Juvenile

A list of children's radio programs, mostly serials that where broadcast for the young and young at heart.

Broadcast History: 26 March 1934 to 22 June 1934 and 5 October 1946 to 4 June 1949

The Adventures of Frank Merriwell was created by Gilbert Patten who wrote under the name, Burt L. Standish and was first broadcast on NBC radio from March 26 to June 22, 1934 3 times a week in 15-minute continuation stories.

Donald Briggs originally starred as the fictional character of Frank Merriwell, a juvenile role model who played and excelled at all types of sports at Yale University, including football, baseball, basketball, crew and track.

Besides Frank’s busy sports schedule, he also solved complicated mysteries, always taking the right path and never tired of fighting for the underdog. Merriwell’s creator, Patten, summed up Frank’s character by stating, The name was symbolic of the chief characteristics I desired my hero to have -- Frank for frankness, merry for a happy disposition and well for health and abounding energy.

Indeed, Frank Merriwell was the epitome of the perfect student and person. He didn’t drink or smoke and exercised to keep in great condition. But Frank did show his humanness a few times in the series. Once he let down his perfect façade to play in a poker game and later, Frank confessed his indiscretion to his friend, Bart Hodge, and also revealed that he had an almost uncontrollable weakness for gambling. Frank further confessed that he once stole money from his dear, sweet mother to sustain his gambling habit.

After its 1934 premiere, The Adventures of Frank Merriwell didn’t appear again until October 5, 1946. NBC broadcast the series as a 30-minute Saturday morning show starring Lawson Zerbe. In 1936 a film serial of The Adventures of Frank Merriwell appeared in theaters nationwide. 

 

Broadcast History: 12 February 1940 to 1 March 1951

his juvenile adventure series was first broadcast on Mutual in 1940 with Clayton (Bud) Collyer starring as Superman/Clark Kent. It first began as a fifteen-minute show but later, in 1949, it moved to ABC as a thirty-minute Saturday show with Michael Fitzmaurice as Superman. At the end of its thirteen-year run it had totalled over 1600 episodes. The opening for the show was one of radio’s best, setting the stage for those flights into fantasy with a cascade of voices, narration and sound effects. “Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!” “Look! Up in the sky!” “It’s a bird!” “It’s a plane!” “It’s Superman!”

Broadcast History: 1933 to 1937 and 1946 to 1947

The writers of Jimmie Allen had been flying aces in World War I. They came up with the idea of a show about a boy pilot while at a party in Kansas City and used thier experience as pilots to create and write the show.

The show was one of the first to capitalise on the idea of a club as a promotional tool. To join the Jimmie Allen Flying Club all a child had to do was apply at any Skelly Gas Station (the initial sponsor). As a member the child received a whole host of goodies ranging from a set of wings through to a “personal” letter from Jimmie himself. An incredible 600,000 club newspapers were sent out to children each week and many thousands attended the Jimmie Allen Air Races that were held in Midwest cities.

The show was first broadcast between 1933 and 1937 and then came back to the air with brand new stories after the war between 1946 and 1947. The post war stint in no way lived up to the fascination for the show in the 1930s.

Broadcast History: 1950-1954

Big Jon being Jonathan Arthur who not only created and played the part of the leading character Sparkie but also his fantasy friends Mayor Plumpfront and Ukey Betcha as they embarked on wonderful adventures. When it was first heard nobody knew what Sparkie looked like so after numerous requests from his fans Jon Arthur commissioned a comic artist to compile a picture of Sparkie based on what his fans imagined.

 

Broadcast History: 15 May 1940 to 13 September 1940

"Reaping down upon the underworld to smash ganglands comes a friend of the unfortunate an enemy of criminals, the mysterious all powerful character who is a problem to the police. A crusader for law, in reality Dan Garrett a rookie patrolman loved by everyone but suspected by none of being the Blue Beetle. As the Blue beetle he hides behind a strange mask and a suit of impenetrable blue chain armor flexible as silk but stronger than steel."

Broadcast History: 17 October 1932 to 11 December 1936 and 21 June 1949 to 17 June 1955

There were a couple of Bobby Benson shows. The first ran from 1932 to 1936 on CBS stations in the east. That first show was known as Bobby Benson and the H-Bar-O Rangers and was sponsored by Heckers H-O cereals. The second, and more famous of the two, was Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders, which began on Mutual in 1949. The part of Bobby was played by Billy Halop, Ivan Cury and Richard Wanamaker. Tex Ritter played multiple parts such as Rex Mason the foreman on the ranch. From 1951 - 1955 Don Knotts played the part of Windy Wales, ranch handyman.

Broadcast History: 7 November 1932 to 22 May 1936, 5 April 1939 to 31 July 1939, 18 May 1940 to 27 July 1940 and 30 September 1946 to 28 March 1947

Back in 1919 Buck Rogers was in the lower workings of an abandoned mine near the city of Pittsburgh when suddenly the walls caved in and a peculiar gas caused him to be held in a state of suspended animation for five hundred years. Finding himself in the strange and exciting world of the 25th century Buck quickly adapted him self to the use of rocket powered spacecraft and other marvellous scientific developments that would seem almost impossible in our present day. With Wilma Deering and Dr Huer Buck has visited Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and even far off Pluto. His life has been just one amazing adventure after another.

Broadcast History: 17 October 1939 to 27 March 1940, 30 September 1940 to 3 July 1942, 28 September 1942 to 17 June 1949 and 20 September to 15 December 1949

From 1939 to 1949, children everywhere didn’t have to look far to find a hero! Captain Midnight provided them with the action of a military aviator who took on the bad guys. Starting on October 17, 1939 the Captain Midnight radio show aired in markets where its sponsor, the Skelly Oil Company, had major customers. Children in the Midwest and southwest regions of the United States tuned in every weekday to find out what their hero was up to. The basic premise of the show centered on the hero himself, Captain Midnight. He was a flying ace in the World War I and his true identity was kept a secret – even from his commanding officers. His nickname came from a daring mission where he returned at midnight unscathed. Every installment of Captain Midnight impressed kids with his ability to fight evil plots and restore justice to the world. Children were also engaged because of his two sidekicks – Patsy Donovan and Chuck Ramsey.

As the show continued it changed hands and was sponsored by Ovaltine and was broadcast more widely. As the years went by and the United States entered World War II, Captain Midnight stayed in line with the times. He began to fight the Nazis and the Japanese.

All over the country, children were joining the Captain Midnight Flight Patrol – a fan club that sent children a junior pilot application card and a bronze medal to commemorate their membership. It also was a decoder that children could use to interpret messages hidden in the serial script. The show also provided children with action-packed shows that they could tune into Monday through Friday. Captain Midnight was known for its amazing sound effects that brought children from their living rooms to the battle lines. As children listened they were transported into machine gun battles and heroic dives through the air. And because of the excitement, children couldn’t wait to become a part of the action. Millions of children joined the Flight Patrol. The success of Captain Midnight is surely tied to the events of the day when war and aviation were on the forefront of American culture.

Broadcast History: 3 February 1938 to 28 May 1947, 12 June 1947 to 30 December 1949 and 2 January 1950 to 9 June 1955
Theme Tune: Donna Diana Overture by von Resnicek

The program was an adventure series about Sergeant William Preston of the North-West Mounted Police and his lead sled dog, Yukon King, as they fought evildoers in the Northern wilderness during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. Preston, according to radio historian Jim Harmon, first joined theMounties to capture his father's killer, and when he was successful he was promoted to sergeant. Preston worked under the command of Inspector Conrad, and in the early years was often assisted by a French-Canadian guide named Pierre.

Preston's staunchest ally, who was arguably the true star of the show and indeed often did more work than he did, was the brave Alaskan husky, Yukon King. Typical plots involved the pair helping injured trappers, tracking down smugglers, or saving cabin dwellers from wolverines. Sergeant Preston's faithful steed was Rex, used primarily in the summer months, but generally Yukon King and his dog team were the key mode of transportation (as signaled by Preston's cry of "On, King! On, you huskies!)."

There is some confusion regarding King's actual breed. The writers seemed to use malamute and husky interchangeably. At least once, Preston answered "malamute" to the question from another character. In one radio episode Preston indicates King's mother had been a wolf, which would make him a wolfdog. In the early radio shows, the cry of "On, you huskies!" would alternate with "On, you malamutes" from show to show.

The theme music was Emil von Reznicek's overture to Donna Diana, a now long-forgotten opera, though the overture remains a concert staple to this day. The show's episodes ended with the official pronouncement, Well, King, this case is closed. [Source: Wikipedia]

Broadcast History: 10th October 1932 to 6th September 1950

Chandu the Magician, one of the longest running radio adventure serials, was heard on several different networks and aired in two distinctly different series, one in the 1930s and a revival 12 years later in the 1940s and 1950s. The series was created by Harry A. Earnshaw (1878–1953) and Raymond R. Morgan.

Launched in 1931 on KHJ in Los Angeles, the series was soon heard through the West Coast when broadcast on the Don Lee Network. It was then heard, starting in February 1932, over WOR in the East. Nationally, it aired over Mutual starting October 8, 1932. The series was sponsored by White King Soapin the West and by Beech Nut Gum in the East.

Gayne Whitman played the lead role of American-born Frank Chandler, who had learned occult secrets from a yogi in India. Known as Chandu, he possessed several supernatural skills, including astral projection, teleportation and the ability to create illusions. Chandu's goal was to "go forth with his youth and strength to conquer the evil that threatens mankind."

His sister, Dorothy Regent, was portrayed by Margaret MacDonald. Cyril Armbrister directed the scripts by Vera Oldham which took Chandu to far-flung locales, both real and mythical. Romantic interludes for Chandu were introduced with Egyptian Princess Nadji (Veola Vonn). Music was first furnished by Felix Mills and then Raymond Paige. According to Veola Vonn, the program was broadcast from the KHJ building on Melrose Avenue; the KHJ building is still standing, although the KHJ studios are long gone.

In 1932, Walter Winchell noted, "One of the smaller radio chains has a feature called Chandu, which is Hindu-Chinese for an opium preparation. In fewer words--Dope."

In 1935, the production moved to WGN Chicago with a new cast, including Howard Hoffman in the title role and Cornelia Osgood as Dorothy. Her children, Bob and Betty, were played by Olan Soule and Audrey McGrath. This series came to an end in 1936,

Twelve years later, the series was revived on Mutual June 28, 1948 as a 15-minute weekday program, starring Tom Collins as Chandu and Luis van Rooten as the villainous Roxor plotting world domination. With Howard Culver as the announcer and music by organist Korla Pandit, that series continued until January 28, 1949. The serial continuity was dropped February 2, 1949 in favor of 30-minute episodes, each with a self-contained storyline, continuing in that format until April 28, 1949. Culver often read commercials with Pandit's organ music in the background.

On October 15, 1949, Chandu the Magician moved to ABC where it was heard Saturdays at 7:30pm until June and then on Wednesdays at 9:30pm. The last broadcast was September 6, 1950.

In 1932 Chandu the Magician was produced as a film, with Edmund Lowe as Chandu and Bela Lugosi as Roxor. In The Return of Chandu (1934) Lugosi portrayed Chandu. On February 26, 1934, the "Looking Back" column in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, noted:

Radio fans who have been enjoying the Chandu the Magician broadcasts, which have been sponsored by the National Grocery and Reliance Coffee, will be happy to know that the program has been made into a talking picture. The broadcast which is regularly heard over KFQD, can be seen at the Empress Theater for this premier production. [Source: Wikipedia]

Broadcast History: 1937 to 1962

A wonderful serial that was enjoyed annually by young children (at adults) in the period leading up to Christmas.

Judy and Jimmy Barton are twins living with their folks in a big old-fashioned house. Right after Thanksgiving Judy and Jimmy’s mother tells them she’s going to let them help her sort out the Christmas tree ornaments to see if any of them have been lost or broken. They find them all in good condition except – and here’s the motivation of the story – except the big silver star that has graced the top of every Barton Christmas tree for years and years. Judy and Jimmy finally wheedle mother to let them go up in to the attic and look for the Silver Star and then the fun begins. They meet Paddy O’Cinnamon, the Cinnamon Bear in person. Then the Cinnamon Bear leads the children through all their marvellous adventures on their quest of the Silver Star. Each episode brings them a little closer to success and then something always happens to keep them from it until the end when it’s none other than Santa Clause who helps Judy, Jimmy and the Cinnamon Bear take the Silver Star back home.

Broadcast History: 4 February 1935 to 11 July 1935, 30 September 1935 to 24 March 1937, 3 January 1938 to 30 September 1939, and 15 March 1943 to 16 July 1948

An adventure serial based on the comic strip character created by Chester Gould and first broadcast by NBC in New England around 1934. It next went out over the airwaves courtesy of CBS and sponsored by Sterling Products for six months in 1935 who did four episodes a week. Then it was the turn of Mutual to entertain the kids from Sept 1935 to March 1937 with the usual four or five episodes a week. It was brought back on the air in January of 1938 by NBC and Quaker Oats, this time for five episodes a week at 5pm and this went on until April 1939. It must have been because of the summer months, or writers cramp or something, because the day after they took it off they brought it back but only once a week, on a Saturday.

After that it went off the air altogether for three and a half years before Tootsie Rolls decided to sponsor it in March of 1943 together with Blue Network / ABC right through to 1948.

Dick Tracy was originally played by Bob Burlen when it was first broadcast from New England in 1934. Others taking the part after that included Ned Wever who played the part from 1940 to 1945, Matt Crowley and Barry Thomson. Dick Tracy’s partner, Pat Patton was usually played by Walter Kinsella. Whilst Junior Tracy was shared between Andy Donnelly and Jackie Kelk.. Helen Lewis took the part of Tess Trueheart and the Announcers included Don Gardiner, George Gunn, Dan Seymour and Ed Herlihy. The episodes were directed by Mitchell Grayson, Charles Powers, Bob White and others, with Writers Sidney Slon and John Wray supplying the material.

The stories usually began with the Announcer introducing Dick Tracy to the sound of the radio signals. Then Tracy would say something to the effect that "This is Dick Tracy on the case of ...whatever the story title was" followed by a police siren disappearing into the distance and the Announcer declaring "Yes, it’s Dick Tracy. Protector of Law and Order."

"Five Bells stand by all stations… Attention all districts, a five alarm fire… Five bells move in immediately… That's it… Let's roll… Let's go, FIRE FIGHTERS!”

The true to life stories of America’s unsung heroes who stand ready to ride by day or night against our most murderous enemy, the demon of FIRE!

Written by Frank Jones, it is an excellent children’s show which as well as portraying all the excitement in the lives of fire fighters sends out a serious message on the dangers of fire. At the end of each episode Fire Chief Bob Cody presents a special assignment for all junior fire fighters, which all youngsters would do well to heed. It could save their lives one day.

Broadcast History: April to October 1935 and September 1935 until February 1936

This science-fiction adventure originally began as a comic strip. Flash Gordon had saved the world by firing a rocket at the planet Mongo which was on a collision course with earth. He had crash landed on Mongo which was a planet packed with villains and baddies featuring lots of ray-guns and rockets.

Broadcast History: 31 January 1936 to 7 April 1938, 12 April 1938 to 9 November 1939, and 16 November 1939 to 5 December 1952
Theme Tune: ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ by Rimsky-Korsakov

Probably one of radio’s best known juvenile adventure shows of the three written by George Trendle and Fran Striker, this show featured Britt Reid as the young publisher of The Daily Sentinel. The Green Hornet was his secret identity, which he used when battling with criminals of all descriptions. Like Batman, his identity was only known to Kato, his trusted valet and the driver of Hornet’s amazing car, Black Beauty.

"CX4 to Control.....CX4 to Control......This is Hop Harrigan....coming in" to the roar of a prop fighter plane. From the control tower: "Control Tower to CX4: Wind southeast. Ceiling 1200. All clear."

Hop Harrigan was created by Jon Blummer, and is recognized as one of the first successful aviation heroes in comic history.

On radio, the series began on ABC Blue network and first aired on August 31st 1942, before moving to the Mutual Broadcasting System from October 2nd 1946 to February 6th 1948. 

When Hop Harrigan's father, a legendary pilot, disappears on a flight to South America to see his wife, Hop finds himself orphaned. He is soon afterwards sent to be raised by his cruel neighbor, Silas Crane, who is really only interested in obtaining Hop's inheritance.

Life at the hands of Silas is tough, so at the first opportunity Hop escapes in an old biplane, which once belonged to his father. After arriving at an airport, he saves the life of a mechanic called Tank Tinker, who goes on to become his closest friend and companion. It's always handy to have a mechanic around, after all! 

Along with another pilot, Prop Wash, and rich heiress, Gail Nolan, there are many, many exciting adventures to be had.

Playing the role of Hop was Charles Stratton, initially with Ken Lynch as Tank, who was later replaced by Jackson Beck, then King Leonardo, and then Perry White. Mitzi Gould played Gail Nolan.

Broadcast History: 31 July 1933 to 28 June 1951
Theme Tune: Wave the Flag for Hudson High, Boys.

A juvenile adventure series created by Robert Hardy Andrews featuring Jack Armstrong, the "All American Boy". Jack sought adventure all over the world with Betty and Billy Fairfield and their Uncle Jim. They flew to distant regions of the globe and plunged headlong into the most thrilling adventures (and some of the most far fetched) ever to grace the 5-to-6pm children's thriller hour.

It’s now time for Jerry (Jerry of the Circus) to go to school so Randall as his legal guardian brings him to Fair Oaks Military Academy. 

The first episode introduces us to his roommate, cadet Phillips who takes us round the camp and gives us an insight of cadet life. 

The subsequent episodes, each about 15 minutes long, introduce us to fellow cadets and the adventures they get up to. 

This juvenile drama series was broadcast in 1938.

Broadcast in 1937, each episode of Jerry of the circus is approximately 15 minutes long and are stories set around characters of the circus and their lives. 

Young Jerry turns up at the circus in search of Sam Randall the circus boss. Randall informs him they’ve no jobs at present then Jerry hands him a letter from his late father Tim Duggan. 

Sam Randall knew Tim from years ago “a great showman”. He read the letter, “If things don’t break and I’m gone before you get here take care of the kid. He’s been brought up with horses, the circus is in his blood.” 

Broadcast History: 2 November 1935 to 1 August 1954

This fifteen minute juvenile adventure show, based on the Alex Raymond comic strip in Hearst’s Comic Weekly, was broadcast on a weekly basis for many years. Week-by-week it followed the trials and tribulations of Jungle Jim Bradley, the intrepid adventurer. Interestingly, the first episode of the series not only continued the story line of Flash Gordon, which was another Hearst strip, but also used the same theme music.

Broadcast History: 7 September 1929 to 17 March 1934, and 24 March 1934 to 23 October 1954

Broadcast History: 1930, 6 April 1931 to 30 October 1936, 2 November 1936 to 19 January 1940, and 22 January 1940 to 26 April 1942

At 5:45pm each weekday from 1930 until 1942 could be heard that juvenile serial adventure “Little Orphan Annie” which was based on the comic strip by Harold Gray. The stories were adapted for radio by Frank Dahm who would often write his own stories from imagination. Mr. and Mrs. Silo were farmers and were Annie’s parents by adoption. Joe Corntassle was the shy kid down the road who had a crush on Annie whose catch phrase was leapin’ lizards. Each show would start with that unforgetable theme tune:-

Who’s that little chatterbox? The one with pretty auburn locks? Who can it be? It’s Little Orphan Annie. She and Sandy make a pair. They never seem to have a care. Cute little she, It’s Little Orphan Annie. Bright eyes Cheeks a rosy glow.  There’s a store of healthiness handy. Pint-size Always on the go If you want to know “Arf,” goes Sandy. Always wears a sunny smile. Now wouldn’t it be worth your while, If you could be Like Little Orphan Annie?

Broadcast History: 1936

A wealthy and beautiful Californian woman Mrs Patricia Gregory has spent 14 years searching the world over for her little daughter Joan Gregory. Fourteen years ago Mrs Gregory, her husband and baby daughter were shipwrecked in the South Pacific. Everyone on board were believed lost except Mrs Gregory. But she has always felt that her little girl was also saved. This belief has caused Mrs Gregory to offer a large reward for news of any young white-girl found in the South Sea Islands who might be proved to be her daughter. Fourteen years she has waited in vain until now.

“High adventure in the wild, vast reaches of space! Missions of daring in the name of interplanetary justice! Travel into the future with Buzz Corry, commander-in-chief of the SPACE PATROL!” This is the opening invitation to children all over America and indeed adults to spend thirty minutes on a space adventure with Buzz and his assistant Cadet Happy known for his catchphrase “Smokin’ rockets”. It was their job to enforce law and order in the interplanetary frontier venturing against their archenemies in their space ship Terra V.

Broadcast History: 1937 to 1938

This adventure series, written by Virginia Cooke, featured Speed Gibson, a fifteen-year-old pilot, whose quest was to capture the master criminal “The Octopus” and his ruthless gang of henchmen. Clint Barlow was Speed’s uncle, an agent of the International Secret Police. Together they flew all over the world in their airship, the “Flying China Clipper”, trying to apprehend the arch villain.

Broadcast History: 12 September 1932 to 27 June 1953

The original Tarzan radio adaptation was regarded as the first major syndicated serial, heard widely over WOR, New York. Tarzan was originally played by James Pierce, Jane was played by his real-life wife, Joan Burroughs, who was also the daughter of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of Tarzan. The story begins with Lord and Lady Greystoke and their young son marooned on an African coast. The young boy's parents are later killed by the apes and Tarzan is raised by them.

Broadcast History: 1 November 1937 to 22 March 1939, 16 October 1941 to 29 May 1942, and 1 February 1943 to 30 June 1948

Based on the comic strip of the same name, Terry and the Pirates tells the story of Terry Lee, a teenager with an adventurous streak, who lives in the Far East. Along with best pals Pat Ryan, Flip Corkin, Connie the coolie and Hotshot Charlie, Terry fights villains across the Orient, including those run by the beautiful but terrible Dragon Lady, played by Marion Sweet.

Broadcast History: 1952

Tom Corbet, Space Cadet is juvenile science fiction, which had previously been seen on television and came to radio in 1952. “Kellogg’s Pep, the buildup wheat cereal” who each 30-minute episode invited you to “rocket in to the future with with TOMMMM CORRRRBETT, SPACE CADET”, sponsored this radio version. The stories and adventures of Tom, the pilot of the space ship Polaris and the Solar Guard Trainees were set in the year 2352 400 years into the future.

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