Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #128
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 5/9/2006 9:03 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2006 : Issue 128
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      RE: How to dispose of OTR colection   [ Tom Barnett <[removed]@earthlink. ]
      ITTA3 authors                         [ benohmart@[removed] ]
      CBS                                   [ <otrbuff@[removed]; ]
      collection of OTR                     [ "Walden Hughes" <walden1@yesterdayu ]
      Bret Morison                          [ "Walden Hughes" <walden1@yesterdayu ]
      Donating OTR shows                    [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
      two discouraging responses            [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
      Your Comment on the 'C' of 'CBS' in   [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
      William Bendix                        [ "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@sbcgloba ]
      CBS RMT                               [ "Bob C" <rmc44@[removed]; ]
      Lina Romay                            [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]
      Some Ask Why                          [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@j ]
      OTR COLLECTION                        [ "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@sbcgloba ]
      Black and White vs. Color             [ "Karen Lerner" <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Re: CBS                               [ Cnorth6311@[removed] ]
      Addendum CBS RMT                      [ "Bob C" <rmc44@[removed]; ]
      Re: Houdini                           [ "R. R. King" <kingrr@[removed]; ]

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:46:01 -0400
    From: Tom Barnett <[removed]@[removed];
    To: OTR <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RE: How to dispose of OTR colection

    Frank,

    I would think that a donation of the collection would be in order. There are
    several places around the country that might take it (although you might have
    to ship it) You can make arrangements though.

    When I cleared out my cassettes in favor of MP3s some of my collection was
    sold on eBay and the rest was a donation.

    Some things to think about:

    - there is any number of OTR interest groups that would love to take them
    - a library (local, state or Library of Congress?)
    - look for those foundations that need audio material for folks who have lost
    their sight.

    I am sure they would appreaciate the donation.

    Selling the entire lot in an auction might not yield a lot of money, but may
    find the collection a worthy home.

    Tom Barnett

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:46:11 -0400
    From: benohmart@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ITTA3 authors

    Hi. To those authors of It That's Time Again 3 who haven't received your
    books, please
    email me your address, as I don't have them. Thanks.

    Ben Ohmart
    ben@[removed]

    Old radio. Old movies. New books.
    [removed]

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:46:29 -0400
    From: <otrbuff@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  CBS

    When avid participants in this forum admit they had no idea
    what the C in CBS stood for, I think we've lost far more in
    this hobby than many of us thought possible.  Something
    about that is depressing.

    Jim Cox

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:12:14 -0400
    From: "Walden Hughes" <walden1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  collection of OTR

    Hi Everybody,]

    if you have a collection of OTR that you like to give away.  You can mail it
    to Yesterday USA 2001 Plymouth Rock Drive Richardson, TX 75081.  We could
    use it for the collection, or part of our annual fund raiser to keep the
    station on the air.  Take care,

    Walden

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:12:22 -0400
    From: "Walden Hughes" <walden1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Bret Morison

    Hi Everybody,

    does any one have a copy of Bret Morison singing on Arthur Godfrey Talent
    Scout program?  I would like to play it on the Friday night show.  Take
    care,

    Walden

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:13:20 -0400
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Donating OTR shows

    My wife recently underwent hospitalization, followed by a stint in a
    Health Care Facility for physical therapy.  She was there for some
    months, and in the facility are many elderly folk for whom it is a
    nursing home.  I've been building up my film library in DVDs, and where
    I've duplicated something I already had on VHS tape, I've donated the
    tape.  Needless to say, many of the tapes are of films from the 1940s.

    The patients there love them.  I got rave reviews from the social
    director there: they have a large-screen monitor that they use as a
    "theater screen" for mass viewings.  The tapes fit perfectly into the
    mix.

    Likewise, OTR shows would probably go over well in that environment.
    Some of the shows would work today as well as they did when first
    broadcast.  The Lone Ranger shows with Brace Beemer as the Ranger usually
    sound good to newcomers; I speak from personal experience.  My wife, who
    never heard OTR, was fascinated with Pat Novak For Hire.

    One could do far worse than donating to a nursing home.

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:17:31 -0400
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  two discouraging responses

    1) If you are going to give your collection to a library, especially at a
    university, think about giving them some money to maintain it.  Many
    librarians are far more concerned with shelf space and the chore of
    cataloging material than the acquisition of new materials.  If there seems
    to be the slightest bit of question of how badly an institution wants your
    stuff, don't donate it.  General [removed] local historical
    societies--may simply place your stuff in a warehouse.  I know, because I
    have done precisely this (on orders) while working at our local science
    museum.

    My usual advice in such cases is that your collection, and the affection
    that you've poured into it,  will be better appreciated by other collectors.
      Sell it.

    2) I don't think that William Bendix was in Car 54.  Life of Riley, yes, and
    a good many movies.  He was a marvelous actor, and I've always been
    disappointed that his career was so short.

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

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:33:56 -0400
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Your Comment on the 'C' of 'CBS' in the OTR
     Digest

>     Guess that's what I get for trusting in the public schools.

    With the exception of the Mathematics courses, relying on what you learn
    in high school alone is a dangerous practice.  I once missed a chemistry
    class while in college, and relied on what I'd learned in high school to
    explain the action of aqua regia upon gold.  But what I learned in high
    school was flat-out wrong, a "simplified" quasi-explanation of the
    chemistries involved.  I got a "see me!" notation on my quiz paper from
    the instructor.

    At least, the mathematics courses had the decency to state, "The
    explanation on how this was derived is outside the scope of this course."

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:45:27 -0400
    From: "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: "The Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  William Bendix

    New York Linda:

    William Bendix was a well known as a movie actor in the late 30's , the
    1940's and some in the 1950. He did some Broadway in his early career. He
    stared as Chester A. Riley in the 1944 - 1951 popular situation comedy
    series "The life of Riley" and made guest appearances on various radio & TV
    programs.

    If you go on line to Google and search for William Bendix you will find
    Biographies of him by several [removed] include his movie credits too.

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 14:45:54 -0400
    From: "Bob C" <rmc44@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  CBS RMT

    Regarding Ted Kneebone's wondering about the cancellation of CBS
    Radio Mystery Theater, I personally have a two-pronged theory.

    Prong 1 - By the early 1980s, conglomerates had begun to swallow
    up many stations and CBSRMT didn't fit their cookie-cutter
    approach to programming.

    Prong 2 - About that time, CBS was switching from land lines to
    satellite distribution. Some stations used to carry CBSRMT simply
    because it was there ... the only thing coming down the line, so
    why not carry it for a few extra bucks? With satellite
    distribution of programming, there was the regular news and
    feature channel, then there was the long-form channel for
    extended-length programs. I don't know that it even made it to
    the long-form channel before being canceled, but because CBSRMT
    was no longer front-and-center on the main channel (like it was
    on the old telephone hook-up) it was simply forgotten.

    Bob Cockrum

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 15:02:15 -0400
    From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Lina Romay

    There's an interesting article about Lina Romay in the May 3 edition of the
    Glendale News-Press at:

    [removed]

    Barbara

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 15:56:57 -0400
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr" <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Some Ask Why

    The other day, I saw on an Internet auction a listing for a Jack
    Armstrong Dragon's Eye Ring.  I checked the listing, and discovered that
    the seller was actually auctioning a Buck Rogers Ring of Saturn, which is
    somewhat rarer than the Jack Armstrong manifestation.

    Actually, both rings were plastic and used the same molds.  The main body
    of both rings was an ivory colored luminous plastic.  The Jack Armstrong
    ring had a "genuine tenite stone," as Franklyn MacKormack described it,
    a liquid-green piece of plastic in the shape of a cabochon.  The Buck
    Rogers Ring of Saturn had a bright red "stone," about the shade of a fire
    engine back then.

    The seller apparently spotted a monochrome picture in a collectibles
    book, and chose the wrong one.  (It could also have been a The Shadow
    ring from Carey Salt, which also used the molds and was like the other
    two rings, save that its "stone" was jet black.

    I e-mailed the seller, and explained he had the ring listed incorrectly.
    His response was, "I didn't know that.  What's it worth?"  I told him
    about its relative value, and he continued to list it as a Jack Armstrong
    ring through the end of the auction.

    The buyer might or might not know any better.  The three rings were
    manufactured in 1940 (Jack Armstrong) and 1947 (Buck Rogers and Carey
    Shadow).  The Jack Armstrong ring was overproduced: toward the end of the
    promotion, the show was suggesting that listeners get two rings so that
    they could scare people by making them think they were seeing the glow of
    a wild animal's eyes in the dark.  There was no equivalent overproduction
    of the later rings.

    One might well ask, why did I bother to alert the seller?  Possibly, it's
    because I once sent for a Ring of Saturn; I didn't hear the Jack
    Armstrong program when first broadcast; I was a little young to
    appreciate it.  But I do like accuracy in such trivia, and the ring
    listing was unintentionally misrepresentative.  (If anyone gets one of
    these rings, be aware: even when new, the plastic wasn't that flexible,
    and trying to fit one on a finger will almost certainly shatter it.  I
    lost my first Ring of Saturn that way.)

    The years separating the current OTR enthusiasts and the time premiums
    were issued grow continually, and not only are memories fallible, but
    legends grow.  For those of us who lived through the OTR years, it's
    always satisfying when people get things right.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 16:23:43 -0400
    From: "Frank McGurn" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: "The Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  OTR COLLECTION

    I want to thank all the people that have responded to my friend's dilemma on
    desposing of a very old and large collection of OTR cassette tapes.

    I cannot speak for Ed, all I can do is present the options to him, I made
    hard copies of all the suggestions and offers made by a bunch of very nice
    helpful people who read the OLD TIME RADIO DIGEST. I'm meeting with Ed on
    Thursday. I'll let know his decision. Thank You again,  Frank McGurn

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 18:22:57 -0400
    From: "Karen Lerner" <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Black and White vs. Color

    I took an informal poll here at Radio Spirits.
    60% of us visualize the shows in color, while 40% visualize the shows in
    black and white.

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 21:02:48 -0400
    From: Cnorth6311@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: CBS

    Actually, CBS can be called CBS, the entity, or, Columbia Broadcasting
    System. Either one is acceptable.

    Charlie

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 21:03:37 -0400
    From: "Bob C" <rmc44@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Addendum CBS RMT

    Another thought on CBS RMT and its demise. Maybe it had just run
    its course. I was an early fan, recording the first eight months
    of shows, sans the reruns when they began a couple of months into
    the series. But life moves on and other interests and obligations
    encroach ... not that my dropping off matters that much ...
    however, I'm sure listenership declined over the years after its
    initial splash.

    Another factor, much of the time the stories just weren't that
    good. And anyone can see why, feeding a monster seven days a
    week. Of course, Mr. Brown explained that the strip schedule was
    intended to have the show "be there" and build a listening habit
    for his audience; he felt once a week would not do, nor an MWF
    scheduling a la The Lone Ranger.

    Not to restart the long and heated debate on copyright laws, but
    I was browsing eBay the other night and entered ABC, NBC and CBS
    in a search of the audiobooks section. Up popped CBS RMT several
    times. Most were straightforward listings, but I came across one
    with the audacity (or was it just plain ignorance) to include
    this disclaimer:

    "I am in accordance with Ebay policies concerning selling Public
    Domain material. All material contained on these CD's are in
    Public Domain as per original broadcast on the open radio
    frequencies back in the day. ... My personal collection came from
    other collectors and not purchased from CBS. I am not offering or
    representing any copyrighted material as my own. If you have
    written proof that any of these files are not Public Domain and
    copyright protected, please notify me and I will work to remove
    the auctions upon review of notification. All of my recordings
    are sold for private listening enjoyment only."

    What a bunch of nonsense! Some disclaimers aren't worth the
    computer screen they're written on. I think I may have told the
    story here before of how Mr. Brown autographed my copy of the
    Radiola release of Grand Central Station. This particular program
    episode was after his association with the show, but he signed
    the cover anyway: "Stolen from Himan Brown." I also remember his
    being interviewed, I think it was on KSL, shortly after CBS RMT
    began and a listener called it to say how much he enjoyed the
    show and that he was recording them. Mr. Brown interrupted,
    saying he appreciated the listener's enthusiasm, but he didn't
    want to hear another word about recording the program.

    Bob Cockrum

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

    Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 23:03:25 -0400
    From: "R. R. King" <kingrr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Houdini

>     David K. Bialik asks if there are any radio interviews with Houdini.
>     Does anyone know if there are any (non-radio) recordings of
>     Houdini's voice?

    1. The only known recordings of Houdini's voice are some wax cylinders
    made in 1914 -- a brief speech about his famous Chinese water torture
    cell routine. You can listen to them here:

    [removed]~houdinia/[removed]

    But it's more fun to hear it as part of this animated video:

    [removed]

    A July 1970 Associated Press article reports that the cylinders were
    found among the effects of magician John Mulholland and that "Houdini
    buffs concluded the records were made not onstage, but while Houdini
    was practicing his speech, or just having fun with the machine."

    As for Houdini on the radio, he seems to have made quite a few
    appearances, judging from a not-very-thorough look at the New York
    Times radio listings. Here are some dates on which he was scheduled to
    appear:

    November 14, 1922 - A half hour long "Interview with Houdini" over
    WOR.

    July 2, 1924 - A fifteen minute talk "A Magician Among the Spirits"
    over WOR.

    July 22, 1925 - Another half hour WOR "Interview with Houdini" -- he
    was to be queried "by a group of newspapermen and city officials on
    one hand and by proponents of spiritualism and mysticism on the other"
    according to an item in the Washington Post.

    October 20 & 22, 1925 - Two fifteen minute talks over WGR, Buffalo, on
    "Spiritualism" and "How to Do Magic Tricks."

    2. Houdini apparently also stopped off at stations while on tour.
    Here's part of an article from the March 28, 1923 Oakland Tribune:

    HOUDINI TO TELL ON RADIO WAVE OF SPIRIT STUDY

    Handcuff King Will Appear On Air Under Tribune Auspices.

    Harry Houdini, who is starring this week at the Oakland Orpheum in an
    "escape" act, will talk over the radio under the auspices of The
    TRIBUNE tomorrow night. [The Trib owned Oakland station KLX.]

    Houdini will be "on the air" from 7:15 to 7:30 o'clock with a talk
    entitled "My Twenty-five Tears' Experience With Spiritualism."

    Houdini has made an intensive study of psychic phenomena and spirit
    manifestations for a quarter of a century and has debated the matter
    with Conan Doyle, the celebrated English advocate of the theory that
    it is possible to communicate with the dead.

    "I am not taking the position that there is nothing in spiritualism."
    said Houdini. "No belief could be more pleasing or comforting to the
    living than to know that they could communicate with their loved-ones
    who have passed on and that they may be able to join them later in the
    Great Beyond.

    "But it takes more than a pleasant theory to satisfy an inquiring
    mind. I ask for proof, and with this, desire in mind I have devoted
    much of my spare time in past years to a study of this question. I
    have not been convinced that communication with the departed is a
    scientific fact." ...

    3. Not all of Houdini's contact with the radio world went well. Here's
    a July 1925 AP wire service story:

    HANDCUFF KING IS ACCUSED OF STAGING OFF-STAGE PERFORMANCE

    (By Associated Press.) New [removed] is out for Harry Houdini,
    handcuff king and magician, who is accused of staging an off-stage
    strong man act and wrecking the interior of the office of Houdina &
    Co., which is in the radio equipment business.

    Several days ago Houdini, after getting a bill for goods delivered to
    Houdina & Co. went to the firm's offices to straighten matters out.
    There he saw a package addressed to "Hank Houdini." When he protested
    against the use of his name, he says, officers of the concern
    threatened to beat him up and locked the doors. In the ensuing fracas,
    Houdini was far from beaten up, but a chair and a chandlier were
    smashed. A policeman refused to arrest Houdini.

    George Young, a representative of the Houdina & Co., had a summons
    issued for Houdini appearance in court for disorderly conduct.

    Young denied infringement, saying that Francis P. Houdina, an
    inventor, was associated with the firm.

    Houdini had not been located today to receive the summons.

    [The New York Times reported that Houdini "seized a chair and broke a
    chandelier when they tried to prevent him leaving the room." I like
    the idea of somebody trying to lock the doors on the world's most
    famous escape artist almost as much as I like the idea of a policeman
    refusing to arrest him. Maybe the officer figured there was no use in
    handcuffing the Handcuff King.]

    4. The July 23, 1925 New York Times reports that Houdini eventually
    received the summons -- just before one of his radio appearances:

    HOUDINI SUBPOENAED WAITING TO BROADCAST

    Magician Must Appear in Court on Charge That He Was Disorderly in
    Plaintiff's Office.

    George Young, secretary of the Francis P. Houdina Company of 1,476
    Broadway, served a summons on Harry Houdini last night in the
    broadcasting studio of Station WOR at 1,440 Broadway, charging him
    with disorderly conduct in breaking a chandelier in the office of the
    Houdina Company last Monday.

    Mr. Young, accompanied by two policemen, entered the studio just a few
    minutes before Mr. Houdini was to speak over the radio on
    spiritualistic manifestations. After serving the summons, Mr. Young
    turned to leave the studio when Mr. Houdini asked him for his home
    address. Mr. Young said: "My business address is 1,476 Broadway." "Are
    you ashamed of your home address?" asked Mr. Houdini.

    The remark precipitated a heated argument, in which Mr. Young said he
    was ashamed of Mr. Houdini's actions in the office of the Houdina
    Company. Houdini defended himself by saying that he "would have been
    killed" if he had not used force to get out of the office.

    Houdini contends that the Houdina Company has used his name unlawfully
    in the conduct of its business, and that the confusion of names was
    intentional. Francis P. Houdina said he had no intetion of using
    Houdini's name in connection with his company's products. He has just
    invented a device for controlling an automobile by radio from another
    car, and he said last night that the use of the magician's name would
    imply that his process is a trick instead of the genuine process which
    it is. The disturbance in the Houdina Company's office arose when
    Houdini went there to protest about the use of his name.

    After the serving of the summons Houdini spoke for about fifteen
    minutes over the radio, telling about several mediums whom he had
    investigated. The summons, issued by City Magistrate James M. Barrett,
    requires Houdini to appear in the West Side Court on July 28.

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #128
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