Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #246
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 8/26/2007 9:08 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2007 : Issue 246
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Lum & Abner book                      [ "joe@[removed]" <jsalerno@earthli ]
      Re: Homosexuality in OTR              [ Alan Bell <alanlinda43@[removed]; ]
      off the platter and into your home    [ "joe@[removed]" <jsalerno@earthli ]
      Fibber and WWII                       [ "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed]; ]
      Speaking of Fibber McGee and Molly A  [ "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed]; ]
      Re: Arch Oboler's Yesterday, Today,   [ "R. R. King" <kingrr@[removed]; ]
      MP3 CD/Cassette Boombox Recommendati  [ Ronald Reeland <ronreeland@[removed]; ]
      8-26 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      Kathy Fiscus                          [ "Jay Manarky" <jayman@[removed]; ]
      OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK               [ "Jerry Haendiges" <jerryhaendiges@c ]
      Kidsopera, Tenn., Weston Wildernesss  [ <verotas@[removed]; ]
      Heinlein on Radio, one more           [ Mahlon Wagner <mwagner2@[removed] ]
      A legend in our time                  [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      You know I'll bring her in some day   [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      old time radio glenn miller           [ Gerand <gerand@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:22:56 -0400
    From: "joe@[removed]" <jsalerno@[removed];
    To: OTR List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Lum & Abner book

    First the usual disclaimer, I have no financial interest in this book,
    but it will be of interest to many OTR collectors, I'm sure. I just
    found out about it, haven't ordered yet, or read it.

    LUM & ABNER - Rural America and the Golden Age of Radio. Randal L. Hall,
    managing editor of the Journal of Southern History at Rice University,
    which is just a few miles from my house, BTW.

    The gist of the book is this: L&A appealed to rural Southerners and
    urban listeners. The addition of hillbilly and other popular music added
    to it. As a result, Arkansas experienced a boom in tourism and southern
    listeners began to immerse themselves in a new national popular culture.
      (So what were northern listeners were doing at the time?)

    It's available from Kentucky University Press, $[removed], that's a 20%
    discount plus postage.

    [removed];Group=198&ID=1428

    Joe Salerno

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:23:20 -0400
    From: Alan Bell <alanlinda43@[removed];
    To: Old Time Radio <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Homosexuality in OTR

    Apropos of this little discussion of homosexuality in
    OTR, some may be interested in an article included in
    the book _RADIO READER_ edited by Michelle Hilmes and
    Jason Loviglio. The title of the article is "The
    Tendency to Deprave and Corrupt Morals"--Regulation
    and Irregular Sexuality in Golden Age Radio, by
    Matthew Murray.

    It deals in part with what were then called "swish"
    characters or "lavender gentlemen," and it's clear
    that the standards and practices people at the
    networks were on the alert for overt portrayals of
    "gayness" (though that term wasn't used then). But
    often the characterizations were in the performance,
    not in the script. Also, they had to give a fair
    amount of leeway because who was to say a character
    was homosexual as opposed to being just weird?

    Another character used as an example was the bodyguard
    that Jack Benny hired to protect him from Fred Allen's
    alledged thugs when the show visited New York. The
    fellow is quite effeminate and keeps getting his brass
    knuckles taken away from him.

    The article also goes into other sexual "deviances"
    such as the May West brouhaha following her appearance
    in the Chase & Sanborn hour in which she not only
    notoriously (?!) portrayed Eve but also tried to
    seduce Charlie McCarthy.

    An interesting read. I recommend the book to anyone
    who wants to delve into the study of OTR beyond
    fandom.

    Alan

    _________________
    Alan/Linda Bell
    Grand Rapids, MI

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:23:42 -0400
    From: "joe@[removed]" <jsalerno@[removed];
    To: OTR List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  off the platter and into your home

    [removed];Qif=[removed];Qiv=thumbs&Qis=XL#qdig

    Wonderful contemporary article (1937) about radio transcriptions,
    manufacturing, and broadcasting.

    js

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:42:12 -0400
    From: "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
    To: ""old-time radio digest">" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Fibber and WWII

    Hi all,
    I've been listening to a lot of Fibber McGee and Molly lately.
    I'm always struck by how many shows they did where the storyline was set
    around Rationing or some other
    WWII related thing.
    It seems more prevalent in there show than on most others.  Am I dreaming or
    is this true.
    They sure did a lot to help the war effort.
    Can anyone name other shows that had many WWII related plots on an ongoing
    basis?
    Maybe it was more common than I know?
    Bill

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:44:04 -0400
    From: "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
    To: ""old-time radio digest">" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Speaking of Fibber McGee and Molly Again

    Still on my Fibber track, is there any way to find out the musicians in Billy
    Mills' Orchestra in the early to mid
    40's run?
    The guitar player was amazing.
    Thanks for any ideas.
    Bill

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:44:40 -0400
    From: "R. R. King" <kingrr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Arch Oboler's Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

>     Anyone got any information on this set of shows?
>     I believe it came out in the late 80's? It appears to be some shows
>     written by Arch Oboler to get the patriot juices flowing in WWII.

    These are vintage recordings from various projects by Mr. O such as
    Arch Oboler's Plays (1939-40, 1945), Everyman's Theater (1940-'41),
    Plays for Americans (1942), et cetera. I haven't heard this particular
    set but, according to its entry on the WorldCat search engine, it was
    released by Metacom in 1987 and the titles of the plays (some of which
    are short sketches excerpted from longer programs) are:

    Johnny Got His Gun; This Precious Freedom; Suffer Little Children; The
    Women Stayed at Home; Johnny Quinn, [removed]; Adolf and Mrs. Runyon; I
    Have No Prayer; Letter at Midnight; This Living Book; The Family
    Nagashi; Strange Morning; The Day the Sun Exploded.

    The actors listed are Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, James Cagney,
    Ingrid Bergman, Olivia DeHavilland, Bea Benaderet, Hans Conried,
    Elliott Lewis, Jimmy Stewart, Lloyd Nolan, Raymond Massey, Norma
    Shearer, Paul Muni, Mercedes McCambridge, Alfred Ryder, and Howard
    Duff.

    Not all of the plays are propaganda on behalf of the war effort. A
    1987 New York Times article describes _ Yesterday, Today, and
    Tomorrow_ as "a set of socially conscious radio dramas."  At least
    five of the scripts were written before America's entry into the war
    and one of them, "Johnny Got His Gun," is usually described as an
    antiwar play.

    The 1987 Times article claims that Oboler "held on to about 850 dramas
    recorded on 16-inch disks and stored in his home in Malibu ..."
    Approached by Metacom, "Oboler went through his collection to select
    the stories he deemed most suitable for contemporary audiences."

    850 seems like an awfully large number of recorded dramas for Oboler
    to have saved. I'm wondering if the reporter has perhaps confused this
    figure with, for example, the number of scripts Oboler claimed to have
    written during his career.

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:45:13 -0400
    From: Ronald Reeland <ronreeland@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  MP3 CD/Cassette Boombox Recommendation
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Chris Holm requested recommendations on combination MP3/cassette players. I
    have had a Panasonic model RX-D29 since February 14, 2007. It does a good job
    on MP3 CD,s without any skipping or dropout or loss of track. The cassette has
    also been trouble-free. Here is a link to Google Products(Froogle) showing
    various sources for the unit:
    [removed];oe=UTF-8&scoring=p   I got mine from
    Amazon at that time for $[removed] and free shipping. It might be well to obtain
    it at a local electronics store or from a reputable online dealer such as
    Amazon in case of problems. One irritation: The MP3 player does not have a
    memory to recall the program  playing when you shut it off. The next time you
    use it, you must use the remote control to advance to the desired program or
    track. The tone is good, there is a "sleep timer" feature and I think it was a
    good buy at $[removed] Good luck in your [removed]

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

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:45:20 -0400
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  8-26 births/deaths

    August 26th births

    08-26-1873 - Lee De Forest - Council Bluffs, IA - d. 6-30-1961
    inventor: Audion tube
    08-26-1891 - Frayne Baker - d. 8-15-1968
    newscaster: KFYR Bismarck, North Dakota
    08-26-1896 - Phil Baker - Philadelphia, PA - d. 11-30-1963
    comedian, emcee: "Honolulu Bound"; "Take It or Leave It"
    08-26-1903 - Jimmy Rushing - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory - d.
    6-8-1972
    blues singer: "Count Basie and His Orchestra"; "Blue Ribbon Guest Night"
    08-26-1904 - Chirstopher Isherwood - High Lane, Cheshire, England -
    d. 1-4-1986
    writer: "NBC University Theatre"; "CBS Radio Workshop"
    08-26-1905 - George F. Hicks - Tacoma, WA - d. 3-17-1965
    announcer: "Metropolitan Echoes"; "Death Valley Days"; "Seth Parker"
    08-26-1907 - Jack Berch - Sigel, IL - d. 12-10-1992
    singer: "Kitchen Pirate"; "Sweetheart Serenade"; "Jack Berch Show"
    08-26-1907 - Lester Lanin - Philadelphia, PA - d. 10-27-2004
    bandleader: "Lester Lanin and His Orchestra"; "Here's to Veterans"
    08-26-1911 - Hal Gibney - Woodland, CA - d. 6-5-1973
    announcer: "Draget"; "The Six Shooter"; "Tales of the Texas Rangers"
    08-26-1912 - Chuck Foster - Jeanette, PA - d. 12-12-2001
    bandleader: "Treasury Bandstand"; "One Night Stand"
    08-26-1915 - Jim Davis - Edgereton, MO - d. 4-26-1981
    actor: "Dangerous Assignment"
    08-26-1919 - Frances Wayne - Boston, MA - d. 2-6-1978
    vocalist: "The Woody Herman Show"
    08-26-1921 - June Whitley - d. 5-25-2006
    actor: Margaret Anderson "Father Knows Best"
    08-26-1924 - Gloria Holliday - Billings, MT
    actor: Bessie "Great Gildersleeve"; Gloria "Honest Harold"

    August 26th deaths

    01-07-1898 - Art Baker - NYC - d. 8-26-1966
    announcer, emcee: "People Are Funny"; "Dinah Shore Show"
    01-13-1903 - Kay Francis - Oklahoma City,  Oklahoma Territory - d.
    8-26-1968
    actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    01-17-1904 - Knox Manning - Worcester, MA - d. 8-26-1980
    announcer: "Advs. of Sherlock Holmes"; "Headlines on Parade"
    02-04-1902 - Charles A. Lindbergh - Detroit, MI - d. 8-26-1974
    aviator: CBS awards program
    03-10-1911 - Warner Anderson - Brooklyn, NY - d. 8-26-1976
    actor: Patrick Ryan "Terry and the Pirates"
    03-23-1899 - Peggy Paige - Ashville, NC - d. 8-26-1974
    actor: Sassy "Grits and Gravy"; Nancy "Main Street Sketches"
    04-13-1899 - Larry Keating - [removed], MN - d. 8-26-1963
    actor, emcee: "Murder Will Out"; "Scramby Amby"; "This Is Your FBI"
    04-26-1922 - Mike Kellin - Hartford, CT - d. 8-26-1983
    actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
    05-22-1898 - Charles Borrelli - Philadelphia, PA - d. 8-26-1984
    pianist: "Italian Sunday"
    07-14-1892 - Gene Rouse - Boulder, CO - d. 8-26-1956
    announcer/newscaster: "First Nighter"; "Grand Hotel"; "Vanity Fair"
    07-14-1903 - Irving Stone - San Francisco, CA - d. 8-26-1989
    author: "Cavalcade of America"; "Hallmark Playhouse"; "Arch Oboler's
    Plays"
    08-28-1897 - Charles Boyer - Figeac, France - d. 8-26-1978
    actor: Michel "Presenting Charles Boyer"; "Hollywood Playhouse"
    09-21-1921 - Gail Russell - Chicago, IL - d. 8-26-1961
    actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"
    11-17-1931 - Wayne J. Andre - d. 8-26-2003
    trombonist: Benny Goodman Orchestra; Woody Herman Orchestra
    11-23-1916 - Julie Stevens - St. Louis, MO - d. 8-26-1984
    actor: Helen Trent "Romance of Helen Trent"; Kitty Foyle "Kitty Foyle"
    xx-xx-xxxx - William McNeary - d. 8-26-1934
    juvenile radio programming pioneer: "Man in the Moon"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:46:04 -0400
    From: "Jay Manarky" <jayman@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Kathy Fiscus

          Don Dean, here are a couple things you may not know about Jimmie
    Osborne's "The Death of Little Kathy Fiscus".

           I do not know if the song was ever released as a single (probably it
    was, because of the time period involved.  But I do not know that)  I have a
    copy of it on an old 8-tack tape which sounds as good as it did in the
    1904's

           Also-Jimmie Osborne took his own life,  I do not know exactly where
    or when or more sadly, why.

          Jay Manarky
          Owego, NY

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:46:11 -0400
    From: "Jerry Haendiges" <jerryhaendiges@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK

    Hi Friends,

    Here is this week's schedule for my Olde Tyme Radio Network. Here you may
    listen to high-quality broadcasts with Tom Heathwood's "Heritage Radio
    Theatre" and my own "Same Time, Same Station."  Streamed in high-quality
    audio, on demand, 24/7 at [removed]
    Check out our High-Quality mp3 catalog at:
    [removed]
    =======================================

    SAME TIME, SAME STATION

    WORDS AT WAR
    Episode 41    3-21-44   "Der Feuhrer"
    NBC COUNCIL ON BOOKS IN WAR TIME
    Thursdays 11:30 - 12:00 mid
    Storys from books produced during War Time.

    DR. CHRISTIAN
    Episode 361    10-24-45    "Playboy"
    CBS VASELINE
    Stars: Jean Hersholt and Rosemary De Camp

    CURTAIN TIME
    Episode 36    3-15-47   "A Bridge For Martha"
    HOST: Patrick Allen
    STARS: Nanette Sargent, Harry Elders
    NBC MARS MILKY WAY Saturdays 7:30 - 8:00 pm

    THE FOUNTAIN OF FUN
    Episode 9    10-11-42   "The Pinball Machine"
    WLW MARS Candy Bars
    HOST: Bob Jellison
    STARS: Phil Brito, The Thrasher Sisters
    MUSIC: Phil Davis and His Orchestra
    ANNOUNCER: Don Cornell

    ==================================

    HERITAGE RADIO THEATER

    OFFICIAL DETECTIVE
    (MBS)    2/17/50   "The Squealer"

    IT PAYS TO BE IGNORANT
    (CBS/AFRS)    7/14/44
    The coo-coo quiz show with host: Tom Howard.

    RADIO PREVIEWS THE MOVIES
    December 1936 "Leo Is On The Air" Cavalcade of movie musical hits from the
    MGM films of the year.

    ==================================

    If you have any questions or request, please feel free to contact me.

         Jerry Haendiges

         Jerry@[removed]  562-696-4387
         The Vintage Radio Place   [removed]
         Largest source of Old Time Radio Logs, Articles and programs on the Net

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:46:37 -0400
    From: <verotas@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Kidsopera, Tenn., Weston Wildernesss

    Don Jensen raised questions about programs obviously which had profound
    affect on him in the mid to late 1940s.  Apparently Don and I are of an age
    (I was born in 1936).   I do not recall the opera for kids program to which
    he refers, although I wish I had known of it at the time.  There were any
    number of fine musical programs to which I was devoted,  but this one somehow
    escaped me.  Perhaps just a little bit too early.

    Tennessee Jed was a Western show on ABC, and I too remember that opening!
    Don's recollection of the ricochet was right on target.  (Go away, Derek!).
    What probably none of us knew at the time was that the theme was sung by a
    30-something Elton Britt!

    Tennessee Jed (Sloan) was voiced over time by Johnny Thomas and Don
    MacLaughlin.  Thomas was also heard on True Detective Mysteries.  Raymond
    Edward Johnson portrayed a gambling man named Masters, and the show's
    narrator was announcer Court Benson.  Another well known announcer  - George
    Petrie - appeared often in dramatic parts (the beauty of radio!).

    But even more prolific was Don MacLaughlin, who starred as David Harding,
    Counterspy.  He popped up occasionally with Peg Lynch on Ethel and Albert,
    and on Gangbusters; was cerealized on The Romance of Helen Trent & We Love
    and Learn;  starred as Dr. Brent on The Road of Life;  and got hissed at on
    The Witch's Tale.   One wonders if perhaps he was a co-passenger with Orson
    Welles in some of those now-famous cab rides!  MacLaughlin re-created several
    of those soap roles in later TV revivals.

    Yes, Don, there was a Weston family - a whole slew of them were heard on
    Wilderness Road, where Lon Clark played Sam Weston and William Johnstone was
    Simon Weston.  Daniel Boone was voiced by Ray Collins - I wonder whatever
    happened to him after that!  Parker Fennelly often showed up, but somehow I
    don't think as the Pepperidge Fahm guy, or sounding like Fred Allen's pal.

    Thanks to Buxton and Owen for filling in a few cracks in some of my own
    memories.

    If we are to believe the set-up in  the Edward R. Murrow recordings, it was
    the Wilderness Road program which was interrupted for that World War II
    headline bulletin by John Daly with which we are all so familiar as a result.

    Don - thanks for the soap box - sorry I can't help with the kids' opera
    things - I look forward to someone else filling us in on that!  Bestus, Lee
    Munsick

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:47:02 -0400
    From: Mahlon Wagner <mwagner2@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Heinlein on Radio, one more

    Would I be correct that Heinlein's "Jerry was (is) a Man" was never on
    radio?

    I thought my 12-year old neighbor would enjoy that particular program.
    Thanks
    Mahl

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:47:14 -0400
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  A legend in our time

>     1922 - The first commercial to be broadcast on radio was heard on WEAF

    in New York City.

    That's a popular theory.  Actually, when I was researching that fact for a
    book to be released in 2008, to my unmitigated surprise -- ultimately
    unintendedly poking holes in a belief long deemed sacrosanct by OTR lovers
    past and present -- I discovered no fewer than three such prior occurrences
    in the period 1915-21 by previous operators of radio transmitting equipment.
    While WEAF's attempt might possibly have been the first in which cash
    physically changed hands, the guys that got there first were hawking goods
    and services like radio parts (from the broadcaster's own garage, by mail
    order), phonograph records (a deal made with a local record store in
    exchange for letting the DJ borrow discs for ethereal play, then promoting
    sales of those tunes from the shop) and nightclub seating (a maestro
    plugging performances at a nearby venue).

    All of this, to me, suggests that these were commercial efforts, [removed]
    attempts over the air to persuade the public to purchase something.  Once
    the new idea caught on, WEAF officials reneged on a previous hard-line stand
    against advertising and permitted it, in limited quantity, starting August
    1922.  (WEAF's first pitch pronounced the joys of residential apartment
    living.)

    In the interest of full disclosure, I must state that two of the early
    outlets were experimental stations run by ham operators (although KDKA grew
    out of one of those within a matter of weeks) and the third was WJZ, already
    a "legitimate" broadcasting success.

    I think it's another case of our accepting what has been written as gospel
    and perpetuating the myth, as the WEAF tale of being first to advertise has
    been oft repeated by scores of well-intended authors and hobbyists.  In
    reality, I find little substantive data that convinces me to buy into it any
    longer, even though it makes a charming legend.

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:47:43 -0400
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  You know I'll bring her in some day

    Every age has its music.  As a youth of the 1950s, mine was rock 'n' roll.
    If you're from that era, you recall a tune by The Coasters simply titled
    "Searchin.'"

    I don't know that anybody has ever mentioned it on this forum but I'm
    continually amazed every time I hear it, how many radio sleuths are
    suggested in the lyrics.  In addition to an unidentified Northwest Mountie
    (Sergeant Preston perhaps?), there is Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, Sergeant
    Friday, Charle Chan, Boston Blackie and Bulldog Drummond, for a total of 7.
    Didja ever think about the link with radio?

    And a more pertinent question:  Who can find a song with lyrics that names
    more than 7 radio series?  Gotcha?

    Now, go in peace, brothers and sisters, and listen to the "Searchin'" tune
    resounding in your head for a spell!

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:23:06 -0400
    From: Gerand <gerand@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  old time radio glenn miller

    Have a 3 LP record set of "Glenn Miller The Man and his Music" Mutual
    Broadcasting System Presents a Special Tribute dated 1983.  Part of the label
    states "...and must be destroyed immediately after broadcast".  The album box
    is printed in blue (picture of Miller) and red all on a white box background.

    Any idea of how many of these remain and if it is a rare item and its overall
    value.  Pictures available if interested.
    Let me know as it seems to be an interesting collection of what was done 25
    years ago.

    Thanks,

    Jim
    Anchorage, Alaska

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #246
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