The Journalist and the Redhead

As funny as Lucy was on TV,
co-workers say that she
was awfully good at giving
them this look.  It was usually
followed by extensive cursing.

This week on the OTR Express, we hear the climax to the "My Favorite Husband" program.  (Or for those who grew up in the TV era - "That Old Radio Show That Sounds A Lot Like 'I Love Lucy'").  We'll also have some good discussions about how many similarities there really were between the two programs.

Then we'll hear a detective show that I stumbled across in the last couple of years, and has turned out to be one of my favorite detective shows, from the characterizations, to the acting, to the no-easy-way-out script.  Unfortunately, this show - "Crime on the Waterfront" - didn't last long enough to even use the verb "last"... after a pilot show, it never got picked up by the sponsors.  You'll have to listen in the to show to know whether the failure of this show ruined the career of its leading man.

Enjoy this week's old time radio!

What's Thanksgiving...

One avid listener sent this photo of herself,
after realizing that the much-anticipated
Thanksgiving episode was not to be.

...without a little snafu?  Your glamorous host sat in Studio C of the XRB Radio studios the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and recorded a beautiful show.  Unfortunately, what went out over the air was an Old Time Radio Express show from back in September.

But on the bright side, we get to all extend Thanksgiving for another week and soak up some more turkey-day OTR.  And your host gets a break this Sunday eve, as his work from last week is (should be) going out over the XRB airwaves.

Enjoy the fixin's!

Johnny Dollar, Schizophrenic

Edmond O'Brien shown in his
younger years, pre-Hollywood
success...

No offense, Johnny, but 6 different actors in 14 years (not counting the 2 audition shows by Dick Powell and Gerald Mohr)?  You had more personalities than Sybil.

This week, we compare 2 of the more famous Dollars - one by a Hollywood veteran who freelanced in radio (and did a better job of it than most movie actors can say) and one by a radio guy.

Edmond O'Brien, our Hollywood star (yes, he was a star back then), played in some of the great box office hits, like "White Heat" and "Wild Bunch" and some lesser-known gems, like "The Hitch-hiker". He also starred as Johnny Dollar for two years.  He was good, though Dollar didn't have a lot of character in his run.  

....and Mandel Kramer, shown much
later in life, in his TV years on
"The Guiding Light"

Exhibit B is Mandel Kramer.  Kramer, the radio guy, gave Dollar sort of a cheshire cat grin/devil may care attitude.  Kramer was allowed to have a little fun with the role, as folks were turning off their radios and turning on their televisions.  If no one's listening, you may as well enjoy yourself. 

Sounds like Kramer has adopted the motto of the Old Time Radio Express.  Hey, whichever one of my personalities said that, quiet down!