Pulp-pourri Theatre Audio Drama

PROJECT AUDION #41: Life With Luigi - "Luigi's Toothache" This month Project Audion recreates a classic radio comedy based on a timeless premise. As a nation of immigrants, the clash of old and new cultures in America has offered authors an unending supply of humorous situations. "Life with Luigi" mined this comedic vein from 1948 to 1953. Each week, small-town Italian Luigi Basco struggled to navigate the complexities of his new American life, supported by his friends from Italy, Germany, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia. It's full of charming stereotypes with broadly entertaining accents, it's-a great, innocent fun. In this episode, Luigi's aching tooth leads him into the unfamiliar world of medical specialists... Luigi: Jacob Palka, IL Pasquale: Pete Lutz, TX Schultz: Larry Groebe, TX Announcer / Horowitz / Man: Ken Jeffries, CA Olson / Doctor: Paul Arbisi, IL Miss Spaulding / Rosa: Donna Patton, TN Directed by Mr. Palka and produced by Mr. Groebe

"Burn" was adapted for audio and directed by Pete Lutz, from a story in Eerie Tales #1, a one-shot comic book publication from 1959. First released in April 2020 on Mutual. (SUSPENSE) Our cast consisted of the following players: Rich Frolich as CHICK HEALY Pete Lutz as MAC O'MALLEY and JOJO

Old-Time Radio Essentials is back with episode 37, the Season 3 finale! Pete, Paul and Dave present an installment of the long-running series "Counterspy". The usual free-wheeling discussion follows, with Paul, Dave and Pete weighing the merits of this particular episode. Will they love it, or hate it, or try to waterboard it? Tune in and find out! And since we're on the subject of finding things out, while you listen you'll learn if we feel this entry meets the following criteria: 1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.") 2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection? So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our thirty-seventh number (but 12th -- and penultimate -- official episode of S3), this episode of Counterspy, from 1945. We'll introduce the show, play it in its entirety, then discuss it at length. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy it!  Please show yo

Old-time Radio Essentials continues its 3rd season with an episode of Let George Do It – "There Ain't No Justice"! This one's Dave's pick, and it sparks quite an animated discussion? Who will like it? Will anybody hate it? Why wonder? Tune in and find out! And since we're on the subject of finding things out, while you listen you'll learn if we feel this entry meets the following criteria: 1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.") 2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection? So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our thirty-sixth number (but 11th -- and penultimate -- official episode of S3), this episode of Let George Do It, from syndication, likely 1954 or '55. We'll introduce the show, play it in its entirety, then discuss it at length. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy it!  NOTE: Please stay with us after the regular show for a very special interview

PROJECT AUDION #38 -- The Jack Benny Program, "Mutiny on the Bounty" Premiered Jan 13, 2023 Think you've heard almost every Jack Benny radio show? Try one that was just written! Project Audion presents a recreation newly penned by Robert L. Mills, former staff writer for Bob Hope. Project Audion has gathered the classic Benny gang, guest stars Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen, and a virtual studio audience for a half hour of laughter, including a send-up of "Mutiny on the Bounty." Our transcontinental cast of voice actors even recorded this show live via Zoom on a Sunday night at 7.  Featuring the talents of... JACK BENNY: Scott R. McKinley, NJ CHARLIE MCCARTHY / EFFIE KLINKER / MR. KITZEL: Duane Noch, NJ EDGAR BERGEN: Larry Groebe, TX MARY LIVINGSTONE: Denise Cline, KY PHIL HARRIS: Norman Cline, KY DENNIS DAY / FRANK NELSON: Bob Beaumont, CA STAGE HAND / SHELDON LEONARD / MEL BLANC: Pete Lutz, TX  DON WILSON: Ken Jeffries, CA ...and produced and directed by Larry Groebe

S2E3: One Hour The Tec is called in when a print shop owner is run down in the street by a stolen car. He goes looking for the perps, and when he finds them, the secret they're keeping may cost our hero his life! Adapted by Pete Lutz from the story by Dashiell Hammett. CAST: ANNOUNCER: Darren Rockhold THE TEC: Pete Lutz RICHMOND: Noah Diamond CROSTHWAITE: Paul Arbisi COFFEE: Jeff Moon SOULES: Mark Kalita THE OLD MAN: Joe Stofko OTHER VOICES: John Bell Theme and incidental music by Dr. Ross Bernhardt Mixing and sound design by Fishbonius Sound Design

We proudly present the Narada Radio Company and their solitary holiday offering -- but it's a lulu, kiddies! Based on the hit stage play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, and adapted for radio several times in the 1940s (and from two of which productions ours is derived), The Man Who Came to Dinner is a rollicking comedy that tells the story of a tyrannical celebrity who gets injured around Christmastime in a small town in Ohio; and of his eventual comeuppance by his friends and loved ones. Filled with colorful characters and comical situations, this is a Holiday Treat that can't be beat. Adapted from the 1949 Hotpoint Holiday Hour and 1950 Lux Radio Theatre broadcasts, directed and produced by Pete Lutz. For entertainment purposes only, no infringement is intended. Our Narada Radio Company players were...  Darren Rockhold as Your Announcer Les Marsden as Sheridan Whiteside Victoria Fancki as Maggie Rhiannon McAfee as Lorraine Sheldon Geri Elliff as Mrs. Stanley Duane Noch as Mr. Stanley Rachel Pulliam as

Old-time Radio Essentials continues its 3rd season with an episode of Birds Eye Open House – "Groucho Brings a Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner"! This one's Pete's pick, or rather, that of his special guest, Essential Listener Noah Diamond*. Noah's an actor, author, podcaster, Marxian Scholar, and off-Broadway Groucho impersonator, not to mention a very funny guy, so you can imagine the discussion of this episode's merits by Noah and our three co-hosts will be sparkling and rapid-fire and exceptionally funny. But why imagine it? Tune in and find out! And since we're on the subject of finding things out, while you listen you'll learn if we feel this entry meets the following criteria: 1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.") 2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection? So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our thirty-fifth number (but 10th official episode of S3), t

THE CELLAR Miniseries 2, Episode 2: The Game, by John Bell & Becky Beach In this specially curated collection for Halloween 2022, we will be presenting a wide selection of new, old-time radio (and other) horror programs. For our ninth, we are proud to present .  In this new production, "The Game" by John Bell and Becky Beach, the Third Place winner in The Cellar's scriptwriting contest in 2019, made especially for World Audio Drama Day 2022, a laid-back guy and his prudish date go to the home of a fun-loving couple for game night. Some experiments with a Ouija Board lead to the unexpected arrival of an uninvited guest, who insists on taking over the evening...and a few other things!  CAST: CADAVERA QUIVRY: Angela Young ANNOUNCER: Robin Robbins BOB:  Dana Gonsalves ALTON:  Pete Lutz SHARON: Angela Young ELLEN:  Rachel Pulliam THE STRANGER: John Bell Directed by Pete Lutz Produced by John Bell Theme music composed and performed by Tom Rory Parsons

THE CELLAR Miniseries 2, Episode 1: Terror on Edge Island, by Adrian Cory In this new production, "Terror on Edge Island" by Adrian Cory, the First Place winner in The Cellar's scriptwriting contest in 2019, made especially for World Audio Drama Day 2022, a small band of climate scientists travel to an island off the coast of Norway to study the effect of climate change on its fjords and permafrost, with a secondary study of the prehistoric, primitive life that once thrived there. What else they find is something you'll soon find out for yourself!  CAST: CADAVERA QUIVRY: Angela Young ANNOUNCER: Robin Robbins PROFESSOR LINFORD NOBLE: Jordan Scavone DR GUNTER SCHMIDT: Thomas Rippert DR GARY STILES: Les Marsden DR ANNE HOLLOWAY: Angela Young CANUTE: Orlando Segarra Produced & Directed by Pete Lutz Theme music composed and performed by Tom Rory Parsons

Old-time Radio Essentials continues its 3rd season with an episode of Broadway is My Beat – "The Lars Nielson Murder Case"! This one's Paul's pick, and there's lots of police procedural-goodness in the selection, followed by fast-paced discussion of its merits by the three co-hosts. Will our upstairs neighbor call the cops on us for talking too loud? Tune in and find out! And since we're on the subject of finding things out, while you listen you'll learn if we feel this entry meets the following criteria: 1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.") 2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection? So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our thirty-fourth number (but 9th official episode of S3), this episode of Broadway is My Beat, from 9/29/51. We'll introduce the show, play it in its entirety, then discuss it at length. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy it!  Pl

S2E2: Zigzags of Treachery, part 2 In the conclusion of our Season 2 premiere,  the life of an innocent woman hangs in the balance, and only a letter can save her – if the Tec can find it in time! Adapted from the Continental Op story of the same name by Dashiell Hammett, originally published in the March 1, 1924 issue of "Black Mask" magazine. Starring The NARADA RADIO COMPANY Adapted and directed by Pete Lutz Post-production by Fishbonius Sound Design Theme and certain musical passages by Dr. Ross Bernhardt Darren Rockhold as YOUR ANNOUNCER Pete Lutz as THE TEC Noah Diamond as ATTORNEY VANCE RICHMOND Jason D. Johnson as O'GAR Frank Guglielmelli as MR. STACEY Jeff Moon as DR. ESTEP  Geri Elliff as EDNA ESTEP Mark Kalita as DICK FOLEY Jordan Bruster as BOB TEAL Paul Arbisi as LEDWICH and HAMMETT'S VOICE Rachel Pulliam as THE MAID and Joe Stofko as THE OLD MAN 

I had some bandwidth left over at the end of the month, that I didn't want to see go to waste, so I decided to post this fun musical program that I had on cassette and converted to digital. Enjoy!

In their final appearance for the 2022 Sonic Summerstock Playhouse, the Narada Radio Company proudly presents a remake of Lux Radio Theatre's LES MISERABLES, from the 1952 film starring Michael Rennie, Robert Newton and Debra Paget.  ANNOUNCER: Darren Rockhold JEAN VALJEAN – Les Marsden  JAVERT – Pete Lutz  COSETTE – Rhiannon McAfee  ROBERT – Greg McAfee  JUDGE/PROSECUTOR/GUSTAVE – Larry Groebe  RIMBAUD/GENFLOU – Paul Arbisi  BISHOP – Karim Kronfli MME. MAGLOIRE – Pam Pailes  CORPORAL/COCHESPAILLE – Dave Robison  SILVERSMITH – Jack Ward  MENTOU - Ross Bernhardt FANTINE – Carole Krohn  MATHIEU/REVOLUTIONARY – Lothar Tuppan  BREVET/DUPUY – John Bell  MARIUS/BYSTANDER – Dana Gonsalves  Director/Producer: Pete Lutz Music by Ross Bernhardt

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS - Originally released 10/2/20 Project Audion's live-transcribed cross-continental Zoom-based production for October [2020] is an episode from Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre On the Air from 1938. No, not the "War of the Worlds" which everyone knows, but "Around the World in 80 Days" which aired the week before. Welles, John Houseman, and Howard Koch condensed Jules Verne's 1872 novel into a fast-paced 60 minutes, and fewer than 20 characters (which we handle by doubling each actor's part.) Phileas Fogg's journey started October 2, 1872 at about 9 PM: Project Audion's recreation premieres exactly 148 years later! In our sterling cast: Paul Arbisi / Illinois John Bell / Alabama Norman Cline / Kentucky Aileen Corpos / Texas Dana Gonsalves / Texas Larry Groebe / Texas Pete Lutz / Texas Les Marsden / California Pete Lutz directed, and Larry Groebe produced

The Saint - "the Robin Hood of modern crime" and star of scores of books, TV shows, movies, and also a well-remembered radio series - is Project Audion's latest radio recreation. Vincent Price was urbanely brilliant as Simon Templar on the radio, but he only came to the show in 1947. The first series aired in 1945 with Edgar Barrier, and no recordings exist. Project Audion's vintage script of the episode "The Million Dollar Day" was only the 4th-ever episode. This Saint has sidekicks! We were also lucky to speak with Saint expert Ian Dickerson in England for a pre-show interview, and doubly lucky to locate a still-working SONOVOX (and experienced operator Ken Justiss) to recreate the once-famous sound effect of the "Bromo-Seltzer Train." Our transcontinental transcription recording session was challenged by electrical storms and some camera glitches, but we pulled it off! Our cast includes: THE SAINT: Les Marsden, CA HOPPY/JANITOR: Pete Lutz, TX PATRICIA: Rhiannon McAfee, CA MONTEIRO: Dana Gonsalves, TX KUZE

(Orig. rel. 8/14/22) The United Artists of Mutual present: Danse Macabre, a segment from a 1938 broadcast of The Royal Desserts Hour. Written by Arch (Lights Out) Oboler, this short piece describes how composer Camille Saint-Saëns might have been inspired to write the piece that made him famous. With the voices of John Bell as Old Jacques and The Stranger; and Pete Lutz as Rudy Vallee and Saint-Saëns. Mr. Bell and Mr. Lutz also play the voices of the ghosts in the graveyard.

(Orig. rel. 8/14/22) The United Artists of Mutual present: More Bob & Ray! Recorded especially for Sonic Summerstock Playhouse 2022, it features Jeff Billard in the roles of Bob Elliott, and Pete Lutz as the many voices of Ray Goulding, in a half-hour of zany sketches. Enjoy! 1. Show open/Public Service Message 2. Fern Ock Veek, Sickly Whale Oil Processor 3. Einbinder Flypaper commercial 4. Happy Birthday, Ken Vose! 5. Anxiety! 6. Monongahela Metal Foundry commercial 7. Search for Togetherness 8. Mr. Science 9. Closing

S2E1: Zigzags of Treachery, part 1 In our Season 2 premiere, a man comes face-to-face with his past, and his wife gets blamed for the mess he leaves behind! Adapted from the Continental Op story of the same name by Dashiell Hammett, originally published in the March 1, 1924 issue of "Black Mask" magazine. Starring The NARADA RADIO COMPANY Adapted and directed by Pete Lutz Post-production by Fishbonius Sound Design Theme and certain musical passages by Dr. Ross Bernhardt CAST: ANNOUNCER: Darren Rockhold THE TEC: Pete Lutz VANCE RICHMOND: Noah Diamond STACEY: Frank Guglielmelli LUCY COE: Rachel Pulliam DR HUMBERT ESTEP: Jeff Moon EDNA ESTEP: Geri Elliff DICK FOLEY: Mark Kalita BOB TEAL: Jordan Bruster LEDWICH: Paul Arbisi BOYD: John Bell THE OLD MAN: Joe Stofko Series created by Pete Lutz & Mark Slade FIND THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (8 EPISODES) HERE AT NARADA RADIO COMPANY!

Today is a good day to listen to Bad Day at Black Rock, Project Audion's latest radio drama recreation. We're going far afield with this 1959 show, because by this time in America, television had killed off the great radio movie adaptation series like "Lux Radio Theatre." In other countries like Australia, radio drama still thrived through shows like Caltex Theatre. They adapted Bad Day at Black Rock from the gritty, Oscar-nominated 1955 drama with Spencer Tracy, where one man takes on a dying town that harbors a dirty secret. Now Project Audion recreates it with a transcribed-live coast-to-coast cast which includes: MACREEDY: Les Marsden (CA) SMITH/JENKINSON: Pete Lutz (TX) COLEY/ANNOUNCER: Tom Konkle (CA) DOC: Dana Gonsalves (TX) SHERIFF/CONDUCTOR 2: John Bell (AL) PETE: Austin Hanna (TX) HASTINGS: Gino Vianelli (CA) LIZ: Jesirae Kesler (TX) VOICE/SAM/CONDUCTOR 1: Larry Groebe (TX) Pete Lutz directed, & Larry Groebe produced