The Green Lama
The Green Lama was an Old Time Radio detective show based on the pulp and comic book hero created by Kendell Foster Crossen. It ran in 1949 on the CBS Radio Network.
 The Green Lama | |
| Genre | Mystery/Crime |
|---|---|
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English |
| Home station | CBS |
| Starring | Paul Frees Ben Wright Herb Vigran |
| Creators | Kendell Foster Crossen |
| Writers | Kendell Foster Crossen William Froug Gene Levin Bob Mitchell |
| Exec. producers | James Burton |
| Air dates | June 5, 1949 to August 20, 1949 |
| No. of episodes | 11 |
History
The Green Lama debuted in the April 1940 issue of the pulp magazine Double Detective. Conceived to compete with the Shadow, the Green Lama continued in pulp form until 1943, compiling a total of 14 adventures written by his creator, Kendell Foster Crossen, under the alias of Richard Foster. Though he appeared in detective stories, the Green Lama - a.k.a. Jethro Dumont - possessed some supernatural abilities thanks to his Buddhist studies in Tibet.
In December 1940, the Green Lama began appearing in comic books with Prize Comics #7. Comics added even more powers, including the power of flight. The comics presented a Green Lama that was more super hero than detective. The character appeared in Prize Comics through 1943, before getting a self-titled series that ran from 1944-1946. Crossen wrote all of the Green Lama's adventures to this point.
Three years after his comic book series ended, CBS developed the character for a radio series. Paul Frees played the hero. The radio show presented a Lama more in line with his pulp magazine roots than his comic book super hero days. Crossen still oversaw the character's adventures, but had assistance from other writers. The series lasted only 11 episodes in 1949. Only four episodes, plus the audition recording, are know to exist today.
Cast & Crew
- Paul Frees as Jethro Dumont/The Green Lama
- Ben Wright as Tulku
- Herb Vigran as Sgt. Whelan
- Larry Thor - announcer
- James Burton - director/producer
- Norm MacDonnell - director
- Richard Aurandt - musical director
Episode Log
- Audition ("The Man Who Never Existed") May 17, 1949
- "The Man Who Never Existed" June 5, 1949
- "The Man Who Stole a Pyramid" June 12, 1949
- "The Girl With No Name" June 19, 1949
- "The Million Dollar Chopsticks" June 26, 1949
- "The Last Dinosaur" July 3, 1949
- "The Return of Madame Pompadour" July 16, 1949
- "Tapestry in Purple" July 23, 1949
- "The African Diamond Affair" July 30, 1949
- "The Gumbo Man" August 6, 1949
- "The Case of the Dangerous Dog" August 13, 1949
- "The Adventure of the Perfect Prisoner" August 20, 1949