------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 364
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Re: Target Audience [ "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-self ]
Re: CASS - CD [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
The Waltons [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
Re: CBS is 75 [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
Underrated shows [ "Chuck" <yumacool@[removed]; ]
Golden Age of OTR Fandom: PART TWO [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
CBS or CPBS? [ Tim Cronin <tc1001@[removed]; ]
Wanted: Trading Partners [ Ron Vanover <vanoverr@[removed]; ]
Re: Classical music in The Lone Rang [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 18:58:03 -0400
From: "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Target Audience
The finest story writers from the golden age of animated cartoons (not
that Aladdin is from the golden age, but it *is* well done) certainly
knew their target audience. Everyone from the golden days of Disney to
Warner Brothers made cartoons for themselves *and* other adults.
Daffy Duck and Egghead, the cartoon Artie spoke of, was released in 1938,
so the general audience in the theater, adults and kids, surely knew what
Tex Avery was illuding to. (My favorite gag in that short involves
Egghead, who is a caricature of Joe Penner, taking a shot at Daffy,
missing by a mile. Daffy swims up from the lake and plunks a pair of
dark glasses, a cup of pencils, and a sign on Egghead that says 'BLIND'.
Pure brilliance.)
rodney.
Past Tense Productions
Carrying Old Radio related films, and Hal Roach shorts, for $7 per tape.
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Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:43:21 -0400
From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: CASS - CD
Jeff Bankens wrote:
I have several hundred OTR cassettes (personal use only) that I would like
to transfer to cd, so I can play
them in my truck. What kind of equipment do I need to accomplish this, if
any?
I sure there are many folks on this list who will suggest a variety of
software programs for the PC and MAC that will accomplish this and there
are lots of good products out there in various price ranges.
I've been transferring my cassettes (and reels and LPs and 78s) to CD for
the past couple of years and recommend the Philips-type stand-alone CD
recorders. They're as simple to use as a tape deck, hook right up to your
existing stereo equipment, and cost only about $250 these days.
The downside is the relatively high price of the blank music CDs (CD-DAs),
which run around fifty cents each - high when compared to data CDs that
cost half as much or less. However, since a decent blank cassette always
cost between $[removed] - $[removed], this is still a pretty good bargain. Once
recorded, of course, you can use a PC or MAC to copy music CDs to data CDs
like any other CD.
For sheer simplicity and ease of use, I personally don't think you can beat
the stand-alone recorders - especially for people who just want to transfer
some tapes without having to become a computer expert.
One think you might want to consider as well, Jeff, would be to join one of
the many OTR clubs currently offering CD lending libraries. For a low
price, you can borrow an easily and quickly copied CD rather than having to
transfer your own cassette in real time. In some cases, the CDs may also
have better sound than your cassettes - but that's for you to judge, of
course. Would be a real time saver, anyway.
Harlan
Harlan Zinck
First Generation Radio Archives
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:43:31 -0400
From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: The Waltons
Ivan Shreve asked what did the Waltons listen to.
"The Cinnamon Bear" is a program heard from the Walton's radio in one of
their holiday episodes. I understand that CB was a favorite of the
Waltons' creator, Earl Hamner, Jr.
Dennis Crow
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:43:53 -0400
From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: CBS is 75
Elizabeth McLeod reprinted a fascinating piece from Radio Digest describing
the preparations for the debut of the Columbia Broadcasting System in
September 1927. It was particularly interesting to note how many of the
personnel mentioned in the article remained extremely active in network
radio for decades to come: Howard Barlow, conductor of the Voice of
Firestone, Donald Voorhees with the Telephone Hour, and announcer Frank
Knight, long-associated with the Longines Symphonette.
Out of curiosity, is there any evidence to indicate that the first
broadcast was recorded, in whole or in part? I know CBS didn't regularly
record their own broadcasts until well into the 1930's, but is there any
chance that a pile of dusty experimental airchecks of this broadcast are
out there waiting to be uncovered?
Harlan
Harlan Zinck
First Generation Radio Archives
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:44:19 -0400
From: "Chuck" <yumacool@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Underrated shows
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
There was a question in the last mailing about the most underrated shows, and
I would have to say a major one is "Tales of the Texas Rangers." Many people
dismiss it only as another western, which it isn't. "Tales of the Texas
Rangers" is a modern detective program starring Joel McRea as Ranger Jace
Pearson. He is well versed in modern law enforcement theory and most episodes
are pretty darn good. His cases take place all over Texas and are based on
actual cases that occurred (sort of like Dragnet.) My wife, who generally
doesn't have much patience for the radio drama I listen to in the car all the
time, actually likes this show. It's fast paced and interesting. I think
Ranger Pearson is a bit too squeaky clean, however.
By the way, I'm on the lookout for Arthur Godfrey programs from the late
1960's until the demise of his show in 1972. I have a few episodes in my
collection, but I haven't been able to find many. Anybody out there have any
to trade or sell?
Chuck
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
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Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 21:46:17 -0400
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Golden Age of OTR Fandom: PART TWO
<< In a message dated 9/18/02 1:15:47 PM, Derek the magic Tague writes:
then the 1970s were "the Golden Age of Radio Fandom." Consider this:
in the 70s, OTR-themed books were published by mainstream publishers instead
of scholarly houses like McFarland; OTR vets like Kate Smith, Jack Benny,
George Burns, Rudy Vallee, [removed] would show up on TV variety shows and be
receptively welcomed; "The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre" reigned on syndicated
radio; phonograph record companies like Radiola and Mark56 were thriving by
releasing OTR records;
***Recalling the 1970s, I also recall that there were only a couple of
circulating ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN shows guest-starring Batman. A Radiola LP
featured the first appearance of Dick Grayson on the series and a couple of
episodes with Bruce Wayne and Dick in a trial scene, but that was about all
that was in circulation of the Caped Crusader on radio. These days, there
are more than 1100 circulating SUPERMAN shows including 17 of the half-hour
shows and some 14 complete serials featuring Batman & Robin. Along with huge
runs of LONE RANGER and GREEN HORNET and THE WHISTLER that weren't
circulating back in the 1970s, along with perhaps 50 more episodes of THE
SHADOW.
As for fandom itself, FOTR was the lone OTR convention back in the late
1970s. SPERDVAC's convention came along in the mid-80s, followed by
Cincinnati and REPS. Attendence at FOTR was quite small in the late 70s, and
the convention was basically only a single day. Back then, Jay Hickerson
spent almost the entire convention behind the registration table, since he
was the only person covering that duty. And actors usually performed in
recreations without benefit of rehearsals. I believe it was 1984 or 1985
that I suggested adding a show recreation on Friday evening, around the same
time that SPERDVAC launched their OTR convention.
Offhand, I'd probably cite 1985-95 as the Golden Age of OTR fandom. There
were a whole lot more circulating shows than had been unearthed a decade
earlier, and both FOTR and SPERDVAC were probably at their peak in terms of
attending guests. Dwight Weist first attend FOTR in 1982, and the following
year saw the OTR convention debut of Parley Baer, Ken Roberts, Margot
Stevenson, Gertrude Warner, Arnold Moss, Dick Osgood, Sidney Slon, Bob
Guilbert, Karl Weber and many more, along with returning guests like Jackson
Beck and Lee Allman. Frank Nelson became FOTR's second West Coast guest the
following year, and around 135 OTR professional attended the first SPERDVAC
convention. 1995 saw more than a dozen WXYZ guests in attendance led by
producer/director Fred Flowerday and Dick Osgood. In 1987, FOTR was
featuring five recreations on Saturday alone, and our West Coast guests
included Les Tremayne, John Archer, Bill Zuckert and Gladys Holland, Carlton
E. Morse and several others. Those were the days, and the dealers' room had
far greater selections than a few years before.
In terms of OTR stars on TV, satellite/cable channels like AMC, TCM, TVLand,
the Western Channel, the Mystery Channel, etc. weren't around in the 1970s
and it was a rare treat to get to watch even an old Universal horror film,
even if one lived in New York City. Most of us were still limited to five or
six channels on the TV dial. My friends at DC and Marvel Comics used to get
together to purchase one or two gross of VHS blank tapes because in quantity
we could get them for only $[removed]@. And the few prerecorded tapes of classic
films from the 1930s (like DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN) were frequently upwards
of $[removed]@. I'm sure Jack Benny and Bob Hope films were probably similarly
priced, if they were in release at all.
Yes, we did have legitimate paperback reprints of THE SHADOW (with gorgeous
cover paintings by Steranko), but these days those who really want to read
the stories can download hundreds of bootleg SHADOW pulp novels (and radio
shows) over the internet. (BTW, as a writer/artist who has worked for
publishers dependent on sales of copyrighted material, I'm not fond of that
situation, but it is easier to read a SHADOW or SPIDER novel than at anytime
since they were available at the newsstand for a dime.)
Perhaps OTR-related books were published by more of the traditional
publishing houses, but there were far fewer of them available in any
particular year. And perhaps a dozen episodes each were available of THE
JACK BENNY PROGRAM, THE LONE RANGER, THE GREEN HORNET, SUSPENSE and AMOS 'N'
ANDY on LP, and maybe 3 dozen episodes of THE SHADOW (counting the Murray
Hill six & nine show sets). And most record stores didn't carry OTR, while
today it seems that most of the major bookstore chains (along with Sam's Club
and Costco) do.
Personally, I'd enjoy hearing from some of the real veterans in the hobby
(like Jay Hickerson, Dave Siegel, Ed Carr and Don Aston) as to what they
consider to be the Golden Age of OTR Fandom. It was largely their pioneering
work and research that built the hobby that we enjoy today. --ANTHONY
TOLLIN***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 22:14:31 -0400
From: Tim Cronin <tc1001@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: CBS or CPBS?
Excellent find by Elizabeth McLeod of that 9/27 Radio Digest report (or
was it a reprinted press release?) of the birth of CBS, but other things
I've read, plus what I heard this morning on CBS, brings up a question.
At the start, did the network ID as the "Columbia Phonograph
Broadcasting System," as was reported at least once this morning during
the network's miniature salute to itself?
Obviously, there are no recordings of the first few months, so we have
to rely on recollection and contempory printed reports, but I'm curious
as to when, if it happened at all, CPBS changed to CBS.
And while we're at it, wasn't CBS originally going to be known as UIP,
for United Independent Broadcasters?
TC
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 22:14:48 -0400
From: Ron Vanover <vanoverr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Wanted: Trading Partners
As my collection of OTR has increased (~40,000 episodes), it has become more
difficult to find trading partners. In an effort to expand my collection, I
have recently begun offering trades of 20:1, 10:1, and 2:1 for selected
programming. I am especially interested in expanding my collection of
Father Knows Best, Ozzie and Harriet, and The Life of Riley. For details,
and a complete list of programs that I have available for trade, please stop
by [removed].
RonnieV
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 18:18:39 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Classical music in The Lone Ranger
Ryan Osentowski <rosentowski@[removed]; mentioned:
I notice that in some of the [1038 Lone Ranger] shows when we get to the curtain
falling point, they used the theme music from The Shadow as a bridge.
That would be "Omphala's Spinning Wheel," if I remember the spelling
correctly.
I recall the early Lone Ranger also used The Challenge of the Yukon
theme, Overture to Donna Diana, as a bridge, prior to its adoption for
the latter program. As mentioned in an earlier discussion, it's too bad
we don't have such a dramatic way to introduce today's youth to
classical music any more.
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #364
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