Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #325
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 10/9/2004 12:43 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2004 : Issue 325
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      10-9 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Norman Corwin has a new website       [ Richard Fish <fish@lodestone-media. ]
      Jack Benny's violin playing           [ "jazmaan@[removed]" <dmf273@ya ]
      Stuffy Singer                         [ <whhsa@[removed]; ]
      boxing special                        [ Michael Berger <intercom1@attglobal ]
      This week in radio history Oct 10-16  [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 17:01:35 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  10-9 births/deaths

    October 9th births

    10-09-1897 - Robert Armbruster - Philadelphia, PA - d. 6-20-1994
    conductor: "Cavalcade of America"; "Advs. of Sam Spade"
    10-09-1907 - Henry Hunter - Rahway, NJ - d. 5-25-1985
    actor: Anthony J. Marleybone "Affairs of Anthony"; Terry Regan "Attorney at
    Law"
    10-09-1909 - Robert Beatty - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada - d. 3-3-1992
    announcer: BBC Radio Newsreel"; "London Column"
    10-09-1910 - Phil Hanna - River Forest, IL - d. 7-20-1957
    actor: Three Cheers "Al Pearce Show"
    10-09-1912 - John Tackaberry - Adelaide, Australia - d. 6-24-1969
    writer: "Jack Benny Program"
    10-09-1912 - Walter Compton - Charleston, SC - d. 12-9-1959
    quizmaster: "Double or Nothing"
    10-09-1913 - John Guedel - Portland, IN - d. 12-17-2001
    producer: "You Bet Your Life"; "People Are Funny"; "Pillsbury House Party"
    10-09-1915 - Edward Andrews - Griffin, GA - d. 3-9-1985
    actor: Nat "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill"
    10-09-1915 - Vivian Della Chiesa - Chicago, IL
    singer: (America's Great Lyric Soprano) "American Album of Familiar Music"
    10-09-1916 - Jack Boyle - IL - d. 10-15-1965
    actor: Andy Gump "The Gumps"
    10-09-1922 - Phil Sterling - d. 11-30-1998
    actor: "Radio City Playhouse"; "Hilltop House"; "Special Agent"

    October 9th deaths

    02-02-1898 - William Costello - RI - d. 10-9-1971
    actor: Freddie Frog "Betty Boop Fables"
    03-10-1903 - Claire Boothe Luce - NYC - d. 10-9-1987
    correspondent: "University of Chicago Round Table"; "Wake Up America"
    04-08-1882 - Lulu McConnell - Kansas City, MO - d. 10-9-1962
    comedienne: "It Pays to Be Ignorant"
    10-18-1902 - Miriam Hopkins - Bainbridge, GA - d. 10-9-1972
    actress: "Exploring the Unknown"; "Hollywood Hotel"; "These Are Our Men"
    11-02-1899 - Glenn Rowell - Pontiac, MI - d. 10-9-1965
    singer, comedian: "Quaker Early Birds"; "Gene and Glenn"
    11-29-1921 - Virginia Egnor "Dagmar" - Huntington, WV - d. 10-9-2001
    dumb blonde: "Stars On Parade"; "Says Who?"
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 17:03:02 -0400
    From: Richard Fish <fish@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Norman Corwin has a new website

    Hello all!

    Norman Corwin has a new website. He didn't design it, but he did approve
    heartily, and plans to write for the site from time to time.

    You can find it at:

    [removed]

    And here is a special request for everyone on this list: can you help us
    polish the site?  We've been staring at the screen too long, and there
    are probably errors, omissions, typos and glitches we just haven't seen.

    For example, there is a "reasonably complete" listing of Corwin's radio
    programs from 1938 on, as well as a biography page. You folks are the
    best reservoir of facts and context in the world for this era, and this
    website really needs to pass muster in your eyes.

    Any feedback, positive or negative, small or large, will be VERY much
    appreciated. You can email me, or go to the 'Weber Digital Media' link
    at the bottom of the page and click 'contact' to email John Weber, who
    has done all the design and programming. I've written a good deal of the
    copy, and both of us have done this as a labor of love.

    John does stand to make some money on the sale of Norman's works, of
    course, but only when Norman also makes money. The main point of the
    website is not money, but Corwin.

    Norman Corwin will be 95 next May 3rd. He's doing pretty well these
    days, writing, teaching -- he sat down at his PowerMac yesterday and
    sent me a short email thanking me for something I'd sent, and concluding
    "...I've got to rush off to a meeting now."

    I hope I'm that hard to catch when I'm 94!

    Anyhow, we hope you enjoy the website, and that it will become a useful
    resource. Links to it will be much appreciated, and reciprocated if
    you'll let us know. Pass it along!

    Now we need to give the site a final sanding, and a gleaming, lustrous
    coat of Johnson's Wax, so if anyone can help,

    I thank you,
    John thanks you,
    and Norman Corwin thanks you!

    cheers,

    Richard Fish

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

    Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 20:00:50 -0400
    From: "jazmaan@[removed]" <dmf273@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack Benny's violin playing

    What's the story with Jack Benny's famously atrocious violin playing? When did he originate that
    bit?  Does it pre-date his radio days?  I was just listening to his first "Jubilee" appearance
    (March 31, 1945) where he plays a screechingly bad version of "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider".  He's
    backed by Tiny Bradshaw's Orchestra who swing the tune as well as they can considering how
    absolutely terrible Jack is.  But Jack is definitely playing for laughs.  Are there any examples
    to prove that Jack really could play well when he wanted to?

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

    Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 20:01:08 -0400
    From: <whhsa@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Stuffy Singer

    Dear Folks;
    Peace.
    Wow!  i have gotten a lot of help through the Digest regarding Straight
    Arrow.  I hope someone can help me with a current address of Stuffy Singer.
    He played on the last Straight Arrow radio show.  Thanks.
    Manituwah
    Bill

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

    Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 20:32:53 -0400
    From: Michael Berger <intercom1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  boxing special

    PBS is telecasting a special on the Louis-Schmeling
    rivalry, and later friendship, on Oct. 18. This link
    takes  you to a page where you can hear radio
    broadcast excerpts of their fights.

    Michael Berger

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2004 15:46:22 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  This week in radio history Oct 10-16

     From Those Were The Days -

    10/10

    1932 - Two of radio's earliest efforts at soap operas were heard for the
    first time. Judy and Jane, sponsored by Folger's Coffee, and Betty and
    Bob, sponsored by General Mills, had listeners glued to their radios
    into the early 1940s.

    1933 - Dreft, the first synthetic detergent, went on sale. Ten years
    later, Dreft was the sponsor of The Dreft Star Playhouse.

    1937 - The Mutual Broadcasting System debuted Thirty Minutes in
    Hollywood. 48 sponsors shared the cost of the program that aired in 72
    cities nationwide. It was the first Mutual co-op radio show. George
    Jessel and Norma Talmadge starred. Music was provided by the Tommy
    Tucker Orchestra.

    10/11

    1936 - Professor Quiz aired for the first time. It was the first
    national quiz show on radio and lasted until 1948. Guests asked
    Professor Quiz (Dr. Craig Earl) questions. If they were able to stump
    the prof, they collected a $25 prize. Professor Quiz announcers were
    Robert Trout and Arthur Godfrey. Sponsors included Kelvinator
    refrigerators, Teel Shampoo and Velvet pipe tobacco.

    1948 - One of radio's last premiering soap operas, The Brighter Day,
    happened this day in Three Rivers. The show centered around the Dennis'
    and their extended family. It's interesting to take a look at the cast
    and see which names are still recognizable, like Hal Holbrook and
    William Redfield. Some of the sponsors are still around, too: Ivory Soap
    flakes, Blue Cheer detergent and Hazel Bishop lipstick. The soap opera
    lasted for six years on radio.

    10/12

    1937 - The longest continuing running detective show debuted. Mr. Keen,
    Tracer of Lost Persons lasted until 1955. Three different actors played
    the title role, Bennett Kilpack was Mr. Keen the longest, and Arthur
    Hughes saw the final show. Phil Clark also played the part. There were
    many more than three sponsors -- Anacin, Kolynos (a toothpaste), BiSoDol
    antacid mints, Hillís cold tablets, Heet liniment, Dentyne, Aerowax, RCA
    Victor and Chesterfield cigarettes. Some are long gone, some are still
    around, some don't advertise on radio anymore, and some are not allowed to.

    10/14

    1934 - Folks had clean hands for 21 years beginning this day. The Lux
    Radio Theater was heard on the NBC Blue [removed] and nearly every
    famous Hollywood star over the next three decades appeared on the
    program. Lux Radio Theater adapted novels, Broadway plays and Hollywood
    films into radio's favorite dramatic series.

    (From NYT Today in history --)

    1943 -- the Radio Corporation of America completed sale of the NBC Blue
      network to businessman Edward J. Noble for $8 million; the network was
    renamed the American Broadcasting Company.

    10/16

    1939 - Radio listeners welcomed The Right to Happiness on the NBC Blue
    network. The 15-minute drama turned out to be one of the longest running
    shows of its kind. It moved over to CBS in 1941, then back to NBC in
    1942. Fourteen years later Right to Happiness returned to CBS where it
    stayed until its last days in 1960. The show had a theme song, Song of
    the Soul, and what seemed like a cast of thousands. It just took a lot
    of different actors to play the continuing roles over a 21 year period.

    1945 - Barry Fitzgerald starred as Judge Barnard Fitz in His Honor, the
    Barber, which debuted on NBC.

    Joe

    --
    Visit my homepage: [removed]~[removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #325
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