Coast Guard on Parade - 1967

This kind of puzzles me.  I understand running Navy recruiting shows on a ship.  I understand any of the services running recruiting shows for their primary command.  This is a nice show.  WTIC in Hartford produced it at the Coast Guard Academy.  It went out on AFRTS labels to all stations.

Coast Guard On Parade - 1967

Panorama - 1961

Panorama was produced at AFN for AFRTS by Sp Mickey Klein.  It sounds suspiciously like Weekend World..

Panorama - 1961

Shilling for Luck - 1944

In 1944 the troops were curious about the British.  AFRS assembled an all star cast to tell a storyin "Shilling for Luck",  Gene Kelly is a sailor from Liverpool, Ohio.  He meets a sailor from Liverpool, England. They compare the Liverpool's. Multiple stories are tied together with a one shilling coin. The coin is passed to Gene's grandson who gives it to Shirley Temple, who also learns about the British. The all-star cast focusses on the similarities of our cultures.

Shilling for Luck - 1944

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Jubilee - 1944

The program originates from New York City. The first tune is, "Jumping In A Gin Mill." Colonel Stoopnagel appears. The announcer mentions Una Mae Carlisle as being in the cast, but she is not heard. Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra, Dorothy Donagan Mel Allen (announcer), Pigmeat Markham, Ralph Cooper (m. c.), The Stuff Smith Trio. 

Jubilee - 1944

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Did you save stuff?

We now have probably half of the W library 1964-80.  Some great listening and several nice program disks 1971-72.  If you do have some of these packed away please let me know.  If you saved any airchecks, they're always welcome.

Thanks!!

Thom

Email Thom

AFN Berlin - Mark White 1980-83

We lost Mark White last year.  Mark did well over three decades in Berlin keeping the highlight on the big bands.  After he retired he stayed in Germany and was a legend.

AFN Mark White 1980-83

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Jimmy Wakely - 1969

Jimmy Wakely was a huge star in the movies, on US radio, television even the Grand Old Opry and we were lucky to have him on AFRTS.  Here's a 1969 visit.

Jimmy Wakely - 1969

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Spectrum USA - 1971

In 1971 the Marine Reserves presented the stories of the presidents in Spectrum USA.  

Dick Stark was a child actor in silent movies.  He worked in radio from the 1930s-60s.  He was on active duty in the Pacific during WWII and went back on active duty to Vietnam in 1966, later running the NY PAO shop for the Marines until retiring in 1973.  Today we have the story of Grover Cleveland.

Spectrum USA - 1971

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AFRTS Canada

Sometimes overseas wasn't overseas.. In Canada, we built up mostly with radar stations making up the Pinetree Line of Ground Control Intercept (GCI) radar sites. The buildup began in the mid 50s and was largely over by 1962. AFRTS was there.

Tip of the hat to the stations that were at:

Armstrong, Ontario
Frobisher Bay Goose Bay Labrador
Harmon AFB Stephenville Newfoundland
Hopedale Newfoundland
Pagwa River, Ontario
Prince George BC
Ramore Ontario
Resolution Island
Seglek Bay, Newfoundland
St Anthony Newfoundland
Sioux Lookout, Ontario

Those were all on the air in 1961.

In 1971 we had stations on the air at:
Argentia
Byron Bay
Stephenville
Goose Bay
Melville

At Ease - 1945

It's young Les Paul with Martha Mears and music for the dinner hour on "At Ease"

At Ease - 1945

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Leatherneck Legends - 1947

In 1947 the Marines teamed with NBC to tell their story in "Leatherneck Legends" "Landing At Waya". A doctor on a small island in the South Pacific needs a bottle of iodine. The Marine Corps investigates the murder of two traders and find themselves in a battle with three hundred savages. A recruiting message was read live near the end of the program. Tiny Ruffner (announcer)

Leatherneck Legends - 1947

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Frank Bresee and the Golden Days of Radio

Frank Bresee was "Little Beaver" on the Red Ryder show in the 1940s. He started recording the Golden Days of Radio for AFRTS in 1967, he was there until the changeover in 1995. He's in the process of making them available again.  More information about that project when it's available.  

Frank Bresee biography from imdb

Music Views From Hollywood - 1955

In the 1950 and 60s the artists came out for "Music Views From Hollywood" on AFRTS  Pianist Lou Busch sold a lot of records as Joe "Fingers" Carr, playing ragtime and 20s music.  Take a listen.

Music Views From Hollywood - 1955

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AFRTS 2015

This is interesting.  Here's what AFN radio is doing right now.

Click here

Bob Kingsley - 1973

Bob Kingsley at SCN Panama 1972

Bob was a heck of a jock, he was Mr. American Country Countdown, but before that it was slamming rock on the AFRTS Bob Kingsley show.

Bob Kingsley - 1973

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Fibber McGee and Molly - 1945

This is a 1961 AFRTS rebroadcast of a 1945 show "Fibber the Magician".  Fibber takes a challenge from Doc Gamble.

Fibber McGee and Molly - 1945

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GI Jive - 1945

GI Jill is back with another jive session.  It starts with Bunny Berigan...

GI Jive - 1945

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Dick Sinclair - 1959

Dick Sinclair was in that first group of AFRS talent.  After WWII he made a huge name playing polka music in syndication on radio and TV.  The show went well into the 1960s

Polka Party - 1959

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At Ease - 1944

"At Ease, with the music you'll always remember" a program of symphonic music.

Meredith Wilson was a member of Sousa's band, went to the NY Philharmonic under Toscanini and then took Hollywood.  He composed the score for the "Great Dictator" and arranged the music for "The Little Foxes".  During WWII he volunteered for the army and led the AFRS Orchestra.  After the war, more huge success, including writing the "Music Man"

At Ease - 1944

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Country Crossroads - 1982

Chapel, Fort Clayton Panama

Country Crossroads was my favorite of the Sunday morning block.  Good conversation and music.

Country Crossroads - 1982

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Lend a hand...

If you've saved some of this material, there's a good chance you haven't listened to it in a long time.  There are a lot of us who would like to hear it again.  I can be contacted at afrts@live.com

And now, the National Anthem of our host country and then the United States of America...

Have a great day!

Remember - 1946

AFRS has always known the power of a memory.  "Remember" was a WWII era show of the things the troops remembered back home.  Robert Young hosted a lot of these between films.  He was one of the busiest actors in Hollywood but he hit his stride in the 60s and 70s with television.

This is a 1946 broadcast, spotlighting the music of 1942

Remember -1946

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Voyage of the Scarlet Queen - 1947

Voyage of the Scarlet Queen was a Mutual show, starring Eliott Lewis.  The nautical setting was a great fit for AFRTS.  It was reissued several times. This is from a 1961 reissue.

Voyage of the Scarlet Queen - 1947

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Iceland - 1992 "SnowSnakes"

Just saw the blog. Great collection of old memories.

Here's one for you:

A short PSA we did warning our viewers about black ice. The video was written/directed and edited by PH1 Frank Pratt. Starring myself (JO2 J. Patrick Smith) and JO2 Gerard Johnson. I'm the one seated at the beginning of the video.

The video was shot at the NBS Keflavik Det 8 quonset hut (actually two quonset huts that were linked together). The interior shots are in the supply office. Exterior shots show the front entry to the building.

The external shots were taken after a fresh snowfall so that when I would "slip" there was plenty of fresh snow to break my fall.

More from AFRS Iceland

Korea, to the club...

From an estate sale, this is coming in.  The network in Korea had it's own club.

The 501 was for the troops, this is getting surprising complicated.  The Studio Lounge may have been an earlier name for the 501, may have been a break room near the studio.  And there may have been a 502 club for the higher ranks...

The sign appears to date from the late 60s...

Melody Roundup - Sons of the Pioneers

Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers did a bunch of shows for the troops on Melody Roundup.

Melody Roundup - 576 - Sons of the Pioneers

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AFN SHAPE - 1991

I couldn't figure out who's on this.  The station sounds great.  Belgium just sounded like wonderful duty.  I was attempting to reenlist for it in 1983 but Fort Civilian called...

AFN SHAPE - 1991

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Music Views From Hollywood - 1955

Was this the show from Capitol?  It was 1955 and Billy May hosts.

Music Views From Hollywood - 1955

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Music for the Middle Mind - 1961

In the early 1960s no one was really sure what to do with FM.  There were a variety of small stations in the Los Angeles market that supplied programming to AFRTS.  "Music For The Middle Mind" appears to have been originated at WFOX.  "Music for the Middle Mind" was a potpourri of classical, folk and whatever sounded interesting.  The program ran in the first half of the 1960s.

A Hugh Douglas was also the announcer for Have Gun Will Travel.  Same Guy?

Music For The Middle Mind - 1961

AFRS - Bob Wills

AFRS Sangley vet Jim Gough (Mr. Texas) has been doing the Bob Wills radio show for quite some time.  Several AFRS Bob Wills broadcasts are available.  Jim and Bob, you need to listen.  This was on another page, that pointed to a dead link, works now.

Bob Wills radio show