------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 216
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Cincinnati Convention [ "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed] ]
Orson Welles : The radio years [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
AFRA Magazine -1943 [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
Re: The Future of Tape [ "Steven C. Thoburn" <scthoburn@comc ]
radio magazines sought [ bloodbleeds@[removed] ]
Re: The Future of Tape [ George Guffey <grguffey@[removed]; ]
I Love to Singa [ Bob Fells <rfells@[removed]; ]
Greatest show? [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
Glenn Miller festival [ marklambert@[removed] ]
Johnny Dollar [ "Peter H. Vollmann" <vollmann@hawai ]
Stan Lee on radio [ "Michael DeLisa" <mike_delisa@hotma ]
opera plots from Dallas [ "Robert Angus" <rangus02@[removed]; ]
Re: WGN [ Michael Edwards <medwards_47@yahoo. ]
Re: Watching the Radio [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Re: Distinctive voices [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
re Ronald C-O-L-M-A-N & Jose Iturbi [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
Re: rare book wanted [ George Guffey <grguffey@[removed]; ]
MY INNER SANCTUM STORY [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
Radio Guide: What's on the Air [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
MP3 Giveaway IV [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
Re: 50 years of collecting [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
Suspense [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 14:53:50 -0400
From: "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Cincinnati Convention
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Yesterday morning I was invited to a "tearing down" ceremony of the
old Windjammer at the Radission Hotel. It was kind of sad, but it
was even more sad to see it the way it has been for four years.
Those of you who came to the convention when we had it
under the Windjammer know we had some great times there.
Driving to there I knew it would be hard to tell the people
there we were not coming back next year. When I got there
they already knew because the other hotel had called them.
Lindsay and Kathy were great to work with.
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 14:54:03 -0400
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Orson Welles : The radio years
question for anyone with the pamphlet entitles "The Radio Years: Orson
Welles on the Air
Please contact me off line
Howard Blue
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 14:54:32 -0400
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: AFRA Magazine -1943
the OTR Digest has come for me in so many incredible ways -- I thought I
would toss this one out. it's a tough one, so I will dare say I'll eat my
hat if someone comes up with an answer - I'm not talking about Stand By
-- and I already tried Tamiment, Wisc. Historical society, Lincoln Center
etc. the only source I did not contact whom I probably should have is
Michael Henry at the Library of American Broadcasting.
Here's the question: Can anyone tell me the location of the American
Federation of Radio Artists Magazine from the 1940s? Harry B., Conrad
[removed] anybody?
Howard Blue
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 14:55:36 -0400
From: "Steven C. Thoburn" <scthoburn@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: The Future of Tape
And where will you find the tapes and equipment? Circuit City, for one,
seems to be clearing out all tape players and supplies. The salesman
explained that tape players were obsolete. Maybe so, but I still haven't
found an mp3 recorder that will permit me to, for example, record an
interview.
Check out the "Yepp" line from Samsung (among others).
What is the future of tape technology? Should we expect the end of
consumer tape players, leaving only a small and expensive niche market?
Yes (I have my turban on, and my crystal ball in front of me!). Not-So-Bold
Prediction here: within a few years one will go into their local stereo
store and find one or two tape players displayed next to the overpriced
turntable they still carry. You will still find high-end players at a few
specialty shops, but you will have to take them home on the bus, as you will
have sold your car to buy them.
I'm not saying this is desirable. But I do expect that this is the way it
will be.
Steve
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 15:26:13 -0400
From: bloodbleeds@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: radio magazines sought
With all the comments about mp3 shows, I was curious if there was a collection anywhere of
old radio magazines from the 30s, 40s or 50s on cd? I'd like to get a bunch not as a
collector but for the great information these would provide for my current and upcoming
books. I hope the question doesn't offend anyone, but I am curious. Thanks.
Ben Ohmart
The Great Gildersleeve book
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 15:30:42 -0400
From: George Guffey <grguffey@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: The Future of Tape
In Digest #214 John Mayer wrote:
And where will you find the tapes and equipment?
Circuit City, for one, seems to be clearing out
all tape players and supplies. The salesman explained
that tape players were obsolete. Maybe so, but I
still
haven't found an mp3 recorder that will permit me
to, for example, record an interview.
What is the future of tape technology? Should we
expect the end of consumer tape players, leaving only
a small and expensive niche market?
The Archos Jukebox HD-MP3 Recorder might be exactly
the kind of MP3 player/recorder John has been looking
for. For a detailed, balanced 5-page account of this
device (measuring [removed] by [removed] by [removed] in.; weighing [removed]
oz.), see Jason Clark's extensive review at this Web
address:
[removed]
[removed]
I quote a few of Clark's *many* relevant comments:
"The small mic had a startling good range and clarity
for the pinhole sized opening it is represented by.
While at the club we were able to record the sets
quite easily from about 10' away from the stage. The
mic captured the mixes with ease."
"Similarly the analog hookup did just as good a job
recording some old 70's stuff I had on tape. . . a
technology that's had a good run, but whose time has
come. Again it was just a matter of plugging the
HD-MP3 Recorder into my tape deck, finding the song on
tape, setting the recorder up and pressing play on
both tape deck and recorder."
"When we played back the recording from the club's
amateur night the recording was quite clear, every
sound the mic picked up was played back with crystal
clarity. . . . Depending on the quality of recording
and sample rate you choose, the playback can range
from a basic flat sounding recording to a very diverse
and dynamic recording."
"On analog the playback was not as dynamic, but then
again it IS analog and you can only do so much with a
mono track. Playback was clean with no audible
distortion."
For another overall laudatory review emphasizing
different operational details, strengths, and
weaknesses, go to C|NET:
[removed]
Although the 6 GB Archos Jukebox HD-MP3 Recorder lists
at $[removed], it is currently being sold online for as
little as $239.
George
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 15:48:24 -0400
From: Bob Fells <rfells@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: I Love to Singa
I'd like to see that Owl Jolson Warner Bros cartoon myself that I last
viewed about 45 years ago on TV. In the meantime, if you're looking for
a live action version, the song, "I Love to Singa" was written
especially for Al Jolson for his last solo starring film, The Singing
Kid, produced at Warners in 1936. Written by Harburg and Arlen, the
team that later wrote "Over the Rainbow" for Judy Garland, "I Love to
Singa" is a rather absurd song that has a ingratiatingly catchy melody.
The song was apparently an awkward effort to thrust Mr. Jolson into the
Swing Era but even Cab Calloway, Jolie co-star in the film, couldn't put
the song over.
It never became part of Jolie's repertory in his later years but if you
hazard to catch this film on Turner Classic Movies, you will find - in
spite of yourself - humming "I love to singa, about the moon-a and the
June-a and the spring-a" in some unguarded moment. Beware!
Bob Fells
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 15:48:46 -0400
From: "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Greatest show?
No matter how many times I listen, I never fail to be stirred by "On a
Note of Triumph," the show about the allies' World War II victory in
Europe, written, produced, and directed by the genius Norman Corwin. Today
I listened again, this time to a rebroadcast that is part of Radio Spirits'
"America at War" set, and concluded that this was radio's greatest show --
greater than Orson Welles' "we fooled you" version of "War of the Worlds,"
greater than Amos' explanation of "The Lord's Prayer" to Arbadella, greater
even than Corwin's own "Fourteen August," marking the end of World War II.
This is all subjective, of course, but I think I could find people who
agree with me, from Newburyport to Vladivostok.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:06:46 -0400
From: marklambert@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Glenn Miller festival
For Glenn Miller fans out there, this weekend
is the annual festival honoring Miller, which
is held in his hometown of Clarinda, Iowa.
For more info:
[removed]
--Mark
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:26:29 -0400
From: "Peter H. Vollmann" <vollmann@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Johnny Dollar
Mandell Kramer did a pretty good job, in my opinion. He ranks right behing
Bob Bailey, who, of course, is unsurpassed by any of the other [removed] Does
anybody know why Bailey quit?
Peter from Hawaii
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:44:54 -0400
From: "Michael DeLisa" <mike_delisa@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Stan Lee on radio
I hate to be a stickler, but Stan Lee "co-created" Spider-Man with artist
Steve Ditko. This is a major issue amongst comic book nuts such as myself.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:45:35 -0400
From: "Robert Angus" <rangus02@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: opera plots from Dallas
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I've tried for this information on the list once before with no responses, but
I'm hoping that this time there's an old-timer from the Dallas, Tex. area who
can help me. In the early 1950s, one of the Texas clear-channel stations---I
think in Dallas---had a DJ who played classical music late in the evening.
His shtick was opera, and during the program he'd do a plot summary of a
popular opera in a down-at-the-old-corral drawl which was hilarious. At some
point, the station offered reprints of these, for which I mailed in. The
booklet, when it arrived, was mimeographed and stapled. Can anybody help me
identify the station, the program, the performer? Are any of these monologues
preserved either aurally or on paper?
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:46:55 -0400
From: Michael Edwards <medwards_47@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: WGN
On the subject of WGN, Ken Piletic stated:
To my knowledge, WGN has been "Serving the Nation from Chicago"
continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week ever since 1939,
which is when their "new" transmitting tower was installed. They
have a "spare" transmitter and antenna for use when the main
transmitter requires [removed] I'd me interested if anyone can
confirm or refute this information about WGN.
Ken, I'm not sure if you were referring strictly to
the OTR era but these days, WGN shuts down for
transmitter maintenance every few months on a late
Saturday/early Sunday between 1 and 5 am [removed] I
know this because my favorite talk radio show airs at
that time, and ends up getting cut.
Michael Edwards
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:47:18 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Watching the Radio
Rick <sixshooter27us@[removed]; asked:
> [Stan Lee] said that when he was a kid the family would listen to OTR
> each [removed] his entire family would sit in the living room facing
> the radio. He's not sure why they did it.
It's impossible to speculate, of course, on what the customs of any
particular family unit might have been, but my best guess is that Stan's
memory is playing him false. One of the nice things about radio is, of
course, the fact that you don't HAVE to watch it; you can go about your
business while being entertained. If Stan's family had just bought a
big, attractive console radio, they might have done this for a few days
in admiration of their purchase. And even afterward the parents might
have dropped down exhausted in the living room after a day's work, too
tired to do anything but listen. But the children are almost certain to
have found something to occupy their hands, as I and every child I knew
did, the stories occupied their minds: toys, drawing or coloring,
puzzles, even, as a last resort, homework.
BTW, I still have my first edition of _Spiderman_ as well as the guest
shots in _Amazing_ that preceded it. This might be a good time to sell
it, I guess, and use the money to buy a retirement cottage.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:54:07 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Distinctive voices
Jer51473@[removed] noted:
> only the familiar voices kept the very top shows at the top.
Another obvious point is that distinctive voices were essential to the
medium. With no visual images, a show would have been very confusing if
two actors sounded very much alike; we would get impressions of, for
example, the hero fighting himself.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 17:01:35 -0400
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: re Ronald C-O-L-M-A-N & Jose Iturbi
Patrick cooldown3@[removed] asked,
Can anybody tell me anything about a show in my collection? It stars Ronald
Coleman and he is inducting Jose Iturbi into a club. It is similar to a
fryars roast. the date that was attached to it was '39-01-22. Supporting
cast include Cary Grant , Groucho & Chico Marx. At the end the announcer
says that this was the second show and to return next week for Noel Coward's
induction.
That sure sounds like "The Circle," the program cited in most Marx
Brothers histories as the last attempt to make radio personalities of
the two speaking Marxes - and always cited, it seems, as an ambitious
failure.
There's a still photo of the "Circle" company at a script reading, and
Messrs. Colman, Grant, Marx and Marx are all visible.
John Henley
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 17:44:40 -0400
From: George Guffey <grguffey@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: rare book wanted
Issue #14 of Cindy Bartorillo's READING FOR PLEASURE
lists Erwin S. Strauss' THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCIENCE
FICTION CONVENTIONS as "in process of conversion to
electronic text." Issue #14 can be accessed at:
[removed]
Bartorillo also supplies the following contact
address: "Reading For Pleasure, c/o Cindy Bartorillo,
103 Baughman's Lane, Suite 303, Frederick, MD 21702."
Perhaps Ms. Bartorillo could be of help to Martin's friend.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 17:58:08 -0400
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MY INNER SANCTUM STORY
It was 1973, I was living in Hollywood seeking a career in movies. I had
just begun listening to reel-to-reel tapes of OTR which I got from my friend
Skip Craig who worked at Jay Ward as a cartoonist.
He knew people from Pioneer Broadcasters group who met in the vault of
the bank building just below street level at the Northeast corner of Sunset
and Vine in what once was the NBC building.
He would lend the tapes to me and I would copy and delight.
I remember Inner Sanctum most clearly because I was born in 1942 and was
supposed to be asleep in my crib when the show would come on.
It was from those Pioneer guys that I found out the name of Mr. Host who
had thrilled me so when a mere crib-dweller.
You might say Paul McGrath was one of my first baby sitters.
Anyway, in '73 I had a friend named Doug McGrath (no relation) who was
getting married and I wanted to get the details but had lost his number so I
hit 411 and I guess I must have unconsciously asked for PAUL instead of Doug.
Next thing I knew she had given me a number that I knew was in Beverly
Hills. Thinking they had moved up in the world I was surprised when a strange
voice said,
"Helloo-o-o."
I recognized it immediately. The tone, the hidden sardonic leer, the very
sound of my darkened bedroom came back to me.
I heard myself blather,
"Oh My God. I have the wrong number. I'm so sorry."
"That's quite all right." he said.
I had to act fast, he was hanging up.
"But wait, this is gonna sound crazy but, I know who you are. Didn't you
host a radio show called Inner Sanctum?"
Pause.
I heard him breathing.
"Why yesssssss, I did."
He went right into character and I was thrilled.
"How very nice of you to remember, hmmmm. It was a wonderful time to be
with all those creeps and ghosts."
Was it my imagination? He was doing an opening of a show for me!!!
I listened for a while and when he had his fun I said,
"I am overjoyed at this accident and I just want to say thank you for so
many wonderful nights quivering with fear and laughter in my crib. What a
delight to finally get to speak back to you."
He was thrilled too. Warming to the accidental hookup, he began to tell
stories in that wonderful mahogony-honey toned voice and wondered how anyone
could still be interested in those old shows. Remember, this was in '73 when
very few even knew these shows still existed let alone be on tape.
He invited me for tea anytime at his Wilshire Blvd. apartment.
I said I'd love to. I'd even bring a show for him to listen to because he
did them live and never heard them on the air.
Alas, movies career, location shooting, girlfriends and the usual
Hollywood frenzy kept me distracted until one sad day when I read in Variety
that he had died at his home on London where he had moved.
A sad missed meeting.
A wonderful radio accident and over the phone too where it sounded like
an old golden-dialed radio in the dark and seemed like a disembodied visit
from another planet. Another time.
Sigh. Think I'll go listen to him right now.
<A HREF="[removed],+Michael+C.">
Michael C. Gwynne</A>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 22:30:28 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Guide: What's on the Air
Folks;
Received this request for help this [removed] sender has been invited
to join us, but is not a subscriber as I write this, so please copy both the
sender and the list on any replies you might make.
Charlie
--- begin forwarded text
From: Gishkae@[removed]
Subject: Radio Guide: What's on the Air
My husband's grandfather published a coast to coast publication called "Whats
on the Air". It was what [removed] Guide is to televison. It went under when the
stock market crashed. My father-law and his brother were even used as
character names on one of the old Amos-n-Andy Show (the Wright Brothers).
Looking for copies or info of this publication.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Gerry Wright
--- end forwarded text
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 23:46:04 -0400
From: "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MP3 Giveaway IV
I'm retyping this because of a crash (I don't have a Mac, you see) so
I'll be brief. The first person who e-mails me gets a CD-R containing about
80 Gunsmoke shows, with programs from 1958 to 1960. Good luck.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 23:47:03 -0400
From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: 50 years of collecting
This evening as I was packing up some equipment to take to a school to
demonstrate what old time radio is all about, it occurred to me that this
years marks the 50th year that I have been collecting OTR shows.
Gads, it is hard to believe. I got my first tape recorder in June of 1952,
and with my weekly allowance, I bought tape from Lafayette Radio on a
weekly basis. Then I found a place that could sell me 3M tape at wholesale
prices and before I knew it, I had accumulated hundreds of reel to reel tapes.
I still have that first tape recorder. A Pentron, model 9T3C. And it still
runs. (Keep things away from your children and they will last forever) :-)
Fred
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 12:11:40 -0400
From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Suspense
I'm hoping someone can help me out. I recently
recieved a letter from a man who remembers listening
to OTR on Seattle Station KVI (When it was worth
listening to) back in the 70's. He remembers a show he
thinks starred Joseph Cotton and was from Suspense.
The plot had something to do with a man in a hospital
morgue lying on a slab. Everyone thinks he's dead, but
of course he isn't. He just can't move. An autopsy is
about to be performed on the guy. However, he saves
his life by the shedding of a single tear.
I have a memory of hearing this show but I can't
find it in my collection of Suspense. I would like to
answer this gentleman. Does anyone know anything about
this episode or one similar to it?
Larry Albert
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #216
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