Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #6
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 1/5/2007 11:55 AM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2007 : Issue 6
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      More on silent movies and radio       [ "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@sbcglob ]
      Jerry's podcast                       [ Jim Beck <jbeck57143@[removed]; ]
      Re: Fibber McGee and Molly on TV, bu  [ Al Girard <24agirard24@[removed] ]
      Fibber And Molly-Television           [ "Tim Lones" <tlones1@[removed]; ]
      Request for Information               [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      Re: 3D                                [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      3-D Film Director, Film               [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
      Jerry's Podcast                       [ "Jerry Haendiges" <jerryhaendiges@c ]
      [removed] Griffith on the radio            [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      More on the FOURBLE TABLE             [ "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@sbcgloba ]
      Tune into Yesterday newsletter        [ Graeme Stevenson <graemeotr@[removed] ]
      reel to reel machine                  [ "Walden Hughes" <walden1@yesterdayu ]

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

    Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2007 23:34:39 -0500
    From: "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More on silent movies and radio

    Hi!  I wanted to add just a few more comments and thoughts about Hollywood
    and radio during the 'silent' film era.  I think that Hollywood was able to
    take advantage of radio and vice versa, as soon as the sound medium began in
    1922 or so.  Although at first, not a lot of people had radios in their
    homes.

    But as I said, Los Angeles radio stations were able to promote the Hollywood
    film talent right from the start.  I mentioned such luminarires as Douglas
    Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, allowing the public to hear what they sounded
    like, on KHJ radio, owned by the Los Angeles Times newspaper, which did a
    lot of movie adverstising in its pages.  Aside from a few juvenile screen
    actors who were also featured regularly on  KHJ's children's program each
    night between 1922-1927, I found a story from the [removed] Times late-1923 about
    child star Jackie Coogan being featured on a special KHJ broadcast.  An ad
    in the April 6, 1924 issue of "Radio Doings" magazine lists the program
    schedule for KNX, the "California Theatre Radiophone" station at 810 South
    Main Street.  The broadcasts mostly featured the 50-piece theater orchestra,
    playing music associated with whatever movie was playing that week.  And
    below the KNX program schedule is an ad for the movie theater.

    I found a "Radio Digest" article from November 14, 1925 titled "KFWB, Where
    Screen Stars Are Air Stars."  Warner Brothers Pictures chief Jack Warner is
    quoted in the story about radio and the movies: "There are some who think
    that in attaching a radio station to our picture studio, we are fighting our
    own interests and creating formidable opposition for ourselves.  We believe
    the contrary to be the case and are confident we are increasing the number
    of our friends and patrons for the entertainment we nightly broadcast,
    places us in more intimate contact with the public and increases the
    friendly feeling they have for Warner Bros.  We are using radio as it is
    today--not what it will be tomorrow, although I confidently expect that in
    time, the radio and the picture business must join forces permanently to
    produce a superior type of entertainment that will combine all the elements
    of the stage, the screen and radio."

    Interesting and ironic that after 81 years in Hollywood, radio station KFWB
    left Hollywood last year for the Wilshire District of Los Angeles, along
    with now-co-owned KNX, and that today there are no longer any [removed] radio
    stations located in Hollywood!

    Someone mentioned Al Jolson this week.  A small blurb in "Radio Doings"
    magazine of July 30, 1927 says Jolson was then making a movie at Warner
    Brothers, "in which the Vitaphone is being used."  I suppose this was for
    "The Jazz Singer."  The small article goes on to say that Al Jolson has sung
    only once over the radio, for a Mississippi Valley flood relief fund show.
    But, it was believed that he would be heard over KFWB before leaving
    California.  Somewhere, I have another newspaper story from 1928, which
    listed Al Jolson as performing on KFWB radio, as he was in town again to
    make a movie at Warners.  And again, on March 4, 1929, Jolson was one of
    several film stars and other entertainers to help KFWB celebrate its 4th
    anniversary on the air.

    A new radio station went on the air in Beverly Hills in early
    [removed], it was a station that began in 1927, and was sold to real
    estate developer Ernest J. [removed]'s debut was filled with Hollywood
    greats who made Beverly Hills their new home.  The station later became KMPC
    in 1930, which years later was owned by Gene Autry.

    The silent movie actors of the day also appeared in the newspaper and
    magazine print ads for radios, and I have a couple of black and white
    pictures of some circa 1925 or so MGM actors posing next to the
    battery-operated radios of the day.  As talkies came in, a 1929 story
    showing movie actress Clara Bow at the KNX microphone, proclaims the
    headline "Talkies Lead Movie Stars to Radio; Everyone Wants to Broadcast, It
    Appears."  And in the trade news of a 1929 radio magazine, a photo ad for
    Kolster radios shows blonde actress Ruth Taylor with Buddy Rogers and two
    others at the Paramount Studios, as "they tune the KNX Concert Orchestra on
    her Kolster set."  At that time, KNX radio had moved its radio studios and
    offices to the Paramount-Lasky movie studio in Hollywood.  Also at the time,
    a small 'limited time' radio station, KFVD, moved to the Hal Roach Movie
    Studio in Culver City, where it stayed for two years.

    So, there are plenty of examples from the silents to the early talkies of
    radio and the movies working together.

    Jim Hilliker
    Monterey

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

    Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2007 23:36:16 -0500
    From: Jim Beck <jbeck57143@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jerry's podcast

    You can put iTunes on your computer even if you don't
    have an iPod. You might get a message about there not
    being an iPod to connect to (or something like that- I
    can't remember), but you can ignore it. I've been able
    to download several podcasts. I don't know if there
    are any podcasts that actually do require an iPod to
    subscribe to or download, but iTunes itself doesn't
    require one.

    However, I don't know if Jerry's doing something
    different with his podcasts. I was able to download
    August 8, 2006 with no problem. I checked to see if
    the remaining ones, until the most recent one, would
    download-I would start downloading then stop-just to
    see if they would download, and I had no problems
    until November 18, 2006. Then they wouldn't download.
    I get a message about an unknown error.

    Other than that I've had no problems subscribing to
    and downloading podcasts without an iPod.

    Jim

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 00:12:15 -0500
    From: Al Girard <24agirard24@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Fibber McGee and Molly on TV, but without
     the Jordans

    The reason that Jim and Marian Jordan did not appear on TV is simple.
    They had absolutely no interest in leaving radio for television.

    Al Girard

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 00:12:49 -0500
    From: "Tim Lones" <tlones1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Fibber And Molly-Television

         Fibber McGee and Molly has become one of my all time favorite radio
    shows.  I love the Midwestern feel Jim nd Marian gave to their
    [removed] far as why they didnt do TV, I have read that NBC pushed for
    them to do a TV pilot, but they [removed] as to why:They may have
    felt their style of program wouldnt translate well to [removed] Don Quinn
    had left by the early 1950's. Plus by the early 1950's neither Jim Nor
    Marian Jordan were all that young anymore and they may not have wanted to go
    through the extra grind of TV production.

         Marion was starting to become ill by the mid 50's and would pass away,
    sadly in 1961.  NBC, owning the Fibber McGee and Molly property, finally
    decided to produce the TV show on their own for [removed] was said
    previously, the show was not [removed]'ve seen the first episode on
    [removed] Lewis made a passable Molly McGee, but Fibber (Bob Sweeney) was
    written all wrong.  Was nice to see Harold Peary, but not as Mayor
    [removed] should have been [removed]

         Jim Jordan did make one TV [removed] 1976 on Chico And The Man
    (NBC)..He also did a commericial for AARP (American Association of Retired
    Persons)

    Tim Lones

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 00:12:59 -0500
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Request for Information

    Folks;

       Received this request for assistance; please contact Ms. Moore directly.
    But I'd appreciate if information could be copied to the list as well, since
    this is an area that, excluding the occasional A&A discussions, isn't
    generally touched on here, yet one I'd like to learn more about.

             Charlie

    - ---

    From:  	"Karla Moore" <karla1908@[removed];

    I'm co-chair with Joan Valentina, of the AFTRA NY Locals EEO Committee.  This
    year for our Black History Month program we are focusing on Black Pioneers of
    Early Radio as our topic and theme to coincide with 70th anniversary of the
    founding of AFTRA's parent/predecessor union, AFRA, The American Federation
    of Radio Artists. As you undoubtedly know, AFRA was founded in August 1937 in
    New York City by several leading performers in radio, as well as stage,
    screen, sound recordings, etc, chief among them was Eddie Cantor.  Cantor is
    largely credited with steering the idea of an independent union for radio
    performers to completion after being rebuffed in his attempts to convince
    Actor's Equity and the Screen Actor's Guild, both of which he was a member,
    that radio was more than a fad and that performers working in this medium
    were artists who deserved union protection.

    Anyway, what I'm looking for is likely to be a needle in a haystack: copies
    of recordings  of early radio programs that featured Black performers such as
    John Canada Lee, Gertrude Jeanette, Earle Hyman, Ruby Dee, Juanita Howard,
    Paul Robeson and others.  Specifically seeking copies that could be borrowed
    or rented of any of the programs which John Canada Lee announced or narrated
    and radio serials such as "The Story of Ruby Valentine," or variety programs
    or serials which featured performers such as Ms. Jeanette. Any leads or
    assistance in locating such materials AND/OR New York based scholars or
    historians who could facilitate a panel discussion of the period from the
    20's - 50's including the social conditions and the significance of
    Negro/Black/African American writers, actors, musicians who worked in radio
    during this period would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.

    Thanks,
    Karla

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 07:49:53 -0500
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: 3D

    Larry Moore <Rentingnow@[removed]; commented:

>     But 3-D is fun particularly when things are
>     thrown into  the audience.  If my memory serves
>     me there was one film - House of Wax?-  in which
>     the director had only one eye.  To say the least
>     there were  problems in the shooting of the film.

    No doubt he was unable to fully appreciate it,
    but it probably wasn't too great a handicap; 3D
    only works up to about 12 feet away; depth beyond
    that is inferred by other indications we pick up
    as we grow beyond infancy: relative size,
    atmospheric perspective, convergence, etc. So the
    scenes where things are thrown at the viewer,
    corpses fall at you, sharp things are jabbed at
    your eye, etc., are almost essential for people
    to even notice the 3D. I recall once my family
    taking my great-grandmother along to an early 3D
    movie. We thought she would be amazed. She had
    come to East Tennessee from North Carolina as a
    young girl in a covered wagon and the world had
    changed greatly since then. Unfortunately the
    effect of the 3D movie was lost on her. She
    refused to wear the glasses the theater supplied
    saying that she already had glasses of her [removed]
    couldn't seem to make her understand she needed
    the polarized kind.

    Though your eyes can only perceive depth to about
    12 feet, some photos have been taken wherein
    depth is perceived at a much greater distance.
    This is done by placing the two cameras (or two
    shots with a single camera) more than the
    standard two inches (as I recall) apart. By
    placing the shots a hundred feet apart or so one
    can see depth between mountain peaks miles away.
    I've seen an old photo of New York around the
    late 20's. It was no doubt taken from the same
    plane at two locations far removed from one
    another. The depth within and beyond the
    buildings, going way out into the countryside, is
    striking and puzzling; our brain knows there's
    something wrong with this picture.

    Years ago I got very interested in 3D and decided
    to use a 3D cover sheet with my resume, figuring
    prospective employers would at least have to pick
    it up and take a look through the glasses I
    provided. I didn't get that many art jobs thereby
    - or any other way I ever came up with - but you
    can see the results at
    [removed] (you'll need some
    red and blue 3D glasses). The ironic thing is
    that a few years ago I lost my left eye; my
    doctor said it was probably the boxing. So I can
    no longer see this, or anything else, in 3D.
    Except on OTR in the pitch darkness. I still have
    one good eye, but none to spare, making the
    preservation of OTR all the more important to me.
    Others on this list can relate better than I the
    importance visually-impaired people place on
    stories seen only by the mind's eye.

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 07:50:38 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  3-D Film Director, Film

    Larry Moore motes, anent 3-D films,

>     But 3-D is fun particularly when things are thrown into  the audience.
>     If my memory serves me there was one film - House of Wax?-  in which the
>     director had only one eye.  To say the least there were  problems in the
>     shooting of the film.

    The film in question is Homdo, starring John Wayne, which was directed by
    John Ford.  This film was shot in color, and was shown over standard
    television using a two-color process some time in the 1980s.  Viewed
    without the glasses, it was acceptable as a standard color film; with the
    glasses, it was a 3-D film.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 08:50:45 -0500
    From: "Jerry Haendiges" <jerryhaendiges@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jerry's Podcast

    Kurt wrote,

>     Subject:  Jerry's podcast
>     In the beginning Jerry's podcasts were standard mp3 files.  Apparently you
>     can only use Itunes to get them, which puts those without ipods out in the
>     nether darkness.  It is really cold and quiet out here!  Kurt

    	Hi Kurt,

    	Our Podcast versions of our long-running Same Time, Same Station
    broadcasts have always been and still are in standard mp3 format.  We use
    iTunes because our research indicates it is the oldest, largest and I feel
    best service of its kind.  It was our intention to get programs out to the
    largest audience possible.  To access our new Site and go directly to iTunes
    go to [removed] and click on "Click here to subscribe to the FREE
    podcast in iTunes".  I think the popularity of iTunes is exemplified in the
    fact that we had over 1500 subscribers within two weeks of launching our
    OTRPod Site.

    	Although the term "Podcast" refers to an iPod player, you do not
    need to have an Apple iPod to download or listen to the programs.  Any mp3
    player will work.  You do, however need to install the iTunes software on
    your computer.  Although this is Apple software, it does not require an
    Apple computer.  I works just fine on a PC.  The software is quick and easy
    to install.  Once the software is installed, you can easily listen to or
    download any of the programs in mp3 format. iTunes, the software and our
    broadcasts are all free with no obligations and no spyware.

    	Although you don't need to subscribe to iTunes, I recommend you do
    so.  We are using the email addresses from the subscriptions to notify
    subscribers of changes and special offers in our new subscription based mp3
    download Site, RadioMP3s.  We feel this is an exciting new venture for us
    that will allow people to download our high-quality programs at
    [removed] which, heretofore have only been available on our CDROMs
    at [removed]

    	We are investigating alternates to iTunes, but to date, we have only
    received two complaints from people who either didn't like or didn't know
    how to use iTunes.  On the other hand, we have had several messages
    complimenting us on the [removed] commenting on the quality of
    the programming.  I would certainly like to hear from any of you who use
    alternate programs and please tell us why you feel they are better.  Again
    we have no problem with adding additional delivery methods in the future if
    the need is there.

    If you have any questions or requests, please feel free to contact me.

         Jerry Haendiges

         Jerry@[removed]  562-696-4387
         The Vintage Radio Place   [removed]
    [removed]  [removed]
         Largest source of Old Time Radio Logs, Articles and programs on the Net

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Ok, I think we've hashed this out enough now. There is a
    legitimate "other side of the coin" view of iTunes, but I will not get into
    it here - contact me privately if you're interested in balancing this opinion
    with the reverse. Otherwise, this discussion has gone about as far as
    necessary on the Digest, I think.  --cfs3]

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 08:38:48 -0500
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  [removed] Griffith on the radio

    Over a period of time I downloaded a number of radio columns from the
    Chicago Daily Tribune by Larry Wolters who served as the radio and TV
    columnist from 1929 until 1965 when he retired.  I had always found his
    column as another good source for radio researchers especially about the
    great Chicago radio years.  I recently started to read them to perhaps find
    some interesting items to share with the OTR newsletter group.   Trivia and
    a lot more.

    In the first column I recently read  I was surprised to find a timely
    reference to [removed] Griffith, whose name had come up in recent newsletters.
    This information may have already been provided to the OTR newsletter, since
    I am missing a few newsletters (and other mail I should have received, but
    that's another story).

    from the Chicago Daily Tribune, Jan 1, 1933

    "David Wark Griffith, dean of motion picture directors, has turned his
    talents to radio and will make his debut on a 24 week series at 6:15 [removed]
    Tuesday over [removed] of Hollywood life are to be presented by the
    cinema genius."

    Some other items:

    "'Milligan and Mulligan' a new detective sketch goes on the air over W-G-N
    at 10:15 tomorrow night [Jan 2, 1933].  ... 15 minutes every night except
    Sunday."  Stars were Don Ameche as Ed Milligan of the Milligan Detective
    Agency and Bob White [Dr. Petrie of Fu Manchu, Rin Tin Tin] as Mickey
    Mulligan, his goofy assistant."

    "Hendrick Willem Van Loon said something in this sentence:  'American radio
    needs less body building food for infants and more brain building food for
    adults.'"

    Al Jolson, in town for a week told Larry that he was still frightened by the
    microphone, said his favorites were Ben Bernie, Fred Allen, "whom he regards
    as one of the rare original jokesmiths on the air", March of Time, Jessica
    Dragonette, Sisters of the Skillet and added that Amos 'n Andy was still the
    best.

    Musical radio performers/programs mentioned:
    Frank Black's singing violins
    Comedy trio "Three Public Enemies"
    Lighthouse Serenaders, a dance orchestra, of 12 blind men
    Wendell Hall, the Red Headed Music Maker
    Phil Ohman and Victor Arden
    Harriet Cruise of 'the tear-stained voice'
    Charlie Agnew, his orchestra and singing young men

    That's All Folks,
    Irene

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 13:27:52 -0500
    From: "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: "The Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More on the FOURBLE TABLE

    I recorded "The Thing on Fourble Table" in 1984 and hadn't heard until a few
    day ago when  I read, in OTR DIGEST, how great it is. Well I didn't like it
    in 1984 and I still don't like it in 2007.

    "Dennis Crow asks: "When did "The Thing on the Fourble Board" become so
    highly regarded; when did its reputation start to build, and more to the
    point, why?"

    To answer is question it's a matter of opinion, likes and dislikes. I read
    John Dunning's  "On The Air" he called "Quiet Please" an under heard dark
    fantasy. It was on at various times and various day, Sunday afternoons,
    Monday nights from 1947 to 1949.
    Ernest Chappell was a real pro he was the announcer on Campbell Playhouse,
    The Big Story, Adv. of Ellery Queen and other network programs. A great
    radio Voice. If the show is so great why didn't last in a regular time slot
    and [removed] listeners didn't like it. Never had a Sponsor .

    If the Madam Patricia, professional writer, had written her review, as she
    did in OTR 4, Quiet Please would still be on the [removed] But not for me.

    The opinionated Frank McGurn

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 13:29:02 -0500
    From: Graeme Stevenson <graemeotr@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Tune into Yesterday newsletter
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Readers of the OTR Digest in the UK might be interested to know that Issue 49
    of Tune into Yesterday is now available from the Old Time Radio Show
    Collectors Association.
      The new edition includes articles about how the BBC monitored German radio
    domestic coverage of the Nuremberg Trials in 1946,  disc restoration,
    archiving OTR on mp3, and the earliest surviving recordings from AFN London
    1943 - 45.
      OTR recordings are also available to hire for members.
      The newsletter costs [removed] pound ( cheques payable to ORCA ) and is
    available from:
      John Wolstenholme, PO Box 1922, Dronfield, Sheffield, S18  8XA

      Graeme Stevenson ( Editor - TIY Newsletter )

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

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

    Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 13:29:15 -0500
    From: "Walden Hughes" <walden1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  reel to reel machine

    Hi Everybody,

    we are in the process of transferring high quality reel to reel on to audio
    cd that will be shared  in the OTR hobby.  We are trying to find good
    working reel to reel machine to continue this project.  Please contact me
    off list, if you can help.  Take care,

    Walden Hughes

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #6
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