------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2003 : Issue 379
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Language and regional [removed] [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
10-19 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Wonderful Smith/Pot, Pan, and Skille [ "David Malvin" <david_malvin@hotmai ]
Artistes Banned from OTR [ "richard" <richard@[removed]; ]
Two Thanksgivings [ KirkG12797@[removed] ]
Dick Van Dyke on OTR [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
OMF confusion [ Richard Carpenter <sinatra@ragingbu ]
Larwrence Welk [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
NIAGARA [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
Regional idioms [ Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed]; ]
Looking for Jubilee book [ "Roger Rittner" <radiorog@earthlink ]
Thanks! OTR transmission [ "Tim Ballew" <timballew@[removed] ]
Radio Icons Meet [ oldpdb@[removed] (Paul Barringer) ]
Sacks and salutations [ Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed]; ]
And the band played on [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
Lunch/Supper/Dinner [ "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@hotm ]
More on low power AM transmitters [ BH <radioguy@[removed]; ]
Ciro's and Pants [ "Harry Machin Jr" <harbev5@earthlin ]
DXing [ "Tom van der Voort" <evan@[removed] ]
frankfurter sandwiches [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
Johnny Dollar [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
Re: Speaking of Radio [ OTRGURU@[removed] ]
gunsmoke and dragnet question [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 10:44:26 -0400
From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Language and regional [removed]
When I moved to Michigan from DC six years ago, two things about the regional
language really stood out. First, everyone used the word "pop", when every
sensible person knows it's called "coke". It doesn't matter what you're
drinking, it's a coke - Coca-Cola is a coke, orange soda is a coke, root beer
is a coke, Pepsi-Cola is a coke. (For a VERY-interesting, though not
terribly rigorous, study of the use of soda/pop/coke, go to [removed]
and play with the maps.)
The second thing that really stood out is that everybody pluralizes words.
For example, they shop at Wal-Marts and rent videos at Blockbusters Video,
never at Wal-Mart or Blockbuster Video. I was helping a coworker research an
electronics purchase, and told him to go to the Best Buy website so we could
look up some product specs. He actually typed in bestbuys dot com as the
URL.
Anyway, is this pluralization a Midwestern thing? Or just Michigan?
-chris holm
>From Saginaw, MI - where our own Hal Stone once did some TV work!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 10:44:35 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-19 births/deaths
October 19th births
10-19-1903 - Robert Hardy Andrews - Effingham, KS - d. 11-11-1976
writer: "Skippy"; "Jack Armstrong, All-American Boy"; "Just Plain Bill"
10-19-1910 - John C. Mills - Picqua, OH - d. 1-24-1936
singer: (The Mills Brothers) "Mills Brothers Quartette"; "Bing Crosby Show"
10-19-1918 - Bob Sweeney - San Francisco, CA d. 6-7-1992
actor: "Sweeney and March"; "Sara"s Private Caper"
10-19-1930 - Wally Flaherty - The Bronx, NY - d. 9-23-1998
host: "Open Line"
October 19th deaths
04-16-1914 - John Hodiak - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 10-19-1955
actor: L"il Abner "L"il Abner"; Butch Cavendish "Lone Ranger"
07-13-1902 - Phillips H. Lord - Hartford, CT - d. 10-19-1975
actor: Seth Parker "Seth Parker"; Mitchell Frazier "Story of Mary Marlin"
08-21-1900 - Ken Carpenter - Avon, IL - d. 10-19-1984
announcer: "Kraft Music Hall"; "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
08-27-1916 - Martha Raye - Butte, MT - d. 10-19-1994
comedienne: "Tuesday Night Party"; "Cavalcade of America"; "Screen Guild
Theatre"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 12:01:08 -0400
From: "David Malvin" <david_malvin@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Wonderful Smith/Pot, Pan, and Skillet
To: Jack French
Thank you for responding to my request for information on Wonderful Smith.
I was unaware that Wonderful Smith appeared in any of Earl Carroll's
reviews. This is helpful information for my project. I will continue
looking for actual recordings of his radio routines, or transcripts if they
exist, as I continue researching information on Duke Ellington's 1941
musical JUMP FOR JOY.
While I've got your attention, I am also interested in locating any
recording of Duke Ellington's radio broadcasts from the club Casa Manana.
Casa Manana, formerly known as Frank Sebastian's Cotton Club, was one of
"the" hot clubs in Los Angeles in the 40's. Actually, the club was in
Cluver City near the MGM studios.
Best regards,
David Malvin
[removed] There was a trio act in Ellington's JUMP FOR JOY named Pot, Pan, and
Skillet. They were a comedy and dance trio who played the remaining
vaudeville houses and across the Chittlin' Circuit. I have very little
information on their background or their work on stage or radio. If anyone
reading this response has information on Pot, Pan, and Skillet, I would
appreciate hearing from you.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 12:04:44 -0400
From: "richard" <richard@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Artistes Banned from OTR
Were there any famous OTR stars ever banned from the airwaves because of live
dubious material?
It happened here in the UK with the BBC sometimes with arists like the
comedian Max Miller, in his day, King of the Music Hall (Vaudeville) in the
UK.
One Story I was told that got him banned was (if Charlie will permit me) and
we are all grown ups here aren`t we?
goes like this:
"A lady friend of mine was given a present of a very small dog which had no
hair on it, when she asked why not she was told it was one of those small
hairless breeds and was told the breed was called a Chowawa. All went well
until about a week after she got the dog she noticed some small fine hairs
growing on the dog and she thought "This can`t be right" and as she didn`t
want the dog to be distressed by this she went to the local chemist, left the
dog outside and went inside and said to the salesman "have you got anything
for removing fine hairs" and he said "Yes we have just the thing for that" so
she paid for the cream and started to leave and the salesman said "By the
way, whats the cream for"? and the lady said "Oh it`s for my little Chowowa"
so the salesman said "Oh, ok, rub the cream on every day and don`t ride your
bike for a week"
I think Max Miller was banned by the BBC for 3 months for this,it didnt
affect him much as he was still top of the bill wherever he appeared.
Love,
[removed] richard@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 12:07:54 -0400
From: KirkG12797@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Two Thanksgivings
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In a message dated 10/16/03 Matthew Bullis writes:
Was there some question as to when Thanksgiving should be celebrated in
1939?
And in a message dated 10/17/03 Cynthia Van Cleave responded:
I recall a Warners Brothers cartoon on the topic, with a very frazzled
turkey running from Thursday to Thursday.
Actually I think this is from the movie "Holiday Inn" (though of course it
could have been in a WB cartoon as well). The Thanksgiving segment of the
movie
is introduced by a brief cartoon of a turkey settling on one Thursday on the
calendar, only to have Thanksgiving move to the next week, so the Turkey
moves, and the holiday moves again, and so on, until the turkey shrugs his
shoulders and gives up. That's how I learned about the history of
Thanksgiving. Old
movies (and old radio) are so educational.
Kirk
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 12:31:38 -0400
From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Dick Van Dyke on OTR
I was watching a rerun of MSNBC's "Headliners and Legends" program this
morning while at work and it featured comedian Dick Van Dyke. Early in Van
Dyke's biography, the fact was casually mentioned that Van Dyke and his
first wife, Marge, were married on the audience participation radio show
"Bride and Groom."
As Johnny Carson would say: "I did not know that."
Ivan
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 13:02:20 -0400
From: Richard Carpenter <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: OMF confusion
Now I'm really confused. I wrote recently that
while "One Man's Family," a series I am not very
familiar with, seemed to have changed drastically from
a 1941 show featuring warm wartime conversation to a
1951 show that was basically a sitcom about being
stuck in a haunted house. Then yesterday I listened to
some shows from 1957 and the program now seemed to be
a serial, perhaps a tad soap opera-ish. Can someone
enlighten me: Did the show have THREE incarnations?
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 13:34:04 -0400
From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Larwrence Welk
Derek "It's me again, again" Tague in another of his complex posts uses
the term "Welk crowd."
Perhaps he could explain what "Welk crowd" means.
Dennis Crow
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 13:34:56 -0400
From: PURKASZ@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: NIAGARA
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A splendid movie to be sure and one that stays with you for a long
time. The ending of Joe Cotton's character still haunts me because I used to
live very near the falls when I was a boy. The power and terror of is still
something to experience.
Sometime in the summer of my ninth or tenth year we heard about Marilyn
Monroe being there.
Shredded Wheat aside, you can still stay in Marilyn's suite as I did a
few years ago at the wonderful Brock Hotel on the Canadian side.
Hot tub on the balcony and spectacular view of the Falls!
You can rent the movie and watch it at night. The Falls are beautifully
lit and the winter ice sculpture of nature truly awe-inspiring.
Michael C. Gwynne
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 14:01:25 -0400
From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Regional idioms
What about the following series of terms? I've heard
them used interchangeably:
Cinema/Films/Movies/Movie Show/Flicks
Someone suggested the term 'theatre' would mean much
the same as these terms, but I always thought theatre refered
to a live stage performance instead of one on film.
Have we taken this subject about as far as it should go?
Why not concede that, based on time/place/location/fads/other
various characteristics, some of the terms we've heard have
heard have changed. Language is not an immutable thing. In
many ways, it can change develop to reflect the society using it.
Kenneth Clarke
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 14:40:53 -0400
From: "Roger Rittner" <radiorog@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Looking for Jubilee book
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Hi. I'm trying to find a copy of "The AFRS Jubilee Transcription
Programs: An Exploratory Discography". The author is Ulrich Neuert,
and it was published in 1985. Anyone have an extra to sell . or maybe
even a copy to loan? Or if anyone knows where I can get a copy, I'd
appreciate the info.
Thanks.
Roger Rittner
rittne1694@[removed]
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------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 15:14:30 -0400
From: "Tim Ballew" <timballew@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Thanks! OTR transmission
I really appreciate the information you guys have offered on transmitting
OTR throughout my house - it's very cool to almost instantly get real life
examples and practical advice.
Score another one for the OTR community and the OTR Digest!
I'm going to look into each of the suggestions you've given and I'll let you
know what I chose and how well it [removed]
Regards,
Tim
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 15:39:57 -0400
From: oldpdb@[removed] (Paul Barringer)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Radio Icons Meet
The following taken from Comic Buyers Guide:
Morphing Period author Richard Thatcher related this story an army
friend told him.
One base had a brass hat whose last name was Midnight. One evening, he
came to the guard post, and the call went out: "Who goes there?" The
reply was "Captain Midnight!" and the sentry fired back "Yeah, and I'm
The Shadow!"
Paul
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 15:47:59 -0400
From: Bill Jaker <bilj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sacks and salutations
The first really big trip that I ever took as a child was with my
mother and little sister to visit relatives in (of all places) Dayton,
Ohio. We rode from our hometown of New York on an overnight train --
that's how long ago this was, sometime around 1948. One of the sharpest
memories I have of that historic journey was discovering that out there
they refer to a paper bag as a "sack". In fact, I remember buying a
candy bar and having the store clerk ask me if I wanted it in a sack, a
question I'd never hear in New York.
But the other regional expression that we picked up during our visit
to Dayton, Ohio -- and this is something that Mom later remarked about
often -- was the simple salutation "hi". I'm not sure that this was a
personal or local thing, but we didn't then say "hi" to each other in
New York City. "Hiya" was a common greeting at the time (I haven't
heard that said in years) and when we played cowboys we'd say "howdy"
like we heard on the radio and saw in the movies. But "hi" seemed to be
something that came from oHIo.
This is where old-time radio can be so valuable. I'm going to
listen carefully and see if people said "hi" to each other in those
days. Depending on where the program originated there may be a sack of
them.
See you in Newark.
--Bill Jaker
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 15:48:21 -0400
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: And the band played on
If anybody has information or strong impressions about
staff/house/studio/backup bands that served local radio stations and
networks during the golden age, or who possibly observed, served alongside
or participated in such groups, would you kindly get in touch with me at
once? I'd greatly appreciate the favor of your sharing your perspectives.
Jim Cox
otrbuff@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 16:28:52 -0400
From: "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Lunch/Supper/Dinner
Hello All,
I've always thought that lunch was a meal taken at midday, supper a meal
taken in early evening, but dinner was the main meal of the day no matter
when taken. Thus on a weekday your supper WAS your dinner, but if your
family had a big meal at midday on Sunday then that was your dinner for the
day. If you had a small meal on Sunday night that was still supper, but it
wasn't dinner.
George
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 20:43:14 -0400
From: BH <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: More on low power AM transmitters
I know of several folks who have purchased a unit called the "Radio DJ"
or something like that. It can be found at Wall-Mart, K-Mart, ect., I
think they are less than $20. The come with a built in cassette and mike
and operate on the high end of the AM band, around 1600 kHz. I
understand the sound quality is quite good.
Bill H.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 20:44:16 -0400
From: "Harry Machin Jr" <harbev5@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ciro's and Pants
I'll quickly combine two comments: (1) Mike Mackey brought
back memories when he spoke of "pants" as referring only to
"underpants." When I was on sabbatical at Oxford in 1973, my
two boys got some terrible ribbing when they referred to their
"pants," instead of their "trousers." I was unaware that there
was a place in our country where the same distinction is made;
(2) When I was in the navy (early '50s) a buddy and I spent an
evening at Ciro's just to see and hear Joni James, then just
about the hottest pop recording vocalist. We never expected
to have her come out to our table and sit with us. She had a
brother in the navy, and, spotting our uniforms, came out to see
us. Wow! More relevant to OTR, Lurene Tuttle was sitting not
far from us that night. She was with a man about her age that I
didn't recognize. I wanted to speak to her, but my nerve failed
me. On my many trips to L. A. and Hollywood I also had the
opportunity to speak to John Dehner & Sam Edwards in a
Hollywood restaurant, and to Williard Waterman, who was
just walking down Hollywood Boulevard. Again, I just looked
and timidly held my tongue. Recent comments on Ciro's
really brought back memories of that great night with Joni
James. The guys back on my ship might not have believed
me, but they didn't doubt my buddy. Talk about jealousy!
Harry Machin Jr
harbev5@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 20:44:43 -0400
From: "Tom van der Voort" <evan@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: DXing
With all the talk about the best antennas for pulling in distant radio
stations and so forth, I couldn't resist mentioning an experience I had last
week.
We lost our power because of a pretty severe rainstorm accompanied by
high winds, and I was trying to pick up the Red Sox-Yankees game on an el
cheapo battery operated radio with one of those small telescoping antennas.
In order to strengthen the signal from the local sports station I was
walking about the room with the radio when I heard an announcer saying,
"many streets are closed because of flooding. Fans coming home from the
hockey game may have problems". I was totally confused at this point because
the Washington Capitols hockey team was playing in Montreal, not D. C.
Suddenly there was a station break, and I learned the radio station was in
Montreal. I don't remember the call letters, but the frequency was 940 on
the AM dial.
Wonderful World!
Tom
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:19:17 -0400
From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: frankfurter sandwiches
There was talk a day or so ago about Frankfurter Sandwiches. Well, I
loved that song when I was about 12 and Ira Cook used to play it on KMPC.
Well, I finally downloaded it and I think you can still find it at
[removed]
(I don't know if it is one L or two), but she is a daughter of Paul
Winchell, and you all know who he is. I haven't been up there for a
while, but she has some of the weirdest stuff on her site you will ever
find. Have fun. I hope you have a fast connection to download a lot of
that stuff. Kurt
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:19:25 -0400
From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Johnny Dollar
I heard one Johnny Dollar audition show for the Transpacific Matter.
Because it was an audition show there seems to have only been one. Is
this true and were there ever other shows? It sounded like an
interesting story. Thanks in advance. Kurt
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:45:16 -0400
From: OTRGURU@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Speaking of Radio
In the last issue of this Digest Gary Lare said he was trying to find out how
to order the new book, "Speaking of Radio" and asked if someone could put him
in the right direction. I'll be glad to oblige, Gary, since it's MY new
book, published by my company, Nostalgia Digest Press.
You can order it at our secure website, [removed]
or pick it up in person at the Friends of Old-Time Radio convention in Newark
next weekend where I'll be happy to sign it for you. (In fact if you order
it on the web and would like your copy signed, just mention it when you send
in
the order.) I'll also have copies at the SPERDVAC convention in Los Angeles
in November.
"Speaking of Radio" is a 420-page, 6x9 softcover book of my conversations
with 46 stars of the Golden Age of Radio. Veteran actor Les Tremayne wrote the
Foreword and is one of the stars who speaks of his career in radio. The book
sells for $27 (plus tax for Illinois residents) and S&H.
Among the stars who talk about their participation in the great radio days
are Jim "Fibber McGee" Jordan, Jack Benny, Bret "The Shadow" Morrison, Harriet
and David Nelson, Eve Arden, Kate Smith, Phil Harris, Alice Faye, Arch "Lights
Out" Oboler, Elliott Lewis, Frank Nelson, Carlton E. Morse and so many others.
(They're all listed on our website along with quotes from a few of the
conversations.)
Thanks for asking!
Chuck Schaden
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:45:28 -0400
From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: gunsmoke and dragnet question
I can't prove this, but I suspect that the reason for only a general cast
list was that was the only thing they really possessed, a cast list that
could be used on all shows and not be incorrect. It didn't help you know
the individual cast members, but it was fine for the show itself, when
you always knew the permanent cast members and didn't have to
worry about the others. Hope this helps. Kurt
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #379
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