The Man Who Understood: Ranger Bill (April 25, 1956)

Ranger Bill, old-time radio on Stupid Potato

“The Man Who Understood” is an episode of Ranger Bill, the old-time radio show, first broadcast April 25, 1956. Listen free on Stupid Potato: no sign-up, no app.

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What happens

Ranger Bill, the Guardian of the Forest, is called to help when a boy named Steve McLean is struck by a car driven by Wesley Morgan. Steve's father, Angus McLean, is consumed by grief after the death of his son and speaks of revenge against Morgan. Bill and Jane McLean try to reason with Angus, who refuses comfort from faith and resists his friends' help. The episode is part of the Ranger Bill series, first broadcast on April 25, 1956.

A small town and surrounding forest, including a hospital, a coroner's inquest, the Morgan ranch, and a monument company's cemetery.

Characters: Ranger Bill, Steve McLean, Angus McLean, Jane McLean, Wesley Morgan, Pat O'Rourke, Axel Franz, Greywolf

Listen for: Angus McLean's grief and threats of revenge after Steve's death, and Ranger Bill's attempts to comfort him.

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.