Subject: [removed] Digest V2001 #278
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 8/27/2001 9:48 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2001 : Issue 278
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      War of the Worlds transcription disk  [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; ]
      Rexall drug stores                    [ "Hoosierwood" <hoosierwood@onemain. ]
      OXYDOL                                [ "Tim Lones" <tallones@[removed]; ]
      Bea                                   [ Ben Ohmart <bloodbleeds@[removed]; ]
      Yellow Oleo                           [ "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@worldnet. ]
      Introducing children to OTR           [ Al Girard <agirard@[removed] ]
      Uh, I thought this was kinda like fu  [ "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed]; ]
      Sponsor of Blondie                    [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
      Kay Kyser                             [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
      Lux Radio Theater's 10th              [ "Robert Fells" <rfells@[removed]; ]
      FIRST LUX BROADCAST                   [ "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
      More Slogans                          [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Old,OTR Products                      [ "jay ranellucci" <jayran33@hotmail. ]
      Slogans                               [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; ]
      Re: NBC and HAL the computer          [ "Jan Bach" <janbach@[removed]; ]
      Re: Obsolete Products                 [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      OTR Show Opens With Sponsor Message   [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; ]
      BEA BENADERET                         [ me <cien@[removed]; ]
      ADAM'S HATS                           [ "Harold Zeigler" <hzeigler@charter- ]
      Oxydol - apparently "disowned" by P&  [ KENPILETIC@[removed] ]
      Chicago Radio                         [ Grbmd@[removed] ]
      favorite radio actresses              [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
      Re: Virginia Gregg                    [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
      Jeanette Nolan as Dirty Sally         [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
      Re: just a curiosity question         [ Joe Mackey <joemackey5@[removed]; ]
      Obsolete OTR Products                 [ George Aust <austhaus1@[removed] ]
      Abbott and Costello                   [ George Aust <austhaus1@[removed] ]
      Who Told the Joke First?              [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
      Re: OTR Show Opens With Sponsor Mess  [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Re: a bad OTR jingle                  [ Merlin Haas <mvhaas@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 11:56:13 -0400
    From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  War of the Worlds transcription disks

    Just thought readers of the Digest might find this interesting. In early August the
    vintage radio collection of the late Dr. Ralph Muchow was held in Elgin Illinois.
    Dr. Muchow had what was probably the largest collection of vintage radios,
    phonographs, and related items in the world, a lot of very rare items. A set of WOW
    transcription disks sold for $14,000. WOW!!! The total sales of the auction was
    over $1,000,000.

    Bill Harris

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 11:56:44 -0400
    From: "Hoosierwood" <hoosierwood@[removed];
    To: "'OldRadio Mailing Lists'" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Rexall drug stores

    When I come across a Rexall store in my travels I find that they don't know
    who Phil Harris was. I leave my name in hope that they might find some old
    ads. I have tried to contact "Rexall" stores that are on the web with no
    luck. It looks like the store has changed ownership but are to lazy to
    change the name. I found a sign on a store front in Venice, FL but no
    drugstore.

    I Dood It
    Red Skelton Scrapbook web page [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 12:34:29 -0400
    From: "Tim Lones" <tallones@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OXYDOL

    I have worked as a night stocker for a local chain Grocery Store in Canton,
    Ohio (Fishers Foods) for nearly 10 years and as far as I know we've always
    had Oxydol detergent on our [removed]

    Tim Lones
    East Sparta, Ohio

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 12:34:56 -0400
    From: Ben Ohmart <bloodbleeds@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bea

    Didn't Bea have a son who was a regular on Lou Grant?
    I don't know, someone told me. Is it true?

    Check out Fibber McGee's Scrapbook, a new otr book!
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 14:11:55 -0400
    From: "Brian Johnson" <CHYRONOP@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Yellow Oleo

    Michael Biel recalls chiding the Pepsodent people with a second verse of
    their jingle: " 'Oh I know where the yellow goes, the put it into Oleo.'
    Think of that next time you use margarine!  Yuck!"

    But few remember that in the early days of margarine, the dairy lobby in
    Washington succeeded in requiring that the yellow coloring not be
    manufactured into the product so no one would confuse it with real butter. A
    small vial of yellow food coloring came with the product. One of my mother's
    earliest "jobs" as a youngster in her mother's kitchen was making the oleo
    "yellow".

    Brj

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 14:12:20 -0400
    From: Al Girard <agirard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Introducing children to OTR

    	On Sunday evening I was invited to dinner at a good friend's home.
    After dinner, I sat down with their nine-year old daughter and I showed
    her
    my Rio Volt.  I explained to her that when I was her age there was no
    television, and radio didn't play rock and roll.  I also told her that
    we listened to wonderful programs which ranged from kids' shows to
    comedy,
    adventure, westerns and mystery.  I told her that I had some comedy
    shows
    on a CD in the Rio Volt, and asked if she'd like to hear one.  She said
    that
    she did, so I gave her the headset and played an episode of Father Knows
    Best.
    In less than a minute she was laughing, and she laughed often during the
    next half hour.

    	After the show was over, she said that she really liked the show.  I
    then
    told her that there were 91 episodes on that CD, and if she wished, I
    would be
    happy to make her a copy that she can listen to on her computer.

    	Well, she's excited about hearing more of those shows.  I was amazed at
    how
    easy it is to introduce a child to OTR. If you have a friend or neighbor
    who
    have children, perhaps it might be an idea to let them listen to a show,
    especially if they are bored.

    Al Girard
    Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Please visit my Unofficial Fibber McGee and Molly home Page
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 14:13:15 -0400
    From: "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Uh, I thought this was kinda like fun?

    Uh, I thought that thinking back to the old time radio days was like FUN?
    It was fun for me.   But some people here, who call themselves "researchers"
    never worked in radio a day in their lives.

    I had 15 yrs in the biz in local and major markets as a DJ, salesman,
    programmer, and engineer.   And I think if I feel like doing a
    just-from-memory-for-fun recall, I shouldn't have to be beaten with words by
    people who never were in the biz and whose only game seems to be to correct
    people.

    For the record, I have seen a LOT of mistakes made by certain "experts" on
    this board.   And I don't go whipping them.

    So give us old guys a break, who really were in the biz, and now just want
    to have some fun.

    "Capons" is more of a term for the "expert researchers" on this board who
    wever never in the biz.   I respect people who ARE and WERE actually in the
    biz, BTW.

    Jim Stokes

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 14:13:34 -0400
    From: Jer51473@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sponsor of Blondie

     Does anyone remember? I do, it was ----- ----

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 14:13:29 -0400
    From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Kay Kyser

    I had Kay Kyser daughter on to night interview show on YUSA.  She does not
    have any of the radio shows with her dad.  I have a few tings.  Does any one
    else have material that we can give to her?  Her mom Georgia Carol is still
    a live and maybe we can find some thing with her too.  Take care,

    Walden Hughes do

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 14:16:38 -0400
    From: "Robert Fells" <rfells@[removed];
    To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Lux Radio Theater's 10th

    In response to Dennis Crow, the Lux Radio Theater really did have a 10th
    anniversary celebration in October 1944, but whether "Seventh Heaven" was
    truly the winning entry I can't say.  The story was indeed the first Lux
    broadcast, on October 17, 1934, from New York, starring Miriam Hopkins,  but
    like almost all the Lux shows until June 1936, it has not survived.

    I too am a bit suspicious whether the contest that Mr. Crow refers to was
    strictly on the level.  "Seventh Heaven" had been a popular silent film in
    1927 starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell so it is a bit difficult to
    believe that would be the favorite in 1944.  Actually, Lux later got it
    right on its March 26, 1951 broadcast when it again presented "Seveth
    Heaven" but this time with its original film stars, Gaynor and Farrell.  Now
    that must have been a strange experience for those actors - re-enacting a
    silent film on radio that they performed over a generation earlier.

    Bob Fells

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:32:57 -0400
    From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  FIRST LUX BROADCAST

    Hi, Dennis.  In answere to your posting about the first Lux broadcast,
    according to the log I have, the first broadcast (from NY), is listed as
    "Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde," starring Frederic March, and was aired on 10/7/'34.
    They were in NY until 12//30/'34, when they moved to Hollywood, CA, airing
    the premire broadcast on 1/6/'35, , with [removed] Demille. They presented "The
    Green Goddess, with Claude Rains.

    Owens

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:33:30 -0400
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More Slogans

    Here's another round of radio ad slogans -- with the difficulty level
    ratcheted up a [removed]

    1. "Eat three cakes of XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX daily."

    2. "That XXXX XXXX Gasoline!"

    3. "Your ticket of admission -- your loyalty to XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX!"

    4. "Use XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX twice a day -- see your XXXXXXX at least
    twice a year."

    5. "You'll never guess -- but XXXXXX costs you less!"

    6. "There is no spit in XXXXX."

    7. "Watch the XXXXX go by!"

    8. "XXXXXX -- what a XXX XX XXXXX for five cents!"

    9. "Get a Lift -- with a XXXXX!"

    10. "XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX -- for the XXXX you love to XXXXX!"

    (Hint -- all of these slogans were introduced before 1940, and all but
    two of them represent brands still available today.)

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:33:48 -0400
    From: "jay ranellucci" <jayran33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Old,OTR Products

    Hi again all,
    Just thought of a couple of other product names no longer around.
    They were regional gas stations, I believe.  Signal Oil Co. (The Whistler)
    and Douglas gas which as far as I know never sponsored anything, but
    as a kid I remember always going there to get some free premium like
    a key chain or decal of the Doulas Heart.
    Also in the Digest #277 Jim Stokes refers to "It's Coke Time with Eddie
    Fisher" (Back when "Coke" meant Coca Cola).  Well originally  Coca Cola
    contained "Coke" or cocaine until the government made them remove it.
    Til next time, Jay Ranellucci

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:34:20 -0400
    From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Slogans

    And Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; says:

>     Bill Harris asks, and Stephen A Kallis, Jr. answered:

> >     You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth
> >     with __________.  [Pepsodent]

>     When I was a kid we sang this next line:
>     "Oh I know where the yellow goes, the put it into Oleo."
>     Think of that next time you use margarine!  Yuck!

    And we used to sing, "and when all your teeth turn black you'll wish you had
    the yellow
    back.

    Speaking of the the yellow stuff, I remember when I was very young during
    dub-u dub-u
    two (the big one as Archie Bunker called it), and dairy products such as
    butter were in
    short supply, mom would buy white margarine and it came with a package of
    yellow food
    coloring that you mixed with it to make it look like butter. Yellow lard on
    your toast.
    Double Yuck!!

    And what was 99 and 44/100 percent pure?

    Bill Harris

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:37:23 -0400
    From: "Jan Bach" <janbach@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: NBC and HAL the computer

    Hello, again.
    In OTR Digest V2001 #277, Bill Harris remarks:

>     I tend to think it that the choosing of the notes G-E-C
>     and the initials of General Electric was just coincidence (re the NBC

    chimes).

    This may be somewhat off-topic, but here is another amusing example of
    incidental events in the entertainment media that seemed planned:
    When Arthur C. Clarke was asked if [removed], his name for the computer on the
    spaceship in the movie 2001, had been named by taking the letters [removed] and
    backing up one letter for each initial (I to H, B to A, M to L) he was
    amazed. He had simply tried to think of a computer whose three initials
    would have a name that resembled a human being's -- or so he told me while I
    was driving him from O'Hare Airport to our university for a speech way back
    in May of 1971!

    Jan Bach

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:56:01 -0400
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Obsolete Products

    Susan Flewelling wrote:

>     We discussed Bromo Seltzer, that it was obsolete, but, thinking I'd seen it
>     not long ago, I checked the web and it does seem to be still on the market.

    It's still around, but it's frustratingly hard to find. I've been using
    it heavily since I was a teenager to cope with migraines -- it's the only
    over-the-counter product which seems to work for me. A couple of years
    ago, the Warner-Lambert company (successors to Emerson Drug) sold it off
    to some fly-by-night outfit which tinkered around with the formula,
    replaced the traditional blue bottle with paper envelopes, and really
    messed up the distribution system.  I've been known to drive two hours to
    find a drug store which stocks it -- and when make my annual trip to
    Montreal, I make a point of bringing it home by the case, since for some
    reason it's much easier to find north of the border.

>     Sometimes I hear commercials for products I've never heard of think, "I'd
>     like to try that"! - strange because I never pay any attention to [removed]
>     commercials - perhaps its wanting what one can't have!

    When listening recently to a recently unearthed fragment of a 1939 Amos
    'n' Andy episode, I happened to hear Bill Hay delivering a very
    persuasive commercial for Campbell's Pork and Beans -- and when he
    declared that "tip top bean eating lies ahead," I had to run out and buy
    a can, if only to reward such copywriting. The product, sadly, failed to
    live up to the hype -- if there was any pork in that can, I didn't see
    [removed]

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 15:55:58 -0400
    From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Show Opens With Sponsor Message

    "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed]; writes:

>     "Rinso (SNARE DRUM ROLL).   The new Rinso with Solium, presents The Amos and
>     Andy Show."  (same old soap, just changed the label)

    Rinso [removed] bright sing a little washday song.

    What was the background musical piece played when Johnny did his, "Calllllll Forrrrrr
    Phillip Morrrreesss" routine and who was the composer.

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 17:04:33 -0400
    From: me <cien@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  BEA BENADERET

    unless memory fails which is highly likely wasn't bea benaderet also one
    of the 2 telephone operators on the jack benny radio show?
    cien

    --
    The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.  -- [removed] cummings
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 17:48:27 -0400
    From: "Harold Zeigler" <hzeigler@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ADAM'S HATS

    	Hi Anybody,
        On the subject of Adam's hats, Portland Hoffa had a"joke" about them on
    Fred Allen's Show and it went like this.
        "Fred did you know that thr emperor of Japan now wears a new brand of hat
    since we dropped the atom bomb on Japan?
    Yes , now he wears a Adam (atom) hat!"
        Well,it was funny when Portland said it.
    				Till Next Time,Harold

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 17:55:50 -0400
    From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Oxydol - apparently "disowned" by P&G

    Hi Gang -                  August 27, 2001 - 4:15 PM cdt

    Regarding Oxydol -- Apparently I'm not alone in questioning the
    availability of this product.   I have been using Oxydol exclusively
    since I first started doing my own laundry in 1960.  I must admit
    that I purchased my first box of Oxydol strictly due to the radio
    commercials on "Ma Perkins".  (it pays to advertize)

    A few years ago Oxydol began to disappear from the "big"
    grocery store chains in the Chicago area (Jewel, Dominicks, etc.).
    I wrote to Proctor and Gamble (Cincinnati Ohio) and inquired as to
    where I might purchase Oxydol.  They sent me a coupon for a free
    box on TIDE and did not mention Oxydol at all.

    A little investigation showed that P&G sold the Oxydol product
    to Redox Brands, Inc (Westerchester Ohio).   For some reason
    the "big" chains still no longer carry Oxydol.  I suspect it might
    be due to some pressure by P&G.

    The good news is that Oxydol (from Redox Brands) is available
    in Illinois at independent stores and smaller store chains
    (eg Certa Saver).  Oxydol appears to be readily available throughout
    Wisconsin and Arkansas.

    It is expensive, as someone pointed out, but one box lasts a
    long-long time, because you don't need as much per load as
    some other products.    In my humble opinion, it does a better
    job than other products I've tried.

    Oh yes, I did redeem the P&G coupon for a box of Tide.  I found
    that the clothes I washed in Tide have a peculiar soapy smell.
    No such problem with Oxydol.  Ma Perkins was right.

    Happy Taping -- Ken Piletic - Streamwood, Illinois
    kenpiletic@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 17:55:48 -0400
    From: Grbmd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Chicago Radio

    Russ wrote:

>     (If anyone has recollections of listening to any
>      Chicago radio stations and on-air personalities in the late-1950's,
>      early-1960's, I'd welcome a personal e-mail offlist at
>      oldradio@[removed] , thanks.)

    I was in the Army stationed in Chicago in 1955-56.  It was pretty much a
    civilian-type job, and I lived in an apartment off-base.  Each weekday
    evening I would hurry home because one of the radio stations (I can't
    remember which one) carried a late-afternoon show of Bob and Ray doing their
    wonderful sketches.

    At the time I had a reel-to-reel Bell tape recorder, and I recorded all their
    shows.  Then I snipped out the sketches I liked the most and compiled them on
    a 5- or 7-inch reel, creating in effect a "Best of Bob and Ray."

    That tape was eventually wiped out during a flooded-basement incident, but I
    have since latched onto a set of mini-cassettes of their broadcasts.

    Spence

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 20:14:56 -0400
    From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
    To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  favorite radio actresses

    HI all:
    One of my favorites is Lurene Tuttle.  She had a very smooth, feminine
    voice, but she could be very evil when necessary.  Listen to some earlier
    Whistler and Suspense episodes and you'll see what I mean.  She could also
    do good character voices as well.  Another very good actress was Elspeth
    Eric (sp).  I haven't heard quite as much of her, but I like what I hear.
    RyanO

    "Life is an unrelenting comedy.  Therein, lies the tragedy of it."
    Dean Koontz

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 20:14:52 -0400
    From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Virginia Gregg

    In a message dated 8/26/01 10:03:55 PM, Stewart Wright writes:

>     Virginia Gregg also had a fantastic range; also she frequently did
>     children's voices.

    ***And while it wasn't OTR, let's remember that Virginia Gregg portrayed not
    only children but also suppplied the voice of Norman Bates mummified mother
    in Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO and its first two sequels. --Anthony Tollin

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 20:58:58 -0400
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jeanette Nolan as Dirty Sally

    Allen wrote:

>     Did anybody catch Jeannette on Gunsmoke this weekend, on TV Land's
>     Western Fandamonieum? She played the role of Dirty Sally and what a
>     wonderfully funny episode it was!

    It was a wonderful characterization. But it seems to me she played a
    similar character on a radio episode of some series. I seem to recall her
    doing a very similar characterization (though probably not called Dirty
    Sally), though I cannot recall which genre (possibly western).

    Anybody else remember?  She was in so many different series that I'd have
    to try to trace down what I heard.

    Jim Widner
    jwidner@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 21:53:46 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey5@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: just a curiosity question

>     Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 11:41:46 -0400
>     From: Jon Martin <mart459@[removed];
>     Subject:  just a curiosity question

>     I was just curious as to the demographics of the posters and readers of the
>     group.

      FWIW, I'm 51.  (Be 52 in January)
      Joe

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

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 21:53:45 -0400
    From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Obsolete OTR Products

    I remember the Rinso commercial "Rinso White! (with a whistle like the
    call of a Bob White) "Rinso Bright"!
    Does anyone else remember the billboards that they had when I was around
    4 yrs old? (Around 1940) At least I think it was Rinso that had a
    billboard that showed the very very broad backside of a woman bent over
    a washtub and a scrubboard. I was about to explain what a scrubboard was
    for the new people( as opposed to old people) on the list but decided it
    was too much explaining. Anyway  the washerwoman moved up and down as
    she scrubbed and her dress was real material which sort of ballooned out
    from the billboard. It really made an impression on me as I have never
    forgotten it.
    And how about Supersuds!  Jingle-" Supersuds Supersuds, floods of suds
    with Supersuds"   Does anybody else remember them filling up a bus with
    suds with just one box of Supersuds.
    Also Duz. Duz does everything! Maybe someone already mentioned that one.

    White King was another soap, but I don't remember who they sponsored or
    if they had a jingle. How about Swan soap. I could never figure out why
    Swan soap didn't float when Ivory soap did. 99and9/10% pure-----annnnd
    it floats!
    Have you gotten the idea by now that I was a very clean kid?

    George Aust

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 22:13:31 -0400
    From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Abbott and Costello

    I've never been a fan of Abbott and Costello although I do have a few of
    their shows. Recently I bought a cassette which contained an "Abbott and
    Costello's Kid Show". It was on the "B" side of a Blondie show that I
    wanted. Anyway I listened to it and was surprised that they had a kid
    show which featured kid celebrities and a bunch of stuff that I've
    already forgotten. But what really surprised me was how sloppy the show
    was. Obviously the two comedians had not rehearsed it and there were
    fluffs and constant stepping on each others lines. But the main reason
    I'm bringing this up, is that it was a "sustaining" show.  I looked it
    up in my limited research materials and found that not only that show,
    but their primetime show was also sustaining in this period (1947,48,49
    ) What happened?  I always thought that they were so popular. Had they
    fallen so far in the publics opinion that they couldn't get a sponsor?
    Incidently the show I listened to was from1-31-48 and was broadcast at
    9:30 am on KECA Los Angeles, even though my reference shows that it was
    broadcast from New York at 11:00 EST.
    Anyone know something about this situation?

    George Aust

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 22:14:33 -0400
    From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Who Told the Joke First?

    An acquaintance of mine told me about a smiling, jovial fortune teller who
    entered his place of business. As soon as she spoke to him, he hit her.  In
    shock, the fortune  teller asked why.  My friend replied, "I  always wanted
    to strike a happy medium."

    Now I know I have heard this repeated on some zany comedy from the forties,
    I just don't remember which one.  Does anyone know who originated this
    corny joke?

    Dennis Crow

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 23:40:32 -0400
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: OTR Show Opens With Sponsor Message

>     From: "jstokes" <jstokes@[removed];
>     Heh.   Here are some totally-from-memory OTR show openings,
>     where the sponsor's name is right up front.
>     "And now Oydoll's own Ma Perkins."
>     "Lucky Strike presents the Jack Benny radio program."

    This is an aspect of OTR that often gets overlooked.  These
    announcements were not accidental--they often times were considered by
    the advertiser to be the official title of the program!  Thus while
    listeners and collectors might think that the show is merely called "Ma
    Perkins" or "The Jack Benny Show" actually the sponsor considered the
    titles to be: "Oxydol's Own Ma Perkins" and "The Lucky Strike Program
    Starring Jack Benny."  Also note that in these two shows (along with
    many others) the program starts with a commercial even before this
    program opening.

    Those of us why have had access to the original discs sometimes see the
    titles on the labels listing ONLY the SPONSOR!  Or even worse, only the
    name of the parent corporation which manufactured the product!  Many
    times I came across discs that were tltled only "Miles Laboratories".
    So it could be any number of programs becuase there were any number of
    products Miles Labs made!  You would have to listen to the disc to find
    out.

>     I hope the "researchers" don't get all hyper and bent out of shape.
>     Hey baby, after all, ain't this just for fun?

    Sure, to a certain extent.  But since these internet postings are
    sometimes picked up and re-quoted even years later, easily corrected
    errors should be corrected.  That's what a dialog and an exchange of
    ideas is.  If someone has access to the correct info or to the actual
    recording, why shouldn't they give the info?

>     I have a real job besides this, how about you.   :)

    I do too.  My real job is teaching and researching OTR.  Really.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 23:40:52 -0400
    From: Merlin Haas <mvhaas@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: a bad OTR jingle

        While we're on the subject of commercial jingles, I can't let this
    Chesterfield jingle from the Bing Crosby Show from 1951 go
    unmentioned. It has probably the dumbest tag line you'll ever hear:

    Chorus:  Buy Chesterfield, Chesterfield, the one that proves its case.
                  Yes, Chesterfields are milder, milder; plus no after-taste.
    Bing:    Oh Ho!  Open a pack, give 'em a sniff.
    Chorus:  Then you'll smoke 'em!

          Believe me, it sounds worse than it [removed]

    best -- Merlin Haas

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2001 Issue #278
    *********************************************

    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]

    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]