Subject: [removed] Digest V2002 #349
From: "OldRadio Mailing Lists" <[removed]@[removed];
Date: 9/7/2002 9:03 PM
To: <[removed]@[removed];

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


                            The Old-Time Radio Digest!
                              Volume 2002 : Issue 349
                         A Part of the [removed]!
                                 ISSN: 1533-9289


                                 Today's Topics:

  Another old-time broadcaster bites t  [ Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed] ]
  Re: Racial and Ethnic slurs           [ Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed]; ]
  Library of American Broadcasting      [ "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed] ]
  otr columns                           [ "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@neb. ]
  Amos and Andy & Newspaper             [ Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed] ]
  Today in radio history                [ Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed] ]
  Concentration Camps                   [ dantrigg422@[removed] ]
  Memories of Archie Andrews            [ "rcg" <revrcg@[removed]; ]
  "Simulated audience reaction"         [ "Richard Carpenter" <sinatra@raging ]
  Re: Speaking Of Feuds                 [ otrdsiegel@[removed] ]
  Italian talent show / Emilino Rica    [ "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed] ]
  If hope vs crosby wasnt a feud, then  [ Jer51473@[removed] ]
  Jim Harmon                            [ Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed]; ]
  Re: racial epithets                   [ John Mayer <mayer@[removed]; ]
  Feuds                                 [ "Arte" <arte@[removed]; ]

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

Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 23:57:20 -0400
From: Eric J Cooper <ejcooper2002@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Another old-time broadcaster bites the dust
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Many on the list will rtemember WEVD as the home of Yiddish radio drama
among other things

ABC Radio Goes Forward With [removed] Purchase
The company began operating the station via an LMA last September and at
the same time obtained the option to purchase 'EVD from the Forward
Association within two years for $78 million. Now ABC has exercised that
option in a cash deal brokered by Media Venture Partners. Last year's
agreement generated news headlines when several hundred people protested
the deal outside the offices of Forward, which had said it needed to
forego control of WEVD for financial concerns and to ensure the continued
operation of its Jewish weekly newspaper, Forward. Formerly News/Talk,
WEVD is now the New York flagship for ABC's syndicated ESPN Radio format
and becomes the company's fourth Gotham property.

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Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:37:58 -0400
From: Michael Biel <mbiel@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Racial and Ethnic slurs

Ron Sayles described his dislike of WW II era broadcasts containing the
ethnic slur "Jap" and remarked about the unfortunate internment on the
West coast of people of Japanese ancestory:  "They were not "Japs", they
were Japanese Americans who were loyal to this country."

That is quite true, but unfortunately in the eyes of many Americans of
that time, "a Jap is a Jap is a Jap".  We know now they were loyal
Americans--and it should have known then, too--but some believed that
"their cousins bombed our boys and they're just as guilty."

Rom continued:  "The least that should have come out of the herding of
the Japanese Americans into concentration camps was a lesson learned.
However, in light of what happened after the aftermath of 911 I am not
so sure."

Well, Ron, I AM sure.  Unfortunately there could be TWO lessons
learned.  One is the proper one that you and I believe: that the
internment was an unconstitutional tragedy.  But I bet that many
Americans at that time believed--and that some (including our Attorney
General) still believe--that the internment sure stopped them folks from
blowing up any more of our ships or our boys.

It's like the old joke about the travelling salesman who is out in
Kansas somewhere selling the Mayor another batch of elephant repellant.
"But there ARE no elephants out here in Kansas," says the Mayor.  "See
how effective this stuff is!!!" replies the salesman.  See how effective
the internment was, nobody bombed Los Angeles!!  Never mind that none of
the Japanese Americans that were interned had been planning to bomb Los
Angeles, but if they had, the internment stopped them.  Sure is dumb,
isn't it.

Ron continued: "Look at how the Arab Americans were, and still are being
persecuted. Well, at least they were not put in concentration camps."
--Ron Sayles

It's not for the lack of trying.  If they could, I'm sure that some in
the current administration would like to.

I've mentioned before that I consider the best broadcast ever done
during the OTR era is Norman Corwin's "We Hold These Truths".  It was a
gala celebration of the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the
Bill of Rights on Dec 14, 1941.  At one point Edward G. Robinson plays a
character in jail on a politically motivated trumped up charge, but he
declares that they're going to have to free him tommorrow because of his
rights!  I've played this program in my Broadcasting History classes for
30 years now, and every time I remind the class afterwards that probably
at the very moment this broadcast was taking place, there probably were
elements in the government figuring out a way cancel those rights as far
as Japanese Americans were concerned.  A few months ago I had a chance
to discuss this with Norman Corwin during his YesterdayUSA interview.
Yes, he had noted the unfortunate irony, and he likewise was upset with
what he was seeing in our current administration's attitudes towards our
constitutional rights during these post 9/11 days.

History might be repeating itself, and it is not for the lack of a
lesson learned.  A lesson has been learned--the wrong lesson.

Michael Biel  mbiel@[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:38:29 -0400
From: "Russ Butler" <oldradio@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Library of American Broadcasting

<<Michael Henry posted information about The [removed];

A special "thank you" to Mr. Henry for contributing his
announcement to tell us about the former Broadcast Pioneers Library (now The
LAB) at The University of Maryland.  Congratulations on a successful
expansion project with the new library space! Their newsletter, "The
Transmitter" is a terrific communication that will be of interest to
everyone on the list.  There is a clever "photo captioning writing" contest
in every issue usually about broadcasting and online at [removed]

Russ Butler  oldradio@[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:38:43 -0400
From: "Ryan Osentowski" <rosentowski@[removed];
To: "old time radio" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  otr columns

Hi all:
What a great piece of news that Harry Bartell will be giving us a column.
But whatever happened to Elizabeth?  I don't even know if she's on the
digest anymore, but she used to write a monthly column that I enjoyed very
much.  It would focus on one radio show and analyze it, whether it be a
positive or negative focus.  I haven't seen any new columns from her in a
couple of years.  Elizabeth, if your out there, please bring it back.
ryanO

"Post coinum omne animal triste."
Aristotle

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:39:09 -0400
From: Herb Harrison <herbop@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Amos and Andy & Newspaper

"George M. Kelly" <gkelly1@[removed]; wrote:

I am enclosing a quote from a letter to the editor in today's edition of
the local weekly newspaper. I am considering responding and need your
suggestions, especially Elizabeth's. ...

Why bother to respond?
If it's a local paper with a "general" readership, most readers won't know
what the writer of the original letter was talking about.
If it's a paper with a more specific audience, like an in-house retirement
community publication, you might just be adding fuel to the fire of a
political feud.

Herb Harrison

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:39:17 -0400
From: Joe Mackey <joemackey108@[removed];
To: otr-net <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Today in radio history

  Hopefully the cable tech's visit yesterday fixed my connection
problems.  Now, on with today in radio history.

  From Those Were The Days --

  9/6

1920 - The first prizefight broadcast on radio featured Jack Dempsey
knocking out Billy Miske in the third round of a bout in Benton Harbor,
MI, on WWJ in Detroit.
  Joe

--
Visit my home page:
[removed]~[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:39:51 -0400
From: dantrigg422@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Concentration Camps
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Just had to comment on Ron Sayles letter about racial slurs and concentration
camps. The racial slurs have been answered in digest#348, so I will address
the camps.
Japan and Germany had declared war on America. The public at first were
surprised and terrified, and paranoia was to be expected. The camps where the
Japanese were interned were just that internment camps. There was no barbed
wire, guard towers, electric fences, dogs, nor solitary confinement.
Execution was not an option for escape. Concentration camps have been written
about so many times and places that finding out what they were about should
be easy enough to do.

These were stressful times, and this country was at WAR! When your way of
life is threatened you do things you would not normally do. I would ask Ron
not to blame the times, but to go back in time. That is what OTR is about. To
many people are wanting to rewrite history as it is. Starting in 1776 this
has and I hope continue to be the greatest country the world has ever
seen,with all its, faults, mistakes, bumps and bruises.
If you are looking for a time in history when man was politically correct I'm
afraid you are going to be disappointed.

Sincerely,
Dan

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Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:40:24 -0400
From: "rcg" <revrcg@[removed];
To: <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Memories of Archie Andrews
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I'm so glad to see so many posts concerning the Archie Andrews show. It was,
by far, my favorite Saturday morning program and I awaited each weekly episode
with great anticipation. One of my most vivid recollections concerns the
period when the show was sponsored by Swift & Co. I loved hearing the kids in
the audience sing the Swifts Premium Franks theme. I always wondered if they
were rehearsed before air time. No matter, everything about the program
instills fond memories for me.

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Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:40:41 -0400
From: "Richard  Carpenter" <sinatra@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  "Simulated audience reaction"

   While listening to one of the hard-to-find Amos 'n' Andy Music Hall
shows, I got a kick out of the announcer's notation that the program used
"simulated audience reaction" -- in other words, canned laughter and
applause. My question: Were the programs required to disclose such
information? I think that disclosure tops "transcribed" or even "Here, by
proxy, is Police Chief Smithers."

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 09:40:49 -0400
From: otrdsiegel@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: Speaking Of Feuds

  For those members of the Digest who enjoy the subject of feuds during
Radio's Golden Age, I sugggest you research the feud between Walter Winchel
and Ben Bernie.
   Dave

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 10:07:50 -0400
From: "Ted Kneebone" <tkneebone1@[removed];
To: "Old Time Radio Digest" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Italian talent show / Emilino Rica

Anyone have any information or sounds from an Italian talent show of the
1930s hosted by
    Emilino Rica?
I have a friend who is writing a book about Italian immigrants in Lakawana,
New York.  I'll pass along any information our readers can supply.  Thanks.

Ted Kneebone/1528 S. Grant [removed], SD 57401/605-226-3344
OTR: [removed]

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 14:11:36 -0400
From: Jer51473@[removed]
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  If hope vs crosby wasnt a feud, then---

<PRE>was benny vs allen really a feud. I know we are playing with words here,
but
crosby and hope were friends, as we all know, but so were allen and benny.
Both "feuds" were all in fun. Nobody really took them seriously as we know it
was all show business. I say call the situations what you want, we all know
what you are talking about. On a more serious side, can anyone recall any
real or serious feuds that went on in the otr days whether it be radio,
movies, or early tv? I know there were some or rumors of some, but as i write
this post im trying to bring them to mind and i probably will remember one or
two as soon as i hit the "send now" key.

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 14:12:26 -0400
From: Jim Widner <jwidner@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Jim Harmon

jay ranellucci wonders:

Just listened to "How To" on X-1 from 4-3-56. Mention is made at end of
show that in this month's issue of Galaxy Magazine, is a story "Name Your
Symptom" by Jim Harmon. The [removed] Is this the same Jim Harmon who
wrote "The Great Radio Heroes"?

The very same, jay. Jim Harmon began publishing sf in 1954 with his story
"The Smuggler" which appeared in "Spaceway Science Fiction."  He has
written some good stories, but is not well known for his SF except mostly
in science fiction circles.

He was involved in radio production too thus the connection.

Jim Widner
jwidner@[removed]

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 14:13:14 -0400
From: John Mayer <mayer@[removed];
To: [removed]@[removed]
Subject:  Re: racial epithets

"Stephen A Kallis, Jr." <skallisjr@[removed]; points out:

In the 1940s, a lot of terms that are now considered slurs weren't then.

Stephen makes a good point. Not only have we gained a lot of insights in the
last century that our parents and grandparents did not have the benefit of,
people have become sensitive to words that were once not considered
offensive, and vice versa. In part this is a natural outgrowth of the growing
awareness of victimized groups as to their status in our society as opposed
to their possible attainments.

"Colored person" was once the polite term for a person of African ancestry.
"Black" was derogatory; some of us remember the book _Little Black Sambo_
being pulled from library shelves, mostly because of the word "black" in the
title. Sambo also became, and remains, an offensive term even though, as I
recall the book from my childhood, Sambo was an admirably courageous and
resourceful lad. Today "colored person" is offensive but "person of color" is
proper. I do some work with inner city black youth who freely use the "n"
word among themselves. Words are just sounds or symbols; it is the intended
or perceived intent of the user of the word that can be hurtful.

Not that their wasn't racism aplenty in the country, and certainly much of it
directed toward the Japanese and, no doubt, anyone of oriental derivation,
much as, shortly after the attack on the World Trade Towers, a vigilante of
unusual stupidiy shot to death a turban-wearing Sikh. In one of the Batman
serials the announcer (who, in my memory, sounded a lot like Walter Winchell)
intones, "Ever since a wise government rounded up our shifty-eyed [removed]"
But it was, indeed, very much like our current national endorsement of racial
profiling and our general intolerance for anything muslim. We have drawn the
line a little closer to our constitution, but, plainly, we as a nation learn
our lessons in very small increments.

BTW, let's dispense with the notion that racism in any of its forms was
restricted to the South. In an earlier digest Elizabeth McLeod mentioned that
"Allen received a ration of hate mail from the Deep South, condemning him for
'allowing a Negro [Joe Louis] to call him Fred on the radio.'" Elizabeth, you
are the last person on this list whose scholarship I would question, but are
you certain all the complaints came from the Deep South? By way of
illustrating how widespread racism was across the country: in 1929, I
believe, the largest Ku Klux Klan rally and march ever held took place in DC.
Hundreds of thousands of klanspersons showed up. Ninty percent of them were
from the North. And certainly the South had little direct control over the
racial stereotypes that appeared in magazines, syndicated comics, movies and
the radio.

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

Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2002 14:13:24 -0400
From: "Arte" <arte@[removed];
To: "OldRadio Mailing List" <[removed]@[removed];
Subject:  Feuds

Don't forget Walter Winchel & Ben Bernie. I don't know how
much of a "feud" it was, but they seldom missed a chance to
dig on each other.

Then there was, of course, Charlie McCarthy & [removed] Fields.
"Don't tell me I don't love you. I'll break every knot in
your body."

In the 1950's there was a feud between two morning DJs on
different Chicago stations. I do not remember their names or
the stations. (Maybe someone here knows.) My mother told me
about it some years later. I was too young to know about it
when it happened, besides we always listened to Howard
Miller in those days. I understand the "feud" got so hot
that many people in Chicago had two radios on in the
mornings so they wouldn't miss any of it. It went on for
several months, and when it was revealed that it was all
fake and put-on, listeners were furious at having been
deceived. Both DJs were fired.

At least this is the best I remember of what my mother
remembered. (A real second-hand memory.)

Arte
[removed]

--------------------------------
End of [removed] Digest V2002 Issue #349
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