Classic Radio Theater

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**Classic Radio Theater**

RETURN WITH US NOW TO THOSE THRILLING DAYS OF YESTERYEAR!
Listen to the greatest radio broadcasts of the 1930s, 40s and 50s absolutely free! Each week, The Bradford Exchange presents the Classic Radio Theater, hosted by nostalgia radio expert Carl Amari.
Each and every week, we’ll bring you three hours of theater-of-the-mind radio entertainment, including The Jack Benny Program, Suspense, Gunsmoke, Dragnet, The Abbott & Costello Show, Sherlock Holmes and many more!

Latest Episodes:

I Was a Communist for the FBI Ep. #31 Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two espionage episodes of I Was a Communist for the FBI

A) 5/11/52 Card Game in the Clouds w/ Dana Andrews

B) 6/7/53 Fifteen Minutes to Murder w/ Dana Andrews

In 1941, the FBI asked American citizen Matt Cvetic to work undercover for the United States Government by joining the Communist Party and report back on their activities. After emerging in 1950 to testify before congress about his experiences, Cvetic’s exploits were soon chronicled in magazines, on the silver screen, and in a taut and entertaining radio series based on his real-life adventures. The 1951 film I Was a Communist for the FBI starred Frank Lovejoy. The success of the film spawned a radio series starring Dana Andrews which ran from April 23, 1952 until October 14, 1953. The film and radio show are, in part, artifacts of the McCarthy era, as well as a time capsule of American society during the Second Red Scare. The purpose of both is partly to warn people about the threat of Communist subversion of American society. The tone of the show was ultra-patriotic, with Communists portrayed as racist, vindictive, and tools of a totalitarian foreign power, the Soviet Union. The radio series was syndicated by Frederick W. Ziv to more than 600 radio stations and had the cooperation of the FBI. Real-life undercover agent Matt Cvetic dealt with great stress as he covertly infiltrated a local Communist Party cell. There were many personal and family problems cause by his being a Communist, as well as a certain amount of mental torment. Cvetic worked tirelessly to uncover Communist plans, and to help the FBI thwart them, while avoiding the snares the Party set for informants within their ranks.

The Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Show Ep. #30 Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

A) 10/5/51 w/ guest, Dinah Shore

B) 5/26/53 w/ guest, Debbie Reynolds

In 1949, NBC turned their eye toward Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as a Summer replacement for The Bob Hope Show. Dean and Jerry were popular nightclub performers with sold out crowds everywhere they played. NBC offered them Bob Hope’s vacated timeslot and committed to one of the biggest build-ups ever given to a pair of newcomers to radio comedy. Dean and Jerry didn’t disappoint and proved that they could dish out their distinctive brand of zanyism over the airwaves in a big way. The Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Show was more than just Martin’s golden voice and Lewis’ “kidding-on-the-square.” The network insisted on a weekly celebrity guest which included Dick Powell, Henry Fonda, Bing Crosby, John Garfield, Vincent Price, Jane Russell and even Bob Hope himself. The weekly budget was a pricey $10,000, but after a short while, the series attracted a sponsor and executives at NBC patted themselves on the back for establishing a hit show that also became a financial success. With that kind of budget, NBC could afford Norman Lear, the comedy genius later responsible for All in the Family and Sanford and Son, as writer. The success of the radio series led to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis also appearing as monthly hosts for NBC’s Colgate Comedy Hour, a highly-rated television show. NBC used the television program to cross-promote the radio program, even recycling some of the radio sketches for the television counterpart. Film producer Hal Wallis jumped on the Martin & Lewis bandwagon signing the boys to a multi-picture film contract. Their film comedies were box office gold catapulting them to mega-stardom. With meteoritic success on radio, TV and films, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis proved they were masters of all three commercial media.

The New Adventures of Michael Shayne Detective Ep. #29 Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free detective episodes of Michael Shayne w/ Jeff Chandler

A) 6/27/48 The Case of the Crooked Wheel w/ Jeff Chandler

B) 7/2/49 The Pursuit of Death w/ Jeff Chandler

Michael Shayne, "the reckless, red-headed Irishman" was a popular hard-boiled detective created by crime novelist Brett Halliday. Mike settled in Miami just after WWII, making crime pay by fighting it with a license and an attitude. Like Mike Hammer and Philip Marlowe, Shayne was a loner. The back-story on Mike is that he was happily married, but suddenly his wife is tragically murdered, and that hit him hard. Grief-stricken, Shayne loses himself in his work as a private eye, prowling the dark streets of Miami seeking out his style of revenge on injustice. The radio version of Mike's exploits debuted as Michael Shayne, Private Detective in the fall of 1944 with Wally Maher in the title role. In 1948, Mutual radio debuted The New Adventures of Michael Shayne starring movie star Jeff Chandler. Others to portray Shayne on radio included Donald Curtis and Robert Sterling. Richard Denning, who had starred for years on the radio comedy series My Favorite Husband opposite Lucille Ball, portrayed Mike Shayne in a 1960’s TV version.

Dimension X Ep. #28 Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free science-fiction episodes of Dimension X

A) 6/3/50 The Embassy w/ Joseph Julian

B) 9/29/51 Nightfall w/ Cameron Prud'Homme

Hosted by Norman Rose, Dimension X was one of radio’s first adult science-fiction series and made its mark by adapting short stories by acknowledged masters in the field, including: Isaac Asimov, Robert Bloch, Ray Bradbury, Fredric Brown, Robert. A. Heinlein, Clifford D. Simak, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and William Tenn. The original stories were adapted by scriptwriters, Ernest Kinoy and George Lefferts, who also contributed their own original scripts. At the start of every broadcast, host Norman Rose promised us “adventures in time and space, told in future tense!” You knew you were about to be transported from your everyday existence to somewhere completely different … maybe even a distant planet. Radio was a fertile medium for science fiction. It was easy to visit other planets, interact with aliens or fly in a rocket ship simply by using your imagination. Dimension X debuted April 8th, 1950 and completed its run September 29th, 1951 including a 5-month hiatus in the middle.

Duffy’s Tavern w/ Ed “Archie” Gardner Ep. #27 Mar 11, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free comedy episodes of Duffy’s Tavern w/ Ed “Archie” Gardner

A) 1/5/51 w/ guest, Vincent Price

B) 2/9/51 w/ guest, Shelley Winters

Managing a fly-infested dive-of-a-tavern that had pretensions to be something much more was a weekly struggle for Archie the barkeep of Duffy’s Tavern. His unhappy conversations with his boss, Duffy (who was an absentee owner) occurred over the telephone at the beginning of each episode. Miss Duffy, Duffy’s man-hungry daughter and would-be singer, warned the gullible Archie of the evils of get-rich-quick schemes and made fun of his attempts to compete against other taverns in New York City. The resulting sitcom was hilarious and hugely popular. Created by Ed Gardner, who also played the role of Archie, the weekly comedy featured Eddie Green, a wisecracking black porter who often managed to get the upper hand. Other tavern regulars, including the dim-witted Finnegan and Clancy the cop, proved that intellectual discussions would never get beyond first-grade level. Writer Abe Burrows (whose son James Burrows created the sitcom Cheers) gave Archie license to misuse and mangle the English language in every episode, as well as deliver brilliant malapropisms. The highlight of the show, and what helped make it so successful, was the weekly guest spot. Hollywood celebrities would, for various reasons, drop in from time to time to discover that the rumors were true: the tavern was beyond any assistance. Exchanges were peppered with offensive barbs and no celebrity was immune to Archie’s sarcasm. Listeners tuned in each week (from 1940 until 1951) just to hear their screen favorites insulted on the air.

Tales of the Texas Rangers w/ Joel McCrea Ep. #26 Mar 11, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free true-crime episodes of Tales of the Texas Rangers w/ Joel McCrea

A) 11/12/50 Blood Relative

B) 1/27/52 Night Chase

Hopping on the adult western bandwagon, NBC radio presented a semi-documentary based on authentic case files of the select 50-member federation known as the Texas Rangers. Screen actor Joel McCrea was well-cast as the calm, cool and collected Ranger Jace Pearson. Given an assignment each week by superior Captain Stinson, Pearson investigated crimes and hunted down the culprits. Tales of the Texas Rangers was an instant hit; a modern-day take on Dragnet with a western flavor. By diligently and methodically tracking down murderers and desperadoes, Pearson always got his man. Then as each weekly case file was closed, judgment and sentence were meted out to the captured fugitives. Created and directed by Stacy Keach, Sr. (father to actor Stacy Keach of Mike Hammer fame), Tales of the Texas Rangers came to radio in 1950 and lasted until 1952. In 1953, a television version went into production at Columbia Pictures. Unlike the radio program, which focused exclusively on contemporary case files, the TV shows featured 19th century western capers as well as modern-day stories. Interestingly, Joel McCrea had been appearing in films, from screwball comedies to wild west movies, since the 1920s. During the two years that Tales of the Texas Rangers was on air, McCrea’s screen career revived.

The Abbott & Costello Show w/ Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Ep. #25 Mar 11, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free comedy episodes of The Abbott & Costello Show

A) 11/16/44 School Play

B) 10/3/46 Breaking up the Act

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello started in vaudeville in the early 1930s and by 1938 they were appearing as regulars on The Kate Smith Hour. By the fall of 1942, they had their own weekly radio program which topped the popularity polls of Radio Daily and Radio Guide. At first, radio listeners had trouble telling them apart, so they quickly adapted by Bud lowering his voice a tad with Lou raising his (something they continued to do throughout their careers). Their celebrated Who’s On First baseball routine helped make them a national sensation. The Abbott & Costello Show ran for seven years until the summer of 1949 when the boys ventured into the television business. Produced by Costello’s wife, Patricia, their television series lasted two seasons and gave Bud and Lou an opportunity to reprise the best comedic sketches and scenarios from their radio scripts. The next time you watch one of their television programs, or one of their big screen movies, remember that the flat sarcasm of Bud Abbott and shrieks from Lou Costello originated on radio – the perfect medium for verbal standup that is often imitated today.

Suspense w/ Vincent Price Ep. #24 Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free mystery episodes of Suspense w/ Vincent Price, Ida Lupino and Henry Fonda

A) 6/1/44 Fugue in C Minor w/ Vincent Price and Ida Lupino

B) 10/18/45 Summer Storm w/ Henry Fonda

Conceived as a potential radio vehicle for Alfred Hitchcock to direct, Suspense was a radio series of epic proportion. It aired on CBS from 1942 to 1962, and is considered by many to be the best mystery/drama series of the golden age. Known as Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills it focused on suspenseful stories starring the biggest names in Hollywood. Early in the run, the episodes were hosted by the 'Man In Black' who, from an omniscient perch, narrated stories of people thrown into dangerous or bizarre situations with plots that, at the very end, usually had an unseen twist or two. Hollywood’s finest actors jumped at the chance to appear on Suspense, including: Cary Grant, James Stewart, Alan Ladd, Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis and Orson Welles. Scripts were by John Dickson Carr, Lucille Fletcher, James Poe, Ray Bradbury and many others. Running more than 20 years, Suspense aired nearly 1,000 radio broadcasts. It made the transition to television in 1949, but it was much better suited for radio where the theatre of the mind could run free.

The Life of Riley w/ William Bendix Ep. #23 Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free comedy episodes of The Life of Riley w/ William Bendix

A) 10/8/48 Better Husband w/ William Bendix

B) 12/8/50 Lawn-mowing Business w/ William Bendix

Created by Irving Brecher, the popular family sitcom The Life of Riley featured the comic misadventures of Chester A. Riley, an inept blue-collar factor worker and father of two, played by screen actor William Bendix. Riley’s wife, Peg, tried in vain to prevent her hot-headed husband’s interventions, which only made matters worse and usually ended in an embarrassing revelation. With a tendency to try and solve non-existent problems, Riley sought advice from his best friend and next-door neighbor, Gillis, but this only led to misunderstandings. Help came from Digger O’Dell, the “friendly undertaker,” who offered gruesome theories laced with repetitive puns, brilliantly delivered by John Brown. In 1949, Universal Studios released a Life of Riley motion picture and later that same year NBC produced a TV version with Jackie Gleason playing Riley (Bendix was unable to play the role due to a contract dispute). After 26 episodes, Gleason left the series for greener pastures and William Bendix resumed the role he’d made famous.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes w/ Tom Conway Ep. #22 Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Enjoy two free detective episodes of Sherlock Holmes

A) 10/12/46 The Adv. of the Stuttering Ghost w/ Tom Conway

B) 10/19/46 The Adv. of the Black Angus w/ Tom Conway

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective genius, Sherlock Holmes, came to NBC radio in 1930 starring Richard Gordon. By 1939, Basil Rathbone was heard as Holmes with Nigel Bruce as Doctor Watson. The duo were simultaneously starring in a popular series of Sherlock Holmes features for Fox, and later for Universal. By the end of the feature run in the mid 1940’s, Rathbone was eager to separate himself from the radio show to avoid being typecast, and even though the show’s sponsor (Petri Wines) offered him generous pay to continue, he decided to move on. Tom Conway took over with Nigel Bruce continuing as Watson (in this paring Nigel Bruce received top billing). Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce were replaced in 1947 by John Stanley and Alfred Shirley. Others to portray Holmes and Watson over the radio run were George Shelton and Ian Martin and Ben Wright and Eric Snowden. In 1955, NBC signed heavyweights Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson to star as Holmes and Watson, but with radio fast giving way to television, it only lasted one season.

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