Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #52
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 2/8/2004 10:30 AM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2004 : Issue 52
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Shadow                                [ "Harry R. Keller" <hrkeller@earthli ]
      2-8 births/deaths                     [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      John B. Gambling orchestra            [ zbob@[removed] ]
      What to do with OTR cassettes         [ Ehutchison@[removed] ]
      RADIOLOVERS SITE                      [ ME <voxpop@[removed]; ]
      Portable DVD players for MP3s         [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
      Lucifers and fags                     [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Re: "Hoobert Heever"                  [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
      Gambling, MacFadden, and Martin Bloc  [ Lee Munsick <leemunsick@[removed] ]
      Re: John B. Gambling                  [ "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed]; ]
      Radio comedy                          [ JE Purvis <hqsouth@[removed]; ]
      Von Zell Blooper                      [ OTRGURU@[removed] ]
      Lux Episode                           [ lawrence albert <albertlarry@yahoo. ]
      Hoobert Heever = "Urban Legend"       [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK               [ "Jerry Haendiges" <Jerry@[removed] ]
      Slight correction to "Pack up your T  [ <richard@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:07:27 -0500
    From: "Harry R. Keller" <hrkeller@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Shadow

    I sure hope that I haven't missed this conversation already, apologies if
    it has been discussed.

    I'm on an e-mail list from one of the Shadow PDF websites (where they take
    the old mags and turn them into PDF files for free downloading) and the
    site owner sent out an announcement that he'd received a letter from Conde
    Naste attornies telling him to cease putting the old Shadow novels on the
    web.

    He said he would, but suggested this might mean that the trademark holders
    might have something up for the copyrighted characters (ergo a cause for
    short-term sadness, long-term joy).

    Anyone have any 4-1-1 on what this might be? Or is it just "protect your
    trademark or lose it?

    Bob Keller
    Waukesha, Wisc.

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:07:35 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  2-8 births/deaths

    February 8th births

    02-08-1886 - Charlie Ruggles - Los Angeles, CA - d. 12-23-1970
    comedian: "Texaco Star Theatre"; "Suspense"; "This Is My Best"
    02-08-1888 - Dame Edith Evans - London, England - d. 10-14-1976
    actress: "Kaleidoscope"
    02-08-1890 - Irving Kaufman - Syracuse, NY - d. 1-3-1976
    singer: "Champion Sparkers"; "Broadway Vanities"
    02-08-1902 - Lyle Talbot - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 3-2-1996
    actor: "Your Hollywood Informer"; "Calling All Cars"; "The Unexpected"
    02-08-1905 - Truman Bradley - Sheldon, MO - d. 7-28-1974
    announcer: "Easy Aces"; "Red Skelton & Co."; "Drene Show"
    02-08-1907 - Ray Middleton - Chicago, IL - d. 4-10-1984
    actor: Abraham Lincoln "Honest Abe"
    02-08-1908 - Myron McCormick - Albany, IN - d. 7-30-1962
    actor: Christopher Wells "Advs. of Christopher Wells"; Walter Manning "Portia
    Faces Life"
    02-08-1911 - Judith Allen - NYC - d. 10-5-1996
    actress: Margo Lane "The Shadow"
    02-08-1913 - Betty Field - Boston, MA - d. 9-13-1973
    actress: Mary Aldrich "Aldrich Family"
    02-08-1921 - Lana Turner - Wallace, ID - d. 6-29-1995
    actress: "Abbott and Costello"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
    02-08-1924 - Audrey Meadows - Wu Chang, China - d. 2-9-1966
    actress: Alice Kramden "Honeymooners"
    02-08-1925 - Jack Lemmon - Boston, MA - d. 6-27-2001
    actor: "Dimension X"; "X Minus One"; " No Love Lost"

    February 8th deaths

    06-04-1917 - Helen Wood - Clarksville, TN - d. 2-8-1988
    actress: Elaine Dascomb "Those We Love"
    07-18-1913 - Marvin Miller - St. Louis, MO - d. 2-8-1985
    actor: Ben Lyon "Jeff Regan, Investigator"; Gil Whitney "Romance of Helen
    Trent"
    09-10-1909 - Raymond Scott - Brooklyn, NY - d. 2-8-1994
    conductor, composer: "Your Hit Parade"; "Chicago Theatre of the Air"
    10-05-1905 - Harriet MacGibbon - Chicago, IL - d. 2-8-1987
    actress: Lucy Kent "Home, Sweet Home"
    10-07-1898 - Alfred Wallenstein - Chicago, IL - d. 2-8-1983
    conductor: "Virtuosos"; "Voice of Firestone"

    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:07:43 -0500
    From: zbob@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  John B. Gambling orchestra

    I enjoyed the recent words on John B., having listened to him and the gang
    during my early growing-up years (still).  Question:  who were the members of
    his orchestra?? I understood that they were fairly well-known folk. TIA

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:07:50 -0500
    From: Ehutchison@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  What to do with OTR cassettes
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I have hundreds of OTR programs on cassette tapes but I now use an MP3 player
    exclusively.  I lack the time and inclination to sell them piecemeal via eBay
    and wondered if any one could suggest a better way for me to dispose of them.

    Thanks for your help.

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

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:08:00 -0500
    From: ME <voxpop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  RADIOLOVERS SITE
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    hi all
    i'm sure i'm coming late to the party but i just [removed]
    [removed]...   which seems to have a great collection of old
    time radio shows in every catagory which you can listen to for FREE on
    their [removed]'re hear to serve and [removed]
    chet norris
    ps ...and NO i have nothing to do with them.

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

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:58:50 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Portable DVD players for MP3s

    David Rogers notes, anent portable DVD players,

> >     in Australia I saw that they have come down a lot in price.  I just

    wondered if anybody has any experience of using them - in particular I
    wonder if anybody has any experience travelling with them. They look a
    lot lighter that carrying a laptop but they seem to have the convenience
    of built in speakers as well as the flexibility of playing other files
    rather than just MP3s.  Anybody have any experience with them?<<

    Not traveling with them, but using them.  I recently picked up an
    Audiovox portable DVD player.  The reason was not to play MP3s (my
    Rio-Volt and Koss MP3 players do that nicely), but it will play them.  It
    is much more compact than  any of my laptops, and a lot lighter.
    However, the battery on mine doesn't last its full three hours, meaning
    that the display drops out earlier, though the straight audio continues.

    I can't imagine what a portable DVD player would do that many MP3 players
    won't, if someone wants it for playing MP3s off batteries.  If one's
    traveling and wants to use one with a power supply, they work fine.  Just
    to check, I ran a whole DVD through it, watching _The Paleface_ on it
    without any difficulties.  But I wouldn't use it on batteries, such as an
    airplane ride.

    According to the manual that came with my Audiovox, the battery will
    discharge itself in about 6 days, so any airplane traveler would do well
    to have a couple of spare battery packs and to charge them all the night
    before.  But the straight MP3 players will last a lot longer, can use AA
    cell batteries available almost anywhere, and will play the disks at
    least as well.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 19:59:51 -0500
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lucifers and fags

    Paula Keiser <pkeiser@[removed]; said:

>     Don, I, too, remember listening to the old John Gambling show on WOR.  I,
>     too, remember only parts of the song.  As I remember it, it went,
>     "Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag,
>     And smile, smile, smile.
>     While you've elicifered (?) to light (?) your bag

    Well, that's pretty close. But I'm sure I'll not be the only one to
    clarify the question marks; that last line goes:

    "While you've a lucifer to light your [removed]"

    I know this sounds like one of the grotesque pronouncements of
    "Reverend" Fred Phelps, but, in fact, this has nothing to do with
    God's judgment on unpopular lifestyles; "lucifer" was a common term
    for a friction match and "fag" was slang for cigarette.

    I would have guessed this use came from the word for a piece of
    firewood, "faggot," since both refer to burning plant matter, but
    apparently it comes from the middle English "fagge" which means flap,
    thus remnant or "fag end." There seems to be no connection to that
    other, currently more common use of the word which, it appears, began
    in the early 20th century. My own guess is that that particular usage
    might derive, somehow, from English public schools and the once
    common practice of assigning younger students to do menial labor as
    "fags" for older ones, that is, to labor until they were fagged out.

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 21:38:53 -0500
    From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: "Hoobert Heever"
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    In a message dated 2/7/04 5:18:23 PM Central Standard Time,
    [removed]@[removed] writes:

>     "...the President of the United States: Hoobert
>     Heever!" or if this is one of the apocryphal stories Kermit Schaeffer and
>     his "re-created" Bloopers records blew out of proportion.

    Apparently Von Zell *did* make that mistake once, but not in the way it's
    told.  He was not actually introducing the president, and the Kermit Shaeffer
    recording was actually a re-creation.  The Urban Legends website actually
    addresses this at the following page:

    [removed]

    Dixon

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 22:56:10 -0500
    From: Lee Munsick <leemunsick@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Gambling, MacFadden, and Martin Block

    Liz McLeod is absolutely correct in her correction of my memory about John
    Gambling and the Lindbergh baby kidnaping trial.  I recall there was some
    benefit to the Gambling program because of WOR's coverage from Flemington
    NJ, but my recollections got carried away and the story of the DJ pressed
    into service during gaps in the trial was indeed about Martin Block.  Mea
    [removed]'s memory is not always as selective as one would wish.

    There's another story about Martin Block of which I am sure.  One day
    around 1942, a funny little guy in a funny little hat waylaid Block on a
    New York street and handed him a record, asking him to put it on his WNEW
    program.

    Young people less familiar with the era should be aware that (A) this was
    during World War II, and (B), independent WNEW was an enormously popular
    station, then and for many years thereafter.  Its disc jockeys' names were
    household words for millions of people in the greater New York market, as
    were the names of their programs such as "Milkman's Matinee" and of course,
    "Make Believe Ballroom".  East coast version, that is.  So the funny little
    man went right to the top in his quest.

    Block had no idea who the man was, although he introduced himself.  With
    skeptical politeness, Block accepted the recording, and took it back to the
    studio.  Eventually he auditioned it, privately.  He found himself laughing
    out loud, and shortly afterward put it on the "Ballroom".

    The funny little man went by the funny little name of Spike Jones.  I
    believe that's his real name, unlike Spike Lee, whose actual name is
    Shelton Jackson Lee.  I hasten to add that I am in no way related to the
    latter, nor Pinky, nor Canada, nor Robert E.

    Spike Jones was a classically trained musician, and his "City Slickers"
    outfit was made up of very talented sidemen.  He functioned sort of within
    the Big Band genre, but was very different, to say the least.  In addition
    to the usual instruments, his fine musicians played all kinds of strange
    bottles, combs, horns, whistles, and human-made sound effects, many of them
    hilarious and hideous, but perfectly timed.  Irony and humor to the Nth
    degree.

    It's always been said that the clowns are the best skaters in the "Ice
    Capades", for it takes a consummate professional to successfully "mess up"
    without getting hurt.  And, in short, to make it work.  There used to be a
    restaurant in the New York area where the waiters were all consummate opera
    singers, who on cue would burst into operatic favorites, but just a bit off.

    The same was true with "Jonathan and Darlene Edwards", whose 1957 recording
    was a best-seller.  The artists were actually Paul Weston and Jo
    Stafford.  A good tip-off of the kind of musical jokes inside was missed by
    the vast majority of buyers:  The cover shows a piano keyboard with the two
    hands of the pianist in playing position.  Except that the two hands were
    both right hands.  Or perhaps left; I forget that, but the point is
    made.   The performances were deliberately flawed, but performed flawlessly.

    The same was true with Jones and his merry men, outstanding musicians
    all.  Fine, veteran performers who could see--and exaggerate--the humor in
    classical pieces.  Over the years, he virtually destroyed the concert
    rendition "careers" of such erstwhile staples as "Chloe".  On the other
    handd, his hit recording of "Holiday for Strings" probably helped the
    career of its composer, ubiquitous radio orchestra baton wielder David Rose.

    Spike Jones had come across a song with words and music by Oliver Wallace,
    who wrote the big band hit "Hindustan".  Spike's find was "Der Fuehrer's
    Face".  Robert Lissauer, trying to sum up the Spike Jones rendition, said,
    "A lampoon of Hitler, the record featured a Bronx cheer, or raspberry, at
    each mention of the dictator".    Sort of like calling a hurricane "a nice
    little rainstorm".

    Martin Block loved it, and played it.  WNEW's switchboard lit up with
    requests to play it again, and the mail and telegrams (remember those?) in
    ensuing days flooded the small station mailroom.  For a few spins, Block
    complied, and then said that was enough.  The demands continued.  In an
    attempt to stem the tide, Block announced that he would only play it again
    only if the listener purchased a War Bond, and named a dollar
    figure.  Dozens of new Spike Jones (and probably "Ballroom") fans eagerly
    complied, and increased the demand.

    Block suggested a higher-valued War Bond, and the pace kept up.  Continuing
    to raise the ante, he quickly played the record into hit status, in the
    process selling a very large number of War Bonds to aid the war effort and
    support the Allies.  Before long, other DJs across the country did the same
    thing (interesting how word gets around) and "The Make Believe Ballroom",
    Spike Jones and his recording, Wallace and his song, were flying
    high.  Plus, it didn't hurt the war effort a bit!

    Walt Disney had been working on a short featuring Donald Duck, who dreams
    he is in Germany and put to work in the Nazi war machine.  The influence of
    Charlie Chaplin's film "The Great Dictator" of a few years before is
    clear.  The animated short was originally called "Donald Duck in Nutzi
    Land", but Disney, infected by Spike as well, included "Der Fuehrer's Face"
    in the cartoon soundtrack.

    Before it was released, the recording became a huge hit.  The title of the
    film was changed to match the song.  The movie won an Academy Award for
    short subject-cartoon.  That, of course, called for the usual re-run,
    propelling the song and Jones' effort further into the American
    consciousness, and record sales.

    The film is nearly impossible to find, thought to be so politically
    incorrect today.  If you'd like to see and hear it, go to the following
    source.  Search for "Der Fuehrer's Face".   It's well worth the
    download.  As its name implies, that on-line "Encyclopedia of Disney
    Animated Shorts", has a wealth of other information and downloads.  One of
    my favorites is the 1950 "Motor Mania", in which Goofy plays Mr. Walker: a
    kind hearted soul until he gets behind the wheel of his car.  Like Dr.
    Jekyll turning into Mr. Hyde, he becomes Mr. Wheeler, and his personality
    completely changes.

    [removed]

    Enjoy!        Lee Munsick        That Godfrey Guy

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 22:56:34 -0500
    From: "MICHAEL BIEL" <mbiel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: John B. Gambling

    From: "Candy Jens:

>     Gambling also used "In a Country Garden", as his closing music
>     (or did he start with "Garden" and end with this one??).

    Actually, I recall he started the program with a short instrumental version
    of Irving Berlin's "Oh How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning."  I think the
    use of "Pack Up Your Troubles" was to open middle segments of the program.
    Perhaps some of you did not get up early enough to hear how he actually
    started the very beginning of the program.

    Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 00:35:35 -0500
    From: JE Purvis <hqsouth@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio comedy

    Does anyone know of a book out there that examines
    the great radio comedy writers like Don Quinn and how
    they came up with their material? Thanks for any
    information you can provide.

    Jerry Purvis

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

    Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 00:36:37 -0500
    From: OTRGURU@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Von Zell Blooper

    Derek Tague asked

>         With the recent Digest mentions of Harry Von Zell, I'd like to know if he
>      once really introduced "...the President of the United States: Hoobert
>      Heever!" or if this is one of the apocryphal stories Kermit Schaeffer and
>     his
>      "re-created" Bloopers records blew out of proportion.

    It's a true story.  Harry tells exactly what happened in a lengthy
    conversation we had in 1975.  It's one of the interviews in my book "Speaking
    of Radio."

    He says, "As often as this has been redramatized, printed or spoken about,
    I've never heard it told right."  And then he tells the entire story.

    The book is available at  [removed]   and, along with the Von
    Zell conversation, there are 45 other stars who recall their radio days,
    including Les Tremayne, Jack Benny, Jim Jordan, Carlton E. Morse, Bret
    Morrison,
    Howard Koch, Hal Peary, Agnes Moorehead.  "Speaking of Radio" is fully
    described
    on the website.

    The 400 page soft cover book sells for $27 plus S&H and applicable tax.

    Thanks, Derek, for the opportunity to give this plug!

    Chuck Schaden

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

    Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 00:36:49 -0500
    From: lawrence albert <albertlarry@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lux Episode

    This is a spur of the momentr posting,. Do any of the
    fans of Lux Radio Theatre know if the episode "The
    Cowboy and the Lady" starring Gene Autry exists and if
    it does how I could get a copy.

            Larry Albert

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

    Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 03:20:47 -0500
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Hoobert Heever = "Urban Legend"

    Derek asked if the legend is true. A Google search led me to the true story at:
    [removed]

    Hope this helps,
    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 12:12:23 -0500
    From: "Jerry Haendiges" <Jerry@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK

    Hi friends,

    Here is this week's line-up for the week of 2-8-04 on my Olde Tyme Radio
    [removed] Featuring Tom Heathwood's "Heritage Radio Theatre," Big John
    Matthews and Steve Urbaniak's "The Glowing Dial" and my own "Same Time, Same
    Station" broadcasts, being broadcast on demand 24/7 in high quality
    streaming RealAudio at [removed]

    Past archived broadcasts are also available there.

    We look forward to having you join us!

    	Jerry

    Here's this week's lineup:

    SAME TIME, SAME STATION with Jerry Haendiges

    Jack Paar Memorial Tribute

    JACK BENNY SHOW
    Episode 35    5-25-47    Guests: Fred Allen and Jack Paar

    JACK PAAR SHOW
    Episode 12    8-17-47    Jack Benny auditions for Paar's "Winter Replacement
    show"
    Guest: Jack Benny
    Announcer: Hy Averback
    MUSIC: Jerry Fielding's Orchestra
    VOCALS: The Page Cavanaugh Trio, Trudy Erwin
    With: Lionel Stander and Elvia Stander

    GRANBY'S GREEN ACRES
    Episode 3    7-17-50    "Mr. Granby Discovers Electricity"
    Stars: Gale Gordon, Bea Benaderet, Parley Baer

    HOLLYWOOD STAR TIME
    Episode 20    5-19-46    "The Lodger"
    Stars: Vincent Price and Cathy Lewis
    =======================================

    HERITAGE RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood

    ROCKY FORTUNE
    3-23-54    "Rocket to the Morgue
    Stars: Frank Sinatra

    YOUR HIT PARADE
    AFRS    8-26-44    With Frank Sinatra

    RICHARD DIAMOND
    ABC   1950-1951 season    "The Joyce Wallace Case
    ========================================

    THE GLOWING DIAL with Big John Matthews and Steve Urbaniak

    Those daring detectives return to The Glowing Dial featuring:

    The Adventures Of Frank Race
    SYNDICATED   5/29/49   # 5   "The Enoch Arden Adventure"

    Broadway Is My Beat
    CBS   1/31/53   # 150   "Helen Selby"

    Casey, Crime Photographer
    CBS 7/24/47 "Photo Of The Dead"

    The Adventures Of Nero Wolfe
    NBC   3/23/51   # 22   "The Final Page"

    Boston Blackie
    MUTUAL 5/14/47 # 109 "Drowned After Robbery"
    ====================================

    Please feel free to contact me with any questions or requests for upcoming
    shows.

                Jerry Haendiges <Jerry@[removed];

      [removed]  The Vintage Radio Place
      Largest source of OTR Logs, Articles and programs on the Net

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

    Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 12:14:36 -0500
    From: <richard@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Slight correction to "Pack up your Troubles"

    Dear Digesters,

    This is how I think this song goes:

    Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile smile smile,
    While you`ve a lucifer (match) to light your fag (cigarette), smile boys
    that`s the style,
    What`s the use of worrying, it never was worth while,
    Sooooooooooooo   pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile smile
    smile.

     I hope it helps,

    richard@[removed]

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Please see:

    [removed]

    ...for complete information on this song.  --cfs3]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #52
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