 |
 |
Audio Collections
- Dr. Alfred Goldsmith (RCA):
- Dr. Goldsmith was the chief of engineering at RCA in the 1920s and 30s. The donation consists of transcriptions of the first transatlantic radio re-broadcasts on WJZ New York from station 2L0 in England (via 5XX in Belfast, Maine), plus music and test signals.
- Edythe Meserand Collection:
- Ms. Meserand was a pioneering woman radio executive, and the first President of the American Woman in Radio and Television. Includes Izeta Jewel interview with Meserand done on WOR, a five disc set of General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech to Congress, along with a transcribed collection of famous speeches from WW II.
Historical
- "Standard Program Library" Subscription Service Collection:
- Collection consisting of discs sent to subscribing radio stations regularly as supplemental programming. Though predominantly composed of a wide variety of music, there is also a smattering of actual programs and some generic advertising jingles that could be used for "in house" commercial production
by stations.
- Edward M. Kirby Collection:
- Col. Kirby was with the Armed Forces Radio Service during
WWII, and later wrote of his experiences in his book Star
Spangled Radio. The donation consists of glass transcription
discs recorded by the BBC. Nine of the ten discs feature either
Glenn Miller and his Orchestra or Dinah Shore.
- Papers of Irene Beasley:
- Ms. Beasley was a well-known singer and radio personality of
the 1930s and 40s. This gift includes an interview with Beasley
done on WEAF in 1940, cuts of songs performed by Beasley on other
radio programs in the 1930s and 40s, as well as recordings of
her own music-oriented CBS game show, Grand Slam from the mid-
40s.
- Papers of Henry L. Miller and Anne Lorentz Miller:
- Bulk of the gift consists of 56 "V" Discs, produced for the
Armed Forces Radio Service during WWII. Artists represented
include Bing and Bob Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dick Haymes, Helen
Forrest, Mary Martin, Ginny Simms, Ella Fitzgerald, The Pied
Pipers, Fats Waller, Buddy Rich, Jack Teagarden, Igor Stravinsky
w/the New York Philharmonic and many others. Twenty other discs are
from the U.S. Information Service and the Voice of America.
- BMI Program Clinic Collection:
- A series of seminars, meetings and clinics conducted around the country by BMI, the music copyrighting company, in the mid-1950s.
Music
- Westinghouse/Group W Radio News Collection (1957-1982):
- National news feeds, programs and interviews produced by and for Group W Communications stations from their Washington, DC, news bureau.
- Associated Press Radio Competion Collection (1967-1968):
- A large sampling of Radio Journalism, almost exclusively from California. Stations represented include KABC Los Angeles, KSLY San Luis Obispo, KRLA Pasadena, KFMB San Diego, KCBS San Francisco, KNEW Oakland, and KPFA Berkley.
- William Coyle Collection:
- Collection contains transcriptions of various programs featuring Mr. Coyle, a correspondent for ABC Radio, including discs from the Dept. of the Navy and stations WMAL, WRUL, and KCMO.
- Donald H. Kirkley, Jr. Collection:
- The collection contains political speeches of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, plus the "Iron Curtain" speech by Winston Churchill, as well as a large run of the Columbia Workshop and other programs.
News
- Dwight Davis Collection:
- This gift includes incomplete runs of two syndicated radio programs, The Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards Show, and Joseph Cotton and Co., a drama anthology.
- Donald H. Kirkley, Jr. Collection:
- Radio programs such as Columbia Workshop and Hear It Now make up a significant portion of the series as well as some quiz shows and soap operas.
- Charles Pearson Collection:
- Includes a large run of episodes of the children's adventure program, Secret Agent K-7 Returns, plus episodes of March Thru Life, We Want a Touchdown, and Morning Almanac with Phil Cook.
- Can You Top This?:
- This popular comedy/panel game show originated at WOR in New York in 1940, and was picked up by NBC in 1942. It starred Peter Donald, "Senator" Ed Ford, Harry Hershfield and Joe Laurie Jr. The premise of the show was simple. Listeners sent in jokes to the show and the best were read to the panel by Mr. Donald. It was then up to the panel to "top" the joke with one of their own
on the same subject. A "laugh meter" hooked to a microphone gauged audience response to the jokes, determining the winners. The maximum a joke submitter could win was only $11.00, and it was a rare broadcast when the top prize was given, as by the panelists own estimate they knew over 15,000 jokes between them!
Programming
- Papers of Henry L. Miller and Anne Lorentz Miller:
- Bulk of the collection consists of 56 "V" Discs, produced for the Armed Forces Radio Service during WWII. Twenty other discs are from the U.S. Information Service and the Voice of America.
US Government Sponsored Programming
Uncataloged Materials
These collections have not been cataloged or processed, although access is available through special arrangements.
- The Jack Frost Sugar Program, a three-disc children's series from 1934, WJZ Radio.
- On the NBC Record, a recording of the famous broadcast of the Hindenburg disaster from Lakehurst, NJ, 5/6/37.
- 2 Columbia recordings of Sunday Evening at Seth Parker's, date unknown.
- NBC transcription disc of King Edward VIII's Abidication speech.
- History: Includes speeches and year end reviews, approx 40 titles.
- Performers/Programs: Includes several "Best of Old Time Radio" collections, donations from Garrison Keillor and Bob & Ray, as well as some Friar's Club Testimonial Dinners.
- Sports: 3 titles, football, baseball, basketball.
- Advertising: Includes several "Best Ads of Radio" collections.
- Music: 7 titles, various styles.
- Radio Self-Promotion: Includes "National Radio Month" Kits from the 1960's and materials from the NAB, the Army and the Air Force.
Search Audio Recordings
labcast@umd.edu
Library of American Broadcasting
