Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Rogue's Gallery "The Hermit Of The Hills" (05-09-46)

The Hermit Of The Hills (Aired May 9, 1946)


Rogue's Gallery came to the Mutual network on September 27, 1945 with Dick Powell portraying Richard Rogue, a private detective who invariably ended up getting knocked out each week and spending his dream time in acerbic conversation with his subconscious self, Eugor. Rogue's Gallery was, in a sense, Dick Powell's rehearsal for Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Powell played private detective Richard Rogue, who trailed luscious blondes, protected witness, and did whatever else detectives do to make a living. It was a good series, though not destined to make much of a mark. Under the capable direction of Dee Englebach and accompanied by the music of Leith Stevens, Powell floated through his lines with the help of such competents as Lou Merrill, Gerald Mohr, Gloria Blondell, Tony Barrett, and Lurene Tuttle and Peter Leeds.
Show Notes: (From the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group)

THIS EPISODE:

May 9, 1946. Mutual network. "The Hermit Of The Hills". Sponsored by: Fitch's Shampoo, Fitch's Hair Tonic. A beautiful woman and her suspicious husband lead Rogue to yet another hit on the head, a bullet in the shoulder and a toss off a cliff. Then, the blizzard starts! The system cue has been deleted or is added live. Dick Powell, Dee Englebach (producer, director), Ray Buffum (writer), Jim Doyle (announcer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Peter Leeds. 29:44.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot "Three Act Tragedy" (Pt. 1 and 2) of 5

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


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

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - The Golddigger (09-28-58)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - The Golddigger (Aired September 28, 1958)


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 28, 1958. CBS network. "The Gold-Digger". Sponsored by: GMAC Trucks. Kendall meets two gold miners who have just struck it rich...and a saloon lady very determined to take it away from them. The system cue is added live. John Dehner, Harry Bartell, Jack Moyles, Jack Kruschen, Virginia Gregg, Joseph Kearns, Antony Ellis (writer, producer, director), Bud Sewell (announcer). 24:46.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Adventures of Maisie "Running For Mayor" (11-29-51)

Running For Mayor (Aired November 29, 1951)

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Your's Truly Johnny Dollar "Jack Madigan Matter" (10-21-50)

Jack Madigan Matter (Aired December 21, 1950)


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

THIS EPISODE:

October 21, 1950. CBS network. "The Jack Madigan Matter". Sustaining. A bail bondsman hires Johnny to find two missing witnesses against gangster Jack Madigan. Edmond O'Brien, Gil Doud (writer), Wilbur Hatch (music), Jaime del Valle (transcriber), Dan Cubberly (announcer), Sidney Miller, John Dehner, Clayton Post, Jeanette Nolan, John McIntire. 29:41.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Night Beat "A World All His Own" (04-16-50)

A World All His Own (Aired April 16, 1950)


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

THIS EPISODE:

April 16, 1950. NBC network. Sustaining. Prizefighter Billy Candell, a punchy former middlewight champ, wants a final meeting with his love of yesteryear. This is a rebroadcast of the program of February 20, 1950. Frank Lovejoy, William Conrad, Lurene Tuttle, William Lally, Lawrence Dobkin, Leo Cleary, Warren Lewis (director), Larry Marcus (editor), Frank Worth (music), Russell Hughes (writer). 29:34.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Vanishing Point "The Third Bank Of The River" (04-05-85)

The Third Bank Of The River (Aired April 5, 1985)


1984-1986 There were 69 episodes in the original series. The series continued after that under various names and formats. "The point between reality and fantasy. Where imagination holds the key to new worlds. That point of no return---The Vanishing Point." Favorably compared to Rod Sterling's classic TV series, The Twilight Zone, these finely tuned radio dramas from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation provide compelling excursions into the realm of mystery and fantasy.






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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Tales Of The Bizarre (Ray Bradbury Stories) "The Jar" (1950)

The Jar (*Created 1950 *Aired 1997)




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





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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Casey Crime Photographer "The Lady Killer" (07-10-47)

The Lady Killer (Aired July 10, 1947)


The adventures of Casey, crime photographer for The Morning Express, were told in this series, which moved to television after a highly successful run on radio in the 1940’s. Casey hung out at the Blue Note Café, where the music was provided by the Tony Mottola Trio, and was friendly with Ethelbert, the bartender, to whom he recounted his various exploits. Richard Carlyle and John Gibson portrayed the roles when the series premiered in April, 1951, but by June they were replaced by Darren McGavin and Cliff Hall. Ann Williams, a reporter on The Morning Express, was Casey’s girlfriend. During the summer of 1951 he acquired a partner in cub reporter Jack Lipman, who wrote copy to go with Casey’s pictures. This live series was set in and broadcast from, New York City.

THIS EPISODE:

July 10, 1947. CBS network. "Lady Killer". Sponsored by: Anchor Hocking Glass. Cecil Grammatan is suspected of being a real lady killer...eight different ladies! Alonzo Deen Cole (writer), Archie Bleyer (music), Herman Chittison (piano), Jan Miner, John Dietz (director), John Gibson, Staats Cotsworth, Tony Marvin (announcer), George Harmon Coxe (creator). 29:38.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Bulldog Drummond "The Deadly Stand In" (1947)

The Deadly Stand In (1947)


Bulldog Drummond has come to wreak havoc on unsuspecting killers, counterfeiters, and underworld characters. The opening of the show starts with a the sounds of footsteps, foghorn, then two shots ring out, followed by three blows of a police officer's whistle. Bulldog, who's really name is Hugh (played by George Coulouris), was a methodical crime-solving sleuth who let nothing get in his way of his goal, which was to put a stop to crime! Bulldog believed in uncomplicated and decisive means of getting his way with the lords of the underworld. This usually led to their swift capture, and the easing of the city's burden brought about by these ruthless thugs.

THIS EPISODE:

ZIV Syndication. Commercials added locally. Captain Drummond and Denny meet the amnesiac "Mr. Smith" on a Brooklyn bound subway. A piece of jade is dropped in Drummond's hand, just before Mr. Smith is knifed in the back and dies quoting Shakespeare! Jackson Beck doubles as a desk clerk in a Bowery flophouse and triples as "Mr. Cooper," who was long thought dead. Jackson Beck (announcer, performer). 27:07.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Abbott & Costello Show "Bring 'Em Back Alive Costello" (12-12-46)

Bring 'Em Back Alive Costello (Aired December 12, 1946)


|Abbott and Costello William (Bud) Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular teams in the history of comedy. Thanks to the endurance of their most popular and influential routine, "Who's on First?"---whose rapid-fire word play and comprehension confusion set the preponderant framework for most of their best-known routines---the team are also the only comedians known to have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bud Abbott was born in Asbury Park, NJ, October 2, 1897 and died April 24, 1974 in Woodland Hills, California. Lou Costello was born in Paterson, NJ, March 6, 1906 and died March 3, 1959 in East Los Angeles, California. After working as Allen's summer replacement, Abbott and Costello joined Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1941, while two of their films (Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost) were adapted for Lux Radio Theater. They launched their own weekly show October 8, 1942, sponsored by Camel cigarettes. The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (usually, by singers such as Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbrook, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott & Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello insulted his on-air wife routinely); he was succeeded by Michael Roy, with annoncing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle.

THIS EPISODE:

December 12, 1946. NBC network. Sponsored by: Camels, Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco. 10:00 P. M. Abbott and Costello go hunting. Don't miss the cast singing, "Bring 'Em Back Alive Costello." The show contains interesting special material and original music. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Skinnay Ennis and His Orchestra, Marilyn Maxwell (vocal), Jim Doyle (announcer). 29:27.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" High Pressure Killer (04-21-54)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" High Pressure Killer (Aired April 21, 1954)


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

THIS EPISODE:

April 21, 1954. Program #228. Mutual network. "High Pressure Killers". Sponsored by: Kellogg's Sugar Pops, Kellogg's Variety Pack (name-the-movie contest). It's the hydraulic miners vs. the farmers. Wild Bill hoses down the bad guys. The system cue is added live. Guy Madison, Andy Devine, Charles Lyon (announcer), David Hire (producer), Paul Pierce (director), Richard Aurandt (music), Larry Hayes (writer), Lawrence Dobkin, Fred Howard, Bill Baukum, Jack Moyles. 25:08.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Blair Of The Mounties "The Hamilton Mystery" (2 Parts - Complete) 1938

The Hamilton Mystery (2 Parts - Complete) 1938


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

TODAY'S SHOW:

March 21, 1938. Program #8. Walter Biddick syndication. "The Hamilton Mystery" Part one. While on leave in England, Blair gets involved in the Hamilton murder, an open and shut case against Mrs. Hamilton. . 12 1/2 minutes.

March 28, 1938. Program #9. Walter Biddick syndication. "The Hamilton Mystery" Part two. Blair's sleuthing discovers the real killer. . 12 1/2 minutes.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Arthur Godfrey Variety Show - Aired July 8, 1946

Aired July 8, 1946

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - General Mills Radio Adventure Theater "A Different Ghost Town" (04-30-77)

A Different Ghost Town (Aired April 30, 1977)


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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Man Called X "Timber" (10-16-47)

Timber (Aired October 16, 1947)

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet "Jury Duty" (01-16-48)

Jury Duty (Aired January 16, 1948)


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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Case Dismissed "Installment Buying" (02-27-54)

Installment Buying (Aired February 27, 1954)


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

THIS EPISODE:

February 27, 1954. NBC network, WMAQ, Chicago origination. Sustaining. Not auditioned. The program is produced in co-operation with the Chicago Bar Association. The legal problems of installment buying. Herbert Littow (director), John C. Fitzgerald (host, Dean of the Law School, Loyola University), Betty Ross (producer), Tom Evans (sound), Harold Witteberry (engineer), Robert Carmen (writer), Lee Bennett (announcer), Sondra Gair, Jack Bivens, Harry Elders, Stanley Gordon, Arthur Peterson, Charles Flynn. 28:31.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Screen Director's Playhouse "Ivy" (01-11-51)

Ivy (Aired January 11, 1951)


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

THIS EPISODE:

January 11, 1951. NBC network. "Ivy". Sponsored by: RCA. A ruthless woman lets nothing stand in her way of getting whatever she wants, including murder! Guest screen director is George Marshall, in place of the deceased Sam Wood. Joan Fontaine, Charles Drake, Ken Christy, Gerald Mohr, Noreen Gammill, John Stevenson, Ruth Perrott, Paul McVey, Eleanor Audley, Frank Gerstle, George Marshall, Howard Wiley (producer), Bill Cairn (director), Jimmy Wallington (announcer). 59:55.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Command Performance "Betty Grable" (05-07-42)

Host was Betty Grable (Aired May 7, 1942)

Command Performance was one of the few radio shows that were sent overseas to boost the morale of US Troops during World War 2. In March 1942 it became a weekly show featuring famous people such as Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra and more. Each show consisted of several stars who get together and perform comedy routine. All talent for this program was donated, and valued at $75,000 a week. There were more than 400 shows. Announcers : Paul Douglas, Ken Carpenter . Creator : Lous G. Cowan . Producers : Vick Knight, Maury Holland, Cal Kuhl . Director : Glenn Wheaton . Writers : Melvin Frank, Norman Panama.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Line-Up "The Bomber" (01-11-51)

The Bomber (Aired January 11, 1951)


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

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

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Ellery Queen Master Detective "The Adventure Of The Foul Tip" (07-15-44)

The Adventure Of The Foul Tip (Aired July 15, 1944)


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

THIS EPISODE:

July 15, 1944. NBC network. "Foul Tip". Sponsored by: Bromo Seltze. Sydney Smith, Helen Lewis, Santos Ortega, Ted de Corsia, Charles Paul (organ), Edward Pawley ("Guest Armchair Detective," star of "Big Town"), S. Bigman ("Guest Armchair Detective," editor of "Time" magazine), Ernest Chappell (announcer), Frederic Dannay (writer), Manfred B. Lee (writer), Bruce Kamman (producer, director). 29:04.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Hollywood Star Playhouse "I'm A Coward" (7-26-51)

Im A Coward (Aired July 26, 1951)

This 30 minute anthology program was heard over three different networks during its three seasons. Many leading Hollywood stars appeared before the microphones for this programs original scripts. Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on the 08/31/52 broadcast. Several programs were intended to become new series. On 04/13/52, the broadcast # 99 of The Six Shooter w/James Stewart did indeed become a new NBC series The Six Shooter in 1953, while the broadcast of 05/18/52 #104 Safari w/Ray Milland failed to make it. There was a title change to this series. During the third network change to NBC the series picked up the sponsorship of the American Bakers and the series was called Baker’s Theater Of Stars.

THIS EPISODE:

July 26, 1951. ABC network. "I'm A Coward". Sustaining. The first show of the series on ABC. A librarian attempts to capture, "The Omaha Ripper." Barbara Stanwyck, Tony Michaels, Harry Bartell, Maurice Zimm (writer), Jack Johnstone (director), MacDonald Carey (transcribed preview), Basil Adlam (music), Ken Peters, Herb Lytton, Orval Anderson (host), Shepard Menken. 29:32.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Mysterious Traveler "No One On The Line" (09-01-46)

No One On The Line (Aired September 1, 1946)


Written and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Kogan, the series began on the Mutual Broadcasting System, December 5, 1943, continuing in many different timeslots until September 16, 1952. Unlike many other shows of the era, The Mysterious Traveler was without a sponsor for its entire run. The lonely sound of a distant locomotive heralded the arrival of the malevolent narrator, portrayed by Maurice Tarplin, who introduced himself each week in the following manner. This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable -- if you can!

THIS EPISODE:

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September 1, 1946. Mutual network. "No One On The Line". Sustaining. A man suspects his wife is cheating on him, so he kills her lover. David Kogan (writer, producer, director), Maurice Tarplin, Robert A. Arthur (writer). 1/2 hour.

Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Big Band Serenade "Vic Damone" (04-19-09)

Vic Damone (Aired April 19, 2009)


Among the more prominent of the pop-singing crooners of the mid-twentieth century, Vic Damone recorded more than 2,000 songs during an active career that began in 1947 and spanned 54 years. With a lush and mellow baritone, he possessed one of the finest singing voices of his era and was widely acknowledged by critics as one of the best crooner of the times. Even in his later concerts, his voice never faltered nor did it lose its easy tone. Instead, according to critics, the depth of emotion in his singing voice was improved by life experience as he aged. Damone, who announced his retirement in 2000, embarked on a farewell tour that lasted into 2001. With a sold-out concert at Florida's Kravis Center in February of 2001 and his ultimate farewell concert set at Carnegie Hall in May of that year, Damone closed the chapter on one of the most impressive singing careers on record.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod -The Lives Of Harry Lime (The Third Man) "Two Is Company" (12-28-51)

Two Is Company (Aired December 28, 1951)


The Third Man (The Lives of Harry Lime) was a old-time radio adventure series that ran in 1951 and 1952. It was based on the 1949 film of the same name. Orson Welles stars as Harry Lime, a perpetually broke confidence man, smuggler, and general scoundrel. He will participate in virtually any criminal activity to make a fast buck, but uses his wits rather than a gun. He draws the line short of murder, blackmail, or drugs. Even so, Harry is an endearing character and listeners love to hear of his one-step-ahead-of-the-law misadventures as he hops around the globe looking for his next pigeon. The zither music of Anton Karas adds a wonderful Viennese ambience to each episode and really makes this show special.
THIS EPISODE:

December 28, 1951. Program #22. Lang-Worth syndication. "Two Is Company". Commercials added locally. Harry meets Gus in a bar in Sicily. Gus is wealthy and very much in love. Orson Welles (writer, performer), Anton Karas (zither), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Tig Roe (director). 27:17

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Sherlock Holmes "The Problem Of Thor Bridge" (10-01-45)

The Problem Of Thor Bridge (Aired October 1, 1945)


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

THIS EPISODE:

October 1, 1945 - Daedalus Productions origination, Talking Tape Company distribution. "The Problem Of Thor Bridge". Not a broadcast. Roy Marsden, John Moffat, Arthur Conan Doyle (author), Grant Eustace (adaptor), Joss Sanglier (composer, performer, engineer), Elizabeth Fellows (music), Michael Bartlett (director), Sean Barrett, Rosalind Ayres, Spencer Banks, Tony McEwan. 26:43.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Dad's Army "A Man Of Action" (3-16-76) Ep42

A Man Of Action (Aired March 16, 1976)

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

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