Herbert Morrison (announcer)
Encyclopedia
Herbert Morrison was an American radio reporter best known for his dramatic report of the Hindenburg disaster
, a catastrophic fire that destroyed the LZ 129 Hindenburg
zeppelin
on May 6, 1937, killing 36 people.
in Chicago to cover the arrival of the airship
in New Jersey
for delayed broadcast.
Radio network policy in those days forbade the use of recorded material except for sound effects on dramas, and Morrison and Nielsen had no facilities for live broadcast. Still the results became the prototype for news broadcasting in the war years to follow. The fame of this recording had no effect on network policies, however, and it was not until after the end of World War II
that recordings were regularly used.
Morrison's description began routinely but changed instantly as the airship burst into flames:
Morrison and Nehlsen continued their work, reporting at length on the rescue efforts and interviewing survivors, with several pauses while Morrison composes himself. A small and dashing looking man, Morrison wore a blue serge suit and a topcoat. Morrison mistakenly thought there were 106 people aboard the flight, when in reality there were 97 aboard. Thirty five people died in addition to one fatality on the ground. The sixteen-inch green lacquer
disk recordings were rushed back to Chicago by airplane and broadcast in full later that night. Portions were rebroadcast nationally by the NBC Radio network the next day. It was the first time recordings of a news event were ever broadcast, and also the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast. Morrison's quick professional response and accurate description combined with his own emotional reaction have made the recordings a classic of audio history.
The emotional feeling may be intensified by the fact that Nehlsen's Presto 6D recorder ran about 3% slow, causing Morrison's voice to sound different than it actually was. Morrison's normal speaking and radio announcer voice was actually quite deep.
Audio historian Michael Biel of Morehead State University
studied the original recordings and documented Nehlsen's vital contribution as an engineer as well as the playback speed issue:
Morrison's description has been dubbed onto the newsreel
film of the crash, giving the impression of a modern television-style broadcast. However, at the time, newsreels were separately narrated in a studio and Morrison's words were not heard in theaters.
The availability of newsreel films, photographs and Morrison's description was a result of heavy promotion of the arrival by the Zeppelin Company
, ironically making the crash a media event and raising its importance far beyond other disasters, less well-reported and documented.
Morrison's usual broadcast work was as an announcer on live musical programs, but his earlier successful reporting of Midwestern floods from an airplane led to his assignment at Lakehurst that day.
has it that Morrison was fired by WLS for his emotional reaction, but according to the station's weekly magazine and Morrison himself, this is not true. In fact, he was highly praised by station management, and the story of how he and Nielsen made the recording was described in detail. It is possible that the story of his being fired came about because Morrison left WLS a year later to work for the Mutual Broadcasting System
and that network's New York flagship station, WOR
.
Morrison served in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II, and later became the first news director at WTAE-TV
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. In the 1975 motion picture The Hindenburg
, Herbert Morrison was employed as a technical adviser. He was portrayed by actor Greg Mullavy in the movie, but his recording was used in the film. Herbert was also sent across the country by Universal Studios
to promote the film.
He retired to live outside Morgantown, West Virginia
. He was active as a lecturer to colleges and news organizations. He died in Morgantown, survived by his wife Mary Jane.
During the 75th Anniversary broadcast of The History of WLS in 1999, producer and narrator Jeff Davis played the corrected-speed version of Morrison's Hindenburg recording. This was the first time that the version was heard by a national radio audience. The corrected-speed version is noticeably different, as the shock wave from the blast is now clearly audible. In the previous, higher-speed version the shock wave was somewhat muffled.
The phrase has also been used in a cynical way to decry exaggerated responses to minor tragedies - examples being on the "Turkeys Away" episode of WKRP In Cincinnati
, "The One Where Ross Can't Flirt" episode of Friends
, The Red Green Show
, Heathers
, Wayne's World
, "The Pothole
" episode of Seinfeld
, "Rainy Days" episode of Recess
, on Mystery Science Theater 3000
by TV's Frank when Dr. Forrester blows up the Underdog balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, "Cow Days
", "Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus
" and "Simpsons Already Did It
" episodes of South Park
, the "Lisa the Beauty Queen
" episode of The Simpsons
, frequently said by Soun Tendo on Ranma ½
, by Lou Diamond Phillips' character in The Big Hit
, "Couch Potato
" on "Weird Al" Yankovic
's Poodle Hat
album, Celebrity Deathmatch
when Marilyn Manson
kills Hanson
and the Spice Girls
, The Grinch
, twice in the television series Monk
(in season 2's "Mr. Monk and the Paperboy" when Adrian Monk
accidentally wipes his hands with a garage rag and gets engine oil onto them, and in season 3's "Mr. Monk and the Kid" when he is changing a diaper), in the video game Spore
if and when the player destroys the planet Earth, and in Series 6, Episode 5 of the British comedy Peep Show
.
Morrison seems to have used the word "humanity" or "humanities" to indicate large numbers of people; he calls the crowd on the ground "a seething mass of humanity" before the crash. The band The Reverend Horton Heat
recorded a track entitled "Aw, the Humanity," which contains the lyrics, among others referencing the crash of the Hindenburg as a humorous allegory for a public breakup, "Aw the humanity, though it really wasn't clear what that guy meant when he said 'Aw the humanity.'"
Hindenburg disaster
The Hindenburg disaster took place on Thursday, May 6, 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, which is located adjacent to the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey...
, a catastrophic fire that destroyed the LZ 129 Hindenburg
LZ 129 Hindenburg
LZ 129 Hindenburg was a large German commercial passenger-carrying rigid airship, the lead ship of the Hindenburg class, the longest class of flying machine and the largest airship by envelope volume...
zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
on May 6, 1937, killing 36 people.
Hindenburg disaster
Morrison and engineer Charlie Nehlsen had been assigned by station WLSWLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
in Chicago to cover the arrival of the airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
for delayed broadcast.
Radio network policy in those days forbade the use of recorded material except for sound effects on dramas, and Morrison and Nielsen had no facilities for live broadcast. Still the results became the prototype for news broadcasting in the war years to follow. The fame of this recording had no effect on network policies, however, and it was not until after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that recordings were regularly used.
Morrison's description began routinely but changed instantly as the airship burst into flames:
Morrison and Nehlsen continued their work, reporting at length on the rescue efforts and interviewing survivors, with several pauses while Morrison composes himself. A small and dashing looking man, Morrison wore a blue serge suit and a topcoat. Morrison mistakenly thought there were 106 people aboard the flight, when in reality there were 97 aboard. Thirty five people died in addition to one fatality on the ground. The sixteen-inch green lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
disk recordings were rushed back to Chicago by airplane and broadcast in full later that night. Portions were rebroadcast nationally by the NBC Radio network the next day. It was the first time recordings of a news event were ever broadcast, and also the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast. Morrison's quick professional response and accurate description combined with his own emotional reaction have made the recordings a classic of audio history.
The emotional feeling may be intensified by the fact that Nehlsen's Presto 6D recorder ran about 3% slow, causing Morrison's voice to sound different than it actually was. Morrison's normal speaking and radio announcer voice was actually quite deep.
Audio historian Michael Biel of Morehead State University
Morehead State University
Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
studied the original recordings and documented Nehlsen's vital contribution as an engineer as well as the playback speed issue:
Morrison's description has been dubbed onto the newsreel
Hindenburg Disaster Newsreel Footage
Hindenburg Disaster Newsreel Footage refers to the footage filmed by several newsreel companies of the Hindenburg disaster where the zeppelin Hindenburg crashed and burned on May 6, 1937....
film of the crash, giving the impression of a modern television-style broadcast. However, at the time, newsreels were separately narrated in a studio and Morrison's words were not heard in theaters.
The availability of newsreel films, photographs and Morrison's description was a result of heavy promotion of the arrival by the Zeppelin Company
Luftschiffbau Zeppelin
Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH is a German company which, during the early 20th century, was a leader in the design and manufacture of rigid airships, specifically of the Zeppelin type. The company was founded by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin...
, ironically making the crash a media event and raising its importance far beyond other disasters, less well-reported and documented.
Morrison's usual broadcast work was as an announcer on live musical programs, but his earlier successful reporting of Midwestern floods from an airplane led to his assignment at Lakehurst that day.
Aftermath
An urban legendUrban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
has it that Morrison was fired by WLS for his emotional reaction, but according to the station's weekly magazine and Morrison himself, this is not true. In fact, he was highly praised by station management, and the story of how he and Nielsen made the recording was described in detail. It is possible that the story of his being fired came about because Morrison left WLS a year later to work for the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
and that network's New York flagship station, WOR
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...
.
Morrison served in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II, and later became the first news director at WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. In the 1975 motion picture The Hindenburg
The Hindenburg (film)
The Hindenburg is a 1975 American film based on the disaster of the German airship Hindenburg. The film stars George C. Scott. It was produced and directed by Robert Wise, and was written by Nelson Gidding, Richard Levinson and William Link based on the book of the same name by Michael M. Mooney .A.A...
, Herbert Morrison was employed as a technical adviser. He was portrayed by actor Greg Mullavy in the movie, but his recording was used in the film. Herbert was also sent across the country by Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
to promote the film.
He retired to live outside Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. He was active as a lecturer to colleges and news organizations. He died in Morgantown, survived by his wife Mary Jane.
During the 75th Anniversary broadcast of The History of WLS in 1999, producer and narrator Jeff Davis played the corrected-speed version of Morrison's Hindenburg recording. This was the first time that the version was heard by a national radio audience. The corrected-speed version is noticeably different, as the shock wave from the blast is now clearly audible. In the previous, higher-speed version the shock wave was somewhat muffled.
"Oh, the humanity"
Morrison's phrase "Oh, the humanity" has become an American idiom, most often used in a satirical way to ridicule, diminish and trivialize emotional displays the speaker deems overly sentimental. It is also used to satirize heinous acts of world leaders.The phrase has also been used in a cynical way to decry exaggerated responses to minor tragedies - examples being on the "Turkeys Away" episode of WKRP In Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
, "The One Where Ross Can't Flirt" episode of Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, The Red Green Show
The Red Green Show
The Red Green Show is a Canadian television comedy that aired on various channels in Canada, with its ultimate home at CBC Television, and on Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States, from 1991 until the series finale April 7, 2006 on CBC...
, Heathers
Heathers
Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
, Wayne's World
Wayne's World
Wayne's World was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series Saturday Night Live. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" on the CBC Television series It's Only Rock & Roll, as the main character first appeared in that show...
, "The Pothole
The Pothole
"The Pothole" is the 150th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 8th season. It aired on February 20, 1997. This episode earned Andy Ackerman an Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction...
" episode of Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, "Rainy Days" episode of Recess
Recess (TV series)
Recess is an American animated television series created by Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The series focuses on six elementary school students and their interaction with other classmates and teachers...
, on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
by TV's Frank when Dr. Forrester blows up the Underdog balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, "Cow Days
Cow Days
"Cow Days" is the thirteenth episode of the second season of the animated television series South Park, and 26th episode of the series overall. "Cow Days" originally aired in the United States on September 30, 1998...
", "Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus
Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus
"Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus" is the second season premiere of the animated television series South Park, and the 14th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 1, 1998...
" and "Simpsons Already Did It
Simpsons Already Did It
"Simpsons Already Did It" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 86th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on June 26, 2002...
" episodes of South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, the "Lisa the Beauty Queen
Lisa the Beauty Queen
"Lisa the Beauty Queen" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 15, 1992. In the episode, Homer enters Lisa into a beauty pageant to boost her confidence. Lisa is runner-up, but gains the title of Little Miss...
" episode of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, frequently said by Soun Tendo on Ranma ½
Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
, by Lou Diamond Phillips' character in The Big Hit
The Big Hit
The Big Hit is a 1998 American black comedy crime film directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Che-Kirk Wong. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Avery Brooks, and Elliot Gould....
, "Couch Potato
Couch Potato (song)
"Couch Potato" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. In it, the narrator details how much television he watches.-Release:...
" on "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
's Poodle Hat
Poodle Hat
Poodle Hat is the Grammy Award-winning 11th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on May 20, 2003 on Volcano Records. The album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200. The album was released on an Enhanced CD...
album, Celebrity Deathmatch
Celebrity Deathmatch
Celebrity Deathmatch is a claymation television show that depicts celebrities against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the loser's gruesome death. It was known for its excessive amount of blood used in every match and exaggerated physical injuries...
when Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
kills Hanson
Hanson (band)
Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
and the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
, The Grinch
The Grinch
The Grinch is a fictional character created by Dr. Seuss. He first appeared as the main protagonist in the 1957 children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!...
, twice in the television series Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
(in season 2's "Mr. Monk and the Paperboy" when Adrian Monk
Adrian Monk
Adrian Monk is a fictional character portrayed by Tony Shalhoub and the protagonist of the USA Network television series Monk. He is a renowned former homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department...
accidentally wipes his hands with a garage rag and gets engine oil onto them, and in season 3's "Mr. Monk and the Kid" when he is changing a diaper), in the video game Spore
Spore (2008 video game)
Spore is a multi-genre single-player god game developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems in September 2008 as Spore...
if and when the player destroys the planet Earth, and in Series 6, Episode 5 of the British comedy Peep Show
Peep Show (TV series)
Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
.
Morrison seems to have used the word "humanity" or "humanities" to indicate large numbers of people; he calls the crowd on the ground "a seething mass of humanity" before the crash. The band The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician Jim Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist....
recorded a track entitled "Aw, the Humanity," which contains the lyrics, among others referencing the crash of the Hindenburg as a humorous allegory for a public breakup, "Aw the humanity, though it really wasn't clear what that guy meant when he said 'Aw the humanity.'"
External links
- Real Audio playback of Morrison's report from the Radio Days web site (36:47)
- Alternate playback from the Voices of the Twentieth Century web site (0:57)
- Corrected speed version of Morrison's recording from the WLS History web site
- Historian Michael Biel and others in an exhaustive discussion of the broadcast and recordings from the old.time.radio mailing list.
- YouTube - Hindenburg Disaster