 
	********************************************************
                      ------   # NOTE #   -------
SEE INFO SECTION AT END OF THIS DIGEST FOR UNSUBSCRIBE AND OTHER INFORMATION. 
		====  INFO SECTION UPDATED 8/19/95  ====
	********************************************************

	    [removed]   Volume 96 : Issue 3


Articles in this issue of [removed]:

	      Dufft's Tavern Christmas show w/Jeff Chandler
	 Sherlock / OTR announcers
	 Re: amos & andy (one mo' time)
	 S. Holmes tally
	 Re: Formality in very old broadcasts
	 Re: VHS tape for archiving ([removed] Digest V95 #476)
	 Re: Chester museum, mentioned in [removed] Digest V95 #477
	 George Burns
	 Cleaning heads, tape decks, Kingdom Tapes
	 Announcers and the anniversary of radio
	 OTR Station List
	 So where does my mail go?

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

Date:         Tue, 02 Jan 96 15:08:34 EST
From: jessica <JCLACKU@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject:      Dufft's Tavern Christmas show w/Jeff Chandler
Message-Id: <m0tXD24-000YLqC@[removed]>

Thanks to Fred Korb, I have a copy of a GREAT DT show from 1948 or 49
(i believe) with Jeff Chandler.  It is a great show and a must for all
Chandler fans like me and all DT fans too!

I can get you the exact date tomorrow !!


Jessica Clackum, Gainesville Florida
GO GATORS
Beat NEBRASKA!!

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

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 12:39:27 -0800 (PST)
From: roy547@[removed] (Roy Trumbull)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sherlock / OTR announcers
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Any guestion on the Sherlock Holmes canon would have to
be answered by the Baker Street Irregulars. They are
the keepers of the flame, as it were. Anyone got an
address or a web page for them?
With regard to the question on OTR announcers, I think
one needs specify between announcers and newscasters
as there were famous voices in both camps. Some dramatic
actors also did narrations and commercials.
I would certainly nominate (but not correctly spell):
Don Wilson - long of the Jack Benny Show
Harry Von Zell - The George Burns Gracie Allen Show
Milton Cross - The Metropolitan Opera
Art Hannus - The Mercury Theater and later the voiceover for
Ed Sullivan's Show
Orson Wells - who can begin to count the shows he did?
Alexander Skorby - I first heard him doing The Eternal Light.
Better known for the National Geographic Specials on TV
Burgess Meredith - mainly commercials these days
Paul Frees - The Stan Freburg Show, countless cartoon characters
and commercials.
William Conrad - radio's Matt Dillon and voice on many radio
and TV commercials. Exceptional narrator.
...and that's just off the top of my head.

The announcer's union was primarily AFTRA. It provided good
pay but permitted some talents to sign directly with the
networks so they would cross a picket line at a local
station. Not good. Generally good pay and residuals for
voiceover and commercial work. But only a few members made
the big money.

Dress code was a tux when required but certainly always
a suit and tie. That included the network engineers. The
US went grungy starting in the 60s and lost all sense of
style.

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

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 16:57:41 -0600 (CST)
From: Charlie D Matkin <cdm01@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
cc: otr@[removed]
Subject: Re: amos & andy (one mo' time)
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Since you are new here (I've only been a "surfer" a short time, myself) 
I'll repeat something I put forth recently. The black comedian George 
Kirby did a fabulous TV special with excerpts from  the tv series, along 
with comments from Redd Foxx, Sammy Davis, Jr. & others saying what great 
comedy it was, how it portrayed blacks as something other than servants 
and how it was a shame it was (they were)ever taken off the air. I have a 
copy of the videotape if you are interested. You may contact me at (504) 
282-6404 by phone or fax or email any reply. Charlie Matkin, New Orleans 
Radio Theatre, Inc.
   

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

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 16:35:00 -0600
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed]>
To: gcoppen@[removed], otr@[removed]
Subject: S. Holmes tally
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

George Coppen asked,
>     Can anyone out there tell me how many stories Sir Arthur Conan
>Doyle wrote, that is how many episodes was there in regard to
>Sherlock Holmes ??
>     If I can stretch my luck would anyone know how many stories did
>Rathbone and Bruce do and how many did Jeremy Brett do.

The official tally of Doyle's Holmes stories published during his lifetime
is 60:  four novels, and 56 short stories.  A volume published in recent
decades, "The Final Adventures [removed]," adds another short story and a
one-act play, but these are humorous novelties that needn't be counted. 
(This book also mentions a play Doyle wrote shortly after Study in Scarlet,
which will likely never even be published, much less staged, because its
climax involves something that invalidates a major point of the Holmes
[removed] it won't say what!)

I believe the tally for Jeremy Brett, as cited in the recent obits, was 39
episodes, but I'll bear correcting on that.

I don't know the Rathbone/Bruce radio [removed] one thing, it's never
been clear to me if they remained on the air continuously from 1939 through
1946, or if there was a break in there.  [Here I mention that several years
ago, I obtained a set of their shows from Fall 1943 - home recordings, poor
and nearly unlistenable, but clearly the genuine article.]
Their _film_ tally is 14:  2 for Fox, 12 for Universal.

It's so amusing to me to hear the writing credit at the end of almost every
available show for Petri Wine:  "---- was written by Denis Green and
Anthony Boucher, and was suggested by an incident in the Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle story, ----."  Most of the time I rack my brain trying to determine
just what incident they latched onto.  You know what?  I think there's no
connection at all, at least half the time.

I understand that Green and Boucher got with the program rather late, and
the majority of Holmes radio scripts were by Edith Meiser.  Some time ago,
I was randomly watching an I Love Lucy episode, which featured an
attractive actress about Lucy's age or a bit older, doing a sort of Eve
Arden turn.  When the announcer named the cast at the end, this person
turns out to have been the selfsame Edith Meiser!


John Henley
jhenley@[removed]
ph  (512) 495-4112
fax (512) 495-4296

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

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 19:06:05 -0500
From: MVHaas@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
cc: MVHaas@[removed]
Subject: Re: Formality in very old broadcasts
Message-ID: <960102190603_104758870@[removed]>

  I ran across this quote that relates to "formality" in early radio:

    Eddie Cantor told how studio ushers "shushed" the audience. His
announcer, Jimmy Wallington, told their studio audience in 1931 and at the
start of 1932, before each broadcast,
    "Ladies and gentlemen, you are here as guests of Chase and Sanborn. We
ask you to co-operate with us in not applauding, not laughing, so that our
listening audience can have the illusion of hearing a show without
distraction."

   -- "Radio's Debt to Vaudeville" by  John E. DiMeglio. (Journal of Popular
Culture, Vol 12, #2 (1978.)

(If you can run this issue down in a college library, it is entirely devoted
to OTR. There is a very interesting article on black protests against Amos 'n
Andy in *1931*, and 12 others on various OTR subjects.)

Best -- Merlin Haas
    

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 96 00:34 GMT
From: midshires@[removed] (Andrew Emmerson)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Cc: midshires@[removed]
Subject: Re: VHS tape for archiving ([removed] Digest V95 #476)
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

In-Reply-To: <[removed]@[removed]>
>Why are VHS Hi Fi tapes unsuitable for archiving? Does the audio signal 
break down like the video signal does?
For what it's worth, I don't think they are intrinsically unsuitable but 
probably not _the_ most suitable medium. My experience of VHS tapes is 
that good quality tapes can last 15 years. But who knows how long they 
will ultimately last? Reel-to-reel audio tape has a good track record (no 
pun intended!) in this respect.
 
>And what about DAT or other digital processes? Does that signal also 
break down?
Probably not but because the data on tape is more 'compressed', you are 
placing far more reliance on each square millimetre of oxide and binder. 
Or so I believe.  >In other words, if I were to eventually phase out reel 
to reel, is it
better to archive on VHS Hi Fi, cassette, or DAT?
Sorry to be facetious, but perhaps you shouldn't phase out RTR! If 
anything, try premium audio cassettes!

==========================
NEW TOPIC
==========================
A few months ago someone, I think in this digest, asked for a list of 
radio call letters and their derivation. I e-mailed the enquirer a 
substantial [removed] but now I've lost it! If that person is reading, 
could he please e-mail a copy back? Many thanks, Andy.

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 96 00:34 GMT
From: midshires@[removed] (Andrew Emmerson)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Cc: midshires@[removed]
Subject: Re: Chester museum, mentioned in [removed] Digest V95 #477
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

In-Reply-To: <[removed]@[removed]>
>This reminds me if anyone ever finds an opportunity to visit the town of
Chester in the UK, there is a great little museum there that is set up 
with lots of antique radios, radio broadcasts, and with displays evoking
the wartime era. Can't recall the exact address though I might have it 
around here somewhere.

ON THE AIR, 42 Bridge Street Row Chester (01244-348468). Chester's unique 
vintage technology shop and museum. Open Monday to Saturday [removed] - [removed]

(Extracted from the 1995/96 edition of the SOUND & VISION YEARBOOK)

Andy.

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

Date: Tue, 02 Jan 96 19:53:16 EST
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: George Burns
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Hi Folks! 
	Another newbie here.  I've been collecting OTR recordings for about a   
year now, and this is my first post on th digest.  So far, my favorite OTR show is   
that of Burns and Allen.  And, as you may have guessed, my favorite category of   
OTR is comedy. 
	Speaking of George Burns--someone a few days ago was wondering if he   
would be playing the London Palladium for his 100th birthday.  He won't be, and in   
fact had been scheduled to appear at Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas.    
Unfortunately, he took a fall and banged up his head in late '93.  He had to have   
surgery to relieve some of the pressure from fluid build-up in his head, and he   
apparently hasn't been the same since.  He had to cancel his 99th birthday   
appearance at Ceaser's because of it, and announced a couple of months ago that   
he would have to cancel his 100th birthday appearance there as well.  He says he   
just doesn't have the strength to put on that long of a show anymore.  That's not   
to say that George has given up entirely.  He did schedule another smaller scale   
appearance at a smaller venue closer to home. 
	As he's getting closer to his 100th birthday, I wonder if George remembers   
the episode of his radio show called "Handwriting Analysis".  That was when   
Gracie sent in a sample of his handwriting to a handwriting analysis "expert", who   
told her that George should become a doctor.  She then tricked George into going   
to the hospital to try to awaken his supposed natural doctor's instincts.  It didn't   
quite work out as she planned, though.  It turned out, the hospital staff confused   
him for a volunteer for an experiment.  And, just what was that experiment?    
They wanted to test a serum that was supposed to make a man live to 100 years   
old!  I wonder, could they have slipped and actually given him that serum?    

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

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 17:15:53 -0800
From: Platecap@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Cleaning heads, tape decks, Kingdom Tapes
Message-ID: <960102171552_21534474@[removed]>

Andy B is right about NOT using rubbing alcohol on tape heads.
If you can get the higher grade alcohol (91% or something like that) that's
passable, but I prefer the non-flammable head cleaners.  Freon TF is one,
another is a commercial grade with a very long chemical name that sells for
about $20 for a gallon from professional suppliers.  It's actually safer than
alcohol.  I wouldn't recommend drinking it, but if you DID drink it you'd
have a better chance of not dying or going blind!  ...sorry, in a slap happy
[removed]

There are a couple other problems with alcohol.  First, do NOT clean rubber
parts with [removed] alcohol will eventually cause rubber parts harden and crack.
 Also, alcohol evaporates at a slow [removed] if it seeps into your capstan
bearings you can say goodbye to that machine in a short time.

I never liked dubbing decks.  They're designed for non-critical
only-occassional [removed] and will NOT hold up with heavy OTR use.  There are
some that do a decent job, but again, you can't control the recording level.

One of the BEST dubbing decks (if you must use one) is made by Denon.  Both
sides can record at the same time and both sides have pitch control, and both
sides have separate output jacks for connecting to other [removed] almost
like TWO <click> TWO <click> TWO DECKS in one.  Tascam (Teac's pro division)
also recently introduced their model 303 double deck.  If it's anything like
the 202 MKII, it's probably not worth it.  You pay a high price for the name,
but still basically consumer grade inside and lots of plastic.  Denon is
better.

I mentioned Kingdom Tapes in Mansfield, PA as a good source for cassette
copiers, and equipment servicing.  All the duplicators I have in use today
came from this company.  They have all the major brands (plus their own house
brand), also tape decks, blank cassettes, etc.  Great service (same day
usually available).  They'll beat anyone's price on cassette dubbers.
 800-788-1122.  Fax is 717-662-3875.

A couple years back, I had them do some work on a couple of my high speed
machines & sent some old time radio shows as sample tapes.  Their service
guys called me up and wanted more and made a few special requests.  By the
way, I got my machines back the following week sounding as good as new.

I have no connection to this company.  They pay me no money to write these
things.  Just passing along some good experiences.

Bob Burnham / BRC Productions / [removed] Box 2645 / Livonia, MI 48151
platecap@[removed] / platecap@[removed]
dedicated fax (313) 277-3095

[removed]  my gatecom addressed mail has been affected by the backbone problems
on the internet in the midwest.  If you wrote to me recently and got no
answer, try the other one (it seems to always work).

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 03:44:40 GMT
From: bilj@[removed] (Bill Jaker)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Cc: SpicelandRD@[removed]
Subject: Announcers and the anniversary of radio
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

A very happy new year to you all!  I see we're now into volume 96.  I think 
I got most of volume 95.  Can anyone help me obtain the other 94?
                    /////////////0\\\\\\\
Dave Spiceland posted a query about announcers. He admits that it was a 
complex collection of questions, and maybe I can give a partial answer.
1) Tuxedos?  This would be done for special events (in its early days NBC 
employed a tuxedo-clad usher).  The BBC once insisted that some of their 
unseen voices be dressed to the nines to aid in maintaining the proper 
formality.  In most cases a broadcast organization wouldn't pay for the tux, 
or the dry cleaning.  If you've read Jane Woodfin's book "Of Mikes and Men" 
you know that some announcers weren't dressed at all.
2) If you'd like to hear an excellent example of how announcing styles 
evolved, listen to Harry Von Zell on Bing Crosby's first broadcast for Cremo 
Cigars.  It was on CBS on 2 September 1931 and can be found in many 
collections.  Then compare Von Zell on a program from the 40s (he was 
everwhere: Eddie Cantor Show, Burns & Allen, The Aldrich Family).  Ladies 
and gentlemen, you would not believe it was the same guy.
                     ////////////0\\\\\\
There was a comment on your old-time computer screen about the anniversary 
of Lee deForest's broadcast of Caruso at the Metropolitan Opera on 27 
January 1910.  It cited a contemporary account indicating that the audience, 
such as it was, was favorably impressed.  In fact, the audio was so bad that 
newspaper reports called the technical development interesting but thought 
the artistic value was nil.  DeForest knew he had to take it all back to the 
lab.  His problem was probably in the microphone placement, a science that 
nobody yet understood. I'm not sure of this, but he may still have been 
trying to modulate a high-frequency alternator; for several years after 
inventing it deForest only used his audion tube for receiving.

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

Date: Wed, 03 Jan 96 00:12
From: "bill harris" <billhar@[removed]>
To: "otr digest" <otr@[removed]>
Subject: OTR Station List
Message-Id: <m0tXLct-000YMKC@[removed]>

Some time ago I promised to compile a list of stations that play OTR if 
readers of the digest would send me the information. Now that the holidays 
are over and I have found a little spare time, here is what I have so far. 
If there are any other stations to add or corrections, let me know via 
e-mail and I will update list. The stations are listed in the approximate 
order I received the information.
Thanks to all who contributed.

Bill Harris - Roanoke, TX
billhar@[removed]

Station:  WBSM/AM
Frequency:  1420 
Power:
Time:  9 - Noon Sundays
City: New Bedford, MA. 
Show: Bruce Kalver's Nostalgia Times Radio Programme. 
OTR shows, music of the 20's 30's 40's and Broadway Show music. 
We have guests like Orson Bean, Shari Lewis, Steve Allen, Michael
Feinstein, Rose Marie, etc. and have callers reminisce every week.

Station: KEZW/AM
Frequency: 1430 
Power: 5,000 watts
Time: 7 - 9PM
City: Denver, CO.
Show: Syndicated shows

Station: KHOW/AM
Frequency: 630 
Power: 5,000 watts
Time: Sundays 8 - 10PM
City: Denver, CO.
Show: John Dunning does these and the shows are complete with 
commercials.

Station: KSL/AM
Frequency: 1160 
Power:
Time: 10PM (PST)
City: Salt Lake City, UT.
Show: When Radio Was

Station KIRO/AM
Frequency: 710 
Power:
Time: Saturdays & Sundays starting at 10PM (PST)
City Seattle, WA.

Station: WRCR/FM
Frequency: [removed]
Power:
Time: 5:45 - 6:45 PM EST.
City: Rushville, IN.
Show: When Radio Was

Station: KAAM/AM
Frequency: 620
Power: 5,000 watts day, 4,500 watts night
Time: 8 - 9PM (CST) Monday thru Friday
City: Plano, TX (Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, North Texas, and parts of 
Oklahoma)
Show:  Oldies, Big Band, OTR (When Radio Was)

Station: WCAP/AM
Frequency: 980
Power:  5,000 watts
Time: 9PM weeknights (M-F)
City: Lowell, MA.

Station: WMJX/FM
Frequency: [removed]
Power:
Time:
City: Boston, MA.

Station: WAUD/AM
Frequency: 1230
Power: 1,000 watts
Time: 1PM & 10PM (CST) Monday thru Thursday
      2PM & 10PM (CST) Friday
City: Auburn, AL.
Show: When Radio Was

Station: WEGL/FM
Frequency: [removed]
Power:
Time: 9:30PM (CST)
City:
Show: Horror Half Hour

Station: WMAQ/AM
Frequency: 670
Power:
Time: 11 - 12PM (starts at midnight if Bull's game that night)
City: Chicago, IL.

Station: WAIT/AM
Frequency: 850
Power:
Time: Sundays 12 - 4PM
City: Chicago, IL (Crystal Lake?)

Station: WRBH/FM
Frequency: [removed]
Power:
Time: 8PM Saturdays
City:

Station: WODT/AM
Frequency: 1280
Power:
Time: 7PM weekdays, 8 & 9PM Saturdays
City: New Orleans, LA.
Show: When Radio Was

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

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 07:15:28 -0500 (EST)
From: mschmid@[removed]
To: airwaves <[removed]@[removed]>
Subject: So where does my mail go?
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

	I'm reposting 2 bits that seemed to get lost in the New Years ethers.
Or was there an issue #478 that I didn't get?  Sorry If you read these twice!

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

    


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---- 
End of [removed] Digest V96 Issue #3

