Tonight, July 17, 2022 at 8 PM EDT, we remember the birthdays of James Cagney, born in 1899, with the SCREEN GUILD production of “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” William Gargan (b.1905) as BARRIE CRAIG, and Art Linkletter, born in 1912, with PEOPLE ARE FUNNY, following our weekly episode of GUNSMOKE. It's all tonight on THE GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO. Tune in to WBAI-NY 99.5 FM, or listen to the stream at wbai.org.

GUNSMOKE from CBS on Feb 12, 1955 #148 "Chester's Hanging" for L & M. Candow's partner is desperate to break him out of jail and even hires a professional gunman to do the job. Starring William Conrad, Parley Baer, Georgia Ellis, Howard McNear, James Nusser, Paul Dubov, Clayton Post, Joe Cranston, written by John Meston, directed by Norman Macdonnell, music by Rex Koury, sound patterns by Bill James & Tom Hanley, announcer George Walsh.

BARRIE CRAIG, CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATOR from NBC on Aug 09, 1953 #97 "The Thirteenth Guest" "There's one chap around who never fails to electrify you. He sure can turn it on and turn it off. Am I referring to the state executioner, I wonder?" Craig is hired as security for a masquerade party. Starring William Gargan, Berry Kroeger as Mr Boris, the host, George Petrie as Mark, Jane Webb as Rita, Larry Haines as Guerko. Announcers Don Pardo and Carl Caruso.

PEOPLE ARE FUNNY from NBC via the AFRS, early 50s. Miss George MD and a circus giant pay a visit on an unexpectant couple. Does an elephant remember?? And we find out who is more efficient – Mr or Mrs Schwartz. MC: Art Linkletter, produced by John Guedel, announcer Rod O'Connor

THE LADY ESTHER SCREEN GUILD THEATRE from CBS on Oct 19, 1942 "Yankee Doodle Dandy" for Lady Esther Cosmetics. The first show of the season, the first show sponsored by Lady Esther. A good flag-waver about the life of George M. Cohan. Roosevelt is nicely imitated; Cagney makes a fine after-story curtain speech. Host Truman Bradley, starring James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Jeanne Cagney, Richard Whorf, S. C. Sokol, Charles Irwin, Art Gilmore, music by Wilbur Hatch, author and screenwriter Robert Buckner.