Expense Account Final Page

Today marks 70 years since "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" made its debut on CBS Radio. Coming as it does after a successful screening for the Metropolitan Washington Old-Time Radio Club's members and some edits (improvements, one hopes) sparked by watching it with an audience, that seems like a good time to submit this expense report's final page. The plan is to submit to film festivals and perhaps present it to other interested groups. In he meantime, please enjoy this excerpt from the finished product.

From Dick Powell's 1948 audition show to Mandel Kramer's final episode in 1962, a collection of talented actors, writers and directors created one of old-time radio's most enduring dramas. This documentary is a tribute not just to the program and its era but also the medium of radio drama itself. That said, the real tribute is the many fans - new and old alike - who continue to listen and enjoy it.

A Matter Of Fury

A friend of mine mentioned that he'd been watching the TV series Fury. Remembering that Bob Bailey had written for the program during the waning days of radio seemed like reason enough to post a link to the segment of the documentary about him and his sad (and all too representative) story.

The End of An Era Anniversary Matter

Today marks 55 years since the final episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense marked the very end of the "Golden Age" of radio. In observance of this bittersweet anniversary, the following segment from the documentary discusses the waning days of that era.

The Rough Cut Matter

Tweaking continues, mostly minor details like on-screen text, though, I'm considering rearranging the order of segments a bit. The challenge remains having a wealth of great material from interviewees such as the late Ed Walker that's interesting in its own right but doesn't necessarily fit the overall story. There's probably a separate documentary about radio drama in general to be made.

The 15-Minute Matter (Revisited)

Still tweaking the various sections, such as this one about the 15-minute episodes, the next step is to incorporate additional segments from the program.

The Expense Account Matter Matter (Revisited)

After a bit of re-editing, the segment discussing the expense account device works a bit better. You check it out on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/therealjohnnydollarmatter/. It's almost ready to submit to the first festival.

The Making It Real Matter

Something about adding credits to the documentary makes it feel that much more real. I'm planning to submit it for a festival a little later this year but still need to make some tweaks. I just removed a clip I really like from the intro, putting the challenge to me of finding the right place for it elsewhere in the film. It's not over by a long shot.

The Evolving Art Form (Revisited)

I've revised the segment I posted in late-December to incorporate some subsequent interviews and tighten things up slightly. Though I suspect there's more tweaking to be done, it remains satisfying.

The Music Man Matter?

One of the best moments from my interview with the late Ed Walker was this piece discussing Bob Bailey and the way certain actors fit a role perfectly. The title of this post will make more sense once you watch it.

The On Further Review Matter

On refection, aside from from tweaks in cutaways, the big need is an epilogue of some sort to tie the various threads together. I have a few thoughts about what that should be and am trying to set up some additional interviews to make it so.

A Matter of Perspective

After putting the project aside for a couple weeks to regain some perspective, the current endeavor is to tweak at least the obvious shortcomings in the rough cut. Stay tuned.

The 15-minute Matter

A few choice words about the impact of the 15-minute episode format on Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. The next step will be to compile the completed segments to see what I have - or don't have, as the case may be.

The Evolving Art Form Matter

Trying to convey the evolution in radio drama that took place while Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was on the air is a tricky proposition. I'm not sure this segment is quite there yet, but I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless.

The Merry Christmas Matter (Revisited)

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar's Christmas episodes tended to have a more frivolous tone. Perhaps because it isn't overtly a Christmas story, The Rasmussen Matter is something of an exception. In any case it's one of my favorites this time of year. I've posted about it before, and if you've never heard it, you should be able to find it here. Enjoy.

The Many Voices Matter

If you ever have trouble remembering the names of all the actors who played Johnny Dollar, this will help you. I still need to add some cutaway images, but overall not too shabby.

The Connecticut Connection Matter

Among the cool moments from my conversation with broadcaster Dick Bertel a couple weeks back was this reminiscence of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and the particular connection he felt with the show.

The Next Interview Matter

I just printed out my list of questions for Tuesday's interview with veteran broadcaster Dick Bertel. As one of the hosts of Golden Age of Radio in the 1970s, Bertel was instrumental in giving many of radio's finest actors, writers and producers a showcase to tell their own stories about the period. The shows are available online and are an invaluable resource for fans of radio drama.

Expense Account Item Number One

In some ways, I've tried to approach this documentary the way the show's title character would approach a case. In general, this meant far less punching, shooting of a different sort and a budget lower than some of Johnny's expense accounts. One bit of detective work I'm very happy with was a 1970s radio interview with Mandel Kramer - recorded for a radio station in Hartford of all places - in which he gives a concise summary of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Using this as the first "expense account item" might seem a bit obvious, but obvious isn't necessarily the enemy of right and proper. You be the judge.

The By Any Other Name Matter

Before Johnny Dollar, there was Lloyd London. Even if Dick Powell had continued in the title role beyond the first audition show, I'm not sure that "Yours Truly, Lloyd London" would have gained the same purchase in radio fans' hearts.

The Motive Matter

Yesterday my son asked me what spurred me to start this project. The effort to come up with a relatively concise answer reminded me that my motivation has definitely shifted over the past couple years. Initially, it was almost a lark, a project to prove to myself that I hadn't forgotten everything I learned in film school, using a topic I loved as a means to an end. As I pursued both interviews and research,  though, one thing did strike me. Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar is that the circumstances that led to it being such a smart, character-driven show - particularly during Bob Bailey's tenure - are the same ones that ensured its ultimate end.

During the decade-long shift from television to radio, the sponsors who dictated the content of the network airwaves as much as - if not more so than - network executives were paying much more attention to the new medium. This intersection of the sponsors' benign neglect and an overall more sophisticated listening audience created a window of relative creative freedom for radio. Through  this opening came such talented writers and producers as Jack Johnstone, Ernest Kinoy and Norman Macdonnell (to name just a few), for which I am hugely grateful. As much as I love The Shadow and I Love a Mystery, shows like X-Minus One, Frontier Gentleman and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar are the ones that have stuck with me the most.

Working in the television business at a time where another new technology in the form of online delivery is changing both form and content, it's not hard to see similar patterns playing out. The principle of "least objectionable programming" has long dominated mass media, especially in the United States, and many smart people in the TV industry insist that this dominance is now over. However, it's worth remembering that even the smartest people in the business are lucky to be right more often than they're wrong. It's tempting to believe that quality will win out, and in the long run it often does. At any given moment, though, this is far from certain.