Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #47
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 2/11/2005 7:09 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2005 : Issue 47
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  A rainbow of sound                    [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
  2-12 births/dates                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  Re: Valentine Shows?                  [ vigor16@[removed] ]
  Arnold Stang                          [ Bob Slate <moxnix1961@[removed]; ]
  Re: Air Force Museum                  [ Cnorth6311@[removed] ]
  Chick Carter, Boy Detective           [ skallisjr@[removed] ]
  Arnold Stang                          [ David Loftus <dloft59@[removed] ]
  Harlow Wilcox                         [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
  Arthur Miller dead at 89              [ "HOWARD BLUE" <khovard@[removed]; ]
  Ben Bernie Radio Show                 [ Bruce Rosenberger <bmr3d@[removed]; ]
  Arnold Stang                          [ "Tim Lones" <tlones@[removed]; ]
  Re: NBC History                       [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Johnny Carson, Bud Collyer and an in  [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 15:09:06 -0500
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  A rainbow of sound

Earlier this week several posters were discussing NBC's multicolored chains
on this forum.  The February issue of "The Illustrated Press," newsletter of
The Old Time Radio Club based in western New York state, bears a lead
article titled "The Five Radio Networks of NBC."

Jim Snyder, one of vintage radio's most authoritative researchers and a
longtime friend of many on this list, offers some fresh perspectives on the
orange and gold webs in particular as well as a mention of the white chain's
existence. Still more insightful is his brief analysis into how the red and
the blue were formed.  Most of us know well the tale of the red and blue
lines on the map but the fact that AT&T and RCA had separate chains some
years before NBC existed may have escaped notice by many readers.  Jim's
treatise is a reminder that network radio really didn't begin in 1926.  It
makes for interesting contemplation for anyone who's curious about that
epoch and is certainly timely for our purposes here.

Jim Cox

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 15:55:41 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  2-12 births/dates

February 12th births

02-12-1867 - Joe E. Howard - NYC - d. 5-19-1961
singer, composer: "Gay Nineties Revue"
02-12-1888 - Victor Kolar - Budapest, Hungary - d. 1-16-1957
conductor: "Ford Sunday Evening Hour"
02-12-1898 - Roy Harris - Lincoln County, Oklahoma Territory - d. 10-1-1979
composer: "New York Philharmonic"; "Comtemporary Composers Concerts"
02-12-1898 - Wallace Ford - Batton, England - d. 6-11-1966
actor: "Hollywood on the Air"; "Royal Gelatin Hour"
02-12-1899 - Ray Knight - Salem, MA - d. 2-12-1953
actor: Ambrose J. Weems "Cuckoo Hour"; shopkeeper "House in the Country"
02-12-1904 - Joseph Kearns - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 2-17-1962
actor, host: Melvyn Foster "A Date with Judy"; Man in Black "Suspense"
02-12-1904 - Ted Mack - Greeley, CO - d. 7-12-1976
emcee: "Original Amateur Hour"
02-12-1910 - Ken Roberts - The Bronx, NY
actor, announcer: Commissioner Weston "The Shadow"; "Easy Aces"
02-12-1912 - Stan Kenton - Wichita, KS - d. 8-25-1979
bandleader: "Bob Hope Show"; "Stan Kenton Concerts"
02-12-1914 - Tex Beneke - Fort Worth, TX - d. 5-30-2000
tenor sax, singer, band leader: "Glenn Miller and His Orchestra"; "Sunset
Serenade"
02-12-1915 - Lorne Greene - Ottowa, Canada - d. 9-11-1987
host Western Night: "Sears Radio Theatre"
02-12-1919 - Forrest Tucker - Plainfield, IN - d. 10-25-1986
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
02-12-1920 - Shirley Yamaguchi - Manchuria
actress: "New Edgar Bergen Hour"; "Geroge Fisher Interviews the Stars"
02-12-1926 - Joe Garagiola - St. Louis, MO
sportscaster
02-12-1927 - Bobby Winkler - Chicago, IL - d. 12-28-1989
actor: Newsboy "Big Town"

February 12th deaths

02-07-1883 - Eubie Blake - Baltimore, MD - d. 2-12-1983
jazz pianist: "Ragtime"; "White House Jazz Festival"
02-12-1899 - Ray Knight - Salem, MA - d. 2-12-1953
actor: Ambrose J. Weems "Cuckoo Hour"; shopkeeper "House in the Country"
03-04-1896 - George Shelton - NYC - d. 2-12-1971
comedian: "Sunday Night Party"; "It Pays to Be Ignorant"
04-21-1905 - Ted Osborne - Grand Rapids, MI - d. 2-12-1987
actor: Dr. Carough "Dr. Kildare"; Professor Whiz the Owl "Cinnamon Bear"
04-23-1884 - Edwin C. Hill - Aurora, IN - d. 2-12-1957
news commentator: "Human Side of the News"; "Your News Parade"
04-28-1874 - Sidney Toler - Warrensburg, MO - d. 2-12-1947
actor: "Southern California WPA Symphony Orchestra"; "It's Time to Smile"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 15:56:05 -0500
From: vigor16@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Valentine Shows?
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Hi

I'm sure there are more than a few of these kinds of shows.  Holidays
seemed to be celebrated all the time on Old Time Radio, Lincoln's
birthday Washington's birthday (they didn't come together on Monday in
those days)  almost any holiday had at least one show.  I can think of a
couple of Valentine's Day ones that will put one in the mood.  Actually,
I am constructing a Holiday show index to play at each Holiday for
ambiance.  I am not too far along with Valentine's Day but hope to find
more shows.  Somehow I remember a couple Henry Aldridge and Our Miss
Brooks Valentine's Day but can't find them at the moment.  I'm sure there
are others.  The posting about Valentine's Day made me wonder about what
could constitute a Holiday on OTR I have Blizzard day, first day of
Spring (Which I'm sure many of us are looking forwar to)  first day of
school first day of Baseball football  (no Hockey yet, sorry) 4th of July
Arbor Day even Groundhog Day may have a show.  Of course, everybody on
radio had a birthday or wedding anniversary.  Some even had more than
one, I'll bet.  Two Valentine's Day entries below:

Fibber McGee 02/10/42 Valentine Candy
Ozzie & Harriet 02/13/49

Sure I have more, got to update my files a bit.

Thanks much

Deric  M.

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Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 15:56:29 -0500
From: Bob Slate <moxnix1961@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Arnold Stang
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Yes, Arnold Stang did appear as a regular on ,"The Henry Morgan Show." I'm
not sure, but he probably appeared on other OTR [removed] on, in the
1950's, he was a regular on television on "The Milton Berle Show" sponsored
by Buick. He is very much alive. I wrote to him a few years ago. He does wear
[removed]'m not sure how tall he is, but he does appear to be [removed] also
had a part in the movie, 'Its A MAd-Mad-Mad-Mad-Mad-Mad World' in the 1960's.

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Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:13:09 -0500
From: Cnorth6311@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Air Force Museum
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The Air Force museum is a fabulous place. However, it is in Dayton, Oh.,  not
Cincinnati, Oh.

Here is a question I am not sure has ever been asked, and it probably shows
I have way to much time on my hands. Either that, or a warped mind. Has anyone
 but me ever wondered what happened to Clark Kent's street clothes when he
changed into his Superman costume.

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Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:15:46 -0500
From: skallisjr@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Chick Carter, Boy Detective

In responding to the Kenneth Clarke query on the family tree of Chick and
Nick Carter, Jack French notes,

Nearly 50 years later, when Nick came to radio, "Patsy" became Patsy
Bowen, Nick's gal Friday while Chick eventually was introduced as his
nephew (or adopted son)  "Chick Carter, Boy Detective", a spinoff came by
Mutual aired over 500 programs from 1943 to 1945: it was a 5 times a
week 15 minute show. However only 2 audio copies have survived.

The Nick Carter of radio was in some contrast to his dime novel version.
Radio Nick was  very calm, suave person; the novel version had him a
direct man of action.

When I was sitting out World War II in St. Petersburg, Florida, I used to
listen to the Chick Carter show, and I always heard he was Nick's adopted
son.  I recall very little about the show's contents, but the default
villain was called The Rattler.

The Chick Carter show is one of the least remembered shows, and it was
the first I ever sent for a premium from.  Since it was a wartime
program, the premium was a paper one, Chick Carter's Inner Circle Seal.
The "seals" were like postage stamps, gummed and perforated, with two
red, concentric circles: the outer was open at top and bottom; the inner
was solid.  I presume with hindsight that these were supposed to be
pasted on "official" Inner Circle communications, but I didn't know any
Inner Circle members.  I recall pasting one on my tricycle, but I don't
know that it did the vehicle any good.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:16:04 -0500
From: David Loftus <dloft59@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Arnold Stang

"kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed]; wrote:

    In a recent mailing list, someone mentioned an
actor named Arnold Stang.

I think that was me. I put him on the Stan Freburg show,
but that may have been a mistake.

Didn't he perform on the "Henry Morgan Show" on
OTR?

Definitely!  I fondly remember the excerpts from the Henry
Morgan show that Frank Bresee played on "The Golden Days
of Radio" back in 1970 or so, duly giving Stang credit for
the voices that sounded like relatives of Mortimer Snerd
and Mad magazine's Alfred E. Neuman.

In fact, I suspect the latter may owe something to Stang
and Morgan, because I heard an audio equivalent of a
"Previews of Coming Attractions" sketch on the Henry
Morgan show about a gangster called (and introduced by
Stang's dweebiest, goofiest voice) "Arthur L. Newman."

If it's the same actor I'm thinking of, I believe had a
bit part opposite Frank Sinatra in the movie, "The Man
With The Golden Arm".

The Internet Movie Database backs you up. The character's
name was Sparrow. Stang was also in "It's a Mad Mad Mad
Mad World," but it looks like the vast majority of his video
work was as the voice of Herman in cartoons that featured
a cat named Katnip, voiced by Sid Raymond. I've never
heard of these, but there were a lot of them.

He also guested on a lot of TV shows, from "Playhouse 90,"
"Bonanza," and "Batman" to "Emergency!" and "The Cosby
Show."

     His voice sticks in my mind, however, as that
of "Top Cat" in the 60's.

Yes, the one that sounded so smooth and urbane:
"Exit . . . stage right, ee-vun."

I have this vision of him
as a short man with glasses.  I could be wrong.

I don't know, but I'd say that's just how he SOUNDS.
IMDb says his trademark was "Thick, horn-rimmed glasses,
bow tie, high-pitched New York accent."

Also -- speak of the devil! -- he got his start in OTR by
replacing Hal Stone (who was serving in the Korean War)
as Jughead on the Archie Andrews Show!  Stang was
simultaneously a regular on Milton Berle's TV show.

Is he still living?

As far as the IMDb is aware, he's still alive.

David Loftus
Portland, Oregon

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:16:30 -0500
From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Harlow Wilcox

I have heard many Fibber McGee and Molly shows where Harlow Wilcox walks in
on them without the door bell ringing. He seemed to be the only character
doing so.  I don't see how it could be a flub since it happened so many
times.
Bill

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:39:23 -0500
From: "HOWARD BLUE" <khovard@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Arthur Miller dead at 89

           Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller, best known for Death of a Salesman and other stage plays died
yesterday, February 10. In 1998 I interviewed Miller at his pied a terre on
Manhattan's east side. At least partly by choice, Miller had one of the
lowest profiles as an author of radio plays. Although he wrote perhaps 25 of
them between 1939-1946, most war-related, few histories of broadcasting
acknowledge his radio role.

Miller grew up in an initially well-to-do family in Harlem in the 1920s. The
Depression hit his family hard, forcing his grandfather to give up his home
and move in with Miller's family, where the two had to share a bedroom.
Miller also saw his father, a garment industry manufacturer, go broke. The
family lost a life of privilege which included the services of a chauffeur,
a seven passenger National and ownership of a summer bungalow. Miller saw
how the experience caused his father to grow into himself and lose his
powers.  . . . .

   Miller attended Michigan University where  . . . during the rise of
fascism in Europe, [he]. . .  began his career as a playwright, winning the
University of Michigan Hopwood Awards for two of his plays. . . . After
graduating from Michigan, Miller moved back east, hoping to begin a writing
career. Within a few months, a representative of 20th Century-Fox offered
him $250 a week to come to Hollywood to write film scripts. Miller, an
idealist, rejected the offer, opting instead for a job at $[removed] per week
with the Federal Theatre. . . .

Miller's job with the Federal Theatre lasted only six months, after which
the government terminated the agency. At around the same time, his radio
writing career began with a play for CBS' Columbia Workshop. Although the
series featured the work of a number of already established writers such as
Archibald MacLeish and Stephen Vincent Benét, most of its scripts came from
new writers such as Miller. Miller wrote scripts for other series too,
including the Cavalcade of America to which he was referred by Norman
Rosten.

When the US became involved in the war in 1941, Miller was rejected for
military service because of a knee injury. The experience left him feeling
alienated and frustrated with what he described in his autobiography as "the
inevitable unease of the survivor." For any man in good or reasonably good
health being a civilian during the war meant having to answer to external
and sometimes internal questioning about why he was not in uniform doing his
part for the country. Miller also failed in his efforts to get a job with
the Office of War Information. The situation left him feeling " . . . part
of nothing, no class, no influential group; it was like high school
perpetually, with everybody else rushing to one or another club and me still
trying to figure out what was happening."

Seeking some feeling of community, Miller got a job in the Brooklyn Navy
Yard where he helped recondition ships for service. Recalling the era
further, he wrote "Rejected for military service, I had to justify my
existence by throwing myself into writing patriotic war plays for radio. We
were all one big happy family fighting the common enemy, but the more expert
I became the more desiccated I felt writing the stuff which was more like a
form of yelling than writing . . . Still it was an easy dollar . . . ."

Miller spent only three months per year writing for radio. He worked very
quickly, completing a half-hour play in less than a day. The rest of the
year he wrote stage plays. Others too, of course, had misgivings about
writing war propaganda. However, his regrets apparently exceeded most other
writers who may have disliked doing wartime propaganda work, but otherwise
enjoyed writing for radio. In 1947, by which time Miller ceased writing for
radio, he wrote "really fine radio drama or first rate comedy is an
impossibility."

                                Adapted from WORDS AT WAR (Scarecrow Press,
2002)

by Howard Blue

[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:20:28 -0500
From: Bruce Rosenberger <bmr3d@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Ben Bernie Radio Show

I have a friend looking for Ben Bernie Radio shows. He currently has
shows from 1/1/35, 2/12/35, and one undated from 1943. Are there others
available, and where can he find them?

Thanks,
Bruce

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 20:28:18 -0500
From: "Tim Lones" <tlones@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Arnold Stang
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I can tell you from recent experience that Mr. Stang is smallish and wears
[removed] is a very funny fellow.
Game Show Network is currently running the Goodson-Todman series "The Name's
The Same"  (Originally ABC-TV)  Stang just recently finished a run of episodes
dating from the early part of 1954.  At the time he was part of Milton Berle's
ensemble on his NBC Variety [removed] far as I can tell he is still with
[removed] Movie and TV appearances and Cartoon Voices as late as 1999 (Cartoon
Network's Courage The Cowardly [removed] voices)..He was best known in
Radio for the Henry Morgan Show  (1946-1950)

Tim Lones

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Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 20:34:33 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: NBC History

On 2/11/05 3:09 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:

Does anyone know of any books about NBC, giving an in-depth history? I have
one each about CBS and ABC, both between 200 and 300 pages. I also have a
similar length book about RCA, but not one specifically about NBC. I've been
unable to find any on the internet or library, apart from the colourful 75th
anniversary book, which isn't what I want.

I'd suggest that the most comprehensive look at NBC's early history can
be found in Gleason L. Archer's "Big Business and Radio," published in
1938. Archer, an attorney by profession who had conducted a "You and the
Law" series on NBC in the early thirties, was granted unprecedented
access to NBC's internal documents, and provides detail on the internal
politics surrounding the formation and early operation of the network
which can be found nowhere else.

Be warned, though, that this book is not a casual read. Archer was a
lawyer, and writes like one (no offence to the nice lawyers on this
list), and his narrative is heavy on the doings of various executives and
policymakers and very light on discussion of programs and personalities.
Nonetheless, it's probably a reliable a secondary source as exists on
NBC's 1926-36 era.

Unfortunately, there's no true definitive work on the overall history of
the network. NBC got short shrift in most of the popular books on
broadcasting history written over the past forty years, which hewed to
the established Columbiacentric point of view, and aside from another
photo-heavy coffee-table type book issued in 1976 to commemorate the
network's 50th anniversary, there's not a lot else of substance. One must
dig and pick and choose from a whole shelf full of books and documents
and trade journals to come up with a reasonable understanding of what NBC
accomplished over most of its existance.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 21:07:40 -0500
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Johnny Carson, Bud Collyer and an interesting
 coincidence.

Recent discussions on this list have alluded to the
re-creation of an episode of the "Superman" radio show
on "The Tonight Show."

By an interesting coincidence, a bought the comicbook
Superman #220 (Oct. 1969) yesterday. The letters page
included a letter alluding to that particular "Tonight
Show" episode (On April 22, according to the letter).

Rick

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #47
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