AVENGERS: ENDGAME is no INFINITY WAR

Spoiler free review.

Fans who stuck it out for 10 years and 21 movies will find Avengers: Endgame a rewarding climax to what Marvel Studios is now referring to as “The Infinity Saga.” Reunions and farewells are necessary when on-going story arcs are closed, brief revisits to memorable moments in past entries are restaged and for a large number of superheroes, much-needed emotional and psychological closure. If the first film last year focused on infinity, this movie centers on finality. Marvel made the wise decision to hold back all of the gimmicks (often referred to as “spoilers” if revealed before the screening) and the trailers promoting the film – for the most part – gave away only scenes from the first 20 minutes of the movie. Mystery abound, fans are spending what might be $1 billion globally this weekend to discover how the saga comes to a close.

Whereas Avengers: Infinity War was a light-hearted romp with Olympic-style competition to prevent Thanos from acquiring possession of all six infinity stones, the most powerful elements of the cosmos, then emotionally stabbing us in the back with the villain winning and half of all sentient life in the universe destroyed, Avengers: Endgame accomplishes the exact opposite. Five years after “the Decimation,” also referred to as “the snap,” the world is solemn, bleak and depressing. Not everyone has found a way to move on and the world is not a balanced garden of Eden as Thanos hoped for. Some, such as Hawkeye, who took on the persona of Ronin, found guidance where there is chaos. Others sought counseling. Our heroes got used to winning every battle that they forgot how to lose, so they took their ball and went home… Dark, somewhat depressing at times, the film picks up momentum where a shining beacon of optimism gives our heroes something once again to fight for. The ultimate goal is to return everything – and everyone – back and undo the Decimation. Twenty minutes into the movie they learn the hard way that rushing into action on emotion will not provide closure. All of which can be gathered from watching the trailers, but to reveal anything more would be providing spoilers. Needless to say, our heroes will prevail even if not in the way they expected.

Like any well-thought plan, the process by which the superheroes maneuver through a web of familiar storylines does not go according to design, only leading to an expected climatic battle sequence against Thanos. Their success, however, comes not from strength in numbers but from their heart. In a cinematic buildup where all roads led to the closing chapter, the real beauty of this three-hour spectacle is not good vs. bad, but rather how a number of iconic superheroes find redemption amidst chaos. Throughout the pit of despair, the bravest and best of us discover the valuable lesson to be who we are, not who we are expected to be.

There is no post-credits sequence but there are scenes of past Marvel movies during the closing credits to acknowledge the actors and their decade-long participation, closing the chapter on what became an entertaining – and extremely profitable – franchise. We can almost predict the direction of future installments, those grounded such as Spider-Man and Shang-Chi, and the majority exploring cosmic potentials, but one has to wonder as a result of three key and noticeable scenes in Avengers: Endgame whether or not the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to be influenced not by product placement or focus groups, but rather by choosing a political stance on contemporary issues.

While both Infinity War and Endgame were scripted and directed back-to-back by the Russo brothers, Endgame comes off like a completely separate movie from the first. Summed up in one sentence, Avengers: Endgame is an entertaining movie, but it is not Infinity War.

Shazam! is a Pleasant Surprise

When watching any movie I ask for one of two things. Impress me or entertain me. The movie trailer for Shazam! was misleading, giving me the impression the film was going to be something scripted by Seth Rogen. The first half of the trailer looked intriguing and then, an immature juvenile in a grown man’s body suggested a terrible comedy. For three weeks I hesitated while a few friends recommended I check out the film, all expressing a common denominator: most of the film’s comedy was confined to the movie trailer. They swore it was played serious. And for the most part, they were correct.

Overlooking the deliberate product placement of Batman and Superman merchandise in the toy store where Shazam and Dr. Sivana exchange combat blows, the film provides a couple surprises that I cannot reveal without providing spoilers…. Needless to say Shazam! turned out to be the most entertaining film of the year to date.

The events take place in Philadelphia (avoiding Superman’s Metropolis) where young Billy Batson finds himself placed in a new foster home, makes a new friend, Freddy, and finds himself selected by the Wizard Shazam to be his new champion against the forces of evil. Now endowed with the ability to instantly become an adult superhero by speaking the wizard's name, Billy gleefully explores his new powers with Freddy, the latter of whom knows more about the superhero game than Billy himself. When the world is threatened by the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, who was rejected by the wizard and instead accepted the power of the Seven Deadly Sins, Billy finds himself growing up and accepting responsibility quicker than most children his age.

The film is loaded with more in-jokes and pop culture references than you can catch in a single viewing. During the fight in the toy store, Shazam runs across and pauses a moment to tab a few notes on a giant floor piano/keyboard, an obvious reference to the movie Big (1988), in which a young boy also turned into an adult. Fawcett Central High School was named after Fawcett Comics, the company that originally created the Captain Marvel character in 1939.

If you are unable to acquire tickets to Avengers: Endgame this weekend, or simply waiting for the hype and crowds to die down so you can watch the three-hour epic with less than crowded conditions, I am certain Shazam! will satisfy your superhero craving this weekend… proving that sometimes we need to stop judging a movie by the trailer.

BATTLE OF THE BARD: SHAKESPEARE ON U.S. RADIO in 1937

As part of the ongoing Recreational Shakespeare series, the Bard’s stage plays as presented in all forms of mass media from Amsterdam University Press, Michael P. Jensen’s study on radio (especially in 1937 when CBS and NBC both competed with a similar series) is as in-depth as you will find such treatment. While Shakespeare plays were adapted for Radio Guild, Suspense, The Family Theatre and The Chase and Sanborn Hour, to name a few, it was during the summer of 1937 that both CBS and NBC deployed their best resources to appropriate Shakespeare’s prestige and the print media quickly described the two networks attempts with the nomenclature of boxing. 

“These fourteen broadcasts are among the more remarkable recreations of Shakespeare of their time,” Jensen write. His lengthy essay, defending that statement, is clear and concise.

As is often the case, every book about old-time radio comes across my desk at one time or another and I manage to find time to read them – and such books as this become delights to read after I dig into a few pages. Much like sitting in on a slide show presentation at a convention where the subject matter was only casually interesting, the material provided to the masses is extremely fascinating and attention-grabbing. Michael P. Jensen's book accomplishes the same feat.

The first chapter of this book, following an introduction to the history of radio broadcasting, surveys Shakespeare broadcasts in the United States prior to the 1937 competition and why the networks presented heavily abridged adaptations in brief time slots. The second and third chapter introduces the battle and why the two rival networks were so angry that each wanted to lord Shakespeare’s prestige over the other, how they put the series together with top-notch talent, and both critical reception and analysis for each radio broadcast. 

NBC’s Streamlined Shakespeare starred John Barrymore and was later recycled for use on a summer 1950 run titled John Barrymore and Shakespeare, often creating confusion among collectors who sought the original network broadcasts. This series was also used for commercial release on records. (Many schools played these recordings for students in the classroom.) CBS’s Columbia Shakespeare Cycle attempted to combat the signing of John Barrymore with NBC by hiring stars from Hollywood – so many stars that newspapers of the time had more press releases than they could use. 

Chapters four and five provide closure to the 1937 battle and a fascinating story of how all the hoopla did not bring the prestige the combatants craved. Jensen also digs into other radio adaptations for comparison. As with many books about old-time radio, even if you are not into the 1937 Shakespeare adaptations, the history of the network battle is equally fascinating and kudos for Michael P. Jensen for digging into the story. 

My only complaint is the retail price. At a list price of $69 for a book totaling 89 pages (and that includes index), I fear this book will only make the rounds through college and university libraries. You can buy the book at $59 on Amazon through the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Bard-Shakespeare-Radio-Recreational/dp/1641890770/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=battle+of+the+bad+michael+p.+jensen&qid=1555676266&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Behind the Mask: The Making of Republic's Lone Ranger Serials

In addition to being the most profitable chapter play in the 20-year-history of Republic Pictures — generating more than $1.1 million in worldwide revenue — The Lone Ranger (1938) set new standards of excellence for motion pictures adapted from characters originating in other media. It was a genuine phenomenon, securing bookings from major theater circuits and big-city picture palaces at the time when serials mostly played during Saturday matinees in small-town movie houses. Along with their success at box offices, both The Lone Ranger and its 1939 sequel, The Lone Ranger Rides Again, added considerably to the lore and evolution of this beloved hero of American pop culture. 

A new book, Behind the Mask: The Making of Republic's Lone Ranger Serials, is a profusely illustrated monograph thanks to film historian Ed Hulse who presents a comprehensive, heretofore untold, behind-the-scenes history of the production for both serials. It has been extensively researched from recently uncovered documents buried deep in the files of George W. Trendle and attorney Raymond Meurer, the former a broadcasting magnate whose Detroit radio station WXYZ was the Lone Ranger's birthplace and home for more than two decades. Hulse reviewed hundreds of archival pages — private letters, legal correspondence, inter-office memos, studio production reports, even the original 1937 contract between Trendle and Republic — culling from them all pertinent details relating to the making of both serials and the first's 1940 feature version, Hi-Yo Silver. 

To this material Ed Hulse added information gleaned from his own interviews of principal participants: co-director William Witney, head writer Barry Shipman, stunt double Yakima Canutt, and cast members Herman Brix, George Letz (Montgomery), and Sammy McKim. In short, Ed dug into the archives and did a lot of research, making this a spectacular, comprehensive and accurate study of the serials.

The book also sports dozens of illustrations: rare stills, posters, advertisements, lobby cards, magazine covers, and production documents. 

You can order a copy from Amazon.com through the link below and the $12 price is a bargain. If you are a fan of The Lone Ranger or serials in general, this is worthy of acquisition.

https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Mask-Making-Republics-Serials/dp/1727656490/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=lone+ranger+ed+hulse&qid=1555255605&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Tom Quest and the Mystery of the Timber Giant

Beginning in 1947 there was an explosion of boys' adventure books from Grosset & Dunlap, publishers, which included the premiere of Rick Brant, Bronc Burnett, Chip Hilton and the first of a series of eight Tom Quest novels, penned by Fran Striker. Yes, the same man responsible for creating The Lone Ranger created new characters for a series of novels that took readers to the Florida Everglades, combatted headhunters in Ecuador, went on an expedition into Mexico where they found a lost city peopled by survivors of a prehistoric race, and witnessed the strange rites among the Mandan Indians in the Red River country. 

The Sign of the Spiral (1947) was the first of the eight Tom Quest novels, introducing us to the cast of characters who were to appear in most of the adventures, including Whiz Walton (a newspaper man) and Gulliver, the unwaveringly loyal with tremendous strength and raw courage. Of recent I finished reading the eighth and final adventure in the series, The Mystery of the Timber Giant (1955). Why Fran Striker did not write additional novels remains unknown. The first six novels were published by Grosset & Dunlap; the final two were published by Clover Books. (The first six were also reprinted by Clover.) Timber Giant concerns Tom Quest's efforts to thwart a crooked lumber scheme operated by a "big boss" syndicate that tricks good people in the lumber region into cutting down pine and redwood without having to pay them the money promised under contract. Tom, Whiz and Gulliver attempt to put a stop to it, through three harrowing escapades. 

Besides the nineteen Lone Ranger novels, Fran Striker also wrote one Roy Rogers and one Gene Autry novel. Gene Autry and the Redwood Pirates (1946) was published by Whitman. Striker wrote under the pseudonym of Bob Hamilton. In that novel, Gene and his horse, Champ, find plenty of trouble as soon as they get into the redwood country to investigate a rumor about a gang who is pirating timber in the forests along the Chicapoo River. Sound familiar?

Not too surprisingly, the Gene Autry novel recycles the plots from a three-part story arc on radio's Lone Ranger program, broadcast December 13, 15 and 17, 1943.

And yes, this Tom Quest novel recycles the same material from both.

In my pursuit to find everything recycled from radio's The Lone Ranger, connecting the dots, names such as Ponderosa Pete, Lefty Lennex, Gimp Gordon, Zach Vinton, Clem Archer and Halfpint Hoolihan were used for other characters on prior Lone Ranger radio broadcasts, as well as names of towns such as Telegraph Hill, Snake River and the Dipper Creek lumber camp.

Regardless of this recent discovery, the eight Tom Quest novels are fun reads. Average price for the hardcover novels is $5 to $10 depending on the condition of the books. The first editions did not have the art printed on the book, but rather clothbound with paper dust jacket. Those first editions (with dust jackets) are the ones worth more and the price is based on the condition of the dust jacket. If you come across these adventures at collector shows or shop on Amazon, use this as a price gauge.

Two Book Reviews

Vic and Sade on Radio book

VIC AND SADE ON THE RADIO

I was first exposed to the long-running radio program Vic and Sade, not through radio, but through television. While watching an episode of the Colgate Comedy Hour, a live television program from the early fifties, I noticed a cast of unknowns performing the roles of a family who lived "halfway up the next block" and a brief announcement that Vic and Sade had been done prior on radio. About that time, Radio Spirits released a bookshelf album of audio cassettes for Vic and Sade and my curiosity was piqued so I bought the set. It took a bit of adjustment to understand the formula of the radio comedy -- a style of wit that doesn't always agree with everyone -- especially those who expect insults and slapstick. Vic and Sade is an acquired taste and the more you listen to them, the more you grow fond of it.

Flash forward a year or two later when, at REPS in Seattle, I met a couple people who were fanatics for the radio program and there I was exposed to the legend and lore of Vic and Sade. Half of what was told to me went in one ear and out the other -- dirty gossip and stories about hoarders -- but the gist was clear: there were recordings of Vic and Sade (and radio scripts) that were being hoarded and regarded as national treasures. "Why are they not available to fans in the hobby?" I asked. The reasons varied and I simply let things go as they are. Half the fun of collecting old radio programs was seeking out recordings I did not have in my collection. I would continue to seek copies from various collectors. To date, I have over 400 radio scripts and almost as many radio programs in my collection -- enough to last me another decade of enjoyment before I exhaust my collection.

Just recently McFarland mailed me a complimentary copy of John T. Hetherington's new book, Vic and Sade: A Cultural History of Paul Rhymer's Daytime Series, 1932-1944. The subtitle pretty much sums up the book. Growing from his love for Vic and Sade, the author explores some of the deeper meanings and themes beneath the absurdity and humor. A brief biography about Paul Rhymer and the origin and early years of Vic and Sade are included within the pages. A study of mass culture during the 1930s and 1940s and how it influenced the characters on Vic and Sade, is explored in detail. A history of motion-pictures during the era, reading on the porch, community service and other aspects are explored as they relate to the radio program. The closing chapter covers an aspect of the series that has been undocumented in prior publications: the later efforts to revive the series -- including the Colgate Comedy Hour.

This book features a history of the radio program, but only interlaced throughout the book, sprinkled with excerpts of script reprints. There is no episode guide or chronological documentation with a date-by-date broadcast schedule (network, broadcast time, cast changes, etc.). I know that would be a major challenge to the author, but since so many radio scripts and recordings exist in collector hands, I would assume taking on such a challenge would be both exhausting and rewarding. Such efforts would overshadow others such as the late Bill Idelson, a cast member, who wrote The Story of Vic and Sade in 2007 for Bear Manor Media, and a book of scripts published prior. 

If what you are seeking is a "cultural history," in what many describe as a "critical analysis," which McFarland statistically publishes more of every year, or want to explore the program deeper than it has ever been explored, this is a great book. If you are looking for a historical perspective of documentary nature, covering minute details ranging from the sale of screen rights, salary costs and exclusive memories and recollections from cast and crew, this is not the book.

One such example: pages 106 to 108 are devoted to the history of motion-pictures and the industry of Hollywood. Vic and Sade is referenced on page 109. And the two photographs on page 108 and 109 are of old movie palaces and theaters from 1935 and 1939 -- and have nothing to do with the radio program Vic and Sade. I only criticize (briefly) because the title of the book is Vic and Sade on Radio.

Still, if you are a fan of Vic and Sade, this is a book for you to take to the beach and enjoy.

The Remarkable Enid Markey by Brian J. Bohnett

THE REMARKABLE ENID MARKEY

Billed as "The First Lady of the Tarzan Films," Enid Markey had a career spanning over six decades. From the silent days of the silver screen, to Broadway and the legitimate theatre, to television and radio... this book features an extensive biography about the actress and documents every facet of her acting career. As a fan of old-time radio, it is a treat to see radio broadcasts documented in a book that isn't primarily focused on radio... and suggests the author did his research. There are more than 300 photographs in this book, reprints of newspaper clippings, studio publicity photos, press books and much more. Brian Bohnett, the author, is an active member of the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society, and also a member of the Burroughs Bibliophiles -- an organization which awarded him the Edgar Rice Burroughs Achievement Award in 2003 for his work in writing and publishing. A graphic designer and illustrator by trade, Brian took to self-publishing this book under his Mad Kings Publishing label. As a result, this book is not widely available through the major circuits. You pretty much have to seek out across the internet to find and purchase a copy of the book. I was told the copy sent to me was among the last in stock so by the time you read this, the book may already be out of print. But do not hesitate seeking it out.

A couple years ago I met a man who once expressed displeasure in purchasing any books self-published because, as he believed, this meant the book was never worthy enough for a major publishing house to consider snatching it up. This is a misconception as I find many self-published reference guides are better than the ones that are published from a major house. It all depends on the author of that book. My only regret is that books on other silent screen actors and actresses have never received such extensive coverage as Enid Markey received. Great job, Brian! 

Jack Benny Ultimate DVD Collection

Time Life recently released their “Ultimate Jack Benny Collection,” an exclusive available only through Time Life’s website for a retail price of $99.95. Regrettably, the set is anything but ultimate. 

Jack Benny may have been a cheapskate, a mediocre violinist, and 39 years old no matter the year, but above all he was a master of comedy. His character was fiction, of course, and the running jokes kept fans laughing for over 50 years on radio, stage, screen and television. By 1965, Jack Benny was well-acquainted with hour-long color television specials. His first experience with color television came in 1955, when the program for March 6 was pre-recorded at George Burns’ McCadden Studios. Ten years later he hosted and starred in a series of ten television specials, almost one every calendar year until 1974. Celebrity guests included Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Nancy Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Dennis Day, Red Skelton, Gregory Peck, Elke Sommer, Walt Disney, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Dinah Shore, John Wayne, Redd Foxx, Don Rickles, Jack Webb, Dean Martin, Phyllis Diller, Johnny Carson, Ann-Margret, Dan Blocker, Lawrence Welk and many others. 

The five-disc set issued through Time Life is a gem. Picture and sound quality is superior. Teasers and bumpers included, you can feel confident these are uncut and unedited. Also included in the February 5, 1981 special, “A Love Letter to Jack Benny,” hosted by George Burns, a loving tribute to a comedian who passed away a short time prior.

Regrettably, the five-disc set falls short of the $99.95 price tag. Advertised on Time Life’s website is a 12-disc set containing over 60 half-hour episodes of The Jack Benny Program, which is contained in two box sets with the remaining seven DVDs. Imagine my surprise when these two box sets are not from Time Life, but prior DVD releases from Mill Creek and Shout! Factory. Yes, the 2013 Shout! Factory DVD release with 18 half-hour episodes is included, along with the four-disc 2011 Mill Creek release containing 39 half-hour episodes. The latter of which retails $3.99 and was found in the bargain bins at Wal-Mart for $5 last year. The Shout! Factory box set retailed $29.95 when commercially released in 2013, not retailing an average of $19.95 (and less if you shop around).

Specifically what arrived in my mail box.
This is what Time Life should be revealing on their website.

For anyone puzzled over what this all means… Time Life has a sturdy reputation for licensing and commercially packaging classic television programs, unavailable elsewhere at the time of their release. Usually loaded with bonus features, fans of The Six Million Dollar Man, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Get Smart, Laugh-In and The Carol Burnett Show, among other classics, knew that while the price tag was a bit steep, the product was always top-notch. For this Jack Benny DVD set, inferior quality public domain prints from the Mill Creek set is vastly inferior compared to prior Time Life holdings.

Careful examination of the Time Life website verifies what fans are complaining about on social media as “deceptive advertising” and “misleading." (Direct quotes from fans of Jack Benny.) Nowhere does the product description indicate Mill Creek or Shout! Factory sets, suggesting the product sold is exclusive from Time Life as with all prior DVD releases. The photo image of the product only portrays the five-disc set of NBC Television Specials. One fan on social media claimed to have contacted Time Life to inform them that the photo of all three box sets were not accurate, suggesting all three sets were produced by Time Life, with different cover art. The company quickly changed the product photo to just the five-disc set. That fan also provided screen captures of the before and after to prove the initial deception in packaging, reprinted below.

(Above) This is what Time Life promoted months ago.

(Above) This is what Time Life is now promoting as a 12-disc set.

Even with a 24-page booklet inserted between the three box sets, bundled and shrunk wrapped together as a single set, the $99.95 price tag is a major disappointment. Time Life, in my opinion, should have just offered the five-disc set at a price tag of $39.95 or $49.95... just as an option for a separate purchase. It appears that Time Life wanted to make a minimum of $99.95 for a single purchase and not having a DVD set worthy of the price tag, simply grabbed wholesale discounts of two prior DVD sets and bundled them together to justify the price tag. Failure to disclose two box sets released by other companies more than five years ago as part of this 12-disc “exclusive” is indeed misleading. 

Officials at Time Life have been asked by multiple people to explain why the product on their website is deceptive and to date, everyone who told me they asked for an explanation received dead silence.

Batman Returns to Television

Holy show-ups! Batman is making a return to prime time television!

The villainous Bane complete with costume.

In 2013, producer Bruno Heller, along with Danny Cannon, created a weekly detective series based on the DC Comics run of Batman. The premise, summed up briefly, is a weekly prime-time soap opera (with each episode picking up where the last left off) populated by a cast of characters who, each with various reasons, slowly progress into the villains that are common stance of Batman comics. Here, Bruce Wayne is a young man and many years away from the crime-fighting exploits that we would come to know. Therefore, the events that unfold happen years before Bruce Wayne decides to become Batman. Hence why the program is titled Gotham. It is gritty, violent and loaded with enough mystery for Detective Gordon to investigate the weird motives that he eventually writes off numerous times as "That doesn't surprise me. This is Gotham."

On the program we watch as Oswald Cobblepot develops political ambitions, Edward Nygma losing his job as a forensics scientist at the Gotham City Police Department and becoming a wanted criminal, and Selena Kyle applying cat burglar skills as she slowly develops feelings for young Bruce. Along the way there is a triangle love with Detective Gordon, who eventually gets promoted to Commissioner Gordon, and who happens to be the investigative lead on the program.

Jeremiah Valeska, a.k.a. The Joker 

Gotham premiered in September of 2014 with a few legal stipulations: the words "Batman," "The Joker" and "Harley Quinn" could not be used on the program, along with The Joker's trademarked green hair. Fox Entertainment President David Madden said that the show's production team "have masterfully honored the mythology of Gotham and brought it to life with depth, emotion and memorable high drama."

The Mad Hatter and his close associates. 

To be honest, I was not impressed with the first season, but I understood the concept and what the producers were shooting for. With each passing season, as the characters became more villainous, the program in my opinion got better and better... proving that in the Batman universe, it is the villains that we cheer on -- not the Caped Crusader. There was a smile on my face when Mad Hatter hypnotized an innocent couple and then smashed them flat with a wrecking ball. Crystal Reed was eye candy as Sofia Falcone. The actor playing Zsasz hits the mark without having to take off his jacket to reveal the scars we know all too well. It is rare that a television program gets better with each season and Gotham succeeded. But after four years it seems the ratings are less than half of what they were when the program premiered and Fox would not renew for a fifth season.

Producer Heller quickly begged the network for one final season. Everything leading to Bruce Wayne's decision to dress in cape and cowl was leading to the fifth and final season. Executives at Fox eventually relented and a partial half-season was commissioned. Twelve episodes instead of the usual 22. And this season we have seen the birth of Bane, Arthur Penn (a.k.a. The Ventriloquist), Ivy Pepper's acceptance of the power to control plants as Poison Ivy, and the origin of Magpie, Jane Doe and other lesser-known Batman villains. But here lies the big surprise that leaked a few weeks ago: the five-year on-going story arc will finish with episode 11, to be televised April 18. The final episode of the program, on the evening of April 25, will be a one-episode stand-alone adventure that takes place ten years later. Complete with cape and cowl, we will see the first live-action Batman on prime-time television since Adam West in 1966. Yep, The Joker, The Riddler, Scarecrow, Cat Woman, The Penguin and the entire gang will be facing off against the Caped Crusader.

So even if you have not watched Gotham over the past five years, set your DVRs to record Gotham on the evening of April 25 on Fox. To quote Harley Quinn, "This is gonna be fun, Puddin'..."

RENO RIDES THE RANGE (1949)

Reno Rides the Range was a short-lived radio western during the summer of 1949, starring Reno Browne, an equestrian who also had a brief career in Hollywood alongside Whip Wilson and Johnny Mack Brown. One of only two cowgirls to have her own comic book series (the other was Dale Evans), Browne produced this short-lived radio program with her own money in an attempt to replicate the success of such screen cowboys as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.

The program lasted 13 half-hour episodes and was syndicated across the country starting in 1949, shortly before the premiere of Haunted Trails, starring Whip Wilson and Reno Browne. One transcription disc was recently found and collector Randy Riddle transferred the recordings (the second half of episodes three and four). They may not be complete episodes but something is better than nothing. This also offers us a tease of what we now know exists.

It seems every year a vintage children's western radio program momentarily receives a spotlight... not for being found, but because it was relatively unknown with very little documentation in reference books. Reno Rides the Range is not listed in any of the books in my vast reference library. So you can understand my personal fascination with this one.  

You can click to listen to the recordings here:

https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/?s=reno+rides

The Great 78 Project

For those who enjoy those vintage performances of Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman, Lena Horne, Roy Rogers, Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra and Rudy Vallee, among others, The Great 78 Project is one of the small handful of resources available on the Internet to provide those audio recordings to the masses. Those old 78 rpm record labels that you come across at flea markets and eBay auctions are being transferred to digital for your enjoyment. The goal of the initiative is not to remaster or enhance the original recordings, but to present them as "historical artifacts." The majority of the 78 rpm records being digitized have never existed in any other form except for their one-time original 78 releases.

The digitization of the archive is being done by audio engineer George Blood and his team, at a rate of 5,000 to 6,000 sides per month, or 100 sides (50 singles) per engineer per day. If you subscribe to their Twitter feed, you will receive a notification of which recordings were transferred and uploaded to the site every ten minutes. Blood was responsible for the digitization of 10,000 singles for the National Jukebox, a similar project organized by the Library of Congress. For The Great 78 Project, every song is recorded in 16 different versions (using four different styluses, recording both sides of the groove wall, and with/out equalization.) Why? Because so many collectors debate exactly how 78 rpm records are to be played to get the best sound and technical aside, the appeal to the human ear is subjective. This method allows the best of all worlds.

This enormous effort requires the skillset and technical expertise of about 18 people, not counting the donors and partners of the project. At the ARSC Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in 2017, a slide show presentation detailed the efforts and multiple renditions of audio transfer with custom-made turntables. At the conference, it was noted that, regardless of the chore there is joy from discovering the titles that would have been dismissed by today’s collectors for either monetary or musical preferences. Besides music, 78 rpm records were sold in the stores as comedy records, poetry readings, political speeches, holiday music for all religions, and even sound effects discs. There are discs containing politically incorrect material and those are included among the offerings for historical purposes, revealing the progress we reached since then.

A scan of the disc labels are also included for historical
purposes and cataloging.

The bulk of the project's singles are sourced from private collections, some which had previously been donated to libraries or even abandoned. These include: The Joe Terino Collection, a collection of 70,000 78 rpm singles stored in a warehouse for 40 years. The Barrie H. Thorpe Collection, which had been deposited at the Batavia Public Library in Batavia, Illinois, in 2007 by Barrie H. Thorpe (1925–2012). It contains 48,000 singles. The Daniel McNeil Collection, with 22,359 singles. The Charles Stratton Collection, containing over 8,000 singles, previously donated to Kansas State University by Charles William Stratton's (1906-1966) estate in 1968. The David Chomowicz and Esther Ready Collection, with 4,000 LPs and singles, focused on Latin American and Caribbean music. Among the more intriguing (for me, anyway) are the recordings from the Richard Thayer Skidmore Collection, which includes 1,400 78s and over a hundred LPs of jazz music (Yeah, I have a fondness for jazz) and the KUSF Collection, donated by the University of San Francisco’s online radio station, including all of its 78 rpm singles.

Fully funded to digitize 250,000 78 rpm singles (totaling 500,000 songs), from the period between 1880 and 1960, fans of Rudy Vallee for example can use the search engine to find his commercial releases and download them to their computer for later playback. Whether you love Swing Big Band music, long-forgotten vaudeville, ragtime or other retro classics, you will find them on this website. All you have to do is click a button and listen. (Sadly, there is no playlist that I could find but you have the option to download the songs you want to hear to create a playlist on your computer, iPad or iPhone device.)

You can visit the website at  https://great78.archive.org

From the home page of that website you can also find an easy link to the National Jukebox I mentioned above. 

Check Out Retro Fan Magazine

In an era where digital newsletters and Internet websites have dominated the newsfeeds, there is cause to cheer with the report of a new print magazine available for fans of vintage pop culture. In June of 2018, TwoMorrows Publishing released the first issue of a new quarterly magazine titled Retro Fan. Its tagline — “The Crazy, Cool Stuff We Grew Up With” — defines its subject matter, but to fine-tune that into a more specific demographic, with primary focus to pop culture of the Sixties, Seventies, and Eighties.

“I am also the editor-in-chief of TwoMorrows' long-running, award-nominated Back Issue magazine,” editor Michael Eury informed me, “which examines Bronze Age (1970s-1990s) comic-book history, and have written numerous books on comics and pop-culture history, the most recent being Hero-A-Go-Go: Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters, and Culture of the Swinging Sixties. Previously, I’ve been an editor at DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and the long-defunct Comico the Comic Company, and have written for a variety of publishers and clients including Marvel Comics, Nike, and Toys R Us.”

Retro Fan almost started back in 2012. Publisher John Morrow of TwoMorrows and Michael Eury were weighing options for a new project for in addition to Back Issue. “With Back IssueI was so enjoying exploring the behind-the-scenes aspects of the comic books from my youth that I realized another magazine that did the same type of thing for the other stuff I grew up with -- the cartoons, sitcoms, toys, fads, fashions, bubble gum pop music, monsters, trading cards, etc. -- would be a fun read that’s also historically significant.”

For the next few years, the "Retro Magazine" gnawed at the back of Eury’s head, especially when he was working on his Hero-A-Go-Go book and revisiting the camp craze of the Sixties (his elementary school years): Batmania, Bond, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Captain Niceand Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho the Element Man, the Cowsills, The Monkees, Dell Comics' superhero Frankensteinand Dracula, and so on. The book designer, Scott Saavedra, who also grew up with the same and Eury developed a working relationship.

Soon after Hero-A-Go-Gowas published in 2017, Michael Eury proposed to John Morrow that they dust off the "Retro Magazine" concept and he agreed.

One of the toughest challenges we had was settling on a title. “Retro” websites, conventions, T-shirt companies, video game magazines, you name it, had locked in “Retro Magazine” and other similar names. “Then one day John suggested to me, with a ‘You’re not going to like this’ disclaimer, the name Retro Fan. I loved it! And it nailed the tone of the magazine.”

Having read the first three issues of Retro Fan magazine I have to say the contents contain well-researched, professionally written and smartly designed articles. But at its heart is fandom — a passion for a TV show, action figure, junk food, or singing group that made our childhoods special.

Much of the content is provided by regular columnists who have a reader following and keen knowledge about their subjects, starting with Martin Pasko, no stranger to DC Comics fans and genre-TV viewers. “Marty was actually part of this magazine before it was even officially launched,” Eury explained to me. “A few years back at a comic-con he mentioned to John Morrow his interest in writing about superhero cinema and related pop culture. John never forgot and I invited Marty to the mag. John and I talked about a number of other possibilities for columnists, and cartoonist/comics historian Scott Shaw and Hollywood-hero expert Andy Mangels were both on our lists. John was interested in Pete Von Sholly as a monster-column contributor. When I reached out to Pete, he was unavailable… but recommended Ernest Farino. And I’m glad he did. Ernie has an impressive background Hollywood visual effects—and like the other columnists started as a fan, most notably of monster and sci-fi cinema. We brought in Hero-A-Go-Go’s Scott Saavedra as designer, and off we went. Soon I brought in our designer Saavedra, a really funny writer, as a columnist, as well as pulp master Will Murray as a columnist.”

Retro Fan magazine is being distributed to comic shops and sold through the company website (either www.twomorrows.com or www.retrofan.org) as you’d expect of a TwoMorrows publication, but it is also available at Barnes & Noble. This is a risky venture, but a valuable one in an effort to attract a broader commercial audience than currently exists within TwoMorrows’ World. Articles include the 1960s TV series The Green Hornet, interviews with Lou Ferrigno and Mark Hamill, and much more.

For those who insist on digital PDF issues, you can buy back issues for a discount price in digital format through the TwoMorrows website, so the print magazine has evolved into both markets – including one saturated by instant demand as a result of Kindle and other eBook readers.

How to Identify Old Movie Photos

Production Code Basics

Have you ever been among a select handful of film buffs asked to identify someone in a photograph and, like most in the group, unable to identify the actor or actress? Have you found it frustrating 

Well, Ed and Susan Poole have undertaken the monumental task of doing the job for you. A recent 140 page book, Production Code Basics for Movie Still Collectors, helps you understand those little codes on the bottom of the photographs and identify unknown actors in movie stills. If you don't know what I am taking about, check out the photograph below and look at the bottom right corner. Yeah, you've seen them. And those "portrait" codes help you verify not only what studio they originate, but the movie as well. Sometimes the codes refer to the director. From Mack Sennett to 20th Century Fox, Louise Brooks to Marilyn Monroe, Andre de Toth to Leo McCarey, those codes will help you figure out who is in the photograph. 

Below is a scan of a photograph and a zoom in for the production code. Yeah, now you know what I am talking about.

Broken down in simple-to-understand chapters, ranging from the production process, the publicity department, the advertising department, the special photographer, tricks and revisions applied within the studios over the years, and looking outside the major studio framework, this book will provide you with the necessary tools for identifying unknown movie stills. 

Movie Still Identification Book

Even better, the authors compiled a second book, literally the size of a telephone book, titled Movie Still Identification Book. This spiral-bound production contains over 45,000 movie studio production codes which serve as a starting point for both movies and television programs. So... if you have a photograph with Tallulah Bankhead and want to know what movie it is for, this book is a wonderful companion. After all, a standard publicity photo might have the actress standing before a plain backdrop and the gown she wears may not match any of the movies she appeared in. Wardrobe test? Probably. But for what movie? Nothing can be more frustrating than having a photograph for a motion-picture and incorrectly "assume" what movie the photo belongs to.

Yes, I have seen reference books use publicity stills from the major studios and then misidentify the movie for which the photo belongs. I cannot fault the authors of those books because a reference source such as this one was not readily available. Until now. So hopefully the next time someone uses a studio publicity shot of James Cagney from... say, Public Enemy... they won't claim it to be a publicity photo from the wrong movie. The proper identification is available at their fingertips.

The website to purchase these two books is www.LearnAboutMoviePoster.com. They offer an annual subscription to an on-line database but you have to renew every year and the book is obviously a one-time purchase. Your call. I suggest the book.

Remembering the Friends of Old-Time Radio Conventions

In the process of cleaning out filing cabinets I came across a large stack of program guides, given away to attendees of the annual Friends of Old-Time Radio Convention. Held annually in Newark, New Jersey in October for more than 40 years (if you count the first five years when the event was SAVE, before it was renamed FOTR), the event closed down a few years ago. Anyone who loved old time radio found themselves in good company -- not just fans who shared a common interest but also radio voice actors. Carlton E. Morse, Jerry Stiller, Bill Dana, Molly Bee, Noel Neil, Hildegarde, Raymond Edward Johnson, Ralph Bell and many others mingled the hallways and chatted with fans.

Lo and behold I come across a huge stack of what is almost every program guide since the event's inception, including promotional flyers sent out to the mailing list every year. If you were an attendee of FOTR, you will find some of these program guides bring back memories. For others, they are a fascinating time capsule for how fans of old time radio celebrated their childhood year after year with illustrious authors and historians offering slide show presentations, celebrity Q&A panels, and more.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uacgsi6n99b652b/AACJO4KXUw17yLpRCo7XGHMOa?dl=0

Debunking the Sergeant Preston of the Yukon Myth

There is a phrase that circulates among historians and scholars: "Fifteen books can be wrong and one hundred websites are wrong." The adage relates to the fact that few people do the legwork when it comes to research... which is often the cause of the same mistake being reprinted over and over. While I agree with those who debate that it is easier (and cheaper) to consult prior published reference guides and websites, that method cannot ensure facts. What ultimately results in this flaw is the reprinting of mis-information, giving people the false assumption that if something is printed in five or six books, it must be the gospel. And such methods is nothing more than cut-and-paste applying grammatical cosmetics. No better example can be found than the Sergeant Preston of the Yukon radio program.

Sergeant Preston of the Royal Canadian Mounties who, with his wonder dog Yukon King, set about on weekly adventures to thwart the schemes of fur thieves, claim jumpers and murderers. For many who lived in Detroit, Michigan, where the radio broadcasts originated, this was a brass-buttoned, red-coat rendition of the successful Lone Ranger radio program. Preston had a magnificent steed, Rex, who raced steadfast to the scene of the crime when King, usually leading the sled dogs, could not assist with transportation as fast as his four-legged friend... but King, take note, with sharp teeth was able to disarm villains with guns and save Preston from harm.

There were multiple people who played the role of Sergeant Preston, from Jay Michael, Paul Sutton and Brace Beemer - the latter also voiced The Lone Ranger on radio for more than a decade. (Recent archival digging will soon provide us with additional information for another actor, previously undocumented, playing the role. We can thank historian Karl Schadow for that information when he publishes his findings later this year.)

The radio program began in January 1939 as a fifteen-minute program titled Challenge of the Yukon, created and scripted by Tom Dougall, who was responsible for a daytime soap opera over the same Michigan radio station, Ann Worth, Housewife. Within a year many of the episodes were recycled plots from Lone Ranger radio scripts. In September 1948 the program evolved into a half-hour format and this proved to be ironic when you consider the fact that a half-hour audition dated December 27, 1943 suggested a possible half-hour expansion a few years prior. Many people mistakenly believe Fran Striker, author of The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet radio programs, of creating the Sergeant Preston character, especially when you consider the fact that Striker was responsible for Preston's origin in April 1954, which was adapted into children's records. (Striker himself wrote to Trendle at one time and asked that he write the Sergeant Preston of the Yukon novel, should a publishing contract become reality like the 18 Lone Ranger hardcover novels. Striker himself wrote a backstory for the novel that was never published.)

In September 1950 the name of the program changed to Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. The reason for the name change, recently unearthed while reviewing archival documentation, was to protect the property of the fictional mountie. It was impossible -- legally -- to copyright or trademark a fictional character as Canadian Mounties were commonplace before the creation of the radio program but the name of the character was a different matter and copyrighting each radio script under the name of the program (ala name of character) would hold court with legal defense.

A recent article in the February 2019 issue of Radio Recall, written by historian Karl Schadow, confirms what many never suspected... Challenge of the Yukon premiered on the evening of January 3, 1939. So why do hundreds of reference books and websites claim February 3, 1938? Karl goes into detail to debunk the mistake, incorporating reprints of archival materials to verify the 1939 date, backing up his facts. (For the record, there are no newspaper or trade papers from 1938 indicating Challenge of the Yukon ever aired on radio.)

In answer to the question above, too many people believe what they read on the Internet and are quick to reprint the facts without doing any real legwork. If two dozen books say 1938, and hundreds of websites claim 1938, then they assume 1938. But had anyone actually done what Karl took time and effort to accomplish, browsing through the original radio scripts, consulting historical documents in archives, and numerous other sources, they would have realized the 1939 is carved in granite. Which leads us back to that phrase that circulates among historians and scholars: "Fifteen books can be wrong and one hundred websites are wrong."

Good job, Karl.

Copyright registration card at the Library of Congress verifying
Challenge of the Yukon premiered in January 1939, not February 1938.

Karl's article also debunks a number of other myths and misconceptions about the Sergeant Preston radio program, not just the premiere broadcast date. For anyone wanting to read Karl's article, a free PDF of the February 2019 issue of Radio Recall can be read below, reprinted with permission. (And I encourage everyone reading this to sign up and become a member of the club -- the newsletter publishes numerous articles like this bi-monthly, often debunking myths and misconceptions in every issue.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q1q80odof7xumjl/2019%20February.pdf?dl=0