Harold's Old Time Radio – “Cinnamon Bear 37-12-07 10: Professor Whiz”

Original air date: December 7, 1937
Podcast Release: December 12, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode Overview

This episode brings listeners back to the enchanting adventures of Judy, Jimmy, and the Cinnamon Bear as they journey through the magical island of Obi. The trio is searching for their lost silver star, only to encounter a series of magical obstacles, peculiar characters, and, most notably in this chapter, the eccentric Professor Whiz—the highly grammatical owl.

Detailed Breakdown

1. Recap and Departure into Mystery (02:08–03:33)

• The Story So Far:
  The narrator summarizes the predicament: after losing their prized silver star to the mischievous Crazy Quilt Dragon and the Roly Poly Policeman, Judy and Jimmy are plunged into magical misadventures on the island of Obi.

  “That old crazy quilled dragon… got to the policeman first and off with the silver star. Our three adventurers were hot in pursuit when all of a sudden the Cinnamon bear vanished into thin air. Just like that.” (02:19, Narrator)

• Strange Island Magic:
  Judy finds herself alone as Jimmy and the Cinnamon Bear seemingly disappear, but soon are able to communicate again, realizing they’ve crossed a magical boundary.

  Judy: "He was right here before us just a minute ago. Well, come on... Jimmy, Jimmy, where are you?" (02:41)

  Cinnamon Bear: "We must have crossed some kind of a magical boundary, Judy. I could see you and hear you, but you couldn't see or hear me." (03:26)

2. Meeting Professor Whiz, the Educated Owl (03:33–07:42)

• A Curiosity:
  Guided by the sight of a peculiar house, Judy, Jimmy, and the Cinnamon Bear encounter Professor Whiz—an owl with spectacles and a dictionary, famous for his grammatical precision.

  Cinnamon Bear: "He's got spectacles on and he's holding a big dictionary under his wing." (03:56)

  Judy: "There's a sign over him. Professor Whiz, the educated owl." (04:05)

• Rigorous Grammar:
  Professor Whiz corrects their grammar immediately, emphasizing his role as a language stickler.

  Professor Whiz: "We seen is a very gross grammatical error. To whom?" (04:28)

  Judy: "Why do you always say to whom? I thought owls always say to who." (04:33)

  Professor Whiz: "Uneducated owls, I regret to say, have fallen into that error. I, knowing my grammar, would not think of saying anything but to whom." (04:37)

• The Wintergreen Witch’s Magic:
  Professor Whiz explains their magical misadventures are due to spells cast by the Wintergreen Witch, who lives in the nearby house (but is away at a witches’ convention).

  Professor Whiz: "That's a very small variety of magic brewed up by the Wintergreen Witch." (05:11)

• Crazy Quilt Sighting:
  The group learns that Crazy Quilt Dragon entered the house recently with the silver star but hasn’t come out since.

  Professor Whiz: “Oh, definitely. He went into the house just a while ago... Oh, yes, I’m sure he did.” (06:36–06:45)

• Professor Whiz Exits:
  Disdainful of any potential “banal vulgarities,” Professor Whiz excuses himself from the encounter in verbose fashion.

  Professor Whiz: "Dear, dear Silver. Such goings on. I could never remain in this vicinity to witness such banal vulgarities. So if you will permit me to absent myself from your company, I shall wend my way in the direction of my humble domicile." (07:20)

3. The House and the Magic Picture (07:42–09:07)

• Searching for the Dragon:
  Judy, Jimmy, and Cinnamon Bear enter the witch’s house, hoping to retrieve their silver star and find Crazy Quilt. The interior is unremarkable except for a fireplace with pots (presumably for potion-making) and an enormous, lifelike picture.

  Cinnamon Bear: "All there is is a fireplace with a lot of pots." (08:15)

  Judy: "My, isn't that a big picture? … Just as real and lifelike as can be." (08:19–08:24)

• Magic Portals:
  The children notice the trees in the picture subtly moving—revealing it to be a magical portal. They surmise Crazy Quilt has entered the forest depicted in the painting.

  Judy: "Jimmy, I'm sure I saw one of those trees move ever so slightly." (08:32)
  Cinnamon Bear: "That tree near the frame is awful close. I touched it. It's real as can be. This is some more magic, children." (08:43)

  Judy: "That's where Crazy Quilt went I betcha. Into that picture forest." (08:52)

4. In the Picture Forest – Meeting Fraidy Cat (09:07–12:37)

• Entering Another World:
  The trio finds themselves in a magical forest and immediately begin searching for Crazy Quilt Dragon.

  Cinnamon Bear: "This is a really, truly sure enough forest, all right." (09:09)

• Fraidy Cat’s Lament:
  They meet a talking kitten, Fraidy Cat, who sings a humorous, self-deprecating song about being easily frightened.

  Fraidy Cat (singing):
  “Fraidy cat, fraidy cat
  I'm just a fraidy cat
  Whining example of what not to be…” (09:55–10:26)

• Fear of Giants and Dragons:
  Fraidy Cat is frightened by a supposed giant in the area, raising the stakes for the children.

  Fraidy Cat: "I saw a great big giant a while ago." (10:59)
  Cinnamon Bear: "Oh, there couldn't be any giants here. Why, you could see them away off if there were." (11:04)

• Assuring Safety:
  Judy and Cinnamon Bear try to soothe Fraidy Cat, vowing there’s no real danger from the gentle Crazy Quilt Dragon.

  Cinnamon Bear: "You certainly are a Fraidy cat. All right. Better let me get you out of that notion right now. You just got too much imagination, that's all." (11:42)
  Judy: "Nothing's going to hurt you, little kitten. And you won't have to be a fraidy cat anymore." (12:08)

• Cinnamon Bear on Bravery:
  Cinnamon Bear encourages bravery—in his signature style.

  Cinnamon Bear: "Now, I'm just a cinnamon bear with shoe button eyes. But I'm not afraid of anything, even if it's twice my size." (12:08)

5. A Giant Appears! (12:37–12:57)

• The episode concludes dramatically as signs of a giant emerge, causing everyone to panic.

  Judy: "Cinnamon bear. Wow."
  Cinnamon Bear: "Let me out of here."
  Judy: "Gangway." (12:37–12:40)

Memorable Quotes

• Professor Whiz: "Uneducated owls, I regret to say, have fallen into that error. I, knowing my grammar, would not think of saying anything but to whom." (04:37)
• Judy: "That's where Crazy Quilt went I betcha. Into that picture forest." (08:52)
• Fraidy Cat (song): “Fraidy cat, fraidy cat / I'm just a fraidy cat / Whining example of what not to be…” (09:55-10:26)
• Cinnamon Bear: "Now, I'm just a cinnamon bear with shoe button eyes. But I'm not afraid of anything, even if it's twice my size." (12:08)
• Professor Whiz: "Such goings on. I could never remain in this vicinity to witness such banal vulgarities." (07:20)

Key Timestamps

• 02:08 – Episode recap and disappearance of Cinnamon Bear
• 03:33 – Encounter with Professor Whiz
• 04:24 – Professor Whiz corrects grammar: "We seen is a very gross grammatical error"
• 05:11 – Explanation of the Wintergreen Witch's magic
• 06:36 – Confirmation that Crazy Quilt entered the house
• 07:42 – Professor Whiz’s verbose exit
• 08:19 – The magical picture is observed
• 09:07 – Entry into the picture forest
• 09:55 – Fraidy Cat’s song
• 10:59 – Warning of a giant from Fraidy Cat
• 12:37 – Panic as a giant appears

Summary & Takeaways

Episode 10 of "The Cinnamon Bear" is marked by whimsical wordplay, educational humor, and a deepening of magical mystery. The highlight is the character of Professor Whiz, whose obsession with grammar provides comic relief and clever dialogue. The plot continues to build urgency as the children pursue Crazy Quilt Dragon, only to become ensnared in deeper magical worlds—including a living painting and the looming threat of a giant.

The blend of adventure and gentle humor—along with memorable musical interludes like Fraidy Cat’s song—captures the family-friendly warmth and imagination of classic American radio storytelling.

Fans of vintage radio will especially enjoy the playful tone and period characterizations on display in this delightful episode.