From Those Were the Days:

1937 - The American Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA) was organized. It was part of the American Federation of Labor. The union was for all radio performers except musicians. The union later became The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) to include TV folk, as well.

1942 - Stage Door Canteen was first heard on CBS radio. The show was broadcast live from New York City and 500 servicemen were entertained each week by celebrities who freely donated their time for the war (WWII) effort.
11:06:53 AM    comment []  trackback []  

The Fatal Crash

The narrator of the 1939 Columbia Studios serial Mandrake the Magician announces Chapter 6 by solemnly intoning: “Mandrake the Magician is aiding his friend, Professor Houston, in perfecting a radium energy machine to aid humanity.” Unfortunately, since this cliffhanger got underway, its only use appears to be blowing up radio stations and stuff, courtesy of the foul fiendish foe, The Wasp.

In Chapter 5, Mandrake and Lothar were in danger of being killed in an electrical powerhouse explosion—but they managed to escape in the nick of time (what are the odds?). As they’re attempting to put as much distance between themselves and the Wasp’s mob, Mandrake curiously leaps up on top of his car and jumps four of them. (Let’s face it—if I had the powers that the comic strip Mandrake had, the last thing I would do would be to engage in fisticuffs. Especially since Mandrake's fighting prowess leaves a lot to be desired.)

Naturally, Mandrake and Lothar’s escape has not escaped the ire of the Boss Man—The Wasp—himself. He decides to deal with one of his underlings, Streeter (Harry Tenbrook), by filling up Dirk’s office (by the way, they never do explain where Dirk did his paperwork after the Wasp funked up his workspace) with poison gas. Poor Streeter. Not only does he have to make a feeble attempt to break down the door with a balsa wood chair trying to escape, but he’s got to hear a lecture from The Wasp. “There is no place in my organization for anyone who puts his judgment above mine,” he intones. (Geez, you'd think the guy was an appointee in the Bush administration or something.)

In the meantime, Professor Houston has grown weary of waiting to be rescued and he decides to take matters into his own hands by electrocuting one of the goons watching him. He manages to contact Mandrake by shortwave radio and he gives him a vague fix on his location—but the guys at WaspCo have decided to transfer the Prof and his machine by taking him to a place called Carterville. Mandrake and Lothar are not far behind, and Lothar drops his master off at a nearby airfield.

Now, Mandrake says to his flunky: “If you take the North Pike, you’ll get to Carterville almost as soon as I will.” So why doesn't he just continue on with Lothar in the car? Well, this is because every serial has to have a chapter in which the hero is flying a plane and when said plane experiences a malfunction, he escapes via parachute. (Don’t ask me why this is the case; it’s apparently some federal movie cliffhanger law that was strenuously enforced back in those days.)

So as Mandrake is busy being a magnificent man in his flying machine, the Wasp has arranged for another plane to shoot him down, prompting the Waylon Smithers-like Dirk to toady: “You foresee everything, sir.” “That is true…see that you and your men do not forget it,” returns the Wasp. (Hey, I’m sure the guy who was croaked by the gas hasn’t escaped Dirk's attention.)

Tomorrow, Chapter 7—Gamble For Life!!!
11:05:20 AM    comment []  trackback []