Hopalong Cassidy

 

 

"The ring of the silver spurs heralds the most amazin' man ever to ride the prairies of the early West É."

 

Hopalong Cassidy was the success story of 1950, a commercial juggernaut that defied all reason to become a radio triumph of its day.

It was the making of Commodore Productions, who alone felt that a radio show could be built around the Hopalong Cassidy character, as played by William Boyd in the 30's and 40s B Western films. Boyd had a unique voice, radiating power and authority - and his signature belly laugh was famous throughout the world. Also, the Hoppy character had a no-nonsense demeanor: he was steel-eyed and quick on the draw, and he meted out justice without the endless warbling and sugar coated romance that came with other cowboy radio shows. He became a hero in black and on a white horse - a super hero of the West. He rescued damsels and cowboys in trouble, along with ranchers and bankers and railroad owners, always against the bad guys - robbers, thieves, rustlers and the like.

Andy Clyde who had played Hoppy's side-kick, California Carlson in the 40's western films joined William Boyd on the sound stage. California, who had developed his own loyal following via the movie series, brought that same "grizzled charm" to the microphone.

Often the stories were of trouble shrouded in mystery, and the listener was not privy to the culprit's identity until the end, making it a true cowboy detective show - and almost every story ended with Hoppy's boisterous laugh!

The warm of the relationship between Hoppy and California was a feature of the series whilst loyalty and good citizenry were the cornerstone of the values espoused by this unlikely pair.

The Hopalong Cassidy Radio Show starring William Boyd and Andy Clyde premiered on January 1st 1950. The series was well produced with interesting stories, complemented by good writing, acting and sound effects.

It ran for 104 episodes, each of 30 minutes duration.

Unfortunately Andy Clyde was unavailable for a time and Joe du Val took over the role of California for 26 episodes which were broadcast from and including 1950-07-02 The Sundown Kid until 1951-12-30 The Golden Lure. Andy was back though for the remainder of the series commencing with the 1951-01-06 episode: The Case of the Last Word

Note: During the du Val run, Andy did appear as California in the Xmas show: 1950-12-23 The Santa Claus Rustlers

 

Want to check out an episode? - why not "taste & try"?

 

This episode can be freely downloaded to your computer - just right button click on any link below and chose "Download Linked File" (or words to that effect). The file is on an average about 22Mb - download time will depend on your (broadband) speed

 

HC_1950-04-09 Killers of Sandy Gulch.mp3

 

These two MP3 CDs contain all 104 episodes of the Hopalong Cassidy Radio Show each of 30 minutes duration (all digitally restored, complete with full titling AND NO HISS)

 

 

Hopalong Cassidy Radio Log

 

 

1.               HC_1950-01-01 Dead Man's Hand.mp3

2.               HC_1950-01-08 The Rainmaker of Eagle Nest Mountain.mp3

3.               HC_1950-01-15 The Coltsville Territory.mp3

4.               HC_1950-01-22 The Mystery of Skull Valley.mp3

5.               HC_1950-01-29 Renegades of the San Rafael.mp3

6.               HC_1950-02-05 The Phantom Bandito.mp3

7.               HC_1950-02-12 Murder on the Trail.mp3

8.               HC_1950-02-19 Hoppy Takes a Chance.mp3

9.               HC_1950-02-26 The Voice of the Dead.mp3

10.            HC_1950-03-05 Ten Strike Gold.mp3

11.            HC_1950-03-12 The Red Rock Mesa.mp3

12.            HC_1950-03-19 The Empty Saddle.mp3

13.            HC_1950-03-26 The Failure.mp3

14.            HC_1950-04-02 The Bandits of Ridge Creek.mp3

15.            HC_1950-04-09 Killers of Sandy Gulch.mp3

16.            HC_1950-04-16 The Red Death.mp3

17.            HC_1950-04-23 Coyote's Creed.mp3

18.            HC_1950-04-30 Bullets for Ballots.mp3

19.            HC_1950-05-07 The Green Valley Payoff.mp3

20.            HC_1950-05-14 The Man Who Made Willy Whirl.mp3

21.            HC_1950-05-21 Range War.mp3

22.            HC_1950-05-28 The Letter from the Grave.mp3

23.            HC_1950-06-04 Death Paints a Picture.mp3

24.            HC_1950-06-11 Border of Nowhere.mp3

25.            HC_1950-06-18 The Medicine Man.mp3

26.            HC_1950-06-25 The Flying Outlaw.mp3

27.            HC_1950-07-02 The Sundown Kid.mp3

28.            HC_1950-07-09 Hoppy Sees Red.mp3

29.            HC_1950-07-16 Hoppy and the School Marm.mp3

30.            HC_1950-07-23 The King of Cinnabar.mp3

31.            HC_1950-07-30 The Shell Game.mp3

32.            HC_1950-08-06 Blood Money.mp3

33.            HC_1950-08-13 The Disappearing Deputy.mp3

34.            HC_1950-08-20 The Whistling Ghosts.mp3

35.            HC_1950-08-27 An Old Spanish Custom.mp3

36.            HC_1950-09-03 The Secret of Martin Doon.mp3

37.            HC_1950-09-10 Four to Go.mp3

38.            HC_1950-09-17 The Red Terror.mp3

39.            HC_1950-09-24 Hoppy and the Iron Horse.mp3

40.            HC_1950-09-30 Gunsmoke Rides the Stagecoach Trail.mp3

41.            HC_1950-10-07 Tinker's Dam.mp3

42.            HC_1950-10-14 Hoppy Pays a Debt.mp3

43.            HC_1950-10-21 Hoppy Turns on the Heat.mp3

44.            HC_1950-10-28 Death Runs Dry.mp3

45.            HC_1950-11-04 Melody of Murder.mp3

46.            HC_1950-11-11 The King of Spades.mp3

47.            HC_1950-11-18 Hoppy Takes the Bull by the Horns.mp3

48.            HC_1950-11-25 Dead or Alive.mp3

49.            HC_1950-12-02 The Mystery at Three Oaks.mp3

50.            HC_1950-12-09 The Plague of Parson's Folly.mp3

51.            HC_1950-12-16 Mystery at the Diamond Z.mp3

52.            HC_1950-12-23 The Santa Claus Rustlers.mp3

53.            HC_1950-12-30 The Golden Lure.mp3

54.            HC_1951-01-06 The Case of the Last Word.mp3

55.            HC_1951-01-13 Bad Medicine at Rimrock.mp3

56.            HC_1951-01-20 The Frightened Town.mp3

57.            HC_1951-01-27 The Killer in Black.mp3

58.            HC_1951-02-03 Coming Attraction, Murder.mp3

59.            HC_1951-02-10 Wet Beef and Dry Bones.mp3

60.            HC_1951-02-17 Black Grass Fever.mp3

61.            HC_1951-02-24 The Cold Country.mp3

62.            HC_1951-03-03 Buckshot Badman.mp3

63.            HC_1951-03-10 The Boss of Vinegar Bend.mp3

64.            HC_1951-03-17 Land of the Gunhawks.mp3

65.            HC_1951-03-24 The Devil's Drum.mp3

66.            HC_1951-03-31 Hoppy Elects a Sheriff.mp3

67.            HC_1951-04-07 Peril at Pier Nineteen.mp3

68.            HC_1951-04-14 Death Crosses the River.mp3

69.            HC_1951-04-21 Stagecoach West.mp3

70.            HC_1951-04-28 The Unwilling Outlaw.mp3

71.            HC_1951-05-05 Kidnapper's Trail.mp3

72.            HC_1951-05-12 The Bandit of Blackton Bend.mp3

73.            HC_1951-05-19 Hook, Line and Murder.mp3

74.            HC_1951-05-26 The Phantom Panther.mp3

75.            HC_1951-06-02 Hoppy Plays a Hunch.mp3

76.            HC_1951-06-09 A Jailer Named Satan.mp3

77.            HC_1951-06-16 The Man in the Yellow Mask.mp3

78.            HC_1951-06-23 Run, Sheep, Run.mp3

79.            HC_1951-06-30 Hoppy Meets His Match.mp3

80.            HC_1951-09-22 Apaches Don't Need Guns.mp3

81.            HC_1951-09-29 A Shot in the Dark.mp3

82.            HC_1951-10-06 Gunhawk Convention.mp3

83.            HC_1951-10-13 Gunfighter in Short Pants.mp3

84.            HC_1951-10-20 The Songbird of Santa Fe.mp3

85.            HC_1951-10-27 Bayou Drums Mean Death.mp3

86.            HC_1951-11-03 Clean-up of Caribou Mesa.mp3

87.            HC_1951-11-10 Six Little Men Who were Green.mp3

88.            HC_1951-11-17  Junior Badman.mp3

89.            HC_1951-11-24 The Devil and El Diablo.mp3

90.            HC_1951-12-01 The Lawyer of Laredo.mp3

91.            HC_1951-12-08 The Secret in the Hill.mp3

92.            HC_1951-12-15 The Memory of Mace Melot.mp3

93.            HC_1951-12-22 The Spider Woman.mp3

94.            HC_1951-12-29 The Killers of Lion Canyon.mp3

95.            HC_1952-01-05 The Wastrels of Juarez.mp3

96.            HC_1952-01-12 Gambler's Luck.mp3

97.            HC_1952-01-19 Danger Wears Two Faces.mp3

98.            HC_1952-01-26 California or Bust.mp3

99.            HC_1952-02-02 Death Comes Invited.mp3

100.        HC_1952-02-09 Bull Fight.mp3

101.        HC_1952-02-16 The Women of Windy Ridge.mp3

102.        HC_1952-02-23 Right Rope, Wrong Neck.mp3

103.        HC_1952-03-01 Stampede at Semple's Crossing.mp3

104.        HC_1952-03-08 Cowtown Trouble Shooters.mp3

 

 

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