The Majestic Theater Of The Air

Show Information based on John Dunning's book "On The Air"

Variety, also known as The Majestic Theater Hour (1928-1930).

The Majestic Hour was remembered by CBS president William S. Paley as "a lifesaver" for his network, the client his first big sponsor. Grigsby-Grunow had been in radio since 1924, broadening its base from a parts manufacturer to a maker of full sets, But Grigsby had encountered stiff competition from RCA, which claimed to hold patents on radio tubes essential to the manufacture of modern radio equipment. Grigsby thus had to pay royalties to its staunchest competitor. Grigsby "loved CBS," Paley recalled in his memoir, "because they hated RCA," and RCA was the parent company of NBC.

The Majestic Hour was typical late-1920s variety, spotlighting "the Two Black Crows" and enlisting the support of top vocalists and personalities of the day. Moran and Mack were crude forerunners of Amos 'n' Andy, a blackface team that milked the brash-vs.-ignorance theme and never really broke out of the vaudeville patter that had launched them. Moran was the straight man: his questions were often laced with sarcasm. Mack's stock answer to embarrassing questions was "Why bring that up?" Wendell Hall sang novelty numbers to his own banjo accompaniment.

CAST:

George Moran and Charlie Mack (real names George Searchy and Charles Emmett Sellers)

as "the Two Black Crows."

Also: Ruth Etting, Helen Morgan, George Gershwin, Dolores Del Rio, Fanny Brice, Edgar A. Guest, etc.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Wendell Hall, "The Red-Headed Music-Maker."

PRODUCER-DIRECTOR: Wendell Hall.

BROADCAST HISTORY: 1928-30, CBS. 60m, Sundays at 9.

Grigsby-Grunow Company, makers of Majestic Radios.