Speaker 1: Story of amuson Andy, written by Joe Connolly and Bob Moser,
with Ed Murrow, Bill hay Bing Crosby, Jack, Benny Lowell, Thomas,
Jeff Alexander's music You're Julie Harlow Wilcox and starring in
their own life story, Freeman Gosden and Charles Carrell amoson Andy.
The ten thousand independent rex Al Druggists salute Amos and
Andy as they started their second quarter of a century
on the air tonight by bringing you their life story
tomorrow with the start of a special amoson Andy sale. Yes, tomorrow, dozens,
literally dozens of rex All products will be sold at
exactly half price. Later in the program, we will list many.
Speaker 2: Of these half price items.
Speaker 1: So friends, make up your minds right now to stock up,
because every time you buy, you save at the Amos
and Andy sale. It starts tomorrow and goes on for
two weeks at Rexall drug stores everywhere.
Speaker 2: And here to.
Speaker 1: Introduce the life story of Freeman Gosden, Charles Carrell, Amos
and Andy is one of America's most distinguished commentators.
Speaker 2: Good Evening, Ladies and gentlemen. Missus Edmrrale Tonight weave.
Speaker 1: The Columbia Broadcasting System paid tribute to Amos and Andy.
For twenty five years, Amos and Andy have been a
familiar part of the American scene. But who are Amos
and Andy? Where did they come from? Tonight, for the
first time, the creators of these beloved characters step out
from behind the masks of their famous portrayals to dramatize
their own story, the story of Freeman Gosden and Charles Corral.
I know of no one but had qualified to help
tell you this story. Then the voice so long associated
with the history of amoson handy good evening, This is
Bill Hay. Where did Freeman Gosden and Charles Carrell first meet?
One rainy night in Durham, North Carolina? Right after World
War One? Young Peoria born Charlie Correll had been sent
down from chicag Which to Stanged your local amateur show.
The cast was rehearsing on the second floor of the
Elks Lodge, and Charlie, at the piano, was having his
trouble with the chorus.
Speaker 2: All right, kids, here we go again. What two free?
What two free? Hold it?
Speaker 1: Hold it, hold it you there, Dottie on the end
you're cuter than a barrel of monkeys. But would you
do your uncle Charlie a favor and try to remember.
Speaker 2: Your left foot from your right. That's right, that's the one.
Excuse me you want to see me?
Speaker 1: Sorry to interrupt you, but you are Correl, aren't you?
Speaker 2: That's right, Charlie Correll. Can I do something for you?
Speaker 1: I'm Freeman Gosden. I just started with the company producing
shows and they sent me down to pick up some.
Speaker 2: Scripts and music.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, so you're Gosden. Be right with your kids,
are you, Freeman?
Speaker 2: But I got all the stuff back at the hotel.
Speaker 1: Say you're putting the same show on over in Elizabeth City,
North Carolina, aren't you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. We start rehearsals Monday.
Speaker 1: Well, then listen, how abut getting up in front of
these kids and showing them this step. I've got my
hands full with the piano.
Speaker 2: Be glad to Charlie.
Speaker 1: Listen, folks, this is my new partner, Freeman Gosden holds
now he knows this number and he's going through it.
Speaker 2: Will you? So watch him? Girls? All right, girls, here
we go.
Speaker 1: One two three, one two three, turn two three.
Speaker 2: Now you have it.
Speaker 3: One and thus at.
Speaker 2: The beginning of a partnership was formed.
Speaker 1: For the next few years, they traveled all over the
South producing amateur shows, learning working together.
Speaker 2: Those were lean years, the hard years.
Speaker 1: The boys did everything, produced, directed, wrote, and even performed
in some of the shows. Then one night in New
Orleans they were talked into appearing on a strange view
device radio. Say this is something, isn't it.
Speaker 2: Guys?
Speaker 1: The fellow says, we sing into this big megaphone here.
Speaker 2: You think anybody actually hear us?
Speaker 1: Well, one of the fellows here was telling me this
morning they got a phone call from a woman who
lives a mile.
Speaker 2: Away from the station. No fool on that fellow with
the earphones is waving on us again. Stann By, you're
on the air, okay, Charlie hit it largs largest everyone knows.
They say, you're.
Speaker 1: Gorgeous, gorgeous from your head to your toes, and you.
Speaker 2: Well, wow, wow, wow.
Speaker 1: You are pretty damned but look at you what look
You're simply gorgeous.
Speaker 2: Yes, that was their first appearance on radio.
Speaker 1: But outside of a call from the woman who lived
a mile away from the station, nothing came of it.
Two years later found them working in Chicago, still waiting
for that abusive big break. Hello, Charlie, this is guy. Well,
where are you. I've been waiting for you. I got
us a date. Two girls from Evanstone. One of their
fathers owns a restaurant.
Speaker 2: Well, I just left.
Speaker 1: Five O'Neil's office. Now he runs radio station w EPH
up at the Edgewater Beach Hotel. Now he wants us
to go on the radio as a singing team.
Speaker 2: And I told him we'd do it.
Speaker 1: Well, wait a minute, Wait a minute, kid, how much
are we gonna have to pay?
Speaker 2: Not a cent, Charlie, And get this.
Speaker 1: At midnight, after the station closes down, the hotel gives
us a blue plate supper free. Yes, the boys went
on the air nightly for WEBA.
Speaker 2: They sang songs.
Speaker 1: When the red red Robin comes, buff Robin along along.
They told joke, say gouds, I'm going home tonight.
Speaker 2: I can give him a father a bath. Give your
father a bath. Of course, I've been sponging off the
old man.
Speaker 1: For years, wrote and now directed.
Speaker 2: Finally, six months and one hundred.
Speaker 1: And thirty five blue plate suppers later, they got that
big break. Ben mccenna, the head of the powerful Tribune
station WGM sent for them. Let me get this straight,
mister McKenna, you want us to go on the air
every night and dramatize a comic strip. That's right, boys,
one of the comics from the Tribune, The Gumps, Chester
and the Family.
Speaker 2: I wasn't have an idea.
Speaker 1: Well, well, yes, mister McKenna, but we're a singing team.
Speaker 2: I don't think we could handle it. Well, I think
it'll be a great series for you.
Speaker 1: Well, I tell you if if that's the kind of
a thing you're after, I got sort of an idea, Bill,
what is it? Well, you see, I was born and
raised in Richmond, Virginia, and Charlie's traveled all over the South.
What would you think of us doing a couple of
color characters. Yeah, now there's something we can handle.
Speaker 2: I don't know about that. I never thought of, mister mccannada.
Speaker 1: There's never been anything like it on the air.
Speaker 2: I tell you what, why don't you boys?
Speaker 1: See if you can come up with a script and
some characters spend a week or so on it, then
we can take it from there.
Speaker 2: A week mister mccanna, we don't have a script for you.
Speaker 1: The first thing in the morning, won't we, Charlie, you
can bet your bottom dollar on it. What time is
a kid, Well, it's daybreak, whatever time that is, and
we had a I think we'd have a script in
the morning, Charlie. I've been thinking over these comic strips. Now,
I take Mutton Jeff, Now that's popular.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: One fella is a great big man and the other
one's a little bit of fella. And that's what we've
got to get. Yeah, but the people aren't going to
see us on the radio. Well, we've got to do
it with our voices.
Speaker 2: Maybe if one of us had a high.
Speaker 1: Voice and the other one a low voice, that would
give him a picture.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Hey, guys, you're writers, two rabbits.
Speaker 1: You know. Charlie, I think we are getting somewhere. You
can get your voice down pretty low, can't you. Well, yes,
I can get down pretty low. Keep going, get on lower.
Speaker 2: Like down here, not bad now.
Speaker 1: Listen, see you can see you can put a little
dialect in it.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I'm going to stay right down.
Speaker 1: Here and talk like this year harder to sound, brother
Goslin sounds great.
Speaker 2: Now you hold that voice and I'll try to get
a high one. Yeah, I'll do that and you get
on up there. How does the sound up here? Now,
we'll get up highre get way up there.
Speaker 4: How is the sound up here?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Pull a little dialect in the thing and put a
rasp in there, like that little fellow that worked in
the drug store in Atlanta.
Speaker 2: Yeah, put a little rasp in there. How do you
downsound to you now?
Speaker 1: Brother Corell show sounds good than me. Boy, I think
we've done got something.
Speaker 2: Here, boy, I sure hope so.
Speaker 1: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is your rex Hall
Family Druggist with a few of the half price specials
at the Amos and Andy sale that begins tomorrow. These
next two weeks are the first in the history of
our record ex All drug stores when dozens, literally dozens
of guaranteed rex All products will be sold at exactly
half price. Best of all, this two weeks sale is
store wide. You'll find almost a hundred super specials, plus
this unprecedented free offer. You get an unbreakable plastic tumblrt
in your choice of beautiful colors, absolutely free when you
buy any of a dozen special items. So friends, be
prepared for overwhelming savings at the Amison Andy sale tomorrow
through February twenty eighth at rex.
Speaker 2: All drug stores everywhere.
Speaker 1: Well, one month later, Freeman Garsen and Charles Carrell went
on the air of Salmonham and two years later it
was the top program in the Chicago area. Success seemed
to be theirs. Then one day they went to Ben mccanna.
Speaker 2: With a proposition.
Speaker 1: Well, that's the idea, mister McKenna. We heard that one
of the big broadcasting companies is starting a coast to
coast network.
Speaker 2: Yes, and we sure I can get on that network.
Mister mccanna.
Speaker 1: Boys, I understand your enthusiasm that we here at the
station want to keep Salmon Henry as our exclusive feature.
But mister McKenna, we think this is the opportunity of
a lifetime for us. I know that, boys, I know that,
after all, we own the name Salmon Henry and we
don't want to make any rash move and take the
chance of ruining the show. All right, mister McKenna, thank you,
Just the Sam Come on, Charlie, well he's trying to
stown Coal.
Speaker 2: Guys, what are we going to do?
Speaker 1: Now?
Speaker 2: What do we do? Charlie? We quit? Yeah, well I
quit with Salmon Henry.
Speaker 1: Now, look, Charlie, we can get just so far and
no farther, staying here on one station. Yes, but God's
we couldn't even take Salmon Henry with us. The newspaper
owns the name. We'd have to start over from scratch.
All right, we'll start over from scratch, guys.
Speaker 2: I don't know about this. Suppose we're a flop.
Speaker 1: Now, Look, Charlie, I don't know what it is. Call
it intuition or whatever you want to, but I just
have a feeling we're doing.
Speaker 2: The right thing.
Speaker 1: Well, if you feel out strong about it, guys, Okay,
let's take a crack at it.
Speaker 2: After all, we've come a long way from the days
of the Blue Plate Supper.
Speaker 1: Thirty days later, their contract expired and the Boys signed
with the network. Opening night was only a few weeks away,
and the network was pressing for details on the new show. Well,
thanks for calling, mister Johnson. Yes, but we'd rather not
release the name of the new program yet. Oh, I
say good bye, mister Johnson. Charlie, they're getting anxious about
the name of New York so am I I wish
we had one.
Speaker 2: Not the name of this show means everything.
Speaker 1: Yes, Charlie, and we've been working on it for a week,
and well nothing seems to sound as good as Sam
and Henry. Yeah. Well, come on, guys, let's go out
and get some supper. We need a snappy name like
Jack and Mac or Tim and Tommy.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Push the elevator button, guys, Charlie, we must have made
a list of over.
Speaker 2: Five hundred names. Yeah, I know it.
Speaker 1: Oh say how about sloppy and happy? Oh?
Speaker 2: I don't think so, Charlie. Well here's the elevator. I
wonder if Willy is on duty. He's a character, isn't he?
Speaker 1: Well, well, chuckling Charlie and Stephen Freeman.
Speaker 2: How are you boys? Oh fine? Will it? Step right in?
How are my two friends.
Speaker 4: Of the airway?
Speaker 5: And say?
Speaker 1: Here?
Speaker 2: You got a new program?
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's right, It starts next week. Willy, we're going
coast to court.
Speaker 2: Well, how do you like that? Ain't you the pair
for the air herd floor?
Speaker 4: Well?
Speaker 2: Well, look who's here, my football playing friend?
Speaker 1: Step right in, famous Amos.
Speaker 2: How's everything going on the elevator?
Speaker 1: Will he having my ups and downs? Second floor going down?
Speaker 2: I'll move back.
Speaker 1: Let the janitor get in with the step ladder. Well,
make way for my old friend handy Andy.
Speaker 2: First floor there right, no more?
Speaker 6: Oh and up, oh up.
Speaker 2: Hey Charlie.
Speaker 1: What we need in these names are something that'll catch on,
something it'll be easy to.
Speaker 2: Uh, Charlie, what's the matter did you hear? What will?
He called those two fellas?
Speaker 1: Yeah, famous Amos and Andy Andy.
Speaker 2: But Charlie, what I mean.
Speaker 1: Amos and Andy?
Speaker 2: Yeah, Amos and Andy.
Speaker 1: Well, they are both four letter names. They are both
sort of euphonious, and Amos is a biblical character. Yeah,
and not only that, if we ever play a benefit
their list of names alphabetic la, we always.
Speaker 2: Be right smack at the top.
Speaker 1: Yes, Amos and Andy's target on the network from coast
to coast, fifteen minutes nightly at seven o'clock Eastern Standard time,
emanating from Cargo. About the third day, they started getting
out of town newspaper clippings reviewing their show. Hey, Charlie,
here's a review from a New York paper right on top.
Speaker 2: Oh boy, what's you say, kid?
Speaker 1: Well it's you'd better read the headline yourself, Charlie. Yeah,
Amos and Andy Radio's biggest flop has arrived. The much
heralded Amos and Andy made its debut on the airwaves
last night at seven o'clock with a thud, I might add,
don't read a kid.
Speaker 2: It'll make you sick. Here's another one. This one's from Washington, DC. Urders.
What does it say? Amos and Andy?
Speaker 1: Disappointing after he built up of two weeks by network,
Amos and Andy followed a sad organ theme with something
about a fresh air taxicab. This type of program has
no place in radio. Holy mackerel, look you here another
one and they're all bad. Yeah, boy, Simon Henry looks
awful good right now, doesn't it.
Speaker 2: Charlie. There's no two ways about it. We're a flop.
Speaker 1: But what makes me feel so bad about it is
that I talked you into it. Well, now, wait a minute,
wait a minute, don't feel that way.
Speaker 2: We both went into the thing and with our eyes open.
Speaker 1: Well, it's just and I got so enthusiastic at the time, Charlie,
I wonder if you'd excuse me.
Speaker 2: I I think I'll go out and walk around by myself.
Speaker 1: Well, I guess he wants to be alone. But even
if the kid doesn't know it, I'm out there walking
right with him.
Speaker 6: When you look at all the items I barked and
Rexall Magazine ad the items that go on sale for
just half price at the Amos and Andy sale tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Yes, indeed, ma'am, this advertisement in Life Look, Colliers, Saturday
Evening Post and Farm Journal gives all the half price
items in the sale.
Speaker 6: I've marked a dozen things my family needs right now,
like rex Al cold tablets and cough syrup and Vitamin
B twelve.
Speaker 1: You'll find several other rex Al vitamin products at half
price too, rex Al pheromones, alpha caps, polydrops and polycaps.
Speaker 6: And I'm going to get both of the Caronne beauty specials,
the lipstick and one of the creams at half price.
Speaker 1: You'll find Stag toiletries for men at half price too,
and don't forget the free tumblers and all the other
magnificence specials throughout the rex Al drug store.
Speaker 2: I won't.
Speaker 6: In fact, I'm going to make several shopping trips to
the Amos and Andy sale.
Speaker 2: Well, ma'am.
Speaker 1: It continues for two full weeks tomorrow through February twenty
eight at rex Sol drug stores everywhere. Amos and Andy
continued on the network for the second week. There was
no fan mail, and most of the critics had reviewed
the show unfavorably. This, I believe was the lowest point
in the lives of Freeman, Gosden and Charles Correll. Then
one morning, to get their minds off the program, the
boys decided to play golf at the Tamash Andrew Golf
Club in Chicago. Well, get on your shoes, Charlie, and
let's get out and play nine holes anyway. And I
hope we don't run into anybody. Ye know how they
are when they think your show isn't going so well.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well let's get going. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Oh oh, look who's coming in the locker room? That
young father sings with Paul Whiteman caused me and he
sees us hiving Yeah, hello, bing hi fellas.
Speaker 2: I'll bless that number around the bit.
Speaker 1: Huh yeah, we're gonna play nine holes.
Speaker 2: I get hey. By the way, I caught your last
three shows. Oh you did? Huh? Well, you know, I
think that little opera you got there is gonna catch on.
What do you mean, I don't know.
Speaker 1: There's something there that makes you want to listen tomorrow
and I I really think you got something boys, And
I like that that Andy when he says as regusted.
Speaker 2: Well, thank you, Bing. That makes us feel pretty good.
Speaker 1: Then a few days later, on Michigan Boulevard, the boys
ran into a man they'd met a few years before
in New York.
Speaker 2: Well Freeman and Charlie.
Speaker 4: Hi you boy, Well Jack Benny, Nice to see you.
Speaker 2: Jack. I hear you open tomorrow night over at the
Paris Theater.
Speaker 5: Yes, I got in from New York yesterday. Say, they're
all talking about that radio show of yours back there, Uh,
talking about it?
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, to tell you the truth. At first,
I don't know. I didn't like it. But after a
few times that it kind of grows on you, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 1: Even the kids backstage are listening to it. Well, thanks
a lot, Jack, Yeah, well, we sure hope it catches on.
Speaker 5: Yes, boys, I really think you've got something there.
Speaker 1: Well, a lot of other people began to feel the
way Jack and Bing did. The fan mail began to
trickle in the boy's spirits lifted. They worked harder the
expedimental with their voices and created new characters. First, they
added a great favorite with the listeners, likening a yes
and mus aimerzaw, who'lls right on over there, the social
man about town Henry van Porter. Well, now, if you'll
excuse me, jetmen, I'm having a fitting with my tailor.
He's put the new patch on the seat of my pants.
Speaker 2: The fussy hempecked brother Crawford.
Speaker 1: I want to tell you boys it my wife is
very unhappy and she won't stand for it. Yes, and
this time went on all of those other warm human characters,
Ruby Taylor, Ms Blue Sapphire, the Old battle Axe, Matt Pending,
Flookie Harris, Fred Gwndell, and Madame Queen, and of course
the greatest character of all, that lovable old rascal, the Kingfish.
Speaker 2: How wait a minute, don't forget we as all brothers
in that weird alternaty to missus Nisa de Sea.
Speaker 1: Perhaps the greatest tribute of all paid to Freeman Gosden
and Charles Carrell was one night at a huge benefit
in New York's Madison Square Garden. Lord Thomas, the famous
radio news commentator who preceded Amos and Andy for years
on the air, was chosen to introduce the boys. I
can think of few things likely to give me greater
pleasure than to introduce your radio favorites.
Speaker 7: When I die. This would be my epitaph. Here lies
the body of a man who was hurt by millions
of people who were waiting to hear Amos and Andy.
Speaker 1: Well, that was it, That was their success. The rest
of the story is familiar to all of us. As
the years went on, Amos and Andy made new changes in
their program, the most significant being when they went from
fifteen minutes to a half hour.
Speaker 2: Changes come and go.
Speaker 1: But I'm sure you feel as I do, that Amos
and Andy have never left that wonderful place in our hearts. Now,
before I turn you back to Ed Murrow, I'd like
to say once more that I did for so many years.
Speaker 2: Bidding you all good night and get next to you all.
Speaker 1: Well, that's the story of Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll,
the story of Amoson and two names that are sure
to go down as part of American folklore. It's only
fitting that tonight the entire radio industry gives special recognition
to these two men. To pay this tribute, we have
an event unique in broadcasting history. The heads of two
great networks, David Sinoff of NBC and William Paley of CBS,
appearing on the same.
Speaker 2: Program to pay tribute to amoson Andy.
Speaker 1: First, I would like to introduce the Chairman of the
Board of the Radio Corporation of America and head of
the National Broadcasting Company, Generald Saranov.
Speaker 2: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 1: I'm very proud to join hands with my friend Bill Paley,
Chairman of the Board of Columbia Broadcasting System, in paying
tribute to Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, who created and
maraid the characters of Amos and Andy on radio for
the past quarter of a century. I extend to you
boys my highest regard and esteem for your brilliant and
important pioneer work in the progress of radio broadcasting and
for your faithful adherence to the highest ideals of good entertainment.
We in the National Broadcasting Company are proud to have
introduced this program to the listeners of America and to
have broadcasted over our coast to coast network for fifteen years.
Congratulations to you, Freeman, and to you Charlie, and now
the teramin of the Board of the Columbia Broadcasting William S.
Speaker 2: Baley.
Speaker 1: I'm very happy to join General Sarnoff, whose leadership and
contributions have meant so much to broadcasting in paying tribute
to Freeman Gosden and Charlie Correll. By bringing pleasure to
millions of listeners for more than a quarter of a century,
they have firmly established themselves in the affections of their
fellow citizens. They have also created a great radio institution,
one which I believe will live forever in the folklore
of America. Freeman and Charlie, it gives me great pleasure
to salute you, not only as an old friend, but
also on behalf of the Columbia Broadcasting system and the
countless millions of your devoted listeners throughout the country. Our
warmest wishes go out to you both. This is free,
my good night, Charlie, and I would like to thank
everyone who appeared on our program tonight, but most of
all we won't extend out deep appreciation to you, our listeners,
who have made it possible for us to start our
twenty six year on the air. Yes, that's right, remember
beginning tomorrow through February twenty eighth, it's the special Amos
and Andy sail and be sure to be with us
at the same time next Sunday when you're Rex Hall
Druggist will again present the amoson Andy Show, transcribed and
directed by Cliff Powell. Stay tuned for the Bing Crosby program,
which follows immediately over most of these same stations.
Speaker 2: This is the CBS Radio
Speaker 1: Network, WBAN and Van Illinois mm hmm