Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #126
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 3/25/2003 10:35 AM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2003 : Issue 126
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  RE: Inner Sanctum Mysteries           [ OTRDSIEGEL@[removed] ]
  SD State Historical Society           [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
  Rye Billsbury                         [ "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed]; ]
  Re:Bob Hope's 100th birthday          [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
  OTR-inspired place names              [ "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed]; ]
  Who Wears the Trousers                [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
  Re: Rye Billsbury                     [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
  WFUV Broadcast of 3-24-03             [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
  Rye Billsbury                         [ DanHaefele@[removed] ]
  Re: Rye Billsbury                     [ StevenL751@[removed] ]
  Re: Lights Out                        [ StevenL751@[removed] ]
  Re: Jack Benny TV Show date           [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
  Rye Billsbury                         [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
  Truth or Consequences questions       [ George Aust <austhaus1@[removed] ]
  drop dead                             [ Kurt E Yount <blsmass@[removed]; ]
  Re: OTR Inspired Place Names          [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Re: TOC and Remastering OTR           [ "HARLAN ZINCK" <zharlan@[removed] ]
  Laser Turntable is a reality          [ "John W. Matthews" <glowingdial1@co ]
  Need urgent help!                     [ Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed]; ]
  Australian Charlie Chan               [ "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed]. ]
  Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  Names for OTR or radio in the early   [ "Scott L Lindquist" <potluckplayers ]

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 19:16:34 -0500
From: OTRDSIEGEL@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  RE: Inner Sanctum Mysteries

   If you are a fan of that wonderful mystery program, INNER SANCTUM, you are
in luck.
   Martin Grams, the distinguished radio historian who has already broken all
records for OTR research and writing (author of important books about:
SUSPENSE, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, ELLERY QUEEN, CAVALCADE OF AMERICA and
several others) has just written the definitive text on Hyman Brown's classic
rAdio mystery, INNER SANCTUM.
   This fully indexed 249+ page book provides a detailed history of events
leading up to the creation of the program as well as valuable information
concerning it's creator. There is also as complete program log with titles,
dates, cast information and plot summary.
    We are also told about the films based on the radio programs, the TV
series and the overseas (Australia)broadcasts.
   THe book retails for $[removed] (+ $[removed] postage) and may be purchased from
the publisher:  OTR Publishing   P. O. BOX 252   Churchville,  MD  21028
     Dave S.

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 19:42:57 -0500
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  SD State Historical Society

A few months ago, I got a call from the Associate Curator of the SD State
Historical Society, Heather Bigeck.  She had come across a letter I sent to
the Society two years ago offering to make copies of my WNAX reels. This is
a collection of about 15 reels recorded from electrical transcriptions (ETs)
of programs broadcast on WNAX, Yankton, SD.  The period covered the late
1930s to early 1950s.  The Society is planning on producing an exhibit on
the general subject of radio broadcasting in South Dakota during the 20th
century.
    In an email to Heather today, I [removed]
    "I am very happy that these recordings are going to be preserved for the
people of today and tomorrow.  Future generations will be able to have some
idea of what radio was like in the 1930s to 1950s.  My dream for someone
someday is to put together a day of [South Dakota] broadcasting from all 4
major radio networks, plus the educational stations, and offer it on CDs,
and also make it available in a museum setting.  I'd really like some museum
to include not only the audio material, but also the technical equipment
used for radio broadcasting:  microphones, control board, transmitter
equipment, turntables, open reel tape decks -- whatever else made up radio
stations of that period.  Maybe you are doing that for South Dakota?"

Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 20:07:03 -0500
From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Rye Billsbury

You probably heard him later on, after he changed his name to Michael
[removed] figured it was a more saleable name.
Lois Culver
KWLK Radio (Mutual) Longview, WA 1941-44
KFI Radio (NBC) Los Angeles CA 1945-47, 50-53
Widow of Howard Culver, actor

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 23:10:44 -0500
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:Bob Hope's 100th birthday

          I was watching the Oscars on Sunday night and heard
many of the celebrities wishing Bob Hope a happy 100th
birthday.  Ron, when is/was Bob's 100th birthday officially?

          How can his fans wish him a happy one?

Kenneth Clarke

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 23:11:17 -0500
From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  OTR-inspired place names

There is a Lois Lane just down the
street from me in Grants Pass, Oregon
Lois Culver
KWLK Radio (Mutual) Longview, WA 1941-44
KFI Radio (NBC) Los Angeles CA 1945-47, 50-53
Widow of Howard Culver, actor

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 23:11:53 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Who Wears the Trousers

You can listen online at [removed] on Tuesday at [removed] UK
time, early morning in the [removed] don't know yet who's featured in the rest
of the series.

BBC Comedienne Emma Kennedy and producer Elizabeth Freestone are the brains
(and beauty) behind this series.  They came to 39 Forever to do interviews
for another installment of this series, focused on (you guessed it) Jack
Benny and Mary Livingstone.  Other features will be Goodman and Jane Ace,
George Burns and Gracie Allen (I [removed] from memory), and Lucille Ball
and Desi Arnaz.

By the way, I'm starting to get some of the photos from 39 Forever on the Web
page.

--
Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 23:12:47 -0500
From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Rye Billsbury

In a message dated 3/24/03 6:19:48 PM, Dennisy Townsend asks:

Yes I know he is the first Mark Dillon of the Gunsmoke auditions but
does anyone know anything else about him? I cannot recall hearing him on
anything [removed]

***Rye Billsbury played a number of leads on radio including Jack Armstrong
(during the time Charles Flynn was in the service) and Mr. First Nighter
(following Marvin Miller who in turn replaced Bret Morrison).  He also
announced (and played character roles) on THE CISCO KID.  After changing his
name to Michael Rye, he provided the voice of the Lone Ranger in the 1960s
Saturday morning cartoon series and Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) in 1980s TV
cartoons.  He's still with us, and played Matt Dillon in a GUNSMOKE
recreation some years back at the annual SPERDVAC convention.  It's
interesting that both Rye and William Conrad played Marshal Dillon on radio
and the Lone Ranger in TV cartoons.
--ANTHONY TOLLIN***

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 23:13:00 -0500
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  WFUV Broadcast of 3-24-03

WFUV's Classic Radio program that aired March 24, 2003 at Midnight included
a "Mail Call" episode with Jack Benny and Anne Sheridan plugging "George
Washington Slept Here," and performing a scene from the film.

Anyone have a date for that program?  The King's Men also sang the Army Air
Corps song.

Thanks for any information,

Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 23:13:09 -0500
From: DanHaefele@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Rye Billsbury

     Rye Billsbury changed his name to Michael Rye.  I believe that name is
better known in the OTR-collecting community.

Dan Haefele

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:21:30 -0500
From: StevenL751@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Rye Billsbury
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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In a message dated 3/24/2003 7:18:29 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:

Subject:  Rye Billsbury?
Yes I know he is the first Mark Dillon of the Gunsmoke auditions but
does anyone know anything else about him? I cannot recall hearing him on
anything else.

He was the title character/host on the FIRST NIGHTER program for a time.
According to Dunning, he also played the title role on JACK ARMSTRONG while
Charles Flynn was in the Navy, and he also had a continuing role on MA
PERKINS.

Steve Lewis

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:22:28 -0500
From: StevenL751@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Lights Out
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

In a message dated 3/24/2003 7:18:29 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[removed]@[removed] writes:

Does anybody know if the scripts from the lost pisodes of Lights Out and
Arch
Oboler's Plays have survived?

For quite a while now the Gotham Radio Players have been recreating the lost
episodes of LIGHTS OUT, using copies of the original scripts.  Some of the
scripts we have were liberated from an NBC dumpster by our producer, Max
Schmid, many years ago.   Others were given to us by Gordon Payton, "the
Sci-Fi Guy", who got them from another fan and collector.

Although about a half-dozen of the approximately 20 scripts I have are by
Oboler, the only one of his that we've recreated so far is "Chicken Heart".
The other shows we've done are by miscellaneous writers from the show's
Chicago run after Oboler left in 1938 (and before he returned in 1942).

The episodes we've recreated so far are:

"The Bark of a Dead Dog" (Charles Gussman)
"Murder Mind"  (Hobart Donavan)  7/19/39
"The Giggler"  (Bill Fifield)   7/26/39
"Reunion"  ([removed] Persons)   1/11/39
"Chicken Heart"  (Arch Oboler)  2/23/38
"One Day It Rained Blood"  (Charles Gussman)  3/8/39
"Vendetta"  (Robert Gerson Powers)  6/7/39

AND COMING THIS SUNDAY, LIVE AT 7PM, ON WBAI ([removed] FM / [removed]):
"The Legion of the Dead"  (Ken Robinson)  11/9/39

(more on that one to follow in a few days)

Steve Lewis
director, Gotham Radio Players

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:22:39 -0500
From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Jack Benny TV Show date

Can anyone help me with a date for a Jack Benny TV Show? His guest is
Raymond Burr and it starts off with Jack introducing Burr as a stand up
comedian. Burr tried to tell a joke and Jack keeps interrupting him and
explaining how he should do the joke.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Fred
[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:23:04 -0500
From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Rye Billsbury

I know of two episodes of The Whistler in which Rye Billsbury is featured.
"The Telltale Brand," and "Double Exposure."  I also have an episode of
Tales of the Texas Rangers featuring him called, "Sweet Revenge."  I believe
he was also the announcer for, The Cisco Kid.
RyanO

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:25:08 -0500
From: George Aust <austhaus1@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Truth or Consequences questions

A. Joseph Ross recalled the questions used on Truth or Consequences
hosted by Bob Barker and Jack Bailey.
I actually remember a broadcast from the WWII years ( I think!) when
someone actually answered one of Ralph Edwards trick questions on the
show. He was left speechless for a moment and that is something that I
think didn't happen often. He floundered for a minute and then said that
no one had ever answered a question correctly before. I don't remember
what the prize was but it seems to me that it was a rather lame one and
that the contestant would have done much better had they missed the
question and paid the consequences.

George Aust

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:24:44 -0500
From: Kurt E Yount <blsmass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  drop dead

Drop dead was one of the first records I ever posessed.  There is some
place in Chicken Heart where a voice yells something like "Can't we get
somebody up there who knows what they are talking about?"  and I always
thought it sounded like my dad.  I am a blind person and to me that whole
record was great.  I think Marvin Miller was the laughing man on Drop
Dead.  Has anybody ever heard of an Arch Obler play called the night of
the Auk.  An old radio guy, (Jay Lacey) played it once.  It is a very
interesting play as I think it is similar to Rocket To Manhattan.
Anyway, I didn't really mean to mention that.  Drop dead was always one
of my favorite records even when I didn't have it in stereo.  I can still
hear in my head the little drops of water in The Dark.  Bill Cosby's
version was great too.  Great stuff.  Thanks for the memory.  Kurt

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:21:52 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: OTR Inspired Place Names

 Derek Tague asked:
are there any other instances of USA place names inspired by OTR
programmes? How about street names? There must be a "Wistful
Vista" or a "Margot Lane" out there somewhere.

Della Street, perhaps.  Dinah Shore?  Newark DOES have a Raymond [removed]
is even mentioned in War of the Worlds.  And speaking of that, I wonder if
any oil man out there named any of his wells Orson?

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:43:50 -0500
From: "HARLAN ZINCK" <zharlan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: TOC and Remastering OTR

"A. Joseph Ross" writes:

I've never really considered Truth or Consequences a quiz show, at least
in the form that I saw in the 1950s.

You're right, it wasn't a quiz show, it was an audience participation show.

There's a real distinction here, in that quiz shows basically were designed
to ask people questions and, when they answered them correctly, they would
win money or a prize or both. Thus, "Doctor IQ," "Take It or Leave It,"
"Double or Nothing," and such were quiz shows. Tell the MC the capitol of
Washington is Olympia and you'll win a prize.

Audience participation shows, like "Truth or Consequences," "Beat the
Clock," and others didn't really ask questions, they instead invited the
audience to participate in the action of the show. It could be said that
shows like "Bride and Groom" and "Queen for a Day" were also audience
participation shows, in that providing answers to questions wasn't the way
an audience member won prizes and money.

A third type of show would be the celebrity panel show, typified by "What's
My Line?" and "To Tell the Truth." On these shows, celebrities were supposed
to guess something about the person appearing on the show and, if the celebs
were partially or entirely unsuccessful, the person would win something.

How did I learn all of this? Why, I read Jim Cox's delightful book "The
Great Audience Participation Shows," of course. And, if you haven't read it,
by all means get a copy and do so. Jim has done a fine job of detailing the
history of a wide variety of these types of shows - including some very
entertaining history of the hosts, announcers, musicians, producers, and
directors who created them.

And, in case you're curious, no. I have no financial connection with Jim or
his [removed] he is an awfully dedicated researcher who deserves the
support of the OTR community - if only so he'll continue writing his books
on radio history.

By the way, I just found out that Jim will be travelling to Seattle this
June for the REPS Showcase and will be participating in some programs geared
toward radio history. I'm looking forward to meeting him in person, not to
mention getting my copies of his books autographed.

(NOTE TO CHARLIE: I assume you'll want to add in the URL that gets the
Nostalgia Pages a small stipend for referring someone to [removed]
Consider this a heads-up!)

Mark Reesor writes:

Further to Stephen Jansen's post about remastering otr. I guess the
perfect solution would be a custom version of the ELP Laser Turntable
which would play ETs. This device uses five laser beams to 'read' the
record grooves. The only problem is that the cheapest model costs $9,500
-- and a $500 vacuum is strongly recommended! Of course, add a few
hundred thou (at least) to modify it to read ETs!

This would be an excellent solution, of course, but I somehow doubt that the
inventors of this device are going to create a machine that can accomodate
16" disks anytime soon. However, if it works as well as its inventors claim
it does, there's always the possibility that the technology will become
cheap enough for someone to modify an existing machine accordingly.

One reassuring thing, though, is that we really don't need all this
multi-thousand-dollar laser technology to successfully transfer 95% of the
transcription disks that are still around. There are many talented and
experienced people who possess the equipment, patience, and expertise
necessary to transfer almost anything that gets thrown at them- even if its
in lousy shape. I have heard excellent sound retrieved from disks that were
cracked, bent, broken, beset with crumbling lacquer coatings, held together
with masking tape, and even some that had chunks broken out of them - the
sort of thing the average person would take one look at and toss into the
trash as unsalvageable. I have also heard complete broadcasts pieced
together from several difference sources in various states of disrepair -
and with no discernable loss in audio quality once the compliation was
completed, either.

Rather than investing tens of thousands of dollars in a new device, I'd just
as soon find a way to give *these* people the money instead. Digitally
transferring radio shows is not the most lucrative way to make a living, and
many of the folks who do it best don't make a dime for their labor. They do
it for the love of it, of course -- but I'm sure not a one of them would
refuse a little cash now and then!

Harlan

Harlan Zinck
First Generation Radio Archives
[removed]

 
[ADMINISTRIVIA: Barnes and Noble, actually, not Amazon (B&N has better deals
and faster shipping - and currently FREE SHIPPING on orders of two or more
items!); but yep, if you order books, tapes, or video through our URL
we are paid a few pennies in commission to help support the list:

[removed];sourceid=39917910&categoryid=rn_logowhite

Some "suggested reading" links are available at:

[removed]

--cfs3]

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:15:17 -0500
From: "John W. Matthews" <glowingdial1@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Laser Turntable is a reality

   Hello folks, in the past couple of digests I have heard people speaking
of an article that claims a record can be placed on a computer scanner and
an audio file can thus be created from that scan.  Someone, I think Fred
Berney, provided a link but I could not find the article.  Could someone
please, Fred maybe, post this link again??
   On the same subject, someone said it would be great if we could scan
records and even Edison cylinders with a laser.  Well, it has been done and
is available ... for a humongous price!  Check out the following link for
more on the Laser Turntable.
[removed]
   Pretty neat but unless I win the ever-elusive lotto, I will probably
never be able to own one.

See you on the radio,

John Matthews
The Glowing Dial Page
[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:15:41 -0500
From: Larry Jordan <midtod@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Need urgent help!

I urgently need to know the line-up of shows during the broadcast day
for ABC Radio during November 1957 (weekday schedule only). I remember
Don McNeill at 9 [removed] But what were the other shows/times during the
day? (I need the air times for Merv Griffin, Jim Reeves, Herb Oscar
Anderson, Jim Backus, et al). In other words, the line-up. If someone
could email me this info right away, I'd appreciate it! I'm on deadline
with a writing project and need this pronto.

Also, I need to track down Herb Oscar Anderson, whom I understand is
still alive. I found a couple of websites that mention him but there are
no email links. (Don't you just hate websites where they don't have
email?)

Thanks!

Larry Jordan

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:16:13 -0500
From: "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Australian Charlie Chan

A little further on the discussion on the Australian Charlie Chan.  I stand
corrected and it HAS been databased by Moris our Head Researcher, Ian should
have looked under Adventures [removed] instead of Charlie Chan :)  It was
first broadcast in Melbourne 16th October 1950.  I would imagine that it
would have been broadcast in Sydney very slightly before this.

Good to see Jamie has gotten over the sleepless nights of being a new Dad :)

Ian Grieve
Moderator
Austrlaian OTR Group

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:16:31 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in radio history

 From Those Were The Days --

1943 - Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore premiered on network radio. The pair
replaced the popular Abbott and Costello following Lou Costello's heart
attack.
Durante and Moore stayed on the air for four years.

   Joe

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

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:20:11 -0500
From: "Scott L Lindquist" <potluckplayers@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Names for OTR or radio in the early days

I have heard the maxim, that radio was the "Theatre of the Mind". Does anyone
know where this came from? Does anyone know any other names that radio was
referred to in the early days or the Golden Days of radio?

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #126
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