Recent Posts
Zane Gray’s New Novel Came Out Each Month and Could Bepurchased By an Expectant Crowd May 5, 2019 Entertainment - The Country Gentleman magazine once provided a way for its readers to claim cost-free copies of Zane Grey books. Zane Grey's absorbing romance of love and adventure in The "Man of the Forestö was published in March 1922. Worried, fighting mad, armed for vengeance with all his hunter's instinct alert, Milt Dale, "The Man of… Continue Reading
Joe Goodpasture, Former Radio News Broadcaster Laments, Wishing He Could Go Back and Do It Again May 14, 2018 Entertainment - Former radio personality, Joe Goodpasture, provided me with his thoughts about radio, wishing he could go back and do it again. According to Joe: "It was late summer, 1956, and I felt I had hit a jackpot trifecta. In short order, I had enrolled at East Tennessee State College, found a three-bedroom apartment with… Continue Reading
Planning Radio Programs in 1940 Was No Easy Task, Required Time, Ingenuity February 20, 2017 Entertainment - In 1940, an unidentified announcer at WJHL radio wanted readers to understand that the idea that all there was to do at a radio station was to put on a record and let it play was erroneous to the extreme. He chose to send a letter to the newspaper educating the public: "Every minute of… Continue Reading
New Information about Jobe’s Opera House Surfaces from Reader January 2, 2017 Entertainment - In August 2006, I wrote an article about Jobe's Opera House, a former popular entertainment venue once located at the corner of E. Main and Spring streets on the second floor above Gump Brothers, a fashionable clothing store. Today's column provides supplementary information about the once popular establishment. If we were to turn the clock… Continue Reading
1909 Tennessee State Fair Was a “Mighty Modern Exhibition” October 10, 2016 Entertainment - During Sept. 20-25, 1909, an impressive exhibit pitted Tennessee against the world. When you put together an exhibition that displays Tennessee’s resources in miniature, you have a sight that is worth observing and an inspiration to return home and take better advantage of the natural opportunities afforded by the South. The purpose of Nashville's Tennessee… Continue Reading
WETB Became Affiliated with Mutual Broadcasting System in 1957 July 18, 2016 Entertainment - The May 27, 1957 edition of the Johnson City Press-Chronicle occupied an entire page in the newspaper with the words: "WETB proudly announces affiliation with the Mutual Broadcasting System." It went into effect on June 2 of that year. WETB Radio As It Once Appeared on the Johnson City-Erwin Highway Included was correspondence from Charles… Continue Reading
Fourteen Daytime Soap Operas on Radio/Television from 1954 June 6, 2016 Entertainment - Today's column is a glance back to August 1954 when 15-minute soap operas filled the weekday airways of radio and television. A contrast of these 14 programs with today's television "soaps" is rather noteworthy. BACKSTAGE WIFE: Gambler Victor Stratton presses his attentions on Mary Noble, which she tries to ward off while still keeping his… Continue Reading
A Glance Back at a Quarter Century of Saturday Morning Television March 21, 2016 Entertainment - I recently came across a listing of Saturday morning ("no school today") television juvenile shows, ranging from 1946 through 1971. Since my family did not own a television set until about 1951, I had the option of going to a Johnson Avenue neighbor's house who owned a TV to watch a program or do without.… Continue Reading
O. Henry’s Famous “Robin Hood of the Old West,” “The Cisco Kid” March 14, 2016 Entertainment - Older folks will likely recall the opening theme of television's "The Cisco Kid?" It began with thrilling background music as Cisco and Pancho rode their horses, Diablo and Loco respectively, down a hill, paused briefly and then continued their descent. The narration was "Here's adventure. Here's romance. Here's O. Henry's famous Robin Hood of the… Continue Reading
Walter L. Main’s Grandest, Best Shows Came to City in 1895 January 25, 2016 Entertainment - An October 1895 headline in The Comet newspaper proclaimed these eye-catching words: "Only a Few More Days Until Walter L. Main's Grandest and Best Show Will be Seen in all Its Glory." The big show came as announced, delighting thousands of expectant attendees who enthusiastically clamored for admission to the huge tent, which was reported… Continue Reading
Comments are closed.