Jonny Deco Radio: Recent Episodes
Jonny Deco
Old-time radio shows, mostly based on classic films or featuring stars of old Hollywood. Detective stories, noir, some variety and comedy shows, and holiday specials.
"Night Must Fall" - Suspense - 03/27/1948
Robert Montgomery and Dame Mae Whitty reprise their roles from the film and Heather Angel assumes the role originally played by Rosalind Russell.
"Night Must Fall" - Screen Guild Theatre 07/24/1944
Dame May Whitty reprises her role from the film. James Cagney and Rosemary DeCamp fill the roles played in the film by Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell, respectively.
Box 13 "The Professor and the Puzzle" 1/9/1949
Alan Ladd plays Dan Holiday, an author who wrote mystery novels. To get story ideas for his novels he put an ad in the newspaper reading: "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything, Box 13." The program was produced by Mayfair Productions, the husband and wife team of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. It originally aired over the Mutual Broadcasting System.
Box 13 "Radio Actress Murder Case" 9/12/1948
Alan Ladd plays Dan Holiday, an author who wrote mystery novels. To get story ideas for his novels he put an ad in the newspaper reading: "Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything, Box 13." The program was produced by Mayfair Productions, the husband and wife team of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. It originally aired over the Mutual
Broadcasting System.
A Christmas episode from the acclaimed "Suspense" series. A little girl's parents are missing on Christmas Eve.
December 21, 1953 - 30 minutes
Starring the original cast: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, and Edmund Gwenn.
Lux Radio Theatre - December 22, 1947 - 60 minutes
With Fred MacMurray and Jean Arthur (in Barbara Stanwyck's role). Jean plays a woman arrested for shoplifting, a kind-hearted prosecutor doesn't want her to spend Christmas in jail, so he posts her bail. Problem is, she has nowhere to go, so he takes her home to his mother for a family Christmas.
Lux Radio Theatre - December 22, 1941 - 60 minutes
"This Gun for Hire" Joan Blondell, Alan Ladd - Lux Radio Theatre January 25, 1943
A hired gunman swears revenge on the traitors who double-crossed him. Joan Blondell plays Ellen, a hostage held prisoner by a gangster Phillip Raven (Alan Ladd).
"Gaslight" Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer - Lux Radio Theatre April 29, 1946
Psychological thriller about a young woman whose husband slowly manipulates her into believing that she is descending into insanity.
"Laura" Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney - Lux Radio Theatre February 05, 1942.
Dana Andrews plays a New York detective investigating the murder of a successful advertising executive played by Gene Tierney. The detective becomes obsessed with the case, and realizes he's falling in love with the dead woman.
"My Man Godfrey" William Powell, Carole Lombard - Lux Radio Theatre 05/09/1938
Screwball comedy about a socialite (Lombard) who hires a man they think is down-on-his luck (Powell) to be her family's butler, and then falls in love with him.
"Stella Dallas" Barbara Stanwyck, John Boles - Lux Radio Theatre October 11, 1937.
A woman from a small town, after divorcing a society man, tries to build a better life for their daughter.
"Deadline at Dawn," a murder mystery based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich (as William Irish), aired May 20, 1946 on Lux Radio Theater. Starring Joan Blondell and Paul Lukas. (Susan Hayward starred in the film version.)
Radio version of the 1934 MGM film. Joan Crawford reprises her role and Franchot Tone (Joan's husband at the time) plays the Clark Gable role.
September 14, 1944
From Archive.org:
The new season of Suspense finally had the program airing nationally on the same day. This made it easier for the program attract Hollywood guest stars and much easier to manage.
This episode stars Joseph Cotten in a Cornell Woolrich story (under the name William Irish) adapted by Robert Tallman.
Cotten, one of Spier’s favorites, plays newlywed Ed Bliss. He and his wife had an argument, and she storms out of the house. He figures she’d cool off and return after she stays at her mother’s home… but she’s not there. Bliss starts looking for her… and the story is not what it seems.
Linda Arnold is wandering in a daze, not remembering her name, and with a blood covered letter opener in her purse.
From Old Time Radio Researchers Group/Archive.org:
Broadway Is My Beat, a radio crime drama, ran on CBS from February 27, 1949 to August 1, 1954. With music by Robert Stringer, the show originated from New York during its first three months on the air, with Anthony Ross portraying Times Square Detective Danny Clover. John Dietz directed for producer Lester Gottlieb.
Beginning with the July 7, 1949 episode, the series was broadcast from Hollywood with producer Elliott Lewis directing a new cast in scripts by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The opening theme of "I'll Take Manhattan" introduced Detective Danny Clover (played by Larry Thor), a hardened New York City cop who worked homicide "from Times Square to Columbus Circle -- the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world."
Danny Clover narrated the tales of the Great White Way to the accompaniment of music by Wilbur Hatch and Alexander Courage, and the recreation of Manhattan's aural tapestry required the talents of three sound effects technicians (David Light, Ralph Cummings, Ross Murray). Bill Anders was the show's announcer.
The supporting cast included regulars Charles Calvert (as Sgt. Gino Tartaglia) and Jack Kruschen (as Sgt. Muggavan), with episodic roles filled by such radio actors as Irene Tedrow, Barney Phillips, Lamont Johnson, Herb Ellis, Hy Averback, Edgar Barrier, Betty Lou Gerson, Harry Bartell, Sheldon Leonard, Martha Wentworth, Lawrence Dobkin and Mary Jane Croft.
"Big Ed" hires Diamond to find out why a series of fatal accidents have hit his factory.
A market has been robbed of $7000 by Herbert Langley, the clue to the bandit: a cheap broken watch.
Quiet Please Ep. 60
August 9, 1948
Workers on an oil rig discover something brought up from a mile underground, and then, the thing it belongs to.
A reporter comes to interview Professor Hall for a story about an Ivy student who has won a prestigious art award. Simultaneously, a wealthy benefactor wants to establish a large scholarship to Ivy College, but the gift is conditional and connected to the mysterious painting. Halls of Ivy. Ronald Colman, Benita Hume, James Edwards, Herb Butterfield, Lois Corbett, Jerry Hausner. September 27, 1950.
Two fishermen pick up a psychopathic escaped convict who tells them that he intends to murder them when the ride is over. Orson Welles, Lucille Fletcher, Alice Frost, Bernard Herrmann (conductor). Mercury Summer Theatre. June 21, 1946.
Psychological thriller, noir. Screen Directors Playhouse. Cary Grant, Betsy Drake. November 9, 1950.
The coronation of a new king is disrupted when the king's brother drugs him. A distant relative who closely resembles the king steps in to take his place at the coronation. Screen Directors Playhouse. Ronald Colman, Bernita Hume. February 2, 1949.
A meek and quiet lady decides to poison her rich aunt. Martha has spent years looking after her sick Aunt Abby. Suspense. Marsha Hunt. December 27, 1945. For years she has put up with her complaints, her grumbling, and her bad temper.
The classic light comedy about two innocents from Ohio adrift in the wilds of Greenwich Village. Academy Award Theatre. Rosalind Russell, Janet Blair.
From the Tales of Fatima show. Basil Rathbone is shot at and then finds a blonde in his car who claims Rathbone wrote letters that convinced her to leave her husband and come to New York, and then learns of his own brutal murder from a radio broadcast.
A woman makes her living enticing men, hitting them with a billy club and stealing their wallets. But this time, she picks the wrong guy: "The Strangler."
Lucille Ball, William Johnstone
One of the most famous Damon Runyon stories. Made into a movie starring Bob Hope in 1951. A New York City swindler has until Christmas to come up with the $10,000 he owes a gangster, prompting him to go into scamming overdrive.
Set in Depression-era New York City, the story centers on a bookie who becomes an unwitting father figure to a young girl who is offered as a marker on a bet.
Aired as part of Mayfair Productions and syndicated on KSL Los Angeles... this program aired on Jan. 2, 1949. John Brown plays the role of narrator and main character named "Broadway" who lives on Broadway in NYC. In this episode he meets Tobias, who has his mind and heart set on meeting some real "underworld" thugs so he can learn their ways in order to frighten a competitor for a girl that he loves... and Broadway tells us the story of how Tobias became known as "Tobias The Terrible".
Agnes Moorehead's acclaimed performance in "Sorry, Wrong Number" from "Suspense," November 18, 1948.
Agnes Moorehead & Marie Dressler star in an episode of "Cavalcade of America" from March 13, 1939.
From Lux Radio Theater, "Bachelor Mother" starring Ginger Rogers and Frederic March.
January 22, 1940
WOR-AM Radio - January 16, 1964
From the Internet Archive:
The Jean Shepherd Show (WOR-AM)
Transmission Date: Thursday January 16, 1964
"The Great Indiana Blizzard of 1930"
Whining about the weather? You may not be, after hearing this account!
A late night Winter's Tale as only Shep could tell it....
This episode is fine example of Shepherd's comic craft. He can hold our interest for over forty minutes on a single topic that is usually considered one of the most common of all subjects; The Weather. It's a bit more than that, as he recalls a particular blizzard that hit the midwest in 1930 & the domino effect it had on everything within its' grip.
This will make perfect listening during the next winter storm & if the power goes out, hunker down under a pile of blankets & insulate your coats with newspapers...the latest thing in depression era "Hobo" style!
Conversely, this Winter's tale may also be effective to listen to during the next heat wave, as it is sure to cool the mind....
It's "the voice in the night" at his best...
NOTE: This is the complete 01/16/1964 WOR radio episode (with slightly improved audio) A "special" distillation of depression-era stories from America's foremost 20th century humorist. A bit of much-loved Americana.
"The Bishop's Wife" - Screen Guild Players. Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven.
March 1, 1948
From June 11, 1945, the Lux Radio Theatre presentation of "Murder My Sweet," starring Dick Powell. After Philip Marlowe is hired by an ex con to find a missing woman, another man hires him as protection while the man buys back stolen jewelry, but Marlowe is knocked out and the man killed. While trying to solve the murder, he finds both cases are connected. Starring Dick Powell