[BC] History notes

[Alan Kline]

A couple of notes on broadcasting history, the first of which might be 
of special interest to people like Barry and Donna Halper...

The Internet Archive (www.archive.org) has just opened a *huge* section 
of scanned PDF books. This is similar to the Google project, only the 
Archive is doing a much better job, IMHO. Anyway, go to 
www.archive.org/details/americana and enter "radio", "television", or 
"broadcasting" in the search window to find a treasure trove of early 
books. Most are from the 1920's, 30's, 40's, and 50's--primary sources 
for research... Be warned that these are very, very large files--this is 
definitely *not* a site for dial-up users...


Also--from David Letterman's newsletter (note especially the last 
paragraph):

CALVERT DeFOREST (1921-2007)

Calvert DeForest passed away on Monday, March 19 at age 85.
His debut on "Late Night," as Larry Bud Melman, came in 1982, and was
followed by dozens of appearances as various characters on the
NBC show and on the LATE SHOW, which Letterman has hosted on CBS
since 1993.

David Letterman issued this statement on the death of Calvert
DeForest:
"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character,
but in reality he was just himself -- a genuine, modest and nice man,"
said Letterman. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved
and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."

(snip)

His great uncle, Lee DeForest, invented the 3-element vaccum (sic) tube,
an integral ingredient into the creation of the very medium that
made "Larry 'Bud' Melman" a household name -- television.