Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #11
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/11/2002 8:13 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 11
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Lux Radio Theatre                     [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Godfrey's slide trombonists           [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Visual stunts on radio                [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Re: Casablanca                        [ Ga6string@[removed] ]
      Burma Shave signs                     [ "Doug Leary" <doug@[removed]; ]
      CBS Studio Building                   [ dougdouglass@[removed] ]
      RE: Transcribed                       [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
      Radio related cartoons.               [ "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-self ]
      Swor and Lubin                        [ sfx-meow@[removed] (Ray Erlenborn) ]
      Inner Sanctum / Molle Mystery Theate  [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Unissued Correll & Gosden             [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      More anent OTR caricatures            [ leemunsick@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 13:55:42 -0500
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Lux Radio Theatre

    There is a story about the "Lux Radio Theatre" form The Economist
    magazine of December 20, 2001 at:

    [removed]

    Can someone identify the people in the "Hollywood Hotel" photo?  It
    looks like Louella Parsons and Bette Davis in the center.

    If as the article says, all the NYC Lux programs except one are gone,
    that is indeed sad news.  Just last month I had gotten a listing of ten
    NYC Lux programs that recording artist Billy Murray had appeared on and
    I was hoping someone would have them.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 15:50:48 -0500
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Godfrey's slide trombonists

    From: leemunsick@[removed]

>     One was Sy Shaffer, the trombonist who for years, numerous times
>     each day, provided that famous sliding note into the Godfrey
>     themesong, Carmen Lombardo's famous "Seems Like Old Times", made
>     a hit by that constant exposure. ...  Later on, Sy left the Godfrey
>     stable to become musical director of the Vienna State Opera!

    I had thought it was always Lou McGarity on the trombone, but I guess
    that was in the years after Sy left.  If I remember correctly, Lou was
    the same age as Godfrey and died around 1970--and that this jarred
    Godfrey into thinking about his own mortality and led him to finally
    retire.

>     Sy was that silly voice on the record of the "Too Fat Polka",
>     one third of "The Cherry Sisters", the novelty trio on many of
>     the Godfrey recordings, consisting of Sy, clarinetist Johnny Mince,
>     and band leader/arranger Archie Bleyer (later of Cadence Record Fame).

    I don't think any of us knew this--I better tell the guys over on the
    78-L!

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 15:51:29 -0500
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Visual stunts on radio

    From: Joe Mackey--Today in Radio History

>     1943 - The quiz show, The Better Half, was first heard on Mutual
>     radio this day. The program brought four married couples to compete
>     in stunts involving traditional concepts of,‘manhood’ and ‘womanhood’.

    I've been wondering if recordings of this show exist.  There is a film
    of a portion of it in the post-war March of Time film "Radio Today".
    Although some of the parts of this film are staged and are not real
    broadcasts (such as the soap opera segment often seen in other
    documentaries supposedly as a real soap) this part of film looks like a
    legit broadcast.  But it is of a stunt that is so visual, like a "Beat
    the Clock" stunt, it would be interesting to hear how it would go across
    on radio.  The man is inside a dog house and the wife is on the roof of
    the house ready to hit him with a rubber baseball bat if he puts his
    head out the door or window.  Then they win the radio-phono combination
    and they point to it like they always did to prizes on "Let's Make A
    Deal".  But so many of the stunts on "Truth or Consequences" and "People
    Are Funny" were also active and visual, I guess they did have the knack
    of letting us know enough of what was happening--those two shows I
    listend to a lot.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 16:05:00 -0500
    From: Ga6string@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Re: Casablanca

>     Re: Alan Ladd and Hedy Lamarr in Casablanca, Lux Radio Theater, 1/24/44.

    What I found fascinating about this performance was that -- while this movie
    is usually considered the ultimate Bogart film -- in this performance it's
    not Bogart that I miss, but Bergman! I never fully appreciated how perfect
    she was for this role, given her sense of grace, her reserve, her uncertainly
    over her romantic [removed] until I heard this version, in which Hedy
    Lamarr oversells her part (IMHO) just enough to make something feel
    not-quite-right. Did anyone else get that impression?Meanwhile, Ladd is no
    Bogie, but I thought he was more than adequate in his role.

    Bryan Powell

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 17:46:12 -0500
    From: "Doug Leary" <doug@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Burma Shave signs

    Tons of examples are available here, indexed by year (thank god for people
    who have way too much spare time)

    [removed]~dgookin/burma_shave/

    Doug Leary

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 17:51:28 -0500
    From: dougdouglass@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: CBS Studio Building

    Lee Munsick must've "misheard" me :)
    The building still stands, though in a different form.  In 1908, 49 East
    52nd Street was built as a guest house for the Vanderbilt family, who
    sold it in 1924 to the Juilliard School of Music. CBS bought the
    building in 1938, creating a facility in the Art Deco style.  It was
    called "the last word in broadcast design" when the studios opened in
    1940. The final program to originate here was "CBS Radio Mystery
    Theatre" into the '80s.  "49" was sold again and in 1996 was renovated
    as headquarters of a construction firm, with facade in the style of
    Vanderbilt's 1908 guest house.

    ---Doug

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 17:52:52 -0500
    From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: RE: Transcribed

    Jim Murtaugh <JimM@[removed]; writes:

>     I have been listening to a run of the Great Gildersleeve, and the

    announcer says that

>     the show is "partially transcribed". What exactly does that mean? What

    parts of the show >would be transcribed, and what wouldn't?

    Later in the run of "Gildersleeve," economies required that the show be
    produced without a live orchestra. Thus, later episodes with Willard
    Waterman contain pre-recorded musical themes and bridges.

    If you listen to a batch of these shows all at once, the repetitive bridges
    will become rather annoying - primarily because there simply wasn't enough
    of them with suitable variations to fit all the dramatic transitions in the
    show. Thus, one bridge - a deeply mournful lament that musically indicates
    great tragic emotional let-down - is used repeatedly, no matter how
    inappropriate. Leroy's late for supper? Dirge. Marjorie is away for the
    evening? Dirge.

>     >From the tone of this mournful piece, you'd think Summerfield had burned to

    the ground, Leroy had been run down by a bus, Marjorie had taken to drink,
    and Peavey had been arrested for pushing Hadacol to the Junior High crowd!
    No wonder folks like Elliott Lewis continued to push for live music - *any*
    live music, no matter how sparce - on the remaining radio anthology series.

    I expect also that "partially transcribed" would indicate pre-recorded
    commercials as well, but I don't recall this being the case with the
    "Gildersleeve" shows I refer to here. However, it has been awhile since
    I've heard them so I could be mistaken.

    Harlan

    Harlan Zinck
    First Generation Radio Archives [removed]
    Want our free newsletter? mailto:newsletter@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 19:07:49 -0500
    From: "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Radio related cartoons.

    Two, both Warners, come to mind immediatly.

    1)  Daffy The Commando (1943)  Daffy is being chased by a german soldier
    of some sort, who through some circumstances runs into a phone booth.  He
    picks up the reciever and barks the [removed]"Hello!  Jules!  I vant you
    [removed], is vat you Mert?"

    2)  The Mouse That Jack Built (1958 or so)  The Jack Benny cast as mice.
    'Nuff said.  If anyone has a copy of this one, I would love to have it.

    rodney.

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 19:48:20 -0500
    From: sfx-meow@[removed] (Ray Erlenborn)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Swor and Lubin

    I worked in 1920's Vaudeville, and as I remember, at the [removed] Hippodrome
    Theater on Main Street, I worked with a Blackface team called "Swor and
    Good".
    Yes, one of them, as I recall used a stutter. I did hear the team in
    radio, later and presumed that Good had merely changed his name.
    (Vaudeville teams often changed their names giving the bookers the idea
    it was a new act they were sending out to California theaters.)
    In the 30,s, when I was MCing and writing the "Marco Dog and Cat food
    Juvenile Review" on KNX/radio, I stole a few of their jokes and also any
    other "Witty Sayings"   I recalled from my vaudeville days. Also, as I
    recall, Swor ad Good dressed as a Dude and a Tramp.
    I miss the Black Face and other Ethnic comics of the old days!
    Ray.

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

    Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 23:25:09 -0500
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Inner Sanctum / Molle Mystery Theater

    Ryan O asked:

>     I heard my first episode of the Molle Mystery Theater last weekend.  It was
>     called, "Talk Them to Death."  I was quite impressed!  I'm wondering if
>     anyone out there can tell me more about this show.  Is it worth collecting,
>     or is it of the cheap horror caliber of Inner Sanctum?

    First off, Molle Mystery Theater underwent numerous changes as the years
    passed.  The first few years was merely an anthology of mysteries ranging
    from a Fu Manchu and Philip Marlowe novels, [removed] Jacobs and Cornell Woolrich
    short stores, and scripts from other mystery programs (some included the
    very scripts previously performed on Inner Sanctum).

    THE MOLLE MYSTERY THEATRE
    Episode #178  "TALK THEM TO DEATH"  Broadcast on June 27, 1947.
    Starring: Ralph Bell, Mary Shipp and Everett Sloane
    Script written by Walter Brown Newman.
    Music composed and conducted by Alexander Semmler.
    Broadcast originating from New York.  Host: Bernard Lenrow
    Sponsored by Molle Shave Cream, Sterling Drugs, and Ironized Yeast.
    Dan Seymour is the announcer.
    Trivia: This episode is also known as "Murder Under the Big Top".

    Regarding the Inner Sanctum series by comparison, there was a big difference
    (besides the fact that Molle didn't have a jovial host making jokes like
    Tales from the Crypt's Crypt Keeper).  Molle offered serious mysteries
    written by masters of suspense such as Agatha Christie, Anthony Boucher,
    Oliver Onions and Lawrence Blockman.  Inner Sanctum only offered original
    stories (very rarely offering adaptations and those were mostly Edgar Allan
    Poe stories).  The early episodes of Inner Sanctum (primarily the first four
    seasons) were especially creepy, using real horror playing out the tension
    between the opener and solution.  The later episodes (about the time Lipton
    took over sponsorship) were more mystery than horror.  So there is a
    difference.

    To name examples of some of the early horror Inner Sanctum notables:

    Episode #141  "MR. ZENITH"  Broadcast September 11, 1943.
    Starring: Leslie Woods and Santos Ortega
    Produced and directed by Himan Brown.
    Sponsored by Colgate Palmolive Shave Cream.
    Host: Raymond Edward Johnson
    Plot:  A creepy tale concerning a cool character who got that way by being a
    bit on the shady side.  Mr. Zenith is on the trail of a precious jewel box
    which was stolen from a mountain temple in Nepal.  As guardian spirit of the
    mountain Kajeeling, he is quite accustomed to putting the finger of death on
    anyone who evokes his displeasure.  And the results of this instance are
    solid - frozen solid.

    Episode #81  "THE GARDEN OF DEATH"  Broadcast July 19, 1942.
    Starring: Elsie Hitz and Karl Swenson
    Produced and directed by Himan Brown.
    Sponsored by Lever Brothers.
    Host: Raymond Edward Johnson
    Plot:  Swenson plays a mad botanist-scientist engaged in the art of
    transforming sweet smelling roses into horrible monsters which devour little
    children and old ladies.

    Episode #31  "THE TELL-TALE HEART"  Broadcast August 3, 1941.
    Starring Boris Karloff, Everett Sloane and Santos Ortega.
    Hell, you all know the plot, just imagine Boris Karloff as the killer whose
    madness grows, as does the sound of the beating heart.  This episode exists
    on tape and comes highly recommended.  Creepy.

    Episode #101  "THE MUMMY'S CURSE"  Broadcast on December 6, 1942.
    Starring: Arnold Moss and Ann Seymour
    Written exclusively for Inner Sanctum by Milton Lewis.
    Produced and directed by Himan Brown.
    Sponsored by Lever Brothers.
    Host: Raymond Edward Johnson
    Plot:  A truly "petrifying" story with a harrowing whodunit with Arnold Moss
    playing the role of a revenge-mad Egyptian scientist who has discovered the
    ancient formula used by the Pharoahs for embalming and mummifying the dead.
    He gets wrapped up in his work and by aventing fancied wrongs and killing
    off a few of his imagined enemies, and embalms them and ships them home for
    posterity.  When his wife, the lovely pawn of his evil mechinations,
    discovers what the turbaned terror is doing, she finds herself the next
    [removed]

    So as you can see, compared to demon plants, werewolves, vampires and mad
    Egyptian mummies, Molle Mystery Theatre was far more tame.  But I wouldn't
    want to label Inner Sanctum as "cheap horror caliber" - it did cover a lot
    of horror ground.
    Martin

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

    Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:57:55 -0500
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Unissued Correll & Gosden

    When I saw the list of Sam 'n' Henry bianaries a few days ago I also
    immediately realized they were the Victor records, not broadcasts.  But
    I took the easy way out and let Elizabeth answer because I knew she
    would anyway.  But after looking at her answer I realized that none of
    us had yet checked with BMG to see whether any masters of the unissued
    recordings or alternate takes of the issued recordings still exist.

    So I emailed a friend at BMG who came up with some exciting news.  There
    are some masters of unissued titles and alternate takes still in the
    Victor vault.  To keep this readable I won't include the matrix numbers
    here, but anybody who wants them can get them from me.

    Of the comedy routines, takes one of both unissued routines recorded on
    July 6, 1927 exist, "Sam 'n' Henry Playing Poker" and "Sam 'n' Henry
    Explaining Expenses".  Unfortunately there are no masters for the other
    unissued routines: "Sam 'n' Henry At the Shooting Gallery" of 20 April
    1926, "Sam 'n' Henry In Court (Violating Traffic Regulations)" and "Sam
    'n' Henry Driving In Traffic" both from 7 Oct 1926, and the last two Sam
    'n' Henry recordings made on 8 December 1927--the final month of the
    radio series--"The Doctor Calls On Sam" and "Henry Talks To Sam On
    Business".

    There is an alternate take for "Sam's Big Night" of 7 July 1927, "The
    Presidential Election--Parts 1 and 2" of 17 July 1928, "I'se Regusted
    (Take Off That Shoe)" of 4 April 1930, and TWO alternate takes of the
    final Victor recording "Check And Double Check (In The Gymnasium)" of
    the same date.  These alternate takes could show the team's working
    relationship in this early era.

    They also recorded many songs, and on a few of them they are "assisted
    by Sam 'n' Henry" or they talk to each other in their regular speaking
    voices.  There are masters for four unissued songs in the vault, and I
    know Elizabeth will be very excited to know that takes one of their
    first two recordings exist!  That's "Blinky Moon Bay" and "The Kinky
    Kids' Parade" of 21 December 1925.  The latter of these two has been
    discussed by Elizabeth as one of Gosden and Correll's first big
    successes on Chicago radio.  Here in Kentucky I take pleasure in noting
    that take 2 exists of "Just A Bird's Eye View Of My Old Kentucky Home"
    from 25 Sept 1926.  Lastly, take 1 of "Liza" exists from 4 December
    1927.  Until these four masters are heard we have no way of knowing
    whether or not they talk on these in their own voices or perhaps as Sam
    'n' Henry.  "Liza" is particularly interesting becuase not only was this
    song an important part of the career of Al Jolson, the name of Sam's
    girlfriend back in Birmingham is Liza.

    There is an alternate take for each of these songs: "Let's Talk About My
    Sweetie" of 2 March 1926 which was "assisted by Sam 'n' Henry" in the
    issued take, "I Found A Round-About Way To Heaven" and "Georgiana" both
    of 26 May 1926, "I Never Knew What The Moonlight Could Do" and "I Just
    Wanna Be Known As Susie's Feller" both of 29 Sept 1926, "No Wonder I'm
    Happy" and "Somebody And Me" both of 6 July 1927, and "What'll You Do"
    and "Oh! Look At That Baby" both of 4 Dec 1927.  These alternate takes
    would be interesting to show if they alter any spoken patter.

    Unfortunately that leaves a few unissued songs with no existing masters
    or copies.  "Where'd You Get Those Eyes" and "When The Red Red Robin
    Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along" both of 26 May 1926, and "Changes" of 4 Dec
    1927.

    The titles I didn't mention here either have no masters in the vault (5
    issued sides) or the masters are of the issued takes (15 issued sides).
    All in all we are amazed that so many unissued and alternate takes
    exist.  The only problem is that we might never get to hear them.  You
    see, this is the difference between the archive of a private company and
    that of a public institution like the Library of Congress or the
    National Archives.  These masters exist for the use of BMG only.  So the
    only way these can be even heard would be if there would be a good
    reason--such as a reissue.  With all of the controversy it would be
    impossible to imagine BMG ever considering reissueing any of these.
    They did reissue "The Dairy" back in the 1960s on an RCA Victor Vintage
    Series album of comedy records, and I seem to recall an issue of at
    least part of "The Presidental Election" but that's all that has been
    done legitimately in 70 years.  Our only hope, perhaps, is that
    Elizabeth will find a publisher to publish a book of all of her research
    who would also want to finance a companion CD that would include all of
    this unissued material as bait.  C'mon Elizabeth, how 'bout it?

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:58:42 -0500
    From: leemunsick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: More anent OTR caricatures

    Thanks to Hal Stone for his disclosure of a series of NBC caricatures by an
    artist whose name I hope someone here will recall.  I have several of
    them.  When I can find and unpack them, I can identify the artist, if that
    hasn't already been posted here.

    Al Hirschfeld did many such items for CBS, I would guess in the
    1950s.  Probably the one most of us will recognize is Jack Benny.  His was
    used as the opening slide on the Benny TV programs for years, and in most
    of the circulating videos I've ever seen of his shows.  The same holds true
    of the famous Alfred Hitchcock profile on his programs, which I'm fairly
    sure was by Hirschfeld.  If it wasn't, it was an emulation!  The [removed]
    series included virtually every major CBS performer of that late
    radio/early TV era.

    Many Hirschfeld items have been published in albums.  A few years back, an
    auction house had a major sale of his items, which was preceded by a
    substantial catalog showing many of them.  Anything by this prolific artist
    commands a substantial price.

    I believe the CBS originals were all in black and white. They included Ed
    Sullivan, Garry Moore, and Arthur Godfrey.  Hirschfeld also did at least
    one Godfrey portrait for a TV Guide cover, which leads me to believe there
    were undoubtedly many of other TV performers, a lot of whom were or had
    been radio stars.  There may have been other Godfrey Hirschfeld covers; Mr.
    G was featured on TV Guide with 16 or more covers, more than anyone else
    except Lucille Ball, who exceeded him by several more.

    This may be a good opportunity to remind readers that CBS was not at all
    sure of the "I Love Lucy" show because of their wariness of Desi Arnaz.  So
    CBS flooded the air waves with publicity about the show in advance of its
    premiere, and just in case, put it on the air in the best possible lead-in
    situation they could find:  right after the top-rated Arthur Godfrey's
    Talent Scouts.  Some time later, it would take the popularity of the Lucy
    show to which it helped contribute, for the Talent Scouts program to be
    nudged into second place by the Lucy show.  BTW, dare I assume that these
    readers know that Lucille Ball was NOT a redhead?

    TV Guide is of course that venerable descendant from the original Radio
    Guide, of the same format but larger size.  Like at every other major
    magazine and newspaper in the 1950s, its editors realized that by putting
    Arthur Godfrey on their cover, they could sell out a substantially
    increased press run, and attract more than their usual quota of
    advertisers, often at increased rates.  It was virtually impossible to
    enter a news or magazine store in the 1950s without seeing Godfrey's mug
    staring out of the cover of several magazines.  On many of them, Mr.
    Godfrey is on the cover in a picture and/or headline, but the story inside
    is actually about Janette Davis, Frank Parker, Marion Marlowe, Tony Marvin,
    The Chordettes, McGuire Sisters, or others of the "Little Godfreys".

    Clever idea, what?  Sell more copies!  Attract more listeners!  Con more
    people!  Isn't it strange that the media of today don't do things like
    that.  Harrumpff!

    Good hunting!  Lee Munsick

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #11
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