December 23, 2010 05:53 PM
When News Wasn't Completely Grim - Lowell Thomas - December 1946
Lowell Thomas -- widely respected newsman who was also prone to fits of laughter on the air.
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Not all news in the post-War years was grim, or presented in a grim way. Take this newscast from December 19, 1946, presented by broadcast pioneer and well-respected journalist Lowell Thomas. Thomas had a long and colorful career and was something of a Walter Cronkite of his day. However, Thomas did have this one habit -- he would occasionally break up while reading a piece of copy on the air. And since it was live, the laughter spilled over the air and usually caught his announcer in a fit of hysterics as well.
So on this day in 1946, the news was concerned with price gouging of G.I.'s looking to buy a home. The elections in Iran the threatened civil war in Palestine. The infamous Senator Bilbo and hearings regarding his somewhat nefarious dealings. The problem of government Public Relations firms and the amount of propaganda associated with them. The immigration wave coming from Europe.
But that didn't stop Thomas from staging a complete breakup at the end.
Sometimes news is just funny.
it seems they used to turn on the national christmas tree on christmas eve back in 1946. i didn't know that.
it's earlier now isn't it? when did it change?
Same shit, different day.Thomas was Murdoch ready even back then.I'm quite surprised to hear about the same corruption, greed, incompetence, political jockeying and fear mongering thing that still goes on 65 years later. Same as it ever was.And the pre- Israel/ Middle-East story line also shows how little has changed there after these many years.As for Thomas cracking up, he sure did perfect that routine over the years and learned how to crack up without totally losing it.I listen to radio a lot and when he would come on, I would gladly suffer through his right wing editorializing and macular degeneration commercials just waiting to hear him crack up on the last story, or page I think he called it.
I think you may be thinking of Paul Harvey who did call the different sections of his broadcasts "pages."
...the Doo Dah Man once told me you got to play your hand. Sometimes the cards aint worth a dime if you don't lay 'em down.
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