Plenty Good Enough for Listening: The Way It Is, 20 May

Well, it appears 20 May isn't much for old-time radio history, but it's plenty good enough for old-time radio listening . . .

CHANNEL SURFING . . .

1929: THE TAXI COMPANY GETS COMPETITION---It's coming from Earl Dixon (possibly Charles Correll, who also plays Andy), opening up the new Easy Ridin' Taxicab Company right across the street from the Fresh Aire Taxi Company, and promising his business will help the boys' business---which Andy translates to mean putting them out of business, on tonight's edition of Amos 'n' Andy. (NBC.)

Amos: Freeman Gosden. Writers: Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll.

1946: BOY MEETS GIRL---In an adaptation of the 1938 film, a pregnant waitress (Ann Sothern) at a struggling film studio inspires two lazy screenwriters (Chester Morris, Lee Tracy) to make the baby the star, on tonight's edition of The Old Gold Comedy Theater. (NBC.)

Adapted from the Spewack/Spewack screenplay. Host/director: Harold Lloyd.

1948: LEAVING NEW YORK---You might think freewheeling, irreverent, cantankerous Henry Morgan a bit of a mismatch for Al Jolson, even with Oscar Levant among the evening's cast (and joining the needling in a charming parody of Morgan's second banana Arnold Stang, among other things), but we'll let you listen yourself to tonight's edition of Kraft Music Hall. (NBC.)

Additional cast: Don Wilson. Music: Lou Pring and his Orchestra and Chorus. Writers: Unknown.

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1956: GOLD---There's a fever on a wagon train . . . and a warning from Red Cloud, neither of which necessarily relaxes Quince (Raymond Burr), on tonight's edition of Fort Laramie. (CBS.)

Goerss: Vic Perrin. Daggett: Jack Moyles. Additional cast: Parley Baer, Harry Bartell, Sam Edwards, Virginia Gregg, Howard McNear, Ralph Moody, Clayton Post. Announcer: Dan Cubberly. Music: Amerigo Moreno. Writer: Kathleen Hite.

PREMIERING TODAY . . .

1899---Virginia Sale (actress: Those We Love), Urbana, Illinois.
1899---Stan Lomax (sportscaster: Evening Journal Sports), Pittsburgh.
1906---Lyda Roberti (actress/singer: numerous radio appearances), Warsaw.
1908---James Stewart (actor: Lux Radio Theater; We Hold These Truths), Pennsylvania.
1909---Jerry Hausner (actor: Silver Theater; Lum & Abner), Cleveland.
1911---Vet Boswell (singer, with the Boswell Sisters: The Boswell Sisters; The Woodbury Soap Show), Birmingham, Alabama.
1920---George Gobel (comedian/actor: Tom Mix; National Barn Dance), Chicago.
1936---Anthony Zerbe (actor: Earplay), Long Beach, California.