Nice photos, but how much faith can you put into the text when simple errors stick out like sore thumbs

For instance:

Man Called X: Ken Thurston did not have a girlfriend and had nothing to do with the Cafe Tamborine (that was an entirely different program.)

Jack Moyles did NOT replace Frank Sinatra as Rocky Fortune. That series ended when Sinatra left it. Moyles DID star in Rocky Jordan, an entirely different show.

It is little things like this and make the book suspect for me. How many more errors are in this book? What can one take as fact and not with a grain of salt?

Excellent concept, faulty execution. I would not buy this book again and am considering returning my copy for credit. I do not consider this book to be a valuable reference item. Casual reading yes...reference work...no

This book, The Encyclopedia of American Radio, is an excellent, comprehensive compilation of facts and photos relating to radio shows and personalities of the past that were part of Radio's Golden Age...the thirties, forties and fifties. It is a very fond look back at those days when we all gathered around the family radio and listened to such great shows as The Lone Ranger, The Shadow, The Lux Radio Theater, Jack Benny, et al. The amount of information given in this book is vast and the Appendices, which lists hundreds of dramatic anthology shows and personalities not given separate entries in the book, is extensive. An amazing achievememnt and it is Fun to read and not dull, which is more than I can say for other less well written Radio Encyclopedias that have been published in the last few years. Congratulations, Mr. Lackmann, for a job well done.

Ron Lackmann's Encyclopedia of American Radio is a wonderfuul and useful book about Old Time Radio. It is the only book I have found on the subject that gives both show descriptions and biographies of many major radio personalities. I have found other books that are filled with far many more errors than are found in this book, and yet those books seem to get favorable reviews from certain somewhat bitter people. I have been told that authors writing for vanity publishers often write favorable reviews for their own books on similar sujects and nasty picky criticisms of other people's books on similar subjects in order to undermine work done by others. How awful. I found the illustrations in Lackmann's Radio Encyclopedia especially nostalgic and very provocative of a time gone by. I understand the bvook won the POpular Culture award as Best Reference book for 1997...which was well deserved. The extensive APPendices is also most impressive.

What a massive task, to review and include all the television shows from the beginning through 2000. Our first TV entered our home in '50 and has been a fixture ever since. So, to read the sketches for so many of the shows that have been available for this vast period has been a real treat. This book will serve as a useful reference for anyone researching the "vast wasteland" and/or is just looking back on their own history. You will like this book.

As a baby-boomer I've always had an interest in television. I mean, in my case it's pretty much all I remember. Two reviews I read intrigued me and so I bought a copy of THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN TELEVISION.
David M. Lisa in his Library Journal review of Feb. 15, 2003 said: "Nearly three years ago, Facts on File published Lackmann's excellent THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN RADIO: An A-Z Guide to Radio from Jack Benny to Howard Stern. Its companion volume is just as valuable, in addition to being fun to read and use. Similar in scope and format to its predecessor, AMERICAN TELEVISION presents more than 1000 capsule descriptions of all major network and syndicated television series from 1947 through 2000, with entries for primary television personalities also included. The attention to detail that characterized AMERICAN RADIO is evident here as well, with listings of broadcast schedules, network information, and show trivia included in each description. In addition, Lackmann offers two excellent appendixes: a listing of the top-rated programs from 1952 to 1999 (divided by television season and including yearly ratings for each program) and Emmy Award winners from 1948 to 1999. Black and white photographs accompany the major entries, and the book's index makes it easy to find your favorite program or personality. Alex McNeil's TOTAL TELEVISION has a similar setup but only goes up to 1995, and while Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh's THE COMPLETE DIRECTORY OF PRIME TIME NETWORK AND CABLE TV SHOWS, 7th ed. covers cable, unlike Lackmann's book, it cuts off at 1998. Overall then AMERICAN TELEVISION is the most current, concise, and affordable work available on the subject. This important reference will be used by public and academic libraries for many years and is highly recommended."
Mark van Lummel, described the contents of this book in his review which was included in his list of newly released reference books. He said: "This survey encyclopedia, covers popular broadcast television shows and specials from 1945 to 2000. Standard appendixes of yearly top-rated programs and annual Emmy awards are included, along with a thorough index. The majority of entries are for programs and actors. Each program entry includes a description of the show, times the show aired, complete cast listings and notable guest stars, and the occasional interesting fact. Biographical entries include dates of birth and death, along with actor's television credits. Any significant acting work done outside of television is also mentioned. All entries are enhanced with excellent cross-references to related shows and actors. Coverage of special television events and programs is also included, but not extensive. While the author includes his criteria for selection, there are a few surprises in the actors and programs selected for inclusion." van Lummel also said, "Within its own limits, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN TELEVISION is well written and easy to access".....and..."this encyclopedia may be considered an adequate addition for libraries that do not own other reference works on television programming history."

This is a wonderful, concise and helpful general reference souce for anyone researching the major television shows and stars of the past century. Unlike other books on the subject, The Encyclopedia of American Television, is easy to read, gives only the important highlights of each show and major personality and is a very attractive looking book. The photographs in the book are nostalgic and provocative. The back of the book has lists of the top twenty shows of the 20th Century, as well as Emmy winners. I think this book would be most useful to school aged children and adults who are interested in an overview of television and its major stars of the past century.

The book is published by Facts on File. Apparently having facts on file is not a substitute for knowledge of the subject. In just one sitting I discovered... The Lone Ranger was produced in Pittsburgh (No, Detroit). NBC Monitor was a TV show (No, radio). Paul Harvey retired in the mid 80's (I heard him yesterday). And the errors just keep on comin.' Buy Tune in Yesterday, instead.

Mr. Lachmann, in his comments on our 'amateur reviews,' says that its easier for us to criticize his work than produce one of our own, and in that manner dismisses our critiques. Yes, writing is definitely hard work, completing a project even harder. Congrats to Mr. Lachmann for that. BUT, we are not saying that the book is poorly written - i.e., something that is subjective. We are saying that the book is filled with factual errors! Mr. Lachmann should rather embrace our comments so that he can fix these errors in a new edition, rather than not even address the issue. As for the 'professional' people who gave it such good reviews, it can only be that they didn't do much more than skim over it. If we 'amateurs' saw all these errors, think what the pros would have seen had they actually concentrated on it!

This book is full of inaccuracies from beginning to end. I list a few of them in Cave Canem, an online guide to reference book erratas. Email me for the URL.