Rocky Jordan, Volume 2 - 10 hour set #RA046
Alternative Views:	You'll hear echoes of "Casablanca" in twenty adventures with "Rocky Jordan," starring Jack Moyles as the American owner of the Cafe Tambourine, hub of underground activities and dramatic events in post-war Egypt. Our Price: $29.98 Availability:: Usually Ships in 24 Hours Product Code: RA046 Qty:

Description Special Features List of Shows   Rocky Jordan Volume 2 "Cairo, gateway to the Ancient East...where modern adventure and intrigue unfold against the backdrop of antiquity..." Listening to broadcasts from the Golden Age of Radio today, it's interesting to note that many OTR favorites were often heard only in certain regions of the United States. The best example is "The Whistler" which, despite its longevity, was heard solely on the west coast for all but a season or two. Other examples of west coast dramas include detective shows like Mutual's "Let George Do It," NBC's "Candy Matson," and the CBS series "Jeff Regan, Investigator." "Rocky Jordan", a distinctively different-sounding detective offering heard over CBS Radio's Pacific network from 1945 to 1950, is one more member of this elite broadcasting fraternity. A series that could be described as a mixture of "Casablanca" and "The Maltese Falcon," "Jordan" debuted on January 8, 1945 as a five-day-a-week quarter-hour serial entitled "A Man Called Jordan." The titular hero, portrayed by radio veteran Jack Moyles, owned and operated an Istanbul dive dubbed the Café Tambourine and, though described by OTR historian John Dunning as "a hero in the 'I Love a Mystery' mold," was actually a shrewd businessman motivated more by the financial bottom line than cheap sentiment. Still, he had a knack for frequently getting involved in mystery and murder and often depended on a colorful cast of sidekicks - his "man Friday" Ali (Paul Frees), girlfriend Toni Sherwood (Dorothy Lovett), and trusted pal Duke O'Brien (Jay Novello) - to assist him in his amateur investigations. "A Man Called Jordan" switched to a weekly half-hour format beginning July 2, 1945, and entertained West Coast audiences for approximately two years. Apparently, Mr. Jordan took a year off to relocate the Café Tambourine to Cairo when the program returned to CBS on October 31, 1948. Apart from the new location, it was business as usual for 'the Rock' as he fought escaped killers, desert raiders, ex-Nazis and black marketers on a weekly basis. It was with this show's incarnation that the comparisons to "Casablanca" were particularly apt; Jordan would often have to depend on his police force ally Captain Sam Sabaaya (also played by Novello) for assistance. Though the two men clearly respected one another, they often found themselves sizing each other up in the same skeptical fashion as Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) did in the Oscar-winning film classic. "Rocky Jordan" might have been dismissed as just another run-of-the-mill detective series, but its exotic locale, tight scripting, and swift, self-assured direction by Cliff Howell set it apart from the infinite number of shows broadcast at that time. The series' writers, Larry Roman and Gomer Cool, often found inspiration from both a copy of the U.S. Army's Pocket Guide to Egypt and real-life anecdotes culled from newspapers; the program "The Dearite Bowl," for instance, was based on the true story of a farmer who discovered a priceless relic while digging on his land. Topping off the proceedings was the original Oriental-sounding music contributed by Richard Aurandt, support from the crème de la crème of actors from "Radio Row" (Peter Leeds, Ben Wright, Parley Baer, etc.) and the always-dependable Larry Thor ("Broadway's My Beat") who handled the program's announcing chores. "Rocky Jordan" was heard as a Sunday night staple on CBS' West Coast network for the next two years, sponsored by Del Monte Foods, and part of an evening line-up that also included "The Adventures of Sam Spade" and "The Whistler."   Average Customer Review: Based on 1 reviewsWrite a review.

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One of the Finest Bargains in Quality OTR September 18, 2009 Reviewer: Tom Greenli   I find Radio Archives to be one of the finest bargains in quality OTR programming. I recently picked up the Cinnamon Bear. I had listened to the series before from poorly encoded MP3 files that I downloaded from the internet. This release from Radio Archives is beautifully done. My hat's off to you folks. You did an outstanding job. I've also enjoyed listening to shows like Gildersleeve, Dr. Kildare, Christmas - On The Air just to name a few. I'm sure you will continue to exceed my expectations. Was this review helpful to you?