How wonderfully daffy the golden age of Radio tended to be. A broadcast on December 19, 1944 of the show This Is My Best: Norman Corwin’s comedic poem The Plot to Overthrow Christmas, a hilarious look at a plot by Hell to stop Christmas, with Orson Welles starring as Nero. Amazing the entertainment heights that could be reached without car chases, explosions, profanity, bathroom jokes and sex.
“Amazing the entertainment heights that could be reached without car chases, explosions, profanity, bathroom jokes and sex.”
Radio relied on the imagination. People saw their own version of hell and the innocence of the Christ child.
Presented by Cresta Blanca Wines
-the yellow advertisement
Orson Welles and vintners.
I will serve no wine before it’s time.
Imagination.
It fueled the Golden Age of Radio.
Television destroyed it.
Books v. Radio….
speaking of imagination and the deadening thereof.
Today’s listeners wear ear buds while working.
AI is advancing.
Possibly, one day, the future inhabitants of the earth won’t need imagination.
Their programmers will have entered the data that they determine important.
As for earbuds while working, I largely agree.
BUT it can allow a person to “read” CS Lewis while chopping wood or paying bills.
We don’t use audio to its best purposes, but the best purposes are still there.
Random recollection: listened to one of Jeff Shaara’s Civil War novels while processing wood.The audiobooks were excellent.
The Bruised Optimist.
Good point. Audio books are great.
I get hot under the collar when one of our youngsters is plugged in and trying to service our customer. Downright disrespectful.
A time and place for everything.
The Plot to Overthrow Christmas, is great. Big Old Time Radio fan here, Jack Benny is my favorite, but I also dig “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar,” “Broadway is my Beat”, Fibber Mcgee and Molly, it’s all good, quality entertainment.