From:	SMTP%"[removed]@[removed]" 28-NOV-1995 01:32[removed]:	otr@[removed]:	Subj:	[removed] Digest V95 #419 	********************************************************                      ------   # NOTE #   -------SEE INFO SECTION AT END OF THIS DIGEST FOR UNSUBSCRIBE AND OTHER INFORMATION. 		====  INFO SECTION UPDATED 8/19/95  ====	********************************************************	    [removed]   Volume 95 : Issue 419Articles in this issue of [removed]:	 Jack Benny, Kelsey Grammar, and midgets	 Smile When You Say That / How To Spend Thanksgiving Alone	 Norman Corwin	 WRVR-FM in [removed]	 Joseph Nathan Kane	 Re: Grammer's still a midget (?)	 How this Boomer discovered OTR 	 Looking for Christmas programs	  i made a slipup	 A bit on Harris and cassette storage	 Helen [removed] lotta woman in the right [removed]: Mon, 27 Nov 95 20:11 ESTFrom: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]>To: [removed]@[removed]: Jack Benny, Kelsey Grammar, and midgetsMessage-Id: <m0tKEZg-000JrNC@[removed]>Generally, I agree with Bruce Rudesill concerning his comments about Grammar's comedy sense being much less (his midget comment) than a "giant" such asJack [removed]'s subtle capability to evoke comedy compared to the styles of today'scomedians such as the aforementioned Kelsey Grammar.  This is not to say that I am nota fan ofFrazier.  However, Benny's comedic talent was more sophisticated as weremany of thecomedians of his time.  I think it should be kept in mind the vaudvillianbackground ofmany of radio's comedians.  They have been able to hone much more subtleskills versusthe likes of tv's instant comedians, who, while they might have honed theirskills at clubs such as "The Comedy Club," much of their comedy is not memorable. Howmany (yes, thereare some) remember Frazier episodes, or even Cheers episodes in whichGrammar was anessential element compared to many Benny routines from many years [removed] like a lot of today's comedians and some sit com's but that does not meanI have anydisrespect for radio's favorite [removed] Widner                      INTERNET: jwidner@[removed], OH                      WWW: [removed]: 74566,3041          AOL: JimWidner                                                                             ------------------------------Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 21:52:10 -0500From: Kubelski@[removed]: [removed]@[removed]: Smile When You Say That / How To Spend Thanksgiving AloneMessage-ID: <951127215159_36046179@[removed]>Was that guy who praised my earlier posting on the respective talents ofKelsey Grammer and Jack Benny earnest in his praise or not?  I've alreadyrecieved a mild rebuke from my friend Steve Lewis over my criticism of hisbeloved "Murphy Brown." And whenever anyone calls me calm or even handed I suspect that there is sometomfoolery [removed] Topic:My parents and my girlfriend both went away for the Thanksgiving weekend so Iwas home alone with my new tapes from Newark, Arlene M. Osborne [removed] listened to five or six hours of Fred Allen, about nine episodes of TheJack Benny Program (none of which I had heard before, which means my list isgetting better), two episodes of Nero Wolfe, two episodes of Duffy's Tavern(I'm still not all that impressed by this one, although the episode thatoverlapped the Fred Allen show was one of the funniest I've ever heard), andmuch Fibber McGee & Molly.  It seems that no matter how much F&M I collect, Ican always find hundreds more shows.  The entire series must have [removed] listened to two episodes of "Escape."  If "Ambassador of Poker" and "TheFugitive" are indictive of the series I'm almost embarrassed for its poorcousin Suspense.  Of course, the fact that I've already listened to about 125episodes of Suspense and only four of "Escape," probably means that I've hitthe highs of one and the lows of the [removed] girlfriend should be back any minute now, so I have to go back to aprimarily televison diet for awhile.  But what a great weekend!------------------------------Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 22:15:21 -0500 (EST)From: "Daniel A. Gediman" <danged@[removed]>To: [removed]@[removed]: otr@[removed]: Norman CorwinMessage-ID: <[removed]@iglou>Greetings, otr people!  My name is Dan Gediman and I am co-producer of a series of programs on National Public Radio by or about the great Norman Corwin.  Some of you may be familiar with what we have been [removed] in May of this year, we distributed via NPR an hour-long documentary about Corwin called NORMAN CORWIN:  ON A NOTE OF TRIUMPH.  It was hosted by Charles Kuralt (who is a huge Corwin fan) and features interviews with Ray Bradbury, Robert Altman, Studs Terkel and others as well as clips from all his most famous WWII-oriented radio plays. We also sent stations a digitally re-mastered version of his VE-Day masterpiece ON A NOTE OF TRIUMPH, also introduced by [removed] August, NPR distributed a brand new work that Norman wrote over the summer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VJ Day -- a major updating of his short program 14 AUGUST, which starred Orson Welles and aired August 14, 1945.  The new work, (50 YEARS AFTER) 14 AUGUST, stars Kuralt again with Pat Carroll (who worked in the CBS sound-effects dept. in the 40's on several Corwin shows). Those in the know (including Corwin) consider this on par with his best work from the 30's-40'[removed] three of these shows are available on cassette by calling 800-411-MIND, [removed], this coming April 1996, NPR will distribute 13 BY CORWIN, Corwin's "greatest hits", all of them digitally remastered and introduced by a different celebrity that has worked with, studied with, or been inspired by Norman Corwin.  Here is a list of the shows that will be in the series13 BY CORWIN PROGRAM LISTINGSThe Undecided Molecule				My Client CurlyHosted by Richard Dysart  			Hosted by Stephen BochkoStarring Groucho Marx				Starring Everett SloaneThe Long Name None Could Spell			UntitledHosted by Studs Terkel				Hosted by Walter CronkiteFeaturing William L. Shirer			Starring Frederic MarchRadio Primer					Mary and the Fairy		Hosted by William Shatner			Hosted by Betty FriedanStarring Everett Sloane				Starring Ruth Gordon and						Elsa LanchesterThe Odyssey of Runyon Jones			Descent of the GodsHosted by Robert Altman				Hosted by Susan StambergFeaturing Hester Sondergaard			Starring Henry MorganThey Fly Through The Air			Could BeHosted by Ray Bradbury				Hosted by Scott SimonNarrated by House Jameson			Featuring Robert TroutNew York:  A Tapestry 				Cromer Hosted by Norman Lear 				Hosted by Charles Kuralt Narrated by Martin Gabel 			Starring Joseph JulianEl Capitan and the CorporalHosted by Samantha EggarStarring Joseph Julian andKatherine LockeIf this sounds interesting to you.  Let your local NPR station know you would like them to air it (it will be available starting in mid-March 1996). If you or they would like to get more information about any of these programs, call me at (502) 451-1514 or email me at Corwin@[removed] are also in the midst of fundraising a 13-part series of NEW half-hour Corwin plays (he is still fit as a fiddle at 85 and writing as well as ever -- his dad lived to 110 and his older brother at 92 is the oldest federal employeee).  If you have any ideas of companies or foundations to approach for funding for this series, please let us know.  Similarly, if you have any ideas of individuals or businesses we should contact to better distribute these Corwin shows on cassette via mail-order, catalogs or retail stores, we would love to know.  We are new to this sort of venture, moved to do it by a love for Norman and his work and a desire to see him get some attention (and money, if possible) while he is still able to appreciate [removed] thanks for any ideas you may have for us!Dan Gedimandanged@[removed] A Corwin web-site is under construction.  Until then, you can check out [removed]~lodeston/ for a page devoted to Norman within this on-line tape [removed]: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 22:27:46 ESTFrom: DFEQ02A@[removed] (MR JOSEPH ANDOLINA JR)To: otr@[removed]: WRVR-FM in [removed]: <[removed]@[removed]>Someone posted in issue #418 about WRVR which operated out of the Riverside Church. I remember that station well. For a matter of fact, that radio station and I go back a little ways. I remember when the station was a non-commercial educational radio station like NPR, but it was part of The National Educational Radio Network.  I came across the station by accident while DXing the FM dial. I happen to tune in while they were in the middle of broadcasting The Goon Show with Peter Sellers. I was so enthralled by the British lunacy that I stood glued to the station. They announced after The Goons that the next night there was going to be a program called The BBC World Theatre.  Needless to say, I had to tune in! That next night, I was introduced to a good sollid 2 hours of BBC Classic drama. (It was "Three Sisters" by Anton Chekov.) I was hooked on radio ever since. Needless to say, my first introduction to radio drama and comedy was not American made, but from overseas. When they eventually had to go commercial (boy was I saddened by that day), I had regretted not taping The BBC World Theater. I had only taped a handful of Goon Shows (but my collection of Goons grew throughout the years I'm glad to say.) Then WRVR eventually got into rebroadcasting The Shadow, Lone Ranger, [removed] which was distributed through Charles Michaelson.  My alternative listnening was with WBAI. In the "good old days" of the '70's, they used to have a weekly series of newly produced radio drama in stereo, and they were quite good. (Still have some on tape today) Also, actor John Lithgow used to be part of their Drama & Literature Dept. before he managed to break into movies. He produced some wonderful 2 hr. live drama broadcasts back then, mostly adapted from classic stories. Then of course, Max Schmeid with  his Golden Age Of Radio eventually came along, alowing us New Yorkers to listen to un-cut old time radio, with original commercials intact! What a treat. but alas, I'm now in Seattle,WA,  and WRVR is no more, and WBAI is many many miles form [removed] Oh well, thank God for [removed]  ------------------------------Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 22:51:24 -0500From: greggc@[removed] (GREGORY C. COLAN)To: otr@[removed]: Joseph Nathan KaneMessage-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>For those who are interested, Mr. Kane donated all of the original disks ofhis radio program, "Famous First Facts (which was one of the first coast tocoast radio programs) to the Library of Congress.   The ceremony was held in the Library of Congress last month.  Mr. Kane will be 97 years old in January and is in Palm Beach for thewinter. --  gregg------------------------------Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 20:46:12 -0800From: dabell@[removed] (Alan Bell)To: otr@[removed]: Re: Grammer's still a midget (?)Message-Id: <v01520d00ace013a0e003@[[removed]]>Okay, [removed] now before we all start choosing up sides, maybe we can allagree that Jack Benny is a giant and Kelsey Grammer isn't.  I think callinghim a "midget" is probably uncalled for (not to mention being politicallyincorrect in the extreme -- but never mind that!), in the sense that hedoes a pretty good job of providing some reasonably funny entertainmentwithout irrepairable injury to one's intelligence.  I also think it alittle unecessary to call him a "pale imitation" because I don't believe he"imitates" Benny at all, except for the fact that there is certainly aninfluence there.  And I say, if Benny can influence people in terms ofcomic timing, among other things, that's wonderful. Call it a legacy, ifyou [removed] seriously doubt that the gene pool has suddenly altered in the last 50years sufficently to leave everyone in the present generation less talentedthan previous ones. I fear we're veering dangerously close to theeverything-was-better-in-the-old-days syndrome here. I suspect it has moreto do with the ability of television to grind and chew up talent beforeit's had enough time to develop.  I mean think about Benny and Burns andHope and Cantor, etc., [removed] They had TIME.  If the act didn't work inPoughkeepsie, they could tweak it before hitting Pittsburg or Peoria. IfJack Benny and George Burns were coming up today, I wonder how theirdevelopment would proceed when one bad show on a national hookup can doomyou forever. Or the material is stale because it's a week old.  I'm notsuggesting they wouldn't, God knows.  But I am suggesting that thechallenges to today's entertainers are greater in many important [removed] thing.  The FORMS of entertainment have narrowed.  The lastsuccessful variety program we had was the Carol Burnett Show.  This is theformat where well-rounded entertainers shine: a little singin', a littledancin', some skits, some "schtick", and so on. Perhaps a Kelsey Grammer or*whoever* might have turned out to be a gigantic talent, but who can tell?Today's audiences have gotten lazy (of course, not *us*, ahem, CERTAINLYnot us), or perhaps have been *trained* to be lazy, and seem to gravitatetoward the familiar terrain of the sit-com, cop show, lawyer show, soapopera, etc.  With constraints like that, who can wonder that break-outtalents so seldom [removed] one could go on and on. It's the same discussion with sports("where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio?..."), politics, and just abouteverything else. All the giants were in a previous era. I'm 52 years oldand have enough perspective to feel fairly certain that this era has nomonopoly on, er, small [removed] BELL  3768 Sonoma Avenue  Santa Rosa, CA 95405  dabell@[removed]: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 00:57:24 -0500 (EST)From: mschmid@[removed]: [removed]@[removed]: How this Boomer discovered OTR Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>   	I was born in 1951, but the first time I remember hearing dramaon the radio was when I was in Vermont on summer vacation. It was around 1960and the family was in a tiny cabin on Lake Eden. You had to but quarters ina meter to get electricity, and the antique toaster didn't pop; you had to watch it or your toast would burn. You youngsters had no idea life wasso tough once, did you?!	One rainy Sunday with nothing else to do I turned on the radio andcame across Matt and Kitty in the old west. Kitty had fallen into the well and had to be rescued. Then Suspense - I seem to remember the lead character walking down a rainswept highway. 	Recently I cross-checked the logs of these two shows to try to find them. Don Aston was kind enough to send a pair that seemed to match the date and plots, but they didn't sound at all familiar. So much for childhood memories.	My next brush with OTR was the original (1965?) rebroadcasts ofThe Shadow. I had heard about them being on, and when I finally tracked down the station and tuned in, I was enthralled. Then came the closingannouncement - "This concludes our current series".	So how did I discvover OTR collecting? The Longines 6-record setwith Jack Benny introduced me to the wide range of programs that had beenon, but I bought my first shows through a comic book fan magazine, TheRockets Blast Comic Collecter, published in Florida. The publisher hada huge selection - at least 20 reels to choose from! I got a reel of Shadow rebroadcasts, The Cobra King Strikes Back, and a mixed reel withThe Whistler, Suspense, etc., mostly in pretty poor sound. But I washooked! This was in 1967.	Through that same magazine I got hooked up with a buying groupled buy Tony Rutherford in West Virginia (anyone seen him lately?). Soon I had enough to start trading, and the rest, as they say, is history.   Tommorrow: How getting your own show on free radio will ruin your life and lead to low-paying jobs.           Max "No job too tough, no mystery too baffling" Schmid------------------------------Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 01:03:41 ESTFrom: VULM45A@[removed] ( ROBERT W PAINE)To: otr@[removed]: Looking for Christmas programsMessage-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>-- [ From: Robert Paine * [removed] #[removed] ] -- I'd like to have copies of Christmas episodes of Bob Hope; Gunsmoke;Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar; Our Miss Brooks and Life of Riley. I don'thave the titles so will try to describe them as succinctly as possible. (Wish me luck.) Bob Hope - early 1950's. Live from California VA hospital. FeaturedSheldon Leonard (the Tout); Jim Backus (Hubert Updyke 3rd); FrankNelson (the floorwalker - what else?) and Bill Goodwin. Plot: WhileChristmas shopping with Bill at Hubert Updyke's department store, Bobis mistakenly nabbed as a shoplifter. Monologue reference to Les Brownnot knowing lyrics to "Sh-Boom" and the cooks bleaching the beans togive the patients a white Christmas. Bob says he asked the Colonel whenhe can do his show and is told, "Right after supper, Hope. That's theusual time for their sedative." Refers to location as "---- miles from ---- as the crow flies and ---- miles from Santa Anita as the doughflies!" Gunsmoke - Matt and Chester try to quell family tension as thepregnant daughter and son-in-law of an embittered rancher take refugein his tackroom on Christmas Eve. Our Miss Brooks - Connie spends Christmas Eve alone and dreams shebuys a "magic" Christmas tree from a little boy. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - Johnny helps a woman whose daughter isbeing sought by the mob because she witnessed a crime. Story takesplace in a small New England town where the girl sings in a churchchoir. The Life of Riley - After the boss announced there would be no bonuses,he relents and gives Riley money to purchase wallets in which to putthe now-forthcoming bonuses. Riley's co-workers think he's secretlycutting a deal with the boss and label him a "skunk". I had a tape of the programs some years back. These were very specialto me as a dear friend recorded them. He's unable to find them and I'dlike to get copies to replace the now-broken tape. If anyone can helpme, I'll be very [removed]: Tue, 28 Nov 95 01:11:19 PSTFrom: gcoppen@[removed]: "@[removed]"[removed]@[removed]:  i made a slipupMessage-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>                                            November 27th,95Sorry I made a slip up and somehow sent a letter that I had originallysent on Nov. 14th (new guy on the block) I dont know how I did it and if I was asked to do it I wouldnt know [removed] for the suggestion Mr Rosenberger.                          George Coppen------------------------------Date: 27 Nov 95 23:56:38 ESTFrom: Joel  Senter <[removed]@[removed]>To: OTR Digest <otr@[removed]>Subject: A bit on Harris and cassette storageMessage-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>A few years ago ('88 I think it was) the wife and I ran into a woman atNewark.  Her name was "Viola," if memory serves me - she had been marriedto Frank Nelson at one time (You know, the "yeeeeesssss" guy on the Bennyshow).  We asked her if Phil Harris was really a big drinker.  Herresponse was, "Boy, was he!"  According to the Gassman brother'spresentation at Newark this year, Harris was a big drinker until Jackcalled him aside and said, "Phil, if you keep this up it's not going tobe funny anymore!"  Phil supposedly moderated his intake somewhat afterthat.  Re: Cassette storage - I keep my cassettes in large cassette carryingcases which hold 120 (unboxed) cassettes each.  These carrying cases werepopular after 8-track went out and before CDs came around when the music  recording medium of choice was the cassette.  These things are real handybecause you can put a bunch of cassettes in one of them (I have a specialfiling system) and shove the whole thing on a shelf.  Since the caseslatch shut, the cassettes don't spill out all over the place.  I don'tknow whether you can get these cases anymore.  I bought my last onesabout a year ago at Radio Shack - the cases never were cheap, though - Ihave paid everywhere from $5 to over $15 for each one.  I'd like to buysome more if they are still available.  Joel Senter------------------------------Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 23:11:07 -0800 (PST)From: roy547@[removed] (Roy Trumbull)To: [removed]@[removed]: Helen [removed] lotta woman in the right [removed]: <[removed]@[removed]>A recent mention of KMPC reminded me of one of the funniestbits on radio "Helen Trump". It was a soup opera parody withDick Whittinghill and Buddy Webber. Dick would do the opensand closes and character recaps. Buddy did the voices ofHelen's ardent lovers. Helen herself was never heard [removed] this to the worst piece of organ music they could [removed]'s house was on the shady side of [removed] might meet Maw Crunchknuckle - an ordinary mercy [removed] perhaps Our Gal Tuesday-Wednesday who has bought a bicycle  so she can peddle it out in the [removed],,,"Helen, oh [removed] won't hate yourself in the [removed] can sleep til noon."These were collected on a Republic record in the early [removed]        ****  END OF ARTICLE SECTION - INFORMATION BOILERPLATE FOLLOWS ****1) Contacting the list [removed]) Unsubscribing from this list3) Receive a DIGEST READING TIPS file4) AIRWAVES web page5) Shareware Notice 6) Redistribution of [removed])  The [removed] maintainer can be reached at EDITOR@[removed]) To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send email [removed]@[removed] and place the word UNSUBSCRIBEalone on the Subject: line of your request.  The body ofrequest mail is ignored by the server.  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Generally permission is given,free of charge, for non-commercial electronic [removed] distribution rights are available under very [removed] End of [removed] Digest V95 Issue #419================== RFC 822 Headers ==================Received: (from rrb@localhost) by [removed] ([removed]) id BAA14584 for victrola; Tue, 28 Nov 1995 01:47:19 -0600Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 01:47:19 -0600Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>From: [removed]@[removed]: [removed] Digest V95 #419X-Loop: otr@[removed]: listTo: otr@[removed]: [removed]@[removed]