Molle' Mystery Theater

From the day it debuted on NBC in 1943, Molle' Mystery Theater intended to bring listeners the best produced mystery programs possible. Until the show moved to CBS in 1948, it succeeded in doing just that. Combining quality adaptations of mysteries by both classic and modern authors with the top radio talent at the time and high end production values, Molle' Mystery Theater produced suspenseful thrillers that today still put listeners on the edge of their seats. Molle' Mystery Theater was sponsored by Sterling Drugs, the makers of Molle Shaving Cream. Although the name would change in later incarnations of the show, the best remembered episodes were aired under that title from 1943 to 1948. Tapping some of the best talent available, Molle' Mystery Theater featured Richard Widmark, Frank Lovejoy, Anna Seymour, and others. Whether it was a classic mystery tale or one penned by an author of the time, each episode was a tangle of twists and turns, usually wrapping up suddenly with a shocking ending. Every indication is that the creators of this program intended to not only make the best possible mystery anthology on the air, but also to make it unique. To this end, Molle' Mystery Theater didn’t simply have a host or narrator like most shows of its kind. Geoffrey Barnes, played to low key perfection by Bernard Lenrow, was the program’s ‘annotator’. While narrators simply helped move the story alone, Barnes’ purpose was to assist the listener in working through the mystery of each episode, in understanding the finer points of whatever foul deed and investigation took place. Radio Archives presents nine hours of this radio mystery treasure restored to the finest audio quality possible. Tantalizing stories and fantastic performances make this program one that mystery fans and old time radio enthusiasts must not miss. The curtain lifts on suspense and thrills in eighteen episodes of Molle' Mystery Theater originally aired in 1946, 1947, and 1948.