Classic TV : OT: Before the TV years - the Radio Days

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) on archive…

Well, I heard it on archive.org, but you said that you have problems with that site, so maybe try youtube. This is the first time I've ever heard him in a radio play. He did a great job, as always.

Of any actor I've ever seen on the big screen and/or heard on radio, Bela was by far the best at playing a man who can get women to do anything he wants them to do. He wasn't even all that attractive IMHO, but he sure had something about him that worked with women!

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JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) on archive…

He SURE did!!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) on archive…

Gee gals, tell me about that; you should see some of the tricks I had to do to get attention.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) on archive…

Hmmm, did you now? Like what, for example?


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) on archive…

Well, there was that Opera House incident

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) on archive…

Ooh, of course, I see - that must have been quite devastating for you in every way


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (some things *still live)

bina, why have you vanished from the Classics scene? After all, Greeks showed the Western world how great a Classical Age can be.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (some things *still live)

Oh, that's a wonderful compliment for 'us' Greeks - but, well, the answer for my temporary 'disappearance' from the CFB (and more or less from IMDb in general) is quite simple: loads of boring translations, lots of work for the Resistance office - and, most of all, a stubborn, difficult teenager I'm trying to 'tame' in some way


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) revisited

I'm hearing it again now! Oh, I hope that you'll be able to find and enjoy this radio play someday.

And speaking of Bela Lugosi, I watched Murder by Television just now. I love that film! Bela Lugosi was great in it, and I loved the brief reference to Charlie Chan.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) revisited

Yes, that was another wonderful one - Bela simply ALWAYS was great in every movie! And I'm SURE he was great on radio, too


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: The Doctor Prescribed Death (starring Bela Lugosi) once more

Okay, I'm hearing this radio play just one more time.

I can't resist! Boy, did Bela have a good voice for creepy radio plays.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

"The Customers Like Murder" by John Dickson Carr

Currently listening to The Customers Like Murder, by John Dickson Carr.and unlike so many of his other stories/radio plays, I think that I have figured out how it's going to end. This one is also part of the Suspense series.

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JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "The Customers Like Murder" by John Dickson Carr

Sounds very good, thanks for the recommendation!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: "The Customers Like Murder" by John Dickson Carr

I think that the other one which I wrote about last night is the superior radio play. This one was unusually predictable.

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JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

"Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

.and just now, I finished a very clever radio play by John Dickson Carr called Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble. This ending wasn't so obvious, although at first I thought that maybe this radio play was based on an Agatha Christie story. Anyhow, it wasn't.

(The one I heard an hour ago was extremely obvious. I had the ending figured out in a matter of minutes.)

By the way, I remember reading somewhere that Agatha Christie said that Carr's stories were the only ones which she couldn't figure out the endings in advance.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Wow, that sure was a VERY big compliment for Mr. Carr!!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

His novel endings were so confusing and complicated that I don't see how anyone could have solved the case completely in advance, even if they could predict who committed the crime.

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JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Sounds VERY similar to Agatha Christie's style - that's probably why she admired him so much!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

I read that he was influenced by the works of G.K. Chesterton. Some of his stories seem to resemble the Father Brown mysteries.

(Side note: matt_garth wants to get a noir quiz going on the noir board. He even mentioned you in a posthe's hoping you'll join in! )

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Oh yeah, the 'Father Brown' mysteries also were PRETTY intricate!

Now that's a VERY good idea of Matt's; I'll surely join in if I'll have the time - AND if I know anything, of course!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

I'm terrible with movie trivia, but I think I'll give this quiz a chance. It's a noir quiz, so it should be fairly easy for me.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Yeah, for sure, you're an ABSOLUTE expert there!!

Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Me? An expert? Hmmmmmy ego is really growing right now.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Well, that's quite alright - because you certainly ARE one!!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

my ego

Well, my ego has exploded.



Thanks for the compliments!



~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: my ego

Not at all!




Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

Speaking of Mr. Carr (a mid Atlantic sort)I suppose you know the new Locked Room anthology book is available. He was *the Locked Room expert in the old days.
I have to dig out the old Locked Room solution book.
"Don't touch that speckled band, Watson!"

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

I had no idea about the locked room anthology! Thanks! I'll check the library for it.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

It's new, so unless your library is fast on the draw There have been previous anthologies.

Re: "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" by John Dickson Carr

When I get the chance, I'll do an all-out search and see what I can find. I've probably read the older ones (I've read a lot of anthologies), but I might have missed a couple.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

…and one starring Richard Dix

I just started a radio play called Death Flies Blind (by John Dickson Carr). They just announced that Richard Dix is the leading man. I've never heard his voice in any radio plays! This should be interesting.

EDIT: I have a feeling that you will like this radio play. It's a WWII thriller with somewhat of an amusing ending. I was having some trouble with the archive.org site, but I managed to find this radio play - along with numerous other Suspense radio plays - on youtube.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: …and one starring Richard Dix

Well, that sounds REALLY interesting - I'll look for it, when I'll have the time!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Matt Dillon and Kitty..

On another board some one doubted on the radio show you could frequently hear the sound of bed springs as Matt was leaving Kitty's room.
Believe me, this is true. Anyone here recall this? Some of y'all must have heard
a tape or cd on the show.

Banquo's Chair (Suspense series)

I just finished a radio play called Banquo's Chair, written by some of the members of the Suspense team. This is about an attempt to trap a killer who got away with killing his aunt years earlier. We are told that he committed the crime, but he was found not guilty because he had an air-tight alibi. Great story with a rather interesting ending.

One thing: at the start of this radio play, the announcer told the audience that there had been some confusion about last week's radio play (Sorry, Wrong Number). Apparently the final lines had been messed up and numerous viewers were confused about how the play ended. The company received a lot of phone calls. The announcer let the viewers know that the play would be aired again (but with the ending read correctly) in a few weeks time. I'm not sure if the website has both versions of the radio play.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: Banquo's Chair (Suspense series)

Ooh, that sounds VERY interesting indeed! Banquo, wasn't that a character from Shakespeare's "Macbeth"? Does that name have any relevance for the story maybe?


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: Banquo's Chair (Suspense series)

If there is meant to be a link between this radio play and Shakespeare, I didn't catch it. I'm afraid that Shakespeare.and English classes in generaljust weren't my thing. I did read MacBeth in grade 11, but that was over 20 years ago.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: Banquo's Chair (Suspense series)

*20 years ago? Dearie, I heard used to be a cheer leader for the *New York Titans.

Re: OT: Before the TV years - the Radio Days

Hi whenever I'm on computer, I always listen to old radio programs(otr), while surfing the net.
Lately I've been listening to You Bet Your Life (Groucho Marx) and the Abbott and Costello Show.
Groucho is a genius with his ad-libbing.

Re: OT: Before the TV years - the Radio Days

SUSPENSE should keep your mind on alert; it's a fine Golden Oldie.

Re: OT: Before the TV years - the Radio Days

That's really great to hear that there still are fans of the good old radio programs! And especially comedies just NEVER become 'dated'


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

"Last Night" by Cornell Woolrich

Last Night, by Cornell Woolrich (Suspense series)

I think I know how this one is going to end.I'm about halfway through it now.

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JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: "Last Night" by Cornell Woolrich

Hard to go wrong with Woolrich, he made a lot of $ just on his radio income.

Re: "Last Night" by Cornell Woolrich

I've only heard a couple of his radio plays. Sounds like there are a lot more of them out there!

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

currently listening to "Actors Blood"

Currently listening to Actors Blood (from the Suspense series), starring Fredric March.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: currently listening to "Actors Blood"

Ooh, that CERTAINLY sounds good (and Fredric March had a very fascinating voice, too) - I'll see if I can find it anywhere as soon as I'll have time!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: currently listening to "Actors Blood"

Most of those Suspense stories are on youtube as well. If you can't access archive.org, then youtube should do just as well. I don't know about the quality of sound, etc. on youtube, since I've never listened to a radio play on that site.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: currently listening to "Actors Blood"

Oh, thanks a lot for the tip! Yeah, I've listened to some of the "Suspense" radio plays on youtube; and the sound quality is just fine!


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

Re: currently listening to "Actors Blood"

I have reviewed some of the best ones on this thread. The early ones (many of them John Dickson Carr stories) are some of my faves.

Also recommended:

The Weird Circle: A Terrible Night

Inner Sanctum: The Voice on the Wire

Suspense: The Diary of Sophronia Winters

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen

Re: currently listening to "Actors Blood"

Thanks a great lot!! The titles DO seem familiar, especially the two latter ones


Let us be realists, let us demand the impossible.

The Fountain Plays (by Dorothy Sayers)

I'm listening to the excellent The Fountain Plays (by Dorothy Sayers). I've read this short story, too. Normally I don't like this author, but I like this particular short story and radio play.

~~
JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen
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