Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - My Friend Irma "Fake Fur Coat" (06-13-47)

Fake Fur Coat (Aired June 13, 1947)


In 1947 Marie Wilson starred in the radio sitcom "," throughout its radio run, in a 1952-54 television series and in two films that introduced the new comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Her open, grinning face belying her age, Wilson continued doing her dumb-blonde act into the 1960s, starring in summer stock and dinner-theater productions of Born Yesterday and appearing in commercials. Marie Wilson's last TV assignment was a voice-over role in the 1970 animated cartoon series Where's Huddles?; two years later, she died of cancer at the age of 56. Marie Wilson is, of course, Irma Peterson. The "friend" narrator Jane is played by Cathy Lewis (wife of Elliot Lewis, "Remley" on Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show). John Brown is Irma's boyfriend Al. Professor Kropotkin is played by the hilarious Hans Conreid. Irma's boss, Mr. Clyde, is played by Alan Reed.

THIS EPISODE:

June 13, 1947. CBS network. "The Fur Coat". Sustaining. Irma's fur coat. Easy come, easy go! Alan Reed (?), Cathy Lewis, Cy Howard (writer, producer, director), Hans Conried, Irene Tedrow, John Brown, Lud Gluskin and His Orchestra, Marie Wilson, Maurie Webster (announcer), Parke Levy (writer), Stanley Adams (writer), Terry O'Sullivan, The Sportsmen. 29:21.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Fibber McGee & Molly "Fibber Cuts Down Jesse James Tree" (01-17-50)

Fibber Cuts Down Jesse James Tree (Aired January 17, 1950)


Fibber McGee and Molly premiered in 1935. The program struggled in the ratings until 1940, when it became a national sensation. Within three years, it was the top-rated program in America. Few radio shows were more beloved than Fibber McGee and Molly. The program’s lovable characters included Mayor LaTrivia, Doc Gamble, Mrs. Uppington, Wallace Wimple, Alice Darling, Gildersleeve, Beulah, Myrt, and the Old Timer. 79 Wistful Vista was one of America’s most famous addresses and Molly’s warning to Fibber not to open the hall closet door (and his subsequent decision to do it) created one of radio’s best remembered running gags that audiences expected each week. Jim Jordan (Fibber) was born on a farm on November 16, 1896, near Peoria, Illinois. Marian Driscoll (Molly), a coal miner’s daughter, was born in Peoria on November 15, 1898. After years of hardship and touring in obscurity on the small-time show biz circuit, they arrived in Chicago in 1924, where they eventually performed on thousands of shows and developed 145 different voices and characters. Broadcast to the nation from WMAQ/Chicago, the show entertained America until March 1956, and continued on NBC’s Monitor until 1959. Jim Jordan died on April 1, 1988. Marian Jordan died on April 7, 1961. Fibber McGee and Molly was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989. First Broadcast date April 16, 1935. Last Broadcast date September 6, 1959.

THIS EPISODE:

January 17, 1950. NBC network. Sponsored by: Johnson's Wax. Fibber tries to cut down an old oak tree (traced back to Jesse James), for a "free" supply of firewood. Arthur Q. Bryan, Bill Thompson, Billy Mills and His Orchestra, Cliff Arquette, Don Quinn (writer), Elvia Allman, Gale Gordon, Harlow Wilcox, Herb Vigran, Jim Jordan, Marian Jordan, Phil Leslie (writer), Richard LeGrand, The King's Men. 29:40.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Nick Carter Master Detective "Midway Murders" (08-01-48)

Midway Murders (Aired August 1, 1948)


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). The supporting cast included Raymond Edward Johnson, Bill Johnstone and Bryna Raeburn. Michael Fitzmaurice was the program's announcer. The series ended on September 25, 1955. Chick Carter, Boy Detective was a serial adventure that aired weekday afternoons on Mutual. Chick Carter, the adopted son of Nick Carter, was played by Bill Lipton (1943-44) and Leon Janney (1944-45). The series aired from July 5, 1943 to July 6, 1945.

THIS EPISODE:

August 1, 1948. Mutual network. "The Case Of The Midway Murders". Sponsored by: Old Dutch Cleanser, Del Rich Margarine. An escaped convict, a roller coaster corpse, and an enraged ape (Gorilla My Dreams?). Lon Clark. 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Halls Of Ivy "Traffic & Cocoanuts" (04-21-50)

Traffic & Cocoanuts (Aired April 21, 1950)


The Halls of Ivy was an NBC radio sitcom that ran from 1950-1952. It was created by Fibber McGee & Molly co-creator/writer Don Quinn before being adapted into a CBS television comedy (1954-55) produced by ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America. Quinn developed the show after he had decided to leave Fibber McGee & Molly. The audition program featured radio veteran Gale Gordon (then co-starring in Our Miss Brooks) and Edna Best in the roles that ultimately went to British husband-and-wife actors Ronald Colman and Benita Hume. The Colmans had shown a flair for radio comedy in recurring roles on The Jack Benny Program in the late 1940s, and they landed the title roles in the new show. The Halls of Ivy featured Colman as William Todhunter Hall, the president of small, Midwestern Ivy College, and his wife, Victoria, a former British musical comedy star who sometimes felt the tug of her former profession, and followed their interactions with students, friends and college trustees. Others in the cast included Herbert Butterfield as testy Clarence Wellman, Willard Waterman (then starring as Harold Peary's successor as The Great Gildersleeve) as John Merriweather, and Elizabeth Patterson and Gloria Gordon as the Halls' maid.

THIS EPISODE:

April 21, 1950. Traffic & Cocoanuts - NBC network. Sponsored by: Schlitz Beer. Dr. Hall isn't feeling well and Victoria is off to the drugstore. Memories of his courtship are sparked by a record of his wife singing. The date is subject to correction. Benita Hume, Don Quinn (creator, writer), Eric Snowden, Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Nat Wolff (director), Ronald Colman, Willard Waterman. 29:20.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Bold Venture "Robbery By Joe Ralston" (1951)

Robbery By Joe Ralston (1951)

The Hollywood husband and wife team of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall set sail for adventure in the Bold Venture radio series in early 1951. There were well over 400 stations that aired the program. Since this was syndicated * the starting date varied from station to station but Mar 26, 1951 was the official date of the first show. Humphrey Bogart portrayed Slate Shannon, owner of a rundown Havana hotel, Shannon's Place. The action took place on land as well aboard Slate's boat, The Bold Venture, thus the title of the series. Lauren Bacall was his ward Sailor Duval, a stubborn and flirtatious young woman whose late father had willed her to Slate for her protection. Together the duo found adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance in the sultry settings of tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - Sundown Valley (04-24-53)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Frontier Town" - Sundown Valley (Aired April 24, 1953)


Chad Remington, played by Jeff Chandler for the first 23 shows, was a two fisted lawyer in the town of Dos Rios. Chad's sidekick, Cherokee O'Bannon, played by Wade Crosby, who performed his role in a WC Fields dialect. Mr. Chandler remained in the lead role for the first 23 shows and was replaced by Reed Hadley who played Remington until the end of the series. FRONTIER TOWN was a syndicated Western that ran through the 1952-1953 season.

THIS EPISODE:

April 24, 1953. Program #31. Broadcasters Program Syndicate/Bruce Eells and Associates syndication. "Sundown Valley". Music fill for local commercial insert. Violet Kennedy and her young son are being run out of Sundown Valley by an unscrupulous rancher. A broken leg, a landslide and a wedding soon follow! The date is approximate. Reed Hadley, Howard McNear, Wade Crosby, Ivan Ditmars (composer, conductor), Bill Forman (announcer), Bruce Eells (producer), Paul Franklin (writer, director). 30:05.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Authors Playhouse "The Mysterious Stranger" (07-14-44)

The Mysterious Stranger (Aired July 14, 1944)


Author’s Playhouse - Famous stories by celebrated authors: among them, Elementals (Stephen Vincent Benet), The Piano (William Saroyan), and The Snow Goose (Paul Gallico).March 5, 1941 till June 4, 1945, NBC; Blue Network until mid-October 1941, then the Red Network. Many briefly held 30m timeslots, including Sundays at 11:30, 1941-42; Wednesdays at 11:30, 1942-44; Mondays at 11:30, 1944-45. Sponsor was Philip Morris, 1942-43. Cast: John Hodiak, Fern Persons, Arthur Kohl, Laurette Fillbrandt, Kathryn Card, Bob Jellison, Nelson Olmsted, Marvin Miller, Olan Soule, Les Tremayne, Clarence Hartzell, Curley Bradley, etc. Orchestra: Rex Maupin, Roy Shield, J6seph Gallicchio. Creator: Wynn Wright. Directors: Norman Felton, Fred Weihe, Homer Heck, etc.

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). 1/2 hour.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Cloak & Dagger "Direct Line To Bombers" (06-25-50)

Direct Line To Bombers (Aired June 25, 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:

June 25, 1950. NBC network. "Direct Line To Bombers". Sustaining. 4:00 P. M. Two spies for the O. S. S. enter Berlin with walkie talkies to guide Allied bombers attacking the city. Lily Darvas, Berry Kroeger, Michael Artist, Karl Weber, Jerry Jarrett, Bobby Weil, Brad Barker, Winifred Wolfe (writer), Jack Gordon (writer), Corey Ford (originator), Alistair MacBain (originator), Alfred Hollander (producer), Sherman Marks (director, supervisor), William Zuckert, Everett Sloane, Raymond Edward Johnson, Jon Gart (music director), Louis G. Cowan (producer). 29:28.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - The Gambler (10-07-56)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - The Gambler (Aired October 7, 1956)


The radio show first aired on April 26, 1952 and ran until June 18, 1961 on the CBS radio network. The series starred William Conrad as Marshal Matt Dillon, Howard McNear as Doc Charles Adams, Georgia Ellis as Kitty Russell, and Parley Baer as Deputy Chester Proudfoot. Doc's first name and Chester's last name were changed for the television program. Gunsmoke was notable for its critically acclaimed cast and writing, and is commonly regarded as THE true adult western and one of the finest old time radio shows. Conrad was the first choice to play Dillon on television, having established the role, but his increasing obesity led to more photogenic actors being considered; losing the role he'd created embittered Conrad for many years to come. Raymond Burr was considered, but he too was seen as too heavyset for the part. Rumors that the part was offered to John Wayne have been largely debunked.

THIS EPISODE:

October 7, 1956. CBS network. "The Gambler". Sponsored by: L & M. A riverboat gambler named Jim Ascombe comes to Dodge to kill Jim Cass...why? William Conrad, Howard McNear, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Lawrence Dobkin, Ralph Moody, John Dunkel (writer), George Walsh (announcer). 25:26.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Rocky Fortune "Rodeo Murder" (01-12-54)

Rodeo Murder (Aired January 12, 1954)


"Rocky Fortune" about a wanderer that took odd jobs to support himself and never stayed in one place too long. He almost always seemed to meet beautiful women along with trouble. Sinatra was good and was proving to Hollywood that he could do serious work. When casting began for the movie "From Here To Eternity", Frank campaigned tirelessly for a part and because of that and a good word put in for him by Gardner, who he was now separated from, he won a part that would mark his return to Hollywood. Sadly for us, it also meant he didn't have time to do radio and "Rocky Fortune" was rather short lived, although it was popular. It only ran from 1953 - 1954, but" It was a very good year".

THIS EPISODE:

January 12, 1954. "Rodeo Murder" - NBC network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. Rocky is framed for murder at the rodeo. Tony Barrett, Ernest Kinoy (writer), Dan Riss, Marion Richman, Andrew C. Love (director), Frank Sinatra, Don Diamond. 25 minutes.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Bickersons "Two Episodes From 1947"

Two Episodes "The New Puppy" and "The Movie" (1947)*The Exact Dates Are Unknown


The Bickersons was an American radio comedy program that aired from 1946 to 1951. Born as a recurring skit on The Chase and Sanborn Hour and refined on the lesser-remembered Drene Time variety show, it stood the already-typical domestic presentation of radio and its infant offspring, television, so squarely on its head that there were those who feared the show. The show's married protagonists spent nearly all their time together in relentless verbal war, and many people believed that the show's sourly cynical take on the institution of marriage was more than merely detrimental to the nation's post-World War II health. (The same kind of charges of "detrimental" were later leveled against programs such as Married... with Children and The Simpsons.) The Bickersons was created by Philip Rapp, the one-time Eddie Cantor writer who had also created the Fanny Brice skits (for The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air and Maxwell House Coffee Time) that grew into radio's Baby Snooks. Several years after the latter established itself a long-running favourite, Rapp developed and presented John and Blanche Bickerson, first as a short sketch on The Old Gold Show and The Chase and Sanborn Hour (the show that made stars of Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy), and then as a 15-minute situational sketch as part of Drene Time. This was a variety show starring Don Ameche and singer-actress Frances Langford as co-hosts, airing on NBC and sponsored by Drene Shampoo. Announcing the show—and later familiar to television viewers as The Millionaire's presenter and executive secretary, Michael Anthony—was Marvin Miller. Drene Time typically opened with Langford singing a big band-style arrangement before Ameche and Langford would slip into routine comedy, often aided by co-star (and future Make Room for Daddy star) Danny Thomas, in routines that often hooked around Ameche's frustration that Thomas seemed more interested in modern technology and discoveries than in women.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" A Shot In The Dark (04-02-52)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Wild Bill Hickock" A Shot In The Dark (Aired April 2, 1952)


This juvenile western followed the same format as the TV show of the same name that ran throughout the same years. This format certainly was not new as the charismatic hero and comic side-kick was something that had been done before with Hopalong Cassidy and The Cisco Kid, and to some extent with the Lone Ranger. FIRST BROADCAST: May 17, 1951 LAST BROADCAST: February 12, 1956 SPONSORS: Kellog CAST: Guy Madison and Andy Devine. ANNOUNCERS: Charlie Lyon PRODUCERS/DIRECTORS: Paul Pierce.

THIS EPISODE:

April 2, 1952. Program #66. Mutual network. "A Shot In The dark". Sponsored by: Kellogg's Sugar Corn Pops. Wild Bill investigates a plan to take California away from the United States. The system cue is added live. Guy Madison, Andy Devine, Charles Lyon (announcer), Richard Aurandt (music), David Hire (producer), Paul Pierce (director), Larry Hayes (writer), Lillian Buyeff, Tony Barrett, Harry Bartell, Ted de Corsia, Jack Moyles. 25:01.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - It's A Crime Mr. Collins "Death Wore Green" (1956)

Death Wore Green (1956)


Gail Collins, the wife of famous detective Greg Collins, tells of her adventures as she and her husband travel the world solving crime. She offers her female inside to her friend, Jack. "When your favorite perfume doesn’t put your husband in the mood, wouldn’t you be furious?” “Even though my husband is a famous private detective, I get tired of men throwing bullets at his head and women throwing themselves at his feet” “After all, how would you feel if you if your husband had a fan in San Francisco, but that fan belonged to a fan dancer.” Although the show seemed quite popular, it lasted only one season. Competition was aggresive, the Golden Age of Radio was filled with detective and police stories - stories about licensed (and unlicensed) "private eyes", insurance investigators, police detectives and amateur sleuths.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Boston Blackie "The Escaped Prisoner" (05-28-46)

The Escaped Prisoner (May 28, 1946)


The Boston Blackie radio series, also starring Morris, began June 23, 1944, on NBC as a summer replacement for The Amos 'n' Andy Show. Sponsored by Rinso, the series continued until September 15 of that year. Unlike the concurrent films, Blackie had a steady romantic interest in the radio show: Lesley Woods appeared as Blackie's girlfriend Mary Wesley. Harlow Wilcox was the show's announcer. On April 11, 1945, Richard Kollmar took over the title role in a radio series syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv to Mutual and other network outlets. 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 and continuing in repeats over the following decade.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Blair Of the Mounties "2 Episodes From 1938"

"The Goose Lake Robbery" (Aired June 20, 1938) and "Ching Wo At The Landing" (Aired July 11, 1938)


Blair of the Mounties is the story of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police -- a fictional series based on the work of the Northwest Mounted Police before the World War I. It was a fifteen minute weekly serial heard every Monday for 36 weeks beginning January 31st, 1938 and running through the 3rd of October of 1938. It may have been on the air as early as 1935, although there’s no actual proof of this. Little is known of the series other than it followed the exploits of Sgt. Blair of the Northwest Mounted Police. and probably was the inspiration for Trendell, Campbell and Muir's Challenge of the Yukon. The series was written by Colonel Rhys Davies, who also played the Colonel Blair in the series. Jack Abbot played the Constable. Jack French, one of OTR’s best researchers says this about the series: “Blair is not restricted to Canada, as other Mounties, as we find him, in a few cases, in Great Britain, solving cases. Overall the series is amateurishly written, with the actor playing Blair coming accros as a bit stuffy.”

TODAY'S SHOW:

June 20, 1938. Program #21. Walter Biddick syndication. "The Goose Lake Robbery". A gold robbery and a queer Englishman...what's the connection? . 12:54.

July 11, 1938. Program #24. Walter Biddick syndication. "Ching Wo At The Landing". Chin Wo, a stingy Chinaman, has had all his gold dust stolen . 11:59.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Bulldog Drummond "The Bookstore" (12-24-47)

The Bookstore (Aired December 24, 1947)


Bulldog Drummond has come to wreak havoc on unsuspecting killers, counterfeiters, and underworld characters. The opening of the show starts with a the sounds of footsteps, foghorn, then two shots ring out, followed by three blows of a police officer's whistle. Bulldog, who's really name is Hugh (played by George Coulouris), was a methodical crime-solving sleuth who let nothing get in his way of his goal, which was to put a stop to crime! Bulldog believed in uncomplicated and decisive means of getting his way with the lords of the underworld. This usually led to their swift capture, and the easing of the city's burden brought about by these ruthless thugs.

THIS EPISODE:

December 24, 1947. Mutual network. "The Bookstore". Captain Drummond stands in front of a bookstore to get out of the rain. He meets a beautiful blonde and murder. The program opening, closing and commercials have been deleted. . 26:11.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Top Secret "The Document" (10-12-50)

The Document (Aired October 12, 1950)

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”

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "The Cisco Kid" - Baron Of Badlands (01-13-53)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "The Cisco Kid" - Baron Of Badlands (Aired January 13, 1953)


Western Drama mainly for the young ones or maybe just the young at heart. I say the young at heart, because The Cisco Kid and his likeable but simple partner Pancho were a couple of lovable rogues and because there was usually a lovely senorita around in every episode who fell madly in love with Sisco, there may well have been an element of lady listeners included in the audience rating figures. Here they were, these two Mexican bandits, traveling from sunset to sunset (because that's where they always road off to at the end of each episode) robbing the rich, but I wouldn't say giving it to the poor. At least they did it in a kind and humorous way. It was more a question of the victim being relieved of the heavy burden of his or her riches, rather than having some of their prized possessions taken away from them. Half the fun in the series was listening to Pancho try to explain in his simple Mexican way that the sheriff's posse was hard on their heels and to quote him, "Ceesco, eef they catch up with us, perhaps they weel keel us." At the beginning The Cisco Kid was played by Jackson Beck then later Jack Mather took over the role. Whilst Pancho was played first by Louis Sorin then by Harry Lang. Originally the Announcer was Michael Rye and the Director Jock McGregor and during the days of Jack Mather and Harry Lang the Producer was J. C. Lewis with the series being written by Larry Hays.

THIS EPISODE:

Program #51. Mutual-Don Lee network origination, Ziv syndication. "The Baron Of The Badlands". Commercials added locally. Not auditioned. Jack Mather, Harry Lang. 27:13.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Afloat With Henry Morgan "Three Episodes From 1932"

Episode (08) "Morgan Guarentees His Future Saftey" (09) "Kitty Professes Her Love To Jeffery" (10) "Jeffrey Learns Of Kitty's Whipping".


Afloat with Henry Morgan was a 52 episode Australian series from, it is generally thought - 1933. Each episode was about 12 minutes long and the series was probably aimed at the youth market. It is not to be confused with the US show - 'The Henry Morgan Show'. It was produced by and starred George Edwards, who also produced Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein, Corsican Brothers, and Son of Porthos, all Australian series as well. We believe that Maurice Francis, an enthusiastic writer, and Nell Sterling, two of George Edwards long-time collaborators, were also featured in 'Afloat With Henry Morgan'. To save money, Edwards played a variety of different roles and became known as 'the Man With A Thousand Voices'. It was a ventriloquial gift that encompassed small children, every variety of male voice, aged women, and foreigners. The maximum number of voices Edwards produced for a single scene was six; in the course of a single episode he would often double it.

TODAY'S SHOW:

THREE EPISODES: (08) Morgan Guarentees His Future Saftey (09) Kitty Professes Her Love to Jeffery (10) Jeffrey Learns of Kitty's Whipping.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Suspense "This Will Kill You" (08-23-45)

This Will Kill You (Aired August 23, 1945)


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:

August 23, 1945. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "This Will Kill You". A not-too-bright wartime assembly line worker is jealous of his boss and decides to kill him. The story was subsequently produced on "Suspense" on November 29, 1955. Dane Clark, I. A. Findley (writer), Wally Maher, Joseph Kearns (announcer), Elliott Lewis, William Spier (producer, director, editor), Lucien Moraweck (composer), Lud Gluskin (conductor). 24:02.

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Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Six Shooter" - Due At Lockwood (03-21-54)

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Six Shooter" - Due At Lockwood (Aired March 21, 1954)


The Six Shooter brought James Stewart to the NBC microphone on September 20, 1953, in a fine series of folksy Western adventures. Stewart was never better on the air than in this drama of Britt Ponset, frontier drifter created by Frank Burt. The epigraph set it up nicely: "The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged: his skin is sun dyed brown. The gun in his holster is gray steel and rainbow mother-of-pearl. People call them both The Six Shooter." Ponset was a wanderer, an easy-going gentleman and -- when he had to be -- a gunfighter. Stewart was right in character as the slow-talking maverick who usually blundered into other people's troubles and sometimes shot his way out. His experiences were broad, but The Six Shooter leaned more to comedy than other shows of its kind. Ponset took time out to play Hamlet with a crude road company. He ran for mayor and sheriff of the same town at the same time. He became involved in a delighful Western version of Cinderella, complete with grouchy stepmother, ugly sisters, and a shoe that didn't fit. And at Christmas he told a young runaway the story of A Christmas Carol, Substituting the original Dickens characters with Western heavies. Britt even had time to fall in love, but it was the age-old story of people from different worlds, and the romance was foredoomed despite their valiant efforts to save it. So we got a cowboy-into-the-sunset ending for this series, truly one of the bright spots of radio. Unfortunately, it came too late, and lasted only one season. It was a transcribed show, sustained by NBC and directed by Jack Johnstone. Basil Adlam provided the music and Frank Burt wrote the scripts. Hal Gibney announced.

THIS EPISODE:

March 21, 1954. "Due At Lockwood" NBC network. Sustaining. Wes Singer is determined to get into a gunfight with the Six-Shooter, despite the fact that they've never met. Britt has a surprising conversation with Wes' grandmother. Jimmy Stewart, Frank Burt (creator, writer), Basil Adlam (music), Jack Johnstone (director), Howard McNear, Elvia Allman, Sam Edwards, Will Wright, Bert Holland, John Wald (announcer). 29:34.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Ford Theater "The Horn Blows At Midnight" (03-04-49)

The Horn Blows At Midnight (Aired March 4, 1949)


The FORD THEATER, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, presented hour long dramas first on NBC for one only season. The series moved to CBS for its second and last season. There were 39 NBC and 39 CBS hour- long shows (not verified). The show initially received an unfavorable review from the New York Times for poor script adaptation but was still highly rated for the actors' performance and overall production. The show was supposed to feature only original scripts but had to forgo that plan due to lack of quality material. The first season on NBC used radio actors under the direction of George Zachary. Martin Gabel announced the first show but was soon replaced by Kenneth Banghart. The second season, on CBS, used Hollywood screen actors in the lead roles, supported by radio actors. Fletcher Markle, who previously produced CBS's STUDIO ONE series, was the producer for the second season. Although a short series, it still has some of radio's best dramas.

THIS EPISODE:

March 4, 1949. CBS network. "The Horn Blows At Midnight". Sponsored by: Ford. The beautiful and funny story of a junior grade angel with a brief but important task on the Earth. Anne Whitfield, Byron Kane, Claude Rains, Cy Feuer (composer, conductor), Edward Marr, Fletcher Markle (producer, director, performer), Frank Martin (announcer), Hans Conried, Herb Vigran, Howard Snyder (writer), Hugh Wedlock (writer), Jack Benny, Jane Morgan, Jay Novello, Jeanette Nolan, Jerry Farber, John McGovern, Joseph Kearns, Julian Upton, Mercedes McCambridge, Miriam Wolfe, Paul McVey, Shirley Mitchell (?), Sidney Miller. 58:38.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Crime Does Not Pay "The Doll" (11-29-50)

The Doll (Aired November 29, 1950)


Crime Does Not Pay was an anthology radio crime drama series based on MGM's short film series. The films began in 1935 with Crime Does Not Pay: Buried Loot. For the most part, actors who appeared in B-films were featured, but occasionally, one of MGM's major stars would make an appearance. The radio series aired in New York on WMGM (October 10, 1949-October 10, 1951) and then moved to the Mutual network (January 7-December 22, 1952). Actors included Bela Lugosi, Everett Sloane, Ed Begley, John Loder and Lionel Stander.

THIS EPISODE:

November 29, 1950. Program #59. MGM syndication. "The Doll". Commercials added locally. "The Doll" is not only the owner of a nightclub, she's tough as nails. She accepts a contract to rub out "The Duke," but has difficulty being the "finger woman." The date above is the date of the first broadcast on WMGM, New York, from which this syndicated version may be taken. Marx B. Loeb (producer, director), Bob Williams (announcer), Sarah Haden, Jon Gart (composer, conductor), Ira Marion (writer). 28:00.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - CBS Radio Mystery Theater "Premature Burial" (01-06-75)

Premature Burial (Aired January 6, 1975)


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.

THIS EPISODE:

"The Premature Burial" is a horror short story on the theme of being buried alive, written by Edgar Allan Poe and published in 1844 in The Philadelphia Daily Newspaper. Fear of being buried alive was common in this period and Poe was taking advantage of the public interest.

January 6, 1975. Program #197. CBS net. "Premature Burial". Sponsored by: Buick, Sine-Off. E. G. Marshall (host), Edgar Allan Poe (author), George Lowther (adaptor), Keir Dullea, Paul Hecht, Guy Sorel, Marian Seldes. 52 minutes.

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Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - Sleep No More "Wax Work-Man & The Snake" (01-09-57)

Wax Work-Man & The Snake (Aired January 9, 1957)


Nelson Olmsted was a national treasure. Over a broadcasting career of thirty-five years, Olmsted's soothing, reassuring, and highly versatile narrations graced thousands of broadcast recordings. While also a prolific and highly successful actor in both Radio and Television, it's Olmsted's literature readings and narrations that are the focus of this series and this article. Sleep No More was Nelson's Olmsted's contribution to The Golden Age of Radio's rich tradition of broadcasting compelling and stirring supernatural and suspense dramas, predominantly from the finest supernatural literature throughout modern history. Sleep No More arrived during the waning years of the Golden Age of Radio--understandably risky Radio programming for the mid-1950s. On the plus side of the equation were Nelson Olmsted's extremely loyal following throughout the U.S. combined with the classic nature of the stories which comprised the series. These stories were many of the most popular and compelling supernatural stories and adventures in literary history.

THIS EPISODE:

January 9, 1957. NBC network. "The Waxwork" "The Man and The Snake". Sustaining. An impoverished journalist accepts the assignment of spending a night in a wax museum. Also, a man is hypnotized by a deadly snake in his apartment. Nelson Olmsted, Ben Grauer (announcer), Ambrose Bierce (author of the second story), Al Kelly (promotional announcement), Kenneth MacGregor (director), A. M. Burrage (author). 29:30.

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