Our Mysterious Patron Mark suggested we dive into “Bury Your Dead, Arizona,” one of two stories that survive in their entirety from I Love a Mystery. And we are up for the challenge! The series begins with Jack, Reggie, and Doc hopping a train to avoid both the police and thugs who want the trio’s $25,000! But on the train the discover an even stranger mystery in the form of “The Maestro” and his vaguely-but-not-quite Russian assistant! Who are these strange travelling companions? Was there really a murder or was it an illusion? Should we stick a knife in this series? Listen for yourself and find out!
It’s time for us to listen to “The Judas Clock” from Inner Sanctum Mystery! It’s the story of a man hunting for a cursed clock, an Italian antique that only runs when the silver coins of Judas are placed inside. But his own obsession with this relic is more than historic interest, it is a quest for revenge! Why does the history of this clock include so many deaths? What is the secret of its inner workings? Will the Mr. Host and Mary the Lipton Tea Lady commercials overwhelm the story itself? Listen for yourself and find out!
We’re paying our first visit to Casey, Crime Photographer with “The Twenty Minute Alibi”! The story features a man who apparently shot himself while on the phone with his insurance provider, confirming that his policy had not yet expired. But when Casey arrives to photograph the body, he suspects that the victim may have been murdered. If it was homicide, who was responsible? How will Casey explain why all the suspects have alibis during a crucial twenty minute window of time? What exactly is a Rathboner? Listen for yourself and find out!
Our Mysterious Listener Mark recommended we check out the X Minus One adaptation of William Tenn’s short story, “The Discovery of Morniel Mathaway“! A struggling poet tells the story of his unscrupulous friend, a terrible visual artist named Morniel Mathaway. But unexpectedly, a stranger arrives hoping to meet the famous and influential icon named Morniel Mathaway! Why would this stranger be so excited about such an untalented artist? What gives art value and meaning? If Eric doesn’t care for modern art, will he remember having performed this script before? Listen for yourself and find out!
We’re taking a little summer break, but we want to share a sneak peek at what awaits listeners when they become one of our Patreon supporters! Here is a pilot for a potential Columbo podcast called A Podcast Named Dog. If you’re not familiar with Columbo, it’s a beloved 1970s (and late 80s, early 90s) television mystery series starring the great Peter Falk. One of Columbo’s many quirks was his best friend: a dog named Dog. And if you’ve never seen Columbo or don’t remember the episode we’re discussing, here is a link to an online version of “Etude in Black”.
We’re taking a little summer break, but we want to share a sneak peek at what awaits listeners when they become one of our Patreon supporters! Here is a pilot for a new pod to add to the Patreon rotation: MORLS on Movies. It’s an opportunity to discuss how movies have adapted, reimagined, or been influenced by radio’s legacy. We begin with an obvious but hopefully entertaining choice, Russell Mulcahy’s 1994 flop, The Shadow!
This week we are joined by our Patreon supporter Jeff who has brought us a story of wartime espionage from Escape entitled “The Thirteenth Truck”! A group of soldiers has been assigned to infiltrate a convoy and sabotage an enemy airfield. And even if they succeed, they will still need to escape with their lives! How can they sneak a truck past the watchful eyes of the Germans? What strange circumstance could stop the guards’ gunfire? Is potato salad the real enemy? Listen for yourself and find out!
According to The Suspense Project, Joan Crawford’s “mic fright” meant that “The Ten Years” needed to be created unlike any previous episode of Suspense! The story features Crawford as Clara who promised to stay with her sister after they were both orphaned as children. But once she grows up and finds a husband, her sister Adele feels betrayed. What will Adele do to return Clara to her childhood promise? Does the episode have a classic Suspense twist or not? What is “The Mystery of the Dabbing of the Neutered Kitten”? Listen for yourself and find out!
Once again we’re checking out a series we’ve never featured before, Dr. Tim, Detective! We’re listening to two 15 minute episodes, “The Mystery of the Dog That Did and Didn’t” & “The Mystery of the Guest in Number Two,” both of which feature the educational adventures of Dr. Tim and his two young companions, Jill and Sandy. How does someone catch Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in November? What is the secret of the man named Jones? Did Tim just pick this series because his name is in the title? Listen for yourself and find out!
Escape presents “She,” an adaptation of H. Rider Haggard’s iconic adventure novel set in a lost world in the African interior. After his father passed away, a son inherits an ancient artifact suggesting the location of a mythic city and the god-like figure known as “She Who Must Be Obeyed” who rules over the land. For reasons the young man cannot explain, the story seems familiar to him and he feels compelled to launch an expedition to find the place. What is the connection between this young traveler and this ancient queen? What dangers await him and his party of explorers? Would a synopsis store be a lucrative business venture? Listen for yourself and find out!
Our Patreon supporter Simon recommended we check out the debut episode of Nightfall, “Love and the Lonely One”! A young surgical student uses a cadaver in a grisly prank. Shortly afterwards, he finds himself caught up in a troubling romance. How will he react when he finds out the truth about his new flame? How well does this episode represent the future of Nightfall? Could we do a whole podcast about Calvin Coolidge and Max Headroom? Listen for yourself and find out!
The Mysterious Traveler has stopped by to share the story of “The Accusing Corpse”! The story features a jealous husband who shoots his unfaithful wife with the help of her brother. But not all is as it seems. What sinister plot is happening behind the scenes? How can a corpse accuse its killer? Which room is the most convenient for bitter arguments with your spouse? Listen for yourself and find out!
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz star in this week’s episode, “The Red-Headed Woman” from Suspense! The story features a young woman who commits an impulsive crime and then crosses paths with a potentially dangerous man on the run. Does she have the nerve and the wits to get away with her crime? Who will get the better of whom in this cat-and-mouse game? Is there any job more enticing and menacing than bank robber? Listen for yourself and find out!
We now complete our trilogy of actors who starred in Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar during its initial run! This time, we’re listening to “The Chicago Fraud Matter” featuring John Lund in the title role! This story features an investigation into the sudden death of a life insurance policy holder. But the dead man seemed to have not been healthy enough to be approved for his insurance. Did he fool the doctor who approved the policy? Will the insurers be forced to pay the beneficiary? Are we adding emphasis to the right syllables? Listen for yourself and find out!
Our Patreon listener Mark recommended we pay a visit to our Listener Library to check out “The April Fool’s Day Adventure” from The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes! Thanks, Mark! In this episode, Watson recounts one of his earliest escapades with the famed detective, in which the doctor joins a conspiracy to make Holmes the target of an April Fool’s prank. But when the joke becomes a genuine crime, it’s up to Holmes to uncover the truth! Will Holmes fall for this trick? Is Joshua a fan of Sherlock Holmes or is he a super fan? Listen for yourself and find out!
Richard Widmark stars as a drifter named Jefferson in this episode of Suspense, “Too Hot to Live”! On a blisteringly hot summer day, Jefferson wanders into a small town only to lose his shoes and find a world of trouble. Did he commit the murder that he’s accused of committing? If not, is there any way to prove his innocence? What is Eric’s favorite book of the Bible? Listen for yourself and find out!
We are two-thirds of the way through our tour of actors who starred in Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar during its initial run! This time, Edmond O’Brien is our titular investigator with the action-packed expense account in a story entitled “The Queen Anne Pistols Matter.” This episode sees Dollar hired to accompany the delivery of a pair of antique pistols. Why was the original courier attacked? What message are these pistols intended to send? Once we start talking about The Silence of the Lambs, can we stop? Listen for yourself and find out!
For this episode, our Patreon supporter Ryan joins your hosts Eric, Tim, Joshua, and special guest host Shanan live on stage at the Bryant-Lake Bowl! Ryan has brought us “A Shipment of Mute Fate,” an episode of Escape featuring Jack Webb as a passenger transporting dangerous cargo aboard a ship at sea! What deadly thing watches from inside this crate? What dangers threaten everyone aboard if it should escape? What has Eric been afraid of since 1966? Listen for yourself and find out!
We’re once again calling Candy Matson, YUkon 2-8209! In what may be her final case, Candy discovers that her beau, Lt. Mallard, may be the target of her investigation. After Mallard is behaving suspiciously, Candy secretly follows him only to discover a dead body! Is Mallard truly up to something illegal? Is this truly her last case? Is their love truly rooted in cold-blooded disdain for human life? Listen for yourself and find out!
Arch Oboler takes us deep into the oceanic depths for this episode of Lights Out entitled “Bathysphere,” recommended to us by our Patreon supporter, Mark. Thanks, Mark! The story features an authoritarian leader attempting to dive down to a record-breaking depth beneath the ocean’s surface. Accompanied only by a doctor experienced in such dives, his excellency finds this life and death journey, “very amusing.” What mysteries await them in deep? How will this script compare to other propaganda works written by Oboler? Should someone be checking on us to make sure we’re okay? Listen for yourself and find out!
Thomas
great episode of an even better podcast. recomend for any otr fans.
Valerie Turner
weird
Kate
I love this podcast, the radio programs are entertaining, and I always enjoy the commentary after, it always makes me laugh, and answers questions I inevitably have after the episode. HIGHLY Recommend.
Darren J Keranen
the recording just stops 8 minutes before the ending approx
Jan Stanley
LOVE the podcast! Listening to you fellows cracks me up. You've become a new favorite. Thanks for sharing the fun!