Theater of the Mind

Tales of the Texas Rangers

90 episodes · 1950–1952 · NBC, Armed Forces Radio Service · Westerns

Play Tales of the Texas Rangers on Radio Days

Joel McCrea played Ranger Jace Pearson in reenactments of real Texas Ranger cases, on NBC from July 8, 1950, to September 14, 1952: 95 episodes. Pearson used the latest scientific methods to catch his man. Captain Manuel T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, a famous Ranger himself, was the consultant, and Wheaties sponsored part of the run.

Sources: Tales of the Texas Rangers, Wikipedia

Episodes

Tap a year to see its episodes, then a title to play it on Radio Days.

195023 episodes

The White Elephant July 15, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A deserted motel hides stolen goods and a killer or two. Based on a case from January 1950.
Apache Peak July 22, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A hitchhiker murders a New Yorker and takes his car and his clothes. Based on a case from October 1949. Bob Feller appears in a Wheaties commercial.
The Trigger Men July 29, 1950 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Quick Silver August 5, 1950 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
The Broken Spur August 12, 1950 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Fool's Gold August 19, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A gold tooth is the clue to a bungled bank robbery and a killing. Producer Stacy Keach turns up in a Wheaties commercial.
The Open Range August 26, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
Modern cattle rustlers kill a rancher who catches them at it. Writer Joel Murcott appears in a Wheaties commercial.
Play for Keeps September 2, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
Jace Pearson goes after a crooked constable who shot a sheriff in cold blood.
Dead or Alive September 9, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
In the confusion of the 1947 Texas City disaster, a wanted man tries to trade places with an unidentified body.
Candy Man September 16, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
An escaped convict leaves a trail of candy wrappers for the Rangers to follow. Based on a case from April 1947.
Open and Shut (1950) September 23, 1950 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Clean Up September 30, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A murder in the oil fields is only the first sign of something much dirtier.
Living Death October 8, 1950 · NBC · 29 min
Drug smuggling and murder on the Mexican border.
Dead Give-Away October 15, 1950 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Soft Touch October 29, 1950 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
The White Suit November 5, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A convict escapes from a small jail, and his white jail clothes help the manhunt.
Blood Relative November 12, 1950 · NBC · 29 min
A young ex-convict threatens a storekeeper, who is found shot dead the next day.
Hanging by a Thread November 26, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A man's death looks like suicide, but was it?
Room 114 December 3, 1950 · NBC · 29 min
A dead man at a motel turns out to be the man suspected of killing him.
The Lucky Dollar December 10, 1950 · NBC · 29 min
A robber cuts the lights and kills a storekeeper, and a special dollar leads the Rangers to a suspect.
The Cactus Pear December 17, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
A cowboy is killed with a shotgun, and the clues are a spent shell and a horseshoe print.
Christmas Present December 24, 1950 · NBC · 30 min
The Santa Claus holdup of 1931, a crime story with a happy ending.
The Devil's Share December 31, 1950 · NBC · 29 min
Two brothers fall out over money and a woman.

195131 episodes

Deadhead Freight January 7, 1951 · NBC · 29 min
A body in a duffel bag in an empty freight car leads to a shoemaker and a bootlegger.
Death in the Cards January 14, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A double murder is pinned on a red-haired gambler, but hoofprints in the frost tell Jace otherwise.
Blood Harvest January 21, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
Rustlers steal hay instead of cattle and kill the farmer who catches them.
Logger's Larceny February 4, 1951 · NBC · 29 min
Two loggers find a wrecked car, a dead paymaster and the payroll, and one of them doesn't want to take it.
The Hatchet February 11, 1951 · NBC · 29 min
A schoolteacher's murder leads Jace to a cattle tank with the weapon at the bottom.
Sweet Revenge February 18, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A sugar bowl helps Jace find a killer.
The Trap February 25, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
Two men hijack a truckload of car radios and kill the drivers. Joel McCrea talks about the theme music.
Blind Trust March 11, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A guide dog leads Jace to a murder and a $40,000 treasure hidden in the desert.
Death by Adoption March 18, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A car salesman is killed by a man claiming to be the father of his adopted child.
Breakdown March 25, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
The Rangers try to take a young mad-dog killer alive.
Pressure April 1, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
Someone confesses to a murder, but Jace doubts him.
Bad Blood April 8, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A man is beaten to death with a frying pan, and his friend is the likely suspect.
Conspiracy April 15, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A widow says her husband's killing was cold-blooded murder, not self-defense, and that the sheriff buried him too fast.
Canned Death April 22, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A family is poisoned by tainted sausage, and the trail leads into the backwoods.
No Living Witnesses May 6, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A doctor and a cowboy are both murdered. What's the connection?
Paid in Full May 13, 1951 · 29 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Square Dance May 20, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A man is knifed in the parking lot at a square dance.
Joy Ride May 27, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A young man and his trigger-happy girlfriend rob a liquor store and kill the owner. The last show of the season.
Death Shaft September 30, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A skeleton with a smashed skull turns up in an abandoned mine. Based on a 1941 case. Includes a tribute to Captain Gonzaullas on his retirement after 31 years with the Rangers.
The Wheelchair Killing October 7, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
An old man is beaten to death, and the clues point to a nearby CCC camp.
Fugitive's Trail October 21, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A teenage babysitter disappears after a shotgun killing, and her ex-boyfriend is eager to help find her.
The White Elephant (1951) October 28, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A railroad detective throws a hobo off a moving train, and the next day a body turns up by the road.
Helping Hand November 4, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
Two tow-truck drivers squeeze a stranded motorist, and extortion turns to murder.
Open and Shut (1951) November 11, 1951 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Wild Crop November 18, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A cowboy is beaten to death, and the smell of marijuana is Jace's clue.
The Blow-Off November 25, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A gas-station attendant is killed in a robbery, and the key clue is a pickled curiosity.
Dead Give Away December 2, 1951 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Death Plant December 9, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A homemade time bomb kills a woman and wounds her husband.
Pick-Up December 16, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
Two hoboes throw a dead man off a freight train, and the trail leads to a redhead and a con game.
Christmas Payoff December 23, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A doctor is murdered in his office on Christmas Eve by a man with a bandaged hand.
Killer's Crop December 30, 1951 · NBC · 30 min
A drug user is found murdered, and the trail leads to Mexico.

195236 episodes

Birds of a Feather January 6, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A dying robber names the man who shot him, and a kidnapping and homing pigeons follow.
Clip Job January 13, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A crook cheats a widow out of her last $6,000, and the Rangers use a hidden microphone.
Blood Trail January 20, 1952 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Night Chase January 27, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
Two cattle rustlers are caught in the act, one is killed, and the hunt is on for the other.
The Rub-Out February 3, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A prizefighter loses a fight and dies of poison, or does he?
The Case of the Hitchhiker February 10, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
An escaped convict hitches a ride on a country road.
Cold Blood February 17, 1952 · NBC · 29 min
A poor farmhand is framed for murder and saved from a lynching by a dead rattlesnake.
Bright Boy February 24, 1952 · NBC · 29 min
The Rangers break up a stolen-car ring and catch a boy who is much too handy with a knife.
The Ice Man March 2, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A burglar who eats before he robs and carries an ice pick.
Dream Farm March 9, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
An Iowa farm family stops to help a stranger in Texas, and he turns on them.
Prelude to Felony March 16, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A girl steals her own father's cattle and frames a neighbor.
Nighthawk March 30, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A man kills a girl's date on lover's lane, and she won't name him.
Troop Train April 6, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
An Army deserter kills his partner, then is accused of beating an old rancher.
Uncertain Death April 13, 1952 · 30 min
Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Logs lists the same title on this date.
Illusion April 20, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A woman who may be mad, and something that may be poison.
Address Unknown April 27, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A woman is murdered, leaving a little boy, and a reluctant witness helps the Rangers.
Little Sister May 4, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A girl comes home to pull her little sister into crime, starting with a theater holdup.
Unleashed Fury May 11, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
An escaped mental patient cleverly stays one step ahead of the search.
Smart Kill May 18, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A body in a burning building leads Jace to a killer.
Jailbird May 25, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A convict breaks out of a Texas prison and goes on the run with his wife.
Sell-Out June 1, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A clerk who saw her boss robbed and shot gives the Rangers a false lead.
Illegal Entry June 8, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A man knifes another, kidnaps a girl and escapes on a train full of sheep.
Travesty June 15, 1952 · Armed Forces Radio Service · 30 min
A deputy is suspected of stealing tires.
Knockout June 22, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A body in a hotel bathroom leads to a racket built on knockout drops.
Ex-Con June 29, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
An ex-convict is hired to commit a murder for $1,000.
The Boomerang July 6, 1952 · NBC · 29 min
A body in a lake leads the Rangers to a livestock auction, and maybe to the killer. Based on a 1937 case.
Finger Man July 13, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A deputy is killed in a jailbreak attempt, and the Rangers need the other prisoners to talk.
Round Trip July 20, 1952 · NBC · 29 min
A friendly newspaper deliveryman is murdered, and the Rangers follow the killer all the way to Brazil.
Stick-Up July 27, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
An ex-con is the suspect in a robbery and murder, but his alibi looks solid.
Double Edge August 3, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A man with a mole near his eye is the key to a bank robbery and murder.
Last Stop August 10, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A deadly train wreck caused by a tie on the tracks, and it looks deliberate.
Cover-Up August 17, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
Based on a case from July 4, 1946: a man is caught mopping up blood in the house of someone who has gone missing.
Three Victims August 24, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
The son of a robbed and murdered couple names a Black man as the killer.
Misplaced Person August 31, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A dead woman is traced to a psychiatrist, but watch the shrimp fisherman.
Alibi September 7, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A man has been badly beaten, and he can't remember who did it.
Drive-In September 14, 1952 · NBC · 30 min
A young couple rob a married pair and take their car, and a pair of stockings becomes the key clue.