------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 409
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
OTR Christmas shows [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
Kemo Sabe a racial slur? [ danhughes@[removed] ]
RE:question about availability of cd [ "Larry & Caren Cohen" <[removed]@acsa ]
Davey & Goliath [ seandd@[removed] ]
Hartz Radio Canaries [ <cooldown3@[removed]; ]
"I Was a Commie" as worst program? [ "Joseph" <drjoewebb@[removed]; ]
Radio Days [ seandd@[removed] ]
Lamont Cranston's debut [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
Large Collection Available [ "Affordable OTR" <sales@affordableo ]
Chuck Schaden's book [ OTRGURU@[removed] ]
New Year's wish [ Philip Chavin <pchavin@[removed]; ]
MP3 converter [ "Diane Brown" <dianeb1963@bellsouth ]
Radio Performers Over 100 [ "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@hotm ]
Jonathan Thomas; Sonovox [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
First Rose Bowl Broadcast [ "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@sbcglob ]
12-28 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Norman Corwin and Note of Triumph [ Richard Fish <fish@lodestone-media. ]
OTR w/ youth focus [ Melanie Aultman <otrmelanie@[removed] ]
WTIC's Golden Age of Radio for Decem [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]; ]
Remember WENN [ John Olsen <jrolsen@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2004 22:34:45 -0500
From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
To: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OTR Christmas shows
I have been listening to some of my favorite old time radio program
Christmas shows. Two that really sparked my interest were from Jack Benny.
The first I listened to was The Christmas Wallet broadcast in 1948. The
second was Christmas Shopping for the Cast with an unknown date but most
likely the next year. The two shows were almost identical except for a few
new gags. In the first Jack buys a wallet for Don Wilson and then bothers
the clerk to make several changes to the card. In the second show Jack
continues to bother the clerk but it is to change the engraving on a set of
cuff links for Don Wilson. In both cases the poor clerk ends up shooting
himself. Some of the other bits involve the sporting goods counter, Phil
Harris dropping a bottle for Remley, the women's clothing counter, etc. that
were exactly the same. I don't know the actor who played the poor clerk in
the first show but it sounded Like Mel Blanc in the second. The second show
had a bit with Santa not heard in the first and Rochester buying a gift for
Benny was changed slightly. I am left wondering why the two shows shared
many of the same gags and lines. Could there have been a writers' strike ?
Bill Schell
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2004 22:35:23 -0500
From: danhughes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Kemo Sabe a racial slur?
There's a court case in Canada right now wherein the Canadian Supreme
Court has been asked to determine whether or not "Kemo Sabe" is a racial
slur.
A Native Canadian filed suit against her boss, whom she felt was
insulting her. He claimed he used "Kemo Sabe" to mean "Dear Friend,"
just like Tonto did.
The whole story is here:
[removed]
---Dan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:30:23 -0500
From: "Larry & Caren Cohen" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE:question about availability of cd/mp3
player
Hi Kurt,
I found 2 at worst buy (best buy) and 1 was $20 and it played mp3's and
WMA's as far as playability it didn't last long as it ran for only 6 hours
before the batteries croaked. The other one there was $59 and made by
Panasonic, seems to be a little better constructed and boasts a 30 hour play
time on a set of batteries. I went also to Costco and they had the
Panasonic but in a jog model (pretty much the same as best buys) and it had
a few more bells and whistles and that was $71. I have tested out the jog
capabilities on my treadmill and having my daughter run on it with the
player (you thought I'd run? I'm not crazy) attached to her she said there
was no skipping and it sounded great. So that are the only 3 to seem to be
around these days. I could find at least 2 dozen type mp3 (flash) players,
but these were too expensive for my tests.
Larry Cohen
Anchorage, AK
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:30:43 -0500
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Davey & Goliath
The Washington Times reports that Davey & Goliath, the religious claymation
series from the 1960s, is making a comeback.
There is no word in the article on who will play the leads - does anyone know
if OTR star and REPS mainstay Dick Beals is involved in this project?
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:29:29 -0500
From: <cooldown3@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Hartz Radio Canaries
Hi Dick,
I beleive I have 2 eps which are small enough to be sent as an attachment if
you would like to have them.
Cheers,
Patrick
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:59:02 -0500
From: "Joseph" <drjoewebb@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "I Was a Commie" as worst program?
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Sure much of the show was preposterous, it did have some good writing and
some of radio's best actors supporting it. It obviously played on a social
fear of the time, much like movies and other media have always done (in
retrospect, isn't X Minus One loaded with nuclear fear and annihilation
stories?). It's a better than average show, and uses the communist threat
as a tool, much like the law used on Perry Mason was just a fungible means
to telling a murder mystery. More interesting, though, is the real Matt
Cvetic, who inflated his own importance to the FBI and the anti-communist
threat. Sure, he did infiltrate the communist party and serve the FBI well,
and then the interest in celebrity kicked in, and he concocted all kinds
of wild stories to get press. His life is detailed in a very good book,
"I Was a Communist for the FBI: The Unhappy Life and Times of Matt Cvetic"
by Daniel J. Leab, published by Penn State Press in 2000. Here's a link
to [removed] [removed]. If anyone is interested, I can send along a copy of the Wall Street
Journal article that discusses the book. The book has more about the "I Was
a [removed]" movie than the radio program (his real life was too dull to
make an interesting radio series). I've searched high and low for a DVD
copy of the movie, and am always looking for it on Turner Classic movies,
all to no avail. If anyone knows how to get a copy, I'd really appreciate
hearing about it. Sounds like a high camp hoot, bad acting and all.
RegardsJoe WebbHarrisville, RI
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[ADMINISTRIVIA: The book mentioned may be purchased through our affiliation with Barns and Noble, where a tiny percentage will be paid to us for maintaining the mailing list and web server at:
[removed];sourceid=39917910&bfpid=0271020539&bfmtype=book
Another more recent book on Mr. Cvetic by [removed] "Gus" Payne is available at:
[removed];sourceid=39917910&bfpid=1418488437&bfmtype=book
...and I'll try to get both these books listed on the "Books" page at:
[removed]
--cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:59:13 -0500
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Days
This round-up of family movies from The Daily News mentions Woody Allen's
"Radio Days," and makes oblique reference to Jackson Beck's narrative work,
for which he was paid twice scale, according to legend.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:59:49 -0500
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Lamont Cranston's debut
Joe Mackey wrote:
Vigilante crime-fighter Lamont Cranston battled greed and corruption
since 1930.
While the character of The Shadow had been on the air (as a narrator)
since 1930, Lamont Cranston (and the 30 minute crime-fighting format)
did not debut until Sept. 26, 1937.
Kermyt
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 11:00:14 -0500
From: "Affordable OTR" <sales@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Large Collection Available
I have nearly 50,000 digital radio programs archived to compact disc that I
would like to sell. Each disc is nicely labeled ([removed] OTR Volume 001, etc.)
and resides in a protective plastic case. The programs are not grouped in
any particular order, but were archived as they became part of my
collection. I do have a list of contents for each disc, and the total
collection, which can be easily searched.
If you are interested in additional details, including photos, please feel
free to contact me offline.
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 11:14:28 -0500
From: OTRGURU@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Chuck Schaden's book
Many thanks to Ben Ohmart for his kind words about my book, "Speaking of
Radio," which features conversations with 46 stars and personalities from the
great radio days. You can find out more about it --and even order it -- when
you
visit my website [removed]
Happy New Year to all good and great fans of Old Time Radio!
Chuck Schaden
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 11:14:41 -0500
From: Philip Chavin <pchavin@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: New Year's wish
May all of us thrive
In 2005
And still keep alive
With pleasure and drive
Radio as it was
In '25
And '35
And '45
And '55.
-- Phil C.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 13:05:47 -0500
From: "Diane Brown" <dianeb1963@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: MP3 converter
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Hello All,
I just got a new computer and am unable to find the software for Streambox
Ripper. Does anyone have the link for it or can recommend another type of
software to convert MP3s to higher kbps? My CD player will not recognize
anything under 48 kbps?
Thank you,
Diane Brown
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 13:08:27 -0500
From: "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Performers Over 100
Hello All,
The thread on the above subject sent me looking for the obituary of Sidonie
Goossens quoted
below from 12/16/04 ( complete obit located at
[removed] . ) This
woman was a classical musician and on the BBC, not American
radio/television, but she lived to 105 which has got to be one of the
longest lifespans for anyone connected with broadcasting.
"She (Goossens) was principal harpist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from
1930 until her retirement 50 years later.
In 1924, according to Grove Music Online, she became the first harpist to
broadcast a harp solo. In 1936, she was the first harp soloist to appear on
television.
At age 91 in 1991, she became the oldest person to perform at the Last Night
of the Proms concert, televised by the BBC. "
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 13:09:00 -0500
From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jonathan Thomas; Sonovox
First, I appreciated Kermyt Anderson's comments about the Jonathan Thomas
Christmas show, a show I have never heard and know nothing about.
Curiously, the actor Kermyt mentions, Ed Max, also appears on "The
Cinnamon Bear" as Blotto, the Executioner. I would like to listen to the
episodes and make a comparison to CB. It apears both shows have 26
episodes so are meant to be heard within the same time frame. I wonder how
many other actors CB and Jonathan Thomas share?
Also, Steve Salaba mentions a process called "Sonovox." Was that the same
process used in making musical instruments appear to talk in the album,
"Rusty in Orchestraville?" How does it work?
Dennis Crow
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 14:00:49 -0500
From: "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: First Rose Bowl Broadcast
I'm always amazed to see what Joe Mackey has to feature in radio history
each week. Nice to see the listing for January 1, 1923 for the first radio
broadcast of the Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena, CA over KHJ-Los
Angeles. I'm the one who is apparently responsible for getting this
information out, which has spread to the internet in the past 5 years or so.
Let me explain.
I got this information by accident, while doing research on an early
Pasadena radio station in 1922 and 1923. I had some copies of letters and
postcards written to station KLB in January 1923, from radio fans outside of
California. They were asking if KLB had been broadcasting the game in
Pasadena between USC and Penn State.
I checked the microfilm archives of the Los Angeles Times for December 31,
1922, January 1 and January 2, 1923. The radio pages showed that KLB was
off the air on New Years Day, but the Times' radio station, KHJ, had indeed
broadcast the play-by-play of the Rose Bowl, and it had been picked up in
the midwest and east coast by radio fans late in the game. It was just
before dark in California, as the radio waves of KHJ skipped to the east,
where it was dark and the signal was heard by several radio fans, who
assumed the station was KLB of Pasadena.
Anyway, I contacted the Tournament of Roses people in Pasadena with the
information I had on the first radio broadcast of the Rose Bowl. They were
thrilled with my discovery! They did not know this, because they believed
that a broadcast of the game on January 1, 1926 by KPSN, the Pasadena
Star-News radio station had been the first to air the New Years game. They
thanked me for contacting them with this new information.
I then sent what I knew about KHJ being the first to broadcast the Rose Bowl
game on Jan. 1, 1923 to [removed] and the Los Angeles Almanac, who also
aid they did not have that [removed], after a few years, I see it on
other sites on the internet. I'm glad that I was able to make the discovery
of this first radio broadcast of the Rose Bowl, but I still amazed that
nobody else seemed to know about it before 1997 or '98.
Jim Hilliker
Monterey
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 15:04:16 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 12-28 births/deaths
December 28th births
12-28-1887 - Charles Dingle - Wabash, IN - d. 1-19-1956
actor: Employer "Meet the Dixons"
12-28-1890 - Frank Butler - Oxford, Oxfordshire, England - d. 6-10-1967
actor: Dave Arnold "Mr. Chameleon"
12-28-1903 - Earl "Fatha" Hines - Duquesne, PA - d. 4-22-1983
bandleader: "Band Remotes"; "Chamber Music of Lower Basin Street"
12-28-1905 - Cliff Arquette - Toledo, OH - d. 9-23-1974
comedian, actor: Thaddeus Cornfelder, "Myrt and Marge"
12-28-1908 - Lew Ayres - Minneapolis, MN - d. 12-30-1996
actor: Dr. James Kildare "Dr. Kildare"
12-28-1909 - Olan Soule - La Harpe, IL - d. 2-1-1994
actor: Sam Ryder "Bachelor's Children"; Kermit Hubbard "Joan and Kermit"
12-28-1914 - Lee Bowman - Cincinnati, OH - d. 12-25-1979
actor: Jonathan Kegg "Life in Your Hands"; George Cooper "My Favorite Husband"
12-28-1915 - Dick Joy - Putnam, CT - d. 10-31-1991
announcer: "My Secret Ambition"; "The Saint"; "Advs of Sam Spade"
12-28-1923 - Andrew Duggan - Franklin, IN - d. 5-17-1988
actor: "Hollywood Radio Theatre"; "Voice of the Army"; "Top Secret"
12-28-1927 - Martin Milner - Detroit, MI
actor: "Dragnet"
December 28th deaths
01-06-1907 - Helen Kleeb - South Bend, WA - d. 12-28-2003
actress: Sarah Tuttle "Dr. Kate"; "Gunsmoke"
02-12-1927 - Bobby Winkler - Chicago, IL - d. 12-28-1989
actor: Newsboy "Big Town"
02-23-1904 - William L. Shirer - Chicago, IL - d. 12-28-1993
news analyst: "CBS European News"; "[removed] Shirer: News and Comments"
02-27-1892 - William Demarest - St. Paul, MN - d. 12-28-1983
actor: Mr. Cobb "Cobbs"; "Eddie Bracken Show"
03-30-1892 - Ethel Owen, Racine WI - d. 12-28-1990
actress: Siri Allen "Against the Storm"; Clara Noble "Backstage Wife"
05-10-1888 - Max Steiner - Vienna, Austria - d. 12-28-1971
composer: "Lux Radio Theatre"
06-24-1893 - Arthur Hughes - Bloomington, IL - d. 12-28-1982
actor: Bill Davidson "Just Plain Bill"; Stephen Dallas "Stella Dallas"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 15:07:04 -0500
From: Richard Fish <fish@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Norman Corwin and Note of Triumph
Thanks to Walden Hughes for mentioning Norman! There is indeed every
reason to hope he will sail on beyond Hope, and Burns, past the 100
mark. He may already qualify as the oldest OTR personality to actually
be working in the field -- does anybody know about that?
Anyone who wants to contact Norman, by the way, can do so through his
website at [removed] using either email or snailmail.
I've just thought -- are there any other Golden Age stars and
personalities that lived long enougn to have their own website? I'd love
to have a folderfull of such [removed]
May 3, 2005 will be Norman's 95th birthday, and five days later the 60th
anniversary of ON A NOTE OF TRIUMPH, as Walden also mentioned. The BBC
is planning a special rebroadcast of the program on that date, with some
British hoopla. So far there are no confirmed plans to rebroadcast or
honor this program in the United States: is it possible that some of you
could help with this?
I am working on arranging to get the program offered at the Public Radio
Exchange, and am trying to persuade National Public Radio to do
something. Appeals from more voices couldn't hurt! But beyond that, it
would be great to have any and all stations take the time to rebroadcast
NOTE OF TRIUMPH next May, and perhaps some of you can help with that.
Permission to broadcast is available free, with just three minor
conditions, along with a CD; the info's on the Corwin website.
Once something is set up, publicity will be needed. It will be a fine
story for various media, and again, perhaps some of you might be able to
help out.
This will be a superb opportunity to demonstrate the power of OTR at its
very best to wide new audiences, and any help would be much appreciated
by Norman, and of much less consequence, by me too.
Cheers,
Richard Fish
--
"Post proofs that brotherhood is not so wild a dream as those who profit
by postponing it pretend." -- Norman Corwin, 1945
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 15:08:46 -0500
From: Melanie Aultman <otrmelanie@[removed];
To: OTRDIGEST <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OTR w/ youth focus
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Though available in book form, the plot of _"Who was that Masked Man
anyway?"_ by Avi, is best appreciated on tape [from Recorded Books, [removed]
3 cass [removed] hrs. Narrated by Jeff Woodman and John Randolph Jones] It is
also out now on cd.
This title, set in the mid-forties when nearly everyone else is thinking
about WW II, deals with the trials an tribulations of twelve year old Frankie
Wattleston whose life revolves around his love of OTR shows like The Shadow,
The Lone Ranger, Buck Rogers, The Green Hornet, etc.
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 19:03:23 -0500
From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: WTIC's Golden Age of Radio for December 27
The current "WTIC's Golden Age of Radio" with Dick
Bertel and Ed Corcoran features a two-hour program
from October, 1970: Rudy Vallee. It can be heard at
[removed]
In the 1970's Dick Bertel created the program for
WTIC in Hartford, CT. The idea came to Dick
after he interviewed radio collector-historian Ed
Corcoran a few times. It was first broadcast in April,
1970; Ed was his co-host.
For the next seven years the program featured interviews
with radio actors, writers, producers, engineers and
musicians from radio's early days. In addition, each
show featured excerpts from Ed's collection.
Bob Scherago
Webmaster
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 19:12:20 -0500
From: John Olsen <jrolsen@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Remember WENN
Does anyone still have their VHS tapes of "Remember WENN," the old AMC
series about life in a 1940's radio station? If so, please contact me
off list at jrolsen@[removed].
Thanks!
John
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #409
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