Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #167
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 5/6/2002 6:11 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 167
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Re: Questionable commercials          [ "Eric N. Wilson" <enwilson@[removed] ]
      The Whisperer                         [ Richard Fisher <w9fjl@[removed]; ]
      SINATRA ON OTR                        [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
      .ra files to .wav [removed]              [ C D <cpdemas@[removed]; ]
      NBC Chimes                            [ danhughes@[removed] ]
      another side of frank fay             [ leonardfass@[removed] (Leonard Fass ]
      Re: The Whisperer                     [ Gerry Wright <gdwright@[removed]; ]
      NBC's 75th                            [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
      Buck Ryan detective serial            [ "Jamie Kelly" <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Re: MediaBay Releases First Radio Sp  [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
      are they a live                       [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
      Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      No Thanks to NBC                      [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
      Sherlock Holmes Forum                 [ "Gareth Tilley" <tilleygareth@hotma ]
      NBC = "Nothing But Cathode!"          [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
      Re: NBC 75th other comments           [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
      Thank You and mp3 bitrates            [ Chris & Carla White <cncwhite@ricon ]
      Medical OTR                           [ AJ Wright <MEDS002@[removed] ]
      RE: .ra files to .wav [removed]          [ "James Gray" <jgray4@[removed]; ]
      Re: Tape to CD                        [ "James Gray" <jgray4@[removed]; ]
      mp 3 player                           [ Hellenfran@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 19:21:44 -0400
    From: "Eric N. Wilson" <enwilson@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Questionable commercials

>     So does anyone else have a nominee for most outragious
>     OTR commercial?

    The number one LOONIEST ad to modern ears, and one that I'm sure will be
    popular:

    "More doctors smoke Camels than any other brand!"

    Let's also not forget the packs sent to veterans' [removed] anyway,
    the runners-up would have to include the Ironized Yeast tablet ad (around
    1941 or 42) that tells how women who eat yeast tablets get more
    dates.  There's also one for a premium ring from Orphan Annie ([removed]),
    where Pierre Andre tells kids who might have sent their aluminum seals from
    their Ovaltine for the LAST premium that they're going to need another jar
    ANYWAY, so why not ask mom to get you another one now?  You just don't get
    that level of hard sell in commercials that last under 3 minutes.

>     -Let's restrict nominees to radio, shall we? I
>     wouldn't want one of Hal Stone's TV commercials
>     accidentally nominated. The ensuing verbal barrage
>     from Mr. Stone might be enough to melt down my
>     computer's [removed]

    Oh no, we can't have [removed] matter how tempting that would be to see. :)

    --Eric Wilson

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 20:36:32 -0400
    From: Richard Fisher <w9fjl@[removed];
    To: OldRadio Mailing Lists <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Whisperer

    In today's digest someone asked about this show.  I have shows 1-13 from
    Radio Memories and the dates are from 07/08/51 for the 1st show  through
    09/30/51 for the 13th. These shows are in a bookshelf edition.

    The following information is from the "Encyclopedia of American Radio
    1920-1960 by Luther Siess (McFarland).  "Variety called the programs
    plots far fetched"  Cast members include: Betty Moran, Bill Conrad, Earl
    Lee, Torry Bennett, Janet Scott, Betty Lou Gerson, and Paul Freese.
    Announcer was Donald Rickles (25 min Sunday 5:00 - 5:30 PM  NBC 1951.
    Carlton Young played the main character.

    Surely the announcer Donald Rickles is NOT the beloved Don Rickles of TV
    fame (or is it).

    I assume the 13 shows from Radio Memories are the entire run.

    Dick

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 22:26:12 -0400
    From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  SINATRA ON OTR

    Featured on the current A Date With Sinatra show are two OTR appearances.
     The premier episode of Rocky Fortune, and a visit to The Jack Benny
    program.

          [removed] <:-)
              A DATE WITH SINATRA

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 22:26:18 -0400
    From: C D <cpdemas@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  .ra files to .wav [removed]

    Streambox Ripper ([removed] or [removed], NOT [removed]) will
    convert from .ra to .mp3 in one step.

    CPD

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 22:27:32 -0400
    From: danhughes@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  NBC Chimes

    The story has been told before, but I'm not sure as succinctly as in this
    Puzzler I got today (I get one every day, and this is the first that was
    OTR related:

    * * * BrainEmail Daily Triva * * *

    What was the first audible trade mark?

    - --------------------------------------------------------------------
          Like Trivia?       Join the BrainEmail trivia list today!
           Just send an email to: trivia-subscribe@[removed]
    - --------------------------------------------------------------------

    Since NBC is celebrating its 75th anniversary I thought this would be
    appropriate.

    The NBC chimes became the first audible service mark in 1950 when NBC
    filed with the [removed] Patent office.

         Bong
    Bong     Bong

    The following is from the Patent Office register:
    Serial Number : 72-349496
    Type of Mark: SERVICE MARK
    Mark Drawing Code: (6) NO DRAWING
    Description of Mark: THE MARK COMPRISES A SEQUENCE OF CHIME-LIKE
    MUSICAL NOTES WHICH ARE IN THE KEY OF C AND SOUNDED THE NOTES
    G, E, C, THE "G" BEING THE ONE JUST BELOW MIDDLE C, THE "E" THE ONE
    JUST ABOVE MIDDLE C, AND THE "C" BEING MIDDLE C, THEREBY TO IDENTIFY
    APPLICANT'S BROADCAST SERVICE.

    Owner Name: NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC., THE
    Owner Address: 30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA NEW YORK NEW YORK
    10112 CORPORATION DELAWARE 9

    Some other NBC chime trivia . . .

    Some say that the musical notes G E C stood for General Electric
    Corp. which owned a part of RCA and NBC back during the inception of
    the tones. There are actually 4 different stories on how the tones
    began, so it is difficult to say with certainty that the General
    Electric story is the correct answer.  The source below lists the
    4 different stories with an exhaustive research on the tones.

    At one time there was a fourth tone. It was used to page certain key
    executives back to network headquarters for serious events. It was
    also used during WWII for major news events, such a Pearl Harbor,
    in order to cue the affiliates.

    NBC discontinued the use of the chimes in 1971.

    [When GE bought RCA (and NBC) a few years ago they actually bought
    back RCA (and NBC)!]
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Sources: [removed]

    ---Dan

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 23:22:23 -0400
    From: leonardfass@[removed] (Leonard Fass)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  another side of frank fay

    elizabeth's fine notes don't mention another side of frank [removed] his
    alcoholism led to his being off the stage for a number of [removed]

    he returned to  the stage in the late 40*s playing elwood p. doud in
    "harvey" mary coyle chase's first broadway play. fay was sober then, but
    elwood never was, but fay's excellent timing (like jack benny,
    elizabeth) made you believe in him and made you believe you could really
    see harvey who was invisible to most folks.

    after each performance frank fay gave a curtain speech which melted any
    audiences hearts that weren't melted by then.

    a twist of fate i got to see the performance twice, once at the old
    theater in central city, and once at at the old broadway theater in
    denver, now like most of denver's movie palaces but one, gone.
    frank fay remains after all these years as a treasure in my mental
    scrapbook.

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 23:23:01 -0400
    From: Gerry Wright <gdwright@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: The Whisperer

    Randy Story asked about the history of the short lived series "The
    Whisperer"

    It was broadcast on NBC as a summer show from 8 July to 30 Sept. 1951
    for a total of 13 episodes. Starring Carleton Young as attorney Philip
    Galt, aka "The Whisper" with Betty Moran as Ellen Norris, Philip's nurse
    with support by such Hollywood radio stalwarts as William Conrad and
    Paul Frees. The series was based on stories and characters created by
    Stetson Humphries. The premiere episode was "Tea Time for Teenagers" and
    were not talking Earl Grey.

    Gerry Wright
    ZoneZebra Productions
    San Francisco

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 01:36:04 -0400
    From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  NBC's 75th

    Well, I have only seen the first hour of the alleged anniversary special
    of the National Broadcasting Company. Someone forgot to tell the
    producers that the year 1990 was only 10 years ago, not 75. Trying to
    make something "relevant" to your audience by ignoring most of the past
    is the reason people are not learning from history today. I will look at
    the other two hours tomorrow. I hope that NBC Radio gets more than two
    minutes.

    disappointedly,

    Eric Cooper

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 01:36:09 -0400
    From: "Jamie Kelly" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Buck Ryan detective serial

    I have come across 2 12 inch BBC 78rpm discs of a detective series called
    "Buck Ryan" a thriller serial in 6 episodes. The discs I have is episode 4
    called "the Shadow" Each episode is 15 minutes long and the discs are dated
    1944.
    It would of been fun being a TT operator in those days!!

    I'd like to find the 5 episodes I don't have and would also appreciate any
    other information on this series that anyone may have. I have no idea who
    was in it Etc. The one episode I have sounds great. BBC 78rpms discs do turn
    up in Australia occasionally but its hard to find complete shows as you need
    4 discs for a half hour show.

    we started getting BBC TS discs in Australia in 1943/1944 they were
    broadcast on both commercial and ABC networks. All my 10 and 12 inch BBC
    78rpm discs date between 1943 /1946. They switch to 16 inch in 1947 and LP
    in 1954.

    Jamie

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 02:10:51 -0400
    From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: MediaBay Releases First Radio Spirits
     Compilation in MP3 Format

    In a message dated 5/5/02 6:17:32 PM, [removed]@[removed]
    writes:

>     Since one CD will cost them less than $[removed], I expected their MP3 CD of
>     "America at War" to sell for $[removed] or $[removed] I was wrong. They are
>     selling it on one MP3 CD for $[removed]

    ***I'm curious as to how you arrived at the cost RSI should be charging.  Did
    you factor in royalties to the copyright owners, or did you assume that
    rights wouldn't be paid since the shows were on MP3 rather than CDs or
    cassettes?  I don't see how RSI (or anyone else) could charge $[removed] or $[removed]
    for a 30-hour, 60-show collection and still be able to pay licensing fees to
    Norman Corwin and the other rights holders. --Anthony Tollin***

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 10:01:44 -0400
    From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  are they a live

    I was working on a list of radio performers who are still with us, and two
    names I am not sure of are Rosa Rio, and Dave Barry.  So if any knows please
    let me know.  Take care,

    Walden

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 10:01:53 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history

      From Those Were The Days --

    1937 - A student of history, a broadcaster or anyone interested in news
    coverage, will remember this day and the words of NBC radio's Herbert
    Morrison. "Oh, the humanity!" Morrison's emotion-filled historic
    broadcast of the explosion of the dirigible, Hindenburg at Lakehurst,
    NJ, became the first recorded coast-to-coast broadcast as it was carried
    on both the NBC Red and NBC Blue networks from New York City.  (note: I
    met Mr Morrison once in university when he was living in that town and
    spoke to students about the event and broadcasting in general.  I only
    wish I wasn't a know-it-all student and realised how little I actually
    knew and had the chance to do it over again).

    Today's birthday --

    1915 - (George) Orson Welles

      Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:
    [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 10:03:01 -0400
    From: otrbuff@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  No Thanks to NBC

    It took NBC more than two-and-a-quarter hours into its three-plus-hour
    marathon touting its 75th anniversary on the air to mention the word
    "radio" Sunday night.  Who could expect more?

    General Brigadier David Sarnoff's name (the man who started it all) was
    casually dropped into the broadcast considerably later, along with that
    of Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver (NBC's "revivalist" in the 1950s, although
    he was only credited for Today and Tonight, forgetting about Monitor, the
    most broadcast hours of any radio series).  A minute of Jack Benny from
    radio aired after 11 [removed] EDT, but the strong impression had been made
    all evening that NBC-TV existed from the inception of the network in
    1926.  No Fred Allen.  No McGee and Molly.  No Gildersleeve.  No H. V.
    Kaltenborn.  None of the scores of other series and names that could be
    clearly identified with NBC's radio era that made the network of chimes
    the competitive chain it was.

    The $50,000 four-hour launch of the NBC network on Nov. 15, 1926 from the
    Waldorf Astoria Hotel that drew 1,000 guests and featured numerous
    celebrities wasn't mentioned.  The radio network was used to finance the
    launch of TV, and once the aural medium's resources, advertisers and
    audiences were drained, it was fairly well abandoned.  Depressingly, we
    witnessed a repeat of it Sunday night.

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 10:03:15 -0400
    From: "Gareth Tilley" <tilleygareth@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Sherlock Holmes Forum

    Hi

    With Charlie's help I am now administering a Sherlock Holmes forum for the
    Nostalgia website. Basically I'd like people to discuss anything to do with
    Sherlock Holmes on radio from the 1930's to current day. Hopefully this
    won't clash with the Jim French forum too much!

    Gareth

    PS Thanks for the replies regarding my recent Sherlock Holmes and Tape to CD
    questions.

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 10:04:14 -0400
    From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  NBC = "Nothing But Cathode!"

    Jell-O Again!

         I was actually holding out some hope for this past Sunday's 3 hours-plus
    celebration of NBC's belated 75th anniversary  when the program started out
    with an instrumental version of the  NBC/"I Love You" chime song   (discussed
    here earlier). But when opening monologist Jerry Seinfeld intro'ed the first
    set of clips, which focused on NBC's comedic output of the 1990's, I abandoned
    all hope. "What's the deal?"
          The only references to radio, "that senior electronic medium" as radio
    commentator Les Kinsolving calls it,  that I could detect were:
    1) a passing reference to Bob  Hope making his radio debut on Rudy Vallee's
    "Fleischmann's  Hour"; 2)  a news clip segment starting with Herb Morrison's
    "Hindenburg call"; and 3) an all-too-short radio segment
    of Jack Benny with Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCartney--which didn't even  air
    until roughly 11 [removed], when the special lapsed into overtime.
          Unfortunately, demographics dictate skewering the program's content
    toward a younger audience who, by and large, are not particularly familiar
    with the Golden Age of Radio. But to air a 75th anniversary program without
    mention of Fred Allen, Duffy's Tavern (a true forerunner
    of "Cheers"), Eddie Cantor, and, dare I say it?, Amos 'n' Andy is utterly
    outrageous.  How NBC can celebrate itself with never a mention of "Fibber
    McGee & Molly" is totally beyond me!!!

    Thanks for letting me rant,

    Derek Tague

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 10:05:48 -0400
    From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: NBC 75th other comments

    Well, I wisely scanned through(rather than sit and watch) the rest of the
    tape of NBCs alleged 75th Anniversary show. NBC Radio which existed
    essentially from 1926 to 1986 was all but forgotten during the whole
    three hours. Oh there were some very small audio clips of Toscanini and
    news, but other than that you'd think from watching this extravagaznza of
    nonsense that NBC was founded in 1970 and not 1926. Sad that OTR heritage
    is given such short shrift. Oh well, the tape is [removed]

    Eric Cooper

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 13:54:41 -0400
    From: Chris & Carla White <cncwhite@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Thank You and mp3 bitrates

    I want to say a couple thank yous this time around. First, thank you to Kim
    Brown who recently me some otr superman episodes on cassette free of
    charge. Second, I want to thank everyone who helped me learn how to convert
    my otr realaudio files to mp3 and burn them onto cd. Now, I have just one
    more question. What bitrates and sampling frequencies do the mp3 files have
    to have to play on a portable mp3/cd player? If you know, contact me.

                                Thanks,
                             Bryant White

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 14:33:47 -0400
    From: AJ Wright <MEDS002@[removed];
    To: Old-Time Radio Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Medical OTR

    [removed] would like to tap the knowledge of everyone on this list regarding
    medical topics and [removed]

    *First, I'm interested in the broad [removed] there book chapters/journal
    articles discussing medicine and OTR? That can be both documentaries, etc., on
    real-life medical practice or fictional materials such as Dr. [removed]

    *Second, I'm interested more specifically in [removed] there show
    episodes with anesthesia administration in the operating room? Anesthesiol-
    ogists or anesthetists as characters? Anesthetic drugs (probably gases such as
    ether or chloroform) used in the commission of crimes, [removed]

    Any leads on either area [removed] wright // ajwright@[removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 15:15:02 -0400
    From: "James Gray" <jgray4@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RE:  .ra files to .wav [removed]
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    There have been some questions about converting .ra files to .mp3 or .wav, and
    I just have to throw my 2 cents in here.  First of all .ra sound files have
    about the same sound quality as a fingernail going across a chalkboard, so why
    in heavens name would anyone want to convert them.  After converting them, the
    sound quality is still extremely poor.

    Then someone suggested recording the .ra file onto tape and then coverting the
    tape to .mp3.  This is even worse.  It wouldn't be so bad if these files
    stayed isolated in private collections, but they make it out into the world
    and onto the internet and the pool of available OTR .mp3 shows gets more and
    more polluted with garbage.

    Am I making any sense here?  Or am I the only one who really cares?  The only
    hope I have is that the person(s) who developed RealAudio will be forced to
    listen to .ra files for eternity after they pass on.  Nuff [removed]

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

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 15:38:55 -0400
    From: "James Gray" <jgray4@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re:  Tape to CD
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    There are several software packages available to record data from your stereo
    system onto your hard drive.  Unfortunately I must complain again.  Too many
    people are lazy when they record from their tapes and either over modulate or
    under modulate the sound and don't bother to correct it.  Then their lousy
    .mp3 files find there way into the world and again pollute the available pool
    of .mp3 OTR files.

    If you don't know what it means to over modulate or under modulate the sound,
    then please don't try to convert your tapes to .mp3.  On the other hand, if
    you know what you are doing, and can connect the output of your stereo system
    to your computer, and you really care what your mp3 files sound like, then by
    all means convert your tapes.

    Ok, I'm kicking my soapbox back under my desk.  If after my little tirade, you
    still want to convert your tapes to mp3s then contact me directly and I will
    try to provide as much help as [removed]

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

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

    Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 19:56:59 -0400
    From: Hellenfran@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  mp 3 player
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    rio volt has a micro mini stereo (EX 1000) that plays mp3 files - Im trying
    to contact someone who has information on this system  - Does it play low bit
    rates - Does it have a built in timer?  What information does it display?
    etc.  I would appreciate any help that can be given. Thank You.

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

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #167
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