Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #485
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 12/13/2002 2:02 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 485
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Empire of the Air                     [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
      Pearl Harbor                          [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
      Otter Barn url                        [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
      Mae West                              [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
      John Dehner and Disney                [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]
      re: Elsa Maxwell                      [ "Tas Richardson" <tasrichardson@spr ]
      Origin of term Davenport Couch / Mis  [ otrdigest@[removed] ]
      Capehart                              [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
      Re: Hal Stone, Elizabeth and Vinton   [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
      [removed]! [Buxton/Owen, not Lifebuoy Soa  [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      Four Friends . . . and James was a v  [ jlawrence@[removed] ]
      Re: Dragnet "Big Little Jesus" episo  [ "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed]; ]
      Barrymore's Christmas Carol           [ "ASTON" <aston@[removed]; ]
      Capehart                              [ Bill Beard <wnbeard@[removed]; ]
      Cheese shop presents the butter fact  [ "Gareth Tilley" <tilleygareth@hotma ]
      2 Nieces of Vinton Hayworth (or Hawo  [ Jandpgardner@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 23:10:54 -0500
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Empire of the Air

    Robert Bratcher Jr. wrote about Empire of the Air:
    "A book is also [removed]"

    Ouch!  The film was actually based upon the wonderful book by Tom Lewis. He
    told me that Ken Burns approached him about doing the film based upon the
    book he was publishing. He actually is credited in the film.

    Your comment implied to me that it was a companion book to the film. But it
    is far and away more than that. Ken Burns film is good (I especially like
    his idea of blackout on the screen when an otr snippet is played), but the
    book is far better.

    Jim Widner
    jwidner@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 23:11:25 -0500
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Pearl Harbor

    Didn't see this until recently:

>     (Does anyone have the details on what NBC Red, NBC Blue and the Columbia
>     Network were carrying at the time they broke in with the news?)

    I tried to do some detail background on my web site after I had spent some
    time researching the Pearl Harbor day broadcasts at the Library of Congress
    (sadly on September 11th, 2001). You can read it at:

    [removed]

    Jim Widner
    jwidner@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 23:11:39 -0500
    From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
    To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Otter Barn url

    Here is the Otter Barn url that someone asked for:

    [removed]

    Funny thing just happened.  I went to the site when it was first mentioned
    here, but when I clicked on the icon, my system couldn't find the program.
    Guess I have to reinstall it.
    It's a program that has logs for various OTR programs with titles and dates,
    when these are known. Guess it can be used to build one's own database of
    programs, sort of a want list.  As I recall, no sources of the programs is
    given.  You are on your own to find them!

    Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
    OTR: [removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 01:26:04 -0500
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Mae West

>     Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 16:33:55 -0500
>     From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];

>     1937 - The Federal Communications Commission was a bit upset with NBC. The
>     FCC scolded the network for a skit that starred Mae West. The satirical
>     routine was based on the biblical tale of Adam and Eve and, well, it got a
>     bit out of hand. So, following its scolding by the FCC, NBC banned Miss
>     West from its airwaves ...
>     it wasn't what was said, but how it was said with West and Don Ameche.
>     Censors had okayed it but hadn't taken into consideration Miss West's
>     voice and inflections.)

    I'm not sure I believe this at all.  Mae West was quite well-known at the
    time, and the script
    was obviously written with her in mind.  The network censors knew damn well
    that Mae West
    reading that script would sound like Mae West.

    I think they looked at the script, knew exactly how it would sound, and
    passed it.  What they
    didn't know was that there would be political fallout.  So when it came, they
    used Mae West
    as a scapegoat.  Things really haven't changed very much.

    --
    A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                           [removed]
     15 Court Square, Suite 210                 lawyer@[removed]
    Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         [removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 01:26:28 -0500
    From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  John Dehner and Disney

     I just bought Disney's "The Reluctant Dragon" and lo
    and behold there is, young a skinny without any trace
    of a receding hair line, OTR favorite John Dehner. The
    film was shot in 1941 I believe, so this is the
    earliest film work of Dehner's I've ever seen. A young
    Alan Ladd is also featured. The film has been restored
    and the color scenes are beautiful to look at. The
    films not bad either.
     If there are any Imgination Theatre fans out there,
    Jim French finally has a web site up and running.
    Check it out at [removed].
               Larry Albert

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:27:10 -0500
    From: "Tas Richardson" <tasrichardson@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  re: Elsa Maxwell

    There was a thread recently on the Digest about Elsa Maxwell.  I too, recall
    seeing her on Jack Paar's 'Tonight Show'.  Then, looking through my old reel
    to reel tapes, I came across a program she hosted on April 27th, 1946, on
    Mutual.  It was a special two hour show celebrating the signing on of the
    300th station on that network.  That was WKRZ in Oil City, Pennsylvania.
    She introduced many of the stars and programs of Mutual, such as: Xavier
    Cugat, Superman, The Shadow, Randolph Scott, Dick Powell, Basil Rathbone,
    Nick Carter, Eddy Arnold, Jack Dempsey, etc, etc.  It was kind of fun
    listening once again to "the hostess with the mostess".

    Tas ( in still snow-less Alberta, where it's so dry it's scary.)

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:21:32 -0500
    From: otrdigest@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Origin of term Davenport Couch / Missing
     Fibber McGees

>     >From [removed]

    It's fortunate that you said "couch, sofa" because in
    the 19th century there was a style of writing desk
    called a davenport.  Both the writing desk and the
    couch are assumed to be named after the craftsmen who
    invented them.  Sorry, no definitive answer this time.

    The earliest written reference we can find to a
    davenport couch is 1897 in the Washington Post.
    Oddly, in the earliest record of the writing desk
    (1853) it is spelled Devonport, like the place.  (It's
    a port.  In Devon.)  Just to add to the glorious
    confusion, Davenport (with a capital D) is a kind of
    Staffordshire china which was made between 1793 and
    1882 by the Davenport family of Longport

    ----

    For missing Fibber McGee and Molly shows, go to Jerry
    Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs page for Fibber:
    [removed]
    and look for any episode that is labeled *na*

    Andrew Steinberg

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:21:12 -0500
    From: leemunsick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Capehart

    Martin Grams had asked about the Capehart radio/phono unit.
    Bob McKee responded,

>     My father only sold Zenith, Crosely in his radio &
>     appliance
>     store but there were always Philco, Silvertone, Capehart and
>     a zillion other brands in his shot for repairs. It is just another
>     brand name from the past that may or may not still be around.

    Oh no, Capehart was most certainly not "just another brand name".  Not in
    the history of the field.
    I wrote a brief recap for friend Martin, but perhaps now I should expand
    here, where I was surprised when there was not a slew of responses.

    The following is garnered from the Internet:  "Homer Capehart attained fame
    as the father of the jukebox industry."   He worked for the company Holcomb
    and Hoke, which made record players, until 1928. He started his own company
    in 1928, and was forced out of the company by investors in 1931. The
    company folded in 1939. In 1932 Capehart formed a new company called
    Packard. Packard developed the Simplex mechanism for automatic record
    changing, and sold the device to Wurlitzer. The entire company was
    eventually bought by Wurlitzer.

    An Indiana  Republican, Homer Capehart was elected to the United States
    Senate in 1944.  He served three terms, losing the 1962 election to Birch
    Bayh. He was opposed to big government, and supported anti-interventionist
    foreign policy.  Senator Capehart died in 1979.

    Now from me:  Calling him the "father of the jukebox industry" may be
    stretching the point a tad, but it is derived from his defining and
    refining the record changer and selection devices which made jukeboxes
    possible.  But this major contribution was originally installed in a
    magnificent 30s and 40s era version of a "home entertainment system" which
    included that outstanding mechanism and a very fine radio and amplifier.

    Farny Wurlitzer made a deal with Capehart to use his inventions, combined
    them with a coin device.  WurliTzer sold many thousands of coin record
    players, dominating the field for many years.  For many older folk, the
    name WurliTzer is synonymous with the word "jukebox", just as for others it
    is synonymous with "theatre organ" and/or "band organ" or "military band
    organ".

    BTW, I searched in vain for an explanation of the derivation of the word
    "jukebox".  I don't know whether it's another one of those terms lost in
    history, or whether like the word "jazz", it's been shoved under the rug of
    time because of a less-than-gentile source.  It's interesting also that one
    Internet dissertation offered a description of the "typical" jukebox as
    that of the WurliTzer 1015, with its rounded top, neon lights and
    bubbles!  Not typical, but certainly the most recognized.

    There may have been other Capehart products which one could easily carry
    into a radio repair shop.  But within the collecting field, the senator's
    name is recognized as meaning specifically the large, expensive,
    magnificent piece of furniture which contained the most sophisticated
    record changing mechanism, and an outstanding radio and amplifier.  The
    equivalent then, of today's wall-covering digital TVs.

    Like many complex devices, the Capehart mechanism did require periodic
    maintenance and adjustment.  Undoubtedly that would require a house call to
    the owner's home.  Undoubtedly an eye-opening treat for the repairman, as
    generally the initially very expensive Capeharts were in estates.  It would
    involve a visit to the music room, where one would find the Capehart next
    to a reproducing grand piano, and in larger mansions, even a built-in
    reproducing pipe organ.

    Anyone who today owns a Capehart has a highly valued collector's item, as
    well as an outstanding vehicle for playing his 78 rpm collectibles.

    Lee Munsick

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:24:26 -0500
    From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Hal Stone, Elizabeth and Vinton & Rita
     Hayworth

    I'd like to join the group in thanking Hal Stone for his fascinating
    genealogy posting connecting Orson Welles' second wife with Vinton Hayworth.
    Like others on this list, I had initially been told that Vinton claimed to be
    related to Rita, then read other accounts explaining that Hayworth was a
    stage name and not her birth name.  It's nice the know that some fascinating
    historical information came out of the recent (rather tense) discussion of
    the blacklist.  Similar kudos for Elizabeth's revelations concerning Vinton
    Hayworth's pioneer work in 1930s experimental television.

    Like Elizabeth, I find it fascinating to imagine the political debates that
    might have come up around the family dinner table between Vinton and his
    in-law Orson, the director who staged the controversial left-of-center
    musical production, THE CRADLE WILL ROCK (which was shut down by the
    government amidst accusations of Communist sympathies).  BTW, I strongly
    recommend Tim Robbins' 1998 movie recreation of the event, despite some ana
    chronisms in the script.  (Orson Welles didn't begin starring in THE SHADOW
    until some months later, after he and John Houseman founded the Mercury
    Theatre following their ouster from the WPA Federal Theater Project.)  My ex,
    a professional artist, was in tears throughout the final half hour of the
    film, which I'd describe as being about the creation of art, the prostitution
    of art, the destruction of art and the eventual triumph of art.

    Of course, it's unlikely that such dinner table discussions ever occurred,
    since Orson and Rita were pretty solidly established in Hollywood through
    most of their marriage, while Vinton Hayworth was a busy New York actor.  But
    Orson must have known Vinton from New York radio, especially during 1946 when
    he produced and starred in THE MERCURY SUMMER THEATRE OF THE AIR from the Big
    Apple. --Anthony Tollin

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 14:47:20 -0500
    From: Derek Tague  <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  [removed]! [Buxton/Owen, not Lifebuoy Soap]

    Hi Gang:

       Thanks to Elizabeth, Hal, Irene, Conrad, & everybody else who promptly and
    comprehensively responded to my query about Rita and Vinton Hayworth.
       However, i'd like to report that I found something interesting regarding
    the first (1972) edition of the venerated "The Big Broadcast" by Frank Buxton
    and Bill Owen.
       Last night after work, I sojourned to my favourite bookstore, The Strand
    here in NYC. I came across a very-good condition copy of "BB" for $[removed] I
    already have several copies, but I thought I couldn't pass up the reasonable
    $[removed] price-tag in this age of ever-increasing book costs
    [courtesy of eBay, Bookfinder, Alibris, et.  al.]. Considering that the
    original retailed for $[removed] in 1972 dollars, it seemed like a bargain to me.

       On the train ride home, I was checking to see if all the pages were extant
    ("It was pagination, I [removed]"), when,  lo and behold!, a piece of paper
    slipped out.  It was a reviewer's slip with the following information:

    The Viking Press, Inc.
    625 Madison avenue, New York,  [removed] 10022

    Review Copy

    Title   THE BIG BROADCAST: 1920-1950  A New, Revised, and Greatly Ex-
                  panded Edition of 'Radio's Golden Age'--the Complete
                  Reference Work

    Author   Frank Buxton and Bill Owen
             Foreward by Henry Morgan

    Price    $[removed]

    Pub. Date  April 27, [crossed [removed] is written in handwriting
                 June 2] 1972

    Kindly send us two clippings of notification of broadcast of your review of
    this book

         So now we know the exact publication date was 06/02/1972 [Darn! We just
    missed making a celebration out its 30th anniversary!]. Joe Mackey,take note.

         Does anybody out there in the ether happen to know the exact publication
    dates of Dunning's "Tune In Yesterday" and some of the other
    standard OTR ref. works?  I guess someone could call the publishers in
    question,  but having had been on the fringes of the book trade for two
    decades now, I can tell you this may prove tricky as publishers are always
    merging and changing names. [removed], the aforementioned  Viking
    imprint is still around, but it is now part of the Penguin Putnam Group
    [vikings and penguins? sounds like a  Monty Python sketch gone awry].

         Incidentally, I saw Frank Buxton's name last week-end in a TV Land rerun
    of a Christmas-themed episode of "Happy Days" (an early one which still had
    the character of older brother Chuck Cunningham). I'm sure it'll turn up again
     whenever TVLand has its annual showcase of TV Christmas episodes.

    Yours in the ether,

    Derek Tague

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:27:25 -0500
    From: jlawrence@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Four Friends . . . and James was a very
     small snail

    The thread about old record players brings back a distant memory.  If
    anyone can help identify this recording, I would really appreciate it.
    When I was a small boy, my father had a 78 with the following verse put to
    music (I think):

    The Four Friends

    Ernest was an elephant, a great big fellow,
    Leonard was a lion with a six foot tail,
    George was a goat, and his beard was yellow,
    And James was a very small snail.

    There were additional verses, but that is all I remember.  I loved
    listening to that record.  Does anyone have any recollection of such an
    album.  Better yet, does anyone know where I might find a copy of it?

    My thanks to everyone for all of your knowledge and memories.  This group
    is a great source of enjoyment!

    Jim Lawrence

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:24:54 -0500
    From: "Michael Hayde" <mmeajv@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Dragnet "Big Little Jesus" episode

    Rick Keating wrote:

>     Several months ago there was a discussion of the
>     Dragnet Christmas episode "The Big Little Jesus." <snip> I vaguely recall

    >from previous discussions there

>     may have been more than one broadcast of this episode.
>     This particular one was from 1953.

    The episode was broadcast for Christmas seasons of 1953, 1954 and 1956.  The
    other famous Yuletide "Dragnet" episode, ".22 Rifle For Christmas," was
    broadcast in December 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1955.

    As far as "Big Little Jesus" goes, I believe this show holds two
    distinctions: the first radio program to be adapated from a TV film
    soundtrack, and also the first radio episode that could be purchased from
    any RCA record dealer two or three weeks before its premiere (sans
    commercials, of course).

    Speaking of "Dragnet" and Christmas (and commercials)... the book "My Name's
    Friday" makes a wonderful gift for the "Dragnet" fan on your list!   Okay,
    commercial over; cue end credits.

    Michael J. Hayde

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:23:29 -0500
    From: "ASTON" <aston@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Barrymore's Christmas Carol

    Robert Angus wants to know about the Lionel Barrymore's 60 minute version of
    "A Christmas Carol"  I will be airing he December 24, 1939, Campbell
    Playhouse program "A Christmas Carol"  staring Lionel Barrymore beginning
    December 23rd over the YUSA Network at [removed]  Tune in and catch
    the show.  Nobody can "Bah Humbug" like Lionel Barrymore.

    Don Aston
    avpro@[removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 15:39:01 -0500
    From: Bill Beard <wnbeard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Capehart

    Senator Capehart from Indiana owned the company that made
    Capehart tv. I assume that his manufacturing roots were in radio.

    Bill Beard

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 14:44:03 -0500
    From: "Gareth Tilley" <tilleygareth@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cheese shop presents the butter factor +
     Paul Temple

    Hi

    It's great to see so much discussion about BBC shows on the list - I'm
    really looking forward to the launch of BBC7 too!

    I was wondering if anybody had copy's of a show called "The cheese shop
    presents the butter factor" or the follow up series "Fehhah's Hour"? I
    really enjoyed these shows when they were on.

    Irene mentioned Paul Temple. Frank Passages site has a comprehensive log
    which details all available shows. I have all the series except the Jonathan
    Affair (does anyone have this?) if you're interested. There was also an
    enteraining documentary done as part of the Radio Detectives Series by the
    BBC.

    Thanks

    Gareth

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 14:45:12 -0500
    From: Jandpgardner@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  2 Nieces of Vinton Hayworth (or Haworth)

    It seems that Vinton Hayworth had not one but two famous nieces, Rita
    Hayworth and  Ginger Rogers.
    However, according to 2 different biographies of Rita, her mother Volga's
    maiden name was actually Haworth, her ancestors having come from the small
    town of that name in Yorkshire, here in England, famous as the home of the
    Bronte sisters. In both biographies (by John Kobal and Gene Ringgold)
    reference is made to Rita's uncle as being Vinton Haworth (not Hayworth) and
    he is described as being Volga's brother, and that he "became a screen and
    radio actor of some recognition who ultimately married the sister of Lela
    Rogers, whose own daughter, Ginger, subsequently made a name for herself"
    (Ringgold). Kobal says that Rita changed her name from Cansino to Hayworth on
    the orders of Harry Cohn while making her first film at Columbia in 1937. He
    states "depending on whom one listens to, the 'Y' was already part of the
    spelling or was added so as not to confuse her with her uncle Vinton Haworth,
    who had made a name for himself as a character actor at [removed] ... and as the
    star of the long-running radio serial "Mert and Mardge (sic)".

>     >From this it would seem that Vinton added the 'Y' in his surname some time

    after Rita changed her name from 'Cansino'.
    I can find no mention of "Mert and Mardge" in Dunning or Hickerson's books
    although Dunning refers to Vinton appearing in a soap opera called "Betty and
    Bob" in the 30s. Does anyone have any information regarding M and M or has
    Kobal mistaken this for B and B?
    John.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #485
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