Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #172
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 4/22/2003 9:10 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

------------------------------


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2003 : Issue 172
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  April 23rd. Birth Dates               [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  nightmare                             [ "Chris Swank" <radionut@[removed] ]
  snapshot 8: Hi Brown                  [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
  Lowell Thomas                         [ William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed]; ]
  Piracy?                               [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
  re Nat & A&A                          [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
  Re: The Brothers Cole                 [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  Lowell Thomas and Ralph Edwards       [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
  Re: How long do CDs last?             [ George Guffey <grguffey@[removed]; ]
  A Date with Judy                      [ Mark Stratton <[removed]@[removed] ]
  How long do CD's last?                [ "KDKA" <kdkalit@[removed]; ]
  Shelley Winters                       [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
  Hal Stone's book                      [ Albert Fields <nick98tom00@[removed] ]
  MP3 problem update                    [ "Nemesis@[removed]" <nemesis@[removed] ]
  Vic Perrin                            [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
  undistinguished and totally forgetta  [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
  Beatrice Kay                          [ George Aust <austhaus1@[removed] ]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 15:07:15 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  April 23rd. Birth Dates

If you born on the 23rd of April, you share your birthday with:

04-23-1884 - Edwin C. Hill - Aurora, IN - d. 2-12-1957
04-23-1921 - Janet Blair - Altoona, PA
04-23-1928 - Shirley Temple - Santa Monica, CA

Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Radio is theatre of the mind, TV is theatre of the mindless

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:46:33 -0400
From: "Chris Swank" <radionut@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  nightmare

A friend of mine is looking for a series called "Nightmare." However, this
isn't the Peter Lorre series, but they're very short, probably three minutes
long or so. I've heard a few myself in the past. They seem to only feature a
narrator and organist. I don't even think they used sound effects, but my
memory of the shows I heard is foggy. Not sure when they were done, but I'll
guess the Fifties and I don't recall a network ID at the end of episodes, so
it must ahve been syndicated. Does anybody know of this show and also where
it could be found on cassette? Thanks. If you'd like, write me off-list at
radionut@[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:48:03 -0400
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  snapshot 8: Hi Brown

snapshot 8:  --of an eight-year long book research project--Hi Brown

	I'm talking on the phone to Hi Brown --who created  more radio shows
that you can shake a stick at --Would you believe that he was
instrumental in getting the Goldbergs on the air. He was only 17 years
old when he came to the assistance of a young woman named Gertrude  Berg
who wanted to get the show on radio. Eventually, however, she edged him
out. But he went on to make a great name for himself. Brown is telling me
about his role introducing a World War II era show called Green Valley.
He lives up to his reputation of being a tough interview--in fact later
when I try to do a second interview, he pleads that he's too busy.

	Hi (short for Himan) does not like to look back. He is not enamored
about talking about the past. Fortunately some years ago he did submit to
a series of lengthy interviews which are housed in a library, which
supplemented what I got from him during our one interview. In recent
years Hi produced some shows that were done live in Manhattan. He has a
very loyal group of actors who still work with him, some of the craft's
best (Norman Rose, Teri Keane etc.)

	Brown does not know it, but a writer whom he brought to radio wrote a
memoir (which unfortunately is incomplete --because of the writer's
death). The memoir presents a fascinating 1943 scene in which Brown
browbeats the young man into giving radio writing a shot. The man accepts
a sample script from Brown, goes home, uses it as a model and writes his
own script. As instructed, he goes to Brown's apartment (Brown never had
an office--he brags that he more or less kept his office in his hat),
delivers his manuscript to Brown and and the man has launched a radio
career.

Howard Blue
The "Snapshots" are brought to you by WORDS AT WAR (Scarecrow Press, Dec.
2002). See [removed]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:48:55 -0400
From: William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Lowell Thomas

Derek Tague commented on Lowell Thomas' breakup on air. The actual story
was about the fat lady from a circus who was so heavy that she had to be
buriied from the back of a pickup truck. Mr. Thomas broke up and couldn't
stop laughing. Fortuneatly it was the final story following the second
commercial. so his announcer in the studio, Warren Moran, took over and
closed out the program. The female laughter you hear was his long time
secretary, Electra Nicks, wife of his then CBS engineer, Gene Nicks, at
his estate in Pawling, New York, from where his broadcast usually
eminated. (Gene and I had joined the CBS engineering staff at the same
time, December 1944).  When Gene died an old pal of mine, Fred Turner,
and I shared the assignment. Then when Fred retired I had the program
full time, until  it went off the air. There were  two "perks" to the
assignment. One was that there was a small golf course on the estate
where I could play a round whenever I so desired. The other was that he
had a huge white Samoyed dog who adopted me. Even though I had to deal
with a lot of jealousy, it was a wonderful assignment. The last time I
saw him was during a Republican convention in Detroit. I heard he was in
town so invited he and his bride, Mary Ann, to join me as my facility
which  was quite luxurious. Cronkite tried to entice him to spend the
evenings with him in his facility, but was turned down, Mr. Thomas
informing him that he and Mary Ann were spending their time with his
friend, Bill. Walter said that he understood. When Mr. Thomas died there
were two services. One in the Collegiate Church In New York where his
friend Norman Vincent Peale presided, and another at the church that he
attended in Pawling with his local minister which is the one that I
attended along with Bob Dixon (Anybody old enough to remeber "Sherrif
Bob". I sure cherished those several years that I was with Lowell Thomas!
There was also a coincidence. The father of my late wife was the agency
rep who first put L. T. on the air many years before.

BILL MURTOUGH

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:49:07 -0400
From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Piracy?

Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed]; wrote:

"In my humble opinion, all the current foofarah about MP3  and who should
pay how much to whom for what is absolutely ridiculous.

"The vast majority-- if not every one--of those shows has been pirated
somewhere along the line, in violation of union agreements for payment to
the artists involved for repeats and recordings. If a collector thinks he
shouldn't pay for something I suggest he doesn't buy it. But let's stop all
the philosophical noise about an item that is illegal to begin with."

Exactly how can a union contract be enforced against someone (such as an OTR
dealer) who demonstrably is not a party to it?

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:52:09 -0400
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  re Nat & A&A

"Donn Frey" wrote:

Point is, though, if they
"constantly called him (the black pianist) boy this and boy do that"
it doesn't really matter who it was does it?

It certainly does matter if the story is completely untrue
and they never called any pianist or any other member of
the troupe any such thing, which I believe was part of the
point of Elizabeth's response.
John Henley

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:52:34 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: The Brothers Cole

On 4/22/03 3:16 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

Final thought on the "how did they treat Nat King Cole" discussion.
several people have emailed me off line on this, pro and con, and it appears
that  one of his piano/singing brothers may have played the piano
in the studio orchestra (Ike or Freddie.)

Highly unlikely. Ike Cole was born in 1927, and didn't begin his
professional career until the mid 1950s in Chicago -- putting him about
1500 miles too far to the east to have worked with A&A. By the time he
was an established musician, the A&A sitcom series had ended, and the A&A
Music Hall used only pre-recorded music.

Freddy Cole is even younger -- born in 1931, he spent his early years in
Chicago and New York. During the final years of the A&A sitcom he was
attending Julliard and the New England Conservatory of Music.

There was another Cole brother, Eddie -- born in 1910, who had an
excellent jazz combo called "Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers," with whom Nat
got his professional start. But Eddie remained in Chicago until after WW2
(except for a brief tour of Europe in the late 1930s), and then moved to
Philadelphia around 1955. He finally ended up in Los Angeles -- but only
after the A&A sitcom had ended. So he clearly never played on the program.

Point is, though, if they
"constantly called him (the black pianist) boy this and boy do that"
it doesn't really matter who it was does it?

What's most interesting to me is that Correll and Gosden themselves took
note of the use of "boy" as an affront to personal dignity, way back in a
1932 script --

Amos---Is yo' talked to G. Sampson Smith Jr. today?

Andy---He went out a while ago, an' as he passed de desk he says "have my
rooms cleaned up while I is out," an' I think he called me "boy."

Amos---Maybe he didn't recollect yo' face when he looked at yo'.

Andy---I don't want nobody callin' me "boy, do dis an' boy, do dat." My
name is Andrew H. Brown.

-- Episode 1392, 9/6/32

Elizabeth

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:52:41 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in radio history

   From Those Were The Days --

   4/22

1940 - The first all-Chinese commercial radio program was broadcast over
KSAN in San Francisco, CA.

1946 - Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg arrived at WEAF in New York City
with an entertaining morning show called, Hi, Jinx.

   Joe

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:53:42 -0400
From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Lowell Thomas and Ralph Edwards

Derek Tague inquired about the  Lowell Thomas  appearance on "This Is Your
Life."

While technically a television question even though both Edwards and Thomas
were radio stars,  it was asked in the Digest so I will respond in the
Digest  and hope it is OK to do so.

TV Guide in its compilation of articles published in TV GUIDE ROUNDUP
[Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1960], writes, "The river of sentimentality
that gushes through 'This Is Your Life' every week was diverted completely
one night when hearty Ralph Edwards cried out: 'And now, Lowell Thomas,
this is your life!'"

'Lowell Thomas, who at that moment was raising a convivial glass with a
roomful of friends at a dinner in New York, looked up bleakly at the
smiling intruder and muttered: 'This is a sinister conspiracy.'"

"What happened during the next twenty minutes left  "This Is Your Life"
tossing wildly at sea, Edwards gasping like a beached carp, and even the
commercial a little off center." [p. 102]

I personally  remember the show and reports about it in the newspaper
afterward,  and it was perhaps the most famous episode in the long run of
"This Is Your Life." Thomas was thoroughly irritated as  he had thirty
relatives and childhood acquaintances to deal with for the next few days.
He hated being surprised and his reactions virtually destroyed the
technical handling of the show. He did not cooperate at all.

"Thomas was the best thing that could happen to us on an opening night,"
Edwards burbled later. "It brought reams of free pubilicity. I am going to
submit it to the TV Academy as the best comedy of the season." [Ibid.]

Edwards later estimated that this one program brought him millions of new
viewers.

I have seen replays of this episode so I know it is out there.  Someone on
this list may have it for loan or sale.  It is live television at its
worst.

Dennis Crow

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 18:03:37 -0400
From: George Guffey <grguffey@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: How long do CDs last?

In Digest Issue No. 171, A. Joseph Ross wrote:

On the subject of CDs becoming the medium of choice
for OTR, I heard on the radio recently that the CDs
that you burn yourself may not last more than a
couple of years. They aren't the same as factory-
made CDs. The chemicals break down, and soon the CD
becomes useless. Does anyone know anything about
this?

The subject is obviously an important one, and we
won't really know the facts until some time in the
future (the *far* future, one hopes). In the meantime,
we have to be content with assertions like the
following ones in a white paper ("Choose CD-R, CD-RW
Media As Though Your Data Life Depends On It") on
Verbatim discs:

"Sunlight and temperature, as well as humidity can be
a major factor in the degradation of CD-R and CD-RW
discs, regardless of dye type. Unless precautions are
taken during manufacturing, the more extreme the
exposure, the faster the deterioration. Verbatim uses
industry standard accelerated ageing tests to obtain
comparative data and to determine an estimated
lifetime. Tests show that the media has a projected
data life of at least 100 years. To extend the data
life of the media, the reflective layer must remain
intact. Manufacturers put a protective layer over the
reflective layer because when it is pierced, the
reflectivity of the read/write laser is reduced, and
this causes media errors. For added protection,
Verbatim developed a dual protective layer production
technique, which is standard for all of the firmís
CD-R media. Extensive tests have shown that the
reflective layer remains intact even when scratching
force loads up to 120g are exerted on the media"
[Source: [removed]].

George

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 18:35:53 -0400
From: Mark Stratton <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  A Date with Judy

I have become intrigued with the show, "A Date With Judy" recently.  I
found some comics of the show, and then the shows. It's really quite
funny.  I don't
much care for silly comedy's but for some reason this one appeals to me.

Does anyone have any information about the show?  Who starred in what
roles?  How long it ran?  Where I might be able to buy some shows?  I've
only been able
to find three and would love to find more.  I'm currently trying to
accumulate the entire
comic series and would like some radio programs as well.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark Stratton

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 18:36:30 -0400
From: "KDKA" <kdkalit@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  How long do CD's last?
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed]; said:

On the subject of CDs becoming the medium of choice for OTR, I heard on the
radio recently that the CDs that you burn yourself may not last more than a
couple of years. They aren't the same as factory-made CDs.  The chemicals
break down, and soon the CD becomes useless.  Does anyone know anything about
this?

Well, I've been creating since 1997, with no failures yet.  The following is
what I just read on the  Storage by Sony web site:
Q: How long will a CD-R or CD-RW disc be usable?
A: Both CD-R and CD-RW discs have an expected life greater than 30 years.
Does that maybe lessen your fears and negate what you heard?  Cheers.  KDKA

  *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
  ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 19:03:33 -0400
From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Shelley Winters

I have finally  read  Hal Stone's book. It has been in my possession for
several months (and like probably most of the others he sent to his fans,
personally inscribed).     I put it aside for a rainy day, pardon the
cliche, because I knew I would read right through it.  I did so yesterday
and discovered that the style and content of the book hook you so you
can't put it down. It's candid, funny, informative,  and filled with
insight, all the ingredients that make for a good read.  I have never had
the pleasure of meeting Mr. Stone, but I now feel like I know him. I
recommend the book to all who would like to make his acquaintance too, and
that would appear to be everybody who reads the Digest or attends OTR
Conventions.

Alas,  there is no mention of Shelley Winters, unless I missed it, and Hal
did allude to her once in the Digest.  I don't recall how he put it, but he
left the impression that she was not his favorite person to work with.

Hal, unless you are going to save this anecdote for yet another book, could
you be more specific about your dealings with her?   It is a fair guess
that she doesn't read the OTR Digest so you can give us the inside scoop.

Thank you, sir, in advance.

Dennis Crow

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 19:11:47 -0400
From: Albert Fields <nick98tom00@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Hal Stone's book
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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Hi: I have taken the liberty of sending along a copy of an e-mail I sent to
Hal complimenting him on his excellent book.  If anyone out there has not
bought the book, I hope the following letter will convince him or her to rush
an order to Hal Stone forthwith. Dear Mr. Stone: I just finished reading your
book and wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it.  Not only is it
interesting to read, it also gives excellent insights to radio broadcasting
during the "Golden Age".  As we are of the same age I listened to "Archie"
every Saturday morning during my mid-teens.   In addition, I am a serious
student of OTR and have been since the 1960's.  I have a large collection of
programs and an extensive library on the subject.  I am a retired professor
of 20th Century US history and still lecture on OTR to a "Learning in
Retirement Institute" at a local college.  You can be assured that your book
will be prominently listed on my required reading list.   I want to thank you
again for your excellent book and look forward to the one you will write on
your later career in TV directing. Regards, Dr. Al Fields

  *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
  ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 20:41:02 -0400
From: "Nemesis@[removed]" <nemesis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  MP3 problem update

After working with Media Bay on the problems I was having with their files
I'd bought, we discovered the problem is actually spelled
Microsoft/MediaPlayer 9. To quote:  If so, there appears to be a
compatibility issue between the new Windows Media Player (WMP 9) and our
Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM 1).  We are awaiting a reply
from Microsoft to explain how to work around this problem.  We are surprised
that there is a compatibility problem between their own products, but
hopefully they will fix it soon.
Soo.  They're working with me on solving the problem.
Linda T.
Preparation = Survival
Learn how at [removed]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:39:02 -0400
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Vic Perrin

Evan Torch asked about how to obtain the tape of the interview with Vic
Perrin on August 14, 1982. The tape of that panel with Vic Perrin, Virginia
Gregg, Peggy Webber, Parley Baer, John Dehner and our own Harry Bartell can
be borrowed from the SPERDVAC General Library. It's tape number 878
(SPERDVAC PRESENTS). The panel lasted 2 hours and 10 minutes. Also on that
tape is a 45-minute interview with actress Betty Lou Gerson and her husband
Lew Lauria.

That is just one of the many, many tapes of interviews with radio actors,
directors, writers, engineers, etc. from the golden age of radio in the
SPERDVAC collection. They are all available to members for a 30-day loan
period. In addition to the audio tape library of interviews there are many
videos of interviews and recreations which may be checked out by members.

If you're not yet a member of SPERDVAC, see [removed] for membership
information.

Barbara

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 21:39:14 -0400
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  undistinguished and totally forgettable

Don Frey asks us to "Name that show":

What l953-54 radio series was referred to by John Dunning (in his first
book) as "undistinguished" and "totally forgettable."

That's (TA-DAH) STARR OF SPACE starring John Larch in the title role!

Barbara

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 23:03:04 -0400
From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Beatrice Kay

I see by Ron Sayles post that yesterday (21st) was Beatrice Kay's
birthday. Does anybody know if she did OTR and if so what programs did
she appear on?

I remember her recording of  "Just Mention My Name in Sheboygan"  very
well, and it seems to me that it was quite popular around 1946 or so.  I
just heard it played on the radio and had no other way at age 9 -/10 yrs
to judge it's popularity. I've never seen it listed in any top ten
record lists, and in fact I've never found anyone else who ever heard of
the record.  What was unusual was that it was sort of out of charactor
for her as she normally did gay 90's (gay as in happy, and 90's as in
the 1890's) type numbers.

George Aust

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #172
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