Subject: [removed] Digest V01 #46
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 2/8/2001 9:10 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                      The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                         Volume 01 : Issue 46
                    A Part of the [removed]!


                           Today's Topics:

 old time wrestlers                   ["Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-self]
 Shadow                               ["Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@]
 Re: Paul Harvey                      [Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed]]
 Straight Arrow and Lone Wolf         ["Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];  ]
 Lone Wolf and Straight [removed]  ["Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];  ]
 waxworks and ward [removed]       ["randy story" <BYGEORGE@[removed];  ]
 Re: Time Zone Rebroadcasts           [OTRChris@[removed]                   ]
 Fred Allen and audiences             ["Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <igsjr@[removed]]
 LONE RANGER correction               [SanctumOTR@[removed]                 ]
 Re: OTR                              [Cnorth6311@[removed]                 ]
 CBC America?                         ["Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@worldnet.]
 Uncle Don                            ["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed].]
 The Lone Ranger's Name -- Again!     ["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed].]
 Today in Radio History               [Joe Mackey <wmackey@[removed]]
 Request for Info                     ["Vince Long" <vlongbsh@[removed];   ]
 My poorly worded question            ["steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@ho]
 THE ORIGINAL "GONG SHOW"             ["Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
 Bill Stern vs. Paul Harvey           [Tom and Susan Kleinschmidt <tomkle@]
 Jack Benny BIRTHDAY chat, 2/14 at 8P [JackBenny@[removed]                  ]

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 19:08:13 -0500
From: "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  old time wrestlers

In an episode of The Jack Benny Program Mary told Jack that her sister
Babe would be wrestling Gorgeous George soon.  Sorry I don't know the
date off hand.


Rodney

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 20:22:27 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Shadow

David Easter reports,

David Soul is set to star in a proposed British radio series based on
the 1930s serial The Shadow, the SFX Network Web site reported. Soul will
appear in the pilot of the series, which could find its way onto Great
Britain's Radio 4, with Doctor Who radio series producer Dan Freedman at
the helm, the site reported<<

And asks for comments.  Well, if the SFX Web Site is reporting "the 1930s
serial," they might be referring to the movie serial, which, while
released in 1940, more than likely was shot in 1939.   This starred
Victor Jory and had more in common with the pulp version of The Shadow
than the OTR show.

Ed Kindred, speaking of sponsors' products, notes,

.  By the time I had collected complete sets (long gone) I hated Kix
and Wheaties and barely tolerated [removed];<

When I was a kid, I hated Kix.  It was round and very hard and didn't sog
up in milk.  Kix nuggets might as well have been crushed rock.  Cheerios
(which was once Cheerioats) I still enjoy.

Stephen a. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 21:48:32 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Paul Harvey

On 2/7/01 8:10 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:

I agree that Paul Harvey is a throwback to OTR. Has anyone heard of
commentators? Someone was recently telling me about them. They would read
the news and add their own comments, and some of them got a reputation for
being rebel rousers apparently. While Mr. Harvey is certainly not a rebel
rouser, he does add his comments even if only briefly.

Harvey owes a great deal to the tradition of the OTR-era commentator --
in fact, he *is* an OTR era commentator, having begun his ABC run in
1950. He inherited his program from H. R. Baukhage, who had a very gruff
manner on the air -- and Harvey's highly-stylized approach was a
deliberate contrast to that of his predecessor. His "Hello Americans!"
salutation was swiped from Upton Close, who in the pre-WW2 era had been
NBC's expert on Asian affairs, but who ran into controversy for his
right-wing political views during the war years.

Harvey's stylistic resemblance to Bill Stern has been noted by others --
but I find that the commentator of whom he reminds me most is Edwin C.
Hill, who was a major figure of the 1930s. I'm convinced that Harvey's
"The Rest of the Story" owes more than a passing nod to Hill's "The
Inside Story" features of the '30s.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:18:12 -0500
From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Straight Arrow and Lone Wolf

It is a pleasure to see Bill Harper joining our OTR group.  He is the
absolute authority on "Straight Arrow", due to his being a listener in his
early years, and then going on to collect everything  he could find from the
radio show.

Bill has the entire listing of the shows, and casts, which he got from
Nabisco (I have no idea how he did that -- he must have known where the body
was buried!), and has been heckling them for years to get the missing shows.
He also was my choice of an archive for old scripts of many years,
Injun-uity Cards, premiums, etc, as I knew he would take care of them the
way they should be taken care of.  (One bundle I sent to him even had a cozy
mouse nest in the middle of the bundle! - but the mouse was long gone!)

Welcome, Bill!

Lois Culver
widow of Howard Culver, "Straight Arrow"

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:18:14 -0500
From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Lone Wolf and Straight [removed] edition!

Okay, so here is the rest of my posting.

Bill Harper asked if Lone Wolf was perhaps a copy of Straight Arrow.

According to Dunning, Lone Wolf started off at 930 (PM?) and changed to 2 PM
Saturdays [removed] something which sounds like a show for kids.  Gerald
Mohr and Walter McCoy played Lone Wolf, who had a butler (Jay Novello), and
could usually be found at his favorite haunt, the Silver Seashell Bar and
Grill, sipping highballs.   NOT a place you'd find Steve Adams or Straight
Arrow!

Lois Culver
(Mrs. Straight Arrow)

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:18:16 -0500
From: "randy story" <BYGEORGE@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  waxworks and ward [removed]

i don't think this went through the last time, so here we go again.
greetings gate! let's communicate!
i just listened to WAXWORKS, the episode of "Suspense" wherein William(The
Outstanding One) Conrad played several characters. the work was very good,
although i remain a bit confused. my understanding from messages on our news
board here that Conrad played 10 different parts, not 4. was i wrong in my
observations? someone let me know, please, as i may be confusing this show
with another. by the way, a very special thanks to the gracious individual
that took the time to copy and send me this show. bless you.

now on to my favorite character actor of all time: WARD BOND. i have heard
mr. ward bond in only three or four radio programs over the years, but i
have seen him in numerous films including a list of movies that made it to
the AFI TOP 100: THE SEARCHERS, GONE WITH THE WIND, THE MALTESE FALCON, IT'S
A WONDERFUL LIFE,and so [removed]

bond appeared in several live tv productions directed by his old freind and
drinking buddy, john ford. he rose to great acclaim and popularity late in
his life with his work in the tv western, WAGON TRAIN. a lifelong
conservative(even the top headhunter of communists during the mccarthy era
in hollywood), bond died of a heart attack brought on by excessive drinking
while he was campaigning for richard nixon in the election of 1960.

finally.
i recently stumbled upon a magazine called RADIO IN DEPTH, which focused on
classic radio. it was apparently published through the auspices of the texas
historical society. does anyone know where i can  find more of these for
sale or trade? or where i can find ANY magazines related to radio history?
let me know via email. OK?

thanks everyone.

may the good lord take a liking to you,
randy story
BYGEORGE@[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 23:32:49 -0500
From: OTRChris@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Time Zone Rebroadcasts

We've seen a lot of postings on this subject lately . Owen  relayed a story
of Alfred Ryder involving  performing the west coast version  of the Shadow.
The Mutual Shadow was a single performace  show ...there was not a west coast
rebroadcast.
For all those years it aired on Mutual at 5:30 PM EST and later  switched  to
5 PM EST  stations out west picked it up this show live from the EAST at 2:30
and later 2pm PST.

There was not a typical "prime-time"  during radios heyday . Not as we know
it today.

In the East 15 minute shows airing 5 nights a week aired in the 7:00 to 7:30
slot .
Shows such as Amos N Andy , Myrt And Marge , Fred Waring .

These shows were usually performed again for the west coast  at 8pm Pacific
Time.

On some nights the networks had a big time show at 7:30 and sometimes they
didn't .
When Blondie aired on Monday Nights at 7:30 EST on CBS   a second show was
performed so that Pacific Time Zone listeners could hear the show  at 7:30
Pacific time also.

Most shows airing between 8 and 9 PM EST had a west coast reperformance .
Some 9PM shows also . But shows beginning at 9:30 PM EST and up until 11PM
EST were usually fed only once. However many NBC 8:30 PM shows were aired out
west as early as 5:30 pm PST. Also on a typical evening NBC may have a 9PM
show  that is repeated for the west coast for a 9pm PST airing while CBS may
have their 9PM show go out west at 6pm . It was a loose practice with no
deffinate rules.

The following are some typical shows and their broadcast times  over the
years.
E=Eastern  P=Pacific time
Jack Benny                   SUN   7E/8:30 P     Jello program
Jack Benny                   SUN   7E/4P     Recorded playback at 9:30PST
Lucky St.
LUX RADIO THEATER   MON CBS 9E/6P     1940s
Inner Sanctum Mysteries  Mon CBS 8 E /9P   1948
MILTON BERLE  NBC TUE 8E/8:30 P           1947
LIGHTS  OUT         CBS TUE  8E/8:30 P       1943
Fibber Mcgee and Molly   NBC TUE 9:30 E /6:30 Pacific   1940s
Bob Hope  NBC Tue  10E/7P     1940s
SUSPENSE    CBS    Tue   9:30 E/6:30 Pacific      1943
TOWN  HALL TONIGHT       NBC WED   9E /9P   late  1930s
The Great Gildersleeve     NBC Wed  8:30 E/8:30 P   late 1940s
Abbott and Costello         NBC  THU 10E/7P    early  1940s

I suppose the general rule at the time  was not maintaining a network
schedule whereas  the same programs were heard at the same hour on each coast
but rather
that a sponsored program was heard at an hour on the west coast that was not
at too early of a time period to be lost to most working people.
Today we have the idea that prime time is 8-11PM Eastern and Pacific /7-10PM
Central and Mountain . You may remember a day ( As late as 1971 ) when
network prime-time TV started at 7:30 and on  some nights ended at 10:30 pm .
This was 6:30 to 9:30 in the cental time Zone. The Central Time Zone has
always had this earlier "prime-time" even in the day of radio. This earlier
pattern was also followed by the Pacific Time Zone in the OTR days. The west
did not air big time evening shows
at 10pm .
If you think the Pacific time Zone pattern is confusing we won't even begin
discussing how Mountain time was handled. Sometimes a west coast rebroadcast
was also for the stations in mountain time and  sometimes it wasn't .



-Chris

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 23:32:47 -0500
From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <igsjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Fred Allen and audiences

Elizabeth McLeod wrote:

Allen finally got into a rather heated discussion with his producer
about the late broadcasts, suggesting that he could reach down into his
toilet and pull out a better class of people than those who showed up
for his second [removed];<

My favorite Allen anecdote with regards to radio audiences comes from
Leonard Maltin's THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST:  Allen was a guest on
Bing Crosby's show and the head usher asked producer Bill Morrow if he
could start letting the audience in due to the fact that it had started
to rain outside.  Morrow informed the usher that he could not, since
Crosby was still rehearsing with the band.

Allen remarked to Morrow: "Oh, Bill, let 'em in.  They're bad enough
when they're dry."

Ivan

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 00:39:57 -0500
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  LONE RANGER correction

In a message dated 2/7/01 6:09:22 PM, I wrote:

<<[Fran Striker] was consulted and MAY possibly even have suggested the ambush
idea.  It was a new story but not a "bogus" one since Striker later chose to
incorporate elements of the ambush origin from the serial into the radio show
three years later.  At that time (in the Christmas 1941 storyline that
introduced the teen-age Dan Reid), Striker first gave The Lone Ranger the
Reid surname, most likely as a brilliant afterthought when he realized how
the two popular shows could be [removed];>

Oops.  The LONE RANGER storyline that introduced the young Dan Reid and set
up the interconnection between THE LONE RANGER and THE GREEN HORNET was the
Christmas 1942 storyline (not 1941).  So Britt Reid had the surname nearly 7
years before it was revealed to also be The Lone Ranger's last name.  So the
radio Lone Ranger didn't acquire the Reid name until more than 4 years after
the release of the Republic movie serial.  The ambush origin was first
incorporated during the long "Black Arrow" serial that began in October 1941,
three years after the first movie serial.  (Right, Terry Salomonson?)  And as
previously mentioned, the 1938  movie serial and Striker's 1941/42 radio
shows set the ambush in Grant's Pass.  Striker later changed the locale to
Bryant's Gap in a mid-1940s hardcover novel and the 1948 15th Anniversary
show (included in Radio Spirit's 60 GREATEST OLD-TIME RADIO SHOWS OF THE 20th
CENTURY SELECTED BY WALTER CRONKITE collection).

For those curious about the storyline that first introduced the young Dan
Reid, the Christmas serial aired from December 14 through December 25, 1942,
with The Lone Ranger learning that Dan Frisbee is really his long-lost nephew
Dan Reid, Jr. on Christmas Day.  The shows are:

12/14/42 - "Heading North"
12/16/42 - "Design for Murder"
12/18/42 - "Rope's End"
12/21/42 - "Law of the Apex"
12/23/42 - "Dan's Strange Behavior"
12/25/42 - "A Nephew is Found"

Fran Striker later adapted the storyline to his newspaper comic strip which
was reprinted in the Dell comic book. --ANTHONY TOLLIN

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 09:55:36 -0500
From: Cnorth6311@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: OTR

* 1922 - Radio arrives at the White House

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 09:55:35 -0500
From: "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  CBC America?

Someone recently posted an MP3 of an early Boswell Sisters program (circa
1930) that begins with this announcement:

"The Continental Broadcasting Corporation, from it's studios in Hollywood,
California, presents now the three charming Boswell [removed]"

Was this an actual network or a syndication service?

Brj

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:32:53 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Uncle Don

Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 13:39:07 -0500
From: TIZZ EYE! <cien@[removed];

speaking of UNCLE DON and bloopers and faw paws  ....did anyone out
there actually hear uncle don say what he is accused of saying or is
that simply un-true,,,re "that'll hold the little B-------"?

Someone some time ago researched the matter and demonstrated fairly
convincingly that Uncle Don never said any such thing.  I think the whole
story may be at <[removed]> .

 A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                        [removed]
 15 Court Square                     lawyer@[removed]
 Boston, MA 02108-2503      [removed]~lawyer/

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:33:23 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  The Lone Ranger's Name -- Again!

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 16:51:28 -0500
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]

He removes his mask and she utters:. . . "why you're ALLEN KING!"

OK, I have it!

The Lone Ranger was John Reed King!

 A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                        [removed]
 15 Court Square                     lawyer@[removed]
 Boston, MA 02108-2503      [removed]~lawyer/

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 10:50:14 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <wmackey@[removed];
To: otr-otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in Radio History

  From Today in History, from the AP:

   >  In 1922: President Harding had a radio installed in the White
House.

   Joe

--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:06:48 -0500
From: "Vince Long" <vlongbsh@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Request for Info

I received a request for info via my website.  It's on the tip of my tongue.
Who the personality who identified himself as "The old Philosopher"  and had
a monologue that went something [removed]

 "You say your wife went out for a cornbeef sandwich and the sandwich came
back but your wife didn't"
 "Is that what's bothering you son? Then take a walk in the sun and show
them  that stick-to-it-tiveness and let them know that you'll never give up,
never  give up, never give up, ...that ship"

Thanks

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 13:20:40 -0500
From: "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  My poorly worded question

Thanks so much for the posts regarding my poorly worded question the other
day about East/West coast rebroadcasts. I understand about transcriptions
and taping shows for use in other time zones, but I was wondering about the
differences in performance between first and second broadcasts and whether
or not there were recordings of the same program in different performances
to be used for comparison. For example, the Fred Allen shows performed at
midnight must have had a great deal of difference in feel from the earlier
broadcast, especially considering the audiences present. I just wondered if
anyone compared the two or if programs available might be from the first or
second performance--one might have a Benny show from Jan. 9, 1938, for
example, and someone else a recording of the same show from a different
performance and the shows might be substantially different. Or not. I always
wondered if there were two versions of the same show floating around.
Thanks.

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:09:57 -0500
From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  THE ORIGINAL "GONG SHOW"

                        Major Bowes Amatuer Hour

    Not only was radio a great medium for entertaining during its hey-day
but - back in the mid-thirties -1935 to be exact - nearly everyone thought
they were talented enough to be on the radio.

    Crazy things like singing in two voices at once, tap dancing on roller
skates. playing a musical tire pump, or some other equally outlandish
talent, earned them the opportunity for a break in show business that
otherwise had been denied them.  The answer to their dreams - or so they
thought - was in the form of an appearance on Major Bowes Original Amatuer
Hour.  This, of course was wishful thinking - maybe - because the show was
one of the most listened to shows for seven years (1935-1942).

    The show received upwards of 10,000 applications per week.  Road
companies were created to broadcast tfrom a host city each week.  The
audiece who listened were the sole judges who decided the winner by
phone.  There were as many as 30,000 phone calls per show.  The Major was a
heart-warming individual, but whn he "gonged" you in the middle of your much
rehearsed tire-pump renditin of Mandy, that was it.  You were finished in
show business as far as the Major was concerened.  That is excatly what
happened to thousands of would-be enterteiners over th 7 year span of he
show.  He was a man who could make your dreams come true - (like those of
Frank Sinatra and Dick Contino) - a star maker - and thousands of us
believed it.

    The show returned for a short run in 1949 on both radio and TV, hosted
by former staff member, Ted Mack, who stayed with the show until it was
canceled in 1952.

    Someone said in an earlier edition of the digest that this  show was
rigged.  Even so it was a very entertaining program.  I would hate to think
that Sinatra, and Contino started their careers on a rigged show.

                               -  30  -

Owens Pomeroy

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 17:24:29 -0500
From: Tom and Susan Kleinschmidt <tomkle@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Bill Stern vs. Paul Harvey

	I used to love to listen to Paul Harvey back in the 1970's, but as I
got
into OTR more and more and starting sampling more shows I got to listening
to Bill Stern. I can no longer listen to Paul Harvey. Every time I hear
him, I just think that he's stealing from Bill Stern. His style and
delivery are about 80-90% Bill Stern, which leaves very little original
stuff. Anyone else feel this way?


Tom

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 17:24:27 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Jack Benny BIRTHDAY chat, 2/14 at 8PM Central

The IJBFC chat on 2/4 went so well, that we're scheduling a special mid-month
gathering to commemorate Jack Benny's 69th 39th birthday!

It will be held 2-14 at 8PM Central (9PM Eastern, 6PM Pacific).  Check our
Web site ([removed]) for more information, and to download the
featured MP3 of the 2-14-54 show for discussion.

--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V01 Issue #46
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