------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 246
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Rexall Sundown [ MGiorgio1@[removed] ]
American Subs in WWII on TV [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Rexall in a small Ga town [ "Bob Watson" <crw912@[removed]; ]
early days radio manufacturers [ "ANDREW OOMS" <oomspine@cybertrails ]
Bucky Harris [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
Looking for the "grinder" sandwich? [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
Bill Goodwin [ Bob Fells <rfells@[removed]; ]
Jackie Kelk [ Jerry Bechtel <[removed]@[removed] ]
Re: Ida Lupino, Composer? [ "Jan Willis" <jlwillis@[removed]; ]
Seattle Convention-a done deal! [ HRRMIKES@[removed] ]
Mark Trail Rides (for now) [ Kubelski@[removed] ]
Two things about Bendix [ BH <radioguy@[removed]; ]
Mystery Announcer [ Kelli Stanley <ks4color@[removed] ]
Final MP3 giveaway [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
Elliott and Cathy Lewis [ "Jan Bach" <janbach@[removed]; ]
Question regarding "The Shadow" [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
Chandler & Lewis [ wich2@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 01:08:49 -0400
From: MGiorgio1@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Rexall Sundown
Roger Smith is correct about Rexall Sundown being very active in the vitamin
industry. I work for their advertising agency and can tell you that they are
one of the largest health and vitamin companies in the country, with one of
the largest ad budgets to back it up.
How does this relate to OTR? [removed], it doesn't. Just thought I'd help
set the record straight.
Michael Giorgio
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 09:03:06 -0400
From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: American Subs in WWII on TV
billorr6@[removed] writes:
If either of you are WWII history buffs, read "The Japanese Submarine Force
and World War II" by Carl Boyd and Akihiko Yoshida.
I also remember an early TV series called "The Silent Service" that used a
lot of documentary footage to tell of the American accomplishments in the
undersea war. I don't remember enough about the shows to know how accurate
its facts were, or what it left out (like the Japanese "Purple Code"), but
I was certainly impressed enough that I was ready to enlist in the Navy
when I went to the Enlistment Center.
Unfortunately, the Navy folks were out to lunch when I got there, so the
Army got me.
Herb Harrison
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 09:03:11 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
1934 - The Federal Communications Commission, as mandated in the
Communications Act of 1934, replaced the Federal Radio Commission as the
regulator of broadcasting in the United States.
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 09:04:18 -0400
From: "Bob Watson" <crw912@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Rexall in a small Ga town
I've been meaning to give my input on the Rexall thread, but haven't had the
time.
Here in Cochran,Ga, the old Rexall drug store hasn't had the outside neon
Rexall sign for years, but the sign glued to the front glass door is still
as fresh as ever. Though the store is still a prescription drug store, most
of the over the counter stuff has been replaced with gift shop type
merchandise. However, across town, at the Dollar General store no less, you
can find Rexall vitamins. They don't have the familiar orange packaging
though, it is blue and silver.
And off from that topic, I would like to know if anyone out there knows how
Command Performance was broadcast. Was there an initial live broadcast to
the AFRS, with transcribed disks sent out to stations in the AFRS network
for later broadcast?? Or was it all live?? Or all transcribed??
And totally off topic from OTR, does anyone else out there think that soft
drinks just out and out taste better in glass bottles than in cans or
plastic?? I have always enjoyed an eight ounce bottle of Coca-Cola, but
recently I purchased a six pack of Orange Crush in 12 oz bottles and was
amazed at just how much better it tasted than any of the canned orange sodas
I have had. Even the Orange Crush I drink in cans. The taste wasn't quite
the same as I remember it, but it was close enough for me to flashback to my
childhood when I would sit out on my front porch and listen to a local radio
station that would play old Art Linkletter House Party shows and The Lone
Ranger.
Thanks,
Bob
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 09:02:21 -0400
From: "ANDREW OOMS" <oomspine@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: early days radio manufacturers
Herb Harrison asked about dozens of radio manufacturers in the 1920's.
In 1930, there were about 1200 companies manufacturing radios in the
US. Many of those companies had previously produced other items. Not all
claimed to be producing revolutionary sets, but revolutionary advances, or
at least evolutionary ones, were being made during the 1920's as sets moved
from no power crystal receivers to battery sets to living room consoles
which could plugged into household [removed] Radio was huge for all ages,
as we all know.
Regards,
Andy Ooms
Pine, AZ
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 11:29:26 -0400
From: Jer51473@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bucky Harris
Harris managed yhe yankees in 47 and 48, im sure about 48 because they fired
him after that year as he ended up 2 games out of first place, but i think he
was there also when they beat the dodgers in 47. I was 11 and will never
forget 47 when bevins had his no hitter broken in the ninth and the yankees
lost the game also. It seems like i was listening to red barber announce that
game, or was it mel allen?
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 11:30:25 -0400
From: Jer51473@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Looking for the "grinder" sandwich?
Go to Zeros (sub shop), they carry it. I had one the other day. A sign on
the wall says they have had it on their menue for 26 years or since their
beggining i presume.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 11:31:09 -0400
From: Bob Fells <rfells@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Bill Goodwin
I hoping that somebody reading the Digest might be knowledgeable about
the life and career of announcer/actor Bill Goodwin. Of course, OTR
fans will immediately recognize Mr. Goodwin's name for his - so it
seemed to me - continually expanding role on the Burns & Allen radio
show throughout the 1940s. He also made a number of film appearances,
most notably as Larry Parks' business manager in The Jolson Story in
1946. I understand that he left Burns & Allen in 1950 after appearing
on the first season of their TV show (then done live, not filmed) and
went to work on Bob Hope's radio show.
That said, it may be my imagination (or lack of knowledge), but Mr.
Goodwin's career seemed to go into a rather sharp decline during the
50s. His premature death in May 1958 (I believe he was only about 48)
came at a time when he was preparing to run a hotel in Palm Springs and
seemed to work only as a daytime host on a local LA television showing
movies. A far cry from his network days.
So my question is: does anybody know what happened to his career? I
wonder if he was implicated in the Red Witch hunt of the McCarthy era or
became unpopular with producers for whatever reason. Can anybody help?
Bob Fells
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 14:03:32 -0400
From: Jerry Bechtel <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jackie Kelk
Being an Aldrich Family fan (65 years old) nothing would thrill me more
that to have Jackie Kelk join us on this forum for a few session in
order to talk a little about the Aldrich Family show. Does anyone know
if he has an email address? I certainly wouldn't want to impose upon his
privacy but would love to hear from him. Harlan Stone has done so much
to rekindle my (and countless others) interest in Archie perhaps we
could entice Mr. Kelk to do the same for the Aldrich Family. I've heard
he has made appearances at some of the conventions but then some of us
just can't get there. What a pure delight it would be to hear from
"Homer" again! Thanks for listenin'
Jerry Bechtel
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 14:02:40 -0400
From: "Jan Willis" <jlwillis@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Ida Lupino, Composer?
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
Listening to The Thirty-nine Steps from 2/13[removed]
<snip>... [Ida Lupion mentions] having just completed the
score for an unnamed musical comedy. She mentioned not being able to
write music but using a code for the music. Does anyone have any
information about this part of her life?
Joe,
That's an intriguing aspect to Ida Lupino, one of my favorite actresses.
Ask your local public library
to interlibrary loan the following biography on Ida, from the
Univ. Press of Kentucky ((which has published some excellent books in the
performing arts field in recent years)).
William Donati's _Ida Lupino: A Biography_ (1996 / reissued
in softcover in 2000)
[removed]
Call or e-mail your library's Interlibrary Loan Dept. - give them the
author/title/publisher/ or ISBN information (at the bottom of the linked
page, you'll find ISBNs for the hardcover and the softcover - give your
librarian b-o-t-h ISBNs, to increase your chances of finding a copy at a
nearby library).
If they are like my library (a smalltown one), they'll use the information
(ISBNs for ex.) to go online to see what other public/academic libraries own
the book. They will borrow it for you, for probably a small mailing fee at
the most. Ask about ILL charges, to be sure
[ If they disappoint you (and me) by not being receptive to your request,
e-mail me offlist and I can help.]
[removed]'s coverage of the book includes a reproduction of the book's
index, where Ida's musical ability appears to be covered briefly in a couple
of pages. So, I am guessing this will be mentioned only in passing, but ...
it might be the best source. Maybe the only one.
[removed]
_1/102-9649223-7521718
If this pans outk, report back what you find, would you?
BTW: There IS one more book on her, out there, _Ida Lupino: Queen of the
B's_ (Greenwood, 1995), but it focuses on her directorial career.
[removed];sku=B5332
Jan Willis,
Librarian to the [removed] I wish.
(but someone who f-e-l-l into Ida Lupino's
eyes when I discovered her, at her 1939-42 peak in _High Sierra_
[removed];group=1080&photo=[removed];path=pgal
lery&path_key=Lupino,+Ida
and then _They Drive by Night_,
[removed];sql=A240845
while I was at the dangerously impressionable age of [removed]
...whew!
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 15:10:03 -0400
From: HRRMIKES@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Seattle Convention-a done deal!
A public thank you to a whole bunch of folks connected with our just
completed REPS Radio Showcase X in Seattle.
DEFINITELY to the incredibly talented and giving stars. If you were here,
you already know that we were again blown away by the talents of Douglas
Young, Rhoda Williams, George [removed] Whitfield Phillips ...Ginny
Tyler, Gil Stratton, [removed] Norma Jean [removed] McVey, Jo Anna March,
Phil [removed] Art [removed] [removed] French, Ray Erlenborn
...Sam Edwards, Frank [removed] Rouverol Butler, Dick [removed]
[removed] Albert THESE FOLKS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETTER OR NICER. We
also were grateful for the telephone calls that all could hear, involving
Herb Ellis, Janet Waldo, Page Gilman and Harry Bartell.
AND we're thankful for a large attendance and many nice comments and
evaluations suggested something good was going on.
FINALLY, to the nearly 50 volunteers---it couldn't have happened without you.
How encouraging it was to have the stars and the attendees be heard to again
say "This was the best one ever!" We're not necessarily Sleepless in Seattle
(now that the weekend has concluded) but we are definitely Thankful in
Seattle.
Mike Sprague
Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound (REPS)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 15:47:07 -0400
From: Kubelski@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mark Trail Rides (for now)
This is mildly off-topic, but interesting. I wonder if all those Trailheads
are aware of the radio show and that its stars still appear at fan
conventions (Ben Cooper, FOTR '01).
I've seen the strip a few times and I don't care for it -- but if I were a
comics page editor you'd have about four strips, so perhaps I'm not the right
person to judge.
Sean Dougherty
Kubelski@[removed]
Columbus Dispatch dares to pull "Mark Trail" from its comics pages
David A. Fahrenthold says four newspapers that tried to drop "Mark Trail"
were forced to put the strip back into the paper after hearing from
Trailheads, as the comic's fans are called. "If you're a newspaper editor,
this is a fight you don't want," says Fahrenthold. Still, the Columbus
Dispatch is dropping Trail today. (It also tried to dump the strip in the
1980s.) The paper's surveys show most readers dislike the slow story lines
and ignore the strip. "People keep looking at it, expecting something will be
resolved," says features managing editor Gary Kiefer. "And they get
frustrated." (Washington Post)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 18:54:17 -0400
From: BH <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Two things about Bendix
Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed]; commented:
By the way - If Randy wants to get the Bendix radio working again, he might consider the following:
The problem is probably a burnt-out tube. There are sites on the WEB that specialize in vacuum tubes.
Sears' repair service is another possibility: they're really good at working on old stuff (although the
repair cost would probably be more than the original price of the radio.
Restoring vintage radios is my main hobby. Very seldom is the
problem a burnt out tube, but that could be the case. In an older
set the capacitors must be replaced as they become electrically
leaky with age. I wouldn't suggest taking it to Sears unless you
know a tech there that goes back to the days of vacuum tubes. Most
of the current techs don't have a clue about tube circuits. It
would be better to find a vintage radio collector who knows what
to look for in getting an old set up and running and would
probably do if for much less that what Sears would want to charge.
Bill Harris
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 19:26:52 -0400
From: Kelli Stanley <ks4color@[removed];
To: OldRadio Mailing Lists <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Mystery Announcer
I was listening to the "Forecast" episode featuring the audition for
"Suspense" (7-22-40), and realized that this announcer/narrator and the
"Ghost Corps" announcer/narrator are one and the [removed] trouble is,
I can't really make out his name (he identifies himself at the end, over
loud applause). It sounds like "Thomas Free Vansell speaking" (at least
to me). Does anyone know who he really is? I appreciate any and all
info! :)
Thanks, as always,
Kelli Stanley
[removed] student, Classics
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 21:28:52 -0400
From: "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Final MP3 giveaway
I've had a lot of fun giving away my duplicate MP3 CDRs and have
communicated with a lot of nice people, but all good things must come to an
end. My final giveaway will be a Jack Benny CD with 119 shows, beginning
with Jack's first show and ending with a show from December 1949. The last
two tracks play slower than they should but are listenable. All the other
tracks I tested at random seem to play fine.
And to make parting's sweet sorrow a little sweeter, I'll throw in this
bonus: an audio CD containing just one Henry Aldrich program (about an
overdue library book) and one audio CD containing two Archie shows (Drug
Store Mixup, July 27, 1946, and Plumbing Woes, Oct. 19,1946. These are
homemade but fully listenable. The whole kaboodle (whatever that is) goes
to the first person who e-mails me.
As I said, it's been fun. But now I will concentrate on listening to my
MP3s. I figure that if I listen to several a day it will only take me 99
years to hear them all.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 21:29:25 -0400
From: "Jan Bach" <janbach@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Elliott and Cathy Lewis
Hello again!
In OTR Digest #244, Harry Bartell writes:
Over the years that I knew Elliott Lewis he was married to Cathy Lewis,
and upon her death he later married Mary Jane Croft.
I certainly don't have the credentials to dispute these words of Harry
Bartell, but John Dunning, in The Encyclopedia of OTR, writes :
His marriage to Cathy Lewis ended in divorce in 1958; he then married Mary
Jane Croft, with whom he lived the rest of his life. Cathy died at 50, a
lung cancer victim.
The order of these events leads me to believe that they are listed
chronologically, which would indicate that Elliott was divorced and married
to Ms. Croft before the death of Cathy Lewis. Dunning is quite clear,
however, that Elliott's marriage to Cathy did not end with her death but
with their divorce.
Jan Bach
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 21:44:55 -0400
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Question regarding "The Shadow"
One of my favorite OTR programs is "The Shadow".
I'm acquainted with the story line and most of the
characters from the show. It occurred to me for some
reason that there was one particular character which
was missing. I'd like to find out what his name was, if
possible.
These are all of the details which I can recall. He
was in some of the Shadow's adventures, but not all of
them, like Margo Lane. He drove a taxi, and acted as one
of the Shadow's agents from time to time. Both Margo
and the Shadow referred to him by name, so both must
have known him.
My questions regarding this character are:
(1) What was his name?
(2) What did the Shadow do for him which caused him to
become one of the Shadow's agents in the field?
Kenneth Clarke
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 23:44:16 -0400
From: wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Chandler & Lewis
From: "Lois Culver" <loiseula@[removed];
Subject: Jeff Chandler
(And it didnt hurt my feelings to have this handsome man showing me such
attention, even if it was just about where I had been!)
Lois, I wonder if you'd have been shocked if he told you he wanted to try on
your skirt! (Such was his off-mic prediliction, as recounted in an AMC
interview with Esther Williams, a while [removed]).
++
From: "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@[removed];
Subject: Gordon Jenkins' "Seven Dreams"
There have been several posts regarding Jenkins and his "Manhattan Towers"
narrated by Eliott Lewis.
And the other piece [removed] Also, there's "Happy Holidays", a
corny-but-fun spoken/underscored piece by Elliot & Cathy Lewis, that covers
Christmas-New Year's. It's on a cassette collection of Yuletide classics.
-Craig Wichman
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #246
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