Retro Radio Podcast

Strange things have been happening on this trip through space. Mr Costello seems to be at the center of the weirdness. He’s the ships only passenger, and takes a special interest in the ships safety, and procedure for emergency. Costello claims to be a collector of toys, and shows off some recording devices to one of the crew. What’s the trade of the next port? Cargos of exotic furs. At the dock, Costello meets the customs agent, Nola, who greets the friendly passenger. The ship makes its runs, months later returns, and the crew notice the changes. The Brotherhood has taken over. Houses are converted to storage spaces. Its against the rules to walk around unaccompanied, and the warehouses are where people wait in roped off areas. Nola is located, and she shares how the take over crept in. Costello is the big shot who has taken over the security forces. How did he manage it? Is he a danger?

Is Blackie on the outs with his gal Mary? Even Shorty seems to hold secrets from Mary. The break up has to do with some nasty racketeers who Blackie is entangled with, and finds himself being kidnapped. Will he be set up to take the fall for a robbery and murder? Is there anything Blackie can do to stop the ruthless thugs? Will the gang believe that Mary is actually no longer Blackie’s girlfriend? If not, she might be in danger. Inspector Farraday has Blackie in custody, and isn’t inclined to believe his story. Still, will he stand by and let Mary suffer at the hands of the gangsters? Blackie has to put his skills at opening locks to work so he can escape, and see that justice is done. as Blackid faces off with the bad guys, he’s sure to ensure justice is done on his own terms. listen to learn how he makes it happen, and delivers the culprits over to the cops.

Elliot and Cathy ewis get patriotic as they dramatize the events surrounding Paul Revere’s famous ride. Everyone has heard the famous poem by Longfellow, or at least knows about it. It is notoriously filled with errors at the sake of artistic license, but in today’s radio play the most that artistic liberty can claim is most of the dialog. The events are mostly correct. Listen and enjoy tense moments from the birth of our nation, traitors in the midst of the patriots, the plan to warn of the Brittish troop movement, and the dangers that Paul Revere, and other riders faced. Even their families endured their own style of danger as the men left for the battlefield.

A flashback episode that reviews a couple classic moments from earlier in the series. It’s evening and in the living room, Liz is busy doing some scrapbooking. Though George wants to go to the movies, the scrapbooking is the set up to remember the first driving lesson Liz had. Flashback to Liz driving the car, and driving George nuts. After getting the controls in the car confused, Liz heads to the license office for her tests. Frank Nelson gets to deal with Liz as he administers the eye exam, written test, and gets her personal information. Will she pass her driving test? Back in the Cooper home, George has his plans for the movies short circuited when more scrapbook moments pop up in the form of the commercial. Liz relives the night when the Attaberry’s come over for dinner, and George keeps telling the same old tired stories. Liz does her best to rescue George, but will he just bore his boss to death? Will George ever make it to his movie tonight? Maybe, but first a flashback to Valentines Day. Liz relives her mushy moments as she expresses her love. Katie has trouble with dropping her valentine off to the butcher, so Liz offers to help. The butcher gets mixed signals, and thinks that Liz is the one with the crush on him though. That’s all the memories for the evening, and Lucille helps out with the closing commercial. Afterward, Lucille shares parting words for the season.

Entering the office, Matt is surprised to find his easy going deputy packing a shotgun. Is he going hunting for birds in the bush? Chester reminds Matt of the bad hombres from his old stomping grounds in Texas, is there someone in town who has Chester worried? Asa Ledbedder has come to Dodge, and gunshots interrupt Matt’s relaxing conversation with Miss Kitty. Whether the danger is real or not, Chester’s paranoia has him jumpy. If Asa is up to no good, Matt’s confrontation doesn’t get the cool headed, South Texas man stirred up. To tame the tension, and when Doc encounters Matt in the wee hours in the morning, we learn that Chester has been locked in a cell for his own protection. The situation has the benefit of putting Matt in Chester’s shoes. When Asa mistakes the sleeping Matt for his deputy, gunshots ring out the truth behind the skulking around town lately.

Show # 841: Tops of Pops and Follow Up Flops Listener's Choice Show: Big hits from 50's and 60's singers but the follow up songs didn't make the charts at all. One hit wonders? Sometimes Yes and sometimes No. Our Guest producer Ron Torland.

A friendly skeet shooting match pits the skills of Philo Vance against DA Markham. The challenge is interrupted only when Ellen, Philo’s secretary, enters the shooting range with the next case of murder. There seems to be no motive, no clues, and the reporters have a field day with the crime. The locked door mystery involves a piano, a dead woman, and sheet music with mysterious blue ink. Is the song in the sheet music actually a hit, or just one of those things that gets hyped, but nobody is buying? The music printer is Philo’s only clue, and he has just found the kind of shady printinghouse that seems to have the racket down to a science. Will his nosey nature land him in danger? Will the great detective actually bend to a blackmail demand? In his absence, Ellen Dearing takes up the slack in questioning suspects. The job is one that could lead to a cat fight, as she goes on the prowl for her missing boss. What is the instructions she was left to follow in Philo’s absence? With DA Markham at her side, will it change things when they revisit the printshop? Will the racketeers be so desperate to kill them both? A rescue is made, with fists flying when Philo returns. With the tables turned, we find ourselves where we came in, and now Ellen joins the skeet challenge. Stay tuned and listen to Philo’s reason for leaving town, and the clues that sealed this case for him.

To travel to storyland today, let’s ride on an old fashioned, horse drawn ice cream wagon. After a brief sponsor message, the story begins. In the neat and tidy workshop, the Brave Little Taylor works as his little mother watches. She wants him to have more in life, to have adventure. Inspired after killing 7 flies thatt bother him, he Makes a banner to wear that claims, “Seven in One Blow,” and sets out to make his mark in the world. He just lets the banner speak for itself, and lets people make of it what they will. Gossip spreads, and his deeds are amplified until word reaches the king. Everyone in the kking’s court is impressed with Jack Taylor’s accomplishments, all except for a particular knight. A seed of doubt is planted, and the king sets forth a challenge. Can Jac settle the score with the wicked Huns, and their giants? Always using his wits, Jack outsmarts the giants, and taking advantage of their weaknewss, he uses their strenghts against them. Will all the efforts please the king? Even when the truth comes out, will Jack win the hand of the princess? Note: This episode may have aired as early as April 14, 1942 (420414).

For Archie it’s always a matter of life and death, but do you know what he needs to do? Just relax. Today in Riverdale, Fred and Mary Andrews sit around the breakfast table, discussing troubles that surround their lives, and get into an arguement. When a headline catches the eye of Archie, he reads that a Nazi POW has escaped, and may be lurking around Riverdale. He is worried, but has heroic dreams of capturing the prisoner. When Archie skips out on school to tail the man that he sees lurking around, Betty and Jughead sneak along with him as he spots his likely suspect. They spy on him and follow him around, fearing that he may blow up the school. Is that a bad thing, or a good thing? In Riverdale (or anywhere) , its bad, definitely bad. The small band of teenagers see their chance and pounce. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Riverdale Fred gets the bad news that his business appointment has gone missing, and a car is stolen. Could this be the same man, and car that our young heroes are recklessly driving through town to take their prisoner to the police station in? Imagine their surprise to be arrested for the theft of a car. Now the mystery behind the missing school official, and man who was to meet with Fred Andrews remains. I’ll bet nobody checked the car did they? Archie and his friends are bailed out of jail, but nobody is listening to his story about Nazi’s. Is there any Nazis actually in Riverdale? Why is the car missing again? And why hasn’t that missing school official turned up yet? The harmless, unrelated incidents all come to a head when a real Nazi actually does appear as the plot thickens. Paths converge, but will the cops and Archie be able to catch up with the missing car, and it’s passengers? Will I be giving anything away if I say the unlikely phrase, “Carbon monoxide to the rescue?”

At the dinner table, kids make their typical complaints over their vegetables, then Ozzie hits the family with his intent to join yet another lodge. Comments, jokes, and puns fly over the topic of the mythical beasts the lodge uses as their mascots. Harriet is only worried at the kind of initiation ceremony he may have to go through. Gloria the maid enters to get in on the fun and confusion over the service club. Does she belong to any kind of clubs? A lonely hearts club, maybe? On the way, Ozzie meets neighbor girl, Emmy Lou. What does the starry eyed youngster think of the rugged Ozzie, and his effort in joining the club? Later, we join the solemn ceremony, and the ordeal Ozzie faces. Nothing too physical, or exerting, he has to be agreeable to everything for the next 24 hours. The King Sisters sing, Just for You. All Ozzie has to do at this point is to remain friendly, and agreeable until 5PM. But his responses serve to confuse Harriet. Is it hot, or cold today? Should David play football, or not? Who knew being a yes man would be so hard? Harriet seems to have zeroed in on Ozzie’s situation, and gets him to eat plenty of oatmeal, which he hates, and to let her shop for that mink coat, while he mows the lawn. meanwhile, neighbor, Harry, gets a laugh out of watching Ozzie do the yard work. After the day of manual labor, the doorbell rings and finds Rosita Hacienda, but can she really be a girl that Ozzie was out with last night? The 5 O’Clock whistle blows, and Ozzie finds out that Harriet somehow learned his secret. But who leaked it to her?

To arrest BJ Webster, Abner awaits his scheduled appointment. Will the stranger to town wait, or will this be his chance to flee town? Grandpap has gone along to be sure justice is served. In the office of the high powered contractor, Abner politely gets on with the awkward affair of breaking the news to Mr Webster of his arrest. The invitation to visit the quaint little jail in town amuses BJ, and is even more amused to find out about what he has been charged with. The 40 year old law seems silly, but it’s still in affect. Now that the formalities have been done, Abner needs to find where he put those handcuffs. He returns to the waiting room to r\brag to grandpap and Phinus about how well he manhandled his culprit into submission. As Abner ducks back into the office, grandpap and Phinus worry that Abner might not be able to control himself. Should they be worried?

The day after the celebration for Independence Day is proving to be a big let down. Cathy moans about not being allowed to set off any fireworks the night before. She can’t understand why its OK for some folks to light firecrackers, and others not. Also where an appropriate time and place is. bud is on his perpetual quest to get a motor scooter, while Betty is in full Drama queen mode to complain about fashions. Jim tries to bring focus to how people have lost sight of what being independent; and free is all about. In something of a flashback soliloquy, the Andersons transport themselves to Colonial times for a morning at the breakfast table. Complaints about food, not finding shoe buckles, and dad’s concern that the kids think he’s old fashioned are present, even back then. Bud… er… Jamie complains about not having a horse, and still is tasked with opening the front door. Resistance to a taxation act has neighbor, Elizabeth, up in arms over her husband Hector and the authorities. In their time transformed home, the Andersons continue their early American drama. A courtroom scene finds Hector being tried, with Jim defending him. Should he just plea guilty, or is this the time to make a stand on principle. Will Jim’s demand for freedom, justice, and the right to speak go over with the judge? The sound of gunfire in the background punctuates his speech on the new ideal of the American dream. Back in the present, the kids continue to learn facts about the Declaration of Independence. They may not fully grasp Jim’s lecture, but something of a toehold of understanding is creeping in.

It’s the morning of the big game with Rutgers. As Frank, Bart, and Insa look at the trophy case, a young fan is thrilled to meet a football hero.. even if the kid will be cheering for the other team. Andy takes our heroes on a tour of the campus. Time for the kickoff, and Andy joins Insa to cheer in the stands. Rutgers is playing tough in the first half. Is there a problem with the game ball? It comes down to seconds on the clock, and one touchdown to win. Yale pulls it off, but the problem with the game ball is that it was a trophy ball from a win the previous week for Rutgers. A mystery shows itself when the winning kick for the extra point caused the ball to disappear. An angry crowd mobs outside the Yale locker room,, demanding the ball back. How can Frank oblige if he doesn’t know where it went? Frank promises to deliver on the ball, but does he know how to locate it? Was the ball stolen to embarrass Frank?

Juvenile Bureau. Reports of children going door to door, begging for food, despite being from a well to do family crosses the path of Joe Friday. Working the day watch, Joe Friday and Ben Romero walk the halls of headquarters when they learn of the half starved kids. The laundress and cook in a colonial style mansion tells what she knows of the kids. She doesn’t mind giving out food, and though she feels its not her place, something needs to be done about the missing parents, and other kids who are in a bind in the house. In voiceover, Joe describes the unkempt condition of the mansion where the kids are fending for themselves. Alone for at least four days, young Robert explains that his mom hasn’t left before… um… well OK, not very often, or… well a few times. There’s a lot for such a young boy to take care of, including a sick baby. Joe reports in voiceover how the kids were given attention by the juvenile departments, and the comatose baby taken to medical care. The search begins for the missing mother. Will her body turn up in the morgue? The matter turns serious when the baby dies. The only lead is a blood stained coat of the missing woman. A meeting with Mrs Macintosh who is on an outing with her kids at the zoo. Joe and Ben learn of an ex-husband, Richard. Who is Larry, and what’s his connection to the missing mother? The trail leads to a hotel room where the loveless mother feels that kids, and her life have become too much of a drag on her. Joe has the news that her life is about to become even more of a drag.

In the jailhouse, grandpap tells Abner that BJ Webster may be leaving town soon. It seems the contractor has a buyer to snap up grandpap’s farm to develop it into the health resort. It still leaves grandpap penniless, and no place to live. As Abner tries to cheer his old friend, they comment on that varmint,, Lum. Is he trying to law suit them? When Lum enters, he hints at a big law suit, but he needs Abner to arrest Mr Webster. What’s the charge? Abner is worried this has something to do with Lum’s trying to buy the old Dillard place. In a 40 year old law book, Lum discovered a law requiring a driver at night to have someone walk in front of the car to wave a lantern. All the time BJ has been tooling around in his chauffeur driven limousine. The arrest makes grandpap happy, but it adds a new worry for Abner. Will the powerful, silver tongued man be able to talk Abner out of it? Throwing his weight around over the telephone, an appointment is made to perform the legalities.