Starter of this subject: Jim Hilliker
Last post in this subject: 1/30/2000
Messages in this subject: 9
| Jim Hilliker | 1/30/2000 9 replies |
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I'm not sure if anyone knows this or not, or if it pertains to Old Time Radio Shows...But, I'll ask anyway. Again, this is in regards to a Los Angeles radio engineer trying to put together an archive on KHJ radio's history...
A former KHJ engineer gave him a couple of photos of Amos and Andy and said they once did their show from KHJ... I thought the pictures looked like stock NBC promo photos... I also thought Amos and Andy were on NBC at first and later went to CBS, much later, after KHJ was no longer a CBS affiliate station. So, does anyone know if Amos and Andy ever did their show from KHJ radio in Los Angeles in the 1920s, '30s or '40s, or even made a personal appearance on that radio station playing their characters during those 3 decades? Any help on this mystery will be much appreciated. Jim H. |
| Elizabeth McLeod | 1/30/2000 4 replies |
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Chances are this happened during the show's pre-network syndication era, when it was carried in recorded form over KHJ. In May 1929, Correll and Gosden toured the Pantages vaudeville circuit, and in each city, broadcast that night's episode live over the local station which usually carried the transcribed broadcasts. (The show was also carried over KHJ's Don Lee sister station, KFRC, San Francisco, under the sponsorship of Shell Oil.)
This would have been the *only* time A&A could have been heard or associated with KHJ. When they signed with NBC in July 1929, their contract placed them under management of the NBC Artists Service, which prohibited its performers from appearing on the programs of any rival network. NBC controlled A&A's appearances until April 1939, when they program was moved to CBS by sponsor Campbell's Soups. By then, of course, CBS had dissolved its relationship with Don Lee Inc. and KHJ, and A&A originated at the KNX studio in Columbia Square until it returned to NBC in October 1943. |
| Jim Hilliker | 1/30/2000 0 replies |
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Thank you very much, Elizabeth, for sharing your knowledge on this subject. It's a great feeling to have the answer to a question like this. The retired engineer, who is now 86-years-old, was quite certain Amos and Andy had made a broadcast over KHJ. But he could not recall the circumstances. This appears to clear this up completely.
Again, I always appreciate your kindness for sharing what you have learned. That goes for everyone who has helped me in the past. |
| Ted Davenport | 1/30/2000 2 replies |
| Thank you Elizabeth. This clears up a question I have had for years. I always wondered why an AMOS & ANDY show was on the WJSV broadcast day in 1939. I guess I had always assumed that they made the switch along with Jack Benny and all the others in the talent raid CBS made against NBC in the 1940's. |
| Jim Hilliker | 1/30/2000 1 replies |
| But they did go back to CBS later, didn't they? I believe the Jack Benny show in January of 1949 in which he does his first program for CBS, makes references to Amos 'n' Andy and has a guest appearance by them as well. |
| Elizabeth McLeod | 1/31/2000 0 replies |
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Correct -- but these are two different sorts of situations. In the summer of 1948, Correll and Gosden sold the show and all associated rights to CBS for two million dollars as the first notable coup for CBS of the "talent raids" era. The purpose was primarily one of tax advantages for Correll and Gosden -- by incorporating themselves and then selling the assets of the corporation they were taxed at a much lower rate than if they had simply sold their services as performers.
The 1939-43 tenure on CBS, by contrast, had nothing to do with any ownership of the show. This was purely due to the wishes of the Campbell Soup Company, which preferred to air its shows over CBS -- perhaps they received a better deal from the junior network than they could have from NBC. They took over sponsorship of A&A as of 1/1/38, but were unable to move the show to CBS until the expiration of Correll and Gosden's personal contracts with NBC as of 4/1/39. Once the way was clear for the move, Campbell's implemented it -- and the show remained on CBS until 2/19/43. At this point, Campbell's withdrew from all radio sponsorship due to the wartime metal shortage -- and Correll and Gosden took the opportunity to take an eight month vacation to rework the show from a serial to a sitcom. They arranged a deal with Lever Brothers for sponsorship -- which, thru its agency, placed the show on NBC, where it remained until 1948. During all these shifts, though, C&G retained the actual ownership of the program and of its copyrights and trademarks -- this didn't change until they actually sold the show to CBS. |
| Eric Cooper | 1/31/2000 3 replies |
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Interesting side note (at least to me) one of our main local OTR outlets KNX, Los Angeles has a nightly OTR in which they have played A&A guest starring on Jack Benny, with no complaints from anyone. What do you think would be the reaction if CBS were to grant KNX re-run rights to the A&A show itself? I suspect Jesse Jackson would be out here in a flash.
Eric Cooper |
| Pudge | 2/3/2000 2 replies |
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I don't know what Jesse would do but I can't blame blacks for their reactions.
My mother's folks came from Italy and when I hear that silly Life With Luigi I want to punch somebody. And the Irish were portrayed as drunks on the vaudeville stage until they tore up a few theaters. |
| Walt Pattinson | 2/12/2000 1 replies |
| And don't forget 'Little Beaver' on Red Ryder (if memory serves). I listened to two episodes and can't handle the Indian caracature. |
| Big Don | 12/18/2000 0 replies |
| I know exactly what you mean ! I am of German descent, and found Baron Munschausen to be a travesty. My wife is Chinese, and was horribly offended by Fu Manchu. Our best friends are Jewish, and HATED Mr. Kitzel. My aunt married a Mexican, and he could not stand Mel Blanc's Manuel Labor. My boss is Ukranian, and was terribly upset by Bert Gordon's Mad Russian. Our postman is from Vermont, and violently objected to the character of Titus Moody. The convenience store clerk comes from Alabama and was driven up the wall by Senator Claghorn. It is terr |