This Project Audion episode offers the national premiere of a NEW Fibber McGee and Molly episode, written by Robert L. Mills, former staff writer for comedy legend Bob Hope. Mills' script recreates the style, laughs, and charm of classic Fibber & Molly radio shows. "Fibber's Missing Tux" literally brings the couple out of retirement to be honored for their years on the airwaves.
As a bonus, after our recreation, we interview Robert L. Mills himself in his Hollywood home, talking about writing comedy, his days with Hope, and the Old Time Radio era.
It's an OTR fan's dream, and our dream cast includes:
Fibber McGee: John Bell (Alabama)
Molly: Jan Welch (North Carolina)
Teeny: Carolyn Threlkeld (Kentucky)
Doc Gamble: Ken Raney (Texas)
Old Timer: Harry Middlebrooks (California)
Wally Wimple: Duane Noch (New Jersey)
Harlow Wilcox: Chris Hart (Florida)
Production, direction, and sound by Larry Groebe (Texas)
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER - KCAL Old Time Radio Troupe
Nicholasville, Kentucky, is the home of KCAL, a community theatre group dedicated to re-creating classic Old-Time Radio shows. They traditionally put on four shows year from their theatre on South Main Street, although during the pandemic they've been creating their shows on Zoom. Here's their latest, a remake of Escape's "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe.
RODERICK USHER: Norman Cline
DOCTOR/ANNOUNCER: David Damron
NARRATOR: Doug Fain
PROJECT AUDION #15: The Life of Riley
Project Audion came into existence about a year ago, formed as a result of the COVID pandemic, with creator Larry Groebe seeking a way to bring actors together and provide entertainment for folks stuck at home. In this fifteenth edition of the series, it's PA's recreation of the classic radio (later TV) situation comedy "The Life of Riley" and the charming 1950 episode "The Rileys' First Date” -- originally aired for Thanksgiving, but re-created for Valentine's Day, 2021. Audion’s edition comes complete with recreated laugh track.
Directed by Tom Wilkens, and starring a truly transcontinental cast:
Here's the Narada Radio Company's very first entry for the Sonic Society's Summerstock Playhouse: a remake of the Lux Radio Theater's 1951 adaptation of Carol Reed's 1949 film, "The Third Man".
In case you didn't know, the Summerstock Playhouse brings you, every Summer, a handful of old-time radio remakes from modern-day audio drama producers. As I indicated above, this was our first entry. We've participated in every festival since 2015 and will be releasing more remakes this summer. Enjoy the show!
Announcer – Lisa Marie Ayala
John Milton Kennedy – Larry Hutchison
William Keighley – Christian Ferris
Harry Lime – Pete Lutz
Holly Martins – Alan Clower
Major Calloway – Jason D. Johnson
Sergeant Paine – Dana Gonsalves
Baron Kurtz – Nick Wommack
The Porter – Eric Lutz
The Porter's Wife – Tamara Merson Wren
Hotel Clerk – Kevin Schuster
Anna Schmidt – Leanne King
Landlady – Merilee Robinson
Dr. Winkel – John Valadez
Libby Collins, Hollywood Reporter – Darrin Ruiz
Mr. Popescu – Jordan Bruster-Campo
Viennese Bystander – Christian Ferris
Little Boy – Bailey Roberts
Father – Skeeter Ullmann
Irene Winston, Actress – Kendra Womack
Captain Brodsky – Carl Yowell
German Policemen – Pete Lutz
Priest – Dana Gonsalves
Episode 2 -- "Jack Tries to Get Rose Bowl Tickets", The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny
Welcome to Old-Time Radio Essentials, a new podcast wherein a specific episode from a selected OTR series is presented, and then discussed by three co-hosts: Pete Lutz, Jane St. John and Paul Arbisi; to determine whether or not it meets the following criteria:
1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")
2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?
So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our second installment (and Paul's choice), this episode of what was popularly called "The Jack Benny Program", originally broadcast 01-04-1948. We'll introduce the show, play it in its entirety, then discuss it at length. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy it!
Episode 2 -- "Jack Tries to Get Rose Bowl Tickets", The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny
Welcome to Old-Time Radio Essentials, a podcast wherein a specific episode from a selected OTR series is presented, and then discussed by three co-hosts: Pete Lutz, Jane St. John and Paul Arbisi; to determine whether or not it meets the following criteria:
1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")
2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?
So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our second installment (and Paul's choice), this episode of what was popularly called "The Jack Benny Program", originally broadcast 01-04-1948. We'll introduce the show, play it in its entirety, then discuss it at length. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy it!
FIRST CONTACT (SCI-FI)
A re-imagining of the classic story from the Old Time Radio Show X Minus One. The story was written by Murray Leinster and bought up to date by Gareth Severn of Studio Severn Productions.
Two distant and differing races encounter each other in a chance meeting in outer space. How will they react to each other? Will this meeting culminate in a great friendship or will everything turn sour? Find out when we have 'First Contact'.
Starring
The Announcer - Jerry Kokich
Dave Maresca - Lt. Dort
Pete Lutz - Captain Roger Emmenheim
Emily Rittamer - The Alien
Robert Finch - The Commander
Frank Guglielmelli - Weapons Control
Lashanta Hall - Communications Officer
Rocky Westbrook - Navigation Controller
Lt. Burns - Carson Campbell
Special Credits - Artwork: Stephen Goad
Created especially for Sonic Summerstock 2020, 63audio presents its third of four old-time radio remakes, a lost episode of the QUIET, PLEASE series, entitled "Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall", originally broadcast 8-24-47. Oliver is a man in an unhappy marriage, and under the thumb of his tyrannical boss. It seems the only way he can get any relief is to tell his troubles to his friend Eddie, over the phone. As we listen, we learn that someone else is listening, and has an unusual solution to Oliver's problems. Produced & directed by Pete Lutz.
CAST:
OLIVER/ERNEST CHAPPELL: Pete Lutz
EVERWEIN: Dana Gonsalves
CAROLINE: Kristy Glick
DICTAGRAPH VOICE: Dawn Robertson
MUSIC: Dr. Ross Bernhardt
We present the Narada Radio Company, in director Pete Lutz's adaptation of the Lux Radio Theatre's broadcast "Strangers on a Train", performed and recorded live in August 2018, at Harbor Playhouse, Corpus Christi, Texas. The sponsor was changed from Lux to one that provided more entertainment value for the audience. Enjoy!
CAST:
Christian Ferris as GUY HAINES
Pete Lutz as BRUNO ANTONY and THE MINISTER
Katie Loftin as MIRIAM and BESSIE
Diana DeHoyos as ANNE MORTON
Alan Clower as BRUNO'S FATHER
Tamara Merson Wren as BRUNO'S MOTHER
Gene Giggy as SENATOR MORTON
Jackie Ayers as BARBARA
Dana Gonsalves as TURLEY and HAMMOND
Joe Martinez as THE PROFESSOR, THE JUDGE, and THE OLD MAN
Aileen Corpos as MRS. CUNNINGHAM and HENNESSEY
Teddi Giggy as THE VENDOR and OFFICER ADAMS
And Geri Elliff as OFFICER MAC and YOUR HOST
With additional voices by Michele Barnett and Ebony Rose
Your Announcer, Jessica Mathews
Music was by Dr. Ross Bernhardt
The O-Sha-Lene performers were Alan Clower, Aileen Corpos, Diana DeHoyos, Geri Elliff, Katie Loftin, and Ebony Rose
Here's the Narada Radio Company's fourth and final Sonic Summerstock Playhouse offering for 2020 -- out of sequence but it's such a wonderful piece, we couldn't wait. East of the Sun, West of the Moon is a beautiful Norwegian folk tale interpreted by Louis MacNiece for BBC Radio and originally broadcast in 1959. There was no recording available for us to take inspiration from, so we did everything based on the script's dialogue and sound/music cues. A truly lovely, dreamy audio production that we hope you will enjoy.
Angel Leigh McCoy as Helga
Karim C. Kronfli as Father and the North Wind’s Groom
Rachel Pulliam as Halvor and Longnose
Julia Eve as Mother and the Female Troll
Gareth Severn as the Prince and the Bear
Alex Moore as the Three Crones
Pete Lutz as the East Wind, the Parrot, and the Male Troll
Julie Hoverson as the West Wind and the Stepmother
Dana Gonsalves as the South Wind and the Prisoner
Nick Wommack as the North Wind
Additional voices by Alex Moore and Pete Lutz
Music composed and performed/sung by Dr. Ross Bernhardt
Produced & Directed by Pete Lutz
SONIC SUMMERSTOCK 2020 - NIGHT BEAT: The Death of Riley
For the 11th big year of Sonic Summerstock (2020), we present the first of the Narada Radio Company's four installments of the season. This is a 1952 episode of the excellent OTR series, Night Beat, which starred Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone, a reporter for the fictitious Chicago Star newspaper. (NARADA RADIO COMPANY)
CAST:
ANNOUNCER – Darren Rockhold
RANDY STONE – Pete Lutz
EDIE – Angela Young
JIM GUTHRIE – Lothar Tuppan
RILEY JOHNSON – Jeffrey Billard
TINCHER – John Bell
FIRE CAPTAIN – James Scully
DOCTOR – Gareth Severn
P.A. SYSTEM VOICE – Rachel Pulliam
MUSIC COMPOSED BY Dr. Ross Bernhardt
REBECCA (SOLE TWIN AUDIO)
Produced and directed by Rachel (Rumler) Pulliam for the 2017 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse, this is a remake of the Lux Radio adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock film, originally starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.
BRIEF ENCOUNTER (SOLE TWIN AUDIO)
Produced and directed by Rachel (Rumler) Pulliam, this remake of the Old-Time Radio Adaptation of the classic film, starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson, was created especially for the 2017 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse.
(RATED NC-17, LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED)
Here's the Narada Radio Company in a show created for Mark Slade's "The Hangman's Dozen" anthology series. Written and directed by Pete Lutz, it's called "Four Minus One", and was originally released as a co-production of 63audio and 4077th/All Better Audio, on 2/26/16.
Set during the days when "Old Time Radio" was just "Radio", Four Minus One is about actress Marjorie Vining, longtime star of the hit radio series, "The Librarian of Coreyville". When she senses her co-star is scheming to steal her role, Marjorie seeks assistance from a local gypsy fortuneteller, who takes her down a long road of curses and revenge. (HORROR)
OUR CAST:
Spirit Voice: JASON D. JOHNSON
Radio Show Announcer: REX GABRIEL
Bill Baker: PETE LUTZ
Lina McNally: KATIE LOFTIN
Marjorie Vining: KRISTY GLICK
Gypsy: GERI ELLIFF
Frankie: NICK WOMMACK
Wink Winkler: ALAN CLOWER
Stationmaster: DANA GONSALVES
Addie: GRIFFIN GREENE
Studio Engineer: CHRISTIAN FERRIS
End Credits: FEDERAL STONECIPHER
“The Librarian of Coreyville” Theme composed and performed by DR. ROSS BERNHARDT
The Narada Radio Co. presents a remake of ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, originally broadcast on NBC Radio, July 6th, 1952.
Our cast of this radio remake is the same cast used for the stage production of Arsenic and Old Lace, which was produced in October, 2017 at Harbor Playhouse, Corpus Christi, Texas. We recorded it on that very stage, too! Here are our players:
ABBY BREWSTER - Michele Barnett
THE REV. DR. HARPER - Michael Pierce
TEDDY BREWSTER - Chuck Wilson
OFFICER BROPHY - Leo Longoria
OFFICER KLEIN - Richard Robinson
MARTHA BREWSTER - Aileen Corpos
MORTIMER BREWSTER - Peter M. Howard
ELAINE HARPER - Shannon Bladow
MR. GIBBS - Rick Yellen
JONATHAN BREWSTER - Jason D. Johnson
DR. EINSTEIN - Joe Martinez
OFFICER O'HARA - Bobby Vela
LIEUTENANT ROONEY - Larry Hutchison
MR. WITHERSPOON - Gene Giggy
Both the stage production and the audio production were directed by Pete Lutz. Post-production of the audio play was by 63audio, Corpus Christi, TX. This was first presented as part of the 2018 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse series.
The Narada Radio Co. presents THE ADAPTIVE ULTIMATE, an episode of the great radio series "Escape", originally broadcast on CBS, March 26, 1949.
Our cast of this radio remake is made up of members of the short-lived and now-defunct Empire Audio Network. All of us are actors and producers in our own right. Here are our players:
VOICE 1 – Mike Janson
ANNOUNCER – Orlando Segarra
DR. DANIEL SCOTT – Gabe Templin
DR. BACH – Pete Lutz
KYRA ZELAS - Rachel Craig
OFFICER – Will Snyder
PROSECUTOR – Austin Beach
SALVATORE – Jack Ward
DEFENSE ATTORNEY – Boyd Barrett
JUDGE – Pete Lutz
MRS. GETZ – MJ Cogburn
1ST COMMENTATOR - Jeremy Hennessy
2ND COMMENTATOR - Drew Profit
JOHN CALLAN – Jack Ward
VOICE 2 - Pete Lutz
MUSIC BY Dr. Ross Bernhardt
This production was produced and directed by Pete Lutz, especially for the 2018 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse.
The Narada Radio Co. presents a remake of "Rocket From Manhattan", which was written by Arch Oboler and originally broadcast in 1945. Our cast consists of the following players:
Victoria Fancki as Lt. Reynolds
Geri Elliff as Maj. Russell
Lori Bryant as Dr. Chamberlain
Your announcer was Alisha Strand-Mueller.
The script was modified slightly by our producer-director, Pete Lutz, and created especially for the 2018 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse series.
The Narada Radio Co. presents a remake of "Meridian 7-1212", an original radio play by Irving Reis. It originally aired on CBS Radio August 24, 1939, as the eighth program in the Columbia Workshop Festival Series.
Cast of MERIDIAN 7-1212:
ANNOUNCER – RC Lutz, Ashe Thurman
Time service operators:
DOT DAY – Aileen Corpos
MISS TANNER – Rhiannon McAfee
HELEN CLEARY – Angela Young
MISS WALLACE, THEIR SUPERVISOR – Geri Elliff
Other phone operators:
HOTEL OPERATOR – Rhiannon McAfee
BRITISH OPERATOR – Sarah Golding
BRITISH OVERSEAS OPERATOR – Alex Moore
AMERICAN OPERATOR – Stephanie Jordan
WRITER FOR MANHATTANITE MAGAZINE – Jackie Ayers
JIM FAWCETT – Peter Howard
BRADLEY, MANAGER OF TIME SERVICE – Pete Lutz
JOHN – Joe Martinez
GRACE, HIS WIFE – Nancy Gaugler
JOE AND SCOTT, AMERICAN DRUNKS IN LONDON – Pete Lutz, Dana Gonsalves
PERCIVAL, BRITISH DESK CLERK – Jason D. Johnson
ED, A LAWYER – Alan Clower
NEAL, HIS ASSISTANT – Micah Blain
JOHNSON, A CRIMINAL – Nick Wommack
Music by Ross Bernhardt
This remake was directed and produced by Pete Lutz for the 2017 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse.
The Narada Radio Co. presents a remake of “Good Ghost”, from the old-time radio series, “Quiet, Please”, originally written and directed by Wyllis Cooper, and broadcast on ABC Radio on October 24th, 1948. Our Narada Radio Company cast, in order of appearance:
Pete Lutz as ERNEST CHAPPELL and GUS,
Merilee Robinson as THE VOICE,
Carl Yowell as SCHUSTER,
Debby Leal as ADA, and
Skeeter Ullman as ROLLO.
Your Announcer was Dana Gonsalves.
The entire production was supervised by Pete Lutz and was created for the 2016 Sonic Society Summerstock Playhouse.
THE TELL-TALE HEART (HORROR) Summerstock Playhouse is a seasonal series in which fans of old time radio produce new presentations of OTR scripts. In the Summer of 2015, David Ault and Jack Ward brought this classic Edgar Allan Poe short to the Summerstock Playhouse. Co-starring Jack Ward, and special guest stars from The No Sleep Podcast, and showcasing the heart-stopping terror-filled music of Sharon Bee. Electric Vicuna Productions
ALL NIGHTER (OLD TIME RADIO - SUSPENSE) A 24-hour laundromat is the scene of a series of psychotic murders. From Canada CBC Radio Nightfall (Analogue Recording)
SHERLOCK HOLMES – THE ADVENTURE OF THE CHRISTMAS BRIDE (OLD TIME RADIO) The world's greatest detective solves a Christmas mystery. Analogue Recording
THE BODY SNATCHERS (OLD TIME RADIO – HORROR) An adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic by Frank W . McEnaney, set in Edinburgh, 1828, where the infamous Burke and Hare are providing suspiciously fresh corpses to the local medical school. Analogue Recording CBC Radio Nightfall
WIND CHILL (OLD TIME RADIO - HORROR) A city girl's car breaks down in the country in the dead of winter, and chilling events start to occur in the cabin of the mysterious young man who offers her a place to stay for the night. Analogue Recording CBC Radio Nightfall
THE BOOK OF HELL (OLD TIME RADIO - SUSPENSE) A mysterious manuscript purporting to be a first-person account of what it's like in Hell has the editors of a publishing house in an uproar. From Canada CBC Radio Nightfall (Analogue Recording)