 
	********************************************************
                      ------   # NOTE #   -------
SEE INFO SECTION AT END OF THIS DIGEST FOR UNSUBSCRIBE AND OTHER INFORMATION. 
		====  INFO SECTION UPDATED 8/19/95  ====
	********************************************************

	    [removed]   Volume 96 : Issue 5


Articles in this issue of [removed]:

	 Sherlock Holmes
	 Internet:minneha@[removed]
	 George Burns
	 Anthony Boucher
	 Re: Announcers
	 George Burns' birth year
	 Re: Amos & Andy
	 holmes on radio
	 JACK'S ON TV THIS SUN>!
	 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Edwards
	 Re: Creaking Doors
	 Amos 'n' Andy origins
	 It was AFRA NOT AFTRA!
	 Re: How to make a door creak
	 Holmes, VHS, Sam and Henry, Squeaking Door

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

Date: 03 Jan 96 20:56:50 EST
From: Joel  Senter <[removed]@[removed]>
To: OTR Digest <otr@[removed]>
Subject: Sherlock Holmes
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Greetings, group - I feel compelled to comment on Sherlock Holmes.  True,
[removed] did publish 60 Holmes yarns, 56 short stories and 4 short novels.
Among Holmes fans today this collection is called "the canon."  There were
a few other stories which have been attributed to Dr. Doyle which are
either of questionable authorship or have a protagonist who just *might
have been Holme*, but "the canon" remains "the canon."  As far as
Rathbone-Bruce are concerned, they did 14 Holmes movies and a whole bunch
of radio shows.  I haven't counted all of the Holmes radio shows, but
there must have been more than 500 over the years with Rathbone and Bruce
doing most of them (I once wrote a series of articles for a local OTR
newsletter about how so many radio shows came from only 60 original
stories!).  Bruce did more than Rathbone because Basil quit the series a
couple of years before it went off the air and Bruce stuck with it a
little longer.  For the real "skinny" about Holmes radio shows, I
recommend Dr. Gordon Kelley's book "Sherlock Holmes on Radio" - in my
opinion it is the definitive work on the matter and he even includes
material on media other than radio too.  If anyone is interested I can
provide Dr. Kelley's mailing address - he may still be able to provide
copies of his most excellent book.  I counted 41 Jeremy
Brett/Granada/Holmes TV programs (counting the two hour shows as one
each) with, I believe, four yet to be aired on PBS here in The States. 
The last two I saw were Cardboard Box and Dying Detective. Although the
Baker Street Irregulars is considered the nation's most prestigious
Sherlock Holmes group, it's members are not always easy to find - for
computer folks there is a forum called Hounds of the Internet to which a
good many BSIs belong and whose membership includes a whole bunch of very
knowledeable Sherlockians.  With due modesty, however, I can probably
provide information re: Holmes of the most "elementary" level - I have
spent a good deal of time studying Dr. Doyle's writings and associated
works.  By the way, January 6 is generally regarded as being Mr. Holmes'
birthday - there will be many celebrations - one here in Cincinnati and
one in Indianapolis that I know of.  The "official" party in NYC given by
the BSIs will be a week later this year.  This is my first posting of the
new year - so happy new year to all!!  Joel Senter

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

Date: 03 Jan 96 21:20:36 EST
From: Joel  Senter <[removed]@[removed]>
To: OTR Digest <otr@[removed]>
Subject: Internet:minneha@[removed]
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Could someone help me?  Does anyone know if the address in the subject
line herein is a valid one?  Joel Senter  

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 21:57:33 +0001 (EST)
From: "'A. Joseph Ross'" <lawyer@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: George Burns
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

> Date: Tue, 02 Jan 96 19:53:16 EST
> To: otr@[removed]
> Subject: George Burns
> Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>
> 
> That's not   
> to say that George has given up entirely.  He did schedule another smaller scale   
> appearance at a smaller venue closer to home. 

Where?

======================================================================
A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                                      617/367-0468
15 Court Square                                   lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2573                    [removed]~lawyer/
======================================================================

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 22:34:29 +0001 (EST)
From: "'A. Joseph Ross'" <lawyer@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Anthony Boucher
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

> Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 09:51:18 -0800 (PST)
> From: roy547@[removed] (Roy Trumbull)
> To: [removed]@[removed]
> Subject: Holmes / Boucher
> Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>
> 
> I found it interesting that Anthony Boucher had a writing
> credit for some of the Sherlock Holmes programs. He was
> a longtime San Francisco Area resident and known for
> his radio program on vintage Italian vocal performers.
> He also did a program which reviewed mystery and Sci
> Fi writing but I don't recall him ever mentioning his stint
> as a radio writer. I believe he was the editor or publisher
> of Astounding Science Fiction magazine in the 50s.

He was co-founder and co-editor (with J. Francis McComas) of the Magazine 
of Fantasy and Science Fiction.  I think he may have become sole editor 
at some point before he left the magazine.  The publisher at that time 
was Lawrence Spivack, known to us as the man behind "Meet the Press."

Boucher's real name was William Anthony Parker White.  Apparently, his 
pen name took over so completely that he used his real name only for 
voting and paying taxes.  He is even supposed to have had a joint 
checking account with himself.

======================================================================
A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                                      617/367-0468
15 Court Square                                   lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2573                    [removed]~lawyer/
======================================================================

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 22:52:57 -0500
From: TBell41639@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Announcers
Message-ID: <960103225252_31247057@[removed]>

I'd like to add to Roy Trumbull's fine list of announcers who should be
remembered in OTR history:

No list is complete without mention of Harlow Wilcox, known mostly for Fibber
McGee and Molly, but who also did a number of other shows, including Amos and
Andy.

Speaking of A and A, Bill Hay, the long time announcer of the early years
would have to be on that list.

As a fan of the soaps, I would have to bring up a few familiar names such as
Bud Collyer for "Road of Life", who later went on to television fame; Ralph
Edwards, who most people know from "Truth or Consequences", did a stint in
the 30's on "Life can be Beautiful", if I'm not mistaken; Charlie Warren for
"Ma Perkins"; Danny Seymour; the list goes on and on.

I'm convinced that more credit should be given to announcers, who were such
an important part of OTR, whether they were helping to set the scene or
serving as a straight man to comics such as Benny or Cantor.

Tony Bell
Chicago,IL

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

Date: 04 Jan 96 00:26:20 EST
From: "Francis X. Kelly" <[removed]@[removed]>
To: Oldtime Radio Digest <otr@[removed]>
Subject: George Burns' birth year
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Recent postings:
>>Someone posted a request to several newsgroups asking when George's 100th
>>birthday is, and where greetings can be sent.  Figured you-all might want
>>the same information.  Feel free to post this anywhere or to anyone who
>>might be interested:

>>-------------------------cut here---------------------------------
>>George Burns celebrates his 100th birthday on January 20, 1996.  Greetings
>>can be sent to:
(From Laura Lee)

>Uh, Laura, correct me if I'm wrong, but George Burns was born as 
>Nathan Birnbaum on Jan. 20, 1898.  That would make him 98 this coming
>January!

>At least that is the way I am reporting it in my January Timelines on my
>web page.

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Jim Widner                      INTERNET: jwidner@[removed]

I've just looked this up in both Ron Lackmann's _Same Time, Same Station_, and
_Gracie, A Love Story_ by George Burns himself.  Both say George was born in
1896, not 1898.  Given that performers usually shaved years off their age rather
than adding them, I'd guess that George Burns' correct 100th birthday is this
month.

Incidentally, Gracie, a Love Story is a wonderful read with interesting insights
into OTR.  Published in 1988 by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, it may be out of
print but available at used book sales.

Frank Kelly, Greenport New York

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

Date: Thu, 04 Jan 96 00:34
From: "bill harris" <billhar@[removed]>
To: "otr digest" <otr@[removed]>
Subject: Re: Amos & Andy
Message-Id: <m0tXiVk-000YHCC@[removed]>

>FYI: Amos n Andy started in 1920 in New Orleans as Sam n Dave. Later went to
>WGN and then to WMAQ to join the network. Wanted to use the name Same n Dave
>but WGN would not release ownership so they changed name to become Amos n
>Andy. They were so popular that movie theatres scheduled films to start after
>their program becasue their theatres were empty if shows competed with the
>Amos n Andy broadcasts.

The orginal name of the show was "Sam n' Henry". Gosden and Correll 
were introduced to radio in New Orleans, but I believe the show actually
went on the air January 12, 1925 at WGN Chicago. I have a friend
who has a 78 record of one of the "Sam n' Henry" shows. I am trying to
get together with him so I can get it on tape.

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 01:22:28 -0500
From: Alldavid@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
cc: Alldavid@[removed]
Subject: holmes on radio
Message-ID: <960104012226_83557114@[removed]>

In considering Sherlock Holmes on radio: 

In addition to the 1940s Sherlock Holmes radio programs,
there was a British series in the 1970s, heard in the 
United States over public radio.  

This series featured Carleton Hobbes & Normal Shelley.
The stories were strictly out of the Conan Doyle canon;
none were scripted directly for this series.  As a result,
the stories were fairly authentic, and provided an
authentic radio voice for the Baker Street duo.  

                                    David A. Hatch

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 18:45:26 -0500
From: celtic@[removed] (Stuart Joseph)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: JACK'S ON TV THIS SUN>!
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

I know this is not on radio, but I thought I would post this for any Jack
Benny fans, who would like to see his TV show, especially those that have
never seen it.
To all you Jack Benny Fans Out There:
Jack Benny can be seen this Sunday night (Jan. 7) at 11:30 PM (EST) on
Channel America.
If you have a C-Band Satellite, the station can be found on Sat. T4,
Transponder (like a channel) 19.
The show was on last Sunday as well, but I didn't get to see it, since I
didn't get my satellite guide until Tuesday.

It doesn't show up as being on the following week, so I don't know if it is
a fluke that they are showing Jack Benny.
I will keep my eye open!
Stuart Joseph
known in the medieval/renaissance world 
as Laird Stuidhart Martainn Mac Dhomhnaill
[removed]~celtic/

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 02:15:06 -0500
From: stevecap@[removed] (Steven Capsuto)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Edwards
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

>In putting together an order to Radio Showcase, I ran across a 44-episode
>Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde series, (each episode is 15 minutes).  It was 
>syndicated and starred George Edwards but that's all the info available.  

Edwards starred in several early-1930s radio serializations of classic
horror and adventure stories.  Some of them -- including his 1932
FRANKENSTEIN -- were syndicated to stations in the [removed], so airdates varied
from city to city.
___
Steven Capsuto, Philadelphia
stevecap@[removed]
WEB page: [removed]~[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 08:51:29 -0600 (CST)
From: "Joe Lynn" <jtl@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Creaking Doors
Message-Id: <m0tXr0r-0005yKC@[removed]>

From: mschmid@[removed]

> ..
> 	A new intern in the sound FX epartment proudly showed the veterans
> how he had taken the initiative of cleaning and oiling the rusty old door
> he had come across.  The solution to restoring the creak to the creaking 
> door - a week at the seashore, where the salt air got it back in condition.
> ..

It's a cute story, although it sounds a little too "urban-legend-ish" to me.
(But who am I to argue with those guys?)

In the late 60s, the Moody Blues recorded a song that featured
a creaking door ("House of Four Doors") which was effected by
slowly dragging a bow across the strings of a bass violin (fiddle?).

It worked, too.

jtl

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 10:02:18 -0500
From: JRayb71827@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Amos 'n' Andy origins
Message-ID: <960104100217_31542700@[removed]>

Eric Rhoads submitted a posting saying that Correll & Gosden began "Sam 'n'
Dave" on New Orleans radio in 1920.  First of all, their original character
names were Sam and HENRY, not DAVE.  Secondly, they had only been together a
short time in 1920 and were mainly producing shows for entrepreneur Joe Bren.
 It's true they did appear on New Orleans radio in 1920 while there directing
an amateur production.  It was of little note and their characters had not
been developed.  Their real radio activity began in early 1925.  They sang on
a station in Joliet, Illinois and then on a midnight program on KYW, Chicago.
 They performed as endmen on a weekly WLS show as part of Bren's minstrel
company.  They took a singing act to WEBH, Chicago in April, 1925 and were
there for seven months.
In the fall of '25 they got word that WGN was looking for a harmony duo and
they took their singing act to that station.  Eventually, WGN decided it
wanted some kind of on-going series and approached Gosden and Correll about
doing "The Gumps," based on the comic strip carried by the parent company,
the Chicago Tribune.  Instead, they said they had a blackface act they'd
rather do and "Sam 'n' Henry" went on the air on January 12, 1926.  As most
know, they got a chance to spread their wings via a syndicated arrangement
through WMAQ.  WGN wouldn't let them have the Sam and Henry names.  The first
two scripts they wrote for WMAQ had the characters named Jim and Charley.
 They weren't happy with that and the next two scripts called them Tom and
Harry.  Still not pleased, they came up with the eventual names.  In 1939,
Charles Correll said the name "Amos" was suggested by a telephone book.  They
both liked the important sound of Andrew, shortened it to Andy and they were
off and running with their new names beginning with the broadcast of March
19, 1928.  Their first actual network broadcast (not counting their "chain"
recorded efforts) came on NBC Blue August 19, 1929.  They already had such a
large audience that they were able to get $100,000 a year from NBC for a
15-minute show that ran six night a week.  Pretty fair amount for 1929, I'd
say.

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 09:16:33 -0500
From: Ted McKay <tmckay@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: It was AFRA NOT AFTRA!
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Since Dave Spiceland wrote asking for some history on radio announcers in
general there has been some mention of AFTRA as being the radio
announcers union.  Just to keep the record straight, since our concern
here is with OTR, AFRA was the original union.  The American Federation
of Radio Artists or AFRA for short, became AFTRA, The American
Federation of Radio and Television Artists when television became a
factor after WWII.

Ted McKay Cincinnati, OH 

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

Date: Thu, 04 Jan 1996 10:22:04 -0600
From: "Andrew C. Green" <acg@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: How to make a door creak
Message-Id: <[removed]@dlogics>

mschmid@[removed] (unsigned) writes:
>	A new intern in the sound FX epartment proudly showed the veterans
>how he had taken the initiative of cleaning and oiling the rusty old door
>he had come across.  The solution to restoring the creak to the creaking 
>door - a week at the seashore, where the salt air got it back in condition.

Gee, I never thought my old machine-shop experience would have any use in
OTR, but I should mention that if you want to rust metal really fast, just
heat it very hot and plunge it into cold water. Instant rust!

This is not to say that a week at the seashore is not without its own
benefits, however.  :-)

Andrew C. Green            (312) 266-4431
Adobe Systems, Inc. (formerly Frame Technology)
Advanced Product Services
441 W. Huron               Internet: acg@[removed]
Chicago, IL  60610-3498    FAX: (312) 266-4473

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 16:36:09 -0500
From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Holmes, VHS, Sam and Henry, Squeaking Door
Message-ID: <960104163607_31863415@[removed]>

Hi Gang -                           January 4 - 1996 -- Thursday 3 PM cst 

In issue #3, John Henley mentioned Edith Meiser's Sherlock Holmes stories.
Several years ago at the FOTR convention (Newark) Edith Meiser was present
for the "Sherlock Holmes Panel".  Of course I was in the audience.
There were many questions and answers during the panel.  The only thing 
I remember for certain is that in all the stories she wrote Sherlock 
Holmes drank coffee.  This is because her stories, written for radio, were
sponsored by the G. Washington Coffee Company.  She didn't say that Holmes
drank G. Washington Coffee, but it could have been implied that he did.
Someone either on the panel or in the audience said that G. Washington 
Coffee doesn't taste very good.  I don't think it's available any more. 
I'll try to find my tape of that panel, it might be worth re-hearing. 

--- New Topic ---  VHS Archiving --- 

The jury is still out as to the longevity of VHS tape, but I have been 
doing some experimenting recently.  We all know that using Hi-Fi stereo 
we get excellent sound reproduction.  Anyone who has ever collected tape 
on open reel quarter-track knows how easy it is to double the storage by 
recording different programs on the "left" and "right" tracks. 

I experimented with crosstalk on VHS, just to see what would happen if 
a person were to try to get 12 hours of otr on a T-120 VHS cassette.
Here are the results: 

Regardless of the recording speed - There is NO CROSSTALK introduced 
by recording on VHS Hi-Fi T-120 cassettes.   There is NO CROSSTALK 
introduced by copying from one Hi-Fi VHS Videorecorder to another using
patchcords. 

There is CONSIDERABLE CROSSTALK introduced when using an RF Modulated 
signal and MTS encoder/decoder.  A Signal recorded on one Channel is 
cross-modulated to the other channel only 10 dB down from the original.
when using MTS.

The moral of the story thus far:  It's okay to double your pleasure by 
recording separate programming on the Left and Right audio channels, 
but don't play them back through your MTS Stereo TV set.  And, of course,
don't play them back through your monaural TV set.

The cost of VHS T-120's is not high, so I would advise all Hi-Fi VHS 
archivists to use a "Y" connector and put the same material on both 
channels.  Thus the tape can be played back on TV set, or on any audio 
amplifier. 

--- New Topic ---  Sam n Dave (?)   

I'm sure everybody noticed, but just in case nobody else mentions this:
Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll's early radio characters were Sam and 
Henry, not Sam n Dave.  Also, my research shows that Sam and Henry (those 
specific names) originated on WGN in 1926, and they became Amos and Andy 
in 1928 on WMAQ, and went on the Red Network in 1929.   Although Gosden 
and Correll first went on radio on New Orleans, my research shows that
the names "Sam and Henry" were not used on radio nor were they used on 
phonograph records in 1920.  

There are "Sam and Henry" recordings, but these are from the mid to late 
1920's.  I'd be interested to know if "Sam n Dave" were in fact on New 
Orleans radio in 1920, or if the posting in issue # 4 might have been a
misprint. 

Last Topic -- Squeaking Door ----

Much of what I learned about Radio Sound Effects came from talking to 
and attending workshops of Radio Sound Effects Artists at Old Time Radio 
Conventions.  Jack House, Ed Blaney (sp), Bob Prescott, Terry Ross, Barney
Beck, and Ray Erlenborn all used one of two devices to make the "squeaking
door" effect:
  
1. A wooden cylinder about 5 inches long and 1 inch diameter about which
   was wrapped a leather strap.  The cylinder was mounted horizontally 
   on an axel and a handle was attached to the cylinder to rotate it. 
   Tension was applied to the leather belt and when the cylender rotated,
   the belt would "squeak".  The pitch and intensity of the squeak were
   controlled by belt tension and speed of rotation. 

2. A "nail puller" effect (for opening the coffin of the vampire) was
   sometimes used as a "squeaking door" as well.  This was a wooden 
   cheesebox affair - about a foot long and 3 inches wide.  The bottom 
   and four sides were solid, but the top (lid) was attached at one end
   on a pivot, so that it could slide across the top opening in an arc. 
   A handle was attached to the non-pivot end of the lid.  The lid would
   "squeak" if pressed slightly down against the sides as it pivots.

I'm sure these gentlemen also used other methods to make the "squeaking  
door" effect - Including a real door with rusty hinges.   

Another device for "squeaking door" that I read about and saw 
illustrations of in books was a sheet of plate glass lying horizontally 
on a table.  On top of the glass was a wooden board through which nails 
had been driven.  The nails stuck out from the bottom of the board and 
rested on the glass.  When the board of nails was scratched across the 
glass a "squeak" would result.   The amount of squeak could be controlled
by the motion of the scratching.  

Bob Mott in his book, "Sound Effects Radio, TV, and Film", describes many
different effects and includes photographs and illustrations of some 
devices used both past and present for making these sounds. 

That's all for now. 
Happy Taping -- Ken Piletic - Streamwood, Illinois 
kenpiletic@[removed] 

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

    


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---- 
End of [removed] Digest V96 Issue #5

