Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #104
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 3/5/2003 9:03 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 104
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      pronunciations                        [ "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@charter ]
      Howard Culver Watch                   [ "evantorch" <etorch@[removed]; ]
      #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ lois@[removed] ]
      ad Shirer, etc.                       [ Michael Berger <intercom1@attglobal ]
      reeelaaax Hal!                        [ JimInks@[removed] ]
      re: 16" transcription discs           [ "Shawn A. Wells" <swells@[removed] ]
      The Big Show                          [ "Gary Yoggy" <yoggy@[removed]; ]
      March 5th Birthdays                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Olde Frothingslosh beer               [ "Garry Lewis" <glewis@[removed] ]
      the girl on the can- Fatima Yechberg  [ "Garry Lewis" <glewis@[removed] ]
      Re: Transcription Prices              [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Ranger on DC, transcription prices    [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
      Jack Eigen's Interviews               [ Joe Oliver <joliver@[removed]; ]
      Re: prices of et                      [ "Ed Carr" <edcarr@[removed]; ]
      Agatha Christie                       [ aandg4jc@[removed] ]
      Great music on transcription disks    [ Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 00:19:53 -0500
    From: "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  pronunciations

    The pronunciation of the word "protein" as "pro-tee-an" by OTR announcers
    has been well-documented here. Although it could be that that was the
    preferred pronunciation back in those days, I think it is more likely an
    example of announcers bending over backwards to e-nun-ci-ate, perhaps after
    countless hours practicing "How Now Brown Cow". The one word from the old
    commercials that gets the most laughs from the kids these days is
    "vegetables" (VEJ-e-tib-bulls). I enjoy hearing the word pronounced that
    way. I especially appreciate it when I hear people today refer to cucumbers,
    lettuce, and carrots as "veggies". Let's hear it for VEJ-e-tib-bulls!

    Mike Leannah
    Sheboygan, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 00:37:23 -0500
    From: "evantorch" <etorch@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Howard Culver Watch

    I think there are numerous episodes of Gunsmoke (B&W , hour) circa 1964-65
    which feature Howard as the desk man at the venerable Dodge House. Am I
    correct Lois?
    Evan Torch, MD
    etorch@[removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 04:52:03 -0500
    From: lois@[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 six years, same time, same channel!

    Our numerous "regulars" include one of the busiest "golden years" actors in
    Hollywood; a sound man from the same era who worked many of the top
    Hollywood shows; a New York actor famed for his roles in "Let's Pretend" and
    "Archie Andrews;" owners of some of the best OTR sites on the Web;
    maintainer of the best-known OTR Digest (we all know who he is)..........

    and Me

    Lois Culver
    KWLK Longview Washington (Mutual) 1941-1944)
    KFI Los Angeles (NBC) 1944 - 1950
    and widow of actor Howard Culver

    (For more info, contact lois@[removed])

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 09:59:23 -0500
    From: Michael Berger <intercom1@[removed];
    To: otr <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  ad Shirer, etc.

    There's another factor in evaluating the quality of overseas reporting
    pre-WW2, and today, for that matter: language ability.

    I know that Max Jordan, a Swiss German if I remember correctly, and Sigrid
    Schultz, who reported for MBS, were both fluent in German, but don't know
    about Shirer.

    Having had personal experience as a journalist reporting from Japan and
    Korea, I know that without ability in the local language, a reporter becomes
    dependent on English speaking sources of varying quality who often do not
    provide the needed balance or depth of detail that are crucial in providing
    superior reporting. Even more telling, the monolingual reporter cannot glean
    the kind of "information from the streets" that always was more compelling in
    pre-1940 reporting than the pronouncements of Nazi talking heads, or censored
    local newspapers.

    Another issue is the mind-set of most reporters in those days, radio or
    print. The dependence on "official" sources seemed pronounced, with far too
    little reporting of what daily life was like in [removed] availability,
    impact on the famous nightlife, the price of milk, bread, coffee. All easily
    available within a few daily conversations -- if the reporter was fluent in
    German.

    I agree that content, not style, is more important, but in radio, when news
    is read in a dull monotone, the full power of the medium is wasted. On that
    point, surely, Shirer was mediocre, to say the least, and later NBC reporters
    from Berlin, Charles Lonius and Theodore Knopf, were only marginally better.

    The success of CBS, or its reputation, may have been better PR, but I think
    it's also fair to say that Murrow's selection of reporters was superior
    overall. Berlin may have been the exception.

    The articulation of HV Kaltenborn was often caricatured, but it gave his 1939
    reports life and impact. He was with CBS then, by the way, and if we roll the
    tape forward to D-Day, the CBS people were superb in both content and style,
    with Doug Edwards and Bob Trout doing most of the anchoring and vivid reports
    from Hottelet, Murrow, LeSeur, Collingwood and military analyis from George
    Fielding Eliot.

    When Shirer had the time to sit down and write and edit, he work was superb,
    but as a deadline [removed]

    Michael Berger

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 09:59:48 -0500
    From: JimInks@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  reeelaaax Hal!

    Hal,
    They only threw you out of the office when you visited Archie?  I'd have had
    you arrested for impersonating a teenager with a funny hat.

    As for your book, send me the particulars and I'll send a check.  It might
    even be good.  If it bounces, [removed] talk to Mr. Lodge.  He can make good
    on it.

    Tony Tollin signed his name that way in comics for years.  Blame him!  For
    those who don't know, he's a darn good colorist who is sorely missed in the
    field.  I've even heard he  can write well!!  A fun guy to talk radio with
    (okay [removed] my kids now).

    -Jim Amash

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:00:26 -0500
    From: "Shawn A. Wells" <swells@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  re: 16" transcription discs
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    Dick:
       Howdy! I haven't heard from you in ages. I couldn't agree with you more on
    the prices of some of those ET's on ebay. Every now and then I see one I'm
    interested in, but your right that some of the auction ending prices are way
    out there. A 'Personal Album' went for $[removed]!, and a Mail Call for $ [removed] !
    WOW! Maybe I should pull a case or two of AFRS material and sell them off and
    retire! Yeah right! With my luck, everyone would be broke from spending
    $1,000's for a 'Standard Library Transcription' and I would only get about .5
    cents.

    Shawn
    [removed] Look forward to seeing you in Cinn. again this year.

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:00:43 -0500
    From: "Gary Yoggy" <yoggy@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Big Show

    I'm trying to obtain a complete run of THE BIG SHOW for some research I'm
    doing. Could anyone help me with cd or mp3 copies?  You can contacy me off
    line.  Does anyone know if the complete series still exists?  thanks,  Gary
    Yoggy

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:01:04 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  March 5th Birthdays

    If you born on March 5th, you share your birthday with:

    1900 - Sam Hearn - Jersey City, New Jersey
    1903 - Minerva Pious - Odessa, Russia
    1908 - Rex Harrison - Huyton, England
    1920 - Virginia Christine - Stanton, Iowa
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Make your day, listen to an Olde Tyme Radio Program

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:01:13 -0500
    From: "Garry Lewis" <glewis@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Olde Frothingslosh beer

    for all the curious, including me, here is a website-

    [removed]

                            yours ,

                                Garry D. Lewis

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:01:27 -0500
    From: "Garry Lewis" <glewis@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  the girl on the can- Fatima Yechberg

    the obit. of the girl on the can of Olde Frothingslosh beer-
    Marsha Phillips, AKA Fatima Yechberg
    [removed]

                                    yours let's raise our glasses in salute,

                                            Garry D. Lewis

    I could have had a twin brother, if I would have worked a little
    harder on my split personality!

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:03:00 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Transcription Prices

    On 3/5/03 12:31 AM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

>     Just curious if anyone knows what is driving people to pay these kind of
>     prices for these discs? As far as I can tell copies of these shows are
>     in circulation in most cases.

    Any discs containing real jazz-oriented material are very much in demand
    among serious music collectors, especially discs containing the work of
    African-American artists: this explains the high prices brought by AFRS
    "Jubilee" programs and certain "One Night Stand" broadcasts, such as the
    Lucky Millender program you mentioned. This is a whole different school
    of collecting than mainstream OTR -- these collectors would walk right by
    an entire stack of Green Hornet discs without blinking to get to a single
    broadcast by Duke Ellington or Jimmie Lunceford or Don Redman. (And, I
    have to admit I'd probably be right there among them, except that it's a
    high-stakes game in which I have no hope of competing financially. I just
    watch from the sidelines and sigh a lot.)

    Likewise, discs containing the work of musical artists who have cult
    followings or who were considered technical innovators -- Spike Jones
    being the former and Les Paul the latter -- will bring high prices.

    There are also specialized collectors who will pay astronomical prices
    for *anything* with the words "Western Electric" on it. There aren't any
    specific examples on your list, but I've known the most ordinary, most
    tedious, most utterly disposable World transcription library discs to go
    on eBay for over $100, simply because they have the words "Western
    Electric" on the label. (I wish I had grabbed the entire cabinet full of
    these discs I once had a chance to own for the effort of borrowing a
    truck to haul it away -- I'd be set for life. But at the time, I was
    living in a two-room apartment with a Murphy bed that wouldn't close, and
    barely had enough room for me and my cat. There was no room for the
    collected works of Albert Sack and His Orchestra, no matter what fancy
    process recorded them. Plus it was an old building, and the weight of the
    cabinet probably would have caused the floor to collapse. My security
    deposit wouldn't have covered that.)

    Keep in mind too, that on eBay you aren't just dealing with OTR
    collectors, who are usually satisified to have a tape dub or an MP3 of
    something. For record collectors, the original artifact itself is what's
    important -- it's like the difference between owning an orignal painting
    or a print. There are all sorts of reasons for this, not just Bragging
    Rights -- serious discographical researchers need to actually handle and
    examine the original disc to get all the information about it that they
    need in order to properly document it.

    I will admit though I never thought I'd live to see the day where someone
    would pay nearly $30 for *anything* by Horace Heidt. Or $60+ for Frankie
    Masters. If you can find any explanation for that, I know where you can
    find a whole big pile of Ken Griffin skating-rink organ solo discs that
    would probably bring big prices from someone. (Bit of an inside joke
    there for 78-L members.)

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 11:30:37 -0500
    From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
    To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Ranger on DC, transcription prices

    So if the Lone Ranger were to be published by DC, there could conceivably be
    a crossover story where Superman goes back in time and meets the LR. I think
    I will reserve judgment on that [removed]

    Transcription prices. A record is worth whatever it is worth to a buyer. I
    wish I was getting those kinds of prices for [removed]

    Joe Salerno
    PO Box 273405 - Houston TX 77277-3405 [removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 11:48:31 -0500
    From: Joe Oliver <joliver@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack Eigen's Interviews
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    I''ve read with interest the Jack Eigen references.  I thought I was the
    only person who remembers him.  I got in commercial radio in 1959 in
    Alabama and used to listen to Jack via skywave after I signed off my show
    at midnight.  I don't know how many 17-year-olds he had in his audience,
    but I found him fascinating.  I learned how to interview listening to
    Eigen.  Yes, he displayed an ego and was a compulsive name dropper, but he
    took ordinary people and proved they had interesting interviews in
    them.  He could do 45 minutes with a farm implement salesman from Des
    Moines and hold your attention. He had some celebrities (Forrest Tucker
    showed up a lot), but mostly it was Jack interviewing ordinary people.  His
    ability to probe a person and find out what they were able and willing to
    talk about was a technique I used in radio for years, and always gave Eigen
    credit for teaching me.  The great radio communicators were also great
    teachers.

    Joe Oliver
    Professor of Communication
    Stephen F. Austin State University

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 14:13:08 -0500
    From: "Ed Carr" <edcarr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: prices of et

    silently ed says, please do not  mention prices of ets till i record and sell
    over 150 discs, a mixture of big band and comedy, drama, mystery many
    network shows. but also many afrs
    there is 2 sides to this as in anything, the sides here are, buyers and
    sellers, and in their realm there is i must have it at any price, and oh
    how much can i get for it.
    i believe that people are paying a (i don't know if i can spell it)
    astronomical
    price the same way they buy stocks, looking towards  the future, hedging
    their bets, which, i guess from their point of view is the smart thing to do
    and incorporating collecting (just like you buy paintings) here is a problem,
    the small time collector can not afford these (or a least some of these
    shows) i myself would not pay $400 for a shadow, i would take a cleaned
    up copy of it, that is by someone who knows what they are about.
    i sold a few years back a disc of the sheriff for $5 thinking this is what
    the price is, (how many of this show do you see?)
    that's what i paid a few yrs earlier and that's what i paid for many a disc,
    then i discovered ebay, but ebay is only the middle man, the internet
    is (the good guy or bad, depends if you are a seller or buyer).
    this is what jacks up the prices, it brings together people from all over the
    country to a central shopping place, people you never heard of and then
    bing bang boom the bidding begins.
    i could tell everyone here what some discs sold for that never made ebay
    but would you believe me, but i will say this as it envoles me, over 300
    discs of young widder brown were sold for $900 (what a give away in terms
    of ebay) but the story is to long.
    but the bottom line is not all discs sell for those fabulous prices, not all
    afrs sell, i believe network discs will always sell, and sell handsomely
    if the  content is comedy/mystery/ and so on
     i don't have to own the disc just a copy is fine as stated above
    but i do like (hint, country style usa, but i have quite a few shows all from
    discs, )
    i would guess between myself and a few friends there are at least 1000
    discs, but they mostly collect and rarely sell, but i bet ebay is the place
    they would go, $400 for a shadow, nuts
    take care all
    ed

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 15:55:03 -0500
    From: aandg4jc@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Agatha Christie

    I read recently an Agatha Christie Biography and one of the chapters delt
    with her love for the old time radio dramas. It stated that the BBC was
    preparing a special for the 80th birthday of the Queen Mother. When they
    asked her what she would like to hear on the radio, she stated she wanted to
    her a radio play by Agatha Christie! This shocked the BBC because they were
    exspecting her to want a musical program. Come to find out the whole Royal
    Family loved Ms. Christie mysteries.

    So Agatha started to work on a radio play, originaly called "Three Acts" then
    renamed "Three Blind Mice" but then renamed once more to the name that is
    most famous "The Mousetrap". Agatha was thrilled with radio and did alot more
    radio plays for the BBC radio. She even lent her name for an American
    production,"Hercule Priorot" (that is probibly miss-spelled so forgive me)

    So now I have 2 questions. 1. Does anyone know of an existing copy of "The
    Mousetrap" and where I can find other Agatha Christie radio plays. 2. Were
    there any other famous authers who penned radio scripts? I know that Dashiel
    Hammett lent his name to Sam Spade, The Fat Man and The Thin Man but wrote
    none of the scripts. I thought once I heard that Sir Auther Conan Doyle wrote
    a script but I am not for sure if it was for radio or the stage.

    Allen

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

    Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 16:36:29 -0500
    From: Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Great music on transcription disks

    Some readers of the OTR Digest may recall a few months ago I commented
    on transcription disks, and specifically some long-lost Jim Reeves ABN
    shows that had surfaced. A new independent label, VoiceMasters , has
    since released two CDs ("Jim Reeves: Around the World" Vol. 1) and "Jim
    Reeves: Remember, You're Mine" Vol. 2), each disk featuring two shows
    from his daily series. The musicianship is outstanding, with the WSM 22
    to 30-piece orchestra under the direction of Owen Bradley, plus the
    Anita Kerr Quartet (who supplied the smootheast harmonies this side of
    heaven). Also, two outstanding singers, Buddy Hall and Dolores Watson.
    Reeves, of course, was the emcee and lead singer. It was a POP show, on
    the American Broadcasting Network, on a schedule that included Merv
    Griffin, Don McNeil, Herb Oscar Anderson and Jim Backus.

    The remastering of these old 16 inch disks was first-rate, with a clear,
    rich, lustrous sound.

    Well, some of you may be interested in knowing that the label has asked
    me to produce three more. There is an announcement about these on a fan
    website ([removed]) along with audio samples from the
    UNPROCESSED tracks. (The label is still working on the remastering).

    VoiceMasters announced a five CD "Subscription Series" whereby fans can
    buy these at a discount. The three upcoming are Vol. 3 "Pretend You
    Don't See Her"; Vol. 4 "I'm Alone Because I Love You;" and Vol. 5 "A
    Christmas Star." Each title reflects the lead song Reeves sings, and
    NONE of this material has been previously issued. The CDs included NEW
    songs that Jim never recorded at RCA.

    It will give you a thrill to hear some of these things because it is an
    era in radio (1957-58) that seems like ancient history. How these people
    could do a LIVE, one-hour show [removed] is amazing. I have been told
    they rehearsed in the morning and did the show at 1 [removed] CST coast to
    coast. Though it was highly scripted, there are the usual flubs and ad
    libs, such as when Reeves forgets the lyrics to "Story of My Life" and
    asks announcer David Cobb to "hand me my music, [removed] just lost it.
    One thing good about having the Anita Kerr singers is, they always know
    their [removed]" It's hysterical. The quartet keeps singing without
    missing a beat (quite a challenge considering Reeves' lead vocal has
    dropped out!), the band keeps playing, and Jim laughs as he tries to get
    back into the music again. Since he was known as a flawless baritone,
    this bit of radio reality is a real treasure to hear.

    Anyway, can you tell I'm enthused about these? I'm excited to discover a
    wealth of great music on old transcriptions, and have bought some on
    ebay recently featuring Nat Cole, Doris Day, Lawrence Welk, Buddy Clark,
    et al. Too bad there's no live music on radio [removed] Garrison
    Keillor's show each weekend!

    Sorry for the ramble,
    Larry Jordan

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #104
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