Tag: Old Time Radio

Nero Wolfe: The Friendly Rabbit (EP0317)

Sidney Greenstreet

Nero Wolfe ventures forth from the brownstone at the behest of the Governor to investigate potential corruption in the crime commission.

Original Air Date: December 1, 1950

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The Adventures of the Abbotts: The Royal Purple Scooter (EP0316)

Claudia Morgan

Pat Abbott is hired to investigate the death of a man in a car wreck. The insurance company thinks it was caused by a faulty, but Pat Abbot suspects murder.

(Picture: Courtesy of Digital Deli.)

Original Air Date: January 23, 1955 (1957 AFRTS rebroadcast)

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Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Adam Kegg Matter (EP0315)

Edmond O'Brien

Johnny Dollar is called in to find an insured stolen necklace.

Originial Air Date: November 11, 1950

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Sherlock Holmes: The Clue of the Hungry Cat (EP0314)

Tom Conway

A man is convicted of murdering a woman, but Holmes believes otherwise when he founds the victim’s cat wasn’t fed.

Original Air Date: October 26, 1946

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Let George Do It: Laura’s House (EP0313)

Bob Bailey

George and Brooksie are summoned to a house rumored to be haunted by a distraught woman who fears an evil house is influencing its owners. They arrive to find their client dead. Is it natural causes or murder?

Original Air Date: July 25, 1949

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Nero Wolfe: The Beautiful Archer (EP0312)

Sidney Greenstreet

A young heir is killed while sitting in a car with his ex-girlfriend. Is she the murderer?

Original Air Date: November 24, 1950

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Thin Man: The Adventure of the Haunted Hams (EP0311)

Claudia Morgan

Nick and Nora help a Summer Theater company after a fire destroys their makeshift theater. Nora is convinced that she can be a star.

Original Air Date: July 13, 1948

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Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Queen Anne Pistols Matter (EP0310)

Edmond O'Brien

A pair of pistols is ensured for $15,000 with the policy terminating on delivery. The intended recipients refuse and that’s when the case starts to get interesting.

Original Air Date: November 4, 1950

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Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Black Angus (EP0309)

Tom Conway

A son of a Scottish Lord breaks off his engagement and the jilted bride hires Holmes to find out the reason why. Holmes and Watson find themselves involved a mystery involving an ancient curse and rumors of werewolves.

Original Air Date: October 19, 1946

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Let George Do It: The Next to Last Guest (EP0308)

Bob Bailey

An elderly man hires George to see to the distribution of his securities to his three heirs goes off without a hitch. George finds out quickly that things aren’t what they seem when one of the benficiaries commits suicide.

Original Air Date: June 20, 1949

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Nero Wolfe: The Careless Cleaner (EP0307)

Sidney Greenstreet

A beautiful cleaning woman is found murdered in the room of an aritst with his marriage on the rocks.

Original Air Date: November 17, 1950

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Thin Man: Adventure of the Passionate Palooka (EP0306)

Claudia Morgan

Nick and Nora are hired to help a boxer find his beloved missing dog and his girlfriend before the big fight.

Original Air Date: July 6, 1948

(Picture: Courtesy of Digital Deli.)

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Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Joan Sebastian Matter (EP0305)

Edmond O'Brien

A young woman is found dead. Is it murder or suicide? Neither the police nor Johnny can tell for sure.

Original Air Date: October 28, 1950

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Three Forgotten Radio Christmas Traditions

Television has its Christmas traditions. A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas survive through the wonder of reruns and videos.

The Golden Age of Radio also had its Christmas traditions, some things that for years were part of what Christmas was in America. Thankfully, through the power of MP3, we can step back in time and rediscover some of the best:

1) Christmas in Pine Ridge

The recurring Lum and Abner Christmas special in the 1930s was somewhat of an odd show. There wasn’t any comedy to speak of. The plot centers around Lum, Abner, and Grandpappy Spears helping out a young couple that’s gotten stranded in Pine Ridge, where the mother is giving birth. The family is clearly met to parallel the Holy family travelling to Bethlehem.

The episode’s theme shows Pine Ridge at its best and in its fifteen minutes, it’s poignant, thoughtful, and even philisophical as Lum reflects as well on the old year ending and the New Year coming.

Lum and Abner Christmas Special-December 25, 1940

2) Lionel Barrymore as Ebeneezer Scrooge

While most people living in the 21st century have no idea who Lionel Barrymore is. Mention, “Mr. Potter from It’s a Wonderful Life” and people will have no problem remembering the distinctive voice of the wheelchair bound adversary of Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey.

One key contributor in Barrymore playing Potter was that Barrymore had a lot of experience in the role of miser.  From 1934-53, he played the Role of Ebenezer Scrooge for 18 of 20 Christmases. He relinquished the role once to his brother John in 1935 and in 1938, Orson Welles took the part. However, in 1939, while Welles was still the boss at the Campbell Playhouse, Barrymore was Scrooge once again. This time in an hour long adaptation that showed off the amazing talent that was Lionel Barrymore with Welles’ narration making the show a must-hear. Listen and you’ll find out why, for an entire generation, Barrymore was definitive Scrooge.

Listen to The Campbell Playhouse: A Christmas Carol: December 24, 1939

1) Bing Crosby singing Adeste Fideles

If you say, Bing Crosby and Christmas, the first song that will undoubtedly come to mind is, White Christmas. However, this was not the song most common to Crosby Christmas Special. It was Adeste Fideles, which is commonly known as Oh Come All Ye Faithful.

Whether Bing Crosby was hosting the Kraft Music HallPhilco Radio Time, or the General Electric show, Adeste Fidelis would lead off. Crosby would first sing the song in Latin, and then everyone on stage and at home was invited to sing the song in English.

While less people understand the Latin version now than in Crosby’s day, the performance is quite powerful and was simply a great way to begin another great Crosby Christmas.

December 20, 1953 episode of the General Electric show.

Sherlock Holmes: Adventure of the Stuttering Ghost (EP0304)

Tom Conway

A woman comes to Holmes with a “talking dog” for the purpose of robbing him of an old case file. Why?

Original Air Date: October 12, 1946

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