RAS #381 – House of Mystery

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this time we have a jammed packed program. Stories include a creepy dingo, a strange tall man from Roswell, and Richard Diamond joins us with a story about a mysterious house. We have a brand new Johnny Is It True about snakes, and Tom Williams is back with another Growing-Up segment.

Program Note: Here is the link to RAS #312 – Old Time UFOs that Floyd spoke of.

Featured Story – The House Of Mystery

Our featured story this week comes from Richard Diamond, Private Detective. The writing for this show is off the charts, and the man behind was Blake Edwards. Our Story is creepy, yet funny, entertaining yet suspenseful, and is called The House Of Mystery. It first aired on NBC radio, December 10, 1949.

Ron’s Amazing Stories is produced and hosted by Ronald Hood:
Email: ronsamazingstories@gmail.com
Blog Page: https://ronsamazingstories.blog/
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True Or False With Dick Powell

On this edition of Ron’s Amazing Stories the blog, we look at Dick Powell. Who was he? Why Was he? We will attempt to fill your brains with knowledge. How we will do it? Let’s play, True and False with Dick Powell.

Q1: Let’s Start with Dick Powell Truth?

True: Richard Ewing Powell was an American singer, actor, film producer, film director, and studio executive. Powell came to stardom as a musical comedy performer. However, wanting to break the mold he successfully transformed into a hardboiled leading man.

Q2: Dick Powell was the first actor to portray the private detective Philip Marlowe on screen?

True: Murder, My Sweet was the first adaption to hit the big screen. It was released in 1944 and was directed by Edward Dmytryk. It starred Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, and Anne Shirley. The film was based on Raymond Chandler’s 1940 novel Farewell, My Lovely.

Q3: Dick Powell Got his start touring the country with a swing band he formed?

True: Powell sang in church choirs and local orchestras until he started his own, The Royal Peacock Band, which toured throughout the Midwest. Later, he joined the Charlie Davis Orchestra, based in Indianapolis where he recorded a number of records for the Vocalion label in the late 1920s. In April 1930, Warner Bros. bought Vocalion and loved Powell’s voice. He became a solid star.

Q4: Dick Powell Directed John Wayne?

True: Powell directed The Conqueror in 1956. It starred John Wayne as Genghis Khan. The exterior scenes were filmed in St. George, Utah, downwind of U.S. above-ground atomic tests. The cast and crew totaled 220 people. Interesting fact; 91 of them developed some form of cancer. By 1981 forty-six had died of cancer including both Powell and Wayne. This cancer rate is about three times higher than one would expect in a group of this size. Many believe that radioactive fallout was the cause.

Q5: Dock Powell was married to Hollywood Sweetheart, Grace Kelly?

False: Out of his league? Naw, he was married to Hollywood sweetheart June Allyson in 1945 until his death in 1963. If you don’t know who June Allyson is shame on you! They had two children, Pamela (adopted) and Richard Powell, Jr.

There you have a brief look at the life and times of Dick Powell. He had an amazing career cut short by cancer. You can listen to a compilation of his music on iTunes. Search for Dick Powell or follow this link. Thank you for reading!

This Week’s Podcast: On the podcast this week we will feature a story from Dick Powell, talk about snakes, and much more. Come give us a listen on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

RAS #380 – Night Of Fright

I think we have a pretty good Ron’s Amazing Stories this time. We have a story about two Facebookers who encounter a UFO. Sylvia Shults is back with another round of ghost stories for us, and we have one of my favorite Harry Harrison short stories called Toy Shop. Add in a special surprise, and I think you’ll want to press that play button.

Program Note: Here is the link that Ron spoke of for old time radio scripts – The OTR script library

Featured – Ghost Stories With Sylvia

Sylvia Shults is a Librarian, Author, and Ghost Hunter. She has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of the weird and the strange. Her non-fiction works include Ghost of the Illinois River, Fractured Spirits, 44 Years in Darkness, Hunting Demons and The Spirits of Christmas. All of her books are available on Amazon and you can find out more on her WordPress Home Page.

Five Minute Question

I received this email by Todd White from Oakland, California.

Hello Ron, I love the podcast and your highly different format. There is no one out there doing what you do. Keep doing it. I do have a question about the Five Minute Mysteries. Not that I am getting tired of them and they are kind of your podcast signature but are you ever going to drop them? Todd from Oakland

Well, Todd, I think you right on about the Five Minute Mysteries being a RAS signature. I really don’t foresee dropping them, but I do have the idea of doing original versions employing the listeners to help me do it. Folks like Mark Nelson, David Larson, and just recently Cody (Mustache) Apedaile have all expressed interested in doing just that. I am a big fan of the short-story concept with an OTR element thrown in. Doing a full-scale radio show is a lofty goal, but I think the five-minute model seems doable.

Last October I created brand new versions of The Five Minute Mysteries using the backbone of the original programming, and the response was pretty good. I hope to do more of that in the future. I have said this before and say it again now. If anyone wants to write an original Five Minute Mystery Script I would love to read it. You can find examples of the scripts on the website, The OTR script library. They have over 177 vintage radio series online. You can find those scripts here!

-Ron

This Week’s Podcast: On Ron’s Amazing Stories this time Sylvia is back with another Ghost Stories Segment. We have two more tales from you guys! One of which is a real head-scratcher. Tune in to find out. Also, I promise a special surprise. You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

RAS #379 – The Planet Zevious

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this time we cover a lot of ground. I answer the question, How do you go about putting together the show? We have three new listener stories that range from lights on the water to a ghost on the phone. Also, I discovered a lost episode from the OTR series The Mysterious Traveler called The Planet Zevious. Sound good? Then press that play button and let’s go!

Featured Story – The Planet Zevious

When I am searching for stories to share I sometimes find things that I have never heard before. That is the case with planet Zevious. While the story may not seem all that original try to remember that it was recorded over seventy years ago. It tells of a first venture into space, but from a different perspective. It is titled The Planet Zevious and comes from one of my favorite OTR series The Mysterious Traveler. It first aired the Mutual Broadcast System on August 2, 1948.