Howwww-dee!: The Way It Was, 25 October

1912: THE GRAND OLE GAL OF GRINDERSWITCH---She doesn't exactly holler "Howww-dee!" when the doc gives her the customary introductory rap on the rump roast, but Maw and Paw Colley don't know what they're foisting upon this island earth when Sarah Ophelia Colley premieres today.

The world will never complain, however. Not about Minnie Pearl. Not ever. It'll be too busy laughing at Cousin Minnie over all those years---old-time radio and otherwise---on Grand Ole Opry to think about complaining. And she'd have it no other way, either.

1888: THE POLAR BYRD HATCHES---Little do his parents in Winchester, Virginia realise that his fame and reputation as a Navy admiral, flier, and polar explorer, will give their newborn son Richard Evelyn Byrd a place in old-time radio as well, believe it or not.

He will get it in 1933, when CBS, which sends a correspondent of its own along, allows Byrd a weekly broadcast from Antartica itself, sponsored by General Foods. The broadcasts have the Navy's full blessings---Byrd often seeks outside sponsorship as well as military sponsorship for his famed polar expeditions---but the expedition carried by CBS comes thisclose to costing Byrd his life: he attempts to spend an entire winter in Antarctica but ends the expedition prematurely after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning.

CHANNEL SURFING . . .

1932: DOROTHY BURN HAN---Live from Pittsburgh's Nixon Theater, the Fire Chief (Ed Wynn) and his foil (Graham McNamee) zip through a bag of revue jokes involving , among other things, cheese, horses, stock, subways, a baby with a 108 degree fever, and a few jokes off letters from listeners, on tonight's edition of The Fire Chief. (NBC.)

Music: Don Voorhees and His Orchestra. Writers: Ed Wynn, Eddie Preble. (Warning: Skips midway through recording.)

1945: WHAT PRICE GLAMOUR?---A comely Daily Sentinel freelancer, on a routine assignment involving beauty products and a proposed state regulation is spooked after seeing a model's disfigured face, and her alarm spooks Britt (Bob Hall), on today's edition of The Green Hornet. (ABC.)

Michael Axford: Gil Shea. Kato: Rollon Parker. Lenore Case: Lee Allman. Writer: Fran Striker.

1950: HAROLD'S CAMPAIGN SPEECH---Running for mayor against his own boss, Peabody, (Joseph Kearns), Harold (Peary) edgily rehearses an important campaign speech before deciding he needs a campaign manager, on tonight's edition of The Harold Peary Show. (CBS.)

Gloria: Gloria Mitchell. Additional cast: Mary Jane Croft, Parley Baer. Music: Jack Meakin and His Orchestra. Writers: Harold Peary, Bill Danch, Jack Robinson, Gene Stone.

PREMIERING TODAY . . .

1882---Richard Gordon (actor: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; Valiant Lady), Bridgeport, Connecticut.
1891---Father Charles E. Coughlin ("The Radio Priest"), Hamilton, Ontario.
1901---Walter T. Butterworth (host: The Molle Merry Minstrels; Vox Pox; Take a Card), Wallingford, Pennsylvania; Daniel Landt (singer, with the Landt Trio: Doc Pearson's Drug Store; The Bob Hawk Show), Scranton, Pennsylvania.
1902---Eddie Lang (jazz guitarist: Music That Satisfies), Philadelphia.
1908---Polly Ann Young (sister of Loretta Young; actress: Lux Radio Theater), Denver.
1909---True Boardman (writer/narrator: Silver Theater; Favourite Story), Seattle.
1914---John Reed King (announcer/actor: Columbia Workshop; Sky King), Atlantic City.
1927---Barbara Cook (actress: The Great Merlini), Atlanta.
1928---Marion Ross (actress: Lux Radio Theater), Albert Lea, Minnesota.