Sunday Showcase, highlighting some of the best audio storytelling found anywhere. All right here on the Mutual Audio Network. The following audio drama is rated PG for parental guidance recommended. I'll skip ahead a bit. No, I can't skip ahead. All right, everybody, into the time machine. Take your hands off, Mark! Take your hands off, Mark! No, no, no, no! You don't understand how radio works! All I have to do to return us is fade my voice off!
like this and cue the organist. And you see? Here we are. Wait a minute. 63 Audio presents... The Old Time Radio Essentials Podcast. Greetings, all who gather here, and welcome back to Season 4 of Old Time Radio Essentials. If this is your first time joining us, and even if it ain't, I must inform you that this is episode... 48, also known as our second episode of 2025, aka episode 11, the penultimate of season 4. My name is Pete. And I'm Paul.
Penultimate mean, Sparky. Pat knows, I betcha. And this is Pat, and yes, I do know. We are fans of old-time radio, and if you're tuning in, you probably are too. So, you ain't gonna tell me, huh? Uh-uh. All right. We gather together occasionally, like today, to present an episode from a particular old-time radio series. Is it...
indeed essential? That's what we hope to discover. Last time we presented my pick, which was an episode of The Whistler from 1947 called The First Year, in case you missed it. Today is Pat's choice, and what's the show for this time, Pat? This is one of my very favorite series. It's called On Stage, and it's from 1953 and 1954. On Stage is an American radio anthology program. Also, you know what anthology means, all right?
Yeah, it's a whole bunch of different stories, and each week is different. Damn. Anyhow. Is this the penultimate episode of On Stage? This is the penultimate episode of the anthology program, also known as On Stage with Kathy and Elliot Lewis, and... Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. Woo-hoo, creative. It aired on CBS for two seasons from 1953 to 1954. It was a dream come true for the couple as they had wanted a...
a half-hour weekly show over which they had creative control as early as 1946. Elliot was... co-starring on the Phil Harris Alice Faye show as Remley, of course, and directing suspense. Kathy Lewis performed on many programs and was co-starring on My Friend Irma as Jane Stacy. Elliot served as transcriber, director. producer, and actor of On Stage. He also edited the episodes and wrote the openings and the closings. Boy, he sounds like somebody familiar. Like, maybe the two of you know.
I wonder who that would be. The stories were of all genres. He's probably from Canada. Romance, drama, comedy, thriller, western, adventure, and literary classics. Both experienced and up-and-coming writers contributed scripts. At the center of each episode was the relationship between the characters played by the... They were sometimes lovers or spouses, sometimes family or friends, sometimes kissing cousins, sometimes inbred relatives, sometimes strangers, and occasionally...
And so, now, without further delay, we present On Stage, and the episode entitled Heartbreak. From CBS, broadcast on February 17th, 1954. And now, friends, adjust your radio dials to the proper frequency. Get comfortable. And listen. Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. Distinguished names in radio. Appearing each week in their own theater. Starring in a repertory of transcribed stories of their own and your choosing. Radio's foremost players in Radio's foremost...
Ladies and gentlemen, Elliot Lewis. Good evening. May I present my wife, Kathy. Good evening. There's a very special reason why we're doing tonight's play, but we'd rather tell you about it after the show is over. And so as quickly as possible, we introduce the new radio play by E. Jack Newman. It's called Heartbreak. One, two, three, four, five, five, five, five.
Where have you been? It's almost 7. I got tied up at the office. I couldn't get away until all the traffic started. How are you? Wonderful. I'm bushed. It was a rough one today. You'll feel better after you shave and shower. Hurry, dear. You don't have much time. I'd rather sit down and have a smoke and wonder why I'm alive. Do I have to hurry to do that? We're having dinner at the Wiltons tonight. Did you forget?
Is it that bad? I'm tired, Vicki. Just plain tired. And I have to get at it again tomorrow, first thing. Yeah, it's that bad. You know, you could have told me this morning that you didn't want to go out. I didn't know what kind of a day it was going to be this morning. I would have told you if I'd known, believe me. Do you want me to call them up and tell them we can't make it? They're only expecting us in a half an hour.
What time we do there? 7.30. A shave and shower will help. I know it will. Forget I looked sad, will you, darling? Sure. You look awful pretty to be my wife. Hmm? Too pretty for me. Could a guy have an old-fashioned while he's dressing? Sounds like a fine idea. I'll only be a minute. They don't expect us to be right on time, anyhow. Does my blue suit come back to the cleaner? It's on the bed, dear. Yeah, okay.
and I know we have some around here somewhere and you had them last. Dan? Dan? Hey, Dan! Vicki, do something. I can't breathe. It was 38 his last birthday. How's he been feeling lately? Any complaints? No, I think he's been a little tired. He's been working very hard. He getting any exercise? He plays golf when he can, but...
He's been so busy, I don't think he's played in over two months. Better not like that. The oxygen. You don't want to have an accident. Oh. Dan's never been sick a day in his life. We all get sick sometime, Rudder. His pulse is picking up now. That's good. Do you have any idea what's the matter? We'll know more in a minute. Okay. Mm-hmm. He's all right. Hello, Dan. Easy now, easy. You've had a little trouble, Dan, but it's all over now. Just used some oxygen to help you out of it. Oxygen?
Vicki? Here, here. Right here, dear. Why still, darling? I guess I must have scared you, honey. I don't think I'd ever breathe again. I was just starting to shave and I felt this pain. Where, Dad? Right up here in my chest. It spread all the way down my arm here. You feel any pain now, Dan? No. It feels a little tight, is all. Here? No. Here? No. Uh-huh.
Anything like this ever happen before? No. Well, we'll get you straightened out, Dan. Take it easy. I want to use the phone. Just as you come in at the front of the hall. Dan, I'm going to take you to the hospital tonight. I want to find out what this is all about. You might want to get some things together for him. I don't want to go to any hospital. Dan, this could be your heart. The hospital's the best place to find out. Excuse me, I'll make that call.
Guy must be crazy. I never had any trouble with my heart, Vicky. You know that. Vicky? Have a good night. Pretty good, I guess. I'm not used to this kind of thing much. Are they treating you all right? Give me your arm. Yeah, I suppose they're treating me all right, but you aren't.
I need a phone in here. I got business to take care of. Let somebody else take care of it for a few days, Dan. I don't want you to have a phone. Just want you to get some rest. Okay. Can't get much rest worrying about things at the office.
I'm afraid you have a little damage in here. My heart? Yeah. We'll have to get busy and clear it up and get you feeling good again. What do you mean a little damage? How bad is it? Looks like an acute coronary occlusion. Best way to treat it is for you to stay here in the hospital for a while.
How long? Three weeks, I'd say. Vicki and I are supposed to go east in two weeks. I know, she told me. But the main thing to think about right now is getting you back on your feet. Making you completely well. You're very lucky.
We caught it early. We know about it. And we can do something about it right away. Could it have been something else beside my heart? It's your heart, Dan. Couldn't it have been that I've been working too hard? It's your heart, Dan. And the sooner you pull off that long face, the better off you'll be. People recover from heart attacks and heart disease. I have a lot of patients just like you back at their old jobs enjoying their work the same as before.
So don't let any fables you've heard about this sort of thing get in the way of the facts. I'm not interested in people. It's me lying here wondering about the payments on the house and the car. Let's talk about me, huh? We want to make a few more cardiographs and keep a close eye on you. We'll do everything we can to help you. But it won't mean a thing, Dan, unless you help yourself. You want to do that, don't you? Oh, sure. I'll get it. I can reach you. I know you can. Now, here. Thanks.
And when you get home, you can start and graduate. Limit your activities a little bit. Your work and your play, your smoking and drinking. Avoid exertion of every kind. You don't have to carry those groceries from the car. Let somebody else do it. The elevator instead of the stairs, you know. When you need rest, you rest. When you need food, you eat. When you need relaxation, you take it.
And do those things during your convalescing period and you won't have anything to worry about. Vicky's already planning for the time when you'll come home. I talked for a little while. Why does she come over and see me? I asked her not to come until this evening. All she wants you to do is get well down. That's all any of us want you to do. We'll all do our best. I know you can get over this, and it won't take long either. Well, I've got to be running along. I'll drop in on you a little later.
Anything you want, Dan, just ring the nurse. Okay? See you this afternoon. Nurse? Give me back my health. That's what I want. My health. to Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. Tonight's play, Heartbreak. If you're a smart young lad these days, you don't wait for old man opportunity to come knocking at your door.
Go out and find him yourself. And a good place to look is in America's many fine engineering schools. Today, good engineers are needed in hundreds of varied fields. You can build a fine career as a trained engineer and at the same time... help maintain America's scientific and engineering superiority.
I'll say this for hospital life. You certainly find out how much money the florists and card makers are pulling in every year. If I had a nickel for every get well fast card that came in here, I'd be able to pay the hospital bill. You are loved and cherished by one and all, Dan. I'm so adorable. Yes. Hey. Hmm? Yes, Dan? You are smelling very good. I try to, always. Honey? Yes. I can't say I'm too happy to be in this jam.
But now that I'm here, I'm going to make the best of it. That's all any of us can do, dear. At first I thought I... Oh, I thought an awful lot of thoughts. You were very depressed, dear. I was mad, too. Mostly at Kim, who was... Only doing his job as a doctor. After he left, I got mad at myself. Then I got mad at you. I had quite a time. I know, dear. There's nothing funny about this sort of thing. Well, it won't last forever.
Living's pretty attractive. I want to keep on doing it. You'll have to be very careful, Dan. I can be careful. All I'm looking forward to right now is getting up and getting out of here as soon as I can. Being home. With you. Where I belong. Yes. I'm lucky they caught it early. Lots easier to cure this way. Could have been twice as bad as bad. Dan. I'm going to take good care of you.
Well, you should feel fine, Dan. Lying around here for three weeks, doing nothing but eating and sleeping and holding hands with nurses. When does it look like you'll be getting out? Well, as a matter of fact, I had some... For a little while yet, Jim. Well, these things take time off. Vicki hated it when I first came here. Now I think she wants me to stay. No, dear. I just want to be sure you're ready to leave. I guess you'll be glad to get him home, Vicki. Hospital's no place for Dan.
Say, it's nine o'clock already. Yes, I have to be leaving, too. Sure, nice seeing you, Dan. I'll tell everybody downtown how well you're looking. Be sure, miss you. It won't be long now. Thanks for stopping by, Jim. And, Dan, as soon as these people here say it's okay, I'm expecting you back at the office. That's where we really miss you.
I better get out of here now. Good night, Vicki. Good night, Jim. Good night, Dan. Take it easy. Yeah, I will. Good night, folks. Good night. Jim Givney talks as much as ever, doesn't he? He seems to. I better go, dear. Rules are rules. Vicki. Did you have any reason for not telling him when I'm leaving? Yes. I thought it might be better if you got home and got used to things first. If he knew you were coming home Friday, he'd expect you downtown Monday morning.
And you just can't do that for a while, Dan. I know, but I hardly think he'd expect anything like that. Dan, we're going to have to live with this and work it out together. Let's do it slow, huh? Alright. If anything ever happened to you, Dan, I'd die. I'd just die. Give me your arm, darling. Look, I got pants on for the first time in four weeks. I feel like a man again. I want to walk up to my own front door alone. Let me help. Okay. All right.
Okay. Slowly, dear. I don't have to creep. But you don't have to run. I ought to do something about this lawn pretty soon. Don't you worry about the lawn. I'll do it. I was kind of looking forward to trimming up the edges. Around the plants, you know? Next year, maybe. Well, sir. Look good to you? It sure does. Boy.
Home. You better sit down, dear. I feel fine. Doctor says I got to start exercising a little bit anyhow. But sit down for now. Yeah, okay. No, don't... What? Don't pull the chair over. I want to look at the fireplace. I'll turn it around, Dan. There. Oh, thanks. Now, then, make yourself comfortable. Yeah. Remember, dear, you can't do those things now.
A little exertion could be very harmful. Uh-huh. Well, you know that's true, dear. I don't have to tell you. You're right. You're absolutely right. I'm going to have to watch it. I have an observation. You do? you may be a little tougher than they were at the hospital. You're not my patient. You're my husband. You better go to bed now. Yeah. Well, at least I'm home. Guy can't have everything, can he?
All right, dear. It's only the wind. Oh, I better close the wind. I'll get it. I'll get it. Oh, I forgot. Can I get you anything, dear? No. Moon's pretty. I was having a dream. I was very active. I was running and jumping and swimming and doing all sorts of things. It felt fine.
You better get some sleep. I'll never get back to that dream. You'll run and jump and swim again someday, dear. Don't kid yourself. Hmm? Don't kid yourself, Vicki. I'm not kidding myself. People who have what I have don't get well. But they do, Dan. They get well and carry on their lives the same as before. Oh, why don't you face it? I am facing it. Then you'd get rid of me and get yourself a man. I'm just a vegetable this way.
Don't say anything like that. Don't ever say anything like that. You're my husband. I love you. Sickness and in health, remember? Yeah, it was swell as... As long as both lasted. I'm serious, Vicki. Leave me. I've been thinking about it ever since I got home and really found out what it's like trying to live with a bad heart.
I could kid myself in the hospital because a hospital's geared for sick people, but a house is for people who are well and can do things. I can't even toss a salad for you without wondering if... Without wondering if... That thing will come up again and it'll be the last salad I'll ever toss. This is no good this way, Vicki. No fun, no trips, no laughs. You don't want it. Dear. Dear, please, I love you. I'll always love you. Love isn't going to cure me. Don't you see that, Vicki? I'm an invalid.
How does it look? Normal. Nothing wrong with Dan's blood pressure. You sure? It's okay. Shh. I seem to get that feeling in here every now and then, you know. Any pain? No, no pain. Uh-huh. Well, I can't find anything, Dan. I just want to make sure everything's going okay. It is. You're doing nicely. But I'm glad you called me over. You can start thinking about going back to work pretty soon now.
Wow, that's wonderful. Yeah. Yeah, that'll be swell. Now, not a full day or anything like it to start off with. But it's not too soon for you to call them up and tell them you're ready to come for a half day to start. Oh, I've got some of the calls to make. I'll take you to the door. All right. You cover up, honey. Yeah. Oh, I'm so relieved you told him about work. It'll do him good to get out of that bed. I was going to call you myself today if he hadn't called.
I'm just about at the end of my rope. Ever since Dan came home from the hospital, it's been one thing after another, and last night was the worst. I've tried to look after him, do all the things that have to be done for him, but I just can't seem to do enough. Are you both working a little too hard at this? What? He has every chance for a complete recovery. Somehow he's reluctant to advance anymore. I noticed it tonight.
Oh, goodness, he's being cautious. We're both being cautious. Don't be over-cautious. The day Dan left the hospital, he couldn't wait to get back home and get started again. He's been home almost two months now and he seems worried over his condition more than ever before. He's turning into a cardiac invalid. What's that? People who just think they can't do anything. Wait a minute, wait. Dan's not scared. He's not scared of anything. I know it. Have you asked him? Ask him, Vicki.
Hey, tell me Sam Clemens did all of his writing in bed. I wonder if I could be a writer. You're a pretty good businessman. I was a pretty good businessman. Dan. I want to ask you something. Answer it honestly. Sure. Dan, are you scared to go back to work? Dan. I'm the guy who doubled up on the bathroom floor that night. I know, and you know, I was about an inch away from eternity there, and I'll never get it out of my mind. It can happen again any time.
Kimball talking about me going back to work, that's a laugh. One day down there, one hour down there, and they wouldn't even bother dropping me off at the hospital. I'd go straight to the morgue. Am I scared? You bet your boots I'm scared, Vicki. I'm scared every single second I'm awake. You don't want me to leave you. You asked me. I just said I did. I'll say it again. Clear out. This is no fun.
You said it, but you don't want me to leave you. You want me to stay around forever, waiting on your hand and foot, feeling sorry for you. Just the way you feel sorry for yourself right now. No, thanks, Dan. I... I didn't bargain for that when I married you. Let me remind you of something. I had a heart attack. Remember? I remember. Dan, help yourself, please.
I care. All you have to do is get out of this bed and get busy with the job of getting well. Or you can stay here the rest of your life. If you do that, you do it alone. Dan, if you don't help yourself, I really will leave you. Well, that's your choice, Vicki. I don't have one. Oh, Dan, wake up. It's time. Dan? Dan? Dan? I got a little fat, didn't I? Yeah, a little. Still fits nicely. What's for breakfast? Oh, what would you like? The works, eggs and bacon, you know.
Can I comb my hair first? Sure. If you were going to ask me, I feel fine. I was. You know, last night you had some pretty snappy things to say once you got going. Dan, I've got something to tell you. I've been as scared as you. I think I'm the one who made you scared.
Everyone made me scared, Vicki, but a funny thing happened to me this morning. I got up and I said to myself, I don't want Vicki to walk out on me. I don't want Vicki to stay here and live like a robot. What do you want, I said. I said, I don't want to be sick anymore. I don't want to be scared. Oh, Dad. Yeah, that's the conversation I had with myself. I put in a call to Jim Gibney a little while ago. He ought to be calling back pretty soon. You're going back to work? I sure am. That's him now.
I got it. I got it. Hello? Jim Givney, Dan. How's the boy? I'm fine, Jim. I want to get back on the job. Well, we want you back on the job. When? Today. Right now. You sound pretty anxious. I am. Had enough of this laying around. And I don't want you to have any more of it, Dan. You've got new working hours. What?
You'll be here at 11 o'clock, and don't let me catch you around here later than 2. I can't get much work done in three hours. I don't want you to get much work yet. I just want you to work into it gradually. Look, Dan, I'm your boss. You do what I say. No more 8.30 in the morning to 7 at night. If you get overburdened, we'll hire somebody to help you. We've got you in good shape again. We want to keep you that way. We understand each other?
Sure, Jim, sure. Love to Vicki. See you at 11. Hey? He won't let me come in until 11. That's all right, dear. Yeah. You know... I've been pushed one way and pulled another a lot lately. Maybe I ought to ride the middle. Otherwise, I'll do something crazy again. I was crazy enough to try to lose you, Vicki.
I couldn't stand that. Oh, Dan, no. No, no, wait. When Kim told me it was my heart, I got used to it. I got used to the idea of being sick. Well, if I could get used to that, I guess I can get used to the idea of being well, too. So that's the way it is, dear. Do you want me and my foolish heart and my... to be alive again.
We're back with Old Time Radio Essentials. This is Pete with Paul and Pat, and that was an episode of On Stage, originally broadcast on CBS Radio on February 17th, 1954. And now, Pat, since this was your pick, please tell us why you chose this. particular episode well this is a really important series to me and a really important episode because these are I guess I
could call them my teachers in terms of radio acting. When I decided to get back into old-time radio, because I'd been big on it, you know, about 20, 30 years ago, and then sort of drifted away. And I just got back into it, listened to this episode, and it absolutely blew me away with the naturalistic delivery.
It was so low-key. I had never heard anything like that before. I mean, I've heard really good radio actors, you know, Hans Conrad, all that. And they are fantastic. But this was something different. And I thought, okay, I've got to learn from this. This is remarkable. And this particular episode too, you know, it's got so many little touches in it as well, like the moment where the doctor's got the oxygen mask.
And the wife is just about to light up a cigarette. We don't hear a flick of a letter. We don't hear anything. The doctor just says, oh, you better not light that. You don't want a fire. And you just have to figure that out. And another moment where... eliot's character is saying a line and he just happens to yawn and i never heard anything like just so natural you maybe it just he felt like yawning when he was doing it and he just went with it i don't know
but it sounded so natural just such low-key and yeah there are heavy moments um but it was just remarkable and i've since heard other episodes like the party That, too, is super naturalistic. And those are both episodes, actually, where I transcribe them into scripts. So they're up on the generic radio website. But just it so fascinated me.
to listen to it and of course since this is an anthology series every week is something different so they do a western style version of the bear which is you know this really broad russian farce only they said it in the old west and yet it's really over the top style of acting but it works it's still believable um they had pieces you know scripts that were written by um
Well, Bob Sweeney of Sweeney and March, the comedy duo. And then he later was rather miscast in the attempted TV version of Fibber McGee and Molly. He and Kathy Lewis were cast as Fibber and Molly and it just does not work. The episodes are on YouTube. It does not work. But the beauty of on stage as well was, yeah, they had complete control because the show did not have a sponsor.
It never, ever had a sponsor. Sponsors had already left radio. TV was where they put all their money, which means they weren't interfering, which means they could deal with subject matter that. you just could not do if there was a sponsor. The sponsors were just too nervous. For example, there was one episode called Interlude.
about a man who walks out on his wife. We don't even hear the wife's voice, though we do hear him leaving. And he picks up a woman in a bar, and they spend the night together. Really? Wow. Yeah. Now, they don't sleep together or anything like that, but they spend the night. Together, they go for a walk. They go out in a boat on a pond. They go back to her place. They play Gin Rummy.
Not quite, but it's intense, but just the overall subject matter. And I found a script of that, so I directed and performed in a recreation of it. There is another episode which... is lost. A lot of these episodes, I think about half of the episodes were lost because the tapes were stored in the basement storage of the... uh pacific pioneer broadcasters and in i think it was the 80s or the early 90s there was a flood
and things on the bottom shelves were destroyed, and there was a lot of onstage that was lost. Now, there are probably still episodes somewhere, and... I know that there are a few scripts at the American radio archives or whatever it's called in California. It used to be at Thousand Oaks. There is one script there that I would kill to read.
Because it is an adaptation of another one of these things that is just so perfect for two people, a man and a woman. And it's based on the Irvin S. Cobb story, an occurrence up a side street. And it's a man and a woman. They've murdered her husband. It's very hot. It's in the 1800s. They're in this...
tumbledown kind of house. The authorities are looking for them outside. It's hot. There's flies there, which of course increase because you've got the dead body upstairs. And the two of them decide to do each other in because they can't trust each other. The way they do it, because I've read the original story.
I would so kill to get my hands on that script. If anybody here is listening and can get to that library and get a copy of that script for me. You know, I would say ask Larry Groby because he has connections. I mean, he is. That could work, yeah.
He has gotten his hands on lost scripts that we have produced or recreated for lost episodes that we've recreated because... he has this uh poll with people and they send stuff so i did another recreation as well of another lost on stage which was a month of sundays about a young woman and um she contacts a struggling real estate agent so every Sunday afternoon they meet up and he shows her different houses and then of course it does eventually come out because
she starts to fall in love with him and then she confesses no she doesn't have any money she's just doing this you know to daydream and you know it's a sweet romantic comedy it was fun to do as well but not quite in the same vein as Interlude, that really heavy one. But, you know, just the risks they could take. they could do um they did casey at the bat but they did a whole backstory so you learn the whole backstory behind it she played the bat
It is fascinating. And there's another lost episode, East Lynn. And according to what they say at the beginning of it. All we have is the teaser from the episode before. And in that, they say that, yes, next week we are doing...
East Lynn and we're doing it because it's the old theatrical joke where a theater company was struggling and you know this is your license to print money so this pot boiler of a melodrama East Lynn was done all over the place and if a theater was struggling yeah next week East Lynn and they knew that would bring in the money to keep going so purely because Elliot wanted to be able to say next week East Lynn they did East Lynn
So many different episodes, different tone, different style. It's just remarkable. I mean, even the very first episode of the series called The String Bow Tie, and that's really a great comedy. And you've got Sheldon Leonard in it, playing the thug character that he usually plays. But then you find out there is actually something very cultured about this thug. It's just...
So intriguing. Yeah, you know, not every episode is brilliant. That goes without, you know, what is it? Nobody gets a, is it? Nobody scores a goal there every time at bat. That line. Not every episode was a winner like Gangbusters was. Yeah. It is really something. Now, you will notice that this episode does not have an outro.
this particular episode heartbreak and you know at the beginning they tease and they say no they tell you well you know at the end of the episode that will tell you why we did this for this very special reason well the very special reason was February was heart month. I think in some places February is still considered heart month. So this was done to increase awareness.
Well, yeah, the American Heart Association has a big campaign every February, so yeah. Yeah, so this may have been part of that. I can only presume that. You know, I know the conversational style of the intro. Well, they would always do that at the outro as well. And that's when they would... conversationally tell you who played each part. We know that it was Byron Kane who played the doctor in this particular episode. The voice of the boss is familiar, but I...
Can't quite pinpoint who it is. Might be Edgar Barrier. I don't know for sure. Keith Scott would know. Keith Scott is a real expert on voices and things. But it's something that for me just stands up to repeated listening. because I'm learning from it. Even if there's an episode that I really do not care for, and there are some, like there is one that deals with a stalker, and that's really heavy.
Elliot actually did a few, you know, on different series, he did a few episodes dealing with a stalking. And I think it was just that... He and Kathy wanted to raise awareness of this because back then, you know, oh, what? She was just being a tease. She kept saying no. You know, it's like the guy's right kind of thing. So they had a strong social conscience too. really strong. I sense that with a lot of the work that they did on this and other series. Yeah. But let's...
Wrap it up? Okay. Send it on to Paul. Yes, yes. Let's send it on to Paulie now. Clearly I've listened to a whole bunch of the episodes. No. No, yeah. No, I'm just real good at faking it. Yeah, that's the ticket. I'm just real good at faking it. I tell you what, I opened up that damn email that first time. I went and followed the link to that thing. I started listening to it going, She sent a strong freaking link. This ain't our usual fare. What the hell is that?
this is awful freaking heavy yeah it is but you know for me it's it was it was well done i will say that it was well done it was well acted i could feel the the the thought processes as the guy was going through them on how he felt as a man and stuff you know suddenly you know I'm the one that's got to take care of everything physically. You know, I'm the hunter gatherer and I have to be, you know, invincible. And then suddenly my heart gives out, you know, and now I can't trust it.
I think he was only 35, too. Yeah, so I mean, I could understand where he was coming from and everything. And some of the things that made it a little bit dated were... Oh, you had an incident with your heart. You're okay now, but we're going to have to keep you around the hospital for a while. How long do you think, Doc? Oh, about four weeks. Yeah.
Now they want to get you moving. They can rip out your nervous system, replace all of your appendages, transfer your brain, and they still do it as an outpatient procedure nowadays. And also his line about... Yeah, and his line as well about, you know, now I'm just a vegetable. And there was that feeling back then that if you have any sort of disability or chronic condition, you are less than a full human being.
That comes up in other episodes, too. Yeah. Yes, I mean, it was done very well. And sound was good. Music was good. All of it was good and everything. Not my usual cup of tea. I like things a bit lighter. If I want heavy and depressing, I tend to turn off all forms of entertainment and just live. Yeah. Yeah. So this was kind of like, oh. Okay, well, I myself have been having slight problems lately. I've pinched a nerve in my neck, and this entire arm is numb in this finger.
And it's been since before Christmas. And it hasn't come back yet. So, okay. Enough of the health and all that. It was a very good show. Pete, go ahead. Oh. Is it me? Okay. Now it's you. I feel like Paul because what else is there left to say after Pat had her 20 minutes? But I agree. This is my very first episode. of this series that I heard, but I've heard of it for a long time. And I've been a longtime admirer of Elliot Lewis and Kathy, of course, because they just were so versatile.
um the whole time i was listening to this um i'm thinking how does this compare to modern health care um you pointed out don't light that because uh you know we can't smoke in here the oxygen yeah i mean they're just in his home but I was reminded of a time when I was in the hospital and my mother came to see me and she...
lit up a cigarette in the hallway. And so nowadays, there's no smoking anywhere in a hospital now. And so I'm listening to the care he has to go through and I'm comparing it to... The way you both mentioned modern health care. How expensive is this? How could you get the money for this? There was no HMO. There was no... For me, it was just kind of... a comparison contrast with what's going on with modern healthcare, that sort of thing. But all through it, I'm listening to the obvious.
love that Kathy has for her ailing husband and the obvious struggle that Elliot is going through as the longtime provider who's now facing his own mortality. And so on. And it was very moving. And I could only listen to it once because I just, you know, like the two of you, I got my own health problems. I don't need to be reminded of. Yeah. That's really all I have to say about that before we get too maudlin. Why don't we vote? What do you say, Paul? How about we vote?
Trying to get the will to live back up far enough. Okay, let's vote. What are we voting on, dear listener? As a reminder, we are voting on A. Whether this particular episode is a true representative installment of the overall series, and we know Pat knows that or not. And two, whether or not it is a true essential, a standalone show that belongs in every radio aficionado's collection. And again, Pat, since this was your selection, damn it, you go first.
Keep it short. Yeah. I love the fact that it could take risks. The production standards were so high. I mean, if you listen to the sound beds, they are so complicated. naturalistic, so multi-layered. And that comes from Eliot's work in the AFRS during the war. He developed all kinds of techniques that became mainstream after the war was over. Just the standards were so high, they took risks.
You go for quality all the time. To me, it's really the Tiffany's of series. And because it was done without an audience, you know, unlike Lux and things like that, and also you were not trying to compress a two-hour movie. into a half hour radio show so yeah there's just such a variety of styles and subjects and things that
You know, yes, this was a really serious, heavy episode, but they do have really comic ones too, really silly ones, really sweet, romantic ones. It's just, there's so much there to choose from. Great. Paul? Did she actually vote? No, she didn't vote. Yeah, it should be in every Radio Aficionado's collection as an example of late golden age radio and just how far it had progressed.
I myself thought it was a very good show. I'll give it a thumbs up on that. As for it being an overall representative one, I don't know. I was so depressed after listening to this that I couldn't bring myself to listen to any of the other ones. Further down the line, I might listen to some of the comedy ones in that and just see how that comes out. I'll give it a thumbs up and a thumbs up. Pete, what about you?
Sold. Okay. I would say, based on Pat's account alone, I would have to say that this is definitely... Representative of the overall series. Judging from the storyline, the acting ability, the way everything was put together, the production value, I would say yes. It's very likely. A representative installment. And two, this one on its own, I can't vote for it as a true essential, mainly because the subject matter is just so depressing. I don't listen to old-time radio to get depressed.
I listened to it to be entertained. There's plenty of other stuff out there that is designed to depress you. Just, you know, turn on the TV. But I would say if I was going to vote just on the sheer acting quality and the other values, I would say, yeah, it's a standalone show. It should be in the Radio Aficionados collection. I would say, okay, yes to both. And that's it. That's all I have to say on that. And I can't believe you don't find a myocardial infarction entertaining. Well, you know.
Years ago, I couldn't even spell myocardial infarction. Now I are one. I'm not sure how I got that out. Okay, yeah. Well, folks, this brings us to the end of episode 48, or if you live in a parallel universe, episode 11 of season four. How do you come up with this stuff, Pete? With Pete Lutz, Paul Arbisi, and me, Pat Rosebank. Next go round, it'll be Paul's pick. And what show will you be bringing us for our season four finale, Paul? Oh, God, is it the end already?
Dangerous assignment. And it has to do with aliens. Wow. Awesome. That's a terrific series and sounds like a good one, Pauly. A great way to wind up the season. And now, Pat, Paul, tell the masses what they need to know. All Time Radio Essentials is a production of 63 Audio. A proud member of the Mutual Audio Network. Subscribe on any podcatcher you may use by searching under Mutual Audio Network.
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Okay, before we close, speaking of feedback, I want to give a shout out to Essential Listener Dharam, who has written us a number of highly complimentary emails telling us how much he enjoys the banter between the three of us. He's going to be nuts after this one, as well as our program selections. So we have proof of at least one listener, and he doesn't think we suck. Not much anyway.
Thank you for your kind words, Dharam. And Pete, I understand he's going to try to use the phrase douche canoe as often as possible in his personal communications. And we have you to thank for that, fella. But anyways, let's wrap things up and vamanos. Hey, thanks, Pat. Thanks, Paulie. And please, the listener, join us next time, won't you, for another fun installment of Old Time Radio Essentials. Bye-bye for now! Bye! I sing the farewell to you! Wait a minute. 63 audio. This is mutual.
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