Frank Siedel

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 three historical novels.[1]

Frank Siedel created and wrote 1,300 Ohio Story radio and 175 TV scripts. Photo courtesy of the Hagley Museum & Library.
Frank Siedel
Born
Elmer Frank Siedel

(1914-09-05)September 5, 1914
Strongsville, Ohio, U.S.
Died(1988-05-09)May 9, 1988
Catawba Island, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation(s)Writer, historian, educator, and broadcaster
Years active1936–1988
Spouse(s)Alyce Louise van den Mooter and Mardith Ray Jacobson (later Hany)

In 1947, Siedel created and wrote the first scripts for what would turn out to be over 1,300 "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 June 1952, Siedel initiated a weekly television version of the Ohio Story. One hundred seventy-five Ohio Story TV episodes were produced.[3]

Ray Culley of Cinécraft Productions, owner of a sponsored film studio in Cleveland, Ohio, directed the television episodes.[4] 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.[5]

The Ohio Story radio-TV series (1947-1961) is said to be the longest-running scripted regional radio/TV show of its time.[6]

Four of Siedel's 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.[7]

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.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

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].[12] He died on Catawba Island, Ohio in 1988 and is buried in the Catawba Island Cemetery.[13]

Publications
  • Siedel, Frank (1950). The Ohio Story. Cleveland, Ohio: World Publishing Co.
  • Siedel, Frank (1 January 1953). Out of the Midwest: More Chapters in the Ohio Story. Cleveland, Ohio: World Publishing Co.
  • Siedel, Frank, Frank G. Hoover and Bill Ellis (1955). Fabulous Dustpan: The Story of the Hoover. Cleveland, Ohio: World Publishing Co.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Siedel, Frank and James M. (1968). Pioneers in Science. Boston, MA: Hougton Mifflin.
  • Ellis, William Donohue and Frank Siedel (1 January 1956). How to Win the Conference. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Notable Siedel TV and radio episodes
  • 1946 Crystal Clear. Sponsor: Fostoria Glass Company[14]
  • 1947-1953 Ohio Story radio episodes. Sponsor: Ohio Bell Telephone Company[15]
  • 1947 Naturally It's FM. Sponsor: General Electric Company[16]
  • 1947 A Name You Can Trust in Rubber. Sponsor: Seiberling Rubber Company[17]
  • 1948 Miracle on Mulberry Street. Sponsor: Seiberling Rubber Company[18]
  • 1948 Moulders of Progress. Sponsor: Eljer Plumbing Company[19]
  • 1950 Let's Explore Ohio TV series. Sponsor: Standard Oil of Ohio[20]
  • 1951 Fasteners for Progress. Sponsor: Tinnerman Products Inc.[21]
  • 1952-1961 Ohio Story TV Series. Sponsor: Ohio Bell Telephone Company[22]
  • 1953 Freedom's Proving Grounds. Sponsor: Standard Oil of Ohio (SOHIO)[23]
  • 1954 Milestones of Motoring. Sponsor: Standard Oil of Ohio[24]
  • 1955 Land of Promise. Sponsor: Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company[25]
  • 1959 Case Closed. Sponsor: Cleveland Department of Public Welfare[26]
  • 1959 Cleveland World Port. Sponsor: Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company[27]
  • 1962 Cleveland City on Schedule. Sponsor: Cleveland Development Foundation[28]
  • 1964 Invitation to Ohio. Sponsor: Ohio Bell Telephone Company[29]
  • 1964 Search. Sponsor: Youngstown Sheet and Tube[30]
  • 1966 Cover the Earth. Sponsor: Sherwin-Williams Company[31]
  • 1968 Ohio Heritage TV Series: Sponsor Standard Oil of Ohio[32]
  • 1970 Projection 70 TV Series. Sponsor: Standard Oil of Ohio[33]
  • 1970 The Spoilers. Sponsor: Super Market Institute[34]
  • 1976 Work in Progress. Sponsor: American Iron and Steel Institute[35]
  • 1978 Looking Good. Sponsor: Bonne Bell Company[36]

References
  1. "Frank Siedel Papers: 1947-1988". Hagley Audiovisual Collections: Frank Siedel Papers. Hagley Museum and Library. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  2. "The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  3. "The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  4. "Culley, Ray & Betty". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  5. "The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  6. "The Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947–1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  7. Martin, Kevin (18 February 2020). "A First Look at New Cinecraft Productions Collection". Hagley Library: News and Programs. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  8. "Frank Siedel". Ohio Genealogical Society. Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  9. "Siedel, Frank". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  10. "Siedel, Frank". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  11. "Siedel, Frank". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  12. "Siedel, Frank". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  13. "Siedel, Frank". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  14. "Crystal Clear". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  15. "Frank Siedel". Ohio Genealogical Society. Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  16. "Naturally It's FM". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  17. "A Name You Can Trust in Rubber". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  18. "Miracle on Mulberry Street". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  19. "Moulders of Progress". Hagley Digital Library. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  20. "Let's Explore Ohio TV Series scripts #1-6". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  21. "Fasteners for Progress (production materials)". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library.
  22. "Ohio Story: 10th Anniversary Show". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  23. "Steel Frontiers". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  24. "Milestones of Motoring". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  25. "Land of Promise". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  26. "Case Closed". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  27. "Cleveland: World Port". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  28. "Cleveland City on Schedule". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  29. "Invitation to Ohio". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  30. "Search". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  31. "Cover the earth". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagly Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  32. "Ohio Heritage TV Series: example - Architecture". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  33. "Projection 70: a six-episode TV series: example Communications". Hagley Digital Library. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  34. "The Spoilers". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  35. "Work in Progress". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  36. "Looking Good". Hagley Digital Archives. Hagley Museum & Library. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
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