C R I M E C L A S S I C S
--------- ---------------
1953 - 1954
First Show: Jun 15, 1953 Last Show: Jun 30, 1954
Number Shows: 52 Audition Show: Dec 03, 1952
Series Description:
CRIME CLASSICS aired first on CBS as a summer replacement series for
SUSPENSE, from June 15, 1953 though Sept 7, 1953. It continued the
following season for a single season, aining from Sept. 30, 1953 to
June 30, 1954.
CRIME CLASSICS dramatized true crime dramas from history to the for
the radio audience. Low Merrill narrated. It was produced by Elliott
Lewis. The shows were directed by Elliott Lewis and Ken McMannus.
Announcers for the series were Robert Lemond, Roy Rowen and Larry
Thor. The series sustained for the Summer run and may have been
without a sponsor for the regular series. There is one recording
availablethat includes a Plymouth commercial, introducing their 1954
models (the show of October 14, 1953).
The series was rebroadcast on AFRS and later on AFTRS under the
"Mystery Theater" title, that also rebroadcast other Olt-Time Radio
mystery and crime shows.
Log Comments:
The shows of the series featured long titles, which were abbreviated
by many vendors in their catalogs. Titles used in this log are the
long versions, where found. Occasionally, the short titles give
additional information, so are listed as alternates below the main
title. Thanks to the Jerry Haendiges' log, titles for missing shows
are included. "(missing)" will appear after the title.
The show number colume, "Num", indicates the number in a specific
run. The Summer shows start with "S", the regular series shows start
with "R".
Chronological Log:
Date Num Title
------------ --- --------------------------------------------------
Dec 03, 1952 Aud The Crime of Bathsheba Spooner, the First Woman to
be Tried for Murder in the US
................... Summer Series ................
.................. (aired Mondays) ...............
Jun 15, 1953 S01 The Crime of Bathsheba Spooner, the First Woman to
be Tried for Murder in the US (same as audition)
Jun 22, 1953 S02 The Shockingly Peaceful Passing of Thomas Edwin
Bartlett, Greengrocer
Jun 29, 1953 S03 The Checkered Life And Sudden Death Of Col. Fisk,
Jr.
Jul 06, 1953 S04 The Shrapnelled Body Of Charles Drew, Sr.
Jul 13, 1953 S05 The Terrible Deed Of Dr. John White Webster and
His Crime That Shocked the Nation
Jul 20, 1953 S06 The Death of a Picture Hanger (Jesse James)
Jul 27, 1953 S07 The Final Day of General Ketchum & How He Died
Aug 03, 1953 S08 The Dread Event Surrounding Mr. Thrower's Hammer
Aug 10, 1953 S09 The Axe And The Droot Family, How They Fared
Aug 17, 1953 S10 The Incredible Trial Of Laura D. Fair
Aug 24, 1953 S11 The Alsop Family, How It Diminished And Grew Again
Aug 31, 1953 S12 Your Loving Son, Nero
Alt: Nero and His Mother
Sep 07, 1953 S13 The Torment of Henrietta Robinson, And Why She
Killed
Alt: Henrietta Robinson and Her Dolls
(last show of the Summer series)
................. Regular Season .................
............... (aired Wednesdays) ...............
Sep 30, 1953 R01 The Bloody, Bloody Banks of Fall River
(The Story of Lizzie Borden)
Oct 07, 1953 R02 The Hangman and William Palmer: Who Won
Oct 14, 1953 R03 The Seven Layered Arsenic Cake of Madame Lafarge
Oct 21, 1953 R04 Billy Bonny Bloodletter: Also Known As "The Kid"
Oct 28, 1953 R05 John Hayes, His Head, and How They Were Parted
Nov 04, 1953 R06 Raschi Among the Crocodiles, And The Prank He
Played
Nov 11, 1953 R07 Blackbeard's Fourteenth Wife: Why She Was No Good
For Him
Nov 18, 1953 R08 The Triangle on the Round Table
Alt: The Story of King Arthur
Nov 25, 1953 R09 The Killing Story of William Corder and the
Farmer's Daughter
Dec 02, 1953 R10 If You Need a Boy, Just Call Burke and Hare
Dec 09, 1953 R11 The Assassination of Lincoln
Dec 16, 1953 R12 John and Judith, Their Crime, and Why They Didn't
Get To Enjoy It.
Dec 23, 1953 R13 ... title not known ...
Dec 30, 1953 R14 Coyle & Richardson -- Why They Hung in a Swinging
Breeze
Jan 06, 1954 R15 The Younger Brothers: Why Some of Them Grew No
Older
Jan 13, 1954 R16 How Supan Got The Hook Outside Bombey
Jan 20, 1954 R17 Madelaine Smith: Maid or Murderess?
Jan 27, 1954 R18 The Bourne Brothers and the Hangman: a Study in
Nip and Tuck
Feb 03, 1954 R19 The Incredible History of John Shepard
Feb 10, 1954 R20 Twenty-three Knives Against Caesar
Feb 17, 1954 R21 Jean Baptiste Tropman, Killer of Many
Feb 24, 1954 R22 The Good Ship Jane: Why She Became Floatsam
Mar 03, 1954 R23 Roger Nemms - How He, Though Dead, Won The Game
Mar 10, 1954 R24 New Hampshire, The Tiger and Brad Ferguson; What
Happened Then (missing)
Mar 17, 1954 R25 Old Sixtoes: How He Stopped Construction on The
B.B.B. and I
Mar 24, 1954 R26 Francisco Pizarro: His Heart on a Golden Knife
(missing)
Mar 31, 1954 R27 Robby-Boy Balfour: How He Wrecked a Big Prison's
Reputation
Apr 07, 1954 R28 The General's Daughter, The Czar's Lieutenant and
The Linen Closet: A Russian Tragedy
Apr 14, 1954 R29 James Evans, Fireman: How He Extinguished a Human
Torch
Apr 21, 1954 R30 Cesari Borgia: His Most Difficult Murder
Apr 28, 1954 R31 The Widow MaGee and The Three Gypsies: A Vermont
Fandango
May 05, 1954 R32 Bunny Baumler: His Close Brush with Fame
May 12, 1954 R33 Mr. Clark's Skeleton in Mr. Arum's Closet: The
Noise It Made
May 19, 1954 ... no show ...
May 26, 1954 R34 The Lethal Habit of Marquise de Brinvilliers
Jun 02, 1954 R35 Mr. Jonathon Jewett: How, Most Peculiarly, He
Cheated The Hangman
Jun 09, 1954 R36 The Assassination of Leon Trotsky (missing)
Jun 16, 1954 R37 The Death of a Baltimore Birdie and Friend
Jun 23, 1954 R38 Ali Pasha, A Turkish Delight
Jun 30, 1954 R39 Good Evening, My Name is Jack The Ripper
(last show)
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:
* Edward J. Carr, 216 Shaner Street, Boyertown, PA 19512
* Jerry Haendiges Productions, Jerry Haendiges, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602
* Radio Historical Association of Colorado, PO Box 1908, Englewood,
CO 80150
* Radio Memories, Ted Davenport, 1600 Wewoka St., North Little Rock,
AR 72116
* Radio Showcase, Steve Kelez, PO Box 4357, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
* Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety And Comedy,
PO Box 7177, Van Nuys, CA 91409-7177
* Vintage Broadcasts, Andy Blatt, PO Box 50065, Staten Island, NY
10305
Other Logs or Books:
* CRIME CLASSICS log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.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).