------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2008 : Issue 116
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Re: The lost special [ Alldavid@[removed] ]
5-6 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
SPERDVAC 2008! [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
Once more, with feeling [ Wich2@[removed] ]
RE: The Lost Special [ "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@[removed] ]
Re: "O Superman" [ jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns) ]
SPERDVAC in the News [ seandd@[removed] ]
RIP Ted Key [ Ben Ohmart <benohmart@[removed]; ]
High Book Prices [ "Tony Bandy" <[removed]@[removed]; ]
L. Welk [ Jody Davis <baroygis@[removed]; ]
Bob [removed] [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 22:06:38 -0400
From: Alldavid@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: The lost special
In a message dated 5/4/2008 10:20:43 [removed] Eastern Daylight Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:
This same short story was the basis for a number of SHERLOCK HOLMES radio
broadcasts, even though the story never had Holmes in the story.
Actually, the story did have Sherlock Holmes in it,
although he was not mentioned by name. Doyle,
as probably everybody knows, did not like writing Holmes stories,
but recognized the series as the basis for his livelihood.
In two mystery stories, including "The Lost Special," the media
in the story quote an unnamed expert (but clearly Holmes)
confessing that he is completely baffled by the problem --
just a little dig that wouldn't destroy his cash cow.
David Hatch
Columbia, MD
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:10:26 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 5-6 births/deaths
May 6th births
05-06-1882 - William E. Scripps - Michigan - d. 6-12-1952
Founded WWJ in Detroit, Michigan
05-06-1899 - Billy Cotton - London, England - d. 3-25-1969
bandleader: "Wakey Wakey!!"
05-06-1900 - Dave Elman - Park River, ND - d. 12-5-1967
emcee: (The Dean of American Hobbyists) "Hobby Lobby"
05-06-1906 - Mathilde Ferror - d. 11-26-1990
writer: "Lorenzo Jones"
05-06-1908 - Parkyakarkus (Harry Einstein) - Boston, MA - d. 11-24-1958
comedian: "Eddie Cantor Show"; "Al Jolson Show"; "Meet Me at Parkys"
05-06-1910 - Alice Reinheart - San Francisco, CA - d. 6-10-1993
actor: Anne Williams "Casey, Crime Photographer"; Jean Abbott "Abbott
Mysteries"
05-06-1911 - Artie Bland - d. 3-4-2002
disk jockey: KWBU Corpus Christi, Texas
05-06-1911 - Frank Nelson - Denver, CO - d. 9-12-1986
actor, comedian: Anthony J. Lyon "Jeff Regan"; nemisis "Jack Benny
Program"
05-06-1912 - Bill Quinn - NYC - d. 4-29-1994
actor: Guy Aldis "Against the Storm"; Tom Davis "When a Girl Marries"
05-06-1913 - Carmen Cavallaro - NYC - d. 10-12-1989
bandleader: (The Poet of the Piano) "Schaeffer Revue"; "Tums Tune Time"
05-06-1913 - Douglas Stewart - Eltham, New Zealand - d. 2-14-1985
writer: "The Fire On the Snow"
05-06-1913 - Stewart Granger - London, England - d. 8-16-1993
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
05-06-1914 - Arline Blackburn - NYC
actor: Kitty Kelly "Pretty Kitty Kelly"; Eileen Turner "The O'Neills"
05-06-1914 - Ken Englund - Chicago, IL - d. 8-10-1993
writer: "Three Sheets to the Wind"
05-06-1915 - Orson Welles - Kenosha, WI - d. 10-10-1985
actor: Lamont Cranston/Shadow "The Shadow"; "Mercury Theatre on the Air"
05-06-1917 - Bob Murphy - Bismarck, ND - d. 10-25-1959
announcer: "The Breakfast Club"
05-06-1926 - Marguarite Piazza - New Orleans, LA
singer: "Encore"
05-06-1928 - Doreen Clarke - Middleton, England
writer: "Oh, The Apple Tree"; "The Name of Your Uncle"
05-06-1941 - Ghena Dimitrova - Sofia, Bulgaria - d. 7-11-2005
operatic soprano: "Metropolitan Opera"
05-06-1945 - Richard Eyer - Santa Monica, CA
actor: Bobby "My Friend Irma"
May 6th deaths
01-24-1909 - Ann Todd - Hartford, Cheshire, England - d. 5-6-1993
actor: Amy Foster "Those We Love"
03-23-1920 - Maurice Marsac - La Croix, France - d. 5-6-2007
actor: French Teacher "Our Miss Brooks"
04-02-1911 - Bill Days - St. Louis, MO - d. 5-6-2002
singer: (Member Sportsmen Quartet) "Jack Benny Program"
04-27-1899 - Ned Wever - NYC - d. 5-6-1984
actor: Dick Tracy "Dick Tracy"; Anthony Loring "Young Widder Brown"
05-13-1907 - Warren Angell - Brooklyn, NY - d. 5-6-2006
singer: "Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians"
05-17-1908 - Joe Grant - NYC - d. 5-6-2005
writer: "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-31-1900 - Hugh Studebaker - Ridgeville, IN - d. 5-6-1978
actor: Ichabod Mudd "Captain Midnight"; Silly Watson "Fibber McGee
and Molly"
06-23-1925 - Larry Blyden - Houston, TX - d. 5-6-1975
actor: "Radio City Playhouse"; "Cavalcade of America"
07-04-1909 - Al Jarvis - Winnipeg, Canada - d. 5-6-1970
disc jockey, songwriter: "Make-Believe Ballroom"
07-15-1923 - Herb Sargent - Philadelphia, PA - d. 5-6-2005
writer: Wrote for radio in the 1940s
08-09-1901 - Charles Farrell - Onset Bay, Cape Cod, MA - d. 5-6-1990
actor: Verne Albright "My Little Margie"
08-17-1888 - Monte Woolley- NYC - d. 5-6-1963
actor: Edwin Montague "Magnificent Montague"
09-20-1908 - Lowell Hawley - Lynden, WA - d. 5-6-2003
screenwriter: "Art Baker's Notebook"
09-26-1901 - Ted Weems - Pitcairn, PA - d. 5-6-1963
bandleader: "Fibber McGee and Molly"; "Sunday Matinee"; "Beat the Band"
10-06-1893 - Milton Ager - Chicago, IL - d. 5-6-1979
composer of many songs broadcast on radio
10-10-1910 - Don Hancock - Anderson, IN - d. 5-6-1980
announcer: "The Goldbergs"; "Ellery Queen"; "Vox Pop"
10-17-1923 - Barney Kessel - Muskogee, OK - d. 5-6-2004
jazz guitarist: "Jubilee"; "One Night Stand"; "Just Jazz"
11-09-1916 - Norwood Anderson - d. 5-6-2005
disk jockey: "Town and Party Line" WFTC Kingston, North Carolina
11-26-1907 - Henry "Hot Lips" Levine - London, England - d. 5-6-1989
trumpeter, conducter: "Chamber Music of Lower Basin Street";
"Strictly from Dixie"
12-27-1901 - Marlene Dietrich - Berlin, Germany - d. 5-6-1992
actor: Mlle. Madou, "Cafe Istanbul"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:14:57 -0400
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: SPERDVAC 2008!
I returned from SPERDVAC 2008 yesterday and wanted to report on the
proceedings. Although I am a long-time FOTR convention attendee (and board
member) and have attended REPS several times, my schedule never before
allowed my to attend SPERDVAC and even in 2008 it can still draw a crowd and
pack a punch.
As is usual for OTR conventions these days, the best parts were found at the
dinner tables and in the hallways, less so on the stage, although Chuck
McCann, Eddie Carroll and others put on absolutely amazing recreation of The
Great Gildersleeve, giving ample support to Shirely Mitchell recreating her
original roll as Lelia Ransom.
The Lone Ranger and Jack Benny Show recreations on Saturday night probably
would have worked better if the actors weren't competing with an
unfortunately scheduled wedding that was taking place on the other side of a
very thin wall in the back of the performance space. The latin music
reverberating through however did lead to an absolutely Benny-esque ad-lip
by Carroll. When the plot of the episode they were recreating shifted to
Mexico, he put in a line about "sounds like the party next door" and broke
up the audience and the cast in true "Drear Pooson" fashion, so kudos for
that.
That said, the thrill of the convention was meeting and sharing two meals
with June Foray - whose real voice sounds more like Witch Hazel than Granny
or Rocky the Flying Squirrell. As usual with the biggest stars, she was a
delightful lady and quite gracious to me. She even gave me her copy of her
Gildersleeve script (she performed admirably as Birdie - I'm not sure anyone
told her the character is black, which almost certainly helped).
Interestingly - she noted that she gets no royalties from the very popular
DVD collections of Rocky & Bullwinkle ("not that I need the money," she
added) but did seem a bit peeved at the Ward heirs for the way they are
handling things. She also noted that the last time she flew was to Japan to
receive an award and the flight blew both her eardrums. As she is still an
in-demand voice-over artist and being deaf puts a crimp in your style in
that profession, she has decided never to fly again, much to the chagrin of
anyone recruiting for other OTR conventions. She also related that she
turned down a part on "Fraiser" because being on camera is too much trouble
for the money they pay you. A true radio person even now!
It was also very special to see Stan Freberg in person introducing the
recreations on Saturday night and noting that he is SPERDVAC member #1.
While I didn't get a chance to speak with him directly, it was amusing to be
out in the hall between performances calling my wife to say good night and
notice that he was about three feet away from me doing the same thing (well,
it was his wife, not my wife, but you get my point).
It was also a pleasure catching up with cartoon voice-over actress Corrinne
Orr, who was just back from the premier of the new "Speed Racer" movie and
noted that she and Suspense writer Peter Fernandez have cameos in it. As
far as the quality of the movie - "they made some interesting choices," is
as much as I'll relate in public. She is hoping to return to Newark for
FOTR this year and perhaps once again share the stage with Simon Jones (we
can only hope).
I also had an extended Sunday morning conversation with Ivy Bethune
("Superman") who at 90 is still working and recently fired her agent for
causing her to miss out on casting opportunities on "Malcolm in the Middle"
and a movie. Ivy has a part as a crazy Russian woman in the upcoming "Get
Smart" remake. She noted sadly that people she knows who have seen the
trailer think it is dated and is afraid the movie won't do well. Bethune is
herself Russian and a union organizer back when, which together caused her
to be blacklisted. That led her to put her daughter in show business, as
sympathetic casting agents who couldn't use her cast her daughter as a
Gerber Baby or something so the family would have some income. She had
thought about returning to Russia during that period but knew she would
never be allowed back in the [removed] if she tried it, so she stuck it out until
the mess blew over. She also notes as a life-long union person that Equity
is at this point pricing its members out of a lot of work and wonders if the
current system is really serving all of its membership.
Equally delightful was Marsha Hunt, who appeared with Edgar Bergen and among
other roles played Blanche Bickerson opposite Don Ameche when Frances
Langford was travelling with the Bob Hope show during the war.
She had many great stories and memories about Norman Corwin as well.
Seeing Fred Foy and his family also never gets old - another great Lone
Ranger recreation on Saturday night. Foy's friends Richard Benjamin and
Paula Prentiss were in the audience. You rarely get surprise guests that
famous at conventions in Newark in Seattle. Beverly Washburn was also
tremendous, and even gave me her Jack Benny script (she played Mary), which
was interesting to read through as there were so many ad-libs in the
performance.
And last, and certainly first, was being able to meet, shake hands with and
speak with Norman Corwin on Sunday morning just before rushing to the
airport to be early for my flight (the hotel was really conservative with
the estimate on how long it would take me to get back to LAX). What a
tremeous thrill to be able to thank him for all he has given to radio and to
have him express thanks to the audience for a standing ovation when he
entered the room. That was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will
remember forever. Considering that his life these days must consist 90% of
strangers bothering him while he's eating to say something he's heard
thousands of times and won't remember 30 minutes later - he exactly how you
would hope your idol would be if you meet him.
I don't mean to slight all the fun I had with the not-so-famous people who
were hanging around but that might not be of as general interest to the
digest, but hi to Stuart, Rich, Gary, Walden, Barbara, Bobb, Bryan, Joy,
Penny, Anthony, and so on.
I also want to commend the SPERDVAC audience for actually asking questions
that don't require a 15-minute preamble during the panel sessions. It is
possible.
Thanks very much to Waldon and all the little Hugheses for making this great
event possible for treating me so well as a guest. I hope he was serious
when he said on Saturday that he's taking only one week off before starting
on the next convention.
If they remain in May I may make a habit of it!
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:16:25 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Once more, with feeling
Dear Kermyt-
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
I remember
reading someplace that The Lost Special could have been a Holmes story
As I posted here recently, that depends on how you mean "could have been."
Arthur Conan Doyle emphatically wrote it as a NON-Sherlock tale; there is
even
a little in-joke in the original about that.
I wonder
if the Escape script was perhaps recycled or inspired by one of the
earlier Holmes radio adaptations? Do the scripts of these lost Holmes
versions exist
As I wrote, one certainly does. It was the source of Bill Nadel's excellent
recreation a few FOTR's ago. I don't know if the script is generally
available, though; Bill is a member of the Edith Meiser (she who wrote it)
Foundation.
and if so, could somebody see if they were reused for
Escape?
It would've taken massive re-working, as Edith had done a great deal of same
weaving The Great Detective and The Good Doctor into the tale.
Incidentally, the text of "The Lost Special" is widely available
online
The estimable Fred Berney may be able to furnish interested parties with a
recording of the our FOTR version. It went over very well, thanks to a cast
including Bill Owen, Kevin Scullin, Corinne Orr, Bobb Lynes, George Ansbro,
Barbara Watkins, Ruth Last, Jimmy [removed]
...and meself as Sherlock Holmes (though, mysteriously, you wouldn't have
known that from that year's Program!)
Best,
-Craig Wichman
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:17:22 -0400
From: "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE: The Lost Special
In The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2008 : Issue 115
Kermyt asked regarding The Lost Special:
I wonder if the Escape script was perhaps recycled
or inspired by one of the earlier Holmes radio adaptations?
In all probability the script for the February 12, 1949 ESCAPE
production of The Lost Special was not recycled from an earlier HOLMES radio
adaptation. It was adapted from the Conan Doyle story for ESCAPE by Les
Crutchfield. The lead role of Scotland Yard Inspector Collins was played by
Ben Wright. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson do not appear in this
production.
Do the scripts of these lost Holmes versions exist,
and if so, could somebody see if they were reused for
Escape?
Several copies of the SHERLOCK HOLMES script for The Lost Special,
which was broadcast on November 18, 1934, exist in the
Edith Meiser Collection
University of Minnesota Libraries
Elmer L. Andersen Library
222-21st Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
She donated her collection of Sherlockian manuscripts and related
material to the University of Minnesota in 1986.
Signing off for now,
Stewart
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:17:43 -0400
From: jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: "O Superman"
Gee whiz.
I got all excited there for a moment because I thought Dave Rogers was
about to announce a BBC radio production of the erotic classic, THE
STORY OF [removed]
As it might have happened, on Krypton!
(In the Phantom Zone?)
Did Mort Weisenger create an erogenous zone, for members of the bottled
city of Kandor?
In all [removed]
;-)
Jim Burns
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 11:36:08 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: SPERDVAC in the News
SPERDVAC's Jerry Williams gets some local media coverage today:
[removed]
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 12:59:30 -0400
From: Ben Ohmart <benohmart@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RIP Ted Key
I know he doesn't have much of a connection to otr,
but I lament greatly the passing of cartoonist Ted
Key, best known for creating Hazel. He did have a
radio play published in one of the Best of series. He
was also a good friend of mine. We traded letters for
a number of years until last Sept. when he had a
stroke and physically/mentally couldn't continue. I'll
be publishing his autobiography sometime soon - he
kept saying he wasn't in a hurry; now I'm sorry he
didn't live to see it published. Neither did Robie
Lester. But Ted died peacefully, and can now join all
his old cartoonist friends.
Ben Ohmart
Old radio. Old movies. New books.
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 13:00:14 -0400
From: "Tony Bandy" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: High Book Prices
Dear List,
I have not really posted much, mostly just enjoying the information, but
considering the book publishing, I found a site called [removed]
I've never used it, not endorsing it, but just throwing it out for everyone
to know about. Evidently, there is no charge to publish the [removed]
what I can tell.
Of course, one might want to consider writing books for the [removed]
be a great way to introduce everyone to OTR?
Thanks for being a great list!
Tony
Tony Bandy
[removed](at)[removed]
BLOG: [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 13:16:50 -0400
From: Jody Davis <baroygis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: L. Welk
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
I'm not sure how many Lawrence Welk fans know that he hosted a syndicated
radio show after the syndie television show ended. "Broadcasting" magazine
used to run display ads for the show almost every week in the mid-80s. I know
this because I have an aircheck of one such show. I'm on the road now, so I
can't access [removed] it's from 1985, give or take a year. I was considering
buying a minority interest in an AM station in southern Indiana and was
looking for possible programming.
The syndicated radio Welk show was professionally produced, with the host
making sure he maxed out his trademark catchphrases each week. The dialogue
between the maestro and the announcer (can't remember his name without
listening to the aircheck) was a tad contrived. But [removed] fan of the
TV show would have made it appointment listening each week.
Jody Davis
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 17:59:08 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bob [removed]
Folks;
A reminder that on today's Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio, Bob
Edwards interviews Bob Elliott - lots of interspersed clips of classic Bob
and Ray bits, too!
You can hear the interview by going to XM OnLine at
[removed] and signing up for a free sample account. Once you
have it set up, tune to XM channel 133 any time until tomorrow morning at
8:00am eastern (the show loops there all day long), or check it out this
weekend where it will run every fifth hour all weekend long in rotation with
the shows from the rest of the week.
Charlie
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2008 Issue #116
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