Subject: [removed] Digest V2009 #63
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 3/27/2009 10:18 PM
To: [removed]@[removed]
Reply-to:
[removed]@[removed]

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2009 : Issue 63
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                             [removed]
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Benny Goodman Profile in The Wall St  [ seandd@[removed] ]
  3-26 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  OTR Books                             [ Frank McGurn <[removed]@sbcglobal. ]
  Re: Pennzoil Parade?                  [ Jordan Young <jordanyoung50@sbcglob ]
  Oh, we got trouble                    [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
  commercial bird                       [ mchone@[removed] ]
  Fred Allen Update                     [ Rentingnow@[removed] ]
  3-27 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:55:02 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Benny Goodman Profile in The Wall Street Journal

Pegged to a pending re-release of his classic Columbia recordings, The Wall
Street Journal's jazz critic Will Friedwald takes a look at the career of
Benny Goodman, focusing on the old time radio era.  This link probably works
for non-subscribers but in case it doesn't, it was on page D7 of the March 25
issue.

[removed]

Sean Dougherty

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:55:07 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  3-26 births/deaths

March 26th births

03-26-1894 - Will Wright - San Francisco, CA - d. 6-19-1962
actor: Ed Kremer "Fibber McGee and Molly"; George Honeywell "My Little
Margie"
03-26-1900 - Creighton Allen - Macon, MS - d. 7-18-1969
pianist for NBC in 1935
03-26-1907 - Clarence Stroud - Kaufman, TX - d. 8-15-1973
actor: "Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show"
03-26-1907 - Claude Stroud - Kaufman, TX - d. 10-16-1985
actor: "Edgar Bergen/Chaarlie McCarthy Show"
03-26-1907 - Leigh Harline - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 12-10-1969
music: "Eddie Bracken Show"; "Ford Festival of American Music"
03-26-1907 - Phil Rapp - d. 1-23-1996
creator, writer, director: "The Bickersons"; "Baby Snooks"; "Old Gold
Time"
03-26-1908 - Hank Sylvern - Brooklyn, NY - d. 7-4-1964
orchestra leader: "Beyond Tomorrow"
03-26-1911 - Hank Booream - St. Paul, MN - d. 6-9-2006
director: "March of Time"; "Burns and Allen"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
03-26-1911 - Tennessee Williams - Columbus, TN - d. 2-25-1983
author: "Drama Critics Award"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
03-26-1912 - Al Sloey - d. 12-15-1975
singer: (Riders of the Purple Sage) "Roy Rogers Show"; "Hollywood Barn
Dance"
03-26-1915 - Flip Phillips - Brooklyn, NY - d. 8-17-2001
jazz saxophonist: "Woody Herman Show"; "Saturday Night Swing Session"
03-26-1916 - Sterling Hayden - Montclair, NJ - d. 5-23-1986
actor: "We the People"
03-26-1916 - Vic Schoen - Brooklyn, NY - d. 1-5-2000
music: "The Andrews Sisters"
03-26-1918 - William Hardcastle - Newcastle, England - d. 11-10-1975
newscaster: "The World At One"
03-26-1920 - Junior Blizzard - d. 2-2-2005
disk jockey: WMJM Cordele, Georgia
03-26-1923 - Bob Elliott - Boston, MA
comedian: "Bob and Ray Show"; "Back Bay Matinee"
03-26-1923 - Charles Wheeler  Bremen, Germany - d-. 7-4-2008
news correspondent: "Transatlantic Call"; "A Tribute to Alistair"
03-26-1924 - Jean M. Brooks - Brighton, England - d. 1-3-2003
writer: "Gregory of the Outback"; "Opal Witch"
03-26-1924 - Marcia Van Dyck - Grants Pass, OR
actor: Marcia Barry "It's the Barrys"
03-26-1928 - Carole Carr - London, England - d. 1-8-1997
singer, actress: "Calling All Forces"
03-26-1928 - Patsy Lee - Alameda, CA
singer: "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club"
03-26-1931 - Leonard Nimoy - Boston, MA
actor: [removed] Theatre Works "War of the Worlds"

March 26th deaths

01-27-1918 - Irving Cummings - d. 3-26-1996
producer, host: "Lux Radio Theater"; "Gulf Screen Theatre"
02-27-1899 - Ian Keith - Boston, MA - d. 3-26-1960
actor "The O'Neill Cycle"
03-04-1904 - Dorothy Page - Northampton, PA - d. 3-26-1961
vocalist: "Paducah Plantation"
04-03-1921 - Jan Sterling - NYC - d. 3-26-2004
actor: "Screen Director's Playhouse"; "[removed] Steel Hour"
05-31-1819 - Walt Whitman - Long Island, NY - d. 3-26-1892
writer: "Against the Storm"
06-06-1898 - Walter Abel - St. Paul, MN - d. 3-26-1987
actor: "Columbia Presents Shakespeare"; "Magic Key"; "Voice of the Army"
06-18-1898 - Francis 'Dink' Trout - Beardstown, IL - d. 3-26-1950
actor: Waldo Binney "Life of Riley"; Mr. Anderson "A Day in the Life
of Dennis Day"
07-23-1888 - Raymond Chandler - Chicago, IL - d. 3-26-1959
detective story author: "Phillip Marlow"
08-13-1909 - Tristram Coffin - Mammoth, UT - d. 3-26-1990
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
08-18-1896 - Alan Mowbray - London, England - d. 3-26-1969
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"; "Forecast"; "Hollywood Hotel"; "Screen
Guild Theatre"
08-29-1917 - Eddie Hubbard - Baltimore, MD - d. 3-26-2007
disk jockey: "Music Unlimited"
09-06-1889 - Louis Silvers - NYC - d. 3-26-1954
music director: "Lux Radio Theatre"
09-26-1897 - William B. Heyne - d. 3-26-1992
choral director: "Lutheran Hour"; "Lutheran Laymen's League"
10-13-1904 - Wilfred Pickles - Halifax, England - d. 3-26-1978
announcer, newsreader: "Have A Go"; "Children's Hour"; "Where Are You
Now?"
10-25-1902 - Eddie Lang - Philadelphia, PA - d. 3-26-1933
jazz guitarest: "Music That Satisfies"
12-09-1912 - Bartlett Robinson - NYC - d. 3-26-1986
actor: Walter Manning "Portia Faces Life"; Perry Mason "Perry Mason"
12-13-1894 - Olin Landick - d. 3-26-1972
actor: Cassandra Drinkwater "Cousin Cassie"
12-16-1899 - Noel Coward - Teddington, Middlesex, England - d. 3-26-1973
actor, playwright: "Stagestruck"

Ron

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:55:27 -0400
From: Frank McGurn <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  OTR Books

I read the OTR Digest about books written by many of the experts who
contribute their knowledge to digest and refer to books they have had
published. I would love to read these books, but the library in my area
don't  have any  of the titles I read [removed]

"The Old Radio Times" has been advertising, books by Jim Cox, and
others,  I look at the  price of these books and they are very expensive
so I will never be able to afford to buy any.

Frank McGurn
McHenry, Illinois

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:55:33 -0400
From: Jordan Young <jordanyoung50@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Pennzoil Parade?

Harry Sosnik was a well-known bandleader, and Decca's musical
director in the '30s and '40s.

Jordan R. Young

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:55:50 -0400
From: <otrbuff@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Oh, we got trouble

Ron Sayles reminded us this week of the death of one of the provocative
"inspirators" (my term) of radio drama:

01-10-1882 - Olive Higgins Prouty - Worcester, MA - d. 3-24-1974
writer: "Stella Dallas" based on Prouty's novel without her approvals

The memorable announcer, Howard Claney, bearing a distinctive nasal twang
while clearly enunciating every word (a Hummert prerequisite), and one of
several narrators in the strain, introduced Prouty's infamous feature every
weekday afternoon (1938-1956) with this enigmatic epigraph:

"We give you now -- Stella Dallas! -- a continuation on the air of the
true-to-life story of mother love and sacrifice in which Stella Dallas saw
her beloved daughter Laurel marry into wealth and society and, realizing the
difference in their tastes and worlds, went out of Laurel's life.  These
episodes in the later life of Stella Dallas are based on the famous novel of
that name by Olive Higgins Prouty and are written by Anne Hummert."

That intro must have remained a curiosity to the narrative's enduring
listeners who, not being stupid, must have asked themselves:  "What does he
mean when he says she 'went out of Laurel's life'?"  Who knew?  It turned
out to be nothing more than an idiom, repeated daily across a couple of
decades.  An analyst of such trivia would have observed that "If she went
out of Laurel's life, they'd have no story."  As it turned out, Laurel
(Lolly-Baby) was nothing more than a puppet, and mama pulled the strings.
It was obvious that the grown daughter couldn't have made it through life
without Stella to save her from Arab shieks and other scum that would do
Lolly-Baby bodily harm.  Poor Laurel had a nasty way of stimulating the male
juices, inspiring wild seduction schemes in many a man.  Yet despite the
affection she bestowed on her offspring, thankless Stella received nothing
more than a trio of lousy handkerchiefs one Christmas as an expression of
Laurel's gratitude for her abiding care.

Returning to the disturbance over Olive Higgins Prouty:  Ms. Prouty wrote
her turn-of-the-century novel and no fewer than two celluloid versions of
her tale appeared on screen before the radio sequel was born.  The first
starred Belle Bennett and the second, Barbara Stanwyck.

Although the radio drama purportedly picked up where the movie version left
off, the indomitable Ms. Prouty found little to her liking in the series
produced by Frank and Anne Hummert.  Those two were notorious, as we have
previously discovered, in taking whatever was available and adapting it to
their needs.  Thus came stories for David Harum and other characters based
on heroes of films, novels, stage plays, etc.  Almost all of their theme
songs were lifted from public domain ("How Can I Leave Thee?" for Stella,
"The Rose of Tralee" for Backstage Wife, "Funiculi Funicula" for Lorenzo
Jones, "In the Gloaming" and "Wonderful One" for Young Widder Brown,
"Someday I'll Find You" for Mr. Keen, "Darling Nellie Gray" and "Polly Wolly
Doodle" for Just Plain Bill, et al.).  The reason for using such accessible
material?  To pad the Hummerts' bottom lines by dispensing with costs in
having someone think up new stories and write new music for their 127
series.

Prouty's novel focused on a crude but benevolent mother who felt she must
suppress her attachment with her daughter for the child to realize
fulfillment.  Bowing gently before her unkind fate while in print, in radio
she became a tough old bird who wouldn't have bowed before a sultan.  As
heard on the air Stella Dallas became a supersleuth.  After the series
ended, Anne Elstner, who played her all those years on NBC, confessed that
the most memorable line she uttered was "Lolly-Baby, I ain't got no time for
nothin' but trouble!"

And had Ms. Prouty been alive today and the Hummerts adapted her story, with
or without her permission, could there be any doubt in this sue-happy
society that USA Today and CNN would be reporting Prouty's lawsuit involving
the Hummerts?  Oh, we'd have trouble, right here in the river city of Boston
(where Stella was a seamstress).  Frank and Anne wouldn't have no time for
nothin' but trouble!

There's much more on Stella and her contemporaries in a new softcover "The
Great Radio Soap Operas"
([removed] or
800-253-2187).

Jim Cox

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:56:02 -0400
From: mchone@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  commercial bird

Jim Cox wrote about the bouncy commercial jingles on radio.  They were aired to
often that they stuck in your head.  My Mother had a parakeet that lived within
earshot of our radio and it wasn't before the bird would sing "T-I-D-E tide"
over
and over.

Roby McHone
Fairbanks, Alaska

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:56:18 -0400
From: Rentingnow@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Fred Allen Update

I have read I think all of the books that Fred  Allen wrote and paid
respectful homage at his grave.

Someone said he/she  was working on a book of his letters.  Could we have an
update on how the  book is coming?

Larry Moore

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

Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:56:26 -0400
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  3-27 births/deaths

March 27th births

03-27-1892 - Ferde Grofe - NYC - d. 4-3-1972
conductor, composer: (The Grand Canyon Suite) "Florsheim Frolic"
03-27-1892 - Thorne Smith - Annapolis, MD - d. 6-21-1934
writer: "Advs. of Topper" based on his book
03-27-1895 - William W. Chaplin - NYC - d. 8-18-1978
newsman: White House correspondent for NBC
03-27-1898 - Gloria Swanson - Chicago, IL - d. 4-4-1983
panelist: "Hollywood Byline"; "Suspense"
03-27-1902 - Sidney Buchman - Duluth, MN - d. 8-23-1975
movie writer: "Lux Radio Theatre"
03-27-1904 - Hal Kemp - Marion, AL - d. 12-21-1940
bandleader: "Phil Baker Show"; "Lady Esther Serenade"; "Gulf Gas
Program"
03-27-1906 - Pee Wee Russell - Maple Wood, MO - d. 2-15-1969
clarinet: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concerts"
03-27-1907 - Mary Treen - St. Louis, MO - d. 7-20-1989
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
03-27-1914 - Budd Schulberg - NYC
writer: "Free World Theatre"; "The New Theatre"
03-27-1914 - Richard Denning - Poughkeepsie, NY - d. 10-11-1998
actor: George Cooper "My Favorite Husband"; Jerry North "Mr. and Mrs.
North"
03-27-1914 - Snooky Lanson - Memphis, TN - d. 7-2-1990
singer: "Snooky Lanson Show"; "Your Hit Parade"
03-27-1915 - Hugh Conover - Washington, [removed] - d. 9-27-1992
announcer: "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill"; "Big Sister"; "Right to
Happiness"
03-27-1915 - Robert Lockwood, Jr. - Turkey Scratch, AR - d. 11-21-2006
guiatrist: "KFFA King Biscuit Time"
03-27-1916 - Howard Merrill - NYC - d. 4-20-2002
writer: "Advs. of Leonidas Witherall"; "Leave It to Mike"; "Secret
Missions"
03-27-1920 - Richard Hayman - Cambridge, MA
arranger, harmonica player: "Stop the Music"; "Steve Lawrence Show"
03-27-1921 - Fletcher Markle - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - d. 5-22-1991
actor, director, producer: "Columbia Workshop"; "Studio One"
03-27-1921 - Fred Foy - Detroit, MI
announcer, narrator: "The Lone Ranger"
03-27-1921 - Harold Nicholas - Winston-Salem, NC - d. 7-3-2000
dancer: (The Nicholas Brothers) "Big Broadcast of 1936"; "Ben Bernie
Show"
03-27-1924 - Sarah Vaughn - Newark, NJ - d. 4-3-1990
singer: "Guest Star"; "Your Rhythm Revue"
03-27-1930 - Bob Larson - Los Angeles, CA - d. 5-1-2002
actor: "Lux Radio Theatre"
03-27-1930 - Jack Adams - Hobart, OK - d. 6-14-2003
singer in nightclubs and radio
03-27-1940 - Janis Martin - Sutherlin, VA - d. 9-3-2007
rockabilly singer: "Army of Stars"; "Reflections By Starlight"

March 27th deaths

01-10-1916 - Don Gardiner - NYC - d. 3-27-1977
newscaster: "Monday Morning Headlines"
01-17-1904 - Grant Withers - Pueblo, CO - d. 3-27-1959
actor: "Calling All Cars"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
04-09-1904 - Joseph "Sharkey" Bonamo - Milneburg, LA - d. 3-27-1972
conductor: (Sharkey Bonamo and His Sharks of Rhythm) "Saturday Night
Swing Club"
06-12-1910 - Leon Carr - Allentown, PA - d. 3-27-1976
composer: "Voices of Vista"
06-18-1908 - Elmore Vincent - Amarillo, X - d. 3-27-2000
actor: Phineas Peabody "Lum and Abner"
06-22-1906 - Billy Wilder - Sucha, Austria-Hungary - d. 3-27-2002
screenwriter, film director: "Lady Esther Screen Guild Theatre"; "Lux
Radio Theatre"
07-07-1925 - Wally Phillips - Portsmouth, OH - d. 3-27-2008
radio personality: WGN Chicago, Illinois
07-08-1911 - Gertrude Niesen - Mid-Atlantic Ocean - d. 3-27-1975
singer: "Songs by Gertrude Niesen"; "Good News of 1939"
07-12-1908 - Milton Berle - NYC - d. 3-27-2002
comedian: "Milton Berle Show"; "Let Yourself Go"; "Three Ring Time"
08-05-1914 - Anita Colby - Washington, DC - d. 3-27-1992
actor: "Radio Hall of Fame"
09-06-1904 - Ted Royal Dewar - Skedee, Oklahoma Territory - d. 3-27-1981
orchestrator: "Wayne King and His Orchestra"; Ted Weems and His
Orchestra"
09-25-1926 - Aldo Ray - Pen Argyl, PA - d. 3-27-1991
actor; "MGM Musical Comedy Theatre"
11-03-1889 - Gustave Haenschen - St. Louis, MO - d. 3-27-1980
conductor: "Palmolive Hour"; "Show Boat"; "Saturday Night Serenade"
11-04-1930 - Kate Reid - London, England - d. 3-27-1993
actor: "CBS Radio Mystery Theatre"
12-12-1902 - Helen Menken - NYC - d. 3-27-1966
actor: Brenda Cummings "Second Husband"
12-17-1895 - Rudolph Anders - Germany - d. 3-27-1987
actor: Dr. VanMeter "Space Patrol"

Ron

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2009 Issue #63
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