Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #226
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 6/19/2002 4:11 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 226
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Re: Censorship                        [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Radio research                        [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
      The voice of Superman                 [ Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed]; ]
      Denise Crosby                         [ "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@worldnet. ]
      Captain Marvel Serial                 [ "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@rivnet ]
      Blank CDs                             [ "Ron Curtis" <rcurtis4@[removed]; ]
      A bit OT on Elmer Fudd                [ "Vince Long" <vlongbsh@[removed]; ]
      Re: The Goldbergs and Ethnicity       [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      WHITE XMAS caused suicides?           [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
      recurring names/titles                [ Osborneam@[removed] ]
      Captain Marvel -- Capt. Midnight      [ "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed] ]
      Chester and trains                    [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
      Radio Spirits Single Tapes            [ "Eric N. Wilson" <enwilson@[removed] ]
      Wonder Woman                          [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
      OTR Impact                            [ "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed]; ]
      Bickersons Scripts book coming!       [ bloodbleeds@[removed] ]
      Data vs Music CDs                     [ Alan Chapman <[removed]@verizon. ]
      CD query                              [ "Don Belden" <dbelden@[removed]; ]
      Today in radio history 6/19           [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 09:53:29 -0400
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Censorship

    Kelli Stanley wrote:

>     But something shocked me--they've
>     mentioned the word "hell" twice, and I was wondering if this dates the
>     show to some sort of less stringent censorship era, rather like the
>     pre-Hays code films of the early '30s.  If anyone has any information on
>     radio censorship, when it took hold and what it covered, I'd dearly love
>     to know! :)

    Censorship at the network level evolved gradually over the 1930s. During
    the first half of the decade, "hells" and "damns" were quite common in
    dramatic programs, along with the occasional "you silly ass." Broadcast
    Standards codes were becoming stricter as the decade wore on-- due in
    part to agitiation from decency groups and in part to the networks'
    general fear of offending anyone. It all came to a head, however, in
    1937-38.

    The "Mae West" affair of 1937 was only one of several censorship-related
    controversies to break out during that period. Even more significant was
    the so-called "Beyond the Horizon" matter, which involved a sustaining
    broadcast of that Eugene O'Neill play over the NBC Blue network in July
    1938. The play was broadcast with its original language unexpurgated --
    with hells and damns and adult situations intact. Two months after the
    broadcast, *one listener* in Minneapolis complained to the FCC -- and the
    Commission challenged the license renewal application of statio WTCN, the
    Minneapolis Blue Network affiliate which had carried the play, on the
    grounds that carrying such a program was not in the public interest,
    convenience or necessity. Newspapers immediately jumped on this case as
    an excuse to continue their attacks on the broadcast industry -- they had
    already blown the Mae West affair way out of proportion, they did the
    same with the "Beyond The Horizon" matter, and later in 1938 they would
    do the same with "War of the Worlds."

    This exaggerated newspaper coverage in turn, whipped censorship advocates
    -- notably Senator Clyde Herring (D-Iowa), who suggested that radio was a
    major contributor to juvenile delinquency, rising violent crime rates,
    and the general decline of American family life  -- into an even more
    self-righteous frenzy, and *terrified* the National Association of
    Broadcasters, which took steps to tighten up its own self-censorship
    code, because Herring and his disciples were strongly hinting that if
    they didn't the Government would step in and do it for them. The networks
    also tightened their internal censorship codes and enforced them more
    rigorously. Although the FCC  ended up taking no action in the WTCN case,
    the affair was seen as a warning shot at broadcasters by the Government.
    As a result, the events of 1937-38 essentially marked the end of "hell"
    and "damn" and "adult situations" in general for years to come.

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 09:54:08 -0400
    From: otrbuff@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio research

    I wonder if anyone could help me in a current radio research quest.  I'm
    specifically seeking several pieces of information.

    Vaguely I recall a visit by Frank and Anne Hummert as mystery guests
    before the What's My Line? TV panel probably some time in the 1950s or
    early 1960s.   I'm wondering if any of you know the date, and even
    better, if you have a videotape I could borrow or could refer me to one I
    might purchase.

    I'm also on a search for biographical and anecdotal material about
    several radio cast members.  I'd like to hear from anyone who can supply
    data or incidents.  Please contact me directly about any of these
    individuals:

    Martha Atwell
    Philip Clarke
    Jack Costello
    Larry Elliott
    James Fleming
    Ben Grauer
    Jim Kelly
    Bennett Kilpack
    Harry Kramer
    Richard Leonard
    Stuart Metz
    Florence Malone

    Thanks for any help you may be able to provide on any of these requests.
    I own all reference works by Buxton & Owen, DeLong, Dunning, Hickerson,
    Lackmann, Sies, Swartz & Reinehr, Terrace and others, so am searching to
    go beyond those documentations.

    Please, if you can provide anything, don't assume I already have it.  You
    can make an important contribution to future radio research.  Thanks.

    Jim Cox
    otrbuff@[removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 09:58:48 -0400
    From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The voice of Superman

    Elizabeth, the maven from Maine, wrote:

>     Another good example of a program where the lead actor remained anonymous
>     for many years was "Superman" -- and one has to wonder what a child might
>     have thought,

    It's about time I confessed: "Superman" was my favorite radio show when
    I was a little kid, and I still think the moment when Clark Kent turns
    himself into SUPERMAN with just a change of voice (no sfx, no organ
    sting!) is a tremendous visual thrill.

    However, I also clearly remember thinking at age 6 or 7 that the person
    playing Superman was the same one I heard on so many other radio shows,
    Bud Collyer.  I just recognized his voice, as both the mild-mannered
    reporter and the Man of Steel.  Maybe I was an exceptionally close
    listener, or just a kid with nothing else to think about.  When I later
    learned who it was I thought, "of course".  I wonder if anyone else of
    my generation had that same realization.

    I also understand that Collyer didn't want his picture taken playing
    Superman because he had a mustache at the time and that somehow didn't
    fit the image.

    --Bill Jaker (age 8 going on 63)

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 09:59:42 -0400
    From: "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Denise Crosby

    When I wrote about the Crosby off-spring I wrestled with including Denise in
    the mix. The circumstances of her birth was probably a great source of
    embarrassment to Bing and I don't believe he and Denise ever met.

    For those wondering, Denise was the daughter of Dennis Crosby. Two days
    after his marriage to a Las Vegas showgirl in May of 1958, Dennis was hit
    with a paternity suit from Denise's mother, Marylin Scott Miller. It would
    take three years before the case was settled.

    Dennis would have 2 marriages and six kids (2 boys, 4 girls) and I have no
    idea if any one other than Denise is connected to the entertainment
    industry.

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 10:45:05 -0400
    From: "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Captain Marvel Serial

    John Southard made reference to the Republic movie serial "The Adventures of
    Captain Marvel."  As a youngster, I was a Saturday afternoon movie serial
    fan and can vividly recall seeing this particular opus' first run in 1940.
    Most serial buffs feel that Republic Pictures made the best such films and
    that "Captain Marvel" was the best of the best primarily because of the
    Lydecker Brothers, the studio's SFX team.  There is at least one OTR tie to
    that film: Reed Hadley.  Hadley, an imposingly handsome fellow with a deep
    and distinctive voice to match, played a supporting role in this film, but
    leads in others.  He later went on to play Red Ryder on radio (1942 - 1944)
    and the as a regular on "Tales of the Texas Rangers" (1950-1952) with Joel
    McCrea.  Contemporaneously, Hadley also played Captain John Braddock on
    early TV's "Racket Squad" (1951- 53).

    Dave

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:05:35 -0400
    From: "Ron Curtis" <rcurtis4@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Blank CDs

    Has anyone tried the Imitation brand blank CD?  I understand it is
    manufactured by 3M.  They appear in local office supply ads regularly,
    partly because, perhaps, they are produced about 100 miles of here.
    Historically, I've found the 3M "off brand" products to be as reliable as
    the 3M brand itself.

    Ron Curtis

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:05:53 -0400
    From: "Vince Long" <vlongbsh@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  A bit OT on Elmer Fudd

    Those interested in more Elmer Fuddisms online should go over to Google,
    [removed], and select "Language Tools."  From there you can do
    translations and change Google's interface to display a wide variety of
    languages, including "Elmer Fudd," not to mention, Klingon and Pig Latin.

    Vince

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:07:36 -0400
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: The Goldbergs and Ethnicity

    Donna Halper wrote:

>     Correct me
>     if I'm wrong though-- the Goldbergs lived a traditionally Jewish life,
>     which meant they didn't pretend to be something they were not, and they
>     didn't celebrate Xmas.

    "The Goldbergs" walked a very careful balance over the course of its run
    -- while in its early days as a nighttime serial it was an
    ethnically-oriented story of Bronx tenement life, this all changed
    drastically by the time the series became a daytime soap opera. For most
    of its run, the series remained "Jewish" -- but not "too Jewish."

    By 1938, the Goldberg family had left the Bronx, and moved to the small
    town of Lastonbury, Connecticut, where Jake took a job as manager of a
    mill, and the family bought a small farm. The Jewishness of the family
    never disappeared -- they always took note of Passover and Yom Kippur in
    the scripts, for example -- but ethnicity wasn't emphasized anywhere near
    as as much as it had been emphasized earlier in the program's run. For
    the last seven years of the serial run, the stories revolved around
    standard small-town soap opera plots that could have just as easily been
    told by Aunt Jenny or Rinso's Big Sister -- and aside from the mentions
    of the Jewish holidays, the only day-to-day acknowledgement of the
    family's ethnicity were the dialects of Molly, Jake, and Uncle David: the
    series became far more of an "assimilated American" story than a
    specifically Jewish story. No one ever quoted the Talmud in the Goldberg
    home, and any mention of religious philosophy tended to follow a
    generically-ecumenical tone: no doctrine or philosophy was ever mentioned
    on the program that a mainstream Protestant or Catholic couldn't also
    endorse. There were no references to the specifics of keeping kosher in
    the Goldberg home -- such details were left entirely to the listener's
    imagination.

    I suspect Procter and Gamble, as the program's daytime sponsor, had much
    to do with this de-ethnicization, given the increase of overt public
    anti-Semitism in the US during the late thirties. (There was also a
    significant backlash among Jewish activists during this period against
    Yiddish dialect on radio, which may have forced Berg to tone down the
    characterizations a bit.) But interestingly, the earlier, more heavily
    ethnic version of the program had its strongest following among
    non-Jewish listeners: Harlow Roberts, the advertising manager of the
    Pepsodent Company -- the program's sponsor from 1931-34 -- once stated
    that the vast majority of fan mail pulled in by the program came from
    Gentiles, who often made a point of identifying themselves as such in
    their letters.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:08:09 -0400
    From: Jer51473@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  WHITE XMAS caused suicides?

     Not fair to bing to post such an opinion. Bings involvement with the song
    had long been over, except its perpetual playing through the media(which i
    hope never ends), when the tragedies took place. I guess if you believe this
    you could also say that ALL such tragedies were related to the song somehow.
    A person is responsible for their own actions when it comes to suicide. Or is
    a parent responsible every time someone takes their own life or commits any
    other wrong or crime? Books are written to sell and make dollars, they dont
    always depict the whole truth or story and sometimes are way out of line. Im
    sure bing would dispute most of the nagatives leveled against him if he only
    had the chance.

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:08:36 -0400
    From: Osborneam@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  recurring names/titles

    I've noticed that some names and/or titles appear to recurr in my OTR
    files.  For example, the name Red Jacobi (or Jacoby) appears in titles
    from three series as far as I can tell:  Richard Diamond, Stand By For
    Crime and Danger, Dr. Danfield.  Was Red Jacoby a real person in the news??

    In addition, the Black Pearl of Osiris appears in both Dick Tracy and
    Superman.  Was there a discovery at some time during the OTR era
    when a real Black Pearl of Osiris was discovered or was this title
    connected with King Tut's discovery or something similar?

    Does anyone have an answer?

    Arlene Osborne

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:12:26 -0400
    From: "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Captain Marvel -- Capt. Midnight

        Re the current discussion on the Digest about Captain Marvel:
    I haven't noticed anyone mention the connection between Captain Marvel and
    Captain Midnight (which *was* a radio program).  That is:  I believe
    Fawcett's Captain Midnight comic books were advertised in the pages of
    Fawcett's comic books featuring Captain Marvel.  And vice versa.

       Speaking of Captain Midnight, would anyone have a copy of Stephen
    Kallis's book "Radio's Captain Midnight: The Wartime Biography" that you
    could sell to me?  I'll be glad to pay the full price you paid for it (plus
    for postage and packing, of course). It would be OK with me if your copy
    happens to be damaged. Thanks!

       -- Phil Chavin          philchav@[removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:13:03 -0400
    From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
    To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Chester and trains

    Hi all:
    For those of you who are avid Gunsmoke fans, you probably know that Chester
    always loves to go down to the depot and watch the trains come in.  I always
    put this down as just one of his many quirks, but I can now point to a
    specific reason why he loves them.  There is an early episode called, "The
    Railroad," from 1952.  In it, a representative from the railroad tries to
    force an old woman off of her land since the railroad has the right-of-way.
    I won't give away the story, but its worth a listen.  Just some Gunsmoke
    trivia for those of you who may be interested.
    RyanO

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:13:30 -0400
    From: "Eric N. Wilson" <enwilson@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Spirits Single Tapes

>     I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but my last three RSI catalogs have
>     not featured single tapes for sale. Looks like they've abandoned that market,
>     yes?

    The single tapes seem to come in special flyers now,  and are still
    searchable through the web site, and in fact the "new release" singles have
    started appearing on cassette AND CD.   What I'M really wondering about is
    if the custom recording service is still available, as that doesn't appear
    on the web site or the catalog

    --Eric Wilson

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:14:06 -0400
    From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Wonder Woman

              I've heard several adventures with various super-
    heroes from OTR (Capt. Marvel, Superman, Green Hornet,
    Batman and Robin), but no so called 'super heroines'.
    I've often wondered why this was so.  After all, Wonder
    Woman has been around since the late thirties, early
    forties.  She had all of the accoutrements of the present
    day Wonder Woman (most of them, at least).  I MHO, I
    think it would have been interesting if she (or some other
    'super heroine')had been given the opportunity to aid
    Superman or one of the other super heroes.

              Was this due to the OTR standards of the time, the
    censors, the sponsors, could they not find actresses to play
    the role believably, or what?  As long as radio's golden age
    was, you'd think such a series (or at least a radio character)
    would have existed.  Could it have been that all of the 'powers
    that be' were men, and that they didn't want to give 'super heroines'
    a chance.

              Before any of you bring up the points, I will.  There have been
    some female heroines such as Ann Scotland, Candy Matson, et al.
    They didn't have super powers though.  Batman, Robin, and even
    the Green Hornet and Kato were only humans, but so were Ann and
    Candy.  WW not only had super strength, but special gadgets to
    assist her with her crime fighting.

              I'd be interested to get your opinions on this.

    Kenneth Clarke

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:14:33 -0400
    From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OTR Impact

>     >From Evan Torch:
>     I have always been struck by what a work-a-day attitude
>     so many OTR talents had.

    If your profession was a tile-layer, you got a call for a job, you did the
    job and got paid for [removed] waited for the next job.  You did not
    afterwards think about the impact your tile job may have had on everyone
    walking on that tile in the future.

    If you were an [removed] thing!

    Lois Culver
    KWLK Radio (Mutual) Longview, WA 1941-44
    KFI Radio (NBC) Los Angeles CA 1945-47, 50-53
    Widow of Howard Culver, actor

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:15:06 -0400
    From: bloodbleeds@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bickersons Scripts book coming!

    Hi, all. I wanted to let you know that the long-awaited Bickersons Scripts book will finally be
    out next month. It will contain 13 Bickersons scripts, including COMPLETE half hour scripts
    of The Old Gold Show, Drene Time, The Bickersons from 1951 and an unproduced tv script
    written for a Bickersons animated series. It also includes an introduction by creator Philip
    Rapp, with extra synopses of unwritten scripts for the cartoon series. Rare stuff that's never
    been in print before.

    Pre-orders are welcome, and you'll get $2 off plus free US shipping! Stop by
    [removed] to have a look at the cover and get purchase information.

    Thanks much.

    Ben Ohmart

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 15:15:26 -0400
    From: Alan Chapman <[removed]@[removed];
    To: Old-Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Data vs Music CDs

    Mike Biel wrote:

>      While both types of CD-Rs can be used in computer drives, ONLY the
>      "music" types can be used in stand-alone CD recorders.  There is
>      data on the blank informing the machine whether it is authorized to
>      be used on a stand-alone.  The price difference between these two
>      types is not concerned with quality, but with royalties.

    I'm no technical expert, but I've been recording "music" WAV files to
    "Data"
    CD-Rs and they play perfectly in my regular stereo, my car CD player and
    my CD Walkman.  I use Easy CD Creator 5, which gives me a choice of
    recording a "Music" CD or a "Data" CD -- I simply choose "Music."
    I see no technical or quality difference between "Music" and "Data" CDs,
    although
    I do stick to the higher quality brands -- mainly TDK and Maxell.

    What Mike says about royalties may well be true, but I haven't found a
    good reason to buy the more costly "Music" CDs.

    Alan Chapman
    alan@[removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 18:02:20 -0400
    From: "Don Belden" <dbelden@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  CD query
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I have never had trouble playing NON-MUSIC cds in our car cd- player or either
    of our stand alone cd players. The also play in both of my son's cd players.

    Save your money and don't buy music cds.

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
      ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Ok, kids, everyone stop, take a deep breath, and relax a
    second. Everyone seems to be misunderstanding this whole "Music CD-R" thing.
    NON-COMPUTER CD recorders (Phillips, others), which are stand-alone consumer
    devices, REQUIRE the use of "Music CD-Rs." Computers, when burning music CDs,
    can use the less-expensive DATA CD-Rs and do NOT need to use "Music CD-Rs."
    They ALL playback on everything, so that's irrelevant; it is the RECORDER
    that determins whether or not you need to use a "Music CD-R." If you're going
    to burn CD-Rs on a computer, you don't need tham and shouldn't waste the
    money buying them. If you're using a consumer CD Recorder deck, you don't
    have much choice (I'm ignoring the somewhat dangerous workarounds that some
    people find work on some consumer recorders).

    That majority who burn their music CDs on computers don't realize that those
    who don't MUST use "Music CD-Rs," and so think they are just "enhanced"
    CD-Rs. They ain't one bit better than data blanks, they just have information
    in them that tells the consumer units it's OK to record onto these, since the
    music companies have been paid their royalty. And THAT, for us at least, is
    money thrown away, since as Dr. Biel noted, if you record "Suspense" on one
    it's likely Brittany Spears who receives the check anyway.  --cfs3]

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

    Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 18:02:30 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history 6/19

      From Those Were The Days --

    1934 - The [removed] Congress established the Federal Communications
    Commission (FCC). The task of the commission was to regulate radio (and
    later t-------n) broadcasting.

      Joe

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

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #226
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