Category Archives: 1950s

A brief journalism career preceded his Nobel Peace Prize

Posted on July 27, 2020 by

https://archive.org/download/DestinationFreedom/DF_49-02-20_ep034-Peace_Mediator.mp3 It’s not every dabbler in journalism who uncovers a murder, reports the crime despite a threat to his life, then goes on to get a doctorate from Harvard and years later win the Nobel Peace Prize, like Ralph Bunche. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, civil rights, historical figures | Leave a comment

The Post Office, the Press & Hoppy

Posted on May 2, 2020 by

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Hopalong_Singles/Hopalong%20Cassidy%2051-05-12%20%28071%29%20The%20Bandit%20of%20Blackton%20Bend.mp3 Plenty of communication media here, as Hopalong Cassidy and his comedy sidekick California track The Bandit of Blackton Bend … The crime is a Post Office robbery and murder, while the editor of the financially-troubled local newspaper is too … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 19th century, editors, ethics, newspapers, westerns | Leave a comment

Even 1950s cowboys-for-kids followed newspapers

Posted on February 27, 2020 by

Wild Bill Hickok, the fictional version, sold plenty of breakfast cereal (“flaked, popped, shredded, ready-sweetened, every one’s a favorite…”) to 1950s kids on television and radio at the same time, with Guy Madison and Andy Devine as Bill and his … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, editors, historical figures, reporters, television, westerns | Leave a comment

Another John Reed

Posted on November 29, 2019 by

http://www.archive.org/download/Rogers_Of_The_Gazette/RogersOfTheGazette_530916_011_Illyria_Box_Lunch.mp3 The “Illyria Box Lunch” episode of “Rogers of the Gazette” is quite a package… Small-town journalism, small-town romance, mysterious thefts, a writing lecture, and a pickled peach… and all in a half hour! Newspaper editor Will Rogers Jr has … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, editors, local news, newspapers | Leave a comment

30 Years of NBC Radio plus Balloo in a Balloon, and me

Posted on September 10, 2019 by

https://archive.org/download/BiographiesInSound560515RecollectionsAtThirty/Biographies%20in%20Sound%2056-05-15%20Recollections%20at%20Thirty.mp3 In 1956, NBC radio’s “Biographies in Sound” featured veteran radio news commentator H.V. Kaltenborn and radio satirists Bob & Ray in the episode above, paying tribute to the first 30 years of commercial radio — news, music, drama and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, Drama, historical figures, Korea, media history, radio, World War II | Leave a comment

Frontier People in the News

Posted on September 2, 2019 by

J. B. Kendall, 19th century American wild west correspondent for the London Times, had his fictional career cut short when the CBS Radio series Frontier Gentleman wrapped up at the end of its 1958 season. But star John Dehner’s last … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, foreign correspondents, reporters, westerns | Leave a comment

Reporting can be dangerous

Posted on August 29, 2019 by

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/M%20Series/Mr%20District%20Attorney/Mr%20District%20Attorney%2053-04-05%20(035)%20Case%20of%20the%20Dead%20Reporter.mp3 In this 1953 episode of a popular crime series, a Daily Clarion reporter calls “Mr. District Attorney” with news that he has uncovered a “Mister Big” crime boss. Gunshots heard over the phone and a visit to the newsroom … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, crime, editors, newspapers, publishers, reporters | Leave a comment

A final page, but no news

Posted on March 13, 2019 by

https://archive.org/download/OTRR_New_Adventures_of_Nero_Wolfe_Singles/nanw_51-03-23_ep22_The_Final_Page.mp3 In my search for radio portrayals of journalists, “The Final Page” was the most promising title in a collection of New Adventures of Nero Wolfe episodes. Unfortunately, the page mentioned in the title is from a novel, not a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, detectives, Drama, propaganda, public relations, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College trustee steamed over student press

Posted on January 11, 2019 by

The witty — if a bit prone to puns and quotations — college president on “Halls of Ivy” had more than one anxious moment over campus news media, but supported the freedom of the press in good spirits, which must … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, columnists, comics, Drama, newspapers, reporters | Leave a comment

A bit critical

Posted on January 1, 2019 by

“I can save time if I write my review on the way to the theater.” –Mortimer Brewster http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/B%20Series/Best%20Plays/Best%20Plays%2052-07-06%20(05)%20Arsenic%20and%20Old%20Lace.mp3 Arsenic and Old Lace (IMDB), a hit play and Capra film, was done by several radio anthology series. Here it is by … Continue reading →

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