Old-Time Radio Memories (Paperback)

by Mel Simons (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
You've heard their voices, thrilled to their radio shows, but did you ever wonder about the personalities lurking behind your Philco? Boston radio personality, author, trivia expert and humorist Mel Simons has combed through reams of personal interviews with some of the biggest stars of old-time radio and presents them in his latest book, Old-Time Radio Memories. Included in this book are interviews with many of your favorite old-time radio stars, including Edgar Bergen, Henry Aldrich, The Great Gildersleeve, Fibber McGee, and cast members of The Jack Benny Show and the Fred Allen Show. The interviews offer rare insight into these performers' lives as well as provide the reader with never before published memorable anecdotes. Mel Simons, besides amassing one of the world's largest old-time radio and TV show collections, is the author of the acclaimed The Old-Time Radio Trivia Book and The Old-Time Television Trivia Book, and is also a sought after lecturer. Mel lives in Boston and is heard on WBZ radio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 140 pages
• Publisher: BearManor Media (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159393078X
• ISBN-13: 978-1593930783
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,231,609 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Much to Share, September 12, 2007

By	Gordon W. Draper "Old Radio Lover" (Livonia, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very thin book (125 pages)with double spacing in the text and therefore contains little information. It is the verbatim phone conversations that the author had with various radio stars. Therefore, much space was taken with hellos, introductions, goodbyes, and thank yous.
The radio personalities seemed unprepared for the conversations and several had trouble remembering when this or that happened. Two, Rudy Vallee and Freeman Gosden (Amos of Amos and Andy), seemed annoyed with the call and had little to say other than they had been over their careers too many times before with other people and the author should go to other sources to find out what he wanted to know.
Even when he got people to talk to him, the interviews were rather shallow. In his interview with Harold Peary, I would have liked to have had some insight in why Peary quit being the Great Gildersleeve to start a similar but weaker show called "Honest Harold" which only lasted one season. Peary was inaccurate in saying that Kraft no longer sponsored the Gilderesleeve show after he left. Actually he left in 1950 and Kraft continued until 1954, when many network radio shows were losing their sponsors. The author didn't attempt to correct these or other errors.
I would not recommend this book.