REPS Convention

By Stewart Wright

This was my third consecutive Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound (REPS) Showcase. It left me with one question: how do Joy Jackson, Mike Sprague, and the REPS volunteers keep managing to make each Showcase better than the preceding ones?

REPS has a great location for its Showcase: the Seattle Center. It's just a very short walk to the Space Needle. This year, there was a new convention hotel, the Comfort Suites, that is just a few blocks from the Seattle Center. REPS members and The Comfort Suites ran a shuttle service for guests and attendees to the Seattle Center entrance closest to the Showcase meeting rooms.

This year, Showcase co-chairs Joy Jackson and Mike Sprague had to do a lot of last-minute scrambling as several guests were unable to attend. Health problems prevented Stewart Conway, Herb Ellis, Jack Edwards, Norman Corwin, and Jane Webb from attending. Frank Bresee was unable to attend when his flight was canceled and could not be re-scheduled. Alan Young had a last-minute contractual requirement (reshooting part of a movie) that prevented him from attending.

Mike and Joy were more than up-to-the-task of making the numerous program changes (interviews, directorial and acting assignments, and re-creations) required by these unavoidable cancellations. Jim and Pat French (Adventures of Harry Nile & Imagination Theater)graciously pinch hit for Norman Corwin in the direction of "My Client Curley."

The Showcase starts at 3:00 P.M. on Friday and goes until about 9:30 P.M. and then resumes for a full day on Saturday until about 9:30 P.M.

Each Showcase has a theme: this year's was OTR Treasures. They certainly had many treasures: both guests and presentations.

REPS always has a great group of OTR personalities in attendance. First-time Showcase guest were: Alice Backes, Paul Herlinger, and Ed Scott. Returning guests were: Harry Bartell, Richard Beals, Frank Buxton, Sam Edwards, Ray Erlenborn, Esther Geddes, Art Gilmore, Merrill Mael, JoAnna March, Tyler McVey, Norma Jean Nilsson, Anne Whitfield Phillips, Gil Stratton, Ginny Tyler, Janet Waldo, Rhoda Williams, and Douglas Young.

PANELS:

This year's panels included: Radio's Top Ten Shows and One Stinker hosted by Seattle actor Larry Albert. Treasured OTR Commercials hosted by Christopher Conrad (Bill's son) and guest Norma Jean Nilsson. Radio Acting Today hosted by David Selvig with guests Buxton and Ginny Tyler.

INTERVIEWS:

As Jack Edwards, Jane Webb, and Norman Corwin were unable to attend, first-time guests agreed to be interviewed. John and Larry Gassman interviewed Ed Scott (Chicago and Denver radio) and Paul Herlinger (Adventures In Odyssey and Imagination Theater.) I was pressed into service to interview Alice Backes. I had hoped to use this interview as a basis for an article, but I forgot to turn on my tape recorder.

JUST SITTIN’ AROUND AND VISITING:

This year, the very popular Just Sittin’ Around and Visiting continued with a session each day. Half of the OTR guests were assembled up front in one of the meeting rooms and they just talked and visited, helped by some starter questions and audience involvement. Lots of great stories and anecdotes.

RE-CREATIONS:

“The Snow Queen” (a Hans Christian Anderson tale), Dr. Christian (starring Jean Hersholt's grandson, Gregg in the title role), Suspense ("The ABC Murders"), I Love A Mystery - “The Temple of Vampires," a short segment of Meet Corliss Archer, The Bickerson's, Vic and Sade, and “My Client Curley.”

Perhaps the longest applause for any single actor were for Merrill Mael who played Uncle Fletcher in the Vic and Sade re-creation (and for a time on the radio series.) Merrill has been quite ill and was determined to keep his perfect attendance record at REPS Showscases.

VENDORS:

There were several vendors of Old-Time Radio tapes - both cassette and reel-to-reel. There were also booths selling nostalgia items such as old fan magazines, record albums, and radio premiums. I found a reasonably priced copy of Frank Buxton's "The Big Broadcast" and was able to get Frank to autograph it.

I also purchased an autographed copy of sound effects artist Bob Mott’s new book “Radio Live! Television Live! - Those Golden Days When Horses Were Coconuts.” Ray Erlenborn is featured on the cover photograph and also autographed the book for me.

SILENT AUCTION:

This was the second year that REPS had a silent auction. The auction raised more than $1400 is used to help pay Showcase expenses. Many items at this year's auction were donated by the OTR guest stars including autographed photographs and memorabilia.

DINNER & AWARDS:

On Saturday night there was a dinner at which convention goers were seated with one or more of the celebrity guests. You had a great chance to converse with them. This year, I was seated at the table with Janet Waldo.

During this dinner, awards to the performers and REPS volunteers were given.

REPS Radio Appreciation Award - Frank Buxton, Pat French, Jim French, Norma Jean Nilsson, Tyler McVey, Esther Geddes, Anne Whitfield Phillips, Rhoda Williams, and Doug Young. 1999 REPS Radio Achievement Award - Dick Beals. John Archer Volunteer of the Year Award - Mike Sprague.

PHOTO SESSION:

The last event of each Showcase is a photo session so a group picture can be taken. There are plenty of opportunities during the Showcase to take individual photos the guests.

All of the guest celebrities at the Showcase were very friendly and approachable. During the breaks and the Saturday night Social Hour, there were many chances to talk with them, acquire autographs and take pictures. I also had time to meet with other convention attendees including a few Radio Historical Association of Colorado members from around the country and members of several other Old-Time Radio clubs.

You might want to look at the Showcase part of the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound site. They just posted pictures and brief info on the convention. Didn't have individual shots of every star, but close. Here's the URL.

http://www.repsonline.org/showcase2000.htm

Then scroll to:

To flip through additional photos from this convention, please click here.