Theater of the Mind

Big Jon and Sparkie

96 episodes · Juvenile

Illustration: a transcription disc label made for Radio Days, not an original disc

A children's serial from the early 1950s. Jon Arthur created the show and played Big Jon, and he also gave voice to Sparkie and their friends Mayor Plumpfront and Ukey Betcha (often spelled Yukie Butcha) as they set off on one adventure after another. Listeners never saw Sparkie, so after many requests Arthur had a comic artist draw him the way the fans imagined him.

Sources: Radio Days Museum

Episodes

Tap a title to play it on Radio Days.

Undated

Chapter 1: Over the Falls in an Airplane 12 min
Chapter 2: Beginning of a Long Voyage Home 11 min
Chapter 3: The Long Voyage Home 11 min
Chapter 4: A Mysterious Speck on the Far Horizon 12 min
Chapter 5: A Surprise Awaits the Mayor 12 min
Chapter 6: A Surprise Awaits the Mayor 12 min
Chapter 7: Daffodil Dilly Strikes Again 11 min
Chapter 8: Prisoners of Love 13 min
Chapter 9: Yukie Shows Us How 13 min
Chapter 10: Yukie Butcha to the Rescue 11 min
Chapter 11: Sparkie in Control 11 min
Chapter 12: The Mayor Tells of His Wedding Plans 12 min
Chapter 13: Yukie Gets Ready for the Wedding 12 min
Chapter 14: Yukie Unveils an Invention 13 min
Chapter 15: The Mayor's Wedding Day 12 min
Chapter 16: Interruption in the Mayor's Wedding 11 min
Chapter 17: 0017 - Big Jon and Sparkie - Miss Dilly Kidnapped from the Church 10 min
Chapter 18: 0018 - Big Jon and Sparkie - Great Kidnap Mystery the 12 min
Chapter 19: A Telephone Mix Up 11 min
Chapter 20: The Detectives 13 min
Chapter 21: 0021 - Big Jon and Sparkie - Stakeout the 12 min
Chapter 23: Detective Sparkie Gets an Idea 12 min
Chapter 24: The Kidnappers Double Back 12 min
Chapter 25: Even Detectives Make Mistakes 10 min
Chapter 26: Jailed 13 min
Chapter 27: The Kidnapping Case Continues 11 min
Chapter 28: The Kidnapping Case Continues 11 min
Chapter 29: Who's Who 11 min
Chapter 30: Who's Who Continued 11 min
Chapter 31: The Kidnapped Car Is Sighted 5 min
Chapter 32: Sparkie Tracks Down a Clue 11 min
Chapter 33: Sparkie's Private Detective Agency 12 min
Chapter 34: Back to Normal I Hope 12 min
Chapter 35: A Surprise for All Concerned 12 min
Chapter 36: The Kidnappers Escape Again 9 min
Chapter 37: Xxxx - Big Jon and Sparkie - Wheres Yukie Now 11 min
Chapter 38: Old Clothes Good Clues 11 min
Chapter 39: Too Close to the Forest 10 min
Chapter 40: The Prodigal Returns 10 min
Chapter 41: The Return of Yukie Butcha 12 min
Chapter 42: Yukie Looks for a Lawyer 11 min
Chapter 43: Yukie Sues the City 10 min
Chapter 44: Look Who's a Lawyer 11 min
Chapter 45: Peace and Quiet Again Almost 12 min
Chapter 46: Sparkie Has Plans for Yukie 11 min
Chapter 47: A Sudden Change in Climate 13 min
Chapter 48: Not Even a Team of Horses 12 min
Chapter 49: Goodbye My Dilly 12 min
Chapter 50: A Letter from Yukie 11 min
Chapter 51: A Mysterious Man in the Shack 11 min
Chapter 52: A Mysterious Man in the Shack 10 min
Chapter 53: A Mysterious Man in the Shack Part 2 11 min
Chapter 54: Who's Fooling Whom 12 min
Chapter 55: Trouble in the Ranks 10 min
Chapter 56: Sparkie's Telephone Troubles 11 min
Chapter 57: Proposed Solution to a Problem 12 min
Chapter 58: Twelve Down Two to Go 10 min
Chapter 59: Not Much Doing 12 min
Chapter 60: Pane in Mrs.Two Hill's Window 12 min
Chapter 61: Who's Got the Tickets 12 min
Chapter 62: Opening Day 1953 12 min
Chapter 63: Canine Mutiny 13 min
Chapter 64: What's Wrong with Bunny 12 min
Chapter 65: Where Have Our Little Dogs Gone 10 min
Chapter 66: The Dogs Get Organized 9 min
Chapter 67: The Dogs Get Together 11 min
Chapter 68: Someone Make Up His Mind 12 min
Chapter 69: Want Ads Get Results 11 min
Chapter 70: Mayor's Plan Begins to Work 10 min
Chapter 71: Almost Captured 11 min
Chapter 72: Dognappers Get Caught 10 min
Chapter 73: The Mayor Shows Them How 11 min
Chapter 74: The Return of Yukie Butcha 11 min
Chapter 75: Yukie Makes a Decision 10 min
Chapter 76: Surprise in the Barn on Yukie's Farm 10 min
Chapter 77: The Surprise in the Yukie's Barn 11 min
Chapter 78: Sparkie Drives a Racing Car 10 min
Chapter 79: More Than One Way to Catch a Fish 10 min
Chapter 80: A Quiet Day on Yukie's Farm 10 min
Chapter 81: Yukie Hits the Jackpot 10 min
Chapter 82: Yukie's Radio Station 14 min
Chapter 83: The Big Broadcast 13 min
Chapter 84: The Ratings Are in 11 min
Chapter 85: Sparkie Finds a Bug 11 min
Chapter 86: Sparkie's Mysterious Butterfly 10 min
Chapter 87: The Professor Speaks 11 min
Chapter 88: Day the Butterfly Flew 10 min
Chapter 89: Off to the Races 12 min
Chapter 90: Yukie Tries Out His Racing Machine 12 min
Chapter 91: Yukie Cracks Up 12 min
Chapter 92: The Big Little Race 10 min
Chapter 93: Big Jon Gets a Screen Job 12 min
Chapter 94: Big Jon Recuperates 12 min
Chapter 95: Cheer Up the Sick Boy 14 min
Chapter 96: Big Jon Takes the Plunge 10 min
Chapter 97: Big Jon Gets Company Again 12 min