Subject: [removed] Digest V2004 #61
From: <[removed]@[removed]>
Date: 2/17/2004 3:23 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2004 : Issue 61
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Gambling, Long John Nebel redux       [ Lee Munsick <leemunsick@[removed] ]
  Celery Tonic                          [ dougdouglass@[removed] (doug dougla ]
  2-17 births/deaths                    [ Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed]; ]
  Fletcher's Castoria                   [ "Glen Schroeder" <gschroeder10@char ]
  Drama Hour question                   [ "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@earthli ]
  MGM in Chicago                        [ mickey <mickey44@[removed]; ]
  OTR magazines                         [ "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed] ]
  Re: Metro Golden Memories             [ OTRGURU@[removed] ]
  RE: Mason Adams                       [ "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@worldn ]
  Bob Bailey - other radio work?        [ Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed]; ]
  Cod Liver Oil                         [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
  Looking for Some Song information (d  [ Richard j Smith <rjsmith608@charter ]
  Re: Spike Jones Laughing Record       [ Fred Berney <berney@[removed]; ]
  Allen's Final Show                    [ "William Schell" <bschell@[removed] ]
  Jack's song                           [ JackBenny@[removed] ]
  Youth Wants to Know                   [ "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed] ]
  Jack Benny's Song                     [ "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@ ]
  Chicago OTR store                     [ "Kris Stone" <anaheim47@[removed] ]
  cod liver oil                         [ Mike Sheets <msheets@texarkanacolle ]

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 14:56:35 -0500
From: Lee Munsick <leemunsick@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Gambling, Long John Nebel redux

My thanks to the numerous kind folk who replied both on- and off-Digest, to
my recollections about Rambling With Gambling, Long John Nebel, etc.

In the process, I was reminded that my first visit to John Nebel's program
caused one of my most memorable faux pas.

I am sure that most readers here are familiar with the various "Blooper"
records by Kermit Schaefer.  In one of his first, a hapless announcer has
been assigned a script for use through the Christmas and New Year's
gift-giving period.  It was for some kind of a gift, encouraging the listener
to go out and buy it!

The script ended with two tag lines.  The announcer was supposed to use
whichever one was appropriate for the day he was reading:

1)   On Christmas, say Merry Christmas!

2)   At New Year's, say Happy New Year!

Our hapless friend, perhaps having partaken of a bit of holiday cheer,
proceeded happily to read both!  That was his entree to the Blooper Hall of
Fame.

The first time that I visited John Nebel and his all-night show at WOR, it
was near the end of December.  I think he was looking forward to future
visits, Perhaps he already had in mind putting together a cadre of folk to
share talk duties with him, and provide a group of voices to become familiar
to his listeners, rather than just his and one guest per night.  In time,
this became the norm on his programs, and I became part of that group.

In any case that first visit, John noted that I was the morning man at a
small station in New Jersey, and was visiting on sort of a busman's holiday
to his program.  Without warning me, he said, "Let's see how you can handle
some sponsor's [removed]"

Thrusting a piece of copy in my hand, he told me to read it.  Cold.  Then.
So I did.  I have never been susceptible to mike fright.  But sitting there
in the WOR transmitter building, and knowing that my voice was going out over
one of the most powerful and widely-listened stations in the New York market,
if not the [removed] did give me a thrill!

The copy was from Bulova.  Older readers will recall that their ads required
the announcer to spell out their name in very fast, staccato fashion.  Not
easy without learning how to do it and rehearsing it, almost like a chant.
As a kid, I'd done that rapid-fire B-U-L-O-V-A by my radio at home many
times.  So  I smiled, and figured I'd impress Nebel with my ability to toss
it off without a hitch.

I only mildly nervously but gleefully took the copy.  He did not give me a
chance to read it through.  Nevertheless, I was determined to do well by it.

I narrated through to the best of my ability.  Including both of the two
tag-lines at the bottom, exactly like the old B commercial in the Blooper LP!

To be frank, like Kermit's original, I didn't even know what I had done,
until John started to laugh.  Then, of course, I realized what I'd read, and
undoubtedly turned ash white, then beet red.    Ever since, I've had a
kinship with that first Blooper-er, and I have to laugh at myself all over.

John Nebel had been a carnival "barker", although he told me that the correct
carnie term was "talker".  He prided himself that nobody could crack him up.
Over my months with the program, I saw many people try without success,
including professional comics like Jackie Gleason.   One morning, I think
magician and psychic debunker James Randi, "The Amazing Randi", and I were
chatting with John, when time came for the "food break" which we usually took
roughly between 2:30 and 3:00 [removed]  John remained in the studio to do some
commercials, and Randi and I moved to the little lunch room.

As we sat talking and munching, we suddenly became conscious of a silence
coming from the speaker monitors.  We looked at each other with puzzled
expressions, knowing Nebel was never without words.  Then we realized it
wasn't actually silence.  There was a sort of gasping sound.  Alarmed, we
both shot from our chairs and bolted across the round transmitter building,
staring through the glass window at John Nebel.  He was seated at the table,
his face red, his mouth curled into a leering smile, helplessly looking at
us.  The gasping we'd heard was actually uncontrolled laughter, which he was
nearly--but not completely--trying to stifle and silence.  He tried a couple
of times to gain control and begin to talk normally, but off he went again,
completely beside himself.  He waved frantically at us to come in and take
over.  He got up to leave, and waved his hand around in the "keep it going"
signal.

Over the next 15 or 20 minutes, Nebel regained his composure and walked in,
sat down at his mike and nodded that we should keep going.  Each time he lost
it again, and bolted from the room.  It was over a half-hour before he
finally managed to control himself and sat down with us, and another while
before he was finally able to rejoin the conversation.   He indicated not to
bring up the subject.

During a recorded commercial, we asked him what the dickens had happened.  He
couldn't explain it.  Something, he told us, had struck him [removed]
couldn't even recall what!  Once he was gone, he was gone!  Lowell Thomas
occasionally had the same problem.

As it turned out, nobody but nobody could crack up Long John Nebel.  Except
Long John Nebel!  In the months to come, he admonished us not to ever remind
him of it, for fear he'd suffer a relapse with the same result.  We never
mentioned it again.

Merry Christmas!  Happy New Year!
Lee Munsick

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:23:39 -0500
From: dougdouglass@[removed] (doug douglass)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Celery Tonic

Here in New York, it's sold as "Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray Soda" in an aluminum
can tinted green.

Doug Douglass

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:50:07 -0500
From: Ron Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio List <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  2-17 births/deaths

February 17th births

02-17-1897 - Marion Anderson - Philadelphia, PA - d. 4-8-1993
singer: "The Circle"; "Telephone Hour"
02-17-1907 - Larry "Buster" Crabbe - Oakland, CA - d. 4-23-1983
actor: "George Jessel Show"; "Hollywood Showcase"
02-17-1908 - Staats Cotsworth - Oak Park, IL - d. 4-9-1979
actor: David Farrell "Front Page Farrell"; Mark Trail "Mark Trail"
02-17-1908 - Walter "Red" Barber - Columbus, MS - d. 10-22-1992
sportscaster: (The Old Redhead) "Schaefer Star Revue"
02-17-1914 - Arthur Kennedy - Worcester, MA - d. 1-5-1990
actor: "Best Plays"
02-17-1914 - Wayne Morris - Los Angeles, CA - d. 9-14-1959
actor: "Radio Reader's Digest"; "NBC university Theatre of the Air"; "Lux
Radio Theatre"
02-17-1919 - Kathleen Freeman - Chicago, IL - d. 8-24-2001
actress: California Artists Radio Theatre"
02-17-1923 - Buddy DeFranco - Camden, NJ
bandleader: "Glenn Miller Orchestra"
02-17-1925 - Hal Holbrook - Cleveland, OH
actor: Grayling Dennis "Brighter Day"
02-17-1962 - Lou Diamond Phillips - Philippines
actor: "Twilight Zone"

February 17th deaths

02-12-1904 - Joseph Kearns - Salt Lake City, UT - d. 2-17-1962
actor, host: Melvyn Foster "A Date with Judy"; Man in Black "Suspense"
03-13-1908 - Paul Stewart - NYC - d. 2-17-1986
actor: Gyp Mendoza "Life Can Be Beautiful"; Richard Rogue "Rogue's Gallery"
03-17-1901 - Alfred Newman - New Haven, CT - d. 2-17-1970
composer, conductor: "Hollywood Star Time"; "Radio Hall of Fame"; "Silver
Theatre"
06-17-1922 - Jerry Fielding - Pittsburgh, PA - d. 2-17-1980
conductor: "Hardy Family"; "Jack Paar Show"; "You Bet Your Life"

Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:50:20 -0500
From: "Glen Schroeder" <gschroeder10@[removed];
To: "otr" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Fletcher's Castoria

Hi listers.

The cod liver oil thread brought back to mind when I was small and my mother
used to give me something called Fletcher's Castoria.  I think it was a
laxitive and I got a spoonful most every night.  I think the name Castoria
came from the fact that it had castor oil in it.  From what I've heard about
the taste of castor oil, the Castoria taste pretty.  To keep this on topic,
I do remember that there was a kids show that had it for a sponsor, but I
don't remember which one.  Does anybody remember this stuff or what show it
sponsored?

Love Dis List

Glen Schroeder

Madison  WI

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:51:20 -0500
From: "joe@[removed]" <sergei01@[removed];
To: "OTR List" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Drama Hour question

I have yet to connect successfully to the new Drama Hour web site.

There is little info there. Is there a schedule for what shows are
available, or at least a series title? Or perhaps they provide shows on a
more random basis.

Joe Salerno

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:51:39 -0500
From: mickey <mickey44@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  MGM in Chicago

Philip Chavin asked:

    I've heard rumors that Metro Golden Memories, the long-established store
selling OTR tapes and discs, etc., on the northwest side of Chicago, last
known address on Addision St. near Central Ave., has gone out of business --
permanently, apparently.

Sorry to say, Philip, but they're definitely gone.  I live very close to
this location
and indeed was an occasional customer for most of about 15 years or
so.  I hadn't been in for a year or more and was surprised several months ago
to find it cleaned out, with a sign offering the fixtures for sale.

I have no more clues except to say that I believe OTR stalwart Chuck Schaden
owned the store at one time, but possibly not in its later years.  He
shouldn't be
hard to track down and should have a definitive answer.

m

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:15:39 -0500
From: "Andrew Godfrey" <niteowl049@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  OTR magazines

  Recently I won an Ebay auction for a 1947 OTR magazine called Radio Mirror
and have really enjoyed reading it as it shows faces of some of the stars
like Anita Ellis of the Red Skelton show who I had never seen a photo of
before. The magazine only cost $[removed] after shipping so very reasonable for a
57 year old magazine.
  Dinah Shore was on the cover which showed her before she had blonde hair.
Had no idea Dinah Shore went that far back as a star with her own radio
show.
  Reading the magazine has given me a better picture of what is was like
back in OTR days as I was only 3 in 1947.
  The cover price was only 25 cents and I got it for about what new
magazines sell for today. So if anyone else like me missed out on what OTR
was like in the 30's, 40's and 50's there are magazines on Ebay that can be
found. I am not a dealer or promoting any [removed] wanted to share this
with the OTR fans on the digest.
   Andrew Godfrey

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:14:44 -0500
From: OTRGURU@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Metro Golden Memories

Philip Chavin wrote:

I've heard rumors that Metro Golden Memories, the long-established store
selling OTR tapes and discs, etc., on the northwest side of Chicago, ... has
gone out of business --permanently, apparently.  Would any Digester know
definitely whether or not that rumor is true?  Any details?

I can confirm that Metro Golden Memories HAS gone out of business.  I started
the store in back in the mid-70s and sold it about six years ago in an effort
to start taking life a little easier.  The new owners worked hard to make a
go of it, but could not survive the struggling economy and other problems.
They
closed the store and went out of business in mid-July, 2003.  All the
inventory was sold before they closed the doors and nothing remains.

Chuck Schaden
[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:14:59 -0500
From: "Stewart Wright" <stewwright@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  RE:  Mason Adams

The series that John Mayer was asking about might be the series which ran
from March, 1952 through November 1960, "Whispering Streets."

Mason Adams appeared in the following episodes of the CBS series "21st
Precinct."
06/09/1954  The Book
06/30/1954  The Red Tiger
11/17/1954  The Bottle
02/09/1955  The Surety
03/09/1955  The Squawker
08/20/1955  The Checks
09/10/1955  The Homecoming
10/07/1955  The Ditch
10/14/1955  The Alarmist
12/02/1955  The Trouble
12/16/1955  The Heirs
02/02/1956  The Drive
08/09/1956  The Bottle
09/06/1956  The Red Tiger

Signing off for now,

Stewart

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:15:24 -0500
From: Kermyt Anderson <kermyta@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Bob Bailey - other radio work?

Did Bob Bailey do much other radio work besides Yours
Truly, Johnny Dollar and Let George Do It? I've never
heard his voice crop up in the background in any of
the Hollywood shows from late 40s/early 50s, but it
seems likely (given his talents) that he would have
been a good candidate to be a regular irregular. The
only things I've been able to dig up are the
following:

Arch Oboler's Plays 05/17/45 Mr. Ten Percent
Bruce Elliott, Bob Bailey, Mary Jane Croft, Everett
Allen, Earle Ross, Rose Ann Murray, Evelyn Scott,
Harold Cornsweet, Harry Lang

Family Theater 09/21/49 Queen of Angels
Eugene Biscaloose (LA County Sheriff), Leo Carrillo,
Robert Bailey

Lux Radio Theater 05/29/44 Old Acquaintance
Alexis Smith, Miriam Hopkins, Otto Kruger, Robert
Bailey

Screen Director's Playhouse 03/20/49 The Perfect
Marriage
Loretta Young, Bob Bailey

Suspense 08/08/46 Dead Ernest
Wally Maher, Robert Bailey, Verna Felton, Jerry
Hausner, Cathy Lewis, Elliot Lewis, Jay Novello,
Walter Tetley, William Wright

Surely there are more?

Cheers,
Kermyt

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:37:39 -0500
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Cod Liver Oil

I am forwarding this from my German friend, Bernard who is having problems
getting email through:

Why should you Americans be the only ones to complain about having tasted it?!
Over here in post-war Germany we had to swallow it as well!
It, indeed, was regarded as a remedy for and against everything. It came in
brown bottles and 2 spoonful would do us good, our mothers said.

I wonder if it did do us any good- perhaps it helped us in our later days
to turn to OTR ?

Bernard Wichert
Germany  "

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 18:18:26 -0500
From: Richard j Smith <rjsmith608@[removed];
To: OTR Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Looking for Some Song information (doodly
 Boop Song)

Hi Gang~
  I know that this isn't OTR related, but I am looking for some song
information.
   There is a old Christmas song I think called the Elusive Doodly
Boop.  Does anyone have any information for me on the singer and what
year and album it was recorded?  I found the song going through a bunch
of my grandpa's old real to reals and just recently digitized it.
   More info would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely~
Richard j Smith

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 21:24:24 -0500
From: Fred Berney <berney@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Spike Jones Laughing Record

With all the talk the last few weeks about laughing record, I found my copy
of the Spike Jones record and posted it on my web page in a Real Audio format.

Go to [removed]

Select the old time radio image. Then look on the lower right hand side of
the page for a heading called SOUND CLIPS. It is under a heading called
INTERESTING INFORMATION.

Click on the SOUND CLIPS link and you will be taken to a page where you
will find a link called SPIKE JONES. Double click on that an in a minute or
so you will here the entire record. If you don't have a Real Audio player,
there is a link on that page that will take you to the Real Audio site for
the player.

Now that this page is in place, thanks to my webmaster Lou Genco, I'll be
putting other interesting clips up there. So check it out from time to time.

Fred
[removed]

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

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 23:59:44 -0500
From: "William Schell" <bschell@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Allen's Final Show

I just listened to a tape of Fred Allen's final radio show aired 6-26-49.
The guests were Henry Morgan and Jack Benny.  A couple of times Fred
mentioned that it would be his last walk down Allen's Alley but not much
else was said about it being the last show.  It apparently went long as
there was nothing after the point where Jack Benny announces he is the
shister that owns the Mohawk Loan Company.  The next thing on the tape is ,
"This is NBC the National Broadcasting Network".   Does anyone know what we
missed?  Were there goodbyes, any cracks by Allen?
Bill
Magalia, Ca

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

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 00:00:52 -0500
From: JackBenny@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jack's song

Dan Hughes asked:

Just listened to the JB episode where Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra, Groucho
Marx, and George Burns do a riotously funny version of Jack's song If I
Say I Beg Your Pardon.  Does anyone know if Jack himself actually wrote
that song?

Sure did.  Jack sat down and wrote an intentionally bad song, and despite
many requests over the years, refused to publish it because it WAS so bad.  I
still get requests from people asking for the sheet music.

I long held a fantasy of going on the Tonight Show and playing Stump the Band
with "When You Say I Beg Your Pardon, Then I'll Come Back to You".  I can
just imagine Johnny's face if a 15-year-old girl came out with that gag (not
to
mention Fred deCordova's amusement).

--Laura Leff
President, IJBFC
[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 07:43:13 -0500
From: "Mark Kinsler" <kinsler33@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Youth Wants to Know

Was there was a radio or television show called "Youth Wants to Know?".
Google has nothing pertinent under that title, but I'm sure it existed.

Mark Kinsler
512 E Mulberry St. Lancaster, Ohio USA 43130 740-687-6368
[removed]~mkinsler1

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

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 07:43:51 -0500
From: "Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jack Benny's Song

Dan Hughes notes,

Just listened to the JB episode where Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra, Groucho
Marx, and George Burns do a riotously funny version of Jack's song If I
Say I Beg Your Pardon.

One of the interesting things about the song, which was really, "If You
Say 'I Beg Your Pardon,' Will I Come Back To You?" was that on one
program, a Mexican musical group guesting on the show started singing it
in Spanish.  It sounded really good that way!

Stephen A. Kallis, Jr.

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

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 12:05:20 -0500
From: "Kris Stone" <anaheim47@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Chicago OTR store

Unfortunately Metro Golden Memories has gone out of business for good.
Chuck Schaden was part owner of the store for sometime but sold his interest
a while back.

Having lived in Chicago, I spent a number of weekends browsing the store's
many offerings.  It is sad to know that Metro Golden Memories is no more.

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

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 12:06:10 -0500
From: Mike Sheets <msheets@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  cod liver oil

A great number of folks gave their children cod liver oil because they
"knew", or  "had heard", that it was good for them, or because they
themselves were given it as children.  Anecdotal evidence attributed
(and still attributes) marvelous powers to the stuff.  However, it was
known by the middle to late 1800's that cod liver oil prevented rickets,
a softening of the bones on children due to lack of vitamin D.  Since
milk is now fortified with vitamin D, rickets is rare in our country.
Interestingly enough, there evidence that children who take cod liver
oil have less problems with ear infections, etc.

What might be frightening to those of you who swallowed gallons of the
oil as kids and have sworn off of it as adults, is a report released
yesterday that seemingly confirms that cod liver oil  reduces the
problems associated with osteoarthritis,. Maybe Mom was right.  Luckily,
the "nasty" oil is available in gel caps now.  Bon appetite.

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2004 Issue #61
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