Gateway to Hollywood is an American old-time radio talent show. It was broadcast on CBS from January 8, 1939, to December 31, 1939.[1] Like other programs from Major Bowes Amateur Hour to American Idol, the show sought to turn relatively unknown people into celebrities.[2] The same title was used by an unrelated program that was broadcast on the Don Lee Network in the mid-1930s.[3]
Cities across the United States were sites for auditions for people who wanted to appear on Gateway to Hollywood. Contestants auditioned in teams of one male and one female, with the ultimate winning team receiving a screen test from RKO Pictures.[4] In addition to the screen test, each member of the winning couple received membership in the Screen Actors Guild and screen names that they would use in their acting careers. Judges were five people from RKO, with criteria for selection being "photographic potential, personality, and dramatic ability."[1]Wrigley's gum was the sponsor.[1]
Contestant teams that survived early elimination and appeared on the program performed a playlet with a well-known star. Each round of competition involved 13 teams and lasted 13 weeks,[5]
Personneledit
Film producer Jesse L. Lasky was the host of Gateway to Hollywood.[1]Ken Niles was the chief announcer and talent coach. Assistant announcers were Cliff Howell and Gary Breckner. Charles Vanda was the initial director, with Lasky taking over that role when the series resumed in the fall of 1939. Ray Wilson was the head writer. Bobby Brown was the producer.[6]Wilbur Hatch and Carl Hohengarten provided the music.[1]
Ralph Bowman received a contract with RKO and the screen name John Archer.[2]
Josephine Cottle became actress Gale Storm. She later married her Gateway to Hollywood teammate, Lee Bonnell, who took the screen name Terry Belmont.[1]
Beginning in 1936, the Don Lee Network broadcast a program titled Gateway to Hollywood on the West Coast. It used an amateur-hour format but featured "tried and experienced professional entertainers" who hoped the exposure would give them an opportunity to get into film, radio, or other fields of entertainment.[3] Approximately a dozen acts competed on each broadcast; members of the audience selected each winner with votes submitted via telephone and mail.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefDunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 279–280. ISBN978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
^ abLoviglio, Jason (2005). Radio's Intimate Public: Network Broadcasting and Mass-mediated Democracy. U of Minnesota Press. p. 123. ISBN9780816642342. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
^ abc"Gateway to Hollywood" (PDF). Billboard. April 18, 1936. p. 9.
^ abDavis, Ronald L. (2014). Hollywood Beauty: Linda Darnell and the American Dream. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 36–38. ISBN9780806186962. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
^Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 535. ISBN978-0-7864-4513-4.
^"Wrigley Autumn Series Continues RKO Tieup" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 1, 1939. p. 16. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
^"Hollywood starts air talent hunt". The Minneapolis Journal. January 8, 1939. p. 18. Retrieved February 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^"'Gateway to Hollywood' Shut But Back Door Is Still Open" (PDF). Billboard. October 21, 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
^Fitzgerald, Michael G.; Magers, Boyd (2006). Ladies of the Western: Interviews with Fifty-One More Actresses from the Silent Era to the Television Westerns of the 1950s and 1960s. McFarland. pp. 9–13. ISBN9780786426560. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
^"Behind the Mike" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 15, 1939. p. 46. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
^"Sac City girl steps toward film stardom". The Des Moines Register. June 4, 1939. p. 47. Retrieved June 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
External linksedit
Streamingedit
An episode of Gateway to Hollywood from the Internet Archive — the final round to select the future Gale Storm and Terry Belmont
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Gateway to Hollywood is an American old time radio talent show It was broadcast on CBS from January 8 1939 to December 31 1939 1 Like other programs from Major Bowes Amateur Hour to American Idol the show sought to turn relatively unknown people into celebrities 2 The same title was used by an unrelated program that was broadcast on the Don Lee Network in the mid 1930s 3 Gateway to HollywoodJesse L Lasky host of Gateway to HollywoodGenreTalent showCountry of originUnited StatesLanguage s EnglishSyndicatesCBSHosted byJesse L LaskyAnnouncerKen NilesCliff HowellGary BrecknerWritten byRay WilsonDirected byCharles VandaJesse L LaskyProduced byBobby BrownOriginal releaseJanuary 8 1939 01 08 December 31 1939 1939 12 31 Sponsored byWrigley s gum Contents 1 Format 2 Personnel 3 Selected participants 3 1 Winners 3 2 Non winners 4 Don Lee Network program 5 References 6 External links 6 1 StreamingFormat editCities across the United States were sites for auditions for people who wanted to appear on Gateway to Hollywood Contestants auditioned in teams of one male and one female with the ultimate winning team receiving a screen test from RKO Pictures 4 In addition to the screen test each member of the winning couple received membership in the Screen Actors Guild and screen names that they would use in their acting careers Judges were five people from RKO with criteria for selection being photographic potential personality and dramatic ability 1 Wrigley s gum was the sponsor 1 Contestant teams that survived early elimination and appeared on the program performed a playlet with a well known star Each round of competition involved 13 teams and lasted 13 weeks 5 Personnel editFilm producer Jesse L Lasky was the host of Gateway to Hollywood 1 Ken Niles was the chief announcer and talent coach Assistant announcers were Cliff Howell and Gary Breckner Charles Vanda was the initial director with Lasky taking over that role when the series resumed in the fall of 1939 Ray Wilson was the head writer Bobby Brown was the producer 6 Wilbur Hatch and Carl Hohengarten provided the music 1 Edward Arnold Joan Bennett and Miriam Hopkins were guests on the premiere episode appearing in dramatic sketches with the contestants 7 Selected participants editWinners edit Ralph Bowman received a contract with RKO and the screen name John Archer 2 Josephine Cottle became actress Gale Storm She later married her Gateway to Hollywood teammate Lee Bonnell who took the screen name Terry Belmont 1 Non winners edit Kathryn Adams 8 9 Hugh Beaumont 10 Linda Darnell 4 Linda Hayes 11 Don Lee Network program editBeginning in 1936 the Don Lee Network broadcast a program titled Gateway to Hollywood on the West Coast It used an amateur hour format but featured tried and experienced professional entertainers who hoped the exposure would give them an opportunity to get into film radio or other fields of entertainment 3 Approximately a dozen acts competed on each broadcast members of the audience selected each winner with votes submitted via telephone and mail 3 References edit a b c d e f Dunning John 1998 On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio Revised ed New York NY Oxford University Press pp 279 280 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 Retrieved 2019 10 23 a b Loviglio Jason 2005 Radio s Intimate Public Network Broadcasting and Mass mediated Democracy U of Minnesota Press p 123 ISBN 9780816642342 Retrieved 22 December 2017 a b c Gateway to Hollywood PDF Billboard April 18 1936 p 9 a b Davis Ronald L 2014 Hollywood Beauty Linda Darnell and the American Dream University of Oklahoma Press pp 36 38 ISBN 9780806186962 Retrieved 22 December 2017 Terrace Vincent 1999 Radio Programs 1924 1984 A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows McFarland amp Company Inc p 535 ISBN 978 0 7864 4513 4 Wrigley Autumn Series Continues RKO Tieup PDF Broadcasting October 1 1939 p 16 Retrieved 23 December 2017 Hollywood starts air talent hunt The Minneapolis Journal January 8 1939 p 18 Retrieved February 1 2023 via Newspapers com Gateway to Hollywood Shut But Back Door Is Still Open PDF Billboard October 21 1939 p 4 Retrieved 23 December 2017 Fitzgerald Michael G Magers Boyd 2006 Ladies of the Western Interviews with Fifty One More Actresses from the Silent Era to the Television Westerns of the 1950s and 1960s McFarland pp 9 13 ISBN 9780786426560 Retrieved 30 October 2016 Behind the Mike PDF Broadcasting May 15 1939 p 46 Retrieved 23 December 2017 Sac City girl steps toward film stardom The Des Moines Register June 4 1939 p 47 Retrieved June 28 2020 via Newspapers com External links editStreaming edit An episode of Gateway to Hollywood from the Internet Archive the final round to select the future Gale Storm and Terry Belmont nbsp nbsp This article about a radio show or program in the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gateway to Hollywood amp oldid 1184509022, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
