Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #39
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/26/2003 3:22 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 39
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Jack and Mary's anniversary           [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      KMOX interview                        [ bruce humphries <cherubim1234@yahoo ]
      Re: Wynn and McNamee                  [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Accents                               [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      Re: Accents                           [ "Donna Byrd" <dmb5@[removed]; ]
      Lucille Fletcher                      [ philipmarus@[removed] ]
      Names For "Non-OTR-Initiates"         [ ilamfan@[removed] ]
      OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE for  [ HERITAGE4@[removed] ]
      Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Re: Live performance                  [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      The meaning is?                       [ Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed] ]
      Re: Origin by Accent                  [ zbob@[removed] ]
      Portable Broadcasting                 [ Shenbarger@[removed] ]
      Hawkshaw Hawkins                      [ Udmacon@[removed] ]
      Can You Top This?                     [ "Candy Jens" <candyj@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 19:00:02 -0500
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack and Mary's anniversary

>     From Those Were The Days --
>     1927 - Jack Benny married Sadye Marks on this day.

    The above information may have been delayed a bit in publication, but just to
    clear up any [removed] (Benjamin) and Mary (Sadye) were married on
    January 14, 1927.

    --
    Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 19:00:36 -0500
    From: bruce humphries <cherubim1234@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  KMOX interview

    re: Sean's Interview

    I grew up in St. Louis, MO and the main reason I'm a
    Radio Theater writer today is because of Jack Carney's
    Saturday Morning Comedy Shows, which featured all the
    OTR Comedic Greats.

    My Father and I would listen to them as we drove to
    his work on Sat Mornings. What a glorious show it was
    and during that turbulent 60/70's time, it was a great
    Father and Son 'quality time.'

    Add to that, the many late nights, I stayed up
    listening and then recording CBS Radio Mystery series.
    Many monday mornings, I had to ride my bike the 10
    miles to school because I missed the bus. Ha!

    As I remember, John Carney is his son. Although I live
    150 miles west now, is John Carney carrying on the
    tradition?

    And maybe alot of the list participants already know
    this, but I chuckle to myself when I hear some notable
    '[removed] talk-show hosts' bluster as how they are the
    one's who created talk-radio in the past few years and
    made it popular.

    KMOX was airing 'At Your Service' back in the 60's, as
    well as the Over-Night Call-In shows later that
    decade.

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

    Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 19:11:10 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Wynn and McNamee

    On 1/25/03 12:14 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

>     I recently read about announcer Graham McNamee.
>     Was this the same man who worked with Ed Wynn on the
>     Texaco Fire Chief program?  I recall during some of the
>     skits that Ed Wynn called the announcer Graham.

    The same. McNamee was the star of the NBC-New York announcing staff over
    the network's first decade, and prior to that he became nationally known
    for his work at WEAF. Although he's usually referred to today as "a
    sportscaster," sports was only a small slice of his total workload.

    His work with Ed Wynn beginning in 1932 is significant in that it was he
    who literally held Wynn's hand backstage prior to each week's broadcasts,
    and helped the comedian thru his pathological fear of microphones.
    McNamee would stand next to him whispering "you're going to be great
    tonight, everything will be fine, you'll be just great," and similar
    affirmations right up to the moment the program went on the air.

    The emotional bond between Wynn and McNamee was so powerful that when
    Wynn returned to the air in 1936 following a year's hiatus, he panicked
    when McNamee was unavailable to work on his new series. NBC staff
    announcer John S. Young was assigned to the program -- but Wynn needed
    McNamee, and finally the sponsor insisted that the network juggle
    arrangements with other programs to free McNamee up for the broadcasts.

    McNamee was not actually the announcer for the Fire Chief program --
    Louis A. Witten was the regular announcer for the series. McNamee merely
    acted as straight man for Wynn and did one commercial per broadcast, a
    commercial in which he would have to put up with constant interruptions
    from Wynn -- and by all evidence this was the very first example of
    integrating advertising messages into the comedy material of a program in
    the manner later popularized by Jack Benny and Fibber McGee. Texaco at
    first enjoyed the attention this technique attracted, but in time some of
    Wynn's wisecracks went too far, and the company ordered him to cut it out.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:12:39 -0500
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Accents

    The discussion of accents reminded me of one of my favorite linguistic
    tests.    It might be fun for some of you to try it.

    The 3 words are

    Mary
    merry
    marry

    We New Yorkers even those who have not lived there for many years like me,
    pronounce each of those words differently.  Out here in California, the land
    of no accent, natives for one, tend to pronounce them the same.  A
    linguistics Prof at UC Berkeley introduced me to this test and it's been a
    great "cocktail party" game for many years.

    ~Irene

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:13:29 -0500
    From: "Donna Byrd" <dmb5@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Accents

    I know it's a picky thing, but Bruce Young referred to Daniel
    Boorstin in V2003 Issue #37 as:

>     former librarian of Congress and historian

    Mr Boorstin was appointed to head the Library of Congress, and the
    title of that position is "Librarian of Congress". He was NEVER a
    member of the library profession.

    The upper case makes all the difference. It was a sore point then
    and still is.

    Donna Byrd

    dmb5@[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:13:41 -0500
    From: philipmarus@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lucille Fletcher

    I have found Lucile Fletcher an wonderfully suspenseful writer. I have read
    of her what I have been able to get my hands on (MIRROR IMAGE, EIGHTY DOLLARS
    TO STAMFORD, THE GIRL IN CABIN B54) which were written after the Golden Age
    of Radio. She continued to be a gifted writer throughout her life. I am only
    saddened that her work is difficult to obtain and mostly out of print.
    However, It is through listening to Old Time Radio that I first became
    familar with her. A truly Great writer much unappreciated today judging by
    how much her work is out of print and largely forgotten.

    Mike Kerezman Jr

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:14:17 -0500
    From: ilamfan@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed] (OTR Bulletin Board)
    Subject:  Names For "Non-OTR-Initiates"

    Names For "Non-OTR-Initiates":

         Since I would be willing to bet the farm that those who don't know of the
    existence of Old-Time Radio depend on a hefty 6-hour-daily-dose of the
    electronic narcotic "television" to survive, I would probably use the term
    VIDIOTS (coined by someone else, not me - sure wish I had, though!).
         Maybe something less derogatory, something more "politically correct",
    that wouldn't offend the delicate sensibilities of today's average sheep - er,
    consumer.  How about IMAGINATION-IMPAIRED?
         Possibly an [removed] pronounced DoKWoTAM?  Don't Know What
    They
    Are Missing?
         Remember, lots of THEM simply have NO IDEA that there is any such thing
    as
    Old-Time Radio!  It is our responsibility to introduce them to our little
    niche
    hobby, to save their brains from the numbing effects of mass-media/lowest
    common denominator/"I-guess-that's-good-enough" tripe flowing from today's
    radios, televisions, and movie theaters.
         Carry a few spare shows with you at all times.  When you run into someone
    who might be interested, GIVE them a show or two.  FREE.  Tell them to indulge
    you, and listen alone, at night, in the dark.  The ones who come back and ask
    for a few more shows are the ones whose imaginations aren't yet atrophied.
         I think the reading of books might also stave off the effects of neurons
    turning into [removed]  "But reading a whole book takes
    SOOOO [removed]"  All the more reason to try some OTR, Johnny.  Baby steps.
    Baby steps.

    Stephen Jansen
    --
    Old Time Radio never dies - it
    just changes formats!

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:14:25 -0500
    From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE forr Week
     Starts: 01/26/03

    These are the shows on The Olde Tyme Radio Network starting on 1/26  (24/7)
    at:   [removed]
    New shows in hi-fi sound posted on the netcast every Sunday.

    SAME TIME, SAME STATION with Jerry Haendiges
    1. THE BISHOP AND THE GARGOYLE -   7/14/40  "The Jennifer
    Barton Case"  stars: Richard Gordon and Ken Lynch.
    2. A DATE WITH JUDY    2/6/45   "A Fan Letter to Joseph Cotten"
    Stars:  Louise Erickson with special guest: Joseph Cotten.
    3. STRANGE WILLS   6/29/46    "The Lady and The Pirate"
    Starring: Warren William, Lurene Tuttle and Perry Ward.
    4. A CASE FOR DR. MORELLE    6/19/57    "Confession of Guilt"
    Stars: Cecil Parker and Sheila Simms.

    HERITAGE  RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood
    1. THE ADVENTURES OF RED RYDER    NBC-Blue  3/3/42
    "Trouble at Bullion Bend"
    2. GANGBUSTERS      ABC   (? 1940)  "The Case of the Butcher Bandits"
    Narrated by former heavyweight "champ" Jim Braddock.
    3. COLGATE SPORTS NEWSREEL with Bill Stern       NBC#333
    3/22/46   - Special Guest:  Babe Ruth.
    4. THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW     Audio Excerpt - CBS-TV   1/6/57
    With Elvis Presley.

    Enjoy --    Tom & Jerry

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:14:32 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history

>     >From Those Were The Days --

    1947 - The Greatest Story Ever Told was first heard on ABC.

      Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:
    [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 10:15:09 -0500
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Live performance

    Janet posted:

>     Forgive me if this question is either over done or down right dumb,

    There are no dumb questions, [removed] perhaps, dumb answers.

>     I thought that the kind folks on this list would be able to provide an
>     answer.

    (SNIP) My question: was it common for radio shows performed in front of a
    live

>     audience to provide some sort of live performance other than the reading of
>     the script?

    I think I responded to a similar question from someone about a year ago, so
    it probably can bear being addressed again.

    The short answer is "Yes". But equally short is the list of programs on
    which that might happen. [removed] was far from being a "common" practice.

    You could probably rule out all dramatic shows. But might see some "clowning
    around" on comedy and variety [removed] but even that was limited. Generally,
    comedy programs were also intent on getting laughs from the studio audience,
    and some performers were adept at "mugging" (making exaggerated facial
    expressions), intended to "milk" or extend the laugh.

    Some "comedy" performers would also use exaggerated body language.
    (depending on the "action" the script intended to convey), but keep in mind
    that they had to maintain proximity to the microphone, so movement was
    limited.

    But in most cases, the "material" (dialogue) was [removed] and designed
    primarily to entertain the home audience. "Ratings" were derived from home
    listeners, and determined the success of a show. Not the Studio audience.
    (Although ticket requests also helped measure a programs popularity). So in
    spite of a live studio audience, everyone concentrated on their delivery
    ..timing, pacing, inflection, etc. Any exaggerated body language was often
    considered "hamming it up", or "Show-boating", by ones peers.

    But then the reverse was true on very rare occasions. When I look back on it
    now, the antics that we in the cast of "Archie Andrews" went through was
    designed to "Delight" and "amuse" our very young live audience. Bob Hastings
    and I used all the tricks to "play" to the audience. Including "Pratt
    falls", (falling on the floor), exaggerated facial expressions, Body
    movement, touching, pushing, or whatever physical action mirrored the
    dialogue. We were encouraged to do it, but that was the nature of that
    particular program. I don't recall doing it at any other time in my career.

    I cover this topic in my book, (with illustrations) in case you want to
    learn more. [removed]

    But I do know of something that was done by all the "Good" actors. It was a
    little thing, but very effective. They would look at whoever was talking at
    the time, "relating" to each other that way. It made the conversations seem
    more authentic, instead of one's eyes buried in the script at all times. We
    "played off" each other in that fashion. Then, the audience (if present)
    could watch whoever was delivering the lines, or watch the "reaction" from
    another performer to what was being said. A small thing indeed, but very
    effective.

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 14:53:41 -0500
    From: Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The meaning is?

    The name of Ben Bernie has cropped up recently and with it his famous phrase
    "yowsah".

    I was a big fan of Bernie's and used to listen to his live remotes and
    regular programs whenever I could find them. This was during the dark ages
    in Texas. There was never any question in my mind as to what "Yowsah" meant.
    I naturally assumed that it was simply an extended pronunciation of the what
    was then called the Negro version of "yessir" as used by Stepin Fetchit and
    other vaudeville or burlesque entertainers.

    I cannot vouch for the political correctness of this approach but that's the
    way it was, movin' west.

    Harry Bartell

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 14:54:01 -0500
    From: zbob@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Origin by Accent

    With all the discussions going on about 'accents' lately, perhaps another old-
    timer can recall a dialectologist who worked in New York around 1940 or so,
    probably on WOR. Anyway, he would determine a "contestant's" place of origin
    by listening to the way they spoke certain passages.  Key words started with
    the person speaking: "Mary", "Marry", and "Merry", from which he could narrow
    the geography to something like "South side of Peoria", or " Upper Sandusky",
    etc. and go on from there.  Who was this expert???

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 14:54:22 -0500
    From: Shenbarger@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Portable Broadcasting
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    In a message dated 1/25/2003 11:09:47 AM Central Standard Time, Russ Butler
    writes:

>     I have a reply from Donna Halper  dlh@[removed]
>     a Broadcast Historian, instructor at Emerson College, a published author
>     and
>     a broadcast consultant in Boston who wrote an article about portable radio
>     stations for The Broadcast Archives in 1998.  The URL is:
>     [removed]

    An entirely self-contained portable broadcasting transmitter, built by Zenith
    Radio and used by Zenith owned WJAZ in the Chicago area beginning September
    22, 1924, is considered by many to be the first genuine portable broadcasting
    station. It was initially used for field testing broadcasting locations but
    was later used extensively for portable broadcasting of all kinds. The
    transmitter was rated at 100 watts and run by batteries. The entire station
    was built into a 1924 Federal-Knight 1-ton truck complete with a gas
    generator for recharging the batteries. The truck was equipped with armored
    microphone cables 300 feet long for setting up a sound stage in a hall or
    distant location and broadcasting from the parked truck. The portable station
    was used in many locations away from Chicago and outside of Illinois to
    promote Zenith Radio and broadcasting.

    A more complete story with several pictures appears in "Zenith Radio: The
    Early Years 1919-1935" by Harold N. Cones and John H. Bryant.

    Don Shenbarger

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 14:54:37 -0500
    From: Udmacon@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Hawkshaw Hawkins
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Before Hawkshaw Hawkins went to the WSM Grand Ole Opry his was the shining
    light of the "WWVA Jamboree" in Wheeling, WV. I remember seeing him there on
    the stage of the old Virginia Theatre (where Jolson played; now both are gone
    <g>). He was announced as "eleven yards of personality!!"

    Bill Knowlton

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 17:11:28 -0500
    From: "Candy Jens" <candyj@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Can You Top This?

    Does anyone remember this show?  There was a moderator and three comedians
    (one was Joe Laurie (sp?) Jr.  The moderator told a joke submitted by a
    listener, and the audience's applause was measured.  Then each comic in turn
    tried to get a better response.  The jokes weren't up to today's
    "politically correct" standards - many started out "a priest, a minister and
    a rabbi . . ." or "a Pole, an Irishman, and a Scot . . ." complete with the
    appropriate accents - but they were clean - and funny!  The listener got a
    prize of $5 or so if his joke rated higher than the pros'.

    One of the sillier programs, as I recall, was the Hartz Mountain canaries.
    Of course they didn't "sing" to the tunes played - I suspect a mike was
    placed in a cage of birds and turned on/off as the organist played.  It must
    have been popular, though.

    For really good music, my favorites were Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians.
    Every word they sang was clear, something Mr. Waring was a stickler about.
    He ran a summer internship at his hotel in Shawnee-on-Delaware, where his
    training was exacting.  It was said that he would write an arrangement of
    any school alma mater if it was submitted to him - don't know if this was
    true or urban myth.

    "Thanks for the memories . . ." to all who participate in the group!

    Candy Jens

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #39
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