Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #96
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 3/16/2004 10:09 AM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2004 : Issue 96
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Here We Go Again on TCM!!             [ GREGORY M PRZYWARA <gmprzywara@stud ]
  Script page turns                     [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
  3-15 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  Jim Harmon's Rocket Radio             [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
  Recordings                            [ William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed]; ]
  Star Trek                             [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
  Cincinnati Convention Hotel           [ "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed] ]
  Re: Radio Tubes                       [ Fred Berney <fsberney@[removed]; ]
  Script Dropping                       [ Booksteve@[removed] ]
  Script Page Turning                   [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]
  Edgar and Candice Bergen              [ "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed] ]
  RCA Lyra MP3 Player for OTR Listenin  [ "Bradley Stone" <brad@[removed]; ]
  Edgar Bergen TV Shows                 [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  Re: Charlie McCarthy was real         [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
  Satellite radio                       [ "Bob Watson" <crw934@[removed]; ]
  Re: Satellite Radio                   [ "Penne Yingling" <bp_ying@[removed] ]
  dropping pages on the floor and Char  [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
  Satellite Radio                       [ John Francis MacEachern <JohnFMac@c ]
  Howdy Doody on radio                  [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:22:43 -0500
From: GREGORY M PRZYWARA <gmprzywara@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Here We Go Again on TCM!!

Hi all
Just thought I'd let you know that TCM is going to be airing Here We Go Again
with Bergen and McCarthy and Fibber McGee and Molly Tuesday morning at 6am
CST. WOW! My sister and I are really looking forward to seeing this one as I
don't think this one has EVER been on any of the cable channels we get here
in Madison,WI, not even during the "Golden Age" of AMC when that station
would occasionally air Look Who's Laughing or The Meanest Man in the World.
And no, I am not affiliated with TCM in any way, I am just providing this
friendly reminder as kind of a public service to the OTR community.
Cheers
Greg Przywara

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:27:07 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Script page turns

Larry Bieza writes:

Hi, I've written a play that takes place at a Network radio station in the
later 1930's.  I want to be as accurate as I can, and have a question:  My
understanding is that when the shows were performed, the script pages were
loose, and when completed were dropped on the floor by the actors so there
was
no page folding noises near the microphone.  True?  Thanks.  Larry Bieza

I had to laugh at this post, not because it's a silly question, but because I
remember the extremely long and drawn-out exchange that it cause the last
time I saw it come around on this list.

The answer is:  yes and no.  Go to [removed], then click on Programs,
then Film Clip.  Select the first of the two Camp Haan clips.  When Jack and
Mary are performing side by side, you can see a page turn where Jack puts his
page behind the stack, and Mary drops hers on the floor.  Personal preference,
I guess.

But I have noticed that in a few of Jack's scripts as they exist today, there
might be a page or two (or more) from someone else's script;  you can tell
this by whose name is circled next to their lines.  Don't know if that's from
an
innocent mix-up, gathering pages from the floor, or some damage that came to
Jack's script, causing him to borrow a page from someone else's for the file
copy.  I even found one page that had a burn hole in it, probably from Jack's
cigar ash!

Whenever we've done our recreations, we always put the pages at the back.
Having five or more people dropping script pages on the floor makes too much
of
a mess and risk of slippage.

--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:47:22 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  3-15 births/deaths

March 15th births

03-15-1877 - Montague Love - Portsmouth, England - d. 5-17-1943
actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Suspense"
03-15-1883 - Ernie Hare - Norfolk, VA - d. 3-9-1939
singer: (The Happiness Boys)
03-15-1887 - Billy Jones - NYC - d. 11-23-1940
singer: (The Happiness Boys)
03-15-1904 - George Brent - Dublin, Ireland - d. 5-26-1979
actor, moderator: "Doctor Fights"; "Leave It to the Girls"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
03-15-1913 - Macdonald Carey - Sioux City, IA - d. 3-21-1994
actor: Jonathan Hillary "Just Plain Bill "; Lee Markham "Woman in White"
03-15-1915 - David Schoenbrun - d. 5-23-1988
news correspondent: CBS News, Paris; "CBS Radio Workshop"
03-15-1916 - Harry James - Albany, GA - d. 7-5-1983
bandleader: "Spotlight Bands"; "Call for Music"
03-15-1917 - Carl Smith - Maynardville, TN
country singer: "Grand Ole Opry"
03-15-1919 - Lawrence Tierney - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-26-2002
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"

March 15th deaths

01-22-1909 - Ann Sothern - Valley City, ND - d. 3-15-2001
actress: Maisie Revere "Maisie"
08-24-1912 - Durward Kirby - Covingnton, KY - d. 3-15-2000
announcer, emcee: "Club Matinee"; "Honeymoon in New York"
12-21-1908 - Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver - Los Angeles, CA - d. 3-15-2002
producer: "Fred Allen Show"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:47:53 -0500
From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jim Harmon's Rocket Radio

I bought the "new" Rocket Radio, too, and it doesn't work because it
doesn't have a ground circuit.  Here's what you do:

Carefully scrape the insulation from one of the two earphone leads.
Connect the bare wire of the earphone lead to a ground (cold water pipe).
 Attach the alligator clip to an antenna of some sort, and you have a
fifty-percent chance of being in business.

If you still get no stations, disconnect the ground and scrape the OTHER
earphone lead and hook the ground to that.  Because one of the two
earphone leads is grounded, but there's no way to tell which one except
through trial and error.

---Dan

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:48:02 -0500
From: William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Recordings

 Taylor inquired about why recordings were made from the "inside-out" .
Very simple. In "cutting" a recording the "chip" throws toward the center
of the disc. If recording from the "outside-in" the engineer had to keep
clearing the "chip" with a brush. Larger installations had vaccum suction
systems that sucked up the "chip and therefore there was no problem
recording from the "outside-in". Originally phonograph records (10" and
12") were produced running at 78 rpm. Then Peter Goldmark at CBS
originated the LP (long play) micro-groove running at 33 1/3 rpm.
Columbia records was part of CBS in later years. Victor records became a
part of RCA in earlier years as did NBC.

Bill Murtough

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:48:10 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Star Trek

I've spent a lot of time figuring out how to connect my message to OTR.
I'm not creative enough, I guess, so I'll see if this passes Charlie's eagle
eyes.  Just remembered, Gene Roddenberry wrote for radio!

I know there are a number of fellow Star Trek fans in this group who will
probably enjoy this article and probably won't run into it unless they live
in the SF area.

Below is the link to this article in today's SF Chronicle about the
influence of Star Trek on the development of high-tech stuff, which included
the input of Trekker Professionals.      Kind of fun to read.   I hope they
can come up with Doc's wonderful hand-held medical diagnosis thingy.
-Irene

[removed];nl=top

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:58:00 -0500
From: "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed];
To: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Cincinnati Convention Hotel
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Got this reply from the hotel. Hope this helps anyone
trying to make reservations. If not let me know.
Bob Burchett

Hello Bob and Robert,
     I would like to apologize again for any inconveniences that may have
occurred this weekend in regards to reservations.  I can assure you that Becky
and I have spoken with our Front Desk Manager and she will be addressing this
with those who were here over the weekend.  The following are some suggestions
should any other instances occur.  E-mails can be sent to
bestwesternspringdale @ [removed], guests can also ask for Lydia when making
a reservation, she is our front office manager or your guests can contact
Becky or myself personally either via e-mail or telephone.  We both have voice
mail and access to our email during the work week.  As you can see we are
offering many outlets to ensure that your groups reservations are made
accurately, therefor not concessions will be made regarding the sliding scale
room rental.  I can assure you that any information passed to us thru any of
these outlets regarding this matter will be handled as soon as possible.  We
will see you on 4/7/04 at 10:30am for our "Pre-Con" meeting with all of our
department heads.  Thank you for your time gentlemen and I hope you are having
a great day!

Thanks again,

Lindsey Stansbury
Catering Manager
Best Western Hotel and Conference Center
671-6600 Phone
671-0507 Fax

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Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:58:17 -0500
From: Fred Berney <fsberney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Radio Tubes

While searching for a part for my projector, I came across a company that
has a large stock of old radio tubes. The person at the company told me he
wants to get rid of all of them at a very low price.

I'm only passing this information along and I have nothing to do with this
company. They are IKON Photo in Columbia, North Carolina. Their phone
number is 803-787-1626. I was also told that have a number of reel to reel
tape recorders they also want to sell.

Fred
[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:58:37 -0500
From: Booksteve@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Script Dropping
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As a sometime Jughead myself at the Cincinnati Con, far be it from me to
dispute Hal but I first heard of the "script dropping" from Willard Waterman
when
my wife and I dined with him at the third Cincinnati Con At least it is my
recollection that it was Mr. Waterman who said it. It may well have been one
of
the other supposedly  knowledgable fans in attendance that evening. I do know
that I attempted it during one re-creation later on and it made more noise
from
me just moving around on the pages in front of the mike. After all, it's
voice ACTING, not just standing stock still and reading a script. Ya gotta
move! I
have since found it much easier just to be careful turning pages and most of
the tapes I've made of the re-creations show that few people have a big
problem with that.
 Steven Thompson

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Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:59:27 -0500
From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Script Page Turning

Hal Stone wrote:

The only accurate information you were led to understand that was correct,
was that, yes, the pages were loose. The cast was generally given their copy
of the script with the pages stapled together. One of our firsts tasks prior
to rehearsal was, after marking our scripts to "highlight" our characters
lines, we would remove the staple.

  The more things change the more they stay the same.
As soon as an actor gets his or her script for
Imagination Theatre, they will high lite their part
and as soon as we go up for a Mic rehearsal the
staples come out. And I'm sure the technique used for
turning the pages hasn't changed all that much either.
              Larry Albert

P. S. With today's "hot" Mics the sound of a piece of
paper falling on the floor would be incredibly
audible.

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:59:55 -0500
From: "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Edgar and Candice Bergen

   Bergen-McCarthy and Candice Bergen have been mentioned lately on this
Digest.  So let me ask this:

   Would any of you know of the existence of a recording of the Edgar
Bergen--Charlie McCarthy Christmas broadcast of 21 December 1952, on which
Candice Bergen made her radio debut at age six?  (The other guest on that
radio broadcast was singer Mimi Benzell.)

   I assume a personal recording of the broadcast was arranged by Edgar
Bergen, for obvious reasons.

   I've tried e-mailing Ms. Bergen about the above via fan websites and the
like, in vain.
So an alternative question: Would any of you know Ms. Bergen (or her agent,
for example) or know how she could be contacted (via e-mail, preferably)?

   Thanks.

     -- Phil C.

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:00:39 -0500
From: "Bradley Stone" <brad@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  RCA Lyra MP3 Player for OTR [removed]
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OTR Fans:
I've been using a TDK Mojo CD player for the past two years to listen to
my MP3 OTR episodes.  It worked well, except at night when I listen to
The Great Gildersleeve while drifting off to sleep.  Unfortunately, the
player whirred and clicked, keeping my wife awake.  It also ate
batteries like crazy.

I just purchased an RCA Lyra for less than $100, and outfitted it with
an additional 256MB SD memory card.  The device is smaller than a
cigarette lighter, and has VERY good audio.  I can load up to 75
episodes of Gildy - no whirs, no clicks.  It's easy to drag and drop my
MP3 files to it with my computer, and it has no problem handling the
various compression schemes.  Guys, this is as good as it gets!  After
over a month, I'm still on the original AAA battery, too.

All the best,

-Brad Stone, NB9M

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Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:01:41 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Edgar Bergen TV Shows

Kermyt Anderson asked:

Regarding Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on television: I've recently
viewed two of their early appearances on the small screen. Both were from
1950.  One was an episode, apparently the first episode (maybe it was even
a pilot?) of The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show.

Those were both TV pilots.  Somehow they never became a regular weekly TV
series.  The earliest of the two actually has Bergen standing on stage (ala
George Burns and Jack Benny during their early shows) commenting that this
was his first television appearance.
MG

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:02:13 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re:  Charlie McCarthy was real

[removed] wrote:

The illusion does work, or else I'm going crazy.  I was listening to an
episode of the Charlie McCarthy show a few weeks back, and Edgar was not on
for awhile.  I started [removed] wonder if Edgar is sick or something and
Charlie has to do the show by himself this week.  Then I [removed], wait
a [removed]  A MINUTE!  Oh, [removed] story.

I had a similar experience.   I visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum,
specifically his digs  on Baker St. in London and was really into it, noting
how small the sitting room was, etc. etc.   About 2/3 of the way through
when I noted that the room where Watson slept when he shared rooms with
Holmes was awfully small and claustrophobic, I snapped out of it reminding
myself that SH wasn't real.  I had a good laugh at myself.

Irene

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:02:51 -0500
From: "Bob Watson" <crw934@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Satellite radio

Bill Orr pretty much summed it all up in his response to Penne Yingling's
question about satellite radio.

However, I went with the XM system.

I have not regretted the purchase.

While I bought the receiver mainly to be able to listen to OTR anytime I
wanted, I have come to appreciate the other channels that XM offers.  I
thoroughly enjoy the country music channels as well as the decades music
channels.  When on the road, you can keep up with Fox news or MSNBC or CNN
or some of the other news and sports channels.

About the only thing I can add is that XM now has local weather and traffic
reports for many major metropolitan areas across the USA.

Like Bill, my suggestion to Penne would be to visit the websites of the two
services and check out what each offers and make the decision based on
individual needs.

Bob

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:03:27 -0500
From: "Penne Yingling" <bp_ying@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:  Satellite Radio

Bill Orr says:

I can quite easily move the receiver from my bedroom to my Library or to my
car.  I have my choice of OTR, several channels of classical music, big band
music, talk or news shows to name just a few.

Thanks, Bill, for helping to improve my knowledge base on what's out there
traveling the airwaves.  I've gone to the Sirius website and now know what I
can put on my Christmas wish list (if I can wait that long).  Maybe I can
have "Christmas in July" this year.   (wonder where that phrase came from?!)

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:03:38 -0500
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  dropping pages on the floor and Charlie
 McCarthy

I willingly yield to Mr Stone's years of radio exprience, but I think I know
where the popular idea of dropping script pages on the floor originated.

During one season in the late 1980's, The Prairie Home Companion was
telecast as well as broadcast on radio.  (Garrison Keillor admitted
afterwards that this was a bad idea and they never did it again; I think he
was originally talked into it by the Disney people.)  At any rate, the TV
audience got to see the cast gathered around the microphones during skits,
and they did indeed drop used script pages on the floor.

Dunno how authentic it was, but that's apparently what worked for that
particular show.  It's the only radio show I ever _saw_, and I suspect that
this is true for many others.

And of course Charlie McCarthy was real.

M Kinsler

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:04:07 -0500
From: John Francis MacEachern <JohnFMac@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Satellite Radio

Hi !

As I've mentioned before, I installed XM Radio in my new PT Cruiser on
the day I bought it, 16 months ago. I've not been disappointed, I love
it!  The stations that I most frequently listen to are directly related
to our hobby.  XM has two stations devoted exclusively to OTR and spoken
word (short story readings from BBC mostly) and a comedy channel that
plays excerpts from OTR comedy shows, though  not continuously.

I choose XM over Sirius primarily because it offers more OTR,
secondarily because it was a few bucks cheaper.  So, if your main reason
to subscribe to either of these services is to hear OTR, I commend XM
Radio.  If you're looking for better radio reception, with lots more
choices and only the occasional OTR show, then check them both out, they
each have a website, easily found through Google, and make the choice
that's best for you.

Regardless of your choice, I'm sure you'll love it!

John Mac

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

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:04:30 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Howdy Doody on radio

Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 18:49:32 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];

Howdy Doody was on the radio.  12/15/51 to 9/12/53 sponsored in part by
International Shoes and 9/13/53 to 4/11/54 with no sponsor.

Quite so, but I was talking about the 1948-1950 period, when television was first becoming a 
mass medium.  By the end of 1951, television was in wide use.  During the crucial early 
period, Howdy Doody was not on radio (except maybe as the original "Elmer" character on 
Bob Smith's Saturday morning kids show on WNBC.  I don't know when that show ended.).  
Howdy Doody was a mass phenomenon long before 1951.

And, when the Howdy Doody radio program was on, it was for one hour on Saturday 
morning.  Recorded in segments during the week after the TV show, it lacked the excitement 
of the television version (Clarabell didn't transfer well to radio).
 
Likewise, while Uncle Miltie was on radio, it wasn't for very long.

(Incidentally, are you sure of that date for the end of the Howdy Doody radio show?  I thought 
I remembered it being on until Buffalo Bob's heart attack, which occurred over Labor Day 
weekend 1954.).

-- A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed] 15 Court Square, Suite 210 lawyer@[removed] Boston, MA 02108-2503 [removed] -------------------------------- End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #96 ******************************************** 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]