This critical reexamination of Amos ’n’ Andy, the pioneering creation of Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden, presents an unapologetic but balanced view lacking in most treatments. It relies upon an untapped resource—thousands of pages of scripts from the show’s nearly forgotten earliest version, which most clearly reflected the vision of its creators. Consequently, it provides fresh insights and in part refutes the usual blanket condemnations of this groundbreaking show. The text incorporates numerous script excerpts, provides key background information, and also acknowledges the show’s importance to radio broadcasting and modern entertainment.

Elizabeth McLeod is a journalist and broadcast historian. She lives and works on the coast of Maine.

Elizabeth McLeod
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 223
Bibliographic Info: 37 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2009 [2005]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4584-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0971-3
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi

Preface      1

A Note on the Script Excerpts      5

1. Origins      7

2. Correll and Gosden—Perfect Harmony      17

3. Airtime      23

4. Here They Are …      29

5. A Coast-to-Coast Hookup      47

6. Meet the Cast      69

7. Speaking the Language      87

8. Tales to Tell      95

9. Black and White?      115

10. Dissonant Voices      127

11. The Later Years      139

12. Making the Point      153

Appendix: By the Numbers      163

Cast and Credits      179

Chapter Notes      187

Bibliography      201

Index      209

“extensive roster of cast and credits…notes are detailed…illustrations are plentiful”—SPERDVAC Radiogram; “interesting”—In the Groove Magazine; “an important record”—Communication Booknotes Quarterly.