------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 486
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Some comments from England [ richard@[removed] ]
Re: MP3 [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
Re: Missing Fibber McGee and Molly s [ Al Girard <24agirard24@[removed] ]
A better source for missing FM&M epi [ Wboenig@[removed] ]
Re: Myrt and Marge [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Sofas and Cigarettes [ Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed]; ]
Four Friends [ "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed]. ]
Vic and Sade [ Jmeals@[removed] ]
Frank Behrens [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Elsa Maxwell [ "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
Buxton clarification [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
LIONEL BARRYMORE'S HUMBUGGING EXPERT [ CHET <voxpop@[removed]; ]
Then&Now [ dantrigg422@[removed] ]
Re: Origin of Jukebox [ "Dennis Mansker" <dennis@[removed] ]
Re: Frank Buxton [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]
DRAGNET: BIG LITTLE JESUS [ wilditralian@[removed] ]
Today in otr history 12/14 [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Green Hornet trivia [ Mahlon Wagner <mwagner2@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 14:43:33 -0500
From: richard@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Some comments from England
Hello Everyone,
I hope you don't mind me commenting in your digest.
It is about a piece mentioned on the 15th October 2002 V2002 #405 by
Mgiorgio1@[removed]
"......Among those going away are former Lever (as in UniLever) Brothers
sales champs as Lux Soap and Lifebuoy. Guess the Hollywood glamour girls
and the sufferers of [removed] will
have to look elsewhere in the future".
I wish to make a correction about this. It is an old press release from
about 2 years ago. Lever Bros. / Unilever will never discontinue Lifebuoy
or Lux, the brand is too big in other territories in the world for this. In
fact in India, with over one billion people, and Pakistan and other
countries in the far east it is the largest selling brand of soap It may not
be manufactured just how you in the US and we here in the UK remember
however I am the importer for both the UK and the USA, and `my` Lifebuoy,
made in Cyprus, is just as the original aroma was known in the UK and the
USA. I would just like to let you know that it is still available. Not the
`classic scent` or `coral` versions, just the clean, fresh, healthy original
aroma, I can send you a sample if you wish, see my web site for all the
details [removed]
I do like to read everything written here about OTR, however you must
understand that for us here in the UK most, not all, of the `names`
mentioned here mean nothing unless `they` made it to Hollywood. We had the
good old BBC with 3 programmes, the Home Service, Light Programme and Third
Programme, and it still kept us `glued` to our sets for popular programmes.
We even had a programme I remember called "A seat in the circle" which ran
for 15 minutes every week from a cinema in London`s West End where the
commentator spoke about the plot and what was happening on the screen in one
of the latest films, you could hear the soundtrack of course.
One more thing, if I may, that might help you `digesters`. After 30 years
working for EMI Records at Abbey Road Studios this is just a reminder for
any of you who hold reel to reel recordings, whatever speed. Always store
them on the right hand spool. This ensures that you must always rewind them
to listen to them, this helps stop "print through" because everytime you
listen to the tape it will "layer` back in a different position when it is
stored.
Thank you for "listening" to me.
Richard Langham
London N13 6JN
United Kingdom.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 14:47:41 -0500
From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: MP3
At 11:24 PM 12/12/02 -0500, you wrote:
I bought 2 MP3 CD's at the October FOTR convention and 1 from REPS. I am
having a problem playing them on my GPX boombox CD MP3 player. A 30 minute
program plays for about 15 minutes and then goes to the next track. Can
anyone tell me why this happens and how I can correct it.
George Skarzynski
George, this is probably caused by the MP3 disc being encoded at a rate
that your player will not handle. If you have the software, try re-sampling
the MP3 to a rate of 128[removed] That should work.
If you don't have the software, contact me by email and I'll have you send
me the discs. I'll resample it for you and you can then see if it works.
This is the reason I have been strongly suggesting that we establish a
standard among ourselves of higher encoding that the 32/22 rate. Even
though it may sound good and work on some of the newer MP3 players, the
majority of players out there can not play this rate.
[Charlie, would you at least agree with me on this last sentence?]
Fred
For the best in Old Time Radio Shows [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 14:40:12 -0500
From: Al Girard <24agirard24@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Missing Fibber McGee and Molly shows
From: "welsa" <welsa@[removed];
Does anyone know of any Fibber McGee and Molly shows which are considered
"missing"[removed] no recordings exist of them?
Check the missing episode list on
The Unofficial Fibber McGee and Molly Home Page
[removed]
Al Girard
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 16:41:50 -0500
From: Wboenig@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: A better source for missing FM&M episodes
In a message dated 12/13/2002 4:02:08 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
For missing Fibber McGee and Molly shows, go to Jerry
Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs page for Fibber:
[removed]
and look for any episode that is labeled *na*
Jerry's list, while good, is a little outdated, as a few more epipsodes have
surfaced since his log was created. For a more current list of missing
episodes, go to:
[removed]
And make sure you visit the other pages of this site while you're there!
Wayne Boenig
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 17:35:35 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Myrt and Marge
On 12/13/02 4:08 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:
I can find no mention of "Mert and Mardge" in Dunning or Hickerson's books
although Dunning refers to Vinton appearing in a soap opera called "Betty and
Bob" in the 30s. Does anyone have any information regarding M and M or has
Kobal mistaken this for B and B?
"Myrt and Marge" preceded Hayworth's appearance in "Betty and Bob" by a
couple of years -- he was very much in demand as a romantic-lead type of
actor in Chicago radio during the early and mid-1930s, and likely played
many roles of this type that have never been documented.
In "Myrt and Marge," beginning in late 1931, Hayworth appeared as Jack
Arnold -- an idealistic lawyer who fell in love with the young Broadway
showgirl Marge. As the storyline played out, the couple eventually
married, and Jack Arnold remained a key character in the program for
several years until he was killed off in 1937. Hayworth himself was so
closely identified with the character that he was occasionally billed as
"Jack Arnold" in other programs, rather than under his true name.
"Myrt and Marge," the story of a hardboiled chorus girl and her innocent
young protege, was extremely popular as a nighttime serial during
1931-32, and was the first program to offer measurable competition to
"Amos 'n' Andy" in the Eastern time zone - where the two programs went
head to head in the 7 to 715pm timeslot. However, the program's
popularity skidded sharply after creator/writer Myrtle Vail was injured
in a car accident in 1933. A substitute writer took over the program as
Vail recovered from her injuries, and the character of Myrt was
temporarily written out of the storyline. The plotting became extremely
farfetched during Vail's absence --- moving away from the realistic
Broadway/showbiz setting to an outlandish storyline about Myrt being
taken prisoner by kidnappers in South America -- and listeners began
gradually to desert the program. In early 1937 M&M moved into a daytime
slot, where it spent the rest of its network run as a full-blown soap
opera.
Hayworth returned to the role of Jack Arnold in 1946, for the Finley
Productions syndicated revival of the series. The original 1930s scripts
were recycled for this version, which was produced under Myrtle Vail's
supervision, even though she herself did not appear in the new series.
Vail's daughter, Donna Damerel, who had played Marge in the 1930s, was
also absent from the 1946 series -- she had died in childbirth in 1941.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 17:37:46 -0500
From: Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sofas and Cigarettes
With all of the debate about whether to call it a sofa, a couch, a
davenport, there is also the word 'divan' (di-VAHN), which is a sofa or
couch usually with no arms or back -- sort of a padded bench. I wonder
if 'divan' is a shortened version of davenport?
And then our friends north-of-the-border, up Canada way, have long used
the term *Chesterfield* to refer to a couch/sofa/davenport. (The word
Chesterfield also can refer to a top-coat).
I wonder if there were any Canadians who might have been a bit 'puzzled'
whenever Godfrey, Bing and Bob, or Perry Como, or Dragnet and Gunsmoke,
did spots for Ligget & Meyers' Chesterfield Cigarettes (Regular and King,
They Satisfy)? Are Chesterfields (cigarettes) sold up in Canada anyway?
Similarly, I always found it somewhat "amusing" when I would hear some
Chesterfield commercials on radio (and TV) programs of the later 1940's
and into the 1950's, which emphasized their 'A-B-C' slogan (Always Buy
Chesterfield; Always milder- Better tasting- Cooler smoking) if the
program were airing on CBS or NBC! Since the (formerly part of RCA/NBC)
Blue Network was now renamed *ABC* (the American Broadcasting Company).
I remember one time hearing an early 1950's edition of a morning Arthur
Godfrey Time. He had just closed out the Nabisco sponsored 15-minute
segment with "Dis is da CBS Way-dee-oh Net-woyk", then you heard a few
soft bars of his theme song "Seems Like Old Times" where the local station
would give station identifiction, then the CBS time-signal *BONG*, and
then you hear singers open up that 15-min segment with a live Chesterfield
commercial, but in a very "fanfare" like way singing the letters 'A-B-C'
and then the Chesterfield meaning of the letters (Always Buy Chesterfield,
Always milder- Better tasting- Cooler smoking).
To me, it just seemed "odd" to hear this loud "fanfare" singing of the
letters 'A-B-C' on a program airing over *CBS* Radio!
By the mid-1950's, from episodes of Dragnet (NBC) and Gunsmoke (CBS) that
I've heard sponsored by Chesterfield, it seems like Ligget & Meyers had
dropped the 'A-B-C' slogan, and had gone more to "Sound off for
Chesterfield" and "[removed] made the MODERN way, with ACCU-ray!"
Or there was the musical slogan, "Put a SMILE IN YOUR SMOKING, just GIVE
it a [removed] Light-up a Ches-ter-FIELD! THEY SAT-is-fy!" And here I'm
talking about a cigarette! Not a sofa/couch/davenport/divan! You wouldn't
want to go around lighting up an upholstered piece of furniture! :-)
(And I wonder what would have happened if George Walsh, Hal Gibney(sp?),
or George Finneman(sp?) would have "sounded off" for Chesterfield by going
into a COUGHING fit! :-)
Mark J. Cuccia
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 17:33:58 -0500
From: "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Four Friends
In issue 485 Jim Lawrence asked about 'The Four friends'.
Jim the poem is the Four friends by A. A. Milne of Winnie The Pooh fame and
you can find it in the book 'When We Were Very Young' which is still in
print. I had it as a child and then when my first daughter was born 20
years ago I bought her that book and others by [removed] Milne.
I remember that poem and others still to this day. I particularly remember
your last line you listed, as my Brother's name was James and that line was
repeated [removed] me :)
This link has the series on CD along with Pooh bear.
[removed] but I found hundreds of
links to audio versions.
Ian Grieve
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 17:37:08 -0500
From: Jmeals@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Vic and Sade
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I have been a subscriber to this newsletter for about five years. The
experience has been humbling. I used to think that I knew a lot about OTR.
But the experience has also been informative and delightful. But, since I
have been subscribing, there has been very little discussion in this space
about the program, "Vic and Sade."
That is a bit odd. Most radio historians recognize Vic and Sade as one of
the absolute high point of radio's golden age. Paul Rhymer the show's one
writer was compared, in his day, to Mark Twain. The program's many fans
included Ray Bradbury, James Thurber, Ogden Nash and it is rumored that,
whenever he could, President Franklin Roosevelt paused for fifteen minutes
every weekday afternoon to listen to "Vic and Sade."
In my opinion, the writers and the president got it right! Listening to
the Radio Spirits collection of "Vic and Sade" programs is a feast of unique,
very off the wall comedy. But the RS collection also poses some troubling
questions. After a long run (1932-1946) as a fifteen minute daytime program
"Vic and Sade" was reorganized as a weekly thirty minute show. This final
version lasted only four months and, at the time, was considered an artistic
and commercial failure. In my opinion, a few of the thirty minute programs
are wonderful, up to the standards of the best 15 minute broadcasts. But many
of the thirty minute programs I have heard are far below the normal standards
of Paul Rhymer. The show had a rather sad, anticlimactic finish.
Even more sad is the fact that many of the folks associated with the show
seemed to vanish along with it. In an eccentric statement worthy of one of
his characters Paul Rhymer declared that "I've done my work." Apparently, he
never worked again. To the best of my knowledge, the show's excellent cast
also vanished along with "Vic and Sade."
I feel odd writing such a melancholy note about such a funny program but
I wonder if anyone out there can explain the odd demise of "Vic and Sade."
Why wasn't such a successful show given a better chance to reestablish
itself
in a new format? Am I wrong about the post "Vic and Sade" careers of Mr.
Rhymer and the show's marvelous actors?
Jim Meals
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*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 18:25:03 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Frank Behrens
I have a friend who is doing research on Frank Behrens. Behrens, a native of
Sheboygan, Wisconsin got his start in radio in Milwaukee. He was the first
Billie the Brownie, a local show that ran from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve
from 1931 to 1955. Behrens was only 12 years old when he had this role.
Behrens went on to a substantial career in radio and television. He was even
in the movie, "Wake Me When It's Over." He played the part of Major Biglow. He
played Jack Armstrong in 1939 plus appearing in several other radio programs.
Behrens sister still lives in the Milwaukee area and my friend had a nice talk
with her. He died in December of 1986, was married to Amzie Strickland and had
one son who is also an actor. Does anyone know more than this?
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Make your day just a little better, listen to Olde Tyme Radio!
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 19:41:43 -0500
From: "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed];
To: "otr message" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Elsa Maxwell
Just a reminder that many of us probably have the Bill Stern of 12/14/45
with Elsa as the guest. Maybe others of you have the Elsa Maxwell Show of
8/13/45, l5m on Mutual
with a V-J Day bulletin included.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 19:48:32 -0500
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Buxton clarification
Mea culpa, gang!
I just re-read my previous posting in which I mentioned that OTR historian
Frank Buxton's name appears in a recently re-aired Christmas episode of
"Happy Days." I just realised that I inadvertebtly omitted an
integral operative word: Mr. Buxton was the DIRECTOR of said episode.
Incidentally, the "Happy Days" ep. I referred to was from the long-running
sitcom "Happy Days" in which Fonzie ended up "jumping the shark" on
water-skis, and not the early 1970s variety show of the same name which
celebrated 1930s nostalgia, and which starred Louis Nye and Chuck McCann.
Have a splendid week-end! It's Beethoven's birthday on Monday the 16th.
Always in the ether,
Derek Tague
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 20:23:18 -0500
From: CHET <voxpop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: LIONEL BARRYMORE'S HUMBUGGING EXPERTISE
it was *ASTON* who suggested that
Nobody can "Bah Humbug" like Lionel Barrymore.
well uh [removed] maybe ALISTAIR SIM
CHET NORRIS
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 22:40:24 -0500
From: dantrigg422@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Then&Now
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Was listening to a "Gun Smoke" episode. It was a Christmas show. Ol Matt and
a stranger had several smokes, and then on an "Aldridge Family" show Henry
and his dad thought a rifle in the closet was their Christmas present.
When I think about it, it's one of the reasons I love to listen to OTR.
Dan
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 00:27:09 -0500
From: "Dennis Mansker" <dennis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Origin of Jukebox
Juke is most likely from a Gullah word, joog, of West African origin,
meaning disorderly, wicked.
Early rural south speakeasies were called in the local black slang, "juke
joints" -- the record players came to be known as "juke boxes".
Dennis in Olympia, WA
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 01:02:25 -0500
From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Frank Buxton
Derek Tague Wrote:
Incidentally, I saw Frank Buxton's name last week-end
in a TV Land
rerun
Frank Buxton now lives on Bainbridge Island just
east of Seattle. I've had the pleasure of working with
Frank on several Imagination Theatre episodes. On two
of these it was just myself and Frank. If anybody out
there has heard them you know he made me look good.
He's a fine radio actor and if he'd been around a bit
earlier I'm certain he'd have been a great addition to
the legacy of OTR as a performer.
Larry Albert
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 11:49:09 -0500
From: wilditralian@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: DRAGNET: BIG LITTLE JESUS
14 DEC 02
Are you aware that there was a Dragnet television program with a
similar
title that was done twice? It was entitled "The Big Baby Jesus", and was
run as a Christmas show each time. I don't know if it was the same
plotline as the radio broadcast or not. I discussed this via e-mail with
Harry Bartell several years ago, as he played the part of the priest.
The first was done in the early 50's and was in black-and-white. The
second would have been at least done in the fall of 1956, because one of
the police cars was a 1957 Ford. This one was in color. This was the
first transmission ever of a color television program, although I believe
that there had been a few color movies run before that. Jack Webb made a
big deal out of the premier of this, complete with spotlights in the air,
white limos, and babes in high-falutin' dresses.
But ... this is all heresay. Harry Bartell could give you a mile of
copy on this.
Best regards,
Jim Arva
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 13:14:45 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in otr history 12/14
>From Those Were The Days --
1953 - Fred Allen returned from semiretirement to narrate Prokofiev's
classic, Peter and the Wolf, on the Bell Telephone Hour on NBC.
Birthdays:
1911 - Spike (Lindley Armstrong) Jones, musician: drummer; band leader:
City Slickers; died May 1, 1965
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 14:49:16 -0500
From: Mahlon Wagner <mwagner2@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Green Hornet trivia
Hello,
I seem to recall that on the Green Hornet at one time Miss Case seemed
to know the identity of the Green Hornet. I think it was around 1948.
I would appreciate any additional information--including episode and
such--should my memory be reasonably accurate.
Many thanks
Mahl
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #486
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