Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:45 — 13.6MB)
Introduced by Graham MacNamee, Hildagarde Halliday has staked her claim to radio fame by sneezing on command for radio shows. Listen in for a sample of her demonstrations of head colds gone amok. Hmmm… OK, whatever, she doesn’t do such a great job of it if you ask me.
Social expert, John J Anthony shares some follow up to a few stories of people whom he gave advice to. A Navy man was going to commit murder when he made his request to be heard from the studio audience. How was he helped? Real life doesn’t always end up so neatly as it does in radio dramas, but the outcome still managed to avoid tragedy.
Oddities in Radio. A radio personality who played a cop is pulled over for speeding. By dropping the name of his on air character, Harrington of the District Attourney show, a ticket is avoided.
The old RKO Hour of ten years prior is revisited. Two of its original stars recreate the moment in song. Graham turns the mike over to Jack Benny, or at least someone doing an impersonation of him. The best of vaudeville and silent movie performers were featured on this radio show of the bygone era. Graham continues to play straight man as the impersonator shows a slice of vaudeville.
Letters from Listeners. Joe Ransom, editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle answers questions about: The oldest radio show till on the air. What was the earliest radio theme song? Who is Yobootie, and how did the character come about? How is the sound affect of someone talking on the phone created?
The strange way in which a radio broadcast affected a member of the audience is told. A studio warm up dealt with a hand picked stooge to mess up his lines and drive the director crazy. Later, a rustic looking man told how that act helped his wife. The woman had been dealing with mental troubles, and a brain condition that pushed the limits of what doctors could help her with. She spoke the first words she uttered in years, relieving the pressure on her brain.
