What do shoelaces and blindness have to do with Christmas?

Everything in this Christmas-themed episode of the Old Time Radio Express.  We chug back through history and view Christmas through two very different lenses.  One is more traditional, as we bring you a Jack Benny classic, as Jack debates what to buy for his cast for Christmas.

 

No dames were harmed
in the recording of this
radio program.  At least not
on Christmas.

The other is an example of how mystery and thriller programs celebrated a holiday that by its very nature seemed contrary to their blood curdling programming.  Some didn't even attempt to bridge the gap and continued with their straightforward mystery progamming.  Others made an effort, as you will see on this Mysterious Traveler episode, entitled "Christmas Story".  I think it's got enough of a mix between Christmas and mystery that a fan of either will appreciate it.

OTR did Christmas in such a big and spectacular way, that I have so much more to share with you.  Next week on the OTRExpress we'll stay in the spirit, despite what the calendar says.

Until then, happy eggnogging...

The Journalist and the Redhead

As funny as Lucy was on TV,
co-workers say that she
was awfully good at giving
them this look.  It was usually
followed by extensive cursing.

This week on the OTR Express, we hear the climax to the "My Favorite Husband" program.  (Or for those who grew up in the TV era - "That Old Radio Show That Sounds A Lot Like 'I Love Lucy'").  We'll also have some good discussions about how many similarities there really were between the two programs.

Then we'll hear a detective show that I stumbled across in the last couple of years, and has turned out to be one of my favorite detective shows, from the characterizations, to the acting, to the no-easy-way-out script.  Unfortunately, this show - "Crime on the Waterfront" - didn't last long enough to even use the verb "last"... after a pilot show, it never got picked up by the sponsors.  You'll have to listen in the to show to know whether the failure of this show ruined the career of its leading man.

Enjoy this week's old time radio!

What's Thanksgiving...

One avid listener sent this photo of herself,
after realizing that the much-anticipated
Thanksgiving episode was not to be.

...without a little snafu?  Your glamorous host sat in Studio C of the XRB Radio studios the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and recorded a beautiful show.  Unfortunately, what went out over the air was an Old Time Radio Express show from back in September.

But on the bright side, we get to all extend Thanksgiving for another week and soak up some more turkey-day OTR.  And your host gets a break this Sunday eve, as his work from last week is (should be) going out over the XRB airwaves.

Enjoy the fixin's!