------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2006 : Issue 277
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
10-11 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
spelling out brand names [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
Spelling it Out [ Brightstar2761@[removed] ]
#OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig [ charlie@[removed] ]
Attention: Amos 'n Andy fans [ jack and cathy french <otrpiano@ver ]
re: Speaking of YTJD [ "John Abbott" <mraastro@[removed] ]
FOTR Mention in today's New York Dai [ seandd@[removed] ]
Spelling it Out [ "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed]; ]
SPELLING IT OUT [ "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@sbcgloba ]
Family Theatre [ "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed] ]
My Attendance at FOTR [ <mlhenry@[removed]; ]
Chris Holm's Halloween List [ "Jody Davis" <baroygis@[removed]; ]
Help with otr on reel to reel [ "Henry Fleischmann" <henry@fishcasa ]
Spelling it [removed] [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
Radio Horrors [ "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@sbcgloba ]
10-12 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:14:20 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-11 births/deaths
October 11th births
10-11-1883 - Fritz Stiedry - d. 8-xx-1968
conductor: "New Friends of Music"
10-11-1884 - Albert Stoessel - St. Louis, MO - d. 5-12-1943
conductor: Oratorio Society of New York, Chautauqua Symphony
10-11-1884 - Eleanor Roosevelt - NYC - d. 11-7-1962
commentator: "Eleanor Roosevelt Chats/It's a Woman's World/Talks by
Eleanor Roosevelt"
10-11-1887 - Oscar Shaw - Philadelphia, PA - d. 3-6-1967
singer: "Broadway Varieties"
10-11-1897 - Leo Reisman - Boston, MA - d. 12-18-1961
conductor: "Sheaffer Revue"; "Johnny Presents"; "Your Hit Parade"
10-11-1900 - Geoffrey Bryant - Houston, TX - d. 3-xx-1982
announcer, actor: "Death Valley Days"; "Mr. District Attorney"
10-11-1902 - Leon Belasco - Odessa, Ukraine, Russia - d. 6-1-1988
actor: Pagan Zeldschmidt "A Man Called X)
10-11-1913 - Sherman H. Dryer - d. 12-22-1989
producer, director: "Two Thousand Plus"; "Heritage"; "Exploring the
Unknown"
10-11-1914 - Buddy Twiss - d. 10-xx-1976
producer: "I Love A Mystery"; "One Man's Family"
10-11-1918 - Olive Deering - NYC - d. 3-22-1986
actor: Nita Bennett "Lone Journey"
10-11-1919 - Art Blakey - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 10-16-1990
jazz drummer: "Music for Moderns"
10-11-1919 - George Rock - Farmer City, FL - d. 4-12-1988
260 poind trumpet player: "The Spike Jones Shw"
10-11-1919 - Jean Vander Pyl - d. 4-10-1999
actor: Margaret Anderson "Father Knows Best"; "The Halls of Ivy"
10-11-1920 - Ralph Paul - Denver, CO - d. 11-28-1987
announcer: "Aldrich Family"; "True Detective Mysteries"; "Might Casey"
10-11-1926 - Earle Hyman - Rocky Mount, NC
actor: "Story of Ruby Valentine"
10-11-1932 - Dottie West - McMinnville, TN - d. 9-4-1991
country singer: "Country Music Time"
October 11th deaths
01-08-1910 - Richard Cromwell - Los Angeles, CA - d. 10-11-1960
actor: Kit Marshall "Those We Love"
02-02-1923 - Bonita Granville - Chicago, IL - d. 10-11-1988
actor: "Continental Celebrity Club"; "Stars Over Hollywood"
02-04-1904 - MacKinlay Kantor - Webster City, IA - d. 10-11-1977
writer: "Lest We Forget"; "Author's Playhouse"
03-18-1940 - Phil Harper - Raised in Chicago, IL - d. 10-11-2004
actor: Harry Nile "The Adventures of Harry Nile"
03-22-1886 - Chico Marx - NYC - d. 10-11-1961
comedian: Emmanuel Revelli "Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel"
03-27-1914 - Richard Denning - Poughkeepsie, NY - d. 10-11-1998
actor: George Cooper "My Favorite Husband"; Jerry North "Mr. and Mrs.
North"
08-08-1895 - Nat Pendelton - Davenport, IA - d. 10-11-1967
actor: "Dr. Kildare"
10-03-1898 - Morgan Farley - Mamaroneck, NY - d. 10-11-1988
actor: "Escape"
11-07-1890 - Phil Spitalny - Odessa, Russia - d. 10-11-1970
conductor: "Nestles Chocolateers"; "Blue Coal Revue"; "Hour of Charm"
12-03-1907 - Connee Boswell - New Orleans, LA - d. 10-11-1976
singer: (The Boswell Sisters) "Kraft Music Hall"; "Chesterfield
Supper Club"
12-19-1915 - Edith Piaf - Paris, France - d. 10-11-1963
singer: "The Big Show"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:07:06 -0400
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: spelling out brand names
Does anyone know why announcers tended to spell out the name of a sponsor's
product as part of the commercial breaks?
Because people remember names in different ways. I can remember sounds and
then look for a corresponding word on a label. Other people may tend to
read one letter at a time and then figure out what the sound was.
As both a marketing professional and
an OTR fan I am very curious.
They've done it from the beginning of broadcast advertising, including the
first fifteen years or so of television. Even now, occasionally.
M Kinsler
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:07:39 -0400
From: Brightstar2761@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Spelling it Out
Karen Lerner asks
Does anyone know why announcers tended to spell out the name of a
sponsor's product as part of the commercial breaks? I had thought that it
was a quirk of Roma Wines (R-O-M-A!), but the more I listen to OTR the more
products I hear spelled out.
I am thinking it is a technique used to make people remember the commercial
(and hence the product). While reading this I suddenly recalled an OTR
Anacin commercial which I hadn't heard in about 25 [removed] and the part
that came to mind was when the announcer spelled out the name
(A-N-A-C-I-N). Of course I have nothing to verify my [removed] but
hopefully someone else will
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:12:02 -0400
From: charlie@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Night!
A weekly [removed]
For the best in OTR Chat, join IRC (Internet Relay Chat), StarLink-IRC
Network, the channel name is #OldRadio. We meet Thursdays at 8 PM Eastern
and go on, and on! The oldest OTR Chat Channel, it has been in existence
over nine years, same time, same channel! Started by Lois Culver, widow
of actor Howard Culver, this is the place to be on Thursday night for
real-time OTR talk!
Our "regulars" include OTR actors, soundmen, collectors, listeners, and
others interested in enjoying OTR from points all over the world. Discussions
range from favorite shows to almost anything else under the sun (sometimes
it's hard for us to stay on-topic)...but even if it isn't always focused,
it's always a good time!
For more info, contact charlie@[removed]. We hope to see you there, this
week and every week!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:25:15 -0400
From: jack and cathy french <otrpiano@[removed];
To: OTRBB <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Attention: Amos 'n Andy fans
During a recent trip to Wisconsin to attend my wife's 50th HS reunion,
we did a little antiquing there. In a small shop near Turtle Creek
Township, I looked for old books while the missus hunted for glassware
and baskets. The few used books for sale were in a back room, jammed
behind picture frames. On the spine of a red hard-backed book I could
make out the words: "Sam 'n [removed] and Gosden." I reached
over the picture frames and retrieved it.
The book, in fine condition for its age, was published in 1926 and
copyrighted by the Chicago Tribune. It contains the first 25 scripts
that Correll and Gosden wrote for their new radio series. Included were
several illustrations of the characters in ink drawings by Samuel Jay
Smith. In the very brief introduction, the future Amos 'n Andy gush:
"Please stand by while we rise (both of us) and bow fervently to our
good and great papa, The Chicago Tribune. Oh, oh!"
I took the book to the cashier and paid the $3 price scribbled on the
inside cover. When I got back home, I contacted Elizabeth since I had
never heard of the book before. She told me the book was published by
the Tribune in 1926 to cash in on the success of Sam 'n Henry. The
scripts contain a number of edits to make the dialect seem denser. The
book sold very well in the Midwest so in 1930 the Tribune brought out a
paperback version. The latter is more rare, and therefore more
expensive, than the hardback one I bought. (Checking with on-line used
book dealers, I located many copies of the hardback, at prices from $ 5
to $22.)
Jack French
Editor: RADIO RECALL
<[removed]>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 09:30:31 -0400
From: "John Abbott" <mraastro@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: re: Speaking of YTJD
I have heard from several sources that Jack Johnstone would carry a pocket
atlas to use in choosing locations - so most of the towns and other
locations are real (As were Buster and Ham, the owners of his favorite
fishing hole).
Also, Jack would check with the airlines just before a story to ensure that
the air fares were acurate.
Jack also did a number of other programs, starting with Buck Rogers,
Superman, Somebody Knows, and other programs - but Johhny Dollar was, and is
, the best in my opinion.
John C. Abbott
Note:
No Trees were harmed in sending this message.
However, some electrons along the way were inconvenienced.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:01:27 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: FOTR Mention in today's New York Daily News
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Radio columnist David Hinckley pre-plugs the Friends of Old Time Radio show in
today's New York Daily News (circ: 734,000). He's preparing a longer article
to run next [removed] link [removed]
DoughertySeanDD@[removed]
[removed]
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:06:53 -0400
From: "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
To: ""old-time radio digest">" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Spelling it Out
Karen Learner was wondering about the spelling of sponsor names.
I suspect it's because you didn't have a tv screen to look at so they wanted
to make sure you could spell the product when you went to buy it.
Plus if it's spelled out to you you probably have a better chance of
remembering it.
I wish they still did that more. We blind guys don't even know what the
products are half the time on tv shows.
<grin>
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:42:46 -0400
From: "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@[removed];
To: "The Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: SPELLING IT OUT
Karen Lerner asks why spell the product name out. Well it's selling, and
recognition, keep the name before the public. The announcer just read the
commercial copy provided by the advertising agency. The agency choose the
announcers. as an example Harry Von Zell for Bristol Myers, Ken Carpenter
for Kraft Foods and so on.
Remember C-R-E-S-T-A B-L-N-C-A Wine, spoken with music, P-R-E-L-L
Shampoo To Music, or J-E-L-L-O the big red letters, It's 9::00 B-U-L-O-V-A
Boulva Watch Time, also G-U-R-E-N, or B-E-N-R-U-S watch time. Sung
C-A-M-E-L Cigarettes, . Breakfast cereals Kellogg's P-E-P Or K-I-X . Soap
L-A-V-A, L-A-V-A,or O-A-X-Y-D-A-L. Have a headache take Anacin that's
A-N-A-C-I-N.
I'm sure there are lots more. The examples are of the top of my head so the
must have been effective if I can remember them so well.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:43:58 -0400
From: "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Family Theatre
In #276, Steve Atlas writes:
Can anyone recommend 5-10 of their favorite (and
hopefully some of the best) Family Theatre shows
(with dates and titles, if possible)?
Your question opens the door for my favorite Family Theatre rant, and
allows me to warn against their adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the
Sea.
As a fan of the book, I'm frustrated by the changes made to crowbar
their politics and religion into the text. Nemo's hatred and disgust
with humanity is changed into an anger with God for some slight, and
ends with Nemo finding religious redemption and sacrificing himself for
others, instead of the text's ending which is much more vague about what
happens to Nemo.
The log lists two different episodes featuring Under the Sea (1950 and
1953), and since I'm at work, I'm not sure which of the two is in my
collection. I don't know if the scripts are different between the two.
I'm not the religion-themed shows I object to, it's the bastardization
of classic work into a bit of religious propaganda. Leave the classics
alone, they don't need "improving."
-chris holm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:46:20 -0400
From: <mlhenry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: My Attendance at FOTR
Hi all,
Due to staffing shortages and research demand at the Library of American
Broadcasting, I will not be able to attend FOTR this year. I've been
attending FOTR for over ten years and have enjoyed every one. So, I'm really
going to miss it this year and miss seeing my FOTR friends, most of whom I
only get to see once a year.
Take care. Have a great convention.
-Michael Henry
Library of American Broadcasting
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:46:38 -0400
From: "Jody Davis" <baroygis@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Chris Holm's Halloween List
Call it horror, call it creepy, call it whatever you like. May I add two
personal favorites to Chris Holm's list? Both were episodes of "Dimension
X." The first is "The Embassy" by Donald Wollheim. The [removed]"Mars Is
Heaven," one of Ray Bradbury's all-time best efforts.
Happy All Hallows Eve to all.
Jody Davis
News Director/OTR Collector
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:52:46 -0400
From: "Henry Fleischmann" <henry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Help with otr on reel to reel
Hi,
I was emailing to see if you could advise on how we might be able to put
about 2000 reel to reel recordings of old radio shows to good use. A
friend's uncle recently passed away and we have 50 boxes of these reels
my friend doesn't want to just throw away. I figured someone on the list
might be interested or know someplace that might want them.
There is a handwritten paper catalog and they are very well marked. They
are in Cleveland now but may be moved to FL soon.
Please email directly or to the list if you have some ideas.
Thank you.
--
Henry
henry@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:54:57 -0400
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Spelling it [removed]
Karen Lerner wonders about why products were often spelled out on "old
radio." This is my guess, not based on anything in particular.
"Old time radio" was broadcast on the AM bands because that's all there was
(until FM became more common in the 1960s (?). The audio quality was not
"high fidelity." The sponsors knew that often listeners would have to hear
the names of their products thru a haze of static and sometimes by way of
some microphones that were not equipped to transmit the full range of the
human voice. I have noticed that even in the best "remastered" tapes, the
letter "s" is often lacking. For example, listen to some of the Suspense
programs. It sounds like the announcers/actors were purposely dropping the
letter "s", maybe knowing that the microphones would clip them, anyway.
Another likely reason is that the sponsors wanted to make sure that the
listener heard the name correctly. They wanted no one to wonder, "What did
he say?" So the announcers said, R O M A Wines, C R E S T A B L A N C A,
L A V A-L A V A (to the tune of "Love for 3 oranges"), and countless other
trade names.
Ted Kneebone / 1528 S. Grant St. / Aberdeen, SD 57401
[removed]~stmarkch/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:53:33 -0400
From: "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@[removed];
To: "The Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Radio Horrors
What is Horror? I believe it in "the eyes of the beholder", or since we are
talking Radio "Horror is in the ears of the listener" Martin Grams is
correct.
When I was 9 years old, in 1939, I begged my mother to let me stay up until
11:30 PM to listen to "Lights Out " with my 17 year old sister and her girl
friends, it was summer. My sister said I was to young and would have
nightmares because it was a horror show. Mom let me stay up. I had no
problems. I don't remember the episode. When it was over I went to bed and
slept like rock.
Here we are 50 to 60 years latter analyzing, dissecting, and trying to
rationalize why a program went from 5 days a week to once a week. I feel
that radio writes had to turn out scripts every week could s t r e t c h or
reduce a story as needed.
If a script was on Suspense and a new one was needed for Escape. The writer
could make a few changes would the general listener recognizes it 6 months
or a year later? We, more mature listener, who heard radio back in the
radio's golden days listened and enjoyed
Maybe the younger collectors are eager to know all the details to lean what
they missed, and possibly the mature collectors have the time and money to
do research. I really love to just listen and improve my collection
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:29:59 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 10-12 births/deaths
October 12th births
10-12-1899 - Phil Kramer - d. 3-31-1972
actor: grouch "The Grouch Club"
10-12-1900 - Ted Collins - NYC - d. 5-27-1964
announcer, host: (longtime manager of Kate Smith) "Kate Smith Speaks"
10-12-1905 - Jane Ace - Kansas City, MO - d. 11-11-1974
comedian: "Easy Aces"; "Jane Ace, Disc Jockey"
10-12-1906 - Daniel Saidenberg - d. 5-18-1997
conductor: "Alec Templeton Time"
10-12-1912 - Robert Mitchell
choir director: (Robert Mitchell Boy Choir) "Nobody's Children"
10-12-1927 - Peggy Taylor - Inglewood, CA - d. 2-9-2002
singer: "The Breakfast Club"; "The Stan Freeberg Show"
10-12-1930 - Cyril Tawney - d. 4-21-2005
folk singer: "Folkspin"; "Alan Lomax Show"
10-12-1931 - Sam Buffington - Massachusetts - d. 5-15-1960
actor: Luke Slaughter "Luke Slaughter of Tombstone"
10-12-1935 - Luciano Pavarotti - Modena, Italy
tenor: "Metropolitan Opera"
10-12-1936 - Ron Sayles - Waukesha, WI
actor: "Billie the Brownie"
10-12-1936 - Tony Kubek - Milwaukee, WI
baseball announcer for the New York Yankees
October 12th deaths
01-06-1880 - Tom Mix - Mix Run, PA - d. 10-12-1940
legend: "Tom Mix Ralston Straightshooters" based on his life
03-07-1925 - Rene Gagnon - Manchester, NH - d. 10-12-1979
Iwo Jima flagraiser: "Interview programs"
04-08-1912 - Sonja Henie - Kristiania, Norway - d. 10-12-1969
skater, actor: "Hollywood Hotel"; "Bill Ster's Colgate Sports
Newsreel"; "Shell Show"
04-11-1893 - Dean Acheson - Middletown, CT - d. 10-12-1971
[removed] secretary of state: "Building the Peace"; "The United Nations Today"
04-18-1887 - Bill Hay - Dumfires, Scotland - d. 10-12-1978
announcer: "Amos 'n' Andy"
05-06-1913 - Carmen Cavallaro - NYC - d. 10-12-1989
bandleader: (The Poet of the Piano) "Schaeffer Revue"; "Tums Tune Time"
07-03-1881 - Leon Errol - Sydney, Australia - d. 10-12-1951
actor, comedian: WENR Chicago
07-14-1903 - Ken Murray - Nyack, NY - d. 10-12-1988
comedian: "Hollywood Hotel"; "Texaco Star Theatre"
08-13-1898 - Regis Toomey - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 10-12-1991
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Campbell Playhouse"
08-16-1868 - Bernarr Macfadden - Mill Springs, MO - d. 10-12-1955
calisthentics program on WOR in New York
10-04-1895 - Lea Penman - Red Cloud, MN - d. 10-12-1962
actor: Alice Aldrich "The Aldrich Family"
11-06-1916 - Ray Conniff - Attleboro, MA - d. 10-12-2002
arranger: Armed Forces Radio during World War II
xx-xx-1891 - Tim Healy - Sydney, Australia - d. 10-12-1947
commentator: "Calling All Stamp Collectors"; "Captain Tim Helay Spy
Stories"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #277
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