Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #145
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 4/6/2003 9:03 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 145
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Some Comments from a Lurker           [ "Randall F. Miller Jr." <rfmillerjr ]
      new OTR books                         [ benohmart@[removed] ]
      Butterfly McQueen as Mary Livingston  [ "David Golumbia" <dgolumbi@mindspri ]
      cd/mp3 players                        [ Kurt E Yount <blsmass@[removed]; ]
      Re: Where's Wetzel                    [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      re: Great Gildersleeve                [ benohmart@[removed] ]
      Elizabeth's April Fool's joke and th  [ Michael Shoshani <shoshani@[removed] ]
      Re: "Prof." Pearson                   [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      In praise of Elizabeth                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      april fools joke                      [ "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@charter ]
      OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK Schedule for  [ HERITAGE4@[removed] ]
      historical stuff                      [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      REMINDER: OTR panel discussion CUNY   [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
      Tickets                               [ JayHick@[removed] ]
      April 7th Birth Dates                 [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Re: Elizabeth's great find            [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 18:07:43 -0500
    From: "Randall F. Miller Jr." <rfmillerjr1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Some Comments from a Lurker
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    1.  Elizabeth's April Fools joke.  I throughly enjoyed the joke.  It was well
    done and very funny.  I do not think that you really need to yell April Fool
    at the end of every joke of that time, especially when it is in print.  Did
    anyone happen to listen to NPR's All Things Considered on April 1st.  The last
    segment of the second hour (East Coast) was ten minutes of an interview with
    members of the Library of Congress searching for the "ultimate sound transfer
    medium" something that would be around and usable in 50 to 100 years.  They
    settled on Lacquer Discs at 78 rpm.  They were discussing how tedious it was
    dubbing a CD to many 2:30 discs, but that they would always be able to be
    played even if all you had was a thorn or "could sharpen a rock".  The last
    line of the story was they were working at a feverish pace 24 hours a day 7
    days a week and expected to be done by April 1, 2015 (or some other quite
    distant year).  That story had me completely fooled until I was relating it to
    a co-worker and realized that I had been had.
    Elizabeth keep up the good work.  What are you going to do next year.

    2.  Harry Bartell's last column.  I am very sorry to see that happen.  I
    really enjoyed them.  At no time did I feel that you lacked any creditiblity
    when it came to the "technical" side of Radio, or that you had some how had an
    incomplete take on the subject because you did not spend your youth listening
    to what we now call OTR.  I, for one would never question any of your
    comments.  I was not there.  They were your recollections, not mine.  You are
    more than welcome to your opinion of certain people.  That is what makes life
    so interesting.  I would like to see more of your recollections.  I enjoyed
    each one of them.

    Randy Miller
    Senior Engineer WITF-TV/FM Radio Pennsylvania

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

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 18:08:07 -0500
    From: benohmart@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  new OTR books

    Just a word to let you all know about the new otr books that are coming from
    BearManor Media, which you can pre-order now at [removed]
    (credit
    cards now accepted).

    The Baby Snooks Scripts - complete show scripts from Maxwell House Coffee Time
    and Good News. Never before published, they also include never-heard scripts,
    often
    being original drafts that are significantly different from the final
    scripts. Out in August.

    Information Please - Martim Grams Jr.'s definitive book on the famed quiz
    show will be
    out in September of this year, and will of course include the usual Grams
    attention to
    detail and trivia.

    Walter Tetley - the first biography of this little actor will have NEVER
    BEFORE SEEN
    radio credits and photos,  as it was written with the aid of Tetley's own
    scrapbooks. Out
    in December.

    Private Eyelashes - Jack French's long-awaited book on radio lady
    crimefighters will be
    out in January.

    Scenes For Actors and Voices - Daws Butler, voice of most of Hanna Barbera's
    cartoons (including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quickdraw
    McGraw),
    wrote these scenes for the actors in his voice workshop. His most famous
    student was
    Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson. Daws also gives vocal exercises and
    advice
    on the craft. The lengthy Foreword by Corey Burton (who works extensively for
    Disney,
    its theme parks and has tons of cartoon credits) is a wealth of information
    on how to
    become a voice actor today.

    Gildy's Scrapbook - the companion piece to the official biography of The Great
    Gildersleeve by Charles Stumpf and Ben Ohmart. Letters, articles and photos
    on the
    series and its players, including an introduction by Hal Peary's son Page.

    You can pre-order now and get free US shipping on everything. Enjoy!

    Ben

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 19:30:10 -0500
    From: "David Golumbia" <dgolumbi@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Butterfly McQueen as Mary Livingstone's maid

    Hello,

    A couple of months ago I posted a request for information regarding
    Butterfly McQueen's role as Mary Livingstone's maid on the radio Jack Benny
    program. Since then, I have been able to confirm that she does in fact
    appear on programs between October 1943 and May 1944, since these programs
    are widely available, and she identifies herself by name as Butterfly
    McQueen in a November 1943 episode. In fact, I recommend this string of
    programs, as McQueen's performance as Rochester's niece who becomes Mary's
    maid is quite funny and effective.

    By looking in the Jack Benny archives at UCLA, I found both Butterfly
    McQueen's 5-year contract with Jack Benny, and a subsequent contract
    negating this one issued in May 1944, just after the close of the radio
    season for the year. The latter contract clearly indicates it was McQueen's
    preference to drop from the show, and maintains Benny's interest in keeping
    the role going, up to and including McQueen changing her mind after signing
    the termination contract.

    However, despite many efforts, I've yet to find anyone who seems to know
    much about the circumstances regarding her departure from the show, and
    there seems to be nothing in Benny archives regarding it. I do not know of
    an Eddie Anderson archive that might contain more information, since he
    appears to have played a role in her getting the position on the Benny show
    (as he helped her get her part in Cabin in the Sky, where Anderson had a
    prominent part). Does anyone in OTR-land know where to go next? I've also
    tried looking to historians of Hollywood and black actors in Hollywood
    (since McQueen did subsequently reprise her maid role briefly in Mildred
    Pierce and Duel in the Sun, before retiring it permanently), but also
    without success, and any tips or thoughts would be most appreciated.

    David Golumbia
    dgolumbi@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 19:37:20 -0500
    From: Kurt E Yount <blsmass@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  cd/mp3 players

    I have to tell you that I was accused of perpetrating an April fools joke
    of my own concerning the CD/MP3 player discussed a couple of days ago on
    this list.  Well, I called Penneys and they don't carry electronics in
    most of their stores.  I am in Orange California and don't seem to be
    able to find a store that carries them.  Also the sale is apparently
    over.  If I hear anything more I will write back, since I think this is
    something many people are interested in.  Here is something I found
    later.  its a great CD MP3 player
    If the # below is not the sale price, which is now $20, the customer
    service rep will find it for you.

    DigiTech CD MP3 Player

    catalog #
    QF680-0366B
    phone #
    1-800-222-6161
    I hope this will help somebody who needs this kind of player.  Kurt

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 20:32:31 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Where's Wetzel

    On 4/5/03 6:32 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

>     Has anyone done any research to find the heirs of this person and contact
>     them? I think  any information regarding any previous attempts to research
>     this would be enlightening.

>     Perhaps Elizabeth (or anyone else) could add some light to this.

    There are three Maurice Wetzels listed in the Social Security Death
    Index, but unfortunately none of them are our man. One was born in 1912,
    but would be too young for our purpose. The other two were born in 1895,
    but the only solid lead I have on Maurice S. Wetzel of Chicago -- his
    listing in the 1930 U. S. Census -- shows his age to be thirty at the
    time of enumeration. Unless he was lying about his age to the enumerator,
    he's five years too young to be either of the Wetzels listed in the SSDI.

    He could be still alive -- extremely doubtful, but possible. Or, his
    death might never have been recorded by the SSA, which often happened
    with deaths before 1962.

    His wife Estelle was also 30 years old, and while it's more likely for a
    woman to live to age 103 than a man, I still wouldn't bank on this
    possibility. But when the census taker visited their home at -- on
    4/21/30, they reported a daughter by the name of Marjorie, age 1 1/2
    years. There could be other children born later on, but it was far less
    common for women to give birth after the age of 30 during the Depression
    years than it is today, so it's also possible that Marjorie was an only
    child. And it's very possible -- even likely -- that she's still alive.

    Where she is, however, is something of a blind alley at the moment.
    There's no public access yet to census information after 1930, making it
    difficult to trace the family's whereabouts, and without some idea of
    Marjorie Wetzel's married name -- assuming she married and changed her
    name -- it's almost impossible to trace her whereabouts today. There's no
    trace of "our" Estelle Wetzel's movements or eventual death in any of the
    databases I have access to. And without some positive documentation of
    either Wetzel's death, it's impossible, except by blind chance, to locate
    an obituary or any other data that would narrow the search for heirs.

    So, that's where I stand at the moment - the trail's gone cold.

    And that's what hard-core research is really like. It's not as glamorous
    or exciting as finding big piles of transcriptions, and it's also pretty
    darn frustrating sometimes. But somebody's gotta do it.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 21:04:03 -0500
    From: benohmart@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re: Great Gildersleeve

    Thanks for your compliment on the Great Gildersleeve book. It was fun to do. We may
    come out with an expanded version in a couple years.

    Shirley Mitchell is indeed still alive. I'm sorry I don't have a recent address for her. She
    was at the last Sperdvac convention though.

    Ben

    The Walter Tetley book:
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 21:04:21 -0500
    From: Michael Shoshani <shoshani@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Elizabeth's April Fool's joke and the
     aftermath

    After reading various responses, both congratulatory and incensed, I
    am finally moved to make the following observation:

    Elizabeth, like The Shadow, has the power to McLeod men's (and
    ladies') minds.

    Michael Shoshani
    Chicago IL

    ...and if that find DOES turn up, I want to see Elizabeth with the
    discs on a Fox, Hearst, or Pathe newsreel!

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 21:05:05 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: "Prof." Pearson

    On 4/5/03 6:32 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

>     I think I'd have caught on in the next-to-last paragraph. Karl Pearson
>     helping out? If my War of the Worlds memory is correct, the dear man was
>     at the observatory in Chicago which detected the Martians heading our
>     way. Amazing how he's still around after all these years, no?

    I wish I'd thought of an angle as clever as this, but actually Karl is a
    real person -- a longtime transcription disc collector in suburban
    Chicago who is a fellow transfer technician with the First Generation
    Radio Archives. We've been friends for several years, and have often
    discussed "what if" finds like this. (And he was kind enough to be the
    first person to send me congratulations after seeing the post. And after
    realizing he'd been had he got right into the spirit of the thing,
    suggesting a long list of potential additions to "the Find.")

    Karl does excellent work, by the way -- he's got a new CD set out, "Big
    Bands from Coast to Coast" that contains some really wonderful band
    remotes from 1934-1960, available on the "AudioFile" label.

>     PS-Elizabeth, what will you do for an encore?

    Finish answering the barrage of emails that resulted from this little
    escapade. Those who are still mad at me over this can seek solace in the
    knowledge that I'm serving my [removed]

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 22:26:11 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  In praise of Elizabeth

       Not to keep beating a dead horse, in re: to the recent flap about
    Elizabeth's April Fool joke, I at first was starting to believe it but
    then started thinking, "wait a minute" then got it about half way
    through and the line at the end were the shows would be available 4/1/04
    clinched it for me and I had a good laugh.
       Then the bombing started with people complaining they thought it was
    real (a good April Fool gag should really seem to be real or a "it could
    happen" reasoning to it).  Personally I think Elizabeth did a grand job
    in making it all seem so true.
       As for those who complain "I didn't read the digest until the day
    after".  Well, it was posted on the first, and if someone doesn't read
    it until a day or more later that's not the fault of the poster.
       I am reminded of the old line, "lighten up people".
       I can only imagine how Elizabeth must feel at some of the comments
    made.  Sheesh, when I do the today in radio history bits if I make a
    mistake (no matter how minor) do I hear about it!  But those are mostly
    in private e-mails, not in public to the entire list.
       So Elizabeth you have my support and thanks for the laugh.
       Joe

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

    Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 22:26:33 -0400
    From: "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  april fools joke

        There are some names of this list that stand out before others. In the
    past when I would see a posting by Elizabeth, I would take it seriously.
    Before April 1st, why would I have done anything otherwise? I am not
    knowledgable in the area of OTR "archaeology"--in the matter of old radio
    discoveries, I wouldn't know what is and what is not farfetched. Uncovering
    old material from the 1920s sounded pretty exciting to me.
        Elizabeth is no less an authority on this list than my doctor is to me
    on medical matters. Thank goodness my doctor doesn't play April Fools jokes
    when he gives me his diagnoses.
        I am disappointed that the cache doesn't exist. In that sense, the joke
    wasn't at all funny. I am glad, however, that some people enjoyed it.

    Mike Leannah
    Sheboygan, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 15:44:30 -0400
    From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK Schedule for Week
     of:  04/06/03

    Here's our shows for this week -  high-end streaming audio 24/7 At:
    [removed]

    SAME TIME, SAME STATION with Jerry Haendiges
    1. TONIGHT AT 8:30     2/16/45  "The Old Stage Door Keeper: Earl Lee"
    starring: Monty Margetta, Natalie Masters, Marsh Keats.
    2. CANDY MATSON   1/2/50    "NC9-8012"    stars Natalie Masters.
    3. THOSE MAD MASTERS    3/18/49   "World Speed-Writing Contest"
    with Natalie and Monty Masters.
    4. OFFICIAL DETECTIVE    11/29/56    "The Case of the Murdered Bridegroom"

    HERITAGE RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood
    1. GUEST:   Martin Grams, Jr., author of the brand new book about INNER
    SANCTUM MYSTERIES.
    2. INNER SANCTUM MYSTERIES   CBS  11/16/45   Boris Karloff stars in "The
    Wailing Wall"
    3. THE COLGATE SPORTS NEWSREEL with BILL STERN    NBC
    12/31/48 - The New Year's Eve show, with guest, George Raft.

    Enjoy !!       Tom & Jerry

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

    Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 15:44:42 -0400
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  historical stuff

    Andrew Godfrey writes, regarding historical stuff that gets thrown away by
    unknowing "tossters":

>     When Spike Jones died, most of his stuff (excluding radio and TV
>     shows)--scrapbooks, photos, personal papers, memorabilia etc--ended
>     up in the dumpsters at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Los
>     Angeles. By pure chance a couple of guys who happened to be rapid
>     Spike Jones fans stumbled on it and rescued much of it.

    I shop at thrift stores from time to time, and I see lots of vinyl records
    and cassette tapes for sale, due to the switch to digital disk media.
    I've bought a few records and tapes for my own listening pleasure because
    they were [removed]
    I wonder if anybody here has made some real "finds" at thrift stores. They
    don't have to be "lost episodes" or anything - just maybe records or tapes
    of artists or shows that they hadn't heard before, or "collections albums"
    that originally sold for $30 in 1978 that you found at the Salvation Army
    store for $[removed]

    Just curious,
    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 15:44:59 -0400
    From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  REMINDER: OTR panel discussion CUNY New
     York: April 9

    This is a reminder about the  panel discussion with four of all-time
    radios most distinguished and articulate actors(again co-sponsored by
    AARP The Magazine). I will be delighted to see or meet any of the
    digest's subscribers.

    It will be held at the Graduate Center of the City of University of New
    York this coming Wednesday April 9--1:30-3 PM.  The panel will consist of
    ARTHUR ANDERSON, MASON ADAMS, TERI KEAN, and DONALD BUKA

     The panel will consider radio's dramatic effects on American culture
    during the Golden Age of Radio.  This will include a look at how radio
    informed and entertained and how it helped create support for the war
    effort throughout World War II. Finally, the panel will consider radio's
    important role in shaping American race relations, family dynamics and
    relations between the sexes.

    Admission is $15 or $10 for AARP members

    Howard Blue

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

    Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 15:45:08 -0400
    From: JayHick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Tickets

    Can anyone help Rick?  His email is <oldtix@[removed];

    I'm a fan of OTR, with a special emphasis on collecting paper ephemera for
    the [removed] programs, advertising signs, premiums, magazines, etc.
    Of particular interest to me are tickets from the actual broadcasts.  My
    collection now contains over 1100 from radio, spanning the years from 1930 to
    1958.  Have you any knowledge of other collectors, or sellers, of tickets
    with whom I might correspond/buy/trade?

    Thanks so much for your help.  I look forward to hearing from you.

    Rick Payne
    974 Ridge Crest Drive
    Gahanna, Ohio 43230

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

    Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 15:45:18 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  April 7th Birth Dates

    If you were born on the 7th of April, you share your birthday with:

    04-07-1895 - Bert Wheeler - Paterson, NJ - d. 1-18-1968
    04-07-1897 - Walter Winchell - NYC - d. 2-20-1972
    04-07-1908 - Percy Faith - Toronto, Canada - d. 2-9-1976
    04-07-1915 - Billie Holliday - d. 7-17-1959
    04-07-1928 - James Garner - Norman, OK
    04-07-1933 - Wayne Rogers - Birmingham, AL
    04-07-1934 - Ian Richardson - Edinburgh, Scotland

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Make your day, listen to an Olde Tyme Radio Program

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

    Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 17:11:59 -0400
    From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Elizabeth's great find

    From: "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed];

>     It continues to amaze me that Jack Benny has over 800 shows that
>     were saved while Bob Hope only had 76.

    It continues to amaze me that some people still believe that unless a
    program is out there in the trading circuit--often in a seventeenth
    generation dub--and thus can be added to his personal collection, it has
    not been saved.  It was discussed in this digest not too long ago that in
    all probability ALL of Bob Hope's programs exist in his personal collection
    and many of them are in the NBC collection at LC.  I got a list of 250
    programs when I searched for "Bob Hope Show" on the SONIC search at the
    Library of Congress.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #145
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