Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #11
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/11/2002 8:13 AM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2002 : Issue 11
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Lux Radio Theatre                     [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Godfrey's slide trombonists           [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Visual stunts on radio                [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Re: Casablanca                        [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
  Burma Shave signs                     [ "Doug Leary" <doug@[removed]; ]
  CBS Studio Building                   [ dougdouglass@[removed] ]
  RE: Transcribed                       [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
  Radio related cartoons.               [ "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-self ]
  Swor and Lubin                        [ sfx-meow@[removed] (Ray Erlenborn) ]
  Inner Sanctum / Molle Mystery Theate  [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  Unissued Correll & Gosden             [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  More anent OTR caricatures            [ leemunsick@[removed] ]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 13:55:42 -0500
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Lux Radio Theatre

There is a story about the "Lux Radio Theatre" form The Economist
magazine of December 20, 2001 at:

[removed]

Can someone identify the people in the "Hollywood Hotel" photo?  It
looks like Louella Parsons and Bette Davis in the center.

If as the article says, all the NYC Lux programs except one are gone,
that is indeed sad news.  Just last month I had gotten a listing of ten
NYC Lux programs that recording artist Billy Murray had appeared on and
I was hoping someone would have them.

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 15:50:48 -0500
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Godfrey's slide trombonists

From: leemunsick@[removed]
One was Sy Shaffer, the trombonist who for years, numerous times
each day, provided that famous sliding note into the Godfrey
themesong, Carmen Lombardo's famous "Seems Like Old Times", made
a hit by that constant exposure. ...  Later on, Sy left the Godfrey
stable to become musical director of the Vienna State Opera!

I had thought it was always Lou McGarity on the trombone, but I guess
that was in the years after Sy left.  If I remember correctly, Lou was
the same age as Godfrey and died around 1970--and that this jarred
Godfrey into thinking about his own mortality and led him to finally
retire.

Sy was that silly voice on the record of the "Too Fat Polka",
one third of "The Cherry Sisters", the novelty trio on many of
the Godfrey recordings, consisting of Sy, clarinetist Johnny Mince,
and band leader/arranger Archie Bleyer (later of Cadence Record Fame).

I don't think any of us knew this--I better tell the guys over on the
78-L!

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 15:51:29 -0500
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Visual stunts on radio

From: Joe Mackey--Today in Radio History
1943 - The quiz show, The Better Half, was first heard on Mutual
radio this day. The program brought four married couples to compete
in stunts involving traditional concepts of,‘manhood’ and ‘womanhood’.

I've been wondering if recordings of this show exist.  There is a film
of a portion of it in the post-war March of Time film "Radio Today".
Although some of the parts of this film are staged and are not real
broadcasts (such as the soap opera segment often seen in other
documentaries supposedly as a real soap) this part of film looks like a
legit broadcast.  But it is of a stunt that is so visual, like a "Beat
the Clock" stunt, it would be interesting to hear how it would go across
on radio.  The man is inside a dog house and the wife is on the roof of
the house ready to hit him with a rubber baseball bat if he puts his
head out the door or window.  Then they win the radio-phono combination
and they point to it like they always did to prizes on "Let's Make A
Deal".  But so many of the stunts on "Truth or Consequences" and "People
Are Funny" were also active and visual, I guess they did have the knack
of letting us know enough of what was happening--those two shows I
listend to a lot.

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 16:05:00 -0500
From: Ga6string@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Casablanca

Re: Alan Ladd and Hedy Lamarr in Casablanca, Lux Radio Theater, 1/24/44.

What I found fascinating about this performance was that -- while this movie
is usually considered the ultimate Bogart film -- in this performance it's
not Bogart that I miss, but Bergman! I never fully appreciated how perfect
she was for this role, given her sense of grace, her reserve, her uncertainly
over her romantic [removed] until I heard this version, in which Hedy
Lamarr oversells her part (IMHO) just enough to make something feel
not-quite-right. Did anyone else get that impression?Meanwhile, Ladd is no
Bogie, but I thought he was more than adequate in his role.

Bryan Powell

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 17:46:12 -0500
From: "Doug Leary" <doug@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Burma Shave signs

Tons of examples are available here, indexed by year (thank god for people
who have way too much spare time)

[removed]~dgookin/burma_shave/

Doug Leary

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 17:51:28 -0500
From: dougdouglass@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: CBS Studio Building

Lee Munsick must've "misheard" me :)
The building still stands, though in a different form.  In 1908, 49 East
52nd Street was built as a guest house for the Vanderbilt family, who
sold it in 1924 to the Juilliard School of Music. CBS bought the
building in 1938, creating a facility in the Art Deco style.  It was
called "the last word in broadcast design" when the studios opened in
1940. The final program to originate here was "CBS Radio Mystery
Theatre" into the '80s.  "49" was sold again and in 1996 was renovated
as headquarters of a construction firm, with facade in the style of
Vanderbilt's 1908 guest house.

---Doug

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 17:52:52 -0500
From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE: Transcribed

Jim Murtaugh <JimM@[removed]; writes:

I have been listening to a run of the Great Gildersleeve, and the
announcer says that
the show is "partially transcribed". What exactly does that mean? What
parts of the show >would be transcribed, and what wouldn't?

Later in the run of "Gildersleeve," economies required that the show be
produced without a live orchestra. Thus, later episodes with Willard
Waterman contain pre-recorded musical themes and bridges.

If you listen to a batch of these shows all at once, the repetitive bridges
will become rather annoying - primarily because there simply wasn't enough
of them with suitable variations to fit all the dramatic transitions in the
show. Thus, one bridge - a deeply mournful lament that musically indicates
great tragic emotional let-down - is used repeatedly, no matter how
inappropriate. Leroy's late for supper? Dirge. Marjorie is away for the
evening? Dirge.

>From the tone of this mournful piece, you'd think Summerfield had burned to
the ground, Leroy had been run down by a bus, Marjorie had taken to drink,
and Peavey had been arrested for pushing Hadacol to the Junior High crowd!
No wonder folks like Elliott Lewis continued to push for live music - *any*
live music, no matter how sparce - on the remaining radio anthology series.

I expect also that "partially transcribed" would indicate pre-recorded
commercials as well, but I don't recall this being the case with the
"Gildersleeve" shows I refer to here. However, it has been awhile since
I've heard them so I could be mistaken.

Harlan

Harlan Zinck
First Generation Radio Archives [removed]
Want our free newsletter? mailto:newsletter@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 19:07:49 -0500
From: "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio related cartoons.

Two, both Warners, come to mind immediatly.

1)  Daffy The Commando (1943)  Daffy is being chased by a german soldier
of some sort, who through some circumstances runs into a phone booth.  He
picks up the reciever and barks the [removed]"Hello!  Jules!  I vant you
[removed], is vat you Mert?"

2)  The Mouse That Jack Built (1958 or so)  The Jack Benny cast as mice.
'Nuff said.  If anyone has a copy of this one, I would love to have it.

rodney.

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 19:48:20 -0500
From: sfx-meow@[removed] (Ray Erlenborn)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Swor and Lubin

I worked in 1920's Vaudeville, and as I remember, at the [removed] Hippodrome
Theater on Main Street, I worked with a Blackface team called "Swor and
Good".
Yes, one of them, as I recall used a stutter. I did hear the team in
radio, later and presumed that Good had merely changed his name.
(Vaudeville teams often changed their names giving the bookers the idea
it was a new act they were sending out to California theaters.)
In the 30,s, when I was MCing and writing the "Marco Dog and Cat food
Juvenile Review" on KNX/radio, I stole a few of their jokes and also any
other "Witty Sayings"   I recalled from my vaudeville days. Also, as I
recall, Swor ad Good dressed as a Dude and a Tramp.
I miss the Black Face and other Ethnic comics of the old days!
Ray.

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

Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 23:25:09 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Inner Sanctum / Molle Mystery Theater

Ryan O asked:
I heard my first episode of the Molle Mystery Theater last weekend.  It was
called, "Talk Them to Death."  I was quite impressed!  I'm wondering if
anyone out there can tell me more about this show.  Is it worth collecting,
or is it of the cheap horror caliber of Inner Sanctum?

First off, Molle Mystery Theater underwent numerous changes as the years
passed.  The first few years was merely an anthology of mysteries ranging
from a Fu Manchu and Philip Marlowe novels, [removed] Jacobs and Cornell Woolrich
short stores, and scripts from other mystery programs (some included the
very scripts previously performed on Inner Sanctum).

THE MOLLE MYSTERY THEATRE
Episode #178  "TALK THEM TO DEATH"  Broadcast on June 27, 1947.
Starring: Ralph Bell, Mary Shipp and Everett Sloane
Script written by Walter Brown Newman.
Music composed and conducted by Alexander Semmler.
Broadcast originating from New York.  Host: Bernard Lenrow
Sponsored by Molle Shave Cream, Sterling Drugs, and Ironized Yeast.
Dan Seymour is the announcer.
Trivia: This episode is also known as "Murder Under the Big Top".

Regarding the Inner Sanctum series by comparison, there was a big difference
(besides the fact that Molle didn't have a jovial host making jokes like
Tales from the Crypt's Crypt Keeper).  Molle offered serious mysteries
written by masters of suspense such as Agatha Christie, Anthony Boucher,
Oliver Onions and Lawrence Blockman.  Inner Sanctum only offered original
stories (very rarely offering adaptations and those were mostly Edgar Allan
Poe stories).  The early episodes of Inner Sanctum (primarily the first four
seasons) were especially creepy, using real horror playing out the tension
between the opener and solution.  The later episodes (about the time Lipton
took over sponsorship) were more mystery than horror.  So there is a
difference.

To name examples of some of the early horror Inner Sanctum notables:

Episode #141  "MR. ZENITH"  Broadcast September 11, 1943.
Starring: Leslie Woods and Santos Ortega
Produced and directed by Himan Brown.
Sponsored by Colgate Palmolive Shave Cream.
Host: Raymond Edward Johnson
Plot:  A creepy tale concerning a cool character who got that way by being a
bit on the shady side.  Mr. Zenith is on the trail of a precious jewel box
which was stolen from a mountain temple in Nepal.  As guardian spirit of the
mountain Kajeeling, he is quite accustomed to putting the finger of death on
anyone who evokes his displeasure.  And the results of this instance are
solid - frozen solid.

Episode #81  "THE GARDEN OF DEATH"  Broadcast July 19, 1942.
Starring: Elsie Hitz and Karl Swenson
Produced and directed by Himan Brown.
Sponsored by Lever Brothers.
Host: Raymond Edward Johnson
Plot:  Swenson plays a mad botanist-scientist engaged in the art of
transforming sweet smelling roses into horrible monsters which devour little
children and old ladies.

Episode #31  "THE TELL-TALE HEART"  Broadcast August 3, 1941.
Starring Boris Karloff, Everett Sloane and Santos Ortega.
Hell, you all know the plot, just imagine Boris Karloff as the killer whose
madness grows, as does the sound of the beating heart.  This episode exists
on tape and comes highly recommended.  Creepy.

Episode #101  "THE MUMMY'S CURSE"  Broadcast on December 6, 1942.
Starring: Arnold Moss and Ann Seymour
Written exclusively for Inner Sanctum by Milton Lewis.
Produced and directed by Himan Brown.
Sponsored by Lever Brothers.
Host: Raymond Edward Johnson
Plot:  A truly "petrifying" story with a harrowing whodunit with Arnold Moss
playing the role of a revenge-mad Egyptian scientist who has discovered the
ancient formula used by the Pharoahs for embalming and mummifying the dead.
He gets wrapped up in his work and by aventing fancied wrongs and killing
off a few of his imagined enemies, and embalms them and ships them home for
posterity.  When his wife, the lovely pawn of his evil mechinations,
discovers what the turbaned terror is doing, she finds herself the next
[removed]

So as you can see, compared to demon plants, werewolves, vampires and mad
Egyptian mummies, Molle Mystery Theatre was far more tame.  But I wouldn't
want to label Inner Sanctum as "cheap horror caliber" - it did cover a lot
of horror ground.
Martin

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:57:55 -0500
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Unissued Correll & Gosden

When I saw the list of Sam 'n' Henry bianaries a few days ago I also
immediately realized they were the Victor records, not broadcasts.  But
I took the easy way out and let Elizabeth answer because I knew she
would anyway.  But after looking at her answer I realized that none of
us had yet checked with BMG to see whether any masters of the unissued
recordings or alternate takes of the issued recordings still exist.

So I emailed a friend at BMG who came up with some exciting news.  There
are some masters of unissued titles and alternate takes still in the
Victor vault.  To keep this readable I won't include the matrix numbers
here, but anybody who wants them can get them from me.

Of the comedy routines, takes one of both unissued routines recorded on
July 6, 1927 exist, "Sam 'n' Henry Playing Poker" and "Sam 'n' Henry
Explaining Expenses".  Unfortunately there are no masters for the other
unissued routines: "Sam 'n' Henry At the Shooting Gallery" of 20 April
1926, "Sam 'n' Henry In Court (Violating Traffic Regulations)" and "Sam
'n' Henry Driving In Traffic" both from 7 Oct 1926, and the last two Sam
'n' Henry recordings made on 8 December 1927--the final month of the
radio series--"The Doctor Calls On Sam" and "Henry Talks To Sam On
Business".

There is an alternate take for "Sam's Big Night" of 7 July 1927, "The
Presidential Election--Parts 1 and 2" of 17 July 1928, "I'se Regusted
(Take Off That Shoe)" of 4 April 1930, and TWO alternate takes of the
final Victor recording "Check And Double Check (In The Gymnasium)" of
the same date.  These alternate takes could show the team's working
relationship in this early era.

They also recorded many songs, and on a few of them they are "assisted
by Sam 'n' Henry" or they talk to each other in their regular speaking
voices.  There are masters for four unissued songs in the vault, and I
know Elizabeth will be very excited to know that takes one of their
first two recordings exist!  That's "Blinky Moon Bay" and "The Kinky
Kids' Parade" of 21 December 1925.  The latter of these two has been
discussed by Elizabeth as one of Gosden and Correll's first big
successes on Chicago radio.  Here in Kentucky I take pleasure in noting
that take 2 exists of "Just A Bird's Eye View Of My Old Kentucky Home"
from 25 Sept 1926.  Lastly, take 1 of "Liza" exists from 4 December
1927.  Until these four masters are heard we have no way of knowing
whether or not they talk on these in their own voices or perhaps as Sam
'n' Henry.  "Liza" is particularly interesting becuase not only was this
song an important part of the career of Al Jolson, the name of Sam's
girlfriend back in Birmingham is Liza.

There is an alternate take for each of these songs: "Let's Talk About My
Sweetie" of 2 March 1926 which was "assisted by Sam 'n' Henry" in the
issued take, "I Found A Round-About Way To Heaven" and "Georgiana" both
of 26 May 1926, "I Never Knew What The Moonlight Could Do" and "I Just
Wanna Be Known As Susie's Feller" both of 29 Sept 1926, "No Wonder I'm
Happy" and "Somebody And Me" both of 6 July 1927, and "What'll You Do"
and "Oh! Look At That Baby" both of 4 Dec 1927.  These alternate takes
would be interesting to show if they alter any spoken patter.

Unfortunately that leaves a few unissued songs with no existing masters
or copies.  "Where'd You Get Those Eyes" and "When The Red Red Robin
Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along" both of 26 May 1926, and "Changes" of 4 Dec
1927.

The titles I didn't mention here either have no masters in the vault (5
issued sides) or the masters are of the issued takes (15 issued sides).
All in all we are amazed that so many unissued and alternate takes
exist.  The only problem is that we might never get to hear them.  You
see, this is the difference between the archive of a private company and
that of a public institution like the Library of Congress or the
National Archives.  These masters exist for the use of BMG only.  So the
only way these can be even heard would be if there would be a good
reason--such as a reissue.  With all of the controversy it would be
impossible to imagine BMG ever considering reissueing any of these.
They did reissue "The Dairy" back in the 1960s on an RCA Victor Vintage
Series album of comedy records, and I seem to recall an issue of at
least part of "The Presidental Election" but that's all that has been
done legitimately in 70 years.  Our only hope, perhaps, is that
Elizabeth will find a publisher to publish a book of all of her research
who would also want to finance a companion CD that would include all of
this unissued material as bait.  C'mon Elizabeth, how 'bout it?

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:58:42 -0500
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: More anent OTR caricatures

Thanks to Hal Stone for his disclosure of a series of NBC caricatures by an
artist whose name I hope someone here will recall.  I have several of
them.  When I can find and unpack them, I can identify the artist, if that
hasn't already been posted here.

Al Hirschfeld did many such items for CBS, I would guess in the
1950s.  Probably the one most of us will recognize is Jack Benny.  His was
used as the opening slide on the Benny TV programs for years, and in most
of the circulating videos I've ever seen of his shows.  The same holds true
of the famous Alfred Hitchcock profile on his programs, which I'm fairly
sure was by Hirschfeld.  If it wasn't, it was an emulation!  The [removed]
series included virtually every major CBS performer of that late
radio/early TV era.

Many Hirschfeld items have been published in albums.  A few years back, an
auction house had a major sale of his items, which was preceded by a
substantial catalog showing many of them.  Anything by this prolific artist
commands a substantial price.

I believe the CBS originals were all in black and white. They included Ed
Sullivan, Garry Moore, and Arthur Godfrey.  Hirschfeld also did at least
one Godfrey portrait for a TV Guide cover, which leads me to believe there
were undoubtedly many of other TV performers, a lot of whom were or had
been radio stars.  There may have been other Godfrey Hirschfeld covers; Mr.
G was featured on TV Guide with 16 or more covers, more than anyone else
except Lucille Ball, who exceeded him by several more.

This may be a good opportunity to remind readers that CBS was not at all
sure of the "I Love Lucy" show because of their wariness of Desi Arnaz.  So
CBS flooded the air waves with publicity about the show in advance of its
premiere, and just in case, put it on the air in the best possible lead-in
situation they could find:  right after the top-rated Arthur Godfrey's
Talent Scouts.  Some time later, it would take the popularity of the Lucy
show to which it helped contribute, for the Talent Scouts program to be
nudged into second place by the Lucy show.  BTW, dare I assume that these
readers know that Lucille Ball was NOT a redhead?

TV Guide is of course that venerable descendant from the original Radio
Guide, of the same format but larger size.  Like at every other major
magazine and newspaper in the 1950s, its editors realized that by putting
Arthur Godfrey on their cover, they could sell out a substantially
increased press run, and attract more than their usual quota of
advertisers, often at increased rates.  It was virtually impossible to
enter a news or magazine store in the 1950s without seeing Godfrey's mug
staring out of the cover of several magazines.  On many of them, Mr.
Godfrey is on the cover in a picture and/or headline, but the story inside
is actually about Janette Davis, Frank Parker, Marion Marlowe, Tony Marvin,
The Chordettes, McGuire Sisters, or others of the "Little Godfreys".

Clever idea, what?  Sell more copies!  Attract more listeners!  Con more
people!  Isn't it strange that the media of today don't do things like
that.  Harrumpff!

Good hunting!  Lee Munsick

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #11
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