Vintage Classic Radio

Vintage Classic Radio presents this week's Sunday Night Playhouse, welcoming you back to the golden glow of classic Hollywood on the airwaves. This week, we feature a lush adaptation from Lux Radio Theatre's "Green Dolphin Street", originally broadcasted September 19th, 1949. Set against the backdrop of 19th century New Zealand, this sweeping romantic drama follows two sisters whose lives are upended by a fateful love letter and a destiny neither could have foreseen. It's a tale of ambition, passion, and the unpredictable turns of the heart -- all brought vividly to life through cinematic storytelling. Tune in and let Sunday night sweep you away on Vintage Classic Radio.

This week's Saturday Matinee is a lively triple bill packed with laughs, hijinks, and Hollywood sparkle! We kick off with Our Miss Brooks in "Stretch to Transfer", where Connie Brooks juggles school politics and student antics as she tries to keep Stretch Snodgrass from being transferred out of Madison High. Next up is The Aldrich Family in "The Great Weiner Roast", and Henry Aldrich's plans for a simple cookout spiral into a riot of misunderstanding, teenage schemes and small-town chaos. Finally, The Screen Director's Playhouse presents "Jackpot", starring Jimmy Stewart as a mild-mannered man who wins a fortune on a quiz show, only to find that sudden wealth comes with more headaches than he bargained for. Tune in and let Saturday Matinee whisk you back to radio's golden era where charm, wit, and star power ruled the airwaves, all on Vintage Classic Radio.

This week on Friday Night Noir, we invite you into two unforgettable journeys through the darker corners of radio drama. We begin with Arch Oboler's Plays in "Strange Morning" originally broadcasted April 5th, 1945. An ordinary day unravels into an eerie and unsettling experience in Oboler's uniquely haunting style. Then, from Quiet Please, comes "Good Ghost" broadcasted on October 24th, 1948. A tale that blends the macabre with the tender, as a gentle spirit finds new meaning in the afterlife. Together, these stories offer a chilling yet strangely human glimpse into mystery, mortality, and the unexpected. Settle in, dim the lights, and let the shadows speak.

Step back into the golden age of radio mystery with this week's double feature of intrigue and suspense! First, in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' as the great detective and Dr. Watson unravel the chilling case of "The Death of Mrs. Abernetty", originally broadcast on November 30th, 1946. A curious death, a tangle of motives, and Holmes' razor-sharp deductions promise a classic detective's tale. Then, we lighten up with wit and sophistication in Dashiel Hammett's iconic detective duo, Nick and Nora Charles. In "Nora's Night Out", the glamourous sleuthing couple find that even a night on the town can turn into a case of mystery and danger. Whether it's the foggy streets of Baker Street or the cocktail lounges of old-time Manhattan, tonight's adventures prove that crime never rests -- and neither do our detectives. Tune in to Tuesday Night Detectives, where every clue counts and every story crackles with vintage suspense, here on Vintage Classic Radio.

This week on Sunday Night Playhouse, Vintage Classic Radio presents a double bill from Orson Welles' CBS Radio Workshop, bringing to life two timeless tales of imagination and discovery. First, we hear Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince from May 25th, 1956, the moving tale of a downed pilot who encounters a mysterious boy from another world, and through him learns profound lessons of love, loss, and the importance of seeing with the heart. Then comes E.M. Forster's The Celestial Omnibus, from August 8th, 1957, the enchanting story of a young boy who stumbles upon a magical carriage that whisks him away into realms of wonder and literature, a journey that adults scoff at until its truth proves undeniable. These stories remind us that it is through childlike eyes we glimpse life's deepest truths, and that imagination often reveals what reason cannot. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this evening's journey into wonder on Sunday Night Playhouse, from Vintage Classic Radio.

This week's Saturday Matinee on Vintage Classic Radio brings you a trio of classic broadcasts: in the Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show episode "Phil's Vaccination", Phil does everything he can to dodge a shot with predictably funny results; then Abbott and Costello lampoon the hardboiled detective genre in "Sam Shovel in the Caes of the Grocer Who Fell in Wet Cement"; and finally Orson Welles transports us into a world of whimsy and riddles with Columbia Workshop's imaginative adaptation of "Alice Through the Looking Glass".

This week on Friday Night Noir, Vintage Classic Radio invites you into the shadows with Wilkie Collins' eerie masterpiece, "The Haunted Hotel". When a bride-to-be loses her fiancé under suspicious circumstances, her search for the truth leads to a Venetian palace heavy with secrets, guilt, and whispers of the supernatural. Dark intrigue meets ghostly terror in a story where every shadow hides a question -- and every answer may come too late.

Experience the intrigue of old-time radio with Carter Brown: Crime for a King, a gripping four-part 1957 detective mystery from the Carter Brown Mysteries series on Vintage Classic Radio's Tuesday Night Detectives. This classic crime drama follows private detective Carter Brown as he investigates a royal palace conspiracy filled with betrayal, secret meetings, and high-stakes deception. Featuring Australian radio legends Ruth Cracknell, June Salter, Len Teale, Roger Climpson, John Meillon, Terry McDermott, and Gordon Chater, this vintage detective story delivers suspense, clever twists, and the charm of the golden age of radio detective stories, classic mystery radio plays, and vintage crime fiction.

Step into the world of vintage detective radio with two classic mysteries. In Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates: Black Tuesday, a former police inspector turned gourmet sleuth unravels a deliciously devious act of sabotage. Then in Maigret in Montmartre, Paris's most famous detective hunts a killer through smoky clubs, opium dens, and the bohemian heart of Montmartre. Perfect for fans of French detective fiction, old time radio mysteries, and gripping whodunits.

This Sunday Night Playhouse, Vintage Classic Radio invites you to step into the world of Charles Dickens with the Mercury Theatre on the Air's sweeping 1938 adaptation of "A Tale of Two Cities", Orson Welles leads a stellar company including Ray Collins, Joseph Cotten, Martin Gabel, Anges Moorehead, and Everett Sloane, all framed by Bernard Bermann's stirring music. Journey between London and Paris at the time of the French Revolution in a tale of sacrifice, redemption, and enduring love. With Welles' s signature dramatic style and the Mercury ensemble's unmatched storytelling, this is an unforgettable hour of radio theatre from the golden age.

This Saturday Matinee is brimming with classic British comedy and golden age orchestral charm. We begin with "The Goon Show" in "Emperor of the Universe", as Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, and Harry Secombe take us on a delightfully absurd hunt for 25 million missing Englishmen. Then it's time for our first musical interlude, with Jack Hilton and his Orchestra playing the Cole Porter gem "You're the Top". Next, enjoy "Hancock's Half Hour" in "Hancock's Car", where Tony Hancock, Sid James, and Bill Kerr deliver a hilarious tale of motoring misadventures. The laughs keep rolling with "Beyond Our Ken" in "This Happy Breed", starring Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, and Bill Pertwee. We round off the afternoon with the romantic "Lovelight in the Starlight" from the Emery Deutsch Orchestra. Sit back and enjoy a perfect mix of laughter, music, and nostalgia from radio's golden years here on Vintage Classic Radio.

On this week’s Tuesday Night Detectives on Vintage Classic Radio, we delve into two gripping cases from the golden age of mystery. First, in The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, we present “The Copper Beaches,” originally broadcast on May 7th, 1943. When a young governess named Violet Hunter takes a strange job at a secluded estate, she turns to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson for help. What begins as a peculiar curiosity soon unfolds into a sinister plot involving deception, captivity, and buried secrets within the Copper Beeches mansion. Basil Rathbone stars as the brilliant Sherlock Holmes, with Nigel Bruce as the steadfast Dr. Watson. Their chemistry brings to life Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s chilling tale, supported by an atmospheric score and rich narration from announcer Knox Manning. Then, we turn to the refined sleuthing of The Teahouse Detective in “The Edinburgh Mystery.” In the quiet ambiance of a London tearoom, the unnamed armchair detective recounts the baffling circumstances surrounding the death of a young man found at the foot of Edinburgh’s Salisbury Crags. Was it suicide, an accident—or murder? Through dialogue and deduction, the Teahouse Detective pieces together the case using only newspaper reports and intellectual prowess, revealing the truth behind the seemingly simple tragedy. Based on the stories of Baroness Orczy, this dramatized adaptation features Gordon Gardner as the astute Teahouse Detective and Patricia Hughes as his curious companion. With both tales, listeners are treated to richly textured performances and intricate plotting that will leave even the most seasoned mystery lovers guessing until the very end. Tune in, settle back, and let the clues unfold on this week’s Tuesday Night Detectives.

This week on "Tuesday Night Detectives" from Vintage Classic Radio, we begin with suave sleuth Phil Vance in "The Butler Murder Case", originally broadcasted on February 15th, 1949. When a respected society figure is found dead in his study and all signs point to the loyal family butler, Vance isn't convinced by appearances. With his usual blend of erudite charm and sharp deduction, he peels back the layers of an upper-class facade to uncover a motive buried in envy and inheritance. The episode stars Jackson Beck as Philo Vance, with Joan Alexander, George Petrie, and Humphrey Davis rounding out the cast in a story that probes loyalty, legacy and the lethal cost of family secrets. Then we delve into wartime espionage with "The Case of the Stolen Secret" from Counterspy, aired November 12th, 1950. When top-secret information vanishes from a government lab, the trail leads Counterspy agent David Harding into a maze of sabotage, betrayal, and international intrigue. Harding must unmask a cunning double agent before a deadly intervention falls into enemy hands. Don MacLaughlin stars as David Harding, with Mandel Kramer as his trusted aide, Harry Peters. Produced by Phillips H. Lord, this taut, patriotic thriller captures the paranoia and urgency of Cold War intelligence work, blending action with moral clarity in a race against treachery. Join us for a double bill of deduction and deception on this week's Tuesday Night Detectives.

On this week's "Tuesday Night Detectives" on Vintage Classic Radio, we bring you two gripping detective stories from the golden age of radio. First, the brilliant Belgian sleuth, Hercule Poirot, returns in "Trail Led to Death", originally broadcast on November 11th, 1945. When a reclusive antique dealer is found murdered in his London shop, Poirot must untangle a series of cryptic clues, including a rare Roman coin and a suspicious ledger entry. With Captain Hastings at his side, Poirot follow a trail that leads from dusty relics to a web of betrayal buried in the past. Harold Huber stars as Hercule Poirot, with co-stars including Santos Ortega, Florence Robinson, and Howard Smith. Next, we join the debonair detective duo Nick and Nora Charles in, "The Case of the Moon Murder" aired November 25th, 1945, on "The Adventures of the Thin Man". While attending a glamorous party at an observatory, the Charlese's are drawn into a case involving a missing astronomer and a murder that takes place under the light of a full moon. As they probe the high-society suspects and scientific secrets, Nick and Nora discover that even the most glittering social circles can cast dark shadows. Les Tremayne stars as Nick Charles with Claudia Morgan as the ever-witty Nora. Supporting the case are Parker Fennelly, Betty Lou Gerson, and Leon Janney, brining charm and suspense to this stylish whodunit. Join us for a night of classic deduction and unforgettable radio drama.

This Sunday evening on "Sunday Night Playhouse", Vintage Classic Radio brings you a rare sci-fi double bill from the archives of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Our first feature is a haunting adaptation from CBC Sunday Theatre in Calgary, H.G. Wells' story, "The Crystal Egg", originally aired on March 26. 1972. Long before he unleashed the Martian apocalypse in "The War of the Worlds", Wells hinted at interplanetary observation with his eerie tale of a London curiosity shop owner who stumbles upon a mysterious crystal orb -- one that reveals visions of life on Mars. As the elderly shopkeeper becomes obsessed with the glimpses he sees, the story draws us into questions of surveillance, alien life, and the limitations of human understanding. This compelling dramatization stars Henry Comer, was adapted by Leslie McFarlane, and brought to life under the direction of Fred Diehl. Next, we journey deeper into the cosmos with an atmospheric production from "The Mystery Theatre", one of CBC's most ambitious dramatic efforts, featuring weekly thrillers from across Canada. In this 1968 adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's gripping short story "Breaking Strain", two astronauts aboard a space freighter bound for Venus face the ultimate moral dilemma when a catastrophic systems failure reveals there's only enough oxygen for one man to survive. What begins as a cool-headed conversation between professionals devolves into a chilling study of human instinct, fear and the ethical boundaries of survival. Crafted with the CBC's signature dramatic flair, the production underscores Clarke's mastery of psychological tension and philosophical depth in the face of technological isolation. Join us for this thought-provoking exploration of early science fiction storytelling from two literary giants, tonight on Vintage Classic Radio.

After a long hiatus, we present "Tuesday Night Detectives". First, "The Adventures of Sam Spade" in "Lawless Caper". Originally broadcasted on August 29th, 1948. Howard Duff stars as Spade, who investigates a stolen holiday shipment, with Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie Perrine, and support from William Conrad and June Havoc. Next up, we have "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" featuring "The Sudden Wealth Matter", broadcast on December 13, 1959. Bob Bailey plays Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator probing a suspicious claim involving sudden riches, alongside Virgina Gregg and Harry Bartell. Join us for a blend of suspense and intrigue in these classic detective tales, where wit and danger meet clever storytelling, here on Vintage Classic Radio.

On this week's episode of "Tuesday Night Detectives" on Vintage Classic Radio, delve into the thrilling world of classic detective radio dramas. Starting with "The New Adventure of Sherlock Holmes", listeners will be treated to the "Case of the Well-Staged Murder", originally aired on November 16, 1947. In this gripping episode, the indefatigable duo of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, portrayed by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce respectively, unravel the intricacies of a murder that appears to be the perfect crime. As Holmes applies his formidable powers of deduction, the plot thickens, revealing an ingeniously planned act designed to confound even the keenest observer. Following that, we present "Ellery Queen" in "One Diamond", which first hit the airwaves on May 6, 1948. This episode features the sharp-witted Ellery Queen, a detective who is as adept with his mind as he is with his charm. The story centres around a mysteriously vanished diamond, leading Queen on a chase filled with twists and turns. Together, these episodes offer a nostalgic trip back to the golden age of detective radio. Tune into "Tuesday Night Detectives" for an evening of mystery and masterful storytelling here on Vintage Classic Radio.

This Sunday on Vintage Classic Radio's "Sunday Night Playhouse" we delve into the chilling world of Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451", brought to life in a 1971 CBC Radio adaptation. This story, set in a dystopian future where books are banned and 'firemen' burn any found, casts a long shadow over contemporary concerns of rising fascism and the suppression of free thought. The narrative's poignant exploration of censorship and the destruction of knowledge serves as a stark warning about the fragility of democracy. Featuring Neil Daynard as Montag, the fireman torn between duty and enlightenment, and Ellen Scarfe as the fire captain, this production also includes notable performances by Linda Sorensen, Sharon Kirk, Peter Howard, Dorothy Davies, Merv Camponi, Derek Ralston and Annie Scarfe. Adapted by Otto Lowry and produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Vancouver, this episode is a compelling reminder of the power of literature and the dangers of authoritarianism. Join us to experience this powerful drama and its critical message for our times, here on Vintage Classic Radio.

This week's "Saturday Matinee" on Vintage Classic Radio kicks off with "Our Miss Brooks" in the episode "Convict". Originally aired on November 8th, 1953. Eve Arden stars as the beloved English teacher, Miss Brooks, and finds herself in a humorous mixup involving a misidentified convict. The show also stars Gale Gordon as the blustery Principal Osgood Conklin, Richard Crenna as student Walter Denton, Jane Morgan as Mrs. Davis, and Jeff Chandler as the handsome Mr. Boynton. Following this comedic adventure, we tune into "The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show" for "Truman's Inaugural" from January 23rd, 1949. This episode finds bandleader Phil Harris and his movie star wife Alice Faye in a series of misunderstandings and funny incidents as they prepare for President Truman's inauguration. Along with Phil Harris and Alice Faye, the case includes Elliott Lewis as Frankie Remley, Walter Tetley as Julius, and Robert North as Willie. We wrap up with the "Lux Radio Theatre" presentation of comedy "Bedtime Story", originally broadcasted on February 26th, 1945. This charming tale stars Don Ameche and Loretta Young as a married couple navigating the comedic trials of marriage, with each trying to outwit the other in a series of lighthearted antics. Tune in for laughs, surprises and timeless storytelling this weekend on Vintage Classic Radio's "Saturday Matinee".

Welcome to the first episode for the new year, with “Tuesday Night Detectives” on Vintage Classic Radio. Tonight, we delve into the thrilling world of classic detective radio dramas with two captivating episodes. First, we feature “The Adventures of Philip Marlowe” in the episode titled “The Black Halo.” Originally aired on January 15, 1949, this gripping story follows the sharp-witted private detective Philip Marlowe as he unravels the mystery of a missing woman last seen wearing a distinctive black halo hat. As Marlowe digs deeper, he finds himself entangled in a web of deceit, betrayal, and murder. This episode stars Gerald Mohr as Philip Marlowe, with supporting performances by Jeff Corey, Gloria Blondell, and Parley Baer, each bringing to life the dark and suspenseful atmosphere of the story. Following that, we present “Rocky Fortune,” starring Frank Sinatra in the episode “The Museum Murder,” which first hit the airwaves on January 19, 1954. In this episode, Rocky Fortune finds employment as a museum tour guide, only to stumble upon a dead body during his first shift. The chase to uncover the murderer leads Rocky through a maze of historical artifacts and deadly traps. Frank Sinatra’s charming yet edgy portrayal of Rocky is complemented by stellar performances from Barney Phillips, Georgia Ellis, and John McIntire, who collectively add layers of intrigue and danger to this thrilling narrative. Together, these episodes from “The Adventures of Philip Marlowe” and “Rocky Fortune” offer a nostalgic look back at the golden age of radio detective stories, filled with mystery, suspense, and unforgettable characters. Join us in 2025 as we step back in time and experience the shadows and sleuths of yesteryear on “Tuesday Night Detectives.”