The New Recruit: Fort Laramie (April 22, 1956)

“The New Recruit” is an episode of Fort Laramie, the old-time radio show, first broadcast April 22, 1956. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Captain Lee Quince encounters an old acquaintance named Banyan at the fort who has left the army and is now a civilian heading to San Francisco. Banyan invites the Captain to join a high-stakes poker game where a tired Montana player has been winning steadily for two days, suggesting it might be time to take advantage of his exhaustion.

Fort Laramie, a cavalry outpost on the frontier, including the trading post and parade grounds

Characters: Captain Lee Quince, Banyan, Sergeant, Major Daggett, Smithson

Listen for: A discussion between the captain and his former soldier friend about civilian life versus military service, and the temptation of a poker game with a worn-down opponent

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.