Subject: [removed] Digest V2001 #306
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 9/18/2001 12:04 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2001 : Issue 306
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Sabu                                  [ "Jackie Lannin" <jackquack@[removed] ]
      Re: George and Gracie's Band Leader   [ "Jan Bach" <janbach@[removed]; ]
      News, Nowe and Then                   [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Pearl Harbor news                     [ "Ryan Hall" <uncle_festor@[removed] ]
      Top Five Shows                        [ "Nathan Hutchins" <nathanotr@hotmai ]
      RE: OTR MEMORABILLIA                  [ "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
      OTR Extravaganza on WBZ, 1975         [ danhughes@[removed] ]
      Henry Aldrich - What was the contemp  [ David Martin <dbmartin5@[removed]; ]
      OTR blacklisting, Red Scare info, et  [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
      Kate Smith                            [ Danica L Stein <danicas@[removed] ]
      Lovecraft from ARTC                   [ Henry Howard <hhoward@audiotheater. ]
      Early-1950s commercial                [ "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed] ]
      Epitaph                               [ nicoll <nicoll@[removed]; ]
      Henry Aldrich                         [ "Gil Miller" <ghmiller@[removed] ]
      Obit for Raymond, Your Host           [ Grbmd@[removed] ]
      OTR Memorabilia                       [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; ]
      America at war                        [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:44:42 -0400
    From: "Jackie Lannin" <jackquack@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sabu

    Hello,
        I believe that Sabu was on the tv show, "Andy's gang".
           Jackie

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:45:14 -0400
    From: "Jan Bach" <janbach@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: George and Gracie's Band Leader

    Hello again --

>     Who provided the music for the "Burns and Allen Show"?

    It was Meredith Willson, whose musical career began as piccoloist with the
    New York Philharmonic, later of MUSIC MAN fame, who often appeared with Bill
    Goodwin on the commercial breaks, occasionally in the show itself, and was
    credited with the invention of the rhythm-in-unison "talking people" often
    used in the commercials: ("Tell us a story, Meredith, huh? Tell us a story,
    willya Meredith?") which was a kind of early white person's rap and may have
    been the inspiration for the opening scene of the chanting salesmen on the
    train in Music Man.
    I have friends who grew up in Mason City, Iowa -- model for River City --
    who know many Wilsson anecdotes. One sad one is that he was so disoriented
    shortly before his death that he didn't even recognize 76 Trombones when he
    heard it on the radio. When told that he himself had written it, he asked
    "what for?"

    Jan Bach

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:45:40 -0400
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  News, Nowe and Then

    Alan Bell, remarking on the coverage of the terrorist attacks on radio
    and television, observed,

>     It's one thing for someone to describe the devastation, no matter how
>     sensitively and skillfully.
>     It's another to SEE it. Sometimes television can't be beat. But after
>     you've seen it a few times, there's little more that TV can do that radio
>     can't, and, to my mind, can't do better.

    I use TV as radio, at times, because once one sees new images, people
    talking are the same, radio or TV.  I'm "listening" to NBS's dateline as
    I write this.  I'm not looking at the TV screen as I do so.

    In the pre-TV days, radio had both reporters and commentators.  There was
    a clear distinction.  Nowadays, the only such remnant from OTR, Paul
    Harvey is clearly a commentator.  IMHO, things are less clearcut on
    network TV.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:45:58 -0400
    From: "Ryan Hall" <uncle_festor@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Pearl Harbor news

    I have to agree that the news coverage of the tragedy last week was
    abyssmal. I will say that I get the BBC World News through my satellite dish
    and it is so much better than anything else here in the States. Its more in
    line with the old radio style news where a news reader simply reads the
    news.
    Just for the sake of comparison, I went and listened to a broadcast of a
    radio show that was playing the New York Philharmonic when the news of Pearl
    Harbor was breaking (I believe that was what was playing, but don't quote me
    on that). I was astounded at how different it was from the plethora of
    non-stop news coverage of last week's events. The NY Philharmonic was
    interrupted with the newscaster telling the general skeleton of the
    information that he had just received about the Pearl Harbor bombing, and
    then went back to playing music of the Philharmonic again. That would be a
    novel concept in today's media, actually going back to the regular
    programming until something new developed.
    I believe it was Friday afternoon when some friends and I turned on Foxnews.
    We were deceived into thinking something new had happened because the
    headline had "Breaking News" plastered over half the screen. Of course it
    was the same stuff, again. I bring this up because there were some true
    intellectual nuggets perpetrated on the American people during last week's
    news coverage. Shortly after the "Breaking News" of Friday afternoon, we
    continued to watch for what reason I don't know. About 5 minutes later, they
    had the STUPIDEST thing I have ever seen on television. The mindlessly
    irritating little factoid tidbits that used to be just the bottom of the
    screen which are now covering more than half the screen of just about any
    news show. Well, the pundits, and I use the term loosely, were discussing
    possible military action that the President could take, and this factoid
    which took up half of the screen read, and I quote, "Abraham Lincoln took
    military action during the Civil War."
    I don't think I have had my intelligence insulted that badly since I played
    football in high school. Can you imagine one of those old time radio news
    readers interrupting the NY Philharmonic and saying that after Pearl Harbor?
    I don't know about anybody else, but I know why I collect old radio stuff.
    Radio, in general, did not insult your intelligence (although I will concede
    the point that there were some pretty sorry cornballs on radio from time to
    time). Technology has brought us so far, and yet somehow we've digressed
    into a society filled with mindless TV garbage like "Jack*ss" and "When
    Chihuahuas Attack, Part II." I don't know about anybody else, but I'm about
    ready the chuck my TV out the window.
    And as my general disclaimer when I post of the OTR list, all cynical views
    are my own and no one else's.
    Boy, I surely do feel better,
    Ryan (aka Ryan1)

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:46:07 -0400
    From: "Nathan Hutchins" <nathanotr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Top Five Shows

    Hi. I finally decided to post my favorite shows.
    Here goes,

    1. Dragnet
    2. Lux Radio Theatre
    3. Suspense
    4. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
    5. Command Performance

    I'm tempted to go on, but, I guess I won't.

    Nathan Hutchins

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:46:44 -0400
    From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  RE: OTR MEMORABILLIA

    I read with great interest, the posting by Elizabeth about her A & A
    memorabillia.  I too, have the 1929 book, picked up at a flea market for -
    are you ready for this? - $[removed], back in the early 70's.  I guess it is
    worth much more, now,  than what Elizabeth paid for it. The book is in
    excellent conditio with no blemishes.  Also fom the A & A show, two very
    rare premimums:

    A color Map of "Weber City" (Pepsodent Premium my Dad sent for in 1936)

    An (autographed) script, also sent out by Perpsodent called "Amos' Wedding,"
    which has a "prolouge" conversatin between Amos & Andy, in the preachers
    office that was not a part of the original broadcast

    A 1936 edition of "Pine Ridge News" in mint condition, from the Lum & Abner
    Show, sent out by Horlick's Malted Milk  (Anyone have any idea what it is
    worth today?) If anyone is interested, reprints of this premium is currently
    in circulation. Email me for details.

    Owens

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 01:49:38 -0400
    From: danhughes@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Extravaganza on WBZ, 1975

    In 1975, Boston's WBZ did an OTR Reunion show.  You can hear several
    short clips from that program by going here:

    [removed]

    "These are excerpts from BZ's Big Broadcast. This event probably holds
    the record for the biggest ever remote broadcast ever staged by a single
    radio station. We flew in the original actors, actresses, announcers,
    musicians, sound effects people, etc. that performed old time radio in
    the 30's and 40's, and did it again - live."

    The ReelRadio site has hundreds of radio airchecks you can listen to for
    free.  Most of them are 50's and 60's rock and roll deejays, but I found
    this one today and I thought OTR fans would enjoy it.

    ---Dan

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 11:05:48 -0400
    From: David Martin <dbmartin5@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Henry Aldrich - What was the contemporary
     opinion?

    I was listening to a HA show and wondered what the contemporary
    opinion of the plots.  Eg. did the people of the 1940s and 1950s enjoy
    them or did they see them as unrealistic, eg. trite.

    I know that any show is fiction at heart, but you have other shows
    that at least could be real.

    Thanks for any opinion.

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 12:29:54 -0400
    From: Ga6string@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR blacklisting, Red Scare info, etc.

    Hi,

    I watched a fascinating special on ABC yesterday -- it was a rerun, I believe
    the name of it was "Our Century," hosted by Peter Jennings. The show focused
    on the effects of anti-Communist activities, blacklisting, self-censorship,
    etc. on the Hollywood film community during the late 1940s and throughout the
    1950s.

    I'd be very interested in learning more about how those same activities, and
    how the Cold War climate in general, affected OTR programming. Any input and
    leads (books, Web sites, reference documents, notable OTR programs) would be
    welcome.

    Thanks,
    Bryan Powell

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 17:21:50 -0400
    From: Danica L Stein <danicas@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Kate Smith

    I remember (from not too too long ago; in the 70's) Kate Smith singing
    "God Bless America" before Philadelphia Flyers games (ice hockey). I
    recall that she was their good luck charm; whenever she opened the game
    with "God Bless America," the Flyers won. If I remember correctly, she
    even led them to a Stanley Cup.

    Danica (native Southeastern Pennsylvanian)

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 17:22:06 -0400
    From: Henry Howard <hhoward@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lovecraft from ARTC

    Yes, The Atlanta Radio Theatre Company has several
    MAD versions of Lovecraft:

    H P Lovecraft
         Shadow Over Innsmouth   (live convention recording)
          Dunwich Horror (with The Happy Man) (studio)
          The Lovecraft Tapes (The Dunwich Horror & Pickman's Model)
          	Pickman was recorded in studio for Horror House, as heard on NPR
    Playhouse.
    	Dunwich was a live convention recording.

           Rats in the Walls  (live convention recording featuring the voice of
    Harlan Ellison as Delapore)
           At the Mountains of Madness  (studio)

    at   [removed]

    Note:  Live convention tapes were recorded on stage at Dragon*Con
    conventions in Atlanta.  They will have varying amounts of echo from
    the ball room sound system, but are otherwise good recordings.

    (One day we may provide a transmitter and require head phone listening.)

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 17:22:33 -0400
    From: "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Early-1950s  commercial

       I remember hearing a commercial (possibly a local spot on station breaks)
    on Los Angeles radio in 1952-53 that began *something* like this:
       (Man:) "I'd like to sell you an elephant for only $100."
       (2nd man:) "What in the world am I going to do with an elephant!!?"
       "OK, tell you what: I'll sell you TWO elephants for $100."
       "Wow, that's a bargain!  Sold!"

       The dollar amount may have been different.  The above dialog's purpose
    must have been to attract the listener's attention before the advertiser's
    sales pitch. I don't remember the rest of the commercial.  The advertiser
    *may* have been a used car dealer.  Maybe it was also broadcast in other
    parts of the US at that time.
       Would anyone recall this commercial or know who the advertiser was?
    Thanks.
       -- Phil Chavin           philchav@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 21:30:17 -0400
    From: nicoll <nicoll@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Epitaph

    Observing this age survey gave me a [removed] I just turned 66 years
    old and plan to live another 30 years (at least) I find my mind turns, on
    occasion, to my final resting place.  I picture one of those old
    [removed] [removed] ones in the shape of a "cathedral" radio.
    Written large something like "Signing Off" or some other OTR saying.

    Now, I know from reading the digest there are a lot of clever [removed]
    would be interesting hearing their plans for an OTR epitaph.

    Will Nicoll

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 21:30:27 -0400
    From: "Gil Miller" <ghmiller@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Henry Aldrich

    I'm looking for The Aldrich Family programs preferably on MP3 CDs. Can
    anyone steer me to a website?
    Also, does anyone know if Mason Adams as Pepper Young  shows are available
    in any format?
    Thanks,
    Gil Miller
    Florida

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 21:30:47 -0400
    From: Grbmd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Obit for Raymond, Your Host

    Three forum members yesterday noted that the New York Times had finally (one
    month later) had printed an obit for Raymond Edward Johnson.  One member,
    Bhob, quoted a paragraph from the item.

    I was the one who, weeks ago, was looking for *any* obit on our OTR guy.
    Today (Monday) my paper, the Baltimore Sun, printed an obit and -- guess what
    -- one of its paragraphs is exactly the words that Bhob quoted.

    That seems to say that, either the Sun was looking over the shoulder of the
    Times, or else that they both were latching on to a wire-service item.  Any
    opinions?

    Spence

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

    Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 23:13:30 -0400
    From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Memorabilia

    Lynn Wagner asked:

>     I would like to hear from others about their favorite piece of otr
>     memorabilia.

    To name a [removed]

    A Gibbs double button carbon microphone mounted in a ring stand I picked up for
    $15. I had to have some of the parts re-chromed. It now sports reproduction
    NBC mic
    flags and it looks like it is just waiting for some announcer to announce the
    next
    program or the latest news.

    A Turner microphone that I can't make out the model number,  but I call it my
    "Edward R. Morrow" mike as it is very similar to ones I have seen in pictures
    of
    Mr. Morrow.

    An Electro Voice Cardyne II model 731 microphone that still works great. Like
    Elizabeth and her WE mic, I use this mic quite often.

    A set of promotional NBC chimes. This was an ebay item and I paid what I
    thought
    was an outrageous price, but I wanted the item, and have since seen them go for
    much more.

    A Telechron clock with NBC on the face. These were used throughout NBC studios.

    Several radio related games from the 1920's to the 1940's.

    A 1935 edition of Radio Guide Mikeroscope Album & Log Book. This leather
    bound book
    contains very nice pictures and a short bio of many of the current radio stars.

    And of course my collection of wonderful vintage radios from that era that
    played
    all the great OTR long before it became OTR.

    Bill Harris

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

    Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 01:56:36 -0400
    From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  America at war

    I just acquired a booklet published by NBC in 1948 titled "Behind
    Your Radio Dial". There is one paragraph that illustrates the
    parallel between the supprise attack on Pearl Harbor that pushed
    the US into WWII and the events of the last few days.

    "When war struck, radio stations all over the country went on
    immediate voluntary 24-hour service, broadcasting the bulletins
    from all parts of the world as fast as they poured in. Never in
    its brief history had radio been so important to the American
    people. Never before had they been so conscious of the vital role
    radio played in their lives. Millions sat before their radio sets
    in stunned silence, intent on every word of the news bulletins and
    news analysts. The sudden realization had dawned on the American
    public that radio was its personal contact with its government and
    with the outside world -- a part of which had now declared its
    hostility and was openly bent on the destruction of everything
    worthwhile in the American life."

    Just substitute the word television for radio and it is history
    repeating itself.

    Bill Harris

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2001 Issue #306
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