------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 507
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
More re NBC: Red or Blue [ Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed]; ]
Man Who Dreamed too much [ JJLjackson@[removed] ]
RE SEN sen [ "KDKA" <kdkalit@[removed]; ]
Re: Sen-sen [ "Dennis Mansker" <dennis@[removed] ]
sen sen [ "thomas o. smith" <oday@[removed] ]
Sen Sen [ "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@rivnet ]
What is SEN-SEN? [ ilamfan@[removed] ]
OTR Musical Shows: A success story [ Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed]; ]
Sen-Sen [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
Rio-Volt SP150 -- A Mild Review [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
sen-sen [ "Nemesis@[removed]" <nemesis@[removed] ]
sen sen [ "Roby McHone" <otr_alaska@[removed] ]
Sears and WLS [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
internet otr? [ "Michael Muderick" <[removed] ]
Re: Sen sen [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Sen-sen [ "Scott D. Livingston" <sdl@[removed] ]
Re: Red, Blue, and Supplemental [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed] ]
Re: Sen Sen [ "Penne Yingling" <bp_ying@[removed] ]
OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE - F [ HERITAGE4@[removed] ]
war related radio plays on the Inter [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
Rod Serling [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
Sen sen [ "Donald & Kathleen Dean" <dxk@ezlin ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 15:51:12 -0500
From: Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: More re NBC: Red or Blue
I have another question here, re NBC's Red and [removed]
Most of the NBC programs I've heard from the 1930's and early 1940's seem
to have only a "generic" NBC system outcue:
"This is the National Broadcasting Company"
with no reference to the Blue network or the Red network.
Every now and then, NBC programming from that time does seem to distinctly
outcue as:
"This is the Red Network of the National Broadcasting Company",
but I don't know if I've ever heard the outcue:
"This is the Blue Network of the National Broadcasting Company".
There is supposedly a 'blooper' which I've heard on old 'blooper' tapes or
vinyl-33's, where an NBC announcer supposedly forgets whether he's
announcing for NBC-Red or NBC-Blue:
"This is either the Red Network -- or the Blue Network -- of the National
Broadcasting Company".
(I don't know if that 'blooper' is really authentic or if the situation
ever happened for sure -- many times, 'bloopers' are sometimes
re-creations or even falsefied where the incident never even happened!)
I have heard Blue Network program outcues from the early 1940's era, from
when it had been spun-off or sold-off, but before it became known as ABC.
Those outcues are simply
"This is the Blue Network".
Sometimes I've heard THAT outcue with no reference to NBC, yet there are
the 'G-E-C' chimes played after the system cue! I don't have an 'exact'
date for when that cue with chimes would have been played, so I don't know
if the Blue Network had already been officially sold off to Mr. Noble, or
if it was still technically under RCA's (and NBC's) ownership (even though
it would have been placed under a separate subsidiarey of RCA).
But if NBC had two distinct program operations for most of the late 1920s
thru the early 1940s, even if for the early part of that time only the
urban areas of northeast and midwest had both Red and Blue feeds
simultaneously (with the rest of the country being divided into regions
that only got Red or only got Blue for any specific time or program),
and even if during the later 1930's there was more of the country having
simultaneous availability of BOTH the Red and Blue networks, why is it
that most of the system outcues heard are 'generic' as "This is the
National Broadcasting Company" with no reference to the Red Network or the
Blue Network?
[removed]
Mark J. Cuccia
mcuccia@[removed]
New Orleans LA
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 16:26:58 -0500
From: JJLjackson@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Man Who Dreamed too much
Andrew Steinberg asked about the Shadow episode "Man Who dreamed too much",
in that it's listed as a recreation.
I know of two occasions that the program was re-created: Radio Enthusiasts of
Puget Sound did this show at their first convention in 1993, and I know
SPERDVAC did it after that.
The original broadcast of this episode starred John Archer as Lamont
Cranston. John was one of the founding members of REPS, and donated the use
of his copy of the script for that 1993 convention. So, he was the Shadow at
Showcase I.
John was a great friend to REPS, and very generous with his time and talents.
We re-named our volunteer of the year award to The John Archer Award. We
still miss him.
Joy Jackson
Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 16:27:35 -0500
From: "KDKA" <kdkalit@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE SEN sen
Danica L. Stein wrote:
OK, I've heard this phrase a couple of times now in Fibber McGee and Molly
shows. Can anyone tell me--what is "sen sen" ???
????
If I recall correctly, Sen-Sen was a strong, but delightful, anise or maybe
licorice flavored candy chip. They were really strong! Today's Altoids are
weak in comparison. Perhaps 100 or so in a tiny box or paper packet of maybe
1 1/2" x 1 1/2" or so. Each "chip" was perhaps 1/8" x 1/8" or so and
perhaps 1/64th" thin.
Haven't seen these for maybe 25 years or so. KDKA
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 17:17:21 -0500
From: "Dennis Mansker" <dennis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Sen-sen
Sen-sen was a particularly nasty-tasting "breath freshener" -- I guess it
worked if you liked your breath smelling like Ivory Soap.
Here's a page devoted to the stuff, including the "opportunity" to buy some
yourself:
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 17:17:30 -0500
From: "thomas o. smith" <oday@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: sen sen
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Hi all, love reading your mail on old time radio. I think sen sen refers to
little breath freshners that were sold back in the 50's. I remember they came
in little packets, they
looked like little beads and tasted like licorice.
tom
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 17:28:21 -0500
From: "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sen Sen
Danica Stein asked about "Sen Sen." I suggest she go to
[removed] not only to learn what the product is, but where
to order it.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 17:29:27 -0500
From: ilamfan@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed] (OTR Bulletin Board)
Subject: What is SEN-SEN?
Well, here's something I know about first-hand - even though I'm a young-
un (not even 40 yet!)!
Sen-Sen is a pungent licorice candy, little flat flakes about 3/16"
square, and about as thick as a credit card. They're still made (if I
remember
correctly, in the Chicago area, but maybe not). They come in a 2" square foil
envelope, with distinctive red-and-gold labelling.
They are such strong-tasting candies, most people agree that they taste
like SOAP. I was first introduced to them by my high school algebra teacher,
who would dole them out for correct answers (to those students with
discriminating palates, like myself).
My mom noticed I had some, and asked where I got them. I told her where,
and she asked me in a hushed tone if maybe he was an alcoholic. I was
bewildered - he was no drunk! She explained that back in the old days, all of
the town drunks would have some Sen-Sen handy to cover up the smell of liquor
on their breath. News to me! I don't know if this was really true, or if it
was just something that had been proliferating via various radio shows.
Actually today, with all of the "extreme" mints that are out there, I
would think that Sen-Sen could be primed for a major comeback. I think I'll
go
to my corner liquor store right now, and go buy a few packs. I'm no drunk,
but
I REALLY DO like the flavor. Plus, it's one of those candies that no one
sneaks - there's always just as many in the pack as you left there.
Now for the HARD question - did Sen-Sen happen to sponsor any OTR
programs? Maybe "Duffy's Tavern" (Hahaha)?
Stephen Jansen
--
Old Time Radio never dies - it just changes formats!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:53:54 -0500
From: Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR Musical Shows: A success story
I was fascinated by Howard Zinck's observations concerning OTR musical
shows and why they don't seem to be as popular among collectors as those
from the dramatic or comedic realms. I have often wondered why this is.
Though there are exceptions (Bing Crosby's program comes to mind), an
awful lot of really good musical performances seem to have fallen by the
wayside.
For years I had looked without much success for copies of singer Jim
Reeves' radio show. Though some of the 15-minute recruitment shows he
did for the armed forces have been released commercially -- and
repackaged ad nauseum -- his own network radio program (from 1957-58)
seemed to have simply vanished from the face of the earth. Even Jim's
widow had tried for years to locate copies. Part of the problem was that
"The Jim Reeves Show" was broadcast live coast-to-coast for one hour
each day, [removed] for 13 weeks. He was on what was briefly billed as
the "ABN" or "American Broadcasting Network" -- which was really just
ABC. I have not been able to locate any of those archives through
official channels.
However, I am happy to report that a number of 16-inch transcription
disks from Jim's ABN show have unexpectedly surfaced in the last few
months, and I have managed to acquire them. They didn't come cheaply. As
the author of a forthcoming book on Reeves, I was also able to get two
of these shows released on a new CD called "Jim Reeves Around the
World." Jim is backed by a 30-piece orchestra headed by Owen Bradley, as
well as the famed Anita Kerr singers. Buddy Hall and Dolores Watson also
provide some great vocals. The arrangements are effervescent, the
orchestra sounds fantastic, and Reeves' velvet voice never sounded
better!
As so often happens, these disks had languished in the private
collection of a man who had been assigned to the radio recruiting
division of the Air Force as a tape editor. Apparently he was asleep
during the years when RCA/BMG was searching frantically for any more Jim
Reeves material they could lay their hands on to satisfy Jim's legions
of fans around the globe. (He toured internationally and scored 80
charted songs, 34 during the 20 years AFTER his death in a plane crash
in 1964). This collector never bothered to let anyone know these disks
existed. Now that the collector's estate has been sold, it is finally
being inventoried. It is in such disarray that I am told he had over
1,000 recordings of various artists that are taking months to sort
through.
Fortunately, the transcriptions I acquired were very clean. I was able
to find a hobbyist who is a retired audio engineer and has a couple of
custom-built 16-inch transcription turntables. He extracted the audio
and did a little clean-up when transferring from analog into the digital
realm. Next I found a young engineer (who was not even born when Jim was
alive), to do the mastering. He did an incredible job, such that the
finished product has a lustrous, rich quality full of detail. Our
objective was not merely to restore these to the quality of the original
DISKS, but rather to how the PERFORMANCES sounded. The current state of
digital mastering made that possible. What makes these so special is
that in includes Jim singing songs he never recorded at RCA.
Anyway, if any of you are interested in reading more about the technical
process of dealing with old musical shows, you can visit the website of
the label that released this. Just click on STUFF once you get there,
and it will take you to a page where you can then choose the "Jim Reeves
Project" link. And you can hear an unprocessed sample of the audio in
RealAudio (the finished version is much better).
The website is at: [removed]
Larry Jordan
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:54:31 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sen-Sen
Dancia L. Stein asks,
I've heard this phrase a couple of times now in Fibber McGee and Molly
shows. Can anyone tell me--what is "sen sen" ???
Sen-Sen was a breath freshening product sold at least in the 1940s. It
came in a little paper envelope; memory suggests that it was rather like
a seed packet. Individual "doses" were tiny squares that one was
supposed to hold in one's mouth until it dissolved completely.
Sen-Sen was the butt of jokes. One was the way to combat foot odor was
to put Sen-Sen in one's shoes.
I tried the stuff once. Not because I was a kid with halitosis, but
because I thought it would be like a candy. It wasn't.
I heard several Sen-Sen jokes as I was growing up, almost invariably as
part of a comedy routine on OTR programs.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:55:02 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Rio-Volt SP150 -- A Mild Review
I just purchased a Rio Volt SP-150 player and am highly impressed! I've
several MP3 disks, and using the computer to play them was rather an
awkward way to do it.
For those who, like I, had never seen a Rio Volt, it's the size and heft
of the portable CD players one sometimes sees skaters and the like use
while doing their aerobics. Naturally, the first thing I dropped into it
was an OTR disk. It played nicely, with as much or more fidelity than I
get out of the computer speakers.
The airplane noises in the Hop Harrigan opening are good (even though
propeller-aircraft pilots ordinarily don't advance their throttles when
landing). It runs on batteries, but has provision for an external power
source. A "line out" feature enables the owner to integrate it into
other sound systems.
Also, it's a good way to free up computer resources.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:55:12 -0500
From: "Nemesis@[removed]" <nemesis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: sen-sen
Sen sen is (or was) a tiny little lozenge that was supposed to mask bad
breath, alcoholic beverage breath, etc. As I remember, it came in a small
paper package about half the size of a playing card and it tasted terrible!
Linda T.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:55:36 -0500
From: "Roby McHone" <otr_alaska@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: sen sen
Danica asked the musical question:
OK, I've heard this phrase a couple of times now in Fibber McGee and Molly
shows. Can anyone tell me--what is "sen sen" ???
As I remember it, sen sen was a kind of a breath freshening candy that came
in a small envelope. It came in small 'pellets' and tasted (to me, at
least) like a cross between licorice and soap. My friends and I used to buy
a bag of sen sen, for a nickle, when we smoked cigarettes so that our
parents couldn't smell the tobacco smoke on our breath.
You can still get sen sen from [removed].
Roby McHone
Fairbanks, Alaska-where we always have a white Lincoln's Birthday
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:56:03 -0500
From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sears and WLS
Dave Walter <fredallenfan@[removed]; wrote:
Significantly, the programs on KMBC prominently promoted Sears products, a
policy it had curiously avoided with WLS.
The reverse was true in a way; Sears used "WLS" as a brand name for radio
tubes and accessories, changing them to the Silvertone brand when the
station was sold. This can be seen in the 1927 catalog that was widely
distributed as a reprint in the 1970s.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:56:14 -0500
From: "Michael Muderick" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: internet otr?
Is there currently a site that has regular otr? I assume YESTERDAY USA is
gone?
Michael Muderick
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:58:28 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Sen sen
Danica asked --
Can anyone tell me--what is "sen sen" ???
It was a breath freshner. IIRC it was a gum, about the size of
Chicklet, and was green. It was something you could easily carry in
purse or pocket to remove mouth odors from various foods, as well as
smoke and alcohol you didn't want anyone to know about. :)
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:59:00 -0500
From: "Scott D. Livingston" <sdl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sen-sen
Denica wrote:
OK, I've heard this phrase a couple of times now in Fibber McGee and Molly
shows. Can anyone tell me--what is "sen sen" ???
????
Thanks!
I remember as a kid, my Dad always carried around a small package of Sen-sen
and would give me one once in a while. The package was ( if memory serves)
about an inch wide and and inch and a half long and flat, like a tiny
envelope. The Sen-sen's were small square licorice flavored breath mints. I
remember that you could suck on them for a ling time before they would
disappear. The "mint" was black and square shaped a little smaller than a
pencil eraser is round. I remember finding a package in an old Rexall
drugstore inn Colorado on a trip about 10 years ago but have never seen them
since.
Fibber
PS the package I bought in Colorado tasted like it had been made about the
time Fibber McGee and Molly mentioned Sen-sen in their show!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 22:59:12 -0500
From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Red, Blue, and Supplemental
For any interested, I have posted maps of the NBC network as of
1928, 1929, 1937, and 1947 at the following URLs. I colored in the
network routes however the legend lines were somewhat difficult to
read on the 1928 map so don't hold me to accuracy on that one.
[removed]
[removed]
[removed]
[removed]
Bill H.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 23:01:56 -0500
From: "Penne Yingling" <bp_ying@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Sen Sen
Someone asked what is "sen sen". I believe this refers to a type of breath
freshener. I remember my parents using sen sen way back in the 40's. I
think it came in a tiny, little paper sack (about 2x2). I also think I
recall (altho' a little hazy) that it was somewhat licorice-tasting. Maybe
they still sell this today - anyone know? This from one who thinks she
remembers some things, some times.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 23:14:45 -0500
From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE - For week
of !2/29/02
Here's the lineup for OTR in hi-fi sound for the week beginning
Sunday, December 29th on the Olde Tyme Radio Network at:
[removed]
New shows every Sunday - online 24/7. Tune in anytime.
SAME TIME, SAME STATION with Jerry Haendiges
1. THE MILTON BERLE SHOW 12/30/47 "Salutes The New Year"
2. THE HAROLD PEARY SHOW 12/27/50 "New Year's Barn Dance"
3. THE RED SKELTON SHOW 12/31/50 "New Year's Puzzle"
4. THE STORY LADY Episode 12 - "The Emperor's New Clothes"
5. FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY 1/1/52 "New Year's Day Visiting"
HERITAGE RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood
1. SMILIN' ED'S BUSTER BROWN GANG NBC 5/15/48 - Smilin' Ed McConnell
presents a story about a parrot that outsmarts some pirates.
2. LET'S PRETEND CBS 1/9/54 "Robin Hood" as narrated by "Uncle
Bill" Adams with a famed cast of talented teens.
3. THE COLGATE SPORTS NEWSREEL with BILL STERN NBC
Pgm. #533 1/20/50 Special guest: bandleader, Sammy Kaye.
Enjoy! Happy New Year - Tom & Jerry
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 01:14:07 -0500
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: war related radio plays on the Internet
I would appreciate hearing about some available (on-line or through
archives) audio segments of dramatic shows related to World War
II--particularly those from the Cavalcade of America's series, Lux Radio
Theatre, Words at War etc.
Thanks,
Howard Blue
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 01:13:56 -0500
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Rod Serling
Kudos to Martin Grams, Jr. for his observations about the influence of
radio on Rod Serling .
While finishing up "Words at War" last year, I spent some time in the
Museum all of Television and Radio viewing certain of Serling's shows to
see if I should discuss Norman Corwin's influence on television. For a
variety of reasons I dropped the idea--but there clearly was an influence
worth discussing. Serling's work as well as the work of another
television writer who recently died, Reginald Rose, seemed to reflect
some of the social consciousness of Corwin and various others.
Howard Blue
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 16:53:09 -0500
From: "Donald & Kathleen Dean" <dxk@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sen sen
In Digest # 506 Danica Stein wrote:
OK, I've heard this phrase a couple of times now in Fibber McGee and Molly
shows. Can anyone tell me--what is "sen sen" ???
As I recall, it was a very small breath mint.
Don Dean
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #507
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