Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #302
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 8/3/2002 10:56 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2002 : Issue 302
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      Talking Pianos                        [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
      Re: sleeping to old time radio        [ "Dave Walter" <fredallenfan@hotmail ]
      Train leaving on Track [removed]        [ "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@[removed] ]
      OTR at bedtime                        [ "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyro ]
      Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Re:Alternative to OTR soporifics      [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
      Listening/Sleep to OTR thermostat     [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
      again: otr as a sleep-aid             [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
      Bob Hope Show                         [ Dancingdays72777@[removed] ]
      Stewart's log and others              [ "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@ho ]
      RE: OTR and ZZZZZZZZs                 [ "Ken Kay" <kenwyn@[removed]; ]
      talking piano                         [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
      The Magic Castle                      [ "MoiraShepard" <seaside241@[removed] ]
      otr and sleep                         [ "Nik Kierniesky" <kierniesky@superp ]
      Radio Scripts                         [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
      The Talking Piano                     [ AandG4jc@[removed] ]
      Bing Crosby OTR web-site              [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
      Re: Fibber McGee & Molly Questions    [ JDavis3153@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:42:51 -0400
    From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Talking Pianos

    "Marcus Antonsson" <[removed]@[removed]; asked:

>     ...they played part of a [removed] recording about a little boy who had a
>     piano
>     that could not only play by itself, but also talk with a kind of "robot
>     voice".

    I hesitate to answer as I know someone will improve upon my response with far
    more detail. But, what the [removed] It was surely one of the Rusty records. I
    happen to have _Rusty in Orchestraville_ in which all the instruments of the
    orchestra talk - I have promised to make a transcription for Ted Kneebone as
    soon as I come by the stylus and equipment to make this possible. I believe
    there was at least one more album in which Rusty interacts with only a piano
    and learns about the scales and other basics of music. I never owned these
    records as a child, but I heard them often on Big Jon & Sparky.

    The device used had a name, though I don't recall it. It was basically a
    small speaker a peformer could hold in his mouth while he formed the
    appropriate phonemes with his lips, the sort of thing done much more easily
    today with software. It was also used by several popular and jazz players of
    the 50's if I am not mistaken.

    Of course, there was also Grandy, Smilin' Ed's famous talking piano, but I
    don't think he was the instrument you had in mind.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:43:19 -0400
    From: "Dave Walter" <fredallenfan@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: sleeping to old time radio

    lynn wagar <philcolynn@[removed]; writes:

>     I have often wondered if there were other OTR fans
>     falling to sleep to radio shows.  I have been doing
>     this for many years and have found it harder to fall
>     asleep with out it.

    I must admit (with apologies to Lois!) doing the same, although I am
    selective about it. I'm someone who needs some sort of noise to be going on,
    as if to reassure myself that the world indeed is carrying on. (That's what
    awoke me on last September 11th: I had fallen asleep the previous night with
    WPIX-TV New York, one of the stations on the WTC transmitting tower, tuned
    in on my Dish Network reciever, and when Dish lost contact with the station,
    the silence caused me to awaken and tune around.) I usually prefer not to
    use live talk or news radio, as when something of potential interest pops up
    I'm less likely to allow myself to drift off to sleep and instead pay
    attention to the discussion. So I'll use OTR radio shows (usually Fred Allen
    and Jack Benny) and comedy albums (most recently Lenny Bruce's CARNEGIE HALL
    album, from before his legal troubles caused him to lose focus of his
    material) that I'm already very familiar with.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:43:27 -0400
    From: "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Train leaving on Track [removed]

    Hello to all--
        I am wondering if anyone out there can provide me with the date of the
    Jack Benny show in which Mel Blanc, as the announcer at the train station,
    makes his usual call for "Anaheim, Azusa, and Cucamonga" and ends up
    pleading: "Come on, someone MUST want to go to Anaheim, Azusa, and
    [removed]" I believe this episode took place around 1947 or 1948. Perhaps
    someone heard this broadcast recently and can help me. I know I have the
    tape in my collection but I cannot find it.
        Thanks.

        Mike Leannah

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:43:36 -0400
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR at bedtime

>     Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 01:06:44 -0400
>     From: "Mark E. Higgins" <paul_frees_fan@[removed];

>         Gotta cast my vote for OTR at bedtime.  Now, when we go to bed at
>     night, my wife's first question is "What are we listening to tonight?"
>     (We're getting old).  Seriously, she looks forward to it, too.

    Well, one of my earliest memories is how, after putting me to bed, my parents
    used to lie in
    bed listening to the radio in their room.

    --
    A. Joseph Ross, [removed]                           [removed]
     15 Court Square, Suite 210                 lawyer@[removed]
    Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:43:45 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Today in radio history

      From Those Were The Days --

    1922 - WGY radio in Schenectady, NY presented the first full-length
    melodrama on radio. It was The Wolf, written by Eugene Walter.

      Joe

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

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:44:01 -0400
    From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
    To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re:Alternative to OTR soporifics

      Derek Tague wrote --

>     Believe me, watching old steam-trains chugging along the length of a train
>     line is quite sleep-inducing for anybody not within the train hobby.

      I agree.  I have a tape of the Cass Scenic RR here in WV (a former
    logging railroad now a tourist trap, uh attraction) that records an hour
    of the train, from the cab and else where the length of the journey, and
    have been known to pop that in a tape player, set the timer to go off
    after 35 minutes, lay back and "pretend" to be in a Pullman going to
    some exotic land (such as Ananheim, Cucamonga and Azusa).
      Joe

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

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:44:28 -0400
    From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Listening/Sleep to OTR thermostat

    Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed]; gives an ingenious solution to the
    problem of falling asleep while listening to an OTR recording without
    damaging the playback medium: his use of an old mercury bulb from a
    thermostat is both cheap and effective. (My local S******** A*** thrift
    shop sells them for $[removed])
    My only concern is the safety issue: Mercury is now listed as a "hazardous
    material" (especially in homemade, portable sleeping devices' - I read the
    label).
    I can think of two plans to undertake in order to prepare for a possible
    breakage of the mercury bulb:
    1. Buy Teflon (R) sheets sets to use on the bed(s) so that the mercury
    pellets can be rolled into an approved hazardous waste container - which
    can be trucked to a haz-mat landfill whenever necessary. (The user might
    need a haz-mat certificate to do this legally, but used ones can be found
    at thrift stores for the usual $[removed] each.)
    2. Hire a live-in haz-mat team, who would sleep in the living room, so that
    if/when the mercury bulb broke in the user's sleep, they could swing into
    action to decontaminate the premises immediately. (To be notified & react
    immediately, the user would need to supply some items: - a used haz-mat
    sensor, $[removed]; - a neighbor-alert audio & visible alarm: used bullhorn +
    red-lensed flashlight. $[removed] each; - a catalytic converter shower drain
    filter, $[removed]; - a haz-mat drum & drain filter set for the washing
    machine, $[removed])
    Hope this clarifies the [removed]

    Herb Harrison

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 11:44:41 -0400
    From: Jer51473@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  again: otr as a sleep-aid

     I was doing this years ago by just keeping a small cassette recorder under
    the edge of my bed, and it really works. Although i could never remember the
    end of the program, it didnt matter because i knew i would eventually use the
    same program at some latter date, it was great. I no longer do this
    [removed] about 11 years ago i remarried [removed] well it just became very
    awkward and when she would say "im not believing this", i started looking at
    it from my mates standpoint. Actually she never objected and i think she
    enjoyed Amos n Andy and Jack Benny, but anyway i no longer do it. This is not
    to say i wont resume as she really could care less. I just have not taken the
    time to rig me another setup. I really thought it was sort of an oddball
    thing to do until i started reading all these posts and came to realize that
    if it is, then i have plenty of company and i  certainly am not unique.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 12:09:23 -0400
    From: Dancingdays72777@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bob Hope Show
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain

    I was wondering why of all of the big NBC comedies that were ratings
    powerhouses, the Bob Hope Show is the program with by far the fewest episodes
    currently available. Were most of the recordings of the programs just trashed
    one day en masse? How many are currently available?

    Thanks,

    Matt

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

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 12:10:40 -0400
    From: "steven kostelecky" <skostelecky@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Stewart's log and others

    I'd like to thank Stewart Wright for posting his 21st Precinct log. I think
    many of us take for granted the great amount of work that goes into creating
    these logs that we all use. Of course, there are so many others that have
    done the groundbreaking research to document otr, most of whom post their
    logs online for all of us for free. Check out some at the many otr links and
    thank the people who have taken so much time and effort. I would include the
    many people who post on this digest in that thanks.
    Otr fans are the best.
    Steve

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 12:12:24 -0400
    From: "Ken Kay" <kenwyn@[removed];
    To: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  RE:  OTR and ZZZZZZZZs

    Like many of you I really enjoy lying back on the bed, in the dark, and
    listening to OTR.  I have a Rio Volt and a couple of Sony mini speakers on
    my bedside table.  What I need, though, is a OTR player that remembers
    where I was in a program when I drift off.  I sure do a lot of backtracking
    to hear the conclusion of a show.  It's taken me up to four replays to hear
    a complete 30:00 show.  Wonderful world!

     .
    ------------------------------

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 12:24:55 -0400
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  talking piano

    Marc Antonsson, Sweden asked

>     Hi Gang!
>     A few years ago for example, they were discussing old
>     "trick recordings". In connection with that, they played part of a [removed]
>     recording about a little boy who had a piano that could not only play by
>     itself, but also talk with a kind of "robot voice". I don't  know if it was
>     from a radio show or from a record, but I'd very much like to know, and to
>     get a copy of it. It was quite funny. Can anyone of you out there give me a
>     hint?

    Mark, the record is Rusty in Orchestraville. A classic in children's
    records. I owned it when I was a kid. In fact, I think every parent who had
    a child studying piano, bought it for their child back in the 1940's.

    Years ago, I placed it in my radio show catalog. Then a few years ago, I
    started getting request for just this record. I was asked if I could just
    put this recording on tape. We even had a record company in Canada asking
    for the recording to sell to their customers. So, my wife suggested that we
    put in on an audio CD.

    The response was very good. As a test, we did the same with Tubby the Tuba.
    Again people wanted these long forgotten children's records. So, I took my
    entire collection of old 78 children's records and ran them through a
    scratch removal program and transferred them to audio CD.

    My wife scanned the record albums and printed them out on the jewel cases.
    The results were a very professional looking CD. You can see what we did on
    our web site. Click on "old time radio" and then on the left frame, scroll
    down to CLASSIC CHILDREN'S RECORDS. There you will find about 22 children's
    records.

    Fred
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 12:48:08 -0400
    From: "MoiraShepard" <seaside241@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Magic Castle

>     There used to be--and perhaps still is--a place in the Los Angeles area
>     called "House of Magic", "The Magic House", or some such.  It's a
>     delightful establishment, run by an association of  prestidigitators,
>     professional and amateur.

    Lee, this place is called the Magic Castle, in Hollywood just above Franklin
    Boulevard. Impresario Milt Larson founded it, I believe, along with the
    Variety Arts Theater in downtown [removed], and filled it with an astonishing
    array of magical memorabilia such as the piano you describe.

    The Magic Castle is open to members only -- prestidigitators and such -- but
    they can invite guests. I've gone several times, and it's a fabulous place!

    ...And thanks, Lee, for your "Milkman Matinee" and Les Paul memories.
    Priceless stories. Good of you to share with the rest of us.

    Love this list!
    Moira

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 13:01:37 -0400
    From: "Nik Kierniesky" <kierniesky@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  otr and sleep

    It's nice to know that more than a few people have the OTR sleeping aid
    habit!  I've done this for years. I actually used it to self-diagnosis sleep
    apnea may years ago.  It seemed like I would be awake continuously after 3
    AM, but through discontinuous OTR episodes, I found out that I would fall in
    and out of sleep frequently.

    For years, I fell asleep to my large collection of Sherlock Holmes episodes.
    Unfortunately, some Pavlovian conditioning took place.  Guess what would
    happen when I played ONLY Sherlock Holmes episodes while driving!? Has
    anyone else noticed this?

    Nik Kierniesky
    Gettysburg

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 13:07:29 -0400
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Scripts

    Here is a link to a great number of radio scripts. I found this while doing
    a search one day.

    [removed]

    Fred
    [removed]

    [ADMINISTRIVIA: The maintainer of this excellent website is a subscriber to
    the Digest.  --cfs3]

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

    Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 00:32:49 -0400
    From: AandG4jc@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  The Talking Piano

    Recently there was a string in the digest about a talking piano and other
    talking instrument.
    About 20 years ago my parent were cleaning out a school that was to be torn
    down and rebuilt. The school officials had taken out everything that was
    important but there was still some stuff still left in the rooms. Especially
    in the music room and the small library. My Dad found a Green Hornet record
    album and he played it for me and told me that this is what he listened to
    when he was my age. It was an old 78 album! This was my first exposer to OTR!
    A great childhood memory!
     My Mom found some old RCA classical music for children and a set of albums
    (4 in a case) of an album called "Rusty In Orchestraville." These were also
    78's. I loved it and still have it to this day! It is one of my prized
    possessions. Along with the others.
        It was produced by Capital Records and was made in 1946. Here is what it
    says, in the inside cover.
    --"Rusty In Orchestraville is probably the most refreshing painless course in
    music appreciation ever offered to youngsters who are studying, or will
    someday study, music. This is definitely something new and novel in
    [removed] entertainment."

    "Rusty is like a good many other boys and girls. He takes piano lessons and
    he balks at daily practicing. But one day little Rusty has a dream-an
    exciting, entertaining dream which musical instruments actually talk*-and
    when he awakens he rushes to the piano determined to master the instrument."

    "In the dream, young Rusty meets with the orchestra conductor, and the
    resulting tour, which finds him being introduced to all the instruments of
    the orchestra, leads into a miniature symphony concert. Excerpts from other
    classical compositions also are heard when Rusty learns that he can play any
    instrument, even without practicing, via the magic of Orchestraville.

    "Young Rusty makes friends with all the instruments in the symphony. Peter
    the Piano, however, avoids meeting him because of his steadfast refusal to
    practice and his harsh words to the instrument. Finally, they meet. The
    climax comes when the boy is treat to a lovely piano solo. The inspiration is
    so great that when his mother awakens him from his sleep, he astonishes her
    by jubilantly announcing his ambition to become a great musician."

    "Noted Hollywood artists who are featured as soloists within the album
    include Raymond Turner-piano; David Frisna-violin; Kurt Reher-cello; Arthur
    Berstein-bass violin; Del Staigers-trumphet; and Edward Kusby-trumbone. The
    specially composed background music, throughout, as well as the arrangements
    and the various accompaniments are the work of Billy May. the story is by
    Allen Livingston.

    "Rusty In Orchestraville fills the need for a sugarcoated musical
    appreciation course for juveniles. Capital is proud and privileged to offer
    it to the legions of perplexed and fretting moms and dads who entertain high
    hopes for their children's mastery of music. It really works!"

    "*The tones of the musical interments, themselves, are made to speak and sing
    words in their own voices by means of "Sonovox," the method was invented by
    Gilbert Wright, and no human voices were used."--
    Unfortunately, at this time, I do not have a 78 disc player and so I cannot
    make copies on tape for anyone. But I am always search for a phono player. If
    anyone knows of where I can buy one on the net, please let me know. And if
    you do want a cassette copy also let me know and I will make a list of those
    who want one and when I get a player I will let you know when I will send it
    out. Maybe we can work out a trade or you can just pay me back for the
    postage and cassette.(I record on high CD quality tapes)
    Allen

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

    Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 00:34:58 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Bing Crosby OTR web-site

    I came across a web-site the other night offering information about Bing
    Crosby's radio broadcasts, Kraft Music Hall, AFRS brodcasts, and lots more.
    Very interesting and informative.  Thought I'd like to share.  In case I
    typed it wrong, I typed both addresses, one of these should work.

    [removed]
    or
    [removed]

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

    Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 00:35:14 -0400
    From: JDavis3153@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Fibber McGee & Molly Questions

    Yesterday, Ron said he listened to the Fibber McGee and Molly episode from
    6-22-43, "Camping At Dugan's Lake", and had a couple of questions about the
    characters. He said he didn't remember ever hearing an episode where both
    Mrs. Uppington and Dr. Gamble were in the same show. Well, I did some quick
    research and can say that the characters did overlap.  Doc Gamble made his
    debut on the 4-6-43 program and Isabel Randolph (Uppy) made her last
    appearance on the Dugan's Lake program Ron referred to.  Now, without
    listening to the ten programs between these two dates, I can only assume that
    the two characters were heard on the same program at least once. According to
    "Fibber McGee's Closet" by Tom Price, Arthur Q. Bryan (Gamble) and Isabel
    Randolph appeared on eight programs together. Also, Gale Gordon did indeed
    make a guest appearance on the same show, 6-22-43 while he was "on leave"
    from his Coast Guard duties.

    Ron went on to ask if anyone had a general "timeline" of when the supporting
    characters came and left and if the 6-22-43 program was an episode where they
    were phasing out "older" characters and introducing new ones.  The program in
    question was the last of the season and Miss Randolph was leaving for other
    projects.  The end of a season would be a perfect time to say good-bye to
    characters.  Now, here's a quick timeline of some of the characters;

    1-27-36 First Bill Thompson (Nick DePopolous)
    12-21-36 First Horatio K. Boomer (BT)
    10-4-37 First Harold Peary (Mayor Applepuss)
    2-14-38 First Gooey Fooey (Hal Peary)
    9-20-38 First Widdicomb P. Gildersleeve (HP-President of Gildersleeve Baby
    Carriage Factory)
    1-10-38 Myrt's first appearance
    9-26-39 First Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
    10-11-38 First Mrs. Uppington (Isabel Randolph)
    3-5-40 First closet gag
    4-15-41 First Wallace Wimple (Bill Thompson)
    9-30-41 Gildy says good-bye
    10-14-41 First Mayor LaTrivia (Gale Gordon)
    11-24-42 Gale Gordon joins the Coast Guard
    12-01-42 Last regular Gale Gordon
    4-6-43 First Doc Gamble (Arthur Q. Bryan)
    6-22-43 Last Mrs. Uppington; Bill Thompson joins the Navy
    9-28-43 First Alice Darling (Shirley Mitchell)
    1-25-44 First Beulah (Marlin Hurt)
    4-10-45 First Millicent Carstairs (Bea Benaderet)
    6-26-45 Last Beulah
    10-2-45 Gale Gordon returns from Coast Guard
    1-1-46 Last Alice Darling
    1-15-46 Bill Thompson returns from the Navy
    6-11-46 Last Mrs. Carstairs
    10-1-46 First Elsie Merkle (Bea Benaderet)
    12-3-46 Last Elsie
    12-10-46 Mrs. Carstairs returns
    2-11-47 First Lena the maid (Gene Carroll)
    5-13-47 Last Lena
    6-17-47 LaTrivia dropped out of respect for the death of Mayor LaGuardia;
    Foggy Williams appears
    10-5-48 Mayor LaTrivia returns
    2-15-49 First Ole Swenson (Dick LeGrand)
    2-27-56 Last closet gag (128 total)

    There are many other characters, but this should get it started.

    Best to all,
    Jeff

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #302
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