No Soap Radio - X Minus One: The Parade

Our 11th NO SOAP RADIO production created in April, 2025. This is a recreation of The X MINUS ONE radio episode..."THE PARADE". This episode introduces two new actors to the No Soap family: Andy Hartson-Bowyer, and Pete Lutz of the Narada Radio Co. The show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. 

CAST:
Andy Hartson-Bowyer as Sid Ryan
Paul Patterson as Luchar
Annette Bochenek as Ada Shackley
John Bell as Ken Dailey
Zach Eastman as Oliver
Victoria Gordon as The Telephone Operator and Parade Watcher
Larry Groebe as Adolph
Paul Kovit as Sammy Sorrell
Tony Semczuk as Commissioner Patrick and Sgt. Cassidy
Pete Lutz as Marty Sanford
Laura Mirsky as Gloria Montez
John Henderson as The Announcer
The Henderson Kids as Parade Watchers

No Soap Radio - The Shadow: The Long Arm of Death

Our 9th NO SOAP RADIO production created in September, 2024.
This is a recreation of "The Shadow radio episode..."The Long Arm of Death". The original broadcast took place on November 7, 1954. There is no surviving recording of the original broadcast so this your chance to hear what it might have sounded like back in the day.

This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.

CAST:
Zach Dillinger as Lamont Cranston / The Shadow
Victoria Gordon as Margo Lane
Zach Eastman as The Announcer
Annette Bochenek as Grace Randolph
Tony Semczuk as George Randolph
Paul Patterson as Doctor Low
Laura Mirsky as Jennie

No Soap Radio - Jack Benny Visits the Apollo 11 Launch

Our 7th No Soap Radio production is based on an original script written by Craig Shemin.  This Jack Benny Radio Show takes place in 1969.  Jack is invited to attend the launch of Apollo 11 which resulted in the first men walking on the moon.  All of the usual cast of characters make appearances including Mary Livingston, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Rochester, Don Wilson, Frank Nelson, and Sheldon Leonard.  

This production had its premiere at the 4th annual Jack Benny Convention in February, 2024. It was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.

 CAST:
 Jack West as Jack Benny
 Annette Bochenek as Mary Livingston
 Paul Patterson as Rochester
 Tony Semczuk as Frank Nelson and Sheldon Leonard
 Zach Eastman as Dennis Day (talking) and Michael Collins
 Robert Creighton as Dennis Day (singing)
 Zach Dillinger as Phil Harris
 Victoria Gordon as The Airline Clerk
 John Henderson as Don Wilson and Buzz Aldrin
 Paul Kovit as NASA Gate Officer, Airport Announcer and Countdown Announcer
 Matthew Merback as Kodak Spokesman and Neil Armstrong

No Soap Radio - Fibber McGee & Molly: The 6th Anniversary Show (1941)

Our 8th NO SOAP RADIO production created in July, 2024.  As always we're presenting this show exactly as written in 1941 for historical accuracy.  We don't condone every attitude expressed in the show.  You might recognize the voice of the actor playing Fibber.  It’s none other than Larry Groebe of Project Audion fame.  
This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.  Paul also managed to decipher the four part hamonies of The Kings Men.  He then was able to recreate their song, “Let’s Get Away From It All” using singers who were scattered throughout the U.S. We hope you like the results.

CAST:
 Annette Bochenek as Mrs. Uppington
 Zach Dillinger as Harlow Wilcox
 Zach Eastman as The Old Timer
 Victoria Gordon as The Little Girl
 Larry Groebe as Fibber McGee
 Anne O’Sullivan as Molly
 Paul Patterson as The Oculist
 Tony Semczuk as Throckmorton Gildersleeve & Wallace Wimple
 Paul Kovit, Tony Semczuk, Mark Saunders, Alexander Rynerson as The Kings Men

Project Audion 69 - Suspense: Deadline

Project Audion kicks off its sixth season by once again returning to that all-time classic audio drama, Suspense.  We've again accessed a script from one of the very few lost episodes of the show, and are bringing back many of the actors from Audion's very first show in 2020 to recreate it.  This episode, titled "Deadline," was originally broadcast in June 1950 with Broderick Crawford. It is a powerhouse story of a newspaper editor whose fast-breaking stories on the Chicago underworld increase his paper's circulation beyond his wildest dreams... but which may also prove to be the stuff of his nightmares. It is indeed a classic tale "well-calculated to keep you in..." SUSPENSE!

Pete Lutz in Texas

Doug Fain in Kentucky

Richard Huitema in Florida

Scott McKinley in New Jersey

Patte Rosebank in Toronto Canada

Craig Wichman in New York

Production, direction, music and sound patterns by Larry Groebe

Project Audion 68 - Wayfaring Men

Larry Groebe wanted to do a "very special episode" for the finale of the fifth season. Starting with recreating what is not only a lost episode, but an entirely lost show from some of the earliest days of network radio. 

"Wayfaring Men" is pretty much an unknown, undocumented show... a dramatic 1933 summer serial from CBS about the lives of the hoboes, tramps, and bums who were so numerous during the Great Depression. Not a single recording of the show exists, and there's almost no background information either, but Project Audion came upon a handful of the original mimeographed scripts, and has selected an episode dated June 26 1933 to bring back to life.

Project Audion 67 - Our Miss Brooks

Project Audion presents the delightful mid-century classic sitcom "Our Miss Brooks." Back in the 1950s, the character of Connie Brooks was everyone’s favorite high school English teacher - sassy and smart, but starry-eyed in her unrequited desire for biology teacher Mr. Boynton. Actress Eve Arden’s portrayal was so iconic she made the jump to television four years after the radio version launched in 1948 - and even filmed a movie adaptation in 1956.

Robert L. Mills, comedy writer for Bob Hope, has crafted a fresh episode of the show just for Project Audion that matches the original radio episodes, laugh for laugh. We had a great time recording this one, and you'll have a great time listening to it!

Project Audion 66 - The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Project Audion brings you "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," recreating an episode which has remained unheard for eighty years.

There's no more famous detective, real or imagined, than Holmes. His creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, pretty much defined the mystery-detective story, and 138 years later Holmes and Watson are still part of popular culture. In 1945, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce portrayed them weekly on the Mutual Radio network. Our selected script (which aired only once, on January 15, 1945) "The Curse of Doctor Anselmo," carries its own mystery - the secret identity of the man who co-wrote it pseudonymously. Will you discover whodunnit? Will Holmes fall under Anselmo's curse? Will the Petri family take the time to bring you good wine? All will be revealed in this delightful half hour audio drama, faithful to the original series' sound and spirit.

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo!

Having uncharacteristically taken a long nap, Clark Kent was awakened to a phone call from Bruce Wayne informing him of another bank robbery 50 minutes away in Groveton. Wasting no more time, Superman and Batman flew to the scene to learn what happened. A pair of eyewitnesses tell their story, but what they have to say isn’t exactly helpful. Will Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne be able to unravel it all before the next robbery? Plus, in today’s Important Message, Billy shows us just how challenging the Shell Game is!

Part 3 of “Is There Another Superman” was originally broadcast on January 31, 1946!

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo! 

Not only is someone posing as Superman to commit bank robberies and then giving the money to charity, but Batman and Clark Kent have discovered that the imposter’s handwriting matches that of Superman himself! Furthermore, Batman suspects that Kal-El wasn’t the only survivor of the destruction of Krypton! Could he be right? Did someone else survive the Kryptonian cataclysm? And why is Clark Kent suddenly having debilitating headaches? Will there be answers? Find out in today’s episode of Bat-Supe! Plus, in today’s Important Message, it’s the first clue in The Shell Game!

Part 2 of “Is There Another Superman” was originally broadcast on January 30, 1946!

The air is thick with the scent of damp stone and the echoes of laughter from the fading carnival. But beneath the revelry lies a sinister plot. Step into the chilling darkness of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado." Betrayal, revenge, and a descent into the catacombs await. Join us in this Moonlight Audio Theatre exclusive as abVoices uncorks this classic tale of calculated horror, narrated by Andy Hartson-Bowyer.

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo! 

There have been a string of bank robberies and according to eyewitnesses the bank robber rips bank vaults open with his bare hands and wears a costume just like Superman! What’s more, the stolen money is always given to charity! Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent are investigating, but they soon learn that it isn’t just the costume that’s like Superman’s. It’s the beginning of a new adventure and the stakes are as high as they can get! Plus, in today’s Important Message, we begin the countdown to our next Swell Prize, and you’ll need to put on your thinking caps for this one!

 Part 1 of “Is There Another Superman” was originally broadcast on January 29, 1946!

NO SOAP RADIO - Our Miss Brooks: Student Government Day

Our 5th NO SOAP RADIO production created in April, 2023. This is a recreation of the 1949 Our Miss Brooks program, “Student Government Day”, starring Eve Arden. This was a dream come true for No Soap member Zach Eastman. He had been working on a Walter Denton imitation for years and finally had a chance to show it off.

This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. If you’d like to see a video version of this show check out our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production.

CAST:
Adrienne Jones as Martha Conklin
John Henderson as The Show Announcer
Victoria Gordon as Harriet Conklin
Paul Kovit as Osgood Conklin
Zach Dillinger as Phillip Boynton and Luster Creme Spokesman
Laura Mirksy as Margaret Davis and Palmolive Soap Spokeswoman
Annette Bochenek as Connie Brooks
Tony Semczuk as Honest Jim and Palmolive Shaving Cream Spokesman
Paul Patterson as Mayor Rimson
Zach Eastman as Walter Denton
Matthew Merback as The Police Officer, Palmolive Soap Spokesman and Luster Creme Singer
Jon Delfin as The Tuberculosis Spokesman

NO SOAP RADIO -- Suspense: The Whole Town's Sleeping

Our 6th NO SOAP RADIO production, created in September, 2023. This is a recreation of the 1955 Suspense program - "The Whole Town's Sleeping". In this show our production values took a leap forward. This was our first time incorporating a green screen into the video production, allowing us to place our performers into our own graphic backgrounds, and simultaneously remove all microphones from the shot. 

Listeners may be interested to know that No Soap’s Annette Bochenek (who plays Lavinia Nebbs) has her own website, Hometowns To Hollywood, where she takes deep dives into Hollywood characters, both famous and obscure. Check it out: https://hometownstohollywood.com/

This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. Paul also recreated many of the original music cues in GarageBand using instrument samples from the app. These cues were surreptitiously blended with some of the original cues. In addition, Larry Groebe of Project Audion provided a bunch of foley work for this production. We hope you like the end result.

If you’d like to see a video version of this show, check out our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions, as well as info about our group. If you like our videos, feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube, so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production.

CAST:
Annette Bochenek as Lavinia Nebbs
Zach Dillinger as The Narrator
Victoria Gordon as Francine
John Henderson as The Announcer
Adrienne Jones as Helen
Laura Mirksy as Mrs. Hanlon
Matthew Merback as The Police Officer
Paul Patterson as The Detective
Tony Semczuk as The Druggist

NO SOAP RADIO presents: The Shadow, "The Silent Avenger"

Our 3rd NO SOAP RADIO production created in September, 2022. This is a recreation of the 1938 episode of The Shadow entitled "The Silent Avenger” and was our first attempt at something besides comedy.

The show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. Paul also recreated the original music cues using the organ samples in GarageBand, and arranged the Shadow theme music under the end credits.

If you’d like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/

While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production.

CAST:
Ian Oberg as The Announcer, a policeman, and Mr. O’Hara
Victoria Gordon as Margo Lane and the little girl
Paul Kovit as Danny Brecker
Zach Dillinger as Lamont Cranston and The Shadow
Annette Bochenek as Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Brecker
Tony Semczuk as Judge Wilson, The Prison Guard, and The Commissioner
Paul Patterson as Joe Brecker
Zach Eastman as The Court Bailiff, Harvey, and The Paper Boy

NO SOAP RADIO: The Jack Benny Program, "No One Remembers Jack's Birthday"

Our 4th NO SOAP RADIO production was created in February, 2023 and premiered at the 3rd annual Jack Benny Convention. This is a recreation of the 1955 Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny - "No One Remembers Jack's Birthday". We chose this particular program to spotlight one of our actors, Victoria Gordon. Victoria’s grandfather, Al Gordon, was one of the writers on this show. Al was part of Jack Benny’s writing staff for many years and also had a very successful career writing for many TV sitcoms and variety shows throughout the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s.

This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.
If you’d like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/
While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production.

CAST:
Jack West as Jack Benny
Ian Oberg as Don Wilson
Victoria Gordon as Pauline, Lois, and the Ticket Taker
Paul Kovit as Danny Brecker
Zach Dillinger as Charlie Bagby
Laura Mirksy as Dennis Day’s mother
Annette Bochenek as Mary Livingstone and The Lucky Strike singer
Tony Semczuk as Mel, Polly the Parrot, and The Theater Manager
Paul Patterson as Rochester
Zach Eastman as the speaking Dennis Day
Robert Creighton as the singing Dennis Day
Marco Bautista, Martin O’Reilly, and Leonardo Civitano as The Beavers
Patricia Benjamin-Doyle as the Western Union Operator and Opera Singer
Adrienne Jones, Margo Hennebach, and Mark Saunders as the Birthday Singers

Our 10th NO SOAP RADIO production is based on an original script written by Craig Shemin. This Jack Benny Program takes place in 1955. Jack wonders what it would be like if he was the subject on the TV show This Is Your Life. All of the usual cast of characters make appearances, including Mary Livingstone, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Rochester, Don Wilson, Frank Nelson, and Professor LeBlanc. Also a number of guest stars appear including Jack Benny's sister Florence, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Groucho Marx, and Fred Allen! The show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.

If you’d like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/
While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on Youtube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production.

CAST:
John Bell as Jack Benny
Eric Jacobson as George Burns
Stephanie D’Abruzzo as Gracie Allen
Noah Diamond as Groucho Marx
Larry Groebe as Fred Allen
Craig Shemin as Professor LeBlanc
Victoria Gordon as Daisy and The Lucky Strike singer
Paul Kovit as Ralph Edwards
Zach Dillinger as Phil Harris
Annette Bochenek as Mary Livingstone
Tony Semczuk as Frank Nelson and Jack Bailey
Paul Patterson as Rochester
John Henderson as Don Wilson
Zach Eastman as Dennis Day
Laura Mirsky as Florence

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 47: The Whistler (our 2025 New Year's Special!)

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 47, the 10th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Pete's pick , an episode of The Whistler, entitled "The First Year"!  Come for the old-time radio, stay for the scintillating (that's one way of putting it) discussion afterwards!

As you listen, perhaps you'll learn if we feel this entry 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?

Your feedback means a lot to us! A review at iTunes or at your usual podcatcher would be appreciated.

Next Time: It's Patte's pick again, and she'll bring us an episode of the exciting anthology series, On Stage! Join us then, won't you?

Long, long before George Burns became the senior citizen movie star of films like "The Sunshine Boys" and "Oh God!" he was familiar to radio and television audiences across the country as the grounded half of the comedy couple Burns and Allen, with real-life wife (and vaudeville partner) Gracie Allen playing the ditzy dame of the duo. Theirs was a 25-year run on the airwaves, and now for Project Audion, Pete Lutz has penned a fresh new Burns and Allen script that recalls the best of their radio work during World War II, right down to their sponsor of the time, Swan Soap. Much like Bob Hope and Jack Benny did, we find the two of them at a naval base entertaining the troops, along with guest stars Henry Fonda and Chico Marx.

You'll be entertained by Audion's transcribed-live transcontinental cast of delicious, delirious vocal talents:

John Bell (as George) in Alabama

Mel Rose (as Gracie) in Pennsylvania

Dana Gonsalves (as Bill Goodwin) in Texas

Les Marsden (as Chico Marx) in California

Scott R. McKinley (as Henry Fonda) in New Jersey 

Pete Lutz (as Mel Blanc as PO2 Ferguson) in Texas

Robert L. Mills (as Adm. Tarbottom) in California 

Larry Groebe supervised the production.

Written and directed by Pete Lutz

MINDSTREAM PLAYERS Present: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

Prepare to plunge into a reimagined, atmospheric adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic tale, crafted in the brooding style with cinematic flair. This is not just a journey beneath the waves—it’s a descent into the human soul. Join Professor Aronnax, his loyal servant Conseil, and the brash harpooner Ned Land as they get swept aboard the enigmatic Nautilus, a submarine unlike any other, captained by the brilliant yet tormented Captain Nemo.

Trapped within its iron confines, they are drawn into Nemo’s obsessive quest for freedom from a corrupt world above—a quest that spirals into vengeance, tragedy, and a confrontation with the unfathomable power of the sea. From breathtaking wonders of the deep to the haunting isolation of the abyss, this adaptation explores themes of freedom, captivity, and the price of defiance.

With relentless action, vivid characters, and a chilling climax in the heart of a raging maelstrom, this is a journey that will leave you questioning: can we ever escape the weight of our own choices?

Adapted for audio and directed by Tom Konkle

The cast includes the voice talents of:

Vernon G. Wells 

Tom Konkle

David Beeler

Paul Eiding

Pete Lutz

Larry Groebe

Jack Ward

Kurtis Bedford 

Sean Konkle

PROJECT AUDION 64: Philip Marlowe, "The Three Wise Guys"

SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS, based on the 1964 film and adapted/produced/directed by Pete Lutz

Martians are worried that their children are being influenced by Earth trends, so they visit the planet's wise man, who tells them that they should let their children be children, and the Earthling Santa Claus isn't such a bad thing, so their decision is to travel to Earth and kidnap the jolly old elf.

The original film has been described as one of the worst films ever made, and as a result has been spoofed by theatrical companies all over the U.S. Well, the Narada Radio Company is no exception -- originally planned for a live production in December of 2024, Murphy's Law held true and strong, so they recorded it in the director's living room instead, and said director edited the voice tracks on Saturday, December 21st, and mixed all of the music and SFX on Sunday, December 22nd. Now, if you don't like the finished product...the director wishes you a very Merry Christmas.

This play would not have been possible without the following voice talents:

Certain music passages by Dr. Ross Bernhardt; other music sourced from the public domain.

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 46: The Mel Blanc Show (our 2024 Christmas Special!)

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 46, the 9th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Paul's pick (which is our annual Christmas Special), an episode of The Mel Blanc Show, entitled "Mel Plays Santa Claus"!  Come for the old-time radio, stay for the scintillating (that's one way of putting it) discussion afterwards!

As you listen, perhaps you'll learn if we feel this entry 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?

Your feedback means a lot to us! A review at iTunes or at your usual podcatcher would be appreciated.

Next Time: It's Pete's pick again for our first show of the New Year, and he'll bring us a New Year's-themed episode of The Whistler! Join us then, won't you?

Adventures of the Federated Tec, Season 2, Episode 10: Who Killed Bob Teal?

In this exciting second-season finale, our hero gets an assignment that hits too close to home: Find the person who murdered another Federated operative, young Bob Teal. The Tec, along with San Francisco Police Detective George Dean, soon starts sniffing out the trail of the most obvious suspect...but our nameless protagonist eventually begins to wonder if maybe they're after the wrong guy. 

Adapted by Pete Lutz from the story of the same name, originally published in the November, 1924 issue of True Detective magazine. Produced and directed by Pete Lutz. Mixing and mastering by 63audio, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Our cast consisted of the following Narada Radio Company players:

Darren Rockhold as THE ANNOUNCER

Pete Lutz as THE TEC

Joe Stofko as THE OLD MAN

Frank Guglielmelli as OGBURN

Ian Federgreen as BOB TEAL

John Bell as DETECTIVE DEAN

Rhiannon McAfee as MAE LANDIS

Geri Elliff as THE LANDLADY 

Jeff Moon as WHITACRE

The theme, and some incidental music, were composed and performed by Dr. Ross Bernhardt. 

FEDERATED TEC FANS! We're happy to report that a third season is in the works. Scripts have been written for 11 episodes so far, with a likely four more to go. Each season gets longer than the previous one, because Hammett's stories, for the most part, kept getting longer, better, and more detailed, as his writing skills improved. As a huge fan of Hammett for more than 40 years, I have no desire to condense these longer tales, preferring instead to split them, as you saw in S2, into multi-episode dramas -- S2 alone had three longer stories split into two-parters, for example. Well, S3 will have both two- and three-part story arcs, full of the Hammett hard-boiled style, full of intrigue, and full of the unusual characters he was famous for. You won't wanna miss it!

Here's the line-up for Season Three -- and just for simplicity's sake, we'll be shortening our series title to The Federated Tec:

1. Mike, Alec, or Rufus?

2-3. The Whosis Kid

4-5. The Scorched Face

6-8. Corkscrew

9-11. The Daiwan of Chinatown (orig. title Dead Yellow Women)

12-14. The Gutting of Couffignal

15. The Creeping Siamese

COMING SOON FROM 63AUDIO!

"Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" was the last detective standing at the end of radio drama's original classic era, outlasting everyone else - Sam Spade, Richard Diamond, Sherlock Holmes, The Saint, Phillip Marlowe and dozens of others. "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator" is arguably better-loved now than he was in the middle of the 20th century. Now Project Audion presents a new Johnny Dollar script, written by Patrick Keating in the style of the original episodes, and transcribed live (via Zoom) in the classic audio drama manner. Johnny Dollar travels to Texas to learn about the Damiani Diamond and what has happened to it...

Project Audion's cast includes:

Pete Fernbaugh in West Virginia

Kristen James in California

Glenn Hascall in Kansas

Lefty Rosenthal in Toronto Canada

Caleb Fisher in Virginia

Norman and Denise Cline in Kentucky

with production by Larry Groebe in Texas