------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 248
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Two small notes- [ Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed] ]
Ida Lupino [ "Brad Stucky" <[removed]@[removed]; ]
Old movies [ "Dandrea, Chris" <ChrisD@[removed] ]
Book [ nicoll <nicoll@[removed]; ]
Coke in bottles (OT) [ Harx1@[removed] ]
Sulfa gum [ "Nemesis@[removed]" <nemesis@[removed] ]
First "true crime" show [ "Marcus Antonsson" <[removed] ]
Radio Best Bet Listings [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Fu Manchu magazines [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
help needed in Doraville GA [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
I Love a Mystery [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Shadow question [ zbob@[removed] ]
HOAGY CARMICHAEL IN NEW YORK [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
RE REPS [ HRRMIKES@[removed] ]
WSJ Coverage of Rosemary Clooney [ Kubelski@[removed] ]
Re: why Bill Goodwin left Burns and [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
Re: Nickodell's Restaurant [ GOpp@[removed] ]
Lionel Barrymore, composer [ Roo61@[removed] (Randy Watts) ]
Mary Noble Backstage Wife dates desi [ "Dick Wamser" <snapp@[removed]; ]
Betty Clooney [ "Harry Machin, Jr." <harbev5@earthl ]
Sulfa gum/Meatless Tuesdays [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 15:32:41 -0400
From: Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Two small notes-
Kelli Stanley may be referring to Thomas Freebairn Smith who worked as an
announcer and also in production.
Jan Bach quotes a much more reliable source about Cathy Lewis than my
memory. I did remember her death at an early age but forgot about the
divorce, I had known and worked with Cathy at the Pasadena Playhouse before
she and Elliott were married but keeping track of the divorces among radio
actors, even that many years ago, was a very large job.
My apologies.
Harry Bartell
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 15:32:53 -0400
From: "Brad Stucky" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ida Lupino
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Hello all,
I'm no authority on her life, but there's an episode of, I believe, the Edgar
Bergen show, where Ida Lupino mentions her love of classical music and rattles
of a list of those composers with hard-to-pronounce names.
Brad
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:15:37 -0400
From: "Dandrea, Chris" <ChrisD@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Old movies
I know this is not OTR but can anyone tell me of a good source for classic
movies on DVD? I am look for The Spirit of St. Louis and some Bogart movies.
Any movies on DVD with OTR people in them???
Thanks
Chris
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:48:56 -0400
From: nicoll <nicoll@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Book
Over enthusiasm at recent flea markets/garage sales has produced a surplus
for the reasons listed below. I would like to recover my [removed]
possibly give the digesters a chance to add to their collections.
JANET HARDY in RADIO CITY (dupe) 252 pp - juvenile - copyright 1935 -
condition = avg. - $[removed]
RADIO ENGINEER HANDBOOK (can't understand) 945 pp - technical -copyright
1941 - condition =avg - $[removed]
NAVY TRAINING COURSES - RADIOMAN 1c and CHIEF RADIOMAN (can't understand) -
406 pp - technical - 1940 Edition - condition = paperback, cover coming off
but is repairable - $[removed]
I will send the item "book rate" ...upon receipt of the book the buyer will
add the postage to price of the book and remit.
Will Nicoll
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:49:43 -0400
From: Harx1@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Coke in bottles (OT)
In a message dated Tue, 2 Jul 2002 2:46:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, Scott
Rogers writes:
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.
Close. During Passover you can get Kosher for Passover Coke which is made
with cane sugar and not corn syrup due to corn being considered not Kosher
for Passover to most Askenazi Jews who observe. Apparently, if your
background is Sephardic, corn is considered allowable, but that really has
nothing to do with the issue at hand. I've heard some people stock up on
this Kosher for Passover soda during the two weeks or so that it's available
so they can have it all year round.
If you live near an area with a large Jewish population, next March/April,
take a look at the soda section and you should notice bottles of Coke with
yellow caps. That's usually an easy mark that the bottle is KP. Of course,
sometimes Coke tries to play with you by having their bottle cap contests
during Passover (as was the case this year). It was only after I brought the
bottle of soda home and started to open it that I noticed that it contained
corn syrup and the yellow cap I had been so pleased to see only served to
inform me that I was not a winner. <drat!>
-Kerri L. Berney
harx1@[removed]
" " -Harpo Marx(smarter words were never uttered)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:49:57 -0400
From: "Nemesis@[removed]" <nemesis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sulfa gum
Sulfa was an antibiotic--perhaps someone having that dream was sick and
didn't know it. The dream might have been telling them to get a checkup--a
turgid answer, I know, but them poetry has always been too turgid for my
literal [removed]
Linda T.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:50:07 -0400
From: "Marcus Antonsson" <[removed]@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: First "true crime" show
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Hi Gang!
Yesterday I listened to an early episode of "calling all cars" (1934). It
raised a question. Was caa the first series dramatizing true crimes. We all
know that many others came after. My persinal favorite being "dragnet". But
were there any shows like this before caa?
Best to all!
Marc Antonsson
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:50:19 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Best Bet Listings
Is there anyone in Ohio who has access to old Columbus Citizen newspapers on
microfilm from the early and mid-1940's? If so, please contact me off the
Digest, I'm willing to pay for someone to dig up a couple specifics for me.
Martin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:50:34 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Fu Manchu magazines
Someone on this digest sent me half a dozen Rohmer Reviews about a couple
years ago, and I can't seem to find his mailing address. If he could contact
me, I'd love to return them to him.
Martin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 17:07:34 -0400
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: help needed in Doraville GA
The widow of a film, stage and all-time radio actor would like to hire
someone to assist her with a book project, a memoir about her late
husband . The book is hot stuff: she has a a first-rate literary agent
and there's talk about a possible film adaptation of the book
Is there anybody on the OTR digest in or near Doraville GA who might be
interested or who can recommend someone?
Please contact me offline
Howard Blue
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 17:16:23 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: I Love a Mystery
A friend of mine is working on a project about I Love a Mystery, the radio
series, and is looking for any magazine and digest articles about the show
from any OTR publications. I personally recall reading something in RETURN
WITH US NOW, but he's willing to pay for copies of any articles anyone has.
If you have any, let me know and I'll forward contact info.
Martin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 17:16:31 -0400
From: zbob@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Shadow question
Ken Clarke had a question . . .
Does the name "Shreevy" mean anything to you? To
think of something like that after all these years.!!Bob
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 17:36:35 -0400
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: HOAGY CARMICHAEL IN NEW YORK
My favorite Hoagy story revolves around a well known, though no longer
with us jazz joint in Manhattan.
It was owned by a man who was adamant in his demand that absolutely no
one plays the piano in his place but the man he hires or himself.
It was a policy laced with fear of dismissal and was adhered to for many
years.
One night in that 50's I believe, sitting in his office and after hours,
he heard someone tinkling at the piano.
In a rage he came out and saw some old dude bent over the keys and rather
than deal with the bum himself, he ran to the bartender who was cleaning up
and proceeded to read him the riot act, ending with his demand that the
bartender go over there now and make the old gent stop playing and leave.
"It's Hoagy Carmichael," the bartender said, "you tell him."
M
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 18:50:39 -0400
From: HRRMIKES@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RE REPS
We really appreciate Sean's nice comments on our convention and his making
the journey from East to West. Just a note on his feeling he was one of the
few out of town folks, there were 11 states represented and about 20% of the
attendees were from outside of Washington state.
Now, with Sean's comments added to the nice ones from other folks, maybe
those numbers will go up even more.
Mike Sprague
Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 18:52:12 -0400
From: Kubelski@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: WSJ Coverage of Rosemary Clooney
Today's Wall Street Journal (July 2) has an article on the life and carreer
of Rosemary Clooney on page D7.
The article covers Ms. Clooney's early start with Mitch Miller and her rise
as a respected jazz singer.
The article is not available online without paying, so you might want to seek
out the issue.
Sean Dougherty
Kubelski@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 19:11:28 -0400
From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: why Bill Goodwin left Burns and Allen
Bill Goodwin left B&A to star in his own TV show in New York, as
announced by George Burns himself live on the TV airwaves during a B&A
episode which I just put into the VCR to confirm this tidbit before
passed it on to the digest. No more midget japanese subs for me!!
(ha-ha!!)
Eric Cooper
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 20:07:39 -0400
From: GOpp@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Nickodell's Restaurant
From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];
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.
I'll second that wow. Nickodell's was one of my favorite restaurants
growing up. I used to eat there with my dad whenever I visited him at
Desilu. I always had the same thing, too, but it was the steak sandwich.
I hadn't been there in years when I heard the tragic news that Paramount
was tearing the place down to expand the studio's parking lot, so I took
my family there on the last night it was in business. Of course, my
8-year old daughter promptly pronounce it her favorite restaurant, and
declared that we should eat there more often!
It used to be called Nickodell's Melrose Grotto back in the 1936, when my
dad first started eating there with the other Young & Rubicam writers for
"The Packard Hour starring Fred Astaire." In his memoir ("Laughs,
[removed] Lucy" by Jess Oppenheimer) he tells this story about Eddie
Moran, a radio writer and sometimes performer with an amazing talent for
doubletalk:
================
One evening after rehearsal, Eddie and I were sitting in Nickodell's
Melrose Grotto when an acquaintance of his, quite drunk, happened to
notice Eddie as he staggered by our booth. He made a U-turn, which
almost took him to the far wall, and found his way back to us. He sat
and looked Eddie squarely in the eyes for almost a full minute. He
obviously had some terrible tale to tell, a story he couldn't bring
himself to articulate, it was so horrible. Finally, Eddie saw that we
would be there until closing if he didn't do something. "What's new,
Horace?" he said.
"What's new?" Horace bellowed. "What's new? I'll tell you what's new.
Mildred is leaving me. After all these years. I'm going to kill myself!"
"Now just a minute, Horace. I'm not going to let you kill yourself until
you hear a story I'm going to tell you. After that, you can do what you
want. Okay?"
Horace seriously agreed. For the next fifteen minutes, Eddie Moran spun
out a succession of nonwords, unrelated inflections, dazzling dynamics,
and sympathetic facial expressions that smacked of silent-picture acting.
I had a terrible time keeping from laughing. I would drop silverware,
so I could pick it up. I even stuck a napkin in my mouth. But Horace
saw none of it. His eyes were riveted on Eddie, and he was drinking in
every nuance of whatever it was he thought was being said to him.
Finally, Eddie signaled by his tone that his tale was through. The tears
were streaming down Horace's cheeks.
"Oh my God!" he wailed. "I never thought of it like that. I never
considered her side at all. I'm gonna go home and apologize," and he
reeled off into the night.
[From "Laughs, [removed] Lucy" by Jess Oppenheimer]
================
16 years later, in 1952, Dad was producing and writing "I Love Lucy," and
he was a still a regular customer at Nickodell's:
================
To be sure, there were a number of places outside of Desilu where both my
name and my face were well-known. One such place was Nickodell's, a
restaurant near the studio where I ate lunch at least twice a week. One
waitress in particular, an attractive young woman named Shirley, knew
exactly who I was, and always seemed especially anxious to please me
whenever I came in. I was not particularly surprised, therefore, when
Shirley finally informed me that she was really an aspiring actress.
I don't know whether she ever made it in show business, but it was clear
to me that waitressing was not this young lady's strong point. Shirley
was always getting my orders mixed up. Whenever I called this to her
attention she was crestfallen--so much so that finally I stopped telling
her about her mistakes. But even that couldn't relieve her suffering.
One day at lunch, as Shirley came to the table to take my order, I could
see that she was terribly distressed about something.
"Oh, Mr. Oppenheimer," she said. "I was sound asleep last night, when at
around 3 [removed] I woke up in a cold sweat, and my heart was pounding like
crazy!"
"What was the matter?" I asked her.
"I suddenly remembered that on Tuesday I forgot to bring you mashed
potatoes instead of french fries, like you asked!"
>From then on, whenever Shirley was my waitress, I made it a point just to
order the daily special.
* * *
The news of Lucy's impending motherhood at the end of our first season
was met with utter dismay by the network. They promptly issued a firm
edict that we could not even use the word "pregnant" on the show. We
could say she was "expecting." She could be "with child." But never
"pregnant." They were still deathly afraid that some segment of the
public would find something offensive in our pregnancy shows.
I was in my office at the studio one morning, preparing for another in
what seemed like an endless series of meetings on the subject, when I had
an idea that I thought would go a long way toward making CBS more
comfortable. Why not arrange for a priest, a minister, and a rabbi to
approve each of the "baby show" scripts, and to attend each of the
screenings? If any of them found anything objectionable, we would simply
remove it!
The meeting, with the network censor and two other CBS bigwigs who had
flown in from New York, was a big success. Everyone was enthusiastic
about the idea of having the baby shows "blessed" by local clergymen.
The network executives were finally starting to get comfortable with what
we had been telling them all along--we could deal humorously with
pregnancy on a television show and at the same time keep the program on a
high moral plane.
When the meeting was over, I took the three network men to lunch at
Nickodell's. As we sat down at our table, I noticed that the waitress
coming to take our lunch orders was my old friend Shirley. I silently
prayed that she wouldn't make any serious mistakes with our meals. I
even repeated all of the orders to her, just to make sure.
After Shirley left, we continued our discussion. What had started out as
a rather tense meeting an hour or so earlier was now a relaxed
conversation, and everyone was in good humor. I had just finished
telling a joke when Shirley arrived with our food. To my great relief, I
saw that for once everything was just what had been ordered. But she was
still at a loss to remember which of us had ordered what, and started
putting the wrong dish in front of each of us.
One of the network reps, sensing that he could have a little fun, started
ribbing her about the mixup. This just flustered Shirley even more.
Suddenly, she put all of the plates down and said, "Gentlemen, please!
Don't do this to me! I get very nervous. Just ask Mr. Oppenheimer--the
least little thing wakes me up in the middle of the night!"
[From "Laughs, [removed] Lucy" by Jess Oppenheimer]
================
I really miss that place. At least Lucy's Cafe El Adobe remains standing,
right across Melrose.
Take care.
- Gregg Oppenheimer
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 00:04:12 -0400
From: Roo61@[removed] (Randy Watts)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Lionel Barrymore, composer
I have not been able to determine what other composition LB may have
written or have been performed
I seem to recall that Barrymore composed the theme for his series THE
MAYOR OF THE TOWN.
Randy
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 00:04:23 -0400
From: "Dick Wamser" <snapp@[removed];
To: "otr digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Mary Noble Backstage Wife dates desired
Hello all: I have a cd with Mary Noble Backstage Wife shows on it among
other things. There are no dates, just episode numbers. They run from 3931
to 3966. Anyone have either exact or approximate air dates? Thanks in
advance. Yall have a nice day. OK?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 00:04:01 -0400
From: "Harry Machin, Jr." <harbev5@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Betty Clooney
My apologies for the error of saying that Betty Clooney was
part of the cast of the Dave Garroway show. As a reader
of this digest reminded me, it was the Jack Paar show. Old
age is creeping up on me?
Harry Machin, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 00:05:03 -0400
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sulfa gum/Meatless Tuesdays
I remember chewing sulfa (not sulfur) gum as a kid. My sister, brother and I
had our share of sickness and before penicillin, there was sulfa. In order
to make it easier to take (some kids can't swallow pills) the doc put us on
sulfa gum. I do recall that it was a blue color. Also, I think sulfa pills
were quite large, so having it in gum form was easier to handle.
If you have ever chewed Apergum (for headaches, etc.), you kind of get
the idea.
Another item: anyone out there remember "Meatless Tuesdays" during World War
II? I think they were just what the name implies. Was listening recently to
a Suspense episode starring Lucille Ball in which the last line was something
like, "But remember this is meatless Tuesday."
Ted Kneebone
1528 S. Grant St., Aberdeen, SD 57401 / 605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #248
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