Radio Retropolis

A wealthy businessman is thought to have committed suicide although murder has not been ruled out.  Friday and Romero investigate the suspicious circumstances and make a startling discovery. Commentary tonight on the Dragnet pattern of determining the guilty party.  Plus, we look at the possibility with present day technology how one can or cannot carry out the deed that one of our characters actually does in 1950 Los Angeles.

Abner Sykes explains to Lois and Clark that he can prove how his machine has been manipulating the weather.  JR comments on George Reeves' appearance on I Love Lucy.

John Phillips is having an affair with his pretty secretary and he fears it won't be long before his wife finds out. With his secretary’s growing infatuation and Lucille heading down to the office that same day, John finds himself consumed by both passion and guilt and wondering how to get out of it. Commentary on inner conflict, passivity and how both can ultimately lead to suicide.

Enemies of the United States have developed a germ that could wipe out the entire army, eventually leaving the U.S. open to invasion. The Shadow must hurry and find out who is behind it and if a cure is available.

In Act 2 of Suspicion, with Mr. Mummery recovering from his poisoning attempt, he is determined to get to the truth of who wants him dead.  Is it the escaped Mrs Andrews?  Is Mrs Sutton really Mrs. Andrews?  Or is there another possible motive?  JR comments on the second acts shortcomings.  Plus, star Sam Jaffe.

In Act 1 of Suspicion, a man suspects his new cook is trying to poison his wife and him.  Commentary on the coalminer's strike of 1948 per the newsflash at the head of the episode.

After saving Abner Sykes, the telegrapher who had recently disappeared from the burning cabin, Superman in the guise of his alter ego Clark Kent phones Lois to tell her she needs to go out on the street and wait for a friend to pick her up and bring her to his location.  JR comments on Lois and Superman's first solo meeting and flight.

George talks Liz into teaching Wally, the son of the bank's newest director, Mr. Forsythe, how to dance the Samba, and Wally gets a crush on Liz. Commentary on the I Love Lucy adaptation of this episode called Young Fans that also includes a teenage Dick Crenna in both the radio and TV versions, Jim Backus channeling his inner Mr. Magoo, and listening to Lucy and Richard Denning break character at the end.

Friday and Romero deal with a dangerous robber who sets out to prove no jail can hold him.  Commentary on the real life copycat escape of three inmates at the Santa Ana jail in 2016.

Lois thinks she wrapped up the entire story with Uncle Ed’s un-American speech against the veterans.  However, Clark believes there is much more to the story.  The drought itself!  JR comments on the reality of man-made weather!

A 1945 frightening story of a trip to the moon and back, a nuclear bomb, and all taking place September 20, 2000. Commentary on the irony of this broadcast which was before the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.  References made to the Trinity test in New Mexico which occurred just 12 days before this broadcast.

During the performance of an opera, a premier tenor loses his voice. The audience think nothing wrong of this, until, a sandbag falls on another performer, killing him, when the same opera plays again. Each performance of the opera leads to another unfortunate occurrence and only the Shadow can solve the mystery.

In Act 2, while Olivia, the niece, spies on Danny and discovers some suspicious information in his belongings, a dead body is also discovered on Mrs. Bramson’s estate.  Commentary on how suspense and terror is created by a simple ticking clock.  Plus, the story was adapted with two different endings.  Why?

In Act 1, An elderly woman takes in a new charming servant whom she treats as a son while the niece is suspicious and decides to dig into his past.  JR speaks on how Robert Montgomery came to choose this story for Suspense.

Lois and Jerry believe they are both in the clear walking through the woods to the highway, yet what they don’t know is that quicksand is mere steps ahead.  JR comments on use of the word "Heaven" as opposed to "God" in these episodes.  Plus, what is the big deal with "quicksand" in the 1940s?

Liz and Iris tell George and Atterbury that if the boys won't take them to the Country Club Dance, then the girls will go anyway, with somebody else! Commentary on the similarities to an I Love Lucy episode although never adapted for television, the Essex Roadster the girls buy, and a young man in the guest cast who eventually grew up to command John Rambo.

A pair of phony talent scouts are targeting young girls with dreams of stardom in Hollywood. Commentary tonight on the tragedy of fame and fortune plus Jim shares a very personal tragic story about a close friend of his.  

Lois Lane and veteran Jerry Barton, who were secretly observing the controversial rally given by the ex-governor against the homesteaders, found themselves at the end of a couple of rifles.  JR comments on the "Uncle Ed" character.

Because he has thrown away a flower from her grave, a grief-stricken widower believes he has doomed his dead wife to haunt a darkened cemetery forever. Commentary on this new summer revival of the Wyllis Cooper scripts and why Arch Oboler felt taking over from Cooper was the best decision he ever made.

Several kidnappings and burglaries have been committed by someone who has managed to evade the police and security guards, but there have been no ransom notes and no high-value items taken. After a friend of Margot's also vanishes,The Shadow investigates and discovers an abandoned sewer system in the area where the crimes have taken place. During a search, Margot falls through the floors of a rotting tunnel and ends up in a place filled with chained captors.