The spirit of radio came to life

JERRY PERSON

We interrupt this column for a special news bulletin. After many

years of intense research, world scientists have isolated the

mysterious and elusive humor gene.

The scientists discovered, by accident, that this exotic gene

might have originated in a small group of people known as the

Huntington Beach Lions who, at that time, were living in an isolated

beach area in California known as Huntington Beach.

It was in this group that scientists believe that they may be able

to pinpoint the origin of the gene by looking back in time to the

year of 1923. They theorize that the gene was created at the Feb. 15

meeting of the H.B. Lions Club that was presided over by President Ed

Manning.

Prior to this earth-shaking event, meetings were humorless and

boring. This particular meeting also began that way with city trustee

Richard Drew droning on about levying taxes on properties to pay for

bonds to build the Coast Highway.

As the meeting progressed, no one in the humorless room would have

suspected that some new life form would be created that day.

The usual ho-hums could be heard as City Atty. Lew Blodget stepped

up to address the group on revaluating local properties to pay for

the new highway. More ho-hums came as a letter from state Sen. Hiram

Johnson was read, replying to a letter sent to him by the club.

The Lions went on record opposing the trafficking of narcotics. By

now, the program seemed dry and humorless and the members were

getting a little antsy.

The club had planned to listen to a special radio broadcast of a

concert by the Pasadena Lions. But before the concert began, the

club’s Chairman of the Day, Rev. Luther A. Arthur stood up and told

the members that the concert was proponed until next week and there

would be no entertainment that day.

It was at this time that scientists believe the humorous gene was

created, when George Wardwell came to the rescue, taking it upon

himself to create a program for his fellow members.

Wardwell took a small box, fashioning it to look like a radio of

the day, and placed it on the club’s piano. Instead of using wire for

an antenna, he attached common string to the strange box and to the

ceiling, making a splendid “fake” connection.

Next came Herbert Glockner of the Huntington Beach Music Store who

secretly brought in a Brunswick phonograph and hid it behind the

piano.

Wardwell then proceeded to “tune in” a fake radio program. The

members heard the song “Jambo Jambo” from the fake loudspeaker as it

was played on the hidden phonograph. When the song ended, the members

listened as “Three O’Clock in the Morning” seemed to come from the

radio speaker.

Mrs. C. Herron and Mrs. L. Worthy continued the deception by

singing the songs “Flowers” and “Smilin’ Thru,” accompanied on the

piano by Wilma Potthoff.

The members had such a good time listening to the fake radio

program that when they were told of the deception, a roar of laughter

arose from the members -- thus creating the humor gene.

A week later, the Lions had their concert when a real radio was

brought in by John Barlow that included an immense horn loudspeaker

supplied by Al Onson. Our town’s electrician, R.E. McIntosh, hooked

up the radio.

The Pasadena Lions concert was broadcast by the Times and instead

of a phonograph supplying the music, Albert Bryant sang “That Old

Irish Mother of Mine.” Next on the program was a rendition of the

poem, “A Little Brown Owl” read by Beatrice Peskett.

The newly created gene was nearly lost to mankind that day when

the next speaker on the program was W.L. Coffey from the Internal

Revenue Service explaining “Net Losses.”

But the hardy gene could not be stopped and, from its creation in

this small group, has mutated from city to city until it is now found

on all the continents.

All thanks to the H.B. Lions, George Wardwell and his fake radio

with its string antenna.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.