The Weird Circle - "The Ghost's Touch" (09-17-44)

The Weird Circle - The Ghost's Touch (Aired September 17, 1944)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays Chacago "Just You And Me" (1973)

"The Weird Circle" was produced in New York City by the National Broadcasting Company, under the auspices of its Radio-Recording Division. Though best known for live programs over its Red and Blue Networks, NBC produced and recorded a great many shows for syndication to local stations, including such diverse dramatic programs as "Playhouse of Favorites", "Five Minute Mysteries", "Destiny Trails", and "Betty and Bob" (a five-a-week daily "soap opera" featuring Arlene Francis), as well as quarter-hour musical programs starring performers ranging from Carson Robison and his Buckaroos to Ferde Grofe and his Orchestra. The quality of these syndicated shows was, for the most part, consistent with NBC's regular prime-time fare and, a result, were often aired by local stations as either special features or programmed between other shows on the network at the time.

THIS EPISODE:
 
September 17, 1944. Program #42. NBC syndication. "The Ghost's Touch". Commercials added locally. A mad scientist has invented a process to kill all pain and is determined to try it out. The date is approximate. Wilkie Collins (author). 25:45. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Father Brown Mysteries - "The Arrow Of Heaven" (10-12-86)

The Arrow Of Heaven (Aired October 12, 1986)

Bob Camardella Plays Engelbert Humperdinck "A Man Without Love" (1968)

Father Brown is a short, stumpy Catholic priest, "formerly of Cobhole in Essex, and now working in London," with shapeless clothes and a large umbrella, and uncanny insight into human evil. He makes his first appearance in the famous story "The Blue Cross" and continues through the five volumes of short stories, often assisted by the reformed criminal Flambeau. Father Brown is characteristically humble, and is usually rather quiet, but when he does talk, he almost always says something profound. Although he tends to handle crimes with a steady, realistic approach, he believes in the supernatural as the greatest reason of all. Father Brown was the perfect vehicle for conveying Chesterton's view of the world and, of all of his characters, is perhaps closest to Chesterton's own point of view, or at least the effect of his point of view. Father Brown solves his crimes through a strict reasoning process more concerned with spiritual and philosophic truths rather than scientific details, making him an almost equal counterbalance with Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, whose stories Chesterton read and admired. However, the Father Brown series commenced before Chesterton's own conversion to Catholicism.

Walk Softly Peter Troy - "The Trouble With Tanya" (01-07-64)

The Trouble With Tanya (Aired January 7, 1964)

Walk Softly Peter Troy, Detective Drama, Aired on Springbok Radio from 10 December 1963 to 21 February 1964. This series was produced in the Durban Studios of Herrick Merril Productions. It starred Tom Meehan, John Simpson, and Merle Wayne. It was sponsored by Irving & Johnson, who also sponsored the "Gunsmoke" series which "Walk Softly, Peter Troy" replaced. A sequel to this series was heard on the English Radio Service from 19 May 1964 to 28 November 1964. This was the first series on the English Service that came from an independent production house, not produced by the SABC. There was an Australian version of this radio series produced prior to the South African productions.

 

THIS EPISODE:

January 7, 1964. Program #5. Springbok Radio (South African) origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Trouble With Tanya". Tanya inherits all from a hated relation with a heart condition...and that's her trouble. Tom Meehan, Herrick Merril (producer), John Simpson, Merle Wayne. 28:33. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman" - The Claim Jumpers (03-09-58)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Gentleman"
The Claim Jumpers (Aired March 9, 1958)

 

 

 

Television was already in reruns of the twenty to thirty western adventures that proliferated on TV during the 1950s. And it was stiff competition, to be sure. Gunsmoke had achieved off the chart ratings for years, and Have Gun, Will Travel was very much a thinking person's western. This takes nothing away from either John Dehner or Ben Wright's performances in the least. They were consistently top notch. But we'd venture to say that Frontier Gentleman is heard today by far more listeners than ever heard it when it was first broadcast. Be that as it may, it's the listeners of today that matter now. Frontier Gentleman consistently offers a wonderful variation on the western theme. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

 

THIS EPISODE:

March 9, 1958. CBS network. "The Claim-Jumpers". Sustaining. A widow has only a week to get a claim-jumper off her property, or she'll lose it all. The claim-jumper has problems of his own! The public service announcements have been partially deleted. The script was used again on the show on October 5, 1958. John Dehner, Virginia Gregg, Eddie Firestone, Tom Hanley (writer), Antony Ellis (producer, director), Richard Perkins, Charles Seel, Bud Sewell (announcer). 22:47. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Fat Man - "Murder Shows A Card" (1952)

Murder Shows A Card (1952) *The Exact Date Is Unknown. 

 

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
Stay (1960) #1 US Pop Chart

Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs were an American doo-wop/R&B vocal group in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Originally the (Royal) Charms, the band changed its name to the Gladiolas in 1957 andthe Excellos in 1958, before finally settling on the Zodiacs in 1959.

Maurice Williams was born 26 April 1938 in Lancaster, South Carolina.[1] His first experience with music was in the church, where his mother and sister both performed. By the time he was six, Williams was performing regularly there. With his childhood friend Earl Gainey, Williams formed the gospel group the Junior Harmonizers. As rock and roll and doo-wop became their primary interest, the Junior Harmonizers changed their name to the Royal Charms.

The series was created by Dashall Hammott and was first heard on the ABC network Jan. 21, 1946. J. Scott Smart fit the part of the Fat Man perfectly, weighing in at 270 pounds himself.  When he spoke, there was no doubt that this was the voice of a big guy.  Smart gave a witty, tongue-in-cheek performance and helped make THE FAT MAN one of the most popular detective programs on the  air. Smart also appeared in The March Of Time (early 1930s), the Theater Guild On The Air, Blondie, The Fred Allen Show, and The Jack Benny Program. There was also an version made in Australia, syndicated on the Artansa lable, about 1954.  There are at least 36 shows available from vendors.  The Australian Fat Man was played possibly by Lloyd Berrell. Although not featuring J. Scott Smart, who really fit the part, the series is quite good.
 

 

THIS EPISODE:

The Fat Man. 1952. ABC network. "Murder Shows A Card" Sponsored by: Pepto Bismol, Unguentine. - J. Scott Smart, Dick Beals (commercial spokesman), Clark Andrews (director), Bernard Green (conductor), Bryna Raeburn, Charles Irving (announcer), Lawrence Klee (writer), Jean Ellen. 25:59. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Jack Carson Show - "Building Materials" (11-20-46)

 

Building Materials (Aired November 20, 1946)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays Paul Anka  "Lonely Boy"
(#1 in July 1959 on the ABC-Paramount label)

During the 1930s, as vaudeville went into decline owing to increased competition from radio and the movies, Willock and Carson sought work in Hollywood, initially landing bit roles at RKO. The radio also proved to be a source of employment for the team following a 1938 appearance on the Kraft Music Hall during Bing Crosby's period as program host. This led to a number of other appearances which would culminate in Carson's own radio show in 1943. From 1950-51, Carson was one of four alternating hosts of NBC's "4 Star Revue." Other hosts that season were Jimmy Durante, Ed Wynn. and Danny Thomas. The show aired Wednesday evenings. Carson's second season was his last with the comedy-variety program when its title was changed to "All Star Revue.

 

THIS EPISODE:

November 20, 1946. CBS network. Sponsored by: Campbell's Soup. Jack is planning to raise chickens and farm for eggs, but there's a shortage of "Building Materials" at an affordable price for the coop. Jack Carson, Arthur Treacher, Freddy Martin and His Orchestra, Dave Willock, Del Sharbutt (announcer), Norma Jean Nilsson, Irene Ryan. 29:46. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Jack Benny Show "Day Of Infamy" December 07, 1941

Jack Benny Show "Day Of Infamy" Aired December 7, 1941

Jack Benny Show "Day Of Infamy" Aired December 7, 1941

The "Day of Infamy" speech, sometimes referred to as just "The Infamy speech", was delivered by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, to a joint session of Congress on December 8, 1941. The previous day, the Empire of Japan attacked the United States military bases at the Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Philippines, and declared war on the United States and the British Empire. The speech is known for its first line: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy..."On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service aircraft in a surprise military strike, destroying various American ships and aircraft, and killing over 2,400 civilians and military personnel. After consulting with his cabinet, Roosevelt decided to deliver an address before the joint session of the Congress the next day.

Roosevelt's speech was worded to reinforce his portrayal of the United States as a victim of unprovoked Japanese aggression and appealed to patriotism rather than to idealism. Roosevelt employed the idea of kairos, which relates to speaking promptly. It made the speech powerful and rhetorically important. According to author Sandra Silberstein, Roosevelt's speech followed a well-established tradition of how "through rhetorical conventions, presidents assume extraordinary powers as the commander in chief, dissent is minimized, enemies are vilified, and lives are lost in the defense of a nation once again united under God."

The speech had an immediate positive response and long-lasting impact. It is one of the most famous speeches of American politics. It was broadcast live by radio and attracted the largest audience in American radio history, with over 81% of people tuning in to hear the speech. Soon after the speech, Congress almost unanimously declared war against Japan, formally entering World War II.

Walk Softly Peter Troy - "The Second Peter Troy" (03-24-64)

Pandora's Boxer (Aired March 24, 1964)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays Frank Sinatra "Lucky Old Sun" (1949)

Walk Softly, Peter Troy Detective Drama Aired on Springbok Radio from 10 December 1963 to 21 February 1964. This series was produced in the Durban Studios of Herrick Merril Productions. It starred Tom Meehan, John Simpson, and Merle Wayne. It was sponsored by Irving & Johnson, who also sponsored the "Gunsmoke" series which "Walk Softly, Peter Troy" replaced. A sequel to this series was heard on the English Radio Service from 19 May 1964 to 28 November 1964. The sponsors, Irving & Johnson, reportedly disliked the series, which is why it was discontinued on Springbok Radio and moved to the English Service. This was the first series on the English Service that came from an independent production house, not produced by the SABC. There was an Australian version of this radio series produced prior to the South African productions.

 

THIS EPISODE:

March 24, 1964. Program #16. Springbok Radio (South Africa), AFRTS rebroadcast. The Second Peter Troy". Tom Meehan, Herrick Merril (producer), John Simpson, Merle Wayne. 24:56. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

"Shore Leave and The Unhappy Wife" (09-25-47)

 Shore Leave and The Unhappy Wife (09-25-47)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays The Capris "Moon Out Tonight" (1958)

First heard on Mutual featuring Elliott Lewis, who as Leonard Maltin writes in "The Great American Broadcast, "…wore every hat imaginable-actor, producer, and director-also penned a good number of scripts for series he supervised, including Suspense." And Maltin says of this show, "On the terrific late-1940's high-adventure series The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen he held down both jobs simultaneously as director and star." As Maltin continues, “Lewis had the ability to make you believe whatever he said. Cast as the skipper on the high-adventure series The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen, he was completely convincing as seagoing ship's master Philip Carney-never corny or overblown." So let a master captain of drama chart a course to exotic ports of call and thrilling adventures. All you have to do is step aboard The Scarlet Queen.

THIS EPISODE:


September 25, 1947. Mutual network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Shore Leave and The Unhappy Wife". A meeting at last with Mr. Kang and a description of the Chinese treasure. Murder in Singapore follows, helped by the seductive Mrs. Marlowe. System cue deleted. Elliott Lewis, Edwin Max, Gil Doud (writer), Robert Tallman (writer), Richard Aurandt (music), James Burton (producer), William Johnstone, Charles Arlington (announcer). 29:23. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

 

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays The Capris "Moon Out Tonight" (1958)

Vanishing Point - "The Third Bank Of The River" (04-05-85)

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

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) began airing a fascinating range of classic, mystery, comedy, documentary, and supernatural drama throughout the 1970s to 1990s to a steadily expanding audience--both in Canada and throughout the northern portions of the U.S. The CBC's extensive Radio offerings were a fairly even mix of organic dramas and comedies showcasing Canada's own great actors, writers and production talent, as well as several popular transcribed, syndicated features from throughout the British Empire and the United States. Indeed many of America's most beloved, popular, versatile and award-winning character actors, musicians, and comedians were Canadian citizens who'd honed their craft in all manner of original Canadian Radio drama. 

Vanishing Point - (Show One of Two) In The Groove (11-04-85)

 In The Groove (Aired November 4, 1985)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays The Earls - "Remember Then" (1962)

Vanishing Point is the title of a science fiction anthology series that ran on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  Radio from 1984 until 1986, although the show would continue under different names and formats. A descriptive intro declared that Vanishing Point. The series was produced by Bill Lane in the CBC's Toronto studios. 1984-1986 There were 69 episodes in the original series. The series continued after that under various names and formats. "The point between reality and fantasy. Where imagination holds the key to new worlds. That point of no return---The Vanishing Point." Favorably compared to Rod Sterling's classic TV series, The Twilight Zone, these finely tuned radio dramas from the CBC provide compelling excursions into the realm of mystery and fantasy.

 

The Unexpected - "2 Episodes" (8-22-48) and (8-29-48)

The Unexpected - 2 Episodes (8-22-48) and (8-29-48)

The fifteen minute format lends itself to quickly drawn weird stories, with a twist ending, so that the listener gets a sudden shock, like all good scary tales should deliver. The trick is to make the "unexpected" something the listen doesn't expect. Excellent actors like Barry Sullivan, Lurene Tuttle and Virginia Gregg, who played Helen Asher in The Adventures of Richard Diamond, make the quickie a little less abrupt. Director Frank Danzig kept the show, for the most part, on the highroad to thrilling, like Suspense, Lights Out, or Quiet Please that came before The Unexpected.

 

TODAY'S SHOW:

August 22, 1948 - Hamilton Whitney syndication. "Sweet Sixteen". Music fill for local commercial insert. A spiteful teenager decides she wants to become rich and famous and finds herself surrounded by wealth, almost. The date is approximate. Lurene Tuttle. 15 minutes.

August 29, 1948 - Hamilton Whitney syndication. "Shipwreck".  Music fill for local commercial insert. A ship's Captain needs money fast, and decides to scuttle his ship to get it. The date is approximate. Jack Holt. 15 minutes.

The Secrets Of Scotland Yard - "Bank Of England Robbery" (10-05-53)

Bank Of England Robbery (Aired October 5, 1953)

The only current evidence we have of Secrets of Scotland Yard's first commercial airing was via the Radio Listings for Radio Lourenço Marques dating from May 1950, combined with David Goldin's meticulously compiled database of Radio recordings from both electrical transcription and tape at his RadioGOLDINdex. Those E.T. numbers, combined with the publish date of the Lourenço Marques listing would tend to support the hypothesis of a unique run of at least 110 episodes which, if aired in E.T. order, might have begun airing over LM Radio as early as December 1948. The first 'sanctioned' broadcasts of Secrets of Scotland Yard were heard over Canada's CBC Radio station CJOB, from approximately May 24, 1950 through approximately November 30, 1953. The Canadian broadcasts appear to have been a somewhat smaller subset of the original set of transcriptions, comprising a run of some 106 episodes, versus the theoretical entire run of 110. The first American broadcasts of Secrets of Scotland Yard were heard over The Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) and its loose confederation of independent affiliates throughout the United States. The MBS run began airing as early as March 7, 1957 over a Florida affiliate and ran weekly through June 12, 1958 at varying times and days. The MBS subset of the series encompassed only some 66 of the original programs. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

In The Name Of The Law - "Who Killed Frances Baumhold ?" (06-07-36)

Who Killed Frances Baumhold ? (Aired June 7, 1936)

In the Name of the Law was a True Crime radio show from 1936. It says "In the name of the law, we bring you another of the thrilling stories in this exciting series, taken from actual police case files. "In the name of the Law, we bring you another of the thrilling stories in this exciting series, taken from actual police case files."Two home invaders pick the wrong house and force the home owner (John Snyder) to take them to the targeted neighbors, two elderly brothers who were rumored to have cash and bonds. During the hold up, one of the brothers was shot to death. An angry town insisted on immediate results. The State Police joined the local Sherif and the search was on.

 

THIS EPISODE:

June 7, 1936. Syndicated. Commercials added locally. Who Killed Frances Baumhold?  A complex family relationship. Poor Aunt Frances?. 25:21. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

I Was A Communist For The FBI - "Rhapsody In Red" (08-19-53)

I Was A Communist For The FBI - "Rhapsody In Red" (08-19-53)

 

Rhapsody In Red (Aired June 19, 1953)

Throughout most of the 1940's, Matt Cvetic worked as a volunteer undercover agent for the FBI, infiltrating the Communist Party in Pittsburgh. In 1949, his testimony helped to convict several top Party members of conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government. Cvetic sold his account to "The Saturday Evening Post" and it was serialized under the title "I Posed as a Communist for the FBI". It later became a best-selling book. In 1951, Warner Brothers released a film based on these accounts entitled "I Was A Communist For The FBI", starring with Frank Lovejoy as Cvetic. In 1952, in the midst of the Red scare of the 1950's, the Frederick W. Ziv Company produced the syndicated radio series with the same title as the movie. It was produced without assistance from the FBI, which refused to cooperate. I Was a Communist for the FBI consisted of 78 episodes syndicated by the Frederick W. Ziv Company to more than 600 stations, including KNX in Los Angeles, California, with original episodes running from April 23, 1952 to October 14, 1953.

The Twilight Zone - "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (01-24-64) AUDIO ONLY

Number 12 Looks Just Like You (Aired January 24, 1964) AUDIO ONLY

Throughout the 1950s, Rod Serling had established himself as one of the hottest names in television, equally famous for his success in writing televised drama as he was for criticizing the medium's limitations. His most vocal complaints concerned the censorship frequently practiced by sponsors and networks. "I was not permitted to have my Senators discuss any current or pressing problem," he said of his 1957 production 'The Arena', intended to be an involving look into contemporary politics. "To talk of tariff was to align oneself with the Republicans; to talk of labor was to suggest control by the Democrats. To say a single thing germane to the current political scene was absolutely prohibited." Twilight Zone’s writers frequently used science fiction as a vehicle for social comment; networks and sponsors who had infamously censored all potentially "inflammatory" material from the then predominant live dramas were ignorant of the methods developed by writers such as Ray Bradbury for dealing with important issues through seemingly innocuous fantasy. Frequent themes include nuclear war, mass hysteria, and McCarthyism, subjects that were strictly forbidden on more "serious" prime-time drama.

 

 THIS EPISODE:

 

January 24, 1964. "Number 12 Looks Just Like You." In the future  year 2000, science has made advances that allow each person to choose how the look. Pick a number and "Presto". Rod Serling. Richard Long, Pamela Austin, Suzy Parker. Director: Abner Biberman. Writing: Charles Beaumont and John Tomerlin. 25:15.  Episode Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod.

Starlight Mystery Theater - Passage To Tangiers (11-08-64)

Starlight Mystery Theater - Passage To Tangiers (11-08-64)

Mathew Slade Private Investigator

Mathew Slade: Private Investigator was a featured, half-hour mystery presentation by The Pacifica Players of Pacifica Radio of Berkeley, California and the Pacifica Foundation of North Hollywood, California. It premiered as a Starlight Mystery Theater production on July 5, 1964 over Pacifica Radio affiliate stations. Initially announced for alternating Sundays, the program soon began airing in erratic installments from August through November of 1964. Starring William Wintersole as Mathew Slade, the program was billed as a radio mystery revival series from the outset, presented in recognition of the hundreds of popular detective mysteries that had aired throughout The Golden Age of Radio. Show Notes From The Digital Deli.
 

THIS EPISODE:

16497. Mathew Slade, Private Investigator. Aired November 08, 1964. KPFK, Los Angeles origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Passage To Tangiers". A good story about a treasure hunt into the Moroccan desert. The program is also known as: "The Starlight Mystery Theatre.". William Wintersole, Brian Adams (writer, director), Robert Frederick (writer). 25 minutes.

Top Secret - "A Package In Tangiers" (06-25-50)

A Package In Tangiers (Aired June 25, 1950)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays The Beetles 

"Till There Was You" (Decca Records)  01-01-62 #3 Hit From The Sound Of Music

The role played by Ilona Massey, a Hungarian-born actress, was created in her likeness, which included her sultry voice and her heavy accent. As a government agent, Massey witnesses train murders, orders poisoned glasses of brandy, and examines the tattoos on a rebellious pigeon. She travels to Tangiers, London, and discovers Nazi spy rings in Berlin. Pack your suitcase, slip into your designer incognito clothiers, and cut your tongue out because Ilona Massey is ready to take you on the top secret mission of a lifetime!6-12-50 to 10-26-50 NBC, various 30 minute timeslots. STAR: Ilona Massey as a Mata Hari-style operative in World War II.  ORCHESTRAL: Roy Shield. WRITER-DIRECTOR: Harry W. Junkin. Top secret was highly effective, said Radio Life: the role played by the Hungarian actress was “tailor-made for her sultry voice and heavy accent”

 

THIS EPISODE:

June 25, 1950. Program #3. NBC network. "A Package In Tangiers". Sustaining. "The Baroness" risks her position as the personal maid to Frau Goring to travel to "The Bazaar Of The Singing Fountain" to find the twelve-year-old boy with the gray hair! The story has a complex, convoluted plot. Ilona Massey is always described as "gorgeous." The series was a summer replacement for, "The American Album Of Familiar Music." Allan Sloane (writer), Bernard Grant, Bryna Raeburn, Carl Emory, Earl Hammond, Fred Collins (announcer), Harry W. Junkin (writer), Ilona Massey, Luis Van Rooten, Roy Shield (composer, conductor), Tommy Frederick. 29:37. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.