Theatrics of the Mind: Stan Freberg and the Art of Radio

Abstract

For six decades, Stan Freberg has been many things: satirist, comedian, musician, lyricist, writer, broadcast performer, author, and advertising man. Despite fame for satire in the 1950s and for his pioneering advertising work in the ’60s, Freberg’s first professional love has been radio. Beginning with a childhood fascination with the medium, Freberg did radio voice acting early in his career, appeared on the last network comedy show at the end of radio’s Golden Age, and applied skillful audio techniques to his famed comedy records once regularly heard on radio. Influenced by masters such as Fred Allen and Jack Benny, Freberg has in turn influenced several generations of media people.