Showing results by author "Black Eye Entertainment" in All Categories

In 1949, NBC brought mustachioed Irish-American actor Brian Donlevy to the radio microphones as international troubleshooter Steve Mitchell in the spy series Dangerous Assignment. Mitchell worked for an un-named US government intelligence agency; whose boss The Commissioner dispatched him to world trouble spots. Mitchell’s assignment was to solve problems in record time, and in accordance with US interests.

Crime Classics was a radio docudrama that aired over CBS from June 15, 1953 until June 30, 1954. Created, produced, and directed by Elliott Lewis, the program was a true crime series, examining crimes and murders throughout history. It grew out of Lewis’ personal interest in famous murder cases and took a documentary-like approach to the subject, carefully recreating the facts, personages and feel of the times. Very little dramatic license was taken with the facts and events, but the tragedy was leavened with humor, expressed largely through the narration.

The Cisco Kid was a popular film, radio, television and comic book series loosely based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his short story, “The Caballero’s Way”, published in 1907 in the collection Heart of the West. “The Cisco Kid” came to radio October 2, 1942, and was followed by another Mutual series in 1946, starring Jack Mather and Harry Lang, who continued to head the cast in the syndicated radio series with more than 600 episodes from 1947 to 1956.

Movie star Alan Ladd played Dan Holiday, retired newspaperman turned fiction writer and adventurer extraordinaire. To gain ideas for his books, Holiday placed an ad in the Star-Times newspaper “Adventure wanted - will go anywhere, do anything - Box 13.” It wasn’t long before Box 13 became jammed with adventures galore. Holiday always had more adventure than he’d originally sought, because those who responded to his ad never revealed all of their glorious, unusual, and sometimes sinister details until they met in person and the adventure had already begun.

Created by Irving Brecher, the popular family sitcom The Life of Riley featured the comic misadventures of Chester A. Riley, an inept blue-collar factory worker and father of two, played by screen actor William Bendix. Riley’s wife, Peg, tried in vain to prevent her hotheaded husband’s interventions, which usually ended in an embarrassing revelation. With a tendency to try and solve nonexistent problems, Riley sought advice from his best friend, Gillis, but this only led to misunderstandings.

Created by Irving Brecher, the popular family sitcom The Life of Riley featured the comic misadventures of Chester A. Riley, an inept blue-collar factory worker and father of two, played by screen actor William Bendix. Riley's wife, Peg, tried in vain to prevent her hot-headed husband's interventions, which usually ended in an embarrassing revelation. With a tendency to try and solve non-existent problems, Riley sought advice from his best friend, Gillis, but this only led to misunderstandings.

MGM produced 10 successful Maisie movies from 1939 to 1947 starring gorgeous Ann Sothern as Mary Anastasia O'Connor, a brassy but kindhearted Brooklyn burlesque dancer who went by the stage name Maisie Ravier. Along with the Andy Hardy and Dr. Kildare films, the Maisie franchise generated big returns for MGM.

Distinguished Hollywood actor Warren William starred in Strange Wills, a mystery-drama series produced in 1946. William portrayed probate attorney Warren Francis O’Connell, and the stories were told through him as executor of the “strange wills made by strange people.” Strange Wills are stories based upon actual wills gathered from courts from all over the world. Names, places, and time have been changed so that no reflection can fall on any person or persons living or dead. Only the sins remain - deadly sins that cry out from the depths of the grave for vengeance.

Bing Crosby and Bob Hope are heard together and separately in 12 of the greatest shows from the golden age of radio! Bing Crosby and Bob Hope each had long careers in radio, the movies, and on television. They each had their own radio programs and often appeared together during the golden age of radio. Some of the supporting players on these programs include Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake, Judy Garland, Orson Welles, Virginia Bruce, Mel Blanc, Ralph Bellamy, Carole Lombard, and Cecil B. DeMille!

Jack Carson had a long radio career beginning in 1943 and ending in 1956. The Jack Carson Show also made the transition to television in 1954. On the radio and TV series, Carson played himself in a factualized version of his home life. Supported by Agnes Moorehead, Arthur Treacher, Normal Jean Nilsson, Irene Ryan, Jane Morgan, and Mel Blanc, the shows often included guest stars. Now, enjoy 16 half-hour comedy episodes of The Jack Carson Show starring Jack Carson and all his gang.

This collection contains 15 of the greatest drama shows ever broadcast during the Golden Age of Radio - including episodes of and many others. Relive the best radio drama shows from yesterday and the legendary stars that made them amazing in this incredible collection.

The Golden Age of radio had incredible mystery shows that kept Americans glued to their radio sets. Families gathered around their living room radios to hear their favorite Hollywood stars in spine-chilling radio mystery and horror. In this collection of 16 episodes, you’ll hear Lights Out! with Arch Oboler; three episodes of Suspense starring Joseph Cotten, William Powell, and Herbert Marshall; Mystery in the Air starring Peter Lorre; Studio One starring Glenn Ford and Mercedes McCambridge; and many more!

This collection contains 16 of the greatest science-fiction broadcasts from the Golden Age of radio, including episodes of X Minus One, Suspense, The CBS Radio Workshop, Escape, The Weird Circle, and others. Radio’s finest actors perform before the microphones in adaptations from the past masters of science fiction. Relive the best radio sci-fi shows from yesterday and the legendary stars that made them amazing in this incredible collection.

This collection contains 15 of the greatest science fiction broadcasts from the Golden Age of radio, including episodes of X Minus One, Dimension X, Suspense, The CBS Radio Workshop, Escape, The Lux Radio Theatre, and others. Radio’s finest actors perform before the microphones in adaptations from the past masters of science fiction. Relive the best radio sci-fi shows from yesterday and the legendary stars that made them amazing in this incredible collection.

Bing Crosby and Bob Hope each had long careers in radio, the movies, and on television. They each had their own radio programs and often appeared together. This collection contains 10 radio broadcasts, some with Bing and Bob together and others with them appearing separately. Some of the supporting players include Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake, Judy Garland, Orson Welles, Virginia Bruce, Mel Blanc, Ralph Bellamy, Carole Lombard, and Cecil B. DeMille!

Like its predecessor Dragnet, Tales of the Texas Rangers adapted actual police case files for its broadcasts. Leading each week’s investigation of an actual Texas Ranger case was the same Texas Ranger, Jayce Pearson, portrayed by movie star Joel McCrea. Because the stories were set in the present day, Pearson used the latest scientific techniques to identify criminals. Unlike Joe Friday, Pearson didn’t have a regular partner, typically working with the local sheriff instead (who was usually portrayed by Parley Baer).

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective genius, Sherlock Holmes, came to NBC radio in 1930 starring Richard Gordon. By 1939, Basil Rathbone was heard as Holmes with Nigel Bruce as Doctor Watson. The duo were simultaneously starring in a popular series of Sherlock Holmes features for Fox, and later for Universal. By the end of the feature run in the mid 1940s, Rathbone was eager to separate himself from the radio show to avoid being typecast. Tom Conway took over with Nigel Bruce continuing as Watson (in this pairing Nigel Bruce received top billing).

In 1952, radio program creator Lawrence Klee brought The Chase to NBC radio. Developed as a psychological drama, the premise was that many life situations place their subjects in a chase of one type or another. A chase for fame. A chase from peril. A chase to beat the clock. A chase to escape death. The added twist was the question of, who is the hunter or the hunted in these situations? The scripts were fast-paced, starring top New York talent. The plots focused primarily on fear-inducing pursuits of one form or another.

In 1952, radio program creator Lawrence Klee brought The Chase to NBC radio. Developed as a psychological drama, the premise was that many life situations place their subjects in a chase of one type or another. A chase for fame. A chase from peril. A chase to beat the clock. A chase to escape death. The added twist was the question of, who is the hunter or the hunted in these situations? The scripts were fast-paced, starring top New York talent. The plots focused primarily on fear-inducing pursuits of one form or another.

Humphrey Bogart began his screen career mostly playing gangsters due to his resemblance to John Dillinger. Bogart’s breakthrough from supporting roles to A-list stardom came with his performances in High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon. In between film work, he enjoyed appearing on radio, often with his wife, Lauren Bacall. Here are 14 examples of his radio work spanning 1943 until 1952.