http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com A weblog and podcast featuring vintage broadcasts directly transferred from original transcriptions. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:49:40 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We had another program in this series a few weeks back.  "The Adventures of Dick Cole" was a half-hour kids show based on a character in Blue Bolt Comics and syndicated in the 1940s by Charles Michelson through World Broadcasting System, Inc. In program two, Dick and his pal break up ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/09/04/the-adventures-of-dick-cole-pgm-2/ Comedians Gill and Doemling highlight "Nonsense and Melody", a breezy little comedy variety show produced by Transco in 1935-36.  We pick up this week with episode 24 in the series. Jean's having a party at her hotel as the troupe visits Venice, so we get lots of jokes about canals in ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/09/04/nonsense-and-melody-pgm-24/ Another episode of the previously uncirculated series "Your Home Front Reporter", broadcast afternoons on CBS and sponsored by the Owens Illinois Glass Company. In the episode of May 12, 1943, the third program in the series, Fletcher Wiley comments on taking care of your car for the war effort, women going ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/09/04/your-home-front-reporter-may-12-1943-pgm-3/ "The Eddy Duchin Show" was produced for the US Navy in the late 1940s and featured a different guest vocalist each week.  There are thirteen programs in the series. Duchin, of course, was a veteran of the US Navy and seems comfortable engaging in the promos for different branches of Navy ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/09/04/the-eddy-duchin-show-pgm-1/ Note: This program contains some World War II-era racial stereotyping slang that may be offensive to some listeners. Continuing our look at "Your Home Front Reporter", a previously undocumented Wartime series, we hear program 2, broadcast May 11, 1943 on the CBS network. Commentator Fletcher Wiley discusses why we shouldn't get ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/27/your-home-front-reporter-pgm-2-may-11-1943/ Note: This program contains some World War II-era racial stereotyping slang that may be offensive to some listeners. We're starting a new series on the blog with "Your Home Front Reporter". This half-hour program was broadcast in the afternoons, Monday through Friday, on the CBS network. Sponsored by ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/27/your-home-front-reporter-pgm-1-may-10-1943/ Here we offer the very first performance of "Sorry, Wrong Number" with Agnes Moorehead from the CBS series "Suspense", originally broadcast May 25, 1943.  This version is the one heard by our Armed Forces on AFRS in 1943 as program number 8 in the "Suspense" series. I posted a later performance ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/27/suspense-afrs-pgm-8-sorry-wrong-number/ For completists only, we continue our look at vapid children's programming, circa the 1940s, with uncirculated program 2 of "The Adventures of Frank Farrell", syndicated by the Russell C. Comer Company of Kansas City.  Frank's altercation with the school's bully Tony in the previous program is the talk of the ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/27/the-adventures-of-frank-farrell-pgm-2/ Proving that not all of Golden Age radio is classic, here's the premiere episode of "The Adventures of Frank Farrell", a low-budget rip-off of "Archie", albeit without humor or decent acting.  The show was syndicated, probably in the 1940s, by the Russell C. Comer Company, Kansas City.  We heard the ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/27/the-adventures-of-frank-farrell-pgm-1b/ Well, I've only got a couple of shows for you this week, but this one's a doozy. Direct for a set of Armed Forces Radio Service transcriptions, here's a special ninety minute edition of "Command Performance" from May 29, 1946, celebrating the fourth anniversary of AFRS. The show is a compilation of ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/20/special-command-performance-afrs-fourth-anniversary/ Continuing from our previous post on the series "The Works Progress Administration Presents", we have another rare recording of a lesser known composer. Program 53 of the 1938 series features the Forum String Quartet of Boston performing the Lento from the String Quartet, Opus 96 by Dvorak and the Allegretto movement ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/20/the-works-progress-administration-presents-1938-series-pgm-53/ Here's a little something for you classical music buffs out there. "The Works Progress Administration Presents" was a series syndicated from 1936 to 1938 featuring WPA sponsored orchestral, vocal and chamber groups performing contemporary and standard classical works. The program was part of the Federal Music Project, directed by Nikolai ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/20/the-works-progress-administration-presents-1937-series-pgm-10/ In this post, "Wet Saturday", originally broadcast December 16, 1943 on CBS's "Suspense".  The episode is a very British black-humored story about a murdered curate and a cast of eccentrics who may have killed him.  The show stars Charles Laughton and also features character actor Hans Conreid trying out his ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/13/suspense-afrs-pgm-30-wet-saturday/ Here's another episode of the long-running weekly dramatic series, "Front Page Drama", sponsored by Hearst Newspapers and featuring adaptations of stories appearing in the "American Weekly" magazine. This episode, number 144 in the series, was broadcast January 25, 1936 and is titled "Repayment".  The story concerns international intrigue about a small ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/13/front-page-drama-pgm-144/ We're nearing the end of our run of episodes of "The Two Daffodils", a comedy series syndicated by the Continental Broadcasting Corporation circa 1930-31.  The show features comedians Ken Gillum and Duke Atterbury. In program 3081A, there's a sketch about a passenger complaining about an airline, Ken Gillum sings a novelty ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/13/the-two-daffodils-pgm-3081a/ Here's another rare old time radio series, "The Adventures of Frank Farrell", syndicated by the Russell C. Comer Company, Kansas City and probably dating from the 1940s. In this Audition program, which isn't in circulation among otr enthusiasts, the local commercials are replaced by a pitch to potential advertisers about the ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/13/the-adventures-of-frank-farrell-audition-program/ Here's a typical example of a very early syndicated show from 1930.  "The Ollendorff Watch Makers" was sponsored by a watch company and produced by Hanff Metger, Inc.  The program features The Swordsmen and the Three Musketeers, but what we're really hearing are studio musicians.   As far as I can ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/08/ollendorff-watch-makers-pgm-13/ Here's another episode of "Your Playhouse of Favorites", a program syndicated by NBC consisting of dramas based on classic literature. Program 50 in the series, dating from circa 1949-50, is "Enoch Arden", based on the poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson.  It's the story of a sailor who leaves his wife behind ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/08/playhouse-of-favorites-pgm-50-enoch-arden/ We turn once again to the Transco syndicated musical comedy show, "Nonsense and Melody", featuring Gill and Doemling from 1935-36. We last left the series with episode 20 a few weeks ago in the blog and I'm missing the disc containing show numbers 21 and 22. So, picking up with ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/08/08/nonsense-and-melody-pgm-23/ In this episode of the classic NBC science fiction series "X Minus One", a group of human traders at a far planetary outpost deal with an alien population that can control the characteristics of their offspring. "If You Was a Moklin" was originally broadcast on June 12, 1956; the version heard ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/31/x-minus-one-june-12-1956-afrts-pgm-77-if-you-was-a-moklin/ We dive again into our circa 1947 syndicated series, "Choose a Song Partner, from Eugenia Price Productions and featuring vocalist Don Moreland singing tunes based on clues given by host Beryl Vaughn.  The show also includes organist Adele Scott and is sponsored by FormFit Life Bras and Life Girdles. In program ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/31/choose-a-song-partner-pgm-6/ Here's another episode of the popular Treasury Department public service program that ran for many years.  Program 444, originally broadcast the week of September 25, 1955, features Eartha Kitt backed by John Conte and Harry Sosnick and the Savings Bond Orchestra. In the show, "Grenada"  and "Thine Alone" are performed by ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/31/guest-star-444-sept-25-1955/ With Presidential candidate Barack Obama visiting Europe and the Middle East, it seemed like a good time to once again delve into a program that highlights how media in the US depicted foreign countries in the past. “Ports of Call”, syndicated circa 1935-36, was produced by the Philip J. ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/23/ports-of-call-persia/ "Guest Star" was a series with hundreds of episodes released to radio stations in the 1940s and through the early 60s to promote the sales of US Savings Bonds.  The program is more well-known for musical guests, but, on occasion, an actor or comedian would be given a turn at ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/23/guest-star-pgm-443-sept-18-1955-portrait-by-cupid-with-vincent-price/ Another entry in the series "Choose a Song Partner" syndicated circa 1947 by Eugenia Price Productions and sponsored by Formfit Life Bras and Life Girdles. Host Beryl Vaughn offers clues to songs performed by singer Don Moreland and organist Adele Scott.  Songs on program 5 include "Rose of Juarez", "Foresticato" (performed ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/23/choose-a-song-partner-pgm-5/ Another entry in the series "The Sports Answer Man", syndicated by Sherman Productions circa 1945-46.  The show features sports announcer France Laux and was transferred from an original red vinyl pressing done by Disco Recordings, St. Louis. The questions include topics such as the origins of baseball's spring training, whether a ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/23/sports-answer-man-pgm-25/ "The Whistler" is a popular otr mystery anthology series that was on CBS for several years. Here we offer an Armed Forces Radio Service version of a show that's in circulation in its network version; this particular AFRS version of the program survives in remarkable condition and is near ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/18/the-whistler-afrs-pgm-211-jan-27-1952-borrowed-byline/ Note: This program may be offensive to some listeners due to racial stereotyping themes. Our surreal quarter hour of gospel music, yodeling, Blackface comedy and laxative commercials returns with another episode of "Southland Echoes". The series was syndicated circa 1949 by the Nelson Chesman Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee and ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/18/southland-echoes-pgm-49-18/ Note: This program may be offensive to some listeners due to racial stereotyping themes. Another episode of "Southland Echoes", a weekly quarter hour program of music and comedy syndicated to stations serving hillbilly audiences circa 1949. The program was syndicated by the Nelson Chesman Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee and ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/18/southland-echoes-pgm-49-17/ "The Adventures of Dick Cole" was a juvenile adventure program syndicated in the 1940s based on a feature in Blue Bolt Comics.  I've found references that indicate the show was initially recorded and distributed in 1942 and the RadioGOLDINdex dates a run to 1946.  The program stars Leon Janney as ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/12/adventures-of-dick-cole-pgm-24-circa-1946/ This program was syndicated by the American Legion as a public service during the Korean War.  Different shows in the series dealt with various aspects of America's readiness with air power.  The program is a curious relic of the Cold War - the changes in air fighting technology after World ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/12/the-american-legion-asks-how-good-is-american-air-power-pgm-4-1953/ "Say It With Music" was distributed by the California Department of Employment and features a different orchestra each week with host Bill Ladd.  It's a rare of example of a regionally distributed public service program that would have been heard on local stations during the OTR era. In program 153, Buzz ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/12/say-it-with-music-pgm-153-march-25-1951/ "Say It With Music" is an interesting example of a regional public service program that would have been a major component of the broadcast day for local stations during the classic old time radio era.  In this case, the show promotes services from the California Department of Employment and features ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/12/say-it-with-music-pgm-152-march-18-1951/ See an update at the end of this post on this puzzling disc ... In this post, we take a look at an uncirculated episode of the adventure series "Rocky Jordan" which may be from a previously undocumented run of the series. Directly transferred from an AFRTS set of discs ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/04/rocky-jordan-afrts-pgm-7-the-nile-runs-high/ Our final War World II era sound check from WCFL, Chicago is a show called "Any Bonds Tonight".  This fifteen minute show, broadcast December 26, 1944 from 8:45 to 9:00 p.m., sounds like it was a larger War Bond drive taking place at the station on that day. Instead of recordings, ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/03/any-bonds-tonight-dec-26-1944-wcfl-chicago/ Here's another episode of "Americans at Work", a weekly series produced as a WW II morale booster by WCFL in Chicago.  These WCFL transcriptions were probably cut for the guest speaker heard on the show, sales manager Carl E. Payne, or his employer, Oscar W. Hedstrom Corporation. Payne gives a short ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/03/americans-at-work-oct-12-1942-wcfl-chicago/ "Americans at Work" was a locally produced morale-boosting series broadcast weekly over WCFL in Chicago.  In between recordings of popular war-themed songs, the announcers salute local businesses and manufacturers contributing to the war effort and the show features a short talk by a special guest.  The overall tone of the ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/03/americans-at-work-sept-29-1942-wcfl-chicago/ "Hearts in Harmony" was a five day a week soap opera syndicated in the mid-West from 1941 into the 1950s.  The show was sponsored by grocery store chain, Kroger.  The story of the series is as old as drama itself - a young man from "the wrong side of the ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/03/hearts-in-harmony-confidential-prevue-circa-1941/ Another entry in the Hoosier Hot Shots five minute program series sponsored by Alka Seltzer and probably dating from the late 1930s. In program 52, the Hoosier Hot Shots perform "At Seven, Seventeen and Seventy" and "I'm Wild About Horns on Automobiles".  The program was transferred to digital from an NBC ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/02/hoosier-hot-shots-alka-seltzer-show-pgm-52/ Here's something of a rarity, a five minute musical show featuring the Hoosier Hot Shots and sponsored by Alka-Seltzer.  The shows are contained on the flip side of the Vass Family five minute programs I posted a few weeks ago.  There was a Hoosier Hot Shots five minute show on ... http://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/2008/07/02/hoosier-hot-shots-alka-seltzer-show-pgm-51/