On This Day, August 28: Night Beat and The Hall of Fantasy
Also featured: Ezra Stone.
August 28 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 28 across American network radio, Frank Lovejoy as Chicago Star night-beat reporter Randy Stone in two gritty cases for Pabst Blue Ribbon (1950–1952), Richard Thorne's animated armor horror on The Hall of Fantasy, Dumas' classic The Man in the Iron Mask on Radio Guild Dramas, Parker Fennelly on Lawyer Tucker, and Chuck Schaden interviewing Henry Aldrich creator Ezra Stone (1933–1975):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Knight's Room" | WGN / Mutual 1950-08-28 8:30 PM CST |
Sustaining Horror Drama |
Richard Thorne (Director) | Dramatic Cast | ["Horror", "Occult", "Supernatural", "Gothic", "Suspense"] |
A vacationing tourist spends a terrifying night inside a haunted medieval castle bedroom where an animated suit of armor stalks the living. |
| "The Kenny Day Case" | NBC (WNBC) 1950-08-28 10:00 PM EDT |
Pabst Brewing Co. Pabst Blue Ribbon |
Frank Lovejoy (Randy Stone) | Russell Hughes (Writer) | ["Newspaper", "Hardboiled", "Noir", "Crime", "Boxing"] |
Chicago Star reporter Randy Stone probes the death of a juvenile boxer who refused to take a dive for ruthless mob bookmakers. |
| "Flight from Fear" | NBC (WNBC) 1952-08-28 8:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Newspaper Drama |
Frank Lovejoy (Randy Stone) | Russell Hughes (Writer) | ["Newspaper", "Hardboiled", "Noir", "Crime", "Suspense"] |
Randy Stone aids a terrified woman fleeing an abusive, paroled ex-husband who stalked her across state lines. |
| "The Man in the Iron Mask" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1933-08-28 4:00 PM EDST |
Sustaining Classical Drama |
Charles Webster, F. Malone | Alexandre Dumas (Author) | ["Classic Literature", "Historical", "Adventure", "Drama", "French"] |
A classic dramatization of Alexandre Dumas' tale of the three musketeers plotting to replace King Louis XIV with his imprisoned twin brother. |
| "The Forged Will of Pine Bluff" | CBS (WABC) 1947-08-28 8:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Domestic Drama |
Parker Fennelly, A. Hughes | Mae Questel | ["Legal", "Courtroom", "Comedy", "Domestic", "Americana"] |
Folksy small-town attorney Dan Tucker uncovers document forgery when greedy distant relatives contest a late widow's charitable estate. |
| "Ezra Stone in Hollywood" | WBBM / Oral Hist 1975-08-28 |
Sustaining Radio History |
Chuck Schaden, Ezra Stone | Speaking of Radio | ["Oral History", "Interview", "Biography", "Old-Time Radio", "Documentary"] |
Actor and director Ezra Stone reflects on originating the role of teenager Henry Aldrich, working with Clifford Goldsmith, and directing television comedies. |