------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 407
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
The Passing Parade (was: Does anyone [ "Jan Willis" <jlwillis@[removed]; ]
Re: Orson Welles/Harry Lime/SPERDVAC [ GOpp@[removed] ]
AG & KDWB [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
Roy Glenn [ ArtsMilitaria@[removed] (Arthur Fun ]
You da man [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
Old Telephone Numbers [ DIANEK9331@[removed] ]
Are the Brennemans related? [ STANLEY GINSBERG <[removed]@[removed] ]
pre-order otr fiction book [ bloodbleeds@[removed] ]
Bergen Record on FOTR [ Kubelski@[removed] ]
Re: Warner Bros. radio [ Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed]; ]
writers [ "Elizabeth Minney" <epminney@wcsonl ]
WAR OF THE WORLDS- last ditch effort [ jef olson <jefolson2000@[removed]; ]
Disney [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
FRANK GORSHIN AS GEORGE BURNS, ON BR [ jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns) ]
Edward R. Hamilton booksellers [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
Our Miss Brooks date [ "welsa" <welsa@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 17:50:17 -0400
From: "Jan Willis" <jlwillis@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Passing Parade (was: Does anyone know of
where I [removed])
Alison from the UK asked about the availability of copies of the M-G-M
short subject series, John Nesbitt's _The Passing Parade_, on behalf of
Nesbitt's grandson.
Just a couple of more thoughts, Alison.
I'd recommend starting at the top, with Tom Karsch, the head of TCM.
[removed]
I think he might be very interested in a request from the grandson of John
Nesbitt.
Mr. Karsch, in his time as the head of the channel, has shown a real love
of the movies
and their history.
Write or call his office, at:
Turner Classic Movies
1050 Techwood Drive,
Atlanta, GA 30318
Front Desk Phone - - (404) 885-5535
As has been mentioned ,TCM does indeed have all of the shorts, which they
number at 72.
[removed]#passing_parade
A block of those were showcased as part of the Short Subjects
festival on the channel, one night, in early 2002.
Like many here, I imagine, I taped those five, listed below - -
The Passing Parade #1 (1938)
New Roadways (1939), the second in the series
The Story of Alfred Nobel (1939), the third in the series
Yankee Doodle Goes to Town (1939)
Forgotten Victory (1939)
I've also lucked on many others in the series, too, with my VCR,
when they are shown as unannounced, in-between the features "filler" on the
channel.
[[ Of course, these are in NTSC format, in case Mr. Nesbitt's grandson can
play only PAL videotapes]]
Alison, would you pass along to Mr. Nesbitt's grandson that they're NOT
"filler" to many of us,
who l-o-v-e seeing these shorts. "Buried treasures" is more like it! I
have a lot of affection and interest
in the work of Mr. Nesbitt.
I've always been so impressed at the content and style of what is packed
into those one-reel
short subjects, having first discovered them decades ago as a teenager when
they were shown on a Memphis, TN
channel after a Saturday's _Tarzan_ movie.
Here's the essay that accompanied TCM's showcasing the Nesbitt series that
night, earlier this
year, from TCM staff writer Stephanie Thames. I haven't doublechecked, but I
suspect most of the information
is from Leonard Maltin's book, _Selected Short Subjects_.
"The story of M-G-M's Passing Parade series of shorts begins with the
storyteller himself - John Nesbitt. Born in Canada, Nesbitt began collecting
stories at an early age. His father, who at different periods in his life
was reportedly both a pastor and a British Intelligence officer, left his
son a trunk full of newspaper articles upon his death. Accumulated over a
lifetime of travel, the articles fascinated a young John Nesbitt and a
storyteller was born.
Nesbitt began his broadcasting career in radio in the 1930s. His first job
was creating one hour Shakespeare adaptations for a San Francisco radio
station. Soon, Nesbitt pitched an idea for an original show that he'd
developed called Headlines From the Past. This series would evolve into
Passing Parade and become so popular that MGM took notice and brought
Nesbitt to the studio. Originally, Nesbitt was hired to narrate a new series
of MGM shorts called Historical Mysteries, with the first short in the
series titled, The Ship that Died. But once again, Nesbitt's popularity
pushed him to greater success and called on MGM to give him a series of his
own.
Originally, John Nesbitt's Passing Parade covered several topics on one
reel, the first in the series, Passing Parade #1 (1938), for example,
discussed everything from junkyards to marriage. But before long, Nesbitt
changed the format and found his rhythm by focusing on one topic for the
entire length of a short. Many of Nesbitt's projects centered around a
single individual and often told the story of history's unsung heroes.
Forgotten names like Ephraim McDowell, the first man to attempt a surgical
operation, who was featured in the ninth short of the series, One Against
the World (1939), and Christiaan Eijkman, highlighted in The Magic Alphabet
(1942), was a Nobel Prize winner whose discoveries led to the concept of
vitamins. Passing Parade rarely touched on the lives of the famous, though
Angel of Mercy (1939), the story of Clara Barton, was a notable exception.
Nesbitt seemed to honestly enjoy the people and their stories on which
Passing Parade focused. Later in life, Nesbitt would comment that humanity
fell into four categories in his series: people who never made headlines,
people who changed the world, little known facts about famous movers and
shakers and epic man-made events. And at one point, Nesbitt and Passing
Parade covered them all.
Nesbitt also enjoyed Americana and the mundane fascinations of life. Passing
Parade amused itself with the history of slang in American Spoken Here
(1940), took a look at some of the all-time strangest wills in Your Last Act
(1941) and discovered the origin of everyday customs from shaking hands to
kissing in We Do It Because(1942). Perhaps one of the best of the Passing
Parade shorts is 1946's Our Old Car which traces the simple history of
Nesbitt's neighborhood through the cars his father owned.
Starting with the stories themselves, Nesbitt put a personal touch on every
Passing Parade. He not only voiced the narration for each piece, but also
wrote the narration and created a screenplay for every short. A director
would then be assigned to make the short, matching Nesbitt's narration.
Several MGM hopefuls fine-tuned their craft with Passing Parade, including
Jacques Tourneur and Fred Zinnemann.
In eleven years (from 1938 to 1949), MGM produced seventy-two Passing Parade
shorts."
Good luck, Alison!
Jan Willis
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 17:51:03 -0400
From: GOpp@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Orson Welles/Harry Lime/SPERDVAC
On Saturday Evening, November 2, 2002, I'll have the privilege of
producing and directing a re-creation of one of my all-time favorite
radio programs, live on-stage as part of SPERDVAC's Old Time Radio
Convention at the Hacienda Hotel (just south of Los Angeles International
Airport, at 525 N. Sepulveda Blvd, El Segundo, CA 90245). The program is
"The Lives of Harry Lime," (based on the classic film noir, "The Third
Man"). Unlike the film, the radio version played it strictly for laughs.
The episode is "Too Many Crooks," and in my opinion its the cleverest of
all the episodes.
Starring as Orson Welles will be the wonderful voice actor Joe Leahy
("Animaniacs," "Transformers"), who does an uncanny Orson Welles.
(Incidentally, Joe also does an uncanny Paul Frees, and Disney uses him
whenever it wants to alter any of Frees's voice work on Disneyland
rides). Co-starring will be the amazing Larry Dobkin ("The Adventures of
Ellery Queen," "I Love Lucy," "Patton"), Gladys Holland ("To Catch a
Thief," "The Man Who Knew Too Much"), and Steven Schatzberg (the singing
voice of "Piglet" in Disney's "Winnie the Pooh" cartoons). Live sound
effects will be produced onstage by legendary radio sound effects man Ray
Erlenborn ("Amos 'n' Andy," "The Jack Benny Program," "The Carol Burnett
Show").
The performance is part of the Saturday evening banquet program at the
convention.
Make your reservation using this online form:
[removed]
If you can come, I'd love to see you there!
- Gregg Oppenheimer
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 18:07:54 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: AG & KDWB
Somebody mentioned Lever Brothers--didn't Arthur Godfrey lovingly refer
to them as the Lover Brothers. Re Lenny Bruce on AG Talent Scouts--I
just heard this show on Jerry Haendiges' Same Time, Same Station show.
Bruce's mother was the 'scout' -- he tied for the win, and appeared on AG
Time for a few days.
Re my reference to KDWB signing on in the '60s--Elizabeth had the correct
year, [removed]
what's that they say about the mind being the first thing to [removed]
Sandy
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 18:08:09 -0400
From: ArtsMilitaria@[removed] (Arthur Funk)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Roy Glenn
Many thanks to Gordon Gregerson for answering my question about the
voice I heard and recognized on that Rocky Jordan episode. I'm still
not sure if the voice I heard belongs to the actor I've seen since I've
not been able to find a picture of Mr. Glenn online. They may be two
different actors since Gordon says Mr. Glenn passed in 1971 and I seem
to remember seeing the man I have in mind in more recent productions.
Further on the subject of Rocky Jordan episodes, one from just a couple
weeks after the epi Mr. Glenn was in Willard Waterman was featured as
the "bad" guy. It was interesting because the character he portrayed
was also named Willard. At one point one of the other cast members
almost blew her line. She referred to the character by [removed] Willard
Something (I can't remember the last name). You can hear her start to
say Waterman but then catches herself and changes it to Something.
"Willard [removed] [removed] Something." Makes one wonder why the writer would
have the character bear the name of the actor.
Regards to all,
Art Funk
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 18:08:37 -0400
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: You da man
I've noticed a few postings lately noting that a particular actor was THE
Johnny Dollar or THE Mr. Moto or THE (insert role here).
I have to add that I think Jack Benny was THE Jack Benny. Orson Welles just
never cut it in my book.
And Mary Livingstone was THE Mary Livingstone. Babe Blum, Alice Faye, and
other replacements [removed] were good in their own right, but they
weren't Mary.
Phil Harris was definitely THE Phil Harris. George Olsen, Frank Black, Don
Bestor, and Jimmie [removed] just never were THE Phil Harris.
I'm not even going to touch the question of whether Dennis Day or Kenny Baker
were THE Dennis Day or Kenny Baker. People get very agitated and protective
of their respective favorite, and I can't express an opinion on that without
majorly upsetting someone.
[removed] Don Wilson THE Don Wilson? Could he have been Harlow Wilcox or
Harry Von Zell? I'll let others debate that.
And absolutely no question the Eddie "Rochester" Anderson was THE Rochester.
Nottingham just didn't have that same inflection.
(Yes, this is all said in light-hearted fun. But it does bring up the
question of whether Jack's program, one of the most steeped in character
humor, could have been the same--or even better--if any of the major cast
members were different.)
--
Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 18:09:12 -0400
From: DIANEK9331@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Old Telephone Numbers
Hello All,
This question is indirectly related to OTR. 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?
Thanks,
Diane (who has a very nitpicky mind)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 18:20:29 -0400
From: STANLEY GINSBERG <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Are the Brennemans related?
With allowances for spelling: Are Amy Brenneman, of "Judging Amy",
and/or Tom Brenneman, the sportscaster, related to Tom Brenneman of OTR fame?
Stan Ginsberg
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 18:47:22 -0400
From: bloodbleeds@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: pre-order otr fiction book
It's That Time Again!
The New Stories of Old Time Radio
Publisher - BearManor Media ([removed])
Price - $15
ISBN - 0-9714570-2-6
Featuring the following new stories:
1. Our Miss Brooks - "One Principal Too Many, One Principal Too
Meanie" by Clair Schulz
2. Tom Mix - "Tom Mix And The Mystery Of The Bodiless Horseman" by Jim
Harmon
3. Candy Matson YUkon 2-8209 - "The Japanese Sandman" by Jack French
4. The Clyde Beatty Show - "Perils of the Tiger Barn" by Roger Smith
5. The Green Lama - "The Case Of The Bashful Spider" by Bob Martin
6. Sgt. Preston of the Yukon - "A Call From the Storm" by Jim Nixon
7. Quiet Please - "The Cradle Of Peace" by Martin Grams Jr.
8. The Halls of Ivy - "A Matter of Ethics" by Carol Tiffany
9. Captain Midnight - "The Vanishing Ruby" by Stephen A. Kallis Jr.
10. The Bickersons - "You've Got Me, John" by Ben Ohmart
11. Ma Perkins - "The Letter From John" by John Leasure
12. The Black Museum - "The Ticket Stub" by Michael Leannah
13. Honest Harold - "Attack Of The Crawling Things From Outer Space"
by Justin Felix
14. Dimension X - "Willoughby Goes and Gets It" by Joe Bevilacqua &
Robert J. Cirasa
15. Lum & Abner - "A Pine Ridge Christmas Carol" by Donnie Pitchford
16. Frontier Gentleman - "One Card Draw" by Michael Giorgio
17. Pat Novak, For Hire - "A Poole of Blood" by Stephen Jansen
18. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar - "The Paddy Rose Matter" by Patrick W.
Picciarelli
19. Rogue's Gallery - "The Case of the Missing Bandleader" by Bryan
Powell
20. Inner Sanctum - "Concerto in Death Major" by Christopher Conlon
PRE-ORDER PRICE: $13 plus free US shipping!
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 19:07:23 -0400
From: Kubelski@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Bergen Record on FOTR
The Northern New Jersey daily newspaper The Record covered the Friends of Old
Time Radio Convention on Friday, October 11. I just found the link (and
thanks to Arthur Anderson for alerting me the article had published) and it
was still up as of 10/17 around 7:00 [removed]
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.
[removed];page=5180121
Sean Dougherty
Kubelski@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 21:19:48 -0400
From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Warner Bros. radio
The ever exacting Elizabeth stated:
KFWB was the only station Warners ever owned.
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.
--Bill Jaker
"Stand by! Thirty seconds to air." << a time-warner
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 22:28:14 -0400
From: "Elizabeth Minney" <epminney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: writers
Among the outstanding writers I would have to nominate Kathleen Hite.
She wrote some for Gunsmoke, nearly all the scripts for Fort Laramie,
and numerous of the Romance scripts. Her blend of humor, use of
picturesque language, inclusion of *speaking* silences give her stories
terrific punch.
Stewart Wright knows a lot more about her, and I'd love to have his
input--he has even seen some of her original scripts--he mentioned
having seen them in Wyoming, I believe. Elizabeth Minney
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 22:28:33 -0400
From: jef olson <jefolson2000@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: WAR OF THE WORLDS- last ditch effort
Greetings All! One last [removed] have been trying
desperatelt to locate the "day after" war of the
worlds press conference in printed or audio form. It
seems that it is available in the book "The Complete
War of the Worlds " which I can not find in libraries
or book stores in San Diego County. Any one happen to
have it? I'd be happy to get ahold of the press
conference in print, on tape -anything. Desperately
yours-Jef Olson West Coast Radio Theater(WCRT)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:00:30 -0400
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Disney
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. Might
have been a good medium for radio drama and such had it worked out better.
Did Disney ever do anything else in radio? Seems that they thought of
themselves strictly as a visual medium and went from movies directly to
television, though they did sell some childrens' phonograph records.
M Kinsler
512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 740 687 6368
[removed]~kinsler
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 10:45:17 -0400
From: jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: FRANK GORSHIN AS GEORGE BURNS, ON BROADWAY
Just got back from seeing SAY GOODNIGHT, GRACIE a one-man show, with
Frank Gorshin AS George Burns, over at he Helen Hayes Theatre, on
Broadway.
I only mention it here, because it's a rather remarkable piece, with
Gorshin doing knockout work, as Burns, recounting his ENTIRE career--
With a great deal of attention paid, naturally, to Burns and Allen's
radio years, and Burns' relationship, with Jack Benny.
For those of us old enough to remember, Gorshin was THE premiere
nightclub mimic--miles above the type of material Rich Little would do.
But Gorshin has also ALWAYS been an actor--most famous, oddly, perhaps
(!), for the Riddler on the 1960s BATMAN.
The play starts simply. You think you're watching a cute, charming, mabe
kind of corny reminiscence of George Burns. And then, across 90 minutes,
you're slowly sucked in by Gorshin's performance, and the writing,
until, ultimately, you're remarkably, [removed]
Gorshin is impressive as Burns. As Gorshin always did, he transforms
into his
impression. But across the length of the play, Gorshin makes his
performance, fully emblazoned, and embellished.
Many of you will be in town for the NEWARK OTR SHOW.
SAY GOODNIGHT, GRACIE mght well be worth your time, to take a side trip
into Manhattan, to check out.
There are evening performances at 8, except for Mondays and Sundays;
matinees at 2, on Wednesdays andSaturdays--
And a matinee on Sundays, at 3:00.
You can call for ticket info, at: 1-212-239-6200.
Some of our Florida friends here, may have seen the play, when it was
first launched there, over the summer.
(And no doubt, following the Broadway run, the play will pop up near
many of you around the country.)
Best, Jim Burns
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 10:46:02 -0400
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Edward R. Hamilton booksellers
Hi Gang:
I just wanted to inform everybody that there is, at present, some really
super-neato-peachy-boss books available from the mail order discount
booksellers Edw. R. Hamilton outta Connecticut. Here's what you do to get
right to the goodies:
Go to <[removed]; and click on "Search a Title."
When that page arises, click it instead on the bullet for "Subject" and type
in "Radio;" another option is to click it on the bullet for "Publisher" & type
in "McFarland."
Hamilton only takes payment by cheque/money order [no credit cards], buts
there's a raesonable shipment price of $[removed] regardless of your order's size,
& they usually ship within 3 days.
Some of the stuff that I have either seen or bought for myself include:
"the AirWaves of New York" by Bill Jaker, [removed]; "Religious [removed]" by
Hal Erickson; "On the Short waves, 1923-1945;" "Radio Live! Television Live!"
by radio SFX man Bob Mott; teh Smithsonian cassette boxed set "The Best of
Old-Time Radio Featuring Lucille Ball" assembled by Anthony
Tollin; John Dunning's recent OTR-themed novel; and many others not
particularly OTR-themed that will still have some cross-over appeal for the
readers of this list.
Happy hunting!
Yours in the ether,
Derek Tague
[removed]: See you at Newark next week. I live two towns away & it's still hard
to believe that my big vacation every year is [removed]
[removed]: WARNING! Unless you are a literary aficianado, DO NOT order from
Hamilton "The Bulldog Drummond Encyclopedia" in spite of its enticing $[removed]
price-tag. It's about the novels with passing references to the movie
adaptations, with no mention of the American radio version.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 10:46:10 -0400
From: "welsa" <welsa@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Our Miss Brooks date
I have a script for Our Miss Brooks for which am trying to find a broadcast
date. Every web site I have found so far does not list a show that appears
to be this one.
The plot is about an award the Board of Education supposedly plans for Mr.
Conklin.
Anyone know the air date of this episode?
Ted
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #407
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