Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #283
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 10/4/2007 4:18 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to:
[removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2007 : Issue 283
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Re: What's a Sitcom?                  [ lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Friends of Old Time Radio in the New  [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
  10-4 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
  Sherlock Holmes sponsor               [ matthew cox <mbcox99@[removed]; ]
  Sit-coms                              [ "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed] ]
  Al Lewis                              [ AudioBoyMA@[removed] ]
  The Mystery of Captain Midnight's Fi  [ Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed] ]

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

Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 19:42:52 -0400
From: lizmcl@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: What's a Sitcom?

As others have pointed out, "sitcom" as such is a term that wasn't coined
till well into the TV era, but references to "Comedy of Situation" can be
found a good ways back into the thirties. Such phrases were used in the
press to describe humorous plotlines in "Amos 'n' Andy" as early as 1930.
Freeman Gosden himself preferred and used the term "character comedy" in
describing the style of humor used on the program, but the meaning is
similar -- the comedy proceeded from recognizable characters placed in
amusing situations rather than vaudeville-style gag lines or random
slapstick. "If your characters are likable and familiar," Gosden said,
"audidiences will respond to that. You don't need a gag in every line to
be funny."

Although Correll and Gosden were the first performers to present character
comedy on radio, "Amos 'n' Andy" wasn't a sitcom in the sense that we
understand it today --as emphasized in my own book on the subject, it was
a primarily dramatic serial with humorous undertones. The earliest example
of a half-hour character comedy presenting its situations in a
complete-in-one-episode format that I've found is "Mr. And Mrs.," a CBS
program of 1929-31 based on the comic strip by Clare Briggs, and featuring
Jack Smart and Jane Houston as Joe and Vi Green, a middle-class husband
and wife who spent all their time fighting and picking at each other, and
who seemed to remain married out of sheer inertia. It was an obvious
prototype of the bickering-spouse format that would be driven into the
ground in the decades to come, but as far as broadcasting is concerned,
"Mr. and Mrs." did it before anyone else.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 19:43:18 -0400
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Friends of Old Time Radio in the News (This
 Weekend)
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

Mark Voger of the Asbury Park Press is running a feature on Friends of Old
Time Radio Convention guest Will Hutchins in his entertainment column this
weekend.

He is also syndicated to other Gannett Newspapers in New Jersey so if you
live in the Garden State look for it in your favorite Gannett Newspapers from
Friday onward.

I think it runs in the Sunday edition of the APP.

He's done great features on Beverly Washburn, Jon Provost and Elliot Reid in
the past and always includes contact information for yours truly for anyone
interested in joining us at the Holiday Inn North in Newark, [removed] October
18-21, 2007, [removed].

In fact, if anyone sees the article in their local paper, please let me know
via e-mail and if you're coming to the convention, bring a copy along to show
Will.

Best,

Sean Dougherty
201-739-2541
SeanDD@[removed]

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

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

Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 23:13:35 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  10-4 births/deaths

October 4th births

10-04-1878 - Arthur Hopkins - Cleveland, OH - d. 3-22-1950
producer: "Arthur Hopkins Presents"
10-04-1880 - Homer Rodeheaver - Union Furnace, OH - d. 12-18-1955
singer/composer: "Come On. Let's Sing"
10-04-1884 - Damon Runyon - Manhattan, KS - d. 12-10-1946
short story writer: "Good News of 1940"; "Damon Runyon Theatre"
10-04-1892 - Kathryn Card - Butte, MT - d. 3-1-1964
actor: Grandmother Barton "The Bartons"; Mrs. Wiggins "Uncle Walter's
Dog House"
10-04-1893 - Reverend Walter A. Maier - Boston, MA - d. 1-11-1950
preacher: "Lutheran Hour"
10-04-1894 - Cliff Hall - Brooklyn, NY - d. 10-6-1972
comedian: Sharlie "Baron and the Bee, Jack Pearl Show"
10-04-1895 - Buster Keaton - Piqua, KS - d. 2-1-1966
comedian: "Shell Chateau"; "Voices from the Hollywood Past"
10-04-1895 - Lea Penman - Red Cloud, MN - d. 10-12-1962
actor: Alice Aldrich "The Aldrich Family"
10-04-1897 - Frederick Chase Taylor - Buffalo, NY - d. 5-29-1950
comedian: Lemuel Q. Stoopnagel "Duffy's Tavern, Quixie Doodles,
Stoopnagel and Budd"
10-04-1900 - Robert Shayne - Yonkers, NY - d. 11-29-1992
actor: Walter Manning "Portia Faces Life"
10-04-1903 - Marcus Duffield - d. 1-xx-1973
columnist: "Information Please"
10-04-1908 - Patricia Calvert - London, England
actor: "Just Plain Bill"; "Our Gal Sunday"
10-04-1909 - James Webb - Denver, CA - d. 9-27-1974
screenwriter: "Lux Radio Theatre"
10-04-1910 - James Doyle - St. Paul, MN - d. 7-1-1980
announcer: "The Great Gildersleeve"; "Rogue's Gallery"
10-04-1910 - Stanley Farrar - d. 4-5-1974
actor: (Brother of Danny Thomas) Melvyn Foster "A Date with Judy"
10-04-1914 - John Larch - Salem, MA - d. 10-20-2005
actor: (Married to Vivi Janiss) Rocky Starr "Starr ofSpace"
10-04-1916 - George Sidney - Long Island City, NY - d. 5-5-2002
film musical director: "Shell Chateau"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
10-04-1916 - Jan Murray - The Bronx, NY - d. 7-2-2006
emcee: "Songs for Sale"; "Meet Your Match"
10-04-1916 - Lenore Kingston - Los Angeles, CA - d. 5-5-1993
actor: Mercedes Colby "Don Winslow of the Navy"; Jane Daley "Affairs
of Anthony"
10-04-1924 - Charlton Heston - Evanston, IL
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Kaleidoscope"
10-04-1925 - Francisco Aranzamendi - d. 10-xx-1983
disk jockey: WAPA San Juan, Puerto Rico
10-04-1929 - Scotty Beckett - Oakland, CA - d. 5-10-1968
actor: Chester A. Riley, Jr. "Life of Riley"
10-04-1932 - Felicia Farr - Westchester County, NY
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"

October 4th deaths

01-08-1902 - Alexander Gray - Wrightvilles, PA - d. 10-4-1975
baritone: "Chesterfield Quarter Hour"
01-12-1911 - Lon Clark - Frost, MN - d. 10-4-1998
actor: Nick Carter "Nick Carter, Master Detective"
03-10-1900 - Sherman Billingsley - Enid, Oklahoma Territory - d.
10-4-1966
owner stork club: "Bing Crosby Show"
04-02-1913 - Fran Carlon - Indianapolis, IN - d. 10-4-1993
actor: Lorelei Kilbourne "Big Town"; Bunny Mitchell "Story of Mary
Marlin"
05-22-1891 - Parks Johnson - Sheffield, AL - d. 10-4-1970
emcee, interviewer: "Vox Pox"
05-31-1893 - Albert Mitchell - Elsberry, MO - d. 10-4-1954
host: "Answer Man"
06-13-1894 - Tay Garnett - Los Angeles, CA - d. 10-4-1977
film director: "Three Sheets to the Wind"; "Screen Director's Playhouse"
09-04-1913 - Jan Savitt - Petrograd, Russia - d. 10-4-1948
bandleader: "Fitch Bandwagon"; "Rhapsody in Rhythm"
10-14-1922 - Claire Niesen - Phoenix, AZ - d. 10-4-1963
actor: "Mary Noble "Backstage Wife"; Peggy O'Neill "The O'Neills"
11-19-1890 - Charme Allen - Dayton, OH - d. 10-4-1980
actor: Aunt Polly "David Harum"; Ma Owen "Into the Light"
11-30-1900 - Geoffrey Household - Briston, England - d. 10-4-1988
writer: "NBC Presents: Short Story"
12-30-1873 - Al Smith - NYC - d. 10-4-1944
governor: "Information Please"
xx-xx-xxxx - Stuart Dawson - d. 10-4-1958
announcer: "Backstage Wife"

Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 09:24:43 -0400
From: matthew cox <mbcox99@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Sherlock Holmes sponsor

Hi Everyone,
During the New Adventures Of Sherlock HOlmes Harry Bartel does a
wonderful job describing Petri wines.  Is Petri wine still available
or did it go the way of Two Buck Chuck?  What was Petri?  Was it a
two buck Chuck kind of wine for your 1940's consumer?  My guess is it
was the Mondovi of forty years ago.  But just for fun at our local
Bevmo I asked about it and it was funny seeing flustering our Bevmo clerk.
[removed]  You've gotta wonder if someone has a bottle of Petry from back
then in the cellar now.  To quote Mr. Bartel "isn't that
delicious?"  I wonder.  Thanks  Matt

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

Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 09:25:03 -0400
From: "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Sit-coms

In #282, Frank McGurn cites a couple of dictionaries to define the term
sitcom.  I would argue that this is incomplete.  I agree with whatever
wag said "The dictionary is a historical document, not a legal one."

If we merely say a sitcom is a situation with comedy, then by definition
all comedies would be sitcoms since they all have situations, with the
possible exception of show that featured only a comedian telling
unrelated jokes.  Such an inclusive definitions are essentially
worthless.

I argue that a sitcom is a much more specific thing, where the plot or
situation is an integral part of the story, usually following the
pattern of "character X is humiliated [removed]", as someone pointed out
here a few months ago.  Usually something embarrassing is done (or
forgotten to be done) at the beginning of the shows, and the protagonist
spends the rest of the show trying to cover-up till it all comes off the
rails at the end.

Life of Riley would be, I believe, the best example of this type of
show.  Definitely a sitcom.  Other shows that would definitely be
sitcoms are Great Gildersleeve, Father Knows Best, Henry Aldrich, Phil
Harris & Alice Faye, etc.

However, shows like Fibber McGee and Molly do not fit this pattern, and
I would argue are definitely not sitcoms.  They don't have a situation
as much as they do a premise.  The premise moves the show along, but
isn't integral to the show.  FM&M might be walking to the store, waiting
in line at the DMV, cutting out dress patterns at home, whatever.  But
this merely serves as a framework for a series of stock characters to
come in for a couple of gags and leave.  Much more like Vaudeville humor
than a sitcom.  LaTrivia, Uppington, or the Old Timer don't drive the
plot by their appearance, they're just there for jokes.  Fred Allen is
another excellent example of this type of show.  Jack Benny also uses
this format frequently.

There is of course middle ground, and shows that move between both
categories.  Lum & Abner springs to mind, where some episodes have a
definite plot and are very sitcomy, while others make only the faintest
of nods to a plot and spend most of the show riffing on something Abner
mis-hears.  But since L&A is a serial show, perhaps the sitcom/not
sitcom definition isn't applicable.

Just some thoughts,
-chris holm

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

Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 12:12:23 -0400
From: AudioBoyMA@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Al Lewis

Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:11:26 -0400
From: "otrbuff" <otrbuff@[removed];

Have you looked in the newly released "The Great Radio Sitcoms"?
([removed])  You'll find a few pertinent details there about Mr.
Lewis' life, death and career.  Not a whole lot, but possibly more than you
have discovered elsewhere.

It sounds like an awesome book, Jim.  Thanks for the tip!

Unfortunately, the price is steep in terms of our budget and I doubt I could
justify it to the committee when all that we need from it is a few lines of
information.

I'll keep looking around, though.  Perhaps some of my librarian friends can
track the information down.

-N

--
Neil Marsh * neil@[removed]
The Post-Meridian Radio Players * [removed]

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

Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 13:37:20 -0400
From: Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  The Mystery of Captain Midnight's First Name

In my book, Radio's Captain Midnight, I identified Captain Midnight's
first name, in his civilian identity as Charles.  This name never was
articulated in the radio scripts I read, but neither was any other.  The
only "first" name ever given during the Skelly years in the shows in
circulation (The Pareda Treasure and The Mysterious Voice) was "Red,"
obviously a nickname.  It was recently brought to my attention that in
Tom Tumbusch's book, Tomarts Price Guide to Radio Premium and Cereal Box
Collectibles, Tumbusch writes, ""His name was Stuart "Red" Albright."
Interesting, but nothing I ever heard.

My research for the book's storyline was basically from the radio scripts
at the Ovaltine archives in their Villa Park headquarters in the 1980s.
Here, virtually every reference to Captain Midnight's civilian name was
inferential, such as when someone said that "Captain Midnight" was rather
flamboyant, and he responds, "That name was not of my choosing."

So where did the "Charles" come from?  I'll answer that in parts.  I do
not consider the half-hour radio programs part of the Captain Midnight
epic.  This is because they did not relate to the previous 11 years'
storylines from the serial, plus the fact that they were aimed at a less
sophisticated audience.  (Also, Ed Prentiss was not playing the part;
Paul Barnes did the dubious honors.)

That being said, the following television show completely recast the
Captain Midnight background.  The Secret Squadron, in 1940, was an
organization funded by the [removed] government.  The Secret Squadron of the
television program was a private organization.  Most of the supporting
characters of the radio show didn't transition to television: the only
one that did was Ichabod Mudd.  In the radio show, besides being the
Secret Squadron's Chief Mechanic, he was an inventor, developing a number
of pieces of Secret Squadron equipment, including the Code-O-Graphs.  On
television, he was sheer comic relief: a new inventor, Tut, the "science
wizard," developed a number of astonishing and impractical gadgets.

However, on the television show, Captain Midnight, in civvies, identified
himself as "Jim Albright."  Although the TV show has virtually no
relationship to the radio serial, since Ovaltine sponsored both, I
honored the "Jim," or James, as part of his name.

So now back to the question: whence came "Charles"?  This was something I
deduced (or, if you wish, made up) from the way Chuck related to the
Secret Squadron leader.  Chuck was Albright's ward, yet he called
Albright "Red," a bit familiar for the late 1930s and early 1940s, for
one to address his father figure.  This led me to believe that this was
not Albright's actual first name.  But at the time, Chuck was already
referring to Albright as Captain Midnight, which was spelled out in
Ovaltine's origin story of the Captain Midnight name.

This was and is speculation on my part.  I assumed that Chuck and
Albright living together and often in each other's company, having two
people both named Charles would have been awkward, yet "Charles" would be
an appropriate name for Chuck's parents to have named him if Albright was
the godfather and/or designated parental surrogate.

In private communications, a Captain Midnight enthusiast considers my
reasoning inappropriate and suggests rather heatedly that "James 'Red'
Albright" was his official civilian name, period.  But "Red" as a
nickname is a bit unusual, unless one's rather auburn haired, and there's
nothing in the Ovaltine literature nor in the programs that I recall
mentioning his hair color.

I've speculated that "Red" was part of a screen name from Albright's
presumed motion-picture stunt flying career.

The above discussion, probably expanded, I intend to insert in my second
Captain Midnight biography.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #283
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