Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #354
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 11/4/2004 11:20 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2004 : Issue 354
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Robert Merrill                        [ Richard Pratz <[removed]@[removed]; ]
      "Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto" availa  [ "HOWARD BLUE" <khovard@[removed]; ]
      11-4 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Rod Hendrickson                       [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      Those Dreams?                         [ Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed] ]
      Rocky Jordan                          [ JimBourg@[removed] ]
      Kemosabe                              [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
      Frozen Weenies                        [ seandd@[removed] ]
      Re: Cracked and the National Lampoon  [ James Meadows <walthamus@[removed]; ]
      Rocky Jordan                          [ Archie Hunter <y_know_archie@yahoo. ]
      The Three Rocky Jordans               [ "Tom van der Voort" <tvander4@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 14:03:51 -0500
    From: Richard Pratz <[removed]@[removed];
    To: "OTR (Plain Text Only)" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Robert Merrill

    Unless I missed it, has anyone noted the passing of operatic baritone Robert
    Merrill, a veteran of OTR? He died Oct. 23, 2004 in New Rochelle, [removed] at
    age 85. Merrill's OTR appearances are many including his own program "The
    Robert Merrill Show" 1945/46. His other OTR credits include The Original
    Amateur Hour, The Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air, Serenade to
    America, An Evening With Romberg, RCA Victor Show, The Metropolitan Opera,
    Music For A Summer Evening, Music For Tonight, Encore, The Chicago Theater
    of the Air, Best of All, Music America Loves Best and The Woolworth Hour.

    Rich

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

    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 14:44:50 -0500
    From: "HOWARD BLUE" <khovard@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto" available for
     OTR groups

    I had a good time during my short visitto the FOTR convention in Newark.
    Unfortunately, I was not able to stay for the Gotham Players' performance of
    the "Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto which Steve Lewis and the Gotham Players
    presented. But I spoke to several people who saw it and they had great
    things to say about it. It's a unique show and deserves the widest possible
    circulation.

    I am in contact with the family of the author, the late Morton Wishengrad,
    and can probably get permission for other groups to do it on a non-profit
    basis. Also, if anyone is interested in doing a British World War II related
    play, contact me. I have a number of rare scripts and access to the literary
    heirs of the writers. But give me early notice, because it will take perhaps
    months to get the permission.

    Best wishes,

    Howard Blue

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

    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 14:52:45 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  11-4  births/deaths

    November 4th births

    11-04-1879 - Will Rogers, Sr. - Oolagah,  Oklahoma Territory - d. 8-15-1935
    humorist: (America's Greatest Humorist) "Gulf Headliners"
    11-04-1893 - Howard Hoffman - OH - d. 6-27-1969
    actor: Chandu "Chandu the Magician"
    11-04-1896 - Harry Woods - North Chelmsford, MA - d. 1-13-1970
    compser: "Great Moments to Music"
    11-04-1896 - Ian Wolfe - Canton, IL - d. 1-23-1992
    actor: "Suspense"; "Cavalcade of America"; "Escape"
    11-04-1906 - Bob Considine - Washington D. C. - d. 9-25-1975
    announcer: "Fred Waring Show"; "Sports Broadcasts"
    11-04-1910 - Abby Lewis - Mesilla Park, NM - d. 11-27-1997
    actress: Telephone Operator "House in the Country"
    11-04-1911 - Dixie Lee Crosby - Harriman, TN - d. 11-1-1952
    actress: (Wife of Bing) "Shell Chateau"; "Bing Crosby Show"
    11-04-1912 - Humphrey Davis - Meriden, CT - d. 5-23-1987
    actor: Al Douglas "Life Can Be Beautiful"; Sheriff Jackson "Tennessee Jed"
    11-04-1916 - Walter Cronkite - St. Joseph, MO
    newscaster, sportscaster: KCMO, Kansas City; WKY, Oklahoma City
    11-04-1918 - Art Carney - Mount Vernon, NY - d. 11-9-2003
    actor: Billy Oldham "Joe and Ethel Turp"; General Dwight D. Eisenhower
    "Living 1948"
    11-04-1918 - Cameron Mitchell - Dallastown, PA - d. 7-6-1994
    actor: "Crime Does Not Pay"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
    11-04-1919 - Martin Balsam - NYC - d. 2-13-1996
    actor: "Cloak and Dagger"
    11-04-1919 - Shirley Mitchell - Toledo, OH
    actress: Alice Darling "Fibber McGee and Molly"; Leila Ranson "Great
    Gildersleeve"

    November 4th deaths

    03-29-1867 - Cy Young - Gilmore, OH - d. 11-4-1955
    baseball pitching great: "Feature Project: This Game of Baseball"
    11-10-1899 - George Storer - Champaign, IL - d. 11-4-1975
    Broadcast Executive
    12-01-1913 - Mary Martin - Weatherford, TX - d. 11-4-1990
    singer: "Lifebouy Health Soap Program"; "Good News of 1940"; "Kraft Music Hall"
    12-27-1893 - Ann Pennington - Camden, NJ - d. 11-4-1971
    actress: "Good News of 1938"
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    [removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 15:26:55 -0500
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Rod Hendrickson

    Cliff Olsen asks if anyone remembers his great uncle, Rod Hendrickson.  I
    do!  His was the appealing, kindhearted, grandfatherly voice we heard for
    years as Sam Warren, the father of Wendy Warren (Wendy Warren and the News,
    CBS, 1947-58, played by Florence Freeman).

    A widower, Sam lived just outside New York in Connecticut with his sister,
    Dorrie ("Aunt Dorrie" to Wendy, played by genteel-toned actress Tess
    Sheehan, who clucked over Sam in typical matronly fashion).  Sam was a
    retired newspaperman, editor of The Clarion in Elmdale, Conn.  He was aging
    rapidly, and suffered a major heart attack in the course of events.  But he
    never lost his ability to view things pretty clearly.

    Sam and Dorrie's home provided a haven for Wendy, especially on weekends
    when she needed to escape the stress of her dual career as an electronic and
    print journalist (she was obviously born with ink in her veins), and--more
    importantly--her crusade to rid society of sinister forces from overseas
    that were determined to infiltrate and bring down our government.  She also
    suffered the anguish of romantic tribulations experienced by most daytime
    serial heroines, and Sam was there to reassure her without dispensing
    overbearing advice.  Rod Hendrickson could not have been better suited for
    the part.

    He also turned up in recurring roles in the casts of several other soap
    operas including Backstage Wife and The Second Mrs. Burton.  In addition to
    the series mentioned by Cliff Olsen, Hendrickson appeared in supporting
    roles in a 1950 CBS Friday evening mystery, Up for Parole.

    After Wendy Warren was dispatched Rod Hendrickson played the part of Ben
    Fraser Sr. in the NBC-TV early daytime serial From These Roots.  He started
    with it shortly after the series began on June 30, 1958 and remained with it
    almost to the end, December 29, 1961, so he was the major actor as that
    patriarchal figure.

    Those of us who were privileged to hear Hendrickson on a frequent basis
    could likely assure Cliff that his great uncle was one of the better
    character actors in that era of broadcasting.

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 18:07:43 -0500
    From: Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Those Dreams?

    Gordon Gregersen writes to the Digest:

>     ......enjoying the March 9, 1941 issue of the Los [removed]
>     weekly radio periodical, Radio Life ...... I find Buck Hathaway's
>     "Discovery" column with an article about ten-year-old Conrad Binyon
>     who, among other  things, wants to marry Dinah Shore and desires to be
>     an aviator and a comedian. Since Mr. Binyon frequently contributes to
>     the Digest, I will ask him: did any of these dreams come true, Mr. [removed]

    Gordon,

    How nice of you your offer and of course I, having had
    a doting Mother who saved all of the entertainments
    press printings she could find of me possess that copy
    of Mr. Hathaway's alleged meeting of which of course I
    have no recall.  I may have talked to him in some
    radio studio passing in the halls for he was correct
    in my desires to learn how to fly although Evelyn
    Bigsby, wife of Radio Life's publisher, Carl Bigsby,
    and Editor of the magazine who did interview me and
    knew of my aerial aspirations could have told Hathaway
    such. Technically I didn't become an 'aviator' given
    those are Naval folks that fly.  I spent a twenty year
    career as an USAF Pilot retiriing in 1971.  George
    Montgomery beat me by quite a spell wedding Dinah
    Shore, (besides she was too old for me) and the
    closest I came to comedian status was authoring and
    emceeing several squadron entertainment skits where
    for sure I must have cracked some lame jokes.

    CAB

    =====
    ---
    conradab@[removed] (Conrad A. Binyon)
    Encino, CA
    Home of the Stars who loved Ranches and Farms

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

    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 18:06:29 -0500
    From: JimBourg@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Rocky Jordan
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    In a message dated 11/3/2004 11:17:32 AM Central Standard Time,
    [removed]@[removed] writes:

>     1/8/50,  "Smoke Screen." the one which begins with Rocky saying "It was
>     the other  side of midnight. . ."

    I suspect that someone mislabeled another  episode that Archie has.

    My copy of "Smoke Screen," dated 1/8/50 also,  has the "Osirus" opening at
    the very beginning before the announcers intro &  the naming of the night's
    episode. It then has the "other side of midnight"  opening afterwards.

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    Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 18:09:27 -0500
    From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Kemosabe
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    For an inteesting story about The Lone Ranger & tonto ripped out of today's
    headlines, go to:

    [removed]

    Yours in the ether,

    Derek Tague

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

    Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 02:19:00 -0500
    From: seandd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Frozen Weenies

    The absurdity of modern life in Canada is captured in this article on the
    government agency responsible for deciding if Tonto demeans the native
    peoples of the 49th Paralell.

    A must-read if you feel the need to smack your head really hard.

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed]
    d-ad99-8e2da1b47c5a

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

    Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 02:20:05 -0500
    From: James Meadows <walthamus@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Cracked and the National Lampoon

       Regarding the National Lampoon, it's still
    publishing new material, but only online. Their
    website is at [removed]

       I've read that Cracked Magazine got its start in
    the late 1950s, when Mad was enjoying its first flush
    of success. It is the last of the Mad imitators,
    outliving publications like Sick, Crazy, and even
    Mad's own sister publication, Panic.

       Some artists and writers seen in Mad have also
    contributed to Cracked, such as the aforementioned
    John Severin. Even the late, great Don Martin
    published in Cracked at one point. But from my
    experience, Cracked has never measured up to the
    magazine it imitated.

       Plus, Cracked has suffered as Mad's own circulation
    has dropped over the years. I've read that Cracked
    regularly has a readership about one tenth the size of
    Mad's. That could be quite profitable when Mad was it
    its peak, with over two million readers. But now that
    Mad's circulation is well under a million, Cracked's
    circulation has fallen accordingly.

      Cracked's sebsite is [removed]

       Another OTR connection to Mad: Tom Koch, who wrote
    for Bob and Ray, and Fibber McGee and Molly (in its
    final years on NBC's "Monitor") has been a frequent
    Mad contributor.

    Jim Meadows

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

    Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 09:04:02 -0500
    From: Archie Hunter <y_know_archie@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Rocky Jordan
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Arthur Funk speculated that the two Jordan files I commented on in Digest 352
    were possibly mislabelled files.  They are not - they are the same storyline
    (once past the differences in the opening).  Both stories are identified by
    the announcer as 'Smoke Screen'.  Sorru if I didn't make that clear in my
    initial post on this subject.

    The orchestra version is sponsored (Del Monte Foods) and ends with the
    announcer giving us the title of next week's show (The Loomis Affair).  The
    organ version is unsponsored, and ends with Rocky giving us a preview of next
    week's show (also The Loomis Affair).

    It has been suggested that possibility these were different broadcasts for
    the east and west coast (similar to Escape) with the different music etc.
    During the time when this show was broadcast (January 8, 1950), Rocky Jordan
    was a CBS West Coast only show (according to the excellent log by Frank
    Passage) so I don't know if this explanation is valid.

    Any other info?

    Thanks

    Archie

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    Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 11:13:30 -0500
    From: "Tom van der Voort" <tvander4@[removed];
    To: "old_time_radio" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Three Rocky Jordans

         Archie and Art Funk commented in recent digests about differing Rocky
    Jordan programming. According to a Randy Eidemiller log, there were three
    program runs. The first, with Jack Moyles, ran from 10/31/48 to 9/10/50. The
    second, starring George Raft, was broadcast from 6/27/51 to 8/29/51 (obviously
    a summer replacement series). The third, about which there is very little
    information, ran from 7/6/52 to 6/26/53. I suspect this is the iteration with
    organ fill that again stared Jack Moyles.
         In any event, I have thirteen of the organ music programs in my
    collection. They are all AFRTS rebroadcasts. Several are repeats of earlier
    programs. To be specific, the repeats are 'Pattern for Revenge', 'Quest for
    Tranina', 'The Gum Queen', 'Adventure with Andrea', 'The Word of a Bishop' and
    'Memento from Adelaide'. Since I have both versions of these programs I can
    say with complete assurance that the scripts are roughly the same but that the
    programs are remakes, not rebroadcasts.
         Incidentally, I found all of the later broadcasts in the SPERDVAC
    Library, a useful resource for those who want to further investigate.
         Hope this helps.
         Tom van der Voort

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #354
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