00LAST CALL FOR LUNCH WITH THE STARS • SEE …sperdvac.com/radiogram/radiogram201110.pdf · 00LAST CALL FOR LUNCH WITH THE STARS • SEE PAGES 3 AND 4 FOR DETAILS!00. ... • JEFFREY

October 2011Volume 36 • Number 8

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00LAST CALL FOR LUNCH WITH THE STARS • SEE PAGES 3 AND 4 FOR DETAILS!00

2 sperdvacRADIOGRAM • OCTOBER 2011

sperdvac graciously extends its gratitude to these individuals who have contributed $50 or more to sperdvac during the past 12 months. If you wish to be a sponsor of sperdvac and join this select group your tax-deductible donation to sperdvac can be mailed to Dan Haefele, 13720 Jefferson Avenue, Hawthorne, CA 90250. Thank you!

THANK Y

OU

• ALICE AKINS in memory of Glen Akins• DAVE AMAREL in memory of Jim

Harmon• ARTHUR J.M. ANDERSON in memory

of Orson Welles• ERIC BAELEN• JUDIE BARTELL in memory of Harry

Bartell, Ben Wright and Vic Perrin• PAUL M. BENNETT• FRED BONDY in memory of the whole

Gunsmoke gang• GEORGE BRECKENRIDGE• DAVID & LINDA BRENINGER• BUD BRESNAHAN in memory of Rich-

ard Crenna• RICHARD A. BROCKELMAN• DENNIS B. BURK in memory of Phil

Harper• CHRIS M. BUZZARD• GEROLD M. CLEMENSEN• WARD L. COCHRAN• BERT H. COHEN• RICHARD F. COLAVECHIO in memory

of Bryna Raeburn, Craig McDonnell, Bill Zuckert and Florence Robinson

• JOHN COLLINS• THOMAS W. COLLINS in memory of

William Conrad• TOMMY COOK in memory of Arch

Oboler• IVAN CURY in memory of Bob Novak• DIX DAVIS• LLOYD DE LLAMAS• ROSEMARY DOBBS• JUNE FORAY DONAVAN in memory of

Hobart Donavan• WIL DUFOUR• BOB DUNCAN, JR.• HERB ELLIS in memory of Larry Dob-

kin, Harry Bartell and Parley Baer• HENRY C. ENGELHARDT III in memory

of Michael Meredith• CARMEN FINESTRA• ART FORSTER in memory of Gil Strat-

ton and William Conrad• JACK FRANCE• BARBARA FULLER in memory of

John Newland, Peggy Knudsen and Laughter

• JACK GAGNE• ROBERT L. GARLAND in memory of

Phyllis Garland Hoffman• BARRY GERBER• STANLEY D. GINSBURG

• RICHARD GLASBAND in honor of Bobb Lynes and Barbara Watkins

• KATHLEEN GRAMS-GIBBS in memory of Mary Grams

• JOHN F. HALLEY• HELPING HANDS FOR THE BLIND• BOB HICKS• GORDON HIGBEE• DR. MICHELE HILMES• STEPHEN E. HOLDEN• GERALD A. HOLZMAN• JAMES F. HORNER in memory of The KNX

Radio Drama Hour• SEAMAN JACOBS in memory of Fred S.

Fox• ROBERT JANOVICI• SALLY JANUS• DENNIS C. JOHNSON• RALPH M. JOHNSON• SAM KAMLER• CASEY KASEM• GLENDA KELLY in memory of Jim

Harmon• NILAN L. KINCAID• ALBERT J. KOPEC• DENIS KRAY in memory of Glenn, Ray,

Marion, Tex, and all the boys in the band• RON LANGSETH• JEFFREY J. LEBRUN in memory of all

departed voice artists• ALFRED LUCAS• LON McCARTT in memory of Smilin’ Ed

(Froggy the Gremlin) McConnell• ROBY & JOYCE McHONE• ESTHER GEDDES McVEY in memory of

my leading man, Tyler McVey• JAN MERLIN in memory of Frankie

Thomas and Mona Bruns Thomas• MILLIE MORSE in memory of Jim Har-

mon• BOB MOTT to all the SFX artists when

radio was still radio• GEORGE (BOB) & VIRGINIA NEWHART in

memory of Bill Quinn• DR. WAYNE OTT• FORREST F. OWEN• GARRY PAPERS• DAVE PARKER in memory of Fred Foy• PHIL PROCTOR• LEE SMITH• BRIAN E. RAMSEY• CHESTER RAWSKI in memory of Carolyn

Rawski• MARIE RAYMOND

• RONALD M. REISNER, M.D.• DICK RICHARDS• D.W. RICHARDSON• STEPHEN K. SHUTTLEWORTH• STUART & JANIS SIMON• CHUCK SIVERTSEN• LOREN SLAFER• KENNETH L. SLEEPER• LEE SMITH• MICKEY SMITH• C. W. STAUFENBERG in memory of Paul

Rhymer and members of the “Vic and Sade” cast

• RICHARD STONE• ROBERT A. SUMMERS• RICHARD & MADELENE TEPERSON in

memory of Gil Stratton• JOAN TREMAYNE in memory of Les

Tremayne• EDMUND TOTMAN• EUGENE J. WARD• WASHINGTON OLD TIME RADIO CLUB

in memory of Jim Harmon• EDWARD C. WEAVER• BETSY L. WEINBERG• LESLIE C. WEST• JAMES C. WORDEN

sperdvac 3OCTOBER 2011 • RADIOGRAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORSpresident

Bob Steinmetz• • •

Dan Haefele • Dave StruthersRex Quinn • Glenda Kelly

Barbara Harmon

Editor

PATRICK LUCANIORADIOGRAM is published monthly except December by sperdvac, the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation, P.O. Box 669, Manhattan Beach, Cali-fornia 90266-0669. Dues are $25 for first year and $15 for renewals; $30 American currency for Canadian members. Annual subscriptions to Radiogram only are $15 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and $20 in all other countries. Edito-rial submissions are welcome, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material. All editorial-related photographs and artwork received unsolic-ited become the property of sperdvac. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of sperdvac All rights to letters sent to Radiogram will be treated as uncondition-ally assigned for publication unless otherwise stated. The publishers make every effort to ensure the accuracy of information published in editorial and advertising material but assume no responsibility for inconveniences or damages resulting from editorial error or omissions. Publisher is not responsible for typographical errors. All photographs and illustrations are believed authorized for reproduction as set forth within. Entire contents are copyright © 2011 by the Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy. All rights reserved. Nothing contained in this issue may be reproduced, in whole or in part, by any means, including the Internet, without prior written permission from the publisher.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS should be sent to Radiogram, Patrick Lucanio, Editor, 1097 Janus Street, Springfield, Oregon 97477; e-mail: [email protected]. E-mail attachments in Microsoft Word are encouraged for all articles submitted. Articles sent by U.S. Mail should be Microsoft Word formatted compact disk accompanied by hardcopy.

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Volume 36 • Number 8 • October 2011

OfficersTreasurer ....................................................... Dan HaefeleSecretary .......................................................Glenda KellyActivities Chair ................................................Bobb LynesAcquisitions Chair ......................................... Dan HaefeleMembership Chair ........................................ Barry OpligerElections Chair ........................................... Neil J. MitchellMerchandise ..................................................Michael PlettCatalogs .....................................................Bob SteinmetzNew Members .................................................. Rex Quinn

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[email protected]

The Society toPreserve and Encourage

Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy

THANK Y

OUNOVEMBER 5, 2011

BEVERLY GARLAND’S HOLIDAY INN • NORTH HOLLYWOOD

This is our last chance to remind everyone of

our November 5th Luncheon and Program at the

Beverly Garland Hotel in North Hollywood. An

unprecedented eighteen Honorary Members will

take part in the afternoon’s entertainment,

and many other Honorary Members have written

to confirm that they’ll be attending. Please

join us to show your appreciation for their

work and all the pleasure that they continue

to bring to our lives. The shows that we’ve

put together will be a real treat. Please

send your registration forms in as soon as

possible.

0MEET THE STARS0

JANET WALDO • DORIS SINGLETONSHIRLEY MITCHELL • TONY DOWFRANK BANK • DICK VAN PATTEN

GLORIA McMILLAN • RENI SANTONIGARY OWENS • HERB ELLIS

PHIL PROCTOR • CHUCK McCANNTOMMY COOK • IVAN CURY

STUFFY SINGER • JAN MERLINMICHAEL C. GWYNNE • MELINDA PETERSON


sperdvac

I’m excited to announce more details of the entertainment at the upcoming Honor-ary Members Appreciation Luncheon, noon to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 5, at Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn in North Hol-lywood. Tickets are only $50, which includes a 3-course sit-down luncheon plus four great shows featuring performances by an un-precedented number of sperdvac honorary members. Seating is first-come, first-served so please order your tickets as soon as possible. A mail-in order form is on page 6 and online at www.lucylibrary.com/ORDER-FORM.pdf.

The shows include my own radio play, I Love Lucy: The Untold Story, which had its successful premiere on August 6th (Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday) at a beautiful 1,400-seat theatre in Lucy’s hometown of Jamestown, NY (broadcast nationwide that same evening on SiriusXM Radio). It’s a humorous look behind the scenes at the obstacles that had to be overcome to move Lucille Ball’s radio sitcom My Favorite Husband to television as I Love Lucy, which was based on my dad’s memoir, Laughs, Luck...and Lucy.

My cast on November 5 will include:• I Love Lucy and My Favorite Husband

veteran Janet Waldo (Peggy, the bobby-soxer with the crush on Ricky Ricardo; also radio’s Corliss Archer and the voice of Judy Jetson);

• I Love Lucy and My Favorite Husband veteran Doris Singleton (Lucy Ricardo’s girl-friend Carolyn Appleby; Suspense, The Lucy Show, My Three Sons, Here’s Lucy);

• I Love Lucy and My Favorite Husband veteran Shirley Mitchell (Lucy Ricardo’s girl-friend Marion Strong; The Great Gildersleeve, Batchelor Father, Please Don’t Eat the Daisies);

• Leave It to Beaver star Tony Dow (Wally Cleaver);

• Leave It to Beaver star Frank Bank Wal-ly’s friend Lumpy; The Jack Benny Program);

• Dick Van Patten (Eight Is Enough, I Remember Mama);

• Gloria McMillan (Principal Conklin’s [Gale Gordon’s] daughter Harriet on Our Miss Brooks);

• Reni Santoni (Suspense; Poppy on Sein-feld; co-star (as Clint Eastwood’s partner) of

Dirty Harry); • Gary Owens (Rowan and Martin’s

Laugh-in, Roger Ramjet);• Herb Ellis (Dragnet, Gunsmoke, Get

Smart, Bewitched); • Phil Proctor (The Firesign Theatre, Ru-

grats, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2);• Chuck McCann (Boston Legal, Robin

Hood: Men in Tights, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Projectionist);

• Tommy Cook (Blondie, The Lux Radio Theatre; star of Adventures of Red Ryder);

• Ivan Cury (star of Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders);

• Stuffy Singer (The Jack Benny Program, The Great Gildersleeve, The Patty Duke Show)

• Jan Merlin (star of Tom Corbett, Space Cadet);

• Michael C. Gwynne (Kojak, Dallas, Howard Stern’s Private Parts); and

• Melinda Peterson (MacGyver, Twilight Zone).

I’ll also be directing Janet Waldo in the classic Suspense thriller “Sorry, Wrong Num-ber,” in which Doris Singleton will recreate her role in the original 1943 broadcast, plus Gladys Holland (The Lux Radio Theatre, To Catch a Thief, The Man Who Knew Too Much) and special guest star Terry Moore (Academy Award nominee for Come Back Little Sheba and star of such films as Daddy Long Legs and Mighty Joe Young). Rounding out the cast will be Gloria McMillan, Phil Proctor, Reni Santoni, Herb Ellis, Tommy Cook, Michael C. Gwynne, and Melinda Peterson. You won’t want to miss it.

Also on the program is an entertaining episode of Jimmy Stewart’s radio western The Six Shooter starring actor-comedian Chuck McCann doing an awesome Jimmy Stewart impression plus Shirley Mitchell and Herb Ellis, who were on the original Six Shooter series. Chuck’s such a Jimmy Stewart expert that if you ask him to do an impression of Jimmy Stewart, Chuck’s response is, “At what age do you want him?” Guest-starring in The Six Shooter will be an actor who’s no stranger to Westerns—Ben Cooper (Gun-smoke, The Virginian, Bonanza, Support Your

Local Gunfighter).One of the things I enjoy most about these

re-creations is something the audience never gets to see—all the kidding around between actors that happens during rehearsals. When one makes a mistake another usually ad-libs something in an attempt to crack them up, and before you know it you’ve got a whole improvised shtick going. Well, this year direc-tor Tim Knofler is going to let the audience in on the fun: The Six Shooter will be done without any rehearsal, and we’re encouraging the cast to go ahead have fun with it. With a cast that includes Chuck McCann, Shirley Mitchell, Herb Ellis, Ben Cooper and Gary Owens things might get a little wild.

The final production of the afternoon will be My Client Curley, a short satirical play by radio’s greatest playwright, Norman Cor-win, directed by Michael Kacey. Corwin, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Lust for Life and author of such radio masterpieces as On a Note of Triumph and The Plot to Overthrow Christmas, will be one of the many celebrities attending the luncheon. My Client Curley, which was made into a motion picture, Once Upon a Time, starring Cary Grant, will star

RECORD NUMBER OF OTR STARS SETTO PERFORM AT NOV. 5 LUNCHEON

by Gregg OppenheimerLuncheon Entertainment Chairman

‘I Love Lucy’ play dramatizes behind-the-scenes obstacles in moving Lucy from radio to television

Continued Page 14


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Contact Audiophonic Corporation, Cook Recording Laboratory, for details at (719) 687-6357

audiophonic corporation

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president

Readers Agree: It’s Don WilsonIn last month’s issue

reader Warren L. Worthing-ton sought the identity of a KFI announcer in two pho-tographs he had purchased from the estate of one of Earl C. Anthony’s personal photographers.

Pat Moran, of Hunting-ton Beach, CA, wrote: “I agree that this is a young Don Wilson. My mother (originally from NYC) was playing in an orchestra in Denver, and Don Wilson was singing in a quartet as part of the nightly entertainment.

“One night there was a young lady who sang ‘Love Here Is My Heart’ and she sang every chorus. The quartet was waiting patiently as they were due to perform next. Don Wilson leaned over into the orchestra pit and whispered: ‘Love Here Is My Liver and Bacon.’ Don and my mother continued working there but I don’t think the young lady was around much longer.

“Anyway, I thought you might be interested in knowing Don Wilson’s first profession, before he found fame in Hollywood.”

Also, Jack French noted that, “the 2012 calendar of Radio Spirits has just been released and Don Wilson appears on their September page. His photo is a dead-ringer for the pix you published.”


Special Needs: ___________________________________________________________________________ (Vision, Hearing or Walking)

Make Checks payable to SPERDVACMail to Barbara Williams, 381 Table Mountain Bl. Oroville, CA 95965

Phone: 530-990-4214 Email: [email protected]

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 24, 2011 CHECKS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THIS DATE

2nd ANNUAL HONORARY MEMBER APPRECIATION LUNCHEON November 5, 2011 12:00PM TO 4:00PM

Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn4222 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, CA

BEVERLY GARLAND’S HOLIDAY INN PARKING IS $5.00 SPERDVAC RESERVATION FORM

Name_______________________________________________ Meal_______________________________

Address___________________________________________ Email _________________________________

Day Phone______________________________ Evening Phone____________________________________

Guest ______________________ Meal ___________ Guest _____________________ Meal_____________

Luncheon tickets will be held at the Registration Table starting at 11:00am. This is not a fundraiser and the full cost of tickets goes to cover costs. Therefore no part of the ticket price is considered a tax deductible contribution.

Luncheon Event is $50 Per Person

Number Attending = _______ Total Cost = _________

(Optional) Tax-Deductible Donation to Help Defray Luncheon Costs = ___________ TOTAL $ ____________

MEAL CHOICESHouse Specialty Sherry Wine Pot Roast (Beef)

Chicken Breast Jerusalem (Chicken)

Vegetable Plate (Veggie)



by

Ed

Dead


hile discussing with a col-league the works of Edgar Allan Poe I mentioned that my first exposure to Amer-ica’s foremost short-story

writer was actually heard and not read. My seventh grade teacher had played an LP re-cording of Basil Rathbone reading “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Although the LP had little to do with old-time radio my friend jumped to that conclusion and said something very interest-ing: he likened listening to a radio program to watching a movie with the projector lamp

off. I wasn’t sure if he were being sarcastic but the more I thought about his description the more I liked it. Indeed, when one consid-ers that the best of radio drama incorporated dialogue, sound effects and music to achieve, in the words of Poe, a singleness of effect the more apt my friend’s description; moreover, when one considers that such aural stimuli is effected itself in the dark then all the better. How often have we described our otr experi-ence by citing the “glow of the kilocycle dial” as the sole illumination of our surroundings?

Poe’s notion of singleness of effect was not limited to his favorite subject, fear. As noted in “The Philosophy of Composition,” Poe as-serted that a work of art should elicit an emo-tional response in the reader—listener—and that the writer should rally everything at his or her disposal to reach that end. Poe wrote that, “In the whole composition there should be no word written, of which the tendency, direct or indirect, is not to the one pre-established de-sign.” He then asks the writer to consider that, “Of the innumerable effects, or impressions, of which the heart or soul is perceptible, what one shall I, on the present occasion, select?” As we all know Poe selected, for the most part, fear, and to that end he assembled every word and image he could to create a singleness of effect—fear—in the reader. So, too, did the many creative talents associated with old-time radio; they assembled word and image as well as radio’s aural complements—sound effects and music—to achieve that special “fear in the dark” that appeals to us. With that dial glowing in the dark and the assembled com-ponents stimulating the mind’s eye radio was able to chill us by using our own fears in a more exciting manner than anything movies or television could evoke. Movies and TV may

have the ability to shock us—to jump out of the closet and scream boo—but radio had the abil-ity to suggest a mi-lieu of unsettling fear. We were surrounded by unknown terror and the more we contem-plated our fears the more our spines tingled and the more we thought it prudent to turn up the lights—well, just a little.

Radio horror was nothing but good old-fashioned storytelling; as mentioned countless times radio was the electronic equivalent of gathering around the campfire and listening to a storyteller, but here our storyteller’s sole purpose was to give us the creeps. Radio succeeded so well, too; in the middle of a “witch’s tale” heard in the half-darkness of a “hermit’s cave” we just knew that there was something creeping in the night—something that was about to get us even though we kept believing that we’re hearing just a story, that’s all, just a story.

For Halloween, then, we offer a select listing of radio’s great horror anthology shows. We have listed them in no particular order, and we have used the present tense to describe their special appeals to suggest that they are, like ghosts, still with us.

Treat yourself this trick-or-treat season and select one or two or three and let the glow of the CD player, the monitor or the iPod illu-minate the room. Let Nancy or the Hermit or Doctor X or Raymond tap into your fears and guide you through the darkness. It’ll be good for you; it’ll be good therapy. Who knows? You might see something in the dark that will

That motley drama!—oh, be sure It shall not be forgot!With its Phantom chased for evermore, By a crowd that seize it not,Through a circle that ever returneth in To the self-same spot,And much of Madness and more of Sin And Horror the Soul of the Plot. — Edgar Allan Poe “Ligeia”

Bela Lugosi, unlike fellow horror stars Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, was con-spicuously absent from radio horror. His only credit seems to be an epsiode of Suspense.


surprise you; it might be yourself.• • •

CCreeps By NightPrepare yourself for horror as this 1944

Blue Network series delves into the “unknown darkness of the human mind.” Hosted first by Hollywood’s premiere bogey man Boris Karloff and later by the mysterious Dr. X, Creeps By Night explores themes of revenge, hatred and fear. Here tormented souls con-stantly look over their shoulders and attempt to outrun their pursuers. A funereal world of darkness and terror awaits the unwary! CLights Out

This perennial radio favorite defines the meaning of “Lights Out” when it comes to radio horror, and remains exemplary of Poe’s notions. Whether it is the unwelcome visit of a demon from Hades, a creature emerging from the depths of a meteor, ghosts, or prehistoric monsters roaming a department store base-ment, the superb nightmarish visions of Arch Oboler still function as intended. So turn out your lights, everybody—if you dare.CMurder at Midnight

“Midnight, the witching hour, when the night is darkest, our fears the strongest, and our strength at its lowest ebb. Midnight, when the graves gape open and death strikes!” This is our invitation to partake of the delicacy of death dished up each week by this syndicated series. Nothing subtle here; the faint of heart should keep their Digitalis close at hand.CMystery in the Air

Summer 1947 ushered in the distinct scent of Mystery in the Air. Hosted by the ever sinis-ter Peter Lorre, who frequently appears in this Bakers Dozen of menace and fear, the series

adapted classic tales of dread and despair for listeners with a discerning ear. Such works as “The Marvelous Barastro,” “The Horla,” “The Mask of Medusa,” “The Black Cat” and The Lodger unfold on the program and you have a personal invitation from Peter Lorre to join in the bloodshed.CNightmare

“From the dark of night, from the shadows of the senses comes this the fantasy of fear . . . Nightmare! . . . starring as your exciting guide to terror, Peter Lorre.” And once again Peter Lorre’s distinctive deliver appears out of the darkness to lead listeners through a series of tales woven around themes drawn from the archives of fear and dread. This 1953-54 Mutual series, despite its obscurity, retains the power to provoke and terrorize under the watchful eye of its iconic host. CQuiet, Please

In its way, Quiet, Please is a deceptive se-ries. Written, created and directed by Wyllis Cooper, who created Lights Out, the series begins without the usual terror inducing de-vices of sinister voices, screams, thunder and lightning, howling dogs and creaking doors. No, just a rather softly spoken voice asking for “Quiet, please.” Listeners should know bet-ter. The most intense horror, the most perfect examples of fear build softly, inevitably and without advance fanfare. And suddenly the listener arrives at the moment of revelation and is left wondering how it all came about.CThe Black Castle

Tales of the macabre are the norm for the old wizard who lives within the walls of the Black Castle. The mournful tolling of a single church bell precedes each tale. Then we are summoned by our announcer to follow him to meet the old wizard who will then tell us another of his frightening stories. Interest-ingly, all parts in each story are played by one person, the very talented Don Douglas. CThe Hall of Fantasy

Footsteps approach, echoing along a nar-row stone hallway . . . “And now, The Hall of Fantasy. Welcome to the Hall of Fantasy, welcome to the series of radio dramas dedi-cated to the supernatural, the unusual and the unknown. Come with me, my friends. We shall descend to the world of the unknown and forbidden, down to the depths where the veil of time is lifted and the supernatural reigns as king. Come with me and listen to the tale of . . . .” Indeed, the supernatural does reign supreme in this series. Routinely the dark forces prevail devouring any poor soul unwary enough to become entangled in a confrontation with evil. CThe Haunting Hour

Ghostly music accompanied by slow, heavy footsteps coming our direction and then the admonition “No . . . no . . . stay where you are. Do not break the stillness of this moment.

For this is a time of mystery, a time when imagination is free and moves forward swiftly, silently. This is The Haunting Hour.” Edwin Wolfe directs this syndicated series dedicated to murder and mayhem, complete with all the haunting sound effects so inimitable to old-time radio. CThe Hermit’s Cave

Old hermits make for great storytellers. “Ghost stories. Weird Stories. And murders, too! The Hermit knows them all! Turn out

your lights! Turn them out!” And once again listen-ers are transported via bone-chilling sound effects and morbid accounts of madness and murder to the edge

of their chairs. With just the glow from a kilocycle dial to illuminate the room we sit spellbound as the Hermit weaves his sor-cerer’s magic. “Hee, hee, hee, hee.” CThe House of Mystery

“This is Roger Elliott, otherwise known as ‘The Mystery Man’ welcoming you to another storytelling session here at the House of Mys-tery.” And, thus, we are cordially welcomed each time to listen to another tale from The Mystery Man’s files. Unlike other hosts, El-liott avoids a ghoulish persona. Stories of ghosts and apparitions can all be logically explained away, according to Elliott. Come listen as The Mystery Man explains away the seemingly inexplicable.CThe Inner Sanctum

If there is royalty among radio’s hosts of horror it has to be Raymond, the ghoulish

The distinct voice of Peter Lorre intro-duced two series, Mystery in the Air and Nightmare, and was heard in guest star-ring roles on several other sinister series.

Hollywood’s master of menace Boris Kar-loff hosted Creeps by Night before being replaced by the dreaded Dr. X.


pun-loving host who ushers us through the creaking door of The Inner Sanctum week after week. O’Henry endings with a macabre twist will frequently define The Inner Sanctum experience. But the more bizarre the tale the better from Raymond’s point of view. Who else but Ray-mond could hold his own against such luminaries as Boris Karl-o f f , P e t e r Lorre, Vin-cent Price and Claude Rains? Lon Chaney appeared in a series of Universal films tagged “Inner Sanctum Mysteries” with all but one beginning in a library setting with a disembod-ied head floating inside a crystal ball upon a conference table. It was a bizarre image but it paled to the bizarre wordplay of Raymond. CThe Mysterious Traveler

The Mysterious Traveler rode the rails, so to speak, each week arriving as the only passenger onboard a ghost train with another of his riveting tales of the weird and the su-pernatural. His greeting upon arrival each week defined his mission succinctly: “This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves, and be comfortable—if you can.” The series was so successful that a comic book was pro-duced that depicted the Mysterious Traveler in slouch hat and heavy overcoat. All things

considered he was rather nondescript for such an eerie voice.CThe Strange Dr. Weird

“Good evening. Come in, won’t you? Why what’s the matter? You seem a bit nervous. Perhaps the cemetery outside this house has upset you?” The sinister Dr. Weird is played by Mau-rice Tarplin, who also performs double duty as “The Mysterious Traveler.” The stories are simi-lar but shorter in format. But one thing listeners can count on: the scripts from the typewriter of Robert A. Arthur will be the stuff of night-mares. Incidentally, what a great title!CSuspense

Radio’s masterpiece and although a delightful crime drama anthology there are moments are horrific suspense in much of the program’s fare. Moreover, it seems to be the sole appearance of Bela Lugosi in a radio horror anthology. He portrayed a mad doctor in “The Doctor Prescribed Death” opposite Geraldine Fitzgerald. But more important, few programs exemplify Poe’s notions of effect better than Suspense. The stories were, after all, “well-calculated to keep you in—Suspense.”

CThe Weird CircleWaves lashing against the rocks . . . an

ancient voice intones: “The Weird Circle! In this cave by the restless sea we are met to call from out of the past stories strange and weird. Bell Keeper, toll the bell so that all may know we are gathered again in The Weird Circle.” With that introduction those who have as-sembled are privileged to hear both classic and original stories of the haunted and the horrifying. Sit down, cross your legs and join “the Weird Circle.”CThe Witch’s Tale

What is a radio horror show without a witch? Old Nancy, the witch of Salem, is the perfect hostess. Accompanied by her black cat, Satan, Nancy can rival any of radio’s hosts of horror for sinister intent and malevolence of spirit. Nancy’s stories may all be true, cer-tainly grisly, but beware! The old witch does prevaricate when it comes to her age, which varies with each broadcast, sometimes within each broadcast. One moment she is celebrat-ing her 110th birthday, another her 122nd and so it goes. But dispute her stories of the supernatural at your own risk. Reportedly, the series was the inspiration for the notorious E.C. comics of the 1950s (Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, The Haunt of Fear, et.al.).

• • •Well, that’s the list for this Halloween.

Turn out the lights and . . . remember, it’s later than you think![

When The Mysterious Traveler became a comic book “Tales of” was added to the title as well as a face.

Inner Sanctum was so popular that Hol-lywood appropriated the title for, first, a series that featured Lon Chaney, and later a single feature that merely took the name of the radio series.


IN SOME previous presidential election year—1944, I think—I suggested to Jack Louis, the advertising account executive

who so astutely has guided the destinies of Fibber McGee and Molly for 13 years, that we take advantage of a hot topic and get some political argument into the program.

My idea was to have one of the secondary characters carry the guidon for Dewey and another secondary character ride the tailgate of the Roosevelt bandwagon, with Fibber and Molly as neutral referees.

I wanted to burlesque some of the more vicious statements from both sides (it was a particularly nasty campaign, as I remember it) and try to show up some of the unreasoned and stupid character analyses for the rubbish they were.

THE SUGGESTION was turned tactfully down. So gracefully, in fact, was it shelved that I cannot for the dull life of me remember what the advanced argument, if any, was.

I have a suspicion, however, that the fairly cogent agency thinking on this score was that no matter how judiciously we attempted to equalize the Republican and Democratic sentiments, the zealots on both sides of the ballot box would start heaving stink bombs at us for fancied partisanship.

Also, being well known in my own pro-duction centers as a flagrant new dealer and a liberal Democrat of the type to cause Con-gressman Thomas and his fellow cauldron tenders to start joyfully gathering faggots, it might have suspected that I might load the scales on the Roosevelt side, in a subtle way, or, in a fair-minded attempt to avoid just such a thing, to lean so far backward as to give Mr. Dewey the edge.

The upshot of the matter was that political mentions on the John-son’s Wax (adv.) program were and are—scarcer than monsignors in Minsk

.THE BITTER LESSON to be derived from this is that topics

which are common drug store and street corner subjects are, on most comedy commercial radio shows, verboten, taboo and on the Index Expurgatorium.

There is an old saying to the effect that nothing is so timid as a million dollars.

Maybe if I had a few googles tied up in a 13-year-old high-ranking radio show, I also might look askance at references which might alien-

ate large solvent groups of listeners with the inevitable sprinkling of Kluxers, America Firsters, Communists and race baiters in the interests of my stockholders, but as I am just a hack joke writer on a 13-week basis I can afford to be pretty passionate for the Bill of Rights.

I still think, however, that for a nation that was midwife by Old Lady Controversy, this eternal pussyfooting away from argumenta-tive topics is sort of un-American—a phrase which I can abuse as well as anybody. How innocuous can you remain, and be happy?

THIS IS WHY, in my low moments (and as a confirmed manic depressive about town I occasionally reach emotional depths which would pressurize a Beebe bathysphere into a metallic jelly), I sometimes wonder why I ever took up writing for radio instead of playing it cozy like John Crosby and just writing about it and against it.

On a newspaper they tell me once can (if one has a byline) speak out pretty freely on public problems and national dilemmas with no more fear of retaliation than a few dirty letters to the editor, who probably passes them on to the radio desk with a throaty chuckle and a $3 raise for stirring up so much interest.

There was enough material brought forth by the recent Republican convention to have kept a comedy writer busily and contentedly employed for the next 700 years.

Out of these little rooms in Philadelphia emanated, and will ema-nate, enough ideas for gags to fill a radio show for many seasons. But they’d be “controversial” on the air.

THE RICH SPECTACLE of 130,000,000 citizens being systemati-cally sifted for two possible presidential candidates, and not necessarily the worst two, either, is such a fertile field for comic research that it hurts me almost physically to see it denied the full comedy treatment under ether.

At this writing it looks like a race between Dewey and Truman. But whatever goes on won’t interest me professionally. It’s controversial. Mustn’t touch. People might be listening.

Ah well, humor is a wonderful weapon, but we don’t want to hurt anybody, even a poll tax politician, so let’s leave it in the scabbard and use it for a slapstick.[

OLD NEWS IS BETTER THAN EVER • 63 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 28, 1948

Duck Fellas — It’s Controversialby DON QUINN

With John Crosby on vacation, Don Quinn, celebrated creator/writer of Fibber McGee and Molly, penned his sentiments regarding censorship in radio comedy. Reprinted from Crosby’s Radio in Review column as published in the Portsmouth (OH) Times, Thursday, August 28, 1948.

—:—

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But whatever goes on won’t interest me

professionally. It’s controversial. Mustn’t touch. People might

be listening.


IN A RECENT ISSUE of Radiogram in The Mysterious Traveler column, he/she(?) compared the cultural values of today to those in the days of otr and found our modern values want-

ing. True, times have changed but one would expect change to be for the better. But in this case we doubt it. While some censored values in the 40-50s are laughable today, e.g., in the early otr-era one could never use the word “Pregnant” in a drama, still there are many plus-es radio had that TV, by nature of the medium, cannot duplicate. Let’s start with voices.

Voices? Remember Alice Frost? An attrac-tive lovely woman in real life, but one would never recognize her as one of the characters she portrayed which had been described through dialogue. Yes, Alice was Mrs. North in Mr. and Mrs. North. They were not professional detec-tives but every week for 12-years they came upon a murder which they resolved on a CBS program that eventually reached 20-million listeners. However, she also was Ruth on Big Sister, a daytime soap and sounded far differ-ent. Remember the name Mercedes McCam-bridge? Orson Welles called her,”The world’s greatest living radio actress.” She voiced so many different characters that the mind of the listener would never see her as a person but rather the character she was portraying.

Sound Men provided all necessary noises required. Even though there might be only one in a program, such as a door opening, their union did not permit one of the actors doing it. But there was an exception. If, say, the actor was playing a cop who was signal-ing other patrolmen with his whistle, he was permitted to blow the whistle since it related to his character.

How about singers in those years? Bing Crosby had his round mellow tones but then came Frank Sinatra whose long phrases and enunciation of lyrics captured the listener

and whose ability transcended many decades. When he sang, the lyric told a story; the lis-tener could follow and his voice embellished the lyric.

But singers change over the years until we have today’s version. Can the older folks con-sider it singing? Sammy Cahn once summed up on TV his disdain for contemporary songs and their vocal delivery. Cahn was known for

writing such great love songs as “All the Way,” “April in Paris,” “Be My Love” among countless others. He had been cho-sen to present a high award (perhaps at the Grammys, I don’t recall) to Michael Bolton. After presenting him the tro-phy, Cahn, as he walked away, said, not asked, “How can anyone shout a love song!”

Radio also provided entertainment while in-cluding programming directly related to the on-going World War II. One of the shows in our shop was Vox Pop, a man-on-the-street interview

program that switched topics from the ordi-nary subjects they usually queried random people to interviewing military personnel. By the end of 1945 Parks Johnson and Wally But-terworth, the key men of Vox Pop, had visited more than 200 military bases and hospitals interviewing personnel from all branches of service helping to maintain the country’s morale during the conflict.

A quiz show had a guest designer who taught listeners how to make an attractive corsage from a group of 50-cent War Stamps. Then there was a half-hour musical show which set aside the last five minutes dedicated to a GI talking to his family in the States from somewhere in England. And radio broadcast war-related songs and lyrics, i.e., “Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer” (number one on Your Hit Parade for some time), “I’ll be Home for Christmas” and “I’ll Never Smile Again” (written by a nurse whose fiancé was killed in combat).

Radio dramas depended on the interplay

byFRED ESSEX

Mercedes McCambridge, whom Orson Welles called “the greatest living radio actress.”


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Tommy Cook, who appeared in the original radio production, along with Sean Umin-ski, Christopher Uminski, Gloria McMillan, Ron Cocking, Stuffy Singer, Ivan Cury, Phil Proctor, Melinda Peterson and Michael C. Gwynne.

This event, organized by Luncheon Chair-man Jerry Williams, is sure to be a wonderfully entertaining afternoon (and the food isn’t bad, either). Once again, seating is first-come, first served, so please register early. A mail-in registration form is on page 6 can and online at www.lucylibrary.com/ORDER-FORM.pdf.

of characters which involved the listener—they had to for in those days families actually sat by their set listening to the story unfold. Over the years plot development has been re-placed on TV primarily with sex and violence, probably a reflection of today’s society.

Don’t think of radio prevailing at a time when all could be interpreted as a sweet panacea of goody-goody. Rather, consider it a triumph at the time when thousands were dying a in a war-to-end-all-wars and millions were being massacred. Radio provided the immediacy of the reporter up close to the front lines to a prayer at the end of a station’s broadcast day.

At the same time radio still provided en-tertainment which we recall after six decades

have passed. We remember cast names: Sgt. Velie on Ellery Queen, Rochester on Jack Benny and on Archie (“Archie, the manager speaking”)on Duffy’s Tavern. There were other singers such as Morton Downey and Lanny Ross. Orchestra leaders had by-lines, Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians, Benny Goodman - King of swing, Tommy Dorsey - Sentimental gentleman of swing, Glen Grey and the Casa Loma Orchestra, and so on.

As someone who enjoyed working in both mediums, it’s great to recall relatively early TV when Gene Roddenberry was trying to interest the networks in Star Trek (after be-ing turned down for a year) to appearing on one of Tennessee Ernie’s TV programs to traveling around the world looking for motion picture locations and appearing on several interview shows.

Guess that’s progress. But I still remem-ber with great fondness and appreciation the days of old-time radio and reminisce as if I had an invisible mirror looking back over my shoulder.

And that reminds me of another song lyric, “Those were the days, my friend . . .”[

Those Were the Days, My Friend

Meet the Stars

The Readers Have Their Say

Was it really necessary to use over four pages to list Commando Mary’s broadcast log? There’s so little space in 16-pages when eight of them are used up with sperdvac and Friends, the library order form, a luncheon reservation form that those of us not on the west coast will not possibly get to, two and a half pages of ads, and a front and back cover.

If you can make room for two and a half pages of ads, you should con-sider going to 20-pages so that there might be some content to each issue.

I read (if that’s the word) the entire issue in about two and a half minutes.

Period, end of report,Joe Cromarty

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