Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #142
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 4/15/2002 1:03 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 142
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE      [ HERITAGE4@[removed] ]
      A&A Music Hall                        [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
      Re: woudda, coudda, shoudda!          [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
      DIGEST MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE TO OTR BOO  [ Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@doityours ]
      Quiet Please                          [ John <glowingdial1@[removed]; ]
      RE; BLONDIE ON TV & MORE              [ Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@doityours ]
      Re: Can iPod play low bit-rate?       [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Fred L. King                          [ Osborneam@[removed] ]
      Jerry : LOC and University holdings   [ "" <cooldown3@[removed]; ]
      Milton Berle again                    [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      Elliott Lewis                         [ "MoiraShepard" <seaside241@[removed] ]
      ... And the Bleat Goes On ...         [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Re: Brace Beemer on TV                [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Blondie on TV                         [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 03:04:46 -0400
    From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE

    Here's the OTRN schedule for the week starting Sunday, April 14th. Updated
    every
    7 days on Sundays at:  [removed]

    Same Time Same Station with Jerry Haendiges
    1. BIG TOWN   9/14/48   "Blind Justice"
    2. BOSTON BLACKIE  6/3/44   "The Jonathan Diamond"
    3. BOSTON BLACKIE  4/16/46  "The Baseball Player Murder"
    4. Anthology - 7/18/48   "Baseball"

    The Heritage Radio Theatre with Tom Heathwood
    1. THE FRED ALLEN SHOW  1/20/46  with George Jessel
    2. FRED ALLEN - His Topical Wit - with Henry Morgan
    3. SKY KING  4/12/51  "The Lady Sheriff"

    Enjoy!!      Tom & Jerry

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 11:22:25 -0400
    From: "Richard  Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  A&A Music Hall

        Even as my negative opinion of "Quiet Please" is
    being assaulted by readers of this digest, let me
    express a positive view of the Amos & Andy Music Hall,
    which some readers have found to be a sad finish to the
    radio careers of Gosden and Correll. I enjoyed both the
    (now) nostalgic records and the banter. I only wish
    more programs were now available.
       One thing I did notice, though: When Frank Sinatra
    was the guest star, he apparently wasn't in the studio
    with A&A. A careful listening leads me to believe that
    Sinatra had recorded his comments, questions, and
    answers before the show and they were played at the
    appropriate time to make it sound as if he were
    interacting with Amos, Andy and the Kingfish.
       Interestingly, a little later in his career Sinatra
    would imitate the Kingfish on stage, as would Sammy
    Davis Jr.

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 11:23:51 -0400
    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: woudda, coudda, shoudda!

    Ron Sales asked;

>     to all of you that have worked in what is called old time radio, did you have
>     any idea that 60 years after you plied you trade you would be idolized by all
>     of us crazies who love radio as it used to be? The clubs that have sprung up
>     all over the country, the conventions, the recreations, all of it. What is
>     your
>     reaction to all of this lionization? Had you known would you have done
>     anything different back then?

    Well, to begin [removed] and Lionized are words that makes me feel
    incredibly uncomfortable. I'm [removed] with simply feeling "appreciated".

    No! I would never have thought that my long ago days as a Radio actor would
    have been of any interest to anyone, much less the thousands in today's OTR
    Hobby. It's mind boggling, and very gratifying.

    Having started in radio at such an early age (8), I was quite blase about
    it. To me, it was just a job. Over the next 15 years, the work (programs)
    all merged together in my mind, and I attached no special significance to
    any of it. To me, those experiences simply gave me a free pass into the
    newer TV medium. However, It wasn't solely that one traded on their prior
    radio credits to get work in TV. Actually, to have a theatre background was
    deemed to be more admirable.

    I didn't look back. I was too busy concentrating on my TV future. And to be
    perfectly honest, I was more proud of my accomplishments in that medium over
    the next 25 years.

    BUT!!!! When Bob Hastings contacted me one day about 17 years ago, and asked
    me to do an "Archie" recreation with him at FOTR in [removed], I said sure,
    thinking it would be "fun" working with the gang again. It was more than
    fun. It was a "Head Trip" and incredible eye-opener. I suddenly realized
    that there was still a fan base for the show, and that it hadn't faded into
    oblivion, (or into the atmosphere like the original live broadcasts). And
    that we still could "entertain". Smiles, laughter and applause can be
    addictive to an Actor. It brought back a ton of memories. All pleasant.

    I then realized that Radio programming, in and of itself, had a very special
    mystique. It wasn't a "poor Cousin" of TV.  It was to TV as Live Theatre was
    to Motion Pictures. It stood on it's own unique merits.

    I then felt a degree of pride for my long ago involvement in that medium,
    and to some extent, I was "rediscovered". Like I said, it's a nice feeling
    to once again be appreciated. It brought back a flood of memories, and as
    long as there are OTR fans to share them with, I'll keep on "truckin". And I
    have to add, all the interest exhibited in this here digest was the
    principal motivation for me to write "that book" about those days (that I'm
    trying like heck to finish).

    I noticed Mr. Bartel, (despite the very recent and devastating loss of his
    wife Beverly), also just posted a response to Ron's question. That's got to
    tell you something, my dear friends. When Show Business in in one's blood,
    there are incredible traditions that also become ingrained. Harry just
    exhibited one of the most cherished among all actors. "The Show Must Go On".
    Look up, the word "Trouper" in the dictionary. Aside from the definition, it
    wouldn't surprise me if you see his picture there as well.
    God bless you Harry.

    As to the question, "Had you known, would you have done anything different
    back then? I'd have to say SURE!

    I'd have saved a copy of every script of every radio program I ever did, I'd
    have collected autographs of every "star" I ever worked with, I'd have taken
    more photographs, I'd have arranged to personally record every Archie
    episode, (screw the LOC) and then make a few bucks on ebay. :)

    Hey, Actors like money as well as applause. :)

    Thanks to all in the OTR Hobby for keeping Radio alive.

    Hal(Harlan)Stone
    Jughead

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 12:46:46 -0400
    From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];
    To: "Radio  Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  DIGEST MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE TO OTR BOOK

    In scanning the index of the OTR Book I mentioned in the last Digest, I see 3
    of our regular members are contributors:  Tom Heathwood, Jack French and Ron
    Sayles.  Maybe they can tell us how all of this came about?

    Kevin

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 17:06:26 -0400
    From: John <glowingdial1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Quiet Please

    Hi folks, have read the messages regarding Quiet Please.  I love the series.
    The first one I ever heard was, of course, The Thing On The Fourble Board.
    A friend and I heard this one late at night while driving a lonely road.
    Perfect setting huh?  From the opening music, the tone was set.  You were
    about to hear something different.  Cooper had great writing talent and
    Ernest Chappel had a great voice and acting talent to match.  I have several
    other favs as well such as,
    Nothing Behind The Door
    Other Side Of The Stars
    Calling All Souls
    Northern Lights (aaa-eee-iii-ooo-uuu)
    Adam And The Darkest day
    The Man Who Knew Everything

    So many more I can't think of right now.  Perhaps the show isn't for
    everybody and I believe in it's day it was not too well appreciated, almost
    ignored.  Sad.  It is also a tragedy that so many of the shows survive in
    such crummy sound.  From what I have heard, whoever did the original disc
    transfers did not even bother to clean the discs before playing them.  I
    wonder why??  Some episodes are barely listenable.  The best sounding ones
    have, as I'm sure most of you know, been released by Radio Spirits in a
    9-tape, 18-episode set plus 3 other separate tapes with 6 more episodes.  Do
    any of our restoration experts out there know if it is possible to
    electronically clean up the noisy recordings??  That would be wonderful.  It
    is so painful to try to hear some of the stories through all the surface
    noise.

    Anyway, I just wanted to add my two cents worth (actually I wrote about a
    dollar's worth) to this thread.  Long live Quiet Please!!!

    The man who wrote to you was John W. Matthews.
    The Glowing Dial Page
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 17:07:02 -0400
    From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];
    To: "Radio  Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RE; BLONDIE ON TV & MORE

    After posting the thread on Blondie on TV, The "little gray cells" got to
    working and remembering other shows that used different casts in the
    cross-over: The Aldrich Family only used House Jamison (Sam Aldrich) from the
    Radio Cast * Fibber McGee (although they starred in Movies with the radio
    originals, used Bob Sweeny and Gloria Stewart as Fibber & Mollie). Sherlock
    Holmes (Movie versions used the radio cast, but used Ronald Howard as Holmes
    in the TV Version).

    Now here is another dilema:  These shows listed below had the radio cast in
    full force in the TV Versions:

    Lum & Abner

    The Goldbergs

    Our Miss Brooks

    Vic & Sade

    Easy Aces

    Life Of Riley

    Luigi

    Dragnet

    Phone, Again, Finnigan (Became The Stu Irwin Show on TV)

    I have the above shows on Video.  So where is the logic of Networks casting
    new faces in established radio shows for the change-overs? Your guess is as
    good as mine.  I am sure tou can thinh of more, let's near from you.

    Kevin

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 18:19:34 -0400
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Can iPod play low bit-rate?

    Rob Chatlin <rchatlin@[removed]; asked:

>     Has anyone had any success with low bit-rate OTR mp3's on
>     Apple's new ipod?  Everything I've read states it can handle high
>     bit-rates, but nothing about it lower tolerances.

    Here's what the iPod FAQ page says:
       iPod supports most of the popular audio formats, including MP3 (from
    32 Kbps to 320 Kbps), MP3 Variable        Bit Rate (VBR), AIFF, and WAV.
    Upgradable firmware enables support for future audio formats.

    iPod is actually a tiny 5 or 10 gig external hard drive, so it can also
    store Mr. Bartell's photos of the Gunsmoke gang in costume, video clips
    from OTR conventions, radio drama scripts, and contact information for
    all the friends and/or dealers you meet at these conventions. Apple
    claims it can download an entire CD in 10 seconds.

    Here's the iPod URL, though it's just conceivable that these folks may
    be biased in their assessment. And, no, I don't work for Apple.

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 18:19:42 -0400
    From: Osborneam@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Fred L. King

    John Dunning references a broadcast log of the Jack Armstrong series
    by Fred. L. King.  Does anyone know how/where it can be accessed?

    Arlene Osborne

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 18:20:16 -0400
    From: "" <cooldown3@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jerry : LOC and University holdings &
     Stewart's Answer

    Hi Jerry,

    Stewart wrote:

>     Regarding Federal employees, they must, at a minimum, comply with the same
>     requirements (red tape) as any other person requesting access to
>     government-held materials.

    I have a dissenting opinion.
    What Stewart said is absolutely true, and yet as a retired army person I can
    assure you [removed] was very close indeed to many situations i have seen.
    The term 'dog robber' was used to identify the person whose job it was to
    'scrounge' for the unit.
    There was, and possibly still is, a vast difference between the regulations
    as written, as implemented and as practiced.
    This is a facet of the human condition. Were this not so there would be no
    bounced checks, no alcoholics and no such thing as speeding tickets.
    it is the difference between an ideal worlsd and the world as it really is.
    Isn't there an investigation about use of government credit cards going on
    right now?
    Patrick

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 20:22:17 -0400
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Milton Berle again

    Some of the following info about Berle's radio career have already been
    noted.   I'm including the details of Milton Berle's radio career from the
    booklet which came from OTR Radio Comedy and Laughter from the Smithsonian
    Collection, published by Radio Spirits.

    The program included in this 4-CD collection is 'The Milton Berle Show',
    3/4/48:  'Milton Berle discusses horse racing, gambling and the upcoming
    Truman-Dewey election, and Frank Gallop jokes about Berle's reputation for
    lifting jokes from other comedians.'

    Anthony Tollin wrote the following notes.  I only included the comments
    which address Berle's radio career.

      "For a guy who never made it big on radio, I was always on," Milton Berle
    joked in his autobiography, recalling his six short-lived series between
    1939 and 1949.
    - -------

    "Like many other vaudevillians, Berle began his radio career doing guest
    spots on The Rudy Vallee Show.  He later hosted Shell Chateau, Ziegfield
    Follies of the Air, Gillette's Community Sing, Stop Me if You've Heard This
    One (1939-1940), Mutual's Three Ring Time (1941-42), Eversharp's Let
    Yourself Go (1944-45), CBS's Kiss and Make Up (1946), NBC's At Home with the
    Berles (1947-48) and a 1948-49 ABC Series.  "Maybe nobody today remembers
    the 'The Texaco Star Theatre' on radio, but it was the best radio show I
    ever did,' Berle recalled years later.   It aired on Wednesday nights from 9
    to 10 o'clock over the ABC network.  'The genius behind the show was its
    head writer, Nat Hiken, not to mention Aaron Rubin and two bright young
    brothers, Danny and Neil Simon.  Working with me were seasoned pros like
    Pert Kelton, Arnold Stang, Charles Irving, Kay Armen, Frank Gallop and Al
    Kelly, the master of double talk.  It was a hell of a funny show.  Its
    weekly highlight was 'The Berles at Home,' a family situation comedy."

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 20:22:40 -0400
    From: "MoiraShepard" <seaside241@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Elliott Lewis
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I have come to idolize Elliott Lewis as one of the greatest radio actors of
    his era, and his wife Cathy is right up there, too. I'd like to find out more
    information about them -- did a Google search on them and only came up with a
    brief mention of Elliott in an interview with Dick York.

    Are they still alive? Can anyone tell me more about them besides the little I
    know -- that they did "Voyage of the Scarlet Queen," Elliott played Remley in
    "Phil Harris & Alice Faye" and Archie in "Adventures of Nero Wolfe," Cathy
    played opposite Marie Wilson in "My Friend Irma," and they had a series
    together that I think was called "On Stage." Surely there must be more. And
    I'd love to know where I could find a photo of them.

    Many thanks!
    Moira

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

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 20:23:09 -0400
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ... And the Bleat Goes On ...

    I recently came across a book, Secret Messages, by William S. Butler and
    L. Douglas Keeney.  It was a book on various forms of clandestine
    communications.  Included in this collection of short essays is one on
    Captain Midnight.

    Excerpted are, "The television show was a big hit, and among the first
    shows to offer premiums to its young viewers. ... Part of the story line
    for each show involved sending a secret message on the Captain Midnight
    Code-a-Graph.  Kids at home could use their decoder rings to decipher the
    secret message.  ... A Captain Midnight decoder ring in good condition
    will today bring five hundred dollars at auction."

    This book, for what it's worth, was published in 2001.

    In the writeup, the authors indicated that the password, COBRALHOFA, was
    on "Captain Midnight's decoder badge."  After that, they correctly told
    how the 10 letters of the password were used to remind users that a
    secret message could be contained in a longer missive by paring attention
    to only every tenth word.  However, COBRALHOFA was on the Skelly Oil
    Captain Midnight 1940 Flight Patrol Medal of Membership, which wasn't a
    "decoder badge," but a spinner medallion.

    As noted in earlier Digests, the Captain Midnight Decoder Ring as an
    Urban Legend seems deeply established.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 22:30:15 -0400
    From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Brace Beemer on TV

    I wrote that Brace Beemer made two appearances on TV's "I've Got A
    Secret" on Mar 18, 1959 and Jan 22, 1964.  A. Joseph Ross asked "Did he
    wear a mask?"

    No!  And I was just as surprised to see that as I assume the rest of you
    are.

    The first appearance was just as a regular contestant, except that he
    was introduced as Mr. X.  His secret was that he was "the original" Lone
    Ranger on radio, which, of course, is not true.  When my daughter came
    across this program she called in to me here at the computer from the
    living room asking me who was the original radio Ranger.  After saying
    that this has not been firmly established, I said maybe they have George
    Seaton.  But when I walked into the room I easily recognized That
    Voice--just as everyone reading this would recognize That Voice.  If
    anything, it was even deeper here.  In fact, when Henry Morgan starts
    his turn he cracks his voice like Henry Aldrich in humorous embarassment
    to the comparison with That Voice.  It has already been established that
    he is an actor, and Bill Cullen is in agony becuase he knows he should
    know him but he just can't place That Voice--although he had tried to
    read Beemer's initials from his pocket handkerchief.  I was glad they
    had to ask so many questions because it gave him a lot of chances to
    speak.  It is amazing to finally see the face behind That Voice.

    The other appearance is as part of a tribute to radio in honor of the
    30th anniversary of Arthur Godfrey's first all-night radio show.  As the
    first contenstant they had Beemer's three grandsons IN MASKS!  It took
    them a while, but they did finally realize that the masks meant that
    their relative was the Lone Ranger.  When Grandad came out he was not
    wearing a mask this time either.

    I'll just mention that this tape is a compilation of special "I've Got A
    Secret" episodes about radio history, and they do things about sound
    effects, theme songs, mystery voices, and there are appearances by
    people like [removed] Kaltenborn, Westbrook Von Vorhees, a half dozen soap
    stars, and lots more.  My daughter has also put together two other
    videotapes with a total of nine appearances of Fred Allen as host,
    panelist, or guest on TV game shows.  If you're interested, see her in
    Cincinnati later this week or check with us when we get back.

    Michael (Leah's dad) Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 23:38:40 -0400
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Blondie on TV

>     Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 03:03:53 -0400
>     From: Kevin Michaels <kmichaels@[removed];

>     I cannot for the life of me understand why, when Blondie went to TV in the
>     50's, that the radio cast of Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake was not used.
>     They saw fit to do a movie series (starting in 1937, I believe), with Lake
>     & Singleton, but not for TV?  (Did Arthur Lake die before the TV series)

    Arthur Lake DID appear as Dagwood in the 1950s TV version of Blondie, with Pamela Britton
    as Blondie.  The show even started with Dagwood (Lake) saying, "Uh uh uh, don't touch that
    dial!"  The question isn't whether Lake died before the TV series, but whether SIngleton did.
    The show didn't last long, from January to September 1957.

    There was a second TV version of Blondie, which ran from September 1968 to January 199.
    Will Hutchins played Dagwood in that series.

    --
    A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                           [removed]
     15 Court Square, Suite 210                 lawyer@[removed]
    Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         [removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #142
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