Subject: [removed] Digest V2005 #81
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 3/12/2005 7:15 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2005 : Issue 81
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Paul Coates; Stan Freberg             [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
      The Goons, Warm Ups, and The Queen    [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Re: Jack Benny Meets Joe Friday       [ "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@ea ]
      Re: OTR announcer books               [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      3-13 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      More on Goon Show warm-ups (forgive   [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Stork Club Soap Characters            [ Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed] ]
      OTR Voices                            [ "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed]; ]
      Morton Downey                         [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      Today in radio history 13-19 March    [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Sheridan Downey                       [ <cooldown3@[removed]; ]
      Conklin Question                      [ "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@charter ]

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:48:03 -0500
    From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Paul Coates; Stan Freberg

    Ron Sayles noted Paul Coates' birthday a couple Digests ago.  I was unaware
    that he was a "Dragnet" writer and I hope Michael Hayde may be able to
    enlighten us  on his career with that program.  I remember Paul Coates from
    "Confidential File," which I believe to be the first television "tabloid"
    show.  Coates was fairly hard on celebrities of the day.

    Fellow Portlander, David Loftus, admires Stan Freberg, as do I along with
    many of the rest of us.  I was introduced to him through "Green Christmas,"
    which stirred quite a controversy in its day.  I still possess my original
    45rpm Capitol record of that great parody of cash registers ringing on
    Christmas Day.   Stan Freberg became the subject of much discussion here a
    few years ago.  While he is credited with writing many clever, well
    remembered commercials, the products he promoted were often lost in the
    wondrous nature of his funny. elaborate productions.  The example recalled
    by a few Digest correspondents was Ann Miller dancing on the soup can.  The
    dance is remembered but not the soup.  Has our thinking changed on how well
    Freberg's advertisements increased sales of their products?

    Dennis Crow

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:48:28 -0500
    From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Goons, Warm Ups, and The Queen

    Mike Hobart from down under commented on being confused for a moment while
    watching the TV version of "The Last Goon Show Of All" because they
    included the warn-up which had not been a part of the original radio
    broadcast.  Fortunately, in addition to it being included on the videotape
    of the program,  BBCV6386, it was also on the American pressing of the LP,
    BBC 22142 (I don't have a copy of the original British pressing, BBC REB
    142S, but I assume it is on there as well), and on the CD set, ZBBC 2014CD.
    That set is to be highly recommended because it also includes a wonderful
    documentary "at last the go on show" which includes segments from rehearsal
    recordings.  I should also point out that when you play the CD of the show,
    don't stop it when it is over.  Although it fades out when track 17 is at
    3:25, the total timing of that last track is really 4:54.  At 4:35 the
    audio resumes with an unbroadcastable limerick by Sellers, accompanied by
    much laughter by Sir Harry.  This bonus feature is not on the American LP
    and was probably not on the British LP either.  I am not sure of the
    cassette set ZBBC 2014, and I will have to check out the videotape -- I
    don't think I ever let the videotape continue to run.

    Audience warm ups. of course, were an important part of radio, and still is
    used in TV although probably not as skillfully.  Some programs like "Truth
    or Consequences" wanted the program to start with a huge outburst of
    laughter from the audience and were timed to the second so that someone
    dropped his pants (or something like that) at the instant the air show
    started.  I feel very lucky that I was able to attend a taping of a couple
    of Garry Moore versions of "To Tell The Truth" which featured Johnny Olson
    as announcer.  Olson did the warm up, and it was the highlight of the
    afternoon.  For the life of me I can't remember what kind of warm up we had
    when I saw a taping of "The Dick Cavett Show" which had Fred Foy as the
    announcer, of course.  I don't recall Fred doing a warm up, and that would
    have disappointed me.  Many of the TV shows now have some comedy club
    reject doing the warm ups instead of the announcer like they did in the old
    days.

    The warm up on the "Last Goon Show of All" is interesting in that you get a
    totally different impression when you can't see it.  On the audio-only
    version we do get this absolutely thrilling rendition of "Falling In Love
    With Love" by Sir Harry Secombe, and except for some machine gun sound
    effects, seemingly the only humor is the kettle drum hits which Sir Harry
    identifies as being done by Peter Sellers.  On the video you can indeed see
    that Sellers is at the tympani, but you also get to see all of the other
    (unheard) sight gags Sir Harry has to overcome while he is singing.  While
    the audio version of the song is merely thrilling, the video version will
    have you rolling on the floor.   This, of course might bring up a
    discussion of whether it would be proper to be doing sight gags in a radio
    show to get a studio audience reaction that the radio audience would not
    understand (such as when Eddie Cantor allegedly goosed his female guest
    stars.)  But since the Goon warm-up was not intended for radio broadcast,
    they can be forgiven.  They stick to the script during the program itself.

    One last thought about another thread, descriptions of family togetherness
    while listening to radio in the Good Old Days.  It is well known that
    Prince Charles was a major fan of The Goons, and sent a message to the show
    about being jealous that his sister, Princess Anne, and his father, Prince
    Philip, were in the audience.  This brings to mind a question of what the
    scene might have looked like of the Royal Family clustered around the radio
    in Buckingham Palace listening to The Goon Show.

    Michael Biel   mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:49:29 -0500
    From: "Michael J. Hayde" <michaelhayde@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Jack Benny Meets Joe Friday

    Derek Tague wrote:

>     I'm sure Mr. Dragnet himself, Michael Hayde, would be able to confirm my
>     suspicions
>     that this special also marked the last time Jack Webb and Harry Morgan
>     appeared
>     together in character as Sgt. Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon.

    Yes, indeed, Mr. Ether!  Although Morgan looked a little out-of-place this
    time around: he was sporting the sideburns and mustache he'd grown for his
    recurring role on "Hec Ramsey" - a Mark VII Ltd. production starring another
    long-time Webb buddy, Richard Boone.

    I wrote briefly about this bit in "My Name's Friday," but if anyone would
    like to read a transcript of the entire sketch, it can be found here:
    [removed]

    There's also a nice color photo of Webb and Benny from this show.  I love
    this photo because Webb's first starring radio series was the comedic "The
    Jack Webb Show" of 1946 - a program clearly modeled after Benny's.  Although
    Webb is the authority figure, there's a sort of "student-mentor" aspect to
    the shot that fascinates me.

    Hopefully, one day the show will turn up in someone's archive and Laura Leff
    can make it available to IJBFC members.

    Michael

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:47:37 -0500
    From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: OTR announcer books

    Kenneth Clarke suggested that a book about the OTR announcers be written,
    and Derek Tague and Our Fearful Leader Charlie Summers agreed and mentioned
    a few books.  Not that I wish to dissuade anyone from tackling this job,
    but it has already been done.  One of the most valuable books on my OTR
    shelves is "Golden Throats and Silver Tongues" by the late Ray Poindexter,
    who had previously written the definitive history of radio in his home
    state, "Arkansas Airwaves."  Self published in 1978 thru River Road Press
    in Conway, Arkansas, "GT&ST" lists perhaps 950 announcers and personalities
    in its index.  You would be hard pressed to find someone from the pre-1945
    era missing from this book.

    I was partially responsible for helping Ray get this book off the ground.
    Broadcasting had published a letter to the editor from me where I had
    included a mention that in my research I had read thru every page of
    Broadcasting from their first issue in 1931 thru 1936.  Ray sent me a
    letter asking how I had gotten access to this, and I wrote back telling him
    that Northwestern University had bound volumes on its shelves back to 1934
    and that I had gone thru the earlier years at NBC's research library.  But
    I also told him that it was now available on microfilm which could be
    purchased by individuals as well as libraries.

    He immediately bought a set thru 1945 and began making an extensive file of
    every mention of announcers.  Every issue included a listing of people in
    the industry who had been hired or who had moved from one station to
    another.  Thru this it was possible to follow the early careers of the
    famous, the unknowns, and the unknowns who would later become famous.
    There also were frequent profiles of stations, programs, and personalities
    which would provide further information which often had never been
    published elsewhere.  To top it off, Ray formed an "announcers club" and
    asked OTR announcers to "join" (it was free) and contribute their stories
    to the newsletter.  He stopped publishing the newsletter while he wrote the
    book, and I don't think he restarted it afterwards.

    I find this book a very valuable resource.  It's index is often the first
    place I look when a question about an announcer comes up.

    Ray passed away in 1988, and I just came across a notation on the web that
    brings joy to my heart:  "The Poindexter Committee, named in Ray's honor,
    was organized in 2003 by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School
    of Mass Media to extend Poindexter's work in better documenting the history
    of Arkansas electronic media."  Hopefully this is where his files have been
    deposited.  I'll be driving thru Little Rock in a couple of weeks on my way
    to and from the ARSC Conference, and might try to stop by.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:48:11 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  3-13 births/deaths

    March 13th births

    03-13-1873 - Nellie Revell - Springfield, IL - d. 8-12-1958
    commentator: "Neighbor Nell"; "Meet the Artist"
    03-13-1896 - Leona Powers - Salida, CO - d. 1-7-1970
    actress: Mrs. Bixby "My Son Jeep"; [removed] Brown "Aldrich Family"
    03-13-1898 - Henry Hathaway - Sacramento, CA - d. 2-11-1985
    film director: "Screen Director's Playhouse"
    03-13-1907 - Frank Wilcox - DeSoto, MO - d. 3-3-1974
    actor: Father "Central City"
    03-13-1908 - Paul Stewart - NYC - d. 2-17-1986
    actor: Gyp Mendoza "Life Can Be Beautiful"; Richard Rogue "Rogue's
    Gallery"
    03-13-1910 - Sammy Kaye - Lakewood, OH - d. 6-2-1987
    bandleader: (Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye) "Sunday Serenade"
    03-13-1911 - James T. Quirk - d. 1-18-1969
    announcer, station program director Philadelphia, PA
    03-13-1911 - L. Ron Hubbard - Tilden, NE - d. 1-24-1986
    science fiction writer: "Dimension X"
    03-13-1913 - Harold J. Stone - NYC
    actor: Sergeant Waters "21st Precinct"
    03-13-1914 - Bob Weiskopf - Chicago, IL - d. 2-20-2001
    writer: "The Fred Allen Show"

    March 13th deaths

    01-13-1909 - Danny Barker - New Orleans, LA - d. 3-13-1994
    jazz guitar: "This Is Jazz"
    01-20-1898 - Tudor Owen - Wales, UK - d. 3-13-1979
    actor: Jocko Madigan "Pat Novak for Hire"; Editor "Alias Jane Doe"
    03-15-1907 - Jimmy McPartland - Chicago, IL - d. 3-13-1991
    jazz artist: "Doctor Jazz"; "Town Hall Concert"
    04-18-1857 - Clarence Darrow - Kinsman, OH - d. 3-13-1938
    lawyer: " Scopes "Monkey" trial, WGN Chicago"
    04-28-1911 - Lee Falk - St. Louis, MO - d. 3-13-1999
    cartoonist: "Mandrake the Magician"
    07-21-1895 - Ken Maynard - Vevey, IN - d. 3-13-1973
    cowboy actor: Ken Maynard Show"
    07-22-1898 - Stephen Vincent Benet - Bethlehem, PA - d. 3-13-1943
    writer: "Columbia Workshop"
    07-26-1918 - Stacy Harris - Big Timber, Quebec, Canada - d. 3-13-1973
    actor: Jim Taylor "This is Your [removed]"; Carter Trent "Pepper Young's
    Family"
    10-18-1910 - Annette Hanshaw - NYC - d. 3-13-1985
    singer: "Show Boat"; "Camel Caravan"
    11-24-1912 - Garson Kanin - Rochester, NY - d. 3-13-1999
    actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 16:21:35 -0500
    From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  More on Goon Show warm-ups (forgive the pun)

    Just after I sent out the posting about warm-up of The Last Goon Show Of
    All, where I had also mentioned the pants dropping technique used by some
    of the American warm-ups, I noticed rather revealing liner notes on the
    back of the LP "Michael Parkinson Meets The Goons" BBC REB 165M.  The liner
    notes were written by John Browell who had been the Producer of The Goon
    Show.

    "It was debatable whether the BBC's insurance policies covered such
    phenomena as Goon Shows.  The 'warm-ups' before the recording were highly
    dangerous and harm could well have come to us all.  Spike would be seen
    hurtling across the stage on a four-wheeled microphone stand or
    occasionally going up and down with the curtain. 'Braces-O!' was the
    favourite old-time routine where Harry would sing 'Falling In Love' (in E
    flat of course), whilst one of the others would 'remove' his braces.  [Ed.
    note: braces is the British term for suspenders.]  As Harry reached his
    ear-splitting climax, Peter would step forward triumphantly flourshing
    Harry's braces --  whereupon his own trousers would fall down.  This
    routine was enlivened one night by the realisation that the underwear had
    gone as well.  Come to think of it, the shows themselves weren't any safer
    either."

    Of course, unlike American TV, British TV would have no problem showing
    that scene on the air!

    He later discusses brandy and milk, and these liquids were part of the
    sight gags that I mentioned last time.

    I might also mention that there was a re-creation of a Goon Show warm-up in
    the recent HBO biography of Peter Sellers, based on the last show videotape
    as well as some home movies snippets which were briefly seen on a cable bio
    of Sellers a few years ago.  No Braces-O! however.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:10:54 -0500
    From: Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Stork Club Soap Characters

    --- [removed]@[removed] wrote:

    Lee Munsrick informed us:

>     [removed] the fragrance was the best-known item
>     for the trio, in large part because the Stork Club
>     tie, and  Mr. Godfrey's recommendations for
>     it even on the air, although it never was an actual
>     sponsor.  But to me their most interesting product
>     was a boxed set of three bars of soap, each cast in
>     an excellent likeness of the face of one of the three
>     famous owners!"

    Now one might  hope that somewhere hidden away in
    material stored for possible future use are the steel
    molds of the famous Sortilege trio, Billingsley,
    Downey, and Godfrey. (If I read Lee Munsrick's posting
    accurately)  What an Ebay item.

    Wash your hands of Arthure Godfrey.

    CAB

    ---
    conradab@[removed] (Conrad A. Binyon)
    Encino, CA
    Home of the Stars who loved Ranches and Farms

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:11:15 -0500
    From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OTR Voices

    Stuart Lubin and others have mentioned how differently the character looked
    in their imagination, and how they REALLY looked.

    Howard Culver, between TV, movie and other jobs, was a newscaster for
    Station KGIL in the San Fernando Valley.  The station was having a special
    dinner and party for their staff, and a young lady newscaster who was a
    "stringer" for KGIL in the Sacramento area was invited to come to the party.
    She drove south that evening, came into the news room, and asked for Howard
    Culver.

    He said "I am Howard Culver".  She looked at his 5'8" physique carefully and
    shook her head, saying   "NO, he's much TALLER than that!"

    Lois Culver
    Mrs. Howard Culver

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:11:26 -0500
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Morton Downey

    Morton Downey has been a topic on this forum lately.  Here's what my digging
    turned up on him regarding his audio connections, included in "Music Radio"
    to be released shortly ([removed]).

    Jim Cox

    Morton Downey
    Born:  November 14, 1901, Wallingford, Connecticut.
    Died:  October 25, 1985, Palm Beach, Florida.
    Signature Song:  Wabash Moon.
    Legendary Tunes:  At the Café. Continental, Auf Wiederseh'n My Dear,
    Carolina Moon, Danny Boy, I'll Always Be in Love with You, I'll Always Be
    Mother's Boy, In the Middle of a Kiss, Lovely Lady, More Than You Know, My
    Inspiration Is You, My Romance, Remember Me, Say a Little Prayer for Me, Say
    It Isn't So, Snuggled on Your Shoulder (Cuddled in Your Arms), Spring Will
    Be a Little Late This Year, Stormy Weather, The Touch of Your Lips, Two
    Cigarettes in the Dark, Until Tomorrow, When They Sing "The Wearin' o' the
    Green."
    Highlights:  In adolescence, sang Irish ballads at amusement parks, annual
    gatherings of hometown firemen, Elks Club affairs and church socials; beyond
    high school performed in New York bistros, clubs, theaters and political
    rallies; in 1920s sang way across Atlantic on cruise ships more than a score
    of times backed by Paul Whiteman's orchestra, presumably first vocalist to
    obtain comparable billing with a band; introduced to radio audiences over
    New York's WEAF (1927), following year by British Broadcasting Corporation,
    London; assigned several appellations stressing heritage, light tenor style-
    "The Irish Thrust," "The Irish Nightingale," "The Irish Troubadour"; left
    Whiteman's entourage to perform for Palm Beach Ziegfeld Follies revue;
    broadcast quarter-hour four times weekly from New York's Delmonico Club on
    CBS (1930), soon drawing 10,000 fan letters per week; selected Radio Singer
    of the Year (1932); possibly only artist to host series on four major chains
    within brief span for one sponsor (Coca-Cola), for which he was paid $4,500
    weekly and held a directorship in the firm; shrewd businessman who dabbled
    lucratively in real estate, perfume production, chemical patents; credited
    with more than 1,000 recordings, three early Hollywood talkies; hosted two
    television series, The Mohawk Showroom (1949, NBC), Star of the Family
    (1950-1951, CBS); father of infamous divisive DJ-talk show host Morton
    Downey Jr. (1933-2001).
    Radio Shows:
    The Morton Downey Show.  1930-1931, CBS, sponsorship unsubstantiated.
    The Camel Quarter-Hour.  1931-1932, CBS, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (Camel
    cigarettes).
    The Woodbury Show.  1932-1933, NBC Blue, Andrew Jergens Co. (Woodbury soap).
    The Morton Downey Show.  1933, NBC Blue, sustaining.
    The Morton Downey Show.  1933-1934, CBS, sustaining.
    Morton Downey's Studio Party.  1934, CBS, Andrew Jergens Co. (Woodbury
    soap).
    The Morton Downey Show.  1934-1935, NBC Blue, Carlsbad; 1934-1935, NBC Blue
    (separate series), Sprudel Salt Co. (Sprudel salt).
    The Morton Downey Show.  1935, NBC Blue, sustaining.
    Presenting Mark Warnow (aka Evening in Paris).  1935-1936, CBS, Bourjois Co.
    (Evening in Paris fragrances).
    Paul Whiteman's Musical Varieties.  1936, NBC Blue, Andrew Jergens Co.
    (Woodbury soap).
    The Eddy Duchin Show.  1938-1939, NBC, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. (Pall
    Mall cigarettes).
    The Coke Club (aka Songs by Morton Downey).  1943-1944, NBC Blue/ABC;
    1945-1947, MBS; 1948-1950, NBC; 1950-1951, CBS, Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
    (Coca-Cola soft drink).

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:11:33 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history 13-19 March

     From Those Were The Days --

    3/13

    1923 - A great improvement in radio receivers was advertised. The new
    models had a concealed speaker and eliminated the need for headphones,
    which were considered a nuisance because they were so heavy to wear and
    messed up hairdos. The new radios were also said to have a 'foolproof'
    design.

    3/14

    1937 - Fred Allen and Jack Benny met in one of the biggest publicity
    gags ever. It was called, "The Battle of the Century."  The two
    comedians locked horns in the ballroom of the Hotel Pierre, exchanging
    torrid insults that were heard by the second largest audience in the
    history of radio. The 'feud', incidentally, lasted for years.

    3/17

    1933 - Comedian Phil Baker was heard on network radio for the first time
    when The Armour Jester was heard on the Blue network. Baker rapidly rose
    to the top of the radio ratings.

    3/18

    1940 - Light of the World was first heard on NBC. The soap opera was
    unique in that it featured the Bible as the center of the story line.

    Joe

    --
    Visit my homepage: [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:11:47 -0500
    From: <cooldown3@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sheridan Downey

    Hi Lee & All,

    It is always interesting to learn about the people behind the programs.
    I was referring to the Townsend Movement programs which were supported
    financially by a Sheridan Downey who supported the movement's position for
    establishment of an old age pension and eventually pressured Washington to
    establish social security. In return for the financial support apparently
    the movement made weekly broadcasts on Downey's behalf. I have picked up two
    of these 15 minute broadcasts during the last few months.

    In one program, undated except for the '1938' pgm 1 in the title line he
    says he is running against a hand picked opponent of Herbert Hoover for
    senator from California.

    [removed]

    The link above is to a ref site which discusses the Townsend Movement.

    I would appreciate any further information on this Sheridan Downey as web
    searches have turned up no connection between him and Morton, and indeed
    there might well not be any. Just trying to round out my knowledge of the
    earlier radio I have been blessed to find.

    Cheers,
    Patrick

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

    Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:11:55 -0500
    From: "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Conklin Question

    Are we to assume from Anthony Tollin's story about Gale Gordon and his role
    as Mr. Conklin that he did not enjoy his time with "Our Miss Brooks"?

    Mike Leannah

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2005 Issue #81
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