+ Added another post to The Crazy World of Vic and Sade.
+ Added 2 new posts to Peabody's Peabrain.
+ Did quite a bit of research today but was thrown off track a bit by some baseball news...
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Couple of more odd-ball adverts (heh)
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| AT H O M E -- " REMEMBER, PEOPLE MUST EAT" |
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| Kills rabbits, squirrels...little brothers |
A dozen more of my favorite Suspense episodes
Add these to your list of Suspense episodes not to miss!
Nightmare 9-1-49
I've never really thought much about Gregory Peck's acting ability. He stars in this fantastic story - one you don't want to miss. A child is run over by a hit and run driver and the father of the boy wants revenge.
Nobody Ever Quits 3-8-55
An ex-criminal from back East has made a new life for himself and his expecting wife. Life is good until his ex-boss shows up. One of the best endings for a Suspense episode ever and perhaps the best Suspense episode after 1953.
The Giant of Thermopylae 5-3-54
Interesting story about a man who seeks revenge for a brawl the night before and finds himself fighting a giant and perhaps accused of murder to boot.
Dead Ernest 8-8-46
A man with a very rare medical condition dies. Or maybe not. An excellent story - very well done.
Smiley 8-17-47
A strange, feebleminded but pleasant fellow is wrongly accused of harming a girl and he goes to prison for it.; after he gets out, he hates women.
Chicken Feed 9-8-49
A man is a need of a nickel. A very exciting tale starring Ray Milland, one of my favorite actors.
The Man Who Couldn't Lose 12-12-47
A man who commits murder suddenly finds himself to be the luckiest man in the world - will it last?
Three O'Clock 12-12-56
A man seeks revenge for his wife cheating on him, so he sets a bomb in the house - sounds like a great plan until he gets trapped there himself!
Lunch Kit 6-9-49
Similar to the story above - a worker plans on blowing up a factory but upon trying to leave, he keeps getting delayed. Gripping.
Mission Completed 12-1-49
Jimmy Stewart stars as a paralyzed veteran who lies in bed trying to find a way to exact revenge on his former Japanese captor. This is radio at it's finest!
Rave Notice 10-12-50
Milton Berle proves he can act. On Broadway, he's replaced and he kills the show's director and then must act insane in order not to get the electric chair.
The Crowd 9-21-50
A killer strikes then taunts the police. Dana Andrews plays a police chief who tries to stop him.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Nightmare 9-1-49
I've never really thought much about Gregory Peck's acting ability. He stars in this fantastic story - one you don't want to miss. A child is run over by a hit and run driver and the father of the boy wants revenge.
Nobody Ever Quits 3-8-55
An ex-criminal from back East has made a new life for himself and his expecting wife. Life is good until his ex-boss shows up. One of the best endings for a Suspense episode ever and perhaps the best Suspense episode after 1953.
The Giant of Thermopylae 5-3-54
Interesting story about a man who seeks revenge for a brawl the night before and finds himself fighting a giant and perhaps accused of murder to boot.
Dead Ernest 8-8-46
A man with a very rare medical condition dies. Or maybe not. An excellent story - very well done.
Smiley 8-17-47
A strange, feebleminded but pleasant fellow is wrongly accused of harming a girl and he goes to prison for it.; after he gets out, he hates women.
Chicken Feed 9-8-49
A man is a need of a nickel. A very exciting tale starring Ray Milland, one of my favorite actors.
The Man Who Couldn't Lose 12-12-47
A man who commits murder suddenly finds himself to be the luckiest man in the world - will it last?
Three O'Clock 12-12-56
A man seeks revenge for his wife cheating on him, so he sets a bomb in the house - sounds like a great plan until he gets trapped there himself!
Lunch Kit 6-9-49
Similar to the story above - a worker plans on blowing up a factory but upon trying to leave, he keeps getting delayed. Gripping.
Mission Completed 12-1-49
Jimmy Stewart stars as a paralyzed veteran who lies in bed trying to find a way to exact revenge on his former Japanese captor. This is radio at it's finest!
Rave Notice 10-12-50
Milton Berle proves he can act. On Broadway, he's replaced and he kills the show's director and then must act insane in order not to get the electric chair.
The Crowd 9-21-50
A killer strikes then taunts the police. Dana Andrews plays a police chief who tries to stop him.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
More than 100 ads..
As you can see, did a slight change in the appearance of the OTR Buffet - hope you like it.
And I've added way more than 100 ads to OTR Advertisements today - probably in the range of 150. And I did so much work there the last 2 days, I am thinking about going on another hunt for ads pretty soon, which I really enjoy doing (if Google will cooperate.)
©Jimbo 2010/2011
And I've added way more than 100 ads to OTR Advertisements today - probably in the range of 150. And I did so much work there the last 2 days, I am thinking about going on another hunt for ads pretty soon, which I really enjoy doing (if Google will cooperate.)
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Progress - July 30
+ Touched up the Peabody's Peabrain site to make it look a little better and then added 2 more posts to it.
+ Added Radio's intimate public: Network broadcasting and mass-mediated democracy to OTR Books.
+ Added these words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
+ Continuing work on OTR Ads, Billboard OTR and other things. If something significant gets accomplished. I'll let you know.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
+ Added Radio's intimate public: Network broadcasting and mass-mediated democracy to OTR Books.
+ Added these words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
- flower
grese
potaters
rise
spinitch
spoil
taters
+ Continuing work on OTR Ads, Billboard OTR and other things. If something significant gets accomplished. I'll let you know.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Ten supporting characters who were superb
10. Emmy Lou - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Emmy Lou was played by Janet Waldo (who was also the star of Corliss Archer.) She did such an excellent job of playing a tiny part - that I simply had to mention her.
She played a bobby-soxer teen who seemed to have a crush on Ozzie and would often wail, "Ewwwwwwwwwwww!" - but in a nice, giddy way, not the "bad sour cream" way.
9. Raymond Johnson - Inner Sanctum
Raymond was the host of Inner Sanctum but was just as much a part of the show as the actors himself.
His humor was pure corn but it was delivered in such a way that remains memorable even if you have listened to the show just once.
8. Old Timer - Fibber McGee and Molly
Bill Thompson (who played several parts on Fibber McGee and Molly) made the Old Timer such a phenomenal character that his expression, "But that ain't the way I heerd it." became a national catch phrase during the second World War.
A near-deaf fellow with a propensity for telling jokes and ribbing Fibber week after week, put him on this list.
7. Chester Proudfoot - Gunsmoke
Chester (Parley Baer) seemed to fit in so seemlessly into Gunsmoke that he hardly seems to be there at all sometimes. But he was there - and this why he's on the list.
6. Miss Duffy - Duffy's Tavern
There were lots of Miss Duffys... but only one really stands out to me. As I wrote the other day: I really like the acting of Sandra Gould. Who's she, you ask? She played Miss Duffy on Duffy's Tavern from 1944-48; you may know her better as "the 2nd Gladys Kravitz" on the TV show, Bewitched. To me, she is perfect for the part of Miss Duffy.
Her accent seemed perfect and she delivered her lines flawlessly week after week.
If not for some stiff competition, she would rank even higher on this list.
5. Rush - Vic and Sade
Bill Idelson (who later became a writer for television) wasn't the star but by George, his performances easily stand out over the length and breadth of the entire series.
4. Perry White - The Adventures of Superman
Julian Noa created the character of Perry White and made him real. The character he created was later added into the comics and the various motion pictures and television for the Superman franchise.
While White wasn't on but perhaps a fifth or less of the radio shows, the character was done with such uniqueness that he remains the stereotypical newspaper editor.
3, Dr. Watson - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The episodes that Nigel Bruce took on the role of Watson were so good that when Basil Rathbone (the "preferred" Holmes) left and John Conway took over that role, the show really never seems to skip a beat because Bruce was the anchor in which the show remained steady.
2. Gillis/Digby O'Dell - The Life of Riley
John Brown played both characters and played them so well and so differently that the uninformed would never know they were the same person.
Each character was so completely different and played such a vital part in the show that Brown probably deserves special recognition.
1. Leroy - Great Gildersleeve
Walter Tetley's role of Leroy is superior to all other supporting character roles on radio to me. Not only was he a very good actor - he was very funny. His delivery was second-to-none (aside from the likes of Orson Welles and Helen Hayes.)
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Emmy Lou was played by Janet Waldo (who was also the star of Corliss Archer.) She did such an excellent job of playing a tiny part - that I simply had to mention her.
She played a bobby-soxer teen who seemed to have a crush on Ozzie and would often wail, "Ewwwwwwwwwwww!" - but in a nice, giddy way, not the "bad sour cream" way.
9. Raymond Johnson - Inner Sanctum
Raymond was the host of Inner Sanctum but was just as much a part of the show as the actors himself.
His humor was pure corn but it was delivered in such a way that remains memorable even if you have listened to the show just once.
8. Old Timer - Fibber McGee and Molly
Bill Thompson (who played several parts on Fibber McGee and Molly) made the Old Timer such a phenomenal character that his expression, "But that ain't the way I heerd it." became a national catch phrase during the second World War.
A near-deaf fellow with a propensity for telling jokes and ribbing Fibber week after week, put him on this list.
7. Chester Proudfoot - Gunsmoke
Chester (Parley Baer) seemed to fit in so seemlessly into Gunsmoke that he hardly seems to be there at all sometimes. But he was there - and this why he's on the list.
6. Miss Duffy - Duffy's Tavern
There were lots of Miss Duffys... but only one really stands out to me. As I wrote the other day: I really like the acting of Sandra Gould. Who's she, you ask? She played Miss Duffy on Duffy's Tavern from 1944-48; you may know her better as "the 2nd Gladys Kravitz" on the TV show, Bewitched. To me, she is perfect for the part of Miss Duffy.
Her accent seemed perfect and she delivered her lines flawlessly week after week.
If not for some stiff competition, she would rank even higher on this list.
5. Rush - Vic and Sade
Bill Idelson (who later became a writer for television) wasn't the star but by George, his performances easily stand out over the length and breadth of the entire series.
4. Perry White - The Adventures of Superman
Julian Noa created the character of Perry White and made him real. The character he created was later added into the comics and the various motion pictures and television for the Superman franchise.
While White wasn't on but perhaps a fifth or less of the radio shows, the character was done with such uniqueness that he remains the stereotypical newspaper editor.
3, Dr. Watson - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The episodes that Nigel Bruce took on the role of Watson were so good that when Basil Rathbone (the "preferred" Holmes) left and John Conway took over that role, the show really never seems to skip a beat because Bruce was the anchor in which the show remained steady.
2. Gillis/Digby O'Dell - The Life of Riley
John Brown played both characters and played them so well and so differently that the uninformed would never know they were the same person.
Each character was so completely different and played such a vital part in the show that Brown probably deserves special recognition.
1. Leroy - Great Gildersleeve
Walter Tetley's role of Leroy is superior to all other supporting character roles on radio to me. Not only was he a very good actor - he was very funny. His delivery was second-to-none (aside from the likes of Orson Welles and Helen Hayes.)
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Fresh out of stuff to post!
Just wanted to tell you people that I have hit a lull where I can find nothing much to post.
I've been busy in other parts of the "hands" of this blog but as of right now, I have nothing to post here. I hope that will change shortly.
Please keep checking back and when I have something, I'll certainly post it.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
I've been busy in other parts of the "hands" of this blog but as of right now, I have nothing to post here. I hope that will change shortly.
Please keep checking back and when I have something, I'll certainly post it.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Progress - July 29 part I
+ Completed an episode of Vic and Sade over at The Crazy World of Vic and Sade.
+ Added these words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
+ Added four new posts to Peabody's Peabrain.
+ Yesterday: Added a bunch of advertisements to OTR Advertisements - I plan on adding a bunch today as well. Added a post to The Crazy World of Vic and Sade. Added one new word to the Lum and Abner Dictionary; still working on Billboard OTR Reviews as well.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
+ Added these words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
- awettin
carbon boxide
catched
chauff
commissions
desperadios
Dion Quartet
doonjuns
duct
expounding
foolishest
geography
hesiltate
kidnippers
linkwet
magined
misput
nappers
narrie
numskills
Paul Reveres
prioters
reading
resolute
responsible
Rotary
sequin
shaller
somersts
sortment
Sudan
tickle
Tuscan
vaporated
vizon
+ Added four new posts to Peabody's Peabrain.
+ Yesterday: Added a bunch of advertisements to OTR Advertisements - I plan on adding a bunch today as well. Added a post to The Crazy World of Vic and Sade. Added one new word to the Lum and Abner Dictionary; still working on Billboard OTR Reviews as well.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Teeny tiny hodge-podge
Here's a tiny tidbit for you: While listening to multiple episodes of the 21st Precinct the past week or so, I realized that the last call to the Muster Room of each episode is actually about the next episode...
I've probably said this before but as time goes on I really like the acting of Sandra Gould. Who's she, you ask? She played Miss Duffy on Duffy's Tavern from 1944-48; you may know her better as "the 2nd Gladys Kravitz" on the TV show, Bewitched. To me, she is perfect for the part of Miss Duffy.
And the more I listen to Duffy's Tavern, I realize the show had some good writing behind it, even though literally dozens of different writers were employed to work on the script week after week.
I don't have a lot to say today - although I did until there were 5 people plus me over at the house today using up all the internet juice and I couldn't get anything done. After a while of trying, I gave up the ghost, so to speak.
Working on finishing Billboard for 1950-51. There aren't that many of them. And though I haven't looked, I think there are very, very few in there after 1951, which means I could be finished with the Billboard site pretty soon.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
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| Sandra Gould |
And the more I listen to Duffy's Tavern, I realize the show had some good writing behind it, even though literally dozens of different writers were employed to work on the script week after week.
I don't have a lot to say today - although I did until there were 5 people plus me over at the house today using up all the internet juice and I couldn't get anything done. After a while of trying, I gave up the ghost, so to speak.
Working on finishing Billboard for 1950-51. There aren't that many of them. And though I haven't looked, I think there are very, very few in there after 1951, which means I could be finished with the Billboard site pretty soon.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Stuff I'd buy if I was a millionaire [#49]
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| Charlie Weaver |
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| Verna Felton |
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| Joseph Kerns |
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| George Fenneman |
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| William Conrad |
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| Dennis Day |
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| William Waterman |
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| Gertrude Berg |
Review: Dangerous Assignment
Brian Donlevy played Steve Mitchell, some kind of agent for some kind of unnamed American government-run crime-stopping unit.
The program would always start the same way. Mitchell would be minding his own business (say, dancing with a beautiful blonde in Miami) when he would receive a message that he must report to headquarters right away.
Once at headquarters, his boss would cram a normal three-minute soliloquy into 45 seconds and off Steve would be on an airplane to some exotic part of the world. There he would face sabotage, traitors, killers and beautiful but dangerous women.
As rapid as the show's opening was (by the way, including the show's theme song, which featured stabbing horns and a quick beat) the show would almost ground to a halt when the "action" began. That's good because the break-neck pace at the beginning would be impossible to follow all the way through.
The stories were all very similar. Go find the missing agent; go do this and go do that. None of it mattered - the show sounds the same every time you listen to it. Yes, the locations are different and the supporting characters are different -- but it's the same push-shove beginning and always a predictable story. The only thing unpredictable is who is good and who is bad. Though the show sets up the sides they are never as they appear.
The good thing about all of this is there are over 100 episodes available and most every one I have heard has sound that is above average. This is an early 1950's show and like most shows in the 1950's, it still sound great. The show, though predictable - and I might add that Donlevy is not a very good actor in my opinion - is not horrible. It's an adequate and harmless time-killer/filler if nothing else. For these facts alone I'll give it two and a half stars.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Once at headquarters, his boss would cram a normal three-minute soliloquy into 45 seconds and off Steve would be on an airplane to some exotic part of the world. There he would face sabotage, traitors, killers and beautiful but dangerous women.
As rapid as the show's opening was (by the way, including the show's theme song, which featured stabbing horns and a quick beat) the show would almost ground to a halt when the "action" began. That's good because the break-neck pace at the beginning would be impossible to follow all the way through.
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| Brian Donlevy |
The good thing about all of this is there are over 100 episodes available and most every one I have heard has sound that is above average. This is an early 1950's show and like most shows in the 1950's, it still sound great. The show, though predictable - and I might add that Donlevy is not a very good actor in my opinion - is not horrible. It's an adequate and harmless time-killer/filler if nothing else. For these facts alone I'll give it two and a half stars.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
More words for the L&A Dictionary
Added these words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
clubhouse
clusive
contract bridge
deebue
freshments
scarecrow
©Jimbo 2010/2011
clubhouse
clusive
contract bridge
deebue
freshments
scarecrow
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Progress - July 26
+ Finished an episode of Vic and Sade for The Crazy World of Vic and Sade blog.
+ Added the following words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
+ Added Quiz Kids (1950) to OTR Casts.
+ Working on Billboard...
©Jimbo 2010/2011
+ Added the following words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
- anchoves
Arizony
banket
cavyar
grubs
porn
sangin
sheeps
Toasted Master
+ Added Quiz Kids (1950) to OTR Casts.
+ Working on Billboard...
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Incroporating commercials into the storyline
You may remember I asked guest interviewee Lee Shackleford a while back if Fibber McGee and Molly were the first to incoporate commercials as part of the storyline of the show.
Well, still no definitive answer but there is this from December of 1935 (Milwaukee Journal):
Well, still no definitive answer but there is this from December of 1935 (Milwaukee Journal):
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| ©Jimbo 2010/2011 |
Cool photo dump
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| Mercedes McCambridge (1936) |
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| Orson Welles on the right |
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| J-J-Jimmy Stewart |
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| Red! |
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| Agnes Moorehead (1935) |
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| 1935 |
This has nothing to with OTR but...
I had to share this as I found it looking for something to post on the blog (this is a barren time, sad to say.)
Anyway, check out the confusing headline and unusual story:
My way of thinking was (after reading the headline) that the child actually "turned" the car into a tree - like a magician! Am I the only one who thinks this way?
Anyway, check out the confusing headline and unusual story:
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| Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 3 1940 |
Monday, July 25, 2011
Information Please; An interview with Tony Baechler
It's my pleasure to have Tony Baechler on the Buffet today talking about one of our favorite shows, Information Please.
OTR BUFFET: Tony, thanks for doing this interview with me. Can you tell us about the website you run?
Tony Baechler: Thanks very much for having me. I feel honored to be in such great company as Ian, Jim and Randy. I have great respect for them and what they're doing for the hobby. I'm constantly amazed at their generosity. I was really hoping to be interviewed and am thrilled to finally get the chance.
Actually, I'm working on several different sites, so I'm not 100% sure which site you mean. I'll start off with the podcast first as I assume that's the one in which your readers are most interested.
Back in 2009, I decided that I wanted to start a podcast. I had hopes of being in radio one of these days, but I realized that with modern radio being the way it is, it would probably never happen. At the time, I really missed the great shows done by John and Larry Gassman. They are among my OTR heroes and I really hope to start a Gassman fan club one of these days. Jerry Haendiges did an excellent job filling in, but it just wasn't the same. Anyway, I realized that I could potentially reach a much wider audience online with a podcast, so I started one called CARE, or Classic Adventures in Radio Entertainment. It only lasted a few episodes and I had no idea what I was doing. I had to quit due to many factors, not the least of which was that I couldn't keep to a weekly schedule. I still have all of the old episodes and plan on releasing them soon.
Let's move ahead two years to January, 2011. I had been pushing OTRR to start a podcast for a long time, but no one seemed interested in doing it. I wanted to, but I had some concerns, like not getting enough new shows. Jim Beshires has been very generous in this regard, sending me several DVDs, so that was settled. I had other issues, like my ongoing health problems, but I finally decided to go ahead and do it myself. Therefore, in March, I launched Radio's Best Years. It's at the exact same site as my old effort, but I think it's much better. A really nice guy by the name of Jimbo Mason did an incredible job redesigning it. I have no web design ability to speak of, so that was much appreciated. If you don't believe me, just look at my other sites. :-) At the moment, it's off for the summer, but I hope to start regular shows again in early September. It mostly depends on my health though. I'm in stage IV kidney failure and I often don't have the energy to do it every week. It takes a tremendous amount of time, work and energy just to create a single episode, very much like writing or any creative task. I hope people are actually listening to it and getting some enjoyment out of it. You can find it at: http://classicradio.us/podcast.
OTR BUFFET: I wanted to start off with you about what I think is the King of all quiz shows, Information Please. This show doesn't seem to be very popular with today's OTR enthusiasts but I'm sure you'll agree with me that the show is not only for trivia, it's got more than it's share of funny moments.
Tony Baechler: Yes, it does. It's one of my favorite shows. The Whistler and Our Miss Brooks are also favorites, but in different ways. I really don't know why Information Please is so unpopular. I wouldn't really call it a quiz show though, since the audience is trying to stump the experts instead of the other way around. Even in its day, it wasn't really popular. It had a long run, but I don't think it ever really had a big audience. To me, the funny moments are special. I definitely agree with you that I like it for trivia, but I really like the interactions between the guests. They were obviously very relaxed and, being that it was unscripted, anything could happen. Interestingly, It Pays to be Ignorant is very popular and also had a long run. Personally, I can't stand that show, but maybe whatever it is that people don't like about Information Please attracts them to It Pays to be Ignorant since they're opposites. It Pays to be Ignorant was, of course, a spoof on Information Please where no one ever got anything right. Maybe Information Please is over too many peoples' heads.
OTR BUFFET: Between the 3 regulars on the show, Franklin P. Adams, John Kieran and Oscar Levant, which one do you think was the smartest?
OTR BUFFET: Between the 3 regulars on the show, which one do you think was the funniest?
Tony Baechler: I would definitely say Levant. He was also the quietest, but when he said something, it was often funny and unexpected. The shows with Levant are definitely a treat for me, both for his musical ability and for his whit. I wish he would've been on more shows and wouldn't have left the series. He's funny and pleasant to listen to on other shows in which he was a guest as well. I wish I could go to one of his concerts.
OTR BUFFET: The host, Clifton Fadiman was smart and funny himself, What are your thoughts about him and the way he handled the show?
Tony Baechler: I think he was perfect. One of the very early shows had someone else instead and it was terrible! The show dragged on endlessly and not even the guests were their usual selves. I don't think there was anyone else who could host that kind of a show in that way. His daughter, Anne (or Ann?) is also very funny and wrote many articles, often talking about her father. He was about the same in person as he was on Information Please. I heard him as a guest on Duffy's Tavern and he wasn't nearly as funny. It was obviously scripted and he was trying too hard. He was at his best when he was relaxed, comfortable and around people who he knew well. That was the case with Information Please. I can almost imagine a bunch of old friends agreeing to meet at their club every week. The club was the show to which we were all invited. They never let the audience get in the way of the show or them having a good time. Unlike a lot of other book reviewers and critics, he wasn't snobbish and didn't make a point of showing off. He was an expert in his own right, but he never let himself, his ego, or his personality get in the way. Paraphrasing what NPR said on his passing, he was able to draw out the experts and get them to say things which they wouldn't otherwise. He could relax and nudge them in such a way that they would want to answer, leading to many of the funniest moments.
OTR BUFFET: Information Please was a tough quiz show but it was very entertaining as well, mostly because of the zaniness and comedic abilities of the panel and Fadiman. Your thoughts on the puns, songs, limericks, etc...?
OTR BUFFET: Each week there was at least one noted star or writer who filled in to make up the 4 spots. Some of these people showed just how brilliant they were. Would you talk about the show's guests and those who have made an impression on you?
OTR BUFFET: Levant's knowledge has made a huge impression on me. Yes, he was a musical genius, without doubt. However, he was just as spooky-brilliant in many other areas. Surprisingly, Levant was someone who had mental problems later in life. What are your feelings about Levant?
Tony Baechler: Really? I had no idea that he had mental problems. I pretty much expressed my feelings above. I always looked forward to him as guest and I always hoped to hear him play something. He was a guest on an episode of Kraft Music Hall and was great there as well. He obviously had a flare for comedy and could easily put on a show by himself. I really wish I could've gone to one of his concerts and I hope that more of his musical work survives. He was definitely an artist, and often times artists are known to be odd.
OTR BUFFET: Tony, thanks for doing this interview with me. Can you tell us about the website you run?
Tony Baechler: Thanks very much for having me. I feel honored to be in such great company as Ian, Jim and Randy. I have great respect for them and what they're doing for the hobby. I'm constantly amazed at their generosity. I was really hoping to be interviewed and am thrilled to finally get the chance.
Actually, I'm working on several different sites, so I'm not 100% sure which site you mean. I'll start off with the podcast first as I assume that's the one in which your readers are most interested.
Back in 2009, I decided that I wanted to start a podcast. I had hopes of being in radio one of these days, but I realized that with modern radio being the way it is, it would probably never happen. At the time, I really missed the great shows done by John and Larry Gassman. They are among my OTR heroes and I really hope to start a Gassman fan club one of these days. Jerry Haendiges did an excellent job filling in, but it just wasn't the same. Anyway, I realized that I could potentially reach a much wider audience online with a podcast, so I started one called CARE, or Classic Adventures in Radio Entertainment. It only lasted a few episodes and I had no idea what I was doing. I had to quit due to many factors, not the least of which was that I couldn't keep to a weekly schedule. I still have all of the old episodes and plan on releasing them soon.
Let's move ahead two years to January, 2011. I had been pushing OTRR to start a podcast for a long time, but no one seemed interested in doing it. I wanted to, but I had some concerns, like not getting enough new shows. Jim Beshires has been very generous in this regard, sending me several DVDs, so that was settled. I had other issues, like my ongoing health problems, but I finally decided to go ahead and do it myself. Therefore, in March, I launched Radio's Best Years. It's at the exact same site as my old effort, but I think it's much better. A really nice guy by the name of Jimbo Mason did an incredible job redesigning it. I have no web design ability to speak of, so that was much appreciated. If you don't believe me, just look at my other sites. :-) At the moment, it's off for the summer, but I hope to start regular shows again in early September. It mostly depends on my health though. I'm in stage IV kidney failure and I often don't have the energy to do it every week. It takes a tremendous amount of time, work and energy just to create a single episode, very much like writing or any creative task. I hope people are actually listening to it and getting some enjoyment out of it. You can find it at: http://classicradio.us/podcast.
I'll briefly mention my other sites. I'm working on OMIT, or OTR Materials in Text. It hasn't had much done with it yet, but I hope to get back to it one of these days. It's at: http://classicradio.us/omit/ There's also my non-OTR site, batsupport.com, but there isn't anything there yet. I'm starting a business called BATS or Baechler Access Technology Support Services. It's primarily designed to offer tech support and a help desk service to the blind interested in trying, using and learning Linux. Linux is a free, open source operating system which is very accessible to the blind and is far more stable than Windows, not to mention that it runs well on older hardware.
Tony Baechler: Yes, it does. It's one of my favorite shows. The Whistler and Our Miss Brooks are also favorites, but in different ways. I really don't know why Information Please is so unpopular. I wouldn't really call it a quiz show though, since the audience is trying to stump the experts instead of the other way around. Even in its day, it wasn't really popular. It had a long run, but I don't think it ever really had a big audience. To me, the funny moments are special. I definitely agree with you that I like it for trivia, but I really like the interactions between the guests. They were obviously very relaxed and, being that it was unscripted, anything could happen. Interestingly, It Pays to be Ignorant is very popular and also had a long run. Personally, I can't stand that show, but maybe whatever it is that people don't like about Information Please attracts them to It Pays to be Ignorant since they're opposites. It Pays to be Ignorant was, of course, a spoof on Information Please where no one ever got anything right. Maybe Information Please is over too many peoples' heads.
The thing that immediately stands out about Information Please is the sense of class. From the rooster at the beginning to the guests being introduced through to the closing, everything was of high quality and was done well. Milton Cross was also an opera announcer, so having him as announcer was significant. He obviously enjoyed doing the show, as did they all. Even the early Canada Dry commercials were pleasant to listen to, not at all like the later Lucky Strike commercials.
OTR BUFFET: Between the 3 regulars on the show, Franklin P. Adams, John Kieran and Oscar Levant, which one do you think was the smartest?
Tony Baechler: I don't know, I think they were all about equal in different ways. In terms of general knowledge about almost everything, I would say Adams. Even though Kieren was the sports expert, he still knew a lot about other subjects. Maybe I have Adams and Kieran reversed. That's the problem, they were both considered "experts." Likewise, Adams knew a lot about music. That's very hard to say though in terms of actual I.Q. It would be interesting to find out which had the highest I.Q if such information could be found. I guess I would still say that "F.P.A" was the smartest because he wrote a weekly newspaper column. Then again, often times Levant would come up with an answer to something totally unrelated to music that I didn't think he would know.
OTR BUFFET: Between the 3 regulars on the show, which one do you think was the funniest?
Tony Baechler: I would definitely say Levant. He was also the quietest, but when he said something, it was often funny and unexpected. The shows with Levant are definitely a treat for me, both for his musical ability and for his whit. I wish he would've been on more shows and wouldn't have left the series. He's funny and pleasant to listen to on other shows in which he was a guest as well. I wish I could go to one of his concerts.
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| Clifton Fadiman |
Tony Baechler: I think he was perfect. One of the very early shows had someone else instead and it was terrible! The show dragged on endlessly and not even the guests were their usual selves. I don't think there was anyone else who could host that kind of a show in that way. His daughter, Anne (or Ann?) is also very funny and wrote many articles, often talking about her father. He was about the same in person as he was on Information Please. I heard him as a guest on Duffy's Tavern and he wasn't nearly as funny. It was obviously scripted and he was trying too hard. He was at his best when he was relaxed, comfortable and around people who he knew well. That was the case with Information Please. I can almost imagine a bunch of old friends agreeing to meet at their club every week. The club was the show to which we were all invited. They never let the audience get in the way of the show or them having a good time. Unlike a lot of other book reviewers and critics, he wasn't snobbish and didn't make a point of showing off. He was an expert in his own right, but he never let himself, his ego, or his personality get in the way. Paraphrasing what NPR said on his passing, he was able to draw out the experts and get them to say things which they wouldn't otherwise. He could relax and nudge them in such a way that they would want to answer, leading to many of the funniest moments.
He took great delight in trying to find the oddest, strangest and most unusual questions and asked them in such a way as to challenge the experts to get them correct without being pushy. You could hear him, for example, take great delight when all of them got the question wrong about reciting the opening announcement spoken at the start of every show by the announcer. He liked to make them think and got their wheels turning. I would have liked to meet him, but I think he would have been much more reserved in person around people he didn't know.
As you probably know but your readers might not, he eventually became blind in his later years. That was at first distressing to him because he thought he would have no way to read books. Fortunately, both the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) and an organization called Choice Magazine Listening make books and articles available on cassette and now for download. I have been a subscriber to Choice Magazine Listening for several years as was he, so I am in good company. They featured a lot of the articles by his daughter. You can find them at: http://www.choicemagazinelistening.org/.
To give a brief idea of his personality, he would correct mistakes in restaurant menus. I don't know if he pointed them out to the manager, but he would actually take a pen and fix misspellings and incorrect grammar. He did that with other books as well. He always had to have something to read.
OTR BUFFET: Information Please was a tough quiz show but it was very entertaining as well, mostly because of the zaniness and comedic abilities of the panel and Fadiman. Your thoughts on the puns, songs, limericks, etc...?
Tony Baechler: I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at here. They were all funny in their own ways. I especially liked Levant and his musical ability, but it was the unrehearsed, relaxed atmosphere which made it what it was. I've often thought it would be great to recreate at a convention, but it wouldn't work because there was no script. I think it would be very hard to find a similar group of people with that blend of personalities. Once the audience got the point of the show, the questions became more interesting, so the series got better with time. The Lucky Strike shows are better than the Canada Dry shows, I think. Partially it was because the sponsor had more money, but also because the show had been around long enough to attract a regular following. The audience was as much a part of the game as the experts. The "game" wasn't just trying to stump the experts, but it was to make them say and do funny things in the process. For example, make Kieran sing even though Levant is the musical expert.
OTR BUFFET: Each week there was at least one noted star or writer who filled in to make up the 4 spots. Some of these people showed just how brilliant they were. Would you talk about the show's guests and those who have made an impression on you?
Tony Baechler: I haven't heard every show, but a few that immediately come to mind are Rex Stout, Fred Allen, Gracie Allen and Orson Welles. I of course knew who Rex Stout was from his Nero Wolfe novels, but I didn't know what he sounded like. He actually did a fair amount of radio work, almost none of which seems to be in circulation. He was very active during the second world war, completely giving up writing novels to help the war effort with his radio work. If any of it exists, I haven't found it, but I would really like to hear it. He was obviously very educated and you could hear it in how he answered. He was also very quiet, which I didn't expect. I somehow thought he would sound loud and fat, similar to how Wolfe sounded on radio. Instead, he's so soft-spoken that you can hardly hear him. In addition to writing, he was also a gourmet cook and invented a school banking system. He was well-read on many different subjects and seemed to have a broad range of knowledge.
Orson Welles was Orson Welles, no matter where he was. I wouldn't say he dominated the show, but he certainly had a presence. He did very well as I recall and was able to answer quite a few questions.
Gracie was also not at all like her character. She was bubbly on the show, however she was anything but an airhead. She had this odd way of answering. She sounded like she wasn't ever quite sure if she was right or not, but thought she would speak up anyway. George Burns said that part of why her character worked is because she was somewhat naturally that way. I mean that she had her own odd logic which made its own sense. I can definitely hear some of that on her all too few guest appearances. She was very pleasant to listen to and often surprised the audience with her correct answers. I think she surprised herself as well.
Fred Allen was basically himself. He was also quiet. He almost mumbled a little and one wondered how involved he really was. He obviously knew a lot, but didn't say much. I got the impression that he was holding back so as to not take over the show. He wasn't very funny at all and his attempts at humor sounded forced. I think he felt uncomfortable without a script and didn't fit well into the show format.
OTR BUFFET: Levant's knowledge has made a huge impression on me. Yes, he was a musical genius, without doubt. However, he was just as spooky-brilliant in many other areas. Surprisingly, Levant was someone who had mental problems later in life. What are your feelings about Levant?
Tony Baechler: Really? I had no idea that he had mental problems. I pretty much expressed my feelings above. I always looked forward to him as guest and I always hoped to hear him play something. He was a guest on an episode of Kraft Music Hall and was great there as well. He obviously had a flare for comedy and could easily put on a show by himself. I really wish I could've gone to one of his concerts and I hope that more of his musical work survives. He was definitely an artist, and often times artists are known to be odd.
Progress - July 25 - part 1
+ Added 2 words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
+ Finished an episode of Vic and Sade at The Crazy World of Vic and Sade blog.
+ Finished an episode of You Bet Your Life and posted it on the Marxisms blog.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
- accomplishment
- unbirding
+ Finished an episode of Vic and Sade at The Crazy World of Vic and Sade blog.
+ Finished an episode of You Bet Your Life and posted it on the Marxisms blog.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Review: Rocky Fortune
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| But..but..but he's not a detective. |
How and why Rocky got involved in the middle of criminal activity, we will never know. Every job he took - be it a dishwasher or a museum watchman - found him in the middle of some kind of mystery. It's never fully revealed why he traveled from place to place and took a different job. We can only assume this was done to keep the show fresh and new characters coming in each week.
Singer Frank Sinatra played the part of Rocky. While other reviews might state he sounded, "bored", I differ. I believe the part of Rocky Fortune help propel Frank Sinatra into the acting stratosphere. Though he is known for his singing, Sinatra was actually one of the best actors in the history of Hollywood. He remains highly underrated. I've seen several of his films and I have been blown away by each performance. Although the Rocky Fortune shows aren't his best work, he still shows the traits that made him such a fantastic actor. |
| How can a non-detective be a private eye? |
This show came out in 1953 and only lasted about a half of a season or 25 shows. It's not the greatest radio around but I can find little bad to say about it. Sinatra pulls up the mediocre writing with his own acting abilities. I'd give the show 3 and a half stars. This is a fun show.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Progress - July 24
+ Finished an episode of Vic and Sade for The Crazy World of Vic and Sade.
+ Added 2 new words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
Lazy today. Back on the horse tomorrow.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
+ Added 2 new words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
- mercantile
Terzan
Lazy today. Back on the horse tomorrow.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
A lost Hodge-podge about XM Radio
A few years ago, I had XM Radio. I also had Sirus radio (this was long before they merged.) I was listening to a lot of sports and lot of old-time radio.
This is where I became aware of a lot of shows that I had never heard before: The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, for one. I just never knew it existed. The same goes for The Six Shooter, Baby Snooks and a few others.
I don't remember who was the host on Sirius but I remember Greg Bell from XM very well. With his schedule, I was able to listen to every program available and I did this for weeks. Bell's anecdotes before and after most every show got me interested in learning more about OTR.
I contacted Bell a few months ago and I arranged an interview which was to be run on this blog - but he begged off at the last minute.
I was never crazy about either radio service when it came to OTR. Although I understand the policies that XM Radio/Sirius has against running some OTR shows, I don't think it's right. You cannot deny that Amos 'n' Andy existed and were a huge part of OTR anymore than you can dismiss something like George Washington owned hundreds of slaves. Can you dismiss the first full-length talkie film simply because there is blackface in it?
Some episodes referring to 'Krauts' or 'Japs' are also never heard on XM. After all, you don't want to offend anyone. All the Japanese and Germans did in World War II (and before) was kill millions of innocent civilians in China, Poland and abroad, right?
©Jimbo 2010/2011
This is where I became aware of a lot of shows that I had never heard before: The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, for one. I just never knew it existed. The same goes for The Six Shooter, Baby Snooks and a few others.
I don't remember who was the host on Sirius but I remember Greg Bell from XM very well. With his schedule, I was able to listen to every program available and I did this for weeks. Bell's anecdotes before and after most every show got me interested in learning more about OTR.
I contacted Bell a few months ago and I arranged an interview which was to be run on this blog - but he begged off at the last minute.
I was never crazy about either radio service when it came to OTR. Although I understand the policies that XM Radio/Sirius has against running some OTR shows, I don't think it's right. You cannot deny that Amos 'n' Andy existed and were a huge part of OTR anymore than you can dismiss something like George Washington owned hundreds of slaves. Can you dismiss the first full-length talkie film simply because there is blackface in it?
Some episodes referring to 'Krauts' or 'Japs' are also never heard on XM. After all, you don't want to offend anyone. All the Japanese and Germans did in World War II (and before) was kill millions of innocent civilians in China, Poland and abroad, right?
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Progress - July 23
+ Finished an episode of Vic and Sade at The Crazy World of Vic and Sade. It happens to be my favorite episode of my favorite series. You may want to check it out.
+ Added the following words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary today:
+ Finished Billboard year 1949 at Billboard OTR Reviews.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
+ Added the following words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary today:
- felled
- justice of the peacin'
- lessun
- rested
- seriouser
- shakedown
- spellbounded
+ Finished Billboard year 1949 at Billboard OTR Reviews.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Hodge-podging for a change
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| Sorry to say: this is me. |
If you are a regular reader of this blog you know that I have been listening to a mess of Suspense episodes the past couple of weeks. It used to be a daily ritual but I had so much on my daily plate of listening that eventually, it got put aside.
There's no doubt however, that the show is one of the best out there and I'd rank it above the various other radio anthology series, including the later ones. Funny but Elliott Lewis had in his hand in many of the better anthology series around...
If you saw my recent list of favorite Suspense episodes, try and remember that there are literally dozens of episodes I find unforgettable. While I did list 15 episodes there are probably 150 plots I remember off the top of my head because the show simply sticks with me. Scary? No But memorable, yes.
The same can't really be said for shows like The Whistler. I do remember a few plots but they simply pale in comparison to Suspense.
And while episodes of Escape! are memorable there are only a few that I can distinguish as being Escape! and not some other show. Suspense had an air of authority behind their stories, whether it's the voice of announcer Larry Thor I remember or the opening theme by Bernard Herrmann or the quality in production of the whole thing.
You know you have good stuff on your blog when people steal from you...
There are some things I wish existed that don't seem to exist. One thing, I'd love to see a film of Fanny Brice doing her Baby Snooks thing. But I've looked and looked and there doesn't seem to be such a film around.
If you are anything like me, once you go to YouTube you find the time flies by. Going on YouTube for me is dangerous. One thing leads to another and another and I realize I have been on YouTube for two hours listening to 13 different renditions of some song I really don't care that much about but are being played by kids that are 8 years old and in most cases doing it better than I did at age 25. Depressing but fun all at the same time. And a time killer/waster.
By tomorrow, I should be done listening to The Six Shooter series. I hate to see it go. I'll try to wait a year and then put it back on my iPod. What a great series that is.
Jimmy Stewart, who was not a great film actor but a good one, is superb in the radio series. The inflections in his voice and the great stories equals one of the very best radio series ever created.
Speaking of great series, I haven't listened to but maybe one of each of Fibber McGee and Molly or the Jack Benny Show in about 4 months. I've really just been too busy. Plus, I've been trying to fix the sound on both series, a monumental task to say the least.
And since I'm on the subject of "monumental tasks" my blog (which you know is really 16-17 blogs) can be a hair-puller. There are never enough hours in the day, I take on too much, some of the tasks are huge...etc. I realize I bite off more than I can chew but it keeps me busy. Sometimes it does overwhelm me but I tend to pick it back up. One thing that I just can't seem to work on is OTR People. You talk about "monumental" that my friends, is the definition of the word.
I have ideas for other blogs but I really don't have the time for them. I'd like to break down Bill Stern's Sports Newsreels into segments and find out from the newspapers if the incidents he tells about really happened. I know most are untrue but actually proving or disproving them would be fun. I may start one and see how it goes...but too many ideas, not enough time. I need a team of helpers who will volunteer to work free 27.8 hours a day.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Progress - July 22
+ Finished an episode of Vic and Sade at The Crazy World of Vic and Sade.
+ Added these 2 words to the Lum and Abner Dictionary:
+ Working on 1949-1950 on the Billboard site. I am finding out quickly that Billboard didn't do many reviews about radio after 1944. I should be done with it in a few days.
- empire
- unconsciousness
+ Working on 1949-1950 on the Billboard site. I am finding out quickly that Billboard didn't do many reviews about radio after 1944. I should be done with it in a few days.
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