Researching Film Stars on TV and Radio

[Brooksie]

As we all know, plenty of lower-ranked movie folks (and a good number of higher-ranked ones) ended up finding work in television in the 1950s and 60s. Every now and then, a new television credit will appear on IMDb for some B-picture actor or another, but the coverage is spotty at best. Is there a definitive source for such appearances? Something like an AFI Catalogue for television? I know that appearances on smaller regional networks are unlikely to be covered, but I'd be interested to know if even a resource on major network apperances exists.

The same is true of radio. I can't even find a list of all the performers who ever appeared on Lux Radio Theatre, for example. Does such a list exist in a unified fashion?

[wich2]

Camille, as those of us who have written in the subject can tell you, American radio was NOTORIOUSLY poor about documentation.

But here's one good starting point:

http://www.radiogoldindex.com/" target="_blank

(Dave Goldin lists both programs and performers alphabetically.)

And another:

http://www.radiogoldindex.com/" target="_blank

(Jerry Haendiges is a great guy, his logs are searchable by program, and then your computer's screen search would yield some performer names there.)

Then - join the Old Time Radio Researchers!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1677714482510214/" target="_blank

(Knowledgeable folks.)

Best,
-Craig

P.S. - Any specific questions you had?

[Brooksie]

Extremely helpful, thanks Craig!

Specifically, I am researching a performer named Constance Worth. It was reported in Australia that she had appeared on Lux Radio Theatre sometime around 1939-1940, and had also been tested for at least one television show around 1951-1952, but the trail is bare on both counts. I figured this was a somewhat under-documented area, but I also wanted to make sure that there was not some key source that I was neglecting.

Just to confuse matters, the 1939-1942 radio show The Story of Constance Worth is completely unrelated - but understandably turns up frequently in searches.

[missdupont]

The Margaret Herrick Library has a book on the complete history and cast list of Lux Radio Theatre programs as well as a Lux Radio Theatre Special Collection:
http://catalog.oscars.org/vwebv/search? ... ton=Search" target="_blank

[wich2]

'Welcome, Camille.

Well, if your question is specifically LUX related, the dedicated book is:

"LUX PRESENTS HOLLYWOOD: A SHOW-BY-SHOW HISTORY OF THE LUX RADIO THEATRE AND THE LUX VIDEO THEATRE, 1934-1957."

Alas, it prices very high right now. But one of the co-authors, Art Pierce, is a knowledgeable, great guy. Here's his site:

http://www.fairpickings.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

And by the way: as far as Australian and American classic radio, and their intersections, do you know Ian Grieve? Another good guy, he can be found at the Facebook page of the estimable Old Time Radio Researchers group.

Good luck,
-Craig

(Author of this title in the field:
https://www.amazon.com/Standing-Spirit- ... ig+wichman" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
Available from Your Obedient Servant.)