Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #387
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 12/6/2004 3:18 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2004 : Issue 387
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Re: Survival of OTR                   [ "Paul Adomites" <padomites@ccyberne ]
  New episodes of ILAM or others?       [ Richard Fish <fish@lodestone-media. ]
  OTR Live Performance in New Palz, NY  [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
  Frank Bresee                          [ "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed]; ]
  Gildersleeve on Sun in the 50's?      [ Melanie Aultman <otrmelanie@[removed] ]
  close to free cd-r?                   [ edcarr@[removed] ]
  Writing the Ranger                    [ Dave Parker <dave@[removed] ]
  "I Was a Capitalist for the KGB"      [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
  ILAM CD's                             [ "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@sbcglob ]
  Re: Arthur Anderson Interview at FOT  [ Fred Berney <fsberney@[removed]; ]
  Pat Novak Channels Rick Keating       [ "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@sbcglob ]
  live performance on KPFK (hope I'm n  [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
  The Sea Legs Matter                   [ "Jim Koski" <jim@[removed]; ]
  OTR beginning info                    [ "ellsworth o johnson" <eojohnsonww2 ]
  OTR Mix-up                            [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
  "Born Too Late"                       [ "bobb lynes" <iairotr@[removed]; ]
  12-7 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 19:17:31 -0500
From: "Paul Adomites" <padomites@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Survival of OTR

Not to be too high-minded about it, but what's unique about radio is how it
lets you create the pictures in your own head, which involved A) some effort
and B) some creativity on your part. Which could not be more unlike the
zillions of dollars Hollywood spends (and then charges us) to relieve us
from the expenditure of one second's effort. Enjoying radio is much
different in every way from every other kind of entertainment out there now
(let's bracket music). So it is incumbent upon us who still love this form
to spread the gospel (and I would love to re-create OTR science fiction to
help find a new audience.) Not just because it's amazingly cool and
terrifically fun, but that it slides the creative power away from the
Spielbergs and Lucases back to our own selves. Frankly, the idea of a
generation who never had to make up anything or pretend scares me.
If this bothers you, see clause #1.

Paul Adomites

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 19:19:21 -0500
From: Richard Fish <fish@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  New episodes of ILAM or others?

Bruce Rosenberger's post was very good. Blunt, perhaps, but that kind of
honesty can only be helpful.

His question, "...why not do NEW productions? While there is a little of
this going on, it seems too little" interested me. I think, from
context, that he meant new productions of favorite old programs.

There is quite a lot of new audio theatre production going on -- but of
new programs and new scripts, rather than recreations or extensions of
old ones.

Carl Amari did some new production of old shows, back when he owned
Radio Spirits. Visiting him one day in '98, I ran into Arthur Anderson,
who was recording new productions of "Let's Pretend," using the original
scripts from lost episodes.

There is always a question of rights and permissions for the older
programs. Bruce longed for new episodes of "I Love A Mystery," which is
one of my all-time favorites, and I'd be fascinated to hear additional
stories about Jack, Doc & Reggie. But questions arise:

Would the Carlton E. Morse estate go along?

Would the new productions be as good as the old ones?

Even more to the point, could the project be funded? Would there be
enough prospect of broadcast, sales, or other distribution to justify an
investment -- or even a grant?

Jack Packard still lives, though, in many wonderful new stories -- under
a different name: Jack Flanders.

Tom Lopez, writer/director/producer at ZBS, based his
soldier-of-fortune, Flanders, on the Packard character. It's not simply
an imitation, it's homage -- a modern development of a similar idea.
Flanders is a loner, sans colorful sidekicks, but he also travels the
world, helping friends by tackling mysteries with an element of the
supernatural.

I think most fans of ILAM would be delighted with the whole series of
marvelous Jack Flanders adventures. There are now many hours of these
stories, taking place all over the world. Most of them feature sounds
and music actually recorded on location in Morocco, Bali, India etc.

I've had a number of personal experiences where younger folks, having
listened to Jack Flanders stories, then were introduced to the original
ILAM and were very quickly as enthralled as I have been for years.

Anyone out there heard Jack Flanders and want to comment?

[removed] carries the programs, and links to the
ZBS website.

Richard Fish

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 19:19:42 -0500
From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  OTR Live Performance in New Palz, NY

>From today's Times Herald [removed]

Sean Dougherty
SeanDD@[removed]

 December 05, 2004

'Old Time Radio," live!

   Great radio of the mid-1930 spanned all genres: comedy, drama, horror,
mystery, romance, music and more. Roll it all into one and you have the
Mohonk Mountain Stage Readers Theatre Group production of "A Celebration of
Old Time Radio" at 8 [removed] Friday and Saturday at the Unison Arts & Learning
Center, 68 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz.
   Generally called the golden age of radio, the era gave birth to huge
stars such as Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Amos and Andy, and Fibber McGee
and Molly, all of which relied upon the imaginations of their listeners as
part of the entertainment. It's the work of these legends, among others,
that will be re-created for this performance.
   Tickets are $12. Call 255-1559.

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 19:19:53 -0500
From: "Walden Hughes" <hughes1@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Frank Bresee

Hi Everybody,

both Anthony and Jim did a great job on there post about Frank Bresee and I
can add some more detail.  I have had the great honor in being Frank co-host
and producer since 2002 on the live Friday night show heard at Yesterday USA
at 7-30 PM here on west coast.  The web site is at [removed]
Frank started on radio as a kid actor in April of 1940.  Some of the shows
he appeared on were I Love A Mystery, Met Corlis Archer, Our Miss Brooks,
Blondie.  Frank own a radio station at Santa Cata Lina starting in [removed]
He produce Johnny Grant late night DJ show.  He started is Golden Days radio
show on 8-5-49.  Jan Garber told Frank he should play the old shows.  It has
been on the air ever since.  The show was on Mutual, Liberty, and for 29
years on AFRS from 1967 until 1996.  The show been on Yesterday USA for over
ten years.  Frank started collecting transcription when he was ten years
old.  The collection was over 30,000 at one time.  He now has over 10,000.
Frank has interview many people over the years.  The list include Jack
Benny, George Burns, Orson Welles.  Frank has a copy of almost all of his
Golden Days show and the Thousand Oaks Library is planning to build a
building to house the archive.  Frank has many pictures that has not been
reprinted yet.  He is working on a second book that will feature some
stories, and pictures.  For example Frank took many pictures of from the
rehearsal of Lux Radio Theater shows.  Frank has a display at his studio of
some of the pictures of Lux show plus Frank has the hand rail that the movie
stars used for the show.  That rail was [removed] DeMille idea.  Frank produce
three records on Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Duante and Al Jolson.  Walter Wenchell
narrated two of the recordings.  Frank wrote and produce the KFI special on
4-16-72 which feature many of the OTR stars talking about there shows on
NBC.  Frank was president of the Pacific Pioneers broadcaster for two years.
Take care,

Walden Hughes

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 19:20:26 -0500
From: Melanie Aultman <otrmelanie@[removed];
To: OTRDIGEST <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Gildersleeve on Sun in the 50's?
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

Would someone be good enough to verify if The Great Gildersleeve
was on TV on Sunday mornings sometime in the late 50's?

Thanks,

Melanie Aultman
otrmelanie@[removed]

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

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 21:04:05 -0500
From: edcarr@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  close to free cd-r?

hi to all
a few issues ago someone said there are no freebee
cd-r offers anymore, and i agree, but
then i have never gotten any free myself, for some
reason i must have missed those, but i can still come
close even today.
do you consider 20cents a bargain, 15cents?
you can pick those up almost everywhere
stapels runs discounts all the time, i just picked up 200
cd-r for $20 that's 10cents ea. but you have to wait for
the rebates( i personally hate rebates, but i have to live
with them).
target has a deal going that when all is said and done
you get 50 for $5, again 10cents ea. that's not to
shabby a price.
howerever there is a down side to some cheap cd-r,
someone told me only 6 companies make all cd-r, i
don't know how true that is, but 1 i found to be horrible
is one called office,out of 20 burned most were duds,
and that's after i bought 100 at $15
i emailed the company that sold them and complained,
don't know how good it will do.
$15 is $15.
what i would like to see is anyone who gets deals on
cd-r pass them on, i use mine 99%
for otr, i even use audio cd
the companies mentioned might not be in your area but
like deals should be found
everywhere.
ed carr

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

Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 21:05:51 -0500
From: Dave Parker <dave@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Writing the Ranger

HI Folks	--thought you'd be interested in an article I wrote
for SPERDVAC on Fran Striker. the subject---how he wrote the Ranger.
It's too long for this space - sso I'll divide it into a couple of
parts,  Here's Part One.

The scene --Fran's cluttered upstairs office above the studio at the
old Mendelson Mansion at E. Jeffeerson and Iriquois in Detroit's
Indian Village. The year - 1951

Responding to the observation that many of his Ranger characters
were stereotypes, Fran laughed at my naivete and said
"Of course they are.  If we deal with stereotypes the audience
knows them, and what to expect from them.  Rarely do I write
a complicated personality or a surprise switch in a character.

"We don't have time in a half hour show to explain WHY someone
is 'good' or bad'.  If I go into a lot of stuff about someone's
bad childhood or mean parents--that's time wasted that can be
better used for Action. That's what this show is all about,
Action! Action! Action!

"Anyway, if you explain WHY someone is bad, he's likely to get
sympathy. I mean, if you show a miserly banker or slippery
lawyer and  explain that his parents were mean to him, listeners
might give him a break--and you don't want that.  So we have
bad guys and good guys and incompetent Sheriffs --and sometimes
'weak guys' who have to be straightened out by the Ranger. But
right off the bat you have to know the kind of guy someone is.

"So, you give your bad guys bad names like 'Scar' or 'Blackie' or
'Dirk'  --and right off the bat you have to have them do something bad.
Like beating a horse, or throwing some old homesteader out a window.  Or
trying to bushwhack the Ranger.  We don't have time to go into the
psychology of all this.  And when I call someone 'a lean pasty-faced
lawyer' what else do you need to know?"

Needless to say my interview with Fran will find a featured spot in my now-in-
production video documentary about OTR. Right now I'm on cloud nine
because yesterday Fran's son called me on the phone to talk about the
old days at the studio.  And a short time later Norman Corwin called.
Wow!

				dave parker

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 01:29:51 -0500
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  "I Was a Capitalist for the KGB"

When I listen to "I Was a Communist for the FBI", I
often find myself wondering if the Soviet Union had
any sort of similar program from the opposition point
of view, an "I Was a Capitalist for the KGB", as it
were.

It's an amusing notion, but I doubt there would be a
direct parallel. For one thing, while the Communist
Party was illegal in the [removed] for many years (and
still may be, for all I know), it was acknowledged
that people did belong (though not as many as Sen.
Joseph "I think I'll help wreck some innocent lives"
McCarthy claimed). After all, one of the central
themes of "I Was a Communist For the FBI" was how much
of a negative the Communist Party was on American
society.

On the other hand, while there were doubtless people
in the Soviet Union who espoused capitalist
ideologies, they probably kept it to themselves. And
certainly, the Soviet government wouldn't put on a
program that focused on KGB agents pretending to be
capitalists, to as that would imply that there were
active capitalists.

Or would they? What sort of programs espousing the
Soviet system and decrying the American one were
broadcast on Soviet era OTR?

Rick

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 01:30:44 -0500
From: "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  ILAM CD's

Someone recently inquired about a source of I Love A Mystery programs.
There appears to be a new player in the commercial packaging of OTR
shows by the name of Nostalgia Ventures. I ran across some of their
products in a Borders Book Store this weekend. One of their offerings
was a 20 CD package titled I Love A Mystery. It contained three ILAM
serials, The Thing That Cries In The Night, Bury Your Dead Arizona and
Million Dollar Mystery (these would have to be the New York Mutual
series), thirteen I Love Adventure stories (incorrectly listed as 13
chapters of The China Coast Incident which was actually the title of
the first of 13 different stories), two different auditions of
Adventures By Morse and a 10 chapter Adventures By Morse serial, City
of the Dead. The package carried a Morselco copyright logo so
apparently they have been licensed to sell these. The price is
competive to Radio Spirits packaging but I know nothing of the quality
of their product or who's involved here. Their web site
[removed] lists a number of 2, 4 and 20 CD products
including a large Amos 'n Andy set from the 1943-44 era. Apparently to
follow are vintage TV and movie titles and Archie comic strips.

Paul Thompson

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 01:31:53 -0500
From: Fred Berney <fsberney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Arthur Anderson Interview at FOTR
 Convention

Did any one happen to record either on audio or video at least the first 10
minutes of the One on One Interview with Arthur Anderson at the FOTR
convention this year? If so, please email me directly. fsberney@[removed]

Thank you.
Fred

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 02:38:10 -0500
From: "Paul Thompson" <beachcrows@[removed];
To: "OTR Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Pat Novak Channels Rick Keating

Kudos to Rick Keating for his "Jocko Madigan Channels Joe Friday" bit
last week in the digest. A cleverly written piece that captured the
essence of Pat Novak dialog and reminiscent of some of the unique
postings in the digest by the late Ken Weigel and others five or six
years ago. Well done Rick.

Paul Thompson

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 07:40:14 -0500
From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  live performance on KPFK (hope I'm not too
 late!)

If you can stay awake long enough, 30 Minutes to Curtain is going to perform
live tomorrow night on KPFK. (It'll be in the first half-hour.)  Here's the
promo:

Monday, December 6 from midnight to 3 AM Tuesday, DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL
offers up a mixture of old and new time radio on KPFK [removed] FM,
[removed]  For the new portion 30 MINUTES TO CURTAIN will be in
studio for a live performance of a new Christmas comedy "Deck the Yards" by
Doug Herman. Ever drive through a neighborhood ablaze with colored lights
and yards filled with all manner of decorations? We'll meet two such
homeowners and find out what's behind all that tinsel. Then we'll play some
OTR Christmas shows and also remember December 7th, 1941. Roy of Hollywood
will finish the night playing some X MINUS ONE shows until 5:30 am.

Best wishes,
Barbara

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 11:35:06 -0500
From: "Jim Koski" <jim@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  The Sea Legs Matter

I know this has probably come up on the list before, and I know the episode
has been recently [removed] can anyone tell me what we on during the
5th and final episode of "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"'s "Sea Legs Matter"?  I
listened to the first four episodes over the weekend, and now I'm dying to
find out what happened with the boat, the husband and wife, and that weird
guy with the middle name of "Vladimir".

Thanks!!

Jim Koski

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 13:42:07 -0500
From: "ellsworth o johnson" <eojohnsonww2@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  OTR beginning info

Following are quotes from a brochure that comes with a CD mfg by  Diamond
Cut Productions of early Edison master  electrical / lateral recordings  of
Vaughn DeLeath " The Original Radio Girl ", all are lateral [removed]
never  previously released  .

" Her first great opportuntity came in January 1920, during a period in
which she had been predominantly making phonograph records. Having come to
the attention of Dr. Lee De Forrest, a radio pioneer and the inventor of the
vacuum tube triode ( a key element  required  in efficient voice radio
transmission at the time ), she was invited to sing over his wireless
telephone station at 40th street and Broadway in New York City , in the old
World Tower Building.
In a studio too small to include a piano or other musical instruments , she
stepped up to the microphone and sang , a capella " Swanee River. "  It was
at that moment that she earned the position of the first person whose
singing voice was heard on the air.

In 1923 , she became station manager of New York Radio Station WDT. She not
only performed , but also arranged for other talent to come in and perform
live. According to Variety magazine, " She was known for her ability to
entertain for long periods. In the early days of radio, two or three
performances might furnish an entire evenings entertainment. There were no
schedules and a singer went on the air until someone else arrived at the
studio to take [removed]" She remainded very active  on the radio during its
golden age, routinely appearing on the Wrigley Show during 1926 and 1927 ,
and on the Firestone Hour  in 1929 and 1930.

During her radio period , she became widely identified with the theme " Red
Sails in the Sunset ", which adapted ideally to her crooning style of song.

Ellsworth Johnson
Spokane, Wa
email: eojohnsonww2@[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 17:11:58 -0500
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  OTR Mix-up

       My mistake.  I've heard so many people use
the terms "Radio's Golden Age" and the "Life OfOTR"
synonymously for so long, it got me confused.  What
I was referring to was the life of OTR.

       My next question: I've heard about the ongoing
feud between Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons.  Was
it as vehement as some people reported it to be, or
was it just a publicity gag between two reporters to
boost their popularity with readers?

Another OTR Fan,

Kenneth

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 17:12:15 -0500
From: "bobb lynes" <iairotr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  "Born Too Late"

Johnny Ether, [removed] Tague sorta complains about not being born during
the Golden Age of Radio.  Not to worry, Ether-man.  I missed the silent era
of movies, but that fact doesn't prevent me from enjoying them (when I get a
chance) now.  Just rejoice in the knowledge that you are able to listen to
some the greatest entertainment that the 20th century gave birth [removed] in
many cases, in far better sound quality than those of us born in the Golden
Age were able to hear.
(Static, [removed] you know).  And you have more programs from which to choose.
We were limited.
You,  Martin Grams, Ben Ohmart and other "young-uns" in the hobby have many,
many more years of listening enjoyment ahead of you.  For that, I'm a little
bit envious.  Count your blessings.

Bobb

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

Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 17:12:21 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  12-7 births/deaths

December 7th births

12-07-1879 - Rudolf Friml - Prague, Bohemia - d. 11-12-1972
operetta composer: "Railroad Hour"; "Chicago Theatre of the Air"
12-07-1892 - Fay Bainter - Los Angeles, CA,  - d. 4-16-1968
actress: "Nobody's Children"; "Cavalcade of America"
12-07-1904 - Bob Brown - NYC - d. 1980
announcer: "Vic and Sade"; "Quicksilver"; "This Amazing America"
12-07-1904 - Clarence Nash - Watonga,  Oklahoma Territory - d. 2-20-1985
actor: (voice of Donald Duck) "Mickey Mouse Theatre of the Air"; "Burns and
Allen"
12-07-1909 - Arch Oboler - Chicago, IL - d. 3-19-1987
writer: 'Lights Out"; "Adam and Eve skit on Bergen/McCarthy"
12-07-1910 - Rod Cameron - Calgary, Alberta, Canada - d. 12-21-1983
actor: "Screen Guild Theatre"
12-07-1912 - Louis Prima - New Orleans,LA - d. 8-24-1978
jazz trumpeter: "You Can't Have Everything"; "Songs by Sinatra"; "The Navy
Swings"
12-07-1915 - Eli Wallach - Brooklyn, NY
actor: "Eternal Light"
12-07-1918 - Hurd Hatfield - NYC . d. 12-25-1998
actor: "Best Plays"; "Crime Does Not Pay"
12-07-1920 - Frances Gifford - Long Beach, CA - d. 1-22-1994
actress: "Lux Radio Theatre"

December 7th deaths

02-27-1910 - Joan Bennett - Palisades, NJ - d. 12-7-1990
actress: "Ford Theatre"; "MGM Theatre of the Air"; "Skippy Hollywood Theatre"
03-25-1919 - Jeanne Cagney - NYC - d. 12-7-1984
actress: (Sister of James Cagney) "Movietone Radio Theatre"; "Suspense"
06-07-1891 - Alois Havrilla - Pressov, Hungary - d. 12-7-1952
announcer: "Campbell Soup Orchestra"; "Jack Benny Program"
06-23-1914 - Nat Hiken - Chicago, IL - d. 12-7-1968
creator, director: "Magnificent Montague"; "Texaco Star Theatre"
07-04-1883 - Rube Goldberg - San Francisco, CA - d. 12-7-1970
cartoonist: "Famous Comic Artists"; "The Shell Show"; "Biography in Sound"
--
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #387
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