------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 259
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Where was that train going anyway? M [ "Philip Adams" <padams33@[removed]; ]
Re: Openings - Hook or Art [ Alan/Linda Bell <alanlinda43@yahoo. ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ lois@[removed] ]
Further on birthday [removed] [ "welsa" <welsa@[removed]; ]
Jack Benny Book [ mart459@[removed] ]
OTR on April 19, 1962 [ ""Cynthia \"ChibiBarako\""" < ]
Re: What we drank while we listened [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
FM radio programming [ "Trudy Ooms" <oomspine@cybertrails. ]
Hastings & Rice [ "Donald & Kathleen Dean" <dxk@ezlin ]
Why no CBS Chimes? [ bourdase@[removed] (Mike Paraniuk) ]
Western Show [ "Norman Schickedanz" <[removed] ]
Jack Benny - To Be or Not to Be [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Shows on Birthdays [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Abbott & Costello debut [ Bruce Forsberg <forsberg@[removed]; ]
Vernor's Ginger Ale [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Birthday Radio and TBONTB [ Christopher Snowden <unkvid@earthli ]
Pal orange drink & Vernor's Ginger A [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Johnny Dollar and recycled scripts [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 22:07:46 -0400
From: "Philip Adams" <padams33@[removed];
To: "otr digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Where was that train going anyway? More Bob
and Ray-iana
Subject: Bob & Ray on a Schenectady train
Sorry, Phil Adams, the item I heard was long before Mr. Nixon was
President, although perhaps your program recollection is from when he was
vice president.
In any case, I don't recall the description you use. I'd not be a whit
surprised if they used the "Schenectady" more than once, and my
recollection is of a different scenario. But yours sounds typically,
deliciously Bob and Ray nuttiness.
And you're [removed] too tend to think of the Bob and Ray troupe!
Well, there was Bob, and there was Ray, and there were their two genius
minds. I'd say that's a pretty talented crowd!
Lee MunsickAt
Now that I think about it they no doubt reused many of their bits many times
over considering the length of their career(s). Bob and Ray had shows at one
time or another on NBC, ABC, Mutual, CBS, NBC's Monitor and National Public
Radio (like the old joke goes, "just couldn't keep a job, eh?")
My only regret is I'm not old enough to have heard them live all those many
years ago.
So it isn't my memory that can be blamed for this. While this isn't a plug
for the set you can find the hilarious recordings I am referring to in the
wonderful set of Bob and Ray shows packaged by RadioArt (RA 5006-4) called
"Bob and Ray: The Lost Episodes volume 2" with a humorous picture of the duo
staring out from the side of a milk carton as if they were lost children.
I am assuming that this particular set of recordings (at least the Mary
Backstage bits) came from their stint on NPR (in the 70s) because of the
obvious "clues" I mentioned before (the gas shortages and [removed] then
he was an easy comedy target and all you needed was the deep baritone of Ray
Goulding to suggest him without actually naming the character as such),
Regretably there are no individual show dates to verify exactly when these
aired. But you can also tell the sound quality is far superior to recordings
you might hear from when Nixon was vice president.
Does anybody out there know of any Bob and Ray Logs available?
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 22:46:07 -0400
From: Alan/Linda Bell <alanlinda43@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Openings - Hook or Art
"william mahan" <wmahan@[removed]; sez:
An added treat
with Suspense was the way it closed. The tolling bell faded into silence,
then a pause, and then like a rooster at sunrise, the NBC chimes. It
doesn't get any better than that.
I wonder why they did that, inasmuch as Suspense was on [removed]
--
_______________
Alan/Linda Bell
Grandville, MI
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 04:52:04 -0400
From: lois@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over five years, same time, same channel!
Our numerous "regulars" include one of the busiest "golden years" actors in
Hollywood; a sound man from the same era who worked many of the top
Hollywood shows; a New York actor famed for his roles in "Let's Pretend" and
"Archie Andrews;" owners of some of the best OTR sites on the Web;
maintainer of the best-known OTR Digest (we all know who he is)..........
and Me
Lois Culver
KWLK Longview Washington (Mutual) 1941-1944)
KFI Los Angeles (NBC) 1944 - 1950
and widow of actor Howard Culver
(For more info, contact lois@[removed])
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:14:25 -0400
From: "welsa" <welsa@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Further on birthday [removed]
I mentioned a few episodes back that I have a GANGBUSTERS show from the day
I was born.
Someone else mentioned that the show they know of from their birth date had
a theme of a new baby arriving.
Along that vein, the GANGBUSTERS episode from my birthday was set in
Minnesota. Guess which state I was born in?
You're right!
Speaking of birthday memorabilia, something I started doing many years ago,
and it has been a big hit, is this: Whenever we have a new arrival in the
family, I buy a newspaper from the day they are born, the Sunday paper from
the week, along with weekly magazines like Time, Newsweek, etc., a monthly
magazine of some type from that month, and then a few "year in review"
publications at the end of the year. I seal them all up and present them to
the "newborn" on their 18th birthday. What fun! And I wish someone would
have done that for me!
Ted Meland
Madison, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:14:38 -0400
From: mart459@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jack Benny Book
Hi All;
Just got a copy of "Sunday Nights at Seven",
"The Jack Benny Story" written by Jack and his
daughter. Copyright is 1990.
If anyone would like to borrow it after I read it,
please email me and we can work out arrangements.
Jon M.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:15:00 -0400
From: ""Cynthia \"ChibiBarako\""" <cvc@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OTR on April 19, 1962
While my birthday was Holy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter) in
1962, the only radio show that I know was still running at that time was
Johnny Dollar, and according to Vince's calendar (thanks Vince!) it ran
on Sundays at that time.
I looked up my dad's birthday (May 1928); not surprisingly nothing
listed (but that was after Harding so there could have been something
broadcast; now you've got me curious ...).
On my mother's birthday (August 1938) -- PAYDIRT! Mercury Theater was
running Three Short Stories.
Cynthia
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:15:45 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: What we drank while we listened
On the subject of OT soft drinks (we called them dopes in these parts):
A hot night, sitting on the porch swing, the table radio in the opened
window, listening to the murmur of the story, the squeak of the swing,
and the sounds of the crickets and katydids with equal concentration, a
makeshift fan in one hand, a moisture-beaded soft drink bottle in the
[removed]
One of my favorite drinks, rebel that I was, was Dr. Pepper. The painted
label indicated we were to drink it at 10, 2 and 4, but I threw caution
to the winds and drank it whenever I chose. Could never quite figure out
exactly what that intriguing flavor was. One day I ordered it at a soda
fountain, and the jerk used a bit too much of the syrup (no, it wasn't
that big a deal; jerk is what we called people who worked at soda
fountains, not intended as an insult). I had one of those "Aha!"
moments, for I was certain I now recognized the flavor; it was prune
juice. Now I understood why the drink had been given that medical
honorific.
Later Coke, I think, tried to buy Dr. Pepper and, when that didn't go
through, came out with their own knock-off version called Mr. Pibb.
Apparently not having made my discovery they used some sort of treacly
cherry/almond flavor that, for reasons I don't understand, became more
popular than the original, causing Dr. Pepper to abandon their once
unique flavor in favor of a more cherryish concoction of their own in
order to regain market share.
Or so I believe. Is there any way to confirm if prune juice was, indeed,
Dr. Pepper's secret ingredient?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:15:56 -0400
From: "Trudy Ooms" <oomspine@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: FM radio programming
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Re: Dr. Bensman and Mr. Barnes' thoughts about the growth of FM in the [removed]:
I worked in RCA's Consumer Electronics business in Indianapolis, IN from
1966 until 1970. The Federal government, in the late 60's, issued a rule
(probably from the FCC) that all AM radios for sale in this country were to
also have FM reception capability. Until then, persons like me with a family
and other bills to pay would get AM only radios when buying portables or
automobiles because they were cheaper, and in my case had the programming I
listened to mostly: ball games and music of all varieties. So as more
consumers had FM capability, more stations were produced, and more innovative
programming occurred. That government requirement is the single biggest
driver, in my opinion, of the move to FM then--I expect it would have happened
eventually without that move.
I have never heard of AM receivers being purposely made worse in order to
sell more FM's. Could have happened I suppose, but not at RCA.
The government's success in this matter resulted also in a federal
requirement in the early 1970's that all US sold consumer TV sets in future
would be required to have UHF capability as well as VHF. Another regulatory
"success" as evidenced by the huge increase in the number of TV stations above
channel 13 thereafter. Again, UHF utilization would have eventually occurred
I am sure, but in both cases the governmental actions had a huge impact, with
little publicity outside of the consumer electronics manufacturing and
programming industries.
Regards,
Andy Ooms
Pine, AZ
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:16:22 -0400
From: "Donald & Kathleen Dean" <dxk@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Hastings & Rice
Hi Gang:
I was watching an episode from the Twilight Zone marathon
on SciFi Channel during the July 4th holiday. It was called
"I Dream Of Genie" and starred Howard Morrison (I think that
was his name) and was pleased to see a young Bob Hastings in
a brief role as Sam. This was before his role in McHale's Navy
(wasn't it?)
I was also glancing through a paperback that I have in my collection
called The Television Years. And there on page 37 was a photograph
of the cast of Mama. Peggy Wood who portrayed Mama, the rest of
the family played by Robin Morgan, Rosemary Rice, Dick Van Patten,
Judson Laire and Ruth Gates.
As you know, Bob Hastings & Rosemary Rice are frequent guests at
the OTR Conventions. Many OTR stars were also in television and
movies.
Does any one know of other television shows, radio programs or movies
that these two wonderful people were in?
Don Dean N8IOJ
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:16:44 -0400
From: bourdase@[removed] (Mike Paraniuk)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Why no CBS Chimes?
Hi. This is my first post. As a Catholic Priest, I have in my possession
original [removed] Daegan chimes from Chicago dated from the late 1800's or
early 1900's. Daegan made the first NBC Chimes ( as I have been told).
But the Daegan chimes with notes G-E-C were used in the Catholic Church
long before NBC ever existed. The G-E-C notes were rung during the
Catholic Benediction Service, probably by the altar boy or a pious nun.
I know this because my Daegan Chimes have embossed in brass the G-E-C
notes with the word *Benediction* written below the three notes. I have
been broadcasting Radio Rosary on a local FM station here in Batavia,
Ohio (WOBO [removed]) for twenty years. I manually ring these chimes with
the G-E-C notes as a time check, giving NBC full credit. My Daegan
Chimes sound exactly like the NBC Chimes heard during the NBC Network
ID 1935 special broadcast of the opening of NBC Hollywood on Vine and
Sunset with Al Jolson as host. Same pitch and sound. Yet my Church [removed]
Daegan chimes predate the existence of NBC by decades. I also agree that
the manual ringing of the NBC Daegan Chimes continued after 1933. For
example, the June 6, 1944 *Fourth Chime* of NBC had to have been
manually struck on Deagan Tubular Chimes. In fact, on my live radio
broadcast of 9/11/01 I myself struck on my Daegan Chimes the E-G-C-C
notes during this terrible tragedy in our nation's history. It was a
moving experience for me, knowing the history of what the 4th NBC Chime
meant in the annals of broadcasting. But my question is: why did CBS,
the Columbia Broadcasting System, never seem to agonize about
synchronicity as did NBC? How did the Columbia Network notify THEIR
affiliates that the network was switching over for thirty seconds to the
local station before the broadcast of the next program? (I am a CBS
Collector owning about 40 CBS Columbia Radio sets made by CBS Hytron
from 1951-1961 as well as 2 CBS Columbia TV sets that work great for
almost 50 years). [removed] Mike
+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The sufferings in the world are compensated. Do not be [removed] is
one who watches over [removed] LUGOSI
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:17:03 -0400
From: "Norman Schickedanz" <[removed]@[removed];
To: "Old-Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Western Show
Hi, all.
I think I remember a show--from"Death Valley Days"?--about a town out West
in the 1800s getting a railroad, sending a telegram announcing the event to
some important personnage, like the President of the [removed], and then
receiving a quick, fake reply. Does anyone out there have an idea what this
show was, [removed] series, date, more accurate details, whatever?
Thanks,
Norm Schickedanz
Tucson
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:17:14 -0400
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jack Benny - To Be or Not to Be
Laura Leff, thank you for that information about Jack Benny and 'To Be or
Not to Be'. I often wondered why he didn't speak of that movie since his
performance was so well regarded. Now I know and it's further evidence of
just what a nice guy Jack Benny was.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:17:29 -0400
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Shows on Birthdays
Thanks for your link, Vince Long.
[removed]
I followed it to August 1938 and found that I was born the day after the
Mercury Theater presented 'The Count of Monte Cristo' on August 29.
Nothing for my birthday, Tuesday August 30 though, but it's a nice project.
Irene
IreneTH@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:17:40 -0400
From: Bruce Forsberg <forsberg@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Abbott & Costello debut
When did A & C debut on the radio, anyway?
I have from an old Abbott and Costello fan club newsletter that their
first radio debut was on the Kate Smith Hour on Feb-3-1938 and that they
remained with that show until June-28-1040. Shortly there after they
became summer replacements for Fred Allen on NBC.
Bruce Forsberg
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:18:36 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Vernor's Ginger Ale
Just to piggy back on what Russ Butler said,
Vernor's IS the original Ginger Ale. Long story short,
it was invented by a young pharmacist named James
Vernor, who mixed together 19 various ingredients to
create a new drink. This concoction was kept in a
wooden barrel for four years while Vernor was off
fighting in the Civil War.
When he returned, he tasted it, liked it and
Vernor's Ginger Ale was born. Vernor's remained in the
Vernor family until 1966. Some time after that the
apostrophe disappeared from the name.
Vernor's, by the way, is also a key ingredient in a
"Boston Cooler," which, despite the name, is also a
Detroit creation. Substituting some other ginger ale
fo Vernor's is not acceptable if you want a true
Boston Cooler, but a restaurant in Royal Oak doesn't
get that and thinks Fanta is an acceptable substitute.
I'm not aware that Vernor's advertised on any local
radio shows, but it may have. After all, it would make
sense for a local business to advertise on a local
show.
By the way, an original Vernor's dispenser can be
seen at a 1900 era pharmacy in the Detroit Historical
Museum's Streets of Old Detroit exhibit. I work there,
so I often tell visitors the Vernor's story.
The museum also has a small exhibit devoted to
Detroit area broadcasting (including radio) and
people-- past and present-- who have a connection to
it (The exhibit also includes an original WXYZ sign
that lights up); but I'm hoping that when the museum
expands in a few years, something a bit larger-- and
with an emphasis on radio-- can be established. After
all, Detroit gave us the Lone Ranger, the Green Hornet
and Sgt. Preston (it also gave us Soupy Sales, Sir
Graves Ghastly and Bill Kennedy at the Movies, but
they were [removed]) An OTR- themed exhibit wouldn't be
amiss.
Rick
[removed] Faygo is also made in Detroit.
As are Better Made potato chips and Velvet Peanut
Butter.
Oh yeah, Detroit also makes these horseless
carriage contraptions, but I doubt they'll ever catch on.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:19:18 -0400
From: Christopher Snowden <unkvid@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Birthday Radio and TBONTB
This talk about shows that were broadcast on our birthdays is right
up my alley. I keep a log of the shows in my collection, all arranged by
broadcast date. I guess my goal is to eventually have at least one show
from every day of the OTR era, but I have a ways to go yet!
For the guy born on 4/12/47, I came up empty. For the fellow born
on 2/21/51, there's an episode of "Crime Does Not Pay" circulating that
was aired that day. It's on a disc that one of the eBay sellers is
offering, and no doubt plenty of other dealers have it too.
As for Jack Benny and "To Be or Not to Be," I'm absolutely positive
it was mentioned on at least one episode. I don't have a date for it,
but I think it's the one where Jack wants to watch one of his movies on
TV, and imposes on the Colmans to let him watch it at their house.
The Colmans discuss their predicament in private:
BENITA: "To Be or Not to Be"... oh, that was a good one.
RONNIE: That was T H E good one!
Chris Snowden
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:19:46 -0400
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Pal orange drink & Vernor's Ginger Ale
In response to my Pal memories, John Politis wrote:
I grew up in Connecticut and we had the orange drink called PAL, in
glass bottles. Haven't thought of it in years.
This is so curious. Pal was in NJ and Connecticut yet not in NY, at least
not in southern NY.
As for Ginger Ale:
Russ Butler wrote that Vernor's label reads 'The Original Ginger Ale'.
Immediately I thought NO. It had to be Canada Dry so I went to the net to
check it out.
It looks like Vernor's was the original ginger ale, perfected in about 1866
although the Inventors section of [removed] credits a Toronto pharmacist
John McLaughlin with the invention of ginger ale in 1907. His ginger ale
became Canada Dry.
More support for Vernor's is found at [removed] which calls it the
nation's oldest soda which Vernor began marketing i beyond his own drugstore
soda fountain in 1896.
Sounds convincing. I think there might be one arguing point in that
Vernor's ginger ale was identified as aged and golden and during Prohibition
sales suffered because the speakeasies were using dry ginger ale as drink
mixers.
My irritation with Canada Dry Ginger Ale was that it was the only 'soft
drink' allowed in my house and that's because it was used as a 'highball'
mixer.
Irene
IreneTH@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:20:21 -0400
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Johnny Dollar and recycled scripts
Jim Widner probably knows the answer to my question. I have been listening
to Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, chronologically and when Bob Bailey took over
in October 1955 and the format changed to a weekly story in five daily
15-minute segments I realized that most of the first programs I listened to
were ones I had heard before in a single half-hour broadcast. They were
much better, of course, because they allowed for more character development
and detail.
I was curious about how many more I might encounter and whether other
programs recycled many of their scripts.
Irene
IreneTH@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 10:20:29 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
From Those Were The Days --
1944 - The Man Called X, starring Herbert Marshall, debuted on CBS.
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #259
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