Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

The NBC University Theater "The Light That Failed" (2-12-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 03:09:00 GMT

The NBC University Theater - dramatic anthology Offered novels, with programs for college credit. Broadcast History : July 30th, 1948 - February 14th, 1951 NBC. Mostly 60 minutes. Mostly aired on Sundays, with occasional weeknight airings. Announcer : Don Stanley Music : Albert Harris, Henry Russell Director : Andrew C. Love Writers : Claris A. Ross, Ernest Kinoy, George Lefferts, Jack C. Wilson Sound Effects : Bob Holmes, Rod Sutton.

THIS EPISODE:
February 12, 1950. NBC network. "The Light That Failed". Sustaining. A painter, interested only in money, loses his sight after his masterpiece has been defaced. The closing credits have been deleted. Alec Harford, Crauford Kent, Dan O'Herlihy, Earl Keen, Eileen Erskine, Eric Snowden, George Lefferts (writer), Henry Outland (Outland?--intermission commentator), John Ramsay Hill, Marlene Ames, Queenie Leonard, Rudyard Kipling (author), Tom Dylan, Tudor Owen. 56:28.

Ford Theater "Of Human Bondage" (10-29-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 19:57:00 GMT

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:
October 29, 1948. CBS network, KNX, Los Angeles aircheck. "Of Human Bondage". Sponsored by: Ford, Bulova Watch (local). Not auditioned. Ray Milland, Joan Lorring, Somerset Maugham (author), Fletcher Markle (host, director), Hedley Rennie, Susan Douglas, Jack Manning, Elwood Hoffman (adaptor), Cy Feuer (conductor), Rita Vale, Robert Dryden, Miriam Wolfe, Neal Fitzgerald, Gregory Morton. 57:19.

Father Knows Best "A Spooky Cemetary" (10-26-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 02:44:00 GMT

Father Knows Best, a family comedy of the 1950s, is perhaps more important for what it has come to represent than for what it actually was. In essence, the series was one of a slew of middle-class family sitcoms in which moms were moms, kids were kids, and fathers knew best. Today, many critics view it, at best, as high camp fun, and, at worst, as part of what critic David Marc once labeled the "Aryan melodramas" of the 1950s and 1960s.

Adventures Of Horatio Hornblower "The Mutiny On The Flame" (10-24-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 21:47:00 GMT

The Adventures Of Horatio Hornblower - Broadcast 1952; Transcribed in England for the BBC; aired in U.S. on CBS, then again on ABC in 1954 and Mutual in 1957. Starring Michael Redgrave as Horatio Hornblower. a captain in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era. The radio series was based on twelve Horatio Hornblower novels written by C.S. Forester. These novels were, and still are, well liked due to their realistic tone and historical accuracy in telling the tales of Naval life in the late 1700s through the mid 1800s. C.S. Forester was well known for his novels about military and naval life, including such fine titles as The African Queen, The Gun, The Barbary Pirates, and The General.

The Aldrich Family "Henry Sends Candy To Two Girls" (1-12-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 02:55:00 GMT

The Aldrich Family, a popular radio teenage situation comedy (1939-1953), is remembered first and foremost for its unforgettable introduction: awkward teen Henry's mother calling, "Hen-reeeeeeeeeeeee! Hen-ree Al-drich!" A top-ten ratings hit within two years of its birth (in 1941, the showm carried a 33.4 Crossley rating, landing it solidly alongside Jack Benny and Bob Hope), the show is considered a prototype for teen-oriented situation comedies to follow on radio and television and is a favourite if dated find for old-time radio collectors today. The Aldrich Family as a separate radio show was born as a summer replacement 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 05, 1946 to June 28, 1951 on Thursdays and, then, its final run of September 21, 1952 to April 19, 1953 on Sundays.

Screen Directors Playhouse "Caged" (8-02-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 17:12:00 GMT

Screen Director's Playhouse - From 01/09/49 to 09/28/51 this series was greatly enjoyed by the radio listening audience. It opened as NBC Theater and was also known as The Screen Directorâs Guild and The Screen Directorâs Assignment. But most people remember it simply as Screen Directorâs Playhouse. Many of the Hollywood elite were heard recreating their screen roles over the radio. John Wayne in his rare radio appearances, Cary Grant, Edward G. Robinson, Lucille Ball, Claire Trevor, Tallulah Bankhead and many others were on the air week after week during these broadcasts. Many of Hollywoodâs directors were also heard in the recreation of their movies. The President of the Screen Directorâs Guild appeared on 02/13/49, and Violinist Isaac Stern supplied the music for the 04/19/51 broadcast.

THIS EPISODE:
Caged aired August 2, 1951 starring Eleanor Parker as Marie Allen and Hope Emerson as Evelyn Harper. Caged tells the story of a teenage newlywed, who is sent to prison for being an accessory to a robbery. Her experiences while incarcerated, along with the killing of her husband, change her from a very frightened young girl into a hardened convict. This is one of the finest productions ever done for radio from Screen Director's Playhouse. The Academny Award performances by Parker and Emerson are nothing less than spectacular.

Lux Radio Theater "The Return Of Pete Grimm" (02-13-39) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 01:23:00 GMT

Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network (1934-1935); CBS (1935-1954); NBC (1954-1955)) adapted first Broadway stage works, and then (especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations. It quickly became the most popular dramatic anthology series on radio, running more than twenty years. The program always began with an announcer proclaiming, "Ladies and gentlemen, Lux presents Hollywood!" Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936, until January 22, 1945. On one occasion, however, he was replaced by Leslie Howard.

THIS EPISODE:
In life a selfish, mean-spirited old man, Peter Grimm returns from the grave to right the wrongs he committed while on Earth. The spectral Grimm pays a visit to his nasty nephew Frederick (John Roche), the husband of Grimm's ward Catherine (Janet Gaynor), who had been forced into the marriage. Literally entering Frederick's conscience, Grimm transforms his covetous, philandering nephew into a "good guy." After several similar episodes, both comic and dramatic, Return of Peter Grimm comes to a tear-stained finale as the tubercular young William (Mickey McBan) joins his grandfather Grimm in the hereafter.

Beyond Midnight "Don't Joke In The Morgue" (1968) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 16:01:00 GMT

Beyond Midnight - A replacement series for SF 68, this South African horror anthology was far more successful than its predecessor, running from 1968 through 1969. Its success may have been due in part to producer Michael McCabe - who also produced SF 68 - honing his talents to a higher degree. Little else is known about it, including the number of shows produced. As far as I can discover, there were at least 43 episodes, all in half-hour format.

First Nighter Program "Chinese Gong" (3-29-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 02:01:00 GMT

The First Nighter Program. January 29, 1948. CBS net. "A Writer In The Family". Sponsored by: Campana cosmetics, DDD Prescription. Highway Eighty Seven is coming right through the living room in a romantic/comedy of mistaken identity and "Shorty West," a writer of western adventures. James Arthur Rotie (writer), Frank Worth and His Orchestra, Olan Soule, Barbara Luddy, Paul Frees, Hugh Studebaker, Arthur Q. Bryan, Mary Lansing, Larry Keating (announcer). 29:39

THIS EPISODE:
March 29, 1944. Mutual network. "The Chinese Gong". Sponsored by: Campana's cosmetics. Barbara Luddy, Olan Soule, Arch Oboler (author). 1/2 hour.

Calling All Cars "Murder At Southgate" (5-02-34) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 31 May 2008 17:10:00 GMT

Calling All Cars was one of radioâs 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 showâs 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:
May 2, 1934. Program #23. CBS Pacific network (Don Lee net). "Murder At Southgate". Sponsored by: Rio Grande Oil. A disturbance has taken place on San Gabriel Avenue in Southgate. A dramatization of the first murder ever to take place in Southgate. The system cue has been deleted. Not auditioned. Ann Sawyer, Martha Wentworth, True Boardman, Charlie Lung (triples), Caranina Burt (?), Hanley Stafford, Sam Pierce, Richard LeGrand, Robert Frazer, Wade Ling (?). 28:11.

My Friend Irma "Dinner Party For Jane's Boss" (4-11-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 31 May 2008 03:14:00 GMT

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

David Harding Counterspy "Vicious Visitor" (9-29-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 30 May 2008 18:10:00 GMT

Counterspy was an espionage drama radio series that aired on ABC and Mutual from May 18, 1942 to November 29, 1957. David Harding (Don MacLaughlin) was the chief of the United States Counterspies, a unit engaged during World War II in counterespionage against Japan's Black Dragon and Germany's Gestapo. With spies still lurking in the post-war years, the adventures continued apace well after World War II ended.

THIS EPISODE:
September 29, 1949. ABC network. "The Case Of The Vicious Vistor". Sponsored by: Pepsi Cola. Not auditioned. A prison guard is beaten in the dark, a man and his wife are both murdered. The system cue has been deleted. Don MacLaughlin, Mandel Kramer, Phillips H. Lord (producer), William Sweets (director), Edward Adamson (writer), Jesse Crawford (organ). 28:55.

Academy Award Theater "Ruggles Of Red Gap" (6-08-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 30 May 2008 02:36:00 GMT

Academy Award Theater - The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear!

THIS EPISODE:
June 8, 1946. CBS network. "Ruggles Of Red Gap". Sponsored by: Squibb Drugs. The famous story of the English valet in the wild American West. Charles Laughton, Charles Ruggles. 1/2 hour.

The Chase "Murder For Profit" (3-29-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 29 May 2008 19:10:00 GMT

The Chase is an exciting Old Time Radio series in which every episode contains, well, a chase. Tales, highly melodramatic and often improbable, of people on the run. The concept of "hunter and hunted" was built into the signatures. with the lone bugle of a fox hunt, the braying of dogs, the sounds of a man running, a gunshot, and the slowing footsteps and eventual fall of the victim. It may be an adventure story, a crime story, or even science fiction, but there will always be a suspense filled chase.

THIS EPISODE:
March 29, 1953. NBC network. Sustaining. The curator of a museum of murderers tells the story of a British chap who marries ladies of wealth for his own mercenary purposes. Doris Smith, Fred Collins (announcer), Fred Weihe (director, transcriber), Ivor Francis, John Stanley, Cathleen Cordell, Lawrence Klee (creator, writer), Leona Powers, Ted Osborne, William Podmore. 29:52.

Avenger "2 Episodes (8-17-45) and (09-19-45)" - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 29 May 2008 02:46:00 GMT

The Avenger is an Old Time Radio show aired by the South African Broadcasting System in the 1940s. It featured a biochemist crime-fighter by the name of Jim Brandon. Mr. Brandon had two inventions which assisted him in the fight against crime. Mr. Brandon was able to pick up telpathic thought flashes and had a diffusion capsule which allowed him to become invisible.

The Shadow "Murder On Approval" (8-21-38) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 28 May 2008 15:20:00 GMT

The Shadow - In September of 1939, a new voice of the Shadow appeared in the form of radio actor Bill Johnstone. Later in 1939, Agnes Moorehead left the show and was replaced by Marjorie Anderson as Margo Lane. The plot lines began to follow the standard formula of Margo Lane being in danger and the Shadow rescuing her from the clutches of evil. Bill Johnstone would be the voice of the Shadow for five seasons, until March 1943. Bret Morrison took over the Shadow role in 1943 for one season. John Archer and Steve Courtleigh took the Shadow role through the 1944-45 season. Bret Morrison then returned to be the Shadow for the duration of the program's run which lasted until December 26, 1954.

THIS EPISODE:
1938. Syndicated. "Murder On Approval". Sponsored by: B. F. Goodrich Tires. A foreign agent tries to conquer America by infecting the U. S. Army with a secret disease. Orson Welles, Margot Stevenson, Ken Roberts (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Author's Playhouse "The Long Way 'round" (11-13-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 28 May 2008 01:40:00 GMT

Authorâs 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:
November 13, 1944. NBC network. "The Long Way Round". Sustaining. A man has just returned from a sanitarium after a mental break-down to find that wife has developed her own mental problems. James Ronald (author). 1/2 hour.

21st Precinct "The Shooting Gallery" (9-29-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 27 May 2008 15:22:00 GMT

21ST PRECINCT was one of the realistic police drama series of the early- to mid-1950's that were aired in the wake of DRAGNET. In 1953 CBS decided to use New York City as the backdrop for their own half-hour police series and focus on the day-to-day operation of a single police precinct. Actual cases were used as the basis for stories. The Precinct Captain acted as the narrator for the series.

THIS EPISODE:
September 29, 1953. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. A young drug user tries to kick the habit by making a false alarm so he can go "cold turkey" in jail. Everett Sloane, Lawson Zerbe, Raymond Edward Johnson, Ken Lynch, Robert Readick, Gaylord Avery (announcer). 1/2 hour.

Fibber McGee & Molly "The New Fire Truck" (4-19-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 27 May 2008 03:30:00 GMT

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 programâs 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 Americaâs most famous addresses and Mollyâs warning to Fibber not to open the hall closet door (and his subsequent decision to do it) created one of radioâs 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 minerâs 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.

Box 13 "Round Robin" (8-22-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 26 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Box 13 - The premise of the program was that Dan Holiday was an author who wrote mystery novels. To get ideas for his novels he placed an advertisement in a newspaper saying "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything, Box 13." The ads always brought fun adventures of all kinds: from racketeer's victim to psychotic killer looking for fun. Most of the episodes were based on Dan Holiday replying to a letter he received at Box 13. He would generally solve a mystery in the process, and return to his office in time to enjoy a hearty laugh at the expense of Suzy, his amusingly stupid secretary. He would certainly not meet the strictest requirements for private eyes (not licensed, collected no fees from clients), but the definition should stretch to sneak him in under the rope. It was heard over the Mutual Broadcasting System as well as being syndicated. The series was produced by Mayfair Productions. Box 13, starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. Sylvia Picker played Suzy, Dan Holiday's secretary and Edmond MacDonald as Lt. Kling.

THIS EPISODE:
August 14, 1949. Program #52. Mayfair syndication. "Round Robin". Commercials added locally. Dan Holiday foils a blackmail plot involving a valuable necklace and a lady's gambling losses. The last show of the series. Alan Ladd, Arthur Boland (writer), Richard Sanville (director), Rudy Schrager (composer, conductor), Sylvia Picker, Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 26:42.

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater "Death Rides A Stallion" (01-14-74) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 25 May 2008 16:40:00 GMT

CBS Radio Mystery Theater - As you walk through the creaking door you enter into another world, the world of imagination. This world is inside you, a part of you, and you take this journey alone. Each person hears and then sees with his or her mind's eye the events portrayed within these dramas. All of us interprets what they hear differently. The images we see is unique to ourselves. A voice becomes a person, living, breathing they come alive. They take on a physical form and characteristics that we assign to them. The wonders of your own mind are boundless. Scary thoughts? Perhaps, but what powers they bring us! To exercise one's imagination is to exercise one's soul. These dramas provide us with an escape from reality. To adventures beyond our own lives. Enjoy them. And pleasant dreams!

THIS EPISODE:
January 14, 1974. Program #9. CBS network. "Death Rides A Stallion". Sponsored by: Budweiser, Kellogg's. E. G. Marshall (host), Sam Dann (writer), Mason Adams, Marian Seldes, Paul McGrath. 52 minutes.

The Falcon "Quarrelsome Quartet" (9-03-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 25 May 2008 02:24:00 GMT

The Falcon - Regardless of the date of his first literary appearance, The Falcon was first brought to the screen in a 1941 RKO film, as a replacement for its popular series of B's featuring Leslie Charteris' The Saint. Except for the name change, at first at least it was pretty hard to tell the difference. The Falcon was also a good-looking suave, sophisticated type, a sort of freelance gentleman adventurer.

THIS EPISODE
September 3, 1950. NBC network. "Tthe Case Of The Quarrelsome Quartet". Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonnaise, Kraft Malted Milk. Who killed Dixie Saunders? Who killed George Saunders? Thieves fall out! Les Damon, Amzie Strickland, Jackson Beck, Jay Jackson (announcer), Arlo (music), Drexel Drake (creator), Richard Lewis (director), Bernard L. Schubert (producer), Eugene Wang (writer). 29:30.

The Black Museum - Service Card (1952) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 24 May 2008 16:46:00 GMT

The Black Musuem - Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series.

THIS EPISODE:
1952. Syndicated, WCRB, Boston aircheck. "The Service Card". A murderer is trapped by the odometer reading on his victim's car. The date is approximate. This series was heard on the Mutual net during 1952, but was probably produced in England and broadcast earlier on British radio. The series was syndicated by Harry Alan Towers after the network run for many years. Orson Welles (narrator), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Ira Marion (writer), Sidney Torch (composer, conductor). 1/2 hour.

Curtain Time "Practically Engaged" (8-07-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 24 May 2008 00:52:00 GMT

Curtain Time, like First Nighter, presented romantic drama in a theater setting complete with the announcer shouting, âTickets please, thank youâ. The shows announcer was Harry Halcomb who was later known best for his appearances on the 60 minutes television show. Great scripts and superb acting, Curtain Time is truly an Old Time Radio Classic. Mutual Network, local KNX show sustained, heard Fridays 7:30 - 8:00 pm

Hancock's Half Hour "The Insurance Policy" (2-11-58) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 23 May 2008 15:50:00 GMT

Hancock's Half-Hour is the yardstick against which all subsequent British sitcoms have been measured, the vast majority failing to size up to its extremely high standards. Based on his famous radio show of the same name, the TV run consolidated Tony Hancock's standing as Britain's leading comic of the day, the entertainer providing ample proof that his wonderfully flexible face could be as expressive as his dextrous radio voice. Tony Hancock was at the height of his powers during the late 1950s, squeezing every comic ounce out of his lines, pulling off perfectly judged pauses and demonstrating a sense of timing to match the great Jack Benny's. His character - Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock - was invariably a loser, whose aspirations and plans were dashed by fate, circumstance, Sid James or, more often than not, his own pomposity or unfettered ambition.

Murder By Experts "Dig Your Own Grave" (8-15-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 23 May 2008 02:08:00 GMT

Murder By Experts. August 15, 1949. Mutual network. "Dig Your Own Grave". Sustaining. A woman becomes "the seed" to promote her husband's romance with another woman. Then, she gives him the idea to commit murder. John Dickson Carr (host), Joseph Ruscoll (writer), Ken Lynch, Richard Dupage (composer), Emerson Buckley (conductor), Ann Shephard, Ron Rawson, James Stevens, Robert A. Arthur (producer, director), David Kogan (producer, director), Hester Sondergaard. 29:49.

Duffy's Tavern "Archie Has Three Days To Live" (2-09-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:55:00 GMT

Duffy's Tavern, an American radio situation comedy (CBS, 1941-1942; NBC-Blue Network, 1942-1944; NBC, 1944-1952), often featured top-name stage and film guest stars but always hooked those around the misadventures, get-rich-quick-scheming, and romantic missteps of the title establishment's malaprop-prone, metaphor-mixing manager, Archie, played by the writer/actor who created the show, Ed Gardner.

THIS EPISODE:
February 9, 1949. NBC network origination, Nostalgia Broadcasting Corporation syndication. Commercials added locally. Archie's doctor has told him that he only has three days to live...or did he? Archie keeps the true diagnosis from the gang down at the tavern. The system cue has been deleted. Ed Gardner, Eddie Green, Charlie Cantor, Hazel Shermet. 24:37.

Fort Laramie "The Chaplain" (8-26-56) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 22 May 2008 05:20:00 GMT

The Golden Age of Radio was ending, not with a whimper, but with a robust bang. Many of the best network and syndicated shows began in the 1950s, even though public interest and advertising dollars were switching to television, FORT LARAMIE was certainly one of the finest radio series, and were it not for GUNSMOKE, it could be termed the best adult Western program ever aired. FORT LARAMIE is a close relative of GUNSMOKE since it had the same producer-director, same writers, same sound effects men, and many of the same actors. GUNSMOKE had been running for almost four years when Norman Macdonnell brought FORT LARAMIE to CBS. The latter had the same gritty realism, attention to detail, and integrity that audiences admired in GUNSMOKE.

The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell "Ballot Box Mystery" (5-15-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 21 May 2008 20:58:00 GMT

Adventures of Frank Merriwell first ran on NBC radio from March 26 to June 22, 1934 as a 15-minute serial airing three times a week at 5:30pm. Sponsored by Dr. West's Toothpaste, this program starred Donald Briggs in the title role. Harlow Wilcox was the announcer. After a 12-year gap, the series returned October 5, 1946 as a 30-minute NBC Saturday morning show, continuing until June 4, 1949. Lawson Zerbe starred as Merriwell, Jean Gillespie and Elaine Rostas as Inza Burrage, Harold Studer as Bart Hodge and Patricia Hosley as Elsie Belwood. The announcer was Harlow Wilcox, and the Paul Taubman Orchestra supplied the background music. There are at least three generations of Merriwells: Frank, his half-brother Dick, and Frank's son, Frank Jr. There is a marked difference between Frank and Dick. Frank usually handled challenges on his own. Dick has mysterious friends and skills that help him, especially an old Indian friend without whom the stories would not have been quite as interesting.

Hercule Poirot "The Bride Wore Fright" (11-30-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 21 May 2008 06:57:00 GMT

Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters: he appeared in 33 novels and 54 short stories. Poirot has been portrayed on screen, for films and TV, by various actors including Albert Finney, Peter Ustinov, Ian Holm, Tony Randall, Alfred Molina and David Suchet. His character was based on two other fictional detectives of the time: Marie Belloc Lowndes' Hercule Popeau and Frank Howel Evans' Monsieur Poiret, a retired French police officer living in London. A more obvious influence on the early Poirot stories is that of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Boston Blackie - Second Hand Watch (4-13-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 21 May 2008 01:20:00 GMT

Blackie was a tough, wisecracking private detective working in New York, billed as "enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend." His speciality was making fools of the police, a simple task with Inspector Farraday heading the official investigations. "An enemy to those who call him an enemy, a friend to those who have no friends." Boston Blackie is a reformed jewel thief who is never far from trouble. Inspector Farraday of the homicide squad tries to pin Blackie for the crime in every episode. To save his own skin, with the help of his girlfriend Mary and sidekick Shorty, Blackie ends up solving the case.

The Green Hornet "Corpse That Wasnt There" (2-28-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 20 May 2008 14:53:00 GMT

The Green Hornet program began in January of 1936 and played to December 5, 1952. The shows typically ran thirty minutes and ran twice a week in the beginning years. They later reverted to being broadcast once a week. The last season of the show in 1952 the show reverted back to a twice a week schedule. Al Hodge played the role of Britt Reid for seven years. Fran Striker, a co-creator of the Lone Ranger, wrote all of the scripts for the Green Hornet until April 1944. After that, several other writers were brought in to script the show. The writing output of Fran Striker was incredible. While he was scripting the Green Hornet he was also writing the scripts for the Lone Ranger program.

People Are Funny "Could You Buy A Hamburger" (10-15-54) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:08:00 GMT

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).

Adventures In Research "Episodes One and Two (2-02-43 and 2-09-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 19 May 2008 16:06:00 GMT

Adventures In Research - A Public service production by the Westinghouse Research Labs. The series is very informative and entertaining. Series ran from the early 1940's -mid 1950's. HOST: Paul Shannon

Today's Show:
Piece of Silk (2-02-43) and Fight Against Fire (2-09-43

The Story Of Dr. Kildare "A. Morgan" (12-08-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 19 May 2008 03:35:00 GMT

The Story Of Doctor Kildare - Dr. James Kildare was a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show. The character was invented by the author Frederick Schiller Faust (aka Max Brand). The character began in the film series as a medical intern; after becoming a doctor he was mentored by an older physician, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. After the first ten films, the series eliminated the character of Kildare and focused instead on Gillespie.

THIS EPISODE:
December 8, 1950. Program #46. WMGM, New York-Mutual network origination, MGM syndication. Commercials added locally. The wife of an auto accident victim refuses to allow an operation to save his life. Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore. 1/2 hour.

The General Electric Theater "Enchanted Cottage" (9-24-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 18 May 2008 21:37:00 GMT

The General Electric Theater featured a mix of romance, comedy, adventure, tragedy, fantasy and variety music. Occupying the Sunday evening spot on CBS following the Toast of the Town/Ed Sullivan Show from 1 February 1953 to 27 May 1962, the General Electric Theater presented top Hollywood and Broadway stars in dramatic roles calculated to deliver company voice advertising to the largest possible audience.

THIS EPISODE:
September 24, 1953. CBS network. "The Enchanted Cottage". Sponsored by: General Electric. Not auditioned. A plain woman and a criplled man fall in love and see a magic transformation in each other. The story was previously used on, "The Gulf Screen Guild Theatre" on November 26, 1939. Joan Fontaine, William Johnstone, Tom Tully, Gloria Gordon, Lurene Tuttle, Dan O'Herlihy, Arthur Wing Pinero (author), Jaime del Valle (director, transcriber), Ken Carpenter (announcer, host), Walter Newman (adaptor), Hett Manheim (editorial supervisor), Wilbur Hatch (music). 29:43.

The Abbott & Costello Show "Lou The Fireman" (12-06-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 18 May 2008 02:33:00 GMT

Abbott and Costello William (Bud) Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular teams in the history of comedy. Thanks to the endurance of their most popular and influential routine, "Who's on First?"---whose rapid-fire word play and comprehension confusion set the preponderant framework for most of their best-known routines---the team are also the only comedians known to have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

THIS EPISODE:
December 6, 1945. Red network. Sponsored by: Camels, Prince Albert Tobacoo. Abbott and Costello are working as fireman. Mrs. O'Lay Hee's house is on fire. Abbott explains vitamins to Costello ("vitamins go from A to H...go to H?"). Camels salutes the "Fighting" 69th Division. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Ken Niles (announcer), Will Osborne and His Orchestra, Iris Adrian, Sidney Fields, Frederick Shields (commercial spokesman), Virginia Gordon, Dick Mack (director). 29:29

The Fat Man Murder "Squares The Triangle" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 17 May 2008 17:05:00 GMT

THE FAT MAN - "There he goes across the street into the drugstore, steps on the scale, height: 6 feet, weight: 290 pounds, fortune: Danger. Who isit? The Fat Man." Brad Runyon was the Fat Man, played by Jack Scott Smart. 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.

Sherlock Holmes "Eyes Of Mr. Leyton" (9-24-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 17 May 2008 04:45:00 GMT

Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. He is the creation of Scottish born author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A brilliant London-based detective, Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess, and is renowned for his skillful use of deductive reasoning (somewhat mistakenly - see inductive reasoning) and astute observation to solve difficult cases. He is arguably the most famous fictional detective ever created, and is one of the best known and most universally recognisable literary characters in any genre. Conan Doyle wrote four novels and fifty-six short stories that featured Holmes. All but four stories were narrated by Holmes' friend and biographer, Dr. John H. Watson, two having been narrated by Holmes himself, and two others written in the third person. The first two stories, short novels, appeared in Beeton's Christmas Annual for 1887 and Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in 1890. The character grew tremendously in popularity with the beginning of the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine in 1891; further series of short stories and two serialized novels appeared almost right up to Conan Doyle's death in 1930. The stories cover a period from around 1878 up to 1903, with a final case in 1914.

The Clock "Aunt Emmy" (12-15-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 16 May 2008 19:51:00 GMT

The Clock, Imported from Austrailia, was a dramatic thirty-minute suspense and mystery series. It was written by Lawrence Klee and was first broadcast in November 1946. The story always began the same; âSunrise and sunset, promise and fulfilment, birth and death â the whole drama of life is written in the sands of timeâ. This is a great series where the main theme seems to be Retribution. Stories as told by Father Time.

THIS EPISODE:
November 27, 1947. ABC network. Sustaining. An untitled story about Lucy, who visits her Aunt Emmie" in the country. See also cat. #12031. Lawrence Klee (writer), Clark Andrews (director), Glenn Osser (music director), Alice Frost, Leora Thatcher. 28:31.

Pat Novak For Hire "Fleet Lady" (3-06-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 16 May 2008 06:14:00 GMT

Pat Novak, played by Jack Webb, was a private detective working out of Pier 19, a waterfront office in San Francisco. The stories were always very similar: Someone would hire him, (if not a beautiful woman, the job would lead to a beautiful woman) someone would get murdered, he would investigate the case, get beaten up by the thugs, and then the case would be solved and end with glorious violence. The closing was always the same; the listener would be told who had done what, to whom and why they had done it.

THIS EPISODE:
March 6, 1949. Program #2. ABC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. A dead horse leads to a dead jockey and a hot tip on murder. Jack Webb, Virginia Gregg, Hugh Thomas. 1/2 hour.

The Fred Allen Show - Guest Peter Lorre (1-03-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:40:00 GMT

THE FRED ALLEN SHOW - Born John Florence Sullivan on May 31, 1894, Fred Allen began his career in vaudeville before becoming one of radioâs most acerbic and admired wits. Allen and his wife, former chorus girl Portland Hoffa, began their radio career on October 23, 1932, starring on The Linit Bath Club Revue. By 1934, Allen was starring on Town Hall Tonight, a one-hour show which featured Allen examining current events and interviewing unusual guests. It was here that Allen began radioâs longest-running âfeudâ in 1937, when he made a series of jokes about fellow comedian Jack Benny. Allen's best-remembered feature was âAllen's Alley,â a weekly segment in which he would discuss issues of the day with eccentric creations like the blustery Senator Claghorn, Brooklyn housewife Pansy Nussbaum and stoic New Englander Titus Moody. Allen was known to read up to nine newspapers a day and often spent 12 to 14 hours a day writing and re-writing his scripts. Poor health forced Allen off the air in 1944, but he returned in the fall of 1945 with The Fred Allen Show, which lasted until June 26, 1949. Fred Allen died on March 17, 1956. Fred Allen was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988.

The Adventures Of Frank Race "The Talking Bullet" (8-14-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 15 May 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Secrets Of Scotland Yard "Perfect Detective" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 15 May 2008 03:27:00 GMT

The Secrets of Scotland Yard is hosted by Clive Brook, narrator of LM Radio. Brook was a successful director writer, and actor in many films, including âDressed to Thrillâ in 1935, âThe Flemish Farmâ in 1943 and âOn Approvalâ in 1944. He was probably best remembered for playing opposite Marlene Dietrich in the 1932 movie, âShanghai Express.â He also played Sherlock Holmes in the 1932 movie of the same name.

THIS EPISODE:
Towers Of London syndication. "The Perfect Detective". Commercials added locally. The story Jonathan Wild, an extraordinary "fence" and all-around criminal. He also excelled at arresting criminals! To be a perfect detective, you have to be a perfect crook! Clive Brook (host). 30:01.

The Real McCoys - Grandpa Sells His Gun (10-24-57) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 14 May 2008 20:44:00 GMT

THE REAL MCCOYS - A happy-go-lucking West Virginia mountain family picks up stakes and moves to a ranch in California's San Fernando Valley. Center of the action, and undisputed star of the show, was Grandpa, a porch-rockin', gol-darnin', consarnin' old geezer with a wheezy voice who liked to meddle in practically everybody's affairs, neighbors and kin alike. His kin were grandson Luke and his new bride, Kate; Luke's teenage sister, Hassie; and Luke's 11-year-old brother, Little Luke (their parents were deceased). Completing the regular cast were Pepino, their loyal farm hand; George MacMichael, their crusty neighbor and Amos' best friend; and Flora, George's spinster sister who had eyes for Amos

THIS EPISODE:
Grampa Sells His Gun adapted for radio aired on October 24, 1957. The Real McCoys was a situation comedy that aired on the ABC network from 1957 through 1962. It aired for one more season on CBS before its end in 1963. The series revolved around the lives of a mountain family who originally hailed from West Virginia. The McCoys moved to California where they became dirt farmers. The family consisted of Grampa Amos McCoy, the head of the family played by Walter Brennan, his grandson Luke played by Richard Crenna, Luke's new bride Kate played by Kathleen Nolan, teenage sister Hassie played be Lydia Reed, and 11-year-old brother Little Luke played by Michael Winkelman. The Real McCoys paved the way for such rural hits as The Beverly Hillbillies and The Andy Griffith Show.

Blondie - "Dagwood Loses Dithers 5000 Dollars" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:30:00 GMT

BLONDIE - Not many cartoon strips from the 30's are still popular, but Blondie is one of the few. Still widely read today, Blondie was also made into movies and of course, radio. Her beau, soon to be husband, Dagwood and her were an unlikely match. Dagwood actually came from money and his parents were displeased with his choice of girlfriend, but boldly defying them, he accepted being disowned and married Blondie anyway. In the beginning, Blondie was a flapper and portrayed as a bit of an airhead, but marriage seemed to mature her and she was actually the more levelheaded of the two, often getting Dagwood out of the messes he got himself into when he would cry out "BLONDIEEEEEEEE!!" Almost everyone could see a bit of themselves in the everyday lives of the Bumsteads and judging from the continued enjoyment of the characters, almost everyone still can. Truly a delightful show.

THIS EPISODE:
1950. ABC netwoek origination, AFRS rebroadcast. Dagwood loses an important package with $5000 in it. Now, where did he put it for safekeeping? The AFRS music fill has been deleted. Arthur Lake, Ann Rutherford, Hanley Stafford. 24:37.

Barry Craig Confidential Investigator "Dead On Arrival" (11-14-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 14 May 2008 04:39:00 GMT

Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator is one of the few detective radio series that had separate versions of it broadcast from both coasts. Even the spelling changed over the years. It was first "Barry Crane" and then "Barrie Craig". NBC produced it in New York from 1951 to 1954 and then moved it to Hollywood where it aired from 1954 to 1955. It attracted only occasional sponsors so it was usually a sustainer. William Gargan, who also played the better known television (and radio) detective Martin Kane, was the voice of New York eye BARRY CRAIG while Ralph Bell portrayed his associate, Lt. Travis Rogers. Craig's office was on Madison Avenue and his adventures were fairly standard PI fare. He worked alone, solved cases efficiently, and feared no man. As the promos went, he was "your man when you can't go to the cops. Confidentiality a speciality."
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.

Casey Crime Photographer "The Handkerchief" (9-05-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:57:00 GMT

Casey, Crime Photographer - The adventures of Casey, crack photographer for The Morning Express, were told in this series, which moved to television after a highly successful run on radio in the 1940âs. Casey hung out at the Blue Note CafÃ, where the music was provided by the Tony Mottola Trio, and was friendly with Ethelbert, the bartender, to whom he recounted his various exploits. Richard Carlyle and John Gibson portrayed the roles when the series premiered in April, 1951, but by June they were replaced by Darren McGavin and Cliff Hall. Ann Williams, a reporter on The Morning Express, was Caseyâs girlfriend. During the summer of 1951 he acquired a partner in cub reporter Jack Lipman, who wrote copy to go with Caseyâs pictures. This live series was set in and broadcast from, New York City.

THIS EPISODE:
September 5, 1946. CBS network. "The Handkerchief". Sponsored by: Anchor Hocking Glass. A tavern owner is killed and his $20,000 is missing. The identity of the culprit is obvious, or is he? Alonzo Deen Cole (writer), Tony Marvin (announcer), John Gibson, John Dietz (director), Staats Cotsworth, Lesley Woods, Bernard Lenrow, Herman Chittison (piano), Archie Bleyer (composer), George Harmon Coxe (creator). 29:51.

Cloak & Dagger "Trojan Horse" (5-14-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 13 May 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Cloak & Dagger - "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:
May 28, 1950. NBC network. "The Trojan Horse". Sustaining. 4:00 P. M. Gabrielle Monet, a Parisian nightclub singer, is brought to Casablanca to give her former lover the wrong information about the planned Allied invasion of North Africa. Jane White, Raymond Edward Johnson, Berry Kroeger, Leon Janney, Joseph Julian, Karl Weber, Guy Sorel, Bernie Gould, Jon Gart (music director), Louis G. Cowan (producer), Corey Ford (originator), Alfred Hollander (producer), Sherman Marks (director, supervisor), Winifred Wolfe (writer), Alistair MacBain (originator). 29:25.

The Bickersons "John's BusinessTrip" (3-02-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 13 May 2008 03:27:00 GMT

The Bickersons - This old time radio series from the 1940s was an extremely popular situation comedy performed by Don Ameche and Frances Langford as battling spouses, John and Blanche Bickerson. Other actors portrayed the parts in later years with Lew Parker ("That Girl") joining Langford and the non-stop petty insults on the television series. The unhappy couple was routinely overheard during their vituperative pillow talk sessions, spouting marital mayhem drenched in caustic wit.

Crime Does Not Pay "Dead Pigeon" (12-19-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:31:00 GMT

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:
December 19, 1949. MGM syndication. "Dead Pigeon". Commercials added locally. Louie "The Dasher" Monroe decides Georgie is a stool pigeon. The best stool pigeon is a dead stool pigeon! The date above is the date of the first broadcast on WMGM, New York from which this syndicated version may have been taken. Marx B. Loeb (director), Myron McCormick, Jon Gart (composer, conductor), Ira Marion (writer), Burton B. Turkas (technical advisor). 26:23.

Inspector Thorne "Vacant Lot Murder Case" (7-27-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Inspector Thorne - Another radio detective from the pen of Frank and Ann Hummert was Inspector Thorne. The series was short-lived and also had two stars portraying the lead. The first was Karl Weber and the second was Staats Cotsworth.By the 1940's, Frank and Ann Hummert controlled four and a half hours of national weekday broadcast schedules. Their features reportedly spawned more that 5 million pieces of correspondence annually from steadfast fans. Simultaneously they brought in more than half of the national radio chain's advertising revenues generated during the daylight hours. The couple broadcast 18 quarter-hour serials five times weekly, a total of 90 original episodes for 52 weeks per year, with none of those ever repeated. Some shows were "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill", "Backstage Wife","Chaplin Jim USA", "David Harum", "Easy Aces", "Front Page Farrell", "John's Other Wife", "Just Plain Bill", "The Life of Mary Sothern","Lora Lawton", "Lorenzo Jones", "Ma Perkins", "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch", "Our Gal Sunday", "The Romance of Helen Trent" and "Young Widder Brown".

The Lux Radio Theater "Sunset Boulevard" (9-17-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 12 May 2008 02:46:00 GMT

Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network (1934-1935); CBS (1935-1954); NBC (1954-1955)) adapted first Broadway stage works, and then (especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations. It quickly became the most popular dramatic anthology series on radio, running more than twenty years. The program always began with an announcer proclaiming, "Ladies and gentlemen, Lux presents Hollywood!" Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936, until January 22, 1945. On one occasion, however, he was replaced by Leslie Howard.

THIS EPISODE:
September 17, 1951. CBS network. "Sunset Boulevard". Sponsored by: Lux. The famous story about the faded Hollywood star and the young screen writer. Nancy Gates, John Wengraf, Gloria Swanson, William Holden, William Conrad, William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Rudy Schrager (music director), William Johnstone, George Neise, Herb Butterfield, Dan Riss, Irene Martin (intermission guest), Charles Brackett (author, screenwriter), Billy Wilder (author, screenwriter), D. M. Marshman Jr. (screenwriter), Earl Ebi (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 59:29.

The Halls Of Ivy "Eddie Gray Did He Steal" (2-24-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 11 May 2008 20:04:00 GMT

THE HALLS OF IVY - Ronald Colman and his wife Benita Hume starred in the Halls of Ivy, a very well-written, superbly acted radio program that was full of warmth and wit. The show aired from 1950 to 1952 on NBC and is not often mentioned when old-time radio programs are the topic of conversation, but it is one of my favorites. The combination of Mr. & Mrs. Colman's acting and Don Quinn's writing made for an enjoyable half-hour's worth of entertainment. The show was created by Don Quinn who for many, many years put words in the mouths of Fibber McGee and Molly. Quinn wrote jokes that made you think. On the McGee program there was a fast and furious onslaught of crazy puns, mangled cliches, and double-meanings. Sometimes all at once -- when delivered by the superb timing of the talented Jim Jordan as Fibber.

Crime Club "A Deed Indeed" (8-21-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 11 May 2008 06:39:00 GMT

Crime Club was a Mutual Network murder and mystery series, a product of the Doubleday Crime Book Club imprints found weekly in bookstores everywhere. The telephone rings"Hello, I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the Crime Club. I'm the Librarian. Murder Rents A Room? Yes, we have that Crime Club story for you.Come right over. (The organist in the shadowed corner of the Crime Club library shivers the ivories) The doorbell tones sullenly"And you are here. Good. Take the easy chair by the window. Comfortable? The book is on this shelf." (The organist hits the scary chord) "Let's look at it under the reading lamp." The Librarian, played by Raymond E. Johnson, begins reading the tale. Veteran Willis Cooper (Lights Out, Quiet Please) did some of the scripts from the Crime Club books.

CBS Radio Mystery Theater "Nobody Dies" (12-09-76) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 10 May 2008 19:24:00 GMT

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.

Chicago Theatre Of The Air "Bittersweet" (4-29-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 10 May 2008 04:59:00 GMT

The Chicago Theater Of The Air was a rather unique program that was created in 1940, during a time when operas and dramas were popular. The show attempted to add a degree of high culture to American entertainment. The operas were translated into English. A few examples of high end creations were Madame Butterfly, The Vagabond King and The Merry Widow.

Life Of Riley "Monohan Spends A Week" (5-22-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 9 May 2008 19:10:00 GMT

The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, was a popular radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film and continued as a long-running television series during the 1950s. The show began as a proposed Groucho Marx radio series, The Flotsam Family, but the sponsor balked at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for the comedian. Then producer Irving Brecher saw Bendix as taxicab company owner Tim McGuerin in the movie The McGuerins from Brooklyn (1942). The Flotsam Family was reworked with Bendix cast as blundering Chester A. Riley, riveter at a California aircraft plant, and his frequent exclamation of indignation---"What a revoltin' development this is!"---became one of the most famous catch phrases of the 1940s. The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby "Digger" O'Dell (John Brown), "the friendly undertaker.

Dimension X "Pebble In The Sky" (6-17-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 9 May 2008 04:33:00 GMT

These were stories written by well-known science fiction authors dramatised by very high quality actors. It was a thirty-minute adult science fiction drama series with 45 episodes being broadcast before it was later revived as X Minus One. The shows were narrated by Norman Rose, perfecting the combination between authoritative resonance and dark irony.

SPONSORS: General Mills for Wheaties
CAST: Art Carney, Jack Grimes, Jack Lemmon, Santos Ortega, Norman Rose, Jackson Beck, Mandel Kramer, Peter Lazer, Larry Haines, Everett Sloane, Joan Alexander, Jan Miner, Claudia Morgan, Ralph Bell, Raymond Edward Johnson, Bryna Raeburn, Patricia Wheel, Joyce Gordon, Ronald Liss, Leon Janney, Luis Van Rooten
ANNOUNCERS: Bob Warren, Fred Collins
PRODUCERS/DIRECTORS: Danny Sutter, Ed King, Fred Weihe
WRITERS: Ray Bradbury, Earl Hamner, Jr
SOUND EFFECTS: Sam Monroe, Agnew Horine

Nightwatch "Nude Prowler" (4-05-54) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 9 May 2008 01:09:00 GMT

Nightwatch - January 7, 1954. CBS network. Audition program. Real police recordings, no actors are used. Car 54 and police reporter Donn Reed answer the first all, a Code 2 alert that a burglary is taking place. A woman is pushed in the bathroom by an alcoholic young man wearing a tie. He's captured in another house...wearing no clothes! A patrol through Culver City. Later, two witnesses to a homicide are interviewed. The suspect is captured and confesses on the air. Chief W. N. Hildebrand tells how the cases were resolved. Sterling Tracy (supervisor), Donn Reed (police reporter), W. N. Hildebrand. 25:34

Arch Oboler's Plays "The House I Live In" (4-26-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 8 May 2008 19:01:00 GMT

Arch Oboler's Plays was a radio drama series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939 to March 23, 1940 and revived five years later on Mutual for a sustaining summer run from April 5, 1945 to October 11, 1945. Leading film actors were heard on this series, including Gloria Blondell, Eddie Cantor, James Cagney, Ronald Colman, Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Edmund Gwenn, Van Heflin, Katharine Hepburn, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Lorre, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Massey, Burgess Meredith, Paul Muni, Alla Nazimova, Edmond O'Brien, Geraldine Page, Gale Sondergaard, Franchot Tone and George Zucco.

THIS EPISODE:
April 26, 1945. Mutual network. "The House I Live In". Sustaining. A man's son is in a Japanese prison camp, and the neighborhood doesn't seem the same. Program #3 of a series of twenty six. Arch Oboler (writer, host), Raymond Massey, Mercedes McCambridge, Hester Sondergaard, Ann Shephard, Alfred Ryder, Sylvan Levin (conductor). 1/2 hour.

Diary Of Fate "Trina Crowley" (3-09-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 8 May 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Diary of Fate is a mystery and horror program where âFateâ? narrates and always wins by the end of the story. These are great suspense filled stories about average people who are subject to the mysteries of their âFateâ. In This episode, March 9, 1948. Program #13. Finley syndication. "The Entry Of Trina Crowley". Commercials added locally. Book 74, page 309. A mysterious and wealthy man checks into a rundown motel in the Mojave desert. Could he be the murderer with $20,000 in the trunk of his car? The date is subject to correction. No cast credits given. Larry Finley (producer). 26:46.

Beyond Midnight "The Party" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 8 May 2008 03:50:00 GMT

BEYOND MIDNIGHT - Let us journey âinto the land that lies beyond midnight,â? into a world of ghost hunters, men going mad, and DEATH DEATH DEATH! Written by the masterful Michael McCabe, these well-done South African radio shows will capture your attention and keep you up listening to them well beyond midnight.

CBS Radio Workshop "Jacob's Hands" (4-13-56) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 7 May 2008 19:40:00 GMT

CBS Radio Workshop - April 13, 1956. CBS network. "Jacob's Hands". Sustaining. A good story about a farm hand who discovers he has the power to heal. Aldous Huxley (author), Christopher Isherwood (author), Hans Conried, Harry Bartell, Helen Kleeb, Herb Butterfield, Janet Stewart, John Dehner, Lawrence Dobkin, Parley Baer, Vic Perrin, Virginia Gregg, William Conrad. 1/2 hour

Jacob Ericson is a shy, enigmatic, and somewhat inept ranch hand who works for crotchety Professor Carter and his crippled daughter, Sharon, on a ranch in California's Mojave Desert in the 1920s. One day he learns that his hands possess the mysterious gift of healing, a gift he uses to cure animals (whom he adores). Sharon (whom he also adores) then persuades him to heal her.

Gunsmoke "Incident At Indian Ford" (3-15-59) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 7 May 2008 06:08:00 GMT

Gunsmoke - Some listeners (such as old time radio expert John Dunning) have argued that the radio version of Gunsmoke was far more realistic than the television program. Episodes were aimed at adults, and featured some of the most explicit content of the day: there were violent crimes and scalpings, massacres and opium addicts. Miss Kitty's occupation as a prostitute was made far more obvious on the radio version than on television. Many episodes ended on a down-note, and villains often got away with their crimes.

THIS EPISODE:
March 15, 1959. CBS network. "Incident At Indian Ford". Commercials deleted. Marshal Dillon and Chester meet up with eight cavalry soldiers traveling with Mary Taber, who has just been ransomed back from the Arapahos. The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on December 2, 1961. William Conrad, John Dunkel (writer), Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Jeanne Bates, Jack Moyles, Vic Perrin, Parley Baer, John Meston (editorial supervisor), George Walsh (announcer), Norman Macdonnell (producer, director). 25:09.

The Jack Benny Show "Jack Gets A Haircut" (1-13-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 7 May 2008 03:30:00 GMT

The Jack Benny Program - Benny had been only a minor vaudeville performer, but he became a national figure with The Jack Benny Program, a weekly radio show which ran from 1932 to 1948 on NBC and from 1949 to 1955 on CBS, and was consistently among the most highly rated programs during most of that run. With Canada Dry Ginger Ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on The Canada Dry Program, beginning May 2, 1932, on the NBC Blue Network and continuing there for six months until October 26, moving the show to CBS on October 30. With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933. Arriving at NBC on March 17, Benny did The Chevrolet Program until April 1, 1934. He continued with sponsors General Tires, Jell-O and Grape Nuts. Lucky Strike was the radio sponsor from 1944 to the mid-1950s. The show returned to CBS on January 2, 1949, as part of CBS president William S. Paley's notorious "raid" of NBC talent in 1948-49. There it stayed for the remainder of its radio run, which ended on May 22, 1955. CBS aired reruns of old radio episodes from 1956 to 1958 as The Best of Benny.

Amos & Andy "The Marriage Counselor" (12-17-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 6 May 2008 21:50:00 GMT

Amos 'n' Andy creators Gosden and Correll were white actors familiar with minstrel traditions. They met in Durham, North Carolina in 1920, and by the fall of 1925, they were performing nightly song-and-patter routines on the Chicago Tribune's station WGN. Since the Tribune syndicated Sidney Smith's popular comic strip The Gumps, which had successfully introduced the concept of daily continuity, WGN executive Ben McCanna thought the notion of a serialized drama could also work on radio. He suggested to Gosden and Correll that they adapt The Gumps to radio. They instead proposed a series about "a couple of colored characters" and borrowed certain elements of The Gumps. Their new series, Sam 'n' Henry, began January 12, 1926, fascinating radio listeners throughout the Midwest.

Ellery Queen Mysteries "Nick The Knife" (8-09-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 6 May 2008 05:56:00 GMT

Tuska cited Ellery Queen, Master Detective (1940) and Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery (1941) as the best of the Bellamy-Lindsay pairings. "The influence of The Thin Man series was apparent in reverse", Tuska noted about Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery. "Ellery and Nikki are unmarried but obviously in love with each other. Probably the biggest mystery... is how Ellery ever gets a book written. Not only is Nikki attractive and perfectly willing to show off her figure", Tuska wrote, "but she also likes to write her own stories on Queen's time, and gets carried away doing her own investigations." In Ellery Queen, Master Detective, "the amorous relationship between Ellery and Nikki Porter was given a dignity, and therefore integrity", Tuska wrote, "that was lacking in the two previous entries in the series", made at Republic Pictures before Bellamy and Lindsay were signed by Columbia.

THIS EPISODE:
April 15, 1948. ABC network. "The Slicer". Sustaining. An unknown madman has murdered nineteen women by attacking them at night while they are alone. The identity of "The Slicer" is quite a surprise, you'll never guess whodunit. The "Guest Armchair Detective" is Gene Handsaker (Hollywood columnist). Paul Masterson (announcer), Gene Handsaker, Anthony Boucher (writer), Manfred B. Lee (writer), Rex Koury (organist), Dick Woollen (producer, director), Lawrence Dobkin, Kaye Brinker, Herb Butterfield, Alan Reed. 29:30.

Academy Award Theater "Night Train" (11-13-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 6 May 2008 03:14:00 GMT

Academy Award Theater - The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear!

THIS EPISODE:
November 13, 1946. CBS network. "Night Train". Sponsored by: Squibb Drugs. An exciting spy story about a British agent who recaptures a kidnapped scientist from the Gestapo, just before WWII. Rex Harrison. 1/2 hour.

Murder AT Midnight "Till Death Do Us" (9-11-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 5 May 2008 16:42:00 GMT

The Murder at Midnight series was a thirty-minute broadcast featuring tales of the supernatural. The actors included Mercedes McCambridge and Lawson Zerbe and the show was narrated using the spooky, creepy voice of Raymond Morgan and always opened using the same gripping signature; âthe witching hour, when night is darkest, our fears are the strongest, our strength at its lowest ebbâ Midnight! â when graves gape open and death strikes!â?

THIS EPISODE:
September 11, 1946. Program #13. Syndicated. "'Til Death Do Us Part". Commercials added locally. A new bridegroom feels a compulsion to strangle his bride! A surprise ending! Anton M. Leader (director), Charles Paul (organ), Elspeth Eric, Eric Dressler, Joseph Ruscoll (writer), Louis G. Cowan (producer). 27:00.

Escape "The Earthmen" (7-25-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 5 May 2008 04:29:00 GMT

Escape was radio's leading anthology series of high adventure, airing on CBS from July 7, 1947 to September 25, 1954. Since the program did not have a regular sponsor like Suspense, it was subjected to frequent schedule shifts and lower production budgets, although Richfield Oil signed on as a sponsor for five months in 1950. Despite these problems, Escape enthralled many listeners during its seven-year run. The series' well-remembered opening combined Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain with the introduction, intoned by Paul Frees and William Conrad: âTired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape!â? Of the more than 230 Escape episodes, most have survived in good condition. Many story premises, both originals and adaptations, involved a protagonist in dire life-or-death straits, and the series featured more science fiction and supernatural tales than Suspense.

Boston Blackie "Star Of The Nile" (7-14-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 4 May 2008 23:14:00 GMT

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.

THIS EPISODE:
July 14, 1944. NBC network. Sponsored by: Rinso, Lifebuoy Soap. A fabulous gem called "The Star Of The Nile" disappears from a train between Chicago and New York. It's an emerald worth $200,000...or does it? The burglary is scheduled to take place at the jewelry store's vault at midnight. The story has one of the corniest conclusions ever broadcast! The organist jumps his cue at the end of the concluding public service announcement. Chester Morris, Shirley Mitchell, Richard Lane, Tony Barrett, Ralph Moody, Charles Cornell (organ), Harlow Wilcox (announcer). 29:36.

Broadway Is My Beat "The Case Of Charles Crandall" (5-12-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 4 May 2008 16:14:00 GMT

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."

THIS EPISODE:

May 12, 1951. 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. 29:33.

Dragnet "Big Convertible" (6-28-55) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 4 May 2008 05:32:00 GMT

Dragnet was a long-running radio and television police procedural drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the programâs format and eventually became comfortable with their characters (Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor). Gradually, Fridayâs deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Fridayâs first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor.

Mr Keen - Murder & The Bloodstained Necklace (9-15-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 4 May 2008 01:23:00 GMT

Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons was one of network radio's longest running detectives, although listening to it now would hardly explain why. This kind, elderly, boring sleuth, in company with his bumbling assistant, Mike Clancy, was on the airwaves from 1937 to 1955, logging nearly 20 years of fighting crime. The series came out of the soap opera fiction factory of Frank and Anne Hummert and encompassed most of the trite dialogue and snail plotting of daytime serials.

THIS EPISODE:
September 15, 1949. CBS network. "The Case Of Murder and The Bloodstained Necklace". Sponsored by: Anacin, Kolynos, Heet, Kriptin, Bisodol, Hills Cold Tabs. A widow for one week is found dead in a hotel room with a string of worthless pearls clutched in her hand. Frank Hummert, Anne Hummert (author), Bennett Kilpack. 1/2 hour.

The Creaking Door "Three Wishes" (1940) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 2 May 2008 20:10:00 GMT

The Creaking Door was an old-time radio series of horror and suspense shows originating in South Africa. There are at present anywhere from 34-37 extant episodes in MP3 circulation, yet no currently available program logs for the series indicate the year of the series' broadcast (though it was likely sometime in the 1950s, given the generally high audio quality of the available shows), or the total number of episodes, and only a handful of them are known by their broadcast order. The stories are thrillers in the Inner Sanctum vein, and generally thought of favorably by most fans of OTR.

Planet Man - Episodes 7-8 and 9 (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 2 May 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Planet Man
Episode7 "Kidnapping Order" Episode8 "Bill & Jane Need Help" and Episode9 "Hoping For A Miracle"

This is the fascinating story of Dantro, The Planet Man, troubleshooter for the League of Planets organization, the law enforcement body for peace and justice in the celestial world - whose headquarters and center of operations are situated on the capital of all the planets, Planeria Rex. From Mercury to Pluto, wherever danger threatens the universe, you will find Dantro the Planet Man fighting for fair play.

Molle Mystery Theater "The Doctor And The Lunatic" (4-26-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 2 May 2008 03:53:00 GMT

Although Molle Mystery Theatre was initially sponsored by Molle Shaving Cream, other sponsors (such as Bayer Aspirin, Ironized Yeast, Phillips Milk of Magnesia) also sponsored the program. Sometimes, when it was not sponsored by Molle, the program was called "Mystery Theater". The show was first heard on NBC, on 9/7/43. Time slot was originally Sunday nights at 9:00 PM, but was later moved to Tuesday at 9:00 PM, and Friday at 10:00 PM. In 1948, the show moved to CBS (Tues, 8:00 PM), and in 1951, it moved to ABC, where it was called "Mark Sabre", and heard on Wednesdays at either 8:00 PM or 9:30 PM. The shows were tight and tension filled, with a fine orchestra score and solid production values. Classic tales from well-known authors, as well as modern unknowns were presented, and the endings were often twists or shockers.

THIS EPISODE:
April 26, 1946. NBC network. "The Doctor and The Lunatic". Sponsored by: Molle. Not auditioned. Bernard Lenrow (host, as "Geoffrey Barnes"), Richard Connell (writer), Dan Seymour (announcer), Alexander Semmler (composer, conductor), Frederick Maytho (? adaptor), Luis Van Rooten, Alan Hewitt. 29:08.

The Burns & Allen Show "Till The Cows Come Home" (4-03-40) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 1 May 2008 19:18:00 GMT

Burns and Allen are one of the most beloved couple in old time radio. They got started, like many of the greats of old time radio, in vaudeville, which is really just the touring popular entertainment in America prior to movies. Gracie was the sparkplug of the act, always the center of attention. George played the foil, the guy vainly trying to make sense of the ditzy world of Gracie. By the early 30s, Gracie was probably the best known woman on radio. Gracie often sang in a voice that showed she was also an excellent comedienne songstress. The shows had names after the sponsors, such as Maxwell House Coffee Time, or The Ammident Show - it was the Burns and Allen show to the public. Other fine radio actors were a part of the fun. Mel Blanc did the happy postman, and was also famous for his zany characters on The Jack Benny Show, and his own Mel Blanc Show. Elliott Lewis, a veteran of many radio dramas, played many of the bit parts on the Burns and Allen shows of the 40s. Burns & Allen were touring England in 1929 when they made their first radio appearance on the BBC. Gracie Allen died on August 27, 1964. George Burns died on March 9, 1996. First Broadcast date february 15th 1932. Last Broadcast date may 17th 1950.

Mayor Of The Town "Bob Hope Visits" (3-21-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 1 May 2008 04:54:00 GMT

MAYOR OF THE TOWN - An NBC offering. Aired on Sundays from 7:00PM to 7:30PM, starring Lional Barrymore and Agnes Moorehead. The creator and writer was Jean Holloway, the announcer Harlow Wilcox, music by Gordon Jenkins and sponsored by Rinso detergent.

Confession "George S Decker" (8-16-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 1 May 2008 01:09:00 GMT

CONFESSION
NBC 30 minutes Sunday at 9:30PM.Cast Paul Frees, virginia Christine,Herb Butterfield, Parley Bear and other Hollywood radio actors. Announcer John Wald. From: July 5, 1953 to September 13, 1954

The Show had a texture and sound not unlike Dragnet, indeed the influence was realized throughout the show. These were true stories of Crime and Punishment, the obvious difference that Dragnet began with the crime while Confession unfolded in reverse order, from the end. Confession was less noisy, it's theme was played on a single piano, but there was still the deadpan dialogue, the thief or killer giving his confession with an air of resignation and defeat. The criminal thus became a stream-of-consciousness narrator, with the action frequently cutting away into drama. "Names were changed to protect the legal rights of the subject"

Inspector Thorne "Vacant Lot Murder Case" (7-27-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:10:00 GMT

By the 1940's, Frank and Ann Hummert controlled four and a half hours of national weekday broadcast schedules. Their features reportedly spawned more that 5 million pieces of correspondence annually from steadfast fans. Simultaneously they brought in more than half of the national radio chain's advertising revenues generated during the daylight hours. The couple broadcast 18 quarter-hour serials five times weekly, a total of 90 original episodes for 52 weeks per year, with none of those ever repeated. Some shows were "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill", "Backstage Wife","Chaplin Jim USA", "David Harum", "Easy Aces", "Front Page Farrell", "John's Other Wife", "Just Plain Bill", "The Life of Mary Sothern","Lora Lawton", "Lorenzo Jones", "Ma Perkins", "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch", "Our Gal Sunday", "The Romance of Helen Trent" and "Young Widder Brown".

The Black Museum "Four Small Bottles" (1952) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:55:00 GMT

The Black Museum - Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name Black Museum was coined in 1877 by a reporter from The Observer, a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. The idea of a crime museum was conceived by Inspector Neame who had already collected together a number of items, with the intention of giving police officers practical instruction on how to detect and prevent burglary. It is this museum that inspired the Black Musuem radio series. The museum is not open to members of the public but is now used as a lecture theatre for the curator to lecture police and like bodies in subjects such as Forensic Science, Pathology, Law and Investigative Techniques. A number of famous people have visited the musuem including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Orsen Welles hosted and narrated the shows. Following the opening, Mr. Welles would introduce the museum's item of evidence that was central to the case, leading into the dramatization. He also provided narration during the show and ended each show with his characteristic closing from the days of his Mercury Theater on the Air, 'remaining obediently yours'.

Crime Classics "Bloody Banks Of Fall River" (9-14-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:42:00 GMT

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

THIS EPISODE:
September 14, 1953. CBS network. "The Bloody, Bloody Banks Of Fall River". Sustaining. What happened at 92nd Street on a hot summer's evening in 1892. Since Lizzie was acquitted, who killed Mr. and Mrs. Borden? The program is possibly dated September 30, 1953. A similar script was used on "Suspense" on October 4, 1955 (see cat. #24241). Lou Merrill, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor), Irene Tedrow, Jeanette Nolan, Herb Butterfield, Bob Lemond (announcer), Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Betty Harford, Sarah Selby, William Johnstone, Paul Frees. 29:43.

Victory Theater "The Philadelphia Story" (7-20-42) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:06:00 GMT

VICTORY THEATER
"Victory Theater" was the 1942 summer replacement series for "Lux Radio Theater" and was sponsored by the United States Government.

THIS EPISODE:

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
Philadelphia heiress Tracy Lord throws out her playboy husband C.K. Dexter Haven shortly after their marriage. Two years later, Tracy is about to marry respectable George Kittredge whilst Dexter has been working for "Spy" magazine. Dexter arrives at the Lord's mansion the day before the wedding with writer Mike Connor and photographer Liz Imbrie, determined to spoil things. Written by Col Needham {col@imdb.com}
Cast:Cary Grant as C.K. Dexter Haven , Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord , James Stewart as Macaulay Connor, Ruth Hussey as Elizabeth Imbrie, John Howard as George Kittredge, Roland Young as Uncle Willie.

The Adventures Of Horatio Hornblower "Disguised As A French Ship" (9-08-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:18:00 GMT

Horatio Hornblower
Based on the novels by C. S. Forester.
1952-1953 Series

Broadcast 1952; Transcribed in England for the BBC; aired in U.S. on CBS, then again on ABC in 1954 and Mutual in 1957. Starring Michael Redgrave as Horatio Hornblower. a captain in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era. The radio series was based on twelve Horatio Hornblower novels written by C.S. Forester. These novels were, and still are, well liked due to their realistic tone and historical accuracy in telling the tales of Naval life in the late 1700s through the mid 1800s. C.S. Forester was well known for his novels about military and naval life, including such fine titles as The African Queen, The Gun, The Barbary Pirates, and The General.

Honest Harold "Cleaning The Cellar" (4-18-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:26:00 GMT

Honest Harold Hemp lived with his mother and nephew and did a radio homemaker's program. The series received undeserved negative ratings and general negative attitude of the critics. The HONEST HAROLD scripts were well crafted with well developed characters and had excellent acting and production values. Many people, including Harold Peary, believed that THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE would not survive without Peary. However, Willard Waterman assumed the role and most listeners didn't notice the difference, as Mr. Waterman did an excellent job in capturing the essence of the Gildersleeve character. This may have been the single greatest blow to the survival of HONEST HAROLD. There were just too many similarities between the two series. Also, the series was without a sponsor, although some of the last shows were sponsored by the US Armed Forces.

Mr & Mrs North "Pam Goes It Alone" (8-02-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:12:00 GMT

Mr. and Mrs. North are fictional American amateur detectives. Created by Frances and Richard Lockridge, the couple were featured in a series of twenty-six Mr. and Mrs. North novels, a Broadway play, a motion picture, and several different radio and television series. Mr. and Mrs. North was a radio mystery series that aired on CBS from 1942 to 1954. Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin had the title roles when the series began in 1942. Publisher Jerry North and his wife Pam lived in Greenwich Village at 24 St. Anne's Flat. They were not professional detectives but simply an ordinary couple who stumbled across a murder or two every week for 12 years. The radio program eventually reached nearly 20 million listeners.

Archie Andrews "The Big Dance" (9-04-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Archie Andrews, created in 1941 by Bob Montana, is a fictional character in an American comic book series published by Archie Comics, a long-run radio series, a syndicated comic strip and animation -- The Archie Show, a Saturday morning cartoon television series by Filmation, plus Archie's Weird Mysteries.

Archie on radio
Montana's characters were heard on radio in the early 1940s. Archie Andrews began on the Blue Network on May 31, 1943, switched to Mutual in 1944, and then continued on NBC from 1945 until September 5 1953. Archie was first played by Charles Mullen, Jack Grimes and Burt Boyar, with Bob Hastings as the title character during the NBC years.

Hancocks Half Hour - The Insurance Policy (2-11-58) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:34:00 GMT

Ford Theater "Wuthering Heights" (1-04-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:53:00 GMT

The Ford Theater aired 1947 - 1949. It was broadcast on NBC until October 8, 1948 then moved to CBS. It was hosted by Howard Lindsay. The show tried to use good but not to famous radio performers. Producer George Zachary, first producer, attempting to use popular radio stars instead of Hollywood stars offered limited success. Followed was low ratings which forced the replacement of Zachary with Fletcher Markle, husband of radio legend Mercedes McCambridge. Needing a change the show moved to California and began starring celebrities from Hollywood like Lucille Ball. Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Bette Davis to mention a few. This combination made for a hit radio show.

Box 13 "The Sad Night" (12-19-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:24:00 GMT

Box 13 - The premise of the program was that Dan Holiday was an author who wrote mystery novels. To get ideas for his novels he placed an advertisement in a newspaper saying "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything, Box 13." The ads always brought fun adventures of all kinds: from racketeer's victim to psychotic killer looking for fun. Most of the episodes were based on Dan Holiday replying to a letter he received at Box 13. He would generally solve a mystery in the process, and return to his office in time to enjoy a hearty laugh at the expense of Suzy, his amusingly stupid secretary. He would certainly not meet the strictest requirements for private eyes (not licensed, collected no fees from clients), but the definition should stretch to sneak him in under the rope. It was heard over the Mutual Broadcasting System as well as being syndicated. The series was produced by Mayfair Productions. Box 13, starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. Sylvia Picker played Suzy, Dan Holiday's secretary and Edmond MacDonald as Lt. Kling. Other stars in the series were Betty Lou Gerson, Lurene Tuttle, Alan Reed, Luis Van Rooten, John Beal and Frank Lovejoy. Music was by Rudy Schrager and the writer was Russell Hughes. Announcer/Director was Vern Carstensen. The series was produced by Richard Sanville with Alan Ladd as co-producer.

Spy Catcher "The Infernal Triangle" (1960) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:21:00 GMT

Spy Catcher - (BBC) 1960-1961. A series of true stories in the unceasing search for enemy spys in wartime. Based on the memoirs of Lt. Col. Oreste Pinto of Allied Counterintelligence Services. The shows were extremly popular during the golden age of radio.

THIS EPISODE:
The Infernal Triangle - In May 1945 the war in Europe was over but the search for spys was still on and a mass of letters on known spy activities continued to pour in to the new intellegence headquarters located in the wing of a prison at the Hague known as the Hotel Orange. Amonst these letters was found a single sheet of paper, a cheap scribble pad with no water mark. The words in large blocked capital letters and unsigned, written In dutch, it read "Mrs. Sanders is a spy and it is your duty to investigate her". The investigation begins.

You Bet Your Life - "2 Episodes From 1950" - Boxcars711 Wayback Moment In Time

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:03:00 GMT

Groucho Marx matches wits with the American public in four episodes of this classic game show. Starting on the radio in 1947, You Bet Your Life made its television debut in 1950 and aired for 11 years with Groucho as host and emcee. Sponsored rather conspicuously by the Dodge DeSoto car manufacturers, the show featured two contestants working as a team to answer questions for cash prizes. Another mainstay of these question and answer segments was the paper mache duck that would descend from the ceiling with one hundred dollars in tow whenever a player uttered the "secret word." The quiz show aspect of "You Bet Your Life" was always secondary, to the clever back-and-forth between host and contestant, which found Groucho at his funniest. It's in these interview segments that "You Bet Your Life" truly makes its mark as one of early television's greatest programs. Directed by: Robert Dwan.

2000 Plus "Flying Saucers" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:30:00 GMT

2000 AD (2000 Plus) is known as the first of the network science fiction shows, although it ran on Mutual just a month prior to the introduction of the landmark series, Dimension X. It was a half hour of science fiction wonder in an exciting package. The stories have a charm that is always present in science fiction of the future that is written in the past. "When The Worlds Met" takes place "at the giant space port in Washington, temporary capitol of the federated world government as in April 21, 2000 Plus 20 (2020) crowds tas audio and televox networks cover a space ship carrying in its space hold the first load of uranium taken from the pits of Luna, satellite of Earth.

THIS EPISODE:
1950. Mutual net origination, AFRS rebroadcast.. "Flying Saucers". Sustaining. Not auditioned. In the year 2012, a second "Zeus" rocket is about to be launched from White Sands. The saucers have been visiting for the last three months and are considered a potential threat. Ralph Bell, Luis Van Rooten, Bryna Raeburn, Pierre Gerson (writer), Ken Williams, Emerson Buckley (conductor), Elliot Jacoby (conductor), Walt Shaver (sound), Adrian Penner (sound), Martin Enghauser (engineer), Ken Marvin (announcer). 29:04.

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes "A Case Of Identity" (1-23-55) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:28:00 GMT

Sherlock Holmes detective stories appeared on radio for more than 25 years, with a long list of performers playing the parts of Holmes and Dr Watson. FIRST BROADCAST: October 20th 1930 LAST BROADCAST: September 4th 1956. The stories were written by Edith Meiser, a self-confessed Holmes addict. These were so well written that she was warmly praised by Arthur Conan Doyleâs widow and son.

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe "The Dark Tunnel" (8-18-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:59:00 GMT

The Adventures Of Philip Marlowe - The first portrayal of Phillip Marlowe on the radio was by Dick Powell, when he played Raymond Chandler's detective on the Lux Radio Theater on June 11, 1945. This was a radio adaptation of the 1944 movie, from RKO, in which Mr. Powell played the lead. Two years later, Van Heflin starred as Marlowe in a summer replacement series for the Bob Hope Show on NBC. This series ran for 13 shows. On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr became the third radio Marlowe, this time on CBS. It remained a CBS show through its last show in 1951.

THIS EPISODE:
August 18, 1950. CBS network "The Dark Tunnel". Sustaining. A beautiful girl and a disfiguring fire...and it only starts with a guy getting beat up in an alley. Gerald Mohr, Roy Rowan (announcer), Lurene Tuttle, Bob Sweeney, Paul Dubov, Barney Phillips, Lawrence Dobkin, David Ellis, Raymond Chandler (creator). 30:04.

The Chase "Amusement Park" (8-14-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:27:00 GMT

The Chase is an exciting Old Time Radio series in which every episode contains, well, a chase. Tales, highly melodramatic and often improbable, of people on the run. The concept of "hunter and hunted" was built into the signatures. with the lone bugle of a fox hunt, the braying of dogs, the sounds of a man running, a gunshot, and the slowing footsteps and eventual fall of the victim. It may be an adventure story, a crime story, or even science fiction, but there will always be a suspense filled chase.

THIS EPISODE:
August 14, 1952. NBC network. "The Amusement Park". Sustaining. A young woman leaves her shooting gallery with a new friend to solve a murder and catch a pyromaniac. The system cue has been deleted. Adelaide Klein, Arthur Gary (announcer), Bill Lipton, Charles O'Neill (writer), Daniel Sutter (director, transcriber), Jack Lloyd, Lawrence Klee (creator, writer), Patrick Campbell, Sydney Smith, Walter Black. 29:27.

21st Precinct "Case Of The Young Incorrigible" (7-14-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:09:00 GMT

21ST PRECINCT was one of the realistic police drama series of the early- to mid-1950's that were aired in the wake of DRAGNET. Hard-boiled private detective series that often portrayed police as inept or incompetent were losing favor. NBC's DRAGNET had proven that a realistic police show could attract and hold an audience. In 1953 CBS decided to use New York City as the backdrop for their own half-hour police series and focus on the ay-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-first Precinct 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."

Adventures In Research "Two Episodes" (3-30-43) and (4-06-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:27:00 GMT

Adventures In Research
Episode 9 "The Immigrant Inventor" (3-30-43)
Episode 10 "Dirty Hands" (4-06-43)

A wonderfully informative old time radio series can be found in Adventures In Research. With tales that are not only wonderfully dramatic, but at the same time extremely interesting and entertaining. Adventures In Research offers the listener accounts in American scientific research history. You will be enthralled, as will your children. Best of all, in regards to providing a great educational tool for children, the episodes are made for their attention span, and run approximately fifteen minutes. Hear about the development of the parachute; History of 1st Regular Radio Broadcast; learn about the George Westinghouse; be amazed at The First American Patent; the horrible Dread Scourge - Typhus; be in awe of The Man Who Found A Continent; and so much more wonderful history.

Vanishing Point "Teenage Catalog Model" (12-07-84) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:30:00 GMT

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 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation provide compelling excursions into the realm of mystery and fantasy.

Richard Diamond Private Investigator "Bill Kirby Murder Case" (10-29-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:07:00 GMT

Richard Diamond, Private Detective was a radio show starring Dick Powell which aired from 1949 to 1953, first on NBC, then ABC and finally on CBS. The title character was a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen. The television series was produced by Powell's company, Four Star Television, and that series ran for 3 years from 1957 to 1960. On TV, David Janssen played the hard boiled private eye and his secretary renamed âSamâ?, was only ever shown on camera from the waist down, most assurardidly to display her beautiful legs. It was later leared that the legs belonged to Mary Tyler Moore. Original music by Frank DeVol and pete rugolo and later by richard shores. Good scripts, a solid cast and Powellâs exceptional talent made a good time 30 minute program that was quite popular during that Golden Age of Radio. So Letâs sit back now, relax and enjoy this truly otr radio classic.,â, Dick powell as Richard Diamond.., Private Detective.

THIS EPISODE:
October 29, 1949. NBC net. Sustaining. Mrs. Lenore Kirby asks Diamond to help find her ex-private eye son named Bill Kirby. Bill soon turns up dead, with two very tough hombres out to get Kirby's shoe! Dick Powell doesn't sing on this show! Part of the last promotional announcement and the system cue have been deleted. Blake Edwards (writer), Dick Powell, Ed Begley, Edward King (announcer), Frank Worth (composer, conductor), Peggy Webber, Richard Sanville (director), Steve Dunne, Virginia Gregg, William Johnstone, Wilms Herbert. 29:28.

Baby Snooks "Report Card" (5-01-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:08:00 GMT

Baby Snooks - FIRST BROADCAST: 29th February 1936 as part of The Ziegfield Follies of the Air LAST BROADCAST: 29th May 1951 CAST: Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks. Henley Stafford as Lancelot âDaddyâ? Higgins, Baby Snooks father. Lalive Brownell as âMommyâ? Higgins (later played by Lois Corbet and Arlene Harris).Leone Ledoux as Snookâs little brother Roberspierre. ANNOUNCERS: John Conte (late 30s and early 40s). Tobe Reed (1944-45), Harlow Willcox (mid to late 1940s), Dick Joy, Don Wilson and Ken Wilson. VOCALIST: Bob Graham MUSIC: Meredith Willson (37-44), Carmen Dragon. PRODUCER-DIRECTORS: Mann Holiner (early 1940s), Al Kaye (1944), Ted Bliss, Walter Bunker, Arthur Stander. WRITERS: Phil Rapp, Jess Oppenheimer, Everett Freeman, Bill Danch, Sid Dorfman, Arthur Stander, Robert Fisher. SOUND EFFECTS: Clark Casey, David Light. Baby Snooks became a character for Fanny Brice at some point in the early 30s, nobody seems to know exactly when. What is for sure is that by 1934 Fanny was appearing on-stage in her baby costume as part of the Follies show on Broadway. In 1936, at 45 years of age, she used this baby persona to great effect on the CBS show The Ziegfield Follies of the Air and a radio legend was born.

The Mysterious Traveler "Fire In The Sky" (8-28-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:44:00 GMT

THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER - Written and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Kogan, the series began on the Mutual Broadcasting System, December 5, 1943, continuing in many different timeslots until September 16, 1952. Unlike many other shows of the era, The Mysterious Traveler was without a sponsor for its entire run. The lonely sound of a distant locomotive heralded the arrival of the malevolent narrator, portrayed by Maurice Tarplin, who introduced himself each week in the following manner. This is the Mysterious Traveler, inviting you to join me on another journey into the strange and terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable -- if you can! Cast members included Jackson Beck, Lon Clark, Roger DeKoven, Elspeth Eric, Wendell Holmes, Bill Johnstone, Joseph Julian, Jan Miner, Santos Ortega, Bryna Raeburn, Frank Readick, Ann Shepherd, Lawson Zerbe and Bill Zuckert. Sound effects were by Jack Amrhein, Jim Goode, Ron Harper, Walt McDonough and Al Schaffer.

Big Town "The Fatal Chain" (11-09-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:49:00 GMT

Big Town is a radio show that aired from 1937 to 1952. Edward G. Robinson had the lead role of Steve Wilson from 1937 to 1942. Claire Trevor was Wilson's society editor sidekick Lorelei Kilbourne, with Ona Munson taking over that role in 1940. Edward J. Pawley portrayed Wilson from 1942 until 1952 when Walter Greaza was heard as Wilson in the final episodes in the radio series. When Big Town moved to television, the program was telecast live, but in 1952 the production switched to film after the move from New York City to Hollywood. The television series ran on CBS from 1950 through 1954, continuing on NBC from 1955 through 1956. Repeat episodes aired on the DuMont Network (under the title City Assignment) while Big Town was still showing first-run episodes on CBS. Reruns were also shown under the titles Heart of the City, Headline and Byline Steve Wilson.

Manhunt "(Masked Murderer) and (Conflicting Confessions)" 1946

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:16:00 GMT

Manhunt - CRIME DRAMA
1945-1946 15 Minutes transcribed syndication (ZIV network), with crime stories complete in each episode. CAST: Larry Haines as Drew Stevens. New York players were in support. The shows were well written and, for the time period, quite well performed.

In Episode One "Clue Of The Masked Murderer", police are notiified of a murder. Upon arrival at the scene, they find nothing. Under their watch, a body suddenly appears and sends everyone into a search of surrounding apartments. As this investigation continues, a second body is discovered. Drew Stevens and his associate discover the motive and suspect. Can they make an arrest?

In Episode Two, "The Contridicting Confessions", a mother and her son both confess to the murder of Andrew Winters, the woman's brother who owned the farm they all lived on. Winters was about to reposses the property and force the others to leave. Police attempting to solve the crime were further confussed by even a third confession.

The Lives Of Harry Lime "Blue Bride" (1-19-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Third Man (The Lives of Harry Lime) was a old-time radio adventure series that ran in 1951 and 1952. It was based on the 1949 film of the same name. Orson Welles stars as Harry Lime, a perpetually broke confidence man, smuggler, and general scoundrel. He will participate in virtually any criminal activity to make a fast buck, but uses his wits rather than a gun. He draws the line short of murder, blackmail, or drugs. Even so, Harry is an endearing character and listeners love to hear of his one-step-ahead-of-the-law misadventures as he hops around the globe looking for his next pigeon. The zither music of Anton Karas adds a wonderful Viennese ambience to each episode and really makes this show special.

THIS EPISODE:
October 19, 1951. Program #12. Lang-Worth syndication. "Blue Bride". Commercials added locally. Harry's involved in a counterfeiting scheme in Bordeaux. Orson Welles, Anton Karas (zither), Harry Alan Towers (producer), Tig Roe (director). 26:34.

The Haunting Hour "Occupation Murder" (8-25-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:43:00 GMT

The Haunting Hour - The shows are classic chills from the old school, with creepy organ, overwrought women and over the top men. Perhaps not the highest of melodrama, but obsessively workmanlike. After all, they might have known they were a skeleton staff toiling relentlessly without a ghost of a chance of fame. Thanks to transcription, these unknowns are still with us. John Dunning, succinctly states in "On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio," "There were no credits, so casts and production crews are unknown."

THIS EPISODE:
NBC syndication, WRVR-FM, New York aircheck. "Occupation Murder". Participating sponsors. Syndicated rebroadcast date: January 17, 1975. . 28:20.

The Philip Morris Playhouse "The Iron Man" (7-29-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:58:00 GMT

The Philip Morris Playhouse - Philip Morris invested heavily in radio advertising throughout the 1930s and â40s, often having two weekly programs on competing networks. The first, a variety show that ran for twelve seasons (1934-47) and combined musical and dramatic elements, was called Johnny Presents, essentially giving Roventini "top billing" above all the big name guests that appeared on the broadcasts. The cigarette company also sponsored Philip Morris Playhouse, a dramatic anthology series that lasted 14 seasons (1939-53), finally switching to television.

THIS EPISODE:
July 29, 1949. CBS net. "The Ironman". Sponsored by: Philip Morris, Revelation Pipe tobacco. The three owners of a failing New York bar decide to do in a barfly after taking out an insurance policy on his life. This is not as easy as it sounds. A well done production of a classic story. William Spier (director, producer, editor), Sidney Miller, Jerry Hausner, Joseph Kearns, John Holbrook (announcer), Harold Swanton (writer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Art Ballinger (announcer), James Matthews. 29:35

Bold Venture "Slates Stolen Identity" (1951) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:12:00 GMT

Bold Venture - 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 thiswas 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.

THIS EPISODE:
ZIV Syndication. "Slate's Stolen Identity". Commercials added locally. A southerner hires Slate and Sailor to take his client off a freighter (the "S. S. Paloma," Didn't that ship burn in "The Maltese Falcon?"). Slate is shanghaied, his identification papers are taken and is almost arrested as being Louis Gaspar. Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Barton Yarborough, Jester Hairston (singing transitions), David Rose (composer, conductor). 26:39.

Green Valley Line "Episodes10 and 12" (1947) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Green Valley Line is "the story of a back-country railroad in the early years of the 20th Century". Not much is known about the people or history of the Green Valley Line radio show. It was probably a single radio station production, since it doesn't even have credits. There's a real live quality to the show, since there's mis-reading of dialogue, and skewed inflections, but that's a great deal of the charm with this rarely-heard local show. It has simple, direct dialogue and almost no sound effects except for the great sounds of the trains and some random railroad office sounds such as typewriters and such.

The Adventures Of Dick Tracy "2 Episodes" (2-14-38) and (2-25-38) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:51:00 GMT

Dick Tracy had a long run on radio, from 1934 weekdays on NBC's New England stations to the ABC network in 1948. Bob Burlen was the first radio Tracy in 1934, and others heard in the role during the 1930s and 1940s were Barry Thompson, Ned Wever and Matt Crowley. The early shows all had 15-minute episodes. On CBS, with Sterling Products as sponsor, the serial aired four times a week from February 4, 1935 to July 11, 1935, moving to Mutual from September 30, 1935 to March 24, 1937 with Bill McClintock doing the sound effects. NBC's weekday afternoon run from January 3, 1938 to April 28, 1939 had sound effects by Keene Crockett and was sponsored by Quaker Oats, which brought Dick Tracy into primetime (Saturdays at 7pm and, briefly, Mondays at 8pm) with 30-minute episodes from April 29, 1939 to September 30, 1939. The series returned to 15-minute episodes on the ABC Blue Network from March 15, 1943 to July 16, 1948, sponsored by Tootsie Rolls, which used the music theme of "Toot Toot, Tootsie" for its 30-minute Saturday ABC series from October 6, 1945 to June 1, 1946. Sound effects on ABC were supplied by Walt McDonough and Al Finelli. Directors of the series included Mitchell Grayson, Charles Powers and Bob White. Cast members at various times included Walter Kinsella as Pat Patton, Helen Lewis as Tess Trueheart and Andy Donnelly and Jackie Kelk as Junior Tracy. Announcers were Ed Herlihy and Dan Seymour.

Let George Do It "The Prairie Dog" (3-12-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:30:00 GMT

Let George Do It was a radio drama series produced by Owen and Pauline Vinson from 1946 to 1954. It starred Bob Bailey as detective-for-hire George Valentine (with Olan Soule stepping into the role in 1954). Clients came to Valentine's office after reading a newspaper carrying his classified ad: "Personal notice: Danger's my stock in trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you've got a job for me. George Valentine." Valentine's secretary was Claire Brooks, aka Brooksie (Frances Robinson, Virginia Gregg, Lillian Buyeff). As Valentine made his rounds in search of the bad guys, he usually encounted Brooksie's kid brother, Sonny (Eddie Firestone), Lieutenant Riley (Wally Maher) and elevator man Caleb (Joseph Kearns). 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 on the organ.

The Great Gildersleeve "Eves Mother Arrives" (6-04-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:32:00 GMT

The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1957) was the arguable founding father of the spin-off program, as well as one of the first true situation comedies (as opposed to sketch programs) in broadcast history. Hooked around a character who had been a staple on the classic radio hit Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve enjoyed its greatest period in the 1940s, when Harold Peary graduated the character from the earlier show into the sitcom and in a quartet of likeable feature films at the height of the show's popularity.

THIS EPISIODE:
June 4, 1944. NBC network. Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Eve's mother comes for a visit, and Gildersleeve meets his future mother-in-law. Bea Benaderet, Claude Sweeten (music), Earle Ross, Harold Peary, John Whedon (writer), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Lillian Randolph, Lurene Tuttle, Richard LeGrand, Sam Moore (writer), Shirley Mitchell (?), Walter Tetley. 29:32.

The Adventures Of Maisie "The Gambler" (4-05-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Adventures Of Maisie - The first in 1939, was from the book "Dark Dame" by the writer Wilson Collison,who did decades of scripting for the silver screen along with Broadway plays and magazine fiction. From the first, MGM wanted Ann Sothern to play Maisie. She began in Hollywood as an extra in 1927. "Maisie and I were just together - I just understood her," Sothern, born Harriette Arlene Lake, said after several of the films made her a star. Throughout the 1930s and '40s, Ann Sothern and Lucille Ball, like many performers in Hollywood, had not one but two careers - one in motion pictures and one on radio. MGM Studios had created the series of ten motion pictures based on a brash blonde with a heart "of spun gold." Maisie, the first in 1939, was from the book "Dark Dame" by the writer Wilson Collison, who did decades of scripting for the silver screen along with Broadway plays and magazine fiction.

The Weird Circle "Mad Monkton" (11-05-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:42:00 GMT

THE WEIRD CIRCLE was a syndicated series that was heard on Mutual
stations November, 1943 through October, 1947 and very briefly in
September/October of 1947 on ABC. The show presented 30 minute tales of horror, frequently inspired by classic horror or ghost stories, frequently done by French authors. It opened with the sound of the surf and the chant-like opening, "In this cave by the restless sea, we are met to call from out of past, stories strange and weird. Bell keeper, toll the bell, so that all may know that we are gathered again in the Weird Circle".

THIS EPISODE:
April 13, 1945. Program #49. NBC syndication. "Mad Monkton". Commercials added locally. An excellent ghost story. Ancient prophesy and the unburied dead. Wilkie Collins (author). 26:00.

The Man Called X - 2 Ep. (1-13-51) and (1-20-51) - Boxcars711 Wayback Moment In Time

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:46:00 GMT

The Man Called X was an espionage radio drama which aired on CBS and NBC from July 10, 1944 to May 20, 1952. Herbert Marshall had the lead role of agent Ken Thurston who took on dangerous cases in a variety of exotic locations. Gordon Jenkins Orchestra supplied the background music. Leon Belasco played Mr. X's comedic sidekick, Pagan Zeldchmidt, who always turned up in remote parts of the world because he had a "cousin" there. Pagan would annoy and help Mr. X

Hollywood Radio Theater "It Happened On 5th Avenue" (5-19-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:55:00 GMT

Hollywood Radio Theater (Lux), one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network, 1934-1935; CBS 1935-1955), adapted first Broadway stage and then (and especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations and became the standard by which future radio and early television anthologies would be judged. Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936 until January 22, 1945.

Have Gun Will Travel "2 Episodes" (11-29-59) and (10-09-60) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:12:00 GMT

Have Gun â Will Travel was a popular American Western television series that aired on CBS from 1957 through 1963. It was one of the few television shows to spawn a successful radio version. The radio series debuted on November 23, 1958. The show followed the adventures of Paladin, a gentleman-turned-gunfighter (played by Richard Boone on television, and by John Dehner on radio), who preferred to settle problems without violence, yet, when forced to fight, excelled.

Price Of Fear "Not Wanted On This Voyage" (1973) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:52:00 GMT

The Price Of Fear - For the 1970âs late-night horror show, The Price of Fear, the BBC dramatized the most chilling stories they could find, drawing on talented new writers as well as the established master of terror who narrated tale, re-written as though Price actually experienced each chilling adventure himself. The show was enormously successful in the UK and abroad, and a number of series were made during 1973, 1975 and 1982.

EPISODE:
Program #1. Syndicated, KCRW-FM, Santa Monica, California aircheck. "Not Wanted On The Voyage". Sustaining. An eternal triangle aboard an ocean liner, with murder for the crippled wife. Vincent Price (host, narrator), William Ingraham (writer), Margaret Courtney, Sheila Grant, Henry Stamper, John Dias (director), Shandor Ellis. 28:05.

People Are Funny - "Dancing With Three Men" (1955) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:44:00 GMT

Our Miss Brooks "The Stock Room" (2-06-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:12:00 GMT

Our Miss Brooks, an American situation comedy, began as a radio hit in 1948 and migrated to television in 1952, becoming one of the earlier hits of the so-called Golden Age of Television, and making a star out of Eve Arden (1908-1990) as comely, wisecracking, but humane high school English teacher Connie Brooks. The show hooked around Connie's daily relationships with Madison High School students, colleagues, and pompous principal Osgood Conklin (Gale Gordon), not to mention favourite student Walter Denton (future television and Rambo co-star Richard Crenna, who fashioned a higher-pitched voice to play the role) and biology teacher Philip Boynton ( Jeff Chandler), the latter Connie's all-but-unrequited love interest, who saw science everywhere and little else anywhere.

THIS EPISODE:
January 16, 1949. CBS network. Sponsored by: Palmolive Soap, Palmolive Shaving Cream, Lustre Creme Shampoo. As Mr. Conklin cracks down on discipline at Madison High, Miss Brooks is assigned to the stock room. The program is possibly dated February 6 or 8, 1949. Eve Arden, Verne Smith (announcer), Richard Crenna, Gale Gordon, Jane Morgan, Wilbur Hatch (music), Jeff Chandler, Gloria McMillan. 29:48.

The Lone Ranger "Hero's Grave" (5-30-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Lone Ranger was a long-running early radio and television show based on characters created by George W. Trendle, and developed by writer Fran Striker. The titular character is a masked cowboy in the American Old West, who gallops about righting injustices, usually with the aid of a clever and laconic American Indian called Tonto, and his horse Silver. He would famously say "Heigh-ho Silver, away!" to get the horse to gallop.

Rogue's Gallery "Blood On The Sand" (12-13-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:25:00 GMT

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

The Adventures Of Sam Spade "The Rushlight Diamond Caper" (7-04-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:19:00 GMT

Sam Spade was a tough private investigator. Each case was unfolded as a report dictated to his secretary, Effie, who was always flustered and secretly in love with him. He always quoted his license number and referred to each investigation as a âcaperâ?. Each report was dated with the actual airdate. CAST: Howard Duff, Steve Dunne, Lurene Tuttle, John McIntire, William Conrad, Cathy and Elliot Lewis, June Havoc, Joseph Kearns, Jerry Hausner, Elliott Reid, Mary Jane Croft, Jeanette Nolan, Betty Lou Gerson.

Life With Luigi "Income Tax Problems" (3-06-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:51:00 GMT

Life with Luigi was a radio comedy-drama series which began September 21, 1948 on CBS. The story concerned Italian immigrant Luigi Basco, and his experiences as an immigrant in Chicago. Many of the shows take place at the US citizenship classes that Luigi attends with other immigrants from different countries, as well as trying to fend off the repeated advances of the morbidly-obese daughter of his landlord/sponsor. Luigi was played by J. Carrol Naish, an Irish-American. Naish continued in the role on the short-lived television version in 1952, and was later replaced by Vito Scotti. With a working title of The Little Immigrant, Life with Luigi was created by Cy Howard, who earlier had created the hit radio comedy, My Friend Irma. The show was often seen as the Italian counterpart to the radio show The Goldbergs, which chronicled the experience of Jewish immigrants in New York.

THIS EPISODE:
March 6, 1949. CBS network. Sustaining. Luigi gets a letter from the income tax department! Has he paid his "E Pluribus Unum Tax?" .. Alan Reed (?), Bob Stevenson (announcer), Cy Howard (writer, producer, director), Hans Conried, J. Carrol Naish, Jody Gilbert, Joe Forte, Lou Derman (writer), Lyn Murray (music), Mac Benoff (writer), Mary Shipp. 29:37.

The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet "The Matchmaker" (10-24-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, an American radio and television series, was once the longest-running, live-action situation comedy on American television, having aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966 after a ten-year run on radio. Starring former bandleader Ozzie Nelson and his wife, vocalist Harriet, the show's sober, gentle humor captured a large, sustaining audience, even if it never reached the top ten in the actual ratings and later critics tended to dismiss it as fostering a slightly unrealistic picture of post-World War II American family life.

The Adventures Of Frank Race "Seventeen Black" (5-22-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:45:00 GMT

The Adventures of Frank Race was a 1949-50 radio adventure serial syndicated by Bruce Ellis Productions. The 30-minute program was first broadcast in some markets beginning May 1, 1949. An attorney who turned international adventurer after WWII, Frank Race (Tom Collins, Paul Dubov) mainly investigated insurance scams. After the first 22 shows, Dubov took over the title role. Tony Barnett portrayed Mark Donovan. The series was written and directed by Joel Murcott and Buckley Angel. The announcer was Art Gilmore, and Ivan Ditmars provided the background organ music.

THIS EPISODE:
May 22, 1949. Program #4. Broadcasters Program Syndicate syndication. "Seventeen, Black". Commercials added locally. An embezzler from Yonkers has committed suicide after taking $70,000. Tom Collins, Tony Barrett, Buckley Angel (writer, director), Joel Murcott (writer, director), Bruce Eells (producer), Art Gilmore (announcer), Ivan Ditmars (organist), Paul Dubov. 26:31.

Duffy's Tavern "A Visit From The Draft Board" (2-02-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:51:00 GMT

Duffy's Tavern, an American radio situation comedy (CBS, 1941-1942; NBC-Blue Network, 1942-1944; NBC, 1944-1952), often featured top-name stage and film guest stars but always hooked those around the misadventures, get-rich-quick-scheming, and romantic missteps of the title establishment's malaprop-prone, metaphor-mixing manager, Archie, played by the writer/actor who created the show, Ed Gardner.

THIS EPISODE:
January 12, 1951. NBC network. Sponsored by: RCA Victor, Anacin. Archie becomes smitten with beautiful Mary Ann, not knowing she's from the Draft Board! Archie accuses her of being a "Matzah Hari." The system cue is added live. Ed Gardner, Bert Gordon, Charlie Cantor, Cesar Concepcion and His Orchestra. 30:02.

Screen Guild Theater "Across The Pacific" (1-25-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:49:00 GMT

SCREEN GUILD THEATER - The theatrical society in U.S.A. is termed as Theatre Guild. Founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner (1890-1962) and others, the group proposed to produce high-quality, noncommercial plays. Its board of directors shared responsibility for choice of plays, management, and production. After the premiere of George Bernard Shawâs Heartbreak House in 1920, the Guild became his U.S. agent and staged 15 of his plays. It also produced successful plays by Eugene OâNeill, Maxwell Anderson, and Robert Sherwood and featured actors such as the Lunts and Helen Hayes. It helped develop the American musical by staging Porgy and Bess (1935), Oklahoma! (1943), and Carousel (1945); later also producing the radio series Theatre Guild on the Air (1945-53) and even presented plays on television.

Barry Craig Confidential Investigator "The Motive For Murder" (2-20-52)

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:39:00 GMT

The Falcon "The Case Of The Puzzling Pinup" (11-19-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:06:00 GMT

THE FALCON: This hard boiled spy drama began as an RKO Radio Pictures theatrical serial in the 1940s, went on radio in 1945, and then came to TV ten years later in this Syndicated series produced for distribution by NBC Films; Charles McGraw had been in many motion pictures before and after including "The Killers", "Spartacus" and "Cimarron"; in this series he played the title role of a man whose real name was supposedly Mike Waring, an American agent whose code name was "Falcon"; Later Charles McGraw starred in a short lived TV version of "Casablanca" (1955 - 1956) in the character of Rick; He also had a role on the detective drama "Staccato" (1959) Actor McGraw (whose birth name was Charles Butters) met an unfortunate death in real life when he fell through a shower glass door in 1980 at his home in Studio City, CA.

THIS EPISODE:
November 19, 1950. NBC network. "The Case Of The Puzzling Pinup". Sponsored by: Kraft Miracle Whip, Velveeta, Kraft Dinner. A dead woman is found with a gun in her hand. Where is the other body? A newspaper photographer has a set of photos worth $500,000, but dies right after being punched by "The Falcon." The photographer's beautiful "partner" admits to killing the photographer and then is shot herself! Les Damon, Ed Herlihy (announcer), Drexel Drake (creator). 29:38.

Matinee Theater "Random Harvest" (1-07-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:48:00 GMT

Matinee Theater represented a serious attempt by CBS to provide quality dramatic programming for its Sunday afternoon listeners. A continuation of the series Dangerously Yours, it was renamed Matinee Theater with a view towards presenting "a greater range of stories". That broader scope was able to accommodate such episodes as "Beautiful Dreamer" (the Stephen Foster story) and "The Love Story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning". Victor Jory and several different female stars paired to bring classics like "Wuthering Heights", "Jane Eyre", and "The Scarlet Pimpernel" to the audience, as well as a number of more contemporary works. The first of these thirty-minute broadcasts aired October 22, 1944 and the final one on April 8, 1945. The Vick Chemical Company sponsored throughout.

THIS EPISODE:
As the First World War ends a soldier wanders out of a Midlands asylum. Smithy was found in the trenches having lost his memory and all contact with the past. Amidst the noise of the armistice celebrations he meets a music hall actress. They fall in love, marry, move to a country cottage, and have a son. On a trip alone to Liverpool Smithy is involved in an accident. His original memory returns, but he now remembers nothing at all about his new life. Written by Jeremy Perkins. Writer is jwp@aber.ac.uk

Theater Guild On The Air - Dead End (2-24-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:39:00 GMT

The Theatre Guild On The Air - The theatrical society in U.S.A. is termed as Theatre Guild. Founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner (1890-1962) and others, the group proposed to produce high-quality, noncommercial plays. Its board of directors shared responsibility for choice of plays, management, and production. After the premiere of George Bernard Shawâs Heartbreak House in 1920, the Guild became his U.S. agent and staged 15 of his plays. It also produced successful plays by Eugene OâNeill, Maxwell Anderson, and Robert Sherwood and featured actors such as the Lunts and Helen Hayes. It helped develop the American musical by staging Porgy and Bess (1935), Oklahoma! (1943), and Carousel (1945); later also producing the radio series Theatre Guild on the Air (1945-53) and even presented plays on television.

THIS EPISODE:
February 24, 1946. ABC network. "Dead End". Sponsored by: United States Steel. The story of New York's slums that led to the creation of the "Dead End Kids," and is based on the play and film of the same name. Agnes Young, Alan Baxter, Anne Burr, Ann Thomas, Arnold Stang, Danny Leon, George Hicks (commercial spokesman), Joan Tetzel, Norman Brokenshire (announcer), Richard Conte, Sidney Kingsley (author). 59:20.

The Unexpected "The Mink Coat" (7-25-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:00:00 GMT

THE UNEXPECTED - Weird 15 minute stories that have a âtwistâ? ending. The listener gets a sudden shock, as this time of program should intend to deliver. Actors included Barry Sullivan, Lurene Tuttle and Virginia Gregg, who played Helen Asher in the Richard Diamond detectve series. Director is Frank Danzig.

The Milton Berle Show "Salute To The American Farmer" (9-09-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:35:00 GMT

THE MILTON BERLE SHOW - In 1934-36, Berle was heard regularly on The Rudy Vallee Hour, and he got much publicity as a regular on The Gillette Original Community Sing, a Sunday night comedy-variety program broadcast on CBS from September 6, 1936 to August 29, 1937. In 1939, he was the host of Stop Me If You've Heard This One with panelists spontaneously finishing jokes sent in by listeners. Three Ring Time, a comedy-variety show sponsored by Ballantine Ale was followed by a 1943 program sponsored by Campbell's Soups. The audience participation show Let Yourself Go (1944-45) could best be described as slapstick radio with studio audience members acting out long suppressed urges (often directed at host Berle). Kiss and Make Up, on CBS in 1946, featured the problems of contestants decided by a jury from the studio audience with Berle as the Judge. He also made guest appearances on many comedy-variety radio programs during the 1930s and 1940s. Scripted by Hal Block and Martin Ragaway, The Milton Berle Show brought Berle together with Arnold Stang, later a familiar face as Berle's TV sidekick.

The Clock "The Criminal Mind" (4-27-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:13:00 GMT

The Clock, Imported from Austrailia, was a dramatic thirty-minute suspense and mystery series. It was written by Lawrence Klee and was first broadcast in November 1946. The story always began the same; âSunrise and sunset, promise and fulfilment, birth and death â the whole drama of life is written in the sands of timeâ?. This is a great series where the main theme seems to be Retribution. Stories as told by Father Time.

THIS EPISODE:
April 27, 1947. Grace Gibson syndication. "The Criminal Mind". Commercials added locally. The perfect crime...committed by a policeman! WRVR rebroadcast date: September 21, 1973. The program was heard on ABC on the date above and on August 4, 1947. Lawrence Klee (writer), Harp McGuire (narrator, as "The Clock"), John Saul (director), Grace Gibson (producer), Ken Wayne, John Mellion, George Sterling, Joe McCormick, Owen Weingart. 26:24.

The Devil And Mr. O "Vacation With Death" (11-26-71) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:34:00 GMT

The Devil and Mr. 'O' - With its premiere on the nationwide NBC hookup in 1935, Lights Out was billed "the ultimate in horror." Never had such sounds been heard on the air. Heads rolled, bones were crushed, people fell from great heights and splattered wetly on pavement. There were garrotings, choking, heads split by cleavers, and, to a critic at Radio Guide, "the most monstrous of all sounds, human flesh being eaten." Few shows had ever combined the talents of actors and imaginative writers so well with the graphic art of the sound technician. Wyllis Cooper, who created, wrote, and produced it, was then a 36-year-old staffer in Chicago's NBC Studios.

The Six Shooter "Bad Blood" (5-27-54) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:00:00 GMT

The Six Shooter, the only radio series staring James Stewart, aired on September 20, 1953. In this radio western, Jimmy played Britt Ponset, a man with a reputation for having a fast gun but is really very different from the hard, tough talking gun slinger type. Here the hero is a slow talking, thinking man who is ready with his gun, but first looks for options to violence. James Stewart played this character very well. Jimmy had appeared on many other radio shows including the Hollywood Star Playhouse where the character of Britt Ponset was introduced in an episode called "The Six Shooter". The same script was used for the audition of THE SIX SHOOTER series, again with Jimmy as Britt. The show aired between September 1953 and June 1954.

The Clitheroe Kid "One Hundred Not Out" (2-02-64) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:09:00 GMT

The Clitheroe Kid was James Robertson Clitheroe, Jimmy Clitheroe to most, who by some strange coincidence did come from the town of that name without having to change his family name! At his full height he was 4ft 3in, and played the naughty schoolboy from 1958 to 1972. Although plausable from a distance, he was not really able to pass himself off as a youngster close up, so a TV career did not really take off too well, but at the peak of his fame the radio show was raking in about 10 million listeners, although by the end this had dropped to a tenth of that figure. Clitheroe was a very private person, and the shows became a sort of escape for him, as well as the release from the worries of his diminutive size, but despite this, his popularity increased and increased, making this series one of the longer running on the radio - a total of 17 series.

The Saint "The Color Blind Killer" (9-18-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:02:00 GMT

The Saint â 1945-1951
There were at least 24 episodes broadcast of this series. It was a fascinating detective adventure series based on the books by Leslie Charteris. Edgar Barrier first played Simon Templar, aka The Saint, a debonair private detective in January 1945. He was then played by Brian Aherne in June 1945 and later Vincent Price from July 1947 up until May 1951. The Saint was said to have been like a modern day Robin Hood. He didnât care for justice and always helped victims hindered by the lawâs restrictions.

Pat Novak For Hire "Dixie Gilian" (11-24-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:33:00 GMT

Pat Novak, For Hire â 1949-1950
Pat Novak, played by Jack Webb, was a private detective working out of Pier 19, a waterfront office in San Francisco. The stories were always very similar: Someone would hire him, (if not a beautiful woman, the job would lead to a beautiful woman) someone would get murdered, he would investigate the case, get beaten up by the thugs, and then the case would be solved and end with glorious violence. The closing was always the same; the listener would be told who had done what, to whom and why they had done it.

Wild Bill Hickok "Deadlock At Silver Site" (4-23-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Wild Bill Hickock - 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.

Suspense "Donovans Brain" (2-07-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:50:00 GMT

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. The program made only occasional forays into science fiction and fantasy. Among its science fiction entries were "The Man who Went Back to Save Lincoln" (a time travel fantasy), and an adaptation of "Donovan's Brain".

THIS EPISODE:

February 7, 1948. CBS network. "Donovan's Brain". Sustaining. The classic tale of the mad scientist and his "brain in the bottle." The story was previously produced on "Suspense," as two half hour programs, on May 18 and May 25, 1944 (see cat. #245 and #61158). John McIntire (doubles), Robert Montgomery (host, performer), William Johnstone, Wally Maher, Jeanette Nolan, Joseph Kearns (announcer, performer), Curt Siodmak (author), Robert L. Richards (adaptor), William Spier (producer, director, editor), Lucien Moraweck (composer), Lud Gluskin (conductor), Burne Surrey (sound effects), Bob Anderson (sound engineer). 61:28.

Academy Award Theater "It Happened Tomorrow" (10-09-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:58:00 GMT

Academy Award Theater - The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear!

THIS EPISODE:
October 9, 1946. CBS network. "It Happened Tomorrow". Sponsored by: Squibb. The delightful story about the newspaper reporter who had access to the next day's newspaper! Eddie Bracken, Ann Blyth, Hugh Brundage (announcer), Frank Wilson (adaptor), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Dee Englebach (producer, director). 29:36.

Author's Playhouse "Two Of A Kind" (7-28-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:12:00 GMT

Authorâs 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 28, 1944. NBC network. "Two Of A Kind". Sustaining. Two divers descend beneath the sea to rescue men and papers from a sunken sub. H. Vernon Dickson (writer). 1/2 hour.

Gunsmoke "Never Pester Chester" (7-05-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:59:00 GMT

Gunsmoke - 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.

THIS EPISODE:

July 5, 1952. CBS network. "Never Pester Chester". Sustaining. Two Texas cowboys drag Chester behind a horse for fun, almost killing him. Marshal Dillon brings in the cowboys...without his guns. The script was used on the Gunsmoke television series on November 16, 1957. William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Paul Dubov, Lou Krugman, Jack Kruschen, Roy Rowan (announcer), Don Diamond, John Meston (writer), Norman Macdonnell (director), Rex Koury (composer, conductor), Gil Stratton. 30:27.

The Martin & Lewis Show "Guest DannyThomas" (11-09-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:37:00 GMT

The Martin and Lewis Show - On July 25, 1946, Jerry began a show business partnership with Dean Martin, an association that would soon skyrocket both to fame. It started when Jerry was performing at the 500 Club in Atlantic City and one of the other entertainers quit suddenly. Lewis, who had worked with Martin at the Glass Hat in New York City, suggested Dean as a replacement. At first they worked separately, but then ad-libbed together, improvising insults and jokes, squirting seltzer water, hurling bunches of celery and exuding general zaniness. In less than eighteen weeks their salaries soared from $250.00 a week to $5,000.00. For ten years Martin and Lewis sandwiched sixteen money making films between nightclub engagements, personal appearances, recording sessions, radio shows, and television bookings.

THIS EPISODE:
November 9, 1951. NBC netwoek. Sponsored by: Dentyne, Chesterfield, Anacin. Unedited tape. The recording features lots of fooling around, including some near off-color jokes. The first tune is, "It's The Toast Of The Town," and takes almost ten minutes to play. Guest Danny Thomas and the boys do their version of, "You Bet Your Life." A funny recording, the audience sounds like it's having a great time, and was obviously intended for editing. Great Martin and Lewis. When Jimmy Wallington declines to read an Anacin commercial, Dean suggests that he put his head through the window "and the pane will be gone." Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Dick Mack (producer, director), Dick Stabile and His Orchestra, Jimmy Wallington (announcer), Bonnie Bishop (vocal), Danny Thomas, Norman Lear (writer), Ed Simmons (writer). 1:05:48.

My Friend Irma - The First Show "Irma Meets Jane" (11-19-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:43:00 GMT

Casey Crime Photographer "Casey & The Self-Made Hero" (3-18-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:42:00 GMT

Casey, Crime Photographer - The adventures of Casey, crack photographer for The Morning Express, were told in this series, which moved to television after a highly successful run on radio in the 1940âs. Casey hung out at the Blue Note CafÃ, where the music was provided by the Tony Mottola Trio, and was friendly with Ethelbert, the bartender, to whom he recounted his various exploits. Richard Carlyle and John Gibson portrayed the roles when the series premiered in April, 1951, but by June they were replaced by Darren McGavin and Cliff Hall. Ann Williams, a reporter on The Morning Express, was Caseyâs girlfriend. During the summer of 1951 he acquired a partner in cub reporter Jack Lipman, who wrote copy to go with Caseyâs pictures. This live series was set in and broadcast from, New York City.

THIS EPISODE:
July 17, 1947. CBS network. "Self-Made Hero". Sponsored by: Anchor Hocking Glass. Wellington Cliffside wants more than anything to be a hero and impress his bobby-soxed lady-love. The script was used previously on the program on March 18, 1944 and July 8, 1944. Alonzo Deen Cole (writer), Archie Bleyer (music), Herman Chittison (piano), Jack Grimes, Jan Miner, John Dietz (director), John Gibson, Staats Cotsworth, Tony Marvin (announcer), George Harmon Coxe (creator). 29:38.

Bob Hope Show "Guests Dorothy Lamour and Peggy Lee (5-13-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 05:43:00 GMT

From the age of twelve, Bob Hope worked at a wide variety of odd jobs at a local board walk. When not doing this he would busk, doing dance and comedy patter to make extra money. He entered many dancing and amateur talent contests, and won prizes for his impersonation of Charlie Chaplin. He also boxed briefly and unsuccessfully under the name Packy East, making it once as far as the semi-finals of the Ohio novice championship. Fallen silent film comedian Fatty Arbuckle saw one of his performances and in 1925 got him steady work with Hurley's Jolly Follies. A year later Hope had formed an act called the Dancemedians with George Burns (who would also live to see his own 100th birthday) and the Hilton Sisters, conjoined twins who had a tap dancing routine. Hope and his partner George Byrne had an act as a pair of Siamese twins as well, and both danced and sang while wearing blackface before friends advised Hope that he was funnier as himself.

NBC University Theater "The Pickwick Papers" (3-13-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:38:00 GMT

The NBC University Theater - dramatic anthology Offered novels, with programs for college credit. Broadcast History : July 30th, 1948 - February 14th, 1951 NBC. Mostly 60 minutes. Mostly aired on Sundays, with occasional weeknight airings. Announcer : Don Stanley Music : Albert Harris, Henry Russell Director : Andrew C. Love Writers : Claris A. Ross, Ernest Kinoy, George Lefferts, Jack C. Wilson Sound Effects : Bob Holmes, Rod Sutton.

THIS EPISODE:
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, better known as The Pickwick Papers, is the first novel by Charles Dickens. It was originally an idea by the illustrator Robert Seymour, although in his preface to the 1867 edition, Dickens strenuously denied this, writing that "Mr Seymour never originated or suggested an incident, a phrase, or a word, to be found in the book." At any event, Dickens was asked to contribute to the project as an up and coming writer following the success of Sketches by Boz, published in 1836. Dickens, supremely confident as ever, increasingly took over the unsuccessful monthly publication after Seymour had committed suicide. With the introduction of Sam Weller in chapter 10, the book became the first real publishing phenomenon, with bootleg copies, theatrical performances, Sam Weller joke books and other merchandise.

Broadway Is My Beat "Sophie Britton Murder" (6-27-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:26:00 GMT

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."

Fibber McGee & Molly "Putting Up A Porch Swing" (6-13-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:16:00 GMT

Screen Directors Playhouse "The Uninvited" (11-18-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:11:00 GMT

Screen Director's Playhouse - From 01/09/49 to 09/28/51 this series was greatly enjoyed by the radio listening audience. It opened as NBC Theater and was also known as The Screen Directorâs Guild and The Screen Directorâs Assignment. But most people remember it simply as Screen Directorâs Playhouse. Many of the Hollywood elite were heard recreating their screen roles over the radio. John Wayne in his rare radio appearances, Cary Grant, Edward G. Robinson, Lucille Ball, Claire Trevor, Tallulah Bankhead and many others were on the air week after week during these broadcasts. Many of Hollywoodâs directors were also heard in the recreation of their movies. The President of the Screen Directorâs Guild appeared on 02/13/49, and Violinist Isaac Stern supplied the music for the 04/19/51 broadcast.

THIS EPISODE:

November 18, 1949. NBC network. " The Uninvited ". Sustaining. A weepy ghost story set in England. A bit heavy handed. Ray Milland, June Foray, John Dehner, Lewis Allen. 1/2 hour.

Nightfall "The Monkeys Paw" (7-11-80) - Boxcars711Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:45:00 GMT

Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio ( Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ) from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from a folk song by Stan Rogers. Some of Nightfall's episodes were so terrifying that the CBC registered numerous complaints and some affiliate stations dropped it. Despite this, the series went on to become one of the most popular shows in CBC Radio history, running 100 episodes that featured a mix of original tales and adaptations of both classic and obscure short stories.

THIS EPISODE:
July 11, 1980. Program #2. CBC origination, NPR network, WPBH-FM, Middlefield, Conn. aircheck. "The Monkey's Paw". Sustaining. A horror tale about three wishes. The WPBH-FM rebroadcast date is January 31, 1982. W. W. Jacobs (author), Henry Ramer (host), Ruth Springford, Eric House, Chris Wiggins, Michael Wincott, Graham Haley, John Jessop (recording engineer), Bill Robinson (sound effects), Doris Buchanan, Bill Howell (producer, director), John Douglas (story editor). 29:09.

Sealed Book "Beware Of Tomorrow" (7-29-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:45:00 GMT

The Sealed Book starred Philip Clarke as the keeper of the book, a croaking, cackling hermit, with knowledge of the black arts, who in each show unlocked the great padlock that kept the sealed book safe from prying eyes. There was a spook story each week with tales of secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages. This MUTUAL network entry in the horror and mystery genre was far from the best remembered, such as Suspense, Quiet Please, and Inner Sanctum. The Sealed Book begins with a classic intro, in which when gonged, we are escorted by the tuxedoed announcer with unseen organist as the keeper of the book opens the ponderous, albeit squeaky door "to the secret vault wherein is kept the great sealed book, in which is recorded all the secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages, Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." First broadcast date march 18th 1945. Last broadcast date september 9th 1945. Narrated by Philip Clarke and written by Bob Arthur and David Kogan, this mystery anthology was aired over the MUTUAL network Sunday nights at 10:30 p.m.

Night Beat "Mr And Mrs Carothers" (10-26-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:17:00 GMT

Night Beat - Frank Lovejoy stars as Randy Stone, a toughened, street-wise Chicago Star reporter working the Night Beat in the early 1950's. Sometimes the capers are cops and robbers. Or just normal people in trouble. Sometimes they deserve it. Sometimes fate twists their arm. Sometimes they're just too scared or confused to know the difference. Lovejoy is a seasoned pro of radio and film with an honest, gripping delivery. Solid supporting casts, good writing and direction.

The Life Of Riley "Soapbox Derby" (5-18-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:38:00 GMT

Nero Wolf "The Dear Dead Lady" (11-03-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 22:53:00 GMT

In 1946 and 1950-1951 Nero Wolfe was aired on radio. Sidney Greenstreet played Nero Wolfe in the later series. The two earlier series have only one episode each available. A variety of actors played Archie Goodwin. NETWORK: NBC, SPONSOR: SUSTAINED, TIME: Fridays: 8:00 - 8:30 pm STARS: Sidney Greenstreet as Nero Wolfe. Archie played by various actors WRITER: Louis Vittes based on the stories by Rex Stout; ANNOUNCER: Don Stanley; PRODUCER: Edwin Fadiman; DIRECTOR: J. Donald Wilson.

Diary Of Fate "Tyler White" (4-06-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 15:43:00 GMT

DIARY OF FATE is a mystery and horror program where âFateâ? narrates and always wins by the end of the story. These are great suspense filled stories about average people who are subject to the mysteries of their âFateâ.

THIS EPISODE:
April 6, 1948. Program #17. Finley syndication. "The Entry Of Tyler White". Commercials added locally. Book 93, page 861. The story of Tyler White who is about to be executed for a murder he did not commit...because of a stray dog and a forgotten cigarette lighter. The date is subject to correction. Herb Lytton, Ruth Perrott, Herbert Rawlinson, Tyler McVey, Hal Sawyer, Ray Erlenborn (probable sound effects), Bob Lowery, Ivan Ditmars (organ), Larry Finley (producer). 28:39.

Diamond Dramas "2 Episodes From 1945" - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 06:07:00 GMT

TWO EPISODES FROM 1945
"The Little Gift" and "The Mad King Of Bavaria"

A series of mystery and drama from the 1940's, always with a theme that surrounded some aspect of the precious gem, always the stories of admiration, smuggling, and thievery and the evil deeds of those who wished to possess them. Today we bring you two episodes.

Jeff Regan Investigator "Man With The Key" (10-02-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 03:12:00 GMT

Jeff Regan, Investigator was one of the three detective shows Jack Webb did before Dragnet (see also Pat Novak For Hire and Johnny Modero: Pier 23). It debuted on CBS in July 1948. Webb played JEFF REGAN, a tough private eye working in a Los Angeles investigation firm run by Anthony J. Lyon. Regan introduced himself on each show "I get ten a day and expenses...they call me the Lyon's Eye." The show was fairly well-plotted, Webb's voice was great, and the supporting cast were skillful. Regan handled rough assignments from Lion, with whom he was not always on good terms. He was tough, tenacious, and had a dry sense of humor. The voice of his boss, Anthony Lion, was Wilms Herbert. The show ended in December 1948 but was resurrected in October 1949 with a new cast; Frank Graham played Regan (later Paul Dubrov was the lead) and Frank Nelson portrayed Lion. This version ran on CBS, sometimes as a West Coast regional, until August 1950. Both versions were 30 minutes, but the day and time slot changed several times. A total of 29 episodes from this series are in trading currency.

THIS EPISODE:
October 2, 1948. CBS network. "The Man With The Key". Sustaining. Jeff, a private investigator, is hired to protect a safe deposit box key for seven hours. Bob Stevenson (announcer), Herb Butterfield, Jack Webb, June Martell, Ken Christy, Marvin Miller, Paul Frees, Yvonne Peattie, E. Jack Neuman (writer), Larry Roman (writer), Sterling Tracy (producer). 29:49.

Inheritance "Giants Of Virginia" (4-25-54) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 22:22:00 GMT

INHERITANCE - A Dramatized look into American History. NBC Networ in cooperation with the AMERICAN LEGION Sundays 4:30 - 5:00 pm PRUDUCER/DIRECTOR: Albert McCleary ANNOUNCER: John Wald MUSIC: Robert Armbruster.

The Witch's Tale "Share And Share Alike" (10-24-32) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 15:28:00 GMT

The Witch's Tale was a horror-fantasy radio series which aired from 1931 to 1938 on WOR and Mutual and in syndication. The program was created, written and directed by Alonzo Deen Cole, who was born February 22, 1897 in St. Paul, Minnesota and died April 7, 1971. Cole's spooky show was hosted by Old Nancy, the Witch of Salem, who introduced a different terror tale each week. The role of Old Nancy was created by stage actress Adelaide Fitz-Allen, who died in 1935 at the age of 79. Cole replaced her with 13-year-old Miriam Wolfe, and Martha Wentworth was also heard as Old Nancy on occasion. Cole himself provided the sounds of Old Nancy's cat, Satan. Cole's wife, Marie O'Flynn, portrayed the lead female characters on the program, and the supporting cast included Mark Smith and Alan Devitte. For syndication, the shows were recorded live during broadcast and distributed to other stations. These recordings were destroyed by Cole in 1961, so few episodes survive. Cole was also the writer, producer and director of the radio mystery-crime drama, Casey, Crime Photographer.

The Burns & Allen Show "Dating Advice" (10-04-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 06:19:00 GMT

Ellery Queen Mysteries - The Swiss Nutcracker (12-24-39) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 03:03:00 GMT

Hollywood Startime "Return Of Frank James" (3-10-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 21:42:00 GMT

Hollywood Startime - Return Of Frank James

Frank James, the brother of Jesse James, has been laying low, living as a farmer and taking care of Clem, the son of one of the members of the James gang. He gets word that Jesse was killed by Bob and Charlie Ford, he hoped that the law would deal with them but when he learns that the railroad man whom he and Jesse terrorized contracted them to kill Jesse and helped them get off, he goes after them. Clem whom he told to remain on the farm goes with him and when it's impossible for him to do so, Frank has no choice to let him tag along. Now in order to cover their tracks they start telling people that Frank James is dead and that they saw it. Eleanor Stone, a female reporter, who wants to write about it interviews them and they are both taken with each other. But eventually she learns who Frank is from the Pinkerton detective who is tracking them but doesn't turn them in. But eventually Frank learns that his farm hand, Pinky has been arrested as his accomplice and is about to be hung. Now short of knowing who Frank is, he has not done anything to help Frank, so Frank has to decide what is more important getting the Fords or helping Pinky. Written by: rcs0411@yahoo.com

The Jack Benny Program "Back From New York" (4-04-37) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:49:00 GMT

The Jack Benny Program is a classic comedy that is truly one of the best-loved programs from the Golden Age of Radio. It started life as The Canada Dry Program in 1932 on the Blue Network and finished off as The Lucky Strike Program on CBS in 1955. In between, it kept the audience in stitches and established Benny as one of America's all-time great comedians. The format of the show, and the personality of its star, so well honed in two decades on radio, made the transition to television almost intact. Jack's stinginess, vanity about his supposed age of 39, basement vault where he kept all his money, ancient Maxwell automobile, and feigned ineptness at playing the violin were all part of the act. Added to Jack's famous pregnant pause and exasperated "Well!" were a rather mincing walk, an affected hand to the cheek, and a painted look of disbelief when confronted by life's little tragedies.

The Real McCoys "Little Luke's Education" (2-06-58) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 04:57:00 GMT

Little Luke's Education (Aired February 6, 1958)
A happy-go-lucking West Virginia mountain family picks up stakes and moves to a ranch in California's San Fernando Valley. Center of the action, and undisputed star of the show, was Grandpa, a porch-rockin', gol-darnin', consarnin' old geezer with a wheezy voice who liked to meddle in practically everybody's affairs, neighbors and kin alike. His kin were grandson Luke and his new bride, Kate; Luke's teenage sister, Hassie; and Luke's 11-year-old brother, Little Luke (their parents were deceased). Completing the regular cast were Pepino, their loyal farm hand; George MacMichael, their crusty neighbor and Amos' best friend; and Flora, George's spinster sister who had eyes for Amos.

Favorite Story "Wuthering Heights" (10-04-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 03:23:00 GMT

FAVORITE STORY aired from September 1947 through December of 1949 hosted by Ronald Colman. This is an excellent dramatic series of great stories from classic literature brought to radio. It's popularity was so high and with such well done stories, it was rebroadcasted for many years.

Wuthering Heights is Emily BrontÃ's only novel. It was first published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, and a posthumous second edition was edited by her sister Charlotte. The name of the novel comes from the Yorkshire manor on the moors on which the story centres. (As an adjective, wuthering is a Yorkshire word referring to turbulent weather.) The narrative tells the tale of the all-encompassing and passionate, yet thwarted love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, and how this unresolved passion eventually destroys both themselves and many around them. Now considered a classic of English literature, Wuthering Heights has also given rise to many adaptations and inspired works, including films, radio, television dramatisations, musicals and songs (notably the hit Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush) and opera.

I Was A Communist For FBI "The Pit Viper" (5-21-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 22:59:00 GMT

Was a Communist for the FBI was an American espionage thriller radio series with 78 episodes syndicated by Ziv to more than 600 stations in 1952-54. Made without FBI cooperation, the series was adapted from the book by undercover agent Matt Cvetic, who was portrayed by Dana Andrews.The series was crafted to warn people about the threat of Communist subversion of American society. The tone of the show is very jingoistic and ultra-patriotic. Communists are evil incarnate and the FBI can do no wrong. As a relic of the Joe McCarthy era, this show is a time capsule of American society during the Second Red Scare.

CBS Radio Mystery Theater "The Man Who Heard Voices" (1-29-74) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 17:02:00 GMT

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater - As you walk through the creaking door you enter into another world, the world of imagination. This world is inside you, a part of you, and you take this journey alone. Each person hears and then sees with his or her mind's eye the events portrayed within these dramas. All of us interprets what they hear differently. The images we see is unique to ourselves. A voice becomes a person, living, breathing they come alive. They take on a physical form and characteristics that we assign to them. The wonders of your own mind are boundless. Scary thoughts? Perhaps, but what powers they bring us! To exercise one's imagination is to exercise one's soul. These dramas provide us with an escape from reality. To adventures beyond our own lives. Enjoy them. And pleasant dreams!

THIS EPISODE:
January 29, 1974. Program #24. CBS network. "The Man Who Heard Voices". Sponsored by: Budweiser, Kellogg's. Augusta Dabney, Leon Janney, Suzanne Grossman, E. G. Marshall (host), Sam Dann (writer), Larry Haines. 52 minutes.

I Love Adventure "Girls Finishing School Kidnapping" (5-30-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 06:24:00 GMT

I Love Adventure was a 30-minute weekly adventure series which only appeared in the summer of 1948. The show continued the adventures of the I Love A Mystery series

CAST: Michael Raffetto, Tom Collins, Barton Yarborough, Russell Thorson, Lillian Buyeff, Earl Lee, Harry Lang, Janet Logan, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan, Rolfe Sedan, Donal Morrison, Luis Van Rooten, Lal Chand Mehra, Alma Lawton, Barbara Jean Wong, Henry Blair, Betty Lou Gerson, Dix Davis, Peggy Webber, Lou Krugman, Frank Richards, Jeanne Bates, Everett Glass.

Dragnet "The Big Grab" (6-21-55) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 03:36:00 GMT

SHOW TWO OF TWO
When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radioâs top-rated shows. While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Fridayâs desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters. A single minute of "A Gun For Christmas" is a representative example of the evocative sound effects featured on "Dragnet". While Friday and others investigate bloodstains in a suburban backyard, the listener hears a series of overlapping effects: a squeaking gate hinge, footsteps, a technician scraping blood into a paper envelope, the glassy chime of chemical vials, bird calls and a dog barking in the distance. Scripts tackled a number of topics, ranging from the thrilling (murders, missing persons and armed robbery) to the mundane (check fraud and shoplifting), yet "Dragnet" made them all interesting due to fast-moving plots and behind-the-scenes realism. In "The Garbage Chute" (15 December 1949), they even had a locked room mystery.

Hollywood Star PLayhouse "Night and The River" (1956) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 00:05:00 GMT

The Hollywood Star Playhouse , well written and performed, presented many original plays and popular Hollywood stars. Some of those who accepted roles in this great series included Jimmy Stewart, William Conrad, Deborah Kerr, Vincent Price, Harry Bartell and Betty Lou Gerson. Highlights included an episode entitled The Six Shooter and which later became itâs own series staring James Stewart. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on The Hollywood Star Playhouse.

Dragnet 'The Big Trunk" (3-22-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 20:46:00 GMT

Dark Shadows "The House Of Despair" (Part 3 of 3) 1966 - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 14:25:00 GMT

"THE HOUSE OF DESPAIR" (SHOW THREE OF THREE)
Dark Shadows is a Gothic television soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis, who tells of a dream he had in which a girl takes a long train ride to visit a large mansion. The story "bible", which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was considered daring (and unprecedented in daytime television) when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when, a year into its run, vampire Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid, appeared. In addition to vampires, Dark Shadows featured werewolves, ghosts, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, both into the past and into the future, and a parallel universe.

The Fred Allen Show "Hill Billy Skit" (6-12-40) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 05:47:00 GMT

The Fred Allen Show - Born John Florence Sullivan on May 31, 1894, Fred Allen began his career in vaudeville before becoming one of radioâs most acerbic and admired wits. Allen and his wife, former chorus girl Portland Hoffa, began their radio career on October 23, 1932, starring on The Linit Bath Club Revue. By 1934, Allen was starring on Town Hall Tonight, a one-hour show which featured Allen examining current events and interviewing unusual guests. It was here that Allen began radioâs longest-running âfeudâ? in 1937, when he made a series of jokes about fellow comedian Jack Benny. Allen?s best-remembered feature was âAllen?s Alley,â? a weekly segment in which he would discuss issues of the day with eccentric creations like the blustery Senator Claghorn, Brooklyn housewife Pansy Nussbaum and stoic New Englander Titus Moody.

Dark Shadows "The House Of Despair" (Part 2 of 3) 1966 - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 03:22:00 GMT

"THE HOUSE OF DESPAIR" (SHOW 2 OF THREE)

A small company of actors each played many roles and, as actors came and went, some characters were played by several actors. Major writers in addition to Art Wallace included Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles. Dark Shadows has the distinction of being the only long-running soap to have every episode released for home video (including a reconstruction episode #1219, the videotape for which is lost), first on VHS and currently in progress on DVD. (Episodes were numbered from #1 to #1245, but some episodes were pre-empted due to holidays, news, etc. so the number of episodes actually broadcast is 1225.) Dark Shadows was distinguished by its vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable story lines and an unusually adventurous music score.

The Damon Runyon Theater "The Big Umbrella" (7-03-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 01:10:00 GMT

Damon Runyon Theater- Broadcast from January to December 1949, "The Damon Runyon Theater" dramatized 52 of Runyon's short stories for radio. Damon Runyon (October 4, 1884 â December 10, 1946) was a newspaperman and writer. He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. He spun tales of gamblers, petty thieves, actors and gangsters; few of whom go by "square" names, preferring instead to be known as "Nathan Detroit", "Big Jule", "Harry the Horse", "Good Time Charlie", "Dave the Dude", and so on. These stories were written in a very distinctive vernacular style: a mixture of formal speech and colorful slang, almost always in present tense, and always devoid of contractions.

THIS EPISODE:
1948. Program #27. Mayfair syndication. "The Big Umbrella". Commercials added locally. Not every heavyweight folds when the going gets rough. Damon Runyon (author), John Brown, Richard Sanville (director), Russell Hughes (writer), Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 27:36.

Dark Shadows "The House Of Despair" (Part 1 of 3) 1966 - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 19:58:00 GMT

Dark Shadows is a Gothic television soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis, who tells of a dream he had in which a girl takes a long train ride to visit a large mansion. The story "bible", which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was considered daring (and unprecedented in daytime television) when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when, a year into its run, vampire Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid, appeared. In addition to vampires, Dark Shadows featured werewolves, ghosts, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, both into the past and into the future, and a parallel universe.

You Bet Your Life - "Secret Word Is SKY" (1-25-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 14:23:00 GMT

Nick Carter Master Detective - Case Of The Missing Street (12-28-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 05:57:00 GMT

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.

THIS EPISODE:
December 28, 1947. Mutual network. "The Case Of The Missing Street". Sponsored by: Old Dutch Cleanser, Del Rich Margarine. A talking typewriter and a recorder trip up the evil Mr. Nixon and his cosmopolis racket. Lon Clark. 1/2 hour.

Escape "The Fourth Man" (8-18-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 02:28:00 GMT

Creaking Door - Secret Of The Mausoleum (1955) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 22:36:00 GMT

Amos & Andy Show "Andy Goes To Charm School" (4-02-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 11:54:00 GMT

Amos 'n' Andy began March 19, 1928, on WMAQ, and prior to airing each program they recorded their show on 78 rpm disks at Marsh Laboratories, Orlando R. Marsh, owner. Initially, Gosden and Correll portrayed all the male roles. Between the two, they voiced over 170 distinct characterizations in the show's first decade. With the episodic drama and suspense heightened by cliffhanger endings, Amos 'n' Andy reached an ever-expanding radio audience. It was one of the earliest success stories of radio syndication, and at least 70 stations besides WMAQ carried the program using prerecorded records. Amos Jones and Andy Brown worked on a farm near Atlanta, Georgia, and during the episodes of the first week, they made plans to find a better life in Chicago, despite warnings from a friend. With four ham and cheese sandwiches and $24, they bought train tickets and headed for Chicago where they lived in a State Street rooming house and experienced some rough times before launching their own business, the Fresh Air Taxi Company.

Radio City Playhouse "Dark Hour" (9-25-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 04:16:00 GMT

RADIO CITY PLAYHOUSE - Half-hour drama, sometimes comedy, often very exciting and suspenseful. The cast were made up of New York veterans of radio and stage, including Jan Minor and John Larkin as featured performers. The director, Harry W. Junkin, also served as the show's host and narrator. Each week the show introduced a new story, often written by well-known writers of fantasy and suspense such as Ray Bradbury, Cornell Woolrich, Agatha Christie and Paul Gallico. They were dramatized with a full orchestral soundtrack and excellent sound effects.

Silent Men "The Transatlantic Push" (11-11-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 02:41:00 GMT

The Silent Men - Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. played the parts of "special agents of all branches of the federal government, who daily risk their lives to protect the lives of all of us... to guard our welfare and our liberties, they must remain nameless - The Silent Men!" At each episode, Fairbank checked in with his chief, played by either William Conrad or Herb Butterfield. Regulars included Virginia Gregg, Raymond Burr, Lou Merrill Lurene Tuttle, Paul Frees and John Dehner. Don Stanley was the announcer. The show was produced and directed by Warren Lewis, who wrote many of the scripts along with Joel Murcott. The series ran on NBC.

THIS EPISODE:
November 11, 1951. NBC network. "The Transatlantic Push". Sustaining. A concentration camp victim from Buchenwald is arrested for passing counterfeit currency! The G-Men follow the trail to Paris and the source of the "queer." Walter McGraw (director), John Gibson, William Keene, Fred Collins (announcer), Joe DeSantis, Joel Murcott (writer), Roc Rogers, Ruth Yorke, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Warren Lewis (producer). 29:28.

Your's Truly Johnny Dollar "Virginia Beach Matter" (8-31-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 19:55:00 GMT

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama about a freelance insurance investigator "with the action-packed expense account." The show aired on CBS Radio from February 11, 1949 to September 30, 1962. There were 811 episodes in the 12-year run, and over 720 still exist today. Each story started with a phone call from an insurance agent, calling on Johnny to investigate an unusual claim. Each story required Johnny to travel to some distant locale, usually within the United States but sometimes abroad, where he was almost always threatened with personal danger in the course of his investigations.

THIS EPISODE:
1950. CBS network. "The Virginia Beach Matter". Sustaining. Johnny is hired to protect a beautiful woman from her husband, who is getting out of prison. The husband turns out to be a homicidal maniac. The final show of the series until September 30, 1950. Edmond O'Brien, Howard McNear, Gil Doud (writer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Bob Sweeney, Jeanne Bates, Jaime del Valle (transcirber), Virginia Gregg, Hy Averback. 29:43.

Mike Hammer That Hammer Guy "The Saddle Shoes" (4-07-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 13:30:00 GMT

THAT HAMMER GUY
Mickey Spillane wrote violent, sex-filled tales that epitomized the hard-boiled detective genre of tough guys, fist fights and sultry dames. That Hammer Guy was a detective drama well inside the hard-boiled tradition. This was the rough and rugged series that hit hard and fast and it was unlike some other shows, such as, "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" or "Richard Diamond" that where more upbeat with humor and sly wit. Mike Hammer believes in justice, rough justice... his justice.

THIS EPISODE:
April 7, 1953. Mutual network. Sponsored by: Esquire Magazine, Kix, Camels (G & D Vermouth: local). Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer as rough and tough as ever. Mike's after a pair of saddle shoes after their owner shoots first to kill...and almost does. The system cue has been deleted. Larry Haines, Jan Miner, Mickey Spillane (creator), Edward Adamson (writer), Richard Lewis (director, co-producer), Ed Ladd (announcer). 29:18.

Gangbusters "The Osage Indian Murders G-Men" (8-03-35) Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Gangbusters was an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet, on July 20, 1935. After the title was changed to Gang Busters January 15, 1936, the show had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957. Beginning with a barrage of loud sound effects â guns firing and tires squealing â this intrusive introduction led to the popular catch phrase "came on like Gang Busters."The series dramatized FBI cases, which producer-director Phillips H. Lord arranged in close association with Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover insisted that only closed cases would be used. The initial series was on NBC Radio from July 20 - October 12, 1935. It then aired on CBS from January 15, 1936 to June 15, 1940, sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive and Cue magazine. From October 11, 1940 to December 25, 1948, it was heard on the Blue Network, with various sponsors that included Sloan's Liniment, Waterman pens and Tide. Returning to CBS on January 8, 1949, it ran until June 25, 1955, sponsored by Grape-Nuts and Wrigley's chewing gum. The final series was on the Mutual Broadcasting System from October 5, 1955 to November 27, 1957. It was once narrated by Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr., former head of the New Jersey State Police. The radio series was adapted for DC Comics, Big Little Books and a 1942 movie serial. The 1952 Gang Busters TV series was reedited into two feature films, Gang Busters (1954) and Guns Don't Argue (1957).

Boston Blackie "Jack Meer Prison Break" (5-05-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 00:54:00 GMT

Dad's Army "Sgt Wilsons Little Secret" (3-11-74) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 20:38:00 GMT

DAD'S ARMY - The unmistakable voice of Bud Flanagan singing 'Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?', a cod-Second World War propaganda singalong written especially for the show (by Jimmy Perry), introduced Dad's Army, the zenith of the British broad-comedy ensemble sitcom. Consistently good writing and a wonderful cast of old timers and newer talents combined to produce a whimsical period-piece that continues, justifiably, to be savoured and has now assumed a place in the 'hall of greats' pantheon, adored by new generations of the British public.

THIS EPISODE:
Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret (11-15-68)

When Mrs Pike tells Pike there is a little Arthur on the way, having taken in an evacuee, (Arthur) Wilson gets worried and assumes that it is his child, and begins to plan a wedding.

Lights Out "Battle Of The Magicians" (7-27-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 16:08:00 GMT

LIGHTS OUT was an American old-time radio program featuring "tales of the supernatural and the supernormal." It was immensely popular, and was one of the first horror programs, predating Suspense and Inner Sanctum. In its heydey, Lights Out rivalled the popularity of those shows. Lights Out ran through several series and networks, from January 1, 1934 to August 6, 1947. The principal sponsor was Ironized Yeast. Most episodes were broadcast at midnight. Lights Out then made the transition to television in 1949, where it was broadcast until 1952. Created in Chicago by writer Wyllis Cooper in 1934.

THIS EPISODE:
July 27, 1946. NBC network. "The Battle Of The Magicians". Sustaining. Not auditioned. Wyllis Cooper (writer), Everett Clark, Tony Parish, Meg Hahn, Duke Watson, Boris Aplon, Nathan Davis, Ernest Andrews, Albert Crews (producer, director). 29:54.

Father Knows Best "Father's Day Trip" (6-15-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 07:15:00 GMT

Curtain Time "Broadway Interlude" (2-07-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 02:53:00 GMT

Curtain Time, like First Nighter, presented romantic drama in a theater setting complete with the announcer shouting, âTickets please, thank youâ?. The shows announcer was Harry Halcomb who was later known best for his appearances on the 60 minutes television show. Great scripts and superb acting, Curtain Time is truly an Old Time Radio Classic. Mutual Network, local KNX show sustained, heard Fridays 7:30 - 8:00 pm

THIS EPISODE:
February 7, 1948. NBC network, Chicago origination. "Broadway Interlude". Sponsored by: Snickers. A romantic triangle on the Gay White Way. Arthur Peterson, Nannette Sargent, George Cisar, Geraldine Kaye, Margaret Brayton, Harry Holcomb (director), John Weigle (announcer), Patrick Allen (host), Harry Elders, Bert Farber (arranger, conductor). 29:39.

The Ford Theater "The Front Page" (5-09-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:30:00 GMT

This Is Our Enemy "The Hitler Youth Movement" (9-13-42) - Boxcars711 Ols Time Radio Pod

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:01:00 GMT

THIS IS OUR ENEMY is one of a number of war propaganda presentations that were popular during the years leading up to and during World War II. In this episode, parents are asked to send their children, most sickly from food and staple rationing, to a camp that would "make them strong again". During the time away from home, the youth attended "school" which resulted in pro-nazi indoctrination into the "Youth Movement". As members of the Black Brigade and "servants of the Fuhrer", brainwashed children now report on any anti nazi sentiment, even turning in their own families. Narration by war correspondent and author, Mr. Henry J. Taylor, the last American able to get into and out of Germany as the war began.

Fort Laramie "Audition Show - The Beginning" (7-25-55) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Fat Man "Murder Runs An Ad" (1946) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:13:00 GMT

The Fat Man - "There he goes across the street into the drugstore, steps on the scale, height: 6 feet, weight: 290 pounds, fortune: Danger. Who isit? THE FAT MAN." Brad Runyon was the Fat Man, played by Jack Scott Smart. 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 availablefrom 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.

21st Precinct "The Dog Day" (9-15-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:05:00 GMT

The Adventure Of Phillip Marlowe "The Hairpin Turn" (1-28-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:32:00 GMT

The first portrayal of Phillip Marlowe on the radio was by Dick Powell, when he played Raymond Chandler's detective on the Lux Radio Theater on June 11, 1945. This was a radio adaptation of the 1944 movie, from RKO, in which Mr. Powell played the lead. Two years later, Van Heflin starred as Marlowe in a summer replacement series for the Bob Hope Show on NBC. This series ran for 13 shows. On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr became the third radio Marlowe, this time on CBS. It remained a CBS show through its last show in 1951.

Archie Andrews "The Red Cross Benefit" (3-15-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Archie Andrews, created in 1941 by Bob Montana, is a fictional character in an American comic book series published by Archie Comics, a long-run radio series, a syndicated comic strip and animation -- The Archie Show, a Saturday morning cartoon television series by Filmation, plus Archie's Weird Mysteries.

Archie On Radio
Montana's characters were heard on radio in the early 1940s. Archie Andrews began on the Blue Network on May 31, 1943, switched to Mutual in 1944, and then continued on NBC from 1945 until September 5 1953. Archie was first played by Charles Mullen, Jack Grimes and Burt Boyar, with Bob Hastings as the title character during the NBC years.

Rocky Jordan "Red Stands For Blood" (2-13-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:34:00 GMT

ROCKY JORDAN was the title character of one of the better and more exotic radio detective series. In fact, it's one of the best detective series I have ever heard. The series had two separate incarnations. The first, A Man Named Jordan, started as a daily 15 minute show and after about six months changed to a weekly 30 minute show. It took place in Istanbul and the Cafe was described as "a small restaurant in a narrow street off Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, permeated with by the smoke of Oriental tobacco, alive with the babble of many tongues, and packed with intrigue." The second incarnation, Rocky Jordan, was a weekly 30 minute series took place in Cairo - "the gateway to the ancient East where adventure and intrigue unfold against the backdrop of antiquity." Jordan was a hard-boiled owner of the Cafe Tambourine who spent most of his time solving mysteries that he usually became involved in by accident

Tom Corbett Space Cadet - Sparkling Meteor Part 2 of 2 (04-10-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 01:43:00 GMT

SHOW 2 OF 2

Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett â Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, coloring books, punch-out books and View-Master reels in the 1950s. The stories followed the adventures of Tom Corbett, Astro, and Roger Manning, cadets at the Space Academy as they train to become members of the elite Solar Guard.

Beyond Midnight "Thing In Cabin 105" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:57:00 GMT

BEYOND MIDNIGHT

Let us journey âinto the land that lies beyond midnight,â? into a world of ghost hunters, men going mad, and DEATH DEATH DEATH! Written by the masterful Michael McCabe, these well-done South African radio shows will capture your attention and keep you up listening to them well beyond midnight.

Tom Corbett Space Cadet "Sparkling Meteor" Part 1 of 2 (04-08-52) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:01:00 GMT

Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett â Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, coloring books, punch-out books and View-Master reels in the 1950s. The stories followed the adventures of Tom Corbett, Astro, and Roger Manning, cadets at the Space Academy as they train to become members of the elite Solar Guard. The action takes place at the Academy in classrooms and bunkroom, aboard their training ship the rocket cruiser Polaris, and on alien worlds, both within our solar system and in orbit around nearby stars. The Tom Corbett universe partook of pseudo-science, not equal to the standards of accuracy set by John W. Campbell in the pages of Astounding. And yet, by the standards of the day, it was much more accurate than most media science fiction. Mars was a desert, Venus a jungle, and the asteroids a haunt of space pirates, but at least planets circled suns and there was no air in space. Contrast this with Twilight Zone, years later, where people could live on asteroids wearing ordinary clothes, or Lost in Space, years after that, where a spaceship could be passing "Jupiter and Andromeda" at the same time. Before Star Trek, Tom Corbett â Space Cadet was the most scientifically accurate series on television, in part due to official science advisor Willy Ley, and later due to Frankie Thomas. Thomas read up on science and everyone on the set turned to him for advice on matters scientific.

The Blue Beetle "Whale Of Pirates Folly" (1944) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Blue Beetle had a relatively short career on the radio, between May and September of 1940. Motion picture and radio actor Frank Lovejoy was the Blue Beetle for the first 13 episodes, while for the rest of the shows, the voice was provided by a different, uncredited actor. The Blue Beetle was a young police officer who saw the need for extra-ordinary crime fighting. He took the task on himself by secretly donning a superhero costume to create fear in the criminals who were to learn to fear the Blue Beetle's wrath. The 13-minute segments were usually only two-parters, so the stories were often more simple than other popular programs, such as the many-parted Superman radio show.

CBS Radio Workshop "Portrait Of London" (7-20-56) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:36:00 GMT

The CBS Columbia Workshop was the first to experiment with what radio drama was all about, introducing new techniques never before used in over the airwaves drama and because it received little encouragement from established writers, actors, etc., it was only by breaking new ground with new ideas and new techniques from writers who were not versed in the old ways that it was going to survive. Unlike theater drama which required scenery to stage the settings of a play. Radio drama relied only on the imagination of the listener to interpret the scene.

The Adventures Of Sam Spade "The Sure Thing Caper" (2-09-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:55:00 GMT

The Adventures of Sam Spade was first heard on ABC July 12, 1946, as a Friday-night summer series. The show clicked at once, and went into a regular fall lineup on CBS September 29, 1946. From then until 1949, Sam Spade was a Sunday-night thriller for Wildroot Cream Oil, starring Howard Duff in the title role. With Duff's departure, NBC took the series, leaving it on Sunday for Wildroot and starring Stephen Dunne as Spade. This version lasted until 1951, the last year running as a Friday sustainer. Spade's appearance on the air marked an almost literal transition from Dashiell Hammett's 1930 crime classic, The Maltese Falcon, where he first appeared.

THIS EPISODE:
February 9, 1951. NBC network. "The Sure Thing Caper". Sustaining. "Five Dollar Frankie" has been cheated by "Gentle Joe Higgins," a known horse-doper. "Gentle Joe" has a "sure thing," however, it's a most unusual "sure thing"! Part of one public service announcement has been deleted. Steve Dunne, Lurene Tuttle, William Spier (producer, editor, director), John Michael Hayes (writer), Lud Gluskin (composer), Robert Armbruster (conductor), Wally Maher, Dashiell Hammett (creator). 29:37

CBS Radio Mystery Theater "The Haunted Mill" (11-08-77) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:12:00 GMT

Great Gildersleeve "Gildy Repairs His Car" (4-04-43) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1957) was the arguable founding father of the spin-off program, as well as one of the first true situation comedies (as opposed to sketch programs) in broadcast history. Hooked around a character who had been a staple on the classic radio hit Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve enjoyed its greatest period in the 1940s, when Harold Peary graduated the character from the earlier show into the sitcom and in a quartet of likeable feature films at the height of the show's popularity.

THIS EPISIODE:
April 4, 1943. NBC networek. Sponsored by: Kraft Pabst-Ett, Kraft Parkay. Gildersleeve's car isn't running well, and Marjorie's boyfriend is just the fellow to fix the problem! Claude Sweeten (music), Earle Ross, Harold Peary, John Whedon (writer), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Lillian Randolph, Lurene Tuttle, Richard LeGrand, Sam Moore (writer), Walter Tetley. 29:42.

Life With Luigi "Big Brothers Of America" (3-14-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:15:00 GMT

The Shadow "Chill Of Death" (1-04-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:36:00 GMT

THE SHADOW - On July 31, 1930 a sinister voice came over the radio into American Homes. The voice of the Shadow appeared for the first time. In the beginning the Shadow was not a crime fighter. He was a mysterious narrator of mystery tales taken from the pages of Street & Smith's Detective Story Magazine. The publisher Street & Smith began to use radio as an advertising medium to promote their fiction publications. The Shadow was a perfectly creepy teller of tales promoting Street & Smith. This format continued until 1935 when creative differences between Street & Smith and NBC called a halt to the Shadow on the air. On September 26, 1937, the Shadow reappeared on radio with the voice of Orson Welles playing the part. The Shadow was now a full-fledged character on radio, not just narrating and introducing stories. The Shadow had an identity as Lamont Cranston, a wealthy man about town. He was accompanied by Margo Lane, originally played by Agnes Moorehead. Margo Lane was the only person who knew that Lamont Cranston and the Shadow were one and the same. No other agents assisted the Shadow, as did in the Walter Gibson fictional accounts. This radio Shadow had hypnotic power to make himself invisible to those around him and he possessed mental telepathy to read minds. Orson Welles played the Shadow from 1937 through March 1938. The Shadow became the highest rated radio show on the air at that time.

The Zero Hour "Dick Sargent" (5-17-74) Show 5 of 5 - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:49:00 GMT

The Zero Hour

Dick Sargent (5-17-74) - PART 5 of 5

Host : Rod Serling
Cast : Edgar Bergen, Richard Crenna, Howard Duff, John Dehner, Lurene Tuttle, George Maharis, Susan Oliver, Joseph Campanella, John Astin, Patty Duke
Music : Theme played by Ferreane and Teicher
Producer : J.M. Kholos
Director : Elliott Lewis

Box 13 "Look Pleasant Please" (12-05-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:39:00 GMT

Bunco Squad "The Book Worm" (4-15-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:16:00 GMT

Bunco Squad - April 20, 1950. CBS network. "The Case Of The Bookworm". Sustaining. A con-artist in St. Louis poses as a scientist. He plans to swindle his mark out of $15,000 by "publishing" his book. The date is approximate. Frank Trumbull (host), Ralph Rose (producer, director), Del Castillo (composer, conductor), Merrick Goldman (writer), Troy Leonard (writer), Joe Walters (announcer). 29:32.

Cloak And Dagger "Wine Of Freedom" (10-15-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:02:00 GMT

The Adventures Of Leonidas Witherall "Murder On TheTrain" (10-08-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:14:00 GMT

Adventures of Leonidas Witherall was a radio mystery series broadcast on Mutual in the mid-1940s. Based on the novels of Phoebe Atwood Taylor (writing as Alice Tilton), the 30-minute dramas were produced by Roger Bower and starred Walter Hampden as Leonidas Witherall, a New England boys' school instructor in Dalton, Massachusetts, a fictional Boston suburb. Witherall, who resembled William Shakespeare, is an amateur detective and the accomplished author of the "popular Lieutenant Hazeltine stories." His housekeeper Mrs. Mollett was played by Ethel Remey (1895-1979) and Jack MacBryde appeared as Police Sgt. McCloud. The announcer was Carl Caruso. Milton Kane supplied the music. The series began June 4, 1944 and continued until May 6, 1945.

Hollywood Star Playhouse "Later Than You Think" (1-29-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:06:00 GMT

Hollywood Star Playhouse - This 30 minute anthology program was heard over three different networks during its three seasons. Many leading Hollywood stars appeared before the microphones for this programs original scripts. Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on the 08/31/52 broadcast. Several programs were intended to become new series. On 04/13/52, the broadcast # 99 of The Six Shooter w/James Stewart did indeed become a new NBC series The Six Shooter in 1953, while the broadcast of 05/18/52 #104 Safari w/Ray Milland failed to make it. There was a title change to this series. During the third network change to NBC the series picked up the sponsorship of the American Bakers and the series was called Bakerâs Theater Of Stars.

THIS EPISODE:
January 29, 1951. CBS network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Later Than You Think". Racketeer Nick LaGrange has been bailed out of jail, much to the annoyance of the district attorney. A bomb has been planted in LaGrange's car, set to explode in sixteen minutes. The show makes excellent use of sound effects; good radio! The system cue has been deleted. Victor Mature, Herbert Rawlinson (host), Jack Johnstone (director), Jeff Alexander (composer, conductor), Maggie Morely, Freeman Lusk (?), Theodore Von Eltz, Wilms Herbert, Paul Dubov. 24:52.

Murder At Midnight "Secret Of XR3" (1947) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:17:00 GMT

Rocky Fortune "Murder Among The Statues" (12-01-53) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:28:00 GMT

"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".

Molle Mystery Theater "Fifty Candles" (7-25-44) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:13:00 GMT

Bold Venture "Murder Is No Joke" (1952) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:15:00 GMT

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 thiswas 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.

The Zero Hour "Dick Sargent" (5-16-74) Show 4 of 5 - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:34:00 GMT

The Zero Hour

Dick Sargent (5-16-74) - PART 4 of 5

Host : Rod Serling
Cast : Edgar Bergen, Richard Crenna, Howard Duff, John Dehner, Lurene Tuttle, George Maharis, Susan Oliver, Joseph Campanella, John Astin, Patty Duke
Music : Theme played by Ferreane and Teicher
Producer : J.M. Kholos
Director : Elliott Lewis

Harry Lime The Third Man "Operation Music Box" (10-5-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:09:00 GMT

Hear It Now "Edward R. Murrow" (09-01-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:28:00 GMT

Hear It Now, an American radio program on CBS, began in 1950 and was hosted by Edward R. Murrow and produced by Fred Friendly. It ran for one hour on Fridays at 9 p.m. One of the most popular and best selling records of 1948 was I Can Hear It Now 1933-1945. The record was a collaboration between Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly. The record interwove historical events with speeches and Murrow's narration and marked the beginning of one of the most famous pairings in journalism history. The huge success of the record prompted the pair to parlay it into a weekly radio show for CBS. That show was Hear It Now. The show had a "magazine format." It drove to include a variety of sounds from current events such as an atom smasher at work or artillery fire from Korea. It was the artillery fire that produced one of the show's more poignant moments as it backdropped the words of American soldiers fighting the Korean War. The entire premise of the show was to include the "actual sound of history in the making," according to Murrow. Some of the show's audio was what Time Magazine called "fairly routine" in 1950. Such audio soundbites as Communist China's General Wu and Russia's Vishinsky along with the U.S. Delegate Warren Austin were included among the routine group of audio use. Television, by 1955, usurped radio in terms of audience share and a reluctant Murrow, in 1951, set about doing a TV version of the radio show called See It Now. With the inception of the television version of the show in 1951 Hear It Now ended its on air run.

Academy Award Theater "One Sunday Afternoon" (8-28-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:17:00 GMT

Stars and movies with Oscars were the idea - in most cases, the movie stars recreated their academy award roles for the show, or in other cases, fine actors played the parts and gave it a different character. Both ways make for great radio drama and first class Hollywood motion picture star entertainment. The Lux Radio Theater had been doing this kind of radio show in the grandest manner for many years, but sponsor Squibb had the hubris and deep pockets to take on the competition by doing Academy Award Theater right after the Second World War. The year 1946 was pre-television, and so movies were still the major American visual art form, with radio the other popular network entertainment. In this final pre-TV time, Academy Award Theater was thought of as a premier radio production, a wow show, much like CinemaScope was to be in the 1950's when Hollywood felt the box office blow of early TV.