Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #303
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 10/3/2005 8:38 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2005 : Issue 303
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Ron Lackmann                          [ Lee Munsick <damyankeeinva@earthlin ]
  Live QUICKSILVER event - with OTR ca  [ Wich2@[removed] ]
  Can't get OTR shows; What to do?      [ Julie Jordan <juliecj@[removed]; ]
  FINALLY                               [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
  KSL and other CBS Radio News          [ "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@webtv. ]
  Jack Kirkwood                         [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
  the Gun Smoke program heat Spell      [ "Robert Acosta" <boacosta@[removed] ]
  Separated at Birth                    [ seandd@[removed] ]
  RealPlayer and [removed]          [ Paul Evans <evans_paul1963@[removed] ]
  Jim Widner featured in RADIO RECALL   [ Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@erols ]
  help identify a show                  [ ".dan." <ddunfee@[removed]; ]
  Two Stations, Same Call Letters       [ dougdouglass@[removed] ]
  WFLA                                  [ Art Chimes <[removed]@[removed] ]
  Re: Jack Benny in Baghdad             [ Art Chimes <[removed]@[removed] ]
  Books at FOTR                         [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Scripts, Reading, and Time            [ William Harker <wharker@[removed] ]
  Al "Jazzbo" Collins                   [ "Henry R. Hinkel" <hinkel@[removed] ]

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 14:47:37 -0400
From: Lee Munsick <damyankeeinva@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Ron Lackmann

As an historian still laboring through research for my work on Arthur
Godfrey, I can sympathize with Ron Lackmann in the midst of the hurricane of
criticism about his works.

Quite some years back, Ron and I had a private discussion at FOTR about the
difficulty in working with and therefore re-printing information from
previous sources.  I lamented that I found hundreds of errors in various
reference works of all kinds.  We also discussed at length the difficulty of
getting qualified proofreaders and editors.

My test for any reference work that might possibly contain such has become to
see if Arthur Godfrey is listed in the Index, and then read what is said.   I
imagine each of us has a pet subject to use in much the same way.

This raises two formidable points.  First, it's amazing how many works get
all kinds of things entirely wrong, often adding two and two and coming up
with 7!  For instance, did you know that Arthur Godfrey flew a plane into the
Empire State Building?  Or that he fired Frank Sinatra (or Mel Torme) on the
air?  He did Chesterfield and Axion as sponsors, but nothing like the above.

 Second, I find most frustrating the total lack of any Index in many, many
so-called "Reference Books", "biographies". etc.  I do not fault the authors,
although perhaps some should shoulder their share.  I blame penny-pinching
publishers who seem not to understand the whole point of issuing a reference
work.

Art Singer, in preparing his fine work on Mr. Godfrey (Arthur Godfrey - The
Adventures of an American Broadcaster, Arthur J. Singer, McFarland & Co.
2000) discussed with me the possibility of the two of us combining our
efforts.  I demurred, first because I was not then prepared, and secondly
because I feel that the more serious and honest works about the icon of not
only broadcasting but American activism, the better!

Art was able to obtain a list of the people who appeared on "Arthur Godfrey
and His Talent Scouts" over the years - a grand accomplishment which I have
not been able to achieve!  The publisher said it would take too many pages to
include it (the program had roughly two dozen talents and their scouts every
week and ran over nine years).  Therefore, they flat refused to include it in
the publication.  Art was aghast, but the project was too far along to drop
it, or to find another publisher.  This is a great comment on the publishing
industry, and that publisher in particular.

About 30 years ago I had a friend with an immense collection of flags, enough
to fill an entire armory in one complete exhibition.  He wrote a magnificent
huge book, and about collapsed when his publisher said it could not include
color reproductions.  An artist himself, he viewed such a work to be an
exposition of flags as fine art, as well as historical information.  The lack
of color would totally destroy it as a reference work, art display, or
accurate depiction of the hundreds of flags represented in his monumental
tome.  He finally got it published by going outside the United States.
Czechoslovakia, if I recall.

I shudder to read the nasty comments about Ron Lackmann, whom I suspect is
not lurking here and thus unable to defend himself.  I feel the same about
many other subjects on the OTR Digest - as well as all other media - when
many of them and other postings include all kinds of atrocious, sloppy,
dreadful errors, many of them bieng bda spleelings', grmmaer, ad thel ike.
Don't bother your "spell checker" on that last sentence; I wrote it that way
to make my point.

But far worse from the historical reference point of view are the factual
errors.  I plead guilty to my own here in the past, generally caused by
relying on someone else's previously stated "history".  I thank the various
good folk who have taken the time on- or off-Digest to correct me.  I have no
use for people that bridle when they are corrected, taking umbrage at the
nerve of someone thus trying to be helpful.

Unfortunately, the Internet itself has contributed greatly to all this
destruction of accuracy, at the same time that it does add to a wider
dissemination of information to more people - much of it entirely erroneous.
The tenor of many comments about Mr. Lackmann I find terribly unfair and
entirely inconsiderate and rude.

Henry Ford is credited with uttering something like, "History is bunk!"  Read
today's newspapers and sort through many recent books and - realizing that
they are the foundation blocks of future history - think just how inaccurate
and slanted that future "history" will be!

In our conversation, Ron told me of the problems with his publishers.  I have
heard the same comments from various other authors.  The publishers have
no-one at hand who knows enough about the subject matter of the work in
discussion, to be able to work well with the book, let alone improve it.
They hire proofreaders with the same lack of knowledge, many of them with
only a secondary command of the English language, if not far worse.  Ron said
he tried to talk with editors and proofreaders and found they couldn't hold
an intelligent or intelligible conversation.  So how could he persuade them
to get decent proofreaders, or let him get his own?

They - like today's newspapers - have no idea what a good proofreader is.
Years ago, most news copy had been read and adjusted by 5, 6 or more
knowledgeable people, before they actually began the press-run.   Nowadays,
thanks to the proliferation of computers and total reliance thereon, the
reporter writes into the computer.  Other than cutting the story for space
limitations ("Cut off the last 3 inches of this thing!"), there really is no
such thing as editing, except for decision-making as to what stories to run,
when, and where.  Oh, and don't forget, they use "Spell-Checkers"!

Whoever came up with that name should be deleted - permanently.  Yet ask most
people and that's exactly what they think they do, check spelling.  Nonsense
- they're just Lexicons.  As for "Grammar Checkers" - it is to laugh.

Just try this:  Start reading most any newspaper this week, circling in red
ink, the various errors and printing/layout bloopers like a four-letter word
spaced out to take up an entire column width, and hyphenated words separated
between lines but not at the hyphen, etc.  I have attempted this in the past,
with an eye to sending a few such pages to their "Editor".  Rather quickly, I
gave up.  Because after a few pages, I realized they looked like I had cut my
finger and dripped blood all over the paper.  What's the use?

I believe a Personage of some note once said, "Let him who is without sin
cast the first stone!"  How about stopping the vilification of Ron Lackmann
(and in effect, many others in the same trap).  How about railing against the
systems which produce these problems?  That's where the blame rests.  The
systems and their root causes at the publishers:  greed, and a total lack of
caring about the quality of one's work.

Lee Munsick

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 14:48:20 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Live QUICKSILVER event - with OTR cast &
 connections!

Dear NY-area Folks-

We've been honored with the opportunity to be a  part of the annual
OpenHouseNewYork for the third time. If you'd like to see  "Living Legend"
Arthur
Anderson work, or spend a few moments with Will  Rogers, Tallulah Bankhead,
Noel
Coward, Rex Harrison, et al, hope to see you  there!

All the best,
-Craig

OpenHouseNewYork, 2005
at THE  LITTLE CHURCH AROUND THE CORNER
(The Church of the Transfiguration)
1 East  29th St., NYC

Saturday, October 8 -  1:30 PM

"If These Walls Could Talk"
Past Voices of the Little Church's  Theatrical Members and Friends
By Mart Hulswit (adapted and directed by Craig  Wichman)

Presented by Quicksilver Radio Theater, in association with the  Church of
the Transfiguration and the Episcopal Actors'  Guild

Featuring:  Arthur Anderson, Joseph Franchini, Susan Muir, and  Craig
Wichman; Music by Claudia Dumschat (special appearances by Mark Twain,  John
Drew,
Edwin Booth, Otis Skinner, and many  more!)

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 15:32:18 -0400
From: Julie Jordan <juliecj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Can't get OTR shows; What to do?

We recently moved our office to a new location where we now sit at
the base of two steep hills. This has interfered with our FM
reception, and especially my husband's ability to listen to some OTR
broadcasts on some FM stations that program it in Iowa! Not a happy
situation! His birthday is coming up next week (hopefully he won't
see this digest before then) and I am wondering if anybody out there
knows of some sort of electronic device or portable antenna that I
could acquire to plug into at least one of his radios? Putting an
outside antenna up is not an option so this would have to be some
gadget indoors. I've seen a few advertised but don't know if any of
them really work. Any of you old time radio enthusiasts out there
know how grumpy you can become if you can't hear your favorite shows!
My husband is no exception. So please let me know if you have any
suggestions. A mere wire "T" antenna just doesn't work. Thanks! Julie

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 15:39:23 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  FINALLY

Delivered by Pony Express, the [removed] finall got my stamps here.  Your CD's
will be in the mail!  Sorry for the delay, but, according to the [removed],
NOTHING IS GUARANTEED!

[removed]
           Sandy
[removed]
        [removed]

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 15:40:04 -0400
From: "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  KSL and other CBS Radio News

I just talked with my friend over at Westwood One about the loss of KSL. He
stated that Westwood One was fighting to the bitter end to keep KSL as CBS,
but he suspects ABC offered so many goodies (such as less network commercial
inventory) that KSL made the switch. He also said CBS is going after ABC in
some medium size markets and expects a few ABC stations to switch to CBS in
the near future. In his words, *it is now an all out war between CBS and ABC
since CC dropped ABC for Fox*. He stated Harvey Naegler's efforts to offer
CBS as a supplemental network to disgruntled FOX radio affiliates is working
well. In reply to Chris from WHAS, I know that WHAS is under contract to FOX
but contracts can change (as CBS found out with KSL). I would not want any of
your news people to lose their jobs, but if CC can find a way to cut costs,
it would not surprise me to hear either FOX or CBS on WHAS overnite.
According to my Westwood One friend, he credits Harvey Naegler for making CBS
Radio News sound better than it has ever been in years. [removed]
Mike, a nostalgic type of guy who remembers when WHAS cleared about every CBS
program on the network line.

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 16:29:01 -0400
From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Jack Kirkwood

Can anyone provide some information on Jack Kirkwood, comedian on the Edgar
Bergen & Charlie McCarthy radio program?   I can't seem to find anything
about  this funny man on the web.  Thanks
Bill Schell
Magalia, Ca

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 16:29:09 -0400
From: "Robert Acosta" <boacosta@[removed];
To: "oldtime radio digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  the Gun Smoke program heat Spell

Hello,
I would like to get the Gun Smoke Radio Program heat Spell by Lou Houston
broadcast on June 21, 1952.  i understand that it was the 9thprogram  of
this great series. Thank you

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 17:34:13 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Separated at Birth

This is pretty off-topic, but it should be noted that at least one political
website has decided that Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers looks like Agnes
Morehead.

[removed]

Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 17:42:10 -0400
From: Paul Evans <evans_paul1963@[removed];
To: Old-Time Radio <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  RealPlayer and [removed]
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

I just discovered a Website called [removed].  It was a trip
down Memory Lane for me, because I did a site search and found WXIL-FM,
Parkersburg, WV, which included station ID breaks, and audio clips from DJs,
including one who was a classmate of mine at Marietta High School.  I did a
search for "Jeff Christie", and heard about 10 minutes of Rush Limbaugh when
he was on the radio in the Pittsburgh-McKees Rocks vicinity.

I have a technical question.  While the RealPlayer is playing the clip, what
do I click on so I can save it in my music library?  (I have an HP Pavilion
a1118x.)  I eventually want to burn it to a compact disk, but I'm doing
something wrong.  I have to link to the Website whenever I want to play this
clip.

Thanks in advance for the help.  Please E-mail me privately, as well as
posting to the list at large.  (I'm sure I'm not the only one with this
problem.)

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

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 17:42:39 -0400
From: Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Jim Widner featured in RADIO RECALL

The October 2005 issue of RADIO RECALL is back from the printers and
will soon be enroute to all subscribers. The front page feature
article, written by frequent Digester Jim Widner, details the emergence
of podcasting and other innovations that are transforming our OTR
hobby. Under the headline "Old Time Radio Meets New Time Technology"
Jim's article discusses portable mp3 players, podcasters, and
downloading sites for OTR.

This issue also includes a piece by OTR's popular columnist, Jim
Snyder, on the history of Paley and his CBS network. Other articles
deal with the missing audio copies of the 1925 Scopes "monkey" trial,
the splinter group that challenges REPS,  and the search for actors for
a 2006 re-creation of "Amos 'n Andy" at the 1st Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia
Convention. Three new OTR books are discussed: "Flash Gun Casey" by
Siegel & Cox, a book on Ellery Queen Radio Mysteries, and Jim Cox's
latest: "Music Radio, " which is reviewed at length by author Edgar
Farr Russell II.

Also in this issue is a two page update of "Private Eyelashes" by yours
truly, listing all the new information on feminine sleuths uncovered
since its publication in the spring of 2004. There is also a discussion
of radio's newest crime-solvers featured on "Imagination Theatre" as
well as a illustration of a 1941 radio sound effects "rain machine"
which involved a package of bird seed, a funnel, a ping pong ball, an
inflated paper bag, and a basket of crushed paper.

For more information on this publication, and a peek at articles from
prior issues, visit <[removed]>

Jack French
Editor

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 17:42:47 -0400
From: ".dan." <ddunfee@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  help identify a show

When my brother and I listened to shows in the middle/late '50s as children
we had a favorite show.  All I can remember about it now is that at some
point in the show the host asked all the children to get up and march to
the music and do so until it stopped.  We would march in circles around the
living room until instructed to stop, or until our mother told us to stop
for driving her mad, or which ever came first.  Does anyone have a clue
what this might have been?

                               XB
                                IC|XC

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 18:55:00 -0400
From: dougdouglass@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Two Stations, Same Call Letters

In response to Jed Dolnick's post about multiple WFLA's, Metro New York
has two WMCA's. At 570 and 970, both owned by Salem.  Promos say there's
so much to offer it couldn't be squeezed into twenty-four hours, so now
we have two places on the dial to hear WMCA.

Salem observes the FCC Top of the Hour requirement announcing tegal call
letters and city of license ... WMCA, New York and WWDJ, [removed]

Doug Douglass

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 18:56:21 -0400
From: Art Chimes <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  WFLA

The authoritative source of call letter registration is, of course, the FCC.

[removed];call=wfla&city=&arn=&type=0&freq=530&fre2=1700&facid=&list=1&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9

As noted by Jed Dolnick, the *real* WFLA is in Tampa at AM 570. The licensee 
is listed as "CITICASTERS LICENSES, [removed]"  If you dig deeply enough, Clear 
Channel Communications, Inc., admits to being the "ultimate parent company."

There is no WFLA-FM.

Broadcasters were pretty honest until the last couple of decades about doing 
proper legal IDs and not using stealth calls, but since the FCC essentially 
doesn't enforce those rules any more, marketing trumps law every time. So 40 
times an hour you'll hear "Q-102" or "97 The River" or "101 Rock" or 
"Pleistocene Talk 1200" or, apparently, someone else's call letters. And 
maybe, if you're lucky, at the top of the hour, a very fast talker will rush 
through "WPLF Orlando."

Incidentally, for a large selection of mostly contemporary legal, 
top-of-the-hour IDs, check out [removed], which includes the 
relatant language from FCC regulations as to the requirements. (Click on the 
"Legal ID" tab.)

Regards
Art Chimes

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 20:21:52 -0400
From: Art Chimes <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Jack Benny in Baghdad

Jazman wrote (digest #300) --

Wonderful to hear that you are sending OTR to Baghdad! ...

I just hope the troops don't get depressed when they hear how strongly our
country USED to support the armed forces!

Jazman,

That's a cheap political shot, and IMO it has no place in this Digest.

Many of us who deeply oppose the war support our troops 100 percent.  (I've
volunteered stuffing USO packages; what have you done?).

Just because many of us oppose the war and the bumbling administration that
started it doesn't mean we don't support the brave and honorable men and
women* who risk their lives every day while wearing the uniform of our country.

Regards,
Art

_____
*Lindie England and company excepted

[ADMINISTRIVIA: Ok, everyone, let's all take a deep breath and relax. The
only war it's on-topic to argue about here is World War II.  --cfs3]

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 20:51:51 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Books at FOTR

I've had a couple of inquiries in recent weeks about whether I'd be
selling copies of my current book, "The Original Amos 'n' Andy" at the
upcoming Friends of Old Time Radio convention in Newark. While I do plan
to attend this year, I won't have a stock of books on hand to sell at the
convention -- but I *will* be happy to sign copies that conference
attendees bring along, or purchase from any other vendors who might be
selling the volume at the gathering.

I'm told that McFarland & Co. doesn't plan to have a presence at the
Convention, so ordering in advance via
[removed]~[removed] may be the best way to assure
that, if you'd like a signed copy, you'll have it there for me to sign.

Looking forward to meeting and greeting at Newark,
Elizabeth

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 20:52:04 -0400
From: William Harker <wharker@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Scripts, Reading, and Time

I know little or nothing about the technical aspects of writers
writing scripts, actors reading/acting their parts, and the time
allotted for a given show, with commercials, show intros and outros,
etc.  This could well be a very naive, even stupid, question, and the
quirks of particular actors could even play a role in the answer, [removed]

I am wondering if actors and directors ever varied the pace of a
given show (that is, spoke their lines more rapidly, or less rapidly)
given the considerations of the script and the amount of time given
to complete a particular episode.  In the current age, one can play
tricks with the tape to speed or slow things down.  I don't even know
if this was done in radio.

Bill Harker
wharker@[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 22:36:04 -0400
From: "Henry R. Hinkel" <hinkel@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Al "Jazzbo" Collins

In the 1950's and early 1960's Al "Jazzbo" Collins' record labels and the
record catalogs spelled his nickname "Jazzbo".

Also, he narrated a series of "SOUNDIES" FOR AMC Cable Network in the late
1980's and the intro's spelled his name as "Jazzbo".

Al or the PR men may have changed the spelling of his nickname to
"Jazzbeaux" when he went to San Francisco.  Maybe the PR men thought
"Jazzbo" was not sophisticated enough for the San Francisco audiences :)

Hank Hinkel

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #303
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