Little Orphan Annie 36-06-16 (1164) Wright Brothers 33rd Anniversary

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Little Orphan Annie 36-06-16 (1164) Wright Brothers 33rd Anniversary"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Harold's Old Time Radio
• Host/Author: Harolds Old Time Radio
• Episode: Little Orphan Annie 36-06-16 (1164) Wright Brothers 33rd Anniversary
• Release Date: June 20, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this captivating episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, titled "Little Orphan Annie 36-06-16 (1164) Wright Brothers 33rd Anniversary," listeners are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio. The story intricately weaves mystery, adventure, and historical homage as Little Orphan Annie and her friend Joe Corntassel navigate the intrigue surrounding the invention of a new silent airplane by Bob Bond and Professor Adolph Washington Kenyon. This episode not only advances the narrative of Annie's adventures but also commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the Wright Brothers' pioneering flight.

Plot Summary

Mystery in Simmons Corner (01:30 – 05:45) The episode begins with Mr. Bond, a key character, addressing Annie and Joe, who have recently become his radio friends. He introduces a central mystery: two strangers, Bob Bond and Professor Kenyon, are secretly working on a new silent airplane intended for the United States government. A foreigner named Mr. Nicholson is suspected of espionage, attempting to steal the airplane's plans, evidenced by his possession of firearms and the suspicious poisoning of Bond's watchdog, Blood.

Race to the Gregory Barn (03:38 – 05:45) Annie and Joe, eager to learn more, race out of school to the Gregory Barn, where Bond and Kenyon are conducting their experiments. Their playful competition highlights their adventurous spirits:

• Joe Corntassel: "Don't you worry about the lead in my feet, Joe. We've been running a long ways. I've just been saving myself." (04:00)
• Annie: "Shucks, I'll say he knows us. Look at him wag his tail." (05:02)

Upon arrival, they engage with Professor Kenyon, who promises to continue the story of the Wright Brothers, a segue into the historical segment that forms a significant portion of the episode.

Tribute to the Wright Brothers (06:05 – 11:13) Professor Kenyon delves into an in-depth narrative celebrating the Wright Brothers' landmark achievement on December 17, 1903. He recounts their meticulous experiments in gliding at Kill Devil Hill and the culmination of their efforts with the first powered flight:

• Professor Kenyon: "Orville Wright, son of an American minister, was the first man in the whole world who ever soared into the air in a plane powered by a motor." (10:00)
• Professor Kenyon: "That little flight of orbital rights at Kitty Hawk... it meant that man had conquered the last element, the air." (11:13)

This segment not only honors the historical significance of the Wright Brothers but also draws parallels between their pioneering spirit and Annie's relentless energy and determination.

Suspicion and Danger Arise (11:15 – 13:09) As Professor Kenyon continues the historical exposition, tension escalates with the sudden aggression towards Blood, the watchdog:

• Professor Kenyon: "Somebody shot Blood. Come on." (11:37)
• Annie: "What a mean trick to shoot a dog." (12:42)

Annie and Joe discover that Blood has been shot, leading them to identify Mr. Nicholson's possible involvement. Joe spots a suspicious figure fleeing into the red sumac bushes, reinforcing the threat Nicholson poses:

• Joe Corntassel: "He sure looked like just one man, and that's Nicholson." (12:58)

Confrontation and Determination (13:09 – 13:09) Mr. Bond addresses the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the importance of protecting their secret invention and the wellbeing of Blood:

• Mr. Bond: "Someone is certainly trying to get rid of Bob Bond's watchdog. What do you suppose he'll try to do next?" (13:09)

Closing and Suspense (13:09 – 15:44) The episode concludes with Mr. Bond urging listeners to support the story by partaking in the Ovaltine sponsorship, tying Annie's energy and resilience to the benefits of the nutritious drink:

• Mr. Bond: "Drinking your Ovaltine is one of the surest ways to help. So ask your mother to get you a can of Ovaltine... so you can start right in with a big delicious glass full for supper this very night." (13:30)

The narrative leaves listeners on a cliffhanger, anticipating the next installment where Annie will likely uncover more about Nicholson's sinister activities.

Key Themes and Insights

1. Pioneering Spirit and Innovation: The episode pays homage to the Wright Brothers, drawing a parallel between their determination to conquer the skies and Annie's unwavering pursuit of adventure and justice. Professor Kenyon's detailed recounting underscores the significance of persistence and ingenuity in achieving groundbreaking advancements.

2. Good vs. Evil: The introduction of Mr. Nicholson as a potential antagonist establishes a classic battle between the protagonists (Annie and Joe) and the villain seeking to undermine their efforts. This dynamic sets the stage for ongoing tension and conflict within the series.

3. Community and Friendship: Annie and Joe's camaraderie is highlighted through their teamwork in solving mysteries and protecting their community. Their interaction with Mr. Bond and Professor Kenyon further emphasizes the importance of trust and collaboration.

4. Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Despite the attempts to sabotage their work and harm their loyal dog, Blood, Annie and her friends remain steadfast. This resilience is mirrored in their admiration for the Wright Brothers, reinforcing the theme of overcoming obstacles through determination.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Professor Kenyon on the Wright Brothers' Achievement:

  "That little flight of orbital rights at Kitty Hawk... it meant that man had conquered the last element, the air." (11:13)

• Annie on Faithful Friendship:

  "Here's Blood. You Blood." (12:09)

• Mr. Bond on the Importance of Ovaltine (Sponsor Message):

  "Drinking your Ovaltine is one of the surest ways to help... you can start right in with a big delicious glass full for supper this very night." (13:30)

Conclusion and Anticipation

"Little Orphan Annie 36-06-16 (1164) Wright Brothers 33rd Anniversary" masterfully blends a thrilling narrative with historical reflection, enveloping listeners in a story of mystery, friendship, and innovation. As Annie and Joe grapple with the threats posed by Mr. Nicholson, the episode sets up an engaging continuation of their adventures. Listeners are left eagerly anticipating the next chapter, where Annie's indomitable spirit promises to unveil more secrets and confrontations.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content segments, such as the Wayfair style tips hosted by Nicole Byer, have been excluded from this summary to focus solely on the narrative and informational content of the episode.

Transcript

[Nicole Byer]

We interrupt this program to bring you an important Wayfair message. Wayfair's got style tips for every home. This is Nicole Byer helping you make those rooms. Flyer today's style tip. When it comes to making a statement, treat bold patterns like neutrals. Go wild like an untamed animal. Print area rug under a rustic farmhouse table. From wayfair.com. ooh. Fierce. This has been your Wayfarer style tip to keep those interiors superior.

[Wayfair]

Wayfair. Every style, every home.

[Little Orphan Annie]

Who's the little chatterbox the one with pretty auburn locks? Whom do you see? It's Little Orphan Annie she and Sandy make a pair they never seem to have a care Cute little she this little orphan Annie Bright eyes, cheeks a rosy glow There's a store of healthiness handy My size Always on the go if you want to know Aren't so Sandy always wears a sunny smile now wouldn't it be worth the while if you could be like Little Orphan Annie?

[Mr. Bond]

Here it is. 5:45 now. Orphan Annie time and Ovaltine time again. And now, if you're one of Annie's new radio friends who have just started to listen to her adventures lately, I want to ask you, have you tried Ovaltine yet? Well, if you haven't, you certainly want to ask your mother to get you some right away. Because if you think it's fun listening to Orphan Annie, you just try drinking Ovaltine. See how much fun that is? Talk about good. Why, it's even better than having a chocolate soda right in your own home whenever you want it. But that's only half of it. Ovaltine not only tastes good, but it's good for you, too. Every single glassful you drink gives you important strength and energy, building food elements to help make you husky and healthy, like Orphan Annie herself. And isn't that the way you want to be? Well, remember, drinking your Ovaltine is one of the surest ways to help. So ask your mother to get you a can of Ovaltine at her drug or grocery store right now so you can have a big, delicious glass full with your dinner tonight and with all your meals every day from now on. But now for our story. You remember lots of mysterious things have been happening around Simmons Corner this summer ever since those two strange men came to live in the old Gregory Barn near the silos. And right now, Orphan Annie and Joe Corntassel know the answer to a big secret that's kept the whole town guessing. They know those two strangers are Bob Bond and Professor Adolph Washington Kenyon, and that they're inventing a secret new silent airplane for the United States government. And Annie and Joe are the only ones who know about it because Bob Bond made them promise to keep it secret. But then, just lately, a mysterious foreigner, Mr. Nicholson, came to Simmons Corners. Bob Bond says he's a spy from a foreign government trying to steal the plans of our new plane. And then Annie and Joe found out that Mr. Nicholson keeps guns in his house. And the next thing we knew, we heard that Nicholson is suspected of poisoning Bob Bond's watchdog, blood. But let's see what Annie's doing.

[Professor Kenyon]

Now.

[Mr. Bond]

Last time, Bond was telling Annie and Joe the story of the Wright brothers and the invention of the first airplane. And here it is the next day. And we find Annie and Joe just out of school, racing each other for the Gregory Barn to hear the rest of that story. And listen, Joe's talking.

[Wayfair]

Come on, Annie. I'm gonna beat you.

[Joe Corntassel]

Is that so?

[Wayfair]

You better. So unless you get the lead out of your feet in an awful hurry.

[Joe Corntassel]

Don't you worry about the lead in my feet, Joe. We've been running a long ways. I've just been saving myself.

[Wayfair]

Well, there's no need in saving yourself any longer. We're almost there.

[Joe Corntassel]

Yeah, and I'm coming.

[Wayfair]

Gosh, I thought you were all in, Annie.

[Joe Corntassel]

No, sir. In a long race, it's the one who goes easy at the start who's most likely to win.

[Wayfair]

Shucks, I guess it is. Wait a minute, Annie. Slow down. Slow down.

[Joe Corntassel]

All right, Joe. Next time, remember on a long race, not to weigh yourself out at the start. You.

[Wayfair]

You bet I will.

[Joe Corntassel]

Wait a minute, Joe. Slow down. That's blood, bar.

[Wayfair]

It sure is. Here he comes.

[Joe Corntassel]

We don't want to be running like this. He might get excited and not know us. Stop, Joe, stop.

[Wayfair]

All right.

[Joe Corntassel]

Here, Blood. Here, Blood. Leaping lizards is just us, Blood. You know Annie and Joe.

[Wayfair]

Shucks, I'll say he knows us. Look at him wag his tail. Gosh, I bet we're just about the only people in Simmons Corners who can come up to like this without getting bitten.

[Joe Corntassel]

I wouldn't wonder. Joe Blood's a mighty good watchdog, aren't you, old boy?

[Wayfair]

I'll say he is. He keeps Professor Canyon's plane in that barn just about as secret as anything could keep it.

[Joe Corntassel]

Yeah, and he will keep it secret, too, if folks let him. Won't you, Blood?

[Wayfair]

What do you mean, Annie?

[Joe Corntassel]

Well, you're not forgetting what Mr. Bond said about somebody trying to poison the dog, are you, Joe?

[Wayfair]

Gosh, I was forgetting it. Of all the dirty tricks. The worst is to harm a poor dog.

[Joe Corntassel]

It sure is, Joe. But I guess that man Nicholson wouldn't stop at anything to get what he wanted. He's mighty smooth, and I.

[Professor Kenyon]

There you are. Well, I wondered what Blood was barking about.

[Wayfair]

Hello, Mr. Bond.

[Professor Kenyon]

Come on over.

[Wayfair]

We're coming. You bet. Come on, Annie.

[Joe Corntassel]

Don't worry, I won't be behind.

[Professor Kenyon]

Well, somehow I thought you'd both be over this afternoon.

[Joe Corntassel]

Suffering sunfish. Mr. Bond, you knew we would.

[Wayfair]

Didn't you promise to go on telling us about the Wright brothers?

[Professor Kenyon]

I do remember saying something like that. Come in, Come in. Glad. You stay out there and keep watch, understand? Good dog. Come in and I'll shut the door. So you remembered about the Wright brothers, eh?

[Wayfair]

Did we shove it all? During my geography lesson today, I was seeing airplanes flying across my map of the United States.

[Professor Kenyon]

And that's exactly what airplanes are doing, Joe. Flying across the map of the United States at all hours, day and night, in all directions, carrying the mail and uniting our whole country in a network of airlines. Just as it's already united by a series of railroads.

[Wayfair]

Gosh, I never looked at aviation like that before.

[Professor Kenyon]

That's what it amounts to now. A great new method of transportation. Faster than the wind, that is becoming safer day by day. As radio guide, beacons and rays are perfected and landing fields spread across the country. And all because 36 years ago, back in 1900, Wilbur and Orville Wright, two American brothers, started their first experiments with the airplane.

[Wayfair]

God.

[Joe Corntassel]

Tell us about it, Mr. Bond.

[Professor Kenyon]

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let's get a little more comfortable. If I'm going to tell you the whole story of the Wright brothers, Professor Kenyon's working in the next room. But we can go through this door to where the plane is and sit on that old workbench of ours. Come on.

[Joe Corntassel]

Did anybody try to hurt blood last night, Mr. Bond?

[Professor Kenyon]

No, nothing at all last night, Annie. Just that one dose of poison of which you didn't eat enough of to kill him. I guess Nicholson's laying back and waiting. Here we are. Huff up, get comfortable. I'll just light this old pipe of mine. There, that's good. Now then, what do you want to know?

[Wayfair]

Shock's all about the Wright brothers, Mr. Bond.

[Professor Kenyon]

Well, that's a pretty big order, Joe, because there's a lot about the Wright brothers. They were remarkable men you got yesterday, Mr.

[Joe Corntassel]

Bond. To where their father brought him a little model airplane.

[Professor Kenyon]

Oh, yes, yes. Well, that toy, that little model airplane set those two boys, Wilbur and Orville Wright off on their great invention. I. I've always thought that parents who gave their children mechanical toys might be helping them greatly in their futures. Well, anyhow, the two Wright boys became interested in aviation from that moment. But they had their livings to make, so they made bicycles to make those livings.

[Joe Corntassel]

What happened?

[Professor Kenyon]

They spent a lot of money, Annie. All they made, in fact. But they weren't discouraged by their failures. No, sir. They picked a place on the Carolina sand flats by the Atlantic Ocean. A place called Kill Devil Hill, four miles south of Kitty Hawk for their first experiments in gliding.

[Wayfair]

Gliding?

[Professor Kenyon]

Oh, yes. Yes. The Wrights were too good scientists to try to walk before they learned how to crawl. They wanted to know all there was to know about the air before they tried to fly in it. So for a whole year, they sent up different kinds of kites and experimented with them, learning everything they could. Then, the next year, 1901, they tried gliders. Planes built to carry a man merely on the current of the wind and without power. It was during these experiments that they learned how to curve the surface of their planes so they would sustain them better in the air.

[Joe Corntassel]

And then what happened?

[Professor Kenyon]

Well, then, after three years of experimenting, they were ready for the great test. They built a plane with a motor in it and propeller. A power plane. A plane they hoped would be able to lift a man from the ground with its own force.

[Wayfair]

And did it.

[Professor Kenyon]

Oh, not so fast, Joe. The Wright brothers weren't in such a hurry. Remember, they spent three years before they even got to this power plane. And a queer sort of plane it was judged by the planes of today. A biplane. That means it had two planes, one built over the other. And there was no place for the operator to sit. He had to lie on a sort of a platform, flat on his face.

[Wayfair]

Gosh.

[Professor Kenyon]

But the Wright brothers built it carefully and by themselves. And then took it to pieces to Kitty Hawk, where they assembled it. Now, Kitty Hawk, with its sand dunes, is a lonesome place. There's nothing but sand. Sand and the sea there. Sand and the sea and the sky and a wind that always blows. But there, on those lonesome sand dunes. Orville Wright, son of an American minister, was the first man in the whole world who ever soared into the air in a plane powered by a motor.

[Joe Corntassel]

Leaping lizards. He actually did it, Mr.

[Wayfair]

Bond?

[Professor Kenyon]

Yes, he actually did it, Annie. On a cold wind blown day the 17th December, 1903. Only five people besides his brother Wilbur saw the flight. And these were mostly coast guards from the Atlantic. But the plane did Soar into the air, though it only stayed in the air for 12 seconds. But history had been made. History that was and is to change man's whole means of transportation. For on that December day 33 years ago, man first succeeded in conquering the air in a machine that lifted itself with its own power.

[Wayfair]

Gosh, that's pretty wonderful.

[Professor Kenyon]

Wonderful. Why, Joe, it's the greatest thing that's happened on this earth in the last hundred years. Mmm. That little flight of orbital rights at Kitty Hawk. It meant that man had conquered the last element, the air.

[Joe Corntassel]

It's pretty exciting, all right. What happened after that, Mr. Bond?

[Professor Kenyon]

Well, after that first flight, the Wright brothers would listen to.

[Joe Corntassel]

Listen to what, Joe?

[Wayfair]

Don't you hear? Isn't that blood barking?

[Professor Kenyon]

Say, that is Blood. Wait till I have a look out this window.

[Joe Corntassel]

What's up, Mr. Barnes?

[Professor Kenyon]

I don't know. I can't see anything yet.

[Wayfair]

Boy, he's sure barking at somebody. Just listen to him.

[Joe Corntassel]

Lizards. What's happened?

[Professor Kenyon]

That was a gun. Somebody shot Blood. Come on.

[Wayfair]

Gosh. Come on, Annie.

[Joe Corntassel]

You bet I'm coming.

[Professor Kenyon]

If anybody's killed Blood, I'll.

[Wayfair]

Jack, he's not killed. Listen.

[Joe Corntassel]

Don't howl hurry, Mr. Barnes.

[Professor Kenyon]

Oh, this lock stuck. It's. Ah, there it is. You Blood. You Blood.

[Joe Corntassel]

Jo, look over there. Just going into the woods.

[Wayfair]

I don't see anything. Ain't he?

[Joe Corntassel]

Well, I did.

[Professor Kenyon]

Well, good old Blood. What's the matter, boy? What is it?

[Joe Corntassel]

Suffering sunfish, Mr.

[Wayfair]

Bond.

[Joe Corntassel]

He has been shot. Look at his front leg there.

[Professor Kenyon]

Let me see, boy. Let me see now. I'm not going to hurt you. Hmm. That's a bullet wound, all right. Lucky it didn't hit the bone. It went through the flesh and muscles here. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your blood. Sorry. Well, we'll get you fixed up in no time at all. I guess you'll have to stay inside for a while.

[Wayfair]

What a mean trick to shoot a dog.

[Professor Kenyon]

It is. And if I get my hands on the man that did it, I. I.

[Joe Corntassel]

Saw the man, Mr. Bond.

[Professor Kenyon]

You did, Annie?

[Mr. Bond]

When? Where?

[Joe Corntassel]

Just as we ran out of the door. I happened to look off there towards the woods, and I saw a man just disappearing into those red sumac bushes.

[Wayfair]

Who was it, Amy?

[Joe Corntassel]

That's just it. I can't say for sure. Not positive. I didn't get a good enough look. But he sure looked like just one man, and that's Nicholson.

[Mr. Bond]

Well, what do you know about that? Blood has been shot. And the man who shot him looks like Nicholson. Only Annie can't say for certain because she didn't get a good enough look to be sure it was Nicholson. But someone is certainly trying to get rid of Bob Bond's watchdog. What do you suppose he'll try to do next? And by the way, have you ever noticed that whenever there's something exciting to be done, it seems there's just nothing that can stop our Annie? And I guess that's why so many boys and girls want to know how they can be like Annie. Peppy and healthy and ready for whatever fun's popping around them. Well, now, here's a tip. One of the very best ways to start is, is to drink Ovaltine every single day with meals. And in between meals too. All those important minerals and vitamins and things contained in every glassful of keen tasting Ovaltine may help to give you real Orphan Annie pep. And when you have that, you feel so good and have so much extra energy, you can be ready for almost anything that comes along. Just as our Annie always is. And so you really ought to ask your mother to get you a can of Ovaltine at her drug or grocery store right away so you can start right in with a big delicious glass full for supper this very night. And you certainly want to be here right on the dot tomorrow at Orphan Annie time to see if Annie can find out who shot Bob Bond's dog. Until tomorrow at the same time then. Goodbye.

[Wayfair]

Sam.

[Nicole Byer]

We interrupt this program to bring you an important Wayfair message. Wayfair's got style tips for every home. This is Nicole Byer helping you make those rooms flyer today's style tip when it comes to making a statement, treat bold patterns like neutrals go wild like an untamed animal. Print area rug under a rustic farmhouse table. From wayfair.com Ooh, fierce. This has been your Wayfair style tip to keep those interiors superior.

[Wayfair]

Wayfair Every style, every home.