Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #267
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 7/8/2003 9:05 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                                The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                                  Volume 2003 : Issue 267
                             A Part of the [removed]!
                                     ISSN: 1533-9289

                                     Today's Topics:

      East vs West                          [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
      Shadow of Fu Manchu; Radio Spirits    [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
      Another DX story                      [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
      starting your own radio [removed]    [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
      Robert Bloch                          [ "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed]; ]
      Fibber McGee & Molly                  [ "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed] ]
      Re: AM                                [ Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed] ]
      portrayal of Japanese                 [ Howard Blue <khovard@[removed]; ]
      LONE RANGER                           [ oldpdb@[removed] (Paul Barringer) ]
      What show used "Home" as a theme?     [ Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed]; ]
      "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper"        [ Roo61@[removed] (Randy Watts) ]
      Re: Tyler McVey                       [ rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed] ]
      The Werner/Tague Discussion           [ Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed] ]
      What show used "Home" as a theme?     [ Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed]; ]
      July 9th births and deaths            [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
      Re: Robert Bloch                      [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]

    ______________________________________________________________________

        ADMINISTRIVIA:

        1) Yes, the server misfired today, sending out a single message
        instead of including it into the Digest. What rather surprises
        me is how much time I've had to spend REMOVING copies of this
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        2) The server WILL be down tomorrow (Wednesday) for some hours,
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    ______________________________________________________________________

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 13:32:59 -0400
    From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  East vs West

    I read on the list how radio programs were sometimes done twice for East and
    West coast listeners.  How was this done with the three hour time
    difference?  Apparently, there was only a half hour between shows.   Also, I
    have a tape of the Great Gildersleeve program titled, Bronco and Marjorie
    Spat, broadcast in 1954.  The tape is marked "End of Series" yet there is no
    mention of it being the last show and the announcer tells us to tune in next
    week.   I checked the "Gildersleeve" site and it doesn't mention when the
    last show was except a TV show started in 1955.  Was this indeed the last
    radio broadcast?
    Thanks
    Bill Schell

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

    Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 17:41:06 -0400
    From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Shadow of Fu Manchu; Radio Spirits

    I understand the First Generation Radio Archives has a
    collection of "Shadow of Fu Manchu" episodes
    available. I wondered if anyone knew if this was the
    same storyline available from Radio Spirits a few
    years ago, and if so, whether it's complete. The
    "final episode" of the Radio Spirits version had
    absolutely nothing to do with the previous stories.
    It'd be nice to hear the actual final episode (or
    episodes, as the case may be) to that storyline.

    And speaking of Radio Spirits, I recently got their
    latest catalog, and it's interesting to note that they
    continue to resist listing the epiode titles in their
    various collections. So, if you wanted to know which
    episodes of "Gunsmoke", for example, are in their
    three hour collection, you're out of luck. Unless you
    go to their website (though the catalog doesn't tell
    you this; you just have to know it).

    Does this make sense to anyone? I know some people
    have differing opinions about Carl Amari, but at least
    when he was running Radio Spirits, the catalogs
    actually provided a list of the episodes in the
    various collections. No doubt some bright bulb there
    decided it would be more efficient to be less
    informative to the consumer.

    Why am I not surprised?

    Rick

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 15:12:42 -0400
    From: JackBenny@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Another DX story
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/mixed
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    With all this discussion of DXing, I have to tell my own twist on this hobby.

    I was 13 and had decided that I wanted a cathedrale radio.  Big time.  My
    mother and I had been collecting antiques for a few years and I already knew
    how
    to work the shows, auctions, and estate sales.  But this prize was not
    something I'd seen much, if at all.

>     >From a friend of my father, we bought the shell of a 1932 Philco that had a

    new radio put into it.  Was pretty to look at and played well, [removed]
    was a purist, and wanted something with the original stuffins in it.

    So we found a beautiful 1933 General Electric K-63 for a really good
    [removed] enough that we didn't press the buyer on whether or not it
    worked.  We
    brought it home from the show and placed it on the kitchen table.  My father
    plugged it in, and my mother held up the wire that served as the aerial.  I
    leaned closely into the speaker and waited breathlessly for the tubes to warm
    up.
    Adjusting the volume, I heard that unmistakable AM hum and turned the tuning
    knob slightly.  And then we all heard it.

    Fibber McGee and Molly.

    We looked at each other in a mix of shock and confusion.  Everyone's brows
    furrowed, and my mother made a comment of, "Gee, I guess some of the old waves
    were still stuck in it."  Seems that a Boston station was replaying the show,
    and stranger still, that seemed to be the only station we could pull in that
    [removed] even local Grand Rapids AM stations.

    The epilogue is me responding soon thereafter to a newspaper ad of an old
    radio for $15.  I showed up to see an Emerson box with a louvered front in
    breathtakingly mint condition.  Plugged it in and turned it on.  The first
    words,
    strong and clear, were, "Now we return you to the Adventures of Sherlock
    Holmes!"  I said, "I'll take it."

    --Laura Leff
    President, IJBFC
    [removed]

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    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 13:32:40 -0400
    From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  starting your own radio [removed]

    Mr DellaChiesa asks about starting one's own radio station, presumably one
    which has less than 100mW of power:

>     From: JaRRod DellaChiesa <gobojoe@[removed];
>     Could you tell us a little bit more about starting our own AM station?
>     Is there a catalog for buying this stuff?  Or websites on this topic?

    Sigh.  I think every kid who could solder in the 1950's and '60's tried this
    at least once.  I did, with little success.  The FCC's 'general radiation'
    or whatever it's called will maybe get you next door, but intermittently at
    that.  As good a strategy is a carrier-current station, which pumps a signal
    into electric power lines.  These stink, too.

    There are several points to consider.  One is that a radio station that
    anyone would consider listening to requires more tedious work than you'd
    ever imagine.  Another is the fact that it's no fun doing all this work if
    you _know_ that nobody's listening.  Equipment costs, except for the
    transmitter, are the same as those for a real radio station: try using
    consumer stuff and you'll quickly learn why.

    You'd be far better off figuring out how to stream your audio onto the
    Internet, which our college here does, or using a subcarrier on a satellite
    like Yesterday USA does.  OTR would sell well at many nursing homes,
    veteran's hospitals, and social security waiting rooms.

    I'm reminded of a kid named Bill Baker, who grew up to be a disk jockey for
    at least a time in the Cleveland area.  He was so wild to be on the radio
    that he literally built a station in his bedroom.  He figured out how to buy
    telephone lines, so if you were having a party in 1961, you could pay Bill
    and he'd narrowcast the necessary music to your event.  Dunno if he's still
    in radio.

    M Kinsler

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 21:52:25 -0400
    From: "Kurt E. Yount" <blsmass@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Robert Bloch

    The interview with Robert Bloch was on a show called Hour 25 a science
    fiction show that ran on KPFK for a number of years.  You are right, you
    have only deepened the mystery.  Are there any copies of the Kate Smith
    show that contained Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper, if it was on that show?
     I do not have a copy of the interview, the details are provided by my
    possibly cloudy memory, but that possibly cloudy memory says that he
    attributed the loss of all those shows to the plane crash, but the
    possibility is that my memory could be incorrect, since I had only pieces
    of the puzzle and did not know how they went together.  To cloud the
    waters further, the title Stay Tuned for Terror does vaguely ring a bell.
     Well, that still leaves us with a serious problem to be solved by the
    willing student, doesn't it.  Kurt

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 21:55:31 -0400
    From: "Bob Burchett" <haradio@[removed];
    To: "[removed]" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Fibber McGee & Molly
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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    Sunday, August 24th 2PM at the ICC Performing Arts Center
    in Peoria, IL there will be a "Peoria Remembers Fibber McGee and Molly"
    progam. Tickets are $10. To order tickets by phone call 309 694 5136.
    This came about as a result of Leo Jordon attending the Cincinnati
    convention.

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:02:32 -0400
    From: Bill Harris <radioguy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: AM

      SeptSev@[removed] wrote:

>     To: [removed]@[removed]

>     Tired of what's on AM radio?   Then start your own AM radio station!   You
>     can, you know--although your broadcasting range will be limited.   I'm not
>     talking about illegal, pirate radio either.   I'm talking about unlicensed,
>     legal
>     am broadcasting under Part 15 of the FCC regs.

      For anyone interested in a low power part 15 AM transmitter you
    might want to take a look at the one at the link below. It isn't
    available yet, the web site says by July 15. It has impressive
    features, does require soldering skills to assemble, and the price
    is reasonable. I plan on ordering one when it becomes available.
    Usual disclaimer applies, I have no connection with this enterprise.

       [removed]

    As far as broadcasting to your neighborhood, be aware that part 15
    does not give one cart-blanc use of the AM broadcast band. You
    must not cause any interference to another licensed broadcast
    station or the FCC could get involved.

    Bill H.

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:11:42 -0400
    From: Howard Blue <khovard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  portrayal of Japanese

    Sean Dougherty wrote "Every now and then you hear people decry the
    portrayal of the Japanese in [removed] entertainment and other propaganda
    during World War II.  There is a lot of disturbing period racism in old
    time radio broadcasts that comes across badly 60 years later, but never
    for a moment think the portrayal of the Japanese is in that [removed] .
    . my wife's grandmother witnessed Japanese atrocities first hand during
    the occupation and my wife has relayed stories to me worse than anything
    I've heard on radio broadcasts.

    Without wishing to start a huge thread about the extent of Japanese
    atrocities, I must say that Sean's reasoning when applied to various
    other national groups can yield interesting food for thought.

    Somewhere there are some people who might be capable of writing "my
    wife's grandmother witnessed American atrocities ([removed] My Lai,Vietnam)."
    They could then try to argue that it might be justifiable to portray
    Americans in general as the Japanese were portrayed during World War II.
    But, would it really be justifiable? Should all Japanese be painted with
    the same brush?

    Howard Blue

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:13:23 -0400
    From: oldpdb@[removed] (Paul Barringer)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  LONE RANGER

    Ref. Sandy Singers posting that George Seaton came up with the The Lone
    Ranger's cry of "Hi-Yo, Silver, I'm sure this is true, but I would like
    to know if it is also true that the recorded voice of Earle Graser was
    the voice used for the ending cry "Hi-Yo, Silver, away" during Brace
    Beemer's run of The Lone Ranger, as well as the ending for the
    television show with Clayton Moore and John Hart.

    Also, did you know that HI-Yo, Silver was used during World War Two as a
    countersign and password in England?

    Paul

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:25:24 -0400
    From: Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  What show used "Home" as a theme?

    Now that we've settled the "Love Nest/Love in Bloom" controversy, let me ask
    which show used "Home", written by Peter Van Steeden, as a theme?  I heard a
    new jazz version of this nice tune yesterday, and it's driving me crazy that
    I can't remember which show used it as a theme.
    Frank Kelly

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:32:44 -0400
    From: Roo61@[removed] (Randy Watts)
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper"

    Bloch's 'Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper' was also dramatized on "The
    Mollé Mystery Theater" on February 27, 1945.  A recording of this
    version survives, albeit as an AFRS "Mystery Playhouse" presentation.

    Randy

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:33:41 -0400
    From: rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Tyler McVey

    I got to meet Tyler and his lovely wife three years ago at the Cincinnati
    convention.  It was my second OTR convention ever, and working with them in a
    recreation (we did The Fat Man, and Tyler did a really nice job) was quite a
    thrill.

    They were two of the first three OTR actors I'd ever met (toss Bob Hastings
    in there for the third) and it was really exciting.  I'm sorry that Tyler is
    no longer with us, and my condolences go out to Esther and any other family
    that they may have.

    He was a nice man.  I don't know what else to say besides that.

    rodney.

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:34:27 -0400
    From: Dennis W Crow <DCrow3@[removed];
    To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  The Werner/Tague Discussion

    I appreciate Christopher Werner's detailed information regarding a
    conversation he  conducted with Derek Tague on the Digest last week.  I
    didn't understand it and now I do.  Perhaps I helped others as well, I
    don't know.  What I do know is that the OTR Digest and contributers such as
    Werner and Tague have much to offer those of us who can't get enough
    information about old-time radio.

    I also appreciate the Cinnamon Bear reference as the program is my special
    interest.   The only statement  I can add is that nobody ever fell into the
    inkwell without being pushed.  That execution method was reserved solely
    for the Inkaboo leadership.  Maybeland could be a wonderfully scary place,
    but fortunately for children, justice always prevailed.

    Dennis Crow

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:25:24 -0400
    From: Frank Kelly <fkelly@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  What show used "Home" as a theme?

    Now that we've settled the "Love Nest/Love in Bloom" controversy, let me ask
    which show used "Home", written by Peter Van Steeden, as a theme?  I heard a
    new jazz version of this nice tune yesterday, and it's driving me crazy that
    I can't remember which show used it as a theme.
    Frank Kelly

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:45:12 -0400
    From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  July 9th births and deaths

    July 9th births:

    07-09-1878 - Hans Von  "[removed]" Kaltenborn - Milwaukee, WI - d. 6-14-1965
    commentator: "Current Events"; "Editing the News"
    07-09-1881 - Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel - Stillwater, MN - d. 1-13-1936
    emcee: "Roxy's Gang"; "Roxy Revue"
    07-09-1894 - Dorothy Thompson - Lancaster, NY - d. 1-30-1961
    commentator: "Commentary"
    07-09-1917 - Ted Steele - Hartford, CT - d. 10-15-1985
    bandleader: "Ted Steele's Studio Club"; "Chesterfield Supper Club"

    July 9th deaths:

    02-22-1905 - Robert Weede - Baltimore, MD - d. 7-9-1972
    singer: "Great Moments in Music"; "For America We Sing"
    08-03-1894 - Harry Heilmann - San Francisco, CA - d. 7-9-1951
    sportscaster: WXYZ Detroit
    10-20-1911 - Will Rogers, Jr. - NYC - d. 7-9-1993
    actor: Will Rogers "Rogers of the Gazette"
    11-26-1912 - Eric Sevareid - Velva, ND - d. 7-9-1992
    correspondent: "Eric Sevaried and the News"
    --
    Ron Sayles
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Hometown of [removed] Kaltenborn and Jay Jostyn

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

    Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 22:47:19 -0400
    From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Robert Bloch
    X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from text/html

    Kurt Yount mentioned:

    The interview with Robert Bloch was on a show called Hour 25 a science
    fiction show that ran on KPFK for a number of years.  You are right, you
    have only deepened the mystery.  Are there any copies of the Kate Smith
    show that contained Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper, if it was on that show?
     I do not have a copy of the interview, the details are provided by my
    possibly cloudy memory, but that possibly cloudy memory says that he
    attributed the loss of all those shows to the plane crash, but the
    possibility is that my memory could be incorrect, since I had only pieces
    of the puzzle and did not know how they went together.  To cloud the
    waters further, the title Stay Tuned for Terror does vaguely ring a bell.
     Well, that still leaves us with a serious problem to be solved by the
    willing student, doesn't it.  Kurt

    Here's another assumption. I was always under the assumption that the
    STAY TUNED FOR TERROR episodes were basically adaptations of his own
    short stories.  A few years ago a publishing company released a set of
    three (maybe four?) books featuring a total of ALL of Bloch's short
    stories.  I have always assumed that Bloch also used the same titles as I
    know he definately wrote short stories entitled "Yours Truly, Jack the
    Ripper" and "Lizzie Borden Took an Axe . . ." and those are the same
    titles of the radio scripts.  So technically, even if recordings of the
    radio program didn't exist, we could still sit back and read the same
    stories that were dramatized . . . for any curious parties.

    Bloch had a distinct style of writing short stories.  His tales usually
    dealt with one of two topics.  People who were mentally ill (madmen,
    insane people) like "Enoch" and "A Home Away From Home" (recommended
    reading), and people who were hacked to death or beheaded like the
    "Lizzie Borden" and "Jack the Ripper".  Maybe it's me, but decapitation
    seemed to be Bloch's choice of death in MANY of his stories.  Hech, I
    still remember reading the passage in PSYCHO when Marian was killed in
    the shower that went "and the knife cut off her screams . . . and her
    head."

    Incidentally, Bloch's stories were also adapted for other radio programs
    but unlike STAY TUNED FOR TERROR, he didn't write the radio scripts.
    DIMENSION X
    "Almost Human"  (5/13/50) with Jack grimes and Santos Ortega

    X MINUS ONE
    "Almost Human"  (8/11/55)  same script but with different cast with John
    Larkin  and Bill Quinn  (later rebroadcast on MONITOR in August 1974?)

    MOLLE MYSTERY THEATER
    "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper"  (2/27/45)
    "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper"  (1/2/48)

    Martin Grams, Jr.

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    End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #267
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