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	  	         === Last Update 1/17/95  ====





	    [removed]   Volume 96 : Issue 70


Articles in this issue of [removed]:

	 Ezra Stone
	 Swan Lake - one more; Myrt & Marge
	 Dealers & VHS-Hi-Fi
	 Classical Themes in OTR
	 War of Worlds on CD
	 Introduction and information
	 Captain Midnight
	 Jim Ameche
	 Jim and Don, music and Morton Gould
	 Desperately Seeking Hedda
	 Actin' Hastings (Repent?)
	 CBS Radio Mystery Theater Log
	 dat or not to dat
	 Green Hornet Help
	 Don't tell me cassettes are dead too!

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 14:10:11 -0600 (CST)
From: rsheldon@[removed] (robert sheldon)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Ezra Stone
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

rsheldon@[removed]
Subject: Ezra Stone

For those who might be interested in seeking what Ezra Stone looked 
like in his Henry Aldrich days, I recall that he has a brief 
appearance before the cameras in the movie, "This is the Army," that 
stars Ronald Reagan and has spots by a lot of other celebrities, 
including Joe Louis and Irving Berlin singing "Someday I'm Going to 
Murder the Bugler."
-Bob Sheldon

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 15:19:56 -0600
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Swan Lake - one more; Myrt & Marge
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

>Roy Trumbull mentioned in #67 the use the climax from Swan Lake as the
>opening music for the original 1931 "Dracula" starring Lugosi. 
>>Just a note: the same measures were used the following year to open the
>Karloff chiller "The Mummy."
>>LordLyndon@[removed]

Another note:  Swan Lake was used as the credits music on many of the early
talkies from Universal, up until about 1935, excepting perhaps the
comedies.  It's just that the horror pictures are about the only Universal
talkies that ever get screened anymore.

To make this more OTR-related:  has anyone ever seen Universal's Myrt and
Marge, 1934?  I've long been curious about this.  The cast includes Ted
Healy and the Three Stooges, and the film was written and directed by
prolific comedy writer (& Jack Benny gagman) Al Boasberg.

John


John Henley
jhenley@[removed]
ph  (512) 495-4112
fax (512) 495-4296

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 19:27:47 -0500
From: SeptSev@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Dealers & VHS-Hi-Fi
Message-ID: <960221192745_228023978@[removed]>

[removed]
I would like to suggest to my dealer friends that they transfer complete
reels onto VHS-Hi-Fi for sale to the public.  In the LP mode a T-120 holds
eight hours(two track mono.) Copying reels to VHS would be a lot less labor
intensive than cassettes, and new collectors who can't find or don't wish to
invest in RTR equipment could enjoy the pleasure of collecting full reels. 
Regards,
Thom

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 96 15:49:03 PST
From: <rdruian@[removed]>
To: <otr@[removed]>
Subject: Classical Themes in OTR
Message-ID: <[removed]+s2v8lB@[removed]>

Someone (sorry, I don't have the original post available just now) pointed 
out the other day that the biggest reason for using classical themes in OTR 
was their being in the public domain, and not subject to royalties. Probably 
very true, but I also remember that some of those themes were quite 
contemporary. Copyright laws have always varied, and I remember quite well 
the enacting of "life plus fifty years" in the [removed], but I don't know what 
does and did apply in Europe at the time some of the common works were 
written. Two examples that come to mind are Serge Prokofiev, whose March from 
"The Love for Three Oranges" was used in the old "FBI in Peace and War" 
series during the forties, and Jean Sibelius, whose fourth movement of his 
second symphony was used on one of the afternoon soaps during that same 
period. Not only were both of these guys still alive and kicking at the time, 
but I'd venture to guess that both of the examples cited were no more than 25-
30 years old at the time. Does anyone have any more precise data about what 
was going on?

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 20:34:57 -0500
From: LordLyndon@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: War of Worlds on CD
Message-ID: <960221203455_329221940@[removed]>

Agree with John Henley on general poor quality of OTR on CD. Particularly
disappointing is Welles' War of the Worlds on Listener's Choice, which is
clearly taken from the old Murray Hill 2-record set of the broadcast.

That vinyl version had a flaw on the second record, where at one point on
side one the broadcast is cut/slurred together: when the commentator,
referring to the emergence of the 1st martian from the cylander, states,
"Someone's crawling out of the hollow top - someone or [removed]" the
record version slurs, "Someone's crawlingsomeone or [removed]" At the very
same spot on the record on the reverse side, the opposite problem occurs:
during the dive bomber's speech, a few seconds' pause is added, as if making
up for the shortened time on the other side of the record. On odd, and
annoying, mistake, which is sadly repeated on the only CD release of the
broadcast I've been able to find.

LordLyndon@[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 18:23:41 -0800
From: pship@[removed] (Paul Shipman )
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Introduction and information
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Hello, all.

I've been getting and enjoying OTR Digest for a few months now, but 
haven't motivated to introduce myself.  A question finally got me off 
the mark, but more on that later.

My name is Paul Shipman, I'm 33 and live in Hartford, CT.  I got 
interested in radio on the "mechanical" side, collecting old radios and 
phonographs.  I've amassed quite a few and am looking for 
internet/usenet sites that cover this side of the hobby -- any 
suggestions?  I enjoy much of the music of the era ('20s to '50s) and 
seek out alot of that material, but own very few OTR programs.  I do 
enjoy hearing them on When Radio Was, which we get here on Sunday 
evenings over WDRC, 1360AM, from 5:00 to 7:00 [removed]  Favorite shows?  
Vic & Sade, X-Minus 1.  I look forward to learning more about these 
great shows from all of you and am very interested in perpetuating more 
rebroadcasts of these shows, and in getting new radio 
drama/entertainment produced and aired.

Question:  Does anyone know of/have access to OTR scripts, as opposed 
to recordings?

Answer:  Andy Blatt recently asked about the Radio Museum in New 
Britain, CT.  It was a great place, but closed about 2 years ago.  
Happily and coincidentally, however, I have recently learned from the 
museum's director, John Ellsworth, that the museum will reopen this 
weekend, February 24, at a new location.

The Connecticut Vintage Radio & Communications Museum will be located 
at 1173 Main Street, East Hartford, CT  06108.  For now, the phone 
number is John Ellsworth's own, (860) 675-9916.  The museum will be 
open Thursdays and Fridays, 10:00 [removed] to 2:00 [removed], Saturdays, 11:00 
[removed] to 4:00 [removed], and Sundays, 1:00 to 4:00 [removed]

The museum will have radios and related materials on display, as well 
as televisions.  A special section of movie projection equipment will 
be on display, and probably some antique telecommunications equipment 
as well.  John also plans some "hands on" items, including a crystal 
set construction site, a repair bench, and a sound effects "studio."  
Museum visitors will be able to look at/participate in these 
activities.  The museum also has a small "auditorium" space to view 
videos from its collection and has a growing collection of schematics 
and other written materials.  Tubes in the museum's collection are also 
available for sale.

We're very excited about this new incarnation of the museum and I 
encourage folks to contact me or get ahold of John directly for more 
information.  I'm sure John would like to hear from people about the 
"program" side of OTR.  I know he's looking for scripts that are 
sound-effect intensive so that visitors may recreate some of these 
effects in the "studio."  They'll be able to record these excercises 
and they'll be "broadcast" in the museum.

Well, I've taken up enough space on somebody's server, so I'll close by 
saying glad to be here and I look forward to "talking" with all of you 
in the future.  Feel free to e-mail me at pship@[removed] with 
answers to my questions or to post them here in the newsletter.  Thanks 
again!

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 21:48:24 -0500 (EST)
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Captain Midnight
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Just wanted to mention that episode two of the Capt. Midnight
series I am featuring at my web site is now available for
download in realaudio format.  I am going to try to change to 
the next episode more frequently.

Keep in mind my site allows RA downloads, but does not have
the server attached.  Therefore you will have to do the 
complete download before you can listen to the episode.

Also, for those who haven't checked it out. The Capt. Midnight
series I am featuring are complete fifteen minute episodes from
the 1939-40 run via WGN Chicago before the program went national.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Widner                      INTERNET: jwidner@[removed]
Dayton, OH                      WWW: [removed]
COMPUSERVE: 74566,3041          AOL: JimWidner  
                          

                                                 

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 22:42:03 -0500
From: JRayb71827@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Jim Ameche
Message-ID: <960221224201_228211152@[removed]>

   I'm sure there'll be several responses to Gayland Darnell's query about
Jim Ameche, but here's my two cents worth.  Yes, they were brothers and yes,
they did sound alike.  I always thought they even looked alike, certainly
there was strong family resemblance.
   Jim was the very first Jack Armstrong and Don briefly played Captain
Hughes on that show before he went to Hollywood.  Jim was also the lead on
"The Silver Eagle," playing Jim West.  He was on the first broadcast of
"Family Theater," starring with Loretta Young in 1947.  He was an announcer
on "Big Sister," and also on "Here's To Romance," a variety at first set up
for Buddy Clark and later for Dick Haymes.  Here's one for you.  The early
stars on "Grand Hotel"
were DON Ameche and Anne Seymour.  Later, the leads were handled by JIM
Ameche and Betty Lou Gerson.
   And here are a couple of additional trivia items:  The brothers were from
Kenosha, Wisconsin and that also was the hometown of Orson [removed] lot of
talent out of one little old place.  And, I'm told the family name was
originally spelled Amici, but they changed the spelling so everyone would be
more apt to pronounce it right.  And just for the heck of it, Jim Ameche Jr.
once had an acting role on "Big Sister."  Just one more - the brothers were
the uncles of Alan "The Horse" Ameche, Wisconsin All-American and later
fullback star of the Baltimore Colts.
   Hang in there, Gayland, and we'll tell you more than you ever wanted to
know.

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

Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1996 03:46:53 GMT
From: bilj@[removed] (Bill Jaker)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Jim and Don, music and Morton Gould
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

On [removed] Gayland Darnell asked if Jim and Don Ameche were the same person 
with two names, or two guys somehow related.  There will probably be massive 
response to this one.  Don Ameche had a long career as a film actor as well 
as starring in many radio shows ("The Bickersons" is best known -- anybody 
wanna argue about that?) and also worked regularly as an announcer.  His 
brother Jim was heard more often as an announcer but also played dramatic 
roles, the most celebrated being 
JackArmstrongJackArmstrongJackArmstrong--the Alllll-American Boy!   Many 
listeners couldn't tell them apart, although I've never had trouble. Jim's 
voice was pitched slightly lower than Don's.  Has anyone ever heard the two 
together on a program?
                           ///////////0\\\\\\
There have also been some comments about classical theme songs in old-time 
radio.  One could get a good education in "music appreciation" without 
trying too hard by listening to radio in those days.  Back when records spun 
at 78 rpm and albums were really albums there was a guide published for the 
benefit of radio producers who couldn't afford live musicians.  Music was 
indexed by mood with references to classical works that emoted "joy" or 
"fear" or "sunset" or anything you wanted, with label and record numbers and 
timing.  Often you had to start a record, let's say, three minutes and 
sixteen seconds in to get a minute of, let's say, "returning home".  I 
wonder if anyone else remembers that publication and can tell us the exact 
title, and also give a real example of some scene-setting music.
                        /////////////0\\\\\
I was very sorry to hear of the sudden death of Morton Gould.  He was one of 
our fine composers and had a very long career, much of it in radio.  Gould 
did his first broadcasts in the 1920s, was conductor of the house orchestra 
at WOR/Mutual through the 30s and worked on many radio shows right through 
the "golden age".  I once heard him tell about composing the music for a 
program sponsored by Cresta Blanca Wine.  He decided to write a little 
jingle that was simply violins plunking up and down the scale as an 
announcer said "C-R-E-S-T-A" plunk-plunk-plunk-plunk-plunk-plunk 
"B-L-A-N-C-A", etc.  The sponsor was so delighted and showered him with such 
praise that, said Gould, "I was afraid that when I was gone all anyone would 
remember was [removed]"  We can be sure that won't be the case.

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 22:55:33 -0500
From: stevecap@[removed] (Steven Capsuto)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Desperately Seeking Hedda
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

I know this is a long shot, but does anyone out there have Hedda Hopper
broadcasts from June 1942?  I'm looking for a show from either 6/22/42 or
6/29/42 in which she shared memories of Helen Morgan.
___
Steven Capsuto, Philadelphia
stevecap@[removed]
WEB page: [removed]~[removed]

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

Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1996 02:24:00 GMT
From: [removed]@[removed] (Marty Tabnik)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Actin' Hastings (Repent?)
Message-Id: <9602211937462845@[removed]>

John Rayburn [no "C", John] reminded me of something
that has bugged me for several years.

Are/were there TWO Hastings brothers?  Twins?
        Bob & Don.

I have heard (one or the other of) them on various
"X-1" and other shows.

I also recall that one of them was the title/host character
on an early 50s TV show on NYC's DuMont Channel 5
        The Fuzzy Bunny.
[stop retching!  this *was* early TV!]

Would someone please post some history on the Hasting(s)?

As always,
advTHANKSance
---
 * SLMR [removed] * from The Center for Science as a Public Nuisance

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

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 23:49:50 -0500
From: JayHick@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: CBS Radio Mystery Theater Log
Message-ID: <960221234948_329445145@[removed]>

I now have completed my longest program log to date.  It is the complete log
of CBS Radio  Mystery Theater.  Each of the 2970 chronological entries either
has the title of the show and up to 3  performers if a new title, or if a
repeat, has the date of the original broadcast.  It also includes a list of
 many of the writers of the original stories.
Cost is $15 plus $2 P&H or a total of $17.  Send to Jay Hickerson, Box 4321,
Hamden, CT 06514 (203) 248-2887.

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

Date: 21 Feb 1996 08:55 GMT
From: Henry Brugsch <@[removed]:henry@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Cc: 
Subject: dat or not to dat
Message-ID: <02211996085530um@[removed]>

Andrew Emmerson writes the following, and in the spirit of gentle debate,
I'd like to reply.

>1. Converting analogue signals to digital means throwing away some
>detail. Not much, but you can never get back exactly what you put in.
