A native of Illinois, Ryan graduated from Rock Island High School and briefly attended the University of Illinois before completing his undergraduate work at Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA (1997). He earned a Masters of Theological Studies from Palmer Seminary in Philadelphia (1999) and then returned with his wife to the Midwest. Ryan has called Lawrence, KS, home since 1999. While working full time as a special education teacher, he earned his M.S. in Special Education (2007) and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (2014) at the University of Kansas.
Ryan stumbled upon old time radio recordings by accident in 2000 and the field has been a passionate hobby ever since. In 2005 he started The Old Radio Times, the first e-publication in the old time radio community. He served as editor until 2009 and then resumed the responsibility in 2018. Ryan has published over two dozen articles on broadcasting history and in recognition of his work was awarded the Ezra Stone/Willard Waterman Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Preservation of Old Time Radio in 2008. His areas of research include early African American radio and Kansas City radio history.
Wistful Vistas 
Dear Ryan Ellett,
Intrigued by your mention of George Kelting, He played the Television Ghost and other roles for W2XAB television in 1931-3. I’m pleased to find more on his radio career, and he may have been a sketch artist. He says he was in America (1924) and I see Don Carney was also in both Main Street Sketches and that DW Griffith film.
Do you know more on George Kelting or his manager Minnie Webster?
Thanks,
Martin
George Frame Brown and His Real Folks, Pt. 8
– George Kelting, another series performer, was represented by Minnie Webster who in 1929 was negotiating with various film companies to get Kelting into some shorts.
The Billboard, 24 August 1929.
Kelting for Shorts
NEW YORK. Aug. 19—George Kelting, formerly In pictures and now well known over the radio thru his broadcasting. Is in negotiation thru Minnie Webster, his agent, with several companies for the production of sound shorts.
For a long time Kelting was a part of Main Street Sketches, popular hour on the radio. Tonight Kelting, who Is well known as a harmonica artist, broadcasts over WMCA on the Stephens Musical Aristocrats’ Hour.
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