In our retrospective of old-time radio, we have the chance to looks at all performances with our "telescopes" (mp3) and listen to in the neighborhood of 40% of all major radio performances.
Sure, that's 60% not covered but of that 60%, most of it is stuff we probably wouldn't to hear anyway and probably 75% of it is music.
At any rate, there have been some fine performances along the way. It is often pointed out on this website how great Orson Welles was and I like to think of Lurene Tuttle as being a female version of Welles. And you know I like Agnes Moorehead but I probably like many others just as much.
I mentioned those 3 actors specifically because they are about fourth of the dozen or so actors and actresses I can recall playing star dual roles in OTR.
Well I heard another one not too long ago. Sometime, check out Frontier Gentleman and episode "Belljoy's Prisoner" (580608) when versatile John Dehner plays J.B. Kindle, the Frontier Gentleman and a crazy fat guy from the backwoods. It's pretty good stuff. Two completely different roles and done so well, it's hard to imagine they are the same man.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Showing posts with label John Dehner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Dehner. Show all posts
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Jim Beshires: an audio interview about Westerns
Jim Beshires is the founder and president of the Old Time Radio Researchers organization, easily the finest OTR group around, in my opinion.
Jim is one of the nicest people I have met in the OTR hobby. He lives close to me and I find him to be just like a friendly neighbor, even though I have never met him in person.
He and I have formed a friendship and he has been kind enough to answer some questions (via audio) in what can only be called a very unique interview.
This interview focuses on one of Jim's favorite subjects, the Western. He's consented to do other interviews like this in the future and so I'm sure he won't be a stranger to you on this blog anymore.
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you for joining me and doing the interview. I am glad we could finally do this interview, albeit it will be in a most unconvential way.
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: I know that Westerns are one of your favorite type of old-time radio programs. Could you tell us about when you first began listening to Westerns and which shows?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Let's start with Gunsmoke. It seems that Gunsmoke is the King of Westerns by default - even though there are many good radio Westerns. Tell me what you think of when you think of Gunsmoke?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Gunsmoke had adult themes and really wasn't meant for children but you know children listened to it. Did you listen to it during the series run?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Between Parley Baer as Chester and Howard McNear as Doc, which character did you like better and which actor do you think was a better one (throughout their radio careers) Baer or McNear?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Are there any episodes that stand out for you as being special Gunsmoke episodes?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: How would you rate the Gunsmoke radio series against the TV series?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Moving on to Have Gun, Will Travel. What is your opinion of John Dehner as a radio actor?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Compare Dehner to William Conrad...
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Luke Slaughter of Tombstone is an underrated show. What are your thoughts on the show in general?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: There are the so-called "Kiddie Westerns." Would you talk about your favorite ones?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you so much for doing this interview with me. I truly learned a lot and enjoyed your answers. I promise you, when we get together again to do another interview, it will be about science fiction!
Jim Beshire::
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Jim is one of the nicest people I have met in the OTR hobby. He lives close to me and I find him to be just like a friendly neighbor, even though I have never met him in person.
He and I have formed a friendship and he has been kind enough to answer some questions (via audio) in what can only be called a very unique interview.
This interview focuses on one of Jim's favorite subjects, the Western. He's consented to do other interviews like this in the future and so I'm sure he won't be a stranger to you on this blog anymore.
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you for joining me and doing the interview. I am glad we could finally do this interview, albeit it will be in a most unconvential way.
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: I know that Westerns are one of your favorite type of old-time radio programs. Could you tell us about when you first began listening to Westerns and which shows?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Let's start with Gunsmoke. It seems that Gunsmoke is the King of Westerns by default - even though there are many good radio Westerns. Tell me what you think of when you think of Gunsmoke?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Gunsmoke had adult themes and really wasn't meant for children but you know children listened to it. Did you listen to it during the series run?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Between Parley Baer as Chester and Howard McNear as Doc, which character did you like better and which actor do you think was a better one (throughout their radio careers) Baer or McNear?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Are there any episodes that stand out for you as being special Gunsmoke episodes?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: How would you rate the Gunsmoke radio series against the TV series?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Moving on to Have Gun, Will Travel. What is your opinion of John Dehner as a radio actor?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Compare Dehner to William Conrad...
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Luke Slaughter of Tombstone is an underrated show. What are your thoughts on the show in general?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: There are the so-called "Kiddie Westerns." Would you talk about your favorite ones?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you so much for doing this interview with me. I truly learned a lot and enjoyed your answers. I promise you, when we get together again to do another interview, it will be about science fiction!
Jim Beshire::
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
One of the best: Frontier Gentleman
Another of the late-1950's radio entries, Frontier Gentleman was all about J.B. Kendall, a newspaper writer for the London Times who was making his way westward in the United States for a little bit of it's flavor. He would write a story and send it back to London to be published and was always waiting for his money to catch up with him. While he was never broke - that I recall - he was down to coins, or seemed to be in most episodes.
Kendall was a gentleman, no doubt. But he was also tough. He owned a gun but rarely used it. We get the feeling that he was one of the best bare-knuckle fighters in the Radio Old West - not that he looked for a fight, he didn't do that. But he was going to do what was right and if that meant having to use his fists to defend himself, he was by no means a coward. He was hard to beat as well. The only time he lost a fight is when someone would sneak up behind him and plop him on the head with the barrel of their gun while he was fighting someone else.
John Dehner played Kendall and while Dehner played a million Western parts in radio (in every other Gunsmoke episode and as Paladin in Have Gun Will Travel) I think he was best as Kendall. He was smart, sympathetic but also a moralist. Add the toughness in there and what you have is a bonafide Western hero - who didn't go around gunning people - in some ways he was like Matt Dillon or even Paladin. The only odd thing - he didn't own a horse and is almost never heard riding one!
As a gentleman, Kendall would often find himself the guest of a town's mayor or even a governor. He met up with some of the West's urban legends, such as Wild Bill Hickock and came really close to being with General Custer on that fateful day when Custer foolishly led his men into their last battle.
The sound quality of the series is superb. It sounds as good as anything out there; seems most of the Westerns of the late 1950's have this advantage over other series. I know some people refuse to listen to old radio that is even half-way fuzzy.
This series is one of the best out there.
 |
| John Dehner |
John Dehner played Kendall and while Dehner played a million Western parts in radio (in every other Gunsmoke episode and as Paladin in Have Gun Will Travel) I think he was best as Kendall. He was smart, sympathetic but also a moralist. Add the toughness in there and what you have is a bonafide Western hero - who didn't go around gunning people - in some ways he was like Matt Dillon or even Paladin. The only odd thing - he didn't own a horse and is almost never heard riding one!
As a gentleman, Kendall would often find himself the guest of a town's mayor or even a governor. He met up with some of the West's urban legends, such as Wild Bill Hickock and came really close to being with General Custer on that fateful day when Custer foolishly led his men into their last battle.
The sound quality of the series is superb. It sounds as good as anything out there; seems most of the Westerns of the late 1950's have this advantage over other series. I know some people refuse to listen to old radio that is even half-way fuzzy.
This series is one of the best out there.
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