Month: September 2020

EP3257: Man Called X: Delta Concerto

George Raft

The Man Called X travels to Columbia to foil a plot to destabilize the country and all of Latin America.
Original Air Date: December 14, 1947

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AWR0144: The Eternal Light: The Man Who Knew Lincoln (Raymond Massey’s Lincoln)

Amazing World of Radio
The story of a Jewish immigrant who began a career as a telegraph operator, met Abraham Lincoln, and telegraphed the Emancipation Proclamation to the Country in 1863.
Original Air Date: January 1, 1956

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EP3256: Dick Tracy: Who is the Purple Rider/Junior Kidnapped

Dick Tracy tries to get the criminal responsible for setting off an avalanche that stopped the sled carrying Pat Patton while stopping the Purple Rider from taking the law into his own hand.
Original Air Date: April 13 and 14, 1938

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EP3255: Box 13: House of Darkness

A blind man after he finds a message from someone requesting help written in brail in a library book.

Original Air Date: 1948

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Video Theater 188: The Court of Last Resort: The Mary Morales Case

The Court of Last Resort investigates the case of a woman convicted of murder in a case that she insists was an accidental shooting. Season 1, Episode 23

Original Air Date: March 21, 1958

EP3254s: Command Performance: Dick Tracy in B-Flat

Dick Tracy (Bing Crosby) is about to wed his long-time fiancee Tess Trueheart (Diana Shore) but his wedding keeps getting interrupted by desperate gangsters Flattop (Bob Hope), the Mole (Jimmy Durante), and Shaky (Frank Sinatra)

Original Air Date: February 15, 1945

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AWR0143: Cavalcade of America: Abraham Lincoln: The War Years (Raymond Massey’s Lincoln)

Amazing World of Radio
An overview of Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency and leadership through the Civil War.
Original Air Date: February 13, 1940

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DVD Review: Forgotten Noir and Crime, Volume 12


Forgotten Noir and Crime, Volume 12 collects another three rare low-budget films.

First up is The Treasure of Monte Cristo: A seaman (Glenn Langan) on shore leave is swept up into romance and marries a mysterious woman (Adele Jurgens) and then finds himself framed for murder. This is a clever plot and it’s gutsy for a low-budget film to try to write a modern-day sequel to one of literature’s great classics. There are nice location scenes and Langan and Jergens (who would later marry) are both pretty good. The rest of the acting is uneven and some plot points are not well-realized, including a confusing escape sequence. Still, this is a fun story.

The second film is Roaring City, the second of the Dennis O’Brien films which adapted two Johnny Madero radio scripts per film. Hugh Beaumont does seem to settle into his role as the tough talking private eye, strolling casually through scenes pipe in hand and finding a way to deliver the over the top hard boiled lines with as much credibility as he could muster. Similarly, Edward Brophy settles into his role as sidekick/roommate/drunk Professor Schicker.  The film is fun and breezy but not without errors. Outside of Beaumont and Brophy, the acting is so-so and there’s a pretty significant continuity error in the second half. O’Brien tells the Professor he’s agreed to go on a date and pretend to be a woman’s husband before he goes on the date and then after he’s inevitably framed for murder, he tells the Professor all over again as if he hadn’t told him the first time. Still, if you can get past hiccups like this, it’s not a bad way to spend about an hour.

The final film is Sky Liner, which is about a murder occuring mid-flight and being investigated before the plane lands. This is a film with silliness that includes ridiculously fast autopsies, but it’s a good setting and with a breezy pace that’s a tad under 50 minutes. There is a longer version of the film that includes a juvenile song number and a subplot about a newlywed couple. I can’t help but feel that this is probably the best cut of the film.

Overall, these are pretty good, low-budget films. They’re quirky and fun. There’s plenty of flaws to be found, but also fun elements that will bring a smile to the face of classic film buffs.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

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EP3254: Treasury Agent: Lady in Red

Larry Haines

Treasury Agent Joe Lincoln tries to find a way to break a female blackmailer.
Original Air Date: Possibly November 9, 1958

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EP3253: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The David Rockey Matter

Edmond O'Brien

Johnny travels to Nicaragua to inform a merchant seaman that he’s the heir to over $1 million. He finds the seaman has been charged with murder.

Original Air Date: January 20, 1951

When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com

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EP3252: Mystery is My Hobby: Murder at Asa Cook’s House


Barton Drake and Inspector Danton investigate a suspected suicide in a U.S. Senator’s house…that may be murder.

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AWR0142: Radio Reader’s Digest: The Counsel Assigned (Raymond Massey’s Lincoln)

Amazing World of Radio

Abraham Lincoln risks his political career to defend a fifteen-year-old boy who faces the death penalty.
Original Air Date: February 13, 1947
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EP3251: Man Called X: Shipment Condemned

George Raft
The Man Called X goes to Uruguay when a friend is murdered while investigating an entire shipment of meat that was found to be bad by a meat inspector…by the name of Pegon Zellschmidt.

Original Air Date: December 7, 1947

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EP3250: Dick Tracy: Mounties at Pitchblend/Snow Slide


Dick Tracy is in the Yukon, helping the inhabitants of a small mining town stand up to a crook who’s taking advantage of the local uranium miners.

Original Air Date: April 11 and 12, 1938

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EP3249: Box Thirteen: Speed to Burn

A young woman asks Dan to help rescue her ex-con brother from a car theft ring.

Original Air Date: 1948

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