Let’s stipulate upfront that Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings may be as perfect an adaptation of the source material as we are apt to get in our lifetimes. From the casting to the visuals to Howard Shore’s amazing score, this movie was a monumental achievement well deserving of its accolades and box office success.
We thought the theatrical releases were stunning until we saw the extended editions released on home video, complete with new bridging score music from Howard Shore so it all feels seamless and not at all tacky. Apparently, Jackson doesn’t consider these to be his director’s cuts or even his final word on the subject, but unlike George Lucas doesn’t appear to be making a career out of tinkering with the trilogy.
Last year, Warner Home Video gave us the theatrical trilogy on Blu-ray and we appreciated them, especially for their extra features on the making of the film, but we wanted the longer, fuller, more complete versions and finally, that day has come. The handsome box set arrives Tuesday and is well worth the investment.
There are three cases within the golden box, each containing two-disc versions of the extended edition along with three discs of bonus features. That’s 15 discs, over nine hours of movies and over 26 hours of bonus material. Try streaming that.
Jackson and co-writers Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens boiled the story down to Frodo Baggins returning the One Ring to Mordor where it would be consumed in fire. With that as their through-line, they made the necessary adaptations such as excising Tom Bombadil and Glorfindel, and rearranging lines and sequences to maintain that focus. To Tolkien, he was world-building and mythmaking focused more on lore and language than on characterization, which is where the filmmakers exceeded the source material. They had assembled a stellar cast that bonded in a unique manner allowing material to be tailored to give everyone a little more to do. We, as longtime readers of the material or new to Middle-earth, were taken on a journey that left us wanting more regardless of how long we had been sitting in the theater or living room. That’s a sign of success. (more…)
* Just Released: Classic Whodunits with Sherlock Holmes * In the Treasure Chest This Week * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 45 and The Shadow Volume 50 * Now Available: Doc Savage in Python Isle Audiobook * New: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3 Exciting News! Thanks to an arrangement with Diamond Distributors, you’ll soon be seeing audio compact disc collections from RadioArchives.com available from booksellers and on-line book stores world-wide! So the next time you visit your favorite bookseller or comic book store, ask for “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”, “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, and other great audio collections from RadioArchives.com! Just Released: Classic Whodunits with Sherlock Holmes
In the annals of detective fiction, there are many investigators who could lay claim to legendary status. But, for many, the most famous, the most unique, and the most emulated would be the pipe smoking, violin playing, and deer-stalker clad gentleman known as Sherlock Holmes.
Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes and his faithful friend and companion Doctor Watson have been a significant part of popular culture ever since their adventures first appeared in the Strand Magazine in 1887. In the years that have followed, Holmes and Watson have made their way to the stage, the movies, television, and even graphic novels – but, for fans of classic radio, “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” remains among the best interpretations of these two unforgettable characters and their often baffling cases.
The two actors most associated with the roles during radio’s Golden Age were, of course, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. But Rathbone’s departure from the series in 1946 resulted in another actor taking on the part: Tom Conway, the suave and handsome leading man who had recently been seen as The Falcon in the popular RKO movie series. Though long-time fans were understandably dubious of the change, Conway’s talents fit the role like a glove and he, along with Nigel Bruce, continued to broadcast the series from Hollywood for another successful season.
In “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1”, RadioArchives.com brings you ten exciting and fully restored episodes from this little-known chapter in the life of the World’s Greatest Consulting Detective, just as originally aired in 1946 and starring Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce. Priced at just $14.98 for the five audio CD set, or $9.98 for the digital download, this collection also features original cover art by Timothy Lantz. Visit RadioArchives.com and add Sherlock Holmes to your personal library of mystery favorites right away!
(Note for long-time customers: this 5-hour collection is a repackaged re-release of the first half of a 10-CD set which we previously offered in our catalog. In addition to new cover art, all of the shows in this collection have been newly restored from the original masters to ensure outstanding audio fidelity.)
In the Treasure Chest This Week Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson have appeared in many mediums – but two of their most fascinating cases were recently featured in an exciting graphic novel from Moonstone, offering tales of two of their most challenging foes: Dracula and The Invisible Man!
“Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, Volume 1”, a colorful 200 page softcover book, is normally available for sale on our website for $22.95. But, from Friday June 24th thru Monday June 27th, these suspenseful stories of crime and terror can be yours for Just 99 Cents with any purchase of $35.00 or more.
But that’s not the only bargain you’ll find this week in the Radio Archives Treasure Chest:
On Tuesday, June 28th, you’ll enjoy two action-packed tales of The Man of Bronze in “Doc Savage, Volume 18”. Normally priced at $12.95, for one day only, this book can be yours for Just 99 Cents with your purchase of $35.00 or
more. And, if detective stories are your passion, you can’t do better than Bob Bailey starring in “Let George Do It, Volume 1″, a 10-CD set featuring twenty long-lost radio shows from the 1940s. This collection is normally priced at $29.98 but, on Wednesday June 29th and Thursday June 30th, it too can be added to your personal library for Just 99 Cents with any purchase of $35.00 or more.
Whether it’s tales of mystery and suspense with Sherlock Holmes, the thrilling adventures of Doc Savage, or the detective cases of George Valentine, you’ll find some great bargains in the Treasure Chest this week at RadioArchives.com! New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 45 and The Shadow Volume 50 Great news! Two brand new double novel pulp reprints have just been released and are now available from RadioArchives.com!
In “The Shadow, Volume 50”, priced at just $14.95, Sanctum Books celebrates the publication of its 100th Shadow novel with an extra-length volume showcasing tales by each of the pulp wordsmiths who wrote as Maxwell Grant. First, “The Man from Shanghai” is caught in the web of a murderous mastermind in one of Walter Gibson’s greatest thrillers. Then, blood sapphires drip a deadly trail across Manhattan in Theodore Tinsley’s “The Golden Dog Murders”. Finally, Lamont Cranston and Joe Cardona go undercover to investigate murders at an Alice in Wonderland ball in Bruce Elliott’s “Jabberwocky Thrust”.
Next, in “Doc Savage, Volume 45”, you’ll thrill to two original pulp adventures as the Man of Bronze returns in two action-packed thrillers by Harold A. Davis and Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, the War Department calls in Doc Savage after a weird wave of mass suffocations decimates the U. S. military. Can the Man of Bronze defeat “Merchants of Disaster” to restore national security? Then in “Measures for a Coffin”, Doc Savage announces his retirement to a stunned world after a fiery accident. This alternate cover edition, issued with a classic cover earlier this year, features artwork by Bantam artist James Bama.
When it comes to thrills, chills, and excitement, there’s nothing like a great pulp fiction story to really get your heart racing. Visit RadioArchives.com and pick up these new releases right away!
Now Available: Doc Savage in Python Isle Audiobook
For over eighty years, the name Doc Savage has meant thrills and excitement to millions of readers worldwide. Now, for the very first time, the Man of Bronze comes to vivid life in “Python Isle”, the first audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com!
In “Python Isle”, a long-lost pioneer flyer returns to civilization accompanied by an exotic woman who speaks in a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc Savage and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep that the only clues can be found in the Bible!
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that brought you “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” features dramatic narration by Michael McConnohie, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive interviews with Will Murray on the history of Doc Savage and the discovery of author Lester Dent’s long lost manuscripts.
“Python Isle”, the first in a new series of unabridged audiobooks from RadioArchives.com, is available now as an eight audio CD set, priced at just $25.98, or as a digital download for just $17.98. In the weeks to come, be sure to visit RadioArchives.com often for more exciting audiobook adventures featuring the top heroes of pulp fiction, including The Spider, Secret Agent X, and many, many more. If you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and suspense, you’ll find it on “Python Isle”, available now from RadioArchives.com!
New: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3
For film buffs, it’s a memorable image: Harry Lime – criminal, thief, and black market racketeer – has been killed by a runaway car in the ravaged streets of postwar Vienna. But suddenly, out of the darkness of a moonlit night, a stray spotlight happens upon a doorway – and there he is: Harry Lime, in the flesh, alive…and smiling.
“The Third Man” is a film noir classic, combining a stellar cast, an intriguing story, and images of a once glamorous European city damaged by war, greed, and intrigue. Though brief, Orson Welles performance as Harry Lime remains one of the most memorable characterizations in his long and varied career. Luckily, for fans of audio entertainment, Welles revisited his role in “The Lives of Harry Lime”, a radio series that recounted the adventures of this memorable scoundrel in a series of tongue in cheek adventures that remain some of the best and most imaginative programs ever produced for radio.
In “The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3”, RadioArchives.com brings you ten more light-hearted and colorful tales of crime and criminals starring the legendary Orson Welles. Available as a five-CD audio collection for just $14.98 or a five-hour digital download for just $9.98, these fascinating programs have been transferred directly from original transcriptions and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity. Visit RadioArchives.com and pick up your copy right away!
We’d love to hear from you!Send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com or call us toll free at 800-886-0551 with your comments, questions, or suggestions.
Listen to this Newsletter!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, our new line of audiobooks, colorful and exciting items from Moonstone, timeless movies and television shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in entertainment.
First, some housekeeping. Yes, it’s been a while since I debuted this column and due to a variety of reasons, this is the first one in awhile. Do not worry, pulpsters, there will be one a week after this ad infinitum! Audio Pulp is not only an important part of Pulp history that many are not aware of, but its a growing facet of the genre even today, as you will see in this column today and weeks to come.
You’ll notice an addition to our logo. Yes, its true, Radio Archives has stepped forward, noticing the trend toward Audio Pulp and entered into an arrangement with All Pulp to sponsor this column. RA produces top of the line audio material bringing old time classic radio of all varieties to a modern audience. Fantastic sound quality, tremendous effort to not only preserve material, but also provide new and interesting information on material, and awesome packaging make RA’s offerings top notch. RA as well is readying itself to be one of the leaders in New Audio Pulp with its foray into audiobooks based on Pulp characters starring in new stories, just like the one I’m about to leap into the middle of. I will continue to cover all aspects of New Pulp Audio, not simply RA’s contributions, but I do want to thank Harlan Zinck and RA for the support and material and willingness to see the importance of this column enough to sponsor it.
PYTHON ISLE-A Doc Savage Audiobook Written by Will Murray based on a concept By Lester Dent Narrated by Michael McConnohie Directed and Produced by Roger Rittner Published by Radio Archives (www.radioarchives.com)
Not only has Radio Archives decided to move into New Pulp audio, They have done it by taking giant steps. The first RA offering in their Pulp Audiobook lineup is not only no lightweight when it comes to Pulp, but instead it is probably the top of the heap, the primo of premium pulp. And, not to telegraph this review or anything, Radio Archives meets that challenge just the way Doc Savage would have.
PYTHON ISLE is an audiobook version of the novel written in 1991 by Will Murray, based on a concept by Lester Dent. Directed and produced by Roger Rittner for RA and narrated by Michael Mcconnohie. The story opens with diamond smugglers catching sight of a plane they believe to be the authorities. Once the plane is downed, the smugglers discover that not only are there two strangely garbed people aboard, but the plane, once damaged, had been patched and repaired with what appears to be soft, pure gold. One of the plane passengers, a man who can speak English, is desperate to protect a bamboo tube he has and to make contact with only one man-Doc Savage!
Author Will Murray
What ensues from this tense, in your face opening is the stuff pulp dreams are made of. From fist fights and gun battles to harrowing chases in various locales all the way to a ride and epic conflict aboard a Zeppelin, PYTHON ISLE delivers all the thrills and chills anyone could want. Add into that that this is a Doc Savage tale complete with Doc’s stoic presence, supreme intelligence, and skills honed finer than any blade as well as three of the five aides in their finest form ever and what you have in PYTHON ISLE is more than a treat, better than a nice surprise. It is simply New Pulp storytelling at its best.
Narrator Michael McConnohie
With material like this, one would think that it would be difficult for an audiobook version to add anything at all to it. Boy, one would be wrong. PYTHON ISLE from Radio Archives takes this story from the pinnacle it already reaches in prose to an unbelievable high mark as an audiobook. Michael McConnohie is more than the ‘reader’ or ‘narrator’ of this adventure. He brings the exact intensity and passion to this story that any well crafted Doc tale would command. His mastery of his own voice is phenomenal, switching back and forth from Monk’s high pitched affectation to Renny’s thunderous rumblings and then to Bull Pizano’s gravelly retort. McConnohie makes this feel like a full cast audio drama and that brings the listener completely into the folds of the story.
Director/Producer Roger Rittner
One issue many audiobooks have, and this is in part due to the fact that they are based on written prose, not scripts, is pacing. At times, audiobooks lag in the middle and whatever gait had been set previously is lost. This is definitely an issue with Pulp stories due to the naturally frenetic pacing good Pulp should have. PYTHON ISLE does not fall victim to this. Due to McConnohie’s voicing as well as Roger Rittner’s directing, this tale moves along at a good clip from beginning to end. There are points that I, being both an avid Pulp reader and an audio fan, predicted were going to be those spots where things started to plod and slow down, but every single time due to either a musical sting or a change in inflection or even the speed at which the words were delivered, that plodding never came, nothing slowed down. Rittner produced a fine piece of roller coaster up and down drama, probably the finest I’ve ever listened to.
Could PYTHON ISLE be better? Usually I would say that any audiobook could be improved by adding voices and sound effects and changing the leopard’s spots, so to speak, from audiobook to full cast drama. And don’t get me wrong, I would love to hear this story given that treatment. Having said that, though, I think that in this case, it would not improve what has been done to make it a full cast drama. I feel like that this audiobook would sit on a shelf right alongside the best possible version of this story as a full drama and still hold its own. The feeling I got from listening to PYTHON ISLE was much akin to what it must have felt like sitting in a darkened theater in the 1940s waiting to see what Captain Marvel or Gene Autry would do in the next chapter of the latest serial. It was nail biting, cliff hanging, and inspiring.
Radio Archives has announced that this is only the first of their Pulp Audio books and that future volumes would not only include Doc, but cover other characters as well. If that’s the case, then I’m one heckuva happy Pulpster.
Get Your First Digital Download from RadioArchives.com for Just 99 Cents!
* Download Detective Adventures with Philip Marlowe * Just Released: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3 * Now Available: Doc Savage in Python Isle Audiobook * In the Treasure Chest This Week * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49 * New: Hollywood Classics in The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2 Download Detective Adventures with Philip Marlowe
His name is synonymous with classic detective fiction. Whether on the silver screen or on the air, Philip Marlowe personifies everything we know and love about the gumshoes of the 1940s: the snap brim fedora, the seedy office, the mean streets of Los Angeles, and a hard working detective just trying to make an honest living without getting punched or shot down in cold blood.
“The Adventures of Philip Marlowe” is a classic in the grand tradition of dramatic radio entertainment – and now, to introduce you to the New Digital Downloads available from RadioArchives.com, twelve of Marlowe’s most exciting cases can be yours to download – for Just 99 Cents!
Visit RadioArchives.com today and, to the right on our home page, look for the graphic that will take you directly to “The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, Volume 3”. Place your order, pay Just 99 Cents and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying edge of your seat thrills from this detective classic, playable on your home computer or on your favorite portable device.
In the weeks to come, be sure to visit the Digital Downloads page at RadioArchives.com often to see what’s new. Whether it’s detective action with Philip Marlowe, the star-studded motion picture classics of “The Lux Radio Theatre”, or “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, you’ll find great audio entertainment waiting for you with Digital Downloads from RadioArchives.com!Just Released: Orson Welles in The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3
For film buffs, it’s a memorable image: Harry Lime – criminal, thief, and black market racketeer – has been killed by a runaway car in the ravaged streets of postwar Vienna. But suddenly, out of the darkness of a moonlit night, a stray spotlight happens upon a doorway – and there he is: Harry Lime, in the flesh, alive…and smiling.
“The Third Man” is a film noir classic, combining a stellar cast, an intriguing story, and images of a once glamorous European city damaged by war, greed, and intrigue. Though brief, Orson Welles performance as Harry Lime remains one of the most memorable characterizations in his long and varied career. Luckily, for fans of audio entertainment, Welles revisited his role in “The Lives of Harry Lime”, a radio series that recounted the adventures of this memorable scoundrel in a series of tongue in cheek adventures that remain some of the best and most imaginative programs ever produced for radio.
In “The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3”, RadioArchives.com brings you ten more light-hearted and colorful tales of crime and criminals starring the legendary Orson Welles. Available as a five-CD audio collection for just $14.98 or a five-hour digital download for just $9.98, these fascinating programs have been transferred directly from original transcriptions and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity. Visit RadioArchives.com and pick up your copy right away!
Python Isle Audiobook
Now Available: Doc Savage in
For over eighty years, the name Doc Savage has meant thrills and excitement to millions of readers worldwide. Now, for the very first time, the Man of Bronze comes to vivid life in “Python Isle”, the first audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com!
In “Python Isle”, a long-lost pioneer flyer returns to civilization accompanied by an exotic woman who speaks in a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc Savage and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep that the only clues can be found in the Bible!
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that brought you “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” features dramatic narration by Michael McConnohie, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive interviews with Will Murray on the history of Doc Savage and the discovery of author Lester Dent’s long lost manuscripts.
“Python Isle”, the first in a new series of unabridged audiobooks from RadioArchives.com, is available now as an eight audio CD set, priced at just $25.98, or as a digital download for just $17.98. In the weeks to come, be sure to visit RadioArchives.com often for more exciting audiobook adventures featuring the top heroes of pulp fiction, including The Spider, Secret Agent X, and many, many more. If you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and suspense, you’ll find it on “Python Isle”, available now from RadioArchives.com!
In the Treasure Chest This Week
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you’re certainly familiar with the Treasure Chest Bonus deals that are available to you every day at RadioArchives.com. But what you may not know is that, each week, from Friday thru Monday, you’ll find our newest compact disc collection offered at an amazingly low bargain price. That’s right: our brand new collection of classic radio shows, priced so low that you’ll find it almost impossible to resist. Of course, for fans of pulp fiction, books, or other entertainment, the Treasure Chest offers you great deals as well – and, since these deals change on a regular basis, you’ll want to visit RadioArchives.com often and see what’s waiting for you. Here, for example, are the bargains you’ll find waiting for you this week:* Today through Monday June 20th, you can get our newest CD set – “The Lives of Harry Lime, Volume 3”, a $14.98 value – for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Tuesday June 21st, pulp fiction’s legendary Knight of Darkness returns in “The Shadow Volume 14”, featuring two classic stories from pulp fiction’s Golden Age:
“The Grove of Doom” and“The Masked Lady”. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint is normally priced at $12.95 – but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Wednesday June 22nd and Thursday June 23rd, Richard Kollmar stars in “Boston Blackie, Volume 1”, a ten-CD collection featuring twenty exciting detective adventures. This audio compact disc collection normally sells for $29.98 – but, for one day only, it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.Make it a habit to visit RadioArchives.com often and see what’s waiting for you in the Treasure Chest. You’ll find a deal we know you won’t want to miss! New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49
If you just can’t get enough of the page-turning adventures of the great pulp heroes, stop by RadioArchives.com today for two new double novel pulp reprints:In “Doc Savage Volume 48”, priced at just $14.95, you’ll thrill to the classic adventures of the Man of Bronze in two original novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, what is the bizarre connection between the appearance of “Red Snow” and the disappearance of a United States senator? Our national security may depend on Doc Savage’s discovery of the sinister secret! Then, in “Death Had Yellow Eyes”, Monk Mayfair is abducted while the Man of Bronze is framed for bank robbery and murder. This classic pulp reprint is available in two editions: one features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, while the alternate edition features an impressive painting by Bantam artist James Bama. Both feature Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by historian Will Murray.
Next, the radio origins of the Knight of Darkness are showcased in “The Shadow Volume 49”, priced at just $14.95 and featuring two classic pulp novels by Walter Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant. First, the Dark Avenger teams with Secret Service agent Vic Marquette to investigate a far-reaching counterfeiting ring in “The Shadow Laughs!”, the landmark novel that introduced the real Lamont Cranston. Then, how can The Shadow prove that an innocent man is not a murderer when several witnesses have identified the young man as the “Voice of Death”? This instant collector’s item features the original color pulp covers by Jerome Rozen and Graves Gladney, classic interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Will Murray and Anthony Tollin.
There’s nothing like the action and excitement you’ll get from a great pulp fiction adventure story. Visit RadioArchives.com and browse our extensive array of pulp classics right away.
New: Hollywood Classics in The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2
During radio’s Golden Age, many dramatic programs capitalized on the tinsel and glamour of Hollywood – but none was more successful or legendary than “The Lux Radio Theatre”. Hosted by pioneer director Cecil B. DeMille, the show was a weekly habit for millions of avid listeners who tuned in to hear their favorite screen stars in hour-long adaptations of their recent film successes.
Star studded and lavishly produced, “The Lux Radio Theatre” remains a stylish part of both radio and motion picture entertainment – and, in a second collection of original programs, RadioArchives.com brings you six fully restored broadcasts featuring such superstars as Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins, Leslie Howard, and Olivia DeHavilland. Hearing them is just like taking a trip back to the 1930s and spending an evening at a glittering movie palace.
If you’re a movie or radio buff, you’ll love “The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2”. Available as a six audio CD set for just $17.98 or as a digital download for just $11.98, be sure to stop by RadioArchives.com and order your copy right away!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
* Now Available: “Python Isle” * The Treasure Chest Deals Keep Coming * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49 * Also New in Old Time Radio: The Unexpected, Volume 2
Now Available: “Python Isle”For over eighty years, the name Doc Savage has meant thrills and excitement to millions of readers worldwide. Now, for the very first time, the Man of Bronze comes to vivid life in “Python Isle”, the first audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com!
In “Python Isle”, a long-lost pioneer flyer returns to civilization accompanied by an exotic woman who speaks in a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc Savage and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep that the only clues can be found in the Bible!
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that brought you “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” features dramatic narration by Michael McConnohie, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive interviews with Will Murray on the history of Doc Savage and the discovery of author Lester Dent’s long lost manuscripts.
“Python Isle”, the first in a new series of unabridged audiobooks from RadioArchives.com, is available now as an eight audio CD set, priced at just $25.98, or as a digital download for just $17.98. In the weeks to come, be sure to visit RadioArchives.com often for more exciting audiobook adventures featuring the top heroes of pulp fiction, including The Spider, Secret Agent X, and many, many more.
If you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and suspense, you’ll find it on “Python Isle”, available now from RadioArchives.com!
The Treasure Chest Deals Keep Coming Here at RadioArchives.com, we love to add something extra to every order we receive – and that’s why, every day of the week, we offer our customers a special Treasure Chest Bonus offer. Sometimes it’s one of our classic radio show collections, other times a double-novel pulp fiction reprint or bargain priced DVD set, but you’ll always find it waiting for you on our homepage.
Here are the deals you can look forward to seeing this week:
* Today through Monday June 13th, you can get our newest CD set – “The Lux Radio Theatre, Volume 2”, a $17.98 value – for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Tuesday June 14th, pulp fiction’s legendary Knight of Darkness returns in “The Shadow Volume 7”, featuring two classic stories by Walter Gibson:
“The Cobra” and“The Third Shadow”. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint is normally priced at $12.95 – but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. * On Wednesday June 15th, “America’s Favorite Free-Lance Insurance Investigator” is featured in “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, Volume 1”, a ten-CD collection featuring ten high-flying five-part detective adventures. Starring Bob Bailey in the title role, this set has long been a favorite with Radio Archives customers – and its now been updated with a specially commissioned cover painting by artist Douglas Klauba. This thrill-packed compact disc collection normally sells for $29.98 – but, for one day only, it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Thursday June 16th, sing along with a show business icon in “Bing Crosby: The Screen Legends Collection”, a 3-DVD set offering five of the crooner’s classic movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Normally priced at $26.98,
you’ll be able to get this beautifully packaged collection of fully restored films for Just $3.99 when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. Make it a habit to visit RadioArchives.com often and see what’s waiting for you in the Treasure Chest. You’ll find a deal we know you won’t want to miss! New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49If you just can’t get enough of the page-turning adventures of the great pulp heroes, stop by RadioArchives.com today for two new double novel pulp reprints:In “Doc Savage Volume 48”, priced at just $14.95, you’ll thrill to the classic adventures of the Man of Bronze in two original novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, what is the bizarre connection between the appearance of “Red Snow” and the disappearance of a United States senator? Our national security may depend on Doc Savage’s discovery of the sinister secret! Then, in “Death Had Yellow Eyes”, Monk Mayfair is abducted while the Man of Bronze is framed for bank robbery and murder. This classic pulp reprint is available in two editions: one features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, while the alternate edition features an impressive painting by Bantam artist James Bama. Both feature Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by historian Will Murray.
Next, the radio origins of the Knight of Darkness are showcased in “The Shadow Volume 49”, priced at just $14.95 and featuring two classic pulp novels by Walter Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant. First, the Dark Avenger teams with Secret Service agent Vic Marquette to investigate a far-reaching counterfeiting ring in “The Shadow Laughs!”, the landmark novel that introduced the real Lamont Cranston. Then, how can The Shadow prove that an innocent man is not a murderer when several witnesses have identified the young man as the “Voice of Death”? This instant collector’s item features the original color pulp covers by Jerome Rozen and Graves Gladney, classic interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Will Murray and Anthony Tollin.
There’s nothing like the action and excitement you’ll get from a great pulp fiction adventure story. Visit RadioArchives.com and browse our extensive array of pulp classics right away.
Also New in Old Time Radio: The Unexpected, Volume 2If you’re a fan of suspenseful mysteries – and particularly if you love surprise endings – you’ll enjoy “The Unexpected, Volume 2”, a new classic radio collection from RadioArchives.com. Featuring such talented performers as Lurene Tuttle, Lyle Talbot, Barry Sullivan, and Virginia Gregg, this series of fascinating and suspenseful tales offer the kind of twist endings that you’ll never see coming. Transferred directly from original transcription recordings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, “The Unexpected, Volume 2” is now available in two formats: a five-CD set priced at just $14.98 or a digital download, available for just $9.98. If you love a mystery, you’ll love “The Unexpected” from RadioArchives.com. Listen to this Newsletter!
The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, colorful and exciting books from Moonstone, timeless movies and television shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in entertainment.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
Pulp Hero Doc Savage Returns in Exciting Audiobook Adventure
The greatest pulp fiction hero of the 1930s is back in the first of a new series of thrilling audiobooks!
DOC SAVAGE Creator Lester Dent
For over 80 years, the name Doc Savage has meant thrills and excitement to millions of readers worldwide. Now, for the very first time, the legendary Man of Bronze comes to vivid life in “Python Isle”, the first audiobook adventure from RadioArchives.com.
PYTHON ISLE Author Will Murray
In “Python Isle”, a long-lost pioneer flyer returns to civilization accompanied by an exotic woman who speaks in a lost tongue. From his towering skyscraper headquarters in New York, through a dangerous Zeppelin journey to Cape Town, climaxing on a serpent-haunted island in the forbidden reaches of the Indian Ocean, Doc Savage and his iron comrades race to untangle a weird puzzle so deep that the only clues can be found in the Bible!
PYTHON ISLE Producer/Director Roger Rittner
Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that created “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” features dramatic narration by Michael McConnohie, cover art by Joe DeVito, and two exclusive audio interviews with Will Murray on the history of Doc Savage and the discovery of Doc Savage creator Lester Dent’s long lost manuscripts.
PYTHON ISLE Narrator Michale McConnohie
“Python Isle”, available as an 8-CD set priced at $25.98 or as an 8-hour digital download priced at $17.98, is the first in a new pulp fiction audiobook series from RadioArchives.com. Upcoming releases will feature the classic adventures of The Spider, Secret Agent “X”, and all seven of Will Murray’s exciting Doc Savage adventures.
RadioArchives.com is one of the largest creators and distributors of old time radio and pulp fiction entertainment in the United States. Specializing in fully restored radio programs, remastered from original recordings, they are known for their outstanding audio fidelity, impressive packaging, and commitment to top quality customer service.
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For review copies. interviews, wholesale opportunities, or additional information, contact:
Harlan Zinck
www.RadioArchives.com
1402 S Kahuna Drive
Spokane Valley, WA 99212-3258
Service@RadioArchives.com
800-886-0551
Attachments:
Creative Team Biographies & Photographs
ISBN Information
Doc Savage Python Isle Graphics
Audio Trailer
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Doc Savage “Python Isle” Creative Team Biographies
Will Murray (author) is the literary agent for the estate of Lester Dent, and the author of over 50 novels, including several posthumous Doc Savage collaborations with series originator Lester Dent, among them “Python Isle”, “White Eyes”, and his latest novel “Desert Demons”.
Roger Rittner (producer, director) has written, produced, and directed specials and multi-part series for National Public Radio, including the drama series “Darkness”, the mystery/macabre series “Midnight”, “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, and the musical special “Charlie Sent Me!” Other radio projects have been heard on stations KMPC, KFI, and KGBS in Los Angeles. Roger created and directed The Variety Arts Radio Theatre, live recreations of classic radio drama, for 10 years at the Variety Arts Center in Los Angeles.
Michael McConnohie (narrator) began reading at a very early age, and developed a lifelong relationship with the written and spoken word. As an actor, he has appeared in soap operas, cartoons, prime-time TV, and in stage productions.His audiobook narrations range from true crime to history, biography, science, self-help and poetry. He is an Earphones award winner for fiction.
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Python Isle – Unabridged Audiobook
Written by Will Murray, based on a concept by Lester Dent
In the fall of 1972, I was 14 and consuming as much science fiction and heroic fantasy as I could mainline. As a result, I was the prime candidate to fall in love with a television series that had great concepts, an appealing cast and plenty of action. None were more disappointed when the series, Search, faded after a single season. Thanks to the Wayback Machine that is Warner Archive, the pilot film, Probe, is currently available with hints that the series itself may follow.
Billed as “science fiction in today’s world”, NBC offered up a series that may be a little creaky upon watching today but the series offered some forward looking thinking that was all too rare during the 1970s. It all began with a two-hour telefilm that served as a pilot from Outer Limits creator Leslie Stevens. Producing the show was Star Trek veteran Robert Justman which may well explain why so many of the sound effects at Probe Control remind you of the Enterprise bridge.
World Securities Corp. was a nondescript business but within its office building lay the ultra-high-tech, secret Probe division. The field agents were outfitted with neural earjacks and dental implants that were wirelessly connected to the control room. Each agent carried a scanner that could transmit audio, video, infrared, medical telemetry and the like. Worn as a ring, cufflink or medallion, it was the ultimate fashion accessory. At Probe Control, a quintet of operatives monitored incoming and outgoing data, the physical health of the agent or the target, and could call up information from international databases. Orchestrating the flow and playing Jiminy Cricket to the field operatives was the no-nonsense VCR Cameron. (more…)
June 3, 2011 See What’s New at RadioArchives.com! * Now Available: Digital Downloads! * New in Old Time Radio: The Unexpected, Volume 2 * Coming June 10th: Doc Savage Returns in “Python Isle” * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49 * Pick Up a Bargain in the Treasure Chest * Also New in Old Time Radio: Joe Palooka
Now Available: Digital Downloads!
You asked for it – and now it’s here: the first Digital Download from RadioArchives.com! Our newest CD set, “The Unexpected, Volume 2”, is now available to you in two ways: mailed to you as an audio CD set OR delivered to you immediately as a digital download!
And purchasing the digital version is easy: when you go to the webpage for “The Unexpected, Volume 2”, you’ll see the option to instead go to the product page for the downloadable version of the collection. Once you’re there, just add the download version to your shopping cart, proceed with check-out, and you’ll instantly be able to download a ZIP file containing MP3s of all of the shows in the set . In just a few seconds, you’ll be enjoying the exciting tales of “The Unexpected”!
From this point forward, all of the new CD sets released by RadioArchives.com, as well as every release in our new line of audiobooks, will be available to you as downloads on the same day they are released as CD sets – and, in the weeks to come, you’ll find that more and more of our other great sounding CD sets will also be downloadable. Be sure to visit the “Digital Downloads” page on our website regularly to check out the new products as they become available.
Digital Downloads from RadioArchives.com – a new way to bring you the very best in audio entertainment!
New in Old Time Radio: The Unexpected, Volume 2 Fifty years from now, should some intrepid archaeologist happen to come across a stack of radio and movie scripts from the postwar years, he or she is bound to end up with an interesting take on our culture. It’s likely, in fact, that American society circa 1947 will be interpreted as paranoid, suspicious, and steeped in fear and dread. And if, in that pile of crumbling paper, that archaeologist also happens upon scripts for a little-known radio series titled “The Unexpected”, his or her impression of a society in psychological crisis would be even more certain.
“The Unexpected” was produced by Hamilton-Whitney Productions, a Los Angeles-based company creating programs for syndication. Unlike big-time network dramatic shows, Hamilton-Whitney couldn’t afford the price tags attached to “A” list celebrities – but this actually proved beneficial, since busy radio and movie character actors like Barry Sullivan, Jack Holt, and Lurene Tuttle were used to playing a multitude of parts with very little rehearsal. The budgets may have been small but, thanks to experienced hands both before and behind the microphone, the results were quite impressive.
Then as now, every show that hoped for success had to have some sort of hook or gimmick that differentiated it from other shows. In the case of “The Unexpected”, the series specialized in tense stories of mystery and suspense, usually centering on the thoughts or actions of a single person. A prison inmate, fed up with the verbal abuse of the guards, suddenly snaps and makes his escape…a counterfeiter, fearing capture, gets involved in a card game with the intention of losing all of his phony currency…a ship captain, owing money to a gambling syndicate, plans to sink his own ship for the insurance money – all were simple but engaging plots for this enterprising series. But the fascinating thing about the shows – and the “hook” designed to attract and retain the interest of listeners – was the twist ending that came with each program. You’ll be listening along to the story and then, just about the time the plot is being resolved, the program’s announcer will say “You think the story is over, don’t you? But wait! Fate takes a hand. Wait…for the Unexpected!” Well, after that, what can a listener do but sit through the commercial to find out the REAL ending to the tale?
If you’re a fan of suspenseful mysteries – and particularly if you love surprise endings – you’ll find “The Unexpected, Volume 2” to be a real delight. Transferred directly from original transcription recordings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, this second collection features such talented performers as Lurene Tuttle, Lyle Talbot, Barry Sullivan, and Virginia Gregg.
What’s more, this new collection is now available in two formats: you can get the five-CD set for just $14.98 or, if you prefer, you can get “The Unexpected, Volume 2” as a digital download for just $9.98! Stop by RadioArchives.com and order your copy right away!
Coming June 10th: Doc Savage Returns in “Python Isle”
On June 10, 2011, RadioArchives.com will inaugurate a new and exciting era in pulp fiction entertainment. On that day, for the very first time, The Man of Bronze will come to vivid life in the first of a new series of audiobook adventures. Written by Will Murray and produced and directed by Roger Rittner – the same team that brought you “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series – “Python Isle” will feature narration by Michael McConnohie, known for his work on some of the most popular audiobooks, anime features, and video. This team of professionals, and many other talented performers and technicians, have joined together to create a new series of pulp audiobooks for RadioArchives.com – a series that, in the months to come, will also feature the thrill-packed adventures of The Spider, Secret Agent X, and many other timeless favorites.
The quality of these new releases, which will be available as both audio compact disc sets and as digital downloads, is truly impressive. To hear an audio clip featuring Michael McConnohie reading from “Python Isle”, click here: Audiobooks from RadioArchives.com
For eighty years, the name Doc Savage has meant excitement to millions of readers worldwide. On June 10th, join with us and experience his exploits in a whole new way as we introduce pulp audiobooks from RadioArchives.com!
New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49
Back in the 1930s, it was common to find teenagers and grown men alike gathering around their neighborhood newsstand, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest adventures of their favorite pulp heroes. Nowadays, however, it’s far easier for fans of Doc Savage and The Shadow to get the latest tales of these two timeless adventure favorites: just stop by RadioArchives.com and you’ll find two brand new and just released reprints featuring the Man of Bronze and the Knight of Darkness waiting for you! In “Doc Savage Volume 48”, priced at just $14.95, you’ll thrill to the classic adventures of the Man of Bronze in two original novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, what is the bizarre connection between the appearance of “Red Snow” and the disappearance of a United States senator? Our national security may depend on Doc Savage’s discovery of the sinister secret! Then, in “Death Had Yellow Eyes”, Monk Mayfair is abducted while the Man of Bronze is framed for bank robbery and murder. This classic pulp reprint is available in two editions: one features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, while the alternate edition features an impressive painting by Bantam artist James Bama. Both feature Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of seven Doc Savage novels which are soon to be released as audiobooks by RadioArchives.com.
Next, the radio origins of the Knight of Darkness are showcased in “The Shadow Volume 49”, priced at just $14.95 and featuring two classic pulp novels by Walter Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant. First, the Dark Avenger teams with Secret Service agent Vic Marquette to investigate a far-reaching counterfeiting ring in “The Shadow Laughs!”, the landmark novel that introduced the real Lamont Cranston. Then, how can The Shadow prove that an innocent man is not a murderer when several witnesses have identified the young man as the “Voice of Death”? This instant collector’s item features the original color pulp covers by Jerome Rozen and Graves Gladney, classic interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Will Murray and Anthony Tollin.
Both of these collectable publications are now available at RadioArchives.com – and, to get one or both, you’ll pay just $3.00 flat rate shipping, delivered anywhere in the United States. If you just can’t get enough of these two exciting heroes – as well as The Spider, The Avenger, and The Whisperer – stop by RadioArchives.com and place your order right away.
Pick Up a Bargain in the Treasure Chest
At RadioArchives.com, we love to reward our customers for their business – and that’s why, every day of the week, we offer you our Treasure Chest Bonus offers. These special deals are always featured on our home page and give you the chance to add something special – and bargain priced – to each and every order you submit. Get out your calendars now and circle the dates for the deals coming your way this week: * Today through Monday June 6th, you can get our newest CD set – “The Unexpected, Volume 2”, a $14.98 value – for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. * On Tuesday June 7th, pulp fiction’s legendary Man of Bronze returns in “Doc Savage Volume 3”, featuring two classic stories by Walter Gibson. In “Death in Silver”, ruthless terrorists launch a series of attacks that leave Manhattan in flames. The Man of Bronze, his Iron Crew, and Doc’s beautiful cousin Patricia Savage must unmask the leader of the Silver Death’s-Heads before they achieve their murderous goals. Then, in “Golden Peril”, an international band of mercenaries invades the Republic of Hidalgo to usurp the source of Doc’s secret wealth in the sequel to the first Doc Savage novel. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint is normally priced at $12.95 – but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.. * On Wednesday June 8th, the Robin Hood of the Old West rides again in “The Cisco Kid, Volume 1”, a ten-CD collection featuring twenty exciting tales of action, adventure, and excitement. Transferred from a series of long-lost recordings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, this timeless compact disc collection normally sells for $29.98 – but, for one day only, it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
Also New in Old Time Radio: Joe Palooka
During radio’s heyday, it was common to adapt stories and characters from the comic strips into shows for radio listeners to enjoy. In some cases, the results were extraordinarily successful; Harold Gray’s Little Orphan Annie, sponsored by Ovaltine, became a radio legend, while both Jungle Jim and Flash Gordon enjoyed weekly success. But, surprisingly, some of the biggest names in the comics failed to click with listeners – and, in 1945, one of those big names was that of the popular prizefighter of the funny papers, Joe Palooka.
Created by cartoonist Ham Fisher, Joe Palooka had made his newspaper debut in 1930. Since that time, his popularity had grown to the point that his exploits were being carried in 900 newspapers throughout the country – helped, no doubt, by the fact that the pugilist had spent the war years serving in the United States Army. One of the earliest characters to enlist, Joe joined the military in 1940 and spent the next five years fighting the Axis forces in both his daily and Sunday comic strips. Not surprisingly, he was a big hit with GI’s, his adventures printed in both Stars and Stripes and Yank, two newspapers printed exclusively for military personnel.
Realizing that the war had brought fame and respect to the character far beyond his expectations, in 1945, Ham Fisher decided that it was time to bring Joe Palooka back to radio in a new series of peacetime adventures. To bring his comic strip to life, Fisher first contacted Harold Conrad, a former Broadway columnist who had lately turned to press agentry and free-lance writing. There was no question that Conrad had knowledge of the boxing world and Fisher felt that his fascination with the eccentrics and rogues that populated the sport would infuse the radio version with an authentic ringside flavor. Conrad agreed to write a couple of radio scripts for a syndicated series to be produced by Graphic Radio Productions, Inc. Two audition shows were quickly produced by the NBC Radio-Recording Division in their Chicago Merchandise Mart studios, but the series failed to sell.
Undaunted by this, Ham Fisher then took the concept to John Boler, the President of the North Central Broadcasting System, which supplied programming to a number of midsized radio stations. Boler, in conjunction with Fisher’s partners, agreed to produce a five-a-week radio series to be recorded in the studios of the L. S. Toogood Recording Company in Chicago. Recording began in the fall of 1945 and, over the next few months, a total of 130 fifteen-minute episodes were produced – 26 weeks worth of daily shows. As it turned out, however, 1946 was not a good year for North Central Broadcasting; in the summer, the company filed for bankruptcy and, by the end of the year, it was no more. With all of the financial complications, “Joe Palooka” failed to get the publicity and salesmanship that it deserved and, unfortunately, the series never aired outside of a few small local markets.
Though disappointed by the way things turned out, Ham Fisher remained enthusiastic about Joe Palooka’s potential for broadcasting – but radio, it seemed, was not to be his medium. Fisher turned his attention to television and, by 1953, “The Story of Joe Palooka” made its video bow in a syndicated series produced by Guild Films. The radio series, having been heard by very few people, fell into obscurity and has been almost completely forgotten by radio historians – but luckily, a few months ago, Radio Archives acquired twenty episodes of the series, as well as the 1945 audition recordings made by NBC. The result is a brand new five-hour collection containing twenty episodes of “Joe Palooka”, as well as the two NBC auditions. For fans of comic strips, as well as those who grew up with Joe Palooka in the movies and on television, it’s a rare chance to hear this iconic American hero on the air in his own radio series.
For over fifty years, Joe Palooka, his colorful manager Knobby Walsh, his girlfriend Ann Howe, and the many other characters that populated the comic strip brought enjoyment to millions of devoted readers. In this five CD set, priced at just $14.98, you’ll enjoy five full hours of his radio adventures, made available here for the very first time since 1945. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the history of an American icon who entertained and inspired American youth – and it’s now available from RadioArchives.com.
Listen to this Newsletter! Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more! ——————————————————————————– The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, colorful and exciting books from Moonstone, timeless movies and televisi on shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in entertainment. We’d love to hear from you! Send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com or call us toll free at 800-886-0551 with your comments, questions, or suggestions.
Pro Se Productions, LLC., a Publisher of New Pulp books, anthologies, and magazines, as well as the sponsor of PULP ARK, a Creators Conference/Fan Convention that debuted in Arkansas May 13-15, 2011, announces today plans to offer Pulp convention programming to other Conventions, Pulp and otherwise.
Dubbed NEW PULP CONVENTION PROGRAMMING, Pro Se Productions Partner and Editor in Chief Tommy Hancock states, “With the success of PULP ARK in terms of programming, education, and entertainment all in a Pulp vein, there has been much discussion on how to share this with others that can’t get to Arkansas. PULP ARK 2012 is already being planned, but we began looking at avenues to do even more than that.Out of a discussion about possibly hosting other NEW PULP conventions came an extremely interesting idea.
“So many conventions,” Hancock continued, “that have or should have aspects related to New Pulp already exist.Comic conventions, old time radio and new audio drama shows, genre specific gatherings like Horror, Western, etc., the list is probably endless.Instead of adding a whole roster of NEW PULP Cons to that, Pro Se Productions now offers NEW PULP CON PROGRAMMING PACKAGES.Essentially what this means is Pro Se Productions will provide any interested convention or show with Pulp related programming.These packages will range from a single one hour session to a full blown multiday experience, including panels, classrooms, interactive theater drama, and other special events.Although this is New Pulp programming, panels and classrooms will also include sessions on classic Pulp as well because without those at the beginning, there would not be a New Pulp Movement today.”
These packages, according to Hancock, will include Panel and Classroom presenters, actors for any dramas and participants from other activities drawn from some of the biggest names in New Pulp today. The packages emulate the program used for the first PULP ARK, one that received rave reviews from guests and fans in attendance. And location is not a concern.“If your show is in Colorado for example,” Hancock explains, “then we would draw our presenters for various panels and classrooms from the New Pulp community that exists there.The same goes for Georgia, New York, other states, and even Canada.Our plan is to provide conventions with the best New Pulp programming possible at the best rate possible. However, if you want a full line up of top of the line New Pulp writers and artists and are willing to cover expenses, Pro Se will at the best of our ability arrange to partner with the best possible and get them to your event.”
The Packages are as follows-(NOTE-All packages depend on Author/Artist availability.No financial exchange will occur until the Convention Producers, Pro Se Productions, and the Staff Pro Se will dispatch are in full agreement)
NEW PULP PACKAGE ONE-Introduction-Basic
If a New Pulp Artist or Author is within 50 miles of your convention/show and you are interested in a one hour Classroom or Panel, then Pro Se will set this up.The only cost is that the attending NEW PULP Author/artist be provided a table at the convention free of charge, if requested.
NEW PULP PACKAGE TWO-Single Day-Full Basic Programming
Three Classrooms and/or Panels utilizing a minimum of Three NEW PULP Artists/Writers. (If more than three are wanted/necessary, then cost may be higher)
Cost-$200.00 plus free tables for each Artist/Author Attending as well as any travel expenses incurred by Authors/Artists more than 50 miles away from Convention site.
NEW PULP PACKAGE THREE-Single Day-Deluxe Programming
Three Classrooms and/or Panels utilizing a minimum of Three NEW PULP Artists/Writers. (If more than three are wanted/necessary, then cost may be higher)
A fully produced Pulp Drama done onsite or another similar event (total time 1.5-2.5 hours
Cost-$300.00 plus free tables for each Artist/Author Attending as well as any travel expenses incurred by Authors/Artists more than 50 miles away from Convention site.
NEW PULP PACKAGE FOUR-MultiDay Deluxe Programming
Three Classrooms and/or Panels each FULL DAY utilizing a minimum of Three NEW PULP Artists/Writers. (If more than three are wanted/necessary, then cost may be higher) (One-two panels/classrooms on partial days)
A fully produced Pulp Drama done onsite (total time 1.5-2.5 hours) that can either be performed in one setting or throughout the convention’s run.
An event to be determined in negotiation (Old Time Radio recreations, further drama, Pulped! Game Show, and other possibilities exist)
Cost will include free tables for each Artist/Author Attending as well as any travel expenses incurred by Authors/Artists more than 50 miles away from Convention site and Hotel expenses incurred by those who are not local to the area.Cost beyond this must be negotiated due to multiple factors, including number of days expected, etc.
Hancock also reports, “Although we have a beginning list of writers and artists from one coast to the other and beyond that will participate in this Programming, schedules allowing, any New Pulp Writer/Artist interested in participating can contact me and if they fit what we’re looking for, we’ll add them to our list of available personalities to participate.”
Hancock states, “What we want to do with NEW PULP Programming is allow any Convention or Show interested in having a Pulp line of programming included in their regular schedule of events, programming that they do not have to plan, design, recruit, or set up for.We will come in and all we’ll require is to be pointed in the direction where we’ll speak, teach, and perform from.This will be beneficial to not only New Pulp, but also to the Convention itself as well as bringing new fans to each and introducing existing fanbases to another entertaining aspect of Pop Culture-New Pulp!”
* New in Old Time Radio: Joe Palooka * New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49 * A Pirate’s Booty in Our Treasure Chest * Also New in Old Time Radio: The Jimmy Durante Show, Volume 2 * Letters, We Get Letters…
Have a Problem? Have a Question? Just Need Some Assistance? We’re Here to Help! We all know that, though technology can be tremendously useful and convenient, it can also be confusing and unpredictable. When the unexplainable happens, it’s nice to have someone to turn to for assistance – and that kind of personalized help is what RadioArchives.com offers you every day of the week!
At RadioArchives.com, we believe in real customer service – the sort of patient one-on-one help that it’s hard to find anymore. If you find yourself having trouble ordering from us, or if you just aren’t sure how to do something, feel free to drop us a line at Service@RadioArchives.com or give us a call at 800-886-0551. We’ll be happy to diagnose the problem, walk you through the process, and also answer any questions you may have.
New in Old Time Radio: Joe Palooka
During radio’s heyday, it was common to adapt stories and characters from the comic strips into shows for radio listeners to enjoy. In some cases, the results were extraordinarily successful; Harold Gray’s Little Orphan Annie, sponsored by Ovaltine, became a radio legend, while both Jungle Jim and Flash Gordon enjoyed weekly success. But, surprisingly, some of the biggest names in the comics failed to click with listeners – and, in 1945, one of those big names was that of the popular prizefighter of the funny papers, Joe Palooka.
Created by cartoonist Ham Fisher, Joe Palooka had made his newspaper debut in 1930. Since that time, his popularity had grown to the point that his exploits were being carried in 900 newspapers throughout the country – helped, no doubt, by the fact that the pugilist had spent the war years serving in the United States Army. One of the earliest characters to enlist, Joe joined the military in 1940 and spent the next five years fighting the Axis forces in both his daily and Sunday comic strips. Not surprisingly, he was a big hit with GI’s, his adventures printed in both Stars and Stripes and Yank, two newspapers printed exclusively for military personnel.
Realizing that the war had brought fame and respect to the character far beyond his expectations, in 1945, Ham Fisher decided that it was time to bring Joe Palooka back to radio in a new series of peacetime adventures. To bring his comic strip to life, Fisher first contacted Harold Conrad, a former Broadway columnist who had lately turned to press agentry and free-lance writing. There was no question that Conrad had knowledge of the boxing world and Fisher felt that his fascination with the eccentrics and rogues that populated the sport would infuse the radio version with an authentic ringside flavor. Conrad agreed to write a couple of radio scripts for a syndicated series to be produced by Graphic Radio Productions, Inc. Two audition shows were quickly produced by the NBC Radio-Recording Division in their Chicago Merchandise Mart studios, but the series failed to sell.
Undaunted by this, Ham Fisher then took the concept to John Boler, the President of the North Central Broadcasting System, which supplied programming to a number of midsized radio stations. Boler, in conjunction with Fisher’s partners, agreed to produce a five-a-week radio series to be recorded in the studios of the L. S. Toogood Recording Company in Chicago. Recording began in the fall of 1945 and, over the next few months, a total of 130 fifteen-minute episodes were produced – 26 weeks worth of daily shows. As it turned out, however, 1946 was not a good year for North Central Broadcasting; in the summer, the company filed for bankruptcy and, by the end of the year, it was no more. With all of the financial complications, “Joe Palooka” failed to get the publicity and salesmanship that it deserved and, unfortunately, the series never aired outside of a few small local markets.
Though disappointed by the way things turned out, Ham Fisher remained enthusiastic about Joe Palooka’s potential for broadcasting – but radio, it seemed, was not to be his medium. Fisher turned his attention to television and, by 1953, “The Story of Joe Palooka” made its video bow in a syndicated series produced by Guild Films. The radio series, having been heard by very few people, fell into obscurity and has been almost completely forgotten by radio historians – but luckily, a few months ago, Radio Archives acquired twenty episodes of the series, as well as the 1945 audition recordings made by NBC. The result is a brand new five-hour collection containing twenty episodes of “Joe Palooka”, as well as the two NBC auditions. For fans of comic strips, as well as those who grew up with Joe Palooka in the movies and on television, it’s a rare chance to hear this iconic American hero on the air in his own radio series.
For over fifty years, Joe Palooka, his colorful manager Knobby Walsh, his girlfriend Ann Howe, and the many other characters that populated the comic strip brought enjoyment to millions of devoted readers. In this five CD set, priced at just $14.98, you’ll enjoy five full hours of his radio adventures, made available here for the very first time since 1945. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the history of an American icon who entertained and inspired American youth – and it’s now available from RadioArchives.com.
New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 48 and The Shadow Volume 49Back in the 1930s, it was common to find teenagers and grown men alike gathering around their neighborhood newsstand, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest adventures of their favorite pulp heroes. Nowadays, however, it’s far easier for fans of Doc Savage and The Shadow to get the latest tales of these two timeless adventure favorites: just stop by RadioArchives.com and you’ll find two brand new and just released reprints featuring the Man of Bronze and the Knight of Darkness waiting for you!
In “Doc Savage Volume 48”, priced at just $14.95, you’ll thrill to the classic adventures of the Man of Bronze in two original novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, what is the bizarre connection between the appearance of “Red Snow” and the disappearance of a United States senator? Our national security may depend on Doc Savage’s discovery of the sinister secret! Then, in “Death Had Yellow Eyes”, Monk Mayfair is abducted while the Man of Bronze is framed for bank robbery and murder. This classic pulp reprint is available in two editions: one features the original color pulp covers by Walter M. Baumhofer and Modest Stein, while the alternate edition features an impressive painting by Bantam artist James Bama. Both feature Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of seven Doc Savage novels which are soon to be released as audiobooks by RadioArchives.com. (For more information on these exciting new releases, click here: Audiobooks from RadioArchives.com)
Next, the radio origins of the Knight of Darkness are showcased in “The Shadow Volume 49”, priced at just $14.95 and featuring two classic pulp novels by Walter Gibson, writing as Maxwell Grant. First, the Dark Avenger teams with Secret Service agent Vic Marquette to investigate a far-reaching counterfeiting ring in “The Shadow Laughs!”, the landmark novel that introduced the real Lamont Cranston. Then, how can The Shadow prove that an innocent man is not a murderer when several witnesses have identified the young man as the “Voice of Death”? This instant collector’s item features the original color pulp covers by Jerome Rozen and Graves Gladney, classic interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, and commentary by popular-culture historians Will Murray and Anthony Tollin.
Both of these collectable publications are now available at RadioArchives.com – and, to get one or both, you’ll pay just $3.00 flat rate shipping, delivered anywhere in the United States. If you just can’t get enough of these two exciting heroes – as well as The Spider, The Avenger, and The Whisperer – stop by RadioArchives.com and place your order right away.
A Pirate’s Booty in Our Treasure Chest If you keep up with the movie business, you know that pirates have once again returned to the silver screen in another big-budget blockbuster. Hoisting the Jolly Roger and setting sail for adventure on the high seas, these bloodthirsty characters have been a part of film history since the days when Douglas Fairbanks drew his sword and slid down the mainsail in “The Black Pirate”.
One of the motivations of any good buccaneer has always been the pursuit of buried treasure – legendary mother lodes of gold doubloons, jewels, and untold riches, hidden away and just waiting to be plundered. But if you’re a regular Radio Archives customer, you know that you don’t need to find a hidden map or sail the seven seas to uncover that treasure chest; you’ll find one waiting for you every time you visit our home page at RadioArchives.com. Just see the booty that’s coming your way this week:
* Today through Monday May 30th, you can get our newest CD set – “Joe Palooka”, a $14.98 value – for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Tuesday May 31st, pulp fiction’s legendary super-sleuth returns in “The Shadow Volume 5”, featuring two classic stories by Walter Gibson. In “The Black Falcon”, Lamont Cranston is abducted by a kidnapper who unearths secrets from The Shadow’s mysterious past. Then, the Knight of Darkness must defeat a Dragon of Fire before the city becomes a blazing inferno in an action-packed thriller titled “The Salamanders”. This instant collector’s item also features the original pulp covers by George Rozen, interior illustrations by Tom Lovell, and “The Island of Ancient Death,” a bonus Shadow story adapted from the Mutual Broadcasting System radio program by scriptwriter Gibson Scott Fox. This beautifully reformatted double-novel reprint is normally priced at $12.95 – but you can enjoy these two exciting adventures for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more.
* On Wednesday June 1st, lovers of both pulp and radio adventure will thrill to “Adventures by Morse, Volume 1”, a ten-CD collection featuring two bloodcurdling multi-part tales from the pen of radio’s renaissance man, Carlton E. Morse: “The City of the Dead” and “The Cobra King Strikes Back”. Transferred from the original one-of-kind test pressings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, this exciting set offers the finest sounding and most complete versions of these two suspenseful tales ever made available. This timeless compact disc collection normally sells for $29.98 – but, for one day only, it can be yours for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. But wait! There’s more pulpy excitement to come!
* In the 1930s, writer George Harmon Coxe introduced a new character to the pages of “Black Mask Magazine”: a hardboiled newspaper photojournalist named Casey. Instantly popular with readers, in 1943, CBS brought his pulp exploits to radio in “Casey, Crime Photographer”, a series of lighthearted mystery tales that combined solid plots, eccentric characters, and the off-center dialogue that could only come from a series set in The Blue Note Bar. Adapted for radio by Alonzo Deen Cole (“The Witch’s Tale”), the series is a true radio classic – and on Thursday June 2nd, you can get “Casey, Crime Photographer, Volume 1”, a 10-CD set featuring twenty original broadcasts, for Just 99 Cents when you submit an order of $35.00 or more. This collection normally sells for $29.98.
We’re sorry but, at these low prices, multiple orders cannot be combined into single shipments. Each separate order must be placed on the days on which the specials are offered and no early or late orders will be accepted.
So don’t wait until you’ve seen the latest pirate movie. Stop by RadioArchives.com today and stake your own claim to the Treasure Chest that’s waiting for you. It’s a simple and affordable way to add something special to each and every one of your orders with us – and you’ll never even have to leave port to get it!
Letters…We Get Letters… Listen to this Newsletter!
The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, colorful and exciting books from Moonstone, timeless movies and televisi on shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in entertainment. We’d love to hear from you!Send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com or call us toll free at 800-886-0551 with your comments, questions, or suggestions.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest compact disc collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest CD sets, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!
A lot of companies complain about the amount of mail they receive each day – but here at RadioArchives.com, we love to read the letters we get from our customers. It’s wonderful to see how many of you appreciate and enjoy the many products we have to offer, as well as our low-cost shipping and world-class customer service. Here are a few of the e-mails we’ve received recently, with many thanks to the nice folks who sent them to us.
Bill Downs list
ens to “The Lives of Harry Lime” and writes: The quality of the recordings is outstanding. Orson Welles is Harry Lime as he was created to be. Thanks again for preserving an important part of our history.
Tom Kokenge writes: I find the audio version of your newsletter and it’s production values to be of the same high caliber as the newsletter and the website. Frankly you don’t get any better than your website so, trust me, that is high praise indeed. You have a great voice for radio, as the saying goes, and it sounds like you are really enjoying yourself as you do them. The hard work to write and produce the newsletter really shows in the finished product.
Gary Kalin reads his copy of “Doc Savage Volume 7” and writes: “The Lost Oasis” is one of my favorite Doc Savage novels, with “The Sargasso Ogre” a close second. “The Lost Oasis” has everything that make this a first class story: zeppelins, vampire bats, diamond mines, and poor souls in trouble. Mr. Dent had a true talent for writing about flying and airships. Where “Oasis” left off, “The Sargasso Ogre” picks up as Doc and his crew make their way back to New York. “Ogre” is interesting that Doc goes up against a bad guy just about as strong as he is. If you have never read a Doc Savage, this would be a good book and two stories to start with.
We appreciate both your thoughts and your letters. If you’d like to see your comments and reviews in our newsletter, just send an e-mail to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’ll be happy to hear from you.
Let’s stipulate upfront that Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings may be as perfect an adaptation of the source material as we are apt to get in our lifetimes. From the casting to the visuals to Howard Shore’s amazing score, this movie was a monumental achievement well deserving of its accolades and box office success.
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If you just can’t get enough of the page-turning adventures of the great pulp heroes, stop by 
Listen to this Newsletter! 
During radio’s heyday, it was common to adapt stories and characters from the comic strips into shows for radio listeners to enjoy. In some cases, the results were extraordinarily successful; Harold Gray’s Little Orphan Annie, sponsored by Ovaltine, became a radio legend, while both Jungle Jim and Flash Gordon enjoyed weekly success. But, surprisingly, some of the biggest names in the comics failed to click with listeners – and, in 1945, one of those big names was that of the popular prizefighter of the funny papers, Joe Palooka.
Back in the 1930s, it was common to find teenagers and grown men alike gathering around their neighborhood newsstand, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest adventures of their favorite pulp heroes. Nowadays, however, it’s far easier for fans of Doc Savage and The Shadow to get the latest tales of these two timeless adventure favorites: just stop by 
In 
One of the motivations of any good buccaneer has always been the pursuit of buried treasure – legendary mother lodes of gold doubloons, jewels, and untold riches, hidden away and just waiting to be plundered. But if you’re a regular Radio Archives customer, you know that you don’t need to find a hidden map or sail the seven seas to uncover that treasure chest; you’ll find one waiting for you every time you visit our home page at 
* 
* In the 1930s, writer George Harmon Coxe introduced a new character to the pages of “Black Mask Magazine”: a hardboiled newspaper photojournalist named Casey. Instantly popular with readers, in 1943, CBS brought his pulp exploits to radio in “Casey, Crime Photographer”, a series of lighthearted mystery tales that combined solid plots, eccentric characters, and the off-center dialogue that could only come from a series set in The Blue Note Bar. Adapted for radio by Alonzo Deen Cole (“The Witch’s Tale”), the series is a true radio classic – and on 
Listen to this Newsletter! 
Tom Kokenge writes: 
