Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #160
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 5/23/2005 5:30 AM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2005 : Issue 160
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      CBS/Tone/Chirp                        [ "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@webtv. ]
      Jack Benny live shows                 [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      Turntables/slightly off topic         [ Jim Widner <widnerj@[removed]; ]
      Sherlock Holmes                       [ Richard Olday <raolday@[removed]; ]
      Voice of America Profiles Jack Benny  [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
      How Sad: Howard Morris, [removed]        [ jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns) ]
      The Navy Swings                       [ "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@sbcglob ]
      Otr Graduation Shows                  [ Trinapreston3@[removed] ]
      Re: Last "Live" Live Benny Program    [ "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed]; ]
      Scopes Trial                          [ "apcohen" <apcohen@[removed]; ]
      CBS TONE                              [ "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@webtv. ]
      Sorry, Wrong Number                   [ "William Vest III" <tsukasasan@hotm ]
      BBC drama                             [ "Mike Hobart" <zines50@[removed]; ]
      Many games, [removed]                  [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      Sherlock in the movies                [ "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@bas ]
      Sherlock Holm                         [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:26:11 -0400
    From: "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  CBS/Tone/Chirp

    Hi Bob C. I so completely agree with you about the state of radio network
    news reporting. When I visited CBS Radio in 1988 at their HQ in the old
    converted dairy building in NY, I was heartened to learn that whom ever reads
    the CBS News at the top of the hour must write their own script. At least
    some journalistic talent is required. They are not just news announcers. In
    fact, I have a 1964 CBS radio magazine ad featuring Alexander Kendrick, Alan
    Jackson, Mike Wallace, Richard C. Hottelet, and Douglas Edwards in whcih the
    ad boldly states, WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEWS ANNOUNCERS ON CBS RADIO. The reason
    why radio network news hourlies are so short is due to one reason - radio
    stations just will not clear a 10 or 15 minute network news broadcast.
    Program directors want local and more air time to sell commercials.
    Journalistic quality again is sacrificed at the altar of the bottom line. I
    admire CBS KMOX (stream cast on the internet) because they clear the World
    News Tonite - the whole 10 minutes. Concerning the Net ALERT, I have a
    magazine picture of one and I am grateful for the info on how it worked.
    Finally, I think the CBS BONG was an A note at 440. I like when CBS newsman
    Lou Milliano reads the news on the hour because at the CBS network ID he
    utilizes the dramatic pause which Edward R. Murrow learned from his English
    teaher. [removed]( 2 to 3 second pause).....is CBS NEWS. Lou is the only one
    who will do the network ID in this way. [removed] Mike

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:27:12 -0400
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack Benny live shows

    Kermyt Anderson writes:

>     If I'm not mistaken, Jack's show hadn't been broadcast live for  several
>     years by this time. I know that in the final years the show would  be
>     recorded in front of an audience, with somebody (sometimes Joan  Benny)
>     reading Mary's lines, and then Mary's lines would be  recorded
>     separately and edited in before the broadcast. The broadcast  itself
>     (like most--if not all?--radio comedy and drama of the mid-50s)  was
>     transcribed. So this raises the question: when was the last time  Jack's
>     radio show was broadcast live? Perhaps as early as 1950? (Maybe  Laura
>     Leff has the answer to this?)

    I'm still scanning for the exact answer on this myself, but I think it lies
    somewhere around 1948-50.  Different stories exist of when Mary decided  that
    she sometimes wanted to record her lines at home, and of course, the show
    would have to be taped (not just [removed] hard to edit in the lines
    off
    a disc) by that time.  And I know of at least one WWII military base  show
    which had an indication on the script that it would be rebroadcast from a
    transcription.

    Also, Mary was still performing live on some of the shows from 1950-55 (I
    hope to track down the dates of when her lines were dubbed vs. not).  Joan
    did
    Mary's lines for only about half a year before she left for college;   script
    secretary Jeanette Eyemann seems to have done them more frequently.   During a
    casual listen to part of the 5/22/55 show pre-Mary editing, it sounds  to me
    like Jeanette is doing Mary's lines.  However, I'll have to give it a  little
    closer examination and some side-by-side of Jeanette appearing in  television
    shows.

    BTW (wink to Charlie), I'd like to hear from anyone who has some more
    in-depth knowledge of censorship practices during the OTR era.  Please
    contact me
    offline at _jackbenny@[removed]_ (mailto:jackbenny@[removed]) .  Thanks.

    --Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:27:28 -0400
    From: Jim Widner <widnerj@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Turntables/slightly off topic

    I apologize if this is slightly off topic though I don't think it is.

    I have an acquaintance who is looking to get his Technics turntable
    working again. He lives in the Midwest (Indiana to be exact) and is
    looking for someplace that can repair them competently.

    I would like to hear via private email so as not to clog up the digest,
    from anyone who has suggestions. The closer the better. Please email me
    privately and thanks in advance.

    Jim Widner

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:28:55 -0400
    From: Richard Olday <raolday@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sherlock Holmes

    These are probably the series currently airing on
    Imagination Theater produced in Seattle by Jim French.
    If so, all the stories are new. They have been doing
    new Holmes shows about one a month since May 1998.
    Dick Olday

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:29:39 -0400
    From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Voice of America Profiles Jack Benny

    This link takes you a transcript and downloadable MP3 of a Voice of America
    profile of Jack Benny.

    I don't know how long the link will be live, but in the meantime, enjoy.

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:31:50 -0400
    From: jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  How Sad: Howard Morris, [removed]

    Another one of the performers we all grew up with, has [removed] By
    sheer dint of his later directing work, alone, would not the laughs he
    genrated, be beyond measure?

    On Broadway, Morris was in HAMLET (in 1945!), GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES,
    and the 1960 FINIAN's RAINBOW, revival.

    The following, from my friend, media
    maven, Brent [removed]
    ____

    Actor and director Howard Morris has died at age 85.

    Howard appeared with the Three Stooges in STAR SPANGLED SALESMAN (1968),
    directed by Norman Maurer. Mr. Morris directed WHO'S MINDING THE MINT?
    (1967), which was produced by Norman Maurer and featured Emil Sitka and
    Jeffrey Maurer in cameo roles.

    He also directed WITH SIX YOU GET EGGROLL (1968); originally Joe Besser
    was a member of the cast, but at costar Brian Keith's insistence, Howard
    had the unfortunate task of recasting Joe's role (with Vic Tayback).

    Howard Morris is probably best-known as Ernest T. Bass on THE ANDY
    GRIFFITH SHOW. Regardless, he considered his career highlight to be the
    years he spent working on YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS and CAESAR'S HOUR, with Sid
    Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Nanette Fabray, Mel Brooks, Larry
    Gelbart, and more. Over seven years, Howard was hilarious in one comic
    skit after [removed] "This Is Your Story," "The German General," "The
    Bavarian Clock," and scores more.

    Mr. Morris was also a long-time member of the television animation
    voice-actor community, working for Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, and King
    Features. Among his long list of animation roles are Jughead on THE
    ARCHIES, Atom Ant, Beetle Bailey, and various characters on THE
    FLINTSTONES and THE JETSONS. Morris was always a very busy character
    actor in television too. A close friend of Mel Brooks, Howard costarred
    in Brooks' Hitchcock spoof HIGH ANXIETY (1977) as Professor Lilloman.

    In the 1960s, Howard moved into directing, mostly for television, but
    also film. Highlights include GET SMART (pilot episode), BEWITCHED, THE
    DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, GOMER PYLE USMC and HOGAN'S
    HEROES. He also directed Jackie Gleason in DON'T DRINK THE WATER (1969).

    I had the opportunity to meet Howard on many occasions, particularly at
    the annual Mayberry Days celebrations in Mt. Airy NC. He was also a
    regular celebrity guest at the Hollywood Collector Shows in North
    Hollywood. He particularly loved to talk about his 1950s work with Sid
    Caesar, but was always gracious and friendly when fans invariably
    brought up Ernest T. Bass. Although he only guested in six episodes, he
    made such an impression that he was typecast. At autograph shows, he
    seemed perplexed to see his 8x10s of Ernest T., and a pic of him with
    the Stooges, selling more than his many Caesar-related photos. But he
    always took it in stride, and with good humor.

    A rare talent, who will be missed. RIP Howard Morris.

    -Brent Seguine

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:32:23 -0400
    From: "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@[removed];
    To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Navy Swings

    Brent Pellegrini recently posted in part:

>     ...... I came across a bunch of tapes I found at a junkstore years
>     ago called "The Navy Swings" and "Your Navy Presents Pat Boone."
>     George Fennemen is
>     the announcer and among the musical guests I noticed is one of my
>     favorites, Ella Mae Morse. Each show has a different jazz guest.
>     Anyone know anything about this show? The tapes are reel to reel and
>     they say government property etc on the [removed]

    The Navy Swings was one of many weekly Public Service shows provided
    to radio stations free of charge for weekly airings in any time slot
    choosing of the station management. There were for years many such
    programs provided free of charge by various government agencies that
    were very effective in getting their particular message out, be it
    military public relations and/or recruiting, civil defense awareness,
    veteran's support, savings (or war) bonds, etc. I don't know when The
    Navy Swings first came along but I remember it well from my local
    broadcasting days of the late fifties through most of the sixties.
    Like many of it's genre they first appeared in 16 inch transcription
    disc format later morphing into either 12 inch discs or 7 inch reel
    tapes as technology improved. Those formats no doubt changed in later
    years as well. As I recall radio stations at one time were required to
    commit a percentage of time for public service programming, religious
    broadcasts and other such endeavors that benefited the public and
    therefore helped justify their right to use the public airwaves. If
    there was ample competition for a station's (frequency) license some
    broadcasters no doubt inflated their commitments to prove their worthy
    intent. Anyhow, these public service programs helped these stations
    fill such requirements and were frequently aired. Music content was
    the norm (pre rock and roll craze) with well known musicians and
    vocalists of the day providing both comment and music. There were any
    number of shows, some better than others (most swung, some didn't).
    Those on discs were usually provided to the stations without any
    return commitment. Tapes on the other hand were usually sent with free
    mail return labels and tapes were expected to be returned on a regular
    basis. Some of the government produced shows I remember were Here's to
    Veterans (VA), Stars for Defense with Jay Jackson host (Office of
    Civil Defense), The Steve Lawrence Show (US Army), The Navy Swings
    with George Fenneman host (US Navy) and one of my personal favorites,
    with great guests and banter, Guard Session with host Martin Block
    (National Guard).

    Paul Thompson

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 20:33:46 -0400
    From: Trinapreston3@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Otr Graduation Shows
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    Once again I like to Theme together radio shows, and since this is the season
    for high school and college graduations.  I wanted to put together a list of
    radio shows with graduation themes.  I only came across two shows surfing the
    Internet. I haven't heard these episodes before, but this is all I could find.
    They are:

    Life of Riley  "Babs Graduation"  6/12/48
    Frances Langford Show  "Holly's Graduation" 6/12/47

    Are there any other shows with graduation themes?  Did Our Miss Brooks every
    had a graduation show or Great Gildersleeve?  I know Gildy's niece was a
    teenager and she did get married, was there is a graduation show for her?
    Any show
    can help.

    Trina,

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 23:12:38 -0400
    From: "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Last "Live" Live Benny Program

    Kermyt Anderson suggested that transcribed Benny programs may have ended as
    early as 1950.

    I suggest that it may well have been earlier than =that=. Like "early 1949"
    earlier, I mean.

    Why? The Phil Harris problem.

    For several years when Harris' show followed Benny's on NBC, Phil was given
    carte blanche to leave the Benny show less than halfway through the program
    to accomodate Harris' sojourn through the network's halls from Jack's studio
    to his own, often arriving only moments before sign-on at 7:30.

    When Jack switched to CBS in January of 1949, the program also switched
    studios to the Columbia lot some distance from NBC. However, the +Harris=
    show changed neither networks nor broadcast times. Thus, keeping Phil on
    both programs (if broadcast live) would have been a logistical nightmare.
    (Indeed, in at least one interview, Harris claimed that he did try it at
    least once and made it to his own program =after= sign-on -- though Bill
    Forman's intro and the opening Rexall advert gave him enough extra time to
    arrive and not miss a line.)

    (In addition, CBS couldn't have been very happy about excusing a player from
    its biggest show to run off and headline another directly following for its
    competitor. Maybe they couldn't actually bar Harris from working for NBC,
    but =help= him? Never.)

    If I had to track down the exact date of the switch to tape, then, I'd
    suggest looking for the first 1949 show to feature Phil at any point after
    the seven-or-eight-minute mark of the program. A change from live production
    to transcription would have been the only way for Harris to make such an
    appearance =and= be on his own still-live broadcast immediately following.

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 23:12:48 -0400
    From: "apcohen" <apcohen@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Scopes Trial

    On a network news show last evening, there was a graphic indicating that the
    Scopes Trial was broadcast live.  Is this correct and if so, are there any
    surviving recordings of the trial?

    Albert P. Cohen

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 23:13:02 -0400
    From: "Michael Paraniuk" <bourdase@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  CBS TONE

    Hi Michael Soshani. I know what Bob C. is talking about in regards to NBC at
    the top of the hour being puny. NBC used a sound that was sort of an annoying
    beep. As far as I know, the NBC chimes have always been the notes G-E-C which
    they have registered as a trademark(?). The only other sound registered as a
    trademark(?) was the Hyman Brown creeky door of the old CBS Radio Mystery
    Theater. I also use to listen to the WCBS 4 bongs in which the last bong from
    WCBS 880 incorporated the lower bong from WCBS along with the CBS Columbia
    Network higher sounding bong at an A note. It was quite impressive to this
    Columbia listener of 47 years. God Bless Alexander Kendrick wherever you are
    since you left this mortal world in 1991 at the age of 80.  [removed]
    Mike

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 23:13:19 -0400
    From: "William Vest III" <tsukasasan@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Sorry, Wrong Number
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    Hello all,
    I'm doing a stage play of Joseph Ruscoll's "The Creeper" and "Sorry, Wrong
    Number" (SWN).
    The Creeper played 3 different times that I could find. Murder At Midnight,
    The Chase & Molle Mystery Theatre. And SWN, as you know, played 8 times on
    Suspense! Was that unprecedented? Had/has there been any other single episode
    that played as many or more times?
    I'm looking for tidbits of information and facts. Anything anyone could tell
    me would be appreciated.
    I read that Agnes Moorhead would collapse at the table she sat at after the
    broadcast. True?
    I also read that SWN was originally done with only Agnes' voice and the SFX.
    Also true?
    And I can't find squat about The Creeper or Joseph Ruscoll.

    Again, any help would be appreciated!

    Wm. Vest III

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

    Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 23:13:37 -0400
    From: "Mike Hobart" <zines50@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  BBC drama

    The ARCHIVE HOUR programme on BBC Radio 4 has just aired a documentary on
    the history of serialising the classics for broadcast, which includes many
    mentions of early radio adaptations.

    The first big "classic serial"?   The Prisoner of Zenda.

    Some of the virtues and problems of OTR were the same on both sides of the
    Atlantic.

    One producer mentions that in the early days of live drama he used to
    produce the sound of gunshots by actually discharging firearms in the
    studio!

    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 00:18:46 -0400
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Many games, [removed]

    Dear Friends-

    Well, with Sir Arthur's birthday on the 22nd, this is  all [removed]

    Can't answer the recent question re: the other "new"  Holmes recordings that
    RadioAZ bought; but perchance, it was one of the modern  Brit series, or
    Imagination's?

    [removed] King: the resources that I have say  that the first Sherlockian
    broadcast was the launch of the 1930 NBC series, by  William Gillette. Can
    anyone lock
    down the WGY story?

    Of more recent  vintage, I would like to invite folks to hear Quicksilver
    Radio Theater's  production of THE SPECKLED BAND (one of the last productions
    authorized by Dame  Jean Conan Doyle), this week:

    [removed]#drama

    And, to take this chance to  thank Lister Max Schmid, of WBAI, for making
    possible our "Award of Special  Merit" for THE BLUE CARBUNCLE, which we just
    received from the National  Federation of Community Broadcasters.

    The Great Detective  lives.

    Best,
    -Craig Wichman

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

    Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 00:46:52 -0400
    From: "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Sherlock in the movies

    [removed] King and I are in agreement:  the most often portrayed real historical
    person in Napolean.

    The question of Dracula surpassing Holmes in the fictional character
    department is something I will check on.

    Stay tuned.

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

    Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 07:27:30 -0400
    From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sherlock Holm

>     was recently in a Half-Price bookstore and saw a boxed set of Sherlock
>     Holmes radio shows.  I was about to purchase it when I noticed it was
>     not OTR.  These were recently produced scripts.

    If the set was named Sherlock Holme Radio Mysteries
    then it comes from Jim French Productions. The
    programs are part of his Further Adventures of
    Sherlock Holmes series that air on the syndicated
    Imgination Theatre show. Topics Entertainment of
    Renton Washington licensed 16 of the shows for release
    on cassette and CD. They have since discontinued all
    cassette production hence your finding them in Half
    Price Books. For information on the series which is
    still in productions check out Stewart Wright's log of
    the show on the original old time radio site.
    Larry ALbert

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #160
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