A series of pop culture podcasts attempting to find the culture in pop culture.
It's Episode 200 of “Presenting the Transcription Feature” and Christmas in the land of Old Time Radio. On “The Jack Benny Program,” Jack and company are visiting New York in December. This allows him to try shopping in a Manhattan department store, which provides a little variety. Then, on “The Great Gildersleeve,” will the members of the Jolly Boys Club turn a charitable project into an exercise in egos, or will the true spirit of Christmas win out? Episodes The Jack Benny Program December 11, 1938 “Christmas Shopping in New York” 3:04 The Great Gildersleeve December 23, 1953 “Selling Trees for Needy Children's Party”31:13
It's been a long time since we checked in with that loveable con man Harry Lime, in the person of Orson Welles. Not quite the psychopathic murderer he was in the movie “The Third Man,” where he originated the role, radio's Harry was more of a ne'er-do-well criminal. In this episode, of “The Lives of Harry Lime,” Harry is on the Orient Express, hoping to work a counterfeit scam when someone tries to scam him. Then, on “The Bob Hope Show,” Bob is broadcasting from the campus of USC just before a game against UCLA. Now that the war is over, he's leaving behind the military-themed jokes, and this episode is just packed with delightful college cliches and slang. Episodes The Lives of Harry Lime February 22, 1952 “It's In The Bag” 1:54 The Bob Hope Show November 27, 1945 “Guests: Peggy Ryan and Red Skelton” 31:18
We start off tonight with another episode of that great quiz show, “Information Please.” Are you up on babies and their guardians, military insignia, and devils in literature? Then, since it's almost time for Easter, here's the Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble of OTR: Phil Harris and Elliot Lewis. “The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show” starred actual married couple, Phil Harris, who was the band leader on “The Jack Benny Program,” and popular film star Alice Faye. Tonight, Phil and his band's guitarist, Elliot, attempt to use a drugstore chemistry set to color Easter eggs. What could possibly go wrong? Episodes Information Please March 13, 1944 “Guest: Quentin Reynolds” 2:11 The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show April 5, 1953 "Coloring Easter Eggs Phil's Way” 32:46
We start off tonight with an episode of “The Bob Hope Show.” It's December of 1945, and the war is over. Hope had spent much of it broadcasting from military bases, but now he is back at the NBC studios in Hollywood. His guest, Jimmy Durante, promises to take Bob to a swanky party, but is Bob ready for Society, and vice-versa? Then, time for that excellent quiz show, “Information Please.” It's an Armed Forces recording, which means the original was transcribed and then all the ads were taken out. Are you up on literary in-laws, animal gestation periods, and places to climb? Episodes The Bob Hope Show December 4, 1945 “Guest: Jimmy Durante” 3:48 Information Please April 24, 1944 “Guests: Deems Taylor and Irene Dunne” 35:02
For our New Year's treat, here's “The Lux Radio Theater” adaptation of the classic 1947 film “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.” The film is an unconventional romance of sorts starring Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney as the title characters. She's a vibrant young widow, and he's the ghost of a rollicking sea captain. The captain isn't French, so I'm not sure why they cast Charles Boyer in the role, except that he does have sonorous voice. Madeleine Carroll takes on Tierney's role. Episode The Lux Radio Theater December 1, 1947 “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” 2:30
More Christmas here on “Presenting the Transcription Feature.” “Author's Playhouse” was an anthology radio drama that ran from 1941 to 1945 on various networks. It featured adaptations of popular short stories by authors like James Thurber, W.W. Jacobs, and, in this case, O. Henry. The story you are about to hear first appeared in his 1907 collection “Heart of the West,” a collection of western tales. Here, the setting is a mining town during the gold rush, and I love the incredibly ornate way the miners speak. Reminds me of “Guys and Dolls.” Then we finish off with “The Jack Benny Special Christmas Show,” a 40-minute-long special that Jack did in the mid-1950s. It's got all the usual holiday high jinks plus some special guest stars. Episodes Author's Playhouse December 21, 1941 “Christmas By Injunction” 2:04 “The Jack Benny Special Christmas Show” December 2, 1956 32:03
Welcome to December on “Presenting the Transcription Feature.” That means Christmas-themed episodes all month. We'll start off with George Burns and Gracie Allen in the eponymous “The Burns and Allen Show.” Christmas is fast approaching, and George has no idea what to get his wife. Then “The Great Gildersleeve” himself is in a very good mood as he goes holiday shopping and plans a party for friends and family. Episodes The Burns and Allen Show December 18, 1947 “Gracie's Last Minute Christmas Gift” 2:32 The Great Gildersleeve December 24, 1944 “Twas the Night Before Christmas” 34:05
“The Couple Next Door” was one of the many 15-minutes-a day, five-days a week programs that used to fill the airwaves. It was, like “Vic and Sade” a show about “nothing.” It lacks the absurdism of “Vic and Sade,” and that may have made it easier for its audience to relate to. The show was the creation of one woman, Peg Lynch, who wrote and co-starred in every episode. Tonight, we present two representative episodes depicting late 1950s suburban American life. Then, who better to spend Thanksgiving with than the hard-boiled cast of “The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective”? Someone is trying to kill a man -- a man named Tom Turkey. Episodes The Couple Next Door January 27, 1958 “Is The Couple Married” October 3, 1960 “Living Room Wired For Stereo” 4:10 The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective November 24, 1950 “The Terrified Turkey Caper” 33:35
It's Halloween, and what says spooky goings-on more than … Jack Benny. Tonight, we have two episodes of very different shows, but both starring Jack Benny. We start off with “The Jack Benny Program.” Everyone is invited to Jack's house for a Halloween party. There's crazy costumes, disappointing food and drink, and lots of jokes about the bygone days of vaudeville. Then Jack takes a dramatic turn playing a mild-mannered piano tuner who stumbles into the worlds of theft and murder on “Suspense.” Episodes The Jack Benny Program November 3, 1940 “Jack's Halloween Party” 3:21 Suspense April 5, 1951 “Murder in G Flat” 33:18
It's back-to-school time on this episode of “Presenting the Transcription Feature.” And we all need to laugh, so here's two comedy episodes. First, we'll visit Ivy College, where the mellifluous British actor Ronald Colman and his real-life wife, the equally mellifluous Benita Hume, star as “The Halls of Ivy.” He is the president of one of those small Midwestern colleges that predominated in movies and radio shows of the era. She, his wife, who has given up her career on the stage to be his helpmeet. This episode, while full of laughs, has a lot of heart too. The show's dialog is informed and witty – as befits Colman's always-sophisticated persona, and “The Halls of Ivy” even won a Peabody Award in 1950. Then we drop in on high school to see “Our Miss Brooks.” Here, Eve Arden plans a relaxing pre-return-to-work picnic. But those plans soon go awry. This episode starts off a little silly. There's the sit-com trope of people pretending to be other people, but, as we approach the end, it really pays off hilariously. Plus, you get Gale Gordon and Frank Nelson in one episode. Episodes The Halls of Ivy March 19, 1952 “The Oldest Living Graduate” 2:35 Our Miss Brooks September 11, 1949 “The School Board” aka “Head of the Board” 28:23
"HORNET, SAVE THYSELF"AIRED: MARCH 3, 1967 Britt is accused of murder after he kills a former employee in a room full of witnesses. Now, he must break ranks with Scanlon and go rogue as the Hornet in order to prove his innocence. John and Jim use this episode as an example of a point they've been making since the very beginning of the podcast, the missed potential in only making these episodes thirty minutes in length. Despite this, one of the two ranks this episode as one of the best in the series, plus Jim does a wicked impression of Roger Corby from Star Trek. The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson is a reference work we're consulting as we move through the series. Pick up your copy by clicking on the link and getting it today. Take a listen and then let us know what you think of the episode by writing us here or at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.
"Bubi, Bubi, Who's Got the Ruby?" & "1001 Faces of the Riddler"Aired October 12, 1968 Catwoman and Penguin are at odds over a priceless ruby and the Terrific Trio are caught in the middle in our two-part story review. Next, Riddler is back in town and he's using disguises to throw the Dynamic Duo off his trail even more so than his riddles. In addition, John and Dan Greenfield, creator and author of the 13th Dimension discuss whether Ted Knight did the voice of Commissioner Gordon and how cool it would be if Funko's Pop Vinyl line did a series based on the Filmation cartoon. Plus, Dan talks about the relationship between Gordon and Bruce Wayne that started all the way at the beginning of the Batman comic in Detective Comics in 1939. Comment on the episode here or write thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com
Episode 44 Jack C. Harris With the conclusion of our reviews of DC Comics' 1977 run of The Mighty Isis comic series, we're proud to present our interview with The Mighty Isis writer Jack C. Harris. Harris talks with us about how he got the assignment to write the book, the abrupt cancellation, and his plans with the series had it moved forward. Plus, we talk Kamandi and Captain Marvel in this all new episode.
We'll start off tonight with The One, The Only, Groucho! on “You Bet Your Life.” Tonight, Groucho Marx interviews the usual assortment of unusual high school students, assistant district attorneys, housewives, and are dog trainers that different from piano teachers? Then on Old Time Radio's premier science fiction anthology program, “X Minus One,” comes an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's "C-Chute.” It was first published in the October 1951 issue of “Galaxy” magazine. It's a study in racism, patriotism, and the folly of war. Episodes You Bet Your LifeFebruary 22, 1950 “The Secret Word is ‘Table'” 2:20 X Minus OneFebruary 8, 1956 "C-Chute” 32:42
For the Fourth of July, we're going to present two Independence Day-themed episodes of classic old time radio. First drama then comedy. “Family Theater” was a family-friendly anthology show featuring a mix of original stories and adaptations of literary classics, usually starring big names from Hollywood. This week's program is a dramatization of a particular moment in history -- the writing of The Declaration of Independence. It's narrated by Loretta Young and stars Robert Stack as Thomas Jefferson. And, if you are a fan of the musical “1776,” note what's the same in this adaptation and what's different. Then on “Our Miss Brooks,” our intrepid heroine plans to meet her boyfriend in the countryside for the 4th of July weekend. Episodes Family Theater July 1, 1953 “The Longest Hour” 2:42 Our Miss Brooks July 3, 1949 “July 4th Trip to Eagle Springs” aka “Conklin's Blood Pressure” 26:03
It's summer time, and I want to present a couple of summer-themed and summer-adjacent radio shows. We'll start off with real American politician, writer, and newspaper publisher Will Rogers, Jr playing a fictional Will Rogers, Jr who runs the fictional small-town newspaper, the “Illyria Weekly Gazette.” What else says summer more than a county fair, with lots of people partaking in various competitions? Well, this year, the ladies of Illyria have decided not to participate. Whither the jams, jellies, and pickles? Then, I finally get around to presenting “Lum and Abner.” The show was created by, and stars, Chester Lauck as Lum and Norris Goff as Abner, the owners of the financially disastrous Jot ‘Em Down general store. The show was a 15-minute continuing serial, a comedy soap opera. In both of tonight's episodes, the boys are planning vacations. Episodes Rogers of the Gazette October 22, 1953 “Eula Horner and the County Fair” 2:27 Lum and Abner September 8, 1942 “Back to Nature” aka “Vacation” 34:10 July 19, 1945 “Store Closed for Vacation” 46:17
The character of A.J. Raffles was created by E.W. Hornung in 1898. Hornung was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brother-in-law, and he was inspired to write about a sort of anti-Sherlock Holmes. His Raffles is thief, to be sure, but one who was charming. Raffles an “an amateur cracksman,” who lives the life of a gentleman. But if you don't actually have an independent income, you have to be able to finance your lifestyle somehow. “Screen Directors' Playhouse” adapted popular films to radio, often with the movie's same stars and directors. There had been several silent film adaptations of Hornung's tales, as well as a 1930 film starring Ronald Colman and a 1939 film starring David Niven. This broadcast adapts the 1939 film and features the equally suave-voiced Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Episode Screen Directors' Playhouse September 14, 1951 “Raffles” 3:30
We begin with the “College Quiz Bowl,” as students from Tulane go up against their counterparts from Northwestern. As always, some of the topics are very specific to the day, but we 21st Century residents should still be able to answer quite a lot. Are you up on the names of pop culture family members, Winston Churchill's writings, and tea in the news? Then, we return to the contemporary (1950s, as opposed to the “old”) west with the adventures of “Bobby Benson and the B Bar B Riders.” This Western centered on a 12-year-old boy who had inherited a Texas cattle ranch, and was packed with rustlers, cattle drives, and all the usual things American kids of the 1950s would have enjoyed. This particular episode features action, mysticism, and a couple of moral lessons. Episodes College Quiz Bowl October 24, 1953 “Tulane vs Northwestern” 2:25 Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B RidersNovember 17, 1951“The Lost Tribe”35:46
“Forecast” was a radio show specifically designed to try out new shows. Both “Suspense” and “Duffy's Tavern” got their starts there. Tonight, we present the pilot for a show I would have absolutely loved had it gone to series, but alas it did not. “Leave It To Jeeves,” was inspired by the P.G. Wodehouse tales of young man-about-town Bertie Wooster and his personal gentleman's gentleman, Jeeves. Starring Edward Everett Horton and Alan Mobray, respectively, this tale doesn't actually adapt any of the Wodehouse tales, but it does take the structure and pay homage to the sort of situations in which Bertie and Jeeves were always finding themselves: engagements, errands for aunts… Any Wodehouse fan will be at home in this comic, twisty misadventure. Then “X Minus One” adapts Murray Leinster's science fiction tale of time travel by phone call, “Sam, This Is You.” Episodes Forecast August 12, 1940 “Leave It To Jeeves” 2:49 X Minus One October 31, 1956 “Sam, This Is You” 34:18
Tonight, we return to Orson Welles' “The Mercury Theatre on the Air.” In this adaptation of Jules Verne's “Around the World in 80 Days,” Welles plays British gentleman adventurer Phileas Fogg, who has wagered his personal fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just that time. Filled with fantastic music by Bernard Herrmann, top-notch sound effects, and a great supporting cast, Welles does the tale proud. Episode The Mercury Theatre on the Air October 23, 1938 "Around the World in 80 Days” 3:28
Nero Wolfe, the brilliant, but lazy, detective created by Rex Stout, famously almost never left his house. One of the few things that could stir him was his love of orchids. In tonight's episode of “The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe,” starring Sydney Greenstreet, it is indeed some of those lovely plants that draw him into a murder at a flower shop. Then on “The Jack Benny Program,” Jack and the gang are planning to take the train to New York … if their adventures at the station don't derail them first. Episodes The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe December 29, 1950 “The Case of The Bashful Body” 1:42 The Jack Benny Program February 21, 1954 “Jack At the Train Station” aka “Train Trip to New York” 31:58
We start off tonight with an episode of “Suspense” that isn't all that suspenseful, i.e. spooky. But it's a lot of fun. “The Lost Special” is based on a non-Sherlock Holmes story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which first appeared in “The Strand Magazine” in August, 1898. Orson Welles narrates. This is an Armed Forces Radio rebroadcast, which means the ads have been taken out. It was played overseas for US troops. Then, our guests on tonight's episode of the quiz show “Information Please” are science popularizer Bernard Jaffe and … Harpo Marx? Yes. The show revels in the sheer novelty of having Harpo, the one Marx Brother who doesn't speak, on a panel, and he still manages be witty and delightful. Episodes Suspense September 30, 1943“The Lost Special”2:04 Information PleaseOctober 25, 1938 “Guests: Bernard Jaffe and Harpo Marx”33:18
We start off tonight with a murder as investigated by those charming amateur sleuths, “Mr. and Mrs. North.” Then we get seasonal with “Fibber McGee and Molly,” as Fibber attempts to celebrate Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday, aka Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras) by serving his wife a pancake breakfast in bed. Episodes Mr. and Mrs. NorthSeptember 1, 1953“No Vacation From Murder”1:35 Fibber McGee and Molly Pancake DayFebruary 26, 195227:54
This late January marks both the birth and death of actor J. Carrol Naish, who was born on January 21, 1896 and died just shortly after his 77th birthday on January 24, 1973. Naish received two Oscar nominations for his supporting roles in the films “Sahara” (1943) and “A Medal for Benny” (1945), the latter of which also earned him a Golden Globe. But he also had an extensive radio career. Most prominently, he was the star of “Life With Luigi,” which cast him as a naïve Italian immigrant, Luigi Basco. For all its stereotypes, and – because it was a comedy, its exaggerations – the series reflected the affection immigrants held for their new nation and home. “Life With Luigi” is ultimately about making a new life in a land of infinite possibilities, and the desire to truly integrate one's self into the best of American culture. Tonight, we present two very different performances by Nash. The first is someone the polar opposite of the sweet Luigi. In this episode of “Suspense,” Naish plays a conniving, murderous husband. Will crime pay? Then on “Life With Luigi,” our hero's quest to become a citizen is thwarted by his countryman, Pasquale (played by Fred Flintstone himself, Alan Reed). Episodes Suspense August 1, 1946 “Commuter's Ticket” 2:44 Life With Luigi January 10, 1950 “Luigi's First Citizenship Papers" 32:41
I like to start off the new year with these adaptations by “The Lux Radio Theater.” Tonight, Leslie Howard reprises his 1934 starring role as the original secret identity hero, “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” Here, Olivia de Havilland plays his wife. A year later, the two would appear as husband and wife again, in “Gone with the Wind,” as Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton. Radio lends itself well to “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” which began life as a 1903 play, and so, from the start, has always relied heavily on dialog. Episode The Lux Radio Theater December 12, 1938 “The Scarlet Pimpernel” 2:40
Here's two more Christmas episodes to round out this December. We'll start off with a drama, then some comedy. “This Is Your FBI” ran on ABC radio from April of 1945 to January of 1953. It dramatized real cases from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No less than the head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, praised the show, calling it “the finest dramatic program on the air.” Then for comedy, who else but the crew from “The Jack Benny Program.” This episode is from December 1937. The show had been on the air for five years, and this is the first of what would become a regular holiday feature, Jack going Christmas shopping. It doesn't feature Jack being indecisive over a gift, which I always thought they overused, but it does have the usual stable of crazy fellow shoppers and employees, including Frank Nelson as the floorwalker. Episodes This Is Your FBI December 24, 1948 “The Return of St. Nick” 2:18 Jack Benny December 12, 1937 “Christmas Shopping” 33:41
All December it's Christmas episodes on “PTTF.” We'll start off tonight with a mystery and then a comedy. These Christmas episodes are from the same year, and, as it happens, only one day apart. First up, we hear from that sultry-voiced PI, “Candy Matson.” Then we'll see what Eve Arden as “Our Miss Brooks” has planned for Christmas. Episodes Candy Matson December 19, 1949 “Jack Frost” 2:40 Our Miss Brooks December 18, 1949 “A Letter to Santa” 32:27
As we approach Thanksgiving, we're going to start off with a Turkey Day-themed crime drama and then then a comedy. “Jeff Regan, Investigator” starred Jack Webb as a private investigator working for the International Detective Bureau. The show just barely pre-dates “Dragnet,” and Webb's Regan is even drier in delivery than Joe Friday, and more sarcastically verbose. In tonight's episode, he's dispatched to retrieve a turkey from a mysterious estate, and finds murder and mayhem. Then “My Friend Irma” was one of those radio comedies that spawned a whole franchise. The series centers on the comic mis-adventures of two single girls sharing an apartment in the big city. Each episode is narrated by the bright, reliable Jane Stacy. It's never long before her friend and roommate, the pretty, but scatterbrained, Irma Peterson, gets everyone into some sort of wacky situation. This time, it's planning a Thanksgiving dinner. Episodes Jeff Regan, Investigator November 20, 1948 “The Pilgrim's Progress” 2:38 My Friend Irma November 15, 1948 “Thanksgiving Turkey” aka “Thanksgiving is Approaching” 33:54
It's a Karloff-fest tonight as we prepare to celebrate Halloween. We start off with an episode of “Information Please” that originally aired on Christmas Eve, but features Boris Karloff as one of the guests. Are you up on literary skulls, crossers of the English Channel, and poems that feature murder? Then Boris drops by “Duffy's Tavern” in an effort to scare off a potential buyer. Episodes Information Please December 24, 1945 “Guests: John Mason Brown and Boris Karloff” 2:00 Duffy's Tavern October 5, 1951 “Duffy Wants to Sell the Tavern” 32:17
We start off tonight with an episode of “Broadway Is My Beat.” If you think the sophisticated avenues of Time Square to Columbus Circle are free from murder and crime, you're dead wrong. It's “the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world." “Broadway Is My Beat” ran from February of 1949 to August of 1954 on CBS. For most of that run, it starred Larry Thor as New York City detective Danny Clover, whose assigned “beat” was the theater district. Not that that made his job any easier. Then we drop in on “The Great Gildersleeve.” Tonight, Gildy stumbles upon the upcoming wedding of a young lady and Marine about to ship out. They just want a nice, quiet, simple wedding. Of course, that soon balloons into … well, you can guess. This is actually a very sweet story with some really good laughs. And we get to hear Lillian Randolph as Birdie sing. That's always a treat. Episodes Broadway Is My Beat February 17, 1950 “Dion Hartley” 3:44 The Great Gildersleeve May 27, 1953 “Witness at the Wedding” 33:33
Sixty years ago today, September 30, 1962, is the date generally accepted as the end of the Golden Age of Radio. On the same night, the final episodes of “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” and “Suspense” were broadcast. “Johnny Dollar” after 13 years and “Suspense” after 20 years. I couldn't let that pass without observing it by presenting those two final episodes. Don't worry, those shows will appear again on this show. Episodes Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar September 30, 1962 “The Tip-Off Matter” 2:40 Suspense September 30, 1962 “Devilstone” 26:52
We start off tonight by trying to match wits with that amateur detective who's also a mystery writer, the eponymous star of “The Adventures of Ellery Queen.” This episode is another twisty one of multiple murders that requires you to really pay attention. Then on “The College Quiz Bowl,” the best brains of Washington and Lee University go up against The University of Pittsburgh. Although the material is from 70 years ago, this episode is packed with lots of questions that even we 21st century listeners should be able to answer and have fun with. Are you up on types of nuts, adjectives from literature, and the finer points of women's clothing? Episodes The Adventures of Ellery Queen November 7, 1945 “The Message in Red” 1:41 The College Quiz Bowl March 21, 1954 “Washington & Lee University vs The University of Pittsburgh” 32:17
Let's begin tonight with another thrilling story of the masked rider of justice, “The Lone Ranger.” We always think of the Lone Ranger as a hero, but to the people of the Old West, he was “The Masked Man,” a character a little more morally ambiguous. Tonight, he and Tonto go up against bureaucracy and marauding outlaws hiding in the hills. Then on “The Jack Benny Program,” it's the first show of the new season. Everyone has been off, and they haven't seen each other all summer. Jack has just arrived home from three weeks' vacation in Hawaii and is anxious to get together with his friends. Episodes The Lone Ranger April 22, 1938 “Murder of Pony Express Rider” 1:47 The Jack Benny Program September 13, 1953 “Back From Vacation in Hawaii” 32:47
“Information Please” famously gave away copies of the “Encyclopaedia Britannica” to people who sent in questions that stumped the show's panel. The “Britannica”'s offices were in Chicago. In the summer of 1943, as part of a War Bond drive, the show left New York and broadcast from some “western” cities, starting in Chicago, where, in this episode, the editor of the “Britannica”, Walter Yust, was a panelist. In consequence, there's some Chicago-themed questions, in addition to famous forms of egress and people who had their names changed. Note that Mr. Yust's name is frequently misspelled as Youst. I hope having both spellings in this text will aid future internet searches. Then on “Gunsmoke,” Matt Dillon encounters a solid mystery with a clever solution involving cattle. Episodes Information Please June 28, 1943 “Guest: Walter Yust at the Chicago Civic Opera House” 2:46 Gunsmoke May 30, 1953 “Fall Semester” 32:09
Tonight, we present two examinations of the world of newspapers and investigative reporting, first comedy, then something a little more dramatic. The newspaper comic strip “Blondie” was created by Chic Young and started running in 1930. It is still running, as I record this, almost 92 years later. It features the domestic mis-adventures of the eponymous Blondie, and her husband Dagwood, Bumstead. And, in this case, their children, son Alexander and daughter Cookie. The success of the comic strip launched a series of 28 “Blondie” movies, produced from 1938 to 1950, all starring Penny Singleton as Blondie and Arthur Lake as Dagwood. The weekly radio series, also starring Singleton and Lake, ran concurrently on various networks and for various sponsors from 1939 to 1950. This is a typical episode, with Dagwood accidentally getting involved in embarrassing shenanigans. And I particularly enjoy some of the sound effects. Then real-life politician, writer, and newspaper publisher Will Rogers, Jr. plays a heightened version of himself on “Rogers of the Gazette.” This episode also features young reporters hunting for scandal, and finding just a bit of crime and peril. Episodes Blondie November 3, 1948 “Blondie and The Tattletale” aka “Alexander's Scandal Sheet” 2:50 Rogers of the Gazette December 30, 1953 “Investigative Reporters” 29:04
“The Adventures of Father Brown” was broadcast on the Mutual Network during June and July of 1945, so only a few episodes were ever produced. It starred Karl Swenson as the titular priest and part-time detective. The show was based on the Father Brown mysteries, written by G.K. Chesterton starting in 1910 and continuing until 1936, some 50 short stories. Chesterton was a British, Catholic writer and part-time lay theologian. He loved mysteries, and he used his character of Father Brown to show that a man of faith could also be a man of logic. After matching wits with the good padre, put your feet up and laugh with Groucho on “You Bet Your Life.” Tonight, his guests include has a UPS delivery man and a former silent film actress, not to mention a neon sign manufacturer and an amateur handwriting analysist. Episodes The Adventures of Father Brown “The Three Tools of Death” July 22, 1945 3:05 You Bet Your Life “The Secret Word is ‘Chair'” May 26, 1954 32:48
We start off tonight with another episode of “Gunsmoke.” Here, a mysterious couple shoot four other strangers in town, sending Marshall Dillon and Chester after them all around the West. Then, on “The Kraft Music Hall,” Bing Crosby is joined by actor Keenan Wynn for lots of World War II-era laughs and songs. Episodes Gunsmoke March 21, 1953 “Pussy Cats" 1:34 The Kraft Music Hall July 13, 1944 Guest: Keenan Wynn 31:39
"Once Upon a Time" UK Airing: January 25, 1968 US Airing: September 14, 1968 "Fallout" UK Airing: February 1, 1968 US Airing September 21, 1968 A previous Number 2 returns to the Village and is given permission to crack the Prisoner using Degree Absolute. When it fails, it appears that the Prisoner is put on trial, but it is actually his recent tormentors who are which ultimately leads to escape. Pulling back the curtain, the production of this final episode is as disjointed as the two TV episodes themselves. The audio for "Once Upon a Time", recorded over a year ago, was lost and so John and writer Jim Beard attempt to discuss the key points of an episode that Jim in particular, is not fond of in the least. They also talk about McGoohan's thumbing his nose (or perhaps biting his thumb?) at ITV when they cut short the series with a finale that makes absolutely no sense. Comment on this podcast by writing us at thechronicrift@gmail.com or by leaving your thoughts right here on the page.
“My Man Godfrey” is a classic screwball comedy from 1936. Filmed and set during the Great Depression, it stars William Powell as Godfrey, a “forgotten man”: one of the millions of unemployed and down-and-out at the time. Carol Lombard co-stars as the daughter of wealthy family who soon employ Godfrey as their butler. Both Powell and Lombard reprised their roles for this episode of “The Lux Radio Theater.” The Lux Radio Theater May 9, 1938 “My Man Godfrey” 2:48
We begin this evening with “The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe.” This is a particularly clever and twisty plot involving a high-stakes card game. Then on “The Jack Benny Program,” Jack is a little concerned that his contract for next season hasn't been renewed yet. Is he going to be replaced by his competition? Episodes The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe January 12, 1951 “The Killer Cards” 1:38 The Jack Benny Program April 11, 1954 “Jack Hasn't Received His New Contract” 31:36
Tonight, we start off with a couple episodes of “The Goldbergs.” Not the TV series set in the 1980s, but the long-running radio series from the 1930s and 40s. The show tells the story of the daily life of the Goldbergs, a Jewish family living in New York and, later, Connecticut. The program was created by and starred Gertrude Berg. When the program moved to television in the 1950s, she was the first recipient of the Emmy Award for “Lead Comedy Actress.” “The Goldbergs” was a daily, 15-minute dramedy. The family was explicitly Jewish and explicitly trying to assimilate -- a true media rarity at the time. Like the best of the Golden Age of Radio, the episodes produced during World War II are a real window into home front America. “The Goldbergs” in particular concentrated on themes of everyone working together. How good a writer was Gertrude Berg? Listen to Molly's speech to another mother at the end of the first episode. In 2013, that episode was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for works that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." Then on “Information Please,” are you up on famous chapter titles, political defeats, and the origins of idiomatic phrases? Get ready to stump the experts. Episodes The Goldbergs July 9, 1942 Episode 1297 aka “Sammy Goes Into the Army” The Goldbergs Circa 1942 Episode 1338 4:26 Information Please June 21, 1943 “Guests: Dr. C. Mildred Thompson and Christopher Morley” 30:58
We start off tonight with everyone's favorite medical drama, “The Story of Dr. Kildare.” Here Drs. Kildare and Gillespie help an aging Western movie star with psychological difficulties. Then we drop by 79 Wistful Vista for a visit with “Fibber McGee and Molly.” Tonight, Fibber is very busy with big business as he takes huge orders for the mysterious AJB Company. Episodes The Story of Dr. Kildare February 23, 1951 “Buck Houston, Cowboy Star” 1:39 Fibber McGee and Molly January 4, 1944 “AJB Company Western Branch Representative” aka “Representative for AJB Company” 29:05
We start off with a tale well-calculated to keep you in … “Suspense.” In this twisty episode, tough guy actor Edward G. Robinson stars as both himself and as a humble little nothing of a man who has big ideas. Robinson made his mark playing gangsters in movies like “Little Caesar” and “Key Largo,” not to mention the corrupt overseer Dathan in “The Ten Commandments.” This episode is so clever and audacious. Until the very end, the listener wonders what they are going to do with this. How are they going to pull it off? It's a classic. Then we return to “The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show.” Usually, it's Phil who gets caught up in the ridiculous shenanigans. This time it's Alice, and she has some fantastic lines. This episode directly follows the previous week's wherein the character of Frankie Remley was forced to change his name to the actor's actual name of Eliot Lewis. Episodes Suspense October 17, 1946 “The Man Who Thought He Was Edward G. Robinson” 3:16 The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show October 12 1952 “The Stolen U.S. Mail” 32:50
The school bell is ringing, so let's check in with a handful of very bright youngsters on “The Quiz Kids.” I hope you know your baseball scoring rules, animals associated with each of the 48 (!) states, and that favorite topic of 8th graders everywhere: opera. Then on “The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show,” the couple returns from vacation to find that Phil's pal Frankie Remley has turned the Harris' house into a hotel – and that's not all he's changed. Episodes The Quiz Kids August 15 1948 “If Dewey Is Elected, What Will He Wear Into the White House?” 2:06 The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show October 5, 1952 “Hotel Harris” aka “Remley is Elliot” 33:25
We start off tonight with another “X Minus One” adaptation of a classic science fiction short story. This time it's Tom Godwin's “The Cold Equations,” a controversial tale that's still a subject of discussion. Then on “The Great Gildersleeve,” Mr. Peavy finally gets a day off while Gildy minds the drug store. What could possibly go wrong? Episodes X Minus One August 25, 1955 “Cold Equations” 2:02 The Great Gildersleeve February 7, 1951 “Day Off for Peavy – 30th Anniversary” 26:18
We start off tonight with another episode of that wonderful quiz show, “Information Please.” This is an Armed Forces recording, which means that the original was recorded and then all the ads were taken out and replaced with short classical music breaks. Are you up on the publication dates of certain famous literary works, the details of perfume production, and the strange behaviors of animals? Then on “The Adventures of Ellery Queen,” Ellery finds himself investigating a twisty tale of diamond snuggling and murder. Episodes Information Please October 2, 1944 “Guests: Christopher Morley and Esme Davis” 2:26 The Adventures of Ellery Queen September 7, 1947 “Number Thirty One” 33:14
“Mr. and Mrs. North” featured a married couple of sleuths. They began their career in short stories written by Richard Lockridge in the 1930s, but soon progressed to novels, a movie, a Broadway play, an Edgar-Award-wining radio show, and eventually television in the 1950s. They have affection for each other, and Mrs. North plays just as much a part in the stories as does her husband. Then, with the success of the “The Jack Benny Program,” it was only natural there be spin-offs. Singer Dennis Day got his own show in 1946. “A Day in the Life of Dennis Day” features the Irish tenor not as Benny's employee, but rather a drug store employee in a fictional small town. But he's still rather naïve, and you can bet he still sings. Episodes Mr. and Mrs. North January 4, 1951 “Die Hard” 1:57 A Day in the Life of Dennis Day December 17, 1947 “Dennis Helps Mrs. Anderson Become President of the Ladies Club” 28:29
I like to start off the new year with these adaptations by “The Lux Radio Theater” of light, amusing tales. “The Canterville Ghost” was a short story written by Oscar Wilde in 1887. Over the years, there have been numerous adaptations. The latest version just aired in the U.K. on the BBC and starred Anthony Head of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” as the title character. I assume this will be coming to American television soon. So, in anticipation, here is the 1945 rendition, which features a lot of World War II-era material. The Lux Radio Theater June 18, 1945 “The Canterville Ghost” 2:31
Even tough-guy detectives sometimes get involved in sentimental or humorous situations during their Christmas episodes. And the fabulous, freelance insurance investigator of “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar,” is no exception. Then it's time for the cast of “The Jack Benny Program” to put on a play about letters to Santa before Jack and Mary go Christmas shopping at a department store. Episodes Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar December 23, 1956 “The Missing Mouse Matter” 1:39 The Jack Benny Program December 17, 1939 “Christmas Shopping for Perfume and a Necktie” 32:38
Welcome to another Christmas season on “Presenting the Transcription Feature.” We'll be doing one mystery and one comedy during each of this month's episodes. We begin with Sydney Greenstreet as that mighty, if lazy, private investigator, the titular hero of “The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe.” This episode might be little darker than most Christmas stories, but it's still a good mix of coziness, tough-guy action, and Wolfian brain power. Then we go Christmas shopping with “The Great Gildersleeve.” Try as he might, he just can't seem to economize this year. Episodes The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe December 22, 1950 “The Slaughtered Santas” 1:50 The Great Gildersleeve December 15, 1948 “Christmas Shopping” aka “Economy This Christmas” 32:09
This year would have been the 101st birthday of actor Ricardo Montalbán. We mark it with an episode of “Family Theater,” in which he plays the real-life hero / outlaw of Old California, Joaquin Murietta. Murietta was almost certainly the inspiration for the fictional hero / outlaw of Old California, Zorro. Then it's Thanksgiving with all the gang on “The Jack Benny Program.” In this classic episode, Jack dreams he has been put on trial for the murder of a turkey. Both Phil Harris' signature tune “That's What I Like About the South,” and the Andrews Sisters' hit “The Lady From 29 Palms,” get witty parodies. Episodes Family TheaterJune 21, 1950“Joaquin Murietta”2:47 The Jack Benny ProgramNovember 30, 1947“Turkey Dream”33:06
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