Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #113
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 3/23/2002 11:02 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 113
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Re: Old Time Radio in New York        [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Re: Answers for the "newbie"          [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      How Many Radios                       [ sojax@[removed] (Roger S. Smith) ]
      The Two Harlans Again                 [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
      Empire State Building 1945 tragedy    [ "Phil Watson" <philwats@[removed]; ]
      Re: Donora Fog                        [ David Easter <DavidEaster@[removed] ]
      Black tape                            [ David Easter <DavidEaster@[removed] ]
      New Mp3 models                        [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
      How many radios ?                     [ KENPILETIC@[removed] ]
      Gunsmoke Name Changes                 [ KENPILETIC@[removed] ]
      RE: RADIOS IN THE HOME                [ Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@doityours ]
      Arsenic and Old Lace - Did televisio  [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Re: Michale's Right! Michael's Right  [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      Number of Radios                      [ Grbmd@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 14:02:00 -0500
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Re: Old Time Radio in New York

    I wrote:

>     The first place would be the RCA Building which is a mecca of Art Deco
>     architecture.  If you can't get a TV show ticket, you can go on the NBC
>     tour--but you'll just have to imagine what the studio floors looked like
>     in the OTR days before their numerous renovations.  They've even
>     destroyed the elevators' wonderful original mahogany interiors.

    Since I wrote this yesterday I've been thinking about the irony of
    this--back in the days of radio, an aural medium, the studios were
    visually stunning.  But when the television people came in--who were all
    supposedly visually aware--they trashed those studios and turned them
    into ugly utilitarian boxes.

    Edgar H. Felix was the publicist for WEAF in the 20s while AT&T ran it,
    and he told me about their efforts to make their studios comfortable,
    homey, and stylish.  NBC carried on this tradition at 711 5th Avenue, 30
    Rockefeller Plaza, and Chicago's Merchandise Mart.  When these buildings
    opened they published a set of pictures of each studio which were all
    smartly furnished.  Except for the microphones you wouldn't know they
    were studios.  The audience studios were close to the designs of the
    movie palaces of the day.  They were a delight to go to, and probably to
    perform in.

    When I was doing some research at NBC in the late 60s and early 70s
    anybody could go onto the unguarded mahogany elevators, and a smartly
    uniformed operator would take you to your floor where you could
    sometimes still see remnants of how the building once was.  The hallways
    and many of the offices still had the concentric circular
    reflective-type incandescent light fixtures.  A lot of wood and stylish
    moldings.  But if you went into a TV studio, like Toscanini's 8H,
    instead of the plush interior that can be seen on the original
    photographs, there was padding on the walls held in place by
    chicken-wire.  (I'm serious.  I'm not making this up.)   In the 60s
    there still were a few small radio studios that hadn't yet been hacked
    up by the meat-cleavers of the un-stylish, but they were probably all
    trashed by the mid-70s.  That's when they canceled the tours, put the
    guards on the elevator banks, ripped out the elevator interiors and
    replaced them with tan formica, and turned the elevators into
    self-service.  Come to think of it, it is also when RCA stopped using
    the His Master's Voice logo picture, and NBC swiped that stupid looking
    modernistic N from Nebraska Public Television.

    It kinda makes you think that television people are visually impaired.

    Another irony is that it seems that the only media people interested in
    attractive surroundings are the MT&R.  Of course, that's their
    problem--they spent so much money on their buildings (is it $125 million
    for the LA building and $55 million for the NYC building?) that the
    glitziness of the surroundings draws attention away from the fact that
    their collection is not all that it is cracked up to be.  (It also drew
    money away from more deserving archives.)

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 14:02:22 -0500
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Re: Answers for the "newbie"

    At 1:12 PM -0500 3/23/02, Michael Biel is rumored to have typed:

>     OK, I'll say it--I assume some of you were expecting me to bring this up
>     again when Hal gave this first-hand description of how OTR programs
>     REALLY were performed.  This is one of the reasons why many convention
>     re-creations and NTR productions never get it quite right.

       Of course they don't "get it right" - they aren't _trying_ to get it
    "right," they are trying to present visually something that was originally
    aural. My guess is that most theater shows were also more "in front" than the
    usual studio show, based only on a few photographs I've seen.

       The actors work around the problems gracefully, and the audience enjows
    the performances more than if they were maneuvering around trying to face
    each other on those flimsy risers.

>      You'll see what I mean in
>     Cincinnati next month, Hal.

       Hal's been a guest of other conventions before and has performed in
    recreations, specifically the Newark FOTR [removed] have video evidence of him
    walking out of a recreation because someone insulted him. (I think someone
    called him [removed]  ;)

              Charlie

       [removed] Truth-In-Advertising, he came back. Eventually.

             Me

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 14:43:18 -0500
    From: sojax@[removed] (Roger S. Smith)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: How Many Radios

       In reply to Jim Yellen's question in issue 111 as to how many radios
    in the household in the old days, I will offer the following.  I was
    born in 1931 so I qualify for the old days.  We had only  one radio (a
    Zenith console) in our home well into the mid to late forties.  At that
    time a small radio appeared in the kitchen.  The Zenith was very
    expensive at the time and I can't believe to this day that my dad spent
    that kind of money, but he did the very same thing with a tv.  In the
    sixties my dad gave me that Zenith (which I dearly loved) and as it was
    not working I had it in my workshop tinkering with it.  I had removed
    the speaker and had it on my workbench.  My wife and I departed  for
    somewhere  leaving our huge dog Tramp in the garage.  Well Tramp had to
    see where we were going so he jumped up on the workbench and inserted
    his huge paw into the speaker.  Now comes the worst thing I ever did in
    my life.  I was so mad that I packed everything into the garbage.  To
    this day I still can't imagine that I was that stupid.  The speaker
    could have been re-coned.  Yep as we age we get smarter.  In the very
    late forties everything changed and we had a radio in most every room in
    the house.  So long for now, Roger.

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:22:51 -0500
    From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: The Two Harlans Again

    My fellow Harlan, Hal Stone, writes:

>     My Characters' name in the play that I was hired to do was "Harlan". My

    folks took the

>     easy way out, and stuck me with that name. At age 8, I hated it. I thought

    it was "sissy"

>     sounding.  (Sorry, my fellow Digester friend, Harlan Zinck) :)

    That's OK, Hal - I felt the same way when I was eight. Even now, I've often
    thought to changing to Hal myself if only to avoid having to spell "Harlan"
    for the entire world; combine it with "Zinck" and see what kind of odd
    spells you end up with! :-)

    BTW - back to OTR - awhile back I promised Hal that I would send him at
    least a copy of the caracature done of himself and Bob Hastings as Archie
    and Jughead; these were part of a packet of about 40 5" x 7" color drawings
    given away by NBC in about 1948, I believe as part of the studio tour.
    Alas, when I dug out my set, I found that four drawings from the set I
    purchased via eBay were missing when they arrived and, of course, among the
    four was the one of Archie and Jughead. (Ain't that always the way?)

    If anyone reading this Digest has these drawings and would be willing to
    share one with Hal, even temporarily, I'm sure he'd appreciate it - in
    fact, I know he would. Might even buy you a drink at the next OTR
    convention, eh Hal?

    Harlan

    Harlan Zinck
    First Generation Radio Archives
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:24:27 -0500
    From: "Phil Watson" <philwats@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Empire State Building 1945 tragedy

    A few weeks ago there much some discussion here about the Empire State
    Building accident when a B-25 bomber flew into an upper floor. I had never
    heard of the incident but tonight the BBC here in England ran a documentary
    about the building of the skyscraper, including an interview with a 93 year
    old retired construction worker who was in the crew. There was a long
    segment about the accident, with newsreel footage, new interviews with those
    involved in the accident and with their relatives.

    It was very strange seeing 1931 film of two small children opening the ESB
    followed by an interview with an elderly monk who said he couldn't recognise
    himself as one of them in the film. There was even an excerpt from This Is
    Your Life featuring, I think, the widow of the pilot. A fascinating
    programme.

    Apologies for the non-OTR post.

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:26:13 -0500
    From: David Easter <DavidEaster@[removed];
    To: "Old-Time Radio Digest (E-mail)" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Re: Donora Fog

    Dick Backus wrote:

>     On October 31, 1948, a "killer" fluoride fog enveloped the town of Donora,
>     Pa, (south of Pittsburgh), killed twenty people and left hundreds ill. I
>     vaguely remember hearing a radio program sometime in the late 40's or early
>     50's dramatizing this event. I'm not sure if this was locally produced or on
>     something like "Cavalcade of America" or "March of Time" Does anyone
>     remember this program?

    While I am not aware of the program he is referring to it may be important
    to set the record straight. There was no evidence that fluoride was
    responsible for the deaths in Donora. The Public Health Service blamed a
    temperature inversion and air pollution from a [removed] Steel plant. Most of the
    deaths were from heart attacks (which could have been brought on by the poor
    air quality, temperature, panic or some other factor.) While fluoride was
    present in the air, it was only one of many pollutants. In the intervening
    decades, the anti-fluoridation people have tried to focus the blame in
    Donora on fluoride without much success (disregarding innuendo). The
    allegations were revived in 1998 by Chris Bryson who wrote an article
    entitled "The Donora Fluoride Fog: A Secret History of America's Worst Air
    Pollution Disaster" for Earth Island Journal. This article has been posted
    on many environmentalist sites.

    David L. Easter

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:26:34 -0500
    From: David Easter <DavidEaster@[removed];
    To: "Old-Time Radio Digest (E-mail)" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Black tape

    While not directly OTR related, I am looking for some guidance.

    I have a cassette (commercial, music) from the early 1980's that was made
    with "black" tape and it squeals.

    I would really like to salvage this tape (read: backup to CD). I have
    attempted to bake it in the kitchen oven (not having access to a convection
    oven) with no success.

    I am open to suggestions.

    David L. Easter

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:27:04 -0500
    From: "Richard  Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: New Mp3 models

       I really don't work for Rio but here I am again,
    mentioning their products. For those who have been
    waiting for an even lower price for a portable MP3
    player that supports the OTR format, there is now the
    Rio Volt SP-50, which lists for $70 but goes on sale at
    Best Buy tomorrow for $60 after a $10 rebate. And for
    those waiting for a complete stereo system with MP3,
    there is now the 120-watt Rio shelf system, with AM-FM,
    reverse cassette and audio and MP3 CD capability. What
    really attracts me is the big LCD display, with seven
    colors to switch between! I tried to tell my wife that
    although we had just bought a stereo, this one is much
    nicer, and .... She just gave me what has come to be
    known as The Look.

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:27:39 -0500
    From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: How many radios ?
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Hi Gang -                         March 23, 2002 - Saturday 3:15 PM cst

    In a recent issue of the "otrdigest", Jim Yellen inquires,
    "... how many radio sets did the average family have during the
    Golden Age ....  Can those who were there share with their memories
    of radios around the house ..."

    In our house when I was very young we had ONE radio.  It was a
    Glorytone (cathedral style) with a 10-inch electrodynamic loud speaker.
    This radio was loud enough to be heard in all four rooms of our house.

    When I was about 8 or 9 years old my dad won a Philco 5-tube
    AC-DC Superhet on a punch board.  This radio was placed in the
    kitchen.  About a year later a big puff of smoke came out of the
    old Glorytone and we were back to ONE radio again.

    The demise of the old Glorytone could not have been connected
    with my poking around inside of it a few days [removed]

    Happy Taping & See You in Cincinnati  --
    Ken Piletic - Streamwood, Illinois
    kenpiletic@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:27:52 -0500
    From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Gunsmoke Name Changes
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Hi Gang -                         March 23, 2002 - Saturday 3:15 PM cst

    In a recent issue of the "otrdigest", refering to "Gunsmoke",
    William Manahan asked why the names of characters were not
    changed from the Radio version to the Television version, .

    At least one of the names DID change.  I have a recording of
    an interview between Parley Baer and Jim Beedle.   Parley
    tells Jim about an interesting ad-lib during a radio "Gunsmoke"
    program.

    Parley in his character of "Chester" was absolutly certain about
    something he was about to tell Matt.  His line was supposed to be
    somthing like "Sure as shootin'...."    Parley didn't like the line so
    he substitured "Sure as my name is Chester Wesley Proudfoot ..."

    This nearly broke Bill Conrad up.  Bill laughed and repeated, "Chester
    Wesley Proudfoot?".....  This was the first time Chester's last name
    (and middle name, too) was ever mentioned.   From then on, Chester
    was Chester Proudfoot on the radio version of Gunsmoke.

    When the TV version of Gunsmoke aired, they changed Chester's
    last name to "Goode".   The producers of the TV show thought that
    if they used the name "Proudfoot" they would have to pay a royalty
    to Parley Baer.

    My great concern is that they did not offer any of the TV parts to the
    actors who created them on radio.   There was much bitterness about
    this.   According to Parley, the producers had a so-called "audition"
    for the TV parts, but never really wanted to hire any of the original cast.
    Some speculate that there was no film in the cameras during the
    audition.

    Personally, I think the radio cast would have been great on TV if
    they had been given the chance.

    Happy Taping, & See You in Cincinnati   --
    Ken Piletic - Streamwood, Illinois
    kenpiletic@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:28:08 -0500
    From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];
    To: "Radio  Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: RE: RADIOS IN THE HOME

    Jim Yellin asked about the number of radios in the home during the Golden
    Era.  Well, we had a "master radio" in our living room (or parlor, as it was
    called in them days), a floor model Majestic High Boy short wave.  Then in
    the kitchen we had a Philco Cathedral model that we listened to during supper
    hour and which mom listened to the "soaps" during the day, and there was a
    table model RCA in my bedroom.  Then,later on when the battery operated
    portables came out, We purchased two.  One for the den and one for the
    basement workshop.

    Can you imagine what it was like in my home with dad listening to Amos & Andy
    in the parlor, and mom listening to a big-band remote in the kitchen while
    washing dishes and me, upstairs listening to the Lone Ranger?  Really great!

    Kevin Michaels

    PS: I wish to thank Michael Biel and Elizabeth for the correction n Singin'
    Sam.  When you get my age, "the little gray cells" (as Piorot would always
    say) sometimes do not work properly.

    KM

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:30:10 -0500
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Arsenic and Old Lace - Did television do

    airchecks as radio did?
    Approved: ctrn4eeWlc

    "John DiMezzes" <jadm1@[removed]; stated:

>     That was Raymond Massey made up to look "Karloffish" in the film version.

    And Jim Yellen Clifengr3@[removed] added:

>     I think you'll find that the Karloff role in the movie was played by
>     Raymond Massey made up to look like Karloff.

    However, there is probably a filmed version of the 1962 Hallmark Hall of Fame
    version starring Karloff and Tony Randall. Apparently, Hallmark no longer
    owns rights to their earlier tv productions, for reasons not known to me.
    Possibly there is a copy at UCLA; their web page states, "The UCLA Film and
    Television Archive holds over 300 programs aired under
    the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME banner."

    An earlier 1955 production on _Best of Broadway_ on CBS starred the dream
    cast of Boris Karloff as Jonathan Brewster and Helen Hayes, Billie Burke and
    Peter Lorre. What I wouldn't give to see that version, but it seems unlikely
    that any filmed copies exist. How sad. Did tv shows do airchecks as radio
    did? If so, there might be some faint hope of finding a copy.

    Well-known OTR author Martin Grams is especially interested in locating
    either of these; he has seen film excerpts of one of them. If anyone has any
    information, please write me and/or post it here. Well, okay, the OTR
    connection is tenuous, but there WAS a radio drama version, so, [removed]

    Also, while I'm at it, Leonard Fass is eager to locate the OTR Textron
    Theater version of "My Little Boy," starring Helen Hayes. Dunning barely
    mentions Textron Theater, under the heading Helen Hayes Theater; he says it
    ran from Sept. 8, 1945 (ten days before I was born), to March of '46. Anybody?

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 18:35:19 -0500
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject: Re: Michale's Right!  Michael's Right

    Hi Michael!

    Hi Michael!

    Since you rated *TWO* postings, (duplicates) I had to acknowledge both. :)

>     OK, I'll say it--I assume some of you were expecting me to bring this up
>     again when Hal gave this first-hand description of how OTR programs
>     REALLY were performed.  This is one of the reasons why many convention
>     re-creations and NTR productions never get it quite right. <SNIP>

    [removed] are absolutely correct.

>     I beg your pardon, but it would be farmore interesting, effective,
>     and entertaining to see the actors facing each other and playing off each
>     other. And the stage would be far more efficient and less crowded.

    Once [removed]!

>     And if they'd set up the room with the stage on the narrow wall instead on
>     one side of the wide wall--and then place the sound effects table at the
>     adjacent corner so they and the actors could communicate with each
>     other--everybody in the audience would even have better sight lines.

    Ya know what [removed] Maybe us OTR actors should strike for better working
    conditions! :)

>     You'll see what I mean in Cincinnati next month, Hal.

    (Oh Good. I'll finally get to meet you). But I know exactly what you mean
    Michael. I've attended enough OTR [removed] doing it the less than
    authentic way. Perhaps our society have become so visually oriented (Due to
    TV) that the audience wants to "see" the [removed] just "listen".

    I assume the room is set up "Wide", rather than "narrow" for a better
    (closer) view. That also stops people from harping that their seats are no
    good, (way in "back" of the "longer" room) if it was set up lengthwise.

    But you are 100% correct that the actors would probably prefer playing
    opposite each other, or shoulder to shoulder, like we did in the old days.
    particularly a comedy show where we could actually be physical and
    inter-relate and "mugg" to our hearts content. And also, don't forget, it
    would focus the audiences' attention to a limited area, so theu wouldn't
    have to miss interaction that takes place on a spread out stage.

    I particularly liked working on the same Mike next to Rosemary Rice. I could
    put my arm around her waist without getting my face slapped! :)

    But in all [removed] NBC studio's that housed a live audience was set
    up to maximize viewing.  The width of the audience section was no wider than
    the stage, and had a fairly steep incline. The stage was on the 6th floor.
    The audience area climbed all the way up to the 7th floor.

    Perhaps all that would be needed is a higher stage if the room was set up as
    you suggest. (Just make sure there is a safety net in front to catch us
    doddering oldtimers) :) I'd be [removed] I'm not sure about Hastings. :)

    See you there (Whichever way the room is set up).

    Now, I hope I haven't miffed convention organizers by heartily endorsing
    your [removed] (I'm glad I already have my plane ticket for Cincinnati) :)

    Regards

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

    NOTE TO ADMINITRIVIA: I think the framastan, on the occuling fristad in the
    new server need a good kick. No more duplications, please. It causes eye
    strain. :)

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Ok, ok, so I screwed up. I answered Dr. Biel's posting, and
    accidentally resent it to the list with my answer. But then, aren't you glad
    I'm so fair that any time I disagree with anyone they get twice the space?  ;)
    --cfs3]

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

    Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 23:46:17 -0500
    From: Grbmd@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject: Number of Radios

    Jim asked:

>     So I was [removed] many radio sets did the average family have during
>     the Golden Age? Was it just the one? Did you have to be "rich" to have more
>     then one?

    In my house, when I was a kid growing up in the Forties, we had three radios:
     one in the kitchen, one in the living room, and one in my bedroom.

    Spence

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #113
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