Xmas Vintage Radio Shows Lineup for Dec. 25, 2019

                     XMAS DAY VINTAGE CLASSIC RADIO LINEUP DEC. 25, 2019

Vintage Radio Shows Lineup On Okanagan Valley Radio

LIVE STREAMING at www.okanaganvalleyradio.com

9:00-9:30 a.m. 

THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM

Last Moment Christmas Shopping (Aired December 21, 1947)

With Canada Dry Ginger Ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on The Canada Dry Program, beginning May 2, 1932, on the NBC Blue Network and continuing there for six months until October 26, moving the show to CBS on October 30. With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933. Arriving at NBC on March 17, Benny did The Chevrolet Program until April 1, 1934. He continued with sponsors General Tires, Jell-O and Grape Nuts. Lucky Strike was the radio sponsor from 1944 to the mid-1950s. The show returned to CBS on January 2, 1949, as part of CBS president William S. Paley's notorious "raid" of NBC talent in 1948-49. There it stayed for the remainder of its radio run, which ended on May 22, 1955. 

THIS EPISODE:

December 21, 1947. "Last Moment Christmas Shopping" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Lucky Strike. Jack goes Christmas shopping and buys a wallet for Don Wilson. The very clever middle commercial is sung to the tune of, "Jingle Bells," by The Sportsmen appearing as elevator operators in a department store. The show ends in with a Christmas medley by Dennis Day. Mel Blanc, Dennis Day, Eddie Anderson, Phil Harris, Jack Benny, Don Wilson, Mary Livingstone, Frank Nelson, Artie Auerbach, The Sportsmen, Gurney Bell, Bill Days, Jerry Farber, Elliott Lewis, Frank Martin (commercial spokesman), John McGovern, L. A. Speed Riggs (tobacco auctioneer), Earle Ross, Del Sharbutt (commercial spokesman), Marty Sperzel, Bob Stevens, George Balzer (writer), Milt Josefsberg (writer), John Tackaberry (writer), Sam Perrin (writer), Mahlon Merrick (music director). 29:17.  

9:30- 10:00 a.m. 

MY FAVORITE HUSBAND

Christmas Presents (Aired December 16, 1949)

When Lucille Ball was asked to do a television version of the show (with Jell-O remaining as sponsor), CBS insisted on Richard Denning continuing as her co-star. However, she said that she would not do a husband-and-wife sitcom without her real-life husband Desi Arnaz being the husband. The network reluctantly agreed to this (thus reworking the concept into "I Love Lucy"), but Jell-O dropped out. However the three radio writers did agree to do the switch to the "I Love Lucy" show. Many of the "My Favorite Husband" radio episodes were subsequently reworked into I Love Lucy episodes, especially early in the TV show's run. For example, the 1948 radio episode entitled "Quiz Show" inspired the I Love Lucy episode called "Redecorating," with some lines being exactly the same. Many of the actors who had done the "My Favorite Husband" radio show also appeared on "I Love Lucy", sometimes in episodes where they reprised their roles using a reworked "Husband" script.

10:00- 10:30 a.m. 

THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE

 Christmas Program (Aired December 20, 1942)

Actor Harold Peary played the character during its transition from the parent show into the spin-off and later in a quartet of feature films released at the height of the show's popularity. On Fibber McGee and Molly, Peary's Gildersleeve was a pompous windbag who became a consistent McGee nemesis. "You're a haa-aa-aa-aard man, McGee!" became a Gildersleeve catch phrase. The character was given several conflicting first names on Fibber McGee and Molly, and on one episode his middle name was revealed as Philharmonic. Gildy admits as much at the end of "Gildersleeve's Diary" on the Fibber McGee and Molly series (10/22/40). He soon became so popular that Kraft Foods — looking primarily to promote its Parkay margarine spread — sponsored a new series with Peary's Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve as the central, slightly softened, and slightly befuddled focus of a lively new family.

THIS EPISODE:

December 20, 1942. NBC network. Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay. "Christmas Program". As Leila leaves for the South, Gildersleeve buys a present for Judge Hooker, the old goat! Arthur Q. Bryan, Billy Mills (composer, conductor), Earle Ross, Harold Peary, John Whedon (writer), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Lillian Randolph, Lurene Tuttle, Richard LeGrand, Shirley Mitchell, Verna Felton, Walter Tetley. 32:59.  

10:30-11:00 A.M.

THE MILTON BERLE SHOW

A Salute To Christmas (Aired December 23, 1947)

The Milton Berle Show brought Berle together with Arnold Stang, later a familiar face as Berle's TV sidekick. Others in the cast were Pert Kelton, Mary Schipp, Jack Albertson, Arthur Q. Bryan, Ed Begley, vocalist Dick Forney and announcer Frank Gallop. The Ray Bloch Orchestra provided the music for the series. Sponsored by Philip Morris, it aired on NBC from March 11, 1947, until April 13, 1948. His last radio series was The Texaco Star Theater, which began September 22, 1948 on ABC and continued until June 15, 1949, with Berle heading the cast of Stang, Kelton and Gallop, along with Charles Irving, Kay Armen and double-talk specialist Al Kelly. It employed top comedy writers (Nat Hiken, brothers Danny and Neil Simon, Aaron Ruben), and Berle later recalled this series as "the best radio show I ever did... a hell of a funny variety show." It served as a springboard for Berle's rise as television's first major star. 

THIS EPISODE: 

December 23, 1947. NBC network. Sponsored by: Philip Morris. "A Salute To Christmas". Al Kelly reads "The Night Before Christmas." Uncle Miltie buys a fur coat for his wife. Al Kelly, Frank Gallop (announcer), Milton Berle, Ray Bloch and His Orchestra. 27:14.  

11:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.

BLONDIE XMAS SCROOGE

Christmas Scrooge (Aired December 25, 1939)

Blondie was a radio situation comedy adapted from the long-run Blondie comic strip by Chic Young. The radio program had a long run on several networks from 1939 to 1950. After Penny Singleton was cast in the title role of the feature film Blondie (1938), co-starring with Arthur Lake as Dagwood, she and Lake repeated their roles December 20, 1938, on The Bob Hope Show. The appearance with Hope led to their own show, beginning July 3, 1939, on CBS as a summer replacement for The Eddie Cantor Show. However, Cantor did not return in the fall, so the sponsor, Camel Cigarettes chose to keep Blondie on the air Mondays at 7:30pm. Camel remained the sponsor through the early WWII years until June 26, 1944. In 1944, Blondie was on the Blue Network, sponsored by Super Suds, airing Fridays at 7pm from July 21 to September 1. The final three weeks of that run overlapped with Blondie's return to CBS on Sundays at 8pm from August 13, 1944, to September 26, 1948, still sponsored by Super Suds. Beginning in mid-1945, the 30-minute program was heard Mondays at 7:30pm. Super Suds continued as the sponsor when the show moved to NBC on Wednesdays at 8pm from October 6, 1948, to June 29, 1949. 

THIS EPISODE:

December 25, 1939. "Christmas Scrooge" - CBS network. Sponsored by: Camels. Not auditioned. "Scrooge," by Charles Dickens, as through the eyes of Dag Cratchit. Mr. Dithers is Ebenezer Scrooge, of course. Bill Goodwin (announcer), Leone LeDoux, Hanley Stafford, Billy Artz (conductor), Arthur Lake, Penny Singleton. 30:10

11:30  a.m.- 12:00 noon 

LIFE OF RILEY

Christmas Present (Aired December 17, 1944)

Beginning October 4, 1949, the show was adapted for television for the DuMont Television Network, but Bendix's film contracts prevented him from appearing in the role. Instead, Jackie Gleason starred along with Rosemary DeCamp as wife Peg, Gloria Winters as daughter Barbara (Babs), Lanny Rees as son Chester Jr. (Junior), and Sid Tomack as Gillis, Riley's manipulative best buddy and next-door neighbor. John Brown returned as the morbid counseling undertaker Digby (Digger) O'Dell ("Well, I guess I'll be... shoveling off"; "Business is a little dead tonight"). Television's first Life of Riley won television's first Emmy (for "Best Film Made For and Shown on Television"). 

THIS EPISODE:

December 17, 1944. "Christmas Present" - Blue network, KECA, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: American Meat Institute. Riley has gotten a mysterious Christmas present. It's from Walla, Walla. Who is it from? William Bendix, John Brown, Ken Niles (announcer), Don Bernard (director), Lou Coslowe (music). 31:49.

12:00 noon- 12:30 p.m.

THE JACK CARSON SHOW

Christmas Day  (Aired December 25, 1946)

During the 1930s, as vaudeville went into decline owing to increased competition from radio and the movies, Willock and Carson sought work in Hollywood, initially landing bit roles at RKO. The radio also proved to be a source of employment for the team following a 1938 appearance on the Kraft Music Hall during Bing Crosby's period as program host. This led to a number of other appearances which would culminate in Carson's own radio show in 1943. From 1950-51, Carson was one of four alternating hosts of NBC's "4 Star Revue." Other hosts that season were Jimmy Durante, Ed Wynn. and Danny Thomas. The show aired Wednesday evenings. Carson's second season was his last with the comedy-variety program when its title was changed to "All Star Revue.

THIS EPISODE:

December 25, 1946. CBS network. Sponsored by: Campbell's Soup. A visit to Jack's house on "Christmas Day". Jack sings, "The House I Live In." Jack Carson, Arthur Treacher, Freddy Martin and His Orchestra, Dave Willock, Del Sharbutt (announcer), Norma Jean Nilsson, Irene Ryan, Stuart Wade (vocal), The Martin Men. 29:27. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.

12:30-1:00 p.m.

OUR MISS BROOKS

 The Magic Christmas Tree (Aired December 24, 1950)

Our Miss Brooks, an American situation comedy, began as a radio hit in 1948 and migrated to television in 1952, becoming one of the earlier hits of the so-called Golden Age of Television, and making a star out of Eve Arden (1908-1990) as comely, wisecracking, but humane high school English teacher Connie Brooks. The show hooked around Connie's daily relationships with Madison High School students, colleagues, and pompous principal Osgood Conklin (Gale Gordon), not to mention favourite student Walter Denton (future television and Rambo co-star Richard Crenna, who fashioned a higher-pitched voice to play the role) and biology teacher Philip Boynton ( Jeff Chandler), the latter Connie's all-but-unrequited love interest, who saw science everywhere and little else anywhere.

THIS EPISODE:

December 24, 1950. CBS network. "The Magic Christmas Tree". Sponsored by: Colgate Toothpaste, Lustre-Creme Shampoo. The script was previously used on December 19, 1948, December 25, 1949 and subsequently on December 23, 1951, December 21, 1952 and December 25, 1955. Eve Arden, Larry Berns (producer), Al Lewis (writer, director), Verne Smith (commercial spokesman), Bob Lemond (announcer), Wilbur Hatch (music), Jane Morgan, Richard Crenna, Gale Gordon, Jeff Chandler, Gloria McMillan. 29:29.

1:00-1:30 P.M. 

FATHER KNOWS BEST

 Christmas Program (Aired December 21, 1950)

The series began August 25, 1949, on NBC Radio. Set in the Midwest, it starred Robert Young as the General Insurance agent Jim Anderson. His wife Margaret was first portrayed by June Whitley and later by Jean Vander Pyl. The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Williams), Bud (Ted Donaldson), and Kathy (Norma Jean Nillson). Others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Herb Vigran and Sam Edwards. Sponsored through most of its run by General Foods, the series was heard Thursday evenings on NBC until March 25, 1954. On the radio program, the character of Jim differs from the later television character. The radio Jim is far more sarcastic and shows he really "rules" over his family. Jim also calls his children names, something common on radio but lost in the TV series. 

THIS EPISODE:

 December 21, 1950. "Christmas Program" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Maxwell House Coffee. A Christmas fable about Hans Christian Anderson and his many children's characters. Robert Young, Norma Jean Nilsson, Ted Donaldson, Rhoda Williams, June Whitley, Eleanor Audley, Bill Forman (announcer), Roy Bargy and His Orchestra, Clarence Nash (as the duck). 29:31

1:30-2:00 p.m.

THE MEL BLANC SHOW

Christmas Present (Aired December 10, 1946)

In 1936, Mel Blanc joined Leon Schlesinger Productions, which made animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Blanc liked to tell the story about how he got turned down at the Schlesinger studio by music director Norman Spencer, who was in charge of cartoon voices, saying that they had all the voices they needed. Then Spencer died, and sound man Treg Brown took charge of cartoon voices, while Carl Stalling took over as music director. Brown introduced Blanc to animation directors Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, and Frank Tashlin, who loved his voices. The first cartoon Blanc worked on was Picador Porky as the voice of a drunken bull. He took over as Porky Pig's voice in Porky's Duck Hunt, which marked the debut of Daffy Duck, also voiced by Blanc. Blanc soon became noted for voicing a wide variety of cartoon characters from Looney Tunes, adding Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Pepé Le Pew and many others. His natural voice was that of Sylvester the Cat, but without the lispy spray. (Blanc's voice can be heard in an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies that also featured frequent Blanc vocal foil Bea Benaderet; in his small appearance, Blanc plays a vexed cab-driver.)

THIS EPISODE

December 10, 1946. CBS network. Sponsored by: Colgate Tooth Powder, Halo Shampoo. Mel tries to raise some money to buy Betty a "Christmas Present". Bud Hiestand (announcer), Hans Conried, Jerry Hausner, Joseph Kearns, Mac Benoff (writer), Mary Jane Croft, Mel Blanc, The Sportsmen, Victor Miller and His Orchestra. 30:45.

2:00-2:30 p.m.

THE MILTON BERLE SHOW

A Salute To Christmas (Aired December 23, 1947)

The Milton Berle Show brought Berle together with Arnold Stang, later a familiar face as Berle's TV sidekick. Others in the cast were Pert Kelton, Mary Schipp, Jack Albertson, Arthur Q. Bryan, Ed Begley, vocalist Dick Forney and announcer Frank Gallop. The Ray Bloch Orchestra provided the music for the series. Sponsored by Philip Morris, it aired on NBC from March 11, 1947, until April 13, 1948. His last radio series was The Texaco Star Theater, which began September 22, 1948 on ABC and continued until June 15, 1949, with Berle heading the cast of Stang, Kelton and Gallop, along with Charles Irving, Kay Armen and double-talk specialist Al Kelly. It employed top comedy writers (Nat Hiken, brothers Danny and Neil Simon, Aaron Ruben), and Berle later recalled this series as "the best radio show I ever did... a hell of a funny variety show." It served as a springboard for Berle's rise as television's first major star. 

THIS EPISODE: 

December 23, 1947. NBC network. Sponsored by: Philip Morris. "A Salute To Christmas". Al Kelly reads "The Night Before Christmas." Uncle Miltie buys a fur coat for his wife. Al Kelly, Frank Gallop (announcer), Milton Berle, Ray Bloch and His Orchestra. 27:14.  

2:30-3:00 p.m.

YOU BET YOUR LIFE WITH GROUCHO MARX

The Secret Word Is "Sugar" (Aired October 12, 1949)

In one episode, Groucho's brother, Harpo, came down instead of the duck, and in another, a model came down in a birdcage with the money. Marx sometimes slyly directed conversation to encourage the secret word to come up. The duck was also occasionally replaced with a wooden Indian figure. After the contestants' introduction and interview, the actual game began. Contestants chose among available categories and then tried to answer a series of questions within the category. Each couple was staked with $20 and were asked four questions, wagering part or all of their bankroll for each question. The scoring format was later changed to a starting bankroll of $100 and couples selecting question values from $10 to $100. A correct answer added the value of the question to their bankroll and an incorrect answer cut their bankroll to that point in half. According to co-director Robert Dwan in his book, As Long As They're Laughing, Guedel changed the scoring format because too many couples were betting—and losing—all their money.

3:00-3:30 p.m.

THE BOB HOPE SHOW

Guest is Rita Hayworth from Jan. 5, 1943 

3:30-4:00 p.m.

ABBOTT & COSTELLO CHRISTMAS SHOW

Christmas Program (Aired December 24, 1947)

The show went through several orchestras during its radio life, including those of Ennis, Charles Hoff, Matty Matlock, Jack Meaking, Will Osborne, Freddie Rich, Leith Stevens, and Peter van Steeden. The show's writers included Howard Harris, Hal Fimberg, Parke Levy, Don Prindle, Ed Cherokee, Len Stern, Martin Ragaway, Paul Conlan, and Ed Forman, as well as producer Martin Gosch. Sound effects were handled mostly by Floyd Caton. Abbott and Costello moved the show to ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) five years after they premiered on NBC. During their ABC period they also hosted a 30-minute children's radio program(The Abbott and Costello Children's Show), which aired Saturday mornings with vocalist Anna Mae Slaughter and announcer Johnny McGovern.

THIS EPISODE:

 December 24, 1947. "Christmas Program" - ABC network. Sustaining. Susan Miller sings, Costello tells a Christmas story and meets Santa Claus! The boys trim the tree. Santa drives "fogdeer" (this is California!). Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Matty Malneck and His Orchestra, Susan Miller, Alan Reed, Michael Roy (announcer). 29:12.  

4:00-4:30 p.m.

THE ALDRICH FAMILY

Christmas Eve With The Family (Aired December 21, 1952)

The Aldrich Family as a separate radio show was born as a summer replacement for Jack Benny in NBC's Sunday night lineup, July 2, 1939, and it stayed there until October 1, 1939, when it moved to Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., sponsored by General Foods's popular gelatin dessert Jell-O---which also sponsored Jack Benny at the time. The Aldriches ran in that slot from October 10, 1939 until May 28, 1940, moving to Thursdays, from July 4, 1940 until July 20, 1944. After a brief hiatus, the show moved to CBS, running on Fridays from September 1, 1944 until August 30, 1946 with sponsors Grape Nuts and Jell-O,.before moving back to NBC from September 05, 1946 to June 28, 1951 on Thursdays and, then, its final run of September 21, 1952 to April 19, 1953 on Sundays.

THIS EPISODE:

December 21, 1952. "Christmas Eve With The Family" - NBC network. Sustaining. It's the day before Christmas and Eleanor Wentworth is giving Henry an expensive wallet. Henry tries to buy a battery-operated Christmas tree pin for Eleanor. A nice Christmas show. Bobby Ellis, Jack Grimes, House Jameson, Barbara Robbins, Clifford Goldsmith, Dick Dudley (announcer). 31:49

4:30-5:00 p.m.

 STARS OVER HOLLYWOOD

Time For Christmas (Aired December 12, 1953)

Stars Over Hollywood was a Saturday morning radio program that became an instant sucess and ran for thirteen years and dispite strong suggestions against it's acceptence in such a time slot. The program, sponsored by Dari-Rich, Carnation Milk and Armour, was informal and light-hearted. Stars such as Alan Ladd, Joan Crawford, Mary Astor, Phil Harris, and Basil Rathbone starred, often showing up to the set in pajamas or bathrobes. The tone of this series seems to be similar to that of soap operas: often sentimental material, very clearly-conveyed characters and motivations, very little ambiguity. Director Paul Pierce, refused to accept the negative predictions of hollywood critics.

THIS EPISODE:

December 12, 1953. CBS network. "Time For Christmas". Sponsored by: Carnation Milk. The case of Santa Claus and the three cuckoo clocks! Anita Louise, Art Ballinger (announcer), Isa Ashdown, John Stevenson, Rex Koury (composer, performer), Rosemary De Camp, Stanley Farrar. 30:16. 

5:00-5:30 p.m.

THE HONEST HAROLD PERRY SHOW

Children's Christmas Party (12-20-50)

Honest Harold Hemp lived with his mother and nephew and did a radio homemaker's program. The series received undeserved negative ratings and general negative attitude of the critics. The Honest Harold scripts were well crafted with well developed characters and had excellent acting and production values. Many people, including Harold Peary, believed that The Great Gildersleeve would not survive without Peary. However, Willard Waterman assumed the role and most listeners didn't notice the difference, as Mr. Waterman did an excellent job in capturing the essence of the Gildersleeve character. This may have been the single greatest blow to the survival of Honest Harold . There were just too many similarities between the two series.

THIS EPISODE:

December 20, 1950. "A Children's Christmas Party" - CBS network. Sustaining. A heartwarming Christmas show as Honest Hal trusts an old bank robber with the job of playing Santa Claus for the kids. Harold sings, "Adeste Fideles." Harold Peary, Bob Lemond (announcer). 29:30.  

5:30-6:00 p.m. 

HANCOCKS HALF HOUR

Bill & Father Christmas (Aired December 25, 1958)

Tony Hancock starred as an exaggerated version of his own character, a down-at-heel comedian living at the dilapidated 23 Railway Cuttings in East Cheam. Sid James played a criminally-inclined confidante who usually managed to con Hancock, while Bill Kerr appeared as Hancock's dim-witted Australian lodger. Moira Lister also appeared in the first series before being replaced by Andrée Melly for the next two, both playing love interests for Hancock's character. In the fourth and fifth series, Hattie Jacques played Griselda Pugh, live-in secretary to Hancock and occasional girlfriend of Sid James. The series broke from the variety tradition dominant in British radio comedy into the sitcom or Situation comedy genre. Instead of sketches, guest stars and musical interludes, humour developed from the characters and situations. Hancock's experiences were based in reality and observation. From the playlet "Look Back In Hunger" in The East Cheam Drama Festival episode, Galton and Simpson showed they were in touch with developments in the British theatre, the use of sighs and silent pauses in common with the work of Harold Pinter which began to emerge towards the end of the series' run. The measured pacing of these episodes were groundbreaking in the days of fast-talking Ted Ray, where every second of airtime had to be filled. With Galton and Simpson writing scripts prolifically, continuity was not priority, with details changed to suit the episode.

6:00-6:30 p.m.

FAMILY THEATRE

Crossroads Of Christmas (Aired December 17, 1952)

Meaningful Stories from Years Past that Continue to Inspire Families Today Families, then and now, face similar situations and struggles: communication, honesty, gambling, music, alcoholism, sports and many spiritual questions, such as life after death. How we address these struggles makes all the difference in strengthening our family bonds. These compelling half-hour dramas offer inspiring insights into how to build unity within your family. Join us on a visit with the stars of the past for an uplifting, humorous and meaningful look into family life. More than 500 of these programs have been digitally re-mastered and are "crystal clear." 

THIS EPISODE:

December 17, 1952. Mutual network. "Crossroads Of Christmas". Sustaining. An inn-keeper of Nazareth is jeopardized by his Roman-hating nephew, who is hiding from the Centurians. A carpenter and his family in the stable return the inn-keeper's assistance. Irene Dunne (hostess), Victor Jory, Rita Johnson, Tony La Frano (announcer), Harry Zimmerman (composer, conductor), Joseph Mansfield (director), Eddie Firestone, John McGreavy (writer), Pat McGeehan, Howard Culver, Tudor Owen, Michael Hayes. 25:24.  

6:30-7:00 p.m. 

BROADWAY IS MY BEAT
Nick Norman Santa Claus aka: Santa Takes A Powder (Aired December 24, 1949)

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 (now 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. Show Notes From The Old Time Radio Researcher's Group.

THIS EPISODE:

December 24, 1949. " Nick Norman Santa Claus" - CBS network. Sustaining. A Christmas show. Nick Norman is just out of Sing Sing after fifteen years and is scheduled to play Santa Claus for the P. A. L. The day before the big day, Santa Takes A Powder, while a miserly landlord demands his rent! This is a network version. Howard McNear, Elliott Lewis (producer, director), Gil Stratton, Shepard Menken, Peggy Webber, Larry Thor, Charles Calvert, Alexander Courage (composer), Wilbur Hatch (conductor), Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), Hal March, Bert Holland, Estelle Dodge, Joe Walters (announcer). 32:11.  

7:00-7:30 p.m.

BIG TOWN

Deadline At Dawn Aka: Christmas Story (Aired December 14, 1948)

Hard-nosed editor, Wilson, as played by Edward G. Robinson would get the story no matter what it takes. Though sometimes over the top, Robinson was excellent in his role. The stories were well written and directed by William N. Robson as well as McGill. The skill of this group shows in making the series very good radio. The show was a big promoter of the free press and the first amendment with its opening sequence: "Freedom of the press is a flaming sword! Use it justly...hold it high...guard it well!" The second series began immediately in the 1943 season when the production moved from Hollywood to New York. Robinson left (Trevor left two years earlier as her career starting taking off) and McGill reorganized the series placing Edward Pawley in the role of Wilson opposite Fran Carlon as Lorelei. 

THIS EPISODE:

 December 14, 1948. NBC network. "Deadline At Dawn" Aka: Christmas Story . Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. A protection mob is moving into the produce markets of Big Town. Steve Wilson pays a call on "Lard" Malone. Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Jerry McGill (writer, producer), Hugh James (announcer). 30:55

7:30-8:00 p.m.

THIS IS YOUR FBI

The Innocent Santa Claus (Aired December 21, 1951)

This Is Your FBI was a radio crime drama which aired in the United States on ABC from April 6, 1945 to January 30, 1953. FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover gave it his endorsement, calling it "the finest dramatic program on the air." Producer-director Jerry Devine was given access to FBI files by Hoover, and the resulting dramatizations of FBI cases were narrated by Frank Lovejoy (1945), Dean Carleton (1946-47) and William Woodson (1948-53). Stacy Harris had the lead role of Special Agent Jim Taylor. Others in the cast were William Conrad, Bea Benaderet and Jay C. Flippen.

THIS EPISODE:

December 21, 1951. ABC network. "The Innocent Santa Claus". Sponsored by: The Equitable Life Assurance Society. A washed up vaudevillian finally gets a job as a children's party Santa Claus. He finds himself accused of a crime by the FBI. The system cue is added live. Stacy Harris, William Woodson (narrator), Larry Keating (announcer), Jerry D. Lewis (writer), Jerry Devine (producer), Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Tony Barrett, Walter Catlett, Jay C. Flippen, Tony Hughes, William Johnstone, Anne Whitfield. 29:31. 

8:00-8:30 p.m.

BOSTON BLACKIE

Stolen Rings At Christmas (Aired December 22, 1948)

The Boston Blackie radio series, also starring Chester Morris, began June 23, 1944, on NBC as a summer replacement for The Amos 'n' Andy Show. Sponsored by Rinso, the series continued until September 15 of that year. Unlike the concurrent films, Blackie had a steady romantic interest in the radio show: Lesley Woods appeared as Blackie's girlfriend Mary Wesley. Harlow Wilcox was the show's announcer. On April 11, 1945, Richard Kollmar took over the title role in a radio series syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv to Mutual and other network outlets. Over 200 episodes of this series were produced between 1944 and October 25, 1950.  Writer Jack Boyle grew up in Chicago, Illinois. While working as a newspaper reporter in San Francisco, he became an opium addict, was drawn into crime, and was jailed for writing bad checks. Later convicted of robbery, Boyle was serving a term in San Quentin when he created the character of Boston Blackie. The first four stories appeared in The American Magazine in 1914, with Boyle writing under the pen name "No. 6066". From 1917 to 1919, Boston Blackie stories appeared in The Red Book magazine, and from 1918 they were adapted for motion pictures. When Boston Blackie began to find success on the screen, Boyle edited the Red Book magazine stories into a book, Boston Blackie (1919). He revised and rearranged the order of the stories to create a cohesive narrative—a common practice at the time. This was the only appearance of Boston Blackie in book form, but his adventures continued to appear in periodicals.

8:30-9:00 p.m.

NEW ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

The Night Before Christmas (Aired December 24, 1945)

His earliest cases, which he pursued as an amateur, came from fellow university students. According to Holmes, it was an encounter with the father of one of his classmates that led him to take up detection as a profession and he spent the six years following university working as a consulting detective, before financial difficulties led him to take Watson as a roommate, at which point the narrative of the stories begins. From 1881, Holmes is described as having lodgings at 221B Baker Street, London, from where he runs his private detective agency. 221B is an apartment up seventeen steps, stated in an early manuscript to be at the "upper end" of the road. Until the arrival of Dr. Watson, Holmes works alone, only occasionally employing agents from the city's underclass, including a host of informants and a group of street children he calls the Baker Street Irregulars. The Irregulars appear in three stories, "The Sign of the Four", "A Study in Scarlet" and "The Adventure of the Crooked Man".

THIS EPISODE:

 December 24, 1945. Mutual network. "The Night Before Christmas". Sponsored by: Petri Wines. A Christmas story with two Santas (one of them "Lou the Lisper," a henchman of Professor Moriarty)! The story is based on, "The Adventure Of The Blue Carbuncle." Anthony Boucher (writer), Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Harry Bartell (announcer), Denis Green (writer), Arthur Conan Doyle (author), Dean Fosler (music), Edna Best (producer). 32:37

9:00-10:00 p.m. 

SUSPENSE THEATRE

2 Episodes From 1943 and 1959 (Christmas Special)

Suspense was actually spawned from another series called Forecast. The 1940 horror show was entitled Suspense and it was based on the Marie Belloc Lowndes' short Jack-the-Ripper novella, The Lodger. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, who had made a 1926 silent film based on the same story (Grams, 1997, 3). Its subtle ending generated a large volume of mail which convinced CBS executives that they had a strong market. Two years later, Suspense was aired. It became one of radio's longest lasting shows, surviving twenty years of consistent success.

 TODAY'S SHOW: "Korean Christmas Carol" (12-20-59) and "Nothing Up My Sleeve" (01-05-43. December 20, 1959. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Korean Christmas Carol". the story of a strange G. I., his A. W. O. L. bag, and an even stranger Christmas battle. Bill Lipton, Lyle Sudrow, Allen Manson, Phil Meader, Santos Ortega, Guy Repp, Larry Robinson, Lawson Zerbe, Stuart Metz (announcer), George Walsh (announcer), George Bamber (writer), Paul Roberts (producer, director), Ethel Huber (music supervisor). 24:53. 

January 5, 1943. CBS network. "Nothing Up My Sleeve". Sustaining. A suspenseful tale of robbery and missing money in a locked room. Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor), Elissa Landi, George Coulouris, John Dickson Carr (host, writer), John Dietz (director), William Spier (producer, director, editor), Joseph Kearns (announcer). 29:23.

10:00-10:30 p.m.

THE FAT MAN

Murder Sends A Christmas Card (1951) *The Exact Date Is Unknown.

The directors for the program were Clark Andrews, creator of "Big Town," and Charles Powers. The main writer for the series was Richard Ellington, but it was also scripted by Robert Sloane, Lawrence Klee and others. The veteran character actor Ed Begley was featured as Sgt. O'Hara. Regulars on the program included Petty Garde, Paul Stewart, Linda Watkins, Mary Patton as Lila North, and Vicki Vola, also the female lead in "Mr. District Attorney." Amzie Strickland played the ingenue, Cathy Evans, and Nell Harrison played Runyon's mother during the early episodes. The cast also included Dan Ocko, Roily Bester (wife of Alfred Pester, the science fiction writer), and Robert Dryden. An eleven-piece orchestra was on hand to provide live music, and was directed by Bernard Green, who also wrote that memorably stirring theme. The sound effects were by Ed Blaney, who actually did drop a coin in a change slot each week for the sound of the drug store scale."

THIS EPISODE:

1951. Program #3. Grace Gibson syndication (Australia). "Murder Sends A Christmas Card". Commercials added locally. Lloyd Berrill, Grace Gibson (producer), Dashiell Hammett (creator). 28:51.

10:30-11:00 p.m.

RICHARD DIAMOND-PRIVATE DETECTIVE

A Contemporary Christmas Carol (Aired December 24, 1949)

Richard Diamond, Private Detective was a radio show starring Dick Powell which aired from 1949 to 1953, first on NBC, then ABC and finally on CBS. The title character was a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen. The television series was produced by Powell's company, Four Star Television, and that series ran for 3 years from 1957 to 1960. On TV, David Janssen played the hard boiled private eye and his secretary renamed “Sam”, was only ever shown on camera from the waist down, most Assuredly  to display her beautiful legs. It was later learned that the legs belonged to Mary Tyler Moore. Original music by Frank DeVol and pete rugolo and later by richard shores. Good scripts, a solid cast and Powell’s exceptional talent made a good time 30 minute program that was quite popular during that Golden Age of Radio. So Let’s sit back now, relax and enjoy this truly otr radio classic.,…, Dick powell as Richard Diamond.., Private Detective. 

THIS EPISODE: 

December 24, 1949. NBC network. "A Contemporary Christmas Carol". Sustaining. The famous story by Charles Dickens, but done by Richard Diamond, the private detective, and his friends. See the same script, broadcast two years later. Dick sings, "Mele Kalikimaka," after the story. Dick Powell, Edward King (announcer), Charles Dickens (author), Blake Edwards (writer). 32:33.

11:00-11:30 p.m.

THE ADVENTURES OF THE FALCON

The Case Of The Unwelcome Christmas Present (Aired December 24, 1950)

This hard boiled spy drama began as an RKO Radio Pictures theatrical serial in the 1940s, went on radio in 1945, and then came to TV ten years later in this Syndicated series produced for distribution by NBC Films; Charles McGraw had been in many motion pictures before and after including "The Killers", "Spartacus" and "Cimarron"; in this series he played the title role of a man whose real name was supposedly Mike Waring, an American agent whose code name was "Falcon"; Later Charles McGraw starred in a short lived TV version of "Casablanca" (1955 - 1956) in the character of Rick; He also had a role on the detective drama "Staccato" (1959) Actor McGraw (whose birth name was Charles Butters) met an unfortunate death in real life when he fell through a shower glass door in 1980 at his home in Studio City, CA.

11:30-12:00 PM MIDNITE

SUSPENSE THEATRE

Delayed Christmas Present (Aired December 23, 1951)

Bill Forman had the title role of host and narrator. Others who portrayed the Whistler at various times were Gale Gordon, Joseph Kearns, Marvin Miller (announcer for The Whistler and The Bickersons and later as Michael Anthony on TV's The Millionaire), Bill Johnstone (who had the title role on radio's The Shadow from 1938 to 1943) and Everett Clarke. Cast members included Hans Conried, Joseph Kearns, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Gerald Mohr, Lurene Tuttle and Jack Webb. Writer-producer J. Donald Wilson established the tone of the show during its first two years, and he was followed in 1944 by producer-director George Allen. Other directors included Sterling Tracy and Sherman Marks with final scripts by Joel Malone and Harold Swanton. Of the 692 episodes, over 200 no longer exist. In 1946, a local Chicago version of The Whistler with local actors aired Sundays on WBBM, sponsored by Meister Brau beer. 

THIS EPISODE:

 December 23, 1951. CBS Pacific network. "Delayed Christmas Present". Sponsored by: Signal Oil. The story of a nightclub singer's flight from a gangster, as told in a cheap Panamanian saloon. Betty Lou Gerson, Bill Bouchey, Bill Forman (announcer), Britt Wood (harmonica), Edward Bloodworth (writer), George W. Allen (producer), Marvin Miller, Wilbur Hatch (music), William Conrad. 31:29