Audio Shows and Theater of the Mind

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24555572.post-1160007999899909672006-10-04T18:50:00.000-05:002006-10-04T19:26:39.980-05:00Audio Shows and Theater of the MindI discovered the Jack Benny Program, Great Gildersleeve, and Fibber McGee and Molly when I was about fourteen years old. During that time, WVXU in Cincinnati played "When Swing Was King" all weekend long, hosted by Mark Magistrelli. When I tuned in to 91.7 one fateful day during a winter's break from school, I was introduced to music I had never really listened to before. Being a normal teenager, I listened mostly to pop music and had a vague familiarity with big band music. I found that day that I liked it, and listened all afternoon long. At 5:00, the old time radio shows started, I believe with Great Gildersleeve. That was the first time in my life I had ever heard a radio program. After all, I was raised on television. I really liked Great Gildersleeve, his funny laugh, his boisterousness, and I thought it was a funny show. I didn't know this was strictly an "audio only" show. You see, I thought I was listening to a stage presentation, a play maybe--however they did it back then, possibly acting the show in front of an audience, with sets and everything. But the voice and sound effects were so well done that I assumed it was a very well-miked stage play. The audience helped create that illusion. I could see in my mind everything that was going on, and visualized Gildersleeve as Ralph Kramden from the Honeymooners. In fact, that's still how I see him. Jack Benny came next. I can't remember my specific opinions, but I do recall thinking it was easily the funniest thing I had ever heard. Again, it was like listening to a play, but was kind of like the Tonight Show with a funny skit and storyline. I pictured Rochester looking like Scatman Caruthers from The Shining. I still do, too. I believe Fibber McGee and Molly came next. I didn't like it as much as Jack Benny, but thought it was entertaining. I tuned in every weekend after that and became a fan of the shows. It wasn't until years later I found out the actors were all radio actors who stood around a microphone holding their scripts. Later I even saw a picture in a Jack Benny book that looked exactly like that. That's how my interest in theater of the mind audio started. Also, I've been a continuing fan of both Great Gildersleeve and Jack Benny until today. But when I was first introduced to radio dramas and comedy, I knew I wanted to do something like that myself, create my own radio comedy. I got the chance in 1993 when I recorded the Adventures of the Galactic Star Force Power Squad! <a href="http://www.allensedge.com/galactic.html">You can read all about that experience here.</a> In 2005 I recorded a prequel to that episode. <a href="http://allensedge.com/newgalactic.html">Find it here</a>. Where is all this going, you ask? I'll talk about other audio programs available all over the web.allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05127988109083320748noreply@blogger.com