The NBC University Theater - "The Pickwick Papers" (Charles Dickens) 03-13-49

The Pickwick Papers (Charles Dickens) Aired March 13, 1949

University Theater is an unusual series that focused on reenacting novels by great authors for college classes. Many accredited American universities such as Washington State College, University of Louisville, and University of Tulsa, used this dramatic series as a supplement to correspondent college courses. The series' creators made study guides to accompany the courses. Students studying great literature by Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, Huxley, and many others listened to these shows every week. It was an ambitious series that remained popular despite its academic and non-commercial appeal. The shows are high quality and will please many fans of great literature.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
March 13, 1949. NBC network. "The Pickwick Papers". Sustaining. The famous trial of Mr. Pickwick, accused of breach of promise by Mrs. Bardell. Albert Harris (composer, conductor), Andrew C. Love (director), Ben Wright, Booth Coleman, Carl Harbord, Charles Coburn (guest), Charles Dickens (author), Crauford Kent, Don Stanley (announcer), Donald Morrison, Eric Snowden, Grey Stafford, John Frasier, Mark Van Doren (intermission commentator), Morton Wishengrad (adaptor), Nelson Welch, Norma Varden, Pat Aherne, Queenie Leonard, Ramsay Hill, Raymond Lawrence, Tom McKee, Whitfield Connor. 1:00:07  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Phil Silvers Show - "Special Guest Is Frank Sinatra" (02-09-46)

Special Guest Is Frank Sinatra (Aired February 9, 1946)

Silvers started entertaining at age 11, when he would sing in theaters when the projector broke down (a common occurrence in those days). By age 13 he was working as a singer in the Gus Edwards Revue, and then worked in vaudeville and as a burlesque comic. Silvers next worked in short films for the Vitaphone studio, such as Ups and Downs (1937), and on Broadway, where he made his debut in the short-lived show Yokel Boy in 1939. Critics raved about Silvers, who was hailed as the bright spot in the mediocre play. The Broadway revue High Kickers (1941) was based on his concept. He made his feature film debut in Hit Parade of 1941 in 1940 (his previous appearance as a 'pitch man' in Strike Up the Band was cut). Over the next two decades, he worked as a character actor for MGM, Columbia, and 20th Century Fox, in such films as Lady Be Good (1941), Coney Island (1943), Cover Girl (1944), and Summer Stock (1950). When the studio system began to decline, he returned to the stage. Silvers wrote the lyrics for Frank Sinatra's "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)". Although he was not a songwriter, he wrote the lyrics while visiting composer Jimmy Van Heusen.

The Mysterious Traveler - "The Good Die Young" (02-27-44)

The Good Die Young (Aired February 27, 1944)

The team of Robert Arthur, Jr., David Kogan, producer/director Sherman 'Jock' MacGregor, and actor Maurice Tarplin was a very successful one for both The Mutual Broadcasting System and Radio station WOR. Between 1944 and 1952, The Mysterious Traveler eventually became one of the sixteen highest rated Radio programs of their era. WOR and MBS took great pride in putting together a program that could rival Radio giants CBS, ABC, and NBC throughout the era. During its heyday The Mysterious Traveler spawned several similar thriller genre programs such as The Strange Dr. Wierd (1945), The Sealed Book (1945), Dark Venture (1946), Murder By Experts (1949), and The Teller of Tales (1950).

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
February 27, 1944. Program #13. Mutual network. The Good Die Young". Sustaining. Young Sondra detests her new step-mother and is determined to get rid of her as soon as possible. Maurice Tarplin (as "The Traveler"), Betty Jane Tyler, Jock MacGregor (director), Doc Whipple (organist), Robert A. Arthur (writer), David Kogan (writer). 28:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Murder By Experts - "Conspiracy" (04-24-50)

Conspiracy (Aired April 24, 1950)

Murder By Experts was a radio drama anthology series that ran on American radio from 1949-1951, and was hosted first by John Dickson Carr, and later by Brett Halliday. Evidently, a mystery, authored by a leading crime fiction writer, was presented, and "guest experts," such as Alfred Hitchcock or Craig Rice, were invited to solve it. Or maybe not -- nobody seems to know much about this one. David Kogan, the writer/creator of Murder by Experts, also created and wrote The Mysterious Traveler. Guest experts: Alfred Hitchcock, Craig Rice. Guest stars: Ann Shepard, Larry Haines, Carl Eastman, Ann Sheperd, Bill Zuckert, Ralph Camargo, Burt Cullen, Lawson Zerbe, Marilyn Erskin.

 

THIS EPISODE:

April 24, 1950. Mutual network. "Conspiracy". Sustaining. A man decides to murder an old girlfriend right in the middle of a flood, and use the water to cover the deed. Listen for the surprise ending. Lawrence G. Blochman, Vice President of "The Mystery Writer Of America," presents the Edgar Allan Poe Award for the best radio mystery program of 1949 to Robert A. Arthur and David Kogan. David Kogen accepts the award and makes a speeach of thanks. Phil Tonken (announcer), Robert A. Arthur (producer, director), David Kogan (producer, director), Emerson Buckley (music director), Richard Dupage (composer, arranger), Don Williamson (engineer), Walt Shaver (sound effects), Phil Tonken (announcer), Miriam Wolfe, Brett Halliday (host, narrator), Harold Swanton (writer), Ronald Dawson, Frank Behrens, Robert Donnelly. 30:13.
Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Mystery In The Air (Starring Peter Peter Lorre) - "Beyond Good & Evil" (08-28-47)

Beyond Good & Evil - Aired August 28, 1947

Cut from the cloth of tales woven by the imaginations of some of the most famous authors in history, Mystery In the Air was a Summer series consisting of mystery / horror shows. The series was hosted by Peter Lorre who also played the title role in a few of the shows and brings these brilliant horror classics to life spooktacularly, as no other could. Peter Lorre was one of the most popular horror stars of the forties, and with a supporting cast including such greats as Agnes Moorehead, Howard Culver, Lurene Tuttle, Joseph Kearns and Ken Christy, the production was destined to be a success. This collection can also be found included in the Peter Lorre Collection.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 

August 28, 1947. NBC network. "Beyond Good & Evil". Sponsored by: Camels, Prince Albert. An escaped convict kills a minister and takes his place in a small town while planning a bank robbery. A good story! Howard Culver, Jack Edwards Jr., John Brown, Michael Roy (announcer), Ben Hecht (author), Henry Morgan (later known as Harry Morgan), Paul Baron (composer, conductor), Peggy Webber, Peter Lorre, Russell Thorson, Don Bernard (producer), Cal Kuhl (director). 28:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dragnet - The Big Juvenile Division (01-17-52)

Dragnet - The Big Juvenile Division (01-17-52)

 

Dragnet, the brainchild of Jack Webb, may very well be the most well-remembered, and the best, radio police drama series. From September, 1949 through February 1957, Dragnet's 30 minute shows, broadcast on NBC, brought to radio true police stories in a low-key, documentary style. The origins of Dragnet can be traced to a semi-documentary film, "He Walked by Night" from 1948, in which Webb had a small role. Both employed the same Los Angeles Police Department technical adviser, used actual police cases and presented the case in "just the facts" manner that became a hallmark of Dragnet. It is interesting to note that Webb employed that format in other radio series, some pre-dating the film mentioned above. Dragnet was a long running radio and television police procedural drama, about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a Dragnet, meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet was perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in American media history. The series gave millions of Americans a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of real life police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers. Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. The shows cultural impact is demonstrated by the fact that even after five decades, elements of Dragnet are known to those who have never heard nor seen the program. 

 

THIS EPISODE:

 

January 17, 1952. Program #136. NBC network. "The Big Juvenile Division". Sponsored by: Fatima. Robert Lawson, a "young Hitler" is promoting gang warfare in town. Sgt. Friday tries to warn the parents involved. Barney Phillips, Charles Smith, Eddie Firestone, Hal Gibney (host), Jack Webb, James Moser (writer), Walter Schumann (conductor). 29:31. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Duffy's Tavern - "A Baby Is Left At The Tavern" (12-07-51)

A Baby Is Left At The Tavern (Aired December 7, 1951)

INTRO: Bob Remembers Peaches & Herb "Re-United" (1978)

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

 

THIS EPISODE:

December 7, 1951. "A Baby Is Left At The Tavern" - NBC network origination, Nostalgia Broadcasting Corporation syndication. Commercials added locally. Someone has left a baby at the doorstep of Duffy's Tavern! Ed Gardner, Ed Pinchon, Charlie Cantor, Hazel Shermet. 35:38. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Dangerous Assignment - "The Greek Connection" (02-20-50)

The Greek Connection (Aired February 20, 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. For one of those years, Dangerous Assignment and The Man Called X ran back to back in the NBC line-up.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 February 20, 1950. "The Greek Connection" - NBC network. Sustaining. Steve Mitchell is sent to Athens to try to recover stolen radar plans. The program may be dated February 2, 1950. Brian Donlevy, Robert Ryf (writer), Bill Cairn (director), Bruce Ashley (music). 29:24. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Clock - "Only Death Is Timeless aka: Mrs. Crocker" (05-11-47)

Only Death Is Timeless aka: Mrs. Crocker (Aired May 11, 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:

 
May 11, 1947. Grace Gibson syndication. "Only Death Is Timeless". Commercials added locally. An Australian production of a script broadcast in America on May 11, 1947. A couple motors through the mountains with the mysterious Mrs. Crocker. Mrs. Crocker is "death." Grace Gibson (producer), John Saul (director), Harp McGuire (as "The Clock"), Lawrence Klee (writer), John Mullion, Joan Lord, Neva Carr Glyn, Gordon Glenwright. 24:44.Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boston Blackie - "A New Face For Joe Harvey" (11-05-46)

A New Face For Joe Harvey (Aired November 5, 1946)

Edison Lighthouse "Love Grows Were My Rosemary Goes" (1971) #5 Hit

Over 200 episodes of this series were produced between 1944 and October 25, 1950. Other sponsors included Lifebuoy Soap, Champagne Velvet beer, and R&H beer. While investigating mysteries, Blackie invaribly encountered harebrained Police Inspector Farraday (Maurice Tarplin) and always solved the mystery to Farraday's amazement. Initially, friction surfaced in the relationship between Blackie and Farraday, but as the series continued, Farraday recognized Blackie's talents and requested assistance. Blackie dated Mary Wesley (Jan Miner), and for the first half of the series, his best pal Shorty was always on hand. The humorless Farraday was on the receiving end of Blackie's bad puns and word play. Kent Taylor starred in the half-hour TV series, The Adventures of Boston Blackie. Syndicated in 1951, it ran for 58 episodes, continuing in repeats over the following decade.

Bold Venture - "Slate's Stolen Da Vinci" (11-19-52)

Slate's Stolen Da Vinci (Aired November 19, 1951)

Bold Venture is a 1951-1952 syndicated radio series starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Morton Fine and David Friedkin scripted the taped series for Bogart's Santana Productions. Salty seadog Slate Shannon (Bogart) owns a Cuban hotel sheltering an assortment of treasure hunters, revolutionaries and other shady characters. With his sidekick and ward, the sultry Sailor Duval (Bacall), tagging along, he encounters modern-day pirates and other tough situations while navigating the waters around Havana. Aboard his boat, the Bold Venture, Slate and Sailor experience "adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance in the sultry settings of tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean." Calypso singer King Moses (Jester Hairston) provided musical bridges by threading plot situations into the lyrics of his songs. Music by David Rose. Beginning March 26, 1951, the Frederic W. Ziv Company syndicated 78 episodes.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
November 19, 1951. "Slate's Stolen Da Vinci" - Slate is given a painting in appreciation for his "helping hand". Suddenly, people seem over interested in buying the "worthless" art. Kip Ross, Jester Hairston, Barbara Hill, Gordon McLean, Nestor Paiva. 26:35. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Frank Race - "The Roughnecks Will" (09-25-49)

The Roughnecks Will (Aired September 25, 1949)

INTRO: Bob Plays The Heartbeats "A Thousand Miles Away" (1955)

The Adventures of Frank Race was a syndicated show, out of Bruce Ells Productions in Hollywood, and began airing on radio in the spring of 1949. A total of 43 episodes were produced, broadcast first on the East coast 1949-50, and then on the West coast 1951-52. The title hero was described in the introduction by announcer Art Gilmore with these words: "Before the war, FRANK RACE worked as an attorney, but he traded his law books for the cloak-and-dagger of the OSS. When the war was over, his former life was over too....adventure became his business!" Starring "Chandu The Magician"  Star Tom Collins.

 

THIS EPISODE:

September 25, 1949. Program #22. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "The Adventure Of The Roughneck's Will". Commercials added locally. A ninety-year old billionaire leaves a will specifically designed to encourage his beneficiaries to kill each other. Tom Collins, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Art Gilmore (announcer), Tony Barrett, Frank Lovejoy, Gloria Blondell, Wilms Herbert, Michael Ann Barrett. 28:10. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

21st Precinct - "The Case Of The Foundling" (10-20-53)

The Case Of The Foundling (Aired October 20, 1953)

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.  Actual cases would be used as the basis for stories.  It was mentioned in each episode's closing by the announcer  that, "Twenty-firstPrecinct is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association an organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York."

 

THIS EPISODE:

October 20, 1953. "The Case Of The Foundling" - CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. A woman abandons her baby with a young couple, but the husband wants no part of it. Everett Sloane, John Ives (producer), Stanley Niss (writer, director). 26:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

I Was A Communist For FBI - "Red Red Herring" (04-20-52)

 Red Red Herring (Aired April 20, 1952)

Throughout most of the 1940's, Matt Cvetic worked as a volunteer undercover agent for the FBI, infiltrating the Communist Party in Pittsburgh. In 1949, his testimony helped to convict several top Party members of conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government. Cvetic sold his account to "The Saturday Evening Post" and it was serialized under the title "I Posed as a Communist for the FBI". It later became a best-selling book. In 1951, Warner Brothers released a film based on these accounts entitled "I Was A Communist For The FBI", starring with Frank Lovejoy as Cvetic. In 1952, in the midst of the Red scare of the 1950's, the Frederick W. Ziv Company produced the syndicated radio series with the same title as the movie.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
April 20, 1952. Program #4. ZIV Syndication. "Red Red Herring". Commercials added locally. Cvetic frames a loyal party member to protect himself. Dana Andrews, Jack Kruschen, Betty Lou Gerson, Mary Lansing, Truman Bradley (announcer), Henry Hayward (director), David Rose (music). 26:24.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Mystery House - "A Killing In The Market" (05-31-46)

A Killing In The Market (Aired May 31, 1946)

Rick Kabrich was the host who replaced "The Count" on Mystery Playhouse in the summer of 1987. He was originally a listener who happened to call the station and the producer liked his voice. He was reluctant to audition because he was blind, but was convinced to try it and the results were positive. So positive, that his character and distinctive voice are two of the best remembered aspects of the series. With the new host came a new format. The show was reduced to one hour and the new host had a new persona. He was called "Dr. Morgan" and his character was serious but with a touch of morbid humor. Producer Kurt Kuerstiner recalls, "Morgan's had the eerie presence of Maurice Tarpin from The Mysterious Traveler, but he also had the humor of Raymond from Inner Sanctum Mysteries. His voice was completely unique. It was deep and very forboading. Show Notes From Radio Horror Hosts.

 

THIS EPISODE:

May 31, 1946. Program #42. Mutual net, WGN, Chicago origination, Harry S. Goodman syndication. "A Killing In The Market". Commercials added locally. Nanette Sargent, Forrest Lewis, Rye Billsbury (announcer). 25:29. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel" - Finn Alley (08-09-59)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Have Gun Will Travel" - Finn Alley (Aired August 9, 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:

August 9, 1959. CBS network. "Finn Alley". Sponsored by: Columbia Phonographs, Winston, Casite. Miss Wong has been kidnapped. Paladin gets shanghaied when he visits the Barbary Coast! Quality upgrade, network. Ben Wright, Frank Paris (writer, producer, director), Hugh Douglas (announcer), John Dehner, Joseph Kearns, Patti Gallagher, Virginia Gregg, Waldo Epperson, Bill James (sound effects), Tom Hanley (sound effects), Sam Rolfe (creator), Herb Meadow (creator). 25:05. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Sam Spade - "The Bluebeard Caper" (08-08-48)

The Bluebeard Caper (Aired August 8, 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:

August 8, 1948. CBS network. "The Bluebeard Caper". Sponsored by: Wildroot Cream-Oil. Ned Towers needs help with his sister. She's about to marry Jefferson Davis Calhoun, who's been married and widowed three times. Howard Duff, Lurene Tuttle, Dashiell Hammett (creator), William Spier (producer, director), Robert Tallman (writer), Gil Doud (writer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Dick Joy (announcer). 28:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

My Friend Irma - "A Trip To Coney Island" (06-07-48)

A Trip To Coney Island (Aired June 7, 1948)

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.

 

THIS EPISODE:

June 7, 1948. "A Trip To Coney Island" - CBS network. Sponsored by: Swan Soap, Spry. Irma and Jane visit Coney Island during a heat wave. Marie Wilson, Cathy Lewis, Frank Bingman (announcer), Hans Conried, John Brown, Cy Howard (writer, producer, director), Parke Levy (writer), Gloria Gordon. 27:29. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

My Favorite Husband (Starring Lucille Ball) - "The Absolute Truth" (01-28-49)

The Absolute Truth (Aired January 28, 1949)

My Favorite Husband is the name of an American radio program and network television series. The original radio show, co-starring Lucille Ball, was the initial basis for what evolved into the groundbreaking TV sitcom I Love Lucy. The series was based on the 1940 novel Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, written by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the 1942 Paramount feature film Are Husbands Necessary?, co-starring Ray Milland and Betty Field. My Favorite Husband began on CBS Radio with Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as Liz and George Cugat. After a few early episodes, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Liz and George Cooper. The cheerful couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the fictitious city of Sheridan Falls and were billed as "two people who live together and like it." The main sponsor was General Foods' Jell-O, and an average of three "plugs" for Jell-O were made in each episode, including Lucille Ball's usual sign-on, "Jell-O, everybody!"  The program, which aired 124 episodes from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951, initially portrayed the couple as being a well-to-do banker and his socially prominent wife, but three new writers — Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh and Jess Oppenheimer — took over the writing, changed the couple's name to Cooper and remade them into a middle-class couple, which they thought average listeners would find more accessible. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.

Murder At Midnight - "The House Where Death Lives" (07-26-46)

The House Where Death Lives (Aired July 26, 1946)

According to Billboard magazine, talent and production costs for Murder At Midnight averaged about $5000 per program, one of the higher costs of canned, syndicated programming of the era. But the investment shows. And indeed, well into its almost six years of syndication, the series continued to pull respectable audience shares. The talent included well known names such as Lawson Zerbe, Karl Swenson, Berry Kroeger, Lon Clark, Frank Readick, Elspeth Eric, Mandel Kramer, Michael Fitzmaurice, Alfred Shirley, and Raymond Edward Johnson--and his wife, among many other well-respected east coast actors of the era. Anton Leader, later famous for his Television work, directed the series. The writing staff was also top-notch, with names such as Max Erlich, Joe Ruscoll and Robert Newman, among others.

 

THIS EPISODE:

    
July 26, 1946. Program #15. KFI, Los Angeles origination, Cowan syndication, World transcription. "The House Where Death Lived". Commercials added locally. A noted psychic researcher named Dr. Goff is obsessed with a house filled with apparitions. Raymond Morgan (host), Robert Newman (writer), Berry Kroeger, Charles Paul (organist), Anton M. Leader (director), Louis G. Cowan (producer). 26:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Calling All Cars - "San Quentin Prison Break" (01-16-35)

San Quentin Prison Break (Aired January 16, 1935)

Calling All Cars was one of radio’s earliest cop shows, dramatizing true crime stories and introduced by officers from the Los Angeles and other police departments. The narrator of the program was speech professor Charles Frederick Lindsley, and the only other regular voice heard on the program week after week belonged to that of Sergeant Jesse Rosenquist of the L.A.P.D., whose name and voice were so unusually distinctive that he was retained for the show’s entire run. None of the actors on the show ever received on-air credit, but among the talent OTR fans can hear the likes of Elvia Allman, Jackson Beck, Charles Bickford, John Gibson, Richard LeGrand and Hanley Stafford, just to name a few.

 

THIS EPISODE:

January 16, 1935. Program #61. CBS Pacific network (Don Lee network). "The San Quentin Prison Break". Sponsored by: Rio Grande Oil. Four convicts have just escaped from San Quentin prison, they are reported heading north with four members of the prison board as hostages. The actual prison break happened just "last Wednesday." The program has also been dated January 16, 1935. The initial dramatization of the event (also on the Don Lee net, which was used as the CBS Pacific net) took place just a half hour after the capture of the escaped convicts. William N. Robson dramatized how this story was produced on "The Columbia Workshop" on September 5, 1936. The system cue has been deleted. Not auditioned. District Attorney Albert Bagshaw speaks from KFRC, San Francisco. William N. Robson (writer, producer), Charles Frederick Lindsley (narrator), Albert Bagshaw (may be impersonated). 29:05. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Mr. District Attorney - "The Bridle Path Murders" (1952)

The Bridle Path Murders (1952) *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

Mr. District Attorney, champion of the people, guardian of our fundamental rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Vicki Vola portrayed the District Attorney's secretary, Edith Miller, for the entire run of the series on both radio and television.  Mr. District Attorney is a popular radio crime drama which aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 (and in transcribed syndication through 1953). The series focused on a crusading D.A., initially known only as "Mister District Attorney," or "Chief", and was later translated to television. On television the D.A. had a name, Paul Garrett, and the radio version picked up this name in the final years when David Brian played the role. A key figure in the dramas was the D.A.'s secretary, Edith Miller (Vicki Vola). Created, written, and directed by former law student Ed Byron, the series was inspired by the early years of New York governor Thomas E. Dewey. It was Dewey's public war against racketeering which led to his election as governor.

The Campbell Playhouse - "Rabble in Arms" (03-03-40)

Rabble in Arms (Aired March 3, 1940)

The Campbell Playhouse ran for three seasons. Seasons One and Two were produced by Orson Welles himself. Season Three was produced by the Mercury Theatre's John Houseman. Welles had departed to pursue his two seminal Films, Citizen Kane (1941) and The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). With much of the Mercury Theatre ensemble busy with Welles' film projects, Campbell's employed many of Hollywood's most famous names to star in the third season of Campbell Playhouse's productions. Indeed the array of major Film Stars performing in the Playhouse's third season was arguably as impressive for its short run as any assemblage of talent short of The Screen Guild series. The Campbell Playhouse's third season was delayed for a week over some CBS/Campbell kerfuffle about the alleged fifth column theme of the proposed original script penned by John Houseman and Wyllis Cooper.

THIS EPISODE:
 
March 3, 1940. CBS network. "A Rabble In Arms". Sponsored by: Campbell's Soup. A defense of the character and honor of Benedict Arnold. Edgar Barrier, Ernest Chappell (announcer), George Coulouris, Georgia Backus, Guy Repp, Orson Welles (host), Richard Baer, Richard Wilson, Robert Warwick, William Alland. 57:40. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Casey Crime Photographer - "Acquitted" (07-03-47)

Acquitted (Aired July 3, 1947)

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.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
July 3, 1947. CBS network. "Acquitted". Sponsored by: Anchor Hocking Glass. Big Mike Ryan, a swell cop, is suspended for arresting and then beating up Lenny Waldo. When Lenny and his cohort are found shot to death, Big Mike is of course the prime suspect. Alonzo Deen Cole (writer), Archie Bleyer (music), Herman Chittison (piano), Jan Miner, John Dietz (director), John Gibson, Staats Cotsworth, Tony Marvin (announcer), George Harmon Coxe (creator). 29:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Haunting Hour - "No Escape" (11-01-48)

No Escape (Aired November 1, 1948)

INTRO: Bob Remembers Barbara Lewis "Baby I'm Yours" (1961)

The Haunting Hour is a work-in-progress collection within the holdings of many serious Radio Collectors. From the meager available productions currently in circulation it's clear that the series was popular for its time, at the very least. With a known run of at least 52 unique scripts and more doubtful further 39 to 52 scripts, it would appear that the series was in demand for at least four years--in and out of syndication. Given the high quality of NBC Network voice talent in the circulating episodes, one can well imagine that the remainder of the yet alleged, undiscovered, or uncirculated episodes have at least as much to recommend them. Thankfully, as with many other examples of Golden Age Radio productions, many of the existing episodes in circulation can be directly attributed to the efforts of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service [AFRTS]. True to its genre, the circulating episodes provide some highly compelling supernatural dramas--as well as a subset of fascinating mysteries and detective dramas.

 

THIS EPISODE:

November 1, 1948. Program #29. NBC syndication. "No Escape". Commercials added locally. A good, if somewhat predictable, story about a murdered wife who becomes alive again. . 26:09. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

People Are Funny - "Quickest Way To Borrow Money" (10-01-58)

Quickest Way To Borrow Money (Aired October 1, 1958)

People are Funny was a television game show that premiered and ended on NBC from 1954-1961. It was shot in the outside world and dared people to do stunts for fun for spectators. This was done to "reveal the true nature" of their guests. This show was considered a predecessor to most of the reality game shows we know today, such as "Survivor" and MTV's "Jackass." Art Linkletter was the more well-known host of the show. Viewers grew up with him, but not just on People are Funny. He was also seen on Life With Linkletter (1950-52 & 1969-70), Art Linkletter's House Party (1952-69), and The Art Linkletter Show (1963).

 

THIS EPISODE:

October 1, 1958. "Quickest Way To Borrow Money" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Sustaining, Vick's Vapo-Rub. Rebroadcast as a feature on "Nightline." A housewife tries to pawn her husband...for $1000! Art Linkletter, Walter O'Keefe (host of "Nightline"), John Guedel (producer), Bert Parks (promotional announcement for "Bandstand"), Arnold Stang (promotional announcement for "Bandstand"), Dorothy Olsen (promotional announcement for "Bandstand"), Skitch Henderson (promotional announcement for "Bandstand"), Richard Hayes (promotional announcement for "Bandstand"). 22:06. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The New Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes - "Submarine Caves" (03-04-46)

Submarine Caves (Aired March 4, 1946)

INTRO: Bob Remembers Lynyrd Skynyrd  & "Sweet Home Alabama" (1974)

Holmes states that he first developed his deduction methods while an undergraduate. The author Dorothy L. Sayers suggested that, given details in two of the Adventures, Holmes must have been at Cambridge rather than Oxford and that "of all the Cambridge colleges, Sidney Sussex [College] perhaps offered the greatest number of advantages to a man in Holmes’ position and, in default of more exact information, we may tentatively place him there". His earliest cases, which he pursued as an amateur, came from fellow university students. According to Holmes, it was an encounter with the father of one of his classmates that led him to take up detection as a profession and he spent the six years following university working as a consulting detective, before financial difficulties led him to take Watson as a roommate, at which point the narrative of the stories begins.

THIS EPISODE:
 
March 4, 1946. "Submarine Caves" - Mutual network. Sponsored by: Petri Wines. An untitled adventure set on the channel island of Garth. Trying to secure the underwater caves on the island for the Crown, Holmes comes upon a murderess who dares him to do something about her crimes. The story is based on, "The Bruce Partington Plans" by Arthur Conan Doyle. Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Harry Bartell (announcer), Anthony Boucher (writer), Denis Green (writer), Dean Fosler (music), Arthur Conan Doyle (author), Edna Best (producer). 29:15. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Nick Carter Master Detective - "The Witness Saw Nothing" (02-24-46)

The Witness Saw Nothing (Aired February 24, 1946)

Nick Carter, Master Detective - Nick Carter is the name of a popular fictional detective who first appeared in in a dime novel entitled "The Old Detective's Pupil" on September 18, 1886. In 1915, Nick Carter Weekly became Street & Smith's Detective Story Magazine. Novels featuring Carter continued to appear through the 1950s, by which time there was also a popular radio show, Nick Carter, Master Detective, which aired on Mutual from 1943 to 1955. Nick Carter first came to radio as The Return of Nick Carter. Then Nick Carter, Master Detective, with Lon Clark in the title role, began April 11, 1943, on Mutual, continuing in many different timeslots for well over a decade. Jock MacGregor was the producer-director of scripts by Alfred Bester, Milton J. Kramer, David Kogan and others. Background music was supplied by organists Hank Sylvern, Lew White and George Wright. Patsy Bowen, Nick's assistant, was portrayed by Helen Choate until mid-1946 and then Charlotte Manson stepped into the role. Nick and Patsy's friend was reporter Scubby Wilson (John Kane). Nick's contact at the police department was Sgt. Mathison (Ed Latimer).

 

THIS EPISODE:

February 24, 1946. Mutual network. "The Witness Saw Nothing". Sponsored by: Old Dutch Cleanser and Del Rich Margarine. A door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman calls on the wrong housewife and endangers his own life. Lon Clark. 28:13. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Blue Beetle - "Death Strikes From The East (06-05-40)" 2-Parts COMPLETE

Death Strikes From The East (Aired June 5, 1940) 2-Parts COMPLETE

INTRO: Bob Plays The Beetles "Let It Be" (1970)

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. His calling card was a small beetle-shaped marker that he left in conspicuous places to alert criminals to his presence, using their fear of his crime fighting reputation as a weapon against them. For this purpose he also used a "Beetle Signal" flashlight. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

 

TODAY'S SHOW:

 
June 5, 1940. Program #14. Fox Features syndication. "Death Strikes From The East" Part One and Two (COMPLETE). Commercials added locally. The "Purple Dragon" hosts a Chinese drama, with a human sacrifice for an encore! . Tong Wars are being waged in Chinatown. The Blue Beetle looks toward the Orient to battle "The Purple Dragon." Commissioner Warren's daughter has been kidnapped. 26:53. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Network.

The Alan Young Show - "Photo Of A Bank Robbery" (02-07-47)

Photo Of A Bank Robbery (Aired February 7, 1947)

Young was featured in the film Chicken Every Sunday in 1949, and the television version of The Alan Young Show began the following year. After its cancellation, Young appeared in films, including Androcles and the Lion (1952) and The Time Machine (1960). He appeared in the episode "Thin Ice" of the NBC espionage drama Five Fingers, starring David Hedison. He is best known, however, for Mister Ed, a CBS television show which ran from 1961 to 1966. He played the owner of a talking horse that would talk to no one but him. Young's television guest appearances include The Love Boat, Murder, She Wrote, St. Elsewhere, Coach, Party of Five, The Wayans Bros., Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (Episode: "Sweet Charity", playing Zelda's older love interest), USA High, Hang Time, ER and Maybe It's Me. In 1993, Young recreated his role as Filby for the mini-sequel to George Pal's The Time Machine, reuniting him with Rod Taylor, who played George,

 

THIS EPISODE:

February 7, 1947. "Photo Of A Bank Robbery" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Ipana, Minit-Rub, Vitalis. West Coast broadcast. Alan takes a photo of a trio of bank robbers. Veola Vonn, Jean Vander Pyl, Dick Lane, Jim Backus, Al Schwartz (writer), Sherwood Schwartz (writer), Alan Young, Hans Conried. 28:17. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe - "The Sword Of Cebu" (03-28-50)

The Sword Of Cebu (Aired March 28, 1950)

Marlowe was a more complex character than some of his hard boiled brethren. Sure he could handle a gun and take a beating. But, he was more than just a tough guy, he had gone to college, could play chess, and appreciated classical music. He also had his own strong ethical standards and turned down jobs that didn't measure up to those standards. By the late 1940's Marlowe had moved to the big screen, with Marlowe played by Dick Powell, Robert Mitchum, and Humphrey Bogart. One of those movies, Murder My Sweet, was responsible for Marlowe's first appearance on radio when it was presented on Lux Radio Theatre on June 11, 1945 starring Dick Powell and Clair Trevor. In April, 1947 the New York Times announced that the summer replacement for Bob Hope would be a new adventure-mystery series, The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. Airing on NBC at 10:00 p.m. on June 17th, the show starred Van Heflin with a script by Milton Geiger based on the stories of Raymond Chandler. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

 

THIS EPISODE:

March 28, 1950. CBS network. "The Sword Of Cebu". Sustaining. A missing sword is found with a Romanian, through his back! An albino siamese cat points to the sword's real value. Gerald Mohr, Jeanne Bates, Byron Kane, Tony Barrett, Paul Frees, Junius Matthews, Barney Phillips, Raymond Chandler (creator), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Richard Aurandt (composer, conductor), Robert Mitchell (writer), Gene Levitt (writer), Roy Rowan (announcer). 29:18. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Chase - "Long Distance" (11-02-52)

Long Distance (Aired November 2, 1952)

NBC first envisioned The Chase as a new Television feature. 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. Whether mental tension, physical peril or a mix of both, the abiding theme throughout the series was the the contrasts between the 'hunter' and the 'hunted' in such Life situations. NBC's Television version of The Chase was in production during May 1953. It was to star Doug Fowley as both narrator and performer. Apparently the powers to be eventually decided to abandon the production. It would also appear that the TV production was abandoned at about the same time the Radio version was pulled, to be replaced by NBC's prestigious NBC Summer Symphony series.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
November 2, 1952. NBC network. "Long Distance". Sustaining. A woman whose husband is about to be executed tries to save his life by telephone. The final public service announcement and the system cue have been deleted. Abby Lewis, Bill Lipton, Cliff Oland, Connie Lembcke, Edward King (director), Gene Leonard, Fred Collins (announcer), Harry W. Junkin (writer), Jan Miner, John McGovern, Lawrence Klee (creator, writer), Martha Baron, Mildred Clinton, Pat Hosley, Rosemary Murphy, Sylvia Davis, Sylvia Lee. 28:52. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Cloak And Dagger - "Recommendation From Rommel" (08-06-50)

Recommendation From Rommel (Aired August 6, 1950)

"Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission for the United States, knowing in advance you may never return alive?" Cloak and Dagger first aired over the NBC network on May 7, 1950. It had a short run through the Summer on Sundays, changing to Fridays after its Summer run. The last show aired Oct. 22, 1950. This is the story of the WWII special governmental agency, the OSS, or Office of Strategic Services. Its mission was to develop and maintain spy networks throughout Europe and into Asia, while giving aid to underground partisan groups and developing espionage activities for Allied forces overseas.The show is based on the book of the same name by Lt. Col. Corey Ford and Major Alastair MacBain (who were associated with the OSS from its early days.) The dramas are not Hollywood-style, in that they sometimes end with plans foiled or leading characters dead.

 

THIS EPISODE:
 

August 6, 1950. NBC network. "Recommendation From Rommel". Sustaining. 4:00 P. M. A spy for the O. S. S. in northern Italy has the misfortune to find himself in the train compartment of Field Marshal Rommel himself! Jan Miner, Boris Aplon, Jon Gart (music), Louis G. Cowan (director), Arnold Moss, Jerry Jarrett, Raymond Edward Johnson, Karl Weber, Winifred Wolfe (writer), Jack Gordon (writer), Alfred Hollander (director), Sherman Marks (director, supervisor), Ralph Bell, Berry Kroeger. 29:26. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of Charlie Chan - "Curious Ride Of The Sea Witch" (1950)

The Curious Ride Of The Sea Witch *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

Charlie Chan was the Chinese detective created by Earl Derr Biggers. Over 40 Charlie Chan movies were done from the early 1930's through 1949, all of which starred non-Chinese actors as Charlie. Supposedly working as a Honolulu police detective, Charlie was almost always somewhere else, like Paris, Rio, LA, even Treasure Island…but he did have a wonderful home life, too, with a reported 14 children, including his famous #1, #2 etc. sons, ever intent on helping "pop" solve the case. Chan on radio is very rare, the very opposite of the ubiquitous Charlie Chan movie reruns on TV. This is a mysterious absence even the great Charlie Chan might be needed to solve! Many mystery lovers sniff at Chan. But here's one more from Charlie that might apply…"Mind, like parachute, only function when open."

 

THIS EPISODE:

1950. "The Curious Ride Of The Sea Witch". Commercials added locally. Two escaped convicts board a fog-bound yacht, and soon we have a murder for Charlie and #1 Son. Earl Derr Biggers (creator). 25:31. Episode Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater - "No Hiding Place" (01-10-74)

No Hiding Place (Aired January 10, 1974)

The show was broadcast nightly and ran for one hour, including commercials. Typically, a week consisted of three to four new episodes, with the remainder of the week filled out with reruns. There were a total of 1399 original episodes broadcast. The total number of broadcasts, including reruns, was 2969. The late E.G. Marshall hosted the program every year but the final one, when actress Tammy Grimes took over. Each episode began with the ominous sound of a creaking door, slowly opening to invite listeners in for the evening's adventure. At the end of each show, the door would swing shut, with Marshall signing off, "Until next time, pleasant...dreams?" Despite the show's title, Brown expanded its scope beyond mysteries to include horror, science fiction, historical drama, and even comedy.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
January 10, 1974. Program #5. CBS network. "No Hiding Place". Sponsored by: Budweiser, Kellogg's. The program was rebroadcast on February 25, 1974. E. G. Marshall (host), Sidney Slon (writer), Larry Haines, Jackson Beck, Anne Meachum, Sidney Walker, Tom Keena, Himan Brown (producer, director). 51:26.  Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Adventures Of The Abbotts - "The Clicking Silver Pen" (05-22-55)

The Clicking Silver Pen (Aired May 22, 1955)

Abbott Mysteries was a comedy-mystery radio program adapted from the novels of Frances Crane (1896-1981). Initially a summer replacement for Quick As a Flash, the series was heard on Mutual and NBC between the years 1945 and 1955. The Mutual series, sponsored by Helbros Watches, debuted June 10, 1945, airing Sundays at 6pm. Scripts were by Howard Merrill and Ed Adamson in the lighthearted tradition of Mr. and Mrs. North. Julie Stevens and Charles Webster starred as Jean and Pat Abbott, a San Francisco married couple who solved murder mysteries. In the supporting cast were Jean Ellyn, Sydney Slon and Luis Van Rooten. Moving to 5:30pm in 1946, Les Tremayne and Alice Reinheart took over the roles until the end of the series on August 31, 1947. Seven years later, the characters returned October 3, 1954, on NBC in The Adventures of the Abbotts, broadcast on NBC Sunday evenings at 8:30pm. The Abbotts were portrayed by Claudia Morgan and Les Damon. The NBC series ran until June 12, 1955.

 

THIS EPISODE:

May 22, 1955. NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Clicking Silver Pen". Mandel Kramer, Claudia Morgan, Frances Crane (creator), Howard Merrill (writer), Dewey Bergman (composer, conductor), Ted Lloyd (producer), Bernard L. Schubert (producer), Harry Frazee (director, recordist), Wayne Howell (announcer). 30:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Suspense - The Case Against Loo Doc (01-07-52)

Suspense - "The Case Against Loo Doc" (Aired 01-07-52)

 

INTRO: Bob Plays Chad & Jeremy Everyone's Gone To The Moon (1966)

Suspense was one of the premier programs of the Golden Age of Radio (aka old-time radio), and advertised itself as "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." It was heard in one form or another from 1942 through 1962. There were approximately 945 episodes broadcast during its long run, over 900 of which are extant in mostly high-quality recordings. Suspense went through several major phases, characterized by different hosts, sponsors and director/producers. There were a few rules which were followed for all but a handful of episodes: Protagonists were usually a normal person suddenly dropped into a threatening or bizarre situation. Evildoers must be punished in the end.

THIS EPISODE:

24201. Suspense. January 07, 1952. CBS network. "The Case Against Loo Doc". Auto-Lite. A well-written story of the San Francisco Tong wars. Good radio, don't miss William Conrad's Chinese dialect. Jeff Chandler, William Conrad, Joseph Kearns, Lillian Buyeff, Jack Kruschen, Sam Edwards, Herb Butterfield, Byron Kane, Harlow Wilcox (commercial spokesman), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Lucien Moraweck (composer), Lud Gluskin (conductor), Richard George Pedicini (writer), Larry Thor (announcer), Bert Holland (commercial spokesman). 29:32. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The CBS Radio Workshop - "Billion Dollar Failure" (08-24-56)

The Billion Dollar Failure Of Figure Fallop (Aired August 24, 1956)

Beginning with CBS' Columbia Workshop from 1936 to 1947, CBS set out to experiment with Radio--to push that invisible envelope of the speed of sound, the speed of light, and to capitalize on the human listeners' comparitively narrow band of audible sound. Not so much experiment in terms of hardware technology, as in Radio's earliest efforts in 'broad casting' radio transmissions, but in concept, engineering, scoring and production technique. The most well-known and widely acclaimed proponent of these techniques was Norman Corwin. Corwin was so critically and popularly successful in experimental broadcasts that CBS gave him virtual carte blanche to produce whatever projects he deemed of possible interest--at least until the HUAC years anyway.

 

THIS EPISODE: 

 

August 24, 1956. CBS network. "The Billion Dollar Failure Of Figure Fallop". Sustaining. A very well-done tale about the day the devil hired a pollster to find out how many folks would be entrusted to his care in the next twenty years. Joseph Julian, Robert Dryden, Elaine Rost, Bob Hite (announcer). 29:30. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Murder By Experts - "The Case Of The Missing Mind" (12-26-49)

The Case Of The Missing Mind (Aired December 26, 1949)

INTRO: Bob Plays Kool & The Gang - "Joanna" (1983)

Murder By Experts was a radio drama anthology series that ran on American radio from 1949-1951, and was hosted first by John Dickson Carr, and later by Brett Halliday. Evidently, a mystery, authored by a leading crime fiction writer, was presented, and "guest experts," such as Alfred Hitchcock or Craig Rice, were invited to solve it. Or maybe not -- nobody seems to know much about this one. David Kogan, the writer/creator of Murder by Experts, also created and wrote The Mysterious Traveler. Guest experts: Alfred Hitchcock, Craig Rice. Guest stars: Ann Shepard, Larry Haines, Carl Eastman, Ann Sheperd, Bill Zuckert, Ralph Camargo, Burt Cullen, Lawson Zerbe, Marilyn Erskin.

THIS EPISODE:

December 26, 1949. Mutual network. "The Case Of The Missing Mind". Sustaining. A comedy about a Broadway character being driven mad by "Mr. Aladdin." John Dickson Carr (host), Carl Eastman, Ann Shephard, William Zuckert, Bert Cowlan, Ralph Camargo, Phil Tonken (announcer), Robert A. Arthur (producer, director), David Kogan (producer, director), Emerson Buckley (conductor), Craig Rice (guest expert), Joseph Ruscoll (writer). 30:41. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Big Town - "The Angel Of The Street" (10-19-48)

The Angel Of The Street (Aired October 19, 1948)

The stories were well written and directed by William N. Robson as well as McGill. The skill of this group shows in making the series very good radio. The show was a big promoter of the free press and the first amendment with its opening sequence: "Freedom of the press is a flaming sword! Use it justly...hold it high...guard it well!" The second series began immediately in the 1943 season when the production moved from Hollywood to New York. Robinson left (Trevor left two years earlier as her career starting taking off) and McGill reorganized the series placing Edward Pawley in the role of Wilson opposite Fran Carlon as Lorelei. Pawley's Wilson was more mellifluous compared to the rather nasty Robinson. The series' success continued on radio until 1952.

THIS EPISODE:

October 19, 1948. NBC network. "The Angel Of The Street". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso (Mercury-A-Day contest). "Violet, a lady of the streets, asks Steve Wilson to help Johnny Nolan. "Chick" Larson is luring him into a life of crime. Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Jerry McGill (writer, director). 30:41. Episode Notes From Boxcars711.

The Amos & Andy Show - "Adopting Andy" (09-16-47)

Adopting Andy (Aired September 16, 1947)

Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television. Amos and Andy began as one of the first radio comedy series, written and voiced by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll and originating from station WMAQ in Chicago. After the program was first broadcast in 1928, it grew to become a huge influence on radio series that followed. The show ran as a nightly radio serial from 1928 until 1943, as a weekly situation comedy from 1943 until 1955, and as a nightly disc-jockey program from 1954 until 1960. A television adaptation ran on CBS-TV from 1951 until 1953, and continued in syndicated reruns from 1954 until 1966.

THIS EPISODE:
 
September 16, 1947. "Adopting Andy" - Program #76. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Kingfish Adopts Andy". The Kingfish will inherit $2000...if he has a son. Andy becomes the lucky adoptee. The date is approximate. Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ernestine Wade, Jeff Alexander and His Orchestra, The Jubalaires, Eddie Green, Art Gilmore (announcer). 30:55. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Let George Do It - "The Tears Of Sorrow" (03-27-50)

The Tears Of Sorrow (Aired March 27, 1950)

INTRO: Bob Plays The Classics "Till Then" (1963)

As Valentine made his rounds in search of the bad guys, he usually encountered Brooksie's kid brother, Sonny (Eddie Firestone), Lieutenant Riley (Wally Maher) and elevator man Caleb (Joseph Kearns). For the first few shows, Sonny was George's assistant, but he was soon relegated to an occasional character. Sponsored by Standard Oil, the program was broadcast on the West Coast Mutual Broadcasting System from October 18, 1946 to September 27, 1954, first on Friday evenings and then on Mondays. In its last season, transcriptions were aired in New York, Wednesdays at 9:30pm, from January 20, 1954 to January 12, 1955. John Hiestand was the program's announcer. Don Clark directed the scripts by David Victor and Jackson Gillis. The background music was supplied by Eddie Dunstedter, initially with a full orchestra.

THIS EPISODE:

March 27, 1950. Mutual-Don Lee network. "The Tears Of Sorrow". Sponsored by: Standard Oil. A motel/restaurant in the desert is run by an angry cook and his wife, who has a wandering eye. A traveling salesman and a corpse in a silver coffin named Charley George Washington add to the fun. Bob Bailey, Virginia Gregg, Don Clark (director), Eddie Dunstedter (composer, presenter), Bud Hiestand (announcer), David Victor (writer), Jackson Gillis (writer), Alan Reed, Louise Arthur, Lawrence Dobkin, Walter Burke, Bill Bouchey. 29:16. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.