Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #389
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 10/4/2002 2:19 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 389
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      ADMINISTRIVIA: Bob Hating's Auto Acc  [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      "Have Fun! Will Scrabble!"            [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      Re:Chicago Radio                      [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      Re: Cisco Kid                         [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      Ed Prentiss                           [ "alanladdsr" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
      Re: There are no stupid questions     [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]; ]
      Re: DVD Recorders for OTR             [ Shenbarger@[removed] ]
      flash animation                       [ Ruk77@[removed] ]
      Tapes that squeal / Radio Spirits     [ Tom Kleinschmidt <otr1962@[removed] ]
      Re: Finding an MP3 Player for my car  [ bruceglazer@[removed] ]
      the state of OTR preservation today   [ Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@earth ]
      Cisco Kid's name                      [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
      Re:Foley                              [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
      RS, Edgar Bergen, and squeeeeeaaaall  [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
      Supes on TVLand                       [ "BirdWalk" <Birdwalk@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 16:16:39 -0400
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ADMINISTRIVIA: Bob Hastings' Auto Accident

    Folks;

       As some of you know, Bob Hastings, a very good friend to the hobby, was
    recently injured in an automobile accident.

       Bob is probably best known as the title character in, "The Adventures of
    Archie Andrews," as well as working in many other OTR shows. He's known from
    television as Lt. Carpenter in "McHale's Navy," my wife remembers him from
    his long-running role on "General Hospital," and my daughter knows him best
    as the voice of Commissioner Jim Gordon on the Batman animated series and
    films. I could also mention "All in the Family," and a bunch of other
    television programs and films.

       Bob's been a great friend to our hobby over the years, attending many
    conventions, working _very_ hard to make sure those of us attending have a
    great time. Anyone who's met him at any of the conventions has at least one
    Bob Hastings [removed] of us have a whole bunch of 'em.

       Bob's accident was _not,_ thankfully, life-threatening; he's been released
    from the hospital, is resting now at his daughter's home, and should return
    to his home early next week. He will, however, require future surgery; when
    the car in which he was a passenger was rear-ended, he received injuries to
    his face and ribs. Luckily, his wife and daughter, also in the car, were only
    mildly injured. (Much thanks to Hal Stone for this information directly from
    Bob's wife Joan.)

       Cards and letters of encouragement may be sent to:

    Bob Hastings
    c/o [removed] Communications
    [removed] Box 587
    York, PA  17405-0587

       ...which will be forwarded to Bob unopened. I have also set up an email
    address, hastings@[removed], to receive good wishes email. These will be
    printed out and forwarded to him along with the cards, so please avoid
    sending Flash animations (they don't work so well on paper).

             Charlie Summers

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:44:41 -0400
    From: Derek Tague  <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Have Fun! Will Scrabble!"

    Hi Gang:

       Words without a vowel: anybody who has more than a passing interest in
    Scrabble knows about the elusive vowel-less words   allowed in "The Scrabble
    Players Dictionary (Third Edition)".  This invaluable be-all-&-end-all
    companion book (or "bible," if you will, although I detest using the word
    "bible" for anything non-scriptural)  allows such words as the previously
    mentioned "PSST,"  & "NTH,"  but also "HM"/"HMM" (as an interjection denoting
    contemplation), "MM" (as in "Mm-mm-good!"), "BRR"/"BRRR" (an interjection
    denoting shiveriness), & "TSK,"
    (an exclamation of annoyance). In order for a word to be accepted in the
    Scrabble Dictionary, & therefore allowable in tournament play, said word must
    be documented in at least two of five standard authoritarian dictionaries
    cited in the Scrabble Dictionary's introduction. Another suchword is "CWM,"  a
    Welsh word  pronounced KOOM (rhymes w/ "tomb") which is defined as an
    "cirque," which the Scrabble dictionary defines as "a deep stone-walled basin
    on a mountain." But I guess this word truly isn't vowel-less considering that
    the Welsh language uses a "W" as a vowel.
       Speaking of Wales, there is actually a town there called
    "Llanfair-pwllgwyngyll-gogerychwymdrobwil-llandysillo-gogogoch."  Can you
    imagine the plight of cheerleaders attendind Llanfair-etc.  High School?
    "Gimme an 'L,' gimme an 'L,' gimme an 'A," gimme an 'N'..." Gimme a break!
       Are there any serious Scrabble players out there in the ether who'll be
    attending FOTR/Newark this month. If so, please contact me off-list
    so that I can bring my Travel Scrabble game.  Maybe we can get a game going
    after-hours.  Sorry, gang, I'm not throwing a room party like the one
    celebrating my 39th/Jack Benny  birthday  last year.

    Yours in the ether,

    Derek Tague

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:44:47 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re:Chicago Radio

    Sandy responded to my question

> >     Did you know Phil Lord when you worked in Chicago radio?

>     Yes, he was legendary in Chicago -- lived at the old Croydon Hotel, a
>     short walk to the AFRA office, Wrigley Building and Trib Tower.

    When I met Phil and Betty Lord, I don't think his stature in Chicago radio
    registered on me. I was eight years old.

    I was appearing in the play "Life With Father" at the time, (at the
    Blackstone theater) and my Mom and I also lived at the Croydon Hotel for
    almost a year. (Rush and Ontario streets, right?)

    She and the Lord's became good friends, and we visited them often in their
    rooms at the Croydon. I guess I have to thank Phil Lord for my eventual
    career in radio. After they saw me in the play, he thought I was a pretty
    good young actor, and told my Mom about the in's and out's of the Radio
    business. When we eventually returned home to NY, I discovered I was now a
    performer on radio in addition to the NY stage. My Mom kept in touch with
    them until they passed away. Boy, that brings back memories.

    As for Jane Webb, we still stay in touch. She and her husband live about 4
    hours south of me.

    Nice chatting with you Sandy.

    Regards
    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:52:08 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Cisco Kid

    I suppose this is on topic.

    The Cisco kid eventually became a TV series starring Duncan Reynaldo. Many
    years later, when the show was in syndication, the distributor hired Duncan
    to go around to all the local stations (those who purchased the re-runs) to
    make personal appearances to promote the show. At the time. I was operations
    manager of an NBC affiliate in Michigan, and it was my job to schedule
    Duncan to appear on as many of our live shows as possible for that purpose.
    (He was a super nice guy, and very cooperative.)

    Frankly, it was a little sad to see the aging Duncan Reynaldo make an
    appearance, dressed in his resplendent tight fitting black "Cisco" costume.
    I couldn't take my eyes off his pot belly stretching the front of his
    costume to the breaking [removed] I told all the directors that they better
    just shoot him "waist up".

    But then again, I suppose I look pretty ridiculous when I wear my "Jughead"
    beanie when we do "Archie" recreations. And, drat, they can't focus on me
    "waist up" to hide my extended waistline. Right Marilyn? :)

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:46:22 -0400
    From: "alanladdsr" <alanladdsr@[removed];
    To: "OTR message" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Ed Prentiss

    I recently began some correspondence with Captain Midnight's granddaughter,
    Elizabeth Prentiss. Ed Prentiss played the part from WWII to late in the
    series.
    A while back I thought I saw a title of a book Captain Midnight--WWII years,
    or some such. Could someone enlighten me if they know of such a tome. She
    would love to get it, of course, as she has heard little about her
    grandfather's radio work. Her father, Mr Prentiss's son, would also like the
    information. I was able to send her some tapes of his THIS IS THE STORY!
    remember that one?
    Don Frey

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Written by our own Steven

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:49:50 -0400
    From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: There are no stupid questions

>     May I ask what to some might be a stupid question?
>     What is the origin of the term "foley" as used in "Foley
>     Sound Effects" etc.

    The foley artist on a film crew is the person who records
    the sound effects. Sound effects are rarely recorded at
    the same time as dialogue and action, since the sound
    mix is so difficult to master; the foley artist listens to the
    dialogue track for the (usually quite faint) sounds of for
    instance footsteps, a door slam, etc. and records them
    onto a new track in synch with the action onscreen. The
    foley artist also adds sounds that may not exist at all on
    the original track: for instance, thumping watermelons or
    cracking bamboo to create the sounds of a fight.

    The name comes from one of the original and well-known
    Hollywood practicioners of this art, Jack Foley, who got
    his start in the film business as a stand-in and screenwriter
    during the silent era and later helped Universal make the
    transition to sound.

    Bob Scherago

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:50:34 -0400
    From: Shenbarger@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: DVD Recorders for OTR

    In a message dated 10/3/2002 4:57:13 PM Central Daylight Time, Tom
    Kleinschmidt writes:

>     Actually consumer DVD Recorders are all over the place
>      now. Just visit your local Best Buy or Circuit City, I
>      think I even saw one at Sears! Pioneer, Phillips,
>      Samsung, and Panasonic all offer models priced under
>      $1,000, which while not cheap is about what VCRís went
>      for when they first came out. I seem to remember
>      paying about $950 back in 1979-1980 for a RCA VHS
>      machine

    I bought my first four tape recorders, 2-Beta and 2-VHS, at prices from
    $900-$1000 beginning about 1978. Also, recall that tape costs were very high.
    My best price at that time for blank tape was $19/tape bought in 3-case (36
    tapes) quantity. A one case price I paid was $21. Pre-recorded movies at
    discount were $60 for single reel and $80 for double reel. In 2002 dollars
    those prices would be much more.

    We often forget what it originally cost to enjoy the things we have today.

    The Phillips recorder (Phillips # DVD985) at Best Buy was recently reduced in
    price about 15% to $850. Media prices at Best Buy were cut about 50%. I'm
    sure it will be cheaper next year. Lesser machines, maybe last year's
    technology, are cheaper. One thing to watch for is the old Beta-VHS war --
    some machine use -R & -RW media, some use +R & +RW media and the dust needs
    to settle.

    "What is the DVD+RW Alliance? The DVD+RW Alliance is a voluntary group of
    industry-leading PC manufacturers, optical storage and consumer electronics
    manufacturers. Executive members of the DVD+RW Alliance include Dell,
    Hewlett-Packard Company, MCC/Verbatim, Philips Electronics, Ricoh Company
    Ltd., Sony Corporation, Thomson Multimedia and Yamaha Corporation."

    There are six recordable versions of DVD-ROM: DVD-R for General, DVD-R for
    Authoring, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD+[removed]

    See  [removed]

    I don't know of any DVD recorders that are suitable for recording OTR
    programs.

    Don Shenbarger

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:51:37 -0400
    From: Ruk77@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  flash animation

    I have recently discovered flash animation. a friend has different sights
    that have cartoons, serials, science fiction & any genre you can imagine. I
    imediately thought of creating animation to old time radio. My friend said
    the programs are about $[removed] and are easy to use.
       Has any one else had this idea or ever seen OTR put to some kind of visual
    either on tv or computer? I think it would be especially neat to see some of
    the mysterys put to animation like inner sanctum or suspence. Just wondering.

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:29:28 -0400
    From: Tom Kleinschmidt <otr1962@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Tapes that squeal / Radio Spirits

    A few odds and ends

    First for the person who bought tapes that squeal, it
    sounds like you planned to tape onto them. I suggest
    cutting your losses now and just throwing them away.
    Even if you get the squeal to stop, it's usually just
    a temporary fix and you may be sorry later.

    On Radio Spirits, maybe I've been lucky, but my
    experiences with them have generally been quite good.
    A friend of mine ordered the new Bob Hope CD set a few
    weeks ago and was told over the phone that it would be
    delivered in 2-3 weeks and he actually got it a week
    after he placed the order(Now if I can just get him to
    lend it to me after he's done listening to it!). Of
    course the usual disclaimers apply, I have no
    connection with Radio Spirits, but obviously some
    people do have good experiences with them.

    To clarify one note in the last digest, the feature
    Fred Berney describes on the Panasonic DVD Recorders
    works much like a TIVO unit. This only works when
    using the erasable DVD-RAM discs, which are more
    expensive, but can be used over and over again. I've
    used it several time, mainly for sporting events and
    it really comes in handy.

    Tom

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:29:41 -0400
    From: bruceglazer@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re:  Finding an MP3 Player for my car

    I am seeking a CD/MP3 player for my car that will actually remember where I "left off"
    when I stop playing an OTR program.  Currently I only have a player that remembers
    where MP3 music was stopped - but no OTR.  Can anyone advise me?

    Thanks,
    BRUCE

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 13:29:56 -0400
    From: Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  the state of OTR preservation today

    				Those following the "copyright" challenges of
    years gone by certainly
    remember the articles about founder and former CEO Carl Amari and his bid
    to "shut down abusers" of copyright.

    I was not against Carl's aims--just the heavy-handedness with which things
    seemed to be coming down.

    the sad irony of all this is--when Audio Books bought Carl's company for
    its mailing list--they proceeded to kill off a marvelously talented
    purveyor of the medium--for Carl knew old time radio and was a collector of
    same. He knew packages would sell, but the new conglomerate failed to take
    this into account; Hence, the summer blow-out sales.

    The big company that planned to put old radio on the map, and thus get the
    mind set changed about "radio being dead" tried hard--but to my mind seems
    to be faltering in its herculean efforts.

    This points out or should point out to everyone involved that "old time
    radio" or "vintage radio" as I like to call it is better left in the hands
    of enthusiasts rather than big corporations.

    The availability of Amos and Andy is another part of this great history's
    ""copyright" debacle.

    When a man offered to pay CBS for the use of the name "Amos n' Andy" and
    was turned down--and when the man sued and got Amos and Andy named as a
    "generic"--this should have pointed out to the broadcast and legal worlds
    the consequences of a corporations' holding onto something and totally
    avoiding the  "fair use" clause of the copyright law.

    I am for responsible use of the radio medium. I will get in to the "mp3"
    phase later on, but be aware that when you choose to defend the copyright
    of a particular program--especially those of many years ago, trying to use
    the legal profession as the bludgeon--the result  can be the undoing of
    your self-importance.

    I respect Carl, and found him to be most charming, but I am sure he found
    out that the big corporate screw can turn so far before the "perceived
    tortured" rebell.

    The only sad thing to come out of this is a volumenous pile of mp3 files in
    varying stages of decomposition.

    The people who are truly interested in preserving the broadcast medium are
    caught between the two devils of over-cedarization and the mp3 mania. This
    makes historians, archivists and the preservers of vintage radio have to
    work that much harder to produce a quality-preserved copy.

    Now, persons who want to hear vintage radio broadcasts have to work through
    the mounds of "chaff" to find the golden kernels of wheat that OTR represent.

    I can still remember the 1-7/8 crowd–I was one of those guys. I know that
    the 1-7/8IPS and the MP3 folks are just operating within a different
    generation, but the question still remains–could it be that  when all is
    said and done about OTR preservation, "the mounds of chaff" are winning?

    More in future opinions

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 13:57:29 -0400
    From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cisco Kid's name

    To sum up:

>     Joy Jackson writes:

> >      Surely the Cisco Kid had a real name.

    and Jack French correctly replied

>     "The Caballero's Way" for McClure's .... is the
>     debut of the Cisco Kid. Except he's no hero, no kid (he's 25), and not
>     Latino. He's a Yanqui, and brags of killing dozens, mostly Mexicans,
>     because he likes "to see them kick."....

    but then states that he's never heard any name other than "Cisco Kid"
    in any of the various media in which the character's appeared.

    In fact, at one point in "The Caballero's Way" is a scene in which
    Capt. Duval and another lawman discuss the Kid, and one
    of them says: "His name's Goodall, isn't it?"

    The question is embedded in a longer remark and the other
    character doesn't respond to it.  So it's not a definitive answer,
    but an important clue:  The Cisco Kid as originally conceived by
    O. Henry was a cold-blooded Texas gunslinger whose name was
    probably Goodall.  And it's long been my assumption that the name
    "Cisco" refers to his probable origin in or near Cisco, Texas.
    (Which, incidentally, was the site of the first hotel that
    Conrad Hilton purchased.)
    --
    John Henley

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 14:13:35 -0400
    From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re:Foley

    Thanks to Mike Biel, Doug Douglass and others for a PROPER explanation of
    the term "Foley" What always confused me , of course, was that the term
    was used on web sites by supposed "professionals" involved in new radio
    drama or re-creations as meaning ANY sfx used in an audio drama. So
    naturally I always [removed] "what in the world is a 'foley' ?"

    Eric Cooper

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 14:28:10 -0400
    From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  RS, Edgar Bergen, and squeeeeeaaaallling tapes

    It's a shame to see how far Radio Spirits (read MediaBay) has fallen since
    Carl Amari sold the business. For all of our disputes and discussions
    concerning Mr. Amari over the years, it has to be said that he ran a very
    customer-oriented business - an attitude which, in large part, made RS such
    a successful company under his leadership.

    For those of you who have written to complain about the low quality of
    customer service you are receiving from Radio Spirits these days, I'd
    suggest that you visit Lou Genco's incredible Original Old Time Radio (OTR)
    WWW Pages" at:

    [removed]

    Here you will find a listing of sponsors - old time radio dealers, clubs,
    and non-profit groups that can provide you with programs that are just as
    good or better sounding and usually as low-priced as Radio Spirits, and
    offering far better customer service. Many of the dealers listed are also
    subscribers to the OTR Digest you are now reading and I can pretty much
    guarantee that the level of personal service you will receive from them
    will be excellent.

    On another topic, Matthew Bullis writes:

>     Hello, I found an Edgar Bergen record called Lessons In Ventriloquism.
>     It's pretty funny and informative, with Edgar telling you in detail how to
>     become a ventriloquist, and he does some Charlie routines, along with
>     playing some bits from old shows. Does anyone know when this was released
>     and if it was packaged with anything?

    I don't have any specific info about this recording, Matthew, but I do
    recall it being sold in the Sears Roebuck and Wards Christmas catalogs back
    in the late 1960's. The LP was offered right alongside the Charlie McCarthy
    and Mortimer Snerd ventriloquist dummies for about $[removed] or so. I know this
    because I desperately wanted a Charlie McCarthy when I was ten and never
    got it (cue sobbing violins). I had to wait until I was in my twenties to
    buy one for myself, and today my own Charlie sits in his own vintage kids
    rocker in my den - a bit dusty, but just as full of the devil as he ever was.

    Finally, regarding squealing reel tapes, it is not difficult to bake them
    and make them temporarily playable again, but it does require owning either
    a convection oven or a specific-size food dehydrator. (Standard electric
    ovens can be used, but I've heard from a number of people that they've
    melted more than a few reels in the attempt.) I have contacts with people
    who can provide baking and transfer services for a very reasonable price
    so, if anyone with "squeakers" would prefer to have someone with experience
    do the job, feel free to drop me a line of-list and I'll forward your
    message accordingly.

    Harlan

    Harlan Zinck
    First Generation Radio Archives
    [removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 15:23:52 -0400
    From: "BirdWalk" <Birdwalk@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Supes on TVLand

    cable station TV Land will be re-running episodes four episodes of
    "Superman"
    tomorrow night* beginning at 9:00 [removed] that should include recently
    departed

    Beverly Hillbillies  40 hours

    Love Boat     25 hours

    Superman 4  episodes  2 hours

    SUPERMAN 2 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!

    some tribute

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #389
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