------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2005 : Issue 234
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
8-3 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Murrow DVD [ seandd@[removed] ]
Radio Writing [ LBohall@[removed] ]
Saudis and Jack Benny [ seandd@[removed] ]
WVXU [ "Mike Martini" <mmartini@[removed] ]
disc jockey records [ FRANK A ABSHER <fabsher@[removed]; ]
Announcers with Records [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
Addendum to previous [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
MERV ON THE RADIO [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
al jennings [ Dave Parker <dave@[removed] ]
Mildred Bailey [ "jazmaan@[removed]" <dmf273@ya ]
Singing DJ's [ "Albert" <alkb2ng@[removed]; ]
Re: OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK [ "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@ea ]
Re: Mildred Bailey [ Jim Widner <widnerj@[removed]; ]
Backordered Books [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Re: Mildred Bailey [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Re: KNX airchecks [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Mildred Bailey [ "Mike Hobart" <zines50@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 09:54:26 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 8-3 births/deaths
August 3rd births
08-03-1885 - Arthur Sinclair - Dublin, Ireland - d. 12-14-1951
actor: John A. Considine "Jumbo Fire Chief Program"
08-03-1886 - Russ Westover - Los Angeles, CA - d. 3-5-1966
writer: Creator of the comic strip "Tillie the Toiler"
08-03-1894 - Harry Heilmann - San Francisco, CA - d. 7-9-1951
sportscaster: WXYZ Detroit
08-03-1896 - Wendell Hall - St. George, KS - d. 4-4-1969
singer: (The Red Headed Music Maker) "Eveready Hour"; "Red Headed Music Maker"
08-03-1900 - Ernie Pyle - Dana, IN - d. 4-18-1945
world war II correspondent: "Words at War"; "Cavalcade of America"
08-03-1903 - John S. Young - Springfield, MA - d. 1-12-1976
announcer: Foreign news for NBC in Nyw York
08-03-1904 - Clifford Simak - Millville, WI - d. 4-24-1988
writer: "Dimension X"
08-03-1905 - Dolores Del Rio - Durango, Mexico - d. 4-11-1983
actress: "Hollywood on the Air"
08-03-1905 - Gaylord Carter - Wiesbaden, Germany - d. 11-20-2000
organist: "Amos 'n' Andy"; "Breakfast in Hollywood"
08-03-1906 - Robert Emmett Dolan - Hartford, CT - d. 9-26-1972
music maestro: "The Circle"; "Birdseye Open House"
08-03-1907 - Irene Tedrow - Denver, CO - d. 3-10-1995
actress: Janet Archer "Meet Corliss Archer"; Dorothy Regent "Chandu, the
Magacian"
08-03-1916 - Horace Logan - d. 10-13-2002
creator of "The Louisana Hayride"
08-03-1917 - Charlie Shavers - New York City, NY - d. 7-8-1971
jazz trumpeter: "Jump Time"; "Mildred Bailey Show"; "Tommy Dorsey Show"
08-03-1917 - Larry Haines - Mt. Vernon, NY
actor: Carl Ward "Young Dr. Malone"; Fred Molina "This is Nora Drake"
08-03-1918 - Les Elgart - New Haven, CT - d. 7-29-1995
bandleader: "Let's Go to Town"; "Manhattan Melodies"
08-03-1920 - Marilyn Maxwell - Clarinda, IA - d. 3-20-1972
singer, actress: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Abbott and Costello Show"; "Bob Hope
Show"
08-03-1923 - Jean Hagen - Chicago, IL - d. 8-29-1977
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Stars in the Air"
08-03-1925 - Billy James Hargis - Texarkana, TX - d. 11-27-2004
preacher: Broadcast his ministry on more than 500 radio stations.
08-03-1926 - Tony Bennett - New York City, NY
singer: "[removed] Woolworth Hour"; "Songs for Sale"; "Stepping Out"
August 3rd deaths
02-04-1918 - Ida Lupino - London, England - d. 8-3-1995
panelist, actress: "Hollywood Byline"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
04-28-1929 - Carolyn Jones - Amarillo, TX - d. 8-3-1983
actress: "Dragnet"; "Survivors"
08-06-1923 - William B. Williams - Babylon, NY - d. 8-3-1986
disc jockey: Leading New York DJ for more than 40 years at WNEW
08-12-1892 - Alfred Lunt - Milwaukee, WI - d. 8-3-1977
actor: "Cavalcade of America"; "Theatre Guild On the Air"; "Treasury Star
Parade"
10-13-1925 - Lenny Bruce - Mineola, NY - d. 8-3-1966
comedian: "Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts"; "Why Did Lenny Bruce Die?"
12-03-1857 - Joseph Conrad - Kiev, Russian Empire - d. 8-3-1924
author: "Escape"; "This Is My Best"
12-19-1912 - Frank Holliday - San Francisco, CA - d. 8-3-1948
singer: (The Rockaway Four) "The Gay Nineties Revue"
12-29-1894 - Harry Lang - New York City, NY - d. 8-3-1953
actor: Mr. Fuddle "Blondie"; Pan Pancho "Cisco Kid"
xx-xx-1920 - Fred Pinkard - d. 8-3-2004
actor: "Destination Freedom"; "Hello, Sucker"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 09:57:35 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Murrow DVD
There is a new set of DVDs out regarding the television career of Edward R.
Murrow.
A review is here.
[removed]
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 10:30:42 -0400
From: LBohall@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Writing
In a message dated 8/3/2005 9:06:07 AM Central Daylight Time, Irene writes:
Wylie is known for his book 'Radio Writing' (also available) and was
Director of Script and Continuity at CBS. Despite his job at CBS his
selections appear to be impartial and his introductory discussions of each
program are very informative.
I read this book several times while I was getting my Master's at Duke
University. It was an excellent introduction to writing for [removed]
Larry
My novel, Martyr's Cry, is available now! Go to: [removed]
for more [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 10:31:08 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Saudis and Jack Benny
The Wall Street Journal publishes an editorial today (avaialble online free
at [removed]) which basically outs the Saudi regime for
consistently revising downward the ages of the crown princes.
Look at the research the writer did to find out the actual birth years, and
compare that to what's reported in the official Saudi press and I defy any
OTR fan to read this and not start channeling Jack Benny/Rochester routines
("What's on my on my birth certificate," "A hole, we erased it once too
often.").
Of course, it would be funnier if these guys weren't funding global Islamic
extremism.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 11:24:09 -0400
From: "Mike Martini" <mmartini@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: WVXU
Hi,
I just wanted to thank posters Trav and Sean about the kind words they had
for WVXU in Cincinnati and letting folks know about the demise of old radio
on the station. We've been offering classic radio on WVXU since 1976 and
featured it weekdays at 11-am and in the evenings (pretty decent times of
day) since 1978. Our four-hour Big Broadcast (homage is paid to the
better-known shows in the East who have used the name much longer than we
have--thank you for sharing!) has been around on Saturday nights for the last
three years. But with the sale of WVXU to Cincinnati's classical WGUC, who
intends to operate our venerable old friend as an all-NPR station, comes the
end of the tradition of playing these great old shows. The new owners of the
station are straight from the school of NPR and PRI mindset and even the
concept of old radio or anything else unique, creative and inspiring is
absolutely foreign and outside their realm of belief. Nor do they believe
that the old radio shows actually brought in as much money during fund drive
time as the NPR staple "Morning Edition," based on a per-hour comparison.
They think we "cooked the books." I can't tell you how many people sent
emails last week, the final week of the shows. There were older listeners
and kids who use these shows for home-schooling but there were also several
young professional men and women who, believe it or not, actually fit into
the "modern radio consultants" idea of the ideal "demographic." It's so
sad. Radio looks at satellite and ipods (I've noted some of the comments on
this post regarding how great XM and Sirius are and I can see why), yawn and
scratch their heads and offer the same bland mix of tripe. Lemmings heading
toward the cliff. Creativity gives way to "tried and true, tested before
focus groups;" while localism is sacrificed for a host in Arizona pretending
he is in your (and 36 other) markets. Why is it a bad thing to be "quirky,"
"original" and, heaven forbid, "fun?" It's not like WVXU didn't make
money--we ALWAYS paid our own way and built a tidy little network of
6-repeaters throughout Ohio and Michigan. Perhaps we did too good of a job,
hence the $15,000,000 for which we were sacrificed by Xavier University so
they could build a pretty new building. Oh well, panta rei: Things change!
Our work now is to find a new radio home (is this even possible in light of
today's radio mindset?) I'll keep you posted should that happen. Meanwhile,
to those of you who have spent your lives preserving these shows--keep up the
good fight! There ARE young people waiting in the wings to carry the torch.
They just need a little more exposure!
Regarding DJ's who had hit records, I recall longtime WCKY Jamboree DJ Nelson
King had a couple of discs released in the 1950's, one being "Deck of Cards."
Cincinnati broadcast pioneer Ruth Lyons wrote and produced two Christmas
albums that sold unbelievable numbers ca. 1960 throughout the Midwest.
Thanks for letting me blow off steam,
Mike Martini
[removed], occasionally someone sends an email my way with a question related to
Cincinnati radio. Since my WVXU email will soon be carted off to the trash
bin, please feel free to use my brand-spankin' new email:
mmartini@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 11:29:57 -0400
From: FRANK A ABSHER <fabsher@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: disc jockey records
Ferlin Husley was a dj at KXLW in St. Louis in 1947 prior to his recording
career.
Canadian ration/tv commentator Gordon Sinclair recorded "The Americans" in
1974.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 12:02:52 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Announcers with Records
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
To add to the on-going list of radio announcers with hit records:
GORDON SINCLAIR: His 1973 pro-American commentary "The Americans
(A Canadian's Opinion)" was set to patriotic music and hit the Billboard Top
40. The 45 version has a B-side giving the broadcasting background of Mr.
Sinclair as recorded by his fellow CBC broadcaster DAVID CRAIG.
BYRON MacGREGOR: Another Canadian broadcaster who took his cover
version of Sinclair's "The American" to the Billboard Top Ten and to Number
One on Cashbox.
HARRY HARRISON: Charted with the Christmas-themed spoken word
recording "May Yoiu Always," which was introduced by DAVE GARROWAY.
WOLFMAN JACK: heard on the Guess Who's tribute song "Clap for the
Wolfman."
MIKE DOUGLAS: if he ever was on radio (apart from being a boy singer for
Kay Kyser), then he qualifies with his release "The Men in My Little Girl's
Life."
VICTOR LUNDBERG: Grand Rapids MI air personality who hit with the
patriotic speech "An Open Letter to My Teenage Son" in 1967.
LES CRANE: hit with a recitation of the Max Ehrmann poem "Desiderata"
which leads us [removed]
NORMAN ROSE: this announcer for one of those "X" s-f shows ("X Minus
One" ? "Dimension X"?--Jim Widner, help!) was heard on National
Lampoon's "Deteriorata," an hilarious send-up of the aforemention
"Desiderata"
KEN NORDINE: did some spoken-word jazz-themed LPs.
SOUPY SALES: started his career at WXYZ/Detroit and had a hit c. 1965
with a novelty dance tune "the Mouse."
RONALD REAGAN: started as a radio sportscaster and recorded some
Americana-themed historical LPs.
PHIL RIZZUTO: our favourite Yankees announcer does the "play-by-play"
in the middle of Meat Loaf''s "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."
JACKSON BECK: he's already been mentioned, but I can corroborate that
he narrated various Superman & Batman story-records in the mid 1960s
for MGM Records kiddie subdidiary "Leo Records."
I hope this helps.
Derek Tague
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 12:12:36 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Addendum to previous
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
I just mentioned the great Jack Beck in connection with the on-going
thread about radio announcers on vinyl by mentioning some Superman
LPs from the mid-1960s on which Jackson narrated. I'd like to add the name
of Superman himself by including Clayton "Bud" Collyer, a radio
announcer in his own right, but honestly cannot remember whether Supes
on those phonograph records was voiced by the radio/cartoon Superman
Collyer, or by the Broadway Superman at the time, Bob Holiday (whom I
call the "forgotten Superman"). I hayde when that happens--maybe some
really cool Superman expert can straighten this all out.
Sniffing too much ether,
Derek Tague
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 13:13:08 -0400
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MERV ON THE RADIO
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In a message dated 8/3/2005 10:06:18 [removed] Eastern Daylight Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
At least I thought Merv did some announcing besides
singing on a radio station in San Francisco in his early career.
They tell me here in Mount Kisco, New York, that Merv started his radio
career here at WVIP and that even then he had many a 'local' as an interview
guest on his show.
would this have been before he began his singing career?
Being as close to manhattan as we are and being the home of many of New
York's celebrity names, these 'locals' were the elite of New York show biz
and it would seem he also got his insights into the interview process here as
well.
WVIP is sadly no longer with us having suffered a fire that caused its
owner to close it down some years before I arrived.
Too bad, I would love nothing better that to relieve my current strife
as a screenwriter and get back on the air with some great music and
interviews.
WVIP indeed.
The VIPs are still here but the W is off the air!
Michael C. Gwynne
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 13:34:14 -0400
From: Dave Parker <dave@[removed];
To: OLD TIME RADIO <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: al jennings
Re Jim Nixons notes on AL [removed] in 1952 I interviewed Ray
Meurer as in Trendle,Campbell, Meurer)...creators/owners of THE LONE
RANGER). It seems that real-life outlaw Al Jennings was the subject
of a show written by Fran Striker in which Al's real-life exploits
were dramatized!
Al was seriously PO'd! But not because he'd been pictured as an
outlaw. That was fine with Al. What outraged him was the WAY In
which he was captured by the Masked Man. As he said --"I could whip
that Lone Ranger with one hand tied behind me. "The Detroit Free
Press ran an article about it on Sept. 28, [removed]'s what the paper
said.
"Gunning for Lone Ranger in court. Old outlaw says show made him a
[removed] neighbors avoided him and little boys wanted to join his
'train robber band'.....[removed] ETC."
Four days later the court decided against AL's $100,000 action,
claiming he was not entitled to the money.
Hope that sheds a bit of light on the world of the Masked Man. It
wasn't EASY riding the trails in those days.
Hi Yo Silver
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 16:07:22 -0400
From: "jazmaan@[removed]" <dmf273@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mildred Bailey
I believe that website you came across may be referencing a record LP containing a couple of great
radio airchecks from the Mildred Bailey show. I've got that lp and it features some fabulous
tunes by Mildred with the Delta Rhythm Boys and Bing Crosby. In fact it was that lp that turned
me into a Mildred Bailey fan with songs including "Rockin Chair", "It All Comes Back to me Now",
and "Bugle Woogie".
If anybody knows where to get MORE of Mildred's radio airchecks, please let me know.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 16:07:46 -0400
From: "Albert" <alkb2ng@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Singing DJ's
Hello,
In the recent discussion concerning announcers and disc jockeys who have had
hit records, every single name mentioned was that of a male. I can perhaps
provide the one exception that proves the rule. During her seven year
contract with Columbia Records from 1953 through 1960, Jill Corey had five
charted hits, starting in fact with her very first recording "Robe of
Calvary." Besides her busy television schedule for most of the decade,
during the 1955-56 season Jill served as disc jockey for some fifty stations
in the College Radio Network. If you go to the very bottom of the following
page, you will find a glowing review of her DJ work by a student at [removed]
dating from October 4, 1955:
[removed]
Albert J. Kopec
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 17:45:06 -0400
From: "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK
Regarding the SAME TIME, SAME STATION listing:
THE MARTIN AND LEWIS SHOW
Episode 15 7-26-49 Guest: Frances Langford
This was actually episode 17. I believe it's numbered 15 because the two
shows that immediately precede it are usually absent from logs (neither show
is in circulation). I obtained the following from NBC archives at the
Library of Congress:
Episode 15: 7-12-49, Guest: Charlie Ruggles
Episode 16: 7-19-49, Guest: Vincent Price
The latter was the team's first show from Hollywood since episode 4 at the
end of April.
Michael
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 19:23:17 -0400
From: Jim Widner <widnerj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Mildred Bailey
RadioAZ@[removed] wrote:
Came across a website with this offering: Mildred Bailey - Radio Shows
Vol. 1 1945. No other info was listed. Anyone know who she was and what
type of shows these are?
Mildred Bailey was a jazz vocalist/Blues singer mainly from the
thirties. She is well known in music circles and sang with the Red Norvo
band for a while since she was also married to him for five years. She
also sang with Paul Whiteman's band.
If these radio shows are from 1945, it would have been when her health
was beginning to fail her. She had diabetes and died in 1951 from
complications.
Jim Widner
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 22:03:35 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Backordered Books
Just a short note to advise folks who may have my book, "The Original
Amos 'n' Andy," waiting on back-order that I've been told those orders
will be filled soon -- the sales department at McFarland tells me that
they're catching up on shipments, and hopefully everyone who's been
waiting will have their books shortly.
Also, a glitch with [removed] that had incorrectly listed the book as
"not yet available" has been corrected, and orders are again being
accepted via [removed]~[removed]. Apologies to anyone
who got the erroneous listing in recent days, and to those who've had to
wait longer than anticipated to get their books.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 22:03:45 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Mildred Bailey
On 8/3/05 10:05 AM [removed]@[removed] wrote:
Came across a website with this offering: Mildred Bailey - Radio Shows Vol.
1 1945
No other info was listed. Anyone know who she was and what type of shows
these are?
Mildred Bailey was a superior jazz vocalist who had her greatest success
in the 1930s. She was one of the first women to tour as a featured singer
with a dance orchestra when she joined Paul Whiteman in the late
twenties, following in the footsteps of her brother Al Rinker (one of the
original Rhythm Boys). She spent several years with Whiteman, and became
even more popular after her marriage to jazz xylophonist Red Norvo and
her affiliation with his band. She was particularly well known for her
renditions of Hoagy Carmichael tunes, but her career was cut short when
she died from diabetes in 1951. She had a very earthy, swingy style, and
her recordings are well worth seeking out.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 23:04:46 -0400
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: KNX airchecks
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
If I'm not mistaken, the 1936 Joe Louis fight once released on a Radiola
record in the 1970s had local sponsored timechecks from KNX, one for Firestone
tire stores and one for a beer. I think there may have even been a Bulova
watch
time bit on there, but my memory is hazy.
Dixon
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 07:45:22 -0400
From: "Mike Hobart" <zines50@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mildred Bailey
radioAZ was asking about Mildred Bailey. According to the BBC:
"Mildred Bailey (1907 - 1951): Singer. A talented and much under-rated
musician, Bailey was one of the earliest white vocalists to catch the
nuances of African-American jazz. She had a good sense of swing, and her
timing underlined the sense of the words she sang. She had a high, somewhat
thin voice, but could hold her own as an improviser and scat singer with the
finest musicians of the swing era - including Coleman Hawkins, Benny Goodman
and her husband from 1933, vibes player Red Norvo.
She and Norvo were so much at the centre of New York's musical life in the
1930s that they were nicknamed 'Mr and Mrs Swing'."
[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #234
*********************************************
Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
including republication in any form.
If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
[removed]
For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]
To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
or see [removed]
For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]
To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]
To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]