Subject: [removed] Digest V2006 #319
From: [removed]@[removed]
Date: 11/16/2006 9:21 PM

To: [removed]@[removed]

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2006 : Issue 319
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                 [removed]
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      11-16 births/deaths                   [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
      turkey prices                         [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
      New Abbott & Costello log update      [ Bruce Forsberg <forsberg@[removed]; ]
      Radio Re-creations                    [ Stuart Lubin <stuartlubin6686@sbcgl ]
      OTR Fan Profiled in Newsday           [ Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed] ]
      Broadcasts from the Met               [ "James Yellen" <clifengr3@[removed] ]
      Christmas Goats                       [ "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed] ]
      Shows for Sleep Land                  [ "John Evans" <8jne1958@[removed]; ]
      Broadcasts from the Met               [ "James Yellen" <clifengr3@[removed] ]
      Jack Williamson                       [ "Barbara Harmon" <jimharmonotr@char ]
      OTR Under 40 or 50                    [ "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@hotm ]
      Al Jolson                             [ Andrew Steinberg <otrdig1@[removed] ]

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:07:09 -0500
    From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  11-16 births/deaths
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    November 16th births

    11-16-1873 - W. C. Handy - Florence, AL - d. 3-28-1958
    jazz trumpeter, composer: "Cavalcade of Music";"Freedom's People"
    11-16-1889 - George S. Kaufman - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 6-2-1961
    panelist: "Information, Please"; "This Is Broadway"; "Who Said That?"
    11-16-1894 - Ruth Cornell Woodman - d. 4-22-1970
    creator, writer: "Death Valley Days"; "Cavalcade of America"
    11-16-1895 - Michael Arlen - Rustchuk, Bulgaria - d. 6-23-1956
    creator: "The Falcon"
    11-16-1896 - Jim Jordan - Peoria, IL - d. 4-1-1988
    comedian: Mickey Donavan, "Kaltenmeyer's Kindergarten"; "Fibber McGee
    "Fibber McGee and Molly"
    11-16-1896 - Lawrence Tibbett - Bakersfield, CA - d. 7-15-1960
    singer: "Voice of Firestone"; "Your Hit Parade"; "Golden Voices"
    11-16-1899 - Mary Margaret McBride - Paris, MO - d. 4-7-1976
    commentator: "Mary Margaret McBride"; "Martha Deane"
    11-16-1905 - Eddie Condon - Goodland, IN - d. 8-4-1973
    guitarist, host: "Eddie Condon's Jazz Concerts"
    11-16-1907 - Burgess Meredith - Cleveland, OH - d. 9-9-1997
    actor: "Red Adams/Red Davis "Red Adams/Red Davis" (the precursor to
    "Pepper Young's Family")
    11-16-1911 - Sonny Dunham - Brockton, MA - d. 7-9-1990
    trumpeter, bandleader: "One Night Stand"; "Spotlight Bands"
    11-16-1912 - George O. Petrie - New Haven, CT - d. 11-16-1997
    actor: Michael Waring "The Falcon"; John J. Malone "Amazing Mr. Malone"
    11-16-1912 - Paul Dudley - Massachusetts - d. 5-18-1959
    writer: "Pot o' Gold"; "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar"
    11-16-1913 - Jack "Smilin' Jack" Smith - Bainbridge Island, WA - d.
    7-3-2006
    singer: "Breezing Along"; "Prudential Family Hour"; "Jack Smith Show"
    11-16-1916 - Daws Butler - Toledo, OH - d. 5-19-1988
    actor: "Sears Radio Theatre"; "Stan Freberg Show"; "That's Rich"
    11-16-1919 - Marion Bell - St. Louis, MO - d. 12-14-1997
    actor, singer: "The Railroad Hour"
    11-16-1927 - Barbara Payton - Cloquet, MN - d. 5-8-1967
    actor: "Pepsodent Show starring Bob Hope"

    November 16th deaths

    02-01-1901 - Clark Gable - Cadiz, OH - d. 11-16-1960
    actor: "So Proudly We Hail"; "Silver Theatre"
    03-04-1904 - Joseph Schmidt - Davideny, Bukovina, Austria-Hungary -
    d. 11-16-1942
    singer: "General Motors Concerts"
    04-12-1899 - Boake Carter - Baku, Russia - d. 11-16-1944
    news commentator: "Night newscast for CBS"
    04-17-1918 - William Holden - O'Fallon, IL - d. 11-16-1981
    actor: "Hour of Mystery"; "Smiths of Hollywood"; "So Proudly We Hail"
    05-07-1906 - Jack Johnstone - d. 11-16-1991
    writer, producer, director: "Buck Rogers"; "CBS Radio Workshop"; "Six
    Shooter"
    05-24-1916 - Tony Barrett - NYC - d. 11-16-1974
    actor: Charlie Dyer "This Life is Mine"; Biff Bradley "Pepper Young's
    Family"
    06-06-1900 - Arthur Askey - Liverpool, England - d. 11-16-1982
    comedian: "Band Waggon"; "Music Hall"; "Does the Team Think"
    06-13-1913 - Ralph Edwards - Merino, CO - d. 11-16-2005
    host, announcer: "Truth or Consequences"; "This Is Your Life";
    "Original Amateur Hour"
    08-04-1905 - Frank Luther - Lakin, KS - d. 11-16-1980
    singer: "Luther-Layman Singer"; "Frank Luther Show"; "Happy Wonder
    Bakers Trio"
    08-15-1914 - Eve Alwyn - Christ Church, New Zealand - d. 11-16-2005
    actor: WEAT West Palm Beacg, Florida
    09-06-1881 - Charlie Dale - NYC - d. 11-16-1971
    comedian: (Smith and Dale) "Al Jolson"; "Kate Smith"
    09-21-1915 - Mac Benoff - NYC - d. 11-16-1972
    writer: "The Mel Blanc Show"
    09-27-1885 - Harry Blackstone, Sr. - Chicago, IL - d. 11-16-1965
    magician: "Harry Blackstone, the Magic Detective" based on him.
    10-24-1916 - Ray Singer - NYC - d. 11-16-1992
    writer: "Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show"; "Rudy Vallee Show"; "Charlotte
    Greenwood Show"
    12-20-1914 - Patti Pickens - Macon, GA - d. 11-16-1995
    singer: (Pickens Sisters) "The Pickens Sisters"; "The Magic Key"

    Ron Sayles

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    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 07:40:48 -0500
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  turkey prices

    The inflation calculator,

    [removed]

    says that one dollar in 1942 would buy $[removed] worth of goods now.

    No wonder Beulah was furious.

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

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 07:41:05 -0500
    From: Bruce Forsberg <forsberg@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  New Abbott & Costello log update

    I have posted a new update to my Abbott & Costello log at:
    [removed]~forsbergweb

    This update contains all their appearances on The Chase and Sanborn
    Program with Edgar Bergen in 1941 and 1942. This is based on scripts
    obtained from the J. Walter Thompson archive at Duke University.

    Thanks goes to Susan and David Siegel whos great book "A Resource Guide
    to the Golden Age of Radio" led me to the archive.

    Bruce Forsberg

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 07:41:45 -0500
    From: Stuart Lubin <stuartlubin6686@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Radio Re-creations

    Ken Greenwald has made several points about the difference in ability between
    old time radio actors and those doing re-creations nowadays.  From reading his
    beginning paragraphs, he seems to be saying that OTR actors had performing
    talents that re-creation actors, ipso facto, do not have.  In order to discuss
    this subject, my credentials are as follows:  I used to go to the radio
    studios, as an adolescent, and I watched many programs being broadcast.  I was
    fortunate to have lived at an early age in greater New York, and later, near
    Hollywood, so the studios were always there for me, whenever I could get to
    them.  I must have seen at least 100 radio programs being broadcast.

    Now, fast forward. When I was about 50 years old, I auditioned for one of the
    few groups that was doing new radio drama on the air:  "30 Minutes To Curtain",
    over FM station KCSN, Northridge, CA.  At the same time, I would go to SPERDVAC
    and REPS conventions, and I watched many re-creations being done there, by
    golden age of radio actors, as well as contemporary actors. (I cannot refer to
    all contemporary radio actors as amateurs. Many are professionals.)  I also
    joined two other radio acting groups, and I have seen many, many re-creations.
    "30 Minutes To Curtain"  is now doing mostly re-creations on stage because we
    no longer have the KCSN airwaves.

    My general response to Ken is that, although I am not a professional acting
    critic, my opinion in watching real broadcasts is that not all the performers
    were good.  Not all of them were credible and convincing. Of course, if you
    speak of Parley Baer, Peggy Webber, Lou Krugman, Harry Bartell, and Elliot
    Reid, there are none better, but there were many who were not as good.

    Later on, in doing re-creations and new radio drama, I met many amateurs, as I
    am, and I found no hard and fast rules that say that amateurs are bad and
    professionals are good.  It depends very much on the writing.  If something is
    written for radio, the lines should "track", should be easy to deliver and not
    be tongue twisters. The director should cast the part correctly.  There are
    many actors who are great in one part but cannot play a different role. (I
    cannot see myself as a leading man, and I hope I never get cast as one.)

    There are very many talented voice performers walking around today who are just
    as talented, or even more than many OTR actors.  Look at all the people who do
    voice-overs.  And animation.  To do animation well, you have to have tremendous
    vocal versatility and skill.

    I do not blame Ken for criticizing re-creations if he has seen only poor
    acting, or if he expects the re-creations to look anything like an original
    broadcast.  The emphasis on the broadcast was the audience at home.  Someone
    entering a room, for example HAD to fade in.  Sound effects had to be perfect.
    The emphasis on quality and communication was not for the purpose of pleasing a
    studio audience, but to cause them to laugh, to be heard at home if it is a
    comedy;  and to keep them quiet if it is a serious drama, such as times on the
    Lux Radio Theatre.

    The re-creations that I have seen at REPS, SPERDVAC, and at FOTR in October,
    2005, were excellent. It is no secret that it is difficult to find golden age
    radio actors to perform in these.  They are either no longer with us, or they
    are too frail to attend.  But there is still a smattering of golden age actors
    together with contemporaries, and the entire productions are usually great. But
    they are done for the studio audience because they are not broadcast. You then
    see a lot of productions where people are off-mic, but it doesn't matter.

    I would like to know to which re-creations Ken is referring  when he judges
    most re-creations as poor.  We both live in the Los Angeles area, and yet I
    never see him at any re-creations. I attend most of them. Even though I was
    only at Newark once, Barbara Watkins used to share with me, throughout the
    preceding years, audios of productions by the Dave Warren Players, and I have
    seen on DVD, as well as in person, excellent re-creations by the Gotham
    Players. I challenge anyone to say that those two groups were inferior to what
    was done in radio's golden age.

    Radio's golden age was usually, but not always, golden.

    Stuart Lubin

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 07:42:02 -0500
    From: Sean Dougherty <seandd@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Fan Profiled in Newsday

    Long Island's Newsday newspaper profiles an OTR fan's "Favorite thing."

    Sean Dougherty
    SeanDD@[removed]

    [removed],0,[removed]

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 08:46:49 -0500
    From: "James Yellen" <clifengr3@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Broadcasts from the Met

    My memory of the Saturday afternoon broadcasts from the Met goes back to the
    60s when I was in college and working at a local butcher shop/grocery store
    on weekends. The owners, four Polish brothers, would turn on WOR every
    Saturday afternoon and two of them were real opera buffs. They'd sing along
    with the arias while waiting on customers.

    Jim Yellen

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 08:47:04 -0500
    From: "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Christmas Goats

    Back in issue 315, Charles Salt remembered a Christmas program that
    featured the story of a couple of NYC newspaper reporters trying to
    round up some goats on Christmas eve.  He thought it was a Nightbeat.  I
    was pretty sure it wasn't a Nightbeat, and originally thought that it
    might be Casey, Crime Photographer.

    Well, it turns out neither of us was right.  I found the episode in
    question, and it was actually an episode of RADIO CITY PLAYHOUSE, titled
    "Twas the Night Before Christmas."  It was broadcast on December 25th,
    1949 and starred Lyle Sudrow.

    -chris holm

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 08:47:28 -0500
    From: "John Evans" <8jne1958@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Shows for Sleep Land
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    Dear List,
        My family and I (husband, wife, two teeenage boys) all enjoy listening to
    old time radio as we go to bed at night.  That led to a discussion of which
    programs are best for that kind of listening.  (Before I start hearing the
    snickers, let me say that I'm talking about shows which allow you to drift
    easily into dreamland--enjoyable shows--not ones that PUT you to sleep!)  My
    wife and I concluded that we liked "Our Miss Brooks" and "Father Knows Best."
    These are nice light stories--everything turns out okay in the end--it's okay
    when you fall asleep in the middle.
        My boys, of course, like the adventure serials best.  "Challenge of the
    Yukon" and "Space Patrol" are high on their list.
        We all agreed that "Suspense" doesn't work because, well, it's too
    suspenseful!
        What are your nominations and thoughts?

    Respectfully,
    John N. Evans

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    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:59:17 -0500
    From: "James Yellen" <clifengr3@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Broadcasts from the Met

    My memory of the Saturday afternoon broadcasts from the Met goes back to the
    60s when I was in college and working at a local butcher shop/grocery store
    on weekends. The owners, four Polish brothers, would turn on WOR every
    Saturday afternoon and two of them were real opera buffs. They'd sing along
    with the arias while waiting on customers.

    Jim Yellen

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:59:42 -0500
    From: "Barbara Harmon" <jimharmonotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Jack Williamson
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                Yesterday I heard news that was really sad to me.  The great,
    historic science fiction writer, Jack Williamson, died at 98. His stories
    were dramatized on radio, on X MINUS 1, and I believe elsewhere as well.

    I met him only a few times at conventions but he was an inspiration to me.
    He began writing at the dawn of magazine SF, for Amazing Stories and Wonder
    Stories in the twenties, a contemporary of [removed] Wells, and Edgar Rice
    Burroughs.   He continued on forever, through the thirties, forties,
    fifties, sixties, seventies.  His latest book appeared last year when he was
    97.  The greats of the forties died off - Heinlein, Asimov (a good friend of
    mine) - and still he continued.   As a small boy, he crossed the country in
    a covered wagon.

    The cover of his autobiography shows a covered wagon traveling to the stars.
    His most famous novel was "The Humanoids", about robots who obsessively
    "protect" humanity and dictate their lives.  I was glad that his death was
    one of the top stories on the national news, at least on NPR.   There was an
    interview with Ray Bradbury, himself now well into his eighties, surviving
    long after many of his contemporaries.  Both Williamson and Bradbury seemed
    immortal, and of course in a way they are.

                JIM HARMON

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    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 21:01:47 -0500
    From: "George Tirebiter" <tirebiter2@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Under 40 or 50

    Well, I'm not under 40, but I am (just barely) under 50 - which reminds me
    on a Fibber McGee episode Gildersleeve once remarked that he was "still on
    the sunny side of 40" to which Fibber responded "maybe so, but you've got no
    more use for suntan oil."

    I don't remember the OTR era at all if you define OTR as pre-1962.  Stiil,
    my Dad used to listen to Arthur Godfrey at work and talk about it, so on
    days when I was home from school I used to listen too. This was when I was
    10 or a little older.

    Then, when I was about 12 or 13 there was sort of a general interest
    nostalgia show on a local radio station on Saturday mornings. This usually
    included 2 half-hour OTR shows and often some excerpts from another show or
    a 15 minute show as well.  By then I had a cheap tape recorder and taped
    some shows. I also did some DXing at night and found various OTR
    rebroadcasts. I would also sometinmes listen to WWVA's Jamboree (though I'm
    not much of a country music fan) and continued doing so until its recent
    demise. In 1974 came the CBSRMT. By the time I was in college in the late
    70s I had discovered OTR dealers and would occasionally buy a few tapes. I
    continued to have a mild interest in OTR (usually buying a handful of tapes
    every year or so) until the mid-1990s when the Internet hit and I found lots
    of info online about OTR (including this list) and my collection began
    growing more quickly. And that brings us to the present.

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

    Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 23:19:20 -0500
    From: Andrew Steinberg <otrdig1@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Al Jolson
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    At the start of the 48-02-26 Kraft Music Hall, you can hear Al Jolson say "If
    you don't laugh get the hell out of here." I assume that did not go out over
    the air as he probably would have been fired. Does anyone know if that was
    just an in studio remark?

    Visit [removed] for OTR program title and date corrections

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    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V2006 Issue #319
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