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The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 380
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
What's a Nice Kid Like You; Marvin M [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
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Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 12:30:13 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: What's a Nice Kid Like You; Marvin Miller
WHAT'S A NICE KID LIKE [removed]
by Sandy Singer
++++
Marvin Miller
There's an old show business saying, "If you stay in the business long
enough, you'll get to meet all your idols."
With me, it was just the opposite. At a very early age I became
fascinated with our 'green-eyed' Philco console, and seriously started listening
to radio in the late '30s. On my 6th birthday my mother took me to my
first live broadcast, a children's show that originated from WIND. By 11,
I was hooked--I wanted to be a radio performer--even built a make-believe
studio in my bedroom.
Chicago was a very active radio city--until the mid '40s we had some of the
biggest names ever in broadcasting. I started developing idols at a very
early age--Marvin Miller was my first--he was on just about every program I
tuned in to. When I was 11 my dad took me to watch a broadcast of That
Brewster Boy [Eddie Firestone Jr., Dick York, Williard Watterman, etc.].
The show originated from CBS Studio A on the first floor of the Wrigley Building
-- Marvin Miller was the announcer. After the show we introduced ourselves
to Marvin, and went into the Wrigley Building restaurant [which is now in the
Studio A site--more on that later] for a quick desert and milk. Marvin
took a liking to me, and we remained friends until his death in 1985. When
he was convinced I was going to become a broadcaster, no matter what, he told me
two things--graduate college and NEVER turn down a job, even if it only pays
scale. He suggested I enroll in Jack & Jill Players, a drama school,
and told me in a year he would introduce me to some director friends. My
drama coach at Jack & Jill was Everett Clarke, a Chicago radio actor
[Flamond, of the Crime Files of, and The Whistler--Chicago origination].
When I was 12, Marvin helped me get my first job--a bit player or extra, as
Hollywood would define it. It was a small two-day part on Tom Mix, which
originated from Mutual in the Tribune Tower. What a marvelous 'fringe'
benefit--I got to leave school early, because the show broadcast to the East
Coast at 4:45, Chicago time, and I had to have enough time to catch a bus in
time to make a 3:30 rehearsal. Another fringe benefit I didn't know
about--that show was transcribed and played back an hour later to the midwest,
and we got paid an additional fee for the recorded play-back, and I got to hear
it. If that wasn't enough, I learned that Curly Bradley lived a block from
where I lived, and he drove me home both days.
- ------------------
Sandy Signer's career started at the age of 12, as a child actor in
Chicago, on radio's kid/adventure shows. His disc jockey work took him
back to Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Dallas, etc. He's been in
broadcasting 59 years, and so, in his own words, "never 'worked' a
day of my life."
This article will be archived at:
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End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #380
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