Behind The Mike | Drama | Old Time Radio Downloads

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As radio shows grew in popularity during the early 1940's, there was a clamor for more information about the media format. It was out of this thirst for knowledge that Behind the Mike was born. This old time radio program was first aired on September 15, 1940, comprised of 83 episodes until the series' end on April 19, 1942. The format and content of the shows were relatively simple and geared toward providing informative news about the listener's favorite actors, actresses and old radio shows among others. Aside from that, it was also a means to educate the audience about the begind the scenes goings-on in the industry. Graham McNamee hosted the series during its entire run. He found a way to connect with his audience by taking on live callers and answering their questions on air. Behind the Mike is one old time radio collection that certified audiophiles will definitely appreciate. Gather snippets of information and old time radio trivia while you listen. Click here to read more about Behind The Mike

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Please enjoy these 31 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
05.18.1941	amusing stories behind radio	+Blue Network. Columnist Al Simon tells stories about Arthur Godfrey and radio stations around the ...
09.22.1940	behind the mike (02) warming up a studio audience	+Blue Network. Warming up a studio audience: Harry Von Zell tells how it's done. Sidney Anthony (of...
09.29.1940	behind the mike (03) baby's cries	+Blue Network. Radio babies: how (18-year-old) Janice Gilbert imitates infants. Don Cordray, the ho...
10.20.1940	behind the mike (06) radio sneezing	+Blue Network. Hildegarde Halliday describes how she's an excpert sneezer on the air. John J. Antho...
11.17.1940	behind the mike (10) dinah and the truck driver	+ Blue Network. Milton Herman tells about his radio profession; dying! He always plays gangsters wh...
02.16.1941	character actors	+Blue Network. Alan Drake tells how he creates dialect and character roles. Sound effect of the wee...
02.23.1941	comedy broadcasts	+Blue Network. How a radio comedy broadcast is put together (Fred Allen is impersonated). The sound...
12.22.1940	difficult names	+Blue Network. Ben Grauer substitutes for Graham McNamee, who has gone to California to cover the R...
04.20.1941	director star relations	+Blue Network. Ray Guy, one of the original WJZ engineers, tells about early microphones. The studi...
05.04.1941	enoch lights disappearance from the airways	+Blue Network. Enoch Light tells why he disappeard from the air air for seven months. Oddities in r...
01.19.1941	fdr third inaugural ceremonies	+ Blue Network. Graham McNamee describes the activity behind the scenes at NBC's plans to broadcast...
11.30.1941	impersonations of famous people	+Blue Network. Arthur Boran (of "The Vaudeville Theatre Of The Air") does imitations and tells how ...
11.10.1940	making a living by dying	+Blue Network. Ted Slade and Ray Kelly (head of the NBC Sound Effects Department) demonstrate vario...
12.08.1940	musical bridges	+Blue Network. 5:30 P.M. (EST). How musical bridges are used on dramatic programs. Ernie Watson tel...
03.02.1941	pioneers of radio entertainment	+Blue Network. A salute to the pioneers of radio entertainment. Stories of the fish in the control ...
02.02.1941	putting a program together	+Blue Network. How a radio program is put together...this particular program. Graham mentions that ...
12.29.1940	radio almanac	+Blue Network. Phil Cook tell's why he has the hardest job in radio, hosting the "Radio Almanac." H...
12.15.1940	radios dramatic actresses	+ Blue Network. 4:30 P.M. (EST). Gertrude Warner demonstrates her versatility as a radio actress. S...
01.12.1941	script writers	+Blue Network. Katherine Seymour, one of the first script writers in radio (currently scripting "Li...
06.08.1941	selling a show to a sponsor	+Blue Network. Bill Koblentzer (of Wolfe Associates) tells how independant producers sell programs ...
11.03.1940	sound effects
10.27.1940	stoogedom	+Blue Network. A visit from a "female stooge," Minerva Pious. She tells about the many character vo...
10.13.1940	sundown on the veldt	+Blue Network. Joseph Marais, host of, "Sundown On The Veldt," tells the story of a native Zulu he ...
06.29.1941	the associated press	+Blue Network. The founding of the Associated Press is dramatized, followed by dramatized important...
02.09.1941	the lady from oklahoma	+Blue Network. Ida Bailey Allen tells about a telephone call from a listener from Oklahoma. The sou...

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Graham McNamee is the host of this series which features interviews with radio people (Stories of Behind the Scenes in Broadcasting). Later Ben Grauer was host. This radio series was broadcast by NBC as a sustained program from September 15, 1940 to April 19, 1942. From April 19, 1942 to June 7, 1942 the name of the program was changed to NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. Walter Compton was the moderator for the series. Ernie Watson is the music composer and conductor. Gilbert Martin is the announcer. Mort Lewis and Lester Lewis are writers of some of the programs.

BEHIND THE MIKE