------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 349
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
OTR Fans Get-Together [ "Doug Douglass" <dougdouglass@[removed] ]
Radio Transcriptions Overdubbed for [ Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed] ]
12-13 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Re: bayerische rundfunk [ "R. R. King" <kingrr@[removed]; ]
Der Bayerische Rundfunk [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Accidental stereo [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
Re: Night Beat and Eerie Stories [ Frank McGurn <[removed]@sbcglobal. ]
12-14 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:29:56 -0500
From: "Doug Douglass" <dougdouglass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR Fans Get-Together
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
There will be an Old-Time Radio Fans Get-Together in Chicago, August 7-10,
2008.
The conference is primarily for old-time radio fans who are blind. However,
all are invited. Because hotel space is limited, you must write or call in a
request for a personal written invitation.
Email Robert Acosta at bacosta@[removed]
or call 1-877-422-0300.
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:10:22 -0500
From: Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Transcriptions Overdubbed for New Jim
Reeves Release
I thought perhaps readers of the OTR Digest might be interested in
hearing how some rare radio recordings -- including from 16-inch ETs
as well as reels of tape which came directly from a radio studio --
have been used as the basis for a new CD on singer Jim Reeves. Like a
lot of other stars, Jim did some military recruiting radio shows such
as Country Music Time [removed], Leatherneck Jamboree, Country Style
[removed], Navy Hoedown, etc. over a period of years in the 1950s and
early '60s. A couple of dozen of these songs have been re-released ad
nauseum by various indie labels around the world, most of whom don't
bother to even attempt to clean up the audio. The result is that an
awful lot of inferior tracks have been circulated on Jim in recent
years.
However, a label called VoiceMasters is a notable exception. It has
been more aggressive in tracking down truly obscure and previously
unheard radio and demo performances by Jim Reeves and painstakingly
restoring the audio before subjecting it to 24 bit digital
remastering. Of course, this entails getting rid of pops, clicks and
even tape hiss. The software that has been developed in recent years
has been used to really work some magic here. You won't believe your
ears.
In addition, these old performances by Jim Reeves have been updated
with all new accompaniment which has been done by some top
orchestrators, musicians and background singers. The result is quite
surprising and very impressive. The audio is so clear that it sounds
like Jim just recorded this material yesterday. It is strictly big-
league.
You can hear audio samples in mp3 format at: [removed]
[removed]
I am wondering if anybody knows of any other instances where old
radio recordings have been overdubbed with new music? If so, I'd be
interested to know the details.
Happy Holidays
Larry Jordan
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:10:32 -0500
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 12-13 births/deaths
December 13th births
12-13-1887 - Alvin York - Pall Mall, TN - d. 12-2-1964
world war I hero: "We the People"; "What Are We Fighting For?"
12-13-1890 - Marc Connelly - McKeesport, PA - d. 12-21-1980
writer: "Free Company"; "Security Workshop"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
12-13-1894 - Olin Landick - d. 3-26-1972
actor: Cassandra Drinkwater "Cousin Cassie"
12-13-1897 - Drew Pearson - Evanston, IL - d. 9-1-1969
investigative reporter: "Listen America"; "Drew Pearson Comments"
12-13-1901 - Jay Jostyn - Milwaukee, WI - d. 6-25-1976
actor: Max Tilley "Life of Mary Sothern"; Mr, District Attorney "Mr.
District Attorney"
12-13-1904 - George Baxter - Paris, France - d. 9-10-1976
announcer: "Grand Central Station"; "The Career of Alice Blair"
12-13-1910 - Lillian Roth - Boston, MA - d. 5-12-1980
singer, speaker: "Pleasant Sunday Afternoon"
12-13-1910 - Van Heflin - Walter, OK - d. 7-23-1971
actor: Bob Drake "Betty and Bob"; "Philip Marlowe "Advs. of Philip
Marlowe"
12-13-1912 - Herb Sheldon - Connecticut - d. 10-27-1964
announcer, host: "Honeymoon in New York"; "Luncheon at the Latin
Quarter"
12-13-1913 - Jimmy Carroll - NYC - d. 3-19-1972
singer: "Pot O' Gold"
12-13-1914 - Larry Parks - Olathe, KS - d. 4-13-1975
actor: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Faith for Tomorrow"; "Guest Star"
12-13-1915 - Mark Stevens - Cleveland, OH - d. 9-15-1994
actor: "This Is Hollywood"; "Cavalcade of America"; "Suspense"
12-13-1917 - David Street - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-3-1971
actor, singer: "Music Depreciation"
12-13-1920 - Don Taylor - Freeport, PA - d. 12-29-1998
actor: "Indiana School of the Sky"; "Family Theatre"; "Hollywood Star
Preview"
12-13-1926 - Carl Erskine - Anderson, IN
baseball pitcher: "Baseball: An Action History"; "Dr. Norman Vincent
Peale"
12-13-1939 - Moe Keale - Niihau, HI - d. 4-15-2002
local disc jockey
December 13th deaths
02-15-1908 - Hugh Wedlock, Jr. - d. 12-13-1993
writer: "Jack Benny Program"; "Lum and Abner"; "That's My Pop"
02-23-1913 - Jon Hall - Fresno, CA - d. 12-13-1979
actor: "Texaco Star Theatre"; "Silver Theatre"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
02-27-1873 - Enrico Caruso - Naples, Italy - d. 8-2-1921
tenor: On 12-13-1910 made experimental broadcast with Lee DeForest
03-23-1891 - Dr. [removed] DeHaan - Zeeland, MI - d. 12-13-1965
evengelist: "Radio Bible Class"
04-18-1904 - Pigmeat Markham - Durhan, N - d. 12-13-1981
comedian: ("order in the court ' cuz here come da judge) "Jubilee"
07-18-1908 - Martha Mears - Mexico, MO - d. 12-13-1986
singer: "G. I. Laffs"
07-19-1906 - "Tiny" Hill - Sullivan, IL - d. 12-13-1971
orchestra leader: "Tiny" Hill and His Orchestra"
08-08-1904 - Ray Buffum - d. 12-13-1980
writer, director: "A Man Named Jordan"; "Rogue's Gallery"
09-06-1889 - John Charles Thomas - Meyersdale, PA - d. 12-13-1960
singer: "John Charles Thomas Program"; "Westinghouse Program"
09-28-1913 - Alice Marble - Beckworth, CA - d. 12-13-1990
tennis player: "Information Please"
11-24-1905 - Harry Barris - NYC - d. 12-13-1962
singer (member of The Rhythm Boys) "Paul Whiteman Presents"
12-07-1908 - Beatrice Churchill - d. 12-13-2006
actor: Betty Drake "Betty and Bob"
xx-xx-1916 - Mollie Hardwick - Manchester, England - d. 12-13-2003
author: "Madam, Will You Walk"; "Casting the Ruins"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:11:28 -0500
From: "R. R. King" <kingrr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: bayerische rundfunk
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
I came across a letter with the name bayerische rundfunk, who was
apparently involved with a radio program in the late 1940s or early
1950s.
Ah, Bayerische Rundfunk! Delightful fellow, knew him well. We used to
call him "Funky." Drank like a fish. Played the organ for a
short-lived Wyllis Cooper series called "No Odors!" Lost an arm in the
Great War. Had a prosthetic hand with only three fingers -- but they
stretched so wide he could play three octaves at once. We had to let
him go, though. Right in the middle of a performance, his metal arm
would pick up German radio programs. Very distracting. He later moved
to Munich and became a broadcasting network.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:41:44 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Der Bayerische Rundfunk
Many thanks for all who answered my question. While many thought I was
joking, I wasn't. I'm never afraid to ask questions (unlike one OTR scholar
who told me over the phone that he'd never ask a question on the Digest
because he was afraid he'd lose his authority status as a scholar).
In answer to Michael Biel's question, it was not a gag. I came across the
letter and someone said they worked on radio programs for beyerische rundfunk
and I "assumed" this was the name of a man, having been completely unaware of
the statewide radio network in Germany. (When you stay up for almost 24
hours without sleep, determined to reach a goal, you'd find you'll pull a few
Homer Simpson - dooh! - by the end of the day.)
My wife has watched tons of movies and TV shows but until a month ago, never
saw THE TWILIGHT ZONE in her life. I used to think that was amazing - that
she didn't even know what the TWILIGHT ZONE was. Now that I wore her shoes
for a day, I know what Der Bayerische Rundfunk is.
Many thanks to all,
Martin
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:30:31 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Accidental stereo
I thank Ken Greenwald for his kind words. Now, let's see if we can
straighten out his latest posting. A lot of this is about recording
technology rather than OTR, but I will be bringing it back to OTR a couple
of times.
Before electrical recording, all recording was done
acoustically. Thus, if a performer or an orchestra
wished to be recorded, they would have to sing or
play in front of a large horn that would send the
signal through the apparatus to the recording head.
Quite true. It was totally mechanical. Sound powered. This continued thru
the mid-20s. Although there were electrical recordings before then, mostly
experimental and sometimes of broadcasts (!!!), some companies were
recording acoustically as late as 1929.
In order to make as many recordings available as
possible, there were often 5 or 10 recording devices
placed before the performers and the discs were all
cut with the performer "yelling" at all the horns.
This was called recording a "round" but it was never done for disc
recording, only for cylinders in the brown-wax days of the 1890s. There
always was a method of mass producing discs from a single disc master, so
using multiple machines was never necessary. And even by 1901, most of the
cylinder companies had developed a moulding process that enabled thousands
of copies from one master cylinder, making "rounds" unnecessary even for
cylinders by 1901, which was before Caruso recorded.
When the recording was released (usually a 78 or
80 rpm recording), the label would indicate which
recording machine was used. Such as A, B, C or
10B, 10C, etc.
Now we're in trouble. Since multiple horns on multiple machines were never
used in recording discs, numbers of this type seen on discs do not denote a
separate recording machine. The marking systems varied by different
companies, but often there will be a number that denotes the "take" in the
shellac, never on the label. Victor and Columbia used numbers, Edison used
letters. Sometimes there are other markings which can indicate which
"mother" (or metal positive) produced the metal stamper, and which stamper
produced the specific disc you are holding in your hands. But of these,
only the take number denotes any difference in the recording, and a
different take number is an entirely different recording, not a different
angle of the same recording. (see my note on exceptions to this rule later
on.)
About 10 years ago a recording engineer posed the
question: Is it possible to get stereo out of an early
accoustic recording?
This has been discussed, but only concerning brown wax cylinders from the
1890s. But these are so rare, it is highly unlikely to find two cylinders
from the same "round" from different machines. But this is not a factor in
acoustical disc recording since multiple horns and machines were never used
for discs.
He had a number of Erico Caruso recordings
of the same song. Each label had a different
matrix alphabet number. A, C, D, and E.
With the exception of three cylinders (which were recorded on a single
machine), and one recordings session for Zonophone, all of Enrico Caruso's
recordings were made for the Gramophone Company or Victor Talking Machine
Co. The take numbers are marked in the shellac at the 9 o'clock position.
A mother number is sometimes at the 3 o'clock position. And near the
catalog number in the shellac is a stamper letter or letter/number
combination. It started with A thru Z, then back to AA thru ZZ, then AAA
thru ZZZ, then sometimes 4A thru 4Z, and 5A thru 5Z, and so on. But NONE of
these markings indicate any difference in sound whatsoever except the take
number. And different take numbers are totally different recordings.
The engineer figured that at least 4 recording horns
with machines were set up to catch Caruso's song.
Impossible. Caruso NEVER recorded this way. All the paperwork for all of
his recordings exists.
This engineer decided to hook up two modern
turntables with variable control. He then placed
two of the Caruso discs on the turntables. He
chose A and D, assuming that the two horns
would be located far enough from each other
as to "hear" Caruso from a different angle.
With some experimentation the engineer was
able to get the two discs in sync. VIOLA!
STEREO SOUND! I heard that final experiment
and, for the first time, I heard Caruso singing in stereo.
All this because some engineer was bright enough
to figure out the matrix numbers on the discs and
give it a try. Will wonders never cease!
They ceased. It is impossible to do this with any Caruso recording.
BUT, let me give you some exceptions. But they all come from the electrical
recording era which was after Caruso's 1921 death. There were some
instances where electrical recordings were made with two separate audio
chains and recorders. Most of the time when Victor or Gramophone records
are marked with an A after the take, like 1A, it is identical to take 1.
They sometimes made these dual-machine recordings when they expected the
record to be a big seller and they wanted an extra safety master. But there
are about half a dozen times when the letter-take is from a different
microphone and "accidental" stereo IS possible. There is a 1927 Feodor
Chaliapin concert at London's Royal Albert Hall that was recorded this way.
There are several other orchestral recordings done this way in both the [removed]
and England. But the most notable was the 1932 Long Playing "Program
Transcription" of Duke Ellington's Orch. These alternate "angles" were
discovered by Brad Kay, the same record collector who bought the stack of
1932 Columbia broadcast transcriptions earlier this year. In the Ellington
case he thought he had alternate takes because the take numbers were
different. But it turns out that the music was the same, just the
perspective of the instruments was different. They matched up to stereo,
and have been issued in stereo on both LP and CD. I was the one who
discovered WHY the Ellingtons were recorded this way with different
microphones and 2 recorders but had different take numbers rather than a
lettered and non-lettered take. They were testing new equipment during the
recording session. The matrix prefixes have encoded in them an equipment
manufacturer identifier for royalty payment purposes, and on the paperwork
at RCA we could see that one pair of sides was recorded on RCA equipment
(prefix LBRC) and the other with new Western Electric equipment (LBSHQ).
These letters do not appear on the records, only in the files back at the
record company. But they were not recording this way to do stereo, it was
just an accident. So we call these "accidental" stereo.
So Ken, it is possible you heard a 1927 Chaliapin recording or a 1932
Ellington recording in accidental stereo, but not a Caruso.
Western Electric had been purposefully experimenting with stereo recordings
since 1927 at the Capitol Theater, home of Roxy's Gang. They did some
stereo recordings of the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1932, and some of these
were issued on two very rare LPs. The Nazis were recording stereo tapes
late in WW II, and nine of these still exist. Some have been issued. In
the past we have discussed here the AM-FM stereo broadcasts in the early and
mid 50s on WMAQ and WRCA. Toscanini's final two broadcast concerts in 1954
were experimentally recorded in stereo by RCA Victor, but because the
orchestral ensemble playing was so bad -- and more noticeable in stereo --
they have only been issued on an independent label Music and Arts.
Unfortunately they were not broadcast in stereo at the time, but they could
have been.
Large full-studio photographs of Toscanini and the NBC Symphony in Studio
8H in the late 30s show several clusters of microphones suspended from the
ceiling. Although surviving engineers have said that the extra microphones
were only there for emergency back-up, there has long been hope that
accidental stereo of pre-war and wartime concerts might be discovered. RCA
Victor and NBC made their recordings side-by-side on their own machines, and
NBC also made separate recordings with Spanish announcements for their
short-wave service. But whenever restoration engineers have checked these
multiple sources of the same concerts, they all prove to be identical, all
coming from the same microphones. Alas, no accidental stereo recordings of
a quality Toscanini concert.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:17:41 -0500
From: Frank McGurn <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Night Beat and Eerie Stories
I want to thank those who gave me the "Night Beat" 6/19/52 episode I
had labled "Dollie Gibson Framed" is, in logs, called "Railroaded" If I
had been thinking I should have found it my self.
I wonder are "framed" and "railroaded" synonyms in the world of OTR
reporters, pvt detectives and police , just a thought ?
Michael Biel and others really did a great job of analyzing "Eerie Stories"
and why a finding a date is not probable.
I have alway heard that Professors don't loose their heads because they have
a good heard on their shoulders.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:17:49 -0500
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 12-14 births/deaths
December 14th births
12-14-1884 - Jane Cowl - Boston, MA - d. 6-22-1950
actor: "Great Plays"; "Brownstone Theatre"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
12-14-1893 - Carl Brisson - Copenhagen, Denmark - d. 9-26-1958
singer, actor: "A Voice In the Night"
12-14-1894 - Theo Goetz - d. 12-29-1972
actor: Papa Bauer "The Guiding Light"
12-14-1898 - Lillian Randolph - Louisville, KY - d. 9-12-1980
actor: Birdie Lee Coggins "Great Gildersleeve"; Sapphire's Mama "Amos
'n' Andy"
12-14-1899 - DeFord Bailey - Smith County, TN - d. 7-2-1982
harmonica soloist: "WSM's Barn Dance"; "Grand Old Opry"
12-14-1909 - "Symphony Sid" Torin - NYC - d. 9-21-1984
disk jockey specializing in jazz. Worked for several New York stations
12-14-1910 - Erskine Johnson - Racine, WI - d. 6-14-1984
columnist: "Hollywood News"; "Let's Talk Hollywood"
12-14-1911 - Spike Jones - Long Beach, CA - d. 5-1-1965
bandleader: "Bob Burns, The Arkansas Traveler"; "Spike Jones Show"
12-14-1912 - Gurney Bell - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-xx-1976
singer: (Member Sportsmen Quartet) "Jack Benny Program"
12-14-1912 - Morey Amsterdam - Chicago, IL - d. 10-29-1996
comedian: "Morey Amsterdan Show"
12-14-1915 - Dan Dailey - NYC - d. 10-16-1978
singer, actor: "King's Men"; "Philip Morris Playhouse"
12-14-1915 - Jerry Daniels - d. 11-7-1995
singer: (Member of the Ink Spots) "The Four Ink Spots"; "Let's Go
Nightclubbing"
12-14-1919 - Shirley Jackson - San Francisco, CA - d. 8-8-1965
writer: "NBC Presents: Short Story"
12-14-1932 - George Furth - Chicago, IL
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
12-14-1934 - Johnny Moore - d. 12-30-1998
lead singer: (Member of The Drifters) "Camel Rock and Roll Party"
12-14-1947 - Patty Duke - Elmhurst, NY
actor: "Zero Hour"
December 14th deaths
01-14-1906 - William Bendix - NYC - d. 12-14-1964
actor: Chester A. Riley "Life of Riley"
01-17-1874 - Edna Wallace Hopper - San Francisco, CA - d. 12-14-1959
Gave beauty tips on the networks 1930-1932
02-25-1914 - John Arlott - Basingstoke, England - d. 12-14-1991
BBC radio cricket commentator
02-26-1875 - Emma Dunn - Cheshire, England - d. 12-14-1966
actor: "The Eveready Hour"
03-11-1909 - Ramona - Lockland, OH - d. 12-14-1972
singer, pianist: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Paul Whiteman's Musical Varities"
04-20-1897 - Gregory Ratoff - St. Petersburg, Russia - d. 12-14-1960
panelist: "Information, Please"
05-25-1925 - Jeanne Crain - Barstow, CA - d. 12-14-2003
actor: "Screen Guild Players"; "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Hallmark Playhouse"
06-04-1906 - Richard Whorf - Winthrop, MA - d. 12-14-1966
actor: "Cavalcade of America"; "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Jack Benny
Program"
06-29-1911 - Milt Josefsberg - NYC - d. 12-14-1987
writer: "Jack Benny Program"; "Bob Hope Show"
07-18-1908 - Lupe Velez - San Luis Potosi, Mexico - d. 12-14-1944
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Speed Show"
07-20-1890 - Verna Felton - Salinas, CA - d. 12-14-1966
actor: Blossom Blimp "Sealtest Village Store"; Liz Pierce "Judy
Canova Show"
07-23-1894 - Arthur Treacher - Brighton, England - d. 12-14-1975
actor: "Philco Radio Playhouse"; "Philip Morris Playhouse on Broadway"
08-02-1905 - Myrna Loy - Raidersburg, MT - d. 12-14-1993
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
08-03-1885 - Arthur Sinclair - Dublin, Ireland - d. 12-14-1951
actor: John A. Considine "Jumbo Fire Chief Program"
08-06-1903 - Henry Burbig - d. 12-14-1980
dialect comedian: "Burbig's Syncopated History"; "Vitaphone Hour"
08-08-1896 - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - Washington, [removed] - d. 12-14-1953
novelist: "Stars in the Air"
08-29-1924 - Dinah Washington - Tuscaloosa, AL - d. 12-14-1963
blues singer: "Jubilee"; "Bob Hope Show"; "One Night Stand"
09-23-1893 - Louis Sorin - NYC - d. 12-14-1961
actor: Pan Pancho "Cisco Kid"
10-10-1911 - Marion Shockley - Kansas City, MO - d. 12-14-1981
actor: Rosemary Levy "Abie's Irish Rose"; Nikki Porter "Advs. of
Ellery Queen"
11-07-1913 - Margorie Anderson - London, England - d. 12-14-1999
disc jockey: "Forces Favourites"; "Woman's Hour"; "Home for the Day"
11-11-1918 - Stubby Kaye - NYC - d. 12-14-1997
comic, singer, actor: "The Heartbeat of Broadway"
11-16-1919 - Marion Bell - St. Louis, MO - d. 12-14-1997
actor, singer: "The Railroad Hour"
12-01-1892 - Charlie Bachman - Chicago, IL - d. 12-14-1985
football coach: "Football Predictions"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #349
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