Radio's Clown Prince and A Look Forward to Baseball in the 1990's

Yes, you read the headline correctly.  We look forward to 1990's baseball this week on the OTR Express.

But first, we have a fun show from Red Skelton, he of the many characters. 

If this photo doesn't tell you everything you need to know about Red Skelton, I don't know what will.

Then, we take a hard left and listen to one of my favorite radio programs of all time - X Minus One.  X Minus One could be counted on consistently to stretch the listener's imagination, and this week is no different. 

Though considerably less "heavy" than normal X Minus One material, "Martian Sam" gives us a prediction of what baseball will be like 40 years in the future...in the far off distance of the 1990's.  In one aspect, the show gets it right...teams were looking for any advantage they could get.

Except instead of Martian pitchers named Sam with long arms, they had Earthmen sluggers named Barry and Sammy with big heads.... 

Sam's home planet.

Show #42 - Singer, Comedian, Newscaster and Superhero

Yep, we have it all here this week on the OTR Express.  Dennis Day kicks off the program with his eponymous sitcom, alternatively titled, A Day in the Life of Dennis Day.

A Day in the Life of Dennis Day gave the boyish sounding Day a chance to showcase his vocal and comedic talents, and the show we picked out for you this week has no fewer than 3 songs performed by Day.

The comedy is purely of the situational variety, but that doesn't make it bad. 

We then turn  our attention to the news of the day, with a radio broadcast from H.V. Kaltenborn.  If you watch any news commentary shows nowadays, then you'll see the descendants of the Kaltenborn school of broadcasting.  A very interesting man, and you can read more about him here:  http://www.otr.com/kaltenborn.shtml

Lastly, we have the national debut of Captain Midnight.  'Nuff said.  So gather round the radio, gang, (after drinking some rich chocolately Ovaltine, of course), and enjoy a night of old time radio.

Show #41 - Escape and Frontier Gentleman

This week on the Old Time Radio Express we explore great radio dramatic writing.  The first is an adaptation of an Arthur Conan Doyle tale that even the most ardent Conan Doyle fans may not be aware of.  The second is an original tale from the pen of Antony Ellis, a veteran radio man.

In addition to stellar writing, both shows take us back in time, as Escape's production of the Conan Doyle tale is set in England of about a century ago, and the Frontier Gentleman series is set in the Wild West of our America.

Interestingly enough, the lead in the Escape program we have for you tonight auditioned for, and almost won, the role of J.B. Kendall, main character in Frontier Gentleman - a role that ended up going to John Dehner.  As it is, Dehner has a small role on the Escape program. 

As it is, Dehner is credited with some 850+ radio appearances, and Wright some 650+.  Both pretty impressive resumes. 

So not only do you get good writing, but some darn good acting today...enjoy....