Subject: [removed] Digest V01 #87
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 3/17/2001 10:10 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                          The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                             Volume 01 : Issue 87
                       A Part of the [removed]!
                               ISSN: 1533-9289

                               Today's Topics:

     LUX Radio                            [Al Girard <agirard@[removed]]
     WorldSpace (OT)                      ["Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];    ]
     Those Were The Days                  ["Kris Rutti" <knrutt@[removed];  ]
     Women in OTR                         [Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];       ]
     World Space Satellite broadcasting   [Gordon R Payton <thescifiguy@[removed]]
     WNIZ "THOSE WERE THE DAYS"           ["stephen jansen" <stephenjansen@ema]
     Re: Secret Squadron Women            [MoondanceFF@[removed]                ]
     Re: FFC & radio                      [MoondanceFF@[removed]                ]
     Re: OTR in Colorado?                 [MoondanceFF@[removed]                ]
     Re: Jack Benny Program East and West [OTRChris@[removed]                   ]
     "[removed] new look?"             [leonardfass@[removed] (Leonard Fass]
     Jack Benny versions                  [Scott Crowder-Vaughn <scrowder@tusc]
     Lum or Abner on Scarlet Queen?       ["Doug Leary" <dleary@[removed];    ]
     A "Silent Night"                     [Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];      ]
     WNIB                                 ["Mary Anne Burkhalter" <characterst]
     Re: Lovecraft on Radio               [GEORGE WAGNER <gwagneroldtimeradio@]
     Lovecraft On Radio                   ["Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@]
     Re: Tape Recorder Woes               [Jshnay1@[removed]                    ]
     Morton Downey, Jr. was a DJ          [Duane Wadsworth <dwadsworth@wadswor]
     Dropping MEMORIES, MEMORIES, MEMORIE [Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];       ]
     Re; Norm Prescott                    ["Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed]]

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 20:34:41 -0500
    From: Al Girard <agirard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  LUX Radio

>     Does anyone know where I can obtain an episode log for Lux Radio Theater?  I
>     really enjoy the list.

    Simple. Do a search for Lux Radio Theatre Episodic Log
    and you will be directed to    [removed]

    Al Girard

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 20:36:10 -0500
    From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  WorldSpace (OT)

    Henry Brugsch <henry@[removed]; wrote:

>     Apologies in advance if this is telling Grannie how to suck eggs, but
>     wonder if people  are aware of the new satellite band which I think is
>     called "world-band" It's not the set of signals piggybacked onto existing
>     satellite television, but a discrete satellite service.

>     "There are now, radios being built, and sold for this service. I have seen
>     one, about the size of a small boombox. On the back is a satellite dish, and
>     a set of buttons to access different menues. I didn't have a real hard look
>     at one purchased by a neighbor, but he flicked through the offerings he had
>     laid into his set. Amongst other things heard, were described movies, and
>     various offerings from Radio World Wide International.

    That's WorldSpace ([removed]), and since it's OT for this
    list I'll just briefly say that it's a service up in the L-band near 1500
    MHz (much higher than UHF TV, but lower than microwave ovens or "wireless
    cable" and a lot lower than satellite TV).  It's intended mostly for less
    developed parts of the world; Henry's neighbor in the UK is receiving
    services that are really aimed at Africa.  The two key differences between
    this and the satellite radio services planned for North America later this
    year (by XM and Sirius) are that WorldSpace requires a properly aimed
    directional receiving antenna -- XM and Sirius will work with
    omnidirectional antennas, such as for car radios -- and it broadcasts its
    programming free-to-air, while XM and Sirius will charge a monthly fee for
    their services.

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:13:34 -0500
    From: "Kris Rutti" <knrutt@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Those Were The Days

    Chuck Schaden's "Those Were The Days" radio program can now be heard on
    public radio, WDCB, [removed] FM.  The station does not yet have a web cast set
    up.

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:22:57 -0500
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Women in OTR

    Stephen Kallis Jr. glowingly wrote:

>     One of the lead characters was Joyce Ryan. Joyce was
>     brave, resourceful, and a vital member of a Secret Squadron team.

    And just to flesh out the actual actors, Joyce Ryan was played (at
    different times) by Marilou Neumayer and Angeline Orr. Photos of both can
    be seen at my Captain Midnight shrine:

    [removed]

    Jim Widner
    jwidner@[removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:24:14 -0500
    From: Gordon R Payton <thescifiguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  World Space Satellite broadcasting

    Henry Brugsch wrote:

>     I wonder if people  are aware of the new satellite band which I think
>     is called "world-band" It's not the set of signals piggybackedonto
>     existing satellite
>     television, but a discrete satellite service.

    The satellite system is called World Space. It's not being broadcast over
    the [removed] yet, but is reaching most of Africa, the Indian Continent, and a
    lot of Europe. They've apparently been able to pull off airing a few
    things that no one else has been able to, namely, the re-airing of CBC
    broadcasts. They just got done airing Johnny Chase Secret Agent of
    Space(Canada's only science fiction series from 1979-80), including the
    elusive first season of anthology stories, which collectors have only
    managed to have copied half of. I've also received copies of Flash Gordon
    LPs from the 70's and the Cisco Kid, so apparently they're able to
    broadcast some pretty heavily copyrighted material.
    They seem to be heavily sponsored by Radio Spirits, as evidenced by
    numerous advertisements for their catalog.
    Sound varies, depending on your line-of-sight and angle of the satellite
    dish you have to hook up. The worst glitch, from OTR collectors' point of
    view, is the switching from one satellite to another as one passes over
    the horizon and another takes over the broadcast. This causes a short
    skip in what you hear.
    To the best of my knowledge, there are less than 5 specially designed
    radio receivers, ranging from boom boxes to home stereo add-ons, that are
    available. Fairly reasonably priced, considering.

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:24:54 -0500
    From: "stephen jansen" <stephenjansen@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  WNIZ "THOSE WERE THE DAYS"

>     Anyone know if  WNIB-WNIZ FM [removed] In Chicago is  playing "THOSE WERE THE
>     DAYS"  on Saturdays from 1 PM - 5 PM  with Host Chuck Schaden. Someone told
>     me it was no longer on the air. Is this true.

    Sadly, yes, this is true.  Just months after his 30th anniversary show, the
    station was sold and changed format.  Now there's one more "best'o'the
    classics AND best'o'the new" pop music station on the dial.  [removed]
    He now broadcasts from WDCB (I forget the city) [removed] FM.  I believe it is a
    college station, without much wattage, I can barely receive it.  His shows
    really have an intimacy and depth that seem to be missing from some other
    OTR shows.  He picks great themes, and even OTR that you may know well can
    be seen in a new light in the context in which he presents it.  Plus, FOUR
    HOURS of OTR - what OTR fan could ask for more?   Hopefully a more powerful
    station will pick up the show.  Any suggestions?

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:25:45 -0500
    From: MoondanceFF@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Secret Squadron Women

    In a message dated 3/16/01 5:33:52 PM, Stephen K. writes:

>     The interesting thing about the show and the Secret Squadron (as
>     portrayed in the manuals) was that women were always welcomed as members
>     -- not auxiliaries, but full members.  We could have done with a lot more
>     like Joyce Ryan on OTR.

    Thanks for that info & comment, SK! ;o)*

    --EE

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:26:32 -0500
    From: MoondanceFF@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: FFC & radio

    In a message dated 3/16/01 5:33:52 PM, John Jensen writes:

>     Francis Ford Coppola offered to buy it outright and plunked down the down
>     payment. It was indeed my lucky day. Here was a guy who had the same
>     interests as me and with the cash and connections to make it all happen.

    John, a very interesting story! I'm a long-time member of FFC's Zoetrope
    website (one of the first 10 members) and would love to post your OTR story
    on the Z-website, for the enjoyment of the other Zoetrope members, if you'd
    give permission for me to do so. I'm very pleased to know that such big guns
    as Coppola & Lucas have an interest in radio productions! I wonder if
    Spielberg does, [removed]

    Cheers!--Elizabeth E.

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:26:42 -0500
    From: MoondanceFF@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: OTR in Colorado?

    Does anybody know what radio stations in Colorado carry OTR programming? I
    live in Boulder, but we can get stations from as far north as Cheyenne, WYO.

    --Elizabeth E.

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:52:43 -0500
    From: OTRChris@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Jack Benny Program East and West

    In a message dated 3/16/01 4:34:28 PM Pacific Standard Time,
    [removed]@[removed] writes:

>      > As early as Benny's first CBS broadcast on 1/2/49, the program was being
>      > recorded and played back on the west coast (both the east and west
>      > coast versions of this broadcast exist)>>

>     If the program was recorded, why were there two versions?  Why shouldn't
>     one version be recorded and played twice?

    I also wondered about this and was thinking perhaps what is really being
    referred to  is that one person has a copy of the version as it played over
    an East Coast station. And another version from a west coast station.  I am
    assuming however, it is the exact same show not two different broadcasts.

    -Chris

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:52:57 -0500
    From: leonardfass@[removed] (Leonard Fass)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "[removed] new look?"

    who sells those radios?

    [removed]
    30

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 22:53:11 -0500
    From: Scott Crowder-Vaughn <scrowder@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack Benny versions

    The other day someone mentioned that there were two existing versions of
    the final broadcast of [removed]  Does anyone have a source for the version
    that uses the real Mary as Mary?

    I remember the first time I heard the [removed] episode and wondered what
    happened to Mary.  I believe I bought it from Advertures in
    Cassettes/Metacom in the early 80s.

    Thanks again for all your responses.

    Scott

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

    Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 23:02:44 -0500
    From: "Doug Leary" <dleary@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Lum or Abner on Scarlet Queen?

    Does anybody know if Norris Goff, who played Abner in "Lum & Abner,"
    appeared in The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen?

    Three episodes of Scarlet Queen feature a Chinese trader named Ah Sin and
    his Texan assistant named Mangen. To me Mangen sounds a lot like Abner. I
    realize there are a lot of aw shucks voices in OTR, but I can hear Abner's
    particular inflections in many lines of Manger's dialog, especially in
    episode 23 when he utters lines like, "a fine kittle o'fish" and, "durn if
    that don't sound like a good i-dee."

    The episodes with Mangen are:
    6: The White Cargo Act and Ah Sin
    16: Ah Sin and the Balinese Beaux Arts Ball
    23: The Wandering Master and the Warlord at Rest

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 02:20:09 -0500
    From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  A "Silent Night"

    Here is an item I picked up today from the weekly e-mail bulletin of
    ARRL, the principal organization of ham radio in the US.  It may be of
    more interest to this group than to the hams:

    -----
    Broadcast listeners can get a clear shot at clear-channel 1080 kHz on the
    Standard Broadcast dial Sunday, March 18, when the two dominant stations on
    the channel shut down briefly. WTIC in Hartford, Connecticut, and KRLD in
    Dallas, Texas--both Infinity Broadcasting outlets--have arranged to briefly
    "go dark," so BCL enthusiasts can listen for the other station as well as for
    the other stations that occupy 1080. "We found out we were going to be doing
    scheduled maintenance during the same month and decided it would be a nice
    gesture to the DXing community to coordinate this maintenance, since it would
    be quite impossible for this to happen naturally," said WTIC Chief Engineer
    Jeff Hugabone, N1KBY. KRLD will go down first, at 0600 UTC (12 midnight
    Central Time) and remain off for an undetermined period. WTIC is set to leave
    the air at 0630 UTC (1:30 AM Eastern Time) and stay off for at least one
    hour. Hugabone says if KRLD doesn't get back on the air before WTIC's planned
    return at 0730 UTC (2:30 AM Eastern Time), he will take WTIC off the air for
    a brief listening window. Handling the KRLD shutdown will be Chief Engineer
    Eric Disen, WB6LCO. WTIC requests reports on what listeners hear to WTIC
    Engineering, c/o Jeff Hugabone, 10 Executive Dr, Farmington, CT 06032. He
    said WTIC is good for a QSL.
    -----

    There's a real echo of broadcast history in this event.  It's been about
    75 years since the last "Silent Night", when broadcasting stations would
    go off the air for an entire evening -- prime time, not only after
    midnight -- so that listeners could tune in distant stations (DX) on
    their crystal sets and Radiolas and Atwater-Kents.  The phenomenon was
    especially popular among Chicago stations.
    Maybe it's all starting all over again!
                                                                  --Bill
    Jaker (WB8RAE)

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 02:46:25 -0500
    From: "Mary Anne Burkhalter" <characterstogo@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  WNIB

>     Anyone know if  WNIB-WNIZ FM [removed] In Chicago is  playing "THOSE WERE THE
>     DAYS"  on Saturdays from 1 PM - 5 PM  with Host Chuck Schaden. Someone told
>     me it was no longer on the air. Is this true.

    True, WNIB was sold and there format changed. Chuck Schaden moved his radio
    program to The College of DuPage (NPR) Station -- still on Saturdays from
    1-5 [removed] CST.  I can't recall the call letters, I think it's [removed] FM.  I
    have it tuned in, but can't see the numbers on my radio.  WNIB was
    simulcasting over the internet & Mr. Schaden has mentioned on the program
    that he hopes to do this again in the future.

    Mary Anne

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 10:45:59 -0500
    From: GEORGE WAGNER <gwagneroldtimeradio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Lovecraft on Radio

         SUSPENSE presented H. P. Lovecraft's masterpiece
    "The Dunwich Horror" in October, 1945. Alas, my data
    base is still down, so I can't give you the exact date
    (possibly the 8th). It DID star Ronald Coleman as
    Professor Armitage, and the episode is quite commonly
    available.
         The core of Lovecraft's story is presented well
    enough, but the production is marred by a tacked-on
    radio-broadcast-within-a-radio-broadcast framing
    device. (The same type of framing device was recently
    repeated by the Atlanta Radio Theater in their
    otherwise-excellent version of Lovecraft's "At the
    Mountains of Madness.")
         Other Lovecraft radio productions include "The
    Outsider" and "The Rats in the Walls" on THE BLACK
    MASS. (By the way, does anyone have exact dates for
    THE BLACK ASS productions?)
         There are also available some taped readings of
    Lovecraft stories by both David McCallum and Roddy
    McDowell.

         George Wagner
         GWAGNEROLDTIMERADIO@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 10:45:57 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lovecraft On Radio

    Bruce Dettman asks,

> >     As so often happens, I have a friend with no particular interest in

    OTR, but who once heard two shows that made a lasting impression on him
    and which he would like to locate.  <snip>  He thinks the first was a
    "Suspense" show  <snip> Ronald Coleman was the star. It was an adaptation
    of [removed]
    Lovecraft's story "The Dunwich Horror."<<

    This was one of the two.  The other was a version of "The Rats In The
    Walls," though where it appeared I don't recall.  It's closer to the
    original than "The Dunwich Horror" was.

> >     The second is less specific, a comical ghost story about two reporters

    in a haunted house who meet up with [removed];<

    That doesn't begin to sound like Lovecraft  He generally shied away from
    conventional spooks, and any comical story would be a departure from his
    normal writing style.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 10:46:01 -0500
    From: Jshnay1@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Tape Recorder Woes

    Can anyone help me in finding a shop in the Chicago area that can work RTR
    machines. My on-off switch is now an off-off switch. You can email me
    directly.

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 13:19:02 -0500
    From: Duane Wadsworth <dwadsworth@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Morton Downey, Jr. was a DJ

    Sad that lung cancer finally silenced Morton Downey, Jr.  I worked with him
    at KELP, El Paso in 1960.  He followed me on the air at 9 [removed]   Our format
    was Top 40 ala McLendon who used to own KELP.  Mort was a good jock and fun
    to be around.  He only worked there about 6 months.  Mikel Hunter (also
    deceased) was our Program Director.  We had 60 shares, if you can
    believe.  [removed] good old days. Color Radio 92!

    -DUANE WADSWORTH-
    aka Dave Ward at KELP

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 15:02:37 -0500
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Dropping MEMORIES, MEMORIES, MEMORIES!

    From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];

>     we took off our shoes so our footsteps would not be picked up
>     on mike and broadcast on the [removed] when we finished a
>     page of script, we oh, so gently let it fall to the floor
>     behind us so the rumple of paper would not go out over the
>     air as [removed]

    We've discussed this before, but now's the time to ask some people with
    network experience back in the 40s on both coasts like Lois Culver and
    Hal Stone.  Would seasoned professional radio performers ever drop their
    script pages page-by-page on the floor during a broadcast?  I've never
    seen any evidence of this practice for any major network program--maybe
    some inexperienced actors did it for effect at local stations, but a
    major performer would never do something like this.  It is just asking
    for trouble.  Falling paper makes noise,  especially when a sheet of
    paper falls on other sheets of paper.  And just try to walk on
    it--you'll go slip-sliding all around, especially if you're wearing
    socks.  People were constantly walking around studios in most
    productions because all the actors would be working around just two or
    so mics, and when a character was not in a scene they would drop back or
    go and sit down.  Stepping BACKWARDS onto a scattered pile of paper is
    just asking for disaster.  (And would you risk stubbing your toe walking
    around with no shoes?)

    An average 30 minute script might run 20 pages.  If there were ten
    performers in the program that would mean 200 sheets of paper lying all
    over the floor just waiting to slip up somebody.  You try spreading
    around two hundred sheets of paper on the floor right now in your room
    and try to walk on them without making a sound and without even slightly
    losing your footing even once.

    And then, who's going to pick up all those papers???  That studio might
    be needed again in a few minutes for a rehearsal or another broadcast.
    That's going to make the transition real efficient, isn't it?  Go call
    for a custodian--there's ALWAYS one around when you need them.  Can't
    find one, then have the engineers pick them up.  Oh that will go over
    BIG!  Engineers LOVE picking up hundreds of pages of scripts after every
    broadcast.  It's in their union contract.  I can hear Bill Murtough now:
    "Let the writers pick them up.  THEY wrote it, let 'em dump it."  So, of
    course, it will be the next set of actors who will pick them up.  Sure,
    that's just want they want to do before a show, pick up 200 pages of the
    previous program's scripts.  And what if it were an HOUR program--that
    would be 400 pages or more, especially if it were a BIG cast.  Maybe 500
    or 600 pages.  Yes!  The Pages will do it!  Oh, but they're out getting
    coffee for the engineers.

    Lets also look at this from the standpoint of habit.  You get into the
    habit of dropping the script pages.  Only you goof and do it during
    rehearsal.  Then you have ten actors scrambling around on the floor
    trying to put together a complete script of THEIR marked pages.  Or you
    do it during the actual air show but forget that there is a repeat
    broadcast coming up, so everyone is scrambling around on the floor
    looking for a complete copy of THEIR marked script.  So, how do we get
    in and out of the habit of dropping pages?  We don't do it during
    rehearsal.  We don't do it during the first live feed.  But WHOOPEE!!!!,
    we get to toss around the paper during the West Coast Feed!  YIPPEEEE!!
    Ah, but now it's the late 40s and we're doing the East Coast feed for
    taping for the West Coast Feed.  So we can toss 'em to our hearts
    content.  But when the show is over and we slog out of the morass we
    have made in the studio, and the director waves us back in.  We need to
    do a pick-up on page 8 and then another on the middle of page 11 to the
    top of page 12.  So there the whole cast is, scrambling around on the
    floor looking for THEIR page 8 and THEIR page 11 and THEIR page 12.

    The answer to all this is that they didn't do it.  They didn't drop
    their script page by page by page.  If they didn't do it during
    rehearsals and they didn't do it during first feeds, why would they do
    it during the last feed???

    Here's a challenge.  Somebody find some pictures or film of major
    network programs performed by seasoned experienced professionals that
    show them dropping their scripts page-by-page and/or with piles of
    scattered scripts all over the floor.  I don't mean after someone
    accidentally drops their script like was mentioned last time we
    discussed this.  And I don't also mean some small town station staffed
    with people who had never hit the big time.  And I don't mean when
    someone goes Whoopee after a final broadcast and tosses the script in
    the air after the show is over.  I mean, show me that they did this in
    New York and Hollywood.  That there were papers all over the place
    DURING soap operas, Suspense, The Shadow, Fred Allen, Archie Andrews,
    Straight Arrow, etc. etc.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 15:02:39 -0500
    From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re; Norm Prescott

    Anyone have information about Norm Prescott?  He was a DJ
    on Boston radio (WBZ, WHDH, WORL) and NYC (WNEW)
    in the 1950's; also appeared in the film "The Disc Jockey" and
    relocated to Southern California to make the first, Saturday
    morning cartoon programs for early television.  Would like
    to contact him about his radio career and theme song - any
    contribution of help to aid my search is appreciated. Thanks.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V01 Issue #87
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