<description>This episode was originally released on 10/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 120, we continue our Americana mini-series in autumn with a host of harvest-centered radio programing. We’ll warm by the fire and listen in on stories from some of the medium’s most prominent.

——————————

Highlights:
• Welcome to October, Welcome to Harvest Season
• Fibber and Molly Launches
• Feast from Cavalcade’s Harvest
• Mel and Dennis Get Their Own Shows
• Gale Gordon’s Green Acres
• How Mild Can Richard Diamond on ABC Be?
• From Peary to Waterman as Gildy Changes Leads
• Escape From the Death of Network Dramatic Radio
• Looking Ahead to the Homecoming

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

——————————

On the interview front:
• Mel Blanc, Dennis Day, Gale Gordon, Phil Harris, Jim Jordan, Jim Jordan Jr., Harold Peary, and Willard Waterman spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats and many others from Chuck’s forty year career at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Mel Blanc, Jim Jordan, and William N. Robson spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Harry Bartell and Virginia Gregg spoke to SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• Don Quinn was interviewed by Owen Cunningham in 1951.

• Ozzie Nelson was a guest of Johnny Carson’s in 1969.

• Mel Blanc also spoke with Jack Carney.

• Dennis Day also spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Autumn — By Michael Silverman
• Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton for High Spirits
• Moon — By George Winston
• Shine On Harvest Moon — By Joan Morris and William Bolcom</description>

This episode was originally released on 10/1/2021…

This episode was originally released on 10/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 120, we continue our Americana mini-series in autumn with a host of harvest-centered radio programing. We’ll warm by the fire and listen in on stories from some of the medium’s most prominent.

——————————

Highlights:
• Welcome to October, Welcome to Harvest Season
• Fibber and Molly Launches
• Feast from Cavalcade’s Harvest
• Mel and Dennis Get Their Own Shows
• Gale Gordon’s Green Acres
• How Mild Can Richard Diamond on ABC Be?
• From Peary to Waterman as Gildy Changes Leads
• Escape From the Death of Network Dramatic Radio
• Looking Ahead to the Homecoming

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

——————————

On the interview front:
• Mel Blanc, Dennis Day, Gale Gordon, Phil Harris, Jim Jordan, Jim Jordan Jr., Harold Peary, and Willard Waterman spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats and many others from Chuck’s forty year career at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Mel Blanc, Jim Jordan, and William N. Robson spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Harry Bartell and Virginia Gregg spoke to SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• Don Quinn was interviewed by Owen Cunningham in 1951.

• Ozzie Nelson was a guest of Johnny Carson’s in 1969.

• Mel Blanc also spoke with Jack Carney.

• Dennis Day also spoke with John Dunning for his 71KNUS program from Denver.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Autumn — By Michael Silverman
• Ghost Bus Tours — By George Fenton for High Spirits
• Moon — By George Winston
• Shine On Harvest Moon — By Joan Morris and William Bolcom

BW - EP120: Radio and The Harvest (1936 - 1954) [Rewind]

<description>This episode was originally released on 9/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________


In Breaking Walls episode 119 we continue our Americana mini-series by bringing our appetites to the diner. We’ll hear stories from some of radio’s best and center ourselves around shows taking place in establishments.

——————————

Highlights:
• What Exactly is a Diner?
• Lux Presents Hollywood
• Suspense At the End of World War II
• The Diner After World War II
• Bill Conrad, Burt Lancaster, and The Killers
• ABC Takes Friday Nights With This Is Your FBI
• Frank Sinatra and His Rocky Fortune
• Going Back to Gunsmoke
• James Earl Jones and Theater Five

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

As well as:
• From Hash House to Family Restaurant: The Transformation of the Diner and Post-World War II Consumer Culture — By Andrew Hurley from The March 1997 Journal of American History.

And other articles from:
• Paste Magazine
• Smithsonian Magazine

——————————

On the interview front:
• Parley Baer, Conrad Binyon, Norman Corwin, and Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Parley Baer, Jerry Devine, Lawrence Dobkin, Fred Foy, and Bob Maxwell, were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• William Spier spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• John Dehner was with Neil Ross for KMPC.

• Frank Sinatra spoke with Arlene Francis, Walter Cronkite, and Larry King.

• William Conrad with Chris Lambesis.

• Norman Macdonnell with John Hickman of WAMU for his Gunsmoke documentary.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Theme From A Summer Place — By Percy Faith
• I’ve Got The World on a String and Why Try To Change Me Now — By Frank Sinatra
• The Venice Dreamer Pt1 and 2 — By George Winston
• Across the Alley from the Alamo — By The Mills Brothers</description>

This episode was originally released on 9/1/2021.…

This episode was originally released on 9/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________


In Breaking Walls episode 119 we continue our Americana mini-series by bringing our appetites to the diner. We’ll hear stories from some of radio’s best and center ourselves around shows taking place in establishments.

——————————

Highlights:
• What Exactly is a Diner?
• Lux Presents Hollywood
• Suspense At the End of World War II
• The Diner After World War II
• Bill Conrad, Burt Lancaster, and The Killers
• ABC Takes Friday Nights With This Is Your FBI
• Frank Sinatra and His Rocky Fortune
• Going Back to Gunsmoke
• James Earl Jones and Theater Five

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg

As well as:
• From Hash House to Family Restaurant: The Transformation of the Diner and Post-World War II Consumer Culture — By Andrew Hurley from The March 1997 Journal of American History.

And other articles from:
• Paste Magazine
• Smithsonian Magazine

——————————

On the interview front:
• Parley Baer, Conrad Binyon, Norman Corwin, and Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Parley Baer, Jerry Devine, Lawrence Dobkin, Fred Foy, and Bob Maxwell, were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• William Spier spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• John Dehner was with Neil Ross for KMPC.

• Frank Sinatra spoke with Arlene Francis, Walter Cronkite, and Larry King.

• William Conrad with Chris Lambesis.

• Norman Macdonnell with John Hickman of WAMU for his Gunsmoke documentary.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Theme From A Summer Place — By Percy Faith
• I’ve Got The World on a String and Why Try To Change Me Now — By Frank Sinatra
• The Venice Dreamer Pt1 and 2 — By George Winston
• Across the Alley from the Alamo — By The Mills Brothers

BW - EP119: Radio and The Diner (1937 - 1965) [Rewind]

<description>This episode was originally released on 8/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 118 we hit the road with part one of an Americana mini-series. We’ll gas up with some of radio’s best and examine shows taking place at America’s filling stations.

——————————

Highlights:
• Al Hodge and The Green Hornet
• Getting a Checkup at Doctor Christian’s
• Lux Presents: They Drive By Night with Lana Turner and Lucille Ball
• Orson Welles and The Hitchhiker
• ABC competes with NBC and CBS
• Dragnet leads to The Lineup
• Stacey Keach and The Last Tales of the Texas Rangers
• The Gas Crisis and the CBS Radio Mystery Theater

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from
• The Association For Convenience and Fuel Retailing
• Family Tree Magazine
• NationalParkService.Org
• Newsweek
• The Smithsonian Magazine

——————————

On the interview front:
• Virginia Gregg and Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Himan Brown, Larry Haines, Vincent Price, and Rudy Vallée spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Herb Ellis, Byron Kane, Stacy Keach Sr, and Herb Vigran were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• Bing Crosby and John Scott Trotter spoke with Same Time, Same Station.

• Lucille Ball was with both Dick Cavett and Joan Rivers.

• Orson Welles with Johnny Carson.

• Al Hodge with Richard Lamparski.

• Vic Perrin with Neill Ross for KMPC.

• Joel McCrae was interviewed by Al Greenberg for Orco Development.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Route 66 — By Nat King Cole
• Deep Night — By Rudy Vallée
• The Klezmer’s Wedding — By Andre Moisan
• Living Without You — By George Winston
• Fly Me To The Moon — By Julie London</description>

This episode was originally released on 8/1/2021.…

This episode was originally released on 8/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 118 we hit the road with part one of an Americana mini-series. We’ll gas up with some of radio’s best and examine shows taking place at America’s filling stations.

——————————

Highlights:
• Al Hodge and The Green Hornet
• Getting a Checkup at Doctor Christian’s
• Lux Presents: They Drive By Night with Lana Turner and Lucille Ball
• Orson Welles and The Hitchhiker
• ABC competes with NBC and CBS
• Dragnet leads to The Lineup
• Stacey Keach and The Last Tales of the Texas Rangers
• The Gas Crisis and the CBS Radio Mystery Theater

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:
• On the Air - By John Dunning
• Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg

As well as articles from
• The Association For Convenience and Fuel Retailing
• Family Tree Magazine
• NationalParkService.Org
• Newsweek
• The Smithsonian Magazine

——————————

On the interview front:
• Virginia Gregg and Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Himan Brown, Larry Haines, Vincent Price, and Rudy Vallée spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

• Herb Ellis, Byron Kane, Stacy Keach Sr, and Herb Vigran were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com.

• Bing Crosby and John Scott Trotter spoke with Same Time, Same Station.

• Lucille Ball was with both Dick Cavett and Joan Rivers.

• Orson Welles with Johnny Carson.

• Al Hodge with Richard Lamparski.

• Vic Perrin with Neill Ross for KMPC.

• Joel McCrae was interviewed by Al Greenberg for Orco Development.

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Route 66 — By Nat King Cole
• Deep Night — By Rudy Vallée
• The Klezmer’s Wedding — By Andre Moisan
• Living Without You — By George Winston
• Fly Me To The Moon — By Julie London

BW - EP118: Radio and The Gas Station (1939 - 1982) [Rewind]

<description>This episode was originally released on 7/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 117 we blast off with NBC in the fall of 1955 and spotlight its premiere science fiction series, X Minus One. We’ll listen to episodes, hear interviews with those involved, and find out why this series continues to be a favorite among listeners today.

——————————

Highlights:
• The Beginning of the End for Network Radio Drama
• Ernest Kinoy: NBC Staff Writer
• Ray Bradbury’s Radio Memories
• New York’s Radio Actors
• Dimension X Leads to the Launching of X-Minus-One
• In Late 1955 CBS is Radio’s Top Network
• Mars is Heaven
• Radio’s Vital Factor
• Nightfall on X-Minus-One
• Looking Ahead By Gassing Up

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

On the Air - By John Dunning

Articles from:
Broadcasting-Telecasting Magazine

——————————

On the interview front:

• Jackson Beck, John Gibson, Larry Haines, Mary Jane Higby, Joseph Julian, Mandel Kramer, Jan Miner, Arnold Moss, and Guy Sorel, spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org

• Himan Brown and Nelson Olmsted were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com

• Bob Hastings spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear this full chat at SpeakingOfRadio.com

• Ernest Kinoy was with both Fran Stoddard for PBS and Walden Hughes for Yesterday USA

• Ray Bradbury spoke with Jerry Haendiges

• Santos Ortega was with Richard Lamparski

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Ill Wind — By the John Buzon Trio
• Rock Around the Clock — By Bill Haley and the Comets
• Satan Takes a Holiday — By Jack Malmsteen</description>

This episode was originally released on 7/1/2021.…

This episode was originally released on 7/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 117 we blast off with NBC in the fall of 1955 and spotlight its premiere science fiction series, X Minus One. We’ll listen to episodes, hear interviews with those involved, and find out why this series continues to be a favorite among listeners today.

——————————

Highlights:
• The Beginning of the End for Network Radio Drama
• Ernest Kinoy: NBC Staff Writer
• Ray Bradbury’s Radio Memories
• New York’s Radio Actors
• Dimension X Leads to the Launching of X-Minus-One
• In Late 1955 CBS is Radio’s Top Network
• Mars is Heaven
• Radio’s Vital Factor
• Nightfall on X-Minus-One
• Looking Ahead By Gassing Up

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

On the Air - By John Dunning

Articles from:
Broadcasting-Telecasting Magazine

——————————

On the interview front:

• Jackson Beck, John Gibson, Larry Haines, Mary Jane Higby, Joseph Julian, Mandel Kramer, Jan Miner, Arnold Moss, and Guy Sorel, spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these full interviews at Goldenage-WTIC.org

• Himan Brown and Nelson Olmsted were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com

• Bob Hastings spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear this full chat at SpeakingOfRadio.com

• Ernest Kinoy was with both Fran Stoddard for PBS and Walden Hughes for Yesterday USA

• Ray Bradbury spoke with Jerry Haendiges

• Santos Ortega was with Richard Lamparski

——————————

Selected music featured in today’s episode was:
• Ill Wind — By the John Buzon Trio
• Rock Around the Clock — By Bill Haley and the Comets
• Satan Takes a Holiday — By Jack Malmsteen

BW - EP117: The Outer Limit with X-Minus-One (1955 - 1958) [Rewind]

<description>This episode was originally released on 6/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 116, it’s June of 1955 and network radio is in uncharted territory. TV’s encroachment has the entire industry looking for new ideas. We’ll focus on the launch of one of the most successful—Monitor—which will air in some form or fashion until January of 1975.

——————————

Highlights:
• The Changing Network Radio Landscape
• Who Is Sylvester “Pat” Weaver?
• Monitor Origins
• Building the Team
• Radio Central
• The Soft Launch
• An Auto Tragedy at Le Mans
• Going to San Quentin Prison
• Lots of Tunes in Remote
• A Potential United Automobile Workers Strike
• Dave Garroway Interviews Marilyn Monroe, live on Monitor
• Fibber McGee and Gildy Too
• Here’s Henry Morgan
• Monitor’s Last Hour
• Miss Monitor Finally Makes an Appearance
• The Full Launch
• Looking Ahead in Time and Space

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

On the Air - By John Dunning
Monitor: Take 2: By Dennis Hart
Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg

Articles from:
Broadcasting-Telecasting Magazine
Monthly Labor Review
The New York Daily News
The New York Times
Newsweek
Printer’s Ink
Variety

As well as the websites:
accordions.com/ for their interview with Art Van Damme
Dennis Hart’s monitorbeacon.net/
tipsontables.com/

——————————

On the interview front:
• Pat Weaver was interviewed for Fred Allen’s May 29th, 1956 Biography In Sound.

• Ben Grauer was interviewed for NBC’s 50th Anniversary and Westinghouse’ 50th Anniversary.

• Dave Garroway and Willard Waterman spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Jim Jordan was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-WTIC.org.</description>

This episode was originally released on 6/1/2021.…

This episode was originally released on 6/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes.

____________

In Breaking Walls episode 116, it’s June of 1955 and network radio is in uncharted territory. TV’s encroachment has the entire industry looking for new ideas. We’ll focus on the launch of one of the most successful—Monitor—which will air in some form or fashion until January of 1975.

——————————

Highlights:
• The Changing Network Radio Landscape
• Who Is Sylvester “Pat” Weaver?
• Monitor Origins
• Building the Team
• Radio Central
• The Soft Launch
• An Auto Tragedy at Le Mans
• Going to San Quentin Prison
• Lots of Tunes in Remote
• A Potential United Automobile Workers Strike
• Dave Garroway Interviews Marilyn Monroe, live on Monitor
• Fibber McGee and Gildy Too
• Here’s Henry Morgan
• Monitor’s Last Hour
• Miss Monitor Finally Makes an Appearance
• The Full Launch
• Looking Ahead in Time and Space

——————————

The WallBreakers:
thewallbreakers.com
Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts.

To support the show:
patreon.com/TheWallBreakers

——————————

The reading material used in today’s episode was:

On the Air - By John Dunning
Monitor: Take 2: By Dennis Hart
Network Radio Ratings — by Jim Ramsburg

Articles from:
Broadcasting-Telecasting Magazine
Monthly Labor Review
The New York Daily News
The New York Times
Newsweek
Printer’s Ink
Variety

As well as the websites:
accordions.com/ for their interview with Art Van Damme
Dennis Hart’s monitorbeacon.net/
tipsontables.com/

——————————

On the interview front:
• Pat Weaver was interviewed for Fred Allen’s May 29th, 1956 Biography In Sound.

• Ben Grauer was interviewed for NBC’s 50th Anniversary and Westinghouse’ 50th Anniversary.

• Dave Garroway and Willard Waterman spoke with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com.

• Jim Jordan was with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC’s The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-WTIC.org.

BW - EP116: The Launch of NBC’s Monitor (1955) [Rewind]

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting.

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