The Unexpected, Volume 1

Unexpected, Volume 1 - 5 hours [Audio CDs] #RA198

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The Unexpected
Volume 1

"Who knows what drama may happen tomorrow...or an hour from now...or in just a moment? Who knows what destiny has in store for the lady down the street, the fellow at the next desk, or you yourself? Who knows?"

Best remembered as Effie, Sam Spade's lovesick girl Friday, actress Lurene Tuttle was a frequent guest star on "The Unexpected"

Best remembered as Effie, Sam Spade's lovesick girl Friday, actress Lurene Tuttle was a frequent guest star on "The Unexpected"

Fifty years from now, should some intrepid archaeologist happen to come across a stack of radio and movie scripts from the postwar years, he or she is bound to end up with an interesting take on our culture. It's likely, in fact, that American society circa 1947 will be interpreted as paranoid, suspicious, and steeped in fear and dread.

It won't be a true assessment, of course, but if you were to see our culture strictly through the eyes of popular entertainment of the time, it would be easy to understand why someone might believe it. Many of the more popular movies were certainly dark - film noir classics that stressed fear and an ever-present undercurrent of dread and uncertainty. Radio, too, gave us its share of paranoia, with the Shadow clouding men's minds and the Whistler "knowing the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak". And if, in that pile of crumbling paper, that archaeologist happens upon scripts for a little-known radio series titled "The Unexpected", his or her impression of a society in psychological crisis would be even more certain.

Produced by Hamilton-Whitney Productions, "The Unexpected" was later distributed by Alan Ladd's Mayfair Productions

"The Unexpected" was a quarter-hour radio series produced by Hamilton-Whitney Productions, a Los Angeles-based company producing programs for syndication. One of many production houses to spring up in the City of Angels after World War II, Hamilton-Whitney dedicated itself primarily to the production of weekly or twice-weekly radio features designed to be sold to local stations. Like many syndicated shows of the time, "The Unexpected" chose its stars from the rank and file of both radio and motion pictures. Unlike big-time network dramatic shows, of course, Hamilton-Whitney couldn't afford the price tags attached to "A" list celebrities - but this actually proved beneficial, since busy character actors like Barry Sullivan, Jack Holt, and Marsha Hunt were used to playing a multitude of parts with little preparation. Likewise, busy radio performers like Lurene Tuttle could, based on long experience, credibly play most any part after only one or two read-thrus. The budgets may have been small but, thanks to experienced hands both before and behind the microphone, the results were quite impressive.

Then as now, every show that hoped for success had to have some sort of a hook - a gimmick, if you will - that differentiated it from the rest of the competition. In the case of "The Unexpected", the series specialized in tense stories of mystery and suspense, usually centering on the thoughts or actions of a single person. A husband loses patience with his nattering wife and decides to do away with her; an ex-con finds himself blackmailed by a fellow inmate; a self-centered debutante carefully plans her break-up with her fiancé - all were simple but engaging plots for this enterprising series. But the fascinating thing about the shows - and the "hook" designed to attract and retain the interest of listeners - was the twist ending that came with each program. You'll be listening along to the story and then, just about the time the plot is being resolved, the program's announcer will say "You think the story is over, don't you? But wait! Fate takes a hand. Wait…for the Unexpected!" Well, after that, what can a poor listener do but sit through the commercial that follows to find out the REAL ending to the tale?

For fans of mysteries, and particularly those who like guessing what the twist endings will be, hearing "The Unexpected" is a real delight - and it's a series that even the most avid of radio buffs has probably never even heard of, let alone had the chance to enjoy. In our ongoing attempt to seek out and rediscover the long-lost shows from radio's past, Radio Archives is pleased to bring this series back for the enjoyment of a whole new generation of listeners. Transferred directly from original transcription recordings and fully restored for sparkling audio fidelity, "The Unexpected" is a series we know you'll find as fascinating as we do. This 5-CD collection offers you the first twenty shows in the series, with such talented performers as Tom Neal, Lyle Talbot, Binnie Barnes, and Jackie Cooper in starring roles. Here is the complete content of this five-hour collection:

#100 Mercy Killing
starring Barry Sullivan
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#101 Birthday Present
starring Marsha Hunt
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#102 Solid Citizen
starring Tom Neal
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#103 Finale
starring Lurene Tuttle
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#104 Cargo Unknown
starring Lyle Talbot
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#105 Find the Man
starring Binnie Barnes
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#106 Revenge
starring Barry Sullivan
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#107 The Cripple
starring Marjorie Riordan
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#108 Fool's Silver
starring Barry Sullivan
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#109 Horoscope
starring Marjorie Riordan
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#110 Eavesdropper
starring Barry Sullivan
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#111 Legacy
starring Lurene Tuttle
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#112 Museum
starring Jackie Cooper
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#113 Understudy
starring Lurene Tuttle
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#114 King Champion
starring Jack Holt
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#115 The Mink Coat
starring Lurene Tuttle
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#116 Easy Money
starring Steve Cochran
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#117 Free Passage
starring Lurene Tuttle
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#118 Re-Match
starring Jackie Cooper
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

#119 Sweet Sixteen
starring Lurene Tuttle
1947 - 15:00 - Hamilton-Whitney Productions

Average Customer Review:

5 of 5

| Total Reviews: 1 Write a review

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Great Scripts	June 28, 2011
Reviewer: Bill Downs

I received my delivery this past Saturday. The biggest surprise was "The Unexpected". What great scrips for a 15 minute program! I did not remember this program but your review of the series convinced me to purchase Volumes 1 and 2. I assume the program was "sustained" by the network as no commercials appear. The only expense seemed to be in hiring the Hollywood star who carried most of the show.

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