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	  	         === Last Update 1/17/95  ====





	    [removed]   Volume 96 : Issue 242


Articles in this issue of [removed]:

	 Family Values
	 HISTORY OF KPFA
	 wholesomeness
	 Speaking as an oldster
	 Benny "a little late" closer
	 history of tape recording / tongue in cheek, etc.
	 Mutual recording over master tapes
	 Gielgud/Richardson Sherlock Holmes
	 Radio --> VCR
	 OTR performance July 13 by Generic Radio Workshop
	 CBS Radio Mystery Theatre
	 13 By Corwin
	 First [removed]
	 Radio Yesteryear

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 16:12:56 -0400
From: Bigkids@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Family Values
Message-ID: <960709161255_152184319@[removed]>

I think the "family values" promoted by OTR were the same family values
expressed by Norman Rockwell covers for the Saturday Evening Post. Everything
was swell and everybody was happy in this the greatest human society ever
contrived, and for heaven's sake don't rock the boat -- the American status
quo was just perfect!

In a way it [removed] if you were a happy, healthy, financially secure,
able-bodied, white, Protestant, heterosexual, middle-class American. It was
also a good idea to stick to your assigned role in life: Papa as breadwinner,
Mama as homemaker, Missy and Bub as good little apprentice adults in training
to take their own places as breadwinners and homemakers in later years.

But anyone who deviated from that norm -- and you'll note that most aspects
of the norm were NOT voluntary, but matters of birth and circumstance -- was
in trouble. Some deviations were less unacceptable than others. Catholics
were "almost" as good as Protestants. Jews were not "as good as" either. 

Asians were "almost" as good as whites, although of course there were odd
shifts. Before World War II, Chinese were hard-working coolies, Japanese were
cute little cultured miniature people. After Pearl Harbor, Chinese were
heroic suffering martyrs to peace and freedom; "Japs" or "Nips" were
snarling, subhuman beasts.

With the outbreak of the Cold War and the triumph of Mao Zedong over Chiang
Kai-shek, the Chinese became blue-coated Commie ants and the Japanese became
America's bulwark of freedom in the Far East.

As for [removed] Native [removed] gay [removed] disabled people, etc.,
[removed]

[removed] I could go on with many more examples but I won't.

I would certainly not blame OTR for creating all of the nasty stereotypes
(and "invisibilities") in the programs of that era. Broadcasters mainly
reflected the general attitudes of the American public.

As for hatemongering -- doesn't anybody out there remember Father Coughlin?
How about Fulton Lewis, Jr?

Hey, gang, I LOVE OTR -- don't get me wrong about this -- but let's not let
the golden haze that surrounds our childhood (or the borrowed childhoods of
our younger members) blind us to the flaws in those shows.

Dick Lupoff

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 16:20:04 -0400
From: Bigkids@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: HISTORY OF KPFA
Message-ID: <960709162002_152189888@[removed]>

i'm delighted to hear that John Whiting is working on a history of KPFA. I've
been at the station since 1977, although I did a few one-shot appearances
there in the early 70's. I don't think I ever crossed paths with John, but I
did work with Erik Bauersfelt until his [removed] and still run into him
occasionally in the post office or the grocery store.

At the moment there is no OTR on KPFA, which I mightily regret, but there is
an occasional "dramatic reading" or mini-production. The station was so
highly politicized for so many years, that once the Cold War ended it seemed
to lose its direction.

Nowadays it's a little less eclectic than it used to be, and is struggling to
establish a coherent "sound" and role for itself.

For anyone who can pick up the signal (KPFA at [removed] in the San Francisco Bay
Area or KFCF in Fresno) my show is the Thursday segment of "Cover to Cover."
We do a books-and-authors show from 3:00 to 3:30 PM. Except when we get
pre-empted for a fun-raiser, breaking news coverage, etc.

It ain't OTR but it's better'n nothing.

Dick Lupoff

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 17:02:08 -0500 (CDT)
From: Karen Warton <kwarton@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: wholesomeness
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

It is true that some OTR can be offensive to our sensibilities 
today--there is a lot of propaganda, ethnic humor, etc.  I was shocked to 
read that Jack Benny got a lot of protest mail when, in a sketch in which 
he and Rochester were sparring (preparing to box Fred Allen), Rochester 
knocked Jack out.  It never occurred to me (or to Jack, even at the time) 
that so many people would object, but apparently the [purely mental] 
image of a black man striking his white employer was too upsetting for 
many people.

That said, my husband and I (at the tender age of 29) love to take refuge 
in the world of radio, where the imagination is free, yet we can feel 
safe--despite the occasional un-PC remark, we never feel so offended that 
we want to turn it off (unlike most of today's TV and movies).

Karen Joy Warton
Dallas, Texas

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 18:09:35 -0400
From: Bruce Rudesill <lranger@[removed]>
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Speaking as an oldster
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Actually it sounds more like Steve Capsuto is trying to start something.
The problem isn't defining "family values" too narrowly, it's the same old
attempt to apply 90s values to a totally different era. Blacks accounted for
less than ten percent of the population, homosexuals then, as now, were
less than four percent, there were not hordes of illegitimate children
then, divorce was not a popular pastime and and Asians and Moslems were
not numerous. The simple answer is that it would have been economically
stupid for sponsers to aim progamming at such small portions of the
population. So they didn't. I may be guilty of "bandying about phrases"
here, but the facts remain the facts.

Why did Lux bother broadcasting Show Boat? Maybe the music had something
to do with it. I don't know if he appeared on the broadcast, but the film
certainly Paul Robeson a wonderful opportunity.

Radio did not write large groups out of existence, it merely ignored them.
There is a difference. Indians most certainly weren't ignored. Tonto was
around for three decades. Straight Arrow had his own show and today has a
very active fan club. Not bad for a program with only about five surviving
shows.

Radio most certainly did not pretend working women didn't exist. There was
a long running soap opera concerning a working woman, but someone other
than I will have to name her.

There's more than one downside to today's broadcasting freedom. And it's
not just hate mongers who broadcast "half-truths, lies and innuendo", we
have a president who does it all the time. We're also stuck with foul
language, promiscuous sex, gratuitous violence the repulsive specatacle
of homosexual marriage. All in all I'll take OTR. Or old movies. And yes,
even 50s TV family sit-coms. AT least then you didn't have to worry about
your five year old daughter hearing Ozzie and Harriet discussing oral sex.

As to the drivel accusation. Of course it existed then. However there are
a lot more shows remembered from then there will be TV shows from the 90s.
The same is true for the movies. People will still be watching "The Wizard
of Oz" long after Bruce Willis is nothing but an answer to a trivia quiz.

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 16:05:04 -0500
From: John Henley <jhenley@[removed]>
To: rspencer@[removed], otr@[removed]
Subject: Benny "a little late" closer
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Rob Spencer on Jack Benny rebroadcasts:
>I have noticed that at the end of every show he says
>something like, "Well, we're running a little late tonight, so goodnight." 
>Each week, exactly the same thing.  Does anyone know why?

I got several dozen truncated JB shows off FM several years ago.  They were
syndicated tapes that had been shorn of all commercials, all of Dennis'
songs, and every portion of the Sportsmen's spot that mentioned Lucky
Strike.  Also missing was each episode's closing, replaced by the canned
ending that Rob mentions:  Jack says "We're a little late, so goodnight
folks."  Followed by canned-seeming applause, and a canned announcement by
Don naming all the writers and Hilliard Marks.

After the Benny show ceased production in 1955, broadcasts continued for
several more years.  One of the versions was from, I think, around 1958,
retitled "Around the World - The Jack Benny Program" (why, I can't think)
and sponsored by the Hartford Insurance Co.  The openings and closings of
that version are canned - you hear the same one each time.  My suspicion is
that Jack recorded this closer in a studio, specifically for this
rebroadcast series, or another similar series.  If you listen closely, he
sounds rather old, and furthermore the sound quality of this little snippet
is much better than any "live" JB that I've heard.

Present-day syndicated versions of OTR that are otherwise complete are
often lacking the original closing spots, because they were so often filled
with "public service" messages, announcements of upcoming road appearances,
etc.

None of the shows I taped during that period, however, were anywhere near
as cut down as the JB Show.  The syndicated Phil Harris/Alice Faye lacked
the commercials, but other references to Rexall were left intact.  And the
show closers were almost all left intact, regardless of what's being said.



John Henley
jhenley@[removed]
ph  (512) 495-4112
fax (512) 495-4296

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 19:32:41 -0400
From: Platecap@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: history of tape recording / tongue in cheek, etc.
Message-ID: <960709193239_152343830@[removed]>

I've been enjoying the discussion on tape recorder history.
One of the contributors to one of my publications  (and OTR collector/writer
of past) Jerry Chapman researched that very topic and it has been worthwhile
to see a few more details filled in.   The hobby of collecting radio shows on
tape after all, may not have existed nor as many shows saved if these events
had not taken place at the time that they did.
____________________________________
In answer to Steven Capsuto's wondering about my motivation behind my
comments about family values on [removed]

> Are you just trying to start a lively discussion or are you 
> serious?  Or both?  (Sometimes it's hard to tell on line 
> without facial/vocal cues.)

Actually it it was a tongue in cheek response to the plug given by another
poster about Rush You-Know-Who <smirk>.  
There surely *was* plenty of trash on the radio in the 1940's in fact I've
gotten hate mail for pointing that out in other publications <slight grin>!

I don't know of any personality from OTR's heyday who has had quite the same
impact from doing what he does the way he does it, although I'm sure some of
you could name some renowned radio commentators from the 1940's who gained
great public acceptance ([removed]).  On one hand, you want to thank Rush for
helping to salvage AM radio which in the past delivered so many thousands of
great shows to us.  At the same time, he has taken his talent to entertain to
a level of preaching that some may take too seriously.  Strictly my opinion.
 Personally, I'd rather listen to 3 hours of continuous episodes of Yours
Truly, Johnny Dollar with Bob Bailey than to have a guy on the radio tell me
the President is holding the country hostage.  Maybe, maybe not.  No one said
the government is perfect but it's where we live.  Point is, we still have
the freedom to change stations or pop in a tape.  I choose the latter.  Our
lives are complicated and stressful enough and classic radio in the car is a
great way to lighten the load <big grin>.   Just my 32 cents [removed]
 <jingling change in pocket> (people like me who today actually work in the
trenches in radio without a big name usually have just that, but that's OK)
  -Bob Burnham; BRC Productions; Platecap@[removed]

  

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

Date: Tue, 09 Jul 1996 19:39:25 -0500
From: Steven Lewis <lewis@[removed]>
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: Mutual recording over master tapes
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Erik Smith lamented the onset of taping by noting that Mutual may have
erased its shows by reusing the master tape once a program was
broadcast. I cannot confirm Mutual's behavior, but I do know that
something similar happened in the era of transcription discs. Many of
Bing Crosby's early Kraft Music Halls through 1943 are missing,
apparently because during World War II NBC decided to clean out the
closets. Like a child using a microscope to crack rocks, many people in
the early days of radio did not appreciate the long-term value of their
work.

Steven Lewis
[removed]

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

Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 22:53:18 PST
From: passage@[removed] (Frank M Passage)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Gielgud/Richardson Sherlock Holmes
Message-ID: <[removed]@[removed]>

Hi All,

For all you Sherlock [removed]  I found a new 6-tape set of Sherlock
Holmes shows in my local bookstore.  It's called "Sherlock Holmes, A
Baker's Street Dozen" and is published by Soundelux Audio Publishing.
It features Sir John Gielgud as Holmes, Ralph Richardson as Watson
and Orsen Welles as Moriarty.  Mr. Welles only appears in "The Final 
Problem".  There are 12 shows:

Tape 1 - Side A: "The Blue Carbuncle"
         Side B: "The Yoxley Case"
Tape 2 - Side A: "The Norwood Builder"
         Side B: "The Solitary Bicyclist"
Tape 3 - Side A: "The Final Problem"
         Side B: "A Case of Identity"
Tape 4 - Side A: "Six Napoleans"
         Side B: "Rare Disease"
Tape 5 - Side A: "The Mystery of the Second Stain"
         Side B: "The Speckled Band"
Tape 6 - Side A: "The Blackmailer"
         Side B: "A Scandal in Bohemia"

When I got it home and opened the package, I discovered the tapes
were marked "The Mind's Eye".  Since I don't have their current catalog,
I couldn't check if it's in there.  Their number is (800) 227-2020.
I paid $[removed] plus tax, although the list price was $[removed]

Audio quality is quite good and the shows are quite well done.  Music 
bridges besides Holmes violin playing, are the same as found in THE LIVES
OF HARRY LIME (THE THIRD MAN).  There is mention in the credits of most 
shows that the shows was produced by Harry Allen Towers.

There was no mention of broadcast dates but Jay Hickerson lists them as
1955 shows in his Sherlock Holmes log.  This was a short series with only
16 shows (not including dups), so these 12 represent a large portion of
the full run.  The odd thing is that no where on or in the box of tapes
was there a mention of it being from a radio show.

I started putting together a log but, surprisingly, there are very few
vendors that carry the Gilegud/Richardson shows.  In fact, I only found
a few in the Vinage catalog.  It's possible that the shows are listed as
"BBC Sherlock Holmes" with not credit given to actors.

For those needing a Sherlock Holmes fix, it's interesting to compare
these 
to the Rathbone/Bruce "New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" shows.

Frank

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

Date: Tue, 09 Jul 1996 20:17:09 -0400
From: Frank_Mallory@[removed] (Frank Mallory)
To: "otr@[removed]"@[removed]
Subject: Radio --> VCR
Message-ID: <MSGID_1=3A109=[removed]@[removed]>

This was discussed some time ago, but I wasn't paying attention; however, now I
have a spare VCR and I would like to set it up to record The Big Broadcast and
other OTR programs off the air (via my radio).

Can I simply make up a cable to go from the earphone jack on the radio to the
Audio In jack on the VCR, or is there something more to it?

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

Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 21:19:22 -0500
From: "Julie Barrett" <barrett@[removed]>
To: <otr@[removed]>
Subject: OTR performance July 13 by Generic Radio Workshop
Message-Id: <m0udotC-000FdHC@[removed]>

I thought some of you might be interested in a OTR performance this
Saturday, July 13. I belong to a group called The Generic Radio Worksop,
and we do OTR performances every once in a while. This weekend we're going
to be doing a mystery convention in Dallas. If any of you happen to be
attending, please do come listen to the performance and stop by and say,
"hi." Details follow. 

DALLAS—Live old-time radio performance returns to Dallas this Saturday,
July 13 at Cluefest '96. This year The Generic Radio Workshop will present
a re-creation of "The Horla" as originally broadcast on the classic radio
show "Inner Sanctum" in May 1941.

This year's cast features local vocal talents Gregg Loso as Martin, a
concert pianist possessed by a vampire-like creature, and Patti Heider as
his wife Helen. Producing for the GRW will be Larry Groebe, with Julie
Barrett directing and Paul Barrett on sound effects.

The performance is part of Cluefest '96, a mystery convention being held
at the Harvey Hotel on 14315 Midway Road in Dallas. Guests of Honor at the
convention will be Carolyn G. Hart and Robert Crais, and a host of mystery
writers and aficionados from across the nation will be in attendance. 

"Inner Sanctum" was one of the Golden Age of radio's all-time classic
horror shows. Even today, its trademark "squeaking door" opening theme is
instantly recognizable. The episode entitled "The Horla" is a loose
adaptation of a short story by Guy deMaupassant, and proved such fertile
material that it was re-made into an episode of "Mystery In the Air" in
1947, and "CBS Mystery Theater" in 1974.

The Generic Radio Workshop has produced re-creations of old-time radio and
original radio dramas since 1992. Before forming GRW, the group produced
programs for the National Museum of Communications, including a 50th
anniversary re-creation of "War of the Worlds" in 1988. GRW is dedicated
to preserving the art of radio drama.

For more information on The Generic Radio Workshop, contact Larry Groebe
at lgroebe@[removed] or Julie Barrett at barrett@[removed] For more
information on Cluefest '96, call (214)437-4337.

--30--

Thanks!

Julie Barrett
-- 
Visit Stately Barrett Manor
[removed]

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

Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 01:55:17, -0500
From: DAVE@[removed] ( DAVID ALLAN   BOUCHER)
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: CBS Radio Mystery Theatre
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

> I am desperately looking for copies or transcripts of this program
from
> the 70's. 

Hi Gene!

While the CBSMT isn't available commercially (legally, that [removed]) You
still might find some copies here and there.  It appears that [removed]
Marshall has retained the rights with the hope of bringing them back
someday to the airwaves.  I have seen a few collectors who are willing
to swap or sell.  They have copies that were tapes directley off the
radio from a CBS affiliate.  

There is a collector in the Boston area who has lots of CBSMT
[removed] don't you drop him a note letting him know what you're
looking [removed]'s a good guy to deal with.  Here's his name/address:

Mel Simons
635 Weld Street
W. Roxbury, Massachusetts,  02132

Good Luck!  [removed] *LOVED* the CBS MT as well!

Dave in Boston  (E-Mail: Dave@[removed])

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

Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 02:14:06, -0500
From: DFEQ02A@[removed] (MR JOSEPH   ANDOLINA JR)
To: OTR@[removed]
Subject: 13 By Corwin
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

To anyone in the Seattle Wa area,  just to let you know that NPR 
radio station KUOW-FM [removed] will be airing "13 BY Corwin" starting 
this Wed nite 7/10  at 10:30PM.  They just finished up an encoure run 
of "Star Wars" & "The Empire Strikes Back".  I'll be trying to catch 
all of the 13 by Corwin on tape by recording them to my HiFi VCR by 
setting the timer and transfer them to reel.  If I suceed at my 
mission, I'll post the news to this Newsletter in case any of you 
wanted a complete set but missed catching all of them.  If I don't 
suceed, then maybe we all can compare which titles we all do or don't 
have.  

Joe

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

Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 02:45:34 -0400
From: Lynchmob17@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject: First [removed]
Message-ID: <960710024532_354291322@[removed]>

I still haven't gotten any response to my Falcon question.  Does 
anyone have the answer?  Also, can anyone tell me where I can
find out what will be on "When Radio Was"?  I'd like to know so
I can know whether to tape it or not.  Thanks.

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

Date: 10 Jul 96 10:47:00 -0400
From: amo@[removed]
To: otr@[removed]
Subject: Radio Yesteryear
Message-Id: <[removed]@[removed]>

Had some time last night as I catalogued some OTR shows,
so thought I'd turn my satellite dish to Radio Yesteryear
and listen to what was on.  As I've found many times before,
they were playing some old country/western music.  Does the station 
publish a list SOMEWHERE of what is on and when?  I have yet to 
find any OTR show broadcast when I've tuned in!!!  It always
seems to be old country/western music!!!  Maybe I should
just plug a VCR tape into my machine and let it run all
night or all day??

Would be happy to find listings or a posting [removed]
on a web site, an internet address or the OTR digest.

Arlene Osborne amosborne@[removed]

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

    


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---- 
End of [removed] Digest V96 Issue #242

