Archival Dispatch: August 26 Calendar Walk — Mystery House (Bela Lugosi), Bob & Ray, and Speed Gibson
Date:
Author: radio index
Reading: 5 min
Tags: August 26, Calendar Walk, Mystery House, Bela Lugosi, John Carradine, Charles Michelson, American Melody Hour, Evelyn MacGregor, Bob Hannon, Bayer Aspirin, Chicago Theater of the Air, Bruce Foote, Marion Claire, Rudolf Friml, Vagabond King, WGN, Bob and Ray, Bob Elliott, Ray Goulding, Flea Circus, Mary Backstayge, Speed Gibson, Elliott Lewis, Alternate Titles, Original Filenames
August 26 Exhaustive Archival Metadata Enrichment (Increment 137)
This archival dispatch documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial multi-part narrative arcs, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 26 across American network, Bela Lugosi and John Carradine in Charles Michelson's syndicated thriller Mystery House, Evelyn MacGregor singing Irving Berlin hits on The American Melody Hour for Bayer Aspirin, Bruce Foote starring as François Villon in The Vagabond King on WGN's Chicago Theater of the Air, two classic Bob and Ray satires (the Boston flea circus in 1948 and Mary Backstayge on a coal barge in 1952), and Elliott Lewis in Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police (1939–1955):
1. August 26 Archival Inventory (Increment 137)
| Original Circulating Filename & Alternate Titles | Canonical Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mystery_House_1944.mp3 Alt: A Notch for Riordan's Gun, Riordans Gun Mystery House |
"A Notch for Riordan's Gun (Bela Lugosi & John Carradine — Mystery House)" | Syndicated 1944-08-26 (Transcription) |
Local Sponsors Syndicated Thriller Series |
Bela Lugosi (Host), John Carradine, Nanette Fabray | Charles Michelson (Prod./Dir.), Frank Gallup | ["Mystery", "Horror", "Crime", "Western", "Thriller"] |
"Welcome to Mystery House! Step inside where the strange and terrifying dwell!" A notorious frontier gunman seeking to retire to a peaceful cattle valley is framed for a saloon payroll robbery by a corrupt marshal eager to carve a final notch in his own revolver. |
American_Melody_1946.mp3 Alt: AFRS I've Got The Sun In The Morning, Sun in the Morning Melody |
"I've Got the Sun in the Morning (Evelyn MacGregor & Bob Hannon — Bayer Aspirin)" | CBS (WABC) 1946-08-26 8:00 PM EDT |
Sterling Drug Inc. Bayer Aspirin & Phillips' |
Evelyn MacGregor, Bob Hannon, Frank Black Orchestra | Frank and Anne Hummert, Ford Bond | ["Music", "Vocal", "Light Classical", "Standards", "Showtunes"] |
"The American Melody Hour, brought to you by Bayer Aspirin!" Contralto Evelyn MacGregor and tenor Bob Hannon lead lush orchestral interpretations of Irving Berlin's new Broadway smash 'I've Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night' from Annie Get Your Gun, followed by Victor Herbert melodies for Bayer Aspirin. |
Chicago_Theater_1955.mp3 Alt: Chicago Theatre Cast 1955-08-26, The Vagabond King WGN |
"The Vagabond King by Rudolf Friml (Bruce Foote & Marion Claire — WGN Mutual)" | Mutual (WGN) 1955-08-26 9:00 PM CDT |
Sustaining Symphonic Operetta Showcase |
Bruce Foote (François Villon), Marion Claire | Henry Weber (Cond.), Marvin Miller | ["Operetta", "Musical", "Classics", "Historical", "Vocal"] |
"The Chicago Theater of the Air, originating live from the WGN Radio Playhouse in Chicago!" Rudolf Friml's beloved romantic operetta The Vagabond King is staged with full orchestra, starring Bruce Foote as Parisian rogue poet François Villon and Marion Claire as Katherine rallying the Parisian populace against the Duke of Burgundy. |
Bob_Ray_1948.mp3 Alt: Roving Reporter Ray Goulding, Bob and Ray Flea Circus 1948 |
"Roving Reporter Ray Goulding at the Flea Circus (Bob & Ray — WHDH Boston)" | WHDH Boston 1948-08-26 2:15 PM EDT |
Sustaining Boston Radio Satire |
Bob Elliott, Ray Goulding | Bob Elliott, Ray Goulding | ["Comedy", "Satire", "Improv", "Parody", "Americana"] |
"Matinee with Bob and Ray on WHDH in Boston!" Roving reporter Ray Goulding conducts a deadpan remote audio interview live from a miniature flea circus in downtown Boston, struggling to interview a trained flea trainer whose star performers keep hopping away into the audio console. |
Bob_Ray_1952.mp3 Alt: Bob and Ray 1952-08-26, Mary Backstayge River Barge |
"Mary Backstayge & The Monongahela River Barge (Bob & Ray — NBC)" | NBC (WNBC) 1952-08-26 5:45 PM EDT |
Sustaining Soap Opera Parody |
Bob Elliott (Wally Ballou), Ray Goulding (Mary) | Bob Elliott, Ray Goulding, Paul Taubman | ["Comedy", "Satire", "Parody", "Soap Opera", "Improv"] |
"And now, Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife! The story of an everyday family struggling with everyday problems!" In this brilliant soap opera parody, Mary and Harry Backstayge travel down the Monongahela River on an open coal barge, while roving radio reporter Wally Ballou interviews the barge captain about imaginary sunken treasure. |
Speed_Gibson_1939.mp3 Alt: Speed Is Confronted By A Leopard, Speed Gibson Black Leopard |
"Speed Confronts the Black Leopard (Part 36 — Elliott Lewis as Speed Gibson)" | Syndicated 1939-08-26 (Transcription) |
Local Sponsors Aviation Adventure Serial |
Elliott Lewis (Speed), John Gibson (Clint) | Virginia Cooke, Chuck Frederick, Ray Erlenborn | ["Adventure", "Juvenile", "Aviation", "Espionage", "Action"] |
"Ceiling zero! Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police!" 15-year-old ace aviator Speed Gibson and Secret Police operative Clint Barlow make a forced landing in the steaming Burmese jungle, where Speed is confronted by a snarling black leopard guarding the hidden temple hideout of the Octopus gang. Note: Multi-part serial narrative arc (The Secret of the Octopus Clan — Part 36). |
2. Archival Verification Summary
- Target Calendar Day: August 26
- Broadcasts Resolved This Increment: 6
- Cumulative Resolved on August 26: 47
- Target Repositories Synchronized:
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