The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Matt Ottinger on March 24, 2016, 05:30:54 PM
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A nifty collection of five obscure albums from the 60s and 70s. Probably a little pricey, but fun to see going as a set.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-1960-70s-Singing-Game-Show-Hosts-LPs-Cullen-Downs-Marshall-Martindale-Ludden-/291717469479?hash=item43ebb75527:g:YooAAOSwJQdW8vQD
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I remember the Cullen album from an earlier discussion...forgot what it went for.
Who knew Hugh Downs could play guitar? One of his secret powers I guess.
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I remember the Cullen album from an earlier discussion...forgot what it went for.
None of them are worth much more than ten dollars each. Maybe the Ludden one, which is definitely the rarest, would go for a little more.
Others that can be found out there include a Jack Narz folk album and a truly awful Gene Wood comedy album.
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Also noteworthy is Victor's 1941 "Christmas Carol" album (spoken word, not sung), which featured Bud Collyer as Nephew Fred and "Master Dickie Van Patten" as Peter Cratchit.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ernest-Chappell-Charles-Dickens-A-Christmas-Carol-VG-4x-78-Rpm-1941-G-29-Victor-/351657536580?hash=item51e06c2c44:g:LmIAAOSwPc9WxniT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ernest-Chappell-Charles-Dickens-A-Christmas-Carol-VG-4x-78-Rpm-1941-G-29-Victor-/351657536580?hash=item51e06c2c44:g:LmIAAOSwPc9WxniT)
(Posted for reasons of historical interest; there are three sets now on Ebay, all rather exorbitantly priced.)
Dennis James also recorded an album of mother-themed recitations for Decca in 1950.
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It really amazes me just how many famous people over the years recorded albums that you wouldn't necessarily think of right away.
Like when I found out Telly Savalas had a #1 single in the UK.
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Like when I found out Telly Savalas had a #1 single in the UK.
What's the title? I may have that album.
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It really amazes me just how many famous people over the years recorded albums that you wouldn't necessarily think of right away.
Game show fan and ubercollector Bob Leszczak (aka Bob O'Brien) has written a book on the subject:
http://www.amazon.com/Small-Screen-Vinyl-Television-1950-2000-ebook/dp/B00Y2A3K2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435761049&sr=8-1&keywords=from+small+screen+to+vinyl
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Like when I found out Telly Savalas had a #1 single in the UK.
What's the title? I may have that album.
I don't know which album it would be but the song is a spoken word cover of "If" by Bread, if that helps.
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It really amazes me just how many famous people over the years recorded albums that you wouldn't necessarily think of right away.
Game show fan and ubercollector Bob Leszczak (aka Bob O'Brien) has written a book on the subject:
http://www.amazon.com/Small-Screen-Vinyl-Television-1950-2000-ebook/dp/B00Y2A3K2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435761049&sr=8-1&keywords=from+small+screen+to+vinyl
I'm gonna have to see if this is in a local library. Looks pretty comprehensive.
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I'm kicking myself for not buying a set of Allen Ludden's books for teenagers at a library disposal several years ago. I recall his recommendation of locking your doors and putting your convertible top up if you go to the make-out point.
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I'm kicking myself for not buying a set of Allen Ludden's books for teenagers at a library disposal several years ago. I recall his recommendation of locking your doors and putting your convertible top up if you go to the make-out point.
Sure those weren't Barker's books?
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None of them are worth much more than ten dollars each. Maybe the Ludden one, which is definitely the rarest, would go for a little more.
Actually, the Ludden one is available on iTunes for $9.99. Just downloaded it.
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Along those same lines, George DeWitt's 1957 RKO-Unique album, "Name That Tune," is also available on iTunes for $8.99.
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Actually, the Ludden one is available on iTunes for $9.99. Just downloaded it.
If anybody is looking for the vinyl release, there was a copy when I popped into Amoeba Music in Hollywood a couple of years ago. I suppose it could still be there.
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a truly awful Gene Wood comedy album.
I made the mistake of buying What Would Have Happened If...? a few years ago because I saw Gene Wood on the cover. If only I knew...
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None of them are worth much more than ten dollars each. Maybe the Ludden one, which is definitely the rarest, would go for a little more.
Actually, the Ludden one is available on iTunes for $9.99. Just downloaded it.
Just looked at my library's web site, which allows five free downloads per week and up to three hours per day of streaming, and both the Ludden and Cullen albums are there. (I think I'll stream them first.) Also available: the Chita Rivera-Peter Marshall original cast album of Bye Bye Birdie and what claims to be a Winking at Life soundtrack (it's four Wink songs - maybe he threw it in as a promo piece with his book).
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Just looked at my library's web site, which allows five free downloads per week and up to three hours per day of streaming, and both the Ludden and Cullen albums are there. (I think I'll stream them first.) Also available: the Chita Rivera-Peter Marshall original cast album of Bye Bye Birdie and what claims to be a Winking at Life soundtrack (it's four Wink songs - maybe he threw it in as a promo piece with his book).
Does your library use Freegal? Mine does (although we only get three downloads a week), and I see those same ones and also the George DeWitt Name That Tune album (under "De Witt"), which actually sounds good given that DeWitt was known for his singing. In fact, there are quite a few tracks out there by game show personalities, among them Bert Convy, Art Linkletter, Orson Bean, Groucho Marx (including the TV cast recording of The Mikado), Larry Blyden, Kitty Carlisle, Paul Lynde (Castle Dracula, anyone?), Charles Nelson Reilly, John Charles Daly, Bud Collyer, Henry Morgan, George Gobel, Baby Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Peggy Cass, Nipsey Russell, Jaye P. Morgan (of course), Steve Allen, and even one track by Hal March (though the full album, The Moods of March, is apparently available on iTunes).
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While downloads of an album's contents are enjoyable, I'm sure, and certainly where the industry is headed (if in fact it hasn't already arrived), I would like to think that holding out for the genuine, physical item, especially a vintage one, would be of interest to at least some collectors.
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Allen Ludden's album is on YouTube as well, for those who want to Try Before You Buy. I do hope that whoever enjoys it will buy it.
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The quite dead Pennrose Mall in Reidsville NC has had a stack of old albums sitting down the abandoned mall office corridor since November2015. Nobody has even stolen them.
(https://i.imgur.com/UeLir8p.jpg)
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Actually, the Ludden one is available on iTunes for $9.99. Just downloaded it.
If anybody is looking for the vinyl release, there was a copy when I popped into Amoeba Music in Hollywood a couple of years ago. I suppose it could still be there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72JhcwaBDHE
One could also listen to Ludden's songs on this YouTube page as well.
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@Mike: Yes, we're on Freegal. Five downloads per week per person (and since my wife doesn't use them, I get 10 downloads/week). Most of the material on the site is old, obscure material such as what we've been discussing, along with some independent music labels. However, Sony Music (which now includes such labels as Columbia/Epic, RCA, and Arista) has put their back catalogue there, so in effect I'm downloading an album a week, free of charge and legally. What's not to like?
@Matt: Definitely agree from the collector's standpoint, it's much better to have the physical product than the download (and better to get the original pressing on vinyl, of course). However, since we already have so much stuff in our house, I'm trying to limit what I collect (my wife and son have started collecting Pop! figures, for example, but knowing my tendencies to want the whole series, I'm refraining). One of the things I like about collecting music digitally is the storage issue isn't as bad as it was on vinyl (I'm placing all my albums on two external hard drives and a server as well as keeping the original disks, which will go in my office at some point to clear up space in the living room/dining room).
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@Matt: Definitely agree from the collector's standpoint, it's much better to have the physical product than the download (and better to get the original pressing on vinyl, of course). However, since we already have so much stuff in our house, I'm trying to limit what I collect (my wife and son have started collecting Pop! figures, for example, but knowing my tendencies to want the whole series, I'm refraining). One of the things I like about collecting music digitally is the storage issue isn't as bad as it was on vinyl (I'm placing all my albums on two external hard drives and a server as well as keeping the original disks, which will go in my office at some point to clear up space in the living room/dining room).
My recent move made me look long and hard at my vinyl collection. In the end, I think I kept less than two dozen out of hundreds, and the vast majority of those two dozen are these oddball game show ones. I'm not sure I've ever even listened to the Allen Ludden one, even on YouTube, but I still can't imagine not owning it!