Radio Comedy Diary

Book excerpt: This book is a real find—for those who enjoy radio nostalgia but more importantly for scholars of broadcasting. From 1947 to 1950 while listening to such voices as Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, and Jimmy Durante, and shows like Fibber McGee & Molly, Amos ’n’ Andy, Blondie, and You Bet Your Life, the author was writing down jokes, gags, one-liners and quotations. In that short time he had filled 11 spiral notebooks. Fifty years later in a labor of love, the author painstakingly transferred those childhood notes into this invaluable—in fact, undoubtably unique—record of a boom time in American radio. This is an unexpected treasure for radio scholars, who have long lamented the lack of recordings for the majority of radio programming. Television researchers as well will benefit—here are root sources of television comedy. It is a revelation to find that what we are laughing at today often was first done on radio over 50 years ago. The author has also included a notes and comments section which includes background material on all the radio programs in this book.