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	    otr-Digest   Volume 96 : Issue 145


Articles in this issue of otr-Digest:

	 Program Costs
	 looking for more about Harry Von Zell
	 Introduction / Ted Kneebone
	 Re: Jack Biggest Laugh
	 BBC & THE PRICE OF FEAR
	 $[removed] tapes
	 Stone-Waterman Award
	 Looking For info on Harry Von Zell
	 Amalgamated Broadcasting System
	 Jack Benny and "Sy"
	 The Benny Laugh
	 Other Stan Freberg
	 Doctor Who

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 15:26:40 -0400
From: ChezKoa@[removed]
To: ort@[removed]
Subject: Program Costs
Message-ID: <960420152640_276849680@[removed]>

I have been following with interest the debate on the cost of programs, what
a cassette should cost, what is a fair profit, etc.  I  would like to add my
thoughts.  I have been collecting and listing to OTR for more years than I
care to admit. I seldom pay more than $[removed] an hour, usually a lot less,
because I look for sales, be they at the end of a convention, a garage sale,
where ever.  I think that I am like a lot of collectors in that if I had to
pay four, five or more dollars per hour, my collection would be small, my
experience with a wide varity of shows would be very limited and I would be
very critical of my purchases and that would take away from the enjoyment of
the show.  I normally listen to a program once, sometimes twice and then put
it away for years before I listen to it again.  At most, I would guess that I
have not listen to any show more than 5 times.   I listen while I am doing
other things such as working in my shop, driving, playing with the computer,
etc.  As for quality, I am not a purest as I never plan to broadcast or sell
the shows I have.  They are for my enjoyment and as long as it has been
recorded at the correct speed, minimum of crosstalk and is understandable, I
am satisified.  Even shows of this quality are, in many cases, better
sounding than when they were orginally broadcast and heard by people through
their radios (not everyone lived within the ideal transmitting area for the
radio stations they were listening to).  I love the lending libraries of the
the different radio clubs, everyone should join at least one if, for no other
reason, to have access to these shows at a very low cost.  I realize that the
professional dealers must make a profit to stay in business and I do buy from
them on occasion (when they have sales) but I normally listen to 6 to 10
hours per week so, if I bought strickly from dealers, I would either have to
drastically cut down my listening time or get a second job (which would
drastically cut down my listening time).  I guess what I am getting at is
that the market sets the price and the collectors are the market.  If you are
selling shows at more per hour than someone else is, you should not be
surprised that you are not selling as many.  If your profit per show is
higher, you don't have to sell as many shows. People who buy shows at full
price at the start of the convention should not be upset if the dealer drops
the price at the end, they had first choice of all the shows that the dealer
has and what the dealer is selling at the lower price are those shows which
were left over and not generally wanted by the majority of buyers.  Lets face
it, not all shows were that great, even some series were very uneven as to
how well each program has held up over the years, those which have held up
well sell first, the others, last if at all.   Don't get mad at the
collectors who buy at the lowest price, they are paying what they or the
seller thinks it is worth.  Well, these were just my thoughts.  I enjoy the
topics brought up and the OTR Digest, happy listening.   Doug

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

Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 21:16:07 +0000
From: "Ross & Corinne Learn" <learn@[removed]>
To: old-time-radio-request@[removed]
Subject: looking for more about Harry Von Zell
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Hi All: 
I'm interested in more info on "The Great Von Zell".  Any info would 
be helpful. Please E-Mail me
[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 21:14:34 EDT
From: UGTH94A@[removed] (MR TED KNEEBONE)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Introduction / Ted Kneebone
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

OTR Digest:
   Here is an introduction of me, Ted Kneebone, a collector of "old time
radio" and whatever the modern version of that is.
   Radio was a part of my childhood, just as television has been important
to the children who grew up in the 1950s and later. For me, my day in the
1940s started with the "Music Box" program from WOI-AM in Ames, Iowa. It
was sort of a classical music DJ show that got my day off to a good start.
After school, I did my chores around the house, and then sat in front of
our RCA console radio and listened to my favorite shows: Terry and the
Pirates, Dick Tracy, Hop Harrigan, Superman, and Tom Mix. Then came supper
with my mother, father, brother and sister. Radio was a family thing. We
didn't always gather around the radio to listen, but often the evening
shows were interesting to all of us. The Lone Ranger came after supper and
sometimes we listened to I Love a Mystery.
   The evening shows we most often listened to were Lux Radio Theater,
Theater Guild on the Air, Abbott & Costello, Fibber McGee & Molly, Sam
Spade, The Fat Man, The Thin Man, Mr. & Mrs. North, Bell Telephone Hour,
Firestone Hour, Cities Service Band of America, Mr. First Nighter, Mr.
Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. I could go on, but you know the shows. Most
of them were live; a few were on transcription discs, and later, on tape.
   When Sunday afternoon came, I was the lone listener to the NY
Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, hosted by Deems Taylor & later by Jim
Fassett, which originated in Carnegie Hall.  At 4:00, I went to Studio 8-H
to listen to Ben Grauer announce Maestro Arturo Toscanini and the NBC
Symphony Orchestra. Grauer electrified the airwaves as the Maestro walked
to the podium and gave the downbeat for one hour of great music.
   As a kid, I was so taken with radio, I wanted to visit a station, a
network. But that never happened. I built microphones out of cardboard and
discarded broomsticks. My phonograph was a Victrola crank model with a very
heavy tone arm. It used steel needles that had to be changed often--and it
ruined some of my prized 78 rpm discs. Fortunately, thru the modern CD, I
have been able to buy some of my old recordings, minus some of the surface
noise.  I made up lists of pretend radio stations, using an atlas of the
United States.
   I'm not sure when radio became a sort of short newspaper and free juke
box, but whenever that was, radio died. Or maybe it was reincarnated as
something very different. I thought there was some hope of a resurrection
during the 1970s when CBS Radio Mystery Theater and a few other shows like
it came on.  I also thought public radio would make a difference. Can't
speak for other states, but our state network has no radio drama; Garrison
Keillor is the only comedian; and no radio mystery or variety. Earplay was
what I thought might be a beginning for public radio, but I was mistaken.
   As a teacher at the state school for blind children, I tried a brief
attempt at getting local radio drama on its feet. We recorded and aired two
30 minute radio dramas in the early 1980s, but the time involved was too
much for me and we ended the show. Also, tried a 15 minute children's
program that aired Sunday mornings. That lasted a year, but again I was
spending more time taping and editing than I was with my family, so that
one hit the skids, too.
   What can I offer? I have a 30 page list of old and not-so-old radio
shows I am willing to trade. Besides entertainment, there is quite a bit of
history in these tapes. Some of my cheap tapes have the squeal that has
been written about frequently. I have usually been able to eliminate it but
it requires babysitting entire programs to make sure the tape angle is
correct.  Thru the online service of Prodigy and the Internet I have been
able to increase my collection during the past nearly two years.
   I live in a town of 25,000 in South Dakota, Aberdeen. My profession is
that of librarian and teacher serving in the SD School for the Visually
Handicapped. Audio learning is what many of our students do best, even for
those who know braille. We produced several plays from 1982-89. I am editor
of our newspaper. Our collection of books and media is slowly being added
to the PALS/SDLN online catalog, which (I think) can be accessed thru our
Internet home page (don't have the URL at hand).  Our library has a small
collection of radio broadcasts, most are from my collection. Some are from
the SD State Library talking book service.
   I am divorced and father of two really neat adult children. I have two
grandsons: one is 19, the other is one month old.
   My other interests and hobbies are writing (poetry, short stories,
essays), reading (science fiction, dreams, angels, aliens, etc.),
bicycling, and traveling by bus in the summer.
   The OTR Digest is an interesting newsletter; I enjoy reading it and will
probably contribute a thought or idea, or a reminiscence.
   Ted Kneebone / ugth94a@[removed]

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

Date: 20 Apr 96 21:36:17 EDT
From: Joel  Senter <[removed]@[removed]>
To: OTR Digest <otr@[removed]>
Subject: Re: Jack Biggest Laugh
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

I heard Jack on some talk show, or other, years ago.  As I recall, he said
that his biggest laugh came from an interchange with Rochester in his
dressing room.  According to Jack (or, rather, my memory of what Jack
said), Jack was in the shower and left his clothes on a rack in the
dressing room.  A delivery boy came to the door with flowers, or
something, and Rochester took a quarter out of Jack's pants pocket for a
tip.  When Jack came from the shower, he picked up his pants, hoisted them
a couple of times, and then said, "Rochester, who took the quarter out of
my pocket?"
  
New topic

We got our photos of the Cincy convention back today and, sorry, we have
no useable pics of Karen, the little girl who did such a great job
playing "Sally" on the Lone Ranger recreation.  Hope her dad finds
somebody with a picture.  I know there were a lot of them taken. 
Somebody took one of Karen with Fred Foy after the recreation.  I saw her
do it.  Joel Senter

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 21:38:47 -0400
From: ERICKZIN@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: BBC & THE PRICE OF FEAR
Message-ID: <960420213846_474509263@[removed]>

Hello,

I just picked up a two cassette tape package at our local library which is
titled "The Price of Fear" with Vincent Price and put out by the BBC.  Was
this an actual BBC radio series at one time? Does anybody know when he did
this series? How many shows were there? Any other info?

One of the stories is titled "Speciality of the House".  It is a fantastic
story of the Macabre.  Was this story, written by Stanley Ellin, ever done by
Suspense, Escape etc.
I was glued to my tape player listening to this one!!!  Great Stuff!!  If
this is the caliber of the BBC are there other good shows to pursue on tape
by the BBC?

Is Arch Oboler still alive?  Is [removed] Marshall still alive? 

Thanks

Carl

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 21:52:10 -0400
From: ERICKZIN@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: $[removed] tapes
Message-ID: <960420215210_474516590@[removed]>

[removed]$[removed] a tape. Wish I could have been there! Good sound or not. I would
have helped eliminate the load on the vendors. 

Is there a real issue here? No, I don't think [removed] is Business.
 Back to OTR.

My 25 cents worth.

Carl

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 22:24:03 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Cc: BWWG42A@[removed]
Subject: Stone-Waterman Award
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

>A couple of questions.  Does anyone remember whom was awarded the Stone-
>Waterman Award thsi year?  In the excitement of the Bob Burchett
>presentation, I forgot to write it down, and now I can't remember the
>name.  I would certainly appreciate an answer.
>

Jack, I believe the Stone-Waterman award went to Don Ramlow, for
his contribution to old time radio in terms of directing, and helping
to run the Cincy convention.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Widner                      INTERNET: jwidner@[removed]
Dayton, OH                      WWW: [removed]
COMPUSERVE: 74566,3041          
AOL: JimWidner                            

                                                 

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 20:25:22 +0000
From: "Ross & Corinne Learn" <learn@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Looking For info on Harry Von Zell
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Hi [removed]
I am looking for info on "The Great Von Zell".  Any information you 
could provide would be most helpful.  Please E-Mail [removed]
[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 23:40:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: "'A. Joseph Ross'" <lawyer@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Amalgamated Broadcasting System
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

> Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 14:27:43 -0400
> From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
> To: otr@[removed]
> 
> -------  New Topic  -----  The Amalgamated Broadcasting System ----
> 
> The Amalgameted Broadcasting System went on the air on September 25, 1933 - 
> and it went off the air on October 29, 1933.  It lasted a little over a
> month. 

This reminds me of a routine in which Eddie Cantor wanted to start his own
radio network and asks Jack Benny to invest in it.  Jack insists that you
don't have to start the whole network all at once, just start with a few
tubes and wires.  Eddie thinks microphones are necessary, and Jack says,
"Not if you shout loud enough.

When Eddie Cantor practcally begs Jack for the money to fulfill his 
lifelong dream, Jack says, "Eddie, we've been friends for many years, and 
I can't say no to you.  Call my business manager in the morning."  "He'll 
give me the money?"  "No, he'll say no to you.  I can't."

======================================================================
A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                                      617/367-0468
15 Court Square                                   lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2573                    [removed]~lawyer/
======================================================================

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

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 23:57:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: "'A. Joseph Ross'" <lawyer@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jack Benny and "Sy"
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

> Date: Tue, 16 Apr 96 19:20:32 -0500
> From: Marty_Dzik@[removed] (Marty Dzik)
> To: otr@[removed]
> Subject: Jack Benny Routine
> Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>
> 
> I'm assuming that everyone who knows of OTR and Jack Benny remembers Jack's
> "Si, Sy" routine.  However, I remember hearing a take-off of that using
> another letter of the alphabet besides "S".  I don't remember if it was Jack
> Benny or not, though.  Does anyone else remember hearing this?  If so, what
> series/program was it, dates, [removed]

There was one show in which Jack is playing Captain Horatio Hornblower.  
His crew brings him the captain of a French vessel, and he goes through 
the same sort of routine, with Mel Blanc saying, "Oui."  When Jack refers 
to the girls aboard the French ship, Mel Blanc says, "Wow!" etc.  Later, 
Jack interrogates a Spanish prisoner, and goes through the old "Si" 
routine with Mel Blanc.  "You look familiar," says Jack.  Have I seen you 
somewhere before?"  "Si."  "Where?"  "A few minutes ago, I was the French 
captain."  "Now, cut that out!"  "I can also be a woodpecker," and Blanc 
does Woody Woodpecker's laugh.

======================================================================
A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                                      617/367-0468
15 Court Square                                   lawyer@[removed]
Boston, MA 02108-2573                    [removed]~lawyer/
======================================================================

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 01:48:38 -0400
From: SeptSev@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Benny Laugh
Message-ID: <960421014837_379528478@[removed]>

Friends:
Since I'm the soul who started this thread about the longest Benny Laugh, I
must agree with my friend John Henley.  I've certainly not heard all JB
shows(yet), but the incident he mentions involving Mary's flub was the
longest laugh I've heard to date.

Regards, 
[removed] Bray

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 08:05:30
From: Sherbie@[removed] (Victoria Yellen)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Other Stan Freberg
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

	Stan Freberg starred in a situation comedy called THAT'S RICH. He played an 
annoying freeloader, Richard E. Wilt, living with his second cousin and her family. I 
have an audition show from 11/21/53. I don't if any others are available, or how long 
the show lasted. According to Radio Spirits it was "short-lived."
	Also according to Radio Spirits, Stan provided voices and worked the puppets for 
the TV show "Time for Beany" starting in 1946. I remember that show (Beany, Pinhead 
and Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent), but not in 1946 since I was only two. Besides, we 
didn't have a TV set until alot later.
	One more thing from Radio Spirits. "The Stan Freberg Show" inherited Jack 
Benny's CBS time slot in 1957, but lasted only 15 weeks.
	

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

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 16:12:55 -0700
From: Mike Hamm <[removed]@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Doctor Who
Message-id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Any "Doctor Who" fans out there?  I have an adventure complete in 6
half-hour episodes.  Got any sci-fi radio you can trade?

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

    


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---- 
End of otr Digest V96 Issue #145

