Subject: [removed] Digest V2011 #190
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 11/29/2011 7:24 AM

To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2011 : Issue 190
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      The Cinnamon Bear!                    [ Dennis Crow via <charlie@[removed] ]
      Remembering Chris Steinbrunner (WOR)  [ Jim Burns <jameshburns@[removed]; ]
      Maudie Pemberton                      [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Grand Ole Opry                        [ Bill Knowlton <udmacon1@[removed] ]
      Radio on TV, etc.                     [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
      free old time radio VHS               [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      11-29 births/deaths                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Review of the latest Radio Spirits G  [ "Ryan O" <ryano218@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:19:14 -0500
    From: Dennis Crow via <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Cinnamon Bear!

    Dear Reader:

    Hi, everybody!  I hope by now you have established a schedule for playing
    episodes of "The Cinnamon Bear."  Remember, there are 26 installments
    (available everywhere, including your local Borders).  They should be
    programmed between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  Research by First
    Generation Radio Archives has determined that the very first episode was
    broadcast in the USA on Friday, November 26, 1937, so you will be carrying
    on a tradition lasting over seventy years!

    Just a final reminder, my friends, TODAY (November 29) is the day to begin
    "The Cinnamon Bear."  If you play one 15 minute segment a day, the story
    will conclude on Christmas Eve.

    Your family will thrill to the adventures of Paddy, Jimmy and Judy Barton,
    and the Crazy Quilt Dragon, as they search Maybeland for the missing silver
    star that goes atop the Barton family Christmas tree. If you don't have the
    program tapes, all the clubs and dealers have them, most of whom write to
    this list. YES, It is time once again to celebrate THE CINNAMON BEAR, first
    heard in 1937.

    Charlie helped me make the Maybeland map and the eleven songs in the serial
    more accessible to you this year.  Just go to:

    [removed]

    You can print them off and use them as you listen with your kids to the
    program.  You'll have so much fun.

    It is golden age radio at its best, with the actors who are so familiar to
    you---Joseph Kearns, Elvia Allman, Gale Gordon, Frank Nelson, Martha
    Wentworth, Barbara Jean Wong, Verna Felton, Hanley Stafford, Elliott Lewis,
    Lou Merrill, Howard McNear, and the list goes on and on and on.

    As Paddy himself says, "I'd be much obliged to you!"

    Sincerely,

    Dennis Crow

    (via Charlie Summers, who was reluctant to edit-out Dennis' suggestion
    about Borders Books, and really wishes Dennis was here to remind you
    himself about listening to these wonderful programs. The best-sounding
    set of this series, and the ones heard each year here at Chez Charlie,
    is available from Radio Archives - see:

    [removed]

    ...for more details. Also, there is a free iCalendar schedule for import
    into any modern calendar application attached to the blog post at:

    [removed]

    ...that will let you track which episode should be played each day, in case
    you get a day or two behind the way we generally do. Again, the first
    episode, assuming you listen to one episode every day, should be heard
    today, November 29th, so the story will end on Christmas eve.  --cfs3)

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:20:28 -0500
    From: Jim Burns <jameshburns@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Remembering Chris Steinbrunner  (WOR)...

    Chris was a lifetime fan of radio, who sadly left us far too soon, in
    1993.

    (As I recall, he wrote one or two of the very last episodes of THE
    SHADOW, while still a student!)

    Steinbrunner was a film programmer and later an executive at WOR in New
    York, an Edgar-winning writer, a vice-president of the Mystery Writers
    of America, an early comics [removed]

    But just as importantly are the lives he [removed]

    (I'm pretty sure he MUST have been at some of the early OTR conventions,
    because he loved the form.)

    A couple of years ago, while looking on the net for a photo of Chris to
    accompany a short bit i had written mentioning him for a New York TV
    broadcasting board, I was stunned to discover that save for Wiki entry,
    that was very little on the web on this influential fella.

    Maybe this short article can be a start to remembering this my old
    friend, and this friend to the genre.

    Chris Sreinbrunner, and a Renaissance of Fantasy

    [removed]

    The article is actually part of a KING KONG [removed]  Well, you'll
    see!

    Best, Jim Burns

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:20:37 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Maudie Pemberton

    Does anyone have a clue as to who played Maudie Pemberton on "One
    Man's Family?"

    Ron

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:20:48 -0500
    From: Bill Knowlton <udmacon1@[removed];
    To: oldtime radio <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Grand Ole Opry
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Today, Nov. 28th, is the 86th birthday of the WSM Grand Ole Opry.

    Thank you George D. Hay!

    --Bill Knowlton

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
      ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:21:03 -0500
    From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
    To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Radio on TV, etc.

    So far no one has mentioned that 2 of the Sunday morning
    interview shows have been on both radio and television
    for many years:
        Meet the Press, NBC
        Face the Nation, CBS
    There is/was an ABC show called "Issues and Answers."
    Don't know if this is still on or not.
    Ted Kneebone

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:21:09 -0500
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  free old time radio VHS

    I have four boxes of VHS videos that I need to get rid of. If anyone wants
    them, and is willing to pay for the shipping costs, they can have them.
    Titles include TALES OF TOMORROW, LIGHTS OUT, STUDIO ONE, TV'S READERS
    DIGEST, THE LONE RANGER, and TONS of B-Westerns with Buster Crabbe, Bob
    Steele, etc. E-mail me your mailing address with your initial e-mail, UPS
    address (not postal) and I'll ship them out and e-mail back the postage
    costs. To be fair to all, I'm giving these away on a first come, first serve.
    Martin
    mmargrajr@[removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:21:17 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  11-29 births/deaths

    November 29th births

    11-29-1876 - Joseph E. Davies - Watertown, WI - d. 5-9-1958
    ambassador to the soviet union: "Information Please"
    11-29-1894 - H. Leslie Atlass - d. 11-18-1960
    Chicago radio pioneer, CBS executive
    11-29-1895 - Busby Berkeley - Los Angeles, CA - d. 3-14-1976
    choreographer: "Gulf Screen Theatre"; "Whatever Became Of . . . ?"
    11-29-1895 - Yakima Canutt - Colfax, WA - d. 5-24-1986
    actor, stuntman: "Daredevils of Hollywood"; "Hollywood Rodea"
    11-29-1898 - [removed] Lewis - Belfast, Northern Ireland - d. 11-22-1963
    author, lecturer: "Right and Wrong"; "Christian Behavior"
    11-29-1900 - Mildred "Axis Sally" Gillars - Portland, ME - d. 6-25-1988
    propagandist: Midge "Home Sweet Home"; Radio Berlin "Vision of an
    Invasion"
    11-29-1902 - Cecil (Charles) Madden - Mogador, Morocco - d. 5-27-1987
    creator: "Variety Band Box"
    11-29-1905 - Chester Erskine - Hudson, NY - d. 4-7-1986
    film director: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    11-29-1905 - Mario Braggiotti - Florence, Italy - d. 5-18-1996
    pianist, composer: "Fray and Braggiotti"
    11-29-1906 - Luis Van Rooten - Mexico City, Mexico - d. 6-17-1973
    actor: George Priestly "County Seat"; John Perry "John's Other Wife";
    Nero Wolfe "Nero Wolfe"
    11-29-1909 - Ann Corio - Hartford, CT - d. 3-1-1999
    burlesque queen: "G. I. Jive", "Advs. of Ellery Queen"
    11-29-1909 - Frank Waldecker - d. 1-13-1995
    announcer: "A Date with Judy"; "The Eddie Duchin Show"
    11-29-1910 - Al Schwartz - Passaic, NJ - d. 3-25-1988
    writer: "Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show"; "Bob Hope Show"
    11-29-1912 - Alan Courtney - NYC - d. 9-16-1978
    host: "Calling All Girls"; "Korn Kobblers"
    11-29-1913 - Harry Bartell - New Orleans, LA - d. 2-26-2004
    actor: Archie Goodwin "Advs. of Nero Wolfe"; "Adv of Sherlock Holmes";
    "Gunsmoke"
    11-29-1914 - Hal McIntyre - Cromwell, CT - d. 5-5-1959
    bandleader: "Hal McIntyre and His Orchestra"
    11-29-1915 - J. G. Weightman - Callerton, Englans - d. 8-14-2004
    translator and announcer in French for the BBC
    11-29-1917 - George Walsh - Cleveland, OH - d. 12-5-2005
    announcer: "Gunsmoke"; "Music 'Til Dawn"
    11-29-1917 - Merle Travis - Muhlenberg County, KY - d. 10-20-1983
    singer, guitarist: "Hollywood Barn Dance"
    11-29-1918 - Michael O'Duffy - Derry, Ireland - d. 4-19-2003
    lyric tenor: "Metropolitan Opera"
    11-29-1921 - Virginia Egnor "Dagmar" - Huntington, WV - d. 10-9-2001
    dumb blonde: "Stars On Parade"; "Says Who?"
    11-29-1926 - Naomi Stevens - Trenton, NJ
    actor: Irene Franklin "One Man's Family"; Daphne Royce "Brenthouse"
    11-29-1927 - Vin Scully - The Bronx, NY
    sportscaster (Baseball's Poet Laurate) Play-by Play announcer for the
    Dodgers
    11-29-1932 - John Gary - Watertown, NY - d. 1-4-1998
    singer: "Christmas Music - Spots for the National Guard"

    November 29th deaths

    01-18-1904 - Cary Grant - Bristol, England - d. 11-29-1986
    actor: Jim Blandings "Mr. and Mrs. Blandings"
    01-31-1902 - Leo Corday - NYC - d. 11-29-1985
    writer of special material: "War Manpower Comn."
    02-17-1889 - H. L. Hunt - near Vandalia, IL - d. 11-29-1974
    established Facts Forum which produced radio programs
    02-24-1943 - George Harrison - Liverpool, England - d. 11-29-2001
    singer: (The Beatles) "Here We Go Again"
    02-26-1933 - Godfrey Cambridge - NYC - d. 11-29-1976
    actor: "Voices of Vista"
    03-18-1930 - Peter Kenna - Balmain, Australia - d. 11-29-1987
    writer: "A Hard God"
    04-28-1896 - Edith Evanson - Tacoma, WA - d. 11-29-1980
    actor: Helmi "Myrt and Marge"
    05-03-1899 - George H. Combs - Lee's Summit, MO - d. 11-29-1977
    congressman, commentator: "Now You Decide"; "Spotlight, New York"
    05-29-1897 - Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Brno, Czechoslovakia - d.
    11-29-1957
    "composer: "Contemporary Composers Concerts"; "Railroad Hour"
    05-30-1904 - Carol Goodner - Katonah, NY - d. 11-29-2001
    actor: "Keep It Dark"; "Advs. of the Red Feather Man"
    06-05-1910 - Herb Vigran - Fort Wayne, IN - d. 11-29-1986
    actor: Sad Sack "Sad Sack"; Hector Smith "Father Knows Best"
    06-17-1904 - Ralph Bellamy - Chicago, IL - d. 11-29-1991
    actor: "These Are Our Men"
    07-19-1912 - Frank Kane - d. 11-29-1968
    writer: "The Shadow"
    07-20-1938 - Natalie Wood - San Francisco, CA - d. 11-29-1981
    actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    07-27-1890 - Judith Lowry - Fort Sill, Oklahoma Territory - d.
    11-29-1976
    actor: Emma 'Stevie' Stevens "Valiant Lady"; Emmy Fergusson "Welcome
    Valley"
    08-07-1913 - George Van Eps - Plainfield, NJ - d. 11-29-1998
    guitarist: "Pete Kelly's Blues"; "Guest Star"; "Just Jazz"
    09-05-1916 - Frank Yerby - Augusta, GA - d. 11-29-1991
    author: "Best Seller"
    09-06-1917 - John Berry - The Bronx, NY - d. 11-29-1999
    director: "Screen Director's Playhouse"
    09-17-1934 - Robin Ray - North London, England - d. 11-29-1998
    actor, musician: "Robin Ray's Record Review"
    09-20-1869 - George Robey - London, England - d. 11-29-1954
    music hall singer: "Music Hall"
    10-04-1900 - Robert Shayne - Yonkers, NY - d. 11-29-1992
    actor: Walter Manning "Portia Faces Life"
    10-27-1915 - Albert Albinger - d. 11-29-1982
    newscaster: WKWK Wheeling, West Virginia
    11-03-1909 - George Wells - NYC - d. 11-29-2000
    screenwriter: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    11-14-1919 - DeWitt Samuel Copp - Connecticut - d. 11-29-1999
    writer: "Hallmark Hall of Fame"; "Bell Telephone Hour"
    11-24-1917 - John Justin - London, England - d. 11-29-2002
    actor: "The Hobbit"
    12-22-1917 - Gene Rayburn - Christopher, IL - d. 11-29-1999
    announcer, comedian: "Rayburn and Finch"
    12-26-1902 - Irene Handl - London, England - d. 11-29-1987
    actor: "Hello Playmates"

    Ron

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

    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:21:26 -0500
    From: "Ryan O" <ryano218@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Review of the latest Radio Spirits Green Hornet
     Set

    Over the past year, I've taken it upon myself to comment several times on
    various offerings from Radio Spirits. These have included several box sets
    of The Shadow and The Green Hornet that I've purchased. The sets have
    included programs that have never been released before. As most of you are
    well aware, newly unearthed programs previously not in circulation are like
    winning the golden ticket for collectors of old-time radio. This was
    especially true for me where The Green Hornet is concerned, as that is and
    has always been my favorite juvenile adventure radio program.

    When I learned that Radio Spirits was planning to release another new Green
    Hornet collection in November containing mostly new material, I was somewhat
    excited. Yet, my excitement was tempered by trepidation based on past
    exploits with the company. As exciting as it is to get these new programs,
    the tendency of Radio Spirits to apply too much noise filtering to their
    source material dampens my listening experience. I don't want to go into too
    much technical detail, except to say that the new age of technology has
    proved to be a blessing and a curse for folks like myself who are very picky
    about sound quality and audio restoration. In short, I felt that the audio
    engineers at Radio Spirits had applied too much filtering to the shows,
    especially in the higher frequencies, thereby creating a muffled effect.
    This effect tends to swallow up certain sounds that occur at a lower volume.
    When characters speak in low tones or from a distance, their voices tend to
    take on a kind of squashed, digital quality that is foreign to the original
    intent of the producers.

    I know my opinion is objective and many don't agree, but this is how I feel.
    Yet, I wanted to support Radio Spirits and increase the size of my
    collection, so I eagerly (if not somewhat nervously) placed an order for The
    Green Hornet, "Endpoint" collection the very first morning that the Email
    alert hit my inbox. When I received the package and slipped in the first CD,
    I couldn't believe what I heard!

    In short, any worries that I had were groundless. Endpoint is a wonderful
    flashback to the '90's when commercial companies like Radio Spirits and
    Adventures in Cassettes did a lot of decent clean-up without sacrificing the
    audio integrity of the initial source recording. Noise artifacts, surface
    noise, transcription disc crackle and/or tape hiss are minimal, but can
    still be faintly heard. The quality of voices and sound effects are crystal
    clear. I wouldn't presume that the technicians at Radio Spirits heeded my
    words, but whatever they did, I hope they keep doing it on future releases.

    As for the programs themselves, they are typical Green Hornet fare. The
    Hornet was far more reflective of his contemporary surroundings than was his
    masked ancestor of the plains. Since this collection comprised the final 20
    episodes of the radio series from 1952, it's no wonder that Britt Reid's
    chief target was Communism in America, just as Nazism was during the series
    run in World War II. Sometimes the themes can be a bit too jingoistic and
    dated, but the essentials for any good Green Hornet story are there;
    political corruption, spies, gangsters and psychological warfare as waged by
    the Green Hornet and Kato. Fred Foy was employed as narrator during this
    time and the writers used the same overly intrusive style that characterized
    Foy's work during the latter years of The Lone Ranger, but I'm in the
    minority on this issue and many fans who enjoy Foy's work won't be bothered
    by this complaint.

    The same supporting cast of rich characters that makes the mythology of the
    Green Hornet so much more interesting than that of The Lone Ranger are all
    present in these adventures. Lenore Case, Mike Axford, Commissioner Higgins,
    Gunnigan and Ed Lowery can all be heard at one time or another. Even Clicker
    Benny returns, though she is far more flighty and less proactive and
    streetwise than she was back in the episodes from Radio Spirits' "The
    Biggest Game," collection from 1939. Jack McCarthy stars as Britt Reid and,
    while we can argue about who was the best Hornet, I'm just glad Radio
    Spirits didn't give us another collection featuring Donovan Faust. It's far
    easier for me to judge who my least favorite actor is and Mr. Faust wins
    hands down. McCarthy may not be as good as either Al Hodge or Robert Hall,
    but he turns in a solid performance and I can't knock him.

    Overall, I heartily recommend this collection to any fan of old-time radio,
    and to fans of The Green Hornet in particular. Thank you Radio Spirits for
    making my holidays a bit brighter, and please give us more of The Green
    Hornet with the same digital style that you used for this box set.

    RyanO

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2011 Issue #190
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