''Empire Builders'' is an American

old-time radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the early ...

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

. It was broadcast on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

-Blue from January 14, 1929, to June 22, 1931. The reference book ''Radio Rides the Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air'' commented, "This may have been the first western drama on radio; it certainly was one of the most unique."

Format

The 30-minute weekly episodes "managed to combine romance and music in one program, along with gritty adventure and occasional bitter violence," featuring both real people from history and fictional characters. Episodes' eras ranged from the mid-1700s to the 1930s. Because the show was sponsored by Great Northern Railway, locales of the stories were usually in an area comprising California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington state, the states served by the Great Northern Railway. A narrator (the Old Timer) introduced each episode, and his "chuckles and characteristic colloquialisms" were regular features of the program. As an example of the fare heard on ''Empire Builders'', a two-part program that began on February 18, 1929, related the adventures experienced and the obstacles overcome during the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...

. Among the difficulties included in the program was "the incident at Great Falls, where a cloudburst swelled the river and swept their encampment from the banks like so many flies."

Personnel

Virginia Gardner and Bob McGimsey starred in the original version of the program, when it originated at WJZ in New York City. When origination changed to Chicago,

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which l ...

Bernardine Flynn Bernardine Flynn (January 2, 1904 – March 20, 1977) was an American Old-time radio, radio actress and announcer best known for playing the role of Sade Gook on the long-running Radio comedy, comic radio serial ''Vic and Sade''. Early years Bor ...

, and Harvey Hayes starred. The supporting cast usually included Obed "Dad" Pickard, Lucille Husting, and Bob White. Ameche and Flynn, both from the University of Wisconsin, were selected for the Chicago cast from hundreds of actors and actresses who auditioned for the program. Others who were heard on the program included Jack Daly. Ted Pearson was the announcer, Don Bernard was the director, and Josef Koestner conducted the orchestra. Edward H. Bierstadt was a writer.

Wyllis Cooper Wyllis Oswald Cooper (January 26, 1899 – June 22, 1955) was an American writer and producer. He is best remembered for creating and writing the Golden Age of Radio, old time radio programs ''Lights Out (radio show), Lights Out'' (1934&ndash ...

was continuity editor.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Logs

Log of episodes of ''Empire Builders'' from Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio LogsLog of episodes of ''Empire Builders'' from Old Time Radio Researchers GroupLog of episodes of ''Empire Builders'' from radioGOLDINdex

Scripts

Scripts of episodes of ''Empire Builders'' from The Generic Radio Workshop Vintage Radio Script Library

Streaming

"Armistice Day Reunion" episode of ''Empire Builders'' from the Internet ArchiveEpisodes of ''Empire Builders'' from Old Time Radio Researchers Group
1929 radio dramas 1929 radio programme debuts 1920s American radio programs 1930s American radio programs NBC Blue Network radio programs American radio dramas 1931 radio programme endings Western (genre) radio series