------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 62
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Ray Erlenborn [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Post OTR Radio Voice Talents [ Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed] ]
Mormon Choir [ William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed]; ]
otr actors in cartoons [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
commercials collection [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
THEMES [ "Ian Grieve" <ian@[removed] ]
Olde Tyme Radio Network Schedule [ HERITAGE4@[removed] ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Themes Like Old Times/OTR commercial [ nikurashi@[removed] ]
Title confusion [ Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed]; ]
Airdates of two Mr. Keen episodes [ "Christian Blees" <christian-blees@ ]
Re:Groucho's witty talent [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
Steve Allen on KNX [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
The man of Bronze [ "Jeff Bankens" <jeff_bankens@thenew ]
Re: Allen and NBC [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Re. Father Knows Best [ "Joe C" <packers2003@[removed]; ]
Steves early career [ "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed] ]
Groucho as Ad Libber [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:50:09 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ray Erlenborn
Last night I was watching Red Skelton on a local PBS station and
surprise, there was our own Ray Erlenborn, explaining how radio sound
effects were made. Boy, did Ray look young. (Of course we all looked
younger in [removed] Well, many of us [removed]). Ray, you looked like
you were about, what, 12? :)
Glad I had the tape [removed]
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:50:58 -0500
From: Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Post OTR Radio Voice Talents
Stephan Jansen on the OldRadio Mailing List asked about:
OTR Voice Talents - After The DEATH OF OTR?
........ Anyone else have any cartoon characters to add?
Well, Stephan from the top of my head I can think of:
Frank Graham (CBS One Man Theater) cartoon voices of Heckle and
Jeckle.
Bill Thompson (Wallace Wimple, Old Timer) as Floppy-earred MGM
cartoon dog.
Mel Blanc (Jack Benny's Maxwell) as Barney of the Flintstones.
(He counts now?)
Arthur Q. Bryan (Doc Gamble, Grouch Club's Raymond Radcliffe
as Elmer Fudd.
Penny Singleton (Blondie) as Jane Jetson.
Jim Backus, (Hubert Updyke III, Alan Young Show) as Mr. MacGoo.
Paul Winchell, (Jerry Mahoney TV ventriloquist figure) as Dick
Dastardly.
June Foray, ([removed] broadcasts) as Rocky Squirrel of Bullwinkle.
Just a few above for starters. Stephan.
CAB
--
conradab@[removed] (Conrad A. Binyon)
From the Home of the Stars who loved Ranches and Farms
Encino, California.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:51:23 -0500
From: William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mormon Choir
Michael Biel Commented on my remarks about the KSL broadcast of the
Morman Choir. In my era remote broadcasts did not have titles as such but
were listed as the performer. For example Guy Lombardo from the Roosevelt
Grille was not listed as "the Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven" but Guy
Lombardo Orchestra. The origination column would indicate :Hotel
Roosevelt. Same with the choir. The program title column would read
"Morman Choir" and the origination would read KSL. Probably the title
mentioned by Lee and Mike came at a later date when it was recorded and
distributed by "electrical transcription". The book, "The Big Broadcast",
states that both Richard Evans and J. Spencer Cornwall were the voices of
"The Spoken Word" portion each week during the program. It was a great
program which I always enjoyed listening to.
By the way, I started as a broadcast engineer at WHN in New York in 1936
at age twenty and retired from CBS in 1981with two years field testing
development Radar equipment for the military during WW II. I joined the
CBS engineering staff in 1944, both New York and Hollywood, and retired
in 1981. Just thought I would explain where my broadcast knowledge comes
from.
Bill Murtough
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:57:24 -0500
From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: otr actors in cartoons
Hi all:
Responding to Steve's post, I always think of Mr. Slate when I hear John
Stevenson's voice in otr. Also, Mr. Stevenson was the voice of about every
ghost and monster on Scooby Do. Also, Vic Perrin was the voice of Dr. Sin
on the old Johnny Quest cartoon and he also did some voice work for Star
Trek the original series. Hal Parie, aka the Great Gildersleeve, was the
voice of Mr. Fuddy in a cartoon called, The Galloping Ghost. Rye Billsbury
was the voice of Green Lantern and Apache Chief on the old Superfriends
cartoon. Stanley Jones was the voice of Lex Luthor in this same cartoon and
he also did the voice of Cadbury on Richie Rich. Virginia Gregg did the
voice of Tara on a cartoon called, Space Stars, The Herculoids. Jim Bacus
was the voice of Mr. Magoo. Linell Berimore was the voice of Simon Bar
Sinister in the Underdog cartoon.
Can't think of anymore at this time.
RyanO
[ADMINISTRIVIA: Mr. Perrin, of course, also had an on-camera role in Star
Trek, in the episode "Mirror Mirror." And let's not forget he was the
"Control Voice" on the original, "Outer Limits." --cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:58:29 -0500
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: commercials collection
From: nikurashi@[removed]
Now I'll press my luck by asking if anyone knows of a good collection
of old time radio commercials. I have one somewhere in my collection,
but it is rather limited. I'm looking for a more comprehensive testment
of the subject. Warren Jones
In 1967, following the success of Themes Like Old Times and Jack Benny's
Golden Memories of Radio, Larry Bruff, Executive Director of the
International Radio and Television Society saw the wave of nostalgia
that was beginning in the industry and solicited recordings of early
radio commercials from members and collectors for an LP to be given out
at their annual banquet. Its title is ". . . and now a word from our
sponsor" and the original authorized release was on Columbia Special
Products. It has been "borrowed" and pirated by many dealers and
nostalgia record labels over the years, sometimes appearing with this
title, but never acknowledging where they got it from.
You can identify it from it starting with the "Have You Tried Wheaties"
song, followed by the Perfect Circle Piston Ring opening and ad which
was done in 1929 by a friend of mine, the late Robert Vahay Brown. A
few minutes later you might notice a group of 3 or 4 ads that are
exactly the same montague as appeared in the Jack Benny set. Those ads
were submitted by a classmate of mine who dubbed them off of the Benny
set he borrowed from me! HE got a copy of the LP AND an acknowledgement
on the album cover. Hurrumph. But Larry Bruff felt kindly towards me
when I told him that story and gave me the last extra copy of the LP
they had at the IRTS office.
This is not necessarily the best collection of ads that could be put
together, but it is an interesting sampler of ads that people in the
broadcasting business in 1967 felt were interesting, important, and
happened to have lying around.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:58:55 -0500
From: "Ian Grieve" <ian@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: THEMES
Rich asked about theme songs and commercial availibility:
Rich, it has been mentioned here before and someone posted a link to a site
listing OTR themes and the actual names of the songs. No doubt someone will
post that and more in answer to your question.
I would like to add that I have long enjoyed "Highland Lament" the theme for
Six Shooter. I was advised on Friday by a person with Transcription disks
of themes used for otr shows, that he had that music. He played it over the
telephone to me and it was the right one. He is generously sending me a
copy of the music and I certainly appreciate the generosity.
Your question came at the right time for me to share that information and I
feel silly that I am more excited about that parcel coming than any others I
know are coming to me. The music simply struck a chord with me.
Ian Grieve
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:59:21 -0500
From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Olde Tyme Radio Network Schedule
Olde Tyme Radio Network Page starting Sunday 2/17: [removed]
Same Time Same Station with Jerry Haendiges:
The Great Gildersleeve - 01/11/42 Gildy Arrested as a Car Thief
Hollywood Star Time - 01/24/48 "Elmer the Great"
The Harold Peary Show - (Honest Harold, The Homemaker) 01/10/51
Harold Loses his Sponsor and Tries a New Show.
Family Theater - 02/29/56 "Mr. Harrison and the Lady Racketeer"
Heritage Radio Theatre with Tom Heathwood:
The Joy Boys - 09/20/60 Marble Shooting Contest, and "Arthur Codfish Time"
2000-Plus - 1950-51 season "The Green Thing"
What's My Line - 1950's simulcast with host, John Daly. Guest panelist,
Martin Gabel, and "Mystery Guests" Gordon & Sheila MacRae.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:59:33 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
1927 - Singer Jessica Dragonette starred on radio's Cities Service
Concerts (sponsored by the oil company of the same name) and literally,
"sang her way into radio immortality." She also sang on the Palmolive
Beauty Box Theatre in the 1930s. In 1940 she starred on Pet Milk's
Saturday Nite Serenade. Her many fans referred to her as the "first
great voice of the air."
1938 - One of the most famous and popular motion pictures of all time
lit up the silver screen, as The Big Broadcast of 1938 was released to
movie houses. The film featured Bob Hope and his version of what would
be his theme song, Thanks for the Memory. The song received an Oscar for
Best Song. Dorothy Lamour and [removed] Fields also had starring roles in the
film.
1949 - Yours Truly Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS. The program starred
Charles Russell as the insurance investigator with the action-packed
expense account. The show was the last of the major, dramatic network
programs on radio. Johnny Dollar walked into the radio sunset in 1962.
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 09:50:32 -0500
From: nikurashi@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Themes Like Old Times/OTR commercials
I'll answer myself. I couldn't find CDs for "Themes Like Old Times," but I
found a site that has a two LP set with 180 themes for $[removed] I'm just
waiting for them to tell me how to pay them, so that I can place my order.
As to the commercials, I don't know if I found the best collection, but I
stopped looking when I found one CD for sale that has over 200 OTR
commercials for $[removed] including shipping and packing.
I could have done this long ago, but I somehow keep forgetting to use my
search engine, which almost never fails to find what I'm looking for.
Warren Jones
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 10:06:51 -0500
From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Title confusion
What do the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Sergeant Preston and Cream of
Wheat have in common? No, that excellent musical organization did not
necessarily breakfast on piping hot cereal before being guided by the
Mounties to sing in the wilds of the Yukon. For me, they’re all
connected by a case of title confusion.
Until the recent discussion here on the Digest I was not aware that
the actual title of the choir broadcasts from Salt Lake City is “Music
and the Spoken Word”. I’ve heard those words used on the program but
thought it was simply a description.
It took me back to when I was very young and ran up to one of my
little friends on a Saturday and asked, “Did you listen to ‘Cream of
Wheat’ this morning?” It was only years later reading a magazine
article that I recognized the program called “Let’s Pretend” as the one
I used to listen to, and hearing a tape many years after that I heard
Uncle Bill Adams say, “It’s the Cream of Wheat program, ‘Let’s
Pretend’.” No wonder it confused a little kid (though the sponsor
should have been pleased with the substance of my mistake).
But then, grown into manhood (somewhat incompletely, to be sure) I
was looking in a catalog for tapes of “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon”.
I found nothing till I was informed that the show – one of my favorites
as a young radio listener – was really called “The Challenge of the
Yukon”. I can hear the dogs howling now.
This kind of title confusion seems peculiar to radio where the
“signature” may be more than a few words, and where newspaper listings
often had to squeeze a title into a column or grid. Any other examples
of where you caught the show but misunderstood the title?
--Bill Jaker
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 10:30:14 -0500
From: "Christian Blees" <christian-blees@[removed];
To: "OTR mailing list" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Airdates of two Mr. Keen episodes
Hello,
can anybody tell me when the following episodes of "Mr. Keen, tracer of
lost persons" were aired for the first time:
The strange bargain murder case
The haunted farm
I'm pretty sure that both are from 1953 and/or 1954.
Thanks for help,
Christian
Christian Blees
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 10:49:56 -0500
From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re:Groucho's witty talent
I agree. Groucho's ability to ad lib and be spontaneously funny, began to
deteriorate by the end of the run of You Bet You Life (1960 on radio,
1961 on TV). I don't think he had it in him any more.
Eric Cooper
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 10:50:26 -0500
From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Steve Allen on KNX
I once had an LP produced by Mark 56 records (the late George
Garabedian's outfit) of a Steve Allen late night radio show in KNX in Los
Angeles, but haven't had it in years since I switched to tapes and CDs.
Garabedian's company, Mark 56 records is, as far as I am aware, long
gone. Since Mr. Garabedian was even more meticulous about securing
exclusive rights to his recorded output than even Mr. Amari, I doubt it
will ever surface again, except as a bootleg. I should be given a 1000
lashes with a wet noodle for letting it escape my collection.
Eric Cooper
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 10:50:37 -0500
From: "Jeff Bankens" <jeff_bankens@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: The man of Bronze
Hello all,
Not to long ago I was able to listen to a radio serial named Doc Savage, The
man of Bronze. Could anyone out there fill me in on the air dates of this
program, or any other interesting tidbits of information?
Thanks in advance,
Jeff Bankens c/o
Westlake, LA 70669
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 14:04:32 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Allen and NBC
Dave Walter wonders,
I'm curious if anyone knows,
while Allen's beef with NBC about this was famous, what (if anything) was
known of his fellow comics' attitude towards the situation? Did they feel
NBC was at fault for cutting a program they pretty much knew would go long,
or did they feel Fred was at fault for his inability to comply with time
restraints? Or both?
The 1947 confrontation over timing wasn't an isolated incident, nor was
the timing of Allen's program the real issue for NBC: the real root of
the dispute was Allen's long-standing disrespect for network authority.
NBC ended every half-hour show at precisely 29:40, regardless of what
comedian on the air. Allen knew this, and could have made his show fit
had he wanted to do so -- but the network believed that he chose not to,
as a deliberate thumbing-of-the-nose toward NBC policies. They also had
had enough of his jokes about incompetent vice-presidents -- insisting
that NBC Continuity Acceptance policies prohibited disparaging remarks
about any corporation, including NBC.
This had been going on for a long time. Allen had been a constant problem
for Janet McRorie, NBC's Continuity Acceptance director in the 1930s --
she found him uncooperative and hostile, and he didn't think much of her,
either: in private, Allen ridiculed the entire Continuity Acceptance
staff as "lead-a**ed memo-sending executive ba****ds." In view of this
attitude, McRorie finally had to demand a meeting with officials of
Benton and Bowles to figure out "what can be done about Allen" and to
demand that the agency force him to fall in line. It didn't work -- Allen
had as little respect for the agency as he did for McRorie, and it's
doubtful that any executive tears were shed in 1940 when Allen's program
moved to a new agency and a different network.
When Janet McRorie was replaced by Clarence Mesner in the 1940s, around
the time Allen's program returned from CBS, Mesner was determined not to
let Allen call the shots as he had with his predecessor -- and he used
the timing issue to make an example of Allen. Allen knew what was going
on, and he deliberately made a public issue of the dispute -- getting his
agent to plant items in all the right columns, and at one point hiring a
group of midgets to picket Radio City carrying signs to the effect that
"NBC Is Unfair To The Little Man."
Other NBC comedians understood that what was going on was a political
power struggle -- it was a question of who was going to call the shots on
a given program, the comedian or the network -- and several of them
rallied to Allen's support, including Bob Hope and Red Skelton, both of
whom ended up getting cut off the air for making jokes about the
situation. The network couldn't hope to swing public opinion around to
seeing its side of the issue -- and tried to make amends by awarding
Allen an honorary vice presidency -- which he rejected.
The dispute eventually forced NBC to ease up on its policing of comedians
-- and the publicity was the best thing that had happened to Allen in a
long time, pushing his program to the number one slot in the
Hooperratings for the only time in its entire run. But the stress of the
incident also pushed Allen's blood pressure to new heights -- beginning a
sharp and steady decline in his health which ended with a stroke in 1949,
just after he ended his program's final season.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 14:06:04 -0500
From: "Joe C" <packers2003@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re. Father Knows Best
Just heard an episode of the Jack Carson show. The character of Norma
Jean, sounds awfully similar to Kathy (the youngest daughter) on Father
Knows Best ...
Anyone have any info on this actress(es) ?
The character of "The Little Girl Next Door" on The Jack Carson Show (1943)
was played by Norma Jean Nilsson.
On August 25,1949 when Father Knows Best debuted on NBC and Norma Jean
Nilsson was indeed the actress that played Kathy until she was eventually
replaced by Helen Strong. You have a good ear for voices Dr. Pillay.
The only other OTR acting credit I know of for Norma Jean Nilsson was during
1947-1948 she played the part of Blondie & Dagwood's daughter Cookie.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 14:06:16 -0500
From: "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Steves early career
I remember as a kid in high school here is California that Steve Allen was a
commentator on the ole wrestling matches that were telecast from a Santa
Monica arena.
His interviews in the locker room were hilarious.
Tom Mason
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 14:06:58 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Groucho as Ad Libber
Jer51473@[removed], commenting on Groucho Marx' ability as an ad libber,
notes,
i somehow think much of his so called adlibbing was ochestrated. I
remember watching a tv show once, <snip> If score would have been kept,
groucher would have come in last. The best of the group by far was easily
george burns, he brought the house down time after time.
Well, Groucho was a great ad libber, but a lot of it was stuff that
couldn't be broadcast. When he was doing You Bet Your Life, it was
filmed and audiotaped ahead of time. The actual show ran about
half-again as long as was aired, then edited differently for radio and
TV. The radio section concentrated on dialog (though some of it, from
what I've read, couldn't have been aired), while the TV version
concentrated on him mugging and other visuals. Either way, editing might
make it seem as if an ad lib might seem orchestrated. However, there are
plenty of examples of him doing really superior ad libs off the air. (A
few good off-air Groucho ad libs can be found in H. Allen Smith's The
Compleat Practical Joker.)
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #62
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