Subject: [removed] Digest V01 #226
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 7/13/2001 3:59 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                          The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                             Volume 01 : Issue 226
                       A Part of the [removed]!
                               ISSN: 1533-9289

                               Today's Topics:

     Re: funniest OTR episode             [JBeck57143@[removed]                 ]
     the funniest "second men"            [Jer51473@[removed]                   ]
     More Info Please!                    ["stephen jansen" <stephenjansen@ema]
     re: CAVALCADE OF AMERICA             [Gerry Wright <gdwright@[removed]; ]
     Bold Venture                         ["Diane Hutchins" <hutchins@[removed]]
     Batman Mystery Club Pilot            [AandG4jc@[removed]                    ]
     Edison cylinders                     ["Art Shifrin" <goldens2@[removed]]
     Parkyakarkus                         ["Philip Railsback" <philiprailsback]
     Re: Gildersleeve's Wife              [GEORGE WAGNER <gwagneroldtimeradio@]
     PH-AF                                ["michael edwards" <medwards_47@hotm]
     Invisible [removed]                   ["Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed]]
     Jeff's critique of "Archie"          [hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];    ]
     Costumes                             [hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];    ]
     Edison Cylinder (was:Thomas Edison d [Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];       ]
     Thomas Edison disc                   ["Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]]
     Thanks/H Bartell/Funny episodes/Bob& [ARago17320@[removed]                 ]

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 23:20:14 -0400
    From: JBeck57143@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: funniest OTR episode

    I like the 16 episodes of Pat Novak for Hire I've heard, and Vic and Sade. I
    also just heard a Burns and Allen episode that was very funny--"Gracie Sends
    Sam Spade to Jail"

    Jim Beck

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 23:57:19 -0400
    From: Jer51473@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  the funniest "second men"

     Franky Remly was in a class by himself, imo, but there were others who were
    close. One that has been overlooked, probably because of his singing ability,
    was maybe, imo, second only to Remly. He was Dennis Day! Funny, funny, funny!
    Any one out there agree or disagree?

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 23:57:17 -0400
    From: "stephen jansen" <stephenjansen@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More Info Please!

    Just a suggestion to those listing their favorite episodes - why not take a
    moment and add a date of broadcast along with the series/show title?  That
    way the rest of us can check through our archives to see if we have it, then
    actually give a listen.  Many shows listed here recently have looked
    interesting to me, but their descriptions are too vague to pinpoint exactly
    which show is being featured.  Show titles help, but they can vary vendor to
    vendor.  Although some shows have no true broadcast date, and some were
    broadcast later the same day, etc, the date is probably the most constant
    item we have to be sure that we are all referring to the same program.
    Program logs are accessable on the internet, plenty of ways to check a date.
    Include as much information as you can.  This way we can all share some of
    the same OTR experiences we are discussing. Yeah, yeah - I know - I can
    check the internet myself, if I want to find out which episode is which, but
    sometimes there's just not enough information given.  More info please!  I
    really want to listen to that episode that you're describing!

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

    Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 23:57:15 -0400
    From: Gerry Wright <gdwright@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re: CAVALCADE OF AMERICA

    Randy asked:

>     I am looking for an episode of CAVALCADE OF AMERICA entitled:
>     "A Marine 200 Years Old" starring William Bendix.

    Episode 736 of Cavalcade of America broadcast March 18, 1952 was The
    Marine Who Was 200 Years Old - Marine Corps legend, starring William
    Bendix, sorry I don't have a synopsis.

>     Randy's friend also remembers seeing this story starring Ward Bond as
>     either a movie or TV show. I have checked movie databases and have >not

    beenable to find CAVALCADE OF AMERICA or DUPONT >THEATRE.

    The same story was broadcast on the Cavalcade of America television show
    January 4, 1955, starring Ward Bond. [Source: Television Drama Series
    Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1947-1959. By Larry James
    Gianakos.]

    Gerry Wright
    ZoneZebra Productions
    San Francisco

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 00:31:55 -0400
    From: "Diane Hutchins" <hutchins@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Bold Venture

    Hi everybody.  This is a repeat question.  I am wondering if there are any
    Bold Venture logs on the web or available for purchase. Thank you.

    Nathan Hutchins

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 08:48:59 -0400
    From: AandG4jc@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Batman Mystery Club Pilot

        Hello everyone! The Batman Mystery Club was not broadcast as a program
    but was made as a recording for prospective networks or sponsors. The reason
    that it sounds like it was in the middle of a story line was to give the
    sponsors an idea on what kind of program they would have. Sad to say, but the
    program was never picked up and thus there were no more episodes.
        I do have one question. Batman and Robin often appeared on Superman's
    radio show. When Robin's appearance was describe on the show, it described
    him as having a bat-cowel for a mask, just like Batmans! As you know in the
    comics Robin always had a regular mask. Was this a mistake on the part of the
    shows writers? Have they never seen the comics?

        Thank you all for the wonderful articles.
        Allen Wilcox

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 08:48:56 -0400
    From: "Art Shifrin" <goldens2@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Edison cylinders

    Hi,

    Out of habit you're sometimes referring to the record as a disk.  It's a
    cylinder.  Gold Molded refers to the wax master having been "gold
    sputtered".  This was (is) a process in which vaporized gold is deposited on
    the wax so that it can be electroplated.  A metal negative mould would be
    created from the original & the wax melted out.  The resulting 'can'
    containing the grooves inside would be used to make the wax positives sold
    as finished products.  These records ran at a rate of (note I use "rate",
    NOT speed) of 160 RPM.  The grooves are modulated vertically.  Prior to the
    development of stereo disks, a preponderance of disks' grooves were
    modulated horizontally.

    The importance of the gold molding was that the surfaces were much more
    quiet than the alternate method of making the wax receptive to
    electroplating, which was rubbing on a fine graphite powder.  That powder of
    course, added high frequency noises which even with the best 'primitive'
    acoustic playback technology at that time could be heard.

    The grooves in that cylinder were cut (the cooled  molten wax would harden &
    shrink enough to be dislodged from the mould) nominally at 100 per inch.
    Because of the by then standard dimensions and rotational rate, these were
    known as"2 minute" records: that was their nominal duration.  Longer running
    times could be achieved by slowing the rate and or cutting more grooves per
    inch.  Slower rates resulted in inferior clarity, so more grooves per inch
    was the technical preference.  "4 minute" records have twice as many grooves
    per inch as do the standard "2 minute" ones.

    Some companies (such as Columbia ) made physically longer records cut with
    the more coarse groove pitch, resulting in longer durations.  Some
    companies, including Edison made cylinders whose diameters were larger.
    Running at a given RATE, they had faster surface SPEEDS because the
    circumferences were bigger.  "Concert" records were probably the most common
    of these rare and very costly audiophile formats ([removed] about $8 retail each
    AT THAT TIME!).  Their diameters are 5".  In my opinion the most technically
    superb cylinders sold as consumer products were the Concert Lamberts:
    celluloid ones SUBSTANTIALLY more clear than the wax ones made by Edison and
    Pathe.

    The importance of the molding was that the playing copies could nominally
    have the same quality of the originals.  Prior to the development of the
    molding methods, cylinders were 'mass' duplicated' by much more cumbersome
    methods:

    1.  the artists would record multiple originals: as many recording
    phonographs as could be fit within adequate distance (remember, the
    recording was done via horns, not microphones) of the performers

    2.  originals would be dubbed to copies: this resulted in rapid wear of the
    originals and significant losses of whatever fidelity the recordings
    contained.

    I think that it was 1913 in which Edison finally stopped  using wax and
    started using celluloid for the playing surface.  This was a much more
    suitable material, being more stable and durable.  However, even before 1913
    the worldwide market had clearly transitioned to disks.  Edison steadfastly
    offered cylinders until their withdrawal from the record business in mid
    1929.

    This is a highly summarized technical and historical summary.

    Best Regards,
    Shiffy

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 08:48:53 -0400
    From: "Philip Railsback" <philiprailsback@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Parkyakarkus

    Ray Erlenborn wrote:

>     How I miss the extremely funny ethnic comedians. Also on Cantor was
>     Harry Einstein. Parkyakarkas!

    What is probably common knowledge but I thought I'd mention it anyway, Harry
    Einstein's son Albert changed his last name to Brooks (presumably annoyed at
    being known as Albert Einstein) and has had great success as a comedian and
    especially a film maker.  Another son, this one named Bob, became famous as
    Super Dave Osborn.

      - Philip

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 08:48:55 -0400
    From: GEORGE WAGNER <gwagneroldtimeradio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Gildersleeve's Wife

         There used to be a joke among my OTR friends that
    Mrs. Gildersleeve is buried in Wistful [removed]
    down in the lowest sub-basement of the Gildersleeve
    Girdle Works.
         But on a more serious note, could the "Mrs.
    Gildersleeve" of FIBBER McGEE AND MOLLY be explained
    away as Throckmorton's MOTHER?

         The simple truth here seems to be that the water
    commissioner was not a perfect continuation of the
    Gildersleeve character introduced on FIBBER McGEE AND
    MOLLY. This change was most likely on purpose, but may
    have been just authorial sloppiness. Even such a great
    writer as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was confused at times
    as to whether his immortal Dr. Watson had the first
    name "John" or "James"!

         George Wagner
         GWAGNEROLDTIMERADIO@[removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 10:25:46 -0400
    From: "michael edwards" <medwards_47@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  PH-AF

    On the funniest Phil Harris-Alice Faye shows, Phillip Railsback comments:

>     And there's one that's circulating on the internet called "Health Food",
>     though that's obviously the wrong title. It's very funny but has nothing to
>     do with health food or any other kind of food.  The
>     actual plot is that Remley is frantic because his rich aunt is visiting town
>     and she is under the impression that not only is he married to Alice Faye
>     but that he is the owner of Rexal drugstores -- all 400,000 of them (10,000
>     wasn't enough for Frankie so he told her 400,000).

    As someone whose been in your situation, I can tell you that the correct
    title of that episode is "Frankie Borrows the Family" from 12/5/48.  There
    is a show called Health Food Diet that is available from dealers, but it's
    not on the Net.  MP3's are free, and are definitely a good way to hear lots
    of OTR that you'd never be able to afford.  The flip side is that you get
    what you pay for.  Somebody makes an error in labeling a show, and the same
    mistake gets made again and again.  I like MP3 collecting, but there's
    obviously a little too much downloading and trading, and not enough
    listening.

    My favorite PH-AF?  The one from 4/24/49, where 20'th Century Fox agrees to
    let Phil be in a movie, just to get Alice back into showbiz.  Frankie's list
    of famous movie stars is priceless.

    michael Edwards

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 11:40:24 -0400
    From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
    To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Invisible [removed]

    Invisible Stars:  a social history of women in American broadcasting
    by Donna Halper.  Published by [removed] Sharpe, Armonk, NY.  2001.

         If I had been a shaker and a mover in some area of broadcasting, it
    might have been hard for me to read Donna Halper's new book, "Invisible
    [removed]" -- without feeling some embarrassment.
         Her story is the story of the women who succeeded in American
    broadcasting, many of whom succeeded in spite of the fact of their gender.
    It seems that back in the 1920s when radio was but an experiment, a toy,
    women were quite welcome to announce, sing or play an instrument, become
    program directors, and even, in rare cases, own a radio station.
     But when radio began to be commercially profitable, when more and more
    people owned radio receivers, when networks came into being, then women were
    not so welcome, especially in the ranks of management.
         By the decades, Halper takes us through the history of how women made
    their mark, or were denied even the opportunity of trying to do that.
         Many of the names will not be familiar:  Eunice Randall, Marie
    Zimmerman, Bertha Brainard, Judith Waller, and Kathryn Cravens.  And some
    will be:  Mary Margaret McBride, Dorothy Thompson, Pauline Frederick, and
    Barbara Walters.
         The struggle of women for recognition and equality in radio and
    television reads something like the struggle for the same things by black
    people and other minorities.
         One of the mysteries that Halper brings to our attention is the
    developments before, during, and after World War II.  Before the War,
    women's place was in the home.  Be the dutiful wife, keep house, cook the
    meals, take care of the kids: all the traditional stuff.  During the War,
    women were encouraged to take jobs in war manufacturing plants, and do all
    that traditional stuff, except the wife part.  The husband was probably off
    to war.  Then after the war, the men wanted their jobs back, and women were
    expected to go back to the kitchen and the nursery.
     And in broadcasting, women took over for some of the men who went into
    military service for awhile.  Then back to "business as usual" when the men
    came back.
         The sad thing is that even though some women in radio and television
    have made important gains, much of the picture of broadcasting in the 2000s
    is not much different from what it was in the 1950s.
         Halper, a frequent contributor to this OTR Digest, has done an
    excellent job of research in this well-written account of women in American
    broadcasting.
         Let Halper have the last word:  "Perhaps one day soon, the pioneering
    women of radio and television will be given the same respect for their
    accomplishments that society has accorded their male counterparts.  I hope
    this book will contribute to the process and keep the women of broadcasting
    from remaining invisible stars."

    Ted Kneebone / 1528 S. Grant St. / Aberdeen, SD 57401 / 605-226-3344
    tkneebone1@[removed] | OTR:  [removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 11:46:49 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jeff's critique of "Archie"

    Jeff Geddes notes;

>     First, with the Archie Andrews radio [removed] Personally, when comparing it
>     with The Aldrich Family, I prefer the Aldriches.  Of course, I've only heard
>     one Archie Andrews show, so I guess I can't form an opinion.  I found that
>     the voices of Archie and Jughead were very similar and I had a hard time
>     distinguishing who was talking (!).

    Oh well! (SIGH) As the saying goes, "You can't please everybody".

>     I also had a hard time actually
>     listening to the show because I found the voices to be so exaggerated they
>     were verging on annoying.

    Them thar's fighting words, Kiddo! :)

>     I am only 16 now,

    Welcome to the world of OTR, young man. I will say nothing that might
    discourage your participation in this Digest. I'm thrilled that the younger
    generation is getting interested and will help insure the preservation of
    the "art form" that was once OTR. Never hesitate to speak your mind around
    here.

>     Maybe I should listen to more of the shows to get a better-rounded
>     opinion.

    Ah Ha! There's my opening. That might be a good idea Jeff.

    It's been my experience that many of the "Archie" shows that have been
    duplicated (copied) over these many years, are "lousy" quality. I have a few
    in my possession (that I obtained years ago from a dealer) that are terrible
    with regards to the fidelity of the original sound. I even have trouble
    sometimes recognizing my own voice. So don't feel bad. (But I've posted a
    similar comment before.

    I think what may have happened, (In making copies of copies ad infinitum)
    was that someone's tape capstan speed was a "smidge" too fast when
    duplicating  shows, which causes a slight "Calvin the Chipmunk" effect, and
    totally distorts the original. Not to mentions that successive "generations"
    of copies over the years adds to the quality of sound loss. After all, we
    are talking about a Radio Program that's well over 50 years old.

    That's my only defense. If you buy that explanation, There's a bridge in
    Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you. (I just can't stay serious. I'd
    disappoint my "fans"). God bless' both of them! :)

    As to listening to other Archie episodes to form a better opinion,
    (Hopefully. a less negatively biased one), I have a suggestion. I recently
    received a number of "Archie" shows from a dealer called "Radio Memories".
    They were excellent quality.

    I suggest you get an episode entitled "In Love w/Teacher". the year, 1948.
    (Not because it's a gem of writing necessarily, but because it was truly
    representative of the "Voices" used when Bob Hastings and I played Archie &
    Jughead.

    After listening to it, if you still feel that you have trouble
    distinguishing between the voices, and they are annoyingly "Shrill" and too
    similiar, let me know and I'll refund the money that it cost you to buy it.
    (That doesn't apply to any of you other wise-guys.)

    By the way. I'd like the Digest readers to know that this nice young man
    e-mailed me privately, (before he posted it) to warn me about the comments
    he would make, and assured me that it was nothing personal.

    So, with my usual attempt at light humor, I now say to him. "Aw Relax, Jeff.
    Reelaxx! And stick a Swifts Premium Frank in it!  :)

    (I hope I accurately paraphrased that teenage expression of today). :)

    Warm Regards
    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    "Jughead" (The not so "annoying" one!)

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 11:46:52 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Costumes

     As a follow up to my recent posting about wearing costumes during the
    "Archie" Broadcasts.

> >     ...And as far as the "Characters" being in "Full Costumes",
> >     you gotta be kidding me. Do you really think I'd be seen
> >     in public wearing that dumb "Beanie"?

    Conrad Binion (The Jet Jockey) just opined.

>     Probably not, but as was the case for many of OTR's regular
>     show's cast members, the performers of a show's familiar
>     characters were used to produce publicity photographs for various
>     advertising and promotional uses, and often costumes WERE used to
>     set the scene.

    Right as Rain, Conrad!

>     Were you and Bob ever photographed together as Archie and Jughead in all the
>     character's high school campus splendor, Archie in his athletic
>     sweater, and Jughead in beanie, and suspenders? (Or did Jughead
>     wear suspenders?)

    Not only were we photographed together, but separately. And yes, we wore the
    appropriate "wardrobe". But "Jug" never wore suspenders. The comic Book
    character wore a turtleneck most of the time, as I recall. As to being
    photographed "in all the High School campus splendor", Heck no!. The
    Cheapskate's in the NBC publicity department just stuck us up against a
    plain white wall. (Do you suppose it was because we were "Sustaining" at the
    time?)

>     If so do you have any of those shots still in your archives?

    Yup!

>     Or are they also slated for your book so we'll just have to wait?

    Yup! again.

    You don't think I'm gonna let people see me wearing that "Silly" thing for
    free, do you? :)

    Nice hearing from you Conrad

    Hal(Harlan)Stone

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 13:52:44 -0400
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Edison Cylinder (was:Thomas Edison disc)

    Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 22:29:43 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];

>     My father recently acquired one of the old 1900's Edison Phonographs,
>     one of those small black tubes about a few inches long, and engraved
>     all around the black tube. ... The song on the tube is apparently a
>     duet called "Oh, Oh, Miss Lucy Ella" and there is a number after the
>     title of the song, 9676. A repro of Thomas Edison's signature is all
>     over the can, and one on the phonograph itself.  Anyone know about
>     the number that is listed after the title, on the phonograph?
>     My father wants to learn more about the disc.  Thanks!

    It sounds like what you got is a 2-minute black wax cylinder of the type
    made between 1902 and 1912.  It's not a disc nor a phonograph.  A disc
    is flat, and a phonograph is a machine. :-) Additionally, Edison had
    coined the word "Phonogram" to mean the record, but that word was rarely
    used.  (But Emile Berliner did turn the word around to describe his disc
    machine, the "Gramophone".  Columbia turned the word "Phonograph" around
    to describe their cylinder and disc machines, the "Graphophone".  All
    four of those words were originally trademarks)

    The 1904 date you cite is for the label format on the box.  One of the
    traps that antique dealers use to ensnare buyers is to cite patent dates
    to date an item--usually emphasizing the earliest date.  Obviously, no
    item could be made before the LAST patent date on the item, although
    there is no guarantee that the cylinder and the box it is in are from
    the same era.

    The record's catalog number 9676 can pinpoint the release date of the
    recording. It was released November 1907 and was recorded by Collins and
    Harlan.  That's Arthur Collins and Byran G. Harlan.  Usually when they
    performed as a duo they took on the accents of Southern Blacks, and
    Harlan often sang the female role in the song using a high pitched
    voice--not a falsetto like Tiny Tim used.  I don't happen to have this
    cylinder, but usually the "N" word gets used at least once in their
    routines.  They were enormously popular, and Collins' solo recordings of
    "The Preacher and the Bear" were enormous hits on almost every record
    label of those times.  He recorded it many times, and both of them
    recorded for almost every company.  The song was later sung and recorded
    by Phil Harris at a much faster tempo than Collins used.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 14:39:51 -0400
    From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Thomas Edison disc

    I'm forwarding this for a friend:

    From: Dick Bertel <dbertel@[removed];
    Organization: Voice of America
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Re: Thomas Edison Disc

    Martin Grams, Jr. <mmargrajr@[removed]; wrote (in part):

>     My father recently acquired one of the old 1900's Edison Phonographs, one of
>     those small black tubes about a few inches long, and engraved all around the
>     black tube.  It's thicker than I always thought (seen them in documentaries
>     but never up-close). . .  Anyone know about the number that is listed after
>     the title, on the phonograph?  My father wants to learn more about the disc.
>     Thanks!

    Reply:

    Martin, I was confused at first by your terminology but I think I've
    figured it out.

    Your father has acquired an Edison cylinder, so-named because of its
    shape. A disc, by the way, is shaped like a CD but is either 10 or 12
    inches in diameter.  Edison discs were also a quarter inch thick. A
    phonograph is the machine on which you would play the cylinder.
    You would slip the cylinder over the mandrel of the phonograph (the
    mandrel is a chromium tube that rotates), and lower the needle into the
    groove.  The needle is attached to a diaphragm which is connected to the
    horn.  The sound would come out of the bell of the horn.
    The patent numbers were all listed on the cardboard box to protect
    against infringement from other companies.

    The number 9676 after the title of the song is the issue number.  Each
    time a new cylinder was recorded and issued to the public it would be
    given its own number sequentially.  In other words, the cylinder
    recorded and released for sale after the one your father now owns would
    be numbered 9677 and so on.

    The engravings are known as grooves.  Unlike discs, cylinders were
    recorded vertically  - that is, the sound vibrations are at the bottom
    of the groove.  Most discs (but not all) were recorded laterally - the
    vibrations were on either side of the groove (resulting in less record
    wear).

    The grooves in a cylinder were not deep enough to move the needle,
    diaphragm and horn so they were moved by a screw feed in the
    phonograph.  Grooves in discs, on the other hand, were deep enough to
    move the sound mechanism and did not require a screw feed.
    Your father's cylinder may appear very primitive to you, but it was
    state of the art in 1904. Be sure to take good care of it.

    Dick Bertel

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

    Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 15:18:50 -0400
    From: ARago17320@[removed]
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Thanks/H Bartell/Funny episodes/Bob&Ray

    Hello,

    First of all, a belated thank you to those who gave information on Tonto's
    horses and thanks to Harry Bartell for his response on Nigel Bruce.

    The other evening I listened to the 6/24/56 episode of Fort Laramie.  If you
    want to get a large sampling of Harry Bartell in action this is the episode
    for you.  The show deals with the character of Lt. Sieberts (Bartell) and
    Capt. Lee Quince (the lead character played by Raymond Burr) as we would say
    today, bonding at the request of the Fort commander, Major Daggett.  A long
    scene between Sieberts and Quince drinking and talking is a classic.  Do not
    miss this one.

    In digest 224 George Wagner mentions 2 Jack Benny episodes back to back where
    he went generous for awhile due to a blow to the head.  I was thinking of
    those same episodes the other day.  Regardless of which specific episode, my
    vote for the funniest ever would be a Jack Benny show.  There are just so
    many to choose from.  Any Ronald & Benita Coleman appearance could be chosen
    and the "your money or you're life" episode which also carried over for
    another show or 2 with Jack expanding on his encounter with the hold up guy.

    As to Bob & Ray, I can't resist putting in my dimes worth.  Back in the 70's
    when they were doing their WOR drive time stint, I had a wonderful boss who
    would let me listen to the radio with an ear plug so as not to disturb
    anyone.  I shared a high walled enclosure with my partner who also loved Bob
    & Ray.  When the Backstayge episodes would come on I would let him listen and
    we huddled around the radio because I had the ear plug out and had to keep
    the volume soft.  When I think of Bob & Ray and the many years they were on
    and being so absolutely brilliant, the mind boggles.  How about "Widen your
    Horizons" which was a feature they did from time to time and the classic bit
    on that segment of how to use a paper clip.

    I'll stop now. Keep those choices coming.  It is interesting to see what
    others think about these great old shows.

    Al Ragonnet

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    End of [removed] Digest V01 Issue #226
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