One of the last things I would associate my Mom with, is probably one of the first things that comes to mind (aside from Films, which is first and foremost) when in thought (which is constant) ... Radio. Not just any "Radio" ... Old Time Radio. But not as you might think. I'll explain:
Sharing 5 Radio Memories
5.
"A Day in the Life Of ..." Hollywood: 1930s, 40s & 50s ... My Old Time Radio inspired Show. It's no secret, as I've said over and over and over and over again, the huge part behind the scenes of turning my vision into a reality was both my Mom and Dad, but especially my Mom who, as I've written in a previous post, WHAT'S NEW, was my "Critic" ... Every show I wrote, every idea I came up with went through her. I'd read her my scripts in draft and final. (As was the same with my aspiring screenplays and the Revues for whichever Theatrical Production I had coming up ... (Although, with those, she liked to be surprised in the audience for the Opening, so I'd keep sharing those with her to a minimum.)
During most shows that were recorded, my Mom (and Dad) would be sitting "out there" listening, clapping, laughing and watching us. But she DID NOT want to be used as an "extra voice" when I'd try and write her an "off screen" character in the script. |
4.
"Gracie, Gracie, Gracie. Everybody calls me Gracie." I don't know how it happened, but somehow it became all about "Gracie." Everyday, no matter what time slot, where there was Gracie, there was us. When it became official that the tele network(s) were going to start reruns of the GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW, we were right on time (usually accompanied by THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM afterward). I don't care if it came on in the middle of the night, middle of the day, early in the morning, we'd have it set to record or watch. Everyday/night.
We'd watch it so much, and got to know the lines to certain episodes so routinely, if we weren't already "Stella and Blanche" (A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE), I believe would and could have easily became "Gracie and Blanche." Though neither one of us was a "Gracie" -- that was a one woman show, and she ran it -- either one of us would've took on the title just for the fun of it.
We'd watch it so much, and got to know the lines to certain episodes so routinely, if we weren't already "Stella and Blanche" (A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE), I believe would and could have easily became "Gracie and Blanche." Though neither one of us was a "Gracie" -- that was a one woman show, and she ran it -- either one of us would've took on the title just for the fun of it.
There were so many episodes that, just like us with films, we would act out or quote from the show in the fabric of our everyday conversations. From Gracie's sighing "Oooo" as the Magician's Assistant in THE MAGIC ACT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kcGYjT1vG0
To the "Swamp Party" hosted by Gracie at the Burns' home in GRACIE GIVES A SWAMP PARTY, making sure everyone was kept entertained ... while laughing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLC4Nlb67qw ... (and believe you me, this one was fun doing during a get together we may have had home, or as guests) ...
Even the Konstantin Stanislavski references when the Burns' son (in Show and in life) Ronnie Burns joined the Cast as a regular. Because until that point, my Mom only knew Stanislavski through my reading (and aspiring) Konstantin Stanislavski's books and lessons. Keeping my journals, going through exercises, physical/emotional. "There he is Dominique, Stanislavski" ... not "him" of course, but the name of him, so to speak, became ... "him."
And "Harry Morton you're unwinding it." didn't stand a chance when it was time for us baking. That line was used on more cake batters and cookie dough ...
But it was through seeing them on the tele that attracted us to listening to George and Gracie in their Radio Program. Whether we were going for a walk to exercise, doing each others hair or having a "spa day," the antics of Gracie were always the perfect pairing when in Old Time Radio mood and mode.
Some of favorite Guests on 'Burns and Allen':
Cary Grant
Ray Milland
Frank Sinatra (even though, we felt sort of, well, bad for Sinatra with all the weight jokes. Seemed a little too much for us)
Paul Henreid
Charles Boyer ...
Some of favorite Guests on 'Burns and Allen':
Cary Grant
Ray Milland
Frank Sinatra (even though, we felt sort of, well, bad for Sinatra with all the weight jokes. Seemed a little too much for us)
Paul Henreid
Charles Boyer ...
What can I say, we were partial to the fellas. There was something about Gracie trying to snatch a husband for her girlfriend Tootsie or Gracie's need for a man for one of her "causes" for her 'Beverly Hills Uplifters Society' (in which "the girls" made Bandleader Meredith Wilson an honorary member ... his name was Meredith after all.)
3.
Radio on Television ... Sort of. Though they did have a brief run on Radio, it is through late night scouting, the introduction (for me) and re-introduction for my Mom, that the black and white classic game shows like, BEAT THE CLOCK, THE NAMES THE SAME, I'VE GOT A SECRET, TO TELL THE TRUTH and our absolute favorite WHAT'S MY LINE? became a household watch.
Game Shows, once commonly heard on Radio, made a switch, and in some cases, an addition from Radio to Television mostly/mainly in 1950 to the early 1950s.
WHAT'S MY LINE? began it's first television broadcast in 1950 (February 2) and with success came a Radio version in 1952, where even ... wait for it ... Marlon Brando was a Mystery Guest ... (you had to know that name was going to be mentioned somewhere in here. This is me you're "talking" to).
The Radio version of WHAT'S MY LINE? went from NBC to CBS and would only stay on the Radio until the Summer of 1953.
Game Shows, once commonly heard on Radio, made a switch, and in some cases, an addition from Radio to Television mostly/mainly in 1950 to the early 1950s.
WHAT'S MY LINE? began it's first television broadcast in 1950 (February 2) and with success came a Radio version in 1952, where even ... wait for it ... Marlon Brando was a Mystery Guest ... (you had to know that name was going to be mentioned somewhere in here. This is me you're "talking" to).
The Radio version of WHAT'S MY LINE? went from NBC to CBS and would only stay on the Radio until the Summer of 1953.
2.
Sunday Tradition - Where there was the SaturdayNiteMovieNight tradition of watching films every Saturday night with my Mom and I, such became the practice of Old Time Radio while making (and eating) homemade biscuits every Sunday morning ... even when biscuits were substituted for pancakes.
Each Sunday was a different Show. Mostly from LUX RADIO THEATER, but with generous amounts of SCREEN GUILD THEATER, ACADEMY AWARD THEATER, CAMPBELL'S PLAYHOUSE and the occasional (though regularly on my own) hearing of THE BICKERSONS, BROADWAY'S MY BEAT, YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR, SUSPENSE, CHARLIE McCARTHY AND EDGAR BERGEN, "etc., etc., etc." (yes, in the voice of Yul Brynner of course).
But somehow, no matter which of those we started out with, it would always end with Art Linkletter's PEOPLE ARE FUNNY. Don't ask me why, but between that show and Groucho Marx' YOU BET YOUR LIFE, we'd listen to it as if it were happening right now. Not 1930s, 40s or 50s. Anticipating "next week," when next Sunday, there we would be, where we left off last Sunday at the breakfast table. Gotta love the Radio by way of an App.
Each Sunday was a different Show. Mostly from LUX RADIO THEATER, but with generous amounts of SCREEN GUILD THEATER, ACADEMY AWARD THEATER, CAMPBELL'S PLAYHOUSE and the occasional (though regularly on my own) hearing of THE BICKERSONS, BROADWAY'S MY BEAT, YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR, SUSPENSE, CHARLIE McCARTHY AND EDGAR BERGEN, "etc., etc., etc." (yes, in the voice of Yul Brynner of course).
But somehow, no matter which of those we started out with, it would always end with Art Linkletter's PEOPLE ARE FUNNY. Don't ask me why, but between that show and Groucho Marx' YOU BET YOUR LIFE, we'd listen to it as if it were happening right now. Not 1930s, 40s or 50s. Anticipating "next week," when next Sunday, there we would be, where we left off last Sunday at the breakfast table. Gotta love the Radio by way of an App.
1.
Richard Diamond:
Knowing how hard it was for Stars to make a transition from one Genre to another, it's amazing to see how "Pettin' in the Park" went ... Noir. And yet ... There's Dick Powell. Going from COLLEEN (1936) to CORNERED (1945), from FLIRTATION WALK (1934) to a PITFALL (1948), from ... well, you get me, from being on "42nd Street" to becoming "Johnny O'Clock".
Dick Powell made a swift transition from "crooner" to tough guy, after saying "no" to playing in the Musical/Comedy BRING ON THE GIRLS. Enough was enough. So thus he went from MEET THE PEOPLE with Lucille Ball to MURDER, MY SWEET with Claire Trevor, both in the same year, 1944. The film BRING ON THE GIRLS however, would get made with Sonny Tufts (in the role to be played by Powell) and Eddie Bracken with Veronica Lake getting top billing as the star.
As with the abrupt switch from Musicals to Noir, so went the same with Powell on Radio.
Knowing how hard it was for Stars to make a transition from one Genre to another, it's amazing to see how "Pettin' in the Park" went ... Noir. And yet ... There's Dick Powell. Going from COLLEEN (1936) to CORNERED (1945), from FLIRTATION WALK (1934) to a PITFALL (1948), from ... well, you get me, from being on "42nd Street" to becoming "Johnny O'Clock".
Dick Powell made a swift transition from "crooner" to tough guy, after saying "no" to playing in the Musical/Comedy BRING ON THE GIRLS. Enough was enough. So thus he went from MEET THE PEOPLE with Lucille Ball to MURDER, MY SWEET with Claire Trevor, both in the same year, 1944. The film BRING ON THE GIRLS however, would get made with Sonny Tufts (in the role to be played by Powell) and Eddie Bracken with Veronica Lake getting top billing as the star.
As with the abrupt switch from Musicals to Noir, so went the same with Powell on Radio.
Powell would begin his turn about with Radio, albeit with a sense of humor, as the Private Detective "Richard Rogue" in the, now, Old Time Radio Program. ROGUES GALLERY in 1945, and would play the role until 1946. The role would soon be turned over to Barry Sullivan and later, actor, Paul Stewart.
Then, in walks in RICHARD DIAMOND, PRIVATE DETECTIVE in 1949 and would stick around until 1953. It is this Old Time Radio Series in which is #ForMyMom -- actually, scratch that -- Dick Powell in general. You see, we both became familiar with Dick Powell at the same time. Thanks to Turner Classic Movies during their salute to Composer, Harry Warren, Thursdays in January, back in 2007. Although I knew OF Dick Powell (as "Richard Diamond") through an Old Time Radio Box Set I received as a gift from my Dad as a kid, I didn't KNOW Dick Powell the "crooner" until TCM.
It was that night I heard "DOMINIQUE! The Flamingos!" from my Mom that, having already been "briefed" on the backstory on the origin of the song (composed and written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin), I could comically reply, "No Mom, Dick Powell." She too knew Dick Powell the same as I did, so to see him in this "new light" shall we say, was fun times.
Up to this point, my Dad, a HUGE Doo-Wop/Rock'nRoll fan, thought that the song "I Only Have Eyes For You" was a song by/for The Flamingos. Boy was he surprised when we called him in to watch DAMES (1934) TCM.
From that point on, Dick Powell between my Mom and I, would never be the same ... He became so much more. As the years went on, and Apps became more common, in addition to playing my Richard Diamond collection from my box set, I began to listen to the Old Time Radio PI on my phone from an OTR App. Such became so common, my Mom would tune in with me. It became our afternoon lunch break pastime. Everyday. Same time. "Richard Diamond. Richard Diamond. Richard Diamond." ... "What time is it? Time for Richard Diamond."
It was that night I heard "DOMINIQUE! The Flamingos!" from my Mom that, having already been "briefed" on the backstory on the origin of the song (composed and written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin), I could comically reply, "No Mom, Dick Powell." She too knew Dick Powell the same as I did, so to see him in this "new light" shall we say, was fun times.
Up to this point, my Dad, a HUGE Doo-Wop/Rock'nRoll fan, thought that the song "I Only Have Eyes For You" was a song by/for The Flamingos. Boy was he surprised when we called him in to watch DAMES (1934) TCM.
From that point on, Dick Powell between my Mom and I, would never be the same ... He became so much more. As the years went on, and Apps became more common, in addition to playing my Richard Diamond collection from my box set, I began to listen to the Old Time Radio PI on my phone from an OTR App. Such became so common, my Mom would tune in with me. It became our afternoon lunch break pastime. Everyday. Same time. "Richard Diamond. Richard Diamond. Richard Diamond." ... "What time is it? Time for Richard Diamond."
Then when the song "Diamonds" came out ... forget about it.
Mom:
"Is that the only line you know in that song?"
Me:
"No. But it's the only part I like" ... "Shine bright like a Diamond. Shine bright like a diamond. Shinin' bright like a diamond."
Because if you know me, you know, anything modern I see, hear or read, has to have some sort of Classic, Vintage, Nostalgic connect for it to "fit me." So for me ... I was just talkin' about Richard Diamond.
Hmm ... Dick Powell singing "Diamonds" ... now that's -- nope. Don't even consider it.
Mom:
"Is that the only line you know in that song?"
Me:
"No. But it's the only part I like" ... "Shine bright like a Diamond. Shine bright like a diamond. Shinin' bright like a diamond."
Because if you know me, you know, anything modern I see, hear or read, has to have some sort of Classic, Vintage, Nostalgic connect for it to "fit me." So for me ... I was just talkin' about Richard Diamond.
Hmm ... Dick Powell singing "Diamonds" ... now that's -- nope. Don't even consider it.
Though, there was the time that he went shopping ... "On your fourth little finger, a ring's gonna linger
'cause I'm going shopping with you."
'cause I'm going shopping with you."
Goodnight Everybody.
#ForMyMom
#ForMyMom
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