Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #107
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 3/8/2003 7:36 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 107
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      OTR [removed]                     [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Talk shows in the '50s                [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
      Re: Talk shows in the 50s             [ Bob Scherago <rscherago@[removed]; ]
      Chuck McCann                          [ jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns) ]
      re Chuck McCann                       [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
      Greta Garbo                           [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Gunsmoke                              [ "Elizabeth Minney" <epminney@wcsonl ]
      A Shaken "64" Theory                  [ Grbmd@[removed] ]
      Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Buddy Clark Revisited                 [ Grbmd@[removed] ]
      Ovalteenies Lyrics                    [ ilamfan@[removed] ]
      March 8th Birthdays                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      [removed]                   [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      "Have Fun, Will Scabble"...Part Deux  [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      Where to find "The Big Show"          [ "W. Gary Wetstein" <wgaryw@pacbell. ]
      Ovaltine                              [ "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@rivnet ]

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 10:29:38 -0500
    From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OTR [removed]

    I was watching M*A*S*H yesterday.  It was the episode where Hawkeye decides
    he has to have ribs from a Chicago rib joint named Adam's ribs.  As part of
    his scheme, calls Dearborn station pretending to be a reporter named Cranston
    Lamont.  Whoa, [removed]

    There seems to be a lot of OTR references in M*A*S*H.  One that particularly
    stands out is an episode where they're listening to the radio while in
    surgery.  A Bob Hope program is on, and the announcer identifies himself as
    Hy Averback.  Cut to the credits at the end of the show, and the writer (or
    was it director or producer - I can't remember) of the episode was Hy
    Averback.  Is anyone familiar with this episode?  Is the radio broadcast
    heard in the show authentic, or created for the episode?

    -chris holm

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 11:01:02 -0500
    From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Talk shows in the '50s

    And, who could EVER forget the infamous, Joe [removed]

       [removed]
      TAKE FIVE WITH FRANK
      the bunk starts here

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 11:24:05 -0500
    From: Bob Scherago <rscherago@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Talk shows in the 50s

    Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed]; asks:

>     On another (but related) subject, I worked at an
>     NBC affiliate (WDEL, Wilmington DE) in the late 50s.
>     I remember we had Western Union clocks that
>     corrected to the exact time once an hour . . .
>     the correction pulse came at exactly straight up on
>     the hour, so that a clock indicating, say, 7:59:48
>     would jump to 8:00:00 (the second hand would jump to
>     straight up).  My question is, using these clocks, how
>     did we join the network without either leaving dead air
>     or worse, clipping the first few seconds of the program?
>     Anybody remember how this was done?

    I worked at a Mutual affilliate on Long Island (NY) in the early 60's that
    used WU clocks; I seem to remember that we simply noted how slow or
    fast the clock was, and compensated. We always joined on time - on
    the hour and half-hour, as I recall.

    In a related story, the other station in town used WU clocks, and used the
    pulse to trigger a time signal on the hour. The clocks were all in series -
    even from one station to another - meaning that if one station disconnected
    one wire the signal to the other station would be lost.

    One morning just before 8:00 we did just that - disconnected the wire - and
    listened to the competition. The announcer (who later went on to a good
    career at NBC Radio as a newscaster) said something like "The time at the
    tone, 8:00. <long pause> <long pause> <long pause> Well, we were waiting
    for a tone there. Here's the news!" Gave us a chuckle! John, if you read
    this,
    now you know!!!!!

    --
    Bob Scherago
    (now with) Voice of America

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 12:42:13 -0500
    From: jameshburns@[removed] (Jim Burns)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Chuck McCann

    Chuck was on a bunch of those to mid-to-late 1960s "full cast" comedy LP
    records, and even starred,voice-acting wise, in the 1960s, network
    cartoon, COOL MCCOOL (along with another New York kids-show host icon,
    Carol Corbett).
    McCann has done a TON of cartoons, including playing the Thing/Ben Grimm
    in the 1990s FANTASTIC FOUR [removed]  But I'm not sure of any radio
    work.

    Best, Jim Burns

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 13:12:01 -0500
    From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re Chuck McCann

    Derek Tague asked

>      Does anybody out there know off-hand if comic actor Chuck McCann ever
>     performed on radio?

    I don't know, but he did work on comedy record albums
    during their heyday, the 1960s.  I believe he impersonates
    presidential press secretary Pierre Salinger on the famous
    "First Family" LP with Vaughan Meador.  Good voice for that
    sort of thing.

    John Henley

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 15:09:29 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Greta Garbo

    I just viewed the movie, Susan Lenox, Her Fall and Rise with Greta Garbo and
    Clark Gable. My question is, was Greta Garbo ever on radio in any capacity?

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Make your day, listen to an Olde Tyme Radio Program

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 17:59:42 -0500
    From: "Elizabeth Minney" <epminney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Gunsmoke

    Although I am of an age to have listened to a lot of OTR in its heyday,
    our family didn't often have the radio on.  I remember that my parents
    simply didn't tune in except for Fibber McGee and Jack Benny.

    When I moved in the 1960's to way far out in Texas we didn't have any
    radio reception except for a local effort. I did a lot of reading aloud
    to the kids, and we loved doing this together.  After some years I
    began to find records of children's stories which I bought for our kids
    to listen to.  We all adored them:  Treasure Island, Rip Van Winkle,
    Sesame Street, and--get this--Conan, The Barbarian!  We didn't have a
    tape player in those days.

    About 10 years ago I ran across a set of 5 cassettes of OTR westerns,
    two of which I had never heard:  The Six Shooter and Fort Laramie.
    After listening to Fort Laramie I was hooked (big-time) and thus began
    my slide down the slippery slope into OTR fandom.

    Detailed sound effects are the hallmark of a fine radio program, and
    those of Fort Laramie and Gunsmoke are wonderful!  The writers of both
    programs knew how to use "silence," that is, moments when no one
    spoke.  Often there were many background noises which painted a vivid
    picture of what was happening:  birds singing, saddle creaking, wind
    blowing.  This kind of "silence" heightened tension and gave weight to
    what was said next.

    I got to thinking last night as I listened to Marshal Dillon stride
    toward the saloon from his office (with his marvelous, jingling spurs),
    how did William Conrad know when to begin speaking?  Did he count the
    steps from his office to the saloon, or did the sound man point at him
    to begin his speech, or what?

    Also, was the theme music performed live?  Sometimes I hear the
    guitarist just take off with an ebullient little riff--you can almost
    hear him chuckling to himself.  Other times the guitar is much more
    subdued.  And who was the guitarist?

    Last question:  Did the actors on Gunsmoke hear the commercials during
    a live broadcast, and, if so, was it hard to sustain the momentum and
    mood of the performance after the jolly Sugar Krinkles jingle?  I
    always feel a little skewed when the commercial comes bouncing on right
    after a moment of heavy drama.

    As one of you says from time to time, "Love dis list!"

    Elizabeth Minney

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 18:00:13 -0500
    From: Grbmd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  A Shaken "64" Theory

    Durn it, Hal Stone, you've just shaken one of my pet theories.  Recently you
    wrote:

>     Our illustrious leader, one "Curly" Summers, sent me a private e-mail with a
>      64 Thousand dollar question.

    My long-held theory is that a person can tell the older generation from the
    next one by observing which phrase he/she uses.
    (1) Older:  "...the 64 dollar [removed]"
    or
    (2) Younger:  "the 64 thousand dollar [removed]"

    The older phrase, of course, is from the Forties radio program, "Take It or
    Leave It," with Phil Baker as host/quizmaster during much of its run.  The
    younger phrase is from some TV show that came later.  Hal's use of the second
    phrase would seem to place him in the younger group that doesn't remember
    Forties radio.  I don't *think* so, Hal.  You've already spilled the beans in
    your Archie book that you were indeed around in the Forties.

    So you've seriously shaken my theory.

    Spence Coleman

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 18:00:20 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history

>     >From Those Were The Days --

    3/7

    1933 - CBS debuted the first daytime serial on this day.  Marie the
    Little French Princess had a run of two years.

    1944 - Norman Corwin hosted a program titled, Columbia Presents Corwin
    on the CBS network this day.

    3/8

    1925 - Bernard McFadden was a physical culturist who had a radio show in
    New York City. But not for long. McFadden failed to show up for his
    daily morning program, causing a young, studio engineer, John Gambling,
    to ad-lib on the air for a solid hour. As a result, the station (WOR)
    decided to give Gambling the morning announcer's job. John Gambling
    stayed at WOR for many years, then turned the mike over to his son, who,
    finally, turned the program over to his son ... all named John. Mr.
    Gambling's Rambling with Gambling program attracted tri-state (New York,
    New Jersey, Connecticut) audiences in record numbers for over 70 years
    on the 50,000 watt talk-radio powerhouse at 710 AM on your radio dial
    from New York each morning.

      Joe

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

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 18:12:03 -0500
    From: Grbmd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Buddy Clark Revisited

    In the recent discussion of Buddy Clark, his music, and his looks, several
    OTR digesters have cited his recordings and their favorite songs.

    My personal favorite has always been the 1947 song "Linda,"  which I've
    enjoyed listening to whenever I've heard it on the radio then and now.  Why?

    As a youngster in the Forties I was a bit shy, especially when it came to
    girls.  In the song's lyrics I was impressed by Buddy's boldness in
    approaching a girl who didn't even know him, and by his eloquent words and
    style that won him a date with the girl.  At the time I had a crush on a
    particular girl, but I didn't have the nerve to approach her.  So, even
    though it was fiction, I admired the singer's way with women.

    If I had known then what I know [removed]

    Spence Coleman

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 18:52:12 -0500
    From: ilamfan@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed] (OTR Bulletin Board)
    Subject:  Ovalteenies Lyrics

         From an article by Ray Smith in the Summer 2000 issue of the NARA News,
    here are the lyrics of the Ovalteenies gang song:

    We are the Ovalteenies,
    Happy girls and boys.
    We wake each morning bright and gay
    So we enjoy our work and play.
    We love a song and story,
    Won't you share our joys?
    At work or play we're never mean,
    No happier children can be seen.
    Because we all drink Ovaltine,
    We're happy girls and boys.

         Bring back some memories?

    Stephen Jansen

    --
    Old Time Radio never dies - it
    just changes formats!

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 18:52:21 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  March 8th Birthdays

    If you born on March 8th, you share your birthday with:

    1893 - Sam Jaffe - New York City
    1893 - Victor Arden - Wenona, Illinois
    1902 - Louise Beavers - Cincinnati, Ohio
    1908 - Franklyn MacCormack - Waterloo, Iowa
    1918 - Alan Hale, Jr. - Los Angeles, California
    1922 - Cyd Charisse - Amarillo, Texas
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Make your day, listen to an Olde Tyme Radio Program

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 18:53:44 -0500
    From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  [removed]

    HI Gang:

        Harlan Zinck of the wonderful First Generation Radio Archives writes in
    the on-going discussion about effeminate stereotypes:

>        Granted, in today's society, it would be
>     considered passe (and insulting) to present one-dimentional characters like
>     cheap Scotchmen, drunken Irishmen, lecherous Italians, dumb Swedes,
>     effeminate "pansies" and the like. But, in the hey-day of vaudeville,
>     revue, and radio, these were all commonly accepted comic characters.

       As a First-Generation  Scots-American, I'd like to remind everybody that a
    person from Scotland is  properly referred to as a  SCOT, or, adjectivally,
    SCOTTISH--and not SCOTCH.  An American born person of Scottish heritage should
    be called a Scots-American, or Scottish-American.
       SCOTCH is a drink, which I've never cared for--even when I was drinking.
       As for negative stereotypes, my father used to say, "I'm half Irish, and
    half Scottish--the Irish half wants a drink and the scottish half doesnae want
    to pay fer it."
       In conclusion,  I'd like to acknowledge what IJBFC president/founder Laura
    Leff said during the Jack Benny panel at last year's FOTR/NJ convention. Not
    wanting to misquote, I believe Ms. Leff said that Jack Benny, with his own
    brand of trademark penuriousness, almost singlehandedly rendered the "cheap
    Scottish stereotype" obsolete. [Help us out, Ms. Leff, would you please?].

    Yours in the McEther,

    Derek Tadhg [original Irish spelling of "Tague"]

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 19:02:31 -0500
    From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Have Fun, Will Scabble"...Part  Deux

    It's me again, gang!

        I didn't have any takers when I made this request prior to last year's
    FOTR/NJ convention, so here I go again:  Would anybody like to get an
    after-hours  game of Scrabble going during next month's Cincinnati OTR &
    Nostalgia convention? Please contact me off-list & I'll bring my collapsible
    travel-Scrabble set.

    Y(4)O(1)U(1)R(1)S(1) in the E(1)T(1)H(4)E(1)R(1)--

    D(2)E(1)R(1)E(1)K(5)  T(1)A(1)G(2)U(1)E(1)

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 20:34:26 -0500
    From: "W. Gary Wetstein" <wgaryw@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Where to find "The Big Show"

    the most complete run of episodes i've found are available at
    [removed].  reasonable prices, a very well organized and
    searchable web site, and art pierce, the guy who runs the company, is a very
    nice guy (i met him at an OTR convention in NJ a few years back).

    most of the first season is available, but only a couple of shows from the
    second and final season seem to be floating around.  if anyone out there
    knows where to find more second season episodes, i'd really appreciate the
    info.  this is one of my all-time favorite shows.

    i'm curious what research project this relates to. . . could you fill us in?

    regards,
    w. gary w.

    ----------------
    "there's some folks out there that if they don't get it, you can't tell
    'em."  --(louis armstrong)

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

    Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 21:34:56 -0500
    From: "David H. Buswell" <dbuswell@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Ovaltine

    Michael Shoshani and others offered interesting postings about the origins
    of Ovaltine and its manufacture.  I grew up in a suburb west of Chicago
    (Elmhurst, Illinois).  Our next door neighbor was a chemist at an impressive
    and large all brick Ovaltine plant in the next suburban town of Villa Park.
    I have no idea whether it still exists today, but it was a significant
    employer during the 30s,40s and 50s.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #107
    *********************************************

    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]