Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #109
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 3/24/2004 10:59 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2004 : Issue 109
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Jim Cox update                        [ chris chandler <chrischandler84@yah ]
      Re: Jack Benny Contest                [ "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed]; ]
      Now I've Done It                      [ "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@ho ]
      More Horn Blows at Midnight           [ Bob Fells <rfells@[removed]; ]
      Re: Wells/Welles radio interview      [ SanctumOTR@[removed] ]
      Wells/Welles Interview                [ "Bill Orr" <billorr6@[removed]; ]
      Amos n Andy baseball caps             [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      Re: WOTW Welles and Wells             [ Shenbarger@[removed] ]
      I can't stand Jack Benny [removed]   [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      Berle and the Buick Hour tapes        [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      Pronunciation                         [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
      Mutual Radio Theatre on the Internet  [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
      Additional Gunsmoke                   [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Laura [removed] Vintage?            [ "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed]; ]
      #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ charlie@[removed] ]
      The Horn Blows at Midnight            [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
      Wells/Welles & wells on radio         [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
      Mercedes McCambridge OTR series       [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:47:45 -0500
    From: chris chandler <chrischandler84@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jim Cox update

    Here's a message from Jim Cox, which he asked be
    distributed to anybody who inquired about his
    [removed] thought I'd post it here.

    I have been released from the hospital after 22
    consecutive days plus another week of illness before
    that.  Congestive heart failure, fluid in the lungs,
    about 85% renal shutdown, pneumonia and a half-dozen
    complicating factors put me in a tenuous
    spot. The 6-8 specialists treating me never confirmed
    I might make it until  recently.  No matter.  My
    kidneys waked up and I never required  dialysis or
    surgery and everything else gradually began to
    re-function.  I still have a long way to go.  Health
    care heart specialists and physical therapists  are
    visiting me at home multiple times weekly.  I'm on a
    strict medication, exercise and diet regiment and have
    lost 50+ pounds.  I'll do anything  to
    avoid re-hospitalization.  Hundreds prayed for me over
    these weeks (I know the names of many and many I do
    not).  A confirmed believer in prayer's
    power-I'm convinced those petitions spared my life.
    I'm thankful to all who offered them and who are
    expressing their sentiments in communiques.
    I'm still here to fight another day.  Thanks for your
    friendship "and may  God bless."

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 13:37:21 -0500
    From: "Brian L Bedsworth" <az2pa@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Jack Benny Contest

    Ken Dahl <kdahl@[removed]; inquires:

>     If my memory serves me correctly, Jack had a contest in the late 40's where
>     people would complete the phrase "I can't stand Jack Benny because"

    It was December of 1945, a contest Benny recalled in his memoirs as the
    height of "masochism" in terms of how much abuse to which he was willing to
    subject his radio character -- and, by extension, himself.

>     ....Does anyone remember what the winning entry was?

    Not from memory, but pulling up the 03 Feb 46 broadcast (the one with Ronald
    Colman performing the winning entry) yields the following:

    He fills the air with boasts and brags and obsolete, obnoxious gags;
    The way he plays his violin is music's most obnoxious sin;
    His cowardice alone, indeed, is matched by his obnoxious greed;
    And all the things that he portrays show up my own obnoxious ways.

    Carroll P. Craig, Sr.

    (It sounds a whole lot better when Ronnie reads [removed])

    If anyone is interested, I'll post the story arc on the Usenet group later
    today.

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 13:37:44 -0500
    From: "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Now I've Done It

    My father always told me I only opened my mouth to change feet. In what I
    thought was a rather gushing tribute to Jim Harmon I mentioned something
    about "inaccuracies" in an attempt to ward off the expected response some
    have had to his books. In the past 6 or so years there has been some
    mentioning of inaccuracies in many early otr books so I really didn't want
    that to become an issue in welcoming Mr. Harmon to the Digest. However in my
    inept and poorly-worded attempt to circumvent the issue I made it the focus
    of Mr. Harmon's posts and for that I apologize. I certainly have not found
    any inaccuracies in the book--I haven't read it in 25+ years. I simply
    wanted to welcome someone I respect and admire immensely.
    Oh well,
    Steve

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 13:37:55 -0500
    From: Bob Fells <rfells@[removed];
    To: Old Time Radio <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More Horn Blows at Midnight

    Leonard Maltin praises Jack Benny's film, The Horn Blows at Midnight, in
    his Movie and Video Guide.  Indeed, the film has a top director in Raoul
    Walsh and is cast with excellent farceurs in addition to Benny himself.
    But why is the film so, well, unfunny?

    Let me try this theory. The film basically convolutes viewers'
    sympathies by providing us with a likeable hero (Benny) whom we hope
    does NOT succeed in his task (blowing Gabriel's trumpet and thus ending
    the world) while we find ourselves rooting for some unappealing villains
    who are trying to stop him. Perhaps if the story somehow came up with a
    brilliant ending it all might have been worth the effort but when the
    finale reveals it was all dream, the viewer feels he was the victim of a
    feature-length practical joke. Perhaps that caused more resentment than
    the quality of the film itself.

    I still can't figure out why Benny never made another starring film.
    After all, Horn wasn't THAT bad!

    Bob Fells

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:53:37 -0500
    From: SanctumOTR@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Wells/Welles radio interview

    In a message dated 3/23/04 11:49:02 AM, [removed]@[removed]
    writes:

>     Didn't the Wells/Welles interview occur in San Antonio?  If memory serves,
>     both of them happened to be there at the same time and a local station
>     arranged the chat.

    ***Yes, and the full KTSA interview ran 25 minutes on October 28, 1940.  The
    75-year-old British writerr was in the Alamo City to discuss the European war
    situation at the United States Brewers' Association's annual convention,
    while the 25-year-old radio star had reportedly arrived early to meet some
    Hollywood friends before a speaking engagement at the San Pedro Playhouse.
    (However,
    the timing of the meeting, two years after the Sunday when Welles' "War of
    the Worlds" adaptation was broadcast, seems a bit of a coincidence, and I
    wonder
    if the "surprise" meeting may have been staged by Orson.)  H. G. Wells had
    since forgiven Orson Welles for the changes made to his original story, and
    the
    two giants are obviously quite charmed by each other.  (I titled my chapter on
    the broadcast: "All's Wells that Ends Welles.")  A 7-minute excerpt was
    included on the Voyager Welles laserdisk, and a 10-minute segment is included
    in
    RSI's SMITHSONIAN LEGENDARY PERFORMERS: ORSON WELLES ON RADIO, which also
    features a 60-page historical booklet by Texas Tony Tollin (writing from his
    new
    home in San Antonio)

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 18:18:18 -0500
    From: "Bill Orr" <billorr6@[removed];
    To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Wells/Welles Interview

    In Digest # 108 Steve asked

>     Didn't the Wells/Welles interview occur in San Antonio?

    [removed] in late October 1940 on KTSA. It was allegedly their only
    meeting.

    Bill Orr

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 18:18:29 -0500
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Amos n Andy baseball caps

    Al Girard writes:

> >     The faddishness which had surrounded A&A during 1930-31 cooled off
> >     considerably during 1932 -- in part because every fad runs its course,

>     I'd like to believe that's true, but that darned fad of wearing baseball

    caps backwards

>     just won't go away.  It's one of my pet peeves.

    Did Amos n Andy start the fad of wearing baseball caps backwards?  [removed]
    never knew that.

    ([removed]  It's a joke, son.)

    --Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 18:18:48 -0500
    From: Shenbarger@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: WOTW Welles and Wells
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    In a message dated 3/23/2004 Steve (the delurker) remarked:

>     Didn't the Wells/Welles interview occur in San Antonio?  If memory serves,
>     both of them happened to be there at the same time and a local station
>     arranged the chat.

    Yes. According to the recording notes included with "The Complete War of the
    Worlds", Holmsten & Lubertozzi, 2001, the interview took place in the studios
    of KTSA at the Gunter Hotel and aired on October 29, 1940. The moderator was
    Charles C. Shaw. The two men were supposed to be in San Antonio on separate
    speaking engagements.

    The recording, or a portion of it, is included on the CD with the book. The
    clip is about three minutes long.

    Don Shenbarger

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

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 18:18:56 -0500
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  I can't stand Jack Benny [removed]

    Ken Dahl writes:

>     If my memory serves me correctly, Jack had a contest in the late 40's where
>     people would complete the phrase "I can't stand Jack Benny because"....Does
>     anyone remember what the winning entry was?

    The contest was held in last 1945, and the winner was Carroll P. Craig, Sr.
    (I ended up involuntarily memorizing this ditty):

    I can't stand Jack Benny because
    He fills the air with boasts and brags
    And obsolete obnoxious gags
    The way he plays the violin
    Is music's most obnoxious sin
    His cowardice alone indeed
    Is matched by his obnoxious greed
    And all the things that he portrays
    Show up my own obnoxious ways.

    --Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:17 -0500
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Berle and the Buick Hour tapes

    A. Joseph Ross mentioned tapes of the Buick Hour.

    6 Volumes of Berle's Buick show have been released on DVD to date and they
    are selling very well.  I can't even find a cheap used copy on [removed]
    There are 2 shows on each DVD.

    Given the life of many shows these days, including those with big names, 2
    years isn't too shabby. However those DVDs are too pricey for me now at
    about $20 each.

    Also available on DVD is 'Milton Berle: An All-Star Tribute To "Mr.
    Television"' which was recorded in 1998 at the Museum of Television and
    Radio in Beverly Hills in celebration of the 50th year anniversary of
    Berle's TV debut,  hosted by Steve Allen and released on DVD in July 2002.
    Steve Allen revealed that his first 'meeting' with  Berle was during Berle's
    vaudeville days when as a teenager he worked with Steve's mother who called
    upon him to babysit Stevie from time to time.

    One I really want to watch is the DVD release of a single Berle Buick show
    of 4/3/56, recorded on the deck of the USS Hancock called 'The Lost Elvis -
    The Milton Berle Show' which was released last June.   This episode has been
    considered 'lost' for many years.  It was Elvis' full body performance on
    that show that gave him the name 'Elvis the Pelvis'.   I remember it well,
    because I was a senior in HS at the time and along with all my friends a big
    Elvis fan.  Besides performing 3 songs Elvis did a full comedy spot with
    Berle.   Elvis again appeared on the Berle show on June 5, 1956.   I think
    that later program is included in the Berle Buick DVDs.  Interestingly, that
    DVD was produced and released in the UK and exported.

    I've been trying to find a copy of the VHS of the 1978 CBS TV special 'A
    Tribute to Mr. Television, Milton Berle' hosted by Bob Hope with an
    incredible guest list, which would be too expensive to assemble these days,
    I suspect.  The idea of seeing all those greats together at one particular
    time is very appealing.

    There's a lot of stuff available on VHS which is cheaper but with the
    exception of the special I'm looking for which I mentioned above, I've moved
    to DVD, which I can also watch on my flat LCD computer screen.   The quality
    is exceptional and DVDs often include additional material.  [Since I don't
    subscribe to HBO, but did have a DVD drive on my computer,  I rented the
    DVDs of 'The Sopranos' and was bowled over by the quality and clarity.]

    I ran across a Berle remembrance written by Mike Clark, who was a Director
    at Columbia Pictures Television.   This part of it, was especially touching
    and very telling.

    <<The last time I saw Milton was at Dolores Hope's 90th birthday party.  I
    was shooting video and wondered whether I should approach Milton to say
    something on tape for Dolores.  Milton was resting in a big, comfortable
    chair and looking very frail.  I approached him carefully and asked if he
    wanted to say anything to Dolores.  Milton looked as tired as a man could
    be, and told me that his wife would have to do the greeting.  I powered up
    the camera, handed the microphone to Mrs. [removed] then turned on light.
    The light must have awakened the performer instinct in Milton because he
    took the microphone from his wife, looked right into the camera, and
    delivered an eloquent birthday greeting.  After the light went off, Milton
    sank back down in his chair, and became an elderly man again.  With Milton,
    the show [removed] did, go [removed];>

    -Irene

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:50 -0500
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Pronunciation

    Derek Tague wonders:

>     pronounced her name as MUR-seh-deez and not the prevalent mur-SAY-deez

    <snip>

>     but which one is the official pronunciation?

    I believe I once heard Himan Brown in an interview refer to her as  "Mur -
    SUH - deez".

    Jim Widner
    jwidner@[removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 20:00:51 -0500
    From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Mutual Radio Theatre on the Internet

    For a long time one of my local stations carried Mutual Radio Theatre. The
    station is WVXU, Cincinnati and they do stream all of their Old Time Radio
    (and it is a lot). ([removed]) They run a program on Saturdays
    beginning at 8:00 PM EST that runs until Midnight. It was in the last hour
    or so that they ran Mutual Radio Theatre.

    Mike Martini, one of the hosts and producers, occasionally haunts this
    digest and if he sees this, could add more info on whether they will be
    running it again.

    With discussion in the past on all of the radio stations dropping
    broadcasting old time radio, this station over the years has increased its
    old time radio running at least 14-16 hours a week. If you want to see this
    continue (and they stream it all), becoming a member can help. When I was
    at the station about a month ago, an Internet listener in the west became a
    member!

    Jim Widner
    jwidner@[removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 23:02:10 -0500
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Additional Gunsmoke

    Christopher Werner commented:

>     The definitive tome on the subject is a book by SueAnne and Gabor Barabas
>     published by McFarland and entitled "Gunsmoke". about 1-1/2 inches thick it
>     includes plot synopsis for all the radio and TV programs as well as
>     thorough discussion of the major characters. It is about $75 but worth
>     every penny. Most of their research was from personal interviews with the
>     cast/writers/producers and the scripts of the show.

    The book can be purchased for less if you shop around,but you can order
    directly through McFarland at [removed].  The GUNSMOKE book is by
    far the most complete book to date documenting the GUNSMOKE phenomenon, but
    regrettably, the radio log is not complete (regardless of how many people
    praise the episode guide and as it's already been pointed out, has lots of
    flaws).  I myself have completed an episode guide that is three times the
    size of the one in the McFarland book, with details and corrections, trivia,
    and much production info.  One of these days I'll put the episode guide out
    so GUNSMOKE fans can read what they are missing.

    Chris also commented:

>     Almost all of the OTR episodes are available, several sources have the
>     whole set. The only decent source for the TV version is Columbia House with
>     about 30 VHS tapes. eBay is probably the cheapest source for them.

    Columbia House released both the half hour series and the hour-long series,
    but only a select handful of titles.  Regrettably, the only place you can go
    to acquire EVERY television episode is by recording them off TV Land and the
    Starz Westerns Channel.  Starz is presently airing the rarely-seen 150+
    hour-long episodes which also includes the change over episodes when Chester
    left Dodge and Festus became part of the regular cast.

>     There is also a 5 tape radio 'history' of the program available, mostly
>     interviews with John Meston, Parley Baer, and Wilbert Hatch.

    Available from Ted Davenport at [removed].

>     BTW, I began watching a new DVD set of the first season of the Flintstones
>     and the fourth episode has Fred sick in bed and WIlma calling for a doctor.
>     In comes a doctor (actually a vet) voiced by Howard McNear!

    GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, the first season, has just recently been released on DVD.
      During the first season, there was an episode (Gilligan fell asleep) in
    which the cast spoofs GUNSMOKE and they really do a great job (Ginger is
    Kitty, and so on).  Worth watching if you can find the DVD at your local
    video store.
    Martin Grams, Jr.

    access.

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

    Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 23:03:46 -0500
    From: "Derek Tague" <derek@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Laura [removed] Vintage?

    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Hi Gang:

        Walden Hughes posted his upcoming YUSA schedule:

>     Sunday

>     A.  Mike Biels starting a new topic

>     B.  Laura Leff on the Jack Benny show of 3-21-37

>     C.  interview with Red Steagale

          WOW! I never knew Laura Leff was so old to have actually appeared on a
    1937 stanza of "The Jack Benny Program!"  Well, that's how I first read it. We
    all know that Laura will be "COMMENTING ON" said show. [Did I just foregoingly
    spell "programme" the non-British way? I don't know what ever came over me!].

    Yours/ether--

    Derek Tague

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

    Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 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 six 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, 24 Mar 2004 01:58:46 -0500
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Horn Blows at Midnight

>     Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 16:56:17 -0500
>     From: seandd@[removed]

>     Hey, there's no argument to be made that it was a GOOD movie, but if you
>     look at a bunch of the other films on the list it's clearly outclassed in
>     badness.

    Of course, I first heard of "The Horn Blows at Midnight" from all the gags on the Jack Benny
    Program.  Sometime in the 80s, I got hold of a phonograph record of the Lux Radio Theater
    version, and from that decided that it wasn't that bad a movie after all.  But the Lux version
    was edited down to an hour for radio.  Eventually I found the movie shown on a local TV
    station and watched it.  I decided that it really =did= stink. It was movie length and tended to
    drag.  And a gag or two from the radio version weren't in the movie (including a self-referential
    moment in which a woman talking to Jack's character mentions her favorite commedian,
    Jack Benny).

    --
    A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                           [removed]
     15 Court Square, Suite 210                 lawyer@[removed]
    Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         [removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 03:15:17 -0500
    From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Wells/Welles & wells on radio

    Steve wrote:

>     Didn't the Wells/Welles interview occur in San Antonio?  If memory serves,
>     both of them happened to be there at the same time and a local station
>     arranged the chat.

    You're right.   I have a copy of the very friendly, mutual admiration radio
    chat of 10/28/40  and it is identified as KTSA San Antonio in an
    introduction by Charles Shaw.  It's 7-1/2 minutes long.  HG even gives Orson
    the opportunity to plug his upcoming film 'Citizen Kane'.  HG Wells was in
    town to address the US Brewers Association [Beer on Mars?] and Orson Welles
    was there for a Town Hall Forum Address.

    Kermyt Anderson identified a lot of HG Wells  Radio Dramatizations
    I can only add a couple more:

    CBS RMT - 'First Men on the Moon'
    Atlanta Radio Theater - 'The Invisible Man'

    I don't know the dates of either of them.

    -Irene

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

    Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 10:47:12 -0500
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Mercedes McCambridge OTR series

    If anybody's interested in hearing a radio series from the early 50's
    starring Mercedes McCambridge , you can hear some "Defense Attorney"
    episodes at [removed].

    Herb Harrison

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #109
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