Best-forgotten radio
I love old-time radio.
Earlier this year, I started listening to XM's excellent Radio Classics channel (XM 164), hosted by Greg Bell. I immediately became a Jack Benny fan. Later, I grew to love "Gunsmoke," "Dragnet" and "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar." I also enjoy listening to "Fibber McGee and Molly" and "Burns and Allen."
For all of the brilliant old-time radio shows, there are just as many lackluster shows. I heard one this morning while I got ready for work. "Topper" is about a rich guy (you can tell by the accent) named Cosmo Topper. Two of his dead friends follow him around as ghosts and create situations. That's the premise.
It didn't work. The jokes weren't bad. The problem was the audience. Their sparse reactions would best be described as "polite snickering." There were many jokes where you could hear one person the crowd laugh.
Maybe it was the execution, but more likely, it was the audience. Maybe they were uncomfortable laughing about dead friends. But it underscored the importance of having an audience that sounds like its having a good time.
Some shows regularly feature moribund audiences, mostly because of bad material that sounds like it was dated even back then. I recall listening to a smelly "Archie Andrews" (of Archie and Jughead -- uh.. fame?). I couldn't figure out the premise of the show. Of course, I've never read an "Archie" comic and have no idea of the concept. Perhaps I should go back in time to 1945 to appreciate the show.
I heard a preponderance of bland "Father Knows Best" episodes. They're not worth the attention. "Great Gildersleeve" usually brings me up far short. The character's affected accent is a burden to tolerate. "Abbott and Costello" doesn't work for me, either. The setups for the punchlines are a strain. Good radio comedy works when it sounds and flows naturally -- not like an forced vaudeville routine.
On the other hand, I listened to three episodes of "Gunsmoke" yesterday on my iPod. I'm on episode 54. What a masterpiece that series is!
8:00 PM