------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 286
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Captain Midnight's Real Name [ Zane <intraverse@[removed]; ]
RE: Petri Wine [ "Robert M. Bratcher Jr." <bratcher@ ]
10-7 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Secret Squadron [ "A. Joseph Ross" <joe@attorneyross. ]
OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK [ Jerry Haendiges <jerryhaendiges@cha ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 18:03:56 -0400
From: Zane <intraverse@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Captain Midnight's Real Name
This message concerns the authentic or birth
name(s) of the 1940s radio character known as "Captain Midnight."
Whom can be trusted, and to what
degree? Whenever comprehensive source
documentation and/or broadcast recordings are not
available to the general public, there are always
serious risks regarding historical accuracy. The
public has no choice but to rely on researchers
who have had access, or claimed to have had
access, to source information. There are no
checks and balances concerning reliability and
authenticity of what such researchers or authors
may purport or allege. This kind of thing is
found in both private venues and
government. Here are examples of such purported
facts, by two authors in connection with the
"true" identity of the 1940s radio character known as "Captain Midnight:"
"Since readers of this book are privileged to
know old radio's top secrets the true identity of
Captain Midnight can be revealed. His name was
Stuart 'Red' Albright." - Tom
Tumbusch. "Illustrated Radio Premium Catalog and
Price Guide" (Dayton, Ohio: Tomart Publications, 1989, p. 33).
"The aviator, Charles Albright, was known (and
usually referred to) as 'Captain Midnight'" -
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr. "Radio's Captain Midnight
- The Wartime Biography" (Jefferson, North
Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2000, p.
2). [This book is referred to as "RCMWB," below.]
"In due course, Charles A. Ramsay was
born. Albright was the godfather." Ibid., p. 14.
"Albright did stunt work, too, under the stage
name of Bill ('Red') [removed]" - Ibid., p. 15.
"By the Ovaltine years, in the few occasions
where he gives his real name, Captain Midnight
identifies himself as 'Jim Albright.' I have
taken that to be Charles James ('Jim')
Albright. I'm unfamiliar with the 'Stuart,' but
the very earliest Skelly episodes, I never
heard. As far as I can tell, Charles J. Albright
is the name of record." - Stephen A. Kallis,
Jr. E-mail of 2 September 2006 to Lou, [removed] the undersigned Leonard Zane.
1. The undersigned sent two e-mails to Tom N.
Tumbusch - the author's son on 9 and 10 August
2006) - inquiring about Tom Tumbusch's source for
Captain Midnight's first name, "Stuart." The son
replied on 8/10/06, saying he forwarded my
inquiry to his father; but to date, I've received no reply from the author.
2. Steve Kallis and I have also carried on numerous e-mails on this subject.
3. There is no mention of middle names, "James"
or "Jim," for Captain Midnight in RCMWB - only
the middle initial "J." and only in the caption
of a photo on page 8. And there is no
explanation for the middle initial anywhere in
the body of the text. Steve's above reference to
"the Ovaltine years" identifies a time frame
first extending from 1940 to 1949 on
radio. There was then about a 5-year
hiatus. According to Wikipedia (which now also
cites "Charles James Albright," by the way) on 9
September 1954 through 21 January 1956, Ovaltine
resumed sponsorship, this time of the Captain Midnight television series.
4. Stephen's reference to "Charles J. Albright"
being "the name of record" comes from his own
fabrication of the first name, first published in
RCMWB in 2000. Steve has admitted in e-mails to
me that this is pure speculation, based in turn
on his own further speculation that Captain
Albright was Chuck Ramsay's godfather, and in
turn on his further speculation that Chuck was
therefore named after Captain Albright's imagined
and alleged first name, "Charles."
5. In e-mails to me, Stephen Kallis has rightly
acknowledged the names broadcast under Skelly Oil
and Ovaltine sponsorship for Captain Midnight -
namely James/Jim, "Red," and Albright - are the
actual names of history. He has also rightly
acknowledged - as also indicated by his 4 October
2007 submission to OTR for posting - that his
added name of Charles is a complete fiction,
solely of his own imagination and making. It is
regrettable RCMWB made no mention whatever of
that, not even by footnote or in an appendix.
6. There is the additional question of whether
Captain Midnight's hair color was ever broadcast
to be red, or some similar color, in any of the
radio programs. This could potentially be
relevant if it ever becomes established beyond
reasonable doubt that the Captain's hair color
was never identified in radio broadcasts; and
with Steve's prior access to so many Captain
Midnight scripts, perhaps his recollection of no
such hair color being mentioned might conceivably
indicate hair color not being specifically
identified as any red shade. If that were to be
the case, could the name "Red" conceivably have
referred to one of the Captain's legitimate
names? Unless someone can produce an authentic
source script or recording on this kind of
legitimacy, no one will ever know. So the name,
"Red" should thus far not be considered any
candidate for the Captain's actual or shortened birth name of any kind.
7. As yet, there is no way to establish whether
Tom Tumbusch's claim of "Stuart" has any basis in
fact. However, it is clear that at least Stephen
A. Kallis, Jr. owes history a public retraction
of his admitted fabrication, which has no place
in ANY of Captain Midnight's real or birth names
or nick-names. The following unequivocal
statement is suggested for Steve, to be issued
both now and in any subsequent publications he
authors in connection with Captain Midnight's "real" or birth name:
"This is to retract a speculation I created in
'Radio's Captain Midnight - The Wartime
Biography' (first edition) about what Captain
Midnight's real or birth name was, or could
conceivably have been. Based on both Skelly Oil
and subsequent Ovaltine-sponsored broadcasts, his
name was actually James/Jim Albright, with the
early nickname 'Red' in the Skelly-sponsored
broadcasts. No other given names, including
'Charles,' ever identified Radio's Captain
Midnight apart from my speculation first offered in 2000."
8. Let's assure integrity, accuracy, and full
disclosure on this issue - beginning at least
with Stephen Kallis' coming fully clean and fully
retracting in public. Also, if anyone knows how
to get through to Tom Tumbusch, for any kind of
supporting evidence for his claim, I encourage
doing so. Again, the issue is one more caution
about the reliability of purported facts when
there is no public access to sufficient source
information. It also raises questions on what
else might have been fabricated - and for
whatever motives and justifications, that may not
always be clearly and unequivocally spelled out
in publications (at least through fully
disclosing footnotes and/or appendices) - while
representing such fabrications as fact.
9. Now all the above said, I HIGHLY commend
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr. for his great dedication
and diligent work in recovering so much from the
Captain Midnight part of the 1940s radio
broadcast era, and for summarizing or
reconstructing those radio programs through the
end of WW2. Due to his devoted work, at least
some extensive reflection or interpretation of
this part of broadcast history is not lost
forever. Thank you, Steve, from another devoted
member of the Secret Squadron. So now, let's get
your (appropriately annotated) rendering of
Radio's Captain Midnight - The Postwar Biography!
Happy Landings,
Leonard Zane
6 October 2007
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 22:19:30 -0400
From: "Robert M. Bratcher Jr." <bratcher@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RE: Petri Wine
Rejected by the server for over [removed]
I wonder the same thing too. And what about Roma Wine heard as a
commercial on Suspense. Any history? Were these cheap wines I
suppose & what did they taste like? I can just see finding a bottle
in a cellar [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 22:50:48 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-7 births/deaths
October 7th births
10-07-1853 - James Whitcomb Riley - Greenfield, IN - d. 7-22-1916
writer: "Way Down Home" a musical tribute drama based on Riley's life
10-07-1870 - "Uncle Dave" Macon - Smart Station, TN - d. 3-22-1952
banjo player: "Grand Ole Opry"
10-07-1888 - Henry Wallace - Adair County, IA - d. 11-18-1965
vice president: "Free World Theatre"
10-07-1889 - Clarence Muse - Baltimore , MD - d. 10-13-1979
singer: "Paducah Plantation"
10-07-1896 - Phil Ohman - New Britain, CT - d. 8-8-1954
pianist: "Roxy and His Gang"
10-07-1898 - Alfred Wallenstein - Chicago, IL - d. 2-8-1983
conductor: "Virtuosos"; "Voice of Firestone"
10-07-1900 - Heinrich Himmler - Munich, Germany - d. 5-23-1945
nazi leader: "This is a Chapter of Glory"
10-07-1905 - Andy Devine - Flagstaff, Arizona Territory - d. 2-20-1977
actor: Jingles P. Jones "Wild Bill Hickok"; Mose Muich "Lum and
Abner"; "Jack Benny Program"
10-07-1905 - Jean Ellyn - NYC - d. 11-23-1989
actor: Margie 'Cookie' Cook "Valiant Lady"; Dr. Watson "Strange Dr.
Karnac"
10-07-1910 - Wayne Ackley - d. 10-xx-1988
newscaster: Des Moines, Iowa
10-07-1911 - Helen Choate - Boston, MA
actor: Patsy Bowen "Nick Carter, Master Detective"
10-07-1911 - Vaughn Monroe - Akron, OH - d. 5-21-1973
singer, bandleader: "Penthouse Party"; "Vaughn Monroe Show"
10-07-1912 - Sally Vass - Greenville, SC
singer: (The Vass Family) "The Lady Next Door"; "Kraft Phenix Program"
10-07-1913 - Elizabeth Janeway - Brooklyn, NY - d. 1-15-2005
writer: "Information Please"
10-07-1914 - Alfred Drake - The Bronx, NY - d. 7-25-1992
singer: "Best Plays"; Broadway Matinee"; "Ford Festival of American
Music"
10-07-1914 - Sarah Churchill - London, England - d. 9-24-1982
actor: (Daughter of Winston Churchill) "Romance"
10-07-1915 - Francis Hunt - Buffalo, NY - d. 2-6-1993
vocalist: (Lou Bring Orchestra) "Kraft Music Hall"
10-07-1917 - Helmut Dantine - Vienna, Austria - d. 5-2-1982
actor: "Crime Does Not Pay"; "Silver Theatre"; "Theatre of Romance";
"Suspense"
10-07-1917 - June Allyson - The Bronx, NY - d. 7-8-2006
actor: "Hallmark Playhouse"; "NBC Star Playhouse"; "Harold Lloyd
Comedy Theatre"
10-07-1922 - Martha Stewart - Bardwell, KY
vocalist: "Your All-Time Hit Parade"
10-07-1925 - Fred Collins - Fort Wayne, IN - d. 8-5-2006
announcer: "Dimension X"; "X-Minus One"; "The Chase"
10-07-1926 - Diana Lynn - Los Angeles, CA - d. 12-18-1971
actor: "Theatre Guild On the Air"
10-07-1927 - Don Rickles - Portland, OR - d. 2-19-1985
announcer: "Nightbeat"; The Whisperer"; "The Whistler"
October 7th deaths
01-10-1914 - Polly Rowles - Philadelphia, PA - d. 10-7-2001
actor: Nita's Aunt "Lone Journey"
01-19-1809 - Edgar Allan Poe - Boston, MA - d. 10-7-1849
author: "Columbia Workshop";"World's Greatest Short Stories"
01-31-1921 - Mario Lanza - Philadelphia, PA - d. 10-7-1959
singer: "Mario Lanza Show"
06-01-1921 - Nelson Riddle - Oradell, NJ - d. 10-7-1985
composer, conductor: "On a Sunday Afternoon"; "Sears Radio Theatre"
07-27-1905 - Leo Durocher - West Springfield, MA - d. 10-7-1991
baseball legend: "baseball announcer"
11-02-1911 - Johnny Richards - Schenectady, NY - d. 10-7-1968
orchestra leader: "The Jack Carson Show"
11-26-1910 - Cyril Cusack - Durban, South Africa - d. 10-7-1993
actor: "Great Expectations"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 23:46:06 -0400
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <joe@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Secret Squadron
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 18:46:17 -0400
From: Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed];
The TV program announced that the TV Secret Squadron was a private
organization. This is in contrast to the radio version, where it was
organized and run by the government.
I don't recall that the TV program ever said what the Secret Squadron
was, though part of the show's opening referred to Captain Midnight
as "a private citizen who is dedicating his life to the struggle
against evil men everywhere." Which is why I still think it was an
apparently private organization covertly funded by the government.
--
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed]
92 State Street Fax [removed]
Boston, MA 02109 [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2007 14:03:28 -0400
From: Jerry Haendiges <jerryhaendiges@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK
Hi Friends,
Here is this week's schedule for my Olde Tyme Radio Network. Here you
may listen to high-quality broadcasts with Tom Heathwood's "Heritage
Radio Theatre," Big John Matthews and Steve "Archive" Urbaniak's "The
Glowing Dial" and my own "Same Time, Same Station." Streamed in
high-quality audio, on demand, 24/7 at [removed]
Check out our High-Quality mp3 catalog at:
[removed]
=======================================
SAME TIME, SAME STATION
CAN YOU TIE THAT
4-21-46 Guest Panel: Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ella Logan
KLAC-LOS ANGELES LOCAL PRODUCTION-SUSTAINING
Sundays Noon - 1:00 pm
HOST: Al Jarvis
REGULAR PANELIST: Dave Dexter
Guest Stars rate new tunes
THE ALAN YOUNG SHOW
Episode 9 11-15-46 "Duffy's Tavern Caters French Dinner"
Guest: Ed "Archie" Gardner
NBC BRISTOL MYERS Fridays 8:30 - 9:00pm
STARS: Alan Young, Jean Gillespie, Ed Begley, Jim Backus, Diane Courtney
CAN YOU TOP THIS
7-26-47 "Subject: Bus"
Ward Wilson substitutes for vacationing host: Peter Donald Panel:
"Senator" Ed Ford, Harry Hershfield, Joe Laurie Jr.
NBC COLGATE PALMOLIVE
==================================
HERITAGE RADIO THEATER
THE BURNS & ALLEN SHOW
(CBS) 1/25/50 Guest: Ronald Reagan.
LUM & ABNER
(CBS) 1/16/49
The boys head for Washington and Truman's Inauguration.
RADIO PREVIEWS THE MOVIES
MGM 1937 MGM Called Greta Garbo's appearance on their promotional radio
show for "Conquest" the greatest radio event of the year. Charles Boyer
is also heard on this rare disk.
====================================
THE GLOWING DIAL
THE BURNS AND ALLEN SHOW
11-1-45 - AFRS "Gracie Pretends to be Goodwin's Wife"
THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
#503 2-13-44 AFRS "Larry Adler"
DUFFY'S TAVERN
11-9-45 - AFRS "Eddie the Waiter Wants to Quit"
FIBBER McGEE AND MOLLY
#521 10-7-47 - NBC "Football Game Anniversary"
THE PHIL HARRIS - ALICE FAYE SHOW
10-23-53 - NBC "How to Repair a Living Room"
Includes Audience warm-up
==================================
If you have any questions or request, please feel free to contact me.
Jerry Haendiges
Jerry@[removed] 562-696-4387
The Vintage Radio Place [removed]
Largest source of Old Time Radio Logs, Articles and programs on
the Net
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #286
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