Old Time Radio Downloads > Drama > On Stage

On Stage, a drama series that aired on 1953, was created by Elliot Lewis a famous radio actor, director, and producer, with his wife Cathy Lewis, an actress. Known as Mr. and Mrs. Radio, the two also worked together on other popular series such as Suspense and The Adventures of Sam Spade.

 

The show provided original and classical adventure, comedy, drama, and mystery stories. Although it was aired at a time during which radio shows were slowly losing popularity, On Stage was able to showcase how wonderful old radio shows could be. In fact, with Lewis' creativity and wits, On Stage turned out to be one of the greatest radio anthologies of all time. 

On-Stage

Please enjoy these old time radio shows:

Air Date Title Synopsis
 1953-01-01  String Bow Tie

CBS net. "String Bowtie". Sustaining. The first show of the series. The handsome man in the subway ad. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Sheldon Leonard, Mary Jane Croft.
 1953-01-08  Beirut By Sunrise
 1953-01-11  Poetic TragedyRehearsal

 1953-01-15  Poetic Tragedy

+ CBS net. "A Poetic Tragedy". Sustaining. A comedy about the producer of awful-but-profitable plays, and his newest star. Bob Sweeney, Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Hy Averback (announcer), Lud Gluskin, Ray Noble (theme composer), Richard Powell (writer). 
 1953-01-22  Cargo

+ CBS net. "Cargo". Sustaining. The program opening and system cue have been deleted. Elliott Lewis (transcriber, director, performer), Cathy Lewis, Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer), John Dehner, Ben Wright, Tony Barrett, Frederick Steiner (composer), Lud Gluskin, Ray Noble (theme composer), George Walsh (announcer). 
 1953-01-29  Public Furlough

+ CBS net. "Public Furlough". Sustaining. A bittersweet and brief romance between an army corporal and a movie star. Antony Ellis (performer, writer), Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, George Walsh (announcer), Hans Roemheld (composer), Herb Butterfield, Jerry Hausner, Lud Gluskin, Ray Noble (theme composer).
 1953-02-05  Corner Of Autumn

+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Corner Of Autumn". An excellent study of the romance between an ugly saloon singer and an alcoholic piano player, but with a cop-out ending. AFRTS program name: "Playhouse Twenty Five." This might be a rebroadcast of the audition show dated November 24, 1952 (see cat. #10613). Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis.
 1953-02-12  Party

+ CBS net, KNX, Los Angeles aircheck. "The Party". Sustaining. The program closing has been deleted. Elliott Lewis, Cathy Lewis, E. Jack Neuman (writer). 
 1953-02-19  Four Meetings

+ CBS net. "Four Meetings". Sustaining. An innocent American school teacher finally visits Europe and is victimized by her cousin, departing after only thirteen hours! Elliott Lewis (host, performer, director, transcriber), Cathy Lewis (hostess, performer), Henry James (author), Morton Fine (adaptor), David Friedkin (adaptor), Jeanette Nolan, Byron Kane, Ben Wright, George Walsh (announcer), Frederick Steiner (composer), Ray Noble (theme composer), Lud Gluskin (conductor). 
 1953-02-26  Fifth Of Tears

+ CBS net. "A Fifth Of Tears". Sustaining. A good story about an undercover policewoman trying to get evidence on a skid row bar thought to be employing "B-Girls," and a juvenile one at that! Barbara Whiting, Bob Sweeney, Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Charlotte Lawrence, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Hy Averback (announcer), Irene Tedrow, Joseph Granby, Lud Gluskin, Ray Noble (theme composer).
 1953-03-12  Call MeCab

+ CBS net. "Call Me A Cab". Sustaining. A good love story about a lonely girl who takes a cab ride in the park. Beautiful daydreams. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (performer, transcriber, director), Mary Jane Croft, Peggy Webber, Frederick Steiner (composer), George Walsh (announcer), Lud Gluskin (conductor), Ray Noble (theme composer), Howard McNear, Shirley Gordon (writer). 
 1953-03-19  Eddie

+ CBS net. "Eddie". Sustaining. An insane young man makes a "date" with a girl, despite a definite lack of interest on the part of the girl. Good radio! Cathy Lewis, Clayton Post, E. Jack Neuman (writer), Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Jerry Hausner, Lud Gluskin, Peggy Webber, Ray Noble (theme composer).
 1953-03-26  Dig Thief

+ CBS net. "Dig The Thief". Sustaining. A comedy about a carefree fraud who poses as a dishonest archeologist. Cathy Lewis, David Friedkin (writer), Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Lud Gluskin, Morton Fine (writer), Ray Noble (theme composer). 
 1953-04-02  Lady Or Tiger

+ CBS net. "The Lady Or The Tiger". Sustaining. The recording does not include music cues. After the program ends, Elliott Lewis and the director are heard having a conversation. Elliott Lewis, Cathy Lewis, Frank Stockton (author), Alan Reed, Sammie Hill, Junius Matthews, Shelby Gordon (adaptor). 
 1953-04-09  Bunch Of Violets

+ CBS net. "The Bunch Of Violets". Sustaining. Cathy Lewis plays three different parts, wife, mother, secretary. A light comedy. Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Charlotte Lawrence, Dick Beals, Elliott Lewis (performer, transcriber, director), Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Lou Merrill, Peggy Webber (doubles), Ray Noble (theme composer), Shirley Gordon (writer).
 1953-04-16  Casey At Bat
 1953-04-23  Skin Deep
 1953-04-30  Happy Anniversary Album
 1953-05-07  Bear

+ CBS net. "The Bear". Sustaining. This is a network broadcast version of cat. #17023. A western version of the classic short story, "The Boor," by Anton Chekhov. Anton Chekhov (author), Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Horace Murphy, Ray Noble (theme composer), Walter Newman (writer). 

+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Bear". A western version of the classic short story, "The Boor." AFRTS program name: "Playhouse 25." See cat. #43549 for a network broadcast version. Anton Chekhov (author), Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Horace Murphy, Ray Noble (theme composer), Walter Newman (writer). 
 1953-05-14  Statement Of Fact

+ CBS net. "Statement Of Fact". Sustaining. A good story about an ambitious district attorney and his interview with a woman who has just murdered her husband with a hatchet. Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, E. Jack Neuman (writer), Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Jack Kruschen, Joan Danton, Joseph Kearns, Ray Noble (theme composer), Truda Marson, Tyler McVey. 
 1953-05-28  Hanging At Four Oaks

+ CBS net, KNX, Los Angeles aircheck. "The Hanging At Four Oaks". Sustaining. Simon Cain comes to Four Oaks, meets a lady known as "Gin," and is given a mickey, beaten up and robbed. A taut, well-written western drama. The system cue has been deleted. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (host, performer, producer, director), Shirley Gordon (writer), Barney Phillips, Harry Bartell, John McGovern, Byron Kane, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Ray Noble (theme composer), Edgar Barrier, Gil Warren (announcer). 
 1953-06-04  AndFond Farewell
 1953-06-18  An Ideal Couple

+ CBS net. "An Ideal Couple". Sustaining. The sad story of a seemingly happy marriage, told through the medium of a radio game show. Good radio writing! Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Ray Noble (theme composer), Tom Dickson (writer, performer), Paul Frees.
 1953-07-02  Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere

+ CBS net. "The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere". Sustaining. The story of Paul Revere's famous warning during the early years of the Revolution. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (producer, transcriber, host, performer), Richard Chandlee (writer). 
 1953-07-09  Man Of Independent Mind

+ CBS net. "The Man Of Independent Mind". Sustaining. An ordinary guy decides to become the strongest man in the world...and does! Cathy Lewis (host, performer), Elliott Lewis (host, performer, transcriber, director), Frank Nelson, Jerry Hausner, Shelby Gordon (writer), Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Byron Kane, Barney Phillips, Ray Noble (theme composer), George Walsh (announcer).
 1953-07-23  Fling

+ CBS net. "The Fling". Sustaining. A man with an invalid wife is tempted to have an affair with another, healthier woman. The system cue was added live. Cathy Lewis, E. Jack Neuman (writer), Elliott Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Hett Manheim (writer), Herb Butterfield, Roy Rowan (announcer), Sammie Hill. 
 1953-08-20  Canary Yellow

+ CBS net. "Canary Yellow". Sustaining. A man is upset that his son Harold is to appear in the school play...as a canary! This is the first script written by Mr. Calhoun, and it's well done! Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (performer, producer, director), Thonus Calhoun (writer), Lou Merrill, Larry Merrill, GeGe Pearson, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Ray Noble (composer of the theme), George Walsh (announcer). 
 1953-09-16  Crustacean

+ CBS net. "The Crustacean". Sustaining. Cathy Lewis (host, performer), Elliott Lewis (host, performer, transcriber, director), E. Jack Neuman (writer), Larry Thor, Parley Baer, Burns Surrey (sound effects), Ross Murray (sound effects), Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Ray Noble (composer), George Walsh (announcer). 
 1953-09-23  Penny Ante

+ CBS net. "Penny Ante". Sustaining. The story was written by a sounds effects man. A wild weekend in Las Vegas, a gambler's dream. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis.
 1953-09-30  Loving

+ CBS net. "Loving" "The Self-Loved" "The Loved Ones". Sustaining. Three short plays. An actress has trouble with a love scene. A story of the un-loved: a not-too-bright hospital orderly dreams of medical school and of loving Alice. A couple in love shows the frictions of the relationship. Good radio! Elliott Lewis (host, performer, producer, director), Cathy Lewis, Arthur Ross (announcer), George Walsh (announcer), William Conrad, Clayton Post, Byron Kane, Barney Phillips, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Ray Noble (theme composer). 
 1953-10-21  Take My Hand My Love

+ CBS net. "Take My Hand, My Love". Sustaining. A romance set in the Greenwich Village of long ago. A starving writer meets the beutiful young old artist who lives on the floor below. Object: literary collaboration. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (performer, host, producer, transcriber), Samuel B. Harrison (writer). 
 1953-11-18  Circle Of Wheels

+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Circle Of Wheels". A married couple both discover that they have little wheels growing inside their livers! An imaginative story. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Whitfield Connor, Arthur Ross (writer). 
 1953-12-16  Candide

+ CBS net. "Candide". Sustaining. Candide and Dr. Pangloss discover that it is indeed the best of all possible worlds. Ben Wright, Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Edgar Barrier, Elliott Lewis (performer, transcriber, director), Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), George Walsh (announcer), Howard McNear, Jack Kruschen, Larry Thor (narrator), Martha Wentworth, Ray Noble (theme composer), Voltaire (author), Richard Chandlee (adaptor). 
 1953-12-30  Happy Holidays
 1954-02-17  Heartbreak

+ CBS net. "Heartbreak". Sustaining. When a businessman has a heart attack, his wife vows to take good care of him. However, he almost turns into a "cardiac invalid," a person who doesn't think he can do anything. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (producer, transcriber, host, performer), E. Jack Neuman (writer).
 1954-03-03  Dreamer

+ Program #2. CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Dreamer". A man's father-in-law invents the most outrageous machine, one that actually scares burglars away. Its success doesn't exactly please his son-in-law. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, Joseph Kearns, Byron Kane, Herb Vigran, Don Yarrow (writer). 
 1954-03-10  Crusade Of Stanley Finston

+ CBS net. "The Crusade Of Stanley Finston". Sustaining. Stanley gets a traffic ticket and decides to do something about it! Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (producer, transcriber, host, performer), Ross Murray (author). 
 1954-04-28  Giants Fireplace
 1954-07-29  Telegram
 1954-09-09  Saralee You Are Lovely As Summer Night

+ CBS net. "Saralee, You Are Lovely As The Summer Night". Sustaining. A southern romance. Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis (producer, transcriber, host, performer), Morton Fine (writer), David Friedkin (writer). 
 1954-09-23  Fascination

+ NBC net. "Fascination". Sustaining. Why a woman loves a man. A woman has been wronged in the old west. Well written! One public service announcement has been deleted Elliott Lewis (performer, producer, director), Cathy Lewis, Frederick Steiner (composer, conductor), Richard Chandler (writer), Clayton Post, Junius Matthews, Irene Tedrow, Jack Kruschen, Byron Kane, Ray Noble (theme composer), George Walsh (announcer), Herb Butterfield, Barney Phillips. 
 1954-09-30  Circle Of Wheels

Other Drama Shows you may enjoy:

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The buzz-term for Old Time Radio is "OTR". OTR usually means radio broadcasting from the golden age of radio, mostly before 1964. These shows from the pre-television age include adventure, comedies, mystery shows, western dramas and shows from World War II. These programs feature the best talent of the day and were broadcast nearly as widely as cable programs today. And just like TV today, families would gather around their crystal radio sets to enjoy the entertainment together.


WHO TODAY LISTENS TO THESE OLD TIME RADIO PROGRAMS?

Recently OTR was sold and traded, on records and cassettes, by people who had grown up during the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's who had grown up listening to these shows. With the internet and mp3s, new generations of listeners are discovering these delightful old time radio shows and to their surprise, enjoying them immensely. Some of the references and nuances are out of date, but it turns out that a well told story is a delight to young and old alike.


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If you have any questions about old time radio feel free to drop us a line. We will try to have the answer or know where to turn to find it. But to make them really happy, please send a request for particular old time radio programs and we should be able to find them for you.


WHO TODAY LISTENS TO THESE OLD TIME RADIO PROGRAMS?

Recently OTR was sold and traded, on records and cassettes, by people who had grown up during the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's who had grown up listening to these shows. With the internet and mp3s, a new generation of listeners are discovering these delightful old time radio shows and enjoying them immensely. Some of the references and nuances are out of date, but it turns out that a well told story is a delight to all ages of old time radio fans.


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If you have any questions about old time radio, send us an email. We will try to have the answer or know where to turn to find it!


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