Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #306
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 9/21/2004 4:18 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2004 : Issue 306
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      ADMINISTRIVIA: A few [removed]      [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      Radio Guides                          [ JayHick@[removed] ]
      Help with this slogan from the 1940s  [ David <martindb@[removed]; ]
      Oppposite WOTW/"Sky Captain"          [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
      SPERDVAC update                       [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      Life of Riley                         [ "Jerry Bechtel" <jerrybechtel@jalc. ]
      NBC/Red, ABC/Blue                     [ Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed]; ]
      9-22 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Radio Mirror                          [ JayHick@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 13:37:59 -0400
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ADMINISTRIVIA: A few [removed]

    Folks;

       I try to keep the posting of these notes to a minimum, so please forgive
    the interruption to the conversations. I'll try to be brief (and we all know
    how hard _that_ is for [removed]).

       First off, my thanks to recent contributors to the maintenance and upkeep
    of the mailing list and web server; you should have received a private note
    of thanks, but consider this a public one as well (if you haven't received a
    note, please contact me - there are a few without email addresses). There is
    _never_ payment required to receive the OTR Digest or visit the [removed]
    or Nostalgia Pages websites, but if you are able and interested, voluntary
    subscriptions are accepted and appreciated; see
    [removed] for complete information (that URL
    is at the bottom of every issue should you need it in the future) - PayPal is
    accepted, as well as snail-mailed checks.

       I'm hoping to put some audio/video discs together over the next few weeks
    to make available as another way for subscribers to support the mailing list
    and [removed] on that when (if?) I finally get them finished.

       OTR clubs and organizations, please pay attention for just a second. As I
    mentioned a bit ago, I attended a meeting of the Metro Washington
    organization, and enjoyed myself tremendously. But I found out about the
    program for that [removed] a friend in Colorado, of all places. So I
    urge _all_ clubs and organizations to post a note about future meetings and
    programs to the OTR Digest. Obviously, you don't want to post an entire club
    newsletter, but a short note listing what, when, where, and whom to contact
    for more info would be a _great_ idea. You might be surprised that there are
    subscribers to the OTR Digest in your area who don't know your club exists!
    (Or you might just get crazy people who drive through three states south to
    [removed])

       I need to again mention that when the server rejects a message, it isn't
    anything personal. The computer that operates the list server can't "read,"
    it can only parse your [removed] can't "disagree" with you, so when it
    rejects because of a missing Subject: header field, or overquoting, or some
    other reason, it's nothing personal, honest. If you don't understand the
    error message the server is sending you, _please_ drop me a note; I'll be
    happy to explain it to you, and suggest methods for avoiding it in the
    future. The purpose is only to make the Internet OTR Digest the most
    "readable" mailing list on the [removed] I think we're
    accomplishing. (I think I'm most pleased by the programming that removes
    those annoying free-email advertisements. It occasionally misses one, but
    gets the bulk of 'em, keeping the list much cleaner and easier-to-read.)

       Speaking of that, if you think about it, check your word-wrap settings.
    Most posters are in the 70-80-character range that is the most easily read,
    but a few posters are wrapping smaller (40-characters or so), and a few
    larger. Smaller looks a little odd, but larger can add weird wrapping at the
    receiver's end.

       I want to remind everyone again to pass the list address on to your
    friends within the hobby. I'm constantly amazed how many people who listen to
    and collect OTR _don't_ know this list exists. If you maintain a website,
    either personal or commercial, sticking a "Subscribe" button on it is fast,
    simple, and won't even take people away from your site - instructions are
    available at [removed] . If you prefer, you can point people
    directly to [removed] or [removed] where there
    are web-based subscription forms, too. And even in private correspondance,
    mention the list - I think you'll be as surprised as I am how many people
    you'd assume are subscribers don't even know this resource exists!

       And finally, with the end of summer upon us, I can't think of a better way
    to celebrate than to revisit the beginning of the season. I've started
    posting photos and commentary from the REPS Showcase 2004, held last June in
    Seattle, WA. You can see the pics on "The Blog" at [removed]
    - hit the "Old-Time Radio" category link if you want to limit the displayed
    entries (I'm also currently posting reviews of new television programs
    premering this season to the "Television" category, and occasionally post
    personal thoughts [removed] - Firefox users can add "Nostalgic
    Rumblings" directly to their Bookmarks Toolbar!). I want to again thank all
    the folks at REPS for making the Showcase an _amazing_ experience, and for
    taking such good care of me while I was there!

             Charlie

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

    Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 20:05:02 -0400
    From: JayHick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Guides

    I have sold many of my Radio Guides.  I hope to take some of the rest to the
    convention.  If anyone wants any before then or are not going, contact me now.
     I still have some from the years 1932 - 1943.  Jay Hickerson

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 02:12:28 -0400
    From: David <martindb@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Help with this slogan from the 1940s: "The best
     tunes of all move to carnegie hall "

    I was listening to a 'Information Please'  from the early 1940s and I
    encountered this ad "The best tunes of all move to carnegie hall "
    repeated over and over.  Anyone know to what event this refers?   Just
    curious.

    Thanks

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 09:01:36 -0400
    From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Oppposite WOTW/"Sky Captain"
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    Drive10558@[removed] (Allan Chinn) posted:

> >     What effect, if any, did the "War of the Worlds" broadcast have on the

    remainder of the CBS schedule that evening?

    We all know "The Chase & Sanborn Show" a/k/a "The Edgar Bergen/Charlie Mc
    Carthy Show" aired on NBC opposite  CBS's "WOTW." But does anybody
    out there in the ether know what aired on NBC-Blue and Mutual (MBS) at the
    same time on 10/30/1938?

    The other night, Max Schmid mentioned the new motion picture "Sky Captain
    and the World of Tomorrow" on his "Golden Age of Radio" broadcast saying that
    said film is rife with OTR references particularly a patch of dialogue right
    out of
    Carl Phillips's commentary during WOTW.

    Would somebody who's seen "Sky Captain" care to elaborate on the OTR
    references.
    Since I rarely go to the movies (I hear they're in colour now), I'd like to
    know about
    what to expect ahead of time.

    Always in the ether,

    Derek Tague

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    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 09:39:04 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  SPERDVAC update

    All my ducks are now in a row. I'm talking about the recreation I'll be
    directing for SPERDVAC in November.(I might even cast myself in one of the
    parts). I guess that's called incestuous nepotism.

    In prior blurbs from SPERDVAC, they just mentioned I'd be directing
    something or other, and not mentioning which show. That's because I wanted
    to make sure I could assemble a very special cast before committing to the
    project.

    I'm am pleased to announce that all systems are now a go. With help from
    SPERDVACS BJ Watkins and Bobb Lynes (my West Coast Connection), we have put
    together a stellar cast.

    We will be doing an episode of "Duffy's Tavern". [removed] at this point, it
    looks like we'll have the honor of being able to bring to the stage 3
    performers (count '[removed]) who were once original cast members of that
    program. In addition, we will have other very special (and fun) casting
    "surprises" in store for you. All of them guaranteed to delight and
    entertain. (Or else I better keep my day job). :)
    Wait until you see who plays "Archie", "Finnigan" and "Eddie the Waiter".

    I understand that FOTR in Newark will also be doing an episode of "Duffy's"
    this year. I challenge them to a duel. May the best "recreation" win. (But
    ours is stacked with a six star cast. :)

    Incidentally, I hasten to add, I'll also be attending the FOTR Convention at
    Newark, where Bob Hastings and I will be reprising our "Bob & Ray" routines.
    So lets see a big East Coast turnout in the Big Apple area, as well as a
    bunch of you people from West of the Mississippi heading for La La Land.

    Speaking of "Tinsel Town", I hope to make our production of Duffy's Tavern a
    really memorable one, and I say again, with our cast of consummate "pros",
    it will be really special. Here's your chance to see some really talented &
    well known OTR character actors at play (characters, as in unique
    [removed] [removed] strange?) :)

    So If you live anywhere near LA, or can get there by hook or by crook, come
    join in the fun. But it will not be easy to steal all the thunder at
    SPERDVAC this year, because the Convention will also feature a recreation of
    Jack Benny's "The Horn Blows at Midnight", starring that incredible "Benny"
    impersonator, Eddie Carroll. And directed by the talented, incomparable
    blonde bombshell [removed] Watkins. Take it from me, if you have never seen Eddie
    Carroll do "Jack Benny" before, seeing him perform is worth the price of
    admission alone. He not only sounds like [removed] he looks like Jack, and has
    all of Jacks mannerisms. I mean, the guy is awesome.

    "Duffy's Tavern" is scheduled for Friday Night, Nov 12th, and Eddie Carroll
    as "Benny" in "The Horn Blows at Midnight" will be presented on Sat. the
    13th.

    So my advice to you [removed], don't run, to your nearest computer, download
    the SPERDVAC Convention information (and registration forms) at

    [removed]

    Then, if you live any distance from LA, contact the hotel, make a room res,
    make your travel plans, and tell 'em "Juggy" sent you. (It won't qualify you
    for a discount. It will just perplex the desk clerk).

    See you all there, right?

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 09:38:47 -0400
    From: "Jerry Bechtel" <jerrybechtel@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Life of Riley
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    Andrew, you are right! I too wish there was more dialog relative to the
    Life of Riley. During the early '40's The Life of Riley and The Aldrich
    Family were among my favorite radio shows. Much of what we heard on the
    show we (my sister and I ) were experiencing! It was amazing how true to
    life the show seemed to be with all the predicaments Riley kept getting
    into and the way the kids behaved. My dad worked in a steel mill in
    Pennsylvania and that made the show even more authentic to us. I'd never
    miss an episode. I've tried, over the years, to collect all the shows
    that I could find but I'm still missing quite a few. Same with The
    Aldrich Family. Several years ago I heard form a gentleman that had tons
    of these shows on wire recorder reels (?). I attempted to obtain them
    but lost contact with him. Although I'm well beyond retirement age, when
    I do retire my goal will be to have as complete a set of Riley and
    Aldrich shows as I can find. I still play a show about four nights a
    week on my old replica radio by the fireplace. Those were the
    [removed]

    Jerry Bechtel

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    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 13:40:08 -0400
    From: Mark J Cuccia <mcuccia@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  NBC/Red, ABC/Blue

    I know that prior to the early 1940s, when the Federal Government
    required RCA/NBC to divest itself of one of its two radio networks (and
    also reduce ownership to a maximum of seven radio stations -- the latter
    also affected Columbia as well), that SOME programs closed out with the
    outcue "This is the Red Network of the National Broadcasting Company"
    (g-e-c chimes), or "This is the Blue Network of the National
    Broadcasting Company" (g-e-c chimes), although "most" NBC broadcasts
    I've heard from prior to the early 1940s simply close out "This is the
    National Broadcasting Company".

    With the federally mandated divesting of "one of the two" RCA/NBC
    networks, Sarnoff's RCA decided to spin-off the NBC-BLue Network, which
    was later renamed the American Broadcasting Company.

    I know that for a while, they still referred to it as "The Blue
    Network", whether alongside using ABC/American, or simply just "Blue".

    I did happen to hear a 1940s-era broadcast of "This is Your F-B-I" the
    other day on Y-USA, and it closed out with "This is the Blue Network of
    the American Broadcasting Company". There didn't seem to be any chimes
    playing afterwards, although I one time heard an old broadcast of some
    program that simply outcue'd as "This is the Blue Network" followed by
    the g-e-c chimes.

    What I thought was "strange" was that the 'FBI' broadcast I just heard
    closed out with "blue network *OF* the American Broadcasting Company".

    TO ME, at least, it just didn't sound right -- gramatically -- as what
    had been the NBC-Blue Network, or simply "The Blue Network", was now
    ABC -- not a "separate/secondary" network "of" ABC. [removed], there was ONLY
    ONE ABC Radio Network, the (once known as) "Blue" [removed] there was
    *NO* "Red" network "of" ABC!

    With RCA/NBC's divesting of the NBC-Blue Network to Edward J. Noble, and
    to be renamed ABC, you'd think that if they still referred to themselves
    as "Blue", the outcue should have been "This is the Blue Network, the
    American Broadcasting Company", without the inserting of the preposition
    'of'.

    What had been the Red Network of NBC was still NBC, the "only" NBC
    network (at least until NBC-TV was started)....

    Of course, with 1-January-1968, ABC now had four program packages --
    Information,  Entertainment, Contemporary, FM -- and they branded them
    all as -- "a service of ABC News" ....

    But all four program services throughout the 1968-thru-early/mid-1980s
    timeframe were fed down the same set of AT&T Bell System landlines
    (prior to satellite distribution), each program from each "package" fed
    sequentially down the same landlines, while the late 1930s and early
    1940s NBC-Blue and NBC-Red were indeed separate and distinct
    simultaneous radio networks using distinct AT&T Bell System landline
    circuits.

    But I just thought it "strange" the way it was worded in the 1940s,
    "This is the Blue Network 'OF' the American Broadcasting Company".

    BTW, I know that *BRIEFLY* in 1958, ABC Radio was instead known as
    'ABN', the "American Broadcasting Network". (ABC-TV was still known as
    the ABC Television Network, though). Does anyone remember offhand which
    MONTHS in 1958 that ABC Radio branded itself as 'ABN' rather than as the
    ABC Radio Network ??

    Mark J. Cuccia
    mcuccia@[removed]
    New Orleans LA CSA
    -----------------------------------------------------------

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 14:40:31 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  9-22 births/deaths

    Boy! am I glad to be back. Could not receive messages for five day, but could
    send. It is a comfort getting the OTR digest again. Because of Charlie's
    procedure for obtaining back copies, didn't miss a thing.

    September 22nd births

    09-22-1875 - Guy Bates Post - Seattle, WA - d. 1-16-1968
    actor: Ulysses S. Grant "Roses and Drums"
    09-22-1895 - Paul Muni - Lemberg, Austria-Hungary - d. 8-25-1967
    actor: "Free Company"; "Radio Hall of Fame"
    09-22-1900 - Hanley Stafford - Hanley, Staffordshire, England - d. 9-9-1968
    actor: Mr. Higgins "Baby Snooks Show"; Julius C. Dithers "Blondie"
    09-22-1902 - John Houseman - Bucharest, Romania - d. 10-31-1988
    writer, producer: "Mercury Theatre on the Air"; "Campbell Playhouse"
    09-22-1914 - Martha Scott - Jamesport, MO - d. 5-28-2003
    actress: Alice Blair "Career of Alice Blair"; "Somerset Maugham Theatre"
    09-22-1917 - Richard C. Hottelet - NYC
    news correspondent: CBS news correspondent in Europe and New York
    09-22-1918 - Betty Wragge - NYC
    actress: Peggy Davis "Red Davis"; Peggy Young "Pepper Young's Family
    09-22-1926 - Sybil Trent - Brooklyn, NY - d. 6-5-2000
    actress: "Let's Pretend"; Thelma "As the Twig is Bent/We Love and Learn"

    September 22nd deaths

    01-03-1897 - Marion Davies - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-22-1961
    actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    03-24-1885 - Joseph Granby - Boston, MA - d. 9-22-1965
    actor: Mead Connors "We Are Always Young"
    04-11-1893 - Lou Holtz - San Francisco, CA - d. 9-22-1980
    comedian: "Fleischmann Hour"; "Kraft Music Hall"
    05-11-1888 - Irving Berlin - Temum, Russia - d. 9-22-1989
    composer: "Ed Sullivan Show"; "People's Platform"
    07-21-1920 - Isaac Stern - Kreminiecz, Ukraine, USSR - d. 9-22-2001
    violinist: "Jack Benny Program"; "New York Philharmonic"
    09-13-1914 - Leonard Feather - London, England - d. 9-22-1994
    composer: "Esquire Jazz Concert"; "Mildred Bailey Show"; "One Night Stand'
    10-01-1898 - Curtiss Arnall - Cheyenne, WY - d. 9-22-1964
    actor: Buck Rogers, "Buck Rogers"
    12-24-1893 - Harry Warren - NYC - d. 9-22-1981
    composer: "Good News of 1940"; "Great Moments to Music"
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 18:06:13 -0400
    From: JayHick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Mirror

    In addition to Radio guides I have left I also have various issues of 1.
    Stand By, The Prairie Farmer's Radio Weekly (1935-7). 2. Radio in the Home
    (1924-26).  These are literally falling apart.  3. Radio Mirror (1934 -
    1959).  Jay
    Hickerson

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #306
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