Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #409
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 10/19/2002 9:22 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 409
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Tony the Tiger - NOT Roy Glenn        [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      Complete War of the Worlds            [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      Old telephone prefixes                [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
      passing parade                        [ Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@earth ]
      Today in radio history 10/18          [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Walt Disney was on the radio himself  [ Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@earth ]
      The Brennamens                        [ "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@worldnet. ]
      Radio Disney                          [ "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; ]
      Re: Telephone Letters                 [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Roy Glenn                             [ Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed] ]
      more possible on passing parade       [ Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@earth ]
      Radio Disney still here               [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
      old telephone numbers                 [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
      Fwd: Betty Wragge                     [ JayHick@[removed] ]
      Re: WAAM (was Warner Brothers)        [ Mark Stratton <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Old Telephone Numbers                 [ Alan Chapman <[removed]@verizon. ]
      Don Rickles radio announcer           [ "Matthew Bullis" <MatthewBullis@run ]
      Halls of Ivy                          [ "hughes1" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
      Re: "little Godfreys"                 [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
      Mercury Theatre Website               [ Twizoner@[removed] ]
      old time radio clubs near Washington  [ "hughes1" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
      Today in radio history 10/19          [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Old Telephone Numbers                 [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      Disney Network                        [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      Old Telephone Numbers                 [ dougdouglass@[removed] ]
      Wha Hoppen?                           [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:18:54 -0400
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Tony the Tiger - NOT Roy Glenn

    I too had heard that Roy Glenn was the original voice and Elizabeth asked
    for definitive confirmation.    So I went to the horse's mouth and sent an
    e-mail to Kellogg's.

    This is their response:

    <<Thank you for contacting us on-line regarding the voice of Tony the
    Tiger(TM).

    Mr. Thurl Ravenscroft started providing the voice of Tony the Tiger(TM) in
    1952, when he was first introduced. He was the original voice.

    Again, thank you for contacting us; we appreciate your interest in our
    company and products.

    Sara
    Consumer Affairs
    Kellogg Company>>

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:22:21 -0400
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Complete War of the Worlds

    You can get a copy of "The Complete War of the Worlds:  Mars' Invasion of
    Earth from [removed] Wells to Orson Welles" on my favorite used book source:

    [removed]

    I have no connection with the site, but have had wonderful success in finding
    books dating back to the mid-1800s.  Copies range in price from $16 to $51.

    --
    Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:20:21 -0400
    From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Old telephone prefixes

    Diane (DIANEK9331@[removed]) wrote:

>     This morning I was listening to an episode of The Shadow. He stood by a
>     phone booth and watched the man dial the phone. He recited the number as it
>     was dialed "CA428". I understand the meaning of the letters but how did he
>     know it was CA and AC or BB or some other combination of the three letters
>     on the spot?

    Because he knew that only one such combination was used, for those digits,
    in that area.  (The writers perhaps weren't aware that, in dial systems,
    letter prefixes were usually used only with six- or seven-digit numbers; a
    five-digit dial number would usually be given as, for example, 2-2428.)  Now
    in a major city with seven-digit numbering -- which only a few cities, like
    New York, had in most of the OTR era -- there could be, say, both ACademy 2
    and CAstle 8 prefixes, but the third digit would indicate which was which.
    This would only be done if 222 and 228 were served from different central
    offices -- if they were both in the same office they would both have the
    same name to indicate that fact.

    There's a Web site at [removed] with a lot
    of information on the old exchange names, including AT&T's official list of
    recommended names.

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:22:39 -0400
    From: Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  passing parade

    Passing Parade really goes back to 1938, the summer of, when John
    Nesbitt first appeared on CBS radio. In fact the show was sponsored by Gulf
    Oil, and was the forerunner of the Screen Guild Series, sponsored by same.
    It occurred in the same time slot as [removed]

    Passing Parade returned as a summer portion of a program replacing Fibber
    and Molley, 1941 or 1942, summer of, I believe. In fact the Last fibber and
    molley for the season of one of those years has John Nesbitt appearing,
    talking about the Parade.

    It started when John Nesbitt found a couple of trunks full of "strange" but
    quite true clippings and articles having occured over the years.

    Strange as it Seems, runs along a similar line.

    I heard that Paul Harvey, when doing "The rest of the Story" actually
    bought a number of transcriptions of the Passing Parade, and that he might
    have those in his possession, but I cannot substantiate this.

    I am still looking, but .... I have the entire summer CBS run of [removed] in
    storage in one of my storage places. I'd love to find them, because
    virtually the whole series is there. May be missing links, but not sure. I
    had them ina  couple of large fiber containers used for shipping records.

    Now, if you will, I shall get cracking diligently and let you know what I
    find.

    Art Ballinger is the announcer and John had lots of guests on his program,
    including the beloved Dr. Christian, Gene Herscholdt, to tell his life
    story and how he got into the movies.

    Ron Staley

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:22:52 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history 10/18

>     >From Those Were The Days --

    1922 - As the British observed the wild growth of radio in the [removed],
    they realized the potential of broadcasting in their own country, as
    well as the need for its regulation. The British Broadcasting
    Corporation (BBC) was established on this day to monitor the development
    of the radio in Great Britain.

    1943 - The first broadcast of Perry Mason was presented on CBS radio. In
    the 15-minute (Monday-Friday) shows, Perry was played by Barlett
    Robinson, Santos Ortega, Donald Briggs and John Larkin.

      Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:
    [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:23:25 -0400
    From: Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Walt Disney was on the radio himself

    There was a Walt Disney program on in 1934 and 1935, in which Disney
    played Mickey Mouse, which he did on the Mickey Mouse Club.

    Disney loved radio, I believe, but his greatest strength was in hi making
    characters pop out at you through animation.

    The show was sponsored by Hinds Honey Almond Cream, the purveyors of Gracie
    for President when Burns and Allen were sponsored by same.

    Ron Staley

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:24:22 -0400
    From: "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Brennamens

    Stan Ginsberg asked the musical question,

>     With allowances for spelling: Are
>     Amy Brenneman, of 'Judging Amy', and/or Tom Brenneman, the sportscaster,
>     related to Tom Brenneman of OTR fame?

    Thom is the son of long-time Cincinnati Reds radio broadcaster Marty
    BrennAman and is currently employed by Fox for its national games and on Fox
    SportsNet for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Marty was elected to the
    broadcasters wing of the Baseball HOF in 2000 and was preceded in the Reds
    job by some guy named Al Michaels.

    Amy BrennEman is the daughter of attorneys Russell and Frederica Brenneman
    of Connecticut. Her mother was justice of the Connecticut State Supreme
    Court and served as an inspiration for the series.

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:21:08 -0400
    From: "Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Radio Disney

    Mark Kinsler <kinsler33@[removed]; wrote:

>     I was poking through the rather bleak AM radio band that's available on the
>     drive from Lancaster to Columbus, Ohio this morning, and I got to
>     recollecting a rather odd enterprise known as Radio Disney.  This was a
>     satellite network of radio stations that Disney put together a few years ago
>     to carry childrens' programming.  I suspect that it's gone by now.

    Radio Disney is very much alive, and running on some fifty stations around
    the country; its Web site is at
    [removed].

>     Did Disney ever do anything else in radio?

    Nothing I know of before they bought Capital Cities/ABC a few years ago.
    There's been some talk of Disney selling off ABC Radio Networks if they can
    make a good deal.

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:24:59 -0400
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Telephone Letters

    Diane DIANEK9331@[removed] asked:

>     ...an episode of The Shadow. He stood by a phone booth and watched the man
>     dial
>     He recited the number as it was dialed "CA428". ...how did he know it was
>     [removed]

    For a while the phone company established conventions of certain words as
    mnemonic devices to help us remember phone numbers. In Knoxville for example
    my parents' number was MUtual 73222, which was often shortened in speech to
    simply MU 73222. Thus, even though the letters C & A would have been within
    the same hole on the dial, the word that applied, let's say "California,"
    would have been known and likely often shortened to simply CA. However, that
    practice did not start until our local number was lengthened from five digits
    to seven, which Ma Bell thought might be too difficult for us. People were
    not yet accustomed to keeping dozens of numbers in their heads. I've never
    heard of the practice being used for a five digit number, though I suppose
    it's possible it might have been in larger cities. Still, I think, even in
    that time, someone trying to memorize numbers someone was dialing would have
    been unlikely to think in terms of letters.

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:25:36 -0400
    From: Harry Bartell <bartell@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Roy Glenn

    Just in passing I would like to say that Roy Glenn was always a pleasure to
    work with.

    He was an excellent actor with a voice I always wanted and never had, and a
    [removed] can't recall the occasion but I'll always treasure the memory of
    a dinner at Port O' Call restaurant where my wife and I shared a table with
    Roy and his wife and Daws Butler. It was a strange combination but a
    memorable evening.

    Harry Bartell

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:23:09 -0400
    From: Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  more possible on passing parade

    Talk with [removed] I have no influence there any more, but you might want
    to talk with Mr. Robert Gitt, their film preservationist, ask him how one
    might find things, since he has lots of experience with various film archives.

    Ron

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:26:16 -0400
    From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Disney still here

    As Mark Twain might have said , the reports of Radio Disney's demise are
    highly exaggerated. Strictly speaking they do not do anything related to
    OTR type programming, such as Let's Pretend or Jack Armstrong and it's
    debatable whether the struggling broadcast division of Disney would be
    able to finance such productions and gain any credible advertising
    support or whether today's generation would bother to listen to five
    minutes of such programming. The closest thing to "our kind of stuff"
    that RD has done has been some live remotes from their theme parks that
    in part loosely resembled a kids variety show. Most RD programming is
    children's oriented music and disc jockey material.

    Eric Cooper

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:23:33 -0400
    From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
    To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  old telephone numbers

    Diane asked about old tele numbers. You must be a young person Diane!

    In the old days, when I was growing up, telephone numbers were divided into
    exchanges - beginning with a noun. As an example in Houston we had OXford,
    and OX (that's the letter O) would be the first 2 digits of the number.
    There was also MOhawk, and SUnset. My number growing up as a child was
    SU2-1229.

    There were others but I do not remember them. A penalty of old age.

    They were all pre-determined. That's how the Shadow [removed]

    Joe Salerno

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:27:50 -0400
    From: JayHick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Fwd: Betty Wragge

    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/mixed
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    This was sent to me tonight.  Jay Hickerson

    In a message dated 10/18/02 10:02:30 PM, thomas@[removed] writes:

    << My mother Betty Wragge passed away on Sunday October 6th peacefully with
    my
    wife and I by her side.

    As I was looking through the sites/links I remembered your name and
    remembered she had participated in the annual convention.
    I also went as a visitor.

    The  Memorial service will be :
    Date:     Sunday October 27th
    Place:    Riverside Chapel in Manhattan  75th St & Amsterdam
    Time:     2:00pm.

    The NYTimes will have a obituary notice. probably on Wednesday/Thursday

    Question: Do you know where I may obtain CD's or tapes of her
    Radio shows. I believe that the main show was Pepper Youngs Family?

    Elizabeth Wragge, Radio Star, Stage and TV Actress Dead at 85.

    Born in Holland [removed], came to the United States
    when she was 6 years old. She started as a child actress
    on Broadway appearing in more than 10 plays including
    "Dead End"(by Sidney Kingsley) at the Belasco theater.
    Soon after she moved to NBC networks where she performed on more
    Than 10,000 live radio broadcasts including "Pepper Young's Family".
    The show ran from 1932 until 1959.
    Ms. Wragge was in numerous off Broadway plays, summer stock, and television
    soap
    Operas. She is survived by her son Thomas Brooke, daughter-in-law
    Yolanda Hornedo-Brooke, and grandson Justin Brooke and a daughter
    Christina Brooke

    <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
    Thomas Brooke
    Tel: 212-695-4849
    [removed]
    Turning On [removed] >>

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:21:42 -0400
    From: Mark Stratton <[removed]@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: WAAM (was Warner Brothers)

>         But Warner Brothers did lease a station in New York City during the
>     first months of 1926.  WAAM in Newark became WBPI and broadcast from
>     high atop the Warner Theatre just off Times Square.  Warner Brothers
>     Pictures Inc. ran it as a promotional adjunct with a pleasant variety of
>     music, talk and sports.  In April, 1926 the station was returned to
>     owner Ira Nelson who carried it back to Newark and restored the call
>     letters WAAM.  It later became WNEW, of blessed memory.

    What memories this post stirred up.  While I remember listening to my
    first OTR type shows as a boy on WJR/Detroit, I remember the grand days
    of AM Pop Radio, my first exposure to which was on WAAM in Ann Arbor,
    MI.  Being a child of the 70's brings some different Radio memories to
    mind.  My love for WAAM as a kid and the fascination with Radio in
    general I developed led to a nice career in Radio some years later.

    Never got to act in a play, though.

    Cheers,

    Mark Stratton

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:22:01 -0400
    From: Alan Chapman <[removed]@[removed];
    To: Old-Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Old Telephone Numbers

>      He recited the number as it was dialed "CA428". I understand the
>      meaning of the letters but how did he know it was CA and AC or BB or
>      some other combination of the three letters on the spot?

    He read the script!

    --AC

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:28:55 -0400
    From: "Matthew Bullis" <MatthewBullis@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Don Rickles radio announcer

    Hello, I was just listening to an episode of The Whisperer and heard "This
    is Don Rickles speaking." Is this the same Don Rickles that did comedy? It
    doesn't sound like him though, unless he changed his voice for his stand-up
    act, but then I seem to remember someone telling me that there was a kids
    show where Don was Uncle Don, and he swore on the air when he didn't know
    the mike was on and had got kicked off. Any help here would be appreciated.
    Thanks a lot.
    Matthew

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:19:05 -0400
    From: "hughes1" <hughes1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Halls of Ivy

    I was wondering if the Halls of Ivy 2 CDs set of MP3 around robin is still
    working it way through the hobby?  If not is there somebody who would not
    mind burning a set of these shows.  Take care,

    Walden Hughes

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:26:51 -0400
    From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: "little Godfreys"

    Lee Munsick wrote:

>     By the way, Mr. Godfrey did not like to be called
>     "Art".  He abhorred the term "Little Godfreys", thought it distinctly
>     disrespectful and insulting to these talented folk.  It was laid on the
>     media by CBS flacks, and stuck.

    A minor question/point here but, if AG hated the "little" term, why then
    was Tony Marvin allowed to say the phrase "and all the little Godfreys"
    during most intros that he did for Arthur Godfrey Time

    Eric Cooper

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:28:14 -0400
    From: Twizoner@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Mercury Theatre Website

    Sci-Fi Weekly's ([removed]) website of the week, just in time for
    Halloween, features the Mercury Theater.  Located at
    [removed], the site provides a brief history of the
    Mercury Theater and complete logs of both MT & Campbell Playhouse, and Real
    Audio & MP3 options to listen to the shows.  For those interested in the
    upcoming anniversary of the WOTW broadcast, the site provides the opportunity
    to listen to a 1940 conversation between Orson Welles & HG Wells as well as a
    1988 radio special on the WOTW broadcast hosted by Leonard Maltin, author of
    the "The Great American Broadcast" .  Enjoy.

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:28:32 -0400
    From: "hughes1" <hughes1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  old time radio clubs near Washington [removed]

    Does any one have a current contact for the Golden Radio Buff in Marlin, and
    the Metro Era Washington Old Time Radio club.  I had a listeners who would
    be interested in learning about the Clubs.  Take care,

    Walden Hughes

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:29:01 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history 10/19

>     >From Those Were The Days --

    1937 - "The freedom of the press is a flaming sword. Use it justly, hold
    it high, guard it well." The radio classic, Big Town, made its debut on
    CBS. Star reporters at the Illustrated Press, Steve Wilson and Lorelei
    Kilbourne, were played by Edward G. Robinson and Claire Trevor. Tell the
    Story was the theme song. Sponsors included Ironized Yeast tablets and
    Lifebuoy soap.

      Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:
    [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:29:24 -0400
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Old Telephone Numbers

    DIANEK9331@[removed] wrote, about The Shadow watching a man dialing a phone:

>     how did he know it was CA and AC or BB or some
>     other combination of the three letters on the spot?

    Since he was standing so close, he read the man's lips as the man mouthed
    the letters & digits as he dialed them in the phone [removed]
    right?

    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 10:33:45 -0400
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Disney Network

    Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed]; wrote:

>     This was a satellite network of radio stations that Disney put together a
>     few years ago
>     to carry childrens' programming. I suspect that it's gone by now.

    It's still on the air, and it has its own website:
    [removed], which should
    tell you what radio stations carry its programs in your area.

    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 11:16:11 -0400
    From: dougdouglass@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Old Telephone Numbers

    Diane asked how The Shadow would know if someone was dialing CA or AC.
    Since calling was limited to the same or nearby towns, everyone in the
    area knew the local exchange names.

    --- Doug

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

    Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 11:16:16 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Wha Hoppen?

    Sean Dougherty  just posted an update about next weeks FOTR Convention in
    NJ.

>     Please note that while the guest list has changed since the reporter got our
>     press release (no Demarco - Stone reunion, and no Bob Hastings, either),
>     we're still expecting a maximum quotient of fun.

    WHAT!!! Are you telling me that my long awaited reunion with a DeMarco
    Sister that I went to High School with is not going to take place.

    What happened? Did she back out? Or are you folks at FOTR dis-inviting me?

    I can take the absence of Hastings. He's always telling me to [removed] and
    wear a tie at the dinners. But now this?

    (Sigh)

    Oh well. "The Show Must Go On" as we used to say. See you all there! If you
    go, be sure to come up and say hello, and identify yourself as a Digest
    poster/lurker. And if I have a blank look on my face, don't feel bad. That's
    my natural expression. :)

    And, Are you ready? I am going to play roles that will showcase my
    extraordinary vocal range. :) I won't have to do my squeaky voice for a
    change. Come to think of it, the "Squeaky voice" Is my natural sound. When I
    sound like a normal human [removed]'s acting! :)

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #409
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