------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 208
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
May 20th and Dame Wendy Hiller [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Redheads and LUCILLE BALL [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
Cartoon, sci-fi voices [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
For my next off-topic [removed] [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
ABC TV's 50th Anniversary [ "Read G. Burgan" <rgb@[removed] ]
Hair myths [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
Andrea Doria [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
Mikesells Potato Chips [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
"Red" Godfrey recordings [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
Mike Biel's Redheads [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
armed forces radio - far east networ [ Grams46@[removed] ]
command performance [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
SPAM [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
re: Do These Ring a Bell? [ Art Chimes <achimes@[removed]; ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Re: Red Heads [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Marcell v Mike-sell [ "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
May 21st birthdays [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 17:00:28 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: May 20th and Dame Wendy Hiller
I just found out that one of my favourite actress died on the 14th of May at
the age of 90. Dame Wendy Hiller. Does anyone know if she ever made any
appearances on American radio?
While I am at it I will send the birthdays for May 20th.
05-20-1899 - Stan Lomax - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 6-26-1987
sportscaster: "Evening Journal Sports"
05-20-1908 - Jimmy Stewart - IN, PA - d. 7-2-1997
actor: Britt Ponset "Six Shooter"
05-20-1909 - Jerry Hausner - Cleveland, OH - d. 4-1-1993
actor: "Lum and Abner"; "Silver Theatre"
05-20-1920 - George Gobel - Chicago, IL - d. 2-24-1991
comedian, actor, singer: (Lonesome George) Jimmy "Tom Mix"; "National Barn
Dance"
05-20-1926 - Miles Davis - Alton, IL - d. 9-29-1991
sideman: "Billy Eckstein Orchestra"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn
[ADMINISTRIVIA: If I may be so bold as to add one, Katherine Ann Summers
arrived in the world on this date in 1998. Her connections to OTR may be
tenuous, but are existent. --cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 17:10:18 -0400
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Redheads and LUCILLE BALL
In a message dated 5/19/03 3:49:18 PM, Mike Biel writes:
Last week there
was the bio pic on TV and it showed her having her hair colored red for the
first time by the movie studio!! Why bother coloring her hair red if she
was going to be in black and white pictures? (Lucy is 35 on the list.)
***As I recall, Lucy's hair was first dyed red after she was signed by MGM,
just before she starred with Red Skelton in DU BARRY WAS A LADY. Most of her
pictures up 'til that time were black and white (with Lucy appearing as both
a blonde and a brunette), but MGM cast her in color musicals like ZIEGFELD
FOLLIES and comedies, so the edict came down that Lucy should henceforth be a
redhead to take advantage of the color film.
And then there was Desi Arnaz's response when he called a press conference
after Lucy was accused of being a communist: "And now, I want you to meet my
favorite wife -- my favorite redhead. In fact, that's the only thing red
about her, and even that's not legitimate ..."
--Anthony Tollin***
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 17:21:09 -0400
From: Ga6string@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Cartoon, sci-fi voices
Hi all,
We've discussed this before to some degree, but I'd love to make more
connections between the voices of old-time radio and the voices of classic
cartoon characters, and even certain sci-fi voiceover roles. Years ago, I
went though a phase of taping cartoons from TV for my own enjoyment. I'm
revisiting them now with my youngest daughter, not just the classic Warner
Bros. tunes, but also the (1960s?) Hanna Barbera stuff and others, including
Huckleberry Hound, Wally Gator, Snagglepuss, Mr. Jinx and Pixie and Dixie,
Quick Draw McGraw, Magilla Gorilla, and how about Tom Slick, George of the
Jungle, Super Chicken, [removed] Adam Ant?
I've also noticed that some cartoons that I enjoyed from my childhood, such
as Deputy Dawg, Heckle and Jeckle and others, have disappeared from
television, perhaps as a matter of political correctness. Hmmm.
Any suggestions on good web sites to connect OTR and cartoon voices? How
about sci-fi? I was watching the original Star Trek episode, "The Arena,"
yesterday and noticed Vic Perrin as the voice of the "Metrons."
Thanks,
Bryan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 18:21:12 -0400
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: For my next off-topic [removed]
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Don Frey writes:
But the best of them all was a brand,
in Ohio only apparently, called, I think, Mar-cell. Does anyone remember
those? My gracious they were wonderful.
I think you're thinking of Mike Sells. They weren't only in [removed] were
another brand I encountered by moving from Michigan to Indiana. I think my
father had some knowledge of them, and claimed them to be "the best." I'm
not that much of a potato chip fancier and didn't eat a lot of them, so I
can't say.
However, true-blue Fort Waynians (which I am [removed]'m a Grand Rapidian) were
loyal to Seyferts, who had their main plant on Lima Road. When they were in
"fry mode", you could raise your cholesterol a few points just driving by and
breathing deeply. One of their Quality Inspectors had her 15 minutes of fame
in the late 1980s by going on a variety of talk shows (including Carson and
Letterman) and exhibiting her collection of rejected chips that she felt
looked like something. I think she had a Richard Nixon chip, and various
others. A quick Web search reminds me that her name was Myrtle Young, and
she appeared on Carson on October 16, 1987. Someone had given Johnny some
"non-collectible" chips hidden behind his desk, and when she was turned away
from him, he started munching on them. She whirled around and turned
absolutely white, thinking that Carson was consuming her collection. Poor
Johnny had to do some fast talking to convince her that Mr. Nixon was still
intact.
--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 18:52:40 -0400
From: "Read G. Burgan" <rgb@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: ABC TV's 50th Anniversary
Since others have posted information and comments on ABC-TV's celebration of
its 50th anniversary, let me add one more OTR related tidbit.
In the fall of 1950 through the spring of 1951, ABC-TV carried evangelist
Charles E. Fuller's attempt at bringing his national network radio program
the "Old Fashioned Revival Hour" to television. It was a half hour program
titled "The Old Fashioned Meeting." and included the OFRH Choir, Quartet,
pianist Rudy Atwood, Mrs. Fuller reading the letters and a short message by
Dr. Fuller. Kinescopes of the entire 26 week series survive and I had the
opportunity of helping rescue them from a basement in an old house on the
campus of Fuller Seminary in 1994. They are now in the archives at UCLA.
Read Burgan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 19:14:18 -0400
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Hair myths
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Professor Biel wrote:
Of course, considering the radio careers of all of these performers, unless
you TELL US that their hair is red, how would we know???
On a similar topic, think of all the Jack Benny toupee jokes. Everyone
seemed to assume that Jack wore a toupee. In fact, your cited site of <A
HREF="[removed]">
[removed]</A> lists Jack in the "toupee wearers" category (and I've
sent them a brief note of correction on that). He didn't (except for a small
frontpiece for very brief time in the late 30s when it was apparently
mandated by the studio). But whether Jack actually wore a toupee is probably
in the top 10 or 20 questions that I get about Jack on a regular basis.
--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:39:57 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Andrea Doria
Chad Palmer wrote:
I was just wondering if anyone out there has any stories giving background
on the radio coverage of the Andrea Doria sinking, and hopefully some of
the coverage itself on tape? I'm anxious to hear it, I just haven't been
able to find any.
Chad you didn't look very far. I have a clip and short piece on my web site
- only on the event not the coverage:
[removed]
Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:40:25 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mikesells Potato Chips
Maureen O'Brien wrote:
Could these possibly be Mike-Sells potato chips? They're from
Cincinnati and have been around longer than God. And they're good.
Not to be picky, but since I live in Dayton, Ohio, just wanted to correct
you. Mikesells is based in and began in Dayton not Cincinnati.
Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:41:11 -0400
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "Red" Godfrey recordings
Dan Trigg said he heard the Eddie Cantor Show where the longtime host
played Arthur Godfrey's recording of "Candy and Cake". I learned of this
"appearance" by poring over Library of Congress archives, and spotting the
listing of Arthur Godfrey apparently appearing on the Cantor show.
This puzzled me; it was while Mr. Godfrey was under contract to CBS, and
the Cantor offering was on NBC. My thanks to an alert OTR/D reader who
advised me that it was the Cantor DJ show, and he had indeed just played
the recording, and then commented that Mr. Godfrey was a fine performer.
As to Dan's question "Did Mr. Godfrey make many records, albums?", I'll
have to give the short [removed] Many, many. Not by Bing Crosby,
Beatles, or Billy Murray comparison, but still a pretty wide shelf to hold
them all!
I am working on a complete Arthur Godfrey Discography, and will appreciate
input from readers as to the numerous recordings made on various labels
AFTER Mr. Godfrey left Columbia (broadcasting and recording) in
1972. Several are on RCA Victor, and others are on various odd-name labels.
Then there is the question of that elusive Aeolian or Vocalion early one or
more, with the "Carolina Melodies" or perhaps "Melody Makers", to which I
referred recently, in which the uncredited Mr. Godfrey apparently played
the banjo.
My sincere thanks to anyone who can add to these researches.
Gratefully, Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:41:50 -0400
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mike Biel's Redheads
Thanks, Prof, for the listing of prominent showbiz "Reds". Hair color, not
political shading (well, mostly).
About the time that John Cameron Swayze was doing the NBC television news
program, CBS Television had its veteran reporter Douglas Edwards in their
evening network news slot. Edwards, you will recall, was on for years as
as the first 5 minutes of "Wendy Warren and the News", heard weekdays at
noontime in the east. The show featured such OTR names as Florence Freeman
(as Wendy) and Les Tremayne, among others.
When CBS-TV finally "colorized" their Evening News, I was stunned to find
that Douglas Edwards was a redhead!
By the way, do y'all remember the long-awaited switch by the networks from
their quarter-hour television news programs to half-hours? Huge hoopla!
I did some timing and counting recently with "Dan Rather and the Schmooze",
and found that during his half-hour, with all the commercials and shameless
self- and network entertainment-program cross-promotions, one actually got
more news in those 15 minute shows than we do now. Sad.
Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:42:29 -0400
From: Grams46@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: armed forces radio - far east network - fen
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jim widnar wrote:
As I recall, one of the reasons those commercials were "denatured" was due
to studies that hearing the commercials lowered morale because of the "wish
I was home" aspect. They found the troops, while appreciating hearing the
program, tended to get less depressed when they couldn't hear the product
promotions, etc.
when i was listening to fen from 1957-1960 in japan, there were no
commercials i attribute it to the fact that the armed forces were not in
the business of selling soap, cars, bread, etc.
often the space where the ads would have been inserted was used to promote
good will among toward the japanese - for example - explaining japanese
customs americans might think odd.
from kathy
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:42:36 -0400
From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: command performance
Regarding Command Performance, if World War II ended in August 1945 how
much longer did Command Performance actually go on? Kurt
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:43:08 -0400
From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: SPAM
The list owner can bounce this because it is way off topic, but I have to
chime in here about spam. When I was in first grade, whenever I had spam
I would throw the sandwich as far as I could on the playground. I don't
know if I hit anybody or not (I didn't see them hit anybody, of course, I
am blind) but I got in really big trouble when my parents found out about
my spam throwing habits. I can't stand spam till this day, but you see I
still work with computers, so go figure. Kurt
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:43:49 -0400
From: Art Chimes <achimes@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: re: Do These Ring a Bell?
Chris Chandler asked some time ago about:
...a Betty Crocker-type daytime show, probably mid-30s, sponsored by the "Ice
Industry". The program, or this segment of a longer program, is possibly
titled "Homemaker's Exchange". The female voice reading recipes sounds
very much like Bernadine Flynn.
Summers' "Thirty-Year History of Radio Programs" lists a program that might
fit the bill - Eleanor Howe: Homemakers Club, sponsored by National Ice. The
twice-weekly, 15-minute show premiered on CBS in the 1936-37 season. It
switched to NBC the following season and may have changed hosts, since it is
listed simply under the title, Homemakers Exchange. The show then disappears
from the annual listings of the Summers book.
Regards,
Art
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:43:56 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
1933 - Charlie Chan was heard for the final time (in this series-ed) on
the NBC Blue network after only six months on the air.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 07:53:10 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Red Heads
The highly esteemed Michael Biel wrote in issue 207:
The other CBS performer I am thinking of is Lucille Ball. Of
course she was a Henna redhead, but it was not until her later series
that she was regularly on TV in color. She had done color films, of
course, but
actually most of her early films were in black and white. Last week
there was the bio pic on TV and it showed her having her hair colored
red for the first time by the movie studio!! Why bother coloring her
hair red if she was going to be in black and white pictures?
Lucy had, as she said herself "mousy brown hair" until she went to
Hollywood. As a Goldwyn Girl her hair was dyed blonde, to match the
other Goldwyn Girl's who were blondes. In some of her later RKO films
her hair is a darker shade. It wasn't until she went to MGM her hair
was dyed red, since her films would be in colour. With her red hair and
blue eyes she as nicknamed "Technicolor Tessie". She liked the new
shade and stayed with it. Later her hair went from a red to more of an
orange colour.
I'm sure our own Gregg Oppenheimer might have more to say on the matter.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 08:14:58 -0400
From: "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed];
To: "otr message" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Marcell v Mike-sell
Many thanks to the 4-5 folks who replied to my "quest for the perfect potato
chip."
All have suggested that it is (was) Mike-sell and not Marcell that I was
remembering.
But I distinctly recall the word "marcell" on the bag [removed]
because the chips were slightly rippled or "marcelled." Anyhow, I was kindly
sent the Mike-sell
site address and I have written [removed] answer yet. Perhaps, like my
wife, they
think I should stop all this nonsense and get on with my [removed] keep this
in an otr
category, I'll close with 5 "Mike's" and challenge anyone to name 5 more:
Shayne,
Roy, Wallace, Fitzmaurice, and Michael Ann Barrett. As a bonus, the never
to be
forgotten TV [removed] Ansara.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 15:46:33 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: May 21st birthdays
If you were born on the 21st of May, you share your birthday with:
05-21-1901 - Horace Heidt - Alameda, CA - d. 12-1-1986
bandleader: "Horace Heidt Brigadiers"; "Pot o' Gold"; "Treasure Chest"
05-21-1904 - Robert Montgomery - Beacon, NY - d. 9-27-1981
actor: "The Doctor Fights"; "Suspense"; "This Is War"
05-21-1904 - Thomas "Fats" Waller - NYC - d. 12-15-1943
pianist, singer: "Columbia Variety Hour"; "Saturday Night Swing Club"
05-21-1912 - Lucille Manners - Newark, NJ
singer: "Cities Service Concert"
05-21-1917 - Dennis Day - The Bronx, NY - d. 6-22-1988
singer, comedian: "Jack Benny Program"; "A Day in the Life of Dennis Day"
05-21-1917 - Raymond Burr - New Westminster, [removed], Canada - d. 9-12-1993
actor: Lee Quince "Fort Laramie"; Ed Backstrand "Dragnet"
05-21-1918 - Jeanne Bates - Berkeley, CA
actress: Teddy Lawson "One Man's Family"; "Gunsmoke"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #208
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