Project Audion: Classic Audio Dramas for Modern Times

Larry Groebe
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Project Audion: Classic Audio Dramas for Modern Times

Network Radio of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s - the precursor to today's podcasting - was a golden era for Audio Theatre. Project Audion selects the most interesting examples of these vintage audio plays - often from lost scripts that haven't been heard or performed in decades - and recreates them in real-time using top-notch voice actors from across the country and vintage production techniques. The result: a timeless treat for your ears.

  1. "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon: The White River Gang" recreation of lost juvenile adventure audio drama from May 25, 1955

    1D AGO

    "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon: The White River Gang" recreation of lost juvenile adventure audio drama from May 25, 1955

    "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" (actually called "The Challenge of the Yukon" for most of its 16 years on the radio) was one of the greatest juvenile adventure radio series ever - part of a trinity of kids' shows that originated from Station WXYZ in Detroit. (The others were "The Green Hornet" and "The Lone Ranger".) It chronicled the never-ending adventure of the noble Mountie and his wonder dog Yukon King, maintaining law and order in the wilds of the frozen Northwest. While there are nearly 700 surviving recordings of this classic show, Project Audion located a MISSING episode's script that originally aired on May 25, 1955 -- just two weeks before show ended its run. What's more, we are delighted to feature 94-year-old Chuck Daugherty, who was actually heard in some of the original Preston series episodes during his time at WXYZ over 70 years ago.  He's part of a terrifically talented coast-to-coast cast for this exciting episode with original commercials for Quaker cereals. In the cast: Vincent Caruso in New York Chuck Daugherty in Detroit Michigan Hunter Adkins in Baltimore Maryland Kyle Bonn in the wilds of Oregon Frank Guglielmelli in Philadelphia Glenn Hascall in Dodge City Kansas Craig Wichman in New York Larry Groebe in Dallas Texas

    43 min
  2. "The Great Gildersleeve: The French Housekeeper" - tribute recreation of classic 1940s radio situation comedy

    JUN 14

    "The Great Gildersleeve: The French Housekeeper" - tribute recreation of classic 1940s radio situation comedy

    What makes "The Great Gildersleeve" a great radio comedy? Historically, it was the first-ever spinoff series, and its classic sitcom characters were more deeply and warmly drawn than its parent show "Fibber and McGee and Molly," but no less funny.  Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve was the unforgettably blustery Water Commissioner of Summerfield, portrayed with a famous laugh full of innuendo by Hal Peary (and later Willard Waterman). Gildy's interactions with his nephew Leroy and nNiece Marjorie; friends like Judge Hooker, Peavey the druggist, and Floyd the barber; and his romantic entanglements with Leila Ransom's and others delivered laughs every week. All the regulars are here in this new script penned by Robert L. Mills and recreated by some of Audion's most talented voices: Trevor Rines, in Ontario Canada Julie Hoverson in Washington State Pete Lutz in Texas Mel Rose in Pennsylvania and Randy Kerdoon in Washington State The script was penned by Robert L. Mills in California and the production was supervised by Larry Groebe in Texas

    34 min
  3. "Suspense: Deadline" Live recreation of lost episode of classic 1950 suspense audio drama

    MAY 10

    "Suspense: Deadline" Live recreation of lost episode of classic 1950 suspense audio drama

    To begin Project Audion's sixth season, we're once again returning to that all-time classic audio drama, Suspense.  Once again, we've accessed a script from one of the very few lost episodes of the show, and are bringing back many of the actors from Audion's very first episode in 2020 to recreate it.  This 1950 episode, "Deadline," is a powerhouse story of a newspaper editor whose fast-breaking stories on the Chicago underworld increase his paper's circulation beyond his wildest dreams... but which may also prove to be the stuff of his nightmares. It is indeed a classic tale "well-calculated to keep you in..." SUSPENSE! Pete Lutz in Texas Doug Fain in Kentucky Richard Huitema in Florida Scott McKinley in New Jersey Patte Rose-bank in Toronto Canada Craig Wichman in New York Production, direction, music and sound patterns by Larry Groebe

    42 min
  4. "Wayfaring Men" recreation of lost 1933 audio drama serial - plus a behind-the-scenes podcast

    APR 12

    "Wayfaring Men" recreation of lost 1933 audio drama serial - plus a behind-the-scenes podcast

    What's more exciting than premiering a recreated lost episode of a classic audio drama? Premiering a completely unknown and lost show! Such is "Wayfaring Men," Project Audion's latest offering. "Wayfaring Men" was a dramatic summer 1933 CBS serial about the lives of the hoboes, tramps, and bums who were numerous during the Great Depression. Not a single recording of the show exists, and almost no background information either, but Project Audion came into a handful of original mimeographed scripts, and has selected one episode from June 1933 to bring back to life. But wait - there's more! Not only will you join the men (and women) who wandered over America's rails and roadways  as they try to survive without money or jobs... Because this is the finale  of our fifth season, we're first going to first take you behind the scenes for an extended look at how our shows are created, from script to rehearsals, from sound effects to recording and post-production, you'll discover what goes into each Project Audion episode.  Heard (and seen) in THIS episode: Trevor Rines in Toronto canada Donna Patton in Tennessee Kim Titus in Texas Jack Ward in Nova Scotia David Ries in Georgia Larry Groebe produced and directed from Texas

    46 min
  5. "Our Miss Brooks: Handy Andy" tribute episode of classic mid-century sitecome radio show

    MAR 15

    "Our Miss Brooks: Handy Andy" tribute episode of classic mid-century sitecome radio show

    Project Audion brings back another iconic mid-century situation comedy classic: “Our Miss Brooks.” In the 1950s, the character of Connie Brooks was everyone’s favorite English teacher - sassy and smart, but starry-eyed in her unrequited desire for biology teacher Mr. Boyton. Actress Eve Arden’s portrayal was so iconic she made the jump to television four years after the radio version launched in 1948 - and even filmed a movie adaptation in 1956. Robert L. Mills, writer for Bob Hope, has crafted a fresh episode of the show for Project Audion that matches the originals, laugh for laugh.  So - step back in time to when school days were simpler! Rachel Pulliam in Missouri Robert L. Mills in California Pete Lutz in Texas Bob Beaumont in California Ken Jefferies also in California Mel Rose in New Jersey Robert L. Mills penned the script, and Larry Groebe produced, directed, and played the part of the studio audience.

    36 min
  6. "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" recreation of lost 1945 classic detective audio drama

    FEB 15

    "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" recreation of lost 1945 classic detective audio drama

    Project Audion brings you "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," recreating an episode which has remained unheard for eighty years. There's no more famous detective, real or imagined, than Holmes. His creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, pretty much defined the mystery-detective story, and 138 years later Holmes and Watson are still part of popular culture. In 1945, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce portrayed them weekly on the Mutual Radio network. Our selected script (which aired only once, on January 15, 1945) "The Curse of Doctor Anselmo," carries its own mystery - the secret identity of the man who co-wrote it pseudonymously. Will you discover whodunnit? Will Holmes fall under Anselmo's curse? Will the Petri family take the time to bring you good wine? All will be revealed in this delightful half hour audio drama, faithful to the original series' sound and spirit. Our cast: Craig Wichman in New York Paul Arbisi in Illinois Glenn Hascall in Kansas Jeff Billard in Massachusetts Jane Beverley in New Jersey Richard Durrington in Idaho and Vincent Caruso in New York while Production and direction were handled by Larry Groebe in Texas

    45 min
  7. "The Burns & Allen Show" live tribute recreation of classic audio comedy of the 1940s

    JAN 11

    "The Burns & Allen Show" live tribute recreation of classic audio comedy of the 1940s

    Long, long before George Burns became the senior citizen movie star of films like "The Sunshine Boys" and "Oh God!" he was familiar to radio and television audiences across the country as the grounded half of the comedy couple Burns and Allen, with real-life wife (and vaudeville partner) Gracie Allen playing the ditzy dame of the duo. Theirs was a 25-year run on the airwaves, and now for Project Audion, Pete Lutz has penned a fresh new Burns and Allen script that recalls the best of their radio work during World War II, right down to their sponsor of the time, Swan Soap. Much like Bob Hope and Jack Benny did, we find the two of them at a naval base entertaining the troops, along with guest stars Henry Fonda and Chico Marx. You'll be entertained by Audion's transcribed-live transcontinental cast of delicious, delirious vocal talents: John Bell in Alabama Mel Rose in Pennsylvania Dana Gonsalves in Texas Les Marsden in California Scott R. McKinley in New Jersey Pete Lutz in Texas Robert L.  Mills in California Larry Groebe supervised the production

    40 min
  8. "Philip Marlowe: The Three Wise Guys" live recreation of lost noir detective audio drama from 1948

    12/21/2024

    "Philip Marlowe: The Three Wise Guys" live recreation of lost noir detective audio drama from 1948

    Our Christmas present for you is a lost episode of the classic detective drama "The Adventures of Philip Marlowe" with a holiday theme! Because Audion's previous Philip Marlowe restoration became its most popular episode ever, we returned to our archives to unearth a Marlowe script which hasn't been performed or heard since December 19, 1948 -- "The Three Wise Guys." "The Adventures of Philip Marlowe" ran for three years on network radio, with new noir-ish tales from  author Raymond Chandler's detective. In this episode, it was the night before Christmas and (as Marlowe says) "a sweet girl was in trouble.  But that didn't mean a thing to the second-story man, the four-flusher in spats, and the ex-Chicago cabbie -- until, one way or the other, they all got into the spirit of the thing..." Our cast, which recorded this episode live in the classic radio drama style, included: Andy Hartson-Bowyer in Virginia Tom Konkle in California Hunter Adkins in Maryland Gregg Mcafee in California Jessica Matthews in Texas Rhiannon Mcafee in California Donna Patton in Tennessee Paul Kovit in New York Music, sounds, production, direction by Larry Groebe

    40 min
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About

Network Radio of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s - the precursor to today's podcasting - was a golden era for Audio Theatre. Project Audion selects the most interesting examples of these vintage audio plays - often from lost scripts that haven't been heard or performed in decades - and recreates them in real-time using top-notch voice actors from across the country and vintage production techniques. The result: a timeless treat for your ears.

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