Subject: [removed] Digest V2001 #309
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 9/20/2001 8:13 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2001 : Issue 309
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Re: Hudnut                            [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
  5 Favorites & KMA                     [ "William Harper" <whhsa@[removed] ]
  when the lights go on again all over  [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
  THANKS TO JIM FARST                   [ "JOSEPH ANDOLINA, JR." <nostalgic@p ]
  Blondie And Dagwood                   [ lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed]; ]
  Sound Effects                         [ Alan Bell <bella@[removed]; ]
  News today and news 60 years ago      [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
  WEAF, WJZ and WABC                    [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
  The Dark Side of OTR                  [ "Ryan Hall" <uncle_festor@[removed] ]
  Jack Benny on tv                      [ dabac@[removed] ]
  WTC Attack footage                    [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
  apples and oranges                    [ Michael Berger <intercom1@attglobal ]
  Red Skelton Pledge of Allegiance      [ "Doug Leary" <dleary@[removed]; ]
  false memory syndrome                 [ ClifSr@[removed] ]
  Vera Lynn                             [ "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed]; ]
  Lights ....                           [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
  Accuracy In News                      [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
  More Vera Lynn                        [ "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed]; ]
  WEAF                                  [ dougdouglass@[removed] ]
  Looking for OTR News programs from A  [ passage@[removed] ]
  Digby O'Dell                          [ "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed] ]
  OTR movies                            [ "Joe Salerno" <sergei01@[removed] ]
  Benny Goodman's Palomar Ballroom Bro  [ "Cumming, Alec (NBC)" <[removed] ]
  Re:Digger O'Dell                      [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 21:44:28 -0400
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Hudnut

Richard Hudnut was a cosmetics manufacturer, much
like Max Factor.  He might've been a precursor of Max
Factor, but I'm not sure. As I recall, his firm sponsored
several other shows as well as the "Bergen and McCarthy"
program.  I can't recall what shows they were, however.

I believe the firm itself went out of business some years
ago.

I was listening to one of the "Kay Kyser's Kollege of  Musical
Knowledge" tapes that I own and remember one of the questions
had something to do with Richard Hudnut.

Kenneth Clarke

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

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 21:45:02 -0400
From: "William Harper" <whhsa@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  5 Favorites & KMA

Dear Folks;
Please continue to pray for the victims of September 11, 2001!

My 5 favorites OTR are (were):
1. Straight Arrow (This was my all time favorite and still is!!!  My
research locally revealed that I my have had only less than a year to listen
to Straight Arrow, but the familiar opening - "N-A-B-I-S-C-O is the name to
know. For a breakfast you can't beat, eat NABISCO Shredded Wheat" echoes in
my mine even as I write this.  I can hear the rich voice of Frank Bingman
with an Indian musical motif background played on the organ by Milton
Charles. This and the cave sequence has stayed with me through the years and
eventually led my family to begin a research project that continues and a
Straight Arrow newsletter - POW-WOW - that lasted 13 years.
2. The Shadow
3. The Lone Ranger
4. Bobby Benson B-Bar-B Riders
5. Tom Mix
As you can see most were westerns.  I might have gone on to like other
programming, but the radio began "smoking" in 1952 and quit.  It was not
until I had a Philco portable in my late teens did I listen to radio again
and of course it was for the music!

Recently our Straight Arrow research got us in contact with KMA radio. We
were referred to Evelyn Birkby, who entered radio in 1950 and still does a
live program weekly.  We ordered a book her son, Robert Birkby, wrote; KMA
Radio, The First 60 Years.  It is a fantastic look at radio from the
beginning through the advent of KMA forming a TV station.  The book does not
cover national programming, but it dealt with the life blood of early radio
- local productions.  You can contact Evelyn Birkby about this book at
ebirkby@[removed].

I am 60 years old, for those keeping score.
Peace
Hi Lois
Bill

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

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:10:32 -0400
From: Jer51473@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  when the lights go on again all over the world

  I dont know what version YUSA has been playing, but the most popular
version during WW2, as i remember, was by Vaughn Monroe.

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

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:11:08 -0400
From: "JOSEPH  ANDOLINA, JR." <nostalgic@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  THANKS TO JIM FARST

Jim Farst, if you're out there to read this, I wanted to thank you for
sending me the CD of mp3 Six Shooter shows!!! I received it but since I had
my computer crash some weeks back due to the virus, I lost all emails I
originally had. I will be getting the shows to Pat French shortly. she and
Jim are away on vacation currently. As I mentioned previously, she was
exctied to hear that the shows existed and also thanks you for your
generosity.   Please email me directly at nostalgic@[removed] to let me
know you saw this posting.
To everyone, as we've gotten back to some form of normalicy as much as we
could at this time since the tragedy we all experienced that tuesday, I just
wanted to wish everyone well. And my prayers continiue to go out to all that
have lost loved ones because of the events. I myself have a good friend who
lost a son in one of the towers.
With old time radio to listen to, at least we are blessed to be able to
escape some of the reality of today's world and visit a time that at least
today, seems so simpler in our imaginations.

Joe

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

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:17:44 -0400
From: lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Blondie And Dagwood

Hello- I am looking for some Blondie And Dagwood shows
on cassette.  I prefer to trade but will consider
other options.  If you know of a good source I would
appreciate hearing from you at my e-mail address.
Thank You!!

Quote from The Burns And ALlen Show. " Remember Mrs.
Burns Keep Smilin!" The happy postman.

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

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:18:01 -0400
From: Alan Bell <bella@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Sound Effects

I know this has come up before, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to
bring it up again. What references do you recommend for people
interested in how sound effects were done in the old days? I'm
especially interested in hearing from people who mount recreations.
I've gotten a couple of requests recently from people interested in
doing some production and, aside from a couple books in our
university library that is of limited use, I'm sort of at a loss.
--
Alan Bell
Grandville, MI
bella@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 00:04:46 -0400
From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  News today and news 60 years ago

Bob Watson <crw912@[removed]; wrote:

Why was a CBS reporter sending a report to rival NBC???  Who knows.  Why
did CNN release to the other news services it's vivid and most horrifying
video of the 747 crashing into the second tower of the WTC???  Maybe there
was an edit job because the NBC report was too poor in sound.  Or maybe NBC
"swiped" the incoming shortwave signal.

It's also possible that the feed was routed to NBC by mistake; as I
understand it RCA Communications received such feeds for all networks.

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 00:05:44 -0400
From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  WEAF, WJZ and WABC

Lee Munsick (leemunsick@[removed]) wrote:

In the same alphabet swoop (ouch), ABC changed WJZ to WABC, swiping the
call from CBS, which re-named that NYC outlet WCBS.

Uh-uh.  There was no way for ABC to get the call until CBS chose to drop
[removed] in fact the Columbia station became WCBS long before the (former)
Blue station changed to WABC.

We today are all lacking that great old standard reference "White's Radio
Log", so I do not know if there is a WEAF extant.

But we *do* have an FCC database available on their Web site, which shows no
entry for WEAF in AM, FM or TV.  (Which reminds me that there was a WEAF-FM,
which became WNBC-FM, but WJZ's FM sister wasn't started until after the
Blue Network was sold.)

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:22:33 -0400
From: "Ryan Hall" <uncle_festor@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  The Dark Side of OTR

OK,
I will concede the point that maybe I was out of line comparing news from
the OTR era and the present, so please stop sending me hate mail! You would
not believe some of the horrible derogatory comments and downright offensive
name calling e-mails that I received from other OTR fans on this list
because of this posting. I won't name names, but can we please keep this on
an adult level in the future please?
[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:22:40 -0400
From: dabac@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jack Benny on tv

I was wondering why you never see reruns of his program? If anyone has
any information I`d be very interested in hearing it.   -Dan

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:23:55 -0400
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  WTC Attack footage

In a message dated 9/19/01 8:48:42 PM, [removed]@[removed]
writes:

Why was a CBS reporter sending a report to rival NBC???  Who knows.  Why
did CNN release to the other news services it's vivid and most horrifying
video of the 747 crashing into the second tower of the WTC???  Maybe there
was an edit job because the NBC report was too poor in sound. Or maybe NBC
"swiped" the incoming shortwave signal.   Or maybe, as was the case with
CNN.  CBS simply chose to share the information with its rival in order to
keep the public informed with as much of the correct information as
possible.

***Actually, it was announced a few times on-air that all the networks had
agreed to share any and all filmed footage in view of the gravity of the WTC
attack.  I recall newscasters claiming that Tuesday that the sharing/pooling
was unprecedented in broadcasting history . . . as was the attack itself.
--Anthony Tollin***

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:25:18 -0400
From: Michael Berger <intercom1@[removed];
To: otr <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  apples and oranges

Although  Chris Chandler's comment about Eurocentric reporting in
the  late  30s  and  early  40s  has  merit, I think the enormous
differences  in technology make it very difficult to compare news
coverage in 1941 and 2001. Even if we limit comparisons to radio,
the  1941  reliance  on  telephone  lines  or  shortwave was very
primitive  compared to the satellite coverage possible today from
virtually any location. There were no leased lines or even direct
dialing  from country to country, or from Hawaii to the mainland,
for  that  matter. So speed and reliability of communication were
very spotty.

Listen  to  any  overseas  report during the war and you'll often
notice  heavy  interference,  often  causing  whole reports to be
scrubbed because of atmospheric conditions.

Still, as  PH  day tapes reveal,  many  evening  programs had brief
bulletins  before  and  after  and  sometimes  in  the middle, in
addition  to  which  there  were many commentaries by the talking
heads  of  the  day. On Dec. 8, one network program was devoted
almost  entirely  to  reading  editorial  comments  from major US
papers.

And there was another major factor: heavy censorship.

It began when a report from Hawaii on Dec. 7 was cut off by an operator
who  needed  the  line  for military use. An early report from
Manila  before  the  bombing  began  there sounded like they were
scripted by the Army [ 'everything's quiet [removed]'].

The  full  scale of the disaster at PH didn't emerge for nearly a
year,  when  an  official  report  finally revealed the losses in
human life and materiel.

Moreover,   all  western  media  in  Tokyo  were  cut  off  from
communications  as were newspaper correspondents, who depended on
cables  to file their dispatches. Again: primitive technology; no
faxes,  no  satellite  phones.   Thus the most valuable source of
news  outside  of  Hawaii was immediately blacked out, except for
Japanese government propaganda.

And finally, the talking heads who were around in those days knew
precious little about Japan or Asia, even though they were touted
as  experts,  leaving  little  but  sheer speculation for program
content,  often  based  on  wild rumors. In that case, less would
have been better.

Michael Berger

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:25:28 -0400
From: "Doug Leary" <dleary@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Red Skelton Pledge of Allegiance

The audio can be heard here:

[removed]~[removed]

Doug Leary

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:25:37 -0400
From: ClifSr@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  false memory syndrome

Like lots of other geezers, I vividly "remember"  hearing the symphony
broadcast  interrupted for the Pearl Harbor announcement when I was a
youngster back in '41. Now the historians say it didn't happen. Which proves
that as you get older, the memory goes to pot along with everything else.

Clif Martin

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:25:51 -0400
From: "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Vera Lynn

Vera Lynn had three great songs that I recall hearing on the radio back in
the 40s.  Both were associated with WW2.  As aforementioned, there was "When
The Lights Go On Again All Over the World."   The lyrics to this song had a
small reprise in the original MASH film, where the lights went off and then
on again in the surgical tent.   The medics sang the lyric in a bit of
"dark" comedy.   Wonder how many people caught that reference back to WW2 in
the movie set in Korea?

Another Vera Lynn song that got a lot of airplay during and after WW2 was
"The White Cliffs of Dover."   A great old Brit nostalgic, romantic setting.
"There'll be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover."

And the greatest reprise of a Vera Lynn song was her version of a song over
the horrific bomb blast footage with the closing titles to the DR.
STRANGELOVE film.   That song was "We'll Meet Again."   As in "We'll meet
again.  Don't know where.  Don't know when.   But I'll know we'll meet again
some sunny day."   As a portion of the lyrics go.

Vera Lynn's vocals were often accompanied by a chorus that sounded like a
bunch of people having a good time in a bar or in a similar pleasant
songfest.   I loved those arrangements.  She recorded some fabulous songs!
And her songs are also well-remembered because they did something way back
then
with one mic on the singer and a few others on the band that they don't
today with 100 tracks of mono.   Thus with simpler recording techniques, you
could HEAR ALL THE WORDS!  :)

Best,

Jim Stokes

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:26:50 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Lights ....

Duane Keilstrup made mention of the patriotic World War II song, "When
The Lights Go On Again All Over The World, noting,

The great song being played on Yesterday USA is Vera Lynn's recording
of "When the Lights Go on Again All Over the World."  YUSA has been
playing a special presentation of American patriotic songs and
recitations.

This song reflects a practice that happened during World War II, the
blackout.  In those simpler days, lights were either extinguished
(usually) or blocked from spilling out through windows via "blackout
curtains"  to prevent enemy bombers from having a landmark for bombing
runs at night.  Naturally the song also had a symbolic aspect, but it
basically was a blackout song.

Those who are into radio premiums might recall that The Lone Ranger and
Captain Midnight offered blackout kits as premiums.  my Captain Midnight
Masgic Blackout Lite-Ups papers still luminesce faithfully, some 59 years
after they were issued.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:27:30 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Accuracy In News

Bob Watson notes, anent news coverage,

The true bottom line is getting the news out as quickly as possible,
and hopefully as accurate as possible.  The accurate part has always been
a problem, though.  And in this day and age of instant
accessability, it is often difficult to tell rumor from truth.

This was and is always the case.

Some of us, being critical of today's news coverage, may have left
those younger members of the forum to believe that some of the misfires
and mishandling of the news didn't happen back in 1941.

In the definitive history of the Pearl Harbor attack, At Dawn We Slept,
by Gordon Prange, he relates, "In Washington, [Secretary of the Navy
Frank] Knox had returned to his office ....   [Chief of Naval Operations,
Admiral Harold] Stark and [Rear Admiral Richmond] Turner joined him in a
discussion which lasted about an hour. ... [A] naval commander appeared
at the door with a dispatch.  [Knox' confidential assistant, John] Dillon
recalled that the message went 'something like "We are being attacked.
This is no drill."' ... Knox read it incredulously.  Obviously confused,
he blurted out, 'My God.  This can't be true, this must mean the
Philippines."'

Thus, it's understandable that right at the beginning of the newscasts,
some speculation might have been reported as fact.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:28:01 -0400
From: "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  More Vera Lynn

I got curious about all the lyrics to Vera Lynn's most famous song, "We'll
Meet Again," so I put those words up on my Google browser and did a search.
It led me to seveal web sites, on of which was the 1939 reference to the
song.   The song plays in .wav as you view the web site.

And as a tie-in today's horrific news, the site is linked to several WW2
sites of military units with dates and details of WW2 battles.   Even as we
were attacked, recall that London was nearly levelled to the ground during
WW2.

Best,

Jim Stokes

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 09:44:45 -0400
From: dougdouglass@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  WEAF

Follow-up to Elizabeth's post ....

The transmitter in Port Washington, Long Island was used until 1962,
when WNBC moved to High Island  (accessible by footbridge from City
Island) off The Bronx. The tower is shared WCBS, formerly on man-made
Columbia Island near New Rochelle. Current calls for 660 are WFAN.

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 11:49:28 -0400
From: passage@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Looking for OTR News programs from August -
 November 1941

Hi All,

I received the following email message requesting any news items
from the period mentioned in the subject line.  Shawn originally
asked I just send a request of only 3 lines and included what he's
sending to others in the OTR community.  I've decided to send the
complete message, as it really is something the OTR community
can do in these times.  Please send all replies to Shawn Welch at:
    [removed]@[removed]

Thanks, Frank

The message follows:
- ---------
Hi!
        Can you help us obtain OTR news broadcasts from the period of
September 1940 through July 1942 (most critically we are looking for
broadcasts from August - November 1941)?
 
        I am asking this on behalf of a small non-profit educational
organization whose focus is living history presentations at National, State
and local government parks and schools.  We are currently scheduled to
present a program at Ft. Pickens (Florida) from 19-21 October which will
have a focus on the fall of 1941 prior to the US entry into WWII.  We really
need a good cross section of news (at least two or three 15 minute
broadcasts per week) from the months of August through November.  We use
these broadcasts to familiarize ourselves with the period's hot issues, and
as part of our presentations (along with other OTR).  It is great material
to "set the mood" and give people a feel for what the issues of the time
were and how those issues were presented to the American people on a daily
basis.  We have been providing these presentations (free of charge) for a
couple of years now, and not only is it a rewarding hobby, it gives a little
something back to our nation.  
        To give you an idea of what we do, visit our website at:
[removed] and look at our
events page.  The work we do is best shown on the events pages.  Our
upcoming event at Ft. Pickens coincides with the 13th Coast Artillery
Regiment's reunion at the park - the unit (and these were the men) who
manned the harbor defenses of Pensacola from 1939-1940.  So, we have a very
important reason for being as accurate as we can be.  Having good radio
tapes playing in the background goes a long way to setting the stage.  It
draws people to the area and triggers tons of [removed] is what
learning is all about!
        As a field grade officer in our army (yes, I am active duty
military), accuracy is especially important to me and my associates. By the
way, most of us in AGFA are not active duty military.  Most everyone else is
in another profession and our ranks include all from insurance adjusters to
librarians to PhD's.  Having said that and reviewed our website, I think you
probably get the picture of what we do, and why we do it.  By the way, our
collections of equipment are all privately (personally) owned.  As you can
see, we take our "hobby" pretty seriously.  
        Given what has happened in recent days, all of us involved in this
upcoming presentation feel it is especially important that we provide a
quality program.  Having a good cross section of news presentations would go
a long way towards that end.
 
        Can you help us?  Do you have any cassette tapes or MP3 files for
sale that would help meet our requirements?
 
        Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing from
you soon.
        Shawn Welch
 

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 16:33:45 -0400
From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Digby O'Dell

As Jimmidean Murphy ([removed]'s a great Irish name!!) suggests asking
another Irishman, Digby O'Dell, The Friendly Undertaker on that Irish radio
program "The Life Of Riley," for an epitaph -I'd guess that 'ol Digger would
probably say:

"I'd be the last one to let you down!"

Russ Butler  russbutler@[removed]
(...with family roots in Kilkenney, Ireland :-)

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 16:34:19 -0400
From: "Joe Salerno" <sergei01@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  OTR movies

     I just saw a item obout a book "Behind Your Radio Dial" put out by
[removed] I believe would be the same title of a film short made for
movie theaters in 1948.

What are other movies that might be of interest to OTR fans?

Either about OTR, broadcasters, or about the industry - fiction or
documentary?

Joe Salerno

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 17:33:09 -0400
From: "Cumming, Alec (NBC)" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Benny Goodman's Palomar Ballroom Broadcast

On August 21, 1935 Benny Goodman's band played a legendary gig at the
Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. It's frequently asserted that the band
threw aside its tame arrangements and played with a go-for-broke attitude
that drove the audience [removed] truly began the Swing Era.

I believe that show was broadcast. But does anyone know by whom? And do
recordings exist of that show?

Thank you,

Alec Cumming

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

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 22:08:44 -0400
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:Digger O'Dell

Someone recently listed the character name of Digley
O'Dell (the friendly undertaker) from "The Life of Riley".
I always thought his name was Digby O'Dell ([removed]
Digger O'Dell).

I remember how he used to enter the scene with Riley
with a characteristic line such as "I say, Riley, you're
looking quite natural this morning."

As far as epitaphs go (with an OTR spin), I haven't thought
that far ahead as yet.  The only ones which come to mind
are:

"Say good night, Gracie." (a quote from George Burns)

and one which has already been taken:

"I knew if I hung around long enough something like this would
happen."

Who did it belong to?

Kenneth Clarke

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2001 Issue #309
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