joseph Cotten

March 27th, 2024

31:42

Between 12 and 2PM, news, religious, and war programming filled the radio dial. Standouts included the Salt Lake City Tabernacle Choir and Organ at …

BW - EP150—001: Easter Sunday 1944—Cracks In the Nazi Foundation and Invitation To Learning

March 26th, 2024

15:37

Saturday April 8th, 1944. New York City. It’s a rainy day before Easter and World War II news is dominating consciousness.

There are cracks in Germany’s foundation. On Tuesday April 4th, allied surveillance aircrafts …

BW - EP149: March 1944 With The Great Gildersleeve

March 14th, 2024

3:18:14

In Breaking Walls episode 149 we’ll spend March of 1944 with Hal Peary and The Great Gildersleeve.

——————————

Highlights:
• The Men And Women On The Front Lines of War War II in March 1944
• Hal Peary and the Birth of …

TRAILER: The Peoples Recorder

March 13th, 2024

4:50

This is the trailer for The People's Recorder (https://www.peoplesrecorder.info/). Brought to you by the award-winning Spark Media, The People's Recorder is a national podcast on the 1930s Federal Writers' Project: what …

Please Subscribe (For Free) To Breaking Walls on Youtube (Link in Notes)

March 12th, 2024

1:33

Hey everybody James Scully here, host of Breaking Walls. If you've been listening to this show for years on this RSS feed, I want you to know that …

BW - EP149—006: March 1944 With The Great Gildersleeve—A Night In A Foxhole

March 10th, 2024

19:55

On Sunday, March 19th, 1944 Germany forcefully occupied Hungary to prevent the country from making a separate peace agreement with the Soviet Union. …

BW - EP149—005: March 1944 With The Great Gildersleeve—The Campaign Photo, 03/26/1944

March 8th, 2024

31:19

By Sunday March 26th, 1944, with Easter only two weeks away, Gildy had decided to run for mayor. Naturally, he needed a good campaign photo to go with it. By this time, Peary had become a film star, starring as …

BW - EP149—004: March 1944 With The Great Gildersleeve—Gildy Wants To Run For Mayor

March 6th, 2024

35:27

As the first day of Spring approached, Gildersleeve contemplated running for Mayor of Summerfield on March 19th.

Shirley Mitchell voiced Leila Ransom. Ken Carpenter, by then a famous announcer, was the Kraft …

BW - EP149—003: March 1944 With The Great Gildersleeve—Mid-March News With NBC's War Telescope

March 4th, 2024

15:40

On Wednesday March 15th, 1944 during battle, the allies dropped nearly one-thousand tons of bombs and two hundred thousand rounds of artillery on the Monte Cassino Monastery, while trying to storm the building. They …

BW - EP149—002: March 1944 with The Great Gildersleeve—Registering To Vote

March 2nd, 2024

33:16

By December of 1941 The Great Gildersleeve was such a hit that Kraft ordered thirteen weeks of repeats for eight more west-coast NBC stations to air …

BW - EP149—001: March 1944 with The Great Gildersleeve—The First Ever Comedy Sitcom Spin Off

February 29th, 2024

52:32

Hal Peary was born Harrold José de Faria to Portuguese parents on July 25th, 1908. He was fourteen when, in January of 1923, he made his radio debut …

BW - EP148: February 1944 With Bob Hope

February 18th, 2024

5:04:29

In Breaking Walls episode 148 we spend February of 1944 with America’s top comedian, Bob Hope, as he whisks himself around the country, entertaining troops and broadcasting to the masses.

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Highlights:

• Leslie …

BW - EP148—012: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Looking Ahead to The Great Gildersleeve

February 17th, 2024

5:11

Well, that brings our look at Bob Hope’s career in February of 1944 to a close. We’ll be staying in 1944 the remainder of the year and next month we’ll spend March 1944 with a program considered to be the first spin-off …

BW - EP148—011: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Hope Gets Sick, Is Honored By Academy Awards

February 15th, 2024

30:14

On February 29th, 1944 Bob Hope was supposed to be in Mobile, Alabama for the first leg of a tour. He was unfortunately grounded by a cold. Instead, …

BW - EP148—010: February 1944 With Bob Hope—World War II News As We Leave February

February 13th, 2024

14:57

On Friday February 25th, 1944 "Big Week," the allies six-day strategic bombing campaign against the Third Reich ended with a successful bombing of …

BW - EP148—009: February 1944 With Bob Hope—The Bob Hope Show with Guest Carole Landis 2/22/1944

February 11th, 2024

31:08

On Tuesday February 22nd, 1944 The Bob Hope Show took to the air with a special broadcast for the Coast Guard. The guest was Carole Landis.

Hope’s …

BW - EP148—008: February 1944 With Bob Hope—The Bob Hope Show With Guest Bing Crosby 2/15/1944

February 9th, 2024

29:38

On February 15th, 1944 Bob Hope broadcast his program from Santa Ana’s Classification Center. His guest of honor was none other than good friend Bing Crosby.

In February of 1944 Frances Langford was twenty-eight years …

BW - EP148—007: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Mid February World War II News

February 7th, 2024

15:29

The week of February 13th, 1944 began with the Allies raiding Hong Kong and giving supplies to French resistance fighters.

The next day a British …

BW - EP148—006: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Command Performance with Frank Sinatra & Judy Garland

February 5th, 2024

33:02

On Saturday February 12th, 1944, Ken Carpenter was announcer for a Command Performance guest-starring Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland. Hope …

BW - EP148—005: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Red Skelton, Words at War, & the 4th War Bond Drive

February 3rd, 2024

21:31

After Bob Hope’s program signed off at 10:30PM eastern war time, The Red Skelton Show signed on. It debuted on Tuesday October 7th, 1941. By …

BW - EP148—004: February 1944 With Bob Hope—The Bob Hope Show With Guest Ginger Rogers 2/8/1944

February 1st, 2024

31:22

On Tuesday February 8th, 1944 at 10 PM eastern time over WEAF, and at 7PM pacific time over KFI, Bob Hope’s Pepsodent Program signed on live, coast-to-coast from Oceanside, California.

The guest was Ginger Rogers, the …

BW - EP148—003: February 1944 With Bob Hope—NBC Dominates Tuesday Ratings

January 31st, 2024

34:50

If you’d have tuned your radio to NBC’s New York flagship, WEAF, at 7:30 PM on Tuesday February 8th, 1944 you’d have heard Ronald Coleman host the …

BW - EP148—002: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Early February World War II News

January 29th, 2024

16:57

As February 1944 got underway the Soviet Leningrad Front was fighting a heavy ground war against the German eighteenth army in Estonia. The battle …

BW - EP148—001: February 1944 With Bob Hope—Hope's Rise To Top Star

January 29th, 2024

34:51

He was born Leslie Townes Hope on May 29th, 1903 in Eltham, England. The fifth of seven sons, his parents were William Henry Hope, a stonemason from Somerset, and Welsh mother Avis, a light opera singer who later worked …

BW - EP147: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (1974)

January 29th, 2024

4:16:32

In Breaking Walls episode 147 we go into the studio with Himan Brown for the CBS radio drama relaunch in 1974.

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Highlights:

• First a January 1974 World News Roundup

• Himan Brown’s Big Idea to Relaunch Radio …

BW - EP147—009: The Launch of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater—No Hiding Place

January 15th, 2024

59:11

This is the fifth episode of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Entitled "No Hiding Place," it was written by longtime writer of The Shadow, Sidney Slon. It stars Larry Haines, Jackson Beck, Anne Meacham, Sidney Walker and …

BW - EP147—008: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—Looking Ahead To 1944 With Bob Hope

January 11th, 2024

5:15

Well, that brings our look at the launch of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater to a close. We’ve spent the past five months making our way forward in time from 1957, to 1963, to 1973, and finally 1974.

But, next month on …

BW - EP147—007: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—The CBSRMT Beyond 1974

January 9th, 2024

5:38

Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 28th, 1974 — CBS 'Theater's' Brown Burns about Serling

"I'm proud of every minute we're on the air...and I'll stand up …

BW - EP147—006: The Launch of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater— 1/8/1974's Episode Dead For A Dollar

January 7th, 2024

59:10

On Monday January 21st, 1974 the just-heard Joe Julian co-starred with Paul Hecht, Joan Banks, Mary Jane Higby, Tony Roberts, and George Petrie in …

BW - EP147—005: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—Stories From The New York Radio Crew

January 5th, 2024

16:22

By the time The CBS Radio Mystery Theater debuted, the men and women associated with the show had been involved with each other for nearly forty …

BW - EP147—004: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—Watergate, Gas Crisis, High Inflation

January 3rd, 2024

22:00

On Thursday, January 10th, 1974 the crew of Skylab 4, which had been orbiting the earth for more than fifty days, was granted a day off. The week prior, during a televised news conference Mission commander Gerald Carr …

BW - EP147—003: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—I Warn You Three Times

January 1st, 2024

59:35

On Saturday, January 12th, 1974, the just heard Mason Adams starred alongside Joan Loring, Tom Keena, Sam Gray, and Alan Manson in the seventh episode of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater.

This aircheck comes from WOR and …

BW - EP147—002: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—Tuning Into January 8th, 1974’s Episode

December 31st, 2023

58:04

The New York Daily News was unenthusiastic in its review of the first two episodes, however the third episode caught their attention.

On the evening of Tuesday, January 8th, 1974 The CBS Radio Mystery Theater took to …

BW - EP147—001: The Launch Of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater—CBS Jumps Back Into Radio Drama In 1974

December 29th, 2023

25:27

Tuesday, January 8th, 1974.

It’s a cold night in Brooklyn, New York. There’s snow in the forecast. We’re driving north on Shore Road, towards the Belt …

Please Subscribe For Free To Breaking Walls On Youtube

December 23rd, 2023

1:35

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2sZTlF006NpivktbnUVn-g

Hey everyone, James Scully here. Happy holidays! For those that don't know, once I get to 500 …

BW - EP146: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour

December 18th, 2023

3:55:04

In Breaking Walls episode 146 we spotlight the Jay Kholos, Elliott Lewis, and Rod Serling series The Zero Hour in honor of the fiftieth anniversary …

BW - EP146—009: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—Life After Radio Drama

December 15th, 2023

4:18

Although The Zero Hour went off the air in the spring of 1974, the people involved didn’t stop working.

Rod Serling always kept a full schedule. His …

BW - EP146—008: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour— Serling Is Disappointed With Radio

December 13th, 2023

8:30

Once Mutual finished running the last of the Lewis-directed Jay Kholos episodes of The Zero Hour on March 14th, 1974, they went dark for six weeks. …

BW - EP146—007: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—Mutual Broadcasting Takes Over

December 11th, 2023

43:33

Associated Press, December 21st, 1973, New York City.

“The script appears strange at first. Its directions are for the ear, not the eye, and say things like: "DOORBELL ON. FOOTSTEPS. DOOR OPENED. TRAFFIC IN BG."

"That …

This Saturday 12/16/2023 — Great Fire Of 1835 Anniversary Walking Tours

December 11th, 2023

1:18

Hey everyone, James Scully here. This Saturday, December 16th, is the 188th anniversary of the Great Fire of 1835. It burned the entire financial …

BW - EP146—006: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—Selling The Show To Mutual

December 9th, 2023

33:08

One of the radio veterans featured in this episode was Byron Kane. Another was Paula Winslowe.

By October 1973, it was obvious that Jay Kholos …

BW - EP146—005: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—AFTRA's Moving Goal Posts

December 7th, 2023

33:08

Janet Waldo, famous for her portrayal of Corliss Archer as well as Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop, and Emmy Lou on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, was featured in this episode of The Zero Hour.

With AFTRA’s moving …

BW - EP146—004: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—Nixon On The Hot Seat

December 6th, 2023

8:12

A year after his re-election, President Nixon was knee-deep in the Watergate scandal. On October 10th, 1973, VP Spiro Agnew resigned, pleading no contest to charges of tax evasion and money laundering, part of a …

BW - EP146—003: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—Selling Radio In The 1970s

December 4th, 2023

33:18

Once Jay Kholos sold the show to various radio stations, it was generally up to those stations to sell the show to sponsors. In New York, The Zero …

BW - EP146—002: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—The Show Debuts

December 2nd, 2023

36:01

Arizona Republic, June 11th, 1973

“If you loved the old radio shows, you'll like what KOOL-FM has in store for you. The station has bought the …

BW - EP146—001: December 1973 With Rod Serling And The Zero Hour—The Big Idea

November 30th, 2023

25:15

November 1st, 1973. The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City.

We’re listening in on a press conference hosted by the Mutual Broadcasting System. They’ve purchased the rights to air The Zero Hour from the just-heard Jay …

BW - EP145: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK

November 28th, 2023

5:40:26

In Breaking Walls episode 145 it’s the fall of 1963 and network radio drama is dead while American life is changing.

If you’re listening to this in real time, this month marks the sixtieth anniversary of John F. …

BW - EP145—014: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—Looking Ahead To Rod Serling And Zero Hour

November 26th, 2023

6:00

Well, that brings our look at November 1963 through the eyes of Jean Shepherd and President Kennedy to a close. Frankly, I wasn’t completely sure …

BW - EP145—013: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—A Subdued Christmas Eve With Shep

November 24th, 2023

28:35

On the morning of Tuesday November 26th, 1963 all regularly scheduled TV and radio programming resumed in the U.S.

President Johnson issued NSAM 273, …

BW - EP145—012: November 1963 with Jean Shepherd and JFK—Jean Shepherd Remembers John F Kennedy

November 21st, 2023

46:56

On Friday November 22nd, 1963, New York’s Village Voice co-founder Dan Wolf’s office was swarmed with people. Journalist Jerry Tallmer later …

BW - EP145—011: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—President Kennedy's Funeral Coverage

November 19th, 2023

18:59

On Monday, November 25th, 1963, John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. NBC Radio was on hand with press coverage of the event.

Millions of viewers watched the funeral on live TV. …

BW - EP145—010: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—Mourning With The Boston Symphony Orchestra

November 17th, 2023

13:40

On Saturday November 23rd, 1963, with the country in a state of shock and mourning, Music Director Erich Leinsdorf led the Boston Symphony orchestra in the compositions of Gluck, Wagner, and Beethoven.

John Kennedy was …

BW - EP145—009: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—JFK Has Passed, Oswald Is Arrested

November 15th, 2023

18:12

All regularly scheduled network programming from every radio and TV station around the country was immediately suspended. This audio comes from …

BW - EP145—008: November 1963 with Jean Shepherd and JFK—News Coverage of JFK on Friday, 11/22/1963

November 13th, 2023

40:25

On Friday, November 22nd, 1963, President Kennedy awoke at 7:30AM. He ate a light breakfast with Jackie before going out by himself to the square in front of his hotel to address a crowd of a few thousand people.

BW - EP145—007: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—John Kennedy's Last Day

November 11th, 2023

5:49

On the morning of Thursday, November 21st, 1963 President Kennedy had breakfast with his children. He said goodbye to his daughter Caroline when she …

BW - EP145—006: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—Shep's Show During JFK Last Week Alive

November 8th, 2023

21:43

On November 19th, 1963, nine days before Thanksgiving, President Kennedy received a turkey from the Poultry and Egg Board. The President always …

BW - EP145—005: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—JFK's Last Trip To Florida

November 7th, 2023

33:29

On Sunday, November 17th, 1963, Frank McGee signed on for NBC’s Monitor with a look at Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. Lincoln’s famous speech …

This Week 11/08 Webinar: The CBS Talent Raids And How They Drastically Altered The Network Landscape

November 6th, 2023

0:53

James Scully here. I wanted to let you know that I’m doing a webinar this Wednesday, November 8th, 2023 at 5:30PM with the New York Adventure Club on …

BW - EP145—004: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—Veteran's Day, Malcolm X, And Lenny Bruce

November 3rd, 2023

28:04

On Saturday November 9th, fans rioted at Roosevelt Field Raceway in Long Island, battling police and setting fires. At least fifteen were hurt and …

BW - EP145—003: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—November 1963 Begins

November 1st, 2023

14:37

As November 1963 began, President Kennedy had emergency meetings on Vietnam. He also received members of the US Industrial Payroll Savings Committee …

BW - EP145—002: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—Shep Gets His Familiar WOR Time Slot

October 30th, 2023

28:31

Support For Breaking Walls is provided by our patrons. If you like the documentaries I've been producing, you can become a show supporter for as little as $1 here — https://www.patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

By 1960, Shep’s …

BW - EP145—001: November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK—I Libertine

October 28th, 2023

29:16

Jean Shepherd was born on July 26th, 1921 on the South Side of Chicago to Jean and Anna Shepherd. He grew up in Hammond, Indiana, which according to …

BW - EP144: October 1957—Sputnik! And Dying Radio Drama

October 27th, 2023

3:19:53

In Breaking Walls episode 144 we present part two of our mini-series on radio and the world in the fall of 1957.

——————————

Highlights:
• The 1957 World Series
• Unit 99
• Sputnik, Bing Crosby, and Current Events
• The …

BW - EP144—013: October 1957—Looking Ahead To November 1963 With Jean Shepherd And JFK

October 26th, 2023

5:58

Next time on Breaking Walls, in honor of the sixtieth anniversary of John Kennedy’s Assassination, we spotlight Jean Shepherd and his November 1963 broadcasts.

——————————

Highlights:
• The 1957 World Series
• Unit 99
• …

BW - EP144—012: October 1957—LIFE And The Death Of Louis B. Mayer

October 24th, 2023

16:03

As the clock ticks toward All Hallow’s Eve, we’ll wind down where we began in last month’s episode of Breaking Walls, with the October 30th, 1957 episode of LIFE and the World on NBC.

The October 14th LIFE Magazine cover …

BW - EP144—011: October 1957—NATO, Syria, And More Sputnik

October 23rd, 2023

16:25

On October 21st, 1957 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited New York City. It was the final stop on their tour. The next day they returned to the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile in Washington, President Eisenhower was …

BW - EP144—010: October 1957—Groucho Marx Still Going Strong

October 21st, 2023

23:35

You Bet Your Life, conceived by the just-heard John Guedel and hosted by comedian Groucho Marx, debuted over ABC’s airwaves on October 27th, 1947.

Three couples were brought onstage to be interviewed and quizzed by …

This Sunday 10/22/2023 — Burning Gotham 1830s NYC Walking Tour

October 18th, 2023

1:20

Hey everyone, James Scully here. I wanted to let you know I’ve got a walking tour on Sunday 10/22/2023 with The New York Adventure Club in …

BW - EP144—009: October 1957—Sorry Wrong Number

October 18th, 2023

27:28

On Sunday, October 20th, 1957 at 4:35PM eastern time, the just-heard Agnes Moorehead starred for the seventh time in Suspense’ adaptation of Lucille Fletcher’s harrowing story, “Sorry, Wrong Number.”

In this play, a …

BW - EP144—008: October 1957—More News From Little Rock, Arkansas

October 16th, 2023

10:36

As we covered in the previous episode, number 143, of Breaking Walls, In Little Rock, Arkansas on September 4th, 1957, nine African-American students …

BW - EP144—007: October 1957—Bill Kemp And The Queen's Visit

October 14th, 2023

8:27

On Wednesday October 9th, 1957 at 8PM eastern time, The Bill Kemp Show took to the air over ABC. Bill Kemp was born on July 10th, 1921 in Toronto, …

BW - EP144—006: October 1957—Stan Freberg

October 11th, 2023

20:28

Stan Freberg was born on August 7th, 1926 in Pasadena, California. Shortly after graduating from high school, he found work as a voice actor in both …

BW - EP144—005: October 1957—Algeria Aflame

October 9th, 2023

11:36

In October of 1957, Algeria was in the midst of a war for Independence and control between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front.

The …

BW - EP144—004: October 1957—The Eternal Light And The Glastonbury Cows

October 7th, 2023

18:16

In October 1944, in conjunction with the Jewish Theological Seminary, NBC began one of the longest-running religious programs in radio history. It …

BW - EP144—003: October 1957—Sputnik, Bing, And Current Events

October 4th, 2023

10:47

On Friday October 4th, 1957 the U.S. received confirmation of the USSR’s launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial earth orbiting satellite.

It was a …

BW - EP144—002: October 1957—Unit 99

October 3rd, 2023

13:22

Unit 99, first aired over ABC’s KFBK Sacramento on August 23rd, 1957. The radio station was part of the McClatchy media empire along with The Sacramento Bee and other radio and TV stations, as well as newspapers in the …

BW - EP144—001: October 1957—Dying Radio And The World Series

September 30th, 2023

12:07

At 12:45PM on Wednesday October 2nd, Game one of the 1957 World Series took to the air. It pitted The Milwaukee Braves against The New York Yankees from Yankee Stadium in The Bronx.

Bob Neal and Earl Gillespie were on …

BW - EP143: September 1957—Civil Rights And The Rocket Age

September 27th, 2023

4:43:41

In Breaking Walls episode 143 we begin a mini series on radio and the world in the fall of 1957.

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Highlights:
• LIFE and The World
• The Man from Tomorrow
• The American Forum of the Air
• Atomic Testing
• Pat …

BW - EP143—012: September 1957—Looking Ahead To October 1957

September 25th, 2023

4:32

Next time on Breaking Walls, we continue our 1957 mini series by picking up in October with Sputnik, Algeria, Queen Elizabeth’s royal tour, and dying radio drama.

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The WallBreakers:
http://thewallbreakers.com

BW - EP143—011: September 1957—The Death Of National League Baseball In New York

September 23rd, 2023

7:06

In September 1957 baseball’s Dodgers, who’d called Brooklyn home since 1884, and Ebbets Field since 1913, played their final games in Flatbush. …

BW - EP143—010: September 1957—The Bing Crosby Road Show And The Report On School Integration

September 21st, 2023

12:36

In September of 1957, Bing Crosby, now fifty-four years old, was gearing up to host the Edsel TV special and generating praise for his recent …

BW - EP143—009: September 1957—CBS Still Doing Sunday Radio Drama

September 18th, 2023

1:23:50

The man you’re listening to is William Froug. He was instrumental in bringing the CBS Radio Workshop back to the air. CBS was still airing dramatic programming on Sunday afternoons. In 1957 Froug became the VP of …

BW - EP143—008: September 1957—The Grand Ole Opry And Meet The Press

September 16th, 2023

11:42

On Saturday, September 14th, 1957 The Grand Ole Opry signed on from WSM and the Ryman Auditorium.

WSM is a fifty-thousand-watt clear channel station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded by the National Life and …

Have you been enjoying Breaking Walls? Give the Show a Rating

September 15th, 2023

0:14

Have you been enjoying Breaking Walls? If so, give the show a quick rating on whatever platform you listen, especially iTunes.

BW - EP143—007: September 1957—The End Of Family Theater

September 13th, 2023

24:03

The man you just heard is Herb Vigran, being interviewed by Chuck Schaden in 1984. He’s about to be featured on Family Theater.

The show was created …

BW - EP143—006: September 1957—Howard Miller And Steve Allen

September 11th, 2023

14:29

At 10:45 AM central time on the morning of September 11th, 1957, Howard Miller signed on from WBBM with fifteen minutes of music, and an interview with Steve Allen.

Howard Miller was born on December 7th, 1912 in …

BW - EP143—005: September 1957—Ms America, A School Bombing, And Danny Kaye

September 9th, 2023

16:09

On Saturday September 7th, 1957 Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned 1958’s Miss America in Atlantic City. She was a twenty-year old Phi Beta Kappa scholar …

BW - EP143—004: September 1957—Ray Bradbury And The End Of X Minus One

September 6th, 2023

39:16

The man you’re listening to is one of the most celebrated authors of the 20th-century: Ray Bradbury. By the spring of 1955 he’d authored more than one-hundred short stories and one novel, Fahrenheit 451, born out of a …

BW - EP143—003: September 1957—Pat Buttram, Labor Day, And Just Entertainment

September 4th, 2023

9:57

Labor Day is a U.S. federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the contributions of laborers to the …

BW - EP143—002: September 1957—American Forum Of The Air With Atomic Testing

September 2nd, 2023

6:33

On September 1st, 1957 at 10:30PM eastern time over NBC, The American Forum of the Air signed on with a talk on the dangers of nuclear testing.

The day prior a nuclear test was conducted in Nevada, only roughly three …

BW - EP143—001: September 1957—The Man From Tomorrow

August 31st, 2023

49:55

August, 1957.

We’re driving east on Route 50 from West Sacramento in a 1957 Ford Skyliner. The convertible costs roughly three-thousand dollars, has …

Burning Gotham: Out Now

August 29th, 2023

1:43

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 …

BW - EP142: William Gargan is Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator (1939 - 1955)

August 23rd, 2023

4:20:26

In Breaking Walls episode 142 we feature one of Brooklyn’s native sons, Bill Gargan, who made more than sixty films, and good money on radio in the …

BW - EP142—011: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Looking Ahead To 1957

August 21st, 2023

5:31

While this brings our look at the life of William Gargan to a close, we’ll be staying in this time period for the next episode of Breaking Walls.

Next time on Breaking Walls, it’s the fall of 1957 and the world is in …

BW - EP142—010: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Throat Cancer And Thereafter

August 19th, 2023

5:04

After Barrie Craig went off the air, Gargan continued to occasionally host Family Theater. He also made films Miracle in The Rain and The Rawhide Years. He starred on the west-coast stage in a version of The Desperate …

BW - EP142—009: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Ghosts Don't Die In Bed

August 16th, 2023

34:38

In September of 1954 as the last new episode of The Lone Ranger was broadcast, Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator took to the air on Tuesday September 7th at 8:30PM eastern time with an episode called “Ghosts Don’t …

BW - EP142—008: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Hay Is For Homicide

August 15th, 2023

35:36

On Tuesday August 31st, 1954 as President Eisenhower addressed the American Legion, it had been a busy ten days for American aviation.

On Sunday, August 22nd, Braniff Airways’ Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain crashed during a …

BW - EP142—007: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Hollywood Vs. New York

August 13th, 2023

34:37

After eleven orders of thirteen Barrie Craig installments, production of the show moved from New York to Hollywood with the July 6th, 1954 episode. …

BW - EP142—006: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Radio Ratings In 1954

August 10th, 2023

7:23

By 1954 ninety-eight percent of homes had a radio set. There were still nineteen million U.S. houses that could only be reached by radio.

Procter …

BW - EP142—005: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Launching Barrie Craig

August 7th, 2023

33:42

When Bill Gargan was fired from Martin Kane he planned to star in a Broadway rendition of Doctor Knock. In late September of 1951, Gargan signed a …

BW - EP142—004: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Martin Kane

August 5th, 2023

20:31

In 1949 Bill Gargan appeared in Dynamite for Paramount Pictures. It would be his last film until 1956. On March 3rd he appeared on Guest Star.

That …

BW - EP142—003: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—The War And Being A Radio Detective

August 4th, 2023

27:22

During the War, Bill Gargan led a USO group that featured Paulette Goddard, Keenan Wynn, and accordionist Andy Arcari.

They toured China-Burma-India. …

BW - EP142—002: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Hollywood And An Oscar Nomination

August 1st, 2023

38:14

William Gargan appeared in more than fifty films in the 1930s. In between, he and Mary’s second son, Leslie, was born on June 28th, 1933. The Gargans bought the late Jean Harlow’s house at 512 North Palm Drive for …

BW - EP142—001: William Gargan Is Barrie Craig—Brooklyn's Native Son

July 30th, 2023

14:33

William Dennis Gargan was born to an irish-american Catholic family in Brooklyn, New York on July 17th, 1905. His parents—Bill and Irene—had seven …

BW - EP141: Orson Welles In Europe (1948 - 1956)

July 23rd, 2023

3:54:02

In Breaking Walls episode 141, we finish a three part series on the radio career of Orson Welles by picking up as he left The United States for …

BW - EP141—009: Orson Welles In Europe—Looking Ahead To Barrie Craig

July 20th, 2023

5:55

It seems fitting that the way in which Orson Welles described Alexander Woollcott is the same way many who knew Welles would have described him.

BW - EP141—008: Orson Welles In Europe—Tomorrow And Yesterday

July 18th, 2023

15:30

On Sunday January 1st, 1956 NBC’s Monitor broadcast New World Today.

1956 was a Presidential election year. At the time of this broadcast, Dwight Eisenhower, who’d had a heart attack in September, was still debating …

BW - EP141—007: Orson Welles In Europe—Mr Lincoln And Mr Arkadin

July 16th, 2023

15:53

On February 13th, 1955 Orson Welles appeared on an episode of NBC’s Anthology in salute to Abraham Lincoln. Directed by John Malcom Brennen, produced …

BW - EP141—006: Orson Welles In Europe—The BBC Sketchbook And Moby Dick

July 13th, 2023

15:30

On March 15th, 1955, Orson Welles premiered as Lord Mountdrago in the British Omnibus horror film, Three Cases of Murder. The film consisted of three stories, Welles appeared in the one titled after his character.

Ten …

BW - EP141—005: Orson Welles In Europe—Moriarty

July 11th, 2023

36:06

In 1953 Orson Welles met Italian actress Paola Mori. She was twenty-four, beautiful, and had lived for eight months in a concentration camp during …

BW - EP141—004: Orson Welles In Europe—Song Of Myself And Theatre Royal

July 9th, 2023

42:59

In September of 1952, Orson Welles worked with the BBC for a portrait of early American director Robert Flaherty. Flaherty, who directed the first docu-drama film, Nanook of the North in 1922, had passed away the …

BW - EP141—003: Orson Welles In Europe—Othello And The Black Museum

July 6th, 2023

36:01

One of the first projects Orson Welles undertook after moving to Europe was a film version of Othello. Despite Macbeth’s criticism, he was still …

BW - EP141—002: Orson Welles In Europe—Harry Alan Towers And Harry Lime

July 3rd, 2023

45:04

In 1948 author Graham Greene was in Vienna getting a tour of the city, its back alleys, less-reputable nightclubs, and even its sewers. He was also …

BW - EP141—001: Orson Welles In Europe—Leaving The US

July 1st, 2023

17:35

In 1947, wanting to bring Macbeth to film, Welles teamed with producer Charles K. Feldman to convince Herbert Yates, President of Republic Pictures, to finance.

Welles guaranteed to deliver Macbeth on a budget of …

BW - EP140: Humphrey Bogart On The Air (1935 - 1952)

June 27th, 2023

4:54:50

In Breaking Walls episode 140, we examine the under-appreciated radio career of the one and only Humphrey Bogart.

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Highlights:

• The Broadway …

BW - EP140—012: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Looking Ahead To Orson Welles

June 25th, 2023

5:00

That brings our look at Humphrey Bogart’s life and career to a close.

Next time on Breaking Walls? Well… next time we head to Europe to follow …

BW - EP140—011: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—The Final Years

June 22nd, 2023

27:20

On Wednesday March 12th, 1952 at 9:30PM eastern time, Bogie and Bacall guest-starred on Bing Crosby’s CBS Chesterfield Show.

Two days later, Bogart’s next film, Deadline – U.S.A premiered in New York City. Bogie plays …

BW - EP140—010: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—The African Queen And The Academy Award

June 20th, 2023

8:21

In 1951 Humphrey Bogart once again partnered with John Huston on an adaptation of C. S. Forester’s 1935 novel The African Queen.

Bogart plays the rough-and-ready Canadian mechanic Charlie Allnut, whose coarse behavior is …

BW - EP140—009: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Fatherhood And Bold Venture

June 17th, 2023

32:00

On January 6th, 1949 Lauren Bacall gave birth to their first child, Stephen Humphrey Bogart, named in honor of his character in To Have and Have Not.

Meanwhile Bogart made Knock on Any Door and Tokyo Joe for his Santana …

BW - EP140—008: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—HUAC

June 15th, 2023

17:53

In 1947 Humphrey Bogart signed a new Warner Brothers contract. It gave him limited script refusal and the right to form his own production company. He and Bacall soon made the thriller Dark Passage based on the 1946 …

BW - EP140—007: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Spade, Marlowe, And More Jack Benny

June 13th, 2023

1:02:11

Bogart and Bacall moved into a white brick mansion in Holmby Hills, and he bought a fifty-five foot yacht called the Santana from Dick Powell, …

BW - EP140—006: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Lauren Bacall, Suspense, And Command Performance

June 11th, 2023

36:34

In 1943 and 1944 Bogart went on War effort tours with his third wife Mayo Methot, making trips to Italy and North Africa. He produced shorts for The American Red Cross effort and the Victory Bond drive. The relationship …

BW - EP140—005: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Casablanca

June 8th, 2023

16:51

In 1941, Warner Brothers story editor Irene Diamond was in New York when she discovered the script to an un-produced play called Everybody Comes to Rick’s. She convinced Hal Wallis to buy the rights to the script in …

BW - EP140—004: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Bogie With Hope, Benny, And Vallée

June 6th, 2023

27:39

Humphrey Bogart’s film success led to more radio appearances on comedy programs, giving Bogie the chance to show off his comedic timing. On June 3rd, 1941 Bogart appeared on The Bob Hope Show. The program had a rating …

BW - EP140—003: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—High Sierra And The Maltese Falcon

June 4th, 2023

25:53

As the 1940s got underway, bringing the U.S. closer to World War II, Humphrey Bogart drifted socially and professionally. That year he made four films: Virginia City, It All Came True, Brother Orchid, and They Drive By …

BW - EP140—002: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—Lux Presents Hollywood

June 2nd, 2023

11:20

Despite his success in The Petrified Forest, Bogart signed a tepid twenty-six-week contract at five-hundred-fifty dollars per week. He was …

BW - EP140—001: Humphrey Bogart On The Air—The Broadway Kid

May 30th, 2023

19:42

Humphrey Bogart was born to Belmont Bogart and Maud Humphrey on Christmas Day, 1899 in New York City. The eldest child, his father came from a long …

BW - EP139: Martin And Lewis with Marilyn Monroe & Frank Sinatra (1949 - 1953)

May 20th, 2023

3:17:08

In Breaking Walls episode 139 we spotlight The Martin & Lewis show, and pay close attention to Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe.

——————————

Highlights:

• Capital Gains and Thanksgiving on NBC
• The Nightclub Act
• …

BW - EP139—009: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Looking Ahead To Bogie

May 18th, 2023

7:16

Well, that brings our look at The Martin & Lewis Show to a close. Incidentally, we’ll be staying with this energy next month. I mentioned earlier that Dean made films with The Rat Pack. Frank Sinatra was also a …

BW - EP139—008: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Splitting Then Reuniting

May 16th, 2023

13:47

By the summer of 1953 network radio was allocating increasing time to local affiliates. Budgets were shifting to TV. The final episode of The Martin …

BW - EP139—007: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Marilyn Monroe Makes A Radio Appearance

May 14th, 2023

30:25

Marilyn Monroe broke through as an actress in 1950 with small, but acclaimed roles in All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle. She was then a mistress …

BW - EP139—006: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Frank Sinatra Guest Stars

May 11th, 2023

47:01

On Sunday November 5th, 1950 at 6PM, NBC launched a new ninety-minute star-studded program called The Big Show. Each episode cost over …

BW - EP139—005: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Dragnet

May 9th, 2023

12:02

The U.S. spent the first ten months of 1949 in a recession. Competition for the advertising dollars was stiffer. There were now over …

BW - EP139—004: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—The My Friend Irma Movie

May 7th, 2023

2:54

Although their radio show got canceled, Martin and Lewis were concurrently guest-appearing in a My Friend Irma film. Irma was one of CBS’ top shows starring Marie Wilson. The movie debuted on August 16th, 1949.

Critics …

BW - EP139—003: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Opportunity Flops

May 4th, 2023

25:34

As part of NBC’s programming development, One-point-five Million dollars was allocated towards new shows. The network’s first major signing was Dean …

BW - EP139—002: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—The Nightclub Act

May 2nd, 2023

12:14

Jerry Lewis was born Jerome Joseph Levitch on March 16th, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey. His father was a Vaudevillian and his mother was a pianist for WOR.

By fifteen, Lewis had developed a "Record Act", miming lyrics to …

BW - EP139—001: Martin And Lewis With Monroe And Sinatra—Capital Gains

April 30th, 2023

42:49

It’s 4PM eastern time on November 25th, 1948. Elgin Watches annual Thanksgiving Day special is on the air from NBC’s KFI in Hollywood. Don Ameche is …

BW - EP138: Baseball Memories From Radio History (1921 - 1972)

April 26th, 2023

2:35:46

In Breaking Walls episode 138 in honor of opening day, we’ll share stories, and sounds from Baseball history and the radio.

——————————

Highlights:
• Dots and Dashes
• The Babe
• Mel Allen
• Dizzy
• The War
• Jackie
• The Death …

BW - EP138—012: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Looking To May W/ Frank, Dean, Jerry, & Marilyn

April 25th, 2023

5:33

Well, that brings our episode of baseball stories to a close. But speaking of heroes and heroines.

Next time on Breaking Walls, it’s the 1950s and four people are taking the world by storm for different reasons. We’ll …

BW - EP138—011: Baseball Memories From Radio History—The TV Era And The Death Of Jackie Robinson

April 22nd, 2023

22:26

Radio ratings peaked in 1948 and the networks used excess profits to help launch TV. By 1950 NBC, CBS, and ABC were filling their entire primetime TV …

BW - EP138—010: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Westward Ho!

April 20th, 2023

12:36

In 1954, it took a historic season to dethrone the Yankees who were five-time defending world champions. Although they won one-hundred three games, the Cleveland Indians won a then-American League record one-hundred …

BW - EP138—009: Baseball Memories From Radio History—The Shot Heard Round The World

April 18th, 2023

4:55

1951 seemed like the season it would all finally come together in Brooklyn. The Dodgers were led by Catcher Roy Campanella, First baseman Gil Hodges, …

BW - EP138—008: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Baseball Radio Drama

April 16th, 2023

21:44

The man you just heard is acting legend Vincent Price. Price’s only continuous radio role was as star of The Saint where he played Simon Templar. …

BW - EP138—007: Baseball Memories From Radio History—The Death Of Babe Ruth

April 13th, 2023

9:15

In 1946, Babe Ruth, always a heavy smoker, began to experience severe pain over his left eye and difficulty swallowing.

Tests were bleak. Ruth had an …

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

April 11th, 2023

8:40

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 …

BW - EP138—005: Baseball Memories From Radio History—The War

April 8th, 2023

7:11

As recounted by hall of famer Bob Feller, the summer of 1941 proved to be one of the greatest seasons in Baseball history. Ted Williams hit .401 for the Boston Red Sox — the last man ever to do so, while Joe Dimaggio …

BW - EP138—004: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Dizzy

April 6th, 2023

8:43

Jerome Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was born on January 16th, 1910 in Lucas, Arkansas, only attending school into the second grade. He made his professional …

BW - EP138—003: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Mel Allen

April 3rd, 2023

17:51

In 1939 the just-heard Mel Allen became the New York Yankees radio announcer. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama on February 14th, 1913. While attending the University of Alabama he became the public address announcer …

BW - EP138—002: Baseball Memories From Radio History—The Babe

April 1st, 2023

12:37

In forty-four seasons from 1921 to 1964, The New York Yankees won the World Series twenty times. The dynasty began with Babe Ruth’s sale from the Boston Red Sox after the 1919 season.

Ruth learned his craft in an …

BW - EP138—001: Baseball Memories From Radio History—Dots And Dashes

March 29th, 2023

20:57

If you’ve tuned into Breaking Walls episodes before, you know I rarely editorialize. I’m just the messenger bringing the news. The origins belong to men and women who gave radio their blood, sweat, and tears through …

BW - EP137: St. Patrick's Day On The Air (1937 - 1967)

March 23rd, 2023

3:01:31

In Breaking Walls episode 137 we celebrate the Irish by focusing on St. Patrick’s Day on the air.

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Highlights:
• Fred Allen — The End and the Beginning
• Beat the Band
• Burns and Allen at the NYC Parade
• Bill …

BW - EP137—010: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Looking Ahead To Opening Day

March 20th, 2023

7:34

Well, that brings our look at St. Patrick’s Day to the close, but not to worry the green fields of the mind will remain in April.

Next time on Breaking Walls, in honor of Major League Baseball’s opening day, we take a …

BW - EP137—009: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Ending With Jean Shepherd

March 18th, 2023

14:15

Although Fred Allen’s death left an unfillable hole in mid-century comedy, it’s not as though there weren’t other humorists battling with networks …

BW - EP137—008: St. Patricks Day On The Air—The Death Of Fred Allen

March 16th, 2023

23:15

By January of 1949 Fred Allen was worn out. He’d spent years battling with sponsors and with NBC. In December of 1948 his Sunday at 8:30 rating was a healthy 20 points, but after Edgar Bergen left NBC’s airwaves the …

BW - EP137—007: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Elliott Lewis And Broadway Is My Beat

March 14th, 2023

19:51

Broadway Is My Beat first took to the air on CBS from New York on February 27th, 1949, starring Anthony Ross and directed by John Dietz.

After fifteen weeks, with Dragnet breaking new ground on NBC, CBS moved the show’s …

BW - EP137—006: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Fred Allen Is King For A Day

March 12th, 2023

16:25

In 1944 Fred Allen had to quit the Texaco Star Theatre as a battle with high blood pressure forced him off the air. The next fall, in 1945, he returned to NBC Sundays at 8:30PM with The Fred Allen Show, sponsored by …

BW - EP137—005: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Dennis Day Returns From The Navy

March 9th, 2023

16:45

Jack Benny’s most famous Irish Tenor, Dennis Day was born on May 21st, 1916 in New York City and raised in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx.

Day graduated from Cathedral Preparatory Seminary and attended Manhattan …

BW - EP137—004: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel

March 7th, 2023

18:06

Bill Stern’s Colgate Newsreel first took to the air on December 5th, 1937 over NBC’s Blue network.

Born on July 1st, 1907, Stern began in vaudeville …

BW - EP137—003: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Burns And Allen At The NYC Parade

March 5th, 2023

16:22

By the spring of 1941, George Burns and Gracie Allen had been married for fifteen years and on radio for nine. Their program had been officially titled The Burns And Allen Show in the fall of 1936, and they’d spent time …

BW - EP137—002: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Beat The Band

March 2nd, 2023

10:38

Originally broadcast from Chicago, NBC’s Beat The Band began airing January 28th, 1940 at 6:30PM eastern time. It was sponsored by Kix Cereal.

BW - EP137—001: St. Patricks Day On The Air—Fred Allen, The End And The Beginning

February 28th, 2023

35:06

In 1922 a twenty-eight-year-old Fred Allen, already a vaudeville veteran, was hired by J.J. Shubert for his broadway production of The Passing Show …

BW - EP136: Have Gun, Will Travel (1958 - 1962)

February 18th, 2023

3:02:13

In Breaking Walls episode 136 we spotlight John Dehner and Have Gun, Will Travel.

——————————

Highlights:
• John Dehner’s radio career
• Norman MacDonnell and Palladin
• The Radio Dial on Sunday November 23rd 1958
• A Matter …

BW - EP136—008: Have Gun Will Travel—Looking Ahead To March

February 16th, 2023

7:02

Well that brings our look at the radio version of Have Gun Will Travel to a close. So, what’s in store for March?

Next time on Breaking Walls, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the luck of the Irish, we focus on radio …

BW - EP136—007: Have Gun Will Travel—From Here To Boston

February 14th, 2023

18:39

By 1960, Have Gun and Gunsmoke were the last dramatic productions being recorded for CBS in Hollywood. Network radio drama was dying. The U.S. was …

BW - EP136—006: Have Gun Will Travel—The Lady Doctor

February 12th, 2023

24:13

Thirty-five of the first thirty-nine Have Gun Will Travel scripts were TV script adaptations. Beginning with episode forty, all new scripts were original for the radio version of the series.

The February 15th, 1959 show …

BW - EP136—005: Have Gun Will Travel—Killer's Widow

February 9th, 2023

32:49

The February 9th, 1959 episode of Have Gun Will Travel was called “Killer’s Widow.” Among those featured was the just-heard Vic Perrin. Perrin worked closely with Norman MacDonnell on Gunsmoke and Fort Laramie.

On TV, …

BW - EP136—004: Have Gun Will Travel—A Matter Of Ethics

February 7th, 2023

30:12

On February 1st, 1959, Have Gun Will Travel broadcast an episode called “A Matter of Ethics.”

The program's opening was a four-note motif composed and conducted by Bernard Herrmann. The show's closing song, "The Ballad …

BW - EP136—003: Have Gun Will Travel—The Radio Dial On Sunday November 23rd 1958

February 4th, 2023

24:19

Sunday, November 23rd, 1958 was a sunny, cold day in New York. Conway Twitty had the nation’s top song with “It’s Only Make Believe.” The inside …

BW - EP136—002: Have Gun Will Travel—Norman MacDonnell And Palladin

February 2nd, 2023

7:23

By 1958, Norman Macdonnell was a radio veteran with thousands of broadcast hours under his belt. He’d been producing and directing Gunsmoke since 1952. Gunsmoke’s radio show was one of the first to offer a more-accurate …

BW - EP136—001: Have Gun Will Travel—Dehner

January 31st, 2023

34:41

John Dehner was born John Forkum on November 23rd, 1915 in Staten Island, New York. His father Leroy was an artist. His career allowed John to attend …

BW - EP135: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone (1958)

January 17th, 2023

2:10:05

In Breaking Walls episode 135 it’s February of 1958 and CBS has just launched a new western, Luke Slaughter, of Tombstone. It’s a forgotten sixteen episode gem. Five years earlier it might have been a hit.

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BW - EP135—006: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone—The End Of Slaughter

January 12th, 2023

28:49

Despite the CBS sales team’s best efforts, national sponsorship for Luke Slaughter was non-existent. Only the May 4th episode managed to get sponsorship from O'brien Paints. All the components for an excellent series …

BW - EP135—005: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone—Tracks Out Of Tombstone

January 10th, 2023

28:26

The front cover of the March 2nd, 1958 Sunday edition of The Los Angeles Times spoke of President Eisenhower’s recovery from a mild stroke. Two civilian airplanes crashed over Upland, killing four. Racehorse Round …

BW - EP135—004: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone—The Radio Dial On February 23rd, 1958

January 8th, 2023

18:44

After Luke Slaughter signed off, Frontier Gentleman signed on with its fourth episode. It was called “Kendall’s Last Stand,” and was one of the most gripping shows in the run. John Dehner starred.

Five minutes of a Road …

BW - EP135—003: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone—Slaughter Launches

January 5th, 2023

30:49

When Luke Slaughter debuted on Sunday, February 23rd, 1958 over CBS, network radio had shifted focus. Car radios had become standard. That month, U.S. Radio Magazine reported fifty-five percent of all peak listening …

BW - EP135—002: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone—Planning Luke Slaughter

January 3rd, 2023

6:06

William Robson attracted talented people into Slaughter’s creative process. The going rate in 1958 for a radio script was four-hundred fifty dollars. …

BW - EP135—001: Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone—William Robson And The Hollywood Radio Western

December 31st, 2022

10:09

In February of 1958, CBS’ Gunsmoke, considered by many to be the greatest western of all-time, was in its sixth radio year. The TV version was the medium’s most-watched show, with a rating of 39.6. Although the 1950s …

BW - EP134: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World (1949)

December 22nd, 2022

2:42:58

In Breaking Walls episode 134 we spend our holidays with one of the most-beloved figures of the twentieth century: Jack Benny.

——————————

Highlights:
• …

BW - EP134—009: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Looking Ahead To January

December 19th, 2022

9:01

As the curtain closed on 1949, Jack Benny had his most lucrative year to date. CBS was now the number one network in the country, and both were poised for big things in the oncoming TV era. Benny’s January 1950 rating …

BW - EP134—008: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Christmas Day With Jack

December 18th, 2022

38:33

On Christmas Day 1949, The Czech government outlawed all people who’d fled the country during the 1948 Communist coup. While Cary Grant and Besty Drake were married in a private ceremony.

At 5PM eastern time, CBS put on …

BW - EP134—007: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Christmas Week 1949 World News

December 15th, 2022

5:29

On Tuesday December 20th, Clark Gable and Sylvia Ashley were married at a ranch in Solvang, California. It was the fourth marriage for both of them. …

BW - EP134—006: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Jack Goes Christmas Shopping

December 13th, 2022

35:53

At 7PM eastern time on December 18th, 1949 Jack Benny took to the air with what had become a programming staple: His Christmas shopping episode.

BW - EP134—005: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—What About 1950

December 10th, 2022

4:08

The U.S. spent the first ten months of 1949 in a recession. Competition for the advertising dollar was stiffer. There were now over …

BW - EP134—004: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—The Texas Benefit With Frank Leahy

December 8th, 2022

35:46

By December Jack Benny’s rating was up to 25.4, tops on radio. On December 11th, 1949, Jack attempted to make arrangements for his Texas benefit appearance. Notre Dame football coach Frank Leahy was the guest star.

BW - EP134—003: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Benny Launches Fall 1949 Season

December 6th, 2022

7:29

To take advantage of Capital Gains laws, Jack Benny had formed his holdings into a corporation and sold it to CBS for Two-point-two-six Million …

BW - EP134—002: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Fall 1949 World News

December 4th, 2022

7:10

By the time Mel Allen broadcast Game four of the 1949 world series at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn on October 8th, the world was in turmoil. The Yankees …

BW - EP134—001: Christmas With Jack Benny In A Changing World—Benny Comes To CBS

December 1st, 2022

11:51

On December 23rd, 1948, CBS Chairman William Paley and CEO Frank Stanton broadcast a special closed circuit press conference to their affiliates and staff. The move was to officially announce that Jack Benny was …

Burning Gotham Chapter 2 and Breaking Walls Reminder

November 29th, 2022

0:49

James Scully here, wanting to remind you that Burning Gotham 002: Bankruptcy is now available in the Burning Gotham feed. You can subscribe (for …

Burning Gotham 001: Moving Day

November 27th, 2022

20:09

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. …

BW - EP133: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery (1949)

November 24th, 2022

4:07:24

In Breaking Walls episode 133 we spend Thanksgiving 1949 with the cast of I Love a Mystery.

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Highlights:
• Thanksgiving Eve, 1949
• Carlton E. Morse—Budget Stretcher
• The First Two I Love a Mystery Runs
• Mutual …

BW - EP133—010: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Looking Ahead To Christmas With Jack Benny

November 21st, 2022

5:49

Well, that brings our look at I Love A Mystery to a close, but there’s no mystery about what people thought of the subject of our next Breaking Walls …

BW - EP133—009: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Wrapping Things Up

November 20th, 2022

21:44

Chuck Schaden interviewed Tony Randall on September 16th, 1970 at the Ambassador Hotel in Chicago. Eight days later Randall’s new series The Odd Couple debuted on ABC. Randall played Felix Unger. The show ran for five …

BW - EP133—008: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—One Final CBS Pilot

November 18th, 2022

35:10

Although the serial went off the air in 1952, in May of 1954 a new audition record was produced for CBS in Hollywood. With Russell Thorson back in …

BW - EP133—007: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—The Show Is Cancelled

November 15th, 2022

40:23

Initially running at 7:45PM, Mutual moved I Love a Mystery to 10:15 in 1950. Although geared for teenagers, it was obviously not standard juvenile programming. Many listeners remembered tuning in under blankets with the …

BW - EP133—006: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Tony Randall's Early Career

November 14th, 2022

47:09

Tony Randall was born Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg on February 16th, 1920 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Northwestern University for a year before going …

BW - EP133—005: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Mercedes McCambridge

November 10th, 2022

19:51

Carlotta Mercedes McCambridge was born to farming parents in Joliet, Illinois on March 16th, 1916. She graduated from Mundelein College. McCambridge …

BW - EP133—004: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Thanksgiving Day 1949

November 7th, 2022

17:46

Thursday, November 24th, 1949 was Thanksgiving Day. It was clear and crisp in New York as Macy’s put on its twenty-third annual parade. Floats included The Chef’s Turkey Dinner, the Snowman, and Santa’s Sleigh. Milton …

BW - EP133—003: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Mutual Broadcasting In 1949

November 6th, 2022

15:29

In the summer of 1949 NBC-TV approached Carlton Morse with the possibility of coming to New York to put One Man’s Family on TV. Because the entire …

BW - EP133—002: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—The First Two Runs

November 2nd, 2022

25:53

I Love A Mystery first took to the air Weekdays at 3:15PM on NBC’s West-Coast network in January of 1939.

Michael Raffetto starred as Jack Packard, head of the A-1 Detective Agency, with Barton Yarborough as Texan Doc …

BW - EP133—001: Thanksgiving With I Love A Mystery—Carlton E. Morse

November 1st, 2022

9:56

On the eve of Thanksgiving in 1949, Russian diplomat Andrey Vyshinsky told the UN General Assembly Russia fully supported Communist China’s in …

BW - EP132: Mutual Mystery Shows of the late 1940s (1947 - 1949)

October 29th, 2022

2:55:27

In Breaking Walls episode 132 we go back to the late 1940s and say Happy Halloween with Mutual Broadcasting.

——————————

Highlights:

• The Seedy Underbelly of Coney Island on The Crime Club
• Take a Ride with The Mysterious …

BW - EP132—012: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Looking Ahead To Thanksgiving

October 27th, 2022

5:33

We’re going to stop here, but we’re not even close to finishing with I Love A Mystery. Next time on Breaking Walls, while we spend Thanksgiving with …

Frontier Gentleman — Full Pilot — The Shelton Brothers

October 26th, 2022

40:07

James Scully here. You’re about to listen to the pilot episode of a reimagined Frontier Gentleman, which was originally created by Antony Ellis for …

BW - EP132—011: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Finishing With I Love A Mystery

October 25th, 2022

18:38

Carlton E. Morse’ I Love A Mystery first took to the air Weekdays at 3:15PM on NBC’s West-Coast network in January of 1939.

Michael Raffetto starred as Jack Packard, head of the A-1 Detective Agency, with Barton …

BW - EP132—010: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Murder By Experts

October 23rd, 2022

13:21

Murder By Experts debuted over Mutual on June 13th, 1949. Written by David Kogan and Bob Arthur, it quickly gained the respect and approval from the radio world at large.

Mystery writers like John Dickson Carr and Brett …

BW - EP132—009: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Truman Wins Reelection

October 20th, 2022

6:43

On Tuesday November 2nd, 1948 The United States held its forty-first presidential election. If you’d tuned into the results early in the evening, …

BW - EP132—008: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Halloween 1948 With The Shadow And Sherlock Holmes

October 18th, 2022

17:10

At 5PM Mutual’s most famous program, The Shadow signed on. The show was in its eleventh season on the air in 1948. Andre Baruch handled emcee duties while Grace Matthews played Margo Lane.

Bret Morrison was Lamont …

BW - EP132—007: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—True Detective Mysteries

October 16th, 2022

4:38

At 4:30PM on Sunday October 31st, 1948, True Detective Mysteries signed on. The program had a rating of 10.7. It was Mutual’s number two show overall. Based on items from True Detective magazine, the series was …

BW - EP132—006: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—The House Of Mystery

October 13th, 2022

15:04

By October 31st, 1948, The Mutual Broadcasting System’s flagship WOR in New York was approaching its twenty-seventh anniversary. It was argued that no station matched its signal coverage. WOR-Mutual was known for its …

BW - EP132—005: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—1948 Halloween News With Arthur Bario

October 10th, 2022

5:30

The 1948 DNC convened in July with President Truman’s approval rating as low as 32%. Northern Democrats pushed for a strong civil rights platform, …

BW - EP132—004: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Quiet Please

October 9th, 2022

19:09

In 1934 Chicago was the center for radio production. Writer and director Wyllis Cooper created a program for NBC affiliate WENR that drastically altered the tone of horror. Cooper had been writing advertising copy in …

BW - EP132—003: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—Mystery Is My Hobby

October 6th, 2022

11:54

Mystery is My Hobby originally came to Don Lee’s west coast airwaves in April of 1945, before going full network over Mutual that October as Murder …

BW - EP132—002: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—The Mysterious Traveler

October 4th, 2022

15:15

Written and directed by Robert Arthur and David Kogan, The Mysterious Traveler first aired over the Mutual Broadcasting System on December 5th, 1943.

Mostly sustained, the show was heard on virtually every night of the …

BW - EP132—001: Mutual Mystery Shows Of The 1940s—The Seedy Underworld Of Coney Island

October 2nd, 2022

34:41

By October of 1947, nearly eleven million babies had been born in the U.S. since the end of World War II. Young parents were staying home with their children. Movie attendance bombed.

The 1947-48 season had the largest …

BW - EP131: Orson Welles is The Shadow (1937 - 1938)

September 27th, 2022

2:54:04

In Breaking Walls episode 132 we spotlight Orson Welles’ time as The Shadow in 1937-38.

——————————

Highlights:

• Orson Welles’ on The March of Time and …

BW - EP131—012: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—Looking Ahead To Halloween With Mutual Broadcasting

September 26th, 2022

4:33

In the fall of 1938 as Orson Welles was launching The Mercury Theater of The Air, radio character actor Bill Johnstone became The Shadow. Johnstone …

BW - EP131—011: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—Orson In The Fall Of 1938

September 22nd, 2022

7:48

In late June 1938, Orson Welles was approached by CBS. He was offered a one-hour, network sustained time slot on Mondays at 9PM.

William Paley’s concept: A Mercury Theater of the air for a nine-week trial run. Unlike …

BW - EP131—010: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—The Mercury Theater Leaves The Shadow

September 19th, 2022

5:00

The success of The Shadow was shared by Blue Coal. Billboard reported that twelve months after the premiere their sales were up nearly eleven …

BW - EP131—009: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—The Circle Of Death

September 18th, 2022

30:56

Orson Welles opened in Julius Caesar on November 11th, 1937. He also made time to perform in guest appearances elsewhere on radio with Tallulah …

BW - EP131—008: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—The Three Ghosts

September 15th, 2022

32:25

On Halloween 1937, Benito Mussolini removed Italy’s foreign minister to France due to strained relations between the two countries over Italy's …

BW - EP131—007: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—Early Reviews

September 13th, 2022

4:48

The September 29th, 1937 issue of Variety said “that melodramatic and at times astonishing crime fighter, “The Shadow,” returns to the ether to probably find a rather sizable slice of listeners waiting for him. In this …

BW - EP131—006: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—The Temple Bells Of Neban

September 10th, 2022

34:22

On the October 24th, 1937 episode of The Shadow called “The Temple Bells of Neban,” Lamont meets an Indian woman and drug smuggler named Sadi Bel-Adda. She knows The Shadow’s true identity. She’s the niece of the man …

BW - EP131—005: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—The Shadow Launches With Orson Welles

September 8th, 2022

5:28

In the fall of 1937, Orson Welles was busy readying for a Mercury Theater broadway production of Julius Caesar. The agency Ruthrauff and Ryan …

BW - EP131—004: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—WOR And Network Radio In The Fall Of 1937

September 6th, 2022

3:04

The voice at the top of this clip is that of former WOR chief engineer Jack Poppele. The station went online on February 22nd, 1922.

In 1934, WOR became one of the flagship stations of the Mutual Broadcasting System. …

BW - EP131—003: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—Les Misérables

September 4th, 2022

14:38

By late spring in 1937, the Federal Theater Project was under intense scrutiny for staging what some felt were too many left-leaning labor plays. In …

BW - EP131—002: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—The Shadow As Narrator

September 1st, 2022

10:50

In 1930 publisher Street and Smith decided to try radio with hopes of boosting pulp sales. Each week a drama would be adapted from an upcoming issue …

BW - EP131—001: Orson Welles Is The Shadow—Orson's Early Radio Career

August 30th, 2022

16:44

In the spring of 1935, nineteen year-old Orson Welles was living in New York, appearing on stage in Katharine Cornell’s stock company and workin on …

BW - EP130: Philip Marlowe Comes to Radio (1947)

August 25th, 2022

3:08:30

In Breaking Walls episode 130 we head to the summer of 1947 to get to the bottom of NBC’s Philip Marlowe caper.

——————————

Highlights:

• Who was Raymond Chandler?

• Who is Philip Marlowe?

• Van Heflin, Movie Star

• Radio …

BW - EP130—011: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Looking Ahead To Orson Welles And The Shadow

August 22nd, 2022

5:30

Well, that brings our episode on The Adventures of Philip Marlowe to a close. We’re not leaving the genre though, just going back ten years in time to 1937.

Next time on Breaking Walls we spotlight Orson Welles’ one …

BW - EP130—010: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Marlowe After CBS

August 20th, 2022

6:59

Raymond Chandler wrote three more Philip Marlowe novels: The Little Sister in 1949, The Long Goodbye in 1953, and Playback in 1958. He became a dual citizen of the U.S. and Great Britain.

His wife, Cissy died in 1954. …

BW - EP130—009: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Marlowe Leaves NBC, But CBS Picks It Up

August 18th, 2022

14:27

In September, Bob Hope reclaimed his Tuesday night time slot and NBC’s Philip Marlowe radio adventures were over.

1947 was a good year for Van …

BW - EP130—008: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—The Celebrated Life And Tragic Death Of Jeff Chandler

August 16th, 2022

40:36

The August 8th episode of Philip Marlowe was called “Robin and The Hood.” Jeff Chandler guest-starred playing a dual role.

Born Ira Grossel in …

BW - EP130—007: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—The King In Yellow

August 13th, 2022

35:53

On July 8th, 1947, NBC broadcast an adaptation of “The King In Yellow,” originally published in Dime Detective Magazine in March of 1938. It’s a …

BW - EP130—006: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Initial Reviews

August 11th, 2022

5:52

The June 17th, 1947 edition of Billboard Magazine reviewed the first Marlowe episode. It was noted that similar shows were expected to pull a rating …

BW - EP130—005: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Marlowe Launches With Red Wind

August 9th, 2022

40:29

The Adventures of Philip Marlowe debuted on NBC with “Red Wind” on June 17th, 1947. The 1938 short story is set on one of those evenings when the hot, dry Santa Ana wind gusts through Los Angeles, turning the mood sour.

BW - EP130—004: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Radio Ratings In The Spring Of 1947

August 7th, 2022

5:12

By the middle of 1947, nearly eleven million babies had been born in the U.S. since the end of World War II. Young parents were staying home with their children. Homes with radios jumped six percent, car radios …

BW - EP130—003: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Van Heflin, Movie Star

August 3rd, 2022

8:08

Van Heflin was born on December 13th, 1908 in Walters, Oklahoma. The son of a dentist, he began his acting career on Broadway in the late 1920s. Between 1928 and 1936 he appeared in. Mr. Moneypenny, The Bride of …

BW - EP130—002: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Who Is Philip Marlowe

August 2nd, 2022

7:17

Philip Marlowe, born in Santa Rosa, California, is six feet tall and weighs one-hundred ninety pounds. He has dark wavy hair. In Chandler’s first Marlowe novel, The Big Sleep, set in 1936, he’s thirty-three. Marlowe had …

BW - EP130—001: Philip Marlowe Comes To Radio—Who Was Raymond Chandler

July 31st, 2022

13:03

La Jolla, California. 1947. We’re at 6005 Camino de la Costa at the home of Raymond Chandler. It’s been three years since the fifty-nine year-old …

BW - EP129: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze (1947 - 1955)

July 28th, 2022

3:22:06

In Breaking Walls episode 129 we honor the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Roswell incident by focusing on Radio and the mid-century flying saucer …

BW - EP129—013: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Conclusions And Looking Ahead To August

July 27th, 2022

8:59

By 1955 radio’s days as America’s chief entertainment medium were over. However, while radio drama was dying out, UFO sightings were becoming more prevalent. Some were so outlandish they were hard to believe. Others …

BW - EP129—012: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Roy Rogers Takes Us Home

July 26th, 2022

20:37

Roy Rogers was born on November 5th, 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He spent much of the early 1930s performing with groups like Uncle Tom Murray’s …

BW - EP129—011: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—KNX, Ralph Story, And UFO Mania

July 24th, 2022

10:28

Ralph Story was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan on August 19th, 1920. He served as a US Army Fighter Pilot during World War II and started a career in broadcasting after the war.

His big break came in 1948 when he was hired …

BW - EP129—010: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—You Bet Your Life's UFO Enthusiast

July 21st, 2022

7:18

In October of 1952 You Bet Your Life was in the middle of its sixth season on the air and third over NBC. That month’s rating was 8.8, down significantly from its peak, but still good enough for fifth overall.

The …

BW - EP129—009: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—UFO Sightings During The Korean War

July 19th, 2022

3:28

Like with Germany, Korea was divided into occupation zones after World War II. The Soviets helped establish communism in the North, while the US supported the South. By June of 1950 fighting along the border had been …

BW - EP129—008: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Dangerous Assignment's UFO In Ecuador

July 16th, 2022

19:39

On Saturday July 9th, 1949, Dangerous Assignment debuted on NBC starring Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell. Each week Mitchell was sent to a different …

BW - EP129—007: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Murrow's Report On Flying Saucers

July 14th, 2022

10:48

On April 7th, 1950, Edward R. Murrow broadcast the CBS Special “Report on Flying Saucers.” By then, Murrow was long-known for his journalistic …

BW - EP129—006: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Harris And Remley's UFO Hoax

July 12th, 2022

16:54

On Sunday April 2nd, 1950 at 7:30PM eastern time, The Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show took to the air over NBC. The Harris/Faye show peaked in December of 1948 with a rating of 26, but by this month it was down 8.5. …

BW - EP129—005: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Fibber Sees A UFO

July 9th, 2022

18:23

On Tuesday nights at 9:30PM eastern time in the spring of 1950, Fibber McGee and Molly was NBC’s highest-rated show. They’d stuck with NBC while …

BW - EP129—004: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—The Spring Of 1950 With Red Skelton

July 7th, 2022

24:50

In the spring of 1950, network radio revenue was falling for the first time since 1933. There were now over twenty-six-hundred AM and FM stations …

BW - EP129—003: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Dimension X Launches

July 5th, 2022

22:24

Until March of 1950, most reported UFO observations were seen from a great distance. On March 16th, a physician and pilot — Dr. Craig Hunter of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia — saw one close up.

That same month, the …

BW - EP129—002: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—The Chicago Roundtable Debate

July 2nd, 2022

10:44

The University of Chicago Roundtable grew out of arguments had by professors at the faculty club. In 1931 they were convinced their forum would make …

BW - EP129—001: Radio, Roswell And The Flying Saucer Craze—Kenneth Arnold And The Roswell Crash

June 30th, 2022

23:54

Early on the morning of February 25th, 1942 several aerial objects were spotted over Los Angeles. It triggered the firing of thousands of anti-aircraft rounds. This was ten weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and …

BW - EP128: June 1954—The End as We Knew It

June 27th, 2022

3:02:47

In Breaking Walls episode 128 we wrap up our six month look at 1954 by ending in June with network cancellations.

——————————

Highlights:

• The State of Radio and The Union
• The End of Escape with John Dehner
• News with …

BW - EP128—010: June 1954—Looking Ahead To July And Roswell

June 21st, 2022

5:58

Well, this brings our six-month look at 1954 to a close.

Jack Benny again had radio’s highest-rated show the following season in what would …

BW - EP128—009: June 1954—The End Of James Stewart's Six Shooter

June 17th, 2022

10:53

Even with James Stewart leading the cast and Jack Johnstone directing, without a national sponsor cancellation was around the corner for The Six Shooter. Unlike with CBS, it was uncommon for NBC to sustain shows for …

BW - EP128—008: June 1954—CBS Cancels The Lux Radio Theatre

June 15th, 2022

31:59

At network radio’s height, no dramatic show was more popular than CBS’ Lux Radio Theatre. Between 1936 and 1954 it never finished lower than eighth …

BW - EP128—007: June 1954—What's At Stake In The Fall 1954 Midterm Elections

June 14th, 2022

13:40

On Sunday June 13th, 1954 at 6PM Eastern, The American Forum of the Air signed on Mutual with a discussion on the 1954 midterm elections. The featured Senators were Republican Homer Ferguson of Michigan and Democrat …

BW - EP128—006: June 1954—Goodbye To Jack Benny (For Now)

June 12th, 2022

17:34

On June 6th, 1954 Jack Benny closed his broadcast for the end of the season. Jack was going to headline in Dallas. The show featured a semi-rare appearance from Mary Livingston.

Although radio audiences were rapidly …

BW - EP128—005: June 1954—Autolite Drops Suspense

June 8th, 2022

34:12

By June of 1954, the thirty-six year-old Elliott Lewis was producer/director of four shows and the star of two. His peers affectionately dubbed him …

BW - EP128—004: June 1954—Let's Pretend With Arnold Stang

June 7th, 2022

20:01

Originally broadcast as The Adventures of Helen and Mary, radio’s preeminent children’s show first took to the air on September 7th, 1929 over CBS. It became Let’s Pretend on March 24th, 1934.

Hosted by “Uncle” Bill …

BW - EP128—003: June 1954—News With Frank Edwards On Mutual

June 5th, 2022

5:52

On June 4th, 1954 at 10PM, The Frank Edwards news program signed on from WOR in New York. During this month there were more than one-hundred-twenty major American cities with significant unemployment. The Secretary of …

BW - EP128—002: June 1954—The End Of Escape

June 2nd, 2022

17:28

As Escape and shows like it were canceled, there were fewer opportunities for radio’s west-coast actors on network sustained programs.

This episode, “An Ordinary Man” was written by Kathleen Hite and starred John Dehner …

BW - EP128—001: June 1954—The State Of Radio And The Union

May 31st, 2022

21:10

By June 1954 network radio drama was facing huge sponsor disinterest. Shows canceled in the first half of the year included The Quiz Kids, Dr. …

BW - EP127: May 1954—A Portrait of The United States

May 26th, 2022

3:00:30

In Breaking Walls episode 127 we keep on with our look at 1954 by picking up in May during one of the most important months of the decade.

——————————

Highlights:

• The Big Sound in Nashville
• Everett Sloane and The 21st …

BW - EP127—010: May 1954—Bing Crosby On Anthology's Memorial Day Show

May 22nd, 2022

26:07

At 3PM on Sunday, May 30th, 1954, Anthology signed on NBC. Directed by John Malcom Brennen, produced by Steve White, and announced by Harry …

BW - EP127—009: May 1954—The Army-McCarthy Hearings Continue With Roy Cohn's Testimony

May 19th, 2022

10:45

On Friday May 28th, 1954 as beaches and public parks opened for Memorial Day weekend, families hopped in their cars, turned on the radio dial, and heard the continuing testimony of McCarthy’s Attorney Roy Cohn during …

BW - EP127—008: May 1954—Lewis And Clark On NBCs Inheritance

May 17th, 2022

17:16

Inheritance was a joint production of NBC and The American Legion at the height of The Red Scare. It first took to the air on April 4th, 1954.

The American Legion was at the forefront of The Red Channels pamphlet which …

BW - EP127—007: May 1954—Brown Vs. The Board Of Education

May 15th, 2022

14:19

On Sunday May 23rd, 1954 at 6PM Eastern, The American Forum of the Air signed on Mutual with a discussion on the Supreme Court Decision of Brown …

BW - EP127—006: May 1954—Grace Kelly Guests On Bob Hope

May 11th, 2022

16:40

Bob Hope joined NBC’s red network in December of 1937. For the next ten years he starred on The Pepsodent Program, racking up the top-rated show five consecutive seasons between the fall of 1942 and the spring of 1947.

BW - EP127—005: May 1954—Wild Bill Hickok

May 9th, 2022

19:32

James Butler “Bill” Hickok was born on May 27th, 1837 in LaSalle County, Illinois. An excellent marksman from a young age, in 1855 he became a Kansas …

BW - EP127—004: May 1954—I Love A Mystery

May 7th, 2022

24:13

Carlton E. Morse’ I Love A Mystery first took to the air Weekdays at 3:15PM on NBC’s West-Coast network in January of 1939. Michael Raffetto starred as Jack Packard, head of the A-1 Detective Agency, with Barton …

BW - EP127—003: May 1954—An Eisenhower Press Conference And Other Current Events

May 5th, 2022

7:06

On Friday, May 14th, 1954 President Eisenhower gave a news conference, immediately opening the floor to reporters for general questions.

The day prior The World Chess Championship was won by Mikhail Botvinnik in Moscow. …

BW - EP127—002: May 1954—Ray Milland And Meet Mr. McNutley

May 2nd, 2022

5:42

Meet Mr. McNutley first took to CBS’ airwaves on September 17th, 1953. Ray Milland played Ray McNutley, English professor at Lynnhaven College. …

BW - EP127—001: May 1954—Everett Sloane And The 21st Precinct

April 30th, 2022

30:00

As the US began May of 1954, there was word that a new Soviet bomber had the ability to reach the United States. It was displayed for the public for the first time at the Moscow May Day Parade.

On May 7th, the Battle of …

BW - EP126: April 1954—Joseph McCarthy vs. The US Army

April 26th, 2022

2:32:37

In Breaking Walls episode 126 we continue our mini-series in April of 1954.

——————————

Highlights:
• Eisenhower talks fear
• Lum and Abner’s April Fools’ …

BW - EP126—011: April 1954—Looking Ahead To May

April 24th, 2022

9:19

Next time on Breaking Walls, as the weather heats up in May of 1954, Brown vs. The Board of Education delivers a landmark decision. It decreed racial …

BW - EP126—010: April 1954—Phil Harris And Alice Faye's Red Cross Blood Drive

April 20th, 2022

9:47

In April 1954, Phil Harris and Alice Faye were in the midst of their last season on the air. The husband-wife duo had been starring together on radio since 1946. Harris spent the better part of the last decade working …

BW - EP126—009: April 1954—The Army-McCarthy Hearings Begin

April 18th, 2022

6:43

In January 1953, Joseph McCarthy began his second term as U.S. Senator from Wisconsin as the Republican Party regained control of the Senate. …

BW - EP126—008: April 1954—Jack Benny Holds A Seance

April 16th, 2022

14:19

As The Jack Benny Program moved into the spring of 1954, the comedian was still seen as a ratings boon. Through the years, Benny made little tweaks to his team without losing his audience.

Bob Crosby replaced Phil …

BW - EP126—007: April 1954—The End Of The Whistler

April 14th, 2022

14:56

April 18th, 1954 was both the first day of Passover and Easter Sunday. In Los Angeles, the weather was warm and foggy. The front page of The LA Times predicted record crowds at Easter services.

The Major League baseball …

BW - EP126—006: April 1954—Gildersleeve's Dinner Party

April 12th, 2022

23:06

Willard Waterman had been portraying Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve since the fall of 1950 when Harold Peary left the program.

In the spring of 1954 …

BW - EP126—005: April 1954—Illegal Immigrant Fears

April 9th, 2022

9:14

In 1954, CBS Radio’s documentary unit presented a special feature series on a variety of hot-button topics. On April 11th, illegal Immigration from …

BW - EP126—004: April 1954—Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator

April 7th, 2022

22:57

By April 1954, Himan Brown had been involved in radio for more than two decades. He’d directed, produced, or created shows like Inner Sanctum …

BW - EP126—003: April 1954—Nightwatch

April 4th, 2022

14:17

In April 1954 Bill Froug was supervisor for a new CBS series called Night Watch. The show attempted to take Dragnet’s realism to the next level. It …

BW - EP126—002: April 1954—The Eternal Light

April 3rd, 2022

9:33

In October 1944, in conjunction with the Jewish Theological Seminary, NBC began one of the longest-running religious programs in radio history. It …

BW - EP126—001: April 1954—Eisenhower Talks Fear, Lum And Abner Play Jokes

March 31st, 2022

14:48

As the United States entered April 1954 with the cold war at its height, Congress and The President authorized the founding of the U.S. Air Force …

BW - EP125: March 1954—A World In Turmoil

March 24th, 2022

2:51:56

In Breaking Walls episode 125 we continue our mini-series in March of 1954.

——————————

Highlights:
• Edward R. Murrow Sees It Now
• Perry Mason Busts The Syndicate
• The 1954 DNC in Florida
• Cathy and Elliott Lewis Can’t …

BW - EP125—010: March 1954—Looking Ahead To April

March 22nd, 2022

6:44

As March drew to a close, Mutual Broadcasting’s Frank Hemingway took to the air on March 30th with the evening news from KHJ in Los Angeles.

___________

With the hydrogen bomb in development, Russia wanted to join NATO. …

BW - EP125—009: March 1954—The 1954 Tony Awards on NBC with Audrey Hepburn

March 20th, 2022

13:01

The eighth-annual Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Broadway Theatre were held at the Plaza Hotel’s Grand Ballroom on March 28th, 1954. Broadcast on radio by NBC, it was emceed by Ben Grauer and Faye Emerson.

BW - EP125—008: March 1954—Frank And Bing Sing After Frank's Oscar Win

March 17th, 2022

19:50

By March of 1954 Bing Crosby’d been in the public eye for more than two decades. He had numerous hit records, and won an Oscar for best actor in Going My Way in 1944.

On Radio, Bing helped usher in primetime …

BW - EP125—007: March 1954—Escape's Violent Night

March 15th, 2022

19:34

In March of 1954, Escape was still airing on CBS. Although it was frequently dropped and moved around the network schedule, it was popular and cheap …

BW - EP125—006: March 1954—John Lund and The End of the Expense Account For Johnny Dollar?

March 12th, 2022

15:53

Often written by the just-heard E. Jack Neuman, the fourth actor to voice Johnny Dollar, John Lund, grabbed the role in November of 1952.
Lund had …

BW - EP125—005: March 1954—Phil Harris and Alice Faye Tell Us It Pays To Be Married

March 10th, 2022

16:34

It Pays To Be Married was a daytime game show in which married couples told stories of obstacles they overcame to build a healthier relationship. …

BW - EP125—004: March 1954—You Bet Your Life

March 8th, 2022

13:32

You Bet Your Life, conceived by John Guedel and hosted by comedian Groucho Marx, debuted over ABC’s airwaves on October 27th, 1947.

Three couples were brought onstage to be interviewed and quizzed by Groucho. Each couple …

BW - EP125—003: March 1954—Cathy and Elliott Lewis Can’t Fight City Hall in On Stage

March 6th, 2022

18:02

As radio audiences left for TV, Elliott Lewis continued to champion radio as a stronger dramatic medium. On Thursday January 1st, 1953, he and wife …

BW - EP125—002: March 1954—The 1954 Democratic Convention with Adlai Stevenson

March 3rd, 2022

10:45

On March 6th, 1954, 1952’s Democrat Presidential nominee, Adlai Stevenson gave a dinner speech at the Florida DNC.

In 1952 Stevenson was a heavy underdog against Dwight Eisenhower. He carried only nine states, but did …

BW - EP125—001: March 1954—Edward R. Murrow Brings The News. Perry Mason Busts The Syndicate

March 1st, 2022

34:14

As the United States entered March 1954, U.S. officials announced a successful hydrogen bomb test, while four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire …

BW - EP124: February 1954—Benny, McCarthy, and McCarthy

February 24th, 2022

2:13:26

In Breaking Walls episode 124 we pick up our 1954 mini series in February. We’ll focus on radio programming and national news from that month.

——————————
Highlights:
• Radio Billings Are Down. Now What?
• Dragnet—Still …

BW - EP124—011: February 1954—Looking Ahead To March

February 22nd, 2022

4:08

Well, that brings February to a close, but for many of these topics, we’ve only just begun. Next time on Breaking Walls, it’s March of 1954, and Senator Joseph McCarthy’s four-year anti-communist tirade begins to come …

BW - EP124—010: February 1954—Ending With Bergen And McCarthy

February 20th, 2022

12:24

Airing on CBS since 1949, Edgar Bergen’s 1954 Sunday at 9:30PM eastern rating was 4.7, twelfth overall. His show was sponsored by Lanolin Plus. On …

BW - EP124—009: February 1954—Stars Over Hollywood

February 17th, 2022

8:42

Stars over Hollywood broke one of radio's strongest prejudices: That Saturday daytime was a programming wasteland.

When Paul Pierce, CBS production …

BW - EP124—008: February 1954—Polio and Its Vaccine

February 15th, 2022

5:41

During 1952 and 1953, the U.S. experienced an outbreak of roughly ninety-five thousand polio cases, with a death count of over forty-six hundred. …

BW - EP124—007: February 1954—On a Cruise With Mr and Mrs. North

February 13th, 2022

8:26

When Mr and Mrs North took to the air on Tuesday February 23rd at 8:30PM for CBS, it had radio’s sixth-highest overall rating. With a 6.1 it topped Dragnet, which aired in direct competition on NBC.

Jerry and Pam North …

BW - EP124—006: February 1954—The College Quiz Bowl

February 10th, 2022

10:56

Originating as a USO activity created by Canadian Don Reid for World War II soldiers, The College Quiz Bowl was developed into a radio show by Reid …

BW - EP124—005: February 1954—Guest Star, Joseph McCarthy, And The Red Scare

February 7th, 2022

6:20

In February of 1954, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy was touring the circuit, giving speeches entitled “Twenty Years of Treason.” He claimed that President Eisenhower didn’t want a whitewash government and the …

BW - EP124—004: February 1954—Jack Benny Turns 40. Or Does He?

February 5th, 2022

30:33

In February of 1954, Jack Benny was in the midst of his sixth year on CBS, and his twenty-second in radio.

Although his TV program was in the midst of its fourth season, his radio show was still airing in the familiar …

BW - EP124—003: February 1954—WMAQs Americana

February 3rd, 2022

9:46

During the 1953-54 season, NBC Chicago’s WMAQ and the Speech Department at Northwestern University, jointly broadcast a series of radio essays entitled Americana. Each episode explored a facet of American life or …

BW - EP124—002: February 1954—Lee de Forest And The Hallmark Hall of Fame

February 1st, 2022

9:38

The first voice you'll hear is that of Lee de Forest. The second is of Bill Froug. Producer/Director Bill Froug spent the early 1950s in charge of The Hallmark Hall of Fame. The show began in the 1940s as Radio Reader’s …

BW - EP124—001: February 1954—Dragnet And Radio Revenue

January 29th, 2022

23:07

When ABC radio took out a Broadcasting Magazine ad in 1954 touting their year-over-year sales growth, they juxtaposed theirs against the decline of the other three networks’ in the same period. It painted a bleak …

BW - EP123: January 1954—Radio's Uncertain Future

January 19th, 2022

2:22:30

For those who wanted Breaking Walls episode 123 in the traditional format.
___________
In Breaking Walls episode 123 we open 2022 with a six-part mini-series on radio business and programming in 1954. We’ll begin with …

BW - EP123—009: January 1954—Looking Ahead to February

January 17th, 2022

4:40

Next time on Breaking Walls, we move into February and discuss polio, falling ratings points, and radio profit margins.
___________
The reading …

BW - EP123—008: January 1954—The Death of Edward Howard Armstrong

January 15th, 2022

6:18

Back in July of 1935, head of RCA David Sarnoff asked friend and inventor Edwin Howard Armstrong to remove his experimental FM equipment from RCA’s …

BW - EP123—007: January 1954—The New Beulah Show

January 12th, 2022

7:56

Amanda Randolph was born on September 2nd, 1896 in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father was a methodist minister and her mother a teacher, but she would …

BW - EP123—006: January 1954—Smog! (And Other Current Events)

January 10th, 2022

4:02

By the mid 1950s, smog was becoming a serious problem in American cities, especially Los Angeles. On January 15th, 1954 KNX broadcast a special called “The Troubled Air.”
___________
Residents of Los Angeles suffered from …

BW - EP123—005: January 1954—Marilyn Marries Joe and Jack Benny’s Face is Familiar on Suspense

January 9th, 2022

30:20

Although Jack Benny spent his TV time on September 13th, 1953 dreaming of being with Marilyn Monroe, on January 15th, 1954 she was officially taken off the market. That day she and retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio …

BW - EP123—004: January 1954—Ozzie & Harriet's Last Season on ABC

January 5th, 2022

18:52

Under the sponsorship of Heinz Foods, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet moved to ABC’s potent Friday night schedule on October 14th, 1949. Ozzie …

BW - EP123—003: January 1954—People Are Funny Is Radio’s Top-Rated Show

January 3rd, 2022

18:58

People are Funny debuted on April 10th, 1942 on NBC. It was created by gameshow maven John Guedel. He was a jack of all trades who’d spent time as a …

BW - EP123—002: January 1954—Gunsmoke Loses One Sponsor And Finds Another

January 1st, 2022

16:51

When Gunsmoke was sponsored for a single broadcast on November 21st 1952, by Chrysler Plymouth, the show drew a good rating against ABC’s This is Your FBI, and was heard by roughly 8 million people.

After eighteen months …

BW - EP123—001: January 1954—New Year 's Day With Fibber McGee and Molly

December 30th, 2021

30:35

The United States entered 1954 in an uncertain position. Years of racial discrimination were coming to the forefront. In May, Brown vs. the Board of …

When Milton Berle Finally Established Himself on Radio In December Of 1947

December 9th, 2021

10:44

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 98: Christmas Week 1947 with Radio's Biggest Stars

————————————

For the four major radio networks, 1947 was a year or record business:

ABC saw a 7.25% gross billings increase. …

BW - EP122: December With The Six Shooter (1953 - 1954)

November 27th, 2021

2:50:14

In Breaking Walls episode 122 we spend the holidays in the old west with Jimmy Stewart, director Jack Johnstone, and The Six Shooter.

——————————

Dennis Day On His First TV Experience—Jack Benny Transitioning to TV

November 24th, 2021

1:49

On Easter Sunday in 1982, Dennis Day was a guest of John Dunning's radio show for 71KNUS in Denver. The two spoke about Day's life and career, which naturally led to his association with Jack Benny. In this clip, Dennis …

BW - EP121: Radio and The Homecoming (1942 - 1972)

October 29th, 2021

3:12:14

In Breaking Walls episode 121, we finish our Americana mini-series by coming home for November’s festivities. We’ll cheer for the home team, taste the best turkey dressing, and remember what’s most important with some …

BW - EP120: Radio and The Harvest (1936 - 1954)

September 26th, 2021

3:05:35

In Breaking Walls episode 120, we continue our Americana mini-series in autumn with a host of harvest-centered radio programing. We’ll warm by the fire and listen in on stories from some of the medium’s most prominent.

BW - EP119: Radio and The Diner (1937 - 1965)

August 28th, 2021

3:05:25

In Breaking Walls episode 119 we continue our Americana mini-series by bringing our appetites to the diner. We’ll hear stories from some of radio’s best and center ourselves around shows taking place in establishments.

Conductor Howard Barlow Talks About CBS's First Night Confusion in 1927

August 28th, 2021

1:58

Conductor Howard Barlow, who'd later go on to be known as "the voice of Firestone," was conducting in-studio for CBS during their first big broadcast in 1927.

In this clip, recorded for Westinghouse's 50th anniversary in …

George Burns On Marrying Gracie And Their Honeymoon in Cleveland

August 25th, 2021

0:46

Barbara Walters interviewed George Burns for 20/20 in 1979. During the course of the interview George spoke about marrying Gracie while performing on the vaudeville circuit.

John Dehner On His Friendship with Antony Ellis

August 22nd, 2021

1:26

In August of 1982 SPERDVAC (www.sperdvac.com) hosted a CBS panel at the Thousand Oaks Library in California. The panel featured some of the best known radio character actors of the 1940s and 1950s.

When the panel was …

Cloak And Dagger: Norwegian Incident—08/20/1950

August 20th, 2021

29:30

Corey Ford was an American humorist, author, outdoorsman, screenwriter, and occasional member of the famed Algonquin Round Table in New York City. He penned several famous works, including the 1946 Cloak and Dagger. It …

NBC Engineer Aldo Gizalbert On Studio Problems at Radio City's Opening

August 18th, 2021

2:59

In September of 1972, former NBC engineer and producer Aldo Gizalbert sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for their Hartford, CT-based WTIC …

Norman Corwin On Fourteen August

August 14th, 2021

0:27

On August 6th, 1976 Chuck Schaden sat down with Norman Corwin for a conversation about the latter's life and career (full interview here). During the …

Columbia Presents Corwin: Fourteen August—08/14/1945

August 13th, 2021

16:09

On August 14th, 1945 after the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan accepted the United States' terms of surrender, officially ending World War II.

That evening, Norman Corwin produced a special broadcast …

Mary Livingston Red Cross PSA & Lucky Strike Commercial — Jack Benny Program 12/2/1945

August 12th, 2021

1:41

In the winter of 1945 there were many soldiers who were still injured and recovering in army hospitals across the world. To help pay back its war …

Edward R. Murrow's Harsh Words For Senator McCarthy

August 6th, 2021

2:00

This clip, from early in the 1950s during Edward R. Murrow's This I Believe CBS Radio program takes aim at Senator Joseph McCarthy during the height …

Jeanette Nolan On Her Radio Beginnings

August 5th, 2021

3:30

At a SPERDVAC meeting on March 14th, 1992 which featured Jeanette Nolan, Mary Jane Croft, and Sam Edwards, radio legend Jeanette Nolan explained how …

Escape: Leiningen Versus the Ants—08/04/1949

August 4th, 2021

29:30

On the August 4th, 1949 episode of CBS' Escape, "You are isolated on a remote plantation in the crawling Amazon Jungle and an immense army of …

Red Skelton on How Ed Wynn Got Him Started in Comedy

August 3rd, 2021

3:17

In the early 1990s, Red Skelton was a guest of Canadian television host Dini Petty's talk show. They spoke about his life and career. In this clip, Red Skelton explains how comedian Ed Wynn got him started in show-biz …

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

August 1st, 2021

1:00

Breaking Walls is the podcast on the history of American network radio broadcasting. It focuses on people, places, stories, and events from the …

BW - EP118: Radio and The Gas Station (1939 - 1982)

July 28th, 2021

3:42:16

In Breaking Walls episode 118 we hit the road with part one of an Americana mini-series. We’ll gas up with some of radio’s best and examine shows taking place at America’s filling stations.

——————————

Highlights:
• Al …

Ralph Edwards On How He Got to CBS

July 25th, 2021

1:35

On October 7th, 1971 Chuck Schaden interviewed famous host and emcee Ralph Edwards about his life and career (full interview here -

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Open Town Matter (Part 1 of 5)—07/23/1956

July 23rd, 2021

14:33

In the July 23rd, 1956 episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar starring Bob Bailey, Dollar receives a telephone call from Ralph Kearns of Great Plains …

Gunsmoke: Doc Holiday—07/19/1952

July 19th, 2021

30:28

In the July 19th, 1952 episode of Gunsmoke, Doc Holiday comes to Dodge City. Holiday is a gunman, but on the right side of the law and a friend of …

This Is Your FBI Creator Jerry Devine On The Show's Origin

July 16th, 2021

0:59

On May 10th, 1986, SPERDVAC (https://www.sperdvac.com/) was host to a This is Your FBI Panel and show recreation which featured creator Jerry Devine and several actors, including Parley Baer, Peggy Webber, and Lou …

Virginia Gregg Tells a Funny On-The-Air Romance Story About John Dehner

July 14th, 2021

1:09

In August of 1982 SPERDVAC (http://www.sperdvac.com) hosted a CBS panel at the Thousand Oaks Library in California. The panel featured some of the best known radio character actors of the 1940s and 1950s. One of them, …

Lawrence Dobkin On Auditioning For Jack Webb

July 13th, 2021

0:41

On August 9th, 1986, Lawrence Dobkin, Don Diamond, and Lilian Buyeff were guests of SPERDVAC (http://sperdvac.com/) for a conversation about their lives and acting careers.

During the chat, the conversation swung around …

Dragnet: The Big Set-Up—07/12/1951

July 12th, 2021

29:36

On the July 12th, 1951 episode of Dragnet, Detective Sergeant Joe Friday is assigned to burglary detail. A gang of clever thieves has been at work …

NBC Staff Writer Ernest Kinoy On X-Minus-One

July 9th, 2021

0:30

In 2010 Walden Hughes of SPERDVAC and YesterdayUSA Radio interviewed longtime NBC Staff Writer Ernest Kinoy on his radio experiences. It wasn't long before the conversation got around to X-Minus-One, a program Kinoy …

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis with Guest Marilyn Monroe—02/24/1953

July 7th, 2021

8:28

By the summer of 1951, Martin and Lewis had become the biggest act in show business, with both blockbuster film roles and a touring act selling out …

Herb Ellis on Gerald Mohr

July 6th, 2021

0:51

On March 12th, 1983, SPERDVAC (https://www.sperdvac.com/) hosted a conversation with actors Herb Ellis and Herb Vigran. During the course of their chat, Herb Ellis spoke about his friendship and working relationship …

Escape: A Tooth for Paul Revere—07/04/1948

July 4th, 2021

29:29

On the Independence Day, 1948 episode of CBS' high-adventure drama, Escape, "you are spurring a lathered horse through darkened streets, trapped by two hostile armies, with a kit of magic in your pocket, and the …

Parley Baer On A Running Gag The Gunsmoke Cast Shared During Recording

July 3rd, 2021

2:16

Actor Parley Baer was interviewed in the mid 1970s for a Gunsmoke radio documentary by WAMU's John Hickman. During one of their conversations Baer …

Gunsmoke: General Parsley Smith—07/02/1955

July 2nd, 2021

29:59

On the July 2nd, 1955 episode of Gunsmoke, Marshall Matt Dillon arrives back in Dodge to discover a new bank has opened in town. The owner is Drew …

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Funny Money Matter—06/30/1957

June 30th, 2021

29:32

On the June 30th, 1957 episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, George Reed from Floyd's of England (like Lloyd's of London) calls Johnny to investigate …

Vincent Price On Being Allowed To Work In Radio and a Funny Lurene Tuttle Story

June 29th, 2021

2:09

In late 1972, Vincent Price sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full interview here -

BW - EP117: The Outer Limit with X-Minus-One (1955 - 1958)

June 27th, 2021

2:36:07

In Breaking Walls episode 117 we blast off with NBC in the fall of 1955 and spotlight its premiere science fiction series, X Minus One. We’ll listen …

Marilyn Monroe Talks About Why She Loves Brooklyn On The Debut Episode of Monitor—06/12/1955

June 20th, 2021

1:22

On the debut episode of NBC's Monitor on June 12th, 1955, Dave Garroway sat down for an interview with Marilyn Monroe. He'd heard she was permanently moving to New York, but was surprised to hear where she really wanted …

Gunsmoke Director Norman Macdonnell On Gunsmoke's Dead Air SFX

June 19th, 2021

3:09

In 1976 John Hickman of WAMU put together an outstanding five-part documentary on the history of Gunsmoke. One of the people interviewed was Gunsmoke director Norman Macdonnell. Macdonnell directed the series during its …

Gunsmoke: The Reed Survives—06/18/1955

June 18th, 2021

30:17

On the June 18th, 1955 episode of Gunsmoke, Lucy Middlecamp is a former dance hall girl who married Ethan Hunt, a soon-to-be preacher.

Chester never …

Dragnet: The Big Press—06/15/1950

June 15th, 2021

29:19

On the 1st anniversary of Dragnet's debut, Detective Sergeant Joe Friday is assigned to Robbery Detail. Women are being beaten and robbed. The victims have been unable to identify the criminals.

It’s Friday’s job to get …

Harold Peary On Starting Gildersleeve on Fibber McGee and Molly

June 12th, 2021

2:25

On April 28th, 1971, Chuck Schaden interviewed radio legend and the original Great Gildersleeve, Hal Peary (full interview here -

Phil Leslie On How Long He Wrote For Fibber McGee and Molly

June 11th, 2021

0:22

On December 13th, 1973 Chuck Schaden sat down with radio writer Phil Leslie (full Conversation here -

Fibber McGee and Molly: Night Clubbing—06/09/1955

June 9th, 2021

14:30

On the June 9th, 1955 episode of Fibber McGee and Molly, after Fibber discovers the couple has an extra $22.50 ($225.50 today) in their checking …

Radio Actress Fran Carlon Explains Why You Had To Be On Your Toes When Acting During World War II

June 6th, 2021

0:59

Radio Actress Fran Carlon speaks about why radio actors and actresses needed to be on their toes for script cuts and news cutaways during World War II.

Herb Vigran On Working For Jack Benny and Jimmy Durante

June 5th, 2021

2:39

On March 12th, 1983 Herb Ellis and Herb Vigran were guests of SPERDVAC (http://www.sperdvac.com) for a conversation about their intersecting lives and careers in radio, film, and TV. During the course of the …

Jim Jordan On Fibber McGee's Hall Closet

June 3rd, 2021

1:51

In 1971 Jim Jordan, better known as Fibber McGee, sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's the Golden Age of Radio to talk about his …

NBC Announcer Ben Grauer On Fast News Relays During World War II

June 2nd, 2021

1:08

For Westinghouse's 50th Anniversary in 1970, longtime NBC radio announcer Ben Grauer spoke about being on his toes with news relays during World War II.

Born in New York in 1908, he was a child actor who became an NBC …

Pat Weaver On Why Monitor—Thoughts On Radio Losing Money

June 1st, 2021

1:35

On Friday April 1st, 1955, NBC's President Sylvester "Pat" Weaver held a closed circuit press conference for NBC affiliates to announce a new weekend …

Byron Kane Tells a Self-Proclaimed X-Rated Radio Story About a Funny Line Flub

May 31st, 2021

4:04

In 1982, radio actor Byron Kane was a guest of SPERDVAC (http://www.sperdvac.com) in California for a conversation about his life and career. During …

Staats Cotsworth On The Power Behind A Compelling Voice

May 30th, 2021

1:43

In 1975, long-time New York radio actor Staats Cotsworth sat down with Ed Corcoran at a radio convention to chat about his career. This interview was …

NBC Monitor 1968 Musical Bumper

May 28th, 2021

0:21

Enjoy this classic 1968 musical bumper from NBC's Monitor, and tune into Breaking Walls Episode 116: The Launch of NBC’s Monitor (1955) to learn more about this seminal radio programming service that ran for almost …

BW - EP116: The Launch of NBC’s Monitor (1955)

May 27th, 2021

3:27:18

In Breaking Walls episode 116, it’s June of 1955 and network radio is in uncharted territory. TV’s encroachment has the entire industry looking for new ideas. We’ll focus on the launch of one of the most …

Fred Allen Explains How Giveaway Programs Helped Kill Radio

May 26th, 2021

2:45

On November 24th, 1954 Fred Allen was a guest of Tex and Jinx's New York talk show for a discussion about his life and career. It was recorded on a grey, rainy Wednesday before Thanksgiving in Peacock Alley at The …

Suspense: Sorry, Wrong Number—05/25/1943

May 25th, 2021

29:17

On May 25th, 1943 Agnes Moorehead guest-starred on The Columbia Broadcasting System's Suspense. The play was the very first broadcast of Lucille …

William N. Robson On The Death of Dramatic Radio

May 20th, 2021

2:06

In January of 1976, famed radio director William N. Robson was a guest of Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran's on WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full …

Escape: Pass to Berlin—05/19/1950

May 19th, 2021

29:30

Escape, CBS’s high-adventure anthology, debuted on July 7th, 1947.

During its erratic seven year run it was shifted and dropped frequently, almost …

Gunsmoke: Scared Boy—05/17/1959

May 17th, 2021

22:41

On the May 17th, 1959 episode of Gunsmoke, Cora meadows and her young son Tad are visited by a dying man named Rourke, who is seeking refuge at their …

Dragnet: The Big Mail—05/15/1952

May 15th, 2021

29:15

Detective Sergeant Joe Friday is assigned to Robbery detail. A United States mail truck is held up and robbed. Twenty-two sacks of registered mail …

George Burns On How Gracie Changed His Life & Saved His Career

May 14th, 2021

0:35

Barbara Walters interviewed George Burns for 20/20 in 1979. During the course of the interview George spoke about how Gracie forever altered his life.

Burns And Allen: Gracie Wants George To Get on Television—05/12/1949

May 12th, 2021

29:38

On the May 12th, 1949 episode of Burns and Allen, Burns is still convinced that he has no place in TV. He's been trying to conceal his anxiety from Gracie, but she can see that all is not well with her little man. Burns …

John Dehner on How He Became an Actor in the 1940s

May 12th, 2021

1:05

In 1982, John Dehner was an in-studio guest of Neil Ross' at KMPC for a conversation about his acting career. During the course of the chat, Dehner explained how be became an actor.

Frontier Gentleman: The Cannibal—05/11/1958

May 11th, 2021

24:38

The May 11th, 1958 episode of Frontier Gentleman took J.B. Kendall to Chugwater, Wyoming Territory. There is a rail station for the Cheyenne and Black Hills stage line and because of a rain storm Kendall, ever the …

Joseph Julian Tells a Funny Story About Needing to Call an Ambulance to Get To A Radio Part

May 9th, 2021

2:51

In September of 1975 Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran of WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio sat down with famed New York actor Joseph Julian for a …

Jean Shepherd On Letterman—03/10/1982

May 7th, 2021

12:04

Jean Shepherd was a guest of David Letterman on March 10th, 1982. In this clip he tells funny stories about growing up in Hammond, Indiana.

Hans Conried On His Role In My Friend Irma

May 5th, 2021

0:47

In August of 1971 Hans Conried was a guest of Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for the 17th episode of WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full interview here …

Broadway Is My Beat: Margaret Royce Murder Case—05/02/1953

May 2nd, 2021

29:27

On the May 2nd, 1953 episode of Broadway is My Beat, Danny Clover is about to go home for the day when he finds Lila Royce at the front desk, reporting her sister missing. Margaret's apartment has been torn apart, and …

Herb Vigran on What Happened to Radio Actors during the 1960s after TV Killed Dramatic Radio

April 29th, 2021

4:38

In March of 1983 radio actors Herb Vigran and Herb Ellis were guests of SPERDVAC (http://www.sperdvac.com) to talk about their radio careers. During the course of the conversation, Herb Vigran shed some much needed …

William S. Paley On The Importance of Radio

April 28th, 2021

1:32

For CBS's 50th Anniversary broadcast in 1977, CBS Chairman William S. Paley spoke about why he loved radio. Paley grew CBS from a ragtag group of near-bankrupt affiliates into one of the world's leading broadcast …

BW - EP115: The CBS Radio Workshop (1956 - 1957)

April 26th, 2021

3:29:28

In Breaking Walls episode 115, we focus on one of the last experimental programs on the air, The CBS Radio Workshop, and the man at its Hollywood …

The Story Behind The Birth Of The Great GIldersleeve

April 24th, 2021

21:36

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 96: Halloween On The Air (1943 - 1953)
___________

On August 31st, 1941, Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve stepped off a train in the town of Summerfield, bringing with a now …

Actor Mandel Kramer On CBS and NBC Networking and Camaraderie During the Golden Age of Radio

April 23rd, 2021

1:13

In September of 1974 east-coast radio actor Mandel Kramer sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (the full …

Luke Slaughter of Tombstone: The Henry Fell Story—04/20/1958

April 22nd, 2021

25:00

Shortly after CBS debuted Frontier Gentleman in February of 1958, a second new western show, Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, debuted on Sunday February 23rd, 1958 at 2PM eastern time.

Sam Buffington starred in the title …

Mike Wallace On His Radio Beginnings

April 20th, 2021

1:56

On September 23rd, 1989, legendary radio and tv announcer and interviewer Mike Wallace was a guest of Chuck Schaden's (full interview here -

Frontier Gentleman: Aces And Eights—04/20/1958

April 17th, 2021

24:45

In the April 20th, 1958 episode of Frontier Gentleman, starring John Dehner, J.B. Kendall meets Wild Bill Hickok and sits in on a card game that becomes part of American history.

For more information on Antony Ellis' …

Arch Oboler Tells a Funny Story About Boris Karloff Being Afraid of Kids

April 16th, 2021

0:37

On August 5th, 1976, Chuck Schaden was a guest at Arch Oboler's home for a conversation about the noted writer and director's career (full interview …

The Jack Benny Program: The IRS visits Jack Because He Spent $17 on Entertainment

April 15th, 2021

29:30

On the April 15th, 1951 episode of The Jack Benny program, Jack's in trouble with the IRS for spending $17 on entertainment. The trouble began the …

Lawrence Dobkin On The Differences Between The NY and LA Radio Industry

April 14th, 2021

1:53

On August 9th, 1986, Lawrence Dobkin, Lillian Buyeff, and Don Diamond were guests of SPERDVAC for a conversation about their radio careers. During the course of the conversation, Dobkin (who started in New York before …

Dragnet: The Big Compulsion—04/12/1953

April 12th, 2021

30:00

On the April 12th, 1953 episode of Dragnet, Detective Sergeant Joe Friday is assigned to Robbery Detail. Somewhere in the city a man has been making phony calls, endangering the lives officers. With a simple dime, this …

Fibber McGee and Molly: Bargain Day at the Bon Ton—04/11/1955

April 11th, 2021

14:23

It's bargain day at the Bon Ton department store in Wistful Vista. Naturally Fibber McGee is caught in the crowds. He has to be saved by Molly. …

The Bob Hope Show: Guest Grace Kelly—05/14/1954

April 7th, 2021

29:11

This is the May 14th, 1954 episode of Bob Hope's radio show featuring Grace Kelly in a rare radio appearance by the Hollywood star. Ms. Kelly was …

Fort Laramie: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Promo—05/06/1956

April 2nd, 2021

1:44

At the end of the Sunday, May 6th, 1956 episode of Fort Laramie entitled "Never the Twain," CBS broadcast a promotional spot for Yours Truly Johnny …

Bill Conrad Jokes About How He Was Cast as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke

April 2nd, 2021

0:31

In 1976 John Hickman of WAMU put together an expansive five-part audio documentary on the history of the radio version of Gunsmoke, complete with cast and production crew interviews, show clips, and reflections.

During …

Desi Arnaz Jokes About His Family Lineage With Johnny Carson

March 29th, 2021

0:40

In 1976 Desi Arnaz appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show to promote his newly released autobiography, "A Book." In this clip, Desi jokes about his …

Raymond Burr On His First Paid Acting Role at Age Eleven

March 25th, 2021

0:46

In 1963, during the height of Perry Mason's television fame, Raymond Burr sat down with Jack Webster for an interview about his career and the changes that playing Perry Mason brought into his life. During the course of …

BW - EP114: Sunday Afternoons at Fort Laramie (1956)

March 23rd, 2021

3:02:18

In Breaking Walls episode 114, as America moves to the suburbs in the mid-1950s, we move with them and examine a radio western called Fort Laramie. Although it only aired for ten months, it’s one of the most critically …

NBC News with Robert Trout—03/20/1949

March 21st, 2021

5:03

At 4:30PM on March 20th, 1949 Robert Trout took to the air for NBC with five minutes of news, sponsored by Pillsbury.

As Spring of 1949 began five of radio’s top-ten programs aired on CBS, four on NBC, and one on ABC. …

The Story Behind The Birth Of Gunsmoke

March 18th, 2021

38:24

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 90: The Hollywood People Behind Radio’s Baby Boomer Boom (1945 - 1954)
___________

By 1951 director …

When Dennis Day Returned From The Navy On St. Patricks Day, 1946

March 17th, 2021

17:06

Jack Benny’s most famous Irish Tenor, Dennis Day was born on May 21st, 1916 and raised in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx, New York City—The second of five children born to Irish immigrants Patrick & Mary …

Vic Perrin Tells A Funny Story About a Writer Still Scriptwriting While On Air

March 16th, 2021

0:49

In 1982 Vic Perrin was a guest of Neil Ross' for his KMPC radio show for a conversation about Vic's life and career. During the course of the conversation, Mr. Perrin recounted a funny story about a writer who was still …

Johnny Carson and Orson Welles Talk Radio Ribs and Jokes

March 16th, 2021

2:43

In 1976 Orson Welles was a guest of Johnny Carson's on the Tonight Show for a segment on Orson's life and career (full segment here -

Jack Benny On Incorporating a Comedy Commercial into His Radio Show

March 12th, 2021

0:41

On September 3rd, 1970 Chuck Schaden interviewed Jack Benny backstage at the Mill Run Playhouse in suburban Niles, Illinois (full interview here -

Claudia: A Visit To Coney Island—08/25/1948

March 10th, 2021

14:06

In 1948 a syndicated Coca-Cola sponsored version of the soap opera Claudia, starring Katharine Bard and Paul Crabtree produced an episode for airing …

John Dehner and the Story Behind Have Gun Will Travel on Radio

March 9th, 2021

30:10

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 91: The Hollywood Radio Western Renaissance (1954 - 1980).

—————

One of the only western series of note …

Musical Director Rex Koury on Writing Gunsmoke's Famous Theme

March 5th, 2021

4:05

In 1967 musician and composer Rex Koury sat down for a documentary interview with John Hickman on Gunsmoke. During the course of the chat he explained how he came to be associated with the show, and how he composed the …

David Sarnoff's NBC-TV Introduction at the 1939 World's Fair in New York—4.20.1939

March 4th, 2021

9:04

When the 1939 World’s Fair opened in Flushing Meadows, David Sarnoff was there to share the spotlight with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Fiorello LaGuardia, Mayor of New York City.

Sarnoff announced, via a single …

Orson Welles Tells a Funny Story About Running Out of Good Luck His First Night in Hollywood

March 2nd, 2021

1:30

In 1970 Orson Welles was a guest of Dick Cavett's for a great interview about the artist's life and career. During the course of the show, Welles …

Luke Slaughter: CBS Network Mid-Show Frontier Gentleman Promo—03/09/1958

February 28th, 2021

0:47

During Sunday March 9th, 1958's episode of Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, CBS dedicated the network-sustained show's mid-episode break spot to a promo for the upcoming episode of Frontier Gentleman.

The two shows ran back …

On the Korean War Front Line with Soldiers Talking About Their Experience—1952

February 24th, 2021

1:26

During the Korean War, NBC sent reporters to talk to the soldiers on the front lines during the conflict. This is some of what they said.

BW - EP113: A Week With Elliott Lewis in 1953

February 20th, 2021

3:35:10

In Breaking Walls episode 113 it’s September of 1953 and Elliott Lewis is one of the busiest men in radio. He’s the producer/director of four shows …

Jack Benny Pro-Teacher PSA—11/30/1947

February 16th, 2021

1:07

At the close of the November 30th, 1947 episode of The Jack Benny Program, Jack Benny spoke eloquently about the problems teachers were facing in the post-War world. His plea mirrors many we might hear today.

John Dehner On Oncoming Stereo Before Radio Drama's Network Death

February 14th, 2021

0:53

In 1982, John Dehner was an in-studio guest of Neil Ross' at KMPC for a conversation about his acting career. During the course of the chat, Dehner shed some light on oncoming stereo audio in the late 1950s and early …

Harry Bartell On Not Rehearsing When Working for Jack Webb on Dragnet

February 10th, 2021

2:47

On August 14th, 1982, SPERDVAC (http://www.sperdvac.com/) hosted a conversation with some of radio's most famous character actors: Harry Bartell, Vic Perrin, John Dehner, Virginia Gregg, Parley Baer, and Peggy Webber.

Dennis Day on How His Character Was Written to Annoy Jack Benny

February 9th, 2021

2:07

On Easter Sunday in April of 1982, Dennis Day was a guest of John Dunning's on 71KNUS Newstalk radio program in Denver, CO. They spoke about Day's life and career—especially his quarter-century association with Jack …

The Story Behind The End Of Gunsmoke On Radio

February 7th, 2021

20:31

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 91: The Hollywood Radio Western Renaissance (1954 - 1980).

—————

After Have Gun, Will Travel went off the …

John Wayne's 1955 Gunsmoke TV Debut Promo

February 3rd, 2021

1:25

In 1955 when Gunsmoke debuted on television they turned to John Wayne for a one-minute promo spot to give the show credibility.

When Wayne heard that …

BW - EP112: Drama At NBC (1949 - 1950)

January 25th, 2021

2:38:46

In Breaking Walls episode 112, we finish our five-part mini-series by examining NBC’s business and programming during the 1949-50 radio season in the wake of the CBS talent raids by examining the steps NBC took to …

Harry Bartell Tells a Funny Jeanette Nolan Crime Classics Story

January 20th, 2021

0:34

In 1982, SPERDVAC hosted a panel discussion with some of CBS's well-known Hollywood radio character actors. During the discussion, Harry Bartell told …

Vic Perrin On The Passing of Barton Yarborough In December of 1951

January 18th, 2021

1:49

On May 5th, 1982, actor Vic Perrin was a guest of Neil Ross' for his KMPC program. During the course of the interview, which touched on many subjects, the conversation turned to Barton Yarborough, who passed away …

WOR Chief Engineer Jack Poppele (1898 - 1986) Talks About Launching WOR on 02/22/1922

January 16th, 2021

1:00

Radio legend and Chief Engineer Jack Poppele (02.04.1898 - 10.07.1986) recalls his part in the launch of WOR on 2.22.1922 during an interview he gave in 1970.

WOR took to the air from Bamberger's department store in …

Roxy Rothafel, Lew Fields, and Joe Weber Rehearse For the Opening of Radio City's Music Hall in NYC

January 15th, 2021

3:06

Impresario Samuel 'Roxy' Rothafel in rehearsal for his radio show to be broadcast from Radio City in New York City, 1932. In this clip, Roxy Rothafel stands at microphone onstage in front of orchestra talking to comic …

The Story Behind The End Of Fibber McGee And Molly

January 9th, 2021

18:32

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 94: Radio And The Drugstore/Malt Shop (1940 - 1955) For the full story, listen to Breaking Walls …

Tex And Jinx: Guest Fred Allen—11/24/1954

January 8th, 2021

56:15

At 1PM on a rain-soaked Wednesday before Thanksgiving on November 24th, 1954, Fred Allen appeared on NBC's Tex and Jinx Show out of the flagship WRCA in New York. It was recorded near Peacock Alley at The …

Dennis Day Talks About the Various Singers on Jack Benny's Program

January 5th, 2021

1:31

During a 1980s Interview with John Dunning for 71KNUS in Denver, Dennis Day explained how he came to be hired by Jack Benny and the interview process.

This photos shows Dennis with Jack and Margaret Truman.

Richard Diamond Private Detective: The Stolen Purse—05/22/1949

January 3rd, 2021

29:28

Dick Powell was born on November 14th, 1904 in Mountain View, Arkansas. He’d been an A-list crooner in the 1930s, starring in both musicals and comedies at Warner Brothers and Paramount. He was also the emcee of radio’s …

The Jack Benny Program: First Show for CBS—01/02/1949

January 2nd, 2021

30:00

This is Jack Benny's first program for CBS after leaving NBC at the end of 1948. It aired, live, coast-to-coast at 7PM eastern time on January 2nd, …

William S. Paley Explains How He Bought CBS

December 30th, 2020

3:46

On November 20, 1958 head of CBS William S. Paley received an award for his thirty years of work in the field of programming.

Paley had purchased a …

Lawrence Dobkin On AFRA Taking Cecil B. DeMille's Membership Card

December 30th, 2020

1:01

On August 9th, 1986, actor and director Lawrence Dobkin was part of a SPERDVAC ( www.sperdvac.com ) panel along with Don Diamond and Lilian Buyeff to discuss their lives and careers. During the course of the …

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

December 27th, 2020

3:07:21

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 …

The Jack Benny Program: Last Show For NBC—12/26/1948

December 26th, 2020

29:29

December 26th, 1948 was a seminal day in radio history. NBC had dominated Sunday’s prime time ratings for every season since the late 1920s. Now, in …

Suspense: Holiday Story—12/23/1948 with Herbert Marshall

December 23rd, 2020

29:43

In the fall of 1948, CBS programmed radio’s "Outstanding Theater of Thrills," Suspense, opposite the Kraft Music Hall at 9PM on NBC, and took with it …

The Fred Waring Show: A Christmas Song Medley—12/22/1948

December 23rd, 2020

27:46

At 10AM eastern time on the morning of Wednesday, December 22nd, 1948, Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians signed on NBC with the most expensive daytime show on radio.

Waring’s enormous glee club gave his show a …

Fibber McGee and Molly: Taking Packages to the Post Office—12/21/1948

December 22nd, 2020

28:30

At 9:30PM on December 21st, 1948, Jim and Marion Jordan signed on NBC. The couple was in the midst of their tenth consecutive season with a top-three rated show. That month, their rating was 26.6.

That night, Jim Jordan …

Chesterfield Supper Club: Perry Como Sings Santa Claus is Coming to Town—12/20/1948

December 21st, 2020

14:50

On December 20th, 1948 at 7PM eastern time, The Chesterfield Supper Club took to the air on NBC, featuring a rotating cast of singers Perry Como, Jo Stafford, Peggy Lee, and Mary Ashford and the Satisfiers.

Como …

Jeff Regan, Investigator: The Man Who Lived By The Sea—12/18/1948

December 18th, 2020

29:30

This is the last episode of Jeff Regan, Investigator starring Jack Webb. The following month, Webb intimated to Radio Life Magazine that his days …

The Greatest Story Ever Told: The Good Samaritan—01/30/1949

December 17th, 2020

30:41

The Greatest Story Ever Told came to the air on January 26th, 1947. It was ambitious, with a full orchestra and sixteen-person chorus. It dramatized …

Herb Ellis Talks about Friend Jack Webb's Insecurities

December 14th, 2020

3:20

On March 12th, 1983, SPERDVAC (http://sperdvac.com/) hosted a conversation with actors Herb Ellis and Herb Vigran. During the course of their chat, Herb Ellis spoke about his friendship and working relationship with …

BW - EP75: We Are Echoes—The Birth Of Radio (1887 - 1912) Remastered

December 13th, 2020

1:12:04

In our remastered Breaking Walls Episode 75 we go back in time to the beginning of radio to tell the story of how this medium began. This episode was originally released on 2/1/2018.

——————————

Highlights:
* Why the …

Don Ameche On His Network Radio Beginnings

December 10th, 2020

1:17

In February of 1973 Don Ameche sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for their WTIC Golden Age of Radio program for a conversation about his life …

Jack Benny Praises His Writers and Talks About Why He's Easy To Write For

December 9th, 2020

0:46

In this interview clip, Jack Benny speaks about why he got along so well with his writers and how he became an easy character to write for.

X Minus One: Nightfall—12/07/1955

December 7th, 2020

28:51

The Wednesday December 7th, 1955 Ernest Kinoy adaptation of Isaac Asimov's "Nightfall," as broadcast for Daniel Sutter's production of X Minus One on NBC from New York. It aired on the 14th anniversary of Pearl Harbor …

Band Leader Vincent Lopez On First Night at WJZ - November 27, 1921

December 7th, 2020

1:02

Brooklyn-born bandleader Vincent Lopez (12.30.1895 – 9.20.1975) talks about his first night on the air for WJZ on November 27, 1921. Lopez, who began leading his own band at age 17, was 25 at the time. Lopez worked …

Dr. Frank Conrad on KDKA's Beginnings in 1920

December 5th, 2020

1:23

In 1970 Westinghouse put together a retrospective on the history of radio broadcasting in honor of the 50th anniversary of KDKA broadcasting the 1920 election returns.

Years prior, Dr. Frank Conrad, who received numerous …

Arnold Moss On Playing A Heavy and Dying Often In Radio

December 2nd, 2020

0:32

In May of 1974, radio, film, tv, and theater veteran Arnold Moss was a guest of Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran's on WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full …

Johnny Carson and Orson Welles Tell a Funny George Burns, Jack Benny Story

December 1st, 2020

1:08

In 1976 Orson Welles was a guest of Johnny Carson's on the Tonight Show for a segment on Orson's life and career (full segment here -

Frank Sinatra On How He Wanted To Be Remembered

November 29th, 2020

0:51

In 1965 while Fran Sinatra was recording his album, "September of My Years," he allowed CBS to record the process, and gave Walter Cronkite an unprecedented interview on his life. During the course of the interview, …

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

November 24th, 2020

5:08:21

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 …

The Shadow: The Temple Bells of Neban—10/24/1937

November 21st, 2020

29:24

Orson Welles and Agnes Moorehead star in the October 24th, 1937 episode of The Shadow, originally broadcast from WOR in New York over the Mutual …

Vincent Price Tells a Funny Story About Jack Benny and Ronald Colman

November 17th, 2020

1:35

In November of 1972, Vincent Price sat down with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio to discuss his career (full interview …

Willard Waterman On Becoming The Great Gildersleeve

November 15th, 2020

3:55

On March 17th, 1984 radio actor Willard Waterman was a guest of Chuck Schaden's for an interview about his life and career (full chat here -

Tex And Jinx: Interview with Robert Capa

November 12th, 2020

23:43

John Reagan McCrary Jr. was born on October 13th, 1910 in Calvert, Texas. He graduated in 1932 from Yale and began working for The New York Daily …

Pat Novak Gets Set Up—11/24/1946

November 4th, 2020

8:00

The team of Jack Webb and writer Dick Breen were at their best in Pat Novak, For Hire. It was a cult, hard-boiled detective hit that existed almost …

BW - EP109: Thanksgiving 1948—The Changing Radio Landscape

October 30th, 2020

2:44:19

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 …

Living 1948: Let's Sit This One Out—10/31/1948

October 28th, 2020

24:04

On October 31st, 1948 at 4:35PM from WNBC in New York, Living 1948 took to the air with a drama called “Let’s Sit This One Out” focused on registered voters who don’t vote.

Living 1948 was conceived as a “radio mirror” …

The Dennis Day Show: Dennis Thinks Mildred Has a New Boyfriend—10/23/1948

October 22nd, 2020

29:08

The show starts with Dennis singing the hit from the score Pale Face entitled Buttons & Bows.

Well there’s nothing more thrilling to a red-blooded man on a crisp October morning than to be crouched beside a lovely …

Luke Slaughter of Tombstone: O'Brien Paints Commercial—05/04/1958

October 21st, 2020

1:28

The CBS Western Luke Slaughter of Tombstone came to radio at a time when both sponsorship and listenership were at an all-time low. The program lasted just sixteen episodes. It was nationally sustained by CBS, but local …

Halloween 1948 With WOR for the Mutual Broadcasting System

October 16th, 2020

29:08

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 108: Halloween 1948—Dewey Vs. Truman
____________

Halloween 1948 was windy in New York. While John Dewey headlined the New York Daily News, in Brooklyn, James Edward Heller …

Thomas Edison Thanks America For Their Birthday Well Wishes—02/11/1929

October 15th, 2020

1:05

On February 11th, 1929, the very first broadcast of The Edison Hour took to the airwaves over NBC's Blue Network from their WJZ New York City studios.

With Edison's company manufacturing radios, it was thought to be a …

Rocky Jordan: The Bartered Bridegroom—10/31/1948

October 13th, 2020

29:46

At 8:30PM Pacific Time on October 31st, 1948, live from KNX Hollywood studios, Rocky Jordan re-debuted on CBS. It was a revival of A Man Named …

Andre Baruch on How He Helped Thwart Axis Sally During World War II

October 8th, 2020

0:55

Famed radio announcer André Baruch served in the original invasion of North Africa during World War II and spent almost four years overseas before …

Bret Morrison On How He Got The Role of The Shadow

October 6th, 2020

1:42

On December 13th, 1973, Chuck Schaden sat down with Bret Morrison for a chat about his life and career (full interview available here -

John B. Gambling (1897 – 1974) Talks about Early WOR Programming

October 4th, 2020

1:26

John Bradley Gambling (4.9.1897 – 11.21. 1974)was the host from 1925 to 1959 of "Rambling with Gambling" on WOR. In an interview from 1970 he talks about how he was hired by WOR in 1925 and how his early-morning …

Hans Conried Explains The Dangers of An Actor Doing Free Work—Even When Desperate

September 29th, 2020

1:46

In August of 1971, radio and television character actor Hans Conried spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's Golden Age of Radio (full …

BW - EP108: Halloween 1948—Dewey Vs. Truman

September 27th, 2020

2:54:32

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
• …

Sears Radio Theater Opening Show Promo—02/05/1979

September 24th, 2020

0:51

In 1979 Elliott Lewis teamed up with fellow radio veteran Fletcher Markle for a unique method towards reviving dramatic radio. The buying network …

Ken Carpenter On Bing Crosby Quitting NBC and Kraft in 1945

September 21st, 2020

0:37

On February 17th, 1975 Chuck Schaden interviewed well-known radio announcer Ken Carpenter about his life and career (full-interview here -

The Mysterious Traveler: Death Has a Thousand Faces—09/21/1948

September 20th, 2020

29:06

The story begins at a police headquarters in an eastern metropolis. In a small shabbily furnished office Horace Striker, a patrol officer for the …

Lorenzo Jones: Lorenzo Plans a Model Town—09/21/1948

September 18th, 2020

13:35

Lorenzo Jones was a successful departure for Frank and Anne Hummert—a comedy serial that enjoyed fine ratings from beginning to end with …

Suspense: Hitchhike Poker w/Gregory Peck—09/16/1948

September 15th, 2020

29:40

On September 16th, 1948 Gregory Peck guest-starred as Ridge Fowler in Suspense, radio's outstanding theatre of thrills. It's a story about a student on his way home from Berkley. He hitches a lift. A canary yellow …

Jean Shepherd Tells a Funny Coney Island Story About An Old Man—04/09/1960

September 5th, 2020

8:38

On April 9th, 1960, Jean Shepherd told a great story about an old man and a batting cage for his WOR radio show. The batting cages Shepherd speaks of …

Radio and TV Actor Jack Wagner On Ricky Nelson Being Funny

August 29th, 2020

1:13

In January of 1986, KRLA broadcast a tribute to Ricky Nelson after his tragic death in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1985. One of the people spoken to was Jack Wagner, famous as the Malt Shop Man on The Adventures of …

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

August 27th, 2020

3:08:58

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 …

Jean Shepherd Show: Jean is Locked Out of His WOR Office—04/16/1960

August 22nd, 2020

27:28

On Saturday, April 16th, 1960, Jean Shepherd took to the air over WOR airwaves in New York City. Jean was in his usual talkative mood. On that Saturday he'd reported to work only to find the lock had been changed in his …

Ripley's Believe It Or Not w/Ozzie Nelson: Beautiful People—11/03/1935

August 16th, 2020

29:45

In the fall of 1935 Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra was the featured band on The Baker's Broadcast, starring Robert Ripley of soon-to-be Ripley's "Believe it Or Not" fame. The program was produced and directed by Ed …

Actress Virginia Gregg Tells a Funny Pregnancy Wardrobe Malfunction Story

August 14th, 2020

2:04

On August 14th, 1982 SPERDVAC (http://sperdvac.com/) was host to a panel of radio actors and actresses which included Parley Baer, Harry Bartell, …

Ozzie Nelson On Answering Advice Letters

August 11th, 2020

1:01

On January 21st, 1974, Ozzie Nelson was a guest of James Day for a conversation about his life and career. Ozzie was doing media rounds for his self-titled autobiography. During the course of the chat, Ozzie talked …

Royal Air Force Captain Leonard Cheshire on Seeing The Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki—08/09/1945

August 9th, 2020

1:59

This is a BBC recording of Royal Air Force Pilot and Group Captain Leonard Cheshire describing what he witnessed upon viewing the detonating of the second atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945.

Philco Radio Time: Bing Crosby with Guests Ozzie & Harriet Nelson—11/05/1947

August 7th, 2020

29:32

On November 5th, 1947 Ozzie & Harriet Nelson were guests of Bing Crosby on his transcribed ABC Philco Radio Time program. Ozzie later recollected …

Hans Conried on the Differences between NYC, CHI, and Hollywood as Radio Broadcasting Hubs

August 6th, 2020

1:30

In August of 1971, radio, television, and cartoon character actor Hans Conried sat for an interview with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for their WTIC …

Ozzie Nelson On What Made His Family's Show Successful

August 5th, 2020

0:41

On January 21st, 1974, Ozzie Nelson was a guest of James Day for a conversation about his life and career. Ozzie was doing media rounds for his self-titled autobiography. During the course of the chat, James Day asked …

Willard Waterman On Having the Role of Gildersleeve While Radio Drama Was In Decline

August 3rd, 2020

2:09

On March 17th, 1984 radio actor Willard Waterman was a guest of Chuck Schaden's for an interview about his life and career (full chat here and it's a …

Eve Arden On Jeff Chandler

July 30th, 2020

1:26

In the early 1980s, the legendary Eve Arden was a guest on John Dunning's 71KNUS Old Time Radio program from Denver, Co. During the course of the conversation, they spoke about Our Miss Brooks and Eve's original Mr. …

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

July 28th, 2020

2:43:44

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 …

Introducing: The Crime Is Up Podcast

July 27th, 2020

4:59

James Scully here, presenting a trailer for Christopher Affonco Bradley’s new podcast, Crime Is Up, a hybrid podcast featuring original crime fiction …

Suspense: Voyage Through Darkness with Olivia De Havilland—09/07/1944

July 26th, 2020

29:55

On September 7th, 1944, Olivia De Havilland starred in an episode of Suspense called "Voyage Through Darkness" as Judith Webster, who found herself embarked upon a journey in to darkness.

It is 1939 shortly before …

William N. Robson on The Death of Suspense in Hollywood

July 25th, 2020

0:46

In January of 1976 famed radio director William N. Robson was a guest of Dick Bertel and Ed Corcorcan for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio (full …

Jeff Regan, Investigator: The Lonesome Lady—07/24/1948

July 24th, 2020

29:39

This is the third episode of Jeff Regan, Investigator, starring Jack Webb. The series grew out of the groundswell of success that Webb had voicing Pat Novak, For Hire, and later Johnny Modero: Pier 23. It aired on CBS’ …

Our Miss Brooks—04/09/1948 Audition Show with Shirley Booth

July 23rd, 2020

30:28

On April 9th, 1948 actress Shirley Booth recorded an audition for a new show to be entitled, Our Miss Brooks. Booth turned the part down, feeling that the script wasn't funny enough.

When the part was later offered to …

Harold Peary On Why He Left Gildersleeve & His Relationship With Willard Waterman

July 21st, 2020

2:56

On April 28th, 1971, Chuck Schaden interviewed radio legend and the original Great Gildersleeve, Hal Peary (full interview here -

The Sounds of Coney Island In 1932

July 14th, 2020

1:58

This is audio recorded at Coney Island in the summer of 1932 of fairground rides, carnival barkers, and general fun-time ambience.

Irma And Jane Visit Coney Island on My Friend Irma

July 13th, 2020

19:05

This is a snippet from Breaking Walls EP92: Radio And Coney Island (1906 - 1960)

—————

On Friday, April 11th, 1947, CBS debuted a new situation comedy called My Friend Irma.

Marie Wilson starred as Irma Peterson, a …

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