This Is The Story - 1948

"This is the Story" was a repackaging of anthology shows with a positive, patriotic theme.

In 1948 Ida Lupino starred in Hallmark Playhouse. December 9, 1948. CBS net. "Woman With A Sword". How a woman helped Abe Lincoln to win the Civil War. Ida Lupino, Gerald Mohr, James Hilton (host), Frank Goss (announcer).  Wonderful story.  AFRS repackaged it as "This Is The Story"

This Is The Story - Woman With A Sword - 1948

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Chris Noel - 1968

Chris Noel did A Date With Chris between 1966-70 and touched a lot of lives.  She sent signed photos.  She toured Vietnam many times.  She was there.  A few years ago she shared her shows with us.  I'm glad to be able to bring them back.

Date With Chris - 1968

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Chris has a shelter for homeless vets in Florida take a look.

Big Band Countdown - 1979

Chuck Cecil was still doing the Big Band Countdown in the 1980s, playing the music of 40 years ago.  Seemed older then...

But it was always great music.  He started doing the show at KFI in the 1950s and finally retired in 2014.  A long successful run.

Big Band Countdown - 1979

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Our story

For the last ten years I've had an AFRTS blog online with a lot about the history of the network.  It's quite a story.

I know a lot of the people who made the history and have some pretty amazing sources if a question comes up that I can't answer.


If your office/station/paper would be interested in pursuing the story let me know if I can help.

afrts@live.com

AFRS Adak - Michael Brown 1971

A while back Michael Brown sent a bunch of great quality airchecks of his shows from the AFRTS station in  Adak Alaska.  Quality is great and it's request time...

AFRS Adak - Michael Brown 1971

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Welcome!

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Have a great day!


Thom

AFVN - 1968 A Year in the Life of Man

Here's the 1968 year end show from AFVN.  Gary Gears, who went on to great things at the best Chicago stations voices this.

1968 A Year in the Life of Man

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Jubilee - 1945

It's time for your jive session

The first tune is, "Rough Idea." Verne Smith (announcer), Murray McEachern (conductor), Manny Klein, Frank Wiley (trumpet), Henry Coker (trombone), Willie Smith (vocal), Bobby Hackett, Emmett Berry, Babe Russin, Bam Brown, Jack Martin, Juan Rolando, Nick Glicco, Corky Corcoran, Harry The Hipster Gibson, Lem Davis, Leo Watson, Peggy Lee, Ray Coniff, Slim Gaillard, The Jubilee All Stars, Vic Dickenson, Ernest Whitman (m. c.). 

Jubilee - 1945

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Charlie Tuna - 1982

Charlie Tuna woke the world from 1971-96.  Eons in radio years.  It was always great.

Charlie and the Wolfman

Charlie Tuna - 1982

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Words With Music - Kim Hunter

Kim Hunter reads poetry.  She later became a huge star in Streetcar Named Desire.  In 1945 she had poetry for the troops.

Words With Music - Kim Hunter - 1945

Casey Kasem 1932-2014 updated

We lost Casey Kasem last week.  American Top 40 was a very important part of AFRTS.  I've never been able to locate anyone who could give us permission to run some of those shows, with Casey doing the PSAs. Casey was drafted in 1952 and ended up at Radio Vagabond.

RADIO IN KOREA
American Forces Korea Network Provides Security, Information, Education, And Entertainment
Pacific Stars and Stripes April 25, 1953
By PFC John Sack, Pacific Star and Stripes Korea Bureau

TEN-THOUSAND MEN were listening to the radio a few months ago when it went off the air.  "We are going off the air," said the announcer.  "We will be back in three hours."  Then he picked up his mikes, discs, "pets," tapes, and antennas and threw them all in a van, and moved lock, stock and barrel five miles down the road.

"It was the damned artillery," he explained later.  "Kept jiggling the phonograph needle."

Short-wave is one source of AFKN programs.   Transcriptions from the States are another.  Each station has 20 or 30 thousand records too, for disc jockey shows.  "Mail from Home," incidentally -- where people in America request songs to be played in Korea -- is the network's most popular show.

But AFKN has the most fun making programs of its own.   PFC Bert States, head of production, has carried his tape recorders from orphanages to the frontlines and once, for a story on VD, hid a microphone in his field jacket while a street-walker took him in tow.  Pvt.  Kemal Kasem has been working one month on a jet pilot documentary.  Kasem used to appear in "The Lone Ranger" before he joined the Army (a sample speech, in husky, sinister tones:  "OK, if you know who the masked man is, we'll get it from you.  If you don't know, we'll find out for ourselves."), but last week he was interested only in getting his sound effects down perfect.

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.

Chris Noel - 1970

Chris Noel is back with another hour of great radio.  Date With Chris went from 1966-70 and was an important link to home for thousands of GIs.

Date With Chris - 1969

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Roland Bynum 1973

Roland Bynum has another "Soul In Motion".  Roland has touched a lot of people, both as a broadcaster and as an educator.  Today it's all about the Air Force and some legendary music.

Roland Bynum - 1973

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Chris Noel - 1968

A pretty girl, some great music, the voice of home.  Sounds simple but it's never been done like A Date With Chris.  Thank you Chris Noel.

Date With Chris - 1968

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AFRTS 1979 from Torrejon

Vicente recorded a lot of these in Madrid in the 1970s and 80s but for the most part very similar to what we were doing everywhere.  There's clips of Wolfman, Jerry Bishop, Bob Kingsley with ACC, Jim Pewter and some of DINFOS best.

AFRTS - 1979 - Torrejon Spain

Here's more from 1979

Roger Carroll - 1961

Here's Roger with a great 1961 show.

Roger Carroll - 1961

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Negro College Choir - 1960

In the 50s and 60s the United Negro College Fund presented a series of choirs from member universities of the fund.  The series was run on the ABC radio network, hosted by Metropolitan Opera host Milton Cross.  AFRTS picked up the series and ran it worldwide.

Today we have the Fisk University Choir from Nashville.

Negro College Choir - 1960

Thanks for stopping by!

If you enjoy your visit, please tell a friend.  There is a mailing list.  About once a week I send out an email about the things that have been added.  If you'd like to be included, drop me an email afrts@live.com

There are other ways to help Click here

Golden Days Of Radio - 1968

Starting in 1968 Frank Bresee celebrated the Golden Days Of Radio.  The last network shows had just went off the air in 1962.  Frank managed to keep the show on AFRTS until 1996.  One pretty amazing accomplishment.  Old time radio was a win in a lot of places.  Many countries didn't have television.  Many of our television stations had severe restrictions in the programming they could show. This show is very early in the run.  Next, the Golden Days of Radio!

Golden Days Of Radio - 1968

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Charlie Tuna - 1982

Would you like some breakfast serial with that?

It's almost Christmas 1982

Charlie Tuna - 1982

Charlie's website is http://www.charlietuna.com

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Date With Chris - 1970

Chris Noel brought home to a lot of soldiers.  Her Date With Chris shows were worldwide hits and she toured and toured with several stops in Vietnam.  Thanks Chris!

Chris still keeps the faith with her veterans shelter click here.  See what you can do to help out...

Date With Chris - 1970

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Country Crossroads - 1978

Country Crossroads was one of my favorites in the Sunday morning slots.  It was a show of faith but incredibly low-keyed with interesting interviews and good music.  Here's a visit with Charley Pride.

Country Crossroads - 1978

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Peter Troy - 1965

By the 1960s, there wasn't much drama being produced in the United States.  AFRTS reached out to British, Australian and South African radio,

In 1963 South Africa's Springbok radio produced "Walk Softly Peter Troy".  Well written.  We ran it in 1965.

 "The Blonde With The Delicate Air". Peter's been framed for murder by a very lovely lady.  Tom Meehan, Herrick Merril (producer), John Simpson, Merle Wayne.

Peter Troy - The Blonde With a Delicate Air

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Roland Bynum - 1973

Roland Bynum has "Soul In Motion"

These shows were done for Roger Carroll's company.  Are you ready to consider career opportunities?

Roland Bynum - 1973

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Chris Noel - 1969

There were a lot of troops on lonely outposts that welcomed each "Date With Chris"

Chris Noel - 1969

She got pretty good at it.  Sounded like she cared, because she did, and does.

Here's more from Chris Noel

World of Show Business - 1962

Bud Widdom started with the network during WWII and did a lot of shows.  By the 1960s he went off to run FEN at Camp Drake.

In 1962 Bud was doing the World Of Show Business on McCadden Avenue.  A few weeks ago I posted one with a Jackie Gleason one.  Today it's Ross Bagdasarian, the record producer that became Dave Seville with Alvin and the Chipmunks.  Who has a picture of Bud Widdom?

World Of Show Business - 1962

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Dave Wachenschwanz - Torrejon, Spain 1977

Vicente lived in Madrid at the time and recorded a lot of the Torrejon AB station on nice quality cassettes, and saved them.  Dave's no longer with us.

Dave Wachenschwanz - AFRTS Torrejon 1977

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