I decided this week to put the spotlight on a great actor, Mr. E.G. Marshall. We will have one of his episodes of CBS Radio mystery theater on this Thursday’s podcast. What made his radio show unique was that it did not appear during the golden age of radio. In fact, the first episode did not go live until January 6, 1974. Radio dramas ended some 13 years earlier when Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar ended its run in 1961. CBS Radio Mystery Theater ran from 1974 through 1982, eight years and nearly 1400 episodes was its legacy. E.G. Marshal was not creator of the program, that was Himan Brown a he is the subject of another article later on.
What I found was this piece taken from Biography. I could not find the author credit for it, so my thanks to the folks of Biography for providing it. I have edited it down a bit so if you want to read the entire article I have included the link at the end.
-Ron

BIO OF E.G MARSHALL

    E.G. Marshall kept the secret of his original name throughout his life. His career began on Broadway, where he eventually starred in the original runs of The Crucible, Waiting for Godot, and The Iceman Cometh. His films include Twelve Angry Men and The Caine Mutiny. On TV, Marshall became a household name in the 1960s for his role in The Defenders.
In all likelihood, E.G. Marshall was born on June 18, 1914, in Owatonna, Minnesota. However, both the date of his birth and his true name are the source of some controversy. While many public records list Marshall’s birthday as June 18, 1910, in a 1997 interview Marshall insisted that his true birthday was four years later. Since his death in 1998, certain pieces of social security information have emerged that appear to confirm the 1914 date. An even greater mystery than Marshall’s date of birth is the origin of the initials “E.G.”
When asked to state his full name in interviews, Marshall insisted, “My full name is E.G. Marshall. I am known by no other.” When pressed as to what the “E.G.” stood for, Marshall typically responded in jest. Some of his more noteworthy responses were “Enigma Gregarious,” “Everybody’s Guess” and “Edda Gunnar,” an obscure reference to a book of Norse legends. While many hypothesize that his real name is Everett Gunnar, the true meaning of his initials (as his son-in-law David Sayer suggested shortly before Marshall’s death) “will go with him to his grave.”
Marshall became interested in theater and acting at a very young age. “I used to watch movies—silent movies—and stock companies and theater whenever I could,” he later recalled. He also began performing wherever he could—in school, at church, at the YMCA, and in community theater productions. But in Minnesota during the Great Depression, there were few opportunities for advanced training in acting. “There were no acting schools back then,” Marshall said. Instead, he attended the University of Minnesota and Carleton College, where he indirectly honed his acting skills by majoring in speech and music. He eventually made his way to the theater and starred in many successful plays.
While he was enjoying a successful career as a leading man on Broadway, Marshall was also developing his film career. He made his feature film debut in the 1945 picture The House on 92nd Street before appearing in such 1950s classics as The Caine Mutiny (1954), Twelve Angry Men (1957) and Compulsion (1959). His most notable later film roles included Woody Allen’s Interiors (1978), Superman II (1980), Nixon (1995) and Absolute Power (1997).
Despite this prolific career as a stage and film actor, the venue where Marshall enjoyed his most success was television. Marshall’s most acclaimed and famous role came on the 1960s CBS courtroom drama The Defenders. Marshall played Lawrence Preston, an implacable defense attorney who represented such diverse and controversial clients as civil rights demonstrators, neo-Nazis and conscientious objectors. In one especially controversial episode of the socially piercing show, Marshall’s character represented an abortionist. The Defenders ran from 1961 to ’65, and for his performance on the show, Marshall won the 1962 and 1963 Emmy Awards for outstanding performance by a lead actor in a series. After The Defenders went off the air, Marshall again achieved television success on the NBC medical drama The New Doctors, which ran from 1969 to ’73.
E.G. Marshall married first wife, Helen Wolf, in 1939. They divorced in 1953, and he later married Judith Coy. Marshall had seven children from his two marriages. He died at his home in Bedford, New York, on August 24, 1998, at the age of 84.
Over the course of his long and distinguished acting career, Marshall developed a reputation for his honest and stirring depictions of characters, as well as for his willingness to embrace socially critical, controversial material. And though many of the plays, films and TV shows that he appeared in featured dark themes, Marshall believed that underpinning all his work was an optimistic, life-affirming message: “No matter what,” he said, “atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, anything—life goes on: You can kill yourself, but you can’t kill life.”

E.G. Marshall. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 09:24, Aug 25, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/eg-marshall-23030.

This Week’s Podcast:

As I have already mentioned we have an excellent episode of CBS Radio Mystery Theater on this Thursday’s show. Also on the program is a story from a mailman that will leave you scratching your head. So be sure to tune in this week and you will not be disappointed.

You can listen to this podcast this Thursday (08/28) at Ron’s Amazing Stories , download it from iTunes, stream it on TuneIn Radio or listen on your radio Friday night at 8pm Eastern time. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link .

The Calendar:

August 20: An interview with Patty Wiseman author of the Velvet Shoe Collection.
August 27: CBS Radio Mystery Theater – Circle of Evil
September 03: A new story from the Blue Beetle introduced by our friend Jacob Edwards!
September 10: Time for a detective drama
September 17/24: Working on getting a Civil War historian
October 01: The Fifth Annual Month of Spooky Begins!

On the podcast this week we have Patty Wiseman. I thought that I would take this opportunity to put spotlight on Patty and tell you a bit about her. Patty worked as an administrative assistant to a financial advisor. She has always dreamed of writing, but life was too busy and overwhelming.

Writing was always my dream in life. Before meeting my husband, Ron, of 21 years, I was a single mom raising my boys, Scott and Lance, working full-time to support my family. Though the day-to-day life was busy and overwhelming, I was determined to make the dream of being a successful author a reality. This gave me an anchor to the individuality and identity every busy wife and mom struggles to maintain. As a woman we carry many titles – so-and-so’s mom, so-and-so’s wife, etc. – and battle that inner war of who we are. My success was nurtured and fulfilled by my actions during those tough years. – Patty Wiseman

Patty retired from work, but her writing career had just begun. She writes clean, fiction stories about the challenges women have faced in the past and continue to face today. Her stories fall in the romance genre, but that is only a title. The work is rich with historical content, action and even personal family history.

My published and future novels cover a variety of genres — from the love of stories that inspire and encourage, to those suspenseful dramas that keep you on the edge of your seat, and adventurous journeys of those who have overcome society’s constraints. – Patty Wiseman

If you are interested in learning more about Patty Wiseman, here are some links to get you started.

Patty’s Facebook
Patty’s Home Web Site
Patty’s Twitter Account
Patty’s Amazon Authors Page

This Week’s Podcast:

On this Thursday’s show we have a good one. Author Patty Wiseman joins us to talk about her series of books, The Velvet Shoe Collection. These are mystery dramas set in the 1920’s Detroit era. She also shares some of her family’s amazing history.  Additionally, on this episode we explore the True Crime Story of the death of Jessie James. Like I said this is a going to be a good one.

You can listen to this podcast this Thursday (8/20) at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on TuneIn Radio or listen on your radio Friday night at 8pm Eastern time. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

August 13: Scoundrels
August 20: An interview with Patty Wiseman author of the Velvet Shoe Collection.
August 27: A new story from the Blue Beetle introduced by our friend Jacob Edwards!
September 03: We will have a horrific old time radio gem.
September 10: Time for a detective drama

As I mentioned in last week’s podcast you have sent me a few questions on podcasting. I have saved these up and will answer those right here in this blog. I include the senders name (when available) with each question. Before we get started I want to thank you for sending these in. If you have question simply head to main web site at RASpodcast.com, click the contact tab and fill out the form. Now, Lets get started.

Question 1 from John Millsap (California): Most podcasts use a service to produce their show like BlogTalk. Do you do this and if not why?

Answer: No, I have never used a service like BlogTalk. For one reason when I got started they did not exist. Secondly depending on the the level contract you have them they have the right to insert adds into your shows. That is something that I wanted to avoid like the plague. The third and most important reason is that I like to produce my own show and have total control over it. In this way I can make sure it sounds, flows and reflects me. I have, of course, looked at them. I do believe them to be a safe way to do a podcast, but it just is not for me.

Question 2 from Mark Johnson (Seattle WA.): What sound editing software do you use. How do you get your voice to be so clear?

Answer: Free is always better. I use a battery of utilities to do the podcast, but only one sound editor, Audacity. It is free software, developed by a group of volunteers and distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). It does everything that Audition, Sound Forge and Final Cut do and more. It is supported by the best of the best in the music/podcast world. And again is FREE! How I get my voice so clear? That is simplest answer yet. Be a spendthrift on everything, but your microphone. I use a mid-level mic by Blue Microphones.

Question 3 from Sally Freedman (Chicago): What is the best advice you can give a new podcaster like myself? If you had it to-do all over again what would you change?

Answer: Change? Not a thing. I loved the time spent learning my my craft. All of the mistakes I have made, problems encountered and painful decisions have all made me me a good podcaster. The best advice I can offer is this: Make sure that your podcast content represents you and is something you’re passionate about. If you don’t do that you are doomed and you will lose interest like so many others have.

Question 4 from unknown: At what bitrate and type do you output your podcast at?

Answer: That is a fairly technical question, but hey, I will answer it. The podcast that goes out on the internet is set at a constant bitrate of 80 kbps and 44100 Hz sample rate. Of course the radio version is a totally different animal and is at a much higher quality. One piece of advice I will offer here is to never save your podcast using a variable bit rate. You will lose compatibility with some providers and can cause other issues.

Question 4 from @bjohn302 on twitter: I just published my first book and I want to do your show to promote it.

Answer: I don’t take guest requests from Twitter. I can’t make a qualified decision if your work fits my listenership. If you want to promote your book on the show please head to main website at RASpodcast.com, click on the contact tab and fill out the form. With the 140-character limit on twitter there is no way to tell me about yourself, your work and alike.

That’s is all the questions I have from you about the podcast. I hope that you found it interesting and fun to read. If you have questions for me on any subject, I am open to it and would love to hear from you.

-Ron

This Week’s Podcast:

On this Thursday’s episode of Ron’s Amazing Stories, we will have two great westerns for your enjoyment. The theme will be scandals and cheats. The first is called Bag ‘o rocks from Gunsmoke and we follow that up with one from the Challenge of the Yukon. If that was not enough Jim Richards from Atlanta shares his story of lost time at remote airport in Texas.

You can listen to the podcast right here at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on TuneIn Radio or listen on your radio Friday night at 8pm Eastern time. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

August 06: Suspense Classic – The Last Letter of Dr. Bronson
August 13: Gunsmoke Tale – Box ‘O Rocks
August 20: An interview with Patty Wiseman author of the Unlikely Beginning series.
August 27: A new story from the Blue Beetle introduced by our friend Jacob Edwards!
September 03: We will have a horrific old time radio gem.

I just learned that a friend to the podcast has passed. Richard Warren Field first appeared on Ron’s Amazing stories on Episode #65. That interview is one of my favorites because I felt like Richard and I had so much in common (a real connection).

I remember when Richard first applied to be on the show, I turned him down. I didn’t think he would be the right fit. I thought he was some kind of old professor who written a dry history book on the crusades. I could not have been more wrong. He wrote me back and said, “But you don’t understand, you want amazing stories and I have one to tell.” That changed my mind and we set up the interview. The result was one the best shows I have had to date.

I want to thank Richard for opening my eyes to a new style of fiction/historical work. He was a very enjoyable man, intelligent and I like to think he was a friend as well. Rest in peace my friend. You will always be remembered at Ron’s Amazing Stories.

-Ronald Hood

Richard’s Obituary

Richard’s Facebook Page

Richard’s Books

RAS #65 – The Sword’s Of Faith

Check out this episode!

I love movies, all kinds of them. Whether it is science fiction or an epic drama I probably have watched it. The other day a friend asked me to list out my ten favorite movies for a project that she was working on. I said, “Sure, how hard could that be.” Well, as it turns out it is actually a difficult thing to do. I started going through, in my mind, all of the movies that float my boat. A flood of films came to me, but thinking a movie is good is a lot different than loving it. It became clear that I would have to come up with some sort of criteria to weed the list down. In the end the deciding factor would be: How many times have I watched the film and would that continue into the future? So, after sitting down and working through my list I was able to pare down it to ten films.

So, why am I am I telling you this? Well, I am guessing that you figured out I am going to share my list with all of you. I will list the first five in this blog and next time finish it up.  Do you agree with my top ten? What ten films are your favorites?

Here are mine and why:

#10 Armageddon – There are films that come out that just make all the right moves. This is just one of those: Powerful music, super sound, outstanding special effects and good chemistry between the actors all make this a great movie. The plot is a simple one. When mans survival is at stake heroes step up and deal with it. An asteroid the size of Texas is headed for Earth and the world’s best deep core drilling team is sent to nuke the rock from the inside. I know that Armageddon will never be a classic, but for me it is one that I watch at least once a year.

#9 Ben Hur – When it comes to the classics or epic movies of the 60’s and 70’s there are a lot of great ones to chose from. You can go with The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Ten Commandments or even the true epic The Bible. However, for me the best of the best of those is Ben Hur starring Charlton Heston. I would watch it again and again just for the famous chariot scene alone. Unlike the other films of that genre Ben Hur is a fictional tale that tells the story of a Jewish prince that is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend. In the end he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge, but the journey we take with Judah Ben Hur is nothing short of spectacular. It was actually released in 1959 and it garnished an amazing eleven Oscars. About the only downside to the film is that it takes over 3 hours to watch it. I have to say that they just don’t make movies like this anymore.

#8 Silverado – Westerns is one of my favorite categories. After all who does not love a good old cowboy tale. When I started to break down which western was going to make the top ten I ended up looking at the elements of a great old west tale. Silverado not only meets the requirements, but should actually be the mold. You have the town in peril, a group of super cowboys thrown together to come to it’s aide. Throw in some well done gunfights, amazing scenery and a twist and turn or two and what you have is a true classic. The tag-line for the film was, “Four strangers became friends. Four friends became heroes. On the road to… Silverado.” That alone makes me want to watch the film right now. The movie was released in 1984 and sports one of the best casts of the era: Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline, Kevin Costner and the great Danny Glover. It was nominated for two Oscars and has been recognized for it’s musical score by Bruce Broughton.

#7 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial – In the family films category I had two finalists for my favorites. The first was the original Disney production Swiss Family Robinson. But, when it came right down to it E.T. got the nod. I guess it was because here we have a feel good story about an alien. In most cases we are told to fear the coming invasion of the horrible beasts that have come to destroy us and take our planet. All E.T. wanted was to “Phone Home”. I can’t say how many times I have watched this one and if I figured it out it would probably be considered borderline obsession. E.T. was released in 1982 and forever changed the face of the movie industry. It took 4 Oscars and is already a true classic.

#6 Forbidden Planet – I was not alive in the 50’s, but I have a true respect for science fiction movies of the era. That is why two films of this genre has made my top ten. Forbidden Planet is the first we will talk about. America was just coming around to the whole concept of flying through space and warming up to the fact that someday we will be out there. This movie’s tag-line was: “It’s Out of this World” and it was far ahead of its time. Even the music was all done with what we call today synthesizers. I have spent an amazing amount of time analyzing the plot, characters and hidden meanings buried deep in movie’s production. I even wrote a 10 page report in high school for an English class. Forbidden Planet was released in 1956 and has been nominate for a number of awards, but has never won any. For me this movie represents more than just a great science fiction story, it gives us pause to think about our own future. If you have never seen this one, shame on you!

#5 The Great Escape – This was a difficult choice for me. There have been so many great war epics. You have to consider such movies as The Longest Day, The Bridge on the River Kawi and even new movies like The Windtalkers. In the end I chose to go with The Great Escape. The cast alone is worth watching this classic. Actors like: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough and James Coburn take the story to a whole new level. It is a 1963 American film about an escape by Allied prisoners of war from a German POW camp during World War II. The film is based on the book of the same name by Paul Brickhill, a non-fiction account of the mass escape from Stalag Luft III in Sagan (now Żagań, Poland). I love the character interactions and the great dialogue through out the film. It translates well over the decades and is worth grabbing some popcorn and give it a view.

#4 Young Frankenstein – Ah yes, the comedy. Who does not like to laugh once in a while. For me, I not a big fan of comedic movies, but I do make exceptions. Just about anything done by Mel Brooks is okay in my book. He had a great sense of timing and silliness that just makes fun times at the ole theater. My very favorite of his films is Young Frankenstein starring Gene Wilder. This movie puts a whole new twist on the classic monster movie and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. The basic plot is: Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson, after years of living down the family reputation, inherits granddad’s castle and history repeats itself. Well, kind-da-sorta. An interesting fact about the film is that most of the lab equipment used as props was created by Kenneth Strickfaden for the 1931 film, Frankenstein.

#3 When Worlds Collide – This is our second SciFi film from the 50’s. To call this one out of date is a bit of an understatement, but I still love it. The science is all wrong, the special effects is “very” 50’s and storyline is impossible. However, I love it just the same. The acting is wonderful and don’t get me started on the characters. The matte paintings used are beautiful and I have been on the lookout for years to get a couple of them. The story can be described as the a disaster film. A group of scientist discover that a planet is going to collide with the earth. They decide to build a rocket to fly to this new world and escape the destruction. Do they make it? Well I highly recommend this film and then you can find the answer for yourself.

#2 Raiders of the Lost Ark – Some films stir memories and this one brings back quite a few. I remember the very first time I saw Raiders and the excitement I felt. I can also remember every person that I went to film with that night and the bound we shared. To a person we were sure that he had just seen the greatest action film ever made. Raider’s of the Lost Ark was released June 12, 1981 and was the creation of Steven Spielberg. I have very little doubt that anyone reading this has not seen or heard of this one. But just in case, you owe it to yourself to grab a copy and watch it. Raider’s garnished 4 Oscars and was nominated for 3 others. So, with credentials like that it is easy to see why it is a must see.

#1 Star Wars – In truth Star Wars and Raider’s are 1 and 1a because they both inspire the same type of response from me. Total and utter awe. Star Wars takes the lead simply because this film changed the film industry forever. It was first released May 25, 1977 and took the world by storm. I was in high school at the time and during its initial run I saw it a total of 33 times. No I am not ashamed to admit that. What can I say about this one that has not already been said a thousand times. It is a classic and I guess that will have to do. At the Oscars in 1978 it won a staggering 7 academy awards and was nominated for 4 more. This movie single handed revived the science fiction genre and made George Lucas a very rich man.

There you have my list of the top ten movies that make me say, “WoooHooo”.  What are your top ten films?  I am sure your list will be very different from mine.  Also, I think you will find that when you sit down to figure yours out, it is going to be a lot harder than you thought.  Thank you for reading!

-Ron