Desc | Straight Arrow | Western | Old Time Radio Downloads

Thanks

+ Howard Culver (June 4, 1918 - August 4, 1984) was an American radio and television actor, best known as hotel clerk Howie Uzzell during the entire run of TV's Gunsmoke. On radio he starred in the title role of the Western adventure series Straight Arrow, which aired on Mutual from May 6, 1948 to June 21, 1951. Straight Arrow opened with an introduction by announcer Frank Bingman, who remained close friends with Culver for years: "To friends and neighbors alike, Steve Adams appeared to be nothing more than the young owner of the Broken Bow cattle spread, but when danger threatened innocent people, and when evildoers plotted against justice, then Steve Adams, rancher, disappeared. And in his place came a mysterious, stalwart Indian, wearing the dress and war paint of a Comanche, riding the great golden palomino Fury. Galloping out of the darkness to take up the cause of law and order throughout the West comes the legendary figure of Straight Arrow." Jack French recalled Culver in his 1996 essay on Straight Arrow: McCann Erickson decided the new series would be broadcast from Los Angeles, and they quickly chose their cast from West Coast talent. Howard Culver, who had been the narrator of We Deliver the Goods and the announcer on Chandu the Magician, was selected for the title lead. At the time, he had a small goatee, which would be later be shaved off before his first personal appearance as Straight Arrow... Frank Bingman was hired as the announcer. He had started in radio at age 19 on Life of Mary Southern but was best known then as the voice of Cresta Blanca Wine. Bingman was surprised to find out that Culver occupied his spare time at the studio by knitting. While on the Joan Davis Show, Verna Felton had taught Bingman to knit, but he was a "closet knitter," since he was embarrassed to knit in front of other men. "Well, I don't give a damn what they say!", Culver told Bingman, sounding very unlike Straight Arrow. Thereafter, they both knitted in the studio, and later these two buddies donated their time at local military hospitals, teaching wounded vets to knit... Culver, much like Clayton "Bud" Collyer had been doing for years as Clark Kent/Superman, used his regular voice for Steve Adams and then lowered it for Straight Arrow.-WikiPedia Click here to read more about Straight Arrow

Radio Shows
Comments
Photos

Please enjoy these 2 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis	Rating
05.06.1948	stage from calvaydos	+ . "Stage From Calvados". Sponsored by: Nabisco Shredded Wheat (palomino colt premium). Randy Cul...
03.24.1949	land of our fathers	+ "Land Of Our Fathers". Sponsored by: Nabisco Shredded Wheat. Steve Adams, mild mannered rancher, ...

I don't know if this site is still current, but I was reminiscing today about the pleasant evenings I spent listening to Straight Arrow on the radio, so I did a search for information about the program. As a child of 6 or 7, I didn't pay much attention to the show's production credits, but the title character's message of fairness and honesty resonated strongly with that second-grader struggling to find his place in a new school and new state. My family had recently moved from Las Cruces, New Mexico, where I fantasized about being The Lone Ranger, to San Antonio, Texas. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed, I wasn't a member of a minority group, but I was the smallest kid in my class, new to the unique Texas attitude, and my spoken thoughts were not always in keeping with the opinions of my peers. When we played "cowboys and indians, the non-dominent boys were relegated to playing "indians" (imagine that!), but as a Straight Arrow fan, I relished the role. At one point, in fact, I cut arm and head holes in a white pillow case, used a brown crayon to painstakingly color its entire surface the color of buckskin, printed "Strait Arrow" (mispelled) in black crayon across the chest, and wore it to school. I don't know now what prompted me to do it, but I do remember it produced consternation of varying degrees among my peers and the school staff. When I came home from school that day, my mother admonished me for ruining a good pillow case, and my father pointed out that I had mispelled "Straight." I'm 80 now, but still remember my affinity for Straight Arrow, and have thought of the character's lifestyle examples many times in the course of my life.

John Stover