Thursday, June 30, 2011
The Biggest blog news ever!
From the early days of the OTR Buffet, I had big dreams about the blog. Very big dreams.
Those big dreams have actually gotten larger as time has gone on. The blog system (network, if you will) has expanded so fast that I find that I am sort of perplexed - not knowing what to do next.
Last night I sat down with pen and paper and said to myself, "Now - what do you really want to do with the blogs, Jimbo?"
It was a warm night. I had some cold water, the air conditioner and fan on and I got to work.
First, I wrote down a list of all of my blogs. This would of course include the OTR Buffet, Marxisms, OTR Advertising, Billboard's OTR Reviews, Unfishal Lum and Abner Dictionary, Dummy: Photos of Charlie McCarthy, Say Hello To... (Rare OTR Biographies), The Crazy World of Vic and Sade and the blog you are reading now, Silent Radio.
Believe it or not, that's a total of 9 blogs.
Then I made another list of blogs I would like to start in the near future (or in some cases, the blogs are already there but need to moved from the comfy confines of the OTR Buffet to their own home; this way, they will be much easier to organize and cross-reference.) This would include OTR Casts and OTR Books,
Yesterday, I began working on the new blog, OTR Audio Interviews.
This morning, I began work on a few new blogs: OTR Magazines, Golden Age Newspapers, OTR Casts (new home), OTR Books (new home) - plus I decided last night to revive OTR People (Who's Who in Old-time Radio.)
First, let me explain about the new blogs and what they are for:
Golden Age Newspapers (aka Golden Age News or GAN) will be geared toward the OTR researcher but will be invaluable to all researchers. However, the focus of the blog is to provide easy access to newspapers that cover the Golden Age of Radio, either in full or part ways. Each paper will be rated, links provided, summaries of what you can find in the radio sections, etc. If you research OTR or want to, want to find ads, photographs, news stories (although most of that stuff can already be found on the OTR Buffet), this will be the place you will want to begin. I can imagine those who research WWII or sports would also benefit greatly from the site when it is finished.
Speaking of which, GAN should be completely finished in less than a week. It's not a blog - it's just a set of links - but it will still be unlike anything on the internet.
OTR Magazines will be a set of links and complete Table of Contents to the OTR magazine PDF files at OTRR.org. I will keep up with the magazines as they are added. Although there is aleady a Magazine Index there, I find that it is very innaccurate and it's hard to follow.
I suggest that the new OTR magazine index I make will make things much, much easier to find. It will be very similar to the indexing of the OTR Buffet - and you know how easy it is to find what you want there.
[As a side note, I will not be indexing the hobby newsletters at this time. - I should be done with (caught up with) the magazine site by September (or before) of this year.]
Billboard OTR Reviews has been dormant for months and since I now have a schedule of what and when to work on things, I have included the site to be put back into the fold. I plan on finishing it - but I have no idea how long it will take, since I really haven't explored anything after 1947. [Recall that for the years 1945 and 1946, Billboard did nothing in the review department except television reviews -- this was the reason I quit in the first places; I simply got frustrated and confused.]
Brushing off the dust from OTR People won't be hard. Even though it is a mammoth project and I have the other sites to occupy me, I am going to make space in my week (actually up to 20 hours a week) to work on it. It will be unlike anything on the internet and I invite you to explore what is there now and imagine what a completed site would look like.
As I stated eariler, OTR Books and OTR Casts will be moved to a new, permanent home, where everything can be easily cross-referenced, so that you can fin what you need.
Over the course of the next few days, I will unveiling these sites and making them accessable to you and your use.
The schedule begins tommorow, July 1st.
Those big dreams have actually gotten larger as time has gone on. The blog system (network, if you will) has expanded so fast that I find that I am sort of perplexed - not knowing what to do next.
Last night I sat down with pen and paper and said to myself, "Now - what do you really want to do with the blogs, Jimbo?"
It was a warm night. I had some cold water, the air conditioner and fan on and I got to work.
First, I wrote down a list of all of my blogs. This would of course include the OTR Buffet, Marxisms, OTR Advertising, Billboard's OTR Reviews, Unfishal Lum and Abner Dictionary, Dummy: Photos of Charlie McCarthy, Say Hello To... (Rare OTR Biographies), The Crazy World of Vic and Sade and the blog you are reading now, Silent Radio.
Believe it or not, that's a total of 9 blogs.
Then I made another list of blogs I would like to start in the near future (or in some cases, the blogs are already there but need to moved from the comfy confines of the OTR Buffet to their own home; this way, they will be much easier to organize and cross-reference.) This would include OTR Casts and OTR Books,
Yesterday, I began working on the new blog, OTR Audio Interviews.
This morning, I began work on a few new blogs: OTR Magazines, Golden Age Newspapers, OTR Casts (new home), OTR Books (new home) - plus I decided last night to revive OTR People (Who's Who in Old-time Radio.)
First, let me explain about the new blogs and what they are for:
Golden Age Newspapers (aka Golden Age News or GAN) will be geared toward the OTR researcher but will be invaluable to all researchers. However, the focus of the blog is to provide easy access to newspapers that cover the Golden Age of Radio, either in full or part ways. Each paper will be rated, links provided, summaries of what you can find in the radio sections, etc. If you research OTR or want to, want to find ads, photographs, news stories (although most of that stuff can already be found on the OTR Buffet), this will be the place you will want to begin. I can imagine those who research WWII or sports would also benefit greatly from the site when it is finished.Speaking of which, GAN should be completely finished in less than a week. It's not a blog - it's just a set of links - but it will still be unlike anything on the internet.
OTR Magazines will be a set of links and complete Table of Contents to the OTR magazine PDF files at OTRR.org. I will keep up with the magazines as they are added. Although there is aleady a Magazine Index there, I find that it is very innaccurate and it's hard to follow.
I suggest that the new OTR magazine index I make will make things much, much easier to find. It will be very similar to the indexing of the OTR Buffet - and you know how easy it is to find what you want there.
[As a side note, I will not be indexing the hobby newsletters at this time. - I should be done with (caught up with) the magazine site by September (or before) of this year.]
Billboard OTR Reviews has been dormant for months and since I now have a schedule of what and when to work on things, I have included the site to be put back into the fold. I plan on finishing it - but I have no idea how long it will take, since I really haven't explored anything after 1947. [Recall that for the years 1945 and 1946, Billboard did nothing in the review department except television reviews -- this was the reason I quit in the first places; I simply got frustrated and confused.]
Brushing off the dust from OTR People won't be hard. Even though it is a mammoth project and I have the other sites to occupy me, I am going to make space in my week (actually up to 20 hours a week) to work on it. It will be unlike anything on the internet and I invite you to explore what is there now and imagine what a completed site would look like.
As I stated eariler, OTR Books and OTR Casts will be moved to a new, permanent home, where everything can be easily cross-referenced, so that you can fin what you need.
Over the course of the next few days, I will unveiling these sites and making them accessable to you and your use.
The schedule begins tommorow, July 1st.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Announcing: OTR Audio Interviews
But who has time to sift through 230+ hour (or two hour) long programs to find the exact subject that they are looking for? It could conceivably take hours of research and work.
This is why I have come up with OTR Audio Interviews, a new blog where I will break down each of the 230+ interviews into pieces by searchable and linked subjects. I will also remove the annoying 1970's commercials, fix the sound as best as I can and basically, this will be a blog and a service that no one else has ever even dreamed about!
Once it is finished, it will be just another of the many hands and fingers of the OTR Buffet.
There's already one program up and ready to go. You can download the improved program or have a listen to program in topical pieces.
OTR Audio Interviews will be updated every other day or so. All I ask that if you use it and enjoy it, leave me some feedback here on the Buffet or send me an email. A little feedback now and then is a very nice thing...
©Jimbo 2010/2011
I keep finding books from the virtual library!
I found more books and I've added them to the Searchable Books section of the blog:
Radio Live! Television Live!: Those Golden Days When Horses Were Coconuts
Boston Radio: 1920-2010
Points on the Dial: Golden Age Radio Beyond the Networks
Andrews Sisters, The: A Biography and Career Record
Staging the war: American drama and World War II
Shirley Booth: a biography and career record
It's one o'clock and here is Mary Margaret McBride: a radio biography
Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
Art Carney: a biography
Deems Taylor: a biography
Radio Live! Television Live!: Those Golden Days When Horses Were Coconuts
Boston Radio: 1920-2010
Points on the Dial: Golden Age Radio Beyond the Networks
Andrews Sisters, The: A Biography and Career Record
Staging the war: American drama and World War II
Shirley Booth: a biography and career record
It's one o'clock and here is Mary Margaret McBride: a radio biography
Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
Art Carney: a biography
Deems Taylor: a biography
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Dear Adolph - the scripts
You guys have hopefully heard the very fine radio program from the war years, Dear Adolph? Only 6 programs were made and all are available.
Digging around, I just found a book where all the scripts are stored: We Stand United and Other Radio Scripts.
I also put this book in the book section of the blog.
Here's the Billboard review of the program in question:
Digging around, I just found a book where all the scripts are stored: We Stand United and Other Radio Scripts.
I also put this book in the book section of the blog.
Here's the Billboard review of the program in question:
Look! It's Jack Smart in 1931!
 |
| (Center) Jack Smart awaits his turn at the mike (1931) |
[In case you don't remember, Jack Smart aka radio's The Fat Man.]
One book added
Added the BFI Companion to Crime, The [Has an entire section in it devoted to radio detectives] to the Online OTR Searchable Books section of the blog.
Jim Beshires: an audio interview about Westerns
Jim Beshires is the founder and president of the Old Time Radio Researchers organization, easily the finest OTR group around, in my opinion.
Jim is one of the nicest people I have met in the OTR hobby. He lives close to me and I find him to be just like a friendly neighbor, even though I have never met him in person.
He and I have formed a friendship and he has been kind enough to answer some questions (via audio) in what can only be called a very unique interview.
This interview focuses on one of Jim's favorite subjects, the Western. He's consented to do other interviews like this in the future and so I'm sure he won't be a stranger to you on this blog anymore.
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you for joining me and doing the interview. I am glad we could finally do this interview, albeit it will be in a most unconvential way.
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: I know that Westerns are one of your favorite type of old-time radio programs. Could you tell us about when you first began listening to Westerns and which shows?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Let's start with Gunsmoke. It seems that Gunsmoke is the King of Westerns by default - even though there are many good radio Westerns. Tell me what you think of when you think of Gunsmoke?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Gunsmoke had adult themes and really wasn't meant for children but you know children listened to it. Did you listen to it during the series run?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Between Parley Baer as Chester and Howard McNear as Doc, which character did you like better and which actor do you think was a better one (throughout their radio careers) Baer or McNear?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Are there any episodes that stand out for you as being special Gunsmoke episodes?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: How would you rate the Gunsmoke radio series against the TV series?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Moving on to Have Gun, Will Travel. What is your opinion of John Dehner as a radio actor?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Compare Dehner to William Conrad...
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Luke Slaughter of Tombstone is an underrated show. What are your thoughts on the show in general?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: There are the so-called "Kiddie Westerns." Would you talk about your favorite ones?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you so much for doing this interview with me. I truly learned a lot and enjoyed your answers. I promise you, when we get together again to do another interview, it will be about science fiction!
Jim Beshire::
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Jim is one of the nicest people I have met in the OTR hobby. He lives close to me and I find him to be just like a friendly neighbor, even though I have never met him in person.
He and I have formed a friendship and he has been kind enough to answer some questions (via audio) in what can only be called a very unique interview.
This interview focuses on one of Jim's favorite subjects, the Western. He's consented to do other interviews like this in the future and so I'm sure he won't be a stranger to you on this blog anymore.
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you for joining me and doing the interview. I am glad we could finally do this interview, albeit it will be in a most unconvential way.
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: I know that Westerns are one of your favorite type of old-time radio programs. Could you tell us about when you first began listening to Westerns and which shows?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Let's start with Gunsmoke. It seems that Gunsmoke is the King of Westerns by default - even though there are many good radio Westerns. Tell me what you think of when you think of Gunsmoke?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Gunsmoke had adult themes and really wasn't meant for children but you know children listened to it. Did you listen to it during the series run?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Between Parley Baer as Chester and Howard McNear as Doc, which character did you like better and which actor do you think was a better one (throughout their radio careers) Baer or McNear?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Are there any episodes that stand out for you as being special Gunsmoke episodes?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: How would you rate the Gunsmoke radio series against the TV series?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Moving on to Have Gun, Will Travel. What is your opinion of John Dehner as a radio actor?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Compare Dehner to William Conrad...
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Luke Slaughter of Tombstone is an underrated show. What are your thoughts on the show in general?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: There are the so-called "Kiddie Westerns." Would you talk about your favorite ones?
Jim Beshire's answer::
OTR BUFFET: Jim, thank you so much for doing this interview with me. I truly learned a lot and enjoyed your answers. I promise you, when we get together again to do another interview, it will be about science fiction!
Jim Beshire::
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Rare Kieren, Adams shots/Information Please
 |
| First "straight on" shot I have seen of John Kieren (left) or Adams (right) |
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