Radio Live! Television Live!: Those Golden Days When Horses Were Coconuts

by Robert L. Mott

Overview

During the "golden age" of live radio and television, writers, performers, and producers created their programs in an environment far different from the studios of today. With live programming, anything could happen, and often did. Robert L. Mott, a veteran writer and Emmy-nominated sound effects creator of the live era, recreates the days when television and radio programs were performed live. He includes personal reminiscences as well as a forthright look behind the microphones: horses' hooves were played by coconuts, African-American women were played by white males, and television actors might ad lib an entire program that didn't go as planned. Celebrities like Red Skelton and Jackie Gleason, as well as the unsung heroes in the sound booth and backstage, step up to the mike here. Behind-the-scenes photographs are also included in this account of the exciting--but not always glamorous--world that was "live on the air."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786418121
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	12/25/2003
Edition description:	ALT
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.48(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The late Robert L. Mott had a long career doing sound effects for films, cartoons, theater, commercials—and for radio (such as Gangbusters, Philip Morris Playhouse and Perry Mason), and television (including Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason, The Tonight Show, Playhouse 90, Captain Kangaroo and Bob Hope). Twice nominated for Emmy awards for Days of Our Lives, he also wrote for Dick Van Dyke and Red Skelton. The Academy of Television Arts and Science selected him for their website honoring the legends of live television.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	vi
	Preface	1
1.	Before the Age Became Golden	3
2.	Breaking into Radio	16
3.	Behind the Picture Tube	30
4.	Television's Early Risk Takers: Ed Sullivan and Garry Moore	48
5.	Not All the Days Were Golden	64
6.	Radio SFX and Television Face Off	72
7.	On the Road Again	86
8.	Juggling Two Hats	90
9.	Which Was Funnier, Live Radio or Live TV?	100
10.	Living on the Edge: Ad-Libbing--Not for the Faint of Heart	109
11.	One of TV's Finest Hours	121
12.	SFX Makes the News!	123
13.	Television's Two Biggest Embarrassments	132
14.	Sounds Like Fun!	136
15.	Getting Laughs the Quiet Way	146
16.	Red Skelton: The Name Says It All	157
17.	Television's Most Despised People	175
18.	Is It Sound Effects or Foleying?	190
	A Few Final Words	211
Appendix	Recorded Sound Effects	213
	Bibliography	227
	Index	229

Editorial Reviews

as a television anecdote book, this can’t be beat...[the author’s] first-hand knowledge of television’s past is worth reading and essential”—Classic Images; “libraries with active media collections will want to add this entertaining, anecdotal description of life behind the scenes of commercial radio and television to their shelves. What most readers will enjoy most about this book are its chatty descriptions of folks with whom Mott worked. A charming memoir and oral history”—Booklist; “replete with a multitude of humorous stories...fascinating stories”—The Illustrated Press; “interesting as well as readable”—Communications Booknotes Quarterly; “detailed information on his two fields, sound effects and script writing...‘inside’ stories that are not generally available from other sources...lots of fun”—North American Radio Archives; “amusing and informative”—AES.

From the Publisher

Libraries with active media collections will want to add this entertaining, anecdotal description of life behind the scenes of commercial radio and television to their shelves. What most readers will enjoy most about this book are its chatty descriptions of folks with whom Mott worked. A charming memoir and oral history.

Booklist/RBB

Interesting as well as readable.

Communications Booknotes Quarterly

Detailed information on his two fields, sound effects and script writing...'inside' stories that are not generally available from other sources...lots of fun.

North American Radio Archives

Amusing and informative.

AES

replete with a multitude of humorous stories...fascinating stories

The Illustrated Press

libraries with active media collections will want to add this entertaining, anecdotal description of life behind the scenes of commercial radio and television to their shelves. What most readers will enjoy most about this book are its chatty descriptions of folks with whom Mott worked. A charming memoir and oral history

Booklist

as a television anecdote book, this can't be beat...[the author's] first-hand knowledge of television's past is worth reading and essential

Classic Images