Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The New Adventures Of Michael Shayne "The Phantom Gun" (10-12-49)

The Phantom Gun (Aired October 12, 1949)


The New Adventures Of Michael Shayne was a fictional sleuth created by Brett Halliday (a pen name for author Davis Dresser) who was first initiated into the fraternity for detectives in the 1939 novel "Dividend of Death". Dresser based the character on a “tall and rangy” brawler who once saved his life during a braw in a Mexican cantina. The Shayne character would go on to appear in 69 novels, plus a long-running mystery magazine—and in 1941, was brought to the silver screen in Paramount’s Michael Shayne, Private Detective, an adaptation of Dividend of Death that starred Lloyd Nolan, and paved the way for six additional B-mysteries to follow. The New Adventures of Michael Shayne—premiered on July 15, 1948 starring Jeff Chandler.

THIS EPISODE:

1948. Program #4. Broadcaster's Guild syndication, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Case Of The Phantom Gun". Ballistics say Shayne's gun has killed twice, but that's impossible! The date is approximate, the public service announcements have been deleted. William P. Rousseau (host, director), Jeff Chandler, John Duffy (composer, performer), William Conrad. 28:01.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Mr. & Mrs. North "The Diamond Noose" (08-04-53)

The Diamond Noose (Aired August 4, 1953)


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.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" Indian Lover (09-21-58)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" Indian Lover (09-21-58)


Frontier Gentleman was a radio Western series heard on CBS from February 2 to November 16, 1958. Written and directed by Antony Ellis, it followed the adventures of J.B. Kendall (John Dehner), a London Times reporter, as he roamed the Western United States, encountering various outlaws and well-known historical figures, such as Jesse James and Calamity Jane. Written and directed by Antony Ellis, it followed the adventures of journalist Kendall as he roamed the Western United States in search of stories for the Times. Along the way, he encountered various fictional drifters and outlaws in addition to well-known historical figures, such as Jesse James, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. Music for the series was by Wilbur Hatch and Jerry Goldsmith, who also supplied the opening trumpet theme. The announcers were Dan Cubberly, Johnny Jacobs, Bud Sewell and John Wald. Supporting cast: Harry Bartell, Lawrence Dobkin, Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris, Johnny Jacobs, Joseph Kearns, Jack Kruschen, Jack Moyles, Jeanette Nolan, Vic Perrin and Barney Phillips.

THIS EPISODE:

September 21, 1958. CBS network. "Indian Lover". Sustaining. Crow Dog, an Indian accused of murder makes no defense...then escapes! A good story. The system cue is added live. John Dehner, Ralph Moody, Joseph Kearns, Stacy Harris, Jack Moyles, Antony Ellis (writer, producer, director), Bud Sewell (announcer). 24:08.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Matinee Theater "The Highwayman" (02-25-45)

The Highwayman (Aired 02-25-45)


Matinee Theater represented a serious attempt by CBS to provide quality dramatic programming for its Sunday afternoon listeners. A continuation of the series Dangerously Yours, it was renamed Matinee Theater with a view towards presenting "a greater range of stories". That broader scope was able to accommodate such episodes as "Beautiful Dreamer" (the Stephen Foster story) and "The Love Story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning". Victor Jory and several different female stars paired to bring classics like "Wuthering Heights", "Jane Eyre", and "The Scarlet Pimpernel" to the audience, as well as a number of more contemporary works. The first of these thirty-minute broadcasts aired October 22, 1944 and the final one on April 8, 1945. The Vick Chemical Company sponsored throughout.

THIS EPISODE:

February 25, 1945. CBS netword. "The Highwayman". Sponsored by: Vicks. A dramatization of the famous poem about a bandit and his lover. Gertrude Warner, Alfred Shirley, Phillip Clark, Guy Spaull, Victor Jory, Alfred Noyes (author), Burford Hampden, Martin Gabel (announcer), Harry Marble (announcer), Jean Holloway (adaptor), Richard Sanville (director), Mark Warnow (music director). 29:52.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Rocky Jordan "Count Me Out" (11-07-48)

Count Me Out (Aired November 7, 1948)


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. John Dunning in his "On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio" describes Jordan as "a rugged hero who each week was confronted by a crime, a mystery, a beautiful woman or a combination of the three. It was a detective show with a difference: the Oriental background was played to the hilt, giving it a sound like no other." The writers worked hard to give it authenticity - actual places and streets in Cairo were often and accurately mentioned. The music score also added to the exoticness of the series. Moyles, a veteran of radio, was much more believable in the role than Raft. The show was one of the best examples of the so-called "amateur detective" or "unlicenced private investigator" type that were a recurring theme for radio series. It was a common way of putting a different and fresh twist on the basic private detective theme, an extremely popular genre on the radio. The main character had a stated, non-investigative occupation, but he or she always got involved with solving mysteries and crimes. Jordan passes the Chandler test: "trouble" was definitely his "real" business.

THIS EPISODE:

November 7, 1948. CBS Pacific network. "Count Me Out". Sustaining. Not auditioned. Tessana is, "tall, tan and terrific." "When she danced, she was like a moving bronze statue, alive and sultry." Jack Moyles, William Froug (writer), Cliff Howell (producer, director), Milton Charles (composer, organist). 29:42.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Sky King "Army Of Blue Men" (07-14-47)

Army Of Blue Men (Aired July 14, 1947)


Sky King was a 1940s and 1950s American radio and television adventure series featuring Arizona rancher and aircraft pilot Schuyler (or Skyler) "Sky" King. The series was likely based on a true-life person, Jack Cones, the Flying Constable of Twentynine Palms during the 1930's. Although it had strong cowboy show elements, King always captured criminals and even spies and found lost hikers using his plane. King's personal plane was called the Songbird. Though he changed from one plane to another over the course of the show, the later plane was not given a number (i.e., "Songbird II"), but was simply known as Songbird. He and his niece, Penny (and sometimes Clipper, his nephew) lived on the Flying Crown Ranch, near the (fictitious) town of Grover City, Arizona. Penny and Clipper were also pilots, though still relatively inexperienced and looking to their uncle for guidance and mentoring. Penny was an accomplished air racer and rated multiengine pilot, who Sky trusted to fly the Songbird.
The radio show, based on a radio story by Roy Winsor, was the brainchild of Robert Morris Burtt and Wilfred Gibbs Moore, who also created Captain Midnight, first aired in 1946. Several actors played the part of Sky, including Earl Nightingale and John Reed King. Like many radio shows of the day there were many "radio premiums" offered to listeners. On November 2, 1947 in the episode titled "Mountain Detour" the Sky King Secret Signalscope was used. Listeners were advised to get their own for only 15 cents and the inner seal from a jar of Peter Pan Peanut Butter (produced by sponsor Derby Foods). The Signalscope included a glow-in-the-dark signaling device, whistle, magnifying glass and Sky King's private code. With the Signalscope you could also see around corners and trees! [2] The premiums were innovative, such as the Sky King Spy-Detecto Writer, which had a "decoder" (cipher disk), magnifying glass, measuring scale, and printing mechanism in a single package slightly over 2 inches long. Other notable premiums included the Magni-Glo Writing Ring, which had a luminous element, a secret compartment, a magnifier, and a ballpoint pen all in the crownpiece of a "fits any finger" ring. The radio show ran until 1954, being aired simultaneously with the television version.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The CBS Radio Mystery Theater "Death Is Blue" (03-31-77)

Death Is Blue (Aired March 31, 1977)


The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (or CBSRMT) was an ambitious and sustained attempt to revive the great drama of old-time radio in the 1970s. Created by Himan Brown (who had by then become a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries and other shows dating back to the 1930s), and aired on affiliate stations across the CBS Radio network, the series began its long run on January 6, 1974. The final episode ran on December 31, 1982. The show was broadcast nightly and ran for one hour, including commercials. Typically, a week consisted of three to four new episodes, with the remainder of the week filled out with reruns. There were a total of 1399 original episodes broadcast. The total number of broadcasts, including reruns, was 2969. The late E.G. Marshall hosted the program every year but the final one, when actress Tammy Grimes took over. Each episode began with the ominous sound of a creaking door, slowly opening to invite listeners in for the evening's adventure. At the end of each show, the door would swing shut, with Marshall signing off, "Until next time, pleasant...dreams?"

THIS EPISODE:

March 31, 1977. Program #625. CBS network. "Death Is Blue". Sponsored by: True Value Hardware, Buick, True Temper Tools, Mogen David Wines. Allied Van Lines. E. G. Marshall (host), Sam Dann (writer), Frances Sternhagen, Marian Seldes, Bryna Raeburn, Ralph Bell, Ian Martin. 52 minutes.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The New Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes "The Double Zero" (11-19-45)

The Double Zero (Aired November 19, 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 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 so called — 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 are narrated by Holmes' friend and biographer, Dr. John H. Watson; two are narrated by Holmes himself, and two others are 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 serialised novels appeared almost right up to Conan Doyle's death in 1930. The stories cover a period from around 1878 up to 1903, with a final case in 1914.

THIS EPISODE:

November 19, 1945. Mutual network. "The Adventure Of The Double Zero". Sponsored by: Petri Wines. A murder at a gambling casino in Southern France and a scheme to defraud the casino lead to a second killing. Holmes finds the needed clue at the roulette tables. A good story, based on, "A Study In Scarlet." Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Harry Bartell (announcer), Denis Green (writer), Edna Best (producer), Arthur Conan Doyle (author), Dean Fosler (music), Anthony Boucher (writer). 29:38.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Hear It Now "Episode 19" (04-20-51)

Episode 19 (Aired April 20, 1951)


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:

April 20, 1951. Program #19. CBS network. Sustaining. MacArthur returns home in triumph and speaks before Congress...covered in detail. The opening of the Baseball season (Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle are heard)...a sound portrait. A tribute to the recently deceased Michigan Congressman Arthur Vandenberg. Very well-done. Arthur Vandenberg, Douglas MacArthur, Edward R. Murrow (narratoreditor, producer), Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Harry Truman, Alben Barkley, Winston Churchill, Sam Rayburn, Honus Wagner, Connie Mack, Fred Friendly (editor, producer), John Aaron, Jesse Zousmer, Irving Gitlin, Joseph Wershba, Edmund Scott, John Jefferson (Korean recordings), George Herman (Korean recordings), Olen Tice. 58:55.

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Black Museum - The Jack Handle (1952)

The Jack Handle (1952)


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

THIS EPISODE:

Program #36. Towers Of London syndication. "The Jack Handle". Commercials added locally. An American soldier and a British pub singer in wartime London have a go at robbery and murder. Orson Welles (narrator), Harry Alan Towers (producer). 25:25.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - David Harding Counterspy "Postal Pirates (Pt2 of 2)" 09-22-49

Postal Pirates (Pt2 of 2) Aired September 22, 1949


Counterspy was an espionage drama radio series that aired on ABC and Mutual from May 18, 1942 to November 29, 1957. David Harding (Don MacLaughlin) was the chief of the United States Counterspies, a unit engaged during World War II in counterespionage against Japan's Black Dragon and Germany's Gestapo. With spies still lurking in the post-war years, the adventures continued apace well after World War II ended.

TODAYS SHOW
Postal Pirates - Part 2 of 2 Parts

September 22, 1949. ABC net. "The Case Of The Postal Pirates" Part 2. Sponsored by: Pepsi Cola. Not auditioned. The investigation of the parcel post theft ring continues. An apparent suicide is really a murder. The system cue has been deleted. Don MacLaughlin, Mandel Kramer, Phillips H. Lord (producer), William Sweets (director), Palmer Thompson (writer), Jesse Crawford (organ). 29:26.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Sugarfoot - Brannigans Boots" (09-17-57)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Sugarfoot - Brannigan's Boots" (Aired September 17, 1957)


Back in the 1950s, when the television landscape was literally crawling with tales of sagebrush, Wagon Train was one of the most popular tube oaters—and classiest (the average cost per episode hovered around $100,000…compared to $70,000 for something like Sugarfoot…Sugarfoot…easy lopin’, cattle-ropin’ Sugarfoot…sorry…got carried away there for a sec). From 1958-61, it was the No. 2-ranked series in the Nielsens, beaten out by Gunsmoke…but in the 1961-62 season it sent Marshal Dillon and Company packing and claimed the top spot.

THIS EPISODE:

Brannigan's Boots, adapted for radio, from the classic show Sugarfoot which aired September 17, 1957 starring Will Hutchins as Tom Brannigan. Crooked politicians in Bluerock appoint Tom sheriff after noting his poor shooting aim. Tom, however, takes the job seriously, and in the sheriffs office he dons a pair of boots standing against the wall. A pretty girl who is watching him says he's not man enough to fill her father's boots and, to prove her wrong, Tom sets out to find her father's killer.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Mr Keen Tracer Of Lost Persons "The Case Of The Frightened Child" (11-16-44)

The Case Of The Frightened Child (Aired November 16, 1944)


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—and though the title and theme song remained, Keen branched out into investigating murders. If Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons sounds a little soap opera-ish, it’s because it originated from the “radio fiction factory” of Frank and Anne Hummert. (Frank received on-air credit for the writing, but the scripts were actually churned out by scribes like Lawrence Klee, Bob Shaw, Barbara Bates and Stedman Coles.) Mr. Keen“ employed all the stereotypes, heavy dialogue, and trite plotting of its daytime cousins” and “it appealed to a lowest common denominator.” So why is the show so popular with old-time radio fans today? Simple…it’s pretty doggone funny, in an unintentional sort of way. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons enjoyed a healthy eighteen-year stint over radio, ending its run not—as previously reported on this blog—on April 19, 1955 but on September 26 of that same year. Over the years, the series had a variety of sponsors: Bisodol, Kolynos toothpaste, Chesterfield cigarettes, American Chicle, etc., and there are nearly sixty broadcasts extant today for modern-day listeners to revel in.Show Notes From the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Arthur Godfrey Show "Recalling 1949" (04-26-72)

Recalling 1949 (Aired April 26, 1972)


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.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Crime Club "Death Is A Knockout" (6-12-47)

Death Is A Knockout (Aired June 12, 1947)


30-minute murder mystery stories adapted for radio by Stedman Coles or Wyllis Cooper from based on and featuring some of the stories from the Doubleday Crime Club books. Crime Club was broadcast by Mutual and produced and directed by Roger Bower. The post war stories were by various different authors and adapted for radio by among others Stedman Coles and Wyllis Cooper (writer of Lights Out and Quiet Please). The narrator played by Barry Thomson is the supposed curator of the Crime Club library. He speaks to the listener as if they have just arrived or phoned and requested one of the Club's books. The telephone rings, “Hello I hope I haven’t kept you waiting. This is the librarian, Silent Witnesses; yes we have that Crime Club book for you, come right over.” The organ plays suspenseful music, the door opens and the librarian says, “Ah you’re here, good take the easy chair by the window. Comfortable? The book is on this shelf…”He would take the book from the shelf and begin to tell the tale. The story would end with the Librarian informing you that there was a new Crime Club book available this week and every week in bookstores everywhere.

THIS EPISODE:

June 12, 1947. Mutual network. "Death Is A Knockout". Sustaining. A crime story with an unusual twist. The crook who tries to fix the prizefight is found murdered! Sydney Smith, Ted de Corsia, Bruce Smith, Stedman Coles (writer), Roger Bower (producer, director), Barbara Joyce, Arthur Vinton, Joan Tompkins. 29:20.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - 21st Precinct "The Friend" (09-01-53)

The Friend (Aired September 1, 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. 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. 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-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."

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke - Kitty's Kidnap" (06-14-59)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke - Kitty's Kidnap" (06-14-59)


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

THIS EPISODE:

June 14, 1959. CBS network. "Kitty's Kidnap". Sponsored by: Longines, Mutual Of Omaha, Turtlewax, Old Spice, Casite Tuneup, Look. Pete Brass is arrested for robbery and murder, but his men kidnap Kitty and offer to "horse trade" with Marshal Dillon. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Ken Lynch, Harry Bartell, Vic Perrin, James Nusser, Marian Clark (writer). 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Silent Men "The Miracle Cure" (05-14-52)

The Miracle Cure (Aired May 14, 1952)


Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. played the parts of "special agents of all branches of the federal government, who daily risk their lives to protect the lives of all of us... to guard our welfare and our liberties, they must remain nameless - The Silent Men!" At each episode, Fairbanks checked in with his chief, played by either William Conrad or Herb Butterfield. Regulars included Virginia Gregg, Raymond Burr, Lou Merrill, Lurene Tuttle, Paul Frees and John Dehner. Don Stanley was the announcer. The show was produced and directed by Warren Lewis, who wrote many of the scripts along with Joel Murcott. The series ran on NBC.

THIS EPISODE:

May 14, 1952. NBC network. "The Miracle Cure For Cancer". Sustaining. Not auditioned. A story of heartbreak, fraud and the United States mail. The story title is referred to as, "A Miracle Cure" on the previous week's program, "Miracle Cure" at the start of the program, and "The Case Of The Miracle Cure" at the end of the program. Warren Lewis (writer, producer, director), Lou Rusoff (writer), Jan Arvan, Ralph Moody, Noreen Gammill, Dal McKennon, Gloria Ann Simpson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Don Stanley (announcer). 29:49.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - David Harding Counterspy "Postal Pirates" (Part 1 of 2) 09-20-49

Postal Pirates (Part 1 of 2) Aired September 20, 1949


Counterspy was an espionage drama radio series that aired on ABC and Mutual from May 18, 1942 to November 29, 1957. David Harding (Don MacLaughlin) was the chief of the United States Counterspies, a unit engaged during World War II in counterespionage against Japan's Black Dragon and Germany's Gestapo. With spies still lurking in the post-war years, the adventures continued apace well after World War II ended.
TODAYS SHOW:

September 20, 1949. ABC network. "The Case Of The Postal Pirates" Part 1. Sponsored by: Pepsi Cola. Not auditioned. A little black box catches a revolver in mid-air. A one-fingered typist punctuates sentences with bullets. The system cue has been deleted. Don MacLaughlin, Mandel Kramer, Phillips H. Lord (producer), Leonard L. Bass (director), Palmer Thompson (writer), Jesse Crawford (organ). 29:10.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Philo Vance "The Eagle Murder Case" (07-13-48)

The Eagle Murder Case (Aired July 13, 1948)


The radio series makes Philo a pretty normal, though very intelligent and extremely courteous gumshoe. Jose Ferrer played him in 1945. From 1948-1950, the fine radio actor Jackson Beck makes Vance as good as he gets. George Petrie plays Vance's constantly impressed public servant, District Attorney Markham. Joan Alexander is Ellen Deering, Vance's secretary and right-hand woman. The organist for the show is really working those ivories, and fans of old time radio organ will especially enjoy this series.

THIS EPISODE:

Program #1. ZIV Syndication. "The Eagle Murder Case". Commercials added locally. A case of murder in an ambulance. The Ziv syndicated series is said to have begun in 1946, another source says it started in 1948. Jackson Beck. 27:04.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Duffy's Tavern "Poker Game" (11-02-43)

Poker Game (Aired November 2, 1943)


Duffy's Tavern, an American radio situation comedy (CBS, 1941-1942; NBC-Blue Network, 1942-1944; NBC, 1944-1952), often featured top-name stage and film guest stars but always hooked those around the misadventures, get-rich-quick-scheming, and romantic missteps of the title establishment's malaprop-prone, metaphor-mixing manager, Archie, played by the writer/actor who co-created the show, Ed Gardner. In the show's familiar opening, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," either solo on an old-sounding piano or by a larger orchestra, was interrupted by the ring of a telephone and Gardner's New Yorkese accent as he answered, "Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat. Archie the manager speakin'. Duffy ain't here — oh, hello, Duffy." Duffy, the owner, was never heard (or seen, when a film based on the show was made in 1945 or when a bid to bring the show to television was tried in 1954). But Archie always was — bantering with Duffy's man-crazy daughter, Miss Duffy (played by several actresses, beginning with Gardner's real-life first wife, Shirley Booth); with Eddie, the waiter/janitor (Eddie Green); and, especially, with Clifton Finnegan (Charlie Cantor), a likeable soul with several screws loose and a knack for falling for every other salesman's scam.

THIS EPISODE:

November 2, 1943. Program #25. Blue network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. Guest Charles Coburn is "enticed" into a poker game down at the tavern. Charles Coburn, Ed Gardner, Florence Halop, Peter Van Steeden and His Orchestra. 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Charlie Chan "The Curious Ride Of The Sea Witch" (1950)

The Curious Ride Of The Sea Witch (1950 *Esact Date Is Unknown)


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."

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Lineup "Candy Store Killing" (11-16-50)

Candy Store Killing (Aired November 16, 1950)


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:

November 16, 1950. CBS network. Sustaining. Lieutenant Guthrie solves a robbery and murder case in a candy store, with a station wagon as a clue. Two brothers are the main suspects, but an eye-witness fails to identify either one of them William Johnstone, Wally Maher, Howard McNear, Raymond Burr, Jeanette Nolan, Sam Edwards, Jean Tatum, Clayton Post, Eddie Dunstedter (organist). 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Barry Craig Confidential Investigator "The Deadly Fight" (01-23-52)

The Deadly Fight (Aired January 23, 1952)


Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator is one of the few detective radio series that had separate versions of it broadcast from both coasts. Even the spelling changed over the years. It was first "Barry Crane" and then "Barrie Craig". NBC produced it in New York from 1951 to 1954 and then moved it to Hollywood where it aired from 1954 to 1955. It attracted only occasional sponsors so it was usually a sustainer.William Gargan, who also played the better known television (and radio) detective Martin Kane, was the voice of New York eye BARRY CRAIG while Ralph Bell portrayed his associate, Lt. Travis Rogers. Craig's office was on Madison Avenue and his adventures were fairly standard PI fare. He worked alone, solved cases efficiently, and feared no man. As the promos went, he was "your man when you can't go to the cops. Confidentiality a speciality."Like Sam Spade, Craig narrated his stories, in addition to being the leading character in this 30 minute show. Nearly sixty episodes are in trading circulation today.

THIS EPISODE:

January 23, 1952. NBC network. "The Deadly Fight". Sustaining. Not auditioned. "A widow who can't find tears, an obituary notice in search of a cough and a boxing champ whose biggest win is a fight, strictly off the record." Fran Carlon, Himan Brown (director), William Gargan, John Roeburt (writer), Don Pardo (announcer). 29:44.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - A Feature of W.P.N.M Radio Clean You Bet Your Live "2 Episodes" (03-22-50) and (03-29-50)

Wayback Moment In Time - March 22, 1950 (Secret Word Is Money) and March 29, 1950 (Secret Word Is Name


Groucho Marx matches wits with the American public in four episodes of this classic game show. Starting on the radio in 1947, You Bet Your Life made its television debut in 1950 and aired for 11 years with Groucho as host and emcee. Sponsored rather conspicuously by the Dodge DeSoto car manufacturers, the show featured two contestants working as a team to answer questions for cash prizes. Another mainstay of these question and answer segments was the paper mache duck that would descend from the ceiling with one hundred dollars in tow whenever a player uttered the "secret word." The quiz show aspect of "You Bet Your Life" was always secondary, to the clever back-and-forth between host and contestant, which found Groucho at his funniest. It's in these interview segments that "You Bet Your Life" truly makes its mark as one of early television's greatest programs. Directed by: Robert Dwan.

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