The Naples Players Radio Theatre cover art

The Naples Players Radio Theatre

The Naples Players Radio Theatre

By: Reprised versions of vintage 1930s 40s and 50s radio programs
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About this listen

 The Naples Players' Radio Theatre reprises the old radio plays of the 1940's and 50s. Enriched by the addition of sound effects and music, this series of plays brings the fun and excitement of theatre into your own home.All rights reserved Art
Episodes
  • The Thought

    The Thought
    Feb 1 2026
    "The Thought" is an episode from the mid-1940s radio anthology series The Haunting Hour, which ran in syndication between 1945 and 1946. Although the program was produced in the United States, it had no single sponsor and was distributed through transcription, allowing local stations to insert their own commercial messages. Because of this, The Haunting Hour is sometimes referred to as a “mystery anthology without a name” — one that thrived on atmosphere rather than brand recognition. Unlike more famous radio thrillers such as Suspense or The Whistler, The Haunting Hour did not feature a recurring narrator or signature character. Instead, each half-hour play stood on its own, dramatizing tales of mystery, fear, and psychological unease. The Thought, first aired in 1945, exemplifies the program’s blend of noir-tinged melodrama and supernatural suggestion. The story reflects two popular trends in 1940s American entertainment: -Psychic phenomena and mind-reading acts, which were a staple of vaudeville and nightclub stages during the period. -Domestic mystery thrillers, where jealousy, suspicion, and betrayal played out against shadowy backdrops such as isolated lodges or smoky nightclubs. Although The Haunting Hour lasted only about a year in production, episodes like The Thought capture the mood of wartime and postwar America — a public fascinated by crime stories, the power of the subconscious, and the possibility of hidden dangers lurking in everyday life.
    This Naples Players Radio Theatre production features the vocal talents of Pam Austin, Vic Caroli, Jim Heffernan, Kip Jones, James Corsica, and Michael Troop . This audio file was recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Troop. All music and sound effects were obtained through a special license from pond5.com and may not be copied or reproduced for any reason. “This performance is presented as a historical recreation of a classic radio broadcast. All rights to the original script and characters remain with their respective copyright holders. This production is non-commercial and for educational and entertainment purposes only.
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    29 mins
  • Cowboy and the Lady

    Cowboy and the Lady
    Jan 1 2026
    In April of 1950, The Camel Screen Guild Theater treated radio audiences to "The Cowboy and the Lady" - a romantic comedy adapted from the 1938 film starring Gary Cooper and Merle Oberon. Like many shows of the golden age of radio, it featured Hollywood voices spinning a tale of love, laughter, and culture clash between a high-society lady and a rodeo cowboy. But just as famous as the stories were the sponsors who kept the microphones humming. On that night, Camel cigarettes were the real scene-stealers. The announcer confidently proclaimed, “In a coast-to-coast test of hundreds of people who smoked only Camels for thirty days, not one single case of throat irritation was reported! Test Camels in your T-Zone—T for taste, T for throat—and see how mild a cigarette can be.” Later, as if to prove it, he told listeners that people whose voices were their fortune—opera stars, sportscasters, comedians—swore by Camels. And to top it all off, he closed the show with this gem: “According to a survey of over one hundred thirteen thousand doctors, more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette!” Hearing those claims today might make us chuckle—and cough a little too –but they’re a colorful reminder of the era. And the play itself? Still as funny, romantic, and full of charm as it was back then. So light up your imagination (and only your imagination, please) and enjoy "The Cowboy and the Lady!" This Naples Players Radio Theatre production features the vocal talents of Pamela Austin as Mary, Patti Caroli as Elly, and Jim Heffernan as Stretch. The supporting characters of Shorty, Judge Smith, Ma, and the carpenter were vocalized by Michael Troop. This audio file was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Michael Troop. All music and sound effects were obtained through a special license from pond5.com and may not be copied or reproduced for any reason. This performance is presented as a historical recreation of a classic radio broadcast. All rights to the original script and characters remain with their respective copyright holders. This production is non-commercial and for educational and entertainment purposes only.
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    31 mins
  • It's A Wonderful Life

    It's A Wonderful Life
    Dec 15 2025
    Few stories have woven themselves so completely into the fabric of American storytelling as It’s a Wonderful Life. First released as a motion picture in 1946, Frank Capra’s film was initially met with modest success, only to grow—quietly and steadily—into one of the most beloved holiday traditions of the 20th century. Its message is deceptively simple: that an ordinary life, lived with kindness and integrity, can ripple outward in ways we may never fully see. But long before the story became synonymous with annual television broadcasts and snowy black-and-white images, It’s a Wonderful Life found another home—one that relied not on visuals, but on imagination. During the Golden Age of Radio, adaptations of popular films and stage works were a staple of American entertainment. Families gathered around their living-room radios much as we gather around screens today, listening to familiar stories re-told by voice, music, and sound alone. In that tradition, It’s a Wonderful Life was adapted for radio in the late 1940s, inviting listeners to create Bedford Falls in their own minds, to hear George Bailey’s quiet desperation and ultimate redemption without seeing a single snowflake fall. Our radio production is both a tribute to that era and a reaffirmation of why this story endures. Radio drama strips storytelling down to its essentials: voice, pacing, silence, and sound. Without images to guide us, we lean into the emotional truth of the characters. George Bailey becomes not just a man we watch, but a voice we sit beside. Clarence’s gentle wisdom feels more intimate. Mary’s love more personal. Bedford Falls becomes anywhere, and George Bailey becomes anyone who has ever wondered whether their life truly mattered. Producing It’s a Wonderful Life as a radio drama also feels especially appropriate today. In an age of relentless noise and spectacle, radio invites us to slow down, to listen closely, and to reconnect with the human scale of the story. It reminds us that heroism doesn’t require grand gestures—sometimes it’s found in staying, in caring, and in choosing others over ourselves. This production is made possible by a cast of generous voice actors who lend not only their talent, but their hearts to the story. Each performance is shaped by an understanding that It’s a Wonderful Life works not because it is sentimental, but because it is honest—acknowledging doubt, failure, and despair before arriving at hope. We offer this audio presentation in the spirit in which radio drama has always thrived: as a shared experience, meant to be listened to closely, perhaps with family or friends, and carried with you afterward. Whether this is your first visit to Bedford Falls or your hundredth, we invite you to close your eyes, listen, and rediscover why George Bailey’s life—like so many others—was, indeed, a wonderful one. This Naples Players Radio Theatre production features the vocal talents of Jesse Hughes, Pamela Dollak , Danny Miller, Vic Caroli, Kip Jones, Christian Conn, Theresa Bill, Lynne Young, Mitch Frank, John Heard, and Michael Troop . This audio file was recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Troop. All music and sound effects were obtained through a special license from pond5.com and may not be copied or reproduced for any reason.
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    58 mins
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