Join host , John Lovering for two hours of classic radio programming from the 1940′s…. great then… and now!

First, Alan Ladd (photo above)  stars as Dan Holliday, a newspaper reporter who is an aspiring author.  He gets his story ideas by putting an ad in the paper that he works for…”Will Go Anywhere and Do Anything… Write Box 13.”  Now an ad like that is bound to bring out a few people who could be considered a little dangerous… and that is exactly what happens. 

The premise of Box 13  is  novel  and each episode is action-packed with lots of twist and turns.   Combined with excellent acting and musical score this program,  heard from from 1947 to 48,  produced  52 popular episodes.  Tonight you will hear “Blackmail is Murder” from 1947… a syndicated program.

Next, it is Lew Ayers (photo above - left)  and Lionel Barrymore (photo above - right) starring in The Story of  Dr. Kildare, an episode entitled “Dr. Robert Lane” from February 15, 1940.  This was a syndicated series that was based on the movie version of Dr. Kildare.  Each week the story focuses on a different case … with young Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayers), fresh from a country practice now in the big city,  most of the time at odds with the veteran and crusty Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore).  The stories are interesting and well acted… but though this is listed as a “drama”… there is a good deal of humor in the script as well.   This radio show was the precursor to the 1960′s television series starring Richard Chamberlain as Dr. Kildare.  Fun to listen to and will bring back some memories from those of you who remember the actors or the radio-tv series.

Jeff Chandler stars at Michael Shayne, a New Orleans PI in this highly electric series entitled The Adventures of Michael Shayne.  Tonight’s episode is entitled “The Case of the Blood-Stained Pearls”  and was originally aired in 1948 when the Mutual Broadcasting Network produced this syndicated series.  Each program starts out with an action scene, usually involving gunfire or mayhem of some kind with Michael Shayne up to his neck in a whole lot of trouble.   Listeners spend the rest of the half-hour trying to figure out how Shayne is going to get out of the situation he finds himself in and solve the crime!  It is a fun show to listen to, especially if one compares it to the general type of detective and storylines from the genre of the time.  This was a very different program…very creative.

Superman (Clayton Bud Collyer)  is here again..  with Part 1 of a New Adventures of Superman entitled “The Donellis Protection Racket”… will our red-caped superhero be able to beat the well-organized crime syndicate?  Anyone want to bet?   These 12 minute episodes were heard five days a week and were on the air from 1940 to 1951.  This juvenile adventure series became number one after being on the air for only a few weeks…. kids… and many of their parents loved this show, which always left you hanging until the next episode!  Good listening… just plain escapeism fun… and a bit of a laugh as well as you hear how Superman describes every detail of what he is doing or about to do… he has to … this is radio!

Tune in locally at 106.1 fm or streaming online at www.wscafm.org and click on “Listen Now” at the top of the page.

Want more information about Audio Theatre or our Audio Theatre Players troupe?  Goto  www.heirloomradio.com and follow the Audio Theatre links.  Questions, comments, or show requests - email jlovering@wscafm.org .  Thanks for listening.

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