------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2006 : Issue 33
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Superman [ "A. Joseph Ross" <joe@attorneyross. ]
Re: Bill Paley [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Good show! [ Wich2@[removed] ]
Fred Gwynne bio on A&E [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
Paley and radio [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
Request for show name [ Frank Passage <fpassage@[removed]; ]
Met Opera Quiz Taped? [ Martin Fass <watchstop@frontiernet. ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ charlie@[removed] ]
2-1 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:22:02 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <joe@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Superman
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 01:08:50 -0500
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
[removed] it's somewhat curious that the radio show would eschew the
origin given in the comics, by having a fully grown Superman emerge
from his ship -in costume- and take his name not from the couple
that raised him, but from the suggestion of the first people he'd
met on Earth.
I'm not so sure that the origin in the comics was all that much
better at that point. The legend has changed over time.
Then again, the origin story as it appeared on the TV show differed
from the then-current comic-book continuity in a number of ways,
including the names of Clark's parents on earth. In the comics at
that time, Clark began to wear the blue tights as a boy, under the
name "Superboy." That continued to be so until the revision of the
DC comics universe in 1985.
It's also curious- and amusing- that in the first episode, Jor-El
describes the Earth as a planet, "on the other side of the sun."
That's, [removed] interesting. "Other side of the sun" you say? As in
Krypton is on the exact same orbital plane as Earth, but 180
degrees away (if we assume a 360 degree circular orbit to make the
math simple)? That's the only way Krypton could be said to be on
the "other side of the sun", though I have a feeling the writer(s)
might have meant to say the other side of the _galaxy_.
A planet on the other side of the sun was a fairly common device in
those days. There was even a comic strip, "Twin Earths," on that
theme. The idea was that we wouldn't know about the planet, at least
not until we had a visitation from there. Exactly how people on
Krypton would have known was never stated, but their science was far
in advance of ours. I would think that a planet on the other side of
the sun might be detected because of its gravitational effects on
other objects. After all, that's how Neptune was discovered.
"On the other side of the galaxy" doesn't seem a likely meaning in
1940. At that point, I'm not sure astronomy had yet settled on the
nature of our galaxy. I'm fairly sure they had not yet settled the
argument between Edwin Hubble and Harlow Shapley as to whether the
"spiral nebulae" were other galaxies or something more local.
--
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed]
15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax [removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2503 [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:04:35 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Bill Paley
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In a message dated 1/30/06 11:27:47 PM Central Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
A man like Bill Paley will, inevitably, have a large number of
admirers and harsh critics. But I think both camps would agree that
Bill Paley rarely allowed sentiment to rule his business decisions.
I've often heard it was Paley who ordered Jim Aubrey to cancel "The Jack
Benny Show" on CBS-TV in 1964 (or Aubrey wanted to do it and Paley allowed
him).
But Aubrey's mishandling of the firing (he was extremely harsh, from what I
heard, berating him with things like "You're through, old man!" very cruel as
if
Benny's growing older was done on purpose to sabotage CBS), from what I heard,
deeply upset Paley so much he canned Aubrey. Benny then headed back to NBC,
while Paley had wanted him to stay at CBS for specials. Any truth?
Dixon
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:05:14 -0500
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Good show!
From: Bill Jaker bilj@[removed]
It's been pointed out that Eddie Anderson played Rochester at a higher
volume ... Since those guys certainly knew how to
read their lines, a section of the script IN CAPS may have been to alert
the engineer to ride the gain a little
Dear Bill-
I posited my theory, based on the fact that I seem to recall Eddie having
vision issues. But I must say, yours is the most elegant answer!
I'm leery of the concept that the caps were director's cues; as you say, as
a pro, Anderson didn't need hand-holding like that - also, not ALL
Rochester's lines are yelled.
Best,
-Craig
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:06:11 -0500
From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Fred Gwynne bio on A&E
A brief excerpt from the A & E e-mail schedule - consult local listings for
exact times in your area.
It will be interesting to see how much of his radio career they will cover.
I've already learned something new, that he wrote and illustrated children's
books. Did anyone else in OTR do this?
js
Saturday, February 11, 2006
8-9am EST -- BIOGRAPHY - Fred Gwynne.
Profile of the multi-talented stage and screen star,
radio performer, musician, singer, painter, and writer
and illustrator of children's books. Features clips
from Fred's most beloved TV series and movies,
including "Car 54, Where Are You?", "The Munsters",
and "My Cousin Vinny", and talks with Al "Grandpa
Munster" Lewis.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:09:01 -0500
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Paley and radio
Jim Meals wistfully ponders:
Bill Paley rarely allowed sentiment to rule his business decisions.
Could OTR have been an exception? After all, CBS was the last network to
abandon radio drama. Should boomers give some credit to William Paley for the
fact that they could listen to a radio drama until September 30, 1962?
Right you are. I attempted to do just that when I characterized Paley as
"extremely competitive, and fought tenaciously to maintain radio's viability in
the early days of TV" in my book "Say Goodnight, Gracie: The Last Years of
Network Radio" (McFarland, 2002).
Said I: "CBS owner-chairman Bill Paley wasn't the only one in broadcasting who
championed radio for a prolonged period of time [a reference to RCA chairman
David Sarnoff], although he [Paley] may have been its most viable, visible,
vocal proponent. Paley desperately hoped -- against insuperable odds -- that
radio would thrive, albeit alongside a newer medium that was gaining rapid favor
in U. S. homes" [by the early to mid 1950s].
Paley, more than any other individual, I believe, can be credited with holding
the line for as long as possible on canning radio entertainment. As he saw
audiences and advertisers slipping away, time and time again he stood firm
against the affiliates whose mutterings became more vocal as the 1950s
progressed. After staunchly refusing their demands to relinquish generous
portions of the broadcast schedule so they could put on their own shows and
thereby gain substantially more $$$ by selling time locally, not until he faced
near mutiny, and by that I mean, was convinced they would leave CBS and join
another web or go independent -- including some powerful, prestigious
50,000-watt voices -- did Paley reluctantly let them chip away at his empire,
gradually relinquishing more and more of the programming schedule, especially
daytime. Even reducing the weekly agenda from 63 to 30 hours at the start of
1959 didn't satisfy the sharks for long. By then the local stations smelled
blood and their hunger would not be quenched until they satiated ravenous
appetites. Another 20 months elapsed before Paley finally threw in the towel
(well after his competitors) and allowed CBS Radio president Arthur Hull Hayes
to make the announcement that the affiliates had been waiting to hear: "Radio
must shift from entertainment forms which can be presented more effectively by
other media." The other shoe dropped, and a day of execution was set for
Friday, Nov. 25, 1960.
On that day, CBS wiped its slate nearly clean (except for Godfrey, House Party,
10 minutes of news on the hour, Lowell Thomas and a handful of mostly
five-minute daytime features). Gone were The Couple Next Door, The Right to
Happiness, Whispering Streets, Ma Perkins, Young Dr. Malone, The Second Mrs.
Burton, Best Seller and the Amos 'n' Andy Music Hall. Banished that weekend
(Nov. 27) was Have Gun, Will Travel. Little was left after the debacle other
than the shows mentioned already plus Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney,
Gunsmoke, Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. The singers and dramas would
be history in less than two years.
While Paley was a man who was accustomed to getting what he wanted, he clearly
wanted radio to survive and prosper alongside television. Ultimately he
couldn't bring it off. But some of us who were born in an era when we would
have missed a lot of it had not someone stood in the way, can be grateful to
Paley and his underlings who fought to preserve it for as long as they did. He
was first and foremost a radio man, and to that end, we are in his debt.
Jim Cox
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 18:17:00 -0500
From: Frank Passage <fpassage@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Request for show name
Hi All,
I received the request below. Anyone have a clue?
Frank
- --------
Somewhere in 1944-46 a weekly network musical show
was broadcast from my high scool auditorium in Miami
during the winter. I worked backstage working the
stage PA system and lights. It was a high end program
with such stars as Jose Iturbi etc. I can't even
remember the others. The problem is that I would like
to remember the name of the show. <snip>
Thank you, Robert E. Morris, Greensboro,NC
remorris4@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006 01:06:26 -0500
From: Martin Fass <watchstop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Met Opera Quiz Taped?
After more than fifty years of trying, the Metropolitan Opera Quiz
used my question On January 28, and I missed the broadcast! It is
not made available on their website.
Did anyone out there by any chance tape it? Please?
--Martin Fass
Rochester, NY
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006 02:12:00 -0500
From: charlie@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
real-time OTR talk!
Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
it's always a good time!
For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
week and every week!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006 10:10:31 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 2-1 births/deaths
February 1st births
02-01-1859 - Victor Herbert - Dublin, Ireland - d. 5-24-1924
composer: "Palmolive Beauty Box Theatre"; "Railroad Hour"; "Vicks
Open House"
02-01-1891 - Alexander Kipnis - Schitomir, Ukraine - d. 5-14-1978
wagnerian basso profundo: "Outpost Concert Series"; "Metropolitan Opera"
02-01-1894 - James P. Johnson - New Brunswick, NJ - d. 11-17-1955
pianist: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concerts"; "This is Jazz"
02-01-1895 - John Ford - Cape Elizabeth, ME - d. 8-31-1973
director: "Screen Director's Playhouse"
02-01-1901 - Clark Gable - Cadiz, OH - d. 11-16-1960
actor: "So Proudly We Hail"; "Silver Theatre"
02-01-1902 - Langston Hughes - Joplin, Mo - d. 5-22-1967
writer: "America's Town Meeting of the Air"
02-01-1904 - S. J. Perelman - New York, NY - d. 10-17-1979
humorist: "Information, Please"; "Author! Author!"; "Railroad Hour"
02-01-1906 - Hildegarde - Adell, WI (Raised: Milwaukee, WI) - d.
7-29-2005
singer, pianist: (The Dear that Made Milwaukee Famous) "Hildegard
Program"
02-01-1908 - George Pal - Cegled, Austria-Hungary - d. 5-2-1980
film producer, director: "Bud's Bandwagon"
02-01-1922 - Miriam Wolfe - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-30-2000
actress: Nancy "Witch's Tale"
02-01-1922 - Renata Tebaldi - Pesaro, Italy - d. 12-19-2004
lyric soprano: "Bell Telephone Hour"; "Metropolitan Opera
02-01-1926 - Nancy Gates - Dallas, TX
actress: "Masquerade"; "Orson Welles Theatre"
02-01-1926 - Stuart Whitman - San Francisco, CA
actor: "We Hold These Truths"
02-01-1937 - Don Everly - Brownie, KY
singer: (The Everly Brothers) "March of Dimes"; "Country Hoedown"
02-01-1941 - Marian Hailey - Portland, OR
actress: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
February 1st deaths
01-20-1907 - L. A. "Speed" Riggs - Silverdale, NC - d. 2-1-1987
tobacco auctioneer: "Jack Benny Show"; "Kay Kyser Show"
02-21-1881 - Dr. Jonah B. Wise - Cincinnati, OH - d. 2-1-1959
preacher: "Message of Israel"
02-25-1912 - Richard Wattis - Wednesbury, England - d. 2-1-1975
actor: "Brothers In Law"
04-16-1895 - Mischa Mischakoff - Proskourov, Russia - d. 2-1-1981
violinist: "NBC Symphony Orchestra"; "NBC String Trio"
05-02-1885 - Hedda Hopper - Hollidaysburg, PA - d. 2-1-1966
actress, columnist: Portia Brent "Brenthouse"; "Hedda Hopper Show"
05-29-1909 - Mary Jane Higby - St. Louis, MO - d. 2-1-1986
actress: Joan Davis "When a Girl Marries"; Nora Drake "This is Nora
Drake"
05-30-1892 - Raymond Clapper - LaCygne, KS - d. 2-1-1944
commentator: (Killed During WWII) "News and Commentary for White Owl
Cigars"
06-10-1920 - Anne Burr - Boston, MA - d. 2-1-2003
actress: Regina Rawlings "Backstage Wife"; "Nona Marsh "Wendy Warren
and the News"
08-12-1921 - Marjorie Reynolds - Buhl, ID - d. 2-1-1997
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Cavalcade of America"; "Silver Theatre"
08-16-1888 - Marion Sayle Taylor - Louisville, KY - d. 2-1-1942
advisor: "Voice of Experience"
08-30-1797 - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly - London, England - d. 2-1-1851
creator of Frankenstein: "Suspense"; "The Weird Circle"
09-15-1907 - Jack Bailey - Hampton, IA - d. 2-1-1980
emcee: "Queen for a Day"; "Truth or Consequences"
10-04-1895 - Buster Keaton - Piqua, KS - d. 2-1-1966
comediann: "Shell Chateau"; "Voices from the Hollywood Past"
11-03-1928 - Wanda Hendrix - Jacksonville, FL - d. 2-1-1981
actress: "Cavalcade of America"; "Stars Over Hollywood"; "Lux Radio
Theatre"
12-01-1918 - Thomas Hayward - Kansas City, MO - d. 2-1-1995
singer: "Serenade to America"; "Name Speaks"
12-28-1909 - Olan Soule - La Harpe, IL - d. 2-1-1994
actor: Sam Ryder "Bachelor's Children"; Kermit Hubbard "Joan and Kermit"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #33
********************************************
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]
To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
or see [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]