Hess, Richard L.

Historical Background

The Richard Hess Mullin-Palmer Tape Restoration Project Collection chronicles the widespread dissemination of one of the most important advances in sound recording technology: magnetic recording on tape. In 1945, a U.S. Army Signal Corp soldier named John T. "Jack" Mullin was assigned to recover examples of the latest German technology from the field. In a radio station, Mullin confirmed that the Germans had developed a system of sound recording and reproduction using paper and plastic tape. He returned to the United States with several reels of audio tape and two AEG Magnetophon brand reel-to-reel machines on which to play them. This was not the first time that this country was introduced to the technology (in fact, research was published widely in the 30s), but Mullin's initiative, along with the enterprise of filmmaker Bill Palmer, was essentially the avenue by which tape manufacturing began in the United States.

The story of Bing Crosby's involvement is familiar. In the late 1940s, Crosby hosted one of the most popular programs on radio: Philco Radio Time. Mullin and Palmer approached Crosby with their idea, and a company named Ampex, with backing from Crosby, developed its first model of tape recorder, the 200, in 1947 (other companies, among them Brush, Rangertone, Orradio, and Presto, were also experimenting with magnetic recording with some success). Tape provided an ease of editing that appealed to Crosby and his producers, and allowed for more creativity in assembling programs. It was also thought to offer improved fidelity. Because of the risk of tape failing during a live broadcast, shows were still aired from transcription discs; it was the recording and editing that was done with tape. The first program recorded on tape was broadcast October 1st, 1947, the start of the 1947-1948 season. The recordings in this collection consist largely of material used for the Philco program, including performances, outtakes, and advertisements. Among the other stars to be heard on the programs are Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee, Burl Ives, and Claudette Colbert.

The Richard Hess Collection is named for recording historian and audio engineer Richard L. Hess who assembled these tapes, transferred them, and provided detailed notes on both the content and its capture. Between 2001 and 2008, Hess drew from both public and private collections to construct a digital representation of the early days of magnetic recording in the United States.

From the guide to the Richard Hess Mullin-Palmer Tape Restoration Project Collection, 1934-2008, Bulk, 1946-1950, (Archive of Recorded Sound)