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 Post subject: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: May Fri 22, 2020 6:54 am 
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Joined: Feb Thu 25, 2016 12:58 am
Posts: 72
There was a well know DJ in the 1940's and 50's named Martin Block.

Image

My father was his engineer for a while and helped build him a studio at his home. A couple years ago, I found a stack of 16-inch transcription records of some of his and other shows. You can view them here:

https://imgur.com/a/nBb6UQe

I was able to have them digitized, some of decent quality. I'd be willing to share them, but not sure what the best way would be.


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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: May Fri 22, 2020 7:26 am 
Silent Key
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 12:00 am
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In the mid 50s I used to listen to his show every Saturday AM.
I know the theme song by heart.
https://www.wnew1130.com/music-2/staff/ ... tin-block/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRV37DK1UC4

IIRC ..it Was Martin Block..or maybe William B Williams, ..used to tell a story of how he 1st met Frank Sinatra on the Jersey Boardwalk and Frank was bragging to him that he could sing.. and asking to be on the show.

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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: May Fri 22, 2020 10:03 pm 
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Joined: Feb Thu 25, 2016 12:58 am
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Williams took over for Block in 1967 and hosted the show for another 20 years.


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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: Jun Mon 01, 2020 1:51 pm 
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My father always mentions that he used to listen to "The Make Believe Ballroom" in the late '40's on the front steps of his house in Queens, NY in the late-'40's with his Emerson portable radio. I can so visualize that.


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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: Jun Wed 03, 2020 9:53 am 
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DrBruin wrote:
I'd be willing to share them, but not sure what the best way would be.

https://archive.org would be good.


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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: Jun Sat 06, 2020 10:06 am 
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Joined: Feb Thu 25, 2016 12:58 am
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Here is one. I can upload more if interested:

https://archive.org/details/martin-block-show-freddy-martin


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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: Jun Sat 06, 2020 4:22 pm 
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Location: West Bend, WI
That's great! By all means, upload more as you can.

If you want to see Martin Block in action in 1948, here's a short film he made, featuring rare footage of singer Buddy Clark, who was killed in a plane crash the following year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icl4xICJgcA

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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: Jun Mon 08, 2020 8:26 pm 
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Joined: Feb Thu 25, 2016 12:58 am
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Here's another, a segment sponsored by Hudson automobiles:

https://archive.org/details/martin-block-hudson-audition-1948


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 Post subject: Re: Martin Block - Make Believe Ballroom
PostPosted: Sep Sun 27, 2020 12:53 pm 
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 12:00 am
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Location: Laughlintown, PA
What a nice find and you are generous for sharing them with others. It's amazing to me that nearly 70 years after the end of the heyday of network radio, there are still nuggets on transcription discs being found. To me, most of the discs are interesting even when the programming isn't top notch or some much sought after "lost episode" of a legendary series, etc. It's great you recognized what these were...a lot of people just see a 16" record and think it's an old LP...having no way to play it and no curiosity....they get pitched.

I found six 12" aluminum & acetate discs at Goodwill recently - they are studio recordings of an unnamed 1950s country group...girl singer...well recorded 78s. Some time ago I found a home recorded disc of a trip through the radio dial on some random 1940s night...what was playing on each station that came in at that moment on that radio for a few seconds each. IIRC, there is even a snippet of FDR speaking...need to find that disc....

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"The 21st Century is a nice place to visit - but I sure wouldn't want to live there."


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