Day 15: Quiet, Please...

I am a big fan of the Quiet, Please series, especially the 'Thing on the Fourble Board' episode that is praised by many as being one of the most frightening episodes of old-time radio. The titles and introductory sequence of the series indicate the desired immersion: the listener is expected to shut off distracting outside stimuli, such as light and sound, in order to fully concentrate on the unfolding story. The music, words, and voice tone of the introductions set a slow, dark, and mysterious mood.

Quiet, Please also features one of my favorite OTR actors, Ernest Chappell,
who does an incredible job on this series. Although Chappell had previously been a newsman and announcer, with no significant acting credits, he was perfectly suited to his Quiet, Please roles.

One of the most extraordinary features of the series is the depth of characterization. Each week Chappell portrayed a different unique person with a complex background. Extraordinary research goes into describing every career in detail...from railroad men to mountain climbers and oil rig workers and archeologists and soldiers. The detailed specialized information helps to produce a more thoroughly convincing and immersing world.

In this episode, titled "Calling All Souls,' it is October 31st: All souls eve. It's the one night of the year when the distinction between the living and the dead becomes much narrower. The souls of the dead return and spend the night on the Earth, among the living. Then, at dawn, they leave again and don't return for another year.

Louis is in the Iowa state prison...in a cell on death row to be exact. His lawyer is currently speaking with the state's governor, attempting to get a delay on the execution so they may find some evidence proving Louis' innocence. Waiting for his fate, he plays solitaire. His lawyer tells him he can't get a stay of execution, and he'll be killed on schedule that night, all souls eve.

Louis protests to his lawyer that he didn't murder the people they've convicted him of murdering, but he can't think of any proof. The evidence is stacked against him. It seems as though the only people who could know that Louis isn't a murderer are the murdered people themselves.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately for Louis), things aren't always as they seem. At least for one day of the year, the living and the dead can mingle. Louis meets with the two victims in search of evidence that could prove his innocence, and finds it.

But who killed them? And is there time for Louis to prove his innocence?

I heard this one the other day for the first time, and was surprised and just how much I enjoyed it. It has a touch of the supernatural, and it works well. A great Halloween program with a cool ending.

Star: Ernest Chappell
Sponsor: Sustaining (none)
Networks: ABC, Mutual
Aired: 1947-1949
Type of Show: Drama
Show Trivia:Most episodes featured no more than two or three actors.

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ynujmjxtjbg

Day 14: Mercury Theater - Dracula...

One of the greatest radio anthology series of the 1930s was The Mercury Theater on the Air, featuring the talents of the New York drama company founded by Orson Welles and John Houseman.

The Mercury Theater on the Air featured an impressive array of talent, including Agnes Moorehead, Bernard Herrmann, and George Coulouris. It was a relatively short lived show – only five months, but it remains one of the most culturally significant shows in entertainment history.

The show is most notable for its notorious War of the Worlds broadcast on October 30, 1938, but the troupe presented many other memorable programs.

Their first program is a true classic...a rendition of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula,' which features Welles playing both Count Dracula and Doctor Seward.

Stars: various; hosted by Orson Welles
Sponsor: Sustaining (none), Campbell's Soup
Network: CBS
Aired: 1938-1941
Type of Show: Drama Anthology
Show Trivia:As a direct result of the front-page headlines Welles generated with his Halloween, 1938 production War of the Worlds production, Campbell's Soup signed on as his sponsor. The Campbell Playhouse began December 9, 1938, offering 60-minute adaptations of classic plays and novels, plus some adaptations of popular motion pictures.

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?qg2nq5oaonz

Day 13: Inner Sanctum's 'A corpse for Halloween'...

Taking its name from a popular series of mystery novels, Inner Sanctum Mysteries debuted over NBC’s Blue Network in January 1941.

Inner Sanctum Mysteries featured one of the most memorable and atmospheric openings in radio history: an organist hit a dissonant chord, a doorknob turned and the famous “creaking door” slowly began to open.

Every week, Inner Sanctum Mysteries told stories of ghosts, murderers and lunatics.
Produced in New York, the cast usually consisted of veteran radio actors, with occasional guest appearances by such Hollywood stars Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Claude Rains.

What made Inner Sanctum Mysteries unique among radio horror shows was its host, a slightly-sinister sounding man originally known as “Raymond.” The host had a droll sense of humor and an appetite for ghoulish puns, and his influence can be seen among horror hosts everywhere, from the Crypt-Keeper to Elvira. Raymond Edward Johnson was the show’s host until 1945; Paul McGrath took over the role until the show left the air in 1952.

In 'A Corpse for Halloween,' a man is forced to face the past that he has tried oh so hard to forget. A new name and new appearance may hide one's identity, but is does not hide guilt.

It's Halloween, and Jimmy Fox is delivered a package that contains a human skull inside. Now, it's game on. Too bad it's a game Jimmy doesn't want to play.

Stars: Raymond Edward Johnson (through 5/22/45). Paul McGrath (through 9/28/45), House Jameson (until the end)
Sponsor: Carter's Little Liver Pills, Colgate Toothpaste, Lipton Tea & Soup, Bromo Seltzer, Mars Candy Bars
Networks: Blue, CBS, ABC
Aired: 1942-1952
Type of Show: Drama Anthology

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?v5doynygwnz

Day 12: Father Knows Best...

What I like the most about Father Knows Best is that the father, Jim Anderson, actually rarely knows best. And this Halloween episode is a perfect example of this.

It’s Halloween Night, and the Anderson family are on their way home from a Halloween party. Having left the party later than they intended, Jim takes a shortcut, by way of an old country road, to make up some of the time.

Only problem is, Jim’s “shortcut” has taken him to the exact same location he was at hours before….he is lost. With his son, Bud, complaining about having to constantly get out of the car and into the rain, his daughter, Kathy, repeatedly asking if ghosts are real, and the inability to get his family home from the party, Jim is about at wits ends.

And then things get worse.

The vehicle runs out of gas, and not only are the Anderson’s lost but they are also stranded. The Anderson’s soon find shelter for the night…an old cemetery caretaker’s house. The events that follow lead Jim to join his daughter, and question whether or not ghosts are real.

This is my favorite episode of Father Knows Best, and has some really funny moments. Bud delivers some one liners several times, and is the star of this episode.

Stars: Robert Young and June Whitley
Sponsor: General Foods
Network: NBC
Aired: 1949-1951
Type of Show: Situation Comedy
Show Trivia: There was also a Father Knows Best TV Show that ran from October 3, 1954 to September 17, 1962 (for 203 episodes). Robert Young was the only cast member that made the move from the radio show to the televised version.

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?bcd4ygw5wtw

Day 11: The Life of Riley...

The Life of Riley featured the comic misadventures of riveter Chester A. Riley. Like many other radio fathers, Riley was a devoted family man with a talent for flying off the handle and a penchant for being worse.

With 2 days before Halloween, Riley attempts to scare the beegeebees's out of his wife but fails miserably. But there's much more he can do to celebrate his favorite holiday!

Riley speaks with his son, Junior, who has a sudden fascination/fear about ghosts. Riley does his best to show interest in his son's worries, and does his best to show him that there is no such thing as ghosts.

However, Riley soon shares his son's fears.

In this episode, titled "Haunted House," Riley finds himself in a haunted house on Halloween. Only thing is, he doesn't want to be there. Junior takes a bet that he'd go in with his best friend, thus he picks his Riley.

There are some good laughs in this episode.

Stars: William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, John Brown
Sponsors: American Meat Board
Network: NBC
Air Date: 10/29/44
Type of Show: Situation Comedy

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ggmjexzx2jj

Day 10: CBS Mystery Theater - Dracula

CBS Mystery Theater was created by Himan Brown, a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries, The Adventures of Nero Wolfe and other shows dating back to the 1930s. This series was an ambitious and sustained attempt during the 1970s to revive the type of audio drama familiar to listeners of old-time radio.

Though the 'Golden Age of Radio' was decades earlier, CBS Mystery Theater sure delivered in a big way in the 70's and 80's. In this episode we are treated to an adaptation of the original novel by Bram Stoker, Dracula. Professor Van Helsing responds to a request from his friend John Seward to investigate his fiancee's (Lucy Westerna)strange affliction - she is slowly dying from blood depletion.

It is soon discovered that she is a victim of the blood-sucker known as Dracula. The race for the woman's life is on, as they must kill the vampire to save her soul.

While the adaptation does take seemingly HUGE liberties with Bram Stoker's original, such as the elimination of some main characters, the story is edited tastefully and intelligently. (Let's face it, we cant have the whole novel on Mystery Theater.)

Stars: E.G. Marshall, others
Sponsor: Kellog's
Network: CBS
Aired: 1974-1982 (aired 5-7 times a week with a different show every night!)
Type of Show: Anthology (drama)

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ly1y5yimi2i

Day 9: The Great Gildersleeve...

The Great Gildersleeve was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. The show was built around Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve, a character who had been a staple on the classic radio situation comedy Fibber McGee and Molly.

In this episode, Gildersleeve is going over a list of new water company customers
when he comes across the name of a woman he has his eye on. Mrs. Dowripple Gilddy gushes, and seizes the opportunity for some one-on-one time with her by delivering her water bill to her.

He presents the bill and some flowers to Mrs. Dowripple, and after talking about the season, Gilddy suggests that she host a Halloween Party. Gilddy, thinking he has secured a Halloween evening alone with a knockout, prepares and plans for a romantic evening. He picks up two pumpkins, two masks, two horns…you get the idea.

However, things do not go as the fat man had planned, for Mrs. Dowripple did not interpret the party request as a one-on-one date. She invites many others in the town to attend, including another who hopes to catch her eye.

Star: Harold Peary, then Willard Waterman
Sponsor: Kraft
Network: NBC
Aired: 1941-1957
Type of Show: Situation Comedy
Show Trivia: One of the voices you hear on the radio show, the actor who portrayed Leroy, Gildy's nephew, is that of Walter Tetley (1915-75), an adult actor. Because of a congenital condition in which his voice didn't change, he was able to do lots of voice work as small boys.

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ldmjgzzlymi
Great Gildersleeve - Halloween Party 10_29_47.mp3