Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples Who Verbalized the Jargon of ... 1920s to the 1980s-A Biographical Dictionary [Hardcover]

Jim Cox (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786427809 | ISBN-13: 978-0786427802 | Publication Date: January 5, 2007

In the days before television, radio was the constant voice in American life. When radio spoke, America listened-especially to the men and women who spoke directly to their unseen audience. Sometimes formal, sometimes as familiar as the friend next door, their presence filled the airwaves: announcers, newscasters, sportscasters, showbiz reporters, advice consultants, emcees and breakfast chatterboxes. These radio personalities became as popular and familiar as the most public faces of the time. Here among profiles of more than 1100 "radio speakers" are famous names like George Ansbro, Red Barber, H.V. Kaltenborn, Dorothy Kilgallen, Edward R. Murrow, Louella Parsons, Walter Winchell and more. Also amply represented are hundreds of lesser known individuals who left indelible auditory impressions. Whether their fame was forever or fleeting, all were a part of the American voice during the grand epoch of network radio.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jim Cox was the recipient of the 2002 Ray Stanich Award, given to one individual annually for prolific research and writing in old time radio, at the Friends of Old Time Radio Convention, vintage radio's largest annual event. He is also the author of The Daytime Serials of Television, 1946 1960 (2006), Music Radio (2005), Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons (2004), Frank and Anne Hummert's Radio Factory (2003), Radio Crime Fighters (2002), Say Goodnight, Gracie (2002), The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows (2001) and The Great Radio Soap Operas (1999). He is a retired college professor living in Louisville, Kentucky.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (January 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786427809
• ISBN-13: 978-0786427802
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,170,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars People Behind The Microphones, September 4, 2008

By 

Radio Fan "Radio Researcher" (Denver, CO Metro Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples Who Verbalized the Jargon of ... 1920s to the 1980s-A Biographical Dictionary (Hardcover)

They were some of the most familiar voices during the Golden Age of Radio and beyond, but, in many cases, were also some of the most anonymous. They were the announcers, news and entertainment reporters, sportscasters, show hosts, and others or as author Jim Cox refers to them, the "Radio Speakers."

In his new book of the same title, Jim provides Old-Time Radio fans with a wonderful new resource. He has compiled an extensive body of information on an important segment of Golden Age of Radio talent; a segment that has received relatively little coverage in Old-Time Radio literature. The reader will find that much new enlightening and fascinating information has been included in this volume.

The work is truly extensive and includes profiles of 1,161 "Radio Speakers." The main portion of the book, The Dictionary, supplies detailed biographical sketches of some 569 "Speakers" These entries include birth and These entries include birth and death information, series worked, personal and career information, and numerous entertaining anecdotes. In the Appendix, there are very brief entries for another 592 network and syndicated radio personalities for whom little information exists on their careers and/or their performances on radio were relatively minor compared to their other activities in various other entertainment venues.

With the publication of Radio Speakers, Jim Cox has greatly expanded the body of knowledge on an important group of people who made vital contributions to Radio's Golden Age. This book is a significant reference work that should find its way in the libraries of scholars and fans of Old-Time Radio.

5.0 out of 5 stars Who came up with the subtitle?, September 24, 2008

By 

Malcolm Dolan "Malcolm Dolan" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples Who Verbalized the Jargon of ... 1920s to the 1980s-A Biographical Dictionary (Hardcover)

John Dunning, Martin Grams and Jim Cox are my three favorite authors. Every book that bears their name sits on my shelf. This is more reference than pleasure reading. Each entry features the name of the radio speaker/announcer, birth date, date of death, name of program and years they served duty, and whenever possible a bit of biography and background.

Durward Kirby, for example, cites his work on HOP HAZARD, CRIME FIGHTERS, CRISCO RADIO NEWSPAPER, THE GARRY MOORE SHOW, HILLTOP HOUSE, TWO FOR THE MONEY and others. What launched his radio career, he was 6 foot 4, blond hair, and a quote by Garry Moore about Durward is included among other trivia.

360 pages, fully indexed. Only flaw is the subtitle. The subtitle is supposed to explain that the approach for which the book extends profile. I cannot visualize someone typing "verbalized the Jargon" in a google search to find this book. Perhaps the publishers were having a little fun?