Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod

Rat In A Trap (Aired May 16, 1932) 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. THIS EPISODE: Catalog # 90328. The Witch's Tale. January 28, 1935. MacQuarrie syndication. "Rat In A Trap". Sponsored by: Commercials added locally. Old Nancy is 102 years old today. After three hoboes cause a lawyer's wife to kill herself (rather than face dishonor), the lawyer takes ten years to find the hobo with a scar. The lawyer gets the hobo acquitted...for a reason! The script was previously used on "The Witch's Tale" in the United States on May 16, 1932. Alonzo Deen Cole (writer). 24:25. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Chain Of Command (Aired November 21, 1956) X Minus One was an NBC science fiction series that was an extension, or revival, of NBC's earlier science fiction series, Dimension X. which ran from Apr. 8, 1950 through Sept. 29, 1951. Both are remembered for bringing really first rate science fiction to the air. The first X Minus One shows used scripts from Dimension X, but soon created new shows from storied from the pages of Galaxy Magazine. A total of 125 programs were broadcast, some repeats or remakes, until the last show of Jan. 9, 1958. There was a one-program revival attempt in 1973. THIS EPISODE: November 21, 1956. NBC network. "Chain Of Command". Sustaining. A funny story about intelligent mice living in a top secret laboratory. John Gibson, John McGovern, Ann Thomas, Alan Bunce, Wendell Holmes, Staats Cotsworth, Stephen Arr (author), George Lefferts (adaptor), Fred Collins (announcer), Daniel Sutter (director), William Welch (producer). 28:14. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

"A Favor You Can’t Refuse" (Starring William Shatner) Aired May 31, 1974 The Zero Hour (aka Hollywood Radio Theater) was a 1973-74 radio drama anthology series hosted by Rod Serling. With tales of mystery, adventure and suspense, the program aired in stereo for two seasons. Some of the scripts were written by Serling. Originally placed into syndication on September 3, 1973, the series was picked up by the Mutual Broadcasting System in December of that year. The original format featured five-part dramas broadcast Monday through Friday with the story coming to a conclusion on Friday. Including commercials, each part was approximately 30 minutes long. Mutual affiliates could broadcast the series in any time slot that they wished. In 1974, still airing five days a week, the program changed to a full story in a single 30-minute installment with the same actor starring throughout the week in all five programs. That format was employed from late April 1974 to the end of the series on July 26, 1974. Producer J.M. Kholos was a Los Angeles advertising man who acquired the rights to suspense novels, including Tony Hillerman's The Blessing Way, for radio adaptations. In some cases, the titles were changed. For example, the five-part "Desperate Witness" was an adaptation of The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing. To create a strong package, Kholos followed through by lining up top actors, including John Astin, Edgar Bergen, Joseph Campanella, Richard Crenna, John Dehner, Howard Duff, Keenan Wynn, Richard Deacon, Patty Duke, Nina Foch, George Maharis, Susan Oliver, Brock Peters and Lurene Tuttle.

The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (usually, by singers such as Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbrook, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott & Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello insulted his on-air wife routinely); he was succeeded by Michael Roy, with annoncing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle. The show went through several orchestras during its radio life, including those of Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Jack Meaking, Will Osborne, Freddie Rich, Leith Stevens, and Peter van Steeden. The show's writers included Howard Harris, Hal Fimberg, Parke Levy, Don Prindle, Ed Cherokee, Len Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan, and Ed Forman, as well as producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were handled mostly by Floyd Caton. Abbott and Costello moved the show to ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) five years after they premiered on NBC. During their ABC period they also hosted a 30-minute children's radio program(The Abbott and Costello Children's Show), which aired Saturday mornings with vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and announcer Johnny McGovern. Snow Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Libsyn.com Radio/Memories/Network Humphrey/Camardella Productions. Podomatic.com

You Bet Your Life is an American quiz show that aired on both radio and television. The most well-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio in October 1947, then moved to CBS Radio in 1949 before making the transition to the NBC Radio and NBC-TV networks in October 1950. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show simultaneously on the radio and on television. In 1960, the show was renamed The Groucho Show and ran a further year. Most episodes are in the public domain. The play of the game, however, was secondary to the interplay between Groucho, the contestants, and occasionally Fenneman. The program was rerun into the 1970s, and later in syndication as The Best of Groucho. As such, it was the first game show to have its reruns syndicated. The mid-1940s was a depressing lull in Groucho's career. His radio show Blue Ribbon Town, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, which ran from March 1943 to August 1944, had failed to catch on and Groucho left the program in June 1944. Show Notes From The OTRR Group. Secret Word Is Bread.

The Trial Of Marie Antoinette (Aired October 17, 1948) You Are There is an American historical educational television and radio series broadcast over the CBS Radio and CBS Television networks. reated by Goodman Ace for CBS Radio, it blended history with modern technology, taking an entire network newsroom on a figurative time warp each week reporting the great events of the past. Reporters included John Charles Daly, Don Hollenbeck and Richard C. Hottelet. The series was first heard on July 7, 1947 under the title CBS Is There. Its final broadcast was on March 19, 1950 under the title You Are There. According to author/historian Martin Grams, actor Canada Lee was a guest in episodes 32 and 60. Martin Gabel appeared in character in episode 82. The first 23 broadcasts went under the title "CBS Is There" and beginning with episode 24, the title changed to "You Are There". THIS EPISODE: October 17, 1948. CBS network. "The Trial Of Marie Antoinette". Sustaining. The events of October 16, 1793. The rabble of the Revolution try the ex-queen, with little thought of justice. Robert Lewis Shayon (writer, producer, director). 29:20. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

(Stuart Palmer) The Man Who Wrote Himself To Death - (Aired March 21, 1950) Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar attracted some of the best writers in Hollywood, including Jack Johnstone, E. Jack Neuman (using the pen name John Dawson), Robert Ryf, and Les Crutchfield. Bob Bailey also wrote a script while he was playing Johnny Dollar. He used the pen name Robert Bainter (Bainter was his middle name) as the scriptwriter for "The Carmen Kringle Matter", which was aired on Saturday, December 21, 1957 on the West Coast, and on the following day for the rest of the country. Bob Bailey, generally thought of as the most popular of the Johnny Dollars, brought a new interpretation to the character – tough, but not hard-boiled; streetwise, but not overly cynical, Bailey's Dollar was smart and gritty when he had to be. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. THIS EPISODE: March 21, 1950. CBS network. "Stuart Palmer, The Man Who Wrote Himself To Death".Sustaining. No music cues are heard on this recording. A crazed writer tries to get himself killed to collect on a $100,000 policy. The music credit is given to Leith Stevens, but none of his music is present. The system cue has been deleted. Possibly recorded March 16, 1950. Edmond O'Brien, Lurene Tuttle, Bill Bouchey, Lawrence Dobkin, Bill Grey, Jack Kruschen, Herb Butterfield, Gil Doud (writer), David Ellis (writer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Jaime del Valle (producer, director), Roy Rowan (announcer). 27:07 Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

"A Christmas Carol" - 1951 (Alastair Sim) (2015) Re Broadcast MOVIE - A Christmas Carol - 1951 (Alastair Sim) - VIDEO Scrooge, released as A Christmas Carol in the United States, is a 1951 film adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It starred Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge and was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, with a screenplay by Noel Langley. The film also features Kathleen Harrison in an acclaimed turn as Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge's charwoman. Fans of British cinema will recognise George Cole as the younger version of Scrooge, Hermione Baddeley as Mrs. Cratchit, Mervyn Johns as Bob Cratchit, Clifford Mollison as Samuel Wilkins, a debtor, Jack Warner as Mr. Jorkin, a role created for the film, Ernest Thesiger as Marley's undertaker and Patrick Macnee as a young Jacob Marley. Michael Hordern plays Marley's ghost, as well as old Marley. Peter Bull serves as narrator, by reading portions of Dickens' words at the beginning and end of the film and also appears on-screen as one of the businessmen cynically discussing Scrooge's funeral. The film was released in Great Britain under its original title, "Scrooge", to marvelous acclaim. United Artists handled the US release under the title A Christmas Carol and the film was originally slated to be shown at New York City's Radio City Music Hall as part of their Christmas attraction. Episode Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod and OTRR Group

The American School (Aired May 7, 1947) One early sponsor had been Adler Shoe Stores, which came close to canceling its account after Morgan started making references to "Old Man Adler" on the air; the chain changed its mind after it was learned business spiked upward, with many new patrons asking to meet Old Man Adler. Morgan had to read an Adler commercial heralding the new fall line of colors; Morgan thought the colors were dreadful, and said he wouldn't wear them to a dogfight, but perhaps the listeners would like them. Old Man Adler demanded a retraction on the air. Morgan obliged: "I would wear them to a dogfight." Morgan later recalled with bemusement, "It made him happy." Later, he moved to ABC (formerly the NBC Blue Network) in a half-hour weekly format that allowed Morgan more room to develop and expand his topical, often ad-libbed satires, hitting popular magazines, soap operas, schools, the BBC, baseball, summer resorts, government snooping, and landlords. THIS EPISODE: May 7, 1947. ABC network. Sponsored by: Eversharp-Schick. A program dedicated to "The American School" (The Progressive School), The Grammar School. Arnold Stang, Bernard Green and His Orchestra, Charles Irving, Henry Morgan, The Golden Gate Quartet. 30:01. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

A Clapper For The Bell (02-09-70) Sponsored by Carling Black Label Beer, this series examined man’s early ventures into space. The space race of the 1950’s and 1960’s spawned this series, especially the Apollo missions to the moon in the late 1960’s. The series was narrated by Donald Monat as the character Charles B Ryan and was broadcast on Springbok Radio on Monday evenings at 18H30. The episodes were written by June Dixon & Hal Orlandini (never credited) & recorded at the AFS Studios in Johannesburg & produced by Donald Monat. A total of 62 episodes were broadcast, including a live broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing, courtesy of The Voice of America Radio Broadcast & repeat broadcasts of some of the earlier episodes in the 1970's. Many of the stories were dramatisations of true events & also included futuristic tales of space exploration of the future. The first episode was broadcast on Tuesday, 19 June 1969 & continued until Tuesday 12 October 1970. The series was sponsored throughout by the same sponsor who after the completion of the series sponsored the replacement series "Carling Country". Actors who appeared in the series, included, Donald Monat (Narrator as Charles B.Ryan), Clive Parnell, Michael Mayer, Brian O'Shaugnessy, Hal Orlandini, Lynda Stuart, Diane Appleby, Diane Wilson, James White, Gabriel Bayman, Stuart Brown, Denis Smith, Tony Jay, George Korelin, Kerry Jordan & Elaine Lee. +Episodes Produced: 57 excluding 5 episodes repeated, including the episode "Moon Landing", which was a live crossing to the Voice of America broadcast of the Apollo 11 Moon Challenge Of Space - A Clapper For The Bell (02-09-70) Show Notes From oldtimeradiodownloads.com &Boxcars711

Hear It Now - "Edward R. Murrow" (Aired January 12, 1951) 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.

Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod The Overnight Western Hawk Larabee was CBS' first attempt at an adult Western, predating Gunsmoke by six years but never achieving the heights of its illustrious successor. Elliott Lewis starred in its earliest incarnation (titled Hawk Durango) with Texas-native Barton Yarborough as his sidekick. Yarborough moved into the lead role for a season (supported by Barney Jones) but returned to his earlier sidekick status when Elliott Lewis reclaimed the role for the final season. Hawk Larabee aired from July 5, 1946 through February 7, 1948 with the Texas Rangers (and later the Plainsmen) providing unusual vocal bridges to set the scenes. THIS EPISODE: November 7, 1946. "Tillie Mcgoon The Preacher aka: Deputy Preacher" - CBS network. Sustaining. Hawk becomes a deputy preacher to convert Tillie McGoon and her desperado friends. Barton Yarborough, William N. Robson (writer). 30:00. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Homicide House (Aired June 30, 1945) Haunting Hour "Homicide House" (06-30-45) The Haunting Hour is a work-in-progress collection within the holdings of many serious Radio Collectors. From the meager available productions currently in circulation it's clear that the series was popular for its time, at the very least. With a known run of at least 52 unique scripts and more doubtful further 39 to 52 scripts, it would appear that the series was in demand for at least four years--in and out of syndication. Given the high quality of NBC Network voice talent in the circulating episodes, one can well imagine that the remainder of the yet alleged, undiscovered, or uncirculated episodes have at least as much to recommend them. Thankfully, as with many other examples of Golden Age Radio productions, many of the existing episodes in circulation can be directly attributed to the efforts of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service [AFRTS]. THIS EPISODE: June 30, 1945. NBC syndication. "Homicide House". Commercials added locally. Two reporters investigating a murder come upon a rundown mansion inhabited by a strange trio who insist it's still 1898! Edwin Wolfe (director). 24:59. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

The series received undeserved negative ratings and general negative comments as 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. The series lasted only one season. The regular cast consisted of Harold Peary, Gloria Holiday, Peary’s wife, who played Gloria, Joseph Kearns as Old Doc ‘Yak Yak’ Yancy, Mary Jane Croft and Parley Baer. The announcer was Bob Lamond. The series was directed by Norman MacDonnell. Writers for the series were Harold Peary, Bill Danch, Jack Robinson and Gene Stone. Music was by Jack Meakin. The last show aired on June 13, 1951. The director of the show was Norm MacDonnell, who went on to create perhaps the greatest old time radio show - Gunsmoke, and another western, Fort Laramie. Of course, Norm was a sold radio veteran who certainly had a flare for directing comedy, so he and Peary, together with an excellent cast, made The Harold Peary Show just about as good a show as it could be. Episode Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod.

Tony Hancock starred as an exaggerated version of his own character, a down-at-heel comedian living at the dilapidated 23 Railway Cuttings in East Cheam. Sid James played a criminally-inclined confidante who usually managed to con Hancock, while Bill Kerr appeared as Hancock's dim-witted Australian lodger. Moira Lister also appeared in the first series before being replaced by Andrée Melly for the next two, both playing love interests for Hancock's character. In the fourth and fifth series, Hattie Jacques played Griselda Pugh, live-in secretary to Hancock and occasional girlfriend of Sid James. The series broke from the variety tradition dominant in British radio comedy into the sitcom or Situation comedy genre. Instead of sketches, guest stars and musical interludes, humour developed from the characters and situations. Hancock's experiences were based in reality and observation. From the playlet "Look Back In Hunger" in The East Cheam Drama Festival episode, Galton and Simpson showed they were in touch with developments in the British theatre, the use of sighs and silent pauses in common with the work of Harold Pinter which began to emerge towards the end of the series' run. The measured pacing of these episodes were groundbreaking in the days of fast-talking Ted Ray, where every second of airtime had to be filled. With Galton and Simpson writing scripts prolifically, continuity was not priority, with details changed to suit the episode. Episode Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod.

The Fighting Med Student (Aired May 24, 1950) The Halls of Ivy featured Colman as William Todhunter Hall, the president of small, Midwestern Ivy College, and his wife, Victoria, a former British musical comedy star who sometimes felt the tug of her former profession, and followed their interactions with students, friends, and college trustees. Others in the cast included Herbert Butterfield as testy board chairman Clarence Wellman; Willard Waterman (then starring as Harold Peary's successor as The Great Gildersleeve) as board member John Merriweather; and Bea Benadaret, Elizabeth Patterson, and Gloria Gordon as the Halls' maids. Alan Reed (television's Fred Flintstone) appeared periodically as the stuffy English teacher, Professor Heaslip. THIS EPISODE: May 24, 1950. NBC network. "The Fighting Med Student" - Sponsored by: Schlitz Beer. Will a medical student at Ivy give up his career to become a prize fighter? Ronald Colman, Benita Hume, Ken Carpenter (announcer), Don Quinn (creator, writer), Nat Wolff (producer, director), Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Ken Christy, Stacy Harris, Sheldon Leonard. 29:49. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television and radio. It has had a historically long run, beginning on TV in 1951. From 1954 onward, all of their productions have been shown in color, although color television productions were extremely rare in 1954. Many TV-movies have been shown on the program since its debut, though the program began with live telecasts of dramas and then moved into videotaped productions before finally turning to filmed ones. The series has received seventy-eight Emmy Awards, twenty-four Christopher Awards, eleven Peabody Awards, nine Golden Globes, and four Humanitas Prizes. THIS EPISODE: A Christmas Carol (full title: A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas) is Charles Dickens' "little Christmas Book" . First published on December 19, 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. The story met with instant success, selling six thousand copies within a week. Originally written as a potboiler to enable Dickens to pay off a debt, the tale has become one of the most popular and enduring Christmas stories of all time. In fact, contemporaries of the time noted that the popularity of the story played a critical role in redefining the importance of Christmas and the major sentiments associated with the holiday. Few modern readers realize that A Christmas Carol was written during a time of decline in the old Christmas traditions. "If Christmas, with its ancient and hospitable customs, its social and charitable observances, were in danger of decay, this is the book that would give them a new lease," said English poet Thomas Hood in his review in Hood's Magazine and Comic Review (January 1844, page 68).

The Castle Of Lavoka (Aired March 29, 1954) Originally a local series out of Utah that found its way on to the airwaves sporadically from 1947 to 1952, this anthology was picked up for national syndication by the Mutual network and broadcast from mid-52 through mid-53. Written and directed by Richard Thorne, a prolific and talented writer and producer, this series is often overlooked, even by fans of OTR. It is unfortunate, since it provides some very unique and dramatic material; the acting in particular was superb. Early on, the series concentrated on murder mysteries, but later shows were devoted to horror and some sci-fi. Sadly, not all episodes have survived - only about 40 of perhaps over a hundred shows still exist. All episodes were standard half-hour format. THIS EPISODE: March 29, 1954. Mutual network, WGN, Chicago origination, KEX, Portland Oregon aircheck. "The Castle Of Lavoka". Sponsored by: National Bank Of Oregon, Harrah's. An excellent story about Baron Drago from an isolated part of Europe with an eternal mission and the real reason for the second World War! This program may be a rebroadcast of "The Hall Of Fantasy" of August 22, 1952, titled, "The Legend Of Drago." The program opening sounds edited just as the story title is given. Richard Thorne (writer). 25:50.

Boxcars711 Overnight Western "Gunsmoke" - Doc Holiday (Aired July 19, 1952) 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 one of the finest old time radio shows. 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. THIS EPISODE: July 19, 1952. CBS network. "Doc Holliday". Sustaining. Doc Holliday has come to Dodge to kill Big Jack Finley. But Big Jack's son, Thorne Finley, is the real problem. Harry Bartell, Herb Purdum (writer), Lee Millar Jr., Nestor Paiva, Norman Macdonnell (producer, director), Parley Baer, Ralph Moody, Rex Koury (composer, performer), Roy Rowan (announcer), Tom Tully, William Conrad. 31:06. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

A Question Of Time (Aired March 2, 1946) The Green Hornet fought crime with his high-powered car, the Black Beauty. He also utilized a gun that fired knockout gas instead of bullets. His fists also came in handy on a regular basis. He was assisted by his Filipino valet, Kato. Kato would drive the Black Beauty, keep watch out for the police or the bad guys and sometimes lend a helping fist to the fighting. The Green Hornet pretended to be a villain while really battling the forces of crime in the big city. This would make for some interesting plot twists as the Green Hornet would be actively avoiding detection by the police while at the same time attempting to destroy criminal activity in the city. THIS EPISODE: March 2, 1946. ABC network, WXYZ, Detroit origination, Michelson syndication. "A Question Of Time". Commercials deleted. WFAA, Dallas aircheck. The Hornet stops a plan to sell a secret formula to Nazis hiding is South America. A small clock provides the clue. Robert Hall, George W. Trendle (creator, producer), Charles D. Livingstone (director), Lee Allman, Gilbert Shea, Rollon Parker, Dan Beattie (writer), Hal Neal (announcer). 25:26. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.