Radio Retropolis

Two robbers who are armed and dangerous hold up several places. After they're captured, they're sprung from jail by another gunman with a machine gun.  Commentary on why 1954 was significant for the telephone.

JR checks in on what a great season 7 we had and a look into what's coming in season 8 when the the podcast returns with all new original episodes in September 2022!

Frank Hill fires point blank at Superman who somehow seems to be severely affected by the bullets fired into him.  Does Hill know the secret to Superman's vulnerability?  Commentary after the episode about the lesson Superman teaches the listener.

A great suspense story about an artist who gives safe harbor to a jewel thief to finish his portrait that he had started before the bloody crime took place.  The artist figures out where the jewels are hidden and the innocent waitress who is somehow involved which now changes everything for him.  Commentary on the figurative meaning of this story and star Vincent Price.

A former convict is sharing a ride with a dying man who claims he has a half million dollars inheritance from his blind uncle.  When the man dies, the convict assumes the identity of the dead man to collect the fortune.  Commentary on why this is a good mystery.  Plus, star Wendell Corey and why Kirk Douglas hated him although he gave his eulogy.

With Kent getting Jimmy's message from the organ grinder's daughter, Maria, he has only a split second to get to the high-rise building.  The problem that Jimmy is no longer there and instead is moments away from being tossed from the bridge into the cold river below.  Commentary following the episode on Jimmy's unlikelihood of surviving a 200' drop off the bridge into the river, yet one survived from 30,000 feet!

A father claims that his thirteen-year-old girl has been kidnapped from her home and her dog is also missing.  Friday thinks they have the suspect but are surprised when they case takes an about face.  Commentary on the disturbing nature of this episode and how1950's lack of social sensitivities compare to today.

Jimmy is bound and gagged in the back of the sedan on his way to watery death,  At the same time, the organ grinder's daughter, Maria, notices Jimmy's note and coin.  Commentary following the episode on Kent's inability to lie.

A woman has learned that she won $150,000 in a sweepstakes contest.  The problem is that the winning stub is in her husband's suit jacket.  The suit jacket they just buried him in.  Yet, we soon find out there is a little more going on than just a simple sweepstakes ticket that puts people on edge.  Commentary on why this is the epitome of what a Suspense episode should be.

A woman picks up a mysterious hitchhiker on the side of the road who seems to know all about her.  When he promises to reveal the killer of her husband if she marries him, she agrees.  But did she just sign her own death certificate?  Or is there something even more sinister afoot?  Commentary on why Everett Sloan's performance as Garth in the first version from September 4, 1945 was far superior to tonight's version even though acting choices were the same.

Frank Hill, the leader of the Guardians of America, has ordered Jimmy's death by binding him and dropping him off the bridge into the river.  However, one glimmer of hope for Jimmy could lie in the hands of an organ grinder if only he could figure out that he must get Jimmy's message to Kent.  Commentary on Jimmy's limited ability to reach Kent due to `1946 technology.

A dead body is found floating in the lake in MacArthur Park. Friday goes undercover to find the gang selling the heroin that killed him.  Commentary on why this undercover stint by Friday doesn't ring as true as past episodes.

Frank Hill, the big boss, revealed his identity to Jimmy and proceeded to introduce this mystery man shown to him as one whom he knows very well and one who just sealed Jimmy's fate.  Commentary on what would have been a "super" choice for Superman and Jimmy to stay in contact in what is a fail in this serial, but has since been corrected in future Superman programs and movies.

A blind detective receives a visit from a woman who claims she is being blackmailed and later whose husband winds up murdered.  The woman is suspect, yet she had been with the detective the whole time.  Who is blackmailing her?  And who killed her husband.  Commentary on author Baynard Hardwick Kendrick in which whose novel this script was based.  Plus star, Brian Donlevy.

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An elderly woman is blackmailed by her nephew once he finds out that she killed her husband with a fireplace poker.  Commentary on the confusing character choices.  Plus, why the ending had to be as such.

Kent makes a deal with art gallery owner Adolf Klein, a contributor to the youth center, to plant a fake story in the Planet that the artwork in his gallery was slashed so that they may finally catch the main boss behind these hate crimes.  But there may be another who knows about the fake story.  Commentary on "bridge" episodes and Superman leaving Jimmy on his own more than not.

A special officer has been shot and the owner of a liquor store knifed to death during a robbery.  Commentary on the troubled life of news commentator Don Hollenbeck whose death this very day put a period on what the NY Times sadly calls a largely forgotten man.

Charlie the bartender and Muggs' henchman refuses to let Jimmy leave to tell his “uncle” he will be late.  In reality, Jimmy needs to get word to Kent about the car bomb that Muggs will plant on Perry White's car tonight.  Commentary on behind the scenes of The Adventures of Superman in how George Reeves refused the "hoist" contraption to make him fly after an on-set accident.

A husband and wife take on a new maid who begins to fall in love with the husband.  The husband in turn convinces the maid to help him kill his wife.  Commentary on star Gregory Peck's debut performance on Suspense.

The story of a man who schemes to capitalize on a seven-years-in-the-making insurance scam involving the deceased former husband of this man's current wife.  What he didn't expect is for the dead man's second wife to suddenly appear wanting her cut.  Commentary on why there is no such thing as the perfect crime.

Jimmy finds himself in deep trouble as his cover is blown and Muggs and his gang have tracked him back to Kent's apartment where Jimmy is helpless and all alone.  Commentary on the contuining antisemitism post WWII that directly inspired this serial storyline.

Tonight, the mongers are planning to kill two birds with one stone as their plan to car bomb the car carrying Dr. Leeds just happens to be driven by Planet editor Perry White.  How is Jimmy going to be able to warn White while not giving away his cover?  Commentary on 900 Jewish refugees refused U.S. asylum in 1939.

A psychiatrist provides shelter for a murderer on the run-in order to get him to commit another murder.  Commentary on the layering of the plot.  Plus, star Paul Henreid.

Jimmy relays to Kent that Muggs is going set a car bomb to go off to kill Dr. Leeds however Kent finds out that Leeds doesn't own a car.  So whose car will be tagged?  Commentary on antisemitism pre-WWII.

A man is captured after a string of bank robberies but breaks out of jail after just a few months.   Commentary on how Jack Webb almost wasn't Joe Friday on the television version of the series.

After the knifing of Rabbi Stone by the Hate Mongers, Kent and Jimmy desperately try and persuade Inspector Henderson to stay the course so they can bring down the big man.  Commentary on Superman voice actors.

A man runs off with a gangster's wife to Havana and when she ends up murdered, he becomes the prime suspect.  Commentary onj the life and career of star Cary Grant.

Agnes Moorehead stars tonight as a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the girlfriend of an escaped convict.  When her car breaks down, a curious stranger offers her a ride to her destination.  Commentary on the life and career of Moorehead to follow.

When Jimmy finds out the next attack is going to be on a Jewish Temple, he frantically tries to reach Clark Kent.  Commentary on the violence shiftmg to attempted murder in this story.

A deranged man, with many guns, is holding his wife and child are prisoners thinking he's a cowboy defending his fort against attack from the Indians.  Commentary on the mental hospital in Camarillo California.

When Jimmy's is tasked to commit an act of religious violence by slashing valuable paintings to show his loyalty, Jimmy goes to Kent to share his dilemma.  Commentary on Hitler's reasoning for persecuting the Jews.

A doctor wanting to leave his wife for another woman takes a tragic coincidental opportunity to adopt a new life.  But his past actions may have some lethal consequences.  Commentary on the life and career of star James Stewart.

A husband, his beautiful young wife and his canary birds are living a quiet and peaceful life until one night a man shows up who turns out to be the former attendant at Crag Mount asylum for the insane where a homicidal inmate, who had been kept under control by the singing of canaries, had recently escaped.  Commentary on star Boris Karloff.

With Jimmy in jail for his protection, the head of the hate monger's association sent his lawyer to get Jimmy out of jail so he could be under their “protection”.  Commentary after the episode.

A market has been robbed and the only suspect is a man who appears to have come into  a great deal of money lately.  The only clue is a cheap broken watch.  Commentary on cuisine of the 1950s,. Plus, the introduction of Irish Coffee as mentioned in this episode.

Last time, Kent pulled Jimmy's chestnuts out of the fire when he got him out of the pool room before Muggs found out everything.  Now Jimmy is worried he may have blown his opportunity to nab Muggs, Dutch and the big leader.  Commentary on why Catholics were also the target for religious persecution in post WWII.

A cat's scratch has the ability to turn young actresses into stars.  Yet, the handyman, who has a hatred of cats, believes the cat is evil.  Commentary on star Fay Bainter.  Plus, potassium chloride's effects on the body which was used as the death weapon tonight.

A railroad stationmaster is tormented by the ghost the man whose death he may have caused when he didn't signal the train to stop.  Commentary on the career of star Luis Van Rooten.  Plus new sponsor Mars Candy Bar.

Dutch, who was hit by a car as he was running back to the pool hall to tell Muggs that Jimmy was a spy, has escaped from the hospital.  Jimmy frantically worries that Muggs may show up and blow his cover.  Commentary on certain slang that just does not translate well today.

Stolen payroll checks are being passed all over town with no clues until an ex-check forger comes forward to help.  Commentary on check forgery, and the  Supreme Court ruling on this day to abolish segregation.

Jimmy met Muggs, became part of the gang and went to the drugstore to phone Kent to update him. Unbeknownst to Jimmy, he was followed by Muggs lieutenant Dutch who overheard the entire conversation and is now headed back to Muggs to put the drop on him.  Commentary on societal waves and the overall failure of one recent wave- #bringbackourgirls.

A gambler takes a cross-country ride in the hopes of changing his luck in the biggest long shot of his life.  Commentary on star George Coulouris and writer Harold Swanton.

A guilt ridden man whose wife was killed when she fell off a cliff, believes her spirit lives in another woman he met at her grave.  Commentary on Henry J. Taylor's program Your Land and Mine which was promoted at the end of this episode. 

Jimmy preparing to be part of Mugg's gang as a spy to get to the main person behind the ethnic and religious targeted violence in the city.  Commentary on post WWII life in Japan.

A woman has been found badly beaten and it is believed to be by her husband until they find a second woman beaten up the same way.  Commentary on technical advisor Captain Jack Donahoe.

With the operation a success, Clark now has to prove to Perry and Lois just how he was able to get from Chicago to Metropolis in under and hour.  But first Superman has to dodge a real bullet as Lois is about to make a huge discovery.  Commentary contrasting Superman's flight speed with his inability to change into Suprman quickly.

A man in need of money is presumed dead in a car accident in which he now can collect $50,000 insurance money if only those who might expose him are eliminated.  Commentary on how somebody always knows something when a crime occurs.  Plus the Hollywood Star Playhouse replacement series.  Finally announcer Norman Brokenshire getting banned from CBS.