------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 186
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Chemistry [removed] Shadow and T [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
movie actors on radio [ "RyanO" <rosentowski@[removed]; ]
Gosden and Correll transition [ "Robert Birchard" <bbirchard@earthl ]
Re: A&A film clip [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Re: Amos 'n' Andy introduction [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
Gretta Garbo Holds Her Remote Contro [ jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns) ]
movie actors on radio [ <vzeo0hfk@[removed]; ]
Ronald Colman & [removed] [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
Re: Movie actrors with the Best radi [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
Cedric Adams [ "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@bas ]
ACTORS WITH RADIO BACKGROUNDS [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
Re: Movie actrors with the Best radi [ "Arthur Funk" <Art-Funk@[removed]; ]
dig at Rochester character [ "kierniesky" <kierniesky@[removed] ]
Alan Ladd [ <verotas@[removed]; ]
Saw Liz on ETV [ "wayne_johnson" <wayne_johnson@mind ]
6-26 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
voice from a sherlock holmes radio e [ "KAREN WALASZEK" <babykaren@earthli ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:00:01 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Chemistry [removed] Shadow and The Bat-Man
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At this juncture, I'd like to give a tip of the slouch hat to our own Anthiny
Tollin, the world's leading authority-historian-archivist of "The Shadow."
Tony is interviewed by comic-book historian Robert Greenberger at the
following link
[removed]
within an article titled "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate:How The Shadow
was the template for Batman." It's generally known that the Shadow was one of
many inspirations for "The Bat-Man" (as he was known originally). Anthony and
Will Murray have come across abundant evidence about how the first Batman
story in 1939's "Detective Comics # 27" borrowed heavily from an earlier
Shadow pulp.
BTW, I was tipped off to this article by Mark Evanier's [removed]
pop-culture blog, to which our own Steve Thompson's "Booksteve's Library" has
a link to at [removed]
Bravo Tony and Will with ancillary shout-outs to Messrs. Thompson and Evanier
Yours in the ether (hey, that's a chemical, too),
Derek Tague
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:00:38 -0400
From: "RyanO" <rosentowski@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: movie actors on radio
We'll dispense with the obvious answers, since guys like William Conrad,
Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Burr, Richard Widmark and the like were confined to
small on-screen roles while radio was king.
It is my firm belief that Orson Welles was the most powerful voice on radio.
Even when he was simply phoning it in (The Shadow, for instance), he was a
real presence. His voice alone could do the trick, but Welles has often
emoted in a way that struck me when I heard it. His presence alone even
elevates shows that might otherwise be throwaways, such as The Black Museum.
Mr. Welles certainly gives The Whistler a run for his money on that program.
Let me also give respectful nods to Jimmy Stewart, Vincent Pryce and Alan
Ladd, who also reigned supreme in the medium.
I was always very impressed with Judy Garland's performance in the Suspense
episode, "Drive-In." She did a better job of conveying her emotions with her
voice than did many of her contemporaries who appeared on that program. I
wish she'd done more Suspense shows.
RyanO
"If I am the chief of sinners, then I am the chief of sufferers also."
Robert Louis Stevenson
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:42:12 -0400
From: "Robert Birchard" <bbirchard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Gosden and Correll transition
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Bhob Stewart asked about the Gosden and Correll intro of the TV cast of
"Amos 'n' Andy." To the best of my knowledge, and I first saw this with
Charles Correll and his sons, Rich and Charles Correll, Jr., this was the way
the first episode of the series aired on Network TV--with the live
introduction of the all black cast to the television audience.
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:42:45 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: A&A film clip
On 6/25/07 10:14 AM [removed]@[removed] wrote:
My question: Is there any background info to what I saw? What was the
title of this show and when did it air? Was it part of the series? If
not, did it air immediately before the first episode? A week before?
What?
It never aired, nor was it ever intended to be shown to the public. It
was a closed-circuit presentation made for CBS affiliates as part of the
internal promotional push for the series in the spring of 1951. Years
later a 16mm kinescope of the presentation fell into collectors' hands,
and was spliced to the head of the TV series pilot episode, "The Rare
Coin," but the episode was never broadcast with this additional material.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:44:11 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Amos 'n' Andy introduction
Bhob asks about an Amos 'n' Andy introduction to the television show:
Well, I know I have a copy of what I believe you are speaking about. A
number of years ago there was a documentary of sorts of the two that was
hosted by black comedian Godfrey ???? (his name slips my memory right
now). They played that clip on that show which I taped. Each character
is introduced as you say but say very little as I recall.
Not sure if that documentary is available to the public, but it is sort
of in circulation.
Jim Widner
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:44:19 -0400
From: jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Gretta Garbo Holds Her Remote Control
The odd news that Garbo was a big fan of HOLLYWOOD SQUARES, and the
regret that nobody ever asked her to appear, is fascinating!
But I'm pretty sure she would not have been somewhere to the North of
Wally Cox, or East of Rose [removed]
Apparently, Garbo was also a regular viewer of New York's THE JOE
FRANKLIN SHOW, talk show--
But, of course, would never appear.
Gretta Garbo on BEAT THE CLOCK?
Now that would have been another matter [removed]
;-)
Jim Burns
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:47:17 -0400
From: <vzeo0hfk@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: movie actors on radio
Arch Oboler had a number of movie actors on his radio shows -- and had a
number of interesting conflicts with them.
The following is from my book about OTR during World War II, WORDS AT WAR
(Scarecrow Press, 2002)
Once, several months before US entry into the war, MGM lent him Walter
Pidgeon for one of Oboler's patriotic radio plays. In rehearsals, Pidgeon was
terrible. Pidgeon was not the only big name film actor to find it too
difficult to rely strictly on his voice for a performance. As many people
[will] hear you in this next hour of broadcast as have heard you in all the
motion pictures, and all the theater productions you have been in during your
life time . . . Oboler told Pidgeon. Therefore, I would appreciate it very
much if you went home.
Ronald Colman was another Oboler antagonist. During an ill-fated 21 week
radio collaboration the two came to detest each other. The experience was
characterized by the slamming of doors, and Oboler and Colman addressing each
other by Mr. For one thing, Colman and others were annoyed with Oboler's
screaming and ranting. The actor also became fed up with Oboler's habit of
producing a script at the last moment as though he had just dashed it off
between more urgent business. In addition, Colman, a fastidious dresser, was
disgusted by Oboler's wardrobe of dirty dungarees, no socks, sandals, and a
hat with a grease-stained band. Oboler's explanation for his dress style was
that he was a man ahead of his time. In 1949 Oboler also came into conflict
with James and Pamela Mason soon after the beginning of a dramatic series
which Oboler was hired to write. Oboler and the Masons soon parted.
For more information, see [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:47:43 -0400
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ronald Colman & [removed]
Yes, Ronald Colman and his wife, Benita were excellent in everything they
did on radio.
Also, They appeared numerous times on the Jack Benny program. Jack kept
borrowing things from the Colmans: sugar, furniture, etc. I often play
Lost Horizon and Goodbye, Mr. Chips. What a great actor he was, and a good
team with his wife. They could did comedy very well. Listen to their show
"Halls of Ivy."
Ted Kneebone / 1528 S. Grant St. / Aberdeen, SD 57401
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:47:52 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Movie actrors with the Best radio presence
Joe Martelle writes:
> I believe the actors with the best radio presence are those who had their
> roots firmly planted in [removed]
My vote would go to Dick Powell who in my mind was one of radio's most
natural actors in just about anything he played.
Jim Widner
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:48:09 -0400
From: "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Cedric Adams
There has been discussion on this digest of this legendary Minnesota radio
and newspaper newsman in the past. Now you can hear him. Go to:
[removed]
About a fourth of the way down the page click on the play button. The
broadcast is from 1951. It's about 4- 1/2 minutes long.
Ted
Ted
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:50:25 -0400
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: ACTORS WITH RADIO BACKGROUNDS
I may have told this story before but it bears repeating.
Working with William Conrad was a real highlight for me as an actor.
It also involved me flying over to my one time home in Honolulu where I was
on the radio in 1965. This time I would be visiting old friends who would
remember my desire to be an actor while I lived there and now I was
returning to
hone my craft in a TV show called JAKE AND THE FAT MAN .
I took the part because of Mister Conrad.
Meeting him was to be the highlight of my morning so when the assistant
director knocked on my dressing room door after breakfast at the studio and
wanted me to come down and say hello to Bill, I was delighted and filled with
dread at the same time.
I'd seen and heard the man almost as long as I could remember because I was
a kid brought up in late 40s and 50s with the radio as a babysitter and had
seen him in a few great movies after recognizing that voice.
I walked onto the sound stage and saw him with his back to me, looking
intently at something.
The assistant director chirped,
"Good morning Mister Conrad. As you requested here is Michael Gwynne to say
hello and perhaps we can get a quick rehearsal in."
I stuck out my hand to shake with a man I long admired.
He wheeled sharply with a big grin,
"Good morning Mister Gwynne. Delighted to have you aboard."
Just hearing my name intoned by that great voice was a thrill but there was
an immediate problem.
I had my hand stuck out like some journalist on a story and he has both is
hands full.
One with a cigar and the other with a donut!
I quickly realized all formality was off and that this was gonna be a
relaxed set.
Many hours telling stories around the set while awaiting lighting changes
was normal for a shoot like this and I gained a lot of insight into the man.
He was funny and easy but a pro to the end. You knew he knew everything that
was happening around him without acknowledging it.
He recommended a few restaurants for me and even offered to send me his
driver to take me to a few of them over the next week.
But, the thing that really amazed me that first day was what radio had
enabled this man to do.
Normally when you finish a scene with your close up after the master shots
have been done you have to remain on set while the camera and lighting are
turned around to catch the other actor's dialogue while you do what are
called,
'off camera lines' so that the other guy has a chance to do the scene again
this time with the camera on him/her.
That's always how it's [removed]!
But not Bill.
After my close up the assistant director came to me,
"You can go home now or to the beach, whatever you want to do Michael.
Mister Conrad will do his scene using a TelePrompTer."
This I had to see.
It was unheard of to be released so early in the day and even tho I was
looking forward to going to the nearby beach I had to stay and see the
master
work.
Camera ready, TelePrompTer in place where I would have been standing, the
director called 'action.'
He read his lines and waited for a moment as if I was talking back to him
and then back to the lines on the TelePrompTer.
Not ONE flub. Flawless reading of the lines to me as if I were standing
there.
He caught my eye after he'd finished and I saluted him.
"Just like the radio," I said.
He smiled big and saluted me back.
The beach and all the fine meals afterwards paled in comparison to what I
learned that day.
The most overlooked perk of working in the movie biz is that you sometimes
get to work with the masters.
Ya gotta look close cuz what they do can be almost invisible.
As someone once said, if something is done right it's almost as if nothing
was done at all.
Looking forward to telling these and other stories at the FOTR gathering in
Newark in October.
I have been invited once again to be on a panel as well as perform in a few
shows and am delighted to be back in the 'radio' theater again even if only
for a lucky few in the grand ballroom.
Join us there folks.
It's the best next thing to the real thing.
Michael C. Gwynne
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:35:45 -0400
From: "Arthur Funk" <Art-Funk@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Movie actrors with the Best radio presence
There are many worthy examples but when I read the first post in this thread
I immediately thought of Lionel Barrymore. His performance as Dr. Gillespie
on the Doctor Kildare series was a favorite of mine as a kid. More recently
I purchased a bunch of episodes of Mayor of Our Town and enjoyed them
thoroughly. And, of course, who could forget his radio interpretation of
Scrooge in A Christmas Carol.
Regards to all,
Art Funk
Art's Militaria
(813) 840-9606
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:55:01 -0400
From: "kierniesky" <kierniesky@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: dig at Rochester character
Sean Dougherty called attention to Gregory Moore's assertion that Adam
"Pacman" Jones's behavior diminishes black athletes to the level of
Rochester (Issue 185). In addition to demeaning Eddie Anderson's excellent
work during a transitional time for black performers, Moore's use of
Rochester in reference to an athlete's behavior is unfortunate, since
Anderson's own son lost a career with the Chicago Bears due to drugs. I
assume that Moore did not know this.
Several years ago, Laura Leff commented on the difficulty in finding details
of Eddie Anderson's life. Are there any interviews and biographical
information uncovered since then that I have missed? Or does this material
continue to be virtually nonexistent?
-Nik Kierniesky
Gettysburg
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:55:19 -0400
From: <verotas@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Alan Ladd
In response to the several folk who have indicated Alan Walbridge (now
there's a real radio name!) Ladd as their vote for the best movie actor's
radio voice - this somehow brought me to my feet so now I feel I must counter
with my vote:
Sonny Tufts !! ??
Worstus, Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:14:46 -0400
From: "wayne_johnson" <wayne_johnson@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Saw Liz on ETV
Saw Liz McCloud (oh, how I hope I remembered the spelling correctly) on UNC
TV tonight commenting on a rare aluminum disc recording of Amos -N- Andy ...
specifically from Breach of Promise, Thursday March 5, 1931 as dated on the
show.
Very interesting. They definitely chose the right person to go to for
information.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:14:54 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 6-26 births/deaths
June 26th births
06-26-1891 - Octavus Roy Cohen - Charleston, SC - d. 1-6-1959
writer: "Amos 'n' Andy"; "The Personal Column of the Air"
06-26-1892 - Pearl S. Buck - Hillsboro, WV - d. 3-6-1973
author: "America's Town Meeting of the Air"; "Pacific Story"
06-26-1893 - Dorothy Fuldheim - Passaic, NJ - d. 11-3-1989
newscaster: weekly news round-up on the ABC network
06-26-1894 - William Wirges - Buffalo, NY - d. 9-28-1971
conductor: "Club Valspar"; "Arabesque"; "Gold Dust Twins"
06-26-1897 - Warren Colston - Great Bend, PA - d. 5-24-1972
actor: "Young Widder Brown"; "Cavalcade of America"
06-26-1900 - Richard Crooks - Trenton, NJ - d. 9-29-1972
singer: "Voice of Firestone"; "Maxwell House Coffee Hour"
06-26-1902 - Bruce Evans - d. 2-9-1978
actor: Trapeze Artist "Circus Days"
06-26-1902 - William Powell Lear - Hannibal, MO - d. 5-14-1978
inventor: With Elmer Wavering, invented first commerial car radio
(Motorola)
06-26-1904 - Peter Lorre - Rozsahegy, Hungary - d. 3-23-1964
actor: [removed] Moto "Mr. Moto"; "Creeps By Night"; "; "Mystery in the Air"
06-26-1907 - Ynez Seabury - Oregon - d. 4-11-1973
actor: Libby Collins "Lux Radio Theatre"
06-26-1913 - Jack Moyles - d. 1-16-1973
actor: Major Daggett "Fort Laramie"; Rocky Jordan "A Man Named Jordan/
Rocky Jordan"
06-26-1914 - Babe Didrikson Zaharias - Port Arthur, TX - d. 9-27-1956
all-around athlete: "Babe Didrikson Zaharia Sports Show"
06-26-1916 - Alex Dreier - Honolulu, Hawaii Territory - d. 3-12-2000
reporter: "Morning News Roundup"; "NBC D-Day Coverage"; "Weekly War
Journal"
06-26-1920 - Leonid Hambro - Chicago, IL - d. 10-23-2006
pianist: "WQXR Halloween Party:
06-26-1922 - Eleanor Parker - Cedarville, OH
actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Hollywood Sound Stage"
06-26-1924 - Bob Maxwell - Custer, KY - d. 12-24-2002
actor: "The Lone Ranger"
06-26-1940 - Phoebe Dorin - NYC
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
June 26th deaths
01-20-1900 - Colin Clive - [removed], France - d. 6-26-1937
actor: "Hollywood Hotel"
02-07-1923 - Jiri Pelikan - Olomouc, Czechoslovakia - d. 6-26-1999
head of the state run radio system who eliminated censorship
05-20-1899 - Stan Lomax - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 6-26-1987
sportscaster: "Evening Journal Sports"
06-02-1900 - Charles Tazewell - d. 6-26-1972
writer: "The Columbia Workshop"; "Tom Mix"; "Mayor of the Town"
06-04-1891 - Erno Rapee - Budapest, Hungary - d. 6-26-1945
conductor: "Roxy's Gang"; "General Motors Concert"
06-07-1924 - Dolores Gray - Chicago, IL - d. 6-26-2002
musical actor: "Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street"; "Jack
Smith Show"
07-18-1913 - Mike Roy - Hanaford, ND - d. 6-26-1976
announcer: "Abbott and Costello"; "Vaughn Monroe Show"
08-18-1900 - Walter O'Keefe - Hartford, CT - d. 6-26-1983
comedian, emcee: "Camel Caravan"; "Town Hall Tonight"; "Double or
Nothing"
11-05-1902 - Borrah Minevitch - Kiev, Russia - d. 6-26-1955
harmonica player: (King of the Harmonica) Had own show on NBC Blue
11-19-1921 - Roy Campenella - Philadelphia, PA - d. 6-26-1993
sports news: "Campy's Corner"
12-09-1897 - Herb Lytton - d. 6-26-1981
actor: Bill Johnson "Gallant Heart"
xx-xx-xxxx - Marion McManus - Galesburg, IL - d. 6-26-2006
singer: "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:15:41 -0400
From: "KAREN WALASZEK" <babykaren@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: voice from a sherlock holmes radio episode
[removed]
Got your sites' name from radio Spirits as a possible source to clarify 3
questions.
1. I am trying to find out who played the character "Mr. Smith" in the
episode "The adventure of the dying detective" from Feb 3 1947.
It is in "The Ultmiate Sherlock Holmes Collection" 20 CD set. The voice
sounds like an actor who also appeared as a villian ina number of movies and
I am seeing his face in my mind if I am correct but cannot figure out the
name.
2. Also, does anyone like Frank Sinatra? When he played with Count Basie
at the Sands hotel in Las Vegas - who was the fellow that announced them?
Everytime I listen to the CD - I say it was William Conrad but again can find
no record.
3. I was listening to a recording of Marian Hutton songs and on one
recording she was being introduced to the - I think military audience. Did
Milton Berle every announce such live military events?
As you can guess by now - voices interest me. Ways things are phrased or
intoned catch my ear and I try to confirm the info.
Old time radio and books on tape (esp those murder mysteries of Agatha
Christie and Rex Stout) re-inforce my imagination as I work.
My mom got me hooked on books and my dad got me hooked on old time radio. I
am so very grateful for this.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Karen
KAREN WALASZEK
babykaren@[removed]
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #186
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