Corey's Ramblings: December 2017

Monday, December 25, 2017

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 25: Christmas with Don Ameche and the Elgin Watch Company

As we have reached the 25th Day of my Old Time Radio blog celebrating Christmas, we are at my other favorite episodes - or series of episodes: The Elgin Watch Specials. These 2 hour shows are too long to be broadcast on Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148), but are simply the best part of the holidays for me, especially if you are cooking in the Christmas. Or you can see my previous OTR Christmas entries (or drop to the bottom of this message).

I am wishing you a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a great new year.

193/365 (December 21, 2008) - The Best Christmas Tree Ornament

Cosmo the cat enjoying the Christmas Tree - 2008

One of the really cool shows I stumbled onto a few years back were the Elgin Seasonal Specials for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the 1940s. These were also known as Elgin's "2 Hours of Stars." The shows were sponsored by the Elgin Watch Company of Elgin, Illinois. Starting in 1942 for the soldiers overseas, the Elgin Holiday Specials were two hour programs that featured the brightest stars in radio and the movies. Heard on these programs is Bing Crosby, Mario Landa, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope and were all hosted by Don Ameche. The Internet Archives has five total shows (see the link below). One of the real treats takes place one hour into the show from 1945. Jack Benny gave a twisted performance of Sorry Wrong Number, one of the most iconic episodes of Suspense. Also, given that the program runs 2 hours, these are not commonly played on current radio programs like XM 148.

I read that the specials had very different purposes. The Thanksgiving shows were to get you to think about Elgin Watches and accessories for Christmas gifts. The Christmas shows were to get you to think about Elgin Watches as you cashed in your gift certificates that you might have received for the holidays. Variety reported in June 1949:

Shows last year cost Elgin an estimated $100,000 each, of which $26,000 went for network time and $60,000 for talent. First program to get the axe was the Christmas package, which was aimed at coaxing recipents of gift certificates into post-holiday buying of timepieces. Last year's January business, however, was reportedly so far from expectations that the watch company figured it has a white elephant on its hand. J. Walter Thomson agency made a fight to save the plum, with no luck.

As a great variety show that lasts two hours, it is a perfect thing to have on your radio (or computer) as you cook the Christmas meal. It has been on the radio in my kitchen these last few years over the holidays. Though we are not cooking for Christmas this year, it is a regular for me and will be my go-to Old Time Radio program for both Christmas and Thanksgiving. I hope some day to write up something more in-depth on this program.

Here are links right to the Elgin's Christmas Shows:

Elgin's 3rd Annual Christmas Show (December 25, 1944)

Summary: The show features and all star list of radio and movie actors including: Ginny Simms, Eddie Anderson, Jack Benny, Louis Silvers and His Orchestra, Manny Klein, The Swing Wing, The Charioteers, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Carmen Miranda, Joseph Szigeti, The Les Paul Trio, Barbara Jo Allen, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. The great Don Ameche served as the master of ceremonies. I think it is totally great to hear any early performance by Guitar great Les Paul and his Trio! Bing Crosby also went off the Christmas script and sang "Don't Fence Me In." The routine between Bob Hope and Bing Crosby was fantastic as well.

The shows have great Christmas music, and some pretty funny comedy bits. I particularly enjoy the long skit between singer Ginny Simms, Jack Benny and Eddie Anderson about how they were rehearsing for this song on the Elgin special. The performance also by guitar great Les Paul is fantastic.

In the Variety Radio Reviews of the program (which appear in the December 27, 1944 issue - page 28):

This third annual Elgin Watch Christmas Day star-studded show was a boff companion piece for the company-sponsored Thanksgiving program-and that's another way of saying that you'll probably have to wait a long time (until, perhaps, Elgin shoots the works on another ultra-package) to match the 120 minutes of entertainment that went out over the CBS network from 4 to 6 p.m. And like the Thanksgiving show, this one not only went into the homes of the nation's Yuletide celebrants, but circuited the global warfronts.

Here was a Xmas package that couldn't but help momentarily gladden the hearts of those GIs holding down the battle line forts. As such it will stand as a tribute to Bob Hope-Bing Crosby-Jack Benny & Co. (and with due acknowledgement to the whole supporting cast); to the top scripting job sparked by Carroll Carroll and overall Tony Stanford production that combines a properly tempoed humor and hilarity with a complete awareness of the sensitivities involved in justifying a gay, laughing-at-home mood in contrast to the misery and tragedies that the boys overseas are encountering. It was to a large measure, that sensitively-wrought portion that helped make the show memorable, particularly in the treatment it was given by Don Ameche, who emceed the show (there ought to be a Society of the Promotion of Ameche as Permanent Emcee for Such Occasions), and in the Crosby windup spiel.

The show was well paced and marked by a proper integration of drama, comedy, music (both in the hot and longhaired idiom), all with dignity and, for the most part, in good taste, but essentially it was a show build for laughs - laughs to hypo GI spirits and those at home with a stake in the war via concern for sons, fathers, brothers, sweethearts. It was comedy with a purpose, and in paying the freight, Elgin contributed its own generous portion of extending the season's greetings.

Not that the program was without its imperfections. In keeping with that overall good-will-toward-men theme, those Elgin pitches could have been soft-pedalled; similarly the multiplicity of plugs to fie in the products of the guestars were overworked. There was, too, a middle-portion boggin down in which Carmen Miranda, in particular, came off second best.

But add up that wham Crosby-Hope latter portion routine with its spontaneity and warm, infections quality; that Jack Benny-Rochester-Ginny Simms fiddle accomp comedy stretch; the latter's sock renditions of "Hallelujah" and "Wish You Were Waiting for Me"; add, too, the Burns & Allen-Don Ameche laugh-packed skit, the Charioteers singing "Poor Little Jesus Boy," the Les Paul Trio doing "Danger - Men At Work," the hot routine of the Swing Wing (Mannie Klein) musical combo from the Santa Ana Army Air Base Band, the change in pace via Joseph Szigeti's flawless violinistics, and it's easy to understand why this Christmas package couldn't miss.

Elgin's 4th Annual Christmas Show (December 25, 1945)

Summary: The show stars Don Ameche as the masters of ceremonies and a all star cast including: Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Ginny Simms, Red Skelton, Bob Crosby and The Bobcats, Barbara Jo Allen (as "Vera Vague"), Allan Jones, Artur Rubinstein, Ella Logan, Alan Reed, General Omar Bradley, The Charioteers, Larry Storch, and The Elgin Orchestra conducted by Louis Silvers.

Elgin's 7th Annual Christmas Show (December 25, 1948)

Summary: The show stars Don Ameche as the masters of ceremonies and a all star cast including: Sandra Berkova. Lauritz Melchior, Al Jolson, Danny Thomas, Red Ingle, Jack Kirkwood, Jo Stafford, Edgar Bergen, Sandra Berkova (a 15 year-old violinist), Cass Daley, Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Hilliard, Robert Armbruster and His Orchestra, and Jane Morgan.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and enjoy these wonderful recordings!

Here are some links to programs relating to the Elgin Watch Specials:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2017) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016)

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 24: Dragnet's Big Little Jesus (1953)

Everyone who loves Old Time Radio has a favorite episode or two that they can listen to over and over again. Many people will have special episodes they love for the holidays as well. For me, I have two favorite Christmas episodes and I decided that it is the perfect way to end this series for 2017. Going back to 1953 and the show that Jack Webb made famous - or the show that made Jack Webb famous - Dragnet. They have two great Christmas episodes - that were often repeated during the holidays. For the purposes of this blog - I will focus on the more upbeat one - "Big Little Jesus" and share the true story that became this episode. If you have Sirius XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). It is particularly good this week with all Christmas themed programs. Or you can see my previous OTR Christmas entries (or drop to the bottom of this message).

Nativity Scene at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (Saline, Michigan)

Nativity Scene - Saline, Michigan - 2013

I was not a huge fan of Dragnet from the start - even though it was one of the most famous radio and early television programs out there. But over the past year, I have enjoyed the great series and I have become definitely a fan. They have two stories related to Christmas that among the sweetest and saddest stories I can remember. I would like to focus on the sweet side today!

Visit to Mission San Buenaventura (Ventura, California) - Friday November 1, 2013

First broadcast on December 22, 1953, "Big Little Jesus," shows how a much nicer side of Christmas. Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith receive a called about a missing religious statue of the baby Jesus from the Mission church in Los Angeles. While it is not a huge crime, they move forward looking at every lead and pawn shop to find this item before Christmas. Eventually, it turns up in the sweetest way possible. It can be kinda corny, but is one of those radio episodes that really hits home with the true meaning of Christmas. I invite everyone to take 30 minutes, go back in time, and recapture the meaning of the holidays.

Jack Webb is Joe Friday and Ben Alexander plays Frank Smith, his partner. The program also became part of the television series. According to an article in the Atlanta Constitution on December 22, 1955 (p20), the story was based on a true incident that too place in the 1930s in San Francisco. The New York Times published an article in 1933 about this 'theft" (thanks ProQuest Historical Newspapers):

Thief-Hunting Priest Bows to Boy's Faith
Christmas Bargain Explains San Francisco Church's Loss of Christ Child Figure
New York Times December 27, 1933 (page 14)

Special to the New York Times
San Francisco, Dec. 26. - This is a story of Christmas time, of a missing figure of the Christ Child and of a boy and his coaster.

It happened today at the Church of Our Lady of Victory. The Christ Child had been stolen from the manger-crib in the nativity scene in the church. The discovery caused consternation. Priests, sextons and sacristans joined in a frantic search of the premises with no results. The little figure could not be found.

A thief was blamed and the priests were about to call police headquarters, when one of them saw the missing figure in a coaster wagon which a small boy was towing up the hill behind him. For a moment the priest was speechless. He looked down in amazement at Master Georgie Potter, aged 7.

"Why, my son!" the priest exclaimed. "Do you realize that you have the Christ Child there'"

"Yes. Father," said Georgie, quite blandly.

"Did you take the figure from the church?"

"Yes, father." answered Georgie. The lad's face fell as the priest sought further explanation. Yes, he had taken it, but he really had not meant to steal it.

"I-I wanted a wagon for Christmas," he explained.

The priest could not quite understand.

"A wagon for Christmas, my boy-yes-but why did you take the statue of Jesus?"

"You see, Father," was the reply, "I told he Christ Child that if he'd let me have a red wagon for Christmas I'd give him a ride in it twice around the block. He did his part, so now I'm just doing mine."

So as Paul Harvey would say, now you know the rest of the story. I love how the story grew as a Dragnet episode. Maybe that was their trick - develop something small that happened into a whole story. And such a great one this is. I hope you enjoy it.

Big Little Jesus (Deccember 22, 1953)

Script from the Generic Radio Workshop Library

Here are some links to programs relating to Dragnet:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2017) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016)

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 23: The Whistler's Three Wise Guys from Damon Runyon (1950)

As we are getting close to Christmas, I thought I would feature a pairing that gives me 'great pleasure' to be sure. I have decided to match one of my favorite series with one of my favorite authors. In my first year of doing this blog for Christmas, I showcased all of the episodes from the great West-coast series - The Whistler. And a few days ago, I featured Palm Beach Santa Claus on the Damon Runyon Theater (1949) . So today - we pull a mashup that even Reese's Peanut Butter Cups would approve of - hey - you put Damon Runyon in The Whistler - or - You put The Whistler into a Damon Runyon story! Either way - it is a great way to greet the holidays this year. If you have Sirius XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). It is particularly good this week with all Christmas themed programs. Or you can see my previous OTR Christmas entries (or drop to the bottom of this message).

Not really Christmas - but it is three travelers - so I will go with that.

Views from the Road - Driving in Gujarat, India (November 23, 2017)

The Whistler is one of the greatest old time radio programs. This mystery series aired from May 1942 to September 1955 on the West-coast network from CBS Radio. The show was sponsored by the Signal Oil Company. The lead in for the show was: "That whistle is your signal for the Signal Oil program, The Whistler." The Signal Oil Company was one of the biggest west-coast oil companies. They became part of AlliedSignal and then Honeywell. The Signal Oil Company as an entity phased out in the 1960s, but in the years before, they were a leading gas supplier in the Western United States.

One of the best parts about The Whistler is that each episode was a self-contained story, using new characters and situations. They were able to bring in many big names on radio and film into the studio to report the episodes. These actors included Frank Lovejoy, Betty Lou Gerson, William Conrad, Jack Webb, Gerald Mohr, Doris Singleton, Lurene Tuttle, Joseph Kearns and Bill Forman (who played the title role of The Whistler more than any other actor). The Whistler was the omniscient voice in the story, who started the episodes with the same refrain:

"I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak."

These are wonderful 30 minute mysteries that do a great job of keeping the listener interested. They are also one of my favorite mysteries. On December 24, 1950th, the Whistler staff had the night off. The broadcast was transcribed (or recorded) to enable the cast and crew to spend the holiday with their families. The program opened in a perfect match of The Whistler and Damon Runyon:

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring - not even a mouse.

Even Broadway, that glamorous avenue of make believe in far away New York seemed empty, deserted.

Most cafes and eating places were closed. But the doors of an occasional refuge for those hardy souls who prefer to walk alone were still open. Such a place was Good Time Charley's Bar on 49th Street, where on another Christmas Eve, a series of unusual events began. Ending in one of the most unusual stories Good Time Charley had ever listened to.

The story opens with poor Blondy Swanson. Sitting at a bar and lamenting a lost love and his switch to an honest life. He is talking with the storyteller (Al) - when in comes the Dutchman who tells them that he has a treasure in Pennsylvania that he needs help collecting. 50Gs to be specific from a factory payroll. So the three of them head to the west from New York City on Christmas Eve to collect this money - conveniently hidden in a barn somewhere in the hills of Pennsylvania. When they get to the barn where the money is, they find something that they clearly were not expecting. It was Blondy's former love - Miss Clarabelle Cobb! And she was ready to give birth to a newborn! Her husband was on the run because they thought he was involved in the payroll theft - but he was not. In typical Damon Runyon fashion - there were lots of moving parts - but a well oiled story underneath! As they said, it was "quite a night for surprises." The program stars Marvin Miller, John Brown, Jack Moyles & Bill Forman as the voice of the Whistler. Great recording and lots of fun for the holidays.

Three Wise Guys - The Whistler - December 24, 1950

Story Text options:

Project Gutenberg (Australia) - Damon Runyon Omnibus
Reprint from Colliers Magazine (December 21, 1956 - part one & part two)

Here are some links to programs relating to Old Time Radio and The Whistler:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2017) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016)

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)

Friday, December 22, 2017

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 22: A Dog For Christmas - Dog Star from Suspense (1957)

There may be nothing better than a pet in your home for the holidays. We are fortunate to have two great cats....at home, but this is our first year in a while that we have not had a dog at the holidays :( Our beloved Flappy loved Christmas. Well, he loved people and food - and that is much of what happens at our house over the holidays. So I totally understand why someone would really, really, really want a dog for Christmas. What a great present it could be - what a great addition to the family. And that brings us to a great holiday episode of one of the greatest programs from the Golden Age of Radio - Suspense. I guess in that series, you never know who or what will drop in. If you have Sirius XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). It is particularly good this week with all Christmas themed programs. Or you can see my previous OTR Christmas entries (or drop to the bottom of this message).

Christmas Tree Decorating - November 2016

My Beloved Flappy - Decorating the Christmas Tree in 2016 - I really miss him 😭

Among the very best shows that were broadcast during the Golden Age of Radio, the CBS Network's Suspense really stands out as one of the best of the best. Radio's "outstanding theater of thrills" had a 20 year run on CBS - starting in 1942. In fact, the last Suspense episode in 1962 marks the end of the Golden Age of Radio. One of the reasons why I love listening to the early episodes is because I enjoy the sponsor, Roma Wines. Their commercials are the best - Salute! They had numerous Christmas episodes over the years, and I showcased 1943's Back for Christmas last year with the great Peter Lorre and Keenan Wynn and Hume Cronyn as accountants who might be in over their head!

Today's featured episode comes much later in its 20 year run, a few years before the production left Hollywood for New York City. On December 22, 1957, Suspense featured a story called "Dog Star." This is the blurb that was in the Los Angeles Times that morning:

Suspense Holidayish

Now for Sunday's shows which also reflect the spirit of the season. Even Suspense takes on a holiday theme, KNX, at 4 p.m. with 7-year-old Evelyn (Eloise) Rudie starring as a tot whose parents refuse to give her a dog for Christmas. In "Dog Star" she finds her own pet under mysterious circumstances.

Radio Roundup by Jean McMurphy - Los Angeles Times, December 22, 1957, page F15

Rudie plays Julie, a girl that only wants a dog for Christmas. Her parents have other ideas and want to get her a bike for Christmas. But she has her heart set on a dog. So when she is exploring her neighborhood with a friend, they stumble on a lost dog - who they call Mike. The poor dog did not seem to have an owner, and a name, and was hurt. He responds to the name Little Chipka - and was a Cosmonaut. When his capsule came down in their neighborhood, Julie got the Christmas gift that she was looking for. But there were others who were looking for Little Chipka - and they were trying to avoid a diplomatic crisis. In the end, the crisis was averted and Julie finally got her wish come true.

The Dog Star is a sweet Christmas story. Joining Evelyn Rudie in the case were Norman Alden, Dick Beals, Lou Krugman, Jack Kruschen, Shepard Menken, Shirley Mitchell, Sam Pierce, & Ben Wright. I hope you have pets in your holidays this year - and luckily there are easier ways to get one!

Dog Star (Suspense - December 22, 1957)

Here are some links to programs relating to Old Time Radio and Suspense:

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2017) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016)

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)