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

Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen continue their search for clues, but danger is hiding in the shadows. Will they find answers? Or only more questions? Find out in this episode of Bat-Supe! Part two of Looking for Kryptonite was originally broadcast on The Adventures of Superman on December 5, 1945.

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo! Episode 1 of Bat-Supe begins the adventure “Looking For Kryptonite!”

Superman has put an end to the dreaded Atom Man, but the threat is far from over. A terrible threat still remains for the entire world, and possibly most especially for Superman himself! In today's episode, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen go looking for clues, they find danger in an unlikely place! Looking For Kryptonite originally aired on December 4th, 1945.

Old-Time Radio Essentials is back after a months-long hiatus, with episode 41, the 4th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present an episode of the ABC Radio series The Henry Morgan Show. This time it's Pete's pick, called "Morgan's Around the World Listening Post"!  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:

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 an episode of The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show!

SUSPENSE, Episode 55

Premiered May 10, 2024

Suspense is one of classic radio's most highly-regarded dramas -- with good reason. It sustained a remarkably high quality level of dramatic tension for 20 years, as the many surviving recordings attest. But a handful of episodes are lost - and Project Audion now recreates one of them. "The Life of Nellie James" was intended as Suspense's premiere, but circumstances pushed it back to the third episode. It was performed once, live, on July 1, 1942, but never heard again. Until now -- as Project Audion, kicking off its fifth season, brings together a transcontinental cast in a live transcription of "The Life of Nellie James" from the original 1942 script. A dreadful murder takes place in the Simon James home, and justice is done ...or is it? It's a tale well-calculated to keep you in ...Suspense!

Featured in our cast are –

Patte Rosebank in Canada

Tim Burns in Kansas

Andy Hartson-Bowyer in Virginia

Richard Huitema in Florida

Mel Rose in Pennsylvania

Pete Lutz in Texas

Art Brown in California

Denny Thompson in Colorado

Frank Guglielmelli in Pennsylvania

Sharon Grunwald in New Jersey

Larry Groebe produced and directed from Texas

THE MAN CALLED "X", Episode 54

Premiered Apr 12, 2024

A spy caper always makes for a good show. Start with a suave man of mystery, sprinkle in some far-off exotic locales, and stir in some evil enemies of democracy and beautiful women. The result: James Bond? No, "The Man Called X" -- which broadcast several hundred episodes on network radio from 1944 through 1952. Unflappable British actor Herbert Marshall originally played American agent Ken Thurston, AKA the man called X. Project Audion now recreates the very first episode of "The Man Called X," from a script which has not been heard since its premiere in July 1944! The action of "The Cage of Europe" is set in wartime Lisbon (you know, where Ilsa flew off to in "Casablanca." Audion's recreation features voice actors performing live on both sides of the Atlantic for this half hour of what was described as in 1944 as a "comedy-mystery," and which eighty years later is still highly entertaining!

Featuring –

David Ault in England

Jack Ward in Canada

Laura Mirsky in New Jersey

George Taylor in Tennessee

Jane Beverley in New Jersey

Jeff Billard in Massachusetts

Caleb Fisher in Virginia

Joe Mendell in England

Robert Stevenson in Indiana

Larry Groebe produced and directed from Texas

DAMON RUNYON THEATRE, Episode 53

Premiered Mar 8, 2024

"The Damon Runyon Theatre", a syndicated radio series from 1949 relating stories of New York's "guys and dolls" -- mobsters and dames, gamblers and frails, saints and sinners -- which newspaperman and sportswriter Damon Runyon colorfully brought to life in decades of short stories. They may have been gangsters, but they often had hearts of gold underneath - plus a unique present-tense way of speaking which has come to be known as "Runyonesque." The Damon Runyon Theatre recorded 52 charming half-hour versions of his stories, and those got writer Casey Keller (Beakman's World, The Love Boat) wanting more. So he's written a new episode, and Project Audion brings you the world premiere of his Runyonesque tale, "Ringside Rosie." Our transcontinental cast is captured live in performance, just like they did in 1949, for a delightful story about a doll who loved boxing, and the guy who loved her.

Our cast includes:

Duane Noch in New Jersey

Don Paul in California

Andy Hartson-Bowyer in Virginia

Jacob Palka in Illinois

Stanley Dyrector in California

Paul Arbisi in Illinois

Reg Platt in Texas

Susan Platt in Texas

Casey Keller in California

with the production under the supervision of Larry Groebe in Texas

CRIME CLASSICS, Episode 52

Premiered Feb 9, 2024

The first woman executed for murder in the United States was hanged in 1778. In 1953 her shocking tale of love, hate, conspiracy, and murder was brought to life in the audition script for a new CBS radio drama series - "Crime Classics." Crime Classics was a sort of mid-century predecessor to today's true-crime podcasts. The audition episode, titled "The Crime of Bathsheba Spooner," featured some of radio's finest actors, writers, directors, and musicians. Unfortunately, this thoughtful adult true crime series only lasted a year before succumbing to the inexorable advance of television. Now, Project Audion premieres a recreation of the show using the original, uncut audition script, including material that never aired seventy years ago. In addition, we visit with Andrew Noone, author of a recent book on the 1778 murder, trial, and execution of Spooner. Join us and listen to the modern passions that inflamed Revolutionary America, as our transcontinental cast gathers via Zoom to perform a true "Crime Classic."

The cast includes –

David Phillips in Virginia

Patte Rosebank in Toronto Canada

Kyle Bonn in Oregon

Scott McKinley in New Jersey

Mick Wheaton in Washington

Pete Fernbaugh in West Virginia

Tom Konkle in California

Donna Patton in Tennessee

while Larry Groebe produced and directed from Texas

The Mutual Stage: A Cold Night's Death

The Mutual Stage returns with another exciting play, hosted by Jack Ward and starring the Narada Radio Company. This time, we present "A Cold Night's Death", adapted from a 1973 ABC-TV Movie of the Week and directed by Pete Lutz. NASA Scientists Robert Jones and Frank Enari are sent to the top of the world to take over a special primate-studies program on how extreme conditions affect life in space. Once they arrive, strange things start happening, that makes them wonder: are they studying the monkeys, or are the monkeys studying them?

CAST:

ANNOUNCER: Darren Rockhold

HOST: Jack Ward

VOGEL: Tom Konkle

 COOPER: Joe Stofko

CHAPPELL: Dana Gonsalves

ENARI: Gino Vianelli

JONES: Pete Lutz

PRIMATE SOUNDS: John Bell

MUSIC: Dr. Ross Bernhardt

Peter Lorre is an actor with such a distinctive voice and presence that even now, 60 years after his death, he's still instantly identifiable. It's surprising he didn't do more radio dramas, but he did host and star in "Mystery In The Air" in 1947. As a summer replacement show, there were only 17 episodes, and only 8 or so recordings exist -- so Project Audion asked Pete Lutz to create a NEW Mystery in the Air script. The result is both light-hearted and supernaturally spooky, and thanks to our transcontinental cast of talented voice actors, sounds just like an unheard episode from this terrific vintage series:

Pete Lutz in Texas

Lothar Tuppan in California

Jeff Billard in Massachusetts

Geri Elliff in Texas

Angela Young in Florida

John Bell in Alabama

Bob Beaumont in California

with Larry Groebe (in TX) handling sounds, music, and production

COMING SOON from The Mutual Stage and 63audio: 

A COLD NIGHT'S DEATH

Based on the 1973 ABC Movie of the Week -- screenplay by Christopher Knopf

Adapted, directed and produced by Pete Lutz

With voice talents of: Darren Rockhold - Tom Konkle - Joe Stofko - Gino C. Vianelli - Pete Lutz - Dana Gonsalves - John Bell - Jack Ward

Music by Dr. Ross Bernhardt

LAUNCHES 2-25-24 RIGHT HERE!

Western hero Jake Dimes, Range Detective, is back for another very special holiday tale, "Santa Claus of Bitter Creek". Jake and his sidekick Briar Buck spin a Christmas yarn for their wives and in-laws when they all gather for the holidays: A cowboy who has lost his faith in Christmas gets it back in spades when he helps a youngster buy presents for his mother. It's a heart-warming tale that's perfect for Christmas! Written and directed by Pete Lutz – adapted from a short story by A. C. Abbott, and starring the Narada Radio Company.

With the voice talents of:

Cannonball Kelly as YOUR ANNOUNCER

Dana Gonsalves as JAKE DIMES

Victoria Fancki as CHRIS GREENSLATE DIMES 

Austin Beach as BRIAR BUCK 

Nancy Bueler as MOLLY SUTCLIFFE BUCK 

Joe Stofko as FRED GREENSLATE 

Glenn Hascall as SLIM SUTCLIFFE and

Debby Gonzales Ramirez as LUPE; with

Philboyd Studge as JEFF MITCHELL 

Isla Braly as BUD

Pete Lutz as MIKE GABBY 

Paul Patterson as JIM BAILEY and

Lisa Michaud as BUD'S MOTHER 

The Jake Dimes Theme was composed by Pete Lutz, arranged and performed by Dr. Ross Bernhardt. 

Mindstream Players Christmas Special. Written, edited, mixed and directed by Tom Konkle

Starring Kurtis Bedford as Dr. John Watson

Tom Konkle as Sherlock Holmes

Stephanie Stearns Dulli as Mrs. Hudson, Lady Arabella, Penelope Chutney-Featherstone

Pete Lutz as Barnaby Winklethorpe

Jude Gerard Prest as Figgy

Gino C. Vianelli as Humphrey Carruthers

Bob Clendenin as Algernon Butterworth

And ? as Madam Zepyra.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Big Story radio drama recreated by Project Audion!

Newspaper reporters were once heroic figures - exposing rackets and corruption, taking down the powerful and giving voice to the powerless. The "Big Story" series from audio drama's original classic era (the mid 20th century) celebrated the newspaper reporter - selecting true headlines and converting them into gripping dramas, much like Dragnet did with police.

Audion's December offering is a story set during the Christmas holiday, and while there IS an appearance by Santa Claus and a happy ending - this is a drama, pure and simple - of murder, greed, and redemption. Hmmm…maybe a Christmas theme after all! Our cast reaches from Canada to across the United states to recreate this lost original script just as it was done back then, so you can hear it for the first time since December 20, 1950! Our cast:

David Phillips in Virginia
Donna Patton in Tenessee
Trevor Rines in Canada
Sean Massey in Texas
Julie Hoverson in Washington
Dana Gonsalves in Texas
Scott McKinley in New Jersey
Ken Raney in Texas
and Larry Groebe did the heavy lifting

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the Phil Harris-Alice Faye radio series was a master class in radio comedy. Harris (charming, egotistical, smooth, Southern) and Faye (grounded, smart, and only occasionally the movie star) were surrounded by eccentric regulars like Elliot Lewis as Phil’s band buddy Remley, and Walter Tetley as the little kid Julius - and each week the happy result could be heard in the gales of laughter from the live studio audience. Today, Harris is best remembered as the voice of Balloo the Bear in Walt Disney's Jungle Book, but former Bob Hope comedy writer Robert L. Mills fondly recalls the Harris-Faye radio shows of his youth, and has penned a pitch-perfect recreation for our coast-to-coast Project Audion cast to perform. We promise you a half-hour's classic entertainment!

Our cast --
Pete Lutz (Phil Harris)
JoAnne Kurman (Alice Faye)
John Bell (Frank Remley)
Bob Beaumont (Willie / Mr. Scott)
Angela Young (Julius / Miss Bluecross / Customer)
Ken Jeffries (Announcer)
Robert L Mills (Druggist, Scriptwriter)
Larry Groebe (Producer/Director)

Who was it who made that phone call to the emergency room, the one that set off the horrible chain of events that took place in The Dark? Project Audion recreates the episode "The Dark" from LIGHTS OUT - one of classic radio's most imaginatively gruesome shows. It's an episode show that hasn't been heard in its complete form since January 1938! "Lights Out" was the work of master radio dramatist Arch Oboler, and he memorably redid "The Dark" 25 years later as a highly abridged adaptation for an LP called "Drop Dead" - the only recording you could hear until now. But Project Audion worked from the original half-hour 1938 script to deliver extra thrills and chills, and leading to a climax where -- well, that would be telling, wouldn't it? Who's afraid of The Dark? You will be!

Our cast features: Jacob Palka in Illinois

Douglas Herrman in California

Denise Cline in Kentucky

Robert Stevenson in Indiana

Sounds, production, and direction by Larry Groebe in Texas

Hi-Yo, Silver! The Lone Ranger is perhaps vintage radio drama's single most famous creation. Yet the Masked Man's formative years from 1933 until 1938 are essentially lost to us because no recordings were made. Original scripts DO survive, and Project Audion has selected episode #266 (out of nearly 3000!) from October 12 1934 to recreate. In 1934 the Lone Ranger and Tonto are not quite as we remember them, and the story -- featuring a cattle rancher, the coming of the railroad, and a "greasy half-breed" named Magdalena -- is rough-edged, less sensitive and streamlined than in later years. But this was the Lone Ranger that took the country by storm during the Great Depression. Now, for the first time in nine decades, this early version of the Lone Ranger rides again!

The cross-country cast of Project Audion's transcribed-live recreation includes

Lone Ranger: Dennis Thompson

Tonto: Ken Raney

Announcer: Greg Vestal

Steve Greencliff: Norman Cline

Magdalena: Pete Lutz

Tad Brewster: Scott McKinley

Gwendolyn Wiggs: Angela Young

Mother Wiggs: Sharon Grunwald Father

Jerimy Wiggs: Chuck Daugherty

Larry Groebe produced, directed, and cleaned up after the horses.

The short-lived noirish radio detective series "Pat Novak for Hire" is probably better loved now than it was in the late 1940s, thanks to its darkly-comic quips and the dry-as-dust performance of Jack Webb in the title role (just before his blockbuster turn on "Dragnet.") Novak - the man, like the show - was one of those "hard-boiled" types - he may bounce or crack, but he doesn't break easily. Novak shows are loved for their Raymond Chandler-esque plots and style, where the lead character never met a crook or a lady he couldn't describe with a delirious simile. Project Audion offers up a brand-new episode penned for Project Audion by long-time network television writer Casey Keller. Mr. Keller's script matches the late-1940s originals blow for blow, dame for dame, gunshot for gunshot, metaphor for metaphor. Step into the perpetual foggy night of the San Francisco waterfront to meet "Pat Novak, For Hire" in our transcribed-live adventure. 

Pat Novak: PETE FERNBAUGH (WV)

Jocko Madigan: TOM KONKLE (CA)

Inspector Helleman: TEE QUILLAN (TN)

Hannah Gordon: JOANNE KURMAN (CA)

Stripper 1: DONNA PATTON (TN))

Stripper 2: JULIE HOVERSON (WA)

Jack Silver: KIM TITUS (TX)

Announcer/Goon: LOTHAR TUPPAN (CA)

Goon: BOB MILLS (CA)

Coroner: CASEY KELLER (CA)

Written by Casey Keller

Sound, Direction, and Production by Larry Groebe

It's the year 2090. There are signs that a pandemic is coming - a pandemic which will kill millions of innocent people - again. Because it's happened before. But this time, just maybe, we know what - or who - is causing it...and a chance to stop it.

That's the setup for "Syndrome Johnny," a lost episode from a nearly-forgotten science-fiction anthology radio drama from 1953 called "Tales of Tomorrow." The television version of "Tales of Tomorrow," which actually came before the radio edition, is considered one of the first serious scifi video series. The TV edition spawned the radio offshoot, which hoped to fill the void of the recently-cancelled and now-classic series "Dimension X," adapting stories from Galaxy Magazine. Failing to find a sponsor, it only lasted a few months. The sound quality of the few recordings that survive is mostly quite poor, and our recreation "Syndrome Johnny" doesn't survive at all.Our transcontinental cast performs in the classic audio drama tradition - live in one uninterrupted take - to recapture the spirit of this pioneering science fiction show for a national audience for the first time in 70 years.

In our cast: Trevor Rines, Canada

Tim Burns, Kansas

Jack Ward, Canada

Greg McAfee, California

Rhiannon McAfee California

Gary Layton, Texas

and Larry Groebe, Texas

Old-Time Radio Essentials is back with episode 40, the 3rd installment of Season 4, and our fourth Holiday Special! Pete, Paul and Patte present an episode of the long-running Mutual series Nick Carter, Master Detective. This time it's Paul's pick, called "Nick Carter's Christmas Adventure"!  Will Pete dwell on technical details and miss the historical context? Will Patte compare this to something Canadian? Tune in and find out!

And since we're on the subject of finding things out, while you listen you'll learn if we feel this entry meets the following criteria:

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, and he'll bring an episode of The Henry Morgan Show!

THE CELLAR Miniseries 3.5: Far Below

The Cellar's third miniseries concludes with this adaptation by Pete Lutz of one of the most famous pulp-horror tales to appear in Weird Tales magazine! Robert Barbour Johnson's story of a special squad of the NYPD, assembled to combat strange subterranean creatures in the subway tunnels, was voted the best story ever to appear in those pages. Mr. Lutz's adaptation takes a few liberties with the story, but only enough to keep it moving along at a good clip. We think you'll approve! Thanks for joining us for this year's miniseries, and be sure to come back next year for our fourth outing in...The Cellar! NARADA RADIO COMPANY

DESECRATE (HORROR) Philamena was a seer, a psychic by modern vernacular. And somewhere among these stones is her gravesite. Tonight, we're going to contact her." On All Hallows' Eve, a graveside Ouija board session descends into a nightmare, unveiling a web of lies and betrayal between longtime friends and perhaps a doorway to something far more disturbing.

 Warning: Explicit language, violence, and graphic content. Written, directed, and produced by John Ballentine. Original music score by Kevin Hartnell. CAMPFIRE RADIO THEATER

TIES OF BLOOD – PART TWO (HORROR, MYSTERY) "All predators aren't created equal." Nikki's inquisitive instincts lead her into dangerously precarious situations as the mystery of the Red Hill Adductions deepens.

Warning: Explicit Language and Graphic Content. Written, directed, and produced by John Ballentine. Original music score by Kevin Hartnell. CAMPFIRE RADIO THEATER

OF BLOOD – PART ONE (HORROR, MYSTERY) “All the freaks come out before daybreak.” A rash of abductions in the small community of Red Hill leads a young woman to suspect her mysterious nocturnal neighbor might be hiding a sinister side.

Warning: Explicit Language and Graphic Content. Written, directed, and produced by John Ballentine. Original music score by Kevin Hartnell. CAMPFIRE RADIO THEATER