------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2002 : Issue 389
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
ADMINISTRIVIA: Bob Hating's Auto Acc [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
"Have Fun! Will Scrabble!" [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
Re:Chicago Radio [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
Re: Cisco Kid [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
Ed Prentiss [ "alanladdsr" <alanladdsr@[removed] ]
Re: There are no stupid questions [ "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed]; ]
Re: DVD Recorders for OTR [ Shenbarger@[removed] ]
flash animation [ Ruk77@[removed] ]
Tapes that squeal / Radio Spirits [ Tom Kleinschmidt <otr1962@[removed] ]
Re: Finding an MP3 Player for my car [ bruceglazer@[removed] ]
the state of OTR preservation today [ Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@earth ]
Cisco Kid's name [ John Henley <jhenley@[removed] ]
Re:Foley [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
RS, Edgar Bergen, and squeeeeeaaaall [ Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed]; ]
Supes on TVLand [ "BirdWalk" <Birdwalk@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 16:16:39 -0400
From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: ADMINISTRIVIA: Bob Hastings' Auto Accident
Folks;
As some of you know, Bob Hastings, a very good friend to the hobby, was
recently injured in an automobile accident.
Bob is probably best known as the title character in, "The Adventures of
Archie Andrews," as well as working in many other OTR shows. He's known from
television as Lt. Carpenter in "McHale's Navy," my wife remembers him from
his long-running role on "General Hospital," and my daughter knows him best
as the voice of Commissioner Jim Gordon on the Batman animated series and
films. I could also mention "All in the Family," and a bunch of other
television programs and films.
Bob's been a great friend to our hobby over the years, attending many
conventions, working _very_ hard to make sure those of us attending have a
great time. Anyone who's met him at any of the conventions has at least one
Bob Hastings [removed] of us have a whole bunch of 'em.
Bob's accident was _not,_ thankfully, life-threatening; he's been released
from the hospital, is resting now at his daughter's home, and should return
to his home early next week. He will, however, require future surgery; when
the car in which he was a passenger was rear-ended, he received injuries to
his face and ribs. Luckily, his wife and daughter, also in the car, were only
mildly injured. (Much thanks to Hal Stone for this information directly from
Bob's wife Joan.)
Cards and letters of encouragement may be sent to:
Bob Hastings
c/o [removed] Communications
[removed] Box 587
York, PA 17405-0587
...which will be forwarded to Bob unopened. I have also set up an email
address, hastings@[removed], to receive good wishes email. These will be
printed out and forwarded to him along with the cards, so please avoid
sending Flash animations (they don't work so well on paper).
Charlie Summers
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:44:41 -0400
From: Derek Tague <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: "Have Fun! Will Scrabble!"
Hi Gang:
Words without a vowel: anybody who has more than a passing interest in
Scrabble knows about the elusive vowel-less words allowed in "The Scrabble
Players Dictionary (Third Edition)". This invaluable be-all-&-end-all
companion book (or "bible," if you will, although I detest using the word
"bible" for anything non-scriptural) allows such words as the previously
mentioned "PSST," & "NTH," but also "HM"/"HMM" (as an interjection denoting
contemplation), "MM" (as in "Mm-mm-good!"), "BRR"/"BRRR" (an interjection
denoting shiveriness), & "TSK,"
(an exclamation of annoyance). In order for a word to be accepted in the
Scrabble Dictionary, & therefore allowable in tournament play, said word must
be documented in at least two of five standard authoritarian dictionaries
cited in the Scrabble Dictionary's introduction. Another suchword is "CWM," a
Welsh word pronounced KOOM (rhymes w/ "tomb") which is defined as an
"cirque," which the Scrabble dictionary defines as "a deep stone-walled basin
on a mountain." But I guess this word truly isn't vowel-less considering that
the Welsh language uses a "W" as a vowel.
Speaking of Wales, there is actually a town there called
"Llanfair-pwllgwyngyll-gogerychwymdrobwil-llandysillo-gogogoch." Can you
imagine the plight of cheerleaders attendind Llanfair-etc. High School?
"Gimme an 'L,' gimme an 'L,' gimme an 'A," gimme an 'N'..." Gimme a break!
Are there any serious Scrabble players out there in the ether who'll be
attending FOTR/Newark this month. If so, please contact me off-list
so that I can bring my Travel Scrabble game. Maybe we can get a game going
after-hours. Sorry, gang, I'm not throwing a room party like the one
celebrating my 39th/Jack Benny birthday last year.
Yours in the ether,
Derek Tague
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:44:47 -0400
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re:Chicago Radio
Sandy responded to my question
Did you know Phil Lord when you worked in Chicago radio?
Yes, he was legendary in Chicago -- lived at the old Croydon Hotel, a
short walk to the AFRA office, Wrigley Building and Trib Tower.
When I met Phil and Betty Lord, I don't think his stature in Chicago radio
registered on me. I was eight years old.
I was appearing in the play "Life With Father" at the time, (at the
Blackstone theater) and my Mom and I also lived at the Croydon Hotel for
almost a year. (Rush and Ontario streets, right?)
She and the Lord's became good friends, and we visited them often in their
rooms at the Croydon. I guess I have to thank Phil Lord for my eventual
career in radio. After they saw me in the play, he thought I was a pretty
good young actor, and told my Mom about the in's and out's of the Radio
business. When we eventually returned home to NY, I discovered I was now a
performer on radio in addition to the NY stage. My Mom kept in touch with
them until they passed away. Boy, that brings back memories.
As for Jane Webb, we still stay in touch. She and her husband live about 4
hours south of me.
Nice chatting with you Sandy.
Regards
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:52:08 -0400
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Cisco Kid
I suppose this is on topic.
The Cisco kid eventually became a TV series starring Duncan Reynaldo. Many
years later, when the show was in syndication, the distributor hired Duncan
to go around to all the local stations (those who purchased the re-runs) to
make personal appearances to promote the show. At the time. I was operations
manager of an NBC affiliate in Michigan, and it was my job to schedule
Duncan to appear on as many of our live shows as possible for that purpose.
(He was a super nice guy, and very cooperative.)
Frankly, it was a little sad to see the aging Duncan Reynaldo make an
appearance, dressed in his resplendent tight fitting black "Cisco" costume.
I couldn't take my eyes off his pot belly stretching the front of his
costume to the breaking [removed] I told all the directors that they better
just shoot him "waist up".
But then again, I suppose I look pretty ridiculous when I wear my "Jughead"
beanie when we do "Archie" recreations. And, drat, they can't focus on me
"waist up" to hide my extended waistline. Right Marilyn? :)
Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:46:22 -0400
From: "alanladdsr" <alanladdsr@[removed];
To: "OTR message" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Ed Prentiss
I recently began some correspondence with Captain Midnight's granddaughter,
Elizabeth Prentiss. Ed Prentiss played the part from WWII to late in the
series.
A while back I thought I saw a title of a book Captain Midnight--WWII years,
or some such. Could someone enlighten me if they know of such a tome. She
would love to get it, of course, as she has heard little about her
grandfather's radio work. Her father, Mr Prentiss's son, would also like the
information. I was able to send her some tapes of his THIS IS THE STORY!
remember that one?
Don Frey
[ADMINISTRIVIA: Written by our own Steven
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:49:50 -0400
From: "Bob Scherago" <rscherago@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: There are no stupid questions
May I ask what to some might be a stupid question?
What is the origin of the term "foley" as used in "Foley
Sound Effects" etc.
The foley artist on a film crew is the person who records
the sound effects. Sound effects are rarely recorded at
the same time as dialogue and action, since the sound
mix is so difficult to master; the foley artist listens to the
dialogue track for the (usually quite faint) sounds of for
instance footsteps, a door slam, etc. and records them
onto a new track in synch with the action onscreen. The
foley artist also adds sounds that may not exist at all on
the original track: for instance, thumping watermelons or
cracking bamboo to create the sounds of a fight.
The name comes from one of the original and well-known
Hollywood practicioners of this art, Jack Foley, who got
his start in the film business as a stand-in and screenwriter
during the silent era and later helped Universal make the
transition to sound.
Bob Scherago
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:50:34 -0400
From: Shenbarger@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: DVD Recorders for OTR
In a message dated 10/3/2002 4:57:13 PM Central Daylight Time, Tom
Kleinschmidt writes:
Actually consumer DVD Recorders are all over the place
now. Just visit your local Best Buy or Circuit City, I
think I even saw one at Sears! Pioneer, Phillips,
Samsung, and Panasonic all offer models priced under
$1,000, which while not cheap is about what VCRís went
for when they first came out. I seem to remember
paying about $950 back in 1979-1980 for a RCA VHS
machine
I bought my first four tape recorders, 2-Beta and 2-VHS, at prices from
$900-$1000 beginning about 1978. Also, recall that tape costs were very high.
My best price at that time for blank tape was $19/tape bought in 3-case (36
tapes) quantity. A one case price I paid was $21. Pre-recorded movies at
discount were $60 for single reel and $80 for double reel. In 2002 dollars
those prices would be much more.
We often forget what it originally cost to enjoy the things we have today.
The Phillips recorder (Phillips # DVD985) at Best Buy was recently reduced in
price about 15% to $850. Media prices at Best Buy were cut about 50%. I'm
sure it will be cheaper next year. Lesser machines, maybe last year's
technology, are cheaper. One thing to watch for is the old Beta-VHS war --
some machine use -R & -RW media, some use +R & +RW media and the dust needs
to settle.
"What is the DVD+RW Alliance? The DVD+RW Alliance is a voluntary group of
industry-leading PC manufacturers, optical storage and consumer electronics
manufacturers. Executive members of the DVD+RW Alliance include Dell,
Hewlett-Packard Company, MCC/Verbatim, Philips Electronics, Ricoh Company
Ltd., Sony Corporation, Thomson Multimedia and Yamaha Corporation."
There are six recordable versions of DVD-ROM: DVD-R for General, DVD-R for
Authoring, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD+[removed]
See [removed]
I don't know of any DVD recorders that are suitable for recording OTR
programs.
Don Shenbarger
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:51:37 -0400
From: Ruk77@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: flash animation
I have recently discovered flash animation. a friend has different sights
that have cartoons, serials, science fiction & any genre you can imagine. I
imediately thought of creating animation to old time radio. My friend said
the programs are about $[removed] and are easy to use.
Has any one else had this idea or ever seen OTR put to some kind of visual
either on tv or computer? I think it would be especially neat to see some of
the mysterys put to animation like inner sanctum or suspence. Just wondering.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:29:28 -0400
From: Tom Kleinschmidt <otr1962@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Tapes that squeal / Radio Spirits
A few odds and ends
First for the person who bought tapes that squeal, it
sounds like you planned to tape onto them. I suggest
cutting your losses now and just throwing them away.
Even if you get the squeal to stop, it's usually just
a temporary fix and you may be sorry later.
On Radio Spirits, maybe I've been lucky, but my
experiences with them have generally been quite good.
A friend of mine ordered the new Bob Hope CD set a few
weeks ago and was told over the phone that it would be
delivered in 2-3 weeks and he actually got it a week
after he placed the order(Now if I can just get him to
lend it to me after he's done listening to it!). Of
course the usual disclaimers apply, I have no
connection with Radio Spirits, but obviously some
people do have good experiences with them.
To clarify one note in the last digest, the feature
Fred Berney describes on the Panasonic DVD Recorders
works much like a TIVO unit. This only works when
using the erasable DVD-RAM discs, which are more
expensive, but can be used over and over again. I've
used it several time, mainly for sporting events and
it really comes in handy.
Tom
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:29:41 -0400
From: bruceglazer@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Finding an MP3 Player for my car
I am seeking a CD/MP3 player for my car that will actually remember where I "left off"
when I stop playing an OTR program. Currently I only have a player that remembers
where MP3 music was stopped - but no OTR. Can anyone advise me?
Thanks,
BRUCE
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 13:29:56 -0400
From: Ronald Staley <mrvintageradio@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: the state of OTR preservation today
Those following the "copyright" challenges of
years gone by certainly
remember the articles about founder and former CEO Carl Amari and his bid
to "shut down abusers" of copyright.
I was not against Carl's aims--just the heavy-handedness with which things
seemed to be coming down.
the sad irony of all this is--when Audio Books bought Carl's company for
its mailing list--they proceeded to kill off a marvelously talented
purveyor of the medium--for Carl knew old time radio and was a collector of
same. He knew packages would sell, but the new conglomerate failed to take
this into account; Hence, the summer blow-out sales.
The big company that planned to put old radio on the map, and thus get the
mind set changed about "radio being dead" tried hard--but to my mind seems
to be faltering in its herculean efforts.
This points out or should point out to everyone involved that "old time
radio" or "vintage radio" as I like to call it is better left in the hands
of enthusiasts rather than big corporations.
The availability of Amos and Andy is another part of this great history's
""copyright" debacle.
When a man offered to pay CBS for the use of the name "Amos n' Andy" and
was turned down--and when the man sued and got Amos and Andy named as a
"generic"--this should have pointed out to the broadcast and legal worlds
the consequences of a corporations' holding onto something and totally
avoiding the "fair use" clause of the copyright law.
I am for responsible use of the radio medium. I will get in to the "mp3"
phase later on, but be aware that when you choose to defend the copyright
of a particular program--especially those of many years ago, trying to use
the legal profession as the bludgeon--the result can be the undoing of
your self-importance.
I respect Carl, and found him to be most charming, but I am sure he found
out that the big corporate screw can turn so far before the "perceived
tortured" rebell.
The only sad thing to come out of this is a volumenous pile of mp3 files in
varying stages of decomposition.
The people who are truly interested in preserving the broadcast medium are
caught between the two devils of over-cedarization and the mp3 mania. This
makes historians, archivists and the preservers of vintage radio have to
work that much harder to produce a quality-preserved copy.
Now, persons who want to hear vintage radio broadcasts have to work through
the mounds of "chaff" to find the golden kernels of wheat that OTR represent.
I can still remember the 1-7/8 crowd–I was one of those guys. I know that
the 1-7/8IPS and the MP3 folks are just operating within a different
generation, but the question still remains–could it be that when all is
said and done about OTR preservation, "the mounds of chaff" are winning?
More in future opinions
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 13:57:29 -0400
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Cisco Kid's name
To sum up:
Joy Jackson writes:
Surely the Cisco Kid had a real name.
and Jack French correctly replied
"The Caballero's Way" for McClure's .... is the
debut of the Cisco Kid. Except he's no hero, no kid (he's 25), and not
Latino. He's a Yanqui, and brags of killing dozens, mostly Mexicans,
because he likes "to see them kick."....
but then states that he's never heard any name other than "Cisco Kid"
in any of the various media in which the character's appeared.
In fact, at one point in "The Caballero's Way" is a scene in which
Capt. Duval and another lawman discuss the Kid, and one
of them says: "His name's Goodall, isn't it?"
The question is embedded in a longer remark and the other
character doesn't respond to it. So it's not a definitive answer,
but an important clue: The Cisco Kid as originally conceived by
O. Henry was a cold-blooded Texas gunslinger whose name was
probably Goodall. And it's long been my assumption that the name
"Cisco" refers to his probable origin in or near Cisco, Texas.
(Which, incidentally, was the site of the first hotel that
Conrad Hilton purchased.)
--
John Henley
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 14:13:35 -0400
From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re:Foley
Thanks to Mike Biel, Doug Douglass and others for a PROPER explanation of
the term "Foley" What always confused me , of course, was that the term
was used on web sites by supposed "professionals" involved in new radio
drama or re-creations as meaning ANY sfx used in an audio drama. So
naturally I always [removed] "what in the world is a 'foley' ?"
Eric Cooper
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 14:28:10 -0400
From: Harlan Zinck <buster@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: RS, Edgar Bergen, and squeeeeeaaaallling tapes
It's a shame to see how far Radio Spirits (read MediaBay) has fallen since
Carl Amari sold the business. For all of our disputes and discussions
concerning Mr. Amari over the years, it has to be said that he ran a very
customer-oriented business - an attitude which, in large part, made RS such
a successful company under his leadership.
For those of you who have written to complain about the low quality of
customer service you are receiving from Radio Spirits these days, I'd
suggest that you visit Lou Genco's incredible Original Old Time Radio (OTR)
WWW Pages" at:
[removed]
Here you will find a listing of sponsors - old time radio dealers, clubs,
and non-profit groups that can provide you with programs that are just as
good or better sounding and usually as low-priced as Radio Spirits, and
offering far better customer service. Many of the dealers listed are also
subscribers to the OTR Digest you are now reading and I can pretty much
guarantee that the level of personal service you will receive from them
will be excellent.
On another topic, Matthew Bullis writes:
Hello, I found an Edgar Bergen record called Lessons In Ventriloquism.
It's pretty funny and informative, with Edgar telling you in detail how to
become a ventriloquist, and he does some Charlie routines, along with
playing some bits from old shows. Does anyone know when this was released
and if it was packaged with anything?
I don't have any specific info about this recording, Matthew, but I do
recall it being sold in the Sears Roebuck and Wards Christmas catalogs back
in the late 1960's. The LP was offered right alongside the Charlie McCarthy
and Mortimer Snerd ventriloquist dummies for about $[removed] or so. I know this
because I desperately wanted a Charlie McCarthy when I was ten and never
got it (cue sobbing violins). I had to wait until I was in my twenties to
buy one for myself, and today my own Charlie sits in his own vintage kids
rocker in my den - a bit dusty, but just as full of the devil as he ever was.
Finally, regarding squealing reel tapes, it is not difficult to bake them
and make them temporarily playable again, but it does require owning either
a convection oven or a specific-size food dehydrator. (Standard electric
ovens can be used, but I've heard from a number of people that they've
melted more than a few reels in the attempt.) I have contacts with people
who can provide baking and transfer services for a very reasonable price
so, if anyone with "squeakers" would prefer to have someone with experience
do the job, feel free to drop me a line of-list and I'll forward your
message accordingly.
Harlan
Harlan Zinck
First Generation Radio Archives
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 15:23:52 -0400
From: "BirdWalk" <Birdwalk@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Supes on TVLand
cable station TV Land will be re-running episodes four episodes of
"Superman"
tomorrow night* beginning at 9:00 [removed] that should include recently
departed
Beverly Hillbillies 40 hours
Love Boat 25 hours
Superman 4 episodes 2 hours
SUPERMAN 2 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!
some tribute
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #389
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