Bob & Ray--Bob & Ray Present the CBS Radio Network, 1959-60
"Their finest series was probably the 1959-60 quarter-hours for CBS."---John Dunning, in "On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio." Includes jewels from Wally Ballou, Lawrence Fechtenberger Interstellar Officer Candidate, the national tour of Smelly Dave the dead whale, and the classic "One Man's Family" satires, "One Fella's Family." The classic sign-on: "And now, from approximately coast to coast, Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding present the CBS radio network." The classic sign-off: "This is Ray Goulding reminding you to write if you get work. Bob Elliott reminding you to hang by your thumbs."
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
Chapters
Reviews
Bob and Ray Present the Internet Archive
Dodsworth the Cat
This is a wonderful collection which will provide hours of entertainment for Bob and Ray fans. There are some clever satiric moments during their years at CBS, though some of the impact has been lost in time. They dared to make fun of Jack Paar (as they had Arthur Godfrey a decade earlier) and even ridicule network president Frank Stanton's directive about honesty in the wake of the quiz show scandal by revealing all their characters are fake. It would appear they recorded a week's worth of shows and if they didn't get to a sketch, they simply postponed it to later in the taping (I presume they weren't using transcriptions at this point). The only knock is some of the dubs here are overmodulated or missing commercials (Shep Menken provides voices for the Columbia Stereo spots) but they're still listenable. The only thing that smells here is Dave. Much of the music used by B & R is from the Impress library. The date annotations are especially helpful.
First, many thanks to...
SmokyValleyRomeo
... our generous host, EasyAceMCMLV!! I'll be years enjoying this & many more of your fantastic sites!! Here are some B&R things that always make me laugh or smile - * Webley L. Webster's book review(s?) * "Quiet, Billy, there's no time for that now." * Dean Archer Armstead's uncanny aim * Tex Blaisedell's greetings & laugh * Fanny's reactions to Father Butcher's foibles * use of sfx like the odd hiccup & Train Buff * Wally Ballou's praiseful self-intros * Little Jimmy Schwab's exclamations * Mugg Mellish always sneering One more thing to listen for, very carefully, in longer versions of Lawrence Fechtenberger (elsewhere): the countdown to the launch... Think I'll stop there. You have your own favorite B&R moments. Enjoy!!
Some of the very best B&R organized the way it should be
mintonmedia
This is the real stuff, people. Though many have tried, nobody, before or since, has ever treated radio in as delightfully surreal yet laid back way as Mr. Elliott and Mr. Goulding. Not even that guy with the moustache, cigar and Hungarian name...but then Ernie's justly most prized for his television, not radio, work. (Hmmm, just realized that could be Groucho, too, though what he was doing in that Hungarian name I'll NEVER know. ) All praises to EasyAceMCMLV for not only putting these treasures in the Archive, but for taking the time and energy to do so in an organized, easily accessible way. May others follow his sterling example!
A note from the provider
EasyAceMCMLV
Pitt---Since it does appear elsewhere but not always (if at all) properly identified (the selection in archive.org's OTR collection is, frankly, a jarbled mess of non-identification making it impossible for Bob & Ray fans to know what they're getting), I donated my collection of their great CBS series properly dated and marked to simplify the searches. :)
Bob and Ray
Pitt Cairn
Dear Easy Ace - Well done, and alot of work for a great collection. I think I may do the same for "It Pays To Be Ignorant", which occasionally featured some stars of the era, although it's not noted in the catalogue. Thanks again. Pitt Cairn PS - I requested, and got, a "Flick Lives" hat for Christmas!
Scarf,left side featured
Khan of Shakka
The gold in this here collection if all over the place. But the job interview tips given to Scarf Johnson, crop duster, is as funny as a couple of guys are going to get. Or in their case, as 7 or 8 guys and a few ladies are going to get.
One mans thanks
RedoubtRich
This is wonderful work. Bob and Ray’s material will reach more listeners thanks to this collector and his dedication.
Made my day
slowdream101
Finding this treasure trove of B&R material has made the hours spent in front of the computer worthwhile