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Ida Bailey Allen was the Martha Stewart of her day, and is on hand to tell a story about a lady from Oklahoma. The desperate woman begged Ida to help her lose weight. How can she make herself over to keep her husband pleased? Ida arranges a trip to New York, a special diet, a clothing make over, time with a maseuse, but the test is in what John will say when his wife gets home.
Sound Effect of the Week. The sound of wagon wheels going over a country road is a simple one, and Graham describes how it’s made.
Misconceptions about the 65K amateur radio operators is shared. The hobby is about talking to people around the globe, but the war has put a damper on some of that reach. What other service do amateur radio operators do that the network stations can’t do?
Oddities in Radio. Bloopers of the best of radio nnouncers are recreated. Proving even the experts get tongue tied sometimes.
Salute to one of radios first dramatic programs. A few scenes from Great Moments is shared as we look in Abe Lincoln, talking to his generals. Though a soldier was clearly asleep on his post, the president interviews the man, to hear his story. Will a pardon be in store? Or will it be a short trip to a firing squad?
Letters from Listeners. Gilbert Martin, announcer for Behind the Mike provides the answers today. Are thhe Noble brothers really brothers? How is the sound of an automobile being started and stopped made?
Jimmy Dorsey is on hand to tell how a band is put together. He tells how it might be done in general. The leader puts out the word, and finds a player or two who are between jobs. Through word of mouth, he rounds up the instruments that he’s missing. A good arranger is also needed who can write the style the leader is looking for. Rehearsal time, and time to filter out the players who don’t meet expectations. Can he find a place to both play, and be broadcast?
Next it’s time to take the band on the road. One night stands mean travel, and income, but good logistics are required to make hotel connections. The exposure could lead to enough attention to appear on the radio, or get studio time to record. Will the band make the big time, and win bigger gigs?
PS: That Jimmy Dorsey segment really answered a lot of questions for me. I know that a modern group of kids who want to make it big with a band only have to toss together a friend or two who can play a guitar, drums, and a vocalist, then start getting gigs. In the big band era, I always wondered how they managed it with such huge numbers
of instrumentws to cover. A lot more difficult to
get started, keep together, and more to organize once road trips come into play.
