------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 227
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Morality Themes [ Steve Gibbs <stevegibbs@[removed]; ]
Morality shows [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
youngest fans needed for article [ rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed] ]
Green Hornet TV [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Arthur Godfrey on TV [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
Seattle OTR Event [ JJJ445@[removed] ]
Fred Howard and WNAX tower anniversa [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
June 7th birthdays [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Martian Death March [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 00:53:48 -0400
From: Steve Gibbs <stevegibbs@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Morality Themes
I'd suggest any of the Archie [removed] programs
always seemed to have a good message, and both my
8-year-old and 13-year-old love them!
Steve Gibbs
Omaha, NE
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 16:45:17 -0400
From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Morality shows
In #226, Chris Werner (frequent raffle winner and all around good
guy) reminded me of Nightfall, another excellent program that fits in well
with the theme. I've been fascinated in this thread and have been interested
in each response to see what shows people would pick.
One thing I'd like to point out is that morality shows and religious
shows aren't necessarilly the same thing. You can have morality without
religion and religion without morality. Father Coughlin (sic?) comes to mind
- certainly religious, but I doubt many on this list would argue that the
show is very [removed]
Anyway, another show that comes to mind - and again I'm at work, so I
can't give more details - is Gunsmoke. Many episodes would work, but the one
I'm thinking of is where a group of men lynch a man because they believe he
was stealing horses. Afterwords, they learn that he was innocent and try to
conceal the crime. Matt (who hates lynching) is trying to bring them in
while the lynched man's son starts hunting them down. Can anyone help with a
title and date????? Anyway, I think it would make an excellent basis for a
discussion on judgement, vengance, due process, innocence, [removed]
Just some thoughts,
-chris holm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 16:45:40 -0400
From: rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: youngest fans needed for article
I'm currently working on an article about the appeal of OTR on the under-30
crowd. I'd like to hear from a few people who fit into this demographic.
Specifically, what I'd like to know is how you got interested in OTR, why you
enjoy it, and what you think can be done to pass the love of audio drama onto
other generations.
I'd especially love to hear from some very young people (maybe under 15?)
rodney.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 16:46:32 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Green Hornet TV
Rick Keating wrote:
I was too young to have
watched the show in first run airing, but I've never
even seen the Green Hornet series show up on any
station, network or cable, in any of the years since
There is a possibility that Bruce Lee co-starring in the show might have
something to do with it. A few years ago a mom and pop publishing company
released a book about Bruce Lee, and was all gung-ho about their latest
book. Months after its release, they were approached from someone of the
Bruce Lee estate for royalties because they featured pictures of Lee in
their book. Since then the mom and pop company has had going-out-of-debt
sales.
Cable and satellite channels could play the series once each week like FX
did years ago and that would last almost a whole year, but I'm sure with
both 20th Century Fox and the Bruce Lee estate getting some piece of the
action, that the chances of a station affording a syndication package would
be less than I LOVE LUCY.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 16:49:53 -0400
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Arthur Godfrey on TV
Hello - belated response to Larry Jordan's question about whether Arthur
Godfrey was on television, or just on radio as the self-admitted
"babyboomer" recalls.
He was indeed, and without doubt the biggest thing there was in television
in this country and across our northern border in Canada, where he was
equally popular, and where his numerous phonograph records for Columbia
Records, Incorporated were pressed by a Canadian company with the Canadian
Columbia label.
His morning show "Arthur Godfrey Time" was simulcast on the CBS TV network
as they wanted to expand their coverage throughout the daytime hours. I
believe that when that started, the program ran 90 minutes (six 15-minute
sections, each with a different sponsor) five days a week. It was such to
the end of that run. Like many radio veterans (Jack Benny, Fred Allen,
George Burns, and other radio favorites among them), Mr. Godfrey did not
think much of TV, and did not want to "do a television show". But he
allowed the network to put TV cameras into the same studio where he did his
morning show, and they undoubtedly had to add additional lighting, which
was probably rather warm!
They did not play to the cameras, but eventually he and the singers and
Tony Marvin the announcer learned to look into the cameras as they did
their stuff. At first the same sponsors and their messages were seen on
TV, but over time the TV director added visuals, and finally brief film
intros and show-ending bits were used instead of what Tony Marvin was
saying for the radio [removed] always the same sponsor. If there was
a sponsor that did not want the TV coverage (I know of none), they were
replaced by someone who did.
One byproduct of the enormous success on television was that Mr. Godfrey's
physical anonymity disappeared virtually overnight. He could no longer
walk the streets or eat at Walgreen's, where he would eavesdrop on the
conversation in the adjacent booth, as he formerly did. This cut off a
supply of wonderful anecdotal material, so Mr. Godfrey had to turn to a
team of writers to supply material for his daily programs. It was a very
large team, indeed, as much of the material which found its way onto the
airwaves was from thousands of letters weekly, received from listeners
eager to share real-life stories and gags, with their colleagues in Mr.
Godfrey's daily audience. That group, by the way, at its peak was
estimated to be some 80 Million listeners. With a [removed] census of
approximately 240 million at the time, it equaled about one third of the
[removed] population. That would now require a regular audience of about 100
Million. Very few broadcasts today ever achieve such widespread attention,
and those which do are usually one-shot things and are televised around the
world.
Meanwhile, the network started "Arthur Godfrey and his Talent Scouts" on
radio, first on Tuesday evenings, then moved to Mondays. It was such a
success there that it, too, was simulcast.
Such success, indeed, that it was decided to have a television-only entry
for "Arthur Godfrey and his Friends". This was on Wednesday nights from 8
to 9 [removed] Eastern time. Over the years this format was changed, it cut
back to a half-hour, and ran various days under differing names.
All of these were top-rated programs for their days and time periods, and
all ran for years. Eventually Mr. Godfrey felt that television ground
exceeding well, and retreated back to the morning radio show that started
it all, which ran until 1972. When it left the air, it was the last
all-entertainment daily network program to do so, several years after the
penultimate show did so. That one was the somewhat similar-format ABC
program, "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club".
For one season, Mr. Godfrey's fascination with the ukulele caused him to do
two 15-minute programs (Tuesday and Thursday evenings, at least at the
beginning) giving ukulele instructions. At that time, an entrepreneurial
man named Mario Maccafferri had developed a very competent plastic ukulele,
which performed well and sold for around $[removed] Mr. Godfrey promoted it
extensively, and published sales figures vary according to who one reads,
but ran into the millions of units.
Mr. Maccafferri wanted to give Arthur Godfrey a "piece of the action", but
the "old redhead" declined to accept any part of this incredible
manufacturing boon. His reward, he said, was to help in the promotion of
the ukulele. Indeed, of the several ukulele "hot" sales periods since the
Victorian era, this one was without question the biggest and most
successful. Many of these instruments survive (undoubtedly many more went
the way of popular toys over the years), and are often seen as offerings at
eBay and other auction outlets. Varying in condition, they invariably
bring in far more than that $4 to $5 original retail price.
I don't have the exact dates for all of these handy, as my reference
materials are still packed due to my move from New Jersey to
Virginia. Basically, this was a 1950s phenomenon, although as I said, the
morning radio program ran for many years. When it left the air, it also
had cut back to 30 minutes a day.
During Mr. Godfrey's heyday especially the 1950s on television, it was
impossible to walk to a news stand or magazine store, and not find Mr.
Godfrey's photo on the cover or front page of several magazines and
newspapers. Publishers and editors caught on quickly that by touting Mr.
Godfrey on the cover, they could increase their usual press run
substantially, and space salesman ahead of time would gleefully inform
advertisers of the coming Godfrey connection. In this way, Mr. Godfrey's
salesmanship sold not only millions of dollars worth of his own sponsors'
products, but increased the sales of many others who had no connection with
his programs.
This rubbing-off effect also caused a substantial increase in the sales of
all kinds of tea, including brands in direct competition with Lipton Tea,
which sponsored the "Talent Scouts" program.
Mr. Godfrey's evening programs came from the CBS Television studio that is
now called "The Ed Sullivan Theater", from which today the David Letterman
program originates. Andy Rooney, who in the 1950s was one of the writers
for the Arthur Godfrey programs, says he feels it should in all fairness
and respect be named "The Arthur Godfrey Theater".
This year is the Centennial of the birth of Arthur Godfrey in 1903, and the
Twentieth Anniversary of his death in 1983. Many people respecting his
activities and prominence are encouraging the [removed] Postal Service to issue
a Commemorative Stamp in honor of Arthur Godfrey.
If you'd like to join in this encouragement, please send an Email to me
indicating that you support the issuance of an "Arthur Godfrey Stamp", and
send to me directly, rather than to this Digest.
My Email is: leemunsick@[removed]
Many thanks! Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 16:54:43 -0400
From: JJJ445@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Seattle OTR Event
Dear Friends:
Just a reminder that it isn't too late to consider attending this year's
premiere OTR event in Seattle, the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound's (REPS)
Showcase XI. "Radio and the Silver Screen" is the theme of this year's convention.
We've invited close to two dozen OTR veterans to join us mikeside to make
this a most memorable occasion.
Events scheduled include:
-- A career tribute and gentle roast of Harry Bartell, acting and announcing
veteran of more than 10,000 shows
-- Performances, presentations and interviews with a dazzling array of guests
including: Larry Albert, Alice Backes, Harry Bartell, Dick Beals, Bill
Brooks, Frank Buxton, Ben Cooper, Jim Cox, Sam Edwards, Ray Erlenborn, Jim and
Pat French, Barbara Fuller, Art Gilmore, Phil Harper, Bob Hastings, Paul
Herlinger, Jimmy Lydon, Jo Anna March, Hal Stone, Gale Storm, Gil
Stratton, Jr., Ginny Tyler, Anne Whitfield Phillips, Doug Young and many others.
-- A demonstration of sound effects techniques and devices by legendary sound
effects wizard Ray Erlenborn, whose credits include Jack Benny's vault door
creak, the Fresh Air taxi for "The Amos 'n' Andy Show," and the cash register
at Lum and Abner's Jot 'em Down Store
-- OTR Research & Writing will be the topic of a workshop and for a panel
discussion featuring author Jim Cox, Harlan Zinck, Preservation Manager of the
First Generation Radio Archives, and Stewart Wright, compiler and/or contributor
to dozens of original radio logs.
-- A lively panel discussion about working on "The Lux Radio Theater,"
featuring several radio veterans who appeared on that series
-- The annual Saturday evening "Banquet of the Stars," featuring one or more
radio performers seated at each table, allowing guests to chat at leisure with
one of the cast during dinner.
-- A private tour of The American Museum of Radio with its curators Jonathan
Winter and John Jenkins, and a catered reception and presentation on "Building
Voices:" with radio veteran Dick Beals.
For more information, visit [removed] for the tentative program
schedule, registration form, and information on a convention hotel discount, or
send an e-mail to REPSShowcase@[removed]
We look forward to seeing you there.
John
John Jensen
Federal Way, WA
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 17:00:31 -0400
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Fred Howard and WNAX tower anniversary
Bill mentioned Fred Howard on Straight Arrow. I have a short interview from
WNAX's Midwest Farmer Days of 1944 in which he gives brief imitations of
himself as Shuffle on Ma Perkins and of one of the villains on Jack
Armstrong. He probably played many role in his radio career.
This year is the 60th anniversary of the completion of the "world's tallest
radio tower" at WNAX, Yankton, SD. The tower is still being used, and its
signal reaches 5 states. I have a tape of the description of the two men as
they climbed that tower. As they were climbing, they released helium
balloons and inside were war bonds. There are two interesting interviews.
One is with then chief engineer, Cliff Todd, who describes some of the
technical details of the tower. The other is with the contractor who
installed the tower. Incidentally, the station had hired a "human fly" to
climb the tower, but he backed out and was replaced by two men from Omaha.
They climbed the 925 foot tower in about 45 minutes.
Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 17:02:27 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: June 7th birthdays
If you were born on the 7th of June, you share your birthday with:
06-07-1891 - Alois Havrilla - Pressov, Hungary - d. 12-7-1952
announcer: "Campbell Soup Orchestra"; "Jack Benny Program"
06-07-1903 - Glen Gray - Metamora, IL - d. 8-23-1963
bandleader: "Camel Caravan"
06-07-1903 - Joseph Kahn - NYC
pianist: "Voice of Firestone"; "Story of Mary Marlin"
06-07-1909 - Jessica Tandy - London, England - d. 9-11-1994
actress: Liz Marriott "The Marriage"; Mildred Rogers "Of Human Bondage"
06-07-1917 - Dean Martin - Steubenville, OH - d. 12-25-1995
singer, comedian: "Martin and Lewis Show"
06-07-1926 - Dick Williams - Wall Lake, IA
singer: (The Williams Brothers)
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn and Spencer Tracy
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 17:36:13 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
6/6
1938 - Stella Dallas was presented for the first time on the NBC Red
network. The serial was "the true to life story of mother love and
sacrifice." Stella Dallas continued to do this and so much more until 1955.
1944 - CBS radio saluted America's war doctors with The Doctor Fights,
presented for the first time this day.
6/7
1945 - The NBC program The Adventures of Topper was heard for the first
time.
1955 - NBC presented The Lux Radio Theatre for the final time. The
program had aired for 21 years.
Joe
--
Visit my homepage: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 22:43:26 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Martian Death March
One of the best, most heartbreaking, most human stories to appear on that
series, X Minus [removed]
Ernest Kinoy said he was inspired by the march of the tribes of Indians who
were forced from their lands to reservations against their will.
Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #227
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