------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2006 : Issue 246
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
This week in radio history [ "Joe Mackey" <joemackey108@adelphia ]
Marie Wilson books are in! [ benohmart@[removed] ]
The Gildersleeve show date [ "Matthew Bullis" <matthewbullis@run ]
Gildersleve show [ Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed] ]
Re: Commissioner Weston [ Anthony Tollin <sanctumotr@earthlin ]
MP3 players- home version [ Scott Benson <alchemy541@[removed] ]
Re: OTR books [ Illoman <illoman@[removed]; ]
John Conte Obituary [ Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed] ]
Holmes' announcer? [ jack and cathy french <otrpiano@ver ]
script needed [ "Walden Hughes" <walden1@yesterdayu ]
9-10 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 10:44:24 -0400
From: "Joe Mackey" <joemackey108@[removed];
To: "otrd" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history
>From Those Were The Days --
9/10
1935 - "I'm Popeye the sailor [removed]" toot! toot! Popeye was heard for the
first time on NBC. The show was based on the Elzie Crisler Segar comic
strip, which featured Popeye, Olive Oyl, Brutas, Wimpy and Sweepea. Now, eat
your spinach in celebration!
9/12
1938 - [removed] Kaltenborn made broadcasting history by covering a crisis in
Czechoslovakia for CBS beginning on this day. Kaltenborn was so devoted to
his work that he slept in the studio for 18 days while bringing updates to
his appreciative audience.
9/13
1931 - Vaudeville star Eddie Cantor was heard for the first time -- on NBC.
The Chase and Sanborn Hour became one of the most popular radio shows of the
1930s.
1937 - The first broadcast of Kitty Keene, Inc. was heard on the NBC Red
network.
9/14
1936 - NBC presented John's Other Wife for the first time. Actually, John's
other wife was not his wife at all. She was his secretary.
9/15
1934 - NBC presented The Gibson Family to American audiences. The program
was the first musical-comedy-drama to be broadcast. Ernest Whitman and Eddie
Green were featured members of the cast and were billed as "network radio's
only colored comedians." The show originated from the studios of WEAF in New
York City.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 11:50:12 -0400
From: benohmart@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Marie Wilson books are in!
And going out to all who ordered them. Vic and Sade and Joan Davis will be
shipping in the
middle or end of next month.
Ben Ohmart
Old radio. Old movies. New books.
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 11:50:28 -0400
From: "Matthew Bullis" <matthewbullis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: The Gildersleeve show date
Hello, that was an audience warmup from February 25, 1945. If we're dealing
with an mp3 collection, then it's either listed under the date, or under
audience warmup.
Thanks a lot.
Matthew
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 12:44:18 -0400
From: Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Gildersleve show
Hi,
The Gildersleve show in which a war bulletin appeared was December 7,1941.
Somehow the engineers got some lines crossed and so we didn't catch
the network feed in the discs but instead got the studio. Listeners
got the speech and then heard the program when it originally was broadcast.
I would imagine some serious editing was necessary, in order to make
the script come out on time.
I don't know if the director had some advanced notice or not.
Larry
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 17:42:34 -0400
From: Anthony Tollin <sanctumotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Commissioner Weston
on 9/9/06 9:47 AM, Kenneth Clarke asked:
Why the drastic change in [Commissioner Weston]? Was it because the sponsors
or listeners thought the previous Commissioner Weston was too childish
and concentrated more on playing games with the Shadow than solving the
case? Was it because they wanted a more mature, professional sounding,
police commissioner? Did the actor who played Commissioner Weston change
and also the actor's interpretation of him? Why did way this character
change so radically?
I think Commissioner Weston considerably softened during the years that
Kenny Delmar played the role regularly, roughly 1940-44. Writers tend to
write for the actor they know is going to be playing the role, and this was
especially true when Sidney Slon was writing the series and Delmar was
playing Weston, since Slon had been a cast member in earlier seasons and
worked side-by-side with Kenny. Weston was portrayed much more seriously
and officiously by Ray Collins (opposite Welles) and Dwight Weist (during
Bill Johnstone's first season). However, once Kenny took over the role,
Weston's pompousness began to be played for comedy relief.
Of course, it's not at all unusual for characters to lose some of their
sharp edges and become more likeable during the long run of a series. Look
at Matt Dillon and Doc in the GUNSMOKE radio series, or Archie Bunker on TV.
(Archie Bunker was a racist bigot in the early years of ALL IN THE FAMILY,
and later in ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE was raising a Jewish/Puerto Rican adopted
niece/ward whom he was bringing to Hebrew classes in preparation for her Bat
Mitzvah.
BTW, I recently obtained the license to reprint Walter Gibson's original
SHADOW pulp novels (and also the DOC SAVAGE novels), and am co-publishing
them with Nostalgia Ventures in double-novel trade paperbacks priced at just
$[removed] The first volume reprints "Crime, Insured" (perhaps Walter Gibson's
greatest thriller) and "The Golden Vulture" (a unique collaboration between
DOC SAVAGE's Lester Dent and Gibson). The 7"x10" books reprint all of the
original illustrations too (in this case by the great Edd Cartier) and also
feature new historical articles by Will Murray and yours truly. The first
volume was released in July, and the second SHADOW (and first DOC SAVAGE)
volumes are going off the the printer in a couple days for October
publication.
I bring this up because, getting back on-topic, THE SHADOW Volume Two
reprints "The Chinese Disks" and "Malmordo." "The Chinese Disks" is the
novel in which Lamont Cranston first meets Commissioner Ralph Weston,
setting up the friendship that would be so heavily featured in the radio
series. If anyone is interested in obtaining copies of these new volumes
(and reading how the Cranston/Weston friendship began) or even just the
press release, please email me offlist.
--ANTHONY TOLLIN (who years ago in the Orient learned a strange and
mysterious secret ...)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 17:44:31 -0400
From: Scott Benson <alchemy541@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MP3 players- home version
Hello,
A few weeks ago I had asked about home components. Well yesterday my
new purchase arrived --> [removed];modelid=138&group_id=1&detail=1&ext_war=1 *Onkyo DX-C390 .
Many cool features and plays the OTR shows great. Has a scrolling screen
for show information. If you are looking for something similar, it is
hard to beat the $89 price tag.
Scott
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 17:42:50 -0400
From: Illoman <illoman@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: OTR books
Jordan Young wrote:
My latest is THE LAUGH CRAFTERS: COMEDY WRITING IN RADIO & TV'S
GOLDEN AGE, comprised of interview with a dozen top Hollywood comedy
writers about the stone age of broadcasting--Larry Gelbart, Hal
Kanter, Paul Henning, Sherwood Schwartz, Norman Panama and others.
It's 90% OTR, 10% '50s TV. If I may quote John Dunning (revered for
his matchless Encyclopedia of OTR): "oral history of the first order."
I bought a copy of this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it! It is
crammed with anecdotes about the golden days of radio, and the
amazing personalities that brought it to life. I especially
appreciated the stories about Ed Gardner, who is one of my all time
favorite radio stars. Great, great stuff!! I highly recommend it to
anyone who wants a real behind the scenes view of OTR. Great job,
Jordan!!
Mike Bennett
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 17:45:10 -0400
From: Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: John Conte Obituary
Hi all,
Here is a link to an obit for John Conte who died last Monday.
Larry Gassman
[removed],1,[removed];ctrack=1&cset=true
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 18:11:03 -0400
From: jack and cathy french <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Holmes' announcer?
Can anyone confirm that the John Conte, 90 year old stage actor, who
died 09-04-06, is the same John Conte who was the announcer on the
Rathbone/Bruce version of "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" in the
1939-40 time frame?
Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 21:21:21 -0400
From: "Walden Hughes" <walden1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: script needed
Hi Everybody,
does any one know where I can get a copy of radio script for the story It,s
A Wonderful Life for an upcoming event? Take care,
Walden Hughes
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2006 22:05:37 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-10 births/deaths
September 10th births
09-10-1898 - Adele Astaire - Omaha, NE - d. 1-25-1981
dancer, actor: (Fred's Sister) "Magic Key"; "Savings Bond Campaign"
09-10-1900 - Francis Craig - Dickson, IN - d. 11-20-1966
bandleader: "Spotlight Revue"
09-10-1900 - Joseph Bentonelli - Sayre, OK - d. 4-4-1975
operatic tenor: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Vick's Open House"
09-10-1902 - Jim Crowley - Chicago, IL - d. 1-15-1986
football all-american: (One of the Four Horsemen) "Kate Smith Hour"
09-10-1904 - Emery Deutsch - Budapest, Hungary - d. 4-16-1997
conductor: "Arabesque"; "Let's Pretend"
09-10-1907 - Alvin Childress - Meridian, MS - d. 4-19-1986
actor: "New World A-Coming"
09-10-1907 - Fay Wray - Alberta, Canada - d. 8-8-2004
actor: Rosemary "Keeping Up with Rosemary"
09-10-1909 - Raymond Scott - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-8-1994
conductor, composer: "Your Hit Parade"; "Chicago Theatre of the Air"
09-10-1915 - Edmund O'Brien - Brooklyn, NY - d. 5-9-1985
actor: Johnny Dollar "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"
09-10-1915 - Vivian Della Chiesa - Chicago, IL
singer: (America's Great Lyric Soprano) "American Album of Familiar
Music"
09-10-1916 - Dorothy Lowell - NYC - d. 7-1-1944
actor: Sunday Brinthrope "Our Gal Sunday"; Linda Clark "Hilltop House"
09-10-1917 - Jean Ruth Hay - Philadelphia, PA - d. 9-18-2004
disc jockey: "Reveille with Beverly"
09-10-1920 - Vivian Block - Brooklyn, NY
actor: "Let's Pretend"; Ann Weston "Wilderness Road"; "Coast to Coast
on a Bus"
09-10-1934 - Charles Kuralt - Wilmington, NC - d. 7-4-1997
sportscaster: "Junior Sports Parade"; "Sports Final"
September 10th deaths
01-31-1923 - Joanne Dru - Logan, WV - d. 9-10-1996
actor: (Sister of Peter Marshall) "Lux Radio Theatre"
04-01-1923 - Bobby Jordan - NYC - d. 9-10-1965
actor: (The Dead End Kids) "Texaco Star Playhouse"; "Wheatenaville
Sketches"
04-08-1905 - George Baxter - Paris, France - d. 9-10-1976
announcer: "Grand Central Station"
04-12-1907 - Ivan Ditmars - Olympia, WA - d. 9-10-1997
music: "Advs. of Frank Race"; "Dr. Christian"; "Escape"
04-18-1924 - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Vinton, LA - d. 9-10-2005
singer, guitarist: "Newport Jazz Festival"
05-26-1905 - Fred MacKaye - Hackettstown, NJ - d. 9-10-1980
actor, director: Monk Rice "Point Sublime"; "Lux Radio Theatre";
"Romance"
06-19-1932 - Pier Angeli - Cagliaru, Saradinia - d. 9-10-1971
actor: "Louella Parsons Show"
08-06-1881 - Leo Carrillo - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-10-1961
actor: Pedro "Grapevine Rancho"; "Four Frightened People"; "Good News
of 1939"
10-02-1914 - Charles Drake - Bayside, NYC - d. 9-10-1994
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Screen Director's Playhouse"
10-16-1893 - Wilfred Lytell - NYC - d. 9-10-1954
actor: Doc Barron "Just Plain Bill"; "Wings Over America"
12-09-1905 - Dalton Trumbo - Montrose, CO - d. 9-10-1976
writer: (member of infamous Hollywood Ten); "Arch Oboler's Plays"
12-30-1885 - Ed Jerome - NYC - d. 9-10-1959
actor: Harry Blackstone "Blackstone, the Magic Detective"; Gregory
Allen "Rich Man's Darling"
xx-xx-xxxx - Everett Clark - d. 9-10-1980
actor: Flamond "Crime Files of Flamond"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #246
*********************************************
Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
including republication in any form.
If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
[removed]
For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]
To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
or see [removed]
For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]
To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]
To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]