Boxcars711 Old Time Radio

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Academy Award Theater "One Sunday Afternoon" (8-28-46) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 24, 2008

Show notes

Stars and movies with Oscars were the idea - in most cases, the movie stars recreated their academy award roles for the show, or in other cases, fine actors played the parts and gave it a different character. Both ways make for great radio drama and first class Hollywood motion picture star entertainment. The Lux Radio Theater had been doing this kind of radio show in the grandest manner for many years, but sponsor Squibb had the hubris and deep pockets to take on the competition by doing Academy Award Theater right after the Second World War. The year 1946 was pre-television, and so movies were still the major American visual art form, with radio the other popular network entertainment. In this final pre-TV time, Academy Award Theater was thought of as a premier radio production, a wow show, much like CinemaScope was to be in the 1950's when Hollywood felt the box office blow of early TV.

Perry Mason "The Case Of The Angry Mourner" (11-02-57) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 24, 2008

Show notes

Perry Mason is the longest running lawyer show in American television history. Its original run lasted nine years and its success in both syndication and made-for-television movies confirm its impressive stamina. Mason's fans include lawyers and judges who were influenced by this series to enter their profession. The Mason character was created by mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner and delivered his first brief in the novel The Case of the Velvet Claws (1933). From 1934 to 1937 Warners produced six films featuring Mason. A radio series also based on Mason ran every weekday afternoon on CBS radio from 1944 to 1955 as a detective/soap opera. When the CBS television series was developed as an evening drama, the radio series was changed from Perry Mason to The Edge of Night and the cast renamed so as not to compete against the television series.

Lux Radio Theater "Spellbound" (3-08-48) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 24, 2008

Show notes

Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network, 1934-1935; CBS 1935-1955), adapted first Broadway stage and then (and especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations and became the standard by which future radio and early television anthologies would be judged. Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936 until January 22, 1945.THIS EPISODE:SpellboundDr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) is a psychoanalyst at a mental hospital. The other (male) doctors constantly accuse her of being too intellectual and not expressing her emotions. The new head of the hospital, Dr. Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck), arrives and turns out to be surprisingly young and good-looking. He and Constance fall in love. However, Edwardes has his own mental problems: whenever he sees a white object with black lines on it, he enters a state of intense stress. When reading a signed copy of Edwardes's book on the guilt complex, Constance notices that the signature is different to that of the man who has arrived at the hospital. She realizes that Edwardes is an imposter. It transpires that the real Dr. Edwardes has been murdered, and the man who assumed his identity is the chief suspect. But Constance believes he is suffering from amnesia and could be exonerated if his repressed memories could be unearthed.

Avenger "High Tide Murders" (8-10-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 23, 2008

Show notes

The Avenger is an Old Time Radio show aired by the South African Broadcasting System in the 1940s. It featured a biochemist crime-fighter by the name of Jim Brandon. Mr. Brandon had two inventions which assisted him in the fight against crime. Mr. Brandon was able to pick up telpathic thought flashes and had a diffusion capsule which allowed him to become invisible.

People Are Funny "Mink Stole" (10-10-54) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 23, 2008

Show notes

People are Funny was a television game show that premiered and ended on NBC from 1954-1961. It was shot in the outside world and dared people to do stunts for fun for spectators. This was done to "reveal the true nature" of their guests. This show was considered a predecessor to most of the reality game shows we know today, such as "Survivor" and MTV's "Jackass." Art Linkletter was the more well-known host of the show. Viewers grew up with him, but not just on People are Funny. He was also seen on Life With Linkletter (1950-52 & 1969-70), Art Linkletter's House Party (1952-69), and The Art Linkletter Show (1963).THIS EPISODE:October 1954. NBC network. Sponsored by: Pamper Shampoo, Prom Home Permanent, Forever Yours. A man is told to give a mink coat to a strange woman, and then take it back! A widowed school teacher returns from her trip around the world. This program is either TV audio or a simulcast. Art Linkletter, John Guedel (producer). 29:52.

Crime Does Not Pay "All American Fake" (10-17-49) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 23, 2008

Show notes

Crime Does Not Pay was an anthology radio crime drama series based on MGM's short film series. The films began in 1935 with Crime Does Not Pay: Buried Loot. For the most part, actors who appeared in B-films were featured, but occasionally, one of MGM's major stars would make an appearance. The radio series aired in New York on WMGM (October 10, 1949-October 10, 1951) and then moved to the Mutual network (January 7-December 22, 1952). Actors included Bela Lugosi, Everett Sloane, Ed Begley, John Loder and Lionel Stander.THIS EPISODE:October 17, 1949. Program #2. MGM syndication. "All American Fake". Commercials added locally. Taylor Dunn is a con-man who looks like football hero Kit Marlowe. He uses the resemblance to swindle people. Even his wife doesn't know that he's a phoney! The date above is the date of the first broadcast on WMGM, New York, from which this syndication version may have been taken. Jon Gart (composer, conductor), Sidney Blackmer, Marx B. Loeb (director), Ira Marion (writer). 27:13

Richard Diamond Private Detective "Mike Burton Case" (1950) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 23, 2008

Show notes

Richard Diamond, Private Detective was a radio show starring Dick Powell which aired from 1949 to 1953, first on NBC, then ABC and finally on CBS. The title character was a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen. The television series was produced by Powell's company, Four Star Television, and that series ran for 3 years from 1957 to 1960. On TV, David Janssen played the hard boiled private eye and his secretary renamed âSamâ, was only ever shown on camera from the waist down, most assurardidly to display her beautiful legs. It was later leared that the legs belonged to Mary Tyler Moore. Original music by Frank DeVol and pete rugolo and later by richard shores. Good scripts, a solid cast and Powellâs exceptional talent made a good time 30 minute program that was quite popular during that Golden Age of Radio. So Letâs sit back now, relax and enjoy this truly otr radio classic.,â, Dick powell as Richard Diamond.., Private Detective.

Mr. Moto "A Force Called X07" (5-20-51) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 22, 2008

Show notes

Mr. Moto is small in stature but strong and an expert in judo. He was the title character of a series of books, beginning with No Hero (1935; British title: Mr Moto Takes a Hand, reprint title: Your Turn, Mr. Moto), and of eight films between 1937 and 1939, in which he was portrayed by Peter Lorre. With the beginning of World War II, Mr. Moto fell out of favor with Americans, and no new books or movies about him appeared between 1942 and 1957. A dedicated and cold-blooded spy for Imperial Japan, Moto is not a conventional hero. He does not look for opportunities to commit violence but has no problem with killing people who obstruct his plans, and he would not hesitate to take his own life if necessary. But he is a master of concealing his true nature while under cover, and usually appears dull, naive, utterly harmless. He does not try to correct the bigoted attitudes of Westerners toward him and other Asians, and is not above encouraging such condescension. It often works to his advantage, leading Westerners to ignore or underestimate him.THIS EPISODE:May 20, 1951. NBC network. "A Force Called X07". Sustaining. Mr. Moto foils a communist plot to destroy part of New York with a portable atomic weapon. The music bridges have been deleted. The program may be dated March 26, 1951. James Monks, Peter Capell, John P. Marquand (creator), Harry W. Junkin (writer, director), John Larkin, Gavin Gordon, Scott Tennyson, Fred Collins (announcer). 27:56.

Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone "Cattle Drive" (6-01-58) - Boxcars711 Midnight Western Mar 22, 2008

Show notes

Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone - CBS started the year 1958 off with the introduction on January 1, 1958 of Frontier Gentleman. That series lasted 41 broadcasts. Near the end of the year, the network launched Have Gun, Will Travel on November 11, 1958, which continued for 106 programs. In between, a very short series was offered and discontinued after only 16 broadcasts, Luke Slaughter Of Tombstone. Sam Buffington starred as Luke Slaughter, a Civil War cavalryman who turned to cattle ranching in post war Arizona territory near Fort Huachuca. William N. Robson, known from his work with such series as Escape, Suspense and The CBS Radio Workshop, directed.

Rogue's Gallery "Little Drops Of Rain" (11-08-45) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Mar 22, 2008

Show notes

Rogue's Gallery came to the Mutual network on September 27, 1945 with Dick Powell portraying Richard Rogue, a private detective who invariably ended up getting knocked out each week and spending his dream time in acerbic conversation with his subconscious self, Eugor. Rogue's Gallery was, in a sense, Dick Powell's rehearsal for Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Powell played private detective Richard Rogue, who trailed luscious blondes, protected witness, and did whatever else detectives do to make a living. It was a good series, though not destined to make much of a mark. Under the capable direction of Dee Englebach and accompanied by the music of Leith Stevens, Powell floated through his lines with the help of such competents as Lou Merrill, Gerald Mohr, Gloria Blondell, Tony Barrett, and Lurene Tuttle. Peter Leeds played Rogue's friend Eugor, an obscure play on names with Eugor spelling Rogue backwards. The gimmick in Rogue's Gallery was the presence of an alter ego, "Eugor," who arrived in the middle of the show to give Rogue enough information for his final deduction. Eugor was a state of mind, achieved when Rogue was knocked unconcious.

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