Subject: [removed] Digest V01 #70
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 3/3/2001 9:10 PM

To: <[removed]@[removed];

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

                          The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                             Volume 01 : Issue 70
                       A Part of the [removed]!
                               ISSN: 1533-9289

                               Today's Topics:

     OTR Shows at Sam's Club              [Wwtom@[removed]                      ]
     Benny peaks: CBS, definitely         ["Art Shifrin" <goldens2@[removed]]
     Jumping the Shark                    ["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed].]
     Re: Radio tube warm-up               ["David Phaneuf" <dphaneuf@[removed]]
     Jumping the shark                    [Al Girard <agirard@[removed]]
     other [removed]                    ["Art Shifrin" <goldens2@[removed]]
     First Piano Quartet                  [JHaendiges@[removed]                 ]
     More Sharks                          ["[removed] Ritterspach" <kfpr@earthlink.]
     Jumping the Shark                    ["Philip Railsback" <philiprailsback]
     Why did Phil Harris leave the Jack B ["Henry R. Moreno" <henry@[removed];]
     Old Movie Source                     ["Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@]
     ... As I was saying ...              ["Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@]
     Tom Mix Jumps the Shark              [KENPILETIC@[removed]                 ]
     AMERICA GOES TO WAR                  [Jer51473@[removed]                   ]
     Jazz & Radio                         [Vntager8io@[removed]                 ]
     Re: Movie Serials                    [Fred Berney <berney@[removed];      ]
     Re: Alaska square inch               [Fred Berney <berney@[removed];      ]
     Re: Old Radios                       [Fred Berney <berney@[removed];      ]
     "OUR" RADIO LIVES! -  BUT NOT IN THE ["Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed]; ]
     Re: jumping the [removed]          [StevenL751@[removed]                 ]
     NEW JIM HARMON BOOK                  ["stephen jansen" <stephenjansen@ema]
     First Piano Quartet                  ["Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed]]

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

    Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 23:04:46 -0500
    From: Wwtom@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  OTR Shows at Sam's Club

    Does anyone know if Sam's Club has discontinued selling of old-time radio
    collections from Radio Spirits?  The last several times I was at our local
    Sam's, all OTR had been removed from the audio section.

    Wesley Tom
    Redlands, CA

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:43:30 -0500
    From: "Art Shifrin" <goldens2@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Benny peaks: CBS, definitely

    Hi Gang,

    Based on those shows that I've heard, I think that the first  few CBS Lucky
    Strike seasons (with the exception of the first CBS show---that duet of Slow
    Boat To China is terrible) were the peak of Benny's output.  In addition to
    the appearances by the Colemans,  I think that the 1950 / 51 season opener
    in which Jack returns from Europe and no one remembers him + CBS is
    converting to TV is utterly hilarious.  Another pure gem is the one in which
    Fletcher Markle and Jack Warner visit to convince him not to do the radio
    version of The Horn Blows At Midnight (which I regard as very
    disappointing).

    Well!
    Shiffy
    check out my website: [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:43:25 -0500
    From: "A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jumping the Shark

>     Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 15:02:05 -0500
>     From: chris chandler <christopher_c@[removed];

>     By 1950, Hope had been forced out of his longtime post-McGee Tuesday
>     night time slot by the upstart CBS sitcom "Life With Luigi".

    Funny, I'm quite sure I heard Bob Hope on Tuesday nights for Pepsident
    circa 1955.  I wouldn't have heard him in 1950.  I was too young then.  I
    seem to recall that his radio show in the mid 50s originated from military
    bases and VA hospitals.

>     Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 20:32:00 -0500
>     From: "Rodney w bowcock jr." <rodney-selfhelpbikeco@[removed];

>     And yeah, it wasn't the same with Bob Crosby, but it sure beat the
>     quality of most other comedies from the mid-50's era.  Anyone else
>     agree with me?

    I first heard Jack Benny in 1954, which was the last year of new radio
    shows (He stayed on for a few more years in reruns.).  I rather enjoyed
    the shows that I heard, though I never had anything to compare them with.
    I first heard shows with Phil harris in the 1970s.  I do think that Phil
    Harris was a great addition to the show, and his departure was a real loss
    to Jack's show.  But I agree that Jack's shows, post-Phil, were still
    quite good.

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

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:45:20 -0500
    From: "David Phaneuf" <dphaneuf@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Re: Radio tube warm-up

    Al Girard wrote:

>     I thought I'd pass on a story that my mother used to tell about a time when
>     I was a youngster. Apparently I was about three or four years old at the
>     time, and as I turned the radio on, my mother cautioned me "be careful, you
>     might break something". As soon as she finished saying that, the tubes had
>     warmed up and a man's voice said "yes, and I'm not going to fix it for you,
>     either!"

    WOW! I bet that must have made an impression!!!! Bet you were ALWAYS careful
    after that! Bet your mom was rolling on the floor over that one!

    By the way, did you think there were little people inside the radio doing
    their stuff like I did when I was little?

    Dave Phaneuf

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:48:51 -0500
    From: Al Girard <agirard@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jumping the shark

    Bing Crosby - When the show went to the five-days-a-week
    fifteen minute format, the shark had been jumped.  The shows
    were obviously assembled with very little effort, even to
    the point where banter between Bing and Ken Carpenter was
    repeated on subsequent shows.  The shows were just spliced
    items from a stockpile of music and banter, and at times
    the resulting show was poorly done to say the least. Cut
    and splice had made its way into the shows of a beloved
    performer.

    -Al Girard

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:48:54 -0500
    From: "Art Shifrin" <goldens2@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  other [removed]

    Edgar Bergen: anything done after the one hour NBC Chase & Sanborn hours

    Chamber Music Society Of Lower Basin Street: when it was shortened to 15
    minutes

    Rudy Vallee: anything after the variety hours ([removed] Sealtest and Philip
    Morris)

    Best,
    Shiffy
    check out my website: [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:48:56 -0500
    From: JHaendiges@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  First Piano Quartet

    Tyrone Settlemier Asked:

>     Someone asked me about a radio program built around the First Piano Quartet,
>      ca 1950.  I have one of their records, but this is the first I've heard of
>      this program.  Can anyone enlighten me?  Thanks!

        According to Jay Hickerson's "Ultimate History" (a serious reference work
    that needs to be in every serious collector's library), that series ran from
    1941 till 1950 on various days and time slots always on NBC.

        If you'd like to hear what the series sounded like, I have posted in my
    "Preview Listening Lounge" a clip from a 1943 program from that series.  To
    get there, go to <[removed];

        This particular clip is on the second page in the next to last row.  You
    may also be interested in the other program in that row.  It's a short-wave
    broadcast of a piano recital in which Mozart's original piano was used.

        I hope this helps.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

                Jerry Haendiges <jhaendiges@[removed];

      [removed]  <A HREF="[removed]">The Vintage Radio Place</A>

      Largest source of OTR Logs, Articles and programs on the Net
      Available on CD, Cassette, Reel to Reel, DAT, VHS
      Over 100 programs in streaming RealAudio

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:48:58 -0500
    From: "[removed] Ritterspach" <kfpr@[removed];
    To: "OTR" <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  More Sharks

    Elizabeth McLeod invited comments with "anyone else care to suggest the
    moment where their
    favorite shows "jumped the shark?"  Here are a few more to go a long with
    her very accurate list:  Mr District Attorney once Jay Jostyn left the
    program and we no longer heard his famous lead-in.  Although they tried on
    both radio and TV, the Adventures of Mr & Mrs North was never the same
    without Joseph Curtin and Alice [removed] that wonderful chemistry they had
    together.  And what about the Aldrich Family without Ezra Stone as Henreeey.
    Many thought the show jumped the shark once Ezra got older, but most now
    realize that it didn't really happen until he left and someone else tried to
    be Henry in the early 1950s.  Finally, sometimes a program jumped the shark
    in more than one direction.  The classic example that comes to mind is a
    long playing program that jumped the shark on all episodes prior to 1955 and
    then jumped again when the show moved from Hollywood to New [removed] There was
    only one Johnny Dollar and that was Bob Bailey!    Hope your listening is
    happy, warm and [removed]   Fritz

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:49:00 -0500
    From: "Philip Railsback" <philiprailsback@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jumping the Shark

    This is my first post to this group so I hope it goes all right.

    Anyway, Elizabeth, I found your post intelligent and interesting as usual.
    I haven't listened to near enough OTR to offer an informed response, but I'd
    like to toss in a few comments anyway.  As far as Jack Benny goes, I always
    look for post-War, or at least post-1943, when Jack hired a new staff.  It's
    the Lucky Strike period I like best.  The more sitcomy, developed Jack Benny
    personality.  At least that's the way it seems to me.  It might make a
    difference that I grew up with the Jack Benny TV show (the later years).
    The late forties Jack Benny seem closer to the TV show.  But the humor seems
    more modern was well.  The same goes for George and Gracie, as well.  I'm
    always glad when I hear the Maxwell house "good to the last drop" opening.
    Of course, we don't listen to OTR for modern comedy -- we can get that on
    TV.  Still, I have to say I've always had a hard time getting into Fibber
    and the Great Gildersleeve.  I try, but I just don't find them funny.  But
    Jack Benny, Our Miss Brooks,  Phil Harris -- all great.

    That aside, I have a question for you.  I've noticed whenever I see old
    radio schedules, they only list the four networks.  But what about the other
    stations?  Take a large city like St. Louis or Detroit.  Weren't there many
    more stations than just the big four?  What kind of programming did they
    carry?

    And thanks so much.  I find everything you have to say about OTR to be
    fascinating.  Write a book, please!
      - Philip

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:49:03 -0500
    From: "Henry R. Moreno" <henry@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  Why did Phil Harris leave the Jack Benny Kid?

    I enjoyed the Jack Benny Program immensely as a child.  Even at the tender
    age of 8 or 9, I realized that the show was not as funny without Phil
    Harris.  Why did he leave?

    Thanks,
    Henry

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:49:05 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Old Movie Source

    Susan Olson, speaking of old B movies, notes,

> >     Anyone else with sources, I'd like to hear about as [removed];<

    Try Sinister Cinema ([removed]  if memory serves).
    They specialize in old horror films and a number of old Westerns.  I got
    my copy of a so-bad-it's-good White Pongo there, as well as the equally
    funny King Dinosaur.  Regrettably, the funniest scene from White Pingo
    had been edited out, but that's not the dealer's fault.

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:50:14 -0500
    From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  ... As I was saying ...

    Al Girard reminisces

> >     as I turned the radio on, my mother cautioned me "be careful, you might

    break something".
    As soon as she finished saying that, the tubes had warmed up and a man's
    voice said "yes, and I'm not going to fix it for you, either!"<<

    When I was about ten years old, I was playing with my electric train in
    my bedroom, with Nick Carter, Master Detective playing in the background.
     My father came in to tell me to do something, and after giving me
    instructions on what to do, he said, "Right?"  I responded, "Right."
    Immediately afterward, Nick Carter said, "Right!"

    Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:50:16 -0500
    From: KENPILETIC@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Tom Mix Jumps the Shark

    Hi Gang -               March 3, 2001 - Saturday - 8:50 AM cst

    The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters program jumped the shark
    in 1949 (?) when a gang of 'bad guys" broke into the radio studio
    during a broadcast.  Tom (Curley Bradley) told the gang leader to get
    out because they were broadcasting a radio program.
    The dialogue went something like this:

    GANG LEADER :  How do we know you're broadcasting ?

    TOM:  By that lighted sign on the wall.  It reads "On The Air".

    At this point the gangleader draws his sixgun, shoots the
    sign and the light goes out.

    GANG LEADER:  Now you're not broadcasting any more.

    Everything went downhill from then on.
    I heard this broadcast "live".  I wish I had a tape of it.  Anybody?

    Happy taping -- Ken Piletic - Streamwood, Illinois
    kenpiletic@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:50:18 -0500
    From: Jer51473@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  AMERICA GOES TO WAR

     I just purchased a set of six videos from Sam's Club (owned by Walmart and
    similar to Price Club) with above title for [removed], a fabulous discount. The
    series is hosted by Eric Severeid from 1990 and covers the homefront and the
    war with an emphasis on show business. There is much coverage of radio
    especially the service broadcasts. Crosby, Hope, Cantor, Jolson, Benny,
    Skelton, K Kyser(sp), Garland, Magee&Molly and many, many more. This was
    originally telecast on PBS and the vidios are put out by Questar inc. and are
    each about 55 minutes long. Many of you may have seen these programs but if
    you havnt treat youself if you can find the set. I noticed in Sam's there is
    a dept. for special orders. An excellent buy and and great nostalgic
    entertainment!

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 15:12:06 -0500
    From: Vntager8io@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Jazz & Radio

    Hi folks.

    I hope this doesn't drift too far off-topic, but this seems to be the only
    place to go with this question.

    Several years ago, I was in the Washington, DC area, and heard a great local
    public radio program, "Hot Jazz Saturday Night," hosted by Rob Bamberger on
    WAMU, [removed] FM. Next to old time radio, collecting CD's and 78's on 1920's
    jazz music is one of my biggest interests, and this program, playing jazz
    music of that period, interested me greatly. Unfortunately, I can't pick up
    the station from my home in Lynchburg, Virginia, although occasionally I
    listen in to the internet broadcasts from the station's website. The program
    airs Saturday Nights from 7:00 to 10:00. Is there anyone on this list who
    lives in the Washinton, DC area, who would be willing to tape the program and
    trade for tapes of OTR? I have a collection of nearly 4,000 OTR shows of all
    types, and could send programs on standard audio compact discs (two
    30-minutes shows per disc) or on audio cassette. It doesn't have to be taped
    every week, but I've found that the show makes excellent listening for drives
    in the car, or even for listening to at home.

    I realize the show is available in streaming RealAudio on the internet, but
    the quality isn't very good on my computer, and listening at the computer is
    very inconvenient, plus, I'm annoyed by frequent "time-outs." It seems that
    trading for cassette or audio CD recordings of the show would be the best way
    to go.

    Please contact me directly if you would be interested in trading.

    Thanks!
    Bryan Wright
    Vntager8io@[removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 15:43:26 -0500
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Movie Serials

    We are selling the old movie serials on video CDs. They will play in many
    DVD players and in all PC computers.

    [removed]

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 15:43:28 -0500
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Alaska square inch

    I bought one of those square inch things. I thought it came in a box of
    Quaker cereal, but I could be wrong. I know I had one from Texas and one
    from Alaska. Now if I can just find them both.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 15:43:30 -0500
    From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: Old Radios

    I tracked down a company that makes replicas of old radios and has a model
    with a build in CD player. I asked the company if they have any units that
    play MP3 files, but so far they don't. I also asked one of the companies
    that makes MP3 players if they have any plans for making on in an OTR case.
    Again no.

    As for real old radios, I found a place in Colorado that repairs the old
    radios and then sells them. For years I was trying to find a Zenith consol
    model. We owned one when I was growing up and it ended up in my bed room
    while I still lived with my parents.

    After I got married, my folks moved to a smaller home and needed to get rid
    of things. So they gave that radio to a friend of mine who was an
    electronics genius. When I asked him about the radio he told me he junked
    the cabinet and used the innards for spare parts.

    You can image how I felt. Then on a trip out west, I was told about several
    places that sold old radios. We stopped at each place and the last one had
    my Zenith. I believe the one my parents owned was made in 1939. The one I
    found was made in 1940. Or it could be the other way around.

    They are almost identical. The only difference is in the lower part of the
    cabinet where the speaker is located. There are vertical wooden columns in
    front of the speaker grill. On my old radio, I remember them being close
    together. On the model I bought they are a little further apart.

    Other than that, everything else is the same. And it works. I'll turn it on
    and listen to our local station, but as I do, my mind travels back to a
    time when I would listen to my favorite programs on this model radio.

    Once in a while I am reminded about a Twilight Zone shows in which an old
    radio started playing the old shows and I keep hoping that one day when I
    turn on the radio, I'll suddenly hear the shows that I grew up with. But
    for that I have to put on one of my tapes.

    It is funny how just looking at the radio brings back some old memories. I
    don't remember as a child every having a security blanket or a favorite
    stuffed toy I slept with. But this Zenith radio kind of acts like one of
    these. Maybe that is what is meant by a second childhood. I don't recall
    ever leaving my first.

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 15:43:33 -0500
    From: "Owens Pomeroy" <opomeroy@[removed];
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  "OUR" RADIO LIVES! -  BUT NOT IN THE [removed]

        Maybe one of the "experts" on the line can answer this question:  Why
    die radio (as we knew and lived it) "die" in the [removed] - but is flourishing
    more than ever "across the big pond" in the UK, (The Goon Show, Around The
    Horn) Australia, South Africa, and English-language stations in Germany &
    France and even our neighbors to the North in Canada are still airing radio
    versions of Royal Canadian Air Farce, and drama shows like Theater Ten
    Thirty, New adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and some UK  imports.

        This is where, if we had radios with the short-wave bands as standard
    built ins, we could enjoy "our kind of radio" - even today.
    Could one reason be that stations in those countries are subsidized by the
    Government and not by  Broadcasting Moguls like Paley and Sarnoff in the
    [removed]

        I have a friend in Alberta who is a Ham radio operator, and he is
    constantly emailing me about the shows he can "pull-in" from Europe.  If
    this kind of programming  survived all these years in these countries, then
    why in the world did they "die" in the [removed]
    Does anyone have an opinion?

                               -  30  -
    Owens Pomeroy

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 17:01:33 -0500
    From: StevenL751@[removed]
    To: [removed]@[removed]
    Subject:  Re: jumping the [removed]

    In a message dated 03/02/2001 11:11:12 PM Eastern Standard Time,
    [removed]@[removed] writes:

>     I think that the Benny show really hit it's prime during the Lucky Strike
>     years.  My favorite episodes are all from around 1949.  And yeah, it
>     wasn't the same with Bob Crosby, but it sure beat the quality of most
>     other comedies from the mid-50's era.  Anyone else agree with me?

    I most definitely agree with you.  The Jack Benny Program is, by far, my
    favorite OTR comedy series, and my favorite years of the show are bookended
    by Lucky Strikes becoming the sponsor and Phil Harris leaving the cast.  The
    writing is sharp, the supporting cast is great, and the episodes seem to me
    far less dated than those from the General Foods era.

    Steve Lewis

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 19:00:25 -0500
    From: "stephen jansen" <stephenjansen@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  NEW JIM HARMON BOOK

    Just a note of interest to OTR and Jim Harmon fans - the new and improved
    version of his 1967 book "The Great Radio Heroes" has finally been
    published!  I had it on order since Oct 2000, it was supposed to be released
    in Dec.  Just last week, I cancelled that order and re-ordered.  The
    publisher called me and told me it would STILL be another month before the
    book would be published (April!).  But just this morning, the postman
    brought me a package, and there was the book!  Originally to be hardcover
    and $50, it is actually softcover and $35.  What I have read of it is
    great - lots of pictures, too!  The publisher is McFarland & Company (they
    sell wonderful low-print-run books on many specialized topics -
    OTR/theatre/tv/silent film/etc).

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

    Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 20:04:30 -0500
    From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
    To: <[removed]@[removed];
    Subject:  First Piano Quartet

    I remember listening to the First Piano Quartet when I was a youngster.
    Good show and fine classical music.  One of our traders sent me a C60 with
    dubs from 78 rpm discs, but I do not have a sample of what their radio
    program sounded like.  The theme was "Variations on a theme of Paganini" and
    the show ran 15:00 on NBC from 1941 to 1953, according to Jay Hickerson's
    "Ultimate guide [removed]"
        There was another group that made recordings using a larger number of
    pianos and pianists, maybe 8 or more.  Anyone remember this group?  Don't
    think they had a radio program.

    Ted Kneebone / 1528 S. Grant St. / Aberdeen, SD 57401 / 605-226-3344
    tkneebone1@[removed] | OTR:  [removed]
    [removed]  |
    [removed] || Kids of the New Century:
    [removed]

    --------------------------------
    End of [removed] Digest V01 Issue #70
    ******************************************

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