Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #380
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 11/29/2004 10:19 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2004 : Issue 380
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Norman Rose. etc.                     [ "[removed]" <asajb2000@ ]
      John Rayburn is back                  [ Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed] ]
      This week in radio history 28 Novemb  [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Old Time Radio on DVDs                [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Fibber and Molly - The Night Before   [ <tallpaulk@[removed]; ]
      Little Orphan Annie                   [ Bhob <bhob2@[removed]; ]
      Re: Golden Age of Television          [ Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed]; ]
      Re: Cinnimon bear question            [ vigor16@[removed] ]
      Name That Tune                        [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      11-29 births/deaths                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Mary Livingstone                      [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      An OTR collection free for the askin  [ Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed]; ]
      The Love Nest                         [ "evantorch" <etorch@[removed]; ]
      Question about the "I can't stand Ja  [ David <martindb@[removed]; ]
      Golden Age of TV                      [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 10:18:53 -0500
    From: "[removed]" <asajb2000@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Norman Rose. etc.

    I wanted to weigh in with my opinion about getting
    young folks interested in oldtime radio.  First, you
    might want to stick to those programs thatare timeless
    and without any topical or dated references, such as
    Dragnet, Gunsmoke and maybe Vic & Sade.  I know my
    kids watch stuff I watched when I was their age (TV)
    like the Jack Webb Emergency! as well as Leave it to
    Beaver, The Munsters, etc.  The best way to introduce
    them to radio is to put it on the car radio and
    initially, pick the best-sounding shows so as not to
    encourage
    listener fatigue.

    I started collecting oldtime radio while in high
    school, probably because except for the shows in the
    1960's and British Comedy, I found nothing interesting
    on TV.  I still listen to oldtime radio when I can
    about 25 years later and my oldest son will listen,
    because he has the ability to concentrate (based
    mainly on his age?) but who can compete with Cartoon
    Network and the rest?  When I was growing up,
    there were only the three network affiliates, a PBS
    station and some independent UHF stations that did not
    go on the air until the afternoon because there was
    not enough programming and it wasn't financially
    feasible to be on the air in the early morning when
    the network afffiliates were on.  My first exposure to
    oldtime radio was at the dinner table when my dad put
    the radio on and there were rebroadcasts (in the
    1960's).  I couldn't understand what is was, but it
    sounded fascinating.  After that, I was hooked.  This
    was also when each radio station was owned
    individually.  Now there are only about a half-dozen
    corporate owners in each market, give-or-take.  There
    are people like Cumulus, Infinity/Viacom, Clear
    Channel, Emmis, RadioOne, ABC/Disney and smaller
    groups like Cox.  I know we cannot go back to "the
    day" but how about a happy medium.

    Norman Rose is in a class by himself.  In fact, the
    National Lampoon employed a lot of veteran
    (old-timers) on the radio show while also hiring the
    young comics like Chevy Chase and John Belushi to do
    the comedic bits.  Remember, they had people there
    like Bob Dryden, Leon Janney and others.  Norman Rose
    is in a category with Alexander Scourby and the rest.

    Andy Blatt

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 10:19:11 -0500
    From: Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  John Rayburn is back

    Hi,
    Some of you probably received a note from John Rayburn a few days ago.  I
    didn't see anything listed here, so I am passing along some great information.
    As I write this, his Big Band Bash is being streamed on "Stay Tuned
    America", an internet radio station.
    It will be heard again so there is time to listen later.
    John wrote:

    Hi, everyone,
        Just wanted to let you know that an old broadcasting warhorse is still
    at it.  John Rayburn's Big Band Bash will begin on the Internet this
    Saturday (November 27).  It's a two-hour show featuring music from the Big
    Band era.  It will be on Stay Tuned America and the address is:
                 <[removed];[removed]
    The program will run at 6 PM CST every Saturday, repeat at 10 PM CST every
    Sunday and at 7 PM CST the following Wednesdays.
        John is drawing on his 56 years in broadcasting, plus a personal
    library of 12,000-plus big band tracks.  He feels it sure is fun to know he
    can be heard around the world.  We hope you'll give it a listen and send
    along your comments.

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 10:44:35 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  This week in radio history 28 November to 4
     December

      From Those Were The Days --

    11/28

    1932 - Groucho Marx performed on radio for the first time.

    11/29

    1950 - "I Fly Anything", starring singer Dick Haymes in the role of
    cargo pilot Dockery Crane, premiered on ABC. With a title like that, is
    it any wonder the show only lasted one season? Haymes went back to
    singing and did very well, thank you.

    11/30

    1940 - Lucille Ball and Cuban musician Desi Arnaz were married.

    12/2

    1932 - The Adventures of Charlie Chan was first heard on the NBC Blue
    network.

    12/4

    1932 - "Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all the
    ships at sea. Let's go to press!" The Jergens Journal aka The Walter
    Winchell Show and later, Kaiser-Frazer News was first heard on the NBC
    Blue network. Winchell kept that gossip show going on the radio for 23
    years. It was sponsored at first by Jergens lotion and, later, by Dryad
    deodorant, Kaiser-Frazer cars and Richard Hudnut shampoo.

    1933 - One of America's great radio shows made the leap to the big time.
    Ma Perkins moved from WLW in Cincinnati, OH to the NBC-Red network. The
    show proved to be so popular that it was later carried on both CBS and NBC.

    Joe

    --
    Visit my homepage: [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:33:54 -0500
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Old Time Radio on  DVDs

    Ron Vanover is correct, DVD-R is the most compatible format for any General
    Purpose DVD.  But whether the recording is made compatible or not is not
    necessarily the DVD itself, but the player.

    DVDs come in many formats and the two main ones are DVD-R and DVD+R.  Think
    of them like Beta and VHS when videos first came into the market.  Only the
    format war is still raging.  If a disc has DVD-RW or DVD+RW it means the
    disc is re-writable at the time you are authoring material on the disc.  The
    compatibility issues, however, reply more on the players and not the discs.

    About 95% of the DVD players sold on the market today are capable of playing
    DVD-R format.  DVD+R is only compatible with about 60% of the players sold
    on the market.  What many people are not aware of is unlike VCRs, DVD
    players are not all the same and regrettably people are out buying DVD
    players according to the price and not by the features - thus causing
    problems out in the DVD market.

    If anyone visits their local BEST BUY or CIRCUIT CITY store they will notice
    how the stores features cards on their shelves listing in detail all the
    features the DVD players have, including what formats they are capable of
    playing.  Anyone who buys a DVD player without checking to see what format
    it plays can have problems in the long run . . . and it's smart to know now
    during the holiday season.

    First off, any DVD sold in the stores are known as TRUE DVDs and they will
    (and should) play on any DVD player.  All blank DVDs sold in the stores are
    known as General Purpose DVDs (and the words "General Purpose" is usually
    listed on the packages).  Anyone who ever intends to play a General Purpose
    DVD in the future needs to make sure that their DVD player is capable of
    playing DVD-R else in the future, their player will not play certain DVDs.
    After all, how many people have VHS videos that were at one time a blank
    video, purchased on the shelves, and had something recorded off TV?  Ever
    purchase a video from a dealer at a convention?  Ever receive a copy of a
    video someone did at their house like home movies or school footage, news
    footage, the movie you missed off TV last night?  In the long run (and many
    people already have these anyway), you'll want to own a DVD player that can
    play DVD-R else you won't be able to play the recordable ones.

    Or as a dealer said last month: Owning a DVD player not capable of playing
    DVD-R format is like owning a VCR that is not capable of playing anything
    that at one time was a blank VHS.

    I have always been under the assumption that the DVD manufacturers were so
    eager to get the technology out that they failed to make it all Universal.
    Thus the format wars and thus the reason some people find themselves going
    out to buy another DVD player.  The price for the el' chepos may be nice but
    in the long run they won't be fun.

    The best way is to make sure your DVD player is capable of playing DVD-R
    format.  Usually listed on the box.  If someone hasn't purchased a DVD
    player yet, then you're in luck.  Find one at Best Buy that plays that
    format (or if you REALLY want to avoid all problems get one that lists
    DVD-RW/DVD+RW so it will play ALL of the formats).  Anyone who has VHS
    videos at home and plans to have their movies or footage transferred to DVD
    one day will need to have a player that can play DVD-R format - else they'll
    have all of their home movies on DVD and no player capable of playing them.

    So as Ron said correctly, DVD-R is the best format but to add the small note
    - make sure you have a player capable of playing them - else you'll have
    radio shows on DVD that are not capable of being played.
    Martin

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:42:30 -0500
    From: <tallpaulk@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Fibber and Molly - The Night Before Christmas

    My searches through the record stacks at charity organization thrift stores
    occasionaly pay off.  I recently found a three disc (78 RPM) album titled
    Fibber McGee and Molly - On The Night Before Christmas.  The discs are in a
    nice hard cover album with a drawing on the front of a snow covered house and
    a street sign for "Wistful Vista".

    The album is Capitol CC-20 in the Criterion series.  Marian doubles as the
    voice of Teeny.  The discs also include The King's Men and the Billy Mills
    Orchestra.  The six parts play a little more than 18 minutes.

    The basic script includes Fibber telling Teeny some Christmas stories only as
    Fibber can tell them.  Teeny and her friends (The King's Men) recite Twas The
    Night Before Christmas.

    I will gladly provide a CD dub of the discs as a holiday treat for any
    interested list member.  Please e-mail me directly with your name and mailing
    address.

    Paul Kattelman - Sharonville, Ohio

    THE CURTAIN NEVER CLOSES ON THE THEATER OF THE MIND.

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:43:05 -0500
    From: Bhob <bhob2@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Little Orphan Annie

    May 19, 2004 interview with Shirley Bell Cole, now 84, about her role as
    Little Orphan Annie in 1930-1940:
    [removed]

    Shirley Bell Cole: "I was the sole support of my family because of the
    Depression. I earned a sizable paycheck of $50 in 1930. That was a lot
    of money."

    Bhob @ PRE-FUSE @ [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:43:16 -0500
    From: Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Golden Age of Television

    Yes, everyone has--and is entitled to--their own Golden Age. For me,
    "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966) was part of it, and its demise
    coincided with the show's conclusion.

    Jordan R. Young
    "SPIKE JONES OFF THE RECORD"

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:43:41 -0500
    From: vigor16@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Cinnimon bear question

    Hi,

    Did I hear right last evening?  Did Patty O'Cinnnimon introduce himself
    to the twins as Patty O'Sulivan?    Does anybody know how many New
    adventures of Lum & Abner are in circulation?  These I believe are the
    30-minute live shows. How did the show go from a 15-minute format to a
    live 30-minute format and when?

    Deric

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 13:16:18 -0500
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Name That Tune

    Folks;

       Received the following question on the website; I know "Name That Tune"
    was a television program, but I wasn't aware it was a radio show, so if you
    have info on it, please copy the OTR Digest as well as sending to Mr. Murphy.

             Charlie

    --- begin forwarded text

    From: "Jerry Murphy" <jmurphy1@[removed];
    Subject: Name That Tune
    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 11:38:47 -0500

          Hello,   I have been looking  for an episode of the old radio program
    called Name That Tune.  I found  your web site and decided to ask if you know
    where I might find recordings of  the program.  My father was a contestant on
    the program in 1951 and I am  trying to get the recording so I can use it in
    a "life story" video I am making  in his honor.   Thanks,   Jerry  Murphy
    [removed]

    --- end forwarded text

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

    Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 15:45:15 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  11-29 births/deaths

    November 29th births

    11-29-1895 - Busby Berkeley - Los Angeles, CA - d. 3-14-1976
    choreographer: "Gulf Screen Theatre"; "Whatever Became Of . . . ?"
    11-29-1895 - Yakima Canutt - Colfax, WA - d. 5-24-1986
    actor, stuntman: "Daredevils of Hollywood"; "Hollywood Rodea"
    11-29-1900 - Mildred "Axis Sally" Gillars - Portland, ME - d. 6-25-1988
    propagandist: Radio Berlin
    11-29-1905 - Chester Erskine - Hudson, NY - d. 4-7-1986
    film director: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    11-29-1905 - Mario Braggiotti - Florence, Italy - d. 5-18-1996
    pianist, composer: "Fray and Braggiotti"
    11-29-1906 - Luis Van Rooten - Mexico City, Mexico - d. 6-17-1973
    actor: George Priestly "County Seat"; John Perry "John's Other Wife"; Nero
    Wolfe "Nero Wolfe"
    11-29-1913 - Harry Bartell - New Orleans, LA - d. 2-26-2004
    actor: Archie Goodwin "Advs. of Nero Wolfe"; "Adv of Sherlock Holmes";
    "Gunsmoke"
    11-29-1917 - Merle Travis - Muhlenberg County, KY - d. 10-20-1983
    singer, guitarist: "Hollywood Barn Dance"
    11-29-1921 - Virginia Egnor "Dagmar" - Huntington, WV - d. 10-9-2001
    dumb blonde: "Stars On Parade"; "Says Who?"
    11-29-1926 - Naomi Stevens - Trenton, NJ
    actress: Irene Franklin "One Man's Family"; Daphne Royce "Brenthouse"
    11-29-1927 - Vin Scully - NYC
    sportscaster (Baseball's Poet Laurate) Play-by Play announcer for the Dodgers
    11-29-1932 - John Gary - Watertown, NY - d. 1-4-1998
    singer: "Christmas Music - Spots for the National Guard"

    November 29th deaths
    01-18-1904 - Cary Grant - Bristol, England - d. 11-29-1986
    actor: Jim Blandings "Mr. and Mrs. Blandings"
    02-26-1933 - Godfrey Cambridge - NYC - d. 11-29-1976
    actor: "Voices of Vista"
    04-28-1896 - Edith Evanson - Tacoma, WA - d. 11-29-1980
    actress: Helmi "Myrt and Marge"
    05-03-1898 - George H. Combs - Lee's Summit, MO - d. 11-29-1977
    congressman, commentator: "Now You Decide"; "Spotlight, New York"
    05-29-1897 - Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Brno, Czechoslovakia - d. 11-29-1957
    "composer: "Contemporary Composers Concerts"; "Railroad Hour"
    06-05-1910 - Herb Vigran - Fort Wayne, IN - d. 11-29-1986
    actor: Sad Sack "Sad Sack"; Hector Smith "Father Knows Best"
    06-17-1904 - Ralph Bellamy - Chicago, IL - d. 11-29-1991
    actor: "These Are Our Men"
    07-20-1938 - Natalie Wood - San Francisco, CA - d. 11-29-1981
    actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    07-27-1890 - Judith Lowry - Fort Sill, Oklahoma Territory - d. 11-29-1976
    actress: Emma 'Stevie' Stevens "Valiant Lady"; Emmy Fergusson "Welcome Valley"
    09-05-1916 - Frank Yerby - Augusta, GA - d. 11-29-1991
    author: "Best Seller"
    10-04-1900 - Robert Shayne - Yonkers, NY - d. 11-29-1992
    actor: Walter Manning "Portia Faces Life"
    11-03-1909 - George Wells - NYC - d. 11-29-2000
    screenwriter: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    12-22-1917 - Gene Rayburn - Christopher, IL (Raised: Chicago, IL) - d.
    11-29-1999
    announcer, comedian: "Rayburn and Finch"
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:53:18 -0500
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Mary Livingstone

    Ralph writes:

>     I noted the birthday of Mary yesterday.  I wonder if what I read  many
>     years ago was [removed] Jack made arrangements for roses to  be
>     delivered to Mary every day after he passed away.   I  always considered
>     this a wonderful gift of love.  Great  demonstration of fidelity

    Yes, Jack did have Mary sent roses every day (or technically, six days per
    week) for the rest of her life.  I know the florist who did it, and did a
    brief interview with him.  If you visit Jack and Mary's sarcophagus, I put  a
    single red rose in the central arrangement to commemorate that.

    The one problem [removed]'s birthday is June 23.

    --Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:53:48 -0500
    From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  An OTR collection free for the asking

        How would you like to have an instant collection of the best of
    old-time radio?  My friend Bob Boulle in Middletown, NJ is planning to
    dispose of most of his OTR collection, some 400 reels on 7" reel-to-reel
    tape.  This includes lots of the great shows from the "golden age" of
    network radio -- you can probably guess what they are. And many of us
    still believe that r-2-r is the best preservation medium.
        Bob is willing to give them away for just the cost of shipping.
    Anyone in the New York - New Jersey - Mid Atlantic area could easily
    pick them up.
        If you're interested in getting this collection, please get in touch
    with me off-list and I'll put you in contact with Bob.
                                          --Bill Jaker    bilj@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 01:53:59 -0500
    From: "evantorch" <etorch@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Love Nest

    Burns and Allen's theme is a favorite of my wife, but I have never been able
    to get a copy which wasn't made into a ragtime form or some other truncated
    form. Does anyone have a recording of Meredith Willson's band or a
    legitimate rendition with full orchestra?
    Evan Torch
    etorch@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 02:05:58 -0500
    From: David <martindb@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Question about the "I can't stand Jack Benny"
     contest

    Why was Peter Lorie chooses as a judge for the "I can't stand Jack
    Benny" contest?  I understand Fred Allen, but what was PL's association
    with Jack?

    Curious

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

    Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 02:06:03 -0500
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Golden Age of TV

>     Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 12:15:55 -0500
>     From: Brian Johnson <chyronop@[removed];

>     I think the day the so-called Golden Age of Television died was
>     probably the end of the quiz show scandals.

    I think the Golden Age didn't end all at once, but ended in stages.  The quiz
    show scandals
    was certainly one of the states.  Another was when the airwaves suddenly were
    flooded with
    westerns.  That was the major shift of TV from live from New York to film
    from Hollywood.
    For me, though, the Golden Age ended when ratings competition from the Mickey
    Mouse
    Club on ABC (filmed in Hollywood) caused Howdy Doody (live from New York) to
    move from
    weekday afternoons to Saturday morning.

    --
    A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                           [removed]
     15 Court Square, Suite 210                 lawyer@[removed]
    Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         [removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #380
    *********************************************

    Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
      including republication in any form.

    If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
       [removed]

    For Help: [removed]@[removed]

    To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]

    To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
      or see [removed]

    For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
      in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]

    To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]

    To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]