------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 199
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
The Gipper as a sportscaster [ Ed Kindred <kindred@[removed]; ]
Re: McIntyre on A&A [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Lava Soap / The Love for Three Orang [ RickEditor@[removed] ]
NTR actors [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
"I'd like to talk to you about that [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
Re: Acting and Reading [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
Big Brother is Watching You [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
Acting in OTR recreations [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Re: Lone Ranger bad guy [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Ernest Chappell in Dark Fantasy? [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Showcase June 24-27 2004 [ JJLjackson@[removed] ]
GANG BUSTERS error and new LET'S PRE [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Radio Drama at Memphis next weekend [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 19:35:07 -0400
From: Ed Kindred <kindred@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Gipper as a sportscaster
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Fifty plus years ago I was listening to an Arizona Wildcats football game
from Varsity Stadium in Tucson.
I don't remember the opponent but I remember the guest in the press box.
Ronald Reagan was in town for
a filming, probably a western in Old Tucson. They turned it over to him in
the third quarter and he never missed
a beat.
Ed Kindred
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Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 19:36:03 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: McIntyre on A&A
On 6/10/04 5:40 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:
Here is an article about Amos and Andy by O. O. "Odd" McIntyre, a leading
columnist of the twenties and thirties, from a collection published by
Cosmopolitan Magazine in 1932.
This piece originally appeared in the May 1930 issue of Cosmopolitan, at
the peak of the A&A craze. There are, however, a quite few factual errors
-- for example, Correll and Gosden were by no means broke and jobless
when they arrived in Chicago in 1924: Gosden was the General Manager of
the Joe Bren Circus, and Correll the General Manager of the Joe Bren
Company Home Talent Division. They got into radio not so much out of
desperation as out of a sense of curiosity about the new medium -- and
when they became Sam and Henry in 1926, McIntyre rather understates their
popularity: by the fall of that year, they were already nationally known
personalities.
But the article does capture something that's very important to the story
of "Amos 'n' Andy" -- the sincere and honest friendship between Correll
and Gosden themselves. I think the best comment about the friendship was
summed up in something Freeman Gosden Jr. told me once. Every year, the
Gosden family made a point of spending Christmas morning at the Correll
home, and Freeman Jr. once asked his father why. Freeman Sr. replied,
"Charlie is my partner and I always want him to know that outside family,
he is the most important person in my life."
They were closer than a lot of brothers -- and this relationship endured
to the end of their lives.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 19:36:59 -0400
From: RickEditor@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Lava Soap / The Love for Three Oranges
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The [removed] In Peace and War.
Does anyone recall that in one of the program's television
incarnations, (with Efrem Zimbalist Jr., beginning in 1965), instead of
saying "The FBI
in Peace and War," the announcer proclaimed "The FBI ... in Color and Black
and White."
I always thought that was funny but no one in my family seemed to get
it. .
rick selvin
Philadelphia
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Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 19:37:43 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: NTR actors
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Hi Gang:
My s-f OTR historian pal Jim Widner concluded his posting on the quality of
new-time radio (NTR) actors with:
But I want to make clear that there are *good* contemporary radio/audio
actors. It's just that most don't seem all that good to me.
I'd like to use this opportunity to point out one of the "good", nay
"exceptional," NTR actors floating out there in the ether and that is this
list's very own Craig Wichman. Craig is at the forefront of directing and
performing in both OTR re-creations and NTR roles with his Quicksilver Radio
Players. And he's a damned good Sherlock Holmes, too.
At this point, I'd also like to accentuate that Friends of Old-Time
Radio's Arthur Anderson of "Let's Pretend" fame, and OTR historian /Sherlock
Holmes scholar Bill Nadel often both utilise the services of younger post-OTR
era actors alongside the OTR vets when they direct re-creations at the annual
FOTR convention in New Jersey. Another great actor on this front is Kevin
[removed]
So, really great NTR actors are out there. But like modern audio drama
itself, one needs to possess a desire to seek them out.
Shoveling off,
Derek Tague
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Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 19:38:24 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: "I'd like to talk to you about that music
you're using."
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Hi-Ho, Gang!
Frederick S. Hillman wrote quite comprehensively on the subject of classical
music themes used throughout radio's "The Lone Ranger" including
Rossini: "William Tell" overture - 4th section (perhaps the most famous
of them all!)
Well, it seems to me that if the Lone Ranger goes around stealing music
from both William Tell AND Rossini, it's no wonder he wears a mask!
Yours always in the ether,
Derek Tague
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 19:52:31 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Acting and Reading
At 10:06 AM 6/8/2004, you wrote:
As I'm an actor first, let me say it again: RADIO ACTING IS NOT JUST
READING!!! I've actually heard that theory stated by folks who should know
Having participated in the thread OTR and Radio History/Radio Acting, I
found the direction it took a little unsettling. I think it began when
Craig wrote the lines above. The thread began with Mike who did write:
"However, in one show I listened too recently one supporting actor
appeared this way to me as if they were merely reading their lines or being
overly melodramatic."
To which I added:
"There is definitely a difference between acting totally in space with body
and voice and simply acting with your voice without sounding like you are
reading the script."
What then happened was that Craig responded with the lines at the beginning
of this post. Craig, no one was saying radio acting is reading. In fact I
think we were on the same plane as you because we were lamenting that some
of the "acting" seemed AS IF they were "reading."
I guess I was a bit put off how this was mis-interpreted into what I know
is definitely a thorn in Craig's side, to which I fully agree and
understand. Subsequent posts suddenly moved to agree that radio acting is
not reading.
I felt that I (and I believe Mike) were lamenting that there are indeed bad
radio actors mostly among the newer audio productions. As someone mentioned
before, I too have seen Craig's productions and they are good.
But I think Hal Stone touched on it when he mentioned that some of the
people who act in the recreations really are not that good. [removed] to
open up a can of worms and get mis-interpreted, I am using his comments to
apply to some of those who actually try to make aural acting part of their
lives by being part of recorded and sometimes commercial audio productions.
Some of these simply are not good. I can believe that there are a number of
good actors who get involved in audio productions and especially at the
college and volunteer level it is certainly a good experience to help
practice such skills. But there have been some productions that attempt to
market their work that I think are very very poorly done.
Before someone reminds me that there were similar situations in old time
radio - I'm sure there were and mostly due to as someone else mentioned the
writing and/or direction. If it was part of being original, I'd almost
think some of it was trying to be high camp!
Anyway, I just wanted to clear up the mis-understanding that Craig seemed
to get from both mine and Mike's post back in digests #192 and #193.
Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:40:13 -0400
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Big Brother is Watching You
After reading the 73 thousand answers :-) that Sergei Prokofiev's "March"
from "The Love of Three Oranges" was the theme for "The FBI In Peace and
War," I was struck by the realization that the FBI probably had a rather
thick file on Prokofiev at the time that his music was being used in their
honor! Although he is remembered by Americans mostly as the composer of
things like "Peter and the Wolf," "Classical Symphony," "Lt. Kije" and the
ballets "Cinderella" and "Romeo and Juliet," he also wrote music in honor
of the Soviet government such as "Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the
October Revolution," "Festive Poem for the 30th Anniversary of October
1917," "Zdravista--Hail to Stalin Cantata," "On Guard For Peace," and "Ode
to the End of the War." Further irony--Prokofiev died on the same day as
Stalin, March 5, 1953, and Prokofiev's fate went practically unnoticed.
Similarly today, Ray Charles's death is not getting the notice it would
have otherwise have gotten--except that reporters are noting that Reagan
apparently was a Ray Charles fan and had him play "America the Beautiful"
at his 2nd inauguration.
By the way, I am compiling a huge international discography of "Peter and
the Wolf" and with well over 400 different recordings in several dozen
languages it is one of the most often recorded longform works of classical
music. Two OTR broadcasts by Fred Allen and Ben Grauer are included, as is
a non-broadcast 1946 concert recording by Henry Morgan with members of the
NBC Symphony Orch. Two participants in last year's Grammy Award winning
recording of the work will be at Reagan's funeral, Mikhail Gorbachev and
Bill Clinton.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:40:57 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Acting in OTR recreations
Hal Stone addressed the issue of acting in OTR
re-creations. While I have never acted in a
re-creation (but did write a Johnny Dollar re-creation
that Hal starred in), I was asked at the Cincinnati
con this year if I had any interest in auditioning for
a part.
The truth is, yes. If it were the part of the Lone
Ranger and Fred Foy was announcing. I also wouldn't
mind doing "The Saint", if I could pull off Vincent
Price's suave "cool."
But I'm a writer, not an actor, so I can't see myself
going in front of the mic to play a part. I mean, I
haven't done any acting since the 6th grade play
(MacBeth, actually).
On the other hand, if that Lone Ranger part comes
[removed]
One curious thing, though. Even though I'm not an
actor, I sometimes consider a scene in a movie, TV
show, or radio program and wonder how I would have
played it if I _were_ an actor. Must be an
extrapoltion of my sometimes considering how I would
have written a scene (or the entire program) if I'd
been the writer of said program.
Rick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:41:23 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Lone Ranger bad guy
Paul Hughes, not Frank Hughes, often played bad guys
(as well as sheriffs and army colonels) on "The Lone
Ranger." He also appeared on "The Green Hornet" and
I'm sure, "Challenge of the Yukon" since all three
shows were made in the same studio, and used much of
the same cast of supporting actors.
His deep voice is easily identifiable, so if he was in
anything else, you'd probably recognize it as soon as
you hear it.
Rick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:41:42 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Ernest Chappell in Dark Fantasy?
Does anyone know if Ernest Chappell of "Quiet, Please"
fame appeared in the series "Dark Fantasy?" There's no
listing for the series in Dunning, but the character
of the fiance in the episode "Death is a Savage Deity"
sounds a lot like him.
Rick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 09:57:49 -0400
From: JJLjackson@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Showcase June 24-27 2004
SHOWCASE UPDATE
June 1, 2004 Saluting Mutual Broadcasting
COMING NEW TO SEATTLE: Paul Carnegie, Cliff Carpenter, Ivan Cury, Martin
Grams Jr.,David Parker, Donnie Pitchford, Ed Scott, Charlie Summers.
The COMPANY: Larry Albert, Alice Backes, Dick Beals, Jean Rouverol Butler,
Frank Buxton, Tommy Cook, Sam Edwards, Ray Erlenborn, Jim French, Pat French,
Barbara Fuller, Esther Geddes McVey, Art Gilmore, Phil Harper, Peggy Jordan,
Jimmy Lydon, Gil Stratton, Ginny Tyler.
SATURDAY BANQUET: Our recreations that night will be done "in the round",
with folks on all sides. Imagine "night club" but of the classy sort. It's
one of our big experiments for 2004.
Printed Program is 90% compiled, and getting ready to print. 72 pages,
including photographs and articles from our actors and other historians.
Expenses: paid the Seattle Center for room rental ($2690), hotel nights for
the actors ($4800), Grayline bus to Bellingham ($65). Penny Swanberg has been
arranging the rental of the piano for Saturday night. Paul Secord has
delivered the Showcase supplies that he donates (badges, envelopes and
frames). Ribbons were ordered and delivered, which will be affixed to badges.
We're checking with Secord Printing to see if they can donate the paper for
the programs-we're planning on 300 copies.
June 12, 10 am is the rehearsal for the Tech crew, where we see if we have
all the equipment that we'll need for Showcase, and if it works together. At
Joy's.
June 18, 6 pm, is the program stuffing party at Terry Mahony's.
Showcase Post-Mortem celebration: will be at Vi and Andy Anderson's, in
mid-August.
The update letter and the personalized schedule has been sent out to the
actors.
The scripts have been given to Rhea Lutton, to copy for the convention;
Marilyn Wilt is copying the scripts for the Producing Partner notebooks (25
of them).
Scripts and tapes of the original broadcast (if available) were sent out to
the directors of the recreations.
The registration packet is being readied to send out to all attendees.
The menus for Thursday's Tribute and Saturday's banquet at Kaspar's has been
revised and approved.
The following is the schedule for Showcase 2004. It does not show the
rehearsal times.
SHOWCASE SCHEDULE-(6/10/2004): Lopez & Shaw are 2 rooms at Seattle Center
THURSDAY: 6/24
10-12 Lopez David Parker to record on camera Ray doing Sound Effects
Larry Albert & Bill Brooks for "Melody Wrench"
1-4:00 Lopez Acting Workshop with Dick Beals
Acting workshop, mentored by Dick Beals; Coming so far: Jean R Butler,
Catherine Passerilli, Dave Selvig, Tommy Cook, Esther Geddes McVey
6:30-9:30 Kaspars: Tribute to Sam Edwards
SAN JUAN ROOMS: JUNE 25 9 AM TO JUNE 26 5:30 PM
FRIDAY
AM Location: Jim French Studio Imagination Theatre taping Alice Backes, Jean
Butler, Jimmy Lydon
9-9:45 Lopez Panel: Lum and Abner with Donnie Pitchford, Ginny Tyler, Sam
Edwards
10:10-11 Shaw: What did ya do in the Army, Dad? Sam Edwards and Ray Erlenborn
11:-12 Shaw Panel: Cleaning Sound
PM 12-1:15 lunch break
1:15-1:30 Lopez Martin Grams Jr. on Mutual Adventure Shows
1:30-2 Lopez Recreation Green Hornet (rehearsal 10-12-Lopez))
2:15-3 Shaw: Interview with David Parker
3-3:45 Shaw Panel on Carlton Morse: Martin Grams, Jr., Barbara Fuller, Jean
Rouverol, Millie Morse, Sam Edwards
4:00-4:30 Lopez Adventures by Morse (rehearsal 3-4:30-Lopez)
4:45-5:30 Lopez Just Sitting and Visiting1-Dick + Paul Carnegie, Gil
Stratton, Esther Geddes, Jean R Butler, Ivan Cury, Frank Buxton, Jim French,
Jimmy Lydon, Dave Parker
5:30-6:30 dinner break
6:30-7:00 Shaw Alternative to listening to OTR
7:00-8 Shaw Carpenter and Carnegie
8:10-8:45 Lopez Recreation: Let George Do It
8:45-9 : Lopez Martin on Mutual Mysteries
9:10-9:40 Lopez Lost in a Radio Studio
SATURDAY
9-9:45 Shaw Panel: History of Mutual
10-10:30 Shaw Cold read: Quiet Please Alan Young ?, Gil Stratton, Cliff
Carpenter, Esther Geddes, Ed Scott
10:30-11 Shaw Unusual recording devices, Bob Herman
11:10-12 Lopez Imagination Theatre performance at 11
PM 12-1 lunch
1-2 Shaw WXYZ Wonderland: Paul Carnegie, Dick, Dave Parker
2-2:45 Shaw writing for Radio
($25 Sampler 3-5:30)
3:00-4 Shaw Just Sitting and Visiting2-Sam + Barbara Fuller, Tommy Cook,
Alice Backes, Cliff Carpenter, Ginny Tyler, Alan Young, Ed Scott, Art Gilmore
4:10-4:25 Shaw Martin on the Shadow/Mutual Mysteries
4:30-5:00 Lopez The Shadow (rehearsal 2-4 Lopez)
5:10-5:30 Shaw Radio Archives
5:35 auction ends End of Activities at the Seattle Center
EVENING at Kaspars 6:30-10ish (No host bar)
6:00-7:00 Bill Edwards to play the piano during bar
7:00-7:15 Sam sings for his supper
7:15-8 Dinner (served)
7:45-8 Live Auction (during dessert): signed copy of printed program, set of
signed scripts, Sunday brunch ticket, Sunday AMR ticket (maybe), signed CDs,
bobble head
8:15-8:45 Recreation: Ethel and Albert
8:45-9:15 Awards
9:15-9:30 Recreation: Lum and Abner
9:30 Close: Bill Edwards and group sing of "We'll meet again"
SUNDAY: Conrad and Company 9-12
9-10:15 Brunch
10:15-10:45 RECREATION: THE LONE RANGER: Ed Scott, Paul Carnegie, Jimmy
Lydon, Peggy Jordan or Alice Backes, Dave Parker, Tommy Cook, Larry Albert.
Director: Dick Beals, Sound: Joy Jackson SFX: Ray Erlenborn
10:45-11: Martin on Gangbusters
11:-11:30 Recreation: Gangbusters: Ed Scott, Ivan Cury, Cliff Carpenter, Jean
Butler, Barbara Fuller. Director: Larry Albert, Sound: Joy Jackson
11:30-12:20 Photographs during open mic for memories
SUNDAY: BUS TRIP TO AMERICAN MUSEUM OF RADIO, BELLINGHAM
12:30 Pickup at Conrads and the hotel
5-5:45 Recreation Jack Benny Jack Benny: Tommy Cook, Barbara Fuller, Paul
Carnegie, Larry Albert, +Jim Lortz, Randy Hoffmeyer
2:30- 3: Tour of AMR, first half
3:15-4 Reception at AMR
4-4:30 Tour of AMR, part 2
4:30-5 Interview of OTR guest, not in Jack Benny (Jack Benny rehearsal 4-5)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 11:27:01 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: GANG BUSTERS error and new LET'S PRETEND news
Two notes if interest:
1. Ben Ohmart's Bear Manor Media Publishing Company will be releasing
Arthur Anderson's revised edition of the LET'S PRETEND book later this year.
For anyone curious to know the difference between the new edition and the
previous, the new addition will retail lower than McFarland's expensive
price and as a bonus, for the first time ever, a complete broadcast log
listing all 1,000+ radio broadcasts with titles and airdates and ratings
chart and broadcast times and pages of trivia about retitled scripts and
pe-emptions, etc. will be featured in the back of the book. It is not being
advertised yet but for any LET'S PRETEND fans who have been waiting for a
log listing all 1,000+ episodes, here's the first-ever in a great book that
will be recommended by old time radio buffs alike. Keep an eye out for it.
2. A few weeks ago I had designed fliers and a posting on this digest about
the availability of the 400-page GANG BUSTERS book being $[removed] plus postage
and that any orders received by June 15 would not have to pay postage fees.
I regret to inform that I made an unintentional error. Although the book
will be available on time (within the next two weeks), the size and price
changed.
The book will be 660 pages thick, not 400 and the retail cost is $[removed] plus
postage. So for anyone who mails out orders AFTER June 15, please note that
the price is $[removed] plus postage. The price hike was out of my hands and I
had no involvement - blame it on the printers who hiked the price without me
knowing until after the pre-publication offer went out. This also means
that the book will be the regular $[removed] at conventions (and anyone who
attends the conventions knows my books don't get discounted as the years
pass).
Anyone who took advantage of the offer and sent in their $[removed] already,
doesn't need to worry, the pay-no-postage offer will still be honored and
you're all taken care of. I just figured to pass on the info so anyone who
attends the conventions and notices it selling for $[removed] instead of $[removed]
won't feel I'm hiking the price on purpose from what I previously
advertised. At 660 pages thick, the printing costs are higher than normal.
Martin Grams, Jr.
mmargrajr@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 11:27:27 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Drama at Memphis next weekend
The Memphis Film Festival next weekend will feature a radio re-enactment of
THE FALCON with John Calvert playing the lead role. Calvert was "The Falcon"
on three big-screen movies during the mid-1940s and he's also a professional
magician (who if I am not mistaken, at the age of 91, will be performing a
magic act at the same convention). Anyone within driving distance of
Memphis, Tennessee might want to stop on by and check out the radio
performance. Info about the convention can be found at
[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #199
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