Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #113
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 4/24/2006 4:15 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2006 : Issue 113
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Jim Harmon, Dave Warren               [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
      The Convention was great              [ Chargous@[removed] ]
      4-24 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      Broadcast Days                        [ Ken Stockinger <bambino032004-otr@y ]
      Cincy report 1                        [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
      Popeye                                [ Ken Stockinger <bambino032004-otr@y ]
      20 Years Ago Today: A Night In The L  [ Tom Barnett <[removed]@earthlink. ]
      HATS OFF TO BOB BURCHETT              [ "David S. Siegel" <otrdsiegel@veriz ]
      This Is The Army stage show & Easter  [ "Steve Dillie" <sjdillie@[removed] ]
      CINCINNATI CONVENTION                 [ "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed] ]
      "Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Nig  [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:04:51 -0400
    From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jim Harmon, Dave Warren

    If you haven't yet found Steve Thompson's blog, you should check it out.
    His last two posts have been about OTR:  April 21 is a tribute to Dave
    Warren, and April 23 is about Jim Harmon's tape collection:
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:05:16 -0400
    From: Chargous@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Convention was great

    Hi all,

    The convention was super - was glad to see everyone.  I was glad the Radio
    Researchers had a presence there.  Bought a lot of great stuff, and I even
    bought a couple cassettes, which is a rarity for me.  It was fun to see
    Derek win Mayor of Etherville.  Bob Hastings, Hal Stone, Rosemary Rice, and
    Fred Foy were professionals as usual - they made it look so
    effortless.  There were a couple new faces too in the actors'
    department.  Ed Clute, a true gentleman, provided great music.  The
    "amateur" actors were also super too!  Anyone go to Club Roxzzzz
    afterwards?, lol.  (nightclub in the hotel.).

    Anyway, thank you everyone for making it a great experience.

    Hid speakers in the empty space behind my new RCA-810K1 console, and I
    think that'll be pretty appropriate to play OTR on.

    Travis

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:05:29 -0400
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  4-24 births/deaths

    April 24th births

    04-24-1894 - Norman Sweetser - d. 8-xx-1980
    director: "Just Plain Bill"; "Stella Dallas"
    04-24-1905 - Robert Penn Warren - Guthrie, KY - d. 9-15-1989
    author: (All the King's Men) "NBC University Theatre"
    04-24-1906 - William "Lord Haw Haw" Joyce - Brooklyn, NY - d. 1-3-1946
    propagnadist for Nazi Germany during World War II: Hung for treason
    04-24-1910 - Albert Zugsmith - Atlantic City, NJ - d. 10-26-1993
    film producer/director: "Bud's Bandwagon"
    04-24-1924 - Marilyn Erskine - Rochester, NY
    actor: Gail Carver "Lora Lawton"; Janey Brown "Young Widder Brown"

    April 24th deaths

    02-03-1924 - Leslie Stevens - Washington, [removed] - d. 4-24-1998
    film director: "Stagestruck"
    02-13-1908 - Lennie Hayton - NYC - d. 4-24-1971
    conductor: "Your Hit Parade"; "Ipana Troubadors"
    03-06-1885 - Rosario Bourdon - Longuereil, Canada - d. 4-24-1961
    conductor: "Cities Service Concert"; "Great Personalities"
    06-17-1913 - Bob Allen - Allendale, OH - d. 4-24-1989
    singer: (Hal Kemp Band) "Phil Baker Show"; "Calling America"
    07-17-1906 - John Carroll - New Orleans, LA - d. 4-24-1979
    actor: "Hello Mom"; "Suspense"
    08-03-1904 - Clifford Simak - Millville, WI - d. 4-24-1988
    writer: "Dimension X"
    08-21-1890 - Bill Henry - San Francisco, CA - d. 4-24-1970
    commentator: Chief CBS Correspondent
    10-02-1898 - Bud Abbott - Asbury Park, NJ - d. 4-24-1974
    comedian: "Abbott and Costello Show"
    10-29-1897 - Hope Emerson - Hawarden, IA - d. 4-24-1960
    actor: Henrietta Topper "Advs. of Topper"; Elsie the Cow "Happy Island"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:05:41 -0400
    From: Ken Stockinger <bambino032004-otr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Broadcast Days
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        Hi everyone,
               I'd like to obtain copies of the following partial broadcast days:
         WEAF 8/10/45 (Approx 9 hrs total)
         NBC Red and Blue 12/7/41 (Approx 10 hrs each)
               Would anyone be able to tell me where I could purchase (not
    looking to trade) CD copies (Audio or MP3) of these broadcasts?
             Please contact me off-list. Thanks as always!
                                              Ken Stockinger

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:04:39 -0400
    From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cincy report 1
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    First and foremost, my family is more grateful than can be expressed in
    words for the Dave Warren Award that was presented to us last night.
    Thank you everyone; we will cherish it forever.

    When we attended our first Cincinnati convention 10 years ago, Karen was
    11 years old and was cast as 12-year-old Sally in a Lone Ranger episode
    with Lone Ranger announcer Fred Foy.  This year, Fred was back, as was
    that Lone Ranger episode.  And Karen reprised her role as 12-year-old
    Sally.  (The reason this particular show was chosen is that it was the
    only one in which Fred played the Lone Ranger in the original run of the
    program - Brace Beemer had laryngitis and could not talk, and Fred
    stepped in for him).

    So the thrill of playing Sally again, and then winning the Dave Warren
    Award, was easily the high point of her year.  And as so often seems to
    happen, the low point of the year immediately followed.

    Less than a half hour after the award presentation, she began feeling
    queasy.  Queasy became nauseous, nauseous became frightenly ill.  She was
    up all night (as were her parents), and early this morning we took her to
    an Urgent Care center.  They told us to take her to the hospital
    emergency room.

    I hate emergency rooms!  We waited maybe 45 minutes to see a nurse, Karen
    lying on the floor in pain in the rest room, as others who had arrived
    before us were seen first - a sprained thumb, a sore [removed]

    I could go on, but the bottom line is that evidently it is a particularly
    nasty flu.  They gave her an IV that took about an hour to drain into
    her, and then some medicine to take later.  She was feeling a bit better
    as we drove home.  She slept most of the way, and finally at about 5:30
    pm we pulled into our driveway.

    Karen will write her annual Cincinnati Convention Report, but it may be a
    few days late this time.  Meanwhile, if you'd like to peruse past
    reports:

    [removed]

    And if you'd like to drop her a line, her email is (of course):
    jackbenny39@[removed].

    ---Dan

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:05:53 -0400
    From: Ken Stockinger <bambino032004-otr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Popeye

      While perusing the Net a few days ago, I saw a blurb
    about 16 previously uncirculated Popeye episodes being
    found. The ET's were said to be in pretty poor shape,
    and they were being restored? Have these shows ever
    been released, or is there talk that they will be
    soon? Thanks.
                            Ken

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:06:35 -0400
    From: Tom Barnett <[removed]@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  20 Years Ago Today: A Night In The Life of
     Dennis Day

    20 years ago (my how time flies) I had the rare and fortunate opportunity to
    meet and spend time with Dennis Day. I met Dennis on his personnal appearance
    tour he was on and I wrote a short article about it that appeared in the
    print OTR Digest (June, 1989). I still remember the how funny he was when he
    wasn't singing (could easily have been a great stand up comic) and the
    strength and power of his voice as he voiced the tunes that made him famous.
    Looking back on that night I still can't believe it happened. I have wanted
    to update the piece I wrote but haven't made time for it - so I present it
    exactly as it was written 20 years ago.

    A Night in the Life of Dennis Day
    By Tom Barnett

    On April 22, 1986 a dream came true. I, like most fans of old time radio, am
    a fan of the "Jack Benny Show." A die hard fan is more like it I try to get
    every show I can find and listen to them constantly. My dream is to have been
    around to have met the entire cast of the show. However, in 1986, the only
    surviving cast members were Phil Harris, Frank Nelson, and Dennis Day. My
    chances of getting to California to meet any of them were next to none. But
    luck was on my side in the spring of 1986 because in Windsor, Canada on a
    personal appearance tour came Dennis Day.

    My Mom was watching a local television talk show, and saw Dennis on it. My
    Mom knew this would mean the world to me. So she called the station for the
    name of the club where Dennis was appearing, the Top Hat. I was to call the
    club that night after Dennis' show to speak with him.

    I called at 10:30 that night and as put on hold until Dennis finished signing
    autographs. When the phone was picked up again, someone said "There's some
    kid on the phone wants to talk to you." I was about to explode and was
    sweating like crazy. Dennis said Hello and I could hardly bring myself to
    speak. The humming and distortion of the phone line made sound exactly as if
    he were on the radio program. It was incredible! I talk about my interest in
    him and the old Benny series. Dennis was surprised at my age (only 16) and
    seemed as eager to meet me , as I was to meet him. He asked me over to his
    show the following night, he took my name said he would be looking out for me
    at the door.

    My Dad and I went over to Canada from Detroit the next night. I was in a cold
    seat with excitement. When we arrived I couldn't wait to get in. As we opened
    the door, I saw Dennis Standing there at the coat check counter. That moment
    is frozen in my mind. I had seen him so many times on television and now here
    he was right in front of me. In color! I couldn't believe it ! Dennis said
    "You must be Tom Barnett, eh?" That broke the ice and we began to talk.

    He looked down at my bag that I was clutching. I had brought along a lot of
    Jack Benny Shows and Dennis Day shows on tapes and LP's in hopes of getting
    them autographed. Dennis chuckled and asked, "you're a big collector are
    you?" I nodded. Dennis went on, "I remember back in 1970 when Jack and Mary
    decided not to renew their copyrights on those shows, because Jack didn't
    think they would ever be popular again." My Dad, Dennis, and I talked until
    Dennis excused himself to prepare for the show. He told my Dad and I that he
    had a special front table reserved for us. He saw my Dad carrying his video
    camera and told him he would get a good shot from that spot.

    When the show started, Dennis was full of energy. He danced and hopped,
    strutted around like the young kid he always portrayed. I recognized about
    half of the songs he sang, such as Macnamara's Band, Danny Boy, etc. The rest
    I was unfamiliar with but enjoyed just the same. In between the songs he
    would tell his favorite jokes and stories and used all sorts of dialects.

    A little ways into the show he stopped and talked about the Jack Benny
    program. He did this for the benefit of "a young man here tonight who is a
    radio buff." He began talking about the old series, and went through the
    characters and made comments on each. Dennis also reminisced about first
    getting his job on the Benny show. The band made some noise to get Dennis on
    track again. But he was talking about auditioning for Jack Benny, and nothing
    could stop him.

    "Jack sent me put (for an audition) He gave me round trip ticket to go to
    California on the train. I'll never forget it. It was the Golden State
    Limited, and I went out from the Bronx. I'd never been west of the Hudson
    before. I thought there were still Indians in Chicago." Dennis went on, "I
    auditioned for his writers and producers. And after I did, they told me to
    wait around a couple of days, so I did. Then got a call from Jack Benny, and
    I went down to his office. You know that's when I got the feeling that I knew
    I would be the new singer on his radio program. Not when I signed the
    contract mind you, but when Benny took back the other half of the train
    ticket."

    After the show he signed copies of his albums, as well as autographs. Finally
    he came over and sat down at our table. We talked for another half an hour.
    He was a very interesting person and very friendly. He looked at my
    collection and smiled saying " it's good to see the younger generation using
    their imagination again." He autographed his album for me, and a copy of one
    of my favorite radio Jack Benny episodes (Dennis' Psychiatrist 11/28/54)

    Unfortunately, the evening ended. Dennis and I exchanged addresses because he
    wanted to send me some shows to add to my collection. He was very sincere and
    very friendly, I can't say enough about him. That night was one of the
    biggest in my life. I want to thank my Mom, Dad, and especially Dennis Day.
    It was a time I will always remember.

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:47:29 -0400
    From: "David S. Siegel" <otrdsiegel@[removed];
    To: OTR DIGEST <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  HATS OFF TO BOB BURCHETT

        For years each time I ran into Bob at FOTR in Newark he would ask me
    when I was going to attend the Cincinnati Convention and for years, like
    the die hard BROOKLYN DODGER fan that I am, my answer would be: "WAIT TILL
    NEXT YEAR".

          Whether It was a guilty conscience or the fear that this year could
    be my last opportunity to "test the reliability of Bob's claims" my wife
    and I decided to make the TREK  from our home in the Northern suburb of NYC
    (a mere 13 hour drive) to the Ramada Inn headquarters of this year's CINCY
    CONVENTION.

         The convention turned out to be everything that Bob said it would be
    and [removed] addition to getting an opportunity to get together with lots of
    old friends (John Edwards, Ken Piletik, Tom Monroe, Martin Grams, Fred
    Bernie, Bob Burnham,  Barbara Davies, Derak Tague,  Jerry WillIimson,
    Charlie Summers Dan Riedstra and a dozen or so other nice folks whose faces
    we always seem to recognize without always being able to put a name to the
    face) I also got to make several new friends including (I hope) Stewart
    Wright and Hal Sampson among others.

         The guests, Msrs Stone, Hastings and Foy & Ms Rice were their usual
    friendly and approachable selves. The programs, while fewer than those at
    FOTR, were quality events. The dealer room offered wonderful choices
    (including "PLUG HERE" the 4 radio books offered by
    www,[removed]
    "CASEY/WITCH'S TALE/ETERNAL LIGHT/RESOURCE GUIDE TO GOLDEN AGE OF
    RADIO)  and was busy buy busy.

         Going out to dinner with a "gang" of attendees on Thursday  and Friday
    were as the LYRiCS TO THE SONG GOES: "GOOD FOLKS GET TOGETHER" is unique to
    the CINCY CROWD.   During the Saturday evening banquet our most gracious
    host demonstrated a humanity that made me proud to include him as a friend
    and, of course, seeing the organizer who my wife and I call Santa (with a
    TRIMMED BEARD well enough to be greeted fondly by a room full of cheering
    [removed] all of what I have rambled on upon is just the tip of
    the iceberg of the experiences that my wife and I shared and for which we
    both TIP OUR HATS TO BOB BURCHET FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN.

         If, like me, YOU LOVE OLD TIME RADIO but have put off attending this
    convention I strongly urge you to PLAY THE PETER PAN GAME by some how
    sending the message to Bob to once more host a get together in
    [removed] DON'T REGRET missing another year of attendance.

    DAVE SIEGEL

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:23:58 -0400
    From: "Steve Dillie" <sjdillie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  This Is The Army stage show & Easter Parade

    I recently watched "Easter Parade" on a two DVD set that came out in the
    past year.  Two items of interest.  On disk 2 there is a radio version of
    "Easter Parade" with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.

    On either the movie audio commentary or on one of the extra features, there
    was a story about the fundraising stage show "This Is The Army" in London.
    During the show, the Queen requested the singing of the song "Easter
    Parade."  Irving Berlin led the audience in singing the song, but was
    surprised to hear the audience sing different lyrics in one spot.  The UK
    publisher had changed the lyrics.

    The original song lyrics are "On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue, The photographers
    will snap us, And you'll find that you're In the rotogravure. "  The UK
    lyrics are "To the Park we'll go, Round Rotten Row, The photographers will
    snap us, And then you'll be seen in the smart magazine."

    I do not know if the story is true or not.  On one hand it seems hard to
    believe Irving Berlin would not know of lyric changes, but on the other hand
    when you write so many songs it may be possible to loose track of worldwide
    distribution.

    Regards,

    Steve Dillie, [removed]
    Wheeling, IL 60090-6965
    sjdillie@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:32:09 -0400
    From: "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed];
    To: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  CINCINNATI CONVENTION
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    APRIL 20, 21, 07 ARE NEXT YEAR'S DATES. START PLANNING NOW!!!

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    Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 18:02:35 -0400
    From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
    To: "Old Time Radio" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand"

    The latest "Golden Age of Radio" programs with Dick Bertel
    and Ed Corcoran, and "A One Night Stand with the Big Bands"
    with Arnold Dean can be heard at [removed].

    Each week we feature three complete shows in MP3 format
    for your listening pleasure or for downloading; two "Golden
    Age of Radios" and one "One Night Stand." We present new
    shows every week or so. The current three programs will be
    available on line at least until the morning of  May 1, 2006.

    Program 38 - May, 1973 - Hamilton O'Hara

    Our guest this week is Ham O'Hara, CBS sound effects man.
    We met Mr. O'hara in his studio in the basement of his
    Connecticut home where he demonstrated all manner of
    recorded and "live" sound effects.

    Sound effects in radio broadcasting did not leap full-grown
    into this new medium in the 1920s. In its infancy, radio
    then was evolving from what was primarily a military
    communication tool into a vast system of popular
    entertainment, culture and news.

    By the 1930s, there were plenty of drama shows, most
    of which required realistic sound effects. The sounds
    basically fell into two broad categories: a) those that
    advanced the action or helped move the story line, and
    b) background or mood setting sounds. And all of these
    were produced with a combination of manual and recorded
    sounds.

    Program 39 - June, 1973 - Tony Marvin

    Tony Marvin, the mellifluous radio and television announcer
    who proclaimed "It's Arthur Godfrey time!" over the airwaves
    in the 1940s and '50s, grew up in New York City.

    His big break came during a stint as a mechanic in the mid-
    1930s. As he serviced a limousine, the owner heard him
    singing and offered to pay for a vocal teacher for him. The
    result was a scholarship for a year's study with an MGM
    voice coach.

    Marvin joined CBS in 1939 as an announcer and a newsman,
    working on reports from such war correspondents as Edward
    R. Murrow and William L. Shirer.

    In 1945, Marvin was approached by Arthur Godfrey to take
    over as announcer on his popular radio show. He made the
    role his own for nearly 14 years, enduring through Godfrey's
    two television variety shows. More a sidekick than a cut-and-
    dried announcer, he was famous for his resonant bass voice,
    his ability to warm up an audience and his sophisticated
    banter with Godfrey.

    "A One Night Stand with the Big Bands" With Arnold Dean

    Teddy Wilson (Part 1) - September, 1974

    Theodore Shaw Wilson (1912-1986) grew up in Tuskegee,
    Alabama, and briefly studied music at Talladega College.
    After working in Chicago with Jimmie Noone, Louis
    Armstrong, and others he moved in 1933 to New York to
    join Benny Carter's band. He played informally with Benny
    Goodman in 1935 and officially joined Goodman's trio the
    following year, thereby becoming one of the first black
    musicians to appear prominently with white artists. Wilson
    remained with Goodman until 1939, playing on many of the
    latter's small group recordings and also on recordings under
    his own name with other important swing musicians, above
    all Billie Holiday and Lester Young. After leaving Goodman
    he briefly led his own big band (1939-40), and thereafter
    worked primarily as a leader of small ensembles and as a
    soloist. Around 1950 he was an instructor at the Juilliard
    School in New York, an early instance of the recognition
    of jazz by an important conservatory.

    In the 1970's WTIC decided that there was a market in
    the evening for long-form shows that could be packaged
    and sold to sponsors. Two of those shows were "The
    Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand with the
    Big Bands."

    Dick Bertel had interviewed radio collector-historian
    Ed  Corcoran several times on his radio and TV shows,
    and thought a regular monthly show featuring interviews
    with actors, writers, producers, engineers and musicians
    from radio's early days might be interesting. "The Golden
    Age of Radio" was first broadcast in April, 1970;  Ed was
    Dick's co-host. It lasted seven years. "The Golden Age
    of Radio" can also be heard Saturday nights on Walden
    Hughes's program on Radio Yesteryear.

    Arnold Dean began his love affair with the big band
    era in his pre-teen years and his decision to study
    the clarinet was inspired by the style of Artie Shaw.
    When he joined WTIC in 1965 he hosted a daily program
    of big band music.  In 1971, encouraged by the success
    of his daily program and "The Golden Age of Radio"
    series, he began monthly shows featuring interviews
    with the band leaders, sidemen, agents, jazz reporters,
    etc. who made major contributions to one of the great
    eras of music history.

    Bob Scherago
    Webmaster

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #113
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