------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 405
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Jack Benny DVD [ <drwgl@[removed]; ]
Re: Dragnet: Radio vs. TV [ "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@ea ]
12-24 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Re: Worst radio program [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
: Jack Lester [ "Jim Harmon" <jimharmonotr@charter. ]
OTR Movie: "You'll Find Out" [ Doug Berryhill <fibbermac@[removed] ]
The Whistler [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Richard Coogan [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
In the Crimelite [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
Christmas weekend with Walden Hughes [ BryanH362@[removed] ]
Re: Best of the Worst [ "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 14:26:16 -0500
From: <drwgl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Benny DVD
I picked up a DVD of Jack Benny holiday TV shows at the Dollar Tree. The
Christmas episode has Jack Christmas shopping with all of the old radio gags
from past Christmas shows.
To keep this on-topic, the second show is a New Year's Eve (1955) show where
Jack and crew tell their traditional New Years fable in OTR style. No
costumes, scenery, or props. Just two mikes, chairs, and a sound man (and no
pages dropping to the floor!). There is even a box for the child actor to
stand on in order to share a mike with Jack.
I don't know how accurate the re-enactment is, but it is presented as an
attempt to show the TV audience how the radio show works.
Merry Christmas!
Giles Lindley
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:57:30 -0500
From: "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Dragnet: Radio vs. TV
Philip Railsback asks:
So what happened? Why was the 1960's show so bad? Is it that the
techniques of realism circa 1950 were hopelessly outdated by 1967?
Not at all - if Webb had taken the time to shoot the 1967-70 show the way he
did the first three seasons of the original "Dragnet", or the features you
mentioned, and if the scripts had been as well-written as those of the early
radio [removed] then there wouldn't be an issue.
Alas, by that time Webb was more interested in making and keeping money than
in flexing his creative muscles. Locations were kept to a bare minimum; sets
were sparsely dressed; cases were chosen not for any possible aesthetic
value, but for how quickly and cheaply they could be shot. Even so, there's
a handful of great color episodes, with moments that equal the best of
"Dragnet" in any medium.
Now if you want to talk about police procedure, there's NO WAY that Webb
could have Friday and Gannon taking down perps and interrogating witnesses
the way Friday did with Romero and Smith. I'd say about two-thirds the
procedures you hear on the radio series (and thus in the b&w TV episodes)
were illegal by 1967. Moreover, Chief Thomas Reddin (who died about three
weeks ago) was not the crime-buster that Chief Parker was, being more
concerned with the public's perception of police after the '65 Watts
[removed] hence all those community service episodes.
When TV Land brought back Dragnet, too bad they chose the color one instead
of the real one (not that I have cable anyway, but it might have helped
Webb's reputation if they had shown the fifties version).
No argument there. However, the color version was an absolute cash cow
during the seventies in [removed] thanks to people like you and your
friend. And at the risk of infuriating you and others on this list, I will
say this: I showed my two oldest children "The Big High" (baby drowns in
bathtub due to stoned-on-pot parental neglect) before they were teenagers.
They haven't touched marijuana or anything else, and they're now adults. My
eight-year-old daughter will see it next year. Whenever Webb took the time
to dramatize something rather than preach it, it worked. It still does.
Michael
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:58:28 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 12-24 births/deaths
December 24th births
12-24-1886 - Michael Curtiz - Budapest, Hungary - d. 4-10-1962
film director: "Lady Esther Screen Guild Theatre"; Screen Director's Playhouse"
12-24-1893 - Harry Warren - NYC - d. 9-22-1981
composer: "Good News of 1940"; "Great Moments to Music"
12-24-1895 - Ruth Chatterton - NYC - d. 11-24-1961
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
12-24-1906 - Franz Waxman - Konigshutte, Germany - d. 2-24-1967
composer-conductor: "Good News of 1939"
12-24-1910 - Fritz Leiber - Chicago, IL - d. 9-5-1992
science fiction writer: "X Minus One"; "Future Tense"; "Audion Theatre"
12-24-1910 - Mitchell Ayres - Milwaukee, WI (Raised: NYC) - d. 9-5-1969
bandleader: "Dunninger Show"; "Chesterfield Supper Club"
12-24-1915 - Helen Brown - WA - d. 9-9-1994
actress: Miss Foster "Big Town"
12-24-1920 - John Barron - London, England - d. 7-3-2004
actor: "Dad's Army"; "Brothers In Law"
12-24-1922 - Ava Gardner - Grabtown, NC - d. 1-25-1990
actress: "So Proudly We Hail"; "Prudential Family Hour of Stars"
December 24th deaths
01-25-1878 - Ernest Alexanderson - Uppsala, Sweden - d. 5-14-1975
engineer: Possibly first voice ever heard on radio 12-24-1906
05-26-1895 - Norma Talmadge - Jersey City, NJ - d. 12-24-1957
actress: "Thirty Minutes in Hollywood"
05-31-1898 - Norman Vincent Peale - Bowersville, OH - d. 12-24-1993
preacher: "Art of Living"
06-29-1911 - Bernard Herrmann - NYC - d. 12-24-1975
conductor, composer: "Columbia Workshop"; "Mercury Theatre on the
Air/Campbell Playhouse"
09-07-1923 - Peter Lawford - London, England - d. 12-24-1984
actor: "Radio Reader's Digest"; "Suspense"
11-23-1888 - Nana Bryant - Cincinnati, OH - d. 12-24-1955
actress: Miss Tilsey "Fabulous Dr. Tweedy"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:59:03 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Worst radio program
Tom Barnett asked:
I am interested in what OTR Digesters feel were some the *worst* programs of
old radio. I am just unfamiliar with what some of the bad programs were.
Let's face it - not everything that made the airwaves was necessarily worth
saving, let alone listening to again.
In two, or is it three words?
AMOS 'N' ANDY
Possibly the worst of the worst, can't get much worse than Amos 'n; Andy.
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 19:51:39 -0500
From: "Jim Harmon" <jimharmonotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: : Jack Lester
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Hello --
The world of old time radio should want to know the sad news of the
passing of Jack Lester, one of the actors to portray Sky King on radio, as
well as many other roles.
His full legal name was Jack Lester Swineford, and when he started working
as a voice on KMOA, Oklahoma City in 1939, the program director suggested he
drop the last name. He did one of his first dramatic shows there, a Western
called "Whistlin' Jimmy Steele". Later on he moved to Chicago and did many
soap operas like "Ma Perkins", reported the news, once substituting during
several weeks for Paul Harvey. He did Sky King with Mike Wallace as his
announcer.
He also worked in TV and movies, working on "Dragnet" a number of times.
He was the stuntman for Broderick Crawford on "Highway Patrol", doing a lot of
the driving for him. His best role in movies was as a Western sheriff in "The
Amazing Two-Headed Transplant" with Ray Milland.
He was born Aug. 10, 1915 in Oklahoma, and died September 18, 2004 near
North Hills, California of natural causes due to his advanced age. He served
in the Army Air Corps in World War II, 1942 to 1945 as a weatherman in South
America. After the war, he became a pilot on the [removed] Bill. Much earlier, he
rode in the cavalry as an [removed] cadet in college. He was well qualified
to play the cowboy-pilot Sky King.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Loretta, a wonderful lady I knew and
was very fond of.
He is survived by his two sons, Kevin, an inventor and technician in the
aerospace industry, and John, a tennis professional.
I knew Jack for nearly thirty years, first introduced to me by Curley
Bradley, radio's Tom Mix.
Along with another Chicago actor, Art Hern, they were a close group, and came
to accept the young whipper snapper, me, as another of the pack. I hadn't
been in touch with Jack much for the last two or three years as his interest
in religion and politics seemed to surpass our mutual interests. I missed
talking with him, and I will always be glad to have known him. It is
encouraging to us grown up kids -- even grown old kids now -- that Jack
Lester, Curley Bradley and Brace Beemer shared so many of the outstanding
qualities of the radio heroes they portrayed.
-- Jim Harmon
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 20:46:46 -0500
From: Doug Berryhill <fibbermac@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR Movie: "You'll Find Out"
In the catagory of movies with OTR themes, I don't
think anyone has mentioned one of my favorites, the
1940 film "You'll Find Out".
Although it isn't easy to find on video, it's well
worth the effort for any fans of Kay Kyser. The film
is a vehicle for Kyser and it opens with Kay doing a
performance of his radio show "Kay Kyser's Kollege of
Musical Knowledge". I am unsure if this is a realistic
presentation of his radio show or if it is a
Hollywood-ized (phoney-baloney) version of the radio
show. If you close your eyes, it sure sounds like what
the radio show was like.
The film is probably best known for the rare (perhaps
only?) pairing of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, AND
Peter Lorre in the same film. (And slightly off-topic
here, if anybody knows the story of how these three
actors, who were stars in their own right by 1940,
wound up agreeing to play second-banana supporting
roles to Kay Kyser and Ish Kabibble, I'd be fascinated
to hear the story.) Hence, the film is universally
panned by critics who wanted to see more of Karloff,
Lugosi, and Lorre and less of Kyser and Kabibble. But
for fans of both old horror movies and old time radio,
like me, it's a real hoot.
-FIBBERMAC-
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 22:28:30 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Whistler
Philip commented:
Very interesting theory. And makes perfect sense. Except that I've never
heard the Whistler in question. Someone mentioned the possibility that that
Whistler episode was turned into a movie. Is that possible?
That particular radio script was never adapted into a feasible movie script.
Columbia purchased the screen rights to THE WHISTLER as an excuse to film
and release a number of low-budget B-movies which would have made nice
mysteries but without an angle, they were going nowhere. Thus they added
the shadowous narrator whose figure appeared on the walls during the movie.
Richard Dix was a frequent actor in the film series, and William Castle
actually began his directing for a Whistler movie. Eight were made total.
Martin Grams, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 22:29:14 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Richard Coogan
Anyone know if Richard Coogan is still around? If so, where? The Ellery
Queen Mystery Magazine has a staff member needing to contact him to solve a
mystery . . .
Martin Grams, Jr.
mmargrajr@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 10:00:52 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: In the Crimelite
On February 25, 1935, a new drama series debuted on radio station KMTR out
of Hollywood, California called IN THE CRIMELITE. They planned to do
dramatizations of true-life crimes in the manner of CALLING ALL CARS. Their
first offering was a play based on the Jeske kidnapping ordeal. It was
written and produced by George Neff and starred Robert Horner, Virginia
Howard, and Sista Azelle (that's quite a name!). A friend of mine is
searching for any info about this radio series, most particular the premiere
broadcast. Any info would be of help, let me know and I'll pass on her
e-mail to you.
Martin Grams, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 10:01:08 -0500
From: BryanH362@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Christmas weekend with Walden Hughes and
Friends
Hear live via the internet at [removed].
Take notice of the special start times this weekend.
Friday 12-24-04
Walden will start at noon and Frank Bresee will join him around 1 [removed] PST
Walden will be live until 6 [removed] PST then 3 hours on tape . Walden will be
back on live around 9 [removed] PST and will play more Christmas OTR.
Who knows when Walden will call it a night.
Walden will play an incredible amount of OTR including these following
special programming:
A: (from the vault) an interview Frank did with Mae West on his Golden Days
of radio Christmas show.
B: (at 6pm or shortly thereafter ) Frank Bresee's 1982 Golden Days
Christmas 2 hour show with 18 stars performing in front of an audience.
Saturday 12-25-04
Walden comes on late 9 [removed] PST
A: replay of Mike Biel quiz.
B. more Christmas OTR shows.
Sunday 12-26-04
The show will start at 4:30 PST with the Jack Benny special. This date
marks
the 30 years since death of Jack Benny. Laura Leff will join Walden to talk
about Jack, take calls from the audiences at (714) 545-2071. Some of the
shows will be 12-10-44, 12-17-44, and 12-24-44. Laura will be live for much
of
the broadcast.
B. Mike Biel will introduce a quiz based upon broadcasting. Listen to the
show and send Walden your answer at hughes1@[removed] There will be a prize!
A CD with very rare Amos Andy broadcast from 1929, a 1960s interview with
Charles Correll done in Chicago. Plus other special Amos and Andy
recordings.
C. more Jack Benny audio material including the CBS TV special on Jack
Benny passing on 12-27-74, special sneak preview show Jack did over at CBS
before he left NBC. This preview show was done during Christmas time of
1948. Jack's appearance on 12-25-49 "Hot Point Holiday Hour" where Jack is
the
lead in the show The Man Who Came to Dinner.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 10:06:09 -0500
From: "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Best of the Worst
"Barnett, Tom L" <[removed]@[removed]; inquired:
I am interested in what OTR Digesters feel were some the *worst*
programs of old radio. I am just unfamiliar with what some of the
bad programs were. Let's face it - not everything that made the
airwaves was necessarily worth saving, let alone listening to again.
I have a few nominations, sorted by category:
WORST "COMEDY" PROGRAM - "The Jack Webb Show", ABC (West Coast), 1946.
Yes, that's right. Jack Webb, in his first feature radio vehicle, fronted a
comedy-variety program.
Broadcast out of San Francisco, this show was an odd mix of the worst puns
and one-line gags from the days of vaudeville and some of the driest,
tightest, most biting satires ever heard on radio. Gin-and-vermouth dry.
Satire tough enough to make Freberg and Allen look like Joe Penner in
comparison.
So dry, the audiences never quite seem able to figure out the comedy.
Long, silent pauses fill these shows where Webb and his other writers (of
whom, to paraphrase Tom Lehrer, there were likely =none=) apparently
expected gales of knowing laughter. Stretches where the audience =does=
react are those following one of the hoary old groan-inducing yuks, ancient
already sixty years ago.
Even if you do "get" the better material, it still feels oddly disturbing to
do so, as if one is laughing inappropriately given that no one else seems to
find anything funny. And comedy shouldn't leave one ill at ease for having
enjoyed it. Especially not =while= one is enjoying it. But those enjoyable
bits are few and far between, and you'll spend more time cringing at the
surrounding dreadful material. A =lot= more time.
(Runner-up, "The Milton Berle Show", NBC, 1947-8. Format apparently based
directly on rejected Henry Morgan scripts, without the wit, charm or skill
of the Great Curmudgeon. Stealing gags is easy; stealing talent is darned
near impossible. And this show proves it.)
WORST PUBLIC-AFFAIRS PROGRAM - "The Circle", CBS, 1939.
Roundtable discussion program confronting serious political and social
issues of the day. Panelists included Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Ronald
Colman, and Groucho and Chico Marx. Imagine "The McLaughlin Group" with the
pundits replaced by a typical day's guests from "The Ellen Degeneris Show"
and "The Tony Danza Show". With Danza subbing for John McLaughlin. Only less
intellectual.
(Runner-up: "The Goodwill Hour" ["Mr. Anthony"], Mutual, 1937-1953. "No
first names, please.")
WORST JUVENILE SERIAL - "Blue Beetle", Syndicated, 1940.
Likely the source of every bad cliche and stereotype (with the possible
exception of the ethnic varieties) associated with the genre, "Blue Beetle"
had it all: florid narration, stilted dialogue, ridiculously nonsensical
plots, and (despite the presence of OTR great Frank Lovejoy in the title
role for the first few weeks) some of the most wooden, underemoted line
readings on a purportedly "straight" program. Cannot be listened to, much
less enjoyed, in a non-ironic fashion. Can be great fun, but only if used as
a focal point for mockery. Had there been an OTR-era equivalent to the
"Mystery Science Theater 3000" TV series, this show would have been the
first target.
(Runner-up: "Speed Gibson", Syndicated, 1937-40. What silly genre
conventions BB failed to introduce, "Speed Gibson" did: absurdly
complicated, long stem-winders of plots [the first story arc consumes a full
one hundred episodes] and the impossibly mature and hyper-resourceful
teenage hero who saves the world a dozen times a week and still manages to
get his homework in on time. If "Kim Possible" stories stretched to twenty
or thirty hours apiece, they'd be "Speed Gibson" stories.
WORST FILM-TO-RADIO ADAPTATION SERIES - "Academy Award Theatre", CBS, 1946.
Strictly for those who think too much of the story was left in for the "Lux
Radio Theatre" and "Screen Director's Playhouse" (one-hour era) versions of
major motion pictures of the day, this show tried to convey the essence of
those silver-screen successes in two eight-to-ten-minute acts.
The hook here was that all the films had to have won or been nominated for
Oscars, and actors from those films who also received nominations or won the
little gold guy had to agree to appear before any script was greenlighted.
Unfortunately, the costs associated with getting Academy Award winners to
appear on radio, in conjunction with the enormous licensing fees that AMPAS
charged for the use of the title, meant that costs had to be trimmed
elsewhere in order to meet a budget.
Where else?
Why, in the writing department, natch. Who needs writers, anyway? Let's just
have a producer whittle a two-and-one-half hour epic to eighteen or twenty
minutes of actual script. Which is what they did. And, boy, does it ever
show. For instance, even Bogie, Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet (not to
mention one of the best Peter Lorre imitators I've ever heard) can't save
"The Maltese Falcon" from being a big, boring black-bird bomb.
(Runner-up: "Screen Director's Playhouse" [half-hour era], NBC, 1949.
Similar reasons, though the writing was far superior.)
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #405
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