Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Hummert Radio Factory

How Ma Perkins Put the Soap In Soap Operas

Ma Perkins was not the first radio program to use continuing story lines to build a loyal audience. It was not the first serial drama to be directed at housewives during daytime broadcast hours, it was not the first show whose characters dispensed "country wisdom", it was not even the first show of the sort to come from the " Hummert Radio Factory ". It was, however, one of the very first radio shows sponsored by a Proctor & Gamble product, Oxydol, and Oxydol was, that's right, soap. Formed when a candle maker and his soap maker brother in law realized that they were competing for the same resources in 1837, P&G was one of the first American companies to realize the value of branding and advertising. One of the company's major successes was supplying soap and candles to the Union Army during the Civil War. They made it a point to stamp the crates carrying their products with their 'moon and stars' logo, and soldiers from around the country...

Les Damon in Old Time Radio

  Les Damon in Old Time Radio : A hard-working actor, Les Damon seemed more dedicated to Radio than furthering his Movie career The Radio Industry rose on the fame and attraction of Hollywood A-Listers who took time from their busy schedules to appear (usually with a healthy compensation) on the Air. However, the backbone of the Radio Business as the community of "Radio Row" players who commuted from microphone to microphone, appearing on several shows each week (often, several each day). For most of these players, acting began as a passion, but they ultimately kept at the demanding profession to pay the bills. One of the more prolific Radio Row Players was Providence, Rhode Island native Les Damon . Born on March 31, 1908, Lester Joseph Damon would matriculate at Brown University before taking up acting professionally. Damon began working with a series of stock theater companies in 1930. This meant acting in various roles on different stages in different towns, often a new t...