Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Halls Of Ivy - Education Of Anne Bell (07-12-50)

Education Of Anne Bell (Aired July 12, 1950)


The Halls of Ivy was an NBC radio sitcom that ran from 1950-1952. It was created by Fibber McGee & Molly co-creator/writer Don Quinn before being adapted into a CBS television comedy (1954-55) produced by ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America. Quinn developed the show after he had decided to leave Fibber McGee & Molly. The audition program featured radio veteran Gale Gordon (then co-starring in Our Miss Brooks) and Edna Best in the roles that ultimately went to British husband-and-wife actors Ronald Colman and Benita Hume. The Colmans had shown a flair for radio comedy in recurring roles on The Jack Benny Program in the late 1940s, and they landed the title roles in the new show. The Halls of Ivy featured Colman as William Todhunter Hall, the president of small, Midwestern Ivy College, and his wife, Victoria, a former British musical comedy star who sometimes felt the tug of her former profession, and followed their interactions with students, friends and college trustees. Others in the cast included Herbert Butterfield as testy Clarence Wellman, Willard Waterman (then starring as Harold Peary's successor as The Great Gildersleeve) as John Merriweather, and Elizabeth Patterson and Gloria Gordon as the Halls' maid.

THIS EPISODE:

July 12, 1950. NBC network. Sponsored by: Schlitz Beer. Annie Bell wants to attend Ivy College, but Annie's father wants to keep dogs out of the park. The last show of the season, the system cue has been deleted. Ronald Colman, Benita Hume, Ken Carpenter (annouuncer), Earle Ross, Herbert Rawlinson, Don Quinn (creator, writer), Henry Russell (composer, conductor). 29:22.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Frontier Town "Sixgun Justice" (12-05-52)

Sixgun Justice (Aired 5, 1952)


Chad Remington, played by Jeff Chandler for the first 23 shows, was a two fisted lawyer in the town of Dos Rios. Chad's sidekick, Cherokee O'Bannon, played by Wade Crosby, who performed his role in a WC Fields dialect. Mr. Chandler remained in the lead role for the first 23 shows and was replaced by Reed Hadley who played Remington until the end of the series. FRONTIER TOWN was a syndicated Western that ran through the 1952-1953 season.
THIS EPISODE:

December 5, 1952 Program #11. Broadcasters Program Syndicate/Bruce Eells and Associates syndication. "Six Gun Justice". Music fill for local commercial insert. Judge "Peg Leg" Cooper of Roaring River comes to town, and brings his strange brand of justice with him! Jeff Chandler is billed as "Tex" Chandler. The date is approximate. Jeff Chandler, Wade Crosby, Bob Mitchell (organist), Ivan Ditmars (possible organist), Bill Forman (announcer). 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Crime & Peter Chambers "Donald Sloane Embezzler" (07-20-54)

Donald Sloane Embezzler (Aired July 20, 1954)

This program was born from a detective book series and inspired by author Henry Kane who became the director and producer for the radio show. The series only ran five months, 30 minutes each episode, from April 6, 1954 to September 7, 1954. Peter Chambers was played by Dane Clark who also appeared on the Suspense radio shows. Chambers acted the role of a playboy detective with an eye for solving crime and a taste for the women. Bill Zuckert, who went on to guest star in many 1970s shows including The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Partridge Family, plays Lt. Parker. Other Cast members were Fred Collins (announcer), Jay Stewart (a partially deleted promotional announcement), William Zuckert, Ed Begley, Leon Janney, Anne Diamond, Fred Weihe (director).

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Perry Mason "Case Of The Baited Hook" (12-21-57)

Case Of The Baited Hook (Aired December 21, 1957)


Perry Mason is the longest running lawyer show in American television history. Its original run lasted nine years and its success in both syndication and made-for-television movies confirm its impressive stamina. Mason's fans include lawyers and judges who were influenced by this series to enter their profession. The Mason character was created by mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner and delivered his first brief in the novel The Case of the Velvet Claws (1933). From 1934 to 1937 Warners produced six films featuring Mason. A radio series also based on Mason ran every weekday afternoon on CBS radio from 1944 to 1955 as a detective/soap opera. When the CBS television series was developed as an evening drama, the radio series was changed from Perry Mason to The Edge of Night and the cast renamed so as not to compete against the television series.

THIS EPISODE:

Case of the Baited Hook from Perry Mason adapted for radio aired December 21, 1957. Robert Dawson confronts Albert Tydings, his partner, about $80K missing from Carol Stanley's trust account. Albert Tydings admits he embezzled the money and blackmails Robert Dawson to keep quiet or he will reveal some scandalous facts about Carol. Later, Carol calls and makes an appointment to meet Albert Tydings at his office to discuss the trust account. She arrives to find Albert Tydings dead.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Mr. Keen "The Abandoned Well Murder Case" (08-10-51)

The Abandoned Well Murder Case (Aired August 10, 1951)


This detective mystery series was originally a fifteen-minute program featuring a private detective who traced missing persons and murders. They seemed to have no official position in society and when they were called in to help solve the mystery. "We usually work along with the police, ma'am," would suffice as an explanation of their presence. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons was one of network radio's longest running detectives, although listening to it now would hardly explain why. This kind, elderly, boring sleuth, in company with his bumbling assistant, Mike Clancy, was on the airwaves from 1937 to 1955, logging nearly 20 years of fighting crime. The series came out of the soap opera fiction factory of Frank and Anne Hummert and encompassed most of the trite dialogue and snail plotting of daytime serials.

THIS EPISODE:

August 10, 1951. NBC network. "The Abandoned Well Murder Case". Sponsored by: Anacin, RCA Victor, Chesterfield. A wealthy old man has been shot and thrown down as well..whodunit? Frank Hummert (originator, producer), Anne Hummert (originator, producer), Phillip Clark, Bing Crosby (Chesterfield), Ken Carpenter (Chesterfield announcer), Richard Leonard (director), Jean Carroll (dialogue), Jack Costello (announcer). 30:00.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Manhattan Playhouse "The Perfect Secretary" (06-24-49)

The Perfect Secretary (Aired June 24, 1949)


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

THIS EPISODE:

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Shadow "House Of Fun" (10-22-39)

House Of Fun (Aired October 22, 1939)


One of the most popular radio shows in history debuted in August 1930 when "The Shadow" went on the air. "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" The opening lines of the "Detective Story" program captivated listeners and are instantly recognizable even today. Originally the narrator of the series of macabre tales, the eerie voice known as The Shadow became so popular to listeners that "Detective Story" was soon renamed "The Shadow," and the narrator became the star of the old-time mystery radio series, which ran until 1954. A figure never seen, only heard, the Shadow was an invincible crime fighter. He possessed many gifts which enabled him to overcome any enemy. Besides his tremendous strength, he could defy gravity, speak any language, unravel any code, and become invisible with his famous ability to "cloud men's minds."

THIS EPISODE:

October 22, 1939. Mutual network. "House Of Fun". Commercials added locally. A carnival concession is a front for a kidnap ring and stock manipulation gang. William Johnstone, Ken Roberts (announcer), Jerry Devine (writer). 24:15.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Abbott & Costello Show "Visit To A Sanitarium" (01-13-44)

Visit To A Sanitarium (Aired January 13, 1944)


They launched their own weekly show October 8, 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes. The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (usually, by singers such as Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbrook, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott & Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello insulted his on-air wife routinely); he was succeeded by Michael Roy, with annoncing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle. The show went through several orchestras during its radio life, including those of Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Jack Meaking, Will Osborne, Freddie Rich, Leith Stevens, and Peter van Steeden. The show's writers included Howard Harris, Hal Fimberg, Parke Levy, Don Prindle, Ed Cherokee, Len Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan, and Ed Forman, as well as producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were handled mostly by Floyd Caton. Abbott and Costello moved the show to ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) five years after they premiered on NBC. During their ABC period they also hosted a 30-minute children's radio program(The Abbott and Costello Children's Show), which aired Saturday mornings with vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and announcer Johnny McGovern.

THIS EPISODE:

January 13, 1944. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. AFRS: Replacing Red Skelton. Abbott teaches Costello to flee the flu! A visit to Peter Lorre's sanitarium...at midnight! Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Connie Haines, Freddie Rich and His Orchestra, Peter Lorre, Ken Niles (announcer). 30:35.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Martin & Lewis Show "Guest William Boyd" (08-02-49)

Guest William Boyd (Aired August 2, 1949)


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

THIS EPISODE:

August 2, 1949. NBC network. Sustaining. Dean's first tune is "Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue." Dean, Jerry, and Soapy Leonard go on vacation to the High Sierras, where they meet guest William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy). Sheldon Leonard, William Boyd, Sy Rose (writer), Mort Lachman (writer), Dick Stabile and His Orchestra, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Flo McMichaels, Robert L. Redd (producer, director), Dick McKnight (writer), Ray Allen (writer), Ben Alexander (announcer). 29:38

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Lightning Jim" - Races Against Death (1952)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Lightning Jim" - Races Against Death (1952)

Lightning Jim - Only about 41 Lightning Jim broadcasts have been located. The program originated in the 1940s and was called The Adventures of Lightning Jim. At this time it was a West coast program. The program returned to the air in the 1950s and a total of 98 radio programs were produced.

THIS EPISODE:

Program #5. ZIV Syndication. "Lightning Jim Races Against Death". Commercials added locally. Jim tries to prove the innocence of the man about to be hung for murder. 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Campbell Playhouse "The Bad Man" (05-19-39)

The Bad Man (Aired May 19, 1939)


The Campbell Playhouse was a sponsored continuation of the Mercury Theater on the Air, a direct result of the instant publicity from the War of the Worlds panic. The switch occurred on December 9, 1938. In spite of using the same creative staff, the show had a different flavor under sponsorship, partially attributed to a guest star policy in place, which relegated the rest of the Mercury Players to supporting cast for Orson Welles and the Hollywood guest of the week. There was a growing schism between Welles, still reaping the rewards of his Halloween night notoriety, and his collaborator John Houseman, still in the producer's chair but feeling more like an employee than a partner. The writer, as during the unsponsored run, was Howard Koch.

THIS EPISODE:

May 19, 1939. CBS network. "The Bad Man". Sponsored by: Campbell's Soup. Comedy-Adventure about a Mexican Bandito and the mixed bag of Americans who cross his path. Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor), Diana Stevens, Edwin Jerome, Ernest Chappell (announcer), Everett Sloane, Frank Readick, Ida Lupino, Orson Welles (host), Ray Collins (narrator), William Alland. 59:55.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Our Miss Brooks "Rumours" (07-31-49)

Rumours (Aired July 31, 1949)


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

THIS EPISODE:

July 31, 1949. CBS network. Sponsored by: Palmolive Soap, Lustre Creme Shampoo, Colgate Tooth Powder. Rumor has it that Miss Brooks is leaving Madison High and going to move to Connecticut! The story has an interesting tie-in with the winner of a Colgate sweepstakes. The program may be dated July 1, 1949. Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Jane Morgan, Richard Crenna, Verne Smith (announcer), Gloria McMillan, Jeff Chandler, Wilbur Hatch (music), Al Lewis (writer, director), Larry Berns (producer), Gloria Blondell, Bob Lemond (announcer). 29:42.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Skippy Hollywood Theater "Mr. God Johnson" (04-01-49)

Mr. God Johnson (Aired April 1, 1949)

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Jeff Regan Investigator "The Man In Black" (Rehearsal) 11-02-49

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


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

THIS EPISODE:

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe "The Promise To Pay" (05-14-49)

The Promise To Pay (Aired May 14, 1949)


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

THIS EPISODE:

May 14, 1949. CBS network. "The Promise To Pay". Sustaining. A burned gambling marker and a bet on blackmail. Gerald Mohr, William Johnstone, John Dehner, Jack Kruschen, Barney Phillips, Roy Rowan (announcer), Betty Lou Gerson, Raymond Chandler (creator), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Richard Aurandt (music), Mel Dinelli (writer), Robert Mitchell (writer), Gene Levitt (writer). 29:45.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Raleigh Cigarette Program (Red Skelton) "It Pays To Look Well" (05-21-46)

It Pays To Look Well (May 21, 1946)


After 1937 appearances on The Rudy Vallee Show, Skelton became a regular in 1939 on NBC's Avalon Time, sponsored by Avalon Cigarettes. On October 7, 1941, Skelton premiered his own radio show, The Raleigh Cigarette Program, developing routines involving a number of recurring characters, including punch-drunk boxer Cauliflower McPugg, inebriated Willie Lump-Lump and "mean widdle kid" Junior, whose favorite phrase ("I dood it!") became part of the American lexicon. There was con man San Fernando Red with his pair of crosseyed seagulls, Gertrude and Heathcliffe, and singing cabdriver Clem Kadiddlehopper, a country bumpkin with a big heart and a slow wit. Clem had an unintentional knack for upstaging high society slickers, even if he couldn't manipulate his cynical father: "When the stork brought you, Clem, I shoulda shot him on sight!" Skelton also helped sell WWII war bonds on the top-rated show, which featured Ozzie and Harriet Nelson in the supporting cast, plus the Ozzie Nelson Orchestra and announcer Truman Bradley. Harriet Nelson was the show's vocalist. It was during this period that Red divorced his first wife Edna and married his second wife Georgia. Red and Georgia's only child, son Richard, was born in 1945. Georgia continued in her role as Red's manager until the 1960s. Skelton was drafted in March 1944, and the popular series was discontinued June 6, 1944. Shipped overseas to serve with an Army entertainment unit as a private, Skelton had a nervous breakdown in Italy, spent three months in a hospital and was discharged in September 1945. He once joked about his military career, "I was the only celebrity who went in and came out a private." On December 4, 1945, The Raleigh Cigarette Program resumed where it left off with Skelton introducing some new characters, including Bolivar Shagnasty and J. Newton Numbskull. Lurene Tuttle and Verna Felton appeared as Junior's mother and grandmother. David Forrester and David Rose led the orchestra, featuring vocalist Anita Ellis. The announcers were Pat McGeehan and Rod O'Connor. The series ended May 20, 1949, and that fall he moved to CBS. Ironically, given that his peak of popularity came with his television show, in recent years recordings of the Red Skelton radio show have become much easier to come by than the TV show.

THIS EPISODE:

May 21, 1946. NBC network. Sponsored by: Raleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh Tobacco. The Skelton Scrapbook of Satire: "Living Well." Chapter 134 "The Cowboy and The Tailor," with Deadeye. Chapter 135 "Home Tailoring," with "The Mean Widdle Kid." Red Skelton, Rod O'Connor, Anita Ellis, David Forrester and His Orchestra, GeGe Pearson, Pat McGeehan, Verna Felton. 29:31.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Voyage Of The Scarlet Queen "The Spaniard" (07-17-47)

The Spaniard (Aired July 17, 1947)


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:

July 17, 1947. Mutual network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Spaniard and The Lascar Pirates". A stop on a South Seas island to reprovision leads to the disappearance of the Scarlet Queen and big trouble. Elliott Lewis, Edwin Max, William Conrad, Richard Aurandt (music), Charles Arlington (announcer). 29:47.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes "The Left Handed Corpse 1963" (Complete)

The Left Handed Corpse 1963 (Complete)


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

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Impact (02-24-57)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Impact (Aired February 24, 1957)


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:

February 23, 1957. CBS network. "Impact". Commercials deleted. Is Lonnie Welsh trying to kill the elderly Miss Larkin? There have been several "accidents" on the ranch, and Marshal Dillon is suspicious. William Conrad, Les Crutchfield (writer), Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Sam Edwards, Ben Wright, Norman Macdonnell (produer, director), John Meston (editorial supervisor), Georgia Ellis, Tom Hanley (sound patterns), Bill James (sound patterns), Virginia Gregg, George Walsh (announcer). 21:03.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Space Patrol "Treachery In Outer Space" (05-23-53)

Treachery In Outer Space (Aired May 23, 1953)


The stories followed the 30th-century adventures of Commander Buzz Corry (Ed Kemmer) of the United Planets Space Patrol and his young sidekick Cadet Happy (Lyn Osborn) —- yes, Cadet Happy —- as they faced nefarious interplanetary villains with diabolical schemes. Not surprisingly for the time, some of these villains had Russian- or German-sounding accents. Cmdr. Corry and his allies were aided by such nifty gadgets as "miniature space-o-phones" and "atomolights." Episodes had such pulp-magazine titles as "Revolt of the Space Rats" and "The Menace of Planet X." The special effects used in the live half-hour TV episodes had to be performed in real time. For example, pistols that shot invisible rays necessitated pre-positioning a small explosive charge on the wall. An actor would point the prop at that spot, whereupon a special effects worker would throw a detonation switch. These effects could not have been superimposed on film for the series was done live. For distribution to distant stations, an image of a tiny, bright TV monitor was filmed to make kinescopes, and most of the Saturday half-hour TV broadcasts are available in this form today.

THIS EPISODE:

Space Patrol. May 23, 1953. ABC network. "Treachery In Outer Space". Sponsored by: Ralston cereals ("Magic Space Pictures" and Project-O-Scope premiums). There's been a robbery of "amplitron." Rex Scranner sets up Commander Corry to be blasted out of space! Bela Kovacs, David DuVal, Dick Tufeld (announcer), Ed Kemmer, Ken Mayer, Larry Robertson (producer, director), Lou Houston (writer), Lyn Osborn, Mike Mosser (creator), Norman Jolley. 29:29.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Molle Mystery Theater "Solo Performance" (05-21-48)

Solo Performance (Aired May 21, 1948)


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

THIS EPISODE:

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Whisperer "Stanley Hayes To Die By Midnight" (09-02-51)

Stanley Hayes To Die By Midnight (Aired September 2, 1951)


The Whisperer was an American old-time radio show broadcast from July 8 to September 30, 1951 on NBC. The premise of the series was as improbable as its storylines. The protagonist was Philip Gault (Carleton G. Young), a lawyer who, due to some unexplained accident, lost his voice and could only speak in an eerie whisper. Gault infiltrates "the syndicate" in his native Central City to bring down organized crime from within; to the underworld, he becomes known as the Whisperer. Later, his voice is restored through surgery, but he continues to lead a double life as the Whisperer, relaying instructions from the syndicate bosses in New York (who don't know he's a mole) to their lackeys in Central City, whom Gault is actually setting up. By today's standards, the stories are dated and their message-mongering usually criticized as ham-fisted, the product of what might be considered the unenlightened attitudes of the time. Carleton G. Young, who played Gault, is sometimes confused with the actor Carleton Young. Betty Moran portrayed his girlfriend Ellen, the only other person who knew Gault's double identity.

THIS EPISODE:

September 2, 1951. NBC network. Sustaining. Not auditioned. "The Syndicate" order Stanley Hayes to be killed. Carleton Young, Betty Moran, Stetson Humphrey (creator), John Duffy (original music), Bill Cairn (writer, producer, director), Don Rickles (announcer), Jerry Hausner, Julius Crowlbein, Peter Leeds, Betty Lou Gerson. 29:27.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The General Mills Radio MysteryTheater "Journey To Center Of Earth" (04-24-77)

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


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

THIS EPISODE:

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Blue Beetle "The Invisible Ghost Pt.1 and 2 COMPLETE" (5-29-40)

The Invisible Ghost Pt.1 and 2 COMPLETE (Aired May 29, 1940)

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

TODAY'S SHOW:

May 29, 1940. Program #9. Fox Features syndication. "The Invisible Ghost" Part one. Commercials added locally. The Blue Beetle tackles a crooked slot machine gang. Dr. Franz is working on an invisibility fluid! Frank Lovejoy, Paul Ford. 13:24.

May 29, 1940. Program #10. Fox Features syndication. "The Invisible Ghost" Part two. Commercials added locally. An invisible Blue Beetle breaks up a racket with the help of the invisibility fluid. Frank Lovejoy, Paul Ford. 14:15.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Escape "The Second Class Passenger" (01-07-48)

The Second Class Passenger (Aired January 7, 1948)


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. Harry Bartell, Jeanette Nolan, Cathy Lewis, Percival Gibbons (author), William N. Robson (adaptor, producer, director), Cy Feuer (music conceiver, conductor). 29:49.

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