Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #227
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 8/21/2006 10:18 AM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2006 : Issue 227
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Henry Aldrich movies                  [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Actors paid on OTR                    [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      The Biggest Benny laugh               [ mikennancy2001@[removed] ]
      The Biggest Benny Laugh               [ Brightstar2761@[removed] ]
      Orson Welles                          [ Alan Chapman <[removed]@verizon. ]
      CHISS SWEESE                          [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
      The Spirit of Communication, The Sil  [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Benny longest laughs                  [ "Laura Leff" <president@[removed] ]
      Milton Kaye                           [ "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@sbcglob ]
      Mickey & Mary                         [ "Lon Mitchell" <lmitchell@[removed]; ]
      8-21 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      More Awesome Swells!                  [ "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed]. ]
      Bill Pfeiffer in the Star-Ledger      [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
      Radio Advertising in the NYT          [ seandd@[removed] ]
      Greatest catch-phrases NEVER said on  [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:26:27 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Henry Aldrich movies

    Brian Taves asked:

>     And a related question, does anyone know if the Henry Aldrich movie series of
>     the 1940s has been on television recently? I saw them as a kid in the early
>     1970s, in Los Angeles. I wonder if they are not shown as a result, like so
>     many of the other Paramount Bs, of receiving minimal tv distribution since the
>     1980s, or could there be a rights issue tied in with the radio show's scarcity
>     mentioned above?

    Regarding the radio program, it had very little to do with the movies and
    vice versa other than the fact that both series featured characters from
    Clifford Goldsmith's stage play.  The radio show was taken from the play,
    and Paramount did two movies with Jackie Cooper based on the stage play and
    years later, when MGM hit a stride with the Andy Hardy series, Paramount
    brought the character of Henry Aldrich back to the screen to cash in on a
    similar series.  For the most part it worked - HENRY ALDRICH, EDITOR and
    HENRY ALDRICH HAUNTS A HOUSE are the two worth watching.

    Paramount sold their 1930s and early 1940s movies to Universal/MCa years ago
    so they are now owned by Universal (which is why films like DEATH TAKES A
    HOLIDAY and SUPERNATURAL have been released on Universal's VHS and DVD
    releases even though the movies were Paramount releases).  For the most part
    (though there are exceptions) the studios kept records of who the royalty
    checks go out to which estates and actors for each film sold though TV
    distribution is a different ballpark than home video and DVD market.  Since
    Universal has acquired them I doubt they will be released on DVD any time
    soon, or shown on TV.  Best way to see them again is to buy copies of them
    from DVD dealers who have the series.

    A few sources are
    [removed]   and
    [removed]
    or a google search on-line.
    Martin

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:27:07 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Actors paid on OTR

    Herb Harrison asked:

>     When top movie stars starred on radio shows like Lux Radio Theater,
>     Suspense, etc., how much were they paid?
>     As movie studios' contract players, did the actors do the radio shows
>     for free, or at union scale, in exchange for the radio plugs for
>     upcoming movies?
>     Or did the actors negotiate their own pay for each radio performance?
>     Or were there any "general rules" at all?

    There were no general rules, and the arrangement to have stars appear on
    radio dramas varied from program to program.  Some were for publicity
    purposes to advertise their movies, others were "blackmailed" to come on the
    show such as Hedda Hopper's radio program, others were under contract with
    raduio producers.  Some stars like Cary Grant were limited to the number of
    radio programs they could do on radio because the studios wanted to limit
    them so fans would not be overexposed to their star so they would want to
    visit the theater and watch their movies.
    Obviously, they were all paid for their work, and the price varied.

    Martin

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:27:33 -0400
    From: mikennancy2001@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Biggest Benny laugh

    Actually, I remember hearing an interview with Jack Benny many years ago
    where he said that "Your Money Or Your Life" was the most publicized laugh,
    but it wasn't the BIGGEST.  He said that Mary got the biggest laugh simply by
    telling him to shut up.

    The build-up involved a conversation between Don Wilson and an opera singer
    that was on the show.  Apparently the conversation went on for several
    minutes, and no one was interjecting.  Jack finally started to enter the
    discussion by saying, "Well, I think--" and Mary said, "OH, SHUT UP!"

    Jack said in the interview that that was the longest laugh he could remember
    in radio, only because the buildup went on and on.  Put that together with
    Mary's dry delivery and the house is brought down.

    --Mike Messner

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

    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:27:52 -0400
    From: Brightstar2761@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Biggest Benny Laugh

    I recall the International Jack Benny Fan Club discussing this on their
    boards a few years back.  For sheer length of non stop laughter one of the
    biggest Benny laughs is what is known as the "Hello Bird" bit from the
    4/24/38 show (the first time they did Snow White & the 7 Gangsters).  I
    timed the length of the laugh, and the result I got was 33 [removed]
    that's 33 seconds of continuous laughter.

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

    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:28:06 -0400
    From: Alan Chapman <[removed]@[removed];
    To: Old-Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Orson Welles

    In early 1943, Orson broadcast a series of programs from London
    entitled  HELLO AMERCANS, sponsored by the US Government.  He reported
    on the impact the war was having on the English, our troops, etc.  I
    have a couple of these shows, and it appears the purpose was more to
    boost US morale than be any kind of factual news report.

    -Alan

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:54:11 -0400
    From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  CHISS SWEESE

    Following that fluff, every time Mary fluffed a line Jack would say
    "Chiss sweese. chiss sweese!"
    I heard both shows, live--much bigger laugh than, "I'm thinking it over."

    [removed]

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 15:02:39 -0400
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Spirit of Communication, The Silver Eagle
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from text/html

       "Matthew Bullis" <matthewbullis@[removed]; wrote:

>          Hello, the only log I've seen which gives episode descriptions, and
>          is very

>          helpful, is [removed]

       This is indeed a marvelous site; thanks for letting us know about it.
       The engraving of the Spirit of Communication on the front page I
       recognized instantly; it graced the cover of the Knoxville Telephone
       Directory until about the end of Radio's Golden Age, at which time I
       believe our local phone numbers were still five digits long and we
       still had a party line. I wonder if this image was mostly associated
       with radio, telephone, or both.

       Also, in glancing at the entries I discovered that a fondly but dimly
       remembered show has only two listings. This is The Silver Eagle that I
       recall, in particular, listening to in a darkened room while sick with
       the measles; it was believed then that light was dangerous to the eye
       during a bout of measles (I don't know if that was true or not). The
       opening of the show had the sound effect of a bowstring being released
       and an arrow thudding into a wooden target, which always sounded to me
       like our back screen door slamming shut. I also liked the voice of the
       Eagle's sidekick, Joe Bideaux, whom I remember sounding much like
       Jackson Beck. (Again, I'm not saying it WAS Jackson Beck, just that in
       my memory the character sounded much like him).

       I actually DID do a search for this show, but learned very little.
       Does anybody know more, or if there are shows in circulation? Thanks.

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 15:03:34 -0400
    From: "Laura Leff" <president@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Benny longest laughs

    Here's a page with an extensive analysis of the longest laughs on the Benny
    program:  [removed]

    --Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 21:29:44 -0400
    From: "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@[removed];
    To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Milton Kaye

    Another member of the golden age of radio has left us. Accomplished
    pianist, arranger, conductor Milton Kaye died Monday, August 14 at the
    age of 97. Born Milton Jay Katz he later changed his last name. Early
    on he worked as an announcer for WOR and then played piano for the
    station before moving on to WQXR as a pianist/organist. Perhaps better
    known as a composer and musician than for his radio work he did have
    radio credits as pianist/organist, conductor and composer (although
    not listed by Dunning). Some of his radio music credits included
    various episodes of Under Arrest, Roger Kilgore Public Defender, Crime
    Fighter, Mysterious Traveler and the Falcon. He also performed on
    music programs such as The Longines Symphonette, The NBC Symphony of
    the Air and others. He later moved to television and was involved with
    a variety of shows such as The Bell Telephone Hour and Concentration.

    However, Milton Kaye will probably be best remembered for a long
    running television commercial for De Beers diamonds. In a tasteful,
    moving scene he and his actress wife are seen as the elderly couple
    they are slowly walking, with some effort, along a path in the park
    when they are overtaken and passed by a young couple obviously in
    love. As they are passed the young woman turns, and with an admiring
    look, smiles knowingly at the elderly couple before hurrying on their
    way. Good stuff for today's usual run of the mill commercials.
    Scheduled for a 30 day run it is has run periodically for some four
    years. Hopefully, it will continue on.

    Paul Thompson

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

    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 21:31:47 -0400
    From: "Lon Mitchell" <lmitchell@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Mickey & Mary
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    I wonder if anyone has information or transcription of the program Mickey's
    and Mary's Trip Around the World. The program originated in Rochester. My
    father-in-law, a retired television and radio news anchor, began his
    broadcasting career as a child actor on the program. He told me that the
    producer of the program walked into his school one day and asked for the
    best boy and girl readers in the school. That's how he got the job!

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    Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 22:20:51 -0400
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  8-21 births/deaths

    August 21st births

    08-21-1882 - Helen Carew - Kansas - d. 3-7-1980
    actor: Vera Johnson "Stella Dallas"; "Mrs. Mitchell "Barry Cameron"
    08-21-1890 - Bill Henry - San Francisco, CA - d. 4-24-1970
    commentator: Chief CBS Correspondent
    08-21-1895 - Benny Davis - NYC - d. unknown
    lyricist: "Benny Davis Stardust"
    08-21-1896 - Marie Blake - Philadelphia, PA - d. 1-14-1978
    actor: (Sister of Janette MacDonald) "Lux Radio Theatre"
    08-21-1900 - Ken Carpenter - Avon, IL - d. 10-16-1984
    announcer: "Kraft Music Hall"; "One Man's Family"; "Edgar Bergen/
    Charlie McCarthy Show"
    08-21-1904 - William Allen "Count" Basie - Red Bank, NJ - d. 4-26-1994
    bandleader: "Command Performance"; "Jubilee"
    08-21-1906 - Carlton Kadell - Danville, IL - d. 3-14-1975
    announcer, actor: Tarzan "Tarzan"; Red Ryder "Red Ryder"
    08-21-1908 - Bob Jellison - Des Moines, IA - d. 4-21-1980
    actor: Oswald Ching "Story of Mary Marlin"; Buster Gunn "Great Gunns"
    08-21-1908 - Tom Tully - Durango, CO - d. 4-27-1982
    actor: Charles Martin "Stella Dallas"
    08-21-1911 - Anthony Boucher - Oakland, CA - d. 4-29-1968
    writer: "Advs. of Sherlock Holmes"; "Advs. of Ellery Queen; "Gregory
    Hood"
    08-21-1913 - John Faulk - Austin, TX - d. 4-9-1990
    humorist, writer: "Forecast"; "Says Who?"; "Hootenanny"
    08-21-1916 - Consuelo Velazquez - Ciudad Guzman, Mexico - d. 1-22-2005
    songwriter: (Besame Mucho) Oversaw classical music programs for
    station XEQ
    08-21-1920 - Billy Idelson - Forest Park, IL
    actor: Rush Gook "Vic and Sade"; Henry Herbert Murray "One Man's Family"
    08-21-1923 - Chris Schenkel - Bippus, IN - d. 9-11-2005
    sportscaster: "Campy's Corner"; "11:30 Clubhouse"
    08-21-1924 - Jack Buck - Holyoke, MA - d. 6-18-2002
    baseball broadcaster: St. Louis Cardinals
    08-21-1927 - Barry Foster - Beeston, England - d. 2-11-2002
    actor: Sherlock Holmes "Sherlock Holmes"
    08-21-1938 - Kenny Rogers - Houston, TX
    country/western singer: "Here's to Veterans"

    August 21st deaths

    04-09-1914 - Frank Bingham - Nelsonville, OH - d. 8-21-1988
    announcer: "Straight Arrow"; "Phantom Pilot"
    04-30-1903 - Fulton Lewis, Jr. - Washington, [removed] - d. 8-21-1966
    commentator: "News and Comments"
    05-01-1894 - Sam McGee - d. 8-21-1975
    guitarist: (Performed with the "Fruit Jar Drinkers") "Grand Ole Opry"
    08-14-1863 - Ernest Lawrence Thayer - Lawrence, MA - d. 8-21-1940
    author: "Favorite Story"
    08-14-1914 - Alyce King - Payson, UT - d. 8-21-1996
    singer: (The King Sisters) "Horace Heidt and His Brigadiers"; "Al
    Pearce and His Gang"
    10-08-1913 - Walter Schumann - NYC - d. 8-21-1958
    composer: "Dragnet"; "Junior Miss"; "Modern Advs. of Casanova"
    12-09-1918 - George Heinemann - d. 8-21-1996
    creator: "Faces in the Window"
    12-25-1915 - Richard Wilson - McKeesport, PA - d. 8-21-1991
    actor, writer, director: Co-founded The Mercury Theatre with Orson
    Welles

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 07:59:11 -0400
    From: "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More Awesome Swells!

    In issue 226 Craig asks about the Michael Parkinson Transcription on Welles:

>     If you did mention this before, I missed it. It sounds fascinating; a
>     little like a dry run for Bogdanovich's tapes/book.

>     Can you post this online, or make copies available?

    Craig and others who asked off list, the short answer is yes.  Time is the
    only problem at the moment.  Laura is also waiting for a copy of a JB
    Transcription I haven't recorded as yet.  I haven't forgotten, its just that
    a major Australian OTR project has taken all my spare time in the last
    couple of years.  You will see details posted here in a matter of days.

    Ian Grieve

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

    Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 07:58:53 -0400
    From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bill Pfeiffer in the Star-Ledger
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    Bill Pfeiffer, who ran this list until death in 1999, is remembered in this article from yesterday's Newark Star-Ledger in an article about how digital life can go on after biological life ends.

    The article only mentions his modern radio forums but long-standing members who remember Bill might want to check it out -

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed];coll=1

    [removed];coll=1

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    Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:36:57 -0400
    From: seandd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio  Advertising in the NYT
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Stuart Elliot of The New York Times mentions radio premiums as part of a story on code-based promotions in today's [removed] DoughertySeanDD@[removed]

    [removed]

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    Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:37:36 -0400
    From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Greatest catch-phrases NEVER said on radio
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Regarding  Jack Benny's "I'm thinking it over" response to "Your money or your
    life!" being corrupted to "I'm thinking, I'm [removed]," I  would like to
    posit some other things NEVER said on radio.

    Herb Morrison said while reporting the Hindenburg disaster "Oh, the
    humanities!" and not the oft-quoted  single form "...humanity."

    Thanks to those largely fabricated Kermit Schafer "Bloopers" records of the
    early 1970's, Uncle Don Carney allegedly said when he thought he was off-mike
    words to the effect of  "There! That ought hold the little bastards."  That's
    pretty good, Johnnie, but that ain't the way I heerd it. The way I heerd it is
    [removed]
    One can read in more detail and effectively have this rumour dispelled by
    going to the urban legends website "Snopes" at
    [removed]  While there, one can also
    learn whether or not  Joseph Cotten once announced an upcoming  episode of
    "Lux Radio Theatre" with a hint of incredulity and sarcasm when the copy
    naming the following weeks' performers included the notorious
    less-than-stellar B-movie perennial SONNY TUFTS!
    [removed]

    One that I had heard while growing up was the story about how during a
    snowstorm  the network's deep-voiced African-American janitor was called upon
    to deliver the famous opening to "The Shadow" in the absence of whatever
    star-Shadow it was at the time and did so thus: "Who knows what evil lurks in
    the hearts of men. The Shadow do!"  Shadow historians like Anthony Tollin have
    quashed this myth on this forum in the past. I think that like the Kermit
    Schafer records in the 1970's which perpetuated the Uncle Don story,
    contemporaneous black comedians like "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In's" Johnnie
    Brown (and possibly George Kirby, query?) would often dropped the "The Shadow
    do!" line into their act and a specious story grew up around it.

    "That Godfrey Guy"  Lee Munsick once told me that the Arthur Godfrey line
    "How-are-ya, how-are-ya, how-are-ya?" was something greatly exaggerated by
    mimics of the day much like the scenario where Ed Sullivan  impressionist Will
    Jordan was the one who came up with "...rilly big shew." Along the same lines,
    Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday might've said "Just the facts, ma'am" one or
    twice, but it was Stan Freberg's parody records that made this into a
    catch-phrase.

    So, gang, , I know there are several non-quotes from the realms of movies
    (such as "Why don't you come up and see me some time?" and "Play it again,
    Sam.") and television ("Beam me up, Scotty") that were never actually said,
    but are there any other OTR misquotes that have been handed down as legend
    over the years?  Do tell. I'd like to know, but then again , as Alexander Pope
    once wrote, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

    NO! The exact Pope quote is "A little learning is a dangerous thing."

    Living dangerously in the ether,

    Derek Tague

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    End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #227
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