There Was Radio
commons.wikimedia.org
Zenith wood table radio, circa 1939
By Megan McKinney
The web tells us that radio broadcasting emerged in the United States in the early 1920s. “In 1923, 1 percent of U.S. households owned at least one radio receiver, while a majority did by 1931 and 75 percent by 1937.”
winnetoba.com
Fibber McGee and Molly: Molly has that “T’ain’t Funny McGee” look in her eyes.
One of the most successful radio programs ever, Fibber McGee and Molly, was first broadcast nationwide from NBC in Chicago on April 16, 1935. Fibber and Molly were a married couple on the weekly program as well as in life, where they were former vaudevillians Jim and Marian Jordan. On radio they lived in a community known as Wistful Vista; in real life, their home was north suburban Chicago. Sponsored by S. C. Johnson & Son, with headquarters in nearby Racine, Wisconsin, this was the nation’s top-rated radio show during the years 1943-44, 1944-45 and 1948-49.
Amos ‘n’ Andy
Amos ‘n’ Andy was another hugely successful early radio show, with a Chicago debut on January 12, 1926. The following is what we’ve learned about the program. Amos ‘n’ Andy “was an American radio sitcom about black characters, initially set in Chicago then later in the Harlem section of New York City.” Freeman Gosden, above left, portrayed Amos and Charles Correll was Andy. This show held the top spot throughout the nation during 1930-31, 1931-32, 1951-52 and 1952-53. Sponsors were Pepsodent in the thirties and Rexall Drug Stores in the fifties.
alchetron.com
Jack Benny
The great stars of the time, popular personalities with a readymade following, pulled in listeners. Jack Benny’s program was the nation’s top-rated radio show during 1940-41, 1949-50, and 1954-55.
Jack’s lovely wife, Mary Livingstone, joined him every week as a regular on the program.
clickamericana.com
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen’s following was amazing during the thirties and into the forties when his radio show outdid all others in 1937-38, 1938-39, 1939-40 and 1941-42.
oldradio.org
Bob Hope
Bob Hope’s show popped into the top spot during the 1942-43 and 1944-45 seasons.
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor’s program was number one in the nation during the years 1933-34 and 1936-37.
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée squeezed in between Mr. Cantor’s big years when he managed come in with the nation’s most popular show on radio during the 1934-35 season.
The Fred Allen Show, which ran from 1932 to 1949, was radio’s number one during 1946-47. Supposed rivals, Fred and Jack Benny were actually great friends in their personal lives.
Fred’s actress wife Portland Hoffa, with Fred above—like real life Jack Benny spouse, Mary Livingstone—had a running role on her husband’s show.
Above are cast members in Allen’s Alley, which was visited every week on the show. Fred is left, with his announcer, Kenny Delmar—who also appeared on the program as Senator Claghorn—standing next to him. Center is Minerva Pious, who portrayed the show’s colorful Mrs. Nussbaum. The others, we don’t know. It was radio; we never saw any of them.
Author photo: Robert F. Carl
