Little Orphan Annie - Black Jacket

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Little Orphan Annie – Black Jacket (Aired May 26, 2026)

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Episode Overview

This episode features a classic broadcast of "Little Orphan Annie" from the golden era of radio drama. The episode, titled "Black Jacket," immerses listeners in suspense as Annie and her friend Joe investigate a bombing at the Sunfield Town Hall. Suspicion falls on a mysterious gang called the Black Jackets, but Annie’s intuition leads her to believe the real culprits are still at large. The adventure follows the duo as they pursue leads through shadowy streets, attempt to tail a suspicious woman, and get drawn closer to the heart of the mystery.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

1. Episode Context and Orphan Annie’s New Initiative

[01:27–04:45]

• The narrator introduces Annie’s new Identification Bureau and special identification tags for listeners, designed to help if a child ever gets lost.
  • "Every one of you boys and girls can get in on it and get a keen looking identification tag and chain for your very own." – Narrator [01:31]

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2. The Investigation Begins

[04:45–05:23]

• Annie and Joe are clandestinely following Angelina Carminetti, suspecting she might lead them to the real culprits behind the bombing.
• They repeatedly pause to avoid arousing suspicion as she checks her surroundings.
  • "Let's stop and pretend we're interested in this... Door. Window." – Annie [04:45]
  • "That's about the fifth time we've had to stop and look in windows. Do you think she suspects we're following her?" – Joe [04:53]

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3. The Black Cat Café: Tailing the Suspect

[05:23–07:08]

• The woman enters the Black Cat Café on Pepper Street, a place with an ominous reputation.
  • "It's a cafe of some kind. That means nine chances out of 10 that she's going to meet somebody in there." – Annie [05:48]
• Joe expresses unease about the café’s name and proprietor.
  • "Black cats stand for bad luck." – Joe [06:39]
  • "That's nonsense, Joe, and you know it." – Annie [06:49]
  • "Rocco Roberto. Sounds like an international spy. Or a member of the Black Hand." – Joe [06:52]

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4. The Chase Through Town

[07:08–11:00]

• The woman leaves the café with a man and they depart in a black sedan, forcing Annie and Joe to improvise.
  • "How are we gonna follow em now?" – Annie [07:44]
• By fortune, a taxi arrives, and they instruct the driver to tail the sedan.
  • "Come on, Joe, pile in. It's lucky the mayor gave us some expense money." – Annie [09:15]
  • "There's a black sedan someplace up there ahead of us and we want you to follow it." – Joe [09:19]
• During the ride, Annie questions the cab driver about the café and its proprietor. The driver admits the place is mysterious, rarely sees locals, and knows nothing about Rocco Roberto.
  • "That Black Cat place has always been kind of mysterious. Hardly ever see anybody going in or out of the place." – Taxi Driver [10:20]

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5. Arriving at the Old House: The Mystery Deepens

[11:00–12:47]

• The pursuit leads them out of town to a decrepit old house, suspected to be the Black Jackets’ headquarters.
• The black sedan stops at the old house; the woman and man enter without hesitation.
  • "They're walking right up to the door of the old house and they're going right in. Great, Oliver. Walking right in without knocking or anything, just as though they lived there." – Annie [12:15]
• Joe and Annie marvel at the strange situation, realizing the evidence doesn’t make sense: the woman they suspect is now entering the supposed Black Jackets’ lair, contradicting their expectations.

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6. Dilemma and Next Steps

[12:47–14:31]

• Annie decides it’s time to call in Chief Bailey to raid the house, believing the mystery is ripe for resolution.
  • "Call up Chief Bailey. He's been itching to raid that old house. Well, the time has come to do it, and the sooner the better." – Annie [12:47]
• The narrator reiterates the unusual situation and encourages young listeners to send away for their Ovaltine identification tags.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Well, it keeps us from seeing, too. Come on, let's get out." – Annie [11:39]
• "There are certainly something awfully strange going on." – Annie [12:36]
• "We can’t follow them to New York City or anything like that." – Annie (showing her daring yet practical side) [10:57]
• "That Black Cat Cafe... Hardly ever see anybody going in or out of the place. And when you do, they're strangers." – Taxi Driver [10:20]

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Timestamps & Segment Highlights

• [01:27–04:45] — Identification Bureau pitch and Ovaltine offer for listeners
• [04:45–05:23] — Annie and Joe shadowing Angelina Carminetti
• [05:23–07:08] — Entry into Black Cat Café; discussion of its ominous aura
• [07:08–09:00] — The suspects' escape and lucky arrival of the taxi
• [09:00–11:00] — High-speed chase; inquiry into the Black Cat Café's mysteries
• [11:00–12:47] — Arrival at the old house; the suspects enter, deepening the plot
• [12:47–14:31] — Annie's decision to call Chief Bailey; episode cliffhanger

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Tone and Style

The episode blends suspense and old-fashioned adventure with warmth and a sense of camaraderie between Annie and Joe. The dialogue is brisk and earnest, with Annie’s leadership and Joe’s skepticism balancing each other. There’s a vivid sense of small-town intrigue, mysterious strangers, and the eager resourcefulness of the young detectives.

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Conclusion

Listeners are left on a tantalizing cliffhanger, eagerly awaiting Chief Bailey’s raid and the unraveling of the Black Jackets’ mystery. "Little Orphan Annie – Black Jacket" delivers all the charm, suspense, and vintage flourishes that typify golden age radio drama, capturing the imagination of a new generation.

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Transcript

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug's partner)]

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[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug)]

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[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug)]

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[Annie]

It's adventure time with awesome Annie.

[Joe]

Sam.

[Narrator]

I wonder what Annie hopes to find out by following Angelina Carminetti. It certainly is thrilling. And say, wasn't that exciting news we heard last time about Orphan Annie's new identification bureau? Yes, sir, Every one of you boys and girls can get in on it and get a keen looking identification tag and chain for your very own. And so if you missed hearing about it, listen hard now because boy oh boy, you certainly want this keen looking oval shaped identification tag and automatic fitting chain for your wrist like soldiers and aviators wear. It's shining gold color victory metal. Solid victory metal. So rich and valuable looking nobody can miss seeing it when you wear it. There's a beautiful American flag on the front. And best of all, right above the flag, we're going to put your initial to show it's your property. The letter that stands for your own name. But wait till you see the other side. It has your official identification number stamped right into the medal. And remember, nobody else will have a number like yours. Because the big idea is that everybody gets a different number that's going to be registered with your name and address at the headquarters of Annie's Identification Bureau in Chicago. And then if there's an emergency or any boy or girl gets lost, people can send into the headquarters and find out the name and address that matches up with the number on any Orphan Annie identification tag. And so it's useful as well as so wonderful looking you'll have everybody crowding around to see it. You can't buy these identification tags in the stores. They're made up just for Annie's friends. Because she wants you to try the new 1940 chocolate flavored oval Teed. It's even better than last year's chocolate flavored Ovaltine with a new creamy chocolatey flavor. And it's better for you besides has more of those valuable vitamins and minerals in it. And so you certainly want to try this new treat and send for your personal identification tag as fast as you can. Now all you do is this. Print the initial you want on your tag and your name and address plainly on a piece of paper. Then send it to Annie with a dime wrapped in all of a metal foil seal from under the lid of a can of the new 1940 chocolate flavored Ovaltine or plain Ovaltine. But remember, Annie especially wants you to try new improved chocolate flavored Ovaltine. You send your letter to little Orphan Annie, Chicago, Illinois, all straight. You send the initial you want, your printed name and address and a dime wrapped in a seal from new chocolate flavored Ovaltine or plain Ovaltine to Little Orphan Annie, Chicago, Illinois. And then Annie sends you your keen looking automatic fitting identification tag and chain as fast as she can. Boy, don't waste a minute sending for yours. And now, today's adventure with Annie. A bomb has destroyed part of the town hall in Sunfield. And that mysterious gang of boys known as the Flak Jackets is suspected of having set off the bomb. However, Annie doesn't believe they did it. And last time she and Joe set out to trail a woman who Annie felt sure would lead them to the persons who are really guilty. And now we find Annie and Joe still cautiously following the woman along one of the back streets of the town.

[Annie]

Listen. Look out, Jo. She's turning around to look back again. Let's stop and pretend we're interested in this. Door. Window.

[Joe]

All right, but this is about the fifth time we've had to stop and look in windows. Do you think she suspects we're following her?

[Annie]

No, I think she's just being careful. We wouldn't have to be so particular about keeping out of her sight if we were complete strangers to her. But if she caught sight of us now, she'd know we were the two kids she met back there in the mayor's office.

[Joe]

Oh, sure, she'd recognize us all right.

[Annie]

You bet she would. We better be moving along again. She's getting pretty far ahead of us.

[Joe]

All right, let's go.

[Annie]

I think we're safe from attracting her attention as long as we stay on this side of the street and she stays on that side and we keep about a half a block behind her. Well, where do you figure she.

[Joe]

Oh, look, she's turning into that place right there on the corner of Pepper Street.

[Annie]

So she is.

Golly, that's great. That's just what I was hoping for.

[Joe]

You mean you were hoping that she'd turn into that particular place?

[Annie]

No, I don't know anything about the place. But don't you see? It's a cafe of some kind. That means nine chances out of 10 that she's going to meet somebody in there.

[Joe]

So she's going to meet somebody. Then what?

[Annie]

Well, that woman tried to make us think that some boys, meaning the black jackets, did that vomit. And that makes me think she was trying to throw suspicion away from the people who really did it. And it makes me think that she's connected with the people who really did it. Yeah, but. And if I don't miss my guests, she's meeting with one or more of

them in that cafe right now.

[Joe]

Okay. Hey, but we better slow down or something. We're right across the street from the place I know.

[Annie]

Let's cross the street. There's nothing to do now but walk right in there and see what we can see.

[Joe]

I hope you're noticing that this is a mighty tough looking cafe.

[Annie]

Yeah, from the outside it's about as bad a place as you'll find in Sunfield. But we can't let that scare us.

[Joe]

Take a look at the name of it too. The Black Cat Cafe. Rocco Roberto, proprietor. I don't much like that. Black cats stand for bad luck.

[Annie]

Aw, that's nonsense, Joe, and you know it.

[Joe]

Well, I don't like the proprietor's name either. Rocco Roberto. Sounds like an international spy. Or a member of the Black Hand.

[Annie]

Wait a minute, Joe. There's somebody coming out. Let's just wait behind this parked car till we see who it is.

[Joe]

Okay.

[Annie]

We can peek through the rear wind of the car without being noticed to ourselves. Yeah. Hey, it's the woman all right. Lizards it is. And there's a man with her. This is going to save us the trouble of going in that place.

[Joe]

Yeah, but what if they come past here and see you scrouging behind this car?

[Annie]

They're not coming past here. They're quick, Gulliver. They're going to get into that car parked right in front of this one.

[Joe]

Well, it's a break for us.

[Annie]

What do you mean it's a break for us?

[Joe]

It's a break that they're not getting into the one we're hiding behind.

[Annie]

It's a bad break for us that

they're getting into any car.

I hadn't counted on that.

[Joe]

Does that upset your plan?

[Annie]

Of course it does, Joe. How are we gonna follow em now?

[Joe]

I wouldn't know, but now that the subject's come up, I'm surprised she didn't get into a car long before this.

[Annie]

Well, I thought of the possibility that you might, but after she walked four or five blocks, I figured we didn't

have to worry anymore about that.

[Joe]

Well, there they go in a big black sedan. And a mighty fancy looking one too.

[Annie]

Poor Golly.

Think, Joe.

Think of something to do. We can't let him get away from us like this.

[Joe]

I don't see how we can prevent it. We can't chase him on foot.

[Annie]

Of course not.

[Joe]

Maybe we shouldn't have tackled this job of trailing that woman all by ourselves. I still don't see why we couldn't have had the chief send one of his men with us.

[Annie]

The chief believed her story, Joe.

He thought she was on the level.

If we waited to convince him that

she wasn't, she'd have been gone before

we could have got on her trail.

[Joe]

Well, I guess there's something in that. But if we had a policeman with us, he could commandeer any car along the street here and we could follow that sedan.

[Annie]

Well, we haven't any policeman with us all by ourselves. And we would as well lean on that bomb and get away from us.

I'll bet you anything we'd have that

crime practically solved if all it's.

We even forgot to notice the license

number of the sedan. Hey, look what's coming here.

[Joe]

A taxi.

[Annie]

Oh, golly, surely.

And empty too.

But this is luck.

[Joe]

There aren't more than half a dozen

[Annie]

taxis in the whole town. I'll say it's luck. Hey there,

[Taxi Driver]

do you want a cab?

[Annie]

You bet we do.

Come on, Joe, pile in. It's lucky the mayor gave us some expense money.

I'll say.

[Joe]

Turn right here at the corner, Driver. North on Pepper Street. There's a black sedan someplace up there ahead of us and we want you to follow it.

[Annie]

The sedan has a big start on it, so you'll have to go like the wind of where to catch him. And we gotta catch him. It's terribly important.

[Taxi Driver]

Okay, I'll do my best.

[Annie]

There he is.

Ivers. See it?

About three blocks down the street.

[Taxi Driver]

I got my eye on it.

[Narrator]

You want me to catch up with him, is that it?

[Annie]

No, don't catch up with him. Get within about a block of him and then just follow him.

[Narrator]

Okay.

[Annie]

Say, Joe, do you notice where we're going? Pepper Street. Turns off into the Old North Road up there.

If we keep going this way, we'll

be heading out of town. Right past that old house?

[Joe]

Yeah, right past the Black Jacket's headquarters.

[Annie]

Black jackets, Black Cat Cafe. Hmm, that's kind of strange.

Say, what do you know about that cafe back there, Mr. Cab Driver? That Black Cat Cafe.

[Taxi Driver]

Well, I can't say as I know anything about it. I never been in there.

[Joe]

But you must be pretty well acquainted in this town, aren't you?

[Taxi Driver]

Oh, yeah. I know most parts of this town as well as I know my own family. But that Black Cat place has always been kind of mysterious. Hardly ever see anybody going in or out of the place. And when you do, they're strangers.

[Annie]

Oh, do you know Rocco Roberto that runs it?

[Taxi Driver]

Nah, wouldn't know him if I saw him.

[Joe]

Keep right after that sedan, driver.

[Annie]

We're gaining on it.

[Taxi Driver]

Yeah, it won't take us long to catch him.

[Joe]

At this rate, this is likely to be a long chase, Annie.

[Annie]

They might be on their way to another town.

Well, that's possible.

[Joe]

How far are we gonna follow em?

[Annie]

Well, we can't follow them to New

York City or anything like that.

We'll keep after them long enough to

get their license number anyhow.

[Joe]

Yeah, that's a good idea.

[Annie]

Here we go past the town limits already.

There's the old house up there on the hill.

[Joe]

Yeah, the black sedan is passing it right now.

[Annie]

Yeah, we're close enough to him now. Driver.

Hey, just jump and Jimmy.

[Joe]

They're not passing the old house.

[Annie]

They're slowing down, the lizards.

They are?

[Joe]

They're stopping there.

[Annie]

No, but turn into this side road, Driver, quick. Swing around the corner here and stop.

[Taxi Driver]

Yes, ma'.

[Narrator]

Am.

[Joe]

Boy, that sure took us by surprise.

[Annie]

Yeah, A few yards farther and we wouldn't have had any place to turn off the main road.

They need to see us for sure.

[Joe]

We're all right now, though. This hedge that runs along here will shield the cab from being seen.

[Annie]

Yeah, but it keeps us from seeing, too. Come on, let's get out.

[Joe]

Just let them eat. A run, driver. We'll want you to take us back to town.

[Taxi Driver]

Okay,

[Annie]

let's climb up here to the top of the bank where we can

peek over the hedge.

[Joe]

Yeah, we'll get a good view of the old house from there.

[Annie]

This chase is getting more mysterious by the minute.

That woman tries to throw suspicion on the Black Jackets. Now she and that man are driving

right up to what we believe is the Black Jacket's headquarters.

[Joe]

It sure doesn't make sense. Hey, look. The woman and the man are walking up the path toward the house.

[Annie]

Yes, sir, that's just what they're doing.

They're walking right up to the door of the old house and they're going right in. Great, Oliver.

Walking right in without knocking or anything,

just as though they lived there.

[Joe]

Well, this sure beats me. Maybe that old house isn't a Black Jacket's headquarters after all. But who are the boys Lt. Bushmill saw going in there?

[Annie]

And who threw the rocks at us

[Joe]

when we tried to go into the place?

[Annie]

I don't know any of the answers, Joe. There's certainly something awfully strange going on.

Well, I think we've done as much

as we can by ourselves. But what do we do next?

Call up Chief Bailey.

He's been itching to raid that old house.

Well, the time has come to do

it, and the sooner the better.

[Narrator]

Say, Annie and Jo had figured that woman to be an enemy of the Black Jackets, yet she and that man have gone into what we all thought was the Black Jacket's headquarters. What in the world does it mean? And don't forget, here's the way to get your beautiful personal identification tag and chain. Just print the initial you want on your tag and your name and address on a piece of fox. Then send it with a dime wrapped in a metal foil seal from under the lid of a can of the new chocolate flavored Ovaltine or plain Ovaldine and send it to Little Orphan Annie. Chicago, Illinois. All straight. Get busy right away. Now, this offer is good in the United States only. Well, Annie is going to call Chief Bailey and tell him to go ahead with his raid on that old house. Tomorrow's adventure is sure to be an exciting one. Now, don't miss it until tomorrow. This is Pierre Andre saying goodbye. This is the mutual broadcasting system.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug's partner)]

And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug)]

Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird. What is it, your first date?

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug's partner)]

Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug)]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug's partner)]

Get a [e-mail] or with your local agent.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson (possibly Doug)]

Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

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