The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-14

den and Charles j. Correll, or
team, Correll and Gosden.
Radio had gotten into its
stride. It's first bloom as a
medium for getting over
was realized by the boys then
with the sagacity that tempo
rizes their public relations
now.
webb Takes a Chance
WEBB took a chance. Beating
back their mike" fright, straighten-
ing their sagging knees, Correll and
Gosden went on the air, proving,
though hardly a flop, just another
program. ind they went back to
the footligh5 glamour of the theater
whose soft glow at McVicker'S was
TO color the first romance of the
pair.
Undismayed by the lukewarm
"break," they polished up the script
and score of Red Hot" designed to
titillate Chicago'S risibilities through
a production by Paul Ash, then at
the zenith of his popularity in the
Windy City.
Red Hot" scored heavily. All
the town-and a pretty blond Wis
itor from Davenport, Ia.-hocked
to the show. CorrelTs nimble heel
and-toe clicked with a certain sit
ter as well as it did on the stage.
TimorOusly. afiutter. Miss Marie
James sent back her card.
Did Mr.. Correu remember that
night, five years ago, in a Daven-
port store when Miss - had in
troduced them? And would he
kindly call the number on the
card2
FOrgets Girls Card
BeSet with his lines and the plot
for another Paul Ash revue he and
GOsden were doing, he showed the
card in the pocket of his stage suit
and forgot it. A week later,
crumpled and torn, he hshed it
out and phOned.
And as a result" Correll re-
lated, shes got me buying furni-
ture this week" They were mar
mied In January, 1927, in Chicago,
GoSden acting as his best man.
She nabbed him before he had
a chance" snapped GOSden, smil-
ING.
Well, you didn't wait very long
after yourself" Correll came back
at Gosden.
He didn't. and his subsequent
meeting with who was then the
former Leta Schneider, secretary
to Emory Thomson. at station
WGN, was the advent not only of
Gosden'S romance but of Amos n
Andy, those twin radio beacons of
a nations dialS.
AS staff men of WGN they were
asked to put on a Skit. Something
new It was to be-Something like
a comic strip over the air.
Before Wedding Bells
How about the 'GumpS'?" some
body suggested. The boys turned 1t
down. This was in 1926, before
they were married and mister and
missus troubles still were alien to
them.
still are" interrupted Gosden,
with a bow to his Skeptical wife, IA
niliar with his banter.
Anyway, Gosden and Correll
toyed with the idea a few days, and
then turned over the nucleus, Jan.
~. 1925. of what now is puzzling
psychologists and philosophers,
amazing intelligent observers of the
lay national expression, and vastly
entertaining those who don't give a
whoop for analyses and 'ologieS. but
who will muster arms at the slight
est infringement of their precious
quarter hour from 6 to 6:15 and
1880 to 10:45 nightly.
With episode one written out.
they put On Sam n Henry" two
boys out Of Atlanta who set UP a
transfer express business in Chi
cago. 1t was an overnight WOW.
Audible Comic Strip
Blindly, the boys hit upon what
now is considered by some a new
art-an audible comic strip"
seemingly miScalled because of its
depth of emotional suggestion and
because of its mental stimulus that
requires the listener to picture his
own situations.
1t may be a new form Of art for
all I know" GoSden explained.
You can do more. within certain
limitations. in -broadcaSting than
you can through graphic lluStra-
ton"
He put over his point nicely. It
was as though the mike" con-
fronted him there in his apartment.
Recall Amos voice, tender. fearful,
slightly trembling-"Goodby sweet
hearth Ruby Taylor is Chicago
bound. 4 guess you couldn't put
that in a comic strip" he said.
Correll explained on the idea:
You see. when we put on an cpl