Subject: [removed] Digest V2009 #169
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 9/4/2009 4:18 PM

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

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2009 : Issue 169
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      9-2 births/deaths                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      9-3 births/deatjs                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      ROCHESTER'S LAST JACK BENNY APPEARAN  [ "Andolina, Joe" <Joe_Andolina@cable ]
      Mickey Rooney                         [ wayne_johnson@[removed] ]
      Two WLW Items                         [ "mmartini@[removed]" <mmartini ]
      Re: Paging Michael [removed]          [ Michael Hayde <mikeh0714@[removed]; ]
      Re: WLW Backup Power story            [ Marvin Bensman <mbensman@[removed] ]
      "Polish Eagle Show" 75th Anniversary  [ Bill Knowlton <udmacon1@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:41:43 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  9-2 births/deaths

    September 2nd births

    09-02-1894 - Emil Birnbaum - d. 12-22-1983
    orchestra leader, violinist: KOMO Seattle, Washington
    09-02-1896 - Amanda Randolph - Louisville, KY - d. 8-24-1967
    actor: Mama "Amos 'n' Andy"; Oriole "Beulah"
    09-02-1898 - Arthur Young - Bristol, Gloucestershire, England - d.
    2-24-1959
    actor: Junior Fitz "Ma Perkins"; Son "The Baxters"
    09-02-1901 - Phil Napoleon - Boston, MA - d. 9-13-1990
    bandleader: "Napoleon's Retreat"
    09-02-1902 - Henry J. Taylor - Chicago, IL - d. 2-24-1984
    commentator: 'Your Land and Mine"; "News Commentary"
    09-02-1904 - Set Svanholm - Vasteras, Sweden - d. 10-4-1964
    tenor: "Drene Time"
    09-02-1904 - Vera Vague (Barbara Jo Allen) - NYC - d. 9-14-1974
    comedian: "Vera Vague Show"; "Bob Hope Show"; "Jimmy Durante Show"
    09-02-1907 - Irving Miller - NYC - d. 4-13-1986
    musician: "Mel Blanc Show"; "Garry Moore Show"
    09-02-1909 - Adrienne Marden - Cleveland, OH - d. 11-9-1978
    actor: Patrica Jordan "Story of Bess Johnson"
    09-02-1912 - Phil Agresta - d. 7-25-1986
    sportscaster: WBT Charlotte, North Carolina
    09-02-1914 - Tom Glazer - Philadelphia, PA - d. 2-21-2003
    folk singer: "[removed] Radio Project"; "Living 1948"; "The Eternal Light"
    09-02-1917 - Cleveland Amory - Nahant, MA - d. 10-14-1998
    writer: "Brain Trust"
    09-02-1918 - Laurinda Almeida - Sao Paulo, Brazil - d. 7-16-1995
    guitarist: "Stan Kenton and His Orchestra"
    09-02-1925 - Russ Conway - Trever Stanford in Bristol, England - d.
    11-15-2000
    pianist: "Billy Cotton Band Show"
    09-02-1933 - James Villiers - London, England - d. 1-18-1998
    actor: Roderick Spode "The Code of the Woosters"

    September 2nd deaths

    01-09-1902 - Rudolf Bing - Vienna, Austria - d. 9-2-1997
    manager of the metropolitan opera: "Metropolitan Auditions"
    01-13-1918 - Steve Dunne - Northampton, MA - d. 9-2-1977
    actor: Sam Spade "Advs. of Sam Spade"
    01-14-1908 - Russ Columbo - Camden, NJ - d. 9-2-1934
    singer, bandleader: "Russ Columbo Show"
    02-23-1914 - Pat Flower - Kent, England - d. 9-2-1977
    writer: "Love Returns to Umbrizi"
    03-08-1899 - Gladys Thornton - Madison. Fl - d. 9-2-1964
    actor: Aunt Addie "My Son and I"; Mrs. Tasek "The O'Neills"
    05-07-1908 - Edmund MacDonald - Massachusetts - d. 9-2-1951
    actor: Tommy Hughes "Big Town"; Inspector Burke "Murder Will Out"   s
    05-12-1900 - Mildred McAfee - Parkville, MO - d. 9-2-1994
    navy's first female line officer: "Information Please"
    05-18-1907 - Clifford Curzon - London, England - d. 9-2-1982
    pianist: "March of Dimes"
    05-28-1928 - Billy Roy - Detroit , MI - d. 9-2-2003
    actor: "Smilin' Ed's Buster Brown Gang"
    08-01-1924 - Marcia Mae Jones - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-2-2007
    actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    08-10-1902 - Curt Siodmak - Dresden, Saxony, Germany - d. 9-2-2000
    film writer: "Suspense"
    08-22-1904 - Jay Novello - Chicago, IL - d. 9-2-1982
    actor: Sam Sabaaya "Rocky Jordan"; Glenn Hunter "One Man's Family"
    08-27-1896 - Morris Ankrum - d. 9-2-1964
    actor: "Shakespeare Festival"; "Campbell Playhouse"; "A Report to the
    Nation"
    08-31-1932 - Roy Castle - Scholes, England - d. 9-2-1994
    actor: "Castles on the Air"
    11-22-1911 - Frank Graham - Detroit MI - d. 9-2-1950
    actor: Diogenes Smith "Lum and Abner"; Jeff Regan "The Lion's Eye"

    Ron

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:41:55 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  9-3 births/deatjs

    September 3rd births

    09-03-1876 - Dick Teela - Wisconsin - d. 3-24-1971
    singer: "The Breakfast Club"
    09-03-1893 - Anthony Collins - Hastings, England - d. 12-11-1963
    composer: "Ceiling Unlimited"
    09-03-1897 - Sally Benson - St. Louis, MO - d. 7-19-1972
    writer: "Junior Miss"
    09-03-1899 - Ezra Taft Benson - Whitney, ID - d. 5-30-1994
    [removed] secratary of agriculture: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
    09-03-1901 - Mantan Moreland - Monroe, LA - d. 9-28-1973
    actor: "Rudy Vallee Presents the Drene Show"
    09-03-1903 - Carlton Beck - d. 1-21-1979
    newscaster: KOMA Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
    09-03-1909 - Dorothy Maynor - Norfolk, VA - d. 2-19-1996
    concert soprano: "For America We Sing"; "Freedom's People"
    09-03-1910 - Grace Matthews - Toronto, Canada - d. 5-15-1995
    actor: Ruth Evans Wayne "Big Sister"; Margo Lane "The Shadow"
    09-03-1910 - Kitty Carlisle - New Orleans, LA - d. 4-18-2007
    singer: "Song Shop"; "RCA Magic Key"
    09-03-1910 - Michael Eisenmenger - d. 3-14-2003
    sound effects: "Captain Midnight"; "Backstage Wife"
    09-03-1912 - Peter Capell - Berlin, Germany - d. 3-3-1986
    actor:"Dimension X"; "Romance"; "Secret Missions"
    09-03-1913 - Alan Ladd - Hot Springs, AR - d. 1-29-1964
    actor: Dan Holliday "Box 13"; "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Proudly We Hail"
    09-03-1918 - David Harmon - NYC - d. 8-28-2001
    writer: "America in the Air"; "Now Hear This"
    09-03-1918 - Donna King - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 6-20-2007
    singer: (The King Sisters) "Horace Heidt and His Brigadiers"; "Al
    Pearce and His Gang"
    09-03-1918 - Jimmy Riddle - Dyersberg, TN - d. 12-10-1982
    harmonica: "Grand Ole Opry"; "Crustene Ranch Party"; "Roy Acuff Show"
    09-03-1918 - Tom Dillon - Brooklyn, NY - d. 3-14-2005
    actor: "NBC University Theatre"
    09-03-1920 - Jackson Weaver - d. 10-20-1992
    actor: "A Bright Tomorrow"
    09-03-1922 - Burt Kennedy - Muskegon MI - d. 2-15-2001
    writer: Wrote for radio in late 1940s
    09-03-1924 - Shirley Shea - Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
    writer: "It Seems to Me"
    09-03-1925 - Hank Thompson - Waco, TX - d. 11-6-2007
    singer/guitarist: "Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys"
    09-03-1926 - Bill Flemming - Chicago, IL - d. 7-21-2007
    sports director: WUOM Ann Arbor, Michigan
    09-03-1926 - Irene Pappas - Chiliomodion, Greece
    actor: Greek Radio
    09-03-1938 - Glyn Worsnip - Highnam, England - d. 6-6-1996
    host: "Breakfast Time"; "Press Gang"

    September 3rd deaths

    02-03-1895 - Carl F. Kroenke - San Francisco, CA - d. 9-3-1956
    actor: Alec Furguson "Houseboat Hannah"; Dr. Glassman "Ma Perkins"
    03-27-1940 - Janis Martin - Sutherlin, VA - d. 9-3-2007
    rockabilly singer: "Army of Stars"; "Reflections By Starlight"
    04-15-1900 - Eddie Garr - Philadelphia, PA - d. 9-3-1956
    actor: (Father of Teri Garr) "Fleischmann's Yeast Hour"
    05-09-1915 - Hal Goodman - d. 9-3-1997
    comic writer: "Sweeney and March Show"; "Rochester Show"
    05-18-1897 - Frank Capra - Bisacquino, Sicily - d. 9-3-1991
    film director: "Gulf Screen Theatre"; "NBC Theatre"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
    05-19-1891 - Graham Harris - Haverhill, MA - d. 9-3-1946
    orchestra leader: "There Was a Woman"; "WPA Federal Music Concerts"
    06-02-1921 - Awdrey Hewlett - Maidenhead, England - d. 9-3-1995
    writer: "Clever Wife"
    06-07-1903 - Joseph Kahn - NYC - d. 9-3-1998
    pianist: "Voice of Firestone"; "Story of Mary Marlin"
    06-19-1919 - Pauline Kael - Sonoma County, CA - d. 9-3-2001
    film critic: Broadcast for Pacifica radio station
    07-08-1889 - Eugene Pallette - Winfield, KS - d. 9-3-1954
    actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"
    07-12-1913 - Maurice Rifkin - Ohio - d. 9-3-2001
    producer, syndicator: "The Guy Lombardo Show"; "Boston Blackie"
    09-27-1872 - Bentley D. Ackley - Spring Hill, PA - d. 9-3-1958
    pianist for Billy Sunday: "Back Home Hour"
    10-20-1905 - Frederic Dannay - NYC - d. 9-3-1982
    writer: "Adventures of Ellery Queen"; "The Shadow"; "Ford Theatre"
    11-04-1900 - Arthur Schwartz - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-3-1984
    composer: "The Gibson Family"
    11-10-1909 - Johnny Marks - Mount Vernon, NY - d. 9-3-1985
    songwriter, lyricist: "Great Moments in Music"
    12-13-1917 - David Street - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-3-1971
    actor, singer: "Music Depreciation"

    Ron

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:45:38 -0400
    From: "Andolina, Joe" <Joe_Andolina@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  ROCHESTER'S LAST JACK BENNY APPEARANCE

    Joe Postove asked about Rochester's last appearance with Jack Benny. Now
    I could be wrong, (and I'm assuming we're talking about including TV,
    not just radio), but I'm wondering if it might be on Jack Benny's 20th
    Anniversary Special on NBC TV from 11/16/70 which is available through
    Laura's wonderful and very valuable International Jack Benny Fan Club?
    Unless he made a quick cameo at the beginning of one of the other
    specials after that broadcast, my memory fails me on that.

    Joe

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:24:24 -0400
    From: wayne_johnson@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Mickey Rooney

    I saw Mickey Rooney in October 2007 in Cedartown, GA.  Sounds like the same
    "show" that Jan described.  As an extra, Mickey was totally annoyed with the
    sound guys and was quite verbal about it, never shakes hands with his fans
    (never even looked up at them that I ever saw) and as for that teleprompter,
    it was a 32 inch television propped at an angle so Mickey could see it.

    And you know what?  I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!  Why?  Because I got to see
    him from the second row, I was able to walk next to him as he made his way to
    the lobby thanks to some quick thinking from my wife, and I got to stand in
    front of him as he signed my program.  No matter what he is now, he is still
    a living legend and he was the top ranked star of the late 30s and early 40s.
    "History Walking" when there are so few left!

    Would I do it again?  I would.  I would drive the 100 miles from my house to
    Cedartown, GA again in a minute just to see him stumble over his lines and
    sing with his horse voice because when all is said and done, he is still
    Mickey Rooney: movie, radio and TV star.  And nothing can take that away from
    him ... or me.

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:25:20 -0400
    From: "mmartini@[removed]" <mmartini@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Two WLW Items

    Neal Ellis wrote about the WLW complete broadcast day, the day JFK was
    asassinated.  If anyone's curious, I have the background on the recording:
    At the WLW transmitter, in Mason, Ohio, there's a shelf behind the 1928
    Western Electric 50-Kw transmitter (which was used as the exciter for the
    500-Kw transmitter, but that's another story) and on the shelf are hundreds
    of "Soundscriber" reels.  This was a technology used primarily in court
    [removed] tape moves at a very, very slow speed and a rotating head (like
    on more recent VCR's) can put about a day's worth of programming on one tape.
    On playback, music doesn't sound too great but voices sound fine.  Basically,
    days were recorded for legal purposes and then the tape was re-used over and
    over.  Because of the events of the day, fortunately, this tape was ot
    reused.  In 2003, on the 40-th anniversary, engineers managed to rebuilt one
    of the soundscriber players for one more playback.  Thus the incredible
    recording survives.  By the way, just about ALL of the other tapes were
    re-used and reused until the machine was taken out of service in the early
    1980's.  Who knows what material was erased?

    Regarding the massive Crosley WLW [removed] was auctioned off about three
    years ago near Cleveland.  I actually drove up to see it and take pictures.
    It was amazing and only a few were built because of its size and expense.

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:26:28 -0400
    From: Michael Hayde <mikeh0714@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Paging Michael [removed]

    Craig W. asks if the oft-reported claim that radio's Superman, Bud Collyer,
    remained anonymous to listeners until 1946 is "one of 'those' myths about
    Network-Era radio."  Indeed it is, Craig.  I covered this in my new book,
    "FLIGHTS OF FANTASY: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's
    ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" (BearManor Media).  From page 30:

    - -----
    Collyer later recalled, "I fought with Bob Maxwell. I said, 'This is not for
    me.' The whole idea embarrassed me." To keep the actor he wanted, Maxwell -
    not for the only time in his career - lied.  "He said, 'Well, just audition
    and we'll use you all in some parts if it goes on the air,'" remembered
    Collyer.  "Well it [removed] and we came back in and he said (to me) 'You're
    Superman!'  I again took the scripts, handed them to him and tried to walk
    out and get out of the show.  I really fought to unload it right then and
    there!"

    Somehow Maxwell convinced Collyer to stick around. A few historians have
    speculated that the actor insisted on not being billed as a condition for
    accepting the job, but this is untrue. To begin with, Collyer was named in
    publicity and trade reviews, which meant his peers knew he was Superman from
    the start.  Additionally, TIME magazine ran an article about the series in
    its February 26 (1940) issue and identified him as the titular star, so the
    general public was equally aware.  Finally, despite not receiving billing on
    the program itself (no one did, throughout the transcribed series), Collyer
    never denied his part in the proceedings.
    - ------

    Michael

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:26:49 -0400
    From: Marvin Bensman <mbensman@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: WLW Backup Power story

    Is this story a myth?

    WLW installed a backup generator. Engineers tested it regularly for 10
    minutes. After a long time a power failure took place and the
    generator automatically kicked in as designed. It ran for 10 minutes
    and seized up. Apparently the testing had worn out the generator so it
    could not operate for more than the tested time.

    I do not recall where I heard about it, but it is a fascinatingly
    funny story. Anyone know if it is true?

    Prof. Emeritus Marvin R., Bensman

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

    Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:27:09 -0400
    From: Bill Knowlton <udmacon1@[removed];
    To: oldtime radio <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "Polish Eagle Show" 75th Anniversary!!
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    "The Victor Zembruski Polish Eagle Show," premering on WATR-AM, Waterbury CT
    in 1934, will celebrate its 75th anniversary next Sunday morning, Sept. 6th
    from 8:05 to 10 [removed] at 1320 AM or via [removed].

    After Victor's death in the 1960s his wife Sophie continued with the show
    until last year when her daughter Loretta Hoxie took over.

    According to Loretta the program will consist entirely of recordings the
    Victor Zembruski Orchestra recorded in the 1940s for Continental Records.

    At one time the "Polish Eagle Show" was heard in separate versions in Danbury,
    Norwich, New Haven and Ansonia CT and in Albany NY.

    BILL KNOWLTON

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    End of [removed] Digest V2009 Issue #169
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