------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 71
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Women Announcers?!? Not on THIS stat [ ilamfan@[removed] ]
Time Machine/Tape Recorder [ ilamfan@[removed] ]
otr time machine [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
Proposed Southeastern Convention [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Hudson burlesque [ "Robert Angus" <rangus02@[removed]; ]
Tom Corbett [ "david rogers" <david_rogers@hotmai ]
Re: Women Announcers [ Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed]; ]
Returning To Those Thrilling Days of [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
Canada Lee [ "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
Captured Voices, WNYC [ "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
Sam Hayes [ Udmacon@[removed] ]
Re: DRAGNET again [ "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed]; ]
Twilight Zone CD [ Thomasmartin245@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 01:22:07 -0500
From: ilamfan@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed] (OTR Bulletin Board)
Subject: Women Announcers?!? Not on THIS station!
With the discussions lately about female announcers, this bit from a 1941
book about Radio Broadcasting kept popping into my head. Just as the odd
advertising and racial stereotypes that always give me little nervous laughs
when listening to OTR, this shows how deeply-ingrained sexual stereotypes
were,
also.
WOMEN IN RADIO
from Waldo Abbotís ìHandbook of Broadcastingî 1941 Pgs 328-329
"Many positions in the radio field are not open to women; it might be
better to say that it is difficult for women to enter certain branches of the
work. Few women are engineers in radio stations, partly because most station
managers prefer a man in a position of this kind. The small number of women
announcers is to some extent due to the fact that they are not physically able
to endure the long hours of work. However, many women would enter this type
of
work were it not for the prejudice the public has against women announcers.
Programs that advertise products for women are among these. By stressing
voice
culture and training, women may overcome the faults that often keep them from
entering the field of announcing.
On the other hand, women are better able to do secretarial work in the
broadcasting station than men. Many young college graduates who wish to go
into radio as a career begin as secretaries and eventually work up to
executive
positions. Every station uses women as singers and actors. Many stations
have
hostesses who meet the visitors and conduct tours through the studios. The
young woman who wishes to be a hostess must have a charming personality, must
be attractive, and must enjoy talking with and meeting people.
Besides acting in these capacities, women act as telephone operators,
publicity writers, directors of childrenís programs, studio librarians, and
traffic managers. Those women who actually get before the microphone give
talks on household hints, fashion revues, recipes, child training, etiquette,
and other subjects that are closely associated with the home and the women.
Movie chats and reviews of plays are often given by women, and programs
presented for the entertainment of small children are usually written,
directed, and given over the air by women.
The filing and recording of fan mail is another important task performed
by women. All fan mail that comes to a station must be examined, since a
program is to a certain extent judged according to the fan mail it brings to
the station. It is through this public reaction to radio programs that many
decisions are made as to what programs and artists are to be kept before the
microphone. The work of the studio librarian is also important. All scripts,
music, and any other written material must be filed under every possible
heading so that it can be found at a momentís notice. A file is kept of all
the phonograph records and transcriptions. Dictionaries of books on
pronunciation, poetry, and biography make up an important part of the studio
library, and it is up to the librarian to have these ready for use at all
times.
Courtenay Savage, director of dramatics and continuity of the [removed], has
pointed out that today the best field for women interested in the radio as a
career is that of writing plays and skits."
Evidently it was the PHYSICAL HARDSHIPS of announcing that kept more
women
from entering that field. Evidently women were much better suited physically
for traffic management, or lugging piles of scripts and transcriptions to and
from the library.
Of course, if she were PRETTY enough or CHARMING enough, she MIGHT be
considered for the hostess position (and believe me, I'm having a tough time
leaving THAT one alone!).
If she were willing to sign a MAN'S name to her script, she might even be
more likely to get it produced! Of course, times have changed dramatically
since 1941 (right?).
Anyone willing to guess whether Courtenay Savage, the CBS director of
dramatics and continuity, was a man or a woman?
Stephen Jansen
--
Old Time Radio never dies - it
just changes formats!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 01:22:39 -0500
From: ilamfan@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed] (OTR Bulletin Board)
Subject: Time Machine/Tape Recorder
If I could go back and catch some old shows, I'd get some of the original
1930's Doc Savage shows. That way, we would know what Doc's "trilling" noise
actually sounded like. Since Lester Dent/Kenneth Robeson wrote and produced
the radio shows, he would have had approval of sound effects. Check out more
about Lester Dent and the Doc Savage radio show in this quarterly issue of The
NARA NEWS (nara@[removed])
And I think I'd get some "Latitude Zero" shows, too. From the audition
episode, it sounds as if it would have been a great adult adventure series,
right up there with "I Love A Mystery", or "Adventures By Morse".
Stephen Jansen
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:27:02 -0500
From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: otr time machine
If I had a time machine, I'd go back and record Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar,
"The Salt City Matter," "The Sea Legs Matter," "The Lonely Hearts Matter,"
and "The Imperfect Alibi Matter." These are the four serials that are
missing an episode. I'd also record some of those Lights Out programs that
Willis Cooper wrote and directed. None of them seem to be in circulation.
I enjoy the Arch oboler productions and I'd be curious to see how Mr.
Cooper's programs differed with mr. oboler's. There are also several
episodes of Dragnet from the Ben Romero era that are missing and I'd love to
record them.
RyanO
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:28:10 -0500
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Proposed Southeastern Convention
"Miriam Hipp" <radthea@[removed]; asked:
Does anyone have the broadcast of Orson Welles and [removed] Wells the day after
the famous broadcast of ?War of the Worlds??
Assuming there was only the one broadcast meeting of the two, I have
an mp3 of that interview if that would be of interest to you.
Is there anyone out there interested in having an OTR conference or
convention in the Southeast, Alabama or Georgia to be exact?
Well, one state north, I have encountered at least five folks from in
or near Knoxville on this digest; I personally know of at least two
more hardcore OTR fans here, one of whom writes for our larger
newspaper and would be in a position to promote such an event. We had
for many years a very successful B Western convention which also
attracted the occasional OTR star; it was there that I met Richard
Simmons (Sgt Preston) who said he had done a few radio episodes. That
convention was very well attended, but, to my knowledge, it is no
longer being held.
I hope Charlie will forgive my using the list to respond as I am not
in contact with all the subscribers in and around Knoxville, and some
of them may not be aware there are so many of us on this list. In the
past I have driven as far as Cincinatti, when I could afford to do
so, for their annual convention, and found the experience well worth
the drive.
"Though boys throw stones at frogs in sport, the frogs do not die in sport but
in earnest."
~ Bion
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:28:20 -0500
From: "Robert Angus" <rangus02@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Hudson burlesque
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OT this may be, but since Halk Stone and Bob Scherago brought it up, isn't it
about time that all of us who did time at the Hudson Burlesque get together to
salute those wonderful baggy-pants comedians, those generously-endowed
middle-aged ladies who appeared between their turns and even the candy
butchers who hawked stale Crackerjack during the intermissions? What if wqe'd
all met then, t0 years ago to form an OTB (no, not Off-Track Betting) group?
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:28:27 -0500
From: "david rogers" <david_rogers@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Tom Corbett
I have been trying to sort out my sci fi stuff and I have been having a bit
of trouble with my Tom Corbett, Space Cadet programmes. I keep finding
different catalogues with different show listings so I am finding it hard to
put everything in its correct order.
I was reading that it was a TV and a radio show. Therefore, I am wondering
if a lot of the mp3 files that I have are actually taken from TV shows
rather than the radio.
Any help?
Love as always, David Rogers
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:28:47 -0500
From: Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Women Announcers
Yes, it does seem that (network) radio and TV has mostly been a "man's
world" as far as announcing goes, and even to a certain extent, the same
is true today! But in the old days of radio, I can think of three
situations in which women were close to being "announcers".
A few years ago (mid-1990s?) when the television networks still ran rea;
closing credits and theme song music (instead of the squeezed/windows
excuse of today), and CBS-TV *still* had a real closing outcue, there was
one with a female voice who said "You're on CBS". Also in the 1980's and
early 1990's time-frame, I can remember a female voice doing "booth"
announcing (voiceover-only promos during closing credits/theme songs, and
the network outcue. "This is ABC").
I got to thinking if there was *ANYTHING* of women doing announcer type
duties prior to the 1970s. Yes, there were women news reporters, weather
"girls", and women who did some form of narration on radio (and TV)
commedies, dramas, etc. Sometimes, a woman's voice was hard in a dialogue
with the offiical (male) announcer as part of a (live) commercial too.
One in particular was the woman who had a 'banter' with 'Raymond, your
host' in sevral seasons of "Inner Sanctum Mysteries", especially during
the Lipton Tea and Soup sponsorship years. She seemed to have much more
"involvement" with doing "announcing", I seem to think she would
occasionally identify the players, and indicate what would air next week.
Sometimes, it seemed that the *only* thing she *didn't* say would have
been "This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System".
Although there were women that were more "involved" with radio (and TV) in
the old days, and there was much more of an involvement of women in
TV/radio (and just about everything else) starting in the 1970's (with
the above mentioned examples of women 'booth' announcers at the three
television networks), I still couldn't think of any examples where a woman
had said "This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company", "This is the
Mutual Broadcasting System", "This is the CBS Radio Network", etc. in the
1930's thru 60's timeframe.
But there are two other instances of women who were "close" to being
announcers in some ways (in addition to the "inner Sanctum/Lipton"
sitauation)...
I was listening to a "Phil Harris / Alice Faye Show" once on Y-USA (at
least I *think* it was the Harris/Faye show), the episode was possibly
from the late 1940's. As the theme song was playing, I heard a WOMAN's
voice, that of Minerva Pious:
"This is Mrs. Nussbaum. Stay tuned for the Fred Allen Show, next on NBC,
the National Broadcasting Company" ...
(followed by the chimes, G-E-C, 'bong-bing-bung')
Of course, she was really "talent", a "character" on Fred Allen's
program, doing a promo-type outcue, rather than a "regular NBC staff
announcer", but that was an actual instance of a female giving the
network/system outcue!
And then there was Tallulah Bankhead. Of course, some people think that
with her deep 'foghorn' voice, she was really a man! :) but that's another
issue. While there was indeed a (male) staff announcer (long-time network
radio announcer Jimmy Wallington) for her early 1950's 90-min Sunday
evening "The Big Show" on NBC Radio, who indicated the regulars and guest
at the beginning of the program, and "introduced" Tallulah, introduced the
commercials, [removed] it was actually *SHE* who gave the network/system
'outcue' at the end of each half-hour, at least the end of the first two
half-hours.
Frequently, she would be in the middle of conversation (even a 'skit')
with a guest star, and would say something like "Now, Daahling, I must now
ring my chimes. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company".
I don't think she did the final (third) outcue at the very end of the
90-minute program. I think that Jimmy Wallington did all of the closing
announcements, commercials and such, including the "final" NBC closing
system outcue. Also, at the "return" after the two half-hour station
breaks, I think it was Jimmy Wallington who re-introduced the program and
Tallulah.
Are there any other examples of women who came "close" to being
"announcers" like that?
Mark J. Cuccia
mcuccia@[removed]
New Orleans LA
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:29:32 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Returning To Those Thrilling Days of
Yesteryear
Chris Holm, speaking of the hypothetical time machine, notes,
I would also send away for all of those premiums. It means I'd have to
stay back in time for 6-8 [removed] and consume lots of Kelloggs Pep and
Rich Chocolate Ovaltine, but it would be worth it.
Actually, as an adult, I might have tough sledding with Pep, but I still
like Ovaltine occasionally.
But the premiums! Besides the Captain Midnight stuff, there were many
premiums I sent away for, and some I heard of later that were available
before I started listening to OTR broadcasts. I've managed to collect
(in some cases. "recover") premiums through auctions, primarily. I've
even had some given to me by those who know my interests. And yet, there
are some I'd still like to get.
One Captain Midnight premium that surfaces from time to time on eBay is
the Wright Aerial Torpedo, a 1941 balsa wood item. I suspect it's the
rarest Captain Midnight premium. I've seen it surface occasionally on
eBay and other auctions, but it generally is bid up beyond my means
fairly quickly. The Jack Armstrong Dragon's Eye Ring I'd like an
undamaged version of, and I'd love to be able to "bring back" a new Lone
Ranger (actually, Kix) Atom Bomb ring, with an active radioisotope, so I
could see the light show it used to produce. (The ring in my collection
has an inert sample, so no more sparkles; the phosphor's fine -- I
checked it with ultraviolet.)
I have a friend in the UK who collects cryptological items, and I
introduced him to radio premium crypto premiums. He's added a few to his
collection and is checking various auctions for more. If he needs
information on any he runs across, I'm usually able to help him.
I'd definitely stop by my Skelly Oil dealer and pick up the Captain
Midnight premium that was a map of the country with all of the airline
routes on it, with information on all of the airlines and their planes!
There you're in luck. A replica of this map surfaces from time to time
on eBay. It's a scanned version, though the scale might be a bit off, so
what's on it is exactly what's on the original. On the aircraft, though,
six out of the ten airplanes shown are Douglas DC-3s (or the DST
variant). The person(s) who did the descriptions twisted themselves into
knots, I suspect, trying to make it look like they were different
aircraft. It's worth pointing out that Skelly Oil owned Spartan
Aircraft and its subsidiary, Spartan School of Aeronautics, so they were
as on top of things aviational as folk could be in those days.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:29:50 -0500
From: "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed];
To: "otr message" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Canada Lee
Miriam Hipp asked about this actor. I cannot, for some reason, get her
e-mail address to work for me. Therefore, I have Canada Lee on the
following: Lest We Forget, Bill
Stern, You Are There, New World a Comin', Free Company, Words at War, They
Shall Be Heard, Columbia Presents Corwin, Destination Freedom, and the
Salute to
Canada Lee that you mention. Contact me off line and we will try to
communicate.
I'd be happy to share these programs with you.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:30:09 -0500
From: "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed];
To: "otr message" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Captured Voices, WNYC
Does anyone know about the availability of a 3 hour retrospective that WNYC
did on
7/8/89 called "Captured Voices." I know there is a WNYC archivist in our
group(whose name and e-mail address I have lost, darn it) who would know.
CXQ calling,
"is anybody out [removed]"
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:30:29 -0500
From: Udmacon@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sam Hayes
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I have a fairly complete run of "Eyes Aloft," a wartime series run on the
west coast and beamed to civilians who volunteered their services as plane
spotters for the 4th Fighter Command. Sam Hayes is one of the announcers in
it, soing a "Winchell" type of reporting on Filter Center happenings.
Incidentally, I found the series on extremely fragile glass disks stored in
the archives of the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio while stationed there.
In return for dubbing all the shows on tape (each 30 minute show took three
78 rpm disks, both sides!), I was allowed to tape a set for myself. So now
it's circulated; WRVO, Oswego NY has a set and has broadcast it.
Big names from Hollywood participated in the show's short dramas, and the
program had a full band and studio audience. Listening to it is like a time
warp into civilian participation in World War II.
BILL KNOWLTON
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Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:31:23 -0500
From: "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: DRAGNET again
Derek Tague ("Mr. Ether"), in writing about how one form of DRAGNET or
another has appeared in every decade from the 1940's to the present, allowed
that:
I realize that there's cause for argument and that this may be "pushing the
envelope" being that "Dragnet" only aired for a few months in the 40's,
70s, 80s, & 90s <snip>
I'll only add that, if we're allowed to count reruns, the Jack Webb version
from 1967-70 has been omnipresent during all those decades - from
off-network syndication in the fall of '70 through a three-year run on TV
LAND that ended in 2001 (and included two 48-hour marathons).
[who knows? maybe the new incarnation'll only last a few months in
this decade].
What I'd like to do is convince Ed Walker and anybody else who programs OTR
on Sunday nights to counter-program with a classic DRAGNET episode at
10:00pm. Not so much that I hate the new version - I don't, although I'm
not convinced it's truly "Dragnet" - but I don't like some of the slurs
toward the original that I've been reading in press coverage and reviews. I
was especially unhappy with Dick Wolf's comment that no one under 35 would
know the original DRAGNET "unless they were watching TV LAND at three in the
morning while stoned." There are several members of this list qualified to
parboil those words and shove 'em down Wolf's throat!
A Mark VII [removed]
Trivia question: Does anyone know who gets the composer credit for the
tympani roll that accompanies the famous two strikes of the hammer? Did
anyone even know that someone could CLAIM a composer credit for a tympani
roll and get it published?
Answer to follow in a future edition of the glamorous, unpredictable OTR
DIGEST!!
Michael
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 11:31:35 -0500
From: Thomasmartin245@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Twilight Zone CD
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I had time to listen to the new Twilight Zone CD and I am very impressed. The
acting is very good and the narration by Stacey Keach is great. Keep 'um
coming Carl.
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--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #71
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