The Sealed Book

"The Sealed Book" was a classic Old Time Radio series that delved into horror and mystery tales. It aired on the Mutual network from March 18 to September 9, 1945. The Sealed Book begins with a classic intro, in which when gonged,we are escorted by the tuxedoed announcer with unseen organist as the keeper of the book opens the ponderous, albeit squeaky door "to the secret vault wherein is kept the great sealed book, in which is recorded all the secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages.

The series was broadcast on Sundays from 10:30pm to 11:00pm. Each week, after "the sound of the great gong," host Philip Clarke observed that the mysteriously silent "keeper of the book has opened the ponderous door to the secret vault wherein is kept the great sealed book, in which is recorded all the secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages, Tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, occasionally interrupted by curiously extended organ solos. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester," "Drake," and most especially "Roger." At the end of an episode, Clarke told listeners to tune in the following week when "the sound of the great gong heralds another strange and exciting tale from... the sealed book." Scripts were by Robert Arthur, Jr. and David Kogan, who also were responsible for The Mysterious Traveler, and recycled many of the more popular stories from that parent program. "The Hands of Death" was the first of the 26 episodes which concluded with "Death Laughs Last."

Bartlett Robinson

Bartlett Robinson was an American actor who worked in theater, radio, film, and television. He portrayed Perry Mason on radio in 1943 and was a regular cast member of "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" and other radio serials such as "The Romance of Helen Trent" and "Mary Noble, Backstage Wife." He also appeared in films and television shows, including "Sleeper" and "The Spirit of St. Louis".

In 1943 he was the first actor of several performers who provided the voice of the title character on the radio version of Perry Mason. Later, as a character actor in films and on television, he was often cast in roles of authority figures, such as military officers, wealthy ranchers, corporate executives, doctors, and judges. Robinson appeared in 21 films from 1956 to 1973 and in over 110 television productions between 1949 and 1982. He was also credited as Bart Robinson.

Bartlett Robinson was born in Manhattan, New York, on December 9, 1912. He began his career in entertainment in 1933 when he and his friends formed a performance group called the "Sunday Players," who later drove across country together to Los Angeles, California, in hopes of finding steady work. There Robinson subsequently got a job in the city at radio station KFI. For the remainder of the 1930s and into the 1940s, Robinson traveled back and forth between New York and Los Angeles to take parts in both stage and radio productions.

He appeared in many popular radio programs, including "The Romance of Helen Trent," "Mary Noble," "Backstage Wife," "Valiant Lady," and "Young Dr. Malone."

His career spanned from his early work in theater in New York in 1933 to his later work in films and television in California. He appeared in over 20 films and more than 100 television productions, often playing authority figures such as doctors, judges, and executives. He appeared in films such as "I Want to Live!" and "The Fortune Cookie." He also starred in television series such as "Perry Mason," "Mona McCluskey," and "Wendy and Me."

Robinson married Margaret Whitney Ballantine in 1938. They had two children and divorced in 1971. They later remarried, a union that lasted until 1986 when Barlett died at his home in Fallbrook, California, at age 73, on March 26, 1986.

Mercedes Agnes Carlotta McCambridge

 

Mercedes Agnes Carlotta McCambridge was born in Joliet on March 16, 1916 and died in La Jolla on March 2, 2004, nicknamed Mercy, was an American film, television, and radio actress who won an Academy Award.

McCambridge was born in Joliet, Illinois, to an Irish immigrant family. She graduated from Mundelein College in Chicago before beginning her acting career. She started her career as a radio actress during the 1940s, although she also performed in Broadway plays. Her most notable role on radio was that of Rosemary Levy in the serial "Abie's Irish Rose," as well as in series such as "I Love A Mystery," "The Thing That Cries in the Night," "Bury Your Dead," "Arizona," "The Million Dollar Curse," "The Temple of Vampires," and "The Battle of the Century." Almost all of these were broadcast on CBS.

Her entry into the film industry was a resounding success. McCambridge played the antagonist opposite Broderick Crawford in the 1949 film "All the King's Men." For this role, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 1954, the actress co-starred with Joan Crawford and Sterling Hayden in the film "Johnny Guitar," in which she played the villain. Both McCambridge and Hayden expressed their dislike of working with Crawford; she even stated in her memoirs that Crawford "was a rotten egg."

Shortly after, in 1956, McCambridge appeared in the cast of George Stevens' classic film, "Giant." She was nominated again for Best Supporting Actress, but this time the award went to Dorothy Malone for "Written on the Wind." In 1959, McCambridge again portrayed a villain, this time alongside Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift, and Elizabeth Taylor in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's film "Suddenly, Last Summer." In any case, one of McCambridge's most significant contributions was a performance in which her face never appeared. The veteran actress provided the voice (in the original English version) for the demonic possession of actress Linda Blair in The Exorcist. McCambridge was promised a credit in the film, but she discovered at the premiere that her name had been omitted. Her dispute with director William Friedkin and Warner Bros. ended up in court. With the help of the Screen Actors Guild, she finally managed to have her name included in the film credits. It is said that to achieve the demonic voice, McCambridge deprived herself of sleep, smoked excessively, and consumed alcohol and raw egg yolks.

McCambridge has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for her acting career, located at 1722 Vine Street, and another for her television work, located at 6243 Hollywood Boulevard. She wrote her memoirs, titled The Quality of Mercy: An Autobiography (Times Books, 1981), ISBN 0-8129-0945-3. McCambridge died on March 2, 2004, in La Jolla, California, of natural causes at the age of 87.

John Larkin

John Larkin was an American actor known for his radio work, particularly for portraying Perry Mason in the 1950s. 

Born in the San Francisco Bay city of Oakland, Larkin acted on radio, the prime entertainment venue in American homes during the Depression in the 1930s. By the latter part of the decade, when he was in his mid-twenties, Larkin had worked for a number of stations, including KCKN and WHB in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, where he was an announcer and, later, in Chicago, where he became known for versatility in performing announcing and hosting duties in addition to acting in front of the microphone for numerous scripted shows, including Vic and Sade, one of network radio's most popular programs of the 1930s, and the one for which he received his first major credit as a radio actor.

John Larkin was identifiable as Perry Mason, but it wasn’t the only program he depended on to keep the pantry filled with groceries. Jim Cox, author of The Great Radio Soap Operas, guesstimated in a 2006 Radio Recall article that the actor worked on 14 “weepies,” tying him with his old Chicago colleague Olan Soule and Ned Wever. Larkin’s daytime drama resume includes Helpmate (as Steve Harper), Lone Journey (as Lance McKenzie), Ma Perkins (as Tom Wells), Portia Faces Life (as Eric Watson), The Right to Happiness (as Governor Miles Nelson), and The Road of Life (as both Frank Dana and Dr. Sam Martin). John was also in the casts of Backstage Wife, The Brighter Day, The Romance of Helen Trent, and Stepmother. On True Story, John would work with and later marry actress Teri Keane (who later appeared on Big Sister and Life Can Be Beautiful, not to mention many TV soaps), his second of three marriages (the couple divorced in 1961). Cox humorously notes in Soap Operas that Mr. and Mrs. Larkin were for many years separated by “a station break”: Keane was the star of The Second Mrs. Burton, heard over CBS at 2pm, followed by Perry Mason at 2:15.

John Larkin also portrayed the lead on Buck Rogers in the 24th Century when the series was revived on Mutual (September 30, 1946 to March 28, 1947) and was one of three actors (the others were Matt Crowley and Staats Cotsworth) to portray Ed Dodd’s comic strip hero Mark Trail on a program that aired on Mutual and ABC from 1950 to 1952. In the summer of 1949, John played dipsomaniac patriarch “Johnny Nolan” on a radio series of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (the Nolan role had been played by James Dunn in the 1945 feature film, for which Dunn won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar). Once again, Larkin relied on his singing talents to play Nolan.

Rounding out John Larkin’s radio c.v. are appearances on 21st Precinct, The Cavalcade of America, Candid Microphone, Chandu the Magician, The Chase, The Columbia Workshop, Dimension X, The Eternal Light, The Ford Theatre, Gang Busters, High Adventure, Inheritance, John Steele, Adventurer, The Lux Radio Theatre, Mr. I.A. Moto, Mr. Mercury, The New Theatre, Radio City Playhouse, Suspense, and X-Minus One.

Fans of nostalgia know that the series for which John Larkin became well-known to radio listeners, Perry Mason, eventually came to television in the fall of 1957 with another radio veteran, Raymond Burr, portraying the famed defense attorney. But the Raymond Burr Mason was the second attempt to bring the radio show to the small screen. The first was in 1956 with The Edge of Night, which began a lengthy TV run (it departed the airwaves in 1984) with Larkin on board as the show’s main character, renamed “Mike Karr.” (Procter & Gamble was unable to reach an agreement with Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner, thus necessitating the name change.) John was with Night until October 1961—his character of Karr was amusingly replaced (temporarily) by another attorney already established on the program, Ed Gibson, played by a young Larry Hagman. (Larkin also reprised his Road to Life role as “Frank Dana” for a few months in 1954 when that radio soap made its brief transition to TV).

John Larkin had decided to pursue other opportunities in Hollywood, and began a slew of guest appearances on such TV favorites as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Bonanza, The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor, The Fugitive, Gunsmoke, The Untouchables, Wagon Train…and he even appeared four times on Perry Mason (when Mason meets Mason!). Larkin landed a regular role as city editor “Mark Grainger” on the season-long drama Saints and Sinners (which starred former Rebel Nick Adams as crusading reporter “Nick Alexander”). In the 1964-65 season, John joined the cast of 12 O’Clock High (a series based on the 1949 feature film) as “Major General Wiley Crowe.” His work on High lasted but a single season as John Larkin succumbed to a heart attack in January of 1965 at the age of 52. Two motion pictures in which he received onscreen credit, Those Calloways and The Satan Bug, were released after his passing.

His prolific radio career led him to work on approximately 7,500 drama programs.

After radio, Larkin turned to television, where he continued his career in series such as The Edge of Night and 12 O'Clock High.

In short, John Larkin was a towering figure in radio and television, leaving a significant legacy in the entertainment industry.

John Larkin died at Valley Doctor's Hospital in North Hollywood after suffering a heart attack at his home. He had a daughter, Cathleen, from his first marriage and another daughter, Sharon, from his second marriage, on June 10, 1950, to future Edge of Night actress Teri Keane.

Santos Edward Ortega

 

Santos Edward Ortega was born on June 30, 1899, in New York City. His parents, Rafael Ortega and Isabella Corbett, were first-generation immigrants - Rafael hailing from Venezuela and Isabella from Ireland. Rafael's profession as a cigar maker may have influenced his son's lifelong habit of smoking cigars, a trademark that would become synonymous with Ortega's on-air persona.

As a young man, Ortega initially had aspirations of joining the priesthood and studied briefly at the St. Joseph's Seminary of the De La Salle Christian Brothers in Pocantico Hills, New York. However, his passion for the stage soon took over, and he began landing small acting roles in a series of Broadway productions, marking the start of his illustrious career in the performing arts.

 

He was a true renaissance man of the golden age of radio. With his remarkable vocal range and versatility, he captivated audiences across a wide spectrum of programs, from comedy and drama to mystery and adventure. From his humble beginnings on the Broadway stage to his iconic role as Grandpa Hughes on the long-running soap opera "As the World Turns," Ortega's career spanned over four decades and left an indelible mark on the history of American broadcasting.

Ortega's transition to radio came as the medium was rapidly gaining momentum in the 1920s and 1930s. He first found success in comedy, appearing on a variety show called "Blackstone Plantation" where he played the character of Don Rodrigo. Ortega later recounted that he was hired for the role after a casting director, intrigued by his ethnic-sounding name, assumed he would be perfect for the part.

Despite his Latin heritage, Ortega did not actually speak Spanish fluently. However, he quickly learned that mastering a convincing Spanish dialect could open up more opportunities in the burgeoning radio industry. This adaptability and willingness to take on diverse roles would become hallmarks of Ortega's career.

Ortega's talents as a straight man were put to good use when he joined the comedy duo of Frank Crumit and Julius Sanderson. "It was a song and patter show, and I provided the laughter," Ortega recalled. This early experience in radio comedy honed his skills in vocal characterization and timing, which would serve him well in the years to come.

As Ortega's reputation grew, he began to take on more prominent roles in radio dramas and serials. One of his most famous parts was as Commissioner Weston on the long-running mystery series "The Shadow." He also played the title character in the adventure series "Bulldog Drummond" from 1942 to 1943.

Ortega's versatility allowed him to seamlessly transition between various genres, including crime procedurals like "Gang Busters" and "The Adventures of Nero Wolfe," as well as more fantastical fare such as "Dimension X" and "X Minus One." His ability to inhabit a wide range of characters, from hardboiled detectives to eccentric scientists, made him a valuable asset to producers and directors.

Perhaps Ortega's most iconic radio role, however, was as Inspector Queen on "The Adventures of Ellery Queen." He originated the part, which he would reprise in various adaptations of the popular mystery series over the years.

Ortega's success in radio can be attributed not only to his versatility but also to his distinctive broadcasting style. With his rich, resonant voice and impeccable timing, he was able to bring a sense of authority and gravitas to even the most outlandish characters.

One of Ortega's signature techniques was his mastery of dialects and vocal characterizations. Whether he was portraying a suave Spanish gentleman or a gruff New York City cop, he could seamlessly slip into a new persona, captivating listeners with his transformative abilities. This skill allowed him to take on a wide variety of roles, from the titular "Charlie Chan" to the daytime drama staple "Perry Mason."

Ortega's penchant for cigar smoking also became part of his on-air persona. While he was known to indulge in the habit during his radio performances, he was more restrained in his later television work, often opting for a pipe instead. This subtle change in his visual presentation helped to further distinguish his various roles and characters.

Ortega made a successful transition to the small screen in the 1950s . His most notable television role was as Grandpa Will Hughes on the long-running soap opera "As the World Turns," a part he took over from actor Will Lee in 1956 and continued to play until shortly before his death in 1976.

Ortega's television work was not limited to soap operas, however. He also appeared in two feature films during the 1950s: "The Family Secret" (1951) and "Crowded Paradise" (1956). While these roles were relatively minor, they demonstrated Ortega's ability to adapt his talents to the demands of the silver screen.

Throughout his prolific career, Santos Ortega left an indelible mark on the world of old-time radio. His versatility, vocal prowess, and commitment to his craft made him a beloved figure among both his peers and his loyal listeners.

Ortega's impact can be seen in the countless actors and voice artists who have cited him as an inspiration. His ability to seamlessly inhabit a wide range of characters, from hardboiled detectives to eccentric eccentrics, set a high bar for future generations of radio performers.

Beyond his on-air achievements, Ortega's personal life also reflected his dedication to his craft. He was known to be a lifelong cigar smoker, a habit that became as much a part of his public persona as his distinctive voice. This attention to detail and commitment to authenticity helped to cement Ortega's status as a true icon of the golden age of radio.

The Perry Mason radio show

 

The Perry Mason radio show was a continuing weekday series that aired on CBS Radio from 1943 to 1955, running for 15 minutes and known for its action-packed plots over traditional courtroom drama. Several actors portrayed the titular lawyer, including Bartlett Robinson, Santos Ortega, Donald Briggs, and John Larkin, who took over after 1947. The radio version was a soap opera-like mystery that was more involved in its storytelling than the later television version. The radio version was a successful precursor to the famous 1957 television series, though Erle Stanley Gardner, the author of the Perry Mason novels, disliked the radio show's divergence from the courtroom drama he intended and even withheld his endorsement for the TV version, which led to it being renamed The Edge of Night.

The show ran for 12 years, from October 18, 1943, to December 30, 1955. It was a daily, 15-minute continuing series with storylines similar to soap operas. 

Unlike the later TV show, the radio version was more of an action series, with the lawyer sometimes exchanging gunfire with criminals. 

The role of Perry Mason was played by several actors during the show's run. Santos Ortega and Donald Briggs. John Larkin took over the starring role March 31, 1947, and portrayed Perry Mason until the end of the series. The guest cast included Mercedes McCambridge.

The show was sponsored by Tide, a Procter & Gamble product.

Although Erle Stanley Gardner, the author of the Perry Mason novels, disliked the direction the radio show was taking, he withheld his endorsement for a potential daytime television version, resulting in a name change from Perry Mason to The Edge of Night. 

The radio show was a success and stayed on the air for a long time, laying the groundwork for the famous television series that followed.

John Moffatt

 

John Moffatt was an English actor and playwright known for his numerous roles on BBC radio, notably as Hercule Poirot in 25 adaptations of Agatha Christie novels, and for portraying Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in dramatizations of Sherlock Holmes, as well as appearing in other radio and television productions throughout his career.

 

His full name was Albert John Moffatt, and he was born in Badby, England, to Ernest Moffatt and Letitia Hickman, servants to Alexandra of Denmark at Marlborough House and Sandringham House. He studied at Richmond Park Academy in London, and then spent three years working in a bank in the City of London. In the evenings, he attended drama classes taught by John Burrell at Toynbee Hall. Moffatt concealed his attendance from his parents, who considered a theatrical career too uncertain.

He first appeared on stage in 1944 at the Liverpool Playhouse, playing the Raven in a touring children's production of The Snow Queen. His debut in mainstream theatre came in 1945 at the Perth Theatre, playing opposite Alec McCowen, with whom he developed a lifelong friendship. Over the next five years he learned his craft by performing over 200 roles with repertory companies in Oxford and Windsor, and at the Bristol Old Vic. At Oxford, he and the young Tony Hancock played the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella. Moffatt retained his interest in pantomime, being a celebrated actor of the traditional British role of the pantomime dame, and having written five plays in the genre.

 

Moffatt's first BBC radio appearance was in the serial Mrs Dale's Diary (1950), and for much of the 1980s he was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company. Later radio credits included the roles of Oswald in King Lear, Lord Chief Justice in Falstaff, and Quilp in The Old Curiosity Shop. He also portrayed Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in BBC adaptations. His best-known radio role was as Hercule Poirot in 25 adaptations of Agatha Christie's plays. The first was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, broadcast on 24 December 1987.

Moffatt made his television debut in 1953, playing Grebeauval in The Public Prosecutor, appearing in many BBC and commercial network broadcasts over the following decades. He played Joseph Surface in The School for Scandal, Brush in The Clandestine Marriage, the Prince of Aragon in The Merchant of Venice, Casca in Julius Caesar, Malvolio and Sir Andrew in two different productions of Twelfth Night, and Ben in The Adventures of Ben Gunn. In 1980, he appeared in the Thames Television television series Love in a Cold Climate, an adaptation of a novel by Nancy Mitford. He also appeared in an episode of the Agatha Christie adaptation of Miss Marple, The Body in the Library, playing the role of Edwards.

 

Moffatt's film career began with Loser Takes All (1956), playing a small role as a hotel waiter. His only other film of the decade was The Silent Enemy (1958). In 1963, he appeared in Tom Jones (1963). The 1970s were the most prolific decade for his big-screen work, with appearances in Julius Caesar (1970), Lady Caroline Lamb (1973), Romance with a Double Bass (1974), Galileo (1974), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and S.O.S. Titanic (1979). In the 1980s, he appeared in the television series Minder (1982) and in Britannia Hospital (1982), his last film.

 

After retiring from the theater in 1988, Moffatt performed regularly alongside Judi Dench and her husband, Michael Williams, in the verse collection Fond and Familiar. Upon Williams's death in 2001, Dench and Moffatt performed the show with Geoffrey Palmer.

John Moffatt died at his home after a long illness, two weeks before his ninetieth birthday. He was single and was survived by his sister, Marjorie.