Boxcars711 Old Time Radio

Captain Midnight was a U.S. radio serial broadcast from 1938 to 1949. Created by radio scripters Wilfred G. Moore and Robert M. Burtt, the program was developed at WGN in Chicago. Sponsored by the Skelly Oil Company, it began as a syndicated show in the fall of 1938, airing on a few midwest stations through the spring of 1940. In the fall of 1940, Ovaltine took over sponsorship, and the series was then heard nationally on the Mutual Radio Network where it remained until December, 1949. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The Whistler was one of radio's most popular mystery dramas, with a 13-year run from May 16, 1942 until September 22, 1955. If it now seems to have been influenced explicitly by The Shadow, The Whistler was no less popular or credible with its listeners, the writing was first class for its genre, and it added a slightly macabre element of humor that sometimes went missing in The Shadow's longer-lived crime stories. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Space Patrol. November 8, 1952. ABC net. "The City Of The Sun". Sponsored by: Ralston Cereals (Space-O-Phone premium). Commander Corry and Cadet Happy are attacked with a monstrous six wheeled atomic drilling machine on the planet Mercury. Bela Kovacs, Dick Tufeld (announcer), Ed Kemmer, Larry Robertson (producer, director), Lyn Osborn, Mike Mosser (creator), Norman Jolley. 29:35. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

In October of 1934, "Lux Radio Theater" debuted in New York on NBC's Blue radio network. Presenting audio versions of popular Broadway plays, the show failed to garner an audience and soon ran out of material. After switching networks to CBS and moving to Hollywood, Lux found its true market. The show began featuring adaptations of popular films, performed by as many of the original stars as possible. With an endless supply of hit films scripts and an audience of more than 40 million, Lux enjoyed a prosperous run until the curtain fell in 1956. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Starting as a replacement show for Gangbusters and Counterspy, the series premiered December 11, 1957 and it ran until June 13, 1958. Quoting from Astounding Magazine, "Exploring Tomorrow is the first science fiction radio show of science-fictioneers, by science- fictioneers, and for science-fictioneers" The shows were narrated by the editor of Astounding Magazine, John W. Campbell, Jr., with scripts written by Gordon Dickson, Robert Silverberg and many other notable science fiction writers. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Dark Fantasy was an series dedicated to dealings with the unknown. Originating from radio station WKY, Oklahoma City, it was written by Scott Bishop (of Mysterious Traveler and The Sealed Book fame) and was heard Fridays over stations. Keith Paynton served as announcer. The shows covered horror, science fiction and murder mysteries. Although a short series, the shows are excellent with some stories way ahead of their time. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

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 sullenly"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. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

CHRISTOPHER LONDON was the name and the hero of this 1950 radio show that related the adventures and exploits of a private eye who will "go anywhere and do anything...for a price." Of added interest is the fact that this guy is supposedly based on a character created by Erle Stanley Gardner. Star is Glen Ford. NBC Network. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The program was an adventure series about Sergeant William Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police and his lead sled dog, Yukon King, as they fought evildoers in the Northern wilderness during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. Preston, according to radio historian Jim Harmon, first joined the Mounties to capture his father's killer, and when he was successful he was promoted to Sergeant. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Box 13 was a syndicated radio series about the escapades of mystery novelist Dan Holiday (Alan Ladd), a former newsman. Created by Mayfair Productions, the series premiered August 22, 1948, on New York's WOR and aired in syndication on the East Coast from August 22, 1948, to August 14. 1949. On the West Coast, Box 13 was heard from March 15, 1948 to March 7, 1949. To seek out new ideas for his fiction, Holiday ran a classified ad in the Star-Times newspaper. "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything -- Box 13." The stories followed Holiday's adventures when he responded to the letters sent to him by such people as a psycho killer and various victims. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

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.This Episode - October 24, 1964. Syndicated, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Day Sinatra Got Fat". Mysterious green stuff from outer space makes the entire human race grow fat as pigs...literally. Arch Oboler (writer, host, producer, director), Jack Kruschen. 23:16 Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Abbott and Costello (William (Bud) Abbott, 1897-1974; Louis Cristillo, 1906-1959) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film, and television made them one of the most popular and respected teams in comedy history. Their "Who's on First?" routine, developed during their years in burlesque, is widely considered to be one of the greatest comedy sketches of all time. The two comedians first worked together in 1935 at the Eltinge burlesque theater on 42nd Street in New York. Costello became a burlesque comic in 1928 after failing as a movie stunt double and extra; Abbott had been in burlesque since 1916, as a cashier, producer, and finally a performer. They made their partnership formal in 1936, building an act by adapting and improving numerous old burlesque sketches into their own style. Abbott was the arch, often scheming straight man and Costello the confused, context-challenged naif. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Blackie was a tough, wisecracking private detective working in New York, billed as "enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend." His speciality was making fools of the police, a simple task with Inspector Farraday heading the official investigations. "An enemy to those who call him an enemy, a friend to those who have no friends." Boston Blackie is a reformed jewel thief who is never far from trouble. Inspector Farraday of the homicide squad tries to pin Blackie for the crime in every episode. To save his own skin, with the help of his girlfriend Mary and sidekick Shorty, Blackie ends up solving the case. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Dan Garrett, rookie policeman, is secretly the Blue Beetle, friend of the unfortunate and crusader for the law. He is loved by everyone (including the chief's daughter) and suspected of being the Blue Beetle by none. He hides behind a strange mask and wears a blue costume that is as flexible as silk but as strong as steel. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Theater Five was ABC's attempt to revive radio drama during the early 1960s. The series name was derived from its time slot, 5:00 PM. Running Monday through Friday, it was an anthology of short stories, each about 20 minutes long. News programs and commercials filled out the full 30 minutes. There was a good bit of science fiction and some of the plots seem to have been taken from the daily newspaper. Fred Foy, of The Lone Ranger fame, was an ABC staff announcer in the early 60s, who, among other duties, did Theater Five. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Welles had already worked extensively in radio drama, playing The Shadow for a year, and directing a seven-part adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les MisÃrables. In 1938, he was offered a chance to direct his own weekly, hour-long radio series, initially called First Person Singular (though this title was never announced on air, and the Radio Guide listed the first episode under the banner "Mercury Theatre,") then The Mercury Theatre on the Air. Welles insisted his Mercury company--actors and crew--be involved in the radio series. This was an unprecedented and expensive request, especially for one so young as Welles. He won out, however, and went on to produce some of the finest radio drama of any era. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

This Is Your FBI was a radio crime drama which aired in the United States on ABC from April 6, 1945 to January 30, 1953. FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover gave it his endorsement, calling it "the finest dramatic program on the air." Producer-director Jerry Devine was given access to FBI files by Hoover, and the resulting dramatizations of FBI cases were narrated by Frank Lovejoy (1945), Dean Carleton (1946-47) and William Woodson (1948-53). Stacy Harris had the lead role of Special Agent Jim Taylor. Others in the cast were William Conrad, Bea Benaderet and Jay C. Flippen. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Throughout the early 1940's on American Radio, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce performed as Holmes and Watson, respectively, in several series of canonical and original Sherlock Holmes stories. When Rathbone finally departed the role before the 1947 season, Tom Conway played Sherlock Holmes opposite Nigel Bruce for one season. After a change of networks, there were two more pairings: John Stanley as Holmes and Alfred Shirley as Watson in 1947-1948 and John Stanley and Ian Martin in 1948-1949. The stories were written by Edith Meiser, a self-confessed Holmes addict. At first she used Arthur Conan Doylesâ original stories, but, after the series outlived the original material, she created her own new stories. These were so well written that she was warmly praised by Arthur Conan Doyleâs widow and son. First broadcast date October 20, 1930. Last broadcast date September 4, 1956. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

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The Hollywood star playhouse , well written and performed, presented many original plays and popular Hollywood stars. Some of those who accepted roles in this great series included Jimmy Stewart, William Conrad, Deborah Kerr, Vincent Price, Harry Bartell and Betty Lou Gerson. Highlights included an episode entitled The Six Shooter and which later became itâs own series staring James Stewart. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on The Hollywood Star Playhouse. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

GRANBY'S GREEN ACRESSituation comedy. Broadcast History: July 3 - August 21, 1950, CBS. 30m, Mondays at 9:30. Cast: Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet as John and Martha Granby, ex-bank teller and wife who moved to the country to become farmers. Louise Erickson as Janice, their daughter. Parley Baer as Eb, the hired hand. Announcer: Bob LeMond Music: Opie Cates Writer-Producer-Director: Jay Sommers. Granby's Green Acres grew out of characters played by Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet on the Lucille Ball series My Favorite Husband. The names were changed, but the basic characters remained the same. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Miller played and recorded with the likes of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey (who on several of their records, featured an up-and-coming singer by the name of Bing Crosby), Gene Krupa, Eddie Condon and Coleman Hawkins. In addition, during that time, Glenn cut 18 sides for Goodman, and also worked for radio studio conductors like Victor Young, Carl Fenton and Jacques Renard. In 1934, Miller became the musical director of the Dorsey Band, and later went on to organize The Ray Noble Orchestra, which included such players as Charlie Spivak, Peewee Erwin, Bud Freeman, Johnny Mince, George Van Eps and Delmar Kaplan, among others. the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band engaged in over 800 performances. Of these, 500 were broadcasts heard by millions. There were more than 300 personal appearances including concerts and dances, with a gross attendance of over 600,000. But Glenn was not to participate in the final six months of these activities. In the Fall of 1944, the band was scheduled to be sent on a six-week tour of Europe and would be stationed in Paris during that time. Miller decided to go ahead, in order to make the proper arrangements for the group's arrival. And so, on December 15th, Glenn Miller boarded a transport plane to Paris, never to be seen again. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Escape. January 17, 1948. CBS net. "Leinengen Vs. The Ants". Sustaining. West coast version. A determined man battles even more determined insects in the tropical jungles. The script was produced on the program subsequently on May 23, 1948 (see cat. #16723) and on August 4, 1949 (see cat. #3576). The story was also produced on "Suspense" on August 22, 1956 (?), August 25, 1957 (see cat. #61898) and on November 29, 1959. See cat. #65838 for the East Coast version of this program. Carl Stephenson (author), William N. Robson (producer), Robert Ryf (adaptor), William Conrad, Cy Feuer (music conceiver), Lou Merrill, Norman Macdonnell (director), Eddie Dunstedter (organist), Don Diamond, Lou Krugman. 29:29 Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Dragnet was created and produced by Jack Webb, who starred as the terse Sgt. Friday. Webb had starred in a few mostly short-lived radio programs, but Dragnet would make him one of the major media personalities of his era.Webb was a stickler for accurate details, and Dragnet used many authentic touches, such as the LAPD's actual radio call sign (KMA-367), and the names of many real department officials, such as Ray Pinker and Lee Jones of the crime lab or Chief of Detectives Thad Brown. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

"The Season Of Disbelief" and "Hail And Farewell" *Aired 2-17-56The CBS Radio Workshop aired from January 27, 1956 through September 22, 1957 and was a revival of the prestigious Columbia Workshop from the 1930s and 1940s. Creator William Froug launched the series with this powerhouse two-part adaptation of "Brave New World" and booked author Aldous Huxley to narrate his famous novel. "Weâll never get a sponsor anyway," CBS vice president Howard Barnes explained to Time, "so we might as well try anything." The CBS Workshop regularly featured the works of the worldâs greatest writers. including Ray Bradbury, Archibald MacLeish, William Saroyan, Lord Dunsany and Ambrose Bierce. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The unmistakable voice of Bud Flanagan singing 'Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?', a cod-Second World War propaganda singalong written especially for the show (by Jimmy Perry), introduced Dad's Army, the zenith of the British broad-comedy ensemble sitcom. Consistently good writing and a wonderful cast of old timers and newer talents combined to produce a whimsical period-piece that continues, justifiably, to be savoured and has now assumed a place in the 'hall of greats' pantheon, adored by new generations of the British public. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Best Plays presented programs of theatrical excellence. Comedic and dramatic were performed by such greats as Boris Karloff and Alfred Drake. The show was hosted by John Chapman, the drama critic of the New York Daily News. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The Columbia Workshop was the first to experiment 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. Unlike theater drama which required scenery to stage the settings of a play. Radio drama relied only on the imagination of the listener to interpret the scene. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Action 80 was an thrill packed scientific fiction show, taking the listener to top secret locations and allowed them to listen in on news behind the news. In this episode, The First Atomic Submarine, project "sailfish" ,experimental vessel x195, started in 1949 and to be revealed in 1953 at a cost of 50,000,000.00 was the subject of a possible sabatoge attempt. Naval commander Mark T. Richards is assigned to investigate and to ensure the security of this mission. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Authorâs Playhouse - Famous stories by celebrated authors: among them, Elementals (Stephen Vincent Benet), The Piano (William Saroyan), and The Snow Goose (Paul Gallico).March 5, 1941 till June 4, 1945, NBC; Blue Network until mid-October 1941, then the Red Network. Many briefly held 30m timeslots, including Sundays at 11:30, 1941-42; Wednesdays at 11:30, 1942-44; Mondays at 11:30, 1944-45. Sponsor was Philip Morris, 1942-43. Cast: John Hodiak, Fern Persons, Arthur Kohl, Laurette Fillbrandt, Kathryn Card, Bob Jellison, Nelson Olmsted, Marvin Miller, Olan Soule, Les Tremayne, Clarence Hartzell, Curley Bradley, etc. Orchestra: Rex Maupin, Roy Shield, J6seph Gallicchio. Creator: Wynn Wright. Directors: Norman Felton, Fred Weihe, Homer Heck, etc. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The Adventures of Frank Race was a syndicated show, out of Bruce Ells Productions in Hollywood, and began airing on radio in the spring of 1949. A total of 43 episodes were produced, broadcast first on the East coast 1949-50, and then on the West coast 1951-52. The title hero was described in the introduction by announcer Art Gilmore with these words: "Before the war, FRANK RACE worked as an attorney, but he traded his law books for the cloak-and-dagger of the OSS. When the war was over, his former life was over too....adventure became his business!" Starring "Chandu The Magician" Star Tom Collins. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The first portrayal of Phillip Marlowe on the radio was by Dick Powell, when he played Raymond Chandler's detective on the Lux Radio Theater on June 11, 1945. This was a radio adaptation of the 1944 movie, from RKO, in which Mr. Powell played the lead. Two years later, Van Heflin starred as Marlowe in a summer replacement series for the Bob Hope Show on NBC. This series ran for 13 shows. On September 26, 1948, Gerald Mohr became the third radio Marlowe, this time on CBS. It remained a CBS show through its last show in 1951. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Inner Sanctum Mysteries was a popular old-time radio program that aired from January 7, 1941 to October 5, 1952. Created by Himan Brown, the anthology series featured stories of mystery, terror and suspense. The tongue-in-cheek introductions were in sharp contrast to shows like Suspense and The Whistler. A total of 526 episodes are known to have been produced. The early 1940s programs opened with Raymond Edward Johnson introducing himself as, "Your host, Raymond," in a mocking sardonic voice. A spooky melodramatic organ score punctuated Raymond's many morbid jokes and playful puns. Raymond's closing was an elongated "Pleasant dreaaaaammmmssss!" His tongue-in-cheek style and ghoulish relish of his own tales became the standard for many such horror narrators to follow, from fellow radio hosts like Ernest Chappell (on Cooper's later series, Quiet, Please) and Maurice Taupin (on The Mysterious Traveler) to the Crypt-Keeper in various incarnations of Tales from the Crypt. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Bogie is an actor who continues to rank near the top on everybody's list. What is not generally known is that he made many appearances on radio after he moved his act from Broadway to Hollywood. In 1930 he got a contract with Fox and his feature film debut was in a 1930 short "Broadway's Like That", co-starring Ruth Etting and Joan Blondell. Fox released him after two years. After another five years of stage and minor film roles, he broke through with "The Petrified Forest" in 1936. Leslie Howard was starring in the movie, and threatened to quit unless Bogie, his fellow actor from the Broadway production, played Duke Mantee in the film version with him. Bogie named one of his sons Leslie in gratitude for this big break.In fact, many of Bogart's radio appearances were versions of the great films he did, but often he did guest spots or played characters that weren't from films. These performances are not known to the millions of younger fans that weren't lucky enough to hear radio as it happened. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Lights Out was an American old-time radio program featuring "tales of the supernatural and the supernormal." It was immensely popular, and was one of the first horror programs, predating Suspense and Inner Sanctum. In its heydey, Lights Out rivalled the popularity of those shows.Lights Out ran through several series and networks, from January 1, 1934 to August 6, 1947. The principal sponsor was Ironized Yeast. Most episodes were broadcast at midnight. Lights Out then made the transition to television in 1949, where it was broadcast until 1952. Created in Chicago by writer Wyllis Cooper in 1934. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Hallmark Playhouse. January 6, 1949. CBS net. "MacLeod's Folly". Sponsored by: Hallmark Cards. A wandering ex-newspaperman breaks a boss' grip on a small town during the Depression. Dee Englebach (producer, director), Frank Goss (announcer), Jack Rubin (adaptor), James Hilton (intermission commentator), Louis Bromfield (panelist), Lyn Murray (music), Robert Young. 29:36. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Western (1952 - 1953)Chad Remington was a two fisted lawyer in the town of Dos Rios. Chad's sidekick, Cherokee O'Bannon, played by Wade Crosby, who performed his role in a WC Fields dialect. Mr. Chandler remained in the lead role for the first 23 shows and was replaced by Reed Hadley who played Remington until the end of the series. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

This program was born from a detective book series and inspired by author Henry Kane who became the director and producer for the radio show. The series only ran five months, 30 minutes each episode, from April 6, 1954 to September 7, 1954. Peter Chambers was played by Dane Clark who also appeared on the Suspense radio shows. Chambers acted the role of a playboy detective with an eye for solving crime and a taste for the women. Bill Zuckert, who went on to guest star in many 1970s shows including The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Partridge Family, plays Lt. Parker. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

Let us journey âinto the land that lies beyond midnight,â into a world of ghost hunters, men going mad, and DEATH DEATH DEATH! Written by the masterful Michael McCabe, these well-done South African radio shows will capture your attention and keep you up listening to them well beyond midnight. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%

The Hollywood husband and wife team of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall set sail for adventure in the Bold Venture radio series in early 1951. There were well over 400 stations that aired the program. Since thiswas syndicated * the starting date varied from station to station but Mar 26, 1951 was the official date of the first show. 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. Go To GoDaddy, use the promo code blu19 and save 10%