Subject: [removed] Digest V2001 #330
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 10/11/2001 3:03 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2001 : Issue 330
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  New Kid On the Block                  [ Ron & Jeanne Crowley <rccjmc@earthl ]
  Rhiman Rotz                           [ Mike Ray <MRay@[removed]; ]
  Joseph Kearns (1946 Photo)            [ Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed] ]
  For everyone on the Digest            [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
  Grand Central Station (Terminal)      [ "Bill Orr" <billorr6@[removed]; ]
  Re: Early Ellingtonia                 [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  Today in Radio History 10/10          [ Joe Mackey <joemackey5@[removed]; ]
  (How many) Guys at a mic (Supported   [ Wich2@[removed] ]
  RE; DEAF IN RADIO                     [ "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
  Tokyo Rose                            [ paladin@[removed] ]
  Prof. Moriarty's name                 [ "Jimidene Murphey" <jimimark@[removed] ]
  Hindenburg Discs on Discovery Channe  [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  So, keep on cookin' with Crisco!      [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
  Re: Deaf and Broadcasting             [ Michael Henry <mlhenry@[removed]; ]

______________________________________________________________________

    ADMINISTRIVIA:

       There may be some interruptions over the next couple of
       days; hopefully no mail will be lost, but you may see some
       slowdowns in delivery. Don't panic, I'll do the best I can
       to minimize the inconvenice.

______________________________________________________________________


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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 16:45:28 -0400
From: Ron & Jeanne Crowley <rccjmc@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  New Kid On the Block

Hello to all you lovers of Old Time Radio.  Thank you for allowing me to
"join up".  The handle is Ron, born in Boston in '38 and have enjoyed the
old favorites on radio from my earliest youth.  Every weekday around 5 pm,
no matter where I was, I'd make a beeline home to turn on the radio for The
Adventures of Superman, The Lone Ranger, The Cinnamon Bear, and on and on.
That truly was a "golden era" of entertaining for kids.  Wish today's
children had this kind of clean, innocent pastimes.  Enough gabbing!  Look
forward to chewing the rag with all of you.
Regards and Happy Listenin',
RonC

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 16:45:50 -0400
From: Mike Ray <MRay@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Rhiman Rotz

Hi Gang:

I'm deeply saddened and shocked to hear of the passing
of our dear friend Rhiman Rotz. I had the great pleasure
of corresponding with him on many subjects related to
old time radio and the history of Indiana. He and I shared
a common background. He knew the area that I grew up in
(lower east side of Indianapolis) 20 years before I arrived
on this coil. He knew the people and the culture. It was a
big kick to share and learn from him. Rhiman was a big
fan of Booth Tarkington, (Magnificent Ambersons), Phil
Harris, and Parley [removed] feel like I have lost a part of
me. There was so much more to share. I will miss him very
terribly.

Warm Regards,
Mike Ray

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:09:12 -0400
From: Conrad Binyon <conradab@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Joseph Kearns (1946 Photo)

OldRadio Mailing Lists Anthony Tollin wrote:

However, it appears that Rathbone's most frequent
Moriarty-impersonator was Joseph Kearns, SUSPENSE's Man in
Black, an early voice of The Whistler and (on TV)
Dennis the Menace's "good ol' Mr. Wilson.

The photo is low key enough to suggest the Moriarty/Man in
Black/Whistler character rather than Mr. Wilson. It's how
he was when we did the Suspense "Short Order."  Nothing like
ketchup I always say.

See for yourself at:

[removed]

CAB

--
conradab@[removed] (Conrad A. Binyon)
   From the Home of the Stars who loved Ranches and Farms
     Encino, California.

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:40:20 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  For everyone on the Digest

It was just brought to my attention from a reliable source that the
pre-scheduled attendance for the Friends of Old-Time Radio Convention in
Newark, NJ during the last weekend of October, is down from last year's.

No doubt the September 11 incident "may" have injected a slight bug of fear
among some regular attendees, at least that is an explanation forging in the
back of my mind, let alone that FOTR is being held the same weekend as
Chiller (four exits away from FOTR in the Jersey Turnpike).

I would say for credible certainty that the Friends of Old-Time Radio
Convention is the largest in the United States, definately on the East
Coast.  The crowd is very friendly, and radio veterans/actors wander the
hallways as common as convention attendees.  Recreations in various rooms,
panels, and dealers rooms are just a sampling of the fun everyone has.  In
short, if you have never attended the FOTR in the past, now would be the
opportune moment.  Friends of mine who personally showed up last year (even
for a few hours) are definately returning this year.

But for those still "considering" attending this year's, I may point out the
obvious: The FOTR is NOT being held in New York City, not even in the state
of New York.  It is about an hour south of New York (probably longer).
There is no possible threat of terorrism from where the hotel is located.

When the disaster of September 11 occured, tourism ceased through New York.
Broadway musicals took a beating, a loss of over 3 million dollars in one
week.  The major networks lost more money than they probably have
accountants for.  Terorrists don't give a hill or beans about the
destruction they cause, only the chaos and stillness they insight afterwards
. . . and sadly, in this retrospect, it appears they have succeeed, even
momentary.

I highly urge anyone within driving distance of Newark, New Jersey - and
more than half a day's worth of driving is worth it - to stop by for at
least a few hours.  If $ is a concern, admission is cheap, and one-night
hotel rooms can be split in half - literally - by sharing a room with
someone else who is attending the convention (simply e-mail on this digest
asking for someone to split a room).  If I am not mistaken, that means a
hotel room would only cost $[removed] a night per person - not expensive at all!

Paraphrasing last year's remark by Gordon "the Sci-Fi Guy" Payton, I highly
encourage everyone to leave their husband or wife, quit your day job, and
rob a convenience store if you have to.  You will not regret attending, and
will probably thank me for it.

If one cannot attend for personal reasons, I can understand that.  But if
one isn't attending only because of the fear that some group of terrorists
will march into the hotel, steal every CD and audio cassette off dealer's
tables, kiss all the women and shoot everyone into a bloody mass of pulp, it
is a sad world indeed.  Showing up at the FOTR will not only show your
support for old-time radio, but your support for our troops overseas, who
will soon be risking their necks for your freedom to attend such
conventions.

Martin Grams, Jr.

FOTR web-site:
[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:42:23 -0400
From: "Bill Orr" <billorr6@[removed];
To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Grand Central Station (Terminal)

I can add only one historical note to Mark Kinsler's excellent discourse on
GCT.

The electric locomotives did have a steam generator on board to supply steam
to the train's steam line required in those days for heating/air
conditioning of the cars.

I am not suggesting that the steam generators were the source of the noise
as they very seldom ever popped a safety valve.

Related trivia item:

The musical aggravation " Manhattan Transfer" derived its name from
Manhattan Transfer near Newark, NJ which is where the PRR trains switched
from steam to electric for the haul into Pennsylvania Station.

Bill Orr

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:46:03 -0400
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: Early Ellingtonia

Chadwick Jenkins wrote:

1) Does anyone on this list know of surviving
recordings of those broadcasts--there is one of a BBC broadcast from this
period but I am interested specifically in those from New York?

There have been rumors of one or two excerpts from Ellington broadcasts
of this era lurking deep in some vault or other, but no proof of their
existance has ever been presented -- and I tend to doubt the stories,
given the fact that so few genuine pre-1932 broadcasts of any kind have
survived. I'd dearly love to be proven wrong -- genuine Ellington
broadcast recordings c. 1930 would be the crown jewel of any
jazz-broadcast collection -- but so far no one has shown me what I'd
consider to be positive proof they exist.

If any recordings *do* exist, it is likely that they would date from the
1930-31 period, and would be, at best, fragmentary: there's always the
chance that someone with a Victor Home Recording setup captured a
ninety-second fragment or two. During 1930-31 contract-recording studios
using uncoated aluminum were beginning to get established in major
cities, and a few hard-core hobbyists were experimenting with
professional-quality equipment.  But unfortunately, with
instantaneous-recording technology being what it was, there's
as-close-to-zero-as-one-can-get chance of any recordings of Ellington
broadcasts surviving from the twenties.

2) Does WHN or WABC (the station from which the CBS broadcasts originated)
have archives
and if so how do I access them?

WHN no longer exists -- it was originally owned by the Marcus Loew
Booking Office, a subsidiary of Loews Inc, and it's conceivable that some
forgotten file box in the Loews corporate archives (if any) might contain
paper documentation from the station's early years -- but don't count on
finding any 1920s recordings. CBS didn't begin to regularly record
broadcasts until the 1940s -- they did record occasional news material
beginning in 1938, but otherwise all surviving CBS shows from the 1930s
were made by independent studios hired by agencies or artists, or by
companies hired to record the programs for later syndication.  Broadcast
recording in general was extremely rare prior to 1932.

3) Is there any recommended reading on Ted
Husing that might help me?

Husing was one of the two stars of the CBS announcing staff in the late
1920s (David Ross being the other) and is best described as the Columbia
equivalent to Graham McNamee -- an all-purpose announcer who could turn
up in any sort of broadcast. His Cotton Club remote assignments were just
another part of his varied daily routine which included studio
announcing, special-events coverage, and sports remotes. Husing's
autobiography, "Ten Years Before The Mike," was published by Farrar and
Rinehart in 1935.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 22:59:19 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey5@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in Radio History 10/10

  From Today in History --

In 1932, two of radio's earliest efforts at soap operas were heard for
the first time: "Judy and Jane," sponsored by Folgers Coffee, and "Betty
and Bob," sponsored by General Mills, had listeners glued to their
radios into the early 1940s.

In 1933, Dreft, the first synthetic laundry detergent, went on sale.
Ten yearslater, it was the sponsored product of "The Dreft Star
Playhouse."

   Joe

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

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

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 23:18:31 -0400
From: Wich2@[removed]
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  (How many) Guys at a mic (Supported by what?)

"Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
Subject:  Three guys at a [removed]

DEAR TED (& FRIENDS)-
POINTS WELL TAKEN! THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO [removed]

If you believe that "three guys at a mike" does not make good radio drama,
try listening to episodes of Quiet Please.

I HAVE- & HAVE FOUND THEM GENERALLY EXCELLENT. THE REASON? THEY ARE
SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN, DIRECTED, & PERFORMED AS MINIATURE "LET US TELL YOU A
LITTLE STORY HERE" PIECES.

Ernest Chappell played lead on these shows, sometimes with only one or two
other actors.  There may be one show in which he is the only actor.  The
organist made the music and some of the sound effects -- on the organ.

AND THIS SUPPORT, TOO, IS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED & STYLIZED TO PLAY TO THE
FORMAT. WHAT I HAD ORIGINALLY SPOKEN AGAINST, WAS MANY MODERN AUDIO DRAMAS-
WHICH BEG FOR A FULL CAST, GOOD MUSIC, & LAYERED SOUND EFFECTS- BUT ARE OFTEN
UNDERPRODUCED. USUALLY, I THINK, BECAUSE OF LACK OF RESPECT FOR, OR
UNDERSTANDING OF, A STILL GREAT MEDIUM! SUCH A PRODUCTION IS ANALGOUS TO
PERFORMING A FILM BEFORE BARE FLATS, RATHER THAN SUITABLE VISUAL LOCATIONS!
BEST,
CRAIG WICHMAN
([removed] SORRY FOR THE "ALL CAPS"- I'M HAVING TO RESPOND THRU THE "AOL MAIL"
FILTER)

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

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 00:47:21 -0400
From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  RE; DEAF IN RADIO

In answer to the question about if there were any other deaf persons in
radio, when I was at WBJC-FM in Baltimore in the mid-seventies, we had a
deaf disc jockey that had the afternoon drive time Big-Band show.  Only
those who were at the station knew he was deaf.  The engineer rigged up a
light that was sycronized to the turn-table to light up whenever a song had
ended.  Thus all he had to do was kep his eye on the light, as he could not
see the record or the turn-table, which was in the engineers booth, who
played the records for him.  He had one of the most popular Big Band Shows
at BJC at that time. I am sure there were others that did not let that
handicap keep them from performing on radio.

Owens

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

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 01:03:38 -0400
From: paladin@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Tokyo Rose

Hello from Tokyo,

I have long enjoyed this digest, but this is my first posting.
I have spent more than half my 55 years in or studying history and politics about 
Japan with a specialty in modern history up to the end of WWII, so thought this 
an appropriate first for my comments.

While the Japanese did do many atrocious things before and during the war, Iva 
Toguri was a victim of postwar fabrications and scapegoatism.
There is just so much misinformation about Tokyo Rose around.
Much of it ingrained into the memory from historically inaccurate films and TV.
I am sure Elizabeth may reply more eloquently than me as the following 2 sites 
about "Tokyo Rose"" were found through links on her site. (There are sound files 
for listening to.)

[removed]
[removed]

But among the mistakes is that Tokyo Rose was actually a name used by Allied 
listeners to signify any female broadcasting from Japan. This was confirmed at 
the end of 1945 by the War Department which had listening posts monitoring all 
broadcasts from Japan.

The tragedy of the Iva Toguri story lies in the conviction and imprisonment of an 
individual who did her best to comfort and aid American POWs in Japan during the 
war, some of whom considered her a hero.
Iva never broadcast the kind of propaganda attributed to her in fiction, and only 
hosted a light entertainment and DJ type show.
Check the above sites for more details than I could give here as well as the 
audio clips.

Also 2 excellent books have been published on this story.

Tokyo Rose: Orphan of the Pacific, by Masayo Duus first published in 1979
The Hunt for 'Tokyo Rose' by Russell Warren Howe and Ramsey Clark published in 
1989

The former is an easier read, but hard to locate as it is not currently stocked 
by bookstores.
The later has more detail, but can be tedious. Both include strong evidence of an 
ironic misjustice.

60 Minutes ran a story on the case and President Ford pardoned Iva Toguri, in an 
attempt to set the record straight.

Michael J Emry
paladin@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 01:51:09 -0400
From: "Jimidene Murphey" <jimimark@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Prof. Moriarty's name

"J. Pope" wrote:
BTW, what was Prof. Moriarty's full name?

A reply:  Professor James Moriarty, not to be confused with his brother,
Colonel James Moriarty.  Their parents certainly weren't very imaginative.

Since the recent thread, I was listening to the Mercury Theater's production
of The Immortal Sherlock Holmes, September 25, 1938, and Holmes (Welles)
refers to Professor ROBERT Moriarty.  In everything else I've seen, his
first name was James.  A faux paux on the venerable Mr. Welles' part?  Does
anybody know what's up with this?

Jimidene Murphey
"Keepin' it alive"

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

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 03:00:37 -0400
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Hindenburg Discs on Discovery Channel

A new documentary "The Hindenburg Disaster: Probable Causes" premiered
Wed night on The Discovery Channel, and will be repeated again Saturday
afternoon at 1 PM Eastern time.  In it you will get a chance to see the
actual original disc of the first part of the disaster broadcast
recording.  My pal Les Waffen of the National Archives points out the
area where the groove deepens due to the ground shock wave vibrating the
disc cutter and discusses how the engineer carefully retuned the
recording head to the disc.  Note the painted green label of the Presto
disc, and also note that the sleeve that he removes the disc from is one
of the special archival polyethelene and foil lined sleeves designed for
the Library of Congress.

By the way, I am the one who informed the program's producer that the
original discs ARE in the National Archives after she somehow was told
by a staff member there that the discs were not part of the collection.
My email to Les quickly solved that problem, and a date for the filming
was established.  Because these discs are housed in the closed stacks
this is a rare treat to see them.  In fact, it's been almost 25 years
since I last saw them.

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 09:23:20 -0400
From: otrbuff@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  So, keep on cookin' with Crisco!

Every day, five days a week, for years and years and years, Young Dr.
Malone arrived and left the air to a stirring Dixieland jazz beat and a
male vocalist touting the virtues of Crisco, the "pure, all-vegetable
shortening."  It was one of Procter & Gamble's trademark commodities.  I
can still hear it sung to the tune of a few opening bars of "Twelfth
Street Rag" . . .

"They're . . . cookin' with Crisco,
>From New York to 'Frisco . . .
Pies are so flaky, cakes are so light;
Fried foods digestible, with Crisco they're right . . .
S-o-o-o, keep on cookin' . . . with Crisco!"

In the commercials, in the Dan Seymour tradition on Aunt Jenny's Real
Life Stories in which the announcer regularly visited her sprightly,
sweet-smelling kitchen to sample what she had just baked with rival
sponsor Spry ("For all you bake and fry, rely on Spry!"), Tom Baldridge
routinely turned up on Young Dr. Malone in Bess Pringle's kitchen (she
was his mother-in-law) for a piece of freshly-baked apple pie or a few
fluffy biscuits, all made with Crisco, of course.  [Both Jenny and Bess
baked so much so often one wondered just how many church bazaars they
could supply in one year since they couldn't possibly have enough
relatives in the small mythical towns of Littleton or Three Oaks to eat
all that stuff they cooked!  I digress.]

And there was that memorable tune with its familiar Bourbon Street sound.
 Wow.  Truly one of the most persuasive jingles in radio advertising to
the millions of cooks at home who remembered to "tune in tomorrow for the
Malone story."

Now comes word that the unthinkable has happened.  P&G would almost seem
like it's on a steady course of self-destruction.  Having gotten rid of
Oxydol, Lava and numerous other leading brands that made it what it is
today, it has just sold Crisco to J. M. Smucker, the jelly and preserves
manufacturer.  Is there no shame in Cincinnati?

With P&G, Young Dr. Malone must have truly lost his patience!

Jim Cox

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

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 09:31:15 -0400
From: Michael Henry <mlhenry@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Deaf and Broadcasting

To add to Brian Johnson's question about the deaf and
broadcasting:

How did deaf people during the 1930's and
1940's respond to radio broadcasting? Did they feel
threatened by it? Did they simply ignore it? Especially if
they had hearing family or friends living in the same
household.

Thanks.

-Mike Henry
Library of American Broadcasting
and
Metropolitan Washington Old Time Radio Club

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2001 Issue #330
*********************************************

Copyright [removed] Communications, York, PA; All Rights Reserved,
  including republication in any form.

If you enjoy this list, please consider financially supporting it:
   [removed]

For Help: [removed]@[removed]
To Unsubscribe: [removed]@[removed]

For Help with the Archive Server, send the command ARCHIVE HELP
  in the SUBJECT of a message to [removed]@[removed]

To contact the listmaster, mail to listmaster@[removed]

To Send Mail to the list, simply send to [removed]@[removed]