 
	********************************************************
                      ------   # NOTE #   -------
SEE INFO SECTION AT END OF THIS DIGEST FOR UNSUBSCRIBE AND OTHER INFORMATION. 
		====  INFO SECTION UPDATED 8/19/95  ====
	********************************************************

	    [removed]   Volume 95 : Issue 456


Articles in this issue of [removed]:

	  Jack Benny:TV&PalmSprings
	 WMAQ Chicago
	 The All-American Boy
	 Have you tried Wheaties?
	 Fibber McGee & Molly (Heavenly Days)
	 First Broadcast
	 Grand Ole Opry
	 First radio transmission
	 The First Radio Transmission

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 1995 01:24:00 GMT
From: [removed]@[removed] (Marty Tabnik)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject:  Jack Benny:TV&PalmSprings
Message-Id: <95121622485620245@[removed]>

MTP> Date: Fri, 15 Dec 1995 16:15:50 -0500
MTP> From: MTPawckett@[removed]
MTP> Subject: Vaudeville, Red Skelton and Jack Benny on TV
MTP> Message-ID: <951215161517_55268113@[removed]>

MTP> And lastly, [rumor alert  : )] I've heard part of why Jack Benny
MTP> is not available on tv is that Comedy Central had the rights and
MTP> then another comdy channel bought the rights but went belly up
MTP> after a short while.

I believe that your source is confused.

Once upon a time, in those thrilling days of yesteryear,
        There were TWO (proposed) Comedy Channels.
However, the two groups [ISTR that TimeWarner and Viacom
were the ones] decided that they would fragment the market
so they merged their comedy offerings into CC.

Btw, if another comedy channel HAD bought the rights and then
went belly up, you can be certain that those rights would have
been sold off as part of the liquidation process.

WEALTHY fans can find some JB programs on home video
at $15-$20/3 shows.  (CBS, Viacom, or Fox, ISTR.)

The rest of us can find some JB programs on MADACY, a cheapie
label from Canada that publishes LOTS of ancient stuff on SLP
(that's the 6 hour speed) VHS tapes.  FWIW, I've found some
great Benny, Berle, A&C/Colgate Comedy Hour, Burns&Allen, Dragnet,
and even an EDDIE CANTOR Colgate Comedy Hour on Madacy.  At $[removed]
for two hours, it's worth seeking/seeing.


***

KEN> Subject: Blocks, Bergen, Benny, and Opinion Poll
KEN> From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
KEN> Message-ID: <951215184935_55400403@[removed]>

KEN> The Jack Benny program where Polly learns to spell
KEN> "Vacuum Cleaner" is one that should be in everybody's collection.

Uhhhhhhh, that's one of my fave JB programs too.
But that's NOT what happened.

Before he goes to Palm Springs for his annual vacation, Jack plans
to pawn his parrot, Polly, because that's cheaper than boarding
her at a vet.  Polly (voiced by Mel Blanc) doesn't like this and
screeches every time that Jack even mentions Palm Springs.

So Jack decides that he'll fool Polly by s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g Palm
Springs.  Polly, being a curious bird, asks
        P-a-l-m S-p-r-i-n-g-s?  What's that?
Jack, on the spot, blurts out "It spells 'vacuum cleaner", Polly!"

Polly happily repeats the letters and words . . . .
UNTIL at the end of the show she hears an oily announcer [Frank
Nelson?] ooze about Palm Springs and close his "ad" with
        That's "Palm Springs".  "Palm".  "Springs".  Spelled
                P-a-l-m.  S-p-r-i-n-g-s.
        Palm.  Springs.

Polly repeats
        P-a-l-m.  S-p-r-i-n-g-s.
        Vacuum cleaner.
        P-a-l-m.  S-p-r-i-n-g-s.
        Palm Springs.
        PALM SPRINGS!
        SqaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwKKK!

To this day, I often refer to that
grapefruit&gambling&shopping mecca as
        Vacuum cleaner.
[And now you know.  The rest.  Of the story. <g>]
---
 * SLMR [removed] * That's why it's called COPYright *NOT* SELLright!

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

Date: 16 Dec 1995 15:45:14 GMT
From: [removed]@[removed] (Robert j. Field)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Cc: otr@[removed]
Subject: WMAQ Chicago
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

> Does anyone else have this problem?  Is WMAQ inconsistent in
> broadcasting old time radio?

Unfortunately, yes. :-(  Sports rules the roost. 
Sports uber alles! 
Ratings and revenues are the prime concern.

Bob Field
[removed]@[removed] 

Note: the following invitation to visit the Web is provided, courtesy of the
server. 

-- 
       For helpful Mac tips and tricks; useful files; product reviews; late breaking Mac news; and more, you're welcome to visit the Chicago Area Macintosh Area Users' Group at "[removed]" 

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 1995 09:49:30 -0500
From: Bruce Rudesill <lranger@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: The All-American Boy
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Walter W. Davis went straight to the problem line of the Jack Armstrong
theme. Evidently there were several versions of the song over the years
and there is a great deal of debate as to the third line. There are
claims of "Every fellow should be a champion", "Ever fight to be a champion",
and "Ever challenging we champions". I like the one contained in the
following complete version of the theme.

Wave the flag for Hudson High, boys,
Show them how we stand!
Ever shall our team be champion,
Known throughout the land!
Rah Rah Boola Boola Boola Boola
Boola Boola Boola Rah Rah Rah.
Have you tried Wheaties?
They're whole wheat with all of the bran.
Won't you try Wheaties?
For wheat is the best food of man!
They're crispy and crunchy the whole year through.
Jack Armstrong never tires of them
And neither will you.
So just buy Wheaties
The best breakfast food in the land!

Not to mention all the marvelous things you could get for a Wheaties box top
and a coin or two.

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 1995 11:59:14 -0600
From: Lou Genco <lgenco@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Have you tried Wheaties?
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

In response to Walter W. Davis' question in V95 #455, I have placed an old
Wheaties commercial in the soundbytes section of my WWW page.

Lou
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WWW page on "Old Time Radio":                   [removed]
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 1995 13:58:17 EST
From: KVHM65A@[removed] (MR CLYDE P ANKENBAUER)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Fibber McGee & Molly (Heavenly Days)
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

>Date: Sat, 16 Dec 1995 22:38:45 -0700 From: Jerry Purvis
><hqsouth@[removed]> To: [removed]@[removed] Subject: Re:
>Fibber and Molly Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]> >
>Hi Gang! >
>With the deluge of answers on who provided the voice of Teeny, I'll throw
>this in, just in case you'd like to read more about it. >
>The book is: "Heavenly Days!: The Story of Fibber McGee and Molly" by
>Charles Stumpf and Tom Price (ISBN 0-936505-05-2).  It was printed in 1987
>by The World of Yesterday in Waynesville, NC.  I'm not sure if it's still
>in print, but it's well worth a look. >
>Jerry at Wind River Communications


I recently bought a copy of this book from Chuck Schaden's Metro Golden
Memories; 5425 W. Addison Street; Chicago, IL 60641-3203 (1-800-538-6675).

Price is $[removed] + $[removed] S & H.

Great book; lots of photos!

Clyde Ankenbauer - Cincinnati

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 1995 13:33:22 -0600
From: bensmanm@[removed] (Marvin R. Bensman)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: First Broadcast
Message-id: <v01530500acfa1e75dd80@[[removed]]>

>Date: Sat, 16 Dec 95 12:47:43 PST
>From: Izi Mann <izi_mann@[removed]>
>To: [removed]@[removed]
>Subject: First radio transmission
>Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>
>
>Hello,
>I wrote few weeks ago about a daily column I have in Voice of Israel, in
>which I play OTR recordings - international and Israeli.
>I wonder if anyone can tell me more about the first radio transmission in
>America - or at least that's what I was told was the first one - on November
>4, 1920, describing the results of the elections (Harding won over Cox).
>I'll appreciate any more information, such as how many listeners were at
>that time, etc.
>
>Thanks,
>Izi Mann

The first broadcast was held on election night, Nov. 2, 1920, from a 100
watt transmitter in a small makeshift shack on top a Westinghouse
manufacturing building in East Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Dr. Frank Conrad,
an electrical engineer employed by Westinghouse, had been experimenting
with improving transmission and had been listened to by a number of amateur
operators in the area. But, for the first broadcast he was home, standing
by his 8XK in case KDKA's new transmitter failed. The election returns were
courtesy of a telephone connection with the Pittsburg Post newspaper. A few
thousand listeners, at most, heard the broadcast, including some people at
a country club, over Westinghouse-supplied loudspeakers. The broadcast
started at 6 [removed] and continued to the following noon, even after Gov.
James M. Cox conceded the election to Sen. Warren G. Harding. The very next
evening KDKA broadcast from 8:30 until 9:30 [removed] The transmitter was soon
relocated (trains blowing by the building made it difficult to broadcast
there) and was increased in power.

There is still a dispute as to what was the first broadcast. Reginald
Fessenden promoted and broadcast on Christmas Eve in 1906 a telephony
signal heard by a few dozen wireless operators. However, that was a
one-time shot. If you define first broadcast as regularly scheduled then
KDKA wins.

************************************************************************
*Professor Marvin R. Bensman, [removed], [removed]                              *
*Department of Communication; Office Phone: (901) 678-3174 or 678-2565 *
*University of Memphis        Fax: (901) 678-4331                      *
*Memphis, TN 38152                                                     *
*E-mail: BensmanM@[removed]                                       *
*
*
* See: [removed]  *

************************************************************************

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 1995 12:20:37 -0800
From: Ned Hall <ned@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Grand Ole Opry
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Does anyone know of any recordings of the early Grand Ole Opry broadcasts?
or the WLS and WSM Barn Dance shows? 

What are the earliest extant recordings of any radio broadcast? 

Mebbe I ought to get a book on the history of Radio. Can anyone recommend a
good one?
yrs, 

Ned

	"Home of the brave, land of the free,
	 I don't want to be mistreated by no bourgoisie."
                                     Huddie Ledbetter

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

Date: Sun, 17 Dec 95 17:36
From: "bill harris" <billhar@[removed]>
To: "otr digest" <otr@[removed]>
Subject: First radio transmission
Message-Id: <m0tRRrT-000YLoC@[removed]>

>Hello,
>I wrote few weeks ago about a daily column I have in Voice of Israel, in 
>which I play OTR recordings - international and Israeli.
>I wonder if anyone can tell me more about the first radio transmission in 
>America - or at least that's what I was told was the first one - on November 
>4, 1920, describing the results of the elections (Harding won over Cox). 
>I'll appreciate any more information, such as how many listeners were at 
>that time, etc.
>
>Thanks,
>Izi Mann


This would be station KDKA, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was not the first
station to broadcast. There were stations which were broadcasting voice and 
music on an experimental basis as early as 1907. Charles Herrold began broad-
casting on a regular basis in 1909 from the College of Engineering and Wireless
in San Jose, California. There were no license requirements until the Radio
Act of 1912. Herrold's station was licensed as KQW on December 9, 1921
KDKA started in 1916 as an experimental station (8XK), licensed to Dr. Frank
Conrad, a Westinghouse engineer. After World War I ended, Conrad re-opened
the station in 1919 and began broadcasting in the Pittsburgh area. His broad-
cast included talks, sports scores and live vocal and instrumental renditions
as well as recorded music. The broadcast were on Wednesday and Sunday evenings
for a two hour period. The Westinghouse Company, which manufactured radio
receivers, established KDKA to promote the sale of their receivers. An 
application was filed with the Department of Commerce on October 16, 1920 
and the broadcast license was issued on October 27, 11 days later. Their 
first broadcast occured on November 2, 1920 with a 100 watt transmitter 
from atop a Westinghouse manufacturing building. Conrad was standing by in 
his home at his amateur station (8XK) in case there was trouble at KDKA. 
The elections returns came into the KDKA studio via a telephone connection 
courtesy of the newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post. The listening audience was 
estimated to be a few thousand.
The broadcast started at 6 p. m. and continued until noon the next day. 
There has been much debate among radio historians as to who was the first
to actually broadcast, but KDKA has generally been accepted as the first 
station licensed for broadcasting purposes.

Bill Harris

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

Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 00:32:53 GMT
From: bilj@[removed] (Bill Jaker)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Cc: izi_mann@[removed]
Subject: The First Radio Transmission
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

        Izi Mann of the Voice of Israel asked about the earliest radio 
transmissions.  I'm usually cautious about declaring "firsts" since the 
answer you get usually depends on the question you ask.  Izi mentioned the 
1920 election returns on KDKA in Pittsburgh, which is commonly credited as 
the start of the commercial broadcasting industry in the United States.  
However, 1920 wasn't even the first time presidential election returns were 
heard over the air -- that would be an experimental broadcast by Dr. Lee 
deForest in 1916 (it was a technical success even though deForest declared 
the wrong person the winner).
        But the query asked specifically about the "first radio 
transmission".  I think that distinction belongs to Mahlon Loomis, a 
Washington, DC dentist and inventor who sent signals through air as far back 
as the 1860s. Yes, 1860s!  He used atmospheric electricity for a power 
source and a galvanometer as a receiver, suspended his antennas from kites 
or balloons; without realizing it, Loomis created a rudimentary (and very 
large) resonant circuit.  I know some people who replicated his experiment, 
and it did indeed work.
        Loomis sent signals several miles between hilltops in the Blue Ridge 
Mountains, and received a patent for his "improvement in telegraphy".  
Around 1875 he installed a signalling system between the drug store and the 
railroad station in Terra Alta, West Virginia, which was probably the first 
practical use of wireless.
        Marconi wasn't even born when most of this work took place (on 
Marconi's first visit to America he reportedly examined the Loomis patents 
and notes in the Library of Congress).
        Now, this may not be exactly "old-time radio" as we usually discuss 
it on these pages, but Dr Loomis had a vision of world-wide wireless 
communication and his writings mention using it, among other things, "to 
convert the heathen".  Maybe Loomis was intending to be the first religious 
broadcaster.
        The first voice transmission was supposedly by Reginald Fessenden 
exactly 95 years ago, on 23 December 1900.  But then there was also Nathan 
B. Stubblefield of Murray, Kentucky, who was to telephony what Loomis was to 
telegraphy.  Anyone care to fill us in on him?
        If you use any of these stories, Izi, you can be sure that the 
listeners to Kol Israel will know more about the beginnings of radio than do 
most North Americans.
        Shalom!

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

    


    ****  END OF ARTICLE SECTION - INFORMATION BOILERPLATE FOLLOWS ****

1) Contacting the list administrator.
2) Unsubscribing from this list
3) Receive a DIGEST READING TIPS file
4) AIRWAVES web page
5) Shareware Notice 
6) Redistribution of [removed]

1)  The [removed] maintainer can be reached at EDITOR@[removed]

2) To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send email to
[removed]@[removed] and place the word UNSUBSCRIBE
alone on the Subject: line of your request.  The body of
request mail is ignored by the server.  If you are unable to
unsubscribe using this method, and you are SURE you are doing
everything right, then (and only then) contact the administrator
(wdp@[removed]) for assistance.  Please send along the headers of
any problem mail for diagnostics.  

	* PLEASE Never send unsub messages to the list! *

3) If reading email digests like this one is difficult or time
consuming,  write for a file called *The Fine Art Of Reading and
Replying To Email Digests*  It contains tips on scanning digests and
making replies easier and more concise.  To recieve this file, send
email to digest-tips@[removed] and use the subject line of *Digest
Tips*.  

4) AIRWAVES  maintains a very busy web page containing many media-related 
links and files. Our URL is:  [removed]~rrb/

5) [removed] is brought to you as shareware.  Net 
connectivity and other expenses are paid out of personal funds of the
list maintainer.  If this list is of value to you, please support it
by sending in whatever amount you can afford, to help defray costs.
Suggested amount is [removed] a year (less than [removed] a month), but any
amount (more or less) is fine. This is a free-will donation and nobody
will be removed from the list because they cannot, or choose not to,
pay.

Our mailing address is PO Box 8746 Springfield Mo 65801. Make any
checks out to William Pfeiffer. 

6) If you are redistributing [removed] in any form, you must
contact the list owner for permission.  Generally permission is given,
free of charge, for non-commercial electronic distribution.
Commercial distribution rights are available under very reasonable
terms.



---- 
End of [removed] Digest V95 Issue #456

