Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #48
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 2/9/2007 9:54 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2007 : Issue 48
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  More on the "Witch Hunts."            [ Ken Greenwald <radio@[removed]; ]
  Ken Roberts                           [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
  2-9 births/deaths                     [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
  Howard Duff in Red Channels           [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Radio's Sam Spade, new OTR book       [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  Dick Huddleston on Lum and Abner      [ "Sammy Jones" <sjones69@[removed] ]
  Martin Grams statement re Red Smear   [ <vzeo0hfk@[removed]; ]
  re: MP3 player                        [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
  For Lynn - Mp3 player suggestions     [ "Charles Salt" <charles_salt@hotmai ]
  Norman Brokenshire                    [ <verotas@[removed]; ]
  MP3 Player, again                     [ Dick Habegger <amej@[removed]; ]
  2-10 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 20:52:11 -0500
From: Ken Greenwald <radio@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  More on the "Witch Hunts."

Yes, I am old enough to have lived through the great anti-communist
times back then.
I do have a few comments about it: There has been much talk here
about Senator McCarthy and what he did.
McCarthy was the tail end of all that pain. The "witch hunting" for
communists started back in the 1940s.
In 1941, the Walt Disney animators went on strike because Disney
would not allow anyone to be a member of or form a
union group of animators. Disney called out anti-union men and had
the strikers dispersed by hosing them down. This
incident in Hollywood brought attention to some members of congress
-- supposedly the strike was fomented by
Communists.
Though McCarthy has been spoken of a lot here, it was really J.
Parnel Thomas who really started after the "so-called"
communist elements in Hollywood. And that included a vast number of
radio actors, writers and directors. Thomas
"destroyed" a lot of lives on the east coast before he hit Hollywood
hard. Read "THAT WAS RADIO," by Joseph Julian.
Julian was labeled a communist and lost his lively hood.
The indiscriminate "lashing out" at the entertainment industry killed
a lot of careers; yes, some were members of the
communist party, but a lot of creative people were not and they lost
out because of hearsay and implication.
If you get a chance, read the congressional records of the House
UnAmerican Activities committee that can be
obtained from the US Government printing office in Washington. It
covers the 1947 "witchhunts" that destroyed so many lives.
That committee, in 1947, was run by J. Parnell Thomas. The ironic
side of Thomas is that, after all the "witch hunting"
he did, it was discovered he was pocketing vast amounts of money
illegally from his communist hunting endeavors and
was put in prison for many years!
There are books written about the underbelly of those times. One I
have (it's somewhere in a box, so I can't remember
the name of it ) analyzes the red baiting of the radio entertainment
medium; very eye revealing. This book was written by a committee
that spent years looking over the records in the US Government.
Another book is "FALSE WITNESS" by Harvey Matusow, published in 1955
by Cameron & Kahn Publishers. A very hard book to find.
But do look for it! Here's a short quote from a blurb on the back of
the book --- ""In his forward to this book, the author [Matusow] stated
he expected reprisals from those forces which had used him when he
was a paid Government  witness and an aide to Senator Joseph
McCarthy. The reprisals were not long in coming. And they brought
with them grave dangers to freedom of the press in the United
States."
It's a very discomforting book to read.
What I am really commenting on here is that not all is black and
white. In between are vast areas of gray. The black and white areas
are "you are either a communist or you are not." The gray areas are
where innocent people were persecuted and lost their livelihood
in radio, tv and motion pictures.
It truly was a sad time; and a frightening time.
I have many actual incidents I have witnessed when I was a teenager
that I could write about here, but it would take much too much time.
Fear disables creativity. Disabled creativity leaves sterility and
lack of insight. And fear has always been the stronghold of those who
are on a campaign to "clear out the bad and the evil."
Well, it's been over 50 years since those awful times --- and we're
still here. That must say something good for the depth of human
caring and
the strength of the individual.
Ken Greenwald

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 20:53:00 -0500
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Ken Roberts

On Monday, Feb. 12, prolific network announcer Ken Roberts -- whose
storehouse of professional achievements earned for him considerably more
than a two-page profile in my new "Radio Speakers" volume
([removed]) -- will celebrate his 97th birthday.  This puts him
up there with only a handful of survivors of the audio announcing legacy
(about five years older than our good friend George Ansbro).  Can anybody
tell us the status of Ken's physical and mental health?  I hope he's fit in
both categories.  His contributions, as do George's and a few others still
with us, loom large.

Jim Cox

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 23:05:29 -0500
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  2-9 births/deaths

February 9th births

02-09-1884 - Wilmer Walter - Philadelphia, PA - d. 8-23-1941
actor: David Harum "David Harum"; Andy Agnes "The Gumps"
02-09-1891 - Ronald Colman - Richmond, Surrey, England - d. 5-19-1958
actor: William Todhunter Hall "Halls of Ivy"; "Jack Benny Program"
02-09-1892 - Frank W. Asper - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 11-8-1973
organist: "Music and the Spoken Word"
02-09-1892 - Peggy Wood - Brooklyn, NY - d. 3-18-1978
actor: "NBC Present Eugene O'Neill"; "Great Scenes from Great Plays"; "
02-09-1901 - Brian Donlevy - Armagh, Ireland - d. 4-5-1972
actor: Steve Mitchell "Dangerous Assignment"
02-09-1901 - Walter Preston - Quincy, IL - d. 8-7-1982
singer: "Philco Hour"
02-09-1902 - Chester A. Lauck - Alleene, AR - d. 2-22-1980
comedian: Columbus 'Lum' Edwards "Lum and Abner"
02-09-1902 - Fred Harman, Sr. - St. Joseph, MO - d. 1-2-1982
cartoonist: Creator of Red Ryder
02-09-1904 - Carmen Miranda - Lisbon, Portugal - d. 8-5-1955
singer: "Hello Americans"
02-09-1910 - Peanuts Holland - Norfold, VA - d. 2-7-1979
jazz trumpeter, singer: "One Night Stand"; "Jubilee"; "Yank Swing
Session"
02-09-1912 - Bob Armstrong - Buffalo, NY - d. 4-25-1994
orchestra director: NBC 1942
02-09-1912 - Bob Hannon - Chicago, IL - d. 2-16-1993
singer: "American Melody Hour"; "Waltz Time"
02-09-1913 - Erskine Butterfield - Syracuse, NY - d. 5-xx-1961
jazz musician: "Cats 'n' Jammers"
02-09-1913 - Herb Sheldon - Brooklyn, NY - d. 7-21-1964
announcer, host: "Honeymoon in New York"; "Luncheon at the Latin
Quarter"
02-09-1914 - Bob Hite - d. 2-18-2000
announcer: "Challenge of the Yukon"; "Green Hornet"; "Casey, Crime
Photographer"
02-09-1914 - Ernest Tubb - Crisp, TX - d. 9-6-1984
singer: (The Texas Troubador) "Grand Ole Opry"
02-09-1914 - Ralph Hermann - Milwaukee, WI - d. 7-28-1994
bandleader: "Herb Oscar Anderson Show"
02-09-1915 - Charlotte Holland - d. 1-13-1997
actor: Nita Bennett "Lone Journey"; Nora Drake "This is Nora Drake"
02-09-1921 - Gene Lyons - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 7-8-1974
actor: Freelance
02-09-1922 - Kathryn Grayson - Winston-Salem, NC
singer: "Mail Call"
02-09-1923 - Milena Miller - d. 7-20-2001
vocalist: "The Stu Erwin Show"
02-09-1930 - Garner Ted Armstrong - Portland, OR - d. 9-15-2003
preacher: (Son of Herbert W. Armstrong) "Plain Truth"; "The World
Tomorrow"
02-09-1939 - Janet Suzman - Johannesburg, South Africa
actor: "Guest Panelist "[removed]"
02-09-1949 - Judith Light - Trenton, NJ
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"

February 9th deaths

01-13-1884 - Sophie Tucker - Russia - d. 2-9-1966
singer: (The Last of the Red Hot Mammas) "Sophie Tucker and Her Show"
01-30-1914 - David Wayne - Traverse City, MI - d. 2-9-1995
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre" ;" Eternal Light"; "Stars in the Air"
04-01-1909 - Eddy Duchin - Cambridge, MA - d. 2-9-1951
bandleader: (The Ten Magic Fingers of Radio) "Lasalle Style Show"
04-07-1908 - Percy Faith - Toronto, Canada - d. 2-9-1976
conductor: "Carnation Contented Hour"; "Pause That Refreshes on the Air"
04-30-1916 - Phil Brown - Cambridge, MA - d. 2-9-2006
actor: "Arch Obolor's Playes"
05-07-1885 - George "Gabby" Hayes - Wellsville, NY - d. 2-9-1969
actor: "Andrews Sisters' Eight-to-the-Bar Ranch"; "Roy Rogers Show"
06-26-1902 - Bruce Evans - d. 2-9-1978
actor: Trapeze Artist "Circus Days"
07-06-1925 - Bill Haley, Jr. - Highland Park, MI - d. 2-9-1981
rocker: "Camel Rock and Roll Party"; "Stars for Defense"
07-12-1919 - Vera Hruba Ralston - Prague, Czechoslovakia - d. 2-9-2003
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
08-10-1896 - Louis Sobol - New Haven, CT - d. 2-9-1986
columist: "Album of Manhattan"; "Voice of Broadway"; "Bright Lights
of New York"
08-30-1908 - Willie Bryant - New Orleans, LA - d. 2-9-1964
host: "Night Life"
10-12-1927 - Peggy Taylor - Inglewood, CA - d. 2-9-2002
singer: "The Breakfast Club"; "The Stan Freeberg Show"
11-23-1915 - Natalie Park Masters - San Francisco, CA - d. 2-9-1986
actor: Candy Matson "Candy Matson
12-23-1873 - Burns Mantle - Watertown, NY - d. 2-9-1948
writer: "Best Plays" based on Mantle's theatrical yearbook

Ron Sayles

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 23:05:59 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Howard Duff in Red Channels

Just to add a bit to Martin Grams' notes on the Howard Duff affair -- I
own an original copy of "Red Channels," edition of June 1950, and on
pages 50-51, it lists the full bill of particulars being thrown up by
CounterAttack as grounds for including him in the list:

-- Reportedly attended a 1948 Thanksgiving Benefit Program for the
Hollywood Ten.

-- Unfriendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee,
1947.

-- Reportedly a member of the Committee for the First Amendment.

-- Reportedly a member of the Actors' Committee of the Progressive
Citizens of America.

-- Signer of an Amicus Curiae brief appealing to reverse the convictions
of Trumbo and Lawson.

His association with a radio program "created by Dashiell Hammett" is
also noted in the listing. Of such subversive deeds were the bulk of "Red
Channels" listings made.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 23:06:58 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Radio's Sam Spade, new OTR book

There have been postings in the past year on the Digest asking about the
status of the SAM SPADE book.  I am pleased to announce it will be going to
press within the next month or two.

THE RADIO ADVENTURES OF SAM SPADE
by Martin Grams Jr.

Will amount about 300 pages thick.
Includes two radio scripts to episodes not known to exist in recorded form
(the premiere episode of the series and the only known script to never be
dramatized on radio).
History of the series, with trivia and reprinted passages from various
scripts.
History of the Sam Spade character in cinema and book form.
Biographies about Lurene Tuttle, Howard Duff, Lud Gluskin, etc.
Complete episode guide to each and every broadcast, including plot summaries
and trivia regarding the episodes.

The episode guide will be more complete than any of the broadcast logs found
on the internet (for those who feel the world wide web substitutes detailed
published tomes).  Ray Stanich compiled the first log on the series, from an
inventory sheet contained at a library, which contained a number of holes in
the episode log.  Since then, Stanich's log has been reprinted on (at least)
five different web-sites.  None of those web-sites credit Stanich for
originating the first log, and everyone who has reprinted the log for their
sites have the exact same gaps and "title unknowns".  The log fills in most
of those gaps with details so I can assure it will be much more
comprehensive and "ACCURATE" than anything found on the web.

I apologize for the numerous people who have asked over the past year what
the status of the book was.  Good books cannot be rushed.  Three people have
looked over the manuscript and two of them have given me feedback, telling
me no one should be disappointed with the book.

A sneak peak of some selected passages from the book (basically, assorted
trivia) is available on the Sam Spade page at [removed].  The
sneak peak will be removed in a few weeks, it's only listed there
temporarily.

For anyone wanting to read up on the SAM SPADE radio program, enjoy!
Martin Grams Jr.

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 00:39:28 -0500
From: "Sammy Jones" <sjones69@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Dick Huddleston on Lum and Abner

I've been collecting Lum and Abner shows for quite some time now, and have
amassed a fairly complete collection (at least up to about 1948) of the
existing shows.  I have even discovered a few "lost" episodes and have had
them transferred and put into circulation.

I have been methodically listening my way through every episode for almost
two years, and I have noticed a strange phenomenon with 1940s Lum and Abner.

In the extant 1935 Lum and Abner recordings, the character of Dick
Huddleston (played by Norris Goff) was featured prominently.  I can't
remember if Huddleston appeared in any of the existing Postum shows from
1938-40, but by the time the Alka-Seltzer shows rolled around in 1940, he
was almost non-existant.

I can count exactly two appearances that Dick Huddleston made on Lum and
Abner in the 1940-45 period, and they were very small appearances, indeed.
I began to suspicion that some circumstances compelled Lauck and Goff to
write Dick out of the show.

When a story-line from the 1935 shows was repeated in the early 1940s on the
Alka-Seltzer show, Dick's part appears to have been completely written out.
My suspicion turned into belief that Dick Huddleston was purposefully left
out of Lum and Abner.

Then last night I listened to, for the first  time, a February 1945
storyline involving Lum and Abner being trapped in a mine cave-in.  Imagine
my surprise when Dick Huddleston suddenly appeared prominently in the
storyline--voiced exactly as he always had been!  What changed?

I wonder if the real life Dick Huddleston had some objection over his
portrayal on the show, and then gave [removed]

I'd appreciate any help other Lum and Abner fans out there can [removed]

Sammy  Jones

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 00:40:16 -0500
From: <vzeo0hfk@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Martin Grams statement re Red Smear era

At the hearing, the credibility of the Civil Rights Congress was questioned
when the organization presented a denunciation of lynching in the United
States, titled We Charge Genocide

I found Martin Grams lengthy statement useful in the discussion about the Red
Smear era. The above quote from his statement is important.

The Civil Rights Congress, an allegedly unpatriotic organization had its
crediblity questioned because it denounced the widespread practice of
murdering innocent African Americans. That is in fact one of the criteria by
which the witchhunters of the the era decided if someone was a communist.
Since the Communist Party was pro-civil rights and anti-lynching, their
reasoning was that if you were an civil rights advocate, you must be a
communist. Guilt by association!

Howard Blue

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 00:40:45 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  re:  MP3 player

Al Girard mentioned having a Sony mp3 boombox.
In October 2006 I bought a [removed] through Amazon.    It's a Panasonic
RX-D29  which plays CDs, mp3 CDs, AM/FM radio and surprisingly also includes
a cassette player.  I've dug out all the cassettes from my bound-for-Good
Will box.   The sound is terrific.  I'm very pleased with this purchase.  It
cost about $80.  I had been looking for a plain old table-top mp3 CD player,
smaller than a boombox but they don't seem to exist.

Irene

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 10:09:45 -0500
From: "Charles Salt" <charles_salt@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  For Lynn - Mp3 player suggestions

Hi Lynn,

I have just been through the same proccess as you trying to choose an mp3 
player for playing OTR. First you have to decide how large you want its 
storage capacity to be - 512MB, 2GB, 30GB, or 60GB. An average 30 minute 
show encoded at 32kbps is around 7MB and there are 1024MB to a GB.

I have found 2GB to be adequate for me (Maximum capacity about 292 half-hour 
shows at 32kbps or 146 half-hour shows at 64kbps) and some people are happy 
with just 1GB. These kind of players are a lot more affordable too.

I have a problem with the Ipods because they have no volume buttons and you 
have to use the wheel to select the volume - I find this very distracting 
and fiddly- particularly when I'm walking around. I therefore suggest a 
player with seperate volume controls and seperate buttons for skipping 
forward and backwards through tracks.

Another thing which is a bonus is if the player has a reset hole (then if 
the player freezes up -as mp3 players often do- simply reseting using a pin 
in the hole will get the player back on track).

Another consideration is battery life and whether you want a player with an 
internal battery or one that takes one small AAA battery. I suppose with the 
AAA batteries you can take a load of them with you if you are going on 
holiday where there is no power supply to recharge. It doesn't really matter 
that much either way.

Another thing to bear in mind is if the player resumes play from where you 
left off if you have to switch it off. It can be frustrating to have to 
forward all the way to the right place in the track again.

In light of all this, some of my online friends have been very happy with 
this player (although I had it freeze up on me and, because it has no reset 
hole, I had to send it back. No-one I've talked to has had a problem with it 
though):
[removed];s=electronics

They also do a 2GB model should you require one.

Feel free to e-mail me with any further questions.

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 11:56:25 -0500
From: <verotas@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Norman Brokenshire

Does anybody know how tall Norman Brokenshire was?

Also, I know he greeted people with "How DO you do?", but is there more to
that line?

Many thanks - Lee Munsick

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 15:48:12 -0500
From: Dick Habegger <amej@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  MP3 Player, again

Hi All,

I have been searching for a "All In One" player. It must have:

1. Slot for a memory chip.
2. FM Radio Tuner
3. Large display (so I can see what I am doing)
4. Video playback (as a bonus)

Well, I found the device, plus more! It is the DXG Technology *DXG-521*
Digital Camera.
It has a price range $[removed] - $[removed] Circuit City (Online) shows a
price of $[removed] and
[removed] is at $[removed]

This is a good digital media player with a built-in camera: (features)

1. [removed] camera
2. 30 fps digital camcorder
3. Video game system
4. Digital music player (MP3/WMA)
5. FM radio
6. Voice Recording
7. Video Playback (MPEG-4 movie format)
8. [removed]" LCD Color Screen
9. 32MB of built-in flash memory
10. Slot for SD/MMC memory cards up to 2GB
11. USB [removed] connections for your PC

[removed]

This device works as advertised; I am really enjoying it.
I just buys "things", I do not represent any company which was discussed!

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

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 23:47:50 -0500
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  2-10 births/deaths

February 10th births

02-10-1868 - William Allen White - Emporia, KS - d. 1-31-1944
writer: "American Forum of the Air"; "University of Chicago Round Table"
02-10-1892 - Alan Hale, Sr. - Washington, [removed] - d. 1-22-1950
actor:"Lux Radio Theatre"
02-10-1893 - Jimmy Durante - NYC - d. 1-29-1980
comedian: (Da Schnozz) Claudius 'Brainy' Bowers "Jumbo Fire Chief
Program"
02-10-1897 - Judith Anderson - Adelaide, Australia - d. 1-3-1992
actor: Royal Gelatin Hour"
02-10-1899 - Dolph Gobel - Regensburg, Germany - d. 8-xx-1970
organist: "Ethel and Albert"; "Doplh Goebel Trio"
02-10-1900 - Lou Breese - d. 1-xx-1969
bandleader: "Invitation to the Fair"
02-10-1902 - Stella Adler - NYC - d. 12-21-1992
acting teacher: "Fleischmann's Yeast Hour"
02-10-1903 - Lewis Allan - NYC - d. 10-xx-1986
writer for theatre, radio, television and films
02-10-1905 - Chick Webb - d. 6-16-1939
bandleader: "Chick Webb and His Orhestra"
02-10-1906 - Lon Chaney, Jr. - Oklahoma City,  Oklahoma Territory -
d. 7-12-1973
actor: "Pursuit of Happiness"
02-10-1910 - Joyce Grenfell - London, England - d. 11-30-1979
writer, actor: "How"; "A Note with Music"; "We Beg to Differ"
02-10-1913 - James Monks - NYC - d. 10-2-1994
actor: Jim Brandon "The Avenger" I. A. Moto "Mr. I. A. Moto"
02-10-1914 - Larry Adler - Baltimore, MD - d. 8-6-2001
harmonica player: "Forecast"
02-10-1922 - Neva Patterson - Nevada, IA
actor: "Cavalcade of America"
02-10-1927 - Leontyne Price - Laurel, MS
singer: "Metropolitan Opera"
02-10-1929 - Jerry Goldsmith - Los Angeles, CA - d. 7-21-2004
composer, conductor: "Frontier Gentleman"; "Romance"
02-10-1930 - Robert Wagner - Detroit, MI
panelist: "Juke Box Jury"; "Suspense"

February 10th deaths

01-11-1870 - Alice Hegan Rice - Shelbyville, KY - d. 2-10-1942
writer: "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" based on her novel
01-11-1910 - Richard Kendrick - Vermillion, SD - d. 2-10-1987
actor: Bill Baker "Portia Faces Life"
02-07-1867 - Laura Ingalls Wilder - Pepin, WI - d. 2-10-1957
writer: "Hallmark Playhouse"
02-22-1912 - Buddy Tate - Sherman, TX - d. 2-10-2001
jazz saxphonist: "Jubilee"; "One Night Stand"
05-02-1902 - Brian Aherne - King's Norton, England - d. 2-10-1986
actor: Simon Templar "The Saint"
06-19-1910 - Virginia Payne - Cincinnati, OH - d. 2-10-1977
actor: Ma Perkins "Ma Perkins"; Kerry Carter "Carters of Elm Street"
09-06-1899 - Billy Rose - NYC - d. 2-10-1966
creator-stager: "Jumbo Fire Chief Program"
09-30-1916 - Wendell Noble - Mesa, AZ - d. 2-10-1988
singer, actor: "Bride and Groom"; "Listener's Digest"
10-17-1915 - Arthur Miller - NYC - d. 2-10-2005
writer: "Cavalcade of America"; "The Doctor Fights"

Ron Sayles
[removed]

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #48
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