Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #6
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 1/7/2006 9:37 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2006 : Issue 6
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Johnstone was John Dawson             [ DanHaefele@[removed] ]
      The Greatest Performer                [ Al Girard <24agirard24@[removed] ]
      LP restoration                        [ RBB <oldradio@[removed]; ]
      Changing Times-On TV                  [ "Tim Lones" <tlones1@[removed]; ]
      the question of sound restoration     [ Rutledge Mann <cliff_marsland@yahoo ]
      births and deaths                     [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
      developments in turntables            [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
      Re: Re: The Chief City Slicker        [ Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed]; ]
      Some thoughts about an art form (OTR  [ DOORBELLONE <doorbellone@[removed]; ]
      Controversial Dolnick to speak        [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      The Gildersleeve Age Conundrum        [ Froggievilleus <froggievilleus@yaho ]
      A DIFFERENT KIND OF OTR REFERENCE BO  [ "David S. Siegel" <otrdsiegel@veriz ]
      The Phantom                           [ Robert Griffin <[removed]@wmic ]
      Re: Gildersleeve                      [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      This week in radio history 8-14 Janu  [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      the dark                              [ "robert phillips" <phillips@[removed] ]
      REcording from LP's                   [ "Roger Keel" <rlkeel@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 23:02:15 -0500
    From: DanHaefele@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Johnstone was John Dawson
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    Buck,

            Jack Johnstone was  hiding an important fact from you.  He sometimes
    wrote under the pen name  John Dawson.  (He told me this when I interviewed
    him for SPERDVAC.)   Announcer Hugh Douglass told me that Johnstone was using
    his wife's maiden  name.  I don't know if he was remembering correctly or not
    since I never  questioned Johnstone about it.

              E. Jack  Newman wrote under his own name and I can't fathom either
    man using the other's  work.   Can you give an example of two shows with
    exactly (or nearly)  the same story and different authors?

    Dan Haefele

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    Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 23:02:45 -0500
    From: Al Girard <24agirard24@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Greatest Performer

    A few years ago the People's Choice Awards voted  Tom Hanks
    as the greatest entertainer of all time.  I was astounded at that choice,
    as I wouldn't have even considered him.  Then, last night as I
    watched Larry King, I saw a rally in New York, where the MC
    was proclaiming Howard Stern as the greatest radio performer of all time.
    Again, I disagree.

    My questions to the forum are:
    A:  In your estimation, who was the greatest entertainer of all time?
    B: Who would you say was the greatest radio entertainer of all time?

    There certainly were some multi-talented people who could be
    considered for the honors.  I can think of Bob Hope, who was in
    vaudeville, radio, movies, night clubs and war zones.  Others who
    you might consider are Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Al Jolson,
    Red Skelton and Danny Kaye.

    I think this could make for some intersting speculation and discussion.

    Al Girard

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 01:33:13 -0500
    From: RBB <oldradio@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  LP restoration

    <<<Pete Appleyard asked about recording programs from LP's>>>

    There are several computer programs that will eliminate the hiss and
    surface noises of LP's, one that is highly recommended by many users is
    GOLDWAVE - a digital audio editing program that offers a trial version
    before buying.

    Their web site with more info is   [removed]   and it is easily
    downloaded online.  There is more you can do with this program, of
    course, eliminating pop and hiss is just one feature.

    The LP's should be cleaned manually before attempting the restoration
    process, fast forward and then reverse cassette tapes before undertaking
    the transfer procedure to loosen them up.  Consider making a digital
    transfer to CD's rather than to cassettes, and practice using a
    "re-writable" CR-RW's if you make mistakes.

    A Google search for information on LP (vinyl) restoration and transfer
    will come up with more options and techniques as will others on this
    list, perhaps.  One company that does it all for you to transfer your
    collection on LP's, cassettes, 8-track, DAT, etc. to CD's  is Memory
    Lane Productions in Hollywood CA at this web site:
    [removed]

    (Disclaimer applies, no personal interest in these recommendations)

    =Russ Butler  oldradio@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 01:33:33 -0500
    From: "Tim Lones" <tlones1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Changing Times-On TV

    I had never known Changing Times as a radio program, but risking Charlie's
    wrath (kidding!) for delving off topic a bit Changing Times, In my memory
    was a 15 minute filler TV program for the aforementioned Kiplinger's
    [removed] did run on weekend  TV through much of the 60's and early
    70'[removed] my area on WJW-TV 8 Cleveland afternoons before Cleveland Indians
    Baseball "Dugout Interviews" Pre-game shows.  Actually. you could call it an
    early form of "Informecial"

    Tim Lones

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 01:35:45 -0500
    From: Rutledge Mann <cliff_marsland@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  the question of sound restoration

    I love digital technology and the amazing things it
    can do, but I'm not so hot on the relatively recent
    (since 2000 or so) trend of cleaned shows.  Don't get
    me wrong, I like a cleaned show when it's done right,
    but sometimes, especially shows with more than a
    little surface noise, the artifacts sound or leftover
    sound are far more distracting than the original
    surface noise.  To give credit where credit is due,
    people using the CEDAR (especially the latest
    generation CEDAR) technology have been doing a pretty
    good job.  Although comically overpriced, CEDAR seems
    to be the best cleanup software/hardware.  They get a
    generally free pass on this issue.  But even CEDAR and
    the best done restoration jobs can leave a digital
    noise patter, expecially the older CEDAR.  The newer
    one seems to be better at that.  For example, the
    First Gen people did a great job on the Cinnamon Bear
    set.

    What I'm talking about is generally the non-cedar
    stuff.  I've heard some good and even great jobs, but
    I feel that if a show is VG+ sound grade or less, it
    should be left in its raw state.  One of the biggest
    sins of all is editing something else into a program,
    especially AFRS programs with fake commercials, or
    AFRS with the music fill cut out - I hate that!  Or
    worst of all, fake stereo - luckily not many do that.

    Take A Day in the Life of Dennis Day, for example, the
    ones I've heard at least,  came from a point when the
    discs had deteriorated to very poor condition and the
    shows I've heard have alost every example of the
    different sound problems.  I don't know of anyone's
    ever attempted to clean that series, but that's a
    perfect example of a show that should be left alone,
    assuming there's not a better condition ET set out
    there.

    Swish, any irregular and often-occuring sound
    patterns, and the "chhh" noise are most of the
    culprits on leftover sound.  I think anything with
    those noise patterns should be left raw.  Glass-based
    discs are one culprit.  Cleaning up is mainly good for
    reducing tape hiss, or certain patterns of clicks and
    pops.

    I listen to OTR mainly on headphones, so digital
    artifacts show up immediately.  They can be somewhat
    masked by speakers, unless it's really bad.

    Don't misunderstand me, cleaning up is great when it
    sounds good, but a lot of shows should be left alone,
    or at least, very conservatively dealt with.

    And please, always keep a raw transfer, technology is
    always improving and someday there might be something
    that can take out all the difficult noises without
    artifacts.

    When I go outside my own collection of discs and reels
    for OTR, I try to find people with raw digital .wav
    transfers of discs or a very clean reel source, such
    as Ed Carr (is Ed ok?  - I can't find his website
    anymore and I haven't heard from him in a long while).

    As not to clutter up the Digest, I invite any
    interested person to  email me directly, as I'm
    curious to see opinions on this issue - especially
    opinions on  the best non-CEDAR software (the price is
    prohibitively high) for cleaning, especially for tape
    hiss.

    Trav

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 01:36:05 -0500
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  births and deaths

    I realized this evening that I have been a fairly faithful reader of Mr
    Sayles births and deaths list.

    I have noticed that, for some reason, most of the performers listed seem to
    have had fairly long lives.  Perhaps that's because most of them were
    already fairly established performers by the time they got jobs in radio.  I
    suppose that's why the birth dates all seem to be clustered around
    1890-1910.

    I also find myself looking for really old birth and death dates.  I mean,
    Tom Mix was born in 1880 and died in 1940, and that is way back when.

    M Kinsler
    512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 01:36:36 -0500
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  developments in turntables

    In a discussion of new products featured at the Consumer Electronics Show on
    NPR, the fellow mentioned that you can now buy a phonograph turntable that
    has a USB output: it apparenlty digitizes your records as it feeds them to
    your hard drive.  It has a 78 rpm setting, costs $[removed], and comes with a
    copy of the audio-processing program Audacity, which is free anyway.  As
    they say in technical literature, No Further Information Is Available,
    though I imagine a Web search might help.

    M Kinsler
    512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 09:17:17 -0500
    From: Jordan Young <jyoung@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Re: The Chief City Slicker

    With dozens of compilation CDs in release, videos, tribute bands, and
    radio and TV rebroadcasts of his shows, Spike Jones is hardly a
    forgotten name. And musical parody is hardly a thing of the past--Dr.
    Demento wouldn't have a show if that were true. In fact, the [removed]
    Times mentioned a new musical humorist only yesterday, and compared
    him to a certain City Slicker.

    Jordan R. Young
    "Spike Jones Off the Record"

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 09:18:26 -0500
    From: DOORBELLONE <doorbellone@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Some thoughts about an art form (OTR) which
     many of us carry in   our STAGE OF THE MIND
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Fellow fun seekers of the 30's and 40's, it is soooo good to read these OTR
    pages and to "return with us now to those daze of [removed]"   Each
    entry in this corner of the mind takes about 5 minutes to read since there is
    the necessary time to reminise after reading the contributor's words and
    reminders.

      My wife is 29 years younger, so a majority of our friends were in diapers
    when we were avidly catching every word and laugh of the Atwater-Kent.
    therefor, it is rarely  possible to sit down and re-live the oh-so-real
    adventures/humor/mystery/stories which are locked in almost-lost crevices of
    the mind.

      Louis Armstrong once replied to the question of what is [removed]"if you
    have to ask, you will never know!"   It is similar for people who did not
    experience those days of yesteryear!

      I have to go now and shine my Captain Midnight decoder rings and badges.
    anyone want to exchange some secret messages?

      enjoy the memories, good conversation, good health and lots of fun with
    loved ones,

      Captain Audio

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 09:18:49 -0500
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Controversial Dolnick to speak

    Controversial Jed Dolnick will speak at the next meeting of the
    Milwaukee Area Radio Enthusiasts. (MARE)

    Jed Dolnick will be the guest speaker at the next open meeting of the
    Milwaukee Area Radio Enthusiasts (MARE) on Sun., Jan. 15, at 2:00 PM
    in the Community Room G-110 at the Mayfair Mall (lower level), 2500
    N. Mayfair Road.

    Jed Dolnick hosted an old time radio show on Sunday mornings for
    several years on Radio Station WUWM and later, WYMS. Jed will talk
    about his career and some background on his old time radio program.
    It should should also be noted that Jed was one of the founders of
    MARE in 1975.

    If you live in or near Milwaukee, please stop by. The meetings are
    open to the general public.

    Ron Sayles
    President Milwaukee Area Radio Enthusiasts

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 09:21:28 -0500
    From: Froggievilleus <froggievilleus@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Gildersleeve Age Conundrum

    Hi All,

    In a previous posting, Richard Carpenter wrote:

>     [removed] One puzzlement: As I recall, Marjorie got older, married, and had
>     children, while Leroy remained a pre-adolescent. An amazing feat.

    Leroy, towards the end of the series did start to
    mature a little, discovering girls.  But he was never
    in any rush.  He was too busy with schemes of his own
    and keeping Unc on his tows.

    Also, I would like to note that Marjorie actually
    became younger for a while.  During the first season,
    she seemed older to me, about in her late teens,
    almost 20ish to me.  Then somehow during the summer
    hiatus, she became a 16ish again.  And after
    digressing in her age, she did mature to become a
    lovely wife and mother.

    Reading the various posts about Gildy has been most
    interesting.  For me, The Great Gildersleeve is in my
    top 5 favorite shows of all time.  I listened to it a
    lot when I was overseas for a few months a few years
    back.  Being in Italy where English was a luxury to
    hear, listening to Gildy and company really made me
    feel great.  And it made me long for Kraft too.  :)

    BTW:  I do not recall when in the series this
    occurred, but toward the end of one season, it was
    mentioned that although Gildy would be on his summer
    vacation, there would be a Summerfield Music series
    during the summer and that some of the Gildy gang
    would be part of it.  Does anyone have any info about
    this series and perhaps have copies of it?

    Many thanx,

    Elizabeth G.

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 11:30:57 -0500
    From: "David S. Siegel" <otrdsiegel@[removed];
    To: OTR DIGEST <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  A DIFFERENT KIND OF OTR REFERENCE BOOK

    I'm pleased to report that "A Resource Guide to the Golden Age of Radio:
    Special Collections, Bibliography, and the Internet" is at the printer and
    should be available for shipping on or about January 24th.

    This very different OTR reference book, while co-written by me, is really
    the brain child of Susan, the lady who has attended FOTR Conventions with
    me for the past dozen or so years and who also happens to be my wife.

    Bitten by the bug that has affected so many of us OTR fanatics, Susan
    decided that scholars writing about popular culture during the 40 year
    period that marked radio's golden age as well as OTR collectors and
    enthusiasts needed a comprehensive resource that would identify the
    libraries and other institutions that held the scripts, recordings,
    contracts and personal papers of thousands of professionals who worked in
    the industry during its most productive years. More information would be
    uncovered, Susan believed, and more books and articles written, if only
    there was a reference that would serve as a road map to the right sources.

    After almost a year of research her efforts  have uncovered
    --  2,300 Special Collections in academic and public libraries, historical
    societies, museums, corporate archives and privately held collections.
    -- 1,400 Bibliographic citations grouped into 54 subject categories
    -- 100+ non commercial research oriented Internet sites
    --  A comprehensive Index that integrates all 3,800 listings and which can
    be searched by program, person or subject/genre.

    The book sells for $[removed] plus $5 for media mail shipping and handling or
    $[removed] for priority mail and can be ordered from our web site,
    [removed] or by calling us at (914) 245-6608. We accept
    Visa and Mastercard.

    If you've ever dreamed of writing about a favorite radio program or
    entertainer this book should be on your shelf.  If your budget is limited
    you should encourage your local library to order a copy.

    More information about the book is available at our web site,
    [removed]

    Dave Siegel

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 13:40:54 -0500
    From: Robert Griffin <[removed]@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Phantom

    As a kind of coda to the Phantom discussion, it might of interest to
    friends of old time radio that there was a record produced by MGM
    Records in 1967 that provided a dramatization of two of Lee Falk's
    stories. It was titled "The Official Adventures of The Phantom and
    Mandrake the Magician" (#CH-1041), and featured: (Side One) "The
    Phantom and The Astronauts and The Pirates"; (Side Two) "Mandrake and
    The Return of the Cobra." Jason Beck was the narrator with a cast
    that included Lon Clark, Boris Aplon, Bret Morrison, Geroge Petrie,
    Elaine Hyman and Bob Dryden.
    The record was very well done and makes one a bit sorry that
    something similar wasn't serialized during the golden age of radio.

    Bob Griffin

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 13:41:16 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Gildersleeve

       Re: the Hal Peary/Willard Waterman Gildy's, I recall a line from the
    first show that Waterman did.  He remarks that after his summer vacation
    he felt "like a new man" to which Leroy replies, "You look like a new
    man too" and the audience howls.  :)
       Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:  [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 14:05:03 -0500
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otrd <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  This week in radio history 8-14 January

     From Those Were The Days --

    1/10

    1943 - The quiz show, The Better Half, was first heard on Mutual this
    day. The program brought four married couples to compete in stunts
    involving traditional concepts of 'manhood' and 'womanhood'.

    1/11

    1947 - Amazing Mr. Malone (aka Murder and Mr. Malone) starring Frank
    Lovejoy, debuted on ABC.

    1/12

    1926 - Sam 'n' Henry debuted on WGN in Chicago, Illinois.  The show's
    name was changed to Amos 'n' Andy with the voices of its creators,
    Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.

    1932 - Ed Sullivan joined CBS radio in a program of gossip and interviews.

    1/13

    1906 - Hugh Gernsback of the Electro Importing Company advertised radio
    receivers for sale for the low, low price of just $[removed] in Scientific
    American magazine. The first ad selling the gizmos guaranteed reception
    of about one mile.

    1910 - Enrico Caruso and Emmy Destinn were heard via a telephone
    transmitter; rigged by DeForest Radio-Telephone Company to broadcast
    from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

    1/14

    1927 - Jack Benny married Sadye Marks.

    1939 - The program, Honolulu Bound, was heard on CBS. Phil Baker and the
    Andrews Sisters were featured on the program.

    Joe

    --
    Visit my home page:  [removed]~[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 18:05:54 -0500
    From: "robert phillips" <phillips@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  the dark
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    The program "Lights Out"  broadcast a show on 12 / 29 / 1937 titled "The
    Dark".  Does anyone know where I can get a complete version of this program.
    If not, a copy of the script.

                        RIP

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

    Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 18:49:02 -0500
    From: "Roger Keel" <rlkeel@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  REcording from LP's

>     I have a number of radio shows that are on LP records and have been trying
>     to put the shows on cassette tapes. Sounds easy but how does one get rid
>     of the hisses, pops, scratch clunks etc or in other words the noisy sounds
>     that records make??

    I use a freeware program called Audiograbber. You can get it a [removed] or
    direct from [removed] It lets you use your computers audio card to
    input audio from your cassette deck or turntable and will convert the song
    or audio to an MP3 file. You have to purchase the filters to clean the sound
    separately, but they are well worth the cash.  If you want to use your
    turntable you have to connect via the tape out jacks of your amp. as most
    stand alone turntables have no built in amp.

    There are quite a few other similar programs available, but I like this one.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #6
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