Retro Radio Podcast

The time is coming for the sponsor’s new year’ eve party. Is Phil invited, or not? Frankie isn’t concerned to not be invited, he’s been to plenty of good parties he was never invited to. Alice sings, Ask Me How Do I Feel.

Should they gang make their own plans, or should Phil call Mr Scot to see if he just forgot to invite him? Frankie has a way of ensuring they get invited, but the Scots make their own plans to avoid unwanted party crashers. As they anticipate a party at the Scots Phil sings, Row Row Row.

The Scots have switched the numbers on their house with the sheriff. When Phil arrives, he wonders why the lights are out. Will Julius help the situation when he shows up? Alice wonders if something might be wrong, but Frankie is prepared to break in if he has to.

Will the Scots feel bad about their trick, and explain things to the sheriff? The result could either end up in a rip roaring party, or a brawl. Either way, Phil leads the gang in a round of Old Lange Syne.

Welcoming in the new year, Don and Jack joke about getting older. Calendars, issued by local businesses are a longstanding milestone of the season, and Jack tells about some notable ones for him this year. Phil Harris and Mary Livingstone join the jokes about calendars. The cast tell about their Christmas gifts from last week. After a quick interruption at the door, Dennis Day sings, All the Things You Are.

What plans do the cast have to ring in the new year? Jack tells about his hot date with Gladys, and having to leave early. Who is Gladys? Some starlet? Jack isn’t saying. Before he steps out, he announces the play to be performed next week. Andy Divine pops in to tell about taking his folks to the Wiltshire Bowl. Just as Jack is to step out, Gladys phones to cancel her date. Can the cast cheer him up, by inviting him out with them?

Phil plays a jumping dance tune, then we find the dejected Jack on the street, making his way through the well wishers of the new year. In Ginsberg’s coffee shop, Jack drowns his sorrows, and we learn that Gladys is the waitress. Will the two make up? Will Jack take up any of his many offers to share in a night on the town? Rochester is surprised to see his boss come home to brood all alone. All that’s left is to let the world go on without him, as Jack stays home.

Noteable Quote: “What this world needs is a few less people who are making a few less people.” Rochester.

In the days after Christmas, thoughts and activities turn to exchanging gifts back to the store.

Can Connie prove that her gifts are old fashioned and impractical? Later, she learns how Walter Dentons holiday went.

At home, Connie shares with Mrs Davis how her date with Mr Boynton went. When Mr Conklin calls, Connie can’t get out of the extra work he has for her, and he expects to see his gaudy gift on her mantle when he arrives.

Visiting Boynton’s small apartment, Connie may have her troubles solved regarding the statue… or maybe not. The tables are soon turned, and now it’s Conklin who has to get back the ugly bookends that Connie got for him. More gift exchanging, and re-exchanging emerges when Walter has his own problems.

Truth comes out about the exchange activities of Conklin and Boynton. Not to mention how each feel about the unsightly gifts they gave to each other.

The year started with FDR being sworn in again. Disaster strikes when rivers overflow their banks near Memphis, Tennessee. Sit down strikers make an Impact on Detroit, resolved by peaceful efforts. Tragedy struck in May, with The Hindenberg disaster. Speculation was that a flash of lightening struck, but to this day is still a mystery.

The first non stop flight across the Atlantic is monitored through the night by radio stations. George VI is crowned, and for the first time, a king’s voice and coronation are heard round the globe. The America’s Cup Yacht races are broadcast over radio for the first time. Legionaires have traffic in Times Square blocked off for their parade. An event that went on for days.

Shadows of war loom, and America expresses hope to defend peace. The voice of a queen is heard for the first time on the air. An experiment in artificial insemination of chicken eggs is conducted. Looking forward to 1938, the president of Mutual Broadcasting System shares the mission of the network. The various network announcers sign off.

Note: All events have been dramatized, other than speeches from world leaders. Namely FDR and the king of England.

Watson recounts the history of Guy Fox Day, and the celebrations enjoyed by children in the streets to commemorate the demise of the would be assassin of yore. A man enters in fear of his life, thinking he may be dead in a matter of hours. With help from the medicine bag of Watson, the man calms down enough to tell his story.

The alleged murder attempt parallels that of Guy Fox, and the use of explosives. The idea amuses Holmes, but he digs for more details. Hitting the streets, the detectives find clues, but is it the kind of thing to do the explosive harm their client thinks? With his weak heart, it wouldn’t take much.

With all the clues he needs, Holmes returns to Baker Street to take the case to the next level, and prepare for a face-off with the bad guys. With all the role playing, and names tied to Guy Fox Day, Sherlock brings the deadly game to an end. Is it a conspiracy, or a prank that went all wrong?

The latest business venture isn’t going so well. We find Lum on the phone with Squire. The need is to get more investors for the treasure company. With Cedric as their sole investor, and with the overwhelming amount of his investment, he gets the power of the most votes. When he enters, what does he want? Another jar of peanut butter?

Cedric demands to have his cash returned, otherwise he might have to sue the president of the company. With Squire holding the purse strings, are there any funds to offer? How might Lum and Abner stall him off. There isn’t enough in their own till to cover the amount.

What if Lum offers the position of president to Cedric. Will the power of having the vote impress him? A business meeting of the officers is called to order. Will the figurehead power of Lum and Abner be able to stand against Cedric’s five votes? Will there be a law suit pending for the president of the company Has his newly discovered power gone to president Wehandt’s head?

In the cigar shop, George runs into an old friend. Lester is a plumbber at the studio. Wanting to keep his trade a secret, he agrees to go home with George for dinner. Just Gracie’s luck. The day her sink is backed up. Led to believe Lester is a big movie exec, she calls Tootsie to try to get her into pictures. The movie theme becomes part of the sponsor message with Bill Goodwin.

Jimmy Cash sings, Dearly Beloved.

Gracie wants to use movie lingo to make the alleged movie exec feel at home. Herman the duck is sent to bed, Tootsi arrives and gets beauty tips. Mix ups ensue when the plumber thinks Herman is a boy, instead of a duck. And though he’s told Gracie knows his occupation, she still thinks Lester iss in the movie busisiness.

Backed up by Paul Whiteman, the Six Hits and a Miss sing, Pass the Ammunition.

The party is in full swing, utt the confused Lester is besieged with requests to give parts to Tootsie and Bill. Will Gracie learn what Lester really does? Will Tootsie be happy as a plumber’s helper? Will Lester get a word in edgewise?

In epilog, Gracie pitches the need to save cooking fat for the war effort.

A classic tale that everybody is probably familiar with. Done in many styles, ttold, and re-told through the decades. This episode from an undated time was probably from the 1940’s.

Scrooge proves to be an old, miserly skinflint. Warned by the ghost of his deceased, former partner of visits through the night, Scrooge goes on a personal journey of transformation.

He is reminded of his past, and what he lost in pursuit of his career. He is shown the happiness of those in his present, happy though they don’t conform to his idea of wealth and success.

Finally, he is shown his future. Will the warning serve to truly change Scrooge for the better? Second chances at change are always at hand in the present for all who decide a better direction is needed.

Bonus Tracks

* The old Retrobots give our old site and email. Visit at your own risk, but emails will not be monitored.

* Ethyl Merman – Silver Bells

* A Dramatized fragment of Handel’s Messiah.

* Voices_of_Christmas_Past_1898_to_1922 22_Noel_64kb

* Keith introduces the show, commenting on the old presentations, but turning on alittle reflection of the year, and reminds listeners of the various channels on the site.

As Hitler’s tank divisions roll ever closer, and planes are more active on bombing runs, the brave citizen army of the home guard has trouble in getting enough rifles. Not to mention having problems with such simple military disciplines as… well… standing at attention.

Captain Mannering reports to his commander. An important will rely on more than just having personality, but where might Mannering and his men be able to acquire the guns they need? Meanwhile, the men have fallen out on the parade ground for excursive. Will they be ready for practicing some unarmed, hand to hand combat?

As the citizen soldiers check the manual for what to do, they imagine ways to handle situations with the enemy. What if gas masks are called for? The exercise turns out to be a bit stressful for the butcher, and his daily ordeal in dealing with demanding women in his shop.

The commander returns to inspect the discipline of the men. Will he be impressed? Will the men get their prized mission? Will they ever receive the coveted rifles? Or will they be armed only with armbands as a symbol of their authority?

Grandpap enters the store and gets caught up on recent gossip with Abner. How about a game of checkers? Abner informs grandpap he can’t since he’s now president, and Lum is being made president of the board down in the county seat. Can Abner describe what any of the new jobs entails? Most of what he knows involves making faces.

The talk of all the new jobs comes to an end when Lum returns. Well? Are they going to make $100 thousand? Lum decides he may not take the job after all. Has the banking business gotten so boring over night that Lum just isn’t interested in counting all the money any more?

The truth comes out, and Lum is forced to come clean with Abner. The board of directors made it plain their bank has been operating illegally, and they have to shut it down.

PS: there’s more missing shows, but it isn’t difficult to imagine how this story ends.