------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2009 : Issue 41
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ charlie@[removed] ]
2-23 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
"Television" Jacks on Console Radios [ <georgewagner@[removed]; ]
"Information Please" [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
OTR License Plate [ jack and cathy french <otrpiano@ver ]
radio book news [ Ben Ohmart <benohmart@[removed]; ]
2-24 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
Talent in Exile/KFWB program [ "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@sbcglob ]
Not everybody had a radio during WWI [ Herb Harrison <[removed]@yahoo. ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:12:01 -0500
From: charlie@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
real-time OTR talk!
Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
it's always a good time!
For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
week and every week!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:55:28 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 2-23 births/deaths
February 23rd births
02-23-1851 - Frederick Warde - Deddingnton, England - d. 2-7-1935
actor, lecturer: WMC Memphis, Tennessee
02-23-1883 - Victor Fleming - Pasasena, CA - d. 1-6-1949
film director: "Gulf Screen Theatre"
02-23-1886 - Rae Eleanor Ball - d. 3-xx-1967
violinist: CBS Network
02-23-1892 - Kathleen Harrison - Blackburn, England - d. 12-6-1995
actor: ""Meet the Huggetts"
02-23-1899 - Norman Taurog - Chicago, IL - d. 4-7-1981
film director: "Biography in Sound"; "Bud's Bandwagon"
02-23-1904 - William L. Shirer - Chicago, IL - d. 12-28-1993
news analyst: "CBS European News"; "[removed] Shirer: News and Comments"
02-23-1905 - Emil Buffa - d. 11-12-1973
conducted his orchestra for NBC
02-23-1909 - Anthony Ross - NYC - d. 10-26-1955
actor: Danny Clover "Broadway Is My Beat"; Broadway Columnist "Mr.
Broadway"
02-23-1912 - Thomas L. Thomas - Maesteg, South Wales - d. 4-17-1983
singer: "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round"; "Voice of Firestone"
02-23-1913 - Jon Hall - Fresno, CA - d. 12-13-1979
actor: "Texaco Star Theatre"; "Silver Theatre"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
02-23-1914 - Pat Flower - Kent, England - d. 9-2-1977
writer: "Love Returns to Umbrizi"
02-23-1915 - Paul Tibbets - Quincy, IL - d. 11-1-2007
on 8-6-1945 dropped Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan: "Morning Edition"
02-23-1917 - John Brooks - Houlton, ME - d. 11-13-1999
composer, arranger, pianist: "Chicago Theatre of the Air"
02-23-1918 - Linwood McCarthy - Norfolk, VA - d. 11-23-2002
actor: "Son of Erin"
02-23-1925 - Niels Robinson - d. 1-18-1994
actor: "Coast-to-Coast on a Bus"
02-23-1926 - Isabel Bigley - The Bronx, NY - d. 9-30-2006
singer: "Music for America"; "Heartbeat of Broadway"; "Let Freedom Sing"
02-23-1927 - Regine Crespin - Marseille, France - d. 7-5-2007
operatic soprano: "Voices"
02-23-1935 - Gerrianne Raphael - NYC
actor: "Let's Pretend"
02-23-1943 - Jada Rowland - NYC
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
February 23rd deaths
01-10-1893 - John Bonnell - Prince Edward Island, Canada - d. 2-23-1992
preacher: "Our Spiritual Life"; "Your Life Today"
01-27-1895 - Harry Ruby - NYC - d. 2-23-1974
songwriter: "Thirty Minutes in Hollywood"; "Great Moments to Music"
03-15-1911 - Abraham A. Albayalde - d. 2-23-1994
newscaster: KTOH Lihue, Hawaii
03-20-1924 - Philip Abbott - Lincoln, NE - d. 2-23-1998
actor: "Family Theatre"
03-25-1906 - Margaret Daum - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 2-23-1977
singer: "American Album of Familiar Music"
04-08-1889 - Adrian Boult - Chester, England - d. 2-23-1983
writer: "Advs. of Ellery Queen"; "Casebook of Gregory Hood"; "Sherlock
Holmes"
04-21-1919 - Don Cornell - NYC - d. 2-23-2004
singer: "Sammy Kaye's Sunday Serenade"; "One Night Stand"; "The Big
Show"
05-09-1901 - Fuzzy Knight - Fairmont, WV - d. 2-23-1976
actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"
06-14-1918 - Jon Arthur - New Kensington, PA - d. 2-23-1982
actor: "Big Jon and Sparkie"; "No School Today"
06-15-1872 - Johanna Gadski - Anclam, Poland - d. 2-23-1932
operatic singer: WJZ New York City
06-16-1890 - Stan Laurel - Ulverston, England - d. 2-23-1965
comedian: "Ruth Lyons Show"
06-30-1925 - Alice Wallace - Los Angeles, CA - d. 2-23-2002
actor: "Music for America"; "Let Freedom Sing"
07-12-1921 - Lyn Duddy - NYC - d. 2-23-1998
conductor: (Lyn Duddy Singers) "Breakfast with Burrows"
07-14-1914 - Billy Kyle - Philadelphia, PA - d. 2-23-1966
pianist: "Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm"
08-11-1913 - Edith Oliver - NYC - d. 2-23-1998
actor: "Crime Doctor"; "Philip Morris Playhouse"
09-12-1910 - Shep Fields - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-23-1981
bandleader: "Rippling Rhythm Revue"
09-27-1883 - Rev. Dr. Frederick K. Stamm - Millheim, PA - d. 2-23-1961
pastor: "Highlights of the Bible"
09-27-1915 - Frank Gerstle - d. 2-23-1970
actor: "Escape"; "NBC University Theatre"; "Six Shooter"; "Gunsmoke"
10-03-1916 - James Alfred "Alf" Wight - Sunderland, England - d.
2-23-1995
author: James Herriot Books
10-19-1889 - Fannie Hurst - Hamilton, OH - d. 2-23-1968
writer: "United China Relief"; "Fanny Hurst Reviews"; "Big Joe";
"United Nations Today"
11-08-1899 - Edmund "Tiny" Ruffner - Crawfordsville, IN - d. 2-23-1983
announcer: "Show Boat"; "Captain Diamond's Adventure"; "Better Half"
11-13-1913 - Alexander Scourby - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-23-1985
actor: Herbert Temple "Young Widder Brown"; Philip Cameron "Against
the Storm"
12-26-1914 - Robert Metzler - d. 2-23-1998
scriptwriter: "Count of Monte Cristo"; "Phillip Marlowe"
xx-xx-1914 - Leo McCabe - Belfast, Ireland - d. 2-23-1986
actor: Stephen Dallas "Stella Dallas"
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:55:50 -0500
From: <georgewagner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "Television" Jacks on Console Radios
I've seen several console radios from the late 1930s which had
"television" jacks. Supposedly this was a selling gimmick, with sales
literature advertising the radio as "television-ready" just in case home
television ever became an actual commodity. The assumption was that the video
unit would be a stand-alone monitor and need to be jacked into a pre-existing
radio for the audio.
Sincerely,
George Wagner
georgewagner@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:56:21 -0500
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "Information Please"
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
This is a very straightforward question, in my opinion. That being
said,
how many different sponsors did the "Information Please" program have
(and what were they) during the years it was on the air? The only ones I
seem to remember are Canada Dry and the Heinz 57 people. Surely there
were more.
As always,
Kenneth Clarke
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:56:27 -0500
From: jack and cathy french <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: OTR License Plate
Travis was delighted to spot an "OTR FAN" license plate while he was
commuting home in the Midwest. He was "tickled pink" and it made his
day.
Well, twelve years ago I had an identical plate issued by Virginia
and few who saw it were tickled pink; in fact, the vast majority who
commented on it had no idea of its significance in our hobby. From
memory, here's the first 50 or so responses I got during the year it
was on my Saturn:
"So you got Old Time [removed] too, brother. Praise the Lord!" (16)
"A fan of Over the Road trucking? 10-4, good buddy." (9)
"Old Tired Redskins fan? How 'bout them Cowboys?" (21)
"An otter fan? What in the sam-hell does that mean?" (4)
I actually had to wait until October when I parked my car in the lot
of the Holiday Inn North in Newark during the FOTR convention before
anybody deciphered its true meaning.
Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
<[removed]>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:57:21 -0500
From: Ben Ohmart <benohmart@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: radio book news
It's been a while since I posted here, so I thought I'd give an update on a
few things, plus a special offer Just to those on this list. First, the offer:
Any group who wants to lay their hands on some cheap Joan Davis books for
their radio, etc. members, now is the time. I'm offering to all on this list,
books for $5 per book plus postage (using your Fedex or UPS #, or reimbursing
me for postage) for the Joan Davis book which sells for $[removed] No limit on
how many you want, but the time limit to take advantage of this is Friday at
midnight EST. Please email books@[removed] if you're interested.
I know a lot of you who go to my site are seeing a lot of TV and silent film
books these days. I'm not ignoring radio, I'm just putting out what's offered
to me. But there are a few good new radio books out or coming. For instance,
it might still be a well-kept secret, but It's That Time Again 4 - the
mystery edition - is out Now, which you can see at
[removed]
Also, if you're a Bob Hope fan, we have a book written by one of his writers
here:
[removed]
and it only came out this week.
Coming books include: Martin Grams' ultimate guide to Duffy's Tavern. Michael
J. Hayde's (author of the Dragnet book) book on Superman on radio and TV. You
can see the cover already here:
[removed]
Right now, I'm winding up my Judy Canova book, which looks like it's slated
for a May 1st release:
[removed]
And upcoming books, with no release dates yet: Jimmy Stewart on Radio. Arthur
Anderson's autobiography. Phil Rapp's biography. An interview book from Dave
Siegel. The Bickersons' Love Letters. Radio Pro by master on-air personality,
Joe Martelle. And my big ol' book on Mel Blanc, which will be in everyone's
hands by Thanksgiving.
That's it for the plug! As always, thanks a lot for your support. It's not
just mandatory, but it means a lot.
Ben Ohmart
Old radio. Old movies. New books.
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:57:31 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 2-24 births/deaths
February 24th births
02-24-1876 - Victor Moore - Hammonton, NJ - d. 7-23-1962
comedian: (The Lothario of the Lumbago Set) "Jimmy Durante Show"
02-24-1885 - Bert Lytell - NYC - d. 9-28-1954
actor: Jimmy Valentine "Alias Jimmy Valentine"; Jeb Stuart "Roses and
Drums"
02-24-1885 - Chester Nimitz - Fredericksburg, TX - d. 2-20-1966
admiral of the navy: "Navy Day Program"; "We the People"; "This is the
Navy"
02-24-1889 - Boyd Bunch - Chamois, MO - d. 2-8-1969
pianist, arranger: "Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians"
02-24-1890 - Marjorie Main - Acton, IN - d. 4-10-1975
actor: "Columbia Presents Corwin"
02-24-1891 - Joe Laurie, Jr. - Moscow, Russia - d. 4-29-1954
comedian: "Can You Top This"
02-24-1895 - May Singhi Breen - NYC - d. 12-19-1970
singer: (The Ukulele Lady) "Sweethearts of the Air"
02-24-1904 - Tim Graham - Kansas - d. 1-14-1979
actor: "Plays for Americans"
02-24-1914 - Zachary Scott - Austin, TX - d. 10-3-1965
actor: "Suspense"; "Encore Theatre"; "[removed] Steel Hour"; "Screen Guild
Theatre"
02-24-1916 - Willie Gilbert - Cleveland, OH - d. 12-2-1980
writer: "Tom Corbett, Space Cadet"
02-24-1917 - Peggy Wall - Spokane, WA
actor: Blue Howard "Betty and Bob"; Lois Colton "Romance of Helen Trent"
02-24-1919 - Betty Marsden - Liverpool, England - d. 7-19-1998
actor: Daphne Whitehigh, Buttercup Gruntfuttock, et al "Round the Horne"
02-24-1921 - Abe Vigoda - NYC
actor: "You Are There"
02-24-1922 - Steven Hill - Seattle, WA
actor: "Treasury Salute"; "Up For Parole"
02-24-1923 - Fred Steiner - NYC
music: "On Stage"; "This Is Yor FBI"
02-24-1924 - Talat Mahmood - Lucknow, India - d. 5-9-1998
singer: "The Frank Sinatra of India) "All India Radio"
02-24-1931 - Barry Oakley - Melbourne, Australia
writer: "Eugene Flockhart's Desk"; "The Great God Mogadon"
02-24-1943 - George Harrison - Liverpool, England - d. 11-29-2001
singer: (The Beatles) "Here We Go Again"
02-24-1943 - Richard Carleton - Bowral, Australia - d. 5-7-2006
correspondent for 2GB radio
02-24-1946 - Barry Bostwick - San Mateo, CA
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
February 24th deaths
01-10-1927 - Johnnie Ray - The Dalles, OR - d. 2-24-1990
singer: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
01-24-1904 - Franklyn Baur - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-24-1950
tenor: "Palmolive Hour"; "Voice of Firestone"
02-02-1936 - Arthur Lyman - Kauai, HI - d. 2-24-2002
vibes: Won talent contest on Honolulu radio, station KGMB
02-08-1913 - Taylor Grant - Philadelphia, PA - d. 2-24-1998
newscaster: "Headline Edition"
02-25-1904 - Marion Claire - Chicago, IL - d. 2-24-1988
singer: "Chicago Theatre of the Air"
02-29-1916 - Dinah Shore - Winchester, TN - d. 2-24-1994
singer: "Eddie Cantor Show"; "Dinah Shore Show"
03-05-1921 - Milt Kamen - Hurleyville, NY - d. 2-24-1977
satirist: "Voices of Vista"; "Here's to Veterans"
03-16-1897 - Conrad Nagel - Keokuk, IA - d. 2-24-1970
actor, emcee: "Silver Theatre"; "Passing Parade"
03-16-1906 - Henny Youngman - London, England - d. 2-24-1998
comedian: (Take my wife, please) "Kate Smith Hour"; "Radio Hall of Fame"
03-25-1906 - Jean Sablon - Nogent-sur-Marne, France - d. 2-24-1994
baritone/composer: (French Troubadour) "Shell Chateau"; Magic Key of
RCA"
03-25-1916 - Jean Rogers - Belmont, MA - d. 2-24-1991
actor: Elaine Dascomb "Those We Love"
04-10-1922 - Marian Richman - California - d. 2-24-1956
actor: "Tell It Again"
04-26-1906 - [removed] "Albert" Alexander - Winthrop, MA - d. 2-24-1967
moderator: "Goodwill Court/Court of Human Relations"
05-19-1906 - Bruce Bennett - Tacoma, WA - d. 2-24-2007
actor: "Proudly We Hail"
05-20-1920 - George Gobel - Chicago, IL - d. 2-24-1991
comedian, actor, singer: (Lonesome George) Jimmy "Tom Mix"
05-29-1918 - Herb Shriner - Toledo, OH - d. 2-24-1970
comedian: "Camel Comedy Caravan"; "Herb Shriner Time"
06-01-1915 - John Randolph - NYC - d. 2-24-2004
actor: "New World A' Coming"; "A Date with Judy"
06-04-1924 - Dennis Weaver - Joplin, MO - d. 2-24-2006
actor: Look Magazine Commercial "Have Gun, Will Travel"
06-06-1918 - Martin Esslin - Budapest, Austria-Hungary - d. 2-24-2002
Head of radio drama for the BBC
06-14-1894 - George Hall - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-24-1959
orchestra leader: CBS network
07-01-1908 - Alvino Rey - Oakland, CA - d. 2-24-2004
bandleader: "Horace Heidt and His Brigadiers"
07-21-1924 - Don Knotts - Morgantown, WV - d. 2-24-2006
actor: Windy Wales "Bobby Benson's Adventures"
08-01-1910 - Walter Scharf - NYC - d. 2-24-2003
music director: "Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show"
08-08-1921 - Webb Pierce - West Monroe, LA - d. 2-24-1991
singer: ""Grand Ole Opry"; Louisiana Hayride"
08-17-1896 - Alma Lawton - Woolwich, England - d. 2-24-1982
actor: "I Love Adventure"; "NBC University Theatre"
09-02-1898 - Arthur Young - Bristol, Gloucestershire, England - d.
2-24-1959
actor: Junior Fitz "Ma Perkins"; Son "The Baxters"
09-02-1902 - Henry J. Taylor - Chicago, IL - d. 2-24-1984
commentator: 'Your Land and Mine"; "News Commentary"
09-09-1922 - Imogene Lynn - Trenton, MO - d. 2-24-2003
singer: "Spotlight Bands"
09-29-1910 - Virginia Bruce - Minneapolis, MN - d. 2-24-1982
actor: Susan Read "Rexall Summer Theatre"
10-25-1901 - Daniel Landt - Scranton, PA - d. 2-24-1961
singer: Landt Trio, "Doc Pearson's Drug Store"; "Bob Hawk Show"
11-07-1893 - Margaret Leech - Newburgh, NY - d. 2-24-1974
author: "Information Please"
12-03-1927 - Isabelle Lucas - Toronto, Canada - d. 2-24-1997
guest panelist: "Quote-Unquote"
12-24-1906 - Franz Waxman - Konigshutte, Germany - d. 2-24-1967
composer-conductor: "Good News of 1939"
Ron
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:57:55 -0500
From: "Jim Hilliker" <jimhilliker@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Talent in Exile/KFWB program
Hi! I'm forwarding a question from [removed], since it has to do with the
name of a program that aired on KFWB-Hollywood long ago. I thought maybe
somebody readinbg the digest has an answer for this person. Here's the
question:
"** Talent in Exile
"I just heard that during World War II KFWB broadcast a program called
Talent in Exile. I know hardly anything about the program other than it
broadcast music, songs and spoken word material done by the German exiles
who were living then in Los Angeles. I assume since it did all this it was a
series rather than a one-shot program.
Do you know anyone who can give me more details about this program? I know
it was a long time ago, but there might be someone who remembers it or
remembers who produced or hosted it. Any information would be helpful. By
the way, I did check the Museum of Radio and TV Web site, but that turned up
nothing." - Bob Wennersten, robertwennersten@[removed]"
I did a preliminary search on the website JJ's Radio Logs, which has Los
Angeles Times radio logs from 1930-1960. I found a few listings for "Talent
in Exile" on KFWB in March, April and May of 1938. It was a 30-minute
program which was broadcast one night a week, but I haven't found any other
information on this apparently local Southern California radio show.
Jim Hilliker
Monterey, CA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:58:52 -0500
From: Herb Harrison <[removed]@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Not everybody had a radio during WWII?
I came across an interesting site that has online reprints of stories about
World War II, titled "America In World War II - the magazine of people at
war, 1941-1945".
It has "Selected articles from past issues of the magazine's print edition in
the categories THE WAR. THE HOME FRONT. THE PEOPLE.":
[removed]
Of particular interest to OTRers could be this one:
"Watching the [removed]
Music, news, and entertainment crackled warmly from radio speakers in living
rooms across the country uniting wartime Americans in a common cause and
culture. By Judy P. Sopronyi. Full story"
One quote that surprised [removed]
"As popular as radios were, there were still many people who didn't own one.
Ralph Parker, who applied for a radio station license in Lewistown,
Pennsylvania, before he went off to war, estimates that only 45 percent of
homes had radios. They were substantial purchases, and the years leading up
to the war were Depression years. Some country dwellers didn't even have
electricity yet. When production of radios stopped in 1942 as factories were
reconfigured to manufacture war supplies, most families without radios
remained without them until after the war."
I was born in 1943. I grew up with radio, then TV. I just assumed that
everybody had a radio, even if it was powered by a big battery that had to be
"changed-out" at a store downtown. So, this question:
Does it sound right that the majority of American families did not have a
radio before & during the war?
Just curious,
Herb Harrison
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2009 Issue #41
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