Subject: [removed] Digest V2008 #16
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 1/17/2008 8:24 PM

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

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2008 : Issue 16
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Arch Oboler                           [ <vzeo0hfk@[removed]; ]
      Jewish stereoytypes                   [ etorch@[removed] ]
      "Dream Time"                          [ Frank McGurn <[removed]@sbcglobal. ]
      Cincinnati convention                 [ Rodney Bowcock <pasttense_78@yahoo. ]
      Re: [removed]                         [ Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed]; ]
      RADIO AND THE JEWS                    [ David Siegel <otrdsiegel@[removed] ]
      Carl Reiner on Jewish Comedians       [ seandd@[removed] ]
      Adventures of Uncle Jimmy             [ Andrew Steinberg <otrdig2@[removed] ]
      Lone Ranger on All Things Considered  [ Andrew Steinberg <otrdig2@[removed] ]
      re: Stinkers                          [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
      Jim Jordan on Wistful Vista           [ john hetherington <j_t_hetherington ]
      1-18 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:05:29 -0500
    From: <vzeo0hfk@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Arch Oboler

    Charles Salt asked, "Did Arch Oboler ever write his memoirs and if not, has
    anyone ever published something similar about him?"

    No -- Oboler did not publish his memoirs -- Also, although though he gave
    some taped interviews, he was uneven about his willingness to be interviewed

    I interviewed his widow and his former assistant in the late 1990s and
    published a biographical sketch about him in my book, WORDS AT WAR (Scarecrow
    Press, 2002).

    Howard Blue
    [removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:40:42 -0500
    From: etorch@[removed]
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jewish stereoytypes

    I have real problems with the "schmaltzy" Yiddish inflections which Molly
    Goldberg (Gertrude Berg) and Minerva pious seemed compelled to use--neither
    had that accent in reality. Does anybody out there know of a Jewish
    protagonist who was just a regular hero (who spoke non accented English) or
    in a similar vein was a villain in OTR?

    Evan Torch,MD
    Atlanta

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:18:12 -0500
    From: Frank McGurn <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Dream Time"

    B. Ray asks:

>     *Just wondering; could it have been the "Dreen" Hour, as a program sponsored
>     by Dreen Shampoo?*

    I wonder if B. Ray is thinking "Drene Time" aka "The Bickersons"  That
    stared Don Ameche & Frances Langford with Danny Thomas,  Announcer Toby
    Reed and Carmen Dragon & His Orchestra . Sponsored by Drene Shampoo, on
    NBC on Sundays from 9/8/46 to 6/1/47.

    There was a program called "Dream Time" with Jeanie Taylor only one
    program shown, for 6/18/48, that was on Friday over ABC. I found it
    listed in Jay Hickerson's "Guide To all Circulating Shows". No sponsor
    shown.

    Frank McGurn

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:51:09 -0500
    From: Rodney Bowcock <pasttense_78@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cincinnati convention

    This year in Cincinnati we will get together on April
    11 and 12 for our annual Convention.

    Rodney

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:51:01 -0500
    From: Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: [removed]

>     This may be an ignorant question ...but how
>     exactly was Kitzel a stereotype? He used Jewish dialect, yes--something

    Specifically, it's an Eastern European Yiddish dialect, and his
    timing and inflections are certainly stereotypical. Ditto Earl
    Bennett (aka Sir Frederick Gas), who mimicked him at the request of
    his employer, Spike Jones. This sort of thing wasn't offensive to
    most Jews at the time, but  the Anti-Defamation League got upset
    about Jones' recording of "Tennessee Waltz," sung in heavy Yiddish
    accents by Bennett and Sara Berner.

    Jordan [removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:15:01 -0500
    From: David Siegel <otrdsiegel@[removed];
    To: OTR DIGEST <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RADIO AND THE JEWS

       I did not intend to post about this matter since it would not be
    possible for me to be objective about the subject.  However, as a
    dedicated reader of this Digest, I must confess to have been touched
    by the very kind words concerning our book posted by the respected
    dean of radio history, Dr. Michael Biel followed, not long, after by
    the "from the heart" comments concerning the book, posted by John Eccles.

           It was the not one, or even two, but as of today, three follow
    up postings by fellow otr enthusiasts regarding the nature of Jewish
    stereotypes on radio that finally drove me to the keyboard, wanting
    to clarify the purpose of our [removed] or not PBS has been
    featuring a three part series regarding what they refer to as the
    experience of Jewish Americans. Watching  the first two episodes I
    couldn't help but think that their researchers had covered much of
    the same ground hat we did however, accuse me of hubris if you will,
    not in the depth that we did.  Their aim was broad, ours was far more
    pointed. The documentary does, as most observers of the period ,
    focus on The Goldbergs, without question a quintessential example of
    how radio portrayed Jews, but in our humble view just the "tip of the
    iceberg".considering the broad scope of detailed examples of programs
    from the well known ABIE'S IRISH ROSE to programs few  have heard of
    like MEYER, THE BUYER or POTASH AND PERLMUTTER. (to mention only two
    of over 100 examples we write about)

          While it may have far more information than the casual otr fan
    wants to or needs to know but that, in my "not so humble" opinion is
    the book's  strength. Most otr fans are familiar with Molly Goldberg,
    Mrs Nusbaum, Mr. Kitzel and a few other examples. Our book begins
    with the roll played by NBC & CBS giants Sarnoff and Paley. It traces
    the earliest examples of Jewish themes both positive and negative
    which aired on the networks from the mid 1920'sto the late 1950's in
    comedy, drama,  religion,  documentaries, soap operas, westerns, kids
    shows, variety and special events. It may indeed, provide far more
    information, history and analysis than some otr fans need to or care
    to know. However for those who have a yen to understand how the magic
    of what we lovingly call THE GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO  did far more than
    entertain  a nation during depression and war but also played a major
    roll in influencing American public opinion regarding a minority
    group who in this country found what they believed to be "A PROMISED LAND."

    Dave Siegel

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:19:58 -0500
    From: seandd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Carl Reiner on Jewish Comedians

    Comedian Carl Reiner is quoted today in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about
    Jewish comedians and noted that "except for Fred Allen" all the best radio
    comedians were Jewish.

    Gracie Allen and Lucille Ball might beg to differ but it still makes for
    interesting reading.  It's pegged to a television series about Jewish people
    that will cover Jews in entertainment in a pending episode.

    [removed]

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:20:35 -0500
    From: Andrew Steinberg <otrdig2@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Adventures of Uncle Jimmy
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Does anyone have any background on this radio show? It is a soap opera and I
    believe it is from the 1930s. The opening of the program says "A Warner
    Brothers Production."

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

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:21:00 -0500
    From: Andrew Steinberg <otrdig2@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lone Ranger on All Things Considered
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    What amazed me about the Lone Ranger 75th anniversary story on ATC was the
    length of the piece. ATC devoted 13 minutes of their program to the Lone
    Ranger. Of course, he deserves it, but I was expecting a 30 or 60 second
    mention. What a nice surprise to have come out of my radio.

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

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:22:02 -0500
    From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re: Stinkers

    Kenneth Clarke (kclarke5@[removed]) wrote:

>     Some of the movies that were made of radio shows ("Dick Tracy", "The
>     Whistler", "The Shadow', and "The Third Man", [removed]) weren't as good

    on

>     the screen as they were on the radio.

    Let's not forget that The Third Man movie came first! In fact, the film
    is referred to in the opening of every radio show, in which Orson
    states (I'm quoting from memory) "That was the shot that killed Harry
    Lime, as those of you who saw the movie 'The Third Man' will remember."

    Taste in films is entirely subjective, but this is the first time I've
    ever heard anybody imply that "The Third Man" is not a good film. The
    film was rated by the British Film Institute as the greatest British
    film ever made ([removed]). (Although the
    two lead actors were American and it was filmed in Vienna, the film was
    a British production.) Welles is only on the screen for, what, 15
    minutes? But his performance is electrifying. Joseph Cotton -- another
    actor with strong radio credentials -- does as fantastic job as well. I
    do enjoy the radio series, but in my opinion (and I stress it's only
    that), the radio show isn't nearly as good as the film.

    Kermyt

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:58:40 -0500
    From: john hetherington <j_t_hetherington@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jim Jordan on Wistful Vista
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I was hoping someone could help with this. I was reading the forums when I
    found a post from 2006 that included a quote from an interview with Jim
    Jordan: "Fibber McGee and Molly was (pause), there was a lot of fantasy. (It)
    Took place in a mythical town, of course, called Wistful Vista. This town was
    mythical and the street they lived on was mythical. Wistful Vista was not a
    small town either. It was a huge metropolis if we wanted it to be. It was
    anything we wanted it to be." The post didn't say where the interview was
    from, and I was wondering if anyone knows the source. Thanks
    John

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

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

    Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:25:51 -0500
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  1-18 births/deaths

    January 18th births

    01-18-1882 - A. A. Milne - London, England - d. 1-31-1956
    author: "Fleischmann's Yeast Hour"
    01-18-1889 - Brad Barker - Hempstead, Long Island, NY - d. 9-29-1951
    animal sounds: Sandy "Little Orphan Annie"
    01-18-1892 - Oliver Hardy - Harlem, GA - d. 8-7-1957
    comedian: "Laurel and Hardy Show" Pilot, never broadcast
    01-18-1896 - Art Kassel - Chicago, IL - d. 2-3-1963
    bandleader: "Kassels in the Air"; "Elgin Campus Revue"
    01-18-1899 - Lucille Wall - Chicago, IL - d. 7-11-1986
    actor: Portia Blake "Portia Faces Life"; Belle Jones "Lorenzo Jones"
    01-18-1902 - Helen Lynd - New Jersey - d. 4-1-1992
    actor: Miss Duffy "Duffy's Tavern"
    01-18-1904 - Cary Grant - Bristol, England - d. 11-29-1986
    actor: Jim Blandings "Mr. and Mrs. Blandings"
    01-18-1906 - Ruth Lyon - Bloomington, IL - d. unknown
    vocalist: "Romance Melodies"; "Words and Music"
    01-18-1912 - Bob Sabin - Illinois - d. 1-15-1959
    announcer: "Modern Romances"
    01-18-1913 - Danny Kaye - Brooklyn, NY - d. 3-3-1987
    comedian: "Danny Kaye Show"
    01-18-1914 - Rod O'Connor - Houston, TX - d. 5-5-1964
    announcer: "Red Skelton Show"; "Duffy's Tavern"; "Count of Monte Cristo"
    01-18-1915 - Bob Mosher - d. 12-xx-1972
    writer: "Amos 'n' Andy"; "Henry Morgan Show"; "Harry Von Zell Show"
    01-18-1915 - Lesley Midgley - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 6-19-2002
    producer cbs news: "The Twentieth Century"
    01-18-1920 - Constance Moore - Sioux City, IA - d. 9-16-2005
    singer, actor: Gloria Dean "Hollywood Mystery Time"
    01-18-1939 - David French - Canada
    writer

    January 18th deaths

    01-14-1891 - Maurice Black - Queens, NY - d. 1-18-1938
    tuba: "The Clicquot Club Eskimos"
    01-27-1904 - Frankie Marvin - Butler, Indian Territory, Oklahoma - d.
    1-18-1985
    actor: "Gene Autry's Melody Rance"
    02-04-1898 - Art Balinger - California - d. 1-18-1980
    announcer: "Here Comes McBride"; "Mr. and Mrs. North"
    02-23-1925 - Niels Robinson - d. 1-18-1994
    actor: "Coast-to-Coast on a Bus"
    03-09-1921 - Carl Betz - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 1-18-1978
    disk jockey: WCAE Pittsburgh
    03-13-1911 - James T. Quirk - d. 1-18-1969
    announcer, station program director Philadelphia, PA
    03-31-1918 - Charles Russell - NYC - d. 1-18-1985
    actor: Johnny Dollar "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"
    04-04-1894 - Ed East - Bloomington, IN - d. 1-18-1952
    actor, writer, pianist, composer: "The Ed East and Polly Show"
    04-07-1895 - Bert Wheeler - Paterson, NJ - d. 1-18-1968
    comedian: "Frank Sinatra Show"; "New Old Gold Show"
    05-04-1896 - Dr. Frank Baxter - Camden, NJ - d. 1-18-1982
    actor: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
    05-07-1905 - George E. Stoll - Minneapolis, MN - d. 1-18-1985
    orchestra: "Jack Oakie's College"; "Bing Crosby Show"; "Eddie Cantor
    Show"
    06-12-1890 - Junius Matthews - Chicago, IL - d. 1-18-1978
    actor: Grandpa Eph "David Harum"; Ling Wee "Gasoline Alley"
    06-25-1893 - Charlotte Greenwood - South Philadelphia, PA - d. 1-18-1978
    comedienne: "Life with Charlotte Greenwood"; "Charlotte Greenwood Show"
    07-04-1911 - Dwight Hauser - Idaho - d. 1-18-1969
    producer, director: "Defense Attorney"; "I Fly Anything"; "Man from
    Homicide"
    07-09-1901 - Jester Hairston - Belews, NC - d. 1-18-2000
    calypso singer: King Moses "Bold Venture"
    10-10-1920 - William David Adams - Chicago, IL - d. 1-18-1989
    writer/producer: "Story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt"
    10-28-1910 - Arthur Altman - Brooklyn, NY - d. 1-18-1994
    CBS staff violinist and librarian
    10-30-1918 - Joan Banks - NYC - d. 1-18-1998
    actor: Arline Harrison Manning, "Portia Faces Life"; Carlotta Lagorro
    Armour, "Today's Children"
    11-20-1916 - Virginia Verrill - Santa Monica, CA - d. 1-18-1999
    blues singer: "The Jack Haley Show"; "Show Boat"; "Uncle Walter's
    Doghouse"
    11-21-1902 - Arthur Schutt - Reading, CA - d. 1-18-1965
    pianist: "The Ipana Troubadors"
    11-25-1899 - Kay Strozzi - Swan's Point Plantation, VA - d. 1-18-1996
    actor: Shelia Blade "I Love Linda Dale"; Victoria Lorring "Young
    Widder Brown"
    11-30-1926 - Dick Crenna - Los Angeles, CA - d. 1-18-2003
    actor: Oogie Pringle, "A Date with Judy"; "Walter Denton, "Our Miss
    Brooks"
    12-15-1917 - Raymond Morgan - Utah - d. 1-18-1975
    announcer: "Chandu, the Magician"; "Murder at Midnight"
    12-27-1879 - Sidney Greenstreet - Sandwich, England - d. 1-18-1954
    actor: Nero Wolfe "Advs. of Nero Wolfe"; "Hollywood Star Preview"
    12-30-1912 - Nancy Coleman - Everett, WA - d. 1-18-2000
    actor: Alice Hughes "Young Dr. Malone"
    12-xx-1889 - Elsie Mae Gordon - Anderson, IN - d. 1-18-1951
    actor: (girl with a hundred voices) "When a Girl Marries"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2008 Issue #16
    ********************************************

    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]