Boxcars711 Old Time Radio

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The Campbell Playhouse "June Moon" (3-24-40) - Boxcars711 Sunday Matinee Two Feb 03, 2008

Show notes

The Campbell Playhouse was a sponsored continuation of the Mercury Theater on the Air, a direct result of the instant publicity from the War of the Worlds panic. The switch occurred on December 9, 1938. In spite of using the same creative staff, the show had a different flavor under sponsorship, partially attributed to a guest star policy in place, which relegated the rest of the Mercury Players to supporting cast for Orson Welles and the Hollywood guest of the week. There was a growing schism between Welles, still reaping the rewards of his Halloween night notoriety, and his collaborator John Houseman, still in the producer's chair but feeling more like an employee than a partner. The writer, as during the unsponsored run, was Howard Koch.

Bonanza "Enter Mark Twain (10-10-59)" - Boxcars711 Sunday Matinee One Feb 03, 2008

Show notes

Bonanza chronicled the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, headed by wise widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright (played by Lorne Greene). He had three biological sons, each by a different wife: the oldest was the intelligent and moody Adam Cartwright (Pernell Roberts); the second was the fun and lovable Eric, better known to viewers by his middle name: "Hoss" (Dan Blocker); and the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous Joseph or "Little Joe" (Michael Landon). The family's cook was the Chinese immigrant Hop Sing (Victor Sen Yung). The family lived on a thousand-square-mile ranch called "The Ponderosa", on the shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada; the name refers to the Ponderosa Pine, common in the West.THIS EPISODE:Enter Mark TwainOctober 10, 1959Samuel Clemens arrives in Virginia City to write for the Territorial Enterprise at the same time a crooked politician tries to lay claim on the Ponderosa.

Adventures Of Frank Race "Airborne Adventure" (6-19-49) - Boxcars711 Saturday Matinee Three Feb 03, 2008

Show notes

The Adventures of Frank Race, by Bruce Ells Productions, was first heard in May of 1949. The main character, Frank Race, was an attorney before World War II. As a result of his activities in the war, when it was over, he traded his law books for a career with the OSS. There, "Adventure" became his business. Tom Collins played the role of Frank Race initially, immediately following his stint as Chandu, The Magician. The lead role was taken over later by Paul Dubof.

Crime Does Not Pay "A Piece Of Rope" (12-05-49) - Boxcars711 Saturday Matinee Two Feb 03, 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:December 5, 1949. Program #9. MGM syndication. "A Piece Of Rope". Commercials added locally. Dukie Defore works for a "service" business that murders people on contract...and Dukie always kills with a rope! The date above is the date of the first broadcast of this program on WMGM, New York from which this syndicated version may have been taken. Cameron Mitchell, Ira Marion (writer), Marx B. Loeb (director), Jon Gart (composer, conductor), Burton B. Turkas (technical advisor). 26:01.

The CBS Radio Workshop "Light Ship" (4-28-57) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Feb 02, 2008

Show notes

The CBS Radio WorkshopBroadcast from 1936 through to 1947 with just an occasional break. Revived again from January 1956 to September 1957 as CBS Radio Workshop with pretty much the same format. Broadcast from 1936 through to 1947 with just an occasional break. Revived again from January 1956 to September 1957 as CBS Radio Workshop with pretty much the same format. This was drama with a difference. Columbia Workshop was not everybodyâs cup of tea and in terms of audience popularity it was always noted that it was never a strong contender for the title âRadios Top Rated Drama Seriesâ and yet it was always considered to be the drama program that led the way in radio standards. Columbia was the first to mexperiment with what radio drama was all about, introducing new techniques never before used in over the airwaves drama and because it received little encouragement from established writers, actors, etc., it was only by breaking new ground with new ideas and new techniques from writers who were not versed in the old ways that it was going to survive.THIS EPISODE:April 28, 1957. CBS net. "Lightship". Sustaining. A drama about a group of men aboard a lightship in a fog face boredom, madness, and disaster on a reef. Luis Van Rooten, Dan Ocko, Ralph Bell, Santos Ortega, Warren Sweeney (announcer). 25 minutes.

Arch Oboler's Plays "The Cliff" (4-29-39) - Boxcars711 Saturday Matinee One Feb 02, 2008

Show notes

Arch Oboler (December 7, 1909 - March 19, 1987) was a Chicago-born scriptwriter, novelist, producer and director who was active in films, radio and television. boler generated much attention for his radio scripts, and his work in radio remains the outstanding period of his career. Although some noted a tendency for gruesomeness, he received praise as one of broadcasting's top talents, and he is regarded today as one of the innovators of old time radio.Arch Oboler's Plays was a radio drama series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939 to March 23, 1940 and revived five years later on Mutual for a sustaining summer run from April 5, 1945 to October 11, 1945. Leading film actors were heard on this series, including Ingrid Bergman, Gloria Blondell, Eddie Cantor, James Cagney, Ronald Colman, Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Edmund Gwenn, Van Heflin, Katharine Hepburn, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Lorre, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Massey, Burgess Meredith, Paul Muni, Alla Nazimova, Edmond O'Brien, Geraldine Page, Gale Sondergaard, Franchot Tone and George Zucco.

The Crime Club "Death Swims At Midnight" (8-28-47) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Feb 02, 2008

Show notes

Crime Club was a Mutual Network murder and mystery series, a product of the Doubleday Crime Book Club imprints found weekly in bookstores everywhere. The telephone rings"Hello, I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the Crime Club. I'm the Librarian. Murder Rents A Room? Yes, we have that Crime Club story for you.Come right over. (The organist in the shadowed corner of the Crime Club library shivers the ivories) The doorbell tones suddenly"And you are here. Good. Take the easy chair by the window. Comfortable? The book is on this shelf." (The organist hits the scary chord) "Let's look at it under the reading lamp." The Librarian, played by Raymond E. Johnson, begins reading the tale. Veteran Willis Cooper (Lights Out, Quiet Please) did some of the scripts from the Crime Club books.

Night Beat "The Man Who Claimed To Be Dead" (3-20-50) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Feb 01, 2008

Show notes

Broadcast on NBC, Nightbeat ran from 1949 to 1952 and starred Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone, a tough and streetwise reporter who worked the nightbeat for the Chicago Star looking for human interest stories. He met an assortment of people, most of them with a problem, many of them scared, and sometimes he was able to help them, sometimes he wasnât. It is generally regarded as a âqualityâ show and it stands up extremely well. Frank Lovejoy (1914-1962) isnât remembered today, but he was a powerful and believable actor with a strong delivery, and his portrayal of Randy Stone as tough guy with humanity was perfect. The scripts were excellent, given that they had to pack in a lot in a short time, and there was a good supporting cast, orchestra, and sound effects. Supporting actors included Parley Baer, William Conrad, Jeff Corey, Lawrence Dobkin, Paul Frees, Jack Kruschen, Peter Leeds, Howard McNear, Lurene Tuttle and Martha Wentworth.THIS EPISODE:March 20, 1950. NBC net. Sustaining. Randy Stone meets a man in the park on a very hot day. The body is wearing a heavy overcoat! Mr. Henry Kazarian claims to be dead, and a doctor confirms it! A well written story, good radio! Part of the final public service announcement and the system cue have been deleted. Frank Lovejoy, Larry Marcus (writer, editor), Ben Wright, Betty Lou Gerson, Paul Dubov, Warren Lewis (director), Frank Worth (music), Jeff Corey, Lou Krugman. 28:52.

Nightwatch "Juvenile Burglar" (5-03-54) - Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod Feb 01, 2008

Show notes

Before the recent "Reality TV" glut, there was "Reality Radio" and Night Watch was there. This show is a straight crime documentary with no music, sound effects, or actors. Police reporter Don Reid rode in a prowl car on the night shift with officers from the Culver City, California police department. While wearing a hidden microphone, he captures the sounds and voices of real life drama. From the worried child to the hardened criminal, their stories come through loud and clear. The names were changed to protect identities, but everything else in this gripping series is real. Text From www.otrfan.com/

THIS EPISODE:Juvenile Burglar. May 3, 1954. CBS net. Sustaining. The first report in the patrol car is a report of a burglary on Burlingame. A burglar is actually captured on-mike inside a gas station. He turns out to be a tearful fifteen year old who begs to be released. Excellent radio! The system cue has been deleted. Ron Perkins (technical advisor), Sterling Tracy (producer), Donn Reed (police recorder), W. N. Hildebrand, Jim Headlock (producer). 23:14.

The Jack Benny Program "The Drive-In" (10-24-54) - Boxcars711 OId Time Radio Pod Feb 01, 2008

Show notes

Jack Benny had been only a minor vaudeville performer, but he became a national figure with The Jack Benny Program, a weekly radio show which ran from 1932 to 1948 on NBC and from 1949 to 1955 on CBS, and was consistently among the most highly rated programs during most of that run. With Canada Dry Ginger Ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on The Canada Dry Program, beginning May 2, 1932, on the NBC Blue Network and continuing there for six months until October 26, moving the show to CBS on October 30. With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933. Arriving at NBC on March 17, Benny did The Chevrolet Program until April 1, 1934. He continued with sponsors General Tires, Jell-O and Grape Nuts. Lucky Strike was the radio sponsor from 1944 to the mid-1950s. The show returned to CBS on January 2, 1949, as part of CBS president William S. Paley's notorious "raid" of NBC talent in 1948-49. There it stayed for the remainder of its radio run, which ended on May 22, 1955. CBS aired reruns of old radio episodes from 1956 to 1958 as The Best of Benny.

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