Julie London in 1957.

Arthur Godfrey.

Groucho Marx.

Herbert Marshall.

Ethel Merman.

Walter Winchell and Jimmy Durante.

Dave Garroway hosting the Today show on December 1, 1952.
Mr. Garroway was the show’s first host.

Gregg Donovan
NBC staff announcer, 1947.

Willie Nelson in 1966.

Before he was “Colonel Hogan,” Bob Crane deejayed at WLEA, WBIS, WICC, KNX, and KMPC.
Photograph courtesy of the Library of American Broadcasting, University of Maryland.

Dr. Martin Luther King.
Drawings are of Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner.

From left: Jack Benny, Dick Powell, Ken Murray, Bing Crosby on drums, Shirley Ross.
Photograph courtesy of the Library of American Broadcasting, University of Maryland.

Photo taken during the first broadcast of “Arthur Godfrey Time” in
1941. Mr. Godfrey is center foreground, the band and singers are
in the background. The lead singer, Patty Clayton, is at right.

Bob Hope and Judy Garland.

Doris Day and Bob Hope.

Johnny Carson.

Brian Wilson.

Sir George Martin.

Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra.

Lana Turner.

WCKY program host Rex Dale interviews Gloria Swanson.
Photograph courtesy of the Library of American Broadcasting, University of Maryland.

Dinah Shore
in the late thirties.

Nat “King” Cole.

Ruby Keeler and Al Jolson.

NBC staff announcer Nelson Case.
Photograph courtesy of the Library of American Broadcasting, University of Maryland.

Nikita Khrushchev and Richard Nixon.
“Kitchen debate” in model home at the American National
Exhibition in Moscow, from news summaries of July 25, 1959.

The legendary Les Paul.

DJ Tiny Markle, Mary Ford, and Les Paul.

Alan Freed.

DJ Alan Freed, who coined the phrase “rock and roll.”
For more information on Mr. Freed, visit these sites.
http://www.alanfreed.com/
http://www.history-of-rock.com/freed.htm
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/freed.htm
http://www.tsimon.com/freed.htm
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/AlanFreed.html

Mel Blanc.

Gary Owens.

Orson Welles.

Tennessee Ernie Ford circa 1945 at WOPI, Bristol, Tennessee.
Photo courtesy of William H. Mountjoy, Jr.

With a Feather on My Nose is Billie Burke’s autobiography, written in 1949. Famous for her role as “Glinda, the Good Witch” in MGM’s 1939 production of The Wizard of Oz, Ms. Burke is being interviewed in 1949 by pioneer female broadcaster Ruth Crane Schaefer, seen here at left, on ABC affiliate WMAL.

Ms. Schaefer, left, hosted a program called Modern Woman on WMAL-TV and radio. With her are vocalist Rudy Vallee, an unidentified woman, and WMAL’s Jackson Weaver. Mr. Weaver hosted children’s programs, which included screenings of The Little Rascals comedies, and for thirty-two years co-anchored WMAL’s morning drive time slot with Frank Harden.

Jackson Weaver, Ruth Crane Schaefer, The Lone Ranger, and an RCA 44. Mr. Weaver was the first person to provide “Smokey the Bear” with a voice.

—Ruth Crane Schaefer photos and information are through the 
courtesy of Mr. Steven Portnoy, WMAL–ABC Radio,
Mr. Randall Bloomquist, Mr. Chris Berry, and 
the Library of American Broadcasting,
University of Maryland, College Park.

Garrison Keillor

Bill Monroe

The caption reads “Bill Monroe (second from left) performs with an early incarnation of the Bluegrass Boys shortly after joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1939. His band featured Art Wooten on fiddle, Cleo Davis on guitar, and Amos Garen on bass. (Garen had been preceded by John Miller on the jug.) Monroe’s mandolin and vocals dominated the group, and set the standard for all bluegrass music that followed.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

Ed Wynn

Douglas MacArthur

Fred Allen

The cast of “Allen’s Alley,” including Fred Allen, Minerva Pious as Mrs. Nussbaum, Alan Reed as Falstaff Openshaw, and Kenny Delmar as Senator Claghorn.

Bob Burns

Eddie Cantor

Olive Major, Eddie Cantor, Dinah Shore

Ralph Edwards

Woody Herman

William Henry Pratt, a. k. a. Boris Karloff

W. C. Fields

Marion Sweet

Etta James

The cast of I Love a Mystery. Russell Thorson as Jack Packard,
Athena Lord as Jerri Booker, and Jim Boles as Doc Long.
Mr. Boles and Ms. Lord are husband and wife in real life.

—ILAM biographical information was obtained with the 
assistance of Mr. Jim Harmon and Mr. Lloyd Nesbitt.

Frank Sinatra

Dick Joy, KNX/CBS Radio Network announcer, 1940s.

Richard “Dick” Joy was regularly heard by millions of Americans tuned to CBS during the Golden Age of Radio and TV—the 1930s through the 1950s. Dick began broadcasting for KNX radio in Los Angeles in the 1930s while he was a student at USC. At 21 he was the youngest staff announcer at the CBS Radio Network. In addition to his local duties at KNX, Dick was the announcer for such network shows as Spike Jones, Danny Kaye, Nat King Cole, The Bell Telephone Hour, The Silver Theater, Vox Pop, and Sam Spade.

Working with producer Barney Miller, Dick created CBS Sunday Desk, which pioneered the use of multiple, short voice bytes in a paced program. Until then, radio news used fewer voice bytes which could vary from one to five minutes or more.

Dick made the transition to CBS Television in the late 40s as a reporter for CBS’ You Are There, and later as announcer for December Bride, Perry Mason, Have Gun—Will Travel, Daktari, Lost in Space, and Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. His “Personal Best” was as the announcer for the legendary Playhouse 90, working with people like Rod Serling and John Frankenheimer every week. In later years, Dick became the News Director for KFAC-AM and FM, the classical music stations for Los Angeles in the 1960s.

—Scott Carter

Dick Joy at KCMJ, the first Palm Springs radio station.

Ozzie and Harriet Nelson visit Dick Joy, third from left.

Lowell Thomas also dropped in for a visit.

Spike Jones, for whom Dick Joy announced. The woman with Mr. Jones is Dorothy Shay, the “Park Avenue Hillbilly.” The photo was most likely taken in 1948 at CBS. Mike Wallace was the announcer on the Spotlight Revue when it originated from Chicago, and Mr. Joy stepped in when the troupe moved to Hollywood.

—Dick Joy, Ozzie and Harriet, Lowell Thomas, and 
Spike Jones photos courtesy of Dick and Sis Joy;
Spike Jones information courtesy of Ted Hering.

Agnes Moorehead.

Agnes Moorehead.

John Archer.

Jack Benny.

Jack Benny.

Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen.

William Conrad.

Dana Andrews.

Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Dorothy McGuire.

Molly and Fibber McGee in costume.

Fibber McGee and Molly (Jim and Marian Jordan).

Fred Allen.

Stacy Harris.

Stacy Harris.

Judy Garland.

Peter Lorre.

Maurice Tarplin.
Sometimes appearing as “Maurice Tarlin.”

Maurice Tarplin.

Margaret Whiting.

Jo Stafford.

Arch Obler and Tommy Cook.

Tommy Cook, Jim Harmon, and Frank Bresee
at the Fall, 2003 Old Time Radio Convention.

?, ?, and Arch Obler.

Fred Allen and Portland Hoffa (Mrs. Allen).

Luis Van Rooten.

Roy Rogers.

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

Stacy Harris and Marie Windsor.

Cast members of We Hold These Truths include Orson Welles, Rudy Vallee, Sterling Tracy, Bernard Herrmann, Edward G. Robinson, Bob Burns, Jimmy Stewart, Norman Corwin, Walter Brennan, and Edward Arnold. Seated are Lionel Barrymore, Marjorie Main, and Walter Huston.

Orson Welles.

Orson Welles.

Orson Welles.

John Rayburn
Perennial broadcaster, quoted at right.

John “Jack” Mather. Mr. Mather had the starring role on the radio show “The Cisco Kid” from 1947 until 1959. He was the announcer for the radio program “The First Nighter” on CBS, as well as playing various bit parts on the program. He also appeared on many of the early Bob Hope radio shows as well as on the Jack Armstrong show. Mr. Mather had parts in numerous movies and television shows, and was known as the “Paramount Cop” due to his many roles as a policeman on the silver screen.

George Burns and Gracie Allen.

Announcer George Feniman and host Groucho Marx
on the set of Groucho’s quiz show, You Bet Your Life.

Host Dave Garroway on NBC’s Monitor.

Host Wayne Howell on NBC’s Monitor.

Newscaster H. V. Kaltenborn.

Commentator Lowell Thomas.

Announcer and commentator Milton Cross.

Announcer, performer, and music show host Gary Owens.

Frank Sinatra.

KUSC announcer and CBS film critic Jim Svejda.

Scott Muni.

Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks.

Steve Allen.

Comedian, George Jessel
Radio Follies, CBS, 9/26/1930, Fridays.

L to R: Bob Burns, Tommy Riggs, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy,
Rudy Vallee and Joe Penner. for NBC Radio 30TH Anniversary.

Phil Baker, comedian and emcee. Starred in his own NBC radio series,
"The Armour Jester" in 1933 and went on to host "The $64 Question" in the 1940s.

Art Carney. Star of television's "Honeymooners." Also appeared
in various radio shows and motion pictures.

Charlie Butterworth, comedian. Appeared on "The Packard Show"
on NBC's Blue Network during the 1930s.

Jerry Colonna, comedian and Patsy Kelly comedienne. Colonna was
Bob Hope's sidekick and known for his bush mustache and rolling goggle eyes.
Also appeared in films. Patsy Kelly appeared on NBC radio's "Palmolive Party."

—PHOTO CREDITS: Mr. Mather courtesy of Bob Andrews and Bill and Ginny Rittmueller.
Mr. Burns and Ms. Allen, Mr. Feniman and Mr. Marx, Mr. Thomas,
Mr. Cross, Mr. Owens and Mr. Sinatra courtesy of Lloyd Nesbitt.
Mr. Kaltenborn courtesy of the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Mr. Garroway and Mr. Howell courtesy of Dennis Hart.