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)

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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"

Murder Of Loyal B. Martin (Aired February 3, 1950)


Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama about a freelance insurance investigator "with the action-packed expense account." The show aired on CBS Radio from February 11, 1949 to September 30, 1962. There were 811 episodes in the 12-year run, and over 720 still exist today. As originally conceived, Johnny Dollar was a smart, tough, wisecracking detective who tossed silver-dollar tips to waiters and bellhops. Dick Powell starred in the audition show, recorded in 1948, but withdrew from the role in favor of other projects. The role went instead to Charles Russell. With the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar -- radio actor Russell and movie tough-guy actors Edmond O'Brien and John Lund -- there was little to distinguish Johnny Dollar from other detective series at the time (Richard Diamond, Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade). While always a friend of the police, Johnny wasn't necessarily a stickler for the strictest interpretation of the law. He was willing to let some things slide to satisfy his own sense of justice, as long as the interests of his employer were protected. After a year-long break (August 1954 to August 1955), the show changed from a 30-minute, one-episode-per-week affair to a 15-minute, five-nights-a-week serial that introduced the most successful Johnny Dollar: Bob Bailey, who had just come off another network detective series, Let George Do It. With a new lead and 75 minutes of air time (minus commercials), it became possible to develop more complex story lines with interesting characters. Bob Bailey was exceptionally good in this format, making Johnny more sensitive and thoughtful in addition to his other attributes. It is agreed by many that this single season of five-part stories constitute some of the greatest drama in vintage radio. The serial scripts were usually written by radio veterans Jack Johnstone or Les Crutchfield, and always produced and directed by Johnstone.

THIS EPISODE:

February 3, 1950. CBS network. "The Murder Of Loyal B. Martin". Sustaining. A murdered man has been killed by a gun fired from a long distance, but the powder burns show that the gun was fired from close up! The first show of the series starring Edmond O'Brien. Edmond O'Brien, Irene Tedrow, Ted de Corsia, John Dehner, Walter Burke, Jeanne Bates, Ed Begley. 29:29.

3 Episodes - "Black Pearl Of Osirus" (02-08-38) "Pat Goes Overboard" (02-09-38) and "Mystery In The Hotel" (02-10-38)


Dick Tracy had a long run on radio, from 1934 weekdays on NBC's New England stations to the ABC network in 1948. Bob Burlen was the first radio Tracy in 1934, and others heard in the role during the 1930s and 1940s were Barry Thompson, Ned Wever and Matt Crowley. The early shows all had 15-minute episodes. On CBS, with Sterling Products as sponsor, the serial aired four times a week from February 4, 1935 to July 11, 1935, moving to Mutual from September 30, 1935 to March 24, 1937 with Bill McClintock doing the sound effects. NBC's weekday afternoon run from January 3, 1938 to April 28, 1939 had sound effects by Keene Crockett and was sponsored by Quaker Oats, which brought Dick Tracy into primetime (Saturdays at 7pm and, briefly, Mondays at 8pm) with 30-minute episodes from April 29, 1939 to September 30, 1939. The series returned to 15-minute episodes on the ABC Blue Network from March 15, 1943 to July 16, 1948, sponsored by Tootsie Rolls, which used the music theme of "Toot Toot, Tootsie" for its 30-minute Saturday ABC series from October 6, 1945 to June 1, 1946. Sound effects on ABC were supplied by Walt McDonough and Al Finelli. Directors of the series included Mitchell Grayson, Charles Powers and Bob White. Cast members at various times included Walter Kinsella as Pat Patton, Helen Lewis as Tess Trueheart and Andy Donnelly and Jackie Kelk as Junior Tracy. Announcers were Ed Herlihy and Dan Seymour.

TODAY'S SHOW: "Black Pearl Of Osirus" (02-08-38) "Pat Goes Overboard" (02-09-38) and "Mystery In The Hotel" (02-10-38)

February 8, 1938. Program #27. NBC network. Sponsored by: Quaker cereals. The reappearance of "The Man With The Yellow Face." A message from an invisible hand. "The Black Pearl Of Osiris" must shine again! At the nineteenth meeting of "The Dick Tracy Secret Service Patrol," a secret code message is delivered. 14:23.

February 9, 1938. Program #28. NBC network. Sponsored by: Quaker cereals. The man with the yellow face strikes again, and Pat goes overboard! The twentieth meeting of "The Dick Tracy Secret Service Patrol." A secret code message is given. 14:27.

February 10, 1938. Program #29. NBC network. Sponsored by: Quaker cereals. What is the secret of the man with the yellow face? Tracy tries a bluff! The twenty-first meeting of the "Dick Tracy Secret Service Patrol" is held with a secret code message. 14:32.

The Fantasy Game ( Episodes 5-6 and 7 of 7 Total) 1972


Steed came to represent the traditional Englishman of an earlier era. By contrast, his female counterparts (Gale, Peel, King) were youthful, forward-looking, and always dressed in the latest mod fashions. Gale's innovative leather outfits originally came about for practical reasons due to the many athletic fight scenes. Blackman became a star in Britain with her black leather fighting suit and high-heeled boots (nicknamed "kinky boots") and her high-kicking fighting style. After two series in this format, a film version of the show was in its initial planning stages by late 1963. The early story proposal would have paired Steed and Gale with a male/female duo of American agents, to make the movie appeal to the American market. Before the project could gain momentum, Blackman was cast opposite Sean Connery in the Bond film, Goldfinger, requiring her to leave the series. Steed was obviously a military man and in Death of a Batman, it was revealed that he was with I Corps in WWII and in Munich in 1945. In the episode The Nutshell, we get a look at the secret organisation that Steed belongs to, and it is Gale's first visit to their HQ. In the 4th season episode "The Hour That Never Was", Steed goes to a reunion of his RAF regiment. In reality, Patrick Macnee served in WWII as a naval lieutenant and came away with such a distaste for firearms that he insisted Steed never use a gun starting with the "66 -"67 season.

The Room (1968)


Let us journey “into the land that lies beyond midnight,” into a world of ghost hunters, men going mad, and DEATH DEATH DEATH! Written by the masterful Michael McCabe, these well-done radio shows will capture your attention and keep you up listening to them well beyond midnight. A replacement series for SF 68, this South African horror anthology was far more successful than its predecessor, running from 1968 through 1969. Its success may have been due in part to producer Michael McCabe - who also produced SF 68 - honing his talents to a higher degree. Little else is known about it, including the number of shows produced. As far as I can discover, there were at least 43 episodes, all in half-hour format.

THIS EPISODE:

The Room (1968) - A man is paid to stay overnight in a room that is expected to be haunted, a room that may have taken the lives of those who had stayed previously.

Abandoned Baby (Aired May 3, 1950)


Dr. James Kildare was a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show. The character was invented by the author Frederick Schiller Faust (aka Max Brand). The character began in the film series as a medical intern; after becoming a doctor he was mentored by an older physician, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. After the first ten films, the series eliminated the character of Kildare and focused instead on Gillespie. In the summer of 1949, MGM reunited Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore to record the radio series, The Story of Dr. Kildare, scripted by Les Crutchfield, Jean Holloway and others. After broadcasts on WMGM New York from February 1, 1950 to August 3, 1951, the series was syndicated to other stations during the 1950s. The supporting cast included Ted Osborne as hospital administrator Dr. Carough, Jane Webb as nurse Mary Lamont and Virginia Gregg as Nurse Parker, labeled "Nosy Parker" by Gillespie, with appearances by William Conrad, Stacy Harris, Jay Novello, Isabel Jewell and Jack Webb.

THIS EPISODE:
May 3, 1950. Program #14. MGM syndication. Commercials added locally. A baby has been abandoned in one of Blair Hospital's ambulances. Jack Webb portrays a cynical police lieutenant. Well written. Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Jack Webb, Les Crutchfield (writer), Virginia Gregg, Dick Joy (announcer), William P. Rousseau (director), Walter Schumann (composer, conductor), Edwin Max, Lillian Buyeff, Jerry Hausner. 27:50.

On Borrowed Time (Aired June 15, 1952)


Best Plays presents theatrical paramounts of excellence. It's hosted by the drama critic of New York’s Daily News, John Chapman. Dramatic and comedic performances outshine other theater radio shows, greatly performed by such greats as Boris Karloff and Alfred Drake. In This Episode, On Borrowed Time a 1939 film about the role death plays in life, and how we cannot live without it. It is adapted from Paul Osborn's 1938 Broadway play, which was a smash hit. The play, based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin, has been revived twice on Broadway since its original run. Set in a more innocent time in small-town America, the film stars Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi and Cedric Hardwicke. Lionel Barrymore plays Julian Northrup, a wheelchair-bound man (Barrymore had broken his hip twice previously and was now using a wheelchair, though he continued to act), who with his wife Nellie, played by Beulah Bondi, are raising their orphaned grandson, Pud. Another central character is Gramps's beloved old apple tree - by making a wish, Gramps has made the tree able to hold anyone who climbs.

THIS EPISODE:

June 15, 1952. NBC network. "On Borrowed Time". Sustaining. A delightful story about an old man who gets the Devil up a tree...literally! Parker Fennelly, Mildred Natwick, David Anderson, Peter Capell, William Griffis, Agnes Young, Teri Keane, Luis Van Rooten, Karl Weber, John Chapman (host), Edward King (director), Fred Collins (announcer), Paul Osborn (author), George Lefferts (adaptor). 59:15.

The Fantasy Game (4 Episodes of 7 Total) 1972


The Avengers was a British television series featuring secret agents in 1960s Britain. The programes were made by TV company Associated British Corporation, and created by its Head of Drama Sydney Newman. It was an early example of the spy-fi genre, combining secret agent story-lines with science fiction elements. Running from 1961 to 1969, it is the longest running espionage series produced for English-language television, though the American series Mission: Impossible had more episodes. The Avengers was a successor (but not, as sometimes stated, a direct sequel) to Hendry's earlier series Police Surgeon, in which he played Police Surgeon Geoffrey Brent. While Police Surgeon did not last long, viewer letters had praised Hendry's work in it. Hendry was considered the star of the new series, receiving top billing over Macnee, and Steed did not even appear in two of the episodes. Because of the practice in the British television industry (followed until the 1970s) of junking and deleting episodes of old programes deemed no longer of commercial value, most episodes of the first series are considered lost, save for two complete episodes recently located and the first 15 minutes or so of the premiere episode. In the first series broadcast in 1961, Steed began as a secondary character, the protagonist being Keel; as the series progressed, Steed began to be established as a co-star, carrying the final episode solo. While the two stars used wry wit while discussing the crimes and dangers, the series benefited from the interplay — and, often, the tension — between Keel's idealism and Steed's hard professionalism. As seen in the surviving episode The Frighteners, Steed also had a group of helpers scattered among the general population who provided information, not unlike the "Baker Street Irregulars" of Sherlock Holmes.

Pride Of The Marines (Aired June 15, 1946)


The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear! Some films are less well known, such as Guest in the House, with Kirk Douglas and Anita Louise, It Happened Tomorrow, with Eddie Bracken and Ann Blythe playing Dick Powell and Linda Darnell's roles, and Cheers for Miss Bishop with Olivia de Havilland. Each adaptation is finely produced and directed by Dee Engelbach, with music composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. Frank Wilson wrote the movie adaptations.

THIS EPISODE:

June 15, 1946. CBS network. "Pride Of The Marines". Sponsored by: Squibb. A marine blinded in the war finally returns to the girl he left behind. John Garfield, Rosemary De Camp, Frank Wilson (adaptor), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Dee Englebach (producer, director), Hugh Brundage (announcer). 29:43.

Case Of The Empty Tin (Aired March 8, 1958)


Perry Mason aired from 1943 to 1955. Although it is ostensibly a crime drama, Perry Mason sounds and feels like a soap opera. With 15-minute shows every weekday for years on end, the famous defense lawyer handled a myriad of cases, each one blending into the next. The shows presented here give the flavor of this serial, with Perry pulling every sort of trick to prove his client innocent. Hardly the staid courtroom drama of the popular TV show, the Perry Mason of radio was a much wilder affair. Have a listen and judge for yourself. When someone mentions the name "Perry Mason" the first image that runs through their mind is of a lawyer who unmasks murderers and crooks in the courtroom. Even though the television Perry Mason is the one everyone remembers, the original Perry Mason, whose derivation came from radio, is a lot different. The Perry Mason of radio would rather swap gunshots with evildoers than sit in a boring courtroom, waiting for the deliberation! Geared more towards action than courtroom drama, Perry Mason ran 12 seasons and later led to the development of the now-popular Raymond Burr television show, which started in the late 1950's.

THIS EPISODE:

03-08-58 - The Case of the Empty Tin Perry Mason by Erle Stanley Gardner. A tin can, secretly placed among the rows of Mrs. Florence Gentrie's preserves, contains not a speck of food, but it does carry one clue to a murder that took place right next door.

Correction (Aired January 10, 1949)


Radio City Playhouse - A Half-hour drama, sometimes comedy, often very exciting and suspenseful. The cast were made up of New York veterans of radio and stage, including Jan Minor and John Larkin as featured performers. The director, Harry W. Junkin, also served as the show's host and narrator. Each week the show introduced a new story, often written by well-known writers of fantasy and suspense such as Ray Bradbury, Cornell Woolrich, Agatha Christie and Paul Gallico. They were dramatized with a full orchestral soundtrack and excellent sound effects.

The Bigger They Are (Aired December 12, 1957)


The series revolved around the lives of a mountain family who originally hailed from the fictional community of Smoky Corners, 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, "they forgot all about me!" When they arrived on the new ranch, that had been in the family (it was originally owned by an uncle, Ben McCoy, who had died); they also gained an Hispanic ranch hand named Pepino (Tony Martinez) who worked with them, and eventually became part of the family. The McMichaels, a brother and sister family lived on the hill not far from the McCoys, and Amos and George would sometimes spat. Kate was friendly with Flora McMichael, George's sister; and she got involved with a lot of the life in the community. She also served as a mother figure for Luke's younger siblings, Hassie and Little Luke.

The Perada Treasure Ep.36 (12-05-39) Ep.37 (12-06-39)


Captain Midnight was a U.S. radio serial broadcast from 1938 to 1949. Created by radio scripters Wilfred G. Moore and Robert M. Burtt, the program was developed at WGN in Chicago. Sponsored by the Skelly Oil Company, it began as a syndicated show in the fall of 1938, airing on a few midwest stations through the spring of 1940. In the fall of 1940, Ovaltine took over sponsorship, and the series was then heard nationally on the Mutual Radio Network where it remained until December, 1949. The title character, Charles James Albright, was a World War I pilot. His Captain Midnight code name was given by a general who sent him on a high-risk mission. When the show began in 1938, Albright was a private aviator who helped people, but his situation changed in 1940. When the show was taken over by Ovaltine, the origin story explained how Albright was recruited to head the Secret Squadron, an aviation-oriented paramilitary organization fighting sabotage and espionage during the period prior to the United States' entry into World War II. The Secret Squadron acted both within and outside the United States.

TODAY'S SHOW:

The Perada Treasure (Episode36) 12-05-39 - Syndicated. Sponsored by: Skelgas Natural Gas and Kitchen Ranges (Dinnerware premium). Captain Midnight and Senor Pareda land quietly and find out about Ivan Shark's planned cattle drive. Whose plane approaches? . 15 minutes.

The Perada Treasure (Episode 37) 12-06-39. Syndicated. Sponsored by: Skelgas Natural Gas and Kitchen Ranges (Dinnerware premium). A confrontation with Von Grippe in the dark, and some missing friends. Where are Pinky and Slim? . 15 minutes.

Nature Study (Aired November 5, 1971)


Wyllis Cooper, who created, wrote, and produced Lights Out, was then a 36-year-old staffer in Chicago's NBC Studios. Cooper created his horror "by raiding the larder." For the purposed of Lights Out sound effects, people were what they ate. The sound of a butcher knife rending a piece of uncooked pork was, when accompanied by shrieks and screams, the essence of murder to a listener alone at midnight. Real bones were broken - spareribs snapped with a pipe wrench. Bacon in a frypan gave a vivid impression of a body just electrocuted. And the cannibalism effect was actually a zealous actor. Gurgling and smacking his lips as he slurped up a bowl of spaghetti. Cabbages sounded like human heads when chopped open with a cleaver, and carrots had the pleasant resonance of fingers being lopped off. Arch Oboler's celebrated tale of a man turned inside-out by a demonic fog was accomplished by soaking a rubber glove in water and stripping it off at the microphone while a berry basket was curshed at the same instant. The listener saw none of this. Cooper left the show in 1936 and Oboler was given the job. Oboler's shows are well represented -- this series of Lights Out was syndicated in The Devil and Mr. O offerings of 1970 - 73. A transcribed syndication of original broadcasts from 1942 - 43 with Arch Oboler as the host.

The Texas Rangers (Aired June 13, 1954)


"INHERITANCE" A Dramatized look into American History. NBC Networ in cooperation with the AMERICAN LEGION Sundays 4:30 - 5:00 pm PRUDUCER/DIRECTOR: Albert McCleary ANNOUNCER: John Wald MUSIC: Robert Armbruster.

THIS EPISODE:

June 13, 1954. Program #10. NBC network. "The Texas Rangers". Sustaining. Not auditioned. 4:30 P. M. The program is produced in co-operation with The American Legion. After the drama, the past National Vice Commander of The American Legion, Ohio, Milo Warner. Albert McCleary (producer, director), John Wald (announcer), Robert Armbruster (composer, conductor), Lyle Talbot, Charles Smith, Howard Culver, Vivi Janis, Clarence Strait, Robert Easton, Jack Carrol, Leroy Leonard, Tony Barrett, Milo Warner, Ted Weir (writer). 29:57.

First Show (Aired January 28, 1940)


Beat the Band---with Garry Moore hosting, Ted Weems (featuring a vocalist named Perry Como) leading the band, Marvel Maxwell also singing, longtime Easy Aces announcer Ford Bond in the same slot here, and General Mills sponsoring the show for its new corn cereal Kix---premieres on NBC, based in Chicago. A precedent to the later, somewhat landscape-changing hit Stop the Music, Beat the Band listeners will receive ten dollars if their question is used on the air, and the answer is always the title of a song. If they can beat the band they land twenty dollars and a case of Kix, with the musicians who miss the answer having to “feed the kitty”---tossing half dollars onto the bass drum, with the musician scoring the most points answering the listeners’ questions getting to take the money home. Folks, listen for the boom of the ol’ bass drum---that means the question beat the band.---Country Washburn, bassist with the Weems orchestra. Beat the Band's first incarnation will expire in 1941, but the show will be reborn in 1943, out of New York, with "The Incomparable Hildegarde" (Walter Winchell hung that tag upon the famed cabaret/supper club singer) as hostess, Harry Sosnik joining Ted Weems in handling the music, Marilyn Thorne joining Marvel Maxwell in the singing, and a slight change in the rules, tied to the new sponsor, Raleigh cigarettes. Listeners sent in musical questions and it was up to the band to identify songs from a few clues. Prizes of twenty-five dollars and a carton of the sponsor’s cigarettes . . . went to contestants whose questions did not beat the band. If the question did beat the band, the contestant received fifty dollars and two cartons of cigarettes, and the boys in the band had to throw a pack of cigarettes "on the old bass drum for the men in service overseas."

My Adventure In Norfork (1957)


ABC Mystery Time was hosted by Don Dowd and starred Sir Laurence Olivier. Great special effects will grab your attention, accented by creepy organ rips. Stories are offered such as death gathered round a card table at a local chapter of The Suicide Club, or a man who desperately tries to hire a 24 hour bodyguard all the while trying to make himself the victim of a murder, and other baffling peculiar tales of yore. Also known as Mystery Time and Mystery Time Classics, this one is sure to excite and mystify.

THIS EPISODE:

1957. ABC network. "My Adventure In Norfolk". The program is also known as, "Mystery Time," "Mystery Time Classics" and "Masters Of Mystery." The date is approximate. Ralph Richardson, A. J. Allen (writer), Don Dowd (host). 22:47.

Queen In Danger (Parts Four and Five of Five) 1973


In 1969, NBC aired a Serling-penned pilot for a new series, Night Gallery. Set in a dimly lit museum, the pilot film featured Serling (as on-camera host) introducing three tales of the macabre, unveiling canvases that would appear in the subsequent story segments (its brief first season rotated as one spoke of a four-series programming wheel titled Four in One), focused more on gothic horror and the occult than did The Twilight Zone. Serling, no longer wanting the burden of an executive position, sidestepped an offer to retain creative control of content—a decision he would come to regret. Although discontented with some of producer Jack Laird's script and creative choices, Serling maintained a stream of creative submissions and ultimately wrote over a third of the series' scripts.

Queen In Danger (Parts One Two Three of Five) 1973


This 5-part series was syndicated by Mutual and the programs were allowed to be aired when convenient. Therefore, broadcast dates vary around the country Broadcast dates start on the premier date and continue until completion without break. The single-part show broadcast dates were more tightly defined by Mutual. Rod Serling is known to most people as the TV host (and some times writer) for The Twilight Zone. A decade later, he returned to TV to host the spooky Night Gallery series. The series was sold to the networks on Serling's name and reputation, but in reality, he had signed away creative control. A few of his scripts were produced, but others were rejected for being "too thoughtful." (We can't have any of that on television, can we?) He was banned from the casting sessions and had no real say on the show. Despite the shabby treatment by hot shot execs, Serling grit his teeth and did his duty. He continued to lead TV viewers through a darkened museum every week, looking at paintings with even darker themes. (It was very similar to the role Orson Welles served two decades earlier as the host to The Black Museum.) When Night Gallery was canceled in 1972, Serling was probably happy to retire from TV and move to upstate New York. He taught at Ithaca College, not far from where he grew up.

Luigi Needs Driver's License (Aired February 27, 1949)


Life with Luigi was a radio comedy-drama series which began September 21, 1948 on CBS. The story concerned Italian immigrant Luigi Basco, and his experiences as an immigrant in Chicago. Many of the shows take place at the US citizenship classes that Luigi attends with other immigrants from different countries, as well as trying to fend off the repeated advances of the morbidly-obese daughter of his landlord/sponsor. Luigi was played by J. Carrol Naish, an Irish-American. Naish continued in the role on the short-lived television version in 1952, and was later replaced by Vito Scotti. With a working title of The Little Immigrant, Life with Luigi was created by Cy Howard, who earlier had created the hit radio comedy, My Friend Irma. The show was often seen as the Italian counterpart to the radio show The Goldbergs, which chronicled the experience of Jewish immigrants in New York.

THIS EPISODE:

February 27, 1949 - CBS network. Sustaining. Not auditioned. Luigi wants a driver's license. J. Carrol Naish, Alan Reed, Cy Howard (creator, producer), Mac Benoff (writer, director), Lou Derman (writer), Hans Conried, Mary Shipp, Joe Forte, Ken Peters, Jody Gilbert, Lyn Murray (music director). 29:14.

"The Chaplains Dog" (Aired November 26, 1949) and "Mule Train" (Aired December 17, 1949)


Lassie is a fictional collie dog character and a stage name for several dog actors. The fictional character was created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a talented dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six other MGM feature films through 1951. Pal's owner and trainer Rudd Weatherwax then acquired the Lassie name and trademark from MGM and appeared with Pal (as "Lassie") at rodeos, fairs, and similar events across America in the early 1950s. In 1954, the long running, Emmy winning television series Lassie debuted, and, over the next 19 years, a succession of Pal's descendants appeared on the series. The "Lassie" character has appeared in radio, telelvision, film, toys, comic books, animated series, juvenile novels, and other media. Pal's descendants continue to play Lassie today.

Turnabout (Aired May 20, 1946)


Have you ever wondered what it might be like inside the mind of a criminal? The stories of Dark Venture try to imagine. In this thrilling drama series, you will be drawn in to the murky calculations behind sinister acts. How much money would make stealing worthwhile? If your business partner caught you stealing $50,000 from your company, would he turn you in to the authorities? Would you let yourself be blackmailed? Or, would you let yourself commit another, more serious crime? On the verge of breaking the law, or taking a life, all risks and dangers must be considered.

THIS EPISODE:

May 20, 1946. ABC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Turnabout". When a man is caught by his partner after stealing $50,000 from the company, murder seems the only way out. Howard Duff is heard in three different minor roles. AFRS program name: "Mystery Playhouse." The system cue has been deleted. The date is approximate. Howard Duff, Elliott Lewis. 24:30.

Time Heals (1958)


This program started 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:

1958. Mutual network. "Time Heals". Sponsored by: L & M, Kraft foods, Cape Coral. A man with an incurable disease is sent into the future, where the problem has surely been solved. The date is approximate. Sam Grane (?), Sanford Marshall (director and producer), Lawson Zerbe, Bill Mahr (announcer), Poul Anderson (writer), John Campbell Jr. (host), Connie Lembcke. 24:59.

The Darkened Ring (Aired November 7, 1950)


This drama thriller series was heard over the Mutual radio network from 04/26/49 to 07/16/56 and starred Don Douglas in the title role. John Steele treks sweaty-browed through jungles and deserts, fighting lions and saving women. Thrilling indeed. Also heard throughout the program were John Larkin, Jack Edwards, and Bryna Raeburn.

THIS EPISODE:

November 3, 1950. Mutual network. "The Darkened Ring". Sustaining. Not auditioned. "A man with a gnawing hunger for glory hears the tundering roar of a fight crowd in his ear." "The story of a man who almost loses his right to a future, in the violence of the present." The program is pre-empted next week. No credits are given. Don Douglas, Doc Whipple ("music effects"). 29:03.

Episodes Seven, Eight & Nine (1938)


Mary Shelley maintained that she derived the name "Frankenstein" from a dream-vision. Despite her public claims of originality, the significance of the name has been a source of speculation. Literally, in German, the name Frankenstein means "stone of the Franks." The name is associated with various places such as Castle Frankenstein (Burg Frankenstein), which Mary Shelley had seen while on a boat before writing the novel. Frankenstein is also a town in the region of Palatinate; and before 1946, Zabkowice Slaskie, a city in Silesia, Poland, was known as Frankenstein in Schlesien. More recently, Radu Florescu, in his book In Search of Frankenstein, argued that Mary and Percy Shelley visited Castle Frankenstein on their way to Switzerland, near Darmstadt along the Rhine, where a notorious alchemist named Konrad Dippel had experimented with human bodies, but that Mary suppressed mentioning this visit, to maintain her public claim of originality. A recent literary essay by A.J. Day supports Florescu's position that Mary Shelley knew of, and visited Castle Frankenstein before writing her debut novel. Day includes details of an alleged description of the Frankenstein castle that exists in Mary Shelley's 'lost' journals. However, this theory is not without critics; Frankenstein expert Leonard Wolf calls it an "unconvincing...conspiracy theory." and the 'lost journals' as well as Florescu's claims could not be verified.

Unidentified Body (Aired July 28, 1945)


The shows are classic chills from the old school, with creepy organ, overwrought women and over the top men. Perhaps not the highest of melodrama, but obsessively workmanlike. After all, they might have known they were a skeleton staff toiling relentlessly without a ghost of a chance of fame. Thanks to transcription, these unknowns are still with us. John Dunning, succinctly states in "On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio," "There were no credits, so casts and production crews are unknown."

THIS EPISODE:

July 28, 1945 - Program #24. NBC syndication. "Unidentified Body". Commercials added locally. An amnesiac found by a gang of crooks is told he's a professional murderer and is told to go out and kill! The date is approximate. 28:00

Episodes Four, Five & Six (1938)


Frankenstein, is a novel written by the British author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Shelley started writing Frankenstein when she was 18 and finished when she was 19. The first edition was published anonymously in London in 1818. Shelley's name appears on the second edition, published in 1831. The title of the novel refers to a scientist, Victor, who learns how to create life and creates a being in the likeness of man, but larger than average and more powerful. In popular culture, people have tended to refer to the Creature as "Frankenstein", despite this being the name of the scientist. Frankenstein is infused with some elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement. It was also a warning against the "over-reaching" of modern man and the Industrial Revolution, alluded to in the novel's subtitle, The Modern Prometheus. The story has had an influence across literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories and films. It is often considered the first fully realized science fiction novel due to its pointed, if gruesome, focus on playing God by creating life from dead flesh.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Red Ryder" - Back To Painted Valley (Aired March 19, 1942)


Red Ryder was a newspaper comic western hero, and was a natural for the radio kids. Known on the air as "America's famous fighting cowboy," he was still an upstanding cowboy action hero. The hero was first seen in a series of short stories by writer-cartoonist Fred Harman, who adapted it as a comic strip for the Los Angeles Times in 1938 before it finally became a radio show. For almost a decade, Red Ryder starred in half-hour cowboy adventures featuring a great cast of characters including his pal Buckskin and his little indian boy ward, "Little Beaver". The ranch homestead was cared for by the "The Duchess," actually Red's aunt. Red Ryder was always ready for adventure with his pals, Buckskin Blodgett and Rawhide Rolinson. Little Beaver was beloved by the kids who thought it would be great to be like Little Beaver and be in on all the western action! At one point, Red Ryder was pitted against The Lone Ranger in the radio "badlands," and did really well against the more famous and well established masked man. In the later years, the show played on the West Coast via Don Lee productions, as sponsored by regional bread maker Langendorf Bread. It remained a mainstay of West Coast juvenile radio for all the little pre-TV buckaroos. After the radio show went off the air, Red Ryder and "little Beaver" continued to please 50's kids who avidly read his latest adventures in the popular "Red Ryder" comic books.

Three Act Tragedy (Pt. 3 and 4) of 5


After the war Poirot became a free agent and began undertaking civilian cases. He moved into what became both his home and work address, 56B Whitehaven Mansions, Sandhurst Square,London W1.[29] It was chosen by Poirot for its symmetry. His first case was "The Affair at the Victory Ball", which saw Poirot enter the high society and begin his career as a private detective.

The Case Of The Bleeding Gold (Aired April 29, 1950)


An Australian production of this American original series, which featured the crime-solving adventures of US Treasure Men (T-Men), was aired in South Africa.

THIS EPISODE:

T-Men. April 29, 1950. CBS network. "The Case Of The Bleeding Gold". Sustaining. A strange counterfeiting gang makes gold coins with more gold in them than the government uses! The program has also been dated April 29, 1949 and identified as an audition recording. Dennis O'Keefe, William Conrad, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor). 1/2 hour.

Episodes One, Two & Three (1938)


Radio drama. Adapted by Philip Grecian from the novel by Mary Wollstencraft Shelley 1938

Captain Robert Walton and his crew are aboard a ship heading for the North Pole when it becomes frozen in the ice. Waiting for the ice to break up, they see a giant of a man on a dogsled heading north. Later that day another man, near death, is brought close to the ship on an ice floe. Aboard the ship, he regains consciousness and begins to tell Walton his story. Upon graduating from the university, and with the help of his friend Henry Clerval, Victor Frankenstein set out to create life-using corpses stolen from graveyards. During a raging storm, he is successful but, too late, realizes he has created a misshapen, inarticulate horror. One fateful night, the house burns to the ground. Victor, believing The Creature dead, sets a date to wed Elizabeth, his fiancée. The Creature, however, has escaped and befriended DeLacy, a blind hermit, who, over the months, teaches it to speak and read. One evening two hunters stop by the cabin. Shocked and repelled by The Creature's appearance, and believing it to be a threat to DeLacy, they drive it away into the forest. Justine Moritz, governess to Victor's young sister Catherine, has taken the girl on a picnic. At the edge of the forest Catherine encounters The Creature, who demands that she deliver a message to Frankenstein. "Tell him! Tell him I did not die in the fire! Tell him-it begins now!" It disappears into the thick forest just as Justine discovers Catherine's body. No one believes Justine's stories of a monster, though Victor now knows that his creation escaped the fire. Justine is tried, convicted and hanged for the murder of Catherine Frankenstein. Two weeks later the creature seeks him out and promises to disappear forever if Victor will make it a mate. Victor builds a second creature but, before he can give it life, realizes what he is about to do and destroys it. The Creature murders Elizabeth in retaliation, prompting Victor and Clerval to pursue it to the North Pole, where The Creature murders Clerval during a snowstorm, leaving Victor alone and in despair. The story ends with Victor's death and The Creature's mournful self-exile on an ice floe as the ice field breaks up and Walton's ship continues on.

Three Act Tragedy (Pt. 1 and 2) of 5


Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters: he appeared in 39 novels and 50 short stories. Poirot has been portrayed on screen, for films and TV, by various actors including Albert Finney, Peter Ustinov, Ian Holm, Tony Randall, Alfred Molina and, most recently, and famously, David Suchet. Poirot was apparently born in Spa, Belgium and, based on the conjecture that he was thirty at the time of his retirement from the Belgian police force at the time of the outbreak of the First World War, it is suggested that he was born in the mid 1880s. This is all extremely vague, as Poirot is thought to be an old man in his dotage even in the early Poirot novels, and in An Autobiography Christie admitted that she already imagined him to be an old man in 1920. (At the time, of course, she had no idea she would be going on writing Poirot books for many decades to come.) Much of the suggested dating for Poirot's age is therefore post-rationalisation on the part of those attempting to make sense of his extraordinarily long career During the first world war, Poirot left Belgium for Britain as a refugee. It was here, on 16 July 1916, that he again met his lifelong friend, Captain Arthur Hastings, and solved the first of his cases to be published: The Mysterious Affair at Styles. After that case Poirot apparently came to the attention of the British secret service, and undertook cases for the British government, including foiling the attempted abduction of the Prime Minister.

Running For Mayor (Aired November 29, 1951)


In July, 1945, Ann took Maisie to radio in a half-hour weekly radio for CBS. Famed radio actor Elliott Lewis co-starred as boyfriend Bill, with other parts going to such seasoned radio players as John Brown and Lurene Tuttle. The series ran two seasons, and was revived in 1949 as a syndicated program, now called The Adventures of Maisie. Included in the repertory cast were Hans Conreid (later on Life with Liugi), Sheldon Leonard, Joan Banks, Elvia Allman, Bea Benadaret, and Sandra Gould. The radio show continued in the tried and true Maisie tradition of one part adventure of the emotional kind, one part romance, and one part laughs. To the end Maisie was the single girl, as this allowed her to get involved in continuing adventures of many kinds. These radio adventures of a liberated American "dame" from Brooklyn were tailored to post-WWII, and featured Maisie making her way (and having her way, most of the time) on both sides of the Atlantic. Maisie's favorite comment - "Likewise, I'm sure."

The Jar (*Created 1950 *Aired 1997)


Tales Of The Bizarre. All the stories were dramatizations of the works of Ray Bradbury. Each show features a brief introduction by Ray Bradbury, often relating how the story came to be. In this story, a new guest in a boarding house is disliked by the grandson of the lady who runs the house. But why should this be, and what action might the boy take? With Geoffrey Lee, Mary Riggans, Finlay Welsh and Charles Kearney. This one is really weird.

Aired July 8, 1946


Godfrey was born in New York City. While his family was originally well off, his mother was unsuccessful as a performer with aspirations to fame and stardom that never materialized, and his father was a failed sportswriter who left the family. With the family in sudden poverty, Godfrey tried to help them survive by going on the road accepting odd jobs, and hoboing. He served in the United States Navy from 1920 to 1924 as a radio operator on naval destroyers. Additional training in radio came during Godfrey's service in the Coast Guard from 1927 to 1930. It was during a Coast Guard stint in Baltimore that he appeared on a local talent show and became popular enough to land his own brief weekly program.

A Different Ghost Town (Aired April 30, 1977)


The series had it origins in the meeting of two minds: the ad agency for General Mills at the time, Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample was looking for a different means to reach a child audience besides television, which was decreasing commercial minutes and increasing costs; and Himan Brown, producer-director of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, who wanted to introduce new audiences to the dramatic form on radio. Tom Bosley was chosen as the host because of his television recognition from a kid’s oriented series, Happy Days. CBS chose to produce 52 original broadcasts followed by 52 repeat broadcasts. I believe they had hoped to maintain General Mills sponsorship during the complete 104 episodes, but General Mills dropped their sponsorship after the original broadcasts. The series continued for the next 52 repeats as the CBS Radio Adventure Theater.

Timber (Aired October 16, 1947)


The Man Called X was an espionage radio drama which aired on CBS and NBC from July 10, 1944 to May 20, 1952. Herbert Marshall had the lead role of Intelligence Agent Ken Thurston who took on dangerous cases in a variety of exotic locations. Gordon Jenkins Orchestra supplied the background music. Cast: Leon Belasco as Pagan Seldchmidt ANNOUNCER: Wendell Niles DIRECTOR: Jack Johnstone.

The Bomber (Aired January 11, 1951)


The Lineup is a realistic police drama that gives radio audiences a look behind the scenes at police headquarters. Bill Johnstone plays Lt. Ben Guthrie, a quiet, calm-as-a-cupcake cucumber. Joseph Kearns (and from 1951 to 1953, Matt Maher) plays Sgt. Matt Grebb, a hot-tempered hot plate who is easily bored. The director and script writer often rode with police on the job and sat in on the police lineups to get ideas for The Lineup. They also read dozens of newspapers daily and intermeshed real stories with those that they used in the show. With Dragnet a smash hit, realism in police dramas was popular at the time this show aired. Don’t be caught without this radio show in your collection!
THIS EPISODE:

January 11, 1951. CBS network. Sponsored by: Plymouth. George Hunter is almost killed when a time bomb goes off in his house. After another bomb goes off at the Adams house, suspicion falls on Louis Black, who calmly tells the cops that a bomb he's planted in the State Building will go off in about forty minutes. William Johnstone, Wally Maher, Raymond Burr, John McIntire, Howard McNear, Clayton Post, Ed Begley, Sidney Miller, Joseph Du Val, Eddie Dunstedter (organist), Dan Cubberly (announcer), Jaime del Valle (producer, director), Blake Edwards (writer). 29:15.

The Lion Who Wasn't There (Aired April 13, 1965)


Theater Five was ABC's attempt to revive radio drama during the early 1960s. The series name was derived from its time slot, 5:00 PM. Running Monday through Friday, it was an anthology of short stories, each about 20 minutes long. News programs and commercials filled out the full 30 minutes. There was a good bit of science fiction and some of the plots seem to have been taken from the daily newspaper. Fred Foy, of The Lone Ranger fame, was an ABC staff announcer in the early 60s, who, among other duties, did Theater Five.

THIS EPISODE:

April 13, 1965. Program #182. ABC network. "The Lion Who Wasn't There". Commercials deleted. A safari of greed in East Africa...and the big game is gold! Alexander Vlas Datsenko (composer), Fred Foy (announcer), Glenn Osser (conductor), Guy Sorel, Jack C. Wilson (preparer), Joan Lovejoy, Lee Bowman, Murray Burnett (writer), Peter Jerrold, Ralph Camargo (narrator), Scott Cunningham, William Gately (producer, director). 21:47.

A Man Of Action (Aired March 16, 1976)


The unmistakable voice of Bud Flanagan singing 'Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?', a cod-Second World War propaganda singalong written especially for the show (by Jimmy Perry), introduced Dad's Army, the zenith of the British broad-comedy ensemble sitcom. Consistently good writing and a wonderful cast of old timers and newer talents combined to produce a whimsical period-piece that continues, justifiably, to be savoured and has now assumed a place in the 'hall of greats' pantheon, adored by new generations of the British public.

Blackout (Aired August 15, 1949)


Half-hour drama, sometimes comedy, often very exciting and suspenseful. The cast were made up of New York veterans of radio and stage, including Jan Minor and John Larkin as featured performers. The director, Harry W. Junkin, also served as the show's host and narrator. Each week the show introduced a new story, often written by well-known writers of fantasy and suspense such as Ray Bradbury, Cornell Woolrich, Agatha Christie and Paul Gallico. They were dramatized with a full orchestral soundtrack and excellent sound effects.

THIS EPISODE:

August 15, 1949. Program #51. NBC network. "Blackout". Sustaining. An alcoholic has committed a murder...or has he? The program is also known as, "NBC Short Story." Arnold Moss, Eugene Francis, Fred Collins (announcer), Harry W. Junkin (writer, director, host), Jan Miner, Larry Blyden, Luis Van Rooten, Roy Shield (composer, conductor). 29:27.

Intrigue (Aired May 10, 1948)


Lux Radio Theater strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell.

THIS EPISODE:

May 10, 1948. CBS network. "Intrigue". Sponsored by: Lux, Pepsodent (Lana Turner Ballpoint Pocket Perfumer premium). An excellent and exciting smuggling and black market story in post-war Shanghai. The final commercial and the system cue have been deleted. George Raft, June Havoc, William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Louis Silvers (music director), William Johnstone, Joan Banks, Gerald Mohr, Edward MacDonald, Tony Barrett, Jeff Chandler, Howard McNear (doubles), Edward Marr, Jimmy Ogg, Herb Butterfield, Marie Windsor, Norma Jean Nilsson, Martha Hyer (intermission guest), Dorothy Lovett (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), Barry Trivers (screenwriter), George Slavin (author, screenwriter), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 59:29.

A Message From Space (Aired February 28, 1978)

As you walk through the creaking door you enter into another world, the world of imagination. This world is inside you, a part of you, and you take this journey alone. Each person hears and then sees with his or her mind's eye the events portrayed within these dramas. All of us interprets what they hear differently. The images we see is unique to ourselves. A voice becomes a person, living, breathing they come alive. They take on a physical form and characteristics that we assign to them. The wonders of your own mind are boundless. Scary thoughts? Perhaps, but what powers they bring us! To exercise one's imagination is to exercise one's soul. These dramas provide us with an escape from reality. To adventures beyond our own lives. Enjoy them. And pleasant dreams!

Author Of Murder (1940)*Exact Date Is Unknown


The Hermit's cave Ghost stories ... weird stories ... of murder, too ... the Hermit knows them all. Horror stories with Mel Johnson and howling wolves (or dogs with indigestion?) in the background, obliterating some of the introduction. This syndicated show was one of the treats for the kiddies, cuddled up to their hollow-state radio sets to keep warm in Detroit, between 1940 and 1944. The show was also heard in Beverly Hills, CA in 1943-1944. Hermit's cave was produced in 1935 by a acting group called the Mummer's and was "co-titled" Little Theater of the Air. So both Little Theater of the Air and Hermit's Cave are the same shows.

The Glass Menagerie (Aired September 16, 1951)


The theatrical society in U.S.A. is termed as Theater Guild. Founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner (1890-1962) and others, the group proposed to produce high-quality, noncommercial plays. Its board of directors shared responsibility for choice of plays, management, and production. After the premiere of George Bernard Shaw’s Heartbreak House in 1920, the Guild became his U.S. agent and staged 15 of his plays. It also produced successful plays by Eugene O’Neill, Maxwell Anderson, and Robert Sherwood and featured actors such as the Lunts and Helen Hayes. It helped develop the American musical by staging Porgy and Bess (1935), Oklahoma! (1943), and Carousel (1945); later also producing the radio series Theater Guild on the Air (1945-53) and even presented plays on television.

THIS EPISODE:
The Glass Menagerie is a play by Tennessee Williams that was originally written as a screenplay for MGM, to whom Williams was contracted. The play premiered in Chicago in 1944, and in 1945 won the prestigious New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The Glass Menagerie was Williams's first successful play; he went on to become one of America's most highly regarded playwrights. The Glass Menagerie is accounted by many to be an autobiographical play about Williams's life, the characters and story mimicking his own more closely than any of his other works.

Robinson Crusoe (Aired September 2, 1944)


Adventure Ahead. The Red network. "Robinson Crusoe". Sustaining. The classic story of the castaway and his man Friday. 1/2 hour.


Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1719 and sometimes regarded as the first novel in English. The book is a fictional autobiography of the title character, an English castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island, encountering natives, captives, and mutineers before being rescued. This device, presenting an account of supposedly factual events, is known as a "false document" and gives a realistic frame story. The story was most likely influenced by the real-life events of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish castaway who lived more than four years on the Pacific island that was called Más a Tierra (in 1966 its name became Robinson Crusoe Island), Chile. Crusoe leaves England setting sail from the Queens Dock in Hull on a sea voyage in September, 1651, against the wishes of his parents. After a tumultuous journey that sees his ship wrecked by a vicious storm, his lust for the sea remains so strong that he sets out to sea again. This journey too ends in disaster as the ship is taken over by Salé pirates and Crusoe becomes the slave of a Moor. He manages to escape with a boat and is befriended by the Captain of a Portuguese ship off the western coast of Africa. The ship is en route to Brazil. There with the help of the captain, Crusoe becomes owner of a plantation.

Dracula (Aired July 11, 1938)


The Mercury Theater was a theater company founded in New York City by Orson Welles and John Houseman. They had initial success in the theater, then went to radio, and one of the most notable radio broadcasts of all time, The War of the Worlds. Welles had already worked extensively in radio drama, playing the Shadow for a year, and directing a seven-part adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. In 1938, he was offered a chance to direct his own weekly, hour-long radio series, initially called First Person Singular, then The Mercury Theater on the Air. Welles insisted his Mercury company--actors and crew--be involved in the radio series. This was an unprecedented and expensive request, especially for one so young as Welles. He won out, however, and went on to produce some of the finest radio drama of any era. The Mercury Theater on the Air was an hour-long dramatic radio program which began in the summer of 1938 on the CBS radio network. Most episodes dramatized many works of classic and contemporary literature. Houseman wrote the early scripts for the series himself, turning the job over to Howard Koch at the beginning of October. Music for the program was conducted by Bernard Herrmann.

THIS EPISODE:

July 11, 1938. CBS network. "Dracula". Sustaining. The first show of the series. Bram Stoker (author), Orson Welles, Martin Gabel, Agnes Moorehead, Dan Seymour (announcer), George Coulouris, Ray Collins, Karl Swenson, Elizabeth Farah, Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor), Davidson Taylor (production supervisor). 58:58.

Corpus Delecti (Aired January 17, 1947)


Although Molle Mystery Theater was initially sponsored by Molle Shaving Cream, other sponsors (such as Bayer Aspirin, Ironized Yeast, Phillips Milk of Magnesia) also sponsored the program. Sometimes, when it was not sponsored by Molle, the program was called "Mystery Theater". The show was first heard on NBC, on 9/7/43. Time slot was originally Sunday nights at 9:00 PM, but was later moved to Tuesday at 9:00 PM, and Friday at 10:00 PM. In 1948, the show moved to CBS (Tues, 8:00 PM), and in 1951, it moved to ABC, where it was called "Mark Sabre", and heard on Wednesdays at either 8:00 PM or 9:30 PM. The shows were tight and tension filled, with a fine orchestra score and solid production values. Classic tales from well-known authors, as well as modern unknowns were presented, and the endings were often twists or shockers.

THIS EPISODE:

January 17, 1947. Program #133. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Corpus Delicti". A detective has just a few hours to save his brother from going to the electric chair. The program may be dated November 29, 1945. AFRS program name: "Mystery Playhouse." Bernard Lenrow (host, as "Geoffrey Barnes"). 25 minutes.

30 Days To Live (Aired December 12, 1954)


My Little Margie is an American situation comedy that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955. The series was created by Frank Fox and produced in Los Angeles, California by Hal Roach, Jr. and Roland D. Reed. My Little Margie premiered on CBS as the summer replacement for I Love Lucy on June 16, 1952. Its success prompted NBC to give it a regular berth - Saturday at 7:30 pm - on its fall schedule, where it lasted for two months. In January 1953, it returned to CBS, where it remained until July. Two months later, it was back on NBC, where its final broadcast was on August 24, 1955. In an unusual move, the series -- with the same leads -- aired original episodes on CBS Radio, concurrently with the TV broadcasts, from December 1952 through August 1955. Only 23 radio broadcasts are known to exist in recorded form. Set in New York City, the series starred Gale Storm as 21-year-old Margie Albright and former silent film star Charles Farrell as her widowed father, 50-year-old Vern Albright. Both shared the same apartment at the Carlton Arms Hotel. Mr. Albright was the vice president of the investment firm of Honeywell and Todd, where his boss was George Honeywell (Clarence Kolb). Honeywell's partner in the firm was played by George Meader. George's daughter Roberta (Hillary Brooke) was Vern's girlfriend, and Margie's boyfriend was Freddy Wilson (Don Hayden). Mrs. Odetts (Gertrude Hoffman) was the Albrights' next-door neighbor and Margie's sidekick in madcap capers reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel in I Love Lucy. When Margie realized she had blundered or got into trouble, she made an odd trilling sound. Also in the cast were Willie Best as the elevator operator and Dian Fauntelle.

The Birds (Aired July 20, 1953)


Hollywood Radio Theater (AKA The Lux Radio Theater) strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell.

THIS EPISODE:

July 20, 1953. Program #83. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Birds". A classic tale of terror, every bit as good as the Hitchcock movie. AFRS program name: "Lux Radio Theater." Herbert Marshall, Don Wilson (announcer, host), Earl Towner (music director), Betty Lou Gerson, Gloria Gordon, Betty Harford, Herb Butterfield, William Johnstone, Tudor Owen, Ben Wright, Alastair Duncan, Daphne du Maurier (author), James Cole (adaptor), Fred MacKaye (producer, director), Frank Paris (assistant producer/director), Ray Kemper (sound effetcs), Bill James (sound effects). 55 minutes.

Post Number Seven (Aired August 11, 1953)


21ST PRECINCT was one of the realistic police drama series of the early- to mid-1950's that were aired in the wake of DRAGNET. Hard-boiled private detective series that often portrayed police as inept or incompetent were losing favor. NBC's DRAGNET had proven that a realistic police show could attract and hold an audience. The official title of the series according to the series scripts and the CBS series promotional materials was 21ST PRECINCT and not TWENTY-FIRST PRECINCT or TWENTY FIRST PRECINCT which appears in many Old-Time Radio books. In 1953 CBS decided to use New York City as the backdrop for their own half-hour police series and focus on the day-to-day operations of a single police precinct. Actual cases would be used as the basis for stories. It was mentioned in each episode's closing by the announcer that, "Twenty-first Precinct is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association an organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York."

Bookie Outfit (Aired August 10, 1947)


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:

August 10, 1947. ABC network. Sustaining. The neighbor of a man found dead in his apartment offers Pat $1000 to bring him the envelope from the dead man's safe. Ben Morris, John Galbraith, Jack Lewis, Herb Ellis, Otto Clair (special music), Mary Milford, Jerry Zinneman, Curt Martell, Dick Ellers. ANNOUNCERS: George Fenneman PRODUCERS/DIRECTORS: William P Rousseau MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Buzz Adlam 29:19.

Shot In The Dark (Aired November 23, 1945)


The Avenger is an Old Time Radio show aired by the South African Broadcasting System in the 1940s. It featured a biochemist crime-fighter by the name of Jim Brandon. Mr. Brandon had two inventions which assisted him in the fight against crime. Mr. Brandon was able to pick up telpathic thought flashes and had a diffusion capsule which allowed him to become invisible. SYNDICATED by:Charles Michelson WRITTER: Walter Gibson STARS: James Monks, Dick Janiver as the invisible Jim Brandon WITH: James LaCurto.

THIS EPISODE:

Program #25. Michelson syndication. "The Shot In The Dark". Commercials added locally. Charles Michelson (producer), Walter Gibson (writer), Ruth Braun (writer), Gilbert Braun (writer). 1/2 hour.

Two Years Before The Mast (Aired September 22, 1947)


Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network (1934-1935); CBS (1935-1954); NBC (1954-1955)) adapted first Broadway stage works, and then (especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations. It quickly became the most popular dramatic anthology series on radio, running more than twenty years. The program always began with an announcer proclaiming, "Ladies and gentlemen, Lux presents Hollywood!" Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936, until January 22, 1945. On one occasion, however, he was replaced by Leslie Howard.

THIS EPISODE:

September 22, 1947. CBS network. "Two Years Before The Mast". Sponsored by: Lux. The classic adventure of the sea by Richard Dana. MacDonald Carey, Wanda Hendrix, Alan Ladd, William Keighley (host), Howard Da Silva, Seton Miller (screenwriter), Dorothy Lovett (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), June Whitley, Don Morrison (doubles), Barbara Challis (intermission guest), George Sorel, George Neise (doubles), Edward Marr, Clarke Gordon (doubles), Norman Field, Jeff Chandler (billed as "Ira Grossel"), Leo Cleary (doubles), Tyler McVey, Robert Griffith (doubles), Pat Aherne, Louis Silvers (music directors), William Johnstone, Luis Van Rooten (doubles), William Roy, John Milton Kennedy (announcer), George Bruce (screenwriter), Richard Henry Dana (author), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 1 hour.

Behind The Locked Doors (Aired November 6, 1951)


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.

THIS EPISODE:

November 6, 1951. Mutual network. "Behind The Locked Door". Sustaining. 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. David Kogan (writer, producer, director), Maurice Tarplin, Robert A. Arthur (writer). 1/2 hour.

The Case Of The Deadmans Chest (Aired July 7, 1946)


During World War II no more women sleuths arrived on the scene but 1946 was a banner year when three new ones debuted on network radio. One was as much comedienne as crime solver, Meet Miss Sherlock. This was a CBS summer sustainer that recounted the adventures of Jane Sherlock, a scatterbrained amateur detective, and her boyfriend, Peter Blossom, a civil attorney who occasionally fainted. There were two separate versions of this show; the first ran from July 3, 1946 to September 26, 1946 while the second one ran from Sept 28, 1947 to Oct 26, 1947. Both series were produced and directed by David Vaile, with scripts by E. Jack Neuman and Don Thompson. The announcer was Murray Wagner and the live orchestra was headed by Milton Charles. Sondra Gair had the title lead in the 1946 version, Captain Dingle of the NYPD was a youthful Bill Conrad and Joe Petruzzi played Peter Blossom. When the series resumed in the fall of 1947, Betty Moran did the first epiosde but her voice was not “dithery” enough so Monty Margetts was brought in and she played the lead until it went off the air two months later. Barney Phillips was the voice of Captain Dingle. This series was more comedy than adventure, although crimes were eventually solved. Only two episodes have survived; both feature Gair in the 1946 version.

Episode One (Introduction) Aired February 11, 1941


Episode one describes a fishing boat off the coast of Alaska. The listener is introduced to Captain Craig McKenzie, his crew, and his interesting vessel, "The Omega." Rough weather is the setting for this new adventure series and the plot develops into the finding of a grounded submarine. Little is known as to credits for this show, but it has the markings of great listening entertainment. Howard Duff stars with his usual skills. Also in the cast is Lou Merrill (sometimes credited as the voice of Captain McKenzie), Bruce Payne, Charlie Lung, Jack Zoller, Edwin Max and Anne Stone.

Tappard Of Pizzaro (1951)


The Hollywood husband and wife team of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall set sail for adventure in the Bold Venture radio series in early 1951. There were well over 400 stations that aired the program. Since thiswas syndicated * the starting date varied from station to station but Mar 26, 1951 was the official date of the first show. Humphrey Bogart portrayed Slate Shannon, owner of a rundown Havana hotel, Shannon's Place. The action took place on land as well aboard Slate's boat, The Bold Venture, thus the title of the series. Lauren Bacall was his ward Sailor Duval, a stubborn and flirtatious young woman whose late father had willed her to Slate for her protection. Together the duo found adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance in the sultry settings of tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean.

THIS EPISODE:

Program #39. ZIV Syndication. "Tabbard Of Pizarro". Commercials added locally. Shannon and Sailor become involved with "The Tabbard Of Pizarro." David Rose (composer, conductor), Jester Hairston, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall. 27:25.

Mr. Blandings On Television(Aired February 22, 1951)


Mr. and Mrs. Blandings was based on the novels Mr. Blanding's Builds His Dreamhouse and Blandings' Way by Eric Hodgins, and the popular movie from 2 years earlier with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy as Jim and Murial. For the radio program, Cary Grant returns as Jim Blandings, this time with his real world wife Betsy Drake playing Murial. Trouble with the scripts caused Cary and Betsy to leave the show, which continued with Robert Cummings and Jane Wyatt for a short time in the fall of 1951.

Pink Elephant (1956)


It's A Crime Mr. Collins. 1956. Mutual net origination, syndicated. "The Case Of The Pink Elephant". Commercials added locally. A racketeer just out of jail threatens the crusading newspaperman who "sent him up the river." But then, the racketeer is shot in, "The Pink Elephant" (that must have hurt). The date is approximate. Mandel Kramer, Gail Collins, Richard Denning. 25:32.

The Devil & Miss Jones (Aired October 23, 1946)


The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear!
Some films are less well known, such as Guest in the House, with Kirk Douglas and Anita Louise, It Happened Tomorrow, with Eddie Bracken and Ann Blythe playing Dick Powell and Linda Darnell's roles, and Cheers for Miss Bishop with Olivia de Havilland. Each adaptation is finely produced and directed by Dee Engelbach, with music composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. Frank Wilson wrote the movie adaptations.

THIS EPISODE:

October 23, 1946. CBS network. "The Devil and Miss Jones". Sponsored by: Squibb. The wealthy owner of a department store gets a job in the shoe department to check on his employees. Charles Coburn, Virginia Mayo. 1/2 hour.

Worlds Apart (Aired November 12, 1950)


2000 AD (2000 Plus) 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 12, 1950. Mutual network. "Worlds Apart". Sustaining. An excellent story about a space-ship landing on a very, very strange planet. The system cue has been deleted. William Griffis, Sherman H. Dreyer (producer), Ralph Bell, Gregory Morton, Robert Weenolsen (producer). 29:22.

Junior Chamber Of Commerce Visiting Dignitary (Aired January 10, 1950)


Andy Hardy was a fictional character played by Mickey Rooney in an extremely successful MGM film series from 1937 to 1958. Spanning over 20 years, the 16 movies were based on characters in the play Skidding by Aurania Rouverol. The initial Hardy film, A Family Affair (1937), was made before a series was contemplated. It featured Lionel Barrymore as Judge Hardy and Spring Byington as Mrs. Hardy, Andy's parents, and Margaret Marquis as Andy's on-again-off-again sweetheart, Polly Benedict. But when the series was launched, most of the cast was changed, with the notable exceptions of Rooney and Sara Haden as his Aunt Milly. The series entries starred Lewis Stone as Judge Hardy, Fay Holden as Mrs. Hardy, Cecilia Parker as Andy's older sister Marian Hardy, and Ann Rutherford as Polly. Most of the movies were set in the Hardys' fictional hometown of Carvel, located in Idaho in the original play but described in the films as being in the Midwest. All of the films were sentimental comedies celebrating ordinary American life. The people in Carvel, by and large, were pious, patriotic, generous and tolerant. The town represented movie mogul Louis B. Mayer's idealized vision of his adopted country. Some writers have compared Carvel to Mayberry, the setting of The Andy Griffith Show a generation later.

THIS EPISODE:
Program #1. MGM syndication. "Junior Chamber of Commerce". Sponsored by: Commercials added locally.. Andy finds himself "forced" to entertain a famous and beautiful athlete. She stands 6'2" tall. Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden, Lewis Stone, Jack Rubin (writer), Jameson Brewer (writer), Thomas A. McAvity (director), Jerry Fielding (composer, conductor), Aurania Rouverol (creator). 25:46.

Diary Of A Madman (Aired January 25, 1953)


Escape was radio's leading anthology series of high adventure, airing on CBS from July 7, 1947 to September 25, 1954. Since the program did not have a regular sponsor like Suspense, it was subjected to frequent schedule shifts and lower production budgets, although Richfield Oil signed on as a sponsor for five months in 1950. Despite these problems, Escape enthralled many listeners during its seven-year run. The series' well-remembered opening combined Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain with the introduction, intoned by Paul Frees and William Conrad: “Tired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape!” Of the more than 230 Escape episodes, most have survived in good condition. Many story premises, both originals and adaptations, involved a protagonist in dire life-or-death straits, and the series featured more science fiction and supernatural tales than Suspense. Some of the memorable adaptations include Algernon Blackwood's "Confession", Ray Bradbury's oft-reprinted "Mars Is Heaven," George R. Stewart's Earth Abides, Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," John Collier's "Evening Primrose", later adapted to TV as a Stephen Sondheim musical starring Anthony Perkins. Vincent Price and Harry Bartell were heard in the chilling "Three Skeleton Key," the tale of three men trapped in an isolated lighthouse by thousands of rats. The half-hour was adapted from an Esquire short story by the French writer George Toudouze.

THIS EPISODE:

January 25, 1953. CBS network. "Diary Of A Madman". Sustaining. An excellent story about a band of Nazi deserters in the Sahara Desert, determined to become kings of "The Empire Of The Natives." Ben Wright, Harry Bartell, Lawrence Dobkin, Edgar Barrier, Barney Phillips, Paul Richards, Roy Rowan (announcer), Norman Macdonnell (director), Les Crutchfield (writer), John Meston (editorial supervisor), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), William Conrad (unbilled announcer). 30:17.

Cave Of The Fiery Crocodile (05-16-41) and Secret Of Yucatan Jungle (10-06-41)


Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy was a radio adventure series which maintained its popularity from 1933 to 1951. The program originated at WBBM in Chicago on July 31, 1933, and was later carried on CBS, then NBC and finally ABC. The storylines centered around the globe-trotting adventures of Armstrong (played by Jim Ameche until 1938), a popular athlete at Hudson High School, his friends Billy Fairfield and his sister Betty, and their "Uncle Jim," James Fairfield, an industrialist. Frequently, "Uncle Jim" Fairfield would have to visit an exotic part of the world in connection with his business, and he would take Jack Armstrong and the Fairfield siblings along with him. Many of the adventures provided listeners with the equivalent of a travelogue, providing facts about the lands they were visiting. The show was created by writer Robert Hardy Andrews. Sponsored throughout its long run by Wheaties, the program was renamed Armstrong of the SBI when Jack graduated high school and became a government agent in the final season, when it shifted from a 15-minute serial to a half-hour complete story format. Throughout its broadcast span, the program offered radio premiums that usually related to the adventures in which Jack and his friends were involved. In the Jack Armstrong movie serial of 1947, ace science whiz Armstrong (John Hart) must escape from an island fortress after he is kidnapped by a villain who wants the secrets of atom-powered motors. That same year the Parents Institute began publishing their Jack Armstrong comic book which had a 13-issue run. Leslie N. Daniels, Jr. wrote the Big Little Book, Jack Armstrong and the Ivory Treasure (1937). Daniels' tale was based on a 1937 Talbot Mundy radio script which Mundy had first written as his novel The Ivory Trail (1919). A short Jack Armstrong animated TV pilot was developed by Hanna-Barbera for a proposed television series. However, when negotiations for rights to the characters collapsed, the planned series was reworked into what became the animated adventure Jonny Quest (1964). Some of the Jack Armstrong footage survived in the closing credits for Jonny Quest. Timothy Bottoms portrayed Jack Armstrong in the action-adventure film, American Hero (1997). Jack Armstrong entered the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989.

TODAY'S SHOW: Cave Of The Fiery Crocodile (05-16-41) and Secret Of Yucatan Jungle (10-06-41)
CAST: Jim Ameche, Stanley Harris, Frank Behrens, Charles Flynn, Rye Billsbury, St John Terrell, John Gannon, Roland Butterfield, Murray McLean, Milton Guion, Dick York, Shaindel Kalish, Sarajane Wells, Loretta Poynton, Naomi May, Patricia Dunlap, Jim Goss, Don Ameche, Frank Dane and Jack Doty, Herb Butterfield, Ed Davison, Arthur Van Slyke, Olan Soule, Ken Christy, Frank Behrens, Michael Romano, Robert Barron, Ken Griffin, Carlton KaDell.

TWO EPISODES FROM 1945 "The Diamond Medallion" (04-xx-45) and "Highwayman's Diamond" (05-27-45)


A series of mystery and drama from the 1940's, always with a theme that surrounded some aspect of the precious gem, always the stories of admiration, smuggling, and thievery and the evil deeds of those who wished to possess them. Today we bring you two episodes.

Sirens In The Night (Aired October 26, 1964)


Theater Five was ABC's attempt to revive radio drama during the early 1960s. The series name was derived from its time slot, 5:00 PM. Running Monday through Friday, it was an anthology of short stories, each about 20 minutes long. News programs and commercials filled out the full 30 minutes. There was a good bit of science fiction and some of the plots seem to have been taken from the daily newspaper. Fred Foy, of The Lone Ranger fame, was an ABC staff announcer in the early 60s, who, among other duties, did Theater Five.

Encore Theater - The Man In White (Aired July 2, 1946)


ENCORE THEATER was a 1946 Summer replacement series, sponsored by Schenley Labs, Inc. All shows had a medical theme, some concerned medical research, some covered personal stories of people in the medical field but all based on true stories. Schenley Labs, Inc. was the sponsor for the series. The shows aired Tuesday evenings from 9:30 to 10:00 PM over CBS affiliated stations. Members of the cast were typically well-known radio or screen actors, such as Lurene Tuttle, Eric Snowden, Gerald Mohr, Ronald Colman, Robert Young or Lionel Barrymore. Producer for series was Bill Lawrence, who also directed the series. The announcer was Frank Graham. Music was by Leith Stevens. Scripts were written and adapted by Jean Holloway, Lloyd C. Douglas, Sidney Kingsley and Milton Geiger. Twelve of the thirteen scripts were adapted by Jean Holloway. The 1946 Summer series ended with the August 27th show, replaced by "Cresta Blanca Hollywood Players" (possibly known as "The Hollywood Players Company". There was a second ENCORE THEATER Summer series in 1949, however there is little information on it. It aired on Sundays. Eight shows are known to be in circulation. Known air dates are April 17, April 24, May 8 and June 5.

THIS EPISODE:

July 2, 1946. CBS network. "Men In White". Sponsored by: Schenley Laboratories. A doctor must choose between his socialite fiance and the nurse who loves him. Robert Taylor, GeGe Pearson, Griff Barnett, Lurene Tuttle, Elliott Lewis, Sidney Kingsley (author), Jean Holloway (adaptor), Frank Graham (announcer), Bill Lawrence (producer, director), Leith Stevens (music). 29:42.

Incident At Switch Path (Aired April 11, 1950)


BEYOND TOMORROW was to be CBS's science fiction series. Three shows and one audition were transcribed to disk, but it's not certain if they were actually broadcast, despite announcements in newspapers. In the audition, the series title was BEYOND THIS WORLD and the audition show was "The Outer Limit". The first show under the series name BEYOND TOMORROW was "Requiem", a story by Robert Heinlein, which was later be done in DIMENSION X.

THIS EPISODE:
April 11, 1950. CBS network. "Incident At Switchpath". Sustaining. A fine story about two strange machines found buried deep in a cave. Theodore Sturgeon (author), Bret Morrison, Michael O'Day, William N. Robson (producer), Mitchell Grayson (director), Henry Sylvern (music), John Campbell Jr. (host). 1/2 hour.

How Eddie & Al Jolson Got Started (Aired March 6, 1947)


The Eddie Cantor Pabst Blue Ribbon Show - Cantor appeared on radio as early as February 3, 1922, as indicated by this news item from Connecticut's Bridgeport Telegram: Local radio operators listened to one of the finest programs yet produced over the radiophone last night. The program of entertainment which included some of the stars of Broadway musical comedy and vaudeville was broadcast from the Newark, N. J. station WDY and the Pittsburgh station KDKA, both of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing company. The Newark entertainment started at 7 o'clock: a children's half-hour of music and fairy stories; 7:[35?], Hawaiian airs and violin solo; 8:00, news of the day; and at 8:20 a radio party with nationally known comedians participating; 9:55, Arlington time signals and 10:01, a government weather report. G. E. Nothnagle, who conducts a radiophone station at his home 176 Waldemere Avenue said last night that he was delighted with the program, especially with the numbers sung by Eddie Cantor. The weather conditions are excellent for receiving, he continued, the tone and the quality of the messages was fine.

THIS EPISODE:

March 6, 1947. NBC network. Sponsored by: Pabst Beer. Eddie and guest Al Jolson imitate each other and sing their first duet together. Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson. 1/2 hour.

The Ambassador (Aired November 13, 1955)


The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin is a children's television program which ran on ABC from October 1954 until August 1959. It starred Lee Aaker as young Rusty, a boy orphaned in an Indian raid, who was being raised by the soldiers at a cavalry post. He and his German shepherd dog Rin Tin Tin helped the soldiers to establish order in the Old West. The program was produced by Screen Gems. The character of Rin Tin Tin had appeared in several movies and radio serials since 1922. One of the dogs used in the TV series was the fourth in the bloodline of the original Rin Tin Tin. Reruns of the show ran on daytime television and on Saturdays on CBS from October 1959 until September 1964. A new set of reruns was shown in 1976, and continued well into the mid-1980s.
The original black and white prints were tinted light brown. An unrelated -including a German Shepherd - aired in the U.S. as Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop. The series was produced in Canada under the name Katts and Dog where the dog was named Rudy. When the series was shown in the U.S., the dog's name was dubbed "Rinty" to fit the U.S. title. The success of The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin caused the cancellation of Gene Autry's The Adventures of Champion on CBS, which was replaced on February 10, 1956, by My Friend Flicka. Flicka, starring Johnny Washbrook as Ken McLaughlin, the story of a boy and his horse on a Wyoming ranch, produced thirty-nine episodes through February 1, 1957, when it was discontinued. Like Rin Tin Tin, Flicka rebroadcasts aired for years on all the networks. Rin Tin Tin guest stars include veteran western film star Roscoe Ates. The Rin Tin Tin radio shows are extremely rare.

Time To Kill (Aired May 28, 1949)


In addition to all the films, plays, radio and television programs Basil Rathbone appeared in, his image was also used to sell numerous products, mainly cigarettes and booze. Because Rathbone was so identified with Sherlock Holmes, many of the ads picture him as Holmes."Basil Rathbone probes the Gentleman's martini: Booth's House of Lords Gin". In 1958, examining a martini. He says, "It's elementary that crime does not pay -- This is true whether the crime is murder, robbery, arson, blackmail or making an inferior martini. While the last offense rarely results in a man losing his life, it almost certainly carries the penalty of losing his friends. It should be well-known--for ignorance excuses no man--that the Martini of highest social acceptance is the gentleman's Martini. And the key to making it is Booth's House of Lords Gin. Just why Booths House of Lords Gin has the uncanny faculty of producing the gentleman's Martini--or a gentleman's drink even if served straight, on the rocks--has baffled even me. I suggest you simply look upon it as a fascinating mystery. All we need know is that the Booth's people are willing to part with their delectable product for mere money, and it is available at every bar or liquor store which any self-respecting person would patronize."

Back in 1949, Rathbone is portrayed hawking Fatima Turkish cigarettes. Fatima cigarettes sponsored the radio show "Tales of Fatima," which aired in 1949 and starred Basil Rathbone. On the ad: "Basil Rathbone says: May I tell you why you'll like smoking the NEW Fatima? The name Fatima has stood for the Best in Cigarette Quality for 30 years. And now, I say the new Fatima is the best of long cigarettes. It's the long cigarette that I know you'll enjoy as much as I do. It's MY cigarette. Basil Rathbone".

The Romantic Engineer (1946)


Charlie Chan was the Chinese detective created by Earl Derr Biggers. Over 40 Charlie Chan movies were done from the early 1930's through 1949, all of which starred non-Chinese actors as Charlie. Supposedly working as a Honolulu police detective, Charlie was almost always somewhere else, like Paris, Rio, LA, even Treasure Island…but he did have a wonderful home life, too, with a reported 14 children, including his famous #1, #2 etc. sons, ever intent on helping "pop" solve the case. Still, it's fun to hear ABC radio's daytime serial version of the Hawaiian family man who gave us all a little exotic wit and wisdom while uncovering dishonorable culprit. The other shows are more of "the incomparable" at work. Unfortunately, Chan on radio is very rare, the very opposite of the ubiquitous Charlie Chan movie reruns on TV. This is a mysterious absence even the great Charlie Chan might be needed to solve! Many mystery lovers sniff at Chan. But here's one more from Charlie that might apply…"Mind, like parachute, only function when open."

He Who Follows Me (Aired October 26, 1953)


This thirty-minute suspense series was written and produced by Richard Thorne who also played many of the roles. There were at least 35 episodes broadcast, telling tales of the supernatural and the dark forces of the unknown. There were often terrifying tales of vampires, killer fog, the walking dead and anything and everything that your imagination could stretch to.

THIS EPISOPE:

September 19, 1952. Mutual network, WGN, Chicago origination. "He Who Follows Me". Sustaining. A cursed tomb and an avenging ghost follow those who trespass. One of the announcements has possibly been deleted. The story may also be known as, "The Steps Who Follow Me." The story is based on the story, "Count Magnus," by M. R. James. M. R. James (author). 25 minutes.

Moth Eaten Mink (Aired December 14, 1957)


Perry Mason aired from 1943 to 1955. Although it is ostensibly a crime drama, Perry Mason sounds and feels like a soap opera. With 15-minute shows every weekday for years on end, the famous defense lawyer handled a myriad of cases, each one blending into the next. The shows presented here give the flavor of this serial, with Perry pulling every sort of trick to prove his client innocent. Hardly the staid courtroom drama of the popular TV show, the Perry Mason of radio was a much wilder affair. Have a listen and judge for yourself. When someone mentions the name "Perry Mason" the first image that runs through their mind is of a lawyer who unmasks murderers and crooks in the courtroom. Even though the television Perry Mason is the one everyone remembers, the original Perry Mason, whose derivation came from radio, is a lot different. The Perry Mason of radio would rather swap gunshots with evildoers than sit in a boring courtroom, waiting for the deliberation! Geared more towards action than courtroom drama, Perry Mason ran 12 seasons and later led to the development of the now-popular Raymond Burr television show, which started in the late 1950's.

THIS EPISODE:

Moth-Eaten Mink from Perry Mason aired December 14, 1957. Perry and Della are enjoying a quiet dinner at Morey Allen's restaurant when a waitress suddenly runs out and is hit by a car, shots are fired, and Perry is left holding a moth-eaten mink.

Guest - Groucho Marx (Aired June 10, 1945)


The Chase and Sanborn Hour was the umbrella title for a series of US comedy and variety shows, sponsored by Chase and Sanborn Coffee, usually airing Sundays on NBC from 8pm to 9pm during the years 1929 to 1948. The series began in 1929 as The Chase and Sanborn Choral Orchestra, a half-hour musical variety show heard Sundays at 8:30pm on NBC. When Maurice Chevalier became the show's star, he received a record-breaking salary of $5000 a week. Violinist David Rubinoff (September 13, 1897 to October 06, 1986), became a regular in January 1931, introduced as "Rubinoff and His Violin."With Chevalier returning to Paris, Eddie Cantor was chosen as his replacement and the new 60-minute program, The Chase and Sanborn Hour, was launched September 13, 1931, teaming Cantor with Rubinoff and announcer Jimmy Wallington. The show established Cantor as a leading comedian, and his scriptwriter, David Freedman, as "The Captain of Comedy".When Jimmy Durante stepped in as a substitute for Cantor, making his first appearance on September 10, 1933, he was so successful that he was offered his own show. Then the world's highest paid radio star, Cantor continued as The Chase and Sanborn Hour's headliner until November 25, 1934. With a new format, The Opera Guild, hosted by Deems Taylor, began December 2, 1934, Sundays at 8pm, on The Chase and Sanborn Hour, and that concert series continued until March 17, 1935. Major Bowes' Amateur Hour had the slot from March 24, 1935 until September 11, 1936, followed by Do You Want to Be an Actor?, with Haven MacQuarrie, broadcast from January 3, 1937 until May 2, 1937, a series that continued Sundays at 10:30pm as a half-hour show from December 5, 1937 until February 20, 1938. Meanwhile, Chase and Sanborn found a gold mine with a wooden dummy when Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy began an 11-year run, starting May 9, 1937. The 1945 summer replacement series, with Spike Jones and Frances Langford as co-hosts, was titled The Chase and Sanborn Program. Although the series ended December 26, 1948, it was followed by a compilation show, The Chase and Sanborn 100th Anniversary Show (November 15, 1964), assembled by writer Carroll Carroll and narrated by Bergen. This became an annual event with The Chase and Sanborn 101st Anniversary Show (November 14, 1965), a Fred Allen tribute, followed by The Chase and Sanborn 102nd Anniversary Show (November 13, 1966).

THIS EPISODE:

June 10, 1945. NBC network. Sponsored by: Chase and Sanborn Coffee, Royal Deserts. The first tune is, "Sentimental Journey." The program originates from The Long Beach Naval Hospital. Listen for Groucho's impression of the life of a Marine. Frances Langford, Spike Jones and The City Slickers, Ken Carpenter, Groucho Marx, Tony Romano. 29:01.

Girls From Earth (Aired March 19, 1953)


The 1950's saw both the twilight of the Golden Age of Radio and the birth of the science fiction radio series. Science fiction was not new to radio before 1950, but it was either targeted to juvenile audiences or were shows in a broader series, for example, ESCAPE's "The Time Machine". On March 15, 1950, the first show of Mutual's 2000 PLUS aired, becoming the very first true science fiction series in the US. DIMENSION X followed shortly on April 8, 1950 over NBC stations. TALES OF TOMORROW was the third dedicated science fiction series, over the stations of the American Broadcasting Corporation, following DIMENSION X by almost 2 years. The host of the show was Raymond Edward Johnson, of INNER SANCTUM fame. Mr. Johnson handled TALES OF TOMORROW openings in a similar fashion to INNER SANCTUM openings, but with a "science fiction" flavor, instead of a "macabre" sense. The shows of this series were quite good, borrowing ideas from stories in "Galaxy" magazine. Some of the story titles may seem familiar, like "The Stars Are The Styx", "The Girls From Earth" or "The Old Die Rich". These titles would appear later in CBS's X MINUS ONE. "Watch Bird" would later be done in South Africa, in a series entitled SF68. But radio was on the decline. TALES OF TOMORROW lasted only until April of that year, airing only 15 shows.

02-18-53 "Abner Has AShort-Wave Transceiver" 02-19-53 "Starting A Radio Station" 02-20-53 "Cedric Tries To Tune In The Boys On Their Radio Station"


Lum and Abner , The Adventures of two small town shop keepers in the Town of Pine Ridge Arkansas Lum and Abner were Broadcast from 1931 until 1954. Lauck and Goff had known each other since childhood and attended the University of Arkansas together (joining the Sigma Chi Fraternity together while there). They performed locally and established a blackface act which led to an audition at radio station KTHS in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Prior to the audition, the two men decided to change their act and portray two hillbillies, since there were already an overabundance of blackface acts at the time. After only a few shows in Hot Springs, they were picked up nationally by NBC, and Lum and Abner, sponsored by Quaker Oats, ran until 1932. Lauck and Goff performed several different characters, modeling many of them after real-life residents of Waters, Arkansas. After the Quaker contract expired, Lauck and Goff continued to broadcast over two Texas stations, WBAP (Fort Worth) and WFAA (Dallas). In 1933, Ford Motor Company became their sponsor for approximately a year. Horlick's Malted Milk, the 1934-37 sponsor, offered a number of promotional premium items, including almanacs and fictional Pine Ridge newspapers. During this period, the show originated from Chicago's WGN, one of the founding members of the Mutual Broadcasting System. In 1936, the city council of Waters changed the town's name to Pine Ridge. Postum cereal sponsored Lum and Abner in 1938-39, before Alka-Seltzer picked up the duo for eight years. Over the course of its life, Lum and Abner appeared on all of the major radio networks, CBS and ABC (formerly NBC Blue), in addition to NBC and Mutual.

After Many A Summer Dies (Aired June 5, 1951)


After Many a Summer Dies the Swan New Theater aired June 5, 1951 with Eva Le Gallienne (hostess), Francis X. Bushman, Fred Collins (announcer), Ramsay Hill and Tony Barrett. The drama is taken from the 1939 novel by Aldous Huxley which tells the story of a Hollywood millionaire fearing his impending death. Jo Stoyte, a very rich man, realise that all his money and power will not avoid him of the death, having a fate as the rest of human beings. Nevertheless, he does not give over and look for a possibility to defeat his tragic fate. Searching for a cure against his death , he discovers a strange manuscript (the Charles Hauberk's Diary) about a man who could live two hundred years or maybe more. Then, Stoyte begins looking for the secret of Charles Hauberk's longevity. A highly wondrous story that will keep astonishing until the end.

Mental Hospital (Aired January 19, 1947)


Danger, Dr Danfield was first broadcast on August 18, 1946 and consisted of 26 episodes with the last one being April 13, 1947. All episodes are available. It starred Michael Dunn as Dr. Danfield, with JoAnne Johnson as Rusty Fairfax, his secretary. The series was written by Ralph Wilkinson and produced by Wally Ramsey. This series consistently featured some of the worst acting and writing of any detective show to reach the airwaves. The show had a formula with the crime usually being committed in the first third of the program, the good doctor solving it in the second third, and then pedantically explaining the solution to someone (usually his "pretty, young" secretary, Rusty) in the conclusion. Dr. Daniel Danfield was an obnoxious unlicensed private investigator/criminal psychologist with an ego complex. Why Rusty would put up with this guy is beyond understanding. In this case, love is not only blind, but also deaf and dumb. But then, Rusty was no prize package either.

THIS EPISODE:

January 19, 1947 - "Mental Hospital"- Danger, Doctor Danfield. Program #23. Teleways Radio Productions syndication. Commercials added locally. Danfield has himself committed to an asylum to foil the plans of an evil doctor. Michael Dunn, Joanne Johnson. 24:49.

Gunpowder Plot (Aired November 5, 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. Sherlock Holmes detective stories appeared on radio for more than 25 years, with a long list of performers playing the parts of Holmes and Dr Watson. FIRST BROADCAST: October 20th 1930 LAST BROADCAST: September 4th 1956. The stories were written by Edith Meiser, a self-confessed Holmes addict. These were so well written that she was warmly praised by Arthur Conan Doyle’s widow and son.

To The Ends Of The Earth (Aired May 23, 1949)


Lux Radio Theater strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell.

THIS EPISODE:

May 23, 1949. CBS network. "To The Ends Of The Earth". Sponsored by: Lux (aluminum self-draining sauce pan premium). An action-adventure as a T-Man tracks down an opium crop in the Middle East. William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Louis Silvers (music director), Barbara Jean Wong, Herb Butterfield, Vernon Steele, Edgar Barrier, Alan Reed (doubles), William Johnstone (doubles), Howard McNear (doubles), Norman Field, Edward Marr, Lou Krugman, Ivan Triesault, Don Diamond, Dick Powell, Signe Hasso, Jack Kruschen, Lawrence Dobkin, Donald Randolph, George Neise, Dorothy Lovett (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), Lola Albright (intermission guest), Jay Richard Kennedy (screenwriter), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 59:07.

The Hungry One (Aired January 14, 1972)


Wyllis Cooper, who created, wrote, and produced The Devil and Mr. O, was then a 36-year-old staffer in Chicago's NBC Studios. Cooper created his horror "by raiding the larder." For the purposed of Lights Out sound effects, people were what they ate. The sound of a butcher knife rending a piece of uncooked pork was, when accompanied by shrieks and screams, the essence of murder to a listener alone at midnight. Real bones were broken - spareribs snapped with a pipe wrench. Bacon in a frypan gave a vivid impression of a body just electrocuted. And the cannibalism effect was actually a zealous actor. Gurgling and smacking his lips as he slurped up a bowl of spaghetti. Cabbages sounded like human heads when chopped open with a cleaver, and carrots had the pleasant resonance of fingers being lopped off. Arch Oboler's celebrated tale of a man turned inside-out by a demonic fog was accomplished by soaking a rubber glove in water and stripping it off at the microphone while a berry basket was curshed at the same instant. The listener saw none of this. The listener saw carnage and death. Cooper left the show in 1936 and Oboler was given the job. Oboler lost no time establishing himself as the new master of the macabre. Between May 1936 and July 1938, he wrote and directed more than 100 Lights Out plays. To follow Cooper was a challenge: he was "the unsung pioneer of radio dramatic techniques," but Oboler had passed the test with his first play. His own name soon became synonymous with murder and gore, though horror as a genre had always left him cold. Oboler aspired to more serious writing. Oboler's shows are well represented -- this series of Lights Out was syndicated in The Devil and Mr. O offerings of 1970 - 73. A transcribed syndication of original broadcasts from 1942 - 43 with Arch Oboler as the host.

THIS EPISODE:

January 14, 1972. Program #18. CBS network origination, syndicated rebroadcast. "The Hungry One". Commercials added locally. An monster-from-outer-space story. This one has a sinister appetite. Syndicated program name: "Lights Out" The story is also known as "Meteor Man." Arch Oboler (writer, host). 25 minutes.

The Fortune Teller (Aired March 31, 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:

March 1, 1942. NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. Gildersleeve offers to help in fund raising and is minipulated into becoming a Fortune Teller. Andy White (writer), Bud Hiestand (announcer), Earle Ross, Jack Meakin (music), John Elliotte (writer), Lillian Randolph, Marylee Robb, Richard LeGrand, Walter Tetley, Willard Waterman. 28:38.

Fall Guy (Aired May 1, 1949)


ROCKY JORDAN was the title character of one of the better and more exotic radio detective series. In fact, it's one of the best detective series I have ever heard. The series had two separate incarnations. The first, A Man Named Jordan, started as a daily 15 minute show and after about six months changed to a weekly 30 minute show. It took place in Istanbul and the Cafe was described as "a small restaurant in a narrow street off Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, permeated with by the smoke of Oriental tobacco, alive with the babble of many tongues, and packed with intrigue." The second incarnation, Rocky Jordan, was a weekly 30 minute series took place in Cairo - "the gateway to the ancient East where adventure and intrigue unfold against the backdrop of antiquity." Jordan was a hard-boiled owner of the Cafe Tambourine who spent most of his time solving mysteries that he usually became involved in by accident. During the Cairo-based run, he often encountered Captain Sam Sabaaya of the Cairo police.

THIS EPISODE:

May 1, 1949. CBS Pacific network. "Fall Guy". Sustaining. Johnny Serbie is on the run from the cops. He's been framed for stealing a diplomat's attache case. Rocky tries to help his pal, which leads him into the desert and two murders. Jack Moyles, Larry Thor (announcer), E. Jack Neuman (writer), Gomer Cool (story editor), Larry Roman (story editor), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor), Cliff Howell (producer, director). 29:43.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "GM Radio Adventure Theater" - Remember The Alamo (Aired June 5, 1977)


CBS Radio Adventure Theater Known as "General Mills Radio Adventure Theater" the first time this series aired in 1977, and then renamed CBSRAT for the repeat season later that year and into early 1978, there were only 52 episodes for this series geared toward younger listeners, hosted by Tom Bosley. The series was an excellent presentation, always well acted and notably produced.

THIS EPISODE:

Remember The Alamo - The Battle of the Alamo was fought in February and March 1836 in San Antonio, Texas. The conflict, a part of the Texas Revolution, was the first step in Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's attempt to retake the province of Texas after an insurgent army of Texan settlers and adventurers from the United States had driven out all Mexican troops the previous year. Mexican forces began a siege of the Texian forces garrisoned at the Alamo Mission on Tuesday, February 23. For the next twelve days, Mexican cannons advanced slowly to positions nearer the Alamo walls, while Texian soldiers worked to improve their defenses. Alamo co-commander William Travis sent numerous letters to the acting Texas government, the remaining Texas army under James Fannin, and various Texas communities, asking for reinforcements, provisions, and ammunition. Several times small groups of Texians ventured outside the Alamo walls, occasionally skirmishing with Mexican soldiers. Mexican forces received reinforcements on March 3. The Texians were reinforced at least once, when 32 men from Gonzales entered the fort, and may have received additional reinforcements. Additional Texas settlers and American adventurers gathered at Gonzales to prepare for the march to San Antonio.

The Quarter Eagle Caper (Aired November 28, 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.

THIS EPISODE:

November 28, 1948. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Quarter Eagle Caper". The owner of a gum-machine company is murdered, giving Sam plenty to chew on! Howard Duff, Lurene Tuttle, Dashiell Hammett (creator). 24:44.

Remember When Moment In Time - The Best Of Tommy Dorsey


Tommy Dorsey composed several popular songs of the Swing Era, including "To You" and "This is No Dream", co-written with Benny Davis and Ted Shapiro in 1939; "You Taught Me To Love Again" in 1939, with music by Tommy Dorsey and Henri Woode and lyrics by Charles Carpenter, recorded by Gene Krupa and Sarah Vaughan; "In the Middle of a Dream" in 1939 with Al Stillman and Einar Aaron Swan, recorded by Glenn Miller and Red Norvo; "Three Moods"; "Night in Sudan" (1939); "The Morning After" in 1937 with Moe Jaffe and Clay Boland, also recorded by Red Norvo; "Peckin' with the Penguins", co-written with Deane Kincaide from the 1938 short movie feature Porky's Spring Planting; "You Can't Cheat a Cheater" with Frank Signorelli and Phil Napoleon; and, "Trombonology", based on the answers.com and IMDB databases. Based on the collection of sheet music of the U.S. Library of Congress, Tommy Dorsey co-wrote "Chris and His Gang" in 1938 with Fletcher and Horace Henderson and "Nip and Tuck" with Fred Norman in 1946. "To You" was recorded in 1939 by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, and by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra. "This is No Dream" was recorded by Harry James and his Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra on vocals and by Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra with vocals by Judy Ellington.

Nightmare (Aired May 5, 1957)


The CBS Radio Workshop aired from January 27, 1956 through September 22, 1957 and was a revival of the prestigious Columbia Workshop from the 1930s and 1940s. Creator William Froug launched the series with this powerhouse two-part adaptation of "Brave New World" and booked author Aldous Huxley to narrate his famous novel. "We’ll never get a sponsor anyway," CBS vice president Howard Barnes explained to Time, "so we might as well try anything." The CBS Workshop regularly featured the works of the world’s greatest writers. including Ray Bradbury, Archibald MacLeish, William Saroyan, Lord Dunsany and Ambrose Bierce.

THIS EPISODE:

May 5, 1957. CBS network. "Nightmare". Sustaining. An experimental drama vividly portraying the stuff of nightmares. Interesting listening. Barney Phillips, Edgar Barrier, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Herb Butterfield, Mary Jane Croft, Paula Winslowe, William N. Robson (director). 24:37.

Boxcars711 Moment In Time - Murder At Midnight - 2 Episodes From 1946


The Murder at Midnight series was a thirty-minute broadcast featuring tales of the supernatural. The actors included Mercedes McCambridge and Lawson Zerbe and the show was narrated using the spooky, creepy voice of Raymond Morgan and always opened using the same gripping signature; “the witching hour, when night is darkest, our fears are the strongest, our strength at its lowest ebb… Midnight! … when graves gape open and death strikes!”

THIS EPISODE:

"The Man Who Was Death" (09-23-46) and "The House Where Death Lived"(12-23-46<

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Straight Arrow" - Land Of Our Fathers (1950)


Straight Arrow was the story of Steve Adams, a young man of Commanche decent who was taken in by a ranching family and raised as a white man. In early adulthood, Steve was told an indian legend about a fabulous warrior who would someday appear to save his people. He himself was to fulfill that destiny, riding out of his secret cave astride a magnificent golden horse. May 16, 1948 to June 21, 1951. Initially west coast Don Lee Network. 30 minutes, Thursdays at 8:00PM, Pacific Time. Mutual Network, coast to cost from February 7, 1949. 30 minutes, Mondays at 8:00PM until January 30, 1950.Often augmented by early evening broadcasts, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5, this becoming it's standard time in 1950-51.Nabisco was the sponsor throughout the series. STARS: Howard Culver as Steve Adams/Straight Arrow, Fred Howard DIRECTOR: Ted Robertson WRITER: Sheldon Stark SOUND EFFECTS: Tom Hanley, Ray Kemper. The announcer and narrator was Frank Bingman. Steve Adams was a rancher, who in times of trouble, became the commanche warrior Straight Arrow. Fred Howard as his sidekick, grizzled ranch hand Packy McCloud. Gwen Delano as Mesquite Molly.

The Bank Killer (1957)


Mr District Attorney (1939-1954) was for many years the nation’s best-liked crime show. The thirty-minute drama was inspired by the real-life exploits of Thomas E Dewey, a racket-busting district attorney of the late 30s in New York. The show was directed and often written by Ed Byron, a former law student who devoted all of his time researching crime, which was the reason that the show was so topical.

THIS EPISODE:

Program #16. ZIV Syndication. "The Case Of The Bank Killer". Commercials added locally. After two men rob a bank and kill a guard, a clerk in a hardware store is not very helpful in solving the case. Phillips H. Lord (creator), David Brian. 27:44.

Episodes 22 23 and 24 (1936)


The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen was a radio adventure serial created by writers Bob Burtt and Bill Moore, both of whom were from Kansas City, Missouri. The 15-minute program was broadcast from 1933 until 1947. The Jimmie Allen program was first broadcast February 23, 1933, initially over three Midwestern radio stations, WDAF in Kansas City, KLZ in Denver, Colorado, and KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Over the years, the show was produced in a variety of recording studios in Hollywood, New York and Chicago. Robertson is Jimmie's mentor. He does all the flying and continually teaches Allen a trick or two that he learned in World War I. After an exciting aerial dogfight near the end of the story, Robertson reveals that the FBI has made him a G-Man. In subsequent episodes of the series, Jimmie expresses interest in becoming a pilot and enrolls in flying school. Numerous exciting adventures follow, full of danger and mystery. Burtt and Moore wove the plot around the character of a self-reliant youth of fine habits: resourceful, courageous, capable of thinking his way through danger and holding firmly to "fine American ideals." They never deviated from that theme of the character, and they surrounded their hero with friends and enemies who personified other traits that would emphasize the character of their hero.

The Judgement (Aired November 7, 1953)


This fine British anthology series, features plays based on the best of literature, films and English theater. Produced in two series, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Sir Ralph Richardson serve as hosts, narrators and many times portray the leading roles. The program apparently was developed as a vehicle to capitalize on Olivier’s name and talent. His career spanned over 50 years and continues into the 21st century, as in 2004, 15 years after his death, he was starring as Dr. Totenkopf in a Hollywood fantasy film titled, Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow. This was accomplished by the producers who selected footage of Lord Olivier from various films and used to create a villainous leader of killer robots in the film. Jude Law, who stars in the film, said film-makers used Olivier because few other actors possessed his authority. Sir Ralph Richardson from 1954 – 1955 played the character of Dr. John Watson in another Harry Alan Towers radio series of Sherlock Holmes stories, which starred Sir John Gielgud as the famous consulting detective. Many fine actors of the British stage and screen were involved in individual episodes of the Theatre Royal series, such as Sir John Gielgud, Robert Morley, Harry Andrews, Muriel Forbes, Robert Donat, and Daphne Maddox. The music was credited to the renown British organist and arranger, Sidney Torch. However much of the same music was also used in other Harry Alan Towers productions on which Torch also worked, such as The Secrets of Scotland Yard, The Black Museum, and The Many Lives of Harry Lime. So how much of it was actually written for this series will probably never be known. Harry Alan Towers produced and directed the show for his Towers of London company for international syndication, at the time in Europe, South Africa and Australia. The episodes included in this distribution are from the initial US run on NBC.

The Perfect Secretary (Aired June 24, 1949)


"Manhattan Playhouse". The show lasted for four episodes and was broadcast on the Mutual Network on Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. in the New York City area. Two episodes of the show were also syndicated to the Los Angeles market in January 1949. The dates of the original broadcasts were 48/12/04, 48/12/11, 48/12/18, and 49/01/08. A television anthology series under the same name would later air from April to November 1951 on the NYC television station WABD (DuMont Television Network). In addition, another television series with the same name aired two episodes in September and October 1953 on the same station.

THIS EPISODE:

January 8, 1949. Mutual network. "The Perfect Secretary". Sustaining. A comedy about a young executive who always falls in love with his secretary. Paul Ford, Leonard T. Holton (writer), Peggy French, John Harvey, Wynn Wright (director), Jerry Hausner, Robert Monroe (composer), Sylvan Levin (conductor), Jack O'Reily (announcer). 29:30.

Mr. God Johnson (Aired April 1, 1949)


Mr. God Johnson from Skippy Hollywood Theater aired April 1, 1949 starring Peter Lorre. The story of a gentleman who is somewhat difficult to hang is outstanding classic drama from the period. Skippy Hollywood Theater was a syndicated program that went on to be one of the most successful programs on radio of this type. The pre-recorded shows were highly liked by the radio audiences even though they were not live. Also the show was responsible for helping Skippy Peanut Butter to be one of the most popular peanut butters in American and gain national attention.

The Man In Black (Rehearsal) Aired November 2, 1949


Jeff Regan, Investigator was one of the three detective shows Jack Webb did before Dragnet (see also Pat Novak For Hire and Johnny Modero: Pier 23). It debuted on CBS in July 1948. Webb played JEFF REGAN, a tough private eye working in a Los Angeles investigation firm run by Anthony J. Lyon. Regan introduced himself on each show "I get ten a day and expenses...they call me the Lyon's Eye." The show was fairly well-plotted, Webb's voice was great, and the supporting cast were skillful. Regan handled rough assignments from Lion, with whom he was not always on good terms. He was tough, tenacious, and had a dry sense of humor. The voice of his boss, Anthony Lion, was Wilms Herbert. The show ended in December 1948 but was resurrected in October 1949 with a new cast; Frank Graham played Regan (later Paul Dubrov was the lead) and Frank Nelson portrayed Lion. This version ran on CBS, sometimes as a West Coast regional, until August 1950. Both versions were 30 minutes, but the day and time slot changed several times. A total of 29 episodes from this series are in trading currency.

THIS EPISODE:

November 2, 1949. CBS network. "The Man In Black (Rehursal)". Frank Graham, Wilms Herbert, Lurene Tuttle, Dickie Chambers, Paul Frees, Wally Maher, Marvin Miller, E. Jack Neuman (writer), Sterling Tracy (producer), Richard Aurandt (music), Bob Stevenson (announcer). 29:40.

Solo Performance (Aired May 21, 1948)


Although Molle Mystery Theater was initially sponsored by Molle Shaving Cream, other sponsors (such as Bayer Aspirin, Ironized Yeast, Phillips Milk of Magnesia) also sponsored the program. Sometimes, when it was not sponsored by Molle, the program was called "Mystery Theater". The show was first heard on NBC, on 9/7/43. Time slot was originally Sunday nights at 9:00 PM, but was later moved to Tuesday at 9:00 PM, and Friday at 10:00 PM. In 1948, the show moved to CBS (Tues, 8:00 PM), and in 1951, it moved to ABC, where it was called "Mark Sabre", and heard on Wednesdays at either 8:00 PM or 9:30 PM. The shows were tight and tension filled, with a fine orchestra score and solid production values. Classic tales from well-known authors, as well as modern unknowns were presented, and the endings were often twists or shockers.

THIS EPISODE:

May 21, 1948. NBC network. "Solo Performance". Sponsored by: Molle, Double Danderine. A good story about an actor who kills a producer and then imitates his voice all day to give himself an alibi. Everett Sloane, Elizabeth Morgan, Bernard Lenrow (host, as "Geoffrey Barnes"), Dan Seymour (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Journey To Center Of Earth (Aired April 24, 1977)


The series had it origins in the meeting of two minds: the ad agency for General Mills at the time, Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample was looking for a different means to reach a child audience besides television, which was decreasing commercial minutes and increasing costs; and Himan Brown, producer-director of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, who wanted to introduce new audiences to the dramatic form on radio. Tom Bosley was chosen as the host because of his television recognition from a kid’s oriented series, Happy Days. CBS chose to produce 52 original broadcasts followed by 52 repeat broadcasts. I believe they had hoped to maintain General Mills sponsorship during the complete 104 episodes, but General Mills dropped their sponsorship after the original broadcasts. The series continued for the next 52 repeats as the CBS Radio Adventure Theater.

THIS EPISODE:

A Journey to the Centre of the Earth (French: Voyage au centre de la Terre), also translated as A Journey to the Interior of the Earth, is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a professor who leads his nephew and hired guide down a volcano in Iceland to the "centre of the Earth". They encounter many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards, eventually coming to the surface again in southern Italy. The living organisms they meet reflects the geological time; just as the rock layers become older and older the deeper one gets, the animals get more and more ancient the closer the characters come to the center. From a scientific point of view, this story has not aged quite as well as other Verne stories, since most of his ideas about what the interior of the Earth contains have since been proven wrong. However, a redeeming point to the story is Verne's own belief, told within the novel from the viewpoint of a character, that the inside of the Earth does indeed differ from that which the characters encounter. One of Verne's main ideas with his stories was also to educate the readers, and by placing the different extinct creatures the characters meet in their correct geological era, he is able to show how the world looked like millions of years ago, stretching from the ice age to the dinosaurs. The book was inspired by Charles Lyell's Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man of 1863. By that time geologists had abandoned a literal biblical account and it was generally thought that the end of the last glacial period marked the first appearance of humanity, but Lyell drew on new findings to put the origin of human beings much further back in the deep geological past. Lyell's book also influenced Louis Figuier's 1867 second edition of La Terre avant le déluge which included dramatic illustrations of savage men and women wearing animal skins and wielding stone axes, in place of the Garden of Eden shown in the 1863 edition.

Kiss Of Death (Aired January 12, 1948)


Lux Radio Theater strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell.

THIS EPISODE:

January 12, 1948. CBS network. "Kiss Of Death". Sponsored by: Lux, Pepsodent. A good cops-and-robbers story about a gangster-gone-straight turning stoolie to protect his little girls. Coleen Gray, Richard Widmark, Victor Mature, William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Louis Silvers (music director), Alan Reed, William Johnstone, Robert Griffin, Carole Sue Leeds, Norma Jean Nilsson, Jeff Chandler (doubles: billed as "Ira Grossel"), Julian Petruzzi (doubles), Marie Windsor, Edwin Cooper (doubles), Gwen Delano, Edward Marr, Ed Emerson, , Tyler McVey (doubles), Joseph Bell (doubles), Dorothy Lovett (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), Randy Stuart (intermission guest), Ben Hecht (screenwriter), Charles Lederer (screenwriter), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 1 hour.

Inside Story (Aired August 7, 1951)


This drama thriller series was heard over the Mutual radio network from 04/26/49 to 07/16/56 and starred Don Douglas in the title role. John Steele treks sweaty-browed through jungles and deserts, fighting lions and saving women. Thrilling indeed.Also heard throughout the program were John Larkin, Jack Edwards, and Bryna Raeburn.

Thinking About A Holiday (Aired June 27, 1971)


The Clitheroe Kid was James Robertson Clitheroe, Jimmy Clitheroe to most, who by some strange coincidence did come from the town of that name without having to change his family name! At his full height he was 4ft 3in, and played the naughty schoolboy from 1958 to 1972. Although plausable from a distance, he was not really able to pass himself off as a youngster close up, so a TV career did not really take off too well, but at the peak of his fame the radio show was raking in about 10 million listeners, although by the end this had dropped to a tenth of that figure. Clitheroe was a very private person, and the shows became a sort of escape for him, as well as the release from the worries of his diminutive size, but despite this, his popularity increased and increased, making this series one of the longer running on the radio - a total of 17 series. It is surprising then that with such a success, and with such a long run that the shows are rarely broadcast. The humour was very obvious and probably wouldn't stand up in todays climes, but there has been one release from the BBC radio collection, so if you wanted to hear some of the shows, you can hunt this down in the shops. I would like to thank Tony Lang for the following information about the series. I do not have any of this series on tape myself, so if anyone has comments to make I would be most grateful. The scripts were generally written by James Casey and Frank Roscoe, with the shows production by James Casey. The series sprang from a single show broadcast on 24-4-56 as part of a Variety Playhouse series The pilot series did not have individual names for the episodes. The producer was Geoff Lawrence, with the music supplied by the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra, conducted by Alyn Ainsworth, and broadcast in the North of England only.

The Raincoat (1952)*Actual Air Date Is Unknown


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:

The Black Museum. 1952. Program #34. Syndicated, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Raincoat". A man's wife is found murdered. The husband is suspected and found guilty, but reasonable doubt spares him from death. The date is approximate. Orson Welles (narrator), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor), Ira Marion (writer). 1/2 hour.

Guest Dennis Day (Aired November 27, 1946)


In March 1939, Dinah debuted on national radio on the Sunday afternoon CBS radio program, Ben Bernie's Orchestra. In February 1940, Dinah Shore became a featured vocalist on the NBC Radio program The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street, a showcase for traditional Dixieland and Blues songs. With Shore, the program became so popular that it was moved from 4:30 Sunday afternoon to a 9:00 Monday night time slot in September. In her prime-time debut for "the music of the Three Bs, Barrelhouse, Boogie-woogie and the Blues", she was introduced as "Mademoiselle Dinah 'Diva' Shore, who starts a fire by rubbing two notes together!". She recorded with the two Basin Street bands for RCA Victor; one of her records was the eponymous "Dinah's Blues." Shore soon became a successful singing star with her own radio show in 1943, Call to Music. Also in 1943, she appeared in her first movie, Thank Your Lucky Stars. The movie starred Eddie Cantor, and she soon went to another radio show, Paul Whiteman Presents. During this time, the United States was involved in World War II and Shore became a favorite with the troops.

THIS EPISODE:

November 27, 1946. CBS network. Sponsored by: Ford. The first tune is, "Sooner Or Later." Last minute Thanksgiving hints. The cast performs an old-fashioned operetta. Peter Lind Hayes outdoes himself on this show. Henry Lacossette does a Ford commercial from New York about Ford's "Tele-Autograph" and the automatic assembly line at Dearborn, Michigan. Dinah Shore, Peter Lind Hayes, Robert Emmett Dolan and His Orchestra, Dennis Day (guest), Henry Lacossette (commercial spokesman), Tom Hanlon (announcer)29:47.

Prelude To Murder (Aired June 15, 1943)


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.

THIS EPISODE:

June 15, 1943. CBS network. "Prelude to Murder". Sponsored by: Ironized Yeast, Energene Shoe-White. An insanely jealous orchestra conductor is convinced that his wife is seeing a young artist. The husband's thoughts are heard, as well as his words...an interesting technique. Arch Oboler (writer, host), Hans Conried. 1/2 hour.

Twill Be The Death Of Me (Aired July 10, 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:

July 10, 1950. NBC network. Sponsored by: Wheaties. Theatrical producer Charles Kelsey is determined to get his revenge against Max Sorenson, a down-and-out Shakespearean actor. Ann Keenan, Eleanor Audley, Frank Lovejoy, Frank Martin (announcer), Frank Worth (composer, conductor), Harry Bartell, Irwin Ashkenazie (writer), Larry Marcus (writer), Tudor Owen, Wally Maher, Warren Lewis (director). 29:31.

Cornered (Aired February 27, 1946)
RKO (Radio-Keith-Orpheum) Pictures is an American film production and distribution company. As Radio Pictures Inc. and then RKO Radio Pictures Inc., it was one of the so-called Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum (KAO) theater chains and Joseph P. Kennedy's Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) studio were brought together under the control of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in October 1928. RCA chief David Sarnoff engineered the merger in order to create a market for the company's sound-on-film technology, RCA Photophone. By the mid-1940s, the studio was under the control of investor Floyd Odlum.

THIS EPISODE:
*This radio presentation, though suspense filled, leaves you purposely wondering "what happened". For the finish, you must see the motion picture. Boxcars711 is attempting to secure the full audio score for future posting.

Cornered from RKO Radio Pictures aired February 27, 1946 Starring Dick Powell and Walter Slezak. A World War II veteran hunts down the Nazi collaborators who killed his wife. Canadian WW II pilot Gerard (Dick Powell) intends to track down and kill collaborationist Marcel Jarne, the man responsible for the wartime death of Gerard's French wife. The trouble is, Jarne has never been effectively identified by the authorities and in fact could be just about anyone whom Gerard meets. Weaselly Incza is played by (Walter Slezak).

Cucamunga Cattle Ranch (Aired April 25, 1946)


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.

Death In Step-Ins (Aired May 6, 1937)


True Detective Mysteries radio series was based on the “True Detective” magazine. Later it was sponsored by Listerine and Oh Henry Candy, but kept the same name. Each week the show presented the “case history of an actual crime.” Many were told from the criminal’s point of view. True Detective Mysteries were truly audience participation shows - each show provided descriptions of the true-story criminal and encouraged audiences to provide information leading to their capture. Rewards of $500 and later $1000 were offered in return for helpful clues from listeners.

THIS EPISODE:

July 17, 1937. Program #8. TransAmerican syndication. "Death In Step-Ins". Commercials added locally. A beautiful fifteen-year-old bride is found murdered in a creek during a 4th of July picnic in Arkansas. Who killed the girl on the rocks? The date is approximate, the program number is subject to correction. See a similar program titled, "In The Name Of The Law." 25 minutes.

Butcher Shop Protection (Aired March 9, 1951)


Richard Diamond, Private Detective was a radio show starring Dick Powell which aired from 1949 to 1953, first on NBC, then ABC and finally on CBS. The title character was a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen. The television series was produced by Powell's company, Four Star Television, and that series ran for 3 years from 1957 to 1960. On TV, David Janssen played the hard boiled private eye and his secretary renamed “Sam”, was only ever shown on camera from the waist down, most assurardidly to display her beautiful legs. It was later leared that the legs belonged to Mary Tyler Moore. Original music by Frank DeVol and pete rugolo and later by richard shores. Good scripts, a solid cast and Powell’s exceptional talent made a good time 30 minute program that was quite popular during that Golden Age of Radio. So Let’s sit back now, relax and enjoy this truly otr radio classic.,…, Dick powell as Richard Diamond.., Private Detective.

THIS EPISODE

March 9, 1951. ABC network. Sponsored by: Camels, Prince Albert tobacco. Diamond uses plenty of "beef" to get at the "marrow" of a butcher shop protection racket. Dick Powell, Virginia Gregg, Wilms Herbert, Arthur Q. Bryan, Blake Edwards (writer), Helen Mack (director), Frank Worth (music). 29:56.

With Jack Benny (Aired August 17, 1947)


"THE JACK PAAR SHOW" NBC – Sponsored by Lucky Strike Cigarettes. Sundays 7:00 - 7:30 pm Summer Replacement for the Jack Benny Show STARS: Jack Paar (The Tonight Show) ANNOUNCER: Hy Averback - MUSIC: Jerry Fielding's Orchestra - VOCALS: The Page Cavanaugh Trio, Trudy Erwin.

Jack Paar came to the attention of RKO Radio Pictures in Hollywood, which hired him to emcee Variety Time (1948), a compilation of vaudeville sketches. Paar later recalled that RKO didn't know what to do with him. His producers, trying to decide what kind of screen characters he could play, compared Paar with other RKO stars. Finally, Paar said, one of the executives had an inspiration, and figured out who Jack Paar really was: "Kay Kyser, with warmth." Paar projected a pleasant personality on film, and RKO called him back to emcee another filmed vaudeville show, Footlight Varieties (1951). Paar was featured in a few films, including a role opposite Marilyn Monroe in Love Nest (1951). Like fellow humorists Steve Allen and Henry Morgan, Jack Paar dabbled in motion pictures but was much more comfortable behind a studio microphone, broadcasting. Paar found loyal listeners nationally as the 1950-51 host of radio's The $64 Question on NBC. He appeared as a standup comic on The Ed Sullivan Show and hosted two TV game shows, Up To Paar (1952) and Bank On The Stars (1953), before hosting The Morning Show (1954) on CBS. In 1956 he hosted The Jack Paar Show on the ABC Radio network.

The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Clue (Aired August 10, 1951)


By the 1940's, Frank and Ann Hummert controlled four and a half hours of national weekday broadcast schedules. Their features reportedly spawned more that 5 million pieces of correspondence annually from steadfast fans. Simultaneously they brought in more than half of the national radio chain's advertising revenues generated during the daylight hours. The couple broadcast 18 quarter-hour serials five times weekly, a total of 90 original episodes for 52 weeks per year, with none of those ever repeated. Some shows were "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill", "Backstage Wife","Chaplin Jim USA", "David Harum", "Easy Aces", "Front Page Farrell", "John's Other Wife", "Just Plain Bill", "The Life of Mary Sothern","Lora Lawton", "Lorenzo Jones", "Ma Perkins", "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch", "Our Gal Sunday", "The Romance of Helen Trent" and "Young Widder Brown".

THIS EPISODE:

August 10, 1951. NBC network. The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Clue". Sustaining. Not auditioned. Kenneth MacGregor (director), Frank Hummert (creator), Anne Hummert (creator), Fred Collins (announcer), Karl Weber, Geraldine Merken (writer), Edward Francis (writer). 28:50.

Murder Needs An Artist (Aired May 6, 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:

May 6, 1950. CBS network. "Murder Needs An Artist". Sponsored by: Philip Morris, Revelation Pipe Tobacco. A writer discovers a famous artist with amnesia, living in a Bowery flophouse. He gets the artist to start painting again and protects his investment with murder. Vincent Price, William Conrad, William Spier (editor, director), Art Ballinger (announcer), John Holbrook (announcer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Alec Chorney (writer), John Hobish. 29:25.

Blackout (Aired November 23, 1952)


The Chase is an exciting Old Time Radio series in which every episode contains, well, a chase. Tales, highly melodramatic and often improbable, of people on the run. The concept of "hunter and hunted" was built into the signatures. with the lone bugle of a fox hunt, the braying of dogs, the sounds of a man running, a gunshot, and the slowing footsteps and eventual fall of the victim. It may be an adventure story, a crime story, or even science fiction, but there will always be a suspense filled chase.

THIS EPISODE:

November 23, 1952. NBC network. "Blackout". Sustaining. The title may be incorrect. Am amnesiac trying to discover his past life finds out he was some louse. Don MacLaughlin, Fred Collins (announcer), Fred Weihe (director, transcriber), Joan Tompkins, Lawrence Klee (creator, writer), Linda Watkins, Ned Wever, William Keene. 29:27.