Bill Stern only had one leg

Bill Stern

Eve Arden, Bill Stern and Irene Beasley

Mae West's return to radio + 7 other photos

Agnes looks bored!

Bill Stern

Eve Arden

Photo dump for March 12

Bill Stern

Creepy, I says

The above 2 are of Mercedes McCambridge

Interviewing my special guest: "Boston Blackie"

"Boston Blackie" and I met on an old-time radio forum more than 6 months ago.  Over the past few weeks, we have really got to know each other.

His knowledge and memories of old-time radio run pretty deep and I am most honored to have him here as my special guest today.

OTR Buffet:  Please tell us a little something about you and your history of old-time radio.  How did it all begin for you?

"Boston Blackie": My early memories of radio are wide. I remember going to my aunt’s house and everyone surrounded the radio to listen to Gabriel Heatter. I seem to recall listening to Louella Parsons as well.

At home I recall listening to Boston Blackie, People Are Funny, Truth or Consequences, Lux Theater, Little Theater at the Corner (title not sure), My Friend Irma, and Wisconsin Badger basketball. Those programs I remember listening to while upstairs in bed with my brother or my sister.

Downstairs with my parents we listened to Fibber McGee & Molly and Life with Luigi. My mother listened to Bing Crosby.

Coming home from school it was Challenge of the Yukon and after supper it was The Adventures of Superman and the Lone Ranger. In my real early years it was Buster Brown, Terry and the Pirates, Let’s Pretend and some others I don’t recall the names. At Christmas time it was Billie the Brownie on Milwaukee radio.

Somewhere in there I know I listened to Tom Mix. As I had mentioned to you before I had a red and white beany cap with buttons of all the Tom Mix cast. In addition a lot of other radio stars as well like Roy Rogers and such. I also remember specifically listening to The Shadow with my brother and friends while walking down to Lake Michigan. The Green Hornet and the Gene Autry Melody Ranch were popular on our transistor radio while laying around at the Racine Zoo.

I know this is a scatter-about response, but, so are my memories. In my later youth I remember listening to The Fat Man. All these shows soon were bounced out of my life when we got our first TV. As a kid we said - radio is old stuff, we want TV - which was close to having movies right in your home. I sometimes regret that as now I have found so many shows I like that I was never exposed to them, like Gunsmoke or The Falcon and such. TV took over our lives. Radio mainly remained for us for the rock and roll music that was beginning to be played.

My mother used to listen to the soaps while doing her daily routines. While making the beds, she listened to A Queen for a Day. Later afternoon were the day time dramas. Ma Perkins, My Gal Sunday, Stella Dallas and Romance of Helen Trent. I am sure there were others, but, do not come to mind. I heard these shows because my mother had them on and I was home most likely because I was ill and there was no TV to watch. My response to an earlier blog post also mentioned that I recall listening to evening shows by candlelight. Not because we had no electricity, could not have heard radio then, but, it was a continuation of war time saving efforts. Listening to radio and eating popcorn was a popular thing.

The one show my folks listened to in the evening was Life with Luigi. At the time I thought was funny and it still is somewhat funny. But, I am not as crazy about it as I am for Fibber McGee & Molly.

As I got older, TV took over. Besides, the radio was used to hear music, and in my particular interest, rock and roll. That pushed out any old time radio shows for me. The show I listened to was the Howard Miller Show. Howard Miller would present new records and the hits of the day.

Which shows were my favorites? I think all the ones above as those are the ones I will forever remember. Yes, some were more important at different times of my life, but important never-the-less. I should mention the one football game I will never forget, SMU and Notre Dame. It was because Bill Stern was doing the announcing and was pitting the Catholics against the Methodists that only Bill Stern could portray. I also recall the game between Northwestern and California (I think) in the first Rose Bowl that I remember. Wisconsin football games against Michigan were always special because it was special to my dad. We had relatives living in Michigan and thus, we had to beat the crap out of them.

But, when it comes to OTR it is really Boston Blackie that stands out the most for me. Now I know there were better mystery shows on the air, but, back then, that was to me the best show. So its still sticks with me and it is why I use it often as my name.

OTR Buffet: You took your radio to the zoo?

"Boston Blackie": Yes, it that was a big thing back then. It was the advent of the transistor radio. Hey, you did not need to plug it in and it worked on batteries. The Racine Zoo is right off Lake Michigan. We had no air conditioning and so us kids went to the zoo and hung out on blankets and got the lake breeze during hot summer nights. To help entertain us we had our new transistor radio and listened the the shows mentioned above.

OTR Buffet: I know you have told me in the past you like Bill Stern Sports Newsreel and you, like me, are a big sports fan. Could you say a little something about Bill Stern and what comes to your mind when you think about him?

"Boston Blackie": Bill Stern was an icon. A great voice and knew how to use it. Yes, he sensationalized his topics, but, it made it entertaining. I do not remember listening to the Bill Stern’s show, but must have. I do recall the Colgate song in his show. When I was a teenager my friends and I played APBA baseball board game and we fantasized about our made up teams. My team, the San Francisco Scarlet Tanagers (at this time there were no west coast teams as St.Louis was the furthest west of any team) and Bill Stern was my announcer. This is all another story for a different audience, but, it did involve Bill Stern and how he crept into my life.

OTR Buffet: What shows keep you going today?

"Boston Blackie": I like Gunsmoke. The sound effects are solid and Matt Dillon portrayed by Bill Conrad is so good. The stories are generally done well and the side characters are good. I am also amazed that every Damon Runyon Theatre is good. This is not a typical show like the westerns or mystery ones, but, most are heart warming. No real big stars in this show, just good stories and usually about simple things. Other shows that I perk up when they come on are: My Friend Irma, Our Miss Brooks, The Falcon, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Amos & Andy, Broadway Is My Beat, Casey Crime Photographer, Gildersleeve, Nero Wolfe, Nightbeat, and Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. Others I like, but rank these ahead of them. I should say I still listen to Boston Blackie out of sentiment.

OTR Buffet: Have you ever noticed how similar Nightbeat is with the say, last 35 episodes of Box 13? They could be brothers!

"Boston Blackie" Blackie": No, we have not heard that many Box 13 shows yet. It is on our listening cue though. What endures us to Nightbeat is that it takes place in Chicago and from time to time mentions certain landmarks.

Main cast of the Great Gildersleeve show

OTR Buffet:  What are your favorite Comedies?

"Boston Blackie":  My Friend Irma, Our Miss Brooks, Amos & Andy, Great Gildersleeve, Jack Benny and Burns and Allen.  I always seem to laugh when listening to them, even when I am half a sleep.  Of those listed I think I like Gildersleeve the best.  He and Leroy are the highlights of the show.  The Judge Hooker fits in well too.

OTR Buffet: I love Gildy as well.  There is a terrific rapport between Walter Tetley and Harold Peary.

"Boston Blackie": When you think of otr one has to recall Walter Tetley and his voice.  He had a voice that seemed authentic.  Even though he was older than the kid you picture the voice to be, it was so natural.  His delivery was so timely and one would swear it was a teen responding like a kid would.  The same could be said when he was on the Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show.  He worked so well with Phil Harris and Elliott Lewis.  I know that Stan Freeberg really liked him.  This was brought numerous times on When Radio Was Show on CBS when Stan was the host.

OTR Buffet: Do you have any least favorite Comedies?

"Boston Blackie":  A Date with Judy, The Couple Next Door are ones I listen to but not my favorites.  Ones I do not listen to are Milton Berle and Abbott and Costello along with Fred Allen.  Fred is my least favorite as it is too corny for me.   Easy Aces and Lum and Abner I do not download as well.  Why?  Good question.  All I know I am not motivated to listen to them.  Slap stick comedy I no longer like even though it appealed to me as a youngster.  I might be prejudiced against Lum and Abner.  I knew a guy from where I last worked with that loved that show and I could not stand him.  That might have some influence on the show.  But, also, to be honest, it never appealed to me as well.

OTR Buffet:  I love Lum and Abner!

"Boston Blackie":  Oh yes you do.  A lot of otr radio buffs love that show along with Fred Allen.  I never could get interested in them.

OTR Buffet:  What are your favorite Mysteries?

"Boston Blackie":  I guess I should include "Boston Blackie" for reason stated above.  Also like The Falcon, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Broadway Is My Beat, Casey, Crime Photographer and Nightbeat.  I guess Yours Truly Johnny Dollar should be included.   The Johnny Dollar is only acceptable to me with Bailey as Johnny.  I really like the Tales of the Texas Rangers.  Crime is committed and the Rangers are hot on the trail.  Stories seem real and it keeps me awake at night to hear the end of the story.   I forgot to mention Nero Wolfe.  I really like that show as well.

OTR Buffet: If I had one OTR wish it would be great sound for every series.  The Tales of the Texas Rangers stuff that we are left with are not re-recorded very well.   It's sad.

"Boston Blackie":  You are right about that.  On the other hand I am thankful with what we do have.  I often listen to otr and try to recall it all really sounded when I was young.  You know, some stations really did not come in so well either.  The advent of FM where sound was really good was not used for otr, but usually opera or classical music.  Regarding sports, I was first a St.Louis Browns fan, but, became a Cardinals' fan when the Browns moved to Baltimore.  So I listened to Cardinals games at night in Racine via KMOX in St.Louis.  Needless to say, the quality of the reception stunk, but, a baseball fan I was and still am, I kept listening to the Cards from old Sportsman's Park in St.Louis.

OTR Buffet: Are there any Mystery programs you don't like?

"Boston Blackie":  Ellery Queen, Crime and Peter Chambers, and Barry Craig.   Ellery Queen because his solutions seem to be hidden from the listener.  I do not mind a guest giving their response, but, usually not too much thought put into it.  Chambers and Craig put me to sleep way too soon.  Might be do to the quality of the sound of those shows.

OTR Buffet: Do you have any least favorite Westerns?

"Boston Blackie":  Frontier Town.  I listen and sometimes not too bad.  Do not care for the sidekick on the show.  His voice is disturbing to me.  Sometimes I think he is trying to be W.C. Fields and that ain’t good.

OTR Buffet: Do you like radio Science Fiction?

"Boston Blackie":   Do not listen to these shows as my wife does not care for them and since we listen together, I’ll keep our marriage intact.  If I were to listen to any of them it would be X-Minus One.

OTR Buffet:  Do you have any favorite that may not fit into the above categories?

"Boston Blackie":  Did not list these three shows above anywhere, but, like to listen to them.  One is Dangerous Assignment and the other one is Halls of Ivy.  The third is The Adventures of Rocky Jordan.  In addition to these 30 minute shows, I also like I Love a Mystery serial.  Good stuff.  Regarding serials I listen to Perry Mason and Chandu the Magician.  I will be starting the Superman serials with my next queue.  Serials are a little tough for us to listen to as we cue up our shows and it takes so long to get through them.  So it is easy to forget what happened last.   But, they are good and do not want to miss hearing them.

OTR Buffet:  It was actually you that got me into Halls of Ivy.  I'd like for you to explain what you think it is that makes the shows so special...

Halls of Ivy stars: The Colmans

"Boston Blackie":  When I first started to listen to it I thought it was boring and the sound quality was bad.  But, I stuck with it and the boring show became one of charm.  It had subtle humor and great strength in messages that are good for the soul.  One particular show, the one where our college president and his wife are trying to get to an important meeting with a huge donor to the college, stands out.  That meeting meant money, big money for the school.  On the way there they run into problems with traffic and need to walk there to be on time.  But, on the way, a stray dog appears and the adventure that follows is just so good.  That dog became more important than the stinking money.  It was a great show to illustrate there are things more important than money.  Yes, today it may seem silly, but, it is not!   One of the many lessons learned from the Halls of Ivy.  Other shows relate to cheating, being a friend, honor, along with warm stories about their past life in England.  Love that show.  At times like this I wish I was better with words to be able to give my feelings about this show justice.

OTR Buffet: What show do you wish you had more of to listen to?

"Boston Blackie":  I have more shows than I can possibly listen to now.  This is thanks to The Mystery Clubhouse and your helpful downloads.  Now with OTRR available I have more than I can deal with.  Shows that had short life on radio we can do nothing about, like the Six Shooter.  I also like Michael Shayne and my list is not real big as well.  But, there is so much I do like and will never get through them all, like Great Gildersleeve and Gunsmoke.

OTR Buffet:  I like Michael Shayne as well and I need to get around and write about that show.  Some of those shows are incredibly good - but others aren't so great.

Is there a series that existed once but now there are no known copies, that you would like to hear?

"Boston Blackie":  For me it would be old baseball games from the 40's and 50's.  Not many exists.  Even then, I would not need to listen to many, just a few more.  Of course my favorite teams would be more interesting.

OTR Buffet: By what primary means do you listen to your OTR?

"Boston Blackie":  We listen to OTR on our iPod that is docked into our Bose docking machine and speakers.  The speakers allows both of us to listen at the same time.

OTR Buffet: How many hours a day and week do you listen to OTR? Do you have a listening schedule or is it just random? (If you have a schedule, tell me about it.)

"Boston Blackie": My wife and I listen to OTR when we retire to bed. We can get through at least one a night, but, sometimes up to three. If we have a tough night, maybe we wake up in the middle of night and listen to some more. I usually cue about 100 different shows and we listen to all of those. It will take approximately one month to get through them. A couple of the 15 minute serials, I put two of them on so it will be like the regular 30 minute shows. My cue contains all type of shows, mysteries, westerns, serials, comedies and dramas. Some of the shows we will eventually run out of, but, let’s face it, the Gunsmokes and Gildersleeves will last beyond my lifetime.

OTR Buffet: Do you have any favorite actors or actress in radio?

"Boston Blackie": I like James Stewart, Frank Lovejoy and Bob Bailey. I like James Stewart’s delivery, Frank Lovejoy’s voice and Bob Bailey’s performances. I remember James Stewart from the movies as well as Frank Lovejoy. Only Bob Bailey from recent collecting of OTR shows.

OTR Buffet: No favorite radio actress?

Cathy Lewis

"Boston Blackie": I do like Cathy Lewis. In addition to My Friend Irma she played in so many different radio shows. She had a good voice for radio. For some reason though, I have not caught onto On Stage. I like Elliott Lewis as well and I expected more than what I get from On Stage. Have not heard them all yet, but so far disappointed. The ones you mention above are good as well. I was always surprised on how many shows Shirley Mitchell was in. Marian Jordan as Molly is good as well. The combination of Fibber and her are so entertaining. Her playing Teeny visiting them is always funny. Most times we always heard Molly going upstairs or downstairs, anywhere, and then the door bell rings and behold, here is Teeny. Teeny always got the best of Fibber.

OTR Buffet:  Yes, she did.  Thanks so much for the time you took to do this with me and as Teeny would say, "Well, so long Mister!"

©Jimbo 2010/2011

Truth, Justice and oops, Superman's a Nazi-antichrist-liar!

Thanksgiving parade: Thankful for Superman?

Flat out - Bill Stern made up at least of half of what he said on his great show, Bill Stern's Sport Newsreels.  There may have been some truth to what he said but there was always the extreme mustard on top.

Fibber McGee could take any story (real or made up) and stretch it farther than a dozen eggs of Silly Putty; after all, his name was Fibber.   But that was all in fun.

The mantra of Biggest Liar in radio history belongs neither to Stern or McGee; it easily belongs to the man who's motto was, Truth, Justice and the American Way.

Superman.  The most-powerful being ever.  (Well, to be fair it really wasn't Superman doing the lying.  It was Clark Kent.  Is there a difference?)

In order to hide behind his secret identity, Clark has to lie.  You can't really blame him.  If the criminals knew who he was, they could take Jimmy Olson, Lois Lane and Editor Perry White hostage and demand... oh wait, they do that anyway.

The whole concept of  Clark's beginnings are a lie.  He's not the son of a farmer and his wife.  He's an alien from another planet.

There are well over 1,500 Superman radio shows made.  In the ones I have heard, I would say Clark averages at least a lie and half on every show.  When Bill Stern lies, it's an entertaining stretch.  When McGee does it, it's done all in the spirit of fun.  But when Superman did it, kids were listening at the height of Hitler's evil conquests.

Think about this...if Clark were Superman all the time, he would never have to lie, unless someone asked him, "Are you also known as 'Clark Kent'?   Being Superman all of the time would have it's advantages.  For one thing, he could fight crime without the shackles of puny earthlings tagging along (especially Jimmy and Editor White who tend to tag along a lot in the radio series.)  Another thing, he could have more room for himself if were just Superman, as he could sleep on the moon.  There would be no one to invade his privacy up there.

Check the right side of this ring closely for Nazi Symbolism

So the whole Truth, Justice and American Way thing is all a big lie.  It's a wonder kids and parents didn't make a big deal out this when Superman first hit the comic book shelves.  After all, Superman hit the shelves about the same time Adolph Hitler (another notorious liar) started World War II.

Come to think of it, the whole concept of a 'Superman' is a German idea, straight from the mind of Friedrich Nietzsche - who not only wrote about the Ubermensch but of the antichrist.  There is actually a lot more to this that I have hit on at the surface.  There are many people who have discussed at length the fact that Superman is in fact, a devil (or an anti-Christ figure) - but I won't get into all of that here - that's for a different blog.

Just the fact that Superman is known for truth - when in fact he is a notorious liar - actually says volumes about him.


©Jimbo 2010/2011

Hodge-podging/Feb.23rd

Ricky Jordan?

I never really thought about it before now - and I'll bet you haven't either, but isn't Rocky Jordan kind of a knock-off of Rick in the film, Casablanca?  There is the  North Africa setting for both, the restaurant for both and while neither are detectives both are mixed up (on the side of the law) in the local crime scene and are friendly with the local police chief, yet are miles ahead of him.  There are also plenty of women for both.

The biggest difference between the two is World War II for Rick and post-war for Rocky.  Oh by the way:  RiCK and RoCKy...
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If you listen to Bill Stern's Sports Newreels (and if you don't, you are missing a lot of fun - even if you don't like sports) do you ever realize how often he says the following expression: "And believe it or not, he too was born on Christmas Day"...you'd be surprised.
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I had the opportunity in the last week to listen to Orson Welles' Lear commentaries that I wrote about some time ago.

After listening to them again I come away fascinated with Welles. I don't agree with his politics (I'd bet you that at least when he made these commentaries that he was a Socialist) but he's convincingly clever - and his wit and charm on the air cannot be denied.
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Speaking of great actors, I wouldn't say that House Jameson and Hanley Stafford are in the "best actor" category but after many listenings to both I am always impressed with their work.
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I've also been listening to a new series (for me) Vox Pop (Voice of the People) - a show where the average Joe on the street (or servicemen) were interviewed live. While I haven't noticed anything too unusual yet, it is interesting to hear non-actors before a live microphone (think of You Bet Your Life.)

I'll review the show after I listen to a few more episodes, but I wanted you to be aware of this incredible (and I do mean incredible) collection of Vox Pop images online.
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Joe Kelly, the quizmaster on the Quiz Kids prorgam, was selected to head Quiz Kids - not because of his brilliance but because of his lack of brilliance, so says the book On the Air. Kelly had been the host of National Barn Dance for years and was a third grade dropout.

Despite all that, he seems perfect for the show and I've always liked his work.
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Seriously doing all kinds of things behind the scenes and working 12-13 hours a day at it.  But it takes a while for research to pay off.

Right now I am in the process of sorting and posting almost 300 new OTR Advertisments and I hope you go there and look around and find something you like.   I enjoy digging through papers and finding an ad but there's a lot of work involved in it.  If you'd just go and look now and then and enjoy the ads, I'd be pleased for you to see them.   There are almost 700 different OTR show advertisements involved (not all are posted yet, though.)

Harsh: 1963 Baseball Digest exposes Bill Stern!

You may remember the post I wrote here about Bill Stern's made-up malarky.

Well, even in 1963, the baseball crowd was beside itself over Stern's ridiculous (but entertaining) stories.  You don't mess with the accuracy of baseball - or you will find yourself in trouble (Stern should have known this!)

What the...

It's amazing what you can find in OTR recordings if you are listening.

I present to you two openings for Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel.  The first is a normal Colgate opening.  The second one you will hear is a different show opening but on this show, at least 2 of the quartet that sings these things is missing and are replaced by... some girl in the studio (?) who obviously can't sing!  One word for this: haha!

D'oh: Why Bill Stern once got fired

Sportscaster Bill Stern, who spins terrific-yet-bizarre yarns on Bill Stern's Sports Newsreels, was once hired to broadcast a college football game.

He was excited about this and got many of his friends and relatives to write the station and send telegrams telling them what a great job he did and that they wanted him to broadcast every game.

Very sneaky and pretty smart idea; it seemed at the time that all the accolades would secure Stern a spot as the regular handler of college games.

Instead, two days before the game, Stern was fired. Several telegrams arrived, saying what a great job he did on the game!

Stuff I'd buy if I was a millionaire [#07]

Various Bill Stern books:

More Bill Stern

Bill Stern - the lying Colgate Sports Cream man - is on the air!

"Bill Stern the Colgate Shave Cream Man is on the air,
Bill Stern the Colgate Shave Cream Man with stories rare!
Take his advice and you'll like nice,
Your face will feel as cool as ice,
With Colgate shaves you'll be a fan!"

   - sung to the tune of "Mad'moiselle from Armenteres"

(It's terribly catchy!)

Bill Stern was a liar and he made no bones about it.  He was on the air to tell exciting and compelling sports stories and that's what he did, truth be danged.

The fast-talking Stern remains enjoyable.  Some of the stories are down-right ridiculous (at least two-thirds of them) but the guy made you want to believe it, true or not. .. (mostly, not.)

Worth a chuckle and the show only lasts 15 minute.  I'd bring the youngsters in on this one - it's kid fun, for sure.  Great for kiddie bedtime. 

More about Bill Stern's Colgate Sportsreel