Category: In Memoriam Radio
Mrs. Dennis Day
A friend sent me a small death notice recently from California noting the passing of Margaret (Peggy) McNulty Day—widow of Jack Benny Show vocalist Dennis Day—on February 1st. Mrs. McNulty Day was 89-years old. Dennis (whose birth name was Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty, but used “Dennis Day” as a stage... Continue Reading »
Academy Award Theater
It’s the time of the year for the Academy Awards and you may not realize that there was a radio program called Academy Award Theater during radio’s golden age. However, while similar shows like Lux Radio Theater (which Media Heritage draws upon for our Hollywood Radio Theater program) lasted for... Continue Reading »
Fibber McGee and Molly
To celebrate Valentine’s Day we’re highlighting one of Radio’s most beloved couples, Fibber McGee and Molly. James “Jim” Jordan (Fibber) and Marian Driscoll (Molly) first met at church choir practice in Peoria Illinois. They started out not in radio, but as a vaudeville act in Chicago. It wasn’t until 1924... Continue Reading »
Barbara Cameron
For a period in the mid-to-late 1940s, the name “Barbara Cameron” was everywhere at WLW. The Dayton-born songstress was hired to replace none other than Doris Day in late 1943 and the attractive 18-year-old quickly filled several holes in wartime-depleted WLW’s vocal department. Barbara sang on the popular late-night Moon... Continue Reading »
Avast Ye Pirate!
Pirate radio stations are certainly not new. These are radio transmitters operating without permission by the FCC and their origins can be traced to the very earliest days of broadcasting. In fact, before computers became the youth distraction they are today, it wasn’t uncommon for young, tech-savvy lads to buy... Continue Reading »
Did You Know? Radio Station Call Letters
Ever wonder why radio station call letters start with the letters K or W? The reason goes back as early as 1912 and originated with the United States federal government. In 1923 the boundary was set by the Mississippi River and all radio stations to the West were given K... Continue Reading »
Andy Williams
The news of the passing of legendary vocalist Andy Williams did not come as too much of a surprise. Andy, himself, announced he faced a diagnosis of bladder cancer last fall and British tabloids were reporting his impending death as recently as July. Still, even at age 84, Williams’ passing... Continue Reading »
Powel Crosley Jr’s “Pinecroft”
In 1925, as Powel Crosley’s company became the world’s largest manufacturer of radios, Powel and his wife, Gwen, took a vacation to Europe. The Crosley’s were starting to enjoy the financial fruits of the trendy radio business and the trip provided an opportunity to plan the next venture for the... Continue Reading »
Sweet Georgia Brown
Former WLW vocalist Juanita Vastine passed away on September 13, 2012 at the age of 94 after a brief illness. Juanita was known professionally as Georgia Brown when she started her career as a vocalist near Butler, Kentucky. In the early days of WWII, Georgia was hired as a staff... Continue Reading »