It's a YouTube Christmas - Pt. 2

From time to time this upcoming Christmas season, I'll be posting some amazing videos that have been rescued by people like us and posted at the mecca of all things wonderful and obscure - YouTube.

I invite you to add a fun comment, witticism, clever remark, or observation in the comments section provided. Any comments deemed worthy of repeating will be included into this entry where all the world will see it.

Just moments ago, I posted a Dragnet Christmas album and expressed my love for all things Jack Webb Christmas related (albums, PSA records).

So when I discovered this amazing clip of Webb doing a promo for Christmas Seals, oh baby, did I go through the roof! It's all done in his inimitable style, reading you facts the way a prosecutor would present evidence. Jack even manages to crack a smile at the end:



The man radiates warmth, don't you agree?

What do you think?

Creedmoor says: He should have had a butt going.

Any other opinions?


Capt

It's a YouTube Christmas - Pt. 2

From time to time this upcoming Christmas season, I'll be posting some amazing videos that have been rescued by people like us and posted at the mecca of all things wonderful and obscure - YouTube.

I invite you to add a fun comment, witticism, clever remark, or observation in the comments section provided. Any comments deemed worthy of repeating will be included into this entry where all the world will see it.

Just moments ago, I posted a Dragnet Christmas album and expressed my love for all things Jack Webb Christmas related (albums, PSA records).

So when I discovered this amazing clip of Webb doing a promo for Christmas Seals, oh baby, did I go through the roof! It's all done in his inimitable style, reading you facts the way a prosecutor would present evidence. Jack even manages to crack a smile at the end:



The man radiates warmth, don't you agree?

What do you think?

Creedmoor says: He should have had a butt going.

Any other opinions?


Capt

Dragnet - The Christmas Story

The story you're about to read is true...

As a kid growing up in the 1970s, I was a Jack Webb fan. I loved watching reruns of "Dragnet 1967, 1968, etc". I was equally mesmorized by "Adam-12", "Emergency!", and an obscure Webb produced show called "Project UFO".

I loved his staccato delivery, the way he walked (he put his coat on with the coat tree attached), and his quick editing style. Get a VHS copy of any "Dragnet" episode and press the fast-forward button - the flash frames will give you a buzz similar to alcohol on an empty stomach.

After I had began my obsession with Christmas music, I wondered if Jack Webb did anything related to Christmas. One of the first eBay auctions I ever won was for a U.S. Navy LP that featured Webb doing some spots for the Navy in 1998 (our friend Ernie posted this at his blog last year).

When Basic Hip - the granddaddy of all sharity sites - first offered this album back in 2001 or 2002, I quickly grabbed a copy but the back cover wasn't included. I kept searching eBay and kept losing auctions - three times I nearly had this thing! I wanted the BACK COVER!

I finally snagged this in 2006 - but I couldn't get a clean copy. So I went to Studio 1102 here in Fort Wayne and they did their best to get it digitalized. At long last, I'm proud to present the famed lost back cover and my copy of the album.

Just the tracks, ma'am:


Dragnet - The Christmas Story


Happy listening...


Capt

Dragnet - The Christmas Story

The story you're about to read is true...

As a kid growing up in the 1970s, I was a Jack Webb fan. I loved watching reruns of "Dragnet 1967, 1968, etc". I was equally mesmorized by "Adam-12", "Emergency!", and an obscure Webb produced show called "Project UFO".

I loved his staccato delivery, the way he walked (he put his coat on with the coat tree attached), and his quick editing style. Get a VHS copy of any "Dragnet" episode and press the fast-forward button - the flash frames will give you a buzz similar to alcohol on an empty stomach.

After I had began my obsession with Christmas music, I wondered if Jack Webb did anything related to Christmas. One of the first eBay auctions I ever won was for a U.S. Navy LP that featured Webb doing some spots for the Navy in 1998 (our friend Ernie posted this at his blog last year).

When Basic Hip - the granddaddy of all sharity sites - first offered this album back in 2001 or 2002, I quickly grabbed a copy but the back cover wasn't included. I kept searching eBay and kept losing auctions - three times I nearly had this thing! I wanted the BACK COVER!

I finally snagged this in 2006 - but I couldn't get a clean copy. So I went to Studio 1102 here in Fort Wayne and they did their best to get it digitalized. At long last, I'm proud to present the famed lost back cover and my copy of the album.

Just the tracks, ma'am:


Dragnet - The Christmas Story


Happy listening...


Capt

The Voices Of Walter Schumann - The Voices Of Christmas

In yesterday's yuleblog entry, we had a rather long album title I downloaded from Ernie (not Bert's) blog as a headline. Today, we have another album from Ernie (not Bert's) blog and another long album title as a headline!

Some of you might be asking "Who is Walter Schumann and why did he have so many voices?" Here's just the facts:

Schumann was born in New York, New York on October 8, 1913. In the early 1930s, he was attending the law school of USC when he abruptly quit to play in a college dance band.

Eventually, the band went its separate ways and Schumann continued on into the music business, working with Eddie Cantor on his radio show, and recording with Andre Kostelanetz.

World War II started, Walter enlisted, and became the musical director of the Armed Forces Radio Service. He worked with most of the major acts of the war on all the radio shows AFRS produced during this time. After the war, he returned to Los Angeles and worked in the movie and television industry as a composer and arranger, mostly for several Abbott & Costello films.

In 1949, Schumann was asked to compose a new theme for a police detective show about to make its debut on the NBC Radio network. He began his theme with a four note motif - quite possibly the second most famous four note motif after Beethoven's Fifth Symphony: "Dumm-da-dumm-dummmmm".

"Dragnet" was a HUGE smash and Schumann's theme quickly became instantly recognizable. Ray Anthony quickly recorded a cover of the theme and it went gold. In a classic episode of "The Honeymooners", Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton realize the money they found on a bus is counterfeit and the real owners would come calling. A knock at the door. Ralph and Ed freeze. Ralph's eyes bulge in fear. Ed Norton hums the "Dragnet" theme. Huge laughs!

MAD Magazine parodied "Dragnet" twice in their early days (issues number three and eleven, respectively), both times savagely using Schumann's blaring theme to blow them off the comic frame.

Stan Freberg wanted to parody "Dragnet" as well and asked Jack Webb for his blessing. Webb gave the okay and even suggested that Stan use Walter Schumann and his Orchestra for the parodies.

The only problem was while they recorded "St. George And The Dragonet", Schumann and company kept breaking out into laughter, ruining take after take. Two other parodies were recorded: "Little Blue Riding Hood" used Schumann's theme both as a doorbell and doorknock, and the immortal Christmas classic:





Inbetween all of this, Schumann banded together 20 talented vocalists and The Voices Of Walter Schumann were born. They recorded several easy listening albums a la Jackie Gleason for both Capitol and RCA.

Schumann was busy in 1955. He composed & conducted the score to the classic Robert Mitchum film "The Night Of The Hunter", he won an Emmy for his "Dragnet" theme, recorded an amazing space age spoken word album entitled "Exploring the Unknown", and the Voices recorded 19 tracks for this Christmas album.

Most of the album is pretty much straightforward, simple and elegant. Several standout tracks include a fun version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" (was that Thurl Ravenscroft as Santa?), "Fum Fum Fum" is an amazing track, "Christmas Gift" is a rollickin' good time thanks to Jester Hairston, and "Christmas Chopsticks" perfectly ends the album.

Overall, not the first album I'd grab from the shelf but I'm glad its there!

Walter Schumann continued on recording with the Voices and appearing on the first season of "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show". Poor health led him to travel to the Mayo Clinic in the summer of 1958 where he underwent one of the first open heart surgeries in the United States.

Complications quickly arose and Schumann died on August 21, 1958 - weeks before the second season of "Tennessee Ernie" began. The Voices were stunned but pressed on. They were renamed "The Top Twenty" and carried on with Ford for another five years.

I bet every time a Tums commercial comes on the air, Walter spins in his grave.

On to the next new Christmas CD in my collection...


Capt

The Voices Of Walter Schumann - The Voices Of Christmas

In yesterday's yuleblog entry, we had a rather long album title I downloaded from Ernie (not Bert's) blog as a headline. Today, we have another album from Ernie (not Bert's) blog and another long album title as a headline!

Some of you might be asking "Who is Walter Schumann and why did he have so many voices?" Here's just the facts:

Schumann was born in New York, New York on October 8, 1913. In the early 1930s, he was attending the law school of USC when he abruptly quit to play in a college dance band.

Eventually, the band went its separate ways and Schumann continued on into the music business, working with Eddie Cantor on his radio show, and recording with Andre Kostelanetz.

World War II started, Walter enlisted, and became the musical director of the Armed Forces Radio Service. He worked with most of the major acts of the war on all the radio shows AFRS produced during this time. After the war, he returned to Los Angeles and worked in the movie and television industry as a composer and arranger, mostly for several Abbott & Costello films.

In 1949, Schumann was asked to compose a new theme for a police detective show about to make its debut on the NBC Radio network. He began his theme with a four note motif - quite possibly the second most famous four note motif after Beethoven's Fifth Symphony: "Dumm-da-dumm-dummmmm".

"Dragnet" was a HUGE smash and Schumann's theme quickly became instantly recognizable. Ray Anthony quickly recorded a cover of the theme and it went gold. In a classic episode of "The Honeymooners", Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton realize the money they found on a bus is counterfeit and the real owners would come calling. A knock at the door. Ralph and Ed freeze. Ralph's eyes bulge in fear. Ed Norton hums the "Dragnet" theme. Huge laughs!

MAD Magazine parodied "Dragnet" twice in their early days (issues number three and eleven, respectively), both times savagely using Schumann's blaring theme to blow them off the comic frame.

Stan Freberg wanted to parody "Dragnet" as well and asked Jack Webb for his blessing. Webb gave the okay and even suggested that Stan use Walter Schumann and his Orchestra for the parodies.

The only problem was while they recorded "St. George And The Dragonet", Schumann and company kept breaking out into laughter, ruining take after take. Two other parodies were recorded: "Little Blue Riding Hood" used Schumann's theme both as a doorbell and doorknock, and the immortal Christmas classic:





Inbetween all of this, Schumann banded together 20 talented vocalists and The Voices Of Walter Schumann were born. They recorded several easy listening albums a la Jackie Gleason for both Capitol and RCA.

Schumann was busy in 1955. He composed & conducted the score to the classic Robert Mitchum film "The Night Of The Hunter", he won an Emmy for his "Dragnet" theme, recorded an amazing space age spoken word album entitled "Exploring the Unknown", and the Voices recorded 19 tracks for this Christmas album.

Most of the album is pretty much straightforward, simple and elegant. Several standout tracks include a fun version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" (was that Thurl Ravenscroft as Santa?), "Fum Fum Fum" is an amazing track, "Christmas Gift" is a rollickin' good time thanks to Jester Hairston, and "Christmas Chopsticks" perfectly ends the album.

Overall, not the first album I'd grab from the shelf but I'm glad its there!

Walter Schumann continued on recording with the Voices and appearing on the first season of "The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show". Poor health led him to travel to the Mayo Clinic in the summer of 1958 where he underwent one of the first open heart surgeries in the United States.

Complications quickly arose and Schumann died on August 21, 1958 - weeks before the second season of "Tennessee Ernie" began. The Voices were stunned but pressed on. They were renamed "The Top Twenty" and carried on with Ford for another five years.

I bet every time a Tums commercial comes on the air, Walter spins in his grave.

On to the next new Christmas CD in my collection...


Capt