T H E C I N N A M O N B E A R
----- --------------- -------
1937?
First Show: Nov ??, 1937 (?) Last Show: Dec 24, 1937 (?)
Number Shows: 26 Audition Show: Nov ??, 1937 (?)
Series Description:
The CINNAMON BEAR is the classic story of Judy and Jimmy Barton who
search for the family's Silver Star which goes on top of their
Christmas tree. They discover the star has disappeared from the
attic. Then they meet The Cinnamon Bear, and fly to Maybeland in his
Soda Pop Airplane in pursuit of the Crazy Quilt Dragon, whom they
believe took the ornament. They meet a host of characters, including
Crazy Quilt Dragon, The Wintergreen Witch, Fe Fo the Giant, and even
Santa Claus.
Each amazing adventure is a cliffhanger. Several times they recover
the star, only to lose it again. Eventually the star is found for
good and they return home just in time for Christmas.
This classic story was written by Glan Heisch, inspired by the
stuffed bear of his boyhood, for his daughter, Catherine. Radio
historians differ on the year of the first broadcast. Some say 1937,
others say 1943. It would seem that it was "heard" several years
before it was transcribed for broadcast. Airplay would start just
after Thanksgiving and run until Christmas Eve.
Production:
Writer: Glanville Heisch
Director: Lindsay MacHarrie
Music Composer: Don Honrath
Orchestra: Felix Mills
Singers: Paul Taylor Quartet
Recorded at: Radio Recorders
Cast of Characters:
Paddy O'Cinnamon: Buddy Duncan
(The Cinnamon Bear)
Mother: Verna Felton
Judy: Barbara Jean Wong
Jimmy: unknown
Crazy Quilt Dragon: Joseph Kerns
Snapper Snick Crocodile: Hanley Stafford
Samuel the Seal: Howard McNear
Slim the Cowboy: Howard McNear
Penelope the Pelecan: Elvia Allman
Mr. Presto, The Magician: Elliot Lewis
Santa Claus: Lou Merrill
Captain Tintop: Frank Nelson
Captain Taffy, The Pirate: Cy Kendall
Indian Chief: Cy Kendall
Weary Willie, The Stork: Gale Gordon
Oliver Ostrich: Gale Gordon
King Blotto: Ted Osborne
Professor Whiz, The Owl: Ted Osborne
Fe Fo, The Gentle Giant: Joe DuVal
Wintergreen Witch: Martha Wentworth
Fraidy Cat: Dorothy Scott
Assistant Blotto Executioner: Ed Max
Mudley: Elliot Lewis or Ed Max
Narrator: Bud Heistand
Snowman: Bill Thompson
Log Comments:
The introductory information (Show Description, Production, Cast
above) came from Ken Piletic, who posted it to the Internet Digest
Volume 95: Issue 348 on October 25, 1995. Show descriptions came
from a friend's OTR list. I had already started a log, when the
digest containing Ken's post arrived. Since it had so much good
information, I included it here.
These shows did not have titles for the episodes. Titles from
various references varied wildly. Most of the titles used here are
Ken's titles or close to it.
All sources offered the full series (except University of Memphis,
which offered only episode 1 and 2). In addition, an audition show is
offered by Shawn Wells (see "References" section).
Chronological Log:
Num Episode Title and Description
--- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Aud Audition for series
1 Paddy O'Cinnamon
Judy and Jimmy write letters to Santa. The Silver Star
Christmas ornament is missing and the kids go up to the attic
to find it. They meet Paddy O'Cinnamon (the Cinnamon Bear) who
tells them the Silver Star was taken to Maybeland by the Crazy
Quilt Dragon.
2 Weary Willie
Paddy O'Cinnamon shows Judy and Jimmy how to de-grow so they
can follow the Crazy Quilt Dragon to the Lollipop Mountains.
They climb into Paddy's Soda Pop Airplane and fly through the
tunnel.
3 Crazy Quilt Dragon
Feeling remorseful for drinking their Soda Pop and stranding
them in Looking Glass Valley without fuel, Weary Willie the
Stork fly's them out on his back. They catch Crazy Quilt but
he drops the Silver Star in the Root Beer Ocean.
4 The Inkaboos
While they try to find the Silver Star, they are captured by
the Inkaboos. King Blotto is insulted and sentences them to
die in the Immense Inkwell.
5 Wesley, The Wailing Whale
Crazy Quilt Comes to the rescue, and they escape to the Root
Beer Ocean and see the Star floating on the Root Beer Ocean.
6 Samuel Seal
Wesley the Wailing Whale swallows the Silver Star. Samuel Seal
recovers the Silver Star from Wesley the Wailing Whale only to
have Penelope the Pelican carry it off.
7 Presto, The Magician
Judy and Jimmy meet Presto the Magician who pulls Penelope The
Pelican from his hat but she had dropped the Silver Star on the
island of Obi.
8 Candy Pirates
The kids are captured by Captain Taffy and his pirates. They
take the kids to the magic island and loan them a rowboat.
9 Roly-Poly Policeman
The kids are on the magic island where the Roly Poly Policeman
has taken their star for his uniform. But before they can get
to him, Crazy Quilt Dragon runs off with it again.
10 Professor Whiz
Cinnamon Bear has disappeared and the kids are chasing Crazy
Quilt Dragon to get their star. Professor Whiz tells them
about the Wintergreen Witch. They follow Crazy Quilt into the
Picture Forest, where they meet Fraidy Cat.
11 Fee Foo, The Gentle Giant
Fee Foe shows the kids the Goody-Goody Grove and invites them
for lunch. Then they start to follow Crazy Quilt when it
suddenly gets very, very dark.
12 Rhyming Rabbit
The kids meet up again Crazy Quilt who says the Wintergreen
Witch forced him to steal the Silver Star. While trying to
find their way back to the Wintergreen Witch's house, they
encounter the Rhyming Rabbit.
13 Wintergreen Witch
The Wintergreen Witch tries to take the kids' Silver Star and
change them into mice, but they get away. After their hurried
flight, Crazy Quilt sits on the Silver Star and breaks it.
14 Queen Melissa
Crazy Quilt suggests they all visit Melissa, the Queen of
Maybeland, who can tell them how to fix the Silver Star.
15 Snaper Snick, The Crocodile
The kids learn that they can only read Melissa's magic
instructions in total darkness, which only occurs in the
Wishing Woods. On the way they meet Snapper Snick, The
Crooning Crocodile, who swallows the magic instructions.
16 Oliver Ostrich
Snapper Snick explains that he reads by eating and that's how
he is able to read in the dark. The kids learn that the
instructions send them to the Wishing Well. On the way they
meet Oliver Ostrich who eats alarm clocks. Oliver directs them
to the Wishing Well and Paddy O'Cinnamon falls in.
17 The Muddlers
The kids use their one wish from the Wishing Well to get
Cinnamon Bear out of the Wishing Well, and now they can't fix
their star with the Wishing Well's magic. While trying to get
out of the Wishing Woods, they encounter the Muddlers and the
River of Mud.
18 Cocklebur Cowboys
Slim Pickens and the Cockleburr Cowboys of the Purple Plain
come to the rescue of the kids, Cinnamon Bear and Crazy Quilt,
pulling them from the mud.
19 Wooden Indian
The kids are being chased by Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, a
wooden Indian who wants Crazy Quilt's pelt for his girlfriend
Many Happy Returns. Judy trades her looking glass to him
instead. After he leaves, they encounter the Wintergreen Witch
again in the Golden Grove.
20 Flying Hat
The Grand Wonky arrives in the nick of time to banish the
Wintergreen Witch to Looking Glass Valley. While searching for
the Singing Tree, they find the Flying Hat and it has a
mysterious note attached.
21 Snowman
The note invites the crew inside where they find chairs just
the right size for all of them. The Flying Hat carries them to
the Land of Ice and Snow to get the star fixed. They ask the
snowman how to find Nicki Froodle, as Melissa told them. Nicki
turns out to be an Elf, and he takes them to see Santa Claus.
22 Santa Claus
Santa welcomes the kids and introduces them to Jack Frost who
repairs the Silver Star only to have it vanish again.
23 The Bad Dolls
The Bad Dolls have stolen the Silver Star. Santa orders out
the Tin Soldiers to capture the Bad Dolls and return the Silver
Star.
24 The Parade
The Wintergreen Witch appears again aiding the Bad Dolls in
defeating the Tin Soldiers. Santa orders out reinforcements
while Judy and Jimmy watch the Christmas Parade. After the
Parade Captain Tintop brings back the Silver Star.
25 Captain Tintop
Captain Tintop tells how they defeated the Wintergreen Witch
and then the group goes to a grand banquet hosted by Santa
Claus. After the banquet Crazy Quilt runs off with the Silver
Star once again.
26 North Pole (Last Episode)
Crazy heads for the North Pole with Santa, Jimmy Judy and Nicki
Froodle in chase. They catch Crazy Quilt and tickle him to
recover the Silver Star. Then they wake up in the attic in
time to decorate the Christmas Tree.
References:
* "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All
Circulating Shows", by Jay Hickerson, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514
* OTR club and vendor catalogs or web sites:
* University of Memphis Radio Program Archive, Microforms Dept.,
McWherter Library, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152
* North American Radio Archives, 134 Vincewood Dr., Nicolasville,
KY 40356
* The Old Time Radio Shop, Shawn A. Wells, 606 Bigelow Road,
Mansfield, OH 44907
* Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety And
Comedy, PO Box 7177, Van Nuys, CA 91409-7177
* Radio Historical Association of Colorado, PO Box 1908,
Englewood, CO 80150
* Radio Spirits, PO Box 2141, Schiller Park, IL 60176-2141
Other Logs or Books:
* CINNANON BEAR log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com)
* CINNANON BEAR log, Audio Classics Archive, Terry Salomonson, P.O.
Box 347, Howell, MI 48844-0347 (http://www.audio-classics.com)
Last Update: May 20, 2004
This log is informational only. It does not imply that I or my
references have these shows for trade or sale. The shows may still
be protected under copyright law and should be obtained only from
authorized dealers.
The log may be freely reproduced and published on a no-profit basis.
Please send error corrections or additional information to Frank M.
Passage, 109 Elmwood Road, Verona, NJ 07044 (email: wb2ntp@arrl.net).