Retro Radio Podcast

Scotland Yard inspectors discuss the matter of murder, and a missing housewife. Calling on professor Harvey, the soft spoken man is asked questions about his wife, and her singing talent, or lack there of. With Mrs Harvey missing, a housekeeper has now set up residence in the home, and details emerge to indicate Mrs Harvey is dead rather than missing.

Clues are reviewed that paint a picture of marital unrest in the days leading up to the disappearance. When more questions are in order, the professor, and his housekeeper are both gone. The grounds get closer scrutiny, and debris is found that include a body. Reporters pick up the story, and soon witnesses who claim to have seen the fleeing Harvey come in.

The manhunt goes out even as far as to ships at sea, in the event Harvey is returning to the states. Is there any real proof Harvey killed his wife? Or even that the dismembered body is his wife?

The professor has slipped through their fingers, but the body has been positively identified. The chase is renewed, and the professor is caught up to, and is willing to go peaceably.

Note: Though the story is told without hints t characterization, time, or place, it implies a contemporary crime. however, compare this to an episode of Suspense – Home for Christmas, with Peter Lorre, and it’s eerily similar.

PS: there was a real crime that took place some 50 years before this show aired, where a professor killed his wife, ran off with a younger woman, were caught at sea, and she disguised herself as a boy while they travelled.

It just goes to show that reality often flavors, and is even the source of stories.

After making a date with Gladys, Henry phones her to iron out details of when to pick her up. He still needs some advice from his dad on how to conduct himself, and to figure out if the time for the date will interfere with dinner. Meanwhile, in Gladys Prentice home, we find the equally awkward teen working out protocols with her mother in connecting with Henry. Has Henry been invited for dinner, or not? Second guesses, and assumptions abound. Will he need a suit, or formal dress?

The time has come, and ready for the best, Henry calls on Gladys in his tuxedo. Crossed wires, and confusion continue when Henry learns that Gladys expected to be taken out, and not have dinner at home. Meanwhile, the elder Mr Aldrich is dining out. Can the younger Mr Aldrich tag along, and have his dad pick up the tab at the high class restaurant with the high class prices?

Homer holds Henry’s money bag, and ends up tagging along while Gladys orders, leaving Henry with little more than bread and water. How will Henry ever pay for the feast tonight? What ever happened to his father? Answers are revealed for a happy end to the evening.

Homicide Detail. A murderous rampage, where victims are beaten senseless, needs to be stopped.

The Rattlesnake Bandit is the topic as Joe Friday reports in, and discusses the vicious attacks, and possible motive for the crimes. Goods from the robberies are small, but victims end up in the hospital, unconscious, and unable to talk. Finally, Ralph wakes up, and tries to tell Joe and Ben what happened. The shooting may not have killed his girlfriend, but she has been blinded.

In their patrol car, Ben Romero and Joe Friday

Discuss cheap shoes, and Get some smokes as they report back in at the station. The shorthanded cops are soon back on the streets to follow clues, and the blonde who drove the get away car. The wild eyed gunman has struck again. Lois, a local waitress is identified as his accomplice, and the search heats up.

Pursuing leads about Lois Hagen, finds Joe and Ben in the kitchen of a small restaurant while Mrs Hagen tells the story of her daughters downfall, friends, and habits. The sad tale of a fresh, clean baby who started well, but ending in complicated entanglements.

Closing in, and in voiceover, Joe describes the final stages as cops make their move in a hail of gunfire.

Maintaining his position fairly securely, Cedric is still in charge of the lost treasure company. Can Lum and Abner get him out of office before he runs the company into the ground? While grandpap is out raising money for Lum, he tells Abner the plan to go on a trip to Tennessee tomorrow. Abner will just be glad to not have to dictate another letter to Cedric’s uncle Dave.

Abner praises Lum for his planned expedition, and how the gents will be in charge of it, instead of Cedric. Will an end finally be put to Cedric’s iron rule? Lum’s loan may have come through, but do they have any collateral? Abner thinks they’re all out of stock on collaterals.

Is it safe if Lum uses the treasure map itself to put up for the cash? Will Abner agree to putting his place up for the loan too? Through a long chain of loans, and cash changing hands, Cedric may still end up with the map, and the expedition could go through as planned.

Young Clyde Banning, son of the District Attorney, has his license revoked after driving drunk after a New Year’s eve party. The embarrassment increases when we learn that Clyde is in love with the daughter of the arch crime boss, and ex-convict. Is it time to break it off with her? An accident finds her dead, along the roadside, and fear drives Clyde to get away, and as far from the scene as he can.

At home, Clyde is on edge as his parents enjoy a breakfast. Is there any witnesses who saw what happened? Will blackmail add to the complications for Clyde? What if the blackmail pressure spreads to Clyde’s mom? With Clyde and Marsha turning over every cent they have to Rollins, the tension is about to reach the breaking point.

Imagine the pressure on Clyde when the crime boss learns who killed his daughter. Is there a way out for Clyde? All he has to do is steal a key piece of evidence from his dad’s safe, and give the letter over. The DA is frantic to learn murder has happened in his own home when Rollins turns up dead. The tangled mess of lines, murder, and cover up is about to have the lid kicked off of the steaming mess. Blake, and Banning come head to head, but will the stickler for justice go so far as to prosecute his own son?

Stand by for an explosion of twisted turns in the plot, and a deeper grain of blackmail than was suspected as the light of truth shines. But the Whistler still has one last twist that is the key to justice.

Note: To open this installment from the Retro Radio Vault, Keith shares a quick intro to the various entertainers heard in today’s show. Later, the Retrobots take over, but remember the contct information given is out of date.

Announcer: Louie Buck. Host: Red Foley.

Playlist:

* Rolly Polly (Red Foley)

* Wait til the Sun Shines Nellie. (Wally Fowler’s (Oakridge Quartet)

* Meeting in the Air. (Roy Acuff)

* Brother names himself. (Minnie Pearl)

* I Love to Tell the Story. (Red Foley)

* Unclouded Day. (Roy Acuff)

* Great Speckled Bird. (Roy Acuff)

* I’m Coming Home. (Grandpa Jones)

* Romance scene in the picture show. (Rod Brassfield)

* Ain’t Gonna Study War No More. (Wally Fowler’s (Oakridge Quartet)

* Please Come Back to Me. (Red Foley)

And in trademark form, the show goes out in a blaze of hot fiddle playing, and square dance calls with… Cripple Creek.

Bonus Track

* Rose Maddox with the Maddox Brothers – Bring it on down to my house honey

A topic ripe for argument is aunt Sarah. Is she as sweet and lovable as Molly claims, or as horrible and unspeakable as Fibber says? The door bell finds a delivery from the female mail carrier, or baguette, as Fibber calls her. Will the gift in the box prove Molly’s generous thought of her aunt, or Fibber’s view of her stinginess? Billy Mills and the orchestra play, Karaoke.

The McGee’s marvel over the diamond stick pin that was delivered. What will Alice Darling think of the gift, or of aunt Sarah? What does the young airplane worker know about jewelry, and where little pearls come from? V-mail is all the rage in sending letters overseas for only 3 cents, instead of the 8 cent airmail rate for coast to coast delivery. Harlowe Wilcox pops in to find out about the diamond.

Before the McGee’s leave to have their diamond appraised and insured, the show the glittery gem off to housekeeper, Beulah. What’s the latest about her boyfriend, Ira, and his financial endeavors? The Kingsmen sing, Don’t Fence Me In.

Downtown, the McGee’s meet up with Doc Gamble where the verbal sparring includes each others weight, eating habits, and physical condition. Is doc impressed by the diamond? Harlowe plays a double role as the appraiser, a relative of Harlowe, who examines the stick pin. What’s the final verdict on its worth? Lets just say Fibber’s original opinion of aunt Sarah is restored.

The nation is engaged in celebrating the birthday of George Washington, and in the Anderson home that includes the birthday of Jim. Though generosity reigns as the cake is passed out, Cathy seems in a timid mood. Gifts with well wishes are enjoyed, but Betty’s binoculars may come with her own motives attached. Even Bud’s gift has strings attached, but what happened to Cathy’s gift? Her tall tale about thieves doesn’t hold water.

Confronted about her lies, Jim lets her off the hook and she promises to never tell a lie again.

Now she’s on a mission to tell the truth, all truth, and any truth she knows… but nobody is asking her to say anything. Will her enthusiasm wear off? Or will it build until she’s going out of her way to be a tattletale on everyone she knows a secret about? I think someone needs to let her know that telling truth doesn’t always mean saying hurtful secrets, just because you know one, but then where would the comedy element be?

Cathy is on a rampage of truth telling, and now Bud and Betty’s friends have their feelings hurt, and won’t speak to them. Jim’s friend Hector now has marital trouble, thanks to Cathy. Jim’s boss, and his circle of poker playing friends will soon face the truth telling Cathy. How can he hope to get rid of the wet blanket of a boss, so the poker friends can enjoy their evening? How can he do it without having Cathy complicate matters? Awkward moments are in store, but telling the truth at least wins the day.

In epilog, Robert Young shares it’s his birthday as well, and extends a message of racial harmony.

The lost treasure company faces problems when Cedric is the only investor, and one in position to decide matters. Today, Abner tells Lum about the power hungry Cedric, and leaving his presidential business cards all around. He has been buying things, and sending the bills to Squire to pay out of company funds.

Lum figures he can borrow money to leverage the votes needed to overthrow Cedric from office. If Abner hires himself to Cedric to take dictation, he may be able to change Cedric’s words around, and keep the company from being liable to him. First, Cedric demands recommendations of Abner, to make sure his character is good enough.

The job situation is an embarrassment to Abner. Before much dictating can go down, Cedric has a phone call. What is his other new helper doing for him? Have more investors been turned out to pour thousands of dollars into the company?

After a false start on this rehearsal preview, Bob “Broadcasting from Camp Cook” Hope jokes about being in the desert, censorship, buglers, military life, washing clothes, mail delivery, tanks, and a flub as he talks about generals. Other topics include traffic, dating, and homely girls.

Francis Langford is backed up by the Six Hits and a Miss to sing, I Got it Bad and It Ain’t Good. Francis jokes with Bob about how well the soldiers like him. The Academy Awards are discussed. How does Bob stack up with other winning actors? Babe Ruth joins Bob to joke about girls in slacks. Baseball jokes flavor the comedy, and military theme. Babe flubs a line about his weight, and gives Bob pointers on staying in shape. The insults about each others physiques continue. Which one is in better condition? Babe has trouble reading a few lines, but plows on through, still not missing a joke. Since Babe was just in Pride of the Yankees playing himself, he and Bob compare acting tips. Bob tells about playing baseball as a kid, and more baseball jokes make the rounds. Betty Hutton sings, Dixieland Band.

Leaving the show, Bob and Babe are costed by sentry Colonna, have trouble with transportation, and finally make it to the train station. The cast talk about the how they just put on and their experiences with the troops. Will Bob get a metal for his performance? The cast each get in one-liners about military life, haircuts, jeeps, physical exams, and more. The train arrives, with Jerry Colonna as engineer. The cast board, joking about tickets and travel the whole time. On the train, Skinny and Babe learn about the berths. Colonna and Bob argue about words as they travel home. The scenery outside, Skinny and Babe trying to sleep, Jerry running the train, train tunnels dug by gophers, and will they ever make it back to Hollywood in one piece?