Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #247
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 7/2/2002 1:46 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

------------------------------


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2002 : Issue 247
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Nickodell's Restaurant                [ George Aust <austhaus1@[removed] ]
  Rosemary Clooney/Who's On First?      [ "Harry Machin, Jr." <harbev5@earthl ]
  Re: Bill Goodwin                      [ Mike Thompson <mike9986@[removed] ]
  Hoagy Carmichael                      [ "Roby McHone" <otr_alaska@[removed] ]
  Bill Goodwin                          [ DanHaefele@[removed] ]
  Jeff Chandler                         [ WILLIAM BROOKS <webiii@[removed]; ]
  Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  God Health to All ...                 [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
  Coke in bottles (Off Topic)           [ "Scott Rogers" <srogerssprint5@eart ]
  Lupino, Composer? Wouldja [removed]  [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
  BEVERLY MAHR                          [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
  SEVEN DREAMS                          [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
  REPS!                                 [ Kubelski@[removed] ]
  Seattle convention oversight          [ HRRMIKES@[removed] ]
  I'll have a [removed] in a glass       [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
  RE: Rexall Drug Stores                [ Tim Johnson <tjnknox@[removed]; ]
  Sulfur gum                            [ JJLjackson@[removed] ]
  Who's On First - Digest #245          [ Elmer Standish <elmer_standish@telu ]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 23:44:14 -0400
From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Nickodell's Restaurant

Wow! When Lois Culver mentioned Jeff Chandler hanging out at Nickodell's
Restaurant what memories came rushing back. In the late 50's when I
lived in Hollywood, Nickodell's was my favorite place to eat. Usually
this was about once a week although depending on my finances I often had
to dine at Biffs for hamburgers. Anyway I think I always ate the same
thing there which was sirloin tips or something like that but what I
remember most was their delicious pumpernickel bread. I think that I
must have caused them a loss of profit each meal with constant requests
for more bread.
Anyway as I recall, radio station KHJ (Mutual Broadcasting) was next
door, and RKO studios very close by. But I was always oblivious to
celebrities (still am. My wife is always pointing somebody out to me who
I wouldn"t have known at all without her) so that I don't remember
seeing anyone famous in there. Though I'm sure that if Ginger Rogers had
come waltzing in I would have noticed.
I do have something of a connection with Jeff Chandler though. In
January 1962 while in a hospital in Culver City for the birth of our
second child,  we were told that Jeff Chandler was in the hospital also.
As it turned out he died just about the same time out daughter was born.
It sort of brought the realization of the circle of life into our
thoughts. The hospital changed it's name shortly after that, as the
rumor was that they were responsible for his death. I certainly wouldn't
know anything about that.

I always liked Jeff as Mr. Boyington on "Our Miss Brooks", but later on
when I saw him in the movies I didn't think that his looks matched his
voice or character on that show. I guess that may be one reason he was
not in the TV cast.

So Lois I'm sorry that I never asked you for your autograph or at least
stared at you while you ate, but then I sat next to Virginia Mayo at a
movie screening and never knew it. Whoops my wife just told me that it
was Arlene Dahl! See what I mean?

George Aust

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 00:31:39 -0400
From: "Harry Machin, Jr." <harbev5@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Rosemary Clooney/Who's On First?

First of all, I haven't noticed any of the postings mentioning the
fact that there were at least three versions of "Who's On First."
One was in a movie that I believe was called "The Gay Nineties."
It was a story that took place on a riverboat, and A & C did the
routine on the riverboat's stage.  The setting should help if I have
failed to remember correctly the name of film.

I hated to hear that my all-time favorite pop singer, Rosemary
Clooney had died.  I had the wonderful experience of seeing
(and hearing) her on the Frankie Fontaine radio show.  It was
either 1951 or 52.  She had a series of hit records at that time
and she sang several of them.  "Rosie" was a very beautiful young
woman at that time (only a year older than I was) and she seemed
genuinely surprised at the sustained applause that she received
after each song.  I still enjoy listening to her hits of the '50s when
she still had that sultry voice.  I agree with Bing  Crosby who was
quoted as saying that Clooney was the best pop singer ever.

In later years, she lost the range and quality of her earlier voice.
While still a very good vocalist into the '70s and '80s, she had lost
that dreamy, wonderful voice that I think has never been equaled
in a pop singer.  Her sister, Betty, was a part of the cast of The
Morning Show (TV) with Dave Garroway in the mid-'50s.  For
anyone who wants to see and hear Rosemary in her prime, look
for the movie "Red Garters."  The movie itself is rather corny, but
Rosemary makes it more than worthwhile by singing those slow,
beautiful tunes as only she could sing them.

Harry Machin, Jr.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:36:08 -0400
From: Mike Thompson <mike9986@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Bill Goodwin

Bob wrote:

Of course, OTR
fans will immediately recognize Mr. Goodwin's name for his - so it
seemed to me - continually expanding role on the Burns & Allen radio
show throughout the 1940s.

I sure did. I'm a big fan of the Burns and Allen shows from the 1940s
(not the earlier variety-type B&A shows; those were
[removed]), and loved Goodwin in them. If Swan soap were
still around today I'd definitely buy not one but three bars of it
(remember, buy three bars and save) and break a bar in two, one half
for my kitchen and the other for my tub or shower. But, seriously
though, I think he was a great presence on the show, and better than
Harry von Zell (I think that was his name), the announcer that filled
in for him on the radio show some and succeeded him as the announcer
of the TV show.

I understand that he left Burns & Allen in 1950 after appearing
on the first season of their TV show (then done live, not filmed) and
went to work on Bob Hope's radio show.

I didn't know that. I knew he left the TV show after the first
season, but I didn't know why. I wonder why he went to Bob Hope? Some
sort of falling out with B&A?

His premature death in May 1958 (I believe he was only about 48)
came at a time when he was preparing to run a hotel in Palm Springs
and seemed to work only as a daytime host on a local LA television
showing movies.

Again, I didn't know that. I too am interested in what happened to
him, and how he died.

Mike
--
"Way to breathe, no breath."--Jimbo Jones, "The Simpsons"
My site: [removed]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:36:24 -0400
From: "Roby McHone" <otr_alaska@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Hoagy Carmichael

I know this is off subject, but we have been discussing Hoagy Carmichael
lately.
In the late 1950s I was overseas and listened to AFN radio and watched AFN
TV.  Since AFN cut out the commercials they ran fillers, of around five
minutes or so, between TV programs.  One of the fillers they ran was either
3 or 4 musicians (I forget which) playing "cool" jazz.  I remember Hoagy
Carmichael and Bobby Troup were two of them.  Does anyone know or remember
anything about these fillers?

Roby McHone
Fairbanks, Alaska

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:37:11 -0400
From: DanHaefele@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Bill Goodwin
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

I'm likely not the one who's most knowledgeable about Bill Goodwin, but here
are a couple of facts I can contribute:  He was married, for a short time, to
actress Paula Winslowe.  (I interviewed her for SPERDVAC once at her home,
mentioned his name without knowing at the time they'd been married, but she
made no comment about him.)  I don't believe I ever heard Miss Winslowe on a
Burns & Allen radio show which featured Mr. Goodwin and now I think I know
why.  In 1957 NBC aired a daily 55 minute show aimed at housewives, The Bill
Goodwin Show.  Transcriptions of two broadcasts were donated to SPERDVAC and
I've placed them in the group's Archives LIbrary.

Dunning's fine book indicates the 1947 series Leave It to Bill was also known
as The Bill Goodwin Show.  It ran on CBS, but only for a few months.

Dan Haefele
DanHaefele@[removed]

  *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
  ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:38:01 -0400
From: WILLIAM BROOKS <webiii@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jeff Chandler

      Craig Wichman made a comment about Jeff Chandler, a skirt and
Ester Williams. I saw that interview and a "Biography" episode about
Chandler that mentioned the same thing. My reaction to Wichman, and
the interviews quoted, is SO WHAT". I found the comments on TV to be
cheap and totally unnecessary. Ester Williams should be shunned for
the comments, especially by OTR fans. Wichman, your comment was out
of line.

     I have been blessed by being close to many OTR veteran actors.
When the name Jeff Chandler is brought up in conversation with these
people I hear nothing but praise for him, as an actor and as a man.
He was a good father (as attested to by his daughter later in the
Biography episode) and a class act with his peers. Ester Williams
comes off as cheap and tawdry with her comments. What respect I might
have had for her flew out the window when she shot off her mouth
about her "private relationship" concerning Jeff Chandler.

     In the "by-laws" of this digest we are not supposed to get
"nasty" with each other. Let's apply that to spurious comments about
the radio actors we are interested in. We should be here to learn
about and appreciate the talented people who brought us (and still
bring us) so much pleasure on radio. I'd be willing to bet that 99
per cent of veteran radio actors would not spout such crud. The were
and are classy people. Wichman, let's try to live up the their
example.

BROOKS

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:38:35 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in radio history

  From Those Were The Days --

1921 - The first prize fight offering a million-dollar gate was
broadcast on radio. Jack Dempsey knocked out George Carpentier in the
fourth round of the bout in Jersey City, NJ.

1939 - The Aldrich Family debuted on NBC. Mother Aldrich was heard to
call, "Hen-ree! Henry Aldrich!" Mrs. Aldrich was named Alice; Mr.
Aldrich was Sam; Henrys sister was Mary; Henry's mischief-making friend
was Homer Brown; and Henry's girlfriend was Kathleen. Henry, of course
was, well, Henry.

1946 - CBS signed Arthur Godfrey to do a weekly nighttime show.

1951 - NBC radio presented Bob and Ray (Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding) on
a network radio show. The comedians had previously been heard on WHDH
Radio in Boston, MA.

  Joe

--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:39:09 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  God Health to All ...

Michael Giorgio, speaking about Rexall Sundown, asks,

How does this relate to OTR?  [removed], it doesn't.  Just thought
I'd help set the record straight.

It relates thus:  Rexall was an OTR sponsor, notably of the Phil
Harris-Acice Faye show.  It's a show that's almost timeless -- as funny
today as when first broadcast (not counting the Little French Orphan
episodes).

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:39:31 -0400
From: "Scott Rogers" <srogerssprint5@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Coke in bottles (Off Topic)

Yes--soft drinks taste better in bottles! I thought I was the only that
thought this. I also feel that the taste was changed when  Coke switched
their sweetener from cane sugar to a sweetener made from corn when they
started making Classic Coke. They still make Coke with cane sugar in many
other countries. I live in Arizona and have access to Coke made in Mexico
with cane sugar. I have also heard that in some of the larger cities Coke
distributed through Kosher stores is made with cane sugar during Yom Kippur.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:39:47 -0400
From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Lupino, Composer? Wouldja [removed]

Lionel Barrymore wrote a wonderful orchestral work called "In Memoriam" upon
the occasion of his brother John's death. It was performed by the Cleveland
Orchestra (and broadcast) in the mid 1940s. I have not been able to
determine what other composition LB may have written or have been performed
and I do not know if any of his music has been published.

Joe Salerno

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:40:08 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  BEVERLY MAHR

Beverly Mahr of Manhattan Tower, 4 Hits & a Miss, etc. was Gordon
Jenkins' wife.

      [removed]
      A DATE WITH SINATRA

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:40:38 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  SEVEN DREAMS

Does anyone else remember "Seven Dreams?"

I feature two of the dreams on the upcoming special, David, and Gordon
talks about the possibility of doing the work on TV or film.  Had Gordy
known of your production at the U of I, I'm certain he would have been in
the audience.

When I attended the university I did a lot of work for WILL, our college
station.

      [removed]
      A DATE WITH SINATRA

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:42:15 -0400
From: Kubelski@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  REPS!

As one of only a few out-of-towners who made REPS last week, I'd like to echo
Mike Sprauge's post from this morning.  This was a fabulous show and well
worth the trip (and for me that was about 3,000 miles).

With fine performances, hilarious and insightful unscripted sessions and one
or two educational sessions on hot topics like MP3 collecting, REPS lived up
to its reputation as the best kept secret in OTR fandom.

Highlights included Hal Stone playing a heartless villain in "The Lone
Ranger" and make it look as effortless as his Jughead persona, and the chance
to listen in on a phone call from Sam Edwards to Janet Waldo (which went much
better than the call to convalescing Herb Ellis, who answered 'Mike who?'
when Mr. Sprauge contacted him).  There was also a touching call to Harry
Bartell who promised to attend Showcase XI, offering "If I'm anywhere, I'll
be there."

Recreations of strong programs like Cavalcade of America and Halls of Ivy
were entertaining, but just as entertaining was the cold read of a dreadful
"Blondie" script -- complete with actor memories of how they would step out
into the hall during shows between scenes so the wouldn't have to listen to
the parts they weren't performing in.

Reflections on professional umpiring from Gil Stratton, Jr. and Seattle
play-by-play announcer Dave Nienhaus (sp?) were also fun (even they didn't,
technically, have anything to do with the topic at hand).  Mr. Stratton is
definitely in the Bob Hastings school of aging -- he never appears to -- and
he also played a range of dramatic and comedic  parts during the weekend.

I owe REPS three articles on specific parts of the program for the upcoming
newsletter, and perhaps with permission I'll also post them here for common
review.

A final salute goes to a panel on "radio families" that featured the wives of
Art Gilmore and Sam Edwards, as well as William Conrad's son Chris. Mrs.
Gilmore noted that while Hollywood marriages these days seem to only last a
few months before they are moving on to the next one, that she had been
married to Art for 64 years.

I think it was the same panel where Mrs. Edwards revealed that she and Sam
had discovered a trunk of vaudeville scripts and memorabilia which belonged
to Sam's acting family just recently.  The find is endangered by the fires
sweeping their Durango, Colorado, hometown (let's hear it for the Federal
land management! Whoo!  We need the government to protect the environment!
Of course it would work better if they didn't hire arsonists who earn
overtime when fires start to protect it).  As of Saturday night, the Edwards'
home was not among the 30% of Durango that has burned down and for history's
sake in addition to their own let's all hope it stays that way.

In all, REPS was thrilling, enlightening, warm, friendly and fun.  More of us
Easterners should make the trip west for this great show.

Sean Dougherty
Kubelski@[removed]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:42:22 -0400
From: HRRMIKES@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Seattle convention oversight

The effects of a long weekend showed and a fan reminded me of it.  In the
summary of thanks for the Seattle OTR gathering, I omitted the name of Hal
Stone, so well known to the folks who participate in this Digest.  Hal was a
wonderful first time guest  who knocked himself out with professional work.
Apologies Hal!  You and Dorothy were so much a part of the chemistry and
success of the event!
Mike Sprague

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:42:57 -0400
From: Ga6string@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  I'll have a [removed] in a glass

Bob Watson writes:

And totally off topic from OTR, does anyone else out there think that soft
drinks just out and out taste better in glass bottles than in cans or
plastic??

I completely agree! As an aside, I recently listened to a tape of an OTR
program (can't remember the program or the brand of soda) in which the
advertisement mentioned that the drink was now available in a big, new 12
ounce bottle, so that you could enjoy two -- that's right, two!! -- servings
per bottle. Times, as they say, have changed. :^)
Bryan Powell

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:43:57 -0400
From: Tim Johnson <tjnknox@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  RE: Rexall Drug Stores

Here in the Knoxville area there were quite a few "Rexall" stores at least
into the late 60's.  Locally they were Cole Rexall.  I believe they were
replaced by the rite-aid chain which didn't last very long here even in the
shopping centers and malls.  Today about the only chains we have are the
monsters CVS and Walgreens.
A historical note:  My father's half-brother was Richard Hayworth Johnson
(usually called Hayworth).  He started drug stores in the Knoxville area in
the teens.  Another drug store owner in Knoxville was "Doc" Webb who owned
the Economy Drug Store.  He and my uncle were good friends.  Sometime in the
early twenties Doc approached Uncle Hayworth about his going to Florida with
him to begin a totally new enterprise which became Webb City in St.
Petersburg.  Uncle Hayworth bought a Pierce Arrow because it was one of only
a few cars that would make such a trip without a lot of problems.  Of
course, it couldn't pass a filling station.  My dad went with him on one of
his trips to St. Petersburg in 1925 or 26 and bussed tables in the
restaurant section of Webb City at the ripe old age of 14.  I think my dad
must have gotten sand in his shoes because there seemed to always be a
certain sparkle in his eye when Florida was mentioned.  He must have enjoyed
those times very much.
Later, Doc Webb built a similar operation in Arizona which became known as
Sun City.  There is a street named after my uncle there, [removed] Johnson Blvd.
(I think this is Blvd. but could be St.)
When Webb City was pretty much "on it's own" Uncle Hayworth came back to
Knoxville and opened other drug stores including the Courtesy Drug Store
which was operated by his son, Walter Johnson after his death in April,
1944.  My dad did the bookkeeping.  Unfortunately Uncle Hayworth died in
April before I was born in September so I never knew him, but his legacy
endures right up to today.
Incidentally, I believe that the first radio in our household after my birth
and the one that I heard those wonderful shows on was bought at the Courtesy
Drug Store or possibly given to my dad as partial payment for his services
as bookkeeper.  The reason I suspect the latter is that this radio was a GE
model 304 radio-phono combination (table model) and cost $110 in 1948.  That
would have been way above my dad's budget in 1948.  More about this in
another post.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 13:44:48 -0400
From: JJLjackson@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Sulfur gum

Hi, gang.
I work at Seattle Public Library in my non-radio time, and there's a question
that's been asked that we can't answer. So I thought I'd ask the Digest
Gurus, in case this item was a radio-type thing, now forgotten.

(from staff at Seattle Public Library)

----

Dear Collective Wisdom:
We are trying to find the meaning of a phrase in a story by Sylva Plath. Both
GRS and ARL have searched in vain. The sentence, from a story called "Johnny
Panic and the Bible of Dreams", reads:

In yet another dream, she and her young brother Michael stood in front of
Doddy Nelson's white-shingled house in  "[removed] was wearing
red-and-white striped mittens; and, all at once, as she held out one cupped
hand, it began to rain turquoise-blue sulfa gum."

The question is: What is sulfa gum? It is not in any of the
dictionaries we have checked. Could it be a regionalism? A brand name?

-----

Thanks for any input.

Joy Jackson
Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 15:32:07 -0400
From: Elmer Standish <elmer_standish@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Who's On First - Digest #245

Hi Spence and others involved in this one.

I have done some research on this and came up with the following:

There have been several recent posts about Who's On First and no
mention of left fielder or center fielder. Could it be that the
recordings mentioned may have been abbreviated for some reason,
such as available time?

In a web search, I found the Old Time Radio Script Collection and they
have the A&C Who's On First script with the Left Fielder's name as "Why"
and the Center Fielder's name as "Because."

Details are available at [removed]

I hope this information helps;

Regards to all ===> ELMER

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #247
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