Friday, December 5, 2014

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas: Day 5 - Nero Wolfe & the Slaughtered Santas

Working on sending out one blog entry each day in December to showcase great Old Time Radio for the Christmas season.  Here is a link to all the entries.  Here is day #5 - and the timing could not have been better!  Today is the first day of the 37th Annual Black Orchid Banquet (December 5-7 in New York City).  This event is sponsored by The Wolfe Pack, the group that celebrates everything Nero Wolfe.  The keynote for this year's event will be award winning Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz (Pippen & Wicked just to name two).  He also loves Nero Wolfe!

If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great programs available throughout the month of December on his great show.  You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web. One place to find these shows is the 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive. This is a great resources for many of these wonderful radio shows!


Antique Postcard of the NBC Radio Studios in Hollywood, California 

I have been a very big fan of Nero Wolfe on the radio (and the stories).  This series aired on the NBC Network and featured the great actor Sydney Greenstreet as Nero Wolfe.  Greenstreet played Signor Ferrari in Casablanca, probably my favorite movie ever.  Greenstreet does a masterful job as the robust detective.  Playing Archie Goodwin, Nero Wolfe's trusted assistant and 'man in the field' were five different actors in the relatively short run: Wally Maher, Lamont Johnson, Herb Ellis, Lawrence (Larry) Dobkin, Gerald Mohr, and Harry Bartell.  Listening to these episodes are a great treat.

The Christmas episode aired on December 22, 1950 and was called "The Case Of The Slaughtered Santas". Joining Greenstreet and Larry Dobkin as Archie Goodwin were Howard McNear, Jeanne Bates, Herb Butterfield, William Johnstone, with Don Stanley as the announcer.  In the story, the Wolfe household is disturbed by a call from Santa Claus right before Christmas.  He called Nero Wolfe to get protection as he was one of four charity Santas who worked a corner.  Only two of them were killed - and the caller was convinced he was next.  So it is up to Nero Wolfe to find out who is killing the sidewalk Santas.  And why were they being killed?  He does not disappoint...he never does!  Here is a link right to the episode:

Here are some links to programs relating to Nero Wolfe:
25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas:
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Thursday, December 4, 2014

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas: Day 4 - Dragnet's Christmas Episodes

Working on sending out one blog entry each day in December to showcase great Old Time Radio for the Christmas season.  Here is a link to all the entries.  Here is day #4!

If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great programs available throughout the month of December on his great show.  You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web. One place to find these shows is the 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive. This is a great resources for many of these wonderful radio shows!

Scenes from John Wayne Airport (Orange County, California) - Sunday July 15, 2012
Antique Radios on display at John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California (July 2012)

I have not been a huge fan of Dragnet, maybe one of the most famous radio and early television programs out there. They have two stories related to Christmas that among the sweetest and saddest stories I can remember.  On the sweet side, the story, called Big Little Jesus, shows how a much nicer side of Christmas. Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith receive a called about a missing religious statue of the baby Jesus from the Mission church in Los Angeles. While it is not a huge crime, they move forward looking at every lead and pawn shop to find this item before Christmas. Eventually, it turns up in the sweetest way possible.

It can be kinda corny, but is one of those radio episodes that really hits home with the true meaning of Christmas. I invite everyone to take 30 minutes, go back in time, and recapture the meaning of the holidays.

Nativity Scene at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (Saline, Michigan)
Here is a link to two versions of Big Little Jesus:
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there is this one, also from Dragnet. I have listened to a large number of Christmas radio shows with very happy and cherry endings. It is the holidays after all. But this story does not have a happy ending. Maybe that is one of the reasons why Dragnet was one of the most popular series on both radio and television. From its start in the summer of 1949, it was the brainchild of its star Jack Webb (who played in a large number of radio programs including Pat Novack for Hire and Jeff Regan among others). Dragnet was known for its realism and attention to detail. In the show they broadcast for their first Christmas, Twenty-Two Rifle for Christmas, they tell the story of a child who could not wait until the 25th for his present, and the horrible consequences of that action. In the light of the horrible events at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday December 14, 2012, it is clear that guns are not a new problem. This episode is one of the most chilling that I can recall, where a child not only was the victim, but also the perpetrator. Here is a link right to Twenty-Two Rifle for Christmas:
Here are some links to programs relating to Dragnet:
25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas:
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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas: Day 3 - Stolen Rings at Christmas with Boston Blackie

Working on sending out one blog entry each day in December to showcase great Old Time Radio for the Christmas season.  Here is day #3!

If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great programs available throughout the month of December on his great show.  You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web. One place to find these shows is the 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive. This is a great resources for many of these wonderful radio shows!

Scenes from John Wayne Airport (Orange County, California) - Sunday July 15, 2012
Antique Radios on display at John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California (July 2012)

"Enemy of those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend."

That kinda tells you all that you need to know about Boston Blackie.  He moves effortlessly on both sides of the law, but is primarily interested in doing what is right.  If that means working with the police, then so be it!  The character was created by author Jack Boyle, Boston Blackie was a safecracker who served time in prison before turning his attention to making things right.  The most well known episodes were syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv to Mutual and other networks after World War II.  Staring in the role as Boston Blackie was Richard Kollmar.  Mary Wesley (his constant companion) was played by Jan Miner.  Maurice Tarplin plays Police Inspector Farraday, who starts off most episodes with the belief that no matter what the crime was, Blackie was involved.  Tarplin is also know as the voice of the Mysterious Traveler and The Strange Dr. Weird.  

It starts out with Boston Blackie, Mary Wesley, and....Farraday singing Jingle Bells in a car as they are heading out for a Christmas Eve meal.  When they see a store owner chase a suspect of stealing four rings from a jewelry story, their plans get changed!  Brought into the mix was the suspects association with gigantic muscle fresh off the boat from Italy.  Since he did not know English, a quick thinking Boston Blackie was able to foil their plans...as he always did...and save the day.  Here is the link to the episode:
Here are some links to programs relating to Boston Blackie

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas:
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas: Day 2 - The Saint is No Santa Claus (Vincent Price)

Working on sending out one blog entry each day in December to showcase great Old Time Radio for the Christmas season.  Here is day #2 (and they said it wouldn't last)

If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great programs available throughout the month of December on his great show.  You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web. One place to find these shows is the 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive. This is a great resources for many of these wonderful radio shows!

My Antique Radio
My 1937 Detrola Radio - Made in Detroit!

The funny thing about The Saint is that there are often two or three names for each episode.  So the Christmas episode has been called "Santa Claus is No Saint," "Christmas Eve Problems" and "Nineteen Santa Clauses."  And while there might be some confusion about the title, there is none when it comes to the best actor to play Simon Templar.  That distinction goes to Vincent Price, who had a great career on radio as well as television and the movies.  He brought a wit and charm to the role that was not captured by any of the other radio actors who played the part.

Price is fantastic in the "Santa Claus is No Saint" episode.  In the episode, Simon starts off getting ready for a charity event where he will dress up like Santa.  But in the process, he gets confused with a hood named "Fats" Boylan.  But as you might have guessed, Fats is anything but.  So what did this skinny crook hide in his Santa suit.  Listen to the episode and find out.  Here is a link right to the episode:
Here are some links to programs relating to The Saint on Radio and the work of Leslie Charteris:

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas:
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Monday, December 1, 2014

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas: Day 1 - Nick Carter's Christmas Adventure

As we are starting off December 2014 - I am going to start something I wanted to do last year - but didn't.  So here goes nothing.

I think I am going to try to send out one blog entry each day showcasing great Old Time Radio for the Christmas season.  Some of this will be recycled - but the links will be updated.  Fingers crossed!

If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great programs available throughout the month of December on his great show.  You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web. One place to find these shows is the 500 OTR Christmas Shows from the Internet Archive. This is a great resources for many of these wonderful radio shows!

Scenes from John Wayne Airport (Orange County, California) - Sunday July 15, 2012
Here is a old Westinghouse Radio that I saw on display at the John Wayne Airport (Orange County, California) in 2012. Thought it was appropriate.

One of the shows I really like is Nick Carter, Master Detective. He is...well, a master detective (bet you did not see that coming). On Christmas Day, 1943, Nick Carter's Christmas Adventure was broadcast. There are so many different programs that borrow from Dicken's A Christmas Carol, and this sorta does one better. Nick Carter starts out collecting money for his Settlement House Christmas Party and runs into a gentleman named Ben Rasper, who had many of the characteristics of Ebeneezer Scrooge. After turning down the opportunity to contribute to the party. Nick went out and figured out why we was so bitter this time of year. In the end, it is not ghosts from his past who change his views of Christmas, but some good detective work to find people from Ben Rasper's past to show him the true meaning of the holidays. So while it is not really at all like A Christmas Carol, it has so many of the elements without any of the spirits of Christmas present, past or yet to come!

Here is a link right to the Nick Carter Christmas show: Nick Carter's Christmas Adventure (December 25, 1943)

Here are some links to programs relating to Nick Carter:

25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas:
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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Casey's Thanksgiving - Old Time Radio (Casey, Crime Photographer)

On this week of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a wonderful item that you can listen to as you are preparing your meal at home.  I will be doing the same. If you have Sirius/XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#82). He has a number of great Thanksgiving-themed programs available this week. You can also get a large number of these programs at a variety or resources on the web.


CBS Columbia Square (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California) - October 31, 2013

Columbia Square in Hollywood - the home of all CBS radio programs after World War II.  This picture was taken on October 31, 2013.

On a lark, I decided to search the Internet Archive for shows that have Crime in the name. I stumbled across Casey, Crime Photographer, which is a cool series that follows...wait for it...a crime photographer. As a budding photographer myself, I love the idea of following a cameraman through the rough streets of the city. The series was sponsored by Anchor Hocking glass company of Lancaster, Ohio.

From another page on the Internet Archive, the series was described as follows: "Casey, whose first name was never revealed, was the major crime photographer at the fictional Morning Express newspaper. With the help of reporter Ann Williams, he tracked down criminals and solved numerous crimes on this popular mystery-adventure series. Often a picture snapped at a crime scene led Casey to play detective."  The show went by many names over the years - including Flashgun Casey; Casey, Press Photographer; Crime Photographer; and Casey, Crime Photographer.  The characters remained mostly the same, with Casey and his constant companion Ann Williams setting out to solve the mysteries that the police could not figure out.  Their evenings would almost always end up at the Blue Note Tavern with its great bar keep - Ethelbert.

The voice talent was primarily Staats Cotsworth as Casey, Jan Miner as Ann Williams and John Gibson as Ethelbert the bartender.  The two Thanksgiving Themed episodes are linked below.  They include 1947's "After Turkey, The Bill" when an ex-con is framed for a robbery on Thanksgiving and 1948's "Holiday" when a reformed ex-con is forced to pull one last safe-cracking job.  You can see a trend here.  The series is often cited as an example of a second-rate series - but I generally like it.  This is good radio detectives - not great!  But, unlike the incident in Missouri this summer, Casey would never show up unprepared!  He always had his equipment.

Here are additional links to Casey, Crime Photographer items on the web.
Here are links to other Thanksgiving themed shows available on the Internet Archive:
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Saturday, November 22, 2014

100th Birthday Celebration for Frank Graham (old time radio star)



My Antique Radio

100 years ago today, in Detroit, Michigan, Frank Graham was born.  Though he died at age 35, he made a lasting impact among fans of old time radio during a very short career.  More about his death later.

Living near Detroit, I always get stopped by that word when I am scanning through articles and news.  So a few years ago, I learned about Frank Graham and that he was one of many Detroit natives who make their mark in old time radio programming.  Though he did not work at WXYZ (the Detroit station famous for many series including the Green Hornet, the Lone Ranger and Challenge of the Yukon), I was always interested in him and his career.

But what made him the great radio star was his voice.  While he was known as the man of 1,000 voices, he was best known for two series.

First his great role on Romance of the Ranchos, where he was the "Wandering Vaquero" on this historical series which came to the air thanks to the Title and Trust Insurance Company of Los Angeles.  This historical series revealed how complicated it was to ensure that you held title to your land.  Given the great history of the Ranchos in Southern California, this radio series was a perfect way for the Title and Trust Insurance Company to share its stories.  When I travel in Southern California, I always make sure I have these on my phone or my  MP3 player.
Frank Graham was also well known for being in the detective series Jeff Regan, Investigator.  The role was created by Jack Webb (of Dragnet fame).  The long suffering Jeff Regan worked as the "Lyon's eye" for the International Detective Bureau in Los Angeles.  His boss was the insufferable Anthony J. Lyon.  Regan was always balancing between what he thought was right and what Anthony J. Lyon could bill for.  As you might imagine, Regan always won.

One of my favorite episodes is the Man in Black.  What I love the most about it is that it is a rehearsal, not a final performance.  So you hear the directors and the banter during the recording.  You hear (at the 25 minute mark) Frank Graham get frustrated with his fellow actors as they are clearly lost in the script.  Check out the link below.  
The Series was recorded in Hollywood at the CBS studios

CBS Columbia Square (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California) - October 31, 2013

CBS Columbia Square (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California) - October 31, 2013

The series ended abruptly in September 1950 with the death of its star.  Even though Frank Graham was not the original Jeff Regan, the producers decided not to continue.

The news of his death, at his own hand, was carries across the country:

Frank Graham, Radio Actors, Kills Himself (Toledo Blade on September 5, 1950, p.15)
HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 5 (UP)
Funeral services will be held today for radio's "man of 1,000 voices." Frank Lee Graham.
Graham, 35, star of the Jeff Reagan program, committed suicide Saturday night by inhaling automobile exhaust fumes.  Police blamed an unhappy love affair.

A more detailed story appeared (as you might imagine) in the Los Angeles Times (from the Tralfaz blog).  From that story, "Near Graham’s hand on the front seat of the car was the photograph of a handsome brunet woman, identified by police as Miss Mildred Rossi. Associates said that until recent weeks Miss Rossi had been Graham’s constant companion."

 While his life ended tragically and all too short, it is nice that we have these recordings that his work lives on.

 Other links worth looking at include:



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