------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 337
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
On the air [ "Paul Adomites" <padomites@ccyberne ]
The Dandridges [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
RE: "battery, AC, or DC" [ "Dennis J. Winkelsas" <dwinkelsas@e ]
RE: Still in the ether [ "Druian, Raymond B SPL" <[removed] ]
TV Thrillers and MP3 [ "Elizabeth van der Voort" <tvander4 ]
Re: Jack Benny comics [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Jack Benny comics [ "Jim Harmon" <jimharmonotr@charter. ]
Re: Battery AC or DC [ Don Shenbarger <donslistmail@sbcglo ]
Heroes [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
3-Way Radio [ skallisjr@[removed] ]
Barry Hill's funeral [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
10-20 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Are We Certain They Were Black? [ StuartLubin@[removed] (Stuart Lubin ]
More on the clear channel days of OT [ "Andy" <oomspine@[removed]; ]
Help [ JayHick@[removed] ]
Re: battery, AC, or DC [ BH <radiobill@[removed]; ]
Clear Channel Stations [ bourdase@[removed] (Mike Paraniuk) ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 10:53:03 -0400
From: "Paul Adomites" <padomites@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: On the air
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Hello gang. I'm totally new to this group, but I really need some help. Do any
of you have your own on-the-air OTR shows? I'd love to talk with you, 'cause
I'd love to do the same thing. If you think the group would like to hear it,
you can post it there, or just contacting me would be fine. I'd really
appreciate it.
Paul Adomites
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 11:32:16 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: The Dandridges
On 10/19/04 9:53 AM, "[removed]@[removed]"
<[removed]@[removed]; wrote:
Were Vivian, Ruby and Dorothy Dandridge sisters?
Ruby Dandridge was the mother of Vivian and Dorothy, who got into show
business in the 1930s as children, performing as The Dandridge Sisters, a
singing act, and also had cameo appearances in a few films during this
period. They split the act in the mid-1940s, and began pursuing acting roles
on the stage, in film, and on radio.
Ruby Dandridge, meanwhile, carved out an acting career of her own, usually
in comic maid or sidekick parts, and was probably best remembered as Oriole,
best friend of Beulah on the program of that name.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 12:12:15 -0400
From: "Dennis J. Winkelsas" <dwinkelsas@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE: "battery, AC, or DC"
In those days, direct current (DC) was still run to wall outlets in some
areas. The "Three-Way Power" made the radio truly universal - it could be
plugged into any wall outlet, and with a battery, it was portable.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 12:15:34 -0400
From: "Druian, Raymond B SPL" <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RE: Still in the ether
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The term "ether" actually refers to the "lumeniferous ether," a theoretical
substance believed to exist, during the later 19th century, as the medium
through which light passes. In a famous physics experiment very late in the
19th century, Michaelson and Morley attempted to prove its existence and
failed miserably, [removed], they proved the exact opposite. Radio waves, being
essentially the same thing as light waves (electromagnetic radiation), only
longer, were also thought to travel through the "ether." Einstein's research
and theories have been suggested by many to have resulted from the
Michaelson-Morley experiment, but Einstein always insisted this wasn't so,
and documentary evidence supports him. Still, proof that the ether didn't
exist would have impelled many a scientist to ask "What is really going
on?".
While many folk believe that science is something that is revealed to us,
and once a new idea is proven, all accept it immediately. This whole ether
business is one of many examples that show this isn't so. In fact, the term
"ether" remained in the language for many years after. Radio waves were said
to travel in "the ether" in the Communications Act of 1934, even though by
that time there was no question that it didn't exist. The link below is to
an encyclopedic reference that explains the concept more thoroughly. If
Googling, use the entire term, "lumeniferous ether" to help narrow down the
search.
[removed]
Thanx,
B. Ray
W9KEE (ex W7KVW)
[removed]@[removed]
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Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 12:15:19 -0400
From: "Elizabeth van der Voort" <tvander4@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: TV Thrillers and MP3
OTR enthusiasts who live in the metropolitan Washington area should know
about a series of early TV programs that will be shown at the Pickford Theater
of the Library of Congress on October 26 at 7:00pm. They include two episodes
of "The Whistler" with Bill Forman narrating ('A Friendly Case of Blackmail'
and 'Incident at Scully's Key'), a "Suspense" tale from 1951, and a "Fu
Manchu" thriller, 'The Zayat Kiss' with Cedric Hardwicke and John Carradine
from 1952. Reservations can be made by calling (202) 707-5677. The prints are
16mm so they should look pretty good.
On another subject: I've been having problems with an MP3 player (RCA RP
8078) that is fickle when it comes to playing computer generated MP3's. It
apparently has trouble tracking the programs. Sometimes it will say 'no disc'
while at other times it will read the same MP3 but miss some of the tracks.
Seems to have a mind of its own. Have others experienced the same problems?
Any suggestions for more reliable players would be appreciated. I've been
using a pretty high bit rate. I'm sure Charlie would appreciate it if
responses were sent directly to me rather than cluttering up the newsletter.
Many thanks.
Tom van der Voort
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 12:35:26 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Jack Benny comics
"Jim Erskine" <homeway@[removed]; offered:
I thought you might enjoy this great glimpse of a
comic-I-wish-I-had-but-it-doesn'[removed] Dell's Jack Benny Comics
#1
[removed]
No sooner did Jim post this here than I found this very item for sale on eBay.
Just kidding, but it wouldn't be the first time an apocryphal OTR
item appeared on [removed]
Actually, this does look exactly like something Dell WOULD have
published; they did lots of other tv comedians (and comediennes). I
wonder why there WASN'T a Jack Benny comic.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 13:30:45 -0400
From: "Jim Harmon" <jimharmonotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Benny comics
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Hello -- Jack Benny's apocryphal comic book was fun, but Jack really was
featured in a comic book, maybe others that I do not know about. "Black Cat"
was a female crime fighter in costume, whose secret identity was that of a
movie star. Other stars appeared in the strip -- somebody who was obviously
Jack Benny with a valet obviously Rochester but given no names were
prominently featured in at least one story. Jack was very much in the guise
of his radio character. I'm not sure I still have the comic, but I read an
old collector's copy of the book only a few years ago. (I may have sold or
traded it off -- I did a lot of that for awhile.)
Any Benny fan would have liked the story, I think. It was well drawn, by Lee
Elias, I believe, and Jack's face and personality were well depicted. -- Jim
Harmon
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Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 13:31:12 -0400
From: Don Shenbarger <donslistmail@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Battery AC or DC
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On 10/19/2004, Matthew Bullis asked:
Hello, I just heard the announcer of the Philco Radio hour say this phrase,
and I wonder why? There was only AC or DC as far as I knew: battery or wall
current. What was he talking about? It couldn't have been a slip of the
tongue, because he said you could have the three-way model.
Early distribution of power in the US was AC or DC depending on the
supplier. DC systems used Edison-type equipment and AC systems used
Westinghouse-GE-type equipment developed by Nikola Tesla and George
Westinghouse. Both systems delivered power at 110 volts. Battery operated
radios were used primarily in rural areas where commercial electrical power
was not available. They were often referred to in advertising as farm radios.
Most people do not realize the extent of early DC electrical service. It
was popular not only because of its connection with Edison, but also
because the only motors available for many years were DC motors. DC power
was limited in the distance over which it could be delivered to about one
mile but was popular in small towns and easily understood. Edison sold
complete community electrical power generation, distribution, metering and
street lighting systems making it easy for city governments to choose a
single source supplier.
There were many AC-DC radio designs that would operate with either
commercial power source. These radios typically did not operate with
batteries. A three-way home model table or console radio was a little
unusual. There were also a host of battery converters sold to power battery
radios from commercial electrical power.
Philco began life as the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company making
batteries for automobiles. Over time it lost most of this business to Exide
and began making A and B radio batteries, eventually moving into making
radios and "Socket Powers" battery eliminators for radios. Philico made
three-way AC/DC/Battery portable radios for at least twenty years
throughout the 40's and 50's. Many other manufacturers also made their
portable radios to operate using any of the three power modes.
Modern electronic equipment that specifies AC/DC/Battery typically uses 110
VAC, 12 VDC (car or boat) and battery power.
Don Shenbarger
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 14:05:31 -0400
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Heroes
Is it just me or were there very few superheroes
on OTR? I know about "The Adventures of Superman",
but can't seem to think of any others. All, or most,
of the heroes were people with secret identities
(Green Hornet, Batman, the Shadow). My questions are:
1. Were there any other superheroes on OTR other than
Superman?
2. Were there any female superheroes or females with
secret identities who played the role of a hero on OTR?
Another OTR Fan,
Kenneth Clarke
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 14:05:52 -0400
From: skallisjr@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: 3-Way Radio
Matthew Bullis asks,
Hello, I just heard the announcer of the Philco Radio hour say this
phrase, and I wonder why? There was only AC or DC as far as I knew:
battery or wall current. What was he talking about? It couldn't have been
a slip of the tongue, because he said you could have the three-way
model.
In the days before transistors, many battery-operated radios were
relatively massive,and were often sold where there was no house power.
Some sections of the country were electrified with DC power; most with
AC. Many less expensive tube radios were designed to work with both AC
and DC house power. Some could work with either kind of house power
/and/ batteries. Those were the three-way radios.
The "portable" radios of the period were "larger than a breadbox" ad
rather cumbersome. When I was bout 10, my father gave me Zenith
Wavemagnet portable, and the only time I paid it while walking was just
for the novelty of it. It was just too awkward to walk around with. But
it also used house current: I used it to listen to most of the Captain
Midnight episodes I heard.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 14:39:10 -0400
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Barry Hill's funeral
Many, many thanks to David Phaneuf for his description of the services for
Barry. You helped us to be there in spirit.
It rained here in Los Angeles yesterday, too. Now I know why.
Barbara
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 14:39:19 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-20 births/deaths
October 20th births
10-20-1882 - Bela Lugosi - Lugos, Hungary - d. 8-16-1956
actor: "Crime Does Not Pay"
10-20-1884 - Thomas Chalmers - NYC - d. 6-12-1966
actor: Sam Young "Pepper Young's Family"
10-20-1889 - Margaret Dumont - Brooklyn, NY - d. 3-6-1965
actress: "Paramount Movie Parade"
10-20-1889 - Robert Fiske - Griggsville, MO - d. 9-12-1944
actor: Speed Robertson "Air Advs. of Jimmie Allen"
10-20-1895 - Rex Ingram - Cairo, IL - d. 9-19-1965
actor: "Free World Theatre"
10-20-1897 - Adolph Deutsch - London, England - d. 1-2-1980
arranger, conductor, composer: "Kraft Program"; "This Is Hollywood"
10-20-1904 - Dame Anna Neagle - Forest Gate, Essex, England - d. 6-3-1986
actress: "Keep 'Em Rolling"; "Kate Smith Hour"; "Radio Tribute to the Kind
and Queen"
10-20-1905 - Frederic Dannay - NYC - d. 9-3-1982
writer: "Adventures of Ellery Queen"; "The Shadow"; "Ford Theatre"
10-20-1907 - Arlene Francis - Boston, MA - d. 5-31-2001
panelist, actress: "What's My Line"; Ann Scotland,"The Affairs of Ann Scotland"
10-20-1911 - Will Rogers, Jr. - NYC - d. 7-9-1993
actor: Will Rogers "Rogers of the Gazette"
10-20-1913 - "Grandpa" Jones - Niagra, KY - d. 2-19-1998
country singer, banjoist: "Grand Ole Opry"
10-20-1913 - Barney Phillips - St. Louis, MO - d. 8-17-1982
actor: Ed Jacobs "Dragnet"; Somber Jones "Hawk Larabee"; "Gunsmoke"
10-20-1914 - Fayard Nicholas - Mobile, AL
dancer: (The Nicholas Brothers) "Big Broadcast of 1936"; "Ben Bernie Show"
10-20-1922 - John Anderson - Clayton, IL - d. 8-7-1992
actor: William Clark "Horizons West"
10-20-1927 - Priscilla Lyon - Washington County, NC - d. 3-7-1980
actress: Corliss Archer "Meet Corliss Archer"; Amy Foster "Those We Love"
10-20-1931 - Mickey Mantle - Spavinaw, OK - d. 8-13-1995
baseball great: "Hear It Now"; "Feature Project"
October 20th deaths
04-22-1921 - Charlotte Lawrence - CA - d. 10-20-1993
actress: Stacy McGill "Advs. of Christopher Wells"; Reba Britten "Just Plain
Bill"
05-18-1908 - Ted Malone - Colorado Springs, CO - d. 10-20-1989
commentator: "Between the Bookends"; "Pilgrimage of Poetry"
05-30-1891 - Ben Bernie - Bayonne, NJ - d. 10-20-1943
bandleader: (The Old Maestro) "Ben Bernie Orchestra"; "Musical Mock Trial"
07-18-1903 - Riza Royce - Lancaster, PA - d. 10-20-1980
actress: Victoria Lorring "Young Widder Brown"
07-24-1890 - Basil Ruysdael - Jersey City, NJ - d. 10-20-1960
announcer: "Beggar's Bowl"; "Your Hit Parade"; "Cavalcade of America"
08-23-1925 - Larry Nunn - Marshfield, OR - d. 10-20-1974
actor: Don Bradley "Glorious One"; Peter Bretn "Brenthouse"
09-03-1920 - Jackson Weaver - d. 10-20-1992
actor: "A Bright Tomorrow"
09-06-1894 - Billy Mills - Flint, MI - d. 10-20-1971
conductor: "Fibber McGee and Molly"; "Great Gildersleeve"; "Amos 'n' Andy"
11-02-1913 - Burt Lancaster - NYC - d. 10-20-1994
actor: "Ford Theatre"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
11-07-1883 - Solomon Lightfoot Michaux - Newport News, VA - d. 10-20-1968
preacher: "Elder Michaux's Happiness Church Service"
11-29-1917 - Merle Travis - Muhlenberg County, KY - d. 10-20-1983
singer, guitarist: "Hollywood Barn Dance"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:40:09 -0400
From: StuartLubin@[removed] (Stuart Lubin)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Are We Certain They Were Black?
Hey, thanks to you, Jazmaan, for giving us all the idea to reminisce
about black radio actors in recurring roles. Of course, your question
had to do with actors' being black, not the characters they played. If
the 30's,'40's and 50's were in a non-racist America, of course black
actors could have been chosen to play white roles. But they were not,
unfortunately.
I got to thinking when I read your posting of today, in which you
mention Snooks' friend Phoebe. The writers may have wanted the radio
audience to infer that the little girl was black, but in no case do I
ever remember that we were actually told that any sitcom character was
black. I don't remember Jack Benny telling us that Rochester was back.
Bad example: Eddie Anderson was visually well known (but not Rochester).
What made us so sure that Amos and Andy, Beulah, etc., were black
characters, except for their dialect? It was a given. As a kid, I had
thought that Sis on the Fibber McGee and Molly Show was black, long
before I found out that she was played by super talented Marion Jordan.
Radio is truly the theater of imagination, and I certainly used mine.
Can any radio historian on the Digest remember where race was mentioned
on a sitcom?
Stuart Lubin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:40:16 -0400
From: "Andy" <oomspine@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: More on the clear channel days of OTR
There are no more AM broadcast frequencies (channels) unique to one station
in the entire contiguous 48 states. No more clear channels. WGN Chicago at
720 for example shares the frequency with a Las Vegas station.
However the former clear channels, under discussion this week, are usually
protected in that other stations on the same channel are far away, lower
powered, and in many cases have directional transmission antennas aimed away
from the former high powered clear channel station.
Andy Ooms
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:40:54 -0400
From: JayHick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Help
This email was sent to me. Can anyone help. His email is
<anwell@[removed];
An friend of mine appeared in the first one as a youngster so I'd enjoy
being able to dig up what I could on the show. Air checks would be nice.
Air checks with my friend in them would be great! But, what are the
chances! Anyway, here's the info from what he can recall:
1.
Show name: Great Moments In History
Director: Kirby Hawkes(?) (sp?)
Broadcast: Sunday evenings on CBS(?) (network or WCBS in New York, I don't
know). Circa: late 1920s/early 1930s
Particular episodes of Interest: 1. John McCormack and his reaper. 2.
(Show on Alexander Hamilton?)
2.
The other show was based on books by my friend's uncle, Laurie York Erskine:
Renfrew of the Mounted. Broadcast during the 1930s, I believe. Did Erskine
narrate these, at all? I imagine air checks of these might be a little
easier to come by.
It was very kind of you to offer to forward on these inquiries. I wish I
could attend your OTR event this weekend but I have a long-standing
commitment to visit with family out of the area. I wish you and your fellow
OTR enthusiasts a great weekend!
Best wishes, - Tony Wellman
Anthony Wellman
19 Mona Terrace
Fairfield, CT 06824
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:41:15 -0400
From: BH <radiobill@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: battery, AC, or DC
Matthew Bullis asked:
Hello, I just heard the announcer of the Philco Radio hour say this phrase,
and I wonder why? There was only AC or DC as far as I knew: battery or wall
current. What was he talking about? It couldn't have been a slip of the
tongue, because he said you could have the three-way model.
Thanks a lot.
Portable radios of the tube era were usually AC/DC/Battery. The
batteries required would be usually a [removed] volt D cell to operate the
filaments of the tubes, and the higher voltage required would be
supplied by either a 45, [removed], or 90 volt battery. The sets also had a
transformerless AC/DC supply, meaning that it could operate on either
110VAC or 110VDC. When using a 110VDC source the plug had to be
inserted into the source with the correct polarity, if you plugged it in
and the radio didn't play, reverse the plug. For battery operation there
would be either a switch to change from AC/DC to battery operation, or
more common a socket to plug the AC/DC cord into and that act would
operate the AC/DC switch. This latter eleminated the possibably of
plugging the set into an AC/DC sourch with the set still switched to
battery.
By the time these sets became available there were very few sources of
110VDC current available. I understand that there were some areas in
some large cities, Chicago, LA, NYC, that still had 110VDC. The design
of the transformerless power supply allows it to operate on DC as well
as AC.
Bill H.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:41:38 -0400
From: bourdase@[removed] (Mike Paraniuk)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Clear Channel Stations
Another really great clear channel station is long time CBS O&O
affiliate KMOX St. Louis 1120 am on the dial. I believe they are one of
the few CBS )))I((( stations that sill carry the evening World News
Roundup in its entirety. Two questions: 1) Does anyone know of any
station that is broadcasting the one minute hourlies from NBC radio
(owned by Westwood One)?; 2) Is there a website where I can hear some of
the great old radio network news sounders? [removed] Mike
+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The sufferings in the world are compensated. Do not be [removed] is
one who watches over [removed] LUGOSI
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #337
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