History & Criticism

In the league table of the funniest universities in the world, Cambridge wears the crown. Home of Britain's oldest student sketch comedy troupe, the Cambridge Footlights, it has been a veritable conveyor belt of comic talent that's been rolling for more than a century.<BR><BR>From Monty Python, The Goodies and Not the Nine O'Clock News to Peep Show, QI and The Great British Bake-Off, its alumni are behind many of the shows that have entertained audiences from the 1960s to today. This book tells the story of the Footlights, chronicling its evolution from its creation in the 1880s to the present.<BR><BR>The Footlights has long been a potential portal to fame: talent scouts, especially from the BBC, were in the habit of coming up to Cambridge on the lookout for comedy writers and material. This book traces the journeys of its most distinguished alumni, including Germaine Greer, John Cleese, Douglas Adams, Peter Cook, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Miriam Margolyes, Emma Thompson, Richard Ayoade, David Mitchell and Sue Perkins, among many others.<BR><BR>Featuring interviews with numerous former Footlights alumni, and accounts of routines and revues, it vividly captures the desire of each successive intake to make their comic mark. Through examining the impact of the Footlights on British popular culture and comedy over the last 60 years, it demonstrates how its farces, musical comedies, pantomimes and the famous May Week revues have both reflected the tastes of the times and served as a 'nursery' for generations of comic writers and performers. In the world of comedy, it is a unique institution.

St. Paul/Biglerville Prize Winner Named Best Major Publication by Concordia Historical Institute During the anxiety-laden period from the Great Depression through World War II to the Cold War, Americans found a welcome escape in the new medium of radio. Throughout radio's "Golden Age," religious broadcasting in particular contributed significantly to American culture. Yet its historic role often has been overlooked.In Ministers of a New Medium, Kirk D. Farney explores the work of two groundbreaking leaders in religious broadcasting: Fulton J. Sheen and Walter A. Maier. These clergymen and professors-one a Catholic priest, the other a Lutheran minister-each led the way in combining substantive theology and emerging technology to spread the gospel over the airwaves. Through weekly nationwide broadcasts, Maier's The Lutheran Hour and Sheen's Catholic Hour attracted listeners across a spectrum of denominational and religious affiliations, establishing their hosts-and Christian radio itself-as cultural and religious forces to be reckoned with.Farney examines how Sheen and Maier used their exceptional erudition, their sensitivity to the times, their powerful communication skills, and their unwavering Christian conviction, all for the purpose of calling the souls of listeners and the soul of a nation to repentance and godliness. Their combination of talents also brought their respective denominations, Roman Catholicism and Missouri Synod Lutheranism, from the periphery of the American religious landscape to a much greater level of recognition and acceptance. With careful attention to both the theological content and the cultural influence of these masters of a new medium, Farney's study sheds new light on the history of media and Christianity in the United States.

In den Straßen der Stadt, zwischen den funkelnden Lichterketten, wandelt Elena - eine starke Frau auf der Suche nach ihrem Weg. Ihre Schritte sind bestimmt, ihr Blick voller Entschlossenheit. Begleiten Sie sie auf ihrer Reise durch die glitzernde Welt der Möglichkeiten und entdecken Sie mit ihr die Kraft des eigenen Willens und die Schönheit des Lebens.

Das Sandmännchen - eine Figur, die Generationen von Kindern mit beruhigenden Geschichten in die Welt der Träume begleitet hat. Doch woher kommt diese kleine Gestalt mit dem magischen Schlafsand? Was sind die Wurzeln dieses liebgewonnenen Rituals, das Familien seit Jahrzehnten verbindet?In Die Erfindung des Sandmännchens begibt sich der Autor auf eine spannende Reise durch Geschichte, Kultur und Mythologie. Von den Ursprüngen in der europäischen Folklore über literarische Meisterwerke wie E.T.A. Hoffmanns düsteren Sandmann bis hin zur Entwicklung des Sandmännchens im deutschen Fernsehen zeigt dieses Buch, wie sich eine mythische Idee zu einer kulturellen Institution entwickelt hat.Besonders faszinierend ist die Geschichte des Sandmännchens im geteilten Deutschland: zwei Versionen - Ost und West - mit eigenen Erzählweisen, die später auf berührende Weise zusammenfanden.Dieses Buch erzählt nicht nur die Geschichte einer Figur, sondern auch von Träumen, Ritualen und dem Wert kleiner Momente im Alltag. Ein Muss für alle, die Kindheitserinnerungen lieben, kulturhistorische Hintergründe erkunden und der Magie eines Alltagsrituals auf den Grund gehen wollen.¿Ein Buch, das die Geschichte des Einschlafens erzählt - und zugleich ein Stück Zeitgeschichte lebendig macht.¿

A book for anyone on the journey to wholeness. A story of toxic religion, sex and celibacy, drinking and depression, and how they led towards self-discovery and spiritual awakening."A compelling testimony to our capacity for spiritual transformation in the face of overwhelming odds. McKenty's story is both inspirational and gut-wrenchingly honest. Highly recommended." -Tom Harpur, Syndicated Columnist and Bestselling Author

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“The Best Strangers in the World is a witty, poignant book that captures Ari Shapiro’s love for the unusual, his pursuit of the unexpected, and his delight at connection against the odds.”—Ronan Farrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and New York Times-bestselling author of Catch and Kill and War on PeaceFrom the beloved host of NPR's All Things Considered, a stirring memoir-in-essays that is also a lover letter to journalism.In his first book, broadcaster Ari Shapiro takes us around the globe to reveal the stories behind narratives that are sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, but always poignant. He details his time traveling on Air Force One with President Obama, or following the path of Syrian refugees fleeing war, or learning from those fighting for social justice both at home and abroad.As the self-reinforcing bubbles we live in become more impenetrable, Ari Shapiro keeps seeking ways to help people listen to one another; to find connection and commonality with those who may seem different; to remind us that, before religion, or nationality, or politics, we are all human. The Best Strangers in the World is a testament to one journalist’s passion for Considering All Things—and sharing what he finds with the rest of us.

Brings together Ana M. López's field-defining essays on Latin American film and media in one indispensable volume.Ana M. López is one of the foremost film and media scholars in the world. Her work has addressed Latin American filmmaking in every historical period, across countries and genres-from early cinema to the present; from Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico to diasporic and Latinx cinemas in the United States; from documentary to melodrama to politically militant film. López's groundbreaking essays have transformed Latin American film studies, opening up new approaches, theoretical frameworks, and lines of investigation while also extending beyond cinema to analyze its connections with television, radio, and broader cultural phenomena. Bringing together twenty-five essays from throughout her career, including three that have been translated into English for this volume, Ana M. López is divided into three sections: the transnational turn in Latin American film studies; analysis of genre and modes; and debates surrounding race, ethnicity, and gender. Expertly curated and edited by Laura Podalsky and Dolores Tierney, the volume includes introductory material throughout to map and situate López's key interventions and to aid students and scholars less familiar with her work.

Since the first broadcasts of Buffalo, New York's pioneer radio stations during the 1920s, the medium has played an important role in the everyday lives of the city's citizens. From snowstorms to Super Bowls, radio and its talented broadcasters have helped to shape the city's identity. Buffalo's longest operating station, WGR, signed on the air in May 1922 and was soon followed by WEBR (1924), WKBW (1926), and WBEN (1930), among others. Over the decades, the city has been home to a number of legendary announcers, including Clint Buehlman and Billy Keaton and sports broadcasters Ralph Hubble, Bill Mazer, Van Miller, and Stan Barron, as well as beloved talk show hosts like John Otto and pioneer rock and roll DJs like George "Hound Dog" Lorenz. Buffalo became a breeding ground for network radio stars, including Howdy Doody's "Buffalo" Bob Smith, comedian Foster Brooks, NBC Tonight Show host Jack Paar, and Fran Striker, the creator of The Lone Ranger. Top 40 personalities like Joey Reynolds, Dick Biondi, Tommy Shannon, and Danny Neaverth ruled the airwaves with excitement and spontaneity during the 1960s.

This long-awaited autobiography is a must-read for classical musical enthusiasts and those fascinated by some of the twentieth century's star performers. It also offers unique insights into the history of music, the BBC and arts broadcasting in twentieth-century Britain.Sir Humphrey Burton is one of Britain's most influential post-war music and arts broadcasters. Witty, humorous and full of humanity, Burton's account presents us with never before recorded perspectives on the world of British cultural broadcasting and classical music. Burton worked with such outstanding directing talents as Ken Russell and John Schlesinger, before becoming the BBC's Head of Music and the Arts. Already in the 1960s, in conversations with Glenn Gould for instance, Burton helped to create innovative ways of presenting music to new audiences. Following Sir David Frost's call to LWT/ITV, Burton rose to prominence with presenting the award-winning arts series Aquarius (1970-1975). The early 1970s saw the beginning of Burton's long association with Leonard Bernstein. Burton was at hand filming the maestro's educational programs, as well as concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic. Unforgettable are his chronicles of Bernstein's last years, culminating in a worldwide broadcast of the conductor's Berlin Freedom Concert after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Burton's gift for communicating music turned him into a celebrated Bernstein biographer. With multi award-winning television programmes to his name, such as the BBC's Young Musician of the Year, Burton left an indelible mark on Britain's music and arts broadcasting history. Sir Humphrey Burton offers us many encounters with twentieth century classical music's superstars and former broadcasting colleagues. What transpires is a creative mind at work that never lost sight of the demand that the appropriate presentation of music can only go hand-in-hand with a deep understanding of music itself. This long-awaited autobiography is a must-read for classical musical enthusiasts and those fascinated by some of the twentieth century's star performers. It also offers unique insights into the history of music, the BBC and arts broadcasting in twentieth-century Britain.

In 1939, when Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve first came to the attention of radio audiences, he was but a neighbor and one of the frequent visitors to the folks at 79 Wistful Vista on the popular Fibber McGee and Molly program. His verbal sparring with Fibber came to be a much anticipated and enjoyed segment of the program.Then in 1941, Gildersleeve moved to the town of Summerfield to take on a more serious role as the guardian of his orphaned niece and nephew. His bumbling efforts, his penchant for wooing various ladies, and his interactions with pals in the Jolly Boys club, made The Great Gildersleeve one of radio’s most listened-to weekly programs.Harold Peary brought "Gildy" to life on the McGee program and filled the role until mid-1950. Willard Waterman then took over, with a voice so similar to Peary’s that few listeners noticed the change. The two stars, supported by a talented team of writers and a cast of seasoned radio performers, kept listeners tuned in for 16 years.Old-time radio enthusiast Dan McGuire recalls the careers of Harold Peary, Willard Waterman, and the featured players who made The Great Gildersleeve a listeners’ favorite and one of radio’s most long-running programs.

Who are au féminin, the legends who shaped radio in Canada? What did they contribute locally, regionally, and nationally? How was their experience in radio broadcasting different from that of their male counterparts? Canadian Women and Radio offers an introduction to the women who built careers in the radio industry--yet whose contribution has often been overlooked simply because they were women. This collection of stories highlights the multi-faceted contributions they made to their field and explores issues specific to them. Academic research, interviews, personal reflections and accounts, historical reviews, and hybrid texts combine neatly, in this eclectic yet well-researched and edited volume, to reflect the fast-paced world of radio broadcasting. Whether through storytelling, direct quotes, or quasi transcriptions best read aloud, the reader will come away with a real sense of the aural nature of radio, of the voice unaccompanied, of the pure spoken word and how it differs from the printed word.

On March 2, 1981, one of the more radical format changes in the history of Cleveland radio occurred: WZAK switched from time-brokered ethnic programming, featuring shows in fourteen different languages, to a sole focus on urban contemporary, a blend of R&B, smooth jazz, and pop. It was a move so outrageous that not many people gave it much of a chance. Yet, through more ups than downs, WZAK succeeded beyond everyone’s expectations. When the station was finally sold in 1999 it was the number one radio station in Cleveland and had made its mark on the pop culture of a great American city. Change Is On the Air tells the story about how Xen Zapis, his daughter Maria, and his son Lee figured out a way to thrive in the competitive radio business. They did so by working hard and smart and by attracting and retaining a team of talented people who shared their vision of what urban contemporary radio could be. Their strategy rested on three pillars—programming, sales, and promotions—that together formed a blueprint for success that others can follow.

In Race and Radio: Pioneering Black Broadcasters in New Orleans, Bala James Baptiste traces the history of the integration of radio broadcasting in New Orleans and tells the story of how African American on-air personalities transformed the medium. Analyzing a trove of primary data--including archived manuscripts, articles and display advertisements in newspapers, oral narratives of historical memories, and other accounts of African Americans and radio in New Orleans between 1945 and 1965--Baptiste constructs a formidable narrative of broadcast history, racism, and black experience in this enormously influential radio market.The historiography includes the rise and progression of black broadcasters who reshaped the Crescent City. The first, O. C. W. Taylor, hosted an unprecedented talk show, the Negro Forum, on WNOE beginning in 1946. Three years later in 1949, listeners heard Vernon "Dr. Daddy-O" Winslow's smooth and creative voice as a disk jockey on WWEZ. The book also tells of Larry McKinley who arrived in New Orleans from Chicago in 1953 and played a critical role in informing black listeners about the civil rights movement in the city.The racial integration of radio presented opportunities for African Americans to speak more clearly, in their own voices, and with a technological tool that opened a broader horizon in which to envision community. While limited by corporate pressures and demands from advertisers ranging from local funeral homes to Jax beer, these black broadcasters helped unify and organize the communities to which they spoke. Race and Radio captures the first overtures of this new voice and preserves a history of black radio's awakening.

From the beginning of commercial radio in 1920, Oklahoma City was on the leading edge of this new enterprise. WKY radio went on the air in January 1920, making it one of the earliest radio stations in America. Soon, the station began broadcasting regular programming and was the third station in America and the first west of the Mississippi to broadcast regular daily programs. In August 1928, E.K. Gaylord, owner of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper, purchased the station, and in December of that year, WKY became affiliated with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Gaylord's long association with NBC president David Sarnoff resulted in WKY originating programs for NBC out of the Oklahoma City studio from the mid-1930s extending through WKY-TV in the 1970s. WKY and KOMA became the launching pad for several well-known public figures, such as Walter Cronkite, Curt Gowdy, and Todd Storz.