[78-L] Churchill's Secret Cabinet

[Michael Biel]

The Shelly performance(s) was(were) done live.  There is confusion in
the wording of the article. Nobody ever said anything about
pre-recording them.  the transcription service studio mentioned made
recordings of domestic broadcasts for syndication -- they did not create
their own broadcasts.  It is because they didn't pre-record Churchill
that they needed to have someone fill in when his schedule prevented it.
 As for a needle sticking or skiping, they would have done the recording
on the steel tape Blattnerphone or Marconi-Stille machines, and those
don't stick or skip.  They were used a lot by the BBC during those
years.  But the American networks wouldn't accept a recorded speech --
if they were told it was a recording they wouldn't air it, even from
Churchill. They were prepared to CUT OFF THE KING if his coronation
night speech was recorded.  Robert Trout was assigned that job.  The
only recordings NBC allowed were the Hindenburg and the declaration of
war by Chamberlain.  This ban was relaxed on D-Day, but rarely before.


Mike Biel  mbiel at biel.com

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [78-L] Churchill's Secret Cabinet
From: Julian Vein <julianvein at blueyonder.co.uk>
Date: Sat, July 13, 2013 11:43 am
To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>

On 13/07/13 16:02, Michael Biel wrote:
> Yes I have been doing research on this subject, and the linked article
> about Norman Shelly tells what I also have figured out so far. Shelly
> (not Sterling Holloway!) did do the "We will fight them on the
> beaches..." and that one is included in this BBC broadcast. In fact, it
> was the first speech in the set of recordings they play in the Churchill
> Underground War Rooms in London. I made a recording of their exhibit
> when I was there in April, and I included it in the comment card I left.
> My faceebook friends know that I finally got the 12-LP Decca/London box
> set two weeks ago (thanks to Charlie at Academy Records) and I will
> check that set in the next few weeks. That speech is NOT in the EMI
> set, Murrow's compilation on Columbia, and several other Churchill
> compilations I have. It is as if EVERYBODY EXCEPT the Churchill
> archives know it is bogus.
>
============================

If you think about it, would it have been a good idea to pre-record 
Churchill's speeches, whether by himself or Shelley? Supposing there was

some technical defect when they were played over the air, such as the 
needle sticking or jumping? it wouldn't have had quite the same effect, 
would it?

 Julian Vein