Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #54
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 2/3/2003 12:41 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2003 : Issue 54
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Australian Transcriptions             [ "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed]. ]
  What is OTR??                         [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
  The Shadow [removed]                  [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
  the life of Riley?                    [ "Dominique Neuenhagen" <neuenhad@Sm ]
  Ghosts in the machine                 [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
  Re: Is that's what's bothering you,   [ Thomas Butts <trbutts@[removed] ]
  Johnny Modero                         [ "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed] ]
  MP3 Players                           [ Gerald Serrino <gserr@[removed]; ]
  The New Dragnet                       [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
  Dragging Net                          [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
  re my comments on Dragnet             [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
  Memorex MP3 Boombox at Radio Shack    [ Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed]; ]
  Rochester, Topper, Bob Hawk, Breakfa  [ "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
  Digby O'Dell-Timing-TV Related        [ "timl2002" <timl2002@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:18:00 -0500
From: "Ian Grieve" <austotr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Australian Transcriptions

I have been meaning to write about this for months, but have been very busy.
The impetus to pass on this information was a comment made to me that no
mp3er ever made a substantial  transcription discovery.

I am aware of other mp3er discoveries, so I guess it is a matter of the
finds not being 'broadcast' in the right places.  Here I will attempt to
show that mp3er how much I appreciated his efforts.

I was on the #otradio chat at [removed]  in August last year as usual, when
a person joined the chat and asked if I was the Australian OTR collector
from the mp3 groups.  I replied that I was (nics aren't used in the groups,
so the G'Day gave me away) he introduced himself as an otr mp3 collector
from one of the share groups I belong to and had been looking for me.  He
asked me if I would be interested in buying some Australian transcriptions
and I replied that I certainly would be.  He told me how an antique shop in
Nova Scotia that had a coffee shop he visited, had some Australian
transcriptions.  When I asked him how many transcriptions there were, he
floored me by saying 158.  Those who know how hard it is to find Australian
Transcriptions, would appreciate that I had my doubts.  I mean 1 or 2 no
problem but 158?

My new best friend then put me in touch with the seller who confirmed that
there were indeed 158 Australian transcriptions and she sent me a listing of
them.  To cut a long story short, I bought them.  There was a last minute
counter bid, but I was successful.

I received a lot of advice, offers of help etc, from other Australian
Collectors and other mp3ers and the transcriptions have now been returned to
Australia and are undergoing cleaning and digital copying.

The next amazing thing was that the bulk of the transcriptions were 3 x 104
episode series and two of them were complete.  Two Complete 104 episode
Australian series, absolutely amazing.

The third is missing 6 episodes or 3 transcriptions and more on that another
time.

In the time that I have been waiting for these transcriptions to arrive back
in Australia I have been researching them with the assistance of the
Australian OTR Group.  The two complete series, Undercover Carson and Grey
Goose, had been broadcast in Australia prior to 3DDB Melbourne exporting
them to Canada, but very little was known about them and virtually no
documentation existed, and no other known copies exist.

The incomplete series, Atom 1970 is still a mystery, but as you will see in
a future Digest, I do have a little detail.

With Charlie's patience I will post the details of Undercover Carson today
and Grey Goose tomorrow and Atom 1970 and the stragglers the next day.

UNDERCOVER CARSON

Written by Michael Noonan 1953 104 1/4 hour episodes Broadcast 1954

Producer - Walter Pym

Undercover Carson follows the adventures of a British Secret Service Agent
posted to South America to track down escaped German Nazi Scientists who had
developed a highly lethal & destructive death ray.  An extremely powerful
laser before its time.

CAST:

Bruce Carson - played by Barry Cookson

Sir Giles Daverport - played by James Mills

Fay Carelli - played by Audrey Teesdale

BIO:

MICHAEL NOONAN:

Radio, Television, Stage and Film writer, Author

Radio:

The Man who changed the Wind
Lady Under a cloud
My Hearts a broken Music-box
Jackie Jones
The Smouldering Island
A Dog's Life
Flying Doctor In Africa
Brand of Justice 312eps- Starring Ray Barrett
Space Patrol 156eps - starring Rod Taylor
Twilight Ranger 208eps
Undercover Carson 104eps

Adapted from [removed] Scripts

Superman, then wrote new scripts
Tom Corbett - Space Cadet

Books:

In the land of the Talking Trees - 1946
The Golden Forest - 1947
The Patchwork Hero - 1958
The Pink Beach - 1969
Flying Doctor - 1961
Flying Doctor on the Barrier Reef - 1962
Flying Doctor and the Secret of the Pearls - 1962
Flying Doctor Shadows the Mob - 1964
Flying Doctor Hits the Headlines - 1965
Flying Doctor Under the Desert - 1969
The December Boys - 1963
Air taxi - 1967
The Sun is God - 1973
The Invincible Mr Az - 1978
Bird of strange Plumage - 1979
Magwitch - 1982
A Different Drummer - 1983
McKenzies Boots - 1987

Television Plays and Series:

The Angry Flower
The Violent Stranger
Boy on the Telephone
Winds of Green Monday
The Patchwork Hero
Flying Doctor
Riptide

Stage and Film:

A Voyage of Discovery
The Magic Kennel
Song of Australia
A Different Drummer
Down in the Forest
The Reef

WALTER PYM:

The Enemy Within - Actor
Strike up the Band - Compere
Lux, The Count of Monty Cristo - Lead role
Thumbs Up - Compere
Prisoner At the Bar - Series - Lead role in many of them
First Light Fraser - Tony Borden
Commonwealth Loans Quiz - Compere
The Burtons of Banner Street - Leading role
Always this Yesterday - Produced
Tarzan - Directed
Boldness Be my Friend - Produced
Caltex Theatre - Producer

Television:

Matlock Police - Actor
Homicide - Actor

Film:

Mouth to Mouth - Actor

BARRY COOKSON:

15/01/1953 Philip Marlow Investigates ep1 Lady in the Lake
11/03/1953 General Motors Hour ep86 It Never Rains
19/04/1953 Caltex Theatre ep181 Royal Highness
15/06/1953 Rola Show, The ep148 Morning Calm
24/07/1953 Famous Fortunes ep3 Blanc
03/08/1953 Mantrap ep37 Man In The Rough
07/09/1953 Mantrap ep41 Man With The Scar
18/09/1953 Famous Fortunes ep10 Bonnet
21/09/1953 Mantrap ep43 Murder Is In Fashion
21/09/1953 Famous Trials ep11 Sammy the Actor
28/09/1953 Mantrap ep45 Sudden Death
17/10/1953 Night Beat ep89 The Same Again
25/10/1953 Caltex Theatre ep158 Pitfall
04/01/1954 Famous Trials ep25 Justice For Barbara Corey
27/01/1954 General Motors Hour ep108 Walk East On Beacon
15/02/1954 Famous Trials ep31 The Euston Sqaure Mystery
10/03/1954 General Motors Hour ep114 Bitter Heritage
21/03/1954 Caltex Theatre ep202 The Unexpected
05/04/1954 Famous Trials ep39 Portrait Of A Traitor
05/05/1954 General Motors Hour ep122 A Gentleman's Daughter
13/05/1954 Thirty Minutes to Go ep7 Death Train
22/05/1954 Night Beat ep113 Pippa Passes On
13/06/1954 Caltex Theatre ep214 A Question of Time
24/06/1954 Thirty Minutes to Go ep13 A Trip To Alcatraz
01/07/1954 Thirty Minutes to Go ep14 Death At A Wedding
25/08/1954 General Motors Hour ep138 Goodbye Your Majesty

Radio Series:

Danger in Paradise
Dark Destiny
Franchise Affair, The
Strange Stories of the Sea
Undercover Carson - Bruce Carson

JAMES MILLS:

31/05/1953 Caltex Theatre ep186 The English Family
03/01/1954 Caltex Theatre ep191 Lord athur Savile's Crime
04/04/1954 Caltex Theatre ep204 Henrietta [removed]
01/08/1954 Caltex Theatre ep221 Journey's End
07/06/1954 Famous Trials ep48 Saga Of Captain Kidd
17/09/1954 Famous Trials ep56 Widows Are Wonderful
19/11/1954 Famous Trials ep65 The Countess Disappears
17/12/1954 Famous Trials ep69 The Man Who Broke The
05/08/1953 General Motors Hour ep29 Strangers Road
04/11/1953 General Motors Hour ep41 We the Living
30/12/1953 General Motors Hour ep48 The Advancement of Mr
03/02/1954 General Motors Hour ep109 The Devil's General
24/03/1954 General Motors Hour ep116 Plain Murder
12/05/1954 General Motors Hour ep123 The Enemey In The House
04/08/1954 General Motors Hour ep135 The Man In The White Suit
15/09/1954 General Motors Hour ep141 A Chance of Happiness
29/12/1954 General Motors Hour ep154 The Queen Of Calabash Island
12/07/1954 Rola Show, The ep178 The Musicians

Radio Series:

Air Adventures of Biggles - Biggles (2nd)
Fallen Angel
Undercover Carson - Sir Giles Daverport
Grey Goose

AUDREY TEESDALE:

08/10/1954 Adventures Of Ellery Queen ep13 The Hollywood Mystery
03/01/1954 Caltex Theatre ep191 Lord athur Savile's Crime
11/04/1954 Caltex Theatre ep205 Appointment In London
03/12/1952 General Motors Hour ep72 The Valley And The Peak
11/03/1953 General Motors Hour ep86 It Never Rains
03/06/1953 General Motors Hour ep99 Henry V
28/04/1954 General Motors Hour ep121 The Happy Time
09/06/1954 General Motors Hour ep127 Laburnum Grove
28/07/1954 General Motors Hour ep134 Assignment Paris
13/10/1954 General Motors Hour ep145 Murder Story
10/11/1954 General Motors Hour ep149 Sounds Of Thunder
03/08/1953 Mantrap ep37 Man In The Rough
07/09/1953 Mantrap ep41 Man With The Scar
12/07/1954 Rola Show, The ep178 The Musicians
13/05/1954 Thirty Minutes to Go ep7 Death Train

Radio Series:

Out of the Shadows
Undercover Carson - Fay Carelli

Well thats it for Undercover Carson.  As you will see from the quality and
experience of the people involved in the series, this is quite a find and I
am very grateful for the assistance in locating it.  I am happy to trade for
other audio copies of Australian shows if anyone is interested.  The mp3
version will be in circulation as soon as time allows.

Ian Grieve

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:18:15 -0500
From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  What is OTR??

Thanks to Charlie for the definition (That would [removed]  --cfs3).
As to:
"Another quick question. I have seen the name Paul
Harvey bounced around. Are news broadcasters OTR??  I
dont read about other old news broadcasters being
talked about. What makes him so special??"
He's not really a "news broadcaster" in the sense that others are
"reporters" or "commentators". As for "what makes him special": he started
in OTR, & he's still alive.

Herb Harrison

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:18:31 -0500
From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  The Shadow [removed]

My apartment complex publishes a monthly newsletter with information about
the complex along with lightweight features, recipies, and movie reviews.  In
the February issue, there was a column about the history of Groundhog day,
but the title of the article was:

"The Shadow Knows"

Interesting how some OTR elements have entered popular culture in ways people
don't even recognize.

-Chris Holm

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:18:49 -0500
From: "Dominique Neuenhagen" <neuenhad@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  the life of Riley?

Hello,
yesterday, while I was listenig to one of the live365-stations, I
slipped into the middle of an episode of "the life of Riley". Before
that, I had no idea about Otr comedy - I prefer the crime section.
But I learned that "the life of Riley" is GREAT FUN, especially the
friendly undertaker, of whom I've already read something on this
list.
Where can I get more of this show, for example listen to it on
demand?
Thans
Dominique

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:19:17 -0500
From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Ghosts in the machine

Ruk77 put forth this query:

who was the [removed] had the show in which a 'ghost' would appear
on the program? Are there
any of those shows around????

Off the top of my head, I would guess Phil Baker -- he had a ghost character
on his 1930s program.

Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:19:38 -0500
From: Thomas Butts <trbutts@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re:  Is that's what's bothering you, Bunky?


 Is that's what's bothering you, Bunky?

I believe his name was Eddie Lawrence.  I do vaguely recall these comedy bits and
some commercials he did later on in the same character. I am sure others will supply
more details.

Tom Butts
Dallas, TX

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:19:47 -0500
From: "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Johnny Modero

  Know Johnny Modero has phrases like those mentioned. Another one I beleive
came from a Johnny Modero show was "as nervous as a alligator in a handbag
factory".

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:19:57 -0500
From: Gerald Serrino <gserr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  MP3 Players
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

Kurt,

There are two avenues to go.

(1) Rio or Sonic Blue, as they are now called make personal CD players that
have MP3 capabilitity. New ones will cost ninrty dollars and up. If you check
[removed] , they sometimes have refurbished ones for around fifty
dollars.

(2) Sony and RCA both make boom boxes that will play MP3's at the slow bit
rate. I don't know the Sony model but I got an RCA Model RCD128 for
Christmas. I am told Best Buy carries them and put them on sale once a month.
The regular price is ninety-nine dollars. I love it. I think it would be much
easier for you to use as the controls are spaced further apart and I feel it
is much more user friendly.

(2) Many other CD players and boom boxes that they say will play MP3's  but
from my reading they either won't play or skip.

Lastly, if I can help further Email me.

God luck

Jerry

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

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:20:31 -0500
From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  The New Dragnet

Hi all:
Larry Albert compares the reinterpretation of Dragnet to that of Sherlock
Holmes, Tarzan and The Shadow.  I hasten to remind you that Tarzan and
Sherlock Holmes were both created as fictional literary characters.  When
various actors portrayed them, they had little to go on but the writing of
Mr. Doyle.  It is not surprising to me that few actors in radio or movie,
caught the characters of Holmes or Watson as Doyle intended them.  Jack Webb
created Dragnet himself and embodied the character of Joe Friday from day
one.  The entire concept of Dragnet, the characters, stories and atmosphere
of the program were Webb's to create and command.  Watching Webb's biography
made it clear that there was more of Webb in Dragnet than there was of Webb
in himself.  In watching the new version last night, it was quite clear that
Dick Wolf simply wanted to do another Law & Order style cop show on a
different network and slapped Dragnet on it as more of a label to sell his
merchandise.  I love Dragnet a lot, but it really is a product of it's time
and should have been left as such.  The tribute paid to it has already been
done in other factual-based cop shows such as Law & Order, Homicide and
thousands of made-for-TV movies.  I believe that there are some things that
are American cultural icons that aren't meant to be reinterpreted by other
actors, directors and producers.  Would we want someone else to interpret
Marlon Brando's role as The Godfather?  Should someone other than Leonard
Nimoy play Mr. Spock?  What Hollywood director would ever dare remake the
likes of Citizen Cane, Casablanca or Star Wars?  These are all classics that
are deeply associated with their original creators and will be left as such.
Dragnet is no different.  No matter how cornie it may seem today, Dragnet
will forever be linked with Jack Webb and it was a groundbreaker for its
time.  Judging by the quality of the program last night, it won't be around
for too long.  A century from now, I think people may still remember
Dragnet, but it won't be Dick Wolf's reincarnation of it.
RyanO

[removed]  I'm a guy under 30 and I have friends in their 20's.  We all know what
Dragnet is.

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:21:30 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Dragging Net

Lawrence Albert, commenting on my observation that the new Joe Friday
might have been written in as a descendent of the original Joe Friday,
notes,

I love OTR, but it is a hobby not a religion. The
shows from OTR are part of a time that is gone and
will never return. The Joe Friday character is no more
sacred then Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan or The Shadow.

No, it's not a religion, but there's a problem with rampant revisionism.
To shift out of OTR for a moment, there have been many King Arthur
stories since Mallory's Morte D'Arthur; the King is fair game, too.  But
when we view the "new" King Arthur stories, nobody *advertises*
"Excalibur is back!"  In the case of the forthcoming Dragnet show, the
ads are "The Badge is back!"  This means that they are trying to appeal
to the older loyalties with a significantly different character.

As it the entire concept of Dragnet.
The new show, if done in the style
of the old would be a joke. The target audience of the
networks and advertisers would laugh it off the
screen. As it is, from the reviews I've already read I
doubt the show will be with us too long.

Well, it's hard to have it both ways: if is was changed to reach a new
target audience, then the reviews should have been more sympathetic.
Also, if it's targeted to a new target audience, then why appeal to those
who saw the old show?

If done skillfully, a new Dragnet could be as interesting as the old.
Shows like CSI and its quasi-clone Law And Order equivalent (Criminal
Intent) are as procedural as the old Dragnet, yet have good audience
shares.  A procedural show updated would work well.

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:22:22 -0500
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  re my comments on Dragnet

Jim Widner's comments about the creative process were
interesting.  He also acknowledged:
one of the things I disagree with among nostalgia nuts like
myself, is judging a new creative interpretation of a past creative
work solely upon the idea that if it "ain't like the original" it can't
be good. In fairness to John, I know that is not what he probably
meant, but it is how I interpreted what he said.

I'm not sure why Jim chose to interpret it that way.  Because
my remark had to do with respecting one's sources, NOT imitating them.
I don't expect a 2003 Dragnet to be a slavish copy of the earlier.  What
I would prefer is for the people concocting the new version to offer some
indication that they respect the pioneering work of Webb.  Dick Wolf
may well have that respect, but Ed O'Neill doesn't seem to.

Which leads to Charlie's statement:
In fairness, I should also note that I have the current issue
of TV Guide on my desk as I type this, and Mr. O'Neill did NOT make the
comments attributed to him by Mr. Henley. Daniel Moyer, coauthor of, "Just
the Facts, Ma'am" was quoted as saying Mr. Webb, "read his lines off a
[removed] wanted everything to be dry." Mr. O'Neill was quoted only
once, in the second-to-last [removed]

Dragnet has been mentioned in two recent consecutive issues
of TV Guide.  Charlie is citing last week's issue that included a short
feature story on the new show.  Ed O'Neill's comment about "cardboard actors"
came not from that story but from the issue before that and was in one of the
miscellany columns, so I was _not_ confusing Moyer with O'Neill, if you please.

John Henley

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:22:39 -0500
From: Dan Hughes <danhughes@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Memorex MP3 Boombox at Radio Shack

Bought one of those Memorex MP3 boomboxes for $[removed] at Radio Shack
yesterday (thanks Bob!).  I took a handful of CDs to test before I
bought, and I found that most of them played with no trouble.

The ones that would not play were offbrand CDs; it seemed to be the
particular CD emulsion formulation rather than bitrate that caused a
problem.  I'll recut the bad CDs on better blanks and see if that solves
the problem.

Meanwhile, for fifty bucks I'm quite happy with it.  Just wish it used a
DC adapter instead of a 120v AC power cord, so I could use it with the
car's cigarette lighter.  (I did shake it somewhat while it was playing
and it did not skip, so I believe it's vehicle-worthy).

---Dan

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:22:57 -0500
From: "Don Frey" <alanladdsr@[removed];
To: "otr message" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Rochester, Topper, Bob Hawk, Breakfast Club
 &Phil Baker

Was listening to Jack Benny 10/25/42 in which the sketch is "Tales of
Manhattan."
The film is promoted, all the stars are listed, and Jack imitates a number
of them. Now
Rochester appeared in that film, had a decent part, but is never mentioned.
He does his
usual bit on the show as his character but is not in the sketch and, again,
his appearing in
the film they are promoting is ignored. I was wondering why.

There WAS an Adventures of Topper radio series, I have 3, with Roland Young
who played the part in the films.

I have one Bob Hawk Show, the only one I've seen listed anywhere, from
3/21/49.
"You're a LEMAC now, yes a LEMAC [removed]

I have one Breakfast Club that is not AFRS, circa 1943, and 3 l5m
[removed] one,
Curley Bradley (Tom Mix) sings.

Yes, the Jack Benny with Phil Baker is available (the date is 1/16/38 not
39) and the ghost does appear. Mine doesn't sound too bad.

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

Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 14:23:06 -0500
From: "timl2002" <timl2002@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Digby O'Dell-Timing-TV Related

Hello,
     In  reading about the timing of Digby O' Dell's appearances on Life of
[removed] Riley was in trouble and looking for a way [removed]' Dell being
the voice of reason:  It seems not unlike the Home improvement TV Series
when the Tim Taylor Character (Tim Allen) would be in a fix and just happen
to be over by the neighbor Wilson's [removed] Wilson would give him a word
of wisdom (The producers made it a point never to show Wilson's entire
[removed] whe he visited the Taylors' Home, etc.).Just struck by the
similarities there (OT).Home Improvement was one of the last good Family
[removed](IMO)
On Cleveland [removed] Paar comes to mind as one of the more famous
[removed](Was born in Canton, grew up in Akron, Ohio) He was the announcer at
WGAR Cleveland the night of Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast.

Tim Lones
Canton, Ohio

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #54
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