------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 342
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
RE: The original Joy Boys [ "Garry Lewis" <glewis@[removed] ]
When OTR ended [ "charles lowery" <larson1@adelphia. ]
Today in radio history 9/12-14 [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
Early TV pioneers [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
Zero Hour [ "mike kerezman" <philipmarlowe@cfai ]
Orson Welles & Jack Benny [ Lee Munsick <leemunsick@[removed] ]
Advertising art [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World [ "Mike Mackey" <[removed]@[removed] ]
Radio memories [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
9-14 birth/death dates [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Ed McConnell [ "Ed Carr" <edcarr@[removed]; ]
Jay Morton [ "RBB" <oldradio@[removed]; ]
Early Radio [removed] [ Wich2@[removed] ]
TV "Uncles"... [ Wich2@[removed] ]
How Many Shows Survive [ "mike kerezman" <philipmarlowe@cfai ]
FOTR [ JayHick@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 15:38:20 -0400
From: "Garry Lewis" <glewis@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE: The original Joy Boys
Could it have been reference to a local radio program that never made it to
national memory? Or could it have been, due to copyright infringement
issues, a reference to a show of similar format and/or name? Or could it
have been just a thrown in ,imaginary, character development element?
enquiring snoops what to suggest. }:^)>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 15:53:54 -0400
From: "charles lowery" <larson1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: When OTR ended
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I remember as a child in the 1940's that the only thing I would read in the
newspaper after the comics was the radio listings. The programs, times, and
stations would cover most of the page. In the late 1940's there appeared at
the very bottom of the page a brief listing of that evening's TV shows on the
only two stations which could be received. Within a few years, more TV
stations were available, and one day in the early 1950's, I saw to my horror
that the radio and TV listings had changed places. Now most of the newspaper
page showed what was on TV, and sent to the bottom of the page was an
abbreviated listing of some of the radio shows. This is when I date the end of
OTR, but I would not have missed it for the world.
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 17:35:24 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history 9/12-14
From Those Were The Days --
9/12
1938 - [removed] Kaltenborn made broadcasting history by covering a crisis in
Czechoslovakia for CBS beginning on this day. Kaltenborn was so devoted
to his work that he slept in the studio for 18 days while bringing
updates to his appreciative audience.
9/13
1931 - Vaudeville star Eddie Cantor was heard for the first time -- on
NBC. The Chase and Sanborn Hour became one of the most popular radio
shows of the 1930s.
1937 - The first broadcast of Kitty Keene, Inc. was heard on the NBC Red
network.
9/14
1936 - NBC presented John's Other Wife for the first time. Actually,
John's other wife was not his wife at all. She was his secretary.
Joe
--
Visit my homepage: [removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 17:46:23 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Early TV pioneers
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It's me again, gang:
All this talk about early television and the joke about the Russians'
claim that they invented television reminds me of a couple of stories.
My Glaswegian-born father was fiercely proud of his Scottish heritage
and often bragged that the first inventor to get a clear picture on a TV set
was his fellow Scot, John Logie Baird. [I'm sure this is open to debate].
Hearing this at age 6 or 7, I thought he was talking about John Yogi Bear.
Years later, my dad adopted the adage that "the Scots gave ye TV and
cured yer [removed]" citing the efforts of the aforementioned Mr. Baird as well as
those of Scottish immunologist Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin.
This reminds me of that notorious "Odd Couple" episode where Felix &
Oscar participate in a famous-moments-in-sports OTR-style re-creation which
depicts the largely apocryphal story of Babe Ruth (played by Jack Klugman as
Oscar Madison) visiting the sick little boy (played by Tony Randall as Felix
Unger) in the hospital & promising to belt out a home-run for him.
Felix/Randall decided to give the story an even happier ending by writing a
tag in which he playes Dr. Fleming & how his discovery of penicillin went on
to save the dying boy's life. Incidentally, this episode was written by OTR
historian/TV writer Frank Buxton.
Back to the TV inventors.
Here at Talking Books, where correct pronunciation is crucial, we
once recorded years ago a biography of Andrei Sakharov, the famous Russian
nuclear physicist. The rule of thumb regarding the pronunciation of Russian
names is whether the name is well-known enough to western [removed] we
pronounce "Stalin" and "Lenin" in the ordinary way rather than stah-LEEN and
leh-NYEEN. If it's well-known, Anglicize it; if not, leave it in Russian.
During the recording of the Sakharov book, the name Vladimir Zworykin
came up and the Russian-speaking narrator/reader rendered it as
vluh-DEE-meer zwor-RWEE-kyin. I stopped the tape and said "It's
'VLAD-ih-meer ZWOR-ih-kin.' Don't we usually Anglicize well-known Russian
names?"
Narrator: We [removed] not this guy.
Me: But he's well-known.
Narrator: Well, I've never heard of him!
Me: Hey, Vladimir Zworykin happens to be a personal hero of mine. When you
invoke his name, say it with the utmost respect!
Narrator (shrieking): WELL, WHO IS HE?!
Me: Vladimir Zworykin [intentional dramatic pause as I look Heaven-ward;
think of the 'You'd do it for Randolph Scott' scene in
'Blazing Saddles'] invented [another dramatic pause] television.
Anyway, an argument ensued of whether Mr. Zworykin was well-known
enough to Anglicize or obscure enough to
pronounce in Russian. The then-manger of Talking Books stepped in to mediate
& sided with the narrator.
After he left, I continued with the reader, "What's the matter with
you. If Boris Badenov's name came up, you'd pronounce it bor-REES
buh-DEN-yov!"
Later, I looked up Zworykin, Vladimir, in the Merriam-Webster
Biographical Dictionary [he's the preantepenultimate entry in this venerable
reference book]. Not only did it allow my Anglicization, it also stated he
came to the [removed] in 1919. And if that doesn't qualify Anglicizing his name,
nothing does. The Random House Dictionary of the American Language mentions
that [removed] is "known as the father of television." Again, that's open to
[removed] with my father.
Yours always in the ether,
Derek Tague
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 18:57:39 -0400
From: "mike kerezman" <philipmarlowe@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Zero Hour
Someone mentioned the Zero Hour. I have only listened to two show set
released on cassette I picked up a few years ago in my local public library:
"Faces of the Foe" and "The Desparate Witness". One of them I don't remember
which was about a Print magazine. Its was pretty good story and part of the
story took place in high rise building. My memory is rather vague.
Mike Kerezman
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 19:57:37 -0400
From: Lee Munsick <leemunsick@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Orson Welles & Jack Benny
We listened to the OTR channel on XM radio the other day, as is my wont
despite the terrible interprogram narrations. I was excited when the
small screen showed
Campbell Playhouse
Jack Benny
Turned out to be an adaptation of the supposedly successful play "June
Moon". This had two successful runs in the 20s and 30s, and host Orson
Welles said that it had been one of the alltime great comedy plays.
IMHO, if that was true, his adaptation certainly didn't do it justice.
The original was produced by Sam H. Harris and staged by George S.
Kaufman, written by Kaufman and Ring Lardner. So how could it have been
bad?
Well, I thought Welles and Benny were thoroughly wasted, not to say just
stinko. Well, the incidental music was good, undoubtedly the work of
Bernard Herrmann.
I've not heard a whole lot of Campbell Playhouses, and normally I am a
fan of both Orson Welles and Jack Benny. In my estimation, they both
usually did outstanding work. I hope that this outing was not typical
of The Campbell Playhouse! Any other opinions?
Lee Munsick
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 23:37:54 -0400
From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Advertising art
Hello all,
Re the recent post stating the image of a family sitting around the glowing
radio dial was probably advertising art.
They must have designed it from our family. I can remember my brother and
me in our PJs lying on the floor infront of the big console radio while my
parents sat behind us in chairs listening to the Lone Ranger, Jack Benny,
etc. We were only allowed a few early shows before being chased off to bed.
In later years (mid 50's) we got our own radio in the bedroom (a Philco
table model) and could continue listening after bed time. Sunday nights
were special when our folks would start a fire in the fireplace and pop some
popcorn over it while listening to the evening programs. My most vivid
memory is sitting on a kitchen stool getting my haircut by mom while she
listened to Fibber McGee and Molly. From what I can remember, this was
after the show switched to a 15 minute, five day a week format. Corny as it
was, we always laughed when Fibber opened the hall closet.
Bill Schell
Magalia, Ca
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 02:00:12 -0400
From: "Mike Mackey" <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Yes, that is Jack Benny. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson of Jack Benny
fame is there, too. He has a substantial role as a taxi driver. Of
course this movie is famous for its large cast. Seems like just about
every television notable and many movie actors from that era had some
role or cameo in it. Note the cameo that radio's Stan Freberg has as
a sheriff's deputy and Arnold Stang is great as the service station
owner.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:08:19 -0400
From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio memories
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 13:37:43 -0400
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
Well, few of us tweaked the radios. My folks had one in the living room,
another in the kitchen. My sister and I each had one in our bedrooms. The
living room console was an AM/FM radiophonograph. Mine were a Silvertone
AM Radiophonograph (a turntable-and-arm table model unit); my sister's a
table model radio, brand forgotten, but a wooden cabinet.
Our livingroom radio was a Philco AM radiophonograph which my father bought in 1947,
when I was about 2 years old. I still have that one in my livingroom. The phonograph part no
longer works, but the radio still works fine. With a patch cord plug connected to the speaker
terminals, I can play the stereo through it to listen to old radio tapes.
My parents had another radio in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. They tended to use
the kitchen radio in the morning for the news and also sometimes for other things. On
Sunday evenings, they listened to Drew Pearson and something called "Monday Morning
Headlines."
They usually listened to evening radio programs in the bedroom, and since I was in the next
room, I learned to sing some of the commercial jingles.
My grandparents had a large console radio in their livingroom, and one of my earliest
memories (I wasn't 3 years old yet) was of being in a darkened livingroom, with the only light
coming from the radio dial, as they listened to Jack Benny. What I remember is the Lucky
Strike commercials and the tobacco auctioneer.
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 13:59:29 -0400
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
I strongly suspect that the image of the family sitting around the
living room, entranced by the glowing dial, is mostly a product of
advertising art. Each family has its own rituals, but we certainly
didn't operate like that once there was more than one radio in the
house. Everyone did their own stuff.
Well, yes. By the mid-1950s, we had a TV set, and I had a radio in my room and tended to
listen there. I do remember listening to Rin TIn Tin and the Hallmark Hall of Fame on
Sunday evening in the kitchen while having supper.
In 1956, at a time when our TV was broken, I remember one evening, we were all sitting in
the livingroom listening on the radiophonograph to a special tribute to Fred Allen, who had
just died. And I remember thinking that this must be what it was like in the old days, the
whole family listening to the radio in the livingroom.
I suppose nowadays the same thing can be said of television. I remember the days when
the whole family sat in the livingroom watching television together (and sometimes arguing
over what program to watch), but now that families tend to have more than on TV, that is no
longer the case.
--
A. Joseph Ross, [removed] [removed]
15 Court Square, Suite 210
lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2503
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:08:28 -0400
From: Ron Sayles
<bogusotr@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-14 birth/death dates
September 14th births
09-14-1907 - Cecil Brown - New Brighton, PA - d. 10-25-1987
newscaster: "CBS European News"; "Sizing Up the News"
09-14-1908 - Bernard Green - NYC - d. 8-8-1975
orchestra leader: "The Clock"
09-14-1914 - Clayton Moore - Chicago, IL - d. 12-28-1999
actor: Television Lone Ranger
September 14th deaths
01-17-1903 - Warren Hull - Gasport, NY - d. 9-14-1974
actor: Jack Hamilton "Gibson Family"
02-17-1914 - Wayne Morris - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-14-1959
actor: "Radio Reader"s Digest"; "NBC university Theatre of the Air"
09-02-1904 - Vera Vague (Barbara Jo Allen) - NYC - d. 9-14-1974
comedienne: "Vera Vague Show"; "Bob Hope Show"; "Jimmy Durante Show"
10-03-1899 - Gertrude Berg - NYC - d. 9-14-1966
actress: Molly Goldberg, "The Goldbergs"
10-06-1906 - Janet Gaynor - Philadelphia, PA, - d. 9-14-1984
hostess, actress: "Hollywood Showcase: Stars Over Hollywood"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn and Jay Jostyn
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:11:14 -0400
From: "Ed Carr"
<edcarr@[removed];
To:
[removed]@[removed]
Subject: Ed McConnell
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YOU'VE GUESSED IT
IT'S Smilin' Ed Mc Connell Star Entertainer and Super-Salesman of the Air.
The Friend and Favorite of the Farmer
Smilin' Ed was furnished with scripts which outlined the main
commercial points. He ad libbed from these outlines, translating the
sales pitch into his own homespun patter
and appealing directly to people living in the country beyond the
electrical high line.
Smilin' Ed knew his audience. He presented the sales message with an
air of joviality. His "soft sell" and his country speech created a
rapport which made people trust and believe him. He had the
revivalist's ability to project his personality over the air waves
directly into the home of the listener. One listener said, "Somehow,
just because Smilin' Ed said it was so-then we ought to have some."
Smilin' Ed became "The Aladdin Lamp Man," achieving remarkable success.
In the early 1930's, he presented a thirty- minute program of hymns over
powerful radio WLW, Cincinnati, Ohio. A disagreement over salary arose.
Finally, it was agreed to pay Smilin' Ed twenty-five cents for every
inquiry
received about Aladdin lamps. Eight thousand requests poured in after
he told his listeners they would do him a great favor by requesting
information on this wonderful lamp. The company soon decided to pay him
the weekly salary he had been asking.
One Sunday when Smilin' Ed's daughter was very ill, he did the program
but only after requesting that he not do any advertising. During the
program he told
his audience his troubles and asked for their prayers. The next week
several thousand cards and notes of sympathy were received. Smilin' Ed
McConnell was a very popular man as well as a terrific salesman of
Aladdin products.
Aladdin's galaxy of radio stars in the mid-1930's also included Tex
Owens, KMBC, Kansas City; Homer Griffith, KFAA, Dallas; Hugh Aspinwall,
WCCO, Minneapolis; "Bar Nothin' Ranch Boys," WIRE, Indianapolis; and
"The Plainsman," WFAB, Lincoln.
(thought this might be interesting, no other reason :>) a friend sent it
ed
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:11:56 -0400
From: "RBB"
<oldradio@[removed];
To:
<[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jay Morton
Jay Morton has died at age 92 in Charlotte, NC. He penned some of the
best-known Superman phrases, including "faster than a speeding bullet!"
He was once a script writer and artist for the Fleischer Studios in Miami.
In 1938, Morton first descibed Superman for the animated movie shorts as:
"Faster than a roaring hurricane," and "more powerful than a pounding surf."
A few scripts later, he finally nailed it: "Faster than a speeding bullet,
more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single
bound" which was the radio program's signature.
In 1941, he left Fleisher when they were bought out by Paramount Studios and
Morton stayed in Dade County, Florida and went into finance (developing
"Gables-By-The-Sea" and "Eastern Shores"), publishing ("The Home News" in
Hialeah, FL), inventing, art and politics.
(Thanks to the web site Deathwatch Central at
[removed] for details.)
Russ Butler
oldradio@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:12:10 -0400
From:
Wich2@[removed]
To:
[removed]@[removed]
Subject: Early Radio [removed]
From: "Larry Montgomery" <oscha_dierdorff@[removed];
I am a recently new listener and would like to know if any of you out there
have any really good "radio memories" of what it was like back in the 1930's
and 1940's listening to the radio. What radio did you have and how
important was it that your radio be kept in good working order? Even though
I wasn't alive back then (I was born in 1962) my Mom had some terrific
stories of the way things were back then.
Dear Larry & all-
I'm in approximately the same boat as you; born in '58, I recall TV before
'62 very well - but can't dig up any memory of network radio, other than news.
BUT my Dad, born in '35, shared this one with me during a power outage a few
years [removed] He lived on a chicken farm in rural NW Ohio, and they had a
small table model. But when he was very young, they weren't electrified yet -
so my grandfather brought in the car battery on rare occasions! Good
Lutherans that they were, the main event was Sunday afternoon's THE LUTHERAN
HOUR, with Dr. Maier. (For longevity buffs, a show still running [removed]).
Best,
Craig W.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:12:32 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: TV "Uncles"...
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
I believe that Milton Berle's program did more to HASTEN Radios demise than
any other TV offering. ... Uncle Milty did more to spur the sales of TV sets
across the Country than anyone believed possible.
Dear Hal & [removed]
Maybe Anthony Tollin can confirm this, but I've heard anecdotal evidence that
Milton shares that honor with George Reeves.
I've often referred to Reeves as an "Uncle", because like most of my
generation, I spent time with him everyday - and he was a charming role model.
(For a great story of same, see:
[removed])
Best,
Craig "A Nephew of the Last Son of Krypton" Wichman
[removed] Hal: hope to see you (& work with you?) at [removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:12:56 -0400
From: "mike kerezman" <philipmarlowe@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: How Many Shows Survive
In light of this I like to share this. Around 2 or 3 years ago I checked
Jerry H. Vintage Logs on the show CRIME CLASSICS. I saved to my Hard drive.
It reported 44 surviving shows of around 52 that aired. On this basis, I
recently purchased a MP3 CD of 40 CRIME CLASSIC shows. when I checked the
log at Jerry's site [removed] I discovered
that more had turned up. It reports there are now 50 shows in circulations,
with just two not available for order from Jerry's site. (I'm not affiliated
with the site in any way). I struck me how much progress has been made in
short space of time of only 2-3 years. All is not lost. One show in
particular of CRIME CLASSICS that I had assumed was lost forever has turned
[removed] make me hopeful that more episode of other shows may turn up.
Mike Kerezman
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 00:13:04 -0400
From: JayHick@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: FOTR
Our convention is coming up Oct 23 - 26 at the Holiday Inn-North in Newark.
It is our 28th.
You can get information on the Friends of Old-time Radio Convention on our
Web Site:
FOTR Web site: [removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #342
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