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The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2010 : Issue 31
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ charlie@[removed] ]
New Show Celebrating the Golden Age [ Mark Wuellner <mwuellne@[removed] ]
Jack Benny TV show [ Rob Chatlin <rchatlin@[removed] ]
2-17 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Jim Harmon [ Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed] ]
Jim Harmon, [removed] [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:12:01 -0500
From: charlie@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
real-time OTR talk!
Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
it's always a good time!
For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
week and every week!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:44:14 -0500
From: Mark Wuellner <mwuellne@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: New Show Celebrating the Golden Age - The Old
Time Radio Express
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Hello friends,
Looking for more OTR to listen to? There's a new 1-hour radio show on Sunday
nights, at 7pm EST called "The Old Time Radio Express". You can hear us at
the 7pm hour on [removed], or anytime through our website
[removed], where each past episode is available for
listening or download at your convenience.
On "The Old Time Radio Express" I not only play shows from the golden age of
radio, but also offer conversation, trivia and other tidbits about OTR.
Check out our show from this past Sunday, February 14th on
[removed] as we celebrated a certain comedian's birthday,
and mark your calendar to listen in this coming Sunday at 7 EST on
[removed] as we put on our fedora and trenchcoat and listen to
some great radio detectives.
Thank you for your support! Email me directly or leave me a message on the
blog if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions!
Mark Wuellner
Host, The Old Time Radio Express
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:44:20 -0500
From: Rob Chatlin <rchatlin@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jack Benny TV show
My local PBS station recently began airing the Best of Jack Benny,
my first exposure to his TV program.
So far, Rochester and Don Wilson are in most of them, and a good
handful also feature Dennis Day, and Mary in just one.
Did Phil Harris make any appearances?
The most recent show "Jack fires Don" had a party scene with Remley,
and I'd be curious to know if that was the real Remley.
rob
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:45:19 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 2-17 births/deaths
February 17th births
02-17-1871 - Donald Brian - St. John's, Canada - d. 12-22-1948
singer, actor: "The Philco Hour"
02-17-1881 - Arthur Judson - d. 1-28-1975
executive: Founder of the Columbia Broadcasting System
02-17-1888 - William Balhatchet - d. 2-3-1971
singer: WHT Chicago, Illinois
02-17-1889 - H. L. Hunt - near Vandalia, IL - d. 11-29-1974
established Facts Forum which produced radio programs
02-17-1897 - Ben Alley - West Virginia - d. 2-8-1970
singer: (the Golden Tenor) "Melody Lane"; "Sweethearts Of the Air"
02-17-1897 - Harry Tugend - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-11-1989
writer: "The Fred Allen Show"
02-17-1905 - Kuda Bux - Kashmir, India - d. 2-5-1981
magician: "Believe It or Not"
02-17-1906 - Virginia Mansfield - Covington, KY - d. 2-16-2001
singer: "Andy and Virginia"; "Turn Back the Clock"
02-17-1907 - Charlie Spivak - Kiev, Ukraine - d. 3-1-1982
orchestra leader: "Bill Stern Colgate Sports Newsreel"; Million Dollar
Band"
02-17-1908 - Staats Cotsworth - Oak Park, IL - d. 4-9-1979
actor: Casey "Casey, Crime Photographer"; David Farrell "Front Page
Farrell"
02-17-1908 - Walter "Red" Barber - Columbus, MS - d. 10-22-1992
sportscaster: (The Old Redhead) "Schaefer Star Revue"
02-17-1910 - Marc Lawrence - NYC - d. 11-28-2005
actor: "Let George Do It"; "This Is Your FBI"; "Scout About Town"
02-17-1910 - Mark Hawley - New Jersey - d. 9-5-1986
announcer: Guy Lombardo's New Year's Eve broadcast
02-17-1911 - Orrin Tucker - St. Louis, MO
bandleader: "Orrin Tucker and His Orchestra"; "One Night Stand"
02-17-1912 - Clifford Evans - Senghenydd, Wales - d. 6-9-1985
Producer and director on Welsh radio
02-17-1914 - Arthur Kennedy - Worcester, MA - d. 1-5-1990
actor: "Best Plays"
02-17-1914 - Larry Douglas - Philadelphia, PA - d. 9-15-1996
actor, singer: "Here's to Romance"
02-17-1914 - Wayne Morris - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-14-1959
actor: "Radio Reader's Digest"; "NBC university Theatre of the Air"
02-17-1915 - Norman Thomson - Massachusetts - d. 2-3-2000
actor: (Founding member of "Meercury Theatre) "The War of the Worlds"
02-17-1919 - Kathleen Freeman - Chicago, IL - d. 8-24-2001
actor: California Artists Radio Theatre"
02-17-1921 - Ken Platt - Lancashire, England - d. 10-2-1998
comedian: "Fanfare"; "Worker's Playtime"; "Hit the Road"
02-17-1923 - Buddy De Franco - Camden, NJ
bandleader: "Glenn Miller Orchestra"
02-17-1924 - Margaret Truman - Independence, MO - d. 1-29-2008
coloratura: "The Big Show"; "The Railroad Hour"; "Authors in the News"
02-17-1924 - Mel Welles - NYC - d. 8-19-2005
worked as a radio disc jockey before moving to Hollywood in the 1950s
02-17-1925 - Hal Holbrook - Cleveland, OH
actor: Grayling Dennis "Brighter Day"
02-17-1929 - Patricia Routledge - Birkenhead, Cheshire, England
actor: "Saturday Play"
02-17-1941 - Gene Pitney - Hartford, CT - d. 4-5-2006
singer: "Voices of Vista"
02-17-1948 - Blanquita Cullum - Ventura, CA
talk show host: "BQ View"; "Live from the Capitol"
02-17-1949 - Don Scardino - NYC
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
02-17-1962 - Lou Diamond Phillips - Subic Bay Naval Station, Philippines
actor: "Twilight Zone"
February 17th deaths
01-10-1896 - Frances Lockridge - d. 2-17-1963
writer: "Mr. and Mrs. North"
02-12-1904 - Joseph Kearns - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 2-17-1962
actor, host: Melvyn Foster "A Date with Judy"; Man in Black "Suspense"
03-13-1908 - Paul Stewart - NYC - d. 2-17-1986
actor: Gyp Mendoza "Life Can Be Beautiful"; Richard Rogue "Rogue's
Gallery"
03-15-1904 - Verree Teasdale - Spokane, WA - d. 2-17-1987
actor: (Wife of Adolph Menjou) "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
03-17-1901 - Alfred Newman - New Haven, CT - d. 2-17-1970
composer, conductor: "Hollywood Star Time"; "Radio Hall of Fame";
"Silver Theatre"
05-01-1919 - Dan O'Herlihy - Wexford, Ireland - d. 2-17-2005
actor: Nicholas Lacey "One Man's Family"
06-17-1922 - Jerry Fielding - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 2-17-1980
conductor: "Hardy Family"; "Jack Paar Show"; "You Bet Your Life"
07-16-1906 - Asakusa Ichimaru (Mitsue Goto) - Japan - d. 2-17-1997
singer: "Mitsukoshi Calendar of Songs"
07-17-1905 - William Gargan - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-17-1979
actor: Martin Kane "Martin Kane, Private Eye"; Barrie Craig "Barrie
Craig, Private Investigator"
09-15-1876 - Bruno Walter - Berlin, Germany - d. 2-17-1962
conductor: "Salzburg Music Festival"; "Word from the People"; "New
York Philharmonic"
10-15-1918 - Bob Sherry - Chattanooga, TN - d. 2-17-2003
announcer: "Archie Andrews"; "Author Meets the Critics"
11-20-1887 - Eck Robinson - Delaney, AR - d. 2-17-1975
fiddler: "Three Fidders"
11-26-1908 - Lefty Gomez - Rodeo, CA - d. 2-17-1989
baseball pitcher: "Information Please"
11-27-1881 - C. Mildred Thompson - Atlanta, GA - d. 2-17-1975
historian, educator, feminist: "Information Please"
12-31-1884 - Georgette Harvey - St. Louis, MO - d. 2-17-1952
female bass singer: "New World A' Coming"; "Free Company"
xx-xx-1848 - Uncle Jimmy Thompson - Baxter, TN - d. 2-17-1931
fiddler: WSM carried a 2-hour program of his fiddling
Ron
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:46:46 -0500
From: Larry Gassman <lgsinger@[removed];
To: Old Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jim Harmon
Hi,
I got a note from Jerry Williams earlier this evening.
We lost Jim Harmon last night, Have talked with Barbara and her
daughter has been with her so she has some support but it would be
nice if we all let her know that we care.
No other details as of now, she is making arrangements tomorrow.
Jerry
[ADMINISTRIVIA: I was fortunate enough to finally meet Jim at [removed] only
regret is that I didn't have more time to spend with him and Barbara. --cfs3]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:48:47 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Jim Harmon, [removed]
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The Old-Time Radio community lost a good friend the other night. Jim Harmon, a
legend in prose, passed away. For anyone who is scratching their head, Harmon
wrote a ton of short stories for science-fiction magazines, and only the luck
of the draw policy prevented any of his stories from making the X-MINUS ONE
program. But they should have. In 1967, he published THE GREAT RADIO HEROES
which to this day, is considered a milestone for reference books about
old-time radio. Prior to that book, there was nothing really published that
truly documented old-time radio through interviews and newspaper articles. Not
only was he the first to do any sort of real research, but his smooth prose
offered his generation a chance to revisit feelings of nostalgia. For almost
two decades following, his book was perhaps the only real effort to preserve
radio. Most magazine articles by other authors that followed were marred by
feelings of nostalgia and contained little or no research -- they simply
consulted Jim's book and reprinted the facts he himself researched and dug up.
Few acknowledged his book as their reference source.
For his achievements, some in the hobby considered him a legend -- perhaps so
far as to consider him a God. I got to know Jim more with each passing
calendar year. Initially it was letters through snail mail, which he joked was
worth the postage stamp when you consider delivery cost about a penny a day.
Modern technology eventually put us in touch via e-mail, with communication
more frequent. He personally asked me to contribute to one of Bear Manor
Media's IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN books and when I discovered that he changed my
story with a few revisions, I was at first shocked. But I quickly realized
that he improved it for the better. During the past year we finally got to
meet face to face. Not once, but twice. The first was at the SPERDVAC
Convention in North Hollywood in May 2009. We had breakfast together (photo on
[removed], click on the contact page if you want to see what Jim Harmon
looked like), participated on a panel, and he wasn't afraid to teach this
youngster a few things about the writing biz. He also wasn't afraid to tell me
which people in the hobby, in his opinion, were known as users and crooks and
while he kept friendly with them, he tried to avoid them whenever possible --
a human fallacy we all possess more or less which means he was down to Earth
and as human as you and I. At the Friends of Old-Time Radio Convention in
October 2009, Jim and I had lengthy conversations and he got to tell his
hilarious George W. Trendle story at the close of the GREEN HORNET
presentation. The audience roared with laughter when he finished, then
applause. I kept telling a few people at FOTR that a legend arrived on Friday
but it took a bit of coaching to explain who Jim Harmon was. I was surprised
that his name didn't perk up a few ears and convince people to bring their
copies of THE GREAT RADIO HEROES to the convention and I wondered if maybe
people didn't see him as legendary as I do.
When Terry and I finished our GREEN HORNET book a few months ago, I told him
that we had to dedicate the book to Jim Harmon. After all, Jim was the very
first person to write anything about the HORNET and have it published. It was
his book that everyone referenced. Terry agreed and my only regret is that he
didn't get to see the surprise that was in store for him because the book
isn't due to arrive at our doorstep for another two weeks. If only time was on
our side.
If Jim is riding a spaceship beyond the solar system now and exploring the
galaxies he imagined for the pulps in the 1950s, I have no doubt the it's
being fueled by recordings of Tom Mix, Green Hornet, Lone Ranger and Jack
Armstrong. Legends deserve that kind of farewell party.
Martin Grams
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End of [removed] Digest V2010 Issue #31
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