------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2008 : Issue 134
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
And me ... Harlow Wilcox [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
Harlow Wilcox [ James H Arva <wilditralian@[removed] ]
Milwaukee Tribute to Les Paul [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
Asbury Park Press OTR Quiz [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
Harlow Wilcox [ Penny Yingling <bandpy@[removed] ]
Dick Martin Obit [ Rentingnow@[removed] ]
5-27 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Harlow Wilcox [ Frank McGurn <[removed]@sbcglobal. ]
Writers in the AirWaves [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 08:59:52 -0400
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: And me ... Harlow Wilcox
Bruce Toews writes:
...the research I've done has turned up very little about Harlow Wilcox. I
was wondering if anyone
knows much about him, his life, and so on. What did he do before Fibber or
after Suspense? When was he born, when did he die? Any other info.
The following is adapted from my book "Radio Speakers"
([removed]). See also "The Great Radio Sitcoms" from the same
source for a whole lot more on McGee & Molly, Wilcox and the rest of the
clan.
Harlow Wilcox was born March 12, 1900 at Omaha, Neb. and died Sept. 24, 1960
in Hollywood. He hailed from a show business clan. His mom and dad were
instrumentalists with Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. His father,
a coronet player, eventually became a bandleader. Young Harlow studied
voice and acted in and directed amateur theatricals. During his teen years
he left his family to perform on stage, touring Chautauqua circuits.
Following college training, Wilcox became a traveling salesman for an
electrical equipment manufacturer. A biographer recalled: "That experience
taught him to put a product over to listeners. A top commercial spokesman,
he had loyal clients who invariably renewed his contract for what formed
long and mutually rewarding associations." After five years on the road he
was elevated to his firm's sales manager post.
Wilcox was introduced to radio in a 1929 appearance over WGES, a small
Chicago station. He joined WBBM the following year and by 1933 was at CBS
in New York. A year afterward (1934) he was back in Chicago, having aligned
himself with NBC. In the Windy City he formed a lasting friendship with Jim
and Marian Jordan, a couple of radio pioneers who were soon to lend their
voices to one of the medium's most infamous husband-wife teams, Fibber McGee
& Molly. When the Jordans departed Chicago for the West Coast, Wilcox didn't
hesitate about following them, and rejoined the humorous duo in Hollywood.
On Fibber McGee & Molly, Wilcox was a fixture. Each week at the show's
start he ran through the list of performers that invariably ended with "The
Kings Men, Billy Mills and His Orchestra and me . Harlow Wilcox." For
nearly two decades he blithely enumerated the attributes of Johnson's Wax-to
listeners-and to the McGees. The show and The Jack Benny Program (for
Jell-O gelatin and Lucky Strike cigarettes with Don Wilson) perfected the
integration of the middle commercial into the sitcom storyline. On both
series the announcer arrived at midpoint to gush over the respective sponsor's
commodity. For his part, McGee saddled Wilcox with the sobriquet "Waxy."
Inevitably the homeowner saw a sales plug on the horizon whenever Wilcox
rang the doorbell at the McGee abode at 39 Wistful Vista. Innocently
enough, Molly would often feed a straight line to him that simply cried out
for a longwinded response extolling the virtues of Johnson's Glo-Coat or
another shining product. McGee, in the meantime, was on the verge of
cardiac arrest, dumbstruck that his spouse had opened that can of worms:
"Oh Molly," he groaned pathetically. "Don't ask him that!" Or, McGee
lamented: "Molly! Now you've gone and done it!" Over the studio audience
howls, it was all Wilcox needed to break into a soliloquy, waxing
ebulliently as he recounted the countless pluses of polishing floors with a
Johnson compound-to McGee's audible chagrin. The latter frequently tried
and failed to halt the intrusion while raucous audience guffaws kept coming.
Wilcox and Benny's Wilson may have been the best in the industry in
delivering pitches that became part of the good-natured humor of those
half-hours. Both got away with it for years.
Just after midnight on Mar. 1, 1932, Wilcox-who wasn't usually deemed a
network journalist-broke into a remote dance band program being aired by CBS
via WBBM. On that occasion he read a news bulletin noting the Lindbergh
infant kidnapping in New Jersey, scoring a coup d'etat in dispatching the
story first. A pundit observed that the circumstance he reported
subsequently evolved into "radio's greatest effort of on-the-spot news
coverage up to that time."
In the 1941 feature-length Fibber McGee & Molly movie Look Who's Laughing,
Wilcox portrayed Mr. Collins. He was a radio announcer in the 1945 film
Screen Snapshots: Number 2, Series 25, Radio Shows. In addition, in 1953
Wilcox turned up as a reporter on CBS-TV's You Are There and played Karl
Krauss in a 1956 episode of the syndicated television series Science Fiction
Theater. Ironically, Wilcox's recorded voice emanated from the 1975 movie
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 15 years following his death.
Jim Cox
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 09:00:04 -0400
From: James H Arva <wilditralian@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Harlow Wilcox
In newsletter #133, Bruce Loews asked for info on Harlow Wilcox. I went
through my computer database of OTR recordings in my collection, and came
up with the following programs in which he was the announcer: "FM&M",
"Amos 'n' Andy", "Baby Snooks and Daddy", "To the Rear, March!", Truth or
Consequences", a Basil Rathbone rendition of, "A Christmas Carol", for
which I have no date, and, "Boston Blackie". Although my non-OTR friends
are amazed by the size of my collection, it pales in the shadow of those
of some of the more serious collectors, so there could well be other
programs for which he announced.
According to my records, he was born in Omaha, Nebraska on March 12th,
1900, and died at the age of 60 on September 24th, 1960.
I hope that this is helpful.
Best regards,
Jim Arva
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 09:00:24 -0400
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Milwaukee Tribute to Les Paul
The Chicago Tribune writes about efforts in Milwaukee to celebrate Arthur
Godfrey muscian Les Paul in today's issue.
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
[removed],0,[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 09:00:47 -0400
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Asbury Park Press OTR Quiz
This is going to be pretty easy for list members but it is nice to see a
genreal interest newspaper running an OTR quiz.
>From New Jersey's own Asbury Park Press:
[removed]
Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 20:04:48 -0400
From: Penny Yingling <bandpy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Harlow Wilcox
Bruce asked
I was wondering if anyone knows much about him, his life, and so on.
What did he do before Fibber or after Suspense? When was he born, when
did he die? Any other info. Thanks so much.
- Try [removed] There is just a little bit of info on him at that website.
It is the international movie data [removed] Harlow acted on radio (several
shows) then later on TV shows until he passed in 1960, unfortunately at the
young age of 60. I use the imdb as a good source of info - sometimes it has
a lot of info, sometimes just a little, but at least something that we may
not find elsewhere. - good listenin'. Penne
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 21:34:31 -0400
From: Rentingnow@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Dick Martin Obit
I was happy to see the in the Obit of Dick Martin in the New York Times
there was a mention of his writing for Duffy's Tavern. So often the
contributions to radio are ignored in the obits.
Ignored also in analyzing of the creation of "Laugh In", the
contribution of James Thurber who used the concept of the one liners while
people were
dancing in his Thurber Carnival. One of my favorite lines from that
play/musical is:
"I knew the marriage wouldn't last when they called the honeymoon cottage
"The Qualms".
Same kind of thing one might hear in Laugh In.
It just goes to show that the arts are incremental in realization not
totally inspiration.
Larry Moore
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 23:29:29 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 5-27 births/deaths
May 27th births
05-27-1880 - Joseph C. Grew - Boston, MA - d. 5-25-1965
[removed] ambassador to japan: "Report from Tokyo"; "Cavalcade of America"
05-27-1894 - Dashiell Hammett - St. Mary's County, MD - d. 1-10-1961
author: "Fat Man"; "Adventures of Sam Spade"
05-27-1902 - Cedric Adams - Magnolia, MN - d. 2-18-1961
commentator: In 1953 filled in for Arthur Godfrey for 13 weeks
05-27-1904 - Marlin Hurt - Du Quoin, IL - d. 3-21-1946
actor: Beulah "Fibber McGee and Molly"; Bill Jackson "Beulah"
05-27-1910 - Sidney Slon - Chicago, IL - d. 1-21-1995
actor: Solly "The Goldbergs"; Mr. Trent "Valiant Lady"
05-27-1911 - Evelyn Morin - Dunn, IN - d. 9-10-2000
singer: (Morin Sisters) "World of Music"; "Breakfast Club"
05-27-1911 - Herb Meadow - d. 3-1-1995
creator, writer: "Have Gun, Will Travel"
05-27-1911 - Hubert H. Humphrey - Wallace, SD - d. 1-13-1978
politician: "Meet the Press"; "University of Chicago Round Table"
05-27-1911 - Vincent Price - St. Louis, MO - d. 10-25-1993
actor: Simon Templar "The Saint"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-27-1912 - John Cheever - Quincy, MA - d. 6-18-1982
writer: "NBC Presents: Short Story"
05-27-1912 - Slammin' Sammy Snead - Ashwood, VA - d. 5-23-2002
golf legend: "Kraft Music Hall"
05-27-1915 - Frank Crane - d. 7-25-1992
one time president of the Southern California Broadcasters Association
05-27-1915 - Herman Wouk - NYC
writer: "Town Hall Tonight"; "Fred Allen Show"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
05-27-1916 - Analee Whitmore - Price, UT - d. 2-5-2002
panelist: (Wife of Clifton Fadiman) "Information Please"
05-27-1919 - Ray Montgomery - d. 6-4-1998
actor: Noel Chandler "Dear John"
05-27-1921 - Franklin Adams, Jr. - Chicago, IL
actor: Skippy "Skippy"; Davy Jones "Davy Jones"
05-27-1921 - Redd Stewart - Ashland City, TN - d. 8-2-2003
lyricist: "Pee Wee King and His Golden West Cowboys"
05-27-1924 - Eric Lauder - Rugby, England - d. 10-28-1999
actor: "Violent Shore"
05-27-1925 - Tony Hillerman - Sacred Heart, OK
writer: "The Zero Hour"
05-27-1926 - Peter Ling - Croydon, Surrey, England - d. 9-14-2006
adapter: "Casebook of Sherlock Holmes"; "Return of Sherlock Holmes"
05-27-1928 - Jack Baker - d. 4-26-2002
disk jockey: "Sunday Sound Stage"
05-27-1934 - Harlan Ellison - Cleveland, OH
writer: "[removed] 68"
May 27th deaths
02-05-1908 - Bob Dunn - Fort Gibson, OK - d. 5-27-1971
steel guitar: "The Musical Brownies"
02-16-1915 - Leah Ray - Norfolk, VA - d. 5-27-1999
vocalist: (The Phil Harris Band) "Tommy Riggs and Betty Lou"
02-16-1932 - Gretchen Wyler - Bartlesville, OK - d. 5-27-2007
singer-actor: "Sounds of Freedom"
03-11-1930 - Lana Morris - Ruislip, England - d. 5-27-1998
actor: "The Forces Show"
05-29-1916 - Forrest Perrin - d. 5-27-2005
host: "Piano Playhouse"
07-03-1908 - Robert B. Meyner - Phillipsburg, NJ - d. 5-27-1990
governor new jersey: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
08-07-1904 - Herbert Colin Rice - Guilford, England - d. 5-27-1991
creator, writer, producer: "Bobby Benson"
08-12-1904 - Kay Campbell - d. 5-27-1985
actor: Evey Perkins Fitz "Ma Perkins"
08-14-1909 - Frank Papp - d. 5-27-1996
director: "The Bartons"; "Words at War"; "Right to Happiness";
"Eternal Light"
09-13-1895 - Ruth McDevitt - Coldwater, MI - d. 5-27-1976
actor: Jane Channing "This Life is Mine"; Mother "Keeping Up with
Rosemary"
09-13-1918 - Ernie Winstanley - England - d. 5-27-1992
actor, sound effects: Scrub Troy "Secretary Hawkins' Fair and Supper
Club"; "The Lone Ranger"
09-27-1927 - Red Rodney - Philadelphia, PA - d. 5-27-1994
jazz trumpeter: "Saturday Night Swing Session"
10-10-1909 - Florida Friebus - Auburndale, MA - d. 5-27-1988
actor: "Great Plays"; "Theatre Guild On the Air"
10-12-1900 - Ted Collins - NYC - d. 5-27-1964
announcer, host: (longtime manager of Kate Smith) "Kate Smith Speaks"
11-07-1902 - Ed Dodd - Lafayette, GA - d. 5-27-1991
comic creator: "Mark Trail"
11-25-1925 - Jeffrey Hunter - New Orleans. LA - d. 5-27-1969
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
11-28-1925 - Robert Readick - NYC - d. 5-27-1985
actor: (Son of Frank) Bill Roberts "Rosemary"; Don Cornwell "Second
Mrs. Burton"
12-02-1895 - Jesse Crawford - Woodland, CA - d. 5-27-1962
organist: "Paramount Publix Hour"; "Counterspy"
12-03-1889 - Ferdinand Munier - San Diego, CA - d. 5-27-1945
actor: Rene Michon "Count of Monte Cristo"
12-19-1910 - Thelma Bernstein - NYC - d. 5-27-2006
singer: (Wife of Harry Einstein) Sang on radio
12-25-1893 - Robert L. Ripley - Santa Rosa, CA - d. 5-27-1949
emcee: "Colonial Beacon Light"; "Baker's Broadcast"; "Believe It or Not"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 06:47:03 -0400
From: Frank McGurn <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Harlow Wilcox
Suggest that if Harlow Wilcox is is a mystery, I suggest a Google search
will tell you more than info than you want . In Google search. Type His
name in quotes and you will be reading for hours.
Frank McGurn
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 09:08:33 -0400
From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Writers in the AirWaves
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In the cathode-ray realm, one always speaks reverently of the 1950's variety
show "Your Show of Shows" and other shows hosted by Sid Caesar as having been
the launching pad for many writers who went on to bigger things -- folks like
Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Neil Simon, Danny Simon, Mel Tolkin,
Selma Diamond, Woody Allen , and Dick Cavett. With the recent passing of Dick
Martin, I'm reminded that "Duffy's Tavern" also gave us Abe Burrows and,
again, Larry Gelbart. Bob Hope's show gave us 1960s TV moguls Paul Henning and
Sherwood Schwartz. What I'd like to know is if there are any more examples of
other OTR programme which gave the entertainment world a host of
later-to-be-famous writers? Is there an OTR equivalent of "Your Show of Shows"
that launched an extraordinary amount of scribes?
Yours always in the ether --
Derek Tague
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End of [removed] Digest V2008 Issue #134
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