Listening to "The Hour of Charm", courtesy of the Radio

The radio became the great home entertainment device in the 1920's, overtaking the phonograph's popularity of the previous decade. By the end of the 1920's, with the Great Depression strangling the economy, the nail was in the coffin for many manufacturers. Edison's cylinder machines had already lost popularity before the Depression and Edison finally discontinued production of cylinder phonographs and records in mid-1929. But the sale of disc records, for companies like Victor, Columbia and Brunswick, also collapsed and many phonographs and gramophones were moved from the living room to the attic. After all, how could phonographs compete with the magic box that produced free music and entertainment?

For Betty Ann, nothing could compete with her favorite radio program of the week. On Sunday night at 9:00 pm "The Hour of Charm" aired, a mainstay on the CBS Radio Network and NBC from 1934 to 1948. Advertised as radio's most celebrated "All Girl Orchestra and Chorus" it featured Arlene Francis as Mistress of Ceremonies. Vogue Records (the famous picture records company of the 1940's) produced several recordings by this all girl orchestra (see Blue Skies R726 and Rhapsody in Blue for pictures of these wonderful records.)

The challenge for Betty Ann each week was access to the radio. Her older step-brother and his wife, Chris and Hilda Vogt, were living with them and on Sunday evening he often listened non-stop to the radio. The Depression had brought hard times to families across America and like many, Chris and Hilda were living with his parents while they tried to find incomes. Chris sold brooms during the week, driving the backroads of Nebraska. By the weekends when he returned home, I think Betty always thought Chris got extra consideration for his difficult schedule. Of course, Betty was still a school girl (being twenty years younger than Chris) and, in her mind, at least, she didn't think her vote counted the same as the adults.

The farm had a windcharger for the radio's wetcells, but it was always questionable if there was going to be enough power for the night. For Betty, therefore, the weekly questions were:

1. Would Chris and Hilda be at home Sunday evening?

2. How many radio programs would Chris tune in?

3. Would the batteries be strong enough at 9:00 pm Sunday?

The answers, too often, resulted in missing The Hour of Charm.