------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 390
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Re: Hall of Fantasy [ passage@[removed] ]
Re: CBS Radio Workshop Confusion [ passage@[removed] ]
WWKB War of the Worlds [ "John W. Matthews" <glowingdial@wow ]
Audience Response [ "Jay Ranellucci" <otrfan3@[removed] ]
Re: Johnny Olsen [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
10-29 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Remley on Benny [ ROB CHATLIN <rchatlin@[removed]; ]
Re: Hindenburg question [ mbiel@[removed] ]
Re: CBS History [ mbiel@[removed] ]
Re: Rod Roddy [ mbiel@[removed] ]
Big Band Acamedy [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
PBS Coverage of FOTR 2003 [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
THE Paul Krassner? [ Vincente Tobias <vincente_ca@yahoo. ]
Re: Another CBS Turns 75 Article [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ lois@[removed] ]
Riding the Short Waves [ "mike kerezman" <philipmarlowe@cfai ]
"Forced Laughter" [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
10-30 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
More Jack Benny questions [ "Matthew Bullis" <matthewbullis@run ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:32:52 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
10/28
1922 - WEAF in New York broadcast the first collegiate football game
heard coast to coast. Princeton played the University of Chicago at
Stagg Field in the Windy City. The broadcast was carried on phone lines
to New York City, where the radio transmission began. (Princeton 21,
Chicago 18.)
1946 - Our favorite flying cowboy was heard on ABC for the first time.
Sky King starred Jack Lester, then Earl Nightingale, and finally, Roy
Engel, as Sky. Beryl Vaughn played Sky's niece Penny; Jack Bivens was
Chipper and Cliff Soubier was the foreman. Sky King was sponsored by
Mars candy.
(Been having connection problems lately so just in case, adding this)
10/30
Orson Welles, known to radio audiences as The Shadow, presented his
famous dramatization of [removed] Wells' The War of the Worlds on CBS's
Mercury Theater at 8 [removed]
Joe
--
Visit my homepage: [removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:33:15 -0500
From: passage@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Hall of Fantasy
Mike Kerezman wrote:
With Halloween close at hand, I been getting my Halloween listening
ready, I was wondering if anyone know if the Hall of Fantasy show
"The Beast with the Red Eyes" exists in circulation since it is the
only Hall of Fantasy show that I lack.
Yes, it does. I did a quick Internet search and found it at:
[removed]
I'm sure there are lots of others. That one is the one from the
syndicated series that first aired in 1953. There's an earlier
one in 1950 that didn't survive. In fact, none of the 112 shows
from 1949 through 1952 have surfaced.
Frank
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:33:26 -0500
From: passage@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: CBS Radio Workshop Confusion
Mike Kerezman wrote:
I've been collecting the CBS Radio Workshop recently. I come across
an oddity that I am trying to resolve. Jerry H. Log's lists 84 shows
for this series. Frank Passage log lists 85. However, John Dunning's
ON THE AIR mentions that 87 shows survive. Can someone reconcile
this?
Jerry's log is missing my #41, "Colloquy #4, Joe Miller's Joke Book".
I list 3 dates in my log that had no show. So, there are possible time
slots for shows. Jay Hickerson's Guide also says there were 87 shows.
I don't have his log, so I can't check it for possible shows on the 3
dates I list as "no show". His start and end dates do agree, so it's
certainly possible that there were shows on those dates. I simply
found no reference to them. In fact, I only found "Colloquy #4" in
one catalog, if I recall correctly. Perhaps someone here knows if
shows aired on those days (Oct 26, 1956, Dec 30, 1956 and Jan 6, 1957).
An excellent series, by the way. One of my favorites.
Frank
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:33:52 -0500
From: "John W. Matthews" <glowingdial@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: WWKB War of the Worlds
Hey folks, I understand that WWKB (formerly WKBW) 1520 AM in Buffalo, NY is
going to rebroadcast their original 1968 version of War of the Worlds on
Halloween at 8pm Eastern time. The show will not be streamed on the net,
darn it! Would anyone out there who actually receives the station over the
air with a strong signal strength be willing to record it for me?? I'll
trade some otr or work something out with any willing party. I have the
1971 re-broadcast but know that the 1968 one was about 90 minutes and
featured a different dj (Sandy Beach instead of Jackson Armstrong). Please
respond to me off-list so we won't clutter things up here and thanks in
advance!
John W. Matthews
The Glowing Dial Page
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:34:21 -0500
From: "Jay Ranellucci" <otrfan3@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Audience Response
In the mid fiifties when I worked at Radio Recorders we would record the Red
Skelton show from CBS-TV City to 16" transcription discs on Monday
[removed] would a full dress rehersal with the entire cast and musicians
plus a full audience. The announcer would preface the start of the show by
saying, "We're recording this show so that if the laughs are to long or
cover up the lines, the jokes can be rewritten." This way the show would
not run to long. The production team would then listent to these disc on
Tuesday, make their corrections and the show would then air live Tueday
evening with a new audience. I'm not sure but I believe at this time the Red
Skelton show was being simulcast. I do know that in l953/l954 that the tv
show was filmed at Sam Goldwyn Studios on Santa Monica Blvd. and was
sponsored by Tide. Jay R.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 14:14:41 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Johnny Olsen
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In a message dated 10/28/03 12:35:32 PM Central Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
Olsen appeared on The Price Is Right's initial run from Nov.
26, 1956-Sept. 3, 1965 and returned for the second (and current) run from
Sept. 4, 1972 until his death at 75 on Oct. 12, 1985.
Didn't Don Pardo do at least part of that early run on NBC?
Dixon
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 15:15:09 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-29 births/deaths
October 29th births
10-29-1891 - Fanny Brice - NYC - d. 5-29-1951
comedienne: Baby Snooks Higgins, "Baby Snooks"
10-29-1894 - Jack Pearl - NYC - d. 12-25-1982
comedian: Baron Munchausen "Baron and the Bee, Jack and Cliff, Jack Pearl Show"
10-29-1897 - Hope Emerson - Hawarden, IA - d. 4-24-1960
actress: Henrietta Topper "Advs. of Topper"; Elsie the Cow "Happy Island"
10-29-1901 - Akim Tamiroff - Baku, Russia - d. 9-17-1972
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
October 29th deaths
02-18-1890 - Adolphe Menjou - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 10-29-1963
host: "Texaco Star Theatre"; "Eternal Light"; "Hallmark Playhouse"
05-16-1913 - Woody Herman - Milwaukee, WI - d. 10-29-1987
bandleader: (The Thundering Herd) "Wildroot Show"
06-14-1908 - John Scott Trotter - Charlotte, NC - d. 10-29-1975
conductor: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Philco Radio Time"
11-05-1906 - Joel McCrea - South Pasadena, CA - d. 10-29-1990
actor: Jace Pearson "Tales of the Texas Rangers"
12-14-1912 - Morey Amsterdam - Chicago, IL - d. 10-29-1996
comedian: "Morey Amsterdan Show"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 15:39:54 -0500
From: ROB CHATLIN <rchatlin@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Remley on Benny
Did Elliot Lewis as Remley, from the Phil Harris/Alice
Faye Show ever make a cross over appearance on the
Jack Benny show?
Remley is often mentioned on Benny, and I believe it
began prior to the HArris/Faye show, but I haven't yet
come across an instance where Remley actually had an
on-air line (either Lewis or another actor.)
thanks,
rob
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 18:24:09 -0500
From: mbiel@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Hindenburg question
Randy Miller asks if Herb Morrison lost his job following his Hindenburg
disaster broadcast. This fable has been discussed here before, and is
absolutely false. In fact, quite the opposite happened. He was highly
praised by WLS, and the story of how the recording was made was published
in the station's weekly magazine. He was even considered too valuable an
asset to risk on physically risky assignments. It seems strange to all of
us who commented on this story last time (Bill Jaker--who knew Morrison--and
Elizabeth McLeod) as to why this fake story of his being fired is still being
circulated. If I remember correctly, Elizabeth figured that it might be a
reaction to the fact that he left WLS a year or two later to work for the
Mutual network. Although this meant leaving a major network affiliate in the
number two market, going to work for a national network is really a career
advancement.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 18:24:56 -0500
From: mbiel@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: CBS History
Sean Dougherty is surprised to find that CBS had been around as early as
1928. Well, actually it goes back even further, to 1927, but the corporate
heads at CBS are required to bow down at the feet of William Paley and LIE
if necessary to overly promote the legacy of the Great God Paley. The list
of CBS Milestones you cite starts with this listing:
Sept. 1928 - During the month he turns 27-years-old, William S. Paley
acquires United Independent Broadcasters Inc., a network of 16 independent
radio stations, changes name to Columbia Broadcast System and becomes
President of the Company.
It has taken a long time to get them to admit that Paley took over an existing
network rather than creating a new one, so perhaps we should be grateful for
small
favors. But this "milestone" is trying to lead you to believe that the
NETWORK
had been called United Independent Broadcasters befor he changed the name.
Not true.
It HAD been called the Columbia Broadcasting System. Only the OWNING COMPANY
had
called United Independent Broadasters, Inc. What Paley did was rename that
company
to match the name of the network. That's it. The network had been CBS
before Paley,
and it remained CBS after Paley arrived. However, as I indicated, it was
knows as
the Columbia Broadcasting System, NOT the Columbia Broadcast System. The
darn fools
at CBS (or whoever posted this) don't even know what the name of the network
had been!!!!!!!!!
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 18:25:58 -0500
From: mbiel@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Rod Roddy
Jim Cox is correct in remembering that Johnny Olsen had been the announcer on
"The Price Is Right" before Rod Roddy, but everything else he mentioned was wrong.
Olsen was not the announcer during the initial run from 1956 to 1965. Remember,
the program began on NBC and then went to ABC. Olsen was mainly a CBS announcer.
During the NBC run the announcer was Don Pardo, and on ABC it was probably
Johnny Gilbert. There is a list of six substitute announcers for this version
and Olsen does not appear on it. Additionally, Olsen cannot
be credited with originating the "Come on down" catchphrase. It was in use during
the ABC version of the program, and in a 1964 tape we have, it is the host, Bill
Cullen, who says it, not the announcer.
As much as I like Johnny Olsen and Rod Roddy, I like Bill Cullen and Don Pardo even
more. Thus I GREATLY prefer the original NBC version of the program. It centered
on the products and the prices. In the Bob Barker version of the program, the products
and the prices are almost an afterthought. That part whizzes by so fast that there is
no thought process given to it, just a wild guess. You had to think in the original
version of the program, and it was much more sedate and sane than this one now is.
Roddy was selected because he could imitate Olsen. I remember when Olsen died, and I
started videotaping all of the shows he was still on until his last one. Then they had
on-air auditions of almost every game show announcer in the business. This went on for
weeks and weeks, and I taped them all. It is a great study in how a voice that is perfect
for one show will not fit into another show. The auditions were a disaster until Roddy.
His voice cracked a couple of times during that program, but everybody KNEW right away
that FINALLY someone was found who could fill Johnny Olsen's shoes. But what I didn't
know until recently was that it was an imitation. That's not Roddy's regular announcing
voice. Compare this with how he sounds introducing "SOAP." They are not at all alike,
and neither sounds like his regular speaking voice. I didn't even know until last year
that he had been the one who did "SOAP."
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 18:26:05 -0500
From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Big Band Acamedy
Hi Everybody,
does any one have a current address for the group called the Big Band
Academy? Take care,
Walden Hughes
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 22:07:38 -0500
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: PBS Coverage of FOTR 2003
Those who were at Friends of Old Time Radio in Newark on Thursday afternoon
may have seen a camera crew and reporter wandering around conducting
interviews. They were from New Jersey public television, NJN, which has a
30-minute weekly news show on Friday nights on WNYT in New York, channel 13
to us locals.
The reporter, Desiree Taylor, spent several hours at the convention,
conducted multiple interviews and put together a very thoughtful, fun piece
that really captured what was special about the convention. This aired on
Friday October 24 and I've attached a link where you can view the segment on
the Internet from your computers.
Chicago's "Those Were the Days Players" were seen rehearsing, as were Lynn
Rogers, Arthur Anderson, Bob Mott and others. Jay Hickerson, Bob Hastings
as well as Arthur appeared in interviews. Such luminaries as Mike Biel,
Fred Berney and Max Schimd can be seen in the background as well.
Desiree called today to ask if we might send letters of appreciation to her
and her boss. This helps her professionally as well as makes it clear to
NJN that there is viewer interest in old time radio.
If as many of you as possible could view the following link and write to
Peggy George (pgeorge@[removed]) with a cc: to Desiree Taylor
(dtaylor@[removed]) that would be great! Also, please forward the link to
anyone you know who might be interested but may not be on this list.
Please click here to view the clip:
[removed]. You'll need
Windows media player or a compatible technology to watch it.
Thanks for your help and time,
Sean Dougherty
Publicity Coordinator
Friends of Old Time Radio
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 22:09:03 -0500
From: Vincente Tobias <vincente_ca@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: THE Paul Krassner?
Michael C. Gywnne writes:
My friend Paul Krassner used to listen to these people laughing on
reruns of I Love Lucy and look very sad. I would say why are you so sad
and he would say because all these people laughing are dead."
Michael,
Paul Krassner? The editor of The Realist? Blows me
mind!
Vince
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 09:41:29 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Another CBS Turns 75 Article
In addition to the CBS Timeline we commented on earlier, this other story
about CBS that Sean Dougherty found in the Hollywood Reporter has a few
howlers of its own.
<[removed];
First of all, the picture at the top is OBVIOUSLY of Arthur Godfrey, NOT
Jack Benny!!!!! How DUMB can a major show business trade press
get?????????? Then the writer takes the item in the timeline I commented
on earlier and louses it up far beyond what is possible to imagine. Look
at THIS stupidity: ". . . CBS was born in 1928, when founder William S.
Paley purchased 16 independent radio stations and gave rise to the concept
of network broadcasting." He did NOT purchase 16 stations, only the
company which provided network programming to those stations. And how can
this IDIOT think that this "gave rise to the concept of network
broadcasting" when not only had CBS been in operation for a year, but NBC
had been operating TWO networks for just under two years. AND RCA and AT&T
had been operating the networks that preceeded NBC for over two additional
years.
For the record, the idiot who wrote that howler was Ray Richmond. Isn't
there ANYBODY at the Hollywood Reporter who knows ANYTHING about the
history of the industry they are writing about???????????????? What has
happened to the fine art of business journalism and magazine editing??
But before I end this diatribe, I want you to take another look at that
picture of Godfrey at the top of the article. Notice that the camera says
CBS Color!! Because this is not an RCA TK-41 camera, I am wondering if
this might be a CBS colorwheel camera in use during a demonstration
colorcast in the early 50s. Lee Munsick, have you seen this picture
before, and is this a possibility?
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 09:41:51 -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, 29 Oct 2003 09:42:24 -0500
From: "mike kerezman" <philipmarlowe@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Riding the Short Waves
Awhile back, I wrote in here to get help on choosing a short wave receiver.
I opted for the Grundig FR-200 short wave radio for $[removed] at my
local Radio Shack store which fits the bill nicely for my own uses. It has
short wave bands inaddition to regular AM and FM. The tuning knob has a
inner tuning knob for fine adjustments on weak stations. However, the
deciding factor was the three inch handle on the left side which is a hand
crack for the power generator. While the radio can use batteries or an AC
wall adapter, I find this "supply your own power" the most convenient of
all. Just crank it up for about two minutes, and the radio will run for a
couple of hours. The radio also includes a built in flash light that will
run off the hand crank. Complete with its fold out attennna I have well
pleased with this little radio's operation.
Mike Kerezman
Macomb, Oklahoma
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 09:42:43 -0500
From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "Forced Laughter"
I remember reading an article in 'TV Guide' in the 1960's that discussed
how producers of network TV shows "recruited" people with distinctive
laughs to sit in the audiences of their shows during taping/filming. The
idea was that these "laughers" would incite the studio audience to laugh,
then the audience at home would laugh, too.
I don't remember if the article said these folks were paid or not, but I
think they were "compensated", one way or another, for their contributions
to the history of TV network comedy.
Anybody know if a similar practice was used in radio broadcasts?
Herb Harrison
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 10:36:08 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-30 births/deaths
October 30th births
10-30-1896 - Bill Terry - Atlanta, GA - d. 1-9-1989
sportscaster: WAGA Atlanta
10-30-1896 - Ruth Gordon - Wollaston, MA - d. 8-28-1985
actress: "Lincoln Highway"; "Meet Mr. Weeks"; "Orson Welles Theatre"
10-30-1910 - Francia White - Greenville, TX - d. 10-22-1984
singer: "Palmolive Beauty Box Theatre"; "Fred Astaire Show"; "Telephone Hour"
10-30-1914 - Ruth Hussey - Providence, RI
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
10-30-1918 - Joan Banks - NYC - d. 1-18-1998
actress: Arline Harrison Manning, "Portia Faces Life"; Carlotta Lagorro
Armour, "Today"s Children"
October 30th deaths
10-14-1907 - Pert Kelton - Great Falls, MT - d. 10-30-1968
actress: Agnes "Magnificent Montague"; Lolita "We Are Always Young"; "Milton
Berle Show"
10-27-1908 - Josephine Antoine - Boulder, CO - d. 10-30-1971
singer: "Contented Hour"
12-26-1921 - Steve Allen - NYC - d. 10-30-2000
comedian, actor, singer, composer and anything else you might mention: "Steve
Allen Show"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 10:36:33 -0500
From: "Matthew Bullis" <matthewbullis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: More Jack Benny questions
Hello, just wondering some more things about the Jack Benny program. Was Don
Wilson really fat, like he was portrayed? Also, was Jak really voted the dog
catcher of the county? Since I'm listening to the program in chronological
order, when do we get the new sponsor after Jello, and when does the
orchestra change to the Sportsmen quartet's first broadcast?
Thanks a lot.
Matthew
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #390
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