------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2009 : Issue 169
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
9-2 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
9-3 births/deatjs [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
ROCHESTER'S LAST JACK BENNY APPEARAN [ "Andolina, Joe" <Joe_Andolina@cable ]
Mickey Rooney [ wayne_johnson@[removed] ]
Two WLW Items [ "mmartini@[removed]" <mmartini ]
Re: Paging Michael [removed] [ Michael Hayde <mikeh0714@[removed]; ]
Re: WLW Backup Power story [ Marvin Bensman <mbensman@[removed] ]
"Polish Eagle Show" 75th Anniversary [ Bill Knowlton <udmacon1@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:41:43 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-2 births/deaths
September 2nd births
09-02-1894 - Emil Birnbaum - d. 12-22-1983
orchestra leader, violinist: KOMO Seattle, Washington
09-02-1896 - Amanda Randolph - Louisville, KY - d. 8-24-1967
actor: Mama "Amos 'n' Andy"; Oriole "Beulah"
09-02-1898 - Arthur Young - Bristol, Gloucestershire, England - d.
2-24-1959
actor: Junior Fitz "Ma Perkins"; Son "The Baxters"
09-02-1901 - Phil Napoleon - Boston, MA - d. 9-13-1990
bandleader: "Napoleon's Retreat"
09-02-1902 - Henry J. Taylor - Chicago, IL - d. 2-24-1984
commentator: 'Your Land and Mine"; "News Commentary"
09-02-1904 - Set Svanholm - Vasteras, Sweden - d. 10-4-1964
tenor: "Drene Time"
09-02-1904 - Vera Vague (Barbara Jo Allen) - NYC - d. 9-14-1974
comedian: "Vera Vague Show"; "Bob Hope Show"; "Jimmy Durante Show"
09-02-1907 - Irving Miller - NYC - d. 4-13-1986
musician: "Mel Blanc Show"; "Garry Moore Show"
09-02-1909 - Adrienne Marden - Cleveland, OH - d. 11-9-1978
actor: Patrica Jordan "Story of Bess Johnson"
09-02-1912 - Phil Agresta - d. 7-25-1986
sportscaster: WBT Charlotte, North Carolina
09-02-1914 - Tom Glazer - Philadelphia, PA - d. 2-21-2003
folk singer: "[removed] Radio Project"; "Living 1948"; "The Eternal Light"
09-02-1917 - Cleveland Amory - Nahant, MA - d. 10-14-1998
writer: "Brain Trust"
09-02-1918 - Laurinda Almeida - Sao Paulo, Brazil - d. 7-16-1995
guitarist: "Stan Kenton and His Orchestra"
09-02-1925 - Russ Conway - Trever Stanford in Bristol, England - d.
11-15-2000
pianist: "Billy Cotton Band Show"
09-02-1933 - James Villiers - London, England - d. 1-18-1998
actor: Roderick Spode "The Code of the Woosters"
September 2nd deaths
01-09-1902 - Rudolf Bing - Vienna, Austria - d. 9-2-1997
manager of the metropolitan opera: "Metropolitan Auditions"
01-13-1918 - Steve Dunne - Northampton, MA - d. 9-2-1977
actor: Sam Spade "Advs. of Sam Spade"
01-14-1908 - Russ Columbo - Camden, NJ - d. 9-2-1934
singer, bandleader: "Russ Columbo Show"
02-23-1914 - Pat Flower - Kent, England - d. 9-2-1977
writer: "Love Returns to Umbrizi"
03-08-1899 - Gladys Thornton - Madison. Fl - d. 9-2-1964
actor: Aunt Addie "My Son and I"; Mrs. Tasek "The O'Neills"
05-07-1908 - Edmund MacDonald - Massachusetts - d. 9-2-1951
actor: Tommy Hughes "Big Town"; Inspector Burke "Murder Will Out" s
05-12-1900 - Mildred McAfee - Parkville, MO - d. 9-2-1994
navy's first female line officer: "Information Please"
05-18-1907 - Clifford Curzon - London, England - d. 9-2-1982
pianist: "March of Dimes"
05-28-1928 - Billy Roy - Detroit , MI - d. 9-2-2003
actor: "Smilin' Ed's Buster Brown Gang"
08-01-1924 - Marcia Mae Jones - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-2-2007
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
08-10-1902 - Curt Siodmak - Dresden, Saxony, Germany - d. 9-2-2000
film writer: "Suspense"
08-22-1904 - Jay Novello - Chicago, IL - d. 9-2-1982
actor: Sam Sabaaya "Rocky Jordan"; Glenn Hunter "One Man's Family"
08-27-1896 - Morris Ankrum - d. 9-2-1964
actor: "Shakespeare Festival"; "Campbell Playhouse"; "A Report to the
Nation"
08-31-1932 - Roy Castle - Scholes, England - d. 9-2-1994
actor: "Castles on the Air"
11-22-1911 - Frank Graham - Detroit MI - d. 9-2-1950
actor: Diogenes Smith "Lum and Abner"; Jeff Regan "The Lion's Eye"
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:41:55 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-3 births/deatjs
September 3rd births
09-03-1876 - Dick Teela - Wisconsin - d. 3-24-1971
singer: "The Breakfast Club"
09-03-1893 - Anthony Collins - Hastings, England - d. 12-11-1963
composer: "Ceiling Unlimited"
09-03-1897 - Sally Benson - St. Louis, MO - d. 7-19-1972
writer: "Junior Miss"
09-03-1899 - Ezra Taft Benson - Whitney, ID - d. 5-30-1994
[removed] secratary of agriculture: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
09-03-1901 - Mantan Moreland - Monroe, LA - d. 9-28-1973
actor: "Rudy Vallee Presents the Drene Show"
09-03-1903 - Carlton Beck - d. 1-21-1979
newscaster: KOMA Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
09-03-1909 - Dorothy Maynor - Norfolk, VA - d. 2-19-1996
concert soprano: "For America We Sing"; "Freedom's People"
09-03-1910 - Grace Matthews - Toronto, Canada - d. 5-15-1995
actor: Ruth Evans Wayne "Big Sister"; Margo Lane "The Shadow"
09-03-1910 - Kitty Carlisle - New Orleans, LA - d. 4-18-2007
singer: "Song Shop"; "RCA Magic Key"
09-03-1910 - Michael Eisenmenger - d. 3-14-2003
sound effects: "Captain Midnight"; "Backstage Wife"
09-03-1912 - Peter Capell - Berlin, Germany - d. 3-3-1986
actor:"Dimension X"; "Romance"; "Secret Missions"
09-03-1913 - Alan Ladd - Hot Springs, AR - d. 1-29-1964
actor: Dan Holliday "Box 13"; "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Proudly We Hail"
09-03-1918 - David Harmon - NYC - d. 8-28-2001
writer: "America in the Air"; "Now Hear This"
09-03-1918 - Donna King - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 6-20-2007
singer: (The King Sisters) "Horace Heidt and His Brigadiers"; "Al
Pearce and His Gang"
09-03-1918 - Jimmy Riddle - Dyersberg, TN - d. 12-10-1982
harmonica: "Grand Ole Opry"; "Crustene Ranch Party"; "Roy Acuff Show"
09-03-1918 - Tom Dillon - Brooklyn, NY - d. 3-14-2005
actor: "NBC University Theatre"
09-03-1920 - Jackson Weaver - d. 10-20-1992
actor: "A Bright Tomorrow"
09-03-1922 - Burt Kennedy - Muskegon MI - d. 2-15-2001
writer: Wrote for radio in late 1940s
09-03-1924 - Shirley Shea - Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
writer: "It Seems to Me"
09-03-1925 - Hank Thompson - Waco, TX - d. 11-6-2007
singer/guitarist: "Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys"
09-03-1926 - Bill Flemming - Chicago, IL - d. 7-21-2007
sports director: WUOM Ann Arbor, Michigan
09-03-1926 - Irene Pappas - Chiliomodion, Greece
actor: Greek Radio
09-03-1938 - Glyn Worsnip - Highnam, England - d. 6-6-1996
host: "Breakfast Time"; "Press Gang"
September 3rd deaths
02-03-1895 - Carl F. Kroenke - San Francisco, CA - d. 9-3-1956
actor: Alec Furguson "Houseboat Hannah"; Dr. Glassman "Ma Perkins"
03-27-1940 - Janis Martin - Sutherlin, VA - d. 9-3-2007
rockabilly singer: "Army of Stars"; "Reflections By Starlight"
04-15-1900 - Eddie Garr - Philadelphia, PA - d. 9-3-1956
actor: (Father of Teri Garr) "Fleischmann's Yeast Hour"
05-09-1915 - Hal Goodman - d. 9-3-1997
comic writer: "Sweeney and March Show"; "Rochester Show"
05-18-1897 - Frank Capra - Bisacquino, Sicily - d. 9-3-1991
film director: "Gulf Screen Theatre"; "NBC Theatre"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-19-1891 - Graham Harris - Haverhill, MA - d. 9-3-1946
orchestra leader: "There Was a Woman"; "WPA Federal Music Concerts"
06-02-1921 - Awdrey Hewlett - Maidenhead, England - d. 9-3-1995
writer: "Clever Wife"
06-07-1903 - Joseph Kahn - NYC - d. 9-3-1998
pianist: "Voice of Firestone"; "Story of Mary Marlin"
06-19-1919 - Pauline Kael - Sonoma County, CA - d. 9-3-2001
film critic: Broadcast for Pacifica radio station
07-08-1889 - Eugene Pallette - Winfield, KS - d. 9-3-1954
actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"
07-12-1913 - Maurice Rifkin - Ohio - d. 9-3-2001
producer, syndicator: "The Guy Lombardo Show"; "Boston Blackie"
09-27-1872 - Bentley D. Ackley - Spring Hill, PA - d. 9-3-1958
pianist for Billy Sunday: "Back Home Hour"
10-20-1905 - Frederic Dannay - NYC - d. 9-3-1982
writer: "Adventures of Ellery Queen"; "The Shadow"; "Ford Theatre"
11-04-1900 - Arthur Schwartz - Brooklyn, NY - d. 9-3-1984
composer: "The Gibson Family"
11-10-1909 - Johnny Marks - Mount Vernon, NY - d. 9-3-1985
songwriter, lyricist: "Great Moments in Music"
12-13-1917 - David Street - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-3-1971
actor, singer: "Music Depreciation"
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 16:45:38 -0400
From: "Andolina, Joe" <Joe_Andolina@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: ROCHESTER'S LAST JACK BENNY APPEARANCE
Joe Postove asked about Rochester's last appearance with Jack Benny. Now
I could be wrong, (and I'm assuming we're talking about including TV,
not just radio), but I'm wondering if it might be on Jack Benny's 20th
Anniversary Special on NBC TV from 11/16/70 which is available through
Laura's wonderful and very valuable International Jack Benny Fan Club?
Unless he made a quick cameo at the beginning of one of the other
specials after that broadcast, my memory fails me on that.
Joe
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:24:24 -0400
From: wayne_johnson@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mickey Rooney
I saw Mickey Rooney in October 2007 in Cedartown, GA. Sounds like the same
"show" that Jan described. As an extra, Mickey was totally annoyed with the
sound guys and was quite verbal about it, never shakes hands with his fans
(never even looked up at them that I ever saw) and as for that teleprompter,
it was a 32 inch television propped at an angle so Mickey could see it.
And you know what? I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! Why? Because I got to see
him from the second row, I was able to walk next to him as he made his way to
the lobby thanks to some quick thinking from my wife, and I got to stand in
front of him as he signed my program. No matter what he is now, he is still
a living legend and he was the top ranked star of the late 30s and early 40s.
"History Walking" when there are so few left!
Would I do it again? I would. I would drive the 100 miles from my house to
Cedartown, GA again in a minute just to see him stumble over his lines and
sing with his horse voice because when all is said and done, he is still
Mickey Rooney: movie, radio and TV star. And nothing can take that away from
him ... or me.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:25:20 -0400
From: "mmartini@[removed]" <mmartini@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Two WLW Items
Neal Ellis wrote about the WLW complete broadcast day, the day JFK was
asassinated. If anyone's curious, I have the background on the recording:
At the WLW transmitter, in Mason, Ohio, there's a shelf behind the 1928
Western Electric 50-Kw transmitter (which was used as the exciter for the
500-Kw transmitter, but that's another story) and on the shelf are hundreds
of "Soundscriber" reels. This was a technology used primarily in court
[removed] tape moves at a very, very slow speed and a rotating head (like
on more recent VCR's) can put about a day's worth of programming on one tape.
On playback, music doesn't sound too great but voices sound fine. Basically,
days were recorded for legal purposes and then the tape was re-used over and
over. Because of the events of the day, fortunately, this tape was ot
reused. In 2003, on the 40-th anniversary, engineers managed to rebuilt one
of the soundscriber players for one more playback. Thus the incredible
recording survives. By the way, just about ALL of the other tapes were
re-used and reused until the machine was taken out of service in the early
1980's. Who knows what material was erased?
Regarding the massive Crosley WLW [removed] was auctioned off about three
years ago near Cleveland. I actually drove up to see it and take pictures.
It was amazing and only a few were built because of its size and expense.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:26:28 -0400
From: Michael Hayde <mikeh0714@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Paging Michael [removed]
Craig W. asks if the oft-reported claim that radio's Superman, Bud Collyer,
remained anonymous to listeners until 1946 is "one of 'those' myths about
Network-Era radio." Indeed it is, Craig. I covered this in my new book,
"FLIGHTS OF FANTASY: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" (BearManor Media). From page 30:
- -----
Collyer later recalled, "I fought with Bob Maxwell. I said, 'This is not for
me.' The whole idea embarrassed me." To keep the actor he wanted, Maxwell -
not for the only time in his career - lied. "He said, 'Well, just audition
and we'll use you all in some parts if it goes on the air,'" remembered
Collyer. "Well it [removed] and we came back in and he said (to me) 'You're
Superman!' I again took the scripts, handed them to him and tried to walk
out and get out of the show. I really fought to unload it right then and
there!"
Somehow Maxwell convinced Collyer to stick around. A few historians have
speculated that the actor insisted on not being billed as a condition for
accepting the job, but this is untrue. To begin with, Collyer was named in
publicity and trade reviews, which meant his peers knew he was Superman from
the start. Additionally, TIME magazine ran an article about the series in
its February 26 (1940) issue and identified him as the titular star, so the
general public was equally aware. Finally, despite not receiving billing on
the program itself (no one did, throughout the transcribed series), Collyer
never denied his part in the proceedings.
- ------
Michael
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:26:49 -0400
From: Marvin Bensman <mbensman@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: WLW Backup Power story
Is this story a myth?
WLW installed a backup generator. Engineers tested it regularly for 10
minutes. After a long time a power failure took place and the
generator automatically kicked in as designed. It ran for 10 minutes
and seized up. Apparently the testing had worn out the generator so it
could not operate for more than the tested time.
I do not recall where I heard about it, but it is a fascinatingly
funny story. Anyone know if it is true?
Prof. Emeritus Marvin R., Bensman
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:27:09 -0400
From: Bill Knowlton <udmacon1@[removed];
To: oldtime radio <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: "Polish Eagle Show" 75th Anniversary!!
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
"The Victor Zembruski Polish Eagle Show," premering on WATR-AM, Waterbury CT
in 1934, will celebrate its 75th anniversary next Sunday morning, Sept. 6th
from 8:05 to 10 [removed] at 1320 AM or via [removed].
After Victor's death in the 1960s his wife Sophie continued with the show
until last year when her daughter Loretta Hoxie took over.
According to Loretta the program will consist entirely of recordings the
Victor Zembruski Orchestra recorded in the 1940s for Continental Records.
At one time the "Polish Eagle Show" was heard in separate versions in Danbury,
Norwich, New Haven and Ansonia CT and in Albany NY.
BILL KNOWLTON
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
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End of [removed] Digest V2009 Issue #169
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