------------------------------
The Old-Time Radio Digest!
Volume 2008 : Issue 225
A Part of the [removed]!
[removed]
ISSN: 1533-9289
Today's Topics:
Royal Visit 1939 [ <georgewagner@[removed]; ]
I Love a Mystery [ "Sammy Jones" <sjones69@[removed] ]
Re: War Of The Worlds Script [ "Glenn P.," <C128User@[removed]; ]
MANC Summary [ "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@hotm ]
MANC report and young OTR fans [ "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed] ]
RE: Bill Johnstone as Chaplain Jim [ "Carter, Gay" <CarterG@[removed]; ]
"Mr. and Mrs. North" broadcast dates [ "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@juno. ]
"This is John W. Vandercook in New Y [ wa5pdk@[removed] (R L) ]
9-23 births/deaths [ Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed] ]
Re: Spike Jones and "Der Fuehrer's F [ Jordan Young <jordanyoung50@sbcglob ]
More on Der_Fuehrer's_Face [ Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed] ]
ILAM-TOV: missing episodes found? [ jhcollins@[removed] ]
South Florida radio, 1930s [ Philip Chavin <pchavin@[removed]; ]
More Shadow questions [ Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed]; ]
Another "Don't Know Much About Broad [ seandd@[removed] ]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:36:19 -0400
From: <georgewagner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Royal Visit 1939
The 1939 NBC broadcast of Barney Rapp and His Orchestra, originating
from Rapp's own supper club, The Sign of the Drum, in Norwood (Cincinnati),
Ohio (featuring a 15- or 16-year-old Doris Day) opens with a newsbreak
pertaining to the Royal Visit.
Sincerely,
George Wagner
georgewagner@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:36:26 -0400
From: "Sammy Jones" <sjones69@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: I Love a Mystery
Greetings mystery lovers,
If anyone has any I Love a Mystery shows in near first generation sound on
CD or reel to reel (no mp3s, please!) that they'd be willing to trade,
please contact me. I'm having a devil of a time finding these shows in good
sound, and I'd like to replace my nearly 15-year old cassettes. The CDs
recently put out by the Morse Estate are horrendous!
I have lots of OTR on CD direct from transcription discs (much of it
un-circulated).
Thanks, everybody,
Sammy Jones
Sjones69@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:37:23 -0400
From: "Glenn P.," <C128User@[removed];
To: "[The Old-Time Radio Mailing List]" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: Re: War Of The Worlds Script
On Sun., 21-Sep-2008, at 03:15:51am EDT (-0400 GMT),
"Mr. Michael Biel" <MBiel@[removed]; posted to
"[The Old-Time Radio Mailing List]" <[removed]@[removed];
under the subject of "War Of The Worlds Script":
Hey, any of you interested in a handy dandy way to get a copy
of the Mercury Theatre WotW script? It is [removed]
[removed]
I'm one of those hopeless schmucks who knows and loves every word and
every syllable of "The War Of The Worlds" Panic Broadcast by heart, and
can recite long passages of it from memory, so I know whereof I speak.
Almost the very first thing that Jumped Out at me as I read the transcript
given on the web page cited above, is that it really IS a *transcript*,
and not actually a *script*, at all! All other versions of the script I
have ever encountered were apparently the version originally written by
Howard Koch, and NOT what was actually read out over the air! THIS VERSION
IS THE REAL DEAL, FOLKS -- you can actually READ ALONG with the broadcast!
You'll find any errors and differences to be very few and very far between.
Just try a "read-along" like that with any OTHER version you are likely to
find, and you'll hear the difference VERY quickly indeed!
This version is so closely conforms to the actual broadcast that it's now
my standard version -- THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Mr. Biel,
for bringing it to my enraptured attention!!! :) :) :)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:37:31 -0400
From: "Martin Grams, Jr." <mmargrajr@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: MANC Summary
I want to thank everyone who was responsible for making the 3rd Annual
Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention a success this year. Too many to name but
every attendee, volunteer staff and vendor helped contribute.
Attendees came from Missouri, upstate New York, Canada, Florida, Ohio and
Texas among others.
The charity auction raised $801 for Johns Hopkins. While it did not come
close to the money we donated from last year's event, every little bit helps.
Items up on auction included Alan Young's biography (signed by Alan Young),
Radio Spirits donated a HUGE box of CD sets (courtesy of Mark Tepper -- thank
you Mark), VHS videos, commercial DVDs (many vendors donated including Fred
Berney), MP3 discs (courtesy of Neal Ellis), stage playbills signed by Larry
Storch (courtesy of Derek Tague), and even the actors submitted signed photos
already matted.
The events were wonderful. A "lost" Green Hornet drama was performed. Jim
Widner and I hosted a War of the Worlds presentation covering the various
inspirations and spoofs on film and radio inspired by the Welles broadcast.
Michael Hayde gave a wonderful presentation of Martin and Lewis. Paul
Adomites gave a baseball on radio presentation that was REALLY well received.
Mike Nevins gave presentations about Hopalong Cassidy and The Cisco Kid. Neal
Ellis gave one on Edward R. Murrow in broadcasting and another later in the
weekend about MP3s and how they can be encoded and cleaned up.
Neal also featured many of the presentations live over [removed] (many
thanks to Bill Bragg). Attendees and authors were given an opportunity to
talk about their subjects and fan faves over the air.
The Drive-In Movie Theater outside in the hotel parking lot was a HUGE
success so it will become an official yearly event every Friday night.
The attendance was about 135 people more than last year (estimated, we're
still working the numbers).
The Dinner Banquet had the most people we've ever had and together made it
the largest attendance ever at MANC. The Abbott and Costello imitators were
great.
Dates for next year's event are August 27, 28 and 29, 2009. It became
apparent before the close of the convention that people were booking rooms at
the hotel and the Red Roof Inn next door to guarantee their rooms and avoid
the issues some people suffered this year -- rooms were completely sold out
two months before this year's event. One person ended up sleeping in his car
and I was unaware of this until after the fact.
I will post photos of the 2008 event on the official convention web-site in a
few days at [removed]
Thanks to Michelle and Terry, the photos this year will REALLY give everyone
an idea of the variety of events that went on over the weekend.
Again, many thanks for all who helped make this year's event a success.
Martin Grams Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:37:49 -0400
From: "Holm, Chris " <[removed]@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: MANC report and young OTR fans
--- MANC report ---
I got back from the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention last night, and I
had a great time [for those of you wondering, I did make it back here to
Saginaw, MI in time for my softball game, which we promptly lost].
Martin and his people have done a great job yet again. MANC includes
all sorts of Nostalgia, not just OTR, but there was still a lot there
for the OTR fan to enjoy.
Neal Ellis was there broadcasting live on Yesterday USA, and was kind
enough to let Derek, Ken, and I play radio with him. Neal also did a
presentation on the MP3 format. Martin and Jim Widner did a
presentation about War of the Worlds, and how that show has been updated
and "re-done" from Buffalo to Chile. Don Ramlow directed a re-creation
of a Green Hornet episode that isn't in circulation, so this might be
the first time it's been heard by an audience in over 50 years. I got
to be the announcer, along with playing five different roles. At one
point, I even had a conversation with myself. That's really more roles
than I have voices, and I was definitely punching above my weight, but
it was all in fun and we had a great time presenting it.
I got to see a bunch of old friends, got to hang out with people who
share my crazy obsession, and even got to sing Happy Birthday to
wonder-publisher Ben Ohmart.
At the banquet on Saturday night, they had an Abbott and Costello act
who were spectacular. Not only did they have to routines down, but they
had the look, voices, and even gestures down. Really well done.
A ton of other stuff went on that weekend, which I'm sure other people
will talk about, but I wanted to focus on the OTR stuff [staying
on-topic over here boss!]. No doubt I've forgot to mention other OTR
stuff from this weekend.
I can strongly recommend that you find a way to MANC next year. When
other conventions seem to be winding down, it's exciting to be part of
one that's just getting started and growing like crazy.
--- young OTR fans ---
Since I've got back, I've been catching up on my digests. There's been
a thread on OTR fans and generational shift, and I just wanted to point
out that I noticed posts from Olivia (32), Peter (36), and Kristi (30).
I'm 34 myself. There is a good contingent of OTR fans my age. Plus
there are people like Martin Grams and Ben Ohmart who are of our
generation who have both done so much for OTR.
OTR fandom is, no doubt, a niche thing. But I'm optimistic that there's
a new generation ready to carry on.
-chris holm
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:38:18 -0400
From: "Carter, Gay" <CarterG@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: RE: Bill Johnstone as Chaplain Jim
From: vzeo0hfk@[removed]
Subject: Bill Johnstone as Chaplain Jim
The discussion about Bill Johnstone reminded me of a show in which
he starred during World War II called, "Chaplain Jim."
As much as I would enjoy thinking that Bill Johnstone had this program
to his credit, other sources do not confirm this. John Dunning's _On the
Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio_ lists two radio actors to play
Chaplain Jim--John Lund and Don McLaughlin. George Ansbro's memoir, _I
Have a Lady in the Balcony_ (McFarland, 2000) gives some information
about the series and names Don McLaughlin as the actor who played
Chaplain Jim.
Don McLaughlin went on to originate the role of Chris Hughes on TV's _As
the World Turns_, and Bill Johnstone was also an original cast member of
_As the World Turns_, originating the role of Judge Lowell, Hughes' law
partner. Perhaps this is the source of the confusion?
The _Chaplain Jim_ radio series was produced by the Hummerts, and Bill
Johnstone did work in many of their daytime series, but apparently not
this one.
Regards,
Gay E. Carter
CarterG@[removed]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:38:36 -0400
From: "kclarke5@[removed]" <kclarke5@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "Mr. and Mrs. North" broadcast dates
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative
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I recently received a couple of episodes of "Mr. and Mrs. North" in the
mail, and would like to get some broadcast dates on the particular episodes.
The episodes are "Cry Foul" and "Collector's Item". So far, all that I know
is that both episodes are from the early 1950's and both starred Barbara
Britton
and Richard Denning. Anything more specific would be appreciated.
A Big OTR Fan,
Kenneth Clarke
*** This message was altered by the server, and may not appear ***
*** as the sender intended. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:38:42 -0400
From: wa5pdk@[removed] (R L)
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: "This is John W. Vandercook in New York"
Does anybody have a link to a biography of Mr. Vandercook? I remember
listening to the news on NBC for years as he anchored. I was a teen-ager
and in those days a lot of us went around imitating the voices made
famous by radio. His voice was outstandingly dignified.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:39:09 -0400
From: Ronald Sayles <bogusotr@[removed];
To: Olde Tyme Radio Digest Digest <[removed]@[removed];
Subject: 9-23 births/deaths
September 23rd births
09-23-1884 - Bill Lawrence - East St. Louis, IL - d. 2-14-1973
producer, director: "Fitch Bandwagon"; "Screen Guild Theatre"
09-23-1889 - Don Bestor - Longford, SD - d. 1-13-1970
bandleader: "Nestle Program"; "Jack Benny Program"
09-23-1893 - Louis Sorin - NYC - d. 12-14-1961
actor: Pan Pancho "Cisco Kid"
09-23-1897 - Walter Pidgeon - East St. John, New Brunswick, Canada -
d. 9-25-1984
actor: "Hollywood Calling"; "Screen Guild Theatre"; "Lux Radio Theatre"
09-23-1901 - Frederick Hazlitt Brennan - d. 6-30-1962
writer: "Shorty Bell" based on Brennan's stories
09-23-1905 - Charlie Arlington - d. 1-9-1989
announcer: "Michael Shayne, Private Detective"; "Voyage of the
Scarlet Queen"
09-23-1907 - Jarmila Novatana - Prague, Czechoslovakia - d. 2-9-1994
lyric soprano: "The Pause that Refreshes"; "The Celanese Hour"
09-23-1907 - Rudd Weatherwax - Engel, Sierra County, NM - d. 2-25-1985
dog trainer: "Lassie"
09-23-1908 - Sammy Forsmark - Georgia - d. 8-21-1961
steel guitar: "The Radio Cowboys"
09-23-1908 - Sophie Sayles - Waukesha, WI - d. 6-3-1995
100th anniversary of my mother's birth
09-23-1908 - Tiny Bradshaw - Youngstown, OH - d. 11-26-1958
orchestra leader: "Jubilee"; "One Night Stand"
09-23-1910 - Elliott Roosevelt - NYC - d. 10-27-1990
commentary for the Mutual Network (Son of FDR) "Information Please"
09-23-1913 - Helen Hiett - Tazewell, IL - d. 8-22-1961
correspondent, newscaster: "Helen Hiett News"; "News Roundup"
09-23-1913 - Robert Hudson Ballard - Nyack, NY - d. 5-2-1992
violinist, arranger: "Phil Harris Orchestra"
09-23-1913 - Stanley Kramer - NYC - d. 2-19-2001
film director: "Jack Benny Program"; "Stagestruck"
09-23-1914 - Aileen Burke - d. 3-xx-1992
author: "Reflex Action"
09-23-1919 - Ruth Sprague - San Francisco, CA
actor: "I Love a Mystery"; "Death Valley Days"; "Dog Dramas"
09-23-1920 - Mickey Rooney - Brooklyn, NY
actor: Andy Hardy "Hardy Family"; Ralph J. 'Shorty' Bell "Shorty Bell"
09-23-1927 - Richard Seff - NYC
actor/writer: "Aldrich Family"; "Brighter Day"; "Road of Life"
09-23-1927 - Virginia McDowall - London, England - d. 12-8-2006
actor: "Family Theatre"; "NBC University Theatre"
September 23rd deaths
01-24-1881 - Earl Godwin - Washington, [removed] - d. 9-23-1956
newsman: "Watch the World Go By"
02-16-1914 - Jimmy Wakely - Mineola, AR - d. 9-23-1982
country singer: "All-Star Western Theatre"; "Hollywood Barn Dance"
02-27-1909 - Carl Frank - Weehawken, NJ - d. 9-23-1972
actor: Jerry Malone "Young Dr. Malone"; Bob Drake "Betty and Bob"
03-01-1869 - Edward Bell - near Terre Haute, IN - d. 9-23-1943
commentator WMAQ during the 1920s
03-30-1858 - DeWolf Hopper - NYC - d. 9-23-1935
host-narrator: (Husband of Hedda Hopper) "Roses and Drums"
04-05-1917 - Robert Bloch - Chicago, IL - d. 9-23-1994
writer: "Stay Tuned for Terror"
04-17-1910 - Ivan Goff - Perth, Australia - d. 9-23-1999
screenwriter: "Lux Radio Theatre"
04-19-1900 - George O'Brien - San Francisco, CA - d. 9-23-1985
actor: "Anchors Aweigh"
05-07-1890 - Billy House - Mankato, MN - d. 9-23-1961
actor, comedian: "Al Pearce and His Gang"; "The Laugh Liner"
06-20-1893 - Edwin Wolfe - d. 9-23-1983
actor: Curt Bradley "Pepper Young's Family"
07-16-1887 - Floyd Gibbons - Washington, [removed] - d. 9-23-1939
commentator: "Headline Hunter"; "World Adventures"; "Nash Program"
09-12-1894 - Billy Gilbert - Louisville, KY - d. 9-23-1971
actor: "NYA Varieties"; "Rudy Vallee Rehearsal"
10-19-1930 - Wally Flaherty - The Bronx, NY - d. 9-23-1998
host: "Open Line"
10-27-1918 - Bill Ballance - Peoria, IL - d. 9-23-2004
talk show host: "Feminine Forum"; "Bill Ballance Show"
12-28-1905 - Cliff Arquette - Toledo, OH - d. 9-23-1974
comedian, actor: Thaddeus Cornfelder, "Myrt and Marge"
12-28-1910 - Murray Burnett - d. 9-23-1997
writer: "True Detectives Mysteries"
Ron Sayles
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:43:23 -0400
From: Jordan Young <jordanyoung50@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Re: Spike Jones and "Der Fuehrer's Face"
I applaud Larry Moore's suggestion to history teachers, of playing
the Spike Jones recording of "Der Fuehrer's Face." I also ran the
Disney cartoon for my journalism class. It was worth it for the looks
of astonishment on their faces.
The Wikipedia entry for "Der Fuehrer's Face" Larry links to--and
questions--is more or less accurate. One of the errors (also repeated
in the website's article on Jones) is the original title of the
Disney cartoon: it was "Donald Duck in Axis Land," according to
Disney Archives, then "Donald Duck in Nutziland" before Disney
retitled it once more based on the strength of Jones' hit record. I
have corrected a lot of misinformation in the Wikipedia entries, but
I don't have time to police them.
For those of you fretting that we've wandered off topic here, it was
radio that made the Jones recording a smash--notably Martin Block on
New York's WNEW, who played it repeatedly as part of a campaign to
sell war bonds.
Jordan Young
"Spike Jones Off the Record"
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:44:30 -0400
From: Stephen A Kallis <skallisjr@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: More on Der_Fuehrer's_Face
Larro Moore suggests,
Teachers of history might consider playing
Spike Jones' "Der Fuehrer's Face". I think
that even for kids who didn't live during the
time of WW2 the song could be amusing
and get their attention.
"Der Fuehrer's Face" is the song that catapulted Spike Jones to national
stardom. Not as significant, but even more interesting to those of us
who did live through World War II is the Spike Jones variant of The
Ballad of Casey Jones. "Casey Jones," as it's titled, tells of Casey,
Jr., who was supposed to be trhe son of Casey Jones, and was in the song,
a bombardier on the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo.
What I find really interesting is that some Spike Jones songs are
suffiviently topical that a new listener can get completely lost. The
William Tell Overture still worls, but the modern listener might not know
who "Louis" is, and at the close of "Love In Bloom," the reference to
Super Suds wikll go completely by modern listeners.
Spike Jones is a nearly forgotten treasure.
Stephen AS. Kallis, Jr.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:45:00 -0400
From: jhcollins@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: ILAM-TOV: missing episodes found?
I recently acquired an old audio tape (reel-to-reel type), labeled as follows:
I LOVE A MYSTERY
TRACK 1: TEMPLE OF VAMPIRES Chapters 1-6 ("episode 1 probably
broadcast Jan 9, 1950")
TRACK 4: TEMPLE OF VAMPIRES Chapters 7, 11, 12, 14&15
TRACK 3: THE RICHARD'S CURSE Chapters 1, 2, & 4-8
TRACK 2: THE RICHARD'S CURSE Chapters 9 & 11-15
I assume the tape is mislabeled, since up to now TOV chapters 8 to 15
are supposed to be missing. Nevertheless, it should be checked. If
there really is new material here, it should be made freely available
to collectors. I don't have the right equipment to do this myself, so
I need to find a reputable collaborator (preferably within driving
distance of Baltimore, MD).
Suggestions anyone?
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:45:12 -0400
From: Philip Chavin <pchavin@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: South Florida radio, 1930s
The OTR publication described below might interest some of you:
On page 96 of "Miami: The Magic City" (by Bramson, 2007, Arcadia Publ.)
there's an illustration of the cover of The Radio Journal (for WIOD (NBC) and
WQAM (CBS)), Miami, Feb. 7, 1937 ([removed], [removed]). The caption says the issue
has 12 pages, ads, photos of radio people, and the program schedules of WIOD
and WQAM.
-- Phil C.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:45:38 -0400
From: Rick Keating <pkeating89@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: More Shadow questions
Thanks to those who answered my previous question about Bill Johnstone's
start date as a certain "wealthy young man-about-town." (and I see from
looking at _Tune in Yesterday_ this morning that I probably got the idea that
Welles left after "War of the Worlds" from that book. Until Dunning
published his updated encyclopedia, _On the Air_ (which doesn't repeat that
error) in 1998, I used _Tune in Yesterday_ as the primary reference in my OTR
database, and I've noticed that some inaccuracies remain.
Anyway, another question has come up from listening to more episodes on the
"Greatest Man of mystery CD set." The episode "Murder with Music", broadcast
in 1946, has an ad for Grove's Labs (specifically, Grove's Cold Pills); and
both _On the Air_ and Jerry Haendiges' log state that Grove's began
sponsorship in 1949. The episode appears to be a Mutual Don Lee broadcast
("Mind Over Murder", broadcast just shy of two months later, has the same
announcer, who identifies that episode as coming from Mutal Don Lee). That
would seem to suggest that Grove's Labs was a sponsor on the Don Lee network
back in 1946, even though it didn't sponsor the show in other parts of the
country until 1949. Is that correct? If so, how long did Grove's sponsorship
run on the Don Lee Network I like to make my database as accurate as
possible. Plus knowing sponsorship details can help me determine at least an
approximate date for an episode of a particular show if I obtain one that
doesn't give a date. Or if the date is wrong.
Rick
[removed] I don't have the database with me, but I recall a few _Shadow_ episodes
actually opened with "the weed of [removed]", which usually comes at the
close. Anyone know if that was tacked on at some point when OTR was being
commercially released because the original openings of the episodes in
question were missing or damaged? Or were those episodes broadcast that way
for some reason? Going from memory, I think those were Welles and/or early
Johnstone episodes.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:46:12 -0400
From: seandd@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Another "Don't Know Much About Broadcast
History" [removed]
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This time brought to you by our would-be vice president, who thinks President
Roosevelt was already in office in 1929 and doing television addresses.
[removed]
l?showall
As Stan Freberg once asked, "does anybody here remember radio?"Sean
DoughertySeanDD@[removed]
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*** as the sender intended. ***
--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2008 Issue #225
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