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"SOME CALL IT MADNESS"
November 1965 -- May 1966
Posted by Jerry Klein. Updated May 21, 2000.
Transcriber's comments: After 30-plus years, I don't remember whether I created these notes while listening to the S.C.I.M. tapes (which I dubbed from my roommate, Mike Biel's, copies) or whether I simply typed up and augmented Mike's notes. It may be the latter, because Mike says there are some details (such as the specific contents of the newsreels) that he doesn't have in his notes. In any event, this is an almost verbatim transcript of those 30-plus year old inexpertly-typed notes that I have in my archives (the originals, by the way, are on WRTI Newsgram paper). The only changes I made in the version you see here have been in punctuation, spacing and expanding a few abbreviations. Brought to you courtesy of an HP scanner and Xerox OCR software - I don't think I would have had the patience to retype it all! - Jerry Klein (Dec. 12, 1997)
Footnote (2/1/98): Bill Stock has supplied (and Gerry Wilkinson has transcribed) some materials from the Mugwumps election campaign waged on S.C.I.M. Click here to view them. Bill also supplied a number of tapes, which are available on their own separate page. One of the tapes is a promo, read by Bill during his "Listen to T.H.I.S." program, of the day's programs on WRTI on April 30, 1966, the day when "The Best of S.C.I.M." was broadcast.
The WRTI Players
As recounted by Mike Biel, "'Some Call It Madness' grew out of Bob Donze's Friday afternoon DJ show in the fall of 65. One week early in the semester, Bob had Bill Stock and Barry Robert Molich do Shakespearian traffic reports from a weather balloon, and when I arrived from class to engineer the show the following Friday I was shoved over to Studio A by Bob Cirillo where there was a whole studio set-up and a large cast including Phil Sabatelli. The following week someone else was doing the Friday afternoon DJ slot, and we were taping "Some Call It Madness" from studio A for Saturday night 7 to 8."
Note: You can actually LISTEN to parts of S.C.I.M. right now! Clicking on segments that appear with
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PROGRAM SYNOPSES
Nov. 13, 1965
Poll intro ... Theme ... Newsreel (cure for common cold - smoking; winter fashions; water
fluoridation protest; no sheets for KKK) ... Salute to Parsippanny, N.J ... vocal goof ... Letters -
Dean Rusk ... zip code ... cha cha and marching ... Power failure - Barry and girlfriend ... Thank you and
applause ... Pilgrims' Progress, part 1 ... 36-26-26 (Barry's Measurements) ... Barry's computer date with
Susan Spotless ... Adventures of Robin Hood, part 2 ... Joke Time (Humdinger) ... Pitiful Place -
Segment l ... Marching ... Quickie quiz (Ingredients of Witches' Brew) ... Culture Dept. - "Pitts!"
... Introduction of SCIMmers, address ... Applause for Theatre Department and plug for
"Comedy of Errors" ... Charge! ... Theme, Boos for Biel, Wing it over.
Nov. 20, 1965
Footnote intro ... Newsreel (Aardvark convention; Katy Winters; James "Boom Boom" Bond and
Quaker Oats; Mushroom rally; Boy and crushed fairy) ... football scores ... Birthday time - Sonny Tufts
... Scandal Time - Tommy Sands ... Owl ... Barry's new girl, Bill's party ... Culture Dept. - Lazlo Freene
(kazoo) ... feedback ... Joke Time - Hot cross Bum ... Pitiful Place - Segment 2 ... Method
Singing - "Some day you'll want me to want you."
Dec. 4, 1965
Blue Barons intro ... Theme ... Newsreel (White House redecoration; Guppy bites pet shop owner; Asbestos draft cards; Local beans make TV scene) ... Yes, sir - "Up the Lazy River" ... Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ... Skipping along, and rhythm "in the joint" ... Thanks to the Temple News ... Tex Ritter record (terribly old record) ... SCIMmer Choral Society - "Tiptoe through the Tulips" ... Bongos and Bells ... Salute to Polypot, N.J. ... Fire Drill ... Introduction of SCIMmers ... Quickie quiz - prizes ... Station break (salary) (Walter Mocrytski broadcast company) ... Feedback ... Wound up ... Gem-Gem-Gemini ... Teem (Tea) Time - record and Teen Messages ... Pitiful Place - Segment 3 ... Open Door Policy ... Barry Robert Jellyfish ... Breaking comedy records ... Scandal time - chicken Charmain ... Audition for "Room at the Top" ... Plug for "Comedy of Errors" ... Goodnight, Irene ... Theme and Charge! (Portions planned).
Dec. 11, 1965
Frivolous Sal intro ... Theme ... Newsreel (Baggie test at Niagara Falls; Student actors for "Please Don't Eat the Christians"; Hunter kills Donald Duck; cereal mixup with free toys) ... Bagpipes ... Fan letter ... Hello to "Comedy of Errors" cast ... Big Three accidents of the week ... Teen Time ... SCIMmers Choral Society (Tune up train, "Alabama Bound") ... Spirit Gum ... Joke time - Three Jewish Tigers ... Pick things up ... Salute to Raindrop Falls, Montana ... Station Break ... Getting dressed ... Land of Goblins - Climb this Mountain ... One Fellow's Family - By the Sea Wall ... Halvah Negila, Lost Buttonhole ... Scandal of the Week - 95 year old School teacher ... Introduction ... Back to Land of Goblins (false alarm) ... Hokey Pokey ... Back to Land of Goblins - Climb this Mountain ... Pitiful Place - Segment 4 ... Plug for "Comedy of Errors," clothes ...Dear SCIMmers - Girl on the Roof ... Theme and Charge! (Level headed Biel).
Dec. 18, 1965
Merry Christmas, Santa Intro ... Theme ... Newsreel (Blitzen in jail; Interview with Santa; Gas in stockings; 7 dwarfs arrested for rioting; Sleepy rooster) ... Hay for reindeer ... Barry and Margo's requests ... Joke Time - Cinderella and Subordinate Clauses ... Explication time - Recorder music ... SCIMmer Choral Society - Moonlight Bay (foghorn) ... Ole, Congrats to "Comedy of Errors," Wrong Way Thanks to Mike Biel ... Goodies to the oldies ... About Scrooge ... Word from Patti Page ... Modulation on Ho Hos ... Station Break ... 12 days of Christmas ... transition ... Christmas gifts ... Deck the halls ... Let it snow ... Pitiful Place - Segment 5 ... Santa Claus ... Devils and Santa ... Theme.
Feb 5, 1966 - LIVE!
Bar exam intro ... Newsreel (Prisoners in Past; Methodology of Burlesque; Duck holds up bank; 9 great tomatoes) ... SPCA transcripts ... traffic reports ... Help!, Narcissus, forgot to mail manuals ... Salute to Moose River, Montana ... l00l ways to live without working ... Peter Sellers bit ... Station Break ... Gunsmog ... 1001 ways ...Uncle Bobby's story time - General Principle ... Grave diggers ... Pitiful Place - Segment 6 ... Three Biels, Charge! ... Theme.
Feb. 12, 1966
No teaser intro ... Theme ... Newsreel (Coal men and Esso watchdog; Snow importer; Nuts protest;
Animals protest Smokey the Bear) ... Barry and Margo coming from party ... Devilies get Bob a
girlfriend ... Happy New Year in Chinese ... Adventures of Three Toes ... 1001 ways ... Joke Time -
Foremothers ... Station Break ... Sound truck is not a toy ... Interview with Gazute Neckley ... Storytime
- "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree" ... Pitiful Place - Segment 7.
Feb. 19, 1966
Some Call it Margo intro ... Theme, names... Newsreel (Rodents Retch in Razed Ruins; Go Go Girl; Figs; Crocodile Crimps College Caper) ... Phil announces candidacy for Whig party ... Margo's letter ... Bill Stock announces candidacy for the Mugwump party ... Fight over sound truck ... Roll call ... contest ... Fatman and Rubin - Flypaperman ... Man in the street - Clyde Pfrofner, man from Relativity Institute, Little boy and mother, Senator) ... Gargle ... Station Break ...Prince George Hotel spot ... Devilies and Cigar store injun ... Devilies and Susan Spotless ... Whig platform - "I knock at the door" promo ... Pitiful Place - Segment 8 ... tap dancing ... Helicopter traffic report ... Frank Sinatra - "I only have eyes for you" ... Theme ... credits, Charge! (sick call).
March 5, 1966
Boxer Rebellion ... theme ... Newsreel (Rock and Roll Record Riot; Party at William Boyd's; Painter
Plotzes in Pitiful Place) ... Sound truck ... Conventions, switches ... Romper Room - Rodney
Farquahar, zip gun ... Switchers, Conventions (Mugwumps - J.T. Witherspoon, I.D. and Billy "Quietly
Proud" Stock song, Booth; Whigs - Adlai Jennings Smith, Phil Sabatelli, Booth, switches) ... Crimpit
makers ... Germ General Hospital ... Pitiful Place - Segment 9 ... Theme, Pooh.
March 12, 1966
Lawrence Welk Opening ... Newsreel - no news ... The Man from D.R.U.N.K. ... Comm. 44 spoof ... population explosion ... St. Patrick's Snake hunt ... Lawrence Welk ... Campaign - Phil: Poem, Whig kit; Bill: Billy Button. Phil's rebuttal, going to dogs ... Lennon Sisters ... Station Break ... Ball of Fire ... Ruler of Philadelphia ... Fatman - false start ... National Pencil week ... Fatman and Rubin - Lobsterman ... Seance - Conjuring up Pooh ... Lawrence Welk polka ... Pitiful Place - Segment 10 ... Lawrence Welk goodbye ...Roll call time ... Theme.
Here is the script for Pitiful Place - Segment 10.
March 19, 1966
Coming through the rye opening ... Theme ... Newsreel (Deer fauns off would-be hunter; Rookie pitcher steers in error; vague vegetable viewed by reporters; New flashbulb not for squares) ... Chief Runamuck ... Ogden Nash poem "Slacks" ... 1001 ways ... Attack Bill Stock ... Changing channels on TV ... Lazlo Freen ... The Cherry Tree Caper ... Station Break ... The Box Bit ... A Political Debate - Phil: accusation; Bill: sworn affidavit ... Bill Miller's Poem ... 13 ways to avoid sudden death ... Pitiful Place - Segment 11 (crack up) ... Theme.
March 26, 1966
Suicide intro ... Newsreel goes international (Poet Dante greets Italians; French Philosopher; War Hero
automated) ... Wrinkles? ... Pfrofner Wine Ad ... Spanish Bomb interview ... Scratched record ...
Method Singing - "It had to be you" ... Squeezing Pfrofner Wine Grapes ... Deadly Game ad ...
Station Break ... Two people in search of Grapes ... The Box Bit, part 2 ... Judy's script -
Committee meetings you might have missed and Advertising Agency ... A Great debate - Bill, Phil: sale
of Gates monitor ... Pitiful Place - Segment l2 (sans Stephanie) ... Theme (Deadly Game spot, Pfrofner
party, We love you Steph!).
April 2, 1966
April Fool Intro ... Theme ... Newsreel (Elephants irked at low pay; Russians rocked at new kind of
sport; March goes in like a lion) ... Thank Bill Hickock ... Don Drysdale warm up ... Happy Birthday, Ed
Sciaky ... Joke Time - "Melancholy Baby" ... 1001 ways ... Temple News ... Sing Happy
Birthday ... Salute to Ed ... Record at wrong speed ... Salute to Mike Biel ... Stephanie, where were you?
... Barry Berg's sneeze ... Station Break ... Judy's script - Registration, faculty meeting ... Treat yourself
... Early election returns ... Pitiful Place - Segment 13 ... Final election returns ... Theme.
April 16, l966
Bulletin Want Ad Intro ... Theme ... Newsreel ... The Wand Bit ... Death of a Salesman ...
Bloodless Bullfight ... Commercial of the Week (Pond's 7-day Beauty Plan) ... Station Break ... Shooting
the Wine ... FBI in Peace and War ... Dentist Drill Bit ... Intro to Sing a long ... Ring the Bell ... Harold
Stassen, Navy Cows ... Pitiful Place - Segment l4 ... There's a Man in my house ... Phil is a toad ...
Theme.
April 23, 1966
(Outtake) Daily News want ad intro ... Newsreel (Serious - fire; press blackout in N.Y.; Dilworth talks self out of Mayor's race; Moore murder killed like a butcher)
(Aired) Daily News want ad intro ... Newsreel (Bites back; talked her way in; sounding off) ... Phil disappears ... Return of Phil Sabatelli ... The Wand and the Witch ... Rubin's Birthday ... Bill's filling, psychiatrist and all ... Phil's strip joint, laughs ... Station Break (and comments off air) ...
(Outtake} Music Box ... blackout - phone dial and laughs ...
(Aired) Music Box ... N.Y. Blackout ... Toast to Philadelphia ... Play of the week ... Oedipus Rex ... Academy Award Songs - "Dr. Zhivago" ... Pitiful Place - Segment 15 ... Closing theme.
April 30, 1966 - Best of S.C.I.M.
Poll intro ... Theme ... explanation of Phil's absence ... Zip Code ... "Pitts!" ... Charge! ...
Stephanie Wing - Pitiful Place (funeral)... Method Singing ... Salute to Polypot, N.J ... Christmas
newsreel ... Adventures of Three Toes... Station Break (live) ... Winnie the Pooh ...
Fatman and Rubin - Flypaperman ... Convention Switchers ... The Box Bit ... Pfrofner
Wine ad ...Closing (live) ... MRC (to end all MRC's).
May 7, 1966
Immoral Joke Opening ... Theme ... Newsreel (Comprehensive exams) ... Rudeness ... Splendor in the Grass ... Carnival plug ... Rattler captured in overnight bag ... Casting on the air ... Adventures of Pooney Nefler ... Closing of the Met ...winning ticket, Dropping Jelly Beans ... Lawyer bit ... Station Break ... Phil writes a letter ... Man from D.R.U.N.K. ... Biel goes home ... Miniskirts... Pitiful Place - Segment 16 ... Theme, Carnival plug.
May 14, 1966 - Final Show
Final show opening ... Theme ... metronome ... Newsreel (sympathetic sucker Bob; Best specimen; sleepy speaker slips; no more newsreels) ... Phil's exams ... metronome ... seduced into Sword Society ... Goldthumb ... Station Break ... Winnie the Pooh ... Talking seriously ... Pitiful Place - 17th and last segment ... Auld Lang Syne ... Theme.
May 20, 1966
Production version of "Winnie the Pooh."