By 1923, over six million homes in America were tuning into a brand-new novelty item called the Radiola. It became a cultural phenomenon that flourished for over three decades. "The Golden Age of Radio" captured the imagination - and hearts - of the entire country, turning America's airwaves into coast-to-coast magic and changing the concept of home entertainment forever.
Now Leonard Maltin, one of America's leading authorities on film and an ardent radio buff, takes us along for a fascinating oral history of radio's golden age from its beginnings through its heyday to the bittersweet end of an era. From beloved soap operas such as the multi-generational One Man's Family, which aired for an astounding twenty-seven years, to such popular dramatic programs as Suspense and Escape... from the hugely popular comedy shows of Jack Benny and Burns and Allen to the quieter humor of Vic and Sade and Easy Aces, Maltin transports us to an unforgettable time in our history as he re-creates the glory days of this vibrant medium. You'll read about such giants as-writer-directors Norman Corwin and Arch Oboler; mavericks such as Orson Welles, whose "War of the Worlds" would become the most famous radio broadcast of all time; and budding writers from Arthur Miller to Ray Bradbury, who cut their teeth during radio's golden age.
The Great American Broadcast is based on hundreds of personal interviews and is filled with behind-the-scenes stories-of some of the most colorful personalities of the era, from actors, directors, and writers to announcers, producers, sponsors, and sound-effects wizards. Written with Leonard Maltin's trademark warmth, wit, and style, and including more than 100 black-and-white photographs and illustrations - many never before published - it is a book that will be treasured by everyone who wants to remember the way things used to be. The Great American Broadcast is a celebration of an American way of life as well as the definitive history of a once-dominant medium of entertainment.