Routledge Revivals: Radio Broadcasting from 1920 to 1990 (1991)

An Annotated Bibliography

Diane Foxhill Carothers

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781138281646
• eBook ISBN: 9781351983884
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Performing Arts

First published in 1991, this book presents a comprehensive annotated bibliography of radio broadcasting. Its eleven chapter-categories cover almost the entire range of radio broadcasting — with the exception of radio engineering due to its technical complexity although some of the historical volumes do encompass aspects, thus providing background material. Entries are primarily restricted to published books although a number of trade journals and periodicals are also included. Each entry includes full bibliographic information, including the ISBN or ISSN where available, and an annotation written by the author with the original text in hand.

Background of Radio Broadcasting

Includes histories, biographies, autobiographies, anecdotes, and information about individual programs and performers.

1. Ace, Goodman. Ladies and Gentlemen, Easy Aces. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1970. 210 pp.

The title is a quote from the introduction of the popular radio program of the 1930s and 1940s. This volume is a collection of eight scripts from that period.

2. Adair, James R. M.R. DeHaan: The Man and His Ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1969. 160 pp.

DeHaan was the founder of the Radio Bible Class which preached Christianity via the airwaves. In 1939 he broadcast live for the first time on radio station WEXL, a 50-watt outlet in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak. The program achieved a broad following and in 1968 expanded into television under DeHaan's son.

3. Aitken, Hugh G.J. Syntony and Spark: lite Origins of Radio. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1976. 347 pp. (Science, Culture and Society series). ISBN: 0-471-01816-3.

The foreword states that Aitken "makes us feel that he not only understands the work of Clerk Maxwell and Hertz, but could also have been a pioneer radio operator for Marconi." Two chapters are "intended for the reader with a specialized professional interest" in technology while the others present the non-technical aspects of radio history.

4. Allen, Fred. Treadmill to Oblivion, Boston: Little, Brown, 1954. 240 pp.

One of radio's most popular comedians, Allen devotes most of this autobiography to his years in radio. Included are a number of scripts from actual shows. Al Hirschfeld contributed the drawings that illustrate the text.

5. Allen, Steve. The Funny Men. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1956. 279 pp.

Most of the comedians and humorists profiled in these pages got their start in vaudeville and/or radio and then went on to television. Among them are Fred Allen, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor, Arthur Godfrey, Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, and Red Skelton.

6. Allighan, Garry. Sir John Reith. London: Stanley Paul, 1938. 287 pp.

The life-story of the Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation "is superimposed on the background of the romance of radio itself ... Interesting glimpses are given of those who were creating the new science in readiness for the Reith era and fascinating disclosures are made from inside the BBC itself."

7. Alth, Max. Collecting Old Radios and Crystal Sets. Des Moines, IA: Wallace-Homestead, 1977. 74 pp. ISBN: 0-87069-140-6.

Concerns primarily the equipment used in early radio broadcasting: "the home constructed and assembled crystal sets and radios, and the early, awkward but beautiful, factory constructed equipment." Chapters provide names of manufacturers, operating instructions, repairs, and tips on collecting as well as current (1977) prices.

8. American Advertising Museum. An Audio History of Commercial Radio. Portland, OR: Radio Heritage Productions, 1987. 6 cassettes (boxed).

Written, produced, and narrated by John Salisbury, this is "a compendium from the Beginning through the Twenties, Thirties, Forties, and Fifties" taken from the permanent collection of the Museum's radio exhibit. Interspersed with Salisbury's narrative are brief, illustrative excerpts from actual programs, including commercials.

9. Andrews, Bart, and Ahrgus Juilliard. Holy Mackerel! The Amos 'n' Andy Story. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1986. 188 pp. ISBN: 0-525-24354-2.

Created as a mid-1920s radio program by Charles J. Correll and Freeman Gosden, the Amos 'n' Andy Show successfully made the transition to television in 1951 until criticism concerning racial bigotry helped force it off the air. This book brings back memories for any fan of the show and contains synopses of all 78 TV episodes.

10. Andrews, Robert D. Just Plain Bill: His Story. Philadelphia: David McKay, 1935. 249 pp.

Written in an informal style similiar to that used on the popular radio serial, this presents "the truth about a man millions love." In addition, it contains data and photographs of Elmer and Mrs. Eeps, David Ellis, Kerry, Nancy, and the rest of the "Hartville folks."

11. Archer, Gleason L. Big Business and Radio. New York: American Historical Society, 1939. 503 pp.

Definitely NOT a continuation of Archer's History of Radio to 1926, (see item #12) "the bulk of this volume consists of a story based upon records opened for the first time to any historian." It begins with a look behind the scenes at RCA in 1922, continues with compromises and arbitration, and ends with federal anti-trust litigation and the corporation' s consent decree. This was reprinted in 1971 as part of the History of Broadcasting: Radio to Television series published by Arno Press/New York limes.

12. Archer, Gleason L. History of Radio to 1926. New York: American Historical Society, 1938. 421 pp.

An outgrowth of a course on radio broadcasting in the College of Journalism of Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts. The author begins with what he calls intercommunication of signals in early times, continues with the invention of the electric telegraph, wireless telegraphy, early RCA and Westinghouse companies, and concludes with the struggle for network broadcasting, wave-length allocations and injunctions. The book was reprinted in 1971 by Arno Press/New York Times as part of the History of Broadcasting: Radio to Television series.

13. Arnheim, Rudolf. Radio. London: Faber & Faber, 1936. 296 pp.

The World of Sound, Direction and Distance, Spatial Resonance, and The Necessity of Radio-Film are some of the chapter titles. Illustrations show the control room at BBC's Broadcasting House, studios in Konigsberg and Hamburg, a steel tape recording room, a Berlin listening room, and several views of various productions in rehearsal or actually on the air. This book was reprinted in 1971 by Arno Press/New York Times as part of the History of Broadcasting: Radio to Television series.

14. Bacher, William A., ed. The Treasury Star Parade. New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1942. 379 pp.

The Treasury Hour and the Star Parade were radio programs presented for the benefit of the Treasury Department to raise money through the sale of War Bonds. This reprints 27 sketches from these programs which were written by leading writers and performed by well-known actors and actresses.

15. Bain, Donald. Long John Nebel: Radio Talk King, Master Salesman, Magnificent Charlatan. New York: Macmillan, 1974. 268 pp. ISBN: 0-02-505950-5.

Nebel was described as "one of the most unique figures to ever sit behind the microphones of a major radio station." For over 18 years he reigned as "king of all-night radio talk in New York." This biography of Jack Knebel who gained fame as Long John Nebel was written while Nebel was still a very active radio personality.

16. Baker, W.J. A History of the Marconi Company. London: Methuen, 1970. 413 pp.

The archives of the Marconi Company were made available to the author who stated that no commercial censorship was exercised by the company during his writing of the book. He was able to record the downs as well as the ups of the firm that pioneered in the fields of radio, television, and electronics.

17. Bannerman, R. LeRoy. Norman Corwin and Radio: The Golden Years. University, AL: University of Alabama Press, 1986. 275 pp. ISBN: 0-8173-0274-3.

More than a biography, this book provides a social history of the period between the mid-1930s and the late 1940s referred to as the "Golden Age of Radio." This is an intimate look at 1940s broadcasting and the man who brought to radio" a spirit of intelligence, integrity, and experimentation"

18. Bannerman, R. LeRoy. On a Note of Triumph: Norman Corwin and the Golden Years of Radio. New York: Carol Publishing, 1986. 275 pp. ISBN: 0-8184-0512-0.

Published originally under the subtitle (see item #17), this tells the story of Norman Corwin who was writer, director, and producer of numerous network radio shows.

19. Banning, William Peck. Commercial Broadcasting Pioneer: The WEAF Experiment, 1922-1926. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1946. 308 pp.

The American Telephone and Telegraph Company sponsored experimental work during the early days of radio because it foresaw good prospects in providing telephone subscribers and other users with fresh services such as radio telephony across the ocean, from ship to shore and from moving vehicles. It operated WEAF (formerly WBAY) from 1922 to 1926 and established WCAP as a second experimental station in order to further such research.

20. Bannister, Harry. The Education of a Broadcaster. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1965. 351 pp.

The first half covers the author's experiences in radio while the second part is devoted to television. He was vice-president in charge of station relations for NBC during his 35 years in broadcasting.

21. Barber, Walter L. The Broadcasters. New York: Dial Press, 1970. 271 pp.

Sportscaster Red Barber writes about the pioneers in radio broadcasting: Graham McNamee, Ted Husing, Bill Munday, Harry Wismer, and Bill Stern, and others who are less well known. His main emphasis, however, is on the broadcasting of baseball and football on radio and television, as he looks back over his own 40 years at the microphone.

22. Barman, Thomas. Diplomatic Correspondent. New York: Macmillan, 1968. 273 pp.

As a diplomatic correspondent, Barman reported for BBC for more than 20 years. He tells of his world as he traveled and reported from a wide variety of places including Algiers, Cairo, Stockholm, and Moscow.

23. Barnes, Pat. Sketches of Life. Chicago: Reilly & Lee, 1932. 119 pp.

Jimmy and Grandad was the radio show on NBC that brought Pat Barnes into prominence. This tells "mainly the story of the program, the characters of Jimmy and Grandad, and their 'Jimtown' friends."

24. Barnouw, Erik. A History of Broadcasting in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press, 1966-1970. 3 vols.

A classic in the field, this comprehensive set details the progress of both radio and television from their earliest days to 1970 state-of-the-art. The volumes bear separate titles: A Tower in Babel, The Golden Web, and The Image Builders.

25. Barnouw, Erik. Mass Communication: Television, Radio, Film, Press: The Media and Their Practice in the United States of America. New York: Rinehart, 1956. 280 pp.

Chapters are devoted to the history and psychology of the media, and the sponsors of mass communication. Most of the treatment of radio is given in about 20 pages, but scattered information about the medium occurs throughout the book.

26. Barson, Michael, ed. Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel. New York: Pantheon Books, 1988. 330 pp. ISBN: 0-679-72036-7.

The subtitle states that this is the "Marx Brothers' lost radio show" and contains 26 episodes of the program. Additional contents include "the short, happy life of the Marx Brothers on radio," a conversation with Nat Perrin, their writer, and an interview with Groucho Marx who "tells all."

27. Benny, Mary Livingstone, and Hilliard Marks, with Marcia Borie. Jack Benny. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1978. 322 pp. ISBN: 0-385- 12397-X.

Written by Benny's widow and brother-in-law, this was actually begun as a collaboration between Jack Benny and Marks. When Benny died the others decided to tell the life story of the man who "took command of a stage and made people love him-because he loved them back (and who was) always the foil for those of his radio and television family who surrounded him."

28. Berg, Gertrude. The Rise of the Goldbergs. New York: Barse, 1931. 250 pp.

Sixteen episodes of the popular radio program are published in narrative form in this volume. They help bring out the personalities of the four main characters: Molly, Jake, Sammy, and Rosie Goldberg.

29. Berg, Gertrude, with Cherney Berg. Molly and Me. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961. 278 pp.

From the opening bars of Toselli's Serenade and Molly's "Hello. Is anybody?" The Goldbergs were a radio success story. Gertrude Berg's autobiography reads exactly like an episode from the program as she writes about her family, her childhood, and her career as writer-actress-producer.

30. Bergreen, Laurence. Look Now, Pay Later: The Rise of Network Broadcasting. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1980. 300 pp. ISBN: 0-385-14465-2.

Both radio and television broadcasting are covered in this history of networks. It begins with a story of corporate rivalry (RCA, NBC, et al.) and ends with "signs of obsolescence" that the author qualifies as "from broadcasting to narrowcasting."

31. Berle, Milton. B.S. I Love You: Sixty Funny Years with the Famous and the Infamous. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1987. 286 pp. ISBN: 0-07-004913-0.

Not principally autobiographical, this book is a collection of anecdotes connected with the Friars Club. Berle tells stories about entertainers, politicians, sp...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Original Title
• Original Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. Background of Radio Broadcasting
• Chapter 2. Economic Aspects
• Chapter 3. Production Aspects
• Chapter 4. Programming
• Chapter 5. International Broadcasting
• Chapter 6. Public Broadcasting
• Chapter 7. Regulation and Legal Aspects
• Chapter 8. Amateur/Ham Radio
• Chapter 9. Women and Minorities
• Chapter 10. Careers in Broadcasting
• Chapter 11. Reference Sources
• Author Index
• Title Index