Ranger Bill
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox radio show
| show_name =Ranger Bill
| image =
| caption =
| format =
| runtime = 15 minutes (1950-1954), 30 Minutes (1954-1964)
| country = United States
| language =
| home_station = WMBI-FM
| syndicates =
| television =
| presenter =
| starring = Miron Canaday
| announcer =
| creator =
| writer = Charles Erkhart, John Rowan
| director = Charles Christensen, Jim Grant
| senior_editor =
| editor =
| producer = Moody Radio
| executive_producer =
| narrated =
| record_location = Studio B
| first_aired = 1950
| last_aired = 1964
| num_series =
| num_episodes = 214
| audio_format =
| opentheme =
| othertheme =
| endtheme =
| website =
| podcast =
}}
Ranger Bill is a Christian radio program from the 1950s, produced by Moody Radio. With over 200 episodes produced, Ranger Bill stars Miron Canaday as the title character and Stumpy Jenkins and Ed Ronne, Sr as Grey Wolf. The main character, Ranger Bill, is a forest ranger located in the town of Knotty Pine along the Rocky Mountains. The show describes the various tales of the adventures of Ranger Bill and his friends.
Radio program
The Moody Bible Institute originally aired on October 2, 1950 in 15-minute episodes. The series later aired in half-hour episode format, with the earliest known episode airing May 14, 1954. The series continued through 1964, and was later syndicated through to the present in 30-minute episodes.
=Crew=
- Charles Christensen - director
- Jim Grant - director
- Joal Hanson - writer
- John Rowan - writer
- John McCombe - sound effects
= Actors =
- Miron Canaday{{Cite news |title=MIRON S. CANADAY JR. |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1995/10/27/miron-s-canaday-jr/ |work=Chicago Tribune}} as Ranger Bill, Stumpy Jenkins
- Ed Ronne Sr.{{Cite web |title=Obituary of Edward Ronne |url=https://fredcdames.com/tribute/details/6708/Edward-Ronne/obituary.html}} as Gray Wolf
- Roger Compton as Henry Scott
Character universe
=Main characters=
- Bill Jefferson is the chief forest ranger. He lives with his mother in the small town of Knotty Pine. He's described as a well-built leader capable of accomplishing nearly anything.
- Stumpy Jenkins, another forest ranger, is often referred to as "The Old Timer". Known for his superb marksmanship, he likes to tell jokes and travel around with his rifle. A good description of his rifle is given in the episode "The Prehistoric Monster".
- Henry Scott is the teenage ward of Ranger Bill, who helps out in many park ranger tasks.
- Gray Wolf is a Native American of the Dakota tribe, and also a forest ranger. Although he talks in broken English, he is knowledgeable in both modern forest management and the traditional ways of his people. Drawing on both, he makes a valuable contribution to the rangers.
=Minor characters=
- Ralph, a forest ranger.
- Sheriff Cal, the county sheriff
- Jo Jo, a friend of Henry's
- Pat O'Roark, Knotty Pine's chief of police.
- Frenchy DeSalle, chief lumberjack in the area.
- Colonel Anders, Ranger Bill's boss.
- Moose McBain, a local fur trapper.
- Maggie Murphy, Stumpy's housekeeper in "The Battle At Jenkins Manor" and cook at summer camp in "Mrs. Murphy's Chowder" and also {cook} aboard the "River Giant."
- George Benton, Replaces Col. Anders temporarily in "The Hard Head."
- Jane Reeves, Fire watcher in "Petticoat Rangers."
- Jock McIntosh, Knotty Pine's blacksmith in "The Wrong Valley."
- Annie McIntosh, Jock's wife. Also appears in "The Wrong Valley."
- Dutch Vanderhaven, Knotty Pine's own version of "The Self-Made Man."
- Mary Lu, a friend of Henry's in "Mystery Island" and "The Measure of a Man."
- Alec, a friend of Henry's in "Water tower Rescue" "He broke through the Ice" and "The bomb shelter
Location Universe
- Knotty Pine, the central focus of the Ranger Bill series.
- Junction City, a town about an hour from Knotty Pine and comparable in size.
- Border Town, a town of questionable character located just outside the park rangers' jurisdiction.
- Central City, the nearest major city to Knotty Pine.
Listen Online
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_Ranger_Bill_Singles
List of episodes
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%; margin:auto; background:#FFFFFF;" | |||
| width="20";|# | Title | width="120"|Original air date | width="120"|Opening
{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB001 |Title=20 Fathoms Under the Sea |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1954|5|26}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=Bill and the boys go deep sea fishing with old salvage man Ben Benson. An old Navy sub used for training is stuck on the bottom and Ben can but won't help because his son died on a salvage job. |LineColor=333333 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB002 |Title=A Boy and A Bomb |OriginalAirDate=unknown |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=Bill gets secret orders to escort Hal Dever to the Army proving grounds to test a bomb timing device. Hal is a single father who ignores his son Jim. The boy takes the timer and starts it ticking. |LineColor=333333 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB003 |Title=Getting with the Wrong Crowd |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1956|3|28}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=George Bruce returns to Knotty Pine after spending time in reform school. Townsfolks refuse to accept him or help him. Bill gets him a delivery job with Frenchy DeSalle's logging operation where he loses the payroll. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB004 |Title=The Hermit |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1955|12|21}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=A hermit who moves into a cabin in Bill's territory turns out to be a desperately needed brain surgeon. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB005 |Title=Burning Sands |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1954|5|16}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=Elderly desert prospector Joshua Webb is told by his doctor to stay in Knotty Pine for his health, but the lure of gold takes him back to the desert anyway. Bill and the boys must brave 120-degree heat to rescue Joshua. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB006 |Title=The Fire Bug |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1954|8|11}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=Randolph Thompson's coal fired railroad engines threaten the big pines in the forests along his rail lines. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB007 |Title=Miracles |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1961|12|20}} |Aux4=2 |ShortSummary=Henry and Freddy go on a hike where Freddy has to wrestle with his faith and miracles. The boys need a miracle when Freddy falls into Half-Mile Gulley and breaks his leg, while flood waters from a broken dam threaten to drown the boys. Only a miracle can save them. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB008 |Title=They Called It (Him) the Jinx |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1955|11|5}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=Tom Farris called in to be foreman of bridge project over 1,200-foot-deep Dead Man's Gorge. The crew is afraid of the jinx on Tom from accidents caused by pushing his men. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB009 |Title=Bim the Dog |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1955|3|9}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=A brave dog protects his family then serves his country. |LineColor=333333 }}{{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=RB010 |Title=Hit and Run |OriginalAirDate={{start date|1955|4|13}} |Aux4=1 |ShortSummary=Two boys hide after hitting an elderly pedestrian. |LineColor=333333 }} |
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References
{{Reflist}}
- Moody Radio
- https://www.webcitation.org/5knzuPBza?url=http://www.geocities.com/rangerbillclub/billshow.htm
External links
- [http://www.moodyradio.org Moody Radio]
- [http://rangerbillclub.blogspot.com/ Ranger Bill Fan Club]
Category:American radio dramas