Classic Radio Theater with Wyatt Cox

Comedy on a Tuesday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Maxwell House Coffee Time starring George Burns and Gracie Allen , originally broadcast March 31, 1949, 77 years ago, How Jack Benny Became Cheap.  A fantasy about "Generous Jack Benny" and how he became stingy.  Followed by Abbott and Costello ,  originally broadcast March 31, 1949, 77 years ago, There’s Good Booze Tonight.   What b...

Crime on a Monday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Suspense ,  originally broadcast March 30, 1944, 82 years ago,  Cat and Mouse starring Sonny Tufts.  Two amateur radio operators, who, though they live in widely separated parts of the country, are partners in a valuable invention. They have developed a "secret war weapon" during their shortwave conversations, and wartime enemies want...

Crime on a Sunday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Lux Radio Theater , originally broadcast March 29, 1954, 72 years ago,  Blueprint for Murder starring Dan Dailey and Dorothy McGuire.  An adaptation of the 1953 thriller that starred Joseph Cotton and Jean Peters.  A little girl has been poisoned and her stepmother is suspect.  Followed by The Mysterious Traveler ,  originally broadcas...

Comedy on a Saturday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, The Grape Nuts Flakes program starring Orson Welles sitting in for Jack Benny ,  originally broadcast March 28, 1943, 83 years ago,  Orson Fills in for Jack.  The cast does "Death At Midnight," a mystery drama. Followed by The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny , originally broadcast March 28, 1948, 78 years ago,  Your Money...

Westerns and Fantasy on a Friday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Frontier Town starring Reed Hadley , originally broadcast March 27, 1953, 73 years ago,  The Case of the Maverick Town.   Why are the Mexican couple who are running a restaurant being run out of town? Followed by Gunsmoke starring William Conrad ,  originally broadcast March 27, 1954, 72 years ago, Blood Money. Joe Harp...

Crime on a Thursday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Inner Sanctum Mysteries ,  originally broadcast March 26, 1946, 80 years ago,  Death Is a Double-Crosser.   An ex-con decides to steal the huge "King Midas" diamond, by becoming an apprentice diamond cutter. Lawson Zerbe stars.   Followed by The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce , originally b...

Comedy on a Wednesday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Lux Radio Theater , originally broadcast March 25, 1940, 86 years ago,  Remember the Night starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck reprising their roles from the motion picture released just weeks earlier.   A romantic story about a prosecutor who winds up taking a beautiful thief with him on a Christmas visit to his mother. F...

Comedy on a Tuesday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, The Great Gildersleeve starring Willard Waterman ,  originally broadcast March 24, 1954, 72 years ago, Hobby Show.   Gildersleeve's at a loss for an entry in the hobby show...he has none! Followed by The Jimmy Durante Show , originally broadcast March 24, 1948, 78 years ago,  Planning a Vacation.  Jimmy and guest Victor Moore take a...

Crime on a Monday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Nick Carter Master Detective starring Lon Clark , originally broadcast March 23, 1947, 79 years ago,  The Case of the Crystal Prophecy.  A fortune teller predicts wealthy ladies will commit suicide...and they invariably do! Followed by The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe starring Sydney Greenstreet ,  originally broadcast March 23, 1951,...

The sad news that CBS was ending CBS News Radio in May has sent reverberations across the broadcast industry.  A fellow Old Time Radio collector pointed me to this 55-minute CBS news special Farewell to Studio Nine, commemorating the closing of perhaps the most famous radio news studio in all of broadcasting, at least up to that time. It was also the final time that the voice of Edward R. Murrow w...

Drama on a Sunday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Lux Radio Theater ,  originally broadcast March 22, 1937, 89 years ago, Death Takes a Holiday starring Fredric March.  The fascinating story of a visit by the Grim Reaper. An adaptation of the 1934 pre-code romantic drama in which March starred.   Followed by Big Town starring Edward Pawley , originally broadcast March 22, 1949, 77 ye...

Comedy on a Saturday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, The Grape Nuts Flakes program starring Orson Welles ,  originally broadcast March 21, 1943, 83 years ago, Jack is Sick.  Orson Welles substitutes for Jack Benny, who is still out sick. Orson invites the gang down to the studio to watch him make his latest film, "The March Of Destiny."  Followed by The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet...

Westerns, Crime, and Comedy on a Friday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Frontier Town starring Reed Hadley ,  originally broadcast March 20, 1953, 73 years ago, The Case of the Packing House.  Deuce Ziderman offers Chad only 8 cents a pound for Chad's cattle. Chad Remington remains loyal to Lizzie McComb's cattle buying service.  Followed by Have Gun Will Travel starring John Dehner...

Westerns and Crime on a Thursday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, The Adventures of Red Ryder starring Reed Hadley ,  originally broadcast March 19, 1942, 84 years ago, Back to Painted Valley.  The ranchers have collected $38,000 for the railroad to run a spur line to the valley. The money's in a "tin safe" at the Cattleman's Association...but not for long. Followed by Gunsmoke starrin...

,Comedy on a Wednesday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benn y,  originally broadcast March 18, 1945, 81 years ago, How Jack Found Mary.   The story of how Jack met Mary in the May Company store.   Followed by the Old Gold Comedy Theater hosted by Harold Lloyd , originally broadcast March 18, 1945, 81 years ago,  A Lady Takes a Chance staring Ran...

Comedy on a Tuesday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Abbott and Costello ,  originally broadcast March 17, 1949, 77 years ago, It Was His First Square Meal.   Sam Shovel solves, "The Case Of The Cannibal Who Cooked The Long-Haired Musician," or, "It Was His First Square Meal."  Followed by Amos ‘n’ Andy ,  originally broadcast March 17, 1944, 82 years ago, Insurance Fraud.   The Kingfi...

Crime on a Monday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Mr Keen Tracer of Lost Persons starring Bennett Kilpack ,  originally broadcast March 16, 1950, 76 years ago, The Innocent Flirtation Murder Case.   A modern duel leads to a murder and an attempted frame.  Followed by Suspense , originally broadcast March 16, 1958, 77 years ago, Game Hunt starring Everett Sloan.  A white hunter in Afr...

Drama on a Sunday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Dragnet starring Jack Webb ,  originally broadcast March 15, 1953, 73 years ago, The Big Impossible.   Bernie Hanson has been identified as the head of a team robbing markets, but Hanson has a good alibi. He is hospitalized and cannot leave his bed! Followed by Quiet Please starring Ernest Chappell ,  originally broadcast March 15, 194...

Comedy on a Saturday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Lux Radio Theater,  originally broadcast March 14, 1949, 77 years ago, What a Woman starring Rosalyn Russell and Robert Cummings.   A romantic triangle about a reporter, a college profession and a beautiful agent. The story is based on the 1943 movie.    Followed by My Friend Irma starring Marie Wilson , originally broadcast March...

Westerns on a Friday  First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Lux Radio Theate r,  originally broadcast March 13, 1944, 82 years ago, In Old Oklahoma starring Roy Rogers and Martha Scott.  An adaptation of the 1943 motion picture that starred John Wayne and Martha Scott.   Two-fisted action in the new oil fields of the Indian Territory. Followed by Have Gun Will Travel starring John Dehner ,...

Westerns on a Thursday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Lux Radio Theater ,  originally broadcast March 12, 1951, 75 years ago, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon starring John Wayne.  Wayne stars in the adaptation of the 1949 John Ford Western.  Captain Nathan Brittles, on the eve of retirement, takes out a last patrol to stop an impending massive Indian attack. Encumbered by women who must be...

Comedy on a Wednesday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Our Miss Brooks starring Eve Arden ,  originally broadcast March 11, 1951, 75 years ago, Tex Barton, Basketball Star.  After 39 straight defeats, the Madison High basketball team has a chance with a new student named Tex Barton.  Followed by Amos ‘n’ Andy ,  originally broadcast March 11, 1947, 79 years ago, Adopting a Baby.  The K...

Comedy on a Tuesday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Abbott and Costello ,  originally broadcast March 10, 1948, 78 years ago, Costello Pays Income Tax.   Looking through Costello's family album. Costello (prophetically) has a meeting scheduled with the income tax collector. Abbott explains the difference between capital and labor. They then visit an accountant.  Followed by Jimmy Dur...

Drama on a Monday First,  a look at this day in History. Then, Arch Oboler’s Plays ,  originally broadcast March 9, 1940, 86 years ago, Johnny Got His Gun starring James Cagney.  A dramatization of the superb, shocking, best-seller by Dalton Trumbo about the legless, armless, blind, deaf and dumb war veteran. An eloquent anti-war statement, Cagney was never better on the air.  Followed by Lights O...

Drama on a Sunday First, a look at the events of the day. Then, Lux Radio Theater ,  originally broadcast March 8, 1937, 89 years ago, Madame Butterfly starring Cary Grant and Grace Moore.   Beautiful Cio-cio-San is betrayed by Lieutenant Pinkerton in a drama that uses only two arias by Puccini. Robert Cobb, the president of the Brown Derby (owned by Cecil B. DeMille) tells about the famous restau...