"New" RB Show Information

I have been incorrectly reporting on information concerning the beginning of the 30-minute Ranger Bill episodes. I apologize because the correct information was right under my nose and I missed it. I would like to thank fellow Ranger Bill fan Wayne for asking some questions that helped me find my mistake.
I had been reporting that RB179 "VIPs Visit Knotty Pine" was probably the very first 30-minute Ranger Bill episode because it had the earliest broadcast date of all the RB shows Moody uses in its two-year cycle for Bill. I am nearly positive that another script Moody Audio has shared with us is the first 30-minute show.
Moody Audio shared some scripts with the Ranger Bill Fan Club that we have posted on our Zoomshare pages. There are the three scripts for the very first Ranger Bill story, "The Pendleton Valley Fire," first aired in October of 1950. We also have the scripts for the two-part half-hour story "The Spirit and the Spirits." We also have one more script, for a story I titled "Escape of the African Animals." This story is about a train wreck in Wildcat Valley in which several wild African animals bound for the Knotty Pine Zoo escape into the wilderness around Knotty Pine. That script is labeled "Script #104" and aired Saturday, Oct. 3, 1952. It appears that this show was the 1952 season opener for Ranger Bill.
If my guess is right, then Moody aired 15-minute Ranger Bills every Monday afternoon for just short of two full years, 103 shows in total. Then beginning in the fall of 1952 Moody went with 30-minute Ranger Bill shows that aired on Saturdays at lunch-time. It also looks as though they produced 32 to 35 Ranger Bill episodes per year from 1952 until the close of production. RB006 "The Fire Bug" pretty much verifies my guess because it is script #168 and aired in mid-August of 1954.
If you will allow me one more assumption, I believe that Moody decided to continue to air Bill in a 4-year cycle and took the most recent 200 shows for that cycle. They then dropped the 65 earliest 30-minute shows along with all of the 15-minute shows. I would say that they had enough material for a 5- or 6-year cycle, if they had so chosen. This is no criticism of Moody. They had to make some decision on what to use and what not to use.
So please, stop by our Zoomshare pages and take a look at "Escape of the African Animals." It is certainly a key story in the Ranger Bill saga!

Script #104 Title correction

On November 25, 2008 I posted a blog titled "Bim the first half-hour Ranger Bill." The blog itself is correct, but the blog title is not correct. Script #104 is the first half hour Ranger Bill show, but "Bim, the Dog" is not Script#104. I do not have an official title for that script, and there is no audio for this show at this time.

The story of Script#104 is about a train bringing a load of African animals to the Knotty Pine Zoo. The train wrecks just outside of Knotty Pine releasing many of those wild and dangerous African beasts. Bill and his men must find and capture or kill these animals before they themselves are killed by these savage beasts.

Let's call this one "Escape of the African Animals" for now. I'll update that title whenever I get official news from Moody Audio.

You can find "Escape of the African Animals"- Script#104 on our Zoomshare home page to read or download. Just click on the link to "RB scripts, photos, and more." Enjoy this exciting adventure.

My apologies for this title mix-up.

"Bim, the Dog," the first half hour Ranger Bill

The program labeled RB009 is actually “Bim the Dog” (program #104) instead of “Ben the Dog”. I caught this reading the script. I am now updating the spreadsheet with the original program numbers and dates when available. By the way, Ranger Bill ran with the quarter-hour format starting with program #1 which aired on Monday afternoon October 2, 1950 at 4:45pm up through program #103 that was recorded on September 22, 1952 and was aired the following Monday afternoon, September 29, 1952 at 4:45pm. Ranger Bill #104 was the first program to air in the new half-hour format with a new airing date on Saturday afternoon. The first half-hour length Ranger Bill program (#104) was recorded on Wednesday, October 1, 1952 at 6:15pm and aired three days later on Saturday, October 3 at 12:30pm. Attached is a copy for your enjoyment. Please share it with the group! Have a great day!

Phil Shappard

("Bim, the Dog" is on the RBFC Zoomshare home page (http://rangerbill.zoomshare.com/) and can be downloaded or viewed there.)

Right below the Bim file is another document Phil sent. This paper seems to be a proposal sheet outlining some possible Ranger Bill characters. The paper describes Bill, Henry and Col. Anders. It also mentions a little girl who was not used and also an old timer Jed who may have developed into Stumpy. The file is called WMBI RB characters.