------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 19
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Jolson Again [ "Jack Feldman" <qualitas@millenicom ]
Schmaltz/Sgt. Preston [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
Request for Help [ passage@[removed] ]
RE: It Takes All Kinds To Make A Hob [ otrdsiegel@[removed] ]
Re: Cincy Convention [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
censorship during World War II [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
Neiman-Marcus/Nostalgia Lane [ "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@ho ]
Reels wanted [ Tony Baechler <tony@[removed]; ]
Dorothy Roberts Whistling [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Re: Al Jolson [ Grbmd@[removed] ]
Re: Twilight of Some Radio Premiums [ watchstop@[removed] (Martin&Marg ]
radio oddities [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ lois@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 08:26:18 -0500
From: "Jack Feldman" <qualitas@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jolson Again
I have a boxed Lazer Disk set of some of Jolson's films. In all of them
there is only one song done so you can get just a glimmer of what he must
have been like. Film just couldn't caputure his carisma.
There is one movie that I haven't watched because it is too painfully bad.
He was so popular that when he was married to Ruby Keeler, and her show was
a bomb, he kept it going by coming over to her theatre after his
performance, and doing another show after hers was over.
He died shortly after retuning from Korea and entertaining the troops there.
Jack
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:10:08 -0500
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Schmaltz/Sgt. Preston
Hi Gang;
Hal Stone brought up "shmaltz" in the last Digest. According to Leo
Rosten's "The Joys of Yiddish," the word is alternately spelled "schmaltz" or
"shmaltz" and is defined as
1. (noun) Cooking fat; melted or rendered fat--usually chicken fat.
2 (noun) "corn," pathos; maudlin and mawkish substance; excessive
sentimentality; overly emotional mush: sugary banality.
3. (noun) Luxury, wealth, good luck. "He fell into a tub of schmaltz, that's
how lucky he is."
I highly recommend this book if anybody out there would like to check out
the applications of this or any other common Yiddish word that has crept into
the English lamguage {It's great having reference books like this lying around
here at Talking Books].
Speaking of [removed]
Today's (01/14/2003) edition of "The (Newark, NJ) Star-Ledger" carried
an [removed] obit for television actor Richard Simmons, who died Saturday
at the age of 89 in Oceanside, California, "after a lingering illness."
His 40-year Hollywood career will probably be best noted for his role in the
television version of "sergeant Preston of the Yukon."
[CONTRIBUTRIVIA: [removed], Charlie. I followed your lead and didn't euphemize
the word "television" as if the Digest were a Victorian-era [removed]]
Y---s in the e---r,
D---k T---e
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:35:05 -0500
From: passage@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Request for Help
Hi All,
I received the following request from Morley Kiss
[removed]@[removed].
Any ideas?
- -------
I'm 64 years old, and in the winter of 45, there was a short children's
series carried in my part of the world (calgary canada0 by the above
name.
The series was based on Frank Packard's children's books around this
character, whose alter ego was the gray seal. Long before the green
hornet, this chap was doing a similar thing. I believe Larry haines
played Jimmy.
To make a long story short, I'd give anything to hear just one episode
again, although I fear that like the adventures of Bill Lance, there
were no copies preserved, as I've written to a couple of other old time
radio people with negative results.
- -------
Frank
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:36:05 -0500
From: otrdsiegel@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RE: It Takes All Kinds To Make A Hobby
I noticed a posting on today's digest questioning the issue of money as it
relates to acquiring new programs.
This issue has come up before and shortly thereafter we can expect to read
arguments both pro and con regarding dealers and those who make their
programs available at no cost.
As a fellow who has been involved in the hobby for a number of years I
believe I can understand both sides of the issue.
When I first discovered the existence of the hobby, back in the mid 1960's
(probably before most Digest subscribers were born) I found, that after
purchasing the great LP, THEMES LIKE OLD TIMES, I could purchase programs
from the company that produced that record and did so.
I fell in love with the hobby but didn't think that I could afford to buy
every program that I wanted to hear and so commenced a search for like minded
enthusiasts who might be willing to trade with this novice collector.
Some thumbed their nose at me because I had so little to trade, others
(many like myself with small collections) including a few with substantial
collections, were most generous.
The point is that with patience, over the years, without expending great
sums of money (except for blank tape and postage) I was able to put together
a respectable collection.
Today it is even easier to develop an OTR collection without expanding a
lot of money. A great number of libraries have tapes of old programs free for
the asking. The Internet has several sites where programs may be listened to
and downloaded. Also, the vast amount of programs (the selection of shows has
increased dramatically over the years) that dealers offer at prices that are
quite reasonable (in my humble view) makes collecting the great fun it is.
The person who has begun collecting during the past few years, with any
kind of imagination, should be able to put together a collection that most
old timers needed a lifetime to amass.
But what about that matter of cost?
How many of those programs so easily and inexpensively now available
would be in the hands of collectors if certain dealers had not invested time
and money to acquire them?
Even the clubs that sponsor OTR and that have developed libraries of
material available for their members have expenses (some, in addition to
having material donated, have purchased programs). They need to store their
holdings and to maintain equipment to dub copies and mail copies and
therefore charge both membership fees and rental fees.
Be happy with all of the programs that are available to you but don't
belittle those folks who spend hours and dollars to uncover new material,
expecting them to give it all away simply because you think that's the way it
should be.
Dave S.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:37:11 -0500
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Cincy Convention
Don Jones asks:
What/When/Where is the Cincinnati convention ?
I'm not sure I can answer all the questions, except the "where" part.
It's in Cincinatti. :)
Sorry, couldn't resist it. It's like the old OTR joke. "What color is the
Lone Rangers white horse?"
I certainly expect Bob Burchett (The fearless leader of the Cincy
Convention) to log on to this Digest soon with full details. Martin Grams
posted the info a while back in another Digest issue, but you probably
missed it. [removed] Don, here's the scoop as far as I know at this time.
The "What" of your question is this. The Cincinnati Convention is to the
Middle and Central USA OTR fans, what the FOTR and Sperdvac Conventions are
to the East and West coast fans. (Ooops, I better not leave out REPS in the
North West).
Like the other Conventions I mentioned, it is extremely well run. Lots of
OTR dealers attend to sell their wares (OTR shows in all formats,
memorabilia, photo's, books, etc.) and a number or OTR re-creations are
performed, as well as special forums, etc. A few of the "still breathing"
and ambulatory actual OTR performers are invited to attend, (myself
included), and we participate in many activities, and have fun mingling with
our fans among the conventioneers. It's also a great opportunity to meet
your fellow Digesters. Even "Curly" Summers, our revered??? Listmaster will
probably be there. (Forget [removed] You gotta meet his beautiful wife!)
A Convention booklet will probably be available soon, which will spell
everything all out for you, costs, schedules, events, OTR stars attending,
etc.
As to the "when", I understand it is scheduled for April 11 and 12, 2003,
(the weekend before Easter.)
Friday 9 am to 9 pm and Saturday 9 am and 4 pm (for dealer rooms) followed
by a banquet and more OTR Recreations.
Martin Grams mentioned that many folks like to get there Thursday so they
can hang around meeting and greeting old friends. (Usually in the Hotel
bar). :)
The "WHERE" is as follows.
BEST WESTERN HOTEL, 11911 Sheraton Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246
513-671-6600
For info about the convention, contact Bob Burchett at 888-477-9112 or
haradio@[removed]
I quote again from Martin Grams prior posting.
The hotel rates are lower than last year's and admission is less
than an hour's worth of pay at most 9-5 jobs. If you wish to split the cost
of a hotel room, the hotel has doubles and I am sure Bob can find someone to
help split the cost of a room for you. (Pay for one night but spent two
nights? What a deal!)
If you are driving distance from Cincy (I drive 11 hours to get there so
there's no excuse for 2 hours), please come and attend. One visit and I
guarentee you'll return year after year.
I mention all this, Don, in hopes I can entice you to attend. (The
Convention promoters need your registration fee). After all, it costs a lot
or money for them to send a private jet to Arizona for me, and for them to
put me up in the hotel's "Presidential Suite". (Not really! :) I just tell
Bob Hastings that. It frosts him, because they fly him in from California
strapped in the jump seat of a Fed-Ex plane.
See you there????
Regards
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:22:09 -0500
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: censorship during World War II
In my recent posting, I spoke about about Arthur Laurents' attendance at
a Radio Writers Guild meeting where he argued in favor of of a law that
was being considered in Congress to make it easier for soldiers to vote.
At that time, because so many young soldiers were supporters of the New
Deal, Southern Democrat and Republican politicians had opposed the bill.
Bryan, asked about my source regarding the intent of the congressmen? As
I cite in WORDS AT WAR," these issues were discussed in (among many
other sources) "Why Soldiers Votes Are Feared" The New Republic, December
13, 1943, 137
Bryan also asked how it is that I know who it was that reported
Laurents. ("As a consequence of Laurents' outspokenness, a right-wing
member of the Guild reported Laurents as a Communist, and the amount of
censorship Laurents had to deal with was increased.")
Laurents told me. He also discusses it in his autobiography. Russell
Crouse was that member.
How do we know he was right wing?
In the American context in that era --- and continuing to a certain
extent in our era too, preoccupation with domestic communist subversion
--particularly alleged subversion among people in the arts --- is/was
part of the definition of "right-wing"
How do we know Laurents was reported at all? And specifically what
kind of censorship are we talking about exactly ?
Earlier, he had had to deal with censorship but on a smaller scale.
After this incident, he had to have all his scripts cleared in Washington
(he was based in New York)
Bryan asked
Did Red Channels actually indicate the reasons individuals
were listed in its pages?
It cited organizations to which they belonged, people to whom they had
written letters ([removed] guilt by association). In Laurents' case, these
"sins" included signing a petition to the Supreme Court to review the
conviction of Dalton Trumbo, 10 writing the dramatizations "The Journey
all of Assignment McKeever" at Carnegie Hall on June 21, 1949. These
things are typical of the entries
Bryan also added "I am sure that in 1950s America the fact that Laurents
was a homosexual didn't help his cause much either." Actually even more
so than today, a homosexual soldier had to stay "in the closet." But I
agree with Bryant that given the intolerance of the day, had it been
known that he was homosexual that would have added fuel to the fire
Howard Blue
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 13:19:55 -0500
From: "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Neiman-Marcus/Nostalgia Lane
Just curious if anyone had encountered the "Neiman-Marcus Treasury of the
Best of Old-Time Radio," a six-record set I picked up at a used record store
for a buck per. They were released in 1981 according to the notes and put
together by Nostalgia Lane.
I'd forgotten about them and recently found them. The best I can remember is
that they contained one complete show one one side of the usual suspects:
Abbott & Costello/Fred Allen/Burns & Allen/Benny/Fibber &
Molly/Groucho/Lights Out/Green Hornet/Suspense/Shadow/Lone Ranger/Sherlock
Holmes.
Has anyone else seen these?
Nussbaum
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 14:10:56 -0500
From: Tony Baechler <tony@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Reels wanted
Hello all. I am very interested in buying out either a dealer or collector
with a large quantity of reels to sell. I am not interested in other
formats, just reels. If you have a machine in good condition to go with
them, that would be nice but not necessary. If you either have a few
hundred reels to sell or know of someone who does, please contact me
privately at tony@[removed]. Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 15:22:38 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Dorothy Roberts Whistling
Regarding the "whistler" whistler, Jim Cox wrote:
Barbara Watkins wonders just how many whistlers there were for The
Whistler. My research turned up two names, Owen James and Dorothy
Roberts.
To put this in perspective, and being picky, picky I do want to emphasize
that most sources, include Dunning, report that Dorothy Roberts provided
the whistling for 13 years, which is almost the entire run of the series
(and also for the short-lived TV program) which means that Owen James'
contribution was very small, indeed and Dorothy Roberts is indeed entitled
to the title of "whistler".
~Irene
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 19:24:25 -0500
From: Grbmd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Al Jolson
In a message dated 1/13/03 11:27:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
To those of you who bought my book, check out the picture of Jolsen on page
270. Look at the expression on his face, and the gleem in his eyes. What do
"you" see there?
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
In that photo his eyes are riveting, for sure. I never saw him in person,
and I mainly experienced him only on audio recordings, with only a few on
film. Yet I have to be influenced by the many people who have seen him that
say he was greatest entertainer of all time.
Personally, I'm hoping that someone would run a Greatest Entertainer Poll so
that I could vote for Hal Stone as The Greatest. After all, how could any
entertainer be a radio program's second banana and yet emerge as such a
legend on the greatest of all time OTR forum?
Spence Coleman
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 19:58:47 -0500
From: watchstop@[removed] (Martin&Margot)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Twilight of Some Radio Premiums
I enjoyed this Stephen Kallis message. He wrote in part, "...sweaty little
fingers eagerly tore open the brown-paper envelopes freshly delivered from
the shows' sponsors."
This connects with a memory of how I behaved, over several years, when it
came to "sending away" for a radio premium treat. I would wait about a
week, knowing the mail would need a little time to reply, and then I would
resume my after school ritual. Come home from school, walk in the door and
delay any visit to the kitchen, and promptly close my eyes. I'd then walk
as a blind person through the living room and into my bedroom.
Fortunately, I could depend on my mother not having left anything on which
I could trip. Often this walk would be deliberately slow, to give suspense
a chance to develop.
The objective was to go to my desk, still with eyes closed. If any mail
for me had arrived, it would be waiting on my desk. Hands proceeded to
search. And if it felt like I had found the sort of package which might
contain a premium--eyes opened!
Of course, eyes would still open after the search, sometimes to confirm
that nothing had arrived. Once in a while, a particular surprise to end my
vast disappointment. A packet WAS there, but my blind search had not
discovered it.
However, premiums were invariably so slow to reach me. I was often a
grumpy kid for an hour or so when nothing had been [removed] soon,
luckily, it was a new day.
Martin Fass
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 22:15:45 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: radio oddities
Came across some radio oddities in an old 1943 newspaper, thought it'd make
great conversations on the Digest:
The first broadcasts of recorded music were made from a radio transmitter
atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1909, and was heard 300 miles away.
United States radio stations have broadacst more than six million war
messages at no charge to the Government in the past year.
The first radio receiving set in this country was made in 1916. it was
called the "Radio Musix Box" and was the brain child of David Saroff.
Not sure if any of these oddities are 100% accurate, but interesting, aren't
they?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 04:52:05 -0500
From: lois@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over six years, same time, same channel!
Our numerous "regulars" include one of the busiest "golden years" actors in
Hollywood; a sound man from the same era who worked many of the top
Hollywood shows; a New York actor famed for his roles in "Let's Pretend" and
"Archie Andrews;" owners of some of the best OTR sites on the Web;
maintainer of the best-known OTR Digest (we all know who he is)..........
and Me
Lois Culver
KWLK Longview Washington (Mutual) 1941-1944)
KFI Los Angeles (NBC) 1944 - 1950
and widow of actor Howard Culver
(For more info, contact lois@[removed])
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #19
********************************************
Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
including republication in any form.
If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
[removed]
For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]
To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
or see [removed]
For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]
To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]
To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]