Subject: [removed] Digest V2014 #81
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 9/17/2014 9:45 AM

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

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                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2014 : Issue 81
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      NUMBER PLEASE -- Revisited            [ "Read Burgan" <rgb@[removed]; ]
      Corwin Rebroadcast Bumped             [ Charlie Summers <listmaster@lofcom. ]

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    Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 08:17:51 -0400
    From: "Read Burgan" <rgb@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  NUMBER PLEASE -- Revisited
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I was tempted to title the subject:  SORRY, WRONG NUMBER!

    Since my initial posting, I have learned a few things about the series that I
    recently acquired.  For those who may be interested, here is the story to
    date:

    First, recently I was at the Yard Sale shop in Laurium, Michigan b"
    population 1,967 b" a few miles away from where I live.  The Yard Sale boasts
    20,000 LPbs and I set out to add to a few select artists to my collection.
    As I was preparing to pay for my acquisitions, I noticed a cardboard box on
    the floor with 16 inch electrical transcriptions.  Pausing briefly to see what
    might be there, I saw the title, bNumber [removed]

    Not being familiar with the series, it didnbt engender much interest.
    However on second thought, I asked the proprietor if he would let me borrow
    one to see if the contents might interest me.  As he pondered that question, I
    said, bOh, Ibll just buy one from you!b  The proprietor said that he had
    two more boxes of 16 inch ETbs but that he would have to bring them to his
    shop.  He indicated that he gotten the ETbs 15 to 20 years ago from a
    collector in Newberry, Michigan, which is some 200 miles from here.

    Taking the disc home and dropping a stylus on the ET, I was quickly persuaded
    that I should go back and acquire the entire group of ETbs.  A couple of
    days later I returned and the proprietor had brought the remaining two boxes
    and I dug through them until I had identified all of the bNumber Pleaseb
    series b" approximately 45 including the one that I had already purchased.

    Here is what I have learned to date about bNumber Pleaseb series.  Please
    forgive me if I ramble.

    First, NBC was carrying a program called bNumber Pleaseb in April of 1946.
    The program featured the vocal group The Song Spinners started by Margaret
    Johnson and featuring her husband, Travis, and two others in a mixed quartet
    that sang a variety of songs.

    The series as represented on the discs that I have was produced by the N. W.
    Ayer Company that was the advertising agency for A T & T and was sponsored by
    Michigan Bell Telephone Company and this particular set of discs was
    originally aired on WSOO at Sault St. Marie, Michigan (begun in 1940 and still
    broadcasting today) b" about 250 due east of here.  The program features the
    vocal group The Song Spinners singing a variety of music including popular
    (40bs era), folk, country western, Broadway, novelty and spirituals.  The
    earliest disc in my collection starts with December 31, 1946 and is on the
    World Broadcasting label.  The later discs are on the WOR Label.  The
    announcer for this series is Eddie Dunn.  Eddie Dunn appeared on both WOR and
    NBC programs including The Jack Berch Show and celebrated his 20th year in
    radio in 1947.  The Song Spinners appeared on a number of shows including
    bThe Aldrich [removed]

    The program was designed to be aired on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at
    6:15 PM, local time.  The program premiered on Dec. 10th 1945 on WWJ, Detroit,
    and was released on 16 stations in Michigan.  A T & T networks in other states
    did not carry a similar program because public service regulators took a dim
    view of broadcast advertising by electric utilities seeking rate increases
    back at that time.  Judging by the way the discs were produced, a weekbs
    worth of programming was shipped at a time with one disc containing the
    Monday/Wednesday programs and a second, one sided disc containing the Friday
    program.

    The title bNumber Pleaseb was used for other programs.  In June of 1946
    bRadio Dailyb reports that Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company was
    sponsoring a 7 day a week 15 minute program called bNumber [removed]  It
    used a local announcer, Mark Jordan.  It isnbt clear if the source of music
    was live or recorded.  In October of 1949 WGN, Chicago, started a give away
    program called bNumber [removed]

    To summarize, I have acquired approximately 45  16 inch discs of a 15 minute
    program series bNumber Pleaseb sponsored by the Michigan Bell Telephone
    Company and originally aired on 16 radio stations in Michigan.  Unless and
    until I hear otherwise, I will conclude that I have the only known recordings
    of this series, but it is possible that more exist in a dingy basement or hot
    attic right here in Michigan.  Shhh!  Do you hear that?  Itbs a bNumber
    Pleaseb disc and . . . itbs calling your name!  Quick, follow that sound.

    I apologize for such a long posting, but as we all know, bI Love A
    Mysteryb and although bIt Pays To Be Ignorantb and of course bPeople
    Are Funny,b nevertheless I wondered bCan You Top Thisb and besides, I
    would be a bShadowb of my former self if I didnbt make such a bBold
    [removed]

    If you want to hear a sample program of bNumber Pleaseb I have uplinked an
    mpg-3 file to Hightail and you can download it at the following link:
    [removed]  .  The link should
    be good until Sept 22, 2014.  Please let me know if you have any trouble
    accessing the link.

    With that I will return to my normal mode on this forum of lurking and reading
    the inspired words of those who know a whole lot more than I.

    Read Burgan

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
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    ------------------------------

    Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 08:18:00 -0400
    From: Charlie Summers <listmaster@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Corwin Rebroadcast Bumped

    Folks;

       As I feared with last Friday's schedule change, the Norman Corwin
    interview rebroadcast on The Bob Edwards Show was bumped and will not air.
    I suspect it will air early in the "era" of all-reruns-all-the-time
    beginning the 29th, but I have no future schedule information.

       I'll find my recording of the original airing and post it to the Digest's
    Copy folder sometime later today.

             Charlie

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2014 Issue #81
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