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NEWSLETTER | VOL. 31, November 2023

Welcome to this month’s edition of The Hollywood 360 Newsletter, your place to get all the news on upcoming shows, schedule and interesting facts from your H360 team!

Carl’s Corner

by Carl Amari

Hello everyone and happy November!  Here’s the Hollywood 360 newsletter, November 2023 / Vol. 31.  As someone on our mailing list, you’ll receive the most current newsletter via email on the first day of every month.  If you don’t receive it by the end of the first day of the month, check your spam folder as they often end up there.  If it is not in your regular email box or in your spam folder, contact me at carlpamari@gmail.com and I’ll forward you a copy.  The monthly Hollywood 360 newsletter contains articles from my team and the full month’s detailed schedule of classic radio shows that we will be airing on Hollywood 360.  Each month, I’ll provide historical information on one of the classic radio shows we’ll present on Hollywood 360. For Thanksgiving, we’ll have six wonderful holiday programs, including a 1951 episode of The Red Skelton Show so don’t miss it.  And speaking of Red Skelton, here’s an article about him that I hope you’ll enjoy.  

The Many Careers of Red Skelton by Carl Amari and Martin Grams 

Red Skelton’s brand of entertainment – top-notch, wholesome comedy and musical interludes — maintained a level of consistency that won him a devoted radio (and TV) following for decades.  He was a light comedian with a background in burlesque and vaudeville, always ready to clown around and ridicule himself. Known for his sharp tongue and sassy jokes, Skelton was the consummate professional on air.

Skelton made his radio debut in 1937 on Rudy Vallee’s The Fleishmann’s Yeast Hour and in 1938 replaced Red Foley as the host of Avalon Time on NBC. His wife Edna joined the cast under her maiden name; a talented writer, she finalized many of his bits. Two years later Skelton got his own radio show, The Raleigh Cigarette Program, in October 1941. The bandleader for the show was Ozzie Nelson, and his wife, Harriet, was the show’s vocalist and worked with Skelton in bits.

In addition to satirizing events in the newspaper headlines, Skelton performed routines regularly featuring characters such as “Junior, the mean widdle kid.” This naughty child contemplated the consequences of his bad behavior with the immortal catchphrase: “If I dood it, I get a whippin’ … but I dood it!”  Many of the comedian’s stock characters, including singing cab driver Clem Kadiddlehopper; “Deadeye,” the fastest gun in the west; and “Willie Lump-Lump,” the loveable poet, soon found their way into listeners’ hearts.  Skelton had an enormous file of gags that he consulted daily – but he often improvised, on the spot, to emphasize a joke.

As Skelton’s radio ratings soared, so did his celebrity status.  During the notorious talent raids of 1949, CBS lured Skelton away from NBC in exchange for a large slice of financial pie. The move ensured Skelton’s transition to television, where he delighted a generation of baby boomers who had missed out on his radio comedy.

Although a big hit on radio, it was movies, television and his passion for painting clowns that brought Skelton his greatest success. Throughout the 1940s and 50’s, he starred in 19 films, including Ship Ahoy (1941), I Dood It(1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1946) and The Clown (1953). His television show premiered in 1951 and garnered huge ratings. 

Throughout his life, he loved to paint clowns. Sales of his original oil paintings, prints and lithographs earned him millions per year in his later years.  Shortly after his death in 1997, his art dealer said Skelton made more money on his paintings than from his television work.  

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME (CARL AMARI) SAVE THE RADIO SERIES BOLD VENTURE – STARRING HUMPHREY BOGART AND LAUREN BACALL?

WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER 21ST 

I’ve exclusively licensed 41 complete radio series by prolific radio producer Fredric W. Ziv, including BOLD VENTURE.   

Mr. Ziv kept one personal copy of each episode from the 41 radio series he produced — 10,000+ radio episodes on thousands of 16 inch transcription discs.  Mr. Ziv’s private collection of transcription discs have been stored in a temperature-controlled facility for more than 70 years!
 
The cost to acquire, license, and professionally extract the audio from each 16 inch transcription disc is significant.  With your help, I’m planning to preserve these vintage radio episodes and release one complete radio series at a time so that fans of the golden-age of radio can enjoy them for generations to come. 
 
I’m beginning with all 78 half-hour episodes of BOLD VENTURE starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, which has NEVER been available as a complete series before.  Sixty of the 78 radio episodes have been in circulation in inconsistent sound quality.  My hope is to release all 78 episodes (including the 18 episodes that have not been heard in 70+ years) in pristine sound quality – direct from Ziv’s personal, mostly unplayed, discs.  
 
If I’m successful raising the funds to complete the transfers, those of you helping by pledging will receive these BOLD VENTURE radio episodes in pristine sound quality.  
 
My goal is to release other Ziv complete radio series: BOSTON BLACKIE, I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI, FAVORITE STORY, PHILO VANCE-DETECTIVE, MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE CISCO KID and many more.  
 
I’m using a 60-day KICKSTARTER for the fund-raise so time is of the essence.    
 
The only way the complete set of 78 BOLD VENTURE radio episodes will be released is if we raise the funds needed for the transfers within 60 days.  If we do not hit our fund-raising goal, these BOLD VENTURE radio episodes will not be released.  

Will you please help?

At this time, you would only be committing a pledge amount tied to receiving your BOLD VENTURE radio episodes.  You will not be charged unless we hit our fund-raising goal.  If we do hit our fund-raising goal, your pledge amount will be accepted and you’ll receive your radio episodes of BOLD VENTURE via digital audio links (emailed to you) or via audio CDs (mailed to you), whichever you choose.  
 
Please click here to visit our BOLD VENTURE Kickstarter page with more information; how to make a pledge; a sample of the audio; a short-video demonstrating the transfer process; and how to receive your BOLD VENTURE episodes:
 
Bold Venture (complete) 50’s Radio Show w/ Bogart and Bacall
kickstarter.com

Please pledge any amount and receive episodes of BOLD VENTURE.  Also, be sure and spread the word by sharing this link with anyone that may be interested in helping preserve this incredible radio series.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Sincerely,

Carl Amari

LEND ME YOUR EARS by Lisa Wolf GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD, by Elton John

RELEASED: 1973

Click here to watch on YouTube. 

“It’s funny, but there are songs that I recall writing as if it was yesterday. And then there are those I have absolutely no recollection of, whatsoever. In fact, I’d have to say that for the most part, if someone was to say that the entire Yellow Brick Road album was actually written by someone else, I might be inclined to believe them. I remember being there, just not physically creating.” ~Bernie Taupin

“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is performed by Elton John with lyrics by his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin. The song was released in 1973 as the title track for Elton John’s seventh studio album. The track has been revered, covered, and reinterpreted by numerous artists, a testament to its enduring charm.
In the movie The Wizard Of Oz, Dorothy (played by Judy Garland who was the supposed inspiration) and her friends follow the Yellow Brick Road in search of the wizard, only to find what they were looking for all along. This is the metaphor Bernie used as he was longing to return to his “roots”.
The 2019 biographical musical film about Elton John’s life featured this song, among other hits. The movie highlighted key aspects of John’s personal and professional journey, with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” playing a symbolic role in showcasing his struggles and evolution.

In 2008, Ben & Jerry’s created a flavor of ice cream in honor of Elton John called “Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road.” Made of chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks, it was made to commemorate Elton’s first concert in Vermont (home of the ice cream makers) on July 21, 2008 at the Essex Junction fairgrounds.

As Elton John embarked on his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, the song took on an added layer of significance, symbolizing the culmination of a musical era. It was intended to be John’s final tour and consisted of 330 concerts worldwide. The tour’s name and its poster reference John’s 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003, and was included in the 2005 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

JACK BENNY PLUGS QUAKER PUFFED RIC

by Karl Schadow

Jack Benny’s most renowned sponsor on radio was the American Tobacco Company promoting its Lucky Strike brand of cigarettes. But did you know that Jack plugged breakfast cereal for the kids in newspaper ads during the fall of 1948? If anyone knows more about this advertising campaign, please contact the author at khschadow@gmail.com. The radio program generally associated with the brands of Quaker Oats cereals was Sergeant Preston of The Yukon.

HOLLYWOOD 360 Broadcast Schedule for November 2023 (episodes subject to change):

11/4/23

Special guest: Tony Mohr (Gerald Mohr’s son)

THE ADV. OF PHILIP MARLOWE 3/19/49 The Dancing Hands

THE WHISTLER 11/25/46 Two Year Plan

OUR MISS BROOKS 10/9/49 Mr. Le Blanc

THE SCREEN DIRECTOR’S PLAYHOUSE 10/31/49 Remember the Night

THE NEW ADV. OF NERO WOLFE 1/19/51 The Calculated Risk

11/11/23

SUSPENSE 12/9/48 The Sisters

THE ADV. OF MAISIE 10/26/50 Maisie’s Birthday Present

THE ADV. OF PHILIP MARLOWE 2/21/50 The Ladies Night

THE SCREEN DIRECTOR’S PLAYHOUSE 5/15/49 Hold Back the Dawn

THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE 11/22/42 Thanksgiving – B Ration Book

 11/18/23

Celebrating Thanksgiving

THE PHIL HARRIS & ALICE FAYE SHOW 11/20/53 Thanksgiving and Birthday Gift

SUSPENSE 11/25/48 The Screaming Woman

 THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM 11/29/53 Thanksgiving Show

OUR MISS BROOKS 11/27/49 Thanksgiving Mix-Up

THE RED SKELTON SHOW 11/21/51 Things to be Thankful For

11/25/23

X MINUS ONE 2/27/57 Real Gone

 THE BIG STORY 7/21/48 The Lottery Racket

HAVE GUN-WILL TRAVEL 10/16/60 Stardust 

MY FRIEND IRMA 10/11/48 Charity Masquerade Ball 

PHILO VANCE, DETECTIVE 6/14/49 The Combination Murder Case

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