Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #270
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 8/17/2004 6:27 AM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2004 : Issue 270
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  "The Word" Arch Oboler                [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  Word                                  [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
  Re: The Lottery: any program?         [ Anthony Akins <asakins@[removed]; ]
  TVs, DVDs, and [removed] oh my!         [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
  Fwd: Bright Star                      [ JayHick@[removed] ]
  Re: The Lottery: any program?         [ "Gary Johnson" <garyj@imagesjournal ]
  RE:best OTR in the car (#266)         [ "Druian, Raymond B SPL" <[removed] ]
  Shirley Jackson's Lottery             [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
  Re: sound level                       [ BH <radiobill@[removed]; ]
  Re: One Out of Seven                  [ "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@ea ]
  Spike Jones - Milligan                [ "Phil Watson" <possum@[removed] ]
  OTR road trips                        [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
  Re: Blondie on DVD                    [ BH <radiobill@[removed]; ]
  Demented Peter Lorre                  [ damyankeeinva <damyankeeinva@earthl ]
  Re: Stay Level                        [ Gord Lepsenyi <lepseg@[removed]; ]
  Re: Stay Level                        [ George Guffey <grguffey@[removed]; ]
  King Kong on the Radio                [ otrdig2@[removed] ]
  Science Fiction news                  [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
  clearing out all cassettes            [ edcarr@[removed] ]
  Re: Spike Jones(?) Memoirs            [ "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed]; ]
  One Man show on Jack Benny            [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 10:05:48 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  "The Word" Arch Oboler

Someone asked:

A few years ago I heard a program and am trying to identify what show it was
from and a title if it has one.

Jim Widner added:

That is a story by Arch Oboler called "The Word."  It originally appeared
on "Arch Oboler Plays" in 1939, but was later re-done on a short-lived
series on ABC called "Think" or "ABC Radio Workshop" in 1953.

The drama was performed before that.  First time was on Rudy Vallee's radio
program in 1938 and Oboler reused the same script at least six times
afterwards.  ARCH OBOLER'S PLAYS (twice but second time under a different
title), LIGHTS OUT (1943-44 series), DEVIL AND MR. O, and on other sci-fi
shows Oboler had a hand in.

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 10:06:43 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Word

The various responses to the question about the
episode where the couple go to the top of the building
and return to find themselves alone as being either
from "Lights out" or "Arch Oboler's plays" reminded me
of a posting on the digest some time back about
"Plays" episodes being mislabeled as "Lights Out"  on
tapes and CDs (and possibly vice versa). Does anyone
recall what  edition(s) of the Digest that ran in. I
want to double check my own collection of "Lights Out"
and "Plays" and make sure they're correctly identified
in my database.

on another note,  Arlene Osborne wrote:

"We all know how well the media documents facts! "

What, you mean Dewey DIDN'T defeat Truman?

Rick

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:42:06 -0400
From: Anthony Akins <asakins@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: The Lottery: any program?

Matthew wrote:

did any OTR program do a dramatization of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery?

NBC Short Story did a great version of The Lottery on March 14,
1951. Clean MP3 copies of this episode do exist.

Anthony Akins, asakins@[removed], 877-663-5817

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:44:10 -0400
From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  TVs, DVDs, and [removed] oh my!

In #269, Elizabeth S. wrote:

I was at the local Wal-Mart here in California
when I passed by their $[removed] bin.  [SNIP]  I
admit that most of the stuff in the bin in junk,
but there are treasures hidden within.  :)

My local drug store had a bin DVD's of early TV shows pretty cheap.  I picked
up a Dragnet DVD which contained four episodes.  I don't know their exact
broadcast dates, but they were B&W shows and starred Ben Alexander.  A couple
of thoughts:

1) Jack Webb did such great work, but I certainly wouldn't call his early TV
direction subtle.  Wow, he made sure you wouldn't miss any of the imagery.
It was like getting hit over the head - or maybe poked with a sharp stick.

2) I loved watching Alexander.  I haven't seen any of his other work on TV,
but he doesn't strike me as much of a screen actor.  He just kind of stands
there, and when he's not speaking, his mouth kind of opens and closes like a
fish.  But I tried an experiment - I closed my eyes and listened to a couple
of scenes.  Wow!  It was great, and just like his radio work.  His changes in
tone and infletion suddenly made it come alive.  He truely was a great radio
actor.

So, all in all, they were fun and worth the [removed], but I still like the radio
better.

-chris holm

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:45:05 -0400
From: JayHick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Fwd: Bright Star
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Can anyone help?

- --
From: Ray Thweatt <ray_thweatt@[removed];
Subject: Bright Star

Jay:

I have been trying to find out who played the maid on Bright Star as
well as the copy boy.

Bright Star aired from 1952-53 and starred Irene Dunne as an editor with
Fred MacMurray as her star reporter.

Irene had a maid named Patience on the show but I cant find who played
her.

The copy boy's name was Sammy, but I dont know who played him either.

Last week someone sent me an email suggesting that these parts were
played by Elvia Allman and Peter Leeds but they couldnt remember where
they actually obtained this info.  Could you check on this for me?

Thanks for any help you might be able to give me.

Ray T

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Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:46:21 -0400
From: "Gary Johnson" <garyj@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: The Lottery: any program?

Matthew Bullis asked:

Did any OTR program do a dramatization of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"?

Answer:
Yes. NBC Short Story did a production of "The Lottery" that was broadcast on
March 14, 1951. Recordings of this production do indeed exist.

Best,
Gary Johnson

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:47:11 -0400
From: "Druian, Raymond B SPL" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  RE:best OTR in the car (#266)
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I once purchased a pair of MP3 CDs with the old "The Goldbergs" radio shows
on them, then listened to them while driving across the desert between
Phoenix and El Lay. Aside from the fact that it took two months of episodes
to walk across a living room, I concluded that if Mr. Goldberg had murdered
Mrs. Goldberg, all the defense would have to do is play those CDs for the
jury and they'd never convict. That woman was the most incorrigable busybody
in all creation. She meddled in everybody's life, acting as though she were
G-d, with infinite knowledge of what was good for her vict . . . oops, I
mean her friends.

There, I got it off my chest. Now I stick to "Johnny Dollar" and "Gunsmoke";
those series hold up even after forty or fifty years.

Thanx,
B. Ray
W9KEE (ex W7KVW)

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Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:49:24 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Shirley Jackson's Lottery

Matthew Bullis asks,

I've never heard of such a program, but did any OTR program do a
dramatization of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery?

There was an OTV dramatization of The Lottery; I recall seeing it in San
Antonio, TX, in early 1952, on kinescope (no direct network connections
in those days).  For its day, it was pretty effective: the "rocks" thrown
were actually sponges.

Given the time of the telecast -- sorry, I don't remember the program it
was aired on -- there could have been a trailing-edge OTR broadcast of
the story.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 12:55:33 -0400
From: BH <radiobill@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: sound level

Fred Berney comments:

You would just bring it up to the level you wanted and everything was the
same. This does had the advantage of eliminating the problem of having
different levels when you are in the car.

This reminded me of a device that was advertised in one of the popular
guy magazines in the 1950s. Probably in Popular Mechanics or Popular
Science. This device was supposed to adjust the level of the radio to
compensate for wind noise in the car. This was before air conditioning
was common in autos. The faster you drove the greater the wind noise so
you had to increase the volumn to hear. The device was a potentiometer
(volumn control) that mounted just behind the grill of the car, it had
an arm with a weighted wind  vane attatched. You wired it to the volumn
control of the radio and the theory was the faster you drove the wind
would move the vane and turn up the volumn of the radio. I could just
imagine driving down the highway and passing a big truck coming from the
other direction and getting a big blast of wind and the radio almost
blasting you our of the car.

Bill H.

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 13:30:46 -0400
From: "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: One Out of Seven

Folks,

I'd like to thank everyone who provided information, both on and off-list,
regarding my request for episodes of "One Out of Seven."  Right now, it looks
like the only four episodes in circulation all star Jack Webb, and date from
February and March 1946.  Herb Ellis told me some years ago that when Jack
moved on to his ill-fated comedy-variety series, "The Jack Webb Show," KGO
gave Herb the "One Out of Seven" program.  Whether any of those episodes
aired over the ABC network, or just locally, I don't kow - but I don't doubt
that Herb did the program; nobody could mis-remember a one-man show that
involved imitating all the newsmakers!

Hopefully at least one of these hasn't disappeared into the ether, but will
turn up in somebody's archive or collection.

Thank you all again,
Michael

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 13:31:46 -0400
From: "Phil Watson" <possum@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Spike Jones - Milligan

Doug Leary of Seattle wrote

During a recent spate of out of town tripsI listened to the entire 6 or
7-volume series of Spike Jones' war memoirs ("Hitler: My Part in His
Downfall," "Rommel: My Part in His Victory,") etc.

I think that's the late Goon Spike Milligan.

Regards from England
Phil

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 15:26:36 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  OTR road trips

For the five hour drive to Cincinnati for the OTR
convention there, I bring along whatever shows tickle
my fancy at the time. Sometimes they're five-part
"Johnny Dollar" stories; sometimes they're standard 30
minute (or occasionally 60 minute) shows, both
comedies and dramas (in the wide sense of the word).

However, the last two times I drove to Iowa for the
writing festival at the University of Iowa (up to 10
hours, depending on traffic and construction), I
listened to the "Adventures of Superman" adventure
"Superman Vs. the Atom Man" straight through. On the
way back home last year, I listened to the story where
Superman loses his memory due to kryptonite exposure
and ends up becoming a minor league baseball player.
Unfortunately, my mind is blanking out on the exact
title.

Both those adventures took me through just about the
entire drive.

I would recommend serialized stories like "Superman",
the five part "Johnny Dollar" adventures and "The
Cinnamon Bear" for those with children in the car on
very long drives. Such shows would probably keep them
more focused, than putting on a new show every half
hour or so.

Rick

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 15:27:05 -0400
From: BH <radiobill@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Blondie on DVD

I was at the local Wal-Mart here in California when I
passed by their $[removed] bin.  Whislt passing innocently
by, something caught my eye.  Suddenly my hand swooped
in and grabbed a 2 DVD set of the first 10 Blondie
movies (although they are listed as 'episodes' on the
package for some reason).

If there is a DollarTree store in your area check there. They have
classis TV shows on DVDs for $[removed] each, usually three half hour shows
per DVD. I picked up two Burns & Allen, a Lone Ranger, Sargent Preston,
Dick Van Dyke, I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, and one of early 1950 sci fi.
Look in the section where they have electronic/electrical gadgets.

Bill H.

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 16:59:53 -0400
From: damyankeeinva <damyankeeinva@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Demented Peter Lorre

Here's a tip if anyone wants to hear and see Peter Lorre really become
demented, in a stellar and stunning, glued-to-the-edge-of-your-seat film.
It's a classic must, to watch an incredible performance by Slovak Lorre as a
child murderer coming apart before your eyes, as he is put on trial by Berlin
criminals frantic to get the police off their backs.

I believe this was Peter Lorre's third film, and it is a classic.  Made him a
star.  The movie is titled "M" and should be available at most decent
libraries or video rental emporia.  Directed by Fritz Lang, with English
soundtrack by the original performers including Lorre.  It was re-made 20
years later with David Wayne in the Lorre part.  Can you imagine?  Don't
bother.

Lest you doubt, here's what friend Leonard Maltin said, in part:  Riveting
and frighteningly contemporary; cinematically dazzling, especially for an
early talkie.  Them's strong accolades, pardner!

Now, all this raises a question in my mind as to whether anyone ever did a
radio production of "M', with (I hope) or without Lorre (shame on them)?  If
anyone knows, please let us in on it and how to obtain same.

That's enough for tonight, kiddies.  Turn off the light and snuggle under the
covers good and tight.  The bogey man will get [removed] you
don'[removed]!

Your obedient listener, Lee Munsick

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 17:00:01 -0400
From: Gord Lepsenyi <lepseg@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Stay Level
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A very interesting topic on how/why women appear to experience sound levels
differently than men. My wife and I also have this issue come up every time we
sit down to watch a movie or listen to music. She likes to turn the sound down
to barely audible (for me) and I like it louder so that there is no straining
on my part to hear what is being said and I can get totally engrossed in the
movie/music. The louder sound seems to cause a level of anxiety in her which
is difficult to explain. What are your thoughts on the cause of this anxiety?

Could it be that the louder volume:
- is required because my hearing really is impaired from years of loud music,
operating machinery, etc?
- blocks out other sounds she may want to be able to hear (evolution from the
need to hear the cries of children, etc.)
- detracts attention away from her (this could be very controversial!)
- impedes or prevents discussion between the viewers or other multi-tasking
activities while the loud sound prevails (she may desire this more than I)
- other?

Coupled with this, there seems to be a desire for her to have the viewing room
quite well lit, while I prefer a dimly lit room so that I can focus almost
entirely on the movie or even the music.

I would really like to know if many other couples/families experience this
same thing and what they think the reasons are behind it.

Gord

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Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 17:01:16 -0400
From: George Guffey <grguffey@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Stay Level

On Sunday, 15 Aug 2004, Fred Berney wrote:

Radio may have had some problems with level, but it
was nothing compared to what happens in television
today. Or better yet a movie on DVD. . . . And as
for movies, to hear the actors you set one level and
then the explosions begin at another.

Many DVD players today (even the $39 variety) have
what is called a "night mode." For example, the VERY
low-cost Entiveo DP3220 is capable of leveling out
conversations and explosions. I quote the DP3220
manual:

"Set night mode to ON to level out the volume. For
example, the disc will play at the same sound level
throughout the movie. The default setting is off."

Anyone experiencing DVD sound volume disparity
problems should take a look at the manual for his or
her DVD player. It may contain similar sound leveling
instructions.

George

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 19:05:48 -0400
From: otrdig2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  King Kong on the Radio
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I have a radio program titled King Kong, Radio Version, 1938. It is 36
minutes with no open or close. Does anyone know what this is from?

Andrew Steinberg

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Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 19:06:08 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Science Fiction news

Though tangential to Old Time Radio, I just wanted to pass on that the Ray
Bradbury story which was dramatized on the South African radio series SF68
- A Sound of Thunder - has been made into a film which is supposed to be
released yet this year.

This is the story of time travel to prehistoric times in which nature is
altered and the future suffers the consequences. It is NOT (as some have
asked me about in the past) the L. Sprague DeCamp story - A Gun For
Dinosaur.  There is a trailer on the web. If you have trouble finding it
and are interested, drop me an email.

Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 21:50:33 -0400
From: edcarr@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  clearing out all cassettes

hi
why wait for the convention in newark, if you still collect
cassettes, and have a gambling nature here is your
chance to clean up as a winner.
cassettes aren't doing well for me and i have hundreds
here, so here is the deal, grabbag em,min 50 cassettes
at .50cents [removed] postage, i will try hard not to give
doubles, i will also include boxes as long as they last
also for sale are double well decks, (3 headed decks
brands are  sony) and i believe the prices are
reasonable
ed

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 01:09:40 -0400
From: "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Spike Jones(?) Memoirs

Doug Leary tells us that:

During a recent spate of out of town trips I listened to the entire 6 or
7-volume series of Spike Jones' war memoirs ("Hitler: My Part in His
Downfall," "Rommel: My Part in His Victory,") etc.

I believe you're referring to the memoirs (ha!) of the great (and,
unfortunately, late) Spike =MILLIGAN= of Goon Show fame:

[removed]

In addition to "Hitler: My Part In His Downfall", other titles in the series
include "Mussolini: His Part In My Downfall", "Monty: His Part In My
Victory" and "Rommel? Gunner Who?". And, while not exactly OTR, =are= part
of the legacy of an OTR of a slightly different sort.

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

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 09:10:07 -0400
From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  One Man show on Jack Benny

Hi Everybody,

a couple of weeks ago I notice some one mention on the digest if Eddie
Carrol,s One Man show on Jack Benny come to a town near you please go.  My
Lions club is going to host Eddie Carorol show here in Orange County
California on Sunday 9-26-04 the money is going to help many charities.  You
can go to [removed] to read all of the information.  Take care,

Walden Hughes

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #270
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