Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #342
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 9/1/2002 9:03 AM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

------------------------------


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2002 : Issue 342
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Re:John and Martha                    [ StevenL751@[removed] ]
  JOHN AND MARSHA                       [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
  Re: John & Martha                     [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
  Houston's Shamrock Hotel              [ Joe Schmitt <djjoebgcat@[removed]; ]
  John and Marsha                       [ "gary hagan" <grhagan@[removed]; ]
  30 Minute Dick Tracy Shows            [ Dancingdays72777@[removed] ]
  Brand Names Into the Language         [ "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@rivnet ]
  Re: Standard School Broadcast         [ Brent Pellegrini <brentp@[removed] ]
  Standard School Broadcasts            [ "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed]; ]
  "John!!"..."Marsha!!",,,"Ken"         [ "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed] ]
  "John and Marsha"                     [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
  Re: Coke-Sponsored OTR Shows          [ GOpp@[removed] ]
  John & Marsha                         [ "Mark E. Higgins" <paul_frees_fan@a ]
  Customs of the 40's                   [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed] ]
  I Love Adventure                      [ Jim Kitchen <jkitchen@[removed]; ]
  Car Sound Effect                      [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed] ]
  Jerry Haendiges                       [ Alan Chapman <[removed]@verizon. ]
  John, Marsha, John, [removed]         [ Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed]; ]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 11:50:43 -0400
From: StevenL751@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:John and Martha

In a message dated 8/31/2002 11:05:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:

I am writing with a query.  A friend of mine asked me if I had ever heard of
a radio program the consisted entirely of a woman saying the name "John" and
a man responding with the name "Martha" in varying tones and moods.

I'm sure I'll be one of many who respond to this.  You're thinking of Stan
Freberg's sketch "John & Martha", originally recorded on Columbia Records and
later recreated for one of the episodes of his 1957 radio show "The Stan
Freberg Show"   The sketch runs about 4 minutes and features Stan doing both
of the voices in the manner you described.

Steve Lewis

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 12:26:37 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  JOHN AND MARSHA

..."John" and a man responding with the name "Martha"...

Satire genius Stan Freberg's 1950 Capitol recording, John and Marsha.

      [removed]
      A DATE WITH SINATRA

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 15:43:00 -0400
From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: John & Martha

Jason Loviglio writes:

A friend of mine asked me if I had ever heard of a radio program the
consisted entirely of a woman saying the
name "John" and a man responding with the name "Martha" in varying tones
and moods.

I'm sure you'll get lots of replies to this question, Jason. Your friend is
thinking of Stan Freberg's "John and Marsha," which was released as a
single by Capitol Records in 1950. It was a parody of soap operas in which,
as remembered, only the words "John" and "Marsha" are spoken with various
inflections of passion, concern, curiosity, and the like. It was Freberg's
first big hit, got played on radio stations for years, and its still a
staple of Dr. Demento's program.

You can hear the record at the following website:

[removed]

There was another soap opera parody which is sometimes confused with
Freberg's record: Spike Jones' "None But The Lonely Heart (A Soaperetta)"
featuring Jones and Helen Grayco as John and Mary. You can hear this one at:

[removed]

...and read the dialogue at:

[removed]

Harlan

Harlan Zinck
First Generation Radio Archives
[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 15:43:13 -0400
From: Joe Schmitt <djjoebgcat@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Houston's Shamrock Hotel

       The opening of this hotel was dramatized in the
1956 Warner Bros. film "Giant" from the Edna Ferber
novel. Her novels character, Jett Rink, was based on
the oilman Glenn McCarthy, and played by James Dean in
the movie.   Joe

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 15:43:34 -0400
From: "gary hagan" <grhagan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  John and Marsha

Jason Oviglio's friend might have been thinking of Stan Fregberg's recording:
"It's hard to believe Freberg could've been any busier a half-century ago. At
that point, the young Californian had already done voice work for Warner
Bros. cartoons and animator Bob Clampett's Time for Beany -- a live-action
puppet-show precursor to the animated Beany & Cecil -- as well as put out his
first single for Capitol Records, "John and Marsha." A simple schtick he had
developed after being drafted into the Army's Special Services branch, the
1951 song was a soap-opera parody consisting of the title phrase being
repeated over and over. "
Hope this helps,
Gary Hagan

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 16:43:05 -0400
From: Dancingdays72777@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  30 Minute Dick Tracy Shows

Does anyone here know how many of the 30 minute Dick Tracy episodes from
1945-46 are currently available? I have plenty of the 15 minute installments,
but only one from the concurrent 30 minute [removed] Dark Corridor from
1-19-46. Are there others out there?

Thanks,

Matt

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 16:43:18 -0400
From: "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Brand Names Into the Language

Two other brand names that lost their capitalization and entered the English
language are cellophane and heroin.

The latter was created by a (German?) drug company as a supposedly less
addictive alternative to the heavily used morphine during the latter half of
the 19th century.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 16:43:47 -0400
From: Brent Pellegrini <brentp@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Standard School Broadcast

I remember these well. In the 1950's, they'd bring a radio into our
classroom and we'd listen to it. As I recall, it presented classical music
in a way kids could relate. Years later in the 1970's, when I was a ski
bum in Sun Valley, Idaho, a friend there who grew up surfing in Southern
Cal. told me that Darrel Dragon, the other end of the Captain and Tenille
was Carmen Dragon's son. Darrel was a surf bum with my buddy in the
1960'[removed] never forgot the name Carmen Dragon as a kid because I thought
Dragon was such a wierd name.

+++_SI^@)y
TLUFp<1pyN4&

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:15:59 -0400
From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Standard School Broadcasts

Jay Ranellucci asks if anyone remembers the Standard School Broadcasts from
KFI Los Angeles  which were beamed to schools once a week - Carmen Dragon,
Musical Director.

This excellent program, interesting to all ages, was on KFI during the time
I worked there, and I'm not positive but feel it was an NBC feed, as it was
too large in scope to be a local KFI production.

Lois Culver
KWLK Radio (Mutual) Longview, WA 1941-44
KFI Radio (NBC) Los Angeles CA 1945-47, 50-53
Widow of Howard Culver, actor

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:16:54 -0400
From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  "John!!"..."Marsha!!",,,"Ken"

<<The query was posted about a radio [removed];>

"John and Marsha" was a recording made by Stan
Freeberg with romantic background music and the
female voice saying, [removed]"John".  The male
responds just as [removed]"Marsha" and on and on
in different, dramatic and subdued readings of just
those two names throughout the entire 45rpm [removed]

As the music crescendos, the couple are also increasing their [removed]"John,
John, John"  and the reply, "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha" and on and on.  At the
end, she says "Oh John" with a satisfied whisper-voice, and he says her name
[removed]"Marsha?"  That's it!  Background music ends. It is a Stan
Freeberg's classic, creative records on the Capitol label and one of his
many innuendo concepts.

Ken Nordine did something similar with his "Word Jazz" readings on the Dot
label with jazz music background and record titles like "My Baby" and
"Hunger Is From" plus a body of work with just his splendid, deep bass
voice.

Stan Freeberg still does syndicated radio programs, Ken Nordine continues to
do free-lance announcing, also he appears in selected book stores to do live
readings.
Decades ago, Ken had a late-night radio program on WBBM in Chicago just
before "Music Til Dawn" with Jay Andres, the American Airlines sponsored all
night show.
[removed]"that" was real radio programming, all live!!

Russ Butler   oldradio@[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:17:19 -0400
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  "John and Marsha"

"John and Marsha" was a hilarious single-record 1950s hit, not a radio
program.  But it was a take-off of a fictitious soap opera to end all soap
operas, done in his inimitable genius way by Stan Freberg.  He had a string
of biting satire hits spoofing a lot of entertainment media idols of the time.

Rhino Records has put a bunch of them into one of their compilations.  I
don't think they'll mind if we repeat their publicity, which will also give
Freberg novitiates an education in the hit series which--along with Les
Paul and Mary Ford and their own string of huge sellers--kept Capitol
Records humming in the nifty fifties, even having to ask other record
companies to press their records for them!  Here's what Rhino has to say
about Freberg's run of best-sellers:

"(Stan) Freberg, one of America's best-loved humorists and satirists, first
burst on the scene in 1950 with his Capitol record "John and Marsha," a
strange but best-selling takeoff on soap operas, which achieved immediate
world-wide success. Other hits followed like his spoof of Harry Belafonte's
"Day-O," his Mitch Miller parody "The Yellow Rose Of Texas," and Elvis'
"Heartbreak Hotel."

"Nothing escaped Freberg's scathing wit: Les Paul & Mary Ford's
multi-tracking ("The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise"), folk singers like
Lonnie Donegan ("The Rock Island Line"), and even Senator Joe McCarthy in
the middle of the McCarthy era ("Point Of Order").

"But Freberg's biggest hit came when he zoomed in on the television cop
drama and Jack Webb's hit show Dragnet. His twin-sided spoof of Dragnet -
"St. George And The Dragonet" and "Little Blue Riding Hood" ("Only the
color has been changed to prevent an investigation") - became the
fastest-rising hit in the history of the music business, according to RIAA
figures at that time: one million in the first three weeks."

If you've never been exposed to Stan Freberg's great hits--or even the
incredible commercials he did for the National Association of
Broadcasters--you're in for a treat.  Go find 'em and listen!  His
descriptions for the NAB are a perfect exposition of the benefits of radio
and "Theater of the Mind".  Go top that, Mr. Television director!

All the best - Lee Munsick
Appomattox County, Virginia USA

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:18:21 -0400
From: GOpp@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:  Coke-Sponsored OTR Shows

Curiously, with all the discussion of OTR's soft drink sponsors, I'll be
darned if I can remember a single show that Coke sponsored

This reminded me of another story my dad (Jess Oppenheimer) told me:

In the fall of 1949, The Edgar Bergen Show with Charlie McCarthy moved to
CBS, sponsored by Coca-Cola.  Harry Ackerman assigned me to produce and
direct the Bergen show in addition to my duties on My Favorite Husband.

The Coca-Cola Company had for some time made it a practice to deliver
free cases of Coke to practically every radio writer in Hollywood.  There
had never been any explanation - I just found a wooden case with twelve
glass bottles of Coke on my back doorstep every week.

Shortly after I began working on the Bergen show on CBS, the deliveries
stopped as mysteriously as they had begun.  I assumed this was just due
to some clerical mixup, so the next time I attended a meeting with
someone from our sponsor, I decided to mention it.

"I've been meaning to tell you about something," I remarked after our
business meeting concluded.  "I've enjoyed getting free Cokes for years,
but somebody must have made a mistake at the plant, because I stopped
getting them just last week."

"Oh, that's no mistake," he replied.  "Now that you're working on a
Coca-Cola-sponsored show, we don't feel that we should have to give you
free Cokes to get our product mentioned on the air."
. . .

I found myself working seven days a week, leaving me practically no time
to spend with my wife and one-year-old daughter.  Much as I enjoyed doing
both shows, I decided after a few weeks to take a cut in salary and have
someone else take over my duties on the Bergen show.

My wife, Estelle, was doubly pleased with my decision.  Not only did I
have more time to spend at home, but within a few weeks, the Coca-Cola
deliveries began again.

[from "Laughs, [removed] Lucy" by Jess Oppenheimer]

Take care.

- Gregg Oppenheimer
[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:18:32 -0400
From: "Mark E. Higgins" <paul_frees_fan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  John & Marsha

Yes Jason, there is a John and Marsha.  It was done by Stan Freberg as a
Capitol Records recording in 1950 or 1951.  It was a spoof of soap
operas, and I believe that it was performed by Peter Leeds and June
Foray, although I couldn't swear to that.  If you do a Yahoo search
using "Stan Freberg John Marsha", you will find numerous references to
the piece, which ran about 2 and a half minutes.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:19:06 -0400
From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Customs of the 40's

Dandrea, Chris wonders:

Hello all,
I was playing a Great Gildersleves from sometime in 1948. In the show
it was stated that a woman could ask a man for his hand only in a leap
year.

Well, when I was a teenager in the 50's it was still considered
somewhat improper for the girl to propose, unless it was leap
year, I think people just liked to hang on to the legend. Reminds
me of Sadie Hawkins Day in the comic strip "Lil Abner". On that
day the gals could pursue the guys and if caught they had to marry
em. Lil Abner always managed to escape the clutches of Daisy Mae.

Bill

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:19:37 -0400
From: Jim Kitchen <jkitchen@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  I Love Adventure

I recently listened to an "I Love Adventure" album that I got from
Adventures in Cassettes before Radio Spirits took them over.  The back
of the album says, "Dedicated to fighting international enemies of
peace, a London-based organization known mysteriously as the 'Twenty-One
Old Men of Grammercy Park,' brings heroes Jack Packard, Doc Long and
Reggie Yorke out of retirement.  Produced by Carlton E. Morse, every I
Love Adventure show is included in this album!"

I Love Adventure aired on ABC beginning with "The China Coast Incident"
on 4/25/48 and ending with "The Ricardo Santos Affair" on 7/18/48.  The
first six episodes have Jack and Reggie fighting international crime as
directed by the Twenty-One Old Men.  In episode 7, "But Grandma, What
Big Teeth You Have" Jack and Reggie reopen the A-1 Detective Agency
assisted by Mary Kay Jones, the cutest Secretary in Hollywood.   Doc
Long joins the team in episode #9, "The Girl in the Street" while Reggie
and Mary Kay are on special assignment.

I Love Adventure is a real treat to this I Love a Mystery fan!   My
scalp still tingles whenever I hear that familiar theme!!

Jim Kitchen

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:19:56 -0400
From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Car Sound Effect

Scott Eberbach comments:

Hi All!
I too have wondered what that little sound is right before the sound of the
[removed] repeated listening what it sounds like is the skid/blowout of a
[removed] the [removed] sound is sort of a "burp" similar to the sound
of airplane when the tires of the landing gear first hit the deck when
coming in for a landing.  Just my 2 [removed]

This reminds me of the Amos 'n' Andy routine where one of them is
trying to parallel park. I think Kingfish was driving and Andy was
directing, IIRC, been a long time, it went something like this:

Andy - OK KF back up some there
SFX of car then crash!
Andy - Whoa!
Andy - Ok, pull up some now
SFX of car then crash!
Andy - Whoa!
This continues a couple more times, then Kingfish says, "Say Andy,
could you get the whoa just a little ahead of the crash?"
Bet Elizabeth know the episode.

Bill

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 20:20:04 -0400
From: Alan Chapman <[removed]@[removed];
To: Old-Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Jerry Haendiges

I'm afraid I have to concur with Tony Baechler regarding Jerry Haendiges
as a dealer. My experience trying to buy from him is, sadly, very poor.

A friend tried ordering from him via phone and fax several times about a
year or so ago with no success.  My friend is now a stroke victim, and
for the past two months (since mid-June) I have tried to place my
friend's order (for Lux Radio Theatre shows) also with no apparent
success. I have emailed Jerry twice, and left a phone message on his
machine.  We have not received any shows or even the courtesy of a
simple email acknowledgement of the order (which I requested).

Jerry has a superb website and an outstanding collection, and has done a
lot for the hobby. But as a businessman, he leaves a lot to be desired.

I just located some of the Lux episodes we wanted elsewhere, but there
are some that no one else seems to have.  (If anyone has a good Lux
collection and is willing to trade or sell, please contact me for our
"wanted list" -- it's very short.)

Alan Chapman
alan@[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 23:24:28 -0400
From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  John, Marsha, John, [removed]

Jason Loviglio wrote with a query:

A friend of mine asked me if I had ever heard
of
a radio program the consisted entirely of a woman saying the name "John"
and
a man responding with the name "Martha" in varying tones and moods.  He
thought this might have been a spoof on otr soap operas, but wasn't sure.
If
none of you have heard of this, then I can be reasonably certain that it
never existed.
Thanks.


    This was not an entire program (which might have been interesting,
maybe _too_ interesting) but a comedy record by the great Stan Freberg,
who I believe does both voices.  It spoofs soap operas to the degree
that there's an organ playing in the background and the dialogue is
simple and direct: "John", "Marsha" (not Martha, whoever she is) "John",
"Marsha", "Oh John", Oh, Marsha"... turning more and more passionate and
suggestive.
    In fact, some radio stations banned it from the air as corrupting to
the morals and disturbing to the FCC.
    Freberg also recorded a spoof on country music called "A Dear John
Letter" which concludes with the reappearance of John & Marsha.
    I know a couple named John and Marsha and when they became engaged I
presented them with a tape of this romantic exchange.  I'm glad to say
we're still friends.
                                                      --Bill Jaker

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #342
*********************************************

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