------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 120
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Jill Corey and OTR [ "Albert" <alkb2ng@[removed]; ]
Love in Bloom - a contender? [ seandd@[removed] ]
Best of Mr. Ed [ seandd@[removed] ]
Harry Shearer [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
Bright Star: [ "rthweatt@[removed]" <rthweatt@ ]
Monitor tribute pages website [ "lance" <lancepawl@[removed]; ]
Various Topics [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
Radio Stars of Today [ "david rogers" <david_rogers@hotmai ]
Canaidan Radio [ Partridge <rpartrid@[removed]; ]
Merrison/Williams [removed] [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
Jan Merlin [ "Robert Curtis" <malibob@earthlink. ]
Dunning and Holmes [ "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@worldn ]
A heads up [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
Green Lantern radio show [ JOSEPH THOMS <jftesq@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 17:34:11 -0500
From: "Albert" <alkb2ng@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jill Corey and OTR
Hello Everyone,
Ron Sayles suggested that I introduce other readers of the OTR Digest to
the website dedicated to my own favorite personality from the 50's, Jill
Corey. While she was primarily a television and recording artist, she did
have a rather unique connection to OTR. Her career was launched with a
bang. Within days of her eighteenth birthday she became lead singer on the
"Dave Garroway Show" which debuted on NBC television in October of 1953. A
month later she made the cover of LIFE magazine, displacing Winston
Churchill in the process! After establishing her presence in television,
she then went into radio - as the female singer, along with Jack Haskell
and host Bill Cullen, on "Stop the Music" during the summer of 1954. Later
in the decade she appeared in several different syndicated radio series for
the National Guard and other service organizations: "Let's Go With Music,
The Jill Corey Show and Manhattan Melodies." She guested on the Woolworth
Hour on CBS radio as late as 1957, the same year she became a regular on
the television version of "Your Hit Parade." Hers is a truly inspiring
Cinderella story, unfortunately punctuated by the tragic premature death of
her husband, baseball player Don Hoak, at age 41 in 1969. She was only 34
at the time and never remarried.
Albert J. Kopec
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 17:52:42 -0500
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Love in Bloom - a contender?
Considering how many great gags Jack Benny's writers milked out him never
winning an Oscar you can almost imagine how disappointed they would have been
if he actually did.
Did anyone know "Love in Bloom" was an Oscar song nomination? I wonder if
that would have counted? That nugget as well as some other vaugely
OTR-related information is in the following Orlando Sentinel article on
obituaries.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
CAN legs form words ? Well . . . sometimes
Orlando Sentinel (subscription) - Orlando,FL,USA
... in concert, and it was hilarious.) I looked back over Oscar song
nominations
over the years and found these gems that lost: "Love in Bloom" (Jack Benny's
theme ...
<[removed],0,6988
[removed];
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 17:52:56 -0500
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Best of Mr. Ed
This review of a new bideo compilation of Mr. Ed episodes notes that George
Burns appears as a guest in one of them (he executive produced the show). So
a goodie for Burns [removed]
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
THE Best of Mister Ed : Volume 1
digitallyOBSESSED - IL,USA
... one can't help but look. No wonder legendary comedian Jack Benny called
it his favorite television show. But the show would have ...
<[removed];
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 18:44:53 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Harry Shearer
Chris Holm asks:
And now for something completely different, has anyone ever tried to get
Harry Shearer at an OTR convention? I would think his work with the Jack
Benny Program, along with current radio like Le Show and his voice work with
The Simpsons would make him an interesting guest.
Yes, he was a committed guest for our 39 Forever convention last year. Then
at the last minute, his recording schedule changed and he couldn't attend but
was going to send a tape of his comments. Then no tape ever arrived. It was
a full panel anyway, so it may have been for the best.
Not trying to say anything negative about Shearer, it just didn't work out.
I was very pleased that he wanted to come in the first place. I am hopeful
that I will be able to set up an interview with him in the future.
--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 18:45:11 -0500
From: "rthweatt@[removed]" <rthweatt@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bright Star:
HELP!!.
I am looking for information on the radio show Bright Star that aired
1952-53 and starred Irene Dunne and Fred MacMurray. I have several books
dealing with the history of OTR shows and they all basically give the same
scant information repeated ad infinitum.
Does anyone know for sure exactly how many episodes were made or where they
can be obtained (I have about 30 in my own collection) or the names of the
entire cast and crew? Any info you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ray T
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 19:50:26 -0500
From: "lance" <lancepawl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Monitor tribute pages website
Hello,
I came across this URL [removed] from a daily 'Cool Site
of the Day' that I receive and since it fits right in with this newsgroup, I
wanted to pass it along. Here is what the Cool Site of the Day said about
it:
In the 1950s, television drew audiences away from radio. To combat a
waning audience, NBC radio created The Monitor--a magazine for radio.
Between 1955-1975, the radio show broadcast just about anything and
everything. At one point in time it aired over 40 continuous hours
live. That's amazing!
You can still hear some of the memorable broadcasts, the signature
sound of The Beacon and more at today's site. There are also some
great photos.
**
Hope this site brings back memories to some of you out there.
Regards,
Lance
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 19:51:31 -0500
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Various Topics
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Hi Gang:
I'm about a week behind catching up on my Digests, so please indulge these
follow-up thoughts, random and otherwise.
GOOD NIGHT, IRENE:
My pal, Lee Munsick, the Sage of Appomattox, asked about whether the
Brits pronounce the name "Irene" eye-REE-nee.
Well, the late Broadway actress Irene Worth did. According to the
"Merriam-Webster Biographical Dictionary," three rulers of the Eastern Roman
Empire likewise did--the most notable being Saint Irene (c. 752-803).
Apparently, the Brits pronounce it the Greek way. I've found the the denizens
of the land of my heritage also pronounce the names of American celebrities
their own way, acting like they invented the language. These American types
include Bette Davis, whom Britons pronounce as BET (like Ms. Midler); Johnny
Weissmuller as WICE-myoo-ler rather than WICE-mul-ler; the Old Testment
prophet Isaiah as eye-ZIGH-uh; and director/choreographer Busby Berkeley as
BARK-lee (like in "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square."
One time, a British Talking Book narrator insisted that Nixon's
vice-president was SPY-roh Agnew rather than SPEAR-oh (like it was usually
said on the BBC back in the day). Agnew's name had come up in a novel and said
reader insisted that the name was properly pronounced "SPY-roh." I
counter-insisted that the book being recorded was for American consumption and
that I happen to know that the former Governor of Maryland did, indeed,
pronounce his name "SPEAR-oh." "HEY!," I argued, "the man was MY
vice-president for five years!"
A great book that explores the variances between Britsh- and
American-English is "Divided by a Common Language" by British expatriate
Christopher Davies (who probably pronounces his name "Davis"), published in
1997 by Mayflower Press (Sarasota, Florida), ISBN: 0-9660945-7-3) and
originally selling as a $[removed] paperback.
WINDING YOUR WAY DOWN BAKER STREET:
I was never much of a Sherlock Holmes fan--but I have always had a
great deal of respect for Sherlockians like Cradg Wichman and Bill Nadel.
Here at AFB, we recently re-recorded "The Complete Sherlock Holmes," and T.
Book narrator Robert Blumenfeld did pronounce Inspector Lestrade leh-STROD, as
was discussed here. One of the stories I worked on was titled "The Baker
Street Irregulars." I aked Mr. Blumenfeld just who exactly were these Baker
Street Irregulars. "I thought 'The Baker Street Irregulars' were a bunch of
Sherlockians devoted to the scholarly pursuit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's
works," I remarked. Bob explained to me that these "Irregulars" were a band of
street urchins who ran errands for Holmes and Watson and that the scholarly
society took their name from this story. "So, " I concluded, "the term
'irregular' here means 'as opoposed to being regimented '--as in the term
'regular army.' 'Irregular' has nothing to do with intestinal conditions."
Blumenfeld assured me this was the [removed]"Alimentary, my dear Watson."
SYLVIA FROOS:
I see that child vaudevillian/Vitaphone star Sylvia Froos died within
the past few days at the age of 89. I have a recording of here doing a
Yiddish-flavoured parody of Frank Loesser's "A Bushel and a Peck," with a
pre-fame Allan Sherman.
"WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE, ME?":
Come clean, Miss Leff. Did you really unearth some Jack Benny shows
circa [removed] was your posting designed as an homage to Miss McLeod's
"find," announced on 1st April 2003?
TAPS FOR FRITZ RITTERSPACH, 1936-2004:
Jay Hickerson posted on 03/25 about the passing of Lt. Col. Frederick
"Fritz" Ritterspach (USAF, Ret.). I was deeply saddened by the passing of my
good buddy Fritz. He resided in San Diego and was quite active in SPERDVAC. It
was Fritz (along with his pal Walter and everybody's OTR convention pal Steven
Hiss) that helped to stage my big "Jack Benny/39th Birthday" hotel-room(s)
party during FOTR/NJ 2001. I remember Fritz as a great guy and a gentle soul,
who loved to socialise and tell jokes. The thing I liked best about Fritz was
that he always laughed at my jokes; he was a one-man audience. The after-hours
"margarita parties" that he, Steve Hiss, and Ted Theodore threw at OTR
conventions were legendary! Unfortunately, I shall be MIA at the Cincinnati
convention in a couple weeks. For all attendees: if you find yourself at some
after-hours ad hoc convocation of OTR fans, whether it's somewhere in the Best
Western-proper or off-premises, please remember to salute a great military man
and have a drink in Fritz's honour. I'm absolutely sure that Fritz Ritterspach
would heartedly approve of and enjoy the fact that his fellow friends in this
wonderful OTR hobby are still having a good time having a few drinks and
telling jokes and funny stories.
I'd like to wish everybody a splendid Passover/Easter season!
Yours in the Easter,
Derek Tague
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 21:15:56 -0500
From: "david rogers" <david_rogers@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Stars of Today
but I doubt there are any "radio stars" with the possible exception of
Garrison Keillor and his friends.
I don't know if he is a STAR, but a couple of times I have had my students
do presentations and reports on Joe Frank. I think that what he does is
great, I am not sure if he is a star but I think he is great.
Love as always, David Rogers
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 21:16:14 -0500
From: Partridge <rpartrid@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Canaidan Radio
If there are any Canadians out there I'd love to hear your memories (
and clarify mine) of Old Time Canadian radio. In particular do you have
any information on Cuckoo Clock House? Wayne and Shuster? The Good Deed
Club? Roy Ward Dixon's game show (the name is forgotten).
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 21:25:08 -0500
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Merrison/Williams [removed]
Ryan,
As far as I know, the BBC versions of Sherlock Holmes were based on the
Doyle books, with little tampering with the originals. The shows were
broadcast from 1990-1995; Hickerson says 1998 was the last one.
In about 2002, Bert Coules, who adapted many of the original series,
wrote 5 more programs based on remarks made by Holmes. All of these are
available from BBC, or from traders. I have the complete run. All but one
of mine are in excellent sound.
All 56 of Doyle's stories were dramatized, as well as the 4 novels.
Nearly all the music is played by a single solo violin, very tastefully
done. The sound effects and the "ambiance" are handled with considerable
realism. I suspect most of the sfx are either live or recorded "on
location." No commercials!
What a joy it is to listen to this series!
Ted
Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 22:42:34 -0500
From: "Robert Curtis" <malibob@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jan Merlin
I see that April 3rd is Jan Merlin's birthday. I used to live near the
Merlins in the Hollywood Hills. At that time (several years ago), Jan was
writing for a TV soap opera. This was in addition to occasional acting
gigs. A few years later, I was taking a flight out of Hollywood-Burbank
airport and was surprised to see Jan working in a security position in the
baggage screening area.
He was a wonderful story teller. Especially the story of how he, not Kirk
Douglas, was the face behind some of the makeup in John Huston's 1963 film,
"The List of Adrian Messenger." Jan played The Whistling Man, The
Clergyman, The Workman and The Shepherd. His role in the film was
uncredited and he returned from location with much damage to his skin
caused by the glues and solvents used to transform him. Damage that lasted
months after production had ended. He was conspicuously absent from the
film's end credits where Douglas, along with cameo actors, Tony Curtis,
Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, and Frank Sinatra removed their character
makeup to reveal their famous faces.
Does anyone know where Jan is these days and how he's doing?
Bob Curtis
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 22:43:08 -0500
From: "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Dunning and Holmes
Regarding John Dunning:
John's new installment in the Cliff Janeway series is out and John is on a
National Tour. You can find out the dates and locations of John's remaining
stops by going to his Web Site
[removed]
You will find links to John's signing schedule and a log (blog) of John's
book tour.
Regarding Sherlock Holmes:
A great discussion thread!
As much as I liked Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes I could never
get into the Rathbone/Bruce radio shows or motion pictures because of the
character treatment of Watson. In Conan Doyle's stories, Watson was a
younger man, intelligent and courageous.
I have two favorite Sherlock Holmes radio series and I rank them
equally.
THE MERRISON/WILLAMS BBC SERIES
The entire Conan Doyle body of Sherlock Holmes stories, aka the
Canon, with Holmes and Watson being played by the same actors through out
the series. Wonderful stuff. The shows have sufficient air time for
excellent plot line and character development; 120 minutes for each novel
and 45 minutes for each short story. (No commercials.) Excellent scripts
and acting. A recommendation: if you get these shows listen to them in the
order that Conan Doyle wrote them.
THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
[removed] syndicated on IMAGINATION THEATRE
On March 08, 1998, the first episode of a new series, THE FURTHER
ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, was broadcast from Seattle, WA as part of the
late KIRO Mystery Playhouse. Forty-seven episodes have been broadcast as of
March, 2004. More are in production and are aired at the approximate rate
of one a month. These adventures form the most recent series from Seattle
radio dramatist Jim French. He is well-known to radio drama enthusiasts as
the creator of such series as CRISIS, DAMERON, and THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY
NILE .
As the series title implies, these adventures of Holmes and Watson
are not adaptations of the original Conan Doyle stories. Rather, they are
completely new adventures written by French and English writers that remain
faithful to the spirit, style, and tone of the original stories. To use
another word, they are pastiches. The shows have attracted a great deal of
attention world-wide. A portion of one of the episodes was aired on the BBC
and the host called the series, "One of the four best radio dramas in the
English language!"
Audiences are surprised when they find out the actors in this series
are all Americans. A subscriber and contributor to the Digest, Larry Albert
plays Dr. Watson in the series and in one episode of the series had the
opportunity to impersonate Holmes. How does Larry play Watson? I
Interviewed Larry in 2001 for an article: Perspectives of a Current-Day
Radio Actor.
Here is Larry's answer to a question I asked him on his portrayal of Watson.
"I'm just not playing a continuing character, but a character
that has been as badly abused and dismissed in the media
over the centuries as Watson. It is a challenge to give him
life. Doyle wrote this character and Dr. Watson is NOT
a buffoon.'
Who is John H. Watson? First, of all he is a surgeon,
so he is educated. He is a young man in the
prime of his life. A decorated combat veteran; he is
courageous. In a dangerous situation, he's a man you
want watching your back. From his own words, he's
obviously a lady's man. He is courteous; he tends to
treat people on an equal level, especially women.
Watson is man who is warm, considerate, and very
much a traditionalist; he's a very conservative man
and a patriot.
What kind of a man would Sherlock Holmes
tolerate as a companion and an associate?
He would never tolerate a fool! If you read the
Holmes Canon, you know that Watson acquires
Holmes' abilities of observation. In "The
Solitary Cyclist," it is Watson who explains how
Holmes knew she was a cyclist."
John Gilbert in the earlier episodes and now John Patrick Lowrie
plays Holmes. Lowrie compared quite favorably to Clive Merrison and Jeremy
Brett in his portrayal of Holmes.
Generally, the latest episode of THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK
HOLMES can be heard at the IMAGINATION THEATRE Web site at:
[removed]
Sound clips from some episodes of the series can be heard at:
[removed]
Signing off for now,
Stewart Wright
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 22:43:42 -0500
From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: A heads up
Skated past the Hamilton [removed] website this morning, and I noticed that
they have some of the Radio Spirits Collections available at low, low
prices--the 9-hour cassette collections, for example, are priced at $[removed],
and they have Abbott & Costello, Amos 'n' Andy, Burns & Allen, Dragnet, etc.
(Note: these collections don't come in the clamshell case, but the packaging
that you'd find in, say, Barnes & Ig-Noble or Books-a-Million.)
They've also got cassette version of the 30-hour Dragnet and Lone Ranger
collections for $[removed] The only drawback is, the info on just what's on
them is kind of sketchy--I ordered one of their longbox collections with
some detective shows this morning, and I'm sure there's going to be some
stuff on it I already have. But--it cost me $[removed], so I shouldn't complain.
You can access the list here:
[removed]
Of course, the usual disclaimers (I am not an employee of either
HamiltonBooks or Radio Spirits, etc.) apply. Just thought some folks on the
list might want to know in case they're in search of a bargain or two.
Ivan
----
OTR Ramblings and Musings at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear:
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2004 11:55:57 -0500
From: JOSEPH THOMS <jftesq@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Green Lantern radio show
I recently read that there was a pilot episode for a
1940's Green Lantern radio show. Does anybody know
where I might find a copy of it? Also, I would like
some information regarding the Blackhawk radio show.
Sincerely,
Joe Thoms
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #120
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