In the realm of the “what if”’ we always seem to wish for a chance that would redesign an undesired result or event. Sometimes we just wish to locate a lost item or learn the answer to a mystery question. What could we learn about Tombstone or Wyatt Earp if we could locate a radio broadcast discussing an in-person interview with Wyatt Earp. I have two possibilities concerning radio broadcasts that readers of this discussion board might be able to help locate.
First, in the 1920s a magazine feature reporter named Adela Rogers St. Johns interviewed frontier lawman Wyatt Earp shortly before his final illness. In the 1960s she reviewed this meeting in a feature newspaper article. Here is my “what if” desire. Ms. St. Johns hosted a 15-minute weekday morning program on the national ABC radio network during the 1936-37 season. Her daily format was a personality-oriented commentary. It is understood that one of her profiles centered around her interview with Wyatt Earp a decade earlier. What could be learned from listing to a recording of that broadcast? Maybe one of you reading this message might be able to help locate a recording or script of this early day radio broadcast.
A second “What if” would be the location of a recording or transcript of the interviews that Stuart N. Lake gave in 1931 to a San Diego radio reporter concerning his new book Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal.
Let’s start searching and talking to old radio show collectors, we might find gold and have a great program for a presentation at a future TTR Symposium. Don’t forget the 15th Annual TTR Symposium will be held 22-26 October 2025 in Tombstone.
Chuck Hornung
What if?
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Michael-Paul-M
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- Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2024 7:51 am
Re: What if?
Chuck,
You mentioned the Adela Rogers St. Johns interview during a presentation at TTR going back 8 years or more. I never forgot it and have intermittently been putting in effort to locate it. While I have not yet been successful, there has been progress. I've located an NBC radio show she hosted from 1936-1937, and have revisited the investigation from time to time.
I know from my own well-developed projects, finding one record or one resources can make monumental differences when added to an existing body of work. No doubt these interviews would she massive light on Wyatt and the events discussed. I echo your call to researchers to take action.
Mike
You mentioned the Adela Rogers St. Johns interview during a presentation at TTR going back 8 years or more. I never forgot it and have intermittently been putting in effort to locate it. While I have not yet been successful, there has been progress. I've located an NBC radio show she hosted from 1936-1937, and have revisited the investigation from time to time.
I know from my own well-developed projects, finding one record or one resources can make monumental differences when added to an existing body of work. No doubt these interviews would she massive light on Wyatt and the events discussed. I echo your call to researchers to take action.
Mike