Arthur Godfrey

== Radio ==
[[File:Agodfreytime.jpg|right|thumb|In this CBS publicity photo of ''Arthur Godfrey Time'', vocalist [[Patti Clayton]] is seen at the far right and Godfrey sits in the foreground. Clayton, the original 1944 voice of [[Chiquita Brands International|Chiquita Banana]], was married to Godfrey's director, Saul Ochs.]]

On leaving the Coast Guard, Godfrey became a radio announcer for Baltimore station WFBR (now [[WJZ (AM)]]), then moved to Washington, D.C., to become a staff announcer for [[NBC]]-owned station [[WTEM|WRC]] the same year. He remained there until 1934.

Recovering from a near-fatal automobile accident en route to a flying lesson in 1931 (he was already an avid flyer), he decided to listen closely to the radio and realized that the stiff, formal style then used by announcers could not connect with the average radio listener. The announcers spoke in stentorian tones, as if giving a formal speech to a crowd and not communicating on a personal level. Godfrey vowed that when he returned to the airwaves, he would affect a relaxed, informal style as if he were talking to just one person. He also used that style to do his own commercials and became a regional star. Over time, he added wisecracks to his commercials and would kid the sponsors, a risky move that offended advertising agency executives whose staff worked on the commercial scripts. Nonetheless, Godfrey's antics quickly gained acceptance when his sponsors discovered their sales actually increased after Godfrey's added jokes. At times, he would read an ad agency script on television as he mockingly rolled his eyes, used a sarcastic tone of voice or added his own wisecracks. Since the sponsors approved, given their added sales, the agencies were powerless to stop him.

[[File:President Truman attends ceremonies celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Washington Monument. This photo shows... - NARA - 199836.tif|thumb|Godfrey at the 1948 ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the Washington Monument]]

In addition to announcing, Godfrey sang and played the [[ukulele]]. In 1934 he became a freelance entertainer, but eventually based himself on a daily show titled ''Sundial'' on [[CBS]]-owned station [[WFED|WJSV]] (later WTOP and now [[WFED]]) in Washington. Godfrey was the station's morning disc jockey, playing records, delivering commercials (often with tongue in cheek; a classic example had him referring to [[Bayer Aspirin]] as "bare ass prin"), interviewing guests, and even reading news reports during his three-hour shift. Godfrey loved to sing, and would frequently sing random verses during the "talk" portions of his program. In 1937, he was a host on ''[[Professor Quiz]]'', radio's first successful quiz program. One surviving broadcast from 1939 has Godfrey unexpectedly turning on his microphone to harmonize with the Foursome's recording of "[[There'll Be Some Changes Made]]".

Godfrey was eager to remain connected with the Navy, but found his hip injuries rendered him unsuitable for military service. He knew President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], who listened to his Washington program, and through Roosevelt's intercession, he received a commission in the [[U.S. Naval Reserve]] before [[World War II]]. He would participate in exercises around the Washington area. Godfrey eventually moved his base to the CBS station in New York City, then known as [[WCBS (AM)|WABC]] (now WCBS), and was heard on both [[WFED|WJSV]] and WABC for a time. In the autumn of 1942, he also became the announcer for [[Fred Allen]]'s ''[[Texaco Star Theater]]'' show on the CBS network, but a personality conflict between Allen and Godfrey led to his early release from the show after only six weeks.

Godfrey became nationally known in April 1945 when, as CBS's morning-radio man in Washington, he took the microphone for a live, firsthand account of President Roosevelt's funeral procession. The entire CBS network picked up the broadcast, later preserved in the [[Edward R. Murrow]] and [[Fred W. Friendly]] record series, ''I Can Hear it Now''. Unlike the tight-lipped news reporters and commentators of the day, who delivered news in an earnest, businesslike manner, Godfrey's tone was sympathetic and neighborly, lending immediacy and intimacy to his words. When identifying new President [[Harry S. Truman]]'s car in the procession, Godfrey fervently said, in a choked voice, "God bless him, President Truman." Godfrey broke down in tears and cued the listeners back to the studio. The entire nation was moved by his emotional outburst.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/1247468459504/american-success-story.html|title=American Success Story (excerpt of ''The Dick Cavett Show'' from May 8, 1972)|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 26, 2010|access-date=March 2, 2016}}</ref>

CBS gave Arthur Godfrey his own morning time slot on the nationwide network. ''Arthur Godfrey Time'' was a Monday–Friday show that featured his monologues, interviews with various stars, music from his own in-house combo, and regular vocalists. Godfrey's monologues and discussions were usually unscripted, and went wherever he chose. ''Arthur Godfrey Time'' remained a late morning staple on the CBS Radio Network schedule until 1972.<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1964/01/19/118650457.html?pageNumber=359 Adams, Val. "Anniversary" (''The New York Times'', January 19, 1964, Section 2, p.X 17).] Retrieved October 27, 2018.</ref>

Two radio monologues proved to be audience favorites and were rebroadcast on several occasions by popular demand, and later on his television show. They were "What is a Boy?" and a follow-up, "What is a Girl?" With the skilled addition of sentimental music, both monologues captured the essence of what made parents love their children, fondly describing the highly varied personality traits of each child as the monologue progressed. Each monologue struck a chord with everyone who heard it.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}} "What is a Boy?" in particular proved to be so popular that it was released as one of Godfrey's records, which he issued on Columbia Records (Record no. 39487) in the summer of 1951, with "What is a Girl?" on the B-side of the record. It reached the top of the [[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] in August 1951, one of several successful records Godfrey released between 1947 and 1952.

Godfrey was also known for sparking impromptu [[jam session]]s on the air with the band, all of them first-rate musicians who could [[Musical improvisation|improvise]] on the fly. He would sometimes begin singing along with his ukulele, the band falling in behind him. At other times, he would jump into a number sung by one of the "Little Godfreys" and continue it, encouraging solos from various band members. It was further proof of his insistence on spontaneity on the air. He began to play a [[baritone ukulele]]. Over time, tutored by the band's guitarist [[Remo Palmier]], Godfrey's playing took a decidedly jazzy quality. Palmier, a top Manhattan studio guitarist, was also a respected jazz guitarist and the only one of Godfrey's musicians to remain with the show from its 1945 debut until the final 1972 broadcast.

In 1947, Godfrey had a surprise hit record with the novelty "Too Fat Polka (She's Too Fat For Me)" written by Ross MacLean and Arthur Richardson. The song reached number two in the US charts and its popularity led to the [[Andrews Sisters]] recording a version adapted to the women's point-of-view. In general, Godfrey despised most of his novelty recordings, including "Too Fat Polka", which was biggest-selling record with over one million copies sold.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book
| first= Joseph
| last= Murrells
| year= 1978
| title= The Book of Golden Discs
| edition= 2nd
| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd
| location= London
| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/39 39]
| isbn= 0-214-20512-6
| url-access= registration
| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/39
}}</ref>
[[File:Bing Crosby Perry Como Arthur Godfrey 1950.JPG|thumb|left|Publicity still with [[Bing Crosby]] and [[Perry Como]] in 1950 for Crosby's radio show]]
Godfrey's morning show was supplemented by a prime time variety show, ''[[Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts]]'', broadcasting from the [[CBS Studio Building]] at 49 East 52nd Street, where he had his main office. This variety show, a showcase for rising young performers, was a slight variation of CBS's successful ''[[Original Amateur Hour]]''. Some of the performers had made public appearances in their home towns and were recommended to Godfrey by friends or colleagues. These "sponsors" would accompany the performers to the broadcast and introduce them to Godfrey on the air. Two acts from the same 1948 broadcast were [[Wally Cox]] and [[the Chordettes]]. Both were big hits that night, and both were signed to recording contracts. Godfrey took special interest in the Chordettes, who sang his kind of barbershop-quartet harmony, and he soon made them part of his broadcasting and recording "family". Godfrey was also known for extemporizing music on the show, grabbing his ukulele and launching into songs the band may not have rehearsed. He had insisted on employing musicians in his small orchestra who would be able to accompany him quickly and "follow" him as he sang. This resulted in impromptu jam sessions on some broadcasts, rarely heard on mainstream variety programs.

Performers who appeared on ''Talent Scouts'' included [[Lenny Bruce]], [[Don Adams]], [[Tony Bennett]], [[Patsy Cline]], [[Lu Ann Simms]], [[Pat Boone]], opera singer [[Marilyn Horne]], [[Roy Clark]], and Irish vocalist [[Carmel Quinn]]. Later, he promoted "Little Godfrey" Janette Davis to a management position as the show's talent coordinator. Three notable acts rejected for the show were [[Buddy Holly]], [[the Four Freshmen]], and [[Elvis Presley]]. Following his appearances on the ''[[Louisiana Hayride]]'', Presley traveled to New York for an unsuccessful ''Talent Scouts'' audition in April 1955. After the ''Talent Scouts'' staff rejected [[the Orioles]], they went on to have a hit record with their version of "[[Crying in the Chapel]]" (a cover of the song by [[Darrell Glenn]], written by his father, Artie, and a subsequent hit for Presley as well). That success kicked off the "bird group" trend of early rock 'n' roll.

Godfrey was also an avid [[amateur radio operator]], with the station [[call sign]] K4LIB. He was a member of the [[National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame]] in the radio division.<ref>{{cite web| title=Past award recipients| url =https://www.nab.org/events/awards/pastawardwinners.asp?id=1926| publisher=National Association of Broadcasters | access-date = 2020-03-17}}</ref>

Beginning in January 1950,<ref name=v/> another Godfrey program on CBS Radio, ''Arthur Godfrey's Digest'', was a transcribed compilation of highlights from morning shows of the preceding week.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cox |first1=Jim |title=Musicmakers of Network Radio: 24 Entertainers, 1926-1962 |date=January 10, 2014 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-8962-6 |page=43 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aYuyvt7VR2sC&dq=%22Arthur+Godfrey%27s+Digest%22&pg=PA43 |access-date=December 24, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The 30-minute show was broadcast on Saturdays at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes.<ref name=v>{{cite magazine |date=February 1, 1950 |page=28 |title=Arthur Godfrey's Digest |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety177-1950-02/page/n27/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>