300623 - Topic: [Railway Drama]

 

 

Virginia Gardiner and Harvey Hays (the Old Timer).
Author's collection

The Empire Builders broadcast of June 23, 1930, signaled the finale of the second season of the Great Northern Railway’s radio advertising campaign. When the project began at the outset of 1929, there was no clear plan as to how many episodes would air, or for how long the series would last. From a business-generating perspective, it was not at all clear the campaign would even be considered a success. Throughout the run of this radio series, various GN officials concerned themselves with analyzing and reporting on data that would tend to support or refute the efficacy of the series as a viable and cost-effective advertising campaign. At least at this stage of the campaign, GN officials were pleased with the impact the radio series seemed to be having, and they committed to continuing the series in the fall. However, the prevailing theory in the commercial radio community at the time was that the majority of casual radio listeners stopped tuning in their favorite radio programs in the summer months in favor of greater outdoor activity. Over time, it became clear this was not true, but at least in the spring of 1930, that notion prevailed, and the GN elected to once again take the summer off. In the meantime, a whirlwind of activity would evolve to prepare for the upcoming season of 1930-31. It would turn out to be the final season of the series, and as will be explained in future blog entries, it generated the most amount of extant material for the researcher and the historian. Among many changes that would fall into place over the summer was a complete upheaval of on-air participants. Nearly every one of the actors would be replaced, with only Harvey Hays as the Old Timer continuing. Empire Builders would begin the next season with a new announcer and a new musical director.

In the final month or so of this season, programming for Empire Builders was a bit unpredictable. Certain stories were planned and scheduled, when in fact it seems some programs were either rescheduled at the last moment or canned altogether in favor of a substitute. With the information available to me at this time, I have to believe the broadcast of June 23 was another example of this kind of reshuffling.

A brief synopsis of the planned show for June 23, as published in one of the GN’s Empire Builders flyers, stated the following:

JUNE 23.   The final program of the 1929-30 series will be a fast moving railway drama in which trains, the dispatcher’s office and the other units necessary to train operation will be featured. It was written by H.M Sims.

Now of course “H.M. Sims” was Harold Sims, the executive assistant to GN president Ralph Budd. Sims was the man within the railroad company with managerial oversight responsibility for the entire Empire Builders advertising campaign. By design, Sims insinuated himself into nearly every conceivable facet of the creation and execution of the radio broadcast series. He had no background in radio prior to this project (few did), but he did come to the GN from a career in journalism. There is evidence that Sims wrote or at least contributed to several stories for Empire Builders. In the case of the June 23 broadcast, however, it seems his story was scrapped or at least shelved for some reason yet unclear to me. Instead, it looks like the program’s go-to man for writing continuities – Edward Hale Bierstadt – was once again called upon to whip something up to close out the season. The show must go on.

What Bierstadt slapped together was a somewhat awkward continuity based on the simple theme of pulling together most of the prominent entertainers from the series under the guise of preparing to board the Empire Builder train in Chicago for a trip out to Glacier National Park. The show was short on dialogue and long on musical content. They had 30 minutes to fill, and it would seem Bierstadt used a preponderance of music to alleviate the challenge of generating, on short notice, a useful story of any substance.

For what I believe was the final time, announcer John S. Young came to the microphone and delivered his iconic opening line:

You are listening to Empire Builders, a presentation of the Great Northern Railway.

The following season, Young would be replaced by Ted Pearson as announcer of the program.

The next lines of the continuity set the scene and established the presence of the Old Timer and another man, presumably NBC announcer Norman Sweetser. The continuity simply refers to this person as “Mr. Sweetzer” (spelled with a "z"). Norman Sweetser, like John S. Young, was one of a stable of talented and, by 1930 standards, seasoned announcers. Also, from what I have gathered, he was assigned to WJZ. This was the New York station of NBC that handled the Blue Network, over which Empire Builders was being broadcast from the Big Apple.

(ORCHESTRA UP:  FADE TO UNION STATION EFFECTS – CROWD NOISES – TRAINS

COMING IN AND PULLING OUT – WHISTLES AND BELLS)

What followed was a roll call of Empire Builders regulars, punctuated by a series of musical pieces that were typically introduced through a somewhat awkward segue. Here’s the first section of dialogue. You’ll see what I mean by “awkward.”

PIONEER:            Well folks, here we are, back in the Union Station in Chicago.

SWEETZER:         Here we are, all right, but what I want to know is whether we’re all here. Let’s see – you’re here all right, old timer.

PIONEER:            I certainly am!

SWEETZER:         Where’s Virginia Gardiner?

V.G.:                     Here I am!

SWEETZER:         There you are. That’s all right. How about Andy Sannella?

ANDY:                  Right behind you, Mr. Sweetzer.

SWEETZER:         Got all your orchestra?

ANDY:                  We’re all set.

Not, in my opinion, some of Edward Hale Bierstadt’s best work. Again, I suspect this was hurriedly thrown together with only a day or two for rehearsals. It shows.

 

 

The next performers brought to the microphone were simply referred to as “the quartette.” There’s no telling who comprised the quartette, based on the continuity and with no other references to work with. It’s possible this was one of several “Great Northern Quartettes” comprised over the years, but if so, I don’t understand why they would not have specifically identified the group as such. Why not call attention to the fact it was a “Great Northern” quartette? Even so, I happen to have a 1928 photo of one of the Great Northern Quartettes, so I’m going to share it anyway, even if we can’t be sure this is the same group appearing on the radio program.

 

"Great Northern Quartette", circa 1928. (l-r): M.R. Skiff, R.J. Maloney, Elwood O. Anderson, and E.J. Olson.
Author's collection

 

SWEETZER:         I know the quartette is here, and Dad Pickard will be along in a few minutes – he’s always late. Well, that’s that. I guess we’re all accounted for.

V.G.:                     How long before our train goes, Mr. Sweetzer?

SWEETZER:         About half an hour, Miss Gardiner.

The ensemble chatted a bit more about travelling out to Glacier Park…

PIONEER:            Yes sir, half an hour more, and we’ll be on board the Empire Builder, and the day after tomorrow we’ll be in Glacier Park! Drown my kittens, I’ve just been waitin’ for this!

V.G.:                     We all have. I want to go riding along the Garden Wall.

YOUNG:               That sounds like a popular song!

V.G.:                     Oh, hello, John Young! No, it’s not a popular song, but it’s a popular place.

YOUNG:               Well, I want to see that mountain – Going to the Sun. There’s something about the name …

                              (FADE IN QUARTETTE)

V.G.:                     Oh, there’s the quartette rehearsing! Let’s listen.

                              (QUARTETTE UP TO FULL.  OUT.  APPLAUSE)

 

The Old Timer, throughout the course of the Empire Builders radio series, was chock full of quaint sayings, like “scatter my chipmunks” and “dog my cats.” This is the first time that I can recall his ever saying “drown my kittens.” I hope the youngsters were all in bed fast asleep when this particular show went on the air. “Drown my kittens?” Yikes.

Andy Sannella and his musicians performed a saxophone sextet, and then Virginia Gardiner was prompted to sing a song.

SWEETZER:         If we give a concert out in the Park, what number are you going to open with, Miss Gardiner?

V.G.:                     Why – with My Little Grey Home in the West, of course. Isn’t that all right?

ANDY:                  Of course it’s all right. Do you want to try it now? Everybody seems to be doing their stuff.

V.G.:                     Why yes. I’ll try it. Start the orchestra.

ANDY:                  All right, boys. Ready!

(ORCHESTRA IN. MISS GARDINER SINGS LITTLE GREY HOME IN THE WEST)  (APPLAUSE)

I don't have a recording of Virginia Gardiner singing the song, but here's a link to a recording of "My Little Grey Home In The West" on YouTube, as performed by Alma Gluck. 

Obed "Dad" Pickard strums his guitar and sings while the Old Timer and his hound, January, try to join in.
Author's collection

A little more predictable banter ensued, and then Obed “Dad” Pickard appeared.

PIONEER:            Old songs and old friends, they’re the ones to tie to.

YOUNG:               The combination that interests me just now is – old mountains and new hotels. They tell me that the ones out in Glacier Park are just about perfect.

V.G.:                     The mountains or the hotels?

YOUNG:               The mountains and the hotels! ………… Look who’s here – Dad Pickard himself!

DAD:                     Hello, you-all! I could hear the noise you was makin’ clear above the trains comin’ in! Just you listen to me a minute! I can take this here mouth organ and make it sound more like a train than a train does.

(PICKARD IN FOR MOUTH ORGAN NUMBER)   (APPLAUSE)

Next up was Andy Sannella again. He and his group played a “Glacier Park Medley.” I’d sure like to know what that consisted of. This was followed by another offering from “the quartette” – whoever that was – and then Dad Pickard prompted (there was an inordinate amount of prompting in this broadcast) Andy Sannella to perform. Again.

DAD:                     Andy, is that guitar the only thing you play?

ANDY:                  You bet it isn’t! Listen to this.

(SANELLA IN WITH BANJO) (?) (AND ORCHESTRA. OUT)

This cartoon image of the multi-talented Andy Sannella appeared
in a 1930 issue of Radio Retailing Magazine.

Dad Pickard felt prompted (without any additional prompting from anyone else) to perform “The Wreck of the Old 97.” I located a rendition of this song on YouTube. The version on YouTube was performed by Hank Snow. I like the way the person who posted this (billbilladaada) stitched together film clips from an obscure train movie from 1932 called “Phantom Express.”   Click here to go to “The Wreck of the Old 97”on YouTube.

 

After all the prompting to perform music was beginning to wane, the insistent schedule of the Empire Builder train and its conductor prompted the performers on the radio show to wrap up all the music-making and get on the train.

VOICE:                 All aboard for the Empire Builder – the Twin Cities – Glacier Park – Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Portland and the cities of the Pacific northwest!

VOICE:                 (OFF)  All aboard!

VOICE:                 (NEARER) All aboard!

VOICE:                 (UP)  All aboard!

V.G.:                     There! The train’s ready. Come on everybody. Let’s go!

But alas, it seems the Old Timer had just a little more prompting left in him.

PIONEER:            Wait a minute. There’s time for just one more song, and you know what that’ll be.

V.G.:                     No I don’t. What?

PIONEER:            Why Auld Lang Syne of course. We’re sayin’ good bye to our friends here for three months, and this’ll tell ‘em that we’re comin’ back in the autumn. How about it?

V.G.:                     You’re right, old timer. Here goes, and I want you all to help me with the chorus.

(MISS GARDINER SINGS.  OUT)

VOICE:                 All aboard for Glacier Park and the Pacific Northwest!

SWEETZER:         All right. Everybody on board?

VOICES:               Yes.  (AD LIB)

V.G.:                     Good bye, everybody! Good bye. Don’t forget us!

PIONEER:            Good bye! We’ll be back with you next September sometime. Good bye!

(TRAIN PULLS OUT)

(ORCHESTRA UP AND FADE FOR ANNOUNCEMENT)

 

The first season of Empire Builders, which was launched with the Cascade Tunnel broadcast of January 12, 1929, and ran until June of that year, featured primarily dramas reflective of the early history of the Pacific Northwest. During the second season, which began in September of 1929 and concluded with this broadcast on June 23, 1930, the Empire Builders programs moved away from the historical dramas and featured dramatic stories about contemporary events, and railroad-themed tales. Music remained a key feature of all broadcasts. The second season was also notable in that the Empire Builders bade farewell to one of the most novel musical acts on radio, the 3-part harmony whistling of Bob MacGimsey.

As the current season came to a close, Empire Builders would bid farewell to nearly the entire cast and crew of the production. NBC had been working on establishing a new and elaborate ensemble of first-class radio studios on the upper floors of the Merchandise Mart building in Chicago, Illinois. The main construction of the Merchandise Mart occurred between 1927 and 1931, but in the fall of 1930 NBC launched its new Chicago operations – Empire Builders was among the first regular programs to air from these new studios, launching its third and final season from Chicago on September 29, 1930.

Virginia Gardiner is inducted into the Blackfeet Tribe by Mike Short Man.
GNRHS photo archive

Harvey Hays elected to stay with the series, and he moved to Chicago to follow the show (and take on additional opportunities on the radio that would open up there with the new studios). Virginia Gardiner dropped out of the Empire Builders performing cast, but she remained involved in the program by submitting at least one or two scripts to be considered for airing. She even travelled out to Glacier Park in August of 1930 to collect material to support her writing. While there, she was inducted into the Blackfeet Indian tribe, an event no doubt arranged by someone in the GN’s Advertising and Publicity department. A photographer was present (possibly T.J. Hileman), and a photo taken of the “solemn event” quickly appeared in select newspapers across GN country.

Andy Sannella remained in New York, so a new musical director was secured in the person of Josef Koestner. John S. Young likewise chose not to relocate, and he was replaced in Chicago by Ted Pearson. One person enticed to leave New York and head for Chicago - and a new role on Empire Builders - was Lucille Husting, an experienced young actress who had crossed paths on Broadway with both Gardiner and Hays. The GN also held auditions to secure additional performers to round out their acting troupe. There will be plenty more written about this as future blog entries concerning the new season’s broadcasts roll out in the fall.

As I am motivated to do so – if I am motivated to do so – I will make another blog entry or two over the summer. I have no shortage of material to share and to write about, but this is a hobby-on-steroids for me, not a full-time endeavor. Life sometimes gets in the way. So at the least, I will pick this up again in September, but don’t rule out the distinct possibility you’ll hear from me again sooner than that.

Either way, have a fabulous summer, and know that 85 years ago, the people tied to the production of Empire Builders continued to work on new material and arrangements for their new digs in Chi-town.

 

Stay safe, be happy, and keep those dials tuned to Empire Builders!