April 5th: Show #RS-8 - FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY - "The McGees' Party Is Quarantined!"(Episode #278). Continuing the storyline that was started on Radio Show #1, we return to 79 Wistful Vista to see how everyone's coping with being cooped up. (Wanna bet they're not?) Starring Jim and Marian Jordan, with Bill Thompson, Isabel Randolph, Gale Gordon, Harlow Wilcox, and Hal Peary as Gildersleeve. (Originally broadcast on NBC, sponsored by Johnson's Wax, March 11, 1941)
BUT FIRST, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR...The Golden Age of Radio also provided some of the more entertaining and unusual commercials ever heard. (Ever hear of "RioGrande Cracked Gasoline," for example?) We'll listen to some of these ads on this week's show.

April 12th: Show #RS-9 - SGT. PRESTON OF THE YUKON - "The Ghost Riders" (Episode #830). The 3rd great network show that originated from Detroit's WXYZ (The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet were the others). Sgt. William Preston and his lead sled dog, Yukon King, face "the Challenge of the Yukon" as they track down the mysterious Ghost Riders. Starring Paul Sutton as Sgt. Preston. (Originally broadcast on Mutual, sponsored by Quaker Oats, Nov. 11, 1950)
THE "OOPS" FILES: "OOPS AGAIN." - More outrageous proof that there's many a slip 'twixt the brain and the lip...especially when those lips are behind a radio microphone!

April 19th: Show #RS-10 - BOX 13 - "The First Letter" (Episode #1) Prohibited by his contract with Paramount Pictures from starring in a network radio show, Alan Ladd got around that by forming his own radio syndication company (Mayfair Productions) and starring in his own syndicated series. Ladd plays Dan Holliday, a former newspaper reporter turned novelist who gets ideas for his books from the ad placed in his old paper: "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything - write Box 13, care of the Star Times." That little ad brings Holliday a world of trouble. (Syndicated (Mayfair Productions), 1949)

A month-long 100th Birthday Salute to Bob Hope!

May 3: Show #RS-12 - THE BOB HOPE SHOW "First show for Pepsodent" Bob's greatest success came on radio, beginning in 1935 with the "Intimate Review" for NBC Blue (Bromo Seltzer, 1/4/35 - 4/5/35), then to CBS for Atlantic Oil (12/14/35 - 9/3/36), back to NBC Blue on "Ripplin' Rhythm Revue" (Woodbury Soap, 5/9/37 - 9/26/37), over to NBC Red for Lucky Strike cigarettes on "Your Hollywood Parade" (12/29/37 - 3/23/38), and finally establishing his long-running Tuesday night "Pepsodent" show on 9/27/38. The RADIO Show begins its month-long 100th Birthday salute to Bob by playing the premiere of his famous Pepsodent program, with guest Constance Bennett. (Orig. broadcast on NBC Red, Sponsored by Pepsodent, Sept. 27, 1938)
BOB HOPE VS. THE "OOPS" FILES - No performer got through the "golden age of radio" unscathed by bloopers, and Bob Hope was no exception, aided and abetted by Bing Crosby, a charming young lady named "June" (no last name available), and an unintended foul-up from ABC News!

May 10: Show #RS-13 - BOB HOPE DUETS I - Although not highly rated as a singer, Bob proved through the years he could carry a tune (thanks, no doubt, to his vaudeville training). In the first of two "Duets" segments, Bob shares the musical stage with Jane Russell, Frank Sinatra and that fella named Bing.
THE LUX RADIO THEATER "My Favorite Blonde" w/Virginia Bruce and Cecil B. DeMille (Ep. 367) "Lux presents...Hollywood!" Bob was a favorite guest star on the Lux Radio Theater, and on this episode he re-creates his 1942 film role as a wise-cracking entertainer (complete with penguin) who becomes involved with a beautiful British agent (played by Madeleine Carroll in the movie, but on Lux her role is performed by Virginia Bruce), who is carrying secret military plans the Nazis are after, and joins her in dodging the bad guys in a cross-country chase. (Because of the length of LRT, this program will be presented in two parts, with acts 1 & 2 this week, and the final act next week.) (Orig. broadcast on CBS, Sponsored by Lux Soap, Oct. 19, 1942)

May 17: Show #RS-14 - THE LUX RADIO THEATER "My Favorite Blonde" w/Virginia Bruce and Cecil B. DeMille(Conclusion; Orig. broadcast on CBS, Sponsored by Lux Soap, Oct. 19, 1942)
COMMAND PERFORMANCE (Ep. 155) One of radio's greatest variety shows was one that you didn't hear in this country: it was produced in Hollywood by the War Department for the troops serving overseas during World War II, with the stars gladly donating their services. And it was always a special event when Bob Hope appeared...doubly so when he co-starred with that fella named Bing. Both Bob and Bing try to put the moves on Lauren Bacall, with disastrous results. (Orig. broadcast by Armed Forces Radio, Dec. 16, 1944)

May 24: Show #RS-15 - SUSPENSE "Death Has A Shadow" (Ep. 339) "Radio's outstanding theater of thrills" took great delight in casting performers against type, and Bob Hope was no exception. Here, he shows off his dramatic abilities as a lawyer who has plenty to be nervous about. William Conrad and Elliot Lewis co-star. (Orig. broadcast on CBS, sponsored by Autolite, May 5, 1949)
DUETS II - More musical moments with Bob and friends...and that fella named Bing.

May 25: Show #RS-16 - THE BOB HOPE SHOW "Bob's final radio program" By the mid 1950s, it was becoming painfully clear that television was eroding radio's audience. Bob bids farewell to radio, with guest Jim Backus and his longtime comic foil Jerry Colonna. (Orig. broadcast on NBC, sponsored by the American Dairy Association, April 21, 1955)
AND IN CLOSING... We can't think of a better way to say "thanks for the memories" than by playing the Academy Award winning song from "The Big Broadcast of 1938" that became Bob's theme. First, you'll hear an excerpt from a Paramount Pictures radio "trailer" for the film, featuring Bob Hope & Shirley Ross singing the original lyrics from the soundtrack, followed by the instrumental version by Les Brown and his Band of Renown, and finally the commercial Decca Records version by Bob and Shirley.

June 7: #RS-17 - SPEED GIBSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECRET POLICE - One of the few juvenile adventure serials that exists in its entirety. Follow the adventures of 15-year old "Speed" Gibson, the youngest member of the I.S.P. (radio forerunner of the C.I.A.), his uncle Clint Barlow (Howard McNear) and Barney Dunlap (John Gibson) as they fly around the world attempting to capture the evil "Octopus" (Gale Gordon) in this weekly quarter-hour adventure. This week: Episode #1, "The Octopus Gang Is Active" (Syndicated (Radio Attractions), Jan. 2, 1937)

THE STAN FREBERG SHOW "Tuned Sheep" (Episode #1) The last great network radio comedy program, it's also one of the funniest. Stan is joined on his weekly excursions by his talented stock company from his Capitol records - Daws Butler, June Foray, Peter Leeds, the Jud Conlon Rhythmaires and the great Billy May - plus singer Peggy Taylor. This week: the original premiere episode...that is, until CBS heard it! (CBS, Sustained (non-sponsored), originally recorded and intended for broadcast on July 14, 1957)

June 14: #RS-18 - SPEED GIBSON - The serial continues with "Speed Inducted into the International Secret Police." Starring Howard McNear, John Gibson, and Hanley Stafford.(Ep. #2, syndicated, Jan. 9, 1937)

In Memoriam
Gregory Peck
1916-2003

SUSPENSE - "Murder Through The Looking Glass" Gregory Peck stars as a man who has lapses of memory, and may be leading a double life - one that includes murder. (Orig. broadcast on CBS, sponsored by Autolite, March 17, 1949.)
THE LONE RANGER episode originally scheduled for this week will air next month.

June 21: #RS-19 - SPEED GIBSON - "Heading for Hong Kong" Speed, Clint and Barney board the China Clipper in disguise as they begin their search for the Octopus...but has their cover been blown? Starring Howard McNear, John Gibson, and Hanley Stafford. (Ep. #3, syndicated, Jan. 16, 1937)

THE LIFE OF RILEY - "Flashback: Riley Doesn't Want Peg To Work For Sidney Monahan" William Bendix stars as Chester A. Riley, aircraft plant worker and family man in one of radio's funniest situation comedies. On this "flashback" episode from their early married life, Peg wants to go back to work for Sidney Monahan to help make ends meet, but Riley suspects Monahan is a wolf. What a revoltin' development this is! Also starring Paula Winslowe as Peg, and John Brown in the dual roles of Riley's next-door neighbor and co-worker Jim Gillis and Digby "Digger" O'Dell, "the friendly undertaker." (Ep. #122, Orig. broadcast on NBC, sponsored by Teel, Sept. 14, 1946)

June 28: #RS-20 - SPEED GIBSON SPECIAL - There are 178 episodes of the Speed Gibson series, and the first 100 have to do with the Octopus. In order to move the storyline along, at the end of each month we'll play the next three episodes. So, this week we'll hear Episodes 4, 5 and 6, "A Shooting Attempt"(1/23/37), "The Octopus Orders a Kidnapping"(1/30/37) and "Remaining at Wake Island"(2/6/37).

July 5: #RS-21 - THE LONE RANGER "The Origin of Tonto" The legend has it that Texas Ranger John Reid was nursed back to health after the deadly ambush at Bryant's Gap by Tonto, whom he'd known as a boy. That is, that's what legend says. But here, we have audio evidence of The Lone Ranger's history contradicting itself! A much different version of Reid and Tonto's first meeting is told, starring Earle Graser and John Todd, with Brace Beemer as announcer. (Episode 915, Orig. broadcast by WXYZ (Detroit), Dec. 7, 1938) LEST WE FORGET: THESE GREAT AMERICANS "The Story of George Washington Carver" (Episode #5) I discovered a 13-episode run of this syndicated series on 16" transcription discs in a Richland antique store (for the sum of $5). The story of how Carver, born a slave, grew up to be a great scientist. Starring Canada Lee and Juano Hernandez. (Sustained (non-sponsored), Syndicated 1946)

July 12: #RS-22 - SPEED GIBSON - The story resumes with Episode #7 of this series, "Speed is Missing," from 2/13/37.
OH, BOY - LEFTOVERS! - Try as we might, there are times on this show when, for one reason or another, we can't play everything as originally scheduled. Either a tape is damaged, or a late-breaking news story takes priority, or more often than not, time just works against us and we have to postpone a segment for a future broadcast. Well, this month we start going through our leftovers with about 14 minutes each of two funny syndicated comedy shorts from the late 1960's, that were originally promised in March: THE STORY LADY starring Joan Gerber and Byron Kane (Syndicated by Mel Blanc Superfun Productions, 1968), followed by THE BILL COSBY RADIO PROGRAM, starring Bill Cosby and Frank Buxton (Syndicated by McCann-Erickson for Coca-Cola, 1968).

July 19th: #RS-23 - SPEED GIBSON - Our weekly juvenile adventure series continues as Speed, Clint and Barney capture another member of the "Octopus" gang in Episode #8 from 2/20/37, "Splinters Taken Into Custody."
OH, BOY - IT'S LEFTOVERS AGAIN! - Another leftover show from March that didn't get on the air, Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage and their guest Smiley Burnette on THE ALL-STAR WESTERN THEATER, a popular syndicated west coast program.

July 26th: #RS-24 - SPEED GIBSON SPECIAL- The adventure of 15-year old secret agent Speed Gibson's pursuit of The Ocotpus and his gang continues with Episodes #9, "Splinters Gets Away," #10, "Barney Flies the Mystery Plane" and #11, "The Trio is Ambushed On Guam," from 2/27/37, 3/6/37 and 3/13/37, respectively. That's followed by another spine-tingling chapter of The Brown Hornet and Leroy in "The Teeny Weeny Holdup Man Murder Clue," on THE BILL COSBY RADIO PROGRAM from 1968.

August 2nd: #RS-16 (Repeat in tribute to Bob Hope, who passed away that week) - THE BOB HOPE SHOW "Bob's final radio program" By the mid 1950s, it was becoming painfully clear that television was eroding radio's audience. Bob bids farewell to radio, with guest Jim Backus and his longtime comic foil Jerry Colonna. (Orig. broadcast on NBC, sponsored by the American Dairy Association, April 21, 1955)
AND IN CLOSING... We can't think of a better way to say "thanks for the memories" than by playing the Academy Award winning song from "The Big Broadcast of 1938" that became Bob's theme. First, you'll hear the instrumental version by Les Brown and his Band of Renown, and then the soundtrack version by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross from the 1938 motion picture.

August 9th: #RS-26 - HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY, STAN FREBERG! - The RADIO Show celebrates Stan Freberg's birthday two days late with his original radio musical celebrating Oregon's centennial back in the 1950s, "OREGON! OREGON! (A Centennial Fable In Three Acts)", followed by some of Stan's rare radio commercials that WEREN'T in the recent Rhino Records box set.

August 16th: #RS-25 - SPEED GIBSON - The adventure continues with "The Octopus Plans A Surprise" from March 20, 1937.

THE SHADOW "The Shadow's Revenge" The Shadow loses his powers! Margo Lane is killed! What's happening? We'll find out with Bret Morrison and Grace Matthews, on "The Shadow." (Mutual, Carey's Salt, May 11, 1947)

August 23rd: #RS-27 - SPEED GIBSON - Speed and the gang get to their destination...but the Octopus (Gale Gordon) may have a surprise for them, in "The Arrival in Hong Kong," Episode #13 from 3/27/37.
THE BOB HOPE PEPSODENT SHOW - Bob welcomes Olivia DeHavilland to the second episode of his legendary radio series (Ep. #2, Orig. broadcast on NBC, October 4, 1938, Sponsored by Pepsodent.)

August 30th: #RS-28 - SPEED GIBSON - Speed's uncle (Howard McNear) gets the feeling something isn't quite right in the Dr. Kingsley household as we hear Episode #14, "Clint Suspicious of Mr. Wu," from 4/3/37.

THE JOY BOYS - It's been a while since we checked in with Ed Walker and Willard Scott, so we'll remedy that this week with some more excerpts from their famous WRC radio show.
FIVE MINUTE MYSTERIES - We'll test your amateur detective skills with a couple of episodes from this syndicated series (Syndicated by NBC Transcriptions, 1930s.)

September 6th*: #RS-29 - THE GREEN HORNET - "Exposed!" After 11 years and 829 episodes, Britt Reid's double identity - previously known only to Kato - is finally discovered! Part 1 of a three-part story (ABC, 10/28/47)
BOB AND RAY - Short sketches from Mr. Elliott and Mr. Goulding.

Presenting radio shows produced in foreign countries that found favor in America!

Click on the Avengers logo to hear the classic theme!
(Stereo, 2:16)

September 13th: #RS-30/September 20th: #RS-31/September 27th: #RS-32 - THE AVENGERS "Dial A Deadly Number" (In which Steed plays Bulls and Bears - and Emma runs out of options.) Donald Monat and Diane Appleby star in the famed 1972 Springbok Radio (South Africa) radio recreation of the classic British spy series, and do an excellent job in the process. In this story, six business executives have all dropped dead in less than a year. Suspecting more than coincidence, The Avengers decide to dabble in the stock market. This is a six-part serial based on the episode of the same name, which originally aired on tv April 12, 1965.

October 4th: #RS-33: THE FITCH BANDWAGON starring PHIL HARRIS and ALICE FAYE "High Society Musicale" "The Fitch Bandwagon" was the umbrella title for a number of programs sponsored by the makers of Fitch Shampoo, including the show that would later become "The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show" in 1948 under the sponsorship of Rexall. Phil perfected the character he'd created on The Jack Benny Program of a brash, booze-loving musician of questionable talent, and Alice played an exaggerated version of her real-life role, a glamorous movie star who'd given up the spotlight to concentrate on being a devoted wife and mother. Radio producer-director Elliot Lewis added just the right amount of demented comedy as Phil's best friend and left-handed guiatrist, Frankie Remley.(NBC, Dec. 8, 1946)

In Memoriam
DONALD O'CONNOR
August 28, 1925 - September 27, 2003

October 11th, #RS-34: THE KRAFT MUSIC HALL WITH BING CROSBY I'd intended to resume the Radio Show's 2003 World Tour with Orson Welles' "The Third Man: The Lives of Harry Lime," but that will have to wait for a couple of weeks. Instead, we present a 1944 episode of Bing's Kraft Music Hall with special guest, 18-year old DONALD O'CONNOR, who was about to join the Army. MARILYN MAXWELL also guests. (NBC, Kraft Foods, 2-3-44)

October 18th, #RS-35: BOLD VENTURE - "Deadly Merchandise" The premiere episode of the 1951-52 syndicated series starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Humphrey Bogart portrayed Slate Shannon, owner of a rundown Havana hotel, Shannon's Place. The action took place on land as well aboard Slate's boat, The Bold Venture, thus the title of the series.

Lauren Bacall was his ward Sailor Duval, a stubborn and flirtatious young woman whose late father had willed her to Slate for her protection. Together the duo found adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance in the sultry settings of tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean. (ZIV Syndication, March 26, 1951)

October 25th, #RS-36: THE THIRD MAN: THE LIVES OF HARRY LIME "Too Many Crooks" Orson Welles was never one to stay away from a radio microphone for very long. In 1951, British producer Harry Alan Towers recruited Welles to star in two shows, produced for Radio Luxembourg: THE BLACK MUSEUM (which we'll get to next year), and this show, which resurrected his character from "The 3rd Man" (Film buffs recall that Harry Lime died at the end of that film. So, how was it he was able to narrate his radio adventures? Simple: these exploits of Harry's happened BEFORE the events of The 3rd Man, and, as Orson cryptically explained at the start of each show, "...Harry Lime had many lives...") This week, we'll hear the first episode of the radio series. (Syndicated, Lang-Worth Transcriptions, 8/3/51)

Nov. 1, #RS-37: THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM "Lost Weekend Parody" (Ep. 577) Jack and the gang welcome Oscar®-winner Ray Milland to the show, in an outrageous parody of his Academy Award®-winning performance in "The Lost Weekend" (NBC, 3/10/46)

Nov. 8, #RS-38: GUNSMOKE - "Dillon Goes to Gouge Eye" (Audition Program) This time we'll hear the second pilot made for the greatest adult western series in radio history, with Howard Culver as U.S. Marshall Dillon. You'll also hear the voices of Vic Perrin, Gerald Mohr, Jack Kruschen, Jay Novello and June Foray as "Tamar". (Rye Billsbury, later known as "Michael Rye", was the first actor to try the role of Dillon on June 11, 1949.) There's no Chester, no Miss Kitty, no Doc, and the Marshall's first name is Mark, not Matt...but it's still a very good preview of what was to come. (Recorded for audition purposes for CBS Radio, July 13, 1949)

Nov. 15, #RS-39: CLASSIC BOB & RAY - Occasionally, in spite of our best efforts, sometimes a show has to be replaced at the last minute for technical reasons (translation: machine eats tape). That's what happened on this episode, when The Great Gildersleeve show I'd originally scheduled became "lost" (another copy has since been found, and will be rescheduled for January). To the rescue comes a half-hour of Bob & Ray's classic routines, followed by an episode of VIC AND SADE, "Cleaning the Attic," starring Bernadine Flynn as Sade, Billy Idelson as Rush, and Clarance Hartzell as Uncle Fletcher (this was from the time when Art Van Harvey (Vic) was recuperating from a heart attack). (NBC, 8/18/42)

Nov. 22, #RS-40: PRE-THANKSGIVING TURKEYS WITH BOB & RAY AND THE JOY BOYS. We hear 15 minutes from Bob & Ray's WHDH Boston show of Nov. 22, 1949; that's followed by Thanksgiving foolishness from Ed Walker and Willard Scott's famous WRC (Wash. D.C.) radio program.

January 31st: Show #RS-52 SKY KING - "The Mask of El Diablo" Before it was a Saturday morning TV staple, the adventures of Schuyler "Sky" King, his niece Penny and nephew Clipper, and their airplane "The Songbird" were featured on radio. Several actors played the part of Sky over the years, including Earl Nightingale, who stars in this episode. And pay close attention to the announcer hawking Peter Pan peanut butter - I guarantee you know that voice from somewhere! (Mutual, sponsored by Peter Pan peanut butter, April 17, 1951)

February 1st: Show #RS-53 SPEED GIBSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECRET POLICE - Episode #28, "Bob Gilmore is Inducted into the Secret Police," starring Howard McNear and John Gibson
THE HALLS OF IVY "Student Editorial" There are many delightful overlooked gems in what we call "the golden age of radio," and this week's offering is one of them. Created and written by Don Quinn (the creator and writer of Fibber McGee & Molly), this comedy starred Ronald and Benita Coleman as Dr. William Todhunter Hall and his wife Victoria, respectively. In this episode, a student editorial in the Ivy College newspaper has the board of directors up in arms. (NBC, Sponsored by Schlitz Beer, Jan. 13, 1950).

THE STAN FREBERG SHOW "Miss Jupiter" (Episode #3) The last great network radio comedy program, it's also one of the funniest. Stan is joined on his weekly excursions by his talented stock company from his Capitol records - Daws Butler, June Foray, Peter Leeds, the Jud Conlon Rhythmaires and the great Billy May - plus singer Peggy Taylor. We'll meet Miss Jupiter, encounter The Zazaloph Family, learn about The Skin Divers' Mandolin Club (!), and hear what dirty linen is waiting in the history hamper. (CBS, Sustained (non-sponsored), originally broadcast on July 28, 1957)

May 29: SPEED GIBSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECRET POLICE - One of the few juvenile adventure serials that exists in its entirety. Follow the adventures of 15-year old "Speed" Gibson, the youngest member of the I.S.P. (radio forerunner of the C.I.A.), his uncle Clint Barlow (Howard McNear) and Barney Dunlap (John Gibson) as they fly around the world attempting to capture the evil "Octopus" (Gale Gordon) in this weekly quarter-hour adventure. This week: Episode #48, "Hiding In a Secret Room" (Syndicated (Radio Attractions), Nov. 27, 1937)

THE BING CROSBY SHOW - Bing Crosby's first show back on CBS, Sept. 21, 1949, with guests Peggy Lee and Abe Burrows. This is an excellent digitally restored show from our friends at First Generation Radio Archives in Spokane (Bing's hometown). Check the links section of this site and click on the Radio Archives logo to find out more about this terrific organization that's preserving radio's past for the future.

May 30: SPEED GIBSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECRET POLICE - This week: Episode #49, "Poison Gas Bomb Thrown" (Syndicated (Radio Attractions), Dec. 4, 1937)

THE GREEN HORNET - "Graft Crosses the Bridge" After 11 years and 829 episodes, Britt Reid's double identity - previously known only to Kato - is finally discovered! Part 2 of a three-part story, with Jack McCarthy as Britt Reid, Michael Tolan as Kato, and John Todd as Britt's father, Dan Reid. (ABC, Sponsored by Betty Crocker (General Mills), #831, 11/4/47)

PLEASE NOTE: This is the final Sunday edition of The Radio Show until September. "Sunday Morning" returns in this time period next week.

*-Due to the airing of SPORTS SCOREBOARD in some months, these editions of The RADIO Show were not a full hour.

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