The Adventures Of Sam Spade - "The Missing Newshawk Caper" (07-18-48)

The Missing Newshawk Caper (Aired July 18, 1948)

The Adventures of Sam Spade was a radio series based loosely on the private detective character Sam Spade, created by writer Dashiell Hammett for The Maltese Falcon. The show ran for 13 episodes on ABC in 1946, for 157 episodes on CBS in 1946-1949, and finally for 51 episodes on NBC in 1949-1951. The series starred Howard Duff (and later, Steve Dunne) as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie, and took a considerably more tongue-in-cheek approach to the character than the novel or movie. The series was largely overseen by producer/director William Spier. In 1947, scriptwriters Jason James and Bob Tallman received an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama from the Mystery Writers of America.

THIS EPISODE:

July 18, 1948. CBS network. "The Missing Newshawk Caper". Sponsored by: Wildroot Cream-Oil. Spade is hired to find a reporter named Ray McCully. Spade finds him all right, stabbed to death! Howard Duff, Lurene Tuttle, Dashiell Hammett (creator), William Conrad, Sara Berner, Bea Benaderet (possibly), Alan Reed, Gil Doud (writer, director), Robert Tallman (writer), Lud Gluskin (music), Dick Joy (announcer). 29:57. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Horatio Hornblower "Examination For Lieutenant" (07-28-52)

Horatio Hornblower "Examination For Lieutenant"  (07-28-52)

The name Hornblower was probably derived from the American film producer Arthur Hornblow, Jr., with whom C. S. Forester had been working prior to writing the first Hornblower novel. Forester's original inspiration was an old copy of the Naval Chronicle, which described the effective dates of the Treaty of Ghent. Because of the time required to communicate around the world, it was possible for two countries to still be at war in one part of the world after a peace was obtained months before in another. The burdens that this placed on captains far from home led him to a character struggling with the stresses of a "man alone". At the same time, Forester wrote the body of the works carefully to avoid entanglements with real world history, so Hornblower is always off on another mission when a great naval victory occurs during the Napoleonic Wars. Broadcast 1952; Transcribed in England for the BBC; aired in U.S. on CBS, then again on ABC in 1954 and Mutual in 1957.  Starring Michael Redgrave as Horatio Hornblower.

THIS EPISODE:

July 28, 1952. "Navy Examination_For_Lieutenant" Program #41. Radio Luxembourg, Towers Of London syndication. Commercials added locally. An attack by the Spaniard interrupts Hornblower's exam for leftenant. This is a quality upgrade, non-AFRS version of cat. #5938. Michael Redgrave, C. S. Forester (creator), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor), Harry Alan Towers (producer, director), Philo Higby (writer). 1/2 hour. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Best Plays - "Outward Bound" (08-03-52)

Outward Bound (Aired August 3, 1952)

INTRO" Bob Plays The Classic IV "Island Of Paradise" (1962)

Best Plays presents theatrical paramounts of excellence. It's hosted by the drama critic of New York’s Daily News, John Chapman. Dramatic and comedic performances outshine other theater radio shows, greatly performed by such greats as Boris Karloff and Alfred Drake. In The Episode "On Borrowed Time," a 1939 film about the role death plays in life, and how we cannot live without it we see an adaptation from Paul Osborn's 1938 Broadway play, which was a smash hit. The play, based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin, has been revived twice on Broadway since its original run. This is an example of this quality radio series.

THIS EPISODE:
 
August 3, 1952. NBC network. "Outward Bound". Sustaining. John Chapman (host), Sutton Vane (author), Jean Adair, Alexander Scourby, John Stanley, Ernest Kinoy (adaptor), Chester Stratton, Susan Douglas, Leona Powers, Norman Rose, Wendell Holmes, William Podmore, William Welch (supervisor), Edward King (director), Fred Collins (announcer). 59:18. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

21st Precinct - "Case Of The Fall" (10-27-53)

The Case Of The Fall (Aired October 27, 1953)

INTRO: Bob Remembers Jim Croce "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" (1973) #1 Billboard Hit

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. "21st Precinct.., It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the nine-tenths of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the East River wouldn't know, if you asked them, that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their persons, their homes, and their property is the job of the men of the 21st." The Precinct Captain acted as the narrator for the series

THIS EPISODE:
 
October 27, 1953. "Case Of The Fall" - CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. A captured burglar accuses a policeman of stealing his loot. Everett Sloane, John Ives (producer), Stanley Niss (writer, director). 26:58. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Jack Benny Program "With Special Guest Grocho Marx" (02-20-44)

The Jack Benny Program (Aired February 20, 1944)

Benny was remarkable in many ways, but in none more than this: he built a character of every sour ingredient in life, but somehow his real personality trickled through and made it wonderful. Would a real miser act that way before 30 million people each week? The Benny of the air was a fraud, a myth, a creation. It should have surprised no one to learn — after years of toupee jokes that played so well into the vanity theme — that Benny never wore one. He overtipped in restaurants, gave away his time in countless benefit performances, and was lavish in his praise of almost everyone else.

THIS EPISODE:

March 2, 1952. " Palms Springs Show" - Program #308. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. The program originates from Palm Springs, California. A famous quartet of guests sing Jack's song, "When You Say I Beg Your Pardon, Then I'll Come Back To You." AFRS program name: "The Jack Benny Program." Eddie Anderson, Benny Rubin, Mel Blanc, Eddie Anderson, Sam Perrin (writer), George Balzer (writer), John Tackaberry (writer), Milt Josefsberg (writer), Hilliard Marks (producer), Artie Auerbach, Mahlon Merrick (music director), Frank Sinatra, George Burns, "Special Guest Groucho Marx", Jack Benny, Danny Kaye, Don Wilson, Phil Harris, Dennis Day. 29:42. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

I Was A Communist For The FBI - "Red Clouds On The Good Earth" (07-13-52)

Red Clouds On The Good Earth (Aired July 13, 1952) 

 

 INTRO: Bob Plays Etta James "A Sunday Kind Of Love" (1960

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.

THIS EPISODE:

July 13, 1952. Program #16. ZIV Syndication. "Red Clouds On The Good Earth". Commercials added locally. Cvetic is ordered to pose as a farm implement salesman and subvert the future farmers of our country. Dana Andrews, Truman Bradley (announcer), Henry Hayward (director), David Rose (music). 27:17. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Our Miss Brooks - "A Rare Black Orchid" (05-21-50)

A Rare Black Orchid (Aired May 21, 1950)

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:

May 21, 1950. "A Rare Black Orchid"- CBS network. Sponsored by: Colgate Toothpaste, Lustre Creme Shampoo, Palmolive Soap. Walter Denton has discovered uranium...on his shoe! Meanwhile, someone has stolen Mr. Conklin's rare black orchid! Eve Arden, Al Lewis (writer, director), Jane Morgan, Richard Crenna, Gloria McMillan, Gale Gordon, Verne Smith (commercial spokesman), Jeff Chandler, Wilbur Hatch (composer), Larry Berns (producer), Lester White (white), Joe Quillan (writer), Maurice Carlton (music director), Bob Lemond (announcer). 26:58. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of The Saint - "The Cake That Killed" (01-08-50)

 The Cake That Killed (Aired January 8, 1950)

THE SAINT first came to radio in 1940, with American produced programs starting in 1945. While not the first actor to bring Templar to life over the air, it was surprisingly (at least to me) Vincent Price who played the role for the longest period, from 1947 until 1951. Knowing Price for his screen persona, it is odd at first to hear him doing this wise-cracking and lighthearted rogue. Some episodes in the Radio Spirit collection are almost slapstick, with Price being hit over the head, slapped and even thrown overboard in a single episode. It’s apparent that Price is having fun with the show, possibly as it allows him to play the handsome leading man rather than the darker heavies he was already beginning to be known for on screen.

THIS EPISODE:
 
January 8, 1950. Mutual network. "The Cake That Killed". Sponsored by: Ford. A sweet-tooth for a certain cake leads the Saint to double-murder and mayhem. Vincent Price, Leslie Charteris (creator), James L. Saphier (producer). 25:28. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Mr. IA Moto - "Blackmail" (06-10-51)

"Blackmail" (Aired June 10, 1951)

With the beginning of World War II, Mr. Moto fell out of favor with Americans, and no new books or movies about him appeared between 1942 and 1957. A dedicated and cold-blooded spy for Imperial Japan, Moto is not a conventional hero. He does not look for opportunities to commit violence but has no problem with killing people who obstruct his plans, and he would not hesitate to take his own life if necessary. But he is a master of concealing his true nature while under cover, and usually appears dull, naive, utterly harmless. He does not try to correct the bigoted attitudes of Westerners toward him and other Asians, and is not above encouraging such condescension.

THIS EPISODE:

June 10, 1951. NBC network. "Blackmail". Sustaining. Mr. Moto tries to help Paul De Clett, the son of an old friend who has stolen his mother's valuable necklace. The audio has serious wow the last two minutes. The program has also been dated June 3, 1951. Bill Lipton, Carol Irwin (producer), Fred Collins (announcer), Grace Cudahy, Harry W. Junkin (writer), James Monks, John P. Marquand (creator), Ralph Bell. 29:23. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Roy Rogers Show" - The Legend Of Pecos Bill (05-08-45)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Roy Rogers Show"

The Legend Of Pecos Bill (Aired May 8, 1945)

 

After four years of little success, he formed Sons of the Pioneers, a Western cowboy music group, in 1934. The group hit it big with songs like "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds". From his first film appearance in 1935, he worked steadily in western films, including a large supporting role as a singing cowboy while still billed as "Leonard Slye" in a Gene Autry movie. In 1938 when Autry temporarily walked out on his movie contract, Slye was immediately rechristened "Roy Rogers" and assigned the lead in Under Western Stars. Rogers became a matinee idol and American legend. A competitor for Gene Autry as the nation's favorite singing cowboy was suddenly born. In addition to his own movies, Rogers played a supporting role in the John Wayne classic Dark Command (1940). Rogers became a major box office attraction.

THIS EPISODE:

May 8, 1945. "The Legend Of Pecos Bill" - Mutual network. Sponsored by: Goodyear Rubber. The first tune is, "I've Got A Locket In Pocket." Roy tells the story of Pecos Bill. Roy Rogers, The Sons Of The Pioneers, Porter Hall (famous movie villain), Pat Friday, Perry Botkin and His Orchestra, The Farr Brothers, Bob Nolan. 29:09. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Cloak & Dagger - "Seeds Of Doubt" (09-15-50)

Seeds Of Doubt (Aired September 15, 1950)

One of the few solo productions that Wyllis Cooper undertook for NBC. It was also Cooper's first collaboration with British crime journalist Percy Hoskins, who would work with Cooper yet again on NBC's WHItehall-1212 a year hence. The combination of Hoskin's unfailingly accurate research and Cooper's lively, fast-paced writing and direction proved to be an excellent underpinning for an espionage adventure drama based on factual events. The Office of Strategic Services--the progenitor of our Central Intelligence Agency--was one of American History's most colorful and compelling World War II intelligence gathering efforts. It was also, quite understandably, one of our most secret undertakings. Given that backdrop it's very instructive that during the run up to the Cold War years, NBC would attempt to air a fact-based espionage anthology.

THIS EPISODE:
 
September 15, 1950. NBC network. "Seeds Of Doubt". Sustaining. 8:00 P. M. An O. S. S. operative travels to liberated Paris to replace a dead friend as a spy...and as a husband! His mission is to uncover Nazis disguised as American soldiers. The final promotional announcement and system cue have been deleted. Ken Field (writer), Manny Segal (sound effects), Corey Ford (creator), Alistair MacBain (creator), Joseph Julian, Karl Weber, Evie Juster, Jerry Jarrett, Louis Sorin, Horace Braham, Anna Karen, Jon Gart (music director), John Powers (sound effects), Don Abbott (engineer), Louis G. Cowan (producer), Alfred Hollander (producer), Sherman Marks (director, supervisor), Charles Webster, Alice Frost. 29:28. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Academy Award Theater - "Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent" (07-24-46)

Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (Aired July 24, 1946)

The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear! John Dunning in his book,"On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio,"tells us why such a fine production lasted less than a year: "The House of Squibb, a drug firm, footed a stiff bill: up to $5,000 for the stars and $1,600 a week to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for use of the title. The production had all the class of a Lux or Screen Guild show…But the tariff took its toll, and after 39 weeks the series was scrapped."

THIS EPISODE:

July 24, 1946. "Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent" was his second American film (and hired out by David O. Selznick to independent producer Walter Wanger), one that closely resembles his earlier British films: The 39 Steps (1935) and The Lady Vanishes (1937). It was touted as "The Thrill Spectacle of the Year!" 29:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - "The Big Smoke" (02-22-53)

The Big Smoke (Aired February 22, 1953)

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 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 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.

THIS EPISODE:

February 22, 1953. Program #192. NBC network. "The Big Smoke". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. Old Mr. Stone, who kept his life savings in his mattress, has been killed. His invalid wife has been beaten with a club. Quality upgrade, network, sponsored version of cat. #16280. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, George Fenneman (announcer), Hal Gibney (announcer), John Robinson (writer), Walter Schumann (music), Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris. 29:50. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Crime Classics - "The Good Ship Jane" (02-24-54)

The Good Ship Jane (Aired February 24, 1954)

Crime Classics was a U. S. radio docudrama which aired over CBS from June 15, 1953 to June 30, 1954. Created, produced, and directed by radio actor/director Elliott Lewis, the program was basically a historical true crime series, examining crimes, and especially murders, from the past. It grew out of Lewis's personal interest in famous murder cases, and took a documentary-like approach to the subject, carefully recreating the facts, personages, and feel of the time period. Comparatively little dramatic license was taken with the facts and events, but the tragedy was leavened with humor, expressed largely through the narration.

THIS EPISODE:

February 24, 1954. CBS network. "The Good Ship Jane: Why She Became Flotsam". Sustaining. A well written story of piracy and murder. Lou Merrill (host), Gary Montgomery, Ben Wright, Steve Roberts, Bob Lemond (announcer), Herb Butterfield, Paul Frees, William Johnstone, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor). 29:51. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Man Called X - "Terror Across The Nation" (04-28-51)

Terror Across The Nation (Aired April 28, 1951)

The 1944 CBS Summer season finale, Murder, Music and A Blonde Madonna, gives some credence to the way CBS promoted this first run. Starring Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, a private operative, with Han Conried as Egon Zellschmidt in this first incarnation of Ken Thurston's nemesis, and Mary Jane Croft appearing in the role of Ken's love interest, Nancy Bessington, a reporter and Thurston's erstwhile fiance. We can only interpolate from what we've already turned up for this shortest run of The Man Called X, but it would appear that Hans Conried and Mary Jane Croft may have been regulars co-stars throughout that first season. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.


THIS EPISODE:
 
April 28, 1951. "Terror Across The Nation" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Anacin. Recorded April 28, 1951. Two commercials and the system were cue added at the time of broadcast. Five government officials in Haiti are killed by zombies! Ken Thurston investigates, and nearly becomes one of the living dead himself! D. J. Thompson, Barbara Fuller, Herbert Marshall, Leon Belasco, Lou Merrill, Stan Waxman, Will Wright, William Conrad. 28:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Mel Blanc Show - "The Astrologer" (11-19-46)

The Astrologer (Aired November 19, 1946)

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. Blanc soon became noted for voicing a wide variety of cartoon characters from Looney Tunes, adding Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Pepé Le Pew and many others. His natural voice was that of Sylvester the Cat, but without the lispy spray. (Blanc's voice can be heard in an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies that also featured frequent Blanc vocal foil Bea Benaderet; in his small appearance, Blanc plays a vexed cab-driver.)

THIS EPISODE:

November 19, 1946. "The Astrologer" - CBS network. Sponsored by: Colgate Toothpowder, Halo Shampoo. Betty's father is planning to sell the supermarket and leave town. The store's buyer is a believer in astrology. Mel Blanc, Mary Jane Croft, Joseph Kearns, Hans Conried, The Sportsmen, Victor Miller and His Orchestra, Earle Ross, Bud Hiestand (announcer), Joe Rines (producer, director), Mac Benoff (writer). 30:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Chase - "Cathy Sutter Meets James Carter" (03-22-53)

Cathy Sutter Meets James Carter (Aired March 22, 1953)

 

INTRO: Bob Plays The Del-Vikings "Wisspering Bells" (1957)

NBC first envisioned The Chase as a new Television feature. This was not uncommon during the later 1940s and early 1950s. Several Radio features straddled both media, with varying success. Developed as a psychological drama, the premise was that many life situations place their subjects in a 'chase' of one type or another. A chase for fame. A chase from peril. A chase to beat the clock. A chase to escape death. The added twist was the question of who is the hunter or the hunted in these situations. The scripts were faced paced, starred quality east coast talent and were well written. The series' plots and themes focused primarily on predominantly fear inducing pursuits of one form or another. Thus most of the scripts were fraught with tension of one type or another.

THIS EPISODE:
 
March 22, 1953. "Cathy Sutter Meets James Carter" - NBC network. Sustaining. The oldest chase of all. Cathy Sutter's rocky romance with wealthy James Carter Jr. Part of the system cue has been deleted. Lawrence Klee (creator, writer), Fred Weihe (director, transcriber), Fred Collins (announcer), Ann Thomas, Jane Webb, Irene Hubbard, Lawson Zerbe, Leon Janney. 29:55. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Blue Beetle - "The Underworld Goes Underground" (08-14-40) COMPLETE

The Underworld Goes Underground (08-14-40)and (08-16-40) COMPLETE

The exploits of Dan Garrett, a rookie patrolman who, by wearing bullet-proof blue chain mail, transformed himself into the mysterious Blue Beetle, a daring crusader for justice. The Blue Beetle was created by Charles Nicholas. The character made his first appearance in August of 1939 in the comic book Mystery Men #1, published by Fox Features Syndicate. The Blue Beetle radio serial aired from 05-15-40 to 09-13-40 as a CBS 30 minutes, syndicated series. Actor Frank Lovejoy provided the voice of the Blue Beetle for the first thirteen episodes. Later episodes were uncredited. After his father was killed by a gangster's bullet, young Dan Garrett joined the New York Police Department, but soon tired of the slow pace and red tape of police work. With the help of his friend and mentor, pharmacist and drug-store proprietor Dr. Franz, Dan acquired a costume of bullet-proof chain-mail-like cellulose material, and began a second life, fighting crime as The Blue Beetle. In at least one radio adventure, he carries something called a "magic ray machine". The ray machine was a sort of super-scientific cutting device.

The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet - "Nosy Neighbors" (04-10-49)

Nosy Neighbors (Aired April 10, 1949)

 

INTRO: Bob Plays Johnny Mathis "That's All" (1959)

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.

The Men From The Ministry

 Men From The Ministry - "The Great Footwear Scandal" (10-29-62)

 

 

Men From The Ministry - "The Great Footwear Scandal" (Aired October 29. 1972

My Friend Irma - The Reward (12-01-47)

The Reward (Aired December 1, 1947)

 

 

My Friend Irma, created by writer-director-producer Cy Howard, was a top-rated, long-run radio situation comedy, so popular in the late 1940s that its success escalated to films and television, while Howard scored with another radio comedy hit, Life with Luigi. Dependable and level-headed Jane Stacy (Cathy Lewis) narrated the misadventures of her innocent and bewildered roommate, Irma Peterson (Marie Wilson), a dim-bulb stenographer. Wilson portrayed the character on radio, in two films and a TV series. The successful radio series with Marie Wilson ran on CBS Radio from April 11, 1947 to August 23, 1954. The TV version, seen on CBS from January 8, 1952 until June 25, 1954, was the first series telecast from the CBS Television City facility in Hollywood. The movie My Friend Irma (1949) starred Marie Wilson and Diana Lynn but is mainly remembered today for introducing Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis to moviegoers, resulting in even more screen time for Martin and Lewis in the sequel, My Friend Irma Goes West (1950).

Mr. Keen Tracer Of Lost Persons - The King Cobra Murder Case (05-04-50)

The King Cobra Murder Case (Aired May 4, 1950)

When Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons first debuted over the Blue Network on October 12, 1937, the show’s title accurately described Keen’s stock-in-trade; the “kindly old investigator” tracked down individuals who had mysteriously vanished, leaving behind their families, homes, jobs and other day-to-day activities. Keen (he never had a first name, unless it was “Peachy”) was assisted in these duties by an Irishman named Mike Clancy. Mike wasn’t much of a brainiac (the quote that comprises the title of this post was a semi-catchphrase that he seemed to use on the show every week) but he could use the necessary brawn when the situation called for it. Bennett Kilpack played kindly ol' Keen throughout most of the program’s run, as well as Philip Clarke and Arthur Hughes, while Jim Kelly took the role of Clancy. The series originally aired as a thrice-weekly fifteen-minute serial from 1937-43 (the show moved to CBS in 1942), providing more than ample time for Keen to solve even the most baffling of disappearances. Beginning November 11, 1943, the program changed its format to that of a half-hour weekly offering.

THIS EPISODE:

May 4, 1950. CBS network. "The King Cobra Murder Case". Sponsored by: Anacin, Kolynos, Bisodol. A snake is used to kill on an ocean liner. Frank Hummert (originator, producer), Anne Hummert (originator, producer), Richard Leonard (director), Lawrence Klee (dialogue), Bennett Kilpack, Larry Elliott (announcer). 28:27. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Whitehall 1212 - "Silver Cigarette Case" (01-06-52)

 The Silver Cigarette Case aka: The Murder Of Charles Brooks (Aired January 6, 1952)

 

 INTRO: Bob Plays The Platters "The Magic Touch" (1960) Mercury Records "Buck Ram"

This series was very similar to the Black Museum that was hosted by Orson Welles. Both the Black Museum and Whitehall 1212 drew their material from the files of Scotland Yard. The stories were true in every respect except that the names were changed to protect the innocent, as they say. The Whitehall 1212 series boasted that for the first time Scotland Yard opened its files and the producers promised to bring to the public authentic true stories of some of the most celebrated cases. Permission for these records came from Sir Harold Scott, Commissioner of the yard at that time. There is actually a Black Museum. This area is located on the lower ground floor of Scotland Yard and it does indeed contain articles that are closely associated with the solving of a crime. And "Whitehall 1212" was the actual emergency phone number for the yard at the time. The research for the shows was done by Percy Hoskins, chief crime reporter for the London Daily Express.

THIS EPISODE:

January 6, 1952. NBC network. Sustaining. How a "Silver Cigarette Case" led to two murders. A "Chicago" gangster want-a-be and his gun moll start a crime wave. The final public service announcement and the system cue have been deleted. Percy Hoskins (researcher), Wyllis Cooper (writer, director). 29:01. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Whistler - "A Quiet Sunday" (06-10-46)

A Quiet Sunday (Aired June 10, 1946)

 INTRO: Bob Plays Grover Washington "Just The Two Of Us" (1980)

The Whistler was one of radio's most popular mystery dramas, with a 13-year run from May 16, 1942 until September 22, 1955. If it now seems to have been influenced explicitly by The Shadow, The Whistler was no less popular or credible with its listeners, the writing was first class for its genre, and it added a slightly macabre element of humor that sometimes went missing in The Shadow's longer-lived crime stories. Writer-producer J. Donald Wilson established the tone of the show during its first two years, and he was followed in 1944 by producer-director George Allen. A total of 692 episodes were produced, yet despite the series' fame, over 200 episodes are lost today. In 1946, a local Chicago version of The Whistler with local actors aired Sundays on WBBM, sponsored by Meister Brau beer.

THIS EPISODE:

June 10, 1946. CBS Pacific network. "A Quiet Sunday". Sponsored by: Signal Oil. Henry is caught between his wife and his mistress, which leads to a dead body in the trunk. The story has a good "whistleresque" ending. Surprise! The script was subsequently produced on The Whistler on July 2, 1950 (see cat. #76166). George W. Allen (producer), Wilbur Hatch (music), Marvin Miller (announcer), Joseph Kearns, Mary Lansing, Bernard Gerard (writer), Zane Mann (writer). 27:37. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Zero Hour - "The Corpse Takes A Stand" (07-22-74)

The Corpse Takes A Stand (Aired July 22, 1974)

Rod Serling started the groundwork for a new radio series called The Zero Hour, which was to have featured Ray Bradbury's story as the opener. Norman Corwin took over the project and it evolved into a suspense radio drama series hosted by Rod Serling. It was produced by StudioHouse, who also produced The Salvation Army program, "Heartbeat Theater". Don Hill produced the series. The Zero Hour was produced in 1973 and featured 5-part stories that ran Monday through Friday, until December of 1973. Each part was approximately 30 minutes long (including commercials). The series was sold to Mutual for syndication. The format was changed to single part shows in 1974, running again 5 days a week, from the end of April through July of 1974.

Jeff Regan Investigator (Starring Jack Webb) - "The Guy From Gower Gulch" (11-13-48)

The Guy From Gower Gulch (Aired November 13, 1948)

Jeff Regan and Joe Canto (Webb and Yarborough) were 'operatives' for the International Detective Bureau, a small private investigations firm in downtown Los Angeles, with often oversized ambitions. The oversized ambitions existed, for the most part, in the mind of Anthony J. Lyon, Esq. (Wilms Herbert). Lyon, a defrocked ambulance-chasing lawyer, assumed the lofty title of President of the International Detective Bureau in an effort to attract more upscale clients. The International in the title of the firm was simply more pretentious window-dressing. As far as we're aware, no operative of the firm ever left the U.S., with the possible exception of a brief excursion across the Mexico border to Tijuana. Indeed, we're aware of only a handful of 'operatives' ever mentioned during the run of the series.
 
THIS EPISODE:

November 13, 1948. CBS network. "The Guy From Gower Gulch". Sustaining. Who shot Davey Crockett? No, it wasn't Mexican soldiers! Crockett was bumped off as soon as he was bailed out of jail. What is the connection between wounded horses and a roll of film? Larry Roman (writer), Jackson Gillis (writer), Ed Begley, Herb Ellis, Milton Charles (composer, conductor), Bob Stevenson (announcer), Sterling Tracy (producer), Yvonne Peattie, Clayton Post, Leo Cleary, Jack Webb, Herb Butterfield. 29:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Duffy's Tavern - "Archie Has Three Days To Live" (02-09-49)

Archie Has Three Days To Live (Aired February 9, 1949)

Duffy's Tavern, an American radio situation comedy (CBS, 1941-1942; NBC-Blue Network, 1942-1944; NBC, 1944-1952), often featured top-name stage and film guest stars but always hooked those around the misadventures, get-rich-quick-scheming, and romantic missteps of the title establishment's malaprop-prone, metaphor-mixing manager, Archie, played by the writer/actor who co-created the show, Ed Gardner. In the show's familiar opening, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," either solo on an old-sounding piano or by a larger orchestra, was interrupted by the ring of a telephone and Gardner's New Yorkese accent as he answered, "Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat. Archie the manager speakin'. Duffy ain't here — oh, hello, Duffy.

THIS EPISODE:

February 9, 1949. NBC network origination, Nostalgia Broadcasting Corporation syndication "Archie Has Three Days To Live". Commercials added locally. Archie's doctor has told him that he only has three days to live...or did he? Archie keeps the true diagnosis from the gang down at the tavern. Ed Gardner, Eddie Green, Charlie Cantor, Florence Halop (as "Miss Duffy"), John Morris (producer, director), Matty Malneck and His Orchestra. 29:00.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Devil & Mr. O - "The Chest" (12-01-42)

The Chest (Aired December 1, 1949)

INTRO: Bob Plays The MelloKings "Tonight Tonight" (1957)

After Arch Oboler left the show (1936), Wyllis Cooper created his horror "by raiding the larder." For the purposed of Lights Out sound effects, people were what they ate. The sound of a butcher knife rending a piece of uncooked pork was, when accompanied by shrieks and screams, the essence of murder to a listener alone at midnight. Real bones were broken - spareribs snapped with a pipe wrench. Bacon in a frypan gave a vivid impression of a body just electrocuted. And the cannibalism effect was actually a zealous actor. Cooper left the show in 1936 and Oboler was given the job. Oboler lost no time establishing himself as the new master of the macabre. Between May 1936 and July 1938, he wrote and directed more than 100 Lights Out plays. To follow Cooper was a challenge: he was "the unsung pioneer of radio dramatic techniques," but Oboler had passed the test with his first play. His own name soon became synonymous with murder and gore.

THIS EPISODE:

December 1, 1942. CBS network. "The Chest - The Story Of Mr. Maggs". Sponsored by: Ironized Yeast, Energene. A meek little man buys a locked trunk at an auction...and finds it filled with horror!  Network, sponsored version. Arch Oboler (host), Frank Martin (announcer), Jane Morgan, Joseph Kearns. 32:15. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Clock - "Mabel The Manicurist" (07-14-47)

Mabel The Manicurist (Aired July 14, 1947)

The series was written by Lawrence Klee and narrated by "The Clock." First Broadcast in the United States was in November, 1946. It was syndicated by Grace Gibson syndication. At the time of production, the Australian accent, we now know and love, originating from the Irish and Cockney accents, was rather frowned upon by non other than Australians. The shows tried to sound neutral, then there was hope that the show could be sold to Great Britain and the United States. The show was bought by the ABC network in the States, although the ABC on the CD label (below) stands for the Australian Broadcast Company. The settings were usually generic and the actors tried to speak without a perceptible accent and for that reason the program sounded sort of "American".

THIS EPISODE:
 
July 14, 1947. ABC network. "Mabel The Manicurist". Sustaining. Mabel gets out of a mental hospital...bringing her nail file with her. What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? Clark Andrews (director), Ralph Norman (music director), Fran Lafferty, Bill Craigo (announcer), Lawrence Klee (writer), Charles Webster (as "The Clock"). 26:42. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dangerous Assignment - "Recovering A Civil War Map" (12-16-50)

INTRO: Bob Plays The Elegants "Little Star" (1958)

Recovering A Civil War Map (Aired December 16, 1950)

Dangerous Assignment stands as one of the most durable programs of its genre and era in the waning days of The Golden Age of Radio. Espionage or foreign intrigue dramas weren't particularly groundbreaking undertakings by the 1950s. Bulldog Drummond was the first of the more successful exemplars of Radio espionage and intrigue, running from 1941 to 1954, most often under the lead of the gifted character actor, George Coulouris. The Counterspy series had been well underway since 1942 and ran in one incarnation or another through 1954. The Man Called X had already aired--to great popular and critical acclaim--for almost five years prior to 1949. Indeed, within a year of airing Dangerous Assignment's Summer 1949 season, The Man Called X returned to the air for another two years. Dangerous Assignment ran for the most part, network sustained for over half of its entire run. NBC transcribed Dangerous Assignment for syndication via its NBC Orthacoustic Transcription Series. NBC's Orthacoustic transcriptions are the source of most of the surviving recordings. Show Notes From The Digital Deli. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar - "The Unholy Two Matter" (01-10-60)

The Unholy Two Matter (Aired January 10, 1960)

Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense accounts to give the audience background information or to express his thoughts about the current case.No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell, of Rogue’s Gallery fame, cut the original audition tape, but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead. Gerald Mohr, of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe fame, auditioned in 1955, prior to Bob Bailey getting the title role. Through the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar (Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien, and John Lund), there was little to distinguish the series from many other radio detective series. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
 
January 10, 1960. CBS network. "The Unholy Two Matter". Sponsored by: Camels, 4-Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Ex-Lax. The brother of Jack Johnstone (the writer, producer, director, of "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar), helps Johnny track down the killer of his brother, who's just come into an inheritance! The opening has been partially deleted. Bob Bailey, Mel Torme (4-Way Cold Tablet testimonial), Jackson Beck (Ex-Lax commercial), Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris, Barney Phillips, Dan Cubberly (announcer), Jack Edwards, Forrest Lewis, Gil Stratton, Jack Johnstone (writer, producer, director). 23:02. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

X Minus One - "Tunnel Under the World" (09-04-56)

INTRO: Bob Plays The Capris "Moon Out Tonight" Released 1958-1959 

Tunnel Under the World (Aired September 4, 1956)

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, shown at the end of the log.

THIS EPISODE:

September 4, 1956. NBC network. "The Tunnel Under The World". Sustaining. A fascinating story of a man who wakes up three days in a row to find the date still June 15th. The script was used previously on "X Minus One" on March 14, 1956 (see cat. #52957) and subsequently on "Future Tense" on May 8, 1974 (see cat. #13277). The program was rebroadcast on "Monitor" during September, 1974. Dean Olmquist, Amy Sidell, Elaine Rost, Bob Hastings, Ken Rafitte, Larry Haines, Norman Rose, Frederick Pohl (author). 29:06. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar - "The Unholy Two Matter" (01-10-60)

The Unholy Two Matter (Aired January 10, 1960)

Johnny often used his time when filling out his expense accounts to give the audience background information or to express his thoughts about the current case.No fewer than eight actors played Johnny Dollar. Dick Powell, of Rogue’s Gallery fame, cut the original audition tape, but chose to do Richard Diamond, Private Detective instead. Gerald Mohr, of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe fame, auditioned in 1955, prior to Bob Bailey getting the title role. Through the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar (Charles Russell, Edmond O'Brien, and John Lund), there was little to distinguish the series from many other radio detective series. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:
 
January 10, 1960. CBS network. "The Unholy Two Matter". Sponsored by: Camels, 4-Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Ex-Lax. The brother of Jack Johnstone (the writer, producer, director, of "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar), helps Johnny track down the killer of his brother, who's just come into an inheritance! The opening has been partially deleted. Bob Bailey, Mel Torme (4-Way Cold Tablet testimonial), Jackson Beck (Ex-Lax commercial), Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris, Barney Phillips, Dan Cubberly (announcer), Jack Edwards, Forrest Lewis, Gil Stratton, Jack Johnstone (writer, producer, director). 23:02. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Black Museum - "The Small White Boxes" (02-19-52)

The Small White Boxes (Aired February 19, 1952)

INTRO: Bob Plays The Association "Cherish" (1966) 

Valiant Records # 1 Billboard Hit

Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series. The museum is not open to members of the public but is now used as a lecture theatre for the curator to lecture police and like bodies in subjects such as Forensic Science, Pathology, Law and Investigative Techniques.

THIS EPISODE:
 
February 19, 1952. Program #28. Towers Of London syndication. "The Small White Boxes". Commercials added locally. The date is approximate. Orson Welles (narrator), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor), Ira Marion (writer). 25:19. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The Adventures Of Frank Race - "The Adventure Of The Sobbing Bodyguard" (10-09-49)

The Adventure Of The Sobbing Bodyguard (Aired October 9, 1949)

INTRO: Bob Plays Ricky Nelson "Travelin Man" (1961)

The Series was heard over all four networks over the following four years in initial syndication and rebroadcast. Given one's geographical location, a listener might well have been able to hear as many as three or four weekly airings of The Adventures of Frank Race. Seasoned writer Joel Murcott joined Broadcasters Program Syndicate for the express purpose of writing and supervising Bruce Eells' first two dramatic offerings, Frontier Town, starring Jeff Chandler under the tongue in cheek performing name 'Tex Chandler' and The Adventures of Frank Race initially starring durable and versatile character actor Tom Collins. Legendary composer Ivan Ditmars scored both the audition and production series. The audition for the series was recorded during February 1949. The audition featured Tom Collins as former attorney and O.S.S. officer, Frank Race. Race is aided by his associate, former cab driver, Marcus 'Marc' Donovan portrayed by Tony Barrett. Lurene Tuttle is also featured in the audition. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

THIS EPISODE:

October 9, 1949. Program #24. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Sobbing Bodyguard". Commercials added locally. A murder-suicide. Or is it suicide-murder? Race's pal Mark is framed either way. Paul Dubov, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer), Gerald Mohr, Lillian Buyeff, Tom Holland, Michael Ann Barrett, Jack Kruschen. 25:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Bob Hope Pepsodent Show - "Terminal Island With Guest Orson Welles" (09-28-43)

Terminal Island With Guest Orson Welles (Aired September 28, 1943)

Hope was surprised and humbled when he and his partner Grace Louise Troxell failed a 1930 screen test for Pathé at Culver City, California. (Hope had been on the screen in small parts, 1927's The Sidewalks of New York and 1928's Smiles. Hope returned to New York City and subsequently appeared in several Broadway musicals including Roberta, Say When, the 1936 Ziegfeld Follies, and Red, Hot and Blue with Ethel Merman. His performances were generally well-received and critics noted his keen sense of comedic timing. He changed his name from "Leslie" to "Bob", reportedly because people in the US were calling him "Hopelessly", although in the 1920s he sometimes used the name "Lester Hope".

THIS EPISODE:

The Pepsodent Show. September 28, 1943. "Guest Orson Welles" - NBC network, KFI, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: Pepsodent. The program originates from the Naval Air Station, Terminal Island, California. Bob and Frances take a moonlit buggy ride. The Pepsodent middle commercial features "Miriam" and "Irium." Stan Kenton is introduced and interviewed as "the new band leader" (it was actually his second appearance on the show). Guest Orson Welles appears as a mystic swami to tell Bob's future. Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, Larry Keating (commercial spokesman), Wendell Niles (announcer), Jerry Colonna, Barbara Jo Allen (as "Vera Vague"), Orson Welles. 29:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Rogue's Gallery - "Phyllis Adrian Is Missing (06-29-47)"

Phyllis Adrian Is Missing (Aired June 29, 1947)

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

THIS EPISODE:
 
June 29, 1947. "Phyllis Adrian Is Missing" - NBC network, KFI, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: Fitch's Shampoo, Quinoil Hair Tonic, Fitch's Skin Pep After Shave. "Bullet" ball point pen premium (made from a genuine .30 caliber bullet). Richard Rogue is hired by Howard Adrian to find his missing wife Phyllis. Barry Sullivan, Peter Leeds, Gerald Mohr, Lurene Tuttle, Edwin Max, Charles Vanda (producer, director), Jim Doyle (announcer), Doug Hayes (writer). 29:52. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Cathy & Elliot Lewis On Stage - "An Ideal Couple" (06-18-53)

An Ideal Couple (Aired June 18, 1953)

After working together for years on such shows as Suspense, and Sam Spade, Cathy and Elliot Lewis created On Stage in 1953. Two of the busiest people on the air, they were known as "Mr. and Mrs. Radio." On Stage provides a hodge podge of both classics and original stories, including mystery, drama, comedy, satire, and adventure. Although created at a time when radio was going out of style, On Stage is evidence of how good old time radio shows can be. With fewer constraints and less pressure due to the lack of financially-driven scripts, the Lewis duo let their creativity and talent explode into one of the greatest anthology shows of all time.

THIS EPISODE:

June 18, 1953. CBS network. "An Ideal Couple". Sustaining. The sad story of a seemingly happy marriage, told through the medium of a radio game show. Good radio writing! Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Ray Noble (theme composer), Tom Dickson (writer, performer), Paul Frees. 29:34. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Author's Playhouse - "The Inexperienced Ghost" (12-04-44)

The Inexperienced Ghost (Aired December 4, 1944)

Author's Playhouse was an anthology radio drama series, created by Wynn Wright, that aired on the NBC Blue Network from March 5, 1941 until October 1941. It then moved to the NBC Red Network where it was heard until June 4, 1945. Philip Morris was the sponsor in 1942-43. Premiering with "Elementals" by Stephen Vincent Benét, the series featured adaptations of stories by famous authors, such as “Mr. Mergenthwirker’s Lobbies” by Nelson Bond, "The Snow Goose" by Paul Gallico, "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs, "The Piano" by William Saroyan and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber. Cast members included Curley Bradley, John Hodiak, Marvin Miller, Nelson Olmsted, Fern Persons, Olan Soule and Les Tremayne. Orchestra conductors for the program were Joseph Gallicchio, Rex Maupin and Roy Shield.

THIS EPISODE:
 
December 4, 1944. NBC network, Chicago origination. "The Inexperienced Ghost. Sustaining". A very British experiment in the Great Beyond. Charles Egleston, Clare Baum, Guy De Vry (adaptor), H. G. Wells (author), Herb Butterfield, Jack Lyon (composer, conductor), Norman Felton (producer), Wilms Herbert. 28:44. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Radio City Playhouse - "Elementals" (02-14-49)

Elementals (Aired February 14, 1949)

Radio City Playhouse was one of the last of a long series of premium Drama productions NBC offered as flagship, sustaining productions over the years. As with it's previous premium dramatic and Classic music productions, NBC spared no apparent expense to mount these flagship efforts. And it shows. NBC, yet again, brings the greatest voice talent, writing, and technical direction to this anthology of wonderful, popular modern dramas. NBC's previous dramatic sustaining productions consisted of either the pure Classics, or Modern Stage Plays from the 19th and 20th Centuries. This series of three seasons tended to feature a delightful mix of both contemporary original radio plays and classic dramas, backed by the very finest voice talent on contract with NBC.

THIS EPISODE:

February 14, 1949. Program #26. NBC network. "Elementals". Sustaining. Harry W. Junkin (director, host), Bob Warren (announcer), Stephen Vincent Benet (writer), Hal Studer, Richard P. McDonough (NBC supervisor), James Van Dyke, Marilyn Erskine, Edward Vito (harp), Roy Shield (composer, conductor). 29:55. pisode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.