Subject: [removed] Digest V2017 #38
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 6/11/2017 10:04 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2017 : Issue 38
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      "Best" Unsung Series - Horizons West  [ KENPILETIC@[removed] ]
      shows people wish to hear             [ "Walden" <waldenhughes@[removed] ]
      Missing programs                      [ James Nixon <ranger6000@[removed] ]
      re: Best Show/Episode Not Heard Sinc  [ John Olsen <jrolsen2@[removed]; ]
      re: Best Show/Episode Not Heard Sinc  [ rand@[removed] ]
      "missing" series/episodes             [ Jody Davis <baroygis@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2017 20:44:20 -0400
    From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "Best" Unsung Series - Horizons West
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Hi Gang  -                                              June 10, 2017 -
    Saturday - 8:44 AM cdt

    In OTR Digest V2017 #37 Mike K asks:

>     What is considered the best show ([removed] series) that has not found
>     its way into broad circulation for modern day fans of OTR to sample?

    In my personal opinion, the top series (only 13 episodes) is HORIZONS WEST.
    This is the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition.  It is  historically
    accurate and well performed by top radio actors and actresses.  It's
    available, but  not well circulated.  Check it out. -- Note: the entire
    series will fit on one  CD (mp3 format).

    Happy Listening -    Ken Piletic Streamwood, Illinois and  Alma, Arkansas

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    Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2017 20:47:06 -0400
    From: "Walden" <waldenhughes@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  shows people wish to hear
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Hi Everybody,

    Mike K ask for us to help make a list of shows people wish to hear.  Below
    is a list of shows and broadcast some are missing other are in no many hands
    for us to enjoy.

    1.        The I Love A Mystery runs.  My Dad and others would love to hear
    shows that we don't have.  Joan Benny Jack daughter  told me on the air this
    was her favorite radio show.  Louise  Erickson is another major fan of this
    show.

    2.        Sam Spade is another.  More and more been coming out but some of
    the old dealer have been surprise that very few were   out years ago.

    3.        One Man Family,  the Library  of Congress had at least 30 of them
    that the old One Man Family club was arrangeing to have them release and
    they raise the $3,000 to pay for the fee to the Library of Congress but the
    deal never was close because one of the party involve granting promission
    decided to ask for money.

    4.        The four complete day coverage of FDR death starting on Thursday
    4-12-45 to Sunday 4-15-45.  This does exist but is not in many collectors
    hands.

    5.        The complete    NBC three month radio coverage day by day
    starting on NBC 6-6-44 until some time in August of 1944 when Parris    fall
    to the American hands.  This would be a wonderful  way to feel what complete
    day by day of radio would have been like.  All of these recordings are at
    the Library of Congress.

    6.        The complete day of 8-14-45 radio coverage when the war came to an
    end.  This does exist but not in many people hands.

    7.        The rest of the Halls of Ivy series.  There was around 104 shows
    and we are now around 80.

    8.        The missing Lux Radio Theater broadcast.  More and more  are
    popping up but there still around 200 missing.  The Motion picture accamedy
    has a large collection which is in one private     hands I know of.  He did
    the work for them years a go.

    9.        The Great Gildersleeves shows starting with the 15 minutes runs in
    the fall of 1954.  We have very few shows from this time to the end of the
    run in to 1958.

    10.    I know collectors who are looking for Monitor hours.  This ran from
    1955 to 1975.  We have around 150 hours and over 20,000 hours were produce.

    11.    The Captain Midnight run starting  the from the fall of 1940 to the
    end of the series.  We do have some shows but people wish there were more.

    12.    Mary Margaret McBride interview shows.  The Library of congress has
    the series but very few are in collectors hands.

    13.    The Theater Guild.  Many are in poor sound and all of the scripts
    are at Yale.  I hope the recordings  does exist.

    14.    The Arthur    Godfrey collection.  Arthur had every thing recorded on
    wirer but the University of MD does not have the resources to get the run
    tranfered.

    15.    The Bob Hope collection.  The complete collection does exist both at
    Bob Hope office and the Library of Congress.  I wish more of the 1948 to
    1950 run with Doris Day would come out.

    16.    The complete collection of Vox Pop does exist, but the University
    of MD does not have the resources to get them tranfered.

    17.    The Fred Allen collection does exist both at the Library of Congress
    and Boston Public library.  It would be nice  for the collection to be
    enjoyed by the public.

    18.    The Library of Congress has the AFrS collection which is over 1
    million disc.  This was the collection  that was at AFrS in Germany.    Who
    knows what missing shows might be in the collection.

    19.    An audio upgrade  from 1947 to 1953 of Fibber McGee and Molly.  The
    master tapes does ext and I am aware of it being in two hands.  Some day
    those tape will be sent to me and we can make sure we can upgrade the sound
    quality of those shows.  I hope soon.

    Take care,

    Walden

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    Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2017 20:47:32 -0400
    From: James Nixon <ranger6000@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Missing programs

    I'll put in two nominations for this exercise as suggested by Mike Kerrigan.
    First, from the Black Arrow series of The Lone Ranger, the only episode not
    found in transcription:  "Stagecoach to Deadwood", which was scheduled to be
    aired on April 13, 1945 but may or may not have been performed due to the
    death of Franklin Roosevelt.
    The second, and I'm cheating a little here, the missing episodes of "Temple
    of Vampires" from I Love a Mystery.  Jack, Doc and Reggie get themselves in
    a pickle in Central America, and we'd sure like to hear the complete story.

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

    Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2017 20:49:03 -0400
    From: John Olsen <jrolsen2@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re: Best Show/Episode Not Heard Since Initial
     Broadcast?

    Mike K. asked:

>     what would be considered the most important unavailable
>     episode of shows in circulation

    Let me speak to my favorite show, The Shadow.  Of course there are over
    200 of the show in circulation.  But there are still 400+ episodes
    unavailable.  And my nomination for the best of the missing ones [removed]

    "Secret Weapon" from January 31, 1943.  In it, The Shadow (played by
    Bill Johnstone, my favorite Shadow) battled against Nazi zombies.  It
    was a wonderfully strange adventure of The Shadow.  And things weren't
    explained away at the end, as was so often the case with other Shadow
    mysteries.  No indeedie!  The Nazis were actually resurrecting the dead
    in order to use them as troops immune to [removed] since they were
    already dead.

    It was an exciting war-time episode of The Shadow in which our hero aids
    the war effort and thwarts a plot that could easily have changed the
    tide of war.  Boy how I wish a recording of this one would turn up.  And
    that's my nomination for best missing episode.  I hope that qualifies as
    the "most important" that you asked about.

    And then there's another episode where The Shadow actually goes back in
    time.  But don't get me [removed]

    John

    --
         See the pulpy side of things. Check out */That's Pulp!/*
         [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2017 01:45:52 -0400
    From: rand@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  re: Best Show/Episode Not Heard Since Initial
     Broadcast?

    Mike K asks,

>     What is considered the best show ([removed] series) that has not
>     found its way into broad circulation for modern day fans of OTR to
>     sample?

    I have a rather long list of shows that deserve to be more broadly
    circulated that exist or likely exist.

    -Og, Son of Fire
    This one is at the top of my want list.  This 1935 adventure serial ran on
    CBS and was sponsored by Libby's.  The story concerned a bunch of cave men
    and the show was well remembered by fans for its many sound effects.  You
    often see the figures, the board game, and Big Little Book connected with
    the series turn up for sale, but no discs.  (The Big Little Book, by the
    way, appears to follow the storyline of part of the serial quite closely.)
     I heard rumors a decade ago that an older collector had a set of around
    30 discs of the show, pressed for extension spotting, that he was willing
    to sell, but heard no more after that.  As far as I know, the discs have
    never seen the light of day and this is one significant show that really
    deserves to be heard.

    Another adventure kid's serial, "Lone Wolf Tribe", that concerned Native
    Americans that ran on CBS in 1932-33 would be worth hearing, but I've
    never heard of any discs that have turned up from that show, only some of
    the premiums that Wrigley's gum offered to listeners.

    [removed]

    -The Lindbergh welcoming ceremonies
    RCA and Columbia recorded several sides of the radio coverage of this
    event, but only a few were commercially released by Victor.  I think the
    others are in the LOC.

    -Mercer McLeod, The Man With the Story
    This fascinating little 15 minute drama from 1947 was syndicated by NBC.
    The concept was simple - mystery stories where all the roles (except
    females) are portrayed by one darn talented actor.  I have a transcription
    with the first and second show from the series and Goldin lists more, but
    I've never seen them floating around.  It should be more widely available
    since it was distributed as a syndicated show.

    [removed]

    "Five Minute Mysteries" is another NBC syndicated show that should be more
    available.  I have one disc with a half-dozen programs and Goldin lists
    episodes that run almost to episode 200, but few are out there.

    Five minute shows in general, often used as filler, on morning shows, or
    other slots on local stations, are a big neglected area of Old Time Radio.
     The "Vass Family" is another example, with only my few programs and one
    in the WJSV complete broadcast day being the only ones that are available,
    along with the "Hoosier Hot Shots" program distributed on the other side
    of the Vass Family discs.

    [removed]

    [removed]
    /

    -Works Progress Administration Presents
    Syndicated around 1937-38, this series is of interest to classical music
    lovers.  It includes WPA sponsored performances by major orchestras and
    ensembles and even some works by contemporary 30's composers that were
    never recorded in any other form.

    I've found a couple of discs in this series, but I'm sure there are others
    that survive, perhaps in the LOC.

    [removed]

    -The Ballad Hunter

    Another government radio series that seems to have fallen into neglect.
    Syndicated in the 1940s  by the Library of Congress, the show features
    folk song collector John Lomax narrating and presenting his field
    recordings.  I'm sure the full series survives at LOC and Goldin lists ten
    episodes of the program, but it's rather hard to find.  It's of interest
    to scholars and enthusiasts of folk, blues, and "old time" country music.

    [removed]

    -Harlem Hospitality Club
    This Mutual series was aimed at Black audiences and was hosted by Willie
    Bryan and features the Lou Mel Morgan Trio, backing up the best in rhythm
    and blues performers from the era.

    It's a fascinating mix of audience participation and popular Black music.
    I've found two episodes on AFRS discs and Goldin lists another in
    existence.  It's great music, and some interesting interviews with
    African-Americans that migrated North during the World War II era, and
    significant as one of the few Old Time Radio network series aimed at Black
    audiences.  Surely some more of these shows are out there in transcription
    collections.  This is another one of interest outside of Old Time Radio
    circles.

    [removed]

    -Alan Freed's Rock and Roll Dance Party
    This series was heard on the CBS network in the mid-fifties and featured
    live performances by people like Etta James, the Clovers, Little Richard,
    the Drifters, Gene Vincent, and other significant early rock and roll
    performers.  It was the first rock and roll program carried on national
    radio, bridging the gap between the Old Time Radio era of network radio
    and the rock and roll dj programming that would take over the airwaves
    later.

    Radiola issued an lp compilation of some of the shows in the late 70s or
    early 80s and another label put out some on lp during the same period.
    These appear to be from AFRTS transcriptions and it's unclear on the
    releases if they are highlights or complete programs.

    I've never seen the original AFRTS or CBS transcriptions turn up.  The
    series deserves to be better documented - I believe it was sponsored by a
    cigarette company, so it would be interesting to hear how the show was
    originally carried on the network.  But complete and documented AFRTS
    broadcasts would be welcome.

    [removed]

    -Ways of Mankind, People Under Communism, The Jeffersonian Heritage

    I have both AFRTS discs of some shows in the series "Ways of Mankind", as
    well as an lp set released to educational institutions.  The three series
    were syndicated by a forerunner of what would eventually become National
    Public Radio - the NAEB, funded by foundations.

    They're interesting for glimpses into what was being heard on educational
    outlets during the Old Time Radio era, as artifacts of the Cold War, and
    just generally entertaining and informative shows.

    [removed]

    All three series were distributed via round-robin tape reels during the
    original broadcasts, but also released to libraries and schools on 12"
    microgroove lp records.  I'm hoping to remedy the sparse availability of
    these series by hopefully finding copies of the lp sets eventually.

    [removed]

    An untapped area in Old Time Radio collecting are individual programs and
    series distributed on lp records in the 1950s to educational
    organizations.  I have two episodes of a CBS documentary series from the
    early 50s (I believe it's called "The People, Yes") distributed in this
    manner that I will post on my blog eventually.

    -NBC's Pearl Harbor broadcast day
    NBC happened to record their network lines on low quality Memovox discs as
    part of some of their work to document advertising.  Some of the shows
    from this day were cut on lacquers and circulate.  The Memovox discs were
    released on tape by Radio Yesteryear, but I have to run into a copy of
    them.  Despite the low quality, this would be interesting to compare with
    the later D-Day coverage.

    -The NARA foreign WWII broadcast collection
    I remember reading about these discs several years ago.  The military,
    during WWII, recorded hundreds of hours of enemy propaganda broadcasts in
    an usual format - rather than 16" discs running at 33 1/3 rpm, they used
    special cutting lathes and playback turntables that varied the speed from
    the outside to the inside of the disc, allowing them to get something like
    45 minutes on a side, rather than the usual 15 minutes.  The National
    Archives and Records Administration was sitting on them because of the
    large staff resources that would be involved in transferring and properly
    cataloging them.  And, at the time, they didn't have one of these special
    turntables to play them back, but it looks like something could be done to
    correct them digitally.

    -Hour Glass, NBC-TV
    While this list is devoted to old time radio, I think this series is worth
    mentioning.  There's almost nothing that survives of early tv programming
    before the practical arrival of kinescopes around 1947.

    [removed](TV_series)

    "Hour Glass" was an experimental variety show broadcast by NBC from 1946
    to 1947 and sponsored by Standard Brands.  What's curious about it is
    that, despite being unable to film the show on kinescopes, NBC recorded
    the audio of several programs on lacquer discs.  There was also a photo
    spread in Life magazine with stills show from one of the first shows in
    the series, showing highlights of the whole program.  This is another set
    of discs in the LOC that have never been publicly released - it would be
    fascinating to hear to get an idea of what the show was like.  I believe
    LOC has some other audio only recordings of early tv that NBC recorded.

    I've often wondered if the LOC and NBC could reach an agreement to release
    these and other audio-only early tv recordings in their collection as a
    fundraiser for the Early Television Museum.

    [removed]

    rand

    --
    Randy A. Riddle
    Mebane, NC rand@[removed]
    [removed]

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

    Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2017 00:04:18 -0400
    From: Jody Davis <baroygis@[removed];
    To: OldTime Radio <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  "missing" series/episodes

    To answer Mike Kerrigan, my vote goes to "Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel," the
    wonderful 1932-33 show starring Groucho and Chico Marx which was part of
    NBC's "Five Star Theater." Only one full episode exists, along with two
    partials. Finding the rest would be the motherlode for this longtime
    Marxophile.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2017 Issue #38
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