------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2004 : Issue 35
A Part of the [removed]!
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
radio warm-up [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
Fibbermac's comments on Jerry H. [ "Scott D. Livingston" <[removed]@comca ]
Rreplica Radios [ "Scott D. Livingston" <[removed]@comca ]
Gil Gross [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
Warming Up [ BH <radioguy@[removed]; ]
Warming up [ BH <radioguy@[removed]; ]
wishing to get in contact with Danie [ "Tim Hughes" <rekokut@[removed]; ]
Shamus [ David Phaneuf <david_phaneuf@yahoo. ]
Are we geeks [ "david rogers" <david_rogers@hotmai ]
OLDE TYME RADIO NETWORK [ "Jerry Haendiges" <Jerry@[removed] ]
A Billy May Question and A comment [ "Gary Dixon" <argy@[removed]; ]
Re: Gambling, MacFadden, and Bagley [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
Lindbergh Trial On Radio [ Udmacon@[removed] ]
Who's On First [ OldTix@[removed] ]
This week in radio history 25 to 31 [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
BILLY MAY [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:09:28 -0500
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: radio warm-up
If you're old enough, you may recall your shock the first time you turned on
a transistor radio. It started instantly, and who'd expect _that_?
In the last days of tube-type radios, I used to wire a silicon diode across
the power switch of the radio such that the tube filaments were kept at half
power even while the set was turned off. It used very little power and the
radio came to life instantly when the switch was turned on. After
transistor sets were marketed, tube-type TV sets were fitted with this same
feature.
I cannot imagine that a manufacturer of a reproduction radio would add an
ersatz warm-up delay. It could be done easily enough with a timer circuit,
but the complaints would come pouring in from a public that's long been
accustomed to 'instant-on' devices.
That ten-second warm-up period seemed like an eternity. Some tubes were
marketed as 'quick warm-up' types.
M Kinsler
512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
[removed]~mkinsler1
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:14:31 -0500
From: "Scott D. Livingston" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Fibbermac's comments on Jerry H.
Just want to throw my 2 cents in as well. I would just say Amen to what
Fibbermac said regarding Jerry H. Overall, I would give Jerry and his
efforts a big thumbs up!
Scott (Fibber) Livingston
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:15:12 -0500
From: "Scott D. Livingston" <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Rreplica Radios
Stephen A Kallis Jr. wrote
I've recently seen ads for replica radios, most table-model cathedral and
often with semiconcealed cassette or CD drives. There innards are
solid-state, but I've never seen anyone turning them on. I wonder whether
any of them have a built-in "warmup" lag.
I have several of the replica radios scattered around my house and office.
They remind me of my youth. Some have CD capability, one has a CD and
turntable and a couple are just FM-AM. None, alas, have the delay of the old
days while warming up. My favorite though, a replica AM-FM 1944 Crosley does
glow in the dark from its old style tuning face. I love the memories that
warm glow brings back while I'm listening to "when radio was" late at night
in the dark of my bedroom.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:15:47 -0500
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Gil Gross
my friend Gil Gross (former ABC and CBS correspondent who also worked at
WOR)
says NOT SO. "Shep," says Gross "often made an OUTLINE of a story he was
I was glad to hear about Gil Gross. I was a constant listener to WCBS-AM
during the best days of its run as an all-news station. Mr Gross'
intelligent delivery and subdued wit made him my favorite news guy. I've
heard him in some other venues and always enjoyed hearing him.
The old WCBS was perhaps the 'straightest' radio station in history; not a
scintilla of humor ever seemed to be emitted therefrom except in the most
subtle form.
There was one crack-up, however, and it might have involved Gil Gross.
There was a reference in the newscast to the famous painting, the Mona Lisa.
Apparently one of the other news guys didn't know that a microphone was
switched on when he started to bellow a hoarse rendition of Nat King Cole's
song, "Mona Lisa." The commentator couldn't go on--he just broke up on the
air.
I once won 88 New York subway tokens in a WCBS contest.
Mark Kinsler
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:22:36 -0500
From: BH <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Warming Up
"Stephen A Kallis, Jr." in speaking of waiting for tube radios to warm up said:
I've recently seen ads for replica radios, most table-model cathedral
style, and often with semiconcealed cassette or CD drives. There innards
are solid-state, but I've never seen anyone turning them on. I wonder
whether any of them have a built-in "warmup" lag.
If there were a warmup lag, the current generation would think it was
defective. A few years ago my daughter, while admiring my collection of
vintage sets, asked if I had one I might part with as she would like one
to use in her kitchen. I gave her a nice little RCA Bakelite set that I
had fully restored. A few days later her husband call to say the set did
not work. I asked him to bring it next time he came and I would check it
out. When he did bring it over we plugged it in, he turned it on and
upon hearing no sound said, "see it won't play". "Just wait a few
seconds", I replied. After the tubes warmed up it played just fine and I
had to explaine to him about tubes having to warm up to function.
Bill H.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:22:44 -0500
From: BH <radioguy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Warming up
I might also add on this subject, have you ever notice in movies of the
days when radios were tubes sets, that when someone turns on a radio
there is no warmup delay?
Bill H.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 01:36:51 -0500
From: "Tim Hughes" <rekokut@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: wishing to get in contact with Daniel Murray
Hi,
I apologize for using the Digest as a "find" mechanism, but it was my last
avenue; no one else had the email address, and I wished to get in contact
with a collector from Michigan; Daniel Murray. His email address, and ebay
ID seemed to have changed from 2 years ago, and if Mr. Murray is reading
this, I would like to get in contact. (It's nothing serious, just wanted to
re-establish correspondence and trade).
I apologize again for the "whois", but as I said, I had exhausted all other
[removed]
Thanks much,
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 02:26:05 -0500
From: David Phaneuf <david_phaneuf@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Shamus
I have been thoroughly enjoying my hours of listening
to Philip Marlowe and Richard [removed] two
hard-boiled, hard-fighting, and hard-headed private
detectives. Diamond is considerably more lighthearted
than is Marlowe, having a definite flare for wit and
sarcasm, but both get the job done efficiently. Since
I'm listening to both at the same time, some of the
details between them are blurred [removed] but I can't
help wondering, with being knocked out in every single
episode (is it Marlowe, or Diamond, or both?), how he
does not become brain-damaged is beyond me.
But the thing that has been intriguing me most of all,
is the name "Shamus". Marlowe, I believe, bears this
moniker, though I could swear Diamond was called that
once or twice too ([removed] the blurring effect).
I've been trying to find out the origin of this name
as it applies: Was this a general nickname given to
private eyes? Does it refer to an actual part of the
character's name? Or is there some other explanation
for it's usage? After some research, it seems to be a
slang term for Private Eyes, though how it became so
still eludes me.
So far, my search has turned up little, though I have
found some interesting articles on the net, most
notably, "Shamus: a Tribute to Philip Marlowe" by Bill
Henken
[removed]
(webmaster, William L. Paolucci). This one is nice,
for it contains very brief bio of Raymond Chandler, as
well as a useful Glossary of "Hardboiled Slang".
Another interesting link I've come across is
[removed] which holds forth a
listing of the "Shamus Awards" as well an "A to Z"
listing of "Private Eyes and Other Tough Guys".
Of course, both sites, deal not only with Old Radio,
but also TV, Cinema, and Literary private eyes.
-- David Phaneuf
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 10:16:40 -0500
From: "david rogers" <david_rogers@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Are we geeks
I would like to ask people on this list:
"Are we geeks?"
This question was in part inspired by Martin Grams, Jr. Now before I
continue I just want to say that I do not know Mr Grams and have never met
him. He has e-mailed me a couple of times and I must say that he seemed
like a nice bloke. Actually the question is prompted by a T-shirt I saw him
wearing. I have been trying to find the photo again on the net but it seems
to have been taken down. The T-Shirt had a slogan that said something like:
"Grils [removed]" I can't remember the rest of the slogan but basically
it meant geek or nerd. I am not too sure as to the linguistic differences
between a nerd and a geek, but for the purposes of this exercise I will
assume that they are similar.
Which leads me back to my question. Are we geeks for liking otr? How do
people outside of otr lovers view us? Do we care? I remember a lady on
this digest saying that when her family used to go on a journey her family
would patiently let her play her stuff, but they never became fans. I
recently read a posting elsewhere where someone was told by there children
that they planned to get rid of the father's stuff after he died.
When I tell people I know that I collect otr, people are always polite, but
I do not think that they really understand what I mean. With fellow Brits I
usually say, "the old Goon shows and Tony Hancock" - if they are a bit older
or "Radio 4 type-stuff" if they arae a bit younger. With Canadians, I
usually say "like stuff from CBC - they do a Mystery Project series." I am
still unsure what to say to Americans.
But even when people understnd what it is that I mean they are still unsure
why.
"So you just listen to these shows?" poeple asked with a bit of a strange
look on there face.
If people are really trying to show an interest they may ask "So where do
you get your stuf from?"
But that is about as far as it goes. I have never in face-to-face
conversation with anybody had the response:
"Oh I collect otr as well" or even "I know someone else that does that as
well."
So can anybody else help me?
Are we geeks?
If not what are we?
Do we care?
Love as always, David Rogers
[removed] I would like to stress again that this is in no way a posting about or
against Martin Grams Jr (who as I said seems to be quite a nice and
knowledeable chap). I hope that I have not offended him in anyway. It is
just a thought inspired by his T-shirt.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 10:16:59 -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 1-25-04 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
DUNNINGER, THE MENTALIST
"The Kemtone Hour"
Episode 24 6-14-44
Guest Panelists: Dorothy Kilgallen, Shep Fields and Joseph Auslander
Announcers: Jackson Beck and Glen Riggs
THE FIRE CHIEF PROGRAM
12-12-33 "As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap"
Stars: Ed Wynn as the Fire Chief
With Graham McNamee,
Music: Don Voorhees Band, The Fire Chef Quartet
JACK PEARL SHOW
11-23-36
Stars: Jack Pearl, Sharlie Cliff Hall and Mae Questel
Vocal: Eythe Wright, Morton Bowe
Music: Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
LET GEORGE DO IT
Episode 125 3-14-49 "The Motif is Murder"
Stars Bob Bailey as George Valentine
=======================================
HERITAGE RADIO THEATRE with Tom Heathwood
SCREEN DIRECTOR'S PLAYHOUSE
NBC 10-24-49 "Love Letters"
Stars: Joseph Cotten
SUSPENSE
CBS 1-21-55 "The Operation"
Stars: Mary Jane Croft and Hy Averback
MR. KEEN, TRACER OF LOST PERSONS
AFRS 1-1-50 "The Bride and Groom Murder Case
========================================
THE GLOWING DIAL with Big John and 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, 25 Jan 2004 10:17:38 -0500
From: "Gary Dixon" <argy@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: A Billy May Question and A comment
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Hi!
Like so many of [removed] was saddened to hear of Billy May's recent passing.
I know that Stan Freberg is in the process of putting together the 3rd and
final installment of THE UNITED STATE OF [removed] I'm sure Billy was part
of the project. If this information is incorrect, please let let me know who
might be doing the orchestrations.
Here's my question.
When Capitol Records reissued a slew of the Warner Bros/Disney 78s on LP (back
in the 70s)...Billy's composing, arranging and orchestral work was on nearly
all of them. Would anybody know if these were ever available on CDs? I
realize the stories were originally recorded in mono and for some
"stereophiles"---mono recordings are a NO-NO! [removed]'d be curious if there
was any way to obtain these 6-7 minute stories on CD?
With classic radio personalities like Mel Blanc, June Foray, Daws Butler, Paul
Frees, Arthur [removed] and so many others present on [removed] would be great
to own all of them in one package. Thanks for any responses.
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 10:18:52 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: Gambling, MacFadden, and Bagley
On 1/25/04 12:15 AM [removed]@[removed] wrote:
His name was John B. Gambling. He took over the WOR morning program when
exercise guru Bernarr MacFadden didn't show up for his program. Gambling's
program was initially called "Gambling's Musical Clock", but eventually it
became known to millions of listeners over several generations of listeners
and John Gamblings, as "Rambling With Gambling".
Gambling had been doing "Musical Clock" for nearly a decade by the time
of the Lindbergh trial, so he wasn't quite a novice. He took over for
MacFadden in 1925 --- and, interestingly, MacFadden wasn't the originator
of the program either. The morning exercise program began on WOR in 1924
under the direction of Arthur Bagley, a small, energetic man who jumped
to WEAF in 1925 and began a decade-long run as that station's wakeup
personality, under the sponsorship of the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company. His program, "Tower Health Exercises," was also a regular
early-morning feature of the eastern stations of NBC-Red into 1935.
Bagley is noteworthy in that it was his format that was closely imitated
by Gambling -- the calisthenics, the studio orchestra, the chirping
canaries (Hartz Mountain bird seed was one of the sponsors), and the
informal kidding-around atmosphere had all been developed by the
program's original director, and went into temporary abeyance when the
eccentric Bernarr MacFadden took over the program. Bagley's concepts were
quickly revived when MacFadden left, and became institutionalized under
Gambling.
The excercise format continued under Gambling into the early 1940s. The
"Rambling With Gambling" title was originally applied to an entirely
separate WOR program, but gradually ended up being attatched to the
morning show.
The Lindbergh trial coverage did provide a boost for another prominent
air personality -- WNEW in Newark used staff announcer Martin Block to
provide recorded-music interludes between its reports from Flemington.
Elizabeth
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 10:25:13 -0500
From: Udmacon@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Lindbergh Trial On Radio
Lee, as I recall, the person who played records during the delays of the
Lindbergh trial was Martin Block. I think he even came up with the idea of
"Make Believe Ballroom" during those broadcasts.
John R. Gambling is on WABC weekdays from 10 [removed] to 11:45; then is the
morning man on Saturdays.
Bill Knowlton
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:53:40 -0500
From: OldTix@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Who's On First
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
In the latest Society for Baseball Research (SABR) newsletter, a member
posted a plea for research help regarding Abbott and Costello's famous "Who's
On
First" routine. He needs to know whether they wrote it themselves (if not,
who
did?), who influenced them, etc. He promises to acknowledge all inquiries.
Contact him directly: MARK SOMMER, 1266 TEANECK ROAD #10A, TEANECK, NEW
JERSEY
07666 or by phone at (201) 837-0489.
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:53:54 -0500
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: This week in radio history 25 to 31 January
From Those Were The Days --
Jan 25 --
1937 - NBC presented the first broadcast of The Guiding Light.
1944 - The character, a black maid named Beulah and played by a white
man, Marlin Hunt, aired for the first time on Fibber McGee and Molly.
The spinoff, Beulah, became a radio series in 1945.
Jan 26 --
1947 - The Greatest Story Ever Told was first heard on ABC.
Jan 27 --
1931 - NBC introduced listeners to Clara, Lu 'n' Em on its Blue network.
The show became the first daytime radio serial when it was moved from
its original nighttime slot.
1948 - Wire Recording Corporation of America announced the first
magnetic tape recorder. The 'Wireway' machine with a built-in oscillator
sold for $[removed]
1956 - The CBS Radio Workshop was heard for the first time. This first
broadcast featured Aldous Huxley narrating his classic, Brave New World.
Jan 28 --
1940 - Beat the Band made its debut on NBC, with the Ted Weems band.
Beat the Band was where listeners' questions were selected in the hopes
of stumping the band. If a listener's question was chosen, he or she
received $10. The questions were posed as riddles: What song title
tells you what Cinderella might have said if she awoke one morning and
found that her foot had grown too large for her glass slipper? If the
band played the correct musical answer, Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog
Gone?, the listener lost.
When Raleigh cigarettes sponsored Beat the Band, the listener who beat
the band won $50 and two cartons of cigarettes ... Raleighs, of course.
When the sponsor changed to General Mill's Kix cereal, if the listener
beat the band, he/she won twenty bucks and a case of Kix cereal.
1934 - As a result of a compliment paid on this day, by Walter Winchell,
in his newspaper column; a local disc jockey began receiving several
offers from talent scouts and producers. The DJ became known as the
Redhead, adored by thousands in Washington, DC and, later, by millions
across the country on CBS radio and TV. His trademark (strumming a
ukulele and delivering down-home patter) endeared him to fans for many
years. We remember the broadcasting legend, Arthur Godfrey. "I wanna go
back to my little grass [removed]"
Jan 30 --
1933 -- The Lone Ranger was heard for the first time.
Jan 31 --
1936 - The Green Hornet was introduced by its famous theme song, The
Flight of the Bumble Bee. The radio show was first heard on WXYZ in
Detroit, MI on this day. The show stayed on the air for 16 years. The
Green Hornet originated from the same radio station where The Lone
Ranger was performed. You may remember that the title character in The
Green Hornet was really named Britt Reid. He was, in fact, supposed to
be the great nephew of John Reid, the Lone Ranger. Both popular series
were created by George Trendle and Fran Striker.
Joe
--
Visit my slightly updated (1/1/04) homepage:
[removed]~[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:54:54 -0500
From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: BILLY MAY
Billy was not only the fastest writer in the West, he wrote charts
vertically, rather than horizontally. Filled in the manuscript, writing
each note for every instrument in a very unorthodox up and down
technique.
My favorite Sinatra/May story. Frank, totally PO'd at Capitol, had just
finished his next to last session for them, with May, Come Swing With Me.
Going out the door, Sinatra put his arm around Billy, and said, "F**k
them, let's go make OUR version." At the time he was also recording
albums for his new label, Reprise. Well, they did an album of songs,
like, and arranged like, Come Swing With Me, and titled it, Swing Along
With Me. Capitol made them change the title, because they claimed the
right to the Come _____ With Me concept--Fly, Dance, etc. Those who own
the first copies of the LP, released with the original title, have a true
Sinatra collector item.
[removed]
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #35
********************************************
Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
including republication in any form.
If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
[removed]
For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]
To Subscribe: [removed]@[removed]
or see [removed]
For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]
To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]
To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]