------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 43
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Lindsay Hardy [ "Austotr" <austotr@[removed]; ]
First Name? [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
Red Scare/Blacklist [ Jeff Weaver <jweaver@[removed]; ]
red scare [ ddunfee@[removed] ]
Re: Ozzie's job? [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Donald Farrell [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
Ozzie's Occupation [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
wire recorders [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
Re: Items to Ponder [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Re: OTR What's My Line?s [ "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed]; ]
Eve Arden [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
Eddie Carroll is Comming [ lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed]; ]
re: Items to Ponder [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
A little traveling music [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:20:10 -0500
From: "Austotr" <austotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Lindsay Hardy
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G'Day folks,
Lindsay Hardy, creator of Major Gregory Keen whose exploits were dramatised by
Hardy on Australian Radio in serials like Dossier on Dumetrius, and in his
books, spent time in the [removed] as a television scriptwriter. His books were
also published in the [removed]
Peter Adamson is writing a biography on Lindsay Hardy and is looking for 3
short stories published in the [removed] as follows:
Bluebook October 1954 - Moon Song Road
Bluebook November 1954 - The Faceless Ones (I managed to get a copy on ebay)
Cosmopolitan January 1955 - Morning-After Murder
I would appreciate any assistance locating the magazines or copies of the
articles. It is believed the short stories are early examples of Major Keen
stories which later became serials and in the case of Dossier on Dumetrius was
also released in the [removed] in 1957 as a movie 'Million Dollar Manhunt' a very
hacked version of the 1956 [removed] movie 'Assignment Redhead'. It starred Richard
Denning as Major Gregory Keen.
If any collectors have a copy of the movie which has appeared on television
from time to time, I would like to discuss a trade.
Peter Adamson is not on email, so please email me directly as I can purchase
the magazines and pass them on.
Ian Grieve
Moderator
Australian Old Time Radio Group
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Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:20:35 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: First Name?
Raymond Druian relates,
A while back, there was a thread on the list discussing Bill Conrad, as
Matt Dillon, walking into a bar and saying, "Hello, John," and the
meaning of that greeting. I thinik it's obvious that he was saying
'hello' to The Lone Ranger.
It is well to recall that The Lone Ranger was a master of disguises. In
many adventures, he went undercover, posing as a prospector or some such.
Thus, even if Marshall Dillon greeted him as "John," there's nothing
that would suggest that The Lone Ranger wasn't in disguise. Thus, "John"
could have been anyone.
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:21:07 -0500
From: Jeff Weaver <jweaver@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Red Scare/Blacklist
A question was asked how the government could go after Hollywood, well
the government forced Hollywood to self censor their films. The
blacklist was not governmental but collusional. The Studios bonded
together and banned reds or and their fellow travelers. Communists were
actively going after Hollywood as a way to use the films as
propaganda- but they were never acting above board, hence the front
organizations. It does seem that many people were targeted, but those
were the ones who refused to distance themselves form communism and
Stalin. Keep in mind that the government knew even more about the evil
of communism than they were willing to tell. The Government went out
of its way to help Stalin during the War and knew that there were spies
in the government. Later films gloss over the fact. Even the good
Clooney film on Morrow glossed over that the cleaning lady was a spy
(she delievered for pay papers she took from the War department). We
now know all of this thanks to the opening of the Kremlin documents and
our own Verona transcripts and other releases. Alger Hiss was a spy,
Harry Hopkins a [removed] the history has been slow to correct the
facts of some leftists cause. Just last year documents emerged that
Sinclair Lewis knew the Sacco and Vanzetti were guilty as charged, but
he released his book proclaiming them innocent all the same.
As for radio, I have heard that the Red scare caused Howard Duff to
leave Sam Spade- that was a shame, I love Howard Duff and wished that
there was more Spade to enjoy. I appreciate Mr. Stone's story and
currently listening to 21st Precinct which I believe he did.
Jeffrey
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:21:41 -0500
From: ddunfee@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: red scare
The discussion of that era is put backwards. The question is not if there
were communist and/or left leaning people in entertainment but if anyone of
them ever broke the law in any single instance ever.
It was not illegal to be stupid and have blinders on with regard to soviet
actions. It was not illegal to be a communist or pro-soviet or socialize
with anyone who was. It was not illegal to belong to a labor union with
soviet support nor to participate in activities in support of them or to
express social and political views which also happened to overlap with them
such as in matters of racial justice and labor unions among others.
It was illegal to pass national security secrets to the soviets and other
such activities. But this kind of thing was correlated with any left form
of activity in any form. The real illegal behaviors were those which
suppressed those above and who deprived them of their livelihood and career
using extra-legal methods. Those who had legal problems did so on the basis
of refusing to cooperate with congress etc. but not for their views or
actions based on them.
XB
IC|XC
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 10:20:51 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Ozzie's job?
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In a message dated 2/6/07 8:25:46 AM Central Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
Ozzie Nelson wrote an autobiography, Ozzie, where he explained that. He
didn't want any identification of his radio, and later TV, character with
any trade or profession. So he made certain that such was never even
hinted on the shows.
What's interesting is, his TV show did repeatedly make reference to the old
days, when he was a bandleader and Harriet was a vocalist. I figured from
that
Ozzie made a continuing but modest fortune off the royalties and that's how
he could afford to hang around the house all day and have such "adventures" as
his search for tutti frutti ice cream. But that's my own trip from A to B.
Incidentally, I have heard characters eat dinner on "Amos 'n' Andy." The
first complete radio episode I ever heard (from 1951) involved the Kingfish
trying to be romantic to Sapphire over dinner with Mama interrupting
continously.
("Pass the fish, George!")
Dixon
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Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 10:21:06 -0500
From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Donald Farrell
Walden Hughes (no relation) asks about cowboy star Donald Farrell.
Walden, I think you may be referring to actor Tommy Farrell, who played a
lot of cowboy roles early in his career but then did a lot of guest shots
in TV shows, playing all sorts of people.
---Dan, [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 10:52:32 -0500
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Ozzie's Occupation
My parents never seemed to have any questions about what George, Gracie,
Ozzie, Harriet, Jack Benny or even Danny Thomas and Desi Arnaz did for a
living, even though I'd never heard of any of them outside of television.
They were all old-time stage and radio entertainers. Ozzie was indeed
unique in that not a word was breathed about his financial life, but all of
the others made many a reference to their current shows or former lives in
show business.
None of it impressed us, much: the proposition that Danny Thomas or Desi
Arnaz were thought to have been an electrifying entertainer in some ancient
context was a bit much for us to wrap our Sugar Pops-besotted minds around
in 1955.
The home lives of entertainers seems to be a bottomless trove for designers
of situation comedies. They tried a fictionalized version for poor Dave
Barry some years ago, and in more recent days for Ozzy Osbourne and I
believe Jessica Simpson. For all I know, the chain goes back unbroken.
M Kinsler
512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 11:41:07 -0500
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: wire recorders
My friend Nick Bodely has discovered a page devoted to wire recorders,
immediate precursor to tape recorders. The machines weren't used in
broadcast work, much, but were highly regarded in the spy trade, and are
referred to now and again in old radio broadcasts. Some home recordings of
radio broadcasts were made with them, and I suppose that the more
hardware-oriented parishioners here have already seen this.
[removed]
The typography makes it tough to read the text, and the spelling doesn't
help, but it is fascinating. There is also a link to a wire-recording audio
clip, which, I should warn everyone, is openly critical of President Truman.
M Kinsler
who didn't listen to it for just that reason.
512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 11:48:37 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Items to Ponder
On 2/5/07 7:11 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:
Amos & Andy - Amos had a Taxi cab. Andy seldom had a job But dated
women King Fish was boss of the lodge that was broke, married and his
wife didn't work. They never ate meals.
Amos and Andy were partners in the taxicab business until 1937, when Amos
bought out Andy's half. Andy then went on to establish a number of
businesses on his own and in partnership with the Kingfish, the most
successful of which was a wholesale-retail furniture store, operating
under the name of "Andrew H. Brown Enterprises." Aside from the taxicab
company, Amos and Andy were partners in various other ventures, most
notably the Big 3 Lunch Room (with Brother Crawford as the third of the
"Big 3,") the Okey Hotel, the Fresh Air Garage, and the upstate housing
development of Weber City.
The Kingfish supported himself thru a percentage of dues paid to the
lodge by the members, and also worked as an "outside man" for various
local businesses -- he'd steer people to his clients in exchange for a
commission. During the mid-thirties, he also had a job as a gossip
columnist for a Harlem newspaper, writing under the pen name of Leroy
LeRoy.
After A&A became a half-hour weekly sitcom in 1943, no longer written by
Correll and Gosden, no effort was made to keep a consistent or realistic
continuity, so listeners were left to fill in the blanks from their own
memory of what the program had originally been.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 12:37:58 -0500
From: "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: OTR What's My Line?s
MY response, my subject line. :)
Ozzie & Harriet - 2 boy, nice home, no job & no money problems. Where
did their money come from?
They were, more or less, who they were: a formerly prominent bandleader and
his
one-time singer wife who'd made enough money to retire very comfortably
to raise their kids at an early age.
Amos & Andy - Amos had a Taxi cab. Andy seldom had a job But dated
women King Fish was boss of the lodge that was broke, married and his
wife didn't work. They never ate meals.
Not all of the Kingfish's schemes went awry and, while they never made
him rich (or even comfortable), they usually provided enough to get by
on. When times were tough, Sapphire -did- take work; other times, to make
a little extra money, the Stevens took on borders.
Boston Blackie - was he a criminal, or a detective? How did live never
had a job or stole money?
It's suggested in the series on more than one occasion that Blackie made
himself a celebrity as a reformed safecracker and thief who consulted on
security matters with many of the wealthiest men in the area. Bookwriting,
speechmaking and consulting are all good sources of income, now as well as
then.
Burns & Allen - George didn't work, but had had a good home and lots of
friends. only mentioned their show on rare occasions, but no income or
job. Never seem to want for anything and at one time had a cook or a maid.
The show was always in the background. Bill Goodwin and Harry Von Zell were
part of George's life as business associates. Meredith Willson came into
Gracie's life the same way. The only major difference between the real
Burnses and their radio counterparts was the level of income -- on the
radio,
they always lived a bit above their income and were running into money
trouble,
while the real-life couple lived comfortably =below= their means, becoming
significant philanthropists.
Duffy's Tavern - served bad food Never seemed to have any customers,
but tavern did business for yeas and the owner, who had no first name,
was never there. Archie had no last name. How did it stay open?
They had customers. Not =happy= customers, but they were regular and,
occasionally, paying. It didn't hurt that the cook never seemed to get paid.
Fibber McGee & Molly - Lived in a nice house, had a bank account, had a
cook, Beulah, for a while, was member of the Elks Club, and I assume
they bought food. They lived fairly well on what income? Fibber never
worked after 1939.
The house was a lottery prize. As for the rest, Fibber spent decades on the
vaudeville circuits and, no doubt thanks to Molly's frugality, managed to
put enough away to retire somewhat less comfortably (albeit somewhat later
in life, as well) than the Nelsons.
Matt Cvetic - an under cover spy for the FBI , member of the Communist
party. Did he have [removed] Did The FBI pay Him? Did the Communist Party
Pay him?
Presumably, both. The FBI certainly paid its agents, while the CPUSA was
known to pay the agents it considered most valuable rather handsomely
(though those it considered less so were often expected to serve out of
party loyalty or intimidation).
Harry Lime, The third Man., He was a con man , but how did he live
between scores?
Poorly. When things went bad, he stowed away aboard ships, stole food,
and often complained in his narration of hunger and cold.
Spave Patrol and Buck Roger Junped from Planet to Planet and we know
today It can take years to go a planet. They sure showed how simple it
was. on Radio.
Nearly all space-hopping SF, whether in radio, TV, film, literature or
what-have-you, presumes some form of faster-than-light travel; those that
don't feel severely disjointed as a result (Alien movies, Orson Scott Card
novels, etc.).
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 12:50:25 -0500
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Eve Arden
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I learned that when the folks at the Ziegfeld Follies informed Eunice
Quedens that her name wasn't appropriate (flashy) enough for their marquee,
they gave her the option of getting another one. The name she settled on,
and is most known for (Eve Arden) was drawn from two different perfumes
she found in the powder room. One was "Evening in Paris" and the other
was "Elizabeth Arden".
Another OTR Fan,
Kenneth Clarke
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Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 12:55:06 -0500
From: lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Eddie Carroll is Comming
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I am so excited to share with you that Eddie Carrol is bringing his Jack
Benny show to the
historic Paramount Theatre located in St. Cloud MN!! He is comming on
Saturday, Sept.
29, 2007. I have been working with the Paramount for along to make this
happen. Tickets
don't go on sale untill May 2007 but get them early he will sell out FAST,
we have no doubts!! If anyone comming out or in state wants info on hotels
or eating please feel free
to contact me. Hurray!! I can't wait!!!
Thanks, Lynn Wagar
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Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 14:42:29 -0500
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: re: Items to Ponder
Frank McGurn asked,
Ozzie & Harriet - 2 boy, nice home, no job & no money problems. Where
did their money come from?
Ozzie was a bandleader. They just never showed him at work on the
program. (His occupation was for years a favorite trivia question.)
Burns & Allen - George didn't work, but had had a good home and lots
of friends. only mentioned their show on rare occasions, but no income
or job. Never seem to want for anything and at one time had a cook or
a maid.
On the show one of the running gags was that he was basically a
parasite living off his wife, who was the real talent in the family.
(Which raises the question: what did Gracie do?)
Harry Lime, The third Man., He was a con man , but how did he live
between scores?
Well, if you've seen the movie you know he made a ton of money selling
watered down (ineffective) drugs to children in post-war Vienna. Not a
very pleasant way to make a living. The radio show tends to focus more
on the charming rogue and not the unscrupulous black marketer.
On the flip side, he pulled a con every week on the air--presumably he
made enough to tide him over for at least as week!
Cheers,
Kermyt
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 15:42:28 -0500
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: A little traveling music
Does anybody recall the little ditty that opened Young Doctor Malone all
those years featuring a male singer backed by a swinging Dixieland band?:
"They're ... cookin' with Crisco, from New York to 'Frisco ... pies are so
flaky, caskes are so light; fried foods digestible, with Crisco they're
right ... so-o-o-o, keep on cookin' ... with Crisco!" Remember that? It
occurred at the very start, cold, just before Ron Rowan said "It's Crisco's
Young Doctor Malone!" and Jonathan Winters rolled into "Prelude in D" on the
Hammond console, the serial's theme.
Now, for anybody whose thinking cap is on, tell me: was the Crisco
Dixieland ditty adapted from the first few bars of "Alexander's Ragtime
Band," "South Rampart Street Parade" or some other familiar New
Orleans-sounding piece of jazz? Inquiring minds (mine) want to know.
Please contact me soon if you know. Thanks. Another controversy that needs
to be put to rest once and for all.
Jim Cox
otrbuff@[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #43
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