Subject: [removed] Digest V2016 #81
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 12/8/2016 4:18 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2016 : Issue 81
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      A Hard Sell On A Popular OTR Serial   [ Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed] ]
      RADIO RECALL: December Issue          [ jack and cathy french <otrpiano@ver ]
      This week in radio history 4-10 Dece  [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2016 14:40:42 -0500
    From: Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  A Hard Sell On A Popular OTR  Serial

    One of the more inventive features of OTR shows, particularly the weekday
    afternoon adventure serials was the Radio Premium.    These novelties,
    obtainable by mailing a proof of purchase from a sponsor's product, often
    accompanied with some small payment in coin.  The premium provided the
    (usually) young listener with a souvenir of the story being featured, or
    just a connection to the show itself.  Many of the premiums were finger
    rings.
    For a lot of the premiums, the items were written into the story being
    presented.  Some premiums like the Radio Orphan Annie Secret Society
    Decoder Pins (one of which is shown in the film, / A Christmas Story/)
    were annual items, but others became elements within a plot.  During
    World War II, for example, a /Captain Midnight/ adventure had the
    characters using a premium, the MJC-10 Plane Spotter, to help identify
    and direct a bomber flight over Nazi-occupied France.
    Probably the best promotion within an adventure serial has survived.  In
    the /Jack Armstrong, The All-American Boy/ serial, an adventure involving
    the Sulu Sea region, involves a premium known as the Dragon's Eye Ring, a
    premium made of luminous plastic.
    The promotion for the ring was masterful.  In the story, a package is
    sent to industrialist James ("Uncle Jim") Fairfield.  From the first,
    attempts are made to intercept;pt and steal the package.  Eventually,
    Fairfield gets  , opens the package, and discovers that the item sent is
    a ring, one that will help him while negotiating with natives in islands
    in the Sulu Sea while trying to recover i lost shipment of Uranium.
    After the ring is identified, there are further attempts to steal the
    ring,
    Even to a current listener, the psychological influence is something to
    experience.  The whole show theme was to motivate listeners to send in
    for their own copy of that ring.

    According to radio historian Jim Harmon in his book, /The Great Radio
    Heroes/, the sponsor so overproduced the ring that listeners were urged
    to send for another copy, so that wearing a pair of them on one hand in
    the dark would loom like the glowing eyes of a wild animal.  But
    listening to the story gives a demonstration of one of the most effective
    pitches for a radio premium.

    Stephen Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2016 14:40:50 -0500
    From: jack and cathy french <otrpiano@[removed];
    To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RADIO RECALL:  December Issue
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    The December 2016 issue in full color went out yesterday in PDF via email to
    most subscribers. The hard copy B & W version will be mailed on or about
    December 12th to our other subscribers.

    This jam-packed issue leads off with an article by tireless OTR researcher,
    Stewart Wright, on the CBS Gunsmoke series , concentrating on Norman
    MacDonnellbs stock company. Stewart sets forth the identities of all members
    in this remarkable ensemble and then details the advantages of having a small
    cadre of regular guest performers.

    The holidays always include gift-giving so some suggestions for OTR books are
    included in this issue with two reviews. Robert Farr reviews Volume 3 of Life
    in the Past Lane written by Jason Hill for Bear Manor Media. Book is based
    upon Hillbs many hours of interview with OTR stars and Farr points out that
    the author managed to catch them before time had dimmed their memories. Next,
    Mark Anderson reviews Adventures in Old Time Radio by Brian Rogers, a compact
    volume which is termed an admirable guide to leaping back across the years.

    Looking across the Atlantic to the BBC, John Abbott sets forth the background,
    and reasons for the success, of The Goon Show. This unique and humorous
    British radio show retains its popularity throughout the years, based upon
    skilled writing and excellent comedy performers.

    If you were planning a Halloween concert of spooky music and you included
    Mussorgskybs Night on Bald Mountain, would you not mention in the program it
    was the main theme for the very popular radio series, Escape? The Fairfax City
    Band did not and this issue asks why? Turning to another OTR mini-mystery, Bud
    Collier used a deeper voice for Superman than when he was playing Clark Kent.
    Howard Culver used the same technique voicing Straight Arrow and Steve Adams.
    So why did the half dozen actors who played Lamont Cranston instead go to the
    filter mike when they became the Shadow?

    The enormous expense of seeking reprint authority for OTR obituaries is set
    forth in this issue, using the Los Angeles Times as a prime example. The death
    of sound man and author, Bob Mott, who died at the age of 92 this September,
    is remembered in an obituary herein. Derek Tague points out that Mott, with
    Ray Erlenborn, became known as Bob  & Ray at OTR conventions.

    The latest news from nostalgia auctions regarding OTR characters is in this
    issue, plus details on all upcoming OTR festivals, in addition to Letters to
    the Editor.  For a peek at past issues, or information on subscribing to this
    journal of the Metro Washington OTR Club, point your mouse at <[removed]
    <[removed];>

    Jack French
    Editor

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

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

    Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2016 14:40:56 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  This week in radio history 4-10 December

    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.

    12/5

    1936   Bing Crosby took over as host of The Kraft Music Hall. Jimmy
    Dorsey (who would later be host, himself) led the Kraft Orchestra.

    1952   Mutual broadcast The Green Hornet for the final time. The show
    left the air after 15 years on Mutual, NBC and ABC.

    12/6

    1923   The first presidential address to be carried on radio was
    broadcast from Washington, DC. President Calvin Coolidge addressed a
    joint session of the [removed] Congress.

    12/7

    1948   NBC presented the Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program for the
    first time. The talent show earned Dick Contino, an accordionist, the
    $5,000 ($49,739 in 2015 dollars) prize as the program's first national
    winner. Over the years Heidt gave some big stars their big starts: Art
    Carney, Frankie Carle, Gordon MacRae, the King Sisters, Alvino Rey, Ken
    Berry, Frank DeVol, Dick Contino, Al Hirt, Fred Lowrey, Ronnie Kemper,
    Larry Cotton, Donna and her Don Juans, Ollie O'Toole and many others.

    1952   My Little Margie, starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell, made
    its debut on CBS. The TV version of the popular show had begun on June
    16, 1952. My Little Margie stayed on radio for three years.

    12/9

    1940   The Longines Watch Company signed for the first FM radio
    advertising contract with experimental station W2XOR in New York City.
    The ads ran for 26 weeks and promoted the Longines time signals.

    12/10

    1927   For the first time, famed radio announcer George Hay introduced
    the WSM Barn Dance as The Grand Ole Opry.

    Joe

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2016 Issue #81
    ********************************************

    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]

    In the event of a major mail problem, please contact the listmaster via
      the web-based contact form available at [removed]
      (on the sidebar) or follow/DM CFSummers on Twitter

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