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Even if it's from the live era, virtually no airchecks were being done in those days except when the sponsor or agency needed one or someone was well-heeled enough to own one of the early home recording devices. A bunch of pre-grooved Victor Home Recording discs found in Vancouver some years ago yielded up at least one previously unknown Amos 'n' Andy show from 1933. I passed the message along to Liz McLeod earlier today. If anyone will know about this broadcast, she'll be the one. dl [log in to unmask] wrote: > This record is interesting for 2 reasons - > > if the program has not survived in any other form, such as an original > 12" shellac transcription, then this record adds a little to the AnA > discography > > it would also be an opportunity to hear the show as it was originally > broadcast, in one instance, with locally provided introductions and > commercials > > Joe Salerno > 713-6688650 > Industrial Video Services > http://joe.salerno.com > > Steven C. Barr(x) wrote: >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Jacobs" >>> <[log in to unmask]> >>> I am a researcher on the PBS show, History Detectives, a prime-time >>> series about the discovery, documentation and preservation of historic >>> American buildings and artifacts. The format of our program is an >>> investigation of a question posed by an individual who is interested in >>> learning the history behind an artifact or location and its possible >>> historical significance. >>> >>> The story I'm working on now involves an aluminum record with what >>> seems >>> to be a lost Amos 'n' Andy serial (No. 920) from Thursday, March 5, >>> 1931. It was part of the "Breach of Promise" storyline. I've spoken >>> with several experts and checked out a number of online databases, and >>> our recording isn't mentioned as being in existence. So, I am just >>> trying to confirm to the best of my ability that we do have a lost >>> recording. >>> >>> The second thing I am looking into is how this recording was made. It >>> is an aluminum disc that has been embossed with grooves. The label >>> that >>> was stuck onto the disc says "Sentinel Chromatron". I know Sentinel >>> Radio Corp. is the company, but I am not sure what "chromatron" means - >>> maybe their fancy name for a method of recording sound onto aluminum >>> discs. The words "Amos 'n' Andy" are written on the label, along with >>> the call letters "WOW" (a Nebraska radio station owned by Woodmen of >>> the >>> World Life Insurance). Now our recording includes the first third of >>> the serial on one side, and the last third of the serial on the other. >>> In the middle of the recording it cuts out to an announcer who says >>> that >>> they are broadcasting from Omaha, and then it cuts to a narrator, >>> followed by a cut to piano music, and finally someone who says that we >>> are at the home of Ben and Helen from the Homemaker's club where they >>> sing "Sweethearts at Sweet 16". Now, I think these would have been >>> daytime broadcasts from a different hour than when Amos 'n' Andy was >>> being broadcast. Was this recording made by an amateur? Was it >>> recorded by a radio station for some reason? Did someone pay to have >>> this specific serial transcribed? Is the middle half of the episode >>> missing because it was recorded on another disc so that no dialogues >>> would be lost during the recording? >>> >>> Any ideas about this recording you can offer would be greatly >>> appreciated. >>> >> I can't claim absolute expertise here, but here is what I think... >> >> The disc is almost certainly NOT an original "Amos'N'Andy" >> transcription... >> although those were used to distribute the program in its early >> years. The earlier A'n'A discs were pressed by Marsh Laboratories >> in Chicago, and were (IIRC) in the form of 12" shellac records. >> >>> From your description, it sounds like an "aircheck" (or one of >> a series of them) of station WOW. Such records were often made >> for local advertisers as proof that the commercials they paid >> for (or programs they paid to sponsor) had actually been aired. >> Similar recordings were also made for clients of the recording >> service who simply wanted a copy for whatever personal reasons >> (although the legality of this was questionable) >> And, if the recording service had only a single "disc cutter," >> it is very possible that the missing section of A'n'A was cut >> on a second disc (and where that is would be a good question!). >> >> I'll forward your question to the 78-L e-mail list, where there >> are two people who would have much more knowledge than myself... >> >> Steven C. Barr >> >> __________ NOD32 1894 (20061130) Information __________ >> >> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> >