Irish policemen

And, of course, all policemen on old radio shows had pronounced Irish accents. Amazing how consistent this stereotype was.

Right behind you

One of the standard gags on radio shows was for someone to be at the point of being shot, and he says to the other fellow, "What about that guy right behind you?" Upon which the guy with the gun says, "You don't think I would fall for that, do you?" But, of course, there really was someone behind him.

It is interesting how you will hear music on one radio show that is also found on another one. For instance, I am now listening to The Falcon, and have heard themes that were used on Tales of the Texas Rangers and also Johnny Dollar.

My wife is my greatest natural asset. Perhaps 80% of being a good head of a household is to marry a good woman and then have the sense to get out of the way and let her make you a hero.

We are all most grateful for our military protecting America. But it is only right, since America feeds and supplies the military.

We are grateful when our fighting men give their lives for America. However, little is said of the men and women who worked themselves to an early grave in sheer drudgery to provide the food and supplies that the military used.

Oppression through technology

It is interesting that technology has played a great part in increasing the freedoms in many countries due to the increased availability of information. However, I trust we can also see its potential for oppression due to the fact that the poor generally do not have access to technology, and in poverty-stricken countries that will make them all that much easier to control. Already in this country the elderly – who do no understand computers – are virtually helpless in many areas of life.

But I must say, in my humble and much-maligned opinion, that the best radio show of all time was Fibber and Molly. Just hard to beat.

Smoking hurt actors' voices

It is painful to listen to the extent to which smoking damaged the voices of actors such as Herbert Marshall, William Gargan and Ken Christy (Chief Gates on The Great Gildersleeve). You can pretty well spot a chain smoker's voice right off.

Cecil B. DeMille said that Jeannette MacDonald could hold a high C for 55 seconds.