------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 472
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Bowl Games and Sports on Network Rad [ Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed]; ]
Who was the Lone Ranger? [ "JPlummer" <jplummer@[removed]; ]
The Lady Who Came to Dinner [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
39 Forever - Noel Blanc! [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
GEORGE REEVES [ james h arva <wilditralian@[removed] ]
Blacklist [ William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed]; ]
Re: WOR nostalgia ["Candy Jens"] [ Joyce Brabner <jbrabner@[removed]; ]
Bob Elson interviews [ "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed] ]
KUDO's [ Edward Loyer <eloyer@[removed]; ]
greetings from the yukon [ "randy story" <bygeorge@[removed]; ]
Re: NEMO defined [ "Michael Muderick" <[removed] ]
Re: Attacks and Politics [ BryanH362@[removed] ]
McCarthy & The Blacklist [ "mike ray" <mikeray42@[removed]; ]
Howard replies to Hal [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
Passing of WTIC's Bob Steele [ "Mike Antonucci" <[removed]@co ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:22:10 -0500
From: Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bowl Games and Sports on Network Radio
Michael Berger replied:
Throughout most of the 50s and maybe beyond, NBC did the
Rose Bowl, CBS the Cotton Bowl and ABC the Sugar Bowl; in
those days, those were the major bowl games on New Year's
day; next in line was the Gator Bowl which might have been
carried on MBS but not sure about network TV.
In my previous post, I'd mentioned about NBC carrying the Rose Bowl on
both radio and TV for decades, an NBC "tradition", well into the 1970's
or later. In the 1970's, I know that CBS RAD))|((O was still carrying the
Cotton Bowl (I don't know about CBS-TV). And Mutual was carrying the Gator
Bowl and Sugar Bowl games in the 1970's. The other "additional" bowl games
(and professional playoffs) in December and January in the 1970's era were
usually carried by CBS Radio and Mutual.
(I guess on TV, all three TV networks carried one or another of the
"additional" bowl games)
But starting with January 1, 1968, the Sugar Bowl was most certainly *NOT*
airing on ABC Radio. I think by the 1980's, it returned to ABC Radio
though. That famous (or infamous?) date of 1-1-1968 was when ABC Radio
"ceased to exist" as a "single" network package. It is when ABC's Radio
service was now FOUR individual packages, the American Information,
American Entertainment, American Contemporary, and American FM "networks",
each with news/info/sportscasts, fed at different times during each hour,
but all down the same set of AT&T Bell System landlines.
Except for the most IMPORTANT major breaking news events (innauguration of
a president, a presidential news conference, etc), ABC did NOT interrupt
the line-up of sequentially fed programs of each of the four radio
packages. This also meant that ABC Radio ceased carrying long-form live
play-by-play sporting events.
I heard a Paul Harvey 15-min Midday newscast downloaded from Napster a few
years ago, from the early 1960's (Kennedy is mentioned in this Paul Harvey
newscast), and there is an ABC Radio promo that Notre Dame Football is
carried on Saturday afternoons.
But in the 1970's, when ABC Radio stopped all long form sports (because of
the four package formats starting Jan. 1968), Notre Dame was carried on
Mutual, as well as the Sugar Bowl.
By the LATE 1970's and then into the 1980's, apparantly the FCC had
"relaxed" the early 1940's prohibition of one company running two separate
simultaneous radio networks to the same market/region of the country.
While ABC Radio hadn't yet gone fully satellite where they could run
newscasts/etc. from each of their packages/formats SIMULTANEOUSLY over
different digital DAT/SEDAT satellite channels -- the "regular" lineup
of short-form news/features of all four-then-six formats were still
sequentially fed down one set of regular telco landlines -- a long-form
sporting event was now capable of being carried by ABC Radio "legally", by
leasing a SEPARATE set of AT&T landlines strictly for those stations that
chose to carry the game/fight/race/etc.
This first happened in 1978, when there was the rematch fight between Ali
and Spinx, which was here in New Orleans at the Superdome. CBS Radio
carried the initial fight earlier in the year, and they simply pre-empted
all regular news/info/etc. short-form features whenever a long-form sports
even was aired (even Mystery Theater would be pre-empted, at least certain
feeds would be pre-empted that night). I thought that ABC Radio would do
the same thing that CBS, Mutual and NBC had always been doing -- cancel
all "regular" short-form news/info/etc. feeds. But ABC actually leased a
separete set of Bell Telco lines to carry the fight rematch! Separate from
the "regular" lines carrying the short-form feeds of the four ABC radio
format packages! And the closing of the fight had the announcer outcue
"This is the ABC Radio Network", something that hadn't been heard for
probably over ten years! Since December 1967, when there still could be
said to be "one" ABC Radio Network!
I do seem to remember ABC Radio carrying the Sugar Bowl at times during
the 1980's, either over a separate set of telco lines, or on its "own"
RCA/GE Satcom DAT/SEDAT satellite channel, while other ABC Radio programs
would still be fed/aired via their own satellite channels.
And, of course, CBS, Mutual, and NBC started doing the very same thing
when they all went full satellite in the 1980's. Regular newscasts
continued to feed for those stations who chose not to carry a long-form
game, while the game fed over its own satellite channels.
Mark J. Cuccia
mcuccia@[removed]
New Orleans LA
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:22:33 -0500
From: "JPlummer" <jplummer@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Who was the Lone Ranger?
Larry Albert was commenting on who Billy Bletcher was in regards to the two
Republic serials. Billy Blecher was the voice of the Lone Ranger when
masked. By the way, Bob Livingston played the part in The Lone Ranger Rides
Again.
Jim Plummer
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:33:11 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Lady Who Came to Dinner
[removed] my table at SPERDVAC on Saturday night, we all got into a
big discussion about the blacklist and McCarthyism. The lady next to me
noted that it was fascinating to hear 8 people talking about it, all of whom
had varying points of view. I did mostly listening, seeing as I was the
"junior member" of the table.
However, I mentioned that there was a fantastic movie done in the 70s called
"The Front". It starred Woody Allen, and was written and performed by many
of the people who were blacklisted. It also features a breathtaking
performance by Zero Mostel in a role inspired by Philip Loeb of "The
Goldbergs", including the suicide. When I mentioned the movie, the lady next
to me gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She agreed that was an
incredible rendering of that time.
Being so Benny-focused, I didn't know much about this lovely lady, other than
that she had acted in radio. I learned the next day that her name is Jean
Rouverol, author of the book "Refugees from Hollywood: A Journal of the
Blacklist Years" about her 10 years in Mexico when her husband was
blacklisted.
--
Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:33:29 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: 39 Forever - Noel Blanc!
Hi all,
I am very happy to say that Noel Blanc will be reprising his father's role in
our recreation at 39 Forever. For all the details on the event, please see
our Web page and click on the first link under "Featured Items".
I also don't believe I've mentioned here that Jell-O has become a corporate
sponsor of the event. And yes, they sent me the sponsorship in the form of a
check, not free Jell-O. Gives a whole new meaning to "Jell-O Again!"
--
Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:33:40 -0500
From: james h arva <wilditralian@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: GEORGE REEVES
I haven't noticed so far any mention of this, but George Reeves played a
bad guy in the 1941 movie "Charlie Chan in Dead Men Tell", starring
Sydney Toler and Sen Yung (Young).
Jim Arva
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 13:45:30 -0500
From: William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Blacklist
At the time of blacklisting radio artists, I think it was called "Red
Channels", the irony was that it was compiled by a man in upstate New
York who had no connection with industry nor any knowledge of the
political preference of the prople that he condemned. However, it became
an authority for the ad agencies who who were responsible for hiring the
talent and commercial announcers for the programs.
The situation could have its humorous side too. I was preparing to do a
sustaining program with a large cast. They were sitting at a long table
doing a read through. Sound effects man, Jim Dwan, was putting a small
cue speaker in the "filter booth". These booths were lined with "ozite"
which produced an extremel obnoxious odor. When he came out he leaned
into the cast mike and commented on the smell and added "they must have
had a communist meeting in there last night". The entire cast as one gave
him a "dirty look". Apparently they were all comunist members. Jim came
into the control room and stated that he would never do that again.
Dwight Weist was a close friend and a flying buddy of mine. He was joined
by my one time girl friend, actress Joan Shea, when they spearheaded an
action by their union at a West coast AFRA convention to oust Murray
Wagner from their union. I also knew Murray, an announcer at KNX when I
worked there.
BILL MURTOUGH
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 14:11:26 -0500
From: Joyce Brabner <jbrabner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: WOR nostalgia ["Candy Jens"]
What was the folk music show that came on AFTER Jean Shepherd in the
early 60s, something like "Folksingers Tonight!" or "Folksingers New
York" with a very astute DJ whose name I now can't remember?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 14:14:30 -0500
From: "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bob Elson interviews
Re Bill Murtough's recent (#467) posting:
Right, Bob Elson interviewed passengers/travelers in Chicago. At the La
Salle St. Station (New York Central line)-- at least on many broadcasts of
'Bob Elson On (Aboard/On Board) the Twentieth Century (Limited)'.
Chicago, however, had more than two railroad terminals! For example,
check out:
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 15:07:22 -0500
From: Edward Loyer <eloyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: KUDO's
Hooray for Elizabeth and Harry! Thanks for the articulate and insightful
posts (always)! Ed Loyer
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 15:27:21 -0500
From: "randy story" <bygeorge@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: greetings from the yukon
Greetings, Gates!
Let us articulate!
I am writing to you from the newly snowed-in lands of South-Central MO.
Listening to CHALLENGE OF THE YUKON just now, and looking out the front
window of my modest home, I suddenly identified with Sgt. Preston.
Oh well. Back on subject.
I want to ditto Michael Hayde's request for information about OTR programs
featuring the late, great George Reeves. I always found him to be a strong
actor both in and out of the SUPERMAN series. And another actor of his ilk,
IMHO, was Chuck Connors(THE RIFLEMAN) along with Richard Boone(HGWT, MEDIC).
I am also looking for OTR shows featuring their work. Let me know via the
digest or off-digest, if you wish, as to what is circulating containing the
efforts of any of these three wonderful actors.
And as far as these new OTR books are concerned. I am so jealous of those of
you who can regularly purchase these volumes. Being a poor public school
teacher(cue the violins for HEARTS AND FLOWERS), I find it difficult to buy
a lot of these new publications as all of them are generally priced beyond
my fixed budget. The books by Jim Cox look wonderful and Hal Stone's work is
probably an absolute hoot, but the costs of either prevent me from
purchasing them. Is there some way I could obtain copies of some of the
newer OTR works by offereing to review them? I have all of these years as a
part-time journalist/ theater critic just laying there collecting dust,
after all. HINT, HINT. WINK, WINK.
*sigh*
Everyone have a terrific day!
God Bless,
Randy Story
(who is certain he just heard the Yukon King bark outside his door!)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 21:36:03 -0500
From: "Michael Muderick" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: NEMO defined
I tried researching that term many years ago. I think RCA even put it on
their consoles; of course they owned NBC so there's a tie there.
The only variation that I read was that it stood for NOT EMINATING FROM MAIN
OFFICE.
Does REMOTE stand for:
Radio Emanations Mostly Of The Extraterrestials?
-:)
Michael Muderick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 21:37:34 -0500
From: BryanH362@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Attacks and Politics
Whenever I read about the great red scare of the 1950s I certainly come
away with the idea that this is a vastly complex issue. The more you know
the more complicated it becomes. Because it is so complex different aspects
will effect different people differently. The blacklist was just one part of
the whole issue and to suggest that the whole subject can be defined by what
was printed in Red Channels is incorrect. In addition Phillip Loeb's misery
probably began when he was pointed out as a former member of the communist
party by Kazan and Lee J Cobb during their testimony to HUAC. Blaming his
suicide on Collyer is using the same loose guilt by association standards
that everyone decries. I must also correct Mr. Bartell in his assertion that
there was no hue and cry against America First or the German American Bund
because in fact there was. It came in the form of the sedition trials of
1944. All of the injustices usually associated with the blacklist also apply
to the sedition trials of 1944 but without all the modern publicity to go
along with it. There is no question that being a member of America First or
the communist party was legal . The question is were the organizations being
used as methods of subversion from either Berlin or Moscow. Subversiveness
is not legal. With the opening of some of the Soviet Archives certain groups
use that information to both prove and disprove that Alger Hiss was or was
not actually a communist agent as charged. One such pro Hiss group reports "
Communist files show that Alger Hiss was not a member of the communist party
in America." Whether Hiss was or was not a member ceases to be the important
issue to me at this point but rather why would Soviet files be able to
proclaim one way or the other if there wasn't atleast some relationship
between the American Communist Party and Moscow. Very intriguing and like
all intrigue very complex and confusing.
Was there proven Soviet infiltration in the US ? Yes, the Rosenbergs were
proof of that . Were there Hollywood writers puting communist messages into
movies? According to some of the writers who admitted doing it ...yes! Were
some members in the American Communist party knowingly subversive ? It would
appear so .
However, were some members of the communist party ( as Harry Bartell puts it
) "someone who had suffered the miseries of the Great Depression" searching
for a " solution in a different economic system " ?
ABSOLUTELY !
Were some even unjustly accused of being communists because their politics
leaned a little to the left? It seems so .
There are more than two sides to this issue . It seems like some people
deny that their was any proof of subversiveness going on at the time even
though there is ample evidence that there was in some cases . If it was a
witch hunt then we found witches. On the other hand others are ok in giving
the government carte blanche as to any method needed to find those communist
infiltrators even if innocent people are harmed and personal liberties are
taken away in the process.
I want to find the subversives but not at the expense of losing liberties.
Like Hal I hate communism . It makes my blood run cold just as much as Nazism
does. And justifiably
so since communists have butchered more people than Hitler
ever did. So unlike some I don't give the communist an easy pass any more
than I would a Nazi. So who was the good guy during the red scare ? It's safe
to say that there were good and bad people on both sides of the issue and
each side had and still has valid points and concerns . Collyer was
probably just one of those people with his own valid concerns.
----Bryan
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 21:37:49 -0500
From: "mike ray" <mikeray42@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: McCarthy & The Blacklist
I think some clarification is needed. Many times one might read (or hear) the
name Senator Joseph McCarthy in association with the Hollywood black list.
Senator McCarthyís probe was directed toward alleged Communists subversives in
the State department. His Senate oversight committee, of which he was the
chair,
did not involve itself with Hollywood. That was done by the Un-American
Activities Committee of the US House of Representatives. Tactics that were used
by the two different committees may have been similar, their focus however were
in two different directions of the overall subject.
Best regards,
Mike Ray
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 21:38:40 -0500
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Howard replies to Hal
I've been away for a couple days and I came back find quite a few
postings about Bud Collyer, the blacklist, Hal Stone's challenge to me
etc.
Jennifer Pope posted a message today saying "It's about time someone
defended Collyer and the others! "Dark side"? Gimme a break."
By way of partially replying to Hal, I'll post this in response to
Jennifer's comment (from pp. 368-369 of "Words at War")
"Three blacklisted people, Fredric March, Florence Eldredge, and Joseph
Julian brought suit against the American Business Consultants, their
blacklisters. It was "Counterattack," American Business Consultantsí
first publication that alleged that March was a communist. Subsequently,
for at least a six-month interval, job offers shriveled up. In a panic
from the threat of the Marchesí lawsuit, American Business Consultants,
sent its vice-president to Hollywood in search of evidence to support
their allegations. But there was none to be found and they made an offer
to settle out of court. The Marches accepted an agreement whereby
Counterattack printed a retraction story ìFredric March and his Wife
Eldridge, Condemn Communist Despotism in Stalinist Russia.î American
Business Consultants did not act in good faith, however. Although the
original charges against the couple appeared on Counterattackís front
page, the retraction was buried in the publicationís back pages.
Yes Jennifer, yes Hal, "Dark side!" Over and over again, Collyer and
his
friends relied on unsubstantiated allegations to smear people. I provide
evidence in "Words at War" that Collyer himself at the very least read
Red Channels before it was published.
1. Hal referred to my "seemingly biased comments" about Bud Collyer
In my posting, I reported on what someone else, actor Jackson Beck ,
told a journalist, about Collyer. "Words at War" documents the source
from which the comments came. Is that the alleged "bias" to which Hal
refers.
2. Hal asked "Where did Jackson Beck stand, ...?"
NOBODY ever accused Beck of being even a so-called "fellow traveler."
3. I wrote "....the fuller record (concerning Bud Collyer) bears a look
" And Hal replied "Who says? And why? What statement are you trying to
make?
I (!) say. My credentials are that during the eight years in which I
worked on the book, I interviewed numerous actors and others who were
blacklisted (Pete Seeger, Arthur Miller, etc.) , relatives of deceased
victims of the blacklist, a co-author of Red Channels. I also did
research in numerous libraries around the country.
4. Some supporters of the blacklist (this particular allegation was never
leveled against Collyer--) were motivated by personal financial profit.
Read pages 350-351 about this.
Howard Blue
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 21:41:11 -0500
From: "Mike Antonucci" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Passing of WTIC's Bob Steele
Bob Steele of WTIC radio died today at 91 years old . Although Bob was not a
network personality he was most certainly a part of Old Time Radio. Anyone
who lived in southern New England grew up with Bob Steele. Bob started at
WTIC in March 1936 as a staff announcer and did his last show on November 2,
2002. Bob retired in 1991 but still did one show a month in his well known
and truly unique style. Even through his last show, Bob continued to keep
true to his style. He ran a tight show - timing was important, his brand of
slightly corny humor and features like “Word for the Day” and “Tiddlywinks”
. Anyone who listened to him knew how much he cared about his audience. One
feature that always amazed me was that in the 1970s he was able to find a
sponsor for the antenna switch. He will be greatly missed by all of us who
listened to hear his warm voice. Bob was inducted to the radio hall of fame
in 1995. The Hall of Fame has a nice tribute at
[removed] Mike
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #472
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