------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 267
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
fred allen's "treadmill to oblivion" [ wgaryw@[removed] ]
9-16 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK [ "Jerry Haendiges" <jerryhaendiges@c ]
Imagination! [ Wich2@[removed] ]
Dannay and Lee [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
MANC update [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
9-17 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Re: Billy Mills "Fibber McGee" band [ Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed]; ]
Old OTR club newsletters (1970-) [ Chargous@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:01:47 -0400
From: wgaryw@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: fred allen's "treadmill to oblivion"
so those recommendations various web sites offer-- based on your purchasing
profile-- are actually worth reading sometimes. . . or else i might not have
known that fred allen's book about his days in radio, "treadmill to
oblivion", has just been republished and is back in print! (if this has been
mentioned on the digest before, i must have missed it.)
this is a wonderful, wonderful book. my only criticism is that much of the
book is comprised of script excerpts, many of which are circulating as
recorded episodes. but that wouldn't apply at all to the early 1950s, when
it was originally published.
it would be terrific to see "much ado about nothing" (his unfinished
autobiography of his childhood and vaudeville years) and "fred allen's
letters" follow. i've already got a used copy of each, but i purchased a
copy of "treadmill" anyhow to boost sales by 1. . . :)
--wgw
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:01:56 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-16 births/deaths
September 16th births
09-16-1881 - Jack Harvey - Cleveland, OH - d. 11-9-1954
writer: "Joan Davis Time"
09-16-1893 - Alexander Korda - Pusztaturpaszto, Hungary - d. 1-23-1956
director: "Lux Radio Theatre"
09-16-1899 - Sam Spewack - Ukraine, Russia - d. 10-14-1971
writer: "Theatre Guild On the Air"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
09-16-1902 - Philip Reep - d. 1-xx-1985
singer: (Elm City Four) "The Gay Nineties Revue"
09-16-1903 - Joe Venuti - Lecco, Italy - d. 8-14-1978
jazz violinist: "Friendly Five Footnotes";"Paul Whiteman Show";
"Jubilee"
09-16-1908 - Neil Reagan - Tampico, IL - d. 12-11-1996
director,announcer: (Brother of Ron) "Dr. Christian"; "Straight Arrow"
09-16-1911 - Dorian St. George - d. 3-1-2004
announcer: "Advs. of Charlie Chan"; "Candid Microphone"
09-16-1911 - Paul Henning - Independence, MO - d. 3-25-2005
writer: "Burns and Allen"
09-16-1914 - Allen Funt - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-5-1999
host: "Candid Microphone"
09-16-1915 - Cy Walter - Minneapolis, MN - d. 8-18-1968
pianist: "Piano Playhouse"; "Songs by Sinatra"
09-16-1919 - Andy Russell - Los Angeles, CA - d. 4-16-1992
singer: "Your Hit Parade"
09-16-1919 - Larry Dobkin - NYC - d. 10-28-2002
actor: Archie Goodwin "Advs. of Nero Wolfe"; Ellery Queen "Advs. of
Ellery Queen"
09-16-1919 - Ralph Barco - d. 3-19-1993
orchestra leader: WHK Cleveland, Ohio
09-16-1921 - Korla Pandit (Juan Rolando) - St. Louis, MO- d. 10-1-1998
organ: "Chandu the Magician", "Jubilee"
09-16-1922 - Janis Paige - Tacoma, WA
actor: "MGM Theatre of the Air"; "Theatre of Romance"
09-16-1924 - Lauren Bacall - NYC
actor: Sailor Duval "Bold Venture"
09-16-1925 - [removed] King - Itta Bena, MS
disc jockey: "Boogie for Breakfast"
09-16-1925 - Charlie Byrd - Chuckatuck, VA - d. 12-1-1999
jazz guitarist: "Voices of Vista"
09-16-1926 - Tommy Bond - Dallas, TX - d. 9-24-2005
actor: Randolph Foster "A Date With Judy"
09-16-1927 - Jack Kelly - Astoria, NY - d. 11-7-1992
actor: "Suspense"
09-16-1930 - Anne Francis - Ossining, NY
actor: Kathy Cameron "When a Girl Marries"
September 16th deaths
01-01-1905 - Richard Keith - NYC - d. 9-16-1976
actor: Ray Hunt "Myrt and Marge"; Frank W. Brock "Special Investigator"
01-18-1920 - Constance Moore - Sioux City, IA - d. 9-16-2005
singer, actor: Gloria Dean "Hollywood Mystery Time"
01-19-1910 - Jaime Del Valle - d. 9-16-1981
producer, director: "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"; "Count of Monte
Cristo"
03-06-1942 - David Cleve - England - d. 9-16-2005
actor: "Out of School"
03-13-1914 - Glen Gordon - NYC - d. 9-16-1977
actor: Dr. Fu Manchu "The Shadow of Fu Manchu"
03-18-1902 - Doris Dalton - Sharon, MA - d. 9-16-1984
actor: Voice of Romance "Romance"; "One Foot in Heaven"
06-11-1906 - Frank Woodruff - Columbia, SC - d. 9-16-1983
director: "Lux Radio Theatre"
06-14-1884 - John McCormack - Athone, Ireland - d. 9-16-1945
singer: "The Atwater-Kent Hour"; "The Vince Program"
09-07-1910 - Don Ried - d. 9-16-1996
vocalist: "The Jack Kirkwood Show"
09-28-1881 - Pedro de Cordoba - NYC - d. 9-16-1950
actor: John Marshall "Those We Love"; Jose Alvarado "Romance of the
Ranchos"
11-05-1887 - Ralph Moody - St. Louis, MO - d. 9-16-1971
actor: "Gunsmoke"; "Roy Rogers Show"; "Wild Bill Hickok"
11-28-1906 - Helen Jepson - Titusville, PA - d. 9-16-1997
singer: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Show Boat"
11-29-1912 - Alan Courtney - NYC - d. 9-16-1978
host: "Calling All Girls"; "Korn Kobblers"
12-02-1923 - Maria Callas - NYC - d. 9-16-1977
opera singer: "The Metropolitan Opera"
12-23-1911 - James Gregory - The Bronx, NY - d. 9-16-2002
actor: Captain Vincent Cronin "21st Precinct"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:02:04 -0400
From: "Jerry Haendiges" <jerryhaendiges@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK
Hi Friends,
Here is this week's schedule for my Olde Tyme Radio Network. Here you may
listen to high-quality broadcasts with Tom Heathwood's "Heritage Radio
Theatre," Big John Matthews and Steve "Archive" Urbaniak's "The Glowing
Dial" and my own "Same Time, Same Station." Streamed in high-quality audio,
on demand, 24/7 at [removed]
Check out our High-Quality mp3 catalog at:
[removed]
=======================================
SAME TIME, SAME STATION
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Rosh Hashanah
BEHOLD THE JEW
9-17-44 From Ada Jackson's prize-winning poem
NBC special broadcast honoring the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana.
Stars: Florence Eldrich
Produced by: Anton M. Leader
Adaptor: Milton Gieger
For details on this and may other programs in which there was a Jewish
influence, you should obtain a copy of my good friends David and Susan
Siegel's excellent new book, Radio and the Jews. A copy may be purchased by
going to [removed] Tell them Jerry sent you :-)
BIG TOWN
Episode 12 11-30-48 "I Remember Murder"
NBC LIFEBOY Tuesdays 10:00 - 10:30 pm
STARS: Edward Pawley as Steve Wilson, Fran Carlon as Lorelei, Robert Dryden
as Harry, the Hack
TWENTY CROWDED YEARS
6-28-34 A review of the years 1914-1934
==================================
HERITAGE RADIO THEATER
THE GREEN HORNET
(ABC) 11/04/07
Jack McCarthy as Britt Reid in: "Graft Crosses A Bridge"
SUSPENSE
(CBS) 11/15/59
Virginia Payne ("Ma Perkins") stars in: "The Companion"
RADIO PREVIEWS THE MOVIES
(1936) MGM "Leo is On the Air" presents Clark Gable and Joan Crawford in
"Love On The Run"
====================================
THE GLOWING DIAL
STRANGE WILLS
Syndicated Episode 27 "The Silver Buckles"
DICK COLE
Syndicated Episode 7 1942 "Laura Gets Jealous"
BUNCO SQUAD
Audition 4-20-50 "The Case of the Bookworm"
THE HUNTERS
CBS Audition 11-29-48 "You Take Balistics"
COCA COLA TOP NOTCHERS
NBC 3-19-30 "Ty Cobb Interviewed"
==================================
If you have any questions or request, please feel free to contact me.
Jerry Haendiges
Jerry@[removed] 562-696-4387
The Vintage Radio Place [removed]
Largest source of Old Time Radio Logs, Articles and programs on the Net
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:02:41 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Imagination!
From: crow8164@[removed] (Dennis Crow)
I am reminded of a baffling cue, found in a stage direction for a playscript
of Noel Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT: "[Character] enters, after having drunk a
cup of tea."
(SOUND: light lip-smacking; satisfied "swallow")
-Craig W.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:34:23 -0400
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Dannay and Lee
My research concludes that one day in 1929 while lunching together Frederic
Dannay and Manfred B. Lee, cousins, hatched the mythical figure Ellery
Queen. The radio feature resulted after they turned up as "plotsmiths" on
an MBS quiz called Author, Author (April 7, 1939-Feb. 12, 1940). Literary
guests appearing there matched their story design skills with those of
Ellery Queen (in actuality, facing both Dannay and Lee working in tandem).
The visitors developed listener-submitted scenarios into finished plots
before the pair of "plotsmiths" challenged them.
Just two months after Author, Author premiered director George Zachary
debuted a new vehicle, The Adventures of Ellery Queen, combining the drama
and quiz elements into a vastly different format. Dannay and Lee were
employed to create a new mystery narrative weekly for which they were
compensated at $350 per episode. Action was terminated shy of its
conclusion to permit a panel of celebrity figures or a single personality
from venues of information and entertainment to determine a satisfactory
solution, operating as "armchair detectives." Guests were paid fees ranging
between $25 and $50. A documented list of more than 100 well-known names
appeared on the show at least once.
When the panel branded only one perpetrator in the first four months, the
team was displaced and the show relied on volunteers from the studio
audience. This proved even worse; not only were the nobodies invariably
mistaken, the fans at home found them dull as dishwater. Following that
debacle, another panel was introduced that was comprised of mystery writers,
a plan that was much better.
Rand B. Lee, the son of writer Manfred Bennington Lee, said his father and
mother (actress Kaye Brinker) met on the set of Ellery Queen April 1, 1942.
She was cast as Nikki Porter, Queen's feisty secretary. The pair fell in
love and married July 4, 1942. Their son allowed: "It was only after Mom
was wed that she learned that the man she had married was one-half of Ellery
Queen himself."
There's a whole lot more to this series to be found in "Radio Crime
Fighters" at [removed].
Jim Cox
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:35:18 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MANC update
The 2nd Annual Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention is over and the results are
in . . .
The total number of attendees was larger than last year which means it's
growing.
Don and Mary Ramlow were both instrumental for the two old-time radio
recreations. One of which was a recreation of a "lost" Sam Spade episode
from August of 1947. Chris was great in his role, as was the entire cast
including Denny Miller, who played the title role. Don and Mary are the
nicest (and professional) people I have ever met and are always willing to
shrug off an err when it happens. When life gives a lemon, Don and Mary
made lemonade. Thank you.
Ken Stockinger won an award in recognition for covering (or multi-tasking) a
number of events and most importantly, spending considerable time
behind-the-scenes helping the convention run smoothly. Derek Tague did a
magnificent job, often acknowledged throughout the weekend by attendees, for
his careful and well-researched questions for the one-on-one interviews on
stage. Ed Walker was a joy to talk to. His weekly radio program, THE BIG
BROADCAST, is easy listening and fans met up with Ed to ask questions and
get a free autograph. His talk about his career as one of the Joy Boys was
amusing and Ed really knows his old-time radio history. Terry Salomonson
gave a wonderful talk about the Lone Ranger on radio, even playing a
previously-uncirculated old-time radio broadcast from the Ranger's early
years. Neil Ellis gave a fascinating presentation about the JFK
assassination news broadcasts on radio. Michael Hayde revealed fascinating
trivia about the radio and TV series of SUPERMAN, branching the connections
between the two.
The cost of admission was donated to the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel
Comprehensive Cancer Center. A total of $1,[removed] was raised.
A question that came up during the weekend once in a while was how we could
do that and afford to run the convention. The answer was simple: the hotel
is really, really low-priced so the sale of seven vendor tables reimburses
that cost. The sale of the remaining vendor tables pretty much covers the
cost of the stars, so it balances out evenly. Since I myself have a vendor
table, it seemed silly to pocket the admission costs, so Michelle and I
decided to donate the admission to a charity so something really good could
come out of the event. Thankfully, Johns Hopkins Medicine will put the
money to good use and a lot of it was raised and will be donated.
Charlie Summers was the big cheese responsible for filming all the events,
behind the camera. Terry Salomonson of Audio Classics will be featuring
DVDs of the events as soon as they are put together. [removed]
(I believe Charlie is experimenting with new software that will allow the
DVDs to have an "edge" on standard video production.) Terry also told me
today that anyone who participated on a panel or presentation or radio
recreation (that means you too, Chris Holm), let him know in a few weeks
when the discs are done. Both he and I feel if you gave some of your time
to share part of the hobby to others, you should be entitled to a free copy
of what you did. Terry will be the dude to hook you up.
Photos of the event will be posted on the convention web-site
[removed] as soon as we can.
Many thanks for everyone who attended.
Martin & Michelle
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 08:40:29 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-17 births/deaths
September 17th births
09-17-1890 - Gabriel Heatter - NYC - d. 3-30-1972
news, commentator: "News and Comment"; "We. the People"
09-17-1902 - Esther Ralston - Bar Harbor, ME - d. 1-14-1994
actor: Martha Jackson "Woman of Courage"; Kathy Marsh "Portia Faces
Life"
09-17-1903 - Frank Barton - Chicago, IL - d. 1-11-1995
announcer: "A Day in the Life of Dennis Day"; "One Man's Family"
09-17-1904 - Jerry Colonna - Boston, MA - d. 11-21-1986
comedian: "Bob Hope Show"
09-17-1905 - Dolores Costello - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 3-1-1979
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Suspense"; "Second Sunday"
09-17-1907 - Alice Yourman - South Dakota - d. 10-28-2000
actor: Mary Andrews "Archie Andrews"; [removed] Aldrich "Aldrich Family"
09-17-1907 - Warren Burger - St. Paul, MN - d. 6-25-1995
chief justice of the supreme court: "We Hold These Truths"
09-17-1910 - Roberta Semple Salter - Hong Kong - d. 1-25-2007
researcher: "Hobby Lobby"
09-17-1914 - Lindsay (John) Hardy - Australia - d. 2-xx-1994
writer: "Dossier on Demetrios"; "Walk a Crooked Mile"
09-17-1915 - John Witty - Bristol, England - d. 1-14-1990
Began radio broadcasting for the BBC in 1944
09-17-1916 - Mary Stewart - Sunderland, Durham, England
author: "Nine Coaches Waiting"
09-17-1918 - Tom Moore - Meridian, MS - d. 3-31-2007
executive: President ABC Radio and Television
09-17-1923 - Hank Williams - Georgiana, AL - d. 1-1-1953
singer: "Louisiana Hayride"; "Grand Ole Opry"; "Health and Happiness"
09-17-1925 - Art Baer - NYC - d. 9-17-2006
producer, director, creator: "The Funny Side Up"
09-17-1928 - Roddy McDowall - London, England - d. 10-3-1998
panelist: "Keep Up with the Kids"
09-17-1929 - Patricia Crowley - Olyphant, PA
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
09-17-1931 - Anne Bancroft - The Bronx, NY - d. 6-6-2005
actor: "Image Minorities"
09-17-1941 - Robert Takeo Matsui - Sacremento, CA - d. 1-1-2005
congressman: Democratic response to President's radio address
09-17-1943 - Beverly Aadland - Hollywood, CA
actor: "Whatever Became of . . ."
September 17th deaths
01-16-1914 - Roger Wagner - Le Puy, France - d. 9-17-1992
chorale director: "It's Time for Johnny Mercer"; "America Sings"
01-25-1881 - Emil Judwig - Breslau, Selisia, Germany - d. 9-17-1948
writer: "Information Please"
02-03-1928 - Frankie Vaughan - Liverpool, England - d. 9-17-1999
singer: "Al Jolson Centenary"
02-13-1916 - James Griffith - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-17-1993
actor: "Gunsmoke"
02-14-1920 - Jack Lesberg - Boston, MA - d. 9-17-2005
jazz bassist: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concert"
02-16-1884 - Bert Kalmer - NYC - d. 9-17-1947
lyricist: "You Bet Your Life"
05-07-1915 - Win Elliot - Chelsea, MA - d. 9-17-1998
sportscaster, emcee: "Fish Pond"; "County Fair"; "Quick as a Flash"
05-12-1932 - Tom Aaker - d. 9-17-1999
newscaster: Rochester, Minnesota
05-29-1913 - Iris Adrian - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-17-1994
actor: Abbott and Costello Show"
07-18-1913 - Red Skelton - Vincennes, IN - d. 9-17-1997
comedian: "Avalon Time"; "Red Skelton Show"
08-09-1902 - Zino Francescatti - Marseilles, France - d. 9-17-1991
violinist: "Encores from the Bell Telephone Hour"; "Concert Hall
Program"
08-15-1909 - Hugo Winterhalter - d. 9-17-1973
pop-music conductor, arranger: "Johnny Desmond Program"; "Musical
Showcase"
08-31-1914 - Richard Basehart - Zanesville, OH - d. 9-17-1984
actor: "Document A/777"; "Hollywood Star Preview"
09-06-1918 - Jay Stewart - Summitville, IN - d. 9-17-1989
announcer: "Great Gildersleeve"; "Hollywood Barn Dance"; "Spotlight
on Music"
09-13-1903 - Ken Trietsch - Arcadia, IN - d. 9-17-1987
musician-singer: "National Barn Dance"; "Uncle Ezra"
09-17-1925 - Art Baer - NYC - d. 9-17-2006
producer, director, creator: "The Funny Side Up"
10-29-1901 - Akim Tamiroff - Baku, Russia - d. 9-17-1972
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
11-12-1911 - Claudia Morgan - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-17-1974
actor: Carolyn Allen Walker Kramer Nelson MacDonald; "Right to
Happiness"
11-14-1881 - Clayton Hamilton - NYC - d. 9-17-1946
writer: "Radio Guild"; "Great Playe"; "Brownstone Theatre"
11-19-1918 - Spiro Agnew - Towson, MD - d. 9-17-1996
[removed] vice president: "Meet the Press"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 08:40:40 -0400
From: Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Billy Mills "Fibber McGee" band
Spike Jones made the acquaintance of two future City Slickers when he
played drums in Billy Mills' band on "Fibber McGee and Molly" --
trumpeter Don Anderson and bassist Country Washburne, who arranged
"Cocktails for Two" for Jones.
Jordan R. Young
"Spike Jones Off the Record"
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:21:35 -0400
From: Chargous@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Old OTR club newsletters (1970-)
I was looking through the Radio Researchers' very interesting archival page
containing old OTR newsletters. The earliest ones were of most interest to
me, because they gave insight into what OTR collecting was like in the
early days.
Radio Dial (Autumn 1970) had an interesting ad - Joyce Music Studios of
[removed] having 2,000 shows & transcriptions. Looked like it was an
interesting place. Does anybody know about the organization that ran that
newsletter - the Radio Historical Society?
There was also another early one run out of Arkansas - "Epilogue".
Jay Hickerson's Hello Again of 1972 had an interesting article on old tape
brands, which confirmed my suspicion that Shamrock tape was
second-rate! That same issue also told where the Australian Fat Men came
from, which I had always wondered. I'll have to read more - maybe it'll
tell where the 1930s Charlie Chans (the Landini mystery, etc) came from.
Although somewhat primitive, these early newsletters seem to be a treasure
trove of anecdotes from then-alive radio people, and also had some
interesting stuff.
I thought it was interesting that collecting then was much more
expensive. A cassette in 1970 is listed as 5 bucks, from the Joyce place
noted above. Adjusted for inflation, it's probably about 12-15 bucks in
today's money. It was probably cheaper to buy ETs and do it oneself!
Kudos to the Researchers for sharing these early magazines and to the
people who furnished them.
Still, we're pretty lucky to have all we have availble now, and the
technology that makes it possible to archive the shows in a digital format,
and to restore them.
Travis
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #267
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