Tales Of The Texas Rangers


(4.8 stars; 161 reviews)

Tales of the Texas Rangers, a western adventure old-time radio drama, premiered on July 8, 1950, on the US NBC radio network and remained on the air through September 14, 1952. Movie star Joel McCrea starred as Texas Ranger Jayce Pearson, who used the latest scientific techniques to identify the criminals and his faithful horse, Charcoal, to track them down. The shows were reenactments of actual Texas Ranger cases.The series was produced and directed by Stacy Keach, Sr., and was sponsored for part of its run by Wheaties.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

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Chapters

Just a Number (audition) 28:48
The White Elephant 30:23
Apache Peak 30:29
The Trigger Men 30:12
Quick Silver 29:47
The Broken Spur 29:53
Fool's Gold 30:21
The Open Range 30:14
Play for Keeps 30:08
Dead or Alive 29:56
Candy Man 29:58
Open and Shut 30:13
Clean Up 29:57
Living Death 29:21
Dead Give-Away 29:46
Soft Touch 29:59
The White Suit 29:59
Blood Relative 29:12
Hanging by a Thread 29:46
Room 114 29:47
The Lucky Dollar 29:56
The Cactus Pear 29:57
Christmas Present 30:00
The Devil's Share 29:26
Deadhead Freight 29:41
Dead in the Cards 29:48
Blood Harvest 29:51
Loggers Larceny 29:54
The Hatchet 29:57
Sweet Harvest 25:51
TheTrap 30:17
Blind Justice 29:45
Death By Adoption 29:46
Beakdown 30:04
Pressure 30:11
Bad Blood 29:58
Conspiracy 30:15
Canned Death 29:56
No Living Witnesses 29:46
Paid In Full 29:09
Square Dance 29:30
Joy Ride 28:52
Death Shaft 29:53
Wheel Chair Killings 29:32
Play For Keeps 28:57
Fugitive Trail 29:31
The White Elephant 29:29
Helping Hand 29:54
Open And Shut 29:15
Wild Crop 29:50
Blow Off 29:21
Dead Give Away 29:44
Death Plant 58:27
Pick-Up 58:35
Christmas Payoff 30:03
Killer's Crop 29:58
Birds Of A Feather 30:06
Clip Job 29:29
Blood Trail 29:08
Night Chase 29:07
The Rub Out 28:52
The Hitch-Hiker 28:51
Cold Blood 28:04
Bright Boy 29:23
Ice Man 28:57
Dream Farm 29:04
Prelude To Felony 30:02
Night Hawk 29:09
Troop Train 29:03
Uncertain Death 30:02
Illusion 29:59
Address Uknown 29:46
Little Sister 29:55
Unleashed Fury 29:58
Smart Kill 29:50
Jailbird 29:55
Sellout 30:06
Illegal Entry 29:56
Travesty 28:50
Knock-Out 29:22
Ex-Con 29:18
The Boomerang 29:19
Finger Man 29:20
Round Trip 29:24
Stick-Up 22:58
Double Edge 30:13
Last Stop 25:34
Cover-Up 30:18
Three Victims 30:12
Misplaced Person 28:34
Alibi 29:37
Drive-In (last Show) 29:32

Reviews

One of the best


(5 stars)

Ranks up there with 21st precinct, Gunsmoke, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, The Six Shooter, and Philip Marlowe Great scripts, production, background audio, and actors.

just wonderful


(5 stars)

I love these shows, and not just because I'm originally from Texas. The quality of the story-telling, acting, and especially the astonishingly subtle and realistic sound-effects, make these real gems. One thing I appreciate is that they are for adults, not children, and so involve grown-up themes -- bad marriages, business deals gone sour, corruption, addiction, poverty, prejudice. They've been a really satisfying discovery for me as a listener. Certain recurring elements consistently amuse and delight me: the rising inflection when the announcer declares that "the events are a matter of record!"; the way so many episodes turn on analysis of forensic evidence by the Rangers' crack scientists back in Austin; how almost every case ultimately requires Jace to pursue the villain on horseback, so it's lucky that he just happens to have brought along good old Charcoal in a horse-trailer; and the fact that almost every character speaks with what sounds at least something like a Texas accent, except for the Texas Ranger himself, who sounds as if he might have ridden in from Connecticut. A truly outstanding, thoroughly enjoyable series.

Surprisingly good show


(4 stars)

Downloaded a couple of episodes of this show. Writing is consistently good, apparently based on real cases and using the science of the day. Main draw of course is movie star Joel McCrea but the other actors are as good or better. I'd be interested in knowing what latter-day Hispanics think of the Mexican character in the 'The Hitch-Hiker' episode. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_Texas_Rangers

Great show


(5 stars)

One of my favorites. Could hold it's own with todays C.S.I.'s. Good acting, Good casts, and stories. Holds your attention. Wish their were more like it!

tales of the Texas rangers


(5 stars)

Great dramatization and content

Anthrax?


(5 stars)

This is one of my favorite OTR shows. I have probably listened to each one two or three times. To those of you out there who are also fans of Tales of the Texas Rangers, can any of you remember which show talked about cattle who were infected with anthrax? I suppose if I had hours and hours to research it, I could find it myself, but if anyone out there already knows, I would love to share that particular episode with a friend.

Dated material, but still highly enjoyable listening


(5 stars)

Introduced to Tales of the Texas Rangers on satellite radio and pleased to find it available here. I've discontinued my subscription to sat. radio as the commercials and announcer (post merger) grate on my nerves. It's terrific assembling these classic episodes to listen at my leisure. At 250,000 downloads alone for TotTR that's high praise. The production quality of these shows is very high, though some elements of character dialect may be offensive, bearing in mind these were recorded in the early 1950s, over 60 years ago, most people have recognized it's no longer appropriate and moved on and can still hear these characters without thinking less of of them.

One of the Best!


(5 stars)

So many websites categorize this series as a western. This is not what you'd consider a classic western. It takes place during the time it was broadcast, I think the 50s. They drive cars, have phones, crime labs, and all the other modern conveniences of 50s America. True, they do ride a lot of horses, but that's the only thing "western" about it. This is definitely one of my favorite "based on fact" crime series. It's well acted and the scripts are realistic. Also, the theme song is arguably the best, most rousing theme songs ever written for radio.