Radio Recap: The Ghost Corps

The Ghost Corps is another serial adventure program that has very little written about it. the Radio Goldindex dates the series to April and May of 1938; it was a syndicated program by Lou R. Winston syndication but none of the actors are credited (though many of the voices sound familiar).

Much like Omar, the Wizard of Persia, Ghost Corps indulged in orientalism, or put another way, racism... but mostly of a patronizing variant. The Ghost Corps are identified in the program as follows:

"Scattered about the far east at strategic points there live certain quiet, unobtrusive men. Who, banded together under the name of the Ghost Corps, tread the danger trails of romance and adventure. Far-reaching in its peculiar scope of activity, the Ghost Corps is composed of a mere handful of intrepid adventurers owing allegiance to none but C. D. Baker, chief of this mystery-shrouded band of freelance diplomats."

Based in Egypt, K. C. Smith is the hero of these stories, serving as an agent of the Ghost Corps. He's aided by his adept servant Ali (although C. D. Baker is often mentioned he only occasionally appears to give Smith orders). There are 26 episodes of the Ghost Corps divided into 2 13-chapter serials - "The Knives of el Malique" and "the Prayer Rug of Nana Sahib." The closing minute of the final episode sets up a new adventure concerning "the Ming ruby" but with information on this series so scarce, I don't know whether more adventures were recorded or not.

If you want a pulp adventure serial in the manner of Indiana Jones, I think Ghost Corps will deliver for you. There's treasure hunts, booby traps, beautiful women, a chamber that crushes its occupants to death and even ventriloquism. I definitely rank it much higher than Omar, the Wizard of Persia - it has better acting, better sound effects and more music.

There's a collection of the Ghost Corps you can listen to at the Internet Archive.