Category Archives: 1940s

Newspaper stories behind a September Song

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Bob Stepno

Knickerbocker Holiday (Theater Guild on the Air, Dec. 1945). The hit song remained, but the “journalist” character disappeared in the radio adaptation of the musical “Knickerbocker Holiday” — one of many films that were presented in radio versions. The radio … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adaptations, free speech, historical figures, movies, New York City, tabloids | Leave a comment

Newspaper audience hooked on comics

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Bob Stepno

No journalist shows up to solve the 1944 “radio noir” mystery of “The Comic Strip Murders,” but the audio drama draws an over-the-top picture of dedicated newspaper readers, and the popularity of newspaper crime comics like “Dick Tracy” and “The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, audiences, comics, newspapers, readers | Leave a comment

Theater critic as storyteller, plot device & investigator

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Bob Stepno

What do the movies “All About Eve” (1950) and “Arsenic and Old Lace” (1944) have in common that is relevant to this blog, other than their popularity with radio producers who adapted them for broadcast? There are no corpses or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, 1950s, adaptations, columnists, critics, movies | Leave a comment

Reporter, actress, find love in “Next Time…”

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Bob Stepno

Next Time We Love, a 1936 “struggling marriage” melodrama with a young James Stewart as a reporter and Margaret Sullavan as his aspiring actress wife, was adapted for radio repeatedly, including versions with Stewart and the very different Jimmy Cagney as … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, adaptations, foreign correspondents, marriages, reporters | Leave a comment

Jimmy Olsen, ‘absolutely fearless’ newspaperman

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Bob Stepno

From its first scene, the 1949 Superman adventure  The Mystery of the Flying Monster demonstrates how radio reminded its audience of the culture of 20th century American newspapers. The story doesn’t start with the clack of typewriters, the clatter of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, 1950s, Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, newspapers, Perry White, Superman | Leave a comment

Superman reboots… and Lois suffers?

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Bob Stepno

With the new “Man of Steel” movie opening today, I have to point out that the keepers of the Superman flame have seen fit to “reboot” the storyline many times in its history, and the role of journalism in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adventure, Clark Kent, editors, Lois Lane, Perry White, Superman | Leave a comment

Journalistic aspirations at Vic and Sade

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Bob Stepno

The classic radio comedy “Vic and Sade” by Paul Rhymer had no journalist characters appear at its microphones, as far as I know, although the main characters were regular newspaper readers… but Vic Gook did discuss writing for the paper … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, comedy, newspaper readers, Old Time Radio Groups | 1 Comment

Superman and the power of… the newspaper chain?

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Bob Stepno

With another attempt to reboot the Superman movie series coming up, it’s time to return to old-time radio to hear how the “Adventures of Superman” radio serial constantly reminded young listeners that newspapers were an important part of their communities. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, Clark Kent, detectives, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, newspaper crusades, newspapers, Perry White, political corruption, publishers, Superman | Leave a comment

Radioplays and women in journalism

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Bob Stepno

Happy International Women’s Day! For some crime-solving by a non-fictional woman journalist, see last year’s International Women’s Day episode of JHeroes. This year, we’ll start with fiction and get back to reality — including women war correspondents —  before the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 19th century, adaptations, cavalcade, GreenHornet, historical figures, Lois Lane, true stories, women, World War II | Leave a comment

Reporters aren’t always heroes: Ask Laura

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Bob Stepno

Despite the title of this blog, not all newspapermen (or women) in radio’s popular culture portrayals were heroes, although I think they were generally played more favorably on radio than in Hollywood movies. But I’ve just added a 45th title … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, adaptations, columnists, crime, detectives, Drama, movies, romance | Leave a comment