Re: [ARSCLIST] History Detectives

["Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Jacobs" <David.Jacobs@xxxxxxxxx>
> 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