Old TIme Radio Adventures

The Dinah Shore Ford Show "Guest Dennis Day" (11-27-46)

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:39:17 -0800

The Dinah Shore Ford Show - 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.

Escape "The Pistol" (01-03-50)

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:23:59 -0800

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 3, 1950. CBS network. "The Pistol". Sponsored by: Sustaining, Bulova watch (local). An action-packed western about the first Colt six-shooter, the California gold fields, and a double-crossing dance hall queen. Betty Lou Gerson, Charles McGraw, Del Castillo (organ), Edward Marr, Gerald Mohr, Les Crutchfield (writer), Will Geer, William N. Robson (director). 29:20.

Challenge Of The Yukon "Christmas Present" (12-19-46)

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:38:08 -0800

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. Typical plots involved the pair helping injured trappers, tracking down smugglers, or saving cabin dwellers from wolverines. Sgt. Preston's faithful steed was Rex, used primarily in the summer months, but generally Yukon King and his dog team were the key mode of transportation (as signalled by Preston's cry of "On, King! On, you huskies!."

THIS EPISODE:

The Challenge Of The Yukon. December 23, 1949. ABC net. "The Sergeant's Present". Sponsored by: Quaker. Not auditioned. Paul Sutton, Jay Michael (announcer), George W. Trendle (creator, producer), Fran Striker (editor), Fred Flowerday (director). 29:15.

The Adventures Of Horatio Hornblower "The Guerilla Action" (10-03-52)

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:15:29 -0800

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

Ports Of Call "Ireland" (1936)

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:07:17 -0800

1936. Transco syndication. "Ireland". Music fill for local commercial insert. The story of Tristan and Isolde in ancient Ireland. St. Patrick and the preservation of ancient knowledge by Irish monks, King Brian defeats the Danes. A visit to Blarney Castle; Thomas Moore, "the bard of Ireland." The date and identity of the syndicator are subject to correction. . 29:58.

Blair Of The Mounties "The Kittilak Lagoon Mystery" (Part 1 and 2 Complete) 1938

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:48:56 -0800

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:

May 23, 1938. Program #17. Walter Biddick syndication. "Kittilake Lagoon" Part one. "A Story Of Dope Smuggling In British Columbia". A plainclothes job for Blair and Sgt. Marshall, breaking up a narcotics ring. . 13 minutes.

May 30, 1938. Program #18. Walter Biddick syndication. "Kittilake Lagoon" Part two. Blair tries a little burglary...and gets caught! . 13 minutes.

The Adventures Of Frank Race "The Night Crawler" (01-22-50)

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:55:37 -0800

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

THIS EPISODE:

January 22, 1950. Program #39. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Night Crawler". Commercials added locally. Treachery in the live bait business. Race sees that the worm turns! Paul Dubov, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer), Michael Ann Barrett, Dick Ryan, Hal March, Gunnar Peterson, Wilms Herbert, Bill Crawford. 26:48.

Escape "The Thirteenth Truck" (08-16-53)

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:27:04 -0800

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:
August 16, 1953. CBS network. "The Thirteenth Truck". Sustaining. An Allied expedition attempts to blow up a Nazi airfield in North Africa...by joining a Nazi truck convoy through the desert! The story has a good surprise ending! Alec Harford, Alistair Duncan, Antony Ellis (performer, writer, director), Cecil Carnes (author), Charlie Lung, Dick Beals, Douglas A. Smith (author), Gus Bayz (adaptor), Hy Averback (announcer), Jack Kruschen, Roy Rowan (announcer). 30:31.

Mr. & Mrs. North "Diamond Noose" (08-04-53)

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:54:47 -0800

Mr. and Mrs. North was a radio mystery series that aired on CBS from 1942 to 1954. Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin had the title roles when the series began in 1942. Publisher Jerry North and his wife Pam lived in Greenwich Village at 24 St. Anne's Flat. They were not professional detectives but simply an ordinary couple who stumbled across a murder or two every week for 12 years. The radio program eventually reached nearly 20 million listeners. The characters originated in 1930s vignettes written by Richard Lockridge for the New York Sun, and he brought them back for short stories in The New Yorker. These stories were collected in Mr. and Mrs. North (1936). Lockridge increased the readership after he teamed with his wife Frances on a novel, The Norths Meet Murder (1940), launching a series of 40 novels, including Death takes a Bow, Death on the Aisle and The Dishonest Murderer. Their long-run series continued for over two decades and came to an end in 1963 with the death of Frances Lockridge. Albert Hackett and Peggy Conklin had the title roles in the Broadway production Mr. and Mrs. North, which ran 163 performances at the Belasco Theatre from January 12, 1941, to May 31, 1941. Alfred De Liagre, Jr. produced and directed the play written by Owen Davis. In this version, the North's apartment was located on Greenwich Place, realized in a scenic design by Jo Mielziner. The Owen Davis play became a 1942 MGM movie starring Gracie Allen and William Post, Jr. with Millard Mitchell repeating his role of Detective Mullins from the Broadway production. Others in the cast were Paul Kelly, Rose Hobart and Keye Luke. In 1946, producer-director Fred Coe brought the Owen Davis play to television (on New York City's WNBT) with John McQuade and Maxine Stewart in the leads and Don Haggerty, Joan Marlowe and Millard Mitchell repeating their Broadway roles. Barbara Britton and Richard Denning starred in the TV adaptation seen on CBS from 1952 to 1953 and on NBC in 1954. Guest appearances on this series included Raymond Burr, Hans Conried, Mara Corday, Carolyn Jones, Katy Jurado, Jimmy Lydon, Julia Meade, William Schallert and Gloria Talbott.

The Lux Radio Theater "Two Years Before The Mast" (09-22-47)

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:34:08 -0800

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 City 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. Many of the greatest names in film appeared in the series, most in the roles they made famous on the screen, including Abbott and Costello, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Boyer, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotton, Bing Crosby, Dan Duryea, Ava Gardner, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Vivien Leigh, Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Ann Sothern, Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Gene Tierney, John Wayne, Jane Wyman, Orson Welles and Loretta Young.

THIS EPISODE:

September 22, 1947. CBS network. "Two Years Before The Mast". Sponsored by: Lux Soaps. 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.

Gangbusters "The Case Of The Golf Course Murder" (08-07-48)

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:19:47 -0800

Gangbusters was an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet, on July 20, 1935. After the title was changed to Gang Busters January 15, 1936, the show had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957. Beginning with a barrage of loud sound effects — guns firing and tires squealing — this intrusive introduction led to the popular catch phrase "came on like Gang Busters."The series dramatized FBI cases, which producer-director Phillips H. Lord arranged in close association with Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover insisted that only closed cases would be used. The initial series was on NBC Radio from July 20 - October 12, 1935. It then aired on CBS from January 15, 1936 to June 15, 1940, sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive and Cue magazine. From October 11, 1940 to December 25, 1948, it was heard on the Blue Network, with various sponsors that included Sloan's Liniment, Waterman pens and Tide. Returning to CBS on January 8, 1949, it ran until June 25, 1955, sponsored by Grape-Nuts and Wrigley's chewing gum. The final series was on the Mutual Broadcasting System from October 5, 1955 to November 27, 1957. It was once narrated by Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr., former head of the New Jersey State Police. The radio series was adapted for DC Comics, Big Little Books and a 1942 movie serial. The 1952 Gang Busters TV series was reedited into two feature films, Gang Busters (1954) and Guns Don't Argue (1957).

THIS EPISODE:
August 7, 1948. Program #541. ABC network origination, syndicated, WRVR-FM, New York rebroadcast. "The Case Of The Golf Course Murder". Sponsored by: Arrow Audio. The head of a car-theft ring branches out into murder. WRVR rebroadcast date: April 11, 1974. Anne Burr, Frank Readick. 1/2 hour.

Adventures In Research "2 Episodes (10-16-45) and (10-22-46)"

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:50:03 -0800

Adventures In Research - A wonderfully informative old time radio series can be found in Adventures In Research. With tales that are not only wonderfully dramatic, but at the same time extremely interesting and entertaining. Adventures In Research offers the listener accounts in American scientific research history. You will be enthralled, as will your children. Best of all, in regards to providing a great educational tool for children, the episodes are made for their attention span, and run approximately fifteen minutes. Hear about the development of the parachute; History of 1st Regular Radio Broadcast; learn about the George Westinghouse; be amazed at The First American Patent; the horrible Dread Scourge - Typhus; be in awe of The Man Who Found A Continent; and so much more wonderful history.

TODAY'S SHOW:
"A New Kind Of Movie" (10-16-45) and "Hurricane Maker" (10-22-46)

Westinghouse syndication. "A New Kind Of Movie". Sustaining. How a professor in Ghent invented the very first moving picture machine. 15 minutes.

Westinghouse syndication. "Hurricane Maker". Sustaining. The development of the wind tunnel used to test the aircraft of the future.

Voyage Of Scarlet Queen "Grafter's Fort & Black Pearl Galayla Bay" (10-23-47)

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:56:54 -0800

The Voyage Of The Scarlet Queen - First heard on Mutual featuring Elliott Lewis, who as Leonard Maltin writes in "The Great American Broadcast, "…wore every hat imaginable-actor, producer, and director-also penned a good number of scripts for series he supervised, including Suspense." And Maltin says of this show, "On the terrific late-1940's high-adventure series The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen he held down both jobs simultaneously as director and star." As Maltin continues, “Lewis had the ability to make you believe whatever he said. Cast as the skipper on the high-adventure series The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen, he was completely convincing as seagoing ship's master Philip Carney-never corny or overblown." So let a master captain of drama chart a course to exotic ports of call and thrilling adventures. All you have to do is step aboard The Scarlet Queen.

THIS EPISODE:
October 23, 1947. Mutual network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Grafter's Fort and The Black Pearl Of Galayla Bay". What and where is the pearl? Clue: it's a woman, not a jewel! The system cue has been deleted. Elliott Lewis, Edwin Max, Rolfe Sedan, Jack Kruschen, Virginia Gregg, Gil Doud (writer), Robert Tallman (writer), James Burton (producer), Richard Aurandt (music), Charles Arlington (announcer). 29:23

Bold Venture "Death By A Fighting Bird" (1951)

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:43:06 -0800

Bold Venture - 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. First show: Mar 26, 1951 Last show: Sep 15, 1952.

21st Precinct "The Friend" (09-01-53)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:27:24 -0800

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. 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 operation of a single police precinct. Actual cases were used as the basis for stories. The Precinct Captain acted as the narrator for the series. 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. It was mentioned in each episode's closing by the announcer that, "Twenty-firstPrecinct 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." Everett Sloane, Lawson Zerbe, Raymond Edward Johnson, Ken Lynch, Robert Readick, Gaylord Avery (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Ports Of Call "England" (1936)

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:31:01 -0800

Ports Of Call - An obscure series from 1935 or 1936 in which each episode deals with a voyage to a different country where events of that country's history are dramatized. They each begin with the low moan of a tramp steamer's whistle and the announcement of the series title, followed by a musical interlude.
*Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
1936. Transco syndication. "England". Music fill for local commercial insert. King John signs the Magna Carta, Elizabeth and Essex: a romance gone bad. Lord Nelson wins the battle of Trafalgar. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The first World War. Edward, Prince of Wales, becmes the king. He was proclaimed King Edward VIII on January 20, 1936. No mention is made of his abdication, which took place on December 11, 1936 and would therefore date this program during 1936. The identity of the syndicator is subject to correction. . 30:21.

Escape "Diary Of A Madman" (01-25-53)

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:45:25 -0800

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.

John Steele Adventurer "Inside Story" (08-07-51)

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:13:46 -0700

John Steele Adventurer - 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.

Mr. & Mrs. North "Crooked Ring" (08-25-53)

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:17:49 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
August 25, 1953. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Crooked Ring". A prize fighter with plans to quit the ring is involved in a hit-and-run incident, while murder wins by a TKO. Barbara Britton, Richard Denning, Frances Lockridge (creator), Richard Lockridge (creator). 25:30.

The Arthur Godfrey Show "Recalling 1949" (04-26-72)

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:19:33 -0700

Arthur 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.

On leaving the Coast Guard, Godfrey became a radio announcer for the Baltimore station WFBR and moved the short distance to to become a staff announcer for NBC-owned station WRC the same year and remained there until 1934. He was already an avid flyer. In 1933, Godfrey nearly died following a violent car crash outside Washington that left him hospitalized for months. During that time, he decided to listen closely to the radio and realized that the stiff, formal announcers could not connect with the average radio listener, as the announcers spoke in stentorian tones, as if giving a formal speech to a crowd and not communicating on a personal level. Godfrey vowed that when he returned to the airwaves he would affect a relaxed, informal style as if he were talking to just one person. He also used that style to do his own commercials and became a regional star.

Challenge Of Yukon "2 Epsiodes" (5-11-44) (5-18-44)

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:49:28 -0700

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. Typical plots involved the pair helping injured trappers, tracking down smugglers, or saving cabin dwellers from wolverines. Sgt. Preston's faithful steed was Rex, used primarily in the summer months, but generally Yukon King and his dog team were the key mode of transportation (as signalled by Preston's cry of "On, King! On, you huskies!."

TODAY'S SHOW: "Outlaw Dog" (05-11-44) And "The Outlaws Nemesis" (05-18-44)

May 11, 1944. Program #328. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "Outlaw Dog". Sustaining. Tom McShane loses his poke and his claim playing poker in a Stovepipe City cafe. He even loses his faithful dog, "Marty." Possible recording date: May 4, 1944. Not auditioned. Jay Michael, Jack McCarthy (anouncer), Betty Joyce (writer). 14:17.

May 18, 1944. Program #329. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "The Outlaw's Nemesis". Sustaining. Jim Mckenzie was shot while his brother Pete was trying to break him out of jail. Sergeant Preston is assigned to disguise himself, travel to Towanda Lake and arrest Pete. Possible recording date: May 11, 1944. Not auditioned. Jay Michael, Jack McCarthy (announcer), Betty Joyce (writer). 14:17.

Hear It Now - January 12, 1951

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:37:38 -0700

Hear It Now, an American radio program on CBS, began in 1950 and was hosted by Edward R. Murrow and produced by Fred Friendly. It ran for one hour on Fridays at 9 p.m. One of the most popular and best selling records of 1948 was I Can Hear It Now 1933-1945. The record was a collaboration between Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly. The record interwove historical events with speeches and Murrow's narration and marked the beginning of one of the most famous pairings in journalism history. The huge success of the record prompted the pair to parlay it into a weekly radio show for CBS. That show was Hear It Now. The show had a "magazine format." It drove to include a variety of sounds from current events such as an atom smasher at work or artillery fire from Korea. It was the artillery fire that produced one of the show's more poignant moments as it backdropped the words of American soldiers fighting the Korean War. The entire premise of the show was to include the "actual sound of history in the making," according to Murrow. Some of the show's audio was what Time Magazine called "fairly routine" in 1950. Such audio soundbites as Communist China's General Wu and Russia's Vishinsky along with the U.S. Delegate Warren Austin were included among the routine group of audio use. Television, by 1955, usurped radio in terms of audience share and a reluctant Murrow, in 1951, set about doing a TV version of the radio show called See It Now. With the inception of the television version of the show in 1951 Hear It Now ended its on air run.

THIS EPISODE:
January 12, 1951. Program #5. CBS network. Sustaining. Retreat in Korea, Eisenhower returns to Europe, Truman vs. Taft (a look at their differences), the "Twentieth Anniversary" of Bing Crosby, the story of Lieutenant Henry, a Medal Of Honor winner. Good radio. Edward R. Murrow (narrator). 1 hour.

Escape "Ancient Sorceries" (02-15-48)

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:37:57 -0700

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:
February 15, 1948. CBS network. "Ancient Sorceries". Sustaining. East coast version, the program was also broadcast on the West coast on February 21, 1948. A tale of the supernatural and witchcraft in a small Welsh town. Algernon Blackwood (author), Anne Morrison, Cy Feuer (composer, conductor), Kaye Brinker, Les Crutchfield (adaptor), Paul Frees, William Conrad, William N. Robson (director). 29:43.

Gang Busters "The Case Of The Unknown Killer" (06-09-44)

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:38:14 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
June 9, 1944. Program #369. Blue Network. "The Case Of The Unknown Killers". Sponsored by: Sloan's Liniment, Nonspi deodorant. The story of "The Broadway and Coney Island Murders." A cop is killed in Coney Island during a holdup. This leads to an exciting shoot-out in a hotel. "Gangbusters Nationwide Clues" follow the story. Fred William Poole: murderer, upper and lower front teeth missing, walks with head down, has two machine guns. Ralph Williams: escaped convict, scar left side forehead, "L.O.V.E." tattoed on four fingers, "1935 O'Donnell" tattoed on forearm. Narrated by "Colonel Schwarzkopf" (by proxy). Arnold Stang, playing a bellhop, does a Sloan's Liniment commercial integrated into the plot. Charles Stark (announcer), Arnold Stang, Phillips H. Lord (producer). 29:32.

John Steele Adventurer "The Unsuspected" (05-06-50)

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:11:11 -0700

John Steele, Adventurer - 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:
May 6, 1950. Mutual network. "The Unsuspected". Sustaining. Two men hacking their way through the Amazon jungle in search of a missing aviator find death instead. . 1/2 hour.

The Adventures Frank Race "Vanishing Favorite" (07-31-49)

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:00:43 -0700

This Episode:
July 31, 1949. Program #14. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Vanishing Favorite". Commercials added locally. A half million dollar bet on a horse race motivates bookies, owners, and beautiful girl to attempt to change the odds. Tom Collins, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer). 1/2 hour.

The Adventures Of Maisie "In Hollywood" (07-13-50)

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:33:14 -0700

The Adventures Of Maisie - Maisie, the first in 1939, was from the book "Dark Dame" by the writer Wilson Collison,who did decades of scripting for the silver screen along with Broadway plays and magazine fiction. From the first, MGM wanted Ann Sothern to play Maisie. She began in Hollywood as an extra in 1927. "Maisie and I were just together - I just understood her," Sothern, born Harriette Arlene Lake, said after several of the films made her a star. Throughout the 1930s and '40s, Ann Sothern and Lucille Ball, like many performers in Hollywood, had not one but two careers - one in motion pictures and one on radio. MGM Studios had created the series of ten motion pictures based on a brash blonde with a heart "of spun gold."

THIS EPISODE:
Program #44. MGM syndication. "Maisie Goes To Hollywood". Commercials added locally. Maisie goes to Hollywood to see thed stars and ends up waiting on tables. Ann Sothern, Arthur Phillips (writer), Robert Cole, Elvia Allman, Frank Nelson, Harry Zimmerman (composer, conductor), Jack McCoy (announcer), Jeffrey Silver, Joan Banks, John McGovern, Peter Leeds, Sheldon Leonard, Tommy Bernard. 27:28.

The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell "The Senior Dinner" (11-20-48)

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:21:00 -0700

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

THIS EPISODE:
November 20, 1948. NBC network. "The Senior Dinner". Sustaining. Frank outwits the entire sophomore class who are out to steal a trophy cup from the seniors. Lawson Zerbe, Hal Studer, Elaine Rost, Harlow Wilcox (announcer), Burt L. Standish (creator). 1/2 hour.

Jungle Jim "Ep304 (08-23-41) Ep305 (08-30-41) Ep306 (09-06-41)"

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:28:52 -0700

The Adventures Of Jungle Jim - This fifteen minute juvenile adventure show, based on the Alex Raymond comic strip in Hearst’s Comic Weekly, was broadcast on a weekly basis for many years. Week-by-week it followed the trials and tribulations of Jungle Jim Bradley, the intrepid adventurer. Interestingly, the first episode of the series not only continued the story line of Flash Gordon, which was another Hearst strip, but also used the same theme music. PRODUCED BY LANGLOIS & WENTWORTH. TRANSCRIBED BY RCA. STARS: Matt Crowley, Franc Hale, Juano Hernandez, Irene Winston, Owen Jordan, Arthur Hughes, Jack Lloyd, Kenny Delmar ANNOUNCER: Glenn Riggs WRITER: Gene Stafford Followed the Sunday Comic Strip closely & aired on the prior Saturday

TODAY'S SHOW:

Ep#304 "Jim To The Rescue" (08-23-41) Ep305 "A New Ally" (08-30-41) and Ep306 "Down To The Sea" (09-06-41)

The Man Called X "Japanese Underground" (01-20-51)

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:42:47 -0700

The Man Called X was an espionage radio drama which aired on CBS and NBC from July 10, 1944 to May 20, 1952. Sponsored by Frigidaire and later General Motors, this spy series starred Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, Intelligence Agent. Marshall, British by birth, starred in films with many of the greatest, especially Detreich in Blonde Venus, Bette Davis in The Virgin Queen, Vincent Price in The Fly, and a great cast in The Razor's Edge, where he portrayed W. Somerset Maugham.The Gordon Jenkins Orchestra supplied the exotic background music.

THIS EPISODE:
January 20, 1951. Syndicated. Commercials deleted. Ken Thurston flies to Japan to find out who killed Professor Reynolds, a scientist who was working on a cure for radiation poisoning. Herbert Marshall, Leon Belasco. 25:12.

Adventures In Research - "Eyes & Ears For The Millions" (11-21-44) (11-28-44)

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:57:19 -0700

TODAY'S SHOW:
"Eyes and Ears For The Millions" Part 1. December 30, 1944. Westinghouse syndication. "History of 1st Regular Radio Broadcast" Sustaining. How radio broadcasting began with the experiments of amateurs. Mr. Thomas says, "radio broadcasting began on November 2, 1920." The program features a recreation of the Harding-Cox election returns as broadcast over KDKA. It makes fascinating listening! The date is subject to correction. Phillips Thomas, Paul Shannon (announcer). 14:44.

"Eyes and Ears For The Millions" Part 2- January 7, 1945. Westinghouse syndication. "Telegraphy". Sustaining. A short history of commercial broadcasting and radio, with amusing anecdotes. The date is approximate. 15 minutes.

The Challenge Of The Yukon "2 Episodes" (08-31-44) and (09-07-44)

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:37:02 -0700

The 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. Typical plots involved the pair helping injured trappers, tracking down smugglers, or saving cabin dwellers from wolverines. Sgt. Preston's faithful steed was Rex, used primarily in the summer months, but generally Yukon King and his dog team were the key mode of transportation (as signalled by Preston's cry of "On, King! On, you huskies!."

THIS EPISODE:

"Smokey" August 31, 1944. Program #344. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "Smokey". Sustaining. Angus MacTavish, lacks a sense of hospitality that is common in the Yukon. He leaves Hammerhead City, whipping his dogs, and soon learns a lesson. Not auditioned. Jay Michael, Jack McCarthy (announcer), Betty Joyce (writer). 14:03.

"A Frame-Up That Failed" September 7, 1944. Program #345. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "A Frame-Up That Failed". Sustaining. Blackie Lewis and Eddie have plans to get their hands on a ton of gold, and their plans succeed! After their crimes have been committed, Sergeant Preston gets on their trail. Not auditioned. Jay Michael, Bob Hite (announcer), Betty Joyce (writer). 14:03.

Air Adventures Of Jimmy Allen - (Episodes 20 and 21) 1936

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:28:48 -0700

This series included the boy wonder and pilot, Jimmie Allen, his best teenage buddy, Speed Robertson, and mechanic Flash Lewis. As a team they would solve crimes often at the hands of their enemies the corrupt Black Pete and the dishonorable Digger Dawson. Young listeners could join the very popular Jimmie Allen Flying club, complete with a "personal letter" from the boy wonder himself. Jimmie Allen was so popular a character that Paramount shot the feature film The Sky Parade. Cast: Jimmie Allen, Robert Fiske.

Sky King "The Mark Of El-Diablo" (04-17-51)

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:21:44 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
Sky King. April 17, 1951. Mutual network. "The Mark Of El Diablo". Sponsored by: Peter Pan Peanut Butter. El Diablo has returned, riding a black stallion, warning small ranchers to get out...while they still can! Mike Wallace (announcer), Earl Nightingale, Jack Bivens, Beryl Vaughn. 24:50.

Mr. & Mrs. North "The Letter" (10-06-43)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:36:26 -0700

Mr. and Mrs. North are fictional American amateur detectives. Created by Frances and Richard Lockridge, the couple were featured in a series of twenty-six Mr. and Mrs. North novels, a Broadway play, a motion picture, and several different radio and television series. Mr. and Mrs. North was a radio mystery series that aired on CBS from 1942 to 1954. Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin had the title roles when the series began in 1942. Publisher Jerry North and his wife Pam lived in Greenwich Village at 24 St. Anne's Flat. They were not professional detectives but simply an ordinary couple who stumbled across a murder or two every week for 12 years. The radio program eventually reached nearly 20 million listeners. The characters originated in 1930s vignettes written by Richard Lockridge for the New York Sun, and he brought them back for short stories in The New Yorker. These stories were collected in Mr. and Mrs. North (1936). Lockridge increased the readership after he teamed with his wife Frances on a novel, The Norths Meet Murder (1940), launching a series of 26 novels, including Death takes a Bow, Death on the Aisle and The Dishonest Murderer. Their long-run series continued for over two decades and came to an end in 1963 with the death of Frances Lockridge.

THIS EPISODE:
October 6, 1943. CBS network. Sponsored by: Halo Shampoo, Cashmere Bouquet, Colgate Toothpowder. A Friend of the Norths is accused of murder. Albie Baker goes on trial. Alice Frost, Joseph Curtin, Charles Stark (announcer), Frances Lockridge (creator), Richard Lockridge (creator). 24:49.

*Show notes from Radio Gold Index

The Adventures Dick Cole "Dick & The Boxing Match" (Ep1 1946)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:57:26 -0700

The Adventures of Dick Cole was a 1942 juvenile adventure radio series based on the comic book feature in Blue Bolt Comics. For Funnies, Inc., Bob Davis created the character of Dick Cole, a heroic cadet at the Farr Military Academy. The character was introduced in "Origin of Dick Cole" in the first issue of Novelty Press's Blue Bolt Comics (June 1940) In 1942, the comic book series was adapted into a 30-minute radio program which followed the adventures of Cole (Leon Janney) at the Farr Military Academy. When Cole wasn't winning football games, he tracked evildoers with an assist from his Academy pals, Simba and Ted. The announcer was Paul Luther. Lew White provided the background music. Blue Bolt continued to run stories about the young hero until 1949. Billed as "America's Number One School Star," Cole finally got his own book with eight issues of Dick Cole (Novelty Press, 1948-50), illustrated by L.B. Cole, Joe Certa, Jim Wilcox and others. L.B. Cole continued the title for two more issues at Star Publications in 1950.

THIS EPISODE:
1946. Program #1. Charles Michelson syndication, World transcription. Sponsored by: Blue Bolt and Foremost Comics. Produced by MacFarland, Aveyard and Company. Music fill on the disc. Dick scores a boxing match knockout to win the trophy for Farr, despite the treachery of one of his own classmates! The date is approximate. Leon Janney, Paul Luther (anouncer), Lew White (organist). 1/2 hour.

Cruise Of The Poll Parrot - Ep1 (09-25-37) Ep2 (10-02-37) Ep3 (10-09-37)

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:37:06 -0700

Cruise of the Poll Parrot - In 1922, businessman Paul Parrot sold his shoe business "Poll Parrot Shoes" to the International Shoe Company, which was already selling Red Goose and Weatherbird shoes. The shoes were designed for children and so sponsoring a children's radio show seemed like a good idea. In 1937, they launched a syndicated children's serial named "Cruise of the Poll Parrot". The show was sold in thirteen segment blocks, and three complete blocks exist today. The shows exponentially boosted shoe sales, helping International compete against the leader in children's shoes: Buster Brown. The main character for the show was a 24 year old man from St. Louis, Missouri, named Marvin Miller. This was some of his first radio work. He was the voice for the main character, Captain Roy Dalton, the Master of the ship Poll Parrot, and also the voice of the parrot that was the pet of the Captain. Marvin Miller went on to work on hundreds of other radio shows, mostly as an announcer. He acted in a number of films, most notably in 1947 starring with Humphrey Bogart in "Dead Reckoning". Miller played a crooked gambler's sadistic henchman named Krause. He became most famous as Michael Anthony, the man who handed out the million dollar checks in the 1950s TV series, "The Millionaire". Miller died in Los Angeles of a heart attack in 1984 at the age of 71. The Cruise of the Poll Parrot takes place in 1858 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, center of the United States whaling industry. Besides Captain Roy Dalton, the cast included Ezra Grange, owner of the Poll Parrot, Ezra's little sister Sue, and her friend Johnny Robbins. Other characters on the show were first mate George Wainwright, a one legged sailor named Old Dickson, a muteness crew member named Red Mahooley, ship keeper Breckenridge, and El Testi who was an agent for another shipping company.

*Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researchers Group

The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell "The Yale Bulldog" (10-09-48)

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:15:03 -0700

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

THIS EPISODE:
October 9, 1948. NBC network. "The Yale Bulldog". Sustaining. Frank and Bart find a "stray" English bulldog and make him the Yale mascot, but there's a dognapping before the big game! Gilbert Braun (writer), William Welsh (writer), Elaine Rost, Frank Milano, Burt L. Standish (creator), Hal Studer, Lawson Zerbe, Leon Janney, Mel Brandt (announcer), Paul Taubman (music), Roger De Koven, Tony Randall, Edward King, Richard Keith, Ruth Braun (writer). 29:26.

World Adventurer's Club - 2 Episodes From 1932

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:28:21 -0700

World Adventerer’s Club - The year is 1932, and the nation is still suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, recovery is in sight, fueled by industry success as much as government programs. The listeners of The World Adventerer’s Club and other travelogue series in this early part of radio’s Golden Age were offered glimpses of exotic places and extraordinary events without leaving their own front room. The renewed interest in far off lands and cultures was, at least in part, also a reflection of the political situation. Many nations during this time were expanding their influence around the globe establishing colonies and outposts. You can still hear a faint echo of this influence in the stories -- some of the episodes carry a decidedly “colonial” attitude toward the native inhabitants of these countries … who are sometimes characterized in a manner that, by today’s standards, would be offensive. The setting for the series is a well-to-do gentleman’s club of the type that flourished in the 1890’s from Europe to the US. There’s even an all male chorus on hand, common to those establishments, which each week extols the virtues of living on the edge where adventures, discoveries, and the real threat of death are constant companions.

*Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researchers Group

Today's Show:

1932 Program #4. Syndicated. "The Borneo Diamond". A loyal black man and the treachery of a white man, fighting to the death for a meteorite in the jungle.

1932. Program #5. Syndicated. "Frozen North". Attacked by twenty polar bears and a vicious storm, two Arctic explorers come upon an abandoned ship in the ice.

Escape "The Second Class Passenger" (01-07-48)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:17:29 -0700

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 7, 1948. CBS network. "The Second Class Passenger". Sustaining. East coast version. A good adventure yarn about an ordinary tourist on a cruise ship who finds a beautiful woman, murder and flight in the back alleys of Mozambique. The script was used again on the program on July 28, 1949. Harry Bartell, Jeanette Nolan, Cathy Lewis, Percival Gibbons (author), William N. Robson (adaptor, producer, director), Cy Feuer (music conceiver, conductor). 29:49.

Chandu The Magician - Ep.09 (3-17-32) Ep.13 (3-23-32)

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:52:06 -0700

Chandu The Magician - One of the longest running juvenile adventure serials on radio, CHANDU, THE MAGICIAN was heard as a local program beginning in 1931 on KHJ in Los Angeles until 1932. It was then heard, starting in February 1932, over WOR in the East. Nationally, it aired over MUTUAL starting 10/08/32 with Gayne Whitman in the title role, it was sponsored by White King Soap on the West Coast and Beech Nut on the East Coast. Howard Hoffman also took over the lead role for a period of time. Many scripts were later redone in a new series with Tom Collins in the title role beginning 06/28/48 again as a 15 minute program. This new series lasted 154 episodes ending on 01/28/49. The following week, on 02/03/49, the broadcasts were expanded to a full 30 minutes each, and each script was a self contained story line instead of a serial, but this time heard over only over the MUTUAL DON LEE network. Starting on 11/19/49 and running until 09/06/50, programs were heard over ABC.

TODAY'S SHOW:

Transferred To Egypt (03-17-32) and The Slave Auction (03-23-32)

March 17, 1932. Program #9. Earnshaw syndication. Music fill for local commercial insert. The date is subject to correction. "Who knows what yesterday means?" The Reagents find themselves in Alexandria, Egypt. Who is Roxor? Where is the Princess Nadji? Gayne Whitman, Margaret MacDonald, Bob Bixby, Betty Webb, Vera Oldham (writer). 14:20.

March 23, 1932. Program #13. Earnshaw syndication. Music fill for local commercial insert. The date is subject to correction. Gayne Whitman, Margaret MacDonald, Bob Bixby, Betty Webb, Vera Oldham (writer). 14:28.

The 13th Juror "Whatever Happened To John Wilkes Booth" (04-23-49)

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:09:57 -0700

The Thirteenth Juror - Vincent Price was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Marguerite Cobb (née Willcox) and Vincent Leonard Price, Sr., who was the president of the National Candy Company. His grandfather, Vincent Clarence Price, invented "Dr. Price's Baking Powder", the first cream of tartar baking powder, and secured the family's fortune. Price attended St. Louis Country Day School. He was further educated at Yale in art history and fine art. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity and the Courtauld Institute, London. He became interested in theater in the 1930s, appearing professionally on stage from 1935. He made his film debut in 1938 with Service de Luxe and established himself as a competent actor, notably in Laura (1944), opposite Gene Tierney, directed by Otto Preminger. He also played Joseph Smith, Jr. in the movie Brigham Young (1940), as well as a pretentious priest in The Keys of the Kingdom (1944). Price's first venture into the horror genre was in the 1939 Boris Karloff film Tower of London in which his character was murdered by Karloff's. The following year he portrayed the title character in the film The Invisible Man Returns (a role he reprised in a vocal cameo at the end of the 1948 horror-comedy spoof Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein).

THIS EPISODE:

August 20, 1953. NBC network. "What Happened To John Wilkes Booth?". Sustaining. Announced as the first show of the series. The mystery of the man who shot Abraham Lincoln. What ever happened to John Wilkes Booth? Interesting listening. The script and an almost identical recording) was used four years previously (possibly an audition). Arnold Marquis (author, director), Vincent Price, Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Hans Conried, John Storm (announcer). 26:36.

The Adventures Of Frank Race "The Fourth Round Knockout" (09-11-49)

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:04:45 -0700

This Episode:
September 11, 1949. Program #20. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Fourth Round Knockout". Commercials added locally. A prize-fighter dies during a fight...from poison! A big-time gambler, who only bets on a sure thing, is found dead too! Tom Collins, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer), Frank Lovejoy, Florence Halop, Jack Kruschen, Theodore Von Eltz, Tom Holland, Michael Ann Barrett. 26:25.

Inheritance "America's Greatest Bargain" (07-11-54)

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:45:56 -0700

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

THIS EPISODE:
July 11, 1954. Program #14. NBC network. "America's Greatest Bargain". Sustaining. Not auditioned. 4:30 P. M. The program is produced in co-operation with The American Legion. There is no after-drama speaker. Albert McCleary (producer, director), John Wald (announcer), Robert Armbruster (composer, conductor), Milt Kahn (writer), Whitfield Connor, Dennis Patrick, Clarence Straight, Gil Harmon, Ann Seaton, Tyler McVey, Jay Barney, Ben Wright, Donald Lawton. 29:32.

Ports Of Call "Central Africa" (1936)

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:15:08 -0700

Ports Of Call - An obscure series from 1935 or 1936 in which each episode deals with a voyage to a different country where events of that country's history are dramatized. They each begin with the low moan of a tramp steamer's whistle and the announcement of the series title, followed by a musical interlude.
*Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
1936. Transco syndication. "Central Africa". Music fill for local commercial insert. A visit to Sierra Leone, the fall of Carthage. The Portuguese establish gold mines in the interior, with disastrous effects. Stanley travels to meet Dr. Livingstone. The identity of the syndicator is subject to correction. . 28:55.

Mr & Mrs North "Milk Man's Ring" (07-15-47)

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:40:11 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
July 15, 1947. CBS network. Sponsored by: Halo Shampoo, Cashmere Bouquet, Colgate Toothpowder. Murder, mayhem, and a missing diamond ring, all aboard a milk wagon in the early morning. Alice Frost, Joseph Curtin, Charles Stark (announcer), Frances Lockridge (creator), Richard Lockridge (creator). 24:49.

Blair Of The Mounties "Cherry Hill Mystery" (2 Parts-Complete)

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:24:42 -0700

TODAY'S SHOW:

April 4, 1938. Program #10. Walter Biddick syndication. "The Cherry Hill Mystery" Part one. An innocent man will be hanged unless Blair can find out how two men were shot...without a gun! . 12 1/4 minutes.

April 11, 1938. Program #11. Walter Biddick syndication. "The Cherry Hill Mystery" Part two. With clever deduction, Blair discovers the killer and the murder weapon. . 13 1/4 minutes.

You Are There "The Surrender Of Sitting Bull" (05-02-48)

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:37:01 -0700

You Are There - Imagine if CBS radio news existed when the Bastille was stormed in 1789, or if radio reporters were stationed in Ford Theater as Lincoln was assassinated, or again at the Battle of Gettysburg? Indeed, such was the premise behind the CBS series, You Are There. Audiences witnessed history through the present-tense accounts of newsmen allegedly witnessing historical events transpiring before their eyes. Don Hollenbeck and John Daley (known for his TV game show panelist appearances) played the lead anchors, while real-life newsman provided the remote commentaries as the dramas unfolded. As show opened, an anchor would describe the present situation with "As it stands now…" and segue into commentaries, live remote feeds or analysis as the story unfurled.The show was well received, but perhaps was doomed to eventual failure in part due John Daly's emoting. Bernard DeVoto in Harper Magazine lamented: "We have heard his (Daly) voice vibrate with the real emotion, and our memory of the real simply turns the imagined to ham."

THIS EPISODE:
January 2, 1949. CBS network. "The Surrender Of Sitting Bull". Sustaining. The events of July 21, 1881. The last great chief of the Sioux Nation decides to parlay with the white man. A day for which Americans should be ashamed. Karl Swenson, John Daly, Robert Lewis Shayon (writer, producer, director), Ken Roberts, Don Hollenbeck, Mikedja Wren (writer), Peter Hobbs, Julian Noa, Crazy Bull (billed as "Chief Crazy Bull, grandson of Sitting Bull" did the war chant and was a consultant for the broadcast), Canada Lee, Raymond Edward Johnson. 29:26.

The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell "The Ransomed Football" (10-02-48)

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:21:11 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
October 2, 1948. NBC network. "The Ransomed Football". Sustaining. After a hard-fought football game against Rutgers, the victory football disappears. Frank vows to return the ball before returning to Yale. The University Of Denver "Youth Month" scholarship premium is a four-year full tuition scholarship. Mr. Atwater Kent has donated an additional $500 for expenses while the winner attends college. The program closing has been partially deleted. Elaine Rost, Paul Taubman (composer, conductor), Ruth Braun (writer), Gilbert Braun (writer), William Welch (writer), Edward King (director), William Griffis, David Alexander, Ed Latimer, Lawson Zerbe, Hal Studer, Burt L. Standish (creator). 28:48.

Escape "The Most Dangerous Game" (10-01-47)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:50:14 -0700

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:
October 1, 1947. CBS network. "The Most Dangerous Game". Sustaining. A big game hunt for the biggest game of all...man! Hans Conried, Irving Ravetch (adaptor), Paul Frees, Richard Connell (writer), William N. Robson (producer), Richard Sanville (director), Cy Feuer (music conceiver, conductor). 1/2 hour.

Voyage Of The Scarlet Queen "Redbeard And The Bag Of Pearls" (12-17-47)

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:16:33 -0700

The Voyage Of The Scarlet Queen - First heard on Mutual featuring Elliott Lewis, who as Leonard Maltin writes in "The Great American Broadcast, "…wore every hat imaginable-actor, producer, and director-also penned a good number of scripts for series he supervised, including Suspense." And Maltin says of this show, "On the terrific late-1940's high-adventure series The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen he held down both jobs simultaneously as director and star." As Maltin continues, “Lewis had the ability to make you believe whatever he said. Cast as the skipper on the high-adventure series The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen, he was completely convincing as seagoing ship's master Philip Carney-never corny or overblown." So let a master captain of drama chart a course to exotic ports of call and thrilling adventures. All you have to do is step aboard The Scarlet Queen.

THIS EPISODE:
December 17, 1947. Mutual network. "Red Beard and The Bag Of Pearls". Sustaining. A gang steals several pearls from a Bay in the Gilbert Islands and causes the natives to become restless. Possibly dated December 10, 1947. Elliott Lewis, Edwin Max, Richard Aurandt (music), Charles Arlington (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Soldiers Of The Press "Ep3 (11-23-42) and Ep4 (11-30-42)"

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:39:19 -0700

Soldiers Of The Press - The United Press had War Correspondents in nearly all the theaters of action throughout the War, and these shows are dramatic capsules of their "on-the-scene" eye witness accounts. These brave men lived shoulder to shoulder with our fighting forces, faced the daily hardships of war, shared in the happiness of victory and the pain of defeat. Their mission, however, bridged a gap unlike the others. Their mission was to keep the homefront informed, to feed the newsrooms of America. Soldiers of the Press is the dramatization of their true accounts.

TODAY'S SHOW: 2 Episodes

November 23, 1942 - Richard Mc Millan - North Africa. 1942. Program #3. United Press syndication, World lateral transcription. Commercials added locally. U. P. correspondent Richard McMillan covers the battle of North Africa against Rommel as it turns from the defense to the offense. The date is approximate. Richard McMillan (impersonated). 13:17.

November 30, 1942 - Joe James Custer - With Battle Fleet . 1942. Program #4. United Press syndication, World lateral transcription. Commercials added locally. U. P. correspondent Joe James Custer loses an eye when the ship he was on during the battle of the Solomons is sunk. The date is approximate. Joe James Custer (impersonated). 12:53.