Subject: [removed] Digest V2009 #147
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 8/5/2009 8:00 AM
To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to:
[removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2009 : Issue 147
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  8-4 births/deaths                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  re: Biographical Stories of famous a  [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
  Re: Yoohoo, Mrs. Goldberg             [ "Irene Theodore Heinstein" <IreneTH ]
  Re: actors/characters                 [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
  Our Master's Voice                    [ wich2@[removed] ]
  Michael Fox                           [ Jim Harmon <jimharmonotr@[removed] ]
  Apollo Recovery                       [ "Tony Bandy" <[removed]@[removed]; ]
  #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ charlie@[removed] ]
  Re: Why No Seders On Radio            [ Jeff Weaver <jweaver@[removed]; ]
  Re: mp3 encoding                      [ Rodney Bowcock <pasttense_78@yahoo. ]
  Re: Michele Hilmes                    [ stevenl751 <stevenl751@[removed]; ]
  More About Jews on Radio              [ Donna Halper <dlh@[removed]; ]
  RE: "Why No [removed]"               [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
  mp3s and otr quality                  [ "Jim Blackson" <blackj@[removed] ]

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:20:23 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  8-4 births/deaths

August 4th births

08-04-1792 - Percy Shelley - Field Place, England - d. 7-8-1822
poet: Many of his poems were read over the radio
08-04-1889 - William Keighley - Philadelphia, PA - d. 6-24-1984
host: Lux Radio Theatre
08-04-1890 - Carson Robison - Oswego, KS - d. 3-24-1957
singer: "Eveready Hour"; "Dutch Masters Minstrels"
08-04-1897 - Abe Lyman - Chicago, IL - d. 10-23-1957
bandleader: "Jack Pearl Show"; "Lavender and New Lace"; "Waltz Time"
08-04-1898 - Hugh O'Connell - d. 1-19-1943
actor, comedian: "Vanity Fair"
08-04-1901 - Arcadie Berkenholz - d. 5-1-1975
violinist, orchestra leader: NBC Blue Network
08-04-1901 - Louis Armstrong - New Orleans, LA - d. 7-6-1971
trumpeter: "Pursuit of Happiness"; "Sealtest Village Store"; "Story of
Swing"
08-04-1901 - Mildred Henry Merrill - d. 3-28-1995
writer: "Lone Ranger"; "Green Hornet"; "Official Detective"
08-04-1903 - Helen Kane - The Bronx, NY - d. 9-26-1966
actor: (The Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl) "Today's Children"
08-04-1904 - Alice Bahman - d. 6-16-1970
woman's program: (Mother of Jonathan Winters) WIZE Springfield, Ohio
08-04-1904 - Phil Clark - London, England - d. 9-27-1985
actor: Mr. Keen "Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persosn"
08-04-1904 - Theodore Newton - Lawrenceville, NJ - d. 2-28-1963
actor: Christopher Parker "Joyce Jordan, [removed]"
08-04-1905 - Frank Luther - Lakin, KS - d. 11-16-1980
singer: "Luther-Layman Singer"; "Frank Luther Show"; "Happy Wonder
Bakers Trio"
08-04-1905 - Luther Roundtree - d. 4-30-1990
banjo player: "The Bob Burns Show"
08-04-1905 - Maurice Brown - Brooklyn, NY - d. 5-xx-1984
composer, conductor: "Let's Pretend"; "Theatre Guild on the Air"
08-04-1908 - Wally Maher - Cincinnati, OH - d. 12-27-1951
actor: Dan Murray "One Man's Family"; Archie Goodwin "Advs. of Nero
Wolfe"
08-04-1909 - Alan Kent - Chicago, IL - d. 12-4-1993
announcer, emcee, writer: "Duffy's Tavern"; "Career of Alice Blair"
08-04-1910 - Paul Harris - d. 11-2-1996
actor: "Covered Wagon Days"
08-04-1913 - Barbara Townsend - Oakland, CA - d. 1-29-2002
actor: "Theatre Guild on the Air"; "Cavalcade of America"
08-04-1913 - Wesley Addy - Omaha, NB - d. 12-31-1996
actor: "Theatre Guild On the Air"; "Cavalcade of America"; "Great Plays"
08-04-1914 - Dick Todd - Montreal, Canada - d. 5-xx-1975
singer: "Avalon Time"; "Your Hit Parade"; "Rinso-Spry Vaudeville
Theatre"
08-04-1915 - William Keene - Pennsylvania - d. 5-23-1992
actor: Red Lantern "Land of the Lost"
08-04-1921 - Herb Purdum - d. 4-16-1993
writer: "Gunsmoke"
08-04-1936 - Elsbery Hobbs - Manhattan, NY - d. 5-31-1996
singer: (The Drifters) "Grand Ole Opry"; "Camel Rock and Roll Party"
08-04-1952 - Kristoffer Tabori - Malibu, CA
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"

August 4th deaths

01-01-1895 - Bernard Schubert - Brooklyn, NY - d. 8-4-1988
writer, producer: "The Falcon"; "Murder and Mr. Malone"
01-29-1915 - Victor Mature - Louisville, KY - d. 8-4-1999
actor: "Hollywood Star Playhouse"
02-05-1912 - Tex Atchison - Rosine, KY - d. 8-4-1982
singer: (Prairie Ramblers) "Smile-a-While"
02-14-1907 - Art Hern - Mannington, WV - d. 8-4-1997
actor: Ichabod Mudd "Captain Midnight"; "Richard Stone "Today's
Children"
02-16-1918 - Win Blake - d. 8-4-2003
disk jockey: WKXL Concord, New Hampshire
04-05-1901 - Melvyn Douglas - Macon, GA - d. 8-4-1981
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
04-10-1894 - Haven MacQuarrie - Boston, MA - d. 8-4-1953
emcee: "Do You Want to be an Actor"
04-15-1918 - John Baragrey - Haleyville, AL - d. 8-4-1975
actor: "X Minus One"; "There Is No Night"; "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
04-19-1920 - Frank Fontaine - Cambridge, MA - d. 8-4-1978
comedian: John L. C. Sivoney "Jack Benny Program"
04-21-1916 - Hunter D. Hancock - Uvalde, TX - d. 8-4-2004
disk jockey: Early rhythm and blues rock 'n' roll platter spinner
06-18-1911 - Babe Russin - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 8-4-1984
tenor sax: "The Ipana Troubadors"
06-25-1913 - John Pickard - Lascossas, TN - d. 8-4-1993
actor: Grant Thursday "Pretty Kitty Kelly"; Bruce Barrett "My Son and I"
07-09-1929 - Lee Hazelwood - Mannford, OK - d. 8-4-2007
disk jockey, singer, songwriter
08-25-1908 - Walter Burke - Brooklyn, NY - d. 8-4-1984
actor: Mark Saber's Assistant "Inspector Mark Saber"
10-25-1909 - True Boardman - Seattle, WA - d. 8-4-2003
writer, narrator: "Silver Theatre"; "Favorite Story"
11-16-1905 - Eddie Condon - Goodland, IN - d. 8-4-1973
guitarist, host: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concerts"
12-07-1901 - Jack Taylor - Summershade, KY - d. 8-4-1962
singer: (Prairie Ramblers) "Smile-a-While"
12-30-1927 - Bernie Barrow - NYC - d. 8-4-1993
actor: "Golden Door"

Ron

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:20:39 -0400
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  re: Biographical Stories of famous authors?

Check out "Biography in Sound," a 60 minute program that covered more recent
("recent" in the 50s, when the show was produced) authors such as Hemingway,
Fitzgerald, Benchley, etc. Also, the mid-section of "NBC University Theater"
often contained some biographical information (and criticism) about the
author of that week's work.

Cheers,
Kermyt

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:21:33 -0400
From: "Irene Theodore Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re:  Yoohoo, Mrs. Goldberg

I want to comment on a few of Sean Dougherty's statements about Gertrude 
Berg, The Goldbergs and the film "Yoohoo, Mrs. Goldberg."

Sean wrote:

Clearly, it wasn't enough for the filmmakers that Mrs. Berg was a 
successful entertainer beloved by millions.  She also had be a crusader,
for FDR against the blacklist, an empowering voice for women and Jews 
when they were out of the mainstream, etc.

While I don't deny the importance of these issues, focusing on them 
without examining her core work accurately diminishes the effort.

The film was primarily about Gertrude Berg, not just the radio and tv 
program.  The blacklist is a subject which always makes my blood boil and 
Gertrude Berg's public support of Philip Loeb and criticism of  'Red 
Channels' was heroic during that period.   Following is some commentary from 
a Jack Gould column in the NY Times Feb 17, 1952 page 99.  [Jack Gould was 
the radio and TV critic for the NY Times from 1944-1972 and very highly 
regarded.]  As far as I can see the break mentioned below was the only one. 
The TV show began in 1949 and Loeb  was named in 'Red Channels' in 1951.  It 
was after 1952 that the show moved around a lot.

Excerpts from Jack Gould column - NY Times - Feb  17, 1952
"Three of last season's more enjoyable programs -- The [removed] 
returned to television after enforced layoffs for varying reasons."

"The absence of  'The Goldbergs,' of course, was due to the controversy over 
Philip Loeb, who originated the role of Papa Goldberg and finally was 
dropped from the part as a result of  the inclusion of his name in 'Red 
Channels'

"Mrs. Gertrude Berg, creator and writer of 'The Goldbergs' put up a valiant 
fight to retain Mr. Loeb in the cast but finally bowed to the commercial 
pressures when it became clear that the actor's 'controversiality' [sounds 
like a word Stephen Colbert might come up with]   was preventing the sale of 
the program.  Her commendable stand by itself  was not enough to resolve the 
'Red Channels' problem in radio and television

"Whatever Mr. Loeb's  politics may be -- and he has denied Communist 
sympathies -- the fact remains, however, that for all practical purposes he 
has been read out of his profession without a semblance of a hearing or a 
trial.,,,,"

"Artistically, the loss of Mr. Loeb to the cast of "The Goldbergs" has 
manifested itself in several ways.  One of the consequences of the 
difficulty in selling the program was a change in format from a weekly 
half-hour program to three installments of fifteen minutes each .....

"Both as the writer and as Mama Goldberg Mrs Berg is acquitting herself with 
her usual extraordinary skill.  The warmth and quiet humor which she injects 
into the life of The Goldbergs in the Bronx is still retained.  But in the 
fifteen-minute installments there seems more emphasis on the narrative per 
se and less on the little touches of characterization which so greatly added 
to the appeal of 'The Goldbergs'

"Further, Mrs. Berg seems to be placing more of the load of carrying the 
show on the part of Mama which, taken together with the rather long 
commercials that she also delivers personally, makes for a rather heavy 
monologic emphasis.

"Since Mr. Loeb created the part and played it on the stage, in the movies 
and on TV, his replacement in the role of Papa, who is Harold J. Stone, 
admittedly has several strikes against him.  Thus far, and he has not been 
seen very much, Mr. Stone has displayed little of the decisiveness and 
humorous understanding so effectively conveyed by Mr. Loeb.  As one 
discerning viewer put it, he is in more ways than one a stepfather in the 
Goldberg family."

Sean also wrote:

what's significant is that this film got made and distributed
at all, not how well it came out.

I disagree.  One of the reasons this film is receiving so much initial 
attention is partly because of the film maker, Aviva Kempner.   My own 
favorite documentary of hers is "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg,"  the 
great Jewish baseball great who was a favorite of my Jewish husband.  She 
received a number of film critics awards as well as a Peabody and an Emmy 
nomination for the Greenberg documentary.  She was also the writer of an 
Academy Award nominated documentary about the homeless.

~~Irene

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:21:41 -0400
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: actors/characters
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In a message dated 8/3/2009 6:41:05 [removed] Central Daylight Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:

Often  times the radio characters name was better known than the
actor/actress's real  name.
The name Gertrude Berg certainly wasn't as well known as Molly  Goldberg.

Jim and Marian Jordan don't have their own names on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame, either, but Fibber McGee and Molly do, and my understanding is that
it's  supposedly the first star in history granted to a fictional name (pair
of  names).  It came in the 1980s because I actually remember Jim Jordan
being  interviewed about it on "Entertainment Tonight" and he was the one who
said that  about the first in fictional names.

They were also introduced as "Fibber McGee and Molly" and not as the
Jordans, in the "Suspense" episode "Back Seat Driver."

Dixon

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:24:49 -0400
From: wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Our Master's Voice
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I've never understand why old recording equates low bit rate encode.
It just doesn't make sense.
Sammy Jones

[ADMINISTRIVIA: My personal thoughts on this discussion are available on my
blog at [removed]

And well worth the trip it is, folks - including the threaded comments.

"Balance in all things,"
-Craig W.

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:24:57 -0400
From: Jim Harmon <jimharmonotr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Michael Fox

Michael J. Fox is "J." because of an earlier actor named Michael Fox, still
active at the time the comedy star began his career. The earlier Michael Fox
was a stern faced character actor, somewhat resembling Michael Pate if he is
any more well known. He frequently appeared on the old Perry Mason show,
still being re-run many places, testifying as the listed "Autopsy Surgeon", a
regular role for him. He is also a master villain in the Blackhawk movie
serial starring my dear old pal, Kirk Alyn. I don't know if he is still alive
in other than frequently seen image. -- JIM HARMON

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

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 14:33:26 -0400
From: "Tony Bandy" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Apollo Recovery

Hi all,

Received the Digest today and someone had mentioned a van onboard the ship
that was recovering Apollo 13.  Here's a link to what I think might be the
article:

[removed];lpg=PA44&dq=Apollo%2013%20Econoline%20intitle%3APopular%20intitle%3AScience&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_brr=1&as_pt=MAGAZINES&pg=PA46#v=onepage&q=Apollo%2013%20Econoline%20intitle:Popular%20intitle:Science&f=false

(Source: Google Books Full-Text Image)

Thought this might be kinda [removed]

Tony

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 02:12:01 -0400
From: charlie@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!

A weekly [removed]

For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio.  We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
real-time OTR talk!

Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
it's always a good time!

For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
week and every week!

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:54:35 -0400
From: Jeff Weaver <jweaver@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Why No Seders On Radio

Actually, I cannot find the date, but I just listened to a Dragnet
with a Seder in the broadcast. A Jewish house wife was kidnapped and
Joe was on the case.

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:54:44 -0400
From: Rodney Bowcock <pasttense_78@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: mp3 encoding

My information regarding mp3 encoding that is currently being debunked came
from a presentation hosted by Neal Ellis at MANC last year.  As far as I'm
concerned, the proof of what he spoke about is in the quality of his product.
I'm sure that others who attended the presentation would agree that he
explained things very simply.  Perhaps, if you're out there Neal, you could
chirp in on this discussion with your insight?

Naturally, there are many issues aside from encoding, but the more layers of
sound you strip away, the lower your chances of having something that sounds
good, at least based on my readings and research.

Rodney

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:54:52 -0400
From: stevenl751 <stevenl751@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Michele Hilmes
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I'm curious as to whether any of you are familiar with the author Michele
Hilmes.

I've read two of her books, "Hollywood and Broadcasting" and "Radio Voices".
Although it was quite a few years ago when I read them, I recall being very
unimpressed by her work.  My general impression was that she tried to write
an academic text with a minimum amount of research.   It seemed like she only
had heard one or two episodes of each of the series she discusses, and then
draws her assumptions about the entire series based on those couple of
episodes.  She also evaluates each show based on modern standards and values,
not looking at the show within the context of what society was like when they
were originally broadcast.  I wish I could remember more specific details for
you, but I remember getting very annoyed with her frequently dismissive,
negative, or simply incorrect statements about shows I'm familiar with that
showed a complete lack of understanding about the show on her part.

- Steven Lewis

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:55:29 -0400
From: Donna Halper <dlh@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  More About Jews on Radio

  Re: Radio and the Jews

I think many radio execs felt very ambivalent about broadcasting
Jewish programs back in those days.  I am sure it has been pointed
out that casual anti-Semitism was very much a part of the culture in
the 1920s (when schools like Harvard had Jewish quotas and the
president of Harvard said in the newspapers that when a school had
"too many Jews," the non-Jews wouldn't want to attend) and the 1930s
(when famed economist Roger Babson said that anti-Semitism was caused
by the "sharp business practices" of Jews and Father Coughlin's
anti-Jewish rants got huge radio audiences).  On the other hand, from
day one, radio stations all over the country had rabbis on the air
giving inspirational talks.  One of the earliest examples of a
synagogue service being broadcast happened in Baltimore way back in
1921.  Cities with large Jewish populations had weekly synagogue
services broadcast-- in Boston, Rabbi Harry Levi became so popular
for his sermons that it was estimated in 1929 that about 20% of his
congregation was non-Jews who loved him from hearing him on
WNAC.  Rabbi Stephen S. Wise was a regular on NY radio and sometimes
got a network slot as a guest speaker.  The same was true of rabbis
in Los Angeles and Cleveland.

Some well-known radio executives (Sarnoff, Paley) were nominally
Jewish, but felt it best to downplay that fact, given the durable
stereotype that the media were controlled by "the Jews."  But despite
the culture's ambivalence about Jews, a number of local stations in
the late 20s and throughout the 30s broadcast programs about Jewish
holidays and practices, and some even broadcast Jewish New Year
services (usually live from Reform temples).  Both NBC and CBS also
had weekly shows about Judaism, and yes I do recall reading about
broadcasts at Passover time, which discussed the importance of the
holiday -- although I don't know if an entire seder was ever  put on
the air.  And of course, there was lots of Yiddish programming in New
York, Boston, Philly, and elsewhere, but that was not aimed at a mass
audience.  It was niche programming that was mainly loved and
appreciated by Jewish listeners.

Donna L. Halper, Asst. Professor of Communication
Lesley University, Cambridge MA

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:55:39 -0400
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  RE: "Why No [removed]"

My pal Stuart Lubin echoed Sean Dougherty's original question about there was
not a preponderance of seders broadcast on the radio. I think I've figured it
out: because if the seder was broadcast over the airwaves, then the prophet
Elijah would stay home and listen to it and not show up at anybody's house!

Yours in the ether,

Derek Tague

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

Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:56:15 -0400
From: "Jim Blackson" <blackj@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  mp3s and otr quality

Randy,

   Great Comments you and Charlie have put together. Thank you. I would have
put the following first since the majority of what I've recorded or gotten
and want to clean up.

"Secondly, if you have a beat up transcription, it gives denoise or
declicking software more "bits" to work with, lessening the incidents
where you get odd digital artifacts.  The original source material might
not have high frequencies, but you can sure bet that tape hiss or surface
noise from a disc does extend into a range you can't hear, but interacts
with what you can hear."

The amount of clean up I can acheive is significantly reduced by the amount
of compression used on the recording.

   I agree that "A clean recording" can sound great at 64 or even 32 kbps.
The underlying problem is that the majority of the recordings available are
not clean and trying to acheive a clean copy of a 64/32 kbps recording is a
very hard (if not impossible) task and usually results in the addition of
that chirping sound or other "odd digital artifacts".

   Mp3s are not my first choice for many of the reasons you discussed, but I
wouldn't discount compression completely. Flac encoding (a Loss-Less format)
can reduce a 16 bit - [removed] khz wave recording to a size comparable to a 256
kbps mp3 (~ 60 mb). I haven't seen many people discussing this, but it can
make a reasonable alternative to full blown wav file recordings in terms of
portability and archiving space.

   Lastly, I am still sitting on 5 Witch's Tale transcriptions that I have
been unable to get a recording from. I have recording of all of the episodes
except the 2nd part of Honeymoon Cottage. I know that Ed Corcran recorded
these and gave/traded out copies to other collectors. If any of you could
send me a copy I would really appreciate it.

   It took too much work to find Ed Corcoran and these discs of Alonzo Deen
Cole (that don't exist because he destroyed all of his discs) and I want to
frame them with small audio recorders to play the recording.

Thanks in advance,
Jim

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2009 Issue #147
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