Silk Hat Hogan's Donkey | Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Date: January 24, 2026
Original Air Date: December 9, 1953
Starring: Guy Madison (Wild Bill Hickok), Andy Devine (Jingles)

Episode Overview

This episode transports listeners to the Feather Falls Fair, where Wild Bill Hickok and his trusty partner Jingles arrive to tackle a wave of pickpocketing crimes. Amid the festive chaos of cake contests and carnival acts—including the mysterious ventriloquist, Silk Hat Hogan, and his talking donkey—the two lawmen must untangle a dangerous criminal racket. Blending lighthearted humor, suspense, and classic Western drama, "Silk Hat Hogan's Donkey" showcases the golden age of radio storytelling, punctuated by signature antics and memorable character interactions.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Calling In the Marshals (04:15–05:02)

• The Mayor of Feather Falls urgently summons Wild Bill and Jingles to address rampant pickpocketing at the county fair.
• The issue is serious: “Our county fair is infested with these sticky-fingered varmints… The sheriff was killed last night. Shot came from nowhere.” (Mayor, 04:44 & 04:53)
• Stakes are high, with the sheriff’s murder raising the specter of organized crime.

2. Jingles’ Cake Ambitions (05:14–06:45)

• Jingles is determined to enter and win the fair’s cake-baking contest for a $50 prize, humorously bargaining for money from Bill.
  • “There’s a $50 prize to the winner, and I can bake the most!” (Jingles, 06:07)
• Wild Bill supports Jingles’ efforts but reminds him that their lawman duties come first.

3. Danger Strikes (06:51–07:59)

• A sudden burst of gunfire unsettles the fair, hinting at the peril lurking beneath the festivities.
• They chase a mysterious dust cloud, but the shooter evades them.
  • “Somebody headed out here toward the fairgrounds in a big hurry.” (Wild Bill, 07:29)

4. Meet the Colorful Cast (11:21–13:03)

• Jingles and Bill encounter various fairgoers, including:
  • Ms. Hetty McGillicuddy, the perennial cake contest winner whose purse (and recipe) is stolen.
    • "I've won every year since it started!" (Ms. McGillicuddy, 12:04)
  • Silk Hat Hogan, a ventriloquist with a talking donkey, Hezekiah, captivating the crowd.
    • “Say howdy, Hezekiah.” (Silk Hat Hogan, 14:08)
    • “It’s a free world, ain’t it?” (Donkey/ Hogan, 13:45)

5. The Pickpocket’s Blunder (14:29–16:20)

• As Jingles is distracted, a pickpocket swipes Bill’s telegram, leading to a comedic chase and eventual capture.
  • “You come back here with that. That’s Bill’s telegram!” (Jingles, 14:32)
• They learn from the telegram: a gang of pickpockets is working the fairs throughout the West—dangerous and organized.

6. Jailhouse Schemes (17:34–18:23)

• Hogan visits Jingles in the jail, taking an interest in the captured pickpocket.
  • Subtly, the key to the cell is taken—allowing the pickpocket to nearly escape.
  • “Nobody but a feather brain idiot would pick a lawman’s pocket.” (Silk Hat Hogan, 17:23)

7. Closing in on the Racket (22:20–23:56)

• Bill suspects Hogan is mastermind of the criminal operation.
  • “Hogan runs a gang of pickpockets, Jingles. They’re not here to help him.” (Wild Bill, 23:30)
• A dramatic showdown ensues as Bill and Jingles arrest Hogan and his gang in the midst of a fairground melee.

8. Cake Contest Climax (24:46–26:08)

• The cake contest concludes to great fanfare; Jingles emerges as the surprise winner.
  • “The judges decided 2 to 1 to award this year’s prize to Jingle’s coconut masterpiece!” (Mayor, 25:06)
  • Ms. McGillicuddy protests, but the results stand.
• In a final comedic twist, the $50 prize is "donated" back to the contest fund as per annual tradition.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jingles (05:52): “I need 15 cents for flour and a dime for sugar, two bits for butter…”
• Wild Bill Hickok (04:44): “That’s heavy money.” (Responding to the mayor about losses from pickpockets)
• Ms. Hetty McGillicuddy (12:09): “Oh, why, you can’t [win the cake contest].”
• Silk Hat Hogan’s Donkey (13:45): “It’s a free world, ain’t it?”
• Wild Bill Hickok (23:30): “Hogan runs a gang of pickpockets, Jingles.”
• Jingles (26:08): “Well, now, thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you very much.” (Receiving his prize, only to find out he has to give it back.)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:15] — Mayor’s plea for help: explanation of the crime wave
• [05:14] — Jingles lays out his cake contest plans
• [06:51] — Gunshots disrupt the fair
• [11:21] — Jingles, Bill, and the mayor meet Ms. McGillicuddy
• [13:08] — Introduction to Silk Hat Hogan and his donkey
• [14:29] — Pickpocket steals the telegram and is caught
• [17:34] — Jail cell scene, key goes missing
• [22:20] — Fairground confrontation; suspicion on Hogan
• [23:30] — Showdown with Hogan, arrest of the gang
• [24:46] — Cake contest award announcement
• [26:14] — The comedic reveal of the continually recycled prize money

Tone & Style

• The episode features a lighthearted, humor-filled atmosphere with occasional bursts of suspense.
• Jingles’ lovable goofiness and Wild Bill’s cool-headed competence create a dynamic old West partnership.
• Dialogue is delivered in archetypal Western dialect, peppered with colorful expressions.

Summary Takeaway

“Silk Hat Hogan’s Donkey” is a pitch-perfect slice of vintage radio Western, blending comic relief with frontier justice. As Bill and Jingles foil a band of conniving pickpockets led by the cunning ventriloquist Hogan, listeners are treated to hijinks both in the kitchen and at the county jail. Ultimately, the good guys win—though Jingles finds out that victory is sometimes as fleeting as a county fair blue ribbon.