Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #223
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 8/1/2007 10:12 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2007 : Issue 223
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Thanks y'all.                         [ "Bob Watson" <crw934@[removed]; ]
      8-1 births/deaths                     [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      cast satires of series                [ Chargous@[removed] ]
      #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ charlie@[removed] ]
      re: About MP3's                       [ kittersmom@[removed] ]
      RE: Chesterfield "2 way cigarettes"   [ "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@worldn ]
      Shot from [removed]                     [ <SS01002@[removed]; ]
      Hi and Norman                         [ mmartini@[removed] ]
      long runs on TV                       [ "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Re: Two-way cigarettes                [ Michael Hayde <mikeh0714@[removed]; ]
      RE: About MP3's                       [ "Kirby, Tom" <Kirby@[removed]; ]
      "Dragnet" vs. "Broadway is my Beat"   [ "origami" <origami@[removed]; ]
      2-Way Cigarettes                      [ "origami" <origami@[removed]; ]
      Boston Blackie                        [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      An interesting find!                  [ "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@bas ]
      A new book                            [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 02:09:46 -0400
    From: "Bob Watson" <crw934@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Thanks y'all.

    Thanks to all who have answered my posting.  But I guess I should have been
    a little more specific in the direction I was wanting to go.  Many posters
    assumed, and rightly so after I reread my post, that I was asking about
    years on radio as opposed to years on TV.  I apologize.  I think it goes
    without saying that most radio shows that tranferred to TV lasted longer
    than their TV counterparts.  No, what I was initially looking for was how
    many radio shows were still on the air AFTER their TV counterparts had bit
    the dust.  I must admit, my mindset was simply on comedy or drama series.

    [removed]

    And this is the wonderful thing about this [removed]

    each poster brought his own spin to this post and I have learned some great
    things.  And been reminded of some things I had forgotten.

    Thanks again, I'm enjoying the reading.

    Bob

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 02:09:54 -0400
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  8-1 births/deaths

    August 1st births

    08-01-1812 - Herman Melville - NYC - d. 9-28-1891
    author: "Columbia Workshop"; "Favorite Story"; "World's Greatest Novels"
    08-01-1898 - Caesar Petrillo - Chicago, IL - d. 11-22-1963
    orchestra leader: (Brother of James C. Petrillo) "First Nighter"
    08-01-1904 - Eli Mintz - Lemberg, Austria - d. 6-8-1988
    actor: Uncle David "The Goldbergs"
    08-01-1906 - Judd McMichael - Minneapolis, MN - d. 10-30-1989
    singer: (The Merry Macs) "Bing Crosby Show"; "Fred Allen Show"
    08-01-1910 - Alice Frost - Minneapolis, MN - d. 1-6-1998
    actor: Pamela North "Mr. and Mrs. North"; Martha Jackson "Woman of
    Courage"
    08-01-1910 - Jerry Mann - NYC - d. 12-6-1987
    singer: (The Jerry Mann Voices) "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round"
    08-01-1910 - Walter Scharf - NYC - d. 2-24-2003
    music director: "Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show"
    08-01-1911 - Fora Campbell - d. 11-6-1978
    actor: Jean Forbes Lambert "Brave Tomorrow"; Janice King "Strange
    Romance of Evelyn Winters"
    08-01-1912 - Ronnie Kemper - Missoula, MT - d. 2-16-1997
    bandleader: "Ronnie Kemper"; "Horace Heidt Orchestra"
    08-01-1915 - Bela Kovacs - Youngstown, OH - d. 8-xx-1985
    actor: Prince Baccarritti "Space Patrol"
    08-01-1918 - Bill Shipley - Ottawa, KS
    announcer: "The Jimmy Dorsey Show"; "Look Your Best"
    08-01-1923 - Carol Teitel - Brooklyn, NY - d. 7-27-1986
    actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
    08-01-1926 - Meg Randall - Clinton, OK
    actor: "Screen Director's Playhouse"; "Lux Radio Theatre"

    August 1st deaths

    01-29-1923 - Paddy Chayefsky - The Bronx, NY - d. 8-1-1981
    writer: "Theatre Guild On the Air"
    03-20-1915 - Sviatoslav Richter - Zhitomir,Russia - d. 8-1-1997
    classical pianist: "Boston Symphony Orchestra"
    05-25-1927 - William "Rosko" Mercer - NYC - d. 8-1-2000
    disc jockey, announcer: CBS Network
    06-11-1905 - Harry Marble - Brownville, ME - d. 8-1-1982
    newscaster: "CBS News of the World"; "The World Today"
    07-30-1911 - Richard Louis Ables - d. 8-1-1997
    composer, musician: Woody Herman Orchestra; Charlie Barnet Orchestra
    09-19-1913 - Frances Farmer - Seattle, WA - d. 8-1-1970
    actor: "Pursuit of Happiness"; "Hollywood Hotel"; "Suspense"; "Lux
    Radio Theatre"
    09-24-1903 - Stu Wilson - Chicago, IL - d. 8-1-1991
    actor: "Quiz of Two Cities"
    10-03-1881 - George Moran - Elwood, KS - d. 8-1-1949
    comedian: (Two Black Crows) "Majestic Theatre of the Air"; "Eveready
    Hour"
    11-28-1904 - Jane Ellen Ball - d. 8-1-1999
    woman's programming: WJAS Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    xx-xx-1879 - William J. Cameron - Hamilton, Canada - d. 8-1-1955
    commentor for the philosophy of Henry Ford: "Ford Sunday Evening Hour"
    xx-xx-1931 - John Bower - Dares Salaam, Tanzania - d. 8-1-2005
    actor, singer: Appeared often in British radio plays

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 02:10:16 -0400
    From: Chargous@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  cast satires of series

    I think it's hilarious to hear a cast send-up of a series; I know of three
    offhand; The Guiding Light "Who's the Father?", the Gunsmoke one, and a Red
    Ryder satire.  Were there any others?

    I've heard two out of the three - I want very much to find a quality copy
    of the Guiding Light satire and am willing to trade for it.  It sounds by
    the Goldin description to be hilarious!

    Travis

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 10:08:49 -0400
    From: charlie@[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 nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
    of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
    real-time OTR talk!

    Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
    others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
    range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
    it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
    it's always a good time!

    For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
    week and every week!

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 10:08:55 -0400
    From: kittersmom@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re:  About MP3's
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Trina,

    The quality of the MP3's I have encountered in the past is not good, but
    there is a company that is remastering the shows and the quality is [removed]
    Try going to [removed].

    Hope this helps!

    jo

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

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 10:09:34 -0400
    From: "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RE: Chesterfield "2 way cigarettes"

    Rob asked:

>     When William Conrad did the Chesterfield plugs,
>     he mentions 2 way cigarettes.  Google searches come up
>     empty on that phrase.

    	I believe that "2 way cigarettes" was referring to that the fact
    that Chesterfield offered their cigarettes in Two Lengths:  Regular and
    King-size.

    Signing off for now,

    Stewart

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 10:17:04 -0400
    From: <SS01002@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Shot from [removed]

>     It made me wonder how such an ad could have appealed to the public
>     back then.  Was it the image that such an act brought to their minds?
>     Surely, the voracity of such a statement came into question at some
>     point. Cereals can't be shot from guns as we know them, can they?

    My kidhood memories resonate with Sunday afternoons and watching Gabby
    Hayes pouring a scoop of wheat down the mouth of a canon then turning to
    the camera to warn us all to stand back from our "televisionary sets"
    because "here comes Quaker Puffed Wheat!"

    Actually wheat and rice WERE shot from guns.  Do a Google search for
    Alex P. Anderson, [removed] "Puffed Wheat Anderson"

    In a life filled with strange and interesting details, Anderson
    developed a technique for breaking down the starch in rice and wheat
    grains and thus "puffing" them by about a factor of 8  by sealing
    them in a large "gun" and subjecting them to intense heat and pressure.
    In Anderson's tests, the "gun" was actually a large drum that was
    super-heated with the mouth covered.  When the proper time and
    temperature were reached, the mouth was opened and "the kernels flew
    around the room."

    Anderson showed off the invention at the St. Louis World's Fair in
    1904 and it became something of a hit as a novelty AND   caught the
    attention of an executive of the Quaker cereal company.  Quaker company
    thought Anderson's process showed great promise - at the time cereal
    was considered 'health food' - and after aquiring the rights they
    spent a considerable amount of money advertising the product to the
    Japanese - a total flop!

    Americans, however, bought the idea and "shot from guns" has been
    moving kids back away from their televisionary sets ever since.

    Larry Santoro
    [removed]
    Larry@[removed]
    -

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 10:17:43 -0400
    From: mmartini@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Hi and Norman

    Hello all,
    I was on vacation the last few weeks so I'm still catching up on posts but
    I'm not sure if anyone noted the 97th birthday of Himan Brown.  He and fellow
    elder-statesman Norman Corwin were born in 1910 and both remain quite active.
    In fact Himan just celebrated his first anniversary as Chairman of the Audio
    and Drama Department at CUNY's School of Radio and Television.  While Corwin
    is apparently taking a break from his teaching duties at USC to recover from
    a fall last year, he reportedly continues to refine a writing project he has
    been working on for awhile.  Careers aside, (and, yes, they were at the top
    of their respective games during radio's golden age,) nevertheless think upon
    the 97-year-olds that YOU know, if you are so fortunate, and compare their
    levels of activity and mental acuity with these two gentlemen.  I'm in my
    40's and compared to these two, I feel tired.  How about you???  97!!!
    Wow!!!!
    -Mike Martini

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 10:28:31 -0400
    From: "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  long runs on TV

    In #222, A. Joseph Ross wrote:

>     Ed Sullivan may have lasted from 1948 to 1971, but nobody else has
>     had that long a run on prime- time television

    I should point out that The Simpsons, currently at (I believe) 17
    seasons, with more on the way, has a good shot at beating beat that run

    -chris holm

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:47:47 -0400
    From: Michael Hayde <mikeh0714@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Two-way cigarettes

>     When William Conrad did the Chesterfield plugs,
>     he mentions 2 way cigarettes.  Google searches
>     come up empty on that phrase.

    Larry Santoro guessed correctly that it refers to the
    filterless variety.  Chesterfield called itself
    "America's most popular two-way cigarette," but if you
    wanted an explanation of that phrase, you'd have to
    turn to a competing brand - Pall Mall - whose slogan
    was "You can light either end!"

    Now, can someone tell me just WHY "Pall Mall" is
    pronounced "Pell Mell?"

    Michael

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:48:56 -0400
    From: "Kirby, Tom" <Kirby@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RE: About MP3's

>     [ADMINISTRIVIA: [removed]  [removed] has some good stuff, and
>     every purchase there helps to support the OTR Digest, the Nostalgia Pages at
>     [removed] the blog/podcast at [removed]
>     (currently running "It's Higgins, Sir!"), and all the other
>     OTR-related stuff at the [removed]  --cfs3]

    I would have to agree. I bought several of the fundraising CDs, and
    I've been very happy with the quality of the recordings. I loaded a
    whole bunch of episodes of "The Halls of Ivy" on my MP3 player, and
    now my commute home is a lot more comfortable. There are other
    programs on the CDs, and after I listen to these, I'll load some
    more on.

    As a matter of fact, I like the OTR programs on my player so much,
    I'm probably going to delete most of the music that I loaded onto it
    from my music CDs, and load a ton of OTR. I like to keep a nice variety
    so that I can listen to whatever genre I want at any given time.

    The fundraising discs are definitely a good value for the money.

    -- Tom

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 14:36:49 -0400
    From: "origami" <origami@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "Dragnet" vs. "Broadway is my Beat"

    Did "Broadway is my Beat" influence the "Dragnet" concept,
    or vice-versa?

    They are polar opposites in their approach to the broadcast
    of police stories.  I never tire of listening to "Broadway."
    I love the music and the poetic dialogue of Danny Clover as
    he describes Broadway in its time and season.  Yes, it is
    fanciful, if not "purple," but I like it.

    I can listen to a "Dragnet" now and then, but it does get
    deadly repetitive.  And the music?  Nope.

    According to Dunning, the New York run of "Broadway" started
     February 27, 1949, but the Hollywood run July 7, 1949.
    Between these two dates is the first "Dragnet," June 3,
    1949.

    I guess none of the New York shows are extant?  Dunning
    suggests that Elliot Lewis changed the show considerably.
    My guess is that he wanted something considerably different
    from what he was hearing from "Dragnet."

    Apologies if this has been covered before.  I suspect that
    some of the books that I have not read cover this.

    Thanks,
    John Warmington

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 14:36:55 -0400
    From: "origami" <origami@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  2-Way Cigarettes

    My impression is that you can buy them either way-- filter
    or non-filter.

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 14:37:14 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Boston Blackie

    Someone commented:

>     Boston Blackie was on Radio 1944 to 1950,  Went to TV and didn't last
>     to long Blackie drove a 1950 Nash, what beauty.

    Blackie drove a 1950 nash, 1951 nash, 1950 dodge, and four other vehicles.
    ZIV was cheap on TV production so the car Blackie owned hanged from episode
    to episode.  They didn't keep it consistent.  The actor who played the TV
    role even lent his vehicle for one episode.
    Martin

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 15:04:08 -0400
    From: "RadioAZ@[removed]" <radioAZ@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  An interesting find!

    Rummaging through an antique store I came across two 78RPM record albums.
    >From the liner notes it appears there were at least seven such albums out.
    One of the two I purchased features Eddie Cantor and the other is by Ed
    Gardner.  Each album contains four 10" records.  The copyright date on both
    is 1947.

    The liner notes say:  These albums are genuine collectors' editions.  The
    first of their kind ever produced by such great stars.  They bring you the
    first phonograph records, as far as is known, especially recorded before a
    large studio [removed] time to laugh between the lines and thus
    introducing a form of presentation new to phonograph records for home
    presentation."

    In another place is says:  "TOP-TEN ALBUM distributed by Monitor, the most
    distinguished family of hom appliances."

    What thes boild down to is the radio show format, but specially recorded for
    phonographs.  It appears there were also similar albums with Amos 'n' Andy,
    Jack Benny, Bergen and McCarthy, Burns and Allen and Fibber McGee & Molly.

    Anyone know more about these?  Were they promotional albums for this Monitor
    Company (an appliance brand I personally have never heard of?)

    The Cantor album features seven episodes and include Harry Von Zell, the
    long time announcer for Cantor on radio.  THe Gardner album includes guest
    stars Nigel Bruce, George Raft and Deems Taylor.  It says it also includes
    an all-time funny Gardner routine called Two Top Gruskin, the two-headed
    pitcher who could watch first base and home plate at the same time.

    I can hardly wait to listen to these albums.  But any further information
    anyone has would be appreciated.

    Ted

    The cover artwork on the Gardner album shows him wearing the famous
    "autograph" apron.  But, alas, it is a drawing, not a photograph.

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

    Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 18:42:49 -0400
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  A new book

    There's another new OTR volume on its way from McFarland.  Within a few
    weeks my latest tome, "The Great Radio Sitcoms," will be released.  There
    have been numerous works centered on the great comics of radio (Benny,
    Allen, Bob & Ray, Hope, Durante, Bergen, Berle, etc.).  But the characters
    we loved within humorous narratives have been neglected.  Although they are
    fleetingly represented in multiple collections of existing texts, there is
    nothing recent in which their broad ilk is the singular intent.  It's a
    niche waiting to be filled and recalling those wonderfully funny figures,
    situations and shows is the sole objective of this 300-page appraisal.

    Twenty of our favorite shows and the actors, announcers and directors who
    appeared on them receive full chapter treatment:

    The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
    The Aldrich Family
    The Amos 'n' Andy Show
    Archie Andrews
    Baby Snooks
    Beulah
    Blondie
    Duffy's Tavern
    Father Knows Best
    Fibber McGee & Molly
    The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
    The Great Gildersleeve
    The Jack Benny Program
    The Life of Riley
    Life with Luigi
    Meet Millie
    My Favorite Husband
    My Friend Irma
    Our Miss Brooks
    The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show

    Another 13 significant series are explored in shorter introspectives:

    The Bickersons
    A Date with Judy
    A Day in the Life of Dennis Day
    Easy Aces
    Ethel and Albert
    The Halls of Ivy
    Junior Miss
    Lum and Abner
    Maisie
    Meet Corliss Archer
    My Little Margie
    That Brewster Boy
    Vic and Sade

    Beyond those 33, my research uncovered another 137 radio situation comedies,
    all of which are identified by years, networks, actors and TV incarnations
    (where applicable) which is included in detail.

    The volume contains lots of pictures, profiles, backstage anecdotes and it
    recalls many of the hilarious moments from all of the series featured.
    There is a lot of fact never before published within its pages about the
    individuals who performed here and the shows, too.

    The hardbound book at $55 plus shipping is available for order right now.
    You'll be the first kid on your block to own it by ordering in advance.  It
    should be mailed in September.  You can read about it at:

    [removed]

    Order from 800-253-2187 M-F daytime or [removed] any time.

    Jim Cox

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #223
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