Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #371
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 10/14/2003 8:25 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 371
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Antennas for radios                   [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      Flight Commanders and Captain Midnig  [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Re: Henry Morgan                      [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Multiple births                       [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
      10-14 births/deaths                   [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Re: "Aw, Relax, [removed]"     [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
      Just wild about Harry                 [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      Archie & Jughead fight teenage drink  [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
      Paramont on the air                   [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
      Change in vocabulary                  [ mac@[removed] ]
      Monty Python                          [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Re: Hal Stone's Books                 [ OTRGURU@[removed] ]
      Re: Hal Stone's Book                  [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
      Re: Al Jolson film                    [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
      Gildersleeve expression               [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
      Sunday brunch at SPERDVAC convention  [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
      Regional accents                      [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:52:32 -0400
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Antennas for radios

    Ellsworth Johnson wrote, about antennas for shortwave radios:

>     None of these radios will work like you would wish for unless you put up a
>     decent outdoor antenna.

    Some of us still use regular roof antennas for television reception.
    Two questions:
    Can we hook them up to AM/FM receivers to get better radio reception on the
    AM and/or FM bands?
    Assuming we have a built-in AM "bar antenna" in our receivers, with an
    input connection for an external AM antenna, is there some kind of POWERED
    antenna that we could attach so we could pull in more-distant AM OTR STATIONS?

    Thanks,
    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:53:17 -0400
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Flight Commanders and Captain Midnight in OTR

    A. Joseph Ross, commenting on my reference to two "indirect radio
    premiums" concerning Flight Commander status for Secret Squadron members,
    notes,

>     It's interesting to see that the "Flight Commander" gimmick was around
>     in the 1940s with the Captain Midnight radio show.  I remember it as part
>     of the 1957 television premiums.  <snip> The codes consisted of using the
>     Silver Dart decoder badge to encode a message and then encode it again.
>     Because of the design of the decoder badge, re-encoding a message already
>     encoded in Code 2 resulted in decoding it.  Thus there was no Code 2FC.

    Although the TV program was strikingly different from the radio version,
    whoever in Ovaltine was an amateur Cryptologist used a lot of the same
    gimmicks.  [It's worth noting that the Code-O-Graph of the Captain
    Midnight show derived from the Radio Orphan Annie Secret Society Decoder
    Pins.  A trivium is that the 1938 ROA Telematic Decoder Pin was
    cryptologically identical to the 1948 Mirro-Magic Code-O-Graph.]   Inside
    the 1941 Flight Commander Ring is embossed "Super Code 3," meaning that
    for Flight Commanders, any messages should be decrypted using the Super
    Code 3 setting on the 1941 Mystery Dial Code-O-Graph.  Likewise, the
    Flight Commander's Flying Cross 1942 premium had Captain Midnight's
    signature, followed by his identifier, "SS-1."  The Flight Commander's
    Manual indicated that the "SS-1" was intended to remind the Flight
    Commanders to set the 1942 Photo-Matic Code-O-Graph to Master Code 1 to
    decipher messages to Flight Commanders.

    There were two TV "decoders" (not "Code-O-Graphs).  One, the 1955-56
    Puzzle Plane Decoder Pin,  used the letter-number substitution scheme
    employed by Little Orphan Annie and the Captain Midnight radio shows.
    The 1957 Silver Dart Decoder Pin used a letter-letter substitution scheme
    -- what Cryptologists would characterize as a trio of Caesar Substitution
    offsets on a cipher alphabet -- that was much better for television.

    Oddly, the Ovaltine Secret Decoder Ring premium, issued in 2000, reverted
    to the conventional letter-number scheme of the OTR years.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:53:56 -0400
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Henry Morgan

    On 10/12/03 11:47 PM [removed]@[removed] wrote:

>     As to who was first with the name Henry [removed] was the radio
>     Henry on the air before 1942?  As far as I can find Harry appeared on
>     the radio first in 1945.  So maybe even if he was in the movies as Henry
>     in 1942 or even earlier, it doesn't count as far as radio performers go,
>     so he had to change his name just to do a few broadcasts.

    The comedian Henry Morgan was a staff announcer at WMCA and WOR in New
    York during the 1930s, among other assignments -- he did general program
    announcing and special-events work -- but he wasn't really a "featured
    personality" until 1940, when he got the program which evolved into
    "Here's Morgan." By 1942, "Here's Morgan" was an institution with
    cutting-edge types in New York, and was being picked up by a few Mutual
    affiliates as well.

    That's not to say listeners didn't notice Morgan before 1940 -- he tended
    to stand out when compared to the bland Dave Driscolls and Alvin
    Josepphys and Jerry Lawrences who surrounded him on the WOR staff. A
    recording exists of WOR's coverage of the parade welcoming Howard Hughes
    back to New York after his round-the-world flight in 1938, and Morgan is
    one of the announcers pulling special-events duty for this occasion --
    and he clearly resents having to be there, doing his inserts in a
    flippant, rather sardonic manner that must have raised a few eyebrows
    back at the office.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:54:26 -0400
    From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Multiple births

    Ron Sayles submitted this for our approval:

>     10-13-1889 - Douglas Dumbrille - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada - d. 4-2-1974
>     actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
>     10-13-1890 - Douglass Dumbrille - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada - d. 4-2-1974
>     actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"

    This sounds like a Monty Python gag.  "Douglas Dumbrille was born in 1889,
    and again a year later." :-)

    Ivan

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 09:45:14 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  10-14 births/deaths

    October 14th births

    10-14-1891 - Joseph M. White - NYC - d. 2-28-1959
    singer: (The Silver Masked Tenor) "Goodrich Silvertown Orchestra"
    10-14-1896 - Lillian Gish - Springfield, OH - d. 2-27-1993
    panelist: "Arthur Hopkins Presents"; "Texaco Star Playhouse"; "Suspense"
    10-14-1906 - Benita Hume - London, England - d. 11-1-1967
    actress: Victoria Cromwell Hall "Halls of Ivy"; "General Electric Theatre"
    10-14-1907 - Pert Kelton - Great Falls, MT - d. 10-30-1968
    actress: Agnes "Magnificent Montague"; Lolita "We Are Always Young"
    10-14-1908 - Allan Jones - Old Forge, PA - d. 6-27-1992
    singer: "Chicago Theatre of the Air"; "New Old Gold Show"

    October 14th deaths

    02-08-1888 - Dame Edith Evans - London, England - d. 10-14-1976
    actress: "Kaleidoscope"
    05-03-1903 - Bing Crosby - Tacoma, WA - d. 10-14-1977
    singer: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Philco Radio Time"
    06-20-1909 - Errol Flynn - Hobart, Tasmania - d. 10-14-1959
    actor: Christopher Casanova "Modern Adventures of Casanova"; "Lux Radio
    Theatre"
    07-27-1916 - Keenan Wynn - NYC - d. 10-14-1986
    actor: Moe 'Shrevie" Shrevnitz "The Shadow"; Gregory Smith "Amazing Mr. Smith"
    08-25-1918 - Leonard Bernstein - Lawrence, MA - d. 10-14-1990
    conductor: "Metropolitan Opera"
    10-21-1920 - Hy Averback - Minneapolis, MN - d. 10-14-1997
    announcer, actor: "Sealtest Village Store"; "Bob Hope Show"; "Take It or
    Leave It"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 09:56:25 -0400
    From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: "Aw, Relax, [removed]"

    In a message dated 10/12/03 10:45:54 PM, Hal "Jughead" Stone writes:

>     Or, if your planning to attend the upcoming FOTR and SPERDVAC Conventions,
>     copies of the book can be purchased there. And, (for what it's worth), I
>     happily inscribe and autograph each copy. Big [removed], and a buck, can
>     get you on the NY Subways. :)

    ***Hal:  I had no idea the New York Subway system valued your book and
    autograph so highly.  After all, these days the fare is two dollars.  I guess
    this
    is something for all of us OTR buffs to remember the next time we don't have
    that second dollar and need to go somewhere on the subway.  BTW, Hal, do the
    books have to have your autograph to get the dollar off subway fares?
    --ANTHONY
    TOLLIN (who is really looking forward to Hal's performance as Monk Mayfair
    opposite Fred Foy as DOC SAVAGE at next week's FOTR convention)***

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 10:49:57 -0400
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Just wild about Harry

    From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];

>     As to who was first with the name Henry [removed]

    Dear George & All-
    It was all because "The Unions Speak!"
    It used to be a hard-and-fast rule that names were only one to a customer,
    when joining up. The "Radio" Henry came first (in the 30's, according to
    Dunning), so the "Movie" one would've had to go "Harry", for AF("T",now)RA.
    The kicker here is that "Morgan" wasn't Radio's real last name, but "Van Ost"
    - but, since he got to Morgan first, it was his!
    (This is also why the second "James Stewart" to come around became "Stewart
    Grainger", & the second "Michael Douglas", "Michael Keaton".) I THINK the
    rules have since relaxed a little; the Unions now give civilians credit for
    brains enough to (paraphrasing Abraham Lincoln), "know the difference between
    a Chestnut Horse, and a Horse Chestnut".
    Best,
    Craig (SAG/AFTRA/AEA) Wichman

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 15:53:05 -0400
    From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Archie & Jughead fight teenage drinking

    This bounced when I sent it several days ago. Others
    are apparently getting through, so I'll try it again,
    since nobody else has mentioned this.
    - -
    The NY Times today carried an article about a campaign
    agagainst underage drinking (and other behaviors) by
    the folks at Archie Comics. The article contains a
    fleeting (disparaging) reference to Captain Midnight
    as well:

    [removed]

    Kermyt

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 15:53:18 -0400
    From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Paramont on the air

    Hi Everybody,

    I am trying to tack down a copy of 4-18-37 Paramont on the air broadcast
    starring Ida Lupino.  The announcer was Gwyllyn Ford.  Who later change is
    name to Glenn Ford.  The broadcast will will be sent to Glenn Ford son
    Peter, if a copy show up.  Take care,

    Walden Hughes

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 15:53:45 -0400
    From: mac@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Change in vocabulary

    I was listening to Jack Benny and noticed a pair of turns of phrase that seemed outdated. First,
    Jack spoke about the hotel in which he was "living" (as opposed to staying). And later, he and Mary
    talked about buying a "hamburger sandwich" (instead of just a hamburger). These are rather small
    differences, but once I began listening for them, they turned up a couple of more times.

    I'd be interested to know if anyone can think of other subtle changes like this that have been
    preserved in radio (other than commonly mentioned ones -- gay used to mean happy, etc.)

    Thanks!

    --Dominick

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 19:29:44 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Monty Python

    Christopher Werner commented:

    This is tangentally OTR [removed]
    I returned from a local store yesterday with a newly released DVD version
    of Monty Python's Holy Grail movie from 1974. It has been 15 years or so
    since I viewed it, and I was not as informed of the OTR world at the time.
    Two sequences from the movie are of interest . . .

    Actually, for anyone who has made the conversion to DVD (in partial or
    whole), check out many of the classic movies on DVD being released by major
    studios.  There is a wealth of radio recordings being brought to the
    commercial market.  Almost all of the James Bond movies have "radio spots"
    included on the DVDs.  Radio spots are those 15, 30 and 45 second radio
    commercials advertising the movie.  Most notably is the GOLDFINGER DVD,
    which actually features a recording of Sean Connery being interviewed on a
    radio show in 1963 to help promote the movie.  Disney has been doing the
    same as well - THE LOVE BUG which I watched last week, had radio spots and
    interviews as well.  Universal Studios is releasing a series of movies
    during the holiday season and they are including radio dramas, interviews
    and air trailers for some of the movies.  Not that this is news to most DVD
    fans, but an FYI to keep an eye out for those "extras" included on DVD sets.

    [removed] If anyone enjoys Monty Python, I recommend AND NOW FOR SOMETHING
    COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.  It's their best and it's also one of the funniest
    movies ever made.

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 19:30:40 -0400
    From: OTRGURU@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Hal Stone's Books

    Hal Stone said in a recent posting that he has only a few copies left of his
    fine book, "Aw, Relax, [removed]" and doesn't plan on a second
    printing. Too bad.

    As the author of my own new book, let me recommend Hal's book to anyone who
    has been on the fence trying to decide whether to get a copy.  It's a
    wonderful
    read and well worth having in your collection. Go to Hal's website:
    [removed]

    We were proud to have choosn an excerpt from his book for the summer issue of
    our Nostalgia Digest magazine and we were delighted with the response from
    readers.

    So, if you want one of Hal's books, better get one before they're all gone.

    This has been an unsolicited testimonial, but if I may, I'll attach a small
    unsolicited commercial along with it:  For more information about our
    Nostalgia
    Digest magazine and my own new book "Speaking of Radio, Conversations with
    the Stars of Radio's Golden Age," you are invited to check out my secure
    website:
    [removed]

    Chuck Schaden

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 21:14:37 -0400
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Hal Stone's Book

    A while back I had promised that when I finished reading Hal's book, I'd
    post my thoughts on it and if I like it suggest that others purchase. Well,
    I'm a little late in posting, but the book is great reading. When I first
    bought it, I thought it was going to be all about the Archie Andrews radio
    show.

    It covers so much more. Hal Stone has had a very diverse background and
    what he has written is both informative and enjoyable reading. Since he
    mentioned that he only a few books left and is not planning a second
    printing, I STRONGLY suggest that if you have not purchased it, you do so.

    Fred
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 21:14:57 -0400
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Al Jolson film

    This is a little off topic, but it does concern a radio performer. I just
    received a short film clip which looks or rather sounds like it might be Al
    Jolson.

    It runs about 10 minutes and is called "Goin' to Heaven on a Mule". It
    starts cold. That is to say, no title at the start or end, so I'm guessing
    that it was from a feature film.

    The person singing, who sure sounds like Jolson, is in black face.

    Does this sound familiar to anyone and do you know where it might have come
    from and am I correct that it is Al Jolson?

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 21:16:12 -0400
    From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Gildersleeve expression

    Matthew Bullis wrote:

>     In the Episode Gildy Floats a Loan, from October of 1946, Leroy says
>     used-to-could which is a Southern expression.

    I haven't heard that expression for ages, but it brings back memories of
    hearing it and saying it very often as a kid in northwestern Ohio. It was
    pronounced "usta-could." I never saw it in writing. I usta could remember
    lots of other Ohio-isms, too.

    Barbara

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

    Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 21:17:51 -0400
    From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sunday brunch at SPERDVAC convention

    If you weren't planning to stay overnight on Saturday at the hotel (only $59
    a room), this might change your mind.

    We're having "Bob and Ray" for brunch. Well, a recreation thereof.  Bob and
    Ray's writer for 30 years, Tom Koch, is providing and hosting some of the
    wonderful sketches he wrote for the team, and portraying the duo will be our
    beloved Hal Stone and (schedule permitting) Bob Hastings.

    Sunday morning, November 9th, Hacienda Hotel at LAX. Don't miss it!

    See [removed] for registration information and directions.

    Barbara

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

    Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 10:20:01 -0400
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Regional accents

    I still don't remember if I'm not supposed to top-quote or bottom-quote, so
    I'll middle-quote:

    When we were in Mississippi 15 years ago, I heard the expression
    "might-could" a good deal.

> >     Leroy says used-to-could which is a Southern expression. I've never
> >     heard this kind of thing before on the program. Perhaps a slight
> >     glimpse into the expressions of the writers?"

>     I used-to-could tell you if it was exclusively a Southern expression, but I
>     disremember if it was so.
>     Maybe youins could help him with the answer.
>     If not, I could care less.

    "Youins," also spelled "yunz," is commonly held to be a western Pennsylvania
    expression and a major identifier of 'Pittsburghese.'   They say 'y'all' in
    Mississippi.  Fred Rogers had perhaps the most accessible example of a
    Pittsburgh accent: he didn't say 'yunz,' but I don't think he ever tried to
    de-regionalize his speech patterns.

    There are probably twenty identifiable "Southern" accents.  There's the very
    rich accent (rather tough to understand if you're not familiar with it) from
    eastern Georgia (best known example, somewhat modified, is Jimmy Carter.)

    It smooths out as you go west through Alabama and even more in Mississippi,
    whose accent's best-known purveyor would be Elvis Presley.  (North MS,
    however: Elvis' family was from Tupelo.)

    Louisiana speech varies from gentle Mississippian in the east to the
    slightly grittier Arkansas accent to the north.  New Orleans has an accent
    all its own, sounding somewhat like that of Brooklyn or New Joisey.  (The
    story varies:  it might be some Irish influence, there having been a
    substantial influx of Irish to that city.)  Fats Domino's singing is a
    guide.  Rural Louisiana is tough to understand until you get used to it
    because of, I'm told, the Quebec French in it.

    Accents farther west are essentiall 'southern' because that's where the
    Confederate Army went, among other reasons.  Texas reportedly has an
    infusion of German in it, and east Texas sounds a bit Lousianan.

    I'm quite pleased to report that despite a century of elecution lessons,
    de-regionalizing training, and television shows delivered in 'standard
    American English,' our regional accents seem to be going strong.

    This doesn't seem to be true, for OTR and OTR-influenced TV shows like Perry
    Mason.  Everyone except Amos and Andy spoke like they were from nowhere in
    particular.  Are there any exceptions?

    Mark Kinsler

    who pretty well speaks 'standard American English,' being from Cleveland,
    the no-accent city.  Ohio seems to have three major accent groups: the
    German-influenced Cincinnati, the central-Connecticut-influenced Cleveland,
    and the Scotch-Irish (Appalachian)-influenced central and southest Ohio
    accents.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #371
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