Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #59
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 2/22/2005 4:20 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2005 : Issue 59
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Springfield, [removed]                   [ David Loftus <dloft59@[removed] ]
  Re: Hop Harrigan                      [ Philip Chavin <pchavin@[removed]; ]
  Which Springfield?                    [ dougdouglass@[removed] ]
  The Life of Arthur Godfrey            [ "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@webtv. ]
  Re: Editorial Associates              [ Jim Widner <widnerj@[removed]; ]
  OTR and Podcasting                    [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
  One for two                           [ "WILLIS G Saunders" <saunders8@veri ]
  Private Eyelashes honored             [ benohmart@[removed] ]
  Peeling Transcription Discs           [ "Austotr" <austotr@[removed]; ]
  2-23 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  Andy's architect                      [ Art Chimes <achimes@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 20:07:05 -0500
From: David Loftus <dloft59@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Springfield, [removed]

Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@[removed]; wrote:

As many geography trivia fans know, every one of our 50 states
has a town named Springfield.

Including Alaska and Hawaii?

Supposedly the next most common
one, in second place with 38 states, is Centerville.

I've been in both Springfield, MA and OR, but the only Centerville
I remember is Louisiana. I lived there one summer in 1978.

David Loftus
Portland, Oregon

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 20:07:12 -0500
From: Philip Chavin <pchavin@[removed];
To: ToPostOn OTRdigest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Hop Harrigan

Stephen [removed] posted in #54, referring to the radio
show:

Hop Harrigan (America's Ace of the Airways, he was
billed, though it was
never explained what he shot down to become an
airways ace)

Stephen and John Dunning, for example, say that the
announcer(s) on the Hop Harrigan radio show said:
"America's Ace of the Airways".  So I suppose that's
correct. But some other sources say "America's Ace of
the Airwaves" and I'm not sure if I hear "Airways" or
"Airwaves" on recordings.

An original HH broadcast script could provide proof.
Is there any such script viewable online, for example?

 -- Phil C.

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 20:46:39 -0500
From: dougdouglass@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Which Springfield?

On Stewart's list there were nine Springfields in Georgia and eight in
Virginia.  Before ZIP Codes how did the post office know which one your
letter was going to?

Doug Douglass

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 23:28:23 -0500
From: "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  The Life of Arthur Godfrey

I have been listening to many hours of Godfrey radio shows covering a 25 year
period. I have always been facinated with his ability to sell products. To
this day because of Godfrey I still drink Lipton Tea, devour Sara Lee deep
dish pies and if I could find Mortenhouse beans I would probably eat those
too (but no Chesterfields). I have a personal question that maybe Lee Munsick
or someone else may answer. How many children did Arthur have and where are
they today? Was he close to his children and do they further his memory?
According to the Biography documentary on Arthur Godfrey, they made it seemed
he died alone after another failed marriage and Julius LaRosa implied in his
interview that Arthur was distant from his children. That has always bothered
me, if it is true. Can anyone put my mind to rest about this? Also are there
any good books I can read about Godfrey's most ineresting life. I was upset
with the CBS anniversary special because they mentioned Godfrey almost as a
*footnote* to the Columbia history. Hey, Arthur's morning radio show alone
made so much money for CBS that  it paid for all the bills for their
broadcast day so that all the rest of the CBS TV advertising revenue was
cream from the top, according to LaRosa. It sadened me that CBS gave a short
rift to *Mr. Columbia*, Arthur Godfrey. [removed] Mike a
Columbiacentric kind of guy who has no great love for NBC or Sarnoff who
stole the FM patents from Armstrong which led to his suicide at the age of
64. Though Paley was no saint either,  I forgive him because of his brilliant
talent raids on NBC in '49. What hutzpah! I also admire Paley's Option Clause
in which he gave CBS programs to affils for free (unlike NBC) but they were
required to clear all CBS product. Simply Brilliant. He could guarantee a
full network of stations to advertisers. Too bad CBS radio has so little to
offer to so few stations today. Karmazin should never have put control of CBS
Radio affairs under Westwood One. They have no sense of history or respect
for A!
 merica's
 Oldest and Most Prestigous Network. I even asked someone at Westwood One
what the [removed] letters stood for and all I got was a Homer Simpson *doh!*
reply. Sad [removed]

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 23:28:46 -0500
From: Jim Widner <widnerj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Editorial Associates

Dennis Crow wrote:

It looks like the firm was especially active in the forties. Perhaps
another Digest reader might have more information about
Editorial Associates.

I can only add this from my copy of the first issue of Suspense Magazine
with an introduction written by the named editor: Leslie Charteris:
"This epochal idea [to turn the radio plays into short stories] was not
mine. I only wish I had been that smart. It was actually the brainstorm
of a Hollywood radio agent named Bert Prager, who scuttled around and
secured the consent and cooperation of the Columbia Broadcasting System.
After which, knowing nothing much about the mechanics of the publishing
business, he dumped the project in my lap in the belief that I would
know how to make it work.

...Hundred of Suspense scripts had to be read and selected from, adapted
for ordinary reading, edited, illustrated, and assembled to meet a
printing [removed]"

The table of contents page states at the bottom "Produced and designed
under the Supervision of Editorial Associates."

The editorial offices are listed as 314 No. Robertson Blvd., Los
Angeles, 86, Calif.

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 23:29:58 -0500
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  OTR and Podcasting

Some who have been to my web site or follow Charlie Summers' blog know
about my interest in podcasting
([removed]) and how old time radio might
fit into this different way of looking at a sort of "radio on demand"
which has been getting a lot of press lately in many major news outlets
(BBC, New York Times, Newsweek, and others)  One of the concepts I have
mentioned in a article on my web site is the use of podcasting by modern
audio drama groups who might want to spread their creative output beyond
occasional appearances on either Internet radio or regular broadcast radio.

There have been several that have popped up in recent days. One is more
of a satire of the audio drama genre as used by Dick Orkin and Stan
Freberg called the "Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd."  However, there has
been a newer one that is being syndicated via podcasting from an
original 96 episode series produced out of New Zealand for radio in 1998
called "Claybourne."  The serial is a sci-fi/thriller/soap series of
episodes that are gradually appearing.

Keep in mind that podcasting does not require an iPod or even any other
portable mp3 player. The mp3s can be heard and/or downloaded direct from
the web site, but only as they appear. I am not sure they will be
archived on the the Claybourne site. What the "podcast" concept allows
is for you to have your computer download it at any time without
intervention from you and/or also uploaded automatically to your
portable device for later listening.

I won't get into the pros and cons of the concept here - you can revisit
Charlie's blog for that if you wish. The reason for this post is just to
let you know that there are very slowly beginning to be a few becoming
available within the "podcast" concept.

Claybourne can be found at [removed]
The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd is at [removed]

The RSS links can be found via most podcast software.

Jim Widner
[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 23:44:15 -0500
From: "WILLIS G Saunders" <saunders8@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  One for two

Hi All,

There are a couple of things I may be able to help with, but I'm too lazy to
write two messages, so I'll try to do them in one.

First, Mr. Sayles, I respectfully call to your attention a mistake made in
the "Births/Deaths" column regarding Norman Jolly.  He appeared on "Space
Patrol", not "Space Cadet", as statee announcement concerning his death.  .

I also believe I can be of some help to the individual inquiring about the
character known as "The Silencer" on "Jack Armstrong:  The All-American
Boy."  "The Silencer'S" real name was Victor Hardy.  My "Old Gray Mare"
memory tells me he was crime fighter in the early thirties, but I can't
remember in what capacity he fought crime.  In 1935, he and his wife were
driving in a car when a gang tried to kill them.  His wife was killed, but
when Hardy awoke he had amnesia and had also lost the ability to speak above
a whisper.

Gangsters took advantage of the situation and told him he was a professional
killer called "The Silencer."  (No, I'm not confusing this with "The
Whisperer".  I don't know who had the idea first but both ABC and NBC
managed to make fair-to-middlin' good shows out of  one idea.)

Anyway, When "The Silencer" was captured, the facts came out, Hardy was made
chief of the SBI (Scientific Bureau of Investigation) and Jack and the gang
were made Federal agents.

Hope this was helpful.

Buck Saunders

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

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 23:44:46 -0500
From: benohmart@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Private Eyelashes honored

Jack and I were informed yesterday that his book, "Private Eyelashes;
Radio's Lady Detectives", has been nominated for an  Agatha Award in
the category of Best Nonfiction. The Agathas, named for Agatha
Christie of course, are presented annually by Malice Domestic, the
largest crime fiction convention on the East Coast. Each year over 800
mystery writers and fans attend this three-day event. In 2005 it ends
on May 1st, at which time all the winners will receive their
[removed] china tea pot decorated with a skull and crossbones.

Jack, who is an actor as well as an author, has been chosen by Malice
Domestic to play the role of Rembrandt Watson in the convention's
re-creation of "Candy Matson, YU 2-8209" which will be done with live
sound effects on stage during the April 29th Friday night banquet. They
will be performing the episode "Black Cat Mystery," which originally
aired June 5, 1950, and best-selling mystery novelist from Florida,
Elaine Viets, will portray "Candy."

For more information on the awards and Malice Domestic, go to:

[removed]

Ben Ohmart for
[removed]. com

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 07:23:06 -0500
From: "Austotr" <austotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Peeling Transcription Discs

G'Day folks,  I was wondering if there was a solution to halting the
seperation of outer acetate layer from the aluminium base in the early 16"
discs, so that they could be recorded.  I have read of placing reels in
ovens to stop squeaking and I have read of a person who made a clamp and
method of recording broken discs, but I wonder if there have been people so
desperate to record a deteriorating disc that they have tried different
methods with some success.

I know that the National Film and Sound Archives do use a syringe with glue
to paste flaked pieces back on, whilst looking through a microscope, an OTR
jig saw puzzle.  But they only use that method for historically important
recordings, not serials.

I made what I consider to be an important find a couple of days ago and two
16" peeling transcription discs were included.  They are the only recordings
of 2 plays known to exist and I want to investigate the possibility of
actually making that recording.  I have the scripts for the two plays, so
maybe something can be done later to fill in the gaps, but I would love to
research possible methods of suspending/preventing further deterioration and
loss of further pieces of acetate.  At the moment the damage isn't anywhere
near as bad as some I have seen.  I am happy to lose a stylus or four to the
experiment, just not the recording.

I was thinking along the lines of finding a method to stabilise the layers,
then either gluing the pieces back on via microscope and the possibly of
doing/adding something to soften the joins to allow the stylus to move
freely.  But hey, I know there are heaps of more experienced people than I
here and I hope they have solved similar problems.

I wish I could afford the laser recording devices, but even then there isn't
one for a 16" that I have seen.

Ian Grieve

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 14:10:18 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  2-23 births/deaths

February 23rd births

02-23-1883 - Victor Fleming - Pasasena, CA - d. 1-6-1949
film director: "Gulf Screen Theatre"
02-23-1899 - Norman Taurog - Chicago, IL - d. 4-7-1981
film director: "Biography in Sound"; "Bud's Bandwagon"
02-23-1904 - William L. Shirer - Chicago, IL - d. 12-28-1993
news analyst: "CBS European News"; "[removed] Shirer: News and Comments"
02-23-1909 - Anthony Ross - NYC - d. 10-26-1955
actor: Danny Clover "Broadway Is My Beat"; Broadway Columnist "Mr. Broadway"
02-23-1912 - Thomas L. Thomas - Maesteg, South Wales - d. 4-17-1983
singer: "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round"; "Voice of Firestone"
02-23-1913 - Jon Hall - Fresno, CA - d. 12-13-1979
actor: "Texaco Star Theatre"; "Silver Theatre"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
02-23-1935 - Gerrianne Raphael - NYC
actress: "Let's Pretend"

February 23rd deaths

01-27-1895 - Harry Ruby - NYC - d. 2-23-1974
songwriter: "Thirty Minutes in Hollywood"; "Great Moments to Music"
03-20-1924 - Philip Abbott - Lincoln, NE - d. 2-23-1998
actor: "Family Theatre"
03-25-1906 - Margaret Daum - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 2-23-1977
singer: "American Album of Familiar Music"
04-21-1919 - Don Cornell - NYC - d. 2-23-2004
singer: "Sammy Kaye's Sunday Serenade"; "Fountain of Fun"
05-09-1901 - Fuzzy Knight - Fairmont, WV - d. 2-23-1976
actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"
06-16-1890 - Stan Laurel - Ulverston, England - d. 2-23-1965
comedian: "Laurel and Hardy Show" Pilot, never broadcast
09-12-1910 - Shep Fields - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-23-1981
bandleader: "Rippling Rhythm Revue"
10-03-1916 - James Alfred "Alf" Wight - Sunderland, England - d. 2-23-1995
author: James Herriot Books
10-19-1889 - Fannie Hurst - Hamilton, OH - d. 2-23-1968
writer: "United China Relief"; "Fanny Hurst Reviews"; "Big Joe"; "United
Nations Today"
11-08-1899 - Edmund "Tiny" Ruffner - Crawfordsville, IN - d. 2-23-1983
announcer: "Show Boat"; "Captain Diamond's Adventure"; "Better Half"
11-13-1913 - Alexander Scourby - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-23-1985
actor: Herbert Temple "Young Widder Brown"; Philip Cameron "Against the Storm"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 15:02:11 -0500
From: Art Chimes <achimes@[removed];
To: otr <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Andy's architect

The Feb. 7 issue of The New Yorker includes an interesting article with a
surprising OTR element.

"Hotel California" by Dana Goodyear (p. 68) is about the Ambassador
Hotel, the landmark structure where Robert Kennedy was assassinated, and
the architect who designed some parts of the building. The property is
now owned by the Los Angeles school district, which wants to demolish
most of it; some preservationists want to save it.

A couple of decades after it opened, the Ambassador hired architect Paul
R. Williams to design its coffee shop and a couple of bungalows and to
remodel the dining room and ceiling of the Embassy Ballroom.

Williams was a well-known architect in the [removed] area, and he designed a
large number of private homes for prominent clients. He designed one
house for auto magnate [removed] Cord. Another, says the article, was built in
the mid-1930s:

"... a twelve-thousand-square-foot white Georgian Colonial on
a three-acre plot off Sunset for Charles Correll, the writer
and actor who played Andy on the radio show 'Amos 'n' Andy.'
Williams gave it a shapely portico, with narrow two-story
streamlined columns, and embellished the staircase, a
classic Williams swoosh, with fleurs-de-lis. Everything
was spacious and well proportioned -- even the servants'
quarters, which faced the gardens. Gorrell had been a
bricklayer in his youth, and he laied out the large radial
brick entry plaza in front of the house himself. The writer
Sidney Sheldon, who has lived there for thirty years, added
ten thousand square feet--scrupulously imitating Williams's
design -- and recently put the house on the market for
$[removed] million."

To me, the interesting part here is that Correll, the white man who, with
his partner Freeman Gosden, suffered much criticism for his portrayal of
African Americans, hired a black architect to design his house.

-Art

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #59
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