Tonight we’re going to do something unusual. I’m going to give you two versions of the same World Series-themed episode of “The Bob Hope Show.” But don’t worry; you’ll get very little repeated material. The show as aired went out on October 11, 1949. We’ll play that second.  First you’ll hear the longer, unedited rehearsal for that episode, recorded a week earlier. Some of that audio was used in the final broadcast and some of the bits were re-recorded.  You’ll hear flubs, false starts, and ad libs.

Episodes

The Bob Hope Show

October 6, 1949

“Rehearsal”

4:17

The Bob Hope Show

October 11, 1949

“Guests: Jackie Robinson & Joe Page”

41:37

We start off with “You Bet Your Life.” Groucho talks with a woman who met her husband when she fell into his drum kit, a “spinster,” and a lighthouse keeper.  Then on “Romance of the Ranchos,” we visit the islands off the coast of southern California.  If you’ve read Scott O’Dell’s “Island of the Blue Dolphins,” you may be familiar with some of the strange goings-on in these islands’ past.

Episodes

You Bet Your Life

November 30, 1949

“The Secret Word is ‘Window’”

2:48

Romance of the Ranchos

February 4, 1942

“The Island of Santa Catalina and the Channel Islands”

34:45

 We start off with “Information Please.” Are you up on the wives of King Henry VIII, children in literature, Shakespeare, and soup?  Get ready to stump the experts.  Then on “The Abbott and Costello Show,” Lou returns to his old grade school, P.S. #15 in Patterson, NJ to appear in a production of “Romeo and Juliet.”

Episodes

Information Please

May 30, 1941

“Guests:  Jan Struther and Cornelia Otis Skinner”

1:41

The Abbott and Costello Show

November 16, 1944

“Lou Visits His Grade School”

31:03

"The Rescue of Athena One"
Airdate: March 15, 1974
Written by D.C. Fontana
Directed by Lawrence Doheney

Synopsis: Steve trains Kelly Wood, the world's first female astronaut, for her first mission in space.  Their relationship proves to be fractious, but when her craft experiences a malfunction, it's up to Steve to come to the rescue.  There's one other wrinkle in all this - bionics malfunction in zero gravity.  It's up to Kelly to bring the craft back to Earth.

John is joined by artist Jerry Lange and longtime fan Cathleen ONeiil to discuss this eighth episode of the series.  They discuss the fashion choice of including a painted flower on a spacesuit boot, the level of detail that went into the making of this episode, and how the song, "Midnight Train to Georgia" was about Lee and Farrah.  Plus, we get to the bottom of the Kelly Wood/Woods confusion, Jerry shares his photo from the Six Million Dollar Man fan club and Cathleen shares photos of her extensive collection, and we play a "Space" themed game of This or That.

First up, it’s “The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe” with Sidney Greenstreet as the rotund, yet brilliant private investigator.  Hard to believe it, but Wolfe actually leaves his brownstone mansion to do a little detecting.  Then we return to England as the bumbling government officials of “The Men from the Ministry” investigate a phantom train in a country village.

Episodes

 The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe

March 16, 1951

“The Case of the Midnight Ride”

1:50

The Men from the Ministry

August 29, 1965

“Train of Events”

31:00

"ALIAS, THE SCARF"

AIRED: FEBRUARY 24, 1967

The Hornet takes on a killer from the past come back to life.  In another unusual story that didn't fall under the Hornet's usual MO of operations, we're given the series first true rogue.  Does The Scarf live up to the potential the story sets up?  How does he compare with other figures who appear from the past in series such as The Flash and Batman: The Animated Series?  What is it with Casey that her use in the series is so uneven? And what gets Jim and John all excited about Kato in this episode?

The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson is a reference work we're consulting as we move through the series.  Pick up your copy by clicking on the link and getting it today.

Take a listen and then let us know what you think of the episode by writing us here or at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

 First up it’s “X Minus One” with one of their most intellectual episodes:  “Appointment in Tomorrow,” which asks what role public perception plays in science.  Then Bob Bailey stars private problem-solver George Valentine in “Let George Do It.”  It’s up to George to find some missing currency paper before it’s used by a counterfeiting ring.  The economy of a nation is at stake.

Episodes

X Minus One

November 7, 1956

“Appointment in Tomorrow”

2:19

Let George Do It

August 2, 1948

“The Money Maker”

30:55

We start this week with “The Bob Hope Show.”  Bob is in England.  He teams up with legendary British music hall and screen comedian Jerry Desmond for jokes about the National Health Service and a sketch about Bob’s school days.  Then Orson Welles stars as “The Shadow,” that mysterious righter of wrongs with the power to cloud men’s minds.  Who know what evil lurks in the hearts of men? He does.

Episodes

The Bob Hope Show

June 5, 1951

“With Jerry Desmond from London”

2:55

The Shadow

December 12, 1937

“The Death Triangle”

28:47

"The Nine Lives of Batman" & "Long John Joker"

Aired October 5, 1968

The Catwoman makes her debut in the animated 68 series and there's a lot to like, a lot to dislike, and a lot to simply appreciate.  In the story, Catwoman traps the Dynamic Duo in a series of traps that appears to ultimately lead to her desire to learn Batman's identity.  And then it just gets more complicated.  Plus, there's also a Joker story that could have come right out of the third season, complete with Batgirl!

​In addition, John and Dan Greenfield, creator and author of the 13th Dimension discuss how the 66 series brought Catwoman back to prominence and how her appearance in the 68 series is a mix of good and bad.   Plus, they look at the lyrics to the Batman Superman Hour theme song.

​Comment on the episode here or write thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

Isis

"Scuba Duba"

December 6, 1975

Steve is a member of Rick's scuba diving club, but he's not one to listen to rules.  In doing so, he risks his life and it's up to Isis to save him.

We conclude our reviews of the DC Comics 1970s run of The Mighty Isis, with a look at a story that appears to set things back to normal.

Andrea has returned to school with Rick and is teaching once again, but there are new wrinkles that affect the storyline and will not be resolved.

Plus, we announce the winners of our Isis comic giveaway.

Next, it's a look at the episode, "Scuba Duba".  Among the topics discussed are the appearance of manta rays in a lake, the underwater photography of the episode and how the fashions of this episode may have influenced That 70s Show.

It's all here and we want to hear from you on what you think of the episode.  Write us as ShazamIsisPodcast@gmail.com.

Moral: "We've all heard the expression, safety first.  But sometimes we forget just how important that saying is.  Safety first means nothing is more important than that you think before you act.  So, don't take a chance - think safety and act safely."

​

Guest Cast

Eileen Chesis as Nancy

Brian Byers as Steve