Lee Masters is in Genji Misako’s debt. Nara, as Misako says, is home to priceless art treasures of all types and they are being stolen by the American-born naturalized “Jap citizen” Nathan Sharp, the youngest colonel ever in the US Air Force. Art treasures aren’t the only thing being stolen, though. Japan is also involved in developing lasers for industrial and possibly military use and plans are being leaked to “Red China.” Who’s behind it all?

As Masters and Johnny try to sort it all out, listeners get to hear one of the most tortured uses of honor and face as plot devices of all time. At the same time, though, there are myriad opportunities to read too much into the story, which is always good fun. (Read on …)

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 Sounds of Darkness: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Our Christmas present to you is the new Christmas classic of our time, Miracle on 34th Street.

“It’s wrapped in a gay covering of laughter, tied with a bright ribbon of good humor, and decorated with the three sparkling stars of the 20th Century Fox picture: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, and Edmund Gwenn.”

Last year, TPR brought you the story that created our image of the Christmas spirit. This year, we’ll bring you the poem that created our modern image of Santa Claus. And now, TPR gives you the modern classic story that put those two things together - Santa Claus as Kris Kringle the man, who tells us that Christmas is not a day, but a spirit we carry with us everywhere, everyday. These days, it seems hackneyed, but it was less so when the Lux Radio Theater broadcast it’s version of Miracle on 34th Street in 1948.

Starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, and Edmund Gwenn, in an Oscar-winning turn as Kris Kringle. Seriously. The real one.

And just because we here at TPR wish you all a Merry Christmas, we’re bringing you not one, but two different old time radio versions of Miracle on 34th Street starring Edmund Gwenn. The other, the Screen Director’s Playhouse version of 1949, is available here.

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 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a Macy’s Santa Claus named Kris Kringle in the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street, Edmund Gwenn reprised the role on the Lux Radio Theater in 1948 (also available from TPR), then again in the 1949 Screen Director’s Playhouse presentation TPR brings you here.

Fans of this classic Christmas story will notice that both the Lux version and this one differ not only from each other, but from the original film itself.

Merry Christmas.

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 Miracle on 34th Street: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is the last part of a five-part series. If you have not yet listened to Rod Serling’s Zero Hour: “Heir Hunters,” part 1, part 2, part 3, & part 4, do so now. The story is a serial, the conclusion makes little sense if you haven’t heard parts 1 to 4.

Rest your eyes. Exercise your imagination.

(Originally aired on Friday, October 19, 1973.)

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 Heir Hunters #5: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is part 4 of a five-part series. If you have not yet listened to Rod Serling’s Zero Hour: “Heir Hunters,” part 1, part 2, & part 3, do so now. The story is a serial, part 4 makes little sense if you haven’t heard parts 1, 2, & 3.

Rest your eyes. Exercise your imagination.

(Originally aired on Thursday, October 18, 1973.)

Proceed to the final episode.

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 Heir Hunters 4 of 5: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

August 15, 2007

At noon on this day in 1945, people throughout war-weary Japan, from balmy Sapporo, in fear of Soviet invasion, to sweltering Nagasaki, which had felt the brunt of American industrial might, gathered around radios to hear something few had ever heard before - their Emperor’s voice.

The following is one of two quasi-official translations of Showa-tenno’s “Jewel Voice Broadcast.” This one attempts to capture the spirit and formality of the Emperor’s original speech, however, as the Emperor spoke in a formal, archaic Court Japanese (kind of like having his own dialect), a translation both intelligible and capturing the spirit of his words is impossible.

(Read on …)

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 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is part 3 of a five-part series. If you have not yet listened to Rod Serling’s Zero Hour: “Heir Hunters,” part 1 & part 2, do so now. The story is a serial, part 3 makes little sense if you haven’t heard parts 1 & 2.

Rest your eyes. Exercise your imagination.

(Originally aired on Wednesday, October 17, 1973.)

Proceed to Part 4.

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 Heir Hunters Part 3: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is part 2 of a five-part series. If you have not yet listened to Rod Serling’s Zero Hour: “Heir Hunters,” part 1, do so now. The story is a serial, part 2 makes little sense if you haven’t heard part 1.

Rest your eyes. Exercise your mind.

(Originally aired on Tuesday, October 16, 1973.)

Part 3 can be found right here.

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 Zero Hour #2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rest your eyes. Exercise your imagination.

The American radio series died when Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar went off the air in 1962. Rod Serling just kind of disappeared when The Twilight Zone drew to a close in 1964.

(Read on …)

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 Zero Hour: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Harlan Ellison’s 1969 tale of 18-year-old Vic and his telepathic dog, Blood, is about exactly what its title - “A Boy And His Dog” - says it is. It is not, however, under any circumstances, for anyone who finds my saying that it sure as fuck ain’t no Disney story offensive (although Ellison did work for Disney for a while, in the 1980s, before being fired for joking that an animated porno flick starring Disney characters would be funny.) If you think violence and obscenity have no place in art, that such unpleasantness is always gratuitous, you will not enjoy A Boy And His Dog. I guarantee it.

Likewise, if you find yourself giggling at the idea of such unpleasantness. If you like your violence and obscenity gratuitous, this is probably not a story for you.

In other words, if, for whatever reason, you can’t get past violence and obscenity, A Boy And His Dog is not for you.

You’ve been warned.

(Read on …)

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 A Boy and His Dog Part 1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 A Boy and His Dog Part 2: