1001 Stories From the Old West

Jon Hagadorn
  • 4.7 (170)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
1001 Stories From the Old West

Welcome to the new 1001 Stories From the Old West.. Here we offer hand-picked accounts from diaries, historical documents, autobiographies, books of the time period, and historians to bring you the American frontier story directly from the people who lived it. You'll hear actual accounts of Indian battles, pioneer struggles, outlaws, cowboys and Indians, lawmen, and the men and women who took the chance and moved west, many by wagon train, to a largely uncharted and wild territory. Go west, young man, are the words often attributed to Horace Greeley, American author and newspaper editor, but there was more to that quote. He wrote “Washington is not a place to live in- the rents are high, the food is bad, and the morals are deplorable. Go west, young man, go west, and grow up with the country. We invite you to go west with us to another world, another time, another place- and see if you have what it takes to survive and thrive in a world that was much simpler than today's- yet demanded much more of you. Time to mount up-1001 Stories From the Old West is waiting for you. We publish new episodes every other Sunday night at 6pm Eastern Standard Time and you're invited to join us where ever you go for podcasts

  1. 3D AGO

    WIND and FLASHBACK GUNSMOKE

    William Conrad stars as Marshall Matt Dillon in two episodes of Gunsmoke!

    55 min

  2. 6D AGO

    SUNDOWN and SPRING TERM GUNSMOKE

    Two action-packed episodes from the greatest western ever!

    55 min

  3. MAR 19

    THE COWARD and LOST CHILD FORT LARAMIE

    FORT LARAMIE Fort Laramie opened with "Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier. The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire and the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry". When Norman Macdonnell created Fort Laramie in late 1955, he made it clear to his writers that historical accuracy was essential to the integrity of the series. Correct geographic names, authentic Indian practices, military terminology, and utilizing actual names of the original buildings of the real fort, was insisted upon. So when the radio characters referred to the sutler's store (which is what the trading post was called prior to 1870), the surgeon's quarters, Old Bedlam (the officers' quarters) or the old bakery, they were naming actual structures in the original fort.

    59 min

  4. MAR 16

    THE CAPTAIN'S WIDOW and SHAVETAIL FORT LARAMIE

    FORT LARAMIE Fort Laramie opened with "Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier. The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire and the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry". When Norman Macdonnell created Fort Laramie in late 1955, he made it clear to his writers that historical accuracy was essential to the integrity of the series. Correct geographic names, authentic Indian practices, military terminology, and utilizing actual names of the original buildings of the real fort, was insisted upon. So when the radio characters referred to the sutler's store (which is what the trading post was called prior to 1870), the surgeon's quarters, Old Bedlam (the officers' quarters) or the old bakery, they were naming actual structures in the original fort. While Macdonnell planned to use the same writers, soundmen, and supporting actors in Fort Laramie that he relied upon in Gunsmoke, he naturally picked different leads. Heading up the cast was a 39 year old, Canadian-born actor with a long history in broadcasting and the movies, Raymond Burr. He had begun his career in 1939, alternating between the stage and radio. He turned to Hollywood, and from 1946 until he got the part of Captain Lee Quince in Fort Laramie in 1956, he had appeared in thirty-seven films. A few were excellent (Rear Window, The Blue Gardenia) some were average (Walk a Crooked Mile, A Place in the Sun) but many were plain awful (Bride of Vengeance, Red Light, and Abandoned). With Burr in the lead, Macdonnell selected two supporting players: Vic Perrin as "Sgt. Goerss" and Jack Moyles as "Major Daggett", the commanding officer of the post. (The original Fort Laramie usually had a Lieutenant Colonel as the C.O. but Macdonnell probably preferred a shorter military title.) Perrin, a 40 year old veteran radio actor had been in countless productions, but had achieved name recognition only on The Zane Grey Show where he played the lead, "Tex Thorne." Jack Moyles was also a busy radio actor, having started in 1935 in Hawthorne House, with later major roles in Romance, Twelve Players, Night Editor as well as the lead in A Man Called Jordan. From 1947 to 1948 he was a regular in The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, which Norman Macdonnell directed, although this may not have been their first association. By the mid-1950s when Fort Laramie began, most of the actors on the west coast were doing some television and movie work so the program was rehearsed and taped for transcription during the evening. Once a week the cast and crew gathered at CBS Studio One in Hollywood to tape the show. In 1956 this was the last radio production studio in use in California. The series debuted on January 22, 1956 with an episode entitled "Playing Indian." Fort Laramie aired forty one episodes from January 22, 1956 to October 28, 1956. An audition episode was recorded on July 25, 1955.

    59 min

  5. MAR 12

    STILL WATERS and GALVANIZED YANKEE FORT LARAMIE

    Fort Laramie was a radio Western series that aired Sundays on CBS from January 22 - October 28, 1956. Produced and directed by Norman Macdonnell, this Western drama depicted life at old Fort Laramie during the 19th Century. The 40 episodes starred Raymond Burr as Lee Quince, captain of the cavalry. One year later, Burr became a television star as Perry Mason. Supporting regulars included Vic Perrin as Sgt. Gorse, Harry Bartell as the slightly green Lt. Seiberts and Jack Moyles as Major Daggett. Heard on a more irregular basis were Howard McNear as Pliny the fort sutler, Sam Edwards as Trooper Harrison, and in a variety of roles, such actors as John Dehner, John McIntire, Virginia Gregg, James Nusser, Parley Baer and Barney Phillips. Amerigo Marino supplied the music.

    49 min

  6. MAR 9

    ARMY WIFE and THE SCOUT FORT LARAMIE

    Fort Laramie was a radio Western series that aired Sundays on CBS from January 22 - October 28, 1956. Produced and directed by Norman Macdonnell, this Western drama depicted life at old Fort Laramie during the 19th Century. The 40 episodes starred Raymond Burr as Lee Quince, captain of the cavalry. One year later, Burr became a television star as Perry Mason. Supporting regulars included Vic Perrin as Sgt. Gorse, Harry Bartell as the slightly green Lt. Seiberts and Jack Moyles as Major Daggett. Heard on a more irregular basis were Howard McNear as Pliny the fort sutler, Sam Edwards as Trooper Harrison, and in a variety of roles, such actors as John Dehner, John McIntire, Virginia Gregg, James Nusser, Parley Baer and Barney Phillips. Amerigo Marino supplied the music.

    47 min

  7. MAR 5

    THE BIG CON and PRINT ASPER GUNSMOKE

    Two great episodes of Gunsmoke for your listening enjoyment!

    58 min

  8. MAR 2

    TACETTA and THE BUFFALO HUNTER GUNSMOKE

    Two great episodes of Gunsmoke for your old west flavor

    1 hr
See All (195)

    4.7
    out of 5
    170 Ratings

    About

    Welcome to the new 1001 Stories From the Old West.. Here we offer hand-picked accounts from diaries, historical documents, autobiographies, books of the time period, and historians to bring you the American frontier story directly from the people who lived it. You'll hear actual accounts of Indian battles, pioneer struggles, outlaws, cowboys and Indians, lawmen, and the men and women who took the chance and moved west, many by wagon train, to a largely uncharted and wild territory. Go west, young man, are the words often attributed to Horace Greeley, American author and newspaper editor, but there was more to that quote. He wrote “Washington is not a place to live in- the rents are high, the food is bad, and the morals are deplorable. Go west, young man, go west, and grow up with the country. We invite you to go west with us to another world, another time, another place- and see if you have what it takes to survive and thrive in a world that was much simpler than today's- yet demanded much more of you. Time to mount up-1001 Stories From the Old West is waiting for you. We publish new episodes every other Sunday night at 6pm Eastern Standard Time and you're invited to join us where ever you go for podcasts

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