Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #159
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 5/8/2004 8:39 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2004 : Issue 159
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Fulton Lewis, Jr                      [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
  Re: Carl Kroenke and Frank Readick o  [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
  Re: Fulton Lewis Jr.                  [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  WLS exhibit and 1920s announcers      [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Radio Orphan Annie "Code" Message     [ skallisjr@[removed] ]
  Piggy Banks of Great Gildersleeve     [ David Phaneuf <david_phaneuf@yahoo. ]
  RE:: LIGHTS OUT episode THE DARK,and  [ "John E. Sexton" <jsexton@[removed]; ]
  Katherine Raht                        [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
  5-9 births/deaths                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  Art Linkletter?                       [ "Bob and Carol Taylor" <shadowcole@ ]
  British OTR actor Duncan Carse dies   [ "Phil Watson" <possum@[removed] ]
  The Sound Effects Man?                [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
  Mr. Keen                              [ "thomas pawlak" <kalwap77@worldnet. ]
  This week in radio history 5/9-15     [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]

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

Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 23:10:27 -0400
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Fulton Lewis, Jr

Dennis and Nancy Townsend asked:

Subject:  Fulton Lewis Jr.

Can anyone provide some information on him? I am largely unfamiliar with
him but have heard a few of his commentaries circa 1976 over a Radio
Mystery program or two aired over a Mutual affiliate.

Fulton Lewis, Jr was a prominent conservative commentator.  After he died in
1966,  his son Fulton Lewis III took over his father's nightly commentary.
FL III was the attorney for the short-lived House Un American Activities
Committee attempt to get back in the public eye in 1960, which was met by
major demonstrations in San Francisco resulting in students being washed
down the stairs of city hall by fire hoses.

Irene

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 01:26:01 -0400
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Carl Kroenke and Frank Readick on THE
 JACK BENNY PROGRAM

In a message dated 5/7/04 5:58:38 PM, Laura Luff writes:

The first appearance of the Shadow on the Benny program is June 2, 1933, 
and the Shadow is played by Ralph Ashe.

I'm curious about your comments about Frank Readick and Carl Kroenke.  I see
no appearances by Frank Readick on the Benny show up to May 1942, and Carl
Kroenke may have played a very minor role of a Chinese waiter on the January
9,1938 show.  What evidence is there that either were semi-regulars?

***First off, I inadvertantly typed October 2 instead of June 2 (though I did 
note that The Shadow's appearance on THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM preceded his 
October appearance of Fred Allen's SALAD BOWL REVUE by four months).

Carl Kroenke is cited as a member of THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM supporting cast 
in at least one magazine article (which may or may not be accurate).  Actually, 
I didn't know that Frank Readick had appeared on the Benny broadcasts at all. 
 I was writing about Kroenke as a recurring supporting player, not Readick 
(which is why I used the singular "was" rather than the plural "were").  I 
mentioned that The Shadow was NOT played by Readick on the Benny broadcast only 
because the role basically belonged to him from 1930 through 1935 (when Carl 
Kroenke assumed the role in the MacGregor and Sollie syndicated serial).  And also 
because I consider Frank Readick to have been the definitive voice of The 
Shadow.  I didn't mention that it was Ralph Ashe impersonating The Shadow in "Who 
Killed Mr. X?" only because you (Laura) had only recently provided that piece 
of information and I didn't want to jump the gun on its publication in the 
revised edition of 39 FOREVER (which I intend to order this weekend).

I'd be very interested in learning which episodes of THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM 
Frank Readick appeared on.  Readick was one of the major character actors in 
New York Radio, and enacted the single most rebroadcast performance in the 
history of radio drama: the role of field reporter Carl Phillips in "The War of the 
Worlds" broadcast.  BTW, did Readick appear on THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM when 
the show came to New York, or while he was out in Hollywood filming his scenes 
in Orson Welles' and Norman Foster's JOURNEY INTO FEAR?

I'd also very much like to learn if Frank Readick portrayed The Shadow on 
Fred Allen's SALAD BOWL REVUE (which I know at least one member of this list has 
a recording of).  Since the Allen shows were broadcast from New York City, it 
doesn't seem unlikely that Readick wmight have been recruited to recreate his 
famous radio role, especially since he had portrayed The Shadow earlier that 
year on the same network, NBC.  If someone who has that show could listen to 
it, I'd really appreciate learning if the SALAD BOWL REVUE is Readick's only 
surviving appearance as The Shadow (outside of the opening and closing signatures 
on the Orson Welles SHADOW broadcasts.
--ANTHONY TOLLIN

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 01:26:31 -0400
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:  Fulton Lewis Jr.

dltnkt@[removed] (Dennis/Nancy Townsend) was wondering how could Mutual air
contemporary topical commentaries by Fulton Lewis, Jr. in 1976 whereas the
IMBD lists his death as 1966.  Listen to the introductions again.  You
should note that they probably introduce him as Fulton Lewis the Third.
You're hearing Fulton Lewis, Jr's son.

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 10:22:10 -0400
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  WLS exhibit and 1920s announcers

Jackie Lannin reported on his recent visit to the Chicago Cultural Center's
"The Rise and Fall of the National Barn Dance: An Installation by John
Langford and Rob Lentz-March 27th -May 30th"  He said  "Who would have
thought that, long before Nashville, Chicago was the center for country
western music and the progenitor of the National Barn Dance phenomenon,
broadcast from 1924-1960 on WLS radio?"  Of course we should all know that
the relationship between the two cities was the founder of both the WLS
Barn Dance and the WSM Barn Dance/Grand Ole Opry. the Solemn Old Judge,
George D. Hay.  As some of you know, I am in the midst of a multi-part
presentation on Announcing Styles of the 1920s during my segment on
YesterdayUSA with Walden Hughes on Sunday nights at 10:30 Eastern.  Just
last week I discussed and played a January 1925 recording of Hay and his
steamboat whistle re-creating his stylistic announcement for WLS,
Chicagooooooooooo.  He recorded three of these announcements that month,
and in a few weeks I'll be playing all three.  I'm wondering if this
Chicago Cultural Center installation includes these recordings.  I'm also
wondering if they have anything about the man who replaced Hay at the WLS
Barn Dance, Steve Cisler.  I have one photo of Steve at a WLS microphone
which was taken while a motion picture was being taken of him and a musical
performer--we would sure love to find that film!  A portion of an interview
I did with Steve in 1982 was aired during WLS's 75 anniversary program.

By the way, be sure to listen in at 10:30 this Sunday because I have some
more interesting recordings of 1920s announcers such as David Ross, Alwyn
Bach, Milton Cross, Tony Wons, Harry Von Zell, Graham McNamee, Frank
Knight, and Bill Hay, along with announcements by band leaders Vincent
Lopez, George Olson, and Phil Harris.  You'll also hear one of the most
amazing recordings about early radio announcing ever made, "Good Diction on
the Radio" by Vida Ravenscroft Sutton.

Michael Biel

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 10:22:58 -0400
From: skallisjr@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Radio Orphan Annie "Code" Message

For some time now, I've been debunking the "Ralphie" story of Jean
Shepherd, to the effect that a message broadcast over the Little Orphan
Annie show decrypted to, "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."  It was a good
story, but untrue: every message sent on the show under Ovaltine
sponsorship was something relating to the next episode.

However, a sidelight.  I recently received a manual that came with the
1937 Radio Orphan Annie Sunburst Membership Pin.  I already had a couple
of pins in my collection of cryptological premiums, and since 1937 was my
birth year, I thought I'd pick up just that manual.   It contains secret
hand signs and the like, including instructions on how to use the pin to
decipher and encipher messages.

Illustrating how to use the  pin, the manual lists an example in code
setting A-1: 11-2-21, which deciphers to "cow."  After showing how to use
it, the manual says, "Start practicing it right now.  For example, here
is a complete message in the A-1 code: 3   8-23-3-6-25
2-17-1-16-20-3-6-14."

The message deciphered, reads, "I drink Ovaltine"!

Hmmph!  They never did *that* in their Captain Midnight phase.  If "Shep"
had stuck to manuals, his story would have been credible.

Stephen A. Kallis, [removed]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 10:24:07 -0400
From: David Phaneuf <david_phaneuf@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Piggy  Banks of Great Gildersleeve

Now and then I do something for which I could jus kick
myself later. This time it was at the Old Time Radio
and Nostalgia Convention in Cincinnat: one of the
dealers was liquidating his stock of MP3's and like a
fool I didn't buy all of them. Oh well.

Needless to say, I'm enjoying the ones I did buy,
especially the Great Gildersleeve programs. However
I'm stumped trying to figure out who is playing the
character of Piggy Banks, Leroy's friend, and brother
of Penny Banks. The voice of Piggy sounds familiar.
I've not heard him listed in cast credits, and since I
do not have access to show logs and cast information,
this is for now my only recourse.

So can anyone identify who plays Piggy Banks?

And while I'm at [removed] is there a single source out
there that contains such vital information?

Thanks,
D Phaneuf

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 11:13:32 -0400
From: "John E. Sexton" <jsexton@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  RE:: LIGHTS OUT episode THE DARK,and Arch
 Oboler

First, everyone that wrote a big "Thank You" for answering my
question-and it appears that wherever I order a copy of THE DARK will
yield a 10 minute incomplete episode (right??).Anyway some offer as
many as 90 or so episodes on MP3 for under 5 bucks- especially on EBAY.
  RE:: Arch [removed] Interesting character. I know he also made at
least one movie. It was very strange and about a small area (a
neighborhood, I think) that was totally encircled by a giant invisible
shield that kept the people from [removed] things would then
[removed] also showed people from the community making involuntary
movements like they were puppets being manipulated by some invisible
[removed] force finally left at the end of the [removed] don't have (and
cannot remember _ the title of the movie but wonder if was done as a
radio play, too??? Anyone know????
Thanks, John Sexton (jsexton@[removed])

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 14:16:05 -0400
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Katherine Raht

Ron Sayles wrote:

05-08-1901 - Katherine Raht - Chattanooga, TN - d. 12-2-1983
actress: Mary Aldrich "Aldrich Family"

Nope, she played Henry's mother, Alice Aldrich. Mary was Henry's sister.

One who LOVES The Aldrich Family,
Barbara

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 15:25:20 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  5-9 births/deaths

May 9th births

05-09-1887 - William P. Adams - Tiffin, OH - d. 9-29-1972
actor, announcer: Uncle Henry "Collier's Hour"; Uncle Bill "Let's Pretend"
05-09-1895 - Richard Barthelmass - NYC - d. 8-17-1963
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-09-1914 - Hank Snow - Liverpool, Novia Scotia, Canada - d. 12-20-1999
country singer: "Grand Ole Opry"
05-09-1918 - Mike Wallace - Brookline, MA
announcer, actor: "Spike Jones Show"; Flamond "Crime Files of Flamond"
05-09-1923 - Byron Kane - VT - d. 4-10-1984
actor: "Gunsmoke"; "Broadway is My Beat"; "Escape"
05-09-1936 - Glenda Jackson - Cheshire, England
actress: Stevie Smith "Stevie"

May 9th deaths

01-20-1878 - Finlay Currie - Edinburgh, Scotland - d. 5-9-1968
actor: John H. Watson "BBC Home Theatre"
05-05-1915 - Alice Faye - NYC - d. 5-9-1998
singer, actress: "Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show"
05-18-1892 - Ezio Pinza, Rome, Italy - d. 5-9-1957
singer: "Telephone Hour"; "Ezio Pinza's Children Show"; "Stagestruck"
07-10-1889 - Graham McNamee - Washington, [removed] - d. 5-9-1942
announcer: "Fleischmann Hour"; "Fire Chief"; "Treasury Hour"
07-20-1910 - Bill Goodwin - San Francisco, CA - d. 5-9-1958
announcer, actor: "Burns and Allen"; Johnny Fletcher "Johnny Fletcher"
09-10-1915 - Edmund O'Brien - Brooklyn, NY - d. 5-9-1985
actor: Johnny Dollar "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"
10-31-1926 - Shirley Dinsdale - San Francisco, CA - d. 5-9-1999
ventriloquist: Judy Splinters "Judy in Wonderland, The Eddie Cantor Show"
11-09-1895 - George D. Hay - Attica, IN - d. 5-9-1968
host: (The Solemn Old Judge) "Barn Dance"; "Grand Ole Opry"
--
Ron Sayles
For a complete list:
[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 16:08:00 -0400
From: "Bob and Carol Taylor" <shadowcole@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Art Linkletter?

What shows did Art Linkletter have on old time radio?  When I was a kid I
remember watching House Party when I either stayed home from school.
Playing hooky, lol.  lol.  Telling mom I had a stomach ache.  She was always
a fan of the soaps on [removed]  I believe the show on before House Party was a
quiz show, now the name escapes me now, but was Linkletter on the radio with
a similar program?

Bob Taylor

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 20:00:27 -0400
From: "Phil Watson" <possum@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  British OTR actor Duncan Carse dies

Duncan Carse, known for his role as adventurer Dick Barton in the BBC series
of that name (1949-51) has died at 90. It seems radio acting played only a
small part in his life (I'd never heard of him). His obituary can be found
at

[removed]

But what an interesting life he led.

Regards to all
Phil

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 20:00:54 -0400
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  The Sound Effects Man?

I was watching "This Way Please" the other day (a movie starring Betty
Grable, Buddy Rogers, Mary Livingstone (sans Jack), and Fibber McGee and
Molly), and
there's a music number towards the end of the movie where Rufe Davis gets on
stage and sings "I'm the Sound Effects Man".

This is a very cute song and I'd hate to think that it has found the same
oblivion as its host movie.  Was this song ever used elsewhere?

--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 20:02:25 -0400
From: "thomas pawlak" <kalwap77@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Mr. Keen
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

HELLO EVERYONE, MR. KEEN HAS BEEN THE  SUBJECT OF MANY CONTRIBUTORS,OVER 1600
EPISODES MENTIONED. I'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND A FEW  ON CD OR MP3 . ARE
THEIR MANY MORE AVAILABLE?

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

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 22:37:25 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  This week in radio history 5/9-15

 From Those Were The Days

5/9

1936 - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy started their own radio show on
NBC -- only months after they had debuted on Rudy Vallee's program. [removed]
Fields, Don Ameche and Dorothy Lamour were a few of the stars that
helped Bergen and the little blockhead, McCarthy, jump to the top of
radio's hit parade.

5/10

1927 - The Hotel Statler in Boston, MA. became the first hotel to
install radio headsets in each of its 1,300 rooms.

5/11

1946 - Jack Barry hosted Juvenile Jury on WOR in New York City. The show
was such a hit after five weeks on the air that it debuted on the Mutual
Broadcasting System coast to coast.

5/12

1922-- the magazine "Radio Broadcast" commented, "The rate of increase
in the number who spend at least part of an evening listening to radio
is almost incomprehensible."

5/14

1945 - Tennessee Jed made his debut on ABC. Johnny Thomas played the
part of Tennessee Jed Sloan.

5/15

1933 - Irna Phillips, an NBC Blue network program-features writer,
Today's Children, was heard for the first time this day.

Joe

--
Visit my slightly updated (1/1/04) homepage:
[removed]~[removed]

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #159
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