Broadway Is My Beat - "The Charles Crandall Murder Case" (05-12-51)

The Charles Crandall Murder Case (Aired May 12, 1951)

Broadway Is My Beat, a radio crime drama, ran on CBS from February 27, 1949 to August 1, 1954. With music by Robert Stringer, the show originated from New York during its first three months on the air, with Anthony Ross portraying Times Square Detective Danny Clover. John Dietz directed for producer Lester Gottlieb. Beginning with the July 7, 1949 episode, the series was broadcast from Hollywood with producer Elliott Lewis directing a new cast in scripts by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The opening theme of "I'll Take Manhattan" introduced Detective Danny Clover (now played by Larry Thor), a hardened New York City cop who worked homicide "from Times Square to Columbus Circle -- the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world." Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
May 12, 1951. "The Charles Crandall Murder Case" - CBS network. Sustaining. Charles Crandall is found murdered in an alley. He has no wallet, but he does have an expensive watch and a parking ticket! Charlie Crandall proves to be very much alive. Larry Thor, Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Alexander Courage (composer, conductor), Charles Calvert, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Jack Kruschen, Lou Merrill, Jeanette Nolan, Joe Walters (announcer), Adam Williams, Peggy Webber, Joy Terry. 29:38. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Box 13 - "The Philanthropist" (01-30-49)

The Philanthropist (Aired January 30, 1949)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Remembers Nat & Natalie Cole "Unforgetable" (1991)

Alan Ladd's early portrayals of Dan Holiday did tend to be a bit pat, somewhat sparse in depth, and even wooden in the beginning. Ladd hired some excellent voice talent for his project, and these superb, veteran Radio professionals set a pretty high bar for Ladd, himself. Box 13 is highly expositional, as are most programs of the genre, and Ladd's grovelly, gritty voice lends itself well to the production. But by Episode #6 it seems apparent that Alan Ladd was beginning to hit his stride in the role. What seems to get in the way for many reviewers of this program is its somewhat implausible premise. Dan Holiday was purportedly a successful fiction writer for the Star-Times news magazine who becomes disenchanted with the utter, mind-numbing routine of it. Dan Holiday opts out. He posts an ad reading "Go anywhere, Do anything, Write Box 13".

 

THIS EPISODE:

Ref# 8327. Box Thirteen. January 30, 1949. Program #24. Mutual network origination, Mayfair syndication. "The Philanthropist". Sponsored by: Commercials added locally. Dan Holiday takes to the hobo jungles to break an unusual and cruel racket. Alan Ladd, Edmond MacDonald, Richard Sanville (director), Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor), Russell Hughes (writer), Sylvia Picker, Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 27:43 Ref# 8327 Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Boston Blackie - "Death Wish" (10-01-47)

 Death Wish (Aired October 1, 1947)

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.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
 
October 1, 1947. Program #129. "Death Wish" - Mutual net origination, Ziv syndication. Commercials added locally. Jim Wells seems to have a death wish; he doesn't care about the killers threatening him! Blackie's girlfriend has been kidnapped! Richard Kollmar, Lesley Woods, Maurice Tarplin. 29:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Bold Venture - "Deadly Merchandise" (03-26-51)

Deadly Merchandise (Aired March 26, 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.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
Ref#-837. Bold Venture. March 26, 1951. Program #1. ZIV Syndication. "Deadly Merchandise". Sponsored by: Commercials added locally. Bogart plays Slate Shannon who owns a hotel in Havana and gets involved in intrigue with his beautiful sidekick "Sailor." Shannon and Sailor get involved with a shipment of arms for a planned revolution. But Shannon never picked up the "merchandise" in Key West, and two murders follow because he doesn't have the guns. The characters in this series are based on those in, "To Have and Have Not," which featured both Bogart and Bacall. The plot of this episode is based on the story of the film. The date above is noted as the first known broadcast of the first episode, but that is subject to correction. The title of the story is also subject to correction. These programs were heard on over 500 stations and were broadcast is no particular sequence at no particular time. Therefore no particular dates are assigned after program #1. David Rose (composer, conductor), Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Henry Hayward (director), Jay Novello (doubles), Tony Barrett, Eve McVeagh, Betty Lou Gerson, Peter Leeds, Jester Hairston. 25:40. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Blue Beetle - Dancing Ghosts Of Rocky Hill Two Parts. COMPLETE (Aired August 21, 1941)

Dancing Ghosts Of Rocky Hill Two Parts. COMPLETE (Aired August 21, 1941)

The Blue Beetle - Dancing Ghosts Of Rocky Hill Two Parts. COMPLETE (Aired August 21, 1941)

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. 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.

 

THIS EPISODE:

40371. The Blue Beetle. August 21, 1940. Program #41. Fox Features syndication. "The Dancing Ghosts Of Rocky Hills" Part one. Sponsored by: Commercials added locally. A ciphered message to the Blue Beetle sends him to a haunted house to investigate. 12:04.

40372. The Blue Beetle. August 23, 1940. Program #42. Fox Features syndication. "The Dancing Ghosts Of Rocky Hills" Part two. Sponsored by: Commercials added locally. The Blue Beetle solves the mystery of the dancing ghosts and a counterfeiting ring too!. 12:15.

Big Town - "Nightmare House" (01-11-49)

Nightmare House (Aired January 11, 1949)

Bob Camardella Remembers The Angels "Cry Baby Cry" (1962)

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 leaving only the television version (which began in 1950). (Thanks to Robert G. Corder, author of a new biography of Edward Pawley.)

 

THIS EPISODE:

January 11, 1949. NBC network. "Nightmare House". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso. Bill and Helen Barton have a new house on "Honeymoon Hill." The crooked builder of these houses stops at nothing when the homeowners complain about the construction...including arson and murder! Steve Wilson and Lorelei decide to investigate. The title of the next week's show is, "A Date With Death." Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Hugh James (announcer), Jerry McGill (writer, producer), Mason Adams. 29:16. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Beyond Midnight - "The Tangled Way" (1950)

The Tangled Way (1950) *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

 

The Tangled Way (1950) *The Exact Date Is Unknown. 

 

This series was written by Michael McCabe and was produced in South Africa. It was a replacement for another series McCabe produced, called SF68. That series adapted famous Sci-fi stories to radio, and it seems to have been the place where McCabe honed his craft. The subject matter to Beyond Midnight was more horror oriented, including madness, murder, and supernatural sleuths! What survives today doesn't involve a horror host per se, but a few include framing narration (by someone involved in the plot) while others just start up the story with no announcer or lead-in whatsoever. So it's possible the regular host or announcer was left off (edited out) of the recordings. The host-- if there was one-- may have only been heard by those who listened to this series when it first aired. It's another radio mystery we may never know for sure, but we're lucky to at least have some of the recordings!  Show Notes From Radio Horror Hosts.

Best Plays - "Night Must Fall" (12-21-52)

Night Must Fall (Aired December 21, 1952)

 

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays "Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready" (1965)

Listeners get a taste of plays from the Broadway stage in this anthology series. The featured works were from authors as talented and varied as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Noel Coward and William Shakespeare. Stars such as Vincent Price, Burgess Meredith, and Maureen Stapleton played roles in such notable dramas as The Glass Menagerie, Of Mice and Men and Macbeth. Plenty of comedies, including a performance of Arsenic and Old Lace starring Boris Karloff, were on the bill as well. As if to guarantee the show’s quality, it's host was John Chapman, a theater critic in New York City “where the American stage begins”.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
December 21, 1952. NBC network. "Night Must Fall". Sustaining. The program has also been dated November 19, 1952. John Chapman (host), Mary Boland, Alfred Drake, Emlyn Williams (author), Carmen Matthews, Richard Newton, Mary Michael, George Lefferts (adaptor, transcriber), Horace Braham, Cathleen Cordell, William Welch (supervisor), Fred Weihe (director), Robert Denton (announcer). 1:00.57. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Barry Craig Confidential Investigator - "Murder By Error" (07-13-54)

Murder By Error (Aired July 13, 1954)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays Peabo Bryson "Unconditional Love" (1999)

Like Sam Spade, Craig narrated his stories, in addition to being the leading character in this 30 minute show. Nearly sixty episodes are in trading circulation today William Gargan as a Detective (and an actor) If William Gargan brought an air of authenticity to his roles as a private detective, there were some good very reasons. His father was a bookmaker, so Gargan learned a lot about the gambling world and met a lot of interesting characters from across the spectrum of society. The main reason why Gargan was so convincing as a detective was that he was probably the only actor of his time who had actually been a private detective. He first worked as a credit investigator and collection agent for a clothing firm. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 
July 13, 1954. NBC network. "Murder By Error". Sustaining. The husband of a beautiful woman is being blackmailed for $10,000 by a strange looking midget. The case soon leads to diamond smuggling and murder! The system cue has been deleted. Arthur Jacobson (director), Edward King (announcer), Herb Vigran, William Gargan, John Roeburt (writer), Jeanne Bates, Herb Ellis, Hal Gerard, Julie Bennett. 29:42. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Barrel Of Fun - Charlie' s College Reunion (01-01-42)

Charlie' s College Reunion (Aired January 1, 1942)

Barrel of Fun was a comedy musical that ran from 1941 to 1942 and stars Charlie Ruggles who is a comedian and quick wit who loves to make endless quips. Ruggles was so versatile, he could play infants to old men and he also had one of theose famous rubbery faces. Charlie Ruggles was a comic American actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films. He was also the brother of director, producer, and silent actor Wesley Ruggles (1889–1972). From 1929, Ruggles appeared in talking pictures. His first was Gentleman of the Press in which he played a comic, alcoholic newspaper reporter.

 

THIS EPISODE:

January 1, 1942. Program #22. "Charlie's College Reunion" - Mutual network origination, syndicated. Music fill for local commercial insert. Charlie returns to his old alma mater for his twenty-fifth college reunion. The first tune is, "Until Tonight." Charles Ruggles, Benny Rubin, Verna Felton, Sara Berner, Jerry Hausner, Linda Ware, The Sportsmen, David Rose and His Orchestra, Art Gilmore (announcer). 29:45. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Avenger - "The Ghost Murders" (12-27-45)

The Ghost Murders (Aired December 27, 1945)

The Avenger is a fictional character whose original adventures appeared from 1939 to 1942 in The Avenger magazine, published by Street and Smith Publications. Five additional short stories were published in Clues Detective magazine from 1942 to 1943, and a sixth novelette in The Shadow magazine in 1943. Newly-written adventures were commissioned and published by Warner Brother's Paperback Library from 1973 to 1974. The Avenger was a pulp hero who combined elements of Doc Savage and The Shadow though he was never as popular as either of these characters. The authorship of the pulp series was credited by Street and Smith to Kenneth Robeson, the same byline that appeared on the Doc Savage stories. The "Kenneth Robeson" name was a house pseudonym used by a number of different Street & Smith writers. Most of the original Avenger stories were written by Paul Ernst.

 

THIS EPISODE:

 

December 27, 1945. Program #11. Michelson syndication. "The Ghost Murders". Music fill for local commercial insert. Charles Michelson (producer), Walter Gibson (writer), Ruth Braun (writer), Gilbert Braun (writer), James Monks, Helen Adamson, Alyn Edwards (announcer), Doc Whipple (organist). 30:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Author's Playhouse - "The Mysterious Stranger" (07-14-44)

The Mysterious Stranger (Aired July 14, 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.
 

THIS EPISODE:

July 14, 1944. NBC network. "The Mysterious Stranger". Sustaining. A fantasy about a boy who gets out of a sick bed of a day on the town with a strange yet somehow familiar man. Zachary Gold (writer). 28:30. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Arthur Godfrey Show - "Lipton Talent Scouts" (05-15-50)

Lipton Talent Scouts (05-15-50)

Godfrey's morning show was supplemented by a primetime variety show, Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts broadcasting from the CBS Studio Building at 49 East 52nd Street where he had his main office. This show, a showcase for rising young performers, was a slight variation of CBS's successful Original Amateur Hour. Some of the performers had made public appearances in their home towns and were recommended to Godfrey by friends or colleagues. These "sponsors" would accompany the performers to the broadcast and introduce them to Godfrey on the air. Two acts from the same 1948 broadcast were Wally Cox and The Chordettes. Both were big hits that night, and both were signed to recording contracts. Godfrey took special interest in The Chordettes, who sang his kind of barbershop-quartet harmony, and he soon made them part of his broadcasting and recording "family."

The Aldrich Family - "Mrs. Aldrich' s Antique Chairs" (01-17-49)

Mrs. Aldrich' s Antique Chairs (Aired January 17, 1949)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Remembers Gudy Garland's "Danny Boy" (1910)

The Aldrich Family was launched in its own series as a summer replacement program for Jack Benny in NBC's Sunday night lineup, July 2, 1939, and it stayed there until October 1, 1939, when it moved to Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., sponsored by General Foods's popular gelatin dessert Jell-O, which also sponsored Jack Benny at the time. The Aldriches ran in that slot from October 10, 1939 until May 28, 1940, moving to Thursdays, from July 4, 1940 until July 20, 1944. After a brief hiatus, the show moved to CBS, running on Fridays from September 1, 1944 until August 30, 1946 with sponsors Grape Nuts and Jell-O before moving back to NBC from September 5, 1946 to June 28, 1951 on Thursdays and, then, as a Sustaining program in its final run of September 21, 1952 to April 19, 1953 on Sundays.

 

THIS EPISODE:

January 17, 1949. "Mrs. Aldrich' s Antique Chairs" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Jell-O (Meredith Willson and His Talking People). Mrs. Aldrich has bought five antique dining room chairs at an auction. This leads Henry and Homer to conclude that the Aldrich's are in financial trouble. Ezra Stone, Jackie Kelk, Dan Seymour (announcer), Parker Fennelly, Patricia Joudry (writer), Dell Dinsdale (writer), Jack Miller, House Jameson, Katharine Raht, Clifford Goldsmith (creator), Meredith Willson. 25:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Alan Young Show - "The Stolen Pearl Necklace" (10-04-46)

The Stolen Pearl Necklace (Aired October 4, 1946)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays "The Impressions In 1958 (Jerry Butler)
REMASTERED Stereo

The Alan Young Show was a radio and television series presented in diverse formats over a nine-year period and starring Canadian-English actor Alan Young. It began on NBC radio as a summer replacement situation comedy in 1944, featuring vocalist Bea Wain. It moved to ABC with Jean Gillespie portraying Young's girlfriend Betty. The program was next broadcast by NBC for a 1946-47 run and was off in 1948. When it returned to NBC in 1949, Louise Erickson played Betty and Jim Backus was heard as snobbish playboy Hubert Updike III. In 1950 The Alan Young Show moved to television as a variety, sketch comedy show, taking an 11-month hiatus in 1952. When it returned for its final season in 1953, the tone and format of the show changed into the more conventional sitcom, with Young playing a bank teller with Dawn Addams cast as his girlfriend and Melville Faber portraying his son.

 

THIS EPISODE:

October 4, 1946. "The Stolen Pearl Necklace" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Ipana, Vitalis. After Alan gives Betty a pearl necklace, he discovers it's been stolen from wealthy Mrs. Van Skuffington! Alan Young, Charlie Cantor, Doris Singleton, Ken Christy, Jimmy Wallington (announcer), The Smart Set, Jim Backus, Elvia Allman, Jean Gillespie. 29:42. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The Honeymooners Full Episodes 16

 

Gleason's most popular character by far was blustery bus driver Ralph Kramden. Largely drawn from Gleason's harsh Brooklyn childhood, these sketches became known as The Honeymooners. The show was based on Ralph's many get-rich-quick schemes; his ambition; his antics with his best friend and neighbor, scatterbrained sewer worker Ed Norton; and clashes with his sensible wife, Alice, who typically pulled Ralph's head down from the clouds.

Gleason developed catchphrases he used on The Honeymooners, such as threats to Alice: "One of these days, Alice, pow! right in the kisser" and "Bang! Zoom! To the Moon Alice, to the Moon!"

X Minus One - "Chain Of Command" (11-21-56)

Chain Of Command (Aired November 21, 1956)

INTRO: Bob Camardella Plays Lou Rawls
"You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" (1976)

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

 

THIS EPISODE:

November 21, 1956. NBC network. "Chain Of Command". Sustaining. A funny story about intelligent mice living in a top secret laboratory. John Gibson, John McGovern, Ann Thomas, Alan Bunce, Wendell Holmes, Staats Cotsworth, Stephen Arr (author), George Lefferts (adaptor), Fred Collins (announcer), Daniel Sutter (director), William Welch (producer). 28:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater - "The Slick And The Dead" (01-23-76)

The Slick And The Dead (Aired January 23, 1976)

 

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (or CBSRMT) was an ambitious and sustained attempt to revive the great drama of old-time radio in the 1970s. Created by Himan Brown (who had by then become a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries and other shows dating back to the 1930s), and aired on affiliate stations across the CBS Radio network, the series began its long run on January 6, 1974. The final episode ran on December 31, 1982. 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?"

 

THIS EPISODE:

January 23, 1976. Program #420. CBS network. "The Slick and The Dead". Sponsored by: True Value Hardware, Luden's Cough Drops, Buick, Contac. E. G. Marshall (host), Ian Martin (writer), Russell Horton, Rosemary Rice, Mandel Kramer, Josephine Premice, Earl Hammond. 45:28. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.