Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #389
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 12/19/2005 12:36 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2005 : Issue 389
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      I Hid it Under the [removed]          [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
      A&A and Pepsodent                     [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Jack Benny meets Bugs Bunny           [ Steve Salaba <dangerdanger@sbcgloba ]
      Re: Amos 'n' Andy in the King Kong m  [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
      (Professor) Irwin Corey               [ "[removed]" <asajb2000@ ]
      Leff Marches On                       [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
      Amos & Andy sponsors                  [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
      King Kong                             [ "Paul Grieves" <paul@[removed]. ]
      12-19 births/deaths                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      King Kong and OTR                     [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      WTIC's Golden Age of Radio/One Night  [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]; ]
      David Sarnoff / Titantic              [ Andrew Steinberg <otrdig1@[removed] ]
      Jack Armstrong                        [ Jay Sweet <sweetedit@[removed]; ]
      Library shows                         [ "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@bas ]
      Ask A Simple [removed]              [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]

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

    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:42:48 -0500
    From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  I Hid it Under the [removed]

    Gerald Eskenazi's remembrance of radio is editorialized in Saturday's Wall
    Street Journal.

    While the reviewer likes the book, he claims that listening to radio on
    cassette or downloaded from the Internet "leaves him cold," and "didn't grab
    him like the book."

    This link should work for a day or two.

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed][removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:00:54 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  A&A and Pepsodent

    On 12/18/05 4:42 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:

>     Having just seen the new Peter Jackson remake of "King Kong" I noticed a
>     Times Square billboard advertising "Amos and Andy" sponsored by Pepsodent
>     and I was just wondering if any of the A&A experts here can tell me if they
>     got this right or not? I know that Rinso detergent was the sponsor most
>     associated with the show on radio but perhaps since this takes place earlier
>     in the Depression maybe Pepsodent was in fact an earlier sponsor.

    The Pepsodent Company sponsored "Amos 'n' Andy" longer than any other
    firm -- backing the program for the 2312 episodes aired between August
    19, 1929 and December 31, 1937.  Pepsodent was based in Chicago, and
    became interested in the program during its run on WMAQ. Pepsodent
    advertising manager Harlow Roberts and Albert Lasker of the Lord and
    Thomas advertising agency (who was also a major stockholder in Pepsodent)
    spent the first eight months of 1929 lining up arrangements with NBC for
    a six-nights-a-week fifteen minute slot, creating the first nightly strip
    in network broadcasting.

    Bill Hay's nightly commercials for Pepsodent emphasized the slogan "Use
    Pepsodent Toothpaste Twice A Day -- See Your Dentist At Least Twice A
    Year," and in doing so helped to create the American habit of visiting
    the dentist every six months. Later in the run, Hay's commercials
    introduced Pepsodent's "remarkable additive" Irium, a name made up by
    Lasker to describe sodium alkyl sulphate -- a common form of soap.
    Beginning in 1931, commercials for Pepsodent Toothpaste alternated on the
    program with those for Pepsodent Antiseptic, which promised to make one
    dollar do the work of three in fighting germs, colds, and bad breath.

    The billboard advertising "Amos 'n' Andy" actually existed at the 47th
    Street end of Times Square during 1930-31, on the building now known as
    the Renaissance Hotel, as a modification of an animated Pepsodent
    billboard that had existed at that site since 1928. Beneath an animated
    figure of a girl in a swing flicking back and forth beneath a clock, the
    message flashed two messages: "Pepsodent On The Air With Amos 'n' Andy"
    and "Pepsodent Removes Film From Teeth." The billboard had been replaced
    by 1933, and thus is an anachronism in Jackson's film.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:01:03 -0500
    From: Steve Salaba <dangerdanger@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack Benny meets Bugs Bunny

    I was just rereading Milt Josefsberg's book about Jack Benny (a recent
    purchase) and in the section on Mel Blanc, Milt mentions a show where Jack
    takes Polly the Parrot to an animal psychiatrist and Jack has an argument
    with Bugs Bunny in the waiting room. This is a show I'd love to hear - does
    anyone know which show it was and if its available anywhere?

    BTW, I was just watching my Jack Benny set of DVD TV shows and there's a
    segment where Western Union boy Mel Blanc recognizes Jack as having been to
    Waukegan High School together and asks Jack "What are you doing now?" Jack
    breaks up as he tries to say "I'm the voice of Bugs Bunny"!
    --
    Steve Salaba

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

    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:01:22 -0500
    From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Amos 'n' Andy in the King Kong movie
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    In a message dated 12/18/05 3:43:44 PM Central Standard Time,
    [removed]@[removed] writes:

>     I noticed a
>     Times Square billboard advertising "Amos and Andy" sponsored by Pepsodent
>     and I was just wondering if any of the A&A experts here can tell me if they
>     got this right or not? I know that Rinso detergent was the sponsor most
>     associated with the show on radio

    I'm sure Elizabeth can give a more thorough sponsorship history but yes,
    Pepsodent sponsored "Amos 'n' Andy" during the period in which the new "King
    Kong"
    movie is set. The precious few recordings of complete shows or at least
    partial shows from that period back that up, including one 1932 show that
    features
    the opening theme and Bill Hay reading a Pepsodent spot.  I'm sure Peter
    Jackson included the billboard likely for one of two simple reasons: to show
    some
    pop culture from the period, or to just get the look of Times Square right for
    the scenes set there, perhaps based on some period photos or newsreel footage.

    Rinso didn't begin sponsorship until the show adopted its half hour sitcom
    format in 1943.

    Dixon

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    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:01:34 -0500
    From: "[removed]" <asajb2000@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  (Professor) Irwin Corey

    According to [removed],

    Corey thrived on the radio, memorably appearing on
    Edgar Bergen's radio show as a tutor to Charlie
    McCarthy.

    So, yes if this is correct, he did appear on radio.

    Andy Blatt

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

    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 21:14:13 -0500
    From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Leff Marches On

    Laura gets quoted in another article in Inside The Bay Area bemoaning the
    Jack Benny snub in this year's stamp set.

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 21:15:22 -0500
    From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Amos & Andy sponsors

    Charles Adams says (of Amos and Andy),

>     I know that Rinso detergent was the sponsor most associated with the
>     show on radio but perhaps since this takes place earlier in the
>     Depression maybe Pepsodent was in fact an earlier [removed]

    Pepsodent was the sponsor from 1929 through 1937.  Then Campbell's Soup
    1938 through 1943, THEN Rinso.

    ---Dan, [removed] (spiffy home page) (gussied up for
    Christmas)

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 08:36:59 -0500
    From: "Paul Grieves" <paul@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  King Kong

>     From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
>     Subject:  Re: Check and Double Check -- at the Box Office

>     .............RKO also had to swallow the heavy network line costs for
>     the 65 "Amos 'n' Andy" episodes aired from Hollywood during the making of
>     the film.

    Has anyone seen the new King Kong film yet ?  In the latter part of the film
    when Kong rampages round New York, there is a homage to OTR in Times Square.
    One of the signs advertises Pepsodent and has Amos 'n' Andy prominently
    displayed on it.  Someone's been doing their homework !

    Paul

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 08:37:13 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  12-19 births/deaths

    December 19th births

    12-19-1882 - Bronislaw Huberman - Czestochowa, Poland - d. 6-17-1947
    violinist: "A Tribute to . . . ."
    12-19-1888 - Fritz Reiner - Budapest, Hungary - d. 11-15-1963
    conductor: "Curtis Institute Musicale"; "Ford Sunday Evening Hour"
    12-19-1894 - Ford Frick - Wawaka, IN - d. 4-8-1978
    baseball comissioner: "Baseball: An Action History"; "Play Ball";
    "Tribute to Babe Ruth"
    12-19-1902 - Ralph Richardson - Cheltenham, England - d. 10-10-1983
    actor: Doctor John H. Watson, "Advs. of Sherlock Holmes"
    12-19-1907 - Ray Noble - Brighton, England - d. 4-3-1978
    bandleader: "George Burns and Gracie Allen Show"; "Chase & Sanborn Hour"
    12-19-1911 - Clark Dennis - Roscommon, MI
    singer: "Breakfast Club"; "Fibber McGee and Molly"; "Chesterfield
    Presents"
    12-19-1912 - Frank Holliday - San Francisco, CA - d. 8-3-1948
    singer: (The Rockaway Four) "The Gay Nineties Revue"
    12-19-1915 - Edith Piaf - Paris, France - d. 10-11-1963
    singer: "The Big Show"
    12-19-1919 - Benedict Freedman - New York, NY
    writer: "The Red Skelton Show"
    12-19-1923 - Gordon Jackson - Glasgow, Scotland - d. 1-15-1990
    Freelance actor for the BBC
    12-19-1924 - Rex Barney - Omaha, NE - d. 8-11-1997
    baseball color man: "Game of the Day"
    12-19-1933 - Cicely Tyson - New York, NY
    host: "Sears Radio Theatre"; Thursday, Love and Hate Night

    December 19th deaths

    01-12-1912 - Sara Berner - Albany, NY - d. 12-19-1969
    actress: Mable Flapsaddle "Jack Benny Program"; Ingrid Mataratzo
    "Jimmy Durante Show"
    02-01-1922 - Renata Tebaldi - Pesaro, Italy - d. 12-19-2004
    lyric soprano: "Bell Telephone Hour"; "Metropolitan Opera
    02-24-1895 - May Singhi Breen - New York, NY - d. 12-19-1970
    singer: (The Ukulele Lady) "Sweethearts of the Air"
    04-16-1913 - Les Tremayne - London, England - d. 12-19-2003
    actor: Nick Charles "Advs. of the Thin Man"; Michael Waring "The Falcon"
    06-01-1901 - John Van Druten - London, England - d. 12-19-1957
    writer: "Radio Guild"; "Chase and Sanborn Hour"; "Theatre Guild On
    the Air"
    06-23-1910 - Milt Hinton - Vicksburg, MS - d. 12-19-2000
    jazz bassist: "Town Hall Concert"; "Monsanto Night: Benny Goodman"
    06-27-1912 - Audrey Christie - Chicago, IL - d. 12-19-1989
    actress: Assistant to Peter Standish "Peter Standish, Medical Examiner"
    07-31-1902 - Robert E. Griffin - Hutchinson, KS - d. 12-19-1960
    actor: Wilbur Ramage "Story of Holly Sloan"; Michael West "Bright
    Horizon"
    09-12-1914 - Desmond Llewelyn - Newport, South Wales - d. 12-19-1999
    actor: Archdeacon Erabazori "Nemesis"
    09-25-1875 - Clyde Fillmore - McConnelsville, OH - d. 12-19-1946
    actor: Sam Aldrich "The Aldrich Family"
    10-02-1900 - Barton Yarborough - Goldthwaite, TX - d. 12-19-1951
    actor: Ben Romero "Dragnet"; Doc Long "I Love A Mystery/Adventure"
    11-10-1915 - Bob Shepard - d. 12-19-1993
    announcer: "Pot O' Gold"; "Counterspy"; "Break the Bank"; "You Can"t
    Take it with You"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 09:11:47 -0500
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  King Kong and OTR

    Charles Adams commented about the Amos n' Andy reference in Times Square.
    That was accurate.  Although the setting was not officially given on screen
    by insert title cards, the year was supposed to be 1933, the same year the
    RKO movie was released.  The set designers used photographs of New York and
    Times Square dated 1933 and reproduced everything as it appeared on the
    photos - including the Amos n' Andy sign.  Pepsodent was the sponsor.

    The ONLY thing the designers publicly admitted to changing was the Universal
    Studios sign in Times Square.  It was originally for Columbia Pictures but
    Columbia would not give permission without being paid so since Universal
    helped with this film's release, the CG crew inserted a a Universal Studios
    sign.

    There are other nostalgic references in the new KING KONG (not meaning to
    stray from the topic) - King Kong's ice-skating in Central Park was a
    reproduction of the ice skating scene from BAMBI.  Al Jolson's "I'm Sitting
    on Top of the World" was a cute musical opener.

    Also recommended is CINDERELLA MAN, which just recently came out on DVD -
    for anyone who wants to really see how the depression is depicted, and how
    the radio was used to bring the fights to the homes and bars - including the
    lingo used by the sportscasters - and the tubes inside the radios are even
    shown.

    Small bit of curio - RKO actually produced a small mini-series for radio in
    1933 to hype the KING KONG movie.  They took the film script and divided it
    into a handful of chapters and the serial was broadcast over the air while
    the movie was showing in theaters.  Even RKO was trying to use the medium of
    radio to sell movie tickets.

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 09:11:56 -0500
    From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
    To: "Old Time Radio" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  WTIC's Golden Age of Radio/One Night Stand
     with the Big Bands

    The latest "Golden Age of Radio" programs with Dick Bertel
    and Ed Corcoran, and "A One Night Stand with the Big Bands"
    with Arnold Dean can be heard at [removed].

    Each week we feature three complete shows in MP3 format
    for your listening pleasure or for downloading; two "Golden
    Age of Radios" and one "One Night Stand." We present new
    shows every week or so. The current three programs will be
    available on line at least until the morning of 12/27/05.

    Program 7 - October, 1970 - Rudy Vallee

    "The Fleischmann Hour," nationally known as the Rudy Vallee
    Hour--the first-ever radio talk show--debuted in 1928 with
    200 million listeners. It was a live variety revue and Rudy's
    guests were a mixture of the famous and the unknown. He
    was the first to invite black musicians to be on his show,
    and in appreciation, artists such as Louis Armstrong and
    Josephine Baker invited Rudy to their clubs in Harlem.
    Among his blunders: turning down the Andrew sisters and
    believing that Barbra Streisand had no talent.

    We were fortunate enough to interview Mr. Vallee at length,
    and broadcast this Golden Age program as a two-hour special.
    We present it here, uncut, in two parts.

    "A One Night Stand with the Big Bands" With Arnold Dean

    This program was originally broadcast on WTIC in 1969, on
    the 25th anniversary of Glenn Miller's death, December 15,
    1944. It predated the "One Night Stand with the Big Bands"
    series. We present it here to mark the 61st anniversary.

    In 1942, at the peak of his civilian career, Glenn decided he
    could better serve those in uniform by putting one on himself.
    By doing this, the band gave up a $20,000 weekly income.
    Too old to be drafted at age 38, Glenn first volunteered for
    the Navy but was told that they didn't need his services. Not
    giving up, Glenn wrote to the Army's Brigadier General
    Charles Young on August 12, 1942. Miller persuaded the
    Army to accept him so he could in his own words, "put a
    little more spring into the feet of our marching men and a
    little more joy into their hearts and to be placed in charge
    of a modernized army band."

    Glenn soon became part of the Army Specialists Corps with
    the rank of captain. For the next year and a half, besides
    arranging music, Glenn created and directed his own 50-
    member band. Captain Miller's mission was morale building,
    bringing a touch of home to the troops and modernizing
    military music. Glenn was also a talented fund raiser, and
    raised millions of dollars in war bond drives. He also
    attracted Air Corps recruits through his I Sustain the Wings
    weekly radio broadcasts.

    Still wanting to do more, Glenn arranged for overseas duty
    for the band. The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band was
    extremely busy and Glenn wrote home that in one month
    they played at 35 different bases, while performing 40
    radio broadcasts in their spare time.

    Finally, on December 15, 1944, Glenn boarded a single
    engine C-64 Norseman aircraft to travel to Paris, France
    where he was to make arrangements for a Christmas
    broadcast. Tragically, the plane never reached France and
    was never found.

    In the 1970's WTIC decided that there was a market in
    the evening for long-form shows that could be packaged
    and sold to sponsors. Two of those shows were "The
    Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand with the
    Big Bands."

    Dick Bertel had interviewed radio collector-historian
    Ed  Corcoran several times on his radio and TV shows,
    and thought a regular monthly show featuring interviews
    with actors, writers, producers, engineers and musicians
    from radio's early days might be interesting. "The Golden
    Age of Radio" was first broadcast in April, 1970;  Ed was
    Dick's co-host. It lasted seven years. "The Golden Age
    of Radio" can also be heard Saturday nights on Walden
    Hughes's program on Radio Yesteryear.

    Arnold Dean began his love affair with the big band
    era in his pre-teen years and his decision to study
    the clarinet was inspired by the style of Artie Shaw.
    When he joined WTIC in 1965 he hosted a daily program
    of big band music.  In 1972, encouraged by the success
    of his daily program and "The Golden Age of Radio"
    series, he began monthly shows featuring interviews
    with the band leaders, sidemen, agents, jazz reporters,
    etc. who made major contributions to one of the great
    eras of music history.

    Bob Scherago
    Webmaster

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 11:41:21 -0500
    From: Andrew Steinberg <otrdig1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  David Sarnoff / Titantic
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    My understanding is that David Sarnoff was not a radio operator receiving
    reports from the Titantic as it sank. What is the true story?

    Visit [removed] for OTR program title and date corrections

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    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 11:41:33 -0500
    From: Jay Sweet <sweetedit@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jack Armstrong

    I just wanted to send a quick note to thank everyone for their responses to
    my request for help finding episodes of Jack Armstrong.

    My friend was able to find some nice copies for her grandfather using your
    advice.

    Jay Sweet
    sweetedit@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:32:45 -0500
    From: "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@[removed];
    To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Library shows

    I'm looking for any shows from most any radio series that revolve around a
    library in some way or the other.  I already know of an episode from the
    Halls of Ivy about getting money for the library.  Anyone know of any other
    shows with that theme?

    It seems to me I once heard a mystery of some type about someone going back
    to their home town for a visit and getting involved in the murder of a
    librarian.  But I don't recall what series that was nor the name of the
    episode.

    Thanks for any help.

    Ted

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

    Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:32:59 -0500
    From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Ask A Simple [removed]
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           My question is quite simple.  When and why did the RCA Victor Company
    change to RCA?  I heard it mentioned as a sponsor of one of the radio
    programs
    I've got in my collection yet it's diffent on some later programs.

    Another OTR Fan,

    Kenneth Clarke

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    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #389
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