------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 62
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Happy Gang [ "Roger Robineau" <robineau2@cogeco. ]
Review of "Alice Faye: A Life Beyond [ Peter Kinder <pdkinder@[removed]; ]
I discovered a great otr station [ "Dominique Neuenhagen" <neuenhad@Sm ]
Beautiful People [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
Re: "Chicago" [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
McConnells [ JamesAltenburg@[removed] ]
Re: Kudo's from Bryan for Hal [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
otr history [ "Bryan & Bryana-Christine" <marbry@ ]
OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE sta [ HERITAGE4@[removed] ]
Main Outlets of OTR. [ James Harris <Active@[removed]. ]
Commercial Rates 1944 [ "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed]; ]
Today in radio history [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
MP3 boombox [ Richard Carpenter <newsduck@[removed] ]
Mr. and Mrs. North [ Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@earth ]
Kid show competition [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 19:49:45 -0500
From: "Roger Robineau" <robineau2@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Happy Gang
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Reply to Tom Polley, regarding the "Happy Gang"
Bert Pearl, was asked to start a popular music lunchtime radio show.
Thus was born The Happy Gang and Bert became "That slap-happy chappy,
The Happy Gang's Pappy."
The Happy Gang show was inaugurated June 14, 1937, and was carried coast
to coast over the CBC Network from 1:00 to 1:30 pm eastern time (later
moving in the early 40s to 1:15 to 1:45 pm to accommodate a 1:00 pm news
broadcast). It was produced in the CBC's Davenport Road studios but
after a while, before a live audience in the CBC's McGill Street studios
near College and Yonge Streets. When it ended, it had set a record as
Canada's longest running radio show, playing to up to 2-million
listeners a week. To win that audience, The Happy Gang laughed, talked,
made corny jokes and played lively music. The intro was a double knock.
"Who's there?" would ask a falsetto voice. "It's the Happy Gang." "Well,
c'mon in."
Initially, Bert recruited three of Canada's top musicians to join him -
violinist Blaine Mathe, Trumpeter Bob Farnon and theatre organist
Kathleen (Kay) Stokes. Herb May was the first announcer. Singer and
accordionist Eddie Allan became the first addition to the original
grouping 1938. Thereafter, the Gang's membership changed and grew
through the years. Saxist Cliff MacKay replaced Farnon when he left for
the armed services in 1941; Hugh Bartlett of CBC Vancouver replaced Herb
May departed for Hollywood; trumpeter Bobby Gimby came on board on his
return from Malaysia. Others who followed in succeeding years were Jimmy
Namaro, Lloyd Edwards, Bert Niosi, Joe Niosi, Les Foster and Barry Wood
(replacing Bartlett).
During the 1940s, Oscar Peterson played on the national network show,
"The Happy Gang." He was also a regular on CBC, broadcasting on CBM, the
Corporation's Montreal station.
Some of these shows can be purchased from the CBC:
[removed];category_i
d=2631
Or from this web site: [removed]
Roger Robineau
Oakville, Ontario
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 20:36:03 -0500
From: Peter Kinder <pdkinder@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Review of "Alice Faye: A Life Beyond the
Silver Screen"
A review of "Alice Faye: A Life Beyond the Silver Screen" (by Jane
Lenz Elder, Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2003) appeared in the New York Times
Book Review for Feb. 2 ("Books in Brief", p. 20).
The reviewer, Barry Gewen, who writes often on movies and the arts,
dislikes everything about Ms. Faye and her career. Here are his final
lines:
>>Hers couldn't have been an especially rewarding life, except in
all the obvious ways, and Jane Lenz Elder, a librarian at Southern Methodist
University, doesn't try to make it so. She tells a very conventional
rags-to-riches story ..., featuring an oddly virginal heroine, despite the
fact that Faye had a chorus girl's penchant for bandleaders and hung with
shady characters like George Raft and Errol Flynn. The book pivots on
Faye's decision in 1945, at the age of 30, to quit the movies while she was
at the height of her career. She always presented that choice as a triumph
of family values. It might more appropriately be called a triumph of good
[removed];<
That's the snottiest review I've read in some time.
I've long admired Ms. Faye for her choice of family over fame. One
wonders how Mr. Gewen reacted to Cecilia Bartoli's decision to restrict her
touring, saying to the press, "It's more important to be a happy mother than
an unhappy diva."
Hooray for Alice! Hooray for Cecilia!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 21:11:42 -0500
From: "Dominique Neuenhagen" <neuenhad@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: I discovered a great otr station
Hello,
first I want to say thank you very much to everyone who helped me
find interesting otr sites! You are all very kind and I am very happy
to be on this list.
now I discoverd a great station by accident: [removed] It
runs with winamp and plays a lot of "dark fantasy" and "inner
sanctum". The adress for the stream:
[removed]:8000
I hope you will have as much fun as I have
Dominique
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 21:12:14 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Beautiful People
Max Salathiel observes,
i find that all the really beautiful people were born in 1935.
Well, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tyra Banks, and Beyonce Knowles sure don't show
their age! :-)
Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 22:02:28 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: "Chicago"
On 2/8/03 7:59 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:
Yesterday, my wife
and I went to see the film musical "Chicago". We had a lump in our
collective throats throughout, (and tears of joy), at the incredible
creativity, lighting, camera work, editing, performances, and of course,
direction. The production values blew our minds. Go see it.
Hal, I always knew you were a cool guy, but this cinches it. I saw this
picture a couple of weeks ago (we got it at our local octiplex for two
shows only as a "selected market,") and it blew me away. It's the only
time I've ever been to a movie which got a standing ovation over the
credits.
OTR Running Gag: There's a character named Amos in the film, who is
constantly being called "Andy."
Elizabeth
(who was in a community theatre production of "Chicago" fourteen years
ago -- and won't tell you what part she played. And no, there are no
pictures.)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 22:02:41 -0500
From: JamesAltenburg@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: McConnells
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I was wondering if Smilin' Ed McConnell was married to or related to Lulu
McConnell of It Pays to be Ignorant fame. By the way does anyone know where
I could see a picture of Lulu McConnell, perhaps somewhere on the Internet?
I really enjoy that show It Pays to be Ignorant.
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 23:14:09 -0500
From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Kudo's from Bryan for Hal
Bryan posted:
How many years was the Archie show live versus pre-recorded?
I do recall Hal stating that very early on they had to do another
live show for the west coast . How long did this last? Out west
Archie was airing at 11AM Pacific Time.
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
The Initial broadcasts were always "live". But if you're referring to the
delayed broadcast for the West coast, I can only rely on an increasingly
faulty memory. Maybe we did the West Coast feed "live" for the first year
or
two of the shows 9 year existence. Then, magnetic tape (as opposed to
transcriptions) made recording for Delayed Broadcast practical.
Actually NBC allowed some Blue shows to be repeated via disc recordings as
early as 1940. They also used discs to delay programs one hour for
non-Daylight Saving Time areas in 1946 thru 48. On Feb 8, 1949 NBC
announced that recordings of all types would now be allowed on the whole
network, including entirely pre-recorded programs. They were still using
discs at this time. So tape was not a factor in the decision whether or
not to allow recorded repeats.
I just showed up for each Saturday broadcast. I didn't keep score! :)
Which brings to mind a question. You've mentioned how you took the bus
and/or subway to get into the city on Saturday morning. How early did you
have to arrive at NBC and how much rehearsal time did you have? Did you
perhaps do some rehearsal for the next week's program after the broadcasts?
Did you allow any fans or audience in for the rehearsals, or were the
rehearsals as "blue" as it is said the Howdy Doody rehearsals were? (Which
brings to mind yet another question--did you know Judy Tyler (in any sense
of the word)?)
Yesterday, my wife and I went to see the film musical "Chicago".
...The production values blew our minds. Go see it.
We saw the stage production on Broadway a few years back,
and thoroughly enjoyed the music and staging. The film is
10 times better. Hal(Harlan)Stone
Interesting. Last week my daughter Leah went to see the live Broadway
production and then on the following day saw the film. Her reaction was
the opposite--she said the play was much better than the film--although she
agrees with you that both were excellent.
Michael Biel mbiel@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 08:21:30 -0500
From: "Bryan & Bryana-Christine" <marbry@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: otr history
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Does anyone know how a person can learn about otr? I am really new at this
kinda [removed] you! Bryan
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 08:24:09 -0500
From: HERITAGE4@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK SCHEDULE starts
2/9/03
Here's the lineup for the week starting 2/9 - in streaming audio at:
[removed] 24/7 in hi-end audio:
SAME TIME, SAME STATION with Jerry Haendiges
Valentine's Day Shows
1. THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE - NBC 2/11/53 "Two Dates for the
Mayor's Valentine Party"
2. THE DANNY KAYE SHOW 2/10/45 "A Valentine for Jack Benny"
stars: Danny, Lionel Stander and Eve Arden.
3. AMOS AND ANDY - NBC 2/23/45 The Kingfish takes a Valentine
seriously. Freeman Gosden & Charles Correll.
4. THE PHIL HARRIS/ALICE FAYE SHOW 2/13/49 A Secret
admirer sends flowers to Alice. Phil/Alice and Elliott Lewis.
HERITAGE RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood
1. THE HERMIT'S CAVE (Synd.) Program #406 - 1944
"Hanson's Ghost"
2. INNER SANCTUM MYSTERIES CBS 9/12/49 "The Vengeful
Corpse" with Karl Swenson and Barbara Weeks.
3. BOOKSHELF REVIEW - A quick look and listen to a new book
and it's CD "The Jingle Book" by "Ken R."
4. THE COLGATE SPORTS NEWSREEL with BILL STERN - NBC
11/22/46 Guest, film star, Mickey Rooney.
Enjoy --- Tom & Jerry
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 08:24:43 -0500
From: James Harris <Active@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Main Outlets of OTR.
Hello Everyone.
Can I please ask what are the alternative mail order outlets to
Radio Spirits? The cassettes and CD's purchased from them have been fine
but I would like to shop around more. Many posts on this list mention
bargains and additions perfect for my collection but they are on sale at
local shops, and being stuck in the [removed] can not be taken advantage of.
Therefore I feel I am missing out on some collecting. Could anyone
suggest other Internet stores / persons willing to ship to the [removed]
Thanks - please reply privately --- save bandwidth.
Jim
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 08:26:56 -0500
From: "Lois Culver" <lois@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Commercial Rates 1944
Re RATES for commercials
I just found among my "stuff" a rate sheet for KWLK, Longview, Washington, a
Mutual outlet. This would be from around 1944.
This is just a portion of it:
One time 1 hour $[removed] 1/2 hour $[removed] 1/3 hour $[removed]
" " 100 words Daytime $[removed] Night time $[removed]
" " 50 words Daytime $[removed] Night time $[removed]
It goes on down to prices for 212 times:
212 times 1 hour $[removed] 1/2 hour $[removed] 1/4 hour $[removed]
" " 100 words Daytime $[removed] Night Time $[removed]
" " 50 words Daytime $ .95 Night Time $[removed]
(Special rates for additional spots on request)
Lois Culver
KWLK Radio (Mutual) Longview, WA 1941-44
KFI Radio (NBC) Los Angeles CA 1945-47, 50-53
Widow of Howard Culver, actor
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 11:30:05 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Today in radio history
>From Those Were The Days --
Birthdays:
1891 - Ronald (Charles) Colman actor: Halls of Ivy, Jack Benny; died May
19, 1958
1901 - (Waldo) Brian Donlevy, actor: died Apr 5, 1972
1909 - Carmen Miranda (Maria do Carmo Miranda Da Cunha) 'Brazilian
Bombshell': singer: Mama Eu Quero, The Lady with the Tutti Frutti Hat;
dancer, actress: died Aug 5, 1955
Joe
--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 12:18:09 -0500
From: Richard Carpenter <newsduck@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: MP3 boombox
After reading some rave reviews for the Memorex 3123
MP3 boombox, on sale at Radio Shack for $[removed], I
bought one. Some shows I tried skipped, and the
endings on all I tried were cut off. I returned the
boombox.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 14:52:18 -0500
From: Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mr. and Mrs. North
I am contemplating buying the Mr. and Mrs. North set from Radio Spirits,
but ... I am interested to know whether the shows have any sing Colgate
Brushless or Veto Spray deodorant commercials on them. I understand there
was a cache of Norths uncovered some time ago from 1953, and that is the
time period I remember.
Could someone let me know off list or on, makes no difference.
Ronald Staley
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 17:12:32 -0500
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Kid show competition
>From memory only, not a reference book, I remember that the boy teenage
shows, "Archie Andrews", and the "Aldrich Family" were on different days and
did not compete. And the girl teenage shows, "Meet Corlis Archer" and "A
date with Judy" were also on different days, or at least different times.
Please excuse the sexist terms, "boy" and "girl." They were teenage shows,
kid shows; just happened to have boy leads and girl leads in each one.
And then there were the "family" shows that had kids and teenagers on
them: Ozzie and Harriet, and Father knows best, for starters. As I listen
to these shows from my 68th year, I wonder why the parents were usually
depicted as such dummies? As a kid, I don't remember noticing that.
To hear some smart adults, I listened to the Lone Ranger, Superman,
Johnny Dollar, The Saint, Ellery Queen, and Nick [removed] others.
Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #62
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