The Relic Radio Show: "Columbia Workshop – Portrait of Jenny" & "Tales of the Texas Rangers – Sweet Revenge"

Date: December 10, 2025
Host: RelicRadio.com

Episode Overview

This episode of The Relic Radio Show features two classic radio dramas from the golden age of radio. The first, "Portrait of Jenny" (Columbia Workshop, 1942), is an adaptation of Robert Nathan's haunting novel about love, memory, and the supernatural. The second, "Sweet Revenge" (Tales of the Texas Rangers, 1951), delivers a gritty, fact-based crime investigation set in rural Texas. Both segments highlight the craftsmanship and distinct narrative styles of old time radio.

Segment 1: Columbia Workshop – "Portrait of Jenny"

(Aired September 14, 1942; Begins at 00:21)

Main Theme

"Portrait of Jenny" tells the mysterious and touching story of Eben Adams, a struggling artist in 1930s New York, whose chance encounter with an enigmatic young girl, Jenny Appleton, transforms his life—and his art. The story blends elements of fantasy, romance, and the supernatural as Adam becomes obsessed with capturing Jenny's timeless essence on canvas.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

• Introduction of Eben Adams

  • Eben is lonely, penniless, and discouraged (01:42), establishing the bleakness of his world prior to meeting Jenny.
  • His encounter with Jenny in the park is both mundane and otherworldly, as she appears out of place and time.

    "I carried a portfolio of drawings under my arm, and I walked slowly because I was tired. I was without money or friends, cold, without hope..." (01:42, Eben Adams)

• Jenny's Peculiar Timelessness

  • Jenny speaks of events and places (like Hammerstein Music Hall) long gone, and doesn't seem to understand the passage of time.

    "I wish you'd wait for me to grow up. But you won't, I guess." (03:44, Jenny)

  • Her rapid aging and shifting presence create an unsettling yet magical effect.

• Art, Inspiration, and Recognition

  • Eben’s luck changes when he sells a sketch of Jenny. The art dealer, Mr. Matthews, senses the "past" in her image and urges Eben to paint her portrait.

    “I can see the past in it. Yes, sir. I've seen that little girl before somewhere, and yet I couldn't tell you where.” (06:05, Mr. Matthews)

  • The motif of Jenny "not altogether belonging to today" becomes central, symbolizing the eternal feminine or muse.

    "The thing I like about them is the way you've managed to catch that look of not belonging. How was it you said? Not altogether belonging to today." (11:12, Ms. Spinny)

  • Eben finds new hope and purpose through his muse.

• Escalating Mystery & Loss

  • Oddities accumulate: Jenny ages rapidly; details about her parents suggest she may be from another era.
  • Tragedy strikes—Jenny’s parents die, confirming some of the mystery around her.

    "It's father and mother. They had an accident... They're dead." (15:16~15:22, Jenny)

• The Climactic Storm and Supernatural Love

  • Eben dreams of Jenny, and during a violent coastal storm, he sees her in a vision, echoing themes of fate and love transcending mortality.

    "I don't know how I got down the hill to her against the wind and water, but I did. She lay back against me, white and spent." (22:04, Eben)

  • Jenny is swept away, and a newspaper later reveals that she had, in fact, tragically died years earlier.

• Art Immortalizes Jenny

  • Eben’s portrait is praised as a masterpiece, forever capturing Jenny’s ethereal presence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There's something about the child that reminds me of something.” (06:05, Mr. Matthews)
• “I wish you'd wait for me to grow up. But you won't, I guess.” (03:44, Jenny)
• “There's only one love, darling. Whatever happened. Because we'll always be together somewhere.” (22:49, Jenny)
• The final revelation:

  “Miss Jenny Appleton was returning to America after a stay of eight years abroad. Was swept overboard by a wave...” (24:05+, newspaper clipping)

Key Timestamps

• 01:07 – Story opening letter from Eben Adams
• 03:39 – "It's a wishing game" – Jenny’s fateful wish
• 06:05 – Art dealer recognizes something eternal in Jenny
• 10:25 – Jenny is visibly older; reality bends
• 15:16 – Jenny reveals her parents are dead
• 19:16 – Eben completes the portrait
• 22:04–22:59 – Storm, vision, and Jenny’s disappearance
• 24:05 – Newspaper clipping confirms her fate

Segment 2: Tales of the Texas Rangers – "Sweet Revenge"

(Aired February 18, 1951; Begins at 25:35)

Main Theme

"Sweet Revenge" features Ranger Jace Pearson investigating the murder of Blake Wilkins on a Texas ranch. The case spirals through family secrets, jealousy, and false leads, highlighting both procedural crime-solving and classic western justice.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

• The Crime

  • Blake, having returned home after years away, is found murdered outside a line shack.
  • Immediate suspicion falls on Alva Briggs, whose daughter Callie had split with Blake, and on Blake's half-brother, Judd.

• Ranger Jace’s Methodical Investigation

  • Jace reconstructs the scene, noting bullet trajectories, horse tracks, and the muddy terrain.

    "Bullet came out the back of the head higher up. That means it was traveling in an upward angle." (32:38, Narrator & Jace)

  • Alibis and motives are scrutinized:
    • Judd claims to have been with ranch hand Tom Billings during the time of death.
    • Alva is combative but denies involvement.

• Family Feud and Inheritance Motive

  • Discovery of a will: If Blake returns during probate, he inherits the ranch; if not, Judd does.
  • Jace and Sheriff Hedges suspect Judd, especially given sibling rivalry and jealousy.

    "There's our motive, all right." (45:40, Sheriff Hedges)

  • An apparent airtight alibi for Judd disrupts the theory—Tom Billings was with him during the murder window.

• The Ingenious Twist

  • Jace notices a dry sugar bowl beneath a bullet hole in the shack, despite a rainstorm earlier—the hole had been made after the rain, suggesting the murder was staged to look as if it occurred at the shack.

    “But the sugar is dry and there aren't any water stains on the shelf either.” (48:42, Jace)

  • Revelation: Judd killed Blake in the house, staged the body outside after his alibi was established, and tried to trick investigators by firing a bullet through the shack after the rain ended.

• Dramatic Arrest

  • Jace and the sheriff corner Judd after a gunfight and use tear gas to flush him out.

    "You got tripped up by a little bowl of sugar. Sugar?" (52:25, Jace & Judd)

  • Judd confesses, and justice is served.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You got tripped up by a little bowl of sugar. Sugar?” (52:25, Jace & Judd)
• “All the motive in the world doesn't do us any good when the facts are against us.” (46:18, Jace)
• “Judd must have shot Blake around 9 o'clock. Then called Billings over to the house right afterward as a cover.” (50:08, Jace)

Key Timestamps

• 31:19 – Body discovered, start of investigation
• 32:43–34:00 – Crime scene analysis, first reconstruction
• 36:33–39:30 – Judd's alibi established, Billings questioned
• 41:48 – Alva Briggs picked up in Dallas, interrogated
• 44:13–45:33 – Family will and inheritance motive revealed
• 48:13–48:51 – Sugar bowl clue leads to breakthrough
• 49:18–50:21 – Discovery of real murder scene, reenactment of how Judd framed the scene
• 52:10–52:25 – Tear gas and Judd’s arrest

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The tone of "Portrait of Jenny" is wistful, mysterious, and romantic, with a poetic sense of fate and longing.
• "Sweet Revenge" is gritty and methodical, showcasing classic radio procedural—with a clever twist rooted in practical detail (the sugar bowl).

Notable Cast and Production Highlights

• Portrait of Jenny: Santa Sotega (Eben), Betty Filson, Mary Frances Heflin, Ruth York (Jenny), plus supporting cast. Adapted by George D. Griffin; music by Lehman Engel, directed by Earl McGill.
• Sweet Revenge: Joel McCray (Ranger Jace Pearson). Cast includes Tony Barrett, Lamont Johnson, and others. Adapted by Bob Rife, produced by Stacy Keach.

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Relic Radio Show features two richly produced dramas, each reflecting the storytelling strengths of their era. "Portrait of Jenny" blends romance and the supernatural for a deeply emotional story about love enduring beyond time. "Sweet Revenge" epitomizes the classic American radio detective tale—full of sharp observations, suspenseful unraveling, and surprising resolution thanks to a sharp-eyed Texas Ranger.

Whether your taste runs to poetic ghost stories or hard-boiled crime, this episode has something to offer from radio’s past that still “stands the test of time.”

For more golden-age audio drama, visit relicradio.com.