Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #153
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 4/11/2003 9:03 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2003 : Issue 153
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Richard Crenna                        [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
  Bunch o'Stuff                         [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
  Re: April Fools is Foolish            [ "Nichole Baxter" <lovingchrist19@ho ]
  Re: A&A Cast Photo                    [ "HARLAN ZINCK" <zharlan@[removed] ]
  Newsgroups & OTR                      [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
  Guide to actors on Suspense & POPUPS  [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
  Library of American Broadcasting      [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
  Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  Re: Black Comedians on Radio          [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Amos & Andy                           [ "" <cooldown3@[removed]; ]
  Re: Library of American Broadcasting  [ Michael Henry <mlhenry@[removed]; ]
  Amos n Andy Program Log               [ otrdigest@[removed] ]
  A Question for Digest Readers         [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]

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Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 00:13:00 +0000
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Richard Crenna
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             I was standing in the lobby of a small hotel on the island of
Moloka'i in the Hawaiian chain when I saw his picture on a silent TV screen
at the bar.
    Seeing him in a still shot and it being around news time, I knew it was
bad news.
    I was saddened for the loss. Then a rueful smile crossed my mug as I
recalled it was to be his turn to 'kill' me next time we met.
    We had a running gag for many years. We'd see each other at an event or a
meeting at the studios and we'd playfully aim our fingers at each other and
shoot.
    Here's how it got started.
    I killed him once then he killed me.
    In 1971, I think it was, we met on a picture called "Thief" not the movie,
a TV show for CBS I think.
    Nice little script and nice little part for me, then a newcomer to the biz
and a chance to work with Billy Graham the great director and the actor Hurd
Hatfield.
    Yes, Dorian Grey himself.
    And he still looked like he did in the movie!!
    Remind me to tell you my Hurd Hatfield story sometime.
    Anyway, Richard and I worked out a nice little piece of business and, well
I won't spoil the ending for you but suffice to say, I was the nemesis.
    Some years later, another pic and I'll be d---d if I can remember the
title, I'm sure some bright soul will remind me, I was playing some kind of
weasel and was blown away by him in a cheap motel near the airport at LAX.
    By the way, last time I was in LA I had to catch a very early morning
flight so to avoid the traffic hell I decided to grab a hotel close by and lo
and behold, as if in a dream, while I drove around late at night on LaCienga
Boulevard, I happened to drive by the same tawdry Motel.
    I asked for room 116, which I recalled was the room I died in and found it
to be vacant.
    I walked out onto the parking lot where Richard and I used to banter and
do crossword puzzles, lifted a toast to him and went into a deep sleep.
    Thought I heard his voice later in the night.
    I think he said, "Freeze."
    So log pal. Sorry you missed your turn.
                      Michael C. Gwynne

   *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
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Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 00:13:34 +0000
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Bunch o'Stuff

My thanks to those who responded to my query about radio schedule grids.  I 
did mean a compendium source that would show a grid with each hour on one 
axis and each network on the other, listing each show in the given 
slot.  There would be a grid for each day, then each season.  Seems there 
is something like that from MacFarland, but I'm told it has a lot of 
inaccuracies.  Haven't seen it myself, just told that.

Well, since I just got laid off from my job, maybe I should put together 
something like that.  (Hey, MacFarland's getting $95 for their 
volume.)  BTW, if anyone needs a Project Manager in the San Francisco/Bay 
Area, let me know offline and I'll send you my resume.

Secondly on the question that was posed a while back about comparing Amos n 
Andy to the entertainment of other ethnic groups.  I think there are a few 
distinct differences between the two.  Specifically, let's take Yiddish 
theatre.  This was something that people, mainly on the Lower East Side of 
New York, could go to for a variety of reasons.  The first being that it 
was in Yiddish, which was the first language for many of the new 
immigrants.  Secondly, it was an opportunity for socializing.  Thirdly, it 
served a variety of purposes for playing scenes about the old country 
(golden or horrid, depending on the playwright's mood and memory) which 
would inspire memories for the audience, comedy about life in the America, 
and even a certain level of education about how to get along in this new 
environment.

With Amos n Andy, radio vs. stage is the first obvious distinction.  It was 
not necessarily a social opportunity (except on the occasions that Correll 
and Gosden did personal [removed] those theatres that stopped the 
movie to broadcast it).  Additionally, a lot of the ethnic theatres played 
to new immigrants, which most African Americans were not.  It also did not 
serve to bridge a language barrier (Ebonics [removed] up your own 
joke).  As Elizabeth noted, it did speak some to Georgia as the "old 
country" and getting along in the "new world".  I'll leave it to her to 
discuss whether the humor was targeted more at the universal human 
condition, or characteristics that were more centered on the African 
American (vs. Jewish/Yiddish) experience.

Thirdly on the topic of script page turning.  Part of this is taken care of 
by the directionality of the microphone.  It's picking up the actor's 
voice, but the script is held down or behind the microphone where the mic 
doesn't pick up.  The IJBFC has a group of people known as the Not Ready 
for Sunday at Seven Players, who are all (except for Eddie Carroll) 
non-professional radio performers.  Even our first time out, I don't think 
any of our various page-turning methods were picked up by the mics.

-- Laura Leff President, IJBFC [removed] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:14:34 +0000 From: "Nichole Baxter" <lovingchrist19@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Re: April Fools is Foolish X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from text/html >>Isn't that what Elizabeth's April 1 posting was all about - a starting point for one's imagination? I'm a newcomer to this list, *and* catching up on my reading, so sorry this is a bit late. I'd just like to put in my two cents which is that I've never understood the appeal of pranks and jokes when it involves deceiving someone. Such things are all dangerous to one degree or another. I don't understand why people could feel proud at making someone else feel like a fool. --- [removed] im not big on April Fool's day. But even i have been on the bad end of some pranks. Considering my birthday is 4 days after April 1st, i get some pretty bad jokes played on me, and in the [removed] there just to be laughed at! Nothing more! Nothing less! Baby Snooks *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear *** *** as the sender intended. *** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:15:26 +0000 From: "HARLAN ZINCK" <zharlan@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Re: A&A Cast Photo My thanks to Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];, who kindly supplied us with the URL to the Amos & Andy 1948 cast photo I recall seeing years ago - and at her own site, yet, at [removed]~[removed]. I had spent considerable time reading the content of her outstanding "Amos 'n' Andy" site a year or so ago, but it seems the memory of the photo's appearance there just didn't stick with me. Speaking of memory, in viewing the photo again, I was surprised to note that there were fewer black performers than I recalled, though indeed nine are pictured - James Baskett, Lou Lubin, Wonderful Smith, Ernestine Wade, Eddie Green, and the four Jubilaires. However, out of performing cast of what appears to be perhaps twelve people (not including announcer Art Gilmore) and excluding the Jubilaires (because I also excluded the Jeff Alexander Chorus), that's five black performers out of twelve total - almost half, which seems a fairly high number for 1948. I've always presumed that "Amos 'n Andy' hired more black performers per capita than any other mainstream network show of the same period - a presumption that makes sense, given the nature of the show. Likewise, Jack Benny had Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as a regular as well as Butterfly McQueen for one season or so; Eddie Green had been featured on "Duffy's Tavern;" "Beulah" had Louise Beavers, Hattie McDaniel, and others in the leading role (following the death of Marlin Hurt, of course); and "The Great Gildersleeve" had the wonderful Lillian Randolph as Birdie. I suppose we can also credit the AFRS-produced "Jubilee" with featuring any number of black performers during its lengthy run - especially host Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman and frequent guest Lena Horne - but this was not a show produced for or heard via commercial radio. I'd be curious to know what other similar inroads black performers had made into maintstream radio at the same time as this 1948 photo was taken - and whether we can reasonably credit the "Amos 'n' Andy" show with making those opportunities possible, at least in part. Harlan Harlan Zinck First Generation Radio Archives [removed] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:16:16 +0000 From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Newsgroups & OTR Mike, you said: > You are correct but I wouldn't let any of these folks know that there > are about 6 to 8 groups in the newsgroups where you can download OTR, both > american and british. This should be kept as one of the best keep secrets > between just you and me!" You knew I was going to ask, so you might as well tell us: ??? Herb Harrison ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:17:32 +0000 From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Guide to actors on Suspense & POPUPS Carolie Minuscule: > If you can ignore the popups (and I can) this is a great site. Charlie: > [ADMINISTRIVIA: Pop-ups are VERY easy to eliminate completely; > simply turn Javascript OFF in your browser preferences. If you > visit a site you trust that requires it, simply turn it on > temporarily, then turn it off when you leave. --cfs3]" Me: I use a utility called "Pop-Up Stopper". It works on most sites to stop pop-up ads, and you can activate any pop-ups you need to see with a simple keyboard command. Herb Harrison ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:18:32 +0000 From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Library of American Broadcasting Dan Hughes asks: > Where is the Library of American Broadcasting? Who runs it? Is is open > to the public? Why have I not heard of it? Or is this the museum in New > York and I just wasn't paying attention? I did a Google search. It showed 1,740 entries for "Library of American Broadcasting". Looks to me like it's a valid organization. Herb Harrison ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:19:24 +0000 From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Today in radio history From Those Were The Days -- 1921 - The first live sports event on radio took place this day over KDKA. Pittsburgh sports writer, Florent Gibson, gave an account of the action in the lightweight boxing match between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee. 1943 - Nick Carter, Master Detective debuted on Mutual. Joe ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 09:19:39 +0000 From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Re: Black Comedians on Radio On 4/11/03 12:29 AM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote: >Afro-Americans were not allowed to perform >their OWN humor on the radio, so that it had to >be filtered and somehow "sanitized" through two >White guys. This isn't entirely true. Leaving aside the fact that Correll and Gosden were not primarily a comedy act during their prime years -- they were dramatists telling a story, not gagsters reaching for laughs -- there *was* opportunity for at least some black comedians to perform on radio during the early years of the medium. A careful look at the radio magazines of the time reveals that African-American performers were performing comedy on the radio on the local level as far back as the 1920s -- Jack L. Cooper, The One Man Minstrel Show in Washington DC and later in Chicago; the comedy team of "Pop and Fizz" in Cincinnati, "Ephus and Mr. Bodilly" in Chicago, and a few others. At a time when there was, in fact, very little straight comedy being performed on radio at all -- nearly all humorous acts were novelty patter teams in the manner of Jones and Hare -- genuine African-American humorists did have at least some representation. There was even more of an African-American presence during the Depression -- the once-popular stage team of Miller and Lyles reunited for their own network program on CBS during 1931; the team of Ernie Whitman and Eddie Green was regularly featured on the "Gibson Family" series in 1932; and such stage veterans as Tim Moore, Johnny Lee, and Stepin Fetchit (all performers who honed their skills and characterizations in black vaudeville before black audiences long before they were ever known to whites) made guest appearances on various variety series. Of all variety series of the 1930s, Rudy Vallee's was the most open to black talent, pursuing a booking policy that was as close to color-blind as radio could have been during that era: skin color was irrelevant to Vallee and his staff. What mattered was talent. Not all radio impresarios of this era were so open-minded, but certainly the example of Vallee's program demonstrates that some opportunities did exist and that audiences and sponsors were open to them. The success of these acts on Vallee's program, in fact, led his sponsor, Standard Brands, to produce the first-ever all-African-American network variety series in 1936-37: The Fleischmann's Yeast Harlem Revue, starring Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra with Eddie Green as featured comedian. Elizabeth ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 13:12:18 -0400 From: "" <cooldown3@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Amos & Andy In a precious issue Elizabeth ended with: " I can't think of any other major performers in American pop culture who are so well known, yet so poorly understood." And said above this that her website was primarily to reach 'professors in training" How much more available this priceless information would be in a reference book in college libraries. There is no permanence in the air, witness the programs themselves as proof. Please consider publishing. remember in many courses the professor designates certain book purchases as necessary to the class. As a folklore student in college I purchased and kept many volumes of recommended reading. Patrick ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 17:12:47 +0000 From: Michael Henry <mlhenry@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Re: Library of American Broadcasting To answer Dan's question about the Library of American Broadcasting, we are a research library at the University of Maryland dedicated to preserving the history of radio and television broadcasting. The LAB was founded in 1972 and was located in the NAB Building in downtown Washington, DC. Originally known as the Broadcast Pioneers Library, it was under the direction of Catharine Heinz until 1994 when it was moved to the University of Maryland in College Park. With the move, we grew to 10,000 square ft. of space. Over this last summer, we moved to a larger, newly renovated 25,000 square ft. location. We share this space and resources with the National Public Broadcasting Archives, an organization dedicated to the history of public radio and television (see [removed]) Over the last thirty years, our collection has grown to contain thousands of books, magazines, photographs, pamphlets, scripts, oral histories, audio recordings, film and video recordings, scrapbooks, and artifacts, anything and everything relating to radio and television broadcasting. We also have the personal papers of veteran broadcasters, including Arthur Godfrey, Helen Sioussat (director of Talks at CBS), Parks Johnson (the host and creator of Vox Pop), Alois Havrilla (Jack Benny's announcer when Benny was still broadcasting from New York), and many other men and women involved in all aspects of radio and television broadcasting. You can learn more about these resources on our website: [removed] As you will see on our website, this material covers the entire range of radio and television broadcasting, from its pre-commercial days in the 1910's to the present, with a concentration on the 1920's thru the 1960's. We document all aspects of broadcasting: including engineeering, programming, management, regulation, as well as the histories of local stations and the networks. To better serve our wide variety of researchers (high school and college students, professional historians, documentary film makers, broadcasters) we continue to collect the kinds of material that I mentioned above. We are open for research Monday thru Friday, 10am to 5pm. If you have research questions, material you wish to donate, or would like any additional information about the Library of American Broadcasting, please call (301) 405-9160 or e-mail us att: bp50@[removed] Sincerely, Michael Henry, Research Specialist Library of American Broadcasting Hornbake Library University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 (301) 405-9160 bp50@[removed] [removed] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 17:14:23 +0000 From: otrdigest@[removed] To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: Amos n Andy Program Log X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain There are many OTR program logs available online, but I have not seen one for Amos n Andy. Is there one online? Andrew Steinberg *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear *** *** as the sender intended. *** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 17:14:49 +0000 From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed]; To: <[removed]@[removed]; Subject: A Question for Digest Readers Last evening at an Elderhostel, one of the audience members asked about a program she listened to in the forties which always started with the music for "Columbia, the Gem of the Oceans." I need help from my friends on the list. Do any of you know what program she might be referencing? Thank you. Dennis Crow -------------------------------- End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #153 ********************************************* Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved, including republication in any form. 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