Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #24
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/23/2002 1:53 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 24
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Re: ICHIN Fakes                       [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      WFOY                                  [ "rose freeman" <rosemarie@[removed] ]
      Seattle Radio Showcase                [ HRRMIKES@[removed] ]
      Fwd: Armed Forces Radio Transcriptio  [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      Mp3 cd Boombox                        [ "[removed]" <swells@[removed]; ]
      Johnny Dollar comic book              [ Mark Justice <markjustice@[removed] ]
      Arthur Godfrey and Julius LaRosa      [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
      Godfrey vs. LaRosa                    [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
      Re: Godfrey and LaRosa                [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Arthur Godfrey                        [ "Cope Robinson" <coplandr@bellsouth ]

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 11:44:22 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Re: ICHIN Fakes

    On 1/22/02 11:11 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

>     I know there were more
>     on that album that were recreated.  Can anyone think of any?

    Almost everything on "I Can Hear It Now," Vol. 3 is recreated. This is
    the album covering 1919-32, and obviously genuine recordings of
    broadcasts from this period were -- and still are -- quite scarce. The
    only genuine broadcast recordings on ICHIN Vol. 3 are the clips from
    FDR's first inaugural and a short sequence of Will Rogers, which is taken
    from the 4/2/32 broadcast of "The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air." There are
    recordings of Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee which may or may not be from
    broadcasts -- I personally doubt that they are, but haven't verified the
    source of these clips.

    Everything else on Volume 3 is recreated. Some of the recreations are
    done by the actual people who made the original broadcasts -- for
    example, Correll and Gosden are heard as Amos 'n' Andy, but the recording
    is a 1950 simulation, not a genuine 1929 broadcast. But most of the
    recreations are actors, selected by Murrow and Friendly for their ability
    to evoke the essence of the personalities being impersonated.

    It's also important to point out, as has been pointed out many times
    before, that some of the matieral simulated on the album recreates
    broadcasts that never happened at all -- the simulation of the Lindbergh
    coverage with George Hicks and Lowell Thomas being the most obvious
    example. Mike Biel hopped on ABC a few years ago when they passed this
    off as an "authentic recording" in a documentary.

    The original album cover for Vol. 3 acknowledges that recreations are
    used, but no such acknowledgement appears on Vol. 1, the album which
    includes the recreated Bob Trout surrender broadcast, and the counterfiet
    "Pearl Harbor Bulletin" with John Daly. The latter recording is the most
    deceptive item in the whole collection -- because it recreates a
    broadcast which was never made in the form presented, and deliberately
    covers up the fact that CBS did not "interrupt this program" at all when
    the Pearl Harbor news broke.

    It's unfortunate that the Murrow-Friendly imprimatur gives these albums a
    historical credibility they really don't deserve. Documentary producers
    need to be very careful about using them -- but, of course, Murrow and
    Friendly never intendend them to be used as fodder for every cheap-jack
    historical clip show that would be produced over the next fifty years.
    Had they expected this to happen, they might have been more careful.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 11:44:53 -0500
    From: "rose freeman" <rosemarie@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: WFOY

    Hi,

    Though not OTR as we use it and perhaps not signicant to anyone but me, I am
    interested if anyone has any recordings of WFOY in St. Aug, Fl. made in the
    late 50s-early 60s?  Local shows or commercials with Pappy Shilling or
    Frankie Walker. Thanks!

    rose freeman

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:16:55 -0500
    From: HRRMIKES@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Seattle  Radio Showcase

    In recent weeks, both active participant Stewart Wright and the incomparable
    Ray Erlenborn have said some nice things on the Digest about our OTR
    convention.  If you've been here you already know what makes this gathering
    work so well.  1.  The wonderful "Company" of OTR stars like Ray and the
    others who come back year after year and give so much of themselves.  We're
    truly blessed in that regard.  2.  A volunteer corps of nearly 50 people who
    start the day after an event to improve what we've done and to plan for next
    year.
    Our goal has always been to be sure the professionals have a good time.  If
    they [removed] does everyone else.  We're small, intimate, efficient and
    enthused.  Details are on our website at   [removed] and we would be
    glad to welcome you.
    Mike Sprague
    Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:46:02 -0500
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Fwd: Armed Forces Radio Transcription

       Received this request for information from someone who has made it clear
    that he prefers not to subscribe to the Digest.

    --- begin forwarded text

    Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 00:21:06 -0500
    From: Eric Goldberg <ericgoldie@[removed];
    Subject: Armed Forces Radio Transcription

    I am looking for a copy of Armed Forces Radio and Television Service ONS
    5270 and ONS 5263. They were recorded in Chicago, in November 1960 by the
    Eddie Condon Sextet and include Pee Wee Russell, Johnny Windhurst and
    Roswell Rudd. One track seems to have been released on IAJAC, but I would
    like to get as much of these sessions as I possible can.

    <snip>

    --- end forwarded text

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:38:22 -0500
    From: "[removed]" <swells@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Mp3 cd Boombox

    The Philips version is the one I think I mentioned in a earlier post. I am
    glad to hear it plays a wide range of bitrates. I had taken a disc I ran off
    to test it out, but after I left the store I realized that the shows I
    brought with me were coded at 44/160 . Anyway, it played that well too. You
    should of seen the look on people's faces when Arch Oboler started out, "
    Lights Out for The Devil & Mr. O." It was priceless!!
    Shawn

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:43:45 -0500
    From: Mark Justice <markjustice@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Johnny Dollar comic book

    Here's a link to an press release on the new Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
    comic book:

    [removed]

    Just click on the Johnny Dollar headline in the right column.
    Best,
    Mark

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: The direct URL for the press release is:

    [removed];f=13&t=000697

    ...and as always, turn cookies OFF when entering untrusted websites (this
    site is attempting to add persistant cookies).

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 12:38:54 -0500
    From: leemunsick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Arthur Godfrey and Julius LaRosa

    Digest reader Dennis Crow sent me an Email asking some questions about the
    LaRosa so-called "firing", which it most definitely was not.  He raises
    some points perhaps I should post here.

    Thank you, Dennis, for your comments.  Obviously, much of what I write to
    people or post on the Internet will be expanded greatly in my upcoming
    book.  One chapter will be "L'affaire LaRosa", as that entire incident is
    much more complex than people realize, including LaRosa.  He himself
    doesn't know the story from every side.  I interviewed dozens of people
    about this, including Julie (four hours over several meetings).  We got to
    know each other pretty well in that process and subsequent
    correspondence.  I must say he's an exceptionally nice and likeable
    guy.  Understandably, he has very mixed feelings about Arthur
    Godfrey.  There is of course an advantage which I had, in approaching
    something from an outside, neutral viewpoint.

    The LaRosa denouement of course had a fiercesome impact on Mr. Godfrey's
    popularity and credibility.  As to the "humility" remark, this was because
    Mr. Godfrey was understandably furious when he read the papers the day
    after Julie's RELEASE from their handshake contract, and was peppered by
    antagonistic reporters for his response.  In retrospect, he should have
    just said, "No comment" and let it ride.  That had been the usual take from
    a man who felt he didn't really need all the adulation the press had given
    him for years; in this case, Mr. Godfrey made a partial rebuttal, which
    turned out to make it worse.

    Comments were made at the press conference called immediately after the
    program, by Julie's manager or agent.  Without my notes I'm not sure which
    title he held; in either case it was understood among the "little Godfreys"
    that they had neither, as the office of Arthur M. Godfrey Productions
    handled those duties for the cast of the shows.  The remarks at the press
    conference were not made by Julie.  The manager told Julie, "Let me do the
    talking", and Julie acceded.  The manager thoroughly castigated Mr. Godfrey
    along the lines of "For shame, this nasty old millionaire picking on this
    poor little kid".

    The members of the press certainly added to the fire.  In their reporting,
    they should have, but did not, make it clear at all that this was not Julie
    speaking.  Julie has told me that he quickly realized he had made a
    terrible mistake, and fired that manager not long after.  Too late to undo
    the lifetime damage to himself and Mr. Godfrey.  In my opinion, neither of
    them deserved it.  The press and the public, as I have said, dearly love to
    tear down idols, and in the 1950s there simply was no bigger idol than
    Arthur Godfrey, who made a very large target.

    Julie could still alleviate the damage to some extent; sadly he does
    not.  The people who prepared the A&E Biography on Arthur Godfrey could
    have, but chose not to.  Shame on them too!   They told me that Julie was
    very open with them and basically said that the entire thing was his fault,
    not Mr. Godfrey's.  They chose not to use that part of his telecorded
    comments, instead virtually closing an otherwise very fair program with a
    foolish comment by Julie, who bridled that Mr. Godfrey's son Mike once
    called his father "Sir" in front of visiting guests including LaRosa.

    When reporters asked Mr. Godfrey about LaRosa's remarks (and couched in
    that terminology -- LaRosa's remarks, not attributed to the manager), Mr.
    Godfrey angrily responded with the "I guess he's lost his humility"
    crack,  which the press turned right back at Mr. G.

    Mr. Godfrey had every right to respond that way, given what the reporters
    had been saying, and after what appeared to be Julie's total lack of
    appreciation for Mr. Godfrey's largesse.  But Mr. Godfrey shouldn't have
    done it, at least not without going into the entire history.  It was a
    flippant remark which I guess Mr. G thought would divert the reporters, but
    it backfired.  There is more than enough blame to affix to both sides in
    the whole episode.  Unfortunately, it set the tone for "Godfrey vs. the
    media" which went on to the end of Mr. Godfrey's life, and yet
    survives.  This in complete contrast to the media's previous idolization,
    which I always thought equally unreasonable and unfair to Mr. Godfrey

    All of this is why he did proceed to clean house of everyone on the show,
    so this kind of thing wouldn't happen again.  As often occurs, the one
    "rotten apple" caused the whole barrel to be thrown away.  Mr. G felt he
    should bite the bullet and get it over with.  He went through it with
    everyone, many without any other cause, than that he'd not again be put on
    the spot LaRosa put him on.  Mr. Godfrey figured get through it, get it
    behind, move on.  Obviously, it didn't quite work out that way.

    The Archie Bleyer firing was different, although that was undoubtedly the
    result of some foolish reasoning by Archie and Mr. Godfrey both.  Again, a
    much more complicated tale than is known to date.  The "logic" behind that
    firing remains a mystery to me.  I know many of the details, but it doesn't
    all add up.  There's much more to that than the public knows.

    There was a recent posting which said that Archie Bleyer created Cadence
    Records mostly to record LaRosa.  What nonsense.  Archie was well on his
    way with Cadence (with Mr. Godfrey's strong encouragement), when Mr. G
    suggested to Julie that he join Archie, and invest in Cadence.  Mr. Godfrey
    felt it would be a profitable operation, and was doing whatever he could to
    make it so, although I have found no evidence that Mr. Godfrey himself had
    invested in Cadence.  Cadence certainly became a terrific opportunity for
    everyone connected with it.  I have said before, that depending on how the
    CBS brass felt about it, Mr. Godfrey might have moved to Cadence at the end
    of his current contract with Columbia Records.   A number of the "little
    Godfreys" jumped to Cadence.  By the way, most of the people on the show
    hated the "little Godfreys" term, including Mr. Godfrey, just as he hated
    the term "The old Redhead".  Both were pumped out by the CBS flacks, and
    immortalized by the media.

    All this fit with a pattern of success which had taken place repeatedly on
    the Godfrey programs with virtually all of the "little Godfreys".  Here's
    how it worked:  One of the many talents on the program would come up with a
    song, or perhaps Mr. Godfrey suggested a song to Lee Erwin, the organist on
    the program and resident composer.  Often this came out of casual chat on
    the morning shows.

    A prime example of this was a conversation with The Chordettes, who came
    from Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  They talked kind of what my mother called
    "Dutchy".  Phrases came up in conversation such as "I warm so
    easy".  Godfrey sensed a song here, and said so to Lee Erwin.  Lee knew
    when this happened, it was an unspoken command to write the song.  Lee did
    overnight, arranged it for the next day, and thus was born the hit
    recording of "Dance Me Loose".

    A song would appear.  It would be performed on the Godfrey programs to test
    public and studio audience reaction.  If positive, it would be
    recorded.  Then that artist would sing it additional times on the program,
    and mention that he/she/they had just cut a recording of it on (name the
    label, usually CBS's own Columbia).   The resulting exposure (80 million
    listeners at his peak) would produce big sales.  Mr. Godfrey and Archie
    Bleyer both felt that this would work well with Cadence Records,  that
    would become a sort of in-house, self-fulfilling operation which would also
    seek outside talent to record, guest on the Godfrey programs, and around again.

    As to the guy who supposed that Archie created Cadence for Julie, people do
    mix things up in the damndest ways.  For instance, one time I was speaking
    about Mr. Godfrey to a group (which I often do), when a chap in the
    audience chimed in with, "Oh yeah, I remember when he flew his DC-3 into
    the Empire State Building".  Ye Gods how people do misconstrue!

    I find the current thread fascinating.  I appreciation the amount of new
    information which has come to me off-Digest.  I look forward to more from
    my fellow readers!  Thanks to all for your participation, which proves my
    contention that there is interest there, which I must convince a
    publisher!  I hope when my book finally appears we can get a similar
    discussion going!

    Perhaps many readers would like to continue the discussion on the Arthur
    Godfrey Phorum (courtesy of lofcom).  If so, please go to the address
    below, and then scroll 'way down to content.

    [removed]

    As for my "total take", after working on all this for nearly 20 years and
    collecting Godfreyana for a half-century, it could fill a book.  And will.

    Best to all from Lee Munsick.

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 13:00:28 -0500
    From: leemunsick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Godfrey vs. LaRosa

    I hate to keep this up.  Perhaps it's time to stop this thread, or move it
    to the Arthur Godfrey Phorum.  It's not that I don't like the
    [removed] love it!  But it occurs to me that it may be wearing out
    for many of the readers.  Maybe not?

    The problem here is that people are writing in about what they've heard,
    and been told over the years by the biased press, or by the participants
    who have their own slants or simply don't know the whole story.  They
    assume that it is all true.  Much of what has been in the public domain
    about this is rumor or slanted opinion.

    I approached it from a neutral, outsider's view.  After years of digging, I
    came to the conclusion that there are simply a lot of lies and
    misunderstandings out there about Arthur Godfrey, as there probably are
    about many historical figures.

    Obviously I cannot go into the detail here that I will in my book.

    If you feel that the revelation that LaRosa was not "fired" is a
    "bombshell",  good!

    Try this one, direct from General Curtis Lemay, in charge of precision
    daylight bombing in Germany in WWII, the founder of SAC (Strategic Air
    Command), Chief of Staff of the U. S. Air Force, who retired as Chairman of
    the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the post which brought our current Secretary of
    State, Colin Powell, to the limelight:

    "If it hadn't been for Arthur Godfrey, there would have been no Strategic
    Air Command".

    Put that in your pot and stir it, adding in the history of the cold war,
    and SAC's part therein.  Obviously, there is much more to this story,
    too.  General Lemay went on to explain to me exactly how he arrived at that
    comment.  He told me, "There ought to be a half-dozen books about Arthur
    Godfrey.  I find that among people in high places, he was and is not alone
    in viewing Arthur Godfrey as a patriot.

    For the SAC story and others, you'll have to wait for my book, which will
    lay more than a few "bombshells", and a number of other chapters which I
    think will make news.  If I'm lucky, they will make--or correct--"history".

    Thanks again, y'all!   Lee Munsick

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 13:43:08 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Re: Godfrey and LaRosa

    A. Joseph Ross wrote:

>     That's a new one on me.  I always understood that Godfrey said something
>     on the air to the effect that LaRosa was going on his own and wouldn't be
>     with Godfrey any more, and that this came as a surprise to LaRosa.  I
>     hope our Elizabeth, resident history expert, will weigh in on this one.

    Well, I'm no Godfrey specialist -- although I do enjoy his work, and have
    no problem with separating the Public Man from the Private Man: most
    innovative geniuses seem to be very hard to get along with in private
    life -- so I'll defer to Lee Munsick for further elaboration on the
    Godfrey-LaRosa situation. Given the "everybody knows [removed]" elements
    of the story, I'd not be at all surprised to learn that there's much more
    to the story than has been publicly revealed, concerning both the LaRosa
    and the Bleyer dismissals.

    Whatever the specifics of the situation, the circumstances of LaRosa's
    departure from Godfrey's circle was without doubt the best thing that
    ever happened to him career-wise -- you can't buy publicity like that.
    And if you visit his official website, [removed], you'll find
    that he's *still* riding the publicity wave of events that happened
    nearly fifty years ago.

    LaRosa's own account of the situation on his website basically repeats
    the Old Familiar Story, calling Godfrey "tyrannical" and "judgemental" --
    but also suggests in so many words that Godfrey was jealous of LaRosa's
    offstage affair with Dorothy McGuire. This is an angle I've heard hinted
    at in various other accounts over the years, and would be interested in
    any comments Lee might have to confirm or deny this allegation.

    If his website is any indication, LaRosa is still carrying around a
    substantial grudge against a man who's been dead for twenty years -- or,
    more likely, is keeping up the image of one for publicity's sake. Whether
    LaRosa was actually "fired" or not, it's certainly in his best interest
    today to keep the story of his firing alive.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 15:00:34 -0500
    From: "Cope Robinson" <coplandr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Arthur Godfrey

    My memory is not what it used to be, but I believe Liggett & Myers had
    dropped its sponsorship of "Arthur Godfrey and Friends" prior to the LaRosa
    incident, but I was still with the company and still had a number of friends
    on the Godfrey show who were totally familiar with the events surrounding
    the discharge of LaRosa.  There is no question in my mind that the young
    singer was indeed fired on air.  The story made headlines in New York
    newspapers the following day and that reaction was far greater than Godfrey
    expected.  I would certainly assume that it was not entirely because of the
    La Rosa incident, but the event did signal the down turning point in
    Arthur's career.

    Of far greater shock and impact to the Godfrey broadcasts and those of us
    who worked for or with Arthur was the 1949 firing of Mug Richardson. Mug sat
    on Godfrey's right side on both the morning show and "Friends", was in
    charge of the writers and, not only fed Godfrey material as the show
    progressed, but was very much in control of the timing and content.  I was
    unfortunately around for that one and it is, as well as the incidents with
    Archie Bleyer and Julius LaRosa, another example of the famous Godfrey
    temper and incidents which I suspect Godfrey immediately regretted.

    Before I go, let my correct a statement made by "that Godfrey guy" which I
    just cannot let pass without comment.  In a post or two ago, Lee wrote that
    Godfrey "made" Chesterfield "a major brand". I suppose it may hang on the
    word "major, but Chesterfield was a major brand almost 30 years before
    Liggett & Myers and Godfrey met. In fact, prior to the popularity of filter
    cigarettes in the early 50's, that brand along with Camel and Lucky Strike
    enjoyed one of the top three positions in sales,  Chesterfield mostly in
    third place but a one and only No. 1 in 1934.  I should add that about the
    time of Godfrey sponsorship in 1949 , completely because of the emergence
    and rapid growth of filter cigarettes, Chesterfield began its downward slide
    to oblivion. I hasten to suggest that the fall might have been more
    precipitous had it not been for Godfrey's popularity and his extraordinary
    ability as a radio and television salesman.

    Cope Robinson.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #24
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