Retro Radio Podcast

A secretary at a financial investment firm isn’t content with earning money the honest way. With the help of a shady friend, they plan on making their own enhancements to the tune of a $45k profit for themselves. They’ve cooked up the books, and stashed away a pile of bonds, but a discrepancy of a penny is all it takes for her boss to want to go over the figures again. When she tries to get the bonds back from Yancey to cover her tracks, he suddenly thinks that she’s trying to cut him out of the deal. Millie has also managed to get on the wrong side of her boss, and bad luck begins to plague her every step. Will she be able to beat the clock and have the missing bonds back in time? Is Yancey leaving town on her, and taking the bonds with him? He promises to give them back, but only after she has been audited. In the heat of an argument Millie kills Yancey, but now she has to figure out where he hid the bonds, before someone rushes in to see what the shots were about and get caught with the smoking gun. A twist ending waits when detective Kelley listens to her tell the whole story. If you pay attention to the air date of this episode, you’ll guess what it is that could have bought Millie some time. All she had to do was wait for the bonds, and all would have been well.

In previous episodes, Gildy and Adeline have gotten engaged. Last week, at the climax of the engagement party festivities, a cab pulls up, and Leila gets out. Today Gildy mourns over his engagement, even though it is for a good cause, namely in being able to adopt the mystery baby who showed up at the beginning of the season. Leila is Gildy’s old flame who he was nce engaged to and nearly married. She sure has a knack of returning to the picture just when Gildy is getting serious over someone. Is there still something between them? Gildersleeve goes to the office and tries to get back into a normal routine. Throwing himself into his work might be just the thing to help forget Leila, except that everybody keeps mentioning her. Then he manages to get a secret lunch date with Leila. Are old flames rekindling? Gildersleeve sings to her, Tender Words of Love. Gildy is in a bind. He’s now engaged to two women. Maybe his friend Peavey will have the advice he needs, but I wouldn’t say that. A visit to Floyd the barber doesn’t make things much better, although he offers a word of advice that might be more practical than anything else yet. Gildersleeve faces up to his two women. Will the fur start to fly in a huge cat fight? Will Gildy still end up being engaged? Will he still end up being alive? PS: It’s the last week of the sponsor give away, enter the Name the Baby Contest for the big prizes of cash, appliances, and cars. All you need to do is build a time machine and travel back to 1948, and clean up big.

In the Jot ‘Em Down store, Abner works at the coffee machine, and Lum talks to him about the happenings at church. Abner tells about the folks in the Sunday meeting, and relives the unfolding drama that led up to the morning song service. How did people react to Lum’s handiwork,and the ruined piano? Abner recounts the highlights of the service, the charitable work, and fellowship of the congregation. The song service! What about the song service? Abner’s play by play of the details keeps getting into more depth, all to Lum’s agony. Grandpap enters, but will he suspect Lum had a hand in the piano incident? Just what exactly happened,and what clues is the sheriff, Henry Lunsford investigating? What does he know, and why has he called Lum?

A classic story by Ray Bradbury. Travelling astronauts find a well known doctor, and are welcomed to the feast the old gent has prepared for them. Doc Hathaway, and his family are all younger and more well preserved than expected on their far flung planet where they now reside. They all seem to be 20 years younger than they should be. Is there something strange going on, or is it just the affects of the doctors experiments with radiation? Whatever is going on is unnatural, and there’s some explaining to do when grave markers are found that are 20 years old. With the results of human engineering on their hands, what will the astronauts do about it? Rescue them and take them home? Kill them to put them out of their misery? Who says they are even miserable?

The Christmas broadcast is about to go out, and the Home Guard members get ready to do their part in relaying greetings to and from troops serving across the Channel. Time for the mic check… what shall they say? A limerick, a song, something from vaudeville? What about sound affects? Somebody has to make animal sounds, and make wind. Parts are read, and the enacted night on patrol demonstrates the brave Home Guard, keeping the coasts safe. Will England be impressed? Will the king be impressed? Will their radio play be heard at all?

After being shown a blue mink coat, Phil tries to decide whether to buy it for Alice. With Remley by his side, they are more interested in the model who is showing it. Phil just needs to run home to get Alice’s measurements before he closes the deal. At home the girls talk to Alice about their Christmas wish list. A collection of toys needed for them to play house. Phil tries to sneak the info he needs for Alice’s coat, while Frankie snoops through the mail. In the process Frankie mistakes something one of the girls said, Frankie tells Phil that Alice is allergic to mink. What can Phil get now? More misunderstandings are brought up when Frankie shows the list that Alice was working on for the girls Christmas gifts. Alice sings, Be Goodie Goodie to Me. Instead of her mink, Phil and Frankie get busy installing her new toys to be a model homemaker, a dishwasher and garbage disposals. The handimen get interrupted at their work by Julius, and his wisecracks. Entering the scene in full mess, Alice finds out what her gift is, and the fireworks are about to start. Especially when Phil demonstrates the sucess of his installation job. Poor Alice.

Joe Friday works the burglary detail, and has to investigate a house fire. When Joe looks through the burned out place with the homeowner, it may be a case of using the fire to cover up for a robbery. Valuable jewels, and even food from the pantry and freezer is missing. Other robberies are reportedc that are similar, but without fires. When a man reports a break in at his home, and coins are stolen, it takes a few days, but Jo Friday and Frank Smith have the lead that helps wrap up this case. There’s enough evidence to haul their man in, but Joe is going for an airtight case, and stakes the man out. He finds his house, and all the missing goods.

At the dinner table, with elbows on the table, the McGee’s discuss giving 10% to the war effort. They also mention support by donating food to send out of the country. Fibber doesn’t seem to be lacking for food, but when he’s out of chili sauce, he sets out to make his own favorite condiment. He was a Mess Sergeant in the last war… or so he claims. Doc Gamble enters to learn about Fibber’s old Vaudeville routine. Billy Mills plays, Surrey With the Fringe on Top. In the kitchen, Fibber tries to make sense of the notations on the recipe card. Calling to complain to the grocery, Fibber learns the phone operator, Myrt, has an unmentionable problem. Harlowe Wilcox pops in to report on food support going overseas on the lend lease program, as he squeeks in the sponsor message. The spices are cooking down, and smelling good, when Alice Darling enters. What kind of dating emergency is she having with her boyfriends now? The Kingsmen sing, I Got a Gal In Starwood Mountain. Molly needs her kitchen back, if Fibber has any hope to eat another meal. Uncle Dennis enters to tell about his social circles in Wistful Vista. What kind of cooking mishaps has he had in former jobs? Will his story dash Fibber’s dreams? Fibber steps out, to find Teeny waiting to comfort him. Has he totally flubbed his famous chili sauce?

Charlemagne is to be crowned Emporer of Rome on the Christmas holiday, but he is missing. CBS reporters take you back to relive those moments at the big coronation ceremony. Reporters bring the listener up to speed on a few of the political decisions behind the coronation, its significance, and why Charlemaine may have decided to bow out of it. What’s the big confusion? When you are to recieve supreme authority, who do you get to bestow that supreme authority? The pope represents bowing to God. Should Charlemaine, the supreme emporer bow to that authority? His counselors say, “No.” If he already has supreme control, does he really need to subject himself to the ceremony? Representatives from Rome think the counselors are misguided. With, or without Charlemaine, the mass begins as CBS reporters offer commentary to the elaborate activities. What do the common people think? Reporters do some man on the street interviews with parishioners as they enter the cathedral. Elsewhere, outside the noise of the event at hand, official word arrives from Charlemaine. He won’t be on hand to accept the crown from the pope, and his spokesman explains why. Situations of political unrest, war, and other concerns are expressed. What kind of world politics might this decision affect? What kind of precedence does it set? Tense situations are on the political landscape. Will Charlemaine follow his counselors advice, or not? Back in the cathedral, we find out.

It’s late at night, and Lum and Abner skulk around inside the church. What are they up to? Lum has some directions from Mr Taggert, his tutor for learning how to tune pianos. Abner is confused at the letters of the notes in the musical scale. Just wait until Lum gets to the part of using a tuning fork. How do you get your vittles on that little thing? You’d have to pitch pretty quick, or they’d all fall off. Forget checking the pitch of middle C, where ever that is, Lum can’t wait to use his little wrench to start adjusting the piano strings. Those directions are a bit much for Lum, so he uses his own method. One little bittey broken piano string won’t matter, will it? Maybe not, but what about all those other parts that keep breaking off?

A classic show with two classic comedians. Prior to the show, Eddie Cantor makes a phone calls to get Jackk Benny on his show. He has to wait until Jack takes care of some important business at the local drugstore. As the show begins, Eddie chats with announcer, Harry Vonzell about how stingy Jack is, then keeps giving Jack the brush off. Hattie McDaniels joins the teasing by commenting on both Rochester and Jack. Once Jack makes it on stage, he and Eddie take a few jabs at each other, and Jack plugs his new film, Washigton Slept Here. Jack is such a humble soul. (wink, wink) Eddie is polite as Jack talks about his acting prowess, but when Jack leaves for a moment, Eddie tells Harry what he really thinks. Dinah Shore arrives to sing, and Jack calls her aside to try to woo her away from the show. When it doesn’t work she sings,m White Christmas. Hey, it may be out of season, but it gives you something to think about on a hot Summer day. Next, Jack tries to win Harry Vonzell away from the show, but it just leads to a segway for a commercial. Upset over the ordeal, Eddie impersonates Rochester for a prank phone call to Jack. The Mad Russian doesn’t have any qualms about leaving Eddie. His loyalties are so fickle. After another commercial break, Jack accompanies Eddie on violin as he sings, Ida Sweet as Apple Cider. Of course, getting a few pitches for their respective sponsors. PS: I also noticed the date is a little different. Not sure if it aired twice, or if the dates were just recorded wrong in a show listing somewhere out there. If I figure it out, Ill have to fix it later. My guess is the later date is correct.

Rochester tries to find something to whip up for Jack’s breakfast. Jack reads the big news that Dewey just won the election. A famously incorrect news report as it turns out. Jack hears his echo again. The cast come over to rehearse, and Mary collects on the election bet. They joke around about Fred Allen, and Bob Hope. Dennis pulls a prank when he shows up, and as he chats with Jack the echo returns. Dennis sings, but it gets snipped out. Don and Phil pop in to rehearse. Phil plugs his own show as he teases Jack. After the echo makes a few more appearances, Mary convinces Jack to go to the psychiatrist, played by Frank Nelson. While waiting for the doc, Jack sits next to Mr Skinner, actually Mel Blanc. He’s a man who thinks he’s a rabbit. Sounds like a chance to have Bugs Bunny appear. The source of the echo is explained to the doc. Jokes include the recent election results, and Jack’s stinginess. The doctor has a cure for him. Will it work? Everythings back to normal, right?

Broadcast from the Marine Base in the Mojave Desert, it’s the Marine Corps Birthday. Through the show Jack and the cast is buzzed by a low flying fighter plane, with machine guns blazing, everytime the Marine Birthday is mentioned. Jack and Don make jokes about the local features of the base, and it’s surroundings. Mary jokes about being the only girl with hundreds of Marines. Jack announces, with jealousy, that Fred Allen will be back on the air in mid-December. Phil hams it up, and talks with Mary about her and the Marines. Phil plays. Mary puts Jack on the spot about his trip to the local gold mine. Jack brings up his concern about the fighters that keep buzzing him to the Colonel, actually John Brown. Dennis arrives to tease Jack a little more about the gold mine. Then Dennis sings, Oh What a Beautiful Morning. Mel Blanc enters as Mess Sergeant Gillis with a word on the fine dining that Marines mostly definitely don’t enjoy. The infamous running gag about Cpl Crowley makes another appearance. Rochester phones in. More hints about the gold mine are dug up before the show comes to a close. Happy 235th Birthday, Marines! Semper Fi.

Getting away to the sparkles and spangles of his 8 year old self , Watson tells about the adventure he and Holmes had at a French circus. The excitement fell flat for Holmes, though he shares a little about the illicit background of some of the entertainers. Mycroft joins the fun, and hears some of Holmes racy secrets about the performers. More friends of Holmes show up. Going back stage, Watson may find himself in trouble. Will Watson live out a boyhood fantasy? Will a threatening letter mean a mystery is in the works for Holmes? The famous detective will need to act, to clear Dr Watson from a murder charge. Note: This is a reworked script from Murder Under The Big Top. ep149 441106

On a trip to the woods to swim, one in the group is warned not to sing before the wives can Get breakfast ready. Is it just a silly superstition? It originates to the apostle Peter, and a warning to keep nightly meetings secret, or face persecution from Romans, or other enemies of the church. One newlywed gent relates his recent trip to Italy, and his scoffing the superstition. His good natured singing, and flippant behavior towards the unknown man in the room next door leads to the train being stopped that he and his bride were taking to other countries in Europe. Little did he know, the complaining man next door was actually an official; who was being assassinated, and his flippancy was mistaken for the killer. Will he be able to convince the police he didn’t know anything about the diplomat? Clearly, he is telling the story to friends, so stay tuned to hear about his narrow escape, and the not so narrow escape from the local game warden. Note: The game warden claims to have a “flivver” down by the road. The word was a common nickname for the old Model-T Fords of the early 20th century. Noted for being common, cheap, and mostly reliable. As they aged, they became iconic as the common teenage jalopy in later decades. Of course, any old car, with a wheel or two in the junkyard, could also be called a jalopy.