Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #452
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 12/21/2003 1:49 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 452
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      dickens on radio                      [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
      Cryptological Premiums                [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Bud Collyer & Walter Winchell         [ howard blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
      The Walton's                          [ howard blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
      Not Gosden or Correl                  [ Richard Carpenter <sinatra@ragingbu ]
      Eternal Light                         [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
      OTR Profanity, What have we learned?  [ Doug Berryhill <fibbermac@[removed] ]
      Re: Nice Philco Winamp Skin           [ "David Tower" <dtower@[removed]; ]
      OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK               [ "Jerry Haendiges" <Jerry@[removed] ]
      Re: OTR Reality                       [ "Donald Skuce" <donskuce@[removed] ]
      Premium Thoughts                      [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Dickens on [removed]                     [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 01:22:27 -0500
    From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  dickens on radio

    Don't forget The Man Who Liked Dickens.  Don't know if it was a suspense.
     Kurt

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 01:23:40 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cryptological Premiums

    A Joseph Ross, speaking of "decoders," notes,

>     BTW, Captain Midnight wasn't the only show to use that secret code
>     message gimmick.  Space Patrol did it briefly around the end of 1954,
>     beginning of 1955.  On both radio and television, they offered a boxtop
>     premium of a cardboard Rocket Cockpit, which was a cheap replica of the
>     Rocket Cockpit that figured in the current story arc (I have some of the
>     TV episodes on video.  Their Rocket Cockpit is NOT cardboard!).  One of
>     the things it had was a coder-decoder, with a simple number cipher.

    Space Patrol offered what I consider to be one of the more intriguing
    crypto premiums.  Besides the ROA Decoder Pins and the Code-O-Graphs,
    there were several others.  Tom Mix had two that were really code rather
    than cipher items (a Six-Gun badge and a set of buttons) and Sky King had
    a Spy-Detecto Writer, with a cipher disk built in.  But Space Patrol had
    a Decoder Belt Buckle as part of a belt premium. It had a
    rocketship-shaped buckle element  with "Space Patrol" and a lightning
    bolt emblazoned upon it.  On the reverse was a cipher disk.  As I've
    observed to fellow crypto-premium collectors, it would be hard to
    misplace, but deciphering using it would be a bear!

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 01:23:59 -0500
    From: howard blue <khovard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bud Collyer & Walter Winchell

    In lieu of a critical biography of Bud Collyer (which I think would make
    a fascinating read), there are three books which discuss him which may be
    of interest to digest subscribers:

    1.  "Those Wonderful, Terrible Years: George Heller and the American
    Federation of Television and Radio Artists" by Rita Morley Harvey
    2. "Fear on Trial" by John Henry Faulk
    3. "Words at War" by yours truly

    Also, speaking of interesting books dealing with radio personalities,
    I've been reading a fascinating biography of Walter Winchell , WINCHELL
    by Neal Gabler which I can recommend to those interested in the power of
    the gossip columnists.

    Howard Blue
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 01:24:13 -0500
    From: howard blue <khovard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Walton's

    As long as there is a thread regarding the Waltons, I want to mention
    that Will Geer, who played the role of Grandpa in the series, did a lot
    of radio in the 1940s.  My book, WORDS AT WAR, features profiles of him,
    Burgess Meredith, Joe Julian, Fredric March, Orson Welles, Canada Lee,
    Bud Collyer and other actors as well as similar sections about Arch
    Oboler, Norman Corwin  and various other writers.

    Howard Blue
    see [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 01:24:43 -0500
    From: Richard Carpenter <sinatra@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Not Gosden or Correl

    After downloading the latest version of Winamp (and
    finding the Philco skin recommended by a Digest reader
    would not appear), I thought I'd test the player with
    a CD-R of Amos and Andy shows. To my surprise, there
    was an 11-minute selection called "Auditions for
    30-minute show" (1943. The candidates for the
    principal roles were not Freeman Gosden and Charles
    Corell but Fred Carter and Stanley Green, then Emory
    Richardson and Alvin Childress. What, I wonder, was
    that all about?

    [removed] Even without the Philco skin, the new Winamp
    played great. Maybe I can't get the new look because I
    have Windows 98, not XP.

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 01:25:45 -0500
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Eternal Light

    The Torah reading this morning at services reminded me of an OTR story.  The Jewish
    Theological Seminary, which is the principal rabbinical school for Conservative rabbis, for
    many years sponsored a program on NBC on Sunday morning called "The Eternal Light."

    One day they were doing the story of Joseph in Egypt.  For the scene where Joseph's
    brothers have captured him in a pit, the director, thinking it would sound more spontaneous,
    told the actor playing Joseph to ad-lib for his brothers to get him out of the pit.  On live
    network radio, he ad-libbed, "Jesus Christ, get me out of here!"

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:01:31 -0500
    From: Doug Berryhill <fibbermac@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Profanity, What have we learned?

    Digest members appear to belong to either one of two
    camps on this issue. Please don't take offense, but
    I've decided to call these two camps "The Priggish
    Prudes" and "The Sons of Sea-Cooks".
    You may be a "The Priggish Prude" if your grandfather
    never allowed cursing under his roof. But if your
    grandfather swore like a pirate, you may be a "Son of
    a Sea-Cook".
    You may be a "The Priggish Prude" if you enjoy "Family
    Theater". But if you think "Family Theater" is
    outrageous religious propaganda, to be avoided at all
    costs, you may be a "Son of a Sea-Cook".
    You may be a "The Priggish Prude" if you use the
    phrase "rat's pattootie" while shamelessly plugging
    your book about your days as a radio star. But if you
    feel that such phrases are tortuous uses of the
    english language and sound rediculous, then you may be
    a "Son of a Sea-Cook".
    You may be a "The Priggish Prude" if you think America
    was a pretty good place to be born in the early to
    mid-1900's. But if you feel that most Americans were
    oppressed and suffered a great deal in their everyday
    lives, and still do, then you may be a "Son of a
    Sea-Cook".
    Hmmmm. I guess there is a third camp you may fall
    into. If you think that debates over censorship,
    religion/religious programing, poverty/standard of
    living issues, and prejudice were being hotly debated
    throughout the golden age of radio, then you may fall
    into this third catagory. Camp Number Three consists
    of those of us in the hobby who actually listen to
    these programs and take them at face value. Camp
    Number Three realizes that shows like "Family Theater"
    were produced by religious people, for religious
    people. And shows like "Amos and Andy" and "The
    Goldbergs" were produced by people who enjoyed ethnic
    humor, for an audience who enjoyed ethnic humor. etc.
    etc. And Camp Number Three appreciates the fact that
    in America, broadcasters were free to create a diverse
    body of programming, so that the Priggish Prudes AND
    the Sons of Sea-Cooks of the nation could usually find
    something on their radios that met their needs, as
    well as something to complain about.
    I guess I'll call camp Number Three "The Old Fools",
    who foolish think that maybe someday Camps One and Two
    will peacefully co-exist.
    -FIBBERMAC-
    [removed] I'd like to wish a very Merry Christmas to all
    you Digesters out there in Camp Three,...also to those
    of you in Camps One and Two who aren't offended by
    such a greeting. :)

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:01:48 -0500
    From: "David Tower" <dtower@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Nice Philco Winamp Skin
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Another fine Winamp skin for OTR is based on the rare and elegant 1936 Zenith
    Stratosphere,  [removed]. This is a
    very large skin that showcases the Zenith's gorgeous design and cabinetry.
    For more on the Zenith Stratrosphere:
    [removed].

    David Tower

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

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:04:18 -0500
    From: "Jerry Haendiges" <Jerry@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK

    Hi friends

    Here is this week's line-up for the week of 12-21-03 on my Olde Tyme Radio
    [removed] Featuring Tom Heathwood's "Heritage Radio Theatre," Big John
    Matthews and Steve Urbaniak's "The Glowing Dial" and my own "Same Time, Same
    Station" broadcasts, being broadcast on demand 24/7 in high quality
    streaming RealAudio at [removed]

    Past archived broadcasts are also available there.

    We look forward to seeing you there!

    	Jerry

    Here's this week's lineup:

    SAME TIME, SAME STATION with Jerry Haendiges

    Christmas Special - Part 2

    MR. PRESIDENT
    Episode 131    12-25-49    "The Man at the Gate of the World"
    Narrated by Edward Arnold

    DRAGNET
    Episode 30    12-22-49    "Twenty-Two Rifle for Christmas"
    Stars: Jack Webb

    THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
    Episode 269 12-20-47 "No Room at the End"
    Stars: Warren Parker as Jesus Christ

    THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE
    Episode 17 12-21-41 Christmas Gift for Fibber McGee"
    Stars: Harold Peary
    - --------------------------------------------------

    HERITAGE RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood

    Annual Christmas Special

    THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
    NBC - 12/50    "Christmas Shopping - Cuff Links for Don"

    THE JIMMY DURANTE SHOW
    NBC - 12-24-47    Guest: Margaret O'Brien

    LUM and ABNER
    CBS - 12-23-38    "The Baby Born in a Barn"
    - -------------------------------------------------

    THE GLOWING DIAL with Big John and Matthews and Steve Urbaniak

    Spending the HOLIDAYS with Jack Benny and the Gang

    THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
    NBC     12/11/1938     "Christmas Shopping In New York"

    THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
    NBC     12/24/1939     "Christmas Open House At Jack's"

    THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
    NBC     12/22/1940     "Christmas Shopping - Rochester's Missing"

    THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
    CBS     12/7/1952     "Addressing Christmas Cards"

    THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM
    CBS     12/20/1953     "Cactus Christmas Tree"
    - ----------------------------------------------------

    Please feel free to contact me with any questions or requests for upcoming
    shows.

                Jerry Haendiges <Jerry@[removed];

      [removed]  The Vintage Radio Place
      Largest source of OTR Logs, Articles and programs on the Net

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:04:54 -0500
    From: "Donald Skuce" <donskuce@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: OTR Reality

    "But don't forget that Powel Crosley Jr. came out with an affordable radio
    in the late twenties that sold for only $20 when other radios were going for
    over $100"

    Powell Crosley Jr. is also the person most responsible for the broadcast of
    Major League Sports on a wide level.  He hired (the immortal) Red Barber to
    broadcast the Cincinnatti Redlegs baseball games in the 1930's in an effort
    to "boost the sale of radio sets"!!  Other major league owners thought that
    he was "nuts" for giving his product (major leage baseball) away for free.
    Before Mr. Crosley, or anyone else for that matter, knew it, attendance was
    increasing at Crosley field in a fashion that was totally unexpected.  The
    theory is that the housewives of the period in area began listening to the
    games and took an interest in the team.  They then encouraged their families
    to attend the games.  Shortly thereafter, beginning with the three New York
    teams, widespread free broadcast of major league games became common.

    I hope that this counts as OTR information.

    Don Skuce
    donskuce@[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:05:27 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Premium Thoughts

    Donald Price asks,

>     As a "young" lad in New Jersey during the late 1940s - early 1950s, I
>     well remember theexcitement of listening to the wonderful radio shows of
>     the era.    I really got excited when I had the opportunity to hear about
>     the wonderful things I could send away for, at the time, worth for me a
>     lot, but only usually only required that I include a  cereal boxtop and a
>     stamp ( and perhaps a few pennies ). <snip>   I still have some of the
>     boxes the items came in.    Perhaps some of the "expert persons" on this
>     site can comment and point to other reference sources.

    Reference sources first.  The equivalent of Dunning's On The Air is Tom
    Tumbusch's book, Tomart's Price Guide to Radio Premium and Cereal Box
    Collectibles.  It was published in 1991, the very last of the Tomart's
    radio premium guides.  It is, alas, out of print, but was published by
    Wallace-Homestead; its ISBN is 0-87069-635-1.  It periodically pops up on
    eBay.  The book is probably the most comprehensive, even including the
    very obscure Wright Aerial Torpedo premium from the 1941 Captain Midnight
    program. (Even Jove nods, though: it doesn't contain any Chick Carter
    items, and the very first radio premium I ever sent for [with my mother's
    help; I was seven] was a Chick Carter Inner Circle Seal.)

    One might be cynical about radio premiums, but I'm not.  Not counting
    Code-O-Graphs from the Captain Midnight show (which were equipment, not
    premiums, to a Secret Squadron member), many of these showed an
    incredible degree of creativity.  Some of the rarer items, such as The
    Shadow Blue Coal Ring are just nostalgic, but a lot were quite
    functional.  the Frank Buck Explorer's Sun Watch even had instructions to
    compensate for latitude to get an approximately correct [Civil] time.
    The Kix (aka Lone Ranger) Atomic Bomb Ring was actually a miniature
    spinthariscope, with a terrific light show of nuclear alpha decay.

    But outside of the creativity, premiums gave the listener a link to the
    show.   Having a Jack Armstrong Dragon's Eye Ring served as a
    psychological bond to Jack's doings in the Sulu Sea adventure.  The Aztec
    Sun God Ring provided a link to a Captain Midnight adventure in Mexico.
    The Lone Ranger Six-Gun Ring  provided the listener with a miniature of
    those special revolvers The Lone Ranger owned.

    Many of them were great toys.  The Jack Armstrong Shooting Propeller
    Plane Gun enabled a child to "fly" something high over his or her head.
    Most of the premiums were targeted to boys.  Upon reflection, some were
    silly, such as the Tom Mix Signature Ring, which enabled the wearer to
    authenticate Tom Mix' signature on some document or check.

    Quite a few were luminous.  To a youngster, there was a touch of the
    supernatural in things that glowed in the dark.  The Jack Armstrong ring
    in the story was supposed by the natives to have some supernatural
    powers.  But the Tom Mix Compass-Magnifier just glowed a spooky
    blue-white.

    Many of these items have lost some of their luminosity.  Those I have I
    bathe in ultraviolet light; they fluoresce nicely.  Yet the Tom Mix items
    in my collection have lost much of their vigor when compared to the Jack
    Armstrong and Shadow premiums.  I'm not enough of a chemist to know why.

    Many premiums show up on eBay, but often the seller knows less about the
    items than the collectors.  Currently, there's a Captain Midnight Flight
    Patrol Medal of Membership that's being advertised as a "Skelly Oil Jack
    Armstrong" premium.  There are early television premiums that have been
    identified as radio premiums, and dime store items that have been
    advertised as radio premiums.  If anyone is looking for OTR items on
    eBay, they'd better know their subject thoroughly, because not all the
    dealers do.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 12:15:23 -0500
    From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
    To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Dickens on [removed]

    Here is the URL for Famous Authors [removed]

    [removed]

    It lists by author many shows that are available from collectors, traders,
    and dealers by most of the major authors and some minor ones.  Dickens is
    represented by Christmas Carol and several other titles.  Once you locate
    the title you want, then it's up to you to find out who has it.  I can offer
    some of them in trade, and Frank Passage has many of them.

    Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
    OTR: [removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #452
    *********************************************

    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]