Retro Radio Podcast

Robbery Detail. A burglar with a gun is described as being well dressed. Your job, find him. The air is hot on the night shift. Footsteps echo in the cathedral, as organ music plays. Cops have come to find the choir loft, and bring somber news to match the tone of the music in the air. Joe Friday reports a death. In voiceover, he states that armed robbers always prove to be killers. The crime scene, a cash register, and a clerk in Disbelief. One moment life, and in the moment of a gunshot, death. The shooter is described. Thin, tall, blonde, nervous, twitching, and in a grreatcoat. The questions causer the crime to be relived. Emotions of surprise, cooperation. A gunshot. anger, and a get away in a cab, riding in the front seat. Silent and cool, technology in the Police lab is applied. Ballistics, fingerprints, and results are pending. Footsteps echo down the hall. More briefing. The common elements in the case review: Cabs, and 38 calibre slugs. What’s the word from the Crime lab. No luck, no matches. On the Night watch routine the crime is unending. Another store, connections to cabs. But with a Different 38. Checking with cab companies, for drivers with matching builds. Tall, and slim. Another crime scene that match the method of operation. Armed with a photo line up. A Face after face in pages of an album, crime personified and ugly. A match is made. Clues lead to an apartment,, and an accomplice is found. Have a seat, calm your nerves, have a beer. Questions hit hard, and the search heats up. The trail leads to a neighborhood, with nice houses, beauty shops, and trees. Cornered and shielded by timid mother and crying baby, gunshots and fists land to end the crime spree. Only one place remaibs to close the case. A Trial, and finally, the Gas chamber.

Lou tells how he got sea sick while traveling on a train. Jokes include girls, relatives, and farm animals. Bud gets Lou confused over what it means to reap and sew. He also gets confused over canning tomatoes. Freddie Rich plays, I’ll Walk Alone. Investigating what people will want to buy most when the war is over, Bud and Lou canvass the neighborhood. War workers, housewives, and Mr Kitzel all weigh in. Connie Haines sings, Swinging on a Star. Freddi Rich plays, Long Ago and Far Away. The guys now have a good idea of how to invest Lou’s money. War bonds. Fast forward to the future of 10 years, when those war bonds will mature. An elderly Bud and Lou are still doing their old routines in 1954. Will people actually be tired of surplus steak, and butter? How will the stock market be doing? Will the bonds pay off for education of the next generation? Lou has a little trouble staying in character. Connie Haines sings, Torch Song. Note: Added musical numbers seem to be due to filling in time for commercials edited out for AFRS usage.

The court decision seems behind them, and today we find Lum and Abner enjoying booming ticket sales in the movie theater. Lizabeth fills in for Abner in taking tickets inside the lobby, to give him a break. The gents greet townsfolk as they pass by to buy tickets. US Quincey admires the paint job ion the theater. Maybe he’s looking for some to paint his perpetually unpainted barn. Lum shares a complaint about the way Abner runs the projector. Mousey and Gussie, Earl Butler and his family, and even Squire Skimp all pass through the box office line. Has Squire actually let bygones be bygones? Lum is convinced, but Abner feels more safe to hide under the counter. Grandpap rushes out to tell about an accident. Who’s hurt? How did it happen? Get ready for the story to take a whole other direction. Note a guest voice in the ticket line appears, but not sure who she might be.

The Anderson dinner table is graced with candle light and fancy trappings, but Jim doesn’t see the point. Will Jim’s reluctance over romance mean anything to the children? What’s the occasion for the romantic setting? The kids are dispensed of so Louise will have a more intimate meal with her date. Is somebody going to get hooked? Should marriage be based on something more substantial than trickery? Don’t be ridiculous, says Margret. What happened the night Jim proposed to Margret? Jim is still disgusted with the trappings of womanly wiles that get used to set the mood of a romantic evening. With the women on the hunt, it’s time to move in for the kill. That’s the cue for Jim and Margret to leave the happy couple alone, while they have coffee in the living room. The quiet romantic moment is shattered when Bud and Cathy return in need of a referee. Jim distracts the kids in the play room, as Tom gets better acquainted with Louise. Will the shouts of the kids put a damper on the evening? Will a proposal be forthcoming?

Autumn means new students return to the Halls of Ivy and the Halls gear up for greeting the new faces. Might there be something of a role reversal this year where the girls give cat calls to the guys? Those sorority girls keep getting more forward. What ever happened to academics, Toddy wonders. Is he just a little jealous of attentions that Vicky is getting when she decides to take a class this semester? A new school teacher asks about the rules on campus regarding the students, and Doc Hall assures him the rules are lax, with only the lightest of restriction, so as to liberate free thinking. I think he’s missing the real point. Is there any problem in a teacher asking a student for a date? Let the awkward back peddling begin. Is there some star crossed romance going on? Does Vicky have a secret admirer? Memories go back to their courting days in London, and a matter of jealousy they had then. The door bell brings him out of the imagination and romance of the museum. Vicky can’t help but be tantalizing, but she may be able to help the young teacher out with the girl in his class he has a crush on. The Halls are both relieved to know they aren’t the targets of any outside affections.

The Peter Van Seetin singers sing, Roll Out the Barrel. Then, Fred has to pay for his introduction. The cast get reacquainted after the Summer break. Portland pops in to tell about her Summer with her mom. With all the greetings, and reuniting, will the show ever get started? Mr Sprague is on hand from the sponsor to change things up for this new season. The Merrymacks sing, Good Morning Mr Zip Zip Zip. Peter VanSeetin plays a musical transition, Jumping Jive. Will the sponsor be happy with the show changes yet? Fred tries a quiz show format. A group of studio members is gathered. An insurance salesman, a census taker, and a men’s clothing store manager. Fred’s quiz is on the up and up, and the contestants are awarded their prizes. If nothing else, it’s a good medium for Fred to adlib with some real people, buch the same as Groucho would do about 10 yearws later. Moving right along, Portland tries to get in a few words, but Mr Sprague is back with his suggestions. A new singer is on the show, Lynn Murray. She sings, Sing for Your Supper. Station break. Ned Sparks, well known comedian of the day, shares a few words with Fred. The two dour, nasaly comics swap insults out the nose. Ted was known as a dead pan comic who never smiled or laughed. Can Fred get his guest to laugh? Peter VanSeetin plays a tune of transition. The Mighty Allen Art Players perform: Stanley and What’s His Name. Fred is Henry Stanley and is on his way to learn the whereabouts of the famous Dr Livingston. True to his spoofing form, Fred travels through deepest darkest Africa as he has close encounters with natives, cannibals, and jungle hazzards. Will he ever get to use his famous phrase of greeting? Or will tongue in cheek references to pop culture of the day reign? The happy ending takes a tragic end, but how could it be any other way when comedy is involved. Fred gets in a quick jab at Jack Benny as his play comes to a close. To wrap things up, the Merrymacks sing, Moonlight Bay.

Lum seems to be the only hold out in town about being comfortable in sending Squire to court. Being Justice of the Peace only makes him feel all the more uncomfortable. Bailiff grandpap calls the court to order. Charges are read. All the usual courtroom gags are gone, no squeaky shoes, farm animal sounds, or other distractions. This is serious business. Squire airs his complaints about the indignity of the arrest. He claims he would gladly have closed his doors as long as his theater was deemed unsafe, but also claims the charges were actively pursued by his rival to completely ruin him. Painting himself and his wife in dire financial straights if the charges were left to run their course, Squire plays to the sympathy of the court. Will he also be tugging on the heart strings of Lum and Abner themselves

Phil Putnam and Henry Drake had built their factory, and with war demands production has tripled. Henry has been absent minded, forgetting where important papers are, and where he has been in his evenings. Has Drake done something that his mind is suppressing? After a visit to his doctor, Henry follows the suggestion to take time off, and relax his mind from the stresses of the job. Even after time goes by, how will Drake’s memory be? What if his wife, Rita goes away for a few days instead? Soon after, he rushes to his doctor before the scheduled follow up appointment. Has he remembered something? A complete battery of psychological tests are administered. Then it happens. Is it a case of revenge? Has this all been a set up to get away with murder, by leading into a plea of insanity? Regardless, the Whistler knows a secret that is sure to return balance to the universe, and deliver fitting justice.

Featuring Gerold Moore. Philip is asked to locate a man’s missing wife. The woman isn’t the kind prone to tears, but lately she had been weepy. She sometimes takes off and drives to blow off steam, but is back after an hour. It’s now been three days and Philip is on the job with the promise to find her, but not necessarily bring her back. Based on some clues in the house, Philip goes to a fortune teller to start his search. He hits a nerve when he mentions Norma, the missing woman. Not the kind to waste time, Philip lays all his cards on the line and compares notes with a man who he’s sure knows a lot about the case. Philip may have made short work of the man who has been stalling him, but a dame is sure to make a fool of him. After a thump on the head, Philip awakens to find his fortune teller, and his missing woman out of his grasp. Going back to face his client, he finds the man dead in his house. While Philip waits for the cops, he hears a sound. It’s Norma, with a confession and a suicide note. Can he stop her? Philip tries his best, but there’s still one more loose end to solve, and a last minute plot twist. .

Fearing that issuing a warrant for Squire will be seen as Lum’s attempt to get rid of a business rival, by abusing the law, the decision has been taken out of his hand. Grandpap had set the ball in motion. Today, Abner takes a phone call, with a concern that movie prices will rise, without the competition. Has Lum been right to balk? Abner assures Lum the whole affair was above board, but he sure would have loved to been there to see Squire hit the roof when uncle Henry arrested him. Cedric is approaching. Have the gents caused him to lose his job when Squire was shut down? Does the arrest free Cedric from his contract, or does it bind Squire to the obligation, even without being in business? There may be nothing for Cedric to worry about, but Abner is plenty worried when Squire enters to rant and rave at Lum. Accusations fly that Lum made up the law, and threats of epic legal battles loom large.

In what seems to be a misdated show… It’s Maxwell House Coffee Time! Well I Swan, but this may have been a reworked script, performed in the 1942, and other seasons! Gracie tries to be more efficient, inspired by support for the war. She shows off her new filing system for tracking household receipts. George tries his hand at shopping. Is it so easy to buy meat, butter, and vegetables? Later, George and Gracie enjoy a movie. It reminds her of her family, but her family tales can’t get George’s mind off the high cost of living. Meredeth Willson tells about his own experience in the theater. A Texan in the neighborhood, Mr Judson, may be interested in backing the play Gracie wants to put on for George. He mainly does it because he thinks George is in a memntal institution. Meredeth Willson plays some transition music, and we find George excited about putting on a musical play. Will it change things for Judson about being in a mental institution when he talks to George in person? Truth comes out, but will George be able to bring himself to punish Gracie? Note: Frank Nelson is the grocery clerk. Mr Judson is played by Gale Gordon.

A young mother is teamed with a grandfather. The 18 year old mom is married to a machine operator. What was it about her childhood sweetheart that swept her off her feet? The 73 year old former defense lawyer tells a little about his career, and involvement in the Elks club. They choose the topic, Familiar Words Beginning with the Letter C, and try to build their $20 as high as they can. A worker in a Mexican restaurant is teamed with a housewife. Groucho learns how Katie met her husband walking off with her silverware. What will he learn about Mexican food, or converting dollars to pesos? Their topic is Fictional Crime Solvers. A Jockey and an airline hostess are paired together. Groucho learns about the occupations. What kind of clients annoy the hostess? Where does the jockey do his riding? Using the topic, Capitals of States, they try to win the most out of their $20. Will someone say the secret word? Listen in to learn who goes to the final round.

Though Squire’s theater has been found in violation of a fire hazard, Lum doesn’t want to issue an arrest warrant. Grandpap insists, but Lum thinks it’ll appear he’s doing it out of spite, and that he’s trying to use the law to selfishly run their rival out of business. As Lum goes to seek advice from Dick Huddleston, Abner fields a phone call about the movie for tonight. Grandpap arrives to see how the arrest is going? Has uncle Henry got Squire in custody yet? Grandpap wants action, and since the papers are signed, he’s willing to take them to uncle Henry himself. As they discuss how stubborn Lum is, we learn just how unsafe Squire’s theater really is. When Lum returns, he wonders over Grandpap’s taken out so quickly, as fast as a scared rabbit to deliver papers to uncle Henry. What will Lum think about it when he learns exactly what grandpap is doing? Dick has advised to drop a discrete word to Squire first, but the ball of justice has already started rolling.

Bob “Springtime” Hope jokes about his recent visit to Army camps. Topics include how Hollywood starlets deal with spring cleaning, fashions, and weddings. Romance on the beach includes new batheing suit fashions. Skinny Ennis is teased about his swimming prowess, and Bill Goodwin joins the beach related jokes. What about Jerry Kolonna? He relives his impressive dive. The Six Hits and a Miss sing, Old Rocking Chair. Humphrey Bogart shows off his humorous side. Movies, guns, and tough childhoods get joked about. The famous movie tough guy shares how he relaxes in the garden. Skinny Ennis claims to be from Bogie’s neck of the woods, and the two move the jokes back to dating, and a lesson in kissing. Skinny Ennis sings, Keep Your Thumbs Up. Bob and Bogey find themselves in jail, discussing their crimes. Soon a prison break is planned, and Bill and Jerry join in the fun. Electric chairs, the third degree, and drunk tanks run the gamut of topics. How does the great escape go? Bob signs off with a different theme song.

After being dinner guests with the neighbors, the Fletchers, Connie Brooks discusses the evening’s events with her land lady. Mrs Davis learns how the night turned into a babysitting session for Connie. We learn some of the English teacher’s parenting skills, and a hint of exposure to a sick child. At school, Mr Conklin isn’t one to Stand for tardiness, whether from student or teacher. Will the oblivious Mr Boynton lend a hand to help in Connie’s extra duties? That warm, flushed feeling she has could be the onset of measles. Mr Boynton has had measles as a child, so fearlessly takes Connie to the school infirmary. Along the way, they encounter Stretch, who reports a sports emergency. The thermometer in her mouth makes it hard for Connie to challenge the advances from the school nurse on Mr Boynton. Later, recovering at home, Connie is comforted by Walter and Harriet. The best thing for measles is to recover in the dark A matter much enhanced with a visit by Mr Boynton. Comedy comes to a head, when Conklin comes for the notes for his speech, but he may have to be quarantined with Connie. Will this mean he’ll lose his award for a tardiness record set among his peers?