Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #99
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 3/27/2007 9:33 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2007 : Issue 99
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      TCM programming, IMPORTANT            [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Julius LaRosa                         [ <verotas@[removed]; ]
      Re: Boston Blackie Fans               [ Don Shenbarger <donslistmail@sbcglo ]
      Command Performance                   [ "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed]; ]
      Cincinnati [removed]                  [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      LOST old-time radio shows             [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Bear Manor Media in Cincy             [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Re: microphones to famous objects     [ Art Chimes <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Godfrey story                         [ Michael Berger <makiju@[removed]; ]
      the otr digests                       [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:22:11 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  TCM programming, IMPORTANT

    The Boston Blackie movies later this week are recommended.  Chester Morris
    was perfect in the role.  Morris was also an ameatur (sp?) magician so you
    will see him routinely through the movies do a little magic trick or two.
    Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is playing the first eight movies in the series
    and theyare the best.  By the tie you get to the eighth in the series, they
    started reusing the same plots from earlier movies.

    One small note of IMPORTANCE:

    Most cable companies collect mail and e-mail sent to them but unless a LARGE
    number of letters and e-mails are against or for the same subject, the
    companies rarely take action.  TCM has a staff that specifically handles
    feedback from viewers and on occassion, acts on the viewer's suggestions and
    requests.

    The reason I am bringing this up is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.  During the past
    six months, TCM has decided to play more newer movies than ever before.
    Their reasons are not too clear, some assume that they are trying to cater
    to a younger audience, others assume that it's the new staff in charge of
    TCM. Here's an example:  During the first three days of March, the following
    aired on Turner Classic Movies:

    Dead Poets Society (1989)
    Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
    Diner (1982)
    Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
    The Front  (1976)
    Sounder (1972)
    Breaker Morant (1980)
    Sense and Sensibility (1995)
    The Elephant Man  (1980)
    Awakenings (1990)
    Stand By Me (1986)
    Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Quiz Show (1994)
    Crimson Tide (1995)

    While most of them are great movies, this is just a sample of what they
    aired during the first three days of March.  I personally would not consider
    them "classics" and honestly, if I wanted to watch FOUR WEDDINGS AND A
    FUNERAL, I would turn to TNT that aired the movie some time back three days
    ina  row, or visit my local video store.  Some days they play more older
    films, other days they play more newer movies.  One thing is for certain.
    The network has played more newer films recently than they used to and this
    trend is growing.  Unless a large number of people write to the station to
    request they stop playing newer movies and start playing older movies, this
    will be the future of TCM.

    The big wigs at the station would, no doubt, justify their schedule changes
    with "well, what other station can you tune into and watch three or four
    Greta Garbo movies in a row on her birthday?"  While this is true, if they
    do receive a large number of letters from viewers, they will stick more to
    older films.  After all, the programming department can only play films they
    "think" viewers like and if they are making a mistake, they won't know they
    are making a mistake unless viewers tell them otherwise.

    So rather than read this e-mail and go on to the next e-mail in your inbox
    and assume others will write letters (it's that mentality that actually
    keeps any letters from being written), take a moment and write a letter to
    Turner Classic Movies, telling them you don't want to see BATMAN RETURNS or
    GROUNDHOG DAY when you turn to their channel.  You want to see Boston
    Blackie movies with Chetser Morris, the Harold Peary GREAT GILDERSLEEVE
    movies, the LUM AND ABNER films, PHILO VANCE mysteries . . . you get the
    idea.

    The address is:
    Turner Classic Movies
    Attn: Programming Department
    1050 Techwood Drive
    Atlanta, GA 30318

    This letter will reach the correct person in charge of that department
    direct and your letter will be saved.  The station has monthly board
    meetings and if a large number of letters in the coming month or months
    arrive at the station, this will go unnoticed.  DO NOT post an e-mail or a
    posting on their message boards.  While they do read them, the network has a
    problem with getting 500 postings in a day, gripeing about this problem, and
    most originate from the same 7 or 8 people.  (One person can send 100
    e-mails a day easily).  Turner has stopped considering such postings on
    their message boards as "concerns" and now considered them "ramblings."

    Make your letter short and sweet (3 or 4 sentences is easily enough).
    Make sure your letter states that you don't appreciate seeing newer movies
    on their lineup (you can use some I typed above as examples) and make sure
    your letter is requesting they play older movies like they used to.
    Make sure you include your name and address.  You probably won't get a reply
    back, but it lets them know you are not the 7 or 8 people who try to make it
    look like 500 people are complaining about the same issue.

    If you want, cite examples of old movies you would prefer they play.  I,
    personally, would love to see ONCE UPON A TIME (1944) starring Cary Grant,
    which was a film version of the radio play "My Client, Curly."  I have an
    okay copy on video and love to record a great copy off the air.

    If letters are not mailed in, the current trend will grow and even more
    newer movies will be played.  It's up to everyone to spend 39 cents and five
    minutes to type a short, brief letter . . .

    Martin Grams Jr.

    Heck, at the Cincinnati Old Time Radio Convention, I have a huge handful of
    OTR shows on CD and need to get rid of them (literally).  Bring a copy of
    your letter to Cincy for me to see and I'll give you a CD.  (Yeah, I really
    need to liquidate the CDs.)  Make me feel better by knowing this posting
    actually generated a few letters.  And you can hold me to this Digest
    posting.

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:23:45 -0400
    From: <verotas@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Julius LaRosa

    Frank McGurn posted the following, pasted here verbatim  -

>     Let end all the talk about La Rosa bing fired or not I did a Google
>     search and found [removed]

>     This web site is Julius's own story and his conclusion is that Godfrey
>     is /was not a nice man. He was fired on the air. I head that broadcast
>     Arthur said in essence that Julius was to big for britches and had lost
>     his humility.    Frank McGurn

    Mr. McGurn, with all due respect, you did not hear on the air Mr. Godfrey
    refer to Julie's lack of humility.  He said this to a reporter off the air,
    when he was angry at the way the press distorted the situation, as the media
    have done ever since.   This is in part his fault, as unfortunately, Mr.
    Godfrey never saw fit to tell his side of  the story, nor the story at large,
    nor has Mr. LaRosa.   If you refer to the "firing" program, I suspect you
    have not heard it in the intervening half-century.  May I respectfully
    suggest that you and everyone else get a copy of that program - it's fairly
    readily available - and listen to the RADIO recording, not the TV one, as
    previously explained.

    I know Julie fairly well - I have spent hours with him talking about all
    this.  We are not too far apart in age, and I first met him long before he
    left the show.  When he was doing concerts (often with another Godfrey
    alumnus, Carmel Quinn), he gets angry when people ask him things like, "What
    was Arthur Godfrey like?' or or worse, "How could you work for such a horrid
    man?"  He brushes these off, saying, "I'm here to sing and entertain you".
    Bravo for him!

    He does not like to talk about it, but did openly and fully for me.  He said
    something like, "You do it - then I'll just refer people to you, and I won't
    have to discuss it".  My taped transcription of our several long
    conversations is packed away, but I certainly recall the gist, if not the
    exact words.  Obviously Julie's  website would present his side of the story,
    as he or his present management sees it, and as he has had umpteen occasions
    to set straight.  But will not, I guess because the notoriety has kept him
    busy concertizing over the years, which he also confirms.  This is a
    dichotomy, to say the least.  He has said publicly that he owed Arthur
    Godfrey for two things - one for hiring him, and again for firing him.  Cute
    and self-serving as that is, it still promulgates an untruth.  Which he does
    recognize, in private at least.

    He did speak openly and frankly with me, and again from his viewpoint
    admitted he wasn't really fired.  What he doesn't know of course, is that I
    spoke to many, many different people and know many more sides of the story
    than he does - naturally.  It's a complex, fascinating history.  I do not say
    that he was not fired simply off the top of my head - it is the vast
    consensus of those on the inside who knew what had been happening prior to,
    and were not surprised at his RELEASE (at his request) - yes, on the air,
    same as he was hired on the air.

    There is one other point which perhaps should be raised here.  All the
    "Little Godfreys" (a press term then repeated by CBS, which Mr. Godfrey
    himself hated) worked for Arthur Godfrey Productions and under his aegis, and
    he was most definitely the boss.  Over the years various talents would come
    and go, but the drawing card was always Arthur Godfrey.  Does anyone think
    that Johnny Carson was not fully in charge of his shows all those years?
    Although he did not FIRE Mr. LaRosa in the very real sense - he released him
    at Mr. LaRosa's constant urging to do so - Mr. Godfrey certainly had every
    right TO fire him or anyone else on his shows, should he have wished, which
    he most certainly did NOT wish in Julie's case, until Julie just kept bugging
    him.

    Godfrey was so stunned, angry and upset at all the ruckus that losing one
    member of his 'cast' produced (by whatever means, voluntarily or otherwise)
    and - figuring that biased media treatment would keep happening anytime
    anyone left the show - he decided to let everyone go.  All the on-mike
    talents, including even his longtime announcer Tony Marvin .  Over a fairly
    short period of time, take the heat, let things calm down, and then go on
    with his programs the way he had for many years before going on TV - with all
    kinds of interesting and talented guest stars, some known, some unknowns.

    It did hurt him, obviously, and contrary to his hope, never really went away.
    Yet he remained on the air for over two decades, always with a waiting list
    of sponsors, and finally went off as the last non-news radio network program
    left, months after the penultimate one left the air - the similar and
    similarly successful program, Don McNeil's Breakfast Club

    Just as no car maker will ever introduce a new line the way Ford did with the
    Edsel - or Coca Cola with its New Coke - I think it unlikely that this sort
    of openness ever will occur again in the entertainment field, under the
    constant watch of the media, now the Internet, blogs, the trashy magazines
    one finds in your local physician or dentist's office, etc. - all of them so
    eager to tear down some idol they previously put up on a pedestal, as was
    surely the case with Mr. Godfrey.    But one never knows - as folk say, some
    people never learn from the mistakes of others.  I've heard it say that  "We
    learn by making mistakes, so that we can go on and make more".

    Lee Munsick

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:23:57 -0400
    From: Don Shenbarger <donslistmail@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re:  Boston Blackie Fans

    On 3/26/2007 Larry Moore wrote:

>     For fans of Boston Blackie, TCN is broadcasting  8 of the films
>     starting on March 28.

    Thanks for the tip Larry. Turner Classic Movies. It's a continuous
    stream of films back to back beginning Wednesday night March 28th.
    Times are Eastern Time.

      8:00 PM  Meet Boston Blackie (1941)
      9:15 PM  Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941)
    10:30 PM  Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942)
    11:45 PM  After Midnight With Boston Blackie (1943)
      1:00 AM  One Mysterious Night (1944)
      2:15 AM  Boston Blackie's Rendezvous (1945)
      3:30 AM  Boston Blackie and the Law (1946)
      4:45 AM  Trapped By Boston Blackie 1948)

    [removed];mainArticleId=154968

    Don

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:38:44 -0400
    From: "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
    To: ""old-time radio digest">" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Command Performance

    Hi all,
    The Betty Hutton CP clip on Youtube got me to thinking, are there any films
    of Command Performance
    available?
    Oh yeah, and just how many CP shows are available?
    Any suggestions for places to grab the best coppies of the most shows?
    Thanks.
    Bill

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:12:53 -0400
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cincinnati [removed]

    Folks;

       Am still looking for suggestions on where to stay near the Cincinnati
    convention (after last year's experiences, we will _not_ stay in the
    convention's host hotel). Looking for someplace clean, and reasonably-priced
    (doesn't have to be "cheap," just reasonably-priced)...if someone in the area
    has information on anything nice, I'll compile the info and post it to the
    blog at [removed]  (As more than one of you has noted, I
    routinely misspell the word "radio" there. Maybe I'm dyslexic?)

       Seems to me last year I saw a weekly-rent place with reasonable rates and
    [removed] up Route 4 a few blocks?

             Charlie

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:50:26 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  LOST old-time radio shows

    While many collectors hoard non-circulating radio programs, we should all be
    thankful that we have what we have.  The recent topic of "lost" I LOVE A
    MYSTERY programs is not new to me.  When I researched the subject for my I
    LOVE A MYSTERY COMPANION book, I came across a large number of rumors,
    including the Bloch story, about the existence and hoarding of such old-time
    radio shows.  Because they were rumors, I purposely neglected to print that
    info in my book.  Facts, not rumors, were all I printed.  Fact remains, most
    of the "lost" I LOVE A MYSTERY shows are not great episodes anyway.  The
    scripts suck.  I still believe that if 100 lost shows surfaced in
    circulation, only a couple would be noteworthy, leaving everyone to question
    "so what was the big stinkin' deal?"

    The Hollywood run of the series would be the most likely run to surface.
    When the series was done from NYC, the cast gathered together in the studio
    once a week to record the week's worth of scripts.  All they did was 12
    minutes of drama for each episode.  During the week, the announcer and
    musician would open the program, recap to the audience what they last heard,
    and then the 12 minute recording would be played.  After the recording
    ended, the announcer closed the episode reminding listeners to tune in again
    for the next chapter.

    The station never recorded the I LOVE A MYSTERY series when it was broadcast
    from Hollywood, so when Morse sold Mutual the idea of bringing the series
    back to the air, his contract with Mutual stated that the network was
    required to keep a copy of each episode.  Hence why we now have those three
    classic serials without an announcer giving us a recap.  After a couple
    months, the station (Mutual was not a well-run station) decided that it was
    too costly to keep the recordings so they reused the same tape.  A practice
    often applied during the 1950s.  To re-record over the same tape was not
    difficult.  Morse admitted in the 1980s that his one regret was to not
    follow through with Mutual in making sure they were still recording the
    episodes.  He received his initial first handful of recordings and that was
    that.

    The other episodes that exist today were airchecks from various sources, and
    spotted (and episode here, an episode there, etc.)

    In 1939, five radio stations in Texas received recorded episodes from
    Hollywood, because they were not airing the episodes of I LOVE A MYSTERY at
    the same time the rest of the stations in that state were broadcasting.  The
    transcriptions were shipped to Texas and the episodes broadcast over those
    five stations were aired a week behind the rest of the country.  I still
    have a copy of those receipts and the cost breakdown.  If anyone wanted to
    persue the "chance" that a radio station in Texas might still be housing the
    discs, or donated it to a library or archive at one time, Texas would be a
    logical choice to persue.

    There are non-circulating radio programs from various shows in the hands of
    collectors (and I am talking about all radio shows in general, not ILAM) and
    I can only see two reasons for why people do so.
    1.  Bragging rights - to claim they have something no one else possesses.
    Maybe it's a pride thing, I don't know.  But the more treasured the radio
    series or episodes, the less respect they have from other radio fans.
    2.  Financial reasons - they think they are holding on to something so
    valuable it'll make them rich.

    Sadly, number two is not as strong as it used to be.  Courtesy of MP3s and
    the world wide web, once uncirculated radio programs are released, it
    doesn't take long for them to appear on MP3 or as free downloads.  Such is
    the nature of the hobby.  If someone has been sitting on dozens of I LOVE A
    MYSTERY episodes assuming they have a small fortune in their hands . . .
    forget it.  Those days are long gone.  A round robin would be the only way
    to make some money before it gets out in circulation.  This is common
    knowledge so if there were any lost I LOVE A MYSTERY shows still in
    existence, I doubt they are being hoarded.  There literally is nothing to
    gain from hoarding lost radio shows.

    If they do exist, we'll have to wait till someone actually makes the effort
    to releasing part of their collection to the public.  John, buddy, keep your
    kidney.  Lost ILAM shows are not worth going under the knife.

    Martin Grams Jr.

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:50:59 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bear Manor Media in Cincy

    Ben Ohmart will not be attending the Cincinnati OTR Convention, but many of
    his books from Cincy will be available.  Due to the limited table space,
    only certain books will be brought to the convention.

    Anyone planning to attend the Cincy Convention in a few weeks wanting to
    take a peak at any of his books first hand, or wishes to reserve a certain
    title, drop Ben or me a line and we'll make sure they tag along to the
    convention.  For the most part, only OTR-related books and a couple
    nostalgic titles will be brought to the convention.  I will have them next
    to my stuff for Ben.

    Ben's web-site is [removed]  and he has added a lot more
    old-time radio books in the past few months.  Also, don't e-mail us days
    before the convention.  Ben's mailing books in a few days, to guarantee they
    are in my hands in time for the convention.  E-mailing five days before the
    convention asking me to bring a certain title is cutting it too close since
    Ben would have to mail it to me.  Small FYI.

    Martin

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:55:13 -0400
    From: Art Chimes <[removed]@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: microphones to famous objects

    Perhaps most famous of all is the BBC's live feed of the chimes of Big Ben.

    Bill Knowlton mentions the New Year's Eve broadcast, but in fact the live
    chimes have been featured for decades throughout the day, all year long, on
    the BBC World Service, and probably other international and domestic programs
    as well. (I think this is still the case, but my information may be somewhat
    dated.)

    Incidentally, Mark Kinsler is not quite right when he describes Bloomberg
    Business Radio as "principally a creation of XM Radio." Bloomberg Radio was
    first heard in New York on 1130 AM (for decades the home of the legendary
    WNEW), and only later migrated to satellite. Bloomberg originated as a data
    service for the financial industry. Mike Bloomberg, the founder, is of course
    the mayor of New York.

    -Art-

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:09:25 -0400
    From: Michael Berger <makiju@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Godfrey story
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    A footnote to the recent posts regarding Arthur Godfrey's rumored
    anti-Semitism:

    Listening to a Godfrey Time show from 1953 this week, I heard him read a
    letter from a Mr. Cohn who was the president of a guest towel manufacturing
    firm and had donated a number of towels to the Godfrey show to use in the
    regular 'picnic lunches' the show would serve to its studio audience, using
    sponsors' products.

    Godfrey not only read the letter plugging the product, but recommended the
    towels to his listeners.

    Michael Berger

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

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

    Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:36:47 -0400
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  the otr digests

    I don't know if anyone else was impressed, but I think we could publish
    these last few digests as a book. The Godfrey stories, the amazing account
    of Mr Gwynne's visit with Groucho Marx, the discussion of the early tape
    machines--all in one e-mail.  It is just great, and thank you.

    Mark Kinsler

    512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368 740-503-1973
    [removed]
    [removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #99
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