------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 94
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Re: Violence In OTR [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Packing & Shipping Old Recordings [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
Johnson Family [ William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed]; ]
Decoder Rings [ "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed] ]
William Shatner [ "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed] ]
HOW MANY LONE RANGER EPISODES? [ Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@doityours ]
Three-Decoder-Ring Circus [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
A Few Requests; [ "Jeff G" <jeffg@[removed]; ]
Knotted Note Radio link [ "Irene Heinstein" <[removed] ]
Who was it? [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; ]
Similarities [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
Of Welles and Wines [ "Dave Walter" <fredallenfan@hotmail ]
Franklyn MacCormack, more found ! [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
The Monkey's Paw [ "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-self ]
The Lone Ranger, Secret Agent [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Yes, Warren there is a decoder ring [ "Irene Heinstein" <[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 11:38:36 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Violence In OTR
On 3/5/02 10:30 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:
These days, there seems to be lots of talk about too much violence in the
media. Were there similar comments made about radio programs?
Violence in children's programming was condemned and criticised thruout
the OTR era, with afternoon adventure serials targeted almost
continuously by "concerned parents" groups. An interesting overview of
the situation can be found in the 10/3/36 issue of "Radio Guide," in an
article entitled "DON'T Frighten The Kiddies," by reporter Julian Funt.
Some quotes:
"It's no simple tug of war between sponsors who want to sell products and
who realize that children turn up their noses at wishy washy programs and
psychologists who know the effects of horror and excitement on
impressionable youngsters. It's more of a free-for-all! Sponsors know
that adventure, excitement and thrills must be present in moderation if
children are to listen to the radio at all.
"Broadcasting stations have not only a social responsiblity, but a
financial investment. Existing contracts, conflicting 'expert' testimony
on what is likely to shock little Johnny and what isn't, hundreds of
letters of condemnation or approval of a single program -- these make for
a rought-and-tumble fight in which there is plenty of excitement, a lot
of significance, and no small share of absurdity."
****
"There have been too many horror stories on the air. There have been too
many programs which treated the subjects of gangsterism, crime, deep
mystery, ghosts, sentimental love, unreal and impossible adventures. Left
unchecked, these programs could become a real menace to children.
"A few years ago a study was made of the effect of the movies on
children. It was found that many an escapade which had landed a child in
a reformatory had been borrowed intact from a movie. These escapades
included thievery as well as other crimes.
"To prevent such a state of affairs in radio, a number of powerful child
welfare groups -- among them the National Council for Radio in Education,
the Child Study Association, the American Library Association, and the
Progressive Education Association -- as well as the industry itself, have
taken definite steps toward child program control."
****
"The Bobby Benson program used to have a great deal of gunplay, fights,
hectic adventure. Now the action is much slower, and gunplay is almost
nonexistent.
"There has been a veritable revolution in detective scripts for children.
You don't kill the villian any more. You outwit him.
"Horror, such as it is, is out. No more can such sounds as the groans of
dying men, the wail of ghosts, or the blood-curding cries of vampires be
heard from the studios of the big stations.
"Some shows which were particularly hard-hit by the new regulations have
had to leave the air. 'Chandu the Magician' and 'Buck Rogers' are two
outstanding examples. Others left the networks for less strict stations:
the transfer of 'Dick Tracy' from Columbia to WOR is an example."
****
"Virtue may be on the side of the broadcasting studios in their search
for psychologically sound programs for children -- but apparently it
comes at the usual high price. Kiddies' attitude toward radio programs
seems to be very much like their attitude toward spinach. It may be good
for them, but it doesn't mean they like it.
"Dick Tracy, in his hunt for robbers and murderers may not be what the
psychologists ordered (there's too much action and too much excitement).
Wilderness Road, where every historical detail is correct and where,
although Daniel Boone is a leading character, not a single Indian has
'bit the dust' (the only Indian who was hurt so far slipped on a log!)
may have been selected by the Women's National Radio Committee as a model
program for children -- but the fact remains that Dick Tracy is wowing
them and Wilderness Road is still sponsorless."
****
The "concerned parents" movement seriously influenced the tone of
children's radio up until the war years -- but with the war, kids'
programming again became increasingly violent, and the protests picked up
again as well. The peak of violent content in children's radio during
this era may have been the "Atom Man" storyline in "The Adventures of
Superman" in 1945 -- Mason Adams screaming "DIE SUPERMAN DIE!" over and
over again is a scene which would probably rouse protests even today, and
as a result of such scenes "Superman" was roundly condemned as the most
violent childrens' program on the air by a coalition of psychologists and
parents' groups. Appeasing these protesters was probably the main reason
"Superman" suddenly took on a serious, constructive, socially-conscious
tone during the postwar years.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 11:38:51 -0500
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Packing & Shipping Old Recordings
Ed Carr wrote for ideas in shipping glass-base ETs.
I have prepared a monograph on shipping antique and fragile disc
recordings, based on over 50 years of shipping and receiving such.
Should anyone wish a copy of this, please contact me off-list. I'll be
happy to Email a copy. I'm always open to additional suggestions or
questions. Good luck!
Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 11:39:19 -0500
From: William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Johnson Family
Someone was wondering about the "Johnson Family" program. Actually there
were two different programs by that name. The first was a family singing
group that broadcast on WBT in Charlotte (?). You may have seen me
chatting with one of the daughters, Betty, a couple of years ago at FOTR
in Newark. Betty sang on a Saturday morning Galen Drake show along with
former big band singer, Stuart Foster, that I did.
The other Johnson Family was my old friend, Cliff Johnson, who along with
his wife Lou and their three little daughters, did a morning talk show
from around the breakfast table at his home. CBS O&O, WBBM, originated
that program to the full CBS netwwork. Cliff was the announcer with me
the summer of 1946 when we were on Catalina Island originating the nitely
dance band remotes from the Casino. We were also the summer replacement
for "Bob Elson on the Twentieth Century", a WBBM origination on CBS. Bob
interviewed famous people who were travelling East on the Century. Cliff
interviewed famous people who were visiting Catalina Island. Last time I
saw Cliff was when I was doing a convention from Chicago. I think it was
1968. He died not long after that. The yougest of those three little
daughters was born in the hospital on Catalina Island, while we were
there.
Cliff was a fun guy with a great sense of humor. I was proud to have him
as a friend.
Bill Murtough
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:36:38 -0500
From: "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Decoder Rings
When we talk [removed] are generally talking about the Orphan
Annie, Captain Midnight and Tom Mix decoder badges.
I know for a fact that Ovaltine never offered a decoder RING on any of their
radio shows. Recently they did offer a decoder ring on jars of Ovaltine,
but that had nothing to do with the glory days of OTR.
Tom Mix offered one decoder badge and Orphan Annie offered quite a few
before Captain Midnight edged her off radio.
In all my collector books, I have never seen a true decoder ring offered by
any OTR show.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:37:08 -0500
From: "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: William Shatner
I remember Mr. Shatner when he was pretty [removed] When I was at ABC-TV
Hlyd, in the early sixties there was a pilot done for a period
[removed] like Alexander the Great or some such other historical
character. At that time Shatner was in contention for the lead and he
excercised and built his bulk up considerably. The show never was sold and
evidently he was never able to take the extra weight off successfully and
the muscle turned to just excess weight which he battled from then on.
On Star Trek, he never was admired for his upstaging antics by his fellow
supporting cast members and that can be read in their biographies.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:50:58 -0500
From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];
To: "Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: HOW MANY LONE RANGER EPISODES?
In th last Digest, Glenn Alexander asked how many Lone Ranger episodes were
broadcast. I can't tell you that - but - in Jon Swartz's book, 'Handbook Of
Old-Time Radio,' he has listed that over 600 episodes are available to
collectors. Now how many are missing is anyone's guess. Does any one have
the complete number to help Glenn? Thanks
Kevin Michaels
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 14:13:04 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Three-Decoder-Ring Circus
Anent Decoder Rings, Warren Jones notes,
All that is needed to disprove the remark that there were never any
decoder rings offered on OTR is for someone who has such a ring to step
forward. (It only takes one.) Surely, there is someone here who can
debunk the debunker.
I did not make that assertion lightly. As collateral research for my
book, I also did a rather in-depth study of cryptological premiums, not
restricted to Captain Midnight, or even OTR, but also including
television, cereal-box, and comic-book cryptographic equipment. Those
curious can check the journal Cryptologia (Vol. 6, No. 4, October 1982)
that has a paper of mine, "A Child's Garden of Cryptography" (pp-368 -
377).
However, If no one does, I'll still continue to believe that such
things really existed.
There were decoder rings, just not OTR. The closest thing an OTR premium
had was the 1937 Radio Orphan Annie Silver Star Secret Message Ring,
which has an encrypted message on its top that can be deciphered by that
year's Sunburst Decoder Club Pin (for the ROA Secret Society). The ring
couldn't "decode" anything, but at least had a connection to a "decoder."
Decoder Rings postdated the OTR period, though not by much. Among those
offered were the PF tennis shoes Magic Decoder Ring, the Chex Secret
Agent Decoder Ring, the Popper Decoder Ring (from Rice Krispies), etc.
Some of these cereal items pop up from time to time on auctions such as
eBay.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 17:07:13 -0500
From: "Jeff G" <jeffg@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: A Few Requests;
Hi all;
I was wondering if anyone out there had Mp3 cd's of the any of the following
series:
Molle Mystery Theatre
Mysterious Traveler
Quiet Please
The Sealed Book
The Danny Kaye Show
Adventures of Archie Andrews
If someone can help me out with any of those requests, please contact me at
jeffg@[removed] and we can perhaps set up a trade or something to that
effect!
Happy March Break Listening!
jeff
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 17:31:40 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Knotted Note Radio link
I just found this website which has an extensive playlist. This is
probably old news to many of you but for those who weren't aware of this
website I enclose the link to the page which lists the current rotation
which includes 100+ programs.
Unfortunately they don't seem to have a playlist schedule of that rotation.
Right now it's Sherlock Holmes, the last 2 tracks were X Minus One and The
Weird Circle. It doesn't say what's next.
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 17:47:07 -0500
From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Who was it?
Thanks to all who replied both on the list and via email about
Richard Crenna. - Bill
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 20:08:05 -0500
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Similarities
I can see why Jim Cox thinks there are some similarities
between some popular songs of the radio era and some
which were heard on the radio. Some did actually have similar
tempos. The Lustre Creme Shampoo ad is a good example,
but there's another one with a similar tempo which you may have
forgotten.
"Toy Land": "Toy Land, Toy Land. Beautiful Girl and Boy Land."
"School Days": "School days, school days. Old and golden rule days."
"Lustre Creme Shampoo": "Dream girl, dream girl. Beautiful Lustre
Creme girl. You owe your shining glory to Lustre Creme Shampoo."
Some of the skits used on radio were used (I MHO) as the basis
for some of the most memorable moments on early television. Think
about it. Does anyone recall the "Guzzler's Gin" sketch performed
by Red Skelton? It may just be me, but aren't there some striking
similarities between it and a popular sketch from early television called
"Vitameatavegamin" as performed by Lucille Ball on "I Love Lucy"?
Think about it:
"Guzzler's Gin" was an alcohol product being sold by commercial
to the public by a rookie who, in the sketch, was new to commercials.
He (Red Skelton) started with a shot glass of the product, then more,
until
he finally wound up drinking the product straight from the bottle.
"Vitameatavegamin" was an alcohol based, health tonic being sold
through a television commercial by a rookie (Lucy). She started with a
teaspoon
of the product, then more, until she finally tossed the spoon and drank
it
straight from the bottle.
Wasn't the "Guzzler's Gin" sketch copyrighted by Skelton? If
so, how
was Lucille Ball able to almost replicate the sketch, sip for sip, on
television?
Just thought I'd ask.
Kenneth Clarke
kclarke5@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 20:49:57 -0500
From: "Dave Walter" <fredallenfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Of Welles and Wines
Mark Reesor <mrees@[removed]; quotes Kevin Michaels and responds:
The third one, although not a program
sponsor, did have a running commercial by Orson Welles that ended with:.
. .
"Paul Monet will sell NO [removed] its time!"
That winery was actually Paul _Masson_, not Monet.
Which brings to mind the SCTV (or was it Wayne and Shuster) satire of the
commercial, which showed Welles delivering the line, "... will sell no wine
before it's time" and then turns offscreen and asks "what time is it?"
Someone says "3 o:clock" and Welles says "it's time!"
I recall that as being a Johnny Carson "Tonight Show" gag. SCTV did,
however, have John Candy incorporate lines of the infamous Welles voice-over
outtakes (the argument with a seemingly inept commercial director about how
to phrase certain words in the text of a frozen vegetable spot) into one
sketch. The gag is incredibly dull if you're unfamiliar with the tape, but
if you've been acquainted with that tape, the bit is a howl and a half. (The
cartoon "Pinky & The Brain" also did this once, and in fact the Brain
character is itself a spoof of Welles' image.)
There was also the SCTV episode that spoofed Orwell's 1984, with Welles'
face as the image of Big Brother.
I haven't noticed if this has also been brought up, but Cresta Blanca was
also a sponsor of "This is My Best," on which Welles did some of his better
radio work.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:36:51 -0500
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Franklyn MacCormack, more found !
While going thru some of my 78s, I found more of Franklyn MacCormack! These
are on Columbia Electrical Transcriptions, 78 rpm, 12" discs pressed in vinyl
(or some kind of plastic). Here are the contents of the cassette I dubbed
from the discs:
1. Shepherd psalm: Psalms 23, 100, 121
2. Shepherds and the angel
3. Wise men and the star
4. Resurrection
5. American patriots speak (quotations from famous Americans)
6. Republic for which it stands
7. Flag of the USA
8. Lincoln's Gettysburg address
The last two have been mentioned here before. Most of these discs sound
nearly as good as LPs. Total time is about 35:00. Anyone who wants a copy
of this cassette, write me at my email address.
Ted Kneebone
1528 S. Grant St., Aberdeen, SD 57401 / 605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 23:37:14 -0500
From: "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Monkey's Paw
Does anyone know of a radio adaption of the short story The Monkey's Paw?
My brother is reading it in school, and I thought for sure there was a
CBS RMT episode of it, but a quick check of my log proves me wrong. I
still thought there was one done. Nightfall maybe?
rodney.
Past Tense Productions
Carrying Old Radio related films, and Hal Roach shorts, for $7 per tape.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 08:54:44 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Lone Ranger, Secret Agent
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 00:34:36 -0500
From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];
Shortly after the outbreak of WW II, when most of our OTR Programs were
geared to the War effort and used as propaganda mechanism,
I'm rather amazed that we haven't seen more of that already in the current war on terrorism.
There was an episode of the Lone Ranger, where he gets a summons -
through the Padre' that always relayed any messages for help - to
Washington DC to confer with President Lincoln.
This is interesting. I have an episode in which the LR helps convince Indian tribes of the
value of the telegraph, so that the telegraph can be extemded Westward, so as to strengthen
links to Western territories and keep them in the Union. Although the LR doesn't meet
President Lincoln, there is a scene of Lincoln in the White House worrying about getting the
Telegraph through that territory, and another at the end of him being pleased with the result
of the LR's work. There's no mention of the LR being a secret agent or anything.
I actually was surprised by the story, as I am by this secret agent business, because I
always assumed the time-frame of the Lone Ranger stories to be after the Civil War. For one
thing, the LR is from Texas, and was a Texas Ranger, and during the Civil War, Texas was
in secession. Now, I suppose the LR might have been loyal to the Union, but one would think
that if the Lone Ranger stories took place during the Civil War, there would be more evidence
of the war around him.
The 1980s movie shows the LR meeting President Grant. That movie can't be considered
cannonical, of course, but that seems a more appropriate time frame -- though even then,
Reconstruction would have been in full swing, and Texas would have been under occupation.
Of course the historical accuracy of Western stories has never been one of their strong
points, but I think the major period of development of the West was around the 1880s and
1890s, after Reconstruction was over. That time setting would also better fit with Dan Reid
still being alive and active in the Green Hornet.
--
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed]
15 Court Square, Suite 210
lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2503
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 08:56:03 -0500
From: Joe Mackey
<joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
1933 - Eight days after he was inaugurated, [removed] President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt presented his first presidential address to the nation.
It was the first of what were called Roosevelt's famous Fireside Chats.
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 08:55:58 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein"
<[removed]@[removed];
To: "OTR"
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Yes, Warren there is a decoder ring
All that is needed to disprove the remark that there were never any decoder
rings offered on OTR is for someone who has such a ring to step forward. (It
only takes one.)
My brother sent away for and received a decoder ring. It was from Captain
Midnight. If the debunkers don't believe me then maybe they'll accept a
statement from the Exploratorium website:
"When you were a kid, did you have a "Captain Midnight" decoder ring? With
it, you could send messages to friends that no one else could read."
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #94
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