------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2001 : Issue 304
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Broadcast tragedy [ "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@worldnet. ]
Max Schmid & WBAI [ StevenL751@[removed] ]
Cassette Storage [ "ArtFunk" <ArtFunk@[removed]; ]
News Coverage Then and Now [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
Favorite Radio Memorabilium [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
Deja Vu [ Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed] ]
favorite piece of memorabilia [ Udmacon@[removed] ]
unusual favorites and froggy [ "Merv" <merv@[removed]; ]
21st Century Pearl Harbor [ "Donald & Kathleen Dean" <dxk@nfoli ]
Who's the 4th person in the Barbara [ "Jan Willis" <jlwillis@[removed]; ]
5 favorites [ Jim Mayor <jmayor@[removed]; ]
Lum and Abner MP3s [ "Greg Willy" <Gregw@[removed]; ]
LIVE MUSIC & BROADCASTS [ "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
[removed] Lovecraft [ "Mike Kerezman" <philipmarlowe@mynr ]
J. Fred MacDonald [ khovard@[removed] ]
Getting the News By Radio [ Mike Ray <MRay@[removed]; ]
Scariest [ "Jimidene Murphey" <jimimark@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 19:11:48 -0400
From: "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Broadcast tragedy
First of all, I have never been prouder of my industry. The broadcast
community has done terrific things over these last three days.
For those of you who were wondering, it is my understanding that all of the
major VHF and UHF stations in NYC had their transmitters and antennas on WTC
North. A according to "Electronic Media," "Only WCBS-TV, New York, which
had a backup transmitter atop the Empire State Building, continued to
broadcast a signal that could be received by non-cabled viewers in the city.
Most other local stations' coverage continued via Time Warner Cable, whose
service was uninterrupted. The only local signal that was missing in action
as the morning wore on was WWOR-TV, New York."
I was heartened by the swiftness and appropriateness of the decisions by the
major programmers. AOL-TW placed CNN on most of their entertainment channels
like TBS and TNT. FOX News Channel replaced FX and FOX SportsNet. ABC
replaced Disney's ESPN and Viacom placed Dan Rather on UPN, MTV, Black
Entertainment Television, TNN and Country Music Television. PAX took
advantage of their joint marketing agreement with NBC to carry the Peacock
feed.
And as a father, who has hugged his children A LOT these last three days, I
was also grateful that Disney and Viacom left the Disney Channel and
Nickelodeon channels running as normal for safe havens for young eyes and
minds. And Scripps-Howard, without a national news feed to fall back on,
simply shut down both "The Food Network" and "Home and Garden Television."
Its currently estimated that the four broadcast networks sacrifice $100
million per day in advertising revenues when they go wall-to-wall with news.
Not a small sum, but surely we would pay many times that for the opportunity
to turn back the clock and stop the madness.
Brj
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 20:10:02 -0400
From: StevenL751@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Max Schmid & WBAI
In a message dated 09/13/2001 6:44:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
I don't know whether any radio stations had an antenna on the Towers. Both
the AM and FM dials seem to be as crowded as usual. The one exception I
know of is WBAI -- home of Max Schmid's Golden Age of Radio -- which is
putting out a signal, but has nothing on the air right now but hum; their
studios are located at 120 Wall Street, about half a mile from the WTO, so,
presumably, it's because no one can get in there. (Come to think of it,
Max's other show, Mass Backwards, finished 6:00 AM Tuesday -- is anyone in
touch with him?)
Max Schmid is fine, I spoke with his girlfriend yesterday.
WBAI's transmitter was located on top of the WTC and they were off the air
for a while. I know Max was working yesterday evening to help get them back
on the air via the Empire State Building, and I heard the station on the air
this morning with a news program, but now they seem to be off again. My
guess is that they are probably working out of a temporary facility somewhere
- perhaps even out of the transmitter room itself - until their Wall Street
studios regain power again.
Steve Lewis
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 22:21:49 -0400
From: "ArtFunk" <ArtFunk@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Cassette Storage
We live in a mobile home and everytime a tropical storm or hurricane
threatens Tampa, as it does as I write this, I have to pack up my collection
in case we have to evacuate. For several years I've been looking for
something better than cardboard boxes, ideally something in which I could
store them year-round in an orderly fashion. I want to share with all of
you what I found just this week. It is a plastic three drawer storage unit
that will hold approximately 108 cassettes in hard crystal boxes and the
units are stackable. They are manufactured by Yaffa Blocks which can be
found on the internet at [removed] and sell for [removed] each at Target
Stores. Their website says they are available at other stores and can be
purchased online but they apparently charge [removed] each for shipping. I know
others out there may be looking for something like this so I took time out
from packing to post this to the Digest.
Regards to all,
Art Funk
(who's hoping Gabrielle fizzles out in mid-Gulf of Mexico)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 22:22:09 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: News Coverage Then and Now
Tom Heathwood, speaking of current events, notes,
I think, as others have mentioned, for those of us old enough to
remember Pearl Harbor (I was 7) and what came after, Tuesday's events
were chilling!! I recall feeling much the same way as a kid
hearing news of what had happened on out 1938 PHILCO on that tragic
Sunday afternoon.
As one who was at Pearl Harbor during the attack (albeit being only 4 at
the time) but with memories of the event, the radio stations, after an
initial flurry of news reporting, saved news for new events rather than
the continuing coverage we see on television and hear on current radio.
To make sure we didn't miss anything important, we kept our radio(s) on
throughout the day as background, just in case broadcasts were
interrupted for news bulletins.
Today is different. To the credit of the broadcast media today, they're
providing near-continuous coverage.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 22:22:26 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Favorite Radio Memorabilium
Lynn Wagar asks,
I would like to hear from others about their favorite piece of otr
memorabilia. Where you
got it at. When you got it and how much paid (if you don't mind sharing
that Info).
Well, I don't know if I can narrow it to one item, but "sorta" one item.
When I was growing up, I naturally got a lot of premiums, all of which
disappeared in various moves common to an Army family. However, in the
1970s, I discovered some dealers wherein I could rebuild my lost
collection. Naturally, the first and most important items to me were
Captain Midnight premiums, followed by other selected items, including
Sky King, The Lone Ranger, and Tom Mix.
I acquired multiple copies of each Captain Midnight item, made a separate
collection, with most of them in a rugged fire safe, one complete set in
a jewelry box, and ... therein lies a tale. I obtained a badge case, one
of those things that police and private investigators use. I installed
within it a 1941, Code-O-Graph, with a 1949 unit also installed in a
concealed place. These comprise my favorite OTR item. The 1941 badge
cost me about $50 when I got it years ago, and the 1949 cost me about $10
- $15 more. These would cost significantly more today. (My other
premiums are in a separate jewelry box.)
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 22:22:43 -0400
From: Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Deja Vu
I was on the air as a DJ Sunday Morning, December 7, 1941 when the staff
announcer came into the booth with a one- line tear off the teletype: "
Pearl Harbor reported bombed by enemy planes."
Harry Bartell
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:16:11 -0400
From: Udmacon@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: favorite piece of memorabilia
I have quite a few bits of radio memoribilia that I treasure.
Roger Bower, former host of "Can You Top This?" and WOR/Mutual actor and
producer, gave me a stopwatch he used. I use it now when preparing my weekly
radio show.
I have a brick from the birthplace of the Grand Ole Opry's first superstar:
Uncle Dave Macon, and a complete run (1930-1957) of the annual WLS "Family
Album."
At a flea market I found a mimeographed script from a Bob Hope show with
pencilled-in corrections and additions to Bob's monologue (could it be his
writing or a "script girl's"?!).
I've got an old bottle of "Hamlin's Wizard Oil," sponsor of the syndicated
"Bluegrass Roy" shows in the '30s and '40s.
Senior moment; can't think of any more right [removed]
Bill Knowlton, "BLUEGRASS RAMBLE," WCNY-FM: Syracuse, Utica, Watertown NY
(since Jan. 1973). Sundays, 9 pm est: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:16:26 -0400
From: "Merv" <merv@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: unusual favorites and froggy
Here are some favorites i haven't seen mentioned:
1. "Life with Luigi" with J. Carrol [removed], with Pasquali and =
his fat daughter Rosa. Pasquali was trying to match up Luigi with =
her, but Luigi was not too happy about it. Pasquali would always say =
"you do me a favor, I do you a favor."
2. "The Count of Monte Cristo".....nicely done
3. "Grand Central Station"....... weekend morning program.
---------------
Froggy, in Buster Brown, was prone to tripping up the straight man.
That was his main deed. He would inject a wrong word at the right time and
cause him to say that word that he didn't intend to. When the main
man (sorry forgot his name) would trip up and get all frustrated, and
the kids would laugh.
I am not sure, but didn't they have episodes of a story about an
elephant boy (like Sabu) on there? I think so. My memory is vague on
it.
I used to listen to it after "Let's Pretend" in the morning. "Let's
Pretend" was the best fairy tale program on radio without doubt. The
voices were great.
I think "Grand Central Station" came on in the same morning with
interesting stories.
Merv
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:17:04 -0400
From: "Donald & Kathleen Dean" <dxk@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 21st Century Pearl Harbor
Hi Gang:
I was in the car Tuesday morning listening to a cassette of
an old radio show. When the show was over I switched over
to the radio and that's when I first heard the news of what was
happening. For just a few seconds I felt that I was listening to
another radio show and I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
It was though I had entered the twilight zone and was being
transported back to another time and place.
I was 7 1/2 years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the
Japanese. My older brother was on a ship in the Pacific at the
time and I can remember my mother reading the telegram she
got from him later that he was alright. Though young as I was
I remember the patriotism that was shown by everyone. The
lines at the recruiting stations of young men wanting to do
something about it. As I grew older my other brother and I
spent a tour in Korea. He in '51 and I in '53.
It's seems patriotism in America almost died in the last 30 years
or more especially since the Vietnam War. Our VFW Post carries the
flags and is honor guard for the parades here and it always bothered
me to see people talking, sitting down, and seemed to care less what
that flag stood for. It was mostly the old folks like me who still
remembered.
This tragedy has touched us all and possibly someone close to you.
My 11 year old grandson came home Tuesday afternoon crying,
because his best friends mother had been on one of the planes that
crashed in to one of the Trade Towers. I'm sure all of us know
or have heard similar stories.
So I had mixed feelings as the events unfurled Tuesday. The 21st
Century's Pearl Harbor. Sadness and grief for all the wounded, dead
and dieing and the loved ones left to mourn. For this "Pearl Harbor"
far surpasses the one in 1941. But it is wonderful to see that spark
of patriotism begin to flame once again as people around the country
are waving the flags again and pulling together as a united people.
I have listened to President Franklin Roosevelt's address to Congress
for his Declaration of War against Japan many times and I still
recall that famous last line. "We will win the inevitable triumph,
so help us God".
Please forgive me for not staying on the topic of OTR but future
generations will look back on this day of infamy as I have to 1941
and I just had to get it off my chest. Thanks
Don Dean N8IOJ
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:17:18 -0400
From: "Jan Willis" <jlwillis@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Who's the 4th person in the Barbara Jean Wong
photo?
Funny,the things you go blank on. And then get fixated on.
Would somebody look at the 1960 photo of Barbara Jean, Fred Astaire, and
Jane Wyatt at
[removed]
and tell me who the 4th person is. The lady in black, between
Fred Astaire and Barbara Jean Wong. She looks so familiar, but
I'm drawing a blank.
Jan Willis
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:17:30 -0400
From: Jim Mayor <jmayor@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: 5 favorites
I do hope someone is keeping track of these. The results will be interesting.
1. Lum 'n' Abner
2. I Love a Mystery
3. Alice Faye and Phil Harris Show
4. Jack Benny
5. Suspense
Tough to keep it to 5, though!
Jim Mayor in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:18:32 -0400
From: "Greg Willy" <Gregw@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Lum and Abner MP3s
S. A. Wells recently wrote:
Not sure why you'd want to waste your money and time to convert L&A to MP3
as virtually all of their extent shows have already been converted to MP3
and are freely available in at least two MP3 trading groups and are also
on several ftp sites and streamload accounts.
I have only been able to find approximately the first half of the Lum and
Abner series on a set of three CDs, up to about 1943 and the sound quality
is not good on many of them as I have heard others also say. I, for one,
would be very grateful to anyone who did the work of getting the rest
encoded and distributed. It is by far my favorite show. I just wish there
was some way I could help get it done.
Greg
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 00:46:24 -0400
From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: LIVE MUSIC & BROADCASTS
There were some broacasts during radio's "hey-day that used live music in
the studios. Not many, mind you, but those that were are worth mentioning
and quite memorable. Some that come to mind are:
John Scott Trotter:........The Hit Parader
Phil Harris & Alice Faye:..Phil Harris
Peter Van Steden:..........Fred Allen
Les Brown:.................Bob Hope
Harry Soznick:.............Eddie Cantor
Edgar Bergan:..............Ray Noble
Billie May:................Fibber McGee & Molly
Eric Segertwist:...........First Nighter
NBC Philharmonic:..........Railroad Hour
Lud Gluskin:...............Kate Smith Show
Are there any you remeber that you can add to this list?
Owens
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 09:03:35 -0400
From: "Mike Kerezman" <philipmarlowe@[removed];
To: "OTR DIGEST" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: [removed] Lovecraft
I am inclined to disagree with my friend Stephen A Kallis, Jr on OTR
treatment of [removed] Lovecarft. I consider "The Dunwich Horror" on SUSPENSE a
much superior adaptation to the "Rats in the Walls" on THE BLACK MASS in
terms of production quality. I would almost place the latter in the
catergory of a Audiobook as opposed to Radio drama. I find some the audio
transition and effects used in "The Dunwich Horror" audially compelling. In
particular, the scene involving Wilbur Whately breaking into Misketonic (sp)
University to steal the forbidden book The Necomonicon is of particularly
high production quality to this listener.
Mike Kerezman
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 10:05:57 -0400
From: khovard@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: J. Fred MacDonald
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has Professor J. Fred
MacDonald's E mail address or phone number. I was in contact with him
some time ago, but I lost his E mail address.
Howard
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 11:06:42 -0400
From: Mike Ray <MRay@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Getting the News By Radio
Hi Gang:
Like most of you, when the news broke early Tuesday morning,
about the World Trade Center Attack, I was at work and was
not close to a TV. I called my 16 year old Son who was home sick
that day to put a Video Tape in the Machine, and tape what was
going on. He also (which I did not know at the time) grabbed a
stack of black Audio Tapes which I always keep on hand in my
office at home, and began to tape wall to wall coverage on ABC
Radio and on CBS Radio at another location. When I got home
I had 16 hours of coverage. I thanked my son and told him that his
efforts would be appreciated by many in the years to come. The
events we have before us, will one day fall into the realm of
OTR. I'm thankful to be able to live in a country that still has
radio at the forefront of who we are as a people.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 17:23:57 -0400
From: "Jimidene Murphey" <jimimark@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Scariest
Remember a few months ago a thread was started and several of us responded
to what was our scariest OTR broadcast? Of course, the usual programs were
named: Suspense, Lights Out, etc.
I remember one gentleman (forgot specifically who) said the scariest
broadcast was not a fiction program but was on December 7, 1941, when all of
America learned we were at war. I thought about that and agreed with him.
The person posting said that families were worried about their home, their
sons, and so on, and indeed it was more scarier than any fiction could ever
be. My mother's birthday is December 7, and she has told me she has not
celebrated one birthday since 1941 that she doesn't remember those lost. I'm
48 so I don't remember.
Well, we all have heard the scariest broadcast now, even if we missed the
1941 one. And folks, I'm afraid it's going to get even scarrier before it's
over with.
Jimidene Murphey
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2001 Issue #304
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