Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #39
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 2/1/2002 8:19 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 39
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Captain Midnight Ovaltine Shows       [ Jerry Bechtel <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Ft. Knox broadcasts                   [ sdavies@[removed] ]
      RADIOGRAMS                            [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      In re, really White Christmas?        [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
      Boxing on Radio                       [ "John edwards" <jcebigjohn41@hotmai ]
      Radio Shows from Military Bases duri  [ Michael Henry <mlhenry@[removed]; ]
      Re: "John" Reid                       [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
      The Unsinkable Tammy Grimes           [ "Ed Kindred" <kindred@[removed]; ]
      Boxing and other sports on radio      [ wa5pdk@[removed] ([removed] L.) ]
      about Tammy Grimes                    [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
      Re: Jones and Hare Series             [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      link to coming otr convention?        [ "Ben Ohmart" <bloodbleeds@[removed] ]
      Fights on radio                       [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Holiday Inn & White Christmas         [ "Don Belden" <dbelden@[removed]; ]
      Louis vs Schmeling 2                  [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
      Hummert Collection                    [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
      Oscar Broadcasts on OTR               [ Joelsiegel@[removed] ]
      Tammy Grimes                          [ Grbmd@[removed] ]
      Really? You Don't Say!                [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Telephone Introductions               [ Jim Kitchen <jkitchen@[removed]; ]
      OTR boxing recordings                 [ "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 11:41:01 -0500
    From: Jerry Bechtel <[removed]@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Captain Midnight Ovaltine Shows

    Does anyone know why there doesn't appear to be very many, if any,
    Captain Midnight shows available when the show was sponsored by
    Ovaltine? It seem that shows between 1944 to about 1949 are
    non-existant. Those were the days that I was a faithful listener and
    would like to hear them again.

    Jerry

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:24:53 -0500
    From: sdavies@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Ft. Knox broadcasts

    Paul U. asks about wartime broadcasts from Ft. Knox.

    I recall a Glenn Miller broadcast (I think with Dorothy Claire and the
    Modernaires) thus:
         Female singer: Glenn, isn't this where the Government buries its gold?
         Miller: Dorothy, this is where *everybody's* gold is buried.  (to the
    band) So start digging.

    It would be on a double-album of transcriptions released by RCA in the
    mid-1970's.   If no one else can provide the date, I can do a bit of
    hunting.

                                  Stephen Davies
                             mailto:sdavies@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:25:01 -0500
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: RADIOGRAMS

    Folks-
    Thanks for all your responses; they've found a new home.
    Best,
    Craig Wichman

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:25:23 -0500
    From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: In re, really White Christmas?

    Jer51473@[removed] asked,

>     I have always seemed to vaguely(sp again) remember that
>     the proper title of the song was Im Dreaming of a White Christmas and cant
>     remember it being called White Christmas until some years later. Does anyone
>     out there recall if im right, close to right, or completely dreaming(not of a
>     white xmas, but of something that didnt happen)?

    According to a reference work I've used a lot, "Popular Music
    1920-1979" (with supplements), by Shapiro and Pollock,
    the song's title is "White Christmas," no preface.

    And you didn't ask, but:  the book says its first public performance
    was by Bing Crosby before an audience of servicemen, somewhere in
    the Phillipines.
    --
    John Henley
    jhenley@[removed]
    ph  (512) 495-4112
    fax (512) 495-4296

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:25:30 -0500
    From: "John edwards" <jcebigjohn41@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Boxing on Radio

    [removed]'ve found the discussions on Boxing on radio interesting.  I've been a
    boxing fan since about 1951. I used to get the Ring Magazine (25 cents) when
    ever I could and listened to both the Friday Night Fights (Gillette) and the
    Wednesday night fights (Pabst Blue [removed]'ll You Have?). My dad was
    not a fight fan but my grandfather [removed] got me hooked.
       Bill Scherer asked about available broadcasts.  There are some. I taped
    some of the big heavyweight fights that were on radio from 1970s. Also there
    is a fairly large number of Pabst Blue Ribbon fights from the mid 1950s that
    has Steve Ellis doing the blow by blow.  He was good but Don Dunphy was the
    absolute [removed]'s calls were very dramatic and at times he was kind of
    a shill.  Also there is some material available that feature the great Joe
    Louis.  I think boxing is one of the hardest sports to [removed] watch a
    real action fight and try it.
        Anyway thanks for the great posts on OTR [removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:26:08 -0500
    From: Michael Henry <mlhenry@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Radio Shows from Military Bases during World

    War II
    Approved: ctrn4eeWlc

    In reply to Paul Urbahn's question about broadcasting from Fort Knox, one of
    the
    most comprehensive personal collections that we have here at the Library of
    American Broadcasting is one that documents the interview program Vox Pop,
    which
    was on the air from 1932-1948 and was hosted by Parks Johnson. During the
    war, the
    show traveled to 275 military bases, hospitals, warplants all over the country
    interviewing thousands of servicemen and women of all  ranks, branches of
    service,
    etc. They broadcast from Fort Knox on Monday, March 23, 1942.

    Parks Johnson was a pack rat, so he saved photos, letters, publicity material,
    almost everything relating to the show. The collection also contains 400
    transcription disks of the shows, though only a handful have been transcribed
    and
    are available for research. The remaining are avaiting preservation. If anyone
    knows of additional Vox Pop material, recordings, etc, we would love to know.
    For
    more information about accessing the Vox Pop Collection for research, see our
    website:
    [removed]

    You can also search through the 2,000 photographs from the Vox Pop Collection
    on
    the LAB On-Line Photo Archive:
    [removed]++++Search++++

    Check out the Vox Pop Collection; it truly is an invaluable record of the
    American
    soldier during World War II.

    -Michael Henry
    Library of American Broadcasting

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:27:42 -0500
    From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Re: "John" Reid

    In a message dated 1/31/02 11:43:08 AM, Joe Mackey writes:

>       From Those Were The Days --

>     1936 - The Green Hornet was introduced by its famous theme song, The

    <snip>

>     Ranger was performed. You may remember that the title character in The
>     Green Hornet was really named Britt Reid. He was, in fact, supposed to
>     be the great nephew of John Reid, the Lone Ranger. Both popular series

    ***Just a note to remind folks that Fran Striker never gave The Lone Ranger
    a first name in any of his radio scripts, novels or newspaper strips . . .
    or in the TV shows.  Britt Reid was definitely the great-nephew of The
    Lone Ranger . . . but not necessarily of "John" Reid.
    -- Anthony Tollin

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:28:47 -0500
    From: "Ed Kindred" <kindred@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: The Unsinkable Tammy Grimes

    Tammy Grimes with the unusual accent was born in the Boston of tea party
    fame 30 January 1934. No date of death
    shown. She is still a young 68.  Before I went to [removed] I thought
    she to be English. For crying out loud Peter
     Grimes, Tammy Grimes, has to be English. OK so the name is Scottish and
    she majored in English.
    I knew her primarily as the Unsinkable Molly Brown wife of Leadville's
    Johnny Brown. The show  was on Broadway
    in 1960 with Harve Presnell as Johnny Brown and music by Meredith Wilson.
    Debbie Reynolds played the Molly
    Brown role in the 1964 movie.
    [removed] lists for her:  Filmography,  28 listing and Notable TV
    Appearances, 14.
    Her radio and Broadway work is ignored.
    I recommend  checking  IMDB for details.
    For the real scoop go to:  [removed]~[removed]
    Fascinatin readin!  Well worth the trip!
    "She became a major star by appearing on Broadway in the starring
    role in The Unsinkable Molly Brown for which she won the Tony Award for
    Best Musical Comedy Actress. Tammy says that
    she won the role by singing 'Melancholy Baby' at her audition, and her
    amazing energy in the role of Molly kept the production
    going for two years on Broadway and on the road. Walter Kerr, the Drama
    Critic for the New York Times proclaimed "Tammy
    Grimes is a genius!", and ten years later he said "Miss Grimes remains a
    miracle." The movie role for Molly Brown was given to
    Debbie Reynolds, but many people, including this author, believe that Tammy
    would have done very well in the movie role."

    Ed Kindred

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:28:55 -0500
    From: wa5pdk@[removed] ([removed] L.)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Boxing and other sports on radio

    I enjoyed the discussion concerning boxing on radio.  Old Clem was
    something else to hear when he announced a boxing match, a horse race,
    or track meets!  I'll tell you, we "had it going" up in the old "theater
    of the mind" when Clem "lathered up the microphone."
    The first boxing matches I listened to were Primo Canaro vx Max Baer.

>     >From then on, I listened to "all of them".  The Louis vs Conn fight in

    the summer of 1941 was one of the most exciting matches I listened to.
    Conn was a "movie star" handsome light heavyweight champ. A magnificent
    boxer.  He had Louis badly beaten on points going into the late rounds,
    but made a fatal mistake when he tried to win by a knockout.  Louis
    turned it around with one [removed] like he did in most of his
    fights.  When Joe Louis had a foe staggered, then he was sure to win.
    Most folks today would not think a track meet could be exciting when
    listened to on the [removed] am here to tell you that the mile runs by
    champion, Glen Cunningham, as described by Clem where very exciting.  I
    can hear him [removed]"and around the last turn they come,  AND HERE
    COMES CUNNINGHAM!!!!  Horse racing on TV still has Clem's announcing
    legacy.  The exciting stretch drive of Whilaway, Assault, and the great
    Secretariat!  Who could forget [removed] on radio still
    remains very popular.  Baseball is also a very fine radio subject. Young
    talent out there is missing a great opportunity to make a name for
    themselves in sports announcing today!!

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:32:10 -0500
    From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: about Tammy Grimes

    Lynn Wager asked about Tammy Grimes.

    She's from Boston and sources say she was born in 1934
    (her birthday, in fact, was yesterday 1/30), which makes
    her 68 years old.

    I believe she's had an extensive career as a stage actress, but
    others may know more about that.

    She has a listing in Dunning's book, but only in association with
    CBSRMT; apparently she replaced [removed] Marshall later in the show's
    run.  (She'd have been mid- to late-40s at that time.)

    She has been in a number of films and TV movies since 1967, of widely
    varying quality and availability.  She did some voiceover work, including
    the animated feature "The Last Unicorn."  Of her recent films, perhaps
    the most notable is "Mr. North" from 1988.

    She did a lot of TV starting in the early 50s.  In 1966 she had her
    own TV series,
    "The Tammy Grimes Show," which memory tells me was _the_ notable failure of
    that TV season, lasting only a handful of episodes.

    I also seem to recall some reports that she had health problems at
    that point in her life, and that she was married to actor Jeremy Slate.

    In the early part of her career, she was being marketed as a sort
    of "kooky sexpot".  Her voice is indeed unusual, and some people
    just plain don't like it.  I have no strong feelings about it myself,
    but it's very much a part of who Tammy Grimes is.

    [removed] says that she's a participant in an upcoming film to be
    titled Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There.

    Hope this helps!
    --
    John Henley

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:29:30 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Re: Jones and Hare Series

    Mike Biel wrote:

>     I own the discs of nine
>     of the Taystee programs but have never been able to ascertain if the
>     All-Star series is an undiscovered different series.

    There's an item in the 12/1/33 issue of "Broadcasting" that may shed some
    light on this. According to the item ("Jones and Hare Discs Carried by 40
    Stations, Stage Show is on WOR") the All Star Broadcasters disc show,
    recorded at the Byers Labs studio in early 1933, was being sold to a wide
    range of sponsors for placement on local stations, while the "Taystee"
    program for Purity Bakers was airing before a live theatre audience three
    nights a week over WOR. While it's not explicitly stated, it's implied
    that these are two different series --and  Purity Baking is not listed as
    one of the sponsors using the All-Star transcriptions.

    The article also indicates that the All Star programs were first released
    in May 1933, and were first carried by WFBL, Syracuse, and subsequently
    by a number of stations in small to moderate size markets mostly on the
    East and in the Midwest. Sponsors include dairies, breweries, coffee
    distributors, men's furnishings, packaged oil, motor cars, and service.
    The largest single user of the All Star series was Household Finance
    Company, which placed it on six stations. Bakers are conspicuously absent
    from the list of sponsors using the All Star series, suggesting that
    J&H's contract with Purity prohibited the use of the recordings with
    competitive bakers. The variety of sponsorships listed also suggests that
    the All Star programs were generic recordings, with space alloted for the
    insertion for local announcements, as opposed to the Taystee programs,
    which are clearly sponsor-specific -- "We're two loafers now it's said,
    representing Taystee [removed]" would obviously not have worked for
    Household Finance.

    I've always thought the Taystee Loafers series had a live sound to it --
    a small audience can be heard on some of the programs, and at least one
    of them closes with an announcement urging listeners to tune in next
    Wednesday at 8:45 -- not the sort of announcement one would expect on a
    recording made for locally-sponsored syndication. This doesn't explain
    the circumstances under which the Taystee programs were recorded -- most
    likely, Purity Baking decided to spot them on stations outside the New
    York market after the program acheived success there as a live show.
    There *are* listings for Purity Bakers in the Transcriptions column in
    Broadcasting during late 1933, but these listings do not specify the
    nature of the program being used. But in view of all this, I do think
    it's safe to conclude that the All Star series and the Taystee shows were
    two different series.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:29:35 -0500
    From: "Ben Ohmart" <bloodbleeds@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: link to coming otr convention?

    Could someone please repost the link to or info of the upcoming otr
    convention?
    Thanks.

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:32:32 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Fights on radio

    In reference to fights on radio. I have a fight between Willie Hepner from
    Germany and Chuck Spicer from Detroit. Though not well known fighters and the
    fight only lasted into the second round it is interesting from my perspective
    because it took place in Milwaukee and Jack Quinlan is the announcer. For all
    you old time Cub fans, (which I am one) that name should bring back some fond
    memories. Bill Scherer if you are interested contact me off line.

    Ron Sayles

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:32:38 -0500
    From: "Don Belden" <dbelden@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Holiday Inn & White Christmas

    I saw "Holiday Inn" in the forward torpedo room of a submarine in WWII.

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:32:51 -0500
    From: Jer51473@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Louis vs Schmeling 2

     Theres going to be a special dramatized program about the second bout on tv
    during Feburary. Im not sure of the network, but i think it will be A&E. The
    ad indicates the life of both fighters will be profiled and followed up to
    and through the big fight and, of course, emphasizing the political
    ramifications of the times and the coming war. Sounds interesting, especially
    for the younger generation. I just hope its not overdone and tells things
    like they really were.

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:34:21 -0500
    From: otrbuff@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Hummert Collection

    For some time I have been searching for a collection of papers from Frank
    and Anne Hummert that has been speculated to exist at an unnamed
    university or college possibly "in the West," although that isn't a
    given.  Such a repository is believed to include large numbers of their
    radio scripts plus voluminous personal correspondence.  The several
    successors to the Blackett-Sample-Hummert advertising agency have been
    unsuccessful in pointing the way.  Alma maters aren't turning up
    anything.  Members of the family are thus far unable to clarify a
    location.  This could be a vastly important piece of American radio
    history.  The Hummerts, moguls of matinee and evening mayhem, originated
    more than 60 separate network series, far more in number than anyone
    else.  I am attempting to prevent those contributions from slipping into
    obscurity.

    It occurred to me that there is probably someone on this list who might
    be familiar with such a repository and could refer me at once.  I'd be
    most grateful for such assistance and would appreciate being contacted
    off line.  You may be of significant assistance to OTR research.  Even if
    you only "think" you know the location, please do me the honor of sharing
    your thoughts.  I'll pursue every lead.  My deepest gratitude in advance.

    Jim Cox
    otrbuff@[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:42:10 -0500
    From: Joelsiegel@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Oscar Broadcasts on OTR

    Does anyone have any live Oscar coverage from the 30's or 40's?

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 18:02:46 -0500
    From: Grbmd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Tammy Grimes

    Lynn asked:

>      I have been recently re-enjoying my CBS Mystery Theater shows and was
>      wondering if any one knows anything about one of the hosts named
>      Tammy Grimes.  I enjoy her as the host as much as [removed] Marshall.

    With a name  like that you would think it would have to be the same person.

    A singer-actress named Tammy Grimes played the title role in the 1960
    Broadway musical "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."  She later played in a few
    other shows, but "Molly" was her biggie.  I believe she had a naturally
    British accent.

    Spence

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 18:43:24 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Really?  You Don't Say!

    Don Dean answered Don Dezendorf's question about books with OTR trivia by
    suggesting,

>     I suggest The Nostalgia Quiz Book by Martin A. Gross published by
>     Arlington House, New Rochell, [removed] originally in 1969. It has 19 pages
>     devoted to radio & television plus trivia questions and answers on many
>     other subjects ....

    There's a problem in this: many contributors here are more knowledgeable
    about OTR trivia than the compilers of various trivia books.  Some books
    on trivia I've run into have had occasional errors in their OTR sections
    [well, other sections, too  :-) ].  Sometimes this is the result of urban
    legend ([removed], the "overnight transformation" of Kato's ethnicity on The
    Green Hornet), sometimes a result of controversy ([removed], the Lone Ranger's
    first name as "John"), and sometimes confusion ([removed], the name of Captain
    Midnight's airplane: in the OTR series, he flew many, basically with
    names no more specific than P-40 Warhawk or PBY Catalina).  This is
    further made more difficult by scholarship after the trivia books were
    published, discovery of more programs, etc.

    In short, I'd approach any OTR trivia question answers with some care.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 19:26:17 -0500
    From: Jim Kitchen <jkitchen@[removed];
    To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Telephone Introductions

    Hello, YUkon 2-8209!  Yes, this is Candy Matson!

    Jim Kitchen

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

    Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 10:02:23 -0500
    From: "Philip Chavin" <philchav@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: OTR boxing  recordings

       Re OTR boxing broadcasts:

       (1) Many recordings of OTR boxing broadcasts exist.
    Unfortunately, I understand that many of them are incomplete (missing
    openings, closings, rounds, parts of rounds, commercials, between-rounds
    commentary).   A nice, reliable dealer specializing in OTR boxing -- with a
    huge collection -- is Mike Welch (phone 414- 321 9555, Milwaukee, USA;
    that's 2-year old info).

       (2) One boxing recording that's available is of the Joe Louis--Jersey Joe
    Walcott championship fight broadcast of June 25, 1948 from Yankee Stadium
    (Gillette blades). (Don Dunphy, who Hal Stone mentioned on the Digest
    recently, does the blow-by-blow description.) The best recording of that
    exciting broadcast I've been able to hear has good sound but is not quite
    complete:  missing are about the last three minutes, which must have
    included -- on the original broadcast -- concluding comment, a final
    commercial, and the closing.    Question:  Would any of you know of the
    existence of a recording of this fight broadcast that includes the full
    closing?   Thanks.

       -- Phil Chavin           philchav@[removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #39
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