Our Miss Brooks - Friday The 13th (05-15-49)

Friday The 13th (Aired May 15, 1949)

 

 

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. "I'm certainly going to try in the coming months to merit the honor you've bestowed upon me, because I understand that if I win this (award) two years in a row, I get to keep Mr. Boynton," she joked. But she was also a hit with the critics; a winter 1949 poll of newspaper and magazine radio editors taken by Motion Picture Daily named her the year's best radio comedienne.

THIS EPISODE:
 
May 15, 1949. CBS network. Sponsored by: Palmolive Soap, Lustre Creme Shampoo, Palmolive Shave Cream. It's "Friday The 13th", and Miss Brooks seems destined to cause Mr. Conklin grief. A photo of Miss Brooks in a bathing suit doesn't help! Eve Arden, Jane Morgan, Richard Crenna, Bob Lemond (announcer), Verne Smith (announcer), Gloria McMillan, Gale Gordon, Jeff Chandler, Leonard Smith, Larry Berns (producer), Al Lewis (writer, director). 29:26. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Kitty's Outlaw (02-12-56)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke"
Kitty's Outlaw (Aired February 12, 1956)

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). The half-hour animated comedy "The Simpsons", is slated for a 21st season in Fall 2010.

THIS EPISODE:

February 12, 1956. CBS network. "Kitty's Outlaw". Sponsored by: Chesterfield, L & M. Cole Yankton comes to Dodge, and he's obviously up to no good. Two days later, the bank is held up...and Miss Kitty seems to be in on the job! The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on October 5, 1957. The system cue is added live. William Conrad, John Meston (writer), Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Georgia Ellis, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Tom Hanley (sound patterns), Bill James (sound patterns), George Walsh (announcer). 24:41. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

INTRO: Eddie Holman "Hey There Lonely Girl" (1969) "The Mysterious Traveler - I Died Last Night" (04-25-50)

 I Died Last Night (Aired April 25, 1950)

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!  Cast members included Jackson Beck, Lon Clark, Roger DeKoven, Elspeth Eric, Wendell Holmes, Bill Johnstone, Joseph Julian, Jan Miner, Santos Ortega, Bryna Raeburn, Frank Readick, Ann Shepherd, Lawson Zerbe and Bill Zuckert.

THIS EPISODE:

April 25, 1950. Program #252. Mutual network. "I Died Last Night". Sustaining. A search for the solution to the mystery of death! A newly dead man is given the chance to communicate with the living...can he do it? Eric Dressler, Bret Morrison, Robert A. Arthur (writer, producer, director), David Kogan (writer, producer, director), Maurice Tarplin, Bryna Raeburn, Jack Curtis, Milton Kaye (composer, conductor), Grayson Enlow (announcer). 30:20. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - The Big Sophomore (07-19-51)

 The Big Sophomore (Aired July 19, 1951)

 

Friday’s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio’s top-rated shows. While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Friday’s desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters.

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 19, 1951. Program #110. NBC network. "The Big Sophomore". Sponsored by: Fatima. A young boy named Harry Dunbar admits a series of petty thefts, but is reluctant to explains his reasons. Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough. 30:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Renegade White (08-02-52)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Renegade White (Aired August 2, 1952)

Two auditions were created in 1949. The first was very much like a hardboiled detective series and starred Rye Billsbury as Dillon; the second starred Straight Arrow actor Howard Culver in a more Western, lighter version of the same script. CBS liked the Culver version better, and Ackerman was told to proceed. But there was a complication. Culver's contract as the star of Straight Arrow would not allow him to do another Western series. The project was shelved for three years, when MacDonnell and Meston discovered it creating an adult Western series of their own. MacDonnell and Meston wanted to create a radio Western for adults, in contrast to the prevailing juvenile fare such as The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid. Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas during the thriving cattle days of the 1870s. Dunning notes, "The show drew critical acclaim for unprecedented realism."

THIS EPISODE:

August 2, 1952. CBS network. "Renegade White". Sustaining. Ord Spicer, who sells rifles to the Cheyenne, kills two cowboys with his new Sharps rifles. This script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on April 11, 1959. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, John Meston (writer), Harry Bartell, Jack Kruschen, Clancey Cassell (announcer), Lawrence Dobkin, Herb Vigran, Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Norman Macdonnell (director). 30:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Secrets Of Scotland Yard - The Case Of The Green-Eyed Monster (05-29-50)

The Case Of The Green-Eyed Monster (Aired May 29, 1950)

In an earlier time, just prior to and following the Second World War, the general public was fascinated by the subject of crime. Numerous magazines of "True Crime Stories" filled the newsstands. Radio also helped fill the need with fictional heroes such as Johnny Dollar and The Saint. Few true crime dramas, other than Gangbusters or Dragnet, sustained long term success on radio. The Secrets of Scotland Yard was a successful crime drama series, initially airing internationally between 1949 and 1951. Selected episodes finally came to a US radio network for a brief run much later in 1957 over the Mutual Broadcasting System. The series boasted well over 100 episodes.

THIS EPISODE:

May 29, 1950. Program #78. Towers Of London syndication. "The Case Of The Green-Eyed Monster". Commercials added locally. When jealousy rears its head in 1930's British society, the result is murder! The date above is known to be accurate (for LM Radio). Clive Brook (host), Percy Hoskins (writer, performer), Harry Alan Towers (producer). 27:57. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Halls Of Ivy - Hell Week (01-02-52)

 Hell Week (Aired January 2, 1952)

The series ran 110 half-hour radio episodes from January 6, 1950 to June 25, 1952, with Quinn, Jerome Lawrence, and Robert Lee writing most of the scripts and giving free if even more sophisticated play to Quinn's knack for language play, inverted cliches and swift puns (including the show's title and lead characters), a knack he'd shown for years writing Fibber McGee and Molly. Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee continued as a writing team; their best-known play is Inherit the Wind.Cameron Blake, Walter Brown Newman, Robert Sinclair, and Milton and Barbara Merlin became writers for the program as well. But listeners were surprised to discover that the episode of 27 September 1950, "The Leslie Hoff Painting," a story tackling racial prejudice, was written by Colman himself. The sponsors were Schlitz Brewing Company and then Nabisco. Nat Wolff produced and directed, Henry Russell handled the music and radio veteran Ken Carpenter was the announcer.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel" - Stopover In Tombstone (10-11-59)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel"
Stopover In Tombstone (Aired October 11, 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:

October 11, 1959. CBS network. "Stopover In Tombstone". Sponsored by: Fitch Shampoo, Ex-Lax, Watchmakers Of Switzerland (vacation contest). Paladin becomes a deputy assistant sheriff of Cochise County...a lawman of Tombstone. An accused murderer with a dying wife proves a tragic responsibility. The system cue is added live. John Dehner, Virginia Gregg, Sam Rolfe (creator), Herb Meadow (creator), Frank Paris (producer, director), Hugh Douglas (announcer), Ann Doud (writer), Bartlett Robinson, Betty Garde, Joe Cranston, Harry Bartell, Bill James (sound effects), Tom Hanley (sound effects). 25:09. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Elvis Presley Sings "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" LIVE tour 1972

 Elvis Presley Sings "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" LIVE tour 1972

The Crime Club - Sometimes A Sucker Wins (09-04-47)

Sometimes A Sucker Wins (Aired September 4, 1947)

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

THIS EPISODE:
 
September 4, 1947. Mutual network. "Sometimes A Sucker Wins". Sustaining. A woman tries to find her missing brother and finds murder instead. 30:35. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - Charlie Meeker (02-09-58)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - Charlie Meeker (Aired February 9, 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 Hickock.

THIS EPISODE:

February 9, 1958. CBS network.  "A Meeting With Sitting Bull". Sustaining. J.B. Kendall and a local reporter named "Charlie Meeker" hire a half-breed to take them to meet Sitting Bull, but are double-crossed on the trail and shot! A good story. The public service announcements have been partially deleted. John Dehner, Junius Matthews, Jeanette Nolan, Lawrence Dobkin, Harry Bartell, Jerry Goldsmith (composer), Wilbur Hatch (conductor), Antony Ellis (creator, writer, producer, director). 24:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - The Big Eavesdrop (12-14-52)

The Big Eavesdrop (Aired December 14, 1952)

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. 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 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 work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers. Actor and producer many media.

THIS EPISODE:
 
December 14, 1952. Program #182. NBC network. "The Big Eavesdrop". Commercials deleted. While waiting to make a narcotics buy, Sergeant Friday and Frank Smith overhear Sam Allison tearfully admit that he had committed murder. The cops use an impersonator to convince the killer to confess in a procedure that sounds highly unconstitutional. The program ending has been deleted. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander. 25:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Zero Hour - Terror In The Night (04-30-74)

Terror In The Night (Aired April 30, 1974)

Rod Serling is known to most people as the TV host (and some times writer) for The Twilight Zone. A decade later, he returned to TV to host the spooky Night Gallery series. The series was sold to the networks on Serling's name and reputation, but in reality, he had signed away creative control. A few of his scripts were produced, but others were rejected for being "too thoughtful." (We can't have any of that on television, can we?) He was banned from the casting sessions and had no real say on the show. Despite the shabby treatment by hot shot execs, Serling grit his teeth and did his duty. He continued to lead TV viewers through a darkened museum every week, looking at paintings with even darker themes. (It was very similar to the role Orson Welles served two decades earlier as the host to The Black Museum.) When Night Gallery was canceled in 1972, Serling was probably happy to retire from TV and move to upstate New York. He taught at Ithaca College, not far from where he grew up.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - General Parsley Smith (07-02-55)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - General Parsley Smith (07-02-55)

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:

July 2, 1955. CBS network. "General Parsley Smith". Sponsored by: L & M. "General" Smith is warning Dodge about Drew Holt and his new bank. He accuses Holt of being a thief, but General Smith is a liar! The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on December 10, 1955. William Conrad, John Meston (writer), Parley Baer, John Dehner, Joseph Du Val, Vic Perrin, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, George Fenneman (commercial spokesman), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Tom Hanley (sound patterns), Bill James (sound patterns), George Walsh (announcer). 30:38. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar - "The Little Man Who Wasn't All There" (10-29-49)

The Little Man Who Wasnt All There (Aired October 29, 1949)

 

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. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
 
October 29, 1949. CBS network. "The Little Man Who Wasn't There". Sustaining. A madman in San Francisco tackles an insurance company singled-handed...by killing off the policy holders one by one! Charles Russell, Jay Novello, Martha Wentworth, Paul Dubov, GeGe Pearson, Lawrence Dobkin, Wilbur Hatch (music). 30:21. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Hall Of Fantasy - "The Treasure Of Kublai Khan" (07-20-53)

The Treasure Of Kublai Khan (Aired July 20, 1953)

Originally a local series out of Utah that found its way on to the airwaves sporadically from 1947 to 1952, this anthology was picked up for national syndication by the Mutual network and broadcast from mid-52 through mid-53. Written and directed by Richard Thorne, a prolific and talented writer and producer, this series is often overlooked, even by fans of OTR. It is unfortunate, since it provides some very unique and dramatic material; the acting in particular was superb. Early on, the series concentrated on murder mysteries, but later shows were devoted to horror and some sci-fi.

THIS EPISODE:

July 20, 1953. Mutual network, WGN, Chicago origination (possibly syndicated). "The Treasure Of Kublai Khan". Commercials deleted. An excellent ghost story about a hidden treasure in old Persia, and the dead warrior who guards it. The program was rebroadcast on February 15, 1954. Richard Thorne (writer). 27:22. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - Western Empire (1949)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town"
Western Empire (1949) *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

 

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. Principally a comedy writer, it's clear that he's well suited to provide Cherokee O'Bannon's dialogue with great imagination, but he's equally adept at providing interesting story lines throughout the 47-episode run. Chandler's characterization of Chad Remington is forceful, dynamic and melodramatic and runs for the first twenty-three episodes. Veteran Film, Television and Radio actor Reed Hadley then assumes the role of Chad Remington for the remaining 24 installments. The contrast between the two characterizations is quite evident, but doesn't interfere with either the continuity of the main character or the flow of the episodes. Both principal actors acquit themselves well in the role. Wade Crosby in the role of Cherokee O'Bannon plays it well over the top, but that's what sidekicks do, after all.

INTRO: Hall & Oates - You Are Everything - (Stylistics) - The Aldrich Family - "Latin Exam aka: Latin Homework" (03-15-53)

INTRO: Hall & Oates - You Are Everything - (Stylistics)
The Aldrich Family - "Latin Exam aka: Latin Homework" (03-15-53)

 

 

The Aldrich Family, a popular radio teenage situation comedy (1939-1953), is remembered first and foremost for its unforgettable introduction: awkward teen Henry's mother calling, "Hen-reeeeeeeeeeeee! Hen-ree Al-drich!" A top-ten ratings hit within two years of its birth (in 1941, the showm carried a 33.4 Crossley rating, landing it solidly alongside Jack Benny and Bob Hope), the show is considered a prototype for teen-oriented situation comedies to follow on radio and television and is a favourite if dated find for old-time radio collectors today. The Aldrich Family as a separate radio show was born as a summer replacement for Jack Benny in NBC's Sunday night lineup, July 2, 1939, and it stayed there until October 1, 1939, when it moved to Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., sponsored by General Foods's popular gelatin dessert Jell-O---which also sponsored Jack Benny at the time. The Aldriches ran in that slot from October 10, 1939 until May 28, 1940, moving to Thursdays, from July 4, 1940 until July 20, 1944.

THIS EPISODE:

September 9, 1943. "Latin Exam" aka "Latin Homework. - NBC network. Sponsored by: Postum (1 commercial deleted). Henry tries to get out of a tennis date with Violet by using a make-up exam in Latin as an excuse. The ensuing confusion leads to a planned operation for tonsil removal! Dan Seymour (announcer), Clifford Goldsmith (writer), House Jameson, Katharine Raht, Norman Tokar, Jackie Kelk, Jack Miller (composer, conductor). 30:31. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Suspense - To None A Deadly Drug (10-25-55)

To None A Deadly Drug (Aired October 25, 1955)

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. Some of the same stories would later be adapted to TV and performed on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Hitchcock was, after all, billed as "the Master of Suspense." And there was a certain amount of poetic justice in him borrowing from the radio series, since he was so instrumental in creating it. Examples of stories he recycled include "Banquo's Chair" and "Dead Ernest".

THIS EPISODE:

October 25, 1955. CBS network. "To None A Deadly Drug". Sustaining. A druggist gives a small boy the wrong medicine and tries to find the youngster before he kills himself with it. This is a network version. The system cue is added live. Virginia Eiler, John Stevenson, Jack Kruschen, Sammy Ogg, Henry Searles (writer), Rene Garriguenc (composer), Wilbur Hatch (conductor), Hy Averback, Larry Thor (announcer), Harry Bartell, Charlotte Lawrence, Barbara Eiler, Eve McVeagh, Antony Ellis (producer, transcriber). 29:55. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Murder At Midnight - Murder Out Of Mind (10-04-46)

 Murder Out Of Mind (Aired October 4, 1946)

Dubbed Murder At Midnight, the intent, from the outset, was to create a compelling crime fiction drama anthology targeted specifically for late night listening. Murder At Midnight, while ostensibly a crime fiction drama was as much thriller as crime drama. The series debuted over the newly coined American Broacasting Company on September 16, 1946 and within two years was airing over Mutual and several other independent affiliates throughout the U.S.. As much a crossover supernatural thriller as crime drama, the forboding introduction by host, Raymond Morgan, was very reminiscent of the competing Strange Dr. Weird (1944), Quiet! Please (1947), Cabin B-13 (1948), and The Whisperer (1951).

THIS EPISODE:
 
October 4, 1946. Program #25. KFI, Los Angeles origination, Cowan syndication, World transcription. "Murder Out Of Mind". Commercials added locally. A man is trying to drive his wife crazy...and seems to be succeeding! Raymond Morgan (host), Sigmund Miller (writer), Anton M. Leader (director), Charlotte Holland, Alan Hewitt, Charles Paul (organist), Louis G. Cowan (producer). 26:18. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

INTRO: Ray Charles - "I Can't Stop Loving You" (1962) - Dragnet - "The Big Small" (01-11-53)

INTRO: Ray Charles - "I Can't Stop Loving You" (1962)
Dragnet - "The Big Small" (Aired January 11, 1953)

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 deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Friday’s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio’s top-rated shows. While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Friday’s desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters.

THIS EPISODE:

January 11, 1953. Program #186. NBC network. "The Big Small". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. A little old lady check forger is plaguing the city, but there's more to the old lady than meets the eye. This is a network, sponsored version of cat. #16303. The closing credits and system cue have been deleted, the story is unaffected. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, George Fenneman (announcer), Hal Gibney (announcer), June Whitley, Jack Kruschen, John Robinson (writer), Walter Schumann (music), Jean Tatum. 29:26. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

 

Barry Craig Confidential Investigator - Sucker Bait (06-09-55)

Sucker Bait (Aired June 9, 1955)

Originally aired October 31, 1951 Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator is one of the few detective radio series that had separate versions of it broadcast from both coasts. Even the spelling changed over the years. It was first "Barry Crane" and then "Barrie Craig". NBC produced it in New York from 1951 to 1954 and then moved it to Hollywood where it aired from 1954 to 1955. It attracted only occasional sponsors so it was usually a sustainer. William Gargan, who also played the better known television (and radio) detective Martin Kane, was the voice of New York eye BARRY CRAIG while Ralph Bell portrayed his associate, Lt. Travis Rogers. Craig's office was on Madison Avenue and his adventures were fairly standard PI fare. He worked alone, solved cases efficiently, and feared no man. As the promos went, he was "your man when you can't go to the cops. As an actor, William Gargan had played Ellery Queen in three movies, before being cast as Kane. After he left Martin Kane, Gargan landed on his feet. He signed a million dollar, seven year contract with MCA for the radio show Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator on NBC. The final spelling used for his character's first name, Barrie, was the same as that of Gargan's oldest son.

THIS EPISODE:

June 09, 1955. Unknown. "Sucker Bait". Sustaining. Craig speaking...there's nothing like a college education. The hallowed "Halls of Ivy" are the perfect cure for moss on the door. I had my own list nicely sharpened a case or two ago, matriculating in an institution of higher learning known across the land as Blackhurst U. The system cue has been deleted. William Gargan; Don Pardo (announcer); Himan Brown (director);. 23:44. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Cisco Kid" - Murder Wagon (01-13-55)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Cisco Kid" - Murder Wagon (01-13-55)

Broadcast constantly sometimes once a week sometimes 3 times a week By Mutual, between 1942 and 1956. Western Drama mainly for the young ones or maybe just the young at heart. I say the young at heart, because The Cisco Kid and his likeable but simple partner Pancho were a couple of lovable rogues and because there was usually a lovely senorita around in every episode who fell madly in love with Sisco, there may well have been an element of lady listeners included in the audience rating figures.

THIS EPISODE:

January 13, 1955. Program #260. Mutual-Don Lee network, KHJ, Los Angeles origination, Ziv syndication. "Murder Wagon". Commercials added locally. Jesse Post, Pierre DuLac and bad guys down from Canada are known for shooting settlers and burning down their houses. A ring on the French Canadian's finger provides Cisco with a needed clue. Jack Mather, Harry Lang. 27:45. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Jack Carson Show - "Meat Shortage" - Special Guest Frank Sinatra (11-13-46)

Jack Carson Show - Special Guest Frank Sinatra (Aired November 13, 1946)

Jack Carson, because of his size — 6 ft 2 in (1.9 m) and 220 lb (100 kg), had his first stage appearance as Hercules in a college production. During a performance, he tripped and took half the set with him. A college friend, Dave Willock, thought it was so funny he persuaded Carson to team with him in a vaudeville act—Willock and Carson—and a new career began. This piece of unplanned business would be typical of the sorts of things that tended to happen to Carson during some of his film roles.

THIS EPISODE:

November 13, 1946. CBS network.  "Meat Shortage"  Sponsored by: Campbell's Soup. There's a meat shortage, with only spaghetti for lunch. Five dollars a week for food just isn't enough. "Managua, Nicaragua" is heard for the first time on the air. Jack Carson, Arthur Treacher, Freddy Martin and His Orchestra, Dave Willock, Del Sharbutt (announcer), Norma Jean Nilsson, Irene Ryan, The Martin Men. 29:36.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

 

Beyond Midnight - The Crystal Ball (08-01-69)

The Crystal Ball (Aired August 1, 1969)

This series was written by Michael McCabe and was produced in South Africa. It was a replacement for another series McCabe produced, called SF-68. That series adapted famous Sci-fi stories to radio, and it seems to have been the place where McCabe honed his craft. The subject matter to Beyond Midnight was more horror oriented, including madness, murder, and supernatural sleuths! What survives today doesn't involve a horror host per se, but a few include framing narration (by someone involved in the plot) while others just start up the story with no announcer or lead-in whatsoever. So it's possible the regular host or announcer was left off (edited out) of the recordings. The host-- if there was one-- may have only been heard by those who listened to this series when it first aired. It's another radio mystery we may never know for sure, but we're lucky to at least have some of the recordings!

Bold Venture - Revenge Equals Murder Two Times (01-28-52)

Revenge Equals Murder Two Times (Aired January 28, 1952)

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. Music by David Rose. Beginning March 26, 1951, the Frederic W. Ziv Company syndicated.

THIS EPISODE:

January 28, 1952. Ziv Program # 45. "Revenge Equals Murder Times Two"-  Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall probe a wealthy man's disappearance, uncover a murder— WIBA. Betty Lou Gerson as Velma Bradford and Newspaper Editor Betty Lou Gerson as Velma Bradford and Newspaper Editor Nestor Paiva as Inspector La Salle. Jester Hairston as King Moses, Tony Barrett as Pedro Montez, Gerald Mohr as Señor Pollo. 26:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

INTRO : Doris Day "Secret Love" (1953) - The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet - Complaints (03-27-49)

INTRO : Doris Day "Secret Love" (1953) - The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet
Complaints (Aired March 27, 1949)

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.

THIS EPISODE:
 
March 27, 1949. "Complaints" - NBC network. Sponsored by: International Silver. Ozzie's attempt at complimenting Harriet just doesn't seem to work. Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Hilliard, Tommy Bernard, Henry Blair, John Brown, Lurene Tuttle, Billy May (composer, conductor), Verne Smith (announcer). 29:29. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Casebook Of Gregory Hood - South Of The Border (07-15-46)

South Of The Border (Aired July 15, 1946)

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Gale Gordon in the title role, took over where Sherlock Holmes had left off. Sponsored by Petri wine, it used the same "weekly visit" format and the same team of Anthony Boucher and Dennis Green that had written The New Adventured of Sherlock Holmes. Gregory Hood was modelled after true-life San Francisco importer Richard Gump, and many of the stories revolve around a mystery surrounding some particular imported treasure. Hood's sidekick Sanderson "Sandy" Taylor was played by Bill Johnstone. The show aired from June, 1946 through August, 1950.

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 15, 1946. Mutual network. "South Of The Border" Sponsored by: Petri Wine. Is Gregory Hood really the King of Grosnia? Gale Gordon, Harry Bartell (announcer), Denis Green (writer), Anthony Boucher (writer), Dean Fosler (composer, conductor), Carl Harburg. 29:23. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The FBI In Peace & War - Ladies In Lace (01-20-57)

 Ladies In Lace (Aired January 20, 1957)

The FBI in Peace and War was a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewsis Collins' book, The FBI in Peace and War. The idea for the show came from Louis Pelletier who wrote many of the scripts. Among the show's other writers were Jack Finke, Ed Adamson and Collins. Airing on CBS from November 25, 1944 to September 28, 1958, it had a variety of sponsors (including Lava Soap, Wildroot Cream Oil, Lucky Strike, Nescafe and Wrigley's) over the years. Martin Blaine and Donald Briggs headed the cast.

THIS EPISODE:

January 20, 1957. Program #318. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Ladies In Lace". The sweet little old Jessup sisters are really con-women. Their love of fine china helps the FBI. The date and AFRTS number are approximate, the program is dated after 1954. Jackson Beck (narrator), Betty Mandeville (producer, director), Alice Frost, Agnes Young, Edward Adamson (writer), Frederick L. Collins (creator). 24:58. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Cows and Cribs (05-13-56)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" -Cows and Cribs (Aired May 13, 1956)

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:

May 13, 1956. CBS network. "Cows and Cribs". Sponsored by: Chesterfield, L & M. Joe Nadler has been selling the meat from stolen cattle, while his wife tries to adopt an orphan! The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on December 7, 1957. The system cue is added live. William Conrad, John Meston (writer), Vic Perrin, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner, Virginia Christine, Frank Cady, Jeanette Nolan, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Tom Hanley (sound patterns), Bill James (sound patterns), George Fenneman (commercial spokesman), George Walsh (announcer). 25:38. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Philo Vance - The Church Murder Case (03-07-50)

The Church Murder Case (Aired March 7, 1950)

S.S. Van Dine's Philo Vance  remains arguably the most aristocratic of the popular Gentleman Detectives of the modern era of Detective Fiction. He clearly possessed every bit of the arrogance of Sherlock Holmes, Gregory Hood, and even Ellery Queen. But one counter that, as an aristocrat with no lack of self-confidence, at the very least he wasn't hobbled by either cocaine addiction or an overbearing father. Indeed he's arguably most like Gregory Hood in many aspects of his basic personality. His other possible rival, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe, clearly possessed every bit of the requisite arrogance of this class of private--or Gentleman--detective, but Nero Wolfe was also hobbled by his inherent agorophobia, proclivity for habitual excess, and murky background. Philo Vance, by contrast, possessed no apparent excessive proclivities, other than his continually overbearing self-confidence, arrogance, and smugness. But let's be honest here. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:

March 7, 1950. Program #87. ZIV Syndication. "The Church Murder Case". Commercials added locally. A practical joker who loves exploding cigars and whoopee cushions is murdered, and the suspect is obviously the killer. Jackson Beck, George Petrie. 26:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

You Are There - The Signing Of The Declaration Of Independence (07-04-48)

The Signing Of The Declaration Of Independence (Aired July 4, 1948)

You Are There is an American historical educational television and radio series broadcast over the CBS Radio and CBS Television networks. Created by Goodman Ace for CBS Radio, it blended history with modern technology, taking an entire network newsroom on a figurative time warp each week reporting the great events of the past. Reporters included John Charles Daly, Don Hollenbeck and Richard C. Hottelet. The series was first heard on July 7, 1947 under the title CBS Is There. Its final broadcast was on March 19, 1950 under the title You Are There.

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 4, 1948. CBS network. "The Signing Of The Declaration Of Independence". Sustaining. The events of July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia. An incorrect system cue has been added. John Daly (anchor), George Fielding Eliot, Ken Roberts, Ned Calmer, Bud Collyer. 28:13. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Casey Crime Photopher - The Twenty Minute Alibi (02-20-47)

The Twenty Minute Alibi (Aired February 20, 1947)

Two months into the Television run, CBS re-cast Casey and Ethelbert, substituting young Darren McGavin  as Jack Casey. The most distinguishing element of the short-lived Television Casey was its direction, with the famed future Film Director Sidney Lumet helming the series. CBS and Coxe took another run at Crime Photographer over Radio in 1954, reprising Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson and Jan Miner in their previous Radio roles. The 1954 run extended to the Spring of 1955, at which point the Crime Photographer franchise had pretty much run its course. The sleuthing photographer format didn't end with the CBS/Coxe franchise. ABC took a run at the concept with their Man With A Camera (1958), starring Charles Bronson, and running for two seasons, though it bore no resemblance whatsoever to the Casey, Crime Photographer franchise. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

February 20, 1947. CBS network. "Twenty-Minute Alibi". Sponsored by: Anchor Hocking Glass. A man commits suicide while on the phone with his insurance agent, but Casey suspects murder. Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson, Tony Marvin (announcer), John Dietz (director), Robert Sloane (writer), Archie Bleyer (original music), Lesley Woods, George Harmon Coxe (creator). 33:19. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Diary Of Fate - Joe Mattock (03-16-48)

Joe Mattock (Aired March 16, 1948)

The production didn't stint on talent, as hinted above. No less than Ivan Ditmars provided the music direction and in addition to Herb Lytton as 'Fate', the varying casts included Lurene Tuttle, Larry Dobkin, Hal Sawyer, Gloria Blondell, Frank Albertson, Jerry Hausner, Howard McNear, Peter Leeds, Ken Peters, Daws Butler and William Johnstone. All in all a superb well of talent from which to draw each week. While a bit difficult to document, the production remains quite collectable and the perspective of the presentation is also unique for the era--or since for that matter. Diary of Fate is one of Radio's little, oft-overlooked gems that demand pulling out, polishing up for better enjoyment, then dutifully returning them to their preserve for another airing one day in the future. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

March 16, 1948. Program #14. Finley syndication. "Joe Mattock". Commercials added locally. Book 63, page 397. A truck driver and his beautiful hitch-hiker commit murder to get their hands on $100,000, kept in a little black bag. The date is subject to correction. Ivan Ditmars (music), Larry Finley (producer), Hal Sawyer, Frank Albertson, Gloria Blondell, Herb Lytton, Jerry Hausner, Ray Ehrlenborn (probable sound effects). 28:53. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Screen Director's Playhouse - Spiral Staircase (11-25-49)

Spiral Staircase (Aired November 25, 1949)

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:

November 25, 1949. NBC network. "The Spiral Staircase". Sustaining. A fine Gothic suspense mystery, well adapted for radio., Jimmy Wallington (anno Dorothy McGuire, John Dehner, Steve Dunne, Jane Morganuncer), Robert Siodmak (screen director). 29:57. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dangerous Assignment - Retrieve Peter Metnick Alive (03-04-53)

Retrieve Peter Metnick Alive (Aired March 4, 1953)

This thirty-minute international spy adventure featured Steve Mitchell (Brian Donlevy), and investigator of crimes in exotic locations. 60 episodes. Herb Butterfield played the Commissioner and Betty Moran was the Commissioner's secretary. Other cast members were GeGe Pearson, Ken Peters, Betty Lou Gerson, Dan O’Herlihy. The director was Bill Cairn and the writer for the series was Robert Ryf. The opening was the same every week “Yeah, danger is my assignment. I get sent to a lot of places I can’t even pronounce. They all spell the same thing though, trouble.” He would be summoned to his boss’s office where he would be given his assignment; he would then fly halfway across the globe to save the day!

THIS EPISODE:

March 4, 1953. "Retrieve Peter Metnick Alive" - NBC network. Sustaining. Steve Mitchell travels to Germany to find Peter Metnick, a man who can identify an important Nazi killer. Adrian Gendot (writer), Bill Cairn (director), Brian Donlevy, Henry Roland, Herb Butterfield, Jim Davis, John Storm (announcer), Pamela Duncan, Paul Frees, Robert Ryf (writer), Rye Billsbury. 24:02. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

INTRO : Chicago "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" - Richard Diamond Private Detective - The Tom Waxman Bombing Case (06-26-49)

INTRO : Chicago "Hard To Say I'm Sorry"
Richard Diamond Private Detective - The Tom Waxman Bombing Case (06-26-49)

 

The shows were written by Blake Edwards. Its theme, "Leave It to Love", was whistled by Powell at the beginning of each episode. With Camel cigarettes as a sponsor, it moved to ABC from January 5, 1951, to June 29, 1951, with Rexall returning for a run from October 5, 1951, until June 27, 1952. Substituting for Amos 'n' Andy, it aired Sunday evenings on CBS from May 31, 1953 until September 20, 1953. Because Dick Powell was known for musical comedies prior to his appearance as Philip Marlowe in Raymond Chandler's Murder, My Sweet (1944) and because he was a detective who sang in Richard Diamond, Private Eye, some regard this radio series as an influence on the character of Philip E. Marlow (Michael Gambon) in Dennis Potter's Chandleresque The Singing Detective (1986).

THIS EPISODE:
 
June 26, 1949. "The Tom Waxman Bombing Case" - NBC network. Sustaining. A mail bomb has been sent to the Waxman family, killing Tom Waxman. His brother Phil is accused of the crime, but Diamond suspects that the Labor Assistance League is behind it. After the case, Dick Powell sings in Yiddish! An announcement is made that the program is switching to Saturdays. The script is essentially the same as the "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" program of July 14, 1953. Dick Powell, Edward King (announcer), Virginia Gregg, Wilms Herbert, Ed Begley. 29:09. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Our Miss Brooks - Head Of The Board (09-11-49)

Head Of The Board (Aired September 11, 1949)

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

THIS EPISODE:

September 11, 1949. "Head Of The Board" - CBS network. Sponsored by: Lustre Creme Shampoo, Colgate Tooth Paste, Palmolive Soap. Even though the school year hasn't yet begun, the chairman of the State Board of Education is coming for a visit, or is it just a hobo? A funny show! Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Jane Morgan, Jeff Chandler, Richard Crenna, Leonard Smith, Frank Nelson, Gloria McMillan, Al Lewis (writer, director), Wilbur Hatch (music), Verne Smith (announcer), Bob Lemond (announcer), Larry Berns (producer, director). 30:22. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dimension X - Child's Play (06-24-51)

Child's Play (Aired June 24, 1951)

Dimension X was first heard on NBC April 8, 1950, and ran until September 29, 1951. Strange that so little good science fiction came out of radio; they seem ideally compatible, both relying heavily on imagination. Some fine isolated science fiction stories were developed on the great anthology shows, Suspense and Escape. But until the premiere of Dimension X -- a full two decades after network radio was established -- there were no major science fiction series of broad appeal to adults. This show dramatized the work of such young writers as Ray Bradbury, Robert (Psycho) Bloch, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Kurt Vonnegut. In-house script writer was Ernest Kinoy, who adapted the master works and contributed occasional storied of his own. Dimension X was a very effective demonstration of what could be done with science fiction on the air. It came so late that nobody cared, but some of the stories stand as classics of the medium. Bradbury's "Mars Is Heaven" is as gripping today as when first heard. His "Martian Chronicles" was one of the series' most impressive offerings.

THIS EPISODE:

June 24, 1951. NBC network. "Child's Play". Sustaining. A man receives a "Build-A-Man" kit from the future. The script was used subsequently on "X Minus One" on October 20, 1955. Albert Buhrman (music), Fred Weihe (director, transcriber), George Lefferts (adaptor), Karl Weber, Leon Janney, Norman Rose (host), Patsy Campbell, William Tenn (author), William Welch (producer), Bob Warren (announcer), Ian Martin, Adelaide Klein. 23:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Story Of Dr. Kildare - Arthur Morgan Needs Brain Surgery (12-08-50)

Arthur Morgan Needs Brain Surgery (Aired December 8, 1950)

The Story of Dr. Kildare, scripted by Les Crutchfield, Jean Holloway and others. After broadcasts on WMGM New York from February 1, 1950 to August 3, 1951, the series was syndicated to other stations during the 1950s. The supporting cast included Ted Osborne as hospital administrator Dr. Carough, Jane Webb as nurse Mary Lamont and Virginia Gregg as Nurse Parker, labeled "Nosy Parker" by Gillespie, with appearances by William Conrad, Stacy Harris, Jay Novello, Isabel Jewell and Jack Webb.

THIS EPISODE:

December 8, 1950. Program #44. "Arthur Morgan Needs Brain Surgery" - MGM syndication. Commercials added locally. The wife of an auto accident victim refuses to allow an operation on her husband (Mr. Morgan) to save his life. Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Les Crutchfield (writer), William P. Rousseau (director), Walter Schumann (composer, conductor), Dick Joy (announcer), Max Brand (creator), Raymond Katz (producer). 27:25. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

 

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Tales Of The Texas Rangers" - Smart Kill (05-18-52)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Tales Of The Texas Rangers"
Smart Kill (Aired May 18, 1952)

Tales of the Texas Rangers, a western adventure old-time radio drama, premiered on July 8, 1950, on the US NBC radio network and remained on the air through September 14, 1952. Movie star Joel McCrea starred as Texas Ranger Jayce Pearson, who used the latest scientific techniques to identify the criminals and his faithful horse, Charcoal (or "Charky," as Jayce would sometimes refer to him), to track them down. 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.

THIS EPISODE:

May 18, 1952. NBC network. "Smart Kill". Sustaining. Based on events of May 14, 1939. A dead body found in a burning building leads Jace Pearson to a killer. Joel McCrea, Stacy Keach (producer, director), Hal Gibney (announcer), Tony Barrett (performer, adaptor), Howard McNear, Virginia Gregg, Parley Baer, Barney Phillips, Betty Lou Gerson. 30:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Shadow - Death Is Blind (11-20-38)

Death Is Blind (Aired November 20, 1938)

 

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

THIS EPISODE:

November 20, 1938. Mutual network. "Death Is Blind". Sponsored by: Blue Coal. William Johnstone, Agnes Moorehead, Ken Roberts (announcer). 28:48.Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Rocky Jordan - The Big Ditch (06-19-49)

The Big Ditch (Aired June 19, 1949)

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

THIS EPISODE:

June 19, 1949. CBS Pacific network. "The Big Ditch". Sustaining. Rocky's old pal Matt Gallagher steals one hundred and fifty Egyptian pounds from Rocky at the Cafe Tambourine. When Matt's body turns up at the morgue, it's not Matt Gallagher at all. Then, a package arrives for Rocky with shares of stock in the Suez Canal! Jack Moyles, Larry Thor (announcer), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor), Cliff Howell (producer, director), Larry Roman (writer), Gomer Cool (writer). 30:36. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - The Big TV (02-05-57)

The Big TV (Aired March 2, 1954)

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. 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.

THIS EPISODE:
 
March 2, 1954. Program #237. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big TV". Harriet Shipley has disappeared with her baby, after threats had been made against her life. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, George Fenneman (announcer), Marty Winn (technical advisor), Vance Frazer (technical advisor). 25:58. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell - Frank Merriwell's Promise (05-28-49)

Frank Merriwell's Promise (Aired May 28, 1949)

Frank Merriwell is a fictional character appearing in a series of novels and short stories by Gilbert Patten, who wrote under the pseudonym Burt L. Standish. The character also appears in numerous radio serials and comic books based on the stories. The model for all later American juvenile sports fiction, Merriwell excelled at football, baseball, basketball, crew and track at Yale while solving mysteries and righting wrongs. He played with great strength and received traumatic blows without injury. A biographical entry on Patten noted dryly that Frank Merriwell "had little in common with his creator or his readers." Patten offered some background on his character: "The name was symbolic of the chief characteristics I desired my hero to have. Frank for frankness, merry for a happy disposition, well for health and abounding vitality." Merriwell's classmates observed, "He never drinks. That's how he keeps himself in such fine condition all the time. He will not smoke, either, and he takes his exercise regularly. He is really a remarkable freshie."

THIS EPISODE:
 
May 28, 1949. NBC network. "Frank Merriwell's Promise". Sustaining. In order to protect the reputation of one of Boston's newspapers, Frank pitches a no-hit baseball game. Lawson Zerbe, Hal Studer, Elaine Rost, Harlow Wilcox (announcer), Burt L. Standish (creator). 33:36. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

21st Precinct - The Nolen Brothers (07-07-53)

The Nolen Brothers (Aired July 7, 1953)

 
21st Precinct was one of the realistic police drama series of the early- to mid-1950's that were aired in the wake of Dragnet. In 1953 CBS decided to use New York City as the backdrop for their own half-hour police series and focus on the day-to-day operation of a single police precinct. Actual cases were used as the basis for stories. The Precinct Captain acted as the narrator for the series.The official title of the series according to the series scripts and the CBS series promotional materials was 21st Precinct and not Twenty-First Precinct or Twenty First Precinct which appears in many Old-Time Radio books. In 1953 CBS decided to use New York City as the backdrop for their own half-hour police series and focus on the day-to-day operations of a single police precinct.

THIS EPISODE:

July 7, 1953. CBS network. "The Nolen Brothers" - Sustaining. The first show of the series. An exciting story about three desperate bank robbers trapped in a Bronx apartment and more than willing to shoot it out. Everett Sloane, Lawson Zerbe, Mandel Kramer, Ken Lynch, Joan Lorring, Barbara Weeks, Art Hannes (announcer), Bill Lipton, Wendell Holmes, Stanley Niss (writer, director), John Ives (director). 27:57. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of The Falcon - The Missing Patient (02-14-52)

The Missing Patient (Aired February 14, 1952)

This hard boiled spy drama began as an RKO Radio Pictures theatrical serial in the 1940s, went on radio in 1945, and then came to TV ten years later in this Syndicated series produced for distribution by NBC Films; Charles McGraw had been in many motion pictures before and after including "The Killers", "Spartacus" and "Cimarron"; in this series he played the title role of a man whose real name was supposedly Mike Waring, an American agent whose code name was "Falcon"; Later Charles McGraw starred in a short lived TV version of "Casablanca" (1955 - 1956) in the character of Rick; He also had a role on the detective drama "Staccato" (1959) Actor McGraw (whose birth name was Charles Butters) met an unfortunate death in real life when he fell through a shower glass door in 1980 at his home in Studio City, CA.

THIS EPISODE:

February 14, 1952. NBC network. "The Case Of The Missing Patient". Sustaining. After helping a wounded criminal, a kindly doctor is found murdered. The trail to the killer leads to a shootout in the subway. The system cue and possibly part of the program closing have been deleted. The recording sounds like unedited tape or a rehearsal. Les Damon, Drexel Drake (creator), Bernard L. Schubert (producer), Richard Lewis (director), Fred Collins (announcer). 26:32. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Gentleman's Disagreement (07-26-52)

 Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Gentleman's Disagreement (Aired July 26, 1952

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:

July 26, 1952. CBS network. "Gentleman's Disagreement". Sustaining. Ed Beaudry comes to Dodge to kill Bert Wells. A showdown seems inevitable, but Beaudry is found dead! The script was used again on the program on September 20, 1959, and on the Gunsmoke television series on April 30, 1960. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, Norman Macdonnell (director), Les Crutchfield (writer), Tom Tully, Lynn Allen, Barney Phillips, Roy Rowan (announcer), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Lawrence Dobkin. 31:22. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.