RAS #757 – When History Was Just Tuesday

On Ron’s Amazing Stories, we’re taking a trip through time—not by looking back at history, but by listening to moments when history was simply everyday life.

We begin in 1943 with Arch Oboler and Lights Out! in a tale called “Lord Marley’s Guest.” A woman arrives at a manor determined to steal Lord Marley away from his wife. She gets exactly what she wants, although it isn’t quite what she had in mind. The original wartime commercials have been left intact, giving us a fascinating little time capsule from World War II America.

Then, on The RAS Signal, we explore the history of radio itself. From an early recording of Woodrow Wilson to Edward R. Murrow reporting from wartime London, and finally Apollo 11, we’ll hear how radio brought some of the twentieth century’s biggest moments directly into people’s homes.

We finish with As Read By and a humorous science-fiction story from 1959. “We Didn’t Do Anything Wrong, Hardly,” written by Roger Kuykendall and read by Fatima. It tells the story of some kids who do something rather remarkable—they build a spaceship and take it for a test flight.

Today, that’s history. Back then, it was just Tuesday.

On the Show

Lights Out! – “Lord Marley’s Guest” (September 7, 1943)
The RAS Signal – A Short History of Radio
As Read By – “We Didn’t Do Anything Wrong, Hardly” by Roger Kuykendall, read by Fatima

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible – You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

Your Stories: Do you have a story that you would like to share on the podcast or the blog? Head to the main website, click on Story Submission, leave your story, give it a title, and please tell me where you’re from. I will read it if I can. Links are below.

Music Used In This Podcast: Most of the music you hear on Ron’s Amazing Stories has been composed by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0. Other pieces are in the public domain. You can find great free music at FreePd.com which is a site owned by Kevin.

Program Info: Ron’s Amazing Stories is published each Thursday. You can download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on YouTube or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

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RAS #756 – Where Space Can Lead Us

This week on Ron’s Amazing Stories, we’re heading into space with two very different science fiction stories.

We begin with “Universe,” based on the classic story by Robert A. Heinlein. Imagine a gigantic spaceship traveling between the stars, where generations of people have lived and died aboard the ship. There’s just one problem: they’ve forgotten they’re on a spaceship at all.

Then on “As Read By”, Phil Chenevert reads “Project Hush” by William Tenn. It follows a top-secret Army mission to establish a military base on the Moon. But when the team arrives, they discover someone may have gotten there first.

Also this week, Q/A with Ron returns. Ron answers five listener emails covering X Minus One, listener-submitted stories, the return of author interviews, my interview with a former NBA All-Star, and where I find and restore the old-time radio programs heard on the podcast.

Featured Stories:

“Universe”
X Minus One
Original Air Date: May 15, 1955
Based on the story by Robert A. Heinlein
Radio Adaptation: George Lefferts

“Project Hush”
Written by William Tenn
Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, February 1954
Read by Phil Chenevert

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible – You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

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RAS #755 – Just Three Things Ron Likes

This week on Ron’s Amazing Stories, there really isn’t a theme. Instead, Ron has three things he likes and wants to share with you.

First up is The RAS Signal. This time we take a look at the remarkable career of character actor John Dehner. From radio to television and the movies, Dehner became one of those familiar voices and faces who seemed capable of playing just about anyone.

Then we hear Dehner as English newspaper correspondent J. B. Kendall in the complete audition episode of Frontier Gentleman. The story is “The Remittance Man,” recorded on January 29, 1958. Kendall arrives in the western town of South Sunday, meets a sheriff claiming to be Frank Clanton, and before long Billy the Kid becomes part of the story.

Finally, As Read By returns with “Untechnological Employment” by E. M. Clinton, originally published in the November 1962 issue of Analog Science Fact · Science Fiction. Told through a series of TWX communications, the story takes us into the problems of launching rockets when even modern technology can’t do much about the weather. It is read for us by Tysto, a regular contributor to LibriVox.org.

Also, stick around after Ron says goodbye for a special montage of original old-time radio commercials.

Featured on the show:

The RAS Signal — John Dehner
Frontier Gentleman — “The Remittance Man” — January 29, 1958
As Read By — “Untechnological Employment” by E. M. Clinton — Read by Tysto

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible – You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

Social Links:
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The Blog Site by WordPress
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Contact Links:
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RAS #754 — From Radio to Television

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this week, we’re bringing back an old-fashioned RAS Double Feature.

When television began finding its way into American homes, radio had to change. But what happened to all those actors whose faces had existed only in the imaginations of radio listeners? Many of them made the jump to television—and some became even bigger stars.

Our two stories feature four familiar radio voices who did exactly that: Jack Webb, Raymond Burr, John Dehner, and William Conrad.

In This Episode

Geranium Plant — Jack Webb stars as wisecracking waterfront detective Pat Novak, with Raymond Burr as Inspector Hellman. What begins as a simple job delivering a geranium plant quickly turns into murder.

The Adversary — John Dehner plays Captain “Honest” Weatherby in this adventure from Escape, with William Conrad narrating. There’s a sunken ship, a fortune in pearls, a questionable crew, and some very serious questions about how that ship ended up on the bottom.

From Radio to Television — Along the way, we look at how Webb, Burr, Dehner, and Conrad carried their talents from the microphones of old-time radio to the television screen.

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible – You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

Social Links:
Main Podcast Site by LibSyn
The Blog Site by WordPress
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Contact Links:
Email
Story Submissions
Contact Ron

RAS #753 — You Asked For It

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this week, you asked for it… and that’s exactly what you’re going to get.

This episode is built around listener emails and questions. We bring back an old RAS favorite, Johnny Is It True, with four stories from the history of the podcast. Elena wants to know if creepy listener stories are coming back. Caleb asks if Ron is real, how he researches the show, and whether he actually has a radio background.

And Gideon has a request. After hearing a clip during our recent episode about sound effects, he wanted to hear the entire Gunsmoke story about the white buffalo. So we’re making that happen.

In This Episode

Johnny Is It True Returns — Four stories from the history of Ron’s Amazing Stories. Some involve listeners, some involve Ron doing questionable things behind a microphone… and at least one isn’t quite what it seems.
Are Listener Stories Coming Back? — Elena from Savannah, Georgia asks about the old creepy listener stories and whether These Are Your Stories might someday return.
Q&A With Ron… Sort Of — Caleb from Boise, Idaho asks if Ron is an AI voice, how he researches the podcast, and what kind of radio background he actually has.
Around The Bend — A familiar RAS song makes an appearance before we say goodbye.

Featured Story

Gunsmoke — “The Buffalo Killers” (June 7, 1952)

Gideon from Burlington, Vermont heard part of this early Gunsmoke episode during our recent look at old-time radio sound effects and asked to hear the whole thing. William Conrad stars as Marshal Matt Dillon in a story involving two murdered buffalo hunters and one very unusual clue — a white buffalo pelt. It’s an action-packed early episode of Gunsmoke, but listen closely to the sound effects. The horses, doors, footsteps, background sounds and, yes, plenty of gunfire help create a Dodge City you don’t simply hear… you can almost see.

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible – You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.