Tuesday, December 20, 2016

25 More Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 20: Barton Drake Saves Christmas (Mystery Is My Hobby)

One of the tricks in creating this series is finding the online version of some of these recordings.  I normally go to the Internet Archive, and for 98% of the time, I find it there.  But every so often, I hit a dead end (based on my estimate above - around 1 in 50).  Such was the case with the episode that I am showcasing today.  Even though it was one of my favorite series, I never found a MP3 version of the Christmas episode from it...until now.  I guess finding obscure information and resources is not only my job as a librarian - but also my hobby...!  Here is a link to all the previous OTR Christmas entries.  If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148).  He does a great job of showcasing great holiday themed episodes, especially as we get close to Christmas.

MSVMA All-State Choir at Michigan Youth Arts Festival (Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 15, 2010)

MSVMA All-State Choir at Michigan Youth Arts Festival
(Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 15, 2010)

One of my favorite Old Time Radio shows is almost never included on the top shows that were broadcast over the air.  Mystery Is My Hobby is a radio series that was on the Mutual Network and seems to have been syndicated.  This show stars Glen Langan as author Barton Drake.  Not only is he a famous author, but mystery is his hobby!  He finds himself all over solving crimes that would baffle local police and invariable solves these cases using a sharp intellect that few can match.  Along the ride with Barton Drake is his constant companion, police inspector Noah Danton, played by Norman Field.  Inspector Danton is not exactly a compelling role model for police inspectors.  He rarely figures out any of these crimes and were it not for Barton Drake, I am not sure he would have solved a one.  And while the audience might be surprised at some of these ends, NO ONE Is more surprised than Inspector Danton!

On December 25, 1947, the only Christmas episode I have been able to find from this series aired.  We find Barton Drake and Inspector Danton once again traveling together.  This time, they are in Boston where they are planning to enjoy the Christmas Caroling Festival.  While they are soaking in the festivities, a young boy approaches and asks if he is Barton Drake.  The boy then pleads that he needs Drake's great mystery solving skills to clear his father of a crime he did not commit.  The father lives with this boy and his older sister.  Alas, their older brother died in Germany during World War II, and it had a big impact on their dad.  Never able to walk about from a mystery, especially when someone might be wrongfully accused of a crime, Barton Drake walks away from the festival and starts his more important work.  And while they miss the festival, there is singing at the very end of this episode.

These are not the most sophisticated crime or mystery programs.  But it is fun to hear the banter and exchange between Barton Drake and Inspector Danton.  This is a fun series and one that I hope you enjoy.  I am very glad that I finally solved the mystery of the lost Christmas episode.  Actually, it was never missing - I was just looking in the wrong place!  Enjoy!

Boston for Christmas (Mystery is My Hobby - December 25, 1947)
Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)
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