------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 340
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Superheroes [ skallisjr@[removed] ]
Radio Writing [ Thom Bray <tb@[removed]; ]
Female hero [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
re: I Don't Know (Gunsmoke) [ Gerald Wright <gdwright@[removed] ]
This weekends line-up with Walden [ BryanH362@[removed] ]
Baby Snooks Photos [ "jazmaan@[removed]" <dmf273@ya ]
Re: heroes [ vigor16@[removed] ]
10-22 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Re: Bob Hope comics [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Jack Benny on radio before 1932? [ "Kevin Greenlee" <kevingreenlee@hot ]
Subject: Bob Dylan [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Subject: Backstage Wife [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Pins and Doorbells [ "corganoid@[removed]" <corganoid@jun ]
portable radios [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
portable radios [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
10-21 births/deaths (reprise) [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Jack Benny and race [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
program sale by Hamilton [ zbob@[removed] ]
HD Radio [ "[removed]@[removed]" <[removed] ]
Portable Radios [ Tom Greenli <tom_greenli@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:35:06 +0000
From: skallisjr@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Superheroes
The discussion of superheroes on OTR is a dicey one, due in part to the
evolution of the language. We used to have actors who were "stars"; now
the more famous are "superstars." In comic books, "superheroes" used to
be characters with powers beyond those of humans, such as the ability to
fly, to be bulletproof, to be paranormally strong, and the like.
Using this specification, the only true superhero in OTR was Superman.
One could also throw in The Shadow, Chandu, and Mandrake, but hypnotism
and spellcasting aren't usually considered"superpowers.".
Some of the great radio heroes are just that: heroes, not super. The
Lone Ranger, Sky King, Jack Armstrong, Captain Midnight, and Tom Mix were
extraordinary individuals, IMHO, but not more than that.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:35:15 +0000
From: Thom Bray <tb@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Radio Writing
Hello All:
As someone who worked in network television writing half hour comedy and
one hour drama and who now teaches the subject at university, I'm always
interested in the parallels with radio. Certainly there are the shows that
moved from radio to early TV, but I'm also interested in process.
Is there anyone on list who wrote for radio or knows about the
process? I'm curious if dramatic scripts (GUNSMOKE, DRAGNET, SUSPENSE)
were all freelance driven, with a story editor on staff, or if there was an
actual paid staff that worked week in and week out ( I'm guessing the
former.) Comedy may have been different; I have heard that most radio
comics had a staff of writers (the"boys") that would write each week's
show. Is that so?
Kind Regards
Thom Bray
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:35:57 +0000
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Female hero
I believe there was a female hero named "The Lady
In Blue". I don't recall what her real identity was.
I believe only her maid actually knew. Does anyone
know where I can get copies of this program?
Another OTR Fan,
Kenneth Clarke
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:36:17 +0000
From: Gerald Wright <gdwright@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: re: I Don't Know (Gunsmoke)
Michael asked,
> is this [Gunsmoke] show from December 6, 1952 really supposed to be called I
Don't Know, or is it someone saying "I don't know what this show should be
called, so I'll just say I don't know?" It sure seems like a lame title to
me, even though these titles are made up by collectors anyway.
If you listen to the "whole" program, you will find out why the title of
the show is "I Don't Know" as this phrase is repeated by Matt Dillon.
Gunsmoke was one of the programs that had assigned but not not announced
titles, the titles found in most Gunsmoke logs are the assigned titles.
Gerry Wright
ZoneZebra Productions
San Francisco
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:36:50 +0000
From: BryanH362@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This weekends line-up with Walden
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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Where: Yesterday USA
When :Fri, Sat , Sun 7:30 PM PDT
Can be heard live on the internet at [removed]
Friday 10-22-04
A. Frank Bresee interview with Art Linkletter from September of 2003.
Walden will also play a Screen Guild Theater show from October 1950
that features Art , Ronald Coleman and Vincent Price.
Art Linkletter will be at the Sperdvac Convention Sunday Nov 14th.
Saturday 10-23-04
A. Walden's interview with Glenn Ford's son Peter to talk about the
upcoming
A&E special to be seen 11-21 featuring different Hollywood families
showing
their home movies.
B. Classic Interview: John Dunning interviews Jim Jordan (from the early
80s) .
C. Replay of the YUSA One Man's Family panel interview featuring Barbara
Fuller and
Page Gilman .
D. a mix of OTR .
Sunday 10-24-04
A. Michael BIels takes the night off to be at FOTR so Walden will feature
a Richard
Lamparski interview with Del Sharbit and others from Your Hit Parade!
B. Laura Leff presents Jack Benny ! 4th show of the season from
10-22-44.
C. A mix of OTR like Fibber Mcgee and Molly, Great Gildersleeve, Lux Radio
Theater and One Man's Family.
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:37:18 +0000
From: "jazmaan@[removed]" <dmf273@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Baby Snooks Photos
I just bought a 1938 "Radio Guide" on Ebay because it had Baby Snooks on
the cover. Inside there
was an article about Fannie Brice. The article talked about how Eddie Rose
had just left her for
an Olympic swimming star and other "hardships" in her life and how she had
to forget all that
stuff and make people laugh as Baby Snooks.
The article had numerous photos of Fanny Brice in her Baby Snooks costume
re-enacting scenes from
different Snooks sketches: Snooks "fixing" Daddy's chair, Snooks at the
dinner table, Snooks and
Daddy golfing, etc.
>From the captions on the photos you might think these shots were taken
during the taping of the
broadcast. Is that even possible? If there was a dinner table scene in
a radio broadcast would
the cast really sit around a dinner table in costume? I can imagine
Fanny Brice might dress up
as Snooks for a broadcast just to get into character, but how far did that
go?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:35:38 +0000
From: vigor16@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: heroes
Hi all,
Cprrect me if I'm wrong, and that can happen. I seem to remember one of
my first OTR cassettes back in 1987, when I got into the hobby, there was
a show called "Lady in blue" or something like that. There were a couple
of eps if my memory serves me right. It was a woman super hero who had a
costume all in blue and something blew up at the end of the eps. It was
a 15-minute serial type thing. Don't know much about that one. Always
meant to ask and now, the talk of heroes brings it back around. Are
there any experts on that program that can shed more light on it. Who
was in it? When did it air? How long did it last and so on. Thanks
much
Deric
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:36:28 +0000
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-22 births/deaths
October 22nd births
10-22-1876 - Cecilia Loftus - Glasgow, Scotland - d. 7-12-1943
actress: Sarah Wright "Roses and Drums"
10-22-1891 - Parker Fennelly - Northeast Harbor, ME - d. 1-22-1988
actor: Titus Moody, "Fred Allen Show"; Dan Tucker, "Lawyer Dan Tucker"
10-22-1905 - Constance Bennett - NYC - d. 7-24-1965
interviewer, panelist: "Constance Bennett Calls on You"; "Leave It to the
Girls"
10-22-1907 - Roger DeKoven - Chicago, IL - d. 1-28-1988
actor: Professor Allen, "Against the Storm"
10-22-1916 - Sidney Miller - Shenandoah, PA - d. 1-10-2004
actor-director-songwriter: "Eddie Cantor Show"; "Jeff Regan, Private
Investigator"
10-22-1917 - Joan Fontaine - Tokyo, Japan
actress: "Cresta Blanca Hollywood Players"
10-22-1920 - Mitzi Green - The Bronx, NY - d. 5-24-1969
actress: Girl "Passport to Romance"
10-22-1938 - Derek Jacoby - Leytonstone, London, England
actor: Renaissance Theatre Company in association with BBC Radio Drama
10-22-1939 - Jim Cox - Pineville, KY
author: "Radio Crime Fighters"; "Great Radio Soap Operas"
10-22-1939 - Tony Roberts - NYC
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
October 22nd deaths
02-17-1908 - Walter "Red" Barber - Columbus, MS - d. 10-22-1992
sportscaster: (The Old Redhead) "Schaefer Star Revue"
04-29-1903 - Richard Leibert - Bethlehem, PA - d. 10-22-1976
organist: "Dick Leibert's Musical Revue"; "Organ Rhapsody"
06-13-1916 - Mary Wickes - St. Louis, MO - d. 10-22-1995
actress: Louise "Meet Corliss Archer"; Irma Barker "Lorenzo Jones"
07-05-1899 - Tim Ryan - Bayonne, NJ - d. 10-22-1956
actor: "Tim and Irene Show"
10-30-1910 - Francia White - Greenville, TX - d. 10-22-1984
singer: "Palmolive Beauty Box Theatre"; "Fred Astaire Show"; "Telephone Hour"
11-22-1904 - Roland Winters - Boston, MA - d. 10-22-1989
actor: Russell Bartlett "My Best Girls"; "Milton Berle Show"; "Highways in
Melody"
11-25-1905 - Will Osborne - Toronto, Canada - d. 10-22-1981
bandleader, singer: "Abbott and Costello"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:35:48 +0000
From:
Dixonhayes@[removed]
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Bob Hope comics
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In a message dated 10/20/04 8:15:59 PM Central Daylight Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
> Bob Hope comics lasted for many years and
> featured Bob in various advantures similar to the type of character he
> played in the movies.
I have one of the Bob Hope comic books somewhere and it's a hoot. Every time
he sees a pretty woman his eyes bulge out of his head and the word "Boing!"
appears in the box. It was rather funny seeing him like that since I had grown
up seeing him as an older sort of man who played golf and so forth. Even the
"Road" movies hadn't been that exaggerated.
Dixonh
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*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:36:39 +0000
From: "Kevin Greenlee"
<kevingreenlee@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Benny on radio before 1932?
I was always under the impression that Jack Benny made his first
appearance on radio on the Ed Sullivan program in 1932. But I recently came
across some old articles from the Los Angeles Times that suggest Benny had
already performed on radio several times (at least in Los Angeles) before 1932.
For instance, in the June 8, 1929 Times, there's an article which
mentions that the "well known vaudevillian" Jack Benny would be acting as
master of ceremonies for an hour long broadcast which would include stars
of the talkies. And on August 7, 1929 we learn that Benny is one of a long
list of stars (such Clara Bow and Stepin Fetchit) taking part in a special
"Hollywood midsummer jubilee" broadcast. And on September 11, 1929 Benny is
mentioned as being part of an hour broadcast that also featured Jack Oakie,
Rudy Vallee and Bert Wheeler. There are plenty of other references to other
Benny radio appearances.
So what's going on here? Do these earlier radio appearances not count
because they were (presumably) local rather than national programs? Or is
there any chance at all that the "Jack Benny" mentioned in the articles
I've cited is another Jack Benny altogether? Inquiring minds want to know!
Kevin Greenlee
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 05:08:38 +0000
From: "Irene Heinstein"
<IreneTH@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Subject: Bob Dylan
Philip wrote:
> > I'm listening to Bob Dylan's recently published autobiographical book
<snip>
> Thanks for transcribing [removed];nbsp; By conincidence, I just saw him perform
> the night before last in Davis CA. He was great. as usual. I doubt if I
> ever would have associted Bob Dylan with OTR.
- Philip
He's a couple of years younger than I am so I'm not surprised about the
influence on him of OTR. While reading his book I realized he was a
regular kid, living a regular kid's life in Hibbing, always close to his
family, with good memories of his childhood and childhood friends.
There are a number of surprises in the book. He was a big fan of Ricky
Nelson and a fan and friend of Bobby Vinton from way back. He and his
wife went to hear Frank Sinatra, Jr at a club in NY and a very surprised
Sinatra, Jr joined them at their table. He had good things to say about
him as well.
I saw the unknown Bob Dylan at Hootenanny night at Gerde's Folk City in
Greenwich Village and a few weeks later when he had his first gig there, at
the very beginning, in February of 1961. Boy do I feel old. I was sorry
to miss his show in Berkeley last week.
-Irene
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 05:09:06 +0000
From: "Irene Heinstein"
<IreneTH@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Subject: Backstage Wife
I recently listened to an mp3 CD of 'Backstage Wife' . It is really
incredibly bad IMHO. No wonder Bob and Ray had so much fun with 'Mary
Backstayge, Noble Wife' I wanted to shake all the characters and say 'are
you really that dense' or 'why don't you just ask him/her you dummy?'.
As a kid, home sick from school and in the summer I'd listen to 'Ma
Perkins', 'Guiding Light' and 'Our Gal Sunday' and maybe a few others
occasionally. I remember enjoying them. I like to think they were better
than 'Backstage Wife', which I never listened to then.
Do any of you know which soaps were the best? and the worst? Were all
the Hummert soaps as bad as 'Backstage Wife'.
-Irene
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:56:17 +0000
From:
"corganoid@[removed]" <corganoid@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Pins and Doorbells
Forgive me if this has already been discussed.
I was listening to one of the Halloween episodes of "Gildersleeve" and
there was a reference to sticking a pin in a doorbell as a Halloween
prank. Earlier this week I was listening to one of the Halloween episodes
of "Jack Benny" and Kenny Baker also refers to this.
Can someone explain what kind of havoc sticking a pin in a doorbell would
cause? I assume it makes the doorbell ring (or buzz) [removed]
this correct? If so, how did this work? How was it done? And can I do it
to some poor unsuspecting sap this Halloween?
Thanks,
Doug G.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:56:27 +0000
From: "Mark Kinsler"
<kinsler33@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: portable radios
Is anyone else here aware of HD radio??
I am now. I did a web search just now. HD radio is also called IBOC, for
In Band On Channel. What it is, is a digital signal contained within an
existing AM or FM signal. If you have an adapter--similar to a satellite
radio adapter--you can hear the digital signal if you're within range of
the station.
How does it affect AM radio reception and/or signal strength?
Well, [removed] doesn't seem thrilled with the idea
because it'll tend to wipe out the weak signals of distant stations. The
fidelity of stations that have IBOC (=HD radio) will be vastly improved.
Will it affect local radio stations positively??
Equipment manufacturers hope so. The whole thing might go the way of AM
stereo. There's also a tutorial at [removed], I think.
And, finally, will it have a positive affect on OTR listening?? Is it
possible that radio stations will start playing OTR again to help offer a
variety to listens curious about the new service??
Who knows? But a lot of OTR listeners hear OTR programs from distant
stations, and that might (or might not) be affected. Bandwidth of AM-IBOC
stations will be increased to 30kHz, I think.
M Kinsler
corrections invited
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:56:34 +0000
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: portable radios
Is anyone else here aware of HD radio??
I am now. I did a web search just now. HD radio is also called IBOC, for
In Band On Channel. What it is, is a digital signal contained within an
existing AM or FM signal. If you have an adapter--similar to a satellite
radio adapter--you can hear the digital signal if you're within range of
the station.
How does it affect AM radio reception and/or signal strength?
Well, [removed] doesn't seem thrilled with the idea
because it'll tend to wipe out the weak signals of distant stations. The
fidelity of stations that have IBOC (=HD radio) will be vastly improved.
Will it affect local radio stations positively??
Equipment manufacturers hope so. The whole thing might go the way of AM
stereo. There's also a tutorial at [removed], I think.
And, finally, will it have a positive affect on OTR listening?? Is it
possible that radio stations will start playing OTR again to help offer a
variety to listens curious about the new service??
Who knows? But a lot of OTR listeners hear OTR programs from distant
stations, and that might (or might not) be affected. Bandwidth of AM-IBOC
stations will be increased to 30kHz, I think.
M Kinsler
corrections invited
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:56:59 +0000
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-21 births/deaths (reprise)
Because a couple of entries got whacked, I am sending October 21st again.
Please accept my apologies.
October 21st births
10-21-1905 - Carleton Young - NYC - d. 11-7-1994
actor: Dick Grosvenor "Stella Dallas"; Ellery Queen "Advs of Ellery Queen"
10-21-1908 - Tommy Riggs - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 5-21-1967
comedian: "Fleischmann Hour"; "Quaker Party with Tommy Riggs"; "Tommy Riggs
and Betty Lou"
10-21-1917 - Dizzy Gillespie - Cherow, SC - d. 1-6-1993
musician: "This Is Jazz"
10-21-1920 - Hy Averback - Minneapolis, MN - d. 10-14-1997
announcer, actor: "Sealtest Village Store"; "Bob Hope Show"; "Take It or
Leave It"
10-21-1923 - Jean Gillespie - Boston, MA
actress: Martha Piper "Tales of Willie Piper"; Inza Burrage "Advs. of Frank
Merriwell"
October 21st deaths
01-03-1918 - Maxene Andrews - Minneapolis, MN - d. 10-21-1995
singer: (Andrews Sisters) "Glenn Miller Orchestra"; "Andrews Sisters Revue"
05-03-1910 - Curt Massey - Midland, TX - d. 10-21-1991
singer: "Show Boat"; "Curt Massey Show"
06-18-1906 - Jeanette MacDonald - Philadelphia, PA - d. 10-21-1965
singer: "Nobody's Children"; "Vicks Open House"; "Campbell Playhouse"
07-04-1888 - Henry Armetta - Palermo, Italy - d. 10-21-1945
actor: "Fleischmann's Yeast Hour"
07-06-1923 - Marie McDonald - Westchester, NY - d. 10-21-1965
actress: "Duffy's Tavern"; "Maxwell House Coffee Time"; "Proudly We Hail"
07-07-1887 - Raymond Hatton - Red Oak, IA - d. 10-21-1971
actor: Football Coach "Jack Oakie's College"
12-06-1904 - Elissa Landi - Venice, Italy - d. 10-21-1948
actress: "I'm An American"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:57:11 +0000
From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Benny and race
In #339, Kermyt said:
> In the early 40s, there were frequent
> subtle (and not-so-subtle) references
> to Rochester's skin color on the Jack
> Benny program.
I remember one particular episode (sorry, can't remember date) where Jack
is complaining about Rochester's relatives who had come to visit. Jack
said something along the lines of "I should plant some cotton to give them
something to do." I remember being astounded when I heard [removed] I mean,
wow, I wasn't expecting that.
Still gives me a start.
-chris holm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 12:57:18 +0000
From: zbob@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: program sale by Hamilton
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The latest Hamilton catalog arrived - has a page of old radio shows on
sale. Various selections by Radio Spirits, also videos. No connection
with seller. Visit website: [removed]
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*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 17:01:37 +0000
From: "[removed]@[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: HD Radio
HD Radio in this country is really digital radio. It will be a different
standard from the rest of the world. Basically it will eventually eliminate
standard radio as we know it. The whole idea being to free up frequency
bandwidth that the FCC can use for other things.
jim@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 17:10:39 +0000
From: Tom Greenli <tom_greenli@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Portable Radios
Subject: [Approved: nvej3YMk] Portable Radios
I just read an interesting article on the MSNBC about
the first transister radio. Can you believe that was
50 years ago? If you are interested check out:
[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #340
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