Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #271
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 9/7/2005 1:02 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2005 : Issue 271
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ charlie@[removed] ]
      Charlie's Aunt and Johnnie Ray        [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      9-7 births/deaths                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Re: Real sounding actors              [ Hal Stone <otrjug@[removed]; ]
      "Speak the speach, I pray [removed]"     [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      James Melton, Frank Black, Harpo Mar  [ Lee Munsick <damyankeeinva@earthlin ]
      NBC Chimes                            [ Michael Shoshani <mshoshani@sbcglob ]
      TASCAM 32                             [ "OTR MP3" <goldenotrmp3@[removed] ]
      Charlie's Aunt                        [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 02:12:00 -0400
    From: charlie@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!

    A weekly [removed]

    For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
    Network, the channel name is #OldRadio.  We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
    and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
    over nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
    of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
    real-time OTR talk!

    Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
    others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
    range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
    it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
    it's always a good time!

    For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
    week and every week!

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 07:57:43 -0400
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Charlie's Aunt and Johnnie Ray

    Sean Dougherty wrote about 'Charlie's Aunt'

    <The Jack Benny classic is going to be performed in Lynchburg."

    Despite my love of OTR and Jack Benny I have a different reference point for
    'Charlie's Aunt'.   The very first Broadway musical I saw was on my 12th
    birthday in 1950.  It was  'Where's Charley' based on  'Charlie's Aunt' and
    starring  the wonderful Ray Bolger whose dancing, especially up the wall,
    inspired me to take dance lessons.    That's what started my love of
    Broadway.   I didn't learn until many year laters about Jack Benny's
    'Charlie's Aunt'.

    Johnnie Ray:
    In 1952 when I was 14 three of my friends and I attended Johnnie's live
    performance at the Capitol Theater in NY not just once, but 15 times over 4
    days.  That was when they didn't clear the theater between shows.  I even
    remember the film. which I didn't watch 15 times,  "Against all Flags" with
    Errol Flynn and Maureen O'Hara.  We took lobby breaks where we and other
    Johnnie Ray fans traded gossip, speculation, adulation, admiration,
    pictures, etc.

    I guess I don't have to tell you that I was a major Johnnie Ray fan and
    still have half of the handkerchief I caught (which I had to share with a
    friend).  He tossed a handkerchief into the audience at each show.  I also
    have some pictures I took from the front row, which are pretty good.    I
    never stopped being a fan although rock and roll  was soon to beckon.
    Johnnie was close to rock and roll in many of his songs and I think he was
    unique and his sensitivity was very appealing to us adolescents.    I sold a
    couple of my mementos. duplicates, on ebay and was surprised at the interest
    and number of bidders, especially from the UK.

    -Irene, from Memory Lane

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 08:00:30 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  9-7 births/deaths

    September 7th births

    09-07-1888 - Alec Harford - London, England - d. 3-31-1955
    actor: "Escape"; "NBC University Theatre"; "Romance"
    09-07-1893 - Roscoe Karns - San Bernadino, CA - d. 2-6-1970
    actor: "Hollywood Hotel"
    09-07-1900 - Everson Tracy - Philadelphia, PA - d. 1-10-1967
    actor: Fred Thompson "One Man's Family"
    09-07-1903 - Margaret Landon - Somers, WI - d. 12-4-1993
    author: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    09-07-1907 - Johnny McAfee - d. 10-xx-1982
    vocalist: (Harry James Band) "Chesterfield Time"
    09-07-1908 - Max Kaminsky - Brockton, MA - d. 9-6-1994
    jazz musician: :This Is Jazz"
    09-07-1909 - Elia Kazan - Constantinople, Turkey - d. 9-28-2003
    film director, actor: "Free Company"; "Philip Morris Playhouse"
    09-07-1910 - Don Ried - d. 9-16-1996
    vocalist: "The Jack Kirkwood Show"
    09-07-1913 - Anthony Quayle - Ainsdale, England - d. 10-20-1989
    actor:  Guest Panelist "[removed]"
    09-07-1920 - Mende Brown - d. 2-2-2002
    director: "The Affairs of Peter Salem"
    09-07-1921 - Art Ferrante - New York City, NY
    pianist: (Ferrante and Teicher) "The Zero Hour"
    09-07-1923 - Peter Lawford - London, England - d. 12-24-1984
    actor: "Radio Reader's Digest"; "Suspense"
    09-07-1927 - Don Messick - Buffalo, NY - d. 10-24-1997
    actor: "Let George Do It"; "Horizons West"; "NBC University Theatre"
    09-07-1929 - Sonny Rollins - Harlem, NY
    jazz saxophonist: "White House Jazz Festival"
    09-07-1936 - Buddy Holly - Lubbock, TX - d. 2-3-1959
    singer: "Sunday Party"; "Buddy and Bob Show"

    September 7th deaths

    05-29-1911 - Vivi Janiss - Nebraska - d. 9-7-1988
    actress: (Married to John Larch) Kit Calvert "Aunt Mary"
    06-06-1917 - Maria Montez - Barahona, Dominican Republic - d. 9-7-1951
    actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    07-29-1892 - Horace Braham - London, England - d. 9-7-1955
    actor: Charles Lang "Wendy Warren and the News"; Ernest Benning "Big Sister"
    09-14-1918 - Mike Stokey - Shreveport, LA - d. 9-7-2003
    announcer: "One Night Stand"
    09-24-1900 - Ham Fisher - Wilkes-Barre, PA - d. 9-7-1955
    cartoonist: (Creator of Joe Palooka) "Raleigh Room"; "Philco Radio Time"
    09-26-1889 - Frank Crumit - Jackson, OH - d. 9-7-1943
    singer, emcee: "Blackstone Plantation"; "Battle of the Sexes"; "Singing
    Sweethearts"
    10-13-1900 - Georgia Backus - Columbus, OH - d. 9-7-1983
    actress: Peg Riley "Life of Riley"; Portia Brent "Brenthouse"; Doris Foster "A
    Date with Judy"
    10-17-1893 - Spring Byington - Colorado Springs, CO - d. 9-7-1971
    actress: Lily Ruskin "December Bride"
    11-07-1906 - Red Ingle - Toledo, OH - d. 9-7-1965
    vocalist: (Spike Jones and his City Slickers) "The Spike Jones Show"
    11-27-1890 - Gladys Rice - Philadelphia, PA - d. 9-7-1983
    singer: "Roxy's Gang"; "Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra"; "Voice of Firestone"
    12-10-1920 - Dennis Morgan - Prentice, WI - d. 9-7-1994
    actor, singer: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "[removed] Steel Hour"; "Screen Guild Theatre"

    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 08:02:34 -0400
    From: Hal Stone <otrjug@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Real sounding actors

    Evan Torch touches upon an interesting aspect of OTR. That of dialogue
    spoken by performers sounding "real", natural, or spontaneous.

    But before adding my two cents worth, I must first thank Evan profusely for
    the high compliment he paid me. That of including me in the company of
    classy actors like Parley Baer or Ray Collins.

    Evan began his premise [removed]

>     I was listening to Philo Vance last night while falling asleep and I had the
>     same feeling I've had with a variety of shows in the past; not for a minute
>     did Jackson Beck seem to be talking to someone in reality. Rather, I was
>     continually conscious he was reading a script.

    [removed] have hit upon something with your last sentence, Evan. He was
    indeed reading from a script. However, the trick mastered by the really good
    OTR performers was to sound like they weren't reading. But there is much
    more to the equation.

>     I never heard Parley Baer or Ray Collins or Harold ([removed] Hal) Stone sound
>     for one minute as though I hadn't stumbled upon a real "in time"
>     conversation.

    Now, let me jump in here with this disclaimer. What I'm about to say has
    nothing to do with my experiences as a radio actor. I'm going to try and
    explain this phenomenon as someone who had spent 25 years as a TV director.

    The quality or effectiveness of an actors performance (in any medium)
    depends a great deal on any number of important factors. Of primary
    importance is the script (dialogue). The writer has the option of making the
    character sound "real", or "exaggerated" for effect. It could well be the
    writers interpretation of how he wants a character to sound, either for
    dramatic effect, or a particular concept to make that character appear
    unique. And not all writers are good writers, just as not all actors are
    good actors.

    The next element that dramatically affects an actors performance is the
    Director. (Not to mention Ad agency involvement when it comes to casting).

    The best directors, in my humble opinion (Let's stick with Radio for now) do
    their most important work when they cast the part. The director first reads
    the script, then visualizes (strange word for radio, perhaps "Imagines" is
    better) how the character should sound.

    In the case of "strong", experienced directors, they don't always hold
    auditions. Them are familiar with the talent pool, and book the one they
    think would be best in the part. But in the case of sponsors, many times the
    Agency Rep (producer) sticks his two cents worth into the equation, and
    thinks their opinion should influence decisions. (Don't get me started on Ad
    Agency interference).

    So, bottom line, one can not necessarily fault the actor if the dialogue
    doesn't ring true. He could have wooden dialogue to work with, and directed
    to read it without "color" because someone thinks that's how "Philo Vance"
    should sound. BUT!!!!!!!!!

    Evan, you are on to something. I never listened to the show, but it's quite
    possible that Jackson Beck was "miscast" to begin with. He had a great
    voice, just as did Alexander Scourby, but I, speaking as a director, think
    of them more as "Narrators". But when you think about it, I believe that
    Radio Detective shows back then followed a formula, much like TV shows do
    today. The OTR detectives were supposed to sound "cool", unperturbed, and
    laid [removed] the performers frequently "underplayed" the [removed] were told
    to. Case in [removed] culmination of 'em [removed] Webb & Dragnet. Takk
    about a "flat" [removed] But it worked to perfection, right?

>     On the other hand, I never heard Vincent Price (The Saint) or
>     anyone on Henry Aldrich sound as though they were doing anything but
>     reading.

    Hmmmm. Don't get me in trouble now Evan. As for Vincent price, (in my
    personal opinion) he was a one dimensional actor. He was good, but he did
    have a distinctive delivery and vocal quality, so what you heard was what
    you got. In other words, he didn't have the need to "stretch" his performing
    talents, or "Act", other that with his typical [removed] or use any other
    vocal style.

    I can't speak for the performers on the Henry Aldrich show in it's
    entirety, even though I appeared on it a few times. But again, speaking
    strictly as a director, and looking back, I would venture the opinion that
    House Jamison (the father) was miscast. A nice enough man, but I recall that
    maybe he came across sounding too cultured? Hence, not real?  I won't go
    into all the reasons I feel that way now. I sure didn't have an opinion
    about it back then.

    We had 5 or 6 different fathers on the "Archie"show, and maybe only 2 of
    them weren't right for the part, they were usually transitory, and they
    didn't last long.

>     Was it a prerequisite to give the listener the total illusion no
>     script was present to call it great radio.

    Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, just as 'Great Radio" is in the ears
    of the listener.

    Hang in there, Doc.

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 10:13:58 -0400
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "Speak the speach, I pray [removed]"

    From: "evantorch" _etorch@[removed]_ (mailto:etorch@[removed])

>     ... not  for a minute
>     did Jackson Beck seem to be talking to someone in reality.  Rather, I was
>     continually conscious he was reading a script.
>     I never heard  Parley Baer or Ray Collins or Harold ([removed] Hal) Stone sound
>     for one minute  as though I hadn't stumbled upon a real "in time"
>     [removed]

    Dear Dr. Torch-

    You sir, have pinpointed one of The Secrets (of Acting).

    No disrespect to Jackson, who I had the honor to meet, and whose work I
    love; but there IS a difference in "angle of attack " that you've put your
    finger
    on.

    It all depends on whether you approach a script from the Inside, or the
    Outside. The illusion of "this is real!" is created when the performer has
    the
    ability - and has taken the time - to look into "WHO is this person? WHY is
    he
    here? WHAT does he need in this scene?"

    (And I am lucky enough to know from personal experience that you're right,
    in Hal's case - he's got the goods. As do many of the folks who will be at
    FOTR.)

    The other approach, to just read the lines in as rich a sound as possible,
    will only yield "reality" by an occasional stroke of luck. To me, this is
    even
    more a failing of MAD/NTR; I despair at the people who cast with no thought
    for  acting ability - "It's just reading!" -, or worse, think no rehearsal is
    called  for - "Why would you need to?."

    (And yes, those are quotes, from folks who should know [removed])

    Acting has been called "sculpting in ice" (because the likeness needs  to be
    built, but does not last - unless recorded!). If you would not ask "Just
    Anyone" to be able to instantly sculpt a good likeness of Hamlet, or  Sherlock
    Holmes, or Jughead Jones, in CLAY, why should you expect them to be  able to
    do
    it well in ice?

    Best,
    -Craig Wichman
    Quicksilver Radio Theater

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 10:14:24 -0400
    From: Lee Munsick <damyankeeinva@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  James Melton, Frank Black, Harpo Marx?

    Hello again to James Melton's daughter, Marjorie Melton Nutt.  We wish you
    well in your researches for a book about your father, and look forward to it!

    ASCAP records show the following about Mr. Melton's personal theme:

    I Will Bring You Music   (Title Code: 390083640)  Writers:
       Broekman, David H.
       Rachmaninoff, Sergei

    The ASCAP Online records do not show the song associated with any particular
    performer as some files do, but
    that sort of information is not especially complete in the ASCAP files, as
    that's not really their mission.

    The Online ASCAP "ACE" listing (that's what they call it; I don't know what
    ACE stands for, except probably for the A) indicates this list is for works
    "Restored to Copyright Protection" as of 1999, the date of the listing.

    Oddly, Mr. Broekman then does not show up on ASCAP with his own list of
    compositions.  I was beginning to suspect that perhaps that was Frank Black's
    real (or composing) name.  But no!  Broekman does show on [removed]:
    David Hendrines Broekman (b Netherlands 1902, d NYC 1958).

    There, other song compositions referred to are "Little Boy Blue on Broadway",
    "This - Our Land", "The Birds Will Sing No More", "Dialogue for Lovers",
    "Samba for Orchids", "Intermezzo for a Day in May", "Fanfare", and (hooray!)
    "I Will Bring You Music"".

    This is telling:  Among his IMDb listing of film and TV programs is the
    following:  "Ford Festival" (1951) TV Series (themes) ... aka The James
    Melton Show.

    Since we don't find the song in the ASCAP listing, it doesn't help with a
    date, and it's certainly possible the lyrics were written long before the
    referenced 1951 use.  Since we know that modern composers can say that they
    wrote the music for older works written by such as by Rachmaninoff, Mozart,
    Bach and all those other older non Tin Pan Alley types, and therefore collect
    royalties for music written by someone else (!), it may well be that he is
    listed on the sheet music itself etc. as both composer and lyricist.
    Marjorie, sorry I couldn't get that far!  It's also quite possible the sheet
    music was never published, merely printed for use on the Melton programs!

    David Broekman is credited earliest on IMDb as writing music for the 1929
    re-issue of the 1925 "Phantom of the Opera".  Yup, the one with THAT Lon
    Chaney face!  He was still preparing music for programs seen as late as 1956,
    not long before his death.

    In 1954, he did music for "The Best of Broadway" TV series, for their revival
    of "The Man Who Came to Dinner".     "The Man Who Came to Dinner", as we all
    know, was a play, then a film, (both with Monty Woolley), based on the
    columnist and radio commentator ("The Town Crier") Alexander Woollcott, the
    character in the play named Sheridan Whiteside.  BTW, he loved it!

    Here's one of those strange "facts stranger than fiction" coinkydinks:  the
    "Best of Broadway" television series had a director  - among others - by the
    name of David Alexander.  The writer of their story adaptation of the
    Alexander Woolcott parody was Ronald Alexander!   A bunch of smart alecs, if
    you ask me.  That canard, by the way, originally referred to Alexander
    Woollcott, for whom it fit perfectly.

    If you don't really know about him, read up - a true character!  In the 1946
    film "Night and Day" supposedly about Cole Porter, Monty Woolley plays
    himself, as he was Porter's professor at Yale, and lifetime friend.  At one
    point Woolley tells "Porter" (Cary Grant), that he's just been signed to
    appear in a new film ("The Man Who Came to Dinner").  Woolley says, "I play
    an ass!"  Relishing every syllable.

    Woollcott himself probably would have fallen off his seat at this (or out of
    his wheelchair?) laughing, except that by then he was prone, having passed
    away on January 23, 1943.  He was in the midst of a CBS "People's Platform"
    discussion program (not his own show) about Hitler, when Woolcott suddenly
    froze at the mike and slumped back in his chair.  He signalled for the
    panelists to continue, and others helped him out of the studio. Contrary to
    some reports, he did not actually expire "on mike", but came very close.
    Dead a few hours later, he had suffered a lethal combination of heart attack
    and cerebral hemorrhage.

    Among the other tidbits found on the IMDb site is the number of times the
    "[removed]" show has been done one TV!  One that surprised me was a very
    early TV presentation in 1942, and a 1947 production with a stellar cast
    including Orson Welles as Sheridan Whiteside, Don Knotts as Dr. Bradley, and
    Marty Feldman as 'Banjo'!  The prototype of 'Banjo'  was 'Harpo' Marx, and
    was played in the Woolley film by Jimmy Durante.  Harpo Marx told friends
    (and probably Woolcott himself) that he thought the rather rotund,
    round-faced Woollcott looked like something that had gotten loose from a
    Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I imagine Feldman probably came closer to
    the antic Harpo than did Durante.  Wouldn't one love to see a kinescope of
    that!  Sadly, not in 1947.  As friend Derek Tague would say, it"s "Gone With
    the W'ether".   Ouch!

    I hope that this helps Jimmy Melton's daughter Marjorie some, and entertains
    everyone else perhaps even more!

    Lee Munsick

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 10:28:02 -0400
    From: Michael Shoshani <mshoshani@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  NBC Chimes

    Mike Biel noted:

>     There are a number of us working on gathering every recording of
>     pre- and early 3 note chime recordings dating back to the twenties
>     and samples of the exact make and models of the chimes actually
>     used in the different [removed] of the story have already
>     been posted but some holes in the story still remain, and research
>     continues.

>     But we can definitely count out both the General Electric connection and
>     the contention that the notes are always GEC.

    Indeed, the earliest recordings of a three-note NBC chimes actually
    use the notes C A F. Those were the notes on the Deagan Model 20 chime
    that was actually used.

    I am currently working on a website which I hope to have up and
    running by November 26th, the 79th anniversary of the gala inaugural
    NBC broadcast.  This will feature pictures and digital recordings of
    the actual chimes models used on NBC in the late 20s and early 30s,
    from my own collection, as well as historical chimes clips (a few of
    them previously unpublished on the web) kindly provided by Mike Biel
    and Elizabeth McLeod.  A small video clip of an NBC network announcer
    striking a Deagan 20 chime will be included as well, and I am
    currently corresponding with a retired NBC engineer in the Cleveland
    area who owns the Rangertone chimes machine once used at the NBC O&O
    station WTAM.  He has enthusiastically agreed to furnish pictures and
    a recording taken directly from the output of the machine.

    As they say, stay tuned to this frequency for further developments.

    Michael Shoshani
    Chicago

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 11:00:51 -0400
    From: "OTR MP3" <goldenotrmp3@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  TASCAM 32

       Hello folks,

       I have a new in box (probably last one) Tascam (TEAC) 32 studio
       machine to sell. It has less than 5 hours on it since we bought it 5
       years ago, and was one of a handful left in the world at time
       according to TEAC. email me at goldenotrmp3@[removed] for details.

       Best to you, prayers for Gulf folk. GL

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 14:09:27 -0400
    From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Charlie's Aunt
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

>     "Community Theater in Virginia to Stage
>      "Charlie's Aunt" The Jack Benny classic is going to be performed in
>     Lynchburg."

    I think it should be made clear that this is not a recreation of the Benny
    movie version but the actual play by Brandon Thomas written and first
    produced in 1892. I know I'm being picky but some folks may not go to the web
    site listed in the original posting.
    Larry Albert

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
      ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #271
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