Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #384
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 10/23/2003 6:52 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 384
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      ADMINISTRIVIA: Fundraiser             [ Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed] ]
      Benny's "your' money or your' life"   [ "Mike Mackey" <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Hugh Studebaker                       [ "laurie platt" <laurie1125@hotmail. ]
      Jack's big laugh                      [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      Howard Blue in action                 [ BrianWest2@[removed] ]
      Fibber McGee & Molly                  [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
      BENNY LAUGHS                          [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
      The Night That Panicked America       [ Ejcpoky1956@[removed] ]
      Clark Super 100 Gasoline              [ Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed]; ]
      TWOTW                                 [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
      #OldRadio IRC Chat this Thursday Nig  [ lois@[removed] ]
      the zero fighter aircraft             [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
      FOTR in New York Daily News           [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
      thanks for the confirmation           [ Osborneam@[removed] ]
      Book - Words at War by HOWARD BLUE    [ "Hiss, Steven A." <sah@[removed] ]
      Re: Gildy show date                   [ rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed] ]
      Zeros                                 [ "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed] ]
      10, 2 and 4                           [ <bhob2@[removed]; ]
      Your Money or Your Life Redux         [ chris chandler <chrischandler84@yah ]
      Too humorous to mention               [ "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@comc ]
      "That Archie's just Horrible!"        [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      In the Air                            [ Wich2@[removed] ]
      How To Pronounce Pianist?             [ "Tom van der Voort" <evan@[removed] ]
      Ethel Beard                           [ Pratz <[removed]@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:39:24 -0400
    From: Charlie Summers <charlie@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ADMINISTRIVIA: Fundraiser

    Folks;

       Just a quick note; the CDs will be available at the FOTR Convention later
    this week for hand-delivery ONLY. Once I get back next week, I'll set up a
    simple PayPal link for the many of you who have expressed interest who will
    _not_ be at the Con, but please hold up on ordering until then. I'm not going
    to be around to fulfil any orders until next week anyway, since I'll be
    enjoying the company of many of you in Newark, right next to the prison.
    My apologies for not making that clear in my earlier post.

       (I need to set up a link because of shipping/envelope fees, state sales
    tax for those in Pennsylvania to keep the government happy, etc., etc.,
    and I honestly don't have the time right now. I _do_ promise, however, to
    send reports about the convention into the Digest as often as I can, and
    get some photos up on The Nostalgia Pages as time permits.)

             Charlie

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:23:05 -0400
    From: "Mike Mackey" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Benny's "your' money or your' life" episode

    I recall Jack Benny himself saying that the "Your money or your life"
    gag did not receive the longest laugh on his show. He attributed that
    idea to radio folklore. Benny always felt, as I understand it, that
    the longest laugh the show ever got was in response to the following
    gag:

    A guest and Don Wilson begin discussing opera, leaving poor Jack
    (whose professional persona was that of a suppposed musical
    ignoramous) out of the conversation.  Finally, Jack can stand it no
    longer and tries to join the discussion when Mary Livingstone
    interrupts with "Oh, shut-up!"

    Mike Mackey

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:24:38 -0400
    From: "laurie platt" <laurie1125@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Hugh Studebaker

    Can anyone tell me a little something about Hugh Studebaker who was on the
    radio show 'Bachelor's Children'.

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:42:53 -0400
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jack's big laugh

    RCG wrote:

>      I have heard the show several times, including last evening on WAMU's Big
>     Broadcast and have always found the laughter to be fairly normal in both
>     intensity and length. Really, nothing special.  I'm wondering if time has
>     embellished the memories of those who write about this episode or has the
>     recoeding been edited for purposes of time management.

>     I'd appreciate it if anyone with an absolute knowledge of the situation
>     would post their comments.

    The story of "your money or your life"..."I'm thinking it over" being one of
    the biggest laughs in history is also one of the biggest urban myths in
    radio.  As I have said frequently, that joke wasn't even the biggest laugh on
    THAT SHOW, let alone in history.

    However, they repeated the gag again at the beginning of the next show.  And
    Jack did it at least a couple of times on television.  Somehow, it so
    encapsulated one of the key points of Jack's character that it had staying
    power.

    Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 22:49:31 -0400
    From: BrianWest2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Howard Blue in action

    Just wanted to let everybody know that I had an opportunity to listen to
    Howard at an American Studies Association seminar last week on radio
    broadcasting
    during WWII. He was one of three speakers. Howard was great and informative. I
    enjoyed it very much. good job Howard!

    Brian

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:10:40 -0400
    From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Fibber McGee & Molly

    In the 15 minute versions of Fibber McGee and Molly, the musical portions
    seem to be exactly the same from program to program.  Is it possible they
    were recorded at this time?    It is also sad to listen to this fine program
    with no sponsors much of the time.  Those NBC fillers were awful.
    Bill Schell
    Magalia, Ca

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:10:58 -0400
    From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  BENNY LAUGHS

    I remember the night Mary said, "Chiss Sweez" for Swiss cheez sandwich.
    For weeks, when Mary fluffed a line, Jack would 'chiss sweez' [removed]

    [removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:11:42 -0400
    From: Ejcpoky1956@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Night That Panicked America
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    Actually the ABC-TV movie "The Night That Panicked America" got more
    objections for it's
    unrealism than for it's realism and I'm afraid I am one of those objectors.
    Most of the radio scenes look pretty phony to me and the performances are of
    very low quality although they did a good job with the set. with the exception
    perhaps of Paul Shenar, Tom Bosley and Michael Constantine.

    I do know that the original Mercury Theatre cast and crew went on record in
    interviews feeling the same way and that Orson Welles himself refused
    clearance
    for rights for Paul Shenar's portrayal of himself, All that Mr. Shenar was
    allowed to do was one brief "Good Evening" and the performance of the script
    itself.

    Eric Cooper

      *** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
      ***                  as the sender intended.                   ***

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:12:12 -0400
    From: Sandy Singer <sinatradj@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Clark Super 100 Gasoline

    Interesting history @
    [removed]
    commercial may be included in a 2 1/2 hour CD of radio spots, from the
    very beginning, @
    [removed]

    [removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:30:21 -0400
    From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
    To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  TWOTW

    Earlier tonight I was over at a friend's house, discovered on the sci-fi
    channel - wish I had taped this one - a program about War of the Worlds and
    its effects. Tuesday Declassified - Martian Mania. Something I had never
    heard before was that the script was adapted for use in some South American
    country, dont's remember which, and there was nothing imaginary about the
    panic that followed that broadcast. People stormed the radio station, burned
    it to the ground killing 6. This was in 1959.

    >From the web site it does not appear that this program will be re-run.

    Joe Salerno

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:32:11 -0400
    From: lois@[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 six years, same time, same channel!

    Our numerous "regulars" include one of the busiest "golden years" actors in
    Hollywood; a sound man from the same era who worked many of the top
    Hollywood shows; a New York actor famed for his roles in "Let's Pretend" and
    "Archie Andrews;" owners of some of the best OTR sites on the Web;
    maintainer of the best-known OTR Digest (we all know who he is)..........

    and Me

    Lois Culver
    KWLK Longview Washington (Mutual) 1941-1944)
    KFI Los Angeles (NBC) 1944 - 1950
    and widow of actor Howard Culver

    (For more info, contact lois@[removed])

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:33:12 -0400
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  the zero fighter aircraft

>               I've seen several replies regarding Ciro's Restaurant
>     (I believe that was in New York) and the reference to 'Zeroes'.
>     Weren't 'zeroes' what Allied airmen used to refer to enemy
>     aircraft during WW II?

    Yup.  The Zero was a Japanese naval fighter plane.  Made by Mitsubishi, who
    probably made your TV set.  The Zero was introduced in 1940, which happened
    to have been the year zero on a 100-year Japanese calendar cycle.

    The Zero was very light, very fast (it had an 800 HP engine,) carried two
    20mm cannon, and could fly circles around any US or British aircraft of the
    time.  It was designed to operate from aircraft carriers and, along with the
    superb seamanship of the Japanese navy in general, was able to beat the
    stuffing out of Allied forces in the first few years of World War II.

    The article I read on the aircraft stated that early in the war the Japanese
    spent considerable effort to hide their true military capabilities from
    Allied nations.  They were perfectly willing to accept (and possibly
    encourage) US blustering that the successful attack on Pearl Harbor was dumb
    luck.  They were quite content with the racist characterizations (heard on
    OTR once in a while) of their armed forces as nattering ape-like creatures
    who manned tin ships and aircraft.

    That's why the early Japanese successes in the war came as such a shock to
    the upper echelons of Allied forces.  Allied troops at sea already
    understood Japanese superiority, but to the powers that be--and thus the
    civilian populace--the Zero aircraft, seemed a super-plane with almost
    magical properties.  Allied commands blustered their way through many months
    of defeats and thousands of casualties before finally rising to the
    challenge.

    Corrections invited: I certainly wasn't there, but thes are the impressions
    I've gotten from some readinig.

    M Kinsler

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:42:24 -0400
    From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  FOTR in New York Daily News

    David Hinckley of the New York Daily News, New York's indispensable radio
    reporter, wrote a great promo for the 2003 Friends of Old Time Radio
    Convention, highlighting the appearance of Fred Foy as The Lone Ranger, in
    today's edition.

    The Convention, of course, begins tomorrow, so everyone come on out and meet
    Fred Foy and all the gang.

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed]

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:42:35 -0400
    From: Osborneam@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  thanks for the confirmation

    Thanks to all the 'digesters' who answered my question
    about the date on that Gildy show.  I thought I had
    checked my Hickerson's guide -- evidentally not!  I
    appreciate all the email.

    See you at the FOTR.
    Arlene Osborne

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:44:09 -0400
    From: "Hiss, Steven A." <sah@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Book - Words at War by HOWARD BLUE

       HOWARD BLUE has fashioned a factual historical narrative about the impact
    of radio during the WWII
       years.  But much more than that - he has put the entire era into context
    as to why Americans were
       thinking what they were thinking about the war.  It is as unbiased and
    honest as it can be in covering
       the very large issues that were and are important in the life of our
    country.  Its available from Scarecrow
       Press which has a web-site.

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: Also available at [removed]  --cfs3]

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:57:45 -0400
    From: rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Gildy show date

    The Great Gildersleeve didn't end until 1958, so I believe it's possible that
    the date for your show is correct (and quite a find as not many episodes from
    the final 4 years of the show are circulating).

    rodney.

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:28:16 -0400
    From: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Zeros

    In #383, Kenneth Clarke asked:

>     Weren't 'zeroes' what Allied airmen used to refer to
>     enemy aircraft during WW II?  I remember someone
>     mentioning seeing some 'zeroes being shot down' by the
>     American Air Force during that time period.

>     Isn't this true or am I way  off base?

    Yes, it is true that there was a Japanese fighter called the zero during
    WWII.  It was built by Mitsubishi.  A quick google search turned up some
    interesting links, including [removed].
    This excerpt should help:

    *** Begin quoted section ***

       ...all requirements were met, and the A6M1 was officially accepted by the
    Navy on the 14th September 1939. Its military designation became A6M1 Type 0
    Carrier-borne Fighter.
       The '0' was derived from the last digit of the Japanese calendar year in
    which the aircraft would be placed in full service, 2600 (equivalent to
    1940); in Japanese this became Rei Shiki Sento Ki, Type Zero Fighter, often
    shortened to Rei-Sen or Reisen. During the 1940s, the Allies applied
    code-names to all known Japanese aircraft, and the A6M2 became 'Zeke', the
    later clip-wing A6@13-72 'Hamp', the A6M3-22 'Zeke Mark 2' and the A6M2-N
    floatplane version 'Rufe'. By this time the term 'Zero' was already popular
    (although British personnel in the Singapore/Malaya theatre initially knew
    them as 'Navy Noughts'), and even today people identify virtually any
    low-wing radial-engined Japanese fighter as a 'Zero'.

    ***  End quoted section ***

    The Zero was light and maneuverable, and made an excellent dogfighter early
    in the war.  It was more than a match for the P40 Tomahawk, and special hit
    and run tactics were developed to fight the zero.  Lack of development and
    improvement doomed the Zero, and later Allied planes like the Lightning,
    Hellcat, and Mustang were superior to the Zero in almost every category.

    -chris holm

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:29:08 -0400
    From: <bhob2@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  10, 2 and 4

>     The term 'Coke' is used to refer to the family of 'Cola' beverages that are
>     available: Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Faygo Cola, RC Cola (ok, I'm not a big
>     fan of Colas, so the purests might gasp at Dr. Pepper being added to the
>     mix, to me it's always been a Cola because it's brown).

    Purists would also gasp at the dot in the logo, since the correct product
    name is "Dr Pepper" not "Dr. Pepper"

    The period was dropped in 1950 at the time of a logo change. When the logo
    was changed to a bold italic, the ball of the "r" was detached from the
    vertical stroke of the "r." With the period in place, it looked more like a
    colon: "D|: Pepper," so the period was eliminated for clarity and legibility.
    For consistency and legal reasons, the period was then deleted in
    advertising, internal documents and such.

    First available in Waco in 1885, Dr Pepper is now owned by the London-based
    Cadbury Schweppes:
    [removed]+-+[removed]

    Bhob @ Classic Newspaper Comic Strips @ [removed]

    Jazz+ @ Bhob's FUSEBOX radio station:

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:29:38 -0400
    From: chris chandler <chrischandler84@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Your Money or Your Life Redux

    Brian L. Bedsworth talks about 'Your Money or Your
    Life"...

>     The laugh goes nearly a full minute in the 28 March
>     1948 original  broadcast of that line

    NOOOOOOOOOOO it doesn't!!!  The laugh for "I'm
    thinking it over" on March 28, 1948 lasts for exactly
    and precisely six seconds; that would be 54-seconds
    short of "a full minute".  And as both Brian and I
    noted, the laugh the next week was even shorter than
    this.  Benny, decades later, claimed he could have
    milked the laugh for longer, but was afraid the show
    would run over.  In fact, there are none of the usual
    "Bennyism" signs the broadcast is behind time: noone's
    speaking particularly quickly, and there's plenty of
    time left for the kicker routine and musical fade-out
    after the final commercial.  The joke simply wasn't
    that classic as broadcast; the legend developed--and
    was exaggerated--in later years.

    (((As an aside, look at your living room clock and try
    laughing out loud for a whole minute--then see how
    ridiculous it sounds, and how very very very funny
    something would have to be to actually inspire this.
    There are actually very few examples of this
    overwhelming audience reaction, radio OR television.))

    Not carping on Brian or trying to be unpleasant, just
    pointing out again how this is a fairly insignificant
    example of a very significant problem in OTR-land:
    50-years of conventional wisdom about certain things
    being accepted as fact, when many of the 'facts' just
    aren't.  This example's harmless; many of the others
    definitely aren't.  And this list is a very valuable
    venue for setting the record straight, sometimes after
    half-a-century of misinformation.

    chris

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:29:52 -0400
    From: "Ivan G. Shreve, Jr." <iscreve@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Too humorous to mention

    I recently purchased from eBay a book of "Easy Aces" scripts entitled
    "Ladies and Gentlemen--Easy Aces."  What a wonderful, enjoyable read!
    Although I am familiar with the background of the show and its amazingly
    talented writer--Goodman Ace--I don't think I'd ever heard one of the shows
    before.  Fortunately, there was a small souvenir 331/3 record included with
    the book.

    Judging from a reference in one of the scripts to "The Paradine Case" (a
    1947 Hitchcock film), I'm guessing these scripts are from the half-hour ABC
    series "mr. ace and Jane".  It's a shame that this particular incarnation of
    "Easy Aces" lasted so briefly--especially since the writing in these
    selected scripts is far superior to that being offered on other, popular
    comedy shows at that time.

    Ivan

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:32:32 -0400
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "That Archie's just Horrible!"

    From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];

>     Archie Comics Publications has always tried to maintain a squeaky clean
>     image. They had an ongoing battle years ago with the proliferation of
>     "Horror" and "Violence" in the Comic Book industry.

    Dear Jug & Gang-
    Actually, they weren't above a little ride on the Violence bandwagon: under
    their "Red Circle" imprint, they tried to squeeze a bit of blood out of the
    Marvel-inspired '70's Horror Comics mini-revival. Nothing as gory as the
    '50's stuff, and the run didn't last very long - but they DID try to go
    beyond Riverdale!
    (To bring this back on-topic: some of the stories were hosted by a
    serio-comic Ghoulish host, as had been the '50's material. And, from TV's
    Zacherley on, I think all such characters owe alot to Mr. Ray Johnson, of
    sainted memory).
    Best,
    Craig - FOTR's "Mr. Noble, Backstage Husband" - Wichman

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:32:51 -0400
    From: Wich2@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  In the Air

    From: Kenneth Clarke <kclarke5@[removed];

>     Weren't 'zeroes' what Allied airmen used to refer to enemy
>     aircraft during WW II?

    Dear Ken & [removed]
    I believe that wasn't a generic term for all planes, but specifically used
    for the Japanese ones in the Pacific Theater - because of the red "O's" on
    their sides?
    Best,
    Craig W.

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:33:03 -0400
    From: "Tom van der Voort" <evan@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  How To Pronounce Pianist?

         Harry Button pointed out that the correct pronunciation of pianist puts
    the accent on the second syllable, which conforms with my understanding. A
    few
    years ago I attended an evening with Artie Shaw at the Library of  Congress.
    Shaw asserted that a pee'-an-ist is someone who plays a peony.
    Tom van der Voort

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

    Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:33:20 -0400
    From: Pratz <[removed]@[removed];
    To: "OTR (Plain Text Only)" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Ethel Beard

    Actress Ethel Beard died Oct. 15 at Cape Coral, Florida at age 85. Her
    obituary says she was primarily a radio actress during the 1940's,
    performing on the "Experimental Playhouse of the Air" radio shows with many
    well-known actors including Hume Cronyn and Jonathan Winters. She also
    appeared as a hostess on Merv Griffin's TV show "Play Your Hunch."

    I don't see any mentions of her in Dunning or my other OTR reference books,
    let alone any listing for the "Experimental Playhouse of the Air", certainly
    an intriguing title. Anyone have any info on her radio career and/or the
    "Experimental Playhouse?"

    Rich

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #384
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