------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 55
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Duffy's Tavern [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
a JACK WEBB question] [ CHET <voxpop@[removed]; ]
Re: Joe Friday's partners and writer [ "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed]; ]
Re: Robert Rockwell [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Free Downloads [ SeptSev@[removed] ]
Topper [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
Re: Johnny Dollar theme (again!) [ mark koldys <mkoldys@[removed]; ]
Glen Ford book [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
Philosopher pickle in the [removed] [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
Re: dubbing from Windows to tape [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Re: Johnny Dollar theme (again!) [ "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed]; ]
Need Help Remembering [ "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@rivnet ]
Re: Twenty-five minute programs [ watchstop@[removed] (Martin&Marg ]
Bunky [ "glen schroeder" <gschroeder10@char ]
Gasoline Alley/The Shadow [ "William Harper" <whhsa@[removed] ]
That other LA Cop Show [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
The new Dragnet [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
Arizona OTR [ "welsa" <welsa@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 01:55:43 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Duffy's Tavern
Actually, the greeting was, "Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat,
And I remember an animated cartoon -- possibly Popeye -- which featured
"Stuffy's Tavern, where the elite beat the heat."
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:23:34 -0500
From: CHET <voxpop@[removed];
To: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: a JACK WEBB question]
when i was around 16 or 17 jack webb had 2 shows that i remember
listening to and havent heard either of them since.
pat novak for hire and johnny modero.
in one of these shows he used extremely clever descriptive phrases ie
"he had as much chance as a christmas tree salesman in july" and "the
butler opened the door ..his eyes were blue the color of washed out levis"
the question [removed] show was it with the colorful phrases?
thanx, chet norris
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:25:47 -0500
From: "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Joe Friday's partners and writers
Ryan Osentowski asks:
Can anyone explain this big shake-up in partners and actors. What happened
to Bill Lockwood and how did Friday and Frank Smith hook up? Why did so
many different actors play the role and how did Ben
Alexander manage to stick with the part?
First of all, Barney Phillips was discharged from the role of Ed Jacobs due
to Jack Webb's dissatisfaction with his work on the television version -
which was rapidly becoming Webb's priority. Marty Milner, who played Bill
Lockwood for three weeks, had been drafted and could not commit to the role
full time. Plus, I don't think Webb wanted to play Friday as a mentor to a
younger cop, as evidenced by the fact that he never again had a such a
partner.
By this time, Webb had seen Ben Alexander as the genial host of "Watch and
Win" on local TV, and thought he'd make the perfect sidekick. However,
Alexander - who went from child movie star, to radio actor and announcer, to
ad agency executive, to investment and business tycoon - was not merely the
host, but also the creator of "Watch and Win," and had no interest in
returning to acting. Or so Webb was told at the time.
A full-on search was begun for the perfect "type" to play Friday's partner
for TV; meanwhile, Webb drew from his stock company for radio partners.
Harry Bartell was the first Frank Smith, on "The Big Safe" (5/1/52), the
week before Milner's final turn as Lockwood. As Ryan noted, Herb Ellis, Vic
Perrin and Kenny Patterson also played the role. Patterson almost became
the permanent partner; the same week he was Smith on "The Big Drive"
(8/14/52), he was playing Bill Lockwood in the production of the
second-season opener for TV, "The Big Jump." According to Herb Ellis, Webb
and Patterson had a falling out, which brought Patterson's tenure to an
abrupt end. But it's clear, upon viewing "The Big Jump," that his Bill
Lockwood is not the young nephew of Ben Romero played by Milner - rather,
he's older and slightly heavier than Friday, and he's married with children
- just like Smith.
Reluctantly, and with the understanding that it would not be permanent, Webb
chose Ellis to play Frank Smith on both radio and TV, while continuing to
seek, in Harry Bartell's words, "another Bart Yarborough." During the third
week of August, Webb was shooting a TV episode titled "The Big Trio," which
featured Cliff Arquette (best remembered as Charley Weaver) as a comic wino.
Arquette happened to discuss the part with his friend, Ben Alexander, who
replied, "I'd LOVE to play a part in DRAGNET!" Arquette sent Alexander to
see Webb.
Alexander expected to be hired for one TV episode. Webb, who still thought
he'd make an excellent partner for Friday, talked him into playing Frank
Smith for four episodes (a full two-week production slate), beginning the
first week of September. As Alexander later told TV GUIDE, "Webb knew those
four would be enough to get the hook into me." Two weeks later, Alexander
agreed to stay on and to play the part for radio as well.
Also, I note that James Mosier was the primary writer for Dragnet until
sometime in 1952, when Jack Robinson took over the job. This seems odd
since Mosier won several Edgar awards from the Mystery Writers of America.
Can anyone explain this?
Actually, Robinson started writing for DRAGNET as early as the Spring of
1951, an example being "The Big Mailman" (5/24/51). Frank Burt also joined
the writing staff after Jim Moser left in the summer of 1952. Peggy Webber
told me that Moser left due to a falling out with Webb over "Medic" (then
titled "The Doctor") - Webb didn't want to do it and Moser did. Which
brings me to a couple of questions: there is supposedly a pilot (or
audition) disk for "The Doctor" - has anyone ever heard it, and did the
series ever run on radio either before or during its TV run as "Medic"?
After "Medic" was cancelled, Moser ended up returning to DRAGNET for its
final two TV seasons, produced during 1957-58.
Michael
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:26:21 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Robert Rockwell
Got me to thinking - Did Rockwell play Mr. Boynton on the
Radio, or was it always Jeff Chandler ???
I mentioned in an earlier post Robert Rockwell did, indeed, appear as Mr.
Boyton late in the run of the radio "Our Miss Brooks" (mid-1950s), and quite
a few of those shows are in circulation.
Dixon
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 15:08:26 -0500
From: SeptSev@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Free Downloads
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Hello OTR Friends:
While investigating the options around to "broadcast" some OTR over the net
(stream via mp3 or real), I was shocked at the cost of data bandwidth
transfer.
This moved me to post to this forum my thanks to all of the brave souls who
make free programming available over the net. It is hugely coastly to do
so, and we should all tip or hats in thanks!
Kind Regards
Thom Bray
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 15:18:29 -0500
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Topper
Yes, there was an OTR show called "The Adventures of
Topper". It was based on the novel "Topper" by Thorne Smith
and the subsequent film series starring Roland Young. Paul
Mann and Frances Chaney appeared as the ghost couple George
and Marion Kerby.
Yes, there was a TV show named "Topper". It starred Robert
Sterling and Anne Jeffries (as George and Marion Kerby), Leo G. Carroll
as Cosmo Topper, and Lee Patrick as his wife Henrietta.
I seem to recall that there was an alcoholic St. Bernard named Neal
as well. The leadin to the program introduced the ghosts as "the most
congenial spirit" and "the ghostess with the mostest". There was also
an updated movie version sometime in the 1980's, I believe, which
starred Andrew Stevens and Kate Jackson as the ghostly couple.
Each incarnation (no pun intended) of the show varied somewhat
from the others which came before. One had the Kerby's killed in a
car accident in the country while another (the TV version, I think)
showed
them being killed by an avalanche when on a skiing trip. How each of
these
differ from the OTR version, I really can't say. It would be interesting
to
check out.
As I recall, "The Adventures of Topper" didn't have a very long
run
on OTR. The choice of Roland Young as banker Cosmo Topper was
inspired IMHO. I believe there are still some places where tapes of
this program are available. If anyone knows of any of them, let me know
off list.
One correction though, both Roland Young and Leo G. Carroll
played
Topper, not one of the ghosts.
Kenneth Clarke
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 15:19:22 -0500
From: mark koldys <mkoldys@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Johnny Dollar theme (again!)
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The last time the Johnny Dollar theme music
was thrashed about on this digest I think I recall someone identifying
the production music package that it came from.
See here: [removed]
mk
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 16:34:55 -0500
From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Glen Ford book
Hi Everybody, Peter Ford the son of Glen Ford and his co-author are working
on a book about Glen Ford. Peter ask me to help out. Glen recall doing a
radio show in the 1940s where he believe he was still in his 20s. Where his
co-star pass away during broadcast or close afterward. Glen recall that the
Girl fill in his arms and he had to go ahead and try to cover for her during
the show by reading question to him self and answering them. He news it was
a show in New York. He believe it was Armstrong Theater. Thus Peter and
his author would like me to check out some details about this story. They
would like to check out the name of the show, the date, ECT. The name of
the radio actress who pass away. I am wondering if this was another show
like Cavalcade of America. Glen remembered this being close to 1945 or
1946. I seem to read a story close to this in Hal Stone book, but I can not
remember what page it is on. I think
Arthur Anderson wrote about this in his book, but I do not have a copy of
the book. If any one have a copy of this show, I would like to send it to
Glen. He also remember hearing the transcription and the audience new some
thing has happen, but they had no idea the lady was dieing. If any one have
any radio show with Glen please let me know what they are and I can check if
I have include them in a package for Glen, and Peter. Take care,
Walden Hughes
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 16:57:30 -0500
From: leemunsick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Philosopher pickle in the [removed]
Ken Ruggles questioned who was the comedian who used lines like
Is that what's bothering you, bunky?
and
You say your [removed]
Answer: Eddie "The Old Philosopher" Lawrence. Coral Records.
M. Kidd queried who played hot-dog man Mr. Kitzel on the Jack Benny
programs, and opined that it was Mel Blanc.
I have no doubt that Mel Blanc could have done this character, and perhaps
even did in a pinch, and listeners may well have been unable to tell the
difference. But here's the [removed]
Answer: Artie Auerbach. He didn't have to wait around for that continuing
but occasional role as he was also Mr. Schneider on The Goldbergs. He had
also appeared earlier on the Al Pearce shows.
Enjoy! Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 18:00:42 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: dubbing from Windows to tape
If it's a compact (Walkman size) tape deck the ends of the cable will both
be 1/8" plugs.
I tried that and for some reason I get a loud hiss when I record.
Interestingly enough, when I plug headphones straight into the sound card
jack this doesn't happen. Anyone know why this happens, and what (if
anything) I can do about it? And should I plug the cord into the recorder's
mic jack or the aux jack?
Dixon
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 18:01:58 -0500
From: "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Johnny Dollar theme (again!)
Mike Wheeler writes:
The last time the Johnny Dollar theme music was thrashed about on this
digest I think I recall someone identifying the production music package
that it came from. If someone knows who produced the package,
what the specific themes may have been called, which reels or disks within
the package they were found on, etc. would that person be kind enough to
share that information once again with the group? Bonus points if you can
point me to a source where the package may be purchased.
Since I saw this mentioned several digests ago, I assume Mr. Wheeler is
asking about the packaged music that was used on the 15-minute YTJD
episodes. This came from the MuTel (as in "MUsic for TELevision") Library
(also released through Capitol records, although I forget the name they
used), which serviced such early TV fare as "Terry and the Pirates," "Space
Patrol," "Ramar of the Jungle," and, most famously, the first season of "The
Adventures of Superman." It is under the latter title that you will find a
CD collection of original, complete music cues for sale on the Varese
Sarebande label. The CD's booklet gives a detailed history of the various
cues. I have it and it's highly recommended.
The usual disclaimers about financial interest apply - however, as a
personal favor on behalf of a close friend, I'd like to request of anyone
interested in ordering this CD from [removed], please use the "Order Here"
link on this page: [removed]
My friend Jim Nolt runs a great website devoted to "Superman" and George
Reeves, and using his link means he'll get a little kickback from Amazon to
help offset the cost of the site. While there, read the reviews posted by
various "Superman" fans.
Michael
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 19:53:48 -0500
From: "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Need Help Remembering
I was impressed with the number of responses identifying Eddie Lawrence as
the recording artist. Perhaps the same group might be able to help remember
who did a "novelty" recording that was played over and over on OTR circa
1950. One side of the recording was devoted to a song entitled "Grandma's
Lye Soap" and the flip side was a number that I believe was called "It's In
the Book." I'd be grateful if anyone can help my flagging gray cells. I'd
be ecstatic if there's a site on the web that would give the lyrics.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 20:23:22 -0500
From: watchstop@[removed] (Martin&Margot)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Twenty-five minute programs
The BBC World Service used to have a brief set of news headlines at the top
of the hour, but this summary ran less than a minute, and it never felt
that time was being taken away from the next half hour or full hour
program. In recent years, however, the hour tends to open with five
minutes of news, unless it is a lengthy news program to begin with, and the
subsequent feature will usually be for twenty-five minutes.
Programs of this length prefigured the last days of network radio in all
its [removed] one can't help feeling that the future for diversified
programming on the BBC is not bright, either.
Martin Fass
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 20:23:32 -0500
From: "glen schroeder" <gschroeder10@[removed];
To: "otr" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Bunky
Hi Ken and list.
The guy you're talking about from back in the 50's that used to say "Is that
what's troublin' you Bunky" was Eddie Lawrence. He called himself "The Old
Philosopher." I have a Christmas record that he made that's pretty funny.
Hope that's what you are looking for.
Love Dis List
Glen Schroeder
Madison WI
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 21:34:29 -0500
From: "William Harper" <whhsa@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Gasoline Alley/The Shadow
Dear Group;
Pray for peace.
If you want to see the The Shadow as delinated by Jim in Gasoline Alley just
go to the following:
[removed]
and bring up Gasoline Alley and Sunday's date, Feb. 2.
Jim did a great Straight Arrow for the POW-WOW's almost last issue.
Manituwah,
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 21:35:03 -0500
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: That other LA Cop Show
In a subtle dig at "Dragnet" one of the corrupt anti-hero cops of the FX
Network's "Shield" series, which is based on actual case files of LA police
corruption in its "Ramparts" unit has badge number #714.
In last week's episode it turns out that the character has lost his badge
and has been using a counterfeit himself to avoid punishment for losing it.
Unfortunately, the real badge #714 is acquired by a criminal who uses it to
gain entry to an apartment and murder the occupants.
I know there are people on the list that will see this as sacrilege, but it
was a pretty funny way to make fun of Dragnet's "cops do no wrong," premise.
And I'll add that even though I enjoy "The Shield," it couldn't tie the
shoes of the radio Dragnets.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 00:17:41 -0500
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The new Dragnet
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 23:03:28 -0500
From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
I love OTR, but it is a hobby not a religion. The shows from OTR are
part of a time that is gone and will never return. The Joe Friday
character is no more sacred then Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan or The Shadow.
These figures have all been reinterpeted by each of the different
actors that played them, why not Joe Friday?
I can't wait to see someone like Justin Timberlake star as Captain Kirk in a
re-make of Star
Trek. ;->
--
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed]
15 Court Square, Suite 210 lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2503 [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 00:52:45 -0500
From: "welsa" <welsa@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Arizona OTR
So, here I am just two months away from moving to the Phoenix area--East
Valley as they call it. Anyone have a handle on what the OTR hobby is like
there?
Any OTR groups? Re-creations? Reading clubs?
I have been a collector of shows for many, many years. And I have been
actively involved with a re-creations where I am now.
E-mail me privately if you have any information or thoughts.
Ted
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #55
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