------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 117
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
3-31 births [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
PhD Thesis on "The War of The Worlds [ =?iso-8859-1?Q?=22F=B7bio=22?= <fap ]
Sponsor's booth [ <welsa@[removed]; ]
Re: broadcasting days [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
Hector Chevigny [ khovard@[removed] ]
Re: THE woman [ Shenbarger@[removed] ]
Continued Adventures of Sherlock Hol [ Wich2@[removed] ]
John Dunning [ "George M. Kelly" <gkelly1@[removed] ]
Re: WLS National Barn Dance [ Shenbarger@[removed] ]
Bishop Sheen [ "Arthur Funk" <Art-Funk@[removed]; ]
Terror By Night [ "John Orinjok" <JohnO@[removed]; ]
Actors Associated with Roles [ "Arthur Funk" <Art-Funk@[removed]; ]
Holmes & Watson [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]
4-1 births/deaths [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
The Ultimate Holmes [ William Brooks <webiii@[removed]; ]
Sherlock Holmes on PBS [ kclarke5@[removed] ]
Shafter Parker [ "awfulE" <emba@[removed]; ]
Clearance sale on cassettes and cd's [ Andy Blatt <andy@vintagebroadcasts. ]
Michigan State University [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
1st Day of Air America and a surpris [ "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 09:35:14 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 3-31 births
March 31st births
03-31-1908 - Les Damon - Providence, RI - d. 7-20-1962
actor: Nick Charles "Advs. of the Thin Man"; Michael Waring "The Falcon"
03-31-1915 - Henry Morgan - NYC - d. 5-19-1994
comedian: "Here's Morgan"; "Henry Morgan Show"
03-31-1918 - Charles Russell - NYC - d. 1-18-1985
actor: Johnny Dollar "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"
03-31-1922 - Richard Kiley - Chicago, IL - d. 3-5-1999
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
03-31-1928 - Lefty Frizzell - Corsicana, TX - d. 7-19-1975
singer: "Grand Ole Opry"; "Louisana Hayride"; "Big D Jamboree"
03-31-1934 - Shirley Jones - Smithton, PA
singer-actress: "Calling All Hearts"; "Stars for Defense"; "Special Delivery:
Vietnam"
March 31st deaths
None
--
Ron Sayles
For a complete list:
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 09:39:43 -0500
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=22F=B7bio=22?= <fape2@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: PhD Thesis on "The War of The Worlds"
Dear Friends from the OTR Group,
I am very glad to tell you that I will be defending my PhD
thesis called "Radio, Fiction and Reality: a New Approach
to Orson Welles' "The War of The Worlds" this Friday, at 2
[removed], at the State University of Sao Paulo (School of
Communications and Arts).
Should any of you happen to be in Brazil, please be
welcome.
I also would like the OTR group to know that in the
acknowledgements I thank the OTR group for having helped me
in gathering information on TWOT, especially through Dennis
W. Crow, Derek Tague and William L. Abott. Thank you very
much!
Below you can read the abstract of my thesis.
Warm regards from
Fabio Lacerda Soares Pietraroia
ABSTRACT
This research aims at contributing to understand better the
reasons why approximately one million people panicked, in
the United States, in 1938, during the radio broadcasting
of "The War of the Worlds" - a dramatization that was
adapted by Orson Welles' team and that simulated an
invasion of Earth by Martians. Unlike most previous
researches, this one's main focus is neither on the
characteristics of the radio program itself nor on the
listeners' profile. Although such factors themselves are
not underestimated, this research focuses, above all, on
the interaction of both of them which creates a dialogical
relationship that, in its turn, gives birth to the process
of meaning construction.
Throughout this research, a strict commitment was kept with
understanding the historical context of "The War of the
Worlds" in its various aspects, including: the role of
radio and the ways it used to be employed in the 1930's;
the context in which the original science fiction novel was
written by H. G. Wells, and the circumstances in which it
was adapted to radio; what astronomers knew about Mars in
those times; the popular belief regarding the end of the
world, etc.
A hybrid and never used before method was adopted. It
combines elements of the human sciences (especially from
the Marxist philosophy of language) with some knowledge
that has been recently achieved in the field of human
neurobiology in what concerns the way memory is generated
and evocated in people's mind.
We found out that a multitude of factors concurs to explain
why so many listeners mistook fiction for reality, giving
in to panic. But, among them, it should be highlighted the
fact that a "collective memory of future" about Mars as
well as about its would-be inhabitants was built. Such
collective memory of future foresaw that an alien invasion
of our planet could take place, which provided the radio
program with a particularly realistic shape, especially if
we take into account the context it was broadcasted.
Finally, we argue that other media phenomena (somehow
similar to "The War of the Worlds") could happen, either
now or in the future, because their pre-conditions still
exist. People's sense of reality could be cheated again and
they would be led to mistake fiction for reality once more.
=====
Fabio Lacerda Soares Pietraroia
Alameda Ja , 150. Ap. 13-A
01420-000 Sao Paulo-SP
Brazil
fones: (11)3262-3435
e (11)9443-7144
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 10:44:52 -0500
From: <welsa@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Sponsor's booth
I have heard that some network radio studios provided special private booths
for show sponsors to use. Kind of like sky boxes in today's sports
stadiums.
Were these booths equipped for entertaining? That is, did they cater meals,
snack, beverages (alcoholic or otherwise)? Or were they just private places
to sit and watch (listen) to the show?
Ted
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 12:47:52 -0500
From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: broadcasting days
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Are any of these broadcasting days commercially available? I know about the
one from 1939 and I believe "Radio Yesteryear" once made the D-Day broadcast
days available, so surely *they* are floating around. But what about the ones
from the 1950s and 11/25/60?
Dixon
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 12:48:30 -0500
From: khovard@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Hector Chevigny
Blue Chevigny asked about her Grandfather, Hector Chevigny's radio shows and
I have sent her a brief reply.
We are all familiar with the fact that OTR and radio in general are so
popular for obvious reasons among (inter alia) blind people. Digest
subscribers may be intersted to know that radio write Chevigny was himself
blind.
Howard Blue (no relation to Blue Chevigny -- but what a pair we might have
made!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 12:48:58 -0500
From: Shenbarger@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: THE woman
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In a message dated Ray Druian wrote:
Also, radio, television, and movies have left open whether Ms. Adler was
THE woman or the WOman.
But the Strand Magazine original print edition does not.
In my quasi-facsimile edition of same the word *the* is in italics.
So too does it appear in the popular Doubleday "The Complete Sherlock
Holmes".
Don Shenbarger
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 12:50:14 -0500
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Continued Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
From: "Druian, Raymond B SPL" <[removed]@[removed];
Furthermore, there is absolutely NO truth to the vicious rumor that Holmes
and Ms. Adler had been lovers.
(Holy hannah - calling a rumor about being lovers "vicious"!?)
Pastiche writers have run with this ball - even producing progeny! - but not
ACD.
Nobody, however, has ever settled the question of whether Ms. Adler was
>from the same family that produced Stella and Luther Adler.
Stella never mentioned it when I was studing with her! (And ACD would have
probably made mention of the fact, if Irene was a "Hebrew".)
From: "John E. Sexton" <jsexton@[removed];
I think there was at least one person who portrayed BOTH Holmes and Watson.
Mr. Tollin may weigh in here; off the top of my head: Reginald Owen, on
screen; Jeremy Brett, onstage.
More, about an upcoming live NYC recreation of Edith Meiser's first non-Doyle
script
Taking shape: at the Episcopal Actors's Guild in May, a double bill of a
"Fibber McGee" script, directed by and starring the Mercury's Arthur
Anderson; with the Holmes "Adventure of the Hindoo in the Wicker Basket",
with Quicksilver's Craig Wichman, Joseph Franchini, and Katie Nutt. Sfx by
Bill Nadel.
Best,
CW
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 12:47:41 -0500
From: "George M. Kelly" <gkelly1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: John Dunning
I learned yesterday that John Dunning was here in Jackson, Mississippi, this
past Saturday promoting his new book, Bookman's Promise. I need to keep up
better with local events. Anyway, thought I'd inform you, if you didn't
already know, that John Dunning is making personal appearances across the
country.
George Kelly
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:27:07 -0500
From: Shenbarger@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: WLS National Barn Dance
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X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In a message dated 3/31/2004 Jim Harmon wrote:
The correct name is the National Barn Dance.
As a youngster, I recall my mother taking me to the National Barn Dance radio
show where I heard Homer and Jethro sing "Screen Door", a musical corruption
of "Green Door", the number 1 record in August and September of 1956. It's the
only recollection I have of the songs and entertainers that evening. I also
was impressed by the size of the studio audience. According to the WLS history
page, the Eighth Street Theater held 1,200 people and 3 million people saw the
show in its 26 year run at that location. The first show was broadcast on
April 19, 1924, the first Saturday night of the station's operation.
[removed]
Look at the additional pages (link at bottom) for short bio's on the
performers. There are many familiar names there.
Don Shenbarger
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:27:40 -0500
From: "Arthur Funk" <Art-Funk@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Bishop Sheen
In Digest No. 113 Hal Stone opined re the bishop:
Word was out that even Non Catholics watched him, just because he was
fascinating to watch, had a great sense of humor, and never boring.
No doubt about that. My staunchly Southern Baptist grandmother was a
devoted fan. Her favorite shows were Bp Sheen, Liberace, wrestling and her
"stories" (soap operas).
To keep this "on-list" she had a beautiful large Zenith radio which got
moved from the living room into a spare bedroom when my uncle bought her a
24-inch (I think) table model Muntz TV.
Regards to all,
Art Funk
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:45:24 -0500
From: "John Orinjok" <JohnO@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Terror By Night
Since the digest has been talking about Sherlock Holmes, I was wondering if
anyone could tell me how the movie ended. I only taped 3/4 of it when it
aired on TCM.
Thanks
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:46:05 -0500
From: "Arthur Funk" <Art-Funk@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Actors Associated with Roles
In Digest No. 115 Fred Berney offered:
I believe that you relate to the actor who you first saw or heard playing
the role. For me Sherlock Holmes will always be Basil Rathbone, James Bond
is Sean Connery and The Shadow is Bret Morrison.
I agree with those three. But having listened to The Lone Ranger first on
radio and later having watched on TV, when I conjure up the Ranger in my
head I hear Brace Beemer's voice and see Clayton Moore's face. Same goes
for the Gunsmoke characters.
Regards to all,
Art Funk
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 14:25:36 -0500
From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Holmes & Watson
To my ear the best Holmes and Watson on radio will
always be Clive Merrison & Michael Williams of the
BBC. They play the characters as concieved by Sir
Arthur. What usually spoils most audio Holmes episodes
for me is the fact, as in the case of Hobbs & Shelly,
the actors sound much too old for the roles. Or as in
the case of Nigel Bruce, Dr. Watson is not played for
his intelligence.
Call me a purist, but the duo were in their late
20's when they met and Holmes' was in his late 40s or
early 50s when he retired. In most American
productions Watson sounds a like a stuffed shirt old
enough for retirement. In some of the UK series he is
made to sound like a complete twit.
Yes I have a bias toward the characters. I want them
done correctly. While Rathbone is an excellent Holmes,
Bruce played Watson in such a way that Sir Arthur was
probably turning over in his grave.
I couldn't get enough of Jeremy Brett's Holmes and
Edward Hardwick, although not physically right, was an
outstanding Watson. Merrison and Williams bring the
same truth to the roles on radio.
Larry Albert
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 15:54:18 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 4-1 births/deaths
April Fool's births
04-01-1886 - Wallace Beery - Kansas City, MO - d. 4-15-1949
host: "Shell Chateau"
04-01-1909 - Eddy Duchin - Cambridge, MA - d. 2-9-1951
bandleader: (The Ten Magic Fingers of Radio) "Lasalle Style Show"
04-01-1912 - Lou Merrill - Canada - d. 4-7-1963
actor: Thomas Hyland "Crime Classics"; Aaron Saul "Point Sublime"
04-01-1917 - Leon Janney - Ogden, UT - d. 10-28-1980
actor: Danny Stratford "Life of Mary Sothern"; Richard Parker "Parker Family"
04-01-1923 - Bobby Jordan - NYC - d. 9-10-1965
actor: (The Dead End Kids) "Texaco Star Playhouse"; "Wheatenaville Sketches"
04-01-1926 - Jack Grimes - NYC
actor: Archie Andrews "Archie Andrews"; Homer Brown "Aldrich Family"
04-01-1929 - Jane Powell - Portland, OR
singer: Judy Foster "A Date with Judy"; "Chase & Sanborn Hour"; "Stars of
Tomorrow"
04-01-1932 - Debbie Reynolds - El Paso, TX
actress: "Stars Over Hollywood"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
04-01-1934 - Don Hastings - Brooklyn, NY
actor: "Theatre Guild on the Air"; "Studio One"; "Radio City Playhouse"
April Fool's deaths
01-17-1884 - Noah Beery, Sr. - Kansas City, MO - d. 4-1-1946
actor: "Campbell's Playhouse"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
01-18-1902 - Helen Lynd - NJ - d. 4-1-1992
actress: Miss Duffy "Duffy's Tavern"
05-13-1902 - David Broekman - Leiden, The Netherlands- d. 4-1-1958
conductor: "Mobil Magazine"; "Texaco Star Theatre"
05-20-1909 - Jerry Hausner - Cleveland, OH - d. 4-1-1993
actor: "Lum and Abner"; "Silver Theatre"
05-25-1907 - Barbara Luddy - Helena, MT - d. 4-1-1979
actress: Carol Evans "Road of Life"; Janet Munson Adams "Woman in White"
03-15-1956 - Charlie Summers - York, PA - d. 4-1-2004
maintainer, list; owner, blog
11-16-1896 - Jim Jordan - Peoria, IL - d. 4-1-1988
comedian: Mickey Donavan, "Kaltenmeyer's Kindergarten"; "Fibber McGee "Fibber
McGee and Molly"
12-15-1873 - Harry Humphrey - San Francisco, CA - d. 4-1-1947
actor: Old Ranger "Death Valley Days"; Horace "Ma and Pa"
--
Ron Sayles
For a complete list:
[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 16:17:32 -0500
From: William Brooks <webiii@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: The Ultimate Holmes
Allen Wilcox posted that in his opinion Clive Merrison is the
ultimate Sherlock Holmes on radio. I've been reading the digest and
wondering when someone would mention him. The entire Holmes Canon
with Merrison as Holmes and Michael Williams as Watson is the very
best representation ever done of Doyle's characters. The production
values and acting are wonderful.
In my opinion the duo who comes in a close second are curently in
production, and airing nation wide on Imagination Theatre. This
series ( The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) in written and
produced in Seattle by Jim French as has John Patrick Lowrie playing
Holmes and Lawrence Albert ( a frequent contributer to this digest)
as Watson. Lowrie has an edge to his character and Albert plays
Watson not as a bumbler ( as done by the loveable Nigel Bruce) but as
a competent, and accomplished man. The supporting cast is also
wonderful. These shows are available via [removed].
If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes and wish to listen to accurate
portrayals of Holmes and Watson get yourself some of the BBC
production with Clive Merrison and Michael Williams and compare them
to The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes with John Patrick Lowie
and Lawrence Albert. Both series are excellant.
Bill Brooks
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 17:24:39 -0500
From: kclarke5@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Sherlock Holmes on PBS
There was a series on PBS a few months ago,
which showed the development of the Sherlock Holmes
character. It centered around Arthur Conan Doyle
as a young medical student and one of his professors.
He'd join this professor on many of his outings and
ask questions of him, much like Watson did. His
professor, I forget his name, was very big on using
deductive reasoning and logic, and left no stone unturned
when it came to solving a case. (Much like Sherlock
Holmes did in his cases.)
It was very good and I hope PBS will continue
the series in the future. I'm not sure who played
the roles of Arthur Conan Doyle and the professor who
influenced him, but they were both very good!
Although fictionalized, I'm sure, it raised some
theories which made me appreciate the nature of Holmes
and the way he worked his cases on OTR and in films.
Kenneth Clarke
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 18:41:30 -0500
From: "awfulE" <emba@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Shafter Parker
[removed]@[removed]>
Does anyone remember a program in the 1935-37 time frame (west coast) either
named "Shafter Parker" or the the star was 'Shafter.' I heard one or two
eps. and that's it. The plot: Parker was rich. He had just purchased a
circus and the train to move it. He had no idea what he was doing and that
was where the laughs started. There were lots.
I don't know why this has stuck with me through the years? "Maybe I am
waiting for the next ep?"
awfulE >emba@[removed]<
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 23:27:00 -0500
From: Andy Blatt <andy@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Clearance sale on cassettes and cd's
For a limited time I'm having a clearance sale on cassettes and cd'[removed]
Grab Bag sale of sorts.
Each cassette with label and box is 99 cents (no minimum) and cd's are $[removed]
and Shipping and handling of $[removed] for media mail or $[removed] for priority
mail + tax where applicable (CT). At these prices I cannot guarantee show
or title but if you'd like all comedy or all drama or a little bit of
everything, please let me know. I can accept all forms of payment as well
as all major credit cards.
All cassettes come with label and box and cd's are labelled and come in an
envelope with "glassine" window.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I will donate
some of the money earned
by this sale to the listmaster to help defray the cost of maintaining this
list.
Thanks.
Andy
VINTAGE BROADCASTS
[removed] 3257
Milford, CT 06460-3257
866-783-1923
[removed]
andy@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 23:27:57 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Michigan State University
A Special Collections Department at the Michigan State University has a
series of comic books on mircofilm for viewing, based on a popular radio
program. Alas, I am too far from Michigan to take a drive out there, but if
anyone on this Digest happens to live within driving distance of the
University and wouldn't mind checking out their comic book collection and
write down a little info I need from some of the issues, I would be more
than glad to financially reimburse for their time and trouble. Feel free to
drop me a line.
Martin Grams, Jr.
mmargrajr@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 09:31:57 -0500
From: "Irene Heinstein" <IreneTH@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 1st Day of Air America and a surprising
I am listening to the stream from the first day of broadcast of Air America
and was surprised when Al Franken introduced a funny remote presumably from
Heathrow Airport with Wally Ballou reporting.
It sounded just like Bob Elliott - and it turns out it was he.
Quite a treat to hear that voice again. 'Wally Ballou' will be 'reporting'
from time to time on Franken's show.
Irene
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #117
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