Frank Siedel Explained

Frank Siedel
Birth Name:Elmer Frank Siedel
Birth Date:5 September 1914
Birth Place:Strongsville, Ohio, U.S.
Death Place:Catawba Island, Ohio, U.S.
Years Active:1936–1988
Occupation:Writer, historian, educator, and broadcaster
Spouse:Alyce Louise van den Mooter and Mardith Ray Jacobson (later Hany)

Frank Siedel (5 September 1914 – 9 May 1988) was an American writer, historian, educator, and broadcaster. Siedel wrote over 1,500 movie, radio, and television scripts and two historical novels - The Ohio Story and Out of The Midwest.[1]

In 1947, Siedel created and wrote the first scripts for the "Ohio Story" radio episodes. For five years, the 15-minute show was broadcast live three days a week from the studios of WTAM in Cleveland to a network of Ohio radio stations. In 1952, the format changed to 10 minutes a night, and the shows were pre-recorded for distribution to 20 Ohio radio stations. "Captain Dodge's Uncommon Courage," the last radio show, aired on 29 December 1955.[2]

In 1953, Siedel initiated a weekly television version of the Ohio Story. [3] For two years, the Ohio Story radio and TV episodes overlapped. One hundred seventy-five Ohio Story TV episodes were produced.[4]

Ray Culley of Cinécraft Productions, owner of a sponsored film studio in Cleveland, Ohio, directed the television episodes.[5] Stuart Buchanan was the producer for both the radio and TV series. The narrator of the radio-TV series was initially Robert Waldrop, and later, Nelson Olmsted (1914–1982). William Ellis, Lee Templeton, and Leo Trefzger co-wrote with Siedel some of the later scripts. Anson Hardman, General Advertising Manager of Ohio Bell, coordinated the radio series project and did much of the early episode research. The radio and TV series sponsor for the entire run was the Ohio Bell Telephone Company.[6]

The Ohio Story radio-TV series (1947-1961) is said to be the longest-running scripted regional radio/TV show of its time.[7] Two of Siedel's three books were offshoots of the "Ohio Story" radio and television series.

In 2019, the Hagley Museum and Library started a project to digitize and post online the movies and TV episodes Siedel produced through Cinécraft Productions.[8]

Early life

The son of Frank and Mary Ann Junglas Siedel, Frank Siedel was born in Strongsville, Ohio. Siedel attributed his home-spun story-telling style of writing to his experiences listening to the pot-bellied stove storytellers in his father's general store.[9] He began his scriptwriting career in 1936 as a freelance writer, working for radio stations WHKC in Columbus, Ohio and WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1940 he took a job with ESCAR Motion Pictures in Cleveland. When World War II broke out, he wrote scripts for over 100 armed forces training films.[10]

Cinécraft and Storycraft years

In 1946, Siedel started working with Cinécraft Productions as a screenwriter and he founded Storycraft, Inc., a Cleveland-based scriptwriting company. Storycraft launched a number of young writers into successful careers. Bill Ellis and Jerry Turk were the first to join Siedel in Storycraft, Inc. Later, he added Lee Templeton, Leo Trefzger, Fred Lipp, and others.[11]

Personal life

A longtime resident of Rocky River, Ohio, Siedel served as president of that suburb's board of education and, in 1955, was elected to the first State of Ohio Board of Education where he successfully fought to have Ohio history taught in public schools.[12]

Siedel was married twice. Alyce Louise van den Mooter (1911 –1978) and Siedel had three children: sons James and Jonathan and daughter, Jeri Siedel Audiano. In 1982 he married Mardith Ray Jacobson [later Hany].[13] He died on Catawba Island, Ohio in 1988 and is buried in the Catawba Island Cemetery.[14]

Publications

Notable Siedel TV and radio episodes

References

  1. Web site: Frank Siedel Papers: 1947-1988 . Hagley Audiovisual Collections: Frank Siedel Papers . Hagley Museum and Library . 16 March 2023.
  2. Web site: The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961) . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 17 August 2021 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  3. "Favorite Ohio Story Show Begins on TV Today," Oct. 4, 1953, Cleveland Press
  4. Web site: The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961) . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 17 August 2021 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  5. Web site: Culley, Ray & Betty . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 24 August 2021 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  6. Web site: The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961) . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 17 August 2021 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  7. Web site: The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961) . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 17 August 2021 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  8. Web site: Martin . Kevin . A First Look at New Cinecraft Productions Collection . Hagley Library: News and Programs . 18 February 2020 . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  9. Web site: Frank Siedel . Ohio Genealogical Society . Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) . 27 February 2023.
  10. Web site: Siedel, Frank . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 25 June 2022 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  11. Web site: Siedel, Frank . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 25 June 2022 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  12. Web site: Siedel, Frank . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 25 June 2022 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  13. Web site: Siedel, Frank . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 25 June 2022 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  14. Web site: Siedel, Frank . Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 25 June 2022 . Case Western Reserve University . 27 February 2023.
  15. Web site: Crystal Clear . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 1 March 2023.
  16. Web site: Frank Siedel . Ohio Genealogical Society . Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) . 27 February 2023.
  17. Web site: Naturally It's FM . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  18. Web site: A Name You Can Trust in Rubber . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  19. Web site: Miracle on Mulberry Street . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  20. Web site: Moulders of Progress . Hagley Digital Library . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  21. Web site: Let's Explore Ohio TV Series scripts #1-6 . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 1 March 2023.
  22. Web site: The Year Nobody Gave . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 3 December 2024.
  23. Web site: Fasteners for Progress (production materials) . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library.
  24. Web site: Ohio Story: 10th Anniversary Show . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  25. Web site: Steel Frontiers . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  26. Web site: Milestones of Motoring . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  27. Web site: Land of Promise . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  28. Web site: Case Closed . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  29. Web site: Cleveland: World Port . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  30. Letter to Youngstown . Youngstown Bulletin . February 1961 . Youngstown Edition . 1, 3, 4, 6 . 19 November 2024 . Hagley Library Digital Archive.
  31. Copies of the movie are posted on the internet. Frank Siedel and his company, Storycraft, are listed in the film credits
  32. Web site: Cleveland City on Schedule . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  33. Web site: Invitation to Ohio . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  34. Web site: Search . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  35. Web site: Cover the earth . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagly Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  36. Web site: Ohio Heritage TV Series: example - Architecture . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  37. Web site: Projection 70: a six-episode TV series: example Communications . Hagley Digital Library . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  38. Web site: The Spoilers . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  39. Web site: Work in Progress . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.
  40. Web site: Looking Good . Hagley Digital Archives . Hagley Museum & Library . 27 February 2023.

External links

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Frank Siedel".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.