Death Valley Days

One of the most respected shows of early radio, Death Valley Days was well written and endured throughout the decades. Ruth Cornwall Woodman was asked to write the show in 1930. Though she knew nothing of the desert and its people, New York Vassar graduate Ruth undertook the project with enthusiasm. 

Each year Ruth would spend several months traveling through the desert to explore ghost towns, saloons, backpacking just outside Death Valley, and interviewing old timers. She would talk to gas station men, bartenders, and small town newspapermen. She did her research well, pouring over old newspapers and visiting old west museums, scouring the west for anything that would inspire a good story. The result of all this hard work was rewarding - a highly successful show that lasted over two decades, and later became a television show with Ronald Regan as the host. Death Valley Days presents stories of the old west, with realism and drama virtually unmatched by other westerns of the day.

It was broadcast on the Blue Network/ABC, CBS, and NBC from September 30, 1930, to September 14, 1951. It "was one of radio's earliest and longest lasting programs.

Each episode began with a bugle call, followed by an announcer's introduction of The Old Ranger ("a composite character who had known the bushwhackers, desperados, and lawmen of the old days by first name"). For nearly six years, the program also included Western songs by John White, known as "The Lonesome Cowboy."

Death Valley Days was sponsored by the Pacific Borax Company, manufacturer of 20 Mule Team Borax.

The 558 television stories, which had different actors, were introduced by a host. The longest-running was "The Old Ranger" from 1952-1965, played by Stanley Andrews when the series was produced by McGowan Productions, producer of the Sky King television series.

Jerry of the Circus

 

 

Jerry of the Circus is a wonderfully heartwarming and delightful children's series syndicated in 1937. The show is fifteen minutes in length and follows the adventures of Jerry Dugan and his dog, Rags. Jerry and Rags join Sam Randall's Circus after the death of his family. It was presented in 130 15-minute episodes of which 128 are in existence today. The series followed the adventures of Jerry Dougan and his dog Rags with the Randall Brothers Circus from the time of his father's death in the spring to the end of that year's performance season. 

 

In the premier episode, Jerry brings a note to Sam from his father saying that Jimmy "has the circus in his blood." Which is how Jerry and his dog, Rags become members of circus.

The characters are:

 

Jerry Dugan - orphan who joins the Randall Brothers Circus when his father dies.

Rags - Jerry's dog.

Mr. Randall - owner of the Randall Brothers Circus.

Bumps - the clown Jerry bunks with; recruits Jerry's dog Rags for his act.

Patsy - the trapeze artist of the circus.

Jason - the large cat trainer.

Carmen Bandini - tightrope walker who leaves the circus for Hollywood.

Major Mike - the little person who regards himself as the star attraction on the midway.

Decker/Dan Dougan - the kindly circus performer who turns out to be Jerry's big-game hunter uncle suffering from amnesia.

Lorenz - the knife-throwing performer who controls Decker through bribery.

Clara - the costumer.

Johnny Bradley - Shakespearean clown.

 

Jerry has a note from his father that he "has circus in his blood". Jerry is taken in by Mr. Randall, owner of the Randall Bros Circus. He rooms with Bumps the Clown who soon uses Rags in his act, and Jerry eventually finds his way into the ring as well. He becomes good friends with many of the Circus people, and eventually finds that Decker, the animal trainer, is in fact his long lost uncle, Big Game hunter Dan Dougan. Dan will return to hunting, where there is no place for a young boy, so Jerry's guardianship is formally transferred to Mr. Randall. Circus owner, Sam Randall decides the best thing for Jerry will be to attend an Military Academy which leads to further adventure: Jerry at Fair Oaks.

 

Syndicated by Bruce Eells, Jerry of the Circus made its mark in the golden age of radio as one of the most imaginative and delightful old time radio series geared towards the younger generation.