Old-Time Radio Essentials Episode 49

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 up, Mark! Take your hands up, Mark! No, no, no, no! You don't understand how radio works! All I have to do to return us is fade my voice out 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 49, also known as our third episode of 2025, aka episode 12, and our season four finale. My name is Pete. I'm Pat. And this is Paul. We are fans of old-time radio, and if you're tuning in, you probably are also.

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 On Stage from 1954 called Heartbreak, in case you missed it. Now, today is Paul's choice. And what is the show for this time, Paul?

Dangerous Assignment. It was a... I mean, it kind of describes it right there. Dangerous Assignment. It's a... It's kind of a James Bond-ish type thing. It's like, oh, we need you to go into the depths of the jungle and take care of the problem and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Kind of like Mission Improbable.

Yes, every week it was a different problem in a different country, you know, so you could have all that exoticness going on on the radio. So was he part of the DA force the way... Ethan Hunt was part of the I Am Force. The Impossible Mission Force and the Dangerous Force, or Assignments Dangerous Force, if you want to go in the same theme. And then there was the other, there was the District Attorney Force. Oh, yes, yes. Can't forget them.

won't let you i'll sue you but um you have to deal with different districts i'm sure yeah so there you go yeah well dangerous assignment was an nbc radio drama created by and starring brian don levy Well, if he created it, he's really the only one to blame for it, I guess. Broadcast in the U.S. Don't give anything away. Sorry, Brian. Anyway, it was broadcast in the US from 1949 to 1953.

And it was also broadcast there as a syndicated TV series, also starring Brian Donlevy, distributed in the U.S. between 1951 and 1952. And it was also an Australian radio series, which aired there from 1954 to 56 and just remade based on the original American radio scripts. Don Levy, playing Special Agent Steve Mitchell, would be sent to various locales worldwide by his boss, known only as the Commissioner.

played throughout the radio series by veteran radio actor Herb Butterfield. In these locales, he would encounter adventure and international intrigue in pursuit of some secret, and sometimes romance, but always danger.

Hence the name of the show. So now, without further delay, we present Dangerous. assignment. And the episode entitled Investigate Flying Saucers from NBC broadcast on April 17th, 1950. And now, friends, adjust your radio dials to the proper frequency, get comfortable, and listen. Dangerous Assignment, starring Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell.

Morning, Commissioner. Dave. You know, this better be important. There's a certain redhead who was just dying to go for a long ride in the country today. Now I can't even give her a chance to walk back. This is important, Steve. Ever hear of the Triangle Airlines? No. It's an American charter outfit owned by a man named Kovac. They fly cargo across the northern part of South America, from Ecuador to Brazil. In the last ten days, three of their planes have disappeared over the...

the jungle. It's vanished without a trace. Pilots haven't been heard from since. So are private airlines in trouble. Since when have we been pulling chestnuts out of the fire for outfits like that? Ordinarily, we wouldn't be interested, but the circumstances accompanying the disappearance of these cargo planes makes it our concern.

What circumstances? Well, um, I don't quite know how to tell you, Steve. Oh, now let's not be bashful, Commissioner. What do you mean? Flying saucers. What did you say? You heard me, flying saucers. Commissioner. I'm a pretty patient guy.

But if you think I'm going down to South America and start looking for flying saucers... That's just what you are going to do, Steve, and your plane leaves in an hour. Now, look, don't tell me you're going to give me a Buck Rogers ray gun to shoot him down with. This is no joke, Steve. Look.

I don't care whether it's flying saucers or flying dish pans. That area is too close to the Panama Canal for comfort. You'll be met in Ecuador by a man named Drake, the chief pilot of the airlines. He'll fill you in on the background. Well, that's it. You've got your assignment. Good luck. you

The National Broadcasting Company is proud to present Dangerous Assignment, starring Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, colorful, two-fisted government agent. At all those places of the world where danger and intrigue walk hand in hand. There you will find Steve Mitchell on another dangerous assignment. Well, this assignment really takes the cake.

I've had my share of screw-loose jobs, but flying saucers yet. It's Wednesday night when I get to Ecuador. Drake, the chief pilot of Triangle Airlines, is waiting for me at the airport. He bustles me into the co-pilot seat of one of their cargo ships, and we take off and head east. It's about a two-hour hop to Santa Rosa, Mitchell. You should be there about midnight. What's at Santa Rosa? One of our fields. Kovac, the owner, is waiting there for you.

You do most of your flying at night around here, Drake, huh? All of it. Less turbulence over these mountains. You a flyer, too? Oh, now and then. Too bad you're not looking for a job. If this monkey business keeps up, I'm going to be fresh out of pilots. Just what has been going on? You tell me. It's happened three times now. A radio flash from the pilot about seeing flying saucers.

Then the radio goes dead and the plane's never heard of again. You searched the jungle near the route for the planes. From the air. The country's too rugged for a ground search. Hey, what was that? Mitchell, look outside. All those lights. Yeah. Hey. They look like rings or discs swirling around. They're right alongside of us. I'm going to go back after the plane. Maybe I can get a better look at them. Mitchell! Drake, what is it? What's the matter? Drake!

The brake just grabs at his chest and slumps over. The plane starts into a dive. I jump back into my seat and... Try to level it out. I remember. Noticing Drake had been flying a heading of 95 degrees, so I hold it there. By the time I can look outside again, the whirling things are gone. I reach for the radio. T3 calling Santa Rosa Tower. T3 calling Santa Rosa Tower. Over.

T-3 to Santa Rosa. This is Steve Mitchell. Keep in touch with me. I've got to bring this bucket of bolts in and I don't know anything about the route or the field. Over. What happened to Drake Mitchell, over? I'll tell you about it when I get there. Right now, that's what concerns me. Over. Stay on 95 degrees. If you're on schedule, you'll be over the field in an hour.

Your course follows a valley. You'll know it if you get off it, all right. There's a high mountain range on each side. Over. Thanks a lot for the pleasant thought. I'll see you in about an hour, I hope. Over and out.

So, for the next hour, I nurse a strange plane between two mountain ranges I can't see on a night black enough to play post office. All the while, I'm trying to convince myself I didn't see what I know I did. Drake is still unconscious, but he stirs a little now and then. Finally, I pick out the lights of Santa Rosa Airfield and manage to bring the ship in okay. Mitchell? Yeah?

I'm George, Kovac's nephew. Yeah? I was talking to you on the radio. Sure glad you made it, okay? You are glad. Come on, give me a hand with Drake here. Okay. Hey, he's coming out of it. Drake. Drake. What? Oh, my chest. What happened to you, Drake? I don't know. Right after we saw those things, I suddenly felt like I'd been kicked in the chest by a mule. That's all I can remember. But...

There's not a mark on you. Yeah, great. Flying saucers aren't enough. Now we've got invisible rays. Well, why didn't it hit you too, Mitchell? I don't know. Wait. I just started aft when it happened. Guess it's a good thing for you. You did. Yeah. Come on, Joyce, we'll get Drake taken care of, and then we'll talk to your uncle.

Mr. Mitchell, your description of what you saw during your flight tallies were those the missing pilots radioed in. I tell you frankly, I'm on the ragged edge with this airline. I've lost three planes. One more and I'm ruined. Isn't your line insured, Mr. Kovac? Why, yes, but...

This is more than money. It's a matter of prestige. Look, Uncle Emil, if you'd taken my advice a month ago when the Van Horn Exporting Company wanted to buy you a... George, for the last time, I'll not tolerate any advice from you as to how to run my affairs. Sure, you stick your nose in all my affairs, but I'm not supposed to... to open my mouth where yours are concerned. If you don't keep a civil tongue in your head. Look, gentlemen, I don't want to stir up a hornet's nest between you, but...

What is this Van Horn Exporting Company? They ship crates of carved wooden statues regularly on our planes. Our largest customers, as a matter of fact. About two months ago, they approached me with a substantial offer to buy the line. But just before the trouble started, they notified me that they were withdrawing their offer. Bad business conditions, they said. Any particular reason why business should be bad?

Well, there have been rumors about some mysterious revolutionary party organizing lately. That sort of thing always has a bad effect on business in these countries. I see. Mitchell, what will be your first step? Well, I think I'll pay a visit to the Van Horn Exporting Company in the morning. Why? You certainly don't think they're involved in this flying saucer deal, do you? Look, when you don't know where to start, one place is as good as another.

Besides, I'm sure the Van Horn Company is a lot closer than Mars.

Yes, sir? This the office of the Van Horn Exporting Company? Yes, it is. Well, I'd like to talk to the boss. Is he around? Yes, I'm the boss, as you call it. You? I'm Hurt Van Horn. Well, looks like the company is in good hands. Thank you. What can I do for you, mister? Mitchell. Steve Mitchell.

Your company ships cargo pretty regularly with the Triangle Airlines. I have been, but if their present trouble continues, I think I will have to make other arrangements. You're down here to investigate their trouble, aren't you? I don't remember telling you that. One picks up things here and there. Yeah, I guess one does. A couple of months ago, you offered to buy the airline, didn't you? Yes, I did.

But that was before the trouble started. Naturally, I'm not interested now. Well, according to my information, you withdrew your offer just before the trouble started. I see that you, too, pick up things here and there. Yes, I began to hear rumors about the formation of a revolutionary party. I decided it would be unwise to make a large investment under those conditions. I see. You know, that's the second time I've heard this rumor about a revolutionary party. Oh?

What about it? Oh, nothing. Except it seems like a pretty convenient time to start. That rumor circulating. I don't know what you're trying to prove, Steve. But I wish you luck. Thanks, Hertha. Maybe meeting you has been luck. One never knows. I expect I will see you again. You expect right, Hertha. And soon.

Hi, Mitchell. George told me I'd find you here in the office. Yeah. Come on in, Drake. How are you feeling today? A lot better, thanks. My chest still hurts a little. I'd sure give a lot to know what hit me last night. So would I. Doing some paperwork this morning? Yeah. I've been checking cargo invoices and radio logs. I've discovered a couple of pretty interesting things. Huh? What? Look, each time a plane has disappeared, it's been carrying a shipment from the Van Horn Company.

What does that prove? I don't know yet. Take a look at this copy of the invoice. What about it? How many Van Horn crates are listed there? Let's see. Six. Yeah. But isn't that number a little smudged on this copy? Yeah, it looks like it. Who handles these invoices on this end? Well, sometimes Kovac and sometimes George. How big are those Van Horn crates? Five, six feet long.

What are you getting at, Litchell? I'm not sure yet, but here's something else. According to the radio logs, in each case, the pilot reported sighting the flying saucers about 20 minutes after takeoff. So? Now, take a look at this map. 20 minutes out at the course and speed your planes fly should put them right near this mountain. Yeah, Mount San Anselmo. Look, what are you getting at? Well, suppose those flying saucers came from the ground, Drake.

You know... You tell me you're going into those jungles. Sure. You know anyone who could guide me? Seems to me one of those mechanics has a brother named Pablo. Some sort of a guide, I think. Mm-hmm. Mitchell, you ought to think this over before you go in. I have thought it over. Now see if you can round up that guide, will you? I'd like to get started as soon as possible.

How far you figure we've come since we left the jeep, Pablo? At least ten miles here. Well, we ought to be getting close to the spot then. Brother, this jungle is thick. This is the only trail through it, huh? Si. I can believe it. Senor, watch out. Why the flying tackle? Look, senor. Look down the trail in front of you. I don't see anything. Quiet. Look more closely. Hidden by the underbrush on the ground. Yeah. I see it now.

A rope, noose, spread over the trail. Si, and over there, senor. See the tree which is bent almost double? Mm-hmm. Another step and we'd have been dangling from that tree like two apples.

Come on, let's spring that trap, quick. Look, someone's obviously hiding around here, waiting to catch us dangling from that rope. Let's make him think he succeeded. Here's a dead branch beside the trail. Give me a hand with it. Got it? Okay. Stop here. The trigger is probably under that little pile of leaves. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Okay, we'll toss this branch on top of it and see what happens. You ready? Let her go.

Look at that. The rope jerked that branch right up in the air. Now get down here beside the trail. I hear something. Yeah, so do I. Somebody coming through the underbrush. Okay, let him get right on top of us. Then we'll jump him. Now. Watch it, Pablo. He's got a gun. Yeah, but I saw him a chit. No, no, no. Hold it. Oh, great. Did I did something wrong, sir? No.

He'd have done the same to us if we'd given him a chance. But I wanted to get some information from him. I will take a look. There is nothing in his pocket, senor, except this scrap of paper. Let me see it. La Posada. Eight o'clock. What's La Posada mean? That's the name of a bar in Santa Rosa. Sounds like he had a date. Okay, I'll keep the date for him. Maybe I can find out who's been going all out to kill me.

You are listening to Dangerous Assignment, starring Brian Donlevy in the role of Steve Mitchell.

A few minutes before eight that night, I'm waiting in the shadows across the street from La Posada Bar. A car pulls up in front. Hertha Van Horn is driving. A guy starts to get out, but Hertha pulls him back for a minute. There's a long kiss. And he gets out and heads for the bar. Herter pulls away. As he opens the door, the light silhouettes him. It's Kovac's nephew, George. I wait for a few minutes, and then I saunter in after him.

George. Oh, hi, Mitchell. Are you surprised to see me? Should I be? I don't know. You're waiting for somebody, George? Waiting for a drink right now. This a favorite hangout of yours? It's the only decent bar in Santa Rosa. Look, what's with the third degree, Mitchell? Oh, nothing in particular. Just curious. Everybody stay right where you are and keep your hands in sight.

Hey, look at all the soldiers. What's the deal? Search me. They're under arrest, all of you. Everyone in this bar is under arrest. Arrest? Hey, look, who are you? Lieutenant Gonzalez of the military. Arrest for what? Look, Lieutenant... It will do you no good to argue. You will come quietly or be shot. Hey, what's going on around this joint? Oh, Drake. Looks like I'm about to get pinched.

What's the beef? You know this man, Senor Drake? I certainly do, Lieutenant. Steve Mitchell. He's down here investigating the trouble we've been having on the airline. You better take a look at my credentials, Lieutenant. Here. I see. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Senor Mitchell, but with the situation what it is, we cannot take chances. What situation? We have information that this bar is the headquarters for a revolutionary party.

That is why we raided the place. You sure there's more to this revolutionary party than a rumor? Do you think that the military would act on a mere rumor? Maybe, if the rumor was convincing enough. Well, I'll see you around, Lieutenant. And, Drake, thanks for the assist.

Good morning, Hertha. Good morning, Steve. What can I do for you? I'd like to take a look at your shipping invoices for the last couple of weeks, okay? I guess, of course. Here you are. Thanks. Yeah. Yep, here's the one I want. Now, this shipment was on the last plane that disappeared. What about it? This invoice shows five crates shipped, but the copy they have at the airfield shows six.

Well, there must have been a mistake, then. Yeah. Right now, I'm wondering who made it. Steve, I don't know what you're trying to prove, but I'm beginning to resent your inferences. Sorry, I didn't know they were showing, Hertha. I guess George was right when he said your company couldn't possibly have anything to do with the trouble the line is having. George? Yeah, Kovac's nephew. Oh, well, it was very nice of the men to come to my rescue, and I hardly know him. You hardly know George, huh?

Just to speak to on the street. I see. Well, I better be getting back to the field. I'm sorry I cannot help you, Steve. Thanks, Hertha. Maybe you have. Oh, Mitchell. Why, hello, Mr. Kovac. On your way to see Hertha? Oh, looking for you. Have you found out anything at all about these flying saucers and what's behind this thing? Mr. Kovac, so far I've been just grabbing at handfuls of smoke here and there. But there's enough smoke to mean fire somewhere.

You've got a plane going tonight, haven't you? Yes. Is there a Van Horn shipment aboard? That's right. How many crates? Five, I believe. Okay. Just one thing more. Do you have a small plane I could use? Well, there's a four-place cabin job at the field. That's perfect. Mitchell, what are you going to do? I'd like you and George to be at the control tower when your cargo plane takes off tonight, Mr. Kovac. I'll tell you what I'm going to do then.

That night I wait in the shadows near the airfield. I spot the plane, T-5, loaded and ready. The pilot is in the shack getting his weather report. I slip quietly aboard. The invoice had said five Van Horn crates, but I can count six of them. All about six feet long. I put my ear to the top crate, and I hear what I expect to hear. Then I freeze. Footsteps outside. There's a faint scrape of metal under the belly of the plane. The steps fade away.

I get out, crawl under. I take a long look, and a lot of things suddenly fall into place. I head for the control tower. George, Kovac, and Drake are there. T5 to Santa Rosa Tower, ready to go. Santa Rosa Tower to T5. Go ahead. Wind 15 at 30 degrees. Well, Mitchell, now perhaps you'll tell me why you wanted George and myself to be here tonight. Sure. I want to take you for a ride in your plane. A ride? Where?

We're going to follow the plane that's just taking off. What? Now, Mitchell. What's the matter, Kovac? Doesn't the idea appeal to you? Well, I'd rather not go, Mitchell. I don't like this idea. Afraid of what you might see, huh, Kovac? Of course not. How about you, George? Why, uh...

I don't know what you're getting at, Mitchell, but it sounds like a lot of nonsense to me. Drake, you want to go along just for the ride? Sure. Except I'm not anxious to get hit again by one of those things that hit me the other night. I think we'll be safe enough. Get the plane warmed up for me, will you? I'll be with you as soon as I make a telephone call.

Aren't you going to ready the pilot that we're following you, Mitchell? No. You and George just sit back there and keep your eyes on that plane. I don't see what you're trying to prove, Mitchell. I think you will in a minute, George. How long since takeoff, Drake? About 19, 20 minutes.

Want me to take over the controls? No, sir. Mitchell, look at that plane below. All around it. Circles of whirling light. Mitchell, the flying saucer. Relax. T-5 to Santa Rosa. T-5 to Santa Rosa. It's all around me. Flashing lights and whirling things. Must be the flying saucer. That was the pilot reporting back. Flying saucers. Wait a minute. They seem to be coming from the plane itself. They are. From underneath the plane. What?

Yeah, from a racket attached to the belly. They're not flying saucers. They're just a glorified collection of fireworks. Fireworks? Now, wait. That plane's turning left. But how can it fly at all? Something's happened to the pilot. He's the only one aboard. No, there's another guy aboard.

He's probably doing the flying now. Where'd he come from? He climbed out of a crate. Hey, the plane is heading right for that mountain that's climbing. We'll climb with it. Mitchell, what's behind all this? I don't know. Right now I'm more interested in who's behind it. Kovac, you said you were pretty heavily insured, didn't you?

Why? Yes. What's that got to do with it? Did you inspect the cargo plane before it took off? I always do. You could have attached the fireworks to that bracket under the belly when you made your inspection, couldn't you? Are you insane? Why would I do a thing like that? Wait.

George here looked over the plane after I did. That's interesting. And George usually handles the invoices. He could have altered the number of crates on them. Look, Mitchell. Hey, we're right over the mountain now. And that plane is starting to lose altitude. Tell me, George.

Why did Herda Van Horn lie about the two of you? Keep your mouth shut, Mitchell. She said she barely knew you, but when I saw the two of you in our car outside La Posada Bar, your acquaintance seemed to be more than a nodding one. George.

Have you been seeing that woman again? I distinctly told you I would not tolerate... Okay, so it's out in the open now. Sure, I've been seeing her, and I intend to keep it up. I can't help it if you don't like her. I do. We'll discuss this later, George. Hey, hey, look down there. Some faint lights. What? There's nothing but jungle there.

Look again, that's a camouflaged landing strip, and the cargo plane is landing. So that's what's been happening to my plane. What mountain is that we just came over? El Diablo. And the landing strip is right behind. Okay, we've seen enough. I'll radio back a report. Hand me that microphone, Mitchell. Drake, look out, he's got a gun. I said hand me that microphone. Okay, Drake. You know, I kind of got to figuring it was you.

As chief pilot, you were in a good spot to alter the invoices and get your stooges aboard the plane in crates. But why? Turn the radio to 4150 kilocycles, Mitchell. Okay. Yep. You were the only one who knew I was going into the jungle, too, Drake. You arranged a little booby trap for me. You're also a good actor, faking that collapse you pulled on me in the plane. Shut up and keep tuning. Okay. You're on 4150 now. This is Drake.

This is Drake. Leave the lights on. We're coming in behind the cargo plane. Stand by to receive some uninvited guests. Okay, Mitchell, go down and land. The first time you try anything smart, you'll get your head blown off.

I set the plane down on the strip. The landing lights flick off, and half a dozen of rugged-looking gents swarm out to meet us. Drake huddles with them for a few minutes, and then they haul Kovac, George, and me into a log hut hidden under the trees. They toss us in there and bolt the door. But the door has an inside bolt, too. We shoot it in place. We can't get out, but now they can't get in. Mitchell! Open the door, Mitchell! Okay, smart boy.

You'll come out running when it gets light. The hours crawl by. We sit and wait and sweat. You know what? What time is it now, Mitchell? 5 a.m. I can't stand this waiting. What good did it do us to bolt the door from the inside? We can't stay in here forever. I'm playing for time. I've still got an ace up my sleeve, but we've got to stay alive until dawn to find out if it's any good. Well, don't look now, but I think dawn's here. There's a crack of light under the door. Oh, brother.

If something doesn't happen pretty soon, we're cooked. Hey, maybe we are. Do you smell that? Gasoline. You'll be coming out pretty soon now, boys. Mitchell, he set fire to the hut. Yeah. I guess that's why he was waiting for dawn. He was afraid the fire might be spotted at night. Is this the ace up your sleeve, Mitchell? We can't stay here and roast like rats in a trap. We'll get a bullet in the belly as soon as we open that door. Couple of keen choices.

I'll take my chances with the bullets. Come on. Let's get this door unbolted. But they'll kill us. I'll take fresh air with mine. Hey, wait a minute. Listen. A plane. That's the ace up my sleeve I was talking about. Sounds like it's coming down. Who is it? Just before we took off last night, I made a phone call, remember? It was to Lieutenant Gonzalez of the military. Gonzalez? But how did he know what happened to us after we took off? We'll do that later. Let's get out of here.

Gonzales' boys are taking no chances. They want that landing strip clear when they sit down. Come on, George, let's get this door unboldened. Okay. Okay, come on. Look at them scatter. Hey, Mitchell, there goes Drake, trying for the jungle. I'll get him. Watch out, he's got a gun. I see it. You can't run and shoot at the same time, Drake. Better make up your mind, which. Okay, I'll shoot, Mitchell. Too late, Drake.

Go of me. He who hesitates is... Lost, you know. Mitchell. Mitchell, you okay? Yeah. How are Gonzales and his boys doing? Well, they seem to be mopping up in a hurry. Mitchell.

I still don't understand how Gonzalez found out. Well, when I called him last night, I told him our radio frequency and I asked him to listen in. Then I kept the mic open the entire time. Gonzales overheard everything that was said in our plane, huh? Yeah, including the location of the landing strip. But I knew he wouldn't try to bring a plane in here before dawn. That's why I was hoping we'd still be alive by then. Why were Drake and his outfit trying to ruin my airline? Look.

If you're going to operate a secret landing strip, you don't want a regular airline flying through the area. They figured the flying saucer gag would scare you off. Well, it seems to me this was a pretty big operation for a small revolutionary party in a small country, Mitchell. You know, I've been thinking that, too. Could be. That's all there is to it.

But it's not a long hop from here to the Panama Canal. Maybe somebody else had ideas about using this strip eventually. Of course, we'll never know. And anyway, it doesn't matter much now. Yeah. Speaking of things, we'll never know. We didn't prove anything one way or the other about flying saucers in this deal. We proved something as far as Drake's concerned of. What's that? If you monkey around with fireworks long enough, you're sure to get your nose burned. Or busted.

You have just heard another episode in the exciting new adventure series, Dangerous Assignment, starring Brian Donlevy in the role of Steve Mitchell. Dangerous Assignment is written by Bob Reif, with music by Bruce Ashley. and was directed tonight by Max Hutto. Be with us again next week at this time when Brian Donlevy, starring as Steve Mitchell, will embark on another dangerous assignment.

And we're back with Old Time Radio Essentials. This is Pat with Paul and Pete, and that was an episode of Dangerous Assignment, originally broadcast on NBC Radio on April 17th, 1950. And now, Paul.

since this was your pick please tell us why you chose this particular episode why why not Why ask why? Because it was there. I like the secret agent genre kind of stuff. And I actually recognize the name Brian Donlevy. It's like, oh, wait a minute. I've seen this guy before. I've seen a lot of movies and all that. We'll give it a shot. And besides this. is one we haven't done yet. It's been five years. True, true, true. The selections are getting shorter. Some of the stuff that we...

don't want to do, you know, like the soap operas or, you know, the little kiddie shows, you know, like that so much. So trying to get something interesting in there that was more for the adults. It's getting a little thinner to choose from. Oh, I don't know. There's still hundreds and hundreds of shows that we could tap. There are years and years left of old-time radio essentials. Well, there goes your excuse, Paul. It'll be ancient times.

This is episode 653. And now we just have to explain to the new people what radio means. But, no, I actually kind of liked the show because it was just, how should I say, it wasn't as good as, what was the Bogart and Bacall one? Bold Venture. Yeah, it's Bold Venture. Dangerous Adventure. Dangerous Adventure. Bold Venture. Yeah, very close. Yeah, see? You almost wonder if he did this because he was jealous. I figured I'll give it a shot, so I started listening to it. It's like...

It ain't that bad. It's okay. I mean, I was never going, holy crap, where have you been my whole life? But I was kind of like, you know, it's all right. I've heard worse. You know, all those really good complimentary things that you say about shows, I've heard worse, you know. I had a lot of room for improvement, you know. Like a different star. Yeah. The thing with Brian Donliver, everyone, it's like he's pick up the pace or something. It's like, well, he...

That's the downside, I guess. If you watch enough things where people are trying to be cool, they gotta be... The voice has got to be down here like this. You don't need too many squeaky people trying to be really cool, you know? The voice has got to be down here. But you also can't talk too fast when you're trying to be down here low because it doesn't really work that much either. I am a secret agent! And my pants are very tight. Hello!

In my heel, I have a gun. Wait, let me get it. Don't move. So as you see, you know, when you got places where. You know, they're trying to do this entire adventure in like 20 minutes. He's got to try and squeeze it in a little bit more that it can be kind of rough to try and keep that deep, slow-moving voice.

When you just don't have the time for it, and he's got to pick up the pace. It's like, okay, now that just sounds silly. And so, but I didn't think it was that bad. I thought it was okay. I mean, we've had some other dogs on here. Mostly picked by me because those are our most fun episodes. Merry Red Beaver. I wasn't going to say it, Pete, but if you want to, go ahead. I already did. First time listeners are going to be going, what the hell? Search our backlog of episodes for Harry and Pete.

of our episodes yeah but you know i i kind of wish that you know don levy had had a little bit of excitement like

You are in a hut that is on fire. They've doused it with gasoline. They've set fire to it. It seems to be burning awful slow while you're in there talking. Also. Who the heck builds a hut and puts a bolt to lock it from the inside as well as from the outside? That just does not make... Like, there are so many... oh, it just so happens moments. It really strains credulity. The first thing that pops into my mind when you say that, Pat, was...

Oh, I know a guy who works for the company and his brother's a kind of guide. He could take you through the jungle. Yeah. Pablo. Yeah. And, you know, this... this investigator character, gee, he just happens to be able to fly a plane. He was a pilot in the past. Like, how many other skills do we not know about? Now, I think Don Levy had actually been a pilot at one time.

so that might be like a bit of an in reference but still you know it just that that's just too big a coincidence and oh they the you know the crates that they're bringing gee they just happen to be about Between five and six feet long. Hmm. That's convenient. And he listened closely and he heard what he thought he was going to hear. Heavy breathing?

um we don't know what it was but we don't know what he was expecting you know we found out soon enough and you know the villains they're all foreign of course well yeah the location is foreign too but i also pick up on a bit of subtext like herda that's how a spanish-speaking person would pronounce Gerda, right? And after the war, there were a lot of Nazis who moved to South America. So...

I suspect her name was Gerda. And you listen to her accent as well. It does sound kind of German. So there's all these, you know, it just. Okay. And also the reference to, well, you know, it's just a small country and this whole revolutionary party and stuff like. why is it such a big deal oh well there may be people you know we're near the panama canal there may be people around there and they'd be and you know they want to spread the message over there or something so

Yeah, I get it. This was the, you know, the fear of communism and fascism and all the rest of it going on in big bad evil South America. America's got to be careful on that. But it just kind of strained. Well, there's all of that, but there's also the underlying... uh subplot of the flying saucers and i'm doing air quotes when i say flying saucers really well and what was thank you thank you uh what was that thing the guy suffered from

When he saw the flying saucers, was it a heart attack? Was it just like a natural thing? He was just acting. He was just acting because the guy actually says to him, right? Because it's the son or the nephew of the guy who owns it. the airline. There were so many characters in here, I got mixed up on who was who. Yeah, and at the end, or near the end, yeah, the...

Don Levy's character, he does have a bit of a crack to him saying, yeah, you're quite an actor. That routine you pulled when you were up in the plane there. There is no way in hell you would mistake fireworks that have been stuck on the outside of your plane for flying saucers because you're going to be hearing all these... And metal ring. Wasn't it like metal rings with wires attached? I'm thinking...

How did that backlash and get into the prop and just drop you? Stuck on, you know, with like a magnet or something, I guess, on the outside of the plane. But yeah, you're going to see it. You're going to hear it. you're going to feel something there too. You know, it's. Oh, shut up. It's a 20 minute episode for God's sake.

I'm sorry. I am a writer. I have a writer's brain. Well, what I was thinking was that because those who were plotting this particular thing were ready with the excuse that it was flying saucers. Yeah. Is what I'm thinking. Because when they say they saw the lights, they saw the flashing, they saw the circular, whatever it was.

They said, oh, it must have been flying saucers. We've got to be careful there, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, but it might fool people, you know, like villagers on the ground or something. But if you're actually in the plane, it's... it's not going to fool you. You're going to feel there's something exploding on the outside of my plane. And it's not a huge plane either. The first time they run into it, it wasn't on their plane. It was one that passed them. Because remember you hear...

as something goes past them. And I'm thinking, first of all... Where the hell did you get another plane that could fly that much faster than yours around there? It could have been like a Roman candle or a rocket, you know, where it fires off from there so it's nearby. But, you know, it's firing like it's mounted on the plane. But, you know, what would... spark it and trigger it. And yeah, there's just too many.

logical holes in this thing no he had a fuse that takes 25 minutes to burn and he lit it just when they were taking how long a fuse that takes 25 minutes to burn would have to be like you could wrap the entire exterior of the plane in it And it still wouldn't last for 25 minutes. Did you see the exterior of the plane? You don't know. My imagination knows.

That's funny. That's too funny. We're geeking out here discussing. We are. We are. That's great. This is good. This is what we're famous for, right? And we are unsupervised. Geeking out unsupervised discussion. That's the fun stuff. Oh, yeah. But, you know, I really do wonder, like, you know, Don Levy was just sort of phoning this in. Like, you are in this hut. It's on fire. You run into this trap in the jungle.

You know, there's a guy with a gun in your back threatening to shoot you if you do anything stupid or move the wrong way. And there is like no change in your tone. There is no. Look out, Pablo. He's got a gun. Yeah, there's like no underlying tension there. I mean, I'm thinking this character's on some serious quaaludes. Has anyone seen the movie, the original movie, Twister? Nope. Helen Hunt. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I saw that.

See, the problem that a lot of people have with that first movie is they're like, well, you know, you get the action is so exciting and blah, blah, blah. But, you know, it just didn't feel excited. You know, it didn't feel all. It's like, well, you got these two, the two main characters are trained professionals who were taught to keep a level head in those situations. So when everything is going nuts, when you have these people who are talking in a very...

you know, patterned manner and everything, and kind of drain the energy from it. So you bring it up, you bring it up like that, and they were ad-libbing, there's a cow! Oh my god! There's a tree! That's what I hated about Twister because there's no real dialogue there. There's like, okay, react to the things you see on the green screen. Yeah. which is the problem with everything being green screen and cdi because there's nothing really to react to yeah there's a tree

That's what I hated. I mean, I lost all respect for not Helen Hunt because she's brilliant, but... Bill Paxton? Bill Paxton. I never had much respect for Bill Paxton in the first place, but after he was in that, I was like, I don't want to see anything with Bill Paxton. I'm not sure how much respect you have for Bill Paxton when he was... played in, what was it? True Lies. Not Better Off Dead. What's the one with Kelly LeBrock and the two kids? Oh, yeah. Real Science.

Real science. When he ends up, the last shot you see of him, I think he was a large scrotum. Yeah. Well, that was funny. That was funny. But I liked him in True Lies, but then when he was in... Oh, yeah, the car salesman. Yeah, when he was in... Aliens. When he was in Twister, I just lost respect for him. Same way with Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. Ugh. Anyway. You know, actors just phoning it in here. Like, that's really what I think Don Levy was doing. He was just, you know, yeah, I...

commissioned this series. I am the lead. I can do whatever I want. He was collecting a paycheck and he didn't have to rehearse. He probably had that in his contract. There was even a line fluff in there, and this is transcribed. It's recorded. You can stop and pick it up again. No, they just did it. They could be at the country club in another 20 minutes. Come on. Yeah, it's just you could.

have done it so much better but you didn't it's just such a wasted opportunity and i think of how a better proper radio actor would do it and just finding little notes to add to the performance just little nuances things like that no don lemme it's just going to play one note all the way through it Yeah. Maybe that's how he, well, you know, if you look at some of the roles that he's had in movies, you know, he was kind of like Mr. That's good enough. Yeah. Even, yeah, even his.

I mean, he was a handsome guy with that thin mustache, like Adolf Manjou, you know, was able to pull off dashing pretty well visually. But then when you're listening to him. You know, part of that is missing because you can't see him saying the words. So it's coming across as flat. Speaking of visually, Paul, you said that... You have seen an episode of the TV version of this. Oh, yeah. Brian Don Levy. Tell us about that. Tell us. Please. Is there any more life there? No.

Well, he's probably pretty old. He's in his late 40s by this time, right? That is not very old. Back then it was. Well, he was born in 1910 and, you know, he'd had a pretty... Pretty long career by that time. But I mean, there was more, it was more believable on the radio show than it was on television. Oh, sorry, 1901. So he was already in his 50s by that time. Yeah. The radio show was better than the TV show. Why? Why? How? Just the energy that he had always.

He had less on TV? Oh, yeah. How is that possible? He almost had that feeling like, Jesus Christ, could you wrap it up? I mean, he's looking at people. He's giving that kind of, seriously, we're going to go on with this kind of look. You still have two more minutes of dialogue. So he makes Perry Como seem hyperactive. Yeah, I had to come down here to Chile just to run around by you people, just answer the freaking questions so I can go home. It wasn't shot on location, was it?

in the TV show. The TV thing wasn't shot on location, was it? No, no, no. They weren't going to spend that kind of money. No, I didn't think so. Today I was watching it and... I think it might have been in Chile. And he's down there and he's talking to one of the local detectives. And they're standing next to each other. And the guy says to him, Mr. Mitchell, I shall...

Talk to you tomorrow. Have a safe night. And then it's like a pause, and then he's supposed to walk away. Well, there was like... A long pause, and then you can see Don Levy hit him with an elbow to remind the guy you have to exit now. And he hits him with the elbow, and then the guy finally leaves. Now, was this done live, or was it actually...

I doubt if it was live, but I wouldn't be terribly surprised with the flubs and that that you see in it. Of course, it could be the exact same quality of editing there was in the radio show. Yeah. Just can't be bothered or it's not in the budget. Just keep going. No one will notice. This is coming out of my pocket if we do this, damn it. That's the trouble with crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Well, the thing about, let me point out a couple more glaring.

Biggies. To me, biggies. I mean, you've got Pablo, whose Spanish is his first language, and they find that piece of paper in his pocket that says La Posada. And he said, what is La Posada? And Pablo, being a Spanish speaker, should say, well, La Posada means... the inn or the hotel or the hostel but he immediately says oh that is the name of a bar in blah blah blah blah blah how does he know

Okay, how does he know which it refers to? So that's a big... giveaway right there that unless it's a super super notorious bar we're dealing with non-spanish speakers who don't know what posada really means so they just go with that so yeah so that's a that's another Big error right there. And I mean, if he had found maybe a matchbook cover that said La Posada, that would have made more sense that it's a dive bar.

on the waterfront in Chile or whatever. Do they have a waterfront in Chile? Probably, because it's on the coast. Well, it's Ecuador, but... Okay. I lost track of where they were. Yeah. What other things were there in there? Oh, and you've got like, you know, the classic thing. Look out. He's got a gun. Yeah. Not like. get your hands up or a click of it or anything like that it's like look out he's got a gun do you see this gun in my right hand yes i assure you it's fully loaded with bullets

Doesn't sound at all familiar, does it, Pete? I've got my hand covering your mouth so you can't talk. I am stabbing you with this knife and making holes in your stomach. But yeah, minimal sound effects too. Like, you know, if it was something like. you know lights out or arch obler's place you'd be getting graphic sound effects they spent all the money on that it's so blaring that music i don't know if it's

It's just, you know, somebody maybe thought they'd fix up the original or just what. But it's awful. It's like Gangbusters is quiet compared to that. Well, they wanted to make it sound adventurous. we wanted to grab everyone's attention yeah that way people all over the house will know the show is starting So they can turn off the radio or change the station. Yes. You start hearing doors slamming, you know. Oh, that crap again. How many times have I told you not to play that?

Oh, yeah. I think we're getting silly now. Molly in 20 minutes. It's Fibber, McGee, and Molly.

Okay, I think we should probably vote on this. Okay, before Brian Donlevy comes back from the dead and comes after this. Yeah, Brian. Okay, so let's vote. Now, what are we voting on, dear listener? as a reminder we're voting on one whether this particular episode is a true representative installment of the overall series and b whether or not it is a true essential a standalone show that belongs in every radio aficionado's collection and again paul since this was your selection you go first what

Go first! Go first! I was drifting off, dreaming of the show. Okay. We're going to have a... It's not going to jibe. We're not all going to be on the same page this time. Ooh, that's a first. I liked it.

Because, I mean, it was really something you just listen to while you're working. Don't pay too much attention. Oh, I might miss something. Nah, you're not. It's kind of like... rock and roll at the beginning you know it was it comes in quick got a good hook about two and a half minutes and it's done you know that's kind of how you can describe this show you know

Blah, blah, blah. He starts playing the music. Oh, hey, he gets an assignment. Hey, let's go do the assignment. Assignment's done. Let's leave. Okay, next assignment, you know. And so I didn't think it was... It wasn't great, mind you, but it was... Tolerable. I thought it was, I mean, I've heard ones that are not palpable. Palatable, I meant to say. This one was for me.

Because, you know, compared to you two highbrows, I have much lower standards. You know. If I'm highbrow, that bar is pretty damn low. I mean... you guys are sitting there always, oh, wait a minute, this radio show, yes, that guy played, who was here from 1943 to 1947, and he did 17 different voices, and I'm like, I liked it. So I've listened to enough of the radio shows. Unfortunately, I've seen enough of the TV show too. But yes, this is a true representation of what the series is like.

Sorry. And I didn't mind it. I will give it a thumbs up for that and also say there was a, you know, I don't think every radio aficionado, I mean, unless you're very forgiving. You know, again, you're working in the garage. You're working on redoing a piece of furniture or something. He just wants something on. That's fine.

You know, because it's not good enough to draw your attention in to make you stop what you're doing. So in that regard, it was fine. You know, kind of like Brian Donlevy's acting in general. It's good enough to get by. So there we go. Okay. Well, I agree with you, Paul. I think that it's got certain attributes that... Would allow you to

Just listen halfway in the background. If I had it on, like, my Bluetooth earbuds while I was trying to fall asleep, it would probably let me drift off pretty quickly. Really. Oh, yeah. Until that theme song came. Son of a... I was almost there. I was almost there. Almost there. Make a good alarm tone. yeah it would it would or or ringtone yeah somebody's on the phone so um i want to just bring out that brian dime levy did have a military career. He was born in 1901.

So he's pretty old by the time the show came around. He's already in his 50s. He'd already had a pretty long career from starting in the 1930s. He was in Beaugest. the original Beaugest in 1939. A movie that made him famous was The Great McGinty. He was nominated for an Academy Award, believe it or not, as Best Supporting Actor for Beaugest. Now...

He lied about his age. To get into World War I. To get into World War I. He was 14 years old. I mean, that's crazy. There's lots of teenagers who did that. Because for you, it's just a big adventure. Yeah, so he came back from the war and started being in New York theater. was a model for arrow collar advertisements, like an arrow shirt or an arrow collar. And so he was just, he had a brilliant career.

And it's just, unfortunately, it ends, you know, with kind of this soporific mess called Dangerous Assignment. But, you know, I think... enough people listen to it it was probably a sustaining show i don't remember hearing any commercials so it's probably a sustaining feature with no uh sponsor uh um and i don't know i don't know the details was it syndicated

Or was it just like on a network? Because I don't remember any. Good question, yeah. Well, Pat, what's the answer? I'm looking it up. Hang on. We usually count on you to know these little pieces.

You mean you don't know? Different sponsors including Ford Motor Company, Wheaties, Aniston, Chesterfield Smokes, RCA Victor Records, but... it was mostly sustained for over half of its run okay well what's your uh opinion of uh you gotta vote on this vote damn it vote vote on this one yes let's let's vote on this one well

you know all i've said like yes it is representative i did listen to a bunch of other episodes it was difficult because you know i wish i could just sit back and just yeah it's an episode but you know when you write stuff Your mind is always looking at that. I bet you I know what she did wrong. I bet you she paid attention. While she was listening. Yeah. See? She wasn't sanding a chest of drawers or tightening spark plugs. Leave my chest of drawers out of this.

folding laundry you know snake in a drain yeah i mean it also occurred to me maybe this would be you know maybe your key audience for this would be teenage boys and maybe like young guys in their 20s or something so you know you've got the idea the guy's good with the ladies it's adventure all that stuff okay that might have been more of the target audience could be not that I can tell you in the TV show they didn't have a really big budget for beautiful ladies. Probably not.

But in this one, he did have a couple of cringy lines. Well, it looks like the company's in good hands, he said to Herda. Yep. I was like, oh, my God. And the other bit, oh, you know, I've got a date with a redhead or something. The redhead. You're sending me off here. You're not even going to let me give her a chance to storm off, you know, get out of the car and walk home.

yeah but that was acceptable back then that was like yeah he's a lady killer nowadays nope didn't age well it aged like milk but uh yeah it's Not my... Thanks, Uncle Brian. You're a real perv.

Yeah. To me, it is not a true essential at all. It does not belong in every Aficionado's collection. Okay. But yeah, it's definitely... Unless they have a person they don't like. It's like, well, here, take this home and let's... to it yeah um so yeah invite them to listen to don't ask me for anything else i'll tell you that yeah and you know it is it is kind of sad too like you know the guy had great career before and you know maybe this was just he needed the money or

maybe he he saw oh well bogey and bacall are doing it it can't be that hard i'll do it myself who knows at the time it may have been a completely acceptable form of entertainment Who knows what people thought in the 1950s? Exactly. Look at it this way. Let's say Doctor Who right now. Or any science fiction. I'm talking about one that's got legs to it like this.

To where people are, oh, so up in arms. It's like, well, you can't do that because in this episode you showed this part of the thing and you can't do that because it's not canon. I hate that term. That's not canon. I'll shoot you with my freaking Star Wars canon. This was a kid's show. They probably wrote half the scripts on a napkin.

away afterwards because who gives a shit? It's a kid's show. Don't take it so seriously. That's probably what it was. Just put something out there. Somebody's listening. Who cares? And you mentioned a number of episodes, Paul. How many episodes of this was there? More than 100? Yeah. Of the radio show? People obviously liked it. Yeah, so people obviously liked it.

I mean, there was, I think it was 110 episodes. Wow. Okay, so we basically got two. It's tolerable if you don't listen to it too carefully or think too hard about it. And one. Yeah, seriously, don't listen to it too carefully and do not think too hard about it. You'll just hurt your head. Yeah, that's pretty much it. Yeah, pretty much it. There we go.

Well, folks, this brings us to the end of episode 49. or if you live in a parallel universe, episode 12 of season four with Pete Lutz, Pat Rosebank, and me, Paul RBC. Next go around, it'll be a brand new season. God, season five. Can you believe it?

And they said it wouldn't last. And also Pete's pick. And what show will you be bringing us to kick off season five, Sparky? Next time, in keeping with our longstanding tradition of commencing a new... season with some sort of radio drama that stars or guest stars mr orson wells we'll begin our fifth season with an episode of the adventures of sherlock holmes that particular iteration starring sir john gilgood

and Sir Ralph Richardson as Holmes and Watson, in my opinion, the best iteration of Sherlock Holmes, with Orson himself as Professor Moriarty. And I'll be bringing in a guest, essential listener Andy Hartson-Foyer, who has his own podcast entitled Bat Soup. Sounds like a good one, Sparky. Do we know when season five will begin? Uh, uh, uh. Oh, then. Okie doke. In a couple of months, I think.

Always good to leave a bit of space between the seasons. Oh, yeah. And now, Paul, Pat, tell the masses what they need to know. Old 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. Narada Radio Company and Moonlight Audio Theater. Please follow us on Blue Sky. We're new there at naradaradio.bsky.com.

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Remember, friends, you can now find every single episode of Old Time Radio Essentials on one page at the Internet Archive. Just click to archive.org forward slash details forward slash OTR dash E. Or just go to archive.org. and search old time radio essentials podcast. Now, if you didn't catch our email, when Pat spelled it out, rewind and listen again, or just look for it in the show notes. You know, we love hearing from listeners. So if you have feedback,

or a suggestion for a future episode, write to us. And if we take your suggestion, we'll send you some nifty Narada swag. Look, we don't have a Patreon. We don't ask for any money. Just your time and your ears. Anyway, feedback is one of the only ways we can tell if you're listening, so be sure to drop us a line. And thank you. Before we close, do either of you have any projects coming up that you'd like to plug? Nope.

Paul, how about you? Weren't you in a movie just a while ago? Yeah, last weekend. Tell us about it. It's just a little local thing, independent type. It's called... a poet in the modern world and it's I guess about a lot of angst so it's a real happy-go-lucky kind of thing Now that I'm moved into my new place and all of my personal priorities are taken care of, I can get back to audio production and I'm planning on finally producing.

My adaptation of The Stranger, the Orson Welles movie, which is in the public domain, thank goodness, for Sonic Summerstock Playhouse, which will come out hopefully in August. So that's what I'm... That's what I'm working on these days. I hope to see your movie, Paul. I hope it'll come out. Oh, you're shaking your head. God only knows how long that's going to be. You've given a kind of a grimace, but okay.

Anyway, but let's wrap things up and vamonos. Hey, thanks, Polly. Thanks, Pat. And please, dear listener, join us next time, won't you, for another fun installment of All Time Radio Essentials. Bye-bye for now. Bye. Bye. Don't forget to write. Please don't forget to write. I'll phone in my goodbyes. 63 audio. This is Mewtwo.