“RADIO CLASSICS” FUN

WHAT’S THE LINK BETWEEN RADIO’S SAM SPADE AND DARTH VADER? Or the Spruce Goose with a guy dressed up like a Roman peasant? What about this same guy linked with Marilyn Monroe? Or Ginger Rogers linked with Rita Hayworth?

It’s a small world, they say. But especially so for the classic age of radio, celebrated these days on SiriusXM “Radio Classics.” The following tidbits are gleaned from this online channel and its host Greg Bell (gregbellmedia.com), together with my usual Internet sleuthing.

Lurene Tuttle. Wikipedia recounts that Lurene Tuttle, 1907-1986, “was an American actress and acting coach who made the transition from vaudeville to radio, and later to films and television. Often appearing in 15 shows per week, comedies, dramas, thrillers, soap operas, and crime dramas, she became known as the ‘First Lady of Radio.’ ”

Among other roles, Tuttle portrayed Effie Perrine, charming and occasionally dizzy secretary to detective Sam Spade.

Sam (Howard Duff) with secretary Effie Perrine (Lurene Tuttle). Image from radiospirits.info via “One-Liners From Old-Time Radio Sleuths.”

Wikipedia relates that Tuttle married Melville Ruick, an actor whom she met during her radio years. The couple had a daughter, Barbara (1930–1974), who married film composer John Williams. Yes, that John Williams, composer of much of the Star Wars saga  and so many other film scores.

Wikipedia notes, “With 54 Oscar nominations, Williams currently holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person and is the second most nominated person in Academy Awards history behind Walt Disney‘s 59.”

Vinton Hayworth. From time to time, “Radio Classics” Greg Bell assembles a sequence of old-time episodes featuring a particular radio personality. Many are familiar; others, less so.

Vinton Hayworth, 1906–1970, also known as Jack Arnold and Vincent Haworth, American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. A pioneer radio announcer in the early 1920s, Hayworth has an extensive filmography, a goodly portion of it in uncredited roles. Shown here with Donna Damerel as Marge Minter from the “Myrt and Marge” radio show, 1935; image by Maurice Seymour from Wikipedia.

Hayworth’s elder sister was Volga Hayworth, mother of screen star Rita Hayworth (who took her mother’s maiden name). He was married to actress Jean Owens, whose sister was Lela Emogene Owens, mother of actress Ginger Rogers. Thus, Vinton was maternal uncle to Rita and uncle-in-law to Ginger.

Alan Young. This British-born Canadian-raised actor may be best remembered as Wilbur Post in the television comedy “Mister Ed” (1961–1966) and voicing Disney‘s Scrooge McDuck for over 40 years.

“Radio Classics” Greg Bell featured a wonderful interview with Alan Young, “still young” at 92. Memorable portions of it featured Marilyn Monroe and Howard Hughes, albeit not in the same charming tale.

A Norma Jean Reminiscence. This one is gleaned from the interview and recounted in “Norma Jean, As She Was Known.” SimanaitisSays, November 2, 2021: “Alan told a charming tale about Norma Jean: She was one of pretty young women riding on a float he had arranged for a parade, and afterward Alan and Norma Jean dated occasionally. On one date, Alan had to pick up something from his parents, with Norma Jean meeting them briefly. As Alan noted, back in those days such a meeting sounded serious, but actually they were just good friends.”

“Years later,” the tale continues, “Alan’s career had flourished and he was getting prepped in the makeup department of a movie lot. A voice from across the room called out, ‘Alan! Alan! How nice to see you!’ ”

 The two chatted for a while about old times, after which the woman went off to her movie shoot. Then Alan’s makeup artist said, ‘Wow!! How long have you known Marilyn Monroe??’ Alan said, ‘About half an hour.’ ”

Androcles and Howard Hughes. The second tale involves Howard Hughes’ production of the 1952 film Androcles and the Lion. Based on a 1912 George Bernard Shaw play of the same name, it’s a sweet tale of Androcles, a gentle Christian tailor, who befriends a Barbary lion by removing a thorn from its claw. Seeing this friendship of a tailor and “Tommy” his lion pal, the Roman authorities accuse Androcles of sorcery. 

In his presumed Colosseum slaughter, Androcles betters all the gladiators. To appease the crowd, it is necessary to choose one Christian to be savaged by a lion, and Androcles volunteers.

Of course, the lion is Tommy. And the emperor allows Androcles and his pal to depart in peace.

Young’s Mobile Interview with Hughes. Originally, Harpo Marx was cast as Androcles. However, producer Howard Hughes replaced him with Young based on the latter’s TV career. 

Alan was later commanded to a limousine-based encounter with Hughes, one that led to an abrupt conclusion. Indeed, though it lasted longer than the Hughes H-4’s perhaps 30-second flight, it did leave Alan stranded in his Roman garb on a street corner far from the film studio.

A great tale. ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2026