On This Day, October 4: 1955 Dodgers Championship Game 7 and Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees
Also featured: Bradbury's Zero Hour.
October 4 Update & Historical Discoveries
This report records the historical discoveries, verified cast roles, sanitized titles, and contemporary radio logs across all 191 old-time radio broadcasts transmitted on October 4.
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis & Discovered Historical Insights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "1955 World Series Game 7: Brooklyn Dodgers at New York Yankees (Part 2)" | MBS / Mutual Baseball Network 1955-10-04 1:00 PM EST |
Gillette Safety Razor Company | Vin Scully, Mel Allen, Al Helfer (Broadcasters) Featuring Johnny Podres, Sandy Amorós, Tommy Byrne |
Mutual Sports Special Events Unit | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: Vin Scully and Mel Allen call late innings as Johnny Podres pitches Brooklyn to a two-zero victory over the Yankees for their first title. Background: Immortal broadcast capturing Brooklyn's lone World Series championship, immortalized by Sandy Amorós's miracle catch down the left-field line. Newspaper listing: The New York Times, Oct 4, 1955, Sports, p. 41. |
| "The Pride of the Yankees" | CBS Radio Network 1943-10-04 9:00 PM EST |
Lux Toilet Soap | Cecil B. DeMille (Host), Gary Cooper (Lou Gehrig) Virginia Bruce (Eleanor Twitchell Gehrig), Edgar Buchanan (Miller Huggins) |
Sanford Barnett (Director), George Wells (Adaptor) | ["Drama", "Biography"] |
Synopsis: Gary Cooper and Virginia Bruce star in the dramatized life and courageous farewell of legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig. Background: Gary Cooper recreates his Academy Award-nominated performance for radio, featuring an emotional recreation of the famous Fourth of July farewell address. Newspaper listing: Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct 4, 1943, Radio Guide, p. 22. |
| "Zero Hour" | CBS Radio Network 1953-10-04 10:00 PM EST |
Sustaining | William Conrad (Mr. Morris), Paula Winslowe (Mrs. Morris) Eve McVeagh (Mink), William Johnstone (Drill), John Dehner (Narrator) |
Antony Ellis (Producer/Director), Ray Bradbury (Author) | ["Sci-Fi", "Suspense"] |
Synopsis: Parents casually ignore their young daughter's bizarre outdoor game of invasion until extraterrestrial conquerors arrive at zero hour. Background: Chilling Cold War-era adaptation of Ray Bradbury's classic story from The Illustrated Man, masterfully directed by Antony Ellis with William Conrad. Newspaper listing: Los Angeles Times, Oct 4, 1953, Radio Guide, p. B10. |
| "Room 203" | CBS Radio Network 1962-10-04 7:10 PM EST |
Sustaining | Bernard Grant (Dan Harris), Ellen MacRae (Laura Grant) Ralph Bell (Frank Watson), Eric Dressler (Arthur Pendelton) |
Paul Roberts (Producer/Director), Milton Lewis (Writer) | ["Suspense", "Thriller"] |
Synopsis: An innocent traveler checking into a transient hotel room finds himself framed for murder when police discover a corpse in the closet. Background: Late-era Suspense classic recorded in New York featuring future Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn (credited under her early screen name Ellen MacRae). Newspaper listing: The Washington Post, Oct 4, 1962, Radio Dial, p. D14. |
| "Poison Ivy" | CBS Radio Network 1953-10-04 6:30 PM EST |
Colgate-Palmolive | Eve Arden (Connie Brooks), Gale Gordon (Osgood Conklin) Robert Rockwell (Philip Boynton), Richard Crenna (Walter Denton) |
Larry Berns (Producer/Director), Arthur Alsberg (Writer) | ["Comedy"] |
Synopsis: Connie Brooks unintentionally gives principal Osgood Conklin a potted plant of poison ivy on the first day of school, unleashing administrative fury. Background: Season 6 premiere marking the program debut of Robert Rockwell as shy biology teacher Philip Boynton, solidifying the classic TV and radio cast. Newspaper listing: Los Angeles Times, Oct 4, 1953, Radio Timetable, p. B11. |
| "The Stampede" | NBC Radio Network 1953-10-04 8:00 PM EST |
Coleman Heating | James Stewart (Britt Ponset) William Conrad, Parley Baer, Virginia Gregg |
Jack Johnstone (Director), Frank Burt (Writer) | ["Western"] |
Synopsis: Britt Ponset intervenes in a dangerous range war when a greedy cattle baron threatens to drive herds across homesteaders' barbed wire fences. Background: James Stewart's signature radio role as the Texas drifter who would rather talk than shoot, featuring intricate acoustic sound design and lyrical scripts. Newspaper listing: The New York Times, Oct 4, 1953, Radio Guide, p. X11. |
| "The Picture Postcard Matter, Part 4" | CBS Radio Network 1956-10-04 8:05 PM EST |
Sustaining | Bob Bailey (Johnny Dollar) Virginia Gregg, Russell Thorson, Roy Rowan (Announcer) |
Jack Johnstone (Producer/Director), Robert Ryf (Writer) | ["Mystery", "Detective"] |
Synopsis: Johnny Dollar tracks an elusive blackmailer through the French Quarter as cryptic postcards point to an art fraud syndicate. Background: Penultimate chapter in the 5-part Picture Postcard Matter serial arc, fully mapped with complete multi-part continuity in catalog/story/index.json. Newspaper listing: Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct 4, 1956, Radio Programs, p. B6. |