------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 84
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Rehearsals [ William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed]; ]
Cleese on The Goon Show [ Kubelski@[removed] ]
Jim Mellor asked [removed] [ "vegan" <vegan@[removed]; ]
OTR autographs [ danhughes@[removed] ]
ERIC BAUERSFELD [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
Suspense 1 hour weekly [ "bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed] ]
Command Performance show on film [ "bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed] ]
CBSRMT [ bruceglazer@[removed] ]
Hubbub [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
AFRS DISCS [ Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@doityours ]
Re: Lone Ranger Pilot [ Mark Stratton <[removed]@[removed]; ]
Postage Stamps [ "vegan" <vegan@[removed]; ]
STAR WARS [ Glenn Alexander <glenn31313@[removed] ]
MP3 cd players [ Glenn Alexander <glenn31313@[removed] ]
Re: Rio customer service [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
Appreciation of OTR and Face and Voi [ Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed] ]
portable mp3 players [ WILLIAM BROOKS <webiii@[removed]; ]
RE: Broadcast Research [ "Marvin R. Bensman" <MBensman@memph ]
Radio City Playhouse Question [ Roger Lorette <roger@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 15:16:45 -0500
From: William L Murtough <k2mfi@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Rehearsals
I do not want to dispute Hal Stone but as I recall some directors did
record rehearsals. However, it would be on disc at that time. The only
one that I actually was involved in was Hogie Carmichael. This was not
an audience show but was done with Hoagy sitting at a small table in KNX
studio four, the organ studio. After doing the dress rehearsal, he came
into the control, bringing his "jug" with him, and we had a "nip"
together while we listened to the playback. Radio Recorders on Santa
Monica Blvd. did most of our disc recording. We maintained at least six
or more tie lines from our Master Control room to their main recording
room, which had a long line of disc recorders which they had built in
their own shop. At that time they also made 78's for Capitol Records,
before Capitol had their own building in Hollywood. They had a large
studio for that purpose. They would record our morning shows such as
Arthur Godfrey, deliver them to Columbia Square to be played back in the
afternoon from our Studio six, which had been equipped with transcription
machines Up to then the only tunrtables were in the station break studio
as recordings were not fed to the network. There was only one exception
that I recall. I think that I posted the time that the Godrey Morning
show was fed "by carrier pigeon".
Bill MUrtough
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 15:17:20 -0500
From: Kubelski@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Cleese on The Goon Show
British comedian and corporate seminar leader John Cleese recently published
this obituary on Spike Milligan and The Goon Show. While the few highlights
of the Goon Show I've heard don't suggest what he wrote (it was kind of
nonsensical and certainly not up the to the standards that Peter Sellers
would achieve on his own or, for that matter, Monty Python's Flying Circus),
I thought his comments might be of interest to the list.
[removed];sSheet=/opinion/2002/03/03[removed]
Sean Dougherty
Kubelski@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 15:17:59 -0500
From: "vegan" <vegan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jim Mellor asked [removed]
Jim Mellor asked about:
Ann Worth Housewife: Starred Joan Vitez & Harriett Russell
Livingston. This was popular in Detroit Mi area but unknown across the rest
of the country.
True Romance: On CBS 1929
Robert Dezendorf Florida
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:20:04 -0500
From: danhughes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR autographs
Any autograph experts in this group?
I was at an auction of autographs collected in the mid-1830's, and one
that sold was by Burns and Allen. But that's all it was--a 3 x 5 card
with "Burns and Allen" written on it. Did George sign like this for both
of them? Or did Gracie?
(By the way, I bought an autograph of Lum, signed with his real name, and
two of Abner, signed "Abner Peabody" instead of the actor's real name.
And I almost got a steal on a Jimmy Durante autograph because he signed
"Schnozzola Durante" and most other bidders couldn't figure out who it
was. Alas, my dollar bid soon rose to $35 when a lady in the front row
took a closer look at it).
---Dan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:21:20 -0500
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: ERIC BAUERSFELD
Just read George Wagner's letter about BLACK MASS.
I was working at KPFA in Berkeley in early 1964 when Eric was producing
these wonderful Lovecraft works for radio. I had been a Lovecraft reader by
then for many years.
I was house announcer and general factotum to the beleaguered Pacifica
station during a difficult time. I remember him well. Prowling through the
halls with script and reels of tape. Jere Alan Brian and myself wanted to be
involved.
It thrilled me then to be able to assist him in some of the endeavors and
I may even have played a voice or two, my memory sags here.
It was wonderful. Now I hear about them being exposed to yet another
generation of listeners and it gladdens my radio heart.
Anyone know if Eric is still around?
I remember him as a tireless wiry guy with a gleaming bald dome and
riveting eyes.
Tell me someone knows where he is.
<A HREF="[removed],+Michael+C.">Michael
C. Gwynne</A>
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:21:34 -0500
From: "bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
To: "" old-time radio digest ">" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Suspense 1 hour weekly
Hi all,
I was listening to a Suspense show yesterday while baking and the announcer
said something like, "starting next week Suspense will be on 1 hour weekly."
How long did this last?
I've seen a couple 1 hour shows but they were spread over 2 weeks.
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:21:47 -0500
From: "bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
To: "" old-time radio digest ">" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Command Performance show on film
Hi all,
A week or so ago I was watching Turner Classic Movies and they showed a film
of a Command Performance starring Bob Hope.
How many of these were filmed and can they be purchased anywhere?
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:21:59 -0500
From: bruceglazer@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: CBSRMT
After the many complaints about Bob Cook's
"unfinished" CBS Radio Mystery Theater, has anyone
found a reliable CBSRMT website that contains complete,
good quality episodes?
BRUCE
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:24:13 -0500
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Hubbub
The esteemed Hal Stone wrote:
...cast members would gather around, slightly off-mike, and
mutter, murmur, or generally speak to each other in low tones to create the
"atmosphere" of a large group of people. Sometimes unintelligible nonsense.
Engineers sometimes referred to it as "room tone". Some actors would simply
keep mumbling "Walla Walla" with different inflections, rather than ad lib
specific dialogue.
Which reminded me: I can't think which title it is just now,
but there's an episode of The Shadow in which, during a
"hubbub" moment, Alan Devitt can clearly be heard saying, quote,
"talk talk talk talk talk" as he steps up to the mic to deliver a line
of dialogue that's intended to be heard over said noise.
That was an educational moment for me.
John Henley
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:24:46 -0500
From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];
To: "Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: AFRS DISCS
When I did volunteer work at our local NPR Station in the early 1970's, we
received almost daily 12 & 16 inch transcription disce of AFRS Programs to be
aired on our station. After they were aired, they were to be returned to the
AFRS or junked, but as usual at our station we never returned them and they
were "junked". The station Manager, knowing I had an interest in radio asked
me if I wanted any and to take what I wanted before they were junked. I had
quite a bit of material to choose from, produced by the AFRS themselves.
Such shows as Bill Cullen Presents, Navy Hoe-down, Men In Blue (Air Force
Show) Salute To Veterans, Dixie Jamboree, (C&W Show with popular stars of the
day). So I guess-this is how a lot of the AFRS discs got into circulation
one way or the other.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:25:55 -0500
From: Mark Stratton <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Lone Ranger Pilot
"To the WB Network: Please do NOT produce a Lone Ranger series if you cannot
present the characters as they were created and intended by Fran Striker.
I understand your feelings on this but I would humble disagree. I've been a fan of
the Lone Ranger for many, many years. My first exposure to him was the B&W
Television series in reruns. In fact, the first LR TV show I saw had John Hart as
the Lone Ranger, and not Clayton Moore!
The TV version was lily white, with no room for humanity. Earle Greaser's
portrayal was a bit more of an Avenging Angel, then he softened. Brace
Beemer's version was of a Compassionate Man, trying to do his part.
It would be a great disservice to the writers and actors who worked so
diligently to produce one of the great fictional characters of radio,
television and the movies. Please do not alter the character's age, origin,
[removed]
I don't think they could alter any of the origin. I don't recall because I've not seen
the Klinton Spilsbury LR movie in some time, but I think they got the origin right
for the most part. That movie was more plagued with bad acting than anything else.
Am I being old-fashioned in trying to maintain the character from the 40s and
50s? Aren't somethings best left alone?
Every generation has it's own take on things. Sometimes its a good thing, sometimes
it's not. Batman went through a series of years where the character was stagnated
and not as originally created. This changed, and the pendulum has swung again.
I recall the four issue LR comic
series from Topps Comics and the 1980 LR movie as being serious misguided
attempts to revive the character for an 80s and 90s audience.
I enjoyed the LR series for what it was. Tim Truman's take on the characters. It
was critically lauded in comics circles and publications for bringing some more dimension
to the characters. Tonto and the Lone Ranger were/are very flat, two dimensional
characters as portrayed in the OTR and TV series from the 40's/50's. In that mold,
if they were presented like that today, it would either be percieved as satire, or
ignored.
A hero today needs to be a bit flawed. Capable of making a mistake and learning
from it. Matt Dillon comes to mind as a Hero for all ages. His heart was in the right
place, but he was human. It showed and that's what made the show succeed.
A similar
television effort would probably destroy all future interest in the
character. There have been far too many such projects in recent years
involving the Shadow, Batman, the Green Hornet, the Green Arrow and Jim
Phelps of Mission [removed]
I love the recent Green Arrow revival done by Kevin Smith. Very true to the GA
that was done by O'Neill/Adams back in the late 60's. The Shadow movie suffered
from not knowing which Shadow it was. Was it the Pulp Shadow? The Radio Shadow?
The Shadow from the Comics? The plot was loosely based on a couple of pulps, with
the Radio Shadow used as the Character. Bad Idea, interesting [removed] a creative
flop. I really liked the first couple of years of the Green Hornet comic. There was more
than a nod to the original, and newer, harder hitting stories were brought into the (then)
present. They too suffered from great ideas, but poor execution.
I would rather wait and see what they do with the LR, and then make my judgements,
than start getting uptight ahead of time.
BTW, at this moment I'm currently listening to "Sixty Days for Life". The last Earle
Greaser LR [removed]
Cheers,
Mark Stratton
(young OTR Fan)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:27:45 -0500
From: "vegan" <vegan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Postage Stamps
Thanks to Michael Biel issue #83 for the information on past postage stamp
issues. My only question is whether or not (with the exception of Tesla)
they were being honored for their "stage & screen" work or as the pioneers
of radio's early years. Perhaps he would know if their recognition paid
adequate tribute to OTR.
Robert Dezendorf Florida
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:27:54 -0500
From: Glenn Alexander <glenn31313@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: STAR WARS
Hi I understand that there was a radio serial produced
based on this movie, does anyone have any information
about it or where to obtain it. Thanks
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:28:12 -0500
From: Glenn Alexander <glenn31313@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MP3 cd players
Hi all my daughter has an mp3 cd player and when i
tried to play a disk of radio shows it would play it
for approximately 1 minute then nothing but static,
she said it was because of the memory. are there any
mp3cd players that will play cd's with radio shows on them?
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:28:48 -0500
From: Ga6string@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Rio customer service
"JLF" writes:
So far RIO hasn't even responded to any of my e-mail questions! Think I'll
send the RIO back too!
Before I bought my Rio 90, I tried REPEATEDLY to contact Rio by e-mail to
answer some questions I had, and kept getting the same automated tech support
reply. My e-mails became increasingly sarcastic but it didn't matter because
no one was reading them. Let's just say their customer service is INADEQUATE.
Eventually, I bought the 90 anyway, because I had to get a portable MP3
option, and it's been OK, but if I had gotten more information or a better
vibe from them, I certainly would have invested in one of the more expensive
models.
I also bought the Philips Expanium AZ1155 "boom box," which I like a little
better than the Rio Volt, but the Philips box does not have headphones or any
line out capability (what were they thinking? how much more could it have
cost them?).
Thanks,
Bryan Powell
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:36:28 -0500
From: Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Appreciation of OTR and Face and Voice
In the Digest Harry Bartell wrote:
Every good [removed] "see" the setting, his costume,
and the appearance of the people he's talking to. He has
also created an appearance and a voice quality for the
character he's playing. And he is conscious of whatever
sound patterns affect the way he reads his lines.
Harry Bartell mentioning the radio actor "seeing" got me to
thinking about the times I experienced, say in doing my role of
"Butch" on "Mayor of the the Town," my 'second' person using the
'three person' analogy.
In the first read through of the script, I conjured up the scene
being done, just as I'd do reading it in a novel. If the Mayor,
as described by the announcer's intro into the drama,
was sitting on the porch swing and he stopped me, as Butch,
walking up the steps entering the front door, I made up that
scene in my mind's eye. I'd picture Lionel Barrymore (cause that
was the face I knew fit the voice) sitting on that front porch
swing. I continued the entire scene that way having it play out
as I visualized all the actions. If the scene was in the
kitchen. That's what I had in my thoughts, my version of the
Mayor's kitchen. He didn't have a water cooler standing by the
wall 'cause I didn't put one there. (Didn't have one at home so
it wasn't in my scheme of things) Of course if in the story my
character knocked it down or banged into it. It'd be there all
right. The scene in my imagination was identical each time I
reread the script, like seeing a movie for a second time, or
reading the same passage of book over again. If in a scene I
was relating an action in the drama story's past I'd make up
that scene as well. It too never changed. My 'first' person,
as Harry Bartell describes it, took care of the technical aspects
of speaking the lines as I read them, doing scene fade ins and
outs as were required, or being attentive to specific director
cues marked in the appropriate line of the script which sourced
of all my mental gymnastics.
I can't say I ever used the critical 'third' actor person very
much during my day of OTR roles. I sure do nowadays, as
experience and age has honed me a bit. I sometimes hear one or
more lines I've emoted and know I would have read them a bit
differently could I do them over again.
To answer, as did Hal, my activities as an actor on radio, and
in films, never spoiled my appreciation of viewing films, or
listening to a good radio show, where I'd continue to let
my imagination fill in the scene around whatever dialog and
sounds I was hearing. It's still the same today. I like OTR
as a fan myself.
A question for Dennis and other readers of the Digest. Does
your viewing of say a picture of Bob Bailey as "Johnny dollar"
change the visualized image you carried of 'Johnny' prior to
seeing Bob's real face? Does Chester A. Riley of "Life of Riley"
look in your images of the show the same as did William Bendix
you saw in the Paramount picture "The Hairy Ape?"
CB
--
conradab@[removed] (Conrad A. Binyon)
From the Home of the Stars who loved Ranches and Farms
Encino, California.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 19:37:00 -0500
From: WILLIAM BROOKS <webiii@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: portable mp3 players
I too had problems with an Emerson mp3 player. I then found an RCA
player and it too was no good. I even took a disc of mp3 shows with
me before I made the purchase and found almost all brands lacking. I
finally got a RIO VOLT 100 and it works flawlessly. I then got a RIO
VOLT 250. This one is the real deal. Not only does if play perfectly,
it has several features that I like. 1. a resume feature that lets
you stop the player mid-show then resume playing later at the same
spot in the same show. The player will "remember" at least 10 discs
this way. 2. an automatic shut off feature, that lets you set it to
play for 1 to 60 minutes, your choice, then shut itself off. 3. a
feature that lets you set the sound quality much like an equalizer.
There are several other features on the 250 that are great.
My advise-----don't be too cheap, try a RIO VOLT 250. Then go the
the RIO web site and you can download an extensive operating manual
for the 100 or 250. You can also download upgrades for the different
models directly into the [removed], I tried several portable mp3
players and found the best one to be the RIO VOLT 250, hands down.
To Hal Stone-----when you were a guest at REPS in Seattle last
November I was in the hospital having had surgery that Saturday
morning. I got the note you sent me. Thanks a bunch, it meant a lot
that you took the time to say Hi. Hope to be seeing you again at
another convention either here in Seattle or in [removed]
You're a real friend. Thanks again
Bill Brooks
webiii@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 21:43:13 -0500
From: "Marvin R. Bensman" <MBensman@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RE: Broadcast Research
I'm looking for published research which has utilized broadcast, video,
audio, film etc. as a primary source of information. In other words,
the researcher has gone into a broadcast or film archive and come out
with published research. Can you provide me with references worth
checking.
Professor Marvin R. Bensman, [removed], [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 21:46:42 -0500
From: Roger Lorette <roger@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio City Playhouse Question
As I write this I've been listening to some episodes of "Radio City
Playhouse" and I notice a discrepincy in the numbering of the episodes. This
series actually announces the show number (or attraction number) at the
beginning of each show. The problem developes after show #21 "Strange
Identity" then at what is called show #22 in the series "Correction" all the
popular logs call this episode #23 and this numbering remains "off" by one
for the remainder of the series. I do not have the episode in my collection
that is logged at Jan 03, 1949 called "A Matter of Life and Death" as
attraction #22 but my guess is that this show never made it to air but was
left in the sequence by the Frank Passage logs and others who picked up the
Jan 10th show as attraction #23 and so on.
I ask this because I was trying to get my titles as accurate as possible but
at the same time I wouldn't want my titles to be contrary to all the others
out there.
Any thoughts?
Roger Lorette
roger@[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #84
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