Rogue's Gallery - Little Old Lady (11-29-45) ++ Bob: Intro Richie Valens "Your Mine"

 Rogue's Gallery - Little Old Lady (Aired November 29, 1945)
++ Bob: Intro Richie Valens "Your Mine

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. Peter Leeds played Rogue's friend Eugor, an obscure play on names with Eugor spelling Rogue backwards. The gimmick in Rogue's Gallery was the presence of an alter ego, "Eugor," who arrived in the middle of the show to give Rogue enough information for his final deduction. Eugor was a state of mind, achieved when Rogue was knocked unconcious. During the summer of 1946, the show was billed as Bandwagon Mysteries, with a tip of the hat to the sponsor. In the summer of 1947, it was again revived on NBC Sundays for Fitch, with Barry Sullivan in the title role. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

November 29, 1945. Mutual network. "Lovely Little Old Lady". Sponsored by: Fitch's Shampoo, Fitch's Shaving Cream. Conchita Morales hires Richard Rogue to get back her old love letters, while the title old lady invites Richard in for tea and knockout drops. A good story. Dee Englebach (producer, director), Dick Powell, Gerald Mohr, Jim Doyle (announcer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Ray Buffum (writer), Peter Leeds. 32:08. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.
 

Our Miss Brooks - School Dress Code (04-24-49) ++ Toto "Rosanna"

School Dress Code (Aired April 24, 1949)

Intro: ++ Toto "Rosanna"

Produced by Larry Berns and written by director Al Lewis, Our Miss Brooks premiered on CBS July 19, 1948. According to radio critic John Crosby, her lines were very "feline" in dialogue scenes with principal Conklin and would-be boyfriend Boynton, with sharp, witty comebacks. The interplay between the cast---blustery Conklin, nebbishy Denton, accommodating Harriet, absentminded Mrs. Davis, clueless Boynton, scheming Miss Enright---also received positive reviews. Arden won a radio listeners' poll by Radio Mirror magazine as the top ranking comedienne of 1948-1949, receiving her award at the end of an Our Miss Brooks broadcast that March.

THIS EPISODE:

April 24, 1949. "School Dress Code" - CBS network, KNX, Los Angeles aircheck. "Who's Wearing The Pants At Madison?". Sponsored by: Palmolive Soap, Lustre-Creme Shampoo, Palmolive Shave Cream. Madison High goes through "Let's Dress Up" week. Walter protests by wearing a dress, Miss Brooks winds up in Mr. Conklin's pants! The script was subsequently re-used on April 28, 1957. Eve Arden, Jane Morgan, Gloria McMillan, Richard Crenna, Gale Gordon, Leonard Smith, Verne Smith (announcer), Jeff Chandler, Earle Ross, Al Lewis (writer, director), Wilbur Hatch (music), Bob Lemond (announcer), Larry Berns (producer). 29:27. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Father Brown Mysteries - The Queer Feet (12-03-84)

The Queer Feet (Aired December 3, 1984)

Father Brown is a fictional character created by English novelist G. K. Chesterton, who stars in 52 short stories, later compiled in five books. Chesterton based the character on Father John O'Connor (1870–1952), a parish priest in Bradford who was involved in Chesterton's conversion to Catholicism in 1922. The relationship was recorded by O'Connor in his 1937 book Father Brown on Chesterton. Father Brown is a short, stumpy Catholic priest, "formerly of Cobhole in Essex, and now working in London," with shapeless clothes and a large umbrella, and uncanny insight into human evil. He makes his first appearance in the story "The Blue Cross" and continues through the five volumes of short stories, often assisted by the reformed criminal M.Hercule Flambeau. Father Brown also appears in a story "The Donnington Affair" that has a rather curious history. In the October 1914 issue of the obscure magazine The Premier, Sir Max Pemberton published the first part of the story, inviting a number of detective story writers, including Chesterton, to use their talents to solve the mystery of the murder described. Chesterton and Father Brown's solution followed in the November issue.

Alien Worlds - Death Song (08-05-79)

Death Song (Aired August 5, 1979)

Alien Worlds was a syndicated radio show created by radio personality Lee Hansen. It aired 26 half-hour episodes between 1978 and 1980, becoming well known for its realistic sound effects, high production values and documentary style of dialog. The science fiction show was first syndicated by Watermark Inc. after Lee Hansen was hired as their creative director. After advancing the concept of an action-adventure dramatic radio series, Lee began developing the concept in the fall of 1978. Watermark premiered the first episode, "The Sun Stealers", on January 7, 1979. The series gained popularity thanks to its relatable characters, full symphonic soundtrack, realistic sound effects, high production values and documentary style format. Eventually over 500 US FM radio stations, along with stations in New Zealand and Australia aired the series. Between 1979 and 1980, 26 half-hour programs were broadcast at various times on weekends, where they gained favorable worldwide press acclaim. Alien Worlds was soon heard on a weekly basis by millions of fans and was eventually carried by over 1500 top-rated FM radio stations worldwide. The series' sponsor was Peter Paul, Cadbury which advertised Cadbury Caramello chocolates touting their caramel centers. The ISA, or International Space Authority, is a governing body of space development and exploration. Organized by all earth nations, it advances humans into deep space. Their base is officially named "The Arthur C. Clarke Astronomical Observatory" or "Starlab." Commissioner White commands the base, and under his command aboard Starlab are Research Director Dr. Maura Cassidy along with Starlab's Director of Operations, Jerry Lyden, and two ISA Pilots affectionately known as "rocket jockies" Captains Jon Graydon and Buddy Griff.

Confession - The James V Madsen Case (08-23-53)

The James V Madsen Case (Aired August 23, 1953)

 
NBC 30 minutes Sunday at 9:30PM.Cast Paul Frees, James Edwards, Jester Hairston, Jay Loughlin, Jonathan Hole, Mady Norman, Don Brinkley (writer), Michael Samoge (music), Warren Lewis (script supervisor), Homer Canfield (director), John Wald (announcer). Had a texture and sound not unlike Dragnet, indeed the influence was realized throughout the show. These were true stories of Crime and Punishment, the obvious difference that Dragnet began with the crime while Confession unfolded in reverse order, from the end. Confession was less noisy, it's theme was played on a single piano, but there was still the deadpan dialogue, the thief or killer giving his confession with an air of resignation and defeat. The criminal thus became a stream-of-consciousness narrator, with the action frequently cutting away into drama. "Names were changed to protect the legal rights of the subject"

THIS EPISODE:

August 23, 1953 NBC network. "The James V. Madsen Case". Sustaining. 9:30 P. M. Transcribed statements of actual crimes. The program opening and system cue are slightly upcut. A 27 year old man reveals his crime career that lead to murder. The telephone-type recording beep heard throughout the show is very unneccessary. Paul Frees, Joel Davis, Les Tremayne, Alice Reinheart, George Pirrone, Charlotte Lawrence, Vivi Janis, Lou Rusoff (writer), Michael Samoge (? music), Warren Lewis (script supervisor), Homer Canfield (director), John Wald (announcer). 28:25. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Cisco Kid" - Disapearing Bullet (07-22-52)

 Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Cisco Kid" - Disapearing Bullet (Aired July 22, 1952)

The Cisco Kid refers to a character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in the collection Heart of the West. In movies and television, the Kid was depicted as a heroic Mexican caballero, even though he was originally a cruel outlaw. The Cisco Kid came to radio October 2, 1942, with Jackson Beck in the title role and Louis Sorin as Pancho. With Vicki Vola and Bryna Raeburn in supporting roles and Michael Rye announcing, this series continued on Mutual until 1945. It was followed by another Mutual series in 1946, starring Jack Mather and Harry Lang, who continued to head the cast in the syndicated radio series of more than 600 episodes from 1947 to 1956. The radio episodes ended with one or the other of them making a corny joke about the adventure they had just completed. They would laugh, saying, "'oh, Pancho!" "'oh, Cisco!", before galloping off, while laughing.

Inner Sanctum Mysteries - The Edge Of Death (01-15-46)

The Edge Of Death (Aired January 15, 1946)

Produced in New York, the cast usually consisted of veteran radio actors, with occasional guest appearances by such Hollywood stars Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Claude Rains. What made Inner Sanctum Mysteries unique among radio horror shows was its host, a slightly-sinister sounding man originally known as “Raymond.” The host had a droll sense of humor and an appetite for ghoulish puns, and his influence can be seen among horror hosts everywhere, from the Crypt-Keeper to Elvira. Raymond Edward Johnson was the show’s host until 1945; Paul McGrath took over the role until the show left the air in 1952.

THIS EPISODE:
 
January 15, 1946. CBS network. "The Edge Of Death". Sponsored by: Lipton Tea, Lipton Soups. The story of the night Satan played a game of murder. A man is given the bejeweled rapier once owned by Rasputin, the mad monk of Russia. Larry Haines, Paul McGrath (host), Fred Maytho (writer), Mercedes McCambridge, Himan Brown (director), Mary Bennett (commercial spokeswoman), Arnold Moss, Ann Shephard. 26:23. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Roy Rogers Show" - The Cash & Carry Rodeo (01-22-53)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Roy Rogers Show"
The Cash & Carry Rodeo (01-22-53)

 

Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye (November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), was an American singer and cowboy actor, as well as the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants chain. He and his wife Dale Evans, his golden palomino Trigger, and his German Shepherd dog, Bullet, were featured in over one hundred movies and The Roy Rogers Show. The show ran on radio for nine years before moving to television from 1951 through 1957. His productions usually featured a sidekick, often either Pat Brady, (who drove a jeep called "Nellybelle") or the crotchety George "Gabby" Hayes. Roy's nickname was "King of the Cowboys". Dale's nickname was "Queen of the West."
 

THIS EPISODE:

January 22, 1953. NBC network. "The Cash and Carry Rodeo". Sponsored by: Post Cereals. Cob Collins, a professional but crooked rodeo contestant, plans to compete against Roy and Pat, and to show them up! Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Pat Brady, Frank Hemingway, Herb Butterfield, Junius Matthews, Jim Bannon, Howard McNear, Art Rush (producer), Fran Van Hartesfeldt (writer, director), Milton Charles (music), Art Ballinger (announcer). 24:32.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.
 

 

Agatha Presents Miss Marple - A Pocket Full Of Rye (11-09-53) Part Two of Two

November 9, 1953. "A Pocket Full Of Rye"
Part Two of Two

Miss Marple is able to solve difficult crimes not only because of her shrewd intelligence, but because St. Mary Mead, over her lifetime, has given her seemingly infinite examples of the negative side of human nature. No crime can arise without reminding Miss Marple of some parallel incident in the history of her time. Miss Marple's acquaintances are sometimes bored by her frequent analogies to people and events from St. Mary Mead, but these analogies often lead Miss Marple to a deeper realization about the true nature of a crime. Although she looks like a sweet, frail old woman, Miss Marple is not afraid of dead bodies and is not easily intimidated. She also has a remarkable ability to latch onto a casual comment and connect it to the case at hand. Miss Marple has never worked for her living and is of independent means, although she benefits in her old age from the financial support of Raymond West, her nephew (A Caribbean Mystery,1964).  

THIS EPISODE:

November 9, 1953. "A Pocket Full Of Rye" - When a upper middle class Rex Fortescue dies while having black tea, the police are shocked. Mr. Fortescue died during his morning tea in his office and the diagnosis was that a poison, taxine - a poison found as a mixture of cardiotoxic diterpenes in the leaves, but not the berries (arils), of the European yew tree - had killed him. His wife was the main suspect in the murder, until she also was murdered, after she drank tea laced with cyanide. Her lover, Vivian Dubois, was the suspect next, as well as just about everyone that knew the family.

Dragnet - The Big Wish (08-10-54)

 The Big Wish (Aired August 10, 1954)

There were two Dragnet feature films, a straight adaptation starring Jack Webb in 1954, and a comedy spoof in 1987. There were also television revivals, without Webb, in 1989 and 2003. Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program's format and eventually became comfortable with their characters. Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor. Gradually, Friday's deadpanned, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop: tough, but not hard; conservative, but caring". Friday's first partner was Sergeant Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a long time radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio's top rated shows. Webb insisted on realism in every aspect of the show.

THIS EPISODE:

August 10, 1954. Program #260. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Wish". John Colter, a teenager hooked on heroin, walks into the police station and asks for help. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, George Fenneman (announcer). 26:03. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Agatha Presents Miss Marple - A Pocket Full Of Rye (11-09-53)

 Agatha Presents Miss Marple - A Pocket Full Of Rye (11-09-53)

 

Jane Marple, usually referred to as Miss Marple, is a fictional character appearing in twelve of Agatha Christie's crime novels. Miss Marple is an elderly spinster who acts as an amateur detective, and lives in the village of St. Mary Mead. She is one of the most famous of Christie's characters and has been portrayed numerous times on screen. Her first published appearance was in issue 350 of The Royal Magazine for December 1927 with the first printing of the short story "The Tuesday Night Club" which later became the first chapter of The Thirteen Problems (1932). Her first appearance in a full-length novel was in The Murder at the Vicarage in 1930. Miss Jane Marple doesn’t look like your average detective. Quite frankly, she doesn’t look like a detective at all. But looks can be deceiving.

 

THIS EPISODE:

November 9, 1953. "A Pocket Full Of Rye" - When a upper middle class Rex Fortescue dies while having black tea, the police are shocked. Mr. Fortescue died during his morning tea in his office and the diagnosis was that a poison, taxine - a poison found as a mixture of cardiotoxic diterpenes in the leaves, but not the berries (arils), of the European yew tree - had killed him. His wife was the main suspect in the murder, until she also was murdered, after she drank tea laced with cyanide. Her lover, Vivian Dubois, was the suspect next, as well as just about everyone that knew the family.

The Adventures Of Nero Wolf - The Case Of The Midnight Ride (03-16-51)

 The Case Of The Midnight Ride (Aired March 16, 1951)

Nero Wolf is a fictional detective created by American author Rex Stout in the 1930s and featured in dozens of novels and novellas.In the stories, Wolf is one of the most famous private detectives in the United States. He weighs about 285 pounds and is 5'11" tall. He raises orchids in a rooftop greenhouse in his New York City brownstone on West 35th Street, helped by his live-in gardener Theodore Horstmann. Wolf drinks beer throughout the day and is a glutton. He employs a live-in chef, Fritz Brenner. He is multilingual and brilliant, though apparently self-educated, and reading is his third passion after food and orchids. He works in an office in his house and almost never leaves home, even to pursue the detective work that finances his expensive lifestyle. Instead, his leg work is done by another live-in employee, Archie Goodwin. While both Wolf and Goodwin are licensed detectives, Goodwin is more of the classic fictional gumshoe, tough, wise-cracking, and skirt-chasing. He tells the stories in a breezy first-person narrative that is semi-hard-boiled in style.

The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet - The Dripping Faucet (09-02-45)

The Dripping Faucet (Aired September 2, 1945)

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.

Gangbusters - The Case Of The Counterfeit Combine (01-29-49)

The Case Of The Counterfeit Combine (Aired January 29, 1949)

The series dramatized FBI cases, which producer-director Phillips H. Lord arranged in close association with Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover insisted that only closed cases would be used. The initial series was on NBC Radio from July 20 - October 12, 1935. It then aired on CBS from January 15, 1936 to June 15, 1940, sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive and Cue magazine. From October 11, 1940 to December 25, 1948, it was heard on the Blue Network, with various sponsors that included Sloan's Liniment, Waterman pens and Tide. Returning to CBS on January 8, 1949, it ran until June 25, 1955, sponsored by Grape-Nuts and Wrigley's chewing gum. The final series was on the Mutual Broadcasting System from October 5, 1955 to November 27, 1957.

THIS EPISODE:

January 29, 1949. Program #565. CBS network origination, syndicated, WRVR-FM, New York rebroadcast. "The Case Of The Counterfeit Combine". Sponsored by: World-Wide Handicrafts. A counterfeiting gang is caught when one of the members buys a live turkey from a suspcious farmer. A detailed description of counterfeit $10 and $20 bills is given instead of "Gangbusters Nationwide Clues." WRVR rebroadcast date: July 16, 1973. Mandel Kramer, Elspeth Eric, Stanley Niss (writer), William Sweets (director), Jay Jackson (announcer), Phillips H. Lord (producer). 25:18. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Murder Warrant (04-24-54)

 Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Murder Warrant (Aired April 24, 1954)

The radio version ran from 1952 to 1961, and John Dunning writes that among radio drama enthusiasts "Gunsmoke is routinely placed among the best shows of any kind and any time." The television version ran for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975, and was the United States' longest-running prime time, live-action drama with 635 episodes. In 2010, Law & Order tied this record of 20 seasons (but only 456 episodes). At the end of its run in 1975, Los Angeles Times columnist Cecil Smith wrote "Gunsmoke was the dramatization of the American epic legend of the west. Our own Iliad and Odyssey, created from standard elements of the dime novel and the pulp western as romanticized by Buntline, Harte, and Twain. It was ever the stuff of legend.

THIS EPISODE:

April 24, 1954. CBS network. "Murder Warrant". Sustaining. Likeable Lee Prentiss has been shot from ambush. Jake Harbin is not so likeable, but he's a deputy sheriff with a warrant for Prentiss' arrest. The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on April 18, 1959. George Walsh (announcer), Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, James Nusser, John Dehner, John Meston (writer), Joseph Du Val, Lawrence Dobkin, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Parley Baer, Rex Koury (composer, performer), Sam Edwards, William Conrad. 24:17. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Rocky Jordan - The Strange Death Of Van Dorn (11-13-49)

The Strange Death Of Van Dorn (Aired November 13, 1949)

Each episode sees Jordan confronted with a "crime, a mystery, a beautiful woman, or a combination of the three". Precisely why Jordan is in Egypt is left deliberately vague, though he apparently has enemies in St. Louis so can't go back home. Sam Sabaaya (Jay Novello) is the police captain who apprehends the criminals at the end of each adventure. Sabaaya is portrayed as a diligent and competent policeman, usually as Jordan's friend and ally but sometimes as his foil. He is an Egyptian Muslim, is married, and has four children. Two further characters appear in some but not all episodes, Chris and Sergeant Greco. Chris is the bartender at the Café Tambourine, while Greco is one of Sabaaya's underlings. Greco has a particular dislike of Jordan, and invariably tries to make his life difficult, often by arresting him as the chief suspect in whatever crime Jordan is trying to solve. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group and The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:
 
November 13, 1949. CBS Pacific network. "The Strange Death Of Van Dorn". Sponsored by:Del Monte Foods. Van Dorn has indeed died in a strange way. His body was found out in the  Sahara desert, frozen to death! Jack Moyles, Jay Novello, Larry Roman (writer), Gomer Cool (writer), Cliff Howell (producer, director), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor). 29:39. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Bold Venture - Slates Old Flame (08-27-51)

Slates Old Flame (Aired August 27, 1951)

Bold Venture is a 1951-1952 syndicated radio series starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Morton Fine and David Friedkin scripted the taped series for Bogart's Santana Productions. Salty seadog Slate Shannon (Bogart) owns a Cuban hotel sheltering an assortment of treasure hunters, revolutionaries and other shady characters. With his sidekick and ward, the sultry Sailor Duval (Bacall), tagging along, he encounters modern-day pirates and other tough situations while navigating the waters around Havana. Aboard his boat, the Bold Venture, Slate and Sailor experience "adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance in the sultry settings of tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean." Calypso singer King Moses (Jester Hairston) provided musical bridges by threading plot situations into the lyrics of his songs.

THIS EPISODE:
 
August 27, 1951. "Slates Old Flame"- When Humphrey Bogart gets pally with an old girl friend visiting Havana, there's fireworks from Lauren Bacall. There's motive for murder, too, when friend Jinny's rich husband is found dead and suspicion falls on Bogart. Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Henry Hayward (director), Jay Novello (doubles), Tony Barrett, Eve McVeagh, Betty Lou Gerson, Peter Leeds. 27:09. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Damon Runyon Theater - Dream Street Rose (09-25-49)

 Dream Street Rose (Aired September 25, 1949)

Damon Runyon Theater - Broadcast from January to December 1949, "The Damon Runyon Theater" dramatized 52 of Runyon's short stories for radio. Damon Runyon (October 4, 1884 – December 10, 1946) was a newspaperman and writer. He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. He spun tales of gamblers, petty thieves, actors and gangsters; few of whom go by "square" names, preferring instead to be known as "Nathan Detroit", "Big Jule", "Harry the Horse", "Good Time Charlie", "Dave the Dude", and so on. These stories were written in a very distinctive vernacular style: a mixture of formal speech and colorful slang, almost always in present tense, and always devoid of contractions.

THIS EPISODE:

September 25, 1949. Program #52. Mayfair syndication. "Dream Street Rose". Commercials added locally. The story of a lady with a past! The last show of the series. Damon Runyon (author), John Brown, Richard Sanville (director), Russell Hughes (adaptor), Vern Carstensen (production supervisor), Frank Gallop (announcer). 27:32. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - The Chase (05-22-53)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - The Chase (Aired May 22, 1953)

Jeff Chandler opens the series billed as 'Tex' Chandler, in the role of Chad Remington. He acquires a sidekick in Episode #1: a garrulous quasi-scoundrel by the name of Cherokee O'Bannon, a man of obvious mixed breeding--and morals. Cherokee O'Bannon is portrayed by Wade Crosby in a somewhat over the top rendition of W.C. Fields. The superb mood music is provided by no less than Ivan Ditmars and Bob Mitchell, of Mitchell Boy Choir  fame. The sound effects clearly approach the level of what audiences would hear for much of the remainder of the 1950s--hyper-realistic and meticulously timed. Paul Franklin's  scripts are clever and well developed.

THIS EPISODE:

May 22, 1953. Program #35. Broadcasters Program Syndicate/Bruce Eells and Associates syndication. "The Chase". Commercials added locally. Cimarron Whitey is dying in a jail cell...drawing a trasure map. The map's only for Blanche McCarthy, but Whitey's cellmate breaks out of jail, with the map. Reed Hadley, Wade Crosby, Ivan Ditmars (organist), Paul Franklin (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Bill Forman (announcer). 28:08. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes - Silver Blaze (07-24-62)

 Silver Blaze (Aired June 18, 1978)

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.

THIS EPISODE:

June 18, 1978. BBC Radio4, Birmingham origination. "Silver Blaze".  Barry Foster, David Buck, Arthur Conan Doyle (author), Michael Bakewell (adaptor), Roger Pine (director), Jeffrey Matthews, Alexander John, Patricia Gibson, Patricia Gallimore, Peter Brooks, Adrian Brenton. 27:36. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Tom Corbett Space Cadet - Marooned With Death (2-Episodes - COMPLETE) 05-13-52

 Marooned With Death (2-Episodes - COMPLETE) Aired May 13, 1952

Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett — Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, coloring books, punch-out books and View-Master reels in the 1950s. The stories followed the adventures of Tom Corbett, Astro, and Roger Manning, cadets at the Space Academy as they train to become members of the elite Solar Guard. The action takes place at the Academy in classrooms and bunkroom, aboard their training ship the rocket cruiser Polaris, and on alien worlds, both within our solar system and in orbit around nearby stars. The Tom Corbett universe partook of pseudo-science, not equal to the standards of accuracy set by John W. Campbell in the pages of Astounding. And yet, by the standards of the day, it was much more accurate than most media science fiction.

TODAY'S SHOW:

May 13, 1952. "Marooned With Death" - ABC network, WJZ, New York aircheck. Sponsored by: Kellogg's Pep, Kellogg's Raisin Bran. The cadets start on a rescue mission to the planet Del Porte and are nearly drowned by a tidal wave. Al Markim, Drex Hines (director), Edward Bryce, Frank Thomas Jr., Jackson Beck (announcer), Jan Merlin, Jon Gart (organist). 47:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "The Six Shooter" (Starring Jimmy Stewart) - Thicker Than Water (03-14-54)

 The Boxcars711 Overnight Western "The Six Shooter"
Thicker Than Water (Aired March 14, 1954)

Though The Six Shooter wasn't the first  popular adult western to air over Radio, a case can be made that it was the first to thoroughly legitimize the genre over the medium. Not only were The Six Shooter scripts--and casts--the equal of any of the first wave of adult westerns to air over Radio, but the series carried the considerable weight of James Stewart in the starring role as Britt Ponset, the reluctant, yet highly efficient, western gunslinger. For the era, James Stewart was a natural choice to popularize the genre over Radio. His ground-breaking--for Stewart--depiction of the angst and inner turmoil of his protagonist, Lin McAdam in Winchester '73 (1950), launched a series of James Stewart appearances in other taut Anthony Mann and Alfred Hitchcock psychological thrillers over the following ten years. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:

March 14, 1954 "Thicker Than Water"A father comes to town to see his son after twelve years. There have been some surprising changes...in both of them! Jimmy Stewart, Frank Burt (writer, creator), Basil Adlam (music), Jack Johnstone (director), Shirley Mitchell, Robert Griffin, Dick Beals, Barney Phillips, John Wald (announcer). 30:16. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Crime Club - Death Deals A Diamond (07-17-47)

 Death Deals A Diamond (Aired July 17, 1947)

Crime Club's premiere presentation was adapted from a Doubleday Crime Club selection from 1935 titled, Death Blew Out the Match, by Kathleen Moore Knight, from her Elisha Macomber series. The second selection of the series was For The Hangman, by John Stephen Strange, first published as a 1934 Doubleday Crime Club selection. Mr. Smith's Hat, Crime Club's 9th episode was a Doubleday Crime Club selection from 1936, by Helen Kiernan Reilly, part of her Inspector McKee series. If you see a pattern developing here, it might appear that there was a tie-in between the Doubleday Crime Club and Mutual's Crime Club radio program. While there was never an explicit tie-in to the Doubleday Crime Club, it becomes clear that the selections employed throughout the series were predominately from the Doubleday Crime Club imprint canon. Crime Club's selections weren't all of 1930s vintage. Episode No. 10, Murder Goes Astray, was a 1943 selection of the Doubleday Crime Club, by Mary Violet Heberden. Nor were all of the Crime Club episodes from the Doubleday Crime Club canon. Several of the Crime Club scripts were original stories penned by Stedman Coles, the adapter and scriptwriter for the series. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.
 
THIS EPISODE:
 
July 17, 1947. Mutual network. "Death Deals A Diamond". Sustaining. A great diamond thief, just out of prison, is framed for another robbery. Stedman Coles (writer), Roger Bower (producer, director), Larry Haines, Charlotte Lawrence, Maurice Franklin, Reese Taylor, Joan Tompkins, King Calder. 29:18. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Fat Man - Murder Is The Medium (07-22-49)

 Murder Is The Medium (Aired July 22, 1949)

"There he goes across the street into the drugstore, steps on the scale, height: 6 feet, weight: 290 pounds, fortune: Danger. Who isit? THE FAT MAN." Brad Runyon was the Fat Man, played by Jack Scott Smart. The series was created by Dashall Hammott and was first heard on the ABC network Jan. 21, 1946. J. Scott Smart fit the part of the Fat Man perfectly, weighing in at 270 pounds himself. When he spoke, there was no doubt that this was the voice of a big guy. Smart gave a witty, tongue-in-cheek performance and helped make THE FAT MAN one of the most popular detective programs on the air. Smart also appeared in The March Of Time (early 1930s), the Theater Guild On The Air, Blondie, The Fred Allen Show, and The Jack Benny Program.

THIS EPISODE:

July 22, 1949. ABC network origination, CBC rebroadcast. "Murder Is The Medium". Sponsored by: Pepto Bismol. A ten-inch knife cuts a murder during a seance and later a poisoning or two leads the Fat Man to the killer. The middle commercial has been deleted. J. Scott Smart, Bernard Green (music director), Dashiell Hammett (creator). 27:31. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - The Big Jump (01-11-51) = Bob Intro: The Chantels "Maybe"

 The Big Jump (Aired January 11, 1951)

Bob Intro: The Chantels "Maybe"

 
The show takes its name from an actual police term, a Dragnet, meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet was perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in American media history. The series gave millions of Americans a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of real life police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers. Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. The shows cultural impact is demonstrated by the fact that even after five decades, elements of Dragnet are known to those who have never heard nor seen the program. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

January 11, 1951. Program #83. NBC network. "The Big Jump". Sponsored by: Fatima. Walter Harrison is on a thirteenth floor ledge, threatening to jump. Good show! Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough. 33:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Doc Quits (08-27-55)

 Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Doc Quits (Aired August 27, 1955)

Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The radio version ran from 1952 to 1961, and  John Dunning writes that among radio drama enthusiasts "Gunsmoke is routinely placed among the best shows of any kind and any time." The television version ran for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975, and still remains the United States' longest-running prime time, live-action drama with 635 episodes.

THIS EPISODE:

August 27, 1955. CBS network. "Doc Quits". Sponsored by: L & M, Chesterfield. The last show of the season. Doc Betchell comes to practice medicine in Dodge and gives Doc Adams a bit of competition. So much in fact, that Doc Adams quits! The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on February 21, 1959. This is a network, sponsored version of cat. #17335). The system cue is added live. William Conrad announces that "Gunsmoke" is coming to television in two weeks. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Lawrence Dobkin, James Nusser, Anne Morrison, Frank Cady, John Meston (writer), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Tom Hanley (sound patterns), Bill James (sound patterns), George Walsh (announcer). 29:54. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

X Minus One - Double Dare (12-19-57)

 Double Dare (Aired December 19, 1957)

X Minus One was an NBC science fiction series that was an extension, or revival, of NBC's earlier science fiction series, Dimension X, which ran from Apr. 8, 1950 through Sept. 29, 1951. Both are remembered for bringing really first rate science fiction to the air. The first X Minus One shows used scripts from Dimension X, but soon created new shows from storied from the pages of Galaxy Magazine. A total of 125 programs were broadcast, some repeats or remakes, until the last show of Jan. 9, 1958. There was a one-program revival attempt in 1973.

THIS EPISODE:
 
December 19, 1957. NBC network. "Double Dare". Sponsored by: Bromo Quinine. Two scientists from the Earth defend the honor of their home planet. This is network, sponsored version. The script was used subsequently on "Future Tense" during July, 1976. Robert Silverberg (author), Fred Collins (announcer), Ralph Camargo, Ivor Francis, Michael Ingram, Harvey Hayes, William Welch (adaptor, producer), George Voutsas (director). 20:01. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Great Gildersleeve - Gildy Is Arrested (01-11-42

 Gildy Is Arrested (Aired January 11, 1942)

The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1957), initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. Built around a character who had been a staple on the classic radio situation comedy Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve enjoyed its greatest success in the 1940s. Actor Harold Peary played the character during its transition from the parent show into the spin-off and later in a quartet of feature films released at the height of the show's popularity. On Fibber McGee and Molly, Peary's Gildersleeve was a pompous windbag who became a consistent McGee nemesis. "You're a haa-aa-aa-aard man, McGee!" became a Gildersleeve catch phrase. The character was given several conflicting first names on Fibber McGee and Molly, and on one episode his middle name was revealed as Philharmonic. Gildy admits as much at the end of "Gildersleeve's Diary" on the Fibber McGee and Molly series (10/22/40). He soon became so popular that Kraft Foods — looking primarily to promote its Parkay margarine spread — sponsored a new series with Peary's Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve as the central, slightly softened, and slightly befuddled focus of a lively new family.

Dad's Army - Sorry Wrong Number (06-05-74)

Sorry Wrong Number (Aired June 5, 1974)
INTRO: Barbra Streisand "The Way We Were"

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.

THIS EPISODE:

June 5, 1974. "Sorry Wrong Number" Captain Mainwaring is horrified when he discovers half the platoon do not know how to use a telephone correctly. He attempts to instruct them on the correct use to aid better communication between men on patrol and the church hall. However, when a German plane crashes in the resevoir, Jones puts these methods to the test with chaotic results...Cast:
 

Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring) , John Le Mesurier (Sergeant Wilson), Clive Dunn (Lance Corporal Jones), John Laurie (Private Frazer), Ian Lavender (Private Pike), Graham Stark (Private Walker), Bill Pertwee (The ARP Warden), Pearl Hackney (Mrs Pike), Avril Angers (The Telephone Operator), John Forest (Lieutenant Hope-Bruce), John Snagge (BBC Announcer)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Lone Ranger" - Return Of Butch Cavendish (01-30-53)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Lone Ranger"
Return Of Butch Cavendish (Aired January 30, 1953)

Tonto was played throughout the run by actor John Todd (although there were a few isolated occasions when he was replaced by Roland Parker, better known as Kato for much of the run of sister series The Green Hornet), and other supporting players were selected from Detroit area actors and studio staff. These included Jay Michael (who also played the lead on Challenge of the Yukon aka Sgt. Preston of the Yukon), Bill Saunders (as various villains, including Butch Cavendish), Paul Hughes (as the Ranger's friend Thunder Martin and as various army colonels and badmen), future movie star John Hodiak, Janka Fasciszewska (under the name Jane Fae), and others. The part of nephew Dan Reid was played by various child actors, including Bob Martin, James Lipton, and Dick Beals. The last new radio episode of the Lone Ranger was aired on September 3, 1954.

THIS EPISODE:

January 30, 1953. Program #3128/2351. ABC network. "Thunder Martin"/"Return Of Butch Cavendish". Sponsored by: General Mills. A retelling of the origin story of the Ranger. A good show. Dan Reid appears in the story. The program was repeated October 8, 1954. Brace Beemer, John Todd, Fred Foy (announcer), Bob Martin, Paul Hughes, Bill Saunders, Jay Michael, Paul Sutton, Harry Goldstein. 25:53. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.
 

The Sealed Book - The Hands Of Death (03-18-45)

 The Hands Of Death (Aired March 18, 1945)

As with The Mysterious Traveler that preceded it, The Sealed Book was an anthology of supernatural drama, produced and directed by Jock MacGregor for the Mutual network, and written by the extraordinary team of Robert Arthur and David Kogan. Indeed this same entire team of network, director, and writers were responsible for the entire run of The Mysterious Traveler. Going even further, The Sealed Book reprised 26 of the Arthur/Kogan scripts written for The Mysterious Traveler. And in yet another similarity, Philip Clarke performed as an actor in five of the original Mysterious Traveler episodes. Where the series' differed was in the 'hook' or novelty intro to each week's new episode. With the Mysterious Traveler, the atmospheric element was the mournful whistle of the train, and Maurice Tarplin's equally exaggerated exposition at the beginning of each episode. With The Sealed Book, each epsisode opened with the sound of the great gong, followed by Philip Clarke's observation that the Keeper of The Book.

THIS EPISODE:

March 18, 1945. Program #1. Mutual network. "The Hands Of Death". Sustaining. 10:00 P.M. (Eastern time). The first show of the series. An eccentric who collects souvenirs from murders decides to try for the ultimate item for his collection. The dates listed above for this series were taken from the WOR-Mutual acetates. Apparently, a second series of broadcasts was heard on WGN, Chicago (and perhaps the rest of the Mutual net as well) at 2:30 P.M. (Central time) on the dates listed. 29:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Suspense - The Big Heist (12-01-52)

 The Big Heist (Aired December 1, 1952)

Suspense was actually spawned from another series called Forecast. The 1940 horror show was entitled Suspense and it was based on the Marie Belloc Lowndes' short Jack-the-Ripper novella, The Lodger. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, who had made a 1926 silent film based on the same story (Grams, 1997, 3). Its subtle ending generated a large volume of mail which convinced CBS executives that they had a strong market. Two years later, Suspense was aired. It became one of radio's longest lasting shows, surviving twenty years of consistent success. It had numerous announcers during those two decades, ranging from the early Berry Kroeger to the veteran announcers, Paul Frees and George Walsh. But it was Joseph Kearns who evolved into "The Man in Black" host in 1943. This mysterious all-knowing narrator was similar to The Whistler.. The character lasted for over 100 episodes until March of 1945.

THIS EPISODE:

December 1, 1952. CBS network. "The Big Heist". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The best bank buster in the business takes on a new man for his next job...much to his sorrow. John Hodiak, Herb Butterfield, Joseph Kearns, Ted Bliss, Jerry Hausner, Junius Matthews, Charles Calvert, Harlow Wilcox (commercial spokesman), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), E. Jack Neuman (writer), Lucien Moraweck (composer), Lud Gluskin (conductor), Bert Holland, Larry Thor (announcer). 28:20.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Tales Of The Texas Rangers" - Death By Adoption (03-18-51)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Tales Of The Texas Rangers"
Death By Adoption (Aired March 18, 1951)

The shows were reenactments of actual Texas Ranger cases.The series was produced and directed by Stacy Keach, Sr., and was sponsored for part of its run by Wheaties. Captain Manuel T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, a Ranger for 30 years and who was said to have killed 31 men during his career, served as consultant for the series. The series was adapted for television from 1955 to 1957 and produced by Screen Gems. For the TV version, Willard Parker took over the role of Jace Pearson. On radio, Pearson often worked by request with a local sheriff's office or police department but on the TV show, he had a regular partner, Ranger Clay Morgan (who had been an occasional character on the radio show), played by Harry Lauter.

THIS EPISODE:

March 18, 1951. NBC network. "Death By Adoption". Sustaining. A used car salesman is killed by a man posing as the father of his adopted child. Joel McCrea, Tony Barrett, Barbara Luddy, Roy Glenn, Joseph Kearns, Tom McKee, Hal Gibney (announcer). 29:35. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

 

The Lineup - Lewis Black The Mad Bomber (06-26-51)

Lewis Black The Mad Bomber aka: Politicians Homes Are Bombed (Aired June 26, 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.

THIS EPISODE:
 
June 26, 1951. CBS network. "Lewis Black The Mad Bomber". Sustaining. 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 in the State Building will go off in forty minutes. The program switches to Thursday nights at 9:00 P.M. with the next broadcast. William Johnstone, Wally Maher, Jaime del Valle (producer, director), Eddie Dunstedter (music), Dan Cubberly (announcer), Blake Edwards (writer), Howard McNear, Peter Leeds, Harry Lang, Jim Backus, Hy Averback, Sidney Miller, Joseph Du Val. 24:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

I Was A Communist For The FBI - A Riot Made to Order (06-01-52)

A Riot Made to Order (Aired June 1, 1952)

Throughout most of the 1940's, Matt Cvetic worked as a volunteer undercover agent for the FBI, infiltrating the Communist Party in Pittsburgh. In 1949, his testimony helped to convict several top Party members of conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government. Cvetic sold his account to "The Saturday Evening Post" and it was serialized under the title "I Posed as a Communist for the FBI". It later became a best-selling book. In 1951, Warner Brothers released a film based on these accounts entitled "I Was A Communist For The FBI", starring with Frank Lovejoy as Cvetic. In 1952, in the midst of the Red scare of the 1950's, the Frederick W. Ziv Company produced the syndicated radio series with the same title as the movie. It was produced without assistance from the FBI, which refused to cooperate.

THIS EPISODE:

June 1, 1952. Program #10. ZIV Syndication. "A Riot Made To Order". Commercials added locally. Cvetic uses a sprinkler system to foil the plans of the Party to cause a riot and create sympathy for the Communists. Dana Andrews, Truman Bradley (announcer), Henry Hayward (director), David Rose (music). 26:45. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - The Big Pug (05-18-50)

The Big Pug (Aired May 18, 1950)

Dragnet, the brainchild of Jack Webb, may very well be the most well-remembered, and the best, radio police drama series. From September, 1949 through February 1957, Dragnet's 30 minute shows, broadcast on NBC, brought to radio true police stories in a low-key, documentary style. The origins of Dragnet can be traced to a semi-documentary film, "He Walked by Night" from 1948, in which Webb had a small role. Both employed the same Los Angeles Police Department technical adviser, used actual police cases and presented the case in "just the facts" manner that became a hallmark of Dragnet. It is interesting to note that Webb employed that format in other radio series, some pre-dating the film mentioned above. Dragnet was a long running radio and television police procedural drama, about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

May 18, 1950. Program #49. NBC network. "The Big Pug". Sponsored by: Fatima. Two robbers hold up the owner of a cafe in the parking lot of a bank and beat her up. Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough. 30:10. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Drop Dead (09-20-52)

 Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Drop Dead (Aired September 20, 1952)

Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The radio version ran from 1952 to 1961, and John Dunning writes that among radio drama enthusiasts "Gunsmoke is routinely placed among the best shows of any kind and any time." The television version ran for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975, and still remains the United States' longest-running prime time, live-action drama with 635 episodes ("Law and Order" ended in 2010 with 476 episodes).

THIS EPISODE:

September 20, 1952. "Drop Dead". Sustaining. Greedy Mr. Howard won't let Jack Jackson water his herd during a Kansas drought. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Harry Bartell, Lou Krugman, Barney Phillips, Georgia Ellis, Joseph Du Val, Les Crutchfield (writer), Roy Rowan (announcer). 29:26. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Philip Morris Playhouse - The Iron Man (07-29-49)

 The Iron Man (Aired July 29, 1949)

Philip Morris invested heavily in radio advertising throughout the 1930s and ‘40s, often having two weekly programs on competing networks. The first, a variety show that ran for twelve seasons (1934-47) and combined musical and dramatic elements, was called Johnny Presents, essentially giving Roventini "top billing" above all the big name guests that appeared on the broadcasts. The cigarette company also sponsored Philip Morris Playhouse, a dramatic anthology series that lasted 14 seasons (1939-53), finally switching to television. Throughout it all, Johnny was a walking public relations campaign, reminding people of the product wherever he appeared. In exchange for $20,000 a year, Johnny promised never to appear in public without a bodyguard, and never to ride the New York subway during rush hour.

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 29, 1949. CBS network. "The Iron Man". Sponsored by: Philip Morris, Revelation Pipe tobacco. The three owners of a failing New York bar decide to do in a barfly after taking out an insurance policy on his life. This is not as easy as it sounds. A well-done production of a classic (and true) story. William Spier (director, producer, editor), Sidney Miller, Jerry Hausner, Joseph Kearns, John Holbrook (announcer), Harold Swanton (writer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Art Ballinger (announcer), James Matthews. 29:10. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Price Of Fear - The Waxwork (10-13-73)

The Waxwork (Aired October 13, 1973)

Recorded in every corner of the world when first broadcast over the BBC's World Service, The Price of Fear soon became one of the most widely recorded offerings of its era. As with most BBC productions, the acting talent and production values were excellent throughout. The stories dramatized in the series are from some of the supernatural fiction world's finest authors. William Ingram was responsible for almost half of the stories and scripts, backed up the works of Bram Stoker, Roald Dahl, Robert Arthur, Rene Basilico, Stanley Ellin, and R. Chetwynd-Hayes. John Dyas produced and directed all three series over the ten year period. Host Vincent Price, already long since recognized throughout the world as the reigning Master of The Macabre, virtually ensured that the series would be heard. True to his legend, Price's imprimatur on the series provided a voice as chilling and familiar to World Service listeners as that of their own Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. The Price of Fear has been an international favorite ever since it's first airing. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:

October 13, 1973. Program #7. BBC. "The Waxwork". A writer spends the night in a room filled with waxworks. Well, he tries to spend the night. Vincent Price (host, narrator, performer), John Dyas (director), Joan Cooper, Barry Campbell (adaptor), A. M. Burrage (writer), Peter Barkweth, Cyril Schaps, Christopher Bidmeade. 30:04.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Mel Blanc Show - Crashing The Colby's Society Party (04-15-47)

Crashing The Colby's Society Party (Aired April 15, 1947)

In 1936, Mel Blanc joined Leon Schlesinger Productions, which made animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Blanc liked to tell the story about how he got turned down at the Schlesinger studio by music director Norman Spencer, who was in charge of cartoon voices, saying that they had all the voices they needed. Then Spencer died, and sound man Treg Brown took charge of cartoon voices, while Carl Stalling took over as music director. Brown introduced Blanc to animation directors Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, and Frank Tashlin, who loved his voices. The first cartoon Blanc worked on was Picador Porky as the voice of a drunken bull. He took over as Porky Pig's voice in Porky's Duck Hunt, which marked the debut of Daffy Duck, also voiced by Blanc.

THIS EPISODE:

April 15, 1947. "Crashing The Colby's Society Party" - CBS network. Sponsored by: Colgate Toothpowder, Halo Shampoo. Mel poses as an expert on affairs operatic and is exp0sed with dramatic violence worthy of a Wagnerian finale. The local banker's wife is scheduled to make her singing debut at a big social event, and her instructor fears he'll lose a pupil when her lack of talent is realized. Mel, to help out, masquerades as an Italian opera expert, and praises her singing. When Mel is unmasked, the real trouble begins. 30:04. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel" - Sense Of Justice (03-29-59)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel"

Sense Of Justice (Aired March 29, 1959

The knight symbol is in reference to his name — possibly a nickname or working name — and his occupation as a champion-for-hire (see paladin). The theme song of the series refers to him as "a knight without armor." In addition, Paladin drew a parallel between his methods and the chess piece's movement: "It's a chess piece, the most versatile on the board. It can move in eight different directions, over obstacles, and it's always unexpected." Paladin was a former Army officer and a graduate of West Point. He was a polyglot, capable of speaking any foreign tongue required by the plot. He also had a thorough knowledge of ancient history and classical literature, and he exhibited a strong passion for legal principles and the rule of law.

THIS EPISODE:

March 29, 1959. CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Sense Of Justice". Andy is accused of murder and in jail. Paladin stands up to a lynch mob out to get him...only Andy is an idiot! The script was used on the "Have Gun, Will travel" television show on November 1, 1958. John Dehner, Ben Wright, Virginia Gregg, Harry Bartell, Barney Phillips, Herb Meadow (creator), Sam Rolfe (creator), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), John Dawson (adaptor), Lynn Allen, Richard Perkins, Hugh Douglas (announcer), Richard Perkins, John Kneubuhl (writer), Bill James (sound effects), Tom Hanley (sound effects). 25 minutes. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Private Files Of Rex Saunders - A Murder Deep In A Killers Mind (06-20-51)

A Murder Deep In A Killers Mind (Aired June 20, 1951)

Heard every Wednesday night at 7:30, this thriller is typical of radio mystery shows. However, it has one thing the others don't--that is a sauve Englishman by the name of Rex Harrison. Harrison turns in a better than average performance as a private detective. With the help of an assistant played by Leon Janey, the "dick" goes his way solving a new mystery each week. Impressing us most was the quiet manner in which Harrison plays his new role. Not once during the entire half hour show did he raise his voice enough to activate the decible meter on the KSMO switchboard. Most radio detectives are of the loud and fast talking type, who just love to order their girl friends and constituted police authorities around like mad. Harrison's show keeps away from this sort of thing.  As a detective--gentleman or otherwise--Rex Harrison lends a distinctively intelligent and understated confidence to the role.

THIS EPISODE:

June 20, 1951. NBC network. "A Murder Deep In A Killer's Mind". Sponsored by: RCA Victor. Rex Harrison, Edward Adamson (writer), Himan Brown (director), Kenneth Banghart (announcer), Leon Janney. 28:12. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Screen Director's Playhouse - Mr. & Mrs. Smith (01-30-49)

 Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Aired January 30, 1949)

Screen Director's Playhouse is a popular radio anthology series which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcast adaptations of films, and original directors of the films were sometimes involved in the productions, although their participation was usually limited to introducing the radio adaptations, and a brief "curtain call" with the cast and host at the end of the program. The series later had a brief run on television. The radio version ran for 122 episodes and aired on NBC from January 9, 1949 to September 28, 1951 under several different titles: NBC Theater, Screen Director's Guild Assignment, Screen Director's Assignment and, as of July 1, 1949, Screen Director's Playhouse.

THIS EPISODE:
 
January 30, 1949. NBC network. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". Sustaining. A comedy about a feuding couple who discover that they really aren't married after all. Guest director Alfred Hitchcock introduces the story and tells how he "appeared" in a cameo radio role. Bill Cairn (director), Carleton Young, Dink Trout, Frank Barton (announcer), Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Howard Wiley (producer), Mary Jane Croft, Milton Geiger (adaptor), Pat McGeehan, Robert Montgomery, Verna Felton. 29:54. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Duffy's Tavern - A Date For Dennis Day (05-02-44)

Duffy's Tavern - A Date For Dennis Day (05-02-44)

 

 
When the AFRN rebroadcast those episodes for U.S. servicemen during World War II, the announcer referred to Duffy's Tavern. Radio's Duffy's Tavern didn't translate well to film or television. Burrows and Matt Brooks collaborated on the screenplay for the 1945 film, Ed Gardner's Duffy's Tavern, in which Archie (with regulars Eddie and Finnegan) was surrounded by a throng of Paramount Pictures stars playing themselves, including Robert Benchley, William Bendix, Eddie Bracken, Bing Crosby, Cass Daley, Brian Donlevy, Paulette Goddard, Betty Hutton, Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake and Dorothy Lamour. The film's plot involves a war-displaced record manufacturer whose staff — those not sent off to war — drown their sorrows at Duffy's on credit, while the company owner tries to find ways around the price controls and war attrition that threaten to put him out of business. The movie was a box-office disappointment.

THIS EPISODE:

May 2, 1944. Program #50. "A Date For Dennis Day"- Blue network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. Archie tries to get a date for guest Dennis Day. Ed Gardner, Dennis Day, Helen Lynd, Peter Van Steeden and His Orchestra. 30:48. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - The Trial (04-13-58)

 Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - The Trial (Aired April 13, 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.

THIS EPISODE:

April 13, 1958. CBS network. "The Trial". Sustaining. Kendall becomes a backwoods barrister to defend an ex-Indian scout accused of murder. The program is also known as "A Lawyer For McKuen." This is a network version. The program opening is slightly upcut. John Dehner, Antony Ellis (writer, producer, director), Jack Kruschen, Harry Bartell, Joseph Kearns, Will Wright, Jack Moyles, Jeanette Nolan, Vic Perrin, Stacy Harris, Amerigo Moreno (composer, conductor), John Wald (announcer). 24:01. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Sears Radio Theater ( Mutual ) - I Want Him Dead (02-22-79)

 I Want Him Dead (Aired February 22, 1979)

The Sears Radio Theater Series premiered on Monday 02/05/79 and offered a different genre each weekday night. Each genre was hosted by a different celebrity. The program was produced on Paramount's Stage F in Hollywood. These first 130 programs were broadcast over a six month period and then rebroadcast over the following six months. From 02/14/80 to 12/19/81 this series was heard again, this time over Mutual, as The Mutual Radio Theater. This was clearly one of the last big attempts to produce radio programming, with many of radio’s best talents, the way radio was heard in its “golden days.” Despite budget and talent, it just wasn’t to be.

THIS EPISODE:

February 22, 1979. Program #14. CBS network. "I Want Him Dead". Sponsored by: Sears Roebuck and Company. Alice Heath, Barney Phillips, Byron Kane, Cecily Tyson (hostess), David Chomsky (writer), Fletcher Markle (producer, director, performer), Jack Carroll, Noel North, Peggy Webber, Shepard Menken, Vic Perrin. 51:02. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.