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The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 177
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
re: Alan Reed [ Ben Ohmart <benohmart@[removed]; ]
A versatile Alan Kent [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
Re: 1937 Ohio River Flood [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
Don Herbert and Vic Hardy [ KENPILETIC@[removed] ]
6-16 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Foster Brooks [ "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@sbcglob ]
This week in radio history 17-23 Jun [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
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Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:51:47 -0400
From: Ben Ohmart <benohmart@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: re: Alan Reed
Someone just asked about Alan Reed. I'm trying to get
his son to cooperate on a book about his dad, but he's
a little busy so it's slow going. But sometime I hope
it will happen! He's got lots of stuff. Just thought
you'd be interested.
Ben Ohmart
[removed]
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Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:55:40 -0400
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: A versatile Alan Kent
This may be a postscript to the weeks of commentary on the Pepsi-Cola
jingle. I don't recall anyone mentioning that the author of those lyrics
was Alan B. Kent (and I apologize if I overlooked it if it's been covered
already). At the time he penned those infamous words (1941), Kent was
laboring for the Newell-Emmett advertising agency, which had the Pepsi
account. Legend has it that Kent adapted his lexis to a tune composed by
Austin Herbert Croom-Johnson from an old English hunting song, "D'ye Ken
John Peel?" The Tune Twisters comprised of Gene Lanham, Andy Love and Bob
Walker performed his jingle on radio at its launch.
While this accomplishment demonstrates Kent's marvelous capacity for
marketing salesmanship, his talent included speech as well as written
verbiage. Without any doubt, his laid-back delivery style when he became a
busy network announcer, proffering all sorts of wares on behalf of sundry
sposnors, embraced a conversational tone that was soothing, reassuring and
persuasive at the same time.
For years he recounted the salient points of Camay, "the mild beauty soap
for a smoother, softer complexion," literally as if he was sitting in
listeners' living rooms carrying on a conversation. Said he, rather of
matter-of-factly in one Pepper Young's Family commercial preserved on tape:
"You'll see a real improvement in your complexion if you'll change from
incorrect skin care to regular, mild Camay care. Just follow the Camay mild
soap diet. Directions are on the wrapper. And I promise ... you'll have a
lovelier-looking skin ... yes, a softer, a smoother complexion."
It was what the housewives wanted to hear to make them feel better about
their plights of daily drudgery in a pre-modern convenience era -- as well
as about themselves. And Kent sold billions of soap bars in those pithy
conversational exchanges.
This versatile individual was a regular on a handful of radio series, among
them: Blackstone, the Magic Detective; The Career of Alice Blair; Hobby
Lobby; The Old Gold Hour; Perry Mason; and several more. In addition to his
fluency in writing advertising copy, he was also a scriptwriter of note,
turning out lines for the characters of Duffy's Tavern to speak in the
1940s.
Alan Kent was born August 4, 1909 in Chicago. He died at 84 on December 4,
1993.
Jim Cox
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:07:57 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: 1937 Ohio River Flood
George Tirebiter wrote:
> There is an interesting article on the above subject here:
Let's give credit where it is due. That article is by Chris Chandler who
haunts this digest when he has time. Chris is now working for CNN Radio
in Atlanta having moved from WHAS in Louisville.
Jim Widner
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:11:37 -0400
From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Don Herbert and Vic Hardy
Hi Gang -
In issue 176, Irene Heinstein provided us with a link to Don Herbert's
Obituary (thank you).
The comment about Don Herbert being a writer for radio in Chicago reminded
me that
I seem to remember Don as a Radio Actor as well.
If my failing memory is correct, he played the role of Vic Hardy (aka "the
silencer") in the
"Jack Armstrong" series and "Armstrong of the SBI". Perhaps someone can
either confirm
or refute my memory. I don't recall seeing anything in print about this,
and I have not heard
any recordings of these programs.
When I was about 8 years old (around 1945) I heard the adventure where a
criminal known as
"The Silencer" appeared on the Jack Armstrong program. This criminal used a
gun that made
no noise, because it was equipped with a silencer (The first time I ever
heard of such a device).
and he himself became inown as "The Silencer". Jack Armstrong was
instrumental in capturing
him.
It turns out that "The Silencer" was actually a scientist who had earlier
got whacked on the head
and lost his memory. His amnesia lasted through several Armstrong episodes
where he commited
various crimes. When Jack and his friends captured him he got hit on the
head again and him memory
returned. He remembered his real name was Vic Hardy.
Vic repented, and turned into a hero in the series. He formed the
"Scientific Bureau of Investigation"
and after that the Jack Armstrong program became known as "Armstrong of the
SBI".
Am I the only one who remembers this? Hopefully someone else remembers the
series and perhaps
the "older kids" can fill in some of the blanks for the rest of us.
Primarily, I'd like to verify my belief
that Vic Hardy was played by Don Herbert.
Happy Taping -- Ken Piletic - Streamwood, Illinois (and Alma, Arkansas)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:32:47 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 6-16 births/deaths
June 16th births
06-16-1885 - Tom Howard - County Tyrone, Ireland - d. 2-27-1955
comedian: "It Pays to Be Ignorant"; "Sunday Night Party"
06-16-1890 - Stan Laurel - Ulverston, England - d. 2-23-1965
comedian: "Laurel and Hardy Show" Pilot, never broadcast
06-16-1892 - Al Llewelyn - d. 4-6-1964
comedian, singer: (Brad and Al) Heard over CBS and NBC
06-16-1895 - Murray Leinster - Norfolk, VA - d. 6-8-1975
writer: "Dimension X"
06-16-1898 - Harold McClinton - d. 6-xx-1977
producer: "This Is War"
06-16-1899 - Helen Traubel - St. Louis, MO - d. 7-28-1972
singer: "Metropolitan Opera"; "Telephone Hour"; "Jimmy Durante Show"
06-16-1903 - Louis Raderman - d. 10-xx-1974
musician: "The Ipana Troubadors"
06-16-1903 - Ona Munson - Portland, OR - d. 2-11-1955
actor: Lorelei Kilbourne "Big Town"
06-16-1907- Joan Winters - Dayton, OH - d. 1-1-2001
actor: Alice Ames "Girl Alone"; Sylvia Bertram "Road of Life"
06-16-1907 - Jack Albertson - Malden, MA - d. 11-25-1981
actor: "Milton Berle Show"; "Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show"; "Cavalcade
of America"
06-16-1907 - Stuart Allen - NYC - d. 10-xx-1978
baritone: (Richard Himber Orchestra) "The Monday Night Show"
06-16-1912 - Ilona Massey - Budapest, Hungary - d. 8-20-1974
actor: Mata Hari-style operative in World War II "Top Secret";
"Screen Guild Theatre"
06-16-1914 - Edward Gruskin - d. 11-15-2005
writer: "Nick Carter, Master Detective"; "Rendezvous in Paris"
06-16-1916 - Stanley Niss - Illinois - d. 7-21-1969
writer, director: "Counterspy"; "Gang Busters"; "Twenty-First Precinct"
06-16-1919 - Al Viola - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-21-2007
guitarist: "Elgin Thanksgiving Day Greeting to America"
06-16-1920 - Amy Sedell - NYC
actor: "Pretty Kitty Kelly"; "Gangbusters"; "Big Sister"
June 16th deaths
01-06-1914 - George Reeves - Woolstock, IA - d. 6-16-1959
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Crime Does Not Pay"
02-10-1905 - Chick Webb - d. 6-16-1939
bandleader: "Chick Webb and His Orhestra"
02-11-1905 - Liebert Lombardo - London, Canada - d. 6-16-1993
musician: (Guy Lombardo's Orchestra) "Lady Esther Serenade"
02-14-1913 - Mel Allen - Birmingham, AL - d. 6-16-1996
sportscaster, announcer: "White Owl Sports Smoker"; "Truth or
Consequences"
02-16-1937 - Gary Barkdoll - d. 6-16-2001
disk jockey: WAYZ Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
02-29-1920 - Arthur Franz - Perth Amboy, NJ - d. 6-16-2006
actor: In radio following WWII
04-01-1908 - Bob Nolan - New Brunswick, Canada - d. 6-16-1980
singer: (Sons of the Pioneers) "The Roy Rogers Show"
04-03-1921 - George Bauer - d. 6-16-2004
announcer, newscaster: "Chicago Theatre of the Air"
04-28-1882 - Henry Bellamann - Fulton, MO - d. 6-16-1945
author: "King's Row" based on his novel
08-02-1913 - Hal Block - d. 6-16-1981
writer, panelist: "Burns and Allen"; "Milton Berle Show"; "What's My
Line"
08-07-1911 - Nicholas Ray - Galesville, WI - d. 6-16-1979
director: Free lance
08-16-1891 - Harry V. "Pappy" Cheshire - Emporia, KS - d. 6-16-1968
actor: "The Old Corral"
10-13-1896 - Jack Shilkret - NYC - d. 6-16-1964
orchestra leader: "Bond Bread Show"; "Let's Be Charming"; "Tea Time
Tunes"
11-20-1891 - Reginald Denny - Richmond, Surrey, England - d. 6-16-1967
actor: "Cavalcade of America"; "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Texaco Star
Theatre"
Ron Sayles
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 01:05:56 -0400
From: "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Foster Brooks
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
I knew very little about Foster Brooks' radio career before he became famous
as a comedian with his drunk routine, so the WHAS incident was something I did
not know about. But, I knew from the [removed] site that Brooks was an air
personality on KHJ radio in Los Angeles in 1962, probably on a music/DJ
program.
Jim Hilliker
Monterey, CA
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
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Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:47:11 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 17-23 June
From Those Were The Days --
6/18
1939 - CBS aired The Adventures of Ellery Queen for the first time. An
interesting twist came near the end of the program when the show was
stopped to allow a panel of experts to guess the solution of the night's
mystery.
1961 - Gunsmoke was broadcast for the last time on CBS. The show had
been on for nine years. It was called the first adult Western. The star
of Gunsmoke was William Conrad.
6/19
1934 - The [removed] Congress established the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). The task of the commission was to regulate radio
broadcasting.
6/23
1933 - The Pepper Pot program welcomed a new host. Don McNeill took over
the show and renamed it The Breakfast Club. The show, a huge success for
the NBC Blue and later, ABC, became one of the longest-running radio
programs in history. The show aired with McNeill as host until December
27, 1968. The Breakfast Club was a morning show that had its share of
corny jokes, visiting celebrities and lots of audience participation.
1941 - Front Page Farrell was heard for the first time on Mutual. In
1942, the program moved to NBC and stayed on the air until 1954. Sally
and David Farrell were the central characters.
1947 - Wendy Warren and the News debuted on CBS. The broadcasts
continued until 1958. No, the program was not a newscast, in the
traditional sense. It was a serial -- one of many of the time. The
unique thing about this particular show, however, was that Wendy Warren
and the News did utilize a real three-minute newscast to open the show.
The newscaster, delivering the news as part of the show, chose not to
stay in the entertainment side of radio, but continued to be a true
journalist and a legend at CBS. That newsman was Douglas Edwards.
Joe
--
Visit my homepage: [removed]~[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #177
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