History of Broadcasting BlogLatest Posts
Our blog commemorates the history of broadcasting from the Golden Age of Radio to the Early Days of Television. We cover the people and stations who made history especially those from the Cincinnati area.
Quiz 7 – Frank Nelson
One of the attributes that made The Jack Benny Program such a radio and TV tour de force was the wide range of its talented stock characters and “second bananas.” In addition to the principle cast-members, fans remember Mel Blanc and Artie Auerbach and the unique humor of actor Frank Nelson, among... Continue Reading »
Quiz 6 – Arthur Q Bryan
If you're a fan of classic radio or if you've watched those classic Warner Brothers cartoons, you'll certainly recognize the voice of Arthur Q. Bryan. Bryan was born (in 1899) and raised in New York City where he struggled to find steady work as an actor, so he moved to Hollywood in the early 1930s... Continue Reading »
Quiz 5 – Irene (and Tim) Ryan
Long before she achieved fame portraying “Granny” for nine seasons on television's Beverly Hillbillies, Irene Ryan enjoyed a solid career in film and on radio. Born in Texas in 1902, Irene Noblette grew up in San Francisco and performed in local theater there... Continue Reading »
Quiz 4 – Hans Conreid Jr.
Hans Conried, Jr. is our versatile “second banana” this week. Born in 1917 in Baltimore, Conried began his acting career on stage doing mostly classical roles. He did a little movie work in the 1930s before joining Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater Players in 1939. Hans was in... Continue Reading »
Quiz 3 – Agnes Moorehead
This week, our celebrity “second banana” is Agnes Moorehead....Agnes was born in 1900 in Massachusetts and she died in 1974 in Minnesota, however she's buried right up the road from Cincinnati in Dayton Memorial Park. She graduated from Muskingum College in Ohio with... Continue Reading »
Quiz 2 – Teddy Bergman
This week, our celebrity “second banana” is Teddy Bergman….born Herbert Theodore Bergman in New York City in 1907. Bergman was a master of dialects, at one time proclaiming he could speak in some 22-different voices. Because of this talent, he was a popular character actor on many... Continue Reading »
Quiz 1 – Elliott Lewis
This week, and for the next few weeks, we're playing a game on our Facebook “Media Heritage, Inc.” and “Big Broadcast” pages. If you'd like to play, “like” one or both of those Facebook pages and on Mondays, we'll post a photo of an old radio “second banana”…a secondary or... Continue Reading »
Bob and Ray: Keener Than Most Persons
Few radio personalities had as much success advancing, and making fun of, radio broadcasting in the 1950s than Bob and Ray. With an off-brand and completely unique style of humor, Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding inspired and influenced many—from Bob Newhart to Woody Allen. The story of Bob and Ray... Continue Reading »
Television Robots
You might not have noticed, but your local television station may have already automated its live studio broadcasts. If not, they probably will in the coming years. Thanks to technological advancements, television stations have installed remote controlled cameras and other equipment for their studio-based news and sports programs. The purpose,... Continue Reading »
Sound Effects Guy: Don’t Call It Foley
This weekend, MH's Mike Martini and Mark Magistrelli will be performing live sound effects on stage for a radio recreation of a script entitled The Canterville Ghost for a Cincinnati theater company. It's the sixth production for Martini producing the sounds of doors closing, footsteps, thunderclaps, horse clops, etc., for... Continue Reading »
Happy Birthday, Ma Perkins
Ma Perkins was “born” at Cincinnati's WLW radio station on this date, August 14, 1933…80 years ago! The daily soap opera was a huge success and ran for over 7000-episodes, ending as one of the final group of dramas cancelled by CBS on November 26, 1960 (often called “the day... Continue Reading »
Jack Benny Rides Again
It’s not often when a DVD set comes out that falls smack-dab in the middle of the Media Heritage wheelhouse, but the new Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes set, by Shout Factory, is a set worthy of some fuss. The brain-child of Jack Benny Fan Club founder and leader... Continue Reading »