Author: Yours Truly Johnny Blogger

Dangerous Assignment: Recover a Hospital Chart (EP4091)


Today’s Mystery: Steve is sent to Macao to locate a hospital chart that could lead to a US ally being defeated for re-election.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: March 17, 1951

Originated in Hollywood

Stars: Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, Herb Buttefield as the Commissioner, Jack Moyles, Tony Barrett, Tyler McVeigh, Bill Johnstone, Peter Leeds, Betty Lou Gerson

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Screen Director’s Playhouse: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (AWR0219)

Amazing World of Radio

A New York City advertising executive (Cary Grant) throws his life into chaos when he decides to move to rural Connecticut.

Original Air Date: June 9, 1950

Originated from Hollywood

Stars: Cary Grant as Jim Blandings, Betsy Drake as Muriel Blandings, William Johnstone as Bill

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Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Duke Red Matter, Episodes One and Two (EP4090)

Bob Bailey

Today’s Mystery:

Johnny goes to California to investigate a $65,000 claim on a racehorse who was injured and had to be destroyed.

Original Radio Broadcast Dates: January 23 and 24, 1956

Story concludes on Friday in EP4093

Originated from Hollywood

Stars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar.Barbara Fuller, Barbara Eiler, Herb Butterfield, John Stephenson, Parley Baer, Will Wright, Bob Bruce, Forrest Lewis

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Sam Spade: The Terrified Turkey Caper (EP4089)

Steve Dunne

Today’s Mystery:

A man named Tom Turkey shows up in Sam’s office and says he’s afraid someone’s going to kill him.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 24, 1950

Originated from Hollywood

Starred Steven Dunne as Sam Spade, Lurene Tuttle as Effie, Wally Maher

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Tales of the Texas Rangers: Stick-Up (EP4088)

Today’s Mystery:

Jace is called in when an elderly town character is shot down in a store stick-up.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 27, 1952

Originiated from Hollywood

Starred: Joel McCrea as Jace Pearson

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Streaming Review: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

In the 1948 film, Mister Blandings Builds His Dream House, New York City advertising executive Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) shares a cramped apartment with his wife (Myrna Loy) and  his daughters. In a fit of inspiration and pique, Blandings decides to move his family into a beautiful old house in rural Connecticut about an hour from the city. However, Murphy’s Law hits in force and before Blandings knows it, he’s having to build a new home from scratch.

While this film is seventy-five years old, it’s still charming. While both Grant and Loy were veterans of more uproarious screwball comedies in the 1930s, Mister Blanding Builds His Dream House‘s comedy is different. It’s down-to-earth, subtle, and relatable. Anyone who’s gotten themselves into the stressful and complicated process of a real estate transaction should be able to relate to the Blanding’s plight, though the situations are amped up for comedic effect. Long-suffering family friend and lawyer Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas) is both a great voice of reason and delivers the best comedic lines in the film. The film also has a serious point and character arc for Jim that really only becomes apparent in a surprise end towards the end of the picture..

The film did have points that seemed underdeveloped. In particular, Jim’s struggles to develop a slogan for Wham! (an obvious ripoff of Spam) because a predominant plot point in the last quarter of the movie. Having Cary Grant read off lame slogan ideas isn’t exactly comedy gold and we’re given little reason to care about him coming up with this whole issue. The threat of losing his job could have gotten me to care if done right, but there’s no reason to think he doesn’t get another job just a s good in two weeks.

Still, this is a very enjoyable film  when it sticks to its strengths aa  a story of love and real estate.

 

Rating: 4..0 out of 5.0

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Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Ricardo Amerigo Matter, Episodes Three, Four, and Five (EP4087)

Bob Bailey

Today’s Mystery:

Johnny nearly killed himself getting a missing insured violin out of a New Jersey swamp, but is it actually genuine?

Original Radio Broadcast Dates: January 18-20, 1956

Originated from Hollywood

Stars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar, Harry Bartell as Harry Branson, Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Forrest Lewis, Eric Snowden, Herb Vigran, James McCallion

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