------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2011 : Issue 120
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
7-30 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
This week in radio history 31 July t [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
RE: OTR conventions [ "Paula Keiser" <pkeiser1@[removed]; ]
7-31 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
OTR Conventions [ "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed] ]
OTR Conventions [ Stephen Jansen <m00nman666666@yahoo ]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:30:25 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 7-30 births/deaths
July 30th births
07-30-1880 - Robert R. McCormick - Chicago, IL - d. 4-1-1955
newspaper publisher, commentator: "The Chicago Theatre of the Air"
07-30-1890 - Casey Stengel - Kansas City, MO - d. 9-30-1975
hall of fame baseball manager: "DiMaggio Farewell"; "Witness!"; "Tops
in Sports"
07-30-1909 - Gordon Hughes - d. 4-19-1999
director: "Lights Out"; "The Guiding Light"
07-30-1911 - Richard Louis Ables - d. 8-1-1997
composer, musician: Woody Herman Orchestra; Charlie Barnet Orchestra
07-30-1912 - Charles Irving - Minneapolis, MN - d. 2-15-1981
actor: Tex Mason "Bobby Benson's Advs."; Jerry Malone "Young Dr. Malone"
07-30-1912 - Edward L. Bliss - Fizhou, China - d. 11-25-2002
cbs news correspondent: (One of Morrow's Boys) CBS News Twentieth
Century Roundup"
07-30-1914 - John Meston - Pueblo, CO - d. 3-24-1979
writer: "Gunsmoke"; "Escape"; "Fort Larmie"
07-30-1916 - Dick Wilson - Preston, Lancashire, England - d. 11-19-2007
actor: "Family Theatre" Mr. Whipple in Charmin commercials
07-30-1922 - Meredith Davies - Birkenhead, England - d. 3-9-2005
conductor: "City of Birmingham Choir"
07-30-1928 - Christine McGuire - Middletown, OH
singer: (The McGuire Sisters) "Arthur Godfrey Time"
07-30-1928 - Joe Nuxhall - Hamilton, OH - d. 11-15-2007
baseball annoucer for the Cincinnati Reds
07-30-1958 - Robert Leppzer - Cambridge, MA
producer: "Wounded Knee: Roots of Earth"
July 30th deaths
01-02-1931 - Renee Roy - Buffalo, NY - d. 7-30-2005
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
01-05-1923 - Sam Phillips - Florence, AL - d. 7-30-2003
owner sun records: "Lost and Found Sound"
01-26-1905 - Margaret Cousins - Munday, TX - d. 7-30-1996
writer: "Holmes Radio Magazine"
02-08-1908 - Myron McCormick - Albany, IN - d. 7-30-1962
actor: Christopher Wells "Advs. of Christopher Wells"
03-17-1916 - Karl Weber - Columbus Junction, IA - d. 7-30-1990
actor: Ray Matson "Dr. Six Gun"; Phil Stanley "When a Girl Marries"
03-30-1926 - Jim Shean - d. 7-30-2007
writer: "Bobby Benson"; "Superman"
04-04-1907 - Bob Venables - Woodstock, IL - d. 7-30-1985
announcer: "The Whistler"
05-10-1914 - Charles McGraw - NYC - d. 7-30-1980
actor: Ken Thurston "Man Called X", "Dragnet"; "Suspense"
06-07-1897 - George Szell - Budapest, Austria-Hungary - d. 7-30-1970
orchestra leader: "NBC Symphony Orchestra"; "New York Philharmonic"
07-10-1914 - Joe Shuster - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - d. 7-30-1992
co-creator (with Jerry Siegel): "Advs. of Superman"
08-22-1897 - Eddie Dunstedter - Edwardsville, IL - d. 7-30-1974
organist, conductor: "Gold Medal Fast Freight"; "Lineup"; "It Happened
in Hollywood"
09-08-1896 - Howard Dietz - NYC - d. 7-30-1983
song lyricist: "The Gibson Family"
09-13-1903 - Claudette Colbert - Paris, France - d. 7-30-1996
actor: "Cresta Blanca Hollywood Players"; "Lux Radio Theatre";
"Millions for Defense"
09-29-1915 - Brenda Marshall - Island of Negros, Philippines - d.
7-30-1992
actor: Nancy Smith "Smiths of Hollywood"
10-10-1913 - Janis Carter - Cleveland, OH - d. 7-30-1994
scriptwriter: "Gangbusters"
11-23-1900 - Julian Atkins - Oklahoma - d. 7-30-1984
guitar: "The Radio Cowboys"
11-27-1917 - Buffalo Bob Smith - Buffalo, NY - d. 7-30-1998
actor: Howdy Doody "Howdy Doody"
12-06-1887 - Lynn Fontanne - Waterford, England - d. 7-30-1983
actor: "Theatre Guild On the Air"; "Biography In Sound"
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:30:33 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 31 July to 6 August
From Those Were The Days -
7/31
1933 listeners turned up the radio on this day to hear the announcer
introduce "Jack Armstrong, the All American Boy!" The show was one of
the longest running adventure programs on radio, continuing until 1951.
8/4
1921 The first tennis match on radio was broadcast on KDKA in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was a natural since KDKA was the first
commercial radio station in the United States. Within eight months the
powers that be figured out that sports on radio would bring in big sales
revenues. And so, the Davis Cup match between Great Britain and
Australia was aired on the radio; but much to the wonderment of KDKA's
listeners. Tennis anyone? On radio? It rates right up there with radio
wrestling or, maybe, [removed]
1927 Station 2XAG, later named WGY, the General Electric station in
Schenectady, NY, began experimental operations from a 100,000 watt
transmitter. Later, the FCC regulated the power of AM radio stations to
not exceed 50,000 watts on 'clear channels' (where few, if any, stations
would cause interference with each other).
1940 Crime Doctor introduced a new kind of radio hero to audiences.
The CBS program presented Dr. Benjamin Ordway, the show's main
character, who was a victim of amnesia. He once was a criminal, but got
hit on the head, and suddenly began to work as a crime fighter. Nice twist.
8/5
1921 KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA did the first play by play broadcast of a
baseball game. Harold Arlin described the action as the Pirates beat
Philadelphia 8-5.
1935 Backstage Wife was first aired, on MBS.
8/6
1928 One of radio's first serials, Real Folks, debuted on NBC.
1939 After becoming a success with Ben Bernie on network radio, Dinah
Shore started her own show on the NBC Blue network. Dinah sang every
Sunday evening.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:30:44 -0400
From: "Paula Keiser" <pkeiser1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE: OTR conventions
I lived and worked for many years within 50 miles of the FOTR convention and
never, to my everlasting regret, made it to Newark for the convention. After
all, there was always next year.
Then I retired. In 2007 I moved to Topeka, Kansas, well away from any of
the OTR conventions, and I, like most of my contemporaries, am finding it
increasingly difficult to get to places like Cincinnatti, Seattle and
Aberdeen. If there were a convention in Kansas City, you'd better believe
I'd be there.
I'm probably on the younger end of those of we who actually lived during the
OTR era, and I just turned 68. I fear we're looking at the end of the era.
I mean, look at the activity here on OTR Digest. Charlie has done yeoman's
work at keeping the discussion group alive, but fewer people are here to
participate. If it weren't for Ron Sayles, we probably would go for a week
or more without a Digest.
Maybe we should, if possible, create a national convention in a central
location. For some reason, Kansas City comes to mind.
Paula
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:30:49 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 7-31 births/deaths
July 31st births
07-31-1854 - Charles Goodell - Dudley, MA - d. 4-27-1937
clergyman: (The Shepard of the Air) "Sabbath Reveries"
07-31-1892 - Herbert W. Armstrong - Des Moines, IA - d. 1-16-1986
preacher: "Plain Truth"; "The World Tomorrow"
07-31-1894 - John Mayo - Providence, RI - d. 4-28-1974
announcer: Staff announcer for both CBS and NBC
07-31-1894 - Roy Bargy - Newaygo, MI - d. 1-15-1974
conductor: "Jimmy Durante Show"; "Kraft Music Hall"; "Rexall Summer
Theatre"
07-31-1900 - Elmo Roper - Hebron, NE - d. 4-30-1971
pioneering polster: "America's Town Meeting of the Air"; "Word from
the People"
07-31-1902 - Robert E. Griffin - Hutchinson, KS - d. 12-19-1960
actor: Wilbur Ramage "Story of Holly Sloan"; Michael West "Bright
Horizon"
07-31-1904 - Billy Hillpot - Red Bank, NJ - d. 2-25-1985
singer: Trade "Smith Brothers: Trade and Mark"; "Camel Pleasure Hour"
07-31-1904 - Brett Halliday - Chicago, IL - d. 2-4-1977
creator of Michael Shayne; host on "Murder by Experts"
07-31-1908 - [removed] "Bill" Shadel - Milton, WI - d. 1-29-2005
newscaster: Reported the D-Day landings for CBS
07-31-1909 - Roger Krupp - Minnesota - d. 5-25-1987
announcer, newscaster: "Advs. of Ellery Queen"; "Famous Jury Trials"
07-31-1911 - George Liberace - Menasha, WI - d. 10-16-1983
sideman: Orrin Tucker Band, Anson Weeks Band
07-31-1912 - Chester Stratton - Paterson, NJ - d. 7-7-1970
actor: Carter Trent "Pepper Young's Family"; Hop Harrigan "Hop Harrigan"
07-31-1912 - Irv Kupcinet - Chicago, IL - d. 11-11-2003
sportscaster: WGN Chicago "Chicago Bears"
07-31-1912 - Milton Friedman - Brooklyn, NY - d. 11-16-2006
economist: Radio Australia
07-31-1913 - Brook Byron - Weakly County, TN - d. 5-29-2006
actor: "Top Secret"; "Suspense"
07-31-1915 - Chet Forrest - Brooklyn, NY - d. 10-10-1999
composer, pianist: "[removed] Treasury Star Parade"
07-31-1916 - Bill Todman - NYC - d. 7-29-1979
producer, director, writer: "Treasury Salute"; "Winner Take All";
"What's My Line"
07-31-1918 - Hank Jones - Vicksburg, MS - d. 5-16-2010
jazz pianist: "Andy Williams Sings"; Benny Goodman Quintet"
07-31-1919 - Curt Gowdy - Green River, WY - d. 2-20-2006
sportscaster: play-by-play Boston Red Sox
07-31-1919 - Norman Del Mar - Hempstad, England - d. 2-6-1994
conductor: "Scottish Orchestra"
07-31-1921 - Barbara Fuller - Nahant, MA
actor: Claudia Barbour "One Man's Family"; Peggy Fairchild "Step Mother"
07-31-1922 - Hank Bauer - East St. Louis, IL - d. 2-9-2007
baseball great: "Tops in Sports"
07-31-1924 - Garard Green - Madras, India - d. 12-26-2004
actor: "Sherlock Holmes"
07-31-1927 - Tony Thomas - Portsmouth, England - d. 7-8-1997
announcer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
07-31-1931 - Kenny Burrell - Detroit, MI
guitarist: "Newport Jazz Festival"; "Jazz Alive"
07-31-1936 - David Halliwell - Brighouse, England - d. 3-16-2006
writer: "Spongehenge"; "There's a Car Park in Whitherton.
July 31st deaths
02-25-1904 - Warren Parker - Alton, IL - d. 7-31-1976
actor: Jesus Christ "The Greatest Story Ever Told"
03-08-1893 - Victor Arden - Wenona, IL - d. 7-31-1962
pianist and orchestra director with various radio appearances
03-22-1917 - Virginia Grey - Los Angeles, CA - d. 7-31-2004
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
04-30-1909 - Bud Linn - Indianapolis, IN - d. 7-31-1968
singer: (The King's Men) "Kraft Music Hall"; "Fibber McGee and Molly"
06-06-1928- Rodney D. Wingfield - London, England - d. 7-31-2007
author: "Frost at Christmas"
06-18-1898 - Carleton Hobbs - Farnborough, England - d. 7-31-1978
actor: Sherlock Holmes "Saturday Night Theatre, Children's Hour"
07-04-1911 - Mitch Miller - Rochester, NY - d. 7-31-2010
bandleader: "Here's to Veterans"
07-06-1904 - Marie Baumer - d. 7-31-1977
writer: "Mr. Chameleon"
07-07-1896 - Yasha Bunchuk - Russia - d. 7-31-1944
cellist: "Roxy and His Gang"
08-18-1907 - Enoch Light - Canton, OH - d. 7-31-1978
bandleader: "BMI Pin Up Platter"
08-20-1923 - Jim Reeves - nr. Galloway, Panola County, TX - d. 7-31-1964
country singer: "Jim Reeves Show"; "Grand Ole Opry"; "Country Style
[removed]"
09-08-1889 - Robert A. Taft - Cincinnati, OH - d. 7-31-1953
us senator: "American Forum of the Air"; "The People's Platform"
11-10-1923 - Anne Shelton - Dulwich, London, England - d. 7-31-1994
vocalist: "American Band of the Supreme Allied Command"; "Variety
Bandbox"
11-24-1912 - Teddy Wilson - Austin, TX - d. 7-31-1986
jazz pianist: "Benny Goodman and His Orchestra"; "Saturday Night Swing
Club"
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:31:00 -0400
From: "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OTR Conventions
I was surprised to hear this was to be the last FOTR. Attending this
convention and the other OTR Conventions, has long been a goal for me. We
have been planning on holding an Australian OTR Convention in a couple of
years time to test the waters, but health issues have gotten in the way and
my research partner is also seriously ill at the moment. I told my wife
about this being the last FOTR Convention and the Australian Dollar being
worth $[removed] [removed] it seems timely to cross the ditch, so that is now being
planned, Passports renewed, travel agent friend being contacted tomorrow
regarding flights.
As someone who has never been to an OTR Convention, I don't know if the loss
of one will lead to another as Steve Darnall is asking, or if FOTR will
become another Nostalgia Convention in the future as I suspect. I would
love to think that such conventions would still take place and that I can
continue to plan on being there when all the planets align, but having read
Charlie's article on FOTR ending I understand the reasons, but I want to
make sure I get there first. I hope there is a large crowd to hide in and
that everyone who has thought about visiting FOTR takes the opportunity to
make the trip, after all, it isn't all that far really :)
Ian Grieve
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:31:51 -0400
From: Stephen Jansen <m00nman666666@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR Conventions
Steve Darnall asks "Is there room for another convention?"
I would think that there is, especially in the Chicago area!B Especially
considering the world-class attractions available: museums, architecture, fine
dining, [removed] Of course, Chicago was one of the major radio hubs back in the
good old [removed] suburb Waukegan brought up Jack [removed] over the
Wisconsin border, Kenosha raised up one Orson [removed] Peary, Don
Ameche, Red Skelton, Sam bn Henry/Amos bn Andy, Fibber McGee & Molly, Hugh
Downs, Mike Wallace, Don McNeill, National Barn Dance, Herb Morrison, Lights
Out, Captain Midnight all started out in Chicago (and plenty more, that I
don't happen to recall right at this moment, I'm sure!).
I do think that the concept of "OTR Convention" needs to be changed/updated,
[removed] Including other nostalgic items (pulps, music, comics, posters,
movies, war, etc) seems a [removed] Also updating the timeline of "old" time
radio, which ended in 1960 - which is now more than fifty years ago!B Time to
start discussing CBS Radio Mystery Theater and CBC Nightfall and Jim French's
Crisis, and inviting THOSE stars and directors while they are still around!B
Of course, there's no reason that NTR (brand new stuff) couldn't be
represented, [removed]
Pity that the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago got scr- er, were
unable to collect that $6 million former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich
promised years before, and never [removed] This type of thing could be
right up their [removed] But my guess is that a successful convention would be
more likely coming from a much smaller group, done for the love of the
artform, without a bunch of red tape and alternate agendas getting in the
way.
Who's gonna do it?B Go ahead and contact me, I'm ready to help out!B I think
it's shameful that Chicago doesn't have an OTR convention.
Stephen Jansen
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2011 Issue #120
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