Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #12
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/11/2002 9:26 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2002 : Issue 12
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Radio and Cartoons                    [ steve mcguffin <earl22002@[removed] ]
  Today In Radio History                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  otr artist                            [ Ben Ohmart <bloodbleeds@[removed]; ]
  The Investigators                     [ Jmeals@[removed] ]
  Mike Biel: Wait! Wait!                [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
  Re: Unissued C&G                      [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Radio Cartoons                        [ AandG4jc@[removed] ]
  Desperately Seeking                   [ "James B. Wood, [removed]" <woodjim@ ]
  Hirschfeld and Benny                  [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
  OTR caricatures                       [ "Peter H. Vollmann" <vollmann@hawai ]
  Front Page Drama                      [ Vntager8io@[removed] ]
  Radio's Golden Years                  [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:58:15 -0500
From: steve mcguffin <earl22002@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio and Cartoons

I thought I would respond to Michael Hayde's post
about cartoons (particularly Warner Brothers) serving
as an inspiration for some of us to explore OTR.  I'm
34 and the Warner Brothers cartoons have always been
my favorite.  There are some OTR related themes that I
have been aware of for so long (The Lone Ranger, for
example) that I don't recall being introduced to them,
so I can't say that the cartoons served as my total
inspiration for my interest in OTR, but they certainly
served to pique my interest.  To quickly name the
first 3 examples that popped into my head, how about
the story of Bugs Bunny's life (sorry I can't remember
the official titles) where he is in the park and Elmer
Fudd encounters Bugs, Jack Benny, Bing Crosby, Eddie
Cantor and Al Jolson.  My mother was able to tell me
who they all were, and I wanted to know more.  But I
wonder how many 8 year olds there are out there today
who don't know who these guys are, and whose parents
can't tell them?  Another example is the one where
Bugs is in the gangster hideout with Rocky and as he
opens the squeaking door he says "Eh, sounds like
Inner Sanctum".  Took me a while to figure that one
out.  And lastly, there is one with a guy in a tuxedo
who sounds remarkably like Harold Peary as
Gildersleeve.  The voice rather fascinated me, and as
a teenager when I first heard Gildy, it all came
together!
Anyway, it's a fascinating topic.  I wish I could be
there tonight!  Good Luck, Michael!

Steve

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:58:10 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today In Radio History

  From Those Were The Days --

1947 - Murder and Mrs. Malone debuted on ABC radio. The program starred
Frank Lovejoy.

  Joe

--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 11:04:37 -0500
From: Ben Ohmart <bloodbleeds@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: otr artist

Speaking of charactures, don't forget Joel Bogart who
has been drawing up covers, etc. for years for several
companies who have been selling radio shows for Years.
He has a website, but can't recall it at the moment.
His most recent work might be the NEW Baby Snooks
cartoon covers at [removed]

- ---------------
TV & film stills western & nostalgia books
[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 11:36:08 -0500
From: Jmeals@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Investigators

    I have been blessed with several friends who are OTR buffs and have read
many books and articles on the subject but have never heard or read any
mention of THE INVESTIGATORS.
    THE INVESTIGATORS? During the late sixties I worked part time at a radio
station in the Atlanta area. Every Sunday night we ran a half hour syndicated
crime series called THE INVESTIGATORS. The show centered on Whit Roberts an
agent for ATT (Alcohol Tobacco and Tax). The agency is now ATF (Alcohol
Tobacco and Firearms.)
    THE INVESTIGATORS was a public service program. In those days stations
were required to give a certain amount of time to public service programming
and management at the station where I worked saw this series as an easy and
free way to help meet that commitment. Every week Whit would go after bad
guys who were selling moonshine. The show tried to convey the idea that
moonshine was very dangerous stuff that was distributed widely, not just in
the South. THE INVESTIGATORS tried to combat the Snuffy Smith image of
moonshiners by portraying organized crime types who were taking over
production of illegal booze.
    No amount of nostalgia can make THE INVESTIGATORS into great radio. I
remember the show as occasionally sounding  a bit awkward, although the
writing and acting were not bad. Of course, it is wrong to critique a program
I haven't heard for over thirty years.
    I believe that THE INVESTIGATORS was produced in the South. There were 52
episodes in the series. I have no idea how many stations the program was
heard on. Is there anyone else out there who can remember hearing this
program? Even better, is there anyone out there who was involved in the
production of THE INVESTIGATORS?
    I would really appreciate some confirmation that, yes, this program did
exist. I find that as I get older I am becoming a bit touchy about such
matters.

Jim Meals

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 12:09:41 -0500
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mike Biel:  Wait! Wait!

Mike, before you advise the 78-L readers about "The Cherry Sisters" perhaps
you should add the following:

The trio of Sy Shaffer-Johnny Mince-Archie Bleyer was originally called
"The Too Fat Trio" on various recordings and on the air, after their
participation in the recording of Arthur Godfrey's personally disliked, but
best selling hit record.  As in many things, Archie Bleyer suggested that
recording, and Mr. Godfrey, trusting Archie's judgment, went along with
him.  As they left the studio, Mr. G said to Archie, "I can't believe we
just spent four hours on such @#$%^&*".

I don't know for sure, but it seems likely that the name "Cherry Sisters"
also came from Archie.  He had a great knowledge of showbiz and a long
history in the music business, with big band arrangements going back into
the 30s, perhaps even the 20s.

There had been an actual trio called "The Cherry Sisters" years before.  I
have never seen their picture or heard a recording, but am told that they
were three rather fat but tuneful gals, sort of a trifold Kate
Smith.  Perhaps their size was remembered by Archie, who suggested it would
be humorous to carry on the "Too Fat" idea with the new name, in itself an
inside gag.  They sang with Mr. Godfrey occasionally on his shows using
that name, probably until Mr. Godfrey unfortunately became angry with
Archie and requested that CBS release him.

That would have been the method, as the members of the orchestra were
actually employed by CBS, the last house band in radio, and arguably the
first to make use of a Negro musician.  The Bleyer release is shrouded in
controversy, but was stated to do with Archie's trip to Chicago to sign Don
McNeill's singers to Archie's Cadence Records.  The event is mentioned
briefly and incompletely in the new book "Don McNeill and His Breakfast
Club" published last year by Notre Dame Press.

As I understand it, Godfrey was miffed at Archie not so much because he
wanted to sign the Breakfast Club talents, but because Bleyer requested
some days off from the Godfrey programs to attend to some urgent, private
family problems.  Godfrey of course acquiesced, and then was incensed when
he learned of the actual reason for Archie's absence.

Godfrey did have an explosive temper at times, known by the regulars.  He
was constantly firing people and then reconciling.  I've spoken with people
who said they'd been fired a half-dozen times, each time with Godfrey
coming back like a recalcitrant kid and apologizing.  Sadly, in this case
Archie walked, probably realizing it would free him to work Cadence full
time.  He was replaced by Richard Hyman, another absolute genius.  History
repeats itself, and did in this case.  Mr. Godfrey became furious at
something Richard did.  Godfrey chewed  him out and fired him in front of
the band.  Godfrey quickly calmed down and tried to undo it, but Hyman
understandably said he couldn't work under those conditions and moved on
with his incredible career.  Richard is a fine, decent, fantastically
talented man, who holds no grudge for the incident, and understands Mr.
Godfrey's side as well as his own.

Godfrey was totally supportive of Archie and his Cadence Records.  He knew
that Bleyer contributed enormously to the Godfrey programs, far beyond the
outstanding musical work, arrangements, the outstanding performances
backing up hopefuls on "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts", etc.  Archie had
an incredible knack for knowing what the public would go for.  My book will
have several illustrations.

Mr. Godfrey advised Julius Larosa to join Archie by investing in ownership
of Cadence, which turned out to be a big moneymaker for all concerned.  A
number of Larosa's Cadence records were big sellers.  Numerous people
appearing on the Godfrey programs made records for Cadence, and Godfrey
promoted them on the air.  Godfrey show regulars were jumping from their
present record labels.  Most were understandably with Columbia, notable
exceptions being Bill Lawrence who was with RCA Victor before joining the
shows, and The McGuire Sisters, who were doing well with Coral before they
won the Talent Scouts show and became intermittent Godfrey regulars).  I
think it likely that when Mr. Godfrey's Columbia contract ran out, he might
have moved across also, depending on how that might have been received by
CBS people including his mentor Dr. Frank Stanton, and even up to CBS head
William Paley.

While the tiff with Archie has been confirmed to me by various people in
the know (meaning in the band), it doesn't all quite gibe with me.  Archie
was a very intelligent, savvy guy, as well as one of the nicest, kindest
people I ever met.  Why would he possibly think he could get away with
lying to Mr. Godfrey and come back with the McNeill talents signed to the
Cadence roster?  For that matter, why would he feel it necessary to
obuscate?  Nobody with whom I've spoken seems to know.

Okay, Mike, spill my guts to the 78-L.  Perhaps someone can come up with
photos of BOTH "Cherry Sisters" trios!

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 12:16:02 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Unissued C&G

Mike Biel wrote:

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.

This is extremely exciting news -- I've been wondering about this for
years, so many thanx for tracking it down.

For those who don't know the story, "The Kinky Kids Parade" was a pop
tune from the summer of 1925 which dealt with a group of black children
staging their own marching-band parade in the backyard, and the lyrics
actually aren't as embarassing as one would assume from the title, all
things considered. The tune itself is very jaunty and once you've heard
it, you can't get it out of your head. Paul Whiteman made an excellent
recording of it for Victor which is worth hearing.

Correll and Gosden first performed this selection on WEBH, Chicago
sometime in July or August of 1925, and part of their act was to
interpolate little bits of comic dialogue into their numbers. Usually
this was done in their own voices, but given the subject matter of "Kinky
Kids," the performers inserted a short bit in black dialect: Correll
assumed the role of a blustering, domineering army officer, while Gosden
portrayed a shaky-voiced private. The bit brought a strong listener
response, and was repeated many times -- and every time it was done,
Gosden would add additional characters.

The number became so popular that Correll and Gosden performed it live in
the "Red Hot" stage production in September 1925, and it was while riding
the wave of popularity inspired by the song that they were hired by WGN.
But what makes "Kinky Kids" so important in the A&A story is that the
response generated by the song marked the precise moment where they
realized just what radio could do: just because there were only two of
them didn't mean they could only perform two-man dialogue routines. By
changing voices and by taking advantage of the directional
characteristics of the mike, they discovered thru "Kinky Kids" that they
could play as many characters as they wanted. This realization, in turn,
led them to figure out that they could use the microphone to create an
entire *world* around these characters, and that this world could be used
as the setting for a continuing story -- and this, of course, was the
basic concept that would lead directly to "Sam and Henry," "Amos 'n'
Andy," and, in fact, the entire explosion of interest in dramatized radio
serials during the late twenties and early thirties. In this respect, the
success of "Kinky Kids" was a transforming moment not just for two
smalltimers in Chicago, but for the entire medium.

Before "Kinky Kids," Correll and Gosden were just another harmony team --
the song was the single most important step in their evolution into radio
*actors.*  And it was the "bullying officer" and the "meek private" who
became the direct templates for Sam Smith and Henry Johnson.

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.

One of the Sam and Henry sides, "At the Dentist" I believe, showed up on
a Rhino anthology set of comedy records a few years ago, and I assume
that was a licensed issue -- but I don't know of any others.  NBC, of
course, used "The Presidential Election" to represent early A&A in a
number of retrospective programs over the years, dubbed over with theme
music taken from the closing of an incomplete 1938 program in their
files. As a result, this may be the single most familiar bit from A&A's
early years -- which annoys me to no end, because it really has nothing
to do with the actual characterizations -- Amos and Andy as heard on the
record have little in common with the Amos and Andy who were heard on the
air.

There is always the possibility of test pressings floating around for
some of these unissued sides. I know a test pressing of "The Dairy" was
auctioned on eBay a year or two ago (I emailed the seller asking  about
the take number, but got no reply, so there's no way to know if this was
an alternate to the issued version), and one can always hope that other
such pressings might be out there.

In any event, I'd certainly like to hear this material - not just for
research purposes, but because I actually think C&G were a very enjoyable
harmony team in their own right. Freeman and Charlie themselves didn't
think so -- Correll himself described their records as "punk" -- but I
think they have a two-guys-just-goofing-around quality to them that's
really quite charming. I especially like "Who is Your Who?" (Victor
20826), which includes Gosden performing a  falsetto-female voice that is
probably very close to the voice he did for Madam Queen in a few episodes
in 1931 and 1932. (They had to give up on using this voice, however,
because Correll found it impossible to watch Gosden doing it without
breaking up.)

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?

Anything's possible, given the right circumstances. Right now, I'm
probably several years away from finishing the episode summaries up to
1937, and I'm hoping by that time the LOC will have dug up from the
Copyright Deposit files the 1938-43 scripts, and will consider them
important enough to microfilm and transfer to the Manuscript Division.
(If there are any LOC lurkers out there, hint hint hint!) At present, the
1938-43 scripts are available only at USC or at Rich Correll's house --
which makes it impractical to do the sort of in-depth research on them
that I'm doing on the 1928-37 scripts. Until I can get these scripts on
microfilm, we may never know who it was that shot Andy at the altar in
[removed]

In the meantime, I'll continue to make my research available on line, and
will be updating it regularly as new information is unearthed. One thing
I hope to add eventually is a detailed Correll and Gosden/Sam and
Henry/Amos and Andy discography, describing all the released recordings
of their work from 1926 to the present, including legitimate and
illegitimate issues. Hopefully, by doing all this, I'll be able to help
create enough of an interest in A&A's "lost years" that there'll actually
be enough of a market to *support* a reissue project someday. (And maybe
by that time a big pile of 1930s episode recordings will miraculously
surface in some California self-storage [removed])

Elizabeth

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 15:16:56 -0500
From: AandG4jc@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Cartoons

There are two Warner Looney Tunes that are the caricatures of Abbott &
Costello. The first "A Tale of Two Kitties" has Babbitt & Catsrello chasing
Tweety. Then the pair as mice in "A Tale of Two Mice." These voices, though,
was not provided by the comics but by Mel Blanc.

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 15:17:28 -0500
From: "James B. Wood, [removed]" <woodjim@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Desperately Seeking

Perhaps a bit off the subject, [removed]
My daughter is anxious to find a copy of the late-1980s BBCradio play: "A
Little Like Drowning" by Anthony Minghella.  If anyone can help direct
me to this I would be most appreciative.

Jim Wood
Brea, CA

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 15:18:04 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Hirschfeld and Benny

Actually, I think the caricature to which Lee Musnick was referring was the
Andre Bouche drawing (also can be seen on the opening page of our Web site).
It has Jack's face in semi-profile and hands clasped at the waist, although
not all of the drawing is always used.  Bouche was contracted by CBS to make
drawings of all their stars at the time;  his of Jack so captured the
character that it became forever associated with him.

Al Hirschfeld did draw Jack Benny.  It's a small picture of him playing the
violin (I don't recall that I've ever been able to find a "Nina" in it).  I
saw it on gift cards available at the Chicago Museum of Art about 20 years
ago, and it is also in the book "Hirschfeld's World".

As long as we're on the subject, I'm partial to the Norman Rockwell portrait
of Jack Benny.  If memory serves (don't have my copy handy at the moment), it
probably appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post of 3/2/63
(internal article was "Buck$ Benny Rides Again" by Bill Davidson).

--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 15:18:19 -0500
From: "Peter H. Vollmann" <vollmann@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OTR caricatures

Lee -
the famous caricature of Hitchcock in profile was done by none other than
the Master of Suspense himself. Hitchcock had graphic traininng and started
out in the movies doing titles for silent pictures.
Peter from Hawaii

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 19:04:08 -0500
From: Vntager8io@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Front Page Drama

Hi, all.

Over the past week, I've listened to several dozen episodes of a series
called Front Page Drama, a weekly 15-minute syndicated program recorded by
WOR New York for Hearst Newspapers (specifically, The American Weekly). The
program contains a wide variety of stories, from murder-mysteries to western
adventures to light comedies and love stories. Each episode is a complete
story; it's not a serial. It's an interesting and well done program. All of
the episodes I have been listening to come from 1950-1953 (scattered episodes
920-1085).

Does anyone know any more about this program? From the episode numbers and
corresponding dates of the shows I listened to, it seems like it could have
been on the air since the early 1930's. How long did it run? Were there any
notable actors who appeared on the show? Was it always syndicated? Who were
the announcers? How many episodes are in circulation? All of the shows I
listened to lack cast credits at the end and I've heard two different
annoucers, neither of which has identified himself. Since it was a syndicated
program, it's not listed in John Dunning's book. I'd sure appreciate hearing
from anyone who may know a little more about this series.

Thanks!
Bryan Wright

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

Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 19:04:39 -0500
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio's Golden Years

Bobb Lynes asked me to post this for him after reading Lee Munsick's post in
Digest #10:

...you should look into Frank Bresee and Bobb Lynes' excellent 1998/99
book, "Radio's Golden Years - A Visual Guide to the Shows & the >Stars".
Each of its 254 pages is a magnificent, unique salute in >caricature form,
plus topical data about a whole bunch of radio >performers.  The format is
roughly similar to the artwork layout of >the old "Ripley's Believe it or
Not" newspaper panels.  The book >boasts an excellent index of all the
performers included (something >far too many modern "reference works" omit)
and a fine Foreword by >none other than Norman Corwin, which should give
one some idea of the >importance of this work.

Hi fellow OTR fans,

First of all, many thanks to my friend Lee Munsick for mentioning our book
"Radio's Golden Years" It can be ordered direct from me for $[removed]
postpaid/autographed at this address: Bobb Lynes, Box 561, South Pasadena,
CA 91031. I've been selling them by mail and at conventions(FOTR, etc.)for
about 18 months, so it's not so new [removed] when the books are gone,
that's [removed] edition! If you'd like a free sample page from the
book, send me a SASE at the above address and I'll send you one. Thanks
again, Lee! Hope to see you at FOTR 2002!
Bobb Lynes

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #12
********************************************

Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
  including republication in any form.

If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
   [removed]

For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]

For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
  in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]

To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]

To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]