Subject: [removed] Digest V2003 #4
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 1/3/2003 9:03 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2003 : Issue 4
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Forwarded Query                       [ Max Schmid <mschmid@[removed]; ]
  Re: Long running OTR shows            [ "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed] ]
  News stations: breaking format        [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
  fu manchu                             [ "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@charter ]
  Various Follow-Up Thoughts            [ Derek Tague <derek@[removed]; ]
  Re: KOTH and OTR                      [ Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed] ]
  HELP                                  [ Tom Trueman <wollow@[removed]; ]
  Durable dramas                        [ otrbuff@[removed] ]
  Re: And the years dwindle down        [ hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed]; ]
  list of stations that play OTR        [ "Roger Robineau" <robineau2@cogeco. ]
  Bing Crosby                           [ FKELLY <fkelly@[removed]; ]
  radio's TOPPER                        [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]

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

Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 22:40:34 -0500
From: Max Schmid <mschmid@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Forwarded Query

I'm sure that someone here will know what this poor soul is talking
about.  I think someone even sent me an example of this show several years
ago, but I don't remember where I put it, or what the guy's name was.

- ------

If it's not too much bother, I'd like you to give me any sort of clue you
might have about another show on NY radio [removed] my failing memory
serves, it came on right after Jean Shepherd's show.
      The announcer would come on the air, and then say, "It's
[removed] witching [removed]" and then would dramatize a chosen
horror story by the likes of Guy DeMaupassant, [removed] Lovecraft, or others.
I'd like to research that show on the web, but I'm stymied due to the
inability to actually remember the name of that show.  I've tried various
ways of entering all I know on Google, but so far have drawn a blank.  I
just remember the show as being exceptionally well-done, with a terrific
male announcer/reader whose last name was "Gross" or "Cross" (possibly
Milton as a first name?).

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

Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 23:42:38 -0500
From: "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Long running OTR shows

  Very good point about the Metropolitan Opera being seasonal while
Breakfast Club and Grand Ole Opry were made for radio. Grand Ole Opry may in
that case be the longest running show on radio unless someone knows of a
show before that.
Andrew Godfrey

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 09:25:06 -0500
From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  News stations: breaking format

"Ed Ellers" <ed_ellers@[removed]; wrote:

(The other big all-news station in New York, WINS -- which actually went to
all-news a couple of years before
WCBS -- became part of CBS when Westinghouse bought CBS in the mid-1990s,
and is an Infinity station today, yet still goes head-to-head against WCBS
as an all-news station, as do KFWB and KNX in Los Angeles.)

KFWB's commercials used to say that they were "all news, all the time", not
like that OTHER station that broadcasts major-league GAMES and STORIES;
"Give us 22 minutes and we'll give you the world!"
Now that KFWB & KNX have the same parent, they don't attack each other in
their commercials. They just say we're sorta news-radio stations.
KFWB is now touting themselves as "your new home for the Dodger
broadcasts". Lord knows how that happened: the Dodgers are owned by
Rupert's 'News' Corp., which is also the Fox TV network & the
Twenti-something Fox movie studio.
I guess their new commercials will say "Give us 22 innings, then we'll give
you the news".
KNX, by the way, now simul-casts CBS's '60 Minutes II', and broadcasts the
play-by-play of ABC's 'Monday Night Football'.
I just hope the corporate powers [whoever] that [might] be [tomorrow] won't
decide to axe the OTR 'KNX Drama Hour' in favor of some ultra-conservative
"news/talk" hour on an Infinity network-feed from Kansas City.

Herb Harrison

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 09:32:16 -0500
From: "Michael Leannah" <mleannah@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  fu manchu

Hello Anybody--
    Through SPERDVAC,I recently ordered about 40 15-minute episodes of a
1939 show called The Shadow of Fu Manchu. John Dunning gave the show a
favorable review in his book and I sometimes take a stab at an unknown show
by his advice.
    I am fascinated by this [removed] wonder
if anyone can tell me: Was this show popular? Were there others in the
series? How popular were the books of Sax Rohmer, the author of the stories
the show was based on? Were the shows I'm listening to drawn
directly from his books? Were movies made featuring his characters?
    Thanks for any information.

Mike Leannah

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 09:35:12 -0500
From: Derek Tague  <derek@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Various Follow-Up Thoughts

Hi Gang:

   Here goes:

"SAY GOODNIGHT, GRACIE"/FRANK GORSHIN AS GEORGE BURNS:
I was in the same audience as was Gary Yoggy and his wife Anna-Jean for this
past Saturday's (12/28/2002) matinee. I liked the show. I thought
Gorshin personified Mr. Birnbaum quite expertly. I'm sorry his performance
didn't live up to Steve Lewis's expectations. If Gorshin had any shortcomings
as comedian Will Jordan suggests, then I didn't notice any. But then again,
maybe once the combination of my bad eyesight and
my limited budget (which only afforded me a seat in the penultimate row in the
balcony  thanks to the Duffy  Square half-price TKTS booth) worked to my
advantage. Who knows? I might have been disappointed were I sitting
front-[removed] are we bickering about Gorshin's appearance? After
all, we here at the Digest like  to consider Burns a RADIO performer! When we
attend OTR conventions, we don't expect the re-creation actors to actually
dress up as Superman, Little Orphan Annie, etc. [Although, I do like the
crown-style beanie our own Harlan Stone dons when he re-visits
"Jughead"]. Let's give the play's author some credit. Between "Gracie" and
"Remember: WENN," he has found his niche in celebrating the nostalgic.
However, whenever one does this, there has to be an element of cross-over
appeal for the non-initiate. Therefore,  I guess one could say the Burnsian
anecdotes were overly familiar and somewhat watered down. I say kudos to Mr.
Holmes. Apparently, he's succeeding in reaching a niche audience that isn't
particularly demographically desirable otherwise. Of course, he can always go
back to writing about liking pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.
Speaking of George [removed]
MEREDITH WILLSON:
In addition to his Broadway magnum opus "The Music Man" and his splendid work
on OTR's "Burns & Allen" and  "The Big Show," let's not  forget that Mr.
Willson also provided the musical score for one of the greatest films of
all-time: Charles Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" (1940).
LONG-RUNNING SHOWS: 30-plus years, right? Might I ask, isn't "American Top 40"
still running? If so, then I guess this also qualifies as it started in 1970?
And speaking of Casey [removed]
2003 ANNIVERSARIES:
[OK, it's a less-than-stellar connection, but OTR historian Anthony Tollin
once told me Casey Kasem once played Dan Reid on
"the Lone Ranger" on WXYZ]...in 27 days, let's all acknowledge the 70th
anniversary of "the Masked Rider of the Plains."
OTR REFERENCES:  I liked what Mr. Grieve posted about the reference to
"McGeee's Closet" in an 1930's "Dick Tracy" comic strip.  I spent most of New
Year's Eve/Day with a fever.   While bed-resting, I decided to tune into TV
Land's gimmicky marathon of final & inaugural TV episodes on their "Last
Things Last/First Things First" marathon. I  did notice a few OTR references.
In the 1st "My Favorite Martian,"  Bill Bixby's character finds himself in
jail. He is visited by Ray Walston's Martian character who has turned himself
invisible. When the jail guard insists on finding out why he's hearing two
distinct voices, Bixby pretends he's a ventriloquist throwing his voice, and
the invisible Walston says something to the effect of "Charlie McCarthy didn't
sound anything like Edgar Bergen."...The 1st "The Munsters" episode was
directed by the late Lawrence Dobkin. Of course, a great many of eps were
directed by Ezra "Henry Aldrich" Stone, and the show was created and produced
by Joseph Connelly and Bob Mosher, proteges of Gosden & [removed] noted a
couple of weeks ago that a "Happy days" Christmas ep was directed by OTR
historian Frank Buxton. I forgot to mention that it was written by Bill
Idelson of "Vic and Sade."...Of course, there were radio-to-t------n transfers
like "Father Knows Best" and "Gunsmoke."  I wasn't awake at 6 [removed] to see the
1st "Gunsmoke." According to  my TV listings, it was in a  one-hour time-slot.
So, I imagine it was probably the ist colour ep and/or the 1st hour-long story
from the mid-1960's.  Did anybody see what was actually broadcast? It would've
been great if TVLand broke down and actually showed the B&W 1/2-hour pilot.
Of course, it would also be great if they didn't mercilessly cut up their
programmes or shrink down the closing credits/ "Preserving Our T---------n
Heritage"?  Bah!

"Say Goodnight, Derek"
(Yours in the ether)...

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 09:36:07 -0500
From: Elizabeth McLeod <lizmcl@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: KOTH and OTR

On 1/2/03 10:47 PM OldRadio Mailing Lists wrote:

Arlen, the fictional town
featured on "King of the Hill," is essentially a modern-day version of
popular OTR towns like Summerfield.  The characters on the show--exaggerated
though they may be--share the warm, funny idiosyncrasies of many of the
folks from Pine Ridge.  And the show's overall tone and writing--its
wonderful depiction of life's mundane pleasures--could come straight out of
the pages of "Vic and Sade."

This is precisely my impression -- and the sense of place you get on KOTH
is far more like OTR than the usual run of contemporary situation
comedies, set in generic locales where the only sense of location you get
focuses on the living room couch.

Another thing that strikes me is that there are very few outright jokes
or wisecracks in the KOTH scripts -- the humor grows for the most part
out of situation and character. One reason I like it so much is that it
is very much like the technique used by Correll and Gosden in the 1920s
and 1930s, (and, of course, it goes back even further from them to the
likes of O. Henry, Dickens, Twain, Shakespeare, et. al.) Of all forms of
humor, true character comedy is the most difficult and challenging to
create -- you don't have the easy out of setup-punchline,
setup-punchline, setup-punchline. You have to actually *think* about who
your characters are, why they do what they do, what they're thinking at
any given time. And you have to resist the temptation to break
characterization just for the sake of a gag -- a character's motivations
and behavior have to be consistent and believable if the character is to
be accepted as "real." Of all the programs on TV right now, I think "King
of the Hill" comes the closest to this ideal -- and in doing so, carries
on a tradition that was central to much of the best of OTR.

I'll also say that Mike Judge's performing skills impress me greatly --
and I noticed this ten years ago when "Beavis and Butt-head" broke on the
scene (probably the first time B&B have ever been mentioned on this
forum.) Judge voiced most of the male characters in B&B, and he didn't
just "do voices" -- he made them real: the hippy-dippy schoolteacher, the
tough ex-Marine gym coach, Mr. Anderson next door, the guy from the
Maxi-Mart, and of course B&B themselves. Hearing him do these characters
was what got me hooked on B&B in the first place. (There goes my
[removed]) Aside from his ability as a writer, Judge was and is a
very skilled character actor -- and would have made an excellent living
in the OTR era. There aren't too many performers working today that I'd
be willing to say that about.

Elizabeth

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 10:20:26 -0500
From: Tom Trueman <wollow@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  HELP

Does anyone know of a freeware program that will
record streaming audio from the net ie live365?

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 10:32:25 -0500
From: otrbuff@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Durable dramas

Jim Kitchen writes:

It is my understanding that One Man's Family holds
the record for the longest continuous running drama on radio, beginning
in 1932 and ending
in 1959.

I think we have established in this forum many times the fact that,
across 27 years on the air (1933-60), The Romance of Helen Trent aired
7,222 episodes--more than any other drama of any type ever to traverse
the aural ether.  All of that was heard on CBS five times weekly.  One
Man's Family, which debuted over KGO in San Francisco and added West
Coast stations incrementally, didn't air to the whole country till more
than a year later, in 1933.  It survived to 1959.  Even then until 1950
it was a weekly series, not daily, so simple arithmetic assures
that--including the regional chapters--it aired only about a third as
many times as the woman who fought back bravely, successfully, to prove
what so many women long to prove in their own lives:  That because a
woman is 35, or more, romance in life need not be over; that the romance
of youth can extend into middle life, and even beyond.

As if Helen's numbers aren't impressive enough, at least two other
serials were nipping at her heels.  Ma Perkins aired 7,065 times in that
same period (1933-60) and Pepper Young's Family and three predecessors
whose story lines segued into that popular drama ran a combined 27 years
also, from 1932-59.

I have no ax to grind with One Man's Family, which was a most
distinguished family tale.  But the misconception that it was the most
durable on the air doesn't hold water.  Many weekday dramas with fewer
years broadcast far more aggregate chapters.  Among them:

Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories (19 years)
Backstage Wife (24 years)
Big Sister (16 years)
David Harum (15 years)
The Guiding Light (19 years)
Just Plain Bill (23 years)
Life Can Be Beautiful (16 years)
Lorenzo Jones (18 years)
Our Gal Sunday (22 years)
The Right to Happiness (21 years)
Road of Life (22 years)
The Second Mrs. Burton (14 years)
Stella Dallas (18 years)
When a Girl Marries (18 years)
Young Doctor Malone (21 years)
Young Widder Brown (18 years)

There is a separate chapter on all of these serials, including One Man's
Family, offering pertinent detail and behind-the-scenes anecdotes about
the casts and shows in "The Great Radio Soap Operas" (McFarland, 1999,
800-253-2187).  More than 200 daytime serials are mentioned prominently
and 31 are featured in single chapters.

Jim Cox

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 11:42:49 -0500
From: hal stone <dualxtwo@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Re: And the years dwindle down

Belated Christmas greetings, Happy Hanukah, (And even Happy 6th Birthday to
Lois Culvers OTR "Chat Room"), not to mention Best Wishes for a healthy,
happy, & prosperous NEW YEAR to all my friends here on the DIGEST.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the "Digesters" who
supported an "out of work" actor by buying copies of my book this past year.
:)

And a special thanks to those who posted such nice (unsolicited) reviews
about it. It never [removed] a it gets a good mention, orders come
pouring in. (At least 2 or 3) :)

But all kidding aside, the response has been most gratifying, and we now
have to order another shipment from the printer. (At least 2 or 3 more
copies). :)

But since, (like most of you out there) I decimated the bank account with
all the presents we had to buy over the holidays, I need to sell a few more
books. Actually, I should paraphrase that. I'd like to let some recent
generous book reviews help sell a few more books. :)

And speaking of brushes with fame, I'm most of the way
through Hal's book - let me rephrase that, I'll be finished Hal's book
by 3 am or so this morning (I just received it today)! It's absolutely
fascinating.

Thanks to Mark Reesor for that one. (But could he let it go at that. Oh no!)

Great book Hal - but I have to tell you - after seeing a picture of the way
you looked when in 'Life With Father,' I can't blame those little old ladies
for wondering whether you were a boy or girl!

Sheese! to quote Rodney [removed]"I don't get no respect".

Then I just received a private e-mail that almost had me blushing. (I said
almost). :)

Hi Hal ----
You can quote me -- as a broadcaster and historian - I think your book
which arrived a few days ago, is refreshingly different than anything else
that I have read (and/or reviewed) in the past half-century.  The
"atmosphere"  is so reminiscent of those wonderful old days, and the people
who were so important to many of us.

The past half century? (Gulp!) I wonder what desert island Tom Heathwood was
stranded on all that time. Or is it that they don't have any bookstores in
the wilds of New England?:) But Tom, I consider that very high praise
indeed, and am deeply grateful. It makes all the time I put into writing it,
(and assembling the illustrations), worth it. (Not to mention making a buck
or two on the sale of each book!) :)

Speaking of book sales, I suppose I should mention once again (as a gentle
reminder) how any of you other "Digesters" can go about ordering their very
own "inscribed" copy. After all, it was written just for you folks, since
you all are such rabid OTR fans. [removed] so many of you hadn't
encouraged me, I never would have taken pen to hand. (Or is it finger to
keyboard?)

Here comes the commercial:

Title:     "Aw, Relax [removed]"
Publisher: Bygone Days Press
Size:      [removed] X [removed]
Content:   330+ pages-240 illustrations & photographs
Cost:      $[removed] + $[removed] S&H (total $[removed])

May be purchased 3 ways: 1) By going to the website indicated below. (A
direct link to the book page) with an order form if you pay by check.
2) Access the Pay Pal button on the page to order & pay by credit card.
3) Call the toll free number shown for another way to use credit cards.

[removed]

AND NOW (FANFARE) A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL DEAL TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR!!!!!

For the first 5,000 orders during 2003, we will include an autographed
picture suitable for framing. (A small frame).

OOps. that's a typo. Make it the first 50 new orders :)

By the way, a bit of OTR trivia for you folks to take the curse off this
blatant commercial message. One of the characters I mention in the book is
an old childhood acting buddy of mine that went on to fame and fortune in TV
and films, by the name of Skippy Homeier. (Any of you folks remember him?)
Well, I'm happy to report he's alive and well, and sassy as ever, living in
the Palm Springs area. My lovely wife Dorothy and I were invited to a
holiday party Skip and his wife Della recently hosted. I hadn't seen Skip in
over 25 years. The last time was when I directed him in some TV commercials
way back then. It was a wonderful reunion, and we had a lot of catching up
to do, as you can imagine. He has kept in great shape, and the bum has more
hair than I do! :)

And for those of you who are Bob Hastings fans. (some people have no taste).
Well, we had a most enjoyable phone conversation over the Holidays. And
Guess what. The tightwad actually broke down and bought 5 books to give to
his family members. (My mother didn't raise no  dummy) I featured him
heavily in the book, expecting the Hambone would do just that. :)

By the way, he is improving steadily after his accident, but still has some
re-constructive surgery to go through. I had sent him one of the first
copies of the book, (free, of course) and it wasn't until recently that he
could stand wearing glasses on the bridge of his nose to be able to read it.
(At least, what's left of the bridge of his nose.)

Ok Guys 'n gals,  (and "Curley" Summers). That's it for now.

All the best, to the best OTR fans in the world. (That reminds [removed]
speaking of "world". We've been shipping books all over the map. All the
Continental US states, Alaska, Canada, Australia (Hi Ian and his mates),
even Japan. (No Hawaii Yet) :)  Aloha, out there!

Warm Regards

Hal(Harlan)Stone
Jughead

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 14:47:53 -0500
From: "Roger Robineau" <robineau2@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  list of stations that play OTR

Apart from searching on a station by station basis, two quick ways to
access OTR through the Internet are:

1) [removed]

2) [removed]
Lots of Old time radio programs.  Although I think you have to suffer
through pop-up ads to listen throught this service.

Roger Robineau

[ADMINISTRIVIA: Not only pop-up and pop-under ads, but also javascript,
cookies, and other programming that allows live365 to track you personally
and everything you listen to and view. I avoid places like this, personally.
--cfs3]

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 14:48:29 -0500
From: FKELLY <fkelly@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Bing Crosby

I'm devouring the book Bing Crosby, A Pocketful of Dreams, the Early
Years 1903-1940, by Gary Giddens, newly available in paperback.  It's
very well done and contains lots of good references to Crosby's radio
work.
--
Frank Kelly
Exportech
Email: fkelly@[removed]

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

Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 19:49:42 -0500
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  radio's TOPPER

THE ADVENTURES OF TOPPER was broadcast for a total of fifteen episodes,
sponsored by Post, from June 7, 1945 to September 13, 1945.  Only three
episodes are known to exist.  Half a dozen scripts are known to exist.

A researcher doing a book documenting the biography of the creator of the
series, is interested in any information about this radio program.  Afraid I
was not able to add much input other than a sketchy broadcast log, but he's
interested in any articles, interviews, scripts, anything about the program.
   I'll give his e-mail address to any serious parties.

(Last time I did this "favor" for someone, a few people on this digest got
very annoying with the man I was helping and he told me that he wished I
never gave his e-mail address out, which is why I'm doing it this way.)

If anyone can help or add info about TOPPER, let me know and I'll give you
his e-mail address.
Best,
Martin Grams

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2003 Issue #4
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