
Jerry of the Circus - Letter for Sam Randall - 06/28/1937
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Mr. Randall
Jerry of the Circus. It.
Jerry Dugan
Sam.
Mr. Randall
And now for Jerry of the Circus.
Circus Barker
Come over, come over. Let's bring up, folks. There's room for everybody right up close to the platform. That's right. Now make room for the children there, mister. Come right in, little girl. That's right, bouncing. We are offering to you lucky citizens of this family a genuine treat. The choicest bit of entertainment that it has ever been your good fortune to witness. And here, folks, on my left, you see the greatest collection of freaks and monstrosities ever gathered under one piece of canvas. And now, allow me to present Tiny Irene. Come up here, Irene. There she is, folks, 365 pounds of human flesh. By the small admission fee of 25 cents, you would hardly buy the dessert for one of Irene's meals. And now, ladies and gentlemen, in direct contrast, let me introduce Major Mite, the smallest midget in the world today. A major makes Tom Thumb look like a giant. Hello there, Mr. Randall.
Mr. Randall
Hello, Hayley.
Circus Barker
Yes, sir. I repeat, the smallest human in the world today. Am I right, mister?
Mr. Randall
Mr. Randall, you're all right, Mr. Haley.
Circus Barker
There you are, folks. The owner of Randall's Greater Circus, folks, is for my seemingly unbelievable.
Mr. Randall
Hello, Jim.
Jim
Hello, Mr. Randall.
Mr. Randall
How's it going?
Jim
Oh, it'll be a sellout when we get that spell from the midway.
Mr. Randall
It'll be a sellout for tonight, too, if this weather holds up. Say, Jim, drop by the office wagon after the show. I want to talk about something. Jason says one of his guns has disappeared.
Jim
Oh, the Lion Tailor.
Lorenz
That's bad. It's bad.
Jim
Bad business having a gun around. Losing a circus lock.
Mr. Randall
Listen, I'm not going to put up with it. The first rule I ever made was that only wild animal trainers could carry guns. I got to find that missing gun, and whoever's got it will hear plenty from me.
Jim
Does Jason suspect anyone?
Mr. Randall
No, but I do. He and Lorenz have been pretty friendly lately.
Jim
Oh, you mean that knife thrower? I wouldn't trust him any farther than I could throw an elephant.
Mr. Randall
That's right. But you'll have to admit Lorenz is a big attraction.
Jim
A big attraction to the audience maybe, but a Lot of grief for us.
Mr. Randall
Yeah. Well, thank heavens I've got a right hand man I can trust.
Jim
Thanks, boss. You can call me until the last blowdown. And don't you forget it.
Mr. Randall
Thanks, Jim.
Jim
Say, boss, there's a kid looking for you.
Mr. Randall
Oh. Well, what does the boy want?
Jim
I don't know, but he's been hanging
Bumps
around since before lunch.
Jim
He's got some kind of a letter for you.
Mr. Randall
Where is he?
Jim
Why, there he is, boss, over there by Larry. See him?
Mr. Randall
Oh, yes. All right. Thanks.
Jim
A mere guess. Come, gentlemen. Under which shell is the little black pea? Money never grows in your pocket.
Mr. Randall
Hello, young man. Looking for me? Sorry, but we're not taking on any new hands.
Jerry Dugan
Geez. So you're Mr. Randall. I'd have known you anywhere. Dad sure described you. Oh, I forgot. I got a letter for you. Let's see. Oh, here it is.
Mr. Randall
Oh, just a minute, son. Well, not Tim Dugan's boy. Well, sure enough, you've got your dad's grin all over your little freckled face. Well, well, well, yes. You know, I heard some time back that Tim had a boy. Let's see what's on his mind here. And so if things don't break and I'm gone before you get here, take care of my boy. He's been brought up with horses and the circus is in his blood. He'll tell you all about. Well, where is your dad? He's not.
Jerry Dugan
He. He died last week.
Mr. Randall
Oh. Well, I haven't seen him for years. Tim Dugan. Great showman, your dad, and don't you ever forget it. Well, what's your name, son?
Jerry Dugan
Jerry.
Mr. Randall
Jerry Dugan. And so you. You want to join the circus?
Jerry Dugan
I sure do, Mr. Randall.
Mr. Randall
Well, what can you do, Jerry?
Jerry Dugan
Well, dad taught me some tumbling before he got sick. And then, of course, I worked a lot with horses.
Mr. Randall
Yeah?
Jerry Dugan
Mm. After mother died, the doctor said dad couldn't do much hard work, so he and I got a job taking care of some racehorses. Dad said I was a big help, too.
Mr. Randall
Well, that's. Well, now, look, Jerry, we're folding here tonight and I've got a lot of things to tend to. You run along home now and get your duds. I'll put you up somehow. You'll probably have to carry water for the horses at first, but. Well, we'll see.
Jerry Dugan
I. I'm sorry, Mr. Randall, but I. I haven't got any things. I.
Mr. Randall
What do you mean?
Jerry Dugan
Well, you see, after we were rooming in funny little place and, well, after. Well, I heard the landlady Say, she couldn't keep me any longer. You see, dad already owed her more than a week's rent.
Mr. Randall
Nice woman.
Jerry Dugan
He said something to a neighbor about an orphan asylum. Well, well, Rags and me, we lit out that night and we've just been hiding daytime, waiting for the circus to come to town.
Mr. Randall
Oh, well, this dog here isn't Rags, by any chance?
Jerry Dugan
Yeah, isn't he a beauty? He's pure air Dale and sheep dog. And dad said something about a police dog.
Mr. Randall
Shouldn't wonder if your dad was right.
Jerry Dugan
He's awful smart.
Mr. Randall
Kind of little for having such big ancestors, don't you think?
Jerry Dugan
Come to think of it, dad did say something about poodle blood. That's why he's so quick at tricks.
Mr. Randall
Well, I'm not so sure I can put up the dog. But come on now. I want you to meet Bumps.
Jerry Dugan
I. Well, I. I guess I can't go after all. Golly, I.
Mr. Randall
Well, now what?
Jerry Dugan
Well, you see, me and Rags, well, we sort of been taking care of each other and I guess we still.
Mr. Randall
Well, all right. Come on, we'll take him. No boy's worthy assault without a dog anyhow. Come along now. We'll catch Bumps while he's making up.
Jerry Dugan
Bumps? Who's bumps?
Mr. Randall
Mr. Randall, the greatest clown in the business. Knew your dad, too. I guess he'll be in his wagon.
Jerry Dugan
Oh, so that's where you sleep in wagons, huh?
Mr. Randall
No, no. But some of the wagons are used for dressing rooms. We all sleep on the train. Oh, Bump shares his dressing room with Decker and Lorenz. I guess you won't be in the way there.
Jerry Dugan
Decker and Lorenzo, what do they do?
Mr. Randall
A knife throwing act. And a good one, too.
Jerry Dugan
Ge Imagine really being with a circus.
Mr. Randall
Well, here we are, Jerry. Here's Bumps. Makeup wagon.
Bumps
Come in.
Mr. Randall
Hello, Bumps.
Bumps
Well, hello, Sam.
Mr. Randall
I think you can make room for this boy. It's Tim Dugan's boy. Name's Jerry.
Bumps
Tim Dugan? I haven't heard of him for years. Put it here. Any son of Tim Dugan ought to be all right. The old acrobat. How is he?
Mr. Randall
He died once last week.
Bumps
No.
Jim
Oh.
Bumps
This your dog, son?
Jerry Dugan
Yeah. Isn't he a beauty?
Bumps
He's a friendly little mutt. Does he go with the boy's hand?
Mr. Randall
I guess he does.
Bumps
Isn't that funny, Jerry? I've been wishing for a dog for weeks.
Jerry Dugan
Have you?
Bumps
I sure have. Looks as if he thinks I might do, too. Curling up on my feet like that. He sure made himself at home.
Mr. Randall
Well, I'm going to be tied up to laugh at the show bumps. Keep your eye on Jerry.
Bumps
Sure will, Sam.
Mr. Randall
You can go and watch the show, Jerry. I'll tell the man on the gate to let you in. See you later.
Jerry Dugan
Gee, thanks for everything, Mr. Randall.
Mr. Randall
All right.
Bumps
So. So you're Tim Dugan's boy. Oh, wait till I finish this makeup. No, of course not.
Jerry Dugan
Gee, that's funny. Think stuff. Don't you have any lips at all?
Bumps
No, just a thin line.
Jerry Dugan
Why do you put all that white stuff around your eyes?
Bumps
Oh, makes them look blank. You know, kind of sad. Like.
Jerry Dugan
What's that lumpy nose made out of?
Bumps
Well, that's putty, isn't it?
Circus Barker
Uncomfortable?
Jerry Dugan
Gee, you look funny. Right. It's all right. It's still the same fella. It's still Bob.
Bumps
Well, that's it, Rags. Wag your tail, Roy. You see plenty of makeup before you're much older.
Jerry Dugan
Gee, I don't see how you can do it so fast.
Bumps
Listen, Jerry, when you put on one makeup for nearly 25 years, you'll be able to do it in a couple of shakes, too.
Jerry Dugan
Rag. Stop it.
Bumps
Oh. Oh, hello, Lorenz. Meet Jerry, a friend of mine, and his dog, Rag.
Lorenz
Ah, I don't like dogs. Go on, beat it.
Bumps
Here, wait a minute, Lorenz. Jerry and his dog are going to share the wagon with him.
Lorenz
You think?
Bumps
The boss thinks.
Lorenz
Now, where did Decker put the knives? How many times do I tell them to put them in the top drawer of this prop box. Here they are in the bottom drawer. This drawer's not for knights.
Jerry Dugan
Rags, come away from there.
Bumps
He's a curious little monkey, isn't he? Too curious.
Lorenz
What are you looking at? There is nothing for dogs to see in this crawl. Anybody else either. And that goes for you, too, boy. This pop box is my private property. Get out of here, dog.
Bumps
Don't kick him.
Lorenz
Growl at me, eh, Wagner?
Bumps
Drop that knife, you fool.
Jerry Dugan
Don't throw that knife on my dog.
Bumps
I'll fix him so he won't growl.
Circus Barker
Let go my arm, you.
Jerry Dugan
I won't do. You put down that knife, you little fool.
Bumps
Don't you strike that boy, Lorenz.
Circus Barker
Oh, he bit me. That curve bit me right on the wrist, too, on my throwing out.
Bumps
Oh, now, don't get excited. Lorenz is just a little scratch.
Lorenz
Scratch nothing. I fix that dog.
Jerry Dugan
Oh.
Bumps
Oh, there goes the opening number, Jerry. Now go on, go on now and see the show.
Jerry Dugan
Yeah, I'm. I mean, I feel.
Bumps
Well, now, you come back here after the show's over, Jerry.
Jerry Dugan
Come on, Rags.
Bumps
Now, listen, Lorenz, you've got to control that temper of yours. You can't be throwing knives around.
Lorenz
Wrap that dog. Tearing my wrist. He could have crippled me so I could never throw another knife.
Bumps
Oh, but he didn't.
Lorenz
Just the same, I'm not going to dress in a place with a dog that will bite me every time I turn around.
Bumps
Oh, golly, it's time for my act. I gotta get on over to the main tent. And don't you worry about the dog, Lorenz. You and he'll be good friends yet.
Mr. Randall
Friends?
Lorenz
Not we won't have time to be friends. I'll get rid of that dog before we leave this place if it's the last thing I do.
Jerry Dugan
Foreign.
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Mr. Randall
Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird.
Bumps
What is this, your first date?
Mr. Randall
Oh, no.
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
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Mr. Randall
Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.
Liberty Mutual Spokesperson
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Mr. Randall
Liberty.
Circus Barker
Liberty.
Mr. Randall
Liberty. Liberty.
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Mr. Randall
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Harold's Old Time Radio - Jerry of the Circus: Letter for Sam Randall
Date: May 14, 2026
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Episode Theme:
This episode features a dramatization from the "Jerry of the Circus" radio series, focusing on themes of family, loss, and belonging within a traveling circus community. The episode "Letter for Sam Randall" centers on Jerry Dugan, a young boy dealing with the recent loss of his father—a former circus performer—and seeking a new place within Randall’s circus alongside his loyal dog, Rags. It’s a snapshot of Golden Age radio storytelling about resilience, found family, and the challenges of circus life.
The episode blends nostalgia, warmth, and a touch of danger true to Golden Age radio dramas. Dialogue is lively, emotional, and grounded in the close-knit world of the circus, expressing both the hardships and the camaraderie among its members.
For fans of vintage radio and listeners curious about radio storytelling, “Letter for Sam Randall” offers a compelling narrative of grief, hope, and the search for belonging. Jerry’s journey into circus life introduces listeners to the backstage drama and the enduring bonds that define these traveling communities.
Listeners are left anticipating how Jerry and his dog will adapt and find their place amid both friendship and rivalry under the big top.