Retro Radio Podcast

A young woman answers an ad about a job for a beautiful girl. She goes to the interview to learn about the unusual, and dangerous job. A wealthy eccentric has died and left his fortune to his three sons. He hated his sons, and they hate each other. The conditions of the will, are designed for murder. Each son has an equal share in the inheritance, but if the others are killed off, the remaining son stands to gain it all. One son is already dead. The young woman’s new employers think they know which son is the ruthless one, and want her to help keep any more murders from taking place. If the murdering son wins, the fear is that he’ll aid the Nazi’s. Join this story of intrigue, and swing with the elite and sophisticated movers and shakers of society. How will the young lady help out in finding the missing son who has gone into hiding? Is there a frame up going on? The bodies pile up deep before all the secrets of this tale are revealed.

It has been a week since Gildersleeve has had a baby mysteriously thrust upon him to take care of. Subtle changes have crept into the household. With the womenfolk making plans on going out this evening, it looks as though Gildersleeve will be on his own to watch the baby tonight. Unless of course, he can shirt his duties off onto someone elsse. With no takers, the family leaves for their various social events, leaving Gildy to embrace his duties. As the baby naps, Gildy reads books on parenting. In a paranoid state, he wakes the baby and now she won’t stop crying. The desperate Gildersleeve phones Peavey for help, but advice comes with his friend Adeline visits. A soothing song has the baby resting, at least until Peavey arrives.

As the mysterious activity continues among the guests, realization of gangster activity begins to dawn on Abner. Lum still needs some convincing that he has a bunch of gangsters from Chicago staying in the hotel. Men disguised as women, midgets masquerading as kids. Nobody claims to know each other, but they’re spotted hanging out in each others rooms. Lum has had extra troubles in keeping his dating activities seperated. Does Trixie and Miss Emiline really believe the other is just one of Lum’s cousins? A new stranger arrives at the hotel asking questions about the guests from Chicago. Another guest from Chicago. Is Lum finally growing suispicious? Is this the chief everyone has been talking about, and waiting for? Note: Frank Graham is the guest voice of the mystery man who arrives.

A jewelry store has been robbed, and the theif has escaped. It’s Joe Friday’s job to find him. Friday, and partner Frank Smith question the store employees, and look for clues. Fingerprints, and stains that prove to be blood. More interviews with suspects, and a tip from another of the police departments gives Friday a good trail to follow. An ex-con with stolen goods takes Friday further down the trail of stolen goods. A trail that leads to their man. Joe Friday gathers hard evidence along the way that will seal the fate of the robber.

A forthcoming reception for the hotel guests is being planned, proving to be a huge celebration. Food, dancing, decorations, and all things festive. Lum enters after going to greet Miss Emiline. Which girl will he take to the party, Miss Emiline or Trixie? He thinks he has a plan to take both women. A switchboard call pulls Abner away on his bellhop duties. Dick and Lum get a laugh out of his pride in the new kjob. What made him decide to be bellhop, rather than insisting on being manager as he did in the previous episode? Lum and Dick review the guest list, noticing they are all from the Chicago area. Abner returns, and tells about some scandalous behavior in the rooms. Guests playing poker for money, and backtalk from a child towards her parents. Even Cedric has a report of unusual happenings. Sounds like gangster activity to me. I wonder how long it’ll take for Lum and Abner to figure it all out?

Working the narcotics department, Joe Friday has a troubleing case, he has to stop a man who is selling heroine out of his home. With partner, Frank Smith, Joe Friday responds to a phone call by an informant. In the typical suburban neighborhood, it soon becomes apparrant that a girl is being neglected as she is caught in the dirty business of the drug trade. It doesn’t take long to confront, and arrest the doped up parents, then the story takes time to develop, to show the listener the dangers, and reality of the depth that some people let drugs control their lives. The tragedy of jail time for the crime is one thing, but leaving their underage daughters without parents to care for them is on another level. The mom realizes it too late, but will her cooperation at the last minute help her case? As the story develops, dad is the user, and mom is the facilitator. They are both in jail, but the kids have yet to turn up. Where could they be? Following in her parents footsteps?

It’s time to dictate another report to his secretary, Effie Perine, and Sam is dead on his feet. Acting as an insurance investigator, Sam talks to a dead man, or at he’s legally dead after being declared missing for over 7 years. Lazarus had embezzled over $25k to support his hot, young bride, then settled down in Mexico to wait out his 7 years. At the Blue Bottle Tavern, Sam gets the story from Emma Lazarus-Wilhelm. Sam is onto her gold digging ways, but is he prepared for twists in the story that could bring danger his way? A body shows up, but instead of a thump on the head, Sam ends up drugged from a hypodermic needle. The clock is ticking as Sam fights to overcome the affects of the drug in his system. Will he live long enough and beat the 3 hour time limit placed on him? He needs to prove that Lazarus is who he claims to be, and that the alleged suicide is actually murder. With the cops notified, Sam sets up a trap for a killer.

It’s the second show of the season and Don gives Jack a hard time about being nervous last week. In a candid moment, Jack tells secrets about Eddie Cantor, and other celebrities. The recording of the past show doesn’t exist, but if the reviews are correct, it might just be a good thing. What do i mean? Mary arrives and she reads reviews about last weeks’s show. Glowing for the charming Mary, but not so much for Jack. Phil is synical with Jack about his aledged pay raise, then plays, Am I in Love. More glowing reviews are shared, about Don, and the charming Mary, but not much on Jack. Kenny enters in good spirits. He revels in his new found vices after kissing Mary last week. Andy Divine calls in with a sore throat and a cold. Who knew? At least Andy has some encouraging words of support for Jack. Kenny sings, Whisper in the Dark. Jack announces the play, but is interupted by Schlepperman. Next, Abe Lyman interrupts and is disgruntled over losing the band leader job to Phil for the season. Finally, Phil plays into Don’s final commercial.

Rookie patrolman, Dan Garret. Loved by everyone, but suspected of no one of being the Blue Beetle. Part 1: Trouble with jewel robberies plagues an upscale resort hotel, located on an island out in the river channel. It has city officials up in arms. Dan Garret goes on special assignment to spend a few days in the luxury setting to investigate. As the thefts continue, it becomes apparent that an insider might be doing it. The Blue Beetle shows up and is accused of the robberies, but he has other reasons for making his appearance. When the Beetle makes a hasty exit, the show comes to an end. Who might be doing the stealing? Where would they be hiding their loot? There aren’t many ways to escape the island resort. Part 2: After the thefts, at the ritzy resort, neither the jewels or the thieves have been found. When the Blue Beetle made his exit, he had a handle on who the robber was. Now he returns as Dan Garret to keep up appearances. Dan’s partner Mike, seems to be onto something, as far as the motive behind the mystery, but all the clues aren’t quite in yet. Doing more poking around, the Blue Beetle confirms how the jewels are being removed from the island. This is definitely a mystery that is solved more by wits than superhero ability, although the Blue Betle does call on his nifty gadgets to spring the trap on the gang of thieves. In the end, the Blue Beetle saves the day, but gives all the credit to his police partner, Mike. Such a nice guy.

In the Andrews home Fred is trying to arrange a trip to aunt Hattie’s, but Archie complains about having to make the trip. Wen the car has a flat tire, Archie and Fred get busy changing it. This ought to take only five minutes, right? When the jack is broken, Mary wants to hire a mechanic to handle the job, but Fred insists on saving money and doing it himself. Jugheads borrowed jack is the old fashioned scissor jack, and not the new fashioned bumper jack. Not to mention, there’s no handle. Archie tries to borrow a jack from Betty, but she’s baking a cake that he is roped into helping with. Back at the Andrews home, Betty brings her jack over for Fred to use. Itr doesn’t work, dad gets stuck under the car, but manages to get free. A decision to hire a mechanic is made, but where’s Archie? For that matter, where’s Jughead? It’s already bad enough but what else can go wrong? With chaos in full fever pitch, will the Andersons ever get to aunt Hatties? The frustration of the day climaxes in a surprise ending. At least it’s a surprise to the Andews family.

The scene, Riley’s weekly poker game. Conversation turns to the topic of how to handle a woman. Back home, in the reality of the domestic world where Peg deals with a blocked kitchen sink. Riley tries his best to keep Peg happy while he takes it easy, and watches her labor over the housework, or at least that’s how he sees it. I think he’s about to learn a big lesson. Riley makes a realization on his own, and sets out to make up for the past 18 years of having Peg do housework. He wants to giver a rest and take over the cooking, cleaning,washing, and bear Peg’s children. Hey, that’s what he said. How long will this last? It doesn’t take long for word to get around, and soon all the wives rope their hubbies into chores. All the ladies love him, but what about his poker buddies? Maybe not so much. Digger O’Dell is on hand with some words of advice, and graveyard puns. What should Riley do? Do right by his wife, or do right by his buddies? He has good intentions, and a plan that… almost works.

A reception is planned and Lum finds himself in a dilemma. Should he take the returning Miss Emiline, or his new found love interest, Trixie Van Deusen. Abner talks about some of their other new guests in the hotel. People have even been arriving from airplane, a contraption that Lum thinks he might like to ride in. Abner tells how some of the guests say they’ll stay at least until the smoke clears. What does that mean anyway? Abner also talks about how one of the local youngsters is afraid of all the sudden rush of strangers in town, hiding under the porch. Lum tells about more turmoil that visiting airplane has caused among the citezens of Pine Ridge. Does Trixie have something to do with all the new guests in town? Lum doubts it, but Abner tells about a suspicious encounter he witnessed in the hotel lobby. Cedric might be able to clear up the mystery of Trixie’s telegrams.

Audio quality is excellent, close your eyes, listen, and feel as though you’re right in the middle of the action. An explosion in Galveston has emergency workers dealing with helping the survivors, and trying to find those who are still missing. More than 200 are layed out, and yet to be identified as we join the Texas Rangers in helping the grieving family members locate their loved ones. Vance Young is a safe cracker, and a man the rangers had been looking for, now he’s counted among the dead. With the body burned beyond recognition, can the cops take the word of the grieving wife? Accidents like this one are ideal for a criminal looking to disappear, and sure enough, soon afterward a rash of safe cracking goes down. Fingerprints are wiped, and the intruder is careful to avoid cameras and witnesses. Is there any elements the rangers can use to identify their robber? A profile is gathered that’s a match for the dead Vance Young. It’s off to investigate the last known where abouts of Vance, and to track down his missing widow. Lilian’s steps are retraced, and details emerge that the dead man was actually her brother. Her grief was real, but the cover up seals the knowledge that Vance is still out there, and on the run. A trail is found that leads to a cabin on a lake. Texas Rangers gather, and draw the net tighter. Will Vance slip through their fingers at the last moment? A canoe chases after a motor boat in the dark and… well, just enjoy the final suspenseful moments as the manhunt ends.

Hosted by Marlene Dietrich who leads off with a song. Either she is one of the worlds worst singers, or she’s just making a joke of the song. Shirley Ross does a much better job when she sings a swinging Irish popular tune of the day. Marlene introduces a pianist who demonstrates how he puts a fresh spin on old familiar tunes. Comedian, Zero Marcell talks about radio, and radio programs. He then launches into some musical impersonations. Martha Tilton reads from the mail bag then sings, Sweet Lovers Love the Spring. After reading a few greetings from the mail bag, Ella May Morris is joined by Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers to sings, Blues in the Night. Marlene returns to sing. Wow, no joking, she’s one of the worst singers on the old Hollywood silver screen. A great actress, a sexy voice, but singing just wasn’t her thing. Hey, while you’re here, why not listen to another show to get that atonal voice out of your ears? With all due apologies to to Marlene and any of her beloved family, of course.

Summer is over, and Gildersleeve takes Marjorie and LeRoy shopping for school supplies. Uncle Mort gets the bill for the shopping spree, and is glad he only has two kids to raise. Any more, and he’s afraid he couldn’t afford it. Then it happens. He finds a baby that was left in his back seat. Who did it? Where did she come from? It appears that Gildy is stuck with an extra kid until the mom can be found. Everybody falls in love with the abandoned child. As frustrated as Gildersleeve is, he still manages to do right by the baby. The Judge wants to arrange for the baby to be taken to an orphanage. Gildersleeve seems eager to send the baby away, but is resigned to keep her for a few days. Surely he won’t let that sweet little baby go to a home, will he? Gildy heads to Peavey’s Drug store to get away, and seek some advice. For all his bluster, Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve turns out to be a big softy.