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	  	         === Last Update 1/17/95  ====





	    [removed]   Volume 96 : Issue 80


Articles in this issue of [removed]:

	 Heinlein correction
	 real audio / otr
	 Fred Allen movies
	 Obscure old show
	 Red Blanchard
	 Roma Wines
	 Re: Big Jon & Sparky
	 Harlow's Hysteria
	 Re:Lum & Abner fan reunion
	 that O. Henry film
	 New Norman Corwin Series Debuts in April on NPR

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

Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 21:46:08 -0500
From: Bruce Rudesill <lranger@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Heinlein correction
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Although Robert Heinlein wrote a book called "Space Cadet" it was not part
of a series nor did it bear any resemblance to "Tom Corbett-Space Cadet".
I remember it as concerning a revolt by the Venusian colonists. "Have Space
Suit, Will Travel" was about a teenager with a used space suit. Both books
were among Heinlein's juvenilles. When I was a kid (decades ago) I read
every one in the local library again and again and again.

"Nightfall" and "The Caves of Steel" were both written by Asimos and the
OTR adaptations I have are very well done, I enjoyed both. Also Asimov di
indeed wrtie "I, Robot" and about a jillion other robot stories. His
robot character, R. Daneel Olivaw is the only character to span the entire
length of the Foundation universe. And sometime before as well. The trick
question is who wrote the Adam Link stories and how come they never made
it to radio. They showed up in comic book adaptations.

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

Date: 	Thu, 29 Feb 1996 18:55:00 -0800
From: dfehr@[removed] (Don Fehr)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: real audio / otr
Message-Id: <[removed]+1380@[removed]>

Hi My name is Don Fehr. I have been listening to OTR for about the last 25
years and deceided to start collecting them about 5 years ago. My interests
lie mainly with shows such as Dimension X, Escape, Inner Sanctum, Lights
Out, Mysterious Traveller, Sealed Book, The Shadow, Suspense, The Whistler,
Weird Circle and X Minus 1. I also have some other shows of similar themes.
I have approx. 525 shows in my collection (not much compared to some of
you)! I am interested in trading. I use cassette only at the moment, but am
looking into a reel to reel machine.
For those of you interested in OTR/Real Audio one of the stations in
Vancouver, BC braodcasts otr every night starting at 9:00 PM PST to
Midnight. The first two hours consists of mostly music and/or interviews.
Starting after the 11:00 PM news there is a half hour called "Network
Replay". This is a rebroadcast of an early radio show. The station can be
reached at [removed] They are presently still using Real Audio 1.
This station also broadcasts various hockey, basketball and football games
which could bump the otr programing out of these time slots.
Hope to hear from some of you soon. Thanks Don

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

Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 00:00:26 -0500 (EST)
From: lev@[removed] (S. or A. Levene)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Fred Allen movies
Message-Id: <v01530503ad5be7b0abb3@[[removed]]>

According to Leslie Halliwell's invaluable :"Filmgoers Companion", and the
"Halliwell Film Guide" Fred Allen only made six feature films.  Since there
are only six I'll list them:  Thanks a Million, 1935;  Sally, Irene and
Mary, 1938;  Love Thy Neighbour,'41, It's In the Bag,'45 (the latter two
with Jack Benny); We're Not Married,'52, (with an all-star cast including
Marilyn Monroe,and also Ginger Rogers, Paul Douglas, Eve Arden, David
Wayne, Mitzi Gaynor, Eddie Bracken, & Zsa Zsa Gabor - has anybody seen it?
I haven't); and finally - [removed]'s Full House, 1953, being five [removed]
stories, modelled on the Maugham anthology film, Quartet. And Monroe was in
one of them but neither of these films was her first. (By then she'd hit it
big in The Asphalt Jungle & had turned up briefly with the Marx Brothers in
their last film, Love Happy.)   As stated by [removed], one of the
stories was  The Ransom of Red Chief, with Fred and Oscar Levant. That
sequence was directed by the great Howard Hawks.  Sounds like a good film.
Whether it's available I don't know.  I do have the two films Fred made
with Jack Benny and they're good fun. There are lots of pictures of Fred
Allen around so it's not hard to find out what he looked like. There was
much talk of bags under his eyes and that seems to be true. By the way are
you all familiar with the wonderful documentary Fred narrated just before
he died,The Jazz Age. It suggests he could have had a late career as a
voice-over narrator.
Hello I'm new (and already talking too much) - I haven't time to introduce
myself now bu I will.   Sam Levene.

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

Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 21:25:18 -0800
From: dabell@[removed] (Alan Bell)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Obscure old show
Message-Id: <v01520d00ad5c37f02ee6@[[removed]]>

One of my students in the radio theater class told me that he knows a
person who had unearthed a pile of transriptions to an old radio series, or
perhaps serial, titled The Diary of Jimmie Mattern. It was broadcast in
1935 on a 5-station hook-up in New York state, sponsored by Pure Oil
Company. The actual person, Jimmie Mattern, may have served as a stunt
pilot on one or more old movies as well, so I would imagine his "Diary"
probably dealt with aviation adventures, or perhaps was a true story. I
wonder if anyone knows anything about this.

I know I could go to the Humongous Catalog on Lou's Website (which I do
from time to time) but it's more interesting to get personal recollections,
if possible, first. Strike any responsive chords with anyone?

_____________________________________________________________________
ALAN BELL  3768 Sonoma Avenue  Santa Rosa, CA 95405  dabell@[removed]
=============================707-546-6988============================

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

Date: 01 Mar 1996 05:38:54 GMT
From: [removed]@[removed] (Ron B. Hare)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Red Blanchard
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Back in the mid-'50's, there was a radio show from KCBS San Francisco that was
very popular with us teenagers of that era. Red Blanchard was most famous for
his ape call on the Nervous Norvus record of the same name. Talk about fame!
DOES ANYONE HAVE RED BLANCHARD TAPES OR INFORMATION?

Blanchard did audience interviews and ran a short dramatized skit every
weeknight. Of all the stupid things I remember, one was the sound effect of a
1916 Jaguar pickup laying a strip of rubber a mile long. There was also a
Cadillac dump truck, I think. He had a Bully Machine consisting of a tape
echo loop into which he shouted Bully! His highest tribute was a Four-Machine
Bully. I even went to one of the show's tapings in San Francisco wearing a
Zorch hat.

After Blanchard got fired from KCBS for demanding more than he was worth he
showed up with his skit tapes on KMJ Fresno on a Saturday show with no live
audience. It wasn't the same, but I listened anyway of course. It didn't last
long

In spite of the stupidity, I do remember Red Blanchard fondly. A four-machine
BULLY for Red!

Ron
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmitted via LiveWire, a Virtual Valley service. Modem: [removed]
(FirstClass, VT-100)  Voice: [removed]; E-mail: online@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 22:21:47 -0800
From: [removed]@[removed] (Ron B. Hare)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Roma Wines
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Date: 01 Mar 1996 05:40:01 GMT
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>
Organization: Virtual Valley, Inc. - San Jose, CA.

I worked at Roma in '58 scrubbing floors, shoveling the sludge out of the big
fermenting tanks, scraping the mold from the bottom of the wooden vats and
all sorts of other pleasant duties.
Roma *is* a big place. A lot of product is still produced at the location.
There was only one location - a large complex in Fresno. Empty tank cars were
lined up for miles at certain times of the year.
I believe that Schenley's had already bought Roma by 1958. They had so many
other brands, they gradually retired Roma by simply milking the brand for all
it was worth with a zero advertising budget - so it just faded away. If you
drink wine, chances are you will run across the current product from the
Fresno location - (under a bunch of different names).

Ron


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmitted via LiveWire, a Virtual Valley service. Modem: [removed]
(FirstClass, VT-100)  Voice: [removed]; E-mail: online@[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 01 Mar 1996 03:30:05 +0000
From: John Mayer <johnmayer@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Big Jon & Sparky
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Great to discover this group.  Can anyone give me any information on
the 50's children's show Big Jon and Sparky? I t was a fifteen minute
show on weekday afternoons and ran about an hour and a half on
Saturdays as No School Today.  The Saturday show began with Sparky
telling Big John about that week's trip to the movies with Rabbit
Ears McKeester to chapter 1463 of Colonel Jupiter of the Universe
Patrol.  Some of the episodes I rember still seem funny.  The show
mostly played children's records, both stories (the Little Orly series
was a favorite) and songs.  He also had a live orchestra, Gilhooley
Mahoney and his Leprechaun Marching Band.

Does anyone know of any recordings of the show?  I got the one from
Dr Benson's archives, but  I believe this was a recording of the
revival of the show on public radio in the 70's.  Ideally, I'd like to get
all 2014 chapters of the Colonel Jupiter serial.
  
And can anyone tell me whether or not Big John is still alive (I'm
sure Sparky is; one of the advantages of never getting to be a real
boy) and where I might write him?  I'm pretty sure the show
originated in Cincinnatti; the song the Cincinnatti Dancing Pig was
played with great frequency.  We were extremely poor when I was a
small child, but this show helped brighten my life in a way that, as
an adult, I can barely remember.   I'd like to tell him thanks.

John Mayer
johnmayer@[removed]

[removed]  If I'm not posting this correctly, please inform.

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

Date: 01 Mar 96 08:45:32 EST
From: "Robert I. Scherago" <[removed]@[removed]>
To: Old Time Radio <[removed]@[removed]>
Subject: Harlow's Hysteria
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Regarding the inquiry:

>It intrigues me why Harlow Wilcox and the studio audience are always
>laughing uproariously whenever Harlow says, "The Johnson Wax
>Company presents 'Fibber McGee and Molly'." It seems to me
>like genuine laughter, and I am curious whether Harlow tells
>a zinger of a joke, takes a pie in the face, drops his drawers,
>stands under an Acme one-ton anvil, or perhaps does a pratfall on
>some freshly-waxed [removed]

I've sent what I thought to be accurate answers to several inquiries
over the past few weeks, based on my (failing) memory, and quickly
found I was close, but no cookie, so I won't try to pass this
off as accurate. I don't know about the referenced show
in particular, but I do know that many of the shows, radio and
TV, used different devices to get the audiences to laugh:

Art Linkletter's house party, for instance; just before it aired, Art 
asked everyone in the studio audience to turn around and shake
hands with the person behind him/her. When everyone turned
around, all they saw was the person behind turned around. Of
course, everyone laughed.

I worked as an usher in the NY TV studios in the late 50's. on
the Garry Moore show, just as the cameras and mics were about
to be turned on, sidekick Durwood Kirby hiccupped! This brought
gales of laughter, but the home audience never heard it!

And, yes, there was a radio show, but I don't remember which
one, where one of the characters dropped his pants just as the
mics were turned on. Maybe someone remembers that one.

Finally, a comment on "Remember WENN." I've seen parts of
three episodes, and concluded that the show is an average
sitcom, with few redeeming values - even for an OTR buff.
Just one man's opinion!

Bob Scherago
Washington, DC

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

Date: Fri, 1 Mar 96 14:39:13 +0000 (GMT)
From: bschleicher@[removed] (bob schleicher)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re:Lum & Abner fan reunion
Message-Id: <m0tsVv5-000Y6MC@[removed]>

I remember while listening to YUSA some time ago and hearing about a Lum &
Abner convention or fan reunion in Arkansas. I think it's an annual event.
Could anyone give me more information? Thanks!

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

Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 08:43:01 -0600
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: that O. Henry film
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Roy Trumbull wrote:
>It was a collection of O'Henry short stories made up
>as a feature [removed] a film guide in my hands 
>I don't have a clue as to the name of the movie.

It was "O. Henry's Full House," 1952.


John Henley
jhenley@[removed]
ph  (512) 495-4112
fax (512) 495-4296

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

Date: Fri, 1 Mar 96 10:13 EST
From: danged@[removed] (Daniel A. Gediman)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: New Norman Corwin Series Debuts in April on NPR
Message-Id: <m0tsWWK-0002C7C@[removed]>

NPR TO AIR "13 BY CORWIN"; WORKS BY CELEBRATED DRAMATIST 
REVIVE GOLDEN AGE OF PUBLIC RADIO


Washington, [removed], January 22, [removed] Soon National Public radio 
listeners will have a special opportunity to hear noted playwright 
Norman Corwin's powerful productions in a star-studded anthology of 
his greatest radio plays.  13 BY CORWIN, to be aired in April, 
1996, will offer re-mastered works by the brilliant dramatist and 
will be hosted by some of America's best-known celebrities.  The 
dramas star Hollywood legends of the 30's and 40's and drew 
audiences of up to 60 million during radio's heyday.  13 BY CORWIN 
is produced by Mary Beth Kirchner and Dan Gediman, and will be 
aired on NPR Playhouse.

One of the most prolific writers of his time, Corwin was known for 
his innovation and artistry with the written word.  According to 
Charles Beaumont, an award-winning writer and compatriot of 
Corwin's, "It was he who defined and shaped strict radio style, and 
through his influence the classic form was developed.  If anyone 
deserves the title Mr. radio, it is surely he."

In 1995, Norman Corwin collaborated with award-winning producers
Mary Beth Kirchner and Dan Gediman on a series of highly successful NPR 
specials on World War II, bringing his remarkable dramatic gifts to a new generation of radio listeners.

Programs scheduled to air on NPR Playhouse:

"The Undecided Molecule", introduced by actor Richard Dysart, 
stars Robert Benchley, Vincent Price, Sylvia Sidney and Groucho 
Marx in one of Corwin's most popular radio plays.  This rhymed 
fantasy, first broadcast on July 17, 1945, tells the story of a 
trial to decide the fate of a rebellious molecule.

"The Odyssey of Runyon Jones", introduced by film director Robert 
Altman, was first broadcast on June 8, 1941.  It is the delightful 
story of a young boy's search for his dog in "Dog Heaven" and 
"Curgatory", where bureaucratic red tape threatens to defeat him.  
The play stars Hester Sondegaard, Roy Fant, and Larry Robinson as 
Runyon.

"Untitled", introduced by former TV news anchor Walter Conkrite, is 
a poignant review of the life of a young man killed in combat 
during World War II as seen through the eyes of those who knew him 
best.  Fredric March stars as Hank Peters in this drama first 
broadcast on April 18, 1944.

"Descent of the Gods", introduced by NPR's Susan Stamberg, and 
first aired on August 3, 1941, is the humorous story of a visit by 
several Greek gods to 20th century America.  Henry Morgan stars as 
Nick, "the god of trivia."

"They Fly Through the Air" is introduced by writer Ray Bradbury, 
and was first broadcast on February 19, 1939.  Narrated by House 
Jameson, it is a powerful and poetic drama inspired by the 
deliberate bombing of innocent people by Fascists in Guernica 
during the Spanish Civil War.

"The Long Name None Could Spell", introduced by writer Studs 
Terkel, features war correspondent William L. Shirer and is 
narrated by Martin Gabel.  First broadcast on March 14, 1944, the 
work was commissioned by famed director Joseph Losey for a Carnegie 
Hall event, and dramatizes the courage and fortitude of the 
Czechoslovakian people in the face of Nazi domination.

"My Client Curley", introduced by TV producer Steven Bochco, is 
adapted from a story by Lucille Fletcher, and follows the show 
business career of Curley, a dancing caterpillar.  This 
lighthearted comedy was first broadcast on March 7, 1940 and stars 
Everett Sloane and Kingsley Cotton.

"Mary and the Fairy", introduced by feminist Betty Friedan, is a 
comic fantasy about a young woman who wins five wishes in the 
Crinkly-Crunkly Bread contest.  Starring Elsa Lanchester as the 
young woman and Ruth Gordon as the fairy, the play was first aired 
on August 31, 1941.

"Could Be", introduced by NPR's Scott Simon, was produced by the 
United Nations radio division, and was first aired on September 11, 
1949.  This docu-drama imagines a world in which nations approach 
peaceful coexistence with the same zeal with which they wage war 
against each other.  Martin Gabel, Ben Grauer and CBS correspondent 
Robert Trout star.

"New York: A Tapestry", introduced by TV producer Norman Lear, is 
a lyrical essay celebrating the many facets of life in the Big 
Apple.  Narrated by Martin Gabel, it was first broadcast on May 16, 
1944.

"Cromer", introduced by journalist Charles Kuralt, is part of a war-
time series jointly produced by CBS and the BBC.  Documenting life 
in a typical English village under constant threat of enemy 
invasion during World War 11, it is narrated by Joseph Julian and 
was first aired on December 1, 1942.

"El Capitan and The Corporal", introduced by actress Samantha 
Eggar, was first broadcast on July 25, 1944.  It tells the story of 
a romance between a young army corporal and the woman he meets on a 
cross-country train trip.  The play stars Joseph Julian and 
Katherine Locke.

"Radio Primer", introduced by actor William Shatner, is a playful 
alphabetically-organized introduction to radio broadcasting.  
Featuring Everett Sloane, Hester Sondergaard and Frank Lovejoy, it 
was first aired on May 4, 1941.

13 BY CORWIN is made possible by grants from the North Star Fund 
and the Ahmanson Foundation, and will be broadcast on public radio 
stations nationwide.  Listeners should check local listings for 
availability in their area.

PLEASE NOTE:  Cassettes of the 13 BY CORWIN series are available from 
800-411-MIND and also through the Wireless Audio catalog.

PRESS NOTES:

- Norman Corwin is available for interviews.  Contact Dan Gediman 
on 502/451-1514.

- A background article on Corwin, "Norman Corwin: Reflections From 
the Golden Age of Radio," by Tom Lewis, is available as a 
backgrounder.

- Photos and logo slicks are also available from NPR Communications 
202/414-2300.

- NPR member stations interested in airing 13 BY CORWIN should call 
NPR Marketing 202/414-2830.







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

    


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---- 
End of [removed] Digest V96 Issue #80

