Radio
Legends:
Night Watch, Volume 1
Liner notes written by Harlan Zinck
If you're a fan of modern day television, it will come as no surprise to you
that the top trend in programming these days is reality shows. Whether you cast
your votes for the latest "American Idol," dance with the stars, or spend your
free time hooting at this week's shirtless, shiftless, beer-swilling lowlife on
"Cops", you know that - for better or worse - reality shows are here to stay.
You may, however, be surprised to find that the notion of network reality
programming is really nothing new -- in fact, the concept actually dates back as
far as 1954, when "Night Watch" debuted on CBS radio.
Beginning on April 5, 1954 and running for about a year, "Night Watch" was the
first program to bring "live" and authentic police drama to the air. A
fascinating combination of "Dragnet" and "Cops" with just a hint of "This is
Your FBI" thrown in for public service purposes, each week official police
recorder Don Reed accompanied Officer Ron Perkins on the night watch in Culver
City, California. Traveling in an unmarked car through the nighttime streets,
Reed used a heavy battery-powered reel-to-reel tape recorder, complete with a
microphone cleverly concealed inside the casing of a flashlight, to accompany
Perkins and his fellow officers on real police calls. These were authentic,
unscripted, and unrehearsed adventures, with no actors, no expectations, and
nothing planned in advance. At the end of each show, Police Chief W. N.
Hildebrand would give listeners the updates on what happened to the citizens
involved in each incident and encourage the public to aid the police in doing
their work.
Heard today, "Night Watch" remains a vivid and frequently riveting example of
just how innovative radio could be when used creatively. Were it being produced
today, the producers of "Night Watch" would be using tiny and almost weightless
digital recorders and PC-based editing software -- but, in 1954, tape recording
(not to mention tape editing) was still in its infancy, with Reed forced to lug
sixty-plus pounds of technology to every crime scene and change tape reels on a
regular basis. Likewise, what would be considered acceptable dialogue for a
network broadcast was far more restricted in 1954 than we'd find on TV today, so
the tape editing (accomplished with little more than a razor blade and a
splicing block) had to be extensive and extremely selective, while still
retaining the basic content and flavor of the incident and the chronology of the
developing story. Given all of the limitations of 1950s technology, plus the
unpredictable nature of the criminal events that were the basis for the series,
the audio quality of the broadcasts and engrossing nature of the events being
covered remain truly surprising -- and truly great radio.
But make no mistake: even though more than fifty years has passed since "Night
Watch" first aired, the series is definitely not suitable for family listening.
The individual incidents recorded range from an investigation of two small
children left in a cold parked car while their parents spend hours drinking in a
local tavern to the often harrowing attempts by police to save the life of a man
slashed almost to death with a razor. (I've a feeling we're not in Wistful Vista
anymore, McGee...) Reed's quiet ongoing narration of the cases as they develop
makes for a real-life version of the kind of flat no-nonsense narration that
made Jack Webb's "Dragnet" so memorable -- and it makes the shows even more
gripping to hear today.
The twenty broadcasts contained in this 10-CD Radio Legends collection have been
taken from the highest quality source recordings known to exist for this series
- in fact, these newly restored broadcasts have the best audio quality of any
"Night Watch" programs ever released. We know that these unique, unusual, and
rare documentary shows will make an excellent and welcome addition to your radio
show library.
Here is the complete content of this Radio Legends collection:
The Nude Prowler
Monday, April 5, 1954 - 25:00 - CBS, sustaining
311 Southgate
Monday, April 12, 1954 - 25:00 - CBS, sustaining
Glass Breaker
Monday, May 3, 1954 - 25:00 - CBS, sustaining
Peanut Butter
Monday, May 17, 1954 - 25:00 - CBS, sustaining
Santa Baby
Monday, May 24, 1954 - 25:00 - CBS, sustaining
Paper Hanger
Friday, June 11, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Kenny Narco and Headplate
Friday, June 18, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Slugger
Friday, July 2, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Hammer 211
Saturday, July 10, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Car Wings and Floor Sleepers
Saturday, July 17, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
The Old Bat and Crowbar
Saturday, July 24, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Boy, Go Home
Saturday, July 31, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
An Old-Fashioned Suicide
Saturday, August 14, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Shock
Saturday, August 21, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
The Weeper
Saturday, August 28, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Fence 447 and Western Union Raid
Saturday, September 4, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Inhalator/Jawbreaker
Saturday, September 11, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Car Stripper/Child Left in Theater
Saturday, September 18, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Motel Sheets/Lock-Out
Saturday, September 25, 1954 - 30:00 - CBS, sustaining
Pick-Up/Who's Crazy?
Thursday, October 7, 1954 - CBS, sustaining
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