------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 77
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
otr plays [ "randy story" <bygeorge@[removed]; ]
Duke University [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Re: Scanning an LP [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
Don't Got the Jack? [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
A Little Late [ Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed] ]
Re: John Todd's real voice [ Rob Chatlin <rchatlin@[removed] ]
Re: Encyclopedia of Radio [ Alan/Linda Bell <alanlinda43@yahoo. ]
39 Forever [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
Dragnet, Transcription Discs & Dicta [ Chad Palmer <palmerch@[removed] ]
Re: OTR Time Machine [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
Re: The OTR Time Machine [ Tim Cronin <tc1001@[removed]; ]
Re: Old Tape Format Question [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
2-18 Birthdays [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
"E-N-C-Y-C-L-O-P-E-D-I-A" [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
Boston Blackie graphic novel [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Tom Corbett re-creation [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
Re: Harry Bartell [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
links [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
Tom Corbett [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
Telephone Hour [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 20:12:35 -0500
From: "randy story" <bygeorge@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: otr plays
Hello, al.
Just popping in with a question or two for you, my learned colleagues of OTR
fandom.
I am looking for some of the play collections that were made publicly
available during radio's heyday. For example, collections were sold by Arch
Obler and Norman Corwin. While it is fairly easy to find [removed]'s works,
I am finding it hard to locate the efforts of others from the same era. I
would like someof the works created for the CBS RADIO WORKSHOP and the like
as well as any books of radio episode scripts known to be flaoting around
out there. These would be for use in my classroom as well as for the OTR
recreation theater company that I am attempting to form.
Perhaps some of you might provide me with titles to start looking for in
printed form and/ or websites that specialize in selling used books. Pretty
please?:)
Next, I would like to get my highly underpaid, chubby little fingers on the
GUNSMOKE book written by the Gaboras(I think that is the correct spelling).
However, I cannot afford to plunk down the amazingly high price they ask for
that publication; so, if any of you have the book and are interested in
selling it to me at a slightly reduced(or even A GREATLY REDUCED) price,
please contact me off list soon.
As usual, I deeply appreicate this list and the information it yeilds.
Thanks,
Randy Story
(Who is really looking forward to the Cincy Convention in 53 DAYS!)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 20:12:54 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Duke University
If anyone happens to live by Duke University, and has a couple free hours to
spare, anytime during the next month or so, I have been in contact with the
library staff and learned that they have a file of material I would very
much like to have a copy of - contracts and memos from the J. Walter
Thompson Advertising Company. I am willing to pay for reimburse plus profit
to anyone who wouldn't mind making a quick trip. It'll keep my travel
expenses down.
Martin (who is trapped at home with two feet of snow outside).
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 21:20:34 -0500
From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Scanning an LP
Here is something I just read in the current issue of PC World. There is a
program that claims it can playback a scanned image of an LP.
I'd like to try this. But, most scanners are smaller than 12" the size of a
standard record. If it works, think of the possibilities. You have a
cracked record. The needle skips when you try to play it. Or worse yet, you
could break the needle when trying to play it. Play in on this program and
maybe it could play through the cracks.
I could test this on a 45 rpm record, which I will do. If it works, I'd
like to find someone with a scanner large enough to scan a 12" or even a
16" record. When Ellen scans large photos that are too large for our
scanner, she is able to scan half and then put the parts together. I guess
this could be done with a record, but trying to line up the grooves is
something I'd hate to think about.
If this thing works, I'll report back.
Fred
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 21:59:42 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Don't Got the Jack?
Greg Przywara, speaking of using a time machine to "collect" OTR shows,
noted,
However I don't think radios in those days would have been in and out
jacks for hooking up a tape recorder so any kind of recording I would be
doing would sound too hollow and would be unsuitable for making CDs and
selling them on ebay.
Greg, if you find a way of going back, you don't need a jack. Just take
a cable. Put an input jack on one end, and alligator clips on the other.
Plug the jack into the line input on your recorder, and use the
alligator clips on each side of the radio's speaker voice coil. Not as
good as a straight output, but a lot better than using a microphone.
I used to do that in the 1950s with my Crescent recorder. Worked pretty
well.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 22:19:03 -0500
From: Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: A Little Late
If it is possible to have a delayed epiphany, I have just had one. My
daughter has been collecting samples of shows on which I appeared and which
she has been logging. Naturally, I remembered nothing about them except that
I worked on that series.
Then I heard Frontier Gentleman. The name doesn't seem to ring much of bell
on these pages but I was absolutely bowled over by the quality of the
writing, production and performances. The range extended from wild humor
to tragedy with equal conviction and emotional validity. Every episode (even
those of broadest comedy) had that rare atmosphere of real people speaking
to each other. I am proud to have been a part of it.
To relate to a current thread: I think that if I had a time machine and
could go back, I would probably be looking for a job.
Harry Bartell
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 22:47:19 -0500
From: Rob Chatlin <rchatlin@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: John Todd's real voice
John Todd might also pop up on some of the other WXYZ shows -
Green Hornet or Sgt. Preston - as part of the company of players.
rob
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 22:47:41 -0500
From: Alan/Linda Bell <alanlinda43@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Encyclopedia of Radio
One more contributor pops up. I wrote a general article on radio
comedy from the beginning up to the present day. Try doing THAT in
just 4500 words! Just sent my edited version back, too. I had about
given up hope that the thing as ever going to be published.
I have Elizabeth to thank for mentioning it in this forum a couple of
years ago. Otherwise I wouldn't have even known about it and would
not have had the opportunity of submitting anything.
Alan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 23:14:45 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: 39 Forever
Hello [removed]
I could write a run-down of the 39 Forever weekend, but I would like to
extend an invitation here (and shortly on the IJBFC Web site). Some of the
attendees are also OTR Digest subscribers, and I think it would be better to
hear from people speaking as attendees/participants.
Suffice it to say that 39 Forever went very, very well. I am extremely glad
that everyone who spoke to me had a wonderful time, and it was a great
privilege to be among so many dedicated and knowledgeable Benny fans. This
weekend was certainly one of the high points of my life, due in part to the
fantastic support and hard work of the IJBFC advisory council, our
volunteers, and all the folks who shared their weekend with us. Thank you to
everyone who made this event possible.
--
Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 01:43:26 -0500
From: Chad Palmer <palmerch@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Dragnet, Transcription Discs & Dictabelts
Hey All,
This isn't going to start out OTR related, but I promise you it's getting
there. I was watching C-SPAN on Sunday and they were airing an excellent
special from the JFK Library on the various presidential tapes and it got
me to thinking. Exactly why weren't Dictabelts used by stations to record
& air programs instead of transcriptions, or were they?
Also I'm starting to embark upon a quest to pick up different old recording
media that was used over time, both audio and video and I was wondering if
anybody else had attempted to put together a similar collection? I'd like
to start with a transcription disc and a dictabelt and work my way up to
collect one of each video format as well.
I've always been a big fan of Dragnet and my first priority would be to
locate a transcription disc of any Dragnet episode, original or
re-broadcast, from AFRS or the network. I'm not picky, I'm just looking
for one at a reasonable cost. Also if anyone has any dictabelts laying
around (used or unused) I'd be interested in seeing what one of those looks
like in person.
Thanks,
Chad Palmer
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:24:52 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: OTR Time Machine
Greg Przywara wrote about 1938:
I don't think radios in those days would have been in and out
jacks for hooking up a tape recorder so any kind of recording
I would be doing would sound too hollow
You probably would be using a disc recorder, not a tape recorder. But most
home disc recorders in those days came with a radio built into them with
direct connections for recording the radio programs.
In 1938 there probably was only one modern-style magnetic tape recorder
existing in America--and I own it. It is a German AEG Magnetophon, model
K-2, and that year it was sent by AEG to their American affiliate, General
Electric in Schenectady, to be examined for possible production. GE's
report on the machine was negative.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:25:02 -0500
From: Tim Cronin <tc1001@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: The OTR Time Machine
Hi gang:
Where do we begin with this? At the beginning!
Assuming my time machine could fly (and the deluxe model does, does it
not?), I'd want to be in Pittsburgh for Election Night 1920 for KDKA's
sign-on, but wouldn't want to miss the switch from amateur status to
commercial of WWJ in Detroit, WHA (non-commercial) in Madison, Wis.,
and, for that matter, CFCF in Montreal. All pioneer stations. And we'd
finally get the sign-on dates nailed down.
Then home to Chicago, for WGN's broadcast of the Scopes "monkey" trial,
live from Tennessee, in 1924. And, for that matter, the same year's WGN
broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 live from the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway's pagoda-style control tower, complete with Henry Ford as a
guest, and Sam & Henry doing live skits! That would be a keeper. (And
technically, it was on WDAP, "The Chicago Tribune Station on the Drake
Hotel," as the Tribune Co. hadn't completed the purchase of the station
yet. I think the call letters changed a few days later.)
Of course, no Time Machine collection would be complete without NBC's
Inaugural Program from Nov. 1926. All four hours via WEAF, of course.
And the New Year's Day 1927 NBC broadcast of the Rose Bowl from
Pasadena, touted by NBC as the first west-to-east coast-to-coast
broadcast, is another must.
As team sports goes, the 1924 Notre Dame-Army game at the Polo Grounds,
which brought us The Four Horsemen thanks to Grantland Rice's story the
next day, would also be destined for the vault. I think it was on WEAF,
maybe WJZ. Likewise, the 1921 World Series.
Also to the vault: the 1924 Democratic National Convention, all zillion
ballots of it (Graham McNamee on the AT&T Net, I think); Lowell Thomas
reporting, unrecreated, on Lindbergh's landing in Paris; and various
first appearances of notables such as Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Kate Smith
and the like. And a perfect first-generation copy of Jack Benny's
"Canada Dry" debut.
What else? How about everything else! My Time Machine would have a big
trunk, room for all the recordings.
Tim Cronin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:26:22 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Old Tape Format Question
Henry Howard <hhoward@[removed]; asked about the old RCA 1/4-inch tape
cartridge system from the early 1960s and suggested that a response about
the format's head configuration and speed might be "rather off topic." I
don't think this is off topic at all. It is very important for people to
know how to handle non-standard recording media. Fortunately this one is
easy to work with, and you will not have to hunt up an original machine.
The RCA Cartridge was announced in 1958 but didn't hit the market until
very late 1959. It uses the standard quarter track format and almost all
of the machines ran at only 3 3/4 IPS. I have three or four of the
machines, but it is very easy to remove the tape and wind it onto a
standard open reel and play the tape on a higher quality open-reel machine.
The tape was wound oxide-out like in the later Philips cassette, so you
have to remember to give a half-twist when winding onto a reel. Like the
Philips cassette it mounted the heads upside down because of the oxide-out
wind, therefore the proper track configuration of the upper track being the
left channel is retained when playing on an open reel. Unlike the Philips
cassette it was usually possible on most of the machines to record four
separate mono tracks, so they would usually be done in the normal 1-4-3-2
order.
To remove the tape, try to wind the tape onto one of the hubs while the
cartridge is still closed. The internal brake can be released by just
holding in the metal tab in the notch in the center of the rear edge. Then
just unscrew the shell and lift the leader loop off of the pin on the empty
hub. You might as well leave the full hub in the shell and screw it back
together. Then with the metal brake tab pressed in, wind the tape onto an
empty open reel on your tape recorder. Don't forget that half-twist. When
it is wound, unscrew the shell again to release the other loop from the
other hub.
This cartridge was an unsuccessful attempt at popularizing the tape
recorder by eliminating the need to thread it. But the marketing was
dreadful and the cartridges were cumbersome. The cartridge is almost
exactly the same size as the clamshell cases now used for DVDs. In 1962 a
smaller cartridge was introduced by 3M-Revere-Columbia which used narrower
tape, the slower 1 7/8 IPS speed, a changer mechanism for uninterrupted
play, and had only one reel in the cartridge with the take-up reel
permanently mounted inside the machine. This system was even more
unsuccessful (I do not yet own an example of it) but when this narrow
slow-speed tape was coupled with the shape and basic design of the earlier
RCA Cartridge, what you basically have is the standard Philips cassette
that we all know.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:26:30 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
>From Those Were The Days --
1949 - Yours Truly Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS. The program starred
Charles Russell as the insurance investigator with the action-packed
expense account.
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:26:43 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 2-18 Birthdays
The following people were born on February 18th.
1890 - Edward Arnold - New York City
1901 - Wayne King - Savannah, Illinois
1903 - Jaxques Fray - Paris, France
1907 - Billy DeWolf - Wotlaston, Massachusetts
1911 - Pee Wee King - Abrams, Wisconsin
1913 - Dane Clark - Brooklyn, New York
1920 - Bill Cullen - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1925 - George Kennedy - New York City
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Make your day, listen to an Olde Tyme Radio Program
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:26:53 -0500
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: "E-N-C-Y-C-L-O-P-E-D-I-A"
Hi Gang:
Irene Heinstein asked about the upcoming 3-volume "Encyclopedia of Radio"
set. Elizabeth McLeod, Stephen Kallis, and Howard Blue are known
contributors.
[removed]'s the publisher?
Best!
Jiminy Crick-, er,
Derek Tague
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:27:15 -0500
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Boston Blackie graphic novel
For the Boston Blackie fans out there, a publishing
house called Moonstone is releasing a 48 graphic novel
called "Moonstone Noir: Boston Blackie." Unlike the
radio Blackie, this story brings the character back to
his roots as an ex-con. In this particular story he's
haunted by the possibility he may have committed a
murder on a night he doesn't remember.
I haven't seen it yet myself, but Tony Isabella, a
long-time comics writer and columnist in Comics
Buyer's Guide, gives it four (out of five) Tony's--
his grading scale.
I might pick up a copy myself. It might be interesting
to compare a story of the original version of Blackie
with the more familiar (to me) radio version, and see
which I like better.
Rick
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:27:28 -0500
From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Tom Corbett re-creation
Thanks to John Sexton, I've learned of a film festival that I'm sure will
be of interest to many of us, in that there will be a radio program
re-creation of a Tom Corbett episode, with several of the actors who were
in the program originally. Here's the info on the Corbett segment:
[removed]
and here's the entire festival guest stars lineup:
[removed]
Hope some of you can make it (Williamsburg, VA, March 6-8). Sure wish I
could!
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:27:47 -0500
From: Ga6string@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Harry Bartell
Hello all,
I continue to enjoy Mr. Bartell's columns -- thank you, Harry for sharing
them with us, and thank you, Charlie, for helping make it happen!
I'd also like to mention to Mr. Bartell and those who enjoy his radio work
that David Goldin's website, [removed], now has a
search-by-artist function, and Mr. Goldin's listing for Harry Bartell
includes 645 performances. Not a complete list, of course, but certainly an
enjoyable reference, IMHO.
Sincerely,
Bryan Powell
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:28:02 -0500
From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: links
Hi Everybody, I receive a private email asking me about the Bed and
Breakfast that plays OTR in there house in Vermont. Does any one recall
there web site, I remember that Jack Killers OTR site had a link to it at
one time. Does any one have a site that carried all the OTR links like Jack
did. I miss not having that site. He had over 400 links and it was nice to
have it around. Take care,
Walden Hughes
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:50:44 -0500
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Tom Corbett
Regarding TOM CORBETT, SPACE CADET someone posted:
Once the program originated over ABC, someone came up with the idea of
having the scripts written so cleverly that the audio tracks to the
television episodes could be recorded and re-edited to pose as radio
broadcasts. ... That's why the radio episodes sound much like TV
broadcasts.
That didn't sound correct to me so I asked Jan Merlin (Cadet Roger Manning).
He said:
"The radio scripts were entirely different from the tv scripts and written
expressly for the radio broadcasts. We NEVER duplicated a script from one to
the other medium. In no way could the tv show tracks be used for the radio
[removed] did both versions [removed] different techbnical personnel,
director, and [removed]"
And thank you to George Aust for the nice words about my column "Information
Please". Til next time, spaceman's luck!
Barbara
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 14:03:10 -0500
From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Telephone Hour
Has anyone ever prepared on seen a log of the Bell Telephone Hour
broadcasts?
Joe Salerno
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #77
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