Aw! Relax, Archie...Re-Lax!

Read a good book on OTR lately? Share your comments about it here
Lou
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Aw! Relax, Archie...Re-Lax!

Postby Lou » Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:12 pm

In a jaunty, conversational style, Hal Stone takes you on a guided tour of a life in show business--from his early years as a child model and performer on the Broadway stage, to his many years in radio as "Jughead". The stories are fast and fun. And the personalities are memorable-- It's a fascinating peek behind the scenes as he shares his life and experiences during the Golden Days of Radio."

Elizabeth McLeod, Broadcasting History Resources

Lou
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Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:25 pm
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Postby Lou » Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:13 pm

"Aw... Relax, Archie! Re-laxx!"
By Hal (Harlan) Stone
Review by Stewart Wright

2002 has been a pretty good year for books about Old-Time Radio with several that have found favor with OTR fans. Most have dealt with various specific aspects of Radio's Golden Age. One book, however, is a personal reminiscence by a performer and it is a joy to read. The book is "Aw... Relax, Archie! Re-laxx!" by Hal (Harlan) Stone. This book it far too much fun to call it an autobiography. Have you ever heard of an autobiography with a sub-title like, "When radio was 'king,' I was once a 'prince', But ended up a 'Jughead'"?

Hal's book provides an always entertaining look at his 20-year career as a child model, stage performer, and radio actor while growing up during the Golden Age of Radio. He has written his book in a lively, conversational style that is both informative and entertaining. It's the only book I have ever read that I hear the author reading the words to me. (Maybe, that's because I have met Hal.) I haven't had so much fun reading a book in ages.

The reader gets the opportunity to view Show Business through the eyes of a young man who grew up in it. Interspersed throughout the book are numerous, wonderful vignettes about the people with whom Hal worked. There are many humorous anecdotes and stories about his professional and personal life. Hal gives the reader an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at a long-running radio series THE ADVENTURES OF ARCHIE ANDREWS as could only be told by his radio persona, Jughead Jones.

Many books claim to be "profusely illustrated." Hal's book definitely is; there are nearly 250 of them. Well over half of the pages contain at least one photograph, cartoon, drawing or some other sort of illustration. Several drawings were done by Hal, who is also an accomplished artist. The pictures, drawings and other illustrations add so much to the book. Many of them allow readers to associate faces with many familiar radio actors from the Golden Age.

"Aw... Relax, Archie! Re-laxx!" is a wonderful recounting of a performer's early life and a valuable addition to the body of Old-Time Radio literature. Thanks, Hal for sharing your experiences and memories with us.

"Aw... Relax, Archie! Re-laxx!"
By Hal (Harlan) Stone
ISBN 0-9720170-0-3
336 pp., photographs
Price $26.00 + $4.00 shipping
Bygone Days Press
P.O. Box 4418
Sedona, AZ, 86340-4418
http://www.by-gone-days.com/jugbook.php


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