Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #273
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 7/18/2002 10:49 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 273
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Re: Rt 66 and LR                      [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Are Radio Networks Doomed? (Note)     [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      Two airchecks and an OTR sponsor      [ "Dave Walter" <fredallenfan@hotmail ]
      Re: Birth programs                    [ Ken Reiss <reissken@[removed]; ]
      Are radio networks doomed?            [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
      FDR Jokes                             [ leemunsick@[removed] ]
      Tales of a Happy Kemper               [ "james hunt" <jameshunt@[removed] ]
      New Radio Showcase Website            [ Steven Kelez <otrsteve@[removed]; ]
      Radio Recreation in VA                [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Requiem for Bob Bailey                [ Mike Ray <MRay@[removed]; ]
      Magicians in OTR                      [ Osborneam@[removed] ]
      Roy Rowan                             [ "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@hotmail. ]

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 12:49:08 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Rt 66 and LR

    George Aust wrote in part,

>     the highway changed from town to town

      Not just 66 but almost all highways of the era had local names.  Here
    in WV we have (had) Rt 60 and there are stretches were the local
    (unofficial) name might be "So-and-so Memorial Highway" for a few miles,
    then on down the road it changes again to another noted locals name,
    etc.  But it was still officially Route 60 the entire distance.  Other
    highways did pretty much the same thing.  This is sometimes seen on
    interstates as well.

    Jim Widner wrote in part,

>     this was definitely a badly researched error, or one in which they didn't care

      In the film "Waterworks" (I think) there is a scene were the sister of
    a man who invented a internal combustible engine that ran on water
    rather than gasoline is making the beds one morning in the early-mid
    '30s while listening to Challenge of the Yukon.

      Joe

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

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    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 12:49:19 -0400
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Are Radio Networks Doomed? (Note)

    I appreciate the effort that Chris Chandler <chrischandler84@[removed]; put
    into his message regarding the state of today's "corporate radio". I
    learned some stuff I didn't know before (as usual in this OTR forum). While
    I think about what he wrote, I'll just sit back and watch the replies.
    Thanks for your input, Chris!

    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 12:50:10 -0400
    From: "Dave Walter" <fredallenfan@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Two airchecks and an OTR sponsor

    I've got three questions today, two about a couple of airchecks I've
    recently bought old LPs of and one about a local OTR sponsor.

    First, this past Tuesday I purchased a used copy of the Bud Greenspan
    production THE ACTUAL VOICES AND SOUNDS OF WORLD WAR II, narrated by
    Alexander Scourby and issued by Riverside Records. On Side One, there is a
    recording of (allegedly) the actual New York radio bulletin announcing the
    scuttling of the Graf Spee. On it, an announcer switches to a reporter who
    is supposedly in Montevideo. No network or station ID is given, and the
    reporter's sign-off ("Goodbye, ladies and gentlemen") sounds fairly odd.
    However, the source recording sounds aged enough to be from that period.
    Does anybody (Dr. Biel or Ms. McLeod, perhaps?) have any further info on
    this item?

    At the same time, I picked up a copy of a 1994 Ash Records ([removed]) release of
    what is presented to be an aircheck of a two-way conversation between a
    Canadian railroad line controller and the engineer aboard a runaway
    locomotive in New Brunswick on March 9, 1948. Although not strictly OTR (as
    it's not a broadcast intended for mass distribution), I'd also like to hear
    more info on this item if anyone has some.

    Finally, on the two airchecks I've heard of Alan Freed's "Moondog Show" over
    WJW and WJW-FM in Cleveland in 1954, his main sponsor appears to be a local
    brand of beer, Erin (or is it Aaron?) Brew. Is that brand still in
    existence, or has it been swallowed up by another brewery in the years
    since?

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 12:50:37 -0400
    From: Ken Reiss <reissken@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Birth programs

    On 7/10/02 3:53 PM, "Harry Bartell" <bartell@[removed]; wrote:

>     The radio shows on the dayI was born consisted of a lot of dots and dashes.

    Well, [removed] The melody wasn't much, but it did have rhythm.

    [removed] But that's kind of the long and the short of [removed]

    To borrow a line from Fred Allen as he was departing for Allen's [removed]

    As the Morse code operator said after sending 3 [removed] I'm about to make a
    dash.

    (Now I'm leaving)
    Ken

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 12:52:44 -0400
    From: leemunsick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Are radio networks doomed?

    Congrats to Chris Chandler for his excellent analysis of the slow suicide
    of the radio networks.

    He didn't go into the same situation regarding individual stations,
    especially local hometown stations who are existing on country music,
    gospel (down here in the south) and talk-talk-talk.  But not local; it
    comes from various ad hoc "networks" like the ridiculously fictitious
    "Excellence In Broadcasting" network and its touted plush studios, which in
    reality are just a couple of rooms tucked away at ABC New York.

    I frankly don't understand why anyone in the business thinks the listeners
    pay any attention to commercials when they are grouped together in runs of
    8 or 10 so the talk show host can run to the bathroom.  Does it not occur
    to them that their listeners are doing the same thing?

    I got my start at a local radio station in the 1950s.  The only thing
    "network" about it was the Western Union clock with its hourly time tone.

    What it did have which most stations do not really have now, is a fine,
    viable news staff which covered the local area like a glove.

    To my way of thinking, the only legitimate reason for a local radio
    station--just like a local newspaper--is to cover the news of that
    area.  From the point of view of the listeners and readers.  The business
    reason for the owners is of course the advertising.  But if the public
    reason to listen and read fades away, there will be no medium for the
    advertisers.

    I think radio began to kill itself off with two giant steps.

    1.  The decision by the major networks and acquiescence by the FCC, to rape
    radio in order to
    develop and support television as its most direct competitor.  Incredibly
    stupid.

    2.   Dropping program sponsorship, first for shared announcements and then
    "spot announcements".

    Sooner or later the talk show craze will start to pale.  Then the entire
    country will become like it is where I now live in southern Virginia.  From
    my point of view, very little to listen to.  I know, we were spoiled by
    growing up in the greater New York City market with umpteen dozens of
    stations to which to listen.  But even so, down here and in much of middle
    America it's radio's version of that "vast wasteland", and that will creep
    across the country.  I recall nearly 40 years ago having the same feeling
    as I traveled away from either coast, east of California, west of New
    York/Philadelphia, and south of Chicago/Cleveland.  But with that map of
    the country in one's mind, consider where the bulk of the population
    resides.   Wake up guys, there's your business, and you're treating us all
    like yokels!

    Thank God for the Virginia Tech NPR stations which carry classical music
    from 9 am to 4 pm every weekday, and another FMer in North Carolina which
    is all music and not NPR!

    Lee Munsick in Appomattox, Virginia, where we listen to NPR or our own
    recorded music and OTR, and watch videos!  Haven't had direct feed TV for
    about two years.  The only time when we really missed it was for the 9-11
    coverage.

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 12:53:11 -0400
    From: leemunsick@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  FDR Jokes

    Our researching friend could probably be quite safe in checking out most
    every joke told about every President from FDR on, and every first lady
    starting with Eleanor.

    Unless the subject is TV, AIDS or the Internet, they're all the old jokes
    about the Roosevelts, with names changed to the current residents at 1600.

    I've been around since FDR, and hear the same jokes recycling about every
    four years.
    Coincidence, you say?  Uh-huh.

    Lee Munsick

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 15:14:40 -0400
    From: "james hunt" <jameshunt@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Tales of a Happy Kemper
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    Be sure to click on "Sound Effects: and  read how  Kemper, Bill James and Tom
    Hanley created and developed the sound patterns for "Gunsmoke", "The Voyage
    Of The Scarlet  Queen", "Jack Benny" "Stan  Freburg', [removed]

     [removed]

    DH

    [server removed an attachment of type application/octet-stream which had a
    name of Tales of a Happy [removed]]

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    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 15:15:25 -0400
    From: Steven Kelez <otrsteve@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  New Radio Showcase Website

    Hi everyone. I’d like to announce that the new and improved Radio Showcase website
    is now online. Everything has been improved, from the graphical look to the
    convenient navigation panel. The site is now faster and easier to use. There’s
    even a quiz page. I’m sure everyone on the list will get a perfect score on the
    first try. But the best improvement is the new double search feature. In an
    instant you can search through over 15,000 broadcasts based on two queries (or one
    if you prefer). This will produce much shorter listings, saving you time to do
    other things instead of reading through screen fulls of small type. As an example,
    say you wanted to find the SUSPENSE broadcasts staring JACK BENNY. Instead of
    reading through the entire Suspense log, or Jack Benny log, you will be presented
    with only the 4 entries in which Jack appeared on Suspense. There was a thread
    here recently about birthday programs. No problem. In fact you could look for one
    particular program on your birthday. Give it a try. It’s fun, and you never know
    what interesting result might appear that you’d never find using a single search
    method. There are also improvements for placing orders, but I won’t elaborate on
    that here. Give the new site a try, you’ll be glad you did.

    <[removed];

    On another note, last week my good friend, Ed Carr, announced that he had released
    a new restored recording of “Kaleidoscope”, as originally broadcast on Suspense
    for the week of 7/12/55. Up until now, the only recordings for this adaption of
    the Ray Bradbury short story were in mediocre to poor sound. Ed secured an
    original disc and had one of his friends do an outstanding job of transferring and
    cleaning up the recording. Thank you, Ed, for making this excellent new addition
    available to the otr community. If you haven’t heard this episode it features a
    who’s who of CBS radio actors, including William Conrad, Parley Baer, John Dehenr,
    Sam Edwards, Howard McNear, Stacy Harris, and Georgia Ellis. Hmm, wait a minute.
    That sounds like the cast of [removed] this time they’re floating around
    in the wide open spaces of outer space, not Kansas. The program is available from
    Ed on CD or you can also find it at my website.

    Steven Kelez
    RADIO SHOWCASE

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 15:16:01 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Recreation in VA

    Press release dated a couple days ago:

    THE WILLIAMSBURG FILM FESTIVAL - March 6 - 8, 2003 in Williamsburg,
    Virginia. Festival updates: WFF: [removed]

    Last year's radio recreation was a big hit with everyone and will be
    repeated this year. However, this year an original radio drama scripted by
    Solar Guardsman Jack McKirgan there will be produced. The Solar Guard will
    be producing the radio show with the guidance of the Academy's Senior Cadets
    (Jan Merlin and Frankie Thomas) and will include some surprise guest
    appearances for the play. Judging from the plot outline, it will be a lot of
    fun for all who attend.

    There will be 6 hours of great shows from the 1950's at this years festival.
      Some rarely seen shows for the festival.

    If plans continue as they are now, there may be some additional surprises
    for the festival, so be sure to set aside March 6 - 8, 2003 to be in
    Williamsburg, Virginia for the Williamsburg Film Festival.

    For any old-time radio fans who love to attend radio recreations, this is an
    enjoyable convention.  I paid a visit last year and lots of fun.

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

    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 15:19:37 -0400
    From: Mike Ray <MRay@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Requiem for Bob Bailey
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    Requiem for Bob Bailey

    Who grieves for Bob Bailey?

    It's been nearly 20 years now since Bob Bailey quietly passed away at a
    convalescent hospital in Lancaster California. Even though the death rate is
    still one per person, and is something that we will all have to face, it's
    always a sad time when we hear of the passing of a loved one, a close
    friend, or even someone we never met.

    Are we truly diminished by the passing of an individual? In the case of Bob
    Bailey, the answer for so many us would be yes. For despite the fact that he
    lived 70 years, Bailey's life was incomplete, at least the last 23 years
    seem to be.

    When the word came down in October 1960 from CBS in New York that the entire
    production of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was to relocate to New York by the
    end of the year, this would spell the end of Bob's career. Many in the crew,
    in fact most, were unwilling to re-locate to the big apple, and this
    included the star of the show.

    Bob was (and still is too many of us) Johnny Dollar for a little over 5
    years. Before that, he was George Valentine for just over 9 years in the
    detective show, Let George Do It. Bob was heard on a number of shows on
    radio during his career, but it was as Johnny Dollar that Bob really shined.
    He made the character his own. He played Dollar with all the passion,
    sensitivity, and realism that was seldom seen by anybody else in any other
    character. As our friend Harry Bartell recently stated, "Bob was a stylish,
    very professional actor whose voice fit perfectly into the two characters by
    which he is best known."

    Born June 13, 1913 in Toledo, Ohio, Bob got his start in show business when
    he made his first appearance on stage at 18 months. His radio career began
    in 1925 when he and his father had parts together in a local radio show. Bob
    played in several Chicago area radio shows before signing a contract with
    20th Century Fox and relocating to California. Bob had bit parts in several
    movies and made two movies with Laurel and Hardy; Jitterbugs and Dancing
    Masters.

    All that seems so long ago now. His last show, heard on November 27, 1960
    "The Empty Threat Matter" would conclude a 35 year radio carrier. With the
    departure of Johnny Dollar to New York (Suspense left for New York as well)
    radio drama in Hollywood was dead. The last remaining show, Gunsmoke would
    end in 1961. What was left for Bob? Not much. He did some writing, and
    appeared in the last scene of Bird Man from Alcatraz. It's a horrible
    appearance, his face is barely seen, but there is no mistaking the voice.
    The producer could have given him a better part.

    There is the disturbing story of how Bob was invited to New York to do a
    screen test for the TV version of Johnny Dollar (which never went to
    production). When the producers saw what Bob looked like, they refused to
    give him the promised screen test. Bob was not the most handsome of men, but
    was not unpleasant to look at in the least. Dejected, and without gainful
    employment, the next few years in Bob's life are a mystery to us. As his
    daughter Mrs. Roberta Goodwin put it, "I lost contact with my father. For
    many years, I had no idea where he was."

    So where did he go? What did he do? How did he survive? No one seems to
    know. He just drifted. This incredibly gifted actor, and writer, was left to
    drift into nothingness. Bob needed a patron. Not necessarily someone giving
    him money, but rather making sure that at least he was given bit parts in
    Hollywood just to keep him afloat. Did these producers (they all knew who
    Bob Bailey was) ignore him on purpose or was there some aspect of Bob's life
    that repelled them? Who knows?

    Those wonderful folks who knew and loved Bob are not talking out of respect
    for their friendship. Listening to John Dunning's radio interviews with the
    people who worked closely with him, Jack Johnstone, Virginia Gregg, Harry
    Bartell and others, you become uncomfortable when you hear how incredibly
    guarded they are when Dunning raises the topic of Bob Bailey. They dance
    around him making sure that don't talk about any aspect of him as a person.
    ... And so the mystery of his last 23 years continues. I guess it always
    will.

    Why should we care? I mean after all he did leave a wonderful treasury of
    work, and we can be thankful to God that such men did live. But for me,
    there is no resolution. What bothers me most is that Bob's career was
    suddenly and completely cut short. That's wrong!! Even though deep down I
    knew these were just radio scripts - some in their 2nd and 3rd cycles - I
    came to view Bob, with his incredible range of emotion, as an "everyman".
    His acting touched my soul. His humanity (spirit, if you will) had
    transcended the radio waves and had found a place in my heart. Knowing that
    some aspects of his life were tragic and that his last 23 years were
    troublesome bother me greatly.

    I like to listen to those stories that our Sperdvac friends tell of their
    visits with Bob in the convalescent hospital. They tell of this white haired
    little man who lies in his bed hearing about how there are thousands of fans
    all over America who adore his work. It reminds me of the fact that that is
    a soul who God made that has brought me joy beyond anything I could put into
    words.

    So the question still remains.

    Who grieves for Bob Bailey?

    I do.

    I guess I always will.

    Mike Ray

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    Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 16:47:44 -0400
    From: Osborneam@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Magicians in OTR

    In OTR Digest #272, Jackie Lannon writes:

>     My question to all you experts is to inquire if there were any radio
>     stories or biographies of magicians on radio at one time or other.

    Well Jackie, three come to mind.  Blackstone, the Magic Detective,
    Chandu, the Magician and Mandrake the Magician.

    Blackstone:
    A mystery-trick show dramatized in flashbacks, always with a magical ending
    starring Ed Jerome as Harry Blackstone "the world's greatest living
    magician."  It aired on WOR-Mutual between 10/03/48 through 04/03/49.

    Chandu, The Magician
    The adventures of Frank Chandler, an American agent with occult powers
    learned from years of study with his guru in India.  One of the longest
    running juvenile adventure serials, Chandu, The Magician was aired over
    Mutual and later ABC in the late 1940's. Gayne Whitman played Chandu in the
    early run (1932-1936) and Tom Collins played to role starting in 1948 during
    the revival of the series.  Each program is 15 minutes in length until it
    switched to a 30 minute format.  First announcer was Howard Culver.

    Mandrake, the Magician (15 minute serial)
    Adventure with Raymond Edward Johnson (and sometimes Lon Clark) as Mandrake.
    Jackson Beck narrated.  Broadcast from 11/11/40 to 02/06/42.

    ------------------------------------------------------
    There's also specific shows with magicians in them such as this Boston
    Blackie:
    Murder at the Circus - Rondo the Magician (Circus Murder)(#157)
    04/14/48

    Box 13
    #10 The Great Torino (05/17/48) aka Dan & the Magician's Assistant

    Cinnamon Bear
    Preston the Magician

    Counterspy
    Magic Murder, TCOT (04/04/50)

    Ellery Queen
    Vanishing Magician, TAOT (11/06/43)

    Fibber McGee & Molly
    #444 (06/12/45) Fibber the Magician
    #534 (01/06/48) Magic Act
    Fibber's Magic Radio (60 mins)(aka Radio's Super Stars)

    Lights Out
    #11 (07/27/46) Battle of the Magicians

    Mystery is My Hobby
    Murder at a Magic Show

    Nick Carter, the Master Detective
    #052 Murder By Magic (or Nick Carter & the Mystery of the Missing
    Identity)(04/08/44)

    Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons
    #026 Magic Murder Case, The (01/04/49)

    Superman, The Adventures of
    #146 Tumbleweed in Jail; Sidney Rycroft in Magician's Act (01/15/41)(Black
    Pearl of Osiris)

    Whistler, The
    #035 (01/10/43) The Nemesis (aka Cartier, the Magician)

    and of course, many different episodes of shows featuring Magic Amulets,
    Magic Islands, Magic Mesas and Black Magic.

    Hope that helps.
    Arlene Osborne

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

    Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 00:33:07 -0400
    From: "B. J. Watkins" <kinseyfan@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Roy Rowan

    In Digest #270 Jim Widner wrote:

>     I don't know if Rowan has died (though I have date for someone who might be
>     him as 1998), but he was at a SPERDVAC Convention in 1992 (perhaps Barb
>     Watkins can shed some light on this).

    I was surprised to find that Roy Rowan died on May 10, 1998. I thought it
    was just a couple of years ago. How time flies! He was 78 years old.

    He attended the SPERDVAC conventions regularly and participated in some
    recreations. He was a very nice man. Toward the end his memory was failing
    quite a bit.

    He had a wonderful voice and announced many shows in OTR. His obituary said
    he was also Lucille Ball's announcer.

    If you'd like to see him, check out some of the convention videos in
    SPERDVAC's library.

    Barbara

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #273
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