Curtis H. Springer was a unique American character. The self-described "last of the old-time medicine men", Springer got his start working with Billy Sunday's evangelical outfit and, in the 1930s, toured around the country and gave lectures, presenting himself as a member of the "National Academy", the "Springer School of Humanism", the American College of Doctors and Surgeons and other organizations, asking for donations.
Working out of Chicago, Springer appeared on radio hawking various patent medicines. He applied for airtime on WGN and the station contacted the American Medical Association to check out his credentials. The AMA was appalled and produced a journal article on Springer, calling him the "King of Quacks".
In this post, we hear Program 1 of a series Springer appeared in hawking Acidine, "Nature's Normalizer for Acid Stomachs", for United Remedies. It's one of five discs of the series I picked up in an auction a few months ago. In the shows, Springer takes questions from listeners that mix a homespun philosophies about religion and healthful living with colorful stories about his own life and the people he's met in his travels. In the first program of the series, Springer advises a listener about mortgaging their house to pay for their son's college education. Springer, of course, comes down on the side of experience and drive, rather than a college education, to get ahead in life. The commercial announcer is identified in program 4 as Hal Dean.
I've found a couple of listings for what I think is this program in "Radio Guide" and "Broadcasting" magazines from 1934, so that's the likely time frame they were originally heard.
Springer would go on to found the Zzyzx health spa in the Mojave Desert of California in 1944, continuing his syndicated radio programs. In 1974, Federal authorities shut down Springer's operation, convicting him of squatting on Federal lands and making false claims about the health foods and remedies he sold.
Our program was transferred from an original single-sided translucent blue celluloid Brunswick transcription, matrix number 9149. The disc was pressed by Flexo, which was producing various promotion and radio-related plastic and celluloid discs. Unfortunately, the transcription, like many Flexo pressings has distorted over time, so it was a little difficult to play - you'll hear some noise and "swoosh" sounds from the aging plastic surface.
The show was previously lost and uncirculated. I'll post the other discs I found from the series later - from what I can tell, these are the only surviving broadcasts by the "King of Quacks".
1952 Hudson Auto Show
Louie’s Hungry Five - Pgm 305, October 5, 1931
Basketball - WHBC Lehman v Lincoln January 9, 1948 - excerpt
American Family Robinson - Pgm 122
Wade Lane’s Home Folks - Pgm 14
Basketball - Canton vs Central Catholic - January 1948 - excerpts
American Family Robinson - Pgm 47
This Is Your FBI - September 28, 1951 - syndication version
Louie’s Hungry Five - Pgm 304 - October 3, 1931
Sammy Kaye Showroom - Pgm 28
Peter Potter’s Platter Parade excerpt - unknown date
American Family Robinson - Pgm 46
Ohio Story - Apri 20, 1948
Louie's Hungry Five - Pgm 303, October 2, 1931
Carol Adams - July 4, 1949
This is Your FBI - August 10, 1951 - Syndication version
Louie’s Hungry Five - Pgm 302 - October 1, 1931
Fishing and Hunting Club - July 7, 1949 - part two
Curtis Springer for Acidine - Pgm 3
Fraternal Order of Eagles speech - August 8, 1935
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