Welcome. It’s already been seven days. Time for another journey back to the Golden Age of Radio. As the announcer said, I’m Mike Alexander. I’ll be your guide as we travel back to listen to episodes, highlights and excerpt from the classic programs of that time. While the time portal is warming up, please find you seat as I tell you about this week’s journey.
This week’s journey is to honor Eddie Cantor who was born on January 31, 1892. We’ll travel back to 1947 to hear an episode from one of his many comedy-variety shows. Then it’s off to 1949 to hear Eddie in a rare dramatic role on one of the better thriller shows.
Everything is set to go but first the answer to last week’s question about Humphrey Bogart. I asked you the name of his fourth wife. The one Bogie considered the love of this life. Her name was Lauren Bacall. She was his co-star in the movie “To Have And Have Not” her first movie. She was the female lead and had been cast by Howard Hawks. Prior to that she had been a model and had appeared in 2 plays. She was 19 and Bogie 44.
Okay, it’s time to start the journey.
This stop will be to Thursday, June 12, 1947 to hear an episode of the Pabst Blue Ribbon Show starring Eddie Cantor. Cantor was born in New York City to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. Just like Bogart, Cantor’s birthdate is has been questioned. It is reported as January 31 (date I used for this journey honoring him), or on Rosh Hashanah which was either September 10 or 11 in 1892. No birth certificate exists to put the controversy to rest. Cantor’s mother died of tuberculosis when he was two. His father also passed when Cantor was young. There is no date of the passing as no death certificate exists. Cantor was raised by his maternal grandmother.
By his early teens, Cantor was winning talent contests at local theaters and appearing on stage. One of his early jobs was as a singing water at Carey Walsh’s Coney Island Saloon. A young Jimmy Durante accompanied him on the piano. He made his first public vaudeville appearance in 1907. Ten years later, Cantor made his Broadway debut in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1917. He continued in the Follies until 1927.
Cantor first appeared on radio in 1922 but his appearance on Rudy Vallee’s show in 1931 lead to a four week tryout on The Chase and Sanborn Hour.
Now, as I turn back the time portal’s radio dial to Thursday, June 12, 1947, here is The Pabst Blue Ribbon Show entitled “Eddie Interviews a Prospective Son-in-Law.”
The Chase and Sanborn Hour established Cantor as a leading comedian. In 1935, he had his own show, The Eddie Cantor Show which lasted until 1939. During his radio career, Cantor introduced and helped many stars. He was instrumental in the success of Bobby Breen, Dinah Shore, Deanna Durbin and Eddie Fisher. In fact, Dinah Shore was on his radio show “Time to Smile.”
You’re listening to the Unforgettable Radio Theater. Our trip back to The Golden Age of Radio will continue after this.
