Arthur Godfrey

Arthur Godfrey was a titan of mid-twentieth century radio and television. He pioneered an informal, relaxed style of hosting shows and interviewing guests. He specialized in variety shows featuring singers and special guests; I can remember listening to his CBS morning radio show (I was very little at the time) and hearing guests such as the McGuire Sisters, Bess Myerson, and Richard Hayes. A talented musician who favored the ukelele, he frequently jammed with his band.

In addition to his radio shows, he also hosted television shows, including Arthur Godfrey Time and Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, which featured many performers that later became household names, such as Pat Boone, Tony Bennet, Rosemary Clooney, and Leslie Uggams. They aired simultaneously on both radio and television, at least in their early years. In an unusual gimmick, Talent Scouts used an "applause-o-meter" to measure audience applause and pick a winner for each episode.

Godfrey's informal, folksy manner endeared him to audiences throughout the 1940s and 1950s and made him attractive to sponsors. He had a knack of gently poking fun at sponsors without making fun of the their product. By the 1960s, his star was starting to fade. But I can say this quite truly: Thanks to Arthur Godfrey, eight-year old Frank still has a crush on the McGuire Sisters.

Learn more at Wikipedia.

Series description provided by Frank Bell.