Let's all remember that Thanksgiving is a day of national prayer to God of the Bible, established by George Washington; which you can read here: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/GW/gw004.html
We have a Thanksgiving show tonight, and outside of that theme this is a weaker lineup in my option. Let's hope for laughs with the strongest show of the night, Jack Benny from ‘45...Challenge of the Yukon is a fun change but usually one dimensional...Father Knows Best is not worthy of the 10pm hour, maybe this is a great one???...ending with Sam Spade is anti climatic.
But, it'll still be a good night of OTR...and there is a Thanksgiving show on Thursday. Should we have a thread on it or is everyone busy?
It looks like Ed decided to go back a year and continue with some more Johnny Dollar serials, and the Gunsmoke looks to be an interesting time, edited to remove profanites! :-)
These brief synopses are used with permission from the RadioGOLDINdex © 2014 J. David Goldin.
7:00 PM Eastern War Time Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. December 19, 1955. Program #1. CBS net. "The Nick Shurn Matter". Sustaining. A nightclub owner is found shot to death. His insurance beneficiary is his business partner, who has perfect alibi. Bob Bailey, Roy Rowan (announcer), Les Crutchfield (writer), Jack Johnstone (producer, director), Virginia Gregg, Jack Kruschen, Ken Christy, Amerigo Moreno (musical supervisor), Sam Edwards, Peggy Webber, Don Diamond, Ben Wright, Barney Phillips. 15:15. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
7:15 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. December 20, 1955. Program #2. CBS net. "The Nick Shurn Matter". Sustaining. An old lady with a broken arm, a shivering girl, and a bullet in the snow. Bob Bailey, Roy Rowan (announcer), Les Crutchfield (writer), Jack Johnstone (producer, director), Virginia Gregg, Jack Kruschen, Ken Christy, Amerigo Moreno (musical supervisor), Sam Edwards, Peggy Webber, Don Diamond, Ben Wright, Barney Phillips. 15:14. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
7:30 Dragnet. February 22, 1953. Program #192. NBC net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Smoke". Old Mr. Stone, who kept his life savings in his mattress, has been killed, and his invalid wife beaten with a club. See cat. #47073 for a quality upgrade, network, sponsored version of this broadcast. Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, Hal Gibney (announcer), John Robinson (writer), Walter Schumann (music), Virginia Gregg, Stacy Harris. 25 minutes. Audio condition: Very good. Complete.
8:00 Gunsmoke. February 19, 1956. CBS net. "New Hotel". A funny not-for-broadcast rehearsal recording (possibly recorded December 24, 1955) with the cast of the show. Carefully edited to remove obscenities, but still amusing. A new hotel is being built by Enoch Mills, which doesn't please Jim Dobie, the owner of "The Dodge House." See cat. #38254 for a broadcast recording of this program. William Conrad, Lawrence Dobkin, Georgia Ellis, Harry Bartell, Vic Perrin, Joseph Du Val, John Dehner, Rex Koury (music), John Meston (writer), Parley Baer, Howard McNear, George Walsh (announcer). 20:27. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
8:30 Lum & Abner 11/28/46 #1146 Chester the Turkey (10:56). Synopsis is missing from the index, but this is one Ed plays every year.
8:45 The Challenge Of The Yukon. November 28, 1946. WXYZ, Detroit origination, The Michigan Radio Network. "Thanksgiving In The Wilderness". Sustaining. A flashback story: Father Haley has been kidnapped, along with the church funds. The townspeople suspect that the new priest may have stolen the money. Father Haley's dog Shep helps Sergeant Preston solve the mystery. The system cue has been deleted. Jay Michael, Mildred Merrill (writer), Larry McCann (announcer). 14:20. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete as above.
9:00 The Lucky Strike Program Starring Jack Benny. November 30, 1947. NBC net. Sponsored by: Lucky Strike. Phil Harris and The Sportsmen do a clever singing commercial to the tune of, "That's What I Like About The South." Jack dreams that he's being tried for murder for killing a Thanksgiving turkey. Fred Allen (imitated by Ollie O'Toole) appears as a turkey during the trial! A great show! Artie Auerbach, Basil Ruysdael (commercial spokesman), Dennis Day, Don Wilson, Frank Nelson, Jack Benny, L. A. Speed Riggs (tobacco auctioneer), Mary Livingstone, Mel Blanc (quadruples, one part is a turkey), Phil Harris, Eddie Anderson, The Sportsmen, F. E. Boone (tobacco auctioneer), Bea Benaderet, John Laing (commercial spokesman), Ollie O'Toole, George Balzer (writer), John Tackaberry (writer), Milt Josefsberg (writer), Sam Perrin (writer), Mahlon Merrick (conductor). 29:42. Audio condition: Very good to excellent. Complete.
9:30 Our Miss Brooks. November 19, 1950. CBS net. "Thanksgiving With Bernice". Sponsored by: Colgate Toothpaste, Lustre-Creme Shampoo, Palmolive Soap. It's Thanksgiving time and there's only $5 for a turkey. Mr. Boynton suggests buying a live turkey to save money. Eve Arden, Al Lewis (writer, director), Jane Morgan, Richard Crenna, Jeff Chandler, Gale Gordon, Verne Smith (announcer), Gloria McMillan, Bob Lemond (announcer), Larry Berns (producer), Wilbur Hatch (music). 29:27. Audio condition: Excellent. Otherwise complete.
10:00 Father Knows Best. November 23, 1950. NBC net. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee, Post Wheat Meal. Thanksgiving without the kids is not much of a celebration. Robert Young, June Whitley, Rhoda Williams, Ted Donaldson, Ed James (writer), Bill Forman (announcer), Roy Bargy and His Orchestra. 29:28. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
10:30 The Adventures Of Sam Spade, Detective. November 24, 1950. NBC net. "The Terrified Turkey Caper". Sustaining. Who's trying to kill Thom Turkey...on Thanksgiving Day? Steve Dunne, William Conrad, Lurene Tuttle, William Spier (producer, editor, director), Lud Gluskin (music), Robert Armbruster (conductor), Dashiell Hammett (creator). 29:20. Audio condition: Very good to excellent. Complete.