------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2001 : Issue 327
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Re: Recurring Themes [ "Scott Eberbach" <seberbach@earthli ]
A dog named Cleo [ Jerry Lewine <radiojer@[removed] ]
Re: Holms [removed] Moriarty [ "J. Pope" <jpope101@[removed] ]
Lucy DVD. Good news and bad news [ "Bob Watson" <crw912@[removed]; ]
A new book [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
Jean Sheppard [ John Francis MacEachern <johnfmac@m ]
Re: GRAND CENTRAL STATION SFX GOOF [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
Re:could a new war bring back radio? [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
Re:Louella Parsons [ Merlin Haas <mvhaas@[removed]; ]
Re: Louella and Hedda? [ "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed]; ]
Duffy's Tavern [ elliot s ferber <otrcollector@juno. ]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 11:56:57 -0400
From: "Scott Eberbach" <seberbach@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Recurring Themes
Just take a look at some of the extant episodes of The [removed] a
number of recurring themes if not stories there. Case in point would be
Nightmare At Galesbury and The Terror At Wolf's Head [removed] the
middle commercial the plot structure of the two stories is almost
[removed] make matters worse the same theme was used is Suspense's The
Kettler Method.
All three stories are essentially the same with a few minor variations
thrown in to make it appear not to be entirley the same. There are at least
3 (possibly more) shows dealing with insurance fraud. A weathy man wants to
disappear and finds a few disreputable people to take a body from potters
field that is approximatley the same [removed] it in the clients car along
with all sorts of [removed] car goes off a cliff and bursts into
[removed] weathy man has an accomplince who gets the insurance money and
pays off the disreputable people for services rendered and they in turn
blackmail the client for the rest of his life. I believe the 3 stories are
Death Takes The Wheel, The Unburried Dead, and When The Grave Is Open.
According to The Story Of The Shadow which was put out by Radiola records a
number of years ago it was precisely for this reason that Sidney Slon wrote
his first Shadow script Phantom Fingerprints when he complained to one of
the producers of the show that all the stories were sounding the same and
felt that the audience would began to catch on all too quickly "Oh, they're
doing that one again!"
This is probably true for most series with recurring characters and even
some of the anthology shows. Some of these series ran for quite a number of
years so recurring themes or even stories that were basically the same was
bound to occur from time to time. By the same token some recurring themes
is what endears the show to many of us. Perhaps this is more evident in the
comedy and variety shows of the [removed] triats of Jack Benny and the
catchphrases used week after week in Fibber McGee and Molly I find more
endearing than annoying.
Scott
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 12:31:59 -0400
From: Jerry Lewine <radiojer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: A dog named Cleo
Can anyone remember what early TV show had a bassett hound (I think) named
Cleo on it? My dad thinks it was Life of Riley but mom says it was another
show. Can anyone help promote domestic tranquility between a couple of 83
year olds? Thanks!
Jerry
[ADMINISTRIVIA: This question should probably have been asked to our sister
list, The Kinescope, which specifically discusses Nostalgic Television. For
information on THe Kinescope, check out:
[removed]
--cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 13:35:32 -0400
From: "J. Pope" <jpope101@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Holms [removed] Moriarty
Moriarty's second in command was Colonel Sebastian Moran, and his
field of study was mathematics (though he interested himself in physics
and astronomy too - my kinda' guy ;).
Jennifer
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 13:35:48 -0400
From: "Bob Watson" <crw912@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Lucy DVD. Good news and bad news
I got too excited over the Lucy DVD and wrote to the digest before I had
tried to listen to the "My Favorite Husband" part of the DVD. The good news
is that the episode is complete with commercials. The bad news is that the
program is divided into segments that automatically stop after each segment.
In order to listen to the entire episode you have to have remote in hand and
press the 'next' button about every 5 minutes to be able to continually hear
the episode.
Bob
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 15:42:57 -0400
From: otrbuff@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: A new book
Thanks to Jay Hickerson for putting the word out that my newest book,
"The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows," is now available from
McFarland.
While admittedly knowing that it is based on a segment of radio's golden
age that pales in comparison to many of the audio comedic, dramatic and
mystery offerings, I wrote the book largely because audience
participation series (primarily including quiz and game shows and
personality-driven features) have never been given their "just due," and
certainly not so in any sustained way. In researching this volume, only
a single work majoring on multiple radio programming in this genre came
to the forefront--and it was utterly confined to game shows. To my
knowledge--aside from those volumes on single series or performers ([removed],
The Breakfast Club, Arthur Godfrey, Information Please, etc.)--no earlier
text focuses exclusively on the myriad of radio's audience participation
shows.
It has been my intention to bring this sector out of its obscurity, to
enhance an area that made a substantial contribution to our love of the
medium of which it was a part. Hopefully, I have been able to satisfy a
quest that other writers have almost overlooked, save for the exception
of a few paragraphs in compendiums that emphasize numerous broadcast
forms.
A lot of our favorite goodies in those days frequently came packaged as
fun and games. When you dwell on that for a little while, who could ask
for anything more?
The hardbound volume contains histories of 17 radio audience
participation shows, including factual data about premises, casts,
broadcast networks and times, sponsors and a plethora of anecdotal
behind-the-scenes information. There are photographs, biographical
sketches on 177 figures who were prominently connected with these
programs and an appendix guide to network audience participation shows
that describes more than 400 programs included in the genre.
The list of 17 chapter titles is printed below. For some of those, since
space is not available to provide a separate chapter for every series in
a 264-page book, there is a cross-reference in which one or more related
or similar programs is presented in detail. I've included a few of
those, by chapters, in parentheses.
Finally, I hope I have been able to provide something for every serious
OTR book collector that will fill a void currently existing on his or her
self, and to do so authentically and objectively.
1. Art Linkletter's House Party
2. Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts [Arthur Godfrey Time, Major Bowes'
Original Amateur Hour, Horace Heidt's Youth Opportunity Program, Live
Like a Millionaire]
3. Break the Bank
4. The Breakfast Club [Breakfast at Sardi's/Breakfast in Hollywood]
5. Bride and Groom
6. Can You Top This? [It Pays to Be Ignorant]
7. Dr. Christian
8. Dr. I. Q., the Mental Banker [Dr. I. Q. Jr.]
9. Double or Nothing
10. Information Please [The Quiz Kids, Stop Me If You've Heard This One,
Transatlantic Quiz]
11. Queen for a Day
12. Stop the Music! [Pot o' Gold, The Fred Allen Show, The Edgar Bergen
and Charlie McCarthy Show, Name That Tune, Hit the Jackpot, Sing It
Again]
13. Strike It Rich
14. Take It or Leave It [The Bob Hawk Show, The $64 Question, The $64,000
Question]
15. Truth or Consequences [People Are Funny, This Is Your Life]
16. Welcome Travelers [We, the People]
17. You Bet Your Life [Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel]
The book, "The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows," is available
directly from McFarland & Co. ($45, 800-253-2187). To my knowledge, it
is not available in retail stores nor is it discounted on web sites.
Jim Cox
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 19:47:43 -0400
From: John Francis MacEachern <johnfmac@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jean Sheppard
Hi!
A few months back, someone posted a URL for a site that had
a few Sheppard shows that you could listen to. I enjoyed
the site then, but forgot to bookmark the page. My
searches have turned up nothing.
Could someone please post the URL to that site?
Thanks!
John Mac
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 19:48:45 -0400
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: GRAND CENTRAL STATION SFX GOOF
From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
In the Grand Central Staion intro heard for many years, the SFX
pulled a goof. At the end when the train stops, you hear a
definate steam sound letting off of the engine. Owens
Since it is heard only at the end, could the sound possibly be the
release of the air brakes, not steam from a boiler?
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 19:48:35 -0400
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re:could a new war bring back radio?
From: "Scott business" <[removed]@[removed];
I heard in passing on one of the network news program that portable
transistor radio are going to be dropped into Afghanistan so that
the Afghan people can hear the latest on the Allies war on terrorism.
It might not be as necessary as they thought. Last week the Voice of
America reported that a majority of Afghan people have already been
getting their news from VOA, and that they have even been playing music
which is forbidden by the Talabans. VOA had eliminated all music
programs from the English language service a couple of years ago.
It is said that the Gulf War promoted the use of portable short-wave
radios among Americans. Radio Shack sold tons of them, with families
sending them to soldiers who wanted to keep in touch with non-Saudi
stations. There had also been a big increase in SW listening here in
the [removed] at that time, but this was during a very good peak sunspot
period which enabled some of the best short-wave reception I have ever
experienced. But a few years later by 1995, reception was miserable and
many of the new listeners lost interest. To make matters worse, many
countries have cut back greatly on their use of short-wave
broadcasting--including the BBC for North America. A pity. But while
the internet is not as convenient for listening to the international
broadcasts we used to hear on short-wave, it has enabled computer users
to hear and see LOCAL radio and TV broadcasts from all over the world--a
rare treat which used to be mainly possible only by travelling to the
countries.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 19:49:16 -0400
From: Merlin Haas <mvhaas@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re:Louella Parsons
At 11:28 AM -0400 10/7/01, Donna Halper wrote:
I am asking this of every collector and OTR fan that I know: The BBC
called me to ask if I knew whether either Hedda Hoppa or Louella Parsons
might have any living relatives, or any people who knew them-- they are
about to do a radio documentary on gossip columnists in the 30s and
40s. Also, were there any recordings/transcriptions of these two
highly-rated ladies, both of whom were around during Radio's Golden Age in
addition to writing for magazines and newspapers?
Louella Parsons is the guest star on Burns & Allen for Sept. 1,
1944 (AFRS #47).
best - Merlin Haas
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 23:16:10 -0400
From: "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Louella and Hedda?
Donna Halper asked:
The BBC called me to ask if I knew whether either Hedda Hoppa (actually
Hopper) or Louella Parsons might have any living relatives, or any people
who knew [removed]
A friend of mine is co-writing a documentary about tabloid journalism for
A&E. I think they were unable to find relatives for either of the women,
but I'm not sure how hard they looked. My friend is writing the first hour,
which mainly covers Hedda, Louella and Walter Winchell, and the rise and
fall of Confidential magazine. If you like, contact me off-list and I'll
put you in touch with him (he'll have to determine if there's a conflict of
interest).
Also, were there any recordings/transcriptions of these two
highly-rated ladies, both of whom were around during Radio's Golden Age in
addition to writing for magazines and newspapers?
I believe both these women had radio shows and that some recordings survive.
My friend and fellow MWOTRC member Jack French can probably direct you to
the source(s) - if he hasn't already.
Michael J. Hayde
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 23:16:18 -0400
From: elliot s ferber <otrcollector@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Duffy's Tavern
Can anyone tell me where I can find a complete log of Duffy's Tavern.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Elliot
God Bless America and all the brave men and women in the service of their
country.
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2001 Issue #327
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