------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 193
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
More USO Coverage [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
Fights are Final? [ otrdig1@[removed] ]
why radio history? [ howard blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
Re: Why is OTR and Radio History imp [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
Help - Theme Title [ "Steve Cottle, Jr" <ilovecomix@yaho ]
Re: Radio to Comics [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
LA OTR [ "RBB" <oldradio@[removed]; ]
Radio to comics [ Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@erols ]
More Radio To Comics -- Moonstone Bo [ "BrianLBedsworth" <BrianLBedsworth@ ]
Re:Sam Spade [ Don Shenbarger <donslistmail@sbcglo ]
The Whistler [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
several unrelated questions [ "Chris Swank" <radionut@[removed] ]
RE: Radio into Comics [ "Philip Railsback" <philiprailsback ]
re: Sam Spade and Howard Duff [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
Re: Radio to Comics [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
Re: OTR compared to NTR [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
The BBC's Sherlock Holmes [ "Phil Watson" <possum@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 19:58:11 -0400
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: More USO Coverage
Here's another article on the WWII-Era USO that mentions many of our heroes,
including Jack Benny.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
VETERANS remember Camp Shanks
The Journal [removed] - Westchester,NY,USA
... The list of celebrities who came to entertain the troops read like
a who's who of Broadway and Hollywood, and included Pearl Bailey, Jack
Benny, Humphrey Bogart ...
<[removed];
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:21:39 -0400
From: otrdig1@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Fights are Final?
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I have a mislabeled show and I cannot determine what show it actually is. It
sounds like it is called "Fights are Final", but that does not make much
sense to me. It is a 15 minute show. Can anyone tell me the actual name of
this show? Andrew Steinberg
It opens with
Remington Rand presents Fights are Final (?). Fights are Final (?) is on the
air to bring you news of the world we live in, to show you love, life, ,
heroism, to make vividly real to you the stirring events that make us all
actors in
the drama of life
It ends with
Five nights a week at 8:15 and Sunday Nights at 9, Fights are Final (?)
presents this dramatic resume of the news of the day. For further details of
tonight's dramatizations read your local newspaper. This is John Ed Mark (?)
saying goodnight for Remington Rand. This is an Intercity presentation.
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:22:32 -0400
From: howard blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: why radio history?
John Mayer asked for comments about why OTR and radio history are
important.
Apart from the obvious answer that to some people it's fun to listen to,
OTR itself is a part of the record of an important part of our society.
It has been useful to me and other radio historians (as a branch of the
larger community of social historians) to make interpretations about what
happened during a crucial part of American history and why.
Sometimes those who like a particular form of entertainment just want to
enjoy it without analyzing it. That's OK. But for people who like to find
out "how clocks work" histories of a form of entertainment are of
interest.
For a long time American history was dominated by the notion that only
poilitical history was important. Thus the most important types of
histories written with that mind set were histories of the thoughts and
especially the behavior of our leaders. But in more recent decades,
historians and others have realized that the behavior of rank and file
adherents or members of religious institutions or unions or the listening
public etc. was also important to analyze. Similarly we have come the
realize that a wide variety of forms of expression deserve examination.
Thus Angela's Ashes came to occupy a lot of our attention. So have such
artistic and/or popular forms of expression as painting, comic books,
music (including popular music), architecture etc.
Radio history, art history, the history of music, the history of radio
etc. tell us something about where we've been and who we or our parents
or grandparents are or were.
Howard Blue
author of WORDS AT WAR, a history of World War II era radio
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:23:19 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Why is OTR and Radio History important
At 06:18 PM 6/6/2004, you wrote:
I just say I've noticed a difference in "Reading ability". I am far from
being an expert, but I have a humble [removed] noticed occassionally a
tendency in newer Radio drama efforts to 'overact' sometimes. I can quite
put my finger on it.
This has always been a pet peeve of mine. While there is good new time
radio, there is so much more bad ntr. It seems to me to be a combination
of perhaps poor direction and more likely poor vocal actors.
There is definitely a difference between acting totally in space with body
and voice and simply acting with your voice without sounding like you are
reading the script. I know there were old time radio actors who moved
physically with a characterization, but they still *sounded*
realistically. It's funny, I sometimes wonder if you watch a movie with
Gary Cooper you form a good opinion of his acting. But if you closed your
eyes and simply listened to him, often he sounds flat. Some of this is just
Gary Cooper's style and vocal intonations.
I think the "over-acting" is due to their inability to understand how to
emote with voice only. Some of our veteran old time actors make/made it
look easy. But it simply isn't as easy as they make it appear and that's a
tribute to their abilities. I believe that some of those actors simply
could not translate that talent to the visual and never made it in film.
But I want to make clear that there are *good* contemporary radio/audio
actors. It's just that most don't seem all that good to me.
Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:25:12 -0400
From: "Steve Cottle, Jr" <ilovecomix@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Help - Theme Title
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Hello,
I have, for years, been trying to find the name of the musical piece that
was the theme for "Sergeant Preston of The Yukon". Can you please help me?
Please e-mail me at ilovecomix at yahoo dot com
thank you
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:35:16 -0400
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Radio to Comics
In a message dated 6/6/04 5:13:27 PM, Stephen A. Kallis, Jr. writes:
Anthony Tollin can say more about The Shadow than I, but I believe it was
on the radio before becoming a Street & Smith comic book. The comic
apparently derived from the radio show, because in it, The Shadow was
effectively invisible.
***The stories in SHADOW COMICS were scripted by Walter B. Gibson for many
years, and were usually adapted from his earlier SHADOW MAGAZINE pulp novels,
with some reprinted from THE SHADOW newspaper strip he did with illustrator
Vernon Greene. Around a year into the comic book run, Street & Smith began
surprinting The Shadow's image in blue ink to simulate the invisibility of the
radio series.
At least one radio script ("The Leopard Strikes") was adapted during Vernon
Greene's early run in SHADOW COMICS. During the final few years of the Golden
Age comic book series, artist Bob Powell adapted a number of radio scripts
(including "Spider Boy," "Phantom of the Lighthouse" and "Curse of the Cat")
to
comics form. --ANTHONY TOLLIN
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 21:09:16 -0400
From: "RBB" <oldradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: LA OTR
<<Mike Thomas asked about OTR conventions in LA anytime of the [removed];>>
There's a lot happening, especially the with the [removed]
organizaton. Check with Larry Gassman lgassman@[removed] and/or John
Gassman jjgassman@[removed] for specific details, or join the
organization - they know whetever event is going on or coming up anywhere in
Southern California.
=Russ Butler oldradio@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 00:41:03 -0400
From: Jack & Cathy French <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Radio to comics
But now lets name shows that were radio
programs and then moved to comics.
Nearly every popular radio drama series was represented in at least one
issue of a comic book, maybe two issues. (Charlie Chan, Nick Carter,
Perry Mason, Bobby Benson, Casey, Crime Photographer, Straight Arrow,
Tom Mix, Gang Busters, [removed] list is virtually endless.)
Any that were missed during the Golden Age of Comics were picked up in
the Silver Age. And recently, within the past 3 years, new comics based
upon old radio shows have been released by Moonstone Books
([removed]) including the following: Mysterious Traveler,
I Love A Mystery, Cisco Kid, Boston Blackie, Mr. Keen, Johnny Dollar,
Mr. Moto, Sherlock Holmes, Lone Wolf, Pat Novak, etc.
A better question, or thread, would pose this quiry: Try to name a
radio series that was never in a comic book?
Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 00:43:13 -0400
From: "BrianLBedsworth" <BrianLBedsworth@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: More Radio To Comics -- Moonstone Books
Over the past few years, Moonstone Books (no personal connection) has used
some first-rate talent to put out titles such as Bulldog Drummond (Bill
Messner-Loebs), The Mysterious Traveler (Trever von Eeden), Boston Blackie
(Stefan Petrucha) and Mr. Keen, with more like Pat Novak For Hire (Steven
Grant & Tom Mandrake) and I Love A Mystery: The Fear That Creeps Like A Cat
on the schedule for later this year.
Company website: [removed]
To order in-print titles:
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 00:48:53 -0400
From: Don Shenbarger <donslistmail@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re:Sam Spade
On 6/5/2004, awful E wrote:
Sam Spade WAS in Los Angles! The novel by Raymond Chandler THE BIG SLEEP.
The "Big Sleep" is a story by Raymond Chandler about a private eye named
Philip Marlowe. Chandler was consulted in the making of the film regarding
a few details, notably, who killed the chauffeur (Chandler didn't know--the
British version makes up a story).
Sam Spade was a partner in the *San Francisco* private eye firm of Spade &
Archer in Dashiell Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon". The film version did
star Humphrey Bogart, but with Mary Astor (and Sydney Greenstreet and Peter
Lorre). Hammett worked in San Francisco for a short time as a Pinkerton
detective before becoming a writer and several of his stories are based in
that city.
Both are wonderful films in my opinion.
Don Shenbarger
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 03:10:23 -0400
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Whistler
I previously asked about who is portraying the Whistler in the early CBS
shows, particularly in the months of May, June and July 1943, besides Gale
Gordon and Joseph Kearns. George Aust and Bill H. have responded but the
person hasn't been identified yet.
I've listened to a show with Gale Gordon as the Whistler (Retribution
5-16-42) and some with Joseph Kearns from the regular 1942-43 season. The
person I'm asking about is NOT one of these two. A friend said he thought it
sounded like Howard Culver, and it does, but Lois said he didn't do the
Whistler. I've sent a sample sound to Lois but haven't heard yet from her.
So I'll be playing one of the Whistler shows with this unknown person on my
Los Angeles radio show this Monday midnight to 3 am Tuesday on KPFK [removed] FM.
It streams at [removed] If you're awake at that time, tune in and
see if you can name the actor. I'll be asking my listeners also.
Thanks,
Barbara
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:27:23 -0400
From: "Chris Swank" <radionut@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: several unrelated questions
I've rejoined this list after some time, and I've got a few questions that
have been on my mind. Feel free to answer them on the digest or write me
personally at
radionut@[removed]
if you'd rather do it that way.
First, I just got a couple MP3 CDs full of episodes of the Shadow. I know
the theme to the show is a classical piece, but not sure of the composer or
the full title. Would anybody know the composer and title, and perhaps point
me towards a CD where I could hear the whole piece? On a somewhat related
note, some of these episodes seem to have orchestral music edited in where
there used to be organ music. I assume this was done when the show was
repackaged for broadcast after its network run. I know they used a recording
of the piece for the opening of the show during the Orson Welles run of
episodes, but it seems as if it was strictly organ music afterwords. With
these new orchestral bridges and things, were they library music or other
sections of the same piece the theme came from?
Also, I'm curious what was the first record label to release old-time radio
shows on LP for sale in record stores so people could buy the things and
listen at home? I started collecting OTR as a kid in the Seventies. I
started out with a few cheap 8-tracks by Soundco, which were only 30 minutes
long total. Then I had a few LPs on various labels, such as Radiola, Murry
Hill, Mark56 and Memorabilia. Then in the Eighties I got lots of those
one-hour tapes from Adventures in Cassettes, Nostalgia Lane, and Great
American Audio.
Anyhow, if anyone can answer any of these questions, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:27:40 -0400
From: "Philip Railsback" <philiprailsback@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RE: Radio into Comics
Okay now. For the past several digest there have been
disscusions on comic inspired radio shows. But now
lets name shows that were radio programs and then
moved to comics. I will start off by naming three that
I know of. "The Lone Ranger", "The Green Hornet" and
"The Saint. Any others?
"The Saint" really started as books, and then the screen, I believe, before
radio). There were probably a fair number of shortlived comics based on
radio shows. I know that The Mysterious Traveler" appeared in the 1950's,
with at least some of the stories done by Steve Ditko. That one was a
Charlton Comic. DC put out "My Friend Irma" and "Mr. District Attorney".
That's about all I can think of but there must have been others. I recall
that last year I was reading some magazine on old comics and it mentioned a
couple of issues of a 1950's comic that Stan Lee had written that were
based on a radio show. Can't remember the title though.
- Philip
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:28:55 -0400
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: re: Sam Spade and Howard Duff
Martin Grams, Jr., wrote:
It was Spier's intention to feature Sam Spade in the
broadcast.
(detailed argument deleted)
The issues of royalties, and ensuing artistic licence,
hadn't occurred to me. I concede that, although he was
based in SF, Spade might just have happened to be in
LA--in fact, that's consistent with the "I just
dropped in because I haven't seen you in ages" premise
that justifies his character showing up.
I understand royalties in those days weren't very
high--a couple hundred bucks could lease an entire
book, for example. Mentioning Spade by name would
probably cost a lot less. If Spier had really wanted
to aggressively cross-promote "The Adventures of Sam
Spade" on "Suspense," surely he would have attracted
more of an audience by explicitly mentioning the
character by name?
Royalty issues apparently didn't prevent Howard Duff
from appearing as Spade (explicitly named) on "Burns
and Allen" and on Sara Berner's show (the title of
which escapes me, but I just read that chapter in
"Private Eyelashes"--which is as excellent a book as
everybody else says it is). Both of those shows were
sponsored, of course. I can't remember--did Cypress
Canyon appear during an unsponsored phase of
"Suspense"? If no, then why balk over a fairly minor
payment, when you had a sponsor to pay it? (Perhaps
you could counter argue that why should Roma or
Autolite pay to promote a show sponsored by Wild Root
Cream Oil?)
I am pretty sure "Suspense" was unsponsored when it
ran The Kandy Tooth Caper--yet presumably they had to
pay a royalty to Raymond Chandler for having Robert
Montgomery play Phillip Marlowe in a cameo? The more I
think about it, the less convincing the royalty
argument becomes. It's probably more likely there was
a contractual agreement--Spier could use Spade for
"The Adventures of Sam Spade" only, and it was simply
beyond the scope of the contract to use him elsewhere.
Perhaps the script for Cypress Canyon originally
mentioned Spade, but it was written too late to get
adequite permission, and the legal department deleted
the name, just to be safe? (Does the contract with
Hammett exist? Or are we just whistling in the dark?)
Kermyt
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:29:10 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Radio to Comics
Four radio shows that became comic books that come immediately to
mind (likely they've already been mentioned) are The Shadow (first
way back in the late 40's or early 50's, then several versions in
more recent years), Suspense, Big Jon and Sparky and Buster Brown's
Gang. Then, of course, there is the line of OTR comics from
Moonstone: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:29:51 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: OTR compared to NTR
"mike kerezman" <PHILIPMARLOWE@[removed]; wrote:
I just say I've noticed a difference in "Reading ability". I am far from
being an expert, but I have a humble [removed] noticed occassionally a
tendency in newer Radio drama efforts to 'overact' sometimes.
Thanks, Mike. I agree the acting is not as polished, though some
modern voice actors are as good as any. I suspect, since nobody's
making any money of audio drama any longer, or so I assume, the pool
of available actors is more limited and producers are more willing to
let novices fill in.
It's not nostalgia that makes me feel that modern audio drama is less
polished; I am eager to discover new productions that are the equal
of the old stuff. For one thing, I think it might help to win over
some of the younger listeners to the audio drama show I was speaking
of here in Knoxville. With fewer restrictions on content, the ready
availability of recorded sound effects, sound processing software
free for the download, thousands of hours of OTR available to inspire
the actors, and the ability to move the action into our modern world
- no more interstellar space ships guided by vacuum tube computers -
AD should be better than ever. But it's not.
The acting is part of it, but the writing is, perhaps, even more
deficient. Even the worst pot-boilers of OTR were usually pretty good
at grabbing the listener and pulling them in, though the endings
might leave us groaning. The modern stuff as often as not leaves us
yawning. Among other problems, some of it is totally baffling, the
writer failing at the basic task of keeping us aware of the action
through dialogue. Also, much of it is now an hour as opposed to the
more common 30 minute shows of days gone by; padding is often
evident. And sometimes the modern stories just plain aren't worth
telling. I suspect a part of the problem is that a lot of modern
writers don't read much and haven't done much to draw upon.
For those who haven't heard much of the new stuff to compare OTR
with, many links are to be found at [removed] . A
lot of NTR can be downloaded for free; the rest is usually available
very cheaply. Despite the general negativity of my comments, some of
it is quite good. To contradict myself, one example that I found
entertaining DESPITE the very slight storyline and primarily BECAUSE
of the acting - mostly a couple of very natural-sounding kids - can
be found at [removed]. I think there
were probably far more poor OTR scripts saved by good acting than
vice versa. I learned from a link to this page, btw, that the
digest's own Ted Kneebone coaches visually impaired kids in producing
audio drama. Well done, Ted!
(Thanks, Mike. If others have responded to my request for comments on
the importance of OTR and the history of radio to modern America to
pass on to the show's listeners, sorry, I missed them; I believe I
overlooked an issue of the digest.)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:31:24 -0400
From: "Phil Watson" <possum@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: The BBC's Sherlock Holmes
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"mike kerezman" wrote "Clyde Merrison and Michael Williams, the leads
carried the show quite well."
Sorry Mike, I can't resist correcting you. It's Clive. Clyde is an
American forename that doesn't travel across the ocean. Very few British
parents would call their child Clyde. I used to think that names like
Duane hadn't traveled either until I worked with one, but he called
himself David because of the ribbing he received.
No disrespect to American forenames - British names like Tarquin, Rupert
and Algernon don't travel across the other way either. Different
cultures, nearly the same language.
Regards to all
Phil
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End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #193
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