This late January marks both the birth and death of actor J. Carrol Naish, who was born on January 21, 1896 and died just shortly after his 77^th birthday on January 24, 1973.  Naish received two Oscar nominations for his supporting roles in the films “Sahara” (1943) and “A Medal for Benny” (1945), the latter of which also earned him a Golden Globe.  But he also had an extensive radio career.  Most prominently, he was the star of “Life With Luigi,” which cast him as a naïve Italian immigrant, Luigi Basco.  For all its stereotypes, and – because it was a comedy, its exaggerations – the series reflected the affection immigrants held for their new nation and home.  “Life With Luigi” is ultimately about making a new life in a land of infinite possibilities, and the desire to truly integrate one’s self into the best of American culture.  Tonight, we present two very different performances by Nash.  The first is someone the polar opposite of the sweet Luigi.  In this episode of “Suspense,” Naish plays a conniving, murderous husband.  Will crime pay?  Then on “Life With Luigi,” our hero’s quest to become a citizen is thwarted by his countryman, Pasquale (played by Fred Flintstone himself, Alan Reed).

Episodes

Suspense
August 1, 1946
“Commuter’s Ticket”  
2:44

Life With Luigi
January 10, 1950
“Luigi’s First Citizenship Papers"
32:41

I like to start off the new year with these adaptations by “The Lux Radio Theater.”  Tonight, Leslie Howard reprises his 1934 starring role as the original secret identity hero, “The Scarlet Pimpernel.”  Here, Olivia de Havilland plays his wife.  A year later, the two would appear as husband and wife again, in “Gone with the Wind,” as Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton.  Radio lends itself well to “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” which began life as a 1903 play, and so, from the start, has always relied heavily on dialog. 

Episode

The Lux Radio Theater
December 12, 1938
“The Scarlet Pimpernel”
2:40

We start off tonight with another “X Minus One” adaptation of a classic science fiction short story.  This time it’s Tom Godwin’s “The Cold Equations,” a controversial tale that’s still a subject of discussion.  Then on “The Great Gildersleeve,” Mr. Peavy finally gets a day off while Gildy minds the drug store.  What could possibly go wrong?

Episodes

X Minus One

August 25, 1955

“Cold Equations” 

2:02

The Great Gildersleeve

February 7, 1951

“Day Off for Peavy – 30^th Anniversary”

26:18

We start off tonight with another episode of that wonderful quiz show, “Information Please.”  This is an Armed Forces recording, which means that the original was recorded and then all the ads were taken out and replaced with short classical music breaks.  Are you up on the publication dates of certain famous literary works, the details of perfume production, and the strange behaviors of animals?  Then on “The Adventures of Ellery Queen,” Ellery finds himself investigating a twisty tale of diamond snuggling and murder.

Episodes

Information Please

October 2, 1944

“Guests:  Christopher Morley and Esme Davis”

2:26

The Adventures of Ellery Queen

September 7, 1947

“Number Thirty One”

33:14

I like to start off the new year with these adaptations by “The Lux Radio Theater” of light, amusing tales.  “The Canterville Ghost” was a short story written by Oscar Wilde in 1887. Over the years, there have been numerous adaptations.  The latest version just aired in the U.K. on the BBC and starred Anthony Head of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” as the title character.  I assume this will be coming to American television soon.  So, in anticipation, here is the 1945 rendition, which features a lot of World War II-era material. 

The Lux Radio Theater

June 18, 1945

“The Canterville Ghost”

2:31

Even tough-guy detectives sometimes get involved in sentimental or humorous situations during their Christmas episodes.  And the fabulous, freelance insurance investigator of “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar,” is no exception.  Then it’s time for the cast of “The Jack Benny Program” to put on a play about letters to Santa before Jack and Mary go Christmas shopping at a department store.

Episodes

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

December 23, 1956

“The Missing Mouse Matter”

1:39

The Jack Benny Program

December 17, 1939

“Christmas Shopping for Perfume and a Necktie”

32:38

Welcome to another Christmas season on “Presenting the Transcription Feature.”  We’ll be doing one mystery and one comedy during each of this month’s episodes.  We begin with Sydney Greenstreet as that mighty, if lazy, private investigator, the titular hero of “The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe.”  This episode might be little darker than most Christmas stories, but it’s still a good mix of coziness, tough-guy action, and Wolfian brain power.  Then we go Christmas shopping with “The Great Gildersleeve.”  Try as he might, he just can’t seem to economize this year.

Episodes

The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe

December 22, 1950

“The Slaughtered Santas”

1:50

The Great Gildersleeve

December 15, 1948

“Christmas Shopping” aka “Economy This Christmas”

32:09

This year would have been the 101st birthday of actor Ricardo Montalbán. We mark it with an episode of “Family Theater,” in which he plays the real-life hero / outlaw of Old California, Joaquin Murietta. Murietta was almost certainly the inspiration for the fictional hero / outlaw of Old California, Zorro. Then it’s Thanksgiving with all the gang on “The Jack Benny Program.” In this classic episode, Jack dreams he has been put on trial for the murder of a turkey. Both Phil Harris’ signature tune “That’s What I Like About the South,” and the Andrews Sisters’ hit “The Lady From 29 Palms,” get witty parodies.

The Jack Benny Program
November 30, 1947
“Turkey Dream”
33:06

This October 27 marks the 163^rd birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt.  T.R. is a mass of contradictions.  He was born sickly, but, through sheer force of will, built himself up to a big, bull moose of a man.  He was a One Percenter deeply concerned with the plight of the poor.  He was a native of Manhattan who went to Harvard, yet was passionate about the great outdoors and created the U.S. Forest Service which administers our National Parks.  On this

episode of “Biographies in Sound,” NBC radio interviews historians and contemporaries in order to gain insight into the man and his times.

Episode

Biographies in Sound

November 14, 1957 

“They Knew Theodore Roosevelt”

3:27

“Lights Out” was one of radio’s earliest suspense anthology dramas. A lot of its earlier episodes were criticized as being, frankly, gross, but this one is more restrained. It’s just plain creepy. Set in the typing pool / script department of a creepy radio show, it’s also one of the most meta. Then, on “The Jack Benny Program,” Dennis Day negotiates his contract, Rochester buys a race horse, and the gang puts on an Ozark melodrama.

Episodes

Lights Out

May 11, 1943

“Murder in the Script Department”

2:58

The Jack Benny Program

June 2, 1940

“Hillbilly Feud”

26:29