Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #42
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/28/2003 12:25 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 42
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Robert Rockwell                       [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      Jack Webb A&E Biography               [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      Robert Rockwell has passed away       [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
      Re: Jack Benny Month                  [ TWTDchuck@[removed] ]
      America's Town Meeting of the Air fo  [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
      Re: The Shadow's popularity           [ "Michael Ogden" <michaelo67@hotmail ]
      Barrel of Bricks                      [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
      Re: Multiple Roles on A&A             [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Robert Rockwell died                  [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
      RE: Longest running radio program?    [ "" <david@[removed]; ]
      Finiculi, Finicula                    [ "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed] ]
      Library of Congress names first sele  [ Art Chimes <achimes@[removed]; ]
      39 Forever                            [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      1st live radio program broadcast      [ "George Coppen*" <gacoppen@[removed] ]
      Re:pacing and timing                  [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      Re: Jealousy                          [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:21:24 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history

>     >From Those Were The Days --

    It was on this night in 1940 that Beat the Band made its debut on NBC,
    with the Ted Weems band. Beat the Band was where listeners' questions
    were selected in the hopes of stumping the band. If a listener's
    question was chosen, he or she received $10.  The questions were posed
    as riddles: What song title tells you what Cinderella might have said if
    she awoke one morning and found that her foot had grown too large for
    her glass slipper? If the band played the correct musical answer, Where
    Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?, the listener lost.

    When Raleigh cigarettes sponsored Beat the Band, the listener who beat
    the band won $50 and two cartons of cigarettes ... Raleighs, of course.
    When the sponsor changed to General Mill's Kix cereal, if the listener
    beat the band, he/she won twenty bucks and a case of Kix cereal.

    1934 - As a result of a compliment paid on this day, by Walter Winchell,
    in his newspaper column; a local disc jockey began receiving several
    offers from talent scouts and producers. The DJ became known as the
    Redhead, adored by thousands in Washington, DC and, later, by millions
    across the country on CBS radio and TV. His trademark (strumming a
    ukulele and delivering down-home patter) endeared him to fans for many
    years. We remember the broadcasting legend, Arthur Godfrey. "I wanna go
    back to my little grass [removed]"

      Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:
    [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:22:02 -0500
    From: Derek Tague  <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Robert Rockwell

    Hi Gang:

       Actor Robert Rockwell,  who played biology teacher Philip Boynton, on the
    television  version of "Our Miss Brooks"  has died of cancer at the age of 82.
    According to the truncated Associated Press newswire article where I read
    this, he also guest-starred on  shows with OTR connections
    such as "Perry Mason," "Lassie," and "The Lone Ranger,"  as well as in the
    film version of "War of the Worlds."
       The article also pointed out that Rockwell was the second cast member of
    "Our Miss Brrooks" to die this month following the recent death of Richard
    Crenna.
       On a personal note of trivia, I'd like to point out that Robert  Rockwell
    also played Jor-El, Superman's Kryptonian father in the first TV episode of
    "The Adventures of Superman" (George Reeves version).
       It's quite ironic that we've lost both Walter Denton and Mr. Boynton so
    close together. But consider this: show biz is also mourning within a recent
    three-week period
    the recent deaths of George Roy Hill, Conrad Hall, and Paul
    Monash,respectively, the director, cinematographer, and co-producer of the
    1969 film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

    Yours in the ether--

    Derek Tague

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:22:29 -0500
    From: Derek Tague  <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jack   Webb A&E Biography

       This coming Thursday 01/30, the A&E cable network will be repeating the
    Jack Webb segment of its popular "A&E Biography" series, no doubt to piggyback
    the publicity surrounding  this coming weekend's TV premiere of an updated
    "Dragnet."  "Biography"  airs at 8 [removed]/Eastern,  usually w/ a repeat at 12
    Midnight/Eastern.
       I missed this programme the first time around and am quite looking forward
    to it.

    [removed]

    Derek

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:22:43 -0500
    From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Robert Rockwell has passed away

    This is unbelievable.  First Walter, then Mr. Boynton.

    [removed]

    Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:03:14 -0500
    From: TWTDchuck@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Jack Benny Month

    Our long-running "Those Were The Days" program in Chicago has been devoting
    the month of February to Jack Benny and this year will certainly be no
    exception.

    For our 24th annual salute to Jack during the four weeks of his birthday
    month, we'll feature five related Jack Benny and Fred Allen programs from
    1946;  Dennis Day's first three appearances as a regular on the Benny
    program, from 1939; a 2002 live re-creation of the Lux Radio Theatre
    production of "Brewster's Milions" which originally starred Jack and Mary in
    1937; plus Jack as a guest star on broadcasts of Suspense, Dorothy Lamour
    Show, Bing Crosby Show, and in "June Moon" on the Campbell Playhouse with
    Orson Welles.

    "Those Were The Days" is heard every Saturday afternoon from 1 to 5 pm
    (Chicago time) on station WDCB, [removed] FM -- Public Radio from the College of
    DuPage and live on the Internet at [removed]

    Our complete, detailed broadcast schedule is published in our Nostalgia
    Digest magazine, which also features lots of articles from and about the past.

    About ten days ago we mentioned our magazine in this forum and offered to
    send a complimentary copy of our current February/March issue to any reader
    of this old time radio Digest (with no obligation, of course).

    We were overwhelmed and pleased to hear from so many OTR fans.  We received
    requests, literally, from the four corners of the United States (California,
    Washington,
    Maine and Florida), throughout the rest of the country, and from England and
    Canada.

    The "freebie" issues have been sent out and if there's anyone else who would
    like a copy, you need only respond with your name and snail mail address.
    Our Nostalgia Digest e-mail address is TWTDchuck@[removed]

    Chuck Schaden
    Host and Producer
    "Those Were The Days"

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:35:10 -0500
    From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  America's Town Meeting of the Air for 1953

    A documentary producer  is looking for an archive with America's Town
    Meeting of the Air for 1953.  She's tried  ABC (the rights holder), NBC
    (the original producer), the Library of Congress, theh National Archives,
    and the Museum of TV and Radio.  Can somebody help?

    Howard Blue

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:37:47 -0500
    From: "Michael Ogden" <michaelo67@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: The Shadow's popularity

    Ryan posed the following question about THE SHADOW:

>     I know that it was a popular program, but then I wondered how long it
>     took
>     the program to gain fame in the country.  Was the show only a
>     regional
>     program when Orson Welles and Bill Johnstone were in the
>     role?  When did
>     it go national?

    I realize that Anthony will discuss this in greater detail, but the
    (relatively) short answer is as follows:

    The initial Orson Welles series (September 1937-March 1938) was sponsored by
    Blue Coal, and insofar as Blue Coal was a regional product and not sold
    nationwide, then I guess you could consider THE SHADOW a regional program.
    But it was a large region, encompassing most of the northeast and portions
    of the upper middle west. Also, the Welles season ran on more than one
    network (requring two live performances every Sunday afternoon for two
    separate broadcasts), so if a listener in New England didn't pick it up
    directly from WOR-Mutual, they could most likely hear it over an affiliate
    of the Yankee Network.

    But the show expanded to much more of a national coverage when it was picked
    up for sponsorship by Goodrich in the spring and summer of 1938.
    Over a hundred stations across the country ran the Goodrich series, and many
    of these stations were outside the Blue Coal selling area, so a great number
    of new listeners became Shadow fans as a result.

    Sometime around this time Charles Michelson got involved and set up a
    specific arrangement with Street & Smith to market the program outside the
    Blue Coal boundaries. I'm unclear as to whether Michelson was involved at
    all with the 1938 Goodrich series, but if not, he certainly came on the
    scene very shortly thereafter. But Anthony will be able to  clarify
    Michelson's involvement with the series better than I.

    Mike

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:34:26 -0500
    From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Barrel of Bricks

    Jay asks about the Fred Allen "barrel of bricks" routine, which also
    appeared in the Laurel & Hardy movie Way Out West.  Click here:

    [removed]

    and type in the box "barrel of bricks" and it will take you to the
    complete story.

    Enjoy!

    ---Dan

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:36:20 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Multiple Roles on A&A

    On 1/27/03 4:35 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

>     2. Are there any good examples in Amos n Andy or Lum
>     and Abner, where an actor was playing multiple roles
>     in a scene and forgot to switch voices?

    If memory serves, in the 12/26/48 episode of "The Amos 'n' Andy Show"
    there's a very quick gaffe following a musical bridge when Gosden begins
    to deliver one of the Kingfish's lines in Amos's voice, and quickly
    corrects himself.

    Bill Hay was asked in a 1935 interview if the performers ever had a
    problem with fast voice changes, and he could only remember one occasion
    where such a fluff had occured in the previous seven years of nightly
    broadcasts -- a total of more than four thousand performances. As he
    described it, far more challenging than simply switching voices was the
    rapid shifts in physical position that accompanied those changes. The
    secret of Correll and Gosden's skill in impersonating an entire cast of
    characters during the serial era wasn't so much their versatility with
    voices -- although Gosden stands in my estimation as one of the most
    proficient multiple-voice actors radio ever knew -- as it was their
    ability to take full advantage of the directional properties of the
    microphone by seamlessly shifting position in their chairs as they
    delivered the lines for each charcacter. Every character not only had a
    specific voice but also an exact position in relation to the microphone
    that had to be hit precisely every time in order to keep the sound
    consistent.

    Hay described what he considered the most memorable demonstration of this
    skill as having been delivered during the 1931 "Breach of Promise"
    storyline in the presentation of Brother Crawford's testimony during the
    trial sequence. In playing Brother Crawford, Gosden gave the voice a
    unique spasmodic quality by bouncing softly up and down in his chair as
    he read the lines, while leaning back about two feet from the microphone
    and raising his voice a notch above the already elevated voice he used
    for Amos. This was a difficult character to do even under ordinary
    conditions -- but during the trial scene, Gosden *also* played Madam
    Queen's attorney M. Smith, using a deep resonant voice with his head
    turned slightly away from the mike. During the testimony scene, Gosden
    had to precisely gague the proper distance from the mike, and coordinate
    the movements of his head, the bouncing in the chair, and the rapid-fire
    shifts in vocal pitch all without losing his place in the script. Hay
    recalled that this performance left Gosden physically exhausted after the
    broadcast.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:56:29 -0500
    From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Robert Rockwell died

    There's an associated press obit in one of the local
    papers saying that Robert Rockwell, who played Philip
    Boynton on the "Our Miss Brooks" TV show has died at
    age 82. The obit also says he was "part of dozens of
    radio programs", but unfortunately, doesn't list any
    of them.

    It does, however, mention that "Our Miss Brooks"
    started as a radio sitcom and that the part of Boynton
    (on TV) was the "most celebrated role of Rockwell's
    career."

    The obit isn't clear on whether he played the role on
    radio as well, but I'm sure other people on the list
    would know. I'm only familiar with Jeff Chandler's
    portrayal of Boynton; and since I'm at work, I can't
    check Dunning to find out more about Rockwell.

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:57:23 -0500
    From: "" <david@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  RE: Longest running radio program?

    John Collins posed a trivia question about what the longest running radio
    program is with the same host. I'm making a guess here, but could it be Paul
    Harvey's?

    --David Kindred (That's "Tooth [removed]" to Hal!)

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 12:13:07 -0500
    From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Finiculi, Finicula

    <<Chuck asked about this music as an OTR  theme song>>>

    "Lorenzo Jones" and his wife, Belle was the radio show.  He was a bit inept
    around the house and in each episode Lorenzo would blunder doing something
    or other in the town where he lived [removed] still loved him.  I
    pictured him as a Dagwood Bumsted-type character (Arthur Lake in films) who
    was always loved by his wife, Blondie.

    Russ Butler  oldradio@[removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 12:13:26 -0500
    From: Art Chimes <achimes@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Library of Congress names first selections
     for National Recording   Registry

    The Library of Congress Tuesday announced the first 50 recordings to be
    included in a registry of important sound recordings scheduled for special
    preservation efforts.

    The registry was mandated by the 2000 National Recording Preservation Act.

    Most of the items on the list are commercial recordings, but others may be of
    particular interest to OTR fans, including:

       FDR Fireside Chats (1933-44)

       Description of the crash of the Hindenberg (Herb Morrison, 1937)

       Who's on First (Abbott and Costello's first radio version, 1938)

       "War of the Worlds" (Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater, 1938)

       "God Bless America" (Kate Smith, radio broadcast premiere, 1938)

       "Grand Ole Opry" (first network broadcast, 1939)

       Eisenhower D-Day address (1944)

    Also on the list: DeWolf Hopper's 1915 recitation of "Casey at the Bat," Bing
    Crosby's "White Christmas," Aretha Franklin's "Respect," Tito Puente, Miles
    Davis, Woody Guthrie, Les Paul and more.

    A google news search will likely produce numerous news stories on this
    [removed];q=library+of+congress

    For more information, including specific criteria and an onlline nomination
    form, see the LoC web site at [removed]

    Regards,
    Art Chimes

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 12:52:36 -0500
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  39 Forever

    Just a reminder, [removed]

    The deadline for 39 Forever is [removed]'s January 31.  Reserve your
    space now for this once-in-a-lifetime Benny celebration at [removed].

    --
    Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 13:45:27 -0500
    From: "George Coppen*" <gacoppen@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  1st live radio program broadcast

    Here is a question for one of you OTR historians. Was   "ROXY AND HIS GANG "
    the first LIVE RADIO SHOW BROADCAST??  I was reading that it started in 1922
    and ended in 1935. I thought there would have been other shows broadcast
    before then.

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 14:22:12 -0500
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re:pacing and timing

    Ed said

>     I have a question for Mr. Stone, (snip)

    Who he? Did he mean "Hal"?

>     In addition to being a huge OTR fan, I'm also a Jazz organist (in the Jimmy
>     Smith, not Rosa Rio) sense of the word. (Snip)

    I envy you. I have no musical talent whatsoever. (Except beating on a drum)
    I give good rhythm. :)

>     I'm begining to see how important pausing and phrasing are to convey meaning
>     [removed] things don't get across without that proper [removed](Snip) I'm
>     curious
>     about what type of training/coaching you guys received when you
>     first started out or what golden wisdom you could [removed] Were you guys
>     trained how to pace yourself ?

    Hmmmm! Tough question. I'm not sure how to answer it, so I'll just "vamp".
    (Insider jazz musician talk)

    Actually, Your question had to do primarily with pacing oneself during
    interviews. I guess that's just something you have to develop a "feel" for.
    It's like telling bedtime stories to kids. You build [removed] modulate
    your voice, you pause for [removed] Relax and have fun. It catches and holds
    attention. (Maybe that's not a good analogy). When you want to put your kids
    to sleep with a bedtime story, maybe you should drone on in a monotone and
    lull them off that way.

    As for OTR performances, and pacing for actors, believe it or not, a lot had
    to do with the writer, and the writing. many writers would "hear" the
    dialogue in their mind. And many would actually read the script through for
    overall basic timing before submitting it. They had to at least have a rough
    idea of the running time. And that could only be obtained by reading it out
    loud while timing it. Reading something, without speaking the words, will
    not give one an idea of the pacing.

    That's why, when the actors got their hands on the script for the first
    read-through, the pacing was already built in, to a limited extent. [removed]
    That's when the director shined. (Or was supposed to). He could suggest
    speeding passages up, for a dramatic effect, (to "build" excitement, as we
    called it), or perhaps a longer pause in the dialogue between characters,
    again, for dramatic [removed] perhaps by dragging out the line.

    After read-through's, and on-mike rehearsals, then any discrepancies between
    the writers original timing, and the script playing longer or shorter, could
    be fixed by cutting or adding dialogue.

    All the while, actors might be making notes on their scripts. Like adding
    the word "PAUSE" in pencil ahead of a line, or the notes "fast, frantic"
    "excitedly" or any other keyword to remind them of how the director wanted
    something done.

    So, to answer your question, in most cases, a performer's pacing was a
    collaborative effort. But the good ones knew instinctively how to read
    dialogue, realizing how important it was to the "Character" they were
    portraying, and the "mood" of any given scene. That's why the good actors
    worked so often. The Directors' didn't have to pull (extract) performances
    out of them.

    But there was one particular form of pacing that the good ones were born
    with. And that was comedic timing on comedy shows. When to deliver the punch
    line, (or set it up), was an art form in itself. I think the greatest
    example of that was the Jack Benny gag that was recently mentioned in the
    digest. The Robber, at gunpoint, is menacingly demanding, once [removed]
    "Your money or your life"....

    I can just visualize Jack turning away from the microphone, looking towards
    the audience for a beat (with that great "angelic" [removed] turning
    back to the Mike, saying petulantly, loudly, with irritation in his
    [removed]"I'm thinking it over".

    One of the highest compliments that I received from my peers during my years
    of playing the goofy character "Jughead", was that I had a good sense of
    comedy timing. I appreciated hearing that almost as much as getting paid
    each week. :)

    Hal(Harlan)Stone

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

    Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 14:22:21 -0500
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Jealousy

    It seems Spence isn't Jealous about my "love affair" with lillian Gish.

>     After all, Hal was too young to appreciate that.  Right, Hal?  You were too
>     young to really enjoy her affection "intimately," right?  Tell me that you
>     were too young, Hal.  Just because both you and she were unmarried doesn't
>     mean that you really got too, er, *intimate*, right?

>     But I'm not jealous.  No, not at all.

    Of course not Spence. Maybe "Envy" is a better word. Eat your heart out!!!
    And if you can define "intimacy" as an eight year old getting lots of hugs,
    cuddling, and hand holding from that wonderful [removed] then boy! were we
    ever intimate. Go eat worms!

    Beside, I didn't really discover "the older woman" syndrome until page 234.
    Now I gotta tell you, Spence ol' buddy, That episode was something to really
    make you to feel jealous, envious, and incredibly deprived. :)  :)  :)

    Speaking of the book (Thanks Spencer for bringing it up, and the kind
    comments) I am pleased to announce we have sold out the initial print order,
    and we expect the new shipment of books today. And we still are offering the
    5x7 autographed picture as an insert). But honest folks, I certainly hope
    you get more pleasure and enjoyment from reading the book, and not looking
    at the picture. (Ugh!) To find out details about the book, and how to order,
    go to [removed]

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #42
    ********************************************

    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]