Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

The Diary Of Fate - Henrick Potenoff (04-13-48)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:07:24 GMT

Henrick Potenoff (Aired April 13, 1948)
Diary of Fate is a mystery and horror program where “Fate” narrates and always wins by the end of the story. These are great suspense filled stories about average people who are subject to the mysteries of their ‘Fate’. In This episode, April 13, 1948. Program #18. Finley syndication. "Henrick Potenoff". Commercials added locally. Book 82, page 216. A man delays a letter and has to deal with "Fate." Not auditioned. The date is subject to correction. Larry Finley (producer), Herb Lytton, Earl Wallace, Howard McNear, Barney Phillips, Ervin Lee, Ray Ehrlenborn (probable sound effects), Ivan Ditmars (organ), Hal Sawyer. 28:40.

Box 13 - The Bitter Bitten (07-17-49)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:30:04 GMT

The Bitter Bitten (Aired July 17, 1949)
The premise of the program was that Dan Holiday was an author who wrote mystery novels. To get ideas for his novels he placed an advertisement in a newspaper saying "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything, Box 13." The ads always brought fun adventures of all kinds: from racketeer’s victim to psychotic killer looking for fun. Most of the episodes were based on Dan Holiday replying to a letter he received at Box 13. He would generally solve a mystery in the process, and return to his office in time to enjoy a hearty laugh at the expense of Suzy, his amusingly stupid secretary. He would certainly not meet the strictest requirements for private eyes (not licensed, collected no fees from clients), but the definition should stretch to sneak him in under the rope. It was heard over the Mutual Broadcasting System as well as being syndicated. The series was produced by Mayfair Productions. Box 13, starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. Sylvia Picker played Suzy, Dan Holiday’s secretary and Edmond MacDonald as Lt. Kling. Other stars in the series were Betty Lou Gerson, Lurene Tuttle, Alan Reed, Luis Van Rooten, John Beal and Frank Lovejoy. Music was by Rudy Schrager and the writer was Russell Hughes. Announcer/Director was Vern Carstensen. The series was produced by Richard Sanville with Alan Ladd as co-producer.

THIS EPISODE: July 17, 1949. Program #48. Mayfair syndication. "The Biter Bitten". Commercials added locally. A deadly snake checks into a hotel. Alan Ladd, Richard Sanville (director), Robert Light (writer), Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor), Sylvia Picker, Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 26:54.

It’s Higgins Sir - Summer Vacation (07-24-51)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:03:26 GMT

Summer Vacation (Aired July 24, 1951)
The Roberts, a normal, middle income American family inherit a silver tea set from distant relative in England. The tea set is accompanied by it’s caretaker, Higgins, their new butler. Normal family situations are punctuated by Higgin’s smart aleck comments and his general disdain for otrt things American and all things common. The show was a Summer Replacement Series for The Bob Hope Show. Cast : Harry McNaughton (as Higgins), Vinton Hayworth, Peggy Allenby, Charles Nevil, Pat Hosley and Denise Alexander.Creator/Director: Paul Harrison Writers: Paul Harrison and Rick Vollick.

THIS EPISODE: July 24, 1951. Program #4. NBC network. Sustaining. The Roberts’ are planning to vacation at Lake Platookie at "The Roberts’ Nest." Aunt Millie, mosquitoes and poison ivy add to the fun! Harry McNaughton, Lionel Ricou (announcer), Paul Harrison (conceiver, producer), Peggy Allenby, Rick Villerts (writer), Vinton Hayworth. 29:31.

I Deal In Crime - Abigail Murray Case (09-27-46)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:11:24 GMT

Abigail Murray Case (Aired September 27, 1946)
I Deal in Crime ran for almost two years on ABC network radio and starred the very capable radio and Hollywood actor, William Gargan. In this, one of his many PI radio series (he’s best known, of course, for his role as Martin Kane), Gargan played Ross Dolan, described as a veteran detective who returned to his sleuthing job after his WW II service as a sailor. Or as Dolan puts it, “a hitch in Uncle Sugar’s Navy.”

THIS EPISODE: September 27, 1946. ABC network. Sustaining. Ross Dolan is hired by Miss Abigail Murray to drive her around town. She’s received a letter that says she’ll be murdered tonight. A good murder mystery with lots of gunplay, dead bodies and conks on the head. The system cue has been deleted. Skitch Henderson (composer, conductor), Ted Hediger (writer, director), Rudy Schrager (music arranger, conductor), William Gargan, Dresser Dahlstead (announcer). 29:45.

Exploring Tomorrow - First Men On The Moon (01-22-48)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:14:54 GMT

First Men On The Moon (01-22-48)
Starting as a replacement show for Gangbusters and Counterspy, the series premiered December 11, 1957 and it ran until June 13, 1958. Quoting from Astounding Magazine, "Exploring Tomorrow is the first science fiction radio show of science-fictioneers, by science- fictioneers, and for science-fictioneers" The shows were narrated by the editor of Astounding Magazine, John W. Campbell, Jr., with scripts written by Gordon Dickson, Robert Silverberg and many other notable science fiction writers.

THIS EPISODE: January 22, 1958. Mutual network. "The First Men On The Moon". Commercials deleted. The first American astronaut lands on the Moon, to find the first Russian already there...and claiming the Moon as Soviet property! The date is approximate. The story may be titled, "The Moon Is New." John Campbell Jr. (host), Bill Mahr (announcer). 18 1/2 minutes.

The Great Gildersleeve - Leroy Makes Nitro (12-27-42)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:42:55 GMT

Leroy Makes Nitro (Aired December 27, 1942)
The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1957), initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, [1] was one of broadcast history’s earliest spin-off programs. Built around a character who had been a staple on the classic radio situation comedy Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve enjoyed its greatest success in the 1940s. Actor Harold Peary played the character during its transition from the parent show into the spin-off and later in a quartet of feature films released at the height of the show’s popularity. On Fibber McGee and Molly, Peary’s Gildersleeve was a pompous windbag who became a consistent McGee nemesis. "You’re a haa-aa-aa-aard man, McGee!" became a Gildersleeve catch phrase. The character was given several conflicting first names on Fibber McGee and Molly, and on one episode his middle name was revealed as Philharmonic. Gildy admits as much at the end of "Gildersleeve’s Diary" on the Fibber McGee and Molly series (10/22/40). He soon became so popular that Kraft Foods — looking primarily to promote its Parkay margarine spread — sponsored a new series with Peary’s Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve as the central, slightly softened, and slightly befuddled focus of a lively new family.

THIS EPISIODE: December 27, 1942. NBC network. Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Kraft Dinner. Gildersleeve gets a letter "S. W. A. K." from Leila Ransom, but he can’t find a private place to read it. Then, there’s Leroy’s bottle of nitroglycerine! Arthur Q. Bryan, Billy Mills (composer, conductor), Earle Ross, Harold Peary, John Whedon (writer), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Lillian Randolph, Lurene Tuttle, Richard LeGrand, Verna Felton, Walter Tetley. 29:35.

Casebook Of Gregory Hood - The Delphene Bloggs Case (10-30-46)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:14:55 GMT

The Delphene Bloggs Case (Aired October 30, 1946)
The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Gale Gordon in the title role, took over where Sherlock Holmes had left off. Sponsored by Petri wine, it used the same "weekly visit" format and the same team of Anthony Boucher and Dennis Green that had written The New Adventured of Sherlock Holmes. Gregory Hood was modelled after true-life San Francisco importer Richard Gump, and many of the stories revolve around a mystery surrounding some particular imported treasure. Hood’s sidekick Sanderson "Sandy" Taylor was played by Bill Johnstone. The show aired from June, 1946 through August, 1950. There were an additional couple of shows aired in October 1951. Hood and Sanderson were played in later episodes by Elliott Lewis and Howard McNear, respectively.

Arch Oboler’s Plays - Mirage (09-06-45)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:40:09 GMT

Mirage (Aired September 6, 1945)
Arch Oboler’s Plays was a radio drama series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939 to March 23, 1940 and revived five years later on Mutual for a sustaining summer run from April 5, 1945 to October 11, 1945. Leading film actors were heard on this series, including Gloria Blondell, Eddie Cantor, James Cagney, Ronald Colman, Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Edmund Gwenn, Van Heflin, Katharine Hepburn, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Lorre, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Massey, Burgess Meredith, Paul Muni, Alla Nazimova, Edmond O’Brien, Geraldine Page, Gale Sondergaard, Franchot Tone and George Zucco.

THIS EPISODE: September 5, 1945. Mutual-Don Lee network. "Mirage". Sustaining. A good story about an old man who writes in the sand at night the dates people are going to die. Then script was previously used on "Lights Out" on September 21, 1943, on "Arch Oboler’s Plays" on April 13, 1939 and November 25, 1939 and subsequently on December 19, 1964. Next week’s story is announced as "Profits Unlimited." This broadcast has also been dated September 6, 1945. Raymond Edward Johnson, Joan Blaine, Arch Oboler (writer, producer, director). 29:33.

The Philip Morris Playhouse - Apology (04-01-49)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:45:28 GMT

Apology (Aired April 1, 1949)
Philip Morris invested heavily in radio advertising throughout the 1930s and ‘40s, often having two weekly programs on competing networks. The first, a variety show that ran for twelve seasons (1934-47) and combined musical and dramatic elements, was called Johnny Presents, essentially giving Roventini "top billing" above all the big name guests that appeared on the broadcasts. The cigarette company also sponsored Philip Morris Playhouse, a dramatic anthology series that lasted 14 seasons (1939-53), finally switching to television.

THIS EPISODE: April 1, 1949. CBS network, KNX, Los Angeles aircheck. "Apology". Sponsored by: Philip Morris, Revelation Pipe Tobacco, Tide (local). An ordinary guy lets his wife die, but then has to deal with her very tough father. An unusual drama in that all characters have New York Jewish dialects. Elliott Lewis, Alan Reed, Sidney Miller, Cathy Lewis, Ken Christy, William Spier (producer, director, editor), David Ellis (writer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Art Ballinger (announcer). 29:40.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone" - Wagon Train (04-13-48)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:22:11 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone" - Wagon Train (Aired April 13, 1948)
CBS started the year 1958 off with the introduction on 01/29/58 of Frontier Gentleman. That series lasted 41 broadcasts. Near the end of the year, the network launched Have Gun, Will Travel on 11/23/58, which continued for 106 programs. In between, a very short series was offered and discontinued after only 16 broadcasts, Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone. Sam Buffington starred as Luke Slaughter, a Civil War cavalryman who turned to cattle ranching in post war Arizona territory near Fort Huachuca. William N. Robson,known from his work with such series as ESCAPE, SUSPENSE and THE CBS RADIO WORKSHOP, directed. Sam Buffington enacted the title role on Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, another of CBS’s prestigious adult Westerns. The series was produced and directed by William N. Robson, one of radio’s greatest dramatic directors and Robert Stanley producer was aired from February 23 through June 15, 1958. Buffington portrayed the hard-boiled cattleman with scripts overseen by Gunsmoke sound effects artist (and sometimes scriptwriter) Tom Hanley. Each program had an authoritative opening statement: "Slaughter’s my name, Luke Slaughter. Cattle’s my business. It’s a tough business, it’s a big business. I got a big stake in it. And there’s no man west of the Rio Grande big enough to take it away from me." Junius Matthews was heard as Slaughter’s sidekick, Wichita.

THIS EPISODE: April 13, 1958. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. A wagon train led by the evil Burnwell has killed Carl Justice and stolen $10,000 in gold. William N. Robson (director), Wilbur Hatch (music), Sam Buffington, Lawrence Dobkin, Chester Stratton. 25 minutes.

Let George Do It - Uncle Harrys Bones (04-09-51)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:43:07 GMT

Uncle Harrys Bones (Aired April 9, 1951)
Let George Do It was a radio drama series produced by Owen and Pauline Vinson from 1946 to 1954. It starred Bob Bailey as detective-for-hire George Valentine (with Olan Soule stepping into the role in 1954). Clients came to Valentine’s office after reading a newspaper carrying his classified ad: "Personal notice: Danger’s my stock in trade. If the job’s too tough for you to handle, you’ve got a job for me. George Valentine." Valentine’s secretary was Claire Brooks, aka Brooksie (Frances Robinson, Virginia Gregg, Lillian Buyeff). As Valentine made his rounds in search of the bad guys, he usually encounted Brooksie’s kid brother, Sonny (Eddie Firestone), Lieutenant Riley (Wally Maher) and elevator man Caleb (Joseph Kearns). Sponsored by Standard Oil, the program was broadcast on the West Coast Mutual Broadcasting System from October 18, 1946 to September 27, 1954, first on Friday evenings and then on Mondays. In its last season, transcriptions were aired in New York, Wednesdays at 9:30pm, from January 20, 1954 to January 12, 1955. John Hiestand was the program’s announcer. Don Clark directed the scripts by David Victor and Jackson Gillis. The background music was supplied by Eddie Dunstedter on the organ.

THIS EPISODE: April 9, 1951. Mutual-Don Lee network. "Uncle Harry’s Bones". Sponsored by: Standard Oil. Where is Uncle Harry? When his bones are found, the search is only beginning. It’s a five year old murder, and everyone in town is a suspect! Bob Bailey, Virginia Gregg, Ken Christy, Lurene Tuttle, Don Diamond, Fred Howard, Lawrence Dobkin, Joseph Du Val, Bud Hiestand (announcer), Eddie Dunstedter (composer, presenter), David Victor (writer), Jackson Gillis (writer), Don Clark (director). 29:53.

The Real McCoys - New Doctor In Town (03-17-58)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:42:52 GMT

New Doctor In Town (Aired March 17, 1958)
The Real McCoys was a situation comedy. The program aired on the ABC network from 1957 through 1962. It aired for one more season on CBS before its end in 1963. The series revolved around the lives of a mountain family who originally hailed from West Virginia. The McCoys moved to California where they became dirt farmers. The family consisted of Grandpa Amos McCoy (the head of the family; Walter Brennan), his grandson Luke (Richard Crenna), Luke’s new bride Kate (Kathleen Nolan), teenage sister Hassie (Lydia Reed), and 11-year-old brother Little Luke (Michael Winkelman). The double-naming of the brothers was explained in the first episode by the elder Luke as due to their parents being so excited over the birth of the younger boy.

Songs By Sinatra - You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby (01-23-46)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:36:05 GMT

You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby (Aired January 23, 1946)
Songs By Sinatra CBS - sustaining Orch Conducted by: Axel Stordahl With: The Pide Pipers; The Bobby Tucker Singers Announcer: MARVIN MILLER Opening Theme: This Love Of Mine Closing Theme: Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day) Sunday (7:15 - 7:30); 15 min Originally Broadcast on the CBS Radio Network in 1945 it is one of many different Frank Sinatra Radio Shows. On this series the orchestra was conducted by Axel Stordahl, and the Pied Pipers were also on hand. Though the quality of the recordings leave something to be desired (not having been intended to survive past the initial broadcast), these old shows give us insight into the music and culture of one of the most amazing periods of American history.

First Nighter Program - The Tin Box (05-06-48)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:17:25 GMT

The Tin Box (Aired May 6, 1948)
The First Nighter Program aired on the Blue Network and on Thursday nights at 8:30PM till 9:00PM, sponsored by Campana and starring Don Ameche and June Meredith. On October 4, 1942, The First Nighter program switched over from CBS to Mutual and was broadcast from 6:00 to 6:30 on Sunday evenings. At the end of the regular season for The First Nighter, on May 2, 1942, Murder Clinic switched time periods and came on three hours earlier as the summer replacement for the other program.

THIS EPISODE: May 6, 1948. CBS network. "The Tin Box". Sponsored by: Campana cosmetics. A comedy-mystery about a $10,000 ransom. How does one give it back? Barbara Luddy, Olan Soule, Willard Waterman, Lawrence Dobkin, David Ellis, Jean Fromhurst (writer), Larry Keating (commercial spokesman). 29:29.

The Unexpected - Rematch (08-15-48) and The Winfield Diamond (09-04-48)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:01:44 GMT

Rematch (Aired August 15, 1948) and The Winfield Diamond (Aired September 4, 1948)
The fifteen minute format lends itself to quickly drawn weird stories, with a twist ending, so that the listener gets a sudden shock, like all good scary tales should deliver. The trick is to make the "unexpected" something the listen doesn’t expect. Excellent actors like Barry Sullivan, Lurene Tuttle and Virginia Gregg, who played Helen Asher in The Adventures of Richard Diamond, make the quickie a little less abrupt. Director Frank Danzig kept the show, for the most part, on the highroad to thrilling, like Suspense, Lights Out, or Quiet Please that came before The Unexpected.

TWO EPISODES: 1948. Program #121. Hamilton Whitney syndication. "The Winfield Diamond". Music fill for local commercial insert. A woman tries to steal a huge diamond from an old eccentric and gets away with it, almost. The date is approximate. Binnie Barnes, Robert Libbott (writer), Frank Burt (writer), Frank Danzig (director). 14:01.

1948. Program #118. Hamilton Whitney syndication. "Rematch". Sponsored by: Music fill for lcoal commercial insert. A story with a surprise ending. A boxer takes a dive and gets away with it, almost. The date is approximate. Jackie Cooper. 15 minutes.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel" Winchester Quarantine (02-22-59)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:35:23 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel" Winchester Quarantine (Aired February 22, 1959)
Have Gun Will Travel debuted on November 23, 1958. The show followed the adventures of Paladin, a gentleman-turned-gunfighter played by John Dehner on radio, who preferred to settle problems without violence, yet, when forced to fight, excelled. Paladin lived in the Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, where he dressed in semi-formal wear, ate gourmet food, and attended opera. In fact, many who initially met him mistook him for a dandy from the East. When working, he dressed in black, used calling cards and wore a holster which carried characteristic chess knight emblems, and carried a derringer under his belt. The knight symbol is of course in reference to his name — possibly a nickname or working name — and his occupation as a champion-for-hire (see paladin). The theme song of the series refers to him as "a knight without armor." In addition, Paladin drew a parallel between his methods and the chess piece’s movement: "It’s a chess piece, the most versatile on the board. It can move in eight different directions, over obstacles, and it’s always unexpected."

THIS EPISODE: February 22, 1959. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Winchester Quarantine". Joe Whitehorse, a mission Indian, is supposed to have diseased cattle. The local ranchers want him out. The script was used on the "Have Gun, Will Travel" television show on October 5, 1957. John Dehner, Ben Wright, Virginia Gregg, Lawrence Dobkin, Harry Bartell, Lillian Buyeff, Joseph Kearns, Barney Phillips, Edgar Barrier, Hugh Douglas (announcer), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Herb Meadow (creator, writer), Ann Doud (adaptor), Sam Rolfe (creator), Bill James (sound effects), Tom Hanley (sound effects). 25 minutes.

Abbott & Costello Show - Radio Station with Alan (03-30-44)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:29:55 GMT

Radio Station with Alan (Aired March 30, 1944)
Abbott and Costello William (Bud) Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular teams in the history of comedy. Thanks to the endurance of their most popular and influential routine, "Who’s on First?"---whose rapid-fire word play and comprehension confusion set the preponderant framework for most of their best-known routines---the team are also the only comedians known to have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bud Abbott was born in Asbury Park, NJ, October 2, 1897 and died April 24, 1974 in Woodland Hills, California. Lou Costello was born in Paterson, NJ, March 6, 1906 and died March 3, 1959 in East Los Angeles, California. After working as Allen’s summer replacement, Abbott and Costello joined Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1941, while two of their films (Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost) were adapted for Lux Radio Theater. They launched their own weekly show October 8, 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes. The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (usually, by singers such as Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbrook, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show’s longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott & Costello’s mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello insulted his on-air wife routinely); he was succeeded by Michael Roy, with annoncing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle. The show went through several orchestras during its radio life, including those of Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Jack Meaking, Will Osborne, Freddie Rich, Leith Stevens, and Peter van Steeden. The show’s writers included Howard Harris, Hal Fimberg, Parke Levy, Don Prindle, Ed Cherokee, Len Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan, and Ed Forman, as well as producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were handled mostly by Floyd Caton. Abbott and Costello moved the show to ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) five years after they premiered on NBC. During their ABC period they also hosted a 30-minute children’s radio program(The Abbott and Costello Children’s Show), which aired Saturday mornings with vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and announcer Johnny McGovern.

The Black Museum - The Pair Of Spectacles (1952)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:58:34 GMT

The Pair Of Spectacles (1952)
Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series. The museum is not open to members of the public but is now used as a lecture theatre for the curator to lecture police and like bodies in subjects such as Forensic Science, Pathology, Law and Investigative Techniques. A number of famous people have visited the musuem including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Orsen Welles hosted and narrated the shows. Following the opening, Mr. Welles would introduce the museum’s item of evidence that was central to the case, leading into the dramatization. He also provided narration during the show and ended each show with his characteristic closing from the days of his Mercury Theater on the Air, ’remaining obediently yours’.

THIS EPISODE: Syndicated. "The Pair Of Spectacles". Commercials added locally. Miss Daisy Oliver has disappeared en route to visit Mr. Smith, a strange chicken farmer. Her dismembered body is found buried on the chicken farm. Orson Welles (host). 25:54.

The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet - The Third Degree (11-21-48)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:17:18 GMT

The Third Degree (Aired November 21, 1948)
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet launched on CBS October 8, 1944, making a mid-season switch to NBC in 1949. The final years of the radio series were on ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) from October 14, 1949, to June 18, 1954.The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, an American radio and television series, was once the longest-running, live-action situation comedy on American television, having aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966 after a ten-year run on radio. Starring Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Hilliard (she dropped her maiden name after the couple ended their music career), the show’s sober, gentle humor captured a large, sustaining audience, although it never rated in the top ten programs, and later critics tended to dismiss it as fostering a slightly unrealistic picture of post-World War II American family life. When Skelton was drafted, Ozzie Nelson was prompted to create his own family situation comedy. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet launched on CBS October 8, 1944, making a mid-season switch to NBC in 1949. The final years of the radio series were on ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) from October 14, 1949, to June 18, 1954. In an arrangement that amplified the growing pains of American broadcasting, as radio "grew up" into television (as George Burns once phrased it), the Nelsons’ deal with ABC gave the network itself the right to move the show to television whenever it wanted to do it---they wanted, according to the Museum of Broadcast Communications, to have talent in the bullpen and ready to pitch, so to say, on their own network, rather than risk it defecting to CBS (where the Nelsons began) or NBC. Their sons, David and Ricky, did not join the cast until five years after the radio series began. The two boys felt frustrated at hearing themselves played by actors and continually requested they be allowed to portray themselves. Prior to April 1949, the role of David was played by Joel Davis (1944-45) and Tommy Bernard, and Henry Blair appeared as Ricky. Since Ricky was only nine years old when he began on the show, his enthusiasm outstripped his ability at script reading, and at least once he jumped a cue, prompting Harriet to say, "Not now, Ricky." Other cast members included John Brown as Syd "Thorny" Thornberry, Lurene Tuttle as Harriet’s mother, Bea Benaderet as Gloria, Janet Waldo as Emmy Lou, and Dick Trout as Roger. Vocalists included Harriet Nelson, the King Sisters, and Ozzie Nelson. The announcers were Jack Bailey and Verne Smith. The music was by Billy May and Ozzie Nelson. The producers were Dave Elton and Ozzie Nelson.

THIS EPISODE: November 21, 1948. NBC network. Sponsored by: International Silver. Who is more curious...Ozzie or Harriet? And who is that beautiful girl that complimented Ozzie? A funny show. Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Hilliard. 1/2 hour.

The New Adventures Of Nero Wolf - Stamped For Murder (10-20-50)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:48:58 GMT

Stamped For Murder (Aired October 20, 1950)
Nero Wolf is a fictional detective created by American author Rex Stout in the 1930s and featured in dozens of novels and novellas.In the stories, Wolfe is one of the most famous private detectives in the United States. He weighs about 285 pounds and is 5’11" tall. He raises orchids in a rooftop greenhouse in his New York City brownstone on West 35th Street, helped by his live-in gardener Theodore Horstmann. Wolfe drinks beer throughout the day and is a gourmÃ¢??und. He employs a live-in chef, Fritz Brenner. He is multilingual and brilliant, though apparently self-educated, and reading is his third passion after food and orchids. He works in an office in his house and almost never leaves home, even to pursue the detective work that finances his expensive lifestyle. Instead, his leg work is done by another live-in employee, Archie Goodwin. While both Wolfe and Goodwin are licensed detectives, Goodwin is more of the classic fictional gumshoe, tough, wise-cracking, and skirt-chasing. He tells the stories in a breezy first-person narrative that is semi-hard-boiled in style.

THIS EPISODE: October 20, 1950. NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Stamped For Murder". A phoney treasure map is still worth $10,000 and several murders to a team of swindlers...why? Alfred Bester (writer), Don Stanley (announcer), Edwin Fadiman (executive producer?), Herb Vigran, Howard McNear, J. Donald Wilson (producer, director), Jay Novello, Jeanne Bates, Joseph Eamon (music?), Lawrence Dobkin, Rex Stout (author, Chairman Of The Writer’s War Board), Sydney Greenstreet, Wally Maher, William Johnstone. 25 minutes.

Flash Gordon - Ep21 (09-21-35) and Ep22 (09-28-35)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:38:16 GMT

Episode21 "Azura Tries To Negotiate" (09-21-35) and Episode22 "Flash Defends Azura" (09-28-35)
FIRST BROADCAST: April 1935 LAST BROADCAST: February 1936 CAST: Gale Gordon, Maurice Franklin, Bruno Wick, James Meighan PRODUCER: Himan Brown This science-fiction adventure originally began as a comic strip. Starting April 22, 1935, the strip was adapted into The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon, a 26 episode weekly radio serial. The series followed the strip very closely, amounting to a week-by-week adaptation of the Sunday strip for most of its run. Flash Gordon was played by Gale Gordon, later famous for his television roles in Our Miss Brooks, Dennis the Menace, The Lucy Show and Here’s Lucy (the latter two with Lucille Ball). The cast also included Maurice Franklin as Dr. Zarkov and Bruno Wick as Ming the Merciless. The radio series broke with the strip continuity in the last two episodes, when Flash, Dale and Zarkov return to Earth. They make a crash landing in Africa, where they meet Jungle Jim, the star of another of Alex Raymond’s comic strips. The series ended on October 26, 1935 with Flash and Dale’s marriage. The next week, The Adventures of Jungle Jim picked up in that Saturday timeslot. Two days later, on October 28th, The Further Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon debuted as a daily show, running five days a week. This series strayed farther afield from Raymond’s strip, involving Flash, Dale and Zarkov in an adventure in Atlantis. The series aired 74 episodes, ending on February 6, 1936.

Weird Circle - The Vendetta (09-12-43)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:38:30 GMT

The Vendetta (Aired September 12, 1943)
THE WEIRD CIRCLE was a syndicated series that was heard on Mutual stations November, 1943 through October, 1947 and very briefly in September/October of 1947 on ABC. The show presented 30 minute tales of horror, frequently inspired by classic horror or ghost stories, frequently done by French authors. It opened with the sound of the surf and the chant-like opening, "In this cave by the restless sea, we are met to call from out of past, stories strange and weird. Bell keeper, toll the bell, so that all may know that we are gathered again in the Weird Circle". Very little is known about this series. Neither Dunnings OTR Encyclopedia nor the many OTR log sites carry any information about the sponsors, actors, or production crew associated with The Weird Circle. All that can be said is this. The Weird Circle strived to bring the listener on a new, horrific adventure every week. Often taking its stories from popular fiction, Fall of the House of Usher and Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for instance, the series promised top of the line dramatic tetnsion each and every week. The Weird Circle is classic OTR horror in every sense of the word, and remains one of the most listened to series created during the golden age of radio.

THIS EPISODE: Program #3. "The Vendetta". Audition show. The tragic story of the old Italian custom of, "an eye for and eye" causes a father to kill his own daughter. A gory tale with a tragic ending. Honore de Balzac (author). 25 minutes.

Nick Carter Master Detective - State’s Prison Evidence (10-18-43)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:57:39 GMT

State’s Prison Evidence (Aired Otober 18, 1943)
Nick Carter, Master Detective - Nick Carter is the name of a popular fictional detective who first appeared in in a dime novel entitled "The Old Detective’s Pupil" on September 18, 1886. In 1915, Nick Carter Weekly became Street & Smith’s Detective Story Magazine. Novels featuring Carter continued to appear through the 1950s, by which time there was also a popular radio show, Nick Carter, Master Detective, which aired on Mutual from 1943 to 1955. Nick Carter first came to radio as The Return of Nick Carter. Then Nick Carter, Master Detective, with Lon Clark in the title role, began April 11, 1943, on Mutual, continuing in many different timeslots for well over a decade. Jock MacGregor was the producer-director of scripts by Alfred Bester, Milton J. Kramer, David Kogan and others. Background music was supplied by organists Hank Sylvern, Lew White and George Wright. Patsy Bowen, Nick’s assistant, was portrayed by Helen Choate until mid-1946 and then Charlotte Manson stepped into the role. Nick and Patsy’s friend was reporter Scubby Wilson (John Kane). Nick’s contact at the police department was Sgt. Mathison (Ed Latimer). The supporting cast included Raymond Edward Johnson, Bill Johnstone and Bryna Raeburn. Michael Fitzmaurice was the program’s announcer. The series ended on September 25, 1955. Chick Carter, Boy Detective was a serial adventure that aired weekday afternoons on Mutual. Chick Carter, the adopted son of Nick Carter, was played by Bill Lipton (1943-44) and Leon Janney (1944-45). The series aired from July 5, 1943 to July 6, 1945.

THIS EPISODE: October 18, 1943. Mutual network. "State’s Prison Evidence," or "The Mystery Of The Midnight Murder. Sustaining. In pursuit of a killer and forger of wills, Nick goes to jail for weeks and uses a wire recorder to catch the crooks. Lon Clark, Helen Choate, Lew White (composer, conductor), Jock MacGregor (writer, director), John King. 30:12.

Lux Radio Theater - Dust Be My Destiny (04-14-41)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:04:19 GMT

Dust Be My Destiny (Aired April 14, 1941)
Stars and movies with Oscars were the idea - in most cases, the movie stars recreated their academy award roles for the show, or in other cases, fine actors played the parts and gave it a different character. Both ways make for great radio drama and first class Hollywood motion picture star entertainment. The Lux Radio Theater had been doing this kind of radio show in the grandest manner for many years, but sponsor Squibb had the hubris and deep pockets to take on the competition by doing Academy Award Theater right after the Second World War. The year 1946 was pre-television, and so movies were still the major American visual art form, with radio the other popular network entertainment. In this final pre-TV time, Academy Award Theater was thought of as a premier radio production, a wow show, much like CinemaScope was to be in the 1950’s when Hollywood felt the box office blow of early TV.

THIS EPISODE: April 14, 1941. CBS network. "Dust Be My Destiny". Sponsored by: Lux. A Depression romance about a young couple who stay one jump ahead of the law, running from a wrongful murder rap. John Garfield, Claire Trevor, Cecil B. DeMille, Adelaide Irving, Arthur Q. Bryan, Bruce Payne, Earl Keen (as a cow), Earle Ross (doubles), Edward Arnold Jr. (doubles), George Yesner (doubles), James Eagles (doubles), Louis Silvers (music director), Melville Ruick (announcer), Pat Collins (doubles), Rex Heath, Spec O’Donnell (doubles), Tony Martelli, Lou Merrill, Griff Barnett, Warren Ashe (doubles, one part is a radio), Charles Seel (doubles), Paul O. Irving (doubles), Duane Thompson (commercial spokesman), Ann Tobin (commercial spokesman), Frederick Shields (commercial spokesman), Robert Rossen (screenwriter), Jerome Odlum (author), Sanford Barnett (director), George Wells (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 1 hour.(1946)

Lights Out - The Day The Sun Exploded (09-01-45)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:02:18 GMT

The Day The Sun Exploded (Aired September 1, 1945)
Lights Out was an American old-time radio program featuring "tales of the supernatural and the supernormal." It was immensely popular, and was one of the first horror programs, predating Suspense and Inner Sanctum. In its heydey, Lights Out rivalled the popularity of those shows. Lights Out ran through several series and networks, from January 1, 1934 to August 6, 1947. The principal sponsor was Ironized Yeast. Most episodes were broadcast at midnight. Lights Out then made the transition to television in 1949, where it was broadcast until 1952. Created in Chicago by writer Wyllis Cooper in 1934.

Boston Blackie - Bill Crane Attorney (09-13-45)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:57:31 GMT

Bill Crane Attorney (Aired September 13, 1945)
The Boston Blackie radio series, also starring Morris, began June 23, 1944, on NBC as a summer replacement for The Amos ’n’ Andy Show. Sponsored by Rinso, the series continued until September 15 of that year. Unlike the concurrent films, Blackie had a steady romantic interest in the radio show: Lesley Woods appeared as Blackie’s girlfriend Mary Wesley. Harlow Wilcox was the show’s announcer. On April 11, 1945, Richard Kollmar took over the title role in a radio series syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv to Mutual and other network outlets. Over 200 episodes of this series were produced between 1944 and October 25, 1950. Other sponsors included Lifebuoy Soap, Champagne Velvet beer, and R&H beer. While investigating mysteries, Blackie invaribly encountered harebrained Police Inspector Farraday (Maurice Tarplin) and always solved the mystery to Farraday’s amazement. Initially, friction surfaced in the relationship between Blackie and Farraday, but as the series continued, Farraday recognized Blackie’s talents and requested assistance. Blackie dated Mary Wesley (Jan Miner), and for the first half of the series, his best pal Shorty was always on hand. The humorless Farraday was on the receiving end of Blackie’s bad puns and word play. Kent Taylor starred in the half-hour TV series, The Adventures of Boston Blackie. Syndicated in 1951, it ran for 58 episodes, continuing in repeats over the following decade.

Dimension X - The Potters Of Frisk (07-28-50)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:32:20 GMT

The Potters Of Frisk (Aired July 28, 1950)
Dimension X was first heard on NBC April 8, 1950, and ran until September 29, 1951. Strange that so little good science fiction came out of radio; they seem ideally compatible, both relying heavily on imagination. Some fine isolated science fiction stories were developed on the great anthology shows, Suspense and Escape. But until the premiere of Dimension X -- a full two decades after network radio was established -- there were no major science fiction series of broad appeal to adults. This show dramatized the work of such young writers as Ray Bradbury, Robert (Psycho) Bloch, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Kurt Vonnegut. In-house script writer was Ernest Kinoy, who adapted the master works and contributed occasional storied of his own. Dimension X was a very effective demonstration of what could be done with science fiction on the air. It came so late that nobody cared, but some of the stories stand as classics of the medium. Bradbury’s "Mars Is Heaven" is as gripping today as when first heard. His "Martian Chronicles" was one of the series’ most impressive offerings. Dimension X played heavily on an "adventures in time and space, told in future tense" theme.

THIS EPISODE: July 28, 1950. NBC network. "The Potters Of Firsk". Sponsored by: Wheaties. On a far distant planet, controlled by the planet Earth, the inhabitants of the remote village of Firsk make the most unusual pottery. The middle commercial features Ed Prentiss interviewing Luke Appling of The Chicago White Sox. Jack Vance (author), Ernest Kinoy (adaptor), Karl Weber, Wendell Holmes, Raymond Edward Johnson, Ed Prentiss, Luke Appling, Norman Rose (host), Van Woodward (producer), Edward King (director), Bob Warren (announcer). 27:49.

Father Knows Best - Superstitious Folk (05-25-50)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:32:22 GMT

Superstitious Folk (Aired May 25, 1950)
Father Knows Best, a family comedy of the 1950s, is perhaps more important for what it has come to represent than for what it actually was. In essence, the series was one of a slew of middle-class family sitcoms in which moms were moms, kids were kids, and fathers knew best. Today, many critics view it, at best, as high camp fun, and, at worst, as part of what critic David Marc once labeled the "Aryan melodramas" of the 1950s and 1960s. The brainchild of series star Robert Young, who played insurance salesman Jim Anderson, and producer Eugene B. Rodney, Father Knows Best first debuted as a radio sitcom in 1949. In the audio version the title of the show ended with a question mark, suggesting that father’s role as family leader and arbiter was dubious. The partner’s production company, Rodney-Young Enterprises, transplanted the series to television in 1954--without the questioning marker--where it ran until 1963, appearing at various times on each of the three networks. Young and Rodney, friends since 1935, based the series on experiences each had with wives and children; thus, to them, the show represented "reality." Indeed, careful viewing of each of the series’ 203 episodes reveals that the title was actually more figurative than literal. Despite the lack of an actual question mark, father didn’t always know best. Jim Anderson could not only lose his temper, but occasionally be wrong. Although wife Margaret Anderson, played by Jane Wyatt, was stuck in the drudgery of domestic servitude, she was nobody’s fool, often besting her husband and son, Bud (played by Billy Gray). Daughter Betty Anderson (Elinor Donahue)--known affectionately to her father as Princess--could also take the male Andersons to task, as could the precocious Kathy (Lauren Chapin), the baby of the family.

In The Name Of The Law - Phantom Gang (07-05-36)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:08:47 GMT

Phantom Gang (Aired July 5, 1936)
"In the name of the Law, we bring you another of the thrilling stories in this exciting series, taken from actual police case files." Two home invaders pick the wrong house and force the home owner (John Snyder) to take them to the targeted neighbors, two elderly brothers who were rumored to have cash and bonds. During the hold up, one of the brothers was shot to death. An angry town insisted on immediate results. The State Police joined the local Sherif and the search was on.

THIS EPISODE: July 5, 1936 - Syndicated. Commercials added locally. George Richards reports that his lumber supplies store has been broken into. It’s the "Phantom Gang" striking again on November 27, 1934. Officer Sherman, who’s going to marry "Little Butch’s" sister, is suspected of helping the gang. The acting is also a crime. . 26:34.

The FBI in Peace and War - Dumb Luck (09-22-57)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:33:07 GMT

Dumb Luck (Aired September 22, 1957)
The FBI in Peace and War was a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewsis Collins’ book, The FBI in Peace and War. The idea for the show came from Louis Pelletier who wrote many of the scripts. Among the show’s other writers were Jack Finke, Ed Adamson and Collins. Airing on CBS from November 25, 1944 to September 28, 1958, it had a variety of sponsors (including Lava Soap, Wildroot Cream Oil, Lucky Strike, Nescafe and Wrigley’s) over the years. Martin Blaine and Donald Briggs headed the cast.

THIS EPISODE: September 22, 1957 CBS network. "Dumb Luck". Commercials deleted. A dumb blonde tries to pull an inheritance swindle and winds up marrying the insurance man she’s trying to gyp! Jackson Beck (narrator), Charita Bauer, Arthur Winters, Louis Pelletier (writer), Betty Mandeville (producer, director), Warren Sweeney (announcer), Frederick L. Collins (creator). 20:04.

The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell - Front Page Story (11-13-48)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:12:37 GMT

Front Page Story (Aired November 13, 1948)
Adventures of Frank Merriwell first ran on NBC radio from March 26 to June 22, 1934 as a 15-minute serial airing three times a week at 5:30pm. Sponsored by Dr. West’s Toothpaste, this program starred Donald Briggs in the title role. Harlow Wilcox was the announcer. After a 12-year gap, the series returned October 5, 1946 as a 30-minute NBC Saturday morning show, continuing until June 4, 1949. Lawson Zerbe starred as Merriwell, Jean Gillespie and Elaine Rostas as Inza Burrage, Harold Studer as Bart Hodge and Patricia Hosley as Elsie Belwood. The announcer was Harlow Wilcox, and the Paul Taubman Orchestra supplied the background music. There are at least three generations of Merriwells: Frank, his half-brother Dick, and Frank’s son, Frank Jr. There is a marked difference between Frank and Dick. Frank usually handled challenges on his own. Dick has mysterious friends and skills that help him, especially an old Indian friend without whom the stories would not have been quite as interesting.

THIS EPISODE: November 13, 1948. NBC network. "The Front Page Story". Sustaining. An enterprising reporter digs up a scandal about one of the star players on the Yale football squad. Charles Webster, Elaine Rost, Hal Studer, James McCallion, Kermit Murdock, Lawson Zerbe, Paul Taubman (music), Richard Keith, Tex Antoine, William Griffis, Burt L. Standish (creator). 1/2 hour.

The Damon Runyon Theater - Princess O’Hara (02-20-49)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:12:36 GMT

Princess O’Hara (Aired February 20, 1949)
Damon Runyon Theater - Broadcast from January to December 1949, "The Damon Runyon Theater" dramatized 52 of Runyon’s short stories for radio. Damon Runyon (October 4, 1884 – December 10, 1946) was a newspaperman and writer. He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. He spun tales of gamblers, petty thieves, actors and gangsters; few of whom go by "square" names, preferring instead to be known as "Nathan Detroit", "Big Jule", "Harry the Horse", "Good Time Charlie", "Dave the Dude", and so on. These stories were written in a very distinctive vernacular style: a mixture of formal speech and colorful slang, almost always in present tense, and always devoid of contractions.

THIS EPISODE: February 20, 1949. Program #8. Mayfair syndication. "Princess O’Hara". Commercials added locally. Broadway and his pals "borrow" a champion race horse to pull a hansom cab in order to help a doll in distress. The story was previously used in an audition recording. Damon Runyon (author), John Brown, Richard Sanville (director), Russell Hughes (adaptor), Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 26:35.

Our Miss Brooks - Weighing Machine (12-05-48)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:56:18 GMT

Weighing Machine (Aired December 5, 1948)
Our Miss Brooks, an American situation comedy, began as a radio hit in 1948 and migrated to television in 1952, becoming one of the earlier hits of the so-called Golden Age of Television, and making a star out of Eve Arden (1908-1990) as comely, wisecracking, but humane high school English teacher Connie Brooks. The show hooked around Connie’s daily relationships with Madison High School students, colleagues, and pompous principal Osgood Conklin (Gale Gordon), not to mention favourite student Walter Denton (future television and Rambo co-star Richard Crenna, who fashioned a higher-pitched voice to play the role) and biology teacher Philip Boynton ( Jeff Chandler), the latter Connie’s all-but-unrequited love interest, who saw science everywhere and little else anywhere.

THIS EPISODE: December 5, 1948. CBS network. Sponsored by: Palmolive Soap, Lustre Creme Shampoo, palmolive Shaving Cream. "The Weighing Machine". Mrs. Davis tells Connie’s fortune with tea leaves. A tall, dark man, make that 3 tall dark men are entering her life. Eve Arden, Verne Smith (commercial spokesman), Gloria Gordon, Gerald Mohr, Gloria McMillan, Hal March, Gale Gordon, Jeff Chandler, Richard Crenna, Larry Berns (producer), Al Lewis (writer, director), Wilbur Hatch (music), Bob Lemond (announcer). 29:47.

Night Beat - Old Home Week (09-04-50)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:54:05 GMT

Old Home Week (Aired September 4, 1950)
Broadcast on NBC, Nightbeat ran from 1949 to 1952 and starred Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone, a tough and streetwise reporter who worked the nightbeat for the Chicago Star looking for human interest stories. He met an assortment of people, most of them with a problem, many of them scared, and sometimes he was able to help them, sometimes he wasn’t. It is generally regarded as a ‘quality’ show and it stands up extremely well. Frank Lovejoy (1914-1962) isn’t remembered today, but he was a powerful and believable actor with a strong delivery, and his portrayal of Randy Stone as tough guy with humanity was perfect. The scripts were excellent, given that they had to pack in a lot in a short time, and there was a good supporting cast, orchestra, and sound effects. ‘The Slasher’, broadcast on 10 November 1950, the last show of season one, has a very loosely Ripper-derived plot in which Stone searches for an artist. Supporting actors included Parley Baer, William Conrad, Jeff Corey, Lawrence Dobkin, Paul Frees, Jack Kruschen, Peter Leeds, Howard McNear, Lurene Tuttle and Martha Wentworth.

THIS EPISODE: September 4, 1950. NBC network. Sustaining. Randy is vacationing at Paradise Lake. When Randy fishes Pat Torrance from the lake, her two friends and everyone else thinks that she jumped in and drowned. Barbara Fuller, Eileen Prince, Frank Lovejoy, Frank Worth (composer, conductor), Irwin Ashkenazie (writer), Larry Marcus (writer), Martha Wentworth, Rose Hobart, Shirley Mitchell (?), Warren Lewis (director). 29:41.

Pursuit (Inspector Peter Black) - The Asiatic Killer (03-11-52)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:13:34 GMT

The Asiatic Killer (Aired March 11, 1952)
PURSUIT (CBS 1949 - 1952) was a detective series that presented the cases of the fictional Scotland Yard Inspector Peter Black. (The leading character was called Inspector Harvey in the audition show and the first episode.) The Inspector was a dedicated policeman, a man hunter, who once on the case, would not rest until the wrongdoer was brought to justice. Black was assisted in cases by Sgt. Moffet.

The Alka Seltzer Show - 2 Episodes (10-09-53) and (10-29-53)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:41:18 GMT

2 Episodes - "On the Sunny Side of the Street" (10-09-53) and "Just to be With You" (10-29-53)
Alka-Seltzer Time (aka The Alka-Seltzer Show) was a 15-minute radio series broadcast weekdays on both CBS and Mutual. Baritone Curt Massey starred with Martha Tilton when the program, sponsored by Alka-Seltzer, began in 1949 as Curt Massey Time (sometimes advertised as Curt Massey Time with Martha Tilton) with a title change to highlight the sponsor’s product by 1952. The announcer was Fort Pearson. By 1953, the series was heard simultaneously on Mutual (at noon) and later that same day on CBS (at 5:45pm). Ads described the show as "informal song sessions" by vocalists Massey and Tilton, who was often billed as "the liltin’ Martha Tilton." The two singers, both Texas-born, performed with Country Washburne and His Orchestra, featuring Charles LaVere on piano. Songs included such tunes as "Honey, I’m in Love with You," "A Gambler’s Guitar," "Just to Be with You," "Moonlight When Shadows Fall," "When Love Goes Wrong," "Choo Choo Train," "I’ve Got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle," "Put on a Bonnet," "Collegiate," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," "Papaya Mama" and "Istanbul, Not Constantinople." There were some theme shows, such as "Go West", music from "Old Phonograph Records" and "Salute to Hawaii." The series ended November 6, 1953. However, Massey and Tilton continued to appear together during the late 1950s on such shows as Guest Star and Stars for Defense. They also teamed to record an album, We Sing the Old Songs (1957). CD collections of Alka-Seltzer Time usually identify shows by the first performed song of each program. Today, Curt Massey is best remembered as the composer (with Paul Henning) and singer of the Petticoat Junction theme song.

MGM Theater Of The Air - Public Hero Number One (07-28-50)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:08:19 GMT

Public Hero Number One (Aired July 28, 1950)
"MGM Theatre of the Air" wasn’t able to offer up a "big gun" host like Lux’s Cecil B. DeMille, so the series settled instead for Howard Dietz. Though not the legendary self-promoting showman that DeMille was, Dietz was certainly no slouch when it came to his chosen field; he was MGM’s vice president at the time and had also made his name as a publicist, lyricist of such tunes as "Dancing in the Dark". "By Myself," and "You and the Night and the Music" and librettist for such Broadway successes as "The Band Wagon" and "Revenge with Music". Assisted by announcer Ed Stokes, Dietz would announce with great fanfare the program’s weekly production and guest star, serve as sort of a quasi-narrator throughout the broadcast, and then at the end would chat up the week’s star, allowing them to plug their latest project. Like most MGM radio productions - and, in fact, most syndicated series in general - "MGM Theatre of the Air" had a fairly tight budget to work with each week and (if you’ll pardon the pun) the lion’s share usually went towards securing that week’s big name performer. But the production wasn’t pennywise and pound-foolish; they wisely chose the cream of New York radio actors - Gertrude Warner, Eric Dressler, Parker Fennelly, Alice Frost - for supporting roles in each production, expertly adapted by the likes of William Kendall Clark, Welborn Kelly and Joseph Ruscoll. Raymond Cass was the producer, with Marx B. Loeb directing and music composed and conducted by Joel Herron.

Suspense - A Killing In Abilene (12-14-50)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:06:33 GMT

A Killing In Abilene (Aired December 14, 1950)
Suspense was one of the premier programs of the Golden Age of Radio (aka old-time radio), and advertised itself as "radio’s outstanding theater of thrills." It was heard in one form or another from 1942 through 1962. There were approximately 945 episodes broadcast during its long run, over 900 of which are extant in mostly high-quality recordings. Suspense went through several major phases, characterized by different hosts, sponsors and director/producers. There were a few rules which were followed for all but a handful of episodes: Protagonists were usually a normal person suddenly dropped into a threatening or bizarre situation. Evildoers must be punished in the end.

THIS EPISODE: Suspense from CBS aired "A Killing In Abilene" December 14, 1950 starring Alan Ladd. It was sponsored by Auto-Lite. An hombre rides into town to get the man who killed his brother, only to find him about to be lynched for another murder! Also in the cast is Parley Baer, Jeanette Nolan, Joseph Kearns and Barton Yarborough.

Inner Sanctum Mysteries - Black Sea Gull (03-07-43)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:36:51 GMT

Black Sea Gull (Aired March 7, 1943)
Inner Sanctum Mysteries was a popular old-time radio program that aired from January 7, 1941 to October 5, 1952. Created by Himan Brown, the anthology series featured stories of mystery, terror and suspense. The tongue-in-cheek introductions were in sharp contrast to shows like Suspense and The Whistler. A total of 526 episodes are known to have been produced. The early 1940s programs opened with Raymond Edward Johnson introducing himself as, "Your host, Raymond," in a mocking sardonic voice. A spooky melodramatic organ score punctuated Raymond’s many morbid jokes and playful puns. Raymond’s closing was an elongated "Pleasant dreeeammsss?!" His tongue-in-cheek style and ghoulish relish of his own tales became the standard for many such horror narrators to follow, from fellow radio hosts like Ernest Chappell (on Cooper’s later series, Quiet, Please) and Maurice Tarplin (on The Mysterious Traveler) to EC Comics’ Crypt-Keeper in various incarnations of Tales from the Crypt. In interviews, EC publisher Bill Gaines stated that he based EC’s three horror hosts not on Raymond but on Old Nancy, host of radio’s earlier The Witch’s Tale (1931-38). When Johnson left the series in 1946, he was replaced by Paul McGrath, who did not keep the "Raymond" name and was known only as "your host" or "Mr. Host." Beginning in 1945, Lipton Tea sponsored the series, pairing first Raymond and then McGrath with cheery commercial spokeswoman Mary Bennett, whose blithesome pitches for Lipton tea contrasted sharply with the macabre themes of the stories, and who primly chided the host for his trademark dark humor and creepy manner.

THIS EPISODE: March 7, 1943. Blue Network. "The Black Sea Gull". Sponsored by: Carter’s Little Liver Pills. A dying woman promises her husband that she will return from the grave. She does return...several times! The production makes good use of sound effects and montage. The script was originally scheduled for broadcast on February 7, 1943. Peter Lorre, Raymond Edward Johnson (host), Sigmund Miller (writer), Himan Brown (director), Santos Ortega, Ed Herlihy (? announcer). 29:18.

Fibber McGee & Molly - Inherited Yacht (03-28-39)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:52:51 GMT

Inherited Yacht (Aired March 28 , 1939)
Fibber McGee and Molly premiered in 1935. The program struggled in the ratings until 1940, when it became a national sensation. Within three years, it was the top-rated program in America. Few radio shows were more beloved than Fibber McGee and Molly. The program’s lovable characters included Mayor LaTrivia, Doc Gamble, Mrs. Uppington, Wallace Wimple, Alice Darling, Gildersleeve, Beulah, Myrt, and the Old Timer. 79 Wistful Vista was one of America’s most famous addresses and Molly’s warning to Fibber not to open the hall closet door (and his subsequent decision to do it) created one of radio’s best remembered running gags that audiences expected each week. Jim Jordan (Fibber) was born on a farm on November 16, 1896, near Peoria, Illinois. Marian Driscoll (Molly), a coal miner’s daughter, was born in Peoria on November 15, 1898. After years of hardship and touring in obscurity on the small-time show biz circuit, they arrived in Chicago in 1924, where they eventually performed on thousands of shows and developed 145 different voices and characters. Broadcast to the nation from WMAQ/Chicago, the show entertained America until March 1956, and continued on NBC’s Monitor until 1959. Jim Jordan died on April 1, 1988. Marian Jordan died on April 7, 1961. Fibber McGee and Molly was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. First Broadcast date April 16, 1935. Last Broadcast date September 6, 1959.

The World Adventurer’s Club - Episode 6 and Episode 7 (1932)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:03:37 GMT

Ep.6 "Land Of Doomed Souls" and Ep7 "Land Of Death" (1932)
The year is 1932, and the nation is still suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, recovery is in sight, fueled by industry success as much as government programs. The listeners of The World Adventerer’s Club and other travelogue series in this early part of radio’s Golden Age were offered glimpses of exotic places and extraordinary events without leaving their own front room. The renewed interest in far off lands and cultures was, at least in part, also a reflection of the political situation. Many nations during this time were expanding their influence around the globe establishing colonies and outposts. You can still hear a faint echo of this influence in the stories -- some of the episodes carry a decidedly “colonial” attitude toward the native inhabitants of these countries … who are sometimes characterized in a manner that, by today’s standards, would be offensive. The setting for the series is a well-to-do gentleman’s club of the type that flourished in the 1890’s from Europe to the US. There’s even an all male chorus on hand, common to those establishments, which each week extols the virtues of living on the edge where adventures, discoveries, and the real threat of death are constant companions. Using the cigar-smoky, brandy in hand, parlor as a backdrop, each episode takes the form of a report being told to the other members of the club by someone who’s just returned from some adventure in a far away, mysterious place. Members in the radio audience need only sit back in their chair, close their eyes, and imagine that they, too, are basking in the camaraderie of the club – as they share their experiences. Sadly, nothing is known about any of the regular cast members of this show. We do know that Hanley Stafford was the featured story teller in at least six of the episodes. Hanley.

TODAY’S SHOW: 1932. Program #6. Syndicated. "Land Of Doomed Souls". The strange results of an extreme brain operation, in the South American jungle prison of Cayenne. 14:07.

1932. Program #7. Syndicated. "Land Of Death". A strange town where men are worth less than dust. A poison mystery of Hungary. 14:12

Adventures Of Horatio Hornblower - Prisoner In 1811 (12-19-52)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:46:56 GMT

Prisoner In 1811 (Aired December 19, 1952)
Broadcast 1952; Transcribed in England for the BBC; aired in U.S. on CBS, then again on ABC in 1954 and Mutual in 1957. Starring Michael Redgrave as Horatio Hornblower. a captain in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era. The radio series was based on twelve Horatio Hornblower novels written by C.S. Forester. These novels were, and still are, well liked due to their realistic tone and historical accuracy in telling the tales of Naval life in the late 1700s through the mid 1800s. C.S. Forester was well known for his novels about military and naval life, including such fine titles as The African Queen, The Gun, The Barbary Pirates, and The General.

THIS EPISODE: "Prisoner In 1811" (December 19, 1952). Michael Redgrave, C. S. Forester (creator), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor), Harry Alan Towers (producer, director). 29:05.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Home Surgery (09-13-52)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:43:10 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Home Surgery (Aired September 13, 1952)
The series starred William Conrad as Marshal Matt Dillon, Howard McNear as Doc Charles Adams, Georgia Ellis as Kitty Russell, and Parley Baer as Deputy Chester Proudfoot. Doc’s first name and Chester’s last name were changed for the television program. Gunsmoke was notable for its critically acclaimed cast and writing, and is commonly regarded as one of the finest old time radio shows. Some listeners (such as old time radio expert John Dunning) have argued that the radio version of Gunsmoke was far more realistic than the television program. Episodes were aimed at adults, and featured some of the most explicit content of the day: there were violent crimes and scalpings, massacres and opium addicts. Miss Kitty’s occupation as a prostitute was made far more obvious on the radio version than on television. Many episodes ended on a down-note, and villains often got away with their crimes.

THIS EPISODE: September 13, 1952. CBS network. "Home Surgery". Sustaining. Marshal Dillon is forced to amputate the leg of a settler on the prairie. The man’s beautiful daughter is the object of Ben Walling’s affection. The script was used again on Gunsmoke on June 23, 1957 and on the Gunsmoke television series on October 8, 1955. William Conrad, Parley Baer, John Meston (writer), John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Sammie Hill, Norman Macdonnell (director), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Roy Rowan (announcer). 30:56.

The Strange Dr Weird - 2 Episodes (12-26-44) and (01-02-45)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:36:37 GMT

Two Epsides "Stand In For Death" (Aired 12-26-44) and "Tiger Cat" (Aired 12-26-44).
Robert A. Arthur was the writer of these grisly, macabre fifteen-minute thrillers. Maurice Tarplin played Dr Weird, the narrator of these fantastic tales. The closing line was always the same: “Oh, you have to leave now – too bad! But perhaps you’ll drop in on me again soon. I’m always home. Just look for the house on the other side of the cemetery – the house of Dr Weird!”

TODAY’S SHOW: December 26, 1944. Program #8. Mutual network aircheck, syndicated on an RCA transcription. "Stand In For Death". Sponsored by: Adam Hats. An escaped convict hides in a coffin, with the expected complications! . 11 1/2 minutes.

January 2, 1945. Program #9. Mutual netWORK aircheck, syndicated on an RCA transcription. "Tiger Cat". Sponsored by: Adam Hats. Delightfully gruesome goody about a scientist with an animal growth serum. . 12 minutes.

The Mysterious Traveler - Murder Goes Free (03-31-45)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:55:59 GMT

Murder Goes Free (Aired March 31, 1945)
Written and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Kogan, the series began on the Mutual Broadcasting System, December 5, 1943, continuing in many different timeslots until September 16, 1952. Unlike many other shows of the era, The Mysterious Traveler was without a sponsor for its entire run. The lonely sound of a distant locomotive heralded the arrival of the malevolent narrator, portrayed by Maurice Tarplin, who introduced himself each week in the following manner. This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable -- if you can! Cast members included Jackson Beck, Lon Clark, Roger DeKoven, Elspeth Eric, Wendell Holmes, Bill Johnstone, Joseph Julian, Jan Miner, Santos Ortega, Bryna Raeburn, Frank Readick, Ann Shepherd, Lawson Zerbe and Bill Zuckert. Sound effects were by Jack Amrhein, Jim Goode, Ron Harper, Walt McDonough and Al Schaffer. "Behind the Locked Door," a popular episode which took place in total darkness, was much requested and was repeated several times during the years. The story involves two archaeologists who discover an old wagon train abandoned over one hundred years ago in an old cave. After a landslide traps them in the darkness, they are attacked by apparently human assailants and conclude that the descendants of the wagon train are still living in the cave.

THIS EPISODE: March 31, 1945. Program #67. Mutual network. "Murder Goes Free". Sustaining. When a man fails in his attempt to buy off a gold-digger, he decides to commit the perfect murder. He actually does succeed, much to his sorrow! Announced as the last show of the series (which it was not), the program in fact left the air until July 14, 1946. Ed Latimer, Irene Winston, Robert A. Arthur (writer), David Kogan (writer), Jock MacGregor (director), Henry Sylvern (composer, conductor), Tony Barrett. 29:45.

Plays On Tape - Night Of The Wolf Pt.2 of 2 (08-09-75)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:14:00 GMT

Night Of The Wolf Part 2 of 2 (Aired August 9, 1975)
NIGHT OF THE WOLF 1984, A Werewolf Horror Play by Victor Pemberton starring Vincent Price,Coral Browne, Peter Whitman, Sheila Grant, Elizabeth Proud, John Rye, Michael Cochrane, Hugh Manning, Haydn Jones, Paul Gaymon and Norma Ronald. Set around the end of the 19th century in Cambridge and the Fen Country. Vincent plays a Judge who encounters the terrible curse of lycanthropy in his district. Victor Pemberton was an actor who turned his hand to writing fairly early in his career. Most of his work has been for television (especially "Doctor Who " and "Timeslip", a children’s program) but he also has written a number of radio plays.

The Blue Beetle - Smashing The Restaurant Racket (07-31-40)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:17:15 GMT

Smashing The Restaurant Racket (Aired July 31, 1940)
The Blue Beetle had a relatively short career on the radio, between May and September of 1940. Motion picture and radio actor Frank Lovejoy was the Blue Beetle for the first 13 episodes, while for the rest of the shows, the voice was provided by a different, uncredited actor. The Blue Beetle was a young police officer who saw the need for extra-ordinary crime fighting. He took the task on himself by secretly donning a superhero costume to create fear in the criminals who were to learn to fear the Blue Beetle’s wrath. The 13-minute segments were usually only two-parters, so the stories were often more simple than other popular programs, such as the many-parted Superman radio show.

THIS EPISODE: July 31, 1940. Program #35. Fox Features syndication. "Smashing The Restaurant Racket". Commercials added locally. The Blue Beetle tackles a restaurant protection gang. . 12:54.

Plays On Tape - Night Of The Wolf Pt.1 of 2 (08-09-75)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:10:34 GMT

Night Of The Wolf Part 1 of 2 (Aired August 9, 1975)
NIGHT OF THE WOLF 1984, A Werewolf Horror Play by Victor Pemberton starring Vincent Price,Coral Browne, Peter Whitman, Sheila Grant, Elizabeth Proud, John Rye, Michael Cochrane, Hugh Manning, Haydn Jones, Paul Gaymon and Norma Ronald. Set around the end of the 19th century in Cambridge and the Fen Country. Vincent plays a Judge who encounters the terrible curse of lycanthropy in his district. Victor Pemberton was an actor who turned his hand to writing fairly early in his career. Most of his work has been for television (especially "Doctor Who " and "Timeslip", a children’s program) but he also has written a number of radio plays.

The Whisperer - Taken For A Ride (08-26-51)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:46:16 GMT

Taken For A Ride (Aired August 26, 1951)
The Whisperer was an American old-time radio show broadcast from July 8 to September 30, 1951 on NBC. It ran for only 13 episodes. The premise of the series was as improbable as its storylines. The protagonist was Philip Gault (Carleton G. Young), a lawyer who, due to some unexplained accident, lost his voice and could only speak in an eerie whisper. Gault infiltrates "the syndicate" in his native Central City to bring down organized crime from within; to the underworld, he becomes known as the Whisperer. Later, his voice is restored through surgery, but he continues to lead a double life as the Whisperer, relaying instructions from the syndicate bosses in New York (who don’t know he’s a mole) to their lackeys in Central City, whom Gault is actually setting up. By today’s standards, the stories are dated and their message-mongering usually criticized as ham-fisted, the product of what might be considered the unenlightened attitudes of the time. The first episode ("Tea Time for Teenagers") is typical, an overwrought "it can happen here" melodrama about a syndicate plot to create "200 regular marijuana addicts" among high school students. The episode makes a blatant appeal to the moral indignation of its audience, ending with Gault advising PTA’s to "show some of the fine educational films available on marijuana and how it leads to a worse addiction." Carleton G. Young, who played Gault, is sometimes confused with the actor Carleton Young. Betty Moran portrayed his girlfriend Ellen, the only other person who knew Gault’s double identity. Moran had to deliver lines like, "But marijuana means broken lives, heartbreak for parents!" To collectors today, the series is considered an amusing time capsule of a long gone period of America’s past.

THIS EPISODE: August 26, 1951. "Taken For A Ride" NBC network. Sustaining. Not auditioned. The Ace Trucking Company refuses to buy insurance from, "The Syndicate." One of their trucks is ordered wrecked, the driver is ordered killed. The system cue has been deleted. Carleton Young, Betty Moran, Stetson Humphrey (creator), John Duffy (original music), Bill Cairn (producer, director), Don Rickles (announcer), Julius Crowlbein, Herb Ellis, James Nusser, James Bush, Jonathan Twice (writer). 29:37.

Father Brown Mysteries - The Blue Cross (12-02-84)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:30:31 GMT

The Blue Cross (Aired December 2, 1984)
When we consider the question of clerics and mysteries, the first figure most of us think of is G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown. The first Father Brown story was published in 1910 in the Saturday Evening Post, years before Chesterton had even converted to Roman Catholicism. Forty-eight Father Brown stories were published before Chesterton’s death, and for many, the unassuming Catholic priest, who solved mysteries through close observation and intuition, remains the model clerical detective, unmatched by any subsequent efforts by other authors. Not that these authors haven’t tried. Their success depends on the same factors by which we judge any piece of fiction in general and mystery fiction in particular: is the writing evocative or flat and cliched? Are the characters three-dimensional, or are they just types who do little but lie flat on the page? Do the situations in the narrative arise organically and naturally, or are they obvious constructs? And what does the religious identity of the detective add to the story? Is it relevant to the tale, or is it merely a gimmick in a narrative that could it have just as well have been told with a gas station attendant searching for clues instead?

This Is Your FBI - The Diamond-Studded Double Cross (09-20-46)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:52:49 GMT

The Diamond-Studded Double Cross (Aired September 20, 1946)
This Is Your FBI was a radio crime drama which aired in the United States on ABC from April 6, 1945 to January 30, 1953. FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover gave it his endorsement, calling it "the finest dramatic program on the air." Producer-director Jerry Devine was given access to FBI files by Hoover, and the resulting dramatizations of FBI cases were narrated by Frank Lovejoy (1945), Dean Carleton (1946-47) and William Woodson (1948-53). Stacy Harris had the lead role of Special Agent Jim Taylor. Others in the cast were William Conrad, Bea Benaderet and Jay C. Flippen.

THIS EPISODE: September 20, 1946. ABC network. "The Diamond-Studded Double Cross". Sponsored by: The Equitable Life Assurance Society. John Gibson, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Dean Carlton (narrator), Carl Frank (announcer), Frank Faries (writer). 29:31.

Crime Classics - Old Six Toes (03-17-54)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:26:16 GMT

Old Six Toes (Aired March 17, 1954)
Crime Classics was a U. S. radio docudrama which aired over CBS from June 15, 1953 to June 30, 1954. Created, produced, and directed by radio actor/director Elliott Lewis, the program was basically a historical true crime series, examining crimes, and especially murders, from the past. It grew out of Lewis’s personal interest in famous murder cases, and took a documentary-like approach to the subject, carefully recreating the facts, personages, and feel of the time period. Comparatively little dramatic license was taken with the facts and events, but the tragedy was leavened with humor, expressed largely through the narration.

THIS EPISODE: March 17, 1954. CBS network. "Old Sixtoes: How He Stopped Construction On The B. B. C. and I". Sustaining. An old man and a young wife is old India. A recipe for murder most foul. Lou Merrill (host), Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Ben Wright, Bob Lemond (announcer), Herb Butterfield, Jack Edwards, Jack Kruschen, Jane Webb. 30:21.

Philo Vance - The Coachman Murder Case (08-31-48)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:47:11 GMT

The Coachman Murder Case (Aired August 31, 1948)
Philo Vance was the detective creation of S. S. Van Dine first published in the mid 1920s. Vance, in the original books, is an intellectual so highly refined he seems he might be ghostwritten by P. G. Wodehouse. Take this quote from The Benson Murder Case, 1924, as Vance pontificates in his inimitable way: "That’s your fundamental error, don’t y’ know. Every crime is witnessed by outsiders, just as is every work of art. The fact that no one sees the criminal, or the artist, actu’lly at work, is wholly incons’quential." Thankfully, the radio series uses only the name, and makes Philo a pretty normal, though very intelligent and extremely courteous gumshoe. Jose Ferrer played him in 1945. From 1948-1950, the fine radio actor Jackson Beck makes Vance as good as he gets. George Petrie plays Vance’s constantly impressed public servant, District Attorney Markham. Joan Alexander is Ellen Deering, Vance’s secretary and right-hand woman. The organist for the show is really working those ivories, and fans of old time radio organ will especially enjoy this series. Perhaps one reason the organist "pulls out all the stops" is because there seems to be little, if any, sound effects on the show. Philo Vance, the radio series, does pay homage to the original books in that both were, even in their own time, a bit out of date and stilted. (Show Notes By The Old Time Radio Researchers)

THIS EPISODE: Program #8. ZIV Syndication. August 31, 1948 "The Coachman Murder Case". Commercials added locally. A famous fly fisherman named Jonathan Zachery is found deaf, floating in his pool. Jackson Beck. 26:47.

The Ford Theater - Double Indemnity (10-15-48)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:07:44 GMT

Double Indemnity (Aired October 15, 1948)
The FORD THEATER, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, presented hour long dramas first on NBC for one only season. The series moved to CBS for its second and last season. There were 39 NBC and 39 CBS hour- long shows (not verified). The show initially received an unfavorable review from the New York Times for poor script adaptation but was still highly rated for the actors’ performance and overall production. The show was supposed to feature only original scripts but had to forgo that plan due to lack of quality material. The first season on NBC used radio actors under the direction of George Zachary. Martin Gabel announced the first show but was soon replaced by Kenneth Banghart. The second season, on CBS, used Hollywood screen actors in the lead roles, supported by radio actors. Fletcher Markle, who previously produced CBS’s STUDIO ONE series, was the producer for the second season. Although a short series, it still has some of radio’s best dramas.

THIS EPISODE: October 15, 1948. CBS network, KNX, Los Angeles aircheck. "Double Indemnity". Sponsored by: Ford, Bulova (local). 9:00 P. M. (7:00 P. M. Pacific). "A curious blend of passion, violence and justice." The system cue has been deleted. Burt Lancaster, Joan Bennett, James M. Cain (author), Fletcher Markle (host, director), Myron McCormick, Joe DeSantis, Mercedes McCambridge, Robert Dryden, Hedley Rennie, Miriam Wolfe, Ivor Francis. 56:31.

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe - The Easy Mark (01-29-49)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:34:47 GMT

The Easy Mark (Aired 01-29-49)
The first portrayal of Phillip Marlowe on the radio was by Dick Powell, when he played Raymond Chandler’s detective on the Lux Radio Theater on June 11, 1945. This was a radio adaptation of the 1944 movie, from RKO, in which Mr. Powell played the lead. Two years later, Van Heflin starred as Marlowe in a summer replacement series for the Bob Hope Show on NBC. This series ran for 13 shows. On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr became the third radio Marlowe, this time on CBS. It remained a CBS show through its last show in 1951.

THIS EPISODE: January 29, 1949. CBS network. "The Easy Mark". Sustaining. "I was hired to find a blackmailer and I did. But first I found a badly beaten Adonis, a Jezebel with an accent and a man who had been an easy mark for murder." Internal evidence points to an March 15th broadcast date. Norman Macdonnell (producer), Mel Dinelli (writer), Robert Mitchell (writer), Gene Levitt (writer), Ralph Rose (director), Sylvia Syms, Ken Harvey, Paul Dubov, Laurette Fillbrandt, Richard Aurandt (music), Gerald Mohr, Roy Rowan (announcer), Raymond Chandler (creator). 28:56.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Tales Of The Texas Rangers" - Dead Or Alive (09-09-50)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:16:25 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Tales Of The Texas Rangers" - Dead Or Alive (Aired September 9, 1950)
Joel McCrea stars as Texas Ranger Jace Pearson in this thirty-minute western adventure series. The shows are all re-enactments of incidents from Texas Ranger history. The Texas lawman and his trusty steed, Charcoal, would track a criminal, often a killer, throughout the vast 260,000 square miles of Texas. With Joel McCrea lending star power, Tales of the Texas Rangers debuted over the NBC radio network on July 8, 1950. The thirty-minute show, sponsored by Wheaties, ran on Saturday nights at 9:30 for three months. In October, the show switched to Sunday evenings, eventually settling into the six o’clock time slot.

THIS EPISODE: September 9, 1950. NBC network. "Dead Or Alive". Sustaining. Based on the events of April 16, 1947. The Texas City/Galveston disaster is the backdrop for a plan to have a wanted man switch identities with an unidentified corpse. Joel McCrea, Stacy Keach (producer, director), Hal Gibney (announcer). 29:40.

Maxwell House Coffee Burns & Allen Show - Gracie Sends Sam Spade To Jail (02-10-49)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:57:37 GMT

Gracie Sends Sam Spade To Jail (Aired February 10, 1949)
Burns and Allen were an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen.Burns wrote most of the material, and played the straight man. Allen played a silly, addleheaded woman. Both attributed their success to the other, to the ends of their lives. Early on, the team had played the opposite roles until they noticed that the audience was laughing at Gracie’s straight lines, so they made the change. Burns and Allen developed their popular routine over more than three decades of stage, radio, film, and television. Historians of popular culture have often stated that Allen was a brilliant comedian, whose entire career consisted of engaging in dialogues of "illogical logic" that left her verbal opponents dazed and confused, and her audiences in stitches. During a typical 23-minute episode of the Burns and Allen show, the vast majority of the dialogue and speaking parts were written for Allen, who was credited with having the genius to deliver her lengthy diatribes in a fashion that made it look as though she was making her arguments up on the spot. (One running gag on the TV show was the existence of a closet full of hats belonging to various visitors to the Burns household, where the guests would slip out the door unnoticed, leaving their hats behind, rather than face another round with Gracie.) A continuing joke on the show was that George would say, "Say good night, Gracie," and Gracie would say, "Good night Gracie!" Ralph Pape used the catchphrase for the title of his play, Say Goodnight, Gracie, produced by Steppenwolf in 1983, and the phrase lives on as a title of other books and stage productions.

THIS EPISODE: Maxwell House Coffee Time. February 10, 1949. NBC network. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. West coast broadcast. The Maxwell House production commercial features, "The Rhapsody In Blue." George and guest Howard Duff are at the Beverly Hills police station. Gracie helps "Sam Spade" solve the murder of Mr. Benson. The system cue has been deleted. Bill Goodwin, Howard Duff, Joseph Kearns, Eric Snowden, Harry Lubin and His Orchestra, Tobe Reed (announcer), Paul Henning (writer), Keith Fowler (writer), George Burns, Gracie Allen. 29:30.

Candy Matson - 26NC9-8012 (01-02-50)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:00:25 GMT

26NC9-8012 (Aired 01-02-50)
CANDY MATSON was the private eye star of Candy Matson, YUkon 2-8208, an NBC West Coast show which first aired in March 1949 and was created by Monty Masters. He cast his wife, Natalie Parks, in the title role of this sassy, sexy PI. Her understated love interest, Lt. Ray Mallard, was played by Henry Leff while her assistant and best pal, aptly named Rembrandt Watson, was the voice of Jack Thomas. Every show opened with a ringing telephone and our lady PI answering it with "Candy Matson, YU 2-8209" and then the organ swung into the theme song, "Candy". Each job took Candy from her apartment on Telegraph Hill into some actual location in San Francisco. The writers, overseen by Monty, worked plenty of real Bay Area locations into every plot.

THIS EPISODE: January 2, 1950. NBC network, San Francisco origination. Sustaining. Candy investigates a plane crash and is asked to certify the safety of an airport. Bill Brownell (sound effects), Dudley Manlove (announcer), Eloise Rowan (organist), Harry Bechtel, Henry Leff, Jack Cahill, Jay Rendon (sound effects), Lou Tobin, Monte Masters (writer, producer), Natalie Masters. 29:38.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Fort Laramie" Young Trooper (06-10-56)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:53:22 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Fort Laramie" Young Trooper (Aired June 10, 1956)
Fort Laramie opened with "Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier. The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire and the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry". When Norman Macdonnell created Fort Laramie in late 1955, he made it clear to his writers that historical accuracy was essential to the integrity of the series. Correct geographic names, authentic Indian practices, military terminology, and utilizing actual names of the original buildings of the real fort, was insisted upon. So when the radio characters referred to the sutler’s store (which is what the trading post was called prior to 1870), the surgeon’s quarters, Old Bedlam (the officers’ quarters) or the old bakery, they were naming actual structures in the original fort. While Macdonnell planned to use the same writers, soundmen, and supporting actors in Fort Laramie that he relied upon in Gunsmoke, he naturally picked different leads. Heading up the cast was a 39 year old, Canadian-born actor with a long history in broadcasting and the movies, Raymond Burr.

THIS EPISODE: June 10, 1956. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Young Trooper". A young boy named Jed survives an Indian massacre and joins the army afterward. The program was recorded May 17, 1956. Raymond Burr, Kathleen Hite (writer), Eve McVeagh, Frank Cady, Jeffrey Silver. 1/2 hour.

The Adventures Of Sam Spade - The Sugar Kane Caper (10-03-48)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:32:07 GMT

The Sugar Kane Caper (Aired October 3, 1948)
The Adventures of Sam Spade was a radio series based loosely on the private detective character Sam Spade, created by writer Dashiell Hammett for The Maltese Falcon. The show ran for 13 episodes on ABC in 1946, for 157 episodes on CBS in 1946-1949, and finally for 51 episodes on NBC in 1949-1951. The series starred Howard Duff (and later, Steve Dunne) as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie, and took a considerably more tongue-in-cheek approach to the character than the novel or movie. In 1947, scriptwriters Jason James and Bob Tallman received an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama from the Mystery Writers of America. Before the series, Sam Spade had been played in radio adaptations of The Maltese Falcon by both Edward G. Robinson (in a 1943 Lux Radio Theater production) and by Bogart himself (in a 1946 Academy Award Theater production), both on CBS.

Afloat With Henry Morgan - 3 Episodes (1932)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:25:17 GMT

3 Episodes (1932)
Afloat with Henry Morgan was a 52 episode Australian series from, it is generally thought - 1933. Each episode was about 12 minutes long and the series was probably aimed at the youth market. It is not to be confused with the US show - ’The Henry Morgan Show’. It was produced by and starred George Edwards, who also produced Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein, Corsican Brothers, and Son of Porthos, all Australian series as well. We believe that Maurice Francis, an enthusiastic writer, and Nell Sterling, two of George Edwards long-time collaborators, were also featured in ’Afloat With Henry Morgan’. To save money, Edwards played a variety of different roles and became known as ’the Man With A Thousand Voices’. It was a ventriloquial gift that encompassed small children, every variety of male voice, aged women, and foreigners. The maximum number of voices Edwards produced for a single scene was six; in the course of a single episode he would often double it. Information for this series brief came from The Old Time Radio Researcher’s Group

TODAY’S SHOW

Three Episodes From 1932 - Ep.5 "Longboat Rescued At Sea" Ep.6 "Jeffrey Hunter Apoligizes" Ep.7 "Diaz Discovers Kitty and Jeffery Together" (1932)

Nightfall - Blood Countess (Part 2 of 2) 11-21-80

Bob Camardella — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:38:53 GMT

Blood Countess (Part 2 of 2) Aired November 21, 1980
Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio ( Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ) from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall’s episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories.

The Creaking Door - Face to Face (1953)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:21:00 GMT

Face to Face (1953)*Exact Date Is Unknown
The Creaking Door was an old-time radio series of horror and suspense shows originating in South Africa. There are at present anywhere from 34-37 extant episodes in MP3 circulation, yet no currently available program logs for the series indicate the year of the series’ broadcast (though it was likely sometime in the 1950s, given the generally high audio quality of the available shows), or the total number of episodes, and only a handful of them are known by their broadcast order. The stories are thrillers in the Inner Sanctum vein, and generally thought of favorably by most fans of Old Time Radio.

Walk Softly Peter Troy - The Repentant Red-Head (12-17-63)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:18:44 GMT

The Repentant Red-Head (Aired December 17, 2963)
Walk Softly, Peter Troy Detective Drama Aired on Springbok Radio from 10 December 1963 to 21 February 1964. This series was produced in the Durban Studios of Herrick Merril Productions. It starred Tom Meehan, John Simpson, and Merle Wayne. It was sponsored by Irving & Johnson, who also sponsored the "Gunsmoke" series which "Walk Softly, Peter Troy" replaced. A sequel to this series was heard on the English Radio Service from 19 May 1964 to 28 November 1964. The sponsors, Irving & Johnson, reportedly disliked the series, which is why it was discontinued on Springbok Radio and moved to the English Service. This was the first series on the English Service that came from an independent production house, not produced by the SABC. There was an Australian version of this radio series produced prior to the South African productions.

THIS EPISODE: December 17, 1963. Program #2. Springbok Radio (South African) origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Repentant Redhead". A famous author is shot...with a faint aroma of perfume in the air. Tom Meehan, Herrick Merril (producer), John Simpson, Merle Wayne. 25 minutes.

Cavalcade Of America - The Declaration Of Independence (01-01-36)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:51:10 GMT

The Declaration Of Independence (Aired 01-01-36)
Cavalcade of America is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company. It was initially broadcast on radio from 1935 to 1953, and later on television from 1952 to 1957. Originally on CBS the series pioneered the use of anthology drama for company audio advertising. Cavalcade of America documented historical events using stories of individual courage, initiative and achievement, often with feel-good dramatizations of the human spirit’s triumph against all odds. This was consistent with DuPont’s overall conservative philosophy and legacy as an American company dating back to 1802. The company’s motto, "Maker of better things for better living through chemistry," was read at the beginning of each program, and the dramas emphasized humanitarian progress, particularly improvements in the lives of women, often through technological innovation.The show started as part of a successful campaign to reinvigorate DuPont. In the early 1930s, the Nye Committee investigations concluded that DuPont had made a fortune profiteering in World War I. The company stood accused of encouraging an arms race between WWI enemies, after being heavily subsidized by the Allies to increase black powder production. The negative effects of the investigation left the company demoralized, directionless and with a tarnished corporate image in the middle of the Great Depression. DuPont’s products were primarily not for public consumption, so there was no purpose in promoting them through advertising. As a solution to DuPont’s troubles, Roy Durstine, then creative director of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, proposed the creation of Cavalcade of America using the company motto. This was to be an important element in the successful re-branding of DuPont as an American legacy engaged in making products for the well-being of Americans and humanity in general.

The Adventures Of Frank Race - The Baradian Letters (06-12-49)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:20:28 GMT

The Baradian Letters (Aired June 12, 1949)
The Adventures of Frank Race, by Bruce Ells Productions, was first heard in May of 1949. The main character, Frank Race, was an attorney before World War II. As a result of his activities in the war, when it was over, he traded his law books for a career with the OSS. There, "Adventure" became his business. Tom Collins played the role of Frank Race initially, immediately following his stint as Chandu, The Magician. The lead role was taken over later by Paul Dubof.

THIS EPISODE: June 12, 1949. Program #7. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Benadian Letters". Commercials added locally. Blackmail, murder and mayhem in Paris. Tom Collins, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Nightfall - Blood Countess (Show 1 of 2) 11-14-80

Bob Camardella — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:41:09 GMT

Blood Countess (Show 1 of 2) Aired November 14, 1980
Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio ( Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ) from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall’s episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories.

THIS EPISODE: November 14, 1980. Program #20. CBC, Toronto origination. "Blood Countess" part 1: "Blood Red". "The story of the most horrifying famous vampire of all, and the most depraved ritual ever. A Transylvanian countess bathes in the blood of virgins to keep herself young. She really lived, and her name was Elizabeth Bathory. Ray Canale (writer), Kate Reid, Ruth Springford, Elva Mai Hoover, Alan Scarfe, Robert Christie, John Stocker, Frank Perry, Hugh Webster, Mary Pirie, Nicky Guadagni, David Hall (recording engineer), John Jessop (recording engineer), Matt Wilcott (sound effects), Doris Buchanan (production assistant), Earle Toppings (story editor), Bill Howell (producer), Henry Ramer (host). 31:04.

Screen Director’s Playhouse - Fort Apache (08-05-49)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:56:06 GMT

Fort Apache (Aired August 5, 1949)
From 01/09/49 to 09/28/51 this series was greatly enjoyed by the radio listening audience. It opened as NBC Theater and was also known as The Screen Director’s Guild and The Screen Director’s Assignment. But most people remember it simply as Screen Director’s Playhouse. Many of the Hollywood elite were heard recreating their screen roles over the radio. John Wayne in his rare radio appearances, Cary Grant, Edward G. Robinson, Lucille Ball, Claire Trevor, Tallulah Bankhead and many others were on the air week after week during these broadcasts. Many of Hollywood’s directors were also heard in the recreation of their movies. The President of the Screen Director’s Guild appeared on 02/13/49, and Violinist Isaac Stern supplied the music for the 04/19/51 broadcast.

THIS EPISODE: August 5, 1949. NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Fort Apache". A classic western about Cochise battling the cavalry, with a group of travelers caught in the middle. AFRTS program name: "Sagebrush Theatre." The program is also known as, "Hollywood Screen Directors." John Wayne, Ward Bond, Paul McVey, Lou Merrill, Tony Barrett, Jimmy Wallington (announcer), John Ford (guest screen director). 25 minutes.

Strike It Rich - August 21, 1951

Bob Camardella — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:58:29 GMT

August 21, 1951
The show made it’s debut on CBS radio in 1947. Strike it rich was on CBS’s primetime schedule July 4, 1951 through January 12, 1955. There were two attempts to revive the show, with Bert Parks as host in 1973 and Tom Kelly as host in 1978. Neither revival was successful. A syndicated game show of the same name with host Joe Garagiola was aired 1986-1987, but it had a different format. Known as "The quiz show with a heart" and the contestants who appeared on the show were people in need of money or down on their luck. A player was given $30 and bet part of his or her bank on the ability to answer four general knowledge questions. If unable to answer the questions correctly, the contestant could turn to the "heart line" where viewers would call in and donate money or merchandise. When needy families desparate to become contestants began arriving in New York on one-way tickets, the city’s Welfare Department labeled the game show "a national disgrace."

The Kraft Music Hall - Guest Bing Crosby (10-16-47)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:29:40 GMT

Guest Bing Crosby (Aired October 16. 1947)
The Kraft Music Hall was a major NBC radio variety program, featuring top show business entertainers, in a 16-year span from 1933 to 1949. Kraft Foods was the first advertiser to sponsor a two-hour radio program, in an era when many radio programs were only 15 minutes long and few were longer than a half hour. The Kraft Program debuted June 26, 1933 to promote a new product in the Kraft family, Miracle Whip. The musical-variety program featured orchestra leader Paul Whiteman and served to supplement the print advertising and in-store displays in promoting Kraft products. Al Jolson was the show’s star vocalist. During its first year the show went through a series of name changes, including Kraft Musical Revue, until it finally settled on Kraft Music Hall in 1934. Paul Whiteman remained the host until December 6, 1935. Ford Bond was the announcer. Billing himself as “The King of Jazz”, Paul Whiteman was arguably America’s first popular music superstar. Whiteman’s foresight regarding the coming of the jazz age and his decisions to hire the best jazz musicians was a powerful boost for jazz, swing and blues. Though he was prohibited from hiring black performers, he hired arrangers and composers.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" - Mixed Brands (08-12-51)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:46:10 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" - Mixed Brands (Aired August 12, 1951)
This juvenile western followed the same format as the TV show of the same name that ran throughout the same years. This format certainly was not new as the charismatic hero and comic side-kick was something that had been done before with Hopalong Cassidy and The Cisco Kid, and to some extent with the Lone Ranger. FIRST BROADCAST: May 17, 1951 LAST BROADCAST: February 12, 1956 SPONSORS: Kellog CAST: Guy Madison and Andy Devine. ANNOUNCERS: Charlie Lyon PRODUCERS/DIRECTORS: Paul Pierc. The storylines for Wild Bill Hikock are anything but challenging. The basic plot is usually along the lines of Hickock and his sidekick, Jingles, blundering into trouble, fighting their way out of it somehow, and then riding off into the sunset in readiness for next weeks trials and tribulations.

THIS EPISODE: August 12, 1951. Program #12. Mutual network. "Mixed Brands". Sponsored by: Kellogg’s Corn Pops. The crusading editor of the Horizon City Banner is against Jck Brody, the current major. Brody is not going to allow a fair election, unless Wild Bill casts a vote of his own. The system cue is added live. Guy Madison, Andy Devine, Charles Lyon (announcer), David Hire (producer), Paul Pierce (director), Richard Aurandt (music), Irene Tedrow, Jess Kirkpatrick, Frederick Shields, John McGovern, Lou Krugman. 24:33.

Spy Catcher - Neutral Ground (10-18-60)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:32:48 GMT

Neutral Ground (Aired October 18, 1960)
Spy Catcher. (BBC) 1960-1961. A series of true stories in the unceasing search for enemy spys in wartime. Based on the memoirs of Lt. Col. Oreste Pinto of Allied Counter-intelligence Services. The shows were extremly popular during the golden age of radio.

Spyforce was an Australian TV series produced from 1971 to 1973, based upon the adventures of Australian Military Intelligence operatives in the South West Pacific during World War II. It was produced by the Nine Network in conjunction with Paramount Pictures. The series centres on the action and adventures of lead actor Jack Thompson’s character Erskine, and his main support character, Peter Sumner’s Gunthar Haber. It was the first lead role for Jack Thompson. The two are part of an elite unit of special operatives, the Special Intelligence Unit, and their adventures are loosely based upon those of the real Z Special Unit who often operated behind Japanese held lines during the war. Unlike most previous war film’s, Spyforce deliberately steered away from the notion that the United States was solely responsible for Japan’s defeat, and highlights the important role Australian forces played in the defeat of the Imperial Japanese Army. Producer Roger Mirams was also careful to avoid stereotypes of the genre, and tired formulas for the battle scenes. The idea appealed to American producers Paramount Pictures, who backed creator Roger Mirams to begin production without having seen a script. He made the pilot episode, Spy Catcher, which impressed Paramount, and the Nine Network immediately bought the local rights.

The Space Patrol - Queen Of Space (11-15-52)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:50:54 GMT

Queen Of Space (Aired November 15, 1952)
The success of the TV show spawned a radio version, which ran for 129 episodes from October 1952 to March 1955. The same cast of actors performed on both shows. The writers, scripts, adventures and director were quite different in radio versus TV incarnations. Naturally, the series lacked the adult sophistication of such shows as X Minus One, which focused on adapting short fiction by notable genre names as Robert A. Heinlein and Ray Bradbury. But as a throwback to the sort of Golden Age space opera popularized in the 1930s, the days of science fiction’s infancy, by pioneering magazine editor Hugo Gernsback, Space Patrol is prized by OTR collectors today as one of radio’s most enjoyable adventures.

THIS EPISODE: November 15, 1952. ABC network. "The Queen Of Space". Sponsored by: Ralston Cereals (Space-O-Phone premium). Jelna Fenton is the owner of Trans-Orbit Lines, a freight line to the outer planets, with big plans! Ed Kemmer, Lyn Osborn, Nina Bara, Virginia Hewitt, Norman Jolley, Mike Mosser (producer), Larry Robertson (director), Lou Houston (writer), Dick Tufeld (announcer). 29:24.

Case Dismissed - Landlord & Tennant (03-13-54)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:44:50 GMT

Landlord & Tennant (Aired March 13, 1954)
Thus with the pounding of the gavel, the fate of men and women have been decided by the judge. This is the story of our legal rights, the battle to preserve and protect them, and how easily they can be lost. The program shows us just how fragile liberty and justice can be. These stories of everyday events are still interesting, even after 50 years. Stories of criminal liability, legal wills, buying on installment, and leasing an apartment. Each story is well written, and the acting, though dated and a bit hokey by today’s standards, still manages to achieve the desired effect. Not much information is available for this series, it was apparently broadcast on a limited basis, and originated on WMAQ Chicago, an NBC station. It was comprised of thirteen episodes, twelve of which are currently available, and was heard from January 30, 1954 through April 24, 1954.

THIS EPISODE: March 13, 1954. NBC network, WMAQ, Chicago origination. Sustaining. The program is produced in co-operation with the Chicago Bar Association. A landlord-tenant conflict grows and finally winds up in court. Moral of the story: when in doubt, see a lawyer. Carlton KaDell, Norma Ransom, Jack Lester, John C. Fitzgerald (host, Dean of the Law School, Loyola University), Harry Elders, Curt Kupfer, William Green, Betty Ross (producer), Herbert Littow (director), Tom Evans (sound), Harold Witteberry (engineer), Lee Bennett (announcer). 29:22.

Pat Novak For Hire - Rory Malone (03-20-49)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:51:48 GMT

Rory Malone (Aired March 20, 1949)
Pat Novak, played by Jack Webb, was a private detective working out of Pier 19, a waterfront office in San Francisco. The stories were always very similar: Someone would hire him, (if not a beautiful woman, the job would lead to a beautiful woman) someone would get murdered, he would investigate the case, get beaten up by the thugs, and then the case would be solved and end with glorious violence. The closing was always the same; the listener would be told who had done what, to whom and why they had done it.

THIS EPISODE: Pat Novak For Hire. March 20, 1949. Program #8. ABC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. A double fix in a prize fight, with all the wrong answers and the right corpses. Jack Webb, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Burr, William P. Rousseau (producer, director), Lillian Buyeff, Ted de Corsia, Tudor Owen, Basil Adlam (composer, conductor), Yvonne Peattie, Stefan Schnabel. 30:35.

Calling All Cars - Fingerprints Don’t Lie (07-11-34)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:19:15 GMT

Fingerprints Don’t Lie (Aired July 11, 1934)
Calling All Cars was one of radio’s earliest cop shows, dramatizing true crime stories and introduced by officers from the Los Angeles and other police departments. The narrator of the program was speech professor Charles Frederick Lindsley, and the only other regular voice heard on the program week after week belonged to that of Sergeant Jesse Rosenquist of the L.A.P.D., whose name and voice were so unusually distinctive that he was retained for the show’s entire run. None of the actors on the show ever received on-air credit, but among the talent OTR fans can hear the likes of Elvia Allman, Jackson Beck, Charles Bickford, John Gibson, Richard LeGrand and Hanley Stafford, just to name a few.

THIS EPISODE: July 11, 1934. Program #33. CBS Pacific network (Don Lee net). "Fingerprints Don’t Lie". Sponsored by: Rio Grande Oil. Officer #734 has been held up, shot and robbed by two men who escaped in a Hudson. The Department of Records and Identification uses fingerprints to apprehend the criminals. The system cue has been deleted. Not auditioned. William N. Robson (writer, producer), Charles Frederick Lindsley (narrator). 29:28.

Baby Snooks - 3 Episodes (02-15-40) (02-29-40) (03-07-40)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:50:22 GMT

"Tax Returns(04-15-40) "Wedding Cake" (02-29-40) and "Snooks Has Amnesia" (03-07-40)
First Broadcast: 29th February 1936 as part of The Ziegfield Follies of the Air LAST BROADCAST: 29th May 1951 CAST: Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks. Henley Stafford as Lancelot “Daddy” Higgins, Baby Snooks father. Lalive Brownell as “Mommy” Higgins (later played by Lois Corbet and Arlene Harris).Leone Ledoux as Snook’s little brother Roberspierre. ANNOUNCERS: John Conte (late 30s and early 40s). Tobe Reed (1944-45), Harlow Willcox (mid to late 1940s), Dick Joy, Don Wilson and Ken Wilson. VOCALIST: Bob Graham MUSIC: Meredith Willson (37-44), Carmen Dragon. PRODUCER-DIRECTORS: Mann Holiner (early 1940s), Al Kaye (1944), Ted Bliss, Walter Bunker, Arthur Stander. WRITERS: Phil Rapp, Jess Oppenheimer, Everett Freeman, Bill Danch, Sid Dorfman, Arthur Stander, Robert Fisher. SOUND EFFECTS: Clark Casey, David Light. Baby Snooks became a character for Fanny Brice at some point in the early 30s, nobody seems to know exactly when. What is for sure is that by 1934 Fanny was appearing on-stage in her baby costume as part of the Follies show on Broadway. In 1936, at 45 years of age, she used this baby persona to great effect on the CBS show The Ziegfield Follies of the Air and a radio legend was born. After various format and slot changes Snooks eventually got her very own show in 1944. Lalive Brownell took on the role of “Mommy” Higgins alongside the now well entrenched part of Lancelot “Daddy” Higgins played by Hanley Stafford. The half-an-hour slot was initially aired at 6:30pm on Sundays, but later to moved to an 8pm slot on Friday and then in Nov 1949 to an 8:30pm slot on Tuesday evenings. The shows revolved around the Snooks character creating vignettes through which the comedic potential of the Snooks chartacter could be fully exploited. Snooks specialized in making minor mishaps into major catastrophes and small parental disagreements into all out war.

2000 Plus - The Giant Walks (11-08-50)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:39:20 GMT

The Giant Walks (Aired November 8, 1950)
2000 AD is known as the first of the network science fiction shows, although it ran on Mutual just a month prior to the introduction of the landmark series, Dimension X. It was a half hour of science fiction wonder in an exciting package. The stories have a charm that is always present in science fiction of the future that is written in the past. "When The Worlds Met" takes place "at the giant space port in Washington, temporary capitol of the federated world government as in April 21, 2000 Plus 20 (2020) crowds throng as audio and televox networks cover a space ship carrying in its space hold the first load of uranium taken from the pits of Luna, satellite of Earth.

THIS EPISODE: November 8, 1950. Mutual network. "The Giant Walks". Sustaining. A mad scientist plans a race of thirty-foot giants to take over the world, and is well on the way toward succeeding. The broadcast may be dated November 5, 1950. Julian Schneider (writer), Joseph Julian, Lon Clark. 1/2 hour.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - Thunder Over Texas (02-27-53)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:23:44 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - Thunder Over Texas (Aired February 27, 1953)
Chad Remington, played by Jeff Chandler for the first 23 shows, was a two fisted lawyer in the town of Dos Rios. Chad’s sidekick, Cherokee O’Bannon, played by Wade Crosby, who performed his role in a WC Fields dialect. Mr. Chandler remained in the lead role for the first 23 shows and was replaced by Reed Hadley who played Remington until the end of the series. FRONTIER TOWN was a syndicated Western that ran through the 1952-1953 season.

THIS EPISODE: 1952. Program #23. Broadcasters Program Syndicate/Bruce Eells and Associates syndication. "Thunder Over Texas". Music fill for local commercial insert. Doc Slavin and his henchman "Cinco" kill the land agent to keep Danish Dairy farmers from moving to Sunbeam Valley. Jeff Chandler is billed as "Tex" Chandler. The date is approximate. Jeff Chandler, Wade Crosby, Bob Mitchell (organist), Ivan Ditmars (possible organist), Bill Forman (announcer). 28:19.

Blair Of The Mounties - The Murder Hagget’s Landing (Parts 1 and 2 -COMPLETE) 1938

Bob Camardella — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:44:52 GMT

The Murder Hagget’s Landing - Part1 Aired February 28, 1938 and Part2 Aired March 7, 1938
Blair of the Mounties is the story of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police -- a fictional series based on the work of the Northwest Mounted Police before the World War I. It was a fifteen minute weekly serial heard every Monday for 36 weeks beginning January 31st, 1938 and running through the 3rd of October of 1938. It may have been on the air as early as 1935, although there’s no actual proof of this. Little is known of the series other than it followed the exploits of Sgt. Blair of the Northwest Mounted Police. and probably was the inspiration for Trendell, Campbell and Muir’s Challenge of the Yukon. The series was written by Colonel Rhys Davies, who also played the Colonel Blair in the series. Jack Abbot played the Constable. Jack French, one of OTR’s best researchers says this about the series: “Blair is not restricted to Canada, as other Mounties, as we find him, in a few cases, in Great Britain, solving cases. Overall the series is amateurishly written, with the actor playing Blair coming accros as a bit stuffy.”

THIS EPISODE: February 28, 1938 - Part One "The Phantom Sniper" has struck...it could be the "Boy Foot Bear" (with cheeks of tan)? . 12:25 minutes. and March 7, 1938 - Part Two "Murder At Hagget’s Landing" . A pair of fur thieves are captured when one of them spares a woman and child from freezing to death. . 14 minutes.

The Amazing Mr. Malone - Early To Bed Early To Rise (06-15-51)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:32:08 GMT

Early To Bed Early To Rise (Aired June 15, 1951)
The Amazing Mr. Malone radio series aired 1947-1951 based on the John Malone series of mystery novels by Craig Rice, the author of fourteen novels, countless short stories, and a number of true crime pieces. She once rivaled Agatha Christie in sales,and was on the cover of Time Magazine in 1946. John J. Malone, socialite and ladies man, is a brilliant criminal lawyer taking up a new case in every episode. Using his finely-honed deductive and persuasive skills, he never gives up until justice is done.

THIS EPISODE: June 15, 1951. NBC network. "Early To Bed and Early To Rise". Sustaining. Jeff Lewis, the famous bandleader, has been murdered. Suspicion falls on his insanely jealous wife. George Petrie, Larry Haines, Fred Collins (announcer), Craig Rice (creator), Bernard L. Schubert (producer), Richard Lewis (director), Eugene Wang (writer). 29:37.

Secrets Of Scotland Yard - Witchcraft Law (1947)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:28:15 GMT

Witchcraft Law (1947)
In an earlier time, just prior to and following the Second World War, the general public was fascinated by the subject of crime. Numerous magazines of "True Crime Stories" filled the newsstands. Radio also helped fill the need with fictional heroes such as Johnny Dollar and The Saint. Few true crime dramas, other than Gangbusters or Dragnet, sustained long term success on radio. The Secrets of Scotland Yardwas a successful crime drama series, initially airing internationally between 1949 and 1951. Selected episodes finally came to a US radio network for a brief run much later in 1957 over the Mutual Broadcasting System. The series boasted well over 100 episodes, one of which, "The Bone From A Voice Box", apparently served as the prototype for another well remembered Towers Of London dramatic series, The Black Museum. In both series, well known actors were employed as host / narrator, Orson Welles in The Black Museum and Clive Brook here. In fact, the shows were so similar that some of the same actual Scotland Yard cases were dramatized for both series (with totally different scripts, and casts). The Secrets of Scotland Yard was an independent production of the Towers of London syndicate in England for world wide distribution. Each week, an audience of anxious radio-listeners tuned in to hear these true crime stories of the London Metropolitan Police unfold, as the detectives at the Yard investigated some of England’s most famous criminals. Their trials have become legendary. Stories presented in the series include the theft of the British crown jewels by Colonel Thomas Blood; the story of a man who finds an armless and legless body wrapped in ribbons and lace; or the strange story of two close brothers who love one another enough to contemplate the murder of a brother’s affluent, yet unsightly and ignorant, wife. Murders, forgery, and robberies all get a through review on the program. Each time, Scotland Yard detectives are afoot to solve the crime mystery! The Secrets of Scotland Yard was initially hosted by Clive Brook, probably for the first year or so. To add to the air of authenticity, Brook sometimes discusses matters with Percy Hoskins, a 1950s crime expert and reporter for the London Daily Express.

Mr. Keen Tracer Of Lost Persons - The Case Of The Glamorous Widow (05-23-46)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:21:34 GMT

The Case Of The Glamorous Widow (Aired May 23, 1946)
When Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons first debuted over the Blue Network on October 12, 1937, the show’s title accurately described Keen’s stock-in-trade; the “kindly old investigator” tracked down individuals who had mysteriously vanished, leaving behind their families, homes, jobs and other day-to-day activities. Keen (he never had a first name, unless it was “Peachy”) was assisted in these duties by an Irishman named Mike Clancy. Mike wasn’t much of a brainiac (the quote that comprises the title of this post was a semi-catchphrase that he seemed to use on the show every week) but he could use the necessary brawn when the situation called for it. Bennett Kilpack played kindly ol’ Keen throughout most of the program’s run, as well as Philip Clarke and Arthur Hughes, while Jim Kelly took the role of Clancy. The series originally aired as a thrice-weekly fifteen-minute serial from 1937-43 (the show moved to CBS in 1942), providing more than ample time for Keen to solve even the most baffling of disappearances. Beginning November 11, 1943, the program changed its format to that of a half-hour weekly offering.

THIS EPISODE: May 23, 1946. CBS network. "The Case Of The Glamorous Widow". Sponsored by: Anacin, Kolynos Toothpaste, Old English Wax. Which one of her four boyfriends did her in? Bennett Kilpack, Frank Hummert (originator, producer), Anne Hummert (originator, producer), Larry Elliott (announcer). 29:34.

Dark Fantasy - Death Is A Savage Diety (01-30-42)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:39:30 GMT

Death Is A Savage Diety (Aired January 30, 1942)
Dark Fantasy was an series dedicated to dealings with the unknown. Originating from radio station WKY, Oklahoma City, it was written by Scott Bishop (of Mysterious Traveler and The Sealed Book fame) and was heard Fridays over stations. Keith Paynton served as announcer. The shows covered horror, science fiction and murder mysteries. Although a short series, the shows are excellent with some stories way ahead of their time.

THIS EPISODE: January 30, 1942. Program #11. NBC network, WKY, Oklahoma City origination. "Death Is A Savage Diety". Sustaining. A tale of witchcraft and black magic, based on the novel by Scott Bishop. The system cue has been deleted. Scott Bishop (writer), Tom Paxton (announcer). 24:25.

The Clock - Only Death Is Timeless (05-11-47)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:16:43 GMT

Only Death Is Timeless (Aired May 11, 1947)
The Clock, Imported from Austrailia, was a dramatic thirty-minute suspense and mystery series. It was written by Lawrence Klee and was first broadcast in November 1946. The story always began the same; “Sunrise and sunset, promise and fulfilment, birth and death … the whole drama of life is written in the sands of time”. This is a great series where the main theme seems to be Retribution. Stories as told by Father Time. First Broadcast November 3rd 1946. Last Broadcast May 23rd 1948.

THIS EPISODE: May 11, 1947. Grace Gibson syndication. "Only Death Is Timeless". Commercials added locally. An Australian production of a script broadcast in America on May 11, 1947. The actual date of this program in Australia is unknown. A couple motors through the mountains with the mysterious Mrs. Crocker. Mrs. Crocker is "death." The date above is the date of first broadcast on ABC. Harp McGuire ("The Clock"), Lawrence Klee (writer), John Mullion, Joan Load, Anita Carr Glynn, Gordon Glenwright, John Saul (director), Grace Gibson (producer). 25:10.

The Raleigh Cigarette Red Skelton Show - Barbers (09-17-46)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:37:16 GMT

Barbers (Aired September 17, 1946)
After 1937 appearances on The Rudy Vallee Show, Skelton became a regular in 1939 on NBC’s Avalon Time, sponsored by Avalon Cigarettes. On October 7, 1941, Skelton premiered his own radio show, The Raleigh Cigarette Program, developing routines involving a number of recurring characters, including punch-drunk boxer Cauliflower McPugg, inebriated Willie Lump-Lump and "mean widdle kid" Junior, whose favorite phrase ("I dood it!") became part of the American lexicon. There was con man San Fernando Red with his pair of crosseyed seagulls, Gertrude and Heathcliffe, and singing cabdriver Clem Kadiddlehopper, a country bumpkin with a big heart and a slow wit. Clem had an unintentional knack for upstaging high society slickers, even if he couldn’t manipulate his cynical father: "When the stork brought you, Clem, I shoulda shot him on sight!" Skelton also helped sell WWII war bonds on the top-rated show, which featured Ozzie and Harriet Nelson in the supporting cast, plus the Ozzie Nelson Orchestra and announcer Truman Bradley. Harriet Nelson was the show’s vocalist. It was during this period that Red divorced his first wife Edna and married his second wife Georgia. Red and Georgia’s only child, son Richard, was born in 1945. Georgia continued in her role as Red’s manager until the 1960s.

THIS EPISODE: September 17, 1946. NBC network. Sponsored by: Raleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh Tobacco. The Skelton Scrapbook of Satire: Brothers. Volume 2, Chapter 3, "The Store Haircut," with Clem Kadiddlehopper. Chapter 5, "The Little Boy and The Barber," with "The Mean Widdle Kid." Red Skelton, Rod O’Connor, Anita Ellis, David Forrester and His Orchestra, GeGe Pearson, Pat McGeehan, Verna Felton, Wonderful Smith. 29:22.

Hercule Poirot Detective Extraudinare - Murder Is A Private Affair (11-23-45)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:23:18 GMT

Murder Is A Private Affair (Aired November 23, 1945)
Hercule Poirot is Agatha Christie’s greatest creation, many say. One of the most famous detectives in all fiction, he was created in 1916 (when Agatha Christie penned the first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles). The Belgian detective appeared in 33 novels and 65 short stories and is the only fictional character to be honored with a front page obituary of The New York Times. He doesn’t have any disorders to speak of, but demands order. He likes things in an orderly manner (ie, books arranged on a shelf according to height) and approves of symmetry everywhere (residence Whitehaven Mansions is picked because of its symmetry). He despises dust and unclean homes and favors the indoors (especially central heating in the winter). Poirot also values method--to him the greatest method or tool in solving crime is using the "gray cells" of the brain. He derides such methods as examing footprints, collecting cigarette ash, searching for clues with a magnifying glass, or taking fingerprints. He says any crime can be solved with simply placing the puzzle pieces correctly. He is an armchair detective-- he has to simply "sit still in an armchair and think". Of course, Poirot’s mustache is as famous as his "little gray cells". He has pride is his luscious, waxed black mustache and is always meticulously dressed down to his patent leather shoes.

The Martin & Lewis Show - Guest Burt Lancaster (08-09-49)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:08:26 GMT

Guest Burt Lancaster (Aired August 9, 1949)
On July 25, 1946, Jerry began a show business partnership with Dean Martin, an association that would soon skyrocket both to fame. It started when Jerry was performing at the 500 Club in Atlantic City and one of the other entertainers quit suddenly. Lewis, who had worked with Martin at the Glass Hat in New York City, suggested Dean as a replacement. At first they worked separately, but then ad-libbed together, improvising insults and jokes, squirting seltzer water, hurling bunches of celery and exuding general zaniness. In less than eighteen weeks their salaries soared from $250.00 a week to $5,000.00. For ten years Martin and Lewis sandwiched sixteen money making films between nightclub engagements, personal appearances, recording sessions, radio shows, and television bookings. Their last film together was "Hollywood or Bust" (1956). On July 25th of that year the two made their last nightclub appearance together at the Copacabana, exactly ten years to the day since they became a team.

THIS EPISODE: August 9, 1949. NBC network. Sustaining. Dean’s first tune is "Darktown Strutter’s Ball." The boys visit the circus and meet Guest Burt Lancaster under the big top, where he’s an acrobat. Jerry’s a lion tamer and a trapeze artist! Burt Lancaster, Dick Stabile and His Orchestra, Flo McMichaels, Robert L. Redd (producer, director), Dick McKnight (writer), Ray Allen (writer), Mort Lachman (writer), Ben Alexander (announcer), Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis. 29:39.

Vic & Sade - 2 Episodes (01-02-40) and (-01-09-40)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:20:43 GMT

No Painted Portrait (Aired January 2, 1940) and Sade Tells Gossip (Aired January 9, 1940)
This classic work of American humor was first broadcast on June 29, 1932, and by December, 1943 had a listening audience estimated to number over 7 million by Time magazine. No one knows for certain exactly how many scripts were written, but they had to number in excess of three thousand, and every single script was written by one man; Paul Rhymer. In contributing this vast body of work, Mr. Rhymer used sophisticated humor to chronical life for the working middle-class white family in the 30’s and 40’s in a style that can legitimately be compared with Mark Twain. Long before Bob Newhart, Shelly Berman, et al, Paul Rhymer demonstrated the art of humor through one-sided telephone conversations with characters we never hear, yet feel as if we know them.(It is my guess that Rhymer was one of the very first to use this technique, and none has done it better.) Not too surprisingly, there are still many hundreds...maybe thousands of Vic and Sade fans today. Some will admit to being old enough to remember listening to the series when it originally aired , but many others (like myself) discovered this diamond in the sea of cubic zirconium that was "Old Time Radio" long after the original series left the air on September 29, 1944.

The Whistler - Shadow Of A Mind (06-05-43)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:16:14 GMT

Shadow Of A Mind (Aired June 5, 1943)
The show first broadcast its fantastic thirty-minute crime mystery series in May 1942 and did not finish until September 1948. Although it ran for 6 years it was broadcast for only one year on a national network. The show opened to the sound of footsteps and an eerie whistle, which went on throughout the introductory music. The Whistler always began the show with the opening lines; I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak??

THIS EPISODE: June 5, 1943. CBS network. "Shadow Of A Mind". Sustaining. Why doesn’t the brain surgeon, experimenting with tissue transplants, want his daughter to get married? A brain transplant! Good mad scientist story. Wilbur Hatch (music), J. Donald Wilson (writer). 29:42.

Challenge of the Yukon - 2 Episodes (11-20-43) and (11-06-44)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:25:58 GMT

2 Episodes (11-20-43) and (11-06-44)
Challenge of the Yukon was a long-running radio series that began on Detroit’s station WXYZ (as had The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet). The series was first heard on February 3, 1938. Under the title Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, it later transferred to television. The program was an adventure series about Sergeant William Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police and his lead sled dog, Yukon King, as they fought evildoers in the Northern wilderness during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. Preston, according to radio historian Jim Harmon, first joined the Mounties to capture his father’s killer, and when he was successful he was promoted to Sergeant. Preston worked under the command of Inspector Conrad, and in the early years was often assisted by a French-Canadian guide named Pierre. Preston’s staunchest ally, who was arguably the true star of the show and indeed often did more work than he did, was the brave Alaskan husky, Yukon King.

TODAY’S SHOW: "Return To Crime" (11-20-43) AND "Revenge In The Yukon" (01-06-44)

November 18, 1943. Program #303. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "Return To The Crime". Sustaining. Will Conover is shot for his gold dust by Cass Fenton. King’s nose smells out the killer. Possible recording date: October 1, 1943. Not auditioned. Jay Michael, Bill Morgan (announcer), Betty Joyce (writer), Fran Striker (writer). 14:11.

January 6, 1944. Program #310. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "Revenge In The Yukon". Sustaining. At the Black Crow Cafe, Les Peterson meets Lucky Wally. The Doc would like to meet him too...to kill him! Possible recording date: December 28, 1943. Not auditioned. Jay Michael, Bob Hite (announcer), Betty Joyce (writer), Fran Striker (writer). 14:30.

The NBC University Theater - Nineteen Eighty Four (08-27-49)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:19:49 GMT

Nineteen Eighty Four (Aired August 27, 1949)
The NBC University Theater - dramatic anthology Offered novels, with programs for college credit. Broadcast History : July 30th, 1948 - February 14th, 1951 NBC. Mostly 60 minutes. Mostly aired on Sundays, with occasional weeknight airings. Announcer : Don Stanley Music : Albert Harris, Henry Russell Director : Andrew C. Love Writers : Claris A. Ross, Ernest Kinoy, George Lefferts, Jack C. Wilson Sound Effects : Bob Holmes, Rod Sutton.

THIS EPISODE: The NBC University Theater. August 27, 1949. NBC network. "Nineteen-Eighty-Four". Sustaining. Announced as the first radio production of the story. A romance in the age of "double think." Big Brother is watching us all! The system cue has been deleted. George Orwell (author), Milton Wayne (adaptor), David Niven, James Hilton (intermission commentator), Donald Morrison, Ben Wright, John Ramsay Hill, Don Stanley (announcer), Albert Harris (composer, conductor), Andrew C. Love (director), Ramsay Hill (narrator), Raymond Lawrence, George Pembroke, Tom Dillon, Queenie Leonard, Dan O’Herlihy, Alec Harford, Constance Cavendish, Eric Snowden. 59:19.

Adventures By Morse - City Of The Dead 01-29-44 (Episode 4)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:41:31 GMT

City Of The Dead 01-29-44 (Episode 4)
From January 16, 1939 to January 26, 1952, stories from the pen of Carlton E. Morse graced the airwaves. The main ones remembered are One Man’s Family, I Love A Mystery, and Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse related the escapades of Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two San Francisco private investigators. Friday was a no-nonsense type, raised in the California. Turner was quite a bit the lady’s man, complete with a laconic Southern accent. Their occasional work for U.S. Military Intelligence takes them around the globe. The series consisted of eight serials that ran from October 26, 1944 to October 18, 1945. The first serial, "City of the Dead", consisted of ten episodes. The second serial was done in three episodes. The remainder of the series alternated between ten and three 30-minute episodes. The adventures cover the world as well as the world of adventure. They take place on a South Pacific island, South America, Cambodia, and South Carolina plus other locations. They deal with murder, espionage, Nazi secret bases, kidnappers, voodoo and even snake worshippers. If you’re looking for adventure, you’ll find it here.

The Milton Berle Show - Income Taxes (03-09-48)

Bob Camardella — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:11:23 GMT

Income Taxes (Aired March 9, 1948)
Scripted by Hal Block and Martin Ragaway, The Milton Berle Show brought Berle together with Arnold Stang, later a familiar face as Berle’s TV sidekick. Others in the cast were Pert Kelton, Mary Schipp, Jack Albertson, Arthur Q. Bryan, Ed Begley, vocalist Dick Forney and announcer Frank Gallop. The Ray Bloch Orchestra provided the music for the series. Sponsored by Philip Morris, it aired on NBC from March 11, 1947, until April 13, 1948. His last radio series was The Texaco Star Theater, which began September 22, 1948 on ABC and continued until June 15, 1949, with Berle heading the cast of Stang, Kelton and Gallop, along with Charles Irving, Kay Armen and double-talk specialist Al Kelly. It employed top comedy writers (Nat Hiken, brothers Danny and Neil Simon, Aaron Ruben), and Berle later recalled this series as "the best radio show I ever did... a hell of a funny variety show." It served as a springboard for Berle’s rise as television’s first major star.

THIS EPISODE: March 9, 1948. NBC network. Sponsored by: Philip Morris. A salute to income taxes. Miltie figures out his income tax. Frank Gallop (announcer), Milton Berle, Ray Bloch and His Orchestra. 1/2 hour.

Mayor Of The Town - Enemy Agents (12-29-42)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:36:55 GMT

Enemy Agents (Aired December 29, 1942)
An NBC offering. Aired on Sundays from 7:00PM to 7:30PM, starring Lional Barrymore and Agnes Moorehead. The creator and writer was Jean Holloway, the announcer Harlow Wilcox, music by Gordon Jenkins and sponsored by Rinso detergent. The show was a perfect vehicle for Lionel Barrymore: rich with warmhearted humor, and good-natured grumbling, its "mayor" had a fierce bark but a mushy heart when confronted with the plight of an orphan or a stray dog. The mayor cared little about political advantage: he even found time, once a year, to turn the town of Springdale into a special theater, to give his traditional performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.

THE CAST: Lionel Barrymore as the mayor of the town of Springdale. Agnes Moorehead as Marilly, his housekeeper. Conrad Binyon as the mayor’s ward, Butch. Gloria McMillan as Sharlee Bronson, Butch’s best girl. Priscilla Lyon as Holly-Ann, the mayor’s granddaughter. Also: Will Wright, Sharon Douglas, Irvin Lee, Marjorie Davies, and other Hollywood actors. Producer: Murray Bolen; later Knowles Entrikin. Director: Jack Van Nostrand. Writers: Jean Holloway, Leonard St. Clair, Howard Blake, Erna Lazarus, etc.; Howard Breslin and Charles Tazewell wrote alternate weeks, ca. 1945. Orchestra:. Gordon Jenkins (ca. 1943); Bernard Katz (1945); Frank Worth. Sound Effects: David Light, Mary Ann Gideon.

The Aldrich Family - Henry’s Engagement (10-10-39)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:40:23 GMT

Henry’s Engagement (Aired October 10, 1939)
The Aldrich Family, a popular radio teenage situation comedy (1939-1953), is remembered first and foremost for its unforgettable introduction: awkward teen Henry’s mother calling, "Hen-reeeeeeeeeeeee! Hen-ree Al-drich!" A top-ten ratings hit within two years of its birth (in 1941, the showm carried a 33.4 Crossley rating, landing it solidly alongside Jack Benny and Bob Hope), the show is considered a prototype for teen-oriented situation comedies to follow on radio and television and is a favourite if dated find for old-time radio collectors today. The Aldrich Family as a separate radio show was born as a summer replacement for Jack Benny in NBC’s Sunday night lineup, July 2, 1939, and it stayed there until October 1, 1939, when it moved to Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., sponsored by General Foods’s popular gelatin dessert Jell-O---which also sponsored Jack Benny at the time. The Aldriches ran in that slot from October 10, 1939 until May 28, 1940, moving to Thursdays, from July 4, 1940 until July 20, 1944. After a brief hiatus, the show moved to CBS, running on Fridays from September 1, 1944 until August 30, 1946 with sponsors Grape Nuts and Jell-O,.before moving back to NBC from September 05, 1946 to June 28, 1951 on Thursdays and, then, its final run of September 21, 1952 to April 19, 1953 on Sundays.

THIS EPISODE: October 10, 1939 - Henry’s Engagement - NBC network. Sponsored by: Postum. Trying to get Doris Townsend jealous, Henry’s parents naturally conclude that Henry’s engaged. The date is approximate. The system cue has been deleted. Ezra Stone, Clifford Goldsmith (writer), Harry Von Zell (announcer), Jack Miller (composer, conductor). 29:21.

The Jack Benny Program - The Train Porter (03-28-37)

Bob Camardella — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:57:10 GMT

The Train Porter (Aired March 28, 1937)
The Jack Benny Program is a classic comedy that is truly one of the best-loved programs from the Golden Age of Radio. It started life as The Canada Dry Program in 1932 on the Blue Network and finished off as The Lucky Strike Program on CBS in 1955. In between, it kept the audience in stitches and established Benny as one of America’s all-time great comedians. The format of the show, and the personality of its star, so well honed in two decades on radio, made the transition to television almost intact. Jack’s stinginess, vanity about his supposed age of 39, basement vault where he kept all his money, ancient Maxwell automobile, and feigned ineptness at playing the violin were all part of the act. Added to Jack’s famous pregnant pause and exasperated "Well!" were a rather mincing walk, an affected hand to the cheek, and a painted look of disbelief when confronted by life’s little tragedies.

THIS EPISODE: The Jell-O Program Starring Jack Benny. March 28, 1937. Red net, KFI, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: Jell-O. Jack is taking a cross-country train trip back to Los Angeles. This is Rochester’s first appearance on the program (as a Pullman porter who first line is, "Yes, Mr. Bunny"). Kenny Baker sings, "Trust Me" (and hits a sour note!). Eddie Anderson, Andy Devine, Kenny Baker, Harry Baldwin, Pat C. Flick, Joe Franz (triples), John Gibson, Hilliard Marks, William Royale (doubles), Blanche Stewart, Jack Benny, Ed Beloin (writer), Bill Morrow (writer), Don Wilson, Phil Harris and His Orchestra, Verna Felton, Mary Livingstone. 30:02.

Ellery Queen Master Detective - Mr. Short & Mr. Long (01-14-43)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:19:01 GMT

Mr Short & Mr Long (Aired January 14, 1943)
On radio, The Adventures of Ellery Queen was heard on all three networks from 1939 to 1948. During the 1970s, syndicated radio fillers, Ellery Queen’s Minute Mysteries, began with an announcer saying, "This is Ellery Queen..." and contained a short one-minute case. The radio station encouraged callers to solve the mystery and win a sponsor’s prize. Once a winner was found, the solution was broadcast as confirmation. A complete episode guide and history of this radio program can be found in the book "The Sound of Detection: Ellery Queen’s Adventures in Radio" from OTR Publishing, 2002.

THIS EPISODE: January 14, 1943. NBC network. "Mr. Short and Mr. Long". Sponsored by: Bromo Seltze. Sydney Smith, Helen Lewis, Santos Ortega, Ted de Corsia, Charles Paul (organ), Edward Pawley ("Guest Armchair Detective," star of "Big Town"), S. Bigman ("Guest Armchair Detective," editor of "Time" magazine), Ernest Chappell (announcer), Frederic Dannay (writer), Manfred B. Lee (writer), Bruce Kamman (producer, director). 29:04.

Adventures By Morse - City Of The Dead 08-22-44 (Episode 3)

Bob Camardella — Sun, 31 May 2009 01:39:10 GMT

City Of The Dead 08-22-44 (Episode 3)
From January 16, 1939 to January 26, 1952, stories from the pen of Carlton E. Morse graced the airwaves. The main ones remembered are One Man’s Family, I Love A Mystery, and Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse related the escapades of Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two San Francisco private investigators. Friday was a no-nonsense type, raised in the California. Turner was quite a bit the lady’s man, complete with a laconic Southern accent. Their occasional work for U.S. Military Intelligence takes them around the globe. The series consisted of eight serials that ran from October 26, 1944 to October 18, 1945. The first serial, "City of the Dead", consisted of ten episodes. The second serial was done in three episodes. The remainder of the series alternated between ten and three 30-minute episodes. The adventures cover the world as well as the world of adventure. They take place on a South Pacific island, South America, Cambodia, and South Carolina plus other locations. They deal with murder, espionage, Nazi secret bases, kidnappers, voodoo and even snake worshippers. If you’re looking for adventure, you’ll find it here.

Starlight Mystery Theater (Matt Slade) - A Sweet Scent Of Mystery (1949)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 30 May 2009 23:13:13 GMT

Matt Slade, Private Investigator - A Sweet Scent Of Mystery (1949)
Another Detective show that aired on AFRS, apparently under the name of Starlight Mystery Theater in the 1949 time frame. Mat Slade was similar in many ways to other more notable sleuths of this era, "rough & tumble", always in the right place but at the wrong time, a lady’s man, educated and "All American". Certainly the show deserved more notoriety and popularity, the acting was supurb and the scripts well written, yet little more information is available and only a half a dozen shows seemed to have servived.

THIS EPISODE: Matthew Slade, Private Investigator. KPFA, Berkeley, California. "Sweet Scent Of Mystery". Sustaining. A mystery show by the KPFK players (Pacifica Radio). . 1/2 hour.

Whitehall 1212 - The Case Of Dr. Duncan Allen (03-09-52)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:44:58 GMT

The Case Of Dr. Duncan Allen (Aired March 9, 1952)
WHITEHALL 1 2, 1 2 Tweaked Jan. 12, 2006 This series was very similar to the Black Museum that was hosted by Orson Welles. Both the Black Museum and Whitehall 1212 drew their material from the files of Scotland Yard. The stories were true in every respect except that the names were changed to protect the innocent, as they say. The Whitehall 1212 series boasted that for the first time Scotland Yard opened its files and the producers promised to bring to the public authentic true stories of some of the most celebrated cases. Permission for these records came from Sir Harold Scott, Commissioner of the yard at that time. There is actually a Black Museum. This area is located on the lower ground floor of Scotland Yard and it does indeed contain articles that are closely associated with the solving of a crime. And "Whitehall 1212" was the actual emergency phone number for the yard at the time. The research for the shows was done by Percy Hoskins, chief crime reporter for the London Daily Express. For the benefit of American audiences, Wyllis Cooper of Quiet Please fame was hired as script writer. Interestingly enough both the Black Museum and Whitehall 1212 had all-British casts; both ran concurrently. Whereby Mutual Broadcasting System aired the Orson Welles version, NBC offered the Wyllis Cooper one.

THIS EPISODE: March 9, 1952. NBC network. Sustaining. A bottle of The Glenlivet in the Black Museum is the exhibit in a case of stolen uranium! Part of the final public service announcement and the system cue has been deleted. Percy Hoskins (researcher), Wyllis Cooper (writer, director). 29:18.

Cloak & Dagger - Recommendation From Rommell (08-06-50)

Bob Camardella — Sat, 30 May 2009 01:56:04 GMT

Recommendation From Rommell (Aired August 6, 1950)
"Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission for the United States, knowing in advance you may never return alive?" Cloak and Dagger first aired over the NBC network on May 7, 1950. It had a short run through the Summer on Sundays, changing to Fridays after its Summer run. The last show aired Oct. 22, 1950. This is the story of the WWII special governmental agency, the OSS, or Office of Strategic Services. Its mission was to develop and maintain spy networks throughout Europe and into Asia, while giving aid to underground partisan groups and developing espionage activities for Allied forces overseas.The show is based on the book of the same name by Lt. Col. Corey Ford and Major Alastair MacBain (who were associated with the OSS from its early days.) The dramas are not Hollywood-style, in that they sometimes end with plans foiled or leading characters dead.

THIS EPISODE: August 6, 1950. NBC network. "Recommendation From Rommel". Sustaining. 4:00 P. M. A spy for the O. S. S. in northern Italy has the misfortune to find himself in the train compartment of Field Marshal Rommel himself! Jan Miner, Boris Aplon, Jon Gart (music), Louis G. Cowan (director), Arnold Moss, Jerry Jarrett, Raymond Edward Johnson, Karl Weber, Winifred Wolfe (writer), Jack Gordon (writer), Alfred Hollander (director), Sherman Marks (director, supervisor), Ralph Bell, Berry Kroeger. 29:34.

The CBS Radio Workshop - Subways Are For Sleeping (08-03-56)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 29 May 2009 23:36:20 GMT

Subways Are For Sleeping (Aired August 3, 1956)
Broadcast from 1936 through to 1947 with just an occasional break. Revived again from January 1956 to September 1957 as CBS Radio Workshop with pretty much the same format. Broadcast from 1936 through to 1947 with just an occasional break. Revived again from January 1956 to September 1957 as CBS Radio Workshop with pretty much the same format. This was drama with a difference. Columbia Workshop was not everybody’s cup of tea and in terms of audience popularity it was always noted that it was never a strong contender for the title “Radios Top Rated Drama Series” and yet it was always considered to be the drama program that led the way in radio standards. Columbia was the first to mexperiment with what radio drama was all about, introducing new techniques never before used in over the airwaves drama and because it received little encouragement from established writers, actors, etc., it was only by breaking new ground with new ideas and new techniques from writers who were not versed in the old ways that it was going to survive. Unlike theater drama which required scenery to stage the settings of a play. Radio drama relied only on the imagination of the listener to interpret the scene. But without the right kind of writer the whole thing could fall flat on it’s face.

THIS EPISODE: August 3, 1956. CBS network. "Subways Are For Sleeping". Sustaining. A fine adaptation of the fascinating short story about a homeless man (but not a bum!) in New York. Edmund G. Love (author), William N. Robson (producer, director), Byron Kane, Fran Van Hartesfeldt (adaptor), William Caneely (narrator), Sarah Selby, Helene Burke, Edwin Bruce, Frank Gerstle, Court Falkenberg, Tony Barrett, Ted Bliss, Alan Reed, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor). 28:57.

Boxcars711 Overnight Westen "Gunsmoke" - Gentleman’s Disagreement (07-26-52)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:48:01 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Westen "Gunsmoke" - Gentleman’s Disagreement (Aired July 26, 1952)
Gunsmoke - The radio show first aired on April 26, 1952 and ran until June 18, 1961 on the CBS radio network. The series starred William Conrad as Marshal Matt Dillon, Howard McNear as Doc Charles Adams, Georgia Ellis as Kitty Russell, and Parley Baer as Deputy Chester Proudfoot. Doc’s first name and Chester’s last name were changed for the television program. Gunsmoke was notable for its critically acclaimed cast and writing, and is commonly regarded as one of the finest old time radio shows. Some listeners (such as old time radio expert John Dunning) have argued that the radio version of Gunsmoke was far more realistic than the television program. Episodes were aimed at adults, and featured some of the most explicit content of the day: there were violent crimes and scalpings, massacres and opium addicts. Miss Kitty’s occupation as a prostitute was made far more obvious on the radio version than on television. Many episodes ended on a down-note, and villains often got away with their crimes.

THIS EPISODE: Gunsmoke. July 26, 1952. CBS network. "Gentlemen’s Disagreement". Sustaining. Ed Beaudry comes to Dodge to kill Bert Wells. A showdown seems inevitable, but Beaudry is found dead! The script was used again on the program on September 20, 1959, and on the Gunsmoke television series on April 30, 1960. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Norman Macdonnell (director), Les Crutchfield (writer), Tom Tully, Lynn Allen, Barney Phillips, Roy Rowan (announcer), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Lawrence Dobkin. 30:28.

The New Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes - Unfortunate Tobacconist (04-30-45)

Bob Camardella — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:19:03 GMT

Unfortunate Tobacconist (Aired April 30, 1945)
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. He is the creation of Scottish born author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A brilliant London-based detective, Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess, and is renowned for his skillful use of deductive reasoning (somewhat mistakenly - see inductive reasoning) and astute observation to solve difficult cases. He is arguably the most famous fictional detective ever created, and is one of the best known and most universally recognisable literary characters in any genre. Conan Doyle wrote four novels and fifty-six short stories that featured Holmes. All but four stories were narrated by Holmes’ friend and biographer, Dr. John H. Watson, two having been narrated by Holmes himself, and two others written in the third person. The first two stories, short novels, appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual for 1887 and Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine in 1890. The character grew tremendously in popularity with the beginning of the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine in 1891; further series of short stories and two serialized novels appeared almost right up to Conan Doyle’s death in 1930. The stories cover a period from around 1878 up to 1903, with a final case in 1914.

THIS EPISODE: April 30, 1945. Mutual network. "The Unfortunate Tobacconist". Sponsored by: Petri Wines. Three murders in an East End cigar store have an elementary solution. One commercial and the preview of the following week’s program have been deleted. Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Bill Forman (announcer), Denis Green (writer), Anthony Boucher (writer), Glenhall Taylor (producer), Arthur Conan Doyle (creator). 26 1/2 minutes.

Adventures By Morse - City Of The Dead 08-15-44 (Episode 2)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:30:37 GMT

City Of The Dead 08-15-44 (Episode 2)
From January 16, 1939 to January 26, 1952, stories from the pen of Carlton E. Morse graced the airwaves. The main ones remembered are One Man’s Family, I Love A Mystery, and Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse related the escapades of Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two San Francisco private investigators. Friday was a no-nonsense type, raised in the California. Turner was quite a bit the lady’s man, complete with a laconic Southern accent. Their occasional work for U.S. Military Intelligence takes them around the globe. The series consisted of eight serials that ran from October 26, 1944 to October 18, 1945. The first serial, "City of the Dead", consisted of ten episodes. The second serial was done in three episodes. The remainder of the series alternated between ten and three 30-minute episodes. The adventures cover the world as well as the world of adventure. They take place on a South Pacific island, South America, Cambodia, and South Carolina plus other locations. They deal with murder, espionage, Nazi secret bases, kidnappers, voodoo and even snake worshippers. If you’re looking for adventure, you’ll find it here.

Boxcars711 Overnight Westen "The Six Shooter" - Crises At Easter Creek (4-15-54)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:39:34 GMT

Boxcars711 Overnight Westen "The Six Shooter" - Crises At Easter Creek (Aired April 15, 1954)
The Six Shooter brought James Stewart to the NBC microphone on September 20, 1953, in a fine series of folksy Western adventures. Stewart was never better on the air than in this drama of Britt Ponset, frontier drifter created by Frank Burt. The epigraph set it up nicely: "The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged: his skin is sun dyed brown. The gun in his holster is gray steel and rainbow mother-of-pearl. People call them both The Six Shooter." Ponset was a wanderer, an easy-going gentleman and -- when he had to be -- a gunfighter. Stewart was right in character as the slow-talking maverick who usually blundered into other people’s troubles and sometimes shot his way out. His experiences were broad, but The Six Shooter leaned more to comedy than other shows of its kind. Ponset took time out to play Hamlet with a crude road company. He ran for mayor and sheriff of the same town at the same time. He became involved in a delighful Western version of Cinderella, complete with grouchy stepmother, ugly sisters, and a shoe that didn’t fit. And at Christmas he told a young runaway the story of A Christmas Carol, Substituting the original Dickens characters with Western heavies. Britt even had time to fall in love, but it was the age-old story of people from different worlds, and the romance was foredoomed despite their valiant efforts to save it. So we got a cowboy-into-the-sunset ending for this series, truly one of the bright spots of radio. Unfortunately, it came too late, and lasted only one season. It was a transcribed show, sustained by NBC and directed by Jack Johnstone. Basil Adlam provided the music and Frank Burt wrote the scripts. Hal Gibney announced. Information from John Dunning’s "Tune In Yesterday The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio".

Box 13 - Much Too Lucky (05-01-49)

Bob Camardella — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:43:35 GMT

Much Too Lucky (Aired May 1, 1949)
Box 13 was a syndicated radio series about the escapades of mystery novelist Dan Holiday (Alan Ladd), a former newsman. Created by Mayfair Productions, the series premiered August 22, 1948, on New York’s WOR and aired in syndication on the East Coast from August 22, 1948, to August 14. 1949. On the West Coast, Box 13 was heard from March 15, 1948 to March 7, 1949. To seek out new ideas for his fiction, Holiday ran a classified ad in the Star-Times newspaper. "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything -- Box 13." The stories followed Holiday’s adventures when he responded to the letters sent to him by such people as a psycho killer and various victims. THIS EPISODE: May 1, 1949. Program #37. Mayfair syndication. "Much Too Lucky". Commercials added locally. How to find out the winner of a horse race before it starts. Alan Ladd, Richard Sanville (director), Robert Light (writer), Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor), Sylvia Picker, Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 26:45.

Adventures By Morse - City Of The Dead 08-01-44 (Episode 1)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:25:05 GMT

City Of The Dead 08-01-44 (Episode 1)
From January 16, 1939 to January 26, 1952, stories from the pen of Carlton E. Morse graced the airwaves. The main ones remembered are One Man’s Family, I Love A Mystery, and Adventures by Morse. Adventures by Morse related the escapades of Captain Bart Friday and Skip Turner, two San Francisco private investigators. Friday was a no-nonsense type, raised in the California. Turner was quite a bit the lady’s man, complete with a laconic Southern accent. Their occasional work for U.S. Military Intelligence takes them around the globe. The series consisted of eight serials that ran from October 26, 1944 to October 18, 1945. The first serial, "City of the Dead", consisted of ten episodes. The second serial was done in three episodes. The remainder of the series alternated between ten and three 30-minute episodes. The adventures cover the world as well as the world of adventure. They take place on a South Pacific island, South America, Cambodia, and South Carolina plus other locations. They deal with murder, espionage, Nazi secret bases, kidnappers, voodoo and even snake worshippers. If you’re looking for adventure, you’ll find it here.

THIS EPISODE: August 1, 1944 - City of the dead - Episode 1 "The Adventure Begins"

The Life Of Riley - A Statue For The Piano (09-27-47)

Bob Camardella — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:03:02 GMT

A Statue For The Piano (Aired September 27, 1947)
The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, was a popular radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film and continued as a long-running television series during the 1950s. The show began as a proposed Groucho Marx radio series, The Flotsam Family, but the sponsor balked at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for the comedian. Then producer Irving Brecher saw Bendix as taxicab company owner Tim McGuerin in the movie The McGuerins from Brooklyn (1942). The Flotsam Family was reworked with Bendix cast as blundering Chester A. Riley, riveter at a California aircraft plant, and his frequent exclamation of indignation---"What a revoltin’ development this is!"---became one of the most famous catch phrases of the 1940s. The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby "Digger" O’Dell (John Brown), "the friendly undertaker."Beginning October 4, 1949, the show was adapted for television for the DuMont Television Network, but Bendix’s film contracts prevented him from appearing in the role. Instead, Jackie Gleason starred along with Rosemary DeCamp as wife Peg, Gloria Winters as daughter Barbara (Babs), Lanny Rees as son Chester Jr. (Junior), and Sid Tomack as Gillis, Riley’s manipulative best buddy and next-door neighbor. John Brown returned as the morbid counseling undertaker Digby (Digger) O’Dell ("Well, I guess I’ll be... shoveling off"; "Business is a little dead tonight"). Television’s first Life of Riley won television’s first Emmy (for "Best Film Made For and Shown on Television"). However, it came to an end on March 28, 1950 because of low ratings and because Gleason left the show, thinking he could find a better showcase for his unique abilities. Groucho Marx received a credit for "story."

THIS EPISODE: September 27, 1947. NBC network. Sponsored by: Prell, Ivory Snow. Riley buys a statue of Venus de Milo, with a clock and a radio in her stomach, lights in her hair, and a cigar lighter in her nose. She’s just beautiful! The date above may not be accurate. William Bendix, Ken Carpenter (announcer), Alan Reed, John Brown, Barbara Eiler, Tommy Cook. 29:23.