Breaking Walls

This episode was originally released on 2/1/2022. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

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In Breaking Walls episode 124 we pick up our 1954 mini series in February. We’ll focus on radio programming and national news from that month.

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Highlights:
• Radio Billings Are Down. Now What?
• Dragnet—Still Going Strong
• Lee Deforest and The Hallmark Hall of Fame
• Americana
• Jack Benny Turns 39? 40? 60?
• Guest Star and The McCarthy News
• The College Quiz Bowl
• Mr and Mrs North
• Polio
• Stars Over Hollywood
• Ending with Bergen and McCarthy
• Looking Ahead to March with Edward R. Murrow

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The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.
To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

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The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air — By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from
• Broadcasting Magazine
• LIFE Magazine

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On the interview front:
• Jack Benny, Frank Nelson, and Don Wilson spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.
• Jack Benny also spoke for Great Radio Comedians in 1972.
• Harry Bartell, Himan Brown, Lilian Buyeff, Bill Froug, Virginia Gregg, Lou Krugman, and Peggy Webber were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com
• Hans Conried and Edgar Bergen spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-wtic.org.
• Dennis Day spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver.
• Lee Deforest spoke at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.

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Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Sh-Boom — By The Crewcuts
• Serious Serenade — By Duke Ellington

How do we define a ghost? What makes us gravitate towards spooky stories, and not just in October?

What causes these supposed paranormal things to happen? Are they trapped spirits who are unable to move on? Inter-dimensional visitors? Energetic imprints from the past history of a house? Or is it something ancient? Something tied to the land itself.

I grew up in a house on Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst that had lots of strange activity. Don’t believe me? Just ask my mom.

Want to take a ghost tour and see me in person? I’m leading Haunted Bay Ridge on Saturday June 6th at 6:30PM. Tickets can be found here — https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haunted-bay-ridge-revised-tickets-1987612124369, at the tours and events tab at BayRidgeDigest.com, or through the linktr.ee at @BayRidgeDigest or @TheWallBreakers on Instagram.

This episode was originally released on 1/1/2022. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

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In Breaking Walls episode 123 we open 2022 with a six-part mini-series on radio business and programming in 1954. We’ll begin with January, in a radio half-season that was for many, the end of the line.

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Highlights:

• Ringing in the New Year with Fibber McGee and Molly

• Gunsmoke’s Stage Holdup

• People Are Funny is Radio’s Top-Rated Show

• January 1954 with Ozzie, Harriet, David, and Ricky

• Jack Benny’s Face is Familiar on Suspense

• Smog and Other Current Events

• Beulah

• The Death of Edward Howard Armstrong

• Looking Ahead to February 1954

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The WallBreakers:

thewallbreakers.com

Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:

patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

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The reading material used in today’s episode was:

•The General: David Sarnoff & The Rise of the Communications Industry - by Kenneth Bilby

• On the Air — By John Dunning

• Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from

• Broadcasting Magazine

• LIFE Magazine

• Time Magazine

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On the interview front:

• John Guedel, Phil Leslie, and Don Wilson spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Norman MacDonnell and George Walsh spoke to John Hickman, the longtime host of WAMU’s Recollections. Today, this program is heard each Sunday evening as The Big Broadcast. For more information, please go to WAMU.org

• Art Linkletter spoke to John Gassman.

• Ozzie Nelson was with James Day.

• Jack Benny spoke for Great Radio Comedians.

• Jack Benny and Don Wilson spoke with Jack Carney.

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Selected music featured in today’s episode was:

• Auld Lang Syne — By The Manhattan Strings

• January Stars — By George Winston

• The Klezmer’s Wedding — By André Moisan

• Love in Bloom — By Bing Crosby

• Seance on a Wet Afternoon — By John Barry

• Danse Macabre — By Camille Saint-Saëns

This episode was originally released on 12/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

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In Breaking Walls episode 122 we spend the holidays in the old west with Jimmy Stewart, director Jack Johnstone, and The Six Shooter.

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Highlights:
• Jack Johnstone’s Early Radio Career
• The State of Network Radio in December of 1953
• James Stewart on the Hollywood Star Playhouse
• The Six Shooter Launches
• A Pressing Engagement
• The Radio Industry - More Than Kin
• Britt Ponsett’s Christmas Carol
• Britt Ponsett Rides Off Into the Sunset
• Looking Ahead of January 1954

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The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

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The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Radio Rides The Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air — by Jack French and David S. Siegel
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from
• The Los Angeles Times

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On the interview front:
• Dick Beals, Virginia Gregg, and Herb Vigran spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Parley Baer, Harry Bartell, Sam Edwards, Jack Johnstone, Marvin Miller and Vic Perrin were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• Art Linkletter spoke with John Gassman.

• Jimmy Stewart was with Larry King and Johnny Carson.

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Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Somewhere in My Memory and Star of Bethlehem — By John Williams
• The Klezmer’s Wedding — By André Moisan
• Highland Lament — By The Corries
• Sonata No. 1 for Violin, Opus 13: I. Molto Moderato — Played by Michael Davis

This episode was originally released on 11/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

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In Breaking Walls episode 121, we finish our Americana mini-series by coming home for November’s festivities. We’ll cheer for the home team, taste the best turkey dressing, and remember what’s most important with some of radio’s best.

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Highlights:
• What Can We Be Thankful For?
• Thanksgiving with The Answer Man and Radio’s Origin
• Ken Carpenter and One Man’s Family
• The Columbia Workshop Relaunches
• Hearts in Harmony
• Damon Runyon’s Football Homecoming
• John Brown’s Communist Troubles
• Thanksgiving with Miss Brooks
• Bob Bailey and Let George Do It
• Thanksgiving with Ozzie and Harriet
• Checking in With Bob and Ray
• Have Gun Will Travel
• Ending with Jean Shepherd
• Looking ahead to December

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The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

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The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

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On the interview front:
• Eve Arden, Ken Carpenter, Norman Corwin, Gale Gordon, Virginia Gregg, Gloria McMillan, Carlton E. Morse and Janet Waldo spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Eve Arden, Roberta Bailey-Goodwin and Dick Joy, spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver.

• John Dehner spoke to SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• John Dehner also spoke with Neil Ross for KMPC and John Hickman of WAMU.

• Ozzie Nelson spoke with Johnny Carson and James Day.

• Frank Stanton spoke with CBS for their 50th Anniversary in 1977

• William Paley spoke while receiving an award on November 20th, 1958.

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Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Thanksgiving and Joy — By George Winston
• The Holly and the Ivy — By Velvet & Voices
• Simple Gifts, Pachelbel’s Canon, and Autumn Stars — By Michael Silverman
• The Pavane — By Steve Erquiaga