Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #416
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 10/24/2002 9:03 AM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

------------------------------


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2002 : Issue 416
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  The Eddie Cantor Story                [ Richard Pratz <[removed]@[removed]; ]
  George Burns and the Wednesday Daily  [ [removed]@[removed] ]
  FOTR [removed]                    [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
  Norman Brokenshire                    [ "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed] ]
  thanks Glen                           [ "hughes1" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
  Target-Radio spirts-Bob Hope          [ lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed]; ]
  Re: Today in OTV history              [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
  Tommy Tucker Orchestra                [ "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed] ]

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Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 10:33:16 -0400
From: Richard Pratz <[removed]@[removed];
To: "OTR (Plain Text Only)" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  The Eddie Cantor Story

I spotted a cable TV listing last night for the 1953 film "The Eddie Cantor
Story." My memory of the film when I first saw it 49 years ago had dimmed,
so I thought I'd give it another whirl. Funny how time changes opinions. I
thought it was a great film when I was 16 years old, but viewing it again I
wondered how Eddie Cantor (1892-1964) could ever have let his name be
connected with such a debacle. I was prepared for the film to gloss over
Cantor's radio career and I was right. Although Cantor's years in radio
stretched from 1922 to 1954, the film showed only one scene that tried to
depict his radio days. It was in a "radio studio" with a floor mike front
and center, yet the actor who portrayed Cantor (whatever became of Keefe
Brasselle?) pranced all over the place mugging to the audience. How unreal!
No microphone would have picked that up! Perhaps the highlight of the film
(at least for me) came in that radio scene, however, when Brasselle
lip-synced Cantor's signature closing song "One Hour With You" in its
entirety. It was great to close my eyes and hear Cantor sing the familiar
strains - "I love to spend each Sunday with you. As friend to friend, I'm
sorry it's through. etc. etc." Cantor himself did all the actual singing in
the movie, and there was lots of it! That signature song, all the Cantor
hits and a brief appearance at the end of the film by Cantor himself were
the highlights of the motion picture for me. In the final scene, Cantor and
his wife Ida appeared momentarily as if they had just viewed the film
themselves. Eddie rose from his seat and said to the camera (paraphrase) "I
never looked better!" They then exited, music up, and fade to black. The
End.

Another obvious OTR connection in the film was the acting of Gerald Mohr who
played a shady character as he did so often in films. Mohr of course is best
remembered by OTR fans for "The Lone Wolfe" (1948) and "The Adventures of
Philip Marlowe" (1948-50). As for the film itself, if Brasselle doesn't turn
you off as Cantor (with some pretty bad lip-syncing), a putty-nosed actor
playing Jimmy Durante certainly will. The whole film was so Hollywood-esque
it was corny and laughable where it shouldn't have been. Again, how Cantor
ever let himself be connected with such a project 11 years before his death
I'll never understand. One more thing about Cantor while I'm ranting.
Remember his five daughters who were part of a running gag on radio? They
were also portrayed in the film, although Eddie never seemed to be home
during their births. He'd just pop home one day and there she'd
[removed] daughter! Strange depiction. Anyway, does anyone know
whatever became of the five Cantor girls? Did any of them go into show
business? And did any of the actors on this list ever work with old banjo
eyes?

After all my carrying on about how most of "The Eddie Cantor Story" wasn't
worth the powder and shot to blow it up with, it's still a "must" for Cantor
lovers if for nothing else, the sound track. What is it they say about never
being able to go back?

Rich

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:38:58 +0000
From: [removed]@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  George Burns and the Wednesday Daily
  News

1/ I've been eager to see the Frank Gorshin show as well but it's been
panned by all the local papers on the grounds that its unimaginative and
Gorshin is not doing anything special.  To those who saw it, including the
last commentator, why?

2/ The Daily News write-up of the annual FOTR convention has always been
special.  If anyone has absolutely nothing to do, visit the local library
and research the old columns on microfiche (or whatever they're using
today)

See you all at the convention!!

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:50:16 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  FOTR [removed]

Folks;

    I'm sitting in my room at the Holiday Inn North using the existing 
broadband connection (ok, so they're making it _really_ hard for me to hate 
the hotel) to send this note. Gathered this evening with lots of folks from 
the Digest (Hal Stone, Jay Hickerson, Anthony [removed], LOTS more), 
looking forward to a long weekend of OTR!

    Since there is an ethernet connection in the room, I _may_ be able to 
get some pics up during the con, to let those of you who aren't here get an 
idea of what you're missing. Even if I can't find the time to post pics, I 
will be writing up notes at least once a day to let you know what's going 
on around here.

    It's gonna be a _great_ con!

          Charlie

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:39:10 +0000
From: "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Norman Brokenshire

I know that the famed announcer Norman Brokenshire has some alcohol problems
at one time and that he returned to radio in a hour-long drama anthology
that featured theatrical successes. Try as I may, I cannot think of the
title of this [removed] anybody out there recall it?
Tom Mason

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:41:27 +0000
From: "hughes1" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  thanks Glen

Thank you Glen for the kind words about my shows on YUSA, and agree with you
the voice does sound the same on both sounds of This Old House, and Dance
With Me Henry.
Take care,

Walden Hughes

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:41:15 +0000
From: lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Target-Radio spirts-Bob Hope

Hello Everyone-

     This maybe old news to some and new news to
others, but for what it's [removed]

I visited our local Target store they are selling the
Radio Spirits new sets with Bob Hope, The shadow,
Old Time Radios greatests Comedies and Old Time Radios
Greatest Shows.  Each set sells for $[removed]  A very
nice savings from the $[removed] in the catalog.  Only
avaible on cassette though!  Bummer!!

Just wanted to share the info. with everybody.
Thanks!!

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:40:14 +0000
From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re:  Today in OTV history

Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed]; wrote:

 > 1956 - Jonathan Winters became a TV star. Winters was seen coast to coast
 > in the first videotape recording to be broadcast. The tape originated from
 > WRCA-TV in New York City. The broadcast was developed for NBC network
 > stations.

This used an experimental video recorder that RCA had built a few years
before and installed at NBC in New York for tests; it was only capable of
recording for 15 minutes because of an extremely fast tape speed (it had a
conventional stationary head).  Actually this machine had been used in 1955
for a local telecast -- in color, as was the Winters show -- in the
Minneapolis-St. Paul area, tying in to some event at the 3M Company.  (The
show was produced and recorded at "30 Rock" and played down the network line
for broadcast.)  My gut feeling on the Winters show stunt (which was only a
short segment inserted into a live show) is that NBC knew that Ampex was
working with CBS to get its quadraplex VTR ready for on-air use, and wanted
to be first on the air with video tape (which they were -- the Ampex VTR
went into use that November, for tape delay of "Douglas Edwards and the
News").  AIUI several more episodes of the Winters show used taped inserts
that season.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:39:19 +0000
From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Tommy Tucker Orchestra

I've finally found out the name of the big band orchestra who recorded a
disc jockey's theme song, after 50 years of searching.  It was Tommy
Tucker's orchestra with a vocal group who sang the lyrics: "Come one, come
all - we're gonna have a ball, there's music for dancin' and romancin'..."
ending with "...on The Norm Prescott Show!"

It was used between 1950 and 1955 on WORL in Boston and a new version
recorded by Nelson Riddle was used on WBZ Boston for Norm Prescott's DJ
programs from 1955 to 1959.  Both records were not released to the public,
but were probably recorded off the air by a collector in the 1950's.

Might there be someone on this list who has either/or both?  I would like a
dub on cassette or CD, will trade or purchase, or if someone knows of a
Tommy Tucker  music  collector for me to contact, please let me know
off-list.  Thank you very much.

Russ Butler  oldradio@[removed]

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #416
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