------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 156
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Amos and Andy Slipping? [ Tom van der Voort <evan@[removed]; ]
Cincinnati convention [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Jack Benny and Ronald Colman [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Re: Converting MP3 Files [ Ed Foster <erfoster@[removed]; ]
Converting MP3 files [ "Hedge, Arthur" <AHedge@steelpoint. ]
Converting MP3 Files [ "James Gray" <jgray4@[removed]; ]
Converting MP3 files [ "Larry" <larryuhl@[removed]; ]
Sturgeon [ danhughes@[removed] ]
Why Peg Wasn't At Cincy [ danhughes@[removed] ]
Fibber McGee and Molly oddities [ "Danica L. Stein" <danicas@baymoon. ]
Peg Lynch [ "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed] ]
Re: converting MP3 files [ "Greg Willy" <Gregw@[removed]; ]
otr magazines [ "bygeorge" <bygeorge@[removed]; ]
Re: Some Things Never Change [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
New Dragnet? [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
Bea Benaderet as Blanche Morton [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
Tape to CD conversion [ "Gareth Tilley" <tilleygareth@hotma ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Hustling for a buck [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
Wow! I've arrived! [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 15:01:37 -0400
From: Tom van der Voort <evan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Amos and Andy Slipping?
Just acquired a copy of the October 30 to November 5, 1932, issue
of Radio and Amusement Guide (Chicago edition) which headlines an article
titled "These Falling Stars".
Here's what the story had to say about 'Amos and Andy':
"What about Amos 'n Andy, who for years have been the acknowledged
twin kings of the air? Radio Guide made a survey in Chicago during the
evening hours. It showed that only twenty-four percent of those listeners
who were called now regularly listen to Freeman Gosden and Charles
[removed] percent used to listen regularly but now tune them in
only on occasion. And the remaining forty-seven percent won't listen to
Amos 'n Andy any more. This last group is divided into two classes, about
equally divided. Half never listened to them, and half say their broadcasts
have been so uninteresting during the past year that they just won't tune in.
We were pretty well astonished at this showing so we conducted
another survey in Chicago, this one during the afternoon hours. The
afternoon survey showed that about thirty-six percent never listened to
Amos 'n Andy any more, and that twenty-seven percent of the remainder
believed they had fallen off in the past year. There were radios in all
the homes contacted in these surveys and all the families listened to the
radio almost every night."
Other falling stars named in the article were 'Burns and Allen' and
Graham McNamee, whose announcing of the Sharkey-Schmeling fight was "off".
The biggest flop on radio was Maurice Chevalier.
On the other hand Rudy Vallee "with his new technique of announcing
and singing, coupled with the excellence of his hour as a whole, is better
than ever". Listeners were "crazy about Ed Wynn and Jack Pearl. They
believe Morton Downey is as good as ever and ditto for Kate Smith".
It was a jungle out there!
Tom van der Voort
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 16:20:42 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Cincinnati convention
As with many others here, I enjoyed the Cincinnati
convention. It was my fourth time; and as I once lived
in Cincy and it's my favorite city, it's always nice
to go back each year.
I especially like the relaxed atmosphere at the
convention, and the fact that the stars and the guests
mingle very freely, as if everyone were at a cocktail
party. Many of the interviews I did for my OTR
article were conducted at the convention in previous
years, and I liked that I was able to sit down with
people very easily and talk with them. You can't do
things like that at larger conventions, such as comics
cons, since the guests are usually very busy.
On the other hand, I wish there were more events, such
as panel discussions on various aspects of OTR, to
fill up some of the time on Friday afternoons. I had
nothing to do until the evening performance, so I
passed the time by writing a short story.
Yes, I know Bob Hastings, Rosemary Rice and Hal Stone
discussed OTR in an interview on the radio, but how
many convention attendees heard it? I came across it
by accident. Such radio interviews are good to draw
people to the convention, but panel discussions at the
convention would also be good. Of course, given that
the entire convention is in two rooms, i'm not sure
where such a panel discussion could be held. Still, I
think it's worth thinking about.
It was good to see familiar faces again, such as Dan,
Kathy and Karen Hughes (glad you liked the article,
Karen). The radio recreations are always enjoyable,
though it still seems odd that many radio shows had
live audiences. You'd think that would make as much
sense as having a ventriloquit on radio-- right, like
that would ever happen!-- but seeing people read their
lines doesn't seem to prevent people from getting into
the story.
I plan to return again next year, and one day will
attend the Friends of Old Time Radio convention in New
Jersey. It's too early to say if that'll be this year,
but maybe.
Rick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 17:01:13 -0400
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Benny and Ronald Colman
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Every time I hear one of the Benny shows with Ronald Colman I howl with
delight. Last night I listened to the one in which Jack is practicing his
violin and driving Ronny crazy next door and I wondered if anyone in this
group knows how many and which episodes of the Jack Benny show were done with
Colman. I would love to collect them as a group.
Irene
IreneTH@[removed]
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 17:02:07 -0400
From: Ed Foster <erfoster@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Converting MP3 Files
Bruce wrote:
A recent posting asked about the availability of software that could transfer
MP3 (CD) files to regular CD's (for playback in a car's CD player). I am
sure that there are others, out there (including myself), who would also be
interested in knowing the answer.
I don't know about PCs, but for my Mac I use Toast by Roxio
([removed]). They may also make products for PCs. Also
check out [removed]
--
Ed Foster
erfoster@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 17:02:57 -0400
From: "Hedge, Arthur"
<AHedge@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Converting MP3 files
This article indicates how to covert MP3 Files to Audio CDs:
[removed]
Arthur J. Hedge III
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 17:04:11 -0400
From: "James Gray"
<jgray4@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Converting MP3 Files
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I use a freeware program to convert my MP3's to WAV files so they can be
saved on a regular audio CD that will play in any CD player. The program is
called dBPowerAmp and is available from
[removed] Once it
is installed, you can right click on the MP3's file name in Windows Explorer
and a menu will appear with the word CONVERT on it. Click on convert and you
can convert your MP3's to WAV's. The format of the WAV file should be PCM
format, and the attributes should be 44,100 hz, 16 bit, Stereo. With
dBPowerAmp you can also convert WAV files to MP3 files.
Just keep in mind that an audio cd can only play up to 80 minutes of
audio sound. A better alternative, and cheaper in the long run, is to
purchase a CD MP3 player. The price has come down on them so they are about
the same price as a regular portable CD player. The MP3 CD's can then be
played through the car's cassette player with a cassette adaptor. An MP3 CD
can hold several hours of audio. For example, I have one CD that frequently
accompanies me on my walks in the mornings that has 50 OTR shows on it, and
the CD isn't completely full, and you can have MP3 CDs with up to 200 songs on
them where regular audio CDs usually max out at about 22 songs. If you need
more help in converting audio files contact me directly. Jim Gray
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 18:08:50 -0400
From: "Larry"
<larryuhl@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Converting MP3 files
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A recent posting asked about the availability of software
that could transfer MP3 (CD) files to regular CD's (for
playback in a car's CD player).
I use musicmatch software from the following address
[removed]
It's free and let's you burn your own CDs in audio format for regular CD use,
or MP3 format for archiving etc.
Good Luck, Larry
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*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 18:11:38 -0400
From: danhughes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sturgeon
Thought somebody might share this story, but nobody did so I will:
In one of Theodore Sturgeon's short story collections, the introduction
(don't remember who wrote it, darn it) mentions adaptations of Sturgeon's
stories for radio. And it said that in one of the programs, the final
line of the play is "The sky is full of ships!".
Well, what with the poor quality of AM radio, especially in bad weather,
the director wanted to be sure that the last line didn't sound like the
sky was full of something else. He made the actor pronounce, very loudly
and distinctly, "ShiPPPs! ShiPPPs! The sky is full of shiPPPs!"
---Dan
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 18:12:03 -0400
From: danhughes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Why Peg Wasn't At Cincy
Thank 9/11 for Peg's absence. Bottom line is that last time she flew it
took her an hour and a half to get through check-in. She's in good
health for someone her age, but her back got to hurting pretty bad as she
waited to board. As long as airport security is heightened, the pain it
extreme enough to keep her from flying.
---Dan
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 18:51:23 -0400
From: "Danica L. Stein" <danicas@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Fibber McGee and Molly oddities
I haven't posted in a while, but I just have to say that I HATE the
hiccupping-guy character who appears in various guises on FM&M. I have
hundreds of episodes of FM&M and I never heard this character until
recently. He drives me up the wall and now I won't even listen to episodes
on which I know he appears. I'd rather listen to someone scrape their
fingernails across a blackboard. AAGGHHHHH! Does anyone else have such a
violently negative response to this character? AAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHH!!
Thanks for listening. I just had to vent.
Another thing I noticed recently is the shout at the end of the program. I
don't know exactly how to describe it; someone "whoops" as the closing music
begins, just before Harlow Wilcox starts speaking. It is so regular and
consistent that it would seem to be the same person. Someone in the band,
perhaps?
Danica
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 21:22:00 -0400
From: "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Peg Lynch
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Russ,
Didn't find out until Tuesday before the convention Peg
wouldn't be there. She was having back trouble, and having
a hard time getting around. She was missed.
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 22:14:01 -0400
From: "Greg Willy" <Gregw@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: converting MP3 files
Bruce wrote:
Subject: Converting MP3 files
Hi, all!
A recent posting asked about the availability of software
that could transfer MP3 (CD) files to regular CD's (for
playback in a car's CD player). I am sure that there are
others, out there (including myself), who would also be
interested in knowing the answer. Can anyone assist,
please?
Of course, you must have a CDRW drive to write CDs. Usually you get a
software program with the drive like Adaptec Easy CD Creator which I have
used to directly write MP3s to a regular audio CD. Also I have used my
Realjukebox software which I downloaded free from the Real website a while
back to do the same thing. Hope this will help.
Greg
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 22:25:40 -0400
From: "bygeorge" <bygeorge@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: otr magazines
HELLO OTR COMPADRES!
I AM FINALLY WINDING DOWN AFTER LAST WEEKEND'S CINCY CONVENTION. HOPE
EVERYONE ELSE HAS SURVIVED, TOO.
I AM READING THROUGH SOME OTR RELATED MAGAZINES THAT I HAVE FOUND IN THE
LAST MONTH OR TWO, ALONG WITH SOME THINGS MY GOOD FREIND JOHN EDWARDS
WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME HAVE RECENTLY. THUMBING THROUGH SOME OF THESE
THINGS MAKES ME WISH THAT I HAD BEEN IN THE HOBBY LONGER AS I AM
FASCINATED BY THE ARTICLES THAT I AM FINDING.
I WAS WONDERING IFANYONE OUT THERE IN RADIOHOBBYLAND MIGHT HAVE EXTRA
COPIES OF OTR MAGAZINES OR NEWSLETTERS THAT I MIGHT PURCHASE OR TRADE
FOR IN SOME WAY? LET ME KNOW VIA PRIVATE EMAIL IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE. I
AM SEARCHING IN PARTICULAR FOR SCHADEN'S "NOSTALGIA DIGEST". AND ARE
THERE ANY RADIO PUBLICATIONS FROM THE 30S-50S THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO
HELP ME FIND?
BY THE WAY, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MIKE BEIHL FOR HIS
KIND WORDS REGARDING MY AUDITION FOR THE RECREATIONS LAST WEEKEND. I
DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE KINDNESS OF YOUR WORDS.
UNTIL NEXT TIME THEN,
RANDY STORY
WEST PLAINS, MO
[removed]
I AM STILL LOOKING FOR THE DON SHERWOOD INFORMATION. HE WAS THE GUY THAT
DID THE ARTWORK FOR THE OTR RELATED 'CARTOON'(FOR LACK OF A BETTER
WORD) THAT APPEARED IN "GOOD OLD DAYS" MAGAZINE FROM CIRCA 1975-84. ANY
HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY ACCEPTED.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 22:37:13 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Some Things Never Change
In view of the recent discussion of commercials, the following item
caught my eye, in a 1933 review of Rudy Vallee's Fleischmann's Yeast
Hour. From the tone of the reviewer's comments, it would seem that there
is truly nothing new under the sun.
"If the humor, however, in Vallee's show is sometimes sour, that
'dramatized' commercial is *always* sour. Dr. [R. E.] Lee's straight
announcement, whether you believe it or not, is easy to take, but the
little advertising drayma in the same program is as insulting (even to
the moron) as the phony-sounding testimonials which the agency doing the
Fleischmann advertising has used widely, not only for Fleischmann but for
many of its other clients. It looks as if the radio public is in for
plenty of this acted-out guff before long, as the advertising business
will run this idea into the ground as quickly as it does every other
fairly new idea. 'The Rise of the Goldbergs' and 'Amos 'n' Andy' [both
for Pepsodent] are doing the same thing now, even going so far as to have
wee kiddies stop playing house long enough to plug the [removed]
makes these little dramatic gems even more sickening if possible."
-- "Slippings and Grippings," by "Tuna," Radio Fan-Fare, June 1933.
I've heard a few of the Fleischmann's commercials referred to in this
review -- and yes, they're every bit as obnoxious as "Tuna" would have us
believe, with poor unloved girls being urged to get rid of their
repulsive facial blotches and purge their systems of noxious poisons by
eating three cakes of yeast every day. Compared to this stuff I'd take
the Dell Computer Dude or even Hal's Ty-D-Bol man any day in the week --
and it's perhaps a good thing that Mr. Vallee was usually too cheap to
have the commercials recorded when he had his programs airchecked.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 23:37:24 -0400
From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: New Dragnet?
Sean Dougherty (Kubelski@[removed]) wrote:
The New York Post is reporting that the producers of "Law and Order" and
working on an updated version of Dragnet.
"Law and Order is ALREADY an updated version of Dragnet, but whatever.
I don't agree; Law And Order is, in a sense, two shows in one because the
first half (roughly) deals with the police investigation and the second half
with the prosecution.
Hopefully Dick Wolf will do a better job than Universal's previous attempt
at a revival -- not the Dan Ackroyd/Tom Hanks movie, but a low-budget series
called The New Dragnet that was in first-run syndication in the 1980s, along
with The New Adam-12, both of which disappeared quickly without a trace.
(The Universal brass may have believed that the success of the revival
series of The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The New Leave It
To Beaver meant that the time was ripe to bring back every old series that
they could manage.)
Interestingly, Jack Webb was working on his own revival of Dragnet --
targeted for 1983 -- when he died; this series would have starred Webb as
Joe Friday once again, along with Kent McCord, presumably as Detective Jim
Reed (a follow-on to his role in Adam-12).
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 09:39:43 -0400
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bea Benaderet as Blanche Morton
Does anyone know whether Bea Benaderet appeared as Blanche Morton on the
Burns &
Allen radio show? I know she played that role on their TV show, but I'm
unclear on whether
the Mortons, George and Gracie's next door neighbors, were on the radio show.
--
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed]
15 Court Square, Suite 210 lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2503 [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 09:39:55 -0400
From: "Gareth Tilley" <tilleygareth@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Tape to CD conversion
Hi
Could anyone give me some information on how to convert tapes to CDs? I've
got so many OTR tapes now it would be great reduce the space they take up.
Thanks
Gareth
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 09:40:24 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
1947 - The first broadcast of Studio One on CBS radio was broadcast. The
show was full of great stars, but no sponsors. CBS dropped Studio One
after a year on radio. The show, however, began a nine-year run on
CBS-TV ... with sponsors.
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 10:35:32 -0400
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Hustling for a buck
"Michael Hayde" is a worthy adversary. He won't give up!
Hal Stone wrote a lengthy, impossible-to-excerpt dissertation on actors
doing commercials, in response to my view that Vinton Hayworth's Buick ads
on "The Berle-Buick Hour" represented a "comedown" for the man.
Next time, I promise to write just an "Almost" impossible-to excerpt
dissertation. (Do you suppose the use of the Dis word was meant as a
insult)? :)
Perhaps "comedown" wasn't the right word. How about "insult"? (Just
kidding, Jug!)
Smile when you say that, Pardner! (Remember, we walk around with guns on our
hips here in Arizona).
It just seemed to me, in *this* instance, that Vin Hayworth - an actor
possessed of dramatic and comedic ability <snip> was being wasted as he
stood in front of a nice car and read cue cards.
Ah! Therein lies the problem. "CUE CARDS". Working with cue cards is an art
form in itself. Unless they are done perfectly (Made properly, held
properly, advanced properly, and held immediately adjacent to the camera
lens, The performers eye contact is terrible, and the "reading" can be
wooden if the performer is not used to using them. (Thank god for the
invention of teleprompters).
Hey Vinton! Can you hear me. You can do no wrong in my book.
I hope I've reduced this mountain to the molehill it was in the first place.
Sure! Easy for you to say. :) However, after this parting shot, consider it
a depression in the ground, not even a molehill! Or shall we dig a well?
Ah loves ya, Michael.
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 10:36:17 -0400
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Wow! I've arrived!
Michael Biel posted a response to my observation about The Cincy Con;
But don't you think it's strange that all the parts they
gave me to do called for a squeaky voiced Character? Sheesh! I can
play deep voiced sexy parts too.
That's why you were ALSO given the role of announcer for the two Ethel
and Alberts, so you could prove to an astonished world that your voice
HAD changed. Say, with that deep voice I bet you could do commercials!
Ever try? :-)
What! You jest! Do you really think I'd prostitute myself and do something
so demeaning? :) At least Directing TV commercials for 25 years was bad
enough. :) But at least I wasn't recognized. :) (TAKE NOTE, MICHAEL!) :)
Before anyone gets the wrong impression, (and doesn't understand emoticoms)
I am not the least bit serious. I have the greatest respect for talented
people, and that includes those really good pros who ply their craft in the
ad game.
By the way, say Hi to your charming daughter. It was fun meeting, (and
working) with you both.
Hal(harlan)Stone
Jughead
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #156
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