Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #345
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 9/18/2003 3:00 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2003 : Issue 345
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  9-18 birth/death dates                [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  Metropolitan Washington Old Time Rad  [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
  Superman and Batman                   [ Allen Wilcox <aawjca@[removed]; ]
  Philo Farnsworth--the definitive boo  [ Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed]; ]
  AFRICAN GREY                          [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
  Campbell's Short Short Story          [ Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed]; ]
  Radio City Playhouse - Wyllis Cooper  [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
  Tex And Jinx                          [ Jeff Weaver <jweaver@[removed]; ]
  Re: Library of American Broadcasting  [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Ellery Queen                          [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
  Penny Singleton                       [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
  Radios we grew up with                [ "BH" <radioguy@[removed]; ]
  [removed]!                      [ benohmart@[removed] ]
  RKO's logo                            [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
  Jack Benny's Song                     [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
  Re: Happy Birthday to Penny Singleto  [ "Rheba" <rheba_otr@[removed]; ]
  This edition                          [ "Cooper Smith" <coopersmith@[removed] ]
  Johnny Crawford                       [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
  Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  Vincent Price Radio Tribute Tonight!  [ "Mark L" <resimark@[removed]; ]
  9-19 birth/death dates                [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  The High and the Mighty               [ welsa@[removed] ]

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 11:21:21 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  9-18 birth/death dates

September 18th births

09-18-1873 - Charles K. Field - Montpelier, VT - d. 9-1-1948
host: (Cherrio) "Cherrio"; "Arco Birthday Party"
09-18-1905 - Eddie Anderson - Oakland, CA - d. 2-28-1977
actor: Rochester Van Jones "Jack Benny Program"
09-18-1905 - Greta Garbo - Stockholm, Sweden - d. 4-15-1990
actress: "Kate Smith Show"
09-18-1910 - Joe "Curley" Bradley - Coalgate, OK - d. 6-3-1985
actor, singer: Tom Mix "Tom Mix Ralston Straightshooters"; "Singing Marshall"
09-18-1926 - Phyllis Kirk - Syracuse, NY
actress: "MGM Musical Comedy Theatre"
09-18-1939 - Frankie Avalon, Philadelphia, PA
singer: "Frankie Avalon Show"

September 18th deaths

01-07-1888 - Myrtle Vail Damerel - Joilet, IL - d. 9-18-1978
actress: Myrtle Spear "Myrt and Marge"
02-27-1905 - Franchot Tone - Niagara Falls, NY - d. 9-18-1968
actor: "Arch Obler Plays"; "Free Company"; "Knickerbocker Playhouse"
06-01-1890 - Frank Morgan - NYC - d. 9-18-1949
actor: Thaddeus Q. Tweedy "Fabulous Dr. Tweedy"
07-14-1904 - Annabella - La Varenne Hilaire, Val-de-Marne, France - d.
9-18-1996
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
09-27-1893 - Phil Cook - Coldwater, MI - d. 9-18-1958
comedian: "Radio Chief"; "Quaker Oats Man"; "Morning Almanac"
11-16-1914 - Jack "Smiling Jack" Smith - Seattle, WA - d. 9-18-1998
singer: "Breezing Along"; "Prudential Family Hour"; "Jack Smith Show"

Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn and Jay Jostyn

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 11:21:38 -0400
From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Metropolitan Washington Old Time Radio Club

I recently had the pleasure of doing a book talk for the Metropolitan
Washington Old Time Radio Club at their monthly meeting in Arlington.
Michael Henry, Jack French and their colleagues do a splendid job of
running the program.  I heartily recommend that anyone interested in OTR
in the Washington [removed] area who has not attended their meetings should
give it a try. I had a lot of fun--they are a GREAT bunch of people--who
asked the best questions of any group I've spoken to!

Howard Blue

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:03:32 -0400
From: Allen Wilcox <aawjca@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Superman and Batman

There has been a few lines in the digest about the
Superman Fleischer cartoons. There is one modern
cartoon series that very much reflected the influance
of the Fleischers and that it from Superman's radio
crime fighting partner Batman. "Batman:The Animated
Series" is one of the best cartoons of the 1990's.
Both caricters can still be seen in the "Justice
League" on Cartoon Network.
Allen

[ADMINISTRIVIA: For those who don't know, OTR's own (and Hal Stone's mentor)
Bob Hastings stars as the voice of Commissioner Gordon on the Batman animated
series.  --cfs3]

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:03:41 -0400
From: Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Philo Farnsworth--the definitive book

In this controversy no one yet seems to have mentioned "The Last Lone
Inventor--David Sarnoff vs. Philo T Farnsworth" by Evan L. Schwartz
(Perennial, Harper Collins, 2002).  It's a carefully researched account of
Farnsworth's television work. To me it makes a compelling case for his being
considered the true inventor of electronic television.
Schwartz used primary sources, and had the cooperation of Farnsworth's widow.
His book doesn't seem to have a "political agenda".  If you're interested in
the history of broadcasting technology, it's a must read.
Incidentally, it paints the same picture of Sarnoff as a ruthless
self-promoting grabber of the spotlight as was found in the 1956 book "Man of
High Fidelity--Edwin Howard Armstrong" by Lawrence Lessing.  Lessing's book
traces the development of FM radio, with similar sad results for the inventor
at the hands of Sarnoff and RCA.
Frank Kelly

Frank Kelly
Exportech LLC
301 Parkside Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15228
(412) 531-5314   cell: (412) 370-0341

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:03:53 -0400
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  AFRICAN GREY

My crazy Uncle [it DOES run in the family] has an African Grey -- he
taught it to say, "Idiot--you know birds can't talk."

[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:04:07 -0400
From: Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Campbell's Short Short Story

I belong to a group at our library called Reader's Theatre.  We perform
readings, mostly to senior citizen's groups.  We've done two Bickersons
scripts with, if I may say so, great positive audience reaction.
We're on the lookout for other scripts that are short (15 minutes is ideal),
have a small cast, few to no sound effects and a "light tone".
I found one script, "The Good Salesman" from Campbell's Short Short Story, on
a web site, which worked well for us.
Was this a popular show? Do any recordings survive?  Is there a source for
other scripts?  Thanks for the help.

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:31:26 -0400
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Radio City Playhouse - Wyllis Cooper

Jim Widener's log of Radio City Playhouse was very
enlightening, especially since it lists plot summaries
for several episodes that don't appear to be in
circulation. His log credits one story, "Three Men"
(12/20/48), to Wyllis Cooper. I have this show
somemplace, but haven't listened to it yet. However,
the plot summary makes it sound exactly like the
Lights Out program "A Christmas Story" from 12/22/37!
I've read that no Lights Out programs from the
original Cooper era have survived (although some
scripts were recycled in post-Oboler broadcasts). The
version of "A Christmas Story" that I've heard
definitely sounds like it's from Chicago in the 30s.
(It features Harold Peary and Willard Waterman, who
were both working in Chicago at the time.) So, is this
really a Cooper story and not an Oboler one? Or did
Cooper simply write a later script that coincidentally
sounds a lot like Oboler's earlier one? Anybody have
any answers?

Kermyt

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 15:26:56 -0400
From: Jeff Weaver <jweaver@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Tex And Jinx

Are there any surviving shows? I have heard one fragment and it was
interesting. I would like to hear more. Jeff

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 16:11:48 -0400
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:  Library of American Broadcasting List

From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
A list of honorees from the Library of American Broadcasting
appeared in today's New York Daily News.
[removed]
 
Interesting list, and it shows they put a lot of thought into it.  Imagine:
Lee deForest AND Edwin Howard Armstrong AND David Sarnoff.  David Sarnoff
AND William S. Paley AND Leonard H. Goldenson AND Allen B. DuMont.  Allen
B. DuMont AND Philo T. Farnsworth AND Vladimir Zworykin.  Jack Benny AND
Fred Allen :-)   You get the idea--deadly rivals all together.  Of course
there were a few battles that were not consummated here--yet.  Ed Sullivan
but no Walter Winchell.  Frank Stanton but no Sylvester Pat Weaver. 
Guglielmo Marconi but no Alexander Popov.  Frank Conrad but no Charles Doc
Herrold.  Irna Philips but no Frank and Anne Hummert.   But I suspect that
all but Popov will show up in a very few years.  There were many teams
listed as teams, such as George Burns & Gracie Allen, Sid Caesar & Imogene
Coca,  Freeman Gosden & Charles Correll, Stanley E. and Stanley S. Hubbard,
Chet Huntley & David Brinkley, and Jim & Marian Jordan.  But Lucille Ball
was listed without Desi Arnez, who was the real business brains behind the
develpment of the studio and the filming technique.  And Edgar Bergan was
listed without Charlie McCarthy who many would insist was the real brains
of the duo. :-)   I'm pleased to see a lot of pioneer local and regional
broadcast owners listed, and I suspect that these probably are the ones
that are better represented in the holdings of the Library.   I'm surprised
not to see Frederick Ziv here, but when he does show up I will be
grandstanding for the inclusion of Raymond Soat who was the real inventor
of commercially sponsored recorded syndication.  

Of course we all will have our lists of who should have been included.  In
addition to those mentioned above would be Graham McNamee, Milton Cross,
Ben Grauer, Orson Welles, Rudy Vallee, Ed Wynn, John Daly, Art Linkletter,
Ralph Edwards, Eddie Cantor, William N. Robison, Hy Brown, Arch Obler, and
Philips H. Lord. 

But the major name that I think is quite embarassing not to see here is
Norman Corwin.  He IS the most important writer and director of the OTR era
and he is still alive and active.  They really need to make sure that they
induct him and similarly Hy Brown and Art Linkletter as quickly as
possible.  These three will probably outlive us all, but if that is not the
case they deserve to be around when they are inducted and that should be
soon.  

Two notes about the article.  The library did NOT "began with papers
gathered by the National Association of Broadcasters."  It was begun by the
Broadcast Pioneers, Inc., and after a decade or so in New York City, they
moved the Broadcast Pioneers Library to Washington into space donated by
the NAB in their new building.  The other note is a warning to NOT
accidentally click on the New York State Lottery banner to the right of the
story.  If you do, they will try to set fifty thousand cookies, and if you
are smart enough to have your browser set for notification, it will take
perhaps three minutes to deny them all and move back to the story.  It is
safer to use the printable version's URL:
[removed]

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:31:16 -0400
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Ellery Queen

HERITAGE4@[removed] wrote:

Here are the shows on Heritage Radio Theatre for
this
week
...
3. THE COLGATE SPORTS NEWSREEL With BILL STERN
   NBC (#252)   9/11/44    Guest is radio's Ellery
Queen.

How did they manage to have Ellery Queen as a guest,
since "Ellery Queen" was the pseudonym of two cousins,
Fred Dannay and Manfred B. Lee, who wrote mystery
novels? I read someplace that one of the cousins would
do masked appearances as Ellery Queen in public,
before their identities as the authors of the EQ books
had been revealed. By 1944, however, I presume
everybody knew that there was no such person as Ellery
Queen. So who was pretending to be him?

Kermyt

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:21:57 -0400
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Penny Singleton

In the last issue Rodney asked for contact information for Penny Singleton.
SPERDVAC would also like to learn her new address. We've lost touch with her
and would like to have an address for her. If you can help, let me know.

Barbara

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:24:13 -0400
From: "BH" <radioguy@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Radios we grew up with

Richard Carpenter posted:

The reason I remember the Philco so clearly is
because I found the exact model on eBay several months
ago and bought it. The cabinet is in excellent
condition, and although the AM still plays, the hum is
so loud that no one would want to listen to it.

The hum is caused by defective filter capacitors. These capacitors
dry out over time and can no longer filter the dc voltage. They
must be changed out if you wish to continue playing the set. Also
seriously consider having the other capacitors in the set replaced
as well as they also will no longer be in spec in a radio this
old. I have restored many Philco sets and always replace all of
the capacitors. Replace the capacitors and you will have a nice
playing radio. If you want to know the model year of your set,
look at the model number and if it is something like NN-NNN, the
first two digits are the model year (example 41-321 = 1941).

Bill H.

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:24:58 -0400
From: benohmart@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  [removed]!

Just a note to let those who have ordered The Baby Snooks Scripts book know that the 
books came in yesterday and were sent out to buyers this morning. They look great. 
Thanks for your interest, and support. 

Ben

The Baby Snooks Scripts book
[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:25:21 -0400
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  RKO's logo

Mr Kallis brought up the subject of the Eiffel Tower and the design of radio
towers.  Eiffel's design was and is about the best way to build a
self-supporting tower.  Therefore, most towers with legs look French.

I've never heard just why the self-supporting tower was largely abandoned in
favor of the guyed tower ([removed], the kind held erect by cables.)  Guyed
towers require lots of land, though they are probably less expensive than
the far more attractive self-supporting kind.

Does anyone know?

Mark Kinsler
512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
[removed]~mkinsler1

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:25:32 -0400
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jack Benny's Song

          The only song which I recall Jack Benny playing
on the violin more often than any other was titled
"Love In Bloom".  Could this be the one you are thinking
of?

Kenneth Clarke

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:26:50 -0400
From: "Rheba" <rheba_otr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Happy Birthday to Penny Singleton!

Personally, I find it heart-warming that Blondie herself, Penny
Singleton (or Dorothy McNulty) is still with us at 95 years old.
I'd love to send her a card to show my appreciation for her.  I've
heard that she's homebound, but still enjoys hearing from her fans.
Can anyone help?

Unfortunately, I don't have a contact address for Miss Singleton, but I did
find a recent photo of her on a Spark's (her second husband) genealogy site
that I thought would be of interest to others.

[removed]~sparks/[removed]

She's still a beautiful woman!

Rheba
--------------------
rheba_otr@[removed]
Streamload ID:  rheba
See what I've collected so far at:  [removed]

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:26:56 -0400
From: "Cooper Smith" <coopersmith@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  This edition

Don't worry about printing this just know that while I usually really enjoy
the digest, this one was MAGNIFICENT!
Fascinating, timely, and actually sort of enchanting.
A superb effort.
Congratulations to all!!!

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 01:56:44 -0400
From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Johnny Crawford

Hi everybody,

I recall that Johnny Crawford told me that he appeared on radio.  Does any
one know what shows?  Take care,

Walden Hughes

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 09:23:59 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in radio history

 From Those Were The Days --

1927 - The Columbia Broadcasting System was born on this day in 1927.
CBS broadcast an opera, The King's Henchman, as its first program.

1948 - The Original Amateur Hour returned to radio on ABC, two years
after the passing of the program's originator and host, Major Bowes.
Bowes brought new star talent into living rooms for 13 years.

Joe

--
Visit my homepage:  [removed]~[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 09:24:52 -0400
From: "Mark L" <resimark@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Vincent Price Radio Tribute Tonight!

  Hello all,

    I really enjoy the list and find it an invaluable resource for
everything OTR. Running the risk of shameless promotion,  I'm writing to let
everyone know that tonight, the WRVO Playhouse (an NPR station in upstate
New York, the Playhouse airs OTR 4 hours each night) is presenting a tribute
to the radio work of Vincent Price. As part of our 'Third Thursday'
showcase, from 8 to midnight EST we'll be playing a variety of shows Vincent
starred in. There'll be some staples, such as '3 Skeleton Key' and 'Fugue in
C Minor' along with other seldom heard shows. At 10:00 a sound portrait
called, "Behold: Vincent Price" will air. "Behold" is a 13 minute production
that delivers an adventure in sound using the radio appearances of said
voice actor. Since we're all online, I invite you to listen to our streaming
webcast from 8pm to 12am at
[removed]
  Or, go through our website [removed] and click on 'Listen Live!'. You
can also hear examples of the sound portraits dedicated to OTR actors I've
produced on the site. Click on 'Third Thursday'.
  I hope everyone who tunes in will enjoy and appreciate this tribute to the
prolific actor that seems to be only remembered in the mainstream as a
madman in horror films.
  Thanks everyone for your time, it's a wonderful thing that OTR is in some
way a priority with all of us.

  - Mark Lavonier
    Producer/Playhouse Host
    WRVO Stations

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 09:46:44 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  9-19 birth/death dates

September 19th births

09-19-1888 - Porter Hall - Cincinnati, OH - d. 10-6-1953
actor: "March of Time"
09-19-1904 - Dr. Bergen Evans - Ohio - d. 2-4-1978
host: "Down You Go"; "Of Many Things"
09-19-1904 - Elvia Allman - Concord, NC - d. 3-6-1992
comedienne: Tootsie Sagwell "Burns and Allen"; Cora Dithers "Blondie"
09-19-1905 - Betty Garde - Philadelphia, PA - d. 12-25-1989
actress: Peggy O"Neill "The O"Neills"; Kate Mason "Maudie"s Diary"
09-19-1910 - Margaret Lindsay - Dubuque, IA - d. 5-8-1981
actress: "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Silver Theatre"
09-19-1913 - Frances Farmer - Seattle, WA - d. 8-1-1970
actress: "Pursuit of Happiness"; "Hollywood Hotel"; "Suspense"

September 19th deaths

02-03-1903 - Martin Block - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-19-1967
announcer, disc jockey: "Make-Believe Ballroom"; "Chesterfield Supper Club"
06-17-1910 - Red Foley - Blue Lick, KY - d. 9-19-1968
singer: "National Barn Dance"; "Grand Ole Opry"; "Red Foley Show"
07-28-1911 - Ann Doran - Amarillo, TX - d. 9-19-2000
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"
10-20-1895 - Rex Ingram - Cairo, IL - d. 9-19-1965
actor: "Free World Theatre"

Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn and Jay Jostyn

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

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 11:23:09 -0400
From: welsa@[removed]
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  The High and the Mighty

Last night I was watching the 1954 movie, "The High and the Mighty."  Phil
Harris is in the cast.  A rather minor role but a major billing in the
opening credits.  I really was not impressed with his work in this film.
Does anyone know if by 1954 was he in need of this kind of bit movie work?
Was he still on radio at all then?  Or, was he trying to take his career in
a new direction?  Maybe it would have been different if he had been in a
comedy.

Ted

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #345
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