Rare Westerns in Old Time Radio

One of the first genres that highlighted a uniquely American-historical subject was western-theme television, radio, comic books, and film. This genre began in the 1880's and gained popularity through the 1950s and 1960's and continues today. This collection includes some of the most rare western-theme old time radio shows known to exist.

The historical period we refer to as the Old West seems as though it was just a glimmer in the full sweep of American History, but the mythology of this period looms large in the American psyche. Some would theorize that closing the Frontier is what changed the people of this land from European immigrants into Americans.

The frontier began shrinking even before the Revolution, and for many decades there was always unsettled land in North America, just waiting for someone with the grit to take it and develop it. Eventually, the railroads were developed, which meant if these settlers ever had a surplus, they could get it to market. The cowboy myth arose in areas where the easiest and most profitable crop was livestock which could be left to fend for itself until it was time to drive the animals to market.

The Old West could not have existed without the Eastern cities to support it. The "dudes" who came out West to seek their fortunes are often the object of ridicule in Western fiction, but every Western hero had been a dude when they first arrived on the Frontier. This is the great appeal of the mythology of the Old West, it was a place and a time when where a newcomer could survive on his wits and willingness to work hard. To be sure, the West is filled with stories where failure was the result of bad luck, but more often, if failure occurred it was the result of not living up to the Western ideal.  

This collection contains many rare episodes of western-theme old time radio shows, many of which are the only known existing episodes to have survived. This collection celebrates the rare radio shows celebrating and exploring the western genre.  Included in the first volume of the collection are episodes from:

• Hashknife Hartley and Sleepy Stevens, about 1950, Mutual/Don Lee Network. A pair of working cowpokes who come off the dusty trail and get roped into some detective work. Barton Yarborough's distinctive drawl is recognizable as Sleepy, the prototypical sidekick.
• Mesa Memories, pre-War Syndication. A sound-picture of the Arizona outback, woven by a group of old cowboys sitting around the fire, drinking coffee, eatin' beans, and spinning yarns. Somehow, they manage to get in a political message, as well.
• The Seal of the Don, 1933, Syndicated for Hancock Oil of California. Set in the old Spanish Mission days of Los Angeles. The story is reminiscent of Zorro because our Hero, Don Hancock, has to deal with corrupt Spanish officials who run Old California for their Mexican overlords.
• The National Radio Theatre, WFMT Chicago, NPR, December 13, 1981, "The Outcasts of Poker Flat". A retelling of Brett Harte's classic story of a small town determined to stop its oral decline, and the vigilante commission drives out all the gamblers and sporting women (there is only one of the first and two of the latter).
• The Law West of the Pecos, February 3, 1944, audition program. Walter Brennan stars as Judge Roy Bean who does his best to uphold the law of the land from his courtroom, set up in a saloon! Andy Devine appears a cowhand Buck Taylor.
• The Capture of Lizzie Stone, 1940, Ginger Rogers stars as a pretty but tough lady outlaw whose gang terrorized the West. Sidekick Barton Yarborough comes into camp to hand out the latest wanted poster. Lizzie has the hots for the new Deputy Marshall so plans to break up the gang and go straight.
• McMahan's Midnight Round-Up: March 25, 1942, Audition Program. News and cowboy music presented with a rodeo format while pitching the Southern California McMahan's Furniture.
• Rin Tin Tin is most known for his films and television shows, but the famous dog also starred in a radio show; there are some very rare episodes included with this collection.

• Death Valley Days was an extremely popular show in the late 1930s and was based on true western stories about bandits, rangers, and other western themes. Oneof the most respected shows of early radio, Death Valley Days was well written and endured throughout the decades. When the show began in 1930, many of the areas authors wrote about were still quite rough in nature, with many roads but mostly mere trails.
• Saunders of the Circle X + this orphan broadcast is a rootin' tootin' western serial yarn. Bill has a showdown with sneaky Mr. Dinnell about his illegal dam.
• Silver Eagle - Mounties, 'Injuns', and high adventure! It's a combination that's hard to beat when it comes to action packed radio.
• Wild Bill Elliott - after departing big budget films, Elliott appeared in 1950's radio broadcast.  This  western variety series with often starring Andrews Sisters and Gabby Hayes.
• Zane Grey  - based on this American author (and dentists) popular adventure novels helped idolize the American western frontier.

Additionally, there is a number of "Other Episodes with Western Themes" in a folder which contains some excellent episodes from various other series (including Bill Stern, Silver Theater, Suspense and others...) all with a western flair.

For more adventurous animals, see also: Adventures of Champion (Gene Autry's Horse), Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, The Challenge of the Yukon, and the Original OTRCAT Dog Collection.