Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Jack Benny presents the "Golden Memories of Radio."

Kudos to my brother. This year he got me (his wife, too, of course, but I'm pretty sure he's the one who found it) a set of records of Jack Benny reminiscing about, you guessed it, the golden age of radio.

I finally got a chance to listen to side one of record one last night and was immediately hooked. Benny describes radio as "do-it-yourself television." You paint your own picture with your imagination. He begins with a clip to help warm up your imagination. And what is said clip? McGee opening his infamous closet, much to Molly's dismay, and the inevitable tumbling out of all of his junk. The scene is an array of clangs and bangs and clashes. Not a single item is named, yet the listener is able to create a clear picture for themselves.

The next clip comes from Philco Radio Time, a show hosted by my first love, Bing Crosby. Benny and his real-life wife and on-air costar are the guests on this episode, and the former is attempting a solo on his violin. After a few failed tries he proclaims, "I can't understand it, I've never played so poorly." To which Crosby replies, "Oh cheer up, sure you have."

Then Jack plays a clip chosen by George Burns himself as one of his particular favorites from his show. It's a scene where Gracie is complaining about a list of the best men from the previous half century. Gracie has her own idea about who should have been chosen as number one on the list, and goes on and on about what a great man he is, so handsome, so talented. And naturally George thinks he is referring to him but Gracie bursts his bubble by revealing it's Charles Boyer. George is shocked. Charles Boyer over Thomas Edison? Over Albert Einstein? "Einstein is the father of relativity," he interjects. "Who's she?" Gracie Responds. "Relativity Einstein?....I think she's with Warner Bros." is George's classic answer.

The last clip is Amos & Andy, a show I've never been able to get into. Mostly because they're white actors playing off of the archetypes of African Americans. The issue of racism in OTR is a post all in its own.

Coming attractions from "Golden Memories of Radio":
- Day Time Radio & Commercials
- The Great Radio Comedians
- Radio Adventure & Drama
- The Classic Radio News Broadcasts
- The March Toward WWII
- On-The-Spot Coverage of Sports! (the "!" is in the title, I didn't add that)
- Radio Reports WWII
- Great Moments of Humor & Pathos
- Special Production: Arch Oboler presents "Cat Wife." (I've heard this before and it's disturbingly creepy. I'll try to find it online. Totally worth a listen.)

2 comments:

Clif Martin said...

Funny thing, just last night I listened to a Jack Benny tape.
Jack and Phil argued about Phil's most famous song,"That's what I like about the south." Had a great running gag about Doo-Wa-Ditty. And one about Jack's legendary cheapness. Have you heard that one? It's a gem. Great writing.

"Molly McGee" said...

That one does sound familiar. I've heard so many sometimes it's hard to keep track! The writing on Jack Benny was impeccable. I can never decide if that or the Burns and Allen is my fave, so I usually just conclude that they tie for first place. My dad and I were just talking this afternoon about how these two shows were the most unpredictable and didn't have to rely on on-going gags. Good stuff!