Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #354
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 11/16/2005 3:40 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2005 : Issue 354
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Thanksgiving Day Parade On the Radio  [ "Bill Knowlton" <udmacon1@[removed] ]
  Amos N Andy Music Hall                [ [removed]@[removed] ]
  RINSO WHITE JINGLE                    [ "Stuart Lubin" <StuartLubin@[removed] ]
  Re: A&A Music Hall Playlists          [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Yankee Yarns                          [ Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@erols ]
  R-rated OTR                           [ James Meadows <walthamus@[removed]; ]
  NBC Chimes                            [ BH <radiobill@[removed]; ]
  #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ charlie@[removed] ]
  --music Amos n' Andy played on Music  [ Joemartelle@[removed] ]
  OTR Movies alert                      [ "Don and Kathy Dean" <dxk@ezlinknet ]
  quiz of two cities                    [ Robert Angus <rangus02@[removed]; ]
  11-16 births/deaths                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  OTR book                              [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  Wyllis Cooper                         [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  A&A Music Hall Voice Tracking         [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Shadow Titles                         [ "jljonz" <jljonz@[removed]; ]
  Re: Burgess Radio Nature League       [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Jacques Renard                        [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  NY Daily News Article on "The Goldbe  [ seandd@[removed] ]
  Frank & Ann Hummert, Erik Barnouw bo  [ "HOWARD BLUE" <khovard@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 22:36:10 -0500
From: "Bill Knowlton" <udmacon1@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Thanksgiving Day Parade On the Radio

In late October a query was made on radio broadcasts of Thanksgiving Day
Parades. I know this DID happen on NYC's WOR, specifically because
WOR/Mutual Producer Roger Bower ("Can You Top This," "It Pays To Be
Ignorant") told me that he once had the job of announcing it from the roof
of WOR's late lamented 1440 Broadway studio.

Anyway, Roger told me that one year the parade was at least an hour late
getting going. And WOR was not about to extend the time it was devoting to
the parade.

So Roger, with line of march in hand, colorfully "described" a parade that
had not yet stepped off!

(BTW, the "Grand Ole Opry" was broadcast live from NYC's Carnegie Hall
Monday night in honor of the Opry's 80th birthday. Ironically you couldn't
hear in in Gotham over the air because WFAN is 660 and WSM is 650. I heard
it online, but WSM was coming in relatively strongly in Syracuse last night)

BILL KNOWLTON

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

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 22:37:26 -0500
From: [removed]@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Amos N Andy Music Hall

Elizabeth wrote:

Perhaps the most unusual fact connected with the Music Hall was that it
actually won an award. In 1957, George "Kingfish" Stevens was elected the
Disc Jockey of the Year by the readers of Radio-Television Mirror
[removed]

Unlike many folks, I consider the Music Hall a ground breaking program. True it
is a disk jockey show with drop-ins by famous guests, but if you look at radio
during the 50s it was rapidly turning to DJs because TV was taking the big
advertising budgets. Besides there was a radio station boom in the 50s and many
smaller markets got 250. 500 or 1000 watt radio stations. This means there was
more stations and less network radio on individual stations.

Amos N Andy was the only major radio show that I know that changed it's format
several times radically and still kept their audience. Gosden and Correll may
have looked at it as easy money, but they were really leading the way into the
future of radio as we now know it. While others were burying their head in the
sand waiting for TV to "blow over" A&A was playing records by some of the
country's biggest stars and announcing them as such, and having fun (or so it
sounds).

I actually like the Music Hall shows, and recognize them as a trend setter.

Paul Urbahns
Radcliff, KY

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

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:25:13 -0500
From: "Stuart Lubin" <StuartLubin@[removed];
To: "OTR_Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  RINSO WHITE JINGLE

I had heard elsewhere that Beverly Sills was one of the singers who sang the
Rinso White jingle.  The late Veola Vonn told me that she, Veola, was a
regular doing that commercial.  She was sure it was not on Amos 'n Andy.
Does anyone know on what program Veola sang that jingle (with another
person)?

OTRadiofan

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

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:25:39 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: A&A Music Hall Playlists

On 11/15/05 10:37 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:

So I am curious, what kind of music did they play, say, 1957-60?  I can't
fathom Elvis singing "Jailhouse Rock" in the "Amos 'n' Andy Music Hall" and
ditto, say, Buddy Holly doing "Oh Boy" but what about doo-wop or the like?
The only one I've heard is one I have from '54.

The playlists were invariably middlebrow adult pop, for want of a better
term. The target audience for the program tended to be older listeners,
so teen-oriented records would obviously not be featured. The most
commonly featured artists were performers like Sinatra, Crosby, Frankie
Laine, Nat King Cole, Dinah Shore, and others of that sort. Occasionally
there might be a record of crossover interest, such as a selection by Les
Paul and Mary Ford or the Crew Cuts, or a pop/jazz performer like Ella
Fitzgerald, but straight rock 'n' roll or rhythm-and-blues weren't part
of the playlist.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:31:02 -0500
From: Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Yankee Yarns

On Tuesday, November 15, 2005, at 10:37 PM, Andy wrote:

would like to know the name of the gentleman who was
the lone voice on the anthology series Yankee Yarns.

This show originated at WBZ in Boston, beginning in 1942.  It was still
airing in the early 50s as a regional show. There are over 60 surviving
audio copies. The voice at the mike for this show was Alton Blackington.

Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:40:03 -0500
From: James Meadows <walthamus@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  R-rated OTR

   Regarding Stephen Kallis' comment on whether any
OTR shows would garner an "R" rating --- I think the
horror and suspense shows have to be considered.
   I've heard some episodes that are very explicit,
depicting things with sound that they would likely not
be allowed to actually show in a visual medium. Wish I
could give you some specifics, but perhaps someone
else can chime in.
   The most recent show I heard of this type (the name
of the series escapes me), featured a man suffocating
in a sealed room as the air was pumped out. He was
agonizingly conscious to the very end --- a medical
impossibility, I think, but very effective to listen
to.

Jim Meadows

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:41:17 -0500
From: BH <radiobill@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  NBC Chimes

 Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];  posted:

[removed]

[removed]

I guess this is a good time to mention that the gbronline NCB Chimes site
will be going away soon. I have moved the chimes page to a new server. The
URL is [removed]

Also want to wish a Happy Birthday to NBC this Nov 15, we share the same
birthday, they are 76 and I am, well shall we say somewhat younger.

Since I am just now catching up on the last few digests, I would also like to
echo the congrats to Michael Shoshanis' web site. I have scanned it but
haven't had time yet to read it in full, but it looks wonderful. I will be
adding a link from my site to his. Thanks Michael.

Bill H.

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 02:12:00 -0500
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, 16 Nov 2005 07:50:37 -0500
From: Joemartelle@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  --music Amos n' Andy played on Music Hall
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

in reply to Dixon Hayes' question, "what type of music" did Amos n' Andy
play on the Music [removed]

the music Amos n' Andy played on their program, 'The  Music Hall'  would be
described by radio programmers (back then) as AC or Adult Contemporary.  The
few programs, I've listened to feature performers like Eddie Fisher, Doris
Day
and Rosemary Clooney. Keep in mind, this was the early 50's and these  singers
were 'the rage (as in Patti Paige) of the day.'
One of my episodes also features Frank Sinatra stopping by their studio, or
Music Hall to shoot the breeze with the boys. The 'bits' or skits, between
songs, were [removed] hey--they could gargle on the air and folks would
[removed]
were terriffic talents--Amos 'n' Andy, but in a
way I feel the entire premise of the show was somewhat demeaning to two
wonderfully gifted talents. They were super*stars of their day and having
them
sitting around introducing songs, personally, seemed such a waste of great
talent. But, as someone pointed out here on the digest, the Network  had
Freeman
Gosden and Charles Correll under contract and that was the  name of that game.
As a radio survivor of forty-one years on the air, (although  not in their
league), I totally understand about 'being under contract' and  following
orders.
You have two [removed] go along with the format  [removed] quit. A few
times, I felt so frustrated, I'd ask to be released,  to go elsewhere and get
my creative juices cranked-up again. I'd really love to  know how  Amos n'
Andy felt about doing the Music Hall Program. In a  way, they were leaders in
the
field of future 'radio disc-jockeys' and maybe  they felt, 'it was time for
them to change with the times.' Who knows! Then  again,  perhaps, they decided
to turn a deaf ear and as we say in the  business,just  "take the loot and
scoot!"
No matter how you slice it, they were successful and popular, no  matter what
the format. Amos n' Andy were true radio  survivors  with a very long shelf
life, from 1920 until  1960!  Not a bad run, wouldn't you agree!

Joe Martelle

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

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:49:02 -0500
From: "Don and Kathy Dean" <dxk@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  OTR Movies alert

Hi Gang:

For those of you who missed them before or have never
seen them, here is your chance to see them again. These
OTR movies are being shown on Turner Classic Movies
Friday morning. Times shown are Eastern Standard Time.

8:30 AM - THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE (1942)
9:45 AM - GILDERSLEEVE ON BROADWAY (1943)
                  Both the above feature radio's original Gildersleeve
                  Harold Peary
11:00 AM - HEAVENLY DAYS (1944) - stars radio's
                   Jim & Marion Jordan as Fibber McGee & Molly

All three shown in sequence

Don Dean

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:51:03 -0500
From: Robert Angus <rangus02@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  quiz of two cities

When I was first becoming aware of radio, in the late 1930s, a very
popular program on WTIC in Hartford, Conn. was ":Quiz of Two Cities", in
which teams in Hartford and Springfield, Mass. competed with questions
of general knowledge.  I'[m curious how many other cities offered
versions of this show (I've heard that Boston and Providence were
paired, and that WOR also offered such a program), and who originated
the idea.  Was this strictly a Northeast phenomenon, or were there
contests farther afield---in the Midwest, or Baltimore-Washington, or
the Pacific coast?  When did they start, and when did they die?

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:51:12 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  11-16 births/deaths

November 16th births

11-16-1873 - W. C. Handy - Florence, AL - d. 3-28-1958
jazz trumpeter, composer: "Cavalcade of Music";"Freedom's People"
11-16-1889 - George S. Kaufman - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 6-2-1961
panelist: "Information, Please"; "This Is Broadway"; "Who Said That?"
11-16-1894 - Ruth Cornell Woodman - d. 4-22-1970
creator, writer: "Death Valley Days"; "Cavalcade of America"
11-16-1895 - Michael Arlen - Rustchuk, Bulgaria - d. 6-23-1956
creator: "The Falcon"
11-16-1896 - Jim Jordan - Peoria, IL - d. 4-1-1988
comedian: Mickey Donavan, "Kaltenmeyer's Kindergarten"; "Fibber McGee "Fibber
McGee and Molly"
11-16-1896 - Lawrence Tibbett - Bakersfield, CA - d. 7-15-1960
singer: "Voice of Firestone"; "Your Hit Parade"; "Golden Voices"
11-16-1899 - Mary Margaret McBride - Paris, MO - d. 4-7-1976
commentator: "Mary Margaret McBride"; "Martha Deane"
11-16-1905 - Eddie Condon - Goodland, IN - d. 8-4-1973
guitarist, host: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concerts"
11-16-1907 - Burgess Meredith - Cleveland, OH - d. 9-9-1997
actor: "Red Adams/Red Davis "Red Adams/Red Davis" (the precursor to "Pepper
Young's Family")
11-16-1912 - George O. Petrie - New Haven, CT - d. 11-16-1997
actor: Michael Waring "The Falcon"; John J. Malone "Amazing Mr. Malone"
11-16-1912 - Paul Dudley - Massachusetts - d. 5-18-1959
writer: "Pot o' Gold"; "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"
11-16-1916 - Daws Butler - Toledo, OH - d. 5-19-1988
actor: "Sears Radio Theatre"; "Stan Freberg Show"; "That's Rich"
11-16-1916 - Jack "Smiling Jack" Smith - Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA
singer: "Breezing Along"; "Prudential Family Hour"; "Jack Smith Show"
11-16-1919 - Marion Bell - St. Louis, MO - d. 12-14-1997
actress, singer: "The Railroad Hour"
11-16-1927 - Barbara Payton - Cloquet, MN - d. 5-8-1967
actress: "Pepsodent Show starring Bob Hope"

November 16th deaths

02-01-1901 - Clark Gable - Cadiz, OH - d. 11-16-1960
actor: "So Proudly We Hail"; "Silver Theatre"
03-04-1904 - Joseph Schmidt - Davideny, Bukovina, Austria-Hungary - d.
11-16-1942
singer: "General Motors Concerts"
04-12-1899 - Boake Carter - Baku, Russia - d. 11-16-1944
news commentator: "Night newscast for CBS"
04-17-1918 - William Holden - O'Fallon, IL - d. 11-16-1981
actor: "Hour of Mystery"; "Smiths of Hollywood"; "So Proudly We Hail"
05-07-1906 - Jack Johnstone - d. 11-16-1991
writer, producer, director: "Buck Rogers"; "CBS Radio Workshop"; "Six Shooter"
05-24-1916 - Tony Barrett - New York, NY - d. 11-16-1974
actor: Charlie Dyer "This Life is Mine"; Biff Bradley "Pepper Young's Family"
06-06-1900 - Arthur Askey - Liverpool, England - d. 11-16-1982
comedian: "Band Waggon"; "Music Hall"; "Does the Team Think"
08-04-1905 - Frank Luther - Lakin, KS - d. 11-16-1980
singer: "Luther-Layman Singer"; "Frank Luther Show"; "Happy Wonder Bakers Trio"
09-21-1915 - Mac Benoff - New York, NY - d. 11-16-1972
writer: "The Mel Blanc Show"
09-27-1885 - Harry Blackstone - Chicago, IL - d. 11-16-1965
magician: "Harry Blackstone, the Magic Detective" based on him.
10-24-1916 - Ray Singer - New York, NY - d. 11-16-1992
writer: "Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show"; "Rudy Vallee Show"; "Charlotte
Greenwood Show"
12-20-1914 - Patti Pickens - Macon, GA - d. 11-16-1995
singer: (Pickens Sisters) "The Pickens Sisters"; "The Magic Key"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 08:47:55 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  OTR book

I just went through a new tome, Flashgun Casey, Crime Photographer: From the
Pulps to Radio And Beyond by J. Randolph Cox and our own Dave Siegel.  The
book is very informative, a reference guide worth having on your shelf.
Besides the stage play and novels and short stories, it covers the radio and
television series including a complete radio broadcast log.  Worth the
price.  I know it's been mntioned on the Digest previously but i figured to
toss my two cents in.  Available at bookstores, [removed], etc.
Martin

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 08:48:40 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Wyllis Cooper

Jim Widner commented:

To add to Martin's comments, while he was known among friends and
colleague's as "Bill", I do have documents that indicate by 1940 he was
signing his name as "Wyllis."  I also know that he was born "Willis."  So,
yes, it was both, but pretty much after 1940 at least he was identified
officially as "Wyllis."

TIME Magazine reported in 1934 that he changed the spelling of his name to
please his wife's numerological preferences so even though his delayed birth
certificate states one name, it was changed officially by 1934.  That's the
closest I've come so far.
Martin

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:32:17 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  A&A Music Hall Voice Tracking

Russ Butler suggests that possibly the Amos 'n' Andy Music Hall

may have
been the first example, the pioneering of 'voice tracking' as it's used
today on digital equipment. Many of the syndicated music network shows on
"the satellite birds" do this. The personality sits in the studio recording
music intros/outros for a half hour and it becomes a three hour show.

No, not by a long shot.  We had discs in the Northwestern archive of Dave
Garroway voice tracks for the "11:60 Club" program from the late 40s, and I
am sure he was not the first to use the technique.  At least one sleeve had
handwritten comments to the engineer about program timing.  And during the
1950s this was a common technique for the crude automation systems that
were starting to be used.  An announcer could do an entire 24 hour day in
about a half hour.  These systems used reel to reel tape recorders and cue
tones to start the next machine.  One machine had the announcements and two
or three machines had the music.  Later on they also added cartridge
carousels for the commercials.

Michael Biel   mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:32:40 -0500
From: "jljonz" <jljonz@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Shadow Titles

For those of you who like to make logs and keep up with this sort of thing, I
have come across the titles of 4 previously untitled "Shadow" episodes.  They
are as follows:

      Tuesday, January 05, 1932  Dynamite Moll
      Tuesday, January 12, 1932  Wee Willie's Ghost
      Tuesday, January 19, 1932  Turn Of The Tide
      Tuesday, January 26, 1932  Friday The 13th

This information came from the NY Times.  At that time the show was running in
NY on WABC at 10:00pm

jj

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:33:02 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Burgess Radio Nature League

Bethany Rutledge asks about the broadcasts of Thornton W. Burgess Radio
Nature League in the 20s and 30s.  The NBC recordings and reference files
are in the Library of Congress, and that would be the place to look.  We
have a Boston broadcasting expert on the list, Donna Halper, so she might
have further info.  Burgess did record at least ten sides for Columbia
Records in the pre-broadcasting era, but I suppose you already know about
those.

Michael Biel   mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:33:25 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jacques Renard

The 1931 recording of "As Time Goes By" by Jacques Renard which George Aust
mentions becoming a hit in 1943 was on Brunswick 6205, not Victor.  The
vocalist on it was Frank Munn.  It was recorded on Oct 12, 1931 which is
very close to the cut-off date of the split of ownership masters between
Decca (earlier stuff) and Columbia (later stuff).  So I'm not sure who
reissued it in 1943 unless I see a copy of the reissue!  Looking at the
discography, I see the Renard record I'd REALLY want!  It was recorded on
December 7, 1931 (there's an interesting date) called "'R' You List'nin'?"
and has a recitation by, of course, Tony Wons!!!  It's Brunswick 6238 and
is now on my want list.

If Lee Munsick could remember the title of the Renard record he heard, I
could tell him who the mystery vocalist was.  He used a lot of different
vocalists over the years -- but never, apparently, himself.

Michael Biel   mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:33:36 -0500
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  NY Daily News Article on "The Goldbergs"

David Hinckely of The New York Daily News reports on a MOTR NYC/LA exhibit on
pioneering women of radio and televsion, which includes a seminar on Gertrude
Berg and "The Goldbergs."

Strangely, Peg Lynch is not mentined in the article but we can only hope
she's in the exhibit.

Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]

[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 15:54:04 -0500
From: "HOWARD BLUE" <khovard@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Frank & Ann Hummert, Erik Barnouw book

I've successfully reduced my files down to only six file cabinets, and my
book collection down to only 5000 volumes. One book I would still like to
give a good home is an autobiographed copy of Erik Barnouw's "Media
Marathon" which among other things has a great chapter about his dealings
with the Huumerts. Anybody interested?

Howard Blue
Khovard@[removed]

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #354
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