------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 238
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Wendy Warren (ladies first) [ Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@erols ]
Re: Hoagy's greatest tribute [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
OTR ref on ATC on NPR [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Handicapped Hoppy [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Ensemble [ "Scott Eberbach" <seberbach@earthli ]
LPs [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
Radio blackouts? [ Kelli Stanley <ks4color@[removed] ]
Rex-All [ Keith Dabney <keithd7@[removed]; ]
Character's voices [ Bob Beckett <bobbyb1324me@[removed] ]
Carl Amari [ "Michael Scott" <video7@[removed]; ]
Nifty device [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
Wendy Warren & the News [ Wwtom@[removed] ]
Re: Thanks, and a new view of an "ol [ ""Cynthia \"ChibiBarako\""" < ]
Edison LPs [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ lois@[removed] ]
Digital [removed] [ wich2@[removed] ]
The Aldrich Family [ Jerry Bechtel <[removed]@[removed] ]
OTR Obit [ "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@worldnet. ]
irock static [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
Gee! A new fan [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 16:03:28 -0400
From: Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Wendy Warren (ladies first)
Regarding the current discussion of where the news came in the show
"Wendy Warren", it's been my experience that contemporary research is
always more accurate than someone jumping in with "Well, the way I
remember [removed]"
There are 16 episodes of this show in existence today, according to Jay
Hickerson, most from the late 40s. I don't have many, but all have the
same format. A typical one from Nov 49 should suffice:
Every program starts with a clatter of radio-telegraph (a la Walter
Winchell) and over the dots and dashes, announcer "Bill Flood" (played
by Hugh James, uncredited) says, "Maxwell House Coffee presents Wendy
Warren and the News". Wendy jumps in only to introduce Douglas Edwards
with "the headlines of the day." Edwards has about 2 minutes of world
news (in this specific episode he mentions the Hiss and Coplon trials,
[removed] strikes, veteran's benefits, European access to Berlin, Czeck
Communist attacks on Catholic Church, etc.) Edwards concludes with, "And
now, here's Wendy with the news for the ladies."
Wendy then has one minute of women's news (in this program, she talks
about the first woman dean named to a theological seminary, latest
feminine fashions, and a housewife who scared off a robber.) Wendy is
immediately followed by the first lengthy Maxwell Coffee commercial.
(Presumable, Edwards has already left the studio.) After the commercial
break, Wendy announces "We're off the air" and she and her announcer,
Bill Flood, discuss their weekend plans (he's headed for the shore, she
warns him about sunburn, etc) and now the soap opera plot begins. We
know this because this is the first time in the show we've heard the
organ music. It can be Wendy leaving the studio enroute to danger, or
spotting trouble as she leaves the parking lot, and in this show, an
incoming phone call from a mysterious foreign man, Bruno, who lures her
to a meeting with a suspicious female. In this program, the female even
comments on Wendy's radio career, saying that her voice instills
confidence in the listener.
About 10 minutes or so later (with one commercial enroute) Wendy wraps
up today's adventure, ending at a climatic moment, of course, and our
announcer is back at the mike encouraging us to tune in tomorrow and
drink Maxwell Coffee.
All in all, a series of seamless sections from news, commercials and
story line. But the news always came first.
Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 16:33:52 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Hoagy's greatest tribute
Although Hoagy Carmichael will long be remembered for "Star Dust" and
for his contributions, among other things, to the Oriental Foxtrot
genre, I'm sure many of us are reminded of him most often by the
sandwich named in his honor. To me it is never a "sub" or a "hero," nor
even a "Dagwood." It is, and will forever remain, the "Hoagy."
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 17:04:35 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR ref on ATC on NPR
In a subtle nod to OTR, there was a skit on All Things Considered (on
NPR) recently in which we heard the supposed hold music and lyrics of a
number of [removed] government agencies; the theme music for the FBI was "A
March for Three Oranges," an obvious reference to _The FBI in Peace and
War_ which used that same march from _Love for Three Oranges_
(Prokofieff, I think). Personally, I think J. Edgar Hoover singing "I
Feel Pretty" would have been more appropriate.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 18:10:33 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Handicapped Hoppy
Rlctm <rlctm@[removed]; (sorry, I don't seem to have the proper name)
asked about radio shows featuring the handicapped. It might be
stretching a point, since Mr. Boyd did not show any evidence of any
disability in the movies, but on the radio, for all we listeners knew,
Hopalong Cassidy might have been lame as was his character in the
original books by Clarence Mumford upon which the radio show was based.
In fact, it was BECAUSE he was handicapped that Hopalong was given that
unsympathetic nickname, which he turned into a synonym for heroism. (I
wonder how much my old Hopalong Cassidy wristwatch is worth.)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 18:10:55 -0400
From: "Scott Eberbach" <seberbach@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ensemble
Hi All!
Have to agree with Walden about the New York cast for ILAM! I'm sure there
are a lot out there that feel that the Hollywood cast was [removed]
E. Morse undoubtly felt that way too! Early Dragnet is [removed] Webb,
Barton Yarborough, and Raymond Burr. Another favorite of [removed]
McGee and Molly. Fibber, Molly, Teeny, Old-Timer, Wallace Wimple, Doc
Gamble, and the list goes on.
Scott
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 18:18:10 -0400
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: LPs
Lee:
I enjoyed your epistolary McLeod-ean length discouse in the latest OTR
Digest. Well done!
DT
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 19:13:11 -0400
From: Kelli Stanley <ks4color@[removed];
To: OldRadio Mailing Lists <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Radio blackouts?
I've just been reading a January, 1942 edition of "Movie-Radio
Guide"...what great information these things have! For example, in a
small blurb about "We Hold These Truths", Radio Guide claimed that the
show "accounted for the largest listening audience ever to hear a
program using the regular-entertainment technique of radio" (whatever
that means)--they calculated that [removed] of radio owners were listening
in.
Another article, by Major Curtis Mitchell, explains why radio blackouts
would occur, and claims that a "meeting in Washington between
representatives of the War Department, the telephone services, the Air
Force Interceptor commands, and the Federal Communications Commission
has resulted in a plan of action which has already been secretly
transmitted to each station in the [removed] Its details are military
information and not publishable, but the experimental test on which the
new plan was based is known."
The article then goes on to describe a test made in early October of
1941, apparently on the East Coast.
Fascinating stuff, this, and it brought up some questions I'm hoping
someone can answer:
Were there blackouts after Pearl Harbor? Does anyone know what the
"plan of action" was? I understand that quite a number of shows in
Hollywood had to reschedule because of the blackout threat. The Guide
also lists a number of blackout stations that would be "periodically
silenced." Did this happen?
Homefront issues always intrigue me, and I'd love to know how widespread
this phenomenon was.
One more (unrelated) question: in this same issue, "Vic and Sade" is
listed on both CBS and [removed] could this be?
Thanks in advance for learned comments and discussion!
Kelli Stanley
[removed] student, Classics
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 19:34:46 -0400
From: Keith Dabney <keithd7@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Rex-All
Does anybody know why the apparently thriving and large drug-store chain
Rex-All went from widely held success in the 40s-50s to obscurity?
I understand that most of the stores were franchise [removed]
that aspect impact the decline of the company?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 19:40:42 -0400
From: Bob Beckett <bobbyb1324me@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Character's voices
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Hello [removed]
I couldn't agree more with Bill Mahan's statement from the last
digest about the quality of character's voices making a particular show
either good or bad, especially relating to The Aldrich Family and The Great
Gildersleeve. However, I've always liked Edmund O'Brien's portayal of
Johnny Dollar as much as Bob Bailey's. But that's just my opinion. O'Brien was
a fine movie actor who ultimately won an oscar as best supporting actor
for his part in "Barefoot Contessa" and was great in the classic mystery
"[removed]" so
HIS voice resonated power to me.
Bob B.
Sign-up for Video Highlights of 2002 FIFA World Cup
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 19:46:13 -0400
From: "Michael Scott" <video7@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Carl Amari
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Being in video production for over sixteen years, I've heard a lot about
[removed] We've heard a lot
about Carl [removed]'ve researched pro and cons of Carl [removed] his letter to
OTR dated January 13, 1997
he brings up the example of :
"Leave It To Beaver" " ... I watch it, I even tape it so I can watch it
[removed] may make a dub for a friend who
wants to watch it."
I'm sure that Jerry Mathers would argue with Carl Amari about making the dub
for a friend.
Or does this mean it's okay for me to make a copy of a "Radio Spirits" tape
and give it to a friend ?
Michael Scott video7@[removed]
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
[ADMINISTRIVIA: Um, folks, although MediaBay and the way it handles the Radio
Spirits division may be on-topic for the list (even that is a stretch, since
they release "mass-market" tapes which tend to be of less interest to serious
collectors), I can't see where Mr. Amari's historical statements are at all.
He is apparently no longer in operational control of the Radio Spirits
division, so it's no longer valid to blame him (or prase him, for that
matter) for anything that happens at MediaBay. I realize he's been both
lionized and villified for years [removed] it's time to give it, and him, a
rest. --cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 20:09:56 -0400
From: "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Nifty device
I've just tried out my new irock 300W -- a small wireless device that
plugs into a portable CD or MP3 player and broadcasts over your car radio.
It's simple to set up: You just plug the iroc into your headphone or line
out jack, set a tiny lever to one of four radio frequencies and set your
car radio to that same FM frequency. Turn it on (it's battery operated),
then turn your MP3 player on and -- voila! -- your old time radio shows or
whatever are on the radio with no need for a clunky cassette adapter.
The irock is supposedly available at various electronics stores and
sites. I got mine at [removed] for $[removed] plus an outlandish $11 or $12
shipping and handling for this featherweight object. It can also broadcast
10 or 25 feet from your computer to a radio at home, or so they say. I
haven't tried that out yet.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 22:47:46 -0400
From: Wwtom@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Wendy Warren & the News
I recall listening to Wendy Warren & the News on KCBS in San Francisco at
9AM. The show would start with a brief news segment featuring Wendy and
Douglas Edwards. Wendy would then sign off from the newscast and the
dramatic portion of the program would follow involving her personal life.
Wesley Tom
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 22:54:14 -0400
From: ""Cynthia \"ChibiBarako\""" <cvc@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Thanks, and a new view of an "old" show
Ron Vickery asked:
Did Sesame Street frequently use OTR references such as this on their
earlier shows?
I grew up in the early 1970's during Sesame Street's early years, and I
remember seeing various things that later made a lot more sense when I
heard OTR. But the most obvious: there was a recurring character in a
trenchcoat and fedora (and I believe he was voiced by Sidney Sheldon!)
who would accost Ernie with a hoarsely whispered "Psst! Bub ... hey,
Bub!" And whatever the letter or number of the day was, they went
through what I now know was an adaptation of the Racetrack Tout.
Cynthia
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 00:11:02 -0400
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Edison LPs
Lee Munsick mentions that all of the issued Edison 80 RPM Long Playing
records of the mid-1920s were compiled dubs of existing standared
grooved discs, and that is quite true. This results in a rather
humorous situation. During the experimentation of the slow speed 30 RPM
broadcast recording system--called "Rayediphonic" by the way--they
recorded some sample broadcast-type programs. Some of these were of
live talent, but some were compiled dubs of regualar Edison discs with
announced introductions inbetween. One of these latter type programs is
announced as being presented by "The Jolly Dubbers"!
I envy Lee for having had the opportunity to become so familiar with
Theodore Edison to have been able to call him Ted. I only got to talk
with Theodore Edison twice, once by phone--but I've got that phone call
on tape! He was a trained engineer who should have been allowed to
become more successful and well known on his own right, but he lived
under the enormous shadows of not only his father, but also his next
older brother who had been given the reins of management of the company
and later became Governor of New Jersey. From the Edison Site files I
have a photocopy here of a hand-written six page letter Theodore drafted
to his father on January 10, 1928 when he was about to show him the
first version of the slow speed machine. It reads in part: "The
trouble has been that we seem to look at things in such different ways
that I never seemed to be able to talk things over with you without
irritating you. There is nothing I would like better than to help you
in any way I could and that is what I have always tried to do. However,
about a year ago, when we were all doing our best to get out of troubles
in the long playing diamond [disc], you twice stated, before others,
that I was deliberatly trying to mislead you. This hurt me a great
deal. . . . I may be too sensitive, but I know that many times last
year after talking techincal matters with you, I got to feeling so badly
that I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, felt sick and pepless and like
__hell__ in general. I couldn't do my best work in that condition and I
don't think you enjoyed the situation either. I am very sorry that
things are as they are . . . I am very nervous about showing you the
machine even now, as I know your decided objections to electrical
amplification in general. However, I hope that you will read this
report over and view the machine in the light of its __purpose__ rather
than its absolute perfection. . . ."
It has been occasionally mentioned in the digest what it must be like to
be a family member of a celebrity. The Crosby kids come to mind. Here
is another example--and it affected the development of broadcast
recording technology. By the way, to overcome the problems Lee mentions
Theodore Edison having with the spring motors causing noise and
mistracking in the delicately grooved LPs, for the slow speed system he
used an electric motor and (as I mentioned in the prior posting) widened
the grooving from the former 450 threads per inch to a still respectable
300. But he was still hesitant to release any system that was less than
"absolute perfection", and the delay killed its chances of success. The
recordings we have played on modern equipment have been pretty good, but
although I have briefly inspected the two playback machines they built,
nobody has yet had the chance to get those machines running to see how
well the discs would have played on them.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 04:52:07 -0400
From: lois@[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 five years, same time, same channel!
Our numerous "regulars" include one of the busiest "golden years" actors in
Hollywood; a sound man from the same era who worked many of the top
Hollywood shows; a New York actor famed for his roles in "Let's Pretend" and
"Archie Andrews;" owners of some of the best OTR sites on the Web;
maintainer of the best-known OTR Digest (we all know who he is)..........
and Me
Lois Culver
KWLK Longview Washington (Mutual) 1941-1944)
KFI Los Angeles (NBC) 1944 - 1950
and widow of actor Howard Culver
(For more info, contact lois@[removed])
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 10:46:13 -0400
From: wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Digital [removed]
Folks (Fred Berney, [removed])-
I'm looking to get a decent (<$500)non-analog portable recorder. A few
questions:
-DAT is full CD quality, but a dying format, yes?
-mp3 is handy, but with a lot of compression? And, is there a small unit
w/pre-amp & mic?
-Minidisc: how does it compare to mp3, compression-wise? Ditto,
mic-ready in a portable?
Many thanks!
-Craig Wichman
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 10:46:33 -0400
From: Jerry Bechtel <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Aldrich Family
Would any of our local scholars happen to know if Ezra Stone, Jackie
Kelk or any of the Aldrich Family cast members are still alive? None
would be lurking in the shadows of this forum would they? Since Harlan
Stone contributes so colorfully to our [removed] just wondering.
Thanks for [removed]
Jerry
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 10:46:40 -0400
From: "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OTR Obit
Herbert Finn
Writer for Duffy's Tavern, Amos'n'Andy, Honeymooners
Dead at 89
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 10:52:13 -0400
From: "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: irock static
In a recent posting I may have been a tad too effusive in my praise of
the irock wireless broadcaster. Although it performed flawlessly with my
car engine off, this morning there was some static as I drove to work.
Maybe it's a matter of changing frequencies (or batteries), maybe it's my
car, or maybe it's the irock.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 13:51:37 -0400
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Gee! A new fan
Greg Przywara was nice enough to forward this message from his 10 year old
sister. Now I ask that he please make sure she gets my reply.
Dear [removed],
I think that when you played Jughead it was hilarious! Do you know if the
actor who played Archie Andrews is still alive? Did you ever see Bergen and
McCarthy in person? Did you like the actress who played Veronica?
Sincerely,
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte: You don't have to be so formal. You can call me "Jughead".
It pleases me very much that you enjoy the "Archie" show, and thank you for
being a fan.
Here's the answers to your questions. There were two actors who played
"Archie". The first one, Charlie Mullen, played the part for about two
years. (And no, unfortunately, he no longer is alive. He passed away about a
month ago at age 72) But he had a good life, so don't be sad.
The other actor who played "Archie" (when Charlie Mullen had to go into the
army during World war 2), was named Bob Hastings. Bobby played the part for
about 7 years until the program went off the air. He is probably the one you
hear when you listen to the recordings of the program. And yes, he is very
much alive. I talk with him on the telephone every few months, and see him a
few times a year when we do re-creations of the "Archie" program at OTR
conventions.
If you ever watch re-runs of "McHales Navy" on TV, Bobby plays Ensign
Carpenter, the goody-two-shoes assistant to Captain Binghamton. You an see
what he looks like if you ever watch that TV show.
I saw Bergen and McCarthy in person once, but I was in the audience. I was
not an actor on the program.
And Yes, I liked the actress that played Veronica. But I also liked the
actress that played Betty too. (But we never went out on dates. We were just
good friends).
Thanks for thinking I was hilarious. :) (Wow! that's a big word for a 10
year old). You must be very smart. But then, you'd have to be, since you
enjoy listening to the show. :)
Have your Brother send me your mailing address (e-mail me privately) and
I'll send you an autographed picture of me (wearing my silly beanie).
Regards
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
(NOTE TO All Digesters). Autographed pictures are only sent to those who
think I was "Hilarious". :)
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #238
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