OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 55: The Great Gildersleeve (S5 Holiday Special)

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 55, and as we continue Season 5, we present Paul's pick, an installment of the NBC comedy series, The Great Gildersleeve, from 12/24/44. 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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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 us, for our 1st number of 2026, special guest programmer (and fellow OTR podcaster) John Tefteller, who will be sharing an episode of You Bet Your Life, starring Groucho Marx. Join us then, won't you?

SIX-GUN SANTA CLAUS, A Jake Dimes Christmas Number

Western detective Jake Dimes returns for a third holiday adventure! At a family gathering in Celestial City, Jake and his sidekick Briar Buck tell the "one hundred percent true" tale of a youngster, living a hardscrabble existence in a small Arizona town, who gets a new lease on life through the kindness of a circus performer. Aside from the main story, two members of the family reveal some important news! Enjoy this new offering from the Narada Radio Company, and Happy Holidays to all of our listeners!

With the voice talents of:

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

Nick Wommack as TODD

Alan Clower as NEVADA

Andy Hartson-Bowyer as ACE GARLAND

Paul J. Patterson as COLONEL BRAGG

Mel Rose as FREDERICA "RICKY" DIMES

Additional voices by Pete Lutz

Cannonball Kelly as YOUR ANNOUNCER

*

Adapted, produced and directed by Pete Lutz, from a short story by Lee E. Wells. 

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

Music passages came from "The Winter's Passed" by Wayne Barlow; other music from the public domain with the exception of certain stings by Edward Champion.

THE BEETLE WHO WENT ON HIS TRAVELS by Hans Christian Andersen

Originally produced for Mutual Audio Network's Saturday Story Circle, I decided to share my narration of this enchanting story with my regular listeners, in case they missed it at Mutual a couple years ago. Enjoy!

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 54: I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 54, and as we continue Season 5, we present Patte's pick, an early episode of the groundbreaking BBC comedy series, I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again, from April, 1964. 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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

Your feedback means a lot to us! A review at iTunes or at your usual podcatcher would be appreciated.

Next Time: It's Paul's pick again, and he'll bring us, for our 5th annual Christmas special, a holiday edition of The Great Gildersleeve. Join us then, won't you?

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 53: NBC Presents: Short Story

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 53, and as we continue Season 5, we present Pete's pick, or rather Special Guest Programmer Jack Ward's pick, an example of the NBC Radio Anthology series NBC Presents: Short Story. 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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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 is still mulling things over -- but she does specify something from either the BBC or CBC. Join us then, won't you?

THE AMBITIOUS GUEST by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Read by Pete Lutz

Originally narrated for the Tales to Terrify podcast in 2017, I thought I'd share this reading of Hawthorne's 1835 short story with you for the Halloween timeframe. While it isn't necessarily horror, it does have some suspenseful elements and a strange twist, which are apropros to the season, no? Listen and enjoy.

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 52: Hancock's Half-Hour

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 52, and as we continue Season 5, we present Paul's pick, an example of the BBC Radio comedy series Hancock's Half-Hour. 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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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 also our annual Halloween Special! Pete's making it extra-special by inviting friend of the show and Essential Listener Jack Ward (Grand Poobah of the Mutual Audio Network) to be our guest programmer. At the time of recording we didn't know what Jack was going to bring us, but we're sure it's something spooky. Join us then, won't you?

MUTUAL PRESENTS: RETRO-ROCKETS! Crisis on Titan

(Orig. rel. 9-4-24 on Mutual Audio Network) On one of the many moons of Saturn, a troop of Interplanetary Soldiers have been given scut-duty: digging in the dirt to find an element vital to the survival of Earth and other planets. They long to get back to the job they were trained for: fighting whatever enemy is before them. These hard-bitten grunts soon get more than they bargained for, when the enemy takes over the garrison they'd left just a few hours before! Crisis on Titan first appeared in Planet Stories magazine, and was adapted for this series by Pete Lutz from the short story by James R. Adams.

CAST:

Andy Hartson-Bowyer as SGT. HALLIHAN

Ebony Rose as CORPORAL RODRIGUEZ and

Carole Krohn as CAPTAIN STALEY

The voices of the SOLDIERS were by Julie Krohn and Pete Lutz

The sounds of the THE BARBER'S DELIGHTS and THE SQUEAKERS were by Julie Krohn

PROJECT AUDION 72: Jimmy Durante - Garry Moore Show

Jimmy Durante: so famous for so many decades that just a caricature of his face was enough to elicit a smile. His outsized "Schnozz" matched the outsized personality from the 1920s through the 1970s. Even today, when his name and face are no longer common currency, his catchphrases and songs have endured. You can hear Durante singing in the "Joker" movie of 2019, imitated in lines from the "Lion King," and showing up every year in animated Christmas specials. 

In this Audion Original, Pete Lutz revisits this unique talent, imagining a 1940s episode of the Jimmy Durante Comedy Caravan with his on-air partner Garry Moore, and guest stars Sydney Greenstreet and Rose Marie. "Everybody wants ta' get inta de act!" and they do for a half hour of mirth and music.

Pete Lutz, in Texas, as Jimmy Durante

Bob Beaumont, in California, as Garry Moore

Scott McKinley, in New Jersey, as Sidney Greenstreet

Jessica Matthews, in Texas, as Rose Marie

Laura Mirsky in New Jersey, as Vera Vague

Sheree Whichard, in New York, as Florence Halop

Trevor Rines, in Ontario Canada, as Candy Candido

Andy Hartson-Bowyer, in Virginia, as Verne Smith

Written and directed by Pete Lutz

Produced by Larry Groebe in Texas

THIS IS HOLLYWOOD: The Stranger

The Narada Radio Company proudly presents a re-imagined episode of a lost radio series, This is Hollywood! Little is known about this series, other than the fact that it, like many other series in the Golden Age, presented radio adaptations of popular films. When director Pete Lutz was working on his adaptation of the screenplay, he discovered that The Stranger had been adapted for this lost series. Since no recording of this episode, nor any episode, could be located, Mr. Lutz created an introduction and a closing segment that might've been the way This is Hollywood presented them. Right or wrong, there it is, and who can dispute it?

In this production, the Narada Radio Company presents an adaptation of the full film -- indeed the running times of this audio play and the motion picture are very similar -- so you get an hour and a half of suspense, action, adventure, and thrills, all surrounding the story of a post-WWII Nazi hunter, on the track of her prey, the mastermind behind the death camps -- who has destroyed all links to his identity! We're sure you'll agree that our production is just as thrilling as the 1946 film.

THIS PRODUCTION is dedicated to the memory of Michele Barnett, a much-loved personage in both the Narada Radio Company and in the Corpus Christi/Coastal Bend region community theatre family.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

ANNOUNCER: Darren Rockhold

Geri Elliff as COMMISSIONER WILSON

Rhiannon McAfee as MARY LONGSTREET

Pete Lutz as CHARLES RANKIN

Carole Krohn as the SECRETARY and MRS. LUNDSTROM

Greg McAfee and Mark Kalita as the DIPLOMATIC DEPUTIES

Dana Gonsalves as CONRAD MEINEKE 

Michele Barnett as MRS. POTTER

Kendra Murray as SARA

Victoria Fancki as NORA LONGSTREET

Jeff Moon as JUDGE LONGSTREET

Greg McAfee as JEFF LAWRENCE

Bobby Vela as the IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL and the SHIP'S STEWARD

Paul Arbisi as the PHOTOGRAPHER

Nick Wommack as MARVALES and MR. HAROLD

Eugene Lutz as the VOICE ON THE TELEPHONE

Nick Wommack, Eugene Lutz, Keane Lutz, Carole Krohn, Isla Braly, and Melody Gaines as the STUDENTS

Frank Guglielmelli as MR. PEABODY

Riley Lutz as MRS. LAWRENCE

Mark Kalita as MR. LUNDSTROM

Holly Braly as MRS. TINSDALE

Melody Gaines as MRS. RAND and the SHIP'S PASSENGER and

John Bell as DR. HIBBETT

Additional voices were by Julie Krohn and members of the cast

Music was composed and performed by Dr. Ross Bernhardt. The entire production was supervised by Pete Lutz.

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 51: Wayne & Shuster

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 51, and as we continue Season 5, we present Patte's pick, an example of the Canadian comedy duo Wayne & Shuster, in which they present their famous routine, "Rinse the Blood Off My Toga" -- a sort of Julius-Caesar-meets-Mickey-Spillane. 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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

Your feedback means a lot to us! A review at iTunes or at your usual podcatcher would be appreciated.

Next Time: It's Paul's pick again, and he had nothing ready by the time we asked him what it was, but we're it'll be something...interesting. Join us then, won't you?

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 50: Sherlock Holmes

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 50, our Season 5 premiere! Pete, Paul and Patte welcome Essential Listener Andy, who has suggested an episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Gielgud and Richardson, entitled "The Final Problem." 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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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, being a Neighbour from the North, will finally bring us a Canadian example of OTR, an episode of Wayne & Shuster! Join us then, won't you?

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 49, the 12th installment of Season 4 (and our Season Finale)! Pete, Paul and Patte present Paul's pick , an episode of Dangerous Assignment, entitled "Investigate Flying Saucers"!  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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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, along with Essential Listener Andy, will bring us an episode of the classic series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes! Join us then, won't you?

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 48, the 11th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Patte's pick , an episode of On Stage, entitled "Heartbreak"!  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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

Your feedback means a lot to us! A review at iTunes or at your usual podcatcher would be appreciated.

Next Time: It's Paul's pick again, and he'll bring us an episode of the exciting adventure series, Dangerous Assignment! Join us then, won't you?

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 47: The Whistler (our 2025 New Year's Special!)

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 47, the 10th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Pete's pick , an episode of The Whistler, entitled "The First Year"!  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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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 us an episode of the exciting anthology series, On Stage! Join us then, won't you?

Long, long before George Burns became the senior citizen movie star of films like "The Sunshine Boys" and "Oh God!" he was familiar to radio and television audiences across the country as the grounded half of the comedy couple Burns and Allen, with real-life wife (and vaudeville partner) Gracie Allen playing the ditzy dame of the duo. Theirs was a 25-year run on the airwaves, and now for Project Audion, Pete Lutz has penned a fresh new Burns and Allen script that recalls the best of their radio work during World War II, right down to their sponsor of the time, Swan Soap. Much like Bob Hope and Jack Benny did, we find the two of them at a naval base entertaining the troops, along with guest stars Henry Fonda and Chico Marx.

You'll be entertained by Audion's transcribed-live transcontinental cast of delicious, delirious vocal talents:

John Bell (as George) in Alabama

Mel Rose (as Gracie) in Pennsylvania

Dana Gonsalves (as Bill Goodwin) in Texas

Les Marsden (as Chico Marx) in California

Scott R. McKinley (as Henry Fonda) in New Jersey 

Pete Lutz (as Mel Blanc as PO2 Ferguson) in Texas

Robert L. Mills (as Adm. Tarbottom) in California 

Larry Groebe supervised the production.

Written and directed by Pete Lutz

Narada Radio Company has earned a badge for making the Top 50 podcasts in Goodpods' Performing Arts category! 

We couldn't have done it without our listeners, for whom we are very grateful!

SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS, based on the 1964 film and adapted/produced/directed by Pete Lutz

Martians are worried that their children are being influenced by Earth trends, so they visit the planet's wise man, who tells them that they should let their children be children, and the Earthling Santa Claus isn't such a bad thing, so their decision is to travel to Earth and kidnap the jolly old elf.

The original film has been described as one of the worst films ever made, and as a result has been spoofed by theatrical companies all over the U.S. Well, the Narada Radio Company is no exception -- originally planned for a live production in December of 2024, Murphy's Law held true and strong, so they recorded it in the director's living room instead, and said director edited the voice tracks on Saturday, December 21st, and mixed all of the music and SFX on Sunday, December 22nd. Now, if you don't like the finished product...the director wishes you a very Merry Christmas.

This play would not have been possible without the following voice talents:

Certain music passages by Dr. Ross Bernhardt; other music sourced from the public domain.

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 46: The Mel Blanc Show (our 2024 Christmas Special!)

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 46, the 9th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Paul's pick (which is our annual Christmas Special), an episode of The Mel Blanc Show, entitled "Mel Plays Santa Claus"!  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:

1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.")

2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection?

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 for our first show of the New Year, and he'll bring us a New Year's-themed episode of The Whistler! Join us then, won't you?

Adventures of the Federated Tec, Season 2, Episode 10: Who Killed Bob Teal?

In this exciting second-season finale, our hero gets an assignment that hits too close to home: Find the person who murdered another Federated operative, young Bob Teal. The Tec, along with San Francisco Police Detective George Dean, soon starts sniffing out the trail of the most obvious suspect...but our nameless protagonist eventually begins to wonder if maybe they're after the wrong guy. 

Adapted by Pete Lutz from the story of the same name, originally published in the November, 1924 issue of True Detective magazine. Produced and directed by Pete Lutz. Mixing and mastering by 63audio, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Our cast consisted of the following Narada Radio Company players:

Darren Rockhold as THE ANNOUNCER

Pete Lutz as THE TEC

Joe Stofko as THE OLD MAN

Frank Guglielmelli as OGBURN

Ian Federgreen as BOB TEAL

John Bell as DETECTIVE DEAN

Rhiannon McAfee as MAE LANDIS

Geri Elliff as THE LANDLADY 

Jeff Moon as WHITACRE

The theme, and some incidental music, were composed and performed by Dr. Ross Bernhardt. 

FEDERATED TEC FANS! We're happy to report that a third season is in the works. Scripts have been written for 11 episodes so far, with a likely four more to go. Each season gets longer than the previous one, because Hammett's stories, for the most part, kept getting longer, better, and more detailed, as his writing skills improved. As a huge fan of Hammett for more than 40 years, I have no desire to condense these longer tales, preferring instead to split them, as you saw in S2, into multi-episode dramas -- S2 alone had three longer stories split into two-parters, for example. Well, S3 will have both two- and three-part story arcs, full of the Hammett hard-boiled style, full of intrigue, and full of the unusual characters he was famous for. You won't wanna miss it!

Here's the line-up for Season Three -- and just for simplicity's sake, we'll be shortening our series title to The Federated Tec:

1. Mike, Alec, or Rufus?

2-3. The Whosis Kid

4-5. The Scorched Face

6-8. Corkscrew

9-11. The Daiwan of Chinatown (orig. title Dead Yellow Women)

12-14. The Gutting of Couffignal

15. The Creeping Siamese

COMING SOON FROM 63AUDIO!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 45, the 8th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Patte's pick (which is our annual Thanksgiving Special), an episode of Cincinnati, Ohio's station W-L-W comedy-variety series Fountain of Fun, called "Turkey Rationed"!  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 Paul's pick again for our annual Xmas show, and he'll decide later...

S2 E9 - The Golden Horseshoe, part 2

In the conclusion of this two-part adventure, the Tec returns to Tijuana, Mexico, to discover just who murdered his client. Once he arrives, however, there's any number of possible suspects. Story by Dashiell Hammett, adapted and dramatized by Pete Lutz.

CAST:

Pete Lutz as THE TEC

Noah Diamond as VANCE RICHMOND

Jeff Moon as ED BOHANNON

John Bell as THE FOUR WITNESSES

Rhiannon McAfee as KEWPIE

Mark Kalita as GOOSENECK

Dana Gonsalves as GORMAN

Ian Federgreen as HOOPER

Jason D. Johnson as O'GAR

With Darren Rockhold as THE ANNOUNCER GUY

Music by Ross Bernhardt. Post-production and mixing by Fishbonius Sound Design.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 44, the 7th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Pete's pick, an episode of the syndicated series Hall of Fantasy, called "Black Figurine of Death"!  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 decide later...

THE CELLAR MS4 EP5: TWIN PEEKS

RATED PG

For adult language. LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED.

Welcome to the fourth miniseries of The Cellar! This is the fifth of five planned episodes of this long-running series, and in this, our finale, we bring you the pièce de résistance. We hope you've enjoyed all of our entries for this miniseries, and will come back next year for another one.

Episode 5, Twin Peeks, is set in the present day. Twins Judy and Jeff come back from a near-death experience, and each has a vastly different account of what they saw on the other side. Written by father and daughter team Pete and R. C. Lutz, and directed/produced by Pete Lutz.

CAST:

CADAVERA QUIVRY (Host): Angela Young

ANNOUNCER: Trevor Rines

REPORTER/ANCHOR: Carole Krohn

COP: Les Marsden

DOCTOR 1: Stephanie Stearns Dulli

YOUNG JEFF: Huck Dulli

CAPTAIN: Andy Hartson-Bowyer

FATHER PAUL: Pete Lutz

DOCTOR 2: Rhiannon McAfee

YOUNG JUDY: Piper Dulli

BROTHER MAXWELL: Tony Semczuk

TALK SHOW HOST: Tom Konkle

TEEN JEFF/TEEN JUDY: Mel Rose

PROFESSOR: Laura Mirsky

SCIENTISTS: Aileen Corpos, Mark Kalita

The Cellar theme by Tom Rory Parsons

Additional music by Dr. Ross Bernhardt