IJBFC Chat - October 7, 2007

(Name of message originator in [] brackets at the beginning of each line)

[Steve ^shimp^] Sounds fun.

[Brad from Georgia] Hi, LL!

[Steve ^shimp^] Hi again LL

[Maxwell] Hi LL!

[Laura Leff] Hi folks, what a crowd!

[yhtapmys] Do they have a quartet there

[yhtapmys] ?

[Laura Leff] What'd I miss?

[Brad from Georgia] Vote early an' vote often.

[yhtapmys] I'll send you the scintillating transcript.

[ed] hi laura

[Laura Leff] Thanks Yht!

[Brad from Georgia] Yht--Who knows? We ate there once before with the Carrolls, but it was just for brunch.

[Laura Leff] So how's everyone doing tonight?

[KayLhota] Hi Laura

[Brad from Georgia] Doing well, thanks.

[yhtapmys] Well, if it's CALLED the 'Sportsmen'.....

[Laura Leff] Hi Kay...did you catch Eddie out your way?

[Maxwell] Doing much better than a few days ago!

[Laura Leff] What happened, Max?

[KayLhota] no, I didn't know that Eddie was out my way

[Brad from Georgia] Had a bad week, Maxwell?

[Steve ^shimp^] What happened Max?

[Laura Leff] Hi Ed

[Maxwell] Spent four days in the hospital.

[yhtapmys] !

[Laura Leff] Max - Oh no!

[Brad from Georgia] Woah. Hope you're mending.

[Steve ^shimp^] Sheesh. Recovering well?

[Maxwell] I'm doing much better, thanks.

[Laura Leff] Kay - Ah, too bad. Can't remember his dates or if he's still there...check under Events

[ed] hey laura i've sent a copy of my club's newsletter that includes a story about someone you might have met chuck schaden

[KayLhota] be right back -- checking events

[Laura Leff] Max - If you're on the chat, then that's a pretty good sign

User KayLhota has logged out.

[Laura Leff] Ed - Yes, I've known Chuck for some time

[Brad from Georgia] LL--do you know which script Eddie's using for the November recreation?

[Laura Leff] Laughter's the best medicine, you know.

[ed] it was story that ran in the naperville sun

User KayLhota has entered this room.

[Maxwell] LL You bet it is.

[Laura Leff] Brad - They've been talking about a couple of options, but I think they're doing how Jack found Don

[Brad from Georgia] Oh, that will be a good one!

[Laura Leff] Ed - So what's up with Chuck?

[Laura Leff] Brad - Supposedly they have a really good Don Wilson, and asked me to recommend a show that has a more substantial Don part

[ed] they talk about his life and radio

[Laura Leff] So I said that one

[KayLhota] I didn't see anything on the events page of Eddie Carroll coming up further than Newark in a few weeks

[Steve ^shimp^] Good choice.

[Brad from Georgia] BTW, our puppeteer daughter did her first show with the Puppetry Arts Theater in Atlanta this week--"Winnie the Pooh."

[Laura Leff] Kay - Isn't there something about him being in Massachusetts?

[ed] a copy of it is available if you google naprville sun and type chuck schaden

[KayLhota] Not that I noticed, sorry.

User Steve ^shimp^ has logged out.

[Laura Leff] Kay - Oh well. Sorry you missed it.

[KayLhota] I am too. Well, maybe some other year.

[Laura Leff] Ed - Glad that Chuck is getting the exposure. He's a good guy.

User Steve ^shimp^ has entered this room.

User krledu has entered this room.

[yhtapmys] Hi Kr

[Laura Leff] Hi Krledu

[KayLhota] Hi Krledu

[Brad from Georgia] Hi, Krledu

[krledu] Hello

[Steve ^shimp^] Hi krledu

[ed] i have met him twice and he is super nice man

[Maxwell] That's Chuck at the end of today's show.

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Remind me...is this your first time in the chat room?

[krledu] Nope I was here for the last chat

[Maxwell] (I just finished listening)

[krledu] I liked it so much I thought I would come back

[ed] great

[Laura Leff] Krledu - OK, I thought you were but wasn't sure.

[Steve ^shimp^] We're glad you did!

[Maxwell] Hi Krledu

[Laura Leff] Welcome back!

[krledu] Thanks

[Laura Leff] So what did folks think of the show for tonight?

[ed] hi krledu

[Brad from Georgia] LL--Thanks for the Halloween show! It was a very good one.

[Steve ^shimp^] This is one of my all-time favorite Benny shows.

[krledu] Maybe it was just me but I thought the show was cute but not knee slapping funny

[Brad from Georgia] I've heard it before, but it still makes me laugh--quick and sharp, with lots of little surprises (including Mel's bit at the end).

[Steve ^shimp^] It's the same as the Charlie Brown "Great Pumpkin" special - it gets a spin every halloween.

[yhtapmys] I'm in krl's camp about it.

[Steve ^shimp^] And, Jack beat out Charlie Brown's rock by getting a can of dog food trick-or-treating.

[yhtapmys] Some nice stock jokes, but the Beavers generally bore me.

[Brad from Georgia] I guess I really enjoy Jack working with kids--he seems to have such glee in his voice.

[krledu] Ok but what I want to know is, when Phil sings his song what does he say at the end.

[Steve ^shimp^] I'm mad at Mary for muffing a really good toupee joke tho!

[ed] she did that often

[KayLhota] oh, that reminds me-- Laura, my friend Rich Finegan is mailing you a copy of an interview with a little girl that did a Jack Benny show

[Brad from Georgia] BTW, I looked up the 1963 Sat. Evening Post interview with Jack--great photo of him on the floor with his grandchildren.

[krledu] But muffs are funny though

[Laura Leff] It's funny...people either love (or not) the Beavers.

[ed] true

[Steve ^shimp^] I really like the Beavers.

[krledu] I have that article very interesting

[Steve ^shimp^] I think "get your foot off the penny" is a better riposte than "I'm thinking it over!"

[ed] the thanksgiving show the beavers are a riot

[Brad from Georgia] Steve--LOL!

[krledu] Hey Brad, what did you think of that article

[krledu] ?

[yhtapmys] I liked the second Beavers Do Jack Benny show but other than that, I can take them or leave them.

[Brad from Georgia] I thought it was interesting--of course in 1963 many people probably didn't know Jack had bouts of depression. But he got lots of praise int he article.

[krledu] I also found a 1943, and a 1948 Saturday evening post article that were realy interesting to

[Steve ^shimp^] Phil's trash can just full of bottles ... all the gags in this are classic to me. I think it gets better with repeated listens.

[krledu] Yea but the article made him sound like a washed up old man. That kinda upset me

[Laura Leff] Listening to the show as we're talking...

[Laura Leff] They're still in the early Beavers thing of Jack having bragged to them about being a superhero

[Brad from Georgia] Well, I don't know...the article noted he was 69 but said he looked younger and noted how he was a big draw at orchestra benefits, too. Jack did have that habit of going for long, lonely walks though....

[Laura Leff] That seems to have gone away after the first couple of years with the Beavers

[Laura Leff] Brad - Is that the article that ends with the dark photo of Jack in front of the statue?

[krledu] Hey, Laura when you get to the part when Phil sings, tell me what he says at the end. If you would

[Steve ^shimp^] Phil comes in late in this episode - was he not hustling to the other studio for his show at this time?

[krledu] Ya Laura

[Brad from Georgia] LL-I think Jack preferred exaggerations that were "word pictures" to simple exaggerations. I don't recall the photo--it might have been there!

[Laura Leff] Krledu - OK, will keep an ear out for it.

[Laura Leff] Brad - That was specifically a preference of George and Sam...one of their strong points.

[krledu] Have you guys saw the 1943 article about Rochester. Its really interesting stuff.

[Brad from Georgia] He needed that kind of gag like a moose needs a hatrack.

[krledu]  

[yhtapmys] When I heard Phil's garbage can, all I could think of was Fibber's closet.

[Laura Leff] Thanks Norman Krasna

[Steve ^shimp^] ...If Fibber was a lush!

[yhtapmys] ")

[Brad from Georgia] That's "Imbiber McGee and Molly."

[KayLhota] whoa!

[Laura Leff] So there's an old saying of "never work with kids or animals...they steal the show"

[Laura Leff] And Jack worked with the Beavers *and* the Marquis Chimps

[KayLhota] Jack could hold his own

[ed] and a camel and a bear

[Laura Leff] So what was it about Jack's style that enabled him to do that?

[krledu] But Jack let others steal the show as long as they were getting laughs usually at his expense

[Brad from Georgia] And Eddie starts "Laughter in Bloom" with a tale of a bus-driving chimp!

[Laura Leff] I like the "here" "thanks" exchange between Mary and Jack.

[krledu] I really want to see Eddie's show

[Maxwell] Anybody else in my age bracket who thought one of the Beavers sounded like the voice of "Speedy Alka-Seltzer"?

[KayLhota] my favorite will always be the penguin on roller skates

[Brad from Georgia] And it's hard to fault Jack--he's got a chuckle in his voice when he talks to the kids.

[yhtapmys] Jack's characters and structure were so well put together, it'd be difficult to upstage them.

[Steve ^shimp^] Well, Jack was a "reactor" - so I think the kids and animals rule does not apply - they CAN'T upstage him, really.

[Brad from Georgia] Maxwell--Now that you mention it!

[Laura Leff] Maxwell - Hey, I just met him!

[KayLhota] I think you nailed it Steve

[Laura Leff] Steve - Very well said.

[Steve ^shimp^] thanks!

[Brad from Georgia] "Folks, this Halloween season if you overindulge, make sure you serve Cherry Jell-O with Alka-Seltzer the next morning..."

[Laura Leff] Dick Beals

[yhtapmys] Laura, one part I liked about the show was Verna Felton. She's always one of my favourites.

[Maxwell] Brad Yum Yum!

[krledu] She was also so funny on the show

[Brad from Georgia] And there was Dennis's very quick, dead-on impression!

[Steve ^shimp^] Dennis tying his suit in knots and putting a dead mouse in the pocket ... a joke Gracie Allen would not approve!

[krledu] She made a perfect Dennis's mother

[Laura Leff] Yht - Say more about that. I had other thoughts about here when Dennis first came on the show.

[krledu] With her voice you can picture a persona

[yhtapmys] You sure can.

[KayLhota] yes, she's a battle-ax

[Steve ^shimp^] Interesting Dennis is driving Verna nuts in this one rather than Jack. Not standard procedure.

[yhtapmys] "Every day they get babies mixed up in the hospital... and I had to get the right one!"

[Laura Leff] Early on in Dennis' tenure, she was so brutal that you just wanted to hit her...

[Brad from Georgia] Funny, when I hear her I always think of that supercilious elephant in "Dumbo."

[ed] ouch

[KayLhota] she does sound like that, Brad

[yhtapmys] Hmm. I think of Wilma's mother.

[Maxwell] And I always think of Hilda Crocker on December Bride.

[Steve ^shimp^] I always picture her as the "Queen of Hearts"!

[Brad from Georgia] Ah, yes, "December Bride" with the Unseen Gladys.

[KayLhota] Did you ever hear the Suspense episode "The Man Who Thought he was Edward G. Robinson"

[krledu] i agree steve

[Laura Leff] Steve - Yeah...did she do the voice of that?

[Steve ^shimp^] Yep

[ed] yes

[KayLhota] Verna Felton co-starred in that

[Steve ^shimp^] Oooofff with her head!

[krledu] hey i never knew that

[Brad from Georgia] Does she do a good Robinson?;)

[Laura Leff] I haven't seen the movie in years, but she seems de facto for that role.

[yhtapmys] Laura, I think it's because I've known her voice for so long, I take her character then as being over the top as opposed to too mean.

[KayLhota] Verna Felton plays opposite EG Robinson, as his nagging wife

[Laura Leff] Yht - Oh, understood. I was well acquainted with the role, but in listening to the shows in order, I noticed it.

[Brad from Georgia] I agree with yht--she's one of Jack's wild exaggerations.

[Laura Leff] Speaking of wild exaggerations, here's Mr. Kitzel...

[Steve ^shimp^] It's fun effervescing about Verna Felton

[Steve ^shimp^] And Mister Kitzel.

[ed] verna felton she did cartoon after OTR right?

[Brad from Georgia] I also liked the way her "hospital" line bounced off Dennis.

[Maxwell] Helllloooooooo Meester Benny!

[yhtapmys] Yeah.

[Laura Leff] She was also in "The Sound of Music"

[krledu] But everyone knows someone who is big blustering and like Dennis's mother at some point in our lives

[yhtapmys] She worked for Hanna Barbera

[Brad from Georgia] And efore Benny--she was in "Dumbo."

[yhtapmys] And Disney...

[krledu] What was she in SOund of Music?

[ed] alot of otr people did cartoons

[yhtapmys] Oh, Brad already said it.

[yhtapmys] Yes, she was.

[Brad from Georgia] 'Sokay, yht.

[yhtapmys] So was Mel Blanc.

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Trying to remember her part name...Frau something...

[Brad from Georgia] Anyone know the ONLY voice Mel did for a Disney film that is actually still in the film (briefly)?

[Laura Leff] She was the housekeeper

[krledu] I just recently heard Mel Blanc's real voice and almost didn't recogize it because of all the characters I was used to hearing

[KayLhota] Gideon the cat in Pinocchio

[Laura Leff] Frau Schmidt?

[KayLhota] he hiccups

[Brad from Georgia] Kay--Right you are!

[krledu] Oh i c

[Maxwell] Frau Blucher?

[Steve ^shimp^] whinny!

[Laura Leff] Hey Kay...you should know this part name...

[Brad from Georgia] My horses just ran away.

[KayLhota] un less you want to count the Disney radio series "Mickey Mouse on the Air" Mel is a regular in that

[yhtapmys] Frau Nupsidedown?

[Laura Leff] Frau Nussbaum

[yhtapmys] Whinney....aw haw!

[ed] didnot mel blanc supply a voice at a disney ride or attraction

[yhtapmys] He might have, Ed.

[KayLhota] well, Pansy Nussbaum was from the Fred Allen show

[Laura Leff] Phil says "Hiya Jackson" after he sings.

User Scott in KC has entered this room.

[KayLhota] Hi Scott

[krledu] Ok, thats not what I thought he said

[Steve ^shimp^] You with these boys or you workin' solo tonight!?

[krledu] Hi Scott

[Laura Leff] Hi Scott!

[yhtapmys] But I was told he did one of the cockeys in the cartoon sequence of 'Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious.'

[ed] hi scott

[Steve ^shimp^] Hiya Scott

[Laura Leff] Krledu - After he sings "That's What I Like About the South" on the porch

[Laura Leff] ?

[Scott in KC] Hi everyone!

[Brad from Georgia] Frau Scmidt? That wasn't Verna.

[krledu] Yea, i listened to it several times. I think its at the end of the song or right after it

[Laura Leff] Yht - Maybe they rotoscoped it

[Laura Leff] Krl - A full song, or just that little excerpt?

[yhtapmys] Laura, it was just one line at the end in the song.

[Brad from Georgia] Frau Scmidt was Norma Varden.

[KayLhota] oh, cool!

[Laura Leff] Someone consult IMDB...

[Brad from Georgia] Just did. Norma Varden.

[yhtapmys] Only if you want something incomplete and inaccurate.

[krledu] Hold on let me find the excerpt and listen again

[Laura Leff] But Verna Felton was in Sound of Music...at least I thought...

[Steve ^shimp^] She played a Nazi.

[Steve ^shimp^] Kidding.

[KayLhota] ouchies

[Brad from Georgia] No, it isn't listed on Verna's filmography at IMDB.

[yhtapmys] Which doesn't mean much, Brad.

[Laura Leff] OK, so I'm wrong. Oh well...

[yhtapmys] It's not entirely accurate or complete./

[Laura Leff] Yht - I only heard him sing that little bit on the porch, and ended it with "Hiya Jackson"

[KayLhota] you aren't wrong, often.

[Brad from Georgia] Not listed on a filmography on another site, either--of course, it might have come from IMDB as far as I know.

[yhtapmys] I think they all borrow from each other.

[Brad from Georgia] Hang on. I have one of Leonard Maltin's film books at hand.

[Laura Leff] I thought I had an obit on Verna Felton which listed it. Oh well.

[krledu] I got it. Its in the song. Broiling what?

[yhtapmys] Yeah, Laura, he ends 'South' with "Hiya Jackson."

[Laura Leff] Broiling hammy

[Steve ^shimp^] Broiling hammy? That's what I like about the south.

[Brad from Georgia] And Maltin does not list Verna Felton as being in "Sound of Music" either.

[krledu] Its at 16:09

[Laura Leff] OK, I'm misinformed. Sorry!

[KayLhota] not a problem, Laura

[Maxwell] Waters? There are no waters in Casablanca!

[krledu] No listen to it, it doesn't sound like hammy

[Laura Leff] sounds like Hammy to me...or maybe that's just Phil.    

[Brad from Georgia] No hay de que, LL. Happens to all of us. I told an English class once that Shakespeare wrote "Oedipus the King." How he did that two thousand years before he was born, I don't know.

[Steve ^shimp^] Yep, it's "broiling hammy".

[KayLhota] Funny one, Brad

[Laura Leff] Must be the Othello cross-over

[Laura Leff] Which seems a new one on the Forum.

[Brad from Georgia] LL-Yup, that was it. "Othello" was the Shakespeare play we did that semester.

[yhtapmys] Broiling Othello?

[Steve ^shimp^] Othello is not a detthert, it's ethereal.

[krledu] ok?

[Laura Leff] When Othello kills his father to marry Ophelia...

[KayLhota] omy my!

[ed] ?????

[Brad from Georgia] Isn't that an Australian song? Broilin' Othello, broilin' Othello, oh, come broilin' Othello with me....

[yhtapmys] Yeah, Krl, it's "hammy." He's singing the standard lyrics when Jack stops him.

[Maxwell] A ghost and a prince meet and everyone ends up mince meat.

[krledu] ok thanks

[Laura Leff] Hamlet was a Great Dane

[krledu] Hey thats a pretty good summary   

[KayLhota] arf arf

[Laura Leff] Aw...he lost his rabbit...

[Brad from Georgia] On my salary, I can't make ends meat.

[yhtapmys] Laura, so is Johnny McGovern the head Beaver in this one?

[Scott in KC] (thinking) Rochesterwould be a great Othello. Or his friend Roy.

[Laura Leff] I'd be pretty upset if we lost one of our rabbits

[Steve ^shimp^] Scooby Doo IS... Hamlet.

[Laura Leff] But I also wouldn't carry any of them in my pocket

[Brad from Georgia] "Roo ree, or rot roo ree, rat is ree restion."

[krledu] I just tuned back into the chat and I think i have the wrong room

[Laura Leff] Yht - I'd have to pull 39 Forever to check...

[Steve ^shimp^]   Brad

[Brad from Georgia] The immortal Don Messick as Scooby Doo.....

[ed] no you re in the right place

[Maxwell] It's the right room. Just the wrong chat.

[KayLhota] Krledu, sometimes we go a little surreal

[Steve ^shimp^] sometimes?

[krledu] Im just sitting at my computer laughing

[KayLhota] Not to worry, we all come back to Jack Benny

[Laura Leff] Ah yes...this is the one where Jack trick or treats at the bank.

[krledu] Ya i found that out last week

[ed] scooby doo named from a sinatra song

[Brad from Georgia] I quite liked Mel's bit at the end of the show! Heard it before, but I laughed all over again.

[Maxwell] And if we don't come back to Jack, Jack comes back to us.

[krledu] That was a great gag at the end of the show

[Steve ^shimp^] Oh yeah. Where else would Jack trick-or-treat?

[Laura Leff] You know, about Jack working with kids...

[Steve ^shimp^] Real estate offices...

[Scott in KC] Brad, and Casey Kasem.

[Brad from Georgia] I can picture him at the door of the bank, bag in hand, hopeful expression in his blue eyes....

[Laura Leff] I just added a show to the video library that I think would be of interest

[KayLhota] what is it?

[krledu] What show

[Maxwell] I can imagine sitting in the audience of that show seeing Mel there for an hour doing nothing...and then that punchline.

[Brad from Georgia] Scott--Casey did Shaggy, no? Don Messick did Scoob up until the time he died (Don, not Scoob).

[Laura Leff] It's a TV show where they recreate one of the New Year's radio shows

[ed] WOW

[Maxwell] LL That's a great show.

[Steve ^shimp^] Oh, yes, that's a good one.

[krledu] Is it a Jack Benny show?

[KayLhota] excellent

[Brad from Georgia] I don't remember that one! Have to get it.

[Laura Leff] Geez, has everyone already seen it?

[Steve ^shimp^] Charles Herbert (spooky kid actor from the sixties) plays the baby new year.

[Steve ^shimp^] It's on a lot of the public domain DVDs.

[KayLhota] yes

[Laura Leff] Ah well...it was new to me.

[Scott in KC] Brad.....I understand. I thought Casey Kasem was in the show, too. I bever saw it.

(some loss)

[Steve ^shimp^] Remember Mummenshanz? Those weird Scandinanvian mimes? They were freaky in concert.

[Laura Leff] Brad - Boy, that does sound like Pratchett

[krledu] Which show was it Tracy

[Brad from Georgia] It is. "Guards! Guards!"

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Which one? Do you remember?

[Tracy] I remember a Si Sy routine and a play about looking for gold

[Laura Leff] Brad - I'm well-stocked with Pratchett books...just no time to read them.    

[KayLhota] Treasure of the Sierra Madre

[Brad from Georgia] Ah, yes--Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

[Laura Leff] Yup

[Tracy] Yes

[yhtapmys] Badges?

[krledu] Its been a while since I heard that show

[Laura Leff] So the Si-Sy routine hooked you?

[Tracy] I only had that one show and listened to it over and over!

[Scott in KC] Laura, was Jack #1 rated when he bolted from NBC to CBS?

[Brad from Georgia] LL--the Atlanta Radio Theatre did an adaptation of "Guards! Guards!" that you can download as a podcast at www.artc.org. I'm in it.

[krledu] uh-oh here we go again with the Si-Sy talk we got into last time

[Tracy] Mel was great - had no idea he was on that show

[ed] one of the first show i heard was the murder a@ romanoff's

[Laura Leff] Scott - No, after. Probably because of the extensive advertising CBS did.

[Brad from Georgia] I play Sgt. Colon, my son plays Nobby Nobbs!

[Laura Leff] Brad - Cool!

[KayLhota] My first jack Benny audio tape was from 1949 "Lunch at the Brown Derby" with james Stewart

[Laura Leff] Ed - Oh, that's a good one.

[krledu] What year was the Dreer Poosun fluff in?

[KayLhota] 1950, I think

[Brad from Georgia] That was my first Benny audiotape--the Drear Pooson!

[Laura Leff] I think it was 1950 too.

[Steve ^shimp^] Geez, I can't remember my first Benny. Probably a "Best of" or "Your Money or Your Life".

[Laura Leff] Have to look it up

[KayLhota] Murder at Romanoff's

[ed] yes it is and frank nelson is a riot as the doorman

[Tracy] I can find the dreer thing...

[Tracy] just a sec

[krledu] i can't remember my Jack benny show. I probably heard on When radio was when i was a kid sneaking my radio under my covers

[Laura Leff] My first Benny radio show was on an 8-track from Nostalgia Lane.

[yhtapmys] I used to listen to them on a local station here.

[Laura Leff] Jack in New York at the Acme Plaza with the Ink Spots as guests.

[ed] nostalgia lane great shows from them

[Maxwell] Ah, yes, the Lane sisters: Rosemary, Priscilla, and Nostalgia.

[Steve ^shimp^] That's a good one LL. I had that cassette.

[krledu] They were on at 11:00-1:00

[Scott in KC] What's an 8-track? J/K

[Brad from Georgia] I probably heard at least one Jack Benny show on the radio when I was a very small kid. I can't remember, though! I do remember there used to be a "Tales of Uncle Remus" radio show that I listened to!

[krledu] I've never seen an 8 track

[Laura Leff] Let alone a 4-track

[Steve ^shimp^] My first car had an 8-track player.

[ed] my first show on 8track a life of riley i bought in 1978

[Laura Leff] Reel-to-reel? Anyone?

[krledu] Shows how young I am, I guess

[KayLhota] I never owned an 8 track player

[Laura Leff] Krledu - You're not alone...we've got a wide age range here.

[Steve ^shimp^] I liked the "chunk" sound they made when changing tracks.

[krledu] Saw reel to reel once

[Brad from Georgia] I used to have a Wollensak reel-to-reel. Bought it for twenty-five bucks at a yard sale, and it was in great condition.

[ed] my sister's 8 track

[KayLhota] My brother had a small reel to reel recorder

[Steve ^shimp^] But you could never find the cue you wanted...

[yhtapmys] Laura, all my old airchecks are on reel. I'll never hear them again.

[Scott in KC] Laura, I think I told you I have Edison Discs. J/K

[Laura Leff] Someone came through our basement once and observed that I have some form of just about every kind of media recording, AND the means to play them.

[Brad from Georgia] Yes, and for some reason on my Wollensak there were hours of speeches by Adolf Hitler.

[KayLhota] oh my Brad

[Laura Leff] Brad - What happened to it?

[Laura Leff] Scott - Hey, I *do* have Edison discs.

[Brad from Georgia] Lost in the mists of time and many moves, alas. I had it all the way through college.

[krledu] WOW Laura Leff

[Laura Leff] Yht - Get reel.    

[Steve ^shimp^] I have one Edison disc. Somewhere.

[Brad from Georgia] My roommates and I used to record radio shows that we just made up on the spot. You can imagine how cringe-worthy they were.

[Maxwell] Whatever you do, don't play Edison discs on a standard phonograph.

[Steve ^shimp^] Bought it at Edison's house in Ft. Myers. They had a bin of them...weird.

[yhtapmys] Laura, you're assuming I *want* to hear my old shows.

[Laura Leff] And an Edison player.

[ed] the title name to my club The Reel oldtime Great radioshows club

[Laura Leff] Maxwell - Well, you can play them on a modern turntable. But not a non-Edison victrola.

[Brad from Georgia] I have one Edison cylinder from 1892. It has a Jack Benny Program where Don announces Jell-O in one wonderful flavor: Gelatin.

[Steve ^shimp^]   Brad

[yhtapmys] Sigh.

[krledu] Rolls her eyes

[Laura Leff] Yht - OIC

[KayLhota] sigh

[ed] ha ha

[Steve ^shimp^] Ladies and gentlemen, new HOOF flavored Jell-O. Mix it with horseradish for dainty delights at tea parties.

[ed] steve!!!

[Laura Leff] Horse-flavored JellO

[krledu] Ewwwww

[Steve ^shimp^] Oh, here we go.

[Steve ^shimp^] Scotch Egg Jell-O.

[Laura Leff] Steve - You know it

[Maxwell] When I was in the hospital, my first food was a clear liquid diet. The menu listed the flavors of Jell-o as lemon and "red."

[ed] we're saddled with that one

[yhtapmys] Serve it at my house, and you're not Pal-o-mine-o.

[Brad from Georgia] Actually, my great-aunt Mary did have an Edison player and several cylinders, including some military music and a speech by William Jennings Bryan, or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

[Brad from Georgia] My uncle has it now, if he hasn't sold it.

[Scott in KC] Hey bud, bud..... Take the cherry-flavored Jello. It can't be boxed in.

[Laura Leff] Maxwell - There's a story about a kid ordering red jellO

[krledu] Are those worth alot Brad?

[Laura Leff] and it turned out to be tomato aspic!

[Maxwell] LL Let's hear it!

[Maxwell] Yuck!

[Brad from Georgia] I expect they'd have collector's value. I haven't looked it up.

[ed] depends on the condition

[Laura Leff] It does depend on condition

[Tracy] Ok, I couldn't find the Dreer Poosan thing, but I think it is the first show of 1950 because Don said he heard about Jack getting a suit for that price on Dreer Poosan's show

[Laura Leff] I did most of my buying in the 80s

[Brad from Georgia] The player did work last time I saw it. It was hard to make out the Bryan speech.

[Laura Leff] The cylinder players probably bring $500 on up now...more for horns

[KayLhota] it is the episode called "Murder at Romanoffs"

[Tracy] the price "19.50", that is...

[Maxwell] Oooo...that reminds me! Tinfoil.com should have their October cylinder up now.

[krledu] Is that the one where teh murders turns out to be a way to get jack to join the local club or is that different?

[Laura Leff] Maxwell - Mental image of some record collector unfolding a picture of a cylinder and salivating

[Brad from Georgia] Frank Sinatra is a guest star on "Murder at Romanoff's," IIRC.

[KayLhota] I've been trying to remember, krledu. It had Gene Kelly and Rosalind Russell

[Laura Leff] Oh...someone aslked about Johnny McGovern...let me go pull 39F

[ed] sinatra gene kelly and rosinland russell

[KayLhota] I don't remember Frank Sinatra in it

[yhtapmys] Yeah, I did, Laura.

[Brad from Georgia] I may be wrong. I often am.

[krledu] I remember it had lots of guest stars and i thought it was recorded at Palm Springs

[ed] he sings a song and dennis is jealous

[Maxwell] Ah, an 1899 Edison cylinder of a cornet solo: O, Promise Me.

[KayLhota] okay, Ed

[Laura Leff] Johnny McGovern was Joey

[yhtapmys] Yeah, he seemed to be in all the Beaver ones.

[Steve ^shimp^] Dennis' "Down among the sheltering palms" in this show always sticks in my head. Not to get back on topic!

[Scott in KC] Kay, Sinatra told Jack he ate a grape and said: "Boy, am I stuffed."

[ed] and prince michael is not a real prince

[KayLhota] I'd forgotten that!

[krledu] I remember that Scott

[Laura Leff] Murder at Romanoff's 1-8-50

[Steve ^shimp^] Harry Shearer's not in this one is he?

[krledu] What guests are on there Laura?

[Laura Leff] Gene Kelly, Rosalind Russell, Michael Romanoff, Frank Sinatra

[KayLhota] I have to pull out that episode. It's funny, and it's been too long since I last heard it

[Laura Leff] Steve - Don't think so...he's alter

[Laura Leff] Palm Springs was Murder at the Racquet Club

[krledu] Oh ya

[Steve ^shimp^] I think you're right, should grab 39 Forever Vol 2.

[Laura Leff] older

[Laura Leff] older, not alter (Kocher?)

[Brad from Georgia] Captain O'Benny was in both though, right?

[Tracy] Harry Shearer?

[KayLhota] they always did Murder at the Racquet Club when they had Charlie Farrell on the show

[ed] yes

[Maxwell] Alter = older auf Deutsch.

[krledu] I really want to get the 39 forever. I am always wondering what Actor played what or what song was sung

[yhtapmys] Laura, which of the Beavers have you managed to track down?

[Laura Leff] Brad - The character if not the exact name.

[krledu] The Star of Seventh Heaven

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Then 39F's your book...

[Steve ^shimp^] Hey LL, Doris Singleton is in this episode. Did you meet her at the Puget Sound gig?

[Tracy] The "Spinal Tap" guy?

[krledu] Maybe for Christmas. I really really want it

[Laura Leff] Yht - A number of them...many of whom are coming to the Sperdvac lunch in November!

[Maxwell] Let's not forget My Little Margie.

[yhtapmys] Is sperdvac backwards for sympathy?

[Laura Leff] Steve - Nope...she wasn't there. Ginny Sims and....................

[Steve ^shimp^] Tracy - yep, that Harry Shearer was a Beaver, on radio and TV.

[Scott in KC] Laura, one of the DVD's I lent you has the Beverely Hills Police Department sending out the dogs. I think they were poodles.

[Laura Leff] Ach, just blanked on her name

[Brad from Georgia] Vernon Albright! I always wondered what he did for a living.

[Laura Leff] Shirley Mitchell

[Tracy] No way

[ed] hey laura i saw the newsletter from REPS and you were there?

[Steve ^shimp^] Shoot. Got Shirley Mitchell and Doris Singleton confused.

[Steve ^shimp^] Was Shirley Mitchell cool?

[Tracy] Are you sure?    

[Laura Leff] Ed - Sure was.

[Maxwell] Brad, he worked for Honeywell and Todd. That's all you needed to know.

[Laura Leff] Steve - Shirley Mitchell was cool.

[ed] you look great in the picture

[Steve ^shimp^] Great!

[yhtapmys] I remember he on Petticoat Junction.

[yhtapmys] he=her

[Laura Leff] Ed - I do?

[Brad from Georgia] I always thought Honeywell was probably bankrolling the Red Channels gang. He had that look.

[ed] well the snapshot they had

[Laura Leff] Haven't seen it. Usually I don't look good in pictures.

[Laura Leff] Do they have me in Hedda Hopper get-up?

[Scott in KC] Laura, was she Mabel or Gertrude? Or Gladya Zybisco?

[ed] yes

[Scott in KC] Gladys*

[Steve ^shimp^] Au Contraire, I have some of us looking fantastic at Trader Vics.

[Laura Leff] Scott - She played a few different roles in later years

[Maxwell] LL YOu don't look good? Every picture of me has all kinds of lines in it from the shattered lens.

[Laura Leff] Steve - Hey, I don't think you ever sent those to me, did you?

[Tracy] Hold on... Head is spinning a little here! Harry Shearer of Spinal Tap and Mighty Wind was one of the Beavers on the Benny show?

[Steve ^shimp^] Thought I did. If not, I will!

[yhtapmys] Yes, Tracy.

[Maxwell] Tracy: Yup.

[Tracy] OMGosh!!!

[Brad from Georgia] I look great in photos. Each year my wife stands further back to get that effect. This year I'm in Georgia and she's in Missouri.

[Laura Leff] Shirley played Mabel.

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Yep, sure was.

[yhtapmys] What happened to Sara Berner?

[Laura Leff] And Harry Shearer who plays Mr. Burns and a number of other characters on the Simpsons.

[Laura Leff] Same guy.

[krledu] Sara was the nasaly one right?

[Brad from Georgia] Didn't Harry Shearer also play Apu on the Benny program?

[KayLhota] oh my gosh

[Laura Leff] Brad - You stole that gag from Jack

[Tracy] We're shocked here!

[Scott in KC] My mom's name was Shirley....My dad's middle name was LaVern. I tell people my parents were LaVern and Shirley.

[Brad from Georgia] Sure did, LL. I surrrreeee did.

[ed] haha

[Laura Leff] Krledu - They really both were...

[Tracy] It's exciting to find a new connection! Bizzare

[Laura Leff] Scott - *Rimshot*

[yhtapmys] Good thing they're not Lennie and Squiggy.

[Laura Leff] I was transferring a show of Jack in a cafeteria shortly after REPS, and saw a woman behind the counter

[Laura Leff] I said, "Gosh, that looks like Shirley" since she had just been standing in front of me a few days before.

[Laura Leff] And sure enough, it was.

[Scott in KC] It is true: Mom was Shirley Rose and Dad was Harold LaVern.

[Laura Leff] And even Ginny Sims was on the show, but I haven't psyched her out het

[Steve ^shimp^] She is one of those great character faces. I see her pop up everywhere in sixties stuff.

[Laura Leff] One day I'll do Volume 3 and we'll all know.

[Laura Leff] One day

[Laura Leff] But not today.

[yhtapmys] Steve, Shirley was on Petticoat Junction, but I think it was after Bea left.

[KayLhota] that will be splendid

User Fred Allen has entered this room.

[yhtapmys] It was when June Lockhart came in.

[Maxwell] Hi Fred

[Laura Leff] Uh oh...look out...

[KayLhota] I can still remember when Bea Benaderet died

[Laura Leff] Hi Fred!

[Brad from Georgia] Well, well, hello, Mr. Alllllllen.

[Steve ^shimp^] I think she did some while Bea was still alive. She also popped up on Green Acres around the same time.

[ed] june lockhart came on petticoat after bea died

[Fred Allen] Greetings

[Laura Leff] Kay - And Gene died right at the same time.

[Scott in KC] <hiding>

[ed] yes

[KayLhota] Hi Fred

[yhtapmys] Could be, Steve. It was 40 years ago. The memory gets fuzzy, you know.

[ed] hi fred

[Fred Allen] Bea also played Jethro's mom on Beverly Hillbillies

[Maxwell] Cousin' Pearl Beaudine.

[ed] and betty rubble

[KayLhota] yes, that's how I first remember her

[Maxwell] I first remember her as Blanche Morton.

[Laura Leff] Bea Benaderet...one of the busiest actresses in Hollywood.

[Steve ^shimp^] I just saw Bea doing a prototype of that character on an I Love Lucy with, I think, Tennessee Ernie Ford.

[Brad from Georgia] My wife's reading a Jasper Fforde novel and just read aloud to me the line "Next time they might come after you or I." Are there no editors left?

[ed] yes

[Maxwell] I are an editor!

[Laura Leff] Brad - The English language has been breaking down for a while.

[yhtapmys] Yeah. Ford has only one F and no E.

[Laura Leff] Maybe there's someone named "I"?

[Maxwell] It all started with "I could care less."

[ed] john brown played harry before he died

[KayLhota] oh, I didn't know that.

[Steve ^shimp^] Right, Max, it should be "I could care FEWER"

[krledu] Laura- I just got your message about posting these articles. How do I contact the webmaster of Crispy.com. I looked but there is no contact info.

[Laura Leff] That is something up with which I will not put. - Winston Churchill

[KayLhota] My problem with Burns and Allen, is that I don't want to listen to the show if Hans Conried isn't in it

[Laura Leff] Ed - Now John Brown's body lies a mouldrin' in the grave.

[Brad from Georgia] "Come on up from out in under!"

[ed] ah digger odell

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Oh, I thought he had his information up. Are you sure?

[Maxwell] How does one "come in OUT of the rain"?

[krledu] Yea, I have been searching the site and haven't seen anything like contact info

[KayLhota] I never considered that, Maxwell

[Scott in KC] Ed, the Friendly Undertaker. "I will be shoveling off."

[Laura Leff] And I found out this week that "biweekly" means both every two weeks and twice a week. DUH

[Brad from Georgia] I've just got a Ronald Colman radio version of "A Christmas Carol" with Hans Conreid in it as the Ghost of Snidely Whiplash--uh, I mean of Christmas Past.

[ed] that's right

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Send me an E-mail and I'll forward it.

[KayLhota] Yes, he did that in 1941

[krledu] ok thanks

[ed] snidley great guy

[yhtapmys] Hans was wasted on Mel Blanc's show. Oh, if it only had better writing!

[Maxwell] We used to call Hans Conreid, "The inevitable Hans Conreid" because he was in so many shows.

[Brad from Georgia] I do a Snidely impression on just one line: "Mother of pearl, I'm enmeshed in me own snare!"

[KayLhota] boy, that is the truth, Yip!

[Laura Leff] I've still got the Radio Spirits calendar in my office...it has a nice shot of John Brown and William Bendix.

[Steve ^shimp^] Kay did you ever see Conried in THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD, where he fights giant sea slugs? Good stuff.

[ed] i have my copy too

[Scott in KC]   Brad.

[Brad from Georgia] My wife and I once saw Conreid as Mr. Doolittle in a road-show version of "My Fair Lady."

[KayLhota] Yes, I have seen it, Steve. I've been doing a ton of catch-up with Hans Conried

[Laura Leff] The Jack Benny chat doubles again as the Hans Conreid Appreciation Society    

[ed] and he was from baltimore

[KayLhota] I would have loved to have seen him

[yhtapmys] Now, if only his name were spelled correctly.

[KayLhota] Sorry, Laura.

[Steve ^shimp^] Well, it's no 5000 Fingers of Dr. T, his best.

[KayLhota] I don't mean to take over.

[Laura Leff] Kay - Oh, no apology necessary. Just kidding.

[ed] he was also in my friend irma

[Brad from Georgia] He was a favorite in Atlanta. When he came onstage as Doolittle, there was a MINUTE of applause, and he finally broke character to acknowledge it.

[Laura Leff] As long as people are having fun, I'm good with it.

[Maxwell] Well, he IS "the inevitable Hans Conreid," so it stands to reason....

[Tracy] Was hans a character on the Benny show?

[KayLhota] Hans Conried did do two episodes of Jack Benny. There is a connection

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Briefly...just a few episodes

[KayLhota] He did the show twice

[Scott in KC] Wasn't Hans Conried Uncle Tanoose?

[yhtapmys] Really?

[Maxwell] Scott Yup

[yhtapmys] I don't remember him at all.

[Brad from Georgia] Yes! "I stronk! Like bool!'

[ed] he was hoppity hooper cartoon

[KayLhota] he was the shakespearian man at the gate in one of the Orson Welles eps

[Maxwell] And the host of Fractured Flickers

[Scott in KC] Thanks, Max! ^5

[ed] yes

[Laura Leff] I thought that was Edward Everett Horton

[KayLhota] and he was a stuffy englisman at the train station in 01-18-48 episode

[Brad from Georgia] He was not Hoppity, though, but Hoppity's uncle. Who was a fox. While Hoppity was a frog.

[yhtapmys] OK, Kay. I've only heard one of them.

[Laura Leff] Maybe Fractured Fairy Tales

[Maxwell] Uncle Waldo

[ed] that was horton

[Brad from Georgia] Uncle Waldo, right!

[KayLhota] Edward Everett Horton did the Fractured Fairy Takes

[yhtapmys] Hoppity was boring.

[Laura Leff] Aw, you don't like ANYTHING.    

[Brad from Georgia] Well, once you see him hop and hoop, he's pretty much shot his bolt.

[KayLhota] Oh, I loved the Hoppity Hooper cartoons, and long before I knew the name of Hans Conried

[ed] a great voice

[Laura Leff] I don't think I've ever seen a Hoppity Hooper cartoon...

[Steve ^shimp^] Never saw those either.

[krledu] Me neither

[yhtapmys] Kay, I used to sit down and watch cartoons Saturday after Saturday and change the channel to the ones I liked best. There was obviously something better on than Hoppity as I only saw a few of them.

[Scott in KC] Sad news...Hoppity Hopper and Kermit T. Frog have croaked.

[Maxwell] LL: Another Jay Ward/Bill Scott series.

[KayLhota] they never got the airplay that Rocky and Bullwinkle got

[Laura Leff] Scott:    

[ed] same cartoons like tennessee tuxedo

[KayLhota] there are a few episodes of Hoppity Hooper up on YouTube

[ed] wow

[Brad from Georgia] BTW, Jamie Farr just did a cameo on "Family Guy."

[Scott in KC] Hooper*

[Brad from Georgia] I mean just two minutes ago, too.

[Tracy]   watching family guy here too!

[Laura Leff] Brad - Multitasking again, I see.

[Maxwell] And of course Hoppity Hooper is not to be confused with Hippity Hopper.

[Steve ^shimp^] Is Jamie Farr still doing the George Burns stage show?

[KayLhota] I had the sound down on "The Family Guy"

[Laura Leff] Steve - No, he did that for only a very short time.

[Steve ^shimp^] Ah, thanks.

[Laura Leff] Has anyone run into "Angels with Angles"?

[Brad from Georgia] I'm quadrupletasking. Talking to my wife, watching TV, doing this, and reading the last Hoppity Potter book. Uh, Harry Hooper book.

[Laura Leff] Did they put it out on DVD or anything?

[Steve ^shimp^] I thought we should run FROM that?

[KayLhota] Funny Brad!

[Laura Leff] Hedda Hopper

[ed] william hopper

[Laura Leff] Hedda Hair

[Brad from Georgia] Jamie Farr and Eddie Carroll used to write a cartoon series, you know.

[Scott in KC] Grasshopper

[KayLhota] I didn't know.

[Brad from Georgia] "The Chan Clan."

[Laura Leff] Jamie Farr and Eddie Carroll did a lot of things

[Laura Leff] Hedda Lettuce

[Scott in KC] Brad, what shows?

[Laura Leff] Scott - Your slip.   

[ed] hedda cabbage

[KayLhota] oh my, things are surreal. Hedda lettuce

[yhtapmys] Good old, John McGovern. He knows not to step on a laugh.

[Laura Leff] Lettuce Beef Friends

[Brad from Georgia] The only one I know for sure is "The Amazing Chan Clan." They had to write a complete rock song every week for Charlie Chan's kids to sing.

[Scott in KC] Is it showing, Laura?

[Maxwell] And of course Lettuce Entertain You restaurants.

[Laura Leff] Yht - Yes, Jack coached those kids well.

[Laura Leff] Scott - Nah, it's fixed now.

[yhtapmys] Yeah, Laura, I heard it and immediately thought the kids had been through vaudeville.

[Tracy] Laura, I was thinking of this today and I'm curious. How many of the Benny Show participants have you met in person?

[Scott in KC] Were the Whiz Kids on Jack's show the real Whiz Kids?

[KayLhota] yes

[Laura Leff] Tracy - I'd have to think about it and keep a tally. A good number...would need to refer back to indexes of the Times!

[Maxwell] Scott: Quiz Kids

[krledu] yea because He was on their show

[KayLhota] quiz kids

[Brad from Georgia] Cheez-Wiz Kids.

[Maxwell] They took quizzes, while whiz kids took....

[Laura Leff] Scott - Yes, they Whizzed on him

[KayLhota] ouchies

[yhtapmys] They deserved it.

[yhtapmys] Little smartasses.

[Laura Leff]  

[Tracy] It's ok! Like I said, just curious

[Scott in KC] I am thinking of the 1950 1950 Phillies.

[Brad from Georgia] "Now, Jimmy. Can you tell me how many stones are in the Great Pyramid?" "Ummm.....Cheddar." "That's right, Jimmy!"

[krledu] Just curious, how long were kids usually on the Quiz Kids show?

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Reasonable question...I'm sure if I thought off the top of my head, I'd forget some!

[Tracy] Baseball... (sigh)

[Maxwell] krledu Until they were no longer kids?

[Tracy] cubs fan here

[krledu] Smart mouth   

[Laura Leff] How bout them Red Sox!

[Maxwell] Tracy: You almost have my sympathies....Sox fan here.

[ed] the bulls the bears the cubs who cares

[Maxwell] (And I don't mean Red)

[KayLhota] they won tonight, Laura

[Fred Allen] The correct answer to "Can you tell me.... " is "No" and they'd be correc6t

[Scott in KC] Tracy, my sympathies.

[Fred Allen] correct

[krledu] Go SOXs!

[Brad from Georgia] The bulls and the bears? Wall Street's in the playoffs?

[Laura Leff] Kay - Excellent! So they play whoever is playing the Yanks, right?

[yhtapmys] Yeah, Brad. His dad was Gabby.

[KayLhota] either that, or the Yankees

[Fred Allen] They'll play the Indians

[ed] cleveland

[Brad from Georgia] Ah cain't abide thuh Yankees.

[Laura Leff] I thought the Yanks were almost out of it

[Maxwell] Well, I'll be back shortly...if this doesn't wrap up before I finish eating.

[Brad from Georgia] Ah don't--ah say, ah don't YANK on a rope--I REBS on it.

[Laura Leff] Jack was a baseball fan, so there's the connection

[Tracy] I listened to the show with Leo Durocher as a guest the other day... (cubs manager in the early 70's

[KayLhota] well, knowing the Red Sox and their history as the hard luck team, we shall see what they do

[krledu] Who was Jack's favorite team I wonder

[Laura Leff] Kay - Very true.

[Laura Leff] Krledu - The Dodgers

[Laura Leff] Brooklyn and Los Angeles

[krledu] cool

[ed] leo the lip

[Laura Leff] So what else Benny-wise is on everyone's mind this evening?

[Tracy] I think Leo was the Dodgers manager when he was on the show

[Scott in KC] Jack liked the Hollywood Stars? Before he got hit in the head?

[Laura Leff] Dem Bums

[Tracy]  

User yhtapmys has logged out.

User yhtapmys has entered this room.

[KayLhota] I played the Turkey dream ep for my husband Frank the other night

[Brad from Georgia] From my misspent youth, I still have a collectible...a baseball autographed by Brooklyn Dodger Duke Schneider.

[KayLhota] He'd never heard it before

[ed] snider

[Laura Leff] Kay - What did he think of it?

[Brad from Georgia] Well, he had sloppy handwriting.

[yhtapmys] The turkey dream episode is great.

[KayLhota] he thought it was funny

[Laura Leff] Very surreal

[Fred Allen] He gobbled it up

[krledu] Whic turkey dream episode?

[krledu] There were a few werent there?

[Scott in KC] I have a question: The shows I am listening to now say they are transcribed. Did the FCC require they sau that?

[yhtapmys] Say, it's Thanksgiving up here. I should really listen to it.

[KayLhota] Frank just told me that he was surprised that the writers didn't like it

[Laura Leff] I presume the 1943 episode?

[KayLhota] no, the 1948 one

[krledu] The one where Jack is on trial for murdering a turkey

[KayLhota] yes

[Laura Leff] Scott - Interesting question. Not sure, but probably.

[yhtapmys] Frank Nelson as the judge.

[Brad from Georgia] Which they repeated on TV, krledu. With Perry Mason as Jack's defense attorney.

[Laura Leff] Oh...I prefer the 1943 one. Much more surreal.

[Scott in KC] say*

[yhtapmys] Bea Benedaret as Tallulah Turkey.

[krledu] Thats the one that I just read in Milt's book was the worst one they wrote

[KayLhota] yes

User Mike Amo has entered this room.

[KayLhota] Hi Mike

[ed] raymond burr

[krledu] I didn't care for those surreal episodes

[Laura Leff] Hi Mike!

[ed] hi mike

[Mike Amo] Jello folks!'

[Brad from Georgia] Hi, Mike.

[krledu] Hi mike

[Laura Leff] Krledu - I just have a surreal sense of humor, so they work for me.

[yhtapmys] It was just so silly.

[Brad from Georgia] Ed, yes, Raymond was always cold. Blood pressure or something.

[Steve ^shimp^] Hiya Mike

[KayLhota] the surreal episodes are a mixed bag, but the turkey dream one from 48 is an odd experience

[Mike Amo] I haven't been able to make it in months...every time you have this, I'm out of town or out of the country

[krledu] I always like the sitional humor

[krledu] more my thing

[yhtapmys] Brad, it's probably because he was from up here. It's cold you know   

[KayLhota] very cartoony with Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet's voices

[Laura Leff] Mike - Running from the law?

[ed] they show perry mason on tv here at 11 am M_F

[Brad from Georgia] Coldhere, too, yht. Only got up to 84 today.

[Scott in KC] I apologize for my typos. My keyboard is messed up.

[Mike Amo] And I can only stay on 5 minutes now...I'm out of town, lol...will read back...how is everybody? LL-not running yet, but I did just drive 200 miles

[krledu] Its always the keyboards fault, isn't it

[Laura Leff] Stop pouring orange juice on it.    

[Mike Amo] I saw you've got a great program in Van Nuys on Nov. 10th...wish I could go!

[Tracy] YIKES (Family Guy)

[Brad from Georgia] Doin' well, Mike.

[Scott in KC] Yep and Yep.

[Laura Leff] Mike - Yes, it should be a good time!

[Brad from Georgia] Hmm..."Family Guy" just wound up with Peter humming the "J-E-L-L-O" notes.

[yhtapmys] We're talking turkey.

[Tracy] Yeah, odd...

[krledu] Turkey murders to be exact

[Laura Leff] I think I've asked this question here before, but what's your LEAST favorite Benny show?

[yhtapmys] Oh, geez.

[Laura Leff] Mine is the one with the Brazil "lazy, lazy" skit.

[yhtapmys] It's tough to compare eras.

[ed] can't think of one

[Tracy] Probably one of the very early ones.

[KayLhota] really? That doesn't bother me.

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Yeah, I figured most would opt for a Harry Conn show.

[Mike Amo] 97 in DC today...Raymond would have been comfortable

[Tracy] I didn't enjoy the first episode - other thanthe uniqueness of it

[Brad from Georgia] Of the ones he was actually on, it's the one where he's going to the movie premiere in a horse-drawn buggy. Just MISSED somehow.

[krledu] I think one of the worst was the one where Benny is trying to get his advertising agency on the phone. That and the Turkey murder episode

[Laura Leff] Kay - It doesn't bother me per se...it just doesn't strike me as funny...

[Laura Leff] Brad - Oh, with the drunken horse?

[krledu] Hey i thought that was kinda funny in a back handed sort of way

[Brad from Georgia] The worst, because it's so sad, is the one right after the death of Carole Lombard.

[yhtapmys] Tracy, the first one seems more a musical showcase.

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Batton Barton Dursten and Osborne?

[Scott in KC] Laura, Jack's final radio show seemed rather lame....It did not seem like a way to end his radio run.

[Brad from Georgia] LL-I don't remember her being drunk, but she kept sitting down.

[KayLhota] Laura, maybe because all of the previous episodes had been solid.

[Tracy] Wasn't the one after her death just music?

[krledu] Yes Laura. It just seemed to drawn out and not funny

[Brad from Georgia] Tracy--yes, and it always makes me feel blue.

[Laura Leff] Kay - The writers were new and they kept using the same format week after week...Algiers, Casablanca, Brazil...a bit of a cop-out

[Brad from Georgia] Jack is NOT on that one.

[Tracy] The final episode wasn't meant to be the final episode.

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Pretty much.

[KayLhota] by the time they got to Brazil, yeah.

[Mike Amo] My least favorites are from the last couple seasons...transcribed, often predictable and well-worn plots used too often

[yhtapmys] Tracy, I liked it, but I don't consider to be one of Jack's shows; it's a music show.

[KayLhota] Algiers was a remake sketch

[Laura Leff] Tracy - Or more that they didn't know officially at that time that it was the final episode.

[Tracy] I'll bet if they'd known that it was the last one that they would have done more

[Brad from Georgia] Tracy: Right, it was actually meant to be the first episode, but they got into some mixup with this British doctor in a flying telephone booth.

[krledu] huh?

[Laura Leff] Mike - Which were mostly just warmed-over segments from previous years.

[Brad from Georgia] krledu--Not huh. Who.

[Laura Leff] Brad - Har har

[Scott in KC] Thanks Laura and Tracy.

[yhtapmys] On first?

[krledu] I watched that one go over my head

[Brad from Georgia] (Dr. Who, who is a time-traveling interfering busybody)

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Apologies to non Doctor Who fans

[Brad from Georgia] He's sort of a British male Mary Worth.

[Brad from Georgia] Who can travel through time.

[Laura Leff] So if Doctor Who showed up in the tardis in the middle of Jack's show, what would happen?

[KayLhota] oh my

[Brad from Georgia] I will be there on Nov. 10 with bells on. Unless the surgeon moves my appointment up.

[yhtapmys] We can talk about him!

[yhtapmys]  

[Laura Leff] Scott - Not necessarily, what would you prefer?

[KayLhota] Yip, if I'm around, it will be easy for me to mention Hans Conried

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[yhtapmys] Thanks, Kay. He's great.

[Scott in KC] Laura, every day!    

[Maxwell] The inevitable Hans Conreid....

[Laura Leff] Scott - Sure...YOU facilitate!    

[yhtapmys] The 11th is fine with me, Laura.

[krledu] 11th looks good

[Laura Leff] But glad to know you enjoy these little visits...

[Brad from Georgia] Eleventh is okay with me, too.

[ed] they are saying in soap opera digest that the TV soaps are on the way out and the mention

[KayLhota] I can be here on the 11th

[Laura Leff] OK, next chat is 11/11 with the Treasure of the Sierra madre!

[Scott in KC] Laura...YOU are the expert, not me.

[Brad from Georgia] These chats are the high point of my pathetic existence.

[Laura Leff] Scott - Oh I dunno...you know a lot!

[yhtapmys] But why is it when I log in on Wednesday, no one is here?   

[ed] and that guiding light has been on for 70 years radio and tv

[Maxwell] Brad, same here...pathetic, aren't we!

[Laura Leff] Brad - Even more than dragon.con?

[krledu] Laura- before i forget, what happened with the photo caption contest this time. There were very few captions to vote on. Did everyone quit or something?

[Brad from Georgia] Well, yes. Because they make me work at Dragon Con.

[Laura Leff] Krledu - I was wondering that myself. Don't know!

[Brad from Georgia] I sure hope I won. I voted for myself often enough....

[krledu] I tried to think of a caption but couldn't think of a good one. It was a hard pic this week

[krledu] You would Brad

[Mike Amo] Many friends were at Dragon Con this year...I almost got there, likely will next year

[Steve ^shimp^] sorry to duck out, multitasking. Treasure of the Sierra Madre will be fun to discuss next time!

[Scott in KC] Brad, are you really from Chicago or Florida?

[Brad from Georgia] Well, I was born modest...but it wore off.

[KayLhota] good one, Brad

[Laura Leff] I used to be pure as snow...but I drifted.

[ed] hahah

[Steve ^shimp^]  

[KayLhota] good one, Laura!

[Laura Leff] (Nod to Mae West)

[krledu] Oh brother, you can tell its gettting late

[Brad from Georgia] Scott, nope, I'm from the grandiose village of New Holland, GA. And I stole the "modest" line from Hal Holbrook's "Mark Twain Tonight."

[Laura Leff] Krledu -   

[Brad from Georgia] You know Hal Holbrook is still doing the Mark Twain show? Except now he has his face lifted before he goes onstage.

[Maxwell] And Hal Holbrook stole it from Mark Twain, I'll bet.

[Laura Leff] So anything else, or are we calling it good for this month?

[yhtapmys] Man, they did the Gene Tunney joke again.

[Maxwell] I'm good.

[krledu] So the 11th next month?

[Brad from Georgia] I think I'll sign off. Have to give midterms tomorrow.

[KayLhota] Laura, I do have a story to tell you

[Mike Amo] I'm also good, perky too

[Brad from Georgia] See you next month, everyone!

[Laura Leff] Go for it Kay

[Scott in KC] Brad....I saw Hal in concert. Thanks for the kudos for a fellow Missourian, Mark Twain.

[ed] good chat laura as always

[Laura Leff] My pleasure, Ed.

[Steve ^shimp^] OK, my contacts are peeling off my eyeballs here, I'm going to head off into the sunset. See you all next month!

[KayLhota] my friend Rich Finegan is sending you a copy of a magazine article

[yhtapmys] See you, Steve.

[Maxwell] So long everybody!

[krledu] Laura-I emailed you about the info for Crispy.com. Just wanted you to know

[KayLhota] written by Brad from the Sons of the Desert in Ohio

[Laura Leff] Krledu - Thanks!

[Mike Amo] take care, everyone who's leaving

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[krledu] Bye

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[Scott in KC] Bye Max and Steve.

[KayLhota] he interviewed a former child actress named Joan Delmar

[Tracy] See y'all next time - and thanks for doing "Treasure" next month!

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[KayLhota] she did movies and radio

[Laura Leff] Joan of the Sea...Joan Del Mar

[yhtapmys] Laura, the '52 Hallowe'en show starts off like the '48 one.

[KayLhota] and was on the 04-01-45 jack Benny show

[Laura Leff] Yht - Yeah...that's why it's "heavily borrowed"

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[yhtapmys] I just heard the toupee joke and Mary didn't butcher it.

[Laura Leff] Kay - Oh really?

[ed] and jack really never wore a toup

[KayLhota] a hairpiece, but not a full toupe

[ed] i wear a toup

[yhtapmys] I've seen a couple of publicity shots where he's wearing something.

[Laura Leff] Well, no #$%@*(#...I didn't have a name for that part.

[KayLhota] Rich will send you the article, but you may want to interview her

[Laura Leff] Jack wore a frontpiece for his 30s movie years

[Laura Leff] She's not credited in the script, just "girl". Great find!

[KayLhota] yes, I thought that you would be pleased to learn her name

[Scott in KC] Did Mary wear a wig? O always liked Joan's hair.

[Laura Leff] Absolutely. Thanks!

[Mike Amo] I was going to say that hair looked pretty scary in those early 30s shorts...what a relief! {:oD

[Laura Leff] Scott - Not as far as I know

[Scott in KC] I* even

[yhtapmys] Oh, yeah. Some shots look like Hair by Harpo Marx.

[Laura Leff] Who, Mary? Or Joan?

[yhtapmys] Mary.

[Laura Leff] When, later in life?

[yhtapmys] No, this was in the 30s.

[yhtapmys] There's a publicity spread for J-ello.

[Laura Leff] Mary Livingstone?

[yhtapmys] And her hair's all over the place.

[yhtapmys] It's really unflattering.

[Laura Leff] I'm not sure I've seen that

[Laura Leff] I've usually seen it in sort of a bob

[Scott in KC] What about Philsy Laura....Did women really swoon over his curly hair?

[Laura Leff] This must be before the Jell-O cookbook

[Laura Leff] Scott - Well, it's pretty wavy in the shower...

[Mike Amo] a bob and weave

[Laura Leff] Scott (hope you read the Forum to get that reference)

[yhtapmys] Laura, it's in the book put out by the Musuem of Radio and TV.

[Laura Leff] Yht - OK, I'll pull that and relook at it. Thanks!

[yhtapmys] Page 62.

[Laura Leff] Women supposedly went crazy over Liberace's wavy hair (talk about futile), so maybe some women go for it.

[Laura Leff] Yht - Dang

[Laura Leff] Impressive.

[Scott in KC] Laura, I listen to the shows and how he fawns on himself and his (curly) hair.

[KayLhota] Funny, Laura!

[yhtapmys] Page 62.

[yhtapmys] Damned wireless connection.

[Laura Leff] Scott - It's more wavy to me than curly. Seriously, check out the YouTube clip of him in the shower.

[yhtapmys] Who, Phil? It's really not too wavy.

[Scott in KC] Laura...Does he star in "Pyscho"?

[KayLhota] I'll have to!

[Laura Leff] Yht - Maybe it's the lighting.

[Laura Leff] Scott - Who, Phil?

[Scott in KC] I am kidding, Laura.

[Laura Leff] Sorry, not getting the joke. More likely Dennis with his mother...

[KayLhota] I was just thinking about the spoof of Gaslight when Ingrid Bergman plays with Phil Harris

[Laura Leff] Oh oh oh...Phil in the shower...duh...

[KayLhota] I loved his scene in that

[yhtapmys] Thanks, Laura. Now I get it.

[yhtapmys] Must be that midwest humour.

[KayLhota] "Cotten? For you I'll be Nylon!"

[yhtapmys] Though they love it in St. Joe.

[Laura Leff] Har har

[Scott in KC] Y....Yeppers! I live near St. Joe.

[yhtapmys] Laura, can you try to answer a question?

[Laura Leff] Yht - Sure Yht...go for it

[yhtapmys] This has confused me for a bit....

[yhtapmys] There is an episode about listening to the World Series....

[Laura Leff] Right

[Laura Leff] Red Sox and the Cardinals

[Laura Leff] IIRC

[KayLhota] 1946?

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[Laura Leff] Think so

[yhtapmys] And reference is made to the Dempsey Tunney fight.. as if the cast had listened to it in a previous episode.

[yhtapmys] But I can't find any episode like that.

[yhtapmys] I can only find the 1950 World Series episode that refers to it.

[Laura Leff] So this is the 1950 World Series or 1946?

[yhtapmys] 1950.

[yhtapmys] I'm going off memory.

[yhtapmys] But I have not found an episode where the cast sits down and listens to the fight.

[Laura Leff] My notes on the show says that they're listening to the game and that it switches to the Dempsey-Tunney fight

[yhtapmys] I've only heard where the radio, after a number of years, starts broadcasting the fight, as if it picks up from an earlier episode.

[Scott in KC] I thought Dempsey and Tunney boxed in the 1920's. I am guessing.

[yhtapmys] Well, maybe I'm just missing a joke then.

[Laura Leff] Well, this is one where Jack is trying to tune in the game and has trouble getting it

[Laura Leff] Hang out a second and let me check the script

[Laura Leff] See if something was edited

[yhtapmys] Great, thanks.

[KayLhota] Laura is awesome

[Scott in KC] Maybe it shows Jack's radio is sooo old he gets old radio shows too.

[KayLhota] very twilight zone

[yhtapmys] I love the episodes when they listen (or watch) baseball, wrestling, football.

[Laura Leff] Hey, I've got a personal story like that

[yhtapmys] They're the same gags, but the cast still makes them funny.

[Scott in KC] Go ahead, Ms. Laura.

[yhtapmys] As long as they don't hear MY old radio shows.

[Mike Amo] I have to go, have a great month everyone!

[KayLhota] goodnight Mike

[yhtapmys] OK, Mike.

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[Scott in KC] See ya Mike.

[Laura Leff] Getting close

[Scott in KC] Y, I heard that same broadcast....I suspect they were making fun of the fact Jack has an old radio.

[Laura Leff] There's a line earlier in the show when the radio goes dead and

[yhtapmys] There's a gag where Dennis talks about Dempsey-Tunney.

[Laura Leff] it went dead during the Dempsey-Tunney fight

[Laura Leff] OK, here's the deal

[Scott in KC] I think Jack also says "who" for St. Louis and "whom" for Boston, and "who" beat "whom."

[Laura Leff] So they've been having trouble with the radio, it went dead (which it did during the D-T fight)

[Laura Leff] So then when they get it back, there's suddenly a line from the D-T fight and Jack says, "Gee, that must've been stuck in there"

[Laura Leff] Jack shakes the radio and it goes back to the game

[KayLhota] okay!

[yhtapmys] Yeah, I know that.

[Laura Leff] Meaning the old sound waves must have been stuck from when the radio was on the fritz before.

[yhtapmys] OK.

[Laura Leff] Make sense?

[Scott in KC] And Jack too cheap to buy a new radio.

[yhtapmys] I was left with the impression this was reference to an earlier show when they listened to the fight.

[Laura Leff] No, I think the added info that the D-T fight was long ago is needed.

[yhtapmys] OK.

[yhtapmys] Too bad, though.

[KayLhota] I'll have to check that episode out

[yhtapmys] Jack listening to the fight would have been funny.

[KayLhota] I haven't heard it

[Laura Leff] I think there's a show where Jack tries to tune in a fight

[Laura Leff] I know there's a TV show where he referees a wrestling match

[yhtapmys] Yeah a wrestling one.

[yhtapmys] They're all really funny.

[Scott in KC] He was also Midge Benny too.

[yhtapmys] The one with Frank Nelson eating a hot dog and calling a home run leaves me laughing every time.

[Laura Leff] Or The Champion shows where he trains to be a boxer

[yhtapmys] Well, thanks, Laura. That straightens things out.

[Laura Leff] The script says "handkercheif in mouth" for thtat

[Scott in KC] And he sniffs like Guy Lombardo....That might have been Mel Blanc.

[yhtapmys] Now I won't look for a "lost episode."

[Laura Leff] Funny, because someone told me they have that handkercheif now

[KayLhota] oh wow

[Laura Leff] Frank Nelson always wore a particular handkercheif for the Benny show

[yhtapmys] Really?!

[KayLhota] why is that?

[Scott in KC] For good luck?

[Laura Leff] Dunno...professionalism. To dress up and look like a pro

[yhtapmys] Geez, you know, it DOES sound like a handkerchief in a mouth, to think about it.

[Laura Leff] I'd bet it was THAT handkercheif, since they knew he'd have one!

[KayLhota] incredible!

[yhtapmys] But he never said why a particular one, as opposed to any old one.

[Scott in KC] The things one learns.    

[Laura Leff] He may have said it and I just don't remember. He didn't say it to me.

[Laura Leff] I'd have to go look up who told me they have it...they might have known.

[Laura Leff] So there you have it!

[yhtapmys] Maybe it wouldn't leave blood stains if he stranged Irving Fein   

[KayLhota] indeed

[yhtapmys] strangled

[Laura Leff] Har har

[KayLhota] FUNNY ONE Yip!

[Laura Leff] OK...thanks all for a great chat!

[yhtapmys] He doesn;'t appear to have liked Irving very much.

[Laura Leff] See you next month!

[KayLhota] My eyes are filled with tears on that one

[yhtapmys] OK, Laura.

[Scott in KC] You met Frank Nelson, Laura? What was he really like?

[Laura Leff] Yht - Frank?

[yhtapmys] Yeah, Laura.

[Laura Leff] Yht - Yes, that sort of thing was going around...   

[Laura Leff] Scott - Didn't meet him in person, interviewed him over the phone. He was a great guy.

[yhtapmys] And he got Veola Vonn, too!!

[Laura Leff] Va va va vonn!

[Laura Leff] Take care all!