RUSC MAILING

Written by Ned Norris

Columbus Day falls on Monday, October 12th this year, and I thought it would be a fine excuse to take a little old time radio voyage — with a murder mystery waiting at the other end!

For the occasion, I’ll be adding a very entertaining episode of Mr. and Mrs. North called “The Norths Discover Christopher Columbus,” also known as “Who Killed Columbus.” It originally aired on October 11th, 1944, just in time for the holiday.

If you’ve not spent time with Mr. and Mrs. North, they’re well worth meeting. Jerry North is a publisher, and his wife Pam is lively, curious, and forever managing to stumble into murder cases. Their mysteries are fun, light on their feet, and full of that affectionate husband-and-wife banter that made the series such a favorite.

In this episode, Pam and Jerry encounter a man claiming to be none other than Christopher Columbus. What might have been brushed off as a prank or a bit of holiday theatrics soon turns into something far more serious, with mistaken identity, jewels, murder, and plenty of witty dialogue along the way.

Alongside this new Mr. and Mrs. North addition, there are already several Columbus-related shows on RUSC, including episodes from You Are There, Life with Luigi, The Jack Benny Program, and Stan Freberg. Between historical drama, warm comedy, satire, and mystery, it makes for quite a varied little Columbus Day collection.

So if you’re in the mood for a holiday mystery with a historical twist, I think you’ll enjoy “The Norths Discover Christopher Columbus.” After all, only in old time radio could Christopher Columbus wander into a modern murder case — and fortunately, Pam and Jerry North are on hand to help sort it all out.
 

Happy listening,

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