Subject: [removed] Digest V01 #134
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 5/1/2001 7:23 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                          The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                             Volume 01 : Issue 134
                       A Part of the [removed]!
                               ISSN: 1533-9289

                               Today's Topics:

     Is Suspense overrated?               ["igsjr@[removed]" <igsjr@[removed];  ]
     Reel2Reel FS Shipping Cost OBO       ["Art Dept." <wolowicz@[removed];  ]
     MUSIC IN SHOWS                       ["Ian Grieve" <ian@[removed]]
     Re: "I Hear a White [removed]" and Ti [sfx-meow@[removed] (Ray Erlenborn) ]
     BOB & RAY                            [HERITAGE4@[removed]                  ]
     Re: Lanny Ross                       [Udmacon@[removed]                    ]
     Lost Scripts                         ["Welsa" <welsa@[removed];        ]
     TEN-SECOND DELAY BROADCASTS          ["Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
     crystal radios                       ["Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed]]
     Re: Help on Some Books, please!      [Elmer Standish <elmer_standish@telu]
     Re: Kate Smith                       [Cnorth6311@[removed]                 ]
     exploring tomorrow sci fi otr        ["Edwin Ortiz" <eddieo396@[removed];  ]
     JS CATALOG                           ["Edwin H. Humphrey" <beepa3@hotmail]
     Ken Weigel                           [BRC Productions <platecap@brcradio.]
     a question                           [leonardfass@[removed] (Leonard Fass]
     Truth or Consequences, NM            [Daniel Riedstra <[removed]@wc]
     Cincy convention                     [Barth Wysong <stargazerbw@[removed]]
     CLOSED CIRCUIT OTR BROADCASTING      ["Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
     Tiny Ruffner                         [ArtsMilitaria@[removed] (Arthur Fun]
     Radio Classics Live on the 'Net      [Alan Chapman <[removed]@verizon.]

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 20:56:46 -0400
    From: "igsjr@[removed]" <igsjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Is Suspense overrated?

    Ryan Osentowski wrote:

    "am I the only person who feels the program is a bit overrated?"

    I'll throw in with you on this one, [removed] there are many SUSPENSE
    episodes that make truly enjoyable listening, I've always considered the
    show a bit too "gimmicky" for my tastes, particularly due to the guest
    star policy.  I would also agree with you that THE WHISTLER is a vastly
    superior program.

    Ivan

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 21:19:41 -0400
    From: "Art Dept." <wolowicz@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Reel2Reel FS Shipping Cost OBO

    I've got a reel-to-reel that used to belong to my Dad up for grabs.  I'll
    get rid of it for shipping costs or best offer!
    Here's the Specs:

    TEAC brand
    Model A-1250
    Auto Reverse
    Stereo record and playback.

    It works great (as of last weekend), and I'll even throw in whatever reels I
    find.  I may have [removed]

    Here's the deal, send me a note saying you want it by this Tues!  Wed.
    morning I'll take the offers and choose  the first offer that agrees to pay
    shipping OR BEST OFFER.  I'll notify the "winner" by [removed]

    I've got no room for the reel-to-reel, and figured I'd offer it to y'all
    before hauling it to the Salvation Army.
    Remember:
    FISRT COME, FIRST SERVE
    email me at: isamu-x_@[removed]
    (remove the underscores)

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 23:36:13 -0400
    From: "Ian Grieve" <ian@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  MUSIC IN SHOWS

    G'Day,

    Reading the posts about music used in various shows, reminds me of an
    interesting Announcement during one of the early episodes of Six Shooter
    (Starring James Stewart).  In the episode the announcer mentioned that
    listeners had been contacting the studio wanting to know where they could
    purchase the sound track.  He made it plain that the music was studio
    property and was not available for sale.

    Different from modern times when such requests would light up dollars signs
    in somebody's eyes.

    If anybody knows of the sound track being made available at a later point,
    please let me know as I enjoy the music myself and wouldn't mind it in my
    collection.  Maybe a later episode will have a further announcement, I will
    just have to keep listening.

    Ian

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 23:36:10 -0400
    From: sfx-meow@[removed] (Ray Erlenborn)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: "I Hear a White [removed]" and TireSkids on
     OTR Sound FX.

    Dear Step Kallis, Jr. and Brent Pellegrini:
    I feel lucky to have been a forty year CBS/Radio and TV sound effects
    ARTISTE between 1937 and 1977. As for the White Horse statement, we had
    no categories for our reordings of whinnies of "Horses of a different
    color".
    Tire skids I know about, especially the Standard label 78 rpm 15 sec cut
    of "Squad Car skid stop"  It was  probably the most often played,
    because of its high level, on mike, tire squeal with slamming car doors
    tagging the exciting sound sequence.  We  had the choice of many labels
    such as Gennett, BMI, (British), and Silver Masque.  Of course they came
    up with "Continuous Tire Skid" which we could "pot" in and out on
    demand. (POT stands for potentiometer / volume control.) Many of these
    sound effects 78's were so useful they were later dubbed to audio  tape
    and even used on TV Shows in the 50's. However I know I began recording
    effects on location and making (original) loops for my five channel
    MacKenzie machines.
    Signed: West Coast Sound Effects Antique, Ray Erlenborn.

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 23:36:09 -0400
    From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  BOB & RAY

    To Gerry Vogler
    If you are interested in thr original MATINEE WITH BOB & RAY shows from WHDH,
    Boston, [;eae drop me a line.  We are just
    starting a new line of custom regular CD's of these two old friends.
    Several years ago, we found the old MATINEE show transcriptions in a remote
    part of the basement of the station transmitter.  We
    transferred them to "pro" open reels and are now releasing a few,
    mostly because of the recent requests on the OLD TIME RADIO DIGEST online.
    There are a few on our older catalog cassettes which you can see by going to:
    [removed]
    I will send you a list of the first few CD disks, if you like. These are not
    the compressed MP3 disks.
    Tom Heathwood - Heritage Radio Classics - Boston,  MA       4/30/01
    Heritage4@[removed]
    ===============

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 23:36:06 -0400
    From: Udmacon@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Lanny Ross

    I clearly remember Lanny Ross still entertaing people in the late 60s as a
    member in good standing of New York's venerable Lambs Club. Back then we had
    "lambastes;" the equivelant of the Friars' roasts, and Lanny would often
    entertain at these late afternoon events along with the likes of OTR's Harry
    Hershfield, Smith & Dale, "Senator" Ed Ford, Fred Kelly (Gene's dancing
    brother), Arthur Tracey, Horace McMahon and "Let's Pretend's" Uncle Bill
    Adams (who loved to recite poetry).

    What a time that was for a guy like me then in my late 'twenties!

    Bill Knowlton, "BLUEGRASS RAMBLE," WCNY-FM: Syracuse, Utica, Watertown NY
    (since Jan. 1973). Sundays, 9 pm est: [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 23:38:09 -0400
    From: "Welsa" <welsa@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Lost Scripts

     Owens Pomeroy said he received scripts from SPERDVAC including:

     Such "lost shows" as Let George Do it *

     Gosh.  I didn't know Let George Do It was a "lost show".  Our local
    historical society must have 30 or 40 scripts for that series!

     Ted

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 01:39:59 -0400
    From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  TEN-SECOND DELAY BROADCASTS

        Does any one have any idea when the FCC started the ten-second delay on
    all live broadcasting?  All of the so-called "live" shows today are on a
    ten-second delay before airing to beep out any unwanted material, profanity,
    etc.

       This was not so during those pioneering years.  If you made a mistake it
    went out over the air "as is" and caused some programs very embarrassing
    moments.  Such ones as the Bob Hope remark about Jane Russell "packing' a
    pair of 38's", and the Mae West, Charlie McCarthy bit that got her
    permanently banned from radio:.. "listen, you little woodpecker, if you
    don't behave yourself, I won't let you come up and play in my woodpile!"  It
    must have been established after these two examples.

        I appeared on many talk-shows during the seventies and eighties, and
    they had a 7" reel recording at 16 ips to catch any errors.  Also I noticed
    the show would start 10seconds before the hour.

    Owens L. Pomeroy

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 01:40:03 -0400
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  crystal radios

    Since the subject came up anyway, I will present my standard diatribe on
    crystal radios.  A crystal receiver consists of an antenna, a tuning circuit
    that uses a variable coil or variable capacitor, some sort of headphones,
    and the all-important crystal detector.

    A crystal detector is a semiconductor diode, which means that it will let
    electric current flow in one direction but not the other.  In conjunction
    with the stray inductance and capacitance of the headphone circuit, this
    diode forms a circuit which extracts the music out of the radio signal
    received by the antenna and selected by the tuning circuit.

    The coil and antenna could be made of telephone wire, and the earphone was
    just a telephone receiver.  The capacitor was easy to make from foil and
    waxed paper.  However, the semiconductor diode was a bit of a challenge in
    1900.  A semiconductor diode consisted, then and now, of a junction made of
    two different materials, and there are many combinations that work quite
    nicely.  Copper oxide and copper make a pretty good one, as does graphite
    and an appropriately treated carbon-steel razor blade.  This last
    combination was used in the famed "foxhole radio" in which a pencil lead, a
    pre-Blue Blade razor blade, and a pair of headphones swiped from the nearest
    tank were used by soldiers in World War II to listen to broadcasts.

    The best of the old semiconductor diodes was made of a lead ore known as
    galena.  It was a shiny crystalline substance that was usually molded into a
    pellet of lead about the size of an aspirin table.  So you'd have this
    little pellet of lead with the galena crystal sticking out of one side.  The
    galena crystal formed one side of the semiconductor junction.  The other
    side was a steel wire (a safety pin would do) known as a "cat's whisker."
    This was arranged such that it would press against the galena crystal.  If
    everything was as it should be, you'd hear a signal from the headphones as
    soon as you touched the cat's whisker to the galena.

    The problem was that galena is a pretty amorphous crystal, and it wasn't
    always easy to find a suitable spot on the crystal for efficient signal
    rectification.  And even when you did, the contact was eventually degraded
    through exposure to the air.  The result was that the old cat's whisker
    crystal radio was a considerable chore to use.

    There were improvements in the crystal radio even after they were obsolesced
    by the far more efficient vacuum tube diodes.  One of the first improvements
    was the "fixed" detector.  I don't know how these were made, but they seemed
    to be an encapsulated galena/steel junction that was permanently fixed in
    place so you didn't have to fool with it.  That made everyone happy for
    quite a few years until the 1N34A germanium diode was introduced in perhaps
    1950.  These were exceedingly sensitive, needed no adjusting, and lasted
    about forever.  They are used in all crystal radios now sold and are still
    available at your local Radio Shack.  You'll find one or two somewhere in
    almost any transistor AM radio, where they're still used as a detector.

    I believe that the radio sold by Johnson, Smith was likely the same as that
    sold by that venerable radio parts firm Philmore.  There was an adjustable
    coil for tuning and a fixed galena detector under a clear plastic dome,
    presumably placed there for artistic purposes.  Radio Shack sells a crystal
    radio set that uses a variable tuning capacitor and a 1N34A germanium diode.

    In the great Boomer tradition of overdoing things, there reportedly exists
    an active crystal radio web site.  There might be a web ring and a usenet
    group for all I know.  You can also buy, for some relatively ridiculous sum,
    a foxhole radio kit, complete with a razor blade.  I believe that this is
    sold by Antique Electronics in Arizona.

    I think that, even as artifacts of history, crystal radios were and are far
    more trouble than they're worth.  Their performance was far exceeded by even
    the cheapest one or two-tube receiver, and you didn't need headphones with
    these battery-operated sets.  However, they're interesting enough, and they
    held enough fascination that even Heathkit sold a crystal set kit right
    through the 1970's.  (Memory may be failing me on this point, but I think it
    was Heath.)

    I never got a cat's whisker radio to work in my life, but I wasn't a
    particularly persistent child experimenter.  I did have a great deal of luck
    with the 1n34a germanium diode, so I tend to think of these devices as not
    being part of a "true" crystal radio.

    M Kinsler
    who was a judge at the Ohio state science fair.  One exhibit I hadda judge
    was, surprise, a crystal radio.  Even with germanium diodes, the thing
    didn't work.

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 01:40:05 -0400
    From: Elmer Standish <elmer_standish@[removed];
    To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Help on Some Books, please!

    Flying Dreams" The Remember WENN Bookshelf
    Books about radio, the WENN era, and other related subjects.
    [removed]

    [removed]
    A list of Radio Related Books

    Scroll down the page or use FIND to see mention of WYXIE
    Wonderland

    Unlikely these will help but if I find more I will pass them on.
    ====> ELMER

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: And, of course, [removed] which
    includes reviews of some books, and where each purchase gives us a small
    commission to put toward maintaining the mailing list [removed]  --cfs3]

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 08:57:04 -0400
    From: Cnorth6311@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Kate Smith

    In 1931: Singer Kate Smith began her radio program on CBS.

    Charlie

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 08:57:02 -0400
    From: "Edwin Ortiz" <eddieo396@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  exploring tomorrow sci fi otr

    Hi otr fans i have recently started to look for shows of the radio series
    exploring tomorrow (sci-fi series) an i have found it difficult. It seems
    that much more attention has been put on series like dimension x and x-minus
    one, im wondering if there is a reason . IM especially looking for mp3
    format copies or any other info , i would appreciate any reply and thanks
    again otr fans.

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 08:56:59 -0400
    From: "Edwin H. Humphrey" <beepa3@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  JS CATALOG

    I, too, remember the Johnson Smith catalog from the 30's.  As I recall they
    cost about a dime then and were about 300-400 pages.  I bought several
    things from them, but the item I remember the most was a live Chameleon.  It
    came in the mail, was very much alive and lived in my cage for a number of
    months.  It didn't change colors as billed, however.  One great
    disappointment was something called a Ventrillo == a gadget that was
    supposed to give you the ability to "throw your voice."  I should have known
    that a dime couldn't possibly turn you into a ventriloquist.  That catalog
    gave me many hours of happy reading (and dreaming), however.  Thanks for
    reminding me.

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 09:52:45 -0400
    From: BRC Productions <platecap@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Ken Weigel

    Ken was always a great guy to deal with back when we had the OTR part of the
    business going full tilt.  He seemed very loyal and devoted.  We sent him
    hundreds of cassettes and he had an appetite for OTR that never seemed to be
    satisfied!  I can't remember if we ever met at a convention, but our people
    knew him well at least by name. The last we heard from him was in 1995 while
    he was still in California.

    Thanks Ken, you will be [removed]'d send you some more cassettes if we had
    address where ever you may be.

    Bob Burnham
    --
    BRC PRODUCTIONS, [removed] BOX 158, DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI 48127-0158 | (313)
    277-3798 | fax (313) 277-3095 | [removed] | Broadcast Syndication,
    Production, Engineering, Multi-track digital recording studios

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 09:52:47 -0400
    From: leonardfass@[removed] (Leonard Fass)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  a question

    does anyone have any favorite sign off lines, such as so long until
    tomorrow (lowell thomas), or good night to you, and you, and especially
    you (martin bloch, but am not sure about "good night")

    and write if you get work, and hang by your thumbs. (or visa versa, but
    it was bob and ray, who never got anywhere when they were ray and bob.
    were even off thrown off buses and trains,which were sometimes in
    motion.) and that smarted (paul lynde, though that was not a sign off
    line)

    [removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 10:13:49 -0400
    From: Daniel Riedstra <[removed]@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Truth or Consequences, NM

    There was a thread recently on the digest about the whole story of how Hot
    Springs, NM changed its name to "Truth or Consequences, NM" back in 1950 as
    part of a "stunt" for TorC. It just so happens I heard on a news program a
    few days ago that the town now wants to change its name back to Hot Springs,
    NM to build up the younger tourist trade featuring the
    hot springs for their therapeutic ways. Another link to OTR may soon be
    lost.
    Dan

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 10:17:42 -0400
    From: Barth Wysong <stargazerbw@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cincy convention

    I had a wonderful time at the 2001 Cincinnati convention.  This was my first
    and definitely not the last.

      I noticed that the performances were being taped and I was wondering who I
    would contact to obtain copies.

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 13:15:58 -0400
    From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  CLOSED CIRCUIT OTR BROADCASTING

        I received an email from a friend of mine in Baltimore, informing me
    that there is a Retirement Home in one of the suburban neighborhoods  that
    is broadcasting OTR Programs on a regular basis.  He can pick up the signal
    from local station 103 FM as the retirement home signal overrides the
    broadcast antenna.  The signal is strong for about a six-block radius,
    before it fades out. Here is what the scheduled for April was, that he
    heard:  Quiet Please * Hopalong Cassidy * The Falcon * Suspense * Fibber
    McGee & Mollie * Life Of Riley * Sherlock Holmes * Our Miss Brooks * Royal
    Theatre * Jack Benny * Fred Allen * Duffy's Tavern * Third Man (Orson
    Welles) * Gunsmoke * The Shadow * Dragnet * Escape * (Wow! what a line-up!)

        The broadcast material is produced by Imagination Station from Companion
    Radio. During parts of the day, from 8-9:30 PM they broadcast "In Service"
    programs for staff training.  Those people from that neighborhood are most
    fortunate, indeed, to be able to have OTR on a regular basis, thanks to this
    B/cast service.  If there is anyone on the Digest list that can fill in any
    details about this closed-circuit station, let's hear from you.  I do know
    that many Hospitals have there

    Owens L. Pomeroy

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 13:56:44 -0400
    From: ArtsMilitaria@[removed] (Arthur Funk)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Tiny Ruffner

    Interesting that his name comes up.  Only last week I was listening to
    some recently acquired tapes and he was host of a show on one of them
    called The Better Half.  It was a quiz show from Mutual/WOR (late 1940s
    or early 50s) which pitted husband against wife in a quiz.  He
    apparently was pretty quick on the pick up when he came to wit, no
    Groucho Marx but not bad.  I'd never heard of Tiny Ruffner until I heard
    that tape and thanks to this list I now know quite a lot about this
    voice from the past.  Ain't this hobby --- and this Digest --- grand?!?!

    Best regards to all,
    Art Funk

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

    Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 21:17:11 -0400
    From: Alan Chapman <[removed]@[removed];
    To: Old-Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Radio Classics Live on the 'Net

    This weekend, May 4 & 5, is the 12th annual Radio Classics Live! at
    the Buckley Performing Arts Center at Massasoit Community College in
    Brockton.  This year, for the first time, we are going live over the
    internet, thanks to the generous (very generous!) support of
    [removed], the website for Seniors on the Go (if that sounds like a
    plug, it is -- they have been absolutely fantastic in supporting this
    nonprofit, scholarship fundraiser).

    Our stars are Gale Storm, Herb Ellis (Dragnet), Peg Lynch (Ethel &
    Albert), Arthur Anderson (Let's Pretend), Rosemary Rice (I Remember
    Mama), Fred Foy (The Lone Ranger), Donald Buka (Let's Pretend) and
    Will Hutchins (Sugarfoot), as well as  several Boston radio
    personalities.

    JOIN US ON THE 'NET for a live webcast of the entire Saturday night
    program (c. 2 1/2 hours) beginning at 7:30 pm at [removed]
    -- just click on the Radio Classics Live button on the Home Page. In
    addition to the complete program, the webcast will also include
    interviews with many of the stars conducted by Ken Meyers, well-known
    Boston area old-time radio host.

    If you are unable to catch us "live," the program will be available at
    [removed] throughout the month of May.

    For complete program info, see our website --
    [removed]

    Also, if you live in the greater Boston area, Friday evening's program
    is being broadcast live on WATD-fm ([removed]) and on The Talking
    Information Center (TIC) -- the Boston area radio reading service for
    the blind.

    Alan Chapman
    Coproducer

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V01 Issue #134
    *******************************************

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