------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 384
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
ADMINISTRIVIA: Fundraiser [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
Benny's "your' money or your' life" [ "Mike Mackey" <[removed]@[removed] ]
Hugh Studebaker [ "laurie platt" <laurie1125@hotmail. ]
Jack's big laugh [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
Howard Blue in action [ BrianWest2@[removed] ]
Fibber McGee & Molly [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
BENNY LAUGHS [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
The Night That Panicked America [ Ejcpoky1956@[removed] ]
Clark Super 100 Gasoline [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
TWOTW [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ lois@[removed] ]
the zero fighter aircraft [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
FOTR in New York Daily News [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
thanks for the confirmation [ Osborneam@[removed] ]
Book - Words at War by HOWARD BLUE [ "Hiss, Steven A." <sah@[removed] ]
Re: Gildy show date [ rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed] ]
Zeros [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
10, 2 and 4 [ <bhob2@[removed]; ]
Your Money or Your Life Redux [ chris chandler <chrischandler84@yah ]
Too humorous to mention [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
"That Archie's just Horrible!" [ Wich2@[removed] ]
In the Air [ Wich2@[removed] ]
How To Pronounce Pianist? [ "Tom van der Voort" <evan@[removed] ]
Ethel Beard [ Pratz <[removed]@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:39:24 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: ADMINISTRIVIA: Fundraiser
Folks;
Just a quick note; the CDs will be available at the FOTR Convention later
this week for hand-delivery ONLY. Once I get back next week, I'll set up a
simple PayPal link for the many of you who have expressed interest who will
_not_ be at the Con, but please hold up on ordering until then. I'm not going
to be around to fulfil any orders until next week anyway, since I'll be
enjoying the company of many of you in Newark, right next to the prison.
My apologies for not making that clear in my earlier post.
(I need to set up a link because of shipping/envelope fees, state sales
tax for those in Pennsylvania to keep the government happy, etc., etc.,
and I honestly don't have the time right now. I _do_ promise, however, to
send reports about the convention into the Digest as often as I can, and
get some photos up on The Nostalgia Pages as time permits.)
Charlie
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:23:05 -0400
From: "Mike Mackey" <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Benny's "your' money or your' life" episode
I recall Jack Benny himself saying that the "Your money or your life"
gag did not receive the longest laugh on his show. He attributed that
idea to radio folklore. Benny always felt, as I understand it, that
the longest laugh the show ever got was in response to the following
gag:
A guest and Don Wilson begin discussing opera, leaving poor Jack
(whose professional persona was that of a suppposed musical
ignoramous) out of the conversation. Finally, Jack can stand it no
longer and tries to join the discussion when Mary Livingstone
interrupts with "Oh, shut-up!"
Mike Mackey
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:24:38 -0400
From: "laurie platt" <laurie1125@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Hugh Studebaker
Can anyone tell me a little something about Hugh Studebaker who was on the
radio show 'Bachelor's Children'.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:42:53 -0400
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jack's big laugh
RCG wrote:
I have heard the show several times, including last evening on WAMU's Big
Broadcast and have always found the laughter to be fairly normal in both
intensity and length. Really, nothing special. I'm wondering if time has
embellished the memories of those who write about this episode or has the
recoeding been edited for purposes of time management.
I'd appreciate it if anyone with an absolute knowledge of the situation
would post their comments.
The story of "your money or your life"..."I'm thinking it over" being one of
the biggest laughs in history is also one of the biggest urban myths in
radio. As I have said frequently, that joke wasn't even the biggest laugh on
THAT SHOW, let alone in history.
However, they repeated the gag again at the beginning of the next show. And
Jack did it at least a couple of times on television. Somehow, it so
encapsulated one of the key points of Jack's character that it had staying
power.
Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:49:31 -0400
From: BrianWest2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Howard Blue in action
Just wanted to let everybody know that I had an opportunity to listen to
Howard at an American Studies Association seminar last week on radio
broadcasting
during WWII. He was one of three speakers. Howard was great and informative. I
enjoyed it very much. good job Howard!
Brian
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:10:40 -0400
From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Fibber McGee & Molly
In the 15 minute versions of Fibber McGee and Molly, the musical portions
seem to be exactly the same from program to program. Is it possible they
were recorded at this time? It is also sad to listen to this fine program
with no sponsors much of the time. Those NBC fillers were awful.
Bill Schell
Magalia, Ca
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:10:58 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: BENNY LAUGHS
I remember the night Mary said, "Chiss Sweez" for Swiss cheez sandwich.
For weeks, when Mary fluffed a line, Jack would 'chiss sweez' [removed]
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:11:42 -0400
From: Ejcpoky1956@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Night That Panicked America
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Actually the ABC-TV movie "The Night That Panicked America" got more
objections for it's
unrealism than for it's realism and I'm afraid I am one of those objectors.
Most of the radio scenes look pretty phony to me and the performances are of
very low quality although they did a good job with the set. with the exception
perhaps of Paul Shenar, Tom Bosley and Michael Constantine.
I do know that the original Mercury Theatre cast and crew went on record in
interviews feeling the same way and that Orson Welles himself refused
clearance
for rights for Paul Shenar's portrayal of himself, All that Mr. Shenar was
allowed to do was one brief "Good Evening" and the performance of the script
itself.
Eric Cooper
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:12:12 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Clark Super 100 Gasoline
Interesting history @
[removed]
commercial may be included in a 2 1/2 hour CD of radio spots, from the
very beginning, @
[removed]
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:30:21 -0400
From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: TWOTW
Earlier tonight I was over at a friend's house, discovered on the sci-fi
channel - wish I had taped this one - a program about War of the Worlds and
its effects. Tuesday Declassified - Martian Mania. Something I had never
heard before was that the script was adapted for use in some South American
country, dont's remember which, and there was nothing imaginary about the
panic that followed that broadcast. People stormed the radio station, burned
it to the ground killing 6. This was in 1959.
>From the web site it does not appear that this program will be re-run.
Joe Salerno
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:32:11 -0400
From: lois@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over six years, same time, same channel!
Our numerous "regulars" include one of the busiest "golden years" actors in
Hollywood; a sound man from the same era who worked many of the top
Hollywood shows; a New York actor famed for his roles in "Let's Pretend" and
"Archie Andrews;" owners of some of the best OTR sites on the Web;
maintainer of the best-known OTR Digest (we all know who he is)..........
and Me
Lois Culver
KWLK Longview Washington (Mutual) 1941-1944)
KFI Los Angeles (NBC) 1944 - 1950
and widow of actor Howard Culver
(For more info, contact lois@[removed])
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:33:12 -0400
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: the zero fighter aircraft
I've seen several replies regarding Ciro's Restaurant
(I believe that was in New York) and the reference to 'Zeroes'.
Weren't 'zeroes' what Allied airmen used to refer to enemy
aircraft during WW II?
Yup. The Zero was a Japanese naval fighter plane. Made by Mitsubishi, who
probably made your TV set. The Zero was introduced in 1940, which happened
to have been the year zero on a 100-year Japanese calendar cycle.
The Zero was very light, very fast (it had an 800 HP engine,) carried two
20mm cannon, and could fly circles around any US or British aircraft of the
time. It was designed to operate from aircraft carriers and, along with the
superb seamanship of the Japanese navy in general, was able to beat the
stuffing out of Allied forces in the first few years of World War II.
The article I read on the aircraft stated that early in the war the Japanese
spent considerable effort to hide their true military capabilities from
Allied nations. They were perfectly willing to accept (and possibly
encourage) US blustering that the successful attack on Pearl Harbor was dumb
luck. They were quite content with the racist characterizations (heard on
OTR once in a while) of their armed forces as nattering ape-like creatures
who manned tin ships and aircraft.
That's why the early Japanese successes in the war came as such a shock to
the upper echelons of Allied forces. Allied troops at sea already
understood Japanese superiority, but to the powers that be--and thus the
civilian populace--the Zero aircraft, seemed a super-plane with almost
magical properties. Allied commands blustered their way through many months
of defeats and thousands of casualties before finally rising to the
challenge.
Corrections invited: I certainly wasn't there, but thes are the impressions
I've gotten from some readinig.
M Kinsler
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:42:24 -0400
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: FOTR in New York Daily News
David Hinckley of the New York Daily News, New York's indispensable radio
reporter, wrote a great promo for the 2003 Friends of Old Time Radio
Convention, highlighting the appearance of Fred Foy as The Lone Ranger, in
today's edition.
The Convention, of course, begins tomorrow, so everyone come on out and meet
Fred Foy and all the gang.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:42:35 -0400
From: Osborneam@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: thanks for the confirmation
Thanks to all the 'digesters' who answered my question
about the date on that Gildy show. I thought I had
checked my Hickerson's guide -- evidentally not! I
appreciate all the email.
See you at the FOTR.
Arlene Osborne
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:44:09 -0400
From: "Hiss, Steven A." <sah@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Book - Words at War by HOWARD BLUE
HOWARD BLUE has fashioned a factual historical narrative about the impact
of radio during the WWII
years. But much more than that - he has put the entire era into context
as to why Americans were
thinking what they were thinking about the war. It is as unbiased and
honest as it can be in covering
the very large issues that were and are important in the life of our
country. Its available from Scarecrow
Press which has a web-site.
[ADMINISTRIVIA: Also available at [removed] --cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:57:45 -0400
From: rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Gildy show date
The Great Gildersleeve didn't end until 1958, so I believe it's possible that
the date for your show is correct (and quite a find as not many episodes from
the final 4 years of the show are circulating).
rodney.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:28:16 -0400
From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Zeros
In #383, Kenneth Clarke asked:
Weren't 'zeroes' what Allied airmen used to refer to
enemy aircraft during WW II? I remember someone
mentioning seeing some 'zeroes being shot down' by the
American Air Force during that time period.
Isn't this true or am I way off base?
Yes, it is true that there was a Japanese fighter called the zero during
WWII. It was built by Mitsubishi. A quick google search turned up some
interesting links, including [removed].
This excerpt should help:
*** Begin quoted section ***
...all requirements were met, and the A6M1 was officially accepted by the
Navy on the 14th September 1939. Its military designation became A6M1 Type 0
Carrier-borne Fighter.
The '0' was derived from the last digit of the Japanese calendar year in
which the aircraft would be placed in full service, 2600 (equivalent to
1940); in Japanese this became Rei Shiki Sento Ki, Type Zero Fighter, often
shortened to Rei-Sen or Reisen. During the 1940s, the Allies applied
code-names to all known Japanese aircraft, and the A6M2 became 'Zeke', the
later clip-wing A6@13-72 'Hamp', the A6M3-22 'Zeke Mark 2' and the A6M2-N
floatplane version 'Rufe'. By this time the term 'Zero' was already popular
(although British personnel in the Singapore/Malaya theatre initially knew
them as 'Navy Noughts'), and even today people identify virtually any
low-wing radial-engined Japanese fighter as a 'Zero'.
*** End quoted section ***
The Zero was light and maneuverable, and made an excellent dogfighter early
in the war. It was more than a match for the P40 Tomahawk, and special hit
and run tactics were developed to fight the zero. Lack of development and
improvement doomed the Zero, and later Allied planes like the Lightning,
Hellcat, and Mustang were superior to the Zero in almost every category.
-chris holm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:29:08 -0400
From: <bhob2@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10, 2 and 4
The term 'Coke' is used to refer to the family of 'Cola' beverages that are
available: Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Faygo Cola, RC Cola (ok, I'm not a big
fan of Colas, so the purests might gasp at Dr. Pepper being added to the
mix, to me it's always been a Cola because it's brown).
Purists would also gasp at the dot in the logo, since the correct product
name is "Dr Pepper" not "Dr. Pepper"
The period was dropped in 1950 at the time of a logo change. When the logo
was changed to a bold italic, the ball of the "r" was detached from the
vertical stroke of the "r." With the period in place, it looked more like a
colon: "D|: Pepper," so the period was eliminated for clarity and legibility.
For consistency and legal reasons, the period was then deleted in
advertising, internal documents and such.
First available in Waco in 1885, Dr Pepper is now owned by the London-based
Cadbury Schweppes:
[removed]+-+[removed]
Bhob @ Classic Newspaper Comic Strips @ [removed]
Jazz+ @ Bhob's FUSEBOX radio station:
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:29:38 -0400
From: chris chandler <chrischandler84@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Your Money or Your Life Redux
Brian L. Bedsworth talks about 'Your Money or Your
Life"...
The laugh goes nearly a full minute in the 28 March
1948 original broadcast of that line
NOOOOOOOOOOO it doesn't!!! The laugh for "I'm
thinking it over" on March 28, 1948 lasts for exactly
and precisely six seconds; that would be 54-seconds
short of "a full minute". And as both Brian and I
noted, the laugh the next week was even shorter than
this. Benny, decades later, claimed he could have
milked the laugh for longer, but was afraid the show
would run over. In fact, there are none of the usual
"Bennyism" signs the broadcast is behind time: noone's
speaking particularly quickly, and there's plenty of
time left for the kicker routine and musical fade-out
after the final commercial. The joke simply wasn't
that classic as broadcast; the legend developed--and
was exaggerated--in later years.
(((As an aside, look at your living room clock and try
laughing out loud for a whole minute--then see how
ridiculous it sounds, and how very very very funny
something would have to be to actually inspire this.
There are actually very few examples of this
overwhelming audience reaction, radio OR television.))
Not carping on Brian or trying to be unpleasant, just
pointing out again how this is a fairly insignificant
example of a very significant problem in OTR-land:
50-years of conventional wisdom about certain things
being accepted as fact, when many of the 'facts' just
aren't. This example's harmless; many of the others
definitely aren't. And this list is a very valuable
venue for setting the record straight, sometimes after
half-a-century of misinformation.
chris
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:29:52 -0400
From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Too humorous to mention
I recently purchased from eBay a book of "Easy Aces" scripts entitled
"Ladies and Gentlemen--Easy Aces." What a wonderful, enjoyable read!
Although I am familiar with the background of the show and its amazingly
talented writer--Goodman Ace--I don't think I'd ever heard one of the shows
before. Fortunately, there was a small souvenir 331/3 record included with
the book.
Judging from a reference in one of the scripts to "The Paradine Case" (a
1947 Hitchcock film), I'm guessing these scripts are from the half-hour ABC
series "mr. ace and Jane". It's a shame that this particular incarnation of
"Easy Aces" lasted so briefly--especially since the writing in these
selected scripts is far superior to that being offered on other, popular
comedy shows at that time.
Ivan
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:32:32 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "That Archie's just Horrible!"
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
Archie Comics Publications has always tried to maintain a squeaky clean
image. They had an ongoing battle years ago with the proliferation of
"Horror" and "Violence" in the Comic Book industry.
Dear Jug & Gang-
Actually, they weren't above a little ride on the Violence bandwagon: under
their "Red Circle" imprint, they tried to squeeze a bit of blood out of the
Marvel-inspired '70's Horror Comics mini-revival. Nothing as gory as the
'50's stuff, and the run didn't last very long - but they DID try to go
beyond Riverdale!
(To bring this back on-topic: some of the stories were hosted by a
serio-comic Ghoulish host, as had been the '50's material. And, from TV's
Zacherley on, I think all such characters owe alot to Mr. Ray Johnson, of
sainted memory).
Best,
Craig - FOTR's "Mr. Noble, Backstage Husband" - Wichman
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:32:51 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: In the Air
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
Weren't 'zeroes' what Allied airmen used to refer to enemy
aircraft during WW II?
Dear Ken & [removed]
I believe that wasn't a generic term for all planes, but specifically used
for the Japanese ones in the Pacific Theater - because of the red "O's" on
their sides?
Best,
Craig W.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:33:03 -0400
From: "Tom van der Voort" <evan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: How To Pronounce Pianist?
Harry Button pointed out that the correct pronunciation of pianist puts
the accent on the second syllable, which conforms with my understanding. A
few
years ago I attended an evening with Artie Shaw at the Library of Congress.
Shaw asserted that a pee'-an-ist is someone who plays a peony.
Tom van der Voort
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:33:20 -0400
From: Pratz <[removed]@[removed];
To: "OTR (Plain Text Only)" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ethel Beard
Actress Ethel Beard died Oct. 15 at Cape Coral, Florida at age 85. Her
obituary says she was primarily a radio actress during the 1940's,
performing on the "Experimental Playhouse of the Air" radio shows with many
well-known actors including Hume Cronyn and Jonathan Winters. She also
appeared as a hostess on Merv Griffin's TV show "Play Your Hunch."
I don't see any mentions of her in Dunning or my other OTR reference books,
let alone any listing for the "Experimental Playhouse of the Air", certainly
an intriguing title. Anyone have any info on her radio career and/or the
"Experimental Playhouse?"
Rich
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #384
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