Radio Recap: Mandrake the Magician

Mandrake the Magician is remembered as the star of his own King Features comic strip that lasted from 1934-2013. It was created by Lee Falk and originally drawn by Phil Davis. The strip's titular hero, Mandrake, clearly drew some influence from popular stage magicians like Harry Houdini and Blackstone, with the difference that Mandrake practised actual magic - or, rather, he had the power of hypnosis and seemed to make magical things happen by planting ideas in his enemy's minds. He was accompanied by his giant servant Lothar and his lady love Princess Narda. Mandrake inspired a legion of imitators in the comics, the best-known being DC Comics' Zatara the Magician.

But from November 11, 1940 to February 6, 1942, Mandrake the Magician was heard 3 times per week on Mutual as a serialized adventure program! Mandrake, Lothar and Princess Narda were all present for the adventures, along with a plucky kid named Tommy. Starring as Mandrake was Raymond Edward Johnson, who became the original host of Inner Sanctum Mysteries during this show's production.

Like all juvenile adventure serials - especially those on Mutual - the production values weren't that high, with only so much available for music and sound effects. The writing was crude and workmanlike, but Mandrake the Magician had one terrific asset - and that was Raymond Edward Johnson. Johnson's earnest and commanding performance as Mandrake is by far the highlight of this series.

We only have so many episodes of the series. There's the first episode, then the middle and ending chapters of Mandrake and his friends battling the submarine crew of Captain X. That flows into the start and middle of a storyline where Mandrake fights a secret society led by one Dr. Carvass. Following that, there are just a few more fragments of other adventures.

You can hear the remaining fragments of Mandrake the Magician at the Old-Time Radio Researchers' Library.