Biographies In Sound 56 05 15 Recollections At Thirty


(3.5 stars; 2 reviews)

H. V. Kaltenborn narrates "A Salute to Network Radio on its 30th Anniversary," and tells of its history with clips from programs such as politics and war news, Bob and Ray, Arturo Toscanini performance, Arch Oboler Plays, One Man's Family, Pot Of Gold, The Fred Allen Show, and more.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

Chapters

Recollections at Thirty 54:09

Reviews

This is NBC. And Only NBC


(4 stars)

NBC had a big problem putting together a Salute to Radio in 1956. By then, most of its biggest stars over the years were working for CBS. NBC must have been reluctant giving them any publicity, but we do great brief clips of Amos and Andy, and Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy. There's no Jack Benny and WW2 coverage is ignored altogether. Not even Bob Trout, the network's top public affairs announcer during the '30s and first half of the '40s. Instead we get Bob and Ray, whose participation in this show is really superfluous. H.V. Kaltenborn is here, rolling his r's, announcer Ben Grauer, Jack Pearl in one of his better routines with Cliff Hall, and the great Fred Allen satirising the quiz shows that took away his audience. There are far-too-short clips of Vic and Sade, Durante, Groucho, Fibber McGee, the non-Crosby version of the Kraft Music Hall, and Westbrook Van Voorhis introing the March of Time. Huey Long gets more airtime in this show. Actually, network radio predates NBC. WEAF had a network before NBC but General Sarnoff's propaganda doesn't acknowledge that. It sounds like Vic Roby opening and closing this episode. The NBC chimes are heard at the end.