Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #78
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 3/8/2007 8:29 AM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2007 : Issue 78
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  "Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Nig  [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed] ]
  A show query                          [ hopharrigan@[removed] ]
  Comicbook Marketplace/Gemstone publi  [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
  Cassette storage boxes and "J" cards  [ "wr k" <wrk41@[removed]; ]
  Burns and Allen                       [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
  Cy Harrice                            [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
  OTR Donations                         [ Stuart Lubin <stuartlubin6686@sbcgl ]
  Old Dutch commercials                 [ jack and cathy french <otrpiano@ver ]
  3-8 births/deaths                     [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
  Remembering Roger Hill                [ "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@sbcglob ]
  David Sarnoff Library photos          [ <verotas@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 11:52:12 -0500
From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  "Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand
 with the Big Bands"

The latest "Golden Age of Radio" programs with Dick Bertel
and Ed Corcoran, and "A One Night Stand with the Big Bands"
with Arnold Dean can be heard at [removed].

Wach week we feature four complete shows in MP3 format
for your listening pleasure or for downloading; two "Golden
Age of Radios" and two "One Night Stands." The two WTIC
programs are on different pages for more flexibility.

We present new shows every week or so. The current four
programs will be available on line at least until the morning of
March 14, 2007.

Program 40 - July, 1973 - Gale Storm and Barbara Britton

This week's guests were primarily stars in other media, but
there will be plenty of talk about old-time radio.

Gale Storm's career encompasses much more than her TV role
as "My Little Margie;" she has maintained a very successful
recording career, in addition to her radio, motion picture, theatre,
night club, and television performances.

Barbara Britton acted in numerous films in the late 1940s and early
1950s, including the westerns The Virginian (1946), Albuquerque
(1948), and Ride the Man Down (1952). She also acted in the
early 3-D adventure Bwana Devil (1952). She temporarily put her
film career on hold when she was cast in the NBC comedy/mystery
TV series Mr. & Mrs. North, returning to films when NBC
canceled the series in 1954.

Program 41 - August, 1973 - Roger Bower

Bower joined radio station WOR in New York in 1928, and worked
there for 24 years; during that time, he also produced and directed
programs for other stations, including CBS and NBC. At WOR
Bower produced, directed, acted, and created sound effects. During
his years at WOR, Bower directed several thousand radio and
television programs, including: You Can't Take It With You, The
Treasure Hour of Song, Famous First Facts, Name Your Poison,
Say It With Words, Mystery Sketches, Music Pastels, and Court
of Literary Justice.

"A One Night Stand with the Big Bands" with Arnold Dean

Program 37 - August, 1974 - George T. Simon and Glenn Miller -
Part 2

The subject this week is a continuation of Arnold's conversation about
Glenn Miller, with George T. Simon, author of The Big Bands and
Simon Says: The Sights and Sounds of the Swing Era, and the
foremost authority on the Big Band Era. Simon helped Glenn Miller
organize his first band, played drums in it, and fostered Miller's
reputation through his writing for Metronome, The New York
Herald Tribune, and other leading publications. He went on to
become a leading expert on the music of the swing era and the big
bands. He wrote several other acclaimed books, including The Sinatra
Report (1965), as well as copious articles, liner notes for recordings,
and occasionally even song lyrics for the likes of Duke Ellington and
Alec Wilder.

Program 38 - September, 1974 - Teddy Wilson (Part 1)

Part 1 of  2 parts. Theodore Shaw Wilson (1912-1986) was the most
important pianist of the swing period. He grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama,
and briefly studied music at Talladega College.

After working in Chicago with Jimmie Noone, Louis Armstrong, and
others he moved in 1933 to New York to join Benny Carter's band.
He played informally with Benny Goodman in 1935 and officially
joined Goodman's trio the following year, thereby becoming one of
the first black musicians to appear prominently with white artists.

In the 1970's WTIC decided that there was a market in
the evening for long-form shows that could be packaged
and sold to sponsors. Two of those shows were "The
Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand with the
Big Bands."

Dick Bertel had interviewed radio collector-historian
Ed Corcoran several times on his radio and TV shows,
and thought a regular monthly show featuring interviews
with actors, writers, producers, engineers and musicians
from radio's early days might be interesting. "The Golden
Age of Radio" was first broadcast in April, 1970; Ed was
Dick's co-host. It lasted seven years. "The Golden Age
of Radio" can also be heard Saturday nights on Walden
Hughes's program on Radio Yesteryear.

Arnold Dean began his love affair with the big band
era in his pre-teen years and his decision to study
the clarinet was inspired by the style of Artie Shaw.
When he joined WTIC in 1965 he hosted a daily program
of big band music. In 1971, encouraged by the success
of his daily program and "The Golden Age of Radio"
series, he began monthly shows featuring interviews
with the band leaders, sidemen, agents, jazz reporters,
etc. who made major contributions to one of the great
eras of music history.

Bob Scherago
Webmaster

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:24:38 -0500
From: hopharrigan@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  A show query

Hi, folks.
My sixth graders and I just finished a class reading of Avi's fun book about
growing up as a child of radio, WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN, ANYWAY?. I have many
of the shows mentioned in the book, but there is reference to a program
called THE SILVER FOX. I can find it referenced nowhere and I am curious to
know if such a show ever existed or if Avi simply made it up for the book's
sake. The book, by the way, is a fun read. Yes there are some errors
regarding OTR, but I have found it entertaining for me and my students as
well as a good way to get into an OTR unit of study.
Anyone know about the SILVER FOX radio show?
Let me know,
Randy Story
West Plains, MO
PS
Martin Grams is right about the Comic Book Marketplace Jan., 2005 issue
regarding radio heroes. They publish this less than a block from my house,
but the owner is a bit eccentric and hard to contact except through the mail
address. If you have no luck there, try calling Dirt Road Comics in Willow
Springs, [removed] any comics store for that matter as many of them carry the
publication.

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:25:03 -0500
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Comicbook Marketplace/Gemstone publishing

Martin Grams mentioned Comic Book Marketplace,
published by Gemstone publishing (which also publishes
the annual Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide). I don't
know if Comic Book Marketplace itself has a website,
but Gemstone Publishing does. It's
[removed].

Rick

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:25:29 -0500
From: "wr k" <wrk41@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Cassette storage boxes and "J" cards
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from text/html

   There have been a few queries about cassette storage boxes but, so far
   none about "J" cards to insert into [removed] Anyone know a source for
   [removed] Preferrably unlined and precreased, in either white or
   [removed] Of course, you can make your own from index cards, using
   either the lined side or the plain side; but, accurate creases can be
   a [removed] The advantage of the
   "J" card is they provide room for additional information re the
   programs on the [removed]!

  *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
  ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:26:24 -0500
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Burns and Allen

An inquisitive Kenneth Clarke observes:

I've got some of the "Burns and Allen Show" episodes from early
[removed]  I remember one member the cast who played
Blanche Morton's husband had the name of Hal.  The only one I could
remember who played the role was Fred Clark.  Who was this actor?

Blanche's husband and George's accountant, Harry Morton, was played in order
by:  Hal March, John Brown (until he was blacklisted by the "red scare"),
Fred Clark and Larry Keating.  On the episode when Keating took over,
incidentally, Burns candidly explained that Clark had asked for too big a
raise and was replaced.  Burns used to spar with announcer Harry Von Zell
over money issues on the air as part of the act, you may recall.  It got
plenty of laughs.  One wonders if there was a basis for it.  Burns had a
best friend named Benny.  Naw, it was just part of the act.

Jim Cox

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:26:41 -0500
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Cy Harrice

I'm grateful to my chum Doug Douglass for keeping us informed with obscure
items that those of us who don't live in or near New York would otherwise
miss.  Some of it is sad news, such as the passing of Cy Harrice on Feb. 14,
appearing in last Sunday's NY Times.  Harrice was the guy who closed those
Pall Mall commercials with "And ... they are mild!"  Remember that voice?
Here's what I said about him in his entry in "Radio Speakers" recently
released by McFarland:

HARRICE, CY.  b. Mar. 1, 1915, Chicago, Ill.  Announcer.  Series:  The
Adventures of the Abbotts (1955); The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (ca. mid
1950s); The Adventures of the Thin Man (ca. 1940s, 1950); The Big Story
(1947-1955); A Brighter Tomorrow, aka The Gabriel Heatter Show, aka Behind
the Front Page, aka Gabriel Heatter Comments (1946-1948); Cavalcade of
America (1950-1953); Crime Cases of Warden Lawes (1946-1947); Ethel and
Albert (ca. late 1940s); Grand Central Station (ca. 1940s, early 1950s); The
Kaiser Traveler, aka The Burl Ives Show (1949); National Barn Dance
(commercial spokesman, 1936-ca. 1942); Quick as a Flash (ca. late 1940s,
early 1950s); The RCA Victor Show (1945-1946); Uncle Ezra (commercial
spokesman, 1936-1939); Walter Winchell's Journal (ca. 1950s); What Makes You
Tick? (1948).  Aphorism:  And . they are mild!

            While enrolled at his hometown's Northwestern University in
1936, Cy Harrice became a commercial spokesman for Miles Laboratories and
its Alka-Seltzer distress reliever on a couple of WLS-originated network
features:  the National Barn Dance on Saturday nights and Uncle Ezra on
weeknights.  Harrice affiliated full time with WLS in 1940, branching into
copywriting, newscasting and programming.  Gaining that valuable experience,
in 1942 he transferred his loyalty to rival station WGN, becoming the latter's
chief on-air newsman.  Three years later he departed the Windy City for New
York City to become a freelance announcer.

            With only a brief time to prepare, he was once pressed into
acting opposite Ginger Rogers for a 1950s Cavalcade of America broadcast.
Harrice later confessed:  "Acting wasn't my bent.  My specialty was selling
over the air."  He was the second voice the listeners heard on signature
Pall Mall cigarette commercials during radio's heyday, beginning in 1946 and
extending into television with a total 24-year run.  The first voice-usually
belonging to announcer Ernest Chappell-finished the recurring sales pitch
with:  Outstanding!  Cy Harris added a rich, resonant baritone, immediately
following Chappell with:  And . they are mild!  Harrice was identified with
several other major broadcasting underwriters for lengthy periods, too,
including E. I. Dupont, General Motors and Procter & Gamble.  After radio's
golden age passed, Harrice syndicated a half-minute series to local stations
titled What's the Good Word?

Jim Cox

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:27:26 -0500
From: Stuart Lubin <stuartlubin6686@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  OTR Donations

Thank you for your warnings about donating OTR material to
general libraries.  Now, someone knowledgeable must please tell
us where TO donate materials, if you do not want to sell them.
What about the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills?
Isn't there a similar museum in Chicago?  Anything like that in
NY?

If I had material to donate, I would NOT donate it to SPERDVAC.
SPERDVAC, while most volunteers are wonderfully devoted and
hard-working people, suffers from too few volunteers, and too
many items are acquired but not put into circulation. Pacific
Pioneer Broadcaster, formerly located in the heart of Hollywood
at the site of the old NBC Radio studios, used to collect
material, but their location is "contaminated" now, and no one
is allowed in there.

If someone knows of an organization that treats OTR researchers
with dignity and allows them access to OTR materials, please
weigh in, so donors will know whom to go to.  Thank you.

Stuart

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 22:08:27 -0500
From: jack and cathy french <otrpiano@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Old Dutch commercials

On Tuesday, March 6, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Steve Lewis wrote:

In preparation for an upcoming recreation the Gotham Radio Players 
will be doing of a lost episode from the series "Nick Carter, Master
Detective", I am searching for a recording (or script) from that
series from around December 1948 which includes the commercials
for "Old Dutch Cleanser".

I checked the tapes I have and the only commercial I can find is at the 
end of one episode from that era:

"Nick Carter, Master Detective, is presented each week at this same 
time over these same stations by the Cudahee Packing Company, makers of 
Old Dutch Cleanser. Remember, when you go shopping tomorrow, get the 
cleaner preferred by more women in American than any other. When 
minutes count, always use Old Dutch Cleanser."

I'm not sure of the year, but my father used to sing the Old Dutch 
Cleaner song commercial endlessly and drove us kids nuts.  For that 
reason, it's stayed with me.

"Old Dutch Cleanser's got it, uh-hah.
No other cleaner's got it, uh-ah.
Nothing else does what it does
To clean with twice the speed.
It's quicker than a twinkle.
It's a brand-new cleaning wrinkle.
Activated Sizematyte in famous Old Dutch!"

Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
<[removed]>

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 22:10:58 -0500
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  3-8 births/deaths

March 8th births

03-08-1891 - Sam Jaffe - NYC - d. 3-24-1984
actor: "Fannie Hurst Presents"; "New World A-Coming"; "Cavalcade of
America"
03-08-1893 - Victor Arden - Wenona, IL - d. 7-31-1962
pianist and orchestra director with various radio appearances
03-08-1899 - Gladys Thornton - Madison. Fl - d. 9-2-1964
actor: Aunt Addie "My Son and I"; Mrs. Tasek "The O'Neills"
03-08-1902 - Louise Beavers - Cincinnati, OH - d. 10-26-1962
actor: Beulah "Beulah"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
03-08-1906 - Franklyn MacCormack - Waterloo, IA - d. 6-12-1971
announcer: "Caroline's Golden Store"; "Jack Armstrong"
03-08-1909 - Claire Trevor - NYC - d. 4-8-2000
actor: Lorelei Kilbourne " Big Town", Theresa Travers "Results, Inc."
03-08-1912 - David Friedkin - d. 10-15-1976
writer: "Bold Venture"; "Broadway Is My Beat"; "The Front Page"
03-08-1918 - Alan Hale, Jr. - Los Angeles, CA - d. 1-2-1990
actor: "Smiths of Hollywood"
03-08-1918 - Sam Donahue - Detroit, MI - d. 3-22-1974
saxaphonist, bandleader: dance band remotes
03-08-1919 - Mavor Moore - Toronto, Canada - d. 12-18-2006
actor: Nero Wolfe "Advs. of Nero Wolfe"; "The Crusoe Boys"
03-08-1921 - Cyd Charisse - Amarillo, TX
actor, dancer: Guest: "Spike Jones Show"
03-08-1922 - Al Gionfriddo - Dysart, PA - d. 3-14-2003
sportscaster: KONG Visalia, CA
03-08-1929 - Betty Carter - d. 9-26-1998
jazz vocalist: "Jazz Alive"
03-08-1943 - Lynn Redgrave - London, England
actor: "Artist Descending a Staircase"; "Vile Bodies"

March 8th deaths

03-06-1916 - Red Callender - d. 3-8-1992
jazz bass player: "Jubilee"; "One Night Stand"
04-19-1908 - Parke Levy - Philadelphia, PA - d. 3-8-1993
creator, writer, director: "December Bride"; "My Friend Irma"
04-20-1893 - Harold Lloyd - Burchard, NE - d. 3-8-1971
comedian: "Comedy Theatre"
04-29-1879 - Sir Thomas Beecham - St. Helens, England - d. 3-8-1961
conductor: "Information Please"
06-02-1889 - Martha Wentworth - NYC - d. 3-8-1974
actor: Wintergreen Witch "Cinnamon Bear"; Nancy "Witch's Tale"
07-08-1914 - Billy Eckstine - Philadelphia, PA - d. 3-8-1993
jazz vocalist: "Yessiree . . .It's Mr. B!"; "ABCs of Music";
"Julilee"; "Big Show"
07-19-1930 - Rhoda Williams - Denver, CO - d. 3-8-2006
actor: Betty Anderson "Father Knows Best"; "Life of Riley"
08-17-1922 - Jack Sperling - Trenton, NJ - d. 3-8-2004
drummer: Bands of Bunny Berrigan, Les Brown and others
09-13-1876 - Sherwood Anderson - Camden, OH - d. 3-8-1941
writer: "The Free Company"
10-03-1890 - Henry Hull - Louisville, KY - d. 3-8-1977
actor: Honest Abe "Abraham Lincoln"; Nathan Hale "Roses and Drums"
10-15-1921 - Allan Drake - Massachusetts - d. 3-8-1986
actor: "The Ethel Merman Show"
11-25-1914 - Joe DiMaggio - Martinez, CA - d. 3-8-1999
baseball superstar: "Joe DiMaggio Show"
12-08-1904 - George Stevens - Oakland, CA - d. 3-8-1975
film director: "Lux Radio Theatre"
12-12-1909 - Karen Morley - Ottumwa, IA - d. 3-8-2003
blacklisted actor: "War Town"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
12-30-1922 - Bert Holland - d. 3-8-1980
actor: Emmett "Shorty Bell"
xx-xx-1918 - Kathie Kay - Glasgow, Scotland - d. 3-8-2005
singer: "Billy Cotton Band Show"

Ron Sayles

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

Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2007 09:16:12 -0500
From: "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Remembering Roger Hill

Barbara Watkin's recent posting about the passing of Roger Hill
brought back many memories. Barbara's mention that Roger was very
active in NARA (North American Radio Archives) needs to be clarified a
bit. Roger was responsible for the creation of NARA. At the time Roger
was teaching high school and owned an exotic pet store in San
Francisco. In 1972 he and two other old radio fans (attorney Francine
Berry and husband Matthew Krin) felt that a good organization of radio
collectors was needed and after much thought and effort on their part
NARA was formed as an educational non profit corporation. In those
early years of trading and collecting old radio shows, the NARA under
Roger's guidance and with a cadre of dedicated volunteers accomplished
some notable things. A large lending library of tapes, books, slides
and radio related material was established for members, a large
tribute dinner for radio legend Carlton E. Morse was held in San
Francisco and a committee was formed to help older radio performers in
need of assistance. In early 1974 a working alliance began with the
California Historical Society to provide a series of old time radio
presentations for the public at their headquarters and Time magazine
interviewed NARA about radio programming nostalgia with a resulting
story in an issue of Time that helped increase the public awareness of
old time radio and collecting.

In his time Roger Hill made a lasting contribution to the preservation
and collecting of old radio shows. I lost touch with Roger many years
ago but once heard that he never embraced the coming of computers. If
true, that would help explain how he sort of faded into the background
at a time when computers have made access to all aspects in the hobby
of old time radio so easy and immediate.

Paul Thompson

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

Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2007 10:11:15 -0500
From: <verotas@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  David Sarnoff Library photos

I recently came across [removed] and spent some time enjoying the
numerous photographs there.  I recommend it.

One caught my interest.  It shows FDR seated at the desk in his White House
Library behind a battery of microphones - NBC, CBS and ABC.  Supposedly dated
1935.

I questioned the date for two reasons.  First was the dark spot over his left
eyebrow.  Seems to me from seeing lots of photos, that mark wasn't that
obvious in 1935, but became much more so in later years.  Yet by ABC's start
in 1947 (mike use when?), FDR was gone.  Can someone explain "that" ABC mike
c. 1935?  I know there was an earlier network try with the name American, but
still that mike definitely looks later to me.

Many thanks - Lee Munsick

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #78
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