------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 103
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Jack Eigen [ "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed] ]
NBC Love Song [ BH <radioguy@[removed]; ]
old radios [ BH <radioguy@[removed]; ]
Aldrich Family Log [ otrdigest@[removed] ]
Watson "implicitly" gay [ Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@erols ]
Re: Radio Critics [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Criticisms By Originators of Charact [ William Harker <wharker@[removed] ]
Who's responsible for that Lone Rang [ "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed] ]
Re: OTR fun stuff [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
OLD FROTHINGSLOCH BEER [ wilditralian@[removed] ]
Re: The Inker strikes again [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
the onwers of The Lone Ranger [ aandg4jc@[removed] ]
OUT!! [ Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed] ]
Re: Unnecessary Rules [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Re: gay floorwalkers? [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
GAYS ON RADIO .....YET ONCE AGAIN [ CHET <voxpop@[removed]; ]
Ukd Frothingslosh Beer [ skallisjr@[removed] ]
Orphan Annie [ Richard Carpenter <sinatra@ragingbu ]
16" transcription discs [ Richard Fisher <w9fjl@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 14:22:08 -0500
From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Eigen
<<Ken Piletic introduced the name of veteran talk-show host Jack Eigen>>
Thank you for mentioning him, Ken.
"[removed]" (heard in 39 states!!) Now that was a
late-night show from The Chez Paree nightclub on WMAQ in Chicago for years
that was tiresome to listen to. Jack had celebrity guests to interview
while they were in town and a small studio audience in this remote
broadcast, but he took phone calls during his three hour show. While he
listened to what the caller said, he'd recap the question or the comment
[removed] ...[removed] pause of dead air. His ego kept him
goning and he was a bit insulting like Larry King or Joe Pyle, [removed]
had [removed] years!! I have his final WMAQ broadcast before he
retired to Florida.
Russ Butler oldradio@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 14:21:16 -0500
From: BH <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: NBC Love Song
Russ Butler wrote:
Here is the song, "I Love You" composed with the three, NBC Chimes notes, a
novelty tune from the 1930's that was probably recorded by Rudy Vallee (it
sounds like Rudy):
Anyone have any further information? Thanks.
Where this came from, who wrote it, and who was the recording
artist, is a guess. It was discovered in the early 1980's on a
cart at the NBC radio news bureau in Washington DC. The person who
discovered it guesses that is was dubbed from a 1930's
transcription disk of a live broadcast. The music style would
suggest the 30's. It may have been used as a filler.
Bill H.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 15:33:40 -0500
From: BH <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: old radios
Mark Kinsler writes:
My favorite was the "line cord resistor." In an AC-operated set, the tube
filament voltages ideally add up to equal about 110 volts so that the string
of heaters could be placed directly across the power line.
> Imagine my delight when I first encountered one of these things:
> the power cord got hot! It turns out that this is normal, but
> it's sure a surprise, and probably not the safest arrangement.
Often referred to as "curtain burners". It was not unusual for a
set owner to remove the resistor line cord because it did get warm
whereby they would come to the conclusion it was defective, and
replace it with a standard cord. Of course, this applied more
voltage to the tubes, which, in a set with a weak tube or two
would improve the performance of the [removed] a while. It would
not be long before the set owner would be taking the set to a
repair shop where the repairman would replace the burned out
tube(s) along with the resistor line cord, admonishing the set
owner not to replace the cord again.
A good many el-cheapo radios from The Golden Age Of also featured painted,
stamped metal cases *and* a power supply that had one end of the power cord
connected to said case. If you plugged the power cord in upside down (and
the plugs were symmetrical) you'd have a metal case connected to the hot
side of your power line, 120 volts with respect to ground. Later sets with
plastic cases had the same sort of power supply, but were harder to kill
yourself with.
Earlier AC/DC sets often would have one side of the line (B-)
connected directly to the chassis, later it was required to
isolate the negative or B minus buss from the chassis. However
there would be a capacitor (condenser for us oldies Bill M.) from
the B minus to chassis. If this capacitor became leaky (which they
all did with time) or shorted you once again had a dangerous
situation.
For some reason, the set design called for the on/off switch to be
placed in the B minus side of the AC circuit, so even when the set
is turned off, there is a path from the hot side of the line
through the filaments of the tubes back to the chassis, so the
shock hazard exists even with the set off. So in the days of
non-polarized plugs, turning the plug over did not necessarily
lessen the danger.
The solution today is to use a polarized line cord and rewire the
on/off switch to switch the hot side of the line.
As far as the resistor line cords, any new old stock ones that
may be found today, have harden insulation and as soon as you bend
them they open up. There are a couple of solutions. One is to wire
a dropping resistor in the set to replace the resistance of the
line cord. This requires a rather high wattage unit that gives off
lots of heat. The other, one can calculate the proper value of a
capacitor that can be placed in series with the filament string
that will reduce the voltage by the proper amount and the
capacitor will not dissipate any heat.
Another surprise for those investigating one of the big console sets is the
'dynamic' loudspeaker. While just about every loudspeaker since the Yalta
Conference has used permanent magnets, big speakers used an electromagnet
for the field.
Even earlier table sets would use field coil speakers because
permanent magnets were not to good in those days and a rather
large magnet would have to be used to get the magnetic field
required. This can be observed on early battery sets where the use
of a field coil would require too much battery current, so large
permanent magnets were used.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 15:33:54 -0500
From: otrdigest@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Aldrich Family Log
I have created a log of Aldrich Family radio shows. If
anyone would like to view it, it is at
[removed]
Andrew Steinberg
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 15:48:39 -0500
From: Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Watson "implicitly" gay
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Steve Lewis writes:
"(Steven Capsuto's) book does cite several characters who were
implicitly gay, such as Clarence Tiffingtuffler on 'Myrt and Marge' and
Rembrandt Watson on 'Candy Matson'.
While Watson was gay, he was not exactly "implicitly gay", since that
adjective means "understood, though not directly stated." But few in
the listening audience of "Candy Matson, YUkon 2-8209" understood that
Watson was supposed to be a homosexual, since Monty Masters, the writer
and director, was careful to script the show so that few listeners,
other than the gay community, would "understand." Watson lived alone,
had no boy friends, was not effeminate in speech, and never "hit" on
another man.
The only "clues" to his sexual orientation were subtle and these
characteristics were not necessarily confined to a gay man: he was a
middle-aged, unmarried, fashion photographer who loved opera and played
the cello.
On the other hand, directly across the "Candy Matson" microphone from
Jack Thomas (who played Watson) was a gay announcer, Dudley Manlove.
And yes, you can read more details about this when my new book, "Private
Eye Lashes; Radio's Lady Detectives" comes out around December 2003.
Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
[removed]
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 15:49:14 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Radio Critics
On 3/4/03 2:39 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:
Any additional information about Crosby and his influence would be welcome,
I'm sure! And were there any similar reviewers in other cities?
Crosby was an outstanding critic, beginning his career at the New York
Herald Tribune in 1942, after six years on the paper as a
general-assignment reporter. He may have been the most articulate critic
of his time -- and his 1952 book "Out Of The Blue: A Book About Radio and
Television" is one of my favorite light reads (I keep my copy in the
bathroom book basket, because his columns are Just The Right Length.)
He's one of the few writers who makes me laugh out loud -- and if you've
never read his work, you've got a treat coming.
But he was far from the only important radio critic of his day. New York
was full of them -- Alton Cook (a close friend of Fred Allen) on the
World-Telegram, Ben Gross and Sid Shalit on the Daily News, Jack Gould of
the Times, Nick Kenny, the King of Schmaltz, on the Mirror, and Kay
Trenholm (who saw gave Amos 'n' Andy the worst panning of their lives
when they made their network premiere in 1929) of the Sun. There was also
Jack O'Brien of the Journal-American, a hard-line McCarthyite who almost
single-handedly goaded newscaster Don Hollenbeck into commiting suicide
in 1954. Other cities had their own rosters of columnists and critics --
and beginning in the mid-thirties, the World Telegram sponsored an annual
Critic's Poll to name the outstanding programs of the season just past,
with Alton Cook acting as chairman of a nationwide committee of radio
critics who voted for the top programs in various categories.
Many highbrow magazines published substantial radio criticism. Beginning
around 1950, Goodman Ace -- of "Easy Aces" -- became a radio/TV critic on
the Saturday Review of Literature, alternating columns with Gilbert
Seldes, who had been publishing broadcast criticism since the 1920s,
often in "The New Republic." Arthur Samuels was the first radio critic
for "The New Yorker", and Cyrus Fisher filled that slot for "The Nation"
The weekly humor magazines also had radio columns -- the witty Don Herold
was the most outstanding radio critic to write for "Judge," and Agnes
Smith was his counterpart in the pre-Luce "Life."
The radio fan press published a lot of genuine criticism too -- Radio
Guide had an outstanding lineup of columnists in the late thirties,
notably Curtis Mitchell, Martin Lewis, Mike Porter, and Evans Plummer.
For a time, Radio Guide offered a weekly "Radio in Review" feature that
assigned star ratings to selected programs each week, and pulled no
punches in pointing out weaknesses. Even the shopgirl-oriented fanrags
like "Radio Stars" and "Radio Mirror" occasionally published meaty
criticism by freelance writers.
Not every paper and not every magazine bothered to cover radio as
thoroughly as those mentioned -- but the criticism was there if you knew
where to look.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 15:47:45 -0500
From: William Harker <wharker@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Criticisms By Originators of Characters
Let me first add my voice to those who find Mr. Bartell's remembrances
fascinating.
For a small project I am writing, I currently am going through the letters
of Raymond Chandler. Some of Chandler's criticisms regarding the Marlowe
radio program may be of interest to the readership.
In a letter dated May 14, 1949, Chandler wrote to James Sandoe, "...I never
thought of mentioning the radio [removed] have nothing to do with it
except to complain to my agent and to collect a weekly royalty. Your
friends who speak highly of it must be radio [removed] character (let us
keep this a secret or they might stop paying me) has about as much relation
to Philip Marlowe as I have to Winnie the Pooh."
In a letter dated November 20, 1949, to Dale Warren, "...The Marlowe radio
show has gone so soft that even old ladies like it now. Who said mystery
programs were sadistic? This one is about as sadistic as a frosted
marshmallow [removed]"
On the other hand, in a letter dated November 22, 1950 to Gene Levitt,
Chandler is kind to Gerald Mohr writing, "...A voice like Gerald Mohr's
gave you a personality you could fill out according to your [removed]"
[Speaking from a writer's perspective in this case, rather than critic.]
I happen to quite enjoy the Marlowe program (although too young to have
listened to it originally). However, perhaps with age I'm now the one who
is soft as a frosted marshmallow sundae.
Bill Harker
wharker@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 16:22:02 -0500
From: "Thomas Mason" <batz34@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Who's responsible for that Lone Ranger TV
movie
The Lone Ranger movie shown on the WB recently was out of Primarily
Entertainment in association with Turner Television.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 16:25:04 -0500
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: OTR fun stuff
Scott L Lindquist posted:
I am going to write a play about Old Time Radio. It will be a comedy like
Noises Off, but about a radio station. If you have any funny stories that
you've heard about OTR, whether it be about mistakes, sound effects,
commercials, actors, anything that I could use, I would be most grateful.
Hmmmm! In searching through my records of the kind folks who bought my book,
I didn't come across the name Lindquist. But we didn't get the names of
everyone that purchased a copy at recent Conventions, so it's possible that
Scott has one. But if by chance he has yet to read about the stuff that
went on back in those days, (much of which might make material for his play)
I hereby grant him specific and non exclusive right to use any of the
material contained in my book "Aw, relax [removed]!" if and when he
obtains a copy. :)
The book is available at [removed]
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 16:24:07 -0500
From: wilditralian@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OLD FROTHINGSLOCH BEER
04 MAR 03
In edition #101, Gerald Serrino talks about Olde Frothingslosh beer. I
am sitting here with an empty one in front of me. The labeling is as he
described it, except that mine is >nit< upside down! Does this mean I
have a rare and valuable mistake? To add some info - the fat bathing
"beauty" on the can is spouting the company motto, "Oh my gosh, Olde
Frothingslosh". It also states that it's, "Guaranteed to fit any shape
glass." It was brewed by the Pittsburgh Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA.
Actually, my can is a special 40th anniversary edition, which says,
"Miss Olde Frothingshlosh wants everyone to join and celebrate the 40th
Anniversary of Olde Frothingslosh. 'Let's make this a truly big
celebration' Fatima exlaimed! What better way than to hoist the finest
pale stale ale, a favorite since 1955."
If anybody's really interested, I can whip out the ol' Sony digital
camera and send them front-and-back e-photos.
Sorry - I can't tell ya what it taste like. It was empty when I got
it.
Best regards,
Jim Arva
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 16:22:33 -0500
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: The Inker strikes again
Jim Amash just posted a thing for Captain Midnight fans, but somehow or
'tuther. my name got dragged into it. to wit;
Hey, Hal Stone! I'm inking another Archie story with some character named
Jughead. You ever hear of him?
Why does that name sound vaguely familiar to me? Hmmmm! It sounds like
something from my dim past. (Or is that dim-witted past).
By the way, when I visited with the Archie Comics Brass last year, I brought
Jim's name up. I suggested they give him a raise. Fortunately, it seems they
didn't fire him after they threw me out of the office.
-Jim Amash (who also happens to be associate editor of Alter Ego and
remembers a fun dinner in San Diego, talking radio with Tony Tollin)
Gee! you get to call him "Tony". He makes me call him "Anthony". :(
By the way, I don't see your name on the list of people who bought the book.
There are lots of pictures in it (my black and white drawings) that you can
ink to keep in practice. :)
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 17:29:38 -0500
From: aandg4jc@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: the onwers of The Lone Ranger
The Question was brought up asking who owns the rights to The Lone Ranger.
Well, as of the 1970's the rights were bought by Warner Brothers Studio's
wich owns also DC Comics, CBS, Westinghouse Co., all the Turner
outlets(stations TBS,TNT,TCM) and many other things including the WB network
wich produced the new Lone Ranger movie. So I assume that if the Lone Ranger
goes back into comic form, DC will have first crack at it.
Later,Kemosabees
Allen
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 17:44:59 -0500
From: Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OUT!!
In the Case of the Disappearing Star mentioned in connection with the
recording of Horizons West, all I remember is a rather extended pause in the
studio and conference in the control [removed]
I do know that the actor in question was not a so-called Big Name and there
is a good chance that he didn't have an iron-bound contract. My hunch is
that there were no huge sums involved. AFRS was not known for their
largesse; I don't know now whether everyone worked for scale.
Once the Deed Was Done, there were no visible repercussions, certainly none
of mess that Hal Stone [removed]
Harry Bartell
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 19:19:33 -0500
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: OldRadio Mailing Lists <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Unnecessary Rules
Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; queried:
... you've got a panoply of combinations to choose from. [Did I just end a
sentence with a preposition?].
Offtopic, but short: there is no grammatical rule against ending a
sentence with a preposition. (Famously, when chided on that point
Churchill is said to have replied, "That is a rule up with which I
will not put.") I trust you'll take my word for it and not send me
scurrying for my Harbrace.
--
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 19:20:26 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed] (OldRadio Mailing Lists)
Subject: Re: gay floorwalkers?
I don't know that Frank Nelson's character was overtly gay
or not
There was a floorwalker in a 1938 or '39 "Jell-O Program
Starring Jack Benny" broadcast; it's the one on the Jack Benny archives site
that appears in both east coast and west coast broadcast versions. That
floorwalker is very stereotypically swishy and sarcastic and gets a ton of
laughs, but he does *not* appear to be played by Frank Nelson and sounds
nothing like him.
Dixon
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 20:43:36 -0500
From: CHET <voxpop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: GAYS ON RADIO .....YET ONCE AGAIN
RE gays on radio
i love to gaze on radio
chet norris
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 21:15:11 -0500
From: skallisjr@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Ukd Frothingslosh Beer
The recent discussion concerning Old Frothingslosh Beer made me recall
that when I was stationed in Buffalo, New York, that "pale stale ale" was
advertised on the local radio stations. You could buy a bottle at local
stores. Iron City Beer bottled the potable.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 22:57:49 -0500
From: Richard Carpenter <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Orphan Annie
Let me join the chorus of praise for Radio Archives'
five-CD set of "Little Orphjan Annie," which I've just
finished listening to. Although I heard the shows
while driving on Boston's notorious Southeast
Expressway, I felt as though I were in a warm,
well-lit home, curled up in front of the Atwater-Kent.
As I followed the adventures, I found myself wishing
I, too, had an Annie decoder and a colorful Ovaltine
mug.
I did have an Ovaltine mug once -- in the early
1950s, I believe, although I don't recall if Annie's
picture was on it. I do remember that my brother and I
liked the chocolate drink so much we thought we'd also
try vanilla Ovaltine, figuring it must be equally
tasty. Yucko.
-- [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 00:19:42 -0500
From: Richard Fisher <w9fjl@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: 16" transcription discs
Can anyone tell me what is going on with the price of transcription
discs these days??
A sampling of last weeks results for bidding on e-bay is as follows:
Bing Crosby Philco Radio Time $[removed]
Spike Jones Chase and Sanborn Show $[removed]
Jubilee Benny Carter Herb Jeffries $[removed]
Mail Call Les Paul - Andrew Sisters $[removed]
Lucky Millinder One Night Stand $[removed]
Frankie Master Spotlight Bands $[removed]
Bing Crosby Personal Album $[removed]
Horace Heidt One Night Stand $[removed]
Bing Crosby 1951 CBS Radio Show $[removed]
Hoosier Hot Shots $[removed]
What am I missing here? These kind of prices have been going on for
months at least. The discs are usually AFRS sans commercials.
A recent Shadow disc went for $[removed]
Can you imagine what a Lone Ranger, Gangbusters, Green Hornet or Sgt.
Preston might go for.
Just curious if anyone knows what is driving people to pay these kind of
prices for these discs? As far as I can tell copies of these shows are
in circulation in most cases.
Dick
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #103
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