A LONG OVERDUE HISTORY AND APPRECIATION OF ABC RADIO'S 1964-1965 AUDIO SERIES (This blog presents the chronological history of T5 and is best enjoyed by reading the very first post and proceeding to the next one, and then the next one, etc.)
The 60th anniversary of the series is on August 3, 2024. This link provides background about how a hobby-wide crowd-sourced collaboration has resulted in a new set of T5 recordings. More than 90% of the recordings have been replaced with better recordings. A "missing" recording has also been found!
Recordings are available in lossless FLAC and convenient 128 mp3 formats.
Complete details are at https://sites.google.com/view/theatre-5-60th-anniversary-set/home
On Saturday, August 3, 2024, the streaming station Stay Tuned America will have a 12 hour marathon of 35 T5 episodes. The event begins at 12 Noon Eastern US time. There are three main ways to stream the event through a browser:
The main feed is at https://classicairwaves.com:8020/sta.mp3
TuneIn https://tunein.com/radio/STA--Stay-Tuned-America-s142585/
OR on your smartphone or tablet, open your Audacy or TuneIn app and search for "Stay Tuned America"
Episode number: 260
Network broadcast date: Friday,
July 30, 1965
Joey
Genre: Human interest
Author: Robert Cenedella
Production number: 260
Production date: Thursday,
July 8, 1965
Director: Ted Bell
Producer: not announced
Plotline: After 10 months with their foster son, a couple suddenly faces losing him to a family looking to adopt. But the foster dad has other ideas…
Listen: https://archive.org/details/T5project/Theater+Five+650730+260+Joey.flac
Cast: Peter Donald, Cecil Roy,
Natalie Priest, Nat Polen
Notes:
Final official broadcast, but
T5 continues in syndication through the 1960s
Episode number: 259
Network broadcast date: Thursday,
July 29, 1965
Big
Deal on Sutton Street
Genre: Comedy
Author: George Bamber
Production number: 259
Production date: Wednesday,
July 7, 1965
Director: Warren Somerville
Producer: not announced
Plotline: Droll playboy finds himself at the center of a kidnapping plot — much to his delight. Seeing the whole thing as a lark, he takes over the planning himself, hoping to turn it into the social event of the year.
Listen:
https://archive.org/details/T5project/Theater+Five+650729+259+Big+Deal+on+Sutton+East+AFRTS.flac
Cast: Elliott Reid, Ralph Bell,
Ethel Owen, Jack Grimes
Notes:
Network and AFRTS copies
exist; AFRTS version has Hans Conried explaining the origin of the word
"boycott" at approximately 10m30s and AFRTS ID at end; no opening
tease
Episode number: 258
Network broadcast date: Wednesday,
July 28, 1965
Death
Watch
Genre: Melodrama
Author: Hal Hackady
Production number: 258
Production date: Tuesday,
July 6, 1965
Director: Ted Bell
Producer: not announced
Plotline: A surgeon if forced at gunpoint to help a poor teenager’s sick mother. But what happens when the patient dies before they even get to her?
Listen: https://archive.org/details/T5project/Theater+Five+650728+258+Death+Watch.flac
Cast: George Petrie, Evie Juster,
Don Scardino, Ronald Liss
Notes:
No opening tease
Episode number: 257
Network broadcast date: Tuesday,
July 27, 1965
I Spy
Sister Sairey
Genre: Psychological drama
Author: William Mourne
Production number: 257
Production date: Thursday,
July 1, 1965
Director: Ted Bell
Producer: not announced
Plotline: A woman has been convicted of murder and the evidence is indisputable. But one psychiatrist is convinced there’s another explanation: Multiple Personality Disorder.
Listen: https://archive.org/details/T5project/Theater+Five+650727+257+I+Spy+Sister+Sarri.flac
Cast: Walter Abel, Vicki Vola, Joan
Lorring, Jerry Hausner
Notes:
No opening tease
Episode number: 256
Network broadcast date: Monday,
July 26, 1965
In
Absence of All Intelligent Life
Genre: Science fantasy
Author: George Bamber
Production number: 256
Production date: Wednesday,
June 30, 1965
Director: Warren Somerville
Producer: not announced
Cast: William Redfield, Cliff
Carpenter, Guy Sorel, Peter Ratray
Notes:
Was originally used on Suspense
1960-07-10 as Report from a Dead Planet; No opening tease