IJBFC Happy Hours - April-May, 2020
(Name of message originator appears above the line)
Sunday, April 5th
garth_johnson 4:51 PM
Another
group of anxious and eager amateurs has gathered for Town Hall Tonight
Rodrigo
Araya 4:52 PM
Is
it today?
4:53
I
could have sworn it'll be next Sunday"
4:53
!
garth_johnson 4:54 PM
From
Facebook - Jack Benny fan Happy Hour
Today
at 5 PM
Hosted
by Laura Leibowitz
Facebook
Log
into Facebook | Facebook
Log
into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and
people you know.
kathy_fuller_seeley 4:54 PM
Jello
everyone! glad to "see" you!
Rodrigo
Araya 4:54 PM
Turns
out i'll be listening to the Cairo USO show in a few minutes.
garth_johnson 4:55 PM
Rod
- have you got the script?
kathy_fuller_seeley 4:55 PM
Laura
says she'll be here in a few minutes. How is everyone doing?
4:56
I
have had to move my undergrad course online, and its a whole lot of work (when I
am not adept at technology at the best of times!)
Rodrigo
Araya 4:56 PM
Would
it be insensitive to listen to the episode in which Jack and Carmichael have a
cold?
kathy_fuller_seeley 4:56 PM
ahchooo!
That is a good connection, let alone Virus X sometime in the late 40s
Rodrigo
Araya 4:57 PM
Virus
X?
4:58
We
all wonder whatever happened to Carmichael, but has someone ever wondered what
became of Gracie Allen's duck?
garth_johnson 4:59 PM
Why
a duck -- I'm more concerned about the pig
Rodrigo
Araya 5:00 PM
Herman
abruptly disappeared, just like Paul Whiteman!
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:00 PM
what
a cute pig, how long did he/she last as a character on their show?
5:01
Paul
Whiteman is a LOT of person to make disappear, hahaha almost as hefty as Don
Wilson
garth_johnson 5:01 PM
Don't
know if it was a 'character' or just a publicity shot for Hormel --- Spam
Rodrigo
Araya 5:03 PM
Jack
was performing at 1 am Cairo time, or 3 pm LA time.
garth_johnson 5:04 PM
And
speaking of animal characters - This lady is the namesake of what Benny pet.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:04 PM
were
any of Jack's broadcasts from the Middle East that summer actually able to
successful broadcast back to the US? I read somewhere that at the last minute,
troubles kept several shows from airing
Rodrigo
Araya 5:05 PM
He's
talking to a Fred... not Allen, of course.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:05 PM
is
that the ostrich, ummm what was her name, Penny,. Trudy!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:05 PM
Poor
Fred would not be able to return until January '44.
5:05
The
poor bassoon...
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:05 PM
was
that because of Fred's heart trouble?
garth_johnson 5:06 PM
Trudy
Wood the ostrich is the correct answer.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:06 PM
Yes.
Not to mention he'd then leave the air for over a year.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:07 PM
Now
I read in Jay Sandrich's scrapbooks that Trudy was his production
assistant/secretary, same lady?
garth_johnson 5:07 PM
That
is correct
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:08 PM
Poor
Fred. His cast members had to scramble for work. Minerva Pious did a few Benny
episodes, but then Fred was thankfully back on the air
Rodrigo
Araya 5:08 PM
Seems
Jack learnt some French during his African sojourn.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:09 PM
oui
oui? better than Phil's something about eating the window?
garth_johnson 5:09 PM
From
the Larry Adler Papers
Rodrigo
Araya 5:09 PM
When
did that happen?
5:10
Now
Larry Adler's playing "Begin the Beguine" on his harmonica.
garth_johnson 5:11 PM
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:13 PM
wow
that you have the script, and I LOVE Larry Adler's harmonica playing. Didn't
they have him do Begin the Beguine again back in Los Angeles? I have read
Larry's autobiography, and he's very liberal. He adored Jack, but could not
stand any of Jack's ultra-conservative LA friends
garth_johnson 5:13 PM
Say
Rodrigo what's with this Saida anyway
Rodrigo
Araya 5:13 PM
Not
sure. The quality is atrocious
5:13
Jack
made a crack at Phil.
5:14
Now
they're making an "ad" for pyramids.
5:14
Even
with a jingle.
garth_johnson 5:15 PM
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:15 PM
Larry
also hints at some interesting stories about Ingrid Bergman being with them on
the trip. Various accounts have Ingrid having an affair with Robert Capo the
photographer, but I found a telegram in Jack's papers in Wyoming tht hints he
had a crush on her too. As well as Larry having the hots for her. Such a
time....
Rodrigo
Araya 5:16 PM
They
now made a joke about Paul Muni.
5:16
Now
they're making jokes about Jack's beard.
5:17
Involving
also Ronnie Colman.
garth_johnson 5:17 PM
1945
- Photograph of Ingrid Bergman and Jack Benny Standing together in a field. She
is wearing a white blouse and dark skirt while Benny wears a necktie, white
shirt, and slacks.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:20 PM
Garth
I would like to talk with you sometime about how you archive all these wonderful
images and documents you have! I know that Laura started something a couple
years ago but it quickly petered out (I know! we are all so busy!!!) . I wonder
if our enforced downtime might spur us to try for a gigantic collective
collection again...... (and I want to convince her to start digitizing some of
the scrapbooks and documents that she has).
5:21
Rodrigo
do you have much Benny stuff? I have mostly gathered US magazines that have not
yet been digitized
5:23
My
biggest "wish list" goal of the year is to find out from Joan Benny if
she has the original manuscript to Jack's autobiography, as small hints I have
seen show that it might have been edited down by her NYC publisher, and there
may be intriguing little bits left out that would be of interest to us dedicated
JB fans.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:24 PM
Just
some e-books one kind soul uploaded to the FB group last December.
5:24
By
Josefsberg, Hickey Marks...
5:25
Irving
Fein
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:25 PM
oh
there is great material in those books!!!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:25 PM
Oh,
I also once downloaded your essay on Jack's Canada Dry days.
garth_johnson 5:25 PM
Google
is my friend. Then EBay. I learned a long time ago that websites are notorious
for being there one day and gone the next, so back in 1994 I started collecting
stuff. First with Laura's site, and the caption contest, then I got
serious and started using my archivist and database management skills to really
organize things.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:26 PM
would
you like a copy of my book, Rodrigo? Give me a mailing address and I will send a
copy
garth_johnson 5:26 PM
The
pics I've shared here should show my organization - year-month-day - source with
catalog id - image description
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:27 PM
Garth,
your collection is SO AMAZING!
garth_johnson 5:27 PM
Kathy
do I get a copy -- and what's happening with the collection of scripts
Rodrigo
Araya 5:27 PM
rodrigo.araya@aol.com
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:29 PM
gosh
Garth I would love to send you a copy, just give me a snail mail address, and
Rodrigo I only have hard copies (but I have a generous sponsor at my university
who will purchase copies for me to give away to friendss)
Rodrigo
Araya 5:29 PM
Ouch!
5:29
Overseas
mail is quite another business, moreso these days.
garth_johnson 5:30 PM
My
picture database item counter says 34,850 pictures - but that does include
duplicates / alternate sources / alternate watermarks - captions as a separate
file and a tonne of database files related to keeping track of vaudeville dates
and of course a lot of newspaper / magazine clippings. About 6 gigs of
data if I remember correctly
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:31 PM
well
the virus has slowed everything down. But Ben Ohmart's head of production was in
touch a couple weeks ago, so when they get back up and running I hope that we
will be in production! with volume 1, May-July 1932. there are such great jokes
there. I don't mind shipping overseas Rodrigo, it will get there eventually
garth_johnson 5:31 PM
For
Corn Sakes!
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:32 PM
Ben
Ohmart's company Bear Manor Media published a wonderful and huge biography of
silent comedian Fatty Arbuckle at the start of the year, I hope his wonderful
company thrives
garth_johnson 5:32 PM
That
reminded me - the collection contains a few individual page files for a few
books available as google previews
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:33 PM
you
can send me a snail mail address to my school email kathy.fullerseeley@austin.utexas.edu
Rodrigo
Araya 5:34 PM
Someone
at the FB group shared a documentary on Jack by noted British comedy writer
Barry Cryer.
5:34
This
in a series about comedians he worked with, both from the UK and the US.
garth_johnson 5:38 PM
Don't
keep us in suspense, be a good an faithful servant and tell us if the program is
good or not
Rodrigo
Araya 5:39 PM
Wonder
if Laura will be able to be with us tonite...
5:39
Not
that this hasn't been an entertaining conversation.
garth_johnson 5:40 PM
She
can just replay this Power(less) Point presentation
5:43
Rodrigo
- If you are interested in the Cairo show script, it is in the Larry Adler
papers at https://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~67~67
5:43
There
is also a good number of pictures of Larry's other travels with Jack and the
United Service Organization Camp Shows
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:44 PM
hey,
I lost my connection but now am back. Laura had written me 90 minutes ago to say
she was out trying to get groceries and might be delayed. I love Larry Adler,
Rodrigo, thanks Garth for the connections
5:47
But
if not, I have been so glad to chat with you both, Garth and Rodrigo! Please
send me mailing addresses to my school email (kathy.fullerseeley@austin.utexas.edu) and I will be very glad to send along my UCalifornia Press book,
yay. Let's urge Laura to work with us in these times when we are stuck at home
to collect up some of our Benny materials!
garth_johnson 5:47 PM
I
am more a fan of Max Geldray, but that may be because I like the Goons
Rodrigo
Araya 5:47 PM
Looking
for the Cairo script I stumbled into some Shower of Stars videos apparently.
garth_johnson 5:48 PM
I
think the versions that are at Archive.org are better than at
University ones, but it's been a couple of years since I grabbed them
Rodrigo
Araya 5:49 PM
There
are several photos I don't recall to have seen.
garth_johnson 5:51 PM
Over
at the U when you included the Jack Benny papers, there are about 549 files
Rodrigo
Araya 5:53 PM
http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/detail/uwydbuwy~85~85~1895395~258388:Photographs-of-the-Bennys---Mary-Li?sort=rid%2Ctitle%2Cdate_original%2Csource&qvq=w4s:/when%2Fundated;sort:rid%2Ctitle%2Cdate_original%2Csource;lc:uwydbuwy~85~85&mi=8&trs=36
5:53
I
guess this one is from the mid-30s.
kathy_fuller_seeley 5:53 PM
Well,
sirs, I am going to go make dinner. Wonderful to talk with you all! Send me
mailing addresses! goodnight : )
Rodrigo
Araya 5:53 PM
G'night.
5:54
I
guess i'll stay awhile just in case.
garth_johnson 5:55 PM
This
concludes our broadcasting day.
5:57
I can see by the clock on the wall its time to bid you one and all good-night...
Sunday,
April 12th
Steve_Smith 4:58 PM
Hey
... I remembered ... but I'm on the last episode's thread line..
Rodrigo
Araya 4:59 PM
All
right.
Steve_Smith 5:00 PM
Where's
the Boss??
garth_johnson 5:01 PM
Laura!
.. Laura Leibowitz! -- last I saw about 7 minutes a go she liked my reply
to her Phil Harris post
Rodrigo
Araya 5:01 PM
How's
it going?
5:02
I'm
not in a lockdown zone, but life has not been quite the same.
5:02
Wonder
how it is elsewhere...
Steve_Smith 5:02 PM
If
I get my ice cream and start on that.. then she'll pop in
5:03
oh
me too ...
garth_johnson 5:04 PM
Steve
I thought the same when I got my Ballentines -- decided to watch a Matt Helm
Movie tonight and have to get in the mood - but still no LL
Rodrigo
Araya 5:06 PM
Listening
to Jack right now... He's just returned from Africa
5:06
A
Casanova at the Casablanca
Steve_Smith 5:06 PM
okay..
i'm set..
5:07
What
year...??
garth_johnson 5:07 PM
If
you find the guy the began the Beguine, can you tell him to stop it!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:07 PM
1943
5:07
The
Acme Plaza: The only foxhole with a lobby.
garth_johnson 5:09 PM
Rod.
Here is some information about the Cairo broadcast from Variety.
Steve_Smith 5:09 PM
Rodrigo
Araya 5:11 PM
There's
a Quaker Oats ad that appeared on Sunday comic sections at the time that
announced the Oct. 3 premiere date.
garth_johnson 5:11 PM
They
did not get the word about social distancing back in '43
Rodrigo
Araya 5:11 PM
The
odd thing is that the show was sponsored by Grape-Nuts back then.
5:13
Jack
mentions he apparently met General Patton while in Italy.
5:14
Mary
thinks he didn't even meet Corporal Crawley, the brother of the cabbie who
brought them to the Acme.
garth_johnson 5:15 PM
Jack
with Mervyn LeRoy and Patton in 1945
Rodrigo
Araya 5:16 PM
For
some reason Mr. Billingsley is at Jack's room.
5:16
At
least until the Rochmeister restrained him.
garth_johnson 5:16 PM
SPOILER
ALERT -- Variety Reports
5:17
Si
Howard gets a writing credit before he goes A.W.O.L!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:17 PM
Tackerberg?
garth_johnson 5:18 PM
Even
back then people couldn't type and linotypesetting is a real slug fest!
5:20
For
those people that haven't seen a linotype machine - what comes out of it for
printing is called a slug. Slug may still be used in the newspaper
industry, but my experience there was pre computer printing.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:21 PM
Actually,
I once read about one weekly that still used "hot type".
garth_johnson 5:22 PM
Old
tech still gets the job done
Steve_Smith 5:22 PM
I
was hoping for a cool video session to-nite ... came back in time and all.. ah
well
5:23
just
us three
garth_johnson 5:23 PM
Is
it essential that you travel from New York to L.A?
Rodrigo
Araya 5:23 PM
Dennis,
being Dennis, had no idea about Jack's trip.
garth_johnson 5:24 PM
Steve
what do you want to watch maybe I can do something here by attaching a file
Steve_Smith 5:26 PM
oh
... i don't wat to think either, ... HA !!
5:27
Laura
has so mant shows I havnen't seen
5:28
I've
seen everything available on line and DVD/VHS
garth_johnson 5:29 PM
I
am more of a radio fan, and have been spending too much time researching the
Vaudeville era, so the TV Shows I've collected off youtube for viewing at a more
convenient time
Steve_Smith 5:29 PM
tho
once in a while I'll stumble across a guest appearance
5:30
Oh
me too.. heard almost all of them ... the super earily shows of his didn't
grip me so I skip up to the Anndy Devine days.. Love Andy!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:31 PM
This
is Jack Benny, the Canada Dry humorist...
garth_johnson 5:32 PM
1932
- Jack with Ed Thorgeson - Rehersal
Steve_Smith 5:32 PM
Ed...
in the vault?
Rodrigo
Araya 5:33 PM
Jack's
first announcer.
5:33
He
was also a sportscaster.
5:33
Seriously,
if not for the date, I'd swear it was from the 1940s, not 1932.
Steve_Smith 5:34 PM
oh...
see early .. guess I should go through 'em
garth_johnson 5:34 PM
And
here is a rare publicity picture - Jack for Canada Dry on CBS
Rodrigo
Araya 5:34 PM
Never
saw a picture of Jack during his first CBS stint...
garth_johnson 5:34 PM
May
10, 1932 - Pittsburgh Press - Were You Listening? - ... Jack Benny, Pittsburgh's
network clown, said Eddie Thorgersen's mustache looks like he swallowed
"Mickey Mouse all but the tail." Jack proposed a contest (for
what is radio without a contest?) He didn't ask for ginger ale caps but a
20,000-word brief explanation why one likes the product, accompanied by an
affidavit of witnesses and the mayor. Even George Olsen, orchestra leader,
and his wife, cut in on the clowning. ...
Rodrigo
Araya 5:35 PM
The
"Mickey Mouse tail" gag would be used quite often during Jack's early
days in radio.
Steve_Smith 5:37 PM
Oh
... trying to recall any monster shows
garth_johnson 5:37 PM
1932
- Canada Dry Program - Jack Benny, George Olsen and Ethel Shutta at Piano
Rodrigo
Araya 5:38 PM
Did
everybody get a tan in the early 30s?
garth_johnson 5:40 PM
Drawing
a "Blanc" on anything at hand for Ed -- Him coming out of the vault
was a radio show and I don't have all the show summaries in a nice searchable
form
5:42
please
stand by ...
5:44
This
is going to take a bit of time ... file is about half way into this system
5:46
I
think we need a musical interlude by Ann Leaf about now
5:46
Ann
was the organist for the Fred Allen Linit Show
5:47
Let
me try this - from 1956 - Season 7, Episode 2 with George Burns and Spike Jones
MPEG
4 Video
1956-10-07_-_jb-t07-e02-guests-george_burns_and_spike_jones.mp4
93
MB
MPEG
4 Video
— Click
to download
5:47
Please
Press Play
garth_johnson 5:57 PM
Artie
Auerback as Mendelssohn
garth_johnson 6:13 PM
Here
is the script
PDF
1956-10-07_-_jb-t07-e02-guests-george_burns_and_spike_jones.pdf
357
kB
PDF
— Click
to view
6:13
We
- not a "monster" show, but the devil himself did make an appearance
Steve
Steve_Smith 6:14 PM
Oh
... I was thinking radio shows.. but you're right - GB was close.
6:17
I
like old monster movies... not so much horror/bloody .. monsters.. and the hokey
ones too.. hokey is good.
6:18
oh
and I thank you for all you efforts and input kind sir..
garth_johnson 6:18 PM
Ok
- nothing comes to mind right now but the Haloween shows
Steve_Smith 6:19 PM
garth_johnson 6:20 PM
Speaking
of spooks - Cora Salisbury wrote a song called "Ghost Dance" that she
and Benny did in their vaudeville act, October 31, 1955 the Sportsmen turn it
into a Lucky Strike commercial
Steve_Smith 6:20 PM
I'm
east coast and elderly .. about ready to turn in...
garth_johnson 6:21 PM
West
coast and full of turkey -
Steve_Smith 6:21 PM
thanks
for the JB time together guys and hope to see everyone next WEEK !
Rodrigo
Araya 6:21 PM
Wonder
if they raffle them at train stations...
garth_johnson 6:22 PM
I
don't know, but the winning ticket number was posted here a back in either
October or November
Steve_Smith 6:22 PM
g'nite
all ... ((((((((((POOF)))))))))))
Rodrigo
Araya 6:22 PM
Good
night.
garth_johnson 6:23 PM
I am surprised LL didn't show up, must have got distracted
Sunday,
April 19th
garth_johnson 5:00 PM
Knock
Knock Knock --- Who's there --- It's the Happy Gang --- Well come
on in!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:00 PM
The
Grape Nuts and Grape Nuts Program starring Jack Benny!
garth_johnson 5:00 PM
no
no no that's the great nuts program
Rodrigo
Araya 5:04 PM
Mary
said Jack was in the Army in the war before WWI (Spanish-American War).
garth_johnson 5:05 PM
I
did not know that --- please tell us more
Rodrigo
Araya 5:06 PM
*
Where's (Cy) Howard, Tackaberry?
*
He's gone AWOL to Red Skelton!
garth_johnson 5:07 PM
Yup
Cy only has the one episode to his credit to my knowledge --- I need Laura's
books for proper reference.
5:08
Rodrigo
Araya 5:09 PM
The
cast complains to Jack that "Army life" has gone to his head since his
return...
5:10
Then
he tells Phil he better behave or he will work for Fred Allen...
5:10
And
he's not broadcasting.
5:11
Crawley
the cabbie has returned, insisting Jack saw his brother.
garth_johnson 5:13 PM
Looks
like another low attendance day at tonight's Great Nuts program ... so shall I
share a video?
Rodrigo
Araya 5:13 PM
Not
yet.
garth_johnson 5:14 PM
Ok,
I'll hold off for a bit.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:16 PM
I've
noticed Jack spoke differently in the 1930s and early 1940s radio shows compared
to later on.
garth_johnson 5:16 PM
I
was hoping Kathy would be joining us, I wanted her input on a little test
document I have been working on
5:16
Differently
--- how so
Rodrigo
Araya 5:16 PM
Maybe
more leisurely.
5:17
Considering
the surreal turn the show took after 1943-44, makes sense.
garth_johnson 5:17 PM
Yes
--- new writers, and a good stable cast does that.
5:20
A
lot of discussion about the role of writer Harry Conn in the facebook page.
He gets disparaged by many, but it is not without some merit - the tone that his
version of "Jack Benny" takes is not as what Ed Beloin or George
Balzer took in the later years.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:21 PM
Haven't
looked much into the group this week.
garth_johnson 5:22 PM
The
Vaudeville Calendar of Salisbury and Benny - 1911
PDF
1911_with_coloured_notes.pdf
316
kB
PDF
— Click
to view
5:23
The
facebook discussion for the past few weeks has taken a real downturn --- I had
to go into the archives for some info and was reminded of the old discussion on
Conn.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:25 PM
I
do remember seeing a clip from "The Woods are Full of Cuckoos".
garth_johnson 5:25 PM
That's
a fun cartoon, if you know your 1940's personalities
Rodrigo
Araya 5:25 PM
But
I don't recall Jack saying "hello, folks".
5:26
Nor
Mary nor Andy saying it either.
5:28
Not
saying they could use "Jell-O again".
garth_johnson 5:28 PM
Ohh
--- I don't have the film in my collection, just a couple of still screencaps
... Guess that's next on the find and download list --
5:31
https://vimeo.com/331333742
Vimeo | Boomerang
The
Woods Are Full of Cuckoos 1937 US Dubbed Version
The
USA Dubbed Print uses 1947-1948 while The EU Dubbed Print uses 1937-1938US Print
uses 1941-1955 while EU Print uses 1938-1941reissued in 1941-1942
Rodrigo
Araya 5:33 PM
Too
bad I can't watch it at the moment.
5:33
And
I'll be listening to Charlie McCarthy in a while.
garth_johnson 5:33 PM
There
is a great utility program for Unix and Windows called Youtube-dl that makes
collecting these so easy - give it the URL of the file and in a few moments you
have your own copy.... the problem is I collect so much!
5:35
5:38
And
another 62meg of data added to my Benny collection -- May have to trim out some
George Olson or Abe Lyman recordings to free up space
Rodrigo
Araya 5:38 PM
I've
realized that there was a thing with early 1930s radio shows.
5:39
You've
got announcers with names like Wallington, McNamee, Brokenshire, Thorgeson
5:39
And
the entertainers were either Irish or Jewish.
garth_johnson 5:39 PM
Yes
-- the newsmen
Rodrigo
Araya 5:40 PM
Wonder
if there was some intended "cultural clash".
5:41
I
think Cantor did it early in his "Chase and Sanborn" show, parodying
the "Camel Quarter-Hour".
garth_johnson 5:41 PM
The
New Yawkers, of NBC. Everything from the big city. The soap operas from
Chicago things changed when Hollywood and the talkies took over --- one of the
reasons Benny went west
garth_johnson 5:50 PM
Mr.
Araya ... Mr. Araya --- My pint for the night seemed to have a hole in the
bottom of the glass, so unless you have some Benny Questions I'll say Good-night
kiddies.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:51 PM
Well.
Mr. Johnson.
5:51
I
think you can sign-off.
5:51
Or,
"Don, it's time to close".
garth_johnson 5:52 PM
You
have been listening to he Mutual Don Wilson network --- we end our programming
day!
Rodrigo
Araya 5:52 PM
It's
the Don Lee Network!
garth_johnson 5:53 PM
Sunday,
April 26th
garth_johnson 4:59 PM
With
the discussion of what Ben, Zez and the rest of the bluejackets were doing in
1918-19 I found this....
Rodrigo
Araya 5:03 PM
I
guess Jack is the one at the left.
garth_johnson 5:04 PM
Yes
Issy's There, being disorderly
5:06
I
don't know if anybody else will be joining us here tonight
Rodrigo
Araya 5:07 PM
Again?!
5:07
Howzabout
some gin rummy?
5:08
"No
thanks, Mr. Benny! You never pay!"
garth_johnson 5:08 PM
What
kid on the train said that --- I can't remember
Rodrigo
Araya 5:08 PM
Dennis.
5:09
Hey,
Dennis! What would you like to eat!
5:09
?
garth_johnson 5:10 PM
There
are those peanut butter sandwiches -- darn that tubby Don Wilson for sitting on
the peanuts
5:13
The
girl on the train may have been Cora Sue Collins, who did some work at
Paramount, but I don't know If she was ever on the radio program --- I need
Laura's books but the exchange rate and shipping means I can only afford one.
5:16
It
could also have been Carolyn Lee seen here with Jack in 1939.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:17 PM
I
think that would be Joan.
garth_johnson 5:18 PM
Carolyn
is in "Birth Of the Blues" with Eddie Anderson and Mary Martin in
1941.
5:19
And
she got to have cake with the Benny gang too.
5:21
And
after seeing this shot from January '42 I am now sure it was her on the train
back from New York in the "gin rummy" scene.
5:23
Here
is a publicity shot of Mary and Joan in 1942.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:25 PM
Are
we talking about the same "train to Hollywood" episode?
5:25
Or
is the one from 1941?
garth_johnson 5:26 PM
Probably
not --- I can't remember the date It was one of the random episodes I heard in
the last two weeks. - The routine gets done a few times.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:27 PM
Well,
I suppose it didn't have a spoof of "Algiers"...
5:27
With
"Blood and Guts" Le Moko.
5:28
And
somehow Minerva Pious, er Ingrid from "Casablanca" appeared from
nowhere.
garth_johnson 5:28 PM
No
-- so you are listening to things in sequence ... I've never done that
Rodrigo
Araya 5:28 PM
Have
done that for almost two years.
5:29
Even
tho I started halfway through the 1941-42 season.
garth_johnson 5:29 PM
Were
you ever in Casablanca?
Rodrigo
Araya 5:30 PM
That's
not Jack for sure.
5:30
It's
like that scene in "Home Alone"...
5:31
One
does want to think the tall guy in the airport is actually Elvis, but it's
unlikely.
5:31
Altho
Jack's case is more plausible... He was under contract to Warners.
garth_johnson 5:31 PM
This
article says he was a waiter but the waiters shown don't look like Jack.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:32 PM
I
recall seeing that same article awhile back.
garth_johnson 5:35 PM
Not
the easiest file to read -- Liberty Magazine, November 31, 1943 Page 10
5:37
Since
Kathy is not joining us -- I had messaged her on facebook a half hour ago with
no response - I'm going to say good-night
Rodrigo
Araya 5:38 PM
For
the record, Laura has been making and apparently giving away masks these days.
5:38
G'nite.
garth_johnson 5:39 PM
And doing it just for challah of it. ( bad puns)
Sunday,
May 3rd
Rodrigo
Araya 5:00 PM
Have
your tickets ready, please!
garth_johnson 5:01 PM
Will
these get me in here?
Rodrigo
Araya 5:04 PM
Say,
Jackson! What d'ya think about me fooling people into thinkin' I'm a dumb
conductor with no knowledge of music!
garth_johnson 5:05 PM
The
joke works ok as Mahlon does all the work
Rodrigo
Araya 5:05 PM
Isn't
his job conducting the orchestra during the vocal numbers?
garth_johnson 5:06 PM
5:07
Mahlon
was the music department- arranger, leader, Phil after his first year or so was
just a front man for the show -- of course he still did the tours with his own
agravation.
5:08
One
of theses should let me in
Rodrigo
Araya 5:09 PM
I
know Merrick joined at the same time the string trio was added in 1937.
garth_johnson 5:10 PM
Merrick
even quit in November 1943, but not for long
5:11
Here
he is with the Sportsmen in '48
Rodrigo
Araya 5:11 PM
With
Bagby at the piano, I assume.
garth_johnson 5:13 PM
ya
- you usually can find him "upright" unlike a certain left handed
guitar player
Rodrigo
Araya 5:14 PM
Speaking
of the band, did Mahlon work with the guest bands during Philsie's Marines
absence?
garth_johnson 5:16 PM
Not
certain --- my memory is clouded by doing pre 1920 research - - but I can not
think of a reason why not.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:17 PM
Thinking
it well, he likely did. As far as I know, the Goodman orchestra never had a
string section, yet you can hear 'em during Dennis' songs.
5:17
Benny
Goodman, not Al Goodman.
5:18
Goodman's
band even had a tuba.
5:18
In
1949.
5:18
Enough
mind-screw for now.
garth_johnson 5:19 PM
Haven't
listened to Goodman in some time --- More a Miller person
Rodrigo
Araya 5:20 PM
Anyway
I doubt Whiteman, Crosby or Lyman would have wanted to surrender the baton.
garth_johnson 5:21 PM
ya
- let them do their thing - as long as the sponsor is happy - let the
incidentals etc be handled by the Mahlon et al.
5:22
And
when Benny went east - it was one less person to book passage for on the train
Rodrigo
Araya 5:24 PM
I
don't know. Maybe we should discuss Frankie Remley.
5:24
He
apparently joined at the same time Phil was hired to replace Johnny Green.
garth_johnson 5:26 PM
Frankie
and Phil go all the way back to when Phil went to Australlia
Rodrigo
Araya 5:26 PM
Really?
Where was he born?
garth_johnson 5:27 PM
November
1927 - Ship Arrivals - Wonga Harris and Frank Remley with his wife Helen
arriving in San Francisco from Australia.
Rodrigo
Araya 5:28 PM
How
did he end in Australia?
5:28
Can't
come up with a prison joke yet.
garth_johnson 5:29 PM
Frank
Remley was born October 13, 1901 , Moorhead, Clay County, Minnesota, USA
Rodrigo
Araya 5:29 PM
The
paper says Chicago.
5:29
Oh!
That's his wife.
garth_johnson 5:32 PM
Back
in '26-7 Henry Halstead's ork folded, Phil took it over and got various bookings
up and down California, mostly the San Francisco area - He got a booking in
Australia, how - who knows - and he and Frankie went down under. Phil came back
Married to Mascotte Ralston of Sydney
Rodrigo
Araya 5:34 PM
Quite
a few bandleaders went down under. Jay Whidden and Roy Fox, the latter better
known for his work in England.
5:35
I
remember reading that early on, the bandmembers' real names weren't used in the
show.
5:39
One
episode had the guitarist billed as "Happy" Bolliver.
garth_johnson 5:40 PM
Sometimes
names were made up for use in a joke, but mostly they were named,
Rodrigo
Araya 5:41 PM
Notably,
three of Jack's pre-Harris bandleaders had gone to college: Don Bestor, Johnny
Green and... Dr. Frank Black.
garth_johnson 5:43 PM
----
just got a telephone call --- have to say good-night
Rodrigo
Araya 5:43 PM
Alright.
G'night.