WELCOME TO THE MILWAUKEE AREA RADIO ENTHUSIASTS WEB SITE WITH SOME PERSONAL STUFF FROM YOUR WEBMEISTER
This is an article that President Higgins wrote for the current issue of the newsletter. He is looking at continuing the theme at the May 12th meeting, with a combination discussion of detective shows on radio, along with trivia questons regarding the topic.
The Two Faces of Sherlock
Probably one of the most recognizable faces in history is that of Sherlock Holmes. His profile, with deerstalker cap and curved pipe is known to everyone. Above are the two most familiar of his visages. They are the product of the illustrators of the Holmes tales in two of the most famous magazines of the period – The Strand Magazine in the UK, and Colliers in the US. Remember that point, as it is important to our discussion. The two faces are both familiar to us, but very different from each other. Yet we accept both of them as Holmes.
One of the most interesting things about the two faces is that, although they are creations of the artist’s pen, they are also the faces of two actual men.
Sidney Paget, the illustrator of the Holmes stories in the Strand Magazine, probably did the most to shape our view of Sherlock Holmes. It was he who came up with the definitive profile, sharp, lean, with the very distinctive nose. He also dressed Holmes in what we now accept as his garb when the game was afoot – the deerstalker cap and Inverness cape. The best of these pictures came from his illustrations for the story “Silver Blaze”, the tale set in the world of horse racing. Here we see Holmes as most remember him, although Paget also gave us Holmes in top hat and frock coat, and also in his familiar dressing gown. He also gave us the definitive Professor Moriarty.
Sidney Paget
Paget based his picture of Holmes on his brother Walter, although he could just as easily have done them from a mirror, for Holmes’ face is that of Sidney Paget. The resemblance is unmistakable. This is the UK version of Holmes.
Walter Paget
On to the US. The artist who illustrated the Holmes stories for Colliers was Frederic Dorr Steele, an illustrator who began his work on Holmes with “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. For his model, he used an actor whose name became synonymous with Holmes – William Gillette.
Gillette was an American actor who had adapted an attempt at a Holmes stage play written by Doyle himself. Gillette himself starred in the play 1,300 times, well into his 70’s. Out of this play, two final details of Holmes were born. When Paget drew Holmes, all of his pictures showed Holmes with a straight stemmed pipe – the curved or “bent” pipe had not yet been introduced into England. When Gillette portrayed Holmes on stage, he found that he could not properly speak his lines with a straight pipe, and instead used the now famous Calabash, as well as other bent stem pipes. When Steele illustrated for Colliers, that pipe became part of the American picture of Holmes, and became inseparable with our total view of him. Also out of the play came the first version of the phrase “Elementary, my dear Watson” (Holmes never actually said this line in any of Doyle’s stories).
Frederic Dorr Steele’s illustrations show a tougher looking Holmes with an almost Dick Tracy nose. Together with the cap, cape, and calabash, we now had the complete Holmes, and also some of the finest of the illustrations.
Minutes and notes from the March 10, 2013 meeting of MARE
The meeting was called to order promptly at 2:05 P.M. by president Mark Higgins. He then proceeded to play a clip from a "Jack Benny Program" to illustrate what he likes most about old time radio. After the clip was completed he opened the floor for discussion on that subject. Although there were only ten members in attendance, there was a spirited discussion. Favorite programs were discussed as well as favorite genres.
After the subject was exhausted, the business portion of the meeting proceeded. In the absence of secretary-treasurer Nick Goodhue, due to a conflict in dates, president Higgins gave the treasurer's report. In Nick's stead he reported that the club has a rather healthy balance of $489.31. Newsletter editor Gordy Spiering gave his report and web master/grim reaper Ron Sayles gave his report. Both reports were brief and to the point.
There was no old business or new business.
Remember, the next meeting is May 12, that happens to be Mother's Day, still, make it if you can. Bring your mother, she may enjoy it.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:08 P.M.
Submitted by Ron Sayles
Substitute secretary
MEETINGS AND OFFICER INFORMATION
Meetings are held the third Sunday of every other month beginning in September, when possible. If not possible other arrangements will be made. Please check the meeting schedule below. The meetings run the gamut from guest speakers to trivia contests to the NightMARE Players recreating on Olde Tyme Radio program.
SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
If you are reading this and you are not a member of the Milwaukee Area Radio Enthusiasts, you can join. All it takes is a pittance and an interest in Old Time Radio.
If you are interested, look at the schedule below and plan on attending a meeting. If you like what you see and hear, see Nick Goodhue the treasurer, about becoming a member.
The cost is $6.00 for a student membership, $12.00 for a single membership and $18.00 for a family membership. Membership is prorated if you join in months other then September.
All meetings are held in the Community Room (G150) at the Mayfair shopping center. The dates for the up coming meetings are:
MEETING DATES FOR 2013
May 12, 2013 (Mother's Day)
July 21, 2013
September 22, 2013
November 17, 2013
Make your plans now.
The meetings start at 2:00 P.M. sharp, (most of the time). If there are any changes to the dates or time, the change will be noted here.
Even if you do not wish to become a member, come and visit for a pleasant afternoon. There may be a guest speaker, a trivia contest or maybe a panel discussion on the Golden Age of Radio. Always during the September meeting the NightMARE Players reenact an old time radio script. The NightMARE Players are a group of people who like to present radio as it once was
THE CURRENT SLATE OF ELECTED OFFICERS
Mark Higgins, president
Don Doss, vice-president
Nick Goodhue, secretary/treasurer
APPOINTED OFFICERS
Gordy Spiering, reel librarian, newsletter editor
Bob Bialecki, book librarian
Jean Scalzo, sunshine person
Carol Boettcher, historian
Ron Sayles, grim reaper, webmeister
BY CLICKING ON THE UNDERLINED PAGE DESCRIPTIONS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS OTHER PAGES OF THE WEB SITE. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE PAGE YOU WANT AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE
WEB PAGES THAT PERTAIN TO MARE
MARE By-Laws: Rules the club must follow.
1st Newsletter: First newsletter from October 1975.
Cuz, I Am the President: Articles by president Mark Higgins.
Past Officers of MARE: A more complete list of all who have served.
Guest Speakers: Pictures of some past MARE guest speakers.
NightMARE Players: A group of hams who recreate old time radio shows. It is an adjunct to MARE.
Billie the Brownie Players: The story of Billie the Brownie.
Brief History of M.A.R.E.: How the club got started.
Deceased Members: Members who have passed on to the big radio station in the sky.
WEB PAGES THAT PERTAIN TO OLD TIME RADIO IN WISCONSIN, AND OLD TIME RADIO IN GENERAL
Program of the Week: A Brief description of a Golden Age radio program.
Commercials: Vintage radio commercials, everything from 4 Way Cold Tablets to Winston Cigarettes.
Births/Deaths: Who was born, who died on what date?
WI Hall of Fame: Pictures of radio personalities with a Wisconsin connection.
Milwaukee Radio Personalities: Short biographies of people who worked in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Radio Programs: Programs that appeared on Milwaukee radio.
Favorite Radio Stars: Short biography of some of my favorite radio stars.
Old Time Radio Themes: A list of radio themes in sequence by program and music.
Ralph's Recall: Personal recollections of meetings with OTR people by Ralph Luedtke a long time member of the club.
Autographs: Some autographs I have collected over the years.
1953 Milwaukee Braves: Pictures and statistics of the 1953 Milwaukee Braves
PAGES OF A PERSONAL NATURE. YOU ARE FREE TO BROWSE, IN FACT I ENCOURAGE IT
Meiji Era Japan: Photos of 1890s Japan
Pewaukee, WI: Pictures of a huge storm (1952) and High School fire (7-14-1953)
On June 21, 1954 I joined the U.S. Navy along with three of my high school classmates, Rich Slates, Clarence Schrubbe and Jim Prag. Clarence died 11-7-2002 and Jim died 4-28-2006. Rich is living in Florida. The following are pictures of that part of my life.
Great Lakes, IL: I took my basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois.
Norman, OK: I went to Aviation Prepatory school in Norman, Oklahoma.
Lakehurst, NJ: I went to Aerographer's Mate School to become a weather observer. This is the site of the famous Hinderberg crash.
Yokosuka, Japan: After all of my training I was a full fledged weather observer. I was stationed at the Yokosuka Naval Base from April 29, 1955 to February 21, 1957. I didn’t take as many pictures as I would have liked, but I did take some. I was an Aerographer’s Mate and worked in the Fleet Weather Central.
Mieko: This is the story of our 2002 trip to Ota, Japan to place Fumiko's sister's ashes next to her father's ashes.
Ota: In August of 2002 Fumiko's sister Mieko Wilkins died. In October of that same year we went to Ota, Japan to have her ashes placed next to that of her father's. These are pictures of that trip.
Sano: Kyoko took us on an excursion to the Ashikaga Porcelain Museum which is located in Sano. There are pieces in the museum that are over 2,000 years old.
NIKKO NATIONAL PARK: Nikko is the site of the most extravagant display of religious architecture in all Japan. This treasure trove of shrines, mausoleums and temples, all richly gilded, intricately carved, and painstakingly rendered, is unsurpassed in design and craftsmanship, but the concept of “simple,” the cornerstone of Japanese art and taste, is just not applicable.
Kanayama: Teruko drove us to Kanayama and spent the day with us. On our way back from the mountain we stopped at Donryusama Temple. This is a Temple where mothers take their babies to have them named. Sakae came here to have Teruko named.
Sendai: The city of Sendai, an old castle town, lies in northern Honshu, 10 km/6 miles from the Pacific coast. Situated amid wooded hills, it is known as the ‘city of forests’. It is the chief town of Miyagi prefecture and the political. cultural and economic centre of the Tohoku region, The city’s main industries are foodstuffs, woodworking, electrical appliances and metal-processing; traditional craft products are lacquer ware and wooden dolls.
Ashikaga is the site of a temple.
Fujiyama: We left early in the morning and did not return back home until late evening.We were taken to Mt. Fuji with Akira doing the driving. He drove all day and it was a long day. We :
Hiroshima is the chief town of its prefecture, and lies on the Inland Sea in western Honshu. Traversed by six arms of the river Ota, the city extends into Hiroshima Bay in the pattern of a human hand. Hiroshima gained a tragic place in history when it became the target of an atom bomb in 1945. Now rebuilt, it is the largest city and the administrative, educational and tourist centre of the Chugoku district.
Tokyo: The day and a half that we were in Tokyo it never stopped raining. The pictures will bear this out. It was cold, wet and uncomfortable, we had a marvelous time. Such a vibrant city and so much to see. It is ashamed that we had such a short time there, but this was a totally unexpected trip. Fumiko and I had no plans to go to Tokyo. The family got together and gave us this all expense paid day and a half. What a surprise for both of us