The Great Radio Sitcoms

The Great Radio Sitcoms PDF Author: Jim Cox
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786491809
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 297

Get Book Here

Book Description
On January 12, 1926, radio audiences heard the first exchanges of wit and wisdom between "Sam 'n' Henry"--the verbal jousters who would evolve into Amos 'n' Andy and whose broadcasts launched the radio sitcom. Here is a detailed look at 20 of the most popular such sitcoms that aired between the mid-1920s and early 1950s, the three-decade heyday of radio. Each series is discussed from an artistic standpoint, with attention to the program's character development and style of comedy as well as its influence on other shows. The book provides complete biographical profiles of each sitcom's stars as well as several actors whose careers consisted primarily of supporting roles. Appendices include an abbreviated summary of 13 sitcoms beyond those discussed in the main body of the book, and a comprehensive list of 170 radio sitcoms. Notes, bibliography, index.

The Great Radio Sitcoms

The Great Radio Sitcoms PDF Author: Jim Cox
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786491809
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 297

Get Book Here

Book Description
On January 12, 1926, radio audiences heard the first exchanges of wit and wisdom between "Sam 'n' Henry"--the verbal jousters who would evolve into Amos 'n' Andy and whose broadcasts launched the radio sitcom. Here is a detailed look at 20 of the most popular such sitcoms that aired between the mid-1920s and early 1950s, the three-decade heyday of radio. Each series is discussed from an artistic standpoint, with attention to the program's character development and style of comedy as well as its influence on other shows. The book provides complete biographical profiles of each sitcom's stars as well as several actors whose careers consisted primarily of supporting roles. Appendices include an abbreviated summary of 13 sitcoms beyond those discussed in the main body of the book, and a comprehensive list of 170 radio sitcoms. Notes, bibliography, index.

The Great Radio Soap Operas

The Great Radio Soap Operas PDF Author: Jim Cox
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476604142
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 342

Get Book Here

Book Description
This reference work contains exhaustive histories of 31 of network radio's most durable soap operas on the air between 1930 and 1960. The soap operas covered are Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories, Backstage Wife, Big Sister, The Brighter Day, David Harum, Front Page Farrell, The Guiding Light, Hilltop House, Just Plain Bill, Life Can Be Beautiful, The Light of the World, Lora Lawton, Lorenzo Jones, Ma Perkins, One Man's Family, Our Gal Sunday, Pepper Young's Family, Perry Mason, Portia Faces Life, The Right to Happiness, Road of Life, The Romance of Helen Trent, Rosemary, The Second Mrs. Burton, Stella Dallas, This Is Nora Drake, Today's Children, Wendy Warren and the News, When a Girl Marries, Young Doctor Malone, and Young Widder Brown. Included for each series are the drama's theme and story line, an in-depth focus on the major characters, and a listing of producers, directors, writers, announcers, casts, sponsors, ratings, and broadcast dates, times and networks. Profiles of 158 actors, actresses, creators and others who figured prominently in a serial's success are also provided.

A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting

A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting PDF Author: Aniko Bodroghkozy
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118646355
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 512

Get Book Here

Book Description
Presented in a single volume, this engaging review reflects on the scholarship and the historical development of American broadcasting A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting comprehensively evaluates the vibrant history of American radio and television and reveals broadcasting’s influence on American history in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. With contributions from leading scholars on the topic, this wide-ranging anthology explores the impact of broadcasting on American culture, politics, and society from an historical perspective as well as the effect on our economic and social structures. The text’s original and accessibly-written essays offer explorations on a wealth of topics including the production of broadcast media, the evolution of various television and radio genres, the development of the broadcast ratings system, the rise of Spanish language broadcasting in the United States, broadcast activism, African Americans and broadcasting, 1950’s television, and much more. This essential resource: Presents a scholarly overview of the history of radio and television broadcasting and its influence on contemporary American history Contains original essays from leading academics in the field Examines the role of radio in the television era Discusses the evolution of regulations in radio and television Offers insight into the cultural influence of radio and television Analyzes canonical texts that helped shape the field Written for students and scholars of media studies and twentieth-century history, A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting is an essential and field-defining guide to the history and historiography of American broadcasting and its many cultural, societal, and political impacts.

The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows

The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows PDF Author: Jim Cox
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476628556
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Get Book Here

Book Description
This work contains the histories of Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, Art Linkletter's House Party, Break the Bank, The Breakfast Club, Bride and Groom, Can You Top This?, Dr. Christian, Dr. I.Q., Double or Nothing, Information Please, Queen for a Day, Stop the Music!, Strike It Rich, Take It or Leave It, Truth or Consequences, Welcome Travelers, and You Bet Your Life, all from the 1940s and 1950s. Included for each show are the premise it was based upon, the producers, host, announcer, vocalists, orchestra conductor, writers, and sponsors, and the air dates and ratings. Biographical sketches are provided for 177 individuals.

Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy

Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy PDF Author: Kathryn Fuller-Seeley
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520295048
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 388

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Jack Benny became one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century--by being the top radio comedian, when the comics ruled radio, and radio was the most powerful and pervasive mass medium in the US. In 23 years of weekly radio broadcasts, by aiming all the insults at himself, Benny created Jack, the self-deprecating "Fall Guy" character. He indelibly shaped American humor as a space to enjoy the equal opportunities of easy camaraderie with his cast mates, and equal ego deflation. Benny was the master of comic timing, knowing just when to use silence to create suspense or to have a character leap into the dialogue to puncture Jack's pretentions. Jack Benny was also a canny entrepreneur, becoming one of the pioneering "showrunners" combining producer, writer and performer into one job. His modern style of radio humor eschewed stale jokes in favor informal repartee with comic hecklers like his valet Rochester (played by Eddie Anderson) and Mary Livingstone his offstage wife. These quirky characters bouncing off each other in humorous situations created the situation comedy. In this career study, we learn how Jack Benny found ingenious ways to sell his sponsors' products in comic commercials beloved by listeners, and how he dealt with the challenges of race relations, rigid gender ideals and an insurgent new media industry (TV). Jack Benny created classic comedy for a rapidly changing American culture, providing laughter that buoyed radio listeners from 1932's depths of the Great Depression, through World War II to the mid-1950s"--Provided by publisher.

The Top 100 Classic Radio Shows

The Top 100 Classic Radio Shows PDF Author: Carl Amari
Publisher: Portable Press
ISBN: 9781684121274
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
Revisit radio's golden age with this classic compilation! A compendium of the top radio shows from the golden age of Hollywood. This book is chock-full of fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes information about the best shows from every era including the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Organized into six categories, you'll learn tantalizing tidbits about the shows and talent who made them famous. Includes comedies, westerns, dramas, variety shows, mysteries and suspense, sci-fi and superheroes. Settle into your easy chair and get ready to revisit the golden oldies, including The Roy Rogers Show, The War of the Worlds, The Bob Hope Show, The Shadow, and much more. Includes three audio CDs featuring one radio show from each genre, plus many more shows available to download. Audio CD run times: CD1: 58:26 CD2: 59:05 CD3: 54:22 Total: 2:51:53

The Great Radio Heroes, rev. ed.

The Great Radio Heroes, rev. ed. PDF Author: Jim Harmon
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786483652
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Get Book Here

Book Description
In 1967, Jim Harmon published the first edition of The Great Radio Heroes to great acclaim. Thirty-three years later comes an illustrated, corrected, revised and greatly expanded new edition... Once there was a time--and it was not so long ago--when radio listening, especially to the dramas, was one of the most important events in many a young person's life. People developed a love affair with the radio, and though the old times are now gone forever, the love affair continues. The heroes and settings of radio drama spurred the imagination to supply its own and much better images than visual media provided. There were no padded shoulders on the Lone Ranger, Superman flew with no jiggly trick photography, and the Martians whom Orson Welles helped attack the Earth were more convincing than anything the movies can provide. For those who have been under the thrall of radio's alluring call, your new host Jim Harmon provides reminiscences of the heyday of radio programming, with insights on such radio dramas as I Love a Mystery, Gangbusters, The Shadow, Inner Sanctum, Batman and Robin, Superman, Tom Mix, The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet, Adventures by Morse and a couple of dozen more. Photographs, a bibliography, and an index are included to enhance the reader's journey into a past time when radio was the favorite pastime.

Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy

Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy PDF Author: Kathryn Fuller-Seeley
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520295056
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 388

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Jack Benny became one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century--by being the top radio comedian, when the comics ruled radio, and radio was the most powerful and pervasive mass medium in the US. In 23 years of weekly radio broadcasts, by aiming all the insults at himself, Benny created Jack, the self-deprecating "Fall Guy" character. He indelibly shaped American humor as a space to enjoy the equal opportunities of easy camaraderie with his cast mates, and equal ego deflation. Benny was the master of comic timing, knowing just when to use silence to create suspense or to have a character leap into the dialogue to puncture Jack's pretentions. Jack Benny was also a canny entrepreneur, becoming one of the pioneering "showrunners" combining producer, writer and performer into one job. His modern style of radio humor eschewed stale jokes in favor informal repartee with comic hecklers like his valet Rochester (played by Eddie Anderson) and Mary Livingstone his offstage wife. These quirky characters bouncing off each other in humorous situations created the situation comedy. In this career study, we learn how Jack Benny found ingenious ways to sell his sponsors' products in comic commercials beloved by listeners, and how he dealt with the challenges of race relations, rigid gender ideals and an insurgent new media industry (TV). Jack Benny created classic comedy for a rapidly changing American culture, providing laughter that buoyed radio listeners from 1932's depths of the Great Depression, through World War II to the mid-1950s"--Provided by publisher.

Radio Drama and Comedy Writers, 1928-1962

Radio Drama and Comedy Writers, 1928-1962 PDF Author: Ryan Ellett
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476665931
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 238

Get Book Here

Book Description
More than 700 uncredited scriptwriters who created the memorable characters and thrilling stories of radio's Golden Age receive due recognition in this reference work. For some, radio was a stepping stone on the way to greater achievements in film or television, on the stage or in literature. For others, it was the culmination of a life spent writing newspaper copy. Established authors dabbled in radio as a new medium, while working writers saw it as another opportunity to earn a paycheck. When these men and women came to broadcasting, they crafted a body of work still appreciated by modern listeners.

A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting

A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting PDF Author: Aniko Bodroghkozy
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118646053
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 516

Get Book Here

Book Description
Presented in a single volume, this engaging review reflects on the scholarship and the historical development of American broadcasting A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting comprehensively evaluates the vibrant history of American radio and television and reveals broadcasting’s influence on American history in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. With contributions from leading scholars on the topic, this wide-ranging anthology explores the impact of broadcasting on American culture, politics, and society from an historical perspective as well as the effect on our economic and social structures. The text’s original and accessibly-written essays offer explorations on a wealth of topics including the production of broadcast media, the evolution of various television and radio genres, the development of the broadcast ratings system, the rise of Spanish language broadcasting in the United States, broadcast activism, African Americans and broadcasting, 1950’s television, and much more. This essential resource: Presents a scholarly overview of the history of radio and television broadcasting and its influence on contemporary American history Contains original essays from leading academics in the field Examines the role of radio in the television era Discusses the evolution of regulations in radio and television Offers insight into the cultural influence of radio and television Analyzes canonical texts that helped shape the field Written for students and scholars of media studies and twentieth-century history, A Companion to the History of American Broadcasting is an essential and field-defining guide to the history and historiography of American broadcasting and its many cultural, societal, and political impacts.