diff --git a/db/migrations/005-descriptions.sql b/db/migrations/005-descriptions.sql index 08e0c78..8921e8b 100644 --- a/db/migrations/005-descriptions.sql +++ b/db/migrations/005-descriptions.sql @@ -1352,16 +1352,65 @@ The Health and Happiness Show features eight complete radio shows recorded by Ha Born in Alabama, Williams started his music career in 1937 at a local radio station, forming the Drifting Cowboys backup band. After facing challenges, he married Audrey Sheppard, who managed his career, and signed a contract with MGM Records. In 1947, his hit "Move It on Over" gained him entry into the Louisiana Hayride radio program, followed by the Grand Ole Opry, thanks to his cover of "Lovesick Blues." Some of his hits include "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Unfortunately, his struggles with back pain, alcohol, and drugs led to his death at age 29. Despite his short career, Williams has had a lasting impact on country music and has been inducted into multiple halls of fame. - The Hermit's Cave [the-hermits-cave] + +The Hermit's Cave was a syndicated radio horror series that aired from September 1937 into the mid-1940s on WJR AM in Detroit, Michigan. It was also broadcast on WBBM in Chicago and KMPC AM in Los Angeles from 1940 to 1944, with William Conrad as the producer. The series began with the Hermit, a mysterious narrator who introduced each episode's chilling ghost stories, weird tales, and murder mysteries. The Hermit character was voiced by various actors, including John Kent, Charles Penman, Toby Grimmer, Klock Ryder, Mel Johnson, and John Dehner. + +The show was created by G.A. Richards from the WJR station and featured a mix of regional casts and young talents, many of whom went on to have successful careers in radio acting. The Hermit's Cave was sponsored by the Carter Coal Company, advertising its Olga Coal product, and the Simoniz Company, promoting its automotive care products. The show returned to WJR in January 1950 and was also referred to as "The Mummers". Of the 800 episodes produced, fewer than 40 are currently available. + - The Hillbilly Boys [the-hillbilly-boys] + +Pat O'Daniel and His Hillbilly Boys was a radio show airing during the depression era. The 15-minute daily program was sponsored by the O'Daniel Flour Company, Fort Worth, Texas, and featured a mix of home-baked goodness, politics, and hillbilly music. Listeners could expect rare, vintage Western recordings as well as laid-back banter and colorful bursts of enthusiasm from the band members. + +Initially, W. Lee O'Daniel, who also went by "Pappy," was the band head and manager. His son, Pat O'Daniel, later took over the band and continued to lead the show. W. Lee O'Daniel was a successful politician who used the popularity of the show to propel him to the Texas governorship and later won a Senate seat against Lyndon Johnson. The band played in a Western Swing style and featured notable musicians like Kitty "Texas Rose" Williamson, the first woman to sing on a Western Swing recording. + +Apart from his political success, W. Lee O'daniel played a significant role in popularizing the innovative music of the Light Crust Doughboys, a band he previously sponsored and where he was the announcer. He made the world aware of the distinctive Texas sound and its importance in helping a flour salesman reach the highest office in the state. + - The Jack Benny Program [the-jack-benny-program] + +The Jack Benny Program aired from May 2, 1932 until June 22, 1958 and took on different names based on its sponsors. The show evolved over time from its vaudeville roots to epitomize American radio comedy. Jack Benny starred in the show, with a variety of talent added over the years, including his wife, Sadye Marks, as Mary Livingstone. The show saw a number of changes in the cast, music, and sponsors. Jack Benny's character was known for being a vain, miserly, argumentative skinflint, but he became a beloved national treasure. His show featured great, wholesome comedy that people of all ages could enjoy. + - The Key [the-key] + +The Key is a thrilling mystery and suspense old time radio show that aired in the mid-20th century. Created by renowned mystery writer and world traveler, James Workman, the series invites listeners into a world of chilling stories and dark secrets. Each episode brings a new, gripping tale featuring various murders, including those of showgirls, robbers, and old men. Every mysterious, unopened door holds the key to another spine-tingling adventure. With a talented cast of actors and unique characters in each show, The Key is sure to capture your imagination and send shivers down your spine. Be prepared, as some doors may be too terrifying to open, even if you have The Key! + - The Life of Riley [the-life-of-riley] + +"The Life of Riley" is an American radio situation comedy series that aired from January 16, 1944, to June 29, 1951. This popular show was later adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. Created by Irving Brecher, it starred William Bendix as Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. Known for its humorous portrayal of the All-American suburban family, the series centered around the stubborn and opinionated Riley, his charming wife Peg, their children Babs and Junior, and a cast of quirky neighbors. The catchphrase "What a revoltin' development this is!" became a popular phrase during the 1940s. The radio series was sponsored by Prell Shampoo, Teel, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Dreft, and the American Meat Institute over the years. + - The Line-Up [the-line-up] + +The Line Up was a hard-boiled police drama that aired on CBS Radio from 1950 to 1953. Inspired by the success of Dragnet, the show focused on realistic police action, with fictional cases ranging from kidnappings and murders to thefts and obscene phone calls. The title refers to the police line up, which always began each episode. While not based on actual cases, the show made its stories appear real, and when it transitioned to television, its setting shifted to San Francisco. Bill Johnstone starred as Lt. Ben Guthrie, leading the show through its radio run, while Warner Anderson took over the role for television. + +Featuring an intersection of true crime stories and fictional cases, The Line Up provided a behind-the-scenes look at police headquarters. It often borrowed from real stories found in newspapers, mixing them with plotlines used on the show. The radio program expanded to television from 1954-1960 and inspired a 1958 film starring Warner Anderson. The show's creators even participated in police ride-alongs and attended live lineups to get a sense of authenticity, crafting this captivating police procedural that became a classic in the realm of Old Time Radio. + - The Lives of Harry Lime [the-lives-of-harry-lime] + +The Adventures of Harry Lime, also known as The Lives of Harry Lime, was a British old-time radio show produced during the 1951-1952 season starring Orson Welles as the charming and mischievous Harry Lime. A prequel to the 1949 film The Third Man, the series followed Lime's exploits as a con-artist in a lighter tone than the original film. + +Produced by Harry Alan Towers and his company Towers of London, the show was syndicated and broadcast internationally. The full series was aired in the United States, but the BBC in the UK aired only 16 episodes, marking the first time they would broadcast a dramatic series they did not produce. + +The series featured 52 episodes, providing 24 hours and 10 minutes of playtime, capturing the adventures of Orson Welles as Harry Lime engaging in a series of daring escapades with a touch of humor and wit. + - The Lone Ranger [the-lone-ranger] + +"The Lone Ranger" is an iconic western adventure radio show which aired from 1933 to 1954 on WXYZ Detroit, Mutual Network, and NBC Blue/ABC networks. Primarily aimed at children, the show garnered a strong adult following as well. The show was created by WXYZ owner George W. Trendle and writer Fran Striker, with the character of the Lone Ranger supposedly inspired by Texas Ranger Captain John R. Hughes. The story centers on an unnamed survivor of a group of Texas Rangers ambushed by Butch Cavendish and his gang. Nursed back to health by Tonto, an Indian, the Lone Ranger disguises his identity and swears to bring Cavendish to justice. The radio show inspired numerous books, comic books, films, and a popular television series that aired from 1949 to 1957. + - The Man Called X [the-man-called-x] + +The Man Called X is an espionage radio drama that aired from July 10, 1944, to May 20, 1952, on CBS and NBC. It starred British actor Herbert Marshall as Ken Thurston, an American intelligence agent who undertook dangerous cases in exotic locations. The series followed Ken as he unraveled mysteries and faced intrigue, danger, and romance around the world. + +The show also featured Leon Belasco as Ken's comedic sidekick, Pegon Zellschmidt, who often turned up in remote parts of the world, either helping or annoying Ken. Announcers for the program included Jack Latham and Wendell Niles, while background music was provided by orchestras led by Milton Charles, Johnny Green, Felix Mills, and Gordon Jenkins. The Man Called X was created by Jay Richard Kennedy and later adapted into a television series (1956-1957) starring Barry Sullivan as Thurston. + +Throughout its run, the show was sponsored by companies like Frigidaire and General Motors, and featured a rotating cast of talented radio actors such as Cathy Lewis, Peter Leeds, Lawrence Dobkin, and William Conrad. With its engaging plots, captivating characters, and exceptional music, The Man Called X remains an entertaining radio drama for fans of spy thrillers and classic radio shows. + - The Marriage [the-marriage] + +The Marriage, a short-lived radio series from 1953-54, starred real-life married couple Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. Airing Sunday evenings on NBC, the show was based on their Broadway play, The Fourposter, and written mostly by Ernest Kinoy. The series followed New York attorney Ben Marriott (Cronyn) and his wife Liz (Tandy), a former department store fashion buyer, as they navigated domestic life and raised their children, Pete and Emily. Known for its alternating viewpoints, Ben and Liz took turns narrating episodes, offering fresh perspectives on the family's sophisticated, cultured lives. The Marriage explored themes such as art, theater, literature, and philosophy, but ultimately had a brief run. The show attempted a move to television but ended after just eight episodes. + - The Martin and Lewis Show [the-martin-and-lewis-show] + + + - The Mel Blanc Show [the-mel-blanc-show] - The Mysterious Traveler [the-mysterious-traveler] - The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe [the-new-adventures-of-nero-wolfe]