Subject: [removed] Digest V2007 #24
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 1/21/2007 9:16 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2007 : Issue 24
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      1-21 births/deaths                    [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      Greatest OTR loss                     [ ilamfan@[removed] (S Jansen) ]
      lost otr                              [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
      Three score and ten                   [ Stuart Lubin <stuartlubin6686@sbcgl ]
      Greatest Loss                         [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
      Another case of duplicity             [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      Cow Bells                             [ "Bill Knowlton" <udmacon1@[removed] ]
      Online OTR - WMP 10                   [ "Dave Adams" <dave@[removed]; ]
      Greatest OTR Loss                     [ JimBourg@[removed] ]
      Re: lost radio                        [ Dixonhayes@[removed] ]
      greatest otr loss                     [ <jer51473@[removed]; ]
      LOST INNER SANCTUM SHOWS              [ PURKASZ@[removed] ]
      Greatest Radio Loss                   [ "Mary L. Wallace" <mlwallace57@hotm ]
      Those FBI radio shows                 [ jack and cathy french <otrpiano@ver ]
      Bad behavior                          [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      For folks with OTR on Vinyl           [ "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed]; ]
      OTR Cassettes for Kids                [ Penne <bandpy@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:35:32 -0500
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  1-21 births/deaths

    January 21st births

    01-21-1895 - Muriel 'Molly' Pollock - Kingsbridge, NY - d. 5-25-1971
    concert pianist: "Radio-Keith-Orpheum Hour"; "Sonara Hour"
    01-21-1897 - J. Carrol Naish - NYC - d. 1-24-1973
    actor: Luigi Basco "Life with Luigi"
    01-21-1902 - Smith Ballew - Palestine, TX - d. 5-2-1989
    singer: "The Ipana Troubadors"; "Shell Chateau"
    01-21-1904 - Allen Prescott - St. Louis, MO - d. 1-27-1978
    host: "Wife Saver"; "Prescott Presents"
    01-21-1909 - Sid Raymond - NYC - d. 12-1-2006
    actor: "X Minus One"
    01-21-1914 - George A. Putnam - Deposit, NY - d. 4-8-1975
    announcer: "Can You Top This?"; "Vic and Sade"; "Portia Faces Life"
    01-21-1915 - Alan Hewitt - NYC - d. 11-7-1986
    actor: Ken Martinson "This is Nora Drake"; Karl Dorn "Romance of
    Helen Trent"
    01-21-1915 - John Dunkel - Springfield, OH - d. 2-22-2001
    writer: "Escape"; "Fort Laramie"; "Gunsmoke"
    01-21-1919 - Jinx Falkenburg McCrary - Barcelona, Spain - d. 8-27-2003
    hostess: "Hi! Jinx"; "Tex & Jinx"; "Weekend"
    01-21-1921 - Charlotte Manson - NYC
    actor: Patsy Bowen "Nick Carter, Master Detective"
    01-21-1921 - Manya Starr - NYC - d. 7-26-2000
    writer: Allegedly fired by Hummert asking about God, "Who's will play
    him?"
    01-21-1922 - Telly Savalas - Garden City, NY - d. 1-22-1994
    actor: "[removed] Story"
    01-21-1924 - Benny Hill - Southampton, England - d. 4-20-1992
    comedian: "Educating Archie"
    01-21-1925 - Charles Aidman - Frankfort, IN - d. 11-7-1993
    acotr: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
    01-21-1941 - Placido Domingo - Madrid, Spain
    tenor: "The Metropolitan Opera"
    01-21-1947 - Jill Eikenberry - New Haven, CT
    actor: "We Hold These Truths"

    January 21st deaths

    02-21-1915 - Ann Sheridan - Dallas, TX - d. 1-21-1967
    actor: (The Oomph Girl) "Smiths of Hollywood"; "Stars in the Air"
    02-25-1951 - Don Poier - d. 1-21-2005
    sports announcer
    03-22-1895 - Joseph Schildkraut - Vienna, Austria - d. 1-21-1964
    actor: "Intrigue"; "Best Plays"; "Columbia Workshop"; "Hollywood Hotel"
    04-01-1915 - Bob Dwan - San Francisco, CA - d. 1-21-2005
    director: "You Bet Your Life"
    05-12-1896 - Milton Herman - NYC - d. 1-21-1951
    actor: Gargoyle "The Bishop and the Gargoyle"; Italo "Today's Children"
    05-22-1938 - Susan Strasberg - NYC - d. 1-21-1999
    actor: Emily Marriott "Marriage"
    05-26-1920 - Peggy Lee - Jamestown, ND - d. 1-21-2002
    singer: "Jimmy Durante Show"; "Chesterfield Supper Club"; "Peggy Lee
    Show"
    05-27-1910 - Sidney Slon - Chicago, IL - d. 1-21-1995
    actor: Solly "The Goldbergs"; Mr. Trent "Valiant Lady"
    06-01-1917 - Donald Dame - Titusville, PA - d. 1-21-1952
    singer: "Music for an Hour"; "American Album of Familiar Music"
    07-05-1921 - Mort Fega - d. 1-21-2005
    long time jazz disc jockey in New York
    08-07-1927 - Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer - Paris, IL - d. 1-21-1959
    actor: "Thirty Minutes In Hollywood"
    08-11-1908 - Russell Procope - d. 1-21-1981
    clarinetist, saxophonist: "Duke Ellington and His Orchestra";
    "Ellington at Newport"
    08-12-1881 - Cecil B. DeMille - Ashfield, MA - d. 1-21-1959
    host: "Lux Radio Theatre"
    10-17-1914 - Jerry Siegel - Cleveland , OH - d. 1-21-1996
    co-creator (with Joe Shuster): "Advs. of Superman"
    10-25-1908 - Polly Ann Young - Denver, CO - d. 1-21-1997
    actor: (Sister of Loretta) "Lux Radio Theatre"
    12-02-1921 - Rita Lynn - Louisiana - d. 1-21-1996
    actor: "Dimension X"
    12-28-1904 - Country Washburn - Houston, TX - d. 1-21-1974
    bandleader/singer: "Curt Massey/Martha Tilton"; "Spike Jones and His
    City Slickers"

    Ron Sayles

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 01:43:08 -0500
    From: ilamfan@[removed] (S Jansen)
    To: [removed]@[removed] (OTR Bulletin Board)
    Subject:  Greatest OTR loss

         While I sure would like to have more of the "I Love A Mystery" series,
    I'd have to say that we DO already have a handful of long runs of that show
    (in addition to scripts for the rest!)...
         So for "greatest loss", shows we do not have that I wish we did,
    howabout  -
         "Latitude Zero" - a great sounding grownup adventure series which ran
    for about 2 years.  All we have is the audition episode, with no other shows
    or scripts extant.
         "Doc Savage" - the greatest hero of all time.  A dozen or so scripts are
    in circulation, but no audio exists from either the 1934 or 1943
    [removed] I wouldn't give to hear what the Lester Dent-approved Doc
    Savage "trill" sounded like!
         "Lights Out" - the original 1930's run written by Willis (Quiet Please)
    Cooper.  I have no doubt that these shows would have been something special,
    thought-provoking, and still impossible to shake off  even years later.
         Okay, more "I Love A Mystery", too.  Maybe some of the 1930's Morse
    stuff, like Captain Post, and Police Chief Quinn.
         Yeah, these would all be some good shows to listen to.

    Stephen Jansen

    --
    Old Time Radio never dies - it just changes formats!

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 01:43:16 -0500
    From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
    To: OTR List <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  lost otr

    I must also mention Little Orphan Annie, very little survives, and the
    later eps seem to be rarest of all.
    --
    Joe Salerno

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:49:42 -0500
    From: Stuart Lubin <stuartlubin6686@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Three score and ten

    As Jim Cox correctly points out, seventy years is quite an
    anniversary, and Proctor and Gamble should do something about
    commemorating this unprecedented landmark. There are no facts
    that I can add that have not been pointed out in Jim's
    comprehensive book on the soaps, but I can emphasize those
    aspects which continue to impress and amaze me.

    There was a period when both the television program and the
    radio program ran simultaneously, and at least one actor, if not
    more, played in both: Charita Bauer. Was Stefan Schnabel in both
    radio and TV? Those of us who attended early SPERDVAC meetings
    had the good fortune of meeting and knowing Arthur Peterson, the
    actor who played Reverend Ruthledge.  Thank you for reminding us
    of this anniversary.

    Stuart

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:50:55 -0500
    From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Greatest Loss

    As much as I'd like to hear all 4091 of the serial A&A's, I'd have to say
    the Greatest Loss of OTR is of even greater scope than that -- I'd call
    it the loss of practically the entire first fifteen years of
    broadcasting. The relative handful of existing recordings prior to 1935
    -- and especially the almost complete loss of 1920s broadcasting -- means
    that the vital formative years of the medium have become a field for all
    sorts of speculation and conjecture, with dozens of extremely important
    programs, personalities, and creators having been completely forgotten.

    Ever heard of Bradford Browne and his Nit Wit Hour? Or "Old Gold on
    Broadway?" Or David L. Lawrence? How about the Dodge Victory Hour or the
    Radio Follies or the Columbia Experimental Dramas? How about George Frame
    Brown or William Ford Manley? Clarence L. Menser or Don Bernard or Peter
    Dixon? The list goes on and on -- people and programs which all
    contributed to the evolution of forms and techniques that became
    essential in years to come. But because no recordings were ever made of
    their work, their contributions have been utterly erased from most of the
    received history -- leaving behind a very shallow and distorted image of
    what the formative years of network broadcasting really were like.

    Elizabeth

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:51:07 -0500
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Another case of duplicity

    The discussion on shared frequencies by WFAA and WBAP has been enlightening.
    Would anybody know the early history of WFLA and WSUN which, I believe,
    originally shared at least a TV channel in Clearwater?  Radio I'm unsure
    about.  By the time I arrived in the area (mid 1950s), the two had
    separated:  WSUN (ABC) was in Pinellas County while WFLA (NBC) was in
    Hillsborough County alongside WTVT (CBS).  How did the dual stations serve
    the territory, why were they together and when did they separate?

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:10:13 -0500
    From: "Bill Knowlton" <udmacon1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Cow Bells

>     Never did hear any other station in my area identify itself with a cowbell,
>     a cow mooing, or any other farmlike sound effect.

    Well, WLS was noted for the use of a typical farm bell in its Dinner Bell
    Program, and cowbells always rang out during the National Barn Dance (of
    course not associated with station breaks).

    Here in Syracuse, WSYR's Deacon Doubleday and his successor Don Dauer rang a
    cowbell on RFD Time.

    ....and for the last 34 years I've introduced my "Bluegrass Ramble" with the
    ring of some cowbells.

    (Tonight I celebrate my 34th anniversary; went on the air with the Ramble on
    Jan 21, 1973)

    Bill Knowlton, WCNY, Syracuse NY

    Turn searches into helpful donations. Make your search count.

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:10:36 -0500
    From: "Dave Adams" <dave@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Online OTR - WMP 10

>     BTW, I have no problem with Shoutcast running Linux as my
>     operating system, but do notice that Windows users do not
>     have it that easy.  They are asked to use WinAmp.

    First of all I want to thank you for posting these Mark. Great resource, and
    most importantly, they bring back the long ago lost sense of tuning in to
    live OTR to see what is on, as opposed to choosing them off the shelf. I
    can't tell you what a difference that spontenaity makes to me.
    Just a word about compatability for anyone sporting a Windows XP 64bit OS.
    Windows Media Player 10 is the latest version, it's command under File; is
    Open URL. I imagine it's similar back a few versions, or otherwise obvious.
    I was able to bring the URLs in one at a time and make a playlist out of the
    individuals by adding them as they played. My only gripe is that the
    identity of the station doesn't transfer onto the playlist, so you're left
    with a playlist of nondescrpt URL (IP addresses really) that don't display
    the station name until they are started. I guess I can live with that.
    Generally I've come to believe that if anything will run on XP's 64 bit
    version, it will run on the lesser XP and Windows 2000 versions. So while I
    don't doubt the WinAmp requirement warning, I didn't get it with Media
    Player 10.

    -Dave

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:59:20 -0500
    From: JimBourg@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Greatest OTR Loss
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I would throw Mr. Chameleon into this bunch.

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
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    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:47:54 -0500
    From: Dixonhayes@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: lost radio
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

>     What one series or large portion of a series to you most wish had
>     survived?

    First and foremost, the earliest seasons of "Lights Out."  That must've been
    something to hear in those days of the late '30s, late at night. I'm betting
    radio was never scarier. I wish I could hear more of the serialized "Amos 'n'
    Andy." I'm truly amazed this show wasn't better archived as it appeared to be
    broadcasting's first "water cooler" series and had the backing of two major
    advertisers--Lever Brothers, then Campbell's--and RCA/NBC.

    The others would be obvious choices as well: more of "Vic 'n' Sade," the very
    early "Shadow" episodes (where he's an anthology host) and later years of the
    1950s; more of the radio game shows, in particular "Professor Quiz" and
    "Uncle Jim's Question Bee"; more of the classic sitcom 1950s sitcom "December
    Bride" (I'm only aware of two episodes that exist and one of those came from
    Armed
    Forces Radio).

    It looks to be like daily radio (as opposed to weekly radio) was considered
    most disposable in terms of archived recordings, which is why I'm amazed as
    many "Lum 'n' Abner" episodes do exist.  That tradition, sadly, would carry
    into
    television, where so many daily game shows, newscasts and soap operas (the
    latter featuring a lot of future famous stars) were not archived on a regular
    basis until the 1970s.  The fact that only a small percentage of Arthur
    Godfrey's
    daily radio and TV show exists truly astounds me, as he by himself
    represented a large percentage of CBS' profits for a period of time.

    Dixon

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
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    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:48:00 -0500
    From: <jer51473@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  greatest otr loss

      episodes of Blondie, The Thin Man, and the afternoon kids serial The Sea
    Hound.

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:49:59 -0500
    From: PURKASZ@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  LOST INNER SANCTUM SHOWS

    I can see the headlines  [removed]

    INNER SANCTUM DISCS DISCOVERED IN ATTIC

    AP -  December 20th Whispering Glenn Fall, Michigan

    Little Jimmy Dickens heard his father cry out late last  night after
    rummaging for hours in their tiny attic in the town of Whispering  Glenn
    Falls here in
    Michigan.
    Seems he came across a large  stack of old radio shows from the 1940s and 50s
    called Inner Sanctum. Jimmy's  mom is very worried he says because it seems
    their dog Holly used the stack to  protect her newborn puppies and their birth
    is what led to his Dad finding this  priceless stash of radio nostalgia.
    Dad plans to buy a  large turntable but has nowhere to turn to find one. Next
    Hallowe'en ought to be  big fun at the Dickens house."

    Sigh.
    Would that there were some!!!
    John writes a poignant letter about the lost seasons of INNER SANCTUM and it
    has  been so long since I asked that I might as well indulge my fantasy right
    now.
    Are there any new shows that have been found on disc  or tape?
    Did anyone come across a show not on the usual  list in the past two years?
    Sigh.
    If  only.
    I could be wrong and would appreciate an off-list  e-mail if anyone can help
    me add to my collection of this great  show.
    I'd be happy then to call this person at my expense  and tell them my great
    INNER SANCTUM Paul McGrath story and the more recent  Raymond story.
    My wife winces every time it comes [removed]  leaves the room and shuts the
    door [removed] IT WILL  SQUEAK.
    Hopefully,
    Michael C. Gwynne

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:30:29 -0500
    From: "Mary L. Wallace" <mlwallace57@[removed];
    To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Greatest Radio Loss

    well, for me it would be the lack of so many fred allen broadcasts.  i am
    grateful for what we have but so many of his shows seem to be lost to the
    ages.  maybe there are some at the boston public library (is that indeed
    where the collection is?) but they are not available for our own
    collections.

    yours for a wet broom in 8h on wednesday nights.

    mary lou wallace

    (now if only we could have some real humor in 8h on saturday nights!)

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:32:34 -0500
    From: jack and cathy french <otrpiano@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Those FBI radio shows

    On Saturday, January 20, 2007, at 04:56 PM, Jim Taylor wrote:

>     Before "The FBI in Peace and War" premiered in 1944, did CBS try to get
>     Bureau cooperation in producing the series and was "This is you FBI",
>     which premiered on ABC in April 1945, created because of Bureau
>     dissatisfaction with "...Peace and War"? And how did the Bureau feel
>     about the series "I was a communist for the FBI"?

    As a former FBI Agent, whose last seven years were at FBIHQ heading up
    the Research Unit, I had to answer similar radio history questions many
    times.

    There were several FBI radio series, both endorsed by the Bureau and
    otherwise, starting with "The Lucky Strike Hour" in October 1932 with
    the last one on the BBC, "G-Men", which ended in the late 50s. But
    let's concentrate on only the three that Jim mentions.

    While the FBI fully cooperated with author Frederick L. Collins in
    writing his 1943 book, "The FBI in Peace and War," the Bureau was quite
    surprised when he sold the radio rights to CBS in 1944 and they
    attempted to prevent this action. The Bureau claimed their original
    agreement with Collins did not give him radio rights, but the Attorney
    General overruled the FBI, maintaining the contract did not
    specifically forbid it either. Of course, in its first season, they
    used up all the stories in Collins' book, and thereafter, as the
    director, Betty Mandeville told me, "We just had the writers create
    stuff on their own, even though we had to keep paying Fred for the use
    of his book title on the series." Needless to say, the authenticity was
    lacking, but there was nothing the FBI could do about it.

    While it's not clear in FBI files, it's highly probable that "This is
    Your FBI" was created by ABC in 1945 to challenge the other series.
    Jerry Devine both wrote and produced this second series and the Bureau
    gave him full access to their closed cases. Hoover recorded a message
    to be aired in connection with the first episode of that series and
    rumor has it that he seldom missed listening to the show over the years.

    "I was a Communist for the FBI" was based upon a series in "Saturday
    Evening Post" by the same title, written by a former FBI informant,
    Matt Cvetic, and the Bureau had no official connection to that series.
    Since it was about an FBI informant, not an actual FBI employee, it's
    unlikely that anyone at FBIHQ was that concerned about its accuracy.
    This syndicated ZIV production was fairly successful and at its height
    in the early 50s, was being carried by over 600 stations. The radio
    series was probably launched to take advantage of the publicity
    generated by the 1951 motion picture of the same name which starred
    Frank Lovejoy.

    Jack French
    Editor: RADIO RECALL
    [removed]>

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:41:37 -0500
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Bad behavior

    In a 1954 issue of Collier's, Bill Davidson (presumably not Just Plain Bill)
    wrote some revealing lines:

    - ---
    For years, C. E. Hooper was the kingpin of the radio ratings field.  His
    so-called Hooperatings were based on samplings of listeners in 36 key
    American cities.  Though Hooper never claimed he was producing accurate
    national ratings, most broadcasting bigwigs took it for granted that the 36
    Hooper cities gave an exact picture of listening behavior all over the
    country.

    But then, in the late 1940s, came the mushrooming of television.  As it
    turned out, nearly all of the new stations sprang up in Hooper's 36 cities,
    causing an inevitable decline in the radio ratings there.  The advertising
    brass took one look at the plummeting ratings and rushed to get out of
    radio programming.  The radio industry was dealt a blow from which it has
    never fully recovered.  It just didn't occur to anyone that Hooper's city
    ratings bore no relation to what was going on in huge areas of the nation
    where television had not yet arrived.
    - ---

    Is this in any way part of a plausible explanation for radio's fortunes
    going into a tailspin?  Or does Davidson's theory hold water?

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:46:26 -0500
    From: "Bill Scherer" <bspro@[removed];
    To: ""old-time radio digest">" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  For folks with OTR on Vinyl

    Just came across this and thought I'd share it.
    If you have some OTR, or any other audio on those old-fashioned vinyl things we used to call albums and want
    to convert them to CD's, check this out.

    [removed];en=bd2752241b74b5f3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

    It's not a bad way to go if you don't want to get too geeky about it.
    Bill

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

    Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:05:37 -0500
    From: Penne <bandpy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Cassettes for Kids

>     Also it would be exciting to offer the class some
>     shows on cassettes or cds if possible to really bring
>     the topic to life.

    Regarding the above quote from one of the listers, I would donate some of my
    cassettes for such "show and tell" programs.  I have a lot of shows on
    cassettes that I've collected for some 20-odd years and have saved a lot on
    CD's.  I think it's such a unique idea if someone has the time, talent, and
    means to provide such a program.  A cassette, in itself, is no doubt an
    oddity to a large majority of children.  Most of what I have are comedies,
    such as McGee and Molly, Jack Benny, and Burns and Allen, but do have some
    mysteries that may or may not be suitable.    If anyone undertakes such a
    program, they can contact me off-list.  I even have an old cassette
    recorder/player that I may let go for such a project!  What would seem more
    real would be playing the cassette through one of those radios that looks
    like an old cathedral radio and has a cassette player (I have one of those,
    too, but sorry, cannot let it go - wouldn't sleep at nite).  Cheers! Penne

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2007 Issue #24
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