The greatness of early radio
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Monmouth

The Magazine of 

The Sunday Register

April 24, 1977
  Front Page and page 3

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The greatness of early radio
Cover Page


3
Radio greats
to shine again
By JOAN KAHN

FREEHOLD -- The Lone, Ranger will ride again and the Mm-MmMoon will come over the mountain today when the good old days of radio will be celebrated at ceremonies honoring 21 radio pioneers at the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
    "I thought I could somehow preserve the memories of the great radio talents," said Arthur Schreiber, who conceived the idea of the Hall of Fame; after researching his concept and learning it was unique.
    "New Jersey `is very historical, as far as broadcasting is concerned," noted Mr. Schreiber, recalling Thomas Edison and Guglielmo Marconi, along with pioneer radio stations WJZ and WOR.
    Arthur Godfrey and newscaster Lowell Thomas are expected to attend today's ceremonies, as well as the wives of newsman Edward R. M urrow, orchestra leader Paul Whiteman, and sportscaster Ted Husing. Bob Hope wrote that he might be present for the ceremonies.
     Aside from Godfrey, Hope and Thomas, William S.Paley, Red Barber, George Burns, Bing Crosby; Kay Kyser, Kate Smith and Harry Von Zell will be enshrined.
     Posthumous inductees, in addition to Marconi, Murrow, Whiteman and Husing, will be Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Milton Cross, H. V. Kaltenborn, Bill Stern, David Sarnoff and Walter Winchell.
     Master of ceremonies at the induction ceremony will be Fred Foy, the announcer of, the Lone Ranger, Jack McCarthy of the "Green Hornet," and Anne Elstner Matthews, who played "Stella Dallas," will also attend the ceremonies for 300 invited guests at the American Hotel.
   The Hall of Fame will open to the public on May 1, and fans will be able to hear recordings of many of their favorite programs and see displays; of old radios and other historic artifacts..
     Established in a former bank building, vintage 1864, the high ceilings and the marble wainscoting make a distinguished setting for the radio artifacts and listening stations set up to commemorate the early days of radio.
     Radios of the past encased in ornate wooden chests bear the names of Atwater Kent, DeForest, Stromberg Carlson. and Fada. Also on display are radio fan magazines, which		 were the predecessors of TV Guide.
     Visitors will be able to listen to broadcasts of the Andy Hardy Show, The Lone Ranger, Ozzie and Harriet, Your Hit Parade, Amos 'n Andy and old mystery shows.
     The non-profit corporation established by Mr. Schreiber will be supported by entrance fees and gift shop sales where books, T-shirts, pens, watches and other mementoes will be sold.		      Also on display will be the camera tube used for the first television broadcast from the White House where President Harry Truman spoke on Oct. 5. 1947.
     Mr. Schreiber, who was the publisher of the Freehold Transcript and the Colonial News, until he sold the papers three years ago was inspired to open the Hall of Fame by his son Josh.
     "I grew up with radio. I en-

REMEMBER WHEN? - With the advent of television, "The Burns and Allen Show" introduced visual laughs. The "beauty", at left is the late Harry Von Zell, a posthumous inductee into the radio shrine.
 joyed the 'old programs, Mr. Schreiber, explained. He described how he conceived the idea of the Hall of  Fame when he realized that his son now 16, would never have an opportunity to, enjoy some of the old broadcasts.
     Now Josh has taken an ac-tive part in the development of the Hall of Fame and is urging his father to renovate the bank building's basement for the broadcast of radio mystery shows.
     Mr. Schreiber acknowledges that he was hampered at first by a lack of broadcasting credentials or experience, but his enthusiasm for the project became contagious when he began visiting radio stations and communicating with radio personalities. Once the project becomes firmly estabfished, Mr. Schreiber expects to receive funds from radio stations. 
     "Everyone l talked to was very excited about it. They thought it was a marvelous idea," he said. The former publisher set up the corporation and began investing the initial part of: the $250.000 he estimates the project will cost by the fall.
     When Mr. Schreiber sold his publications three years ago, he began searching around for something to do. His hobby of collecting antique and classic cars led him into opening a garage for the restoration of the autos. But costs of restoration rose sharply and he closed the operation, but retained the ownership of several of his favorite cars.
     Soon, Mr. Sehreiber, will be hiring a curator for the Hall of Fame, and he's searching for a person who is technically oriented.
     Mr. Sehreiber, a native of Freehold, credits his home town with a large measure of his success. 
     "Freehold's been very good to me."
     But the former publisher hasn't given up ink for air waves permanently, and he hopes to get back into the publishing business.

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