Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #234
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 8/28/2006 2:12 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2006 : Issue 234
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Benny at Camp Haan                    [ "Sammy Jones" <sjones69@[removed] ]
      First Radio Commercial                [ "Bill Knowlton" <udmacon1@[removed] ]
      The Jack Benny Show and Script Handl  [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Yvon Durell or George Chuvalo         [ "theharness" <theharness@[removed] ]
      Superman in space??                   [ "theharness" <theharness@[removed] ]
      Re: I Deal in Crime                   [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
      Johnny Dollar music bridges           [ Ken Greenwald <radio@[removed]; ]
      8-28 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      OTR goes to the billboards!           [ Cliff Marsland <cliff_marsland@yaho ]
      Journalist looking for Arch Oboler i  [ Jason Boog <jason@thepublishingspot ]

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 15:58:13 -0400
    From: "Sammy Jones" <sjones69@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Benny at Camp Haan

    "...two films totalling 7-8 minutes showing excerpts from a WW2
    radio broadcast from Camp Hahn featuring Jack and the Gang. (Can someone
    provide an exact date for this?)"

    The short film of the radio broadcast at Camp Haan is of the April 12, 1942
    show.  However, it is NOT the same performance as the one that is generally
    available in OTR circulation.  I've been trying to find out why this film
    was made, and the circumstances around it, but so far I've had little luck.

    It is fascinating to see (as well as hear) the Benny Program performed right
    in front of me, [removed]

    Sammy Jones

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:00:53 -0400
    From: "Bill Knowlton" <udmacon1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  First Radio Commercial

>     1922 - The first commercial to be broadcast on radio was heard on WEAF
>     in New York City. Announcer [removed] Blackwell spoke about Hawthorne Court,
>     a group of apartment buildings in (Jackson Heights) Queens, New York.

    I grew up in Jackson Heights (1938-1955) in the Greystones, several blocks
    from still existing Hawthorne Court. Even as a kid I knew about Jackson
    Heights and the first radio commerical.

    Coincidence or not, many pioneer radio people lived in Jackson Heights
    including Ida Bailey Allen, Tony Wons and Alma Kitchell. Thy say that Mae
    West lived for a time in "The The Towers," and we ALL know what she
    "contributed" to oldtime radio <g>

    And Rita Hayworth graduated from the local public school.

    Lots more info is available on the Jackson Heights Beautification Group
    website; probably including a photograph of Hawthorne Court somewhere.

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:01:33 -0400
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Jack Benny Show and Script Handling
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from text/html

       "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@[removed]; wrote:

         If you go to [removed] and type in "Jack Benny" in search you
         can see ... two films ...showing excerpts from a WW2 radio
         broadcast from Camp Hahn featuring Jack and the Gang.

       An Administrivia footnote refers us to the same clips in the 200301
       Fundraiser Disc at [removed]

       These are, of course, fascinating to those interested in radio's
       golden age. One aspect I found particularly interesting as it related
       to an on-going disagreement as to radio performers' handling of
       scripts, a subject I'm not qualified to comment on. It seems that
       everyone who voiced an opinion was right. Jack holds the pages in a
       bundle and shuffles the just-finished one to the bottom of the sheaf
       in his hand, Mary, apparently, lets her finished page drop to the
       floor, and Dennis has his stapled and just lets the finished page
       dangle.

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
      ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:03:41 -0400
    From: "theharness" <theharness@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Yvon Durell or George Chuvalo

    Hi, Digesters.  I'm Canadian, I like boxing, and I enjoy OTR.  That's why I'm
    wondering whether anyone might know where I could get my hands on either a
    fight featuring Yvon Durell ... perhaps the title bout between Durell and
    Archie Moore, or bouts between George Chuvalo and someone like Liston,
    Patterson, or Ali.  Chuvalo is mentioned on the CBC Archives web site, but you
    don't get anything in its completed form, and you can't download very much
    either.  Thanks.  Devon Wilkins.

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:04:30 -0400
    From: "theharness" <theharness@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Superman in space??

    Hi, everyone.  As a kid, I used to love watching Superman on TV, and I do
    intend to get some OTR episodes shortly, too.  But last night, while the news
    was giving us a summary of the latest preparations for the next Canadian
    astronaut to fly on the space shuttle, I suddenly wondered whether Superman
    had ever found his way into space.  I know that as an infant, he hurtled to
    Earth in a space ship from a distant planet, but I'm wondering whether he ever
    had any other occasion to go into space.  Thanks.  Devon Wilkins.

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 17:58:27 -0400
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: I Deal in Crime

    Kenneth Clarke asked:
     > The show's title was "I Deal In Crime" and it sounds like it might be
    a mystery/detective show.  Does anyone
     > know whether there are any eps of it available, where, and any
    details regarding it?

    With sagging ratings, ABC radio network made an attempt to re-energize
    their schedule after a re-organization of its executive structure. In
    January 1946 they introduced four new shows premiering on the same night
    in consecutive order. The first in the series was "The Fat Man;" the
    second was "I Deal in Crime" starring one of the great crime voices of
    radio - William Gargan.

    Luckily for the series "The Fat Man" garnered respectable ratings which
    kept listeners tuned in to hear "I Deal in Crime." In my opinion it was
    not a solid series. Written by Ted Hediger, the scripts were weak.
    Gargan was also not at his best and several critics called his
    performances in this series "lackadaisical."

    To my knowledge only about four episodes exist.

    Jim Widner

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 20:46:36 -0400
    From: Ken Greenwald <radio@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Johnny Dollar music bridges

    Joseph Webb asks:

>     I've been wondering about the classical music used as bridges for the
>     Bailey-Readick-Kramer YTJD era. Does anyone know the titles of the
>     original classical bridges?

    By the time Johnny Dollar hit the airwaves, CBS had accumulated a
    massive library of "stock music."
    Some of the music was imported from Europe, written by unknown
    composers and played by various small orchestras.
    Some of the music was composed by various American composers, among
    them, Billy Mills, Leith Stevens, etc.
    All of that music was recorded and entered the CBS stock music
    library. At some point in the production of the first Johnny Dollar
    shows
    a decision was made to use stock music because it was cheaper, radio
    was not employing small OR large orchestras live anymore, and
    it was obvious radio was "on the way out."  So the theme music and
    the bridges on the Johnny Dollar show were carefully picked and locked
    in for use. Later, CBS (since they owned the library of music)
    decided to use some of the same music bridges from Johnny Dollar on
    other shows.
    It's just that we, as listeners to Johnny Dollar, came to identify
    the stock music used as being the music specifically for that show.
    Thus, when some
    of that same music appeared on other shows, I am sure it must have
    been surprising to hear music identified with Johnny Dollar on other
    shows.
    When I looked at some of the music discs that were used, the listings
    on the labels read like this:
    MOOD MUSIC
    General Theme  1:45 (meaning 1 minute 45 seconds)
    Quick sting  .3
    Slow sting   .35
    Mysterious music  2:15
    Romantic theme    [removed]
    Mystery theme       [removed]

    ----- and so on .......

    So, effectively, there was no music labeled "Johnny Dollar Theme" on
    any of the stock music discs. BUT, the name "Johnny Dollar Theme" did
    appear on
    some acetate recordings AFTER  the theme music for JD had been locked
    it.

    That is how CBS saved money, especially since the era of radio drama/
    comedy/variety was coming to an end.

    Ken Greenwald

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

    Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 22:51:25 -0400
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  8-28 births/deaths

    August 28th births

    08-28-1891 - Stanley Andrews - Chicago, IL - d. 6-23-1969
    actor: Daddy Warbucks "Little Orphan Annie"
    08-28-1895 - H. Norman Schwarzkopf - Newark, NJ - d. 11-25-1958
    narrator: "Gangbusters"
    08-28-1897 - Charles Boyer - Figeac, France - d. 8-26-1978
    actor: Michel "Presenting Charles Boyer"; "Hollywood Playhouse"
    08-28-1898 - Artells Dickson - Oklahoma Territory - d. 6-xx-1968
    actor: Tom Mix "Tom Mix"; Slim "Pretty Kitty Kelly"
    08-28-1898 - Charlie Grimm - St. Louis, MO - d. 11-15-1983
    Sportscaster:(Jolly Cholly) WBBM Chicago
    08-28-1900 - Diana Bourbon - NYC - d. 3-19-1978
    producer, director: :Double or Nothing"; "Life Begins"
    08-28-1900 - Rudy Schrager - Czernowitz, Austria-Hungary - d. 8-24-1983
    musical director: "Box 13"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
    08-28-1907 - Roy Chamberlain - NYC - d. 5-xx-1981
    old gold rhythmaires: "The New Old Gold Show"
    08-28-1907 - Sam Levene - NYC - d. 12-17-1980
    comedian: "Fred Allen Show"
    08-28-1908 - Genevieve Rowe - Freemont, OH - d. 2-26-1995
    singer: "Gay Nineties Revue"; "Songs America Loves"; "An Evening with
    Romberg"
    08-28-1914 - Glenn Osser - Munising, MI
    maestro: "American Music Hall"
    08-28-1914 - Richard Tucker - NYC - d. 1-8-1975
    opera tenor: "Chicago Theatre of the Air"; "Standard Hour";
    "Metropolitan Opera"
    08-28-1920 - Don Glasser - Derry, PA - d. 4-26-2004
    bandleader: "Don Glasser and His Orchestra"
    08-28-1924 - Peggy Ryan - Long Beach, CA - d. 10-30-2004
    dancer, actor: "Mail Call"; "Bob Hope Show"; "Proudly We Hail"
    08-28-1925 - Donald O'Connor - Chicago, IL - d. 9-27-2003
    comedian, actor: "Ginny Simms Show"; "Philip Morris Playhouse";
    "Suspense"
    08-28-1929 - Roxie Roker - Miami, FL - d. 12-2-1995
    actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
    08-28-1930 - Ben Gazzara - NYC
    actor: "Strange Interlude"

    August 28th deaths

    06-05-1908 - Craig Rice (Georgiana Ann Randolph) - Illinois - d.
    8-28-1957
    writer: "Murder and Mr. Malone"
    07-22-1917 - Lou McGarity - Athens, GA - d. 8-28-1971
    jazz trombonist: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concert"; "Arthur Godfrey Show"
    08-05-1906 - John Huston - Nevada, MO - d. 8-28-1987
    actor, writer: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    08-17-1918 - Evelyn Ankers - Valparaiso, Chili - d. 8-28-1985
    actor: Argentine Radio
    09-03-1918 - David Harmon - NYC - d. 8-28-2001
    writer: "America in the Air"; "Now Hear This"
    09-12-1910 - Lehman Engel - Jackson, MS - d. 8-28-1982
    broadway conductor: "Madrigal Singers of New York"; "Texaco Star
    Theatre"
    10-13-1918 - Robert Walker - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 8-28-1951
    actor: Davy Dillon "Maudie's Diary"
    10-30-1896 - Ruth Gordon - Wollaston, MA - d. 8-28-1985
    actor: "Lincoln Highway"; "Meet Mr. Weeks"; "Orson Welles Theatre"
    11-11-1901 - F. Van Wyck Mason - Boston, MA - d. 8-28-1978
    writer: "The Man from G-2"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 00:54:06 -0400
    From: Cliff Marsland <cliff_marsland@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR goes to the billboards!

    WMKV put out an ad campaign in Cinci advertising the
    return of the Big Broadcast.  I've seen at least two
    billboards.  Unfortunately, they have a really weak
    signal, so I get a crummy signal at night.

    Nice for OTR to get some publicity.

    Trav

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

    Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 16:09:40 -0400
    From: Jason Boog <jason@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Journalist looking for Arch Oboler information

    Hello all,

    My name is Jason Boog, a journalist researching Arch Oboler's life and
    work for an article. I'm focusing on Oboler's work with Lights Out,
    especially the revival of the series he mounted in 1942. I'm currently
    reading Howard Blue's "Words at War" and Richard Hand's "Terror on the
    Air," and I've discovered a few anthologies of Oboler's scripts.

    Marie Sunny told me I must visit this list as well, and I would love to
    quote other Oboler enthusiasts. If you'd like to share a favorite
    Oboler anecdote or suggest more resources, please drop me a line!

    I'm especially interested in finding more about these things:

    1- How the public responded to his scary, grisly tales, especially
    during wartime.
    2- I've found Lights Out radio logs on the web, but how can I know
    what's the most definitive listing?
    3- Any information about my favorite, scary episodes: Revolt of the
    Worms, The Ball (Paris Macabre), Murder Castle, The Author and the
    Thing.
    4- Any additional biographical material.

    Thank you for your time, and I look forward to participating in this
    [removed]

    Sincerely,
    Jason Boog

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #234
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