Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #135
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 5/15/2006 10:48 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2006 : Issue 135
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  "Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Nig  [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]; ]
  Houdini's Death Revisited             [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
  Visualization Revisited               [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
  longer runs                           [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
  LONG RUN                              [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
  "[removed]"                  [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
  MacDonald and Balk                    [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Houdini                               [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
  ILAM scripts                          [ "Rex Bills" <rexbills@[removed]; ]
  Color radio                           [ "Bob C" <rmc44@[removed]; ]
  looking for traders                   [ Rodney Bowcock <pasttense_78@yahoo. ]
  #134 - Victor Damon Recording         [ "Dave Adams" <daveadams-hollywood@c ]
  J. Fred MacDonald                     [ <vzeo0hfk@[removed]; ]
  Too Short Series                      [ "Karen Lerner" <[removed]@[removed] ]
  Short lived radio Programs            [ "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@sbcgloba ]
  What Radio? Couple more great radio   [ Joemartelle@[removed] ]
  I took a cotton to him!               [ Wich2@[removed] ]

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 12:39:00 -0400
From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  "Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand
 with the Big Bands"

The latest "Golden Age of Radio" programs with Dick Bertel
and Ed Corcoran, and "A One Night Stand with the Big Bands"
with Arnold Dean can be heard at [removed].

Each week we feature three complete shows in MP3 format
for your listening pleasure or for downloading; two "Golden
Age of Radios" and one "One Night Stand." We present new
shows every week or so. The current three programs will be
available on line at least until the morning of May 29, 2006.

Hardcase leading man Howard Duff built his reputation on radio,
where among several other assignments he was cast as Dashiell
Hammett's two-fisted private eye Sam Spade. He made so vivid
an impression in this role that, when cast in his first film Brute
Force (1947), he was given special billing in the credits as
"radio's Sam Spade."

Program 45 - December, 1973 - Himan Brown

Legendary Producer/Director/Creator, Himan Brown's productions
include audio works such as Inner Sanctum, The Thin Man, CBS
Radio Mystery Theater, Terry and the Pirates, Bulldog Drummond,
Dick Tracy, Adventure Theater, Grand Central Station, and an
endless list of daytime soap operas. Himan Brown continues to
produce quality audio drama before live audiences and tapes them
for distribution. He also lectures and teaches.

Himan Brown was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.

"A One Night Stand with the Big Bands" With Arnold Dean

Sammy Kaye, musically, set the nation's band leading styles for
years and his versatility in the music business as a leader, song
writer, and personality in his own right, earned him the acclaim
of loyal fans and the praise of the country's music critics.

Variety, the show business newspaper, once price-tagged the
coined phrase, "Swing and Sway," as a million dollar slogan.
And they became one of the bands that sparked the whole big
band scene.

In the 1970's WTIC decided that there was a market in
the evening for long-form shows that could be packaged
and sold to sponsors. Two of those shows were "The
Golden Age of Radio" and "A One Night Stand with the
Big Bands."

Dick Bertel had interviewed radio collector-historian
Ed Corcoran several times on his radio and TV shows,
and thought a regular monthly show featuring interviews
with actors, writers, producers, engineers and musicians
from radio's early days might be interesting. "The Golden
Age of Radio" was first broadcast in April, 1970; Ed was
Dick's co-host. It lasted seven years. "The Golden Age
of Radio" can also be heard Saturday nights on Walden
Hughes's program on Radio Yesteryear.

Arnold Dean began his love affair with the big band
era in his pre-teen years and his decision to study
the clarinet was inspired by the style of Artie Shaw.
When he joined WTIC in 1965 he hosted a daily program
of big band music. In 1971, encouraged by the success
of his daily program and "The Golden Age of Radio"
series, he began monthly shows featuring interviews
with the band leaders, sidemen, agents, jazz reporters,
etc. who made major contributions to one of the great
eras of music history.

Bob Scherago
Webmaster

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 12:39:31 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Houdini's Death Revisited

Craig, noting my entry on Houdini's death, notes,

If memory serves, the cause of death  was a compound: he had already
been suffering from abdominal pain - likely,  encroaching appendicitis -
and the punch made it acute.

I have received several e-mails direct.  Most of them indicate that
Houdini's death was a byproduct of the abdominal punch, though the punch
was not the exact cause.  Apparently, the punch was the cause of the
appendix rupture, but days later from complications involved in
operations concerning his appendicitis.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 12:39:53 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Visualization Revisited

Ted Kneebone, speaking of visualizing radio shows in color or monochrome,
observes,

I have never listened to radio with my eyes.  Color and black and white
do not compute.  The sounds are what matters, the vocal delivery of the
actors, the music, the sfx -- that's what matters to me.

Well, yes.  But as I listen to a show, I frequently "recall" what I just
heard, and that's what I visualize.  I do the same while reading a novel.
 The "memories" of what I hear I visualize in color, but naturally, I
don't visualize them in real time.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:10:46 -0400
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  longer runs

Walden Hughes asked which short-run OTR series deserved a longer run. I
for one feel Quiet, Please deserved another couple of seasons. Though
with series that are so strongly tied to the creative force of a single
individual, who knows, maybe Wyllis Cooper would have burned out in
another six months. We didn't get the chance to find out. Stan Freberg
defintely deserved a far longer run than he received, but I think the
same issue was there: it was difficult for Stan and his collaborators
to come up with a lot of new material each week--and orchestrate it to
boot! Which is why there's a greater emphasis on performing Stan's
Capital hits in the second half of the run.

Two other shows with short runs that I've enjoyed a lot are Murder at
Midnight and Murder by Experts.

Kermyt

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:10:53 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  LONG RUN

Quick As A Flash was the classiest 'game' show to ever appear on radio or
TV.

[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:11:10 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  "[removed]"
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

Remotely OTR-connected: Brian Gari has just informed me off-list that
latter-day Clarabelle from the "Howdy Doody" show, viz. Lew Anderson, has just
died.  "Howdy Doody" was once a radio programme. details to [removed]

Derek Tague

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

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:11:33 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  MacDonald and Balk

On 5/14/06 12:18 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:

J. Fred MacDonald and Alfred  Balk, writers about radio's history. were on
WGN's Milt Rosenberg show Friday night.  I was a bit disappointed  in their
presentation and I note that their work is seldom mentioned here.  I'm
curious about how their work is regarded by this group.

I find MacDonald's perspectives far too 1970's-smug for my taste, and
that's all I'm going say about that. I recently read Albert Balk's book,
though, and thought it was quite well done as an overview -- it's very
rare for any OTR author to give the pre-1935 period its due, and while
there were a lot of spots where I would have liked to see more detail or
more thorough documentation, I thought overall the book was well done.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:11:49 -0400
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Houdini
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

      Facts about Harry Houdini and his life, and death, can be found
at the following website: [removed].
[removed] is a website which deals with all sorts of urban myths
and mysterious tales which have been passed down through the years
and accepted as truth. In some ways it debunks many of the myths
surrounding many famous people and events.

Another OTR Fan,

Kenneth Clarke

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

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:12:12 -0400
From: "Rex Bills" <rexbills@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  ILAM scripts
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

You have a request in the Sunday May 14 edition of The Old Time Radio Digest
for scripts of "I Love a Mystery."  I have zeroxed copies of some of them,
complete or nearly complete from the early 50's.  Each is about a ream in
size.  I would consider an offer for the lot of them and throw in a few extras
like an original script from "The Whistler."  I can be reached directly at
rexbills@[removed].  I ran the mail order business Golden Age Radio from
Portland, OR for 30 years.

ILAM scripts I have are "The Fear That Creeps Like a Cat," "Temple of
Vampires,"  "The Tropics Don't Call It Murder,"  "The Case of the Nevada Man
Killer," "The Turn of the Wheel," and "Stairway to the Sun."  Yes, Temple has
the episodes missing on circulating tapes.

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

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:12:37 -0400
From: "Bob C" <rmc44@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Color radio

To get in on the tail-end of this discussion, I agree with
several listers who said it never occurred to them to even think
in color or black-and-white ... the image built by voices and
sound effects is simply there in my mind. However, I would have
to agree with Andrew Godfrey that if I did visualize a person, I
probably did see him or her as a black-and-white image because
that's the way I saw them in a picture in a magazine or
newspaper.

-0-

Re "Color Radio" ... I can remember seeing that on the business
cards of several radio station reps back in the 1960s. It had no
meaning other than to say, while color TV was making its big
push, that their radio station was vibrant, interesting, the
on-air personalities were colorful, etc.

Bob Cockrum

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:12:55 -0400
From: Rodney Bowcock <pasttense_78@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  looking for traders
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

Have updated my listing of shows (about 3000) on tape and CD and am looking
for a few folks interested in doing small (5-10 tapes/cds) trades from time
to time.  Let me know if you're interested and we'll swap lists.  Mine is an
Excel attachment, can mail if you can't open it.

  Thanks!

  Rodney

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

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:13:52 -0400
From: "Dave Adams" <daveadams-hollywood@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  #134 - Victor Damon Recording

(SNIP) of October 27, '42". The label is "A Victor Damon Recording", "Damon
Transcription Laboratory" and the address is in Kansas City, MO.

I'm just wondering what Navy Day was, what else was broadcast that day and
who broadcast it, and how a record made in Kansas City turns up in Houston
Texas. Nib must have been someone's father or grandfather. Victor Damon
was apparently a recording service.

Joe,

Nothing on Navy Day, [removed]
I thought of singer Vic Damone but after a little poking around I confirmed
Victor Damon as an engineering force in Kansas City; He evidently helped
invent the spring reverb unit that record producers and we rock & roll
musicians used and abused for decades. He's pictured at the top.

[removed]

At the end of this gallery is a picture of William Conrad (mislabeled as
"Robert Conrad") and a quip about him blewing up at a writer for bad
punctuation and grammar. He was there to record The Bible.

-Dave Adams

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:17:11 -0400
From: <vzeo0hfk@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  J. Fred MacDonald

Clif Martin asked about radio historians J. Fred MacDonald and Alfred  Balk.
I know MacDonald's book (But not Balk's) and an interesting article that
MacDonald did on The Treasury Star Parade series. It's been a long time since
I read the book -- but his scholarship is sound. He did not write for the
casual reader -- but if anyone is interested in some thoughtful analysis --
yes -- take a look. I suspect that he may have not come off well on the
interview because I believe he has not done any writing about radio for many
years

Howard Blue

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:17:25 -0400
From: "Karen Lerner" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Too Short Series

Hi all,

I thought Walden Hughes' question was kind of interesting.  I think that we
all have those series that we cherish that we wish were on the air for much
longer than they were.  I asked some of the folks here at Radio Spirits and
everyone had an answer right away - no one even had to think about it.  The
consensus seems to be that we all wish that there were more episodes of Night
Beat, Academy Award Theatre, and Black Museum.

Karen Lerner
Radio Spirits, Inc.

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:17:43 -0400
From: "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@[removed];
To: "The Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Short lived radio Programs

To answer Walden Hughes:

I counted 60. There may be more otr programs that didn't make 3 years on the
air. I could have listed them if any one really cares, but my 2 fingers get
sore typing a lot. I may have included some summer replacement shows that
only ran for 12 or 13 weeks.
The number of years in network programming can be misleading, as us old
timers know , a year in most cases,  is 39 weeks and 13 weeks vacation. Many
of the syndicated programs ran 52 weeks.

I would suggest that the answers can be gotten on line at Jerry Haendige's
"Vintage Radio Logs" Or Frank Passage's "Old Time Radio Program Logs". and
other published logs. That is my source of my info.

Radio programs in the late 40's an the 1950's didn't last due to television
taking over as the main source of entertainment. Radio survived in areas
that TV hadn't reached, like rural areas.

Frank McGurn

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 19:18:15 -0400
From: Joemartelle@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  What Radio? Couple more great radio series
 that had a short run
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

Hi Charlie & Friends!!

I would like to add two of my all time favorite radio series, that also had
a short [removed]

Since I'm a western [removed] before I mention two of my favorite radio
series, which also had short runs,I'd like to echo what has been mentioned
here
before. THE SIX SHOOTER with
Jimmy Stewart is a wonderful western adventure series. Last Saturday, while
taking my 40 minute drive down the canyon to our nearest 'Big City,' I had the
 pleasure of enjoying one of the 30 minute episodes, called 'THE SHOES.' If,
you  haven't heard Jimmy Stewart as Britt
Ponset, 'THE SIX SHOOTER,' you're missing one heck of a western. I'd even
put it on par
with Gunsmoke; and, Mister, that's saying something!!I highly recommend you
take some time to listen to an episode or two. Jimmy Stewart's acting ability
and narration  on the program is outstanding.

FORT LARAMIE from the genius of Norman Macdonell and starring Raymond Burr.
The series featured gritty writing and superb acting, along with the great
sound  effects team of  Tom Hanley, Bill James and Ray Kemper, on loan from
Gunsmoke. Sadly, the series only aired on CBS from January through  October of
1956. On the positive side of the ledger, all 40 episodes are still  around
and
available, somewhere.

The other western series that had a short run of just two seasons, from
1950-52 was the half-hour adventure series, Tales of the Texas Rangers, on
NBC,
starring Joel McCrea. Re-enactments of actual Texas Rangers' case histories.
The  series also had a strong supporting cast of regular and guests, like Ed
Begley.

I honestly believe all three series, THE SIX SHOOTER, FORT LARAMIE and  TALES
OF THE TEXAS RANGERS came on the air, just a little bit too late to have a
long life on Network Radio. In the early to mid Fifties, dramatic programming
on  Network radio was beginning to feel the pinch from television.
Unfortunately,  the suits in charge, began phasing out some solid programs.
It amazes me
that  these stars, Jimmy Stewart, Joel McCrea and Raymond Burr, all solid
performers,  still couldn't save dramatic radio from the fangs of television.
Perhaps, if  they had a 'helping hand' from those in charge and back then, we
had
more
leaders in radio management, instead of followers and 'yes' men,
[removed], just maybe, radio drama could have survived---at least in some
shape or
form.  All too many network programming chiefs were too willingly  to sever
the
ties of 'entertainment' type programming and play 'follow the  leader,' and
hook on to the less expensive  'format of the [removed]'  Leaving local
stations with no programming and no alternative but to also play  music. I,
for
one, salute the powers to be at NBC for at least putting on their  creative
hats
in trying to come up with alternative programming to try and save  Netwrok
radio, like X MINUS ONE,
stories from the very best sci-fi writers of the day. The series aired late
in the age of radio drama in 1955.  And, remember, MONITOR, going places  and
doing things, the weekend radio service which had a relatively long run from
1955 until 1967, and featured comedy seg
ments, like FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY, and entertainment and interviews  segments
hosted by radio heavyweight announcers like, Gene Rayburn, Ed McMahon,  Henry
Morgan and Bill Cullen. Oh well, I've spilled my radio blood enough for  the
moment. There are many
other reasons why drama and other forms of entertainment  programming 'passed
away' from Network radio. I'm afraid, it would take up  too much space here
on the digest and too much
of your time to cover it all. I guess, we just should be thankful, we can
still spend time with many of our old friends, thanks to transcriptions,
tapes
& cd's and mp3's. Take care!!
Joe Martelle
former radio personality for 41 years
now enjoying life on Colorado's Western Slope.

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

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

Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 22:20:17 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  I took a cotton to him!

In a message dated 5/15/2006 12:18:32 [removed] Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:

05-15-1905 - Joseph Cotten - Petersburg, VA - d. 2-6-1994
actor:  Matthew Bell "Private Files of Matthew Bell"; "Mercury Theatre
on the  Air"

Ronald & gang-

And, "First Gentleman of Suspense."
I  find some of his work there even better than many of his film
performances.

-Craig

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #135
*********************************************

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]