The Chronic Rift Network

It's a Karloff-fest tonight as we prepare to celebrate Halloween. We start off with an episode of "Information Please" that originally aired on Christmas Eve, but features Boris Karloff as one of the guests. Are you up on literary skulls, crossers of the English Channel, and poems that feature murder? Then Boris drops by "Duffy's Tavern" in an effort to scare off a potential buyer.

Episodes

Information Please December 24, 1945 "Guests: John Mason Brown and Boris Karloff" 2:00

Duffy's Tavern October 5, 1951 "Duffy Wants to Sell the Tavern" 32:17

We start off tonight with an episode of "Broadway Is My Beat." If you think the sophisticated avenues of Time Square to Columbus Circle are free from murder and crime, you're dead wrong. It's "the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world." "Broadway Is My Beat" ran from February of 1949 to August of 1954 on CBS. For most of that run, it starred Larry Thor as New York City detective Danny Clover, whose assigned "beat" was the theater district. Not that that made his job any easier. Then we drop in on "The Great Gildersleeve." Tonight, Gildy stumbles upon the upcoming wedding of a young lady and Marine about to ship out. They just want a nice, quiet, simple wedding. Of course, that soon balloons into … well, you can guess. This is actually a very sweet story with some really good laughs. And we get to hear Lillian Randolph as Birdie sing. That's always a treat.

Episodes

Broadway Is My Beat February 17, 1950 "Dion Hartley" 3:44

The Great Gildersleeve May 27, 1953 "Witness at the Wedding" 33:33

Sixty years ago today, September 30, 1962, is the date generally accepted as the end of the Golden Age of Radio. On the same night, the final episodes of "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" and "Suspense" were broadcast. "Johnny Dollar" after 13 years and "Suspense" after 20 years. I couldn't let that pass without observing it by presenting those two final episodes. Don't worry, those shows will appear again on this show.

Episodes Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar September 30, 1962 "The Tip-Off Matter" 2:40

Suspense September 30, 1962 "Devilstone" 26:52

We start off tonight by trying to match wits with that amateur detective who's also a mystery writer, the eponymous star of "The Adventures of Ellery Queen." This episode is another twisty one of multiple murders that requires you to really pay attention. Then on "The College Quiz Bowl," the best brains of Washington and Lee University go up against The University of Pittsburgh. Although the material is from 70 years ago, this episode is packed with lots of questions that even we 21st century listeners should be able to answer and have fun with. Are you up on types of nuts, adjectives from literature, and the finer points of women's clothing?

Episodes

The Adventures of Ellery Queen November 7, 1945 "The Message in Red" 1:41

The College Quiz Bowl March 21, 1954 "Washington & Lee University vs The University of Pittsburgh" 32:17

Let's begin tonight with another thrilling story of the masked rider of justice, "The Lone Ranger." We always think of the Lone Ranger as a hero, but to the people of the Old West, he was "The Masked Man," a character a little more morally ambiguous. Tonight, he and Tonto go up against bureaucracy and marauding outlaws hiding in the hills. Then on "The Jack Benny Program," it's the first show of the new season. Everyone has been off, and they haven't seen each other all summer. Jack has just arrived home from three weeks' vacation in Hawaii and is anxious to get together with his friends.

Episodes The Lone Ranger April 22, 1938 "Murder of Pony Express Rider" 1:47

The Jack Benny Program September 13, 1953 "Back From Vacation in Hawaii" 32:47

"Information Please" famously gave away copies of the "Encyclopaedia Britannica" to people who sent in questions that stumped the show's panel. The "Britannica"'s offices were in Chicago. In the summer of 1943, as part of a War Bond drive, the show left New York and broadcast from some "western" cities, starting in Chicago, where, in this episode, the editor of the "Britannica", Walter Yust, was a panelist. In consequence, there's some Chicago-themed questions, in addition to famous forms of egress and people who had their names changed. Note that Mr. Yust's name is frequently misspelled as Youst. I hope having both spellings in this text will aid future internet searches. Then on "Gunsmoke," Matt Dillon encounters a solid mystery with a clever solution involving cattle.

Episodes Information Please June 28, 1943 "Guest: Walter Yust at the Chicago Civic Opera House" 2:46

Gunsmoke May 30, 1953 "Fall Semester" 32:09

Tonight, we present two examinations of the world of newspapers and investigative reporting, first comedy, then something a little more dramatic. The newspaper comic strip "Blondie" was created by Chic Young and started running in 1930. It is still running, as I record this, almost 92 years later. It features the domestic mis-adventures of the eponymous Blondie, and her husband Dagwood, Bumstead. And, in this case, their children, son Alexander and daughter Cookie. The success of the comic strip launched a series of 28 "Blondie" movies, produced from 1938 to 1950, all starring Penny Singleton as Blondie and Arthur Lake as Dagwood. The weekly radio series, also starring Singleton and Lake, ran concurrently on various networks and for various sponsors from 1939 to 1950. This is a typical episode, with Dagwood accidentally getting involved in embarrassing shenanigans. And I particularly enjoy some of the sound effects. Then real-life politician, writer, and newspaper publisher Will Rogers, Jr. plays a heightened version of himself on "Rogers of the Gazette." This episode also features young reporters hunting for scandal, and finding just a bit of crime and peril.

Episodes

Blondie November 3, 1948 "Blondie and The Tattletale" aka "Alexander's Scandal Sheet" 2:50

Rogers of the Gazette December 30, 1953 "Investigative Reporters" 29:04

"The Adventures of Father Brown" was broadcast on the Mutual Network during June and July of 1945, so only a few episodes were ever produced. It starred Karl Swenson as the titular priest and part-time detective. The show was based on the Father Brown mysteries, written by G.K. Chesterton starting in 1910 and continuing until 1936, some 50 short stories. Chesterton was a British, Catholic writer and part-time lay theologian. He loved mysteries, and he used his character of Father Brown to show that a man of faith could also be a man of logic. After matching wits with the good padre, put your feet up and laugh with Groucho on "You Bet Your Life." Tonight, his guests include has a UPS delivery man and a former silent film actress, not to mention a neon sign manufacturer and an amateur handwriting analysist. Episodes

The Adventures of Father Brown "The Three Tools of Death" July 22, 1945 3:05

You Bet Your Life "The Secret Word is 'Chair'" May 26, 1954 32:48

We start off tonight with another episode of "Gunsmoke." Here, a mysterious couple shoot four other strangers in town, sending Marshall Dillon and Chester after them all around the West. Then, on "The Kraft Music Hall," Bing Crosby is joined by actor Keenan Wynn for lots of World War II-era laughs and songs.

Episodes

Gunsmoke March 21, 1953 "Pussy Cats" 1:34

The Kraft Music Hall July 13, 1944 Guest: Keenan Wynn 31:39

"Once Upon a Time" UK Airing: January 25, 1968 US Airing: September 14, 1968 "Fallout" UK Airing: February 1, 1968 US Airing September 21, 1968 A previous Number 2 returns to the Village and is given permission to crack the Prisoner using Degree Absolute. When it fails, it appears that the Prisoner is put on trial, but it is actually his recent tormentors who are which ultimately leads to escape. Pulling back the curtain, the production of this final episode is as disjointed as the two TV episodes themselves. The audio for "Once Upon a Time", recorded over a year ago, was lost and so John and writer Jim Beard attempt to discuss the key points of an episode that Jim in particular, is not fond of in the least. They also talk about McGoohan's thumbing his nose (or perhaps biting his thumb?) at ITV when they cut short the series with a finale that makes absolutely no sense. Comment on this podcast by writing us at [email protected] or by leaving your thoughts right here on the page.