[78-L] Spoken work records...

[David Lennick]

Milton Cross recorded narratives of the great operas, which were spliced in 
between the sides originally recorded in the early 40s for "World's Greatest 
Operas". I have a bunch of these on Parade. (I also have the same sides on the 
original 78s as well as on Camden and "World's Greatest" LP issues.)

I'd like to know how it came to happen that Muzak put out a whole 20-disc album 
of 78s of Carl Sandburg reading whatever happened to come to mind (and 
improvising a few stories as well).



Ted Kneebone wrote:
> When I saw the "words on record" line, I assumed the writer meant records of 
> the spoken voice.  I was wrong.  But I would like to mention a few spoken 
> word records I once owned, some I still have:
> 
> RCA Victor demo record with Milton Cross "Wasn't that glorious music?" And 
> his descriptions of the operas on the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts.
> "Christmas carol" with Barrymore (MGM) and Ronald Colman (Decca).  The 
> broadcast of 1939 with Barrymore.
> "Child's Christmas in Wales" with Dylan Thomas reading his own work.
> Little Orley. All his stuff with Uncle Lumpy and Fred Waring orchestra. 
> Especially "Happy Bird."
> Gerald McBoing Boing with Gildersleeve (Hal Peary)
> Poetry of Ogden Nash and Carl Sandburg, read by them.
> Holy Bible read by Marvin Miller.  Wonderful reading, recorded on some 
> strange discs that required a special adapter to play them.  I think 16 rpm.
> Franklyn McCormick reading patriotic and religious pieces.
> Many newscasters with distinctive voices: E R Murrow, and all the others.
> Ben Grauer announcing Toscanini on NBC symphony broadcasts.
> Orson Welles, just about anything he did.
> There is more, but this should be good for starters.
> 
> Ted Kneebone. 1528 S. Grant St., Aberdeen, SD 57401. Phone: 605-226-3344.
> 
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