------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2007 : Issue 156
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Live Radio Theatre In Kentucky [ Richard Fish <fish@lodestone-media. ]
Poco You Drive Me Loco [ David Ballarotto <[removed]@ ]
5-27 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Music on radio [ Ken Greenwald <radio@[removed]; ]
The Hi-Fi Club Show [ "Dee" <deeatthedigitaldeli@earthlin ]
Finally catching up a [removed] [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 18:22:06 -0400
From: Richard Fish <fish@[removed];
To: OTR List-serve <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Live Radio Theatre In Kentucky
Here is a chance to enjoy a series of live radio theatre performances in
the classic Golden Age style. I hope some of you will be interested, and
that it's not too far off-topic, even though it's not a recreation of
OTR programs.
Are you a Mystery-Crime-Thriller fan?
If you're in range of Owensboro, Kentucky, anytime around June 12-17, 2007:
Seven radio theatre plays will be performed live -- three times each --
over five days, as part of the first annual International Mystery
Writers Festival. They are actually seven SCREENPLAYS, adapted for audio
by David Ossman.
The Festival is quite a big deal. Angela Lansbury and Blake Edwards are
involved, and bestselling authors Sue Grafton and John Jakes will be
there, among others. Harry Anderson ("Night Court," "Dave's World") will
be part of the audio team, along with Firesign Theatre members David
Ossman and Phil Proctor.
Details are revealed at [removed]
These adapted screenplays, and six regular stage plays, are winners of a
contest with some 2000 entries. All will be performed repeatedly during
the Festival. Two of the radio plays are short, and have been combined
into one show, so it's actually six stage plays, plus six
60-to-90-minute radio theatre shows.
Judith Walcutt and David Ossman are heading up the radio theatre team,
which includes Tony Palermo (probably the best radio sound effects
artist working today), Harry Anderson, Phil Proctor, Melinda Peterson,
and me.
Owensboro is a delightful surprise, with great people and a beautiful
big arts center, along the banks of the Ohio. We found an enthusiastic
production team and a lot of very good local talent to fill the casts.
Production pressure is as high as any network franticness in 1940.
Including minor walk-ons, there were over 100 parts to cast. Scripts are
still being revised. Rehearsal time is all too tight. We'll perform
three or four different shows each day for five days.
The final night, Sunday the 17th, will be capped by a two-hour awards
show, hosted by Angela Lansbury and Harry Anderson, which will be
televised. The radio group will be a part of this, doing a short
something we still have to write.
The radio theatre will be recorded, but rights for broadcast or
distribution are still very much up in the air. So if you're interested,
come on down and catch us live!
Richard Fish
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 21:58:01 -0400
From: David Ballarotto <[removed]@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Poco You Drive Me Loco
"The Adventures of Superman" is a pretty enjoyable serial. It makes me want
to have a bowl of Pep cereal so I can get the swell comic strip button
inside. The only thing more fun than that is when you find a duplicate and
then you can swap it with your friends! And I want to order that keen key
chain with the lucky charms you can attach to them!
Seriously, the show is fun and you don't have to be a kid. But the one thing
that can take all the fun away is any of the storylines that start to feature
Poco.
What was Whitney Ellsworth thinking? In one of his first appearances, even
Clark Kent was getting exasparated with this character, who speaks only in
rhyme. Every time it looks like it's safe and Poco's been forgotten by the
writers, the rhyming starts and my interest parts!
While I doubt any of us on the list are actually school-aged children, does
anyone who enjoys "Superman" actually enjoy this character? Or when you were
a child, did you like the character? I'm truly curious because even though
he only shows up sporadically, the character is so annoying to me that I
wonder if I'm completely off base and there is something charming about him?
And can you tell me if my misery continues? I'm currently up to the spring
of 1947 and it's been a few months since a Poco storyline. Is the end in site?
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 01:20:14 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 5-27 births/deaths
May 27th births
05-27-1894 - Dashiell Hammett - St. Mary's County, MD - d. 1-10-1961
author: "Fat Man"; "Adventures of Sam Spade"
05-27-1902 - Cedric Adams - Magnolia, MN - d. 2-18-1961
commentator: In 1953 filled in for Arthur Godfrey for 13 weeks
05-27-1904 - Marlin Hurt - Du Quoin, IL - d. 3-21-1946
actor: Beulah "Fibber McGee and Molly"; Bill Jackson "Beulah"
05-27-1910 - Sidney Slon - Chicago, IL - d. 1-21-1995
actor: Solly "The Goldbergs"; Mr. Trent "Valiant Lady"
05-27-1911 - Herb Meadow - d. 3-1-1995
creator, writer: "Have Gun, Will Travel"
05-27-1911 - Hubert H. Humphrey - Wallace, SD - d. 1-13-1978
politician: "Meet the Press"; "University of Chicago Round Table"
05-27-1911 - Vincent Price - St. Louis, MO - d. 10-25-1993
actor: Simon Templar "The Saint"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-27-1912 - John Cheever - Quincy, MA - d. 6-18-1982
writer: "NBC Presents: Short Story"
05-27-1912 - Slammin' Sammy Snead - Ashwood, VA - d. 5-23-2002
golf legend: "Kraft Music Hall"
05-27-1915 - Herman Wouk - NYC
writer: "Town Hall Tonight"; "Fred Allen Show"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-27-1919 - Ray Montgomery - d. 6-4-1998
actor: Noel Chandler "Dear John"
05-27-1921 - Franklin Adams, Jr. - Chicago, IL
actor: Skippy "Skippy"; Davy Jones "Davy Jones"
05-27-1921 - Redd Stewart - Ashland City, TN - d. 8-2-2003
lyricist: "Pee Wee King and His Golden West Cowboys"
05-27-1925 - Tony Hillerman - Sacred Heart, OK
writer: "The Zero Hour"
05-27-1934 - Harlan Ellison - Cleveland, OH
writer: "[removed] 68"
May 27th deaths
02-16-1915 - Leah Ray - Norfolk, VA - d. 5-27-1999
vocalist: (The Phil Harris Band) "Tommy Riggs and Betty Lou"
05-29-1916 - Forrest Perrin - d. 5-27-2005
host: "Piano Playhouse"
07-03-1908 - Robert B. Meyner - Phillipsburg, NJ - d. 5-27-1990
governor new jersey: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
08-07-1904 - Herbert Colin Rice - Guilford, England - d. 5-27-1991
creator, writer, producer: "Bobby Benson"
08-12-1904 - Kay Campbell - d. 5-27-1985
actor: Evey Perkins Fitz "Ma Perkins"
08-14-1909 - Frank Papp - d. 5-27-1996
director: "The Bartons"; "Words at War"; "Right to Happiness";
"Eternal Light"
09-13-1895 - Ruth McDevitt - Coldwater, MI - d. 5-27-1976
actor: Jane Channing "This Life is Mine"; Mother "Keeping Up with
Rosemary"
09-13-1918 - Ernie Winstanley - England - d. 5-27-1992
actor, sound effects: Scrub Troy "Secretary Hawkins' Fair and Supper
Club"; "The Lone Ranger"
10-10-1909 - Florida Friebus - Auburndale, MA - d. 5-27-1988
actor: "Great Plays"; "Theatre Guild On the Air"
10-12-1900 - Ted Collins - NYC - d. 5-27-1964
announcer, host: (longtime manager of Kate Smith) "Kate Smith Speaks"
11-07-1902 - Ed Dodd - Lafayette, GA - d. 5-27-1991
comic creator: "Mark Trail"
11-23-1925 - Jeffrey Hunter - New Orleans. LA - d. 5-27-1969
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
11-28-1925 - Robert Readick - NYC - d. 5-27-1985
actor: (Son of Frank) Bill Roberts "Rosemary"; Don Cornwell "Second
Mrs. Burton"
12-03-1889 - Ferdinand Munier - San Diego, CA - d. 5-27-1945
actor: Rene Michon "Count of Monte Cristo"
12-25-1893 - Robert L. Ripley - Santa Rosa, CA - d. 5-27-1949
emcee: "Colonial Beacon Light"; "Baker's Broadcast"; "Believe It or Not"
Ron Sayles
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 08:54:49 -0400
From: Ken Greenwald <radio@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Music on radio
There's been some talk on the Digest about the recycling of radio
music. This is a definite YES. Though I do not know if NBC or MUTUAL
had a music library, I do know that CBS and ABC had a vast musical
library of every conceivable type of music. During the late 40s and
early 50s it became a standard practice to record and store music
themes, bridges, stings, and anything else musical that could be
thought of. All of this music was either recorded in studio by the
networks, or, by foreign orchestras contracted to record the music
for the networks. Part of the reason for doing this was because of
the overlapping of radio into the beginning of television. During the
early days of TV (1950 to 1960) it was not easy to hire an orchestra
to record the music for the ever expanding television shows. Much of
the TV music was recorded by independent film music suppliers in
europe, brought to the US and and then added to early filmed TV
shows. Mutel Music was one such a company. They were contracted by a
TV show to have special music themes written for that show. A show
like The Bob Cummings Show. I mention this about TV because, at the
time, it was the only way music could be brought to TV shows. TV was
simply too new a medium to spend vast sums of money on full
orchestras and special music themes here in America. TV was searching
for ways to make their productions profitable.
At this very same time, radio was on its way out and the networks
didn't want to spend money on orchestras as they had during radios
golden days. So, the networks opted for canned music. They wanted
music any way they could get it, and some of their ways were very
clever. Here's an example of how they obtained canned music:
Because of Gunsmokes great popularity, it was still a well paying
show for actors, crew, sound effects people and music and orchestra
members. So CBS devised a way to get the music for later release.
When they wanted to get canned music they would section off the
actors, the sound effects people and the orchestra into areas. There
were literally walls separating the actors from the sound effects and
from the orchestra. But, in these walls, there were windows that
everyone could look through, including the director of the show. So,
actors, sound effects and music orchestra could see each other, but
couldn't hear each other. Disc recorders and tape recorders were set
up to record the actors, sound effects and music separately. That is
why there are recordings of Gunsmoke and other 50s shows where you
have the actors doing their dialogue with no music or sound effects.
This was not always done by CBS. They still allowed the actors and
the rest of the crew to work together. They did this only when they
wanted canned music. Thus CBS was able to have separate tracks of the
actors, the sound effects and the music (themes, bridges, stings, and
all). The music went right to the record pressing company and
hundreds of copies of the music were stamped for later use on various
shows. In this way CBS (and ABC) was able to protect itself from
major losses if and when radio bit the dust. The Pacific Pioneer
Broadcasters have hundreds of those music discs on 16" stamped
recordings. There are all kinds of music that can be chosen, in all
lengths. And, the music for Johnny Dollar and Gunsmoke and Suspense
are all there. A treasure trove of music that ...... is no longer
used because dramatic radio no longer exists on the networks.
Because it was a time of transition from radio to television, the
networks hedged their bets by wisely "canning" their music --- even
if they didn't always use that music wisely.
Ken Greenwald
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 08:56:38 -0400
From: "Dee" <deeatthedigitaldeli@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: The Hi-Fi Club Show
Can anyone tell me anything about this Coca-Cola sponsored show?
It was apparently a weekly, as the episodes I have are:
#86 - week of Aug 14
#87 - week of Aug 21
Thanks in advance for any information.
Dee
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 09:08:10 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Finally catching up a [removed]
Folks;
After running behind for what seems like forever, I'm finally catching up
a bit on life, the universe, and everything. It's now time to pay some
attention to the Old-Time Radio podcast, and so I need to ask what programs
_you_ would like to hear? What shows would you like me to post on the
website/podcast? Please send ideas and requests to me directly (and please
remember while I have a bunch of stuff, I don't have _every_ OTR program that
[removed] ;)
Also on the podcast subject, I'd like to run some local programs from the
era, shows that didn't air on national networks and that may have a more
local or regional flavor. If you have any local programming in your
collection you'd like to share with everyone here on the Digest, please drop
me a note.
Charlie
--
Check out The Nostalgic Rumblings Blog with news on TV and Radio,
the Podcast of Old-Time Radio shows, and more!
[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #156
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