rand's esoteric otr

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 28

Let's drop in again on the gang of "Nonsense and Melody", a quarter-hour of comedy and music syndicated by Transco, recorded in the Freeman-Lang Studios in late 1934.

Program 28 in the series kicks off with Johnny Kiado, the "Accordion Wizard", performing his composition, "Accordion Rhythm".  Bernadine Miller sings "A Needle in a Haystack" and the band performs a "Blue" medley.  Hosts Frank Gill, Jr. and Bill Doemling perform in a sketch called "The Steamship Murder Case".  The Three Jack Tars perform "Or Were You Fooling?" The show was digitized from an original red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates - Broadcasters Program Syndicate transcription pressed in the 1940s.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 27

Here's another fun quarter hour of "Nonsense and Melody", a series syndicated by Transco starting in circa 1935.  The series was recorded in the Freeman Lang Studios in late 1934.

Program 27 is one of my favorites in the series.  Hosts Frank Gill, Jr. and Bill Doemling, who were comedians at KHJ, do an intro to the show that quickly seques into a hot jazz number, "It's Wonderful Weather for Love", sung by Jean Cowan.  The Three Jack Tars do a great novelty tune called "An Animal Trainer Am I".  The framing device for the series is a cruise and this week they're in Vienna, so Gill and Doemling do an opera sketch, "Babes in the Hollywoods". The show was digitized from an original red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates - Broadcasters Program Syndicate transcription pressed in the 1940s.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 26

We haven't heard episodes of "Nonsense and Melody" in quite some time, so I'll start putting up the remaining episodes in my collection of this syndicated comedy variety show produced by Transco in 1935-36.

The show takes the form of a kind of world cruise and the troop has just left Switzerland.  Featured comedians Gill and Doemling kick off the program, introducing a number by a crack banjo player giving us a jazzed up version of "Oh Susanna".  Fifi sings a sexy little French number then Gill and Doemling doing a sketch where a drunk man visits a real estate agent.  The Jack Tars close out the show with an unidentified song. The program was transferred from an original red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates vinyl transcription that dates from a later reissue of the show in the 1940s.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 25

Once again we spend another quarter hour with comedians Gill and Doemling as they play host to "Nonsense and Melody", a syndicated Transco program from 1935-36.

In program 25 of the series, the ship's tour is in the Alps, so we get some comedy about yodeling, avalanches and skiing, including a yodeling number by a couple of Swiss kids. The Jack Tars do a really nice arrangement of "The Object of My Affection" and Jean sings "Your Guess is Just as Good As Mine". The transfer was made directly from an original red vinyl Bruce Eeels and Associates transcription, probably pressed for re-release of the series in the 1940s.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 24

Comedians Gill and Doemling highlight "Nonsense and Melody", a breezy little comedy variety show produced by Transco in 1935-36.  We pick up this week with episode 24 in the series. Jean's having a party at her hotel as the troupe visits Venice, so we get lots of jokes about canals in the comedy sketch portion of the show.  Songs include "If I Had a Million Dollars and You" (with interesting Hawaiian slide guitar backing) and "Cherry Berry Bin" done as a gondolier song.  The Jack Tars perform "Be Still My Heart".

Transferred from an original red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates vinyl transcription.  Apologies for the "crackle" in the last four or five minutes of the show from some damage around the perimeter of the disc. More episodes in the series will follow in the coming weeks.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 23

We turn once again to the Transco syndicated musical comedy show, "Nonsense and Melody", featuring Gill and Doemling from 1935-36. We last left the series with episode 20 a few weeks ago in the blog and I'm missing the disc containing show numbers 21 and 22. So, picking up with episode 23 in this post, the cast is in Rome. Jean Cowan sings a song about "rock and roll". (No, it's not about some obscure forerunner to Elvis Presley or Little Richard - it's about the "Rocking Rhythm of the Sea".) The accordion player takes a turn and the Three Jack Tars do "Okay Toots". The comedy sketch is about Ceasar and Brutus.

The program was transferred directly from an original red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates transcription probably pressed in the 1940s. I've got nine more episodes in the series that will be posted in the coming weeks.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 20

Comedians Gill and Doemling play host to another episode of the Transco syndicated musical comedy show, "Nonsense and Melody", originally recorded in 1935-36.  The program was transferred directly from an original red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates  transcription probably pressed in the 1940s.

Jean Cowan sings "That's College Rhythm"; the accordion soloist performs a tune; the orchestra runs through "Shiek of Araby" and we hear a comedy sketch about a tour of the pyramids where the Three Jack Tars sing a yodel song.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 19

Once again, we dive into a couple of episodes of "Nonsense and Melody", a Transco syndicated program from circa 1935-36 featuring comedians Gill and Doemling on a ship taking a world cruise.  The show is transferred from a red vinyl Bruce Eells and Associates transcription probably pressed in the 1940s.

In program 19, the ship is headed for Egypt.  Charlie Wellman sings "Alabamy Bound" in an interesting style that sounds like a cross between Al Jolson and Rudy Valee; the orchestra plays "Bugle Call Rag"; Jean Cowan sings "Mr and Mrs is the Name" and the Jack Tars do a fun rendition of "Cross Eyed Kelly".  The comedy sketch is on Cleopatra and Marc Anthony.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 18

Note:  This episode of the series may be objectionable to some listeners because of racial stereotyping themes. Gill and Doemling play host to another episode in the Transco series "Nonsense and Melody" from circa 1935-36.  The show takes place on board a ship going on a world cruise.  A comedy sketch about the "old South" and the Kentucky Derby takes up most of the run time of program 18.  Songs include "Fifi" by our female vocalist and the Jack Tars sing "Twenty Four Hours in Georgia".

More shows in this series are on the way; all are transferred directly from red vinyl pressings distributed by Bruce Eels and Associates.

Nonsense and Melody - Pgm 17

Once again we join comedians Gill and Doemling in another episode of this Transco syndicated series dating from circa 1935-36 that takes place on board a ship on a world tour.

The ship appears to be in between ports in program 17, with the bulk of the program taken up by a show on board the ship.  Jean Collin sings "Pop Goes Your Heart", Billy Edwards on harmonica gives us his rendition of "The Farewell Blues", the orchestra gives us "I Never Had a Chance", and the vocal group the Jack Tars sing "There's a Tavern in the Town".  Gill and Doemling do a sketch called "Nervous Norman's Last Stand" about a life insurance salesman annoying a businessman.