Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #15
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/12/2003 10:48 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 15
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      RE: Opry changes                      [ MAGICIN95@[removed] ]
      Vampires in "I Love A Mystery"        [ Brian Misiaszek <brian_misiaszek@ya ]
      Not Exactly Competitors               [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Censorship                            [ "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed] ]
      The best entertainer ever             [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Crosby's Oscars                       [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
      ABC stations                          [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
      Sounds [removed]                        [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      It's the message, not the medium?     [ wich2@[removed] ]
      "Opry" a big part of OTR              [ "rcg" <revrcg@[removed]; ]
      Re:Distaff SFX "artists".             [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 01:30:51 -0500
    From: MAGICIN95@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  RE:  Opry changes
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I'd like to add my 2 cents to this discussion.  When TNN was purchased by
    whoever it is that owns it now and turned it from The Nashville Network into
    what can best be described as just another cable network running reruns and
    lowbrow entertainment (?) it was no surprise that viewers left in droves.
    I've no doubt that the ratings garnered are not representative of those folks
    who appreciated The Grand Ole Opry and real country music.  Sad to say, but
    the fact is that many viewers who appreciate quality are not served by
    commercial (or cable) television in any form.

    The irony here is that any network who would provide the type of material
    that

>     viewers would prefer have to fight to remain solvent.   They don't seem to
>     understand that the ratings the major 3 networks had decades ago are simply
>     not possible in today's market place and that they must find economically
>     feasible methods of producing material that viewers want to see.  And, most
>     importantly, they must stand behind the products they provide to allow them
>     time to develop an audience.  Years ago CBS did that with M*A*S*H and look
>     what happened.  Today the show would have been cancelled by the third week
>     of the season.

    It is interesting to me that when ratings tables are published the one
    network you never see ratings for is PBS.  While the argument could be made
    that it would be difficult to create a ratings table consistent with the
    standardized programming shown on other networks, I still would prefer to see
    just how many viewers are leaving commercial and cable television to watch
    PBS.

    Janet

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

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 01:28:44 -0500
    From: Brian Misiaszek <brian_misiaszek@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Vampires in "I Love A Mystery"

>     I LOVE A MYSTERY did two such serials, "My beloved is a vampire" and
>     "Temple
>     of the vampires."  For anyone who has not head the surviving
>     recordings of
>     "Temple of the Vampires," it comes highly recommended.  I have had
>     the
>     distinction of reading the entire serial from the original scripts
>     and I can
>     say that "Temple of the Vampires" is probably the most terrifying and
>     truly
>     scary pieces of radio written in serial form.  Highly recommended.

    I happen to agree with Martin that the ILAM radio serial "Temple of
    Vampires" [TOV]is still terrifying after all these years; writer and
    director Carlton E. Morse certainly knew his stuff.

    The script version of TOV is pretty good, but even better is the
    opportunity of listing to the dark to the the combination of the
    orginal recordings intercalated with recreation episodes created  about
    twenty years ago.  Those recreated episodes were made under the
    leadership of Californian OTR DJ Bud Carey, with the able assistance of
    none other than Jim Harmon, and is now circulating in the hands of many
    ILAM fans and collectors.

    So terrifying was this particular ILAM serial (broadcast multiple times
    over US networks) that the Nicauraguan government allegedly lodged an
    official protest in Washington after its initial broadcast airing. If
    you have never heard this serial, do yourself a favour and track it
    down.

    However, while the word "vampire" exists in the title of the ILAM
    story, "My Beloved is a Vampire", and indeed this phrase is groaned out
    in the delirium of someone in this story, alas you will not find even a
    hoaxed vampire with a careful reading of the script (which, alas, is
    the only form that this story is available, all recordings having
    vanished from both runs of the series).

    Instead, the term "vampire" in this particular ILAM story (which I have
    been most fortunate to have been able to read) refers to the other
    definition of "vampire", being a person, (usually a woman), who preys
    upon others as some form as an extortionist. In fact the term "vamp" or
    "vamping", which is based on this meaning of the word, refers to a
    woman who uses her sex appeal to entrap and exploit men, and such a
    mysterious woman is the sinister villainous behind the many murders
    that take place in "My Beloved is a Vampire."

    ::Brian::

    Visit the unofficial "I Love A Mystery" page at [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 01:29:06 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Not Exactly Competitors

    Ron Sayles, speaking of video broadcasts, notes,

>     Although television is more than four letters long, it definitely is a
>     naughty word. <snip> Television replaced something that was good with
>     something that is sporadically good, but is bad the vast majority of the
>     time. <snip>  "Amos 'n' Andy" not withstanding, the worst radio is better
>     than the best television

    Let's sidestep the issue as to whether television is "evil" -- or even
    "good."  particularly since it's been classified as off-topic.  But it's
    worth pointing out that *because* OTR and television are separate media,
    they can be effective in different ways.

    One of the early TV programs that was extremely effective was a teleplay
    of Shirley Jackson's short story, The Lottery.  It was simple, stark, and
    easily within a TV show's budget.  That worked very well on video, and by
    contrast, wouldn't have had that level of impact on radio.  What clicked
    in this was the visual, particularly at the moment of "casting the first
    stone."  It could have been done on radio, but not with that level of
    effect.

    However, visiting Jack Benny's Vault on the radio was a far more
    interesting experience than its television counterpart.  There are places
    where the imagination works far better.

    OTR had and, in recordings has, great strengths.  Personally, I feel
    dwelling on "the theater of the mind" is to miss the point.  Is reading a
    book "theater of the mind"?  One could make a case, but *that's* missing
    the point, too.  OTR enables you to be entertained without being held
    captive, and it's the primary medium to do so.  Let us not forget that
    the reason Soap Operas were called what they were wasn't because people
    were singing: it was to enable a person to be entertained while stuck
    doing housework.  (Radio and musical recordings can be listened to while
    in motion.  It is Not Good to try reading or watching television while
    jogging, driving, or otherwise moving about.

    Some OTR shows couldn't have transitioned to television well; others
    could.  Two of the aviation shows of the OTR period were Captain Midnight
    and Sky King.  Both had TV incarnations.  The Sky King worked well, with
    a near-seamless transition, because the hero was a rancher who'd been a
    Naval Aviator and who had an aircraft on his ranch.  But the radio
    Captain Midnight show went to too many exotic locales, and had too big a
    paramilitary organization to be depicted on the television of the time,
    so the show was altered radically.  Do I think the OTR Captain Midnight
    was markedly superior to the TV show of that name?  You bet, and not
    because the show was special to me.  I can take radio tapes and compare
    them in vocabulary, concepts, and plot complexity to tapes of the TV
    version and demonstrate it easily.  But I couldn't show such a clear
    distinction between the OTR and TV versions of Sky King,  That show
    worked about the same in both media.

    OTR has had extremely good shows.  TV has had some extremely good shows.
    And I've read some extremely good books.  It's always best not to judge
    one medium by the standards of another.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 10:30:25 -0500
    From: "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Censorship

      Was there any censorship in OTR days? I have listened to some Bob Hope
    shows that came close to crossing the line where they might have been
    censored if there were censors. This in no way is a criticism of Bob Hope as
    being a veteran I appreciate what Bob Hope did for our servicemen and am
    hoping he makes it to 100 this spring.
      It is sad that there are so few Bob Hope shows available to listen to.
    Was this a NBC policy that caused so few shows to be saved? On the other
    hand Jack Benny has over 800 shows that were saved and he and Bob Hope both
    were on radio about the same number of years.
      Another example would be Ozzie and Harriet which was on several years but
    only has about 58 shows available for MP3s. I am curious to know if anyone
    knows specific instances of where shows were discarded after a certain
    length of time or recorded over.
      Andrew Godfrey

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:03:12 -0500
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The best entertainer ever

    Jer51473@[removed]
    asked if Bing Crosby was the best entertainer ever.

    When Bob Hope was asked that question he said that Al Jolson was the
    greatest entertainer he ever knew.   I think that Jolson's blackface
    routines have made him hard to "admire" and to be remembered in a way he
    probably should be admired and remembered (as an entertainer at least, if
    not as a private person).

    I really don't know who should have the title but I think he's a contender.

    ~Irene

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:03:18 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history

>     >From Those Were The Days -

    1926 - Sam 'n' Henry debuted on WGN in Chicago, Illinois.  The show's
    name was changed to Amos 'n' Andy with the voices of its creators,
    Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.

    1932 - Ed Sullivan joined CBS radio in a program of gossip and
    interviews.

      Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:
    [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:03:41 -0500
    From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Crosby's Oscars

    Jer51473@[removed] wrote:

>     he was the top box office attraction in the movies for an unprecedented
>     number of years which i believe included something like 6 years in a row and
>     he also won 2 oscars

    I don't like to nitpick, but Der Bingle only won one Oscar, for 1944's GOING
    MY WAY.  He was nominated two other times, for THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S
    (1945) and THE COUNTRY GIRL (1954), but lost to Ray Milland and Marlon
    Brando in those years, respectively.

    Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:03:50 -0500
    From: otrbuff@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ABC stations

    Larry Jordan inquires about the number of ABC affiliates operating in the
    latter 1950s.  From my book, Say Goodnight Gracie:  The Last Years of
    Network Radio (McFarland, 2002, 800-253-2187) this may be insightful to
    Larry and others (pages 127-128):

    "There were 2,086 commercial radio stations operating on the AM band in
    the United States in 1950.  Of that number, 1,170 (56 percent) were
    affiliated with one of the four major national chains as follows:  ABC,
    282 ([removed] percent); CBS, 173 ([removed] percent); MBS, 543 ([removed] percent); NBC,
    172 ([removed] percent).

    "Ten years later, in 1960, things had shifted dramatically.  There were
    3,456 AM stations in operation then, a net gain of 1,370.  Yet only 1,153
    (33 percent) maintained network affiliations.  While this was a loss of
    but 117 outlets, it was a 23 percent decrease.  By that time, the four
    networks claimed the following numbers of stations:  ABC, 310 ([removed]
    percent); CBS, 198 ([removed] percent); MBS, 443 ([removed] percent); NBC, 202 ([removed]
    percent).

    "In the 10-year period ABC had suffered a net loss of 28 affiliates, CBS
    had gained 25, MBS was then down by 100 and NBC had picked up 30.

    "An encouraging sign turned up in all of these statistics, however.  The
    dual chains (ABC and MBS) that had largely wiped their slates clean of
    most of their network programming--save news and sporting events and a
    few long-running features ([removed], The Breakfast Club)--witnessed
    significant losses in the number of affiliates still carrying the
    remnants of their former schedules.

    "On the other hand, CBS--with impressive vestiges of its traditional
    daytime, nighttime and weekend schedules, at least through late 1960--and
    NBC--with its flexible, attractive Monitor programming covering almost
    all of every weekend--were hanging on to most of their stations.  The
    pair actually effected increases, a combined 55 more outlets than they
    attracted together in 1950.  An NBC critic admitted:  'In 1960 the
    network's radio business, as distinct from television, began to show
    substantial profits in the face of a contrary trend in the industry as a
    whole.'

    "NBC and CBS simply *had* to be doing something right.  Such
    acknowledgment, and the increase in their number of outlets, was a silver
    lining in an era when so much seemed to be working against the aural
    medium.  Surely this was welcome news to some fatigued and often maligned
    national radio executives."

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:08:56 -0500
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sounds [removed]
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

>     From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
>     Subject:  More on Effects

    Sometimes, the simplest way is the [removed]

>     One gadget they had was a wooden frame with a matrix of wooden pegs
>     suspended (and
>     linked) by rubber bands: these were used to simulate the sound of a troop of
>     soldiers marching.

    And it still works, amazingly so. Our sfx person on THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS
    CEASAR, Eevin Hartsough, used one - to miraculously believable effect, for
    such a visually Rube Goldberg-ian contraption!

>     They claimed that the sounds of ship's ropes flexing could be simulated by
>     gently drawing a violin bow across an empty strawberry box.

    The ubiquitous strawberry boxes serve a multitude of uses: in [removed], their
    crushing added to the rioter's cries, as crowds went wild in Rome. As to
    ship's creaks, our sound guy on FRANKENSTEIN: MODERN PROMETHEUS, Clyde Baldo,
    rhythmically twisted a big leather coat in his hands!
    ([removed] how do we make the sound of the title "character" in our upcoming THE
    BLUE [removed])
    Happy New Year, & best to all-
    -Craig Wichman
    Quicksilver Radio Theater

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

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:08:52 -0500
    From: wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  It's the message, not the medium?

>     From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
>     Subject:  Is TV a naughty word?

    I yield to no one in my love of the audio medium, or I wouldn't listen to so
    much Old, and sweat to produce New - but fair is [removed]

>     Although television is more than four letters long, it definitely is a
>     naughty word.
>     ... Television replaced something that was good-

    Ho boy. I honestly think (based on what I've heard and seen)that the
    percentage of drek to gold was about the same then as now. For an example: as
    many Listers have said before me, the abysmal writing of such shows as KEEN,
    and the often-incomprehensible INNER SANCTUM rip-offs, ranks right down there
    with the worst of today's! Main cause, I suppose - Radio's main reason to
    exist was the same as TV's, IN THE MINDS OF THE POWERS THAT BE: ad dollars.
    As I once heard Harlan Ellison say,
    "You gotta remember: to these guys, the PROGRAMS are the interruption!".

>     -with something that is sporadically good-

    But when it's [removed] ALL THE FAMILY, STAR TREK, TWILIGHT ZONE (whose quality
    has been referenced to SUSPENSE, & Corwin's works, KING OF THE HILL (compared
    recently on this list to VIC & SADE, SMALLVILLE, [removed]

>     -but is bad the vast majority of the time.

    Yep. Most TV sitcoms, etc., etc. But just TRY to give a listen those the OTR
    shows deservedly NOT recalled as "classics", [removed]

>     -the worst radio is better than the best [removed]

    Well, maybe my opinions are considered prejudiced & dismissable, because I
    just missed the Golden Age in it's LIVE incarnation (I was born in '58). Can
    someone qualified speak up here? Hal? Harry?

>     To my credit, once I saw the filth that television produced, I stopped
>     watching.

    This is a separate, if related, topic. If we are talking not quality of
    production here, but over-permissiveness & cheap shots, that is not the fault
    of the Medium -
    look what radio has evolved into.
    Best,
    Craig W.

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Ok, folks, we've looked at TV from both sides [removed]'s get
    back to Old-Time Radio.  --cfs3]

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 12:16:58 -0500
    From: "rcg" <revrcg@[removed];
    To: "Otr Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Opry" a big part of OTR

    I've been very gratified to see that there are several members of the OTR
    Digest who are concerned about the slow (but sure) demise of the Grand Ole
    Opry. The Opry was a big part of the era that we now refer to as OTR. With
    NBC radio carrying one of the 30 minute portions coast to coast, the entire
    nation was made aware of the program. WSM-AM was (and is) a very powerful
    station with a vast signal range. Many country music fans in approximately
    38 states plus parts of Canada would tune to WSM after dark and listen to as
    much of the complete five hour broadcast as possible. In addition, after the
    Opry ends each Saturday, WSM carries another live country show called the
    Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. Second only to the Opry in longevity, the
    Midnight Jamboree last night performed it's 2,918th consecutive show.

    Saturday night was always a relatively low rated time period in the days of
    OTR, just as it currently is for TV shows. But, for those who loved to stay
    home and listen to such shows as Gangbusters, Truth or Consequences, etc.
    tuning to WSM after the prime time network programming ended at 11PM ET was
    a weekly ritual and those listeners were rewarded with some great
    entertainment.

    There were a couple of posts on the most recent digest that really hit the
    nail on the head. Many thanks to those who posted because they imparted much
    good information concerning the war that Gaylord seems to be waging on those
    who, apparently, don't fit their demographic profile of desireable
    listeners.

    Of all of the current Opry entertainers, the person who has been the most
    vocal on the situation is Sonny Osborne, the excellent Banjo player and
    co-leader of the Osborne Brothers bluegrass band. He has been extremely
    outspoken on the subject. I once saw Sonny on the old "Backstage At The
    Opry" TV show start to name some of those who were ruining the Opry. Bill
    Anderson stepped in and steered Sonny away from a potentially embarrassing
    incident. The Osbornes have a web site and I'm certain that Sonny would like
    to hear from those who have opinions, pro or con, on his viewpoint. If
    interested, you can access the site at: [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 12:33:50 -0500
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re:Distaff SFX "artists".

    Herb Harrison asked of [removed]

>     Does he know of any "sound effects women"; and if so, were any as
>     talented as their male counterparts?

    I seem to recall that there was one female SFX technician who worked at CBS
    NY. I refreshed my memory, and found her name in Arthur Anderson's book
    about "Lets Pretend" It was Ora Nichols. I think I only worked with her once
    when I was quite young, and can't give an opinion one way or 'tuther if I
    had to compare her talents with her male counterparts. But I would expect
    that they were formidable. One does not remain employed by a major network
    if they aren't very capable.

    As for NBC NY, I'm not aware of any female SFX technicians. It may have been
    possible, but I never worked with any. The only female that I know that had
    anything to do with Sound Effects, was when a female Guest Relations Page
    name Neil married one of our neat "Archie" SFX guys named Sam Monroe. :)

    A possible reason for the lack of female SFX technicians may sound very
    chauvinistic, but it was "Politically Correct" at the time. Back then, women
    were considered to be the frail, weaker sex, and strange as it may seem,
    many sound effects required muscular strength. The dropping of heavy sand
    bags to replicate the sound of a body falling comes to mind. As was the
    device mentioned in yesterdays digest about the frame with wooden pegs that
    was used to sound like troops marching. (It wasn't something light in
    weight, and could tire one's arms if the effect was to last any length of
    time). Then too, the sounds of a struggle often required the SFX man to
    literally beat his chest, arms and thighs. (The less masochistic ones beat
    on sand bags and thick pads). Then too, a large heavy piece of sheet metal,
    hung from a massive frame, was often used to make the sound of "Thunder"
    when it was grabbed and shaken. Hitting it with a padded mallet didn't
    produce the same realism. Car crash recordings were not always used, and if
    it was a comedy program, heavy pieces of metal could be thrown (bumpers,
    tire rims, etc,) if the director wanted to amuse the audience with a
    prolonged dismantling of a car. (Much like Megee's Closet)

    I can't speak for the west coast SFX personnel.

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #15
    ********************************************

    Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
      including republication in any form.

    If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
       [removed]

    For Help: [removed]@[removed]

    To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]

    To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
      or see [removed]

    For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
      in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]

    To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]

    To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]