RUSC MAILING

Written by Ned Norris

This Sunday, June 21st is Father’s Day! On RUSC it's usually a fine excuse to enjoy those warm family comedies where Dad tries to keep the household running smoothly… and usually fails magnificently.

The fathers of old-time radio came in all shapes and sizes — wise, bewildered, blustering, thrifty, sentimental, and occasionally quite impossible. This year, though, I thought I’d mark the day with something a little different too: two dramatic offerings that look at family, responsibility, inheritance, and the past in rather more serious ways.

The first is Hollywood Star Playhouse, originally aired on April 23rd, 1951, with a play called Father’s Day, starring the remarkable Barbara Stanwyck. She gives a wonderfully controlled performance as Alice, a nursery school owner whose quiet life is disturbed when her former husband returns after five years. What begins as an uneasy reunion soon becomes a tense and emotional story about old decisions, hidden pain, and the way the past can come calling just when life seems settled.

It is not a Father’s Day story in the greeting-card sense, but that is what makes it so interesting. Radio drama was very good at taking a familiar title and leading listeners somewhere unexpected.

The second featured show is one that has been requested, and it takes us into much darker territory: Dark Fantasy with Funeral Arrangements Completed, also known as Coffin for Two.

This is one of those eerie old-time radio tales that proves how powerful sound alone can be. A lonely road, an abandoned estate, candlelight, strange noises, and a troubling local history all combine to make a wonderfully gothic mystery. It is easy to see why this episode has stayed in the memory of so many listeners.

Alongside these two featured dramas, I’ve also gathered a special Father’s Day selection celebrating some of radio’s most memorable dads. These are the fathers who tried to manage money, children, neighbors, household repairs, and their own pride — usually with hilarious results.

And for a little extra fun, there is also a brand new quiz:

Who’s Your Daddy? — Old Time Radio Edition

It is inspired by the classic old-time radio sitcoms and will test your knowledge of those famous family characters from the golden age of radio. Once you've done it, be sure to share it with your OTR friends and compare your scores!

So whether you fancy a powerful Barbara Stanwyck drama, a chilling gothic mystery, or a cheerful visit with radio’s funniest fathers, I hope you’ll find something to enjoy this Father’s Day on RUSC

Happy listening,

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