"The Big Broadcast" Live Sunday 4/24 7-11pm est

"The Big Broadcast is a Sunday night tradition for families throughout the WAMU listening area. Each week, Big Broadcast host Ed Walker offers listeners priceless recordings of popular radio programs from the '30s, '40s and '50s. Priceless, especially, for a man whose first sentence as a child was, 'Turn the radio on.' "

Happy Sunday Night...Classic Radio Time...

Happy Easter!

(((((Early Ping)))))

Another week without suspense or a mystery? Come on.

07:00 p.m. Johnny Dollar
10/25/59 #662 The Missing Missile Matter (CBS) (17:18)
07:30 p.m. Dragnet
09/06/55 #316 Big Ruling (NBC) (26:04)
08:00 p.m. Gunsmoke
08/23/52 #18 Shakespeare (Sus.) (CBS) (29:26)
08:30 p.m. Jack Benny
04/17/49 Walking in the Easter Parade (CBS) (26:06)
09:00 p.m. Our Miss Brooks
04/09/50 New Egg Dye (Colgate) (CBS) (29:30)
09:30 p.m. Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show
04/09/50 #69 The Easter Bunny (Rexall) (NBC) (29:26)
10:00 p.m. Melody Ranch
04/12/52 Easter Program (Wrigley's) (CBS) (29:38)
10:00 p.m. Six Shooter
04/15/54 #29 Crisis At Easter Creek (Sus.) (NBC) (29:28) 04/30/65 w/Robert Trout (Sus.) (CBS) (43:36)
10:30 p.m. Vic & Sade
01/23/43 Phone Call from the Hinks (Crisco)

Happy Easter Sunday everyone.

Thanx again, Vision !

April 24, 2011 (WARNING: These Raw Notes Contain Spoilers)

7:00 p.m. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
10/25/59 "The Missing Missile Matter" Matter #662 Bob Bailey, Virginia Gregg, (Gloria Snowden), G. Stanley Jones (George Reed), Forrest Lewis, Harry Bartell, Don Diamond, Bartlett Robinson (Dr. Southwick) ; Writer/ Producer/Director - Jack Johnstone ; Announcer - Dan Cubberly ; Expense Account Total = Forget it. It was so good a cause it was the least I could do ; The wildest bunch of crooks Johnny ever tangled with. George Reed of Floyd's of England, North American Office, Hartford, calls and makes sure Johnny still has his top secret clearance. In North Hollywood, the Smithwick Paint Remover Company, is a cover for a missile development company with no official, but perhaps unofficial ties, to the government. It receives no protection from the government. Dr. Smithwick has told his insurer, Floyd's of England, that one of their missile plans is missing. Johnny flies a Beoing 707 out to the Smithwick Paint Remover Company and meets receptionist Gloria Snowden, who doesn't seem too bright. She says that Dr. Smithwick is not in. In response to Johnny's inquiry, Gloria recommends the Pickwick Motel. Soon after checking into room 7 there is a knock at the door. Shots ring out when Johnny opens the door. The clerk, Jed Barnwell, runs to Johnny's help. The shots missed. Johnny pays for room 8 as well. Former CBS employee Bob McKenny knocks at Johnny's door. He has picked up some Morse Code messages on his tape recorder on ultra high speed frequency. Johnny knows that the message was not intended for this side of the iron curtain. He is going to round up Kenny McManus' direction finder. Alan Orloff translates for Johnny. The source appears to be the Smithwick Company. Smithwick is there and he says the plans are there - perhaps they have been copied to be sent to a foreign power. Dollar suspects Gloria - and she admits it when she pulls a gun. Johnny overpowers her. NW: The most beautiful and dangerous girl Johnny has ever known. (Commercials for Camel Cigarettes, Columbia Phonograph's Stereo One, Mel Torme` for Four Way Cold Tablets, for 29¢, and Fitch Dandruff Remover Shampoo, Swiss Jewelry, Ex-Lax) (CBS) (17:18)
7:30 p.m. Dragnet
9/6/55 "The Big Ruling" Program #316 Jack Webb (Joe Friday), Ben Alexander (Frank Smith) ; Writer - John Robinson ; NBC network origination ; AFRTS rebroadcast ; Scripted for TV with original TV air date of 1/19/56. ; Friday and Smith are working out of narcotics, A heroin supply has reached the city. This episode focuses on the frustrating legal limitations placed upon police officers when dealing with known criminals. Searching for a huge shipment of heroin, Friday and Smith search and detain Sam Arthur Freed, a dope pusher specializing in hooking kid. Freed is caught with narcotics on him, but he has been "searched illegally." Though the detectives manage to build a strong case against Freed, deputy DA Dan Lauren throws out the evidence because the suspect was neither placed under arrest nor asked permission to be searched, there being no search warrant. As a knee-jerk reaction to the California State Supreme Court's recent "Charles Cahan" decision, the controversial TV episode was severely criticized by certain citizen's-rights pressure groups (though according to Dragnet historian Michael Hayde, no one protested the earlier radio version). (26:04)
8:00 p.m. Gunsmoke
8/23/52 "Shakespeare" Program #18 William Conrad (Matt Dillon), Parley Baer (Chester Proudfoot), Howard McNear (Doc), Hans Conreid (O'Irving Henry), Mary Lansing (Mrs. Cullen) ; Writer - Antony Ellis ; Music Composer/Conductor - Rex Koury ; Announcer - Roy Rowan ; CBS ; sustained ; Four miles outside of Dodge City, Kansas, Matt, Chester and Doc happen upon a man lying by the roadside. Felled by the heat, the stranger hallucinates and recites Shakespeare. Upon recovering he claims he is O'Irving Henry, Thespian Supreme, Disciple of the Immortal Bard". When a murdered man, Sam Matchett, is found in Herry's wagon, Matt sets out to solve a mystery. In fact, Matchett had murdered Henry and taken his name. (29:26)
8:30 p.m. Jack Benny
4/17/49 "Walking in the Easter Parade" Program #691 Jack Benny, Eddie "Rochester Van Jones" Anderson, Phil Harris, Mary Livingstone, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc (Professor Le Blanc), Artie Auerbach (Mr. Kitzel), Sheldon Leonard (sinister guy) ; Vocals - The Sportsmen Quartet ; Writers - Sam Perrin, Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer, John Tackaberry, Al Gordon, Hal Goldman ; Producer/ Transcriber - Hilliard Marks ; CBS ; Jack will be Easter strolling down Wilshire Boulevard to La Brea. Rochester reads Jack's diary entries about his trip to New York the City from the flight on April 4 to the April 14 departure for home on the Sante Fe Super Chief train. Dennis Day sings "Easter Parade". (26:06)
9:00 p.m. Our Miss Brooks
4/9/50 "New Egg Dye" Program #90 Eve Arden (Connie Brooks), Jane Morgan (Mrs. Margaret Davis), Gloria McMillan (Harriet Conklin), Richard Crenna (Walter Denton), Leonard Smith (Stretch Snodgrass), Gale Gordon (Osgood Conklin), Jeff Chandler (Mr. Boynton) ; Writer - Al Lewis, Lester White & Joe Quillen ; Director - Al Lewis ; Producer - Larry Berns ; Announcer - Bob LeMond ; Music - Wilbur Hatch, under the direction of Maurice Carlton ; Pitchman - Verne Smith ; Sponsor - Colgate, Palmolive Peet Company, Colgate Dental Creme economy size for 59¢, Lustre Creme Shampoo ; aka/Easter Egg Dye. Egg Dying, New Egg Dye, Easter Breakfast, New Chemical ; CBS ; Walter Denton has an Easter egg dye called "Tint Tomorrow" which works on a 24 hour delay basis. Mrs. Davis has some "Freckle Off". "Stretch" Snodgrass brings Connie a rabbit from his dad's pet shop. Stretch fills the soap dispenser with "Tint Tomorrow" instead of soap. Miss Brooks washes her face with the Tint Tomorrow. Osgood Conklin applies "Freckle Off" to his freckle/beauty-mark/mole under his right ear. He washes the burning sensation away with "Tint Tomorrow". Mr. Boynton shows up and washes car grease off his face with "Tint Tomorrow". Connie's face turns green, Stretch's turns purple, Mr. Conklin plaid and Mr. Boynton Blue. (29:30)
9:30 p.m. Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show
4/9/50 "The Easter Bunny" Program #69 Phil Harris & Alice Faye, Elliot Lewis (Frankie Remley), Walter Tetley (Julius Abbrusio), Robert North (Willie Faye), Jeanine Roos (Little Alice), Anne Whitfield (Phyllis), Mel Blanc (as the bunny), Arthur Q. Bryan ; Producer/Director - Paul Phillips ; Writers - Ray Singer & Dick Chevillat ; Music - Walter Scharf and His Music ; Announcer - Bill Forman ; Sponsor - Rexall ; NBC ; Phil sings, "A Son Of God's Country Am I." Alice sings, "Stay With The Happy People." Phil sees a six-foot Easter Bunny...two of them in fact! The play "Harvey" has closed two months before this program. (29:26)
10:00 p.m. Gene Autry's Melody Ranch
4/12/52 "Easter Program" Program #522 Gene Autry, Cass County Boys, The Pinafores, Johnny Bond, and Carl Cotner's Melody Ranch Orchestra ; Producer - Bill Burch ; Sponsor - Wrigley's Chewing Gum ; Theme Song - "Back in the Saddle again" ; The gospel classic "Peace in the Valley" (written in 1937 by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey for Mahalia Jackson) is performed.
10:30 p.m. Sixshooter
4/15/54 "Crisis at Easter Creek" Program #29 James Stewart (Britt Ponset), Marvin Miller (Reverand Broom), William Conrad (Red-Eye Kirk), Virginia Gregg, Robert Griffin, Ted de Corsia ; Reverend Broom of the town of Easter Creek has talked Britt into taking part in this week's singing rehearsal for Easter services with about none other people. They are practicing in a store because there is no church. Miss Elvira Peebles the organist quits because the "organ is plain worn out". Reverand Broom tells Sheriff Abner Appleton that they can borrow from the year-old building fund for a replacement organ. He knows a church in another town that will sell their old organ for $95. However they are $50.50 short, having raised only $42.50 in a year. Broom puts Britt in charge of a drive to raise the needed money. They pass the hat and collect $2.50 right then. Later, Britt has collected $11 having asked everyone in town. Talking to Sheriff Appleton he says that tat the only people around that he hasn't talked to are those east of town. Appleton says that low-lifes live out there and they are not likely to donate. Britt asks about a rumor that he heard that Red-Eye Kirk may be living out that way. Appleton is hesitant to admit that a shack at the foot of Dear Mountain has a resident that resembles Red-Eye. Britt heads out that way. He is greeted with a .45 gun barrel from the cabin-door of Red-Eye, who says his name is "Mr. Jones". He doesn't believe that Britt is asking for a donation for the church organ. Persistent Britt asks Red-Eye to go with him to approach the others who live in the area, like Jack Denton, Mike Morgan, Slick Wilson and Wisconsin Billy, to ask for the charity money. Red-Eye likes the idea. They made eight stops and collected much more that was needed for the organ. On the way back to town with the money Britt gets the feeling that someone is trailing him. Shots ring out. Britt stops, takes cover behind a rock, and draws his gun. Britt gets the drop on him. The guy is Wisconsin Billy and says Red-Eye sent him. He was out when Britt and Red-Eye stopped by and he wants to make his donation. Back in Easter Creek the Reverand is surprised to find that there is enough money to buy the organ and build the church. Britt talks the Reverand into accepting the money. The next Sunday, with the new organ, the services were attended by "Mr. Jones" and his friends. (Sus.) (29:28)

Happy Easter, Friends!

Happy Easter, Gina !

Look at Johnny! He refuses his expense account payment for the honor of serving his country. What a guy! :-)

What a guy. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

Look at Johnny! He refuses his expense account payment for the honor of serving his country. What a guy! :-)

We all are starting to think like one. Isn't that amazing? I was driving on 495 in DC listening to the show and thought EXACTLY the same thing and that I'd have to post it. JD didn't turn in his famous expense account for the "good of the cause." For defending the American way of life. What writing! Please Lord bring that back.

Amen!

That’s funny we all thought the same thing.

Great minds think alike—or is it, small minds rarely differ? HAAA!!!

Great minds of course. Happy Easter Gina.

I hope you both had a good day today.

I’m with you, Vision; I wish Mr. Walker would at least close out with a Suspense or some other “scary” mystery. Our Miss Brooks and some of the other comedies get a bit old.

I’m loving his happy easter song.

Wonderful day, thanx, Gina.

Just a thought, but I wonder just how large the archive of old time radio mysteries with Easter themes is.

Yes, I’m sure there’s a dearth of scary Easter stories, but I’m just hoping in general that Mr. Walker will bring back some creepy stuff, and not wait until Halloween to do so. :-)

That Happy Easter Song was good and catchy.

We really like Dennis Day, too, and listen to his songs on our Pandora Internet radio.

That was one of the best Jack Benny’s.

Fats Waller “Ain’t Misbehavin’” ... what a treat !!!

Yea, what a voice.

Dream girl...dream girl...

How beautiful commercials once were.