The Cinnamon Bear: An Old-Time Radio Christmas Tradition
Published on - November 29th, 2008 (by J.D. Roth) Because I love The Cinnamon Bear so much, I post this exact same article every year on the 29th of November. If you have young children — and even if you don’t — I encourage you to listen to these old radio broadcasts with your family.
Holiday traditions don’t have to be expensive. Some of the best traditions don’t cost anything at all.
When I was a boy, Christmas meant The Cinnamon Bear. During the weeks before Christmas, a Portland radio station (KEX) would broadcast a fifteen minute episode of this story every night.
The Cinnamon Bear chronicles the adventures of Judy and Jimmy, and their fantastic trip through Maybeland as they search for the missing Silver Star that belongs atop their Christmas tree.
I loved the cast of characters and the exotic locales: the Root Beer Ocean and the Inkaboos, the Wintergreen Witch, the Looking Glass Valley, the Crazy Quilt Dragon. And, of course, I loved Santa Claus and the North Pole.
Because of the vagaries of copyright law, most old-time radio broadcasts are now in the Public Domain. The Cinnamon Bear is freely distributable. Some radio stations still broadcast the show every year. But don’t worry about hunting for it: I’ve gathered all of the episodes here for you to download.
Collected below is every episode, in order. The program is meant to be heard once per day between November 29th (that’s today) and Christmas Eve. It was one of my favorites when I was a kid, and modern parents tell me their children love it, too. Enjoy!
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #1: “Paddy O’ Cinnamon”
[Originally broadcast 29 November 1937 — 2.59mb, 11:18]
Judy and Jimmy write letters to Santa. The Silver Star Christmas ornament is missing and the kids go up to the attic to find it. They meet Paddy O’Cinnamon (The Cinnamon Bear) who tells them the Silver Star was taken to Maybeland by the Crazy Quilt Dragon.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #2: “Weary Willie”
[Originally broadcast 30 November 1937 — 2.59mb, 11:44]
Paddy O’Cinnamon shows Judy and Jimmy how to de-grow so they can follow the Crazy Quilt Dragon to the Lollipop Mountains. They climb into Paddy’s Soda Pop Airplane and fly through the tunnel.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #3: “Crazy Quilt Dragon”
[Originally broadcast 01 December 1937 — 2.71mb, 11:51]
Feeling remorseful for drinking their Soda Pop and stranding them in Looking Glass Valley without fuel, Weary Willie has the Stork fly them out on his back. They catch Crazy Quilt but he drops the Silver Star in the Root Beer Ocean.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #4: “The Inkaboos”
[Originally broadcast 02 December 1937 — 2.70mb, 11:46]
While they try to find the Silver Star, Judy and Jimmy are captured by the Inkaboos. King Blotto is insulted and sentences them to die in the Immense Inkwell.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #5: “Weasley the Wailing Whale”
[Originally broadcast 03 December 1937 — 2.84mb, 12:25]
Crazy Quilt comes to the rescue. The children escape to the Root Beer Ocean, where they see the Silver Star floating on the waves.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #6: “Samuel Seal”
[Originally broadcast 04 December 1937 — 2.91mb, 12:43]
Wesley the Wailing Whale swallows the Silver Star. Samuel Seal recovers the Silver Star from Wesley, only to have Penelope the Pelican carry it off.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #7: “Presto the Magician”
[Originally broadcast 05 December 1937 — 2.85mb, 12:26]
Judy and Jimmy meet Presto the Magician. He pulls Penelope the Pelican from his hat, but she has dropped the Silver Star on the Island of Obi.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #8: “Candy Pirates”
[Originally broadcast 06 December 1937 — 2.73mb, 11:55]
Judy and Jimmy are captured by Captain Taffy and his Pirates. They take the kids to the Magic Island and loan them a rowboat.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #9: “Roly-Poly Policeman”
[Originally broadcast 07 December 1937 — 2.83mb, 12:21]
Judy and Jimmy are on the Magic Island, where the Roly-Poly Policeman has taken their Silver Star for his uniform. But before the kids can get to him, Crazy Quilt Dragon runs off with the Silver Star again!
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #10: “Professor Whiz”
[Originally broadcast 08 December 1937 — 2.79mb, 12:10]
Paddy O’Cinnamon, the Cinnamon Bear has disappeared. Judy and Jimmy are chasing Crazy Quilt Dragon to get their Silver Star. Professor Whiz tells them about the Wintergreen Witch. They follow Crazy Quilt into the Picture Forest, where they meet Fraidy Cat.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #11: “Fee Foe the Gentle Giant”
[Originally broadcast 09 December 1937 — 2.91mb, 12:41]
Fee Foe the Gentle Giant shows Judy and Jimmy the Goody-Goody Grove and invites them for lunch. They start to follow Crazy Quilt when it suddenly gets very, very dark!
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #12: “Rhyming Rabbit”
[Originally broadcast 10 December 1937 — 2.88mb, 12:34]
Judy and Jimmy meet up again with Crazy Quilt, who says the Wintergreen Witch forced him to steal the Silver Star. While trying to find their way back to the Wintergreen Witch’s house, they encounter the Rhyming Rabbit.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #13: “The Wintergreen Witch”
[Originally broadcast 11 December 1937 — 2.85mb, 12:25]
The Wintergreen Witch tries to take Judy and Jimmy’s Silver Star and change the kids into mice, but they get away. After their hurried flight, Crazy Quilt sits on the Silver Star and breaks it.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #14: “Queen Melissa”
[Originally broadcast 12 December 1937 — 2.81mb, 12:16]
Crazy Quilt suggests that they all visit Melissa, the Queen of Maybeland, who can tell them how to fix the Silver Star.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #15: “Snapper Snick”
[Originally broadcast 13 December 1937 — 2.78mb, 12:08]
Judy and Jimmy learn that they can only read Queen Melissa’s magic instructions in total darkness, which only occurs in the Wishing Woods. On the way there, the kids meet Snapper Snick the Crooning Crocodile, who swallows the magic instructions.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #16: “Oliver Ostrich”
[Originally broadcast 14 December 1937 — 2.85mb, 12:26]
Snapper Snick explains that he reads by eating and that’s how he is able to read in the dark. Judy and Jimmy learn that the magic instructions direct them to the the Wishing Well. On the way, they meet Oliver Ostrich who eats alarm clocks. Oliver directs them to the Wishing Well — Paddy O’Cinnamon, the Cinnamon Bear, falls in.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #17: “Muddlers”
[Originally broadcast 15 December 1937 — 2.83mb, 12:22]
Judy and Jimmy use their one wish, given by the Wishing Well, to get rescue Cinnamon Bear, and now they can’t fix their Silver Star with the Wishing Well’s magic. While trying to get out of the Wishing Woods, they encounter the Muddlers and the River of Mud.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #18: “Cocklebur Cowboys”
[Originally broadcast 16 December 1937 — 2.82mb, 12:18]
Slim Pickens and the Cocklebur Cowboys of the Purple Plain come to the rescue of Judy and Jimmy, Cinnamon Bear and Crazy Quilt, pulling them from the mud.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #19: “Wooden Indian”
[Originally broadcast 17 December 1937 — 2.82mb, 12:19]
Judy and Jimmy are being chased by Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, a wooden Indian who wants Crazy Quilt’s pelt for his girlfriend Many Happy Returns. Judy trades her looking glass to him instead. After he leaves, they encounter the Wintergreen Witch again in the Golden Grove.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #20: “Flying Hat”
[Originally broadcast 18 December 1937 — 2.79mb, 12:10]
The Grand Wonky arrives in the nick of time to banish the Wintergreen Witch to Looking Glass Valley. While searching for the Singing Tree, they find the Flying Hat and it has a mysterious note attached.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #21: “Snowman”
[Originally broadcast 19 December 1937 — 2.74mb, 11:59]
The mysterious note invites the crew inside where they find chairs just the right size for all of them. The Flying Hat carries them to the Land of Ice and Snow to get the Silver Star fixed. They ask the Snowman how to find Nicki Froodle, as Queen Melissa told them. Nicki turns out to be an Elf, and he takes them to see Santa Claus.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #22: “Santa Claus”
[Originally broadcast 20 December 1937 — 2.78mb, 12:08]
Santa Claus welcomes Judy and Jimmy and introduces them to Jack Frost who repairs the Silver Star only to have it vanish again.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #23: “The Bad Dolls”
[Originally broadcast 21 December 1937 — 2.90mb, 12:39]
The Bad Dolls have stolen the Silver Star. Santa orders out the Tin Soldiers to capture the Bad Dolls and return the Silver Star.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #24: “The Parade”
[Originally broadcast 22 December 1937 — 2.86mb, 12:30]
The Wintergreen Witch appears again aiding the Bad Dolls in defeating the Tin Soldiers. Santa orders out reinforcements while Judy and Jimmy watch the Christmas Parade. After the Parade, Captain Tintop brings back the Silver Star.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #25: “Captain Tintop”
[Originally broadcast 23 December 1937 — 2.87mb, 12:30]
Captain Tintop tells how they defeated the Wintergreen Witch and then the group goes to a grand banquet hosted by Santa Claus. After the banquet, Crazy Quilt runs off with the Silver Star once again.
The Cinnamon Bear, episode #26: “North Pole”
[Originally broadcast 24 December 1937 — 2.78mb, 12:09]
Crazy Quilt heads for the North Pole with Santa Claus, Judy, Jimmy, and Nicki Froodle in pursuit. They catch Crazy Quilt and tackle him to recover the Silver Star. Then they wake up in the attic just in time to decorate the Christmas Tree.
When I was a boy, my brothers and I huddled around the wood stove and listened to the show on AM radio. Now, through the magic of technology, you can download these mp3s, curl up under your electric blanket, and listen on your iPod. Better yet, tuck your children into bed and listen to the story with them. This is a wonderful no-cost holiday tradition.
Enjoy!
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You seem to be immaculately enthusiastic about this show. Thanks for sharing this. The main message of Christmas should be the joy of sharing with those who are less fortunate. However, our consumption-based society makes us to spend beyond our limits.
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Hah! I remember listening to this in second grade everyday on the carpet… Excellent call.
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I wanted to mention that there are various OTR groups as part of yahoo. You can join and then become part of their distributions (distros)in order to get OTR for free in exchange for making copies for others.
I personally STILL like hearing Dragnet.
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While I appreciate your efforts to keep this show alive, you should know that it is still protected under copyright and posting this is effectively stealing. You can read about the current rights owner at your wikipedia link.
Ben
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i’m too young to remember this but i will listen to it. I sometimes want to journey off in a place called Maybeland. thanks
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@Benjamin (#4)
As I pointed out in the post, because of the vagaries of copyright law, most old-time radio broadcasts are now in the Public Domain. Trust me: I’ve researched this, and would not be posting the show here if I thought I were violating copyright laws. The Wikipedia link does not assert that this radio broadcast is under copyright, but that the radio play may be.
If a an actual rights-holder were to contact me and request that I remove this, I would.
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It is in public domain and downloadable at http://tinyurl.com/6qecxd, and OTR Cat has them. They can be found in other places on the web, all in public domain.
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What a nice Christmas tradition. My family likes to watch “A Christmas Story” every year (You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!). One year my wife and I bought the DVD for our daughters, only to find on Christmas day that they’d done the same thing for us. Now we all have a copy.
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Thank you. I just listened to episode one with my 12 year old son, and while he rolled his eye’s abd tried to resist, at the end he asked slyly if that “was all” yep, I said until tomorrow night!
Delightful!
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I really like the show even though I’ve only heard one so far. It’s quite descriptive and I can imagine what every thing looks like in my mind.
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I listened to this as a youngster and totally felt I was with Jimmy and Judy and so did my children. I am now trying to get my grandchildren gathered around to listen. I bought a copy of the full series recorded on cassette tape some years ago and guess I better get it transferred to DVD before cassette players are totally gone.It does, however, say for private home use.That was in 1979 so who knows how it would be now days.
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If you live in the Southwest Washington Area or Portland Oregon area, you can listen to this on 103.3 at 7 pm each night. Our family loves it!
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Thanks, J.D.! This, along with many other old-time radio shows, have entertained my family for years. Throw in the old Dragnet, Suspense, The Shadow and, our favorite – Gunsmoke, and you have years of entertainment. It’s amazing how well so many of these old shows hold up even today.
Thanks for sharing The Cinnamon Bear and helping spread the joys of Old-Time-Radio!
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I still have the cassette tapes of this we’d listen to on the 8 hour car rides to grandma’s… even when it wasn’t Christmas time! Glad to see it being passed on in a format modern kids might actually use.
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I just dl’d the first two installments and played them for the kids during lunch (after we finished setting up the Christmas tree). They were shockingly quiet and totally engrossed. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to do daily installments, but it looks like we’ll work our way through them between now and Christmas.
And now, it’s time for our tradition of watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation every year after we finish setting up the Christmas tree.
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Hey JD– maybe next year you could post a week ahead of 11/29, for those of us who might want to download and burn to mail to our nieces and nephew.
I’ll put a reminder to myself on rememberthemilk for next year, though! Thanks!
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Just wanted to thank you for posting this. Me and my girlfriend will be following along with it through Christmas just for fun. This is just the thing we were looking for to add a little something unique to our Christmas season this year.
All the best!
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My eldest loved listening to these last year, and was so happy when I told him it was time for them to start. Thanks so much for posting these, they are wonderful.
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OMG! Childhood memories of Oregon!!! This post made my day!!!
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Thank you so much for posting this! My girls, ages 9 and 5, listened and followed along each day last year. When I told them that it was time to do it again this year, they squealed with delight. It’s one of the only times they’ll sit at the computer together and get along with each other, because they’re too busy listening intently. If you hadn’t posted it again this year, I would have surely forgotten about it.
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I listened to this as a kid, too. Love it! Thanks for posting.
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I listened to this program religiously while I was young. My youngest brother always wanted to be the Cinnamon Bear (once he grew up enough to figure out that someone was inside that bear suit at Lipman’s). Well, after college, he went to work for what was then the May Company (who had agreed in contract to continue sponsoring the show on radio in Portland), and sure enough, he managed to “become” the Cinnamon Bear. I have a picture of my twins (then about age 3) on his lap. They are now 26.
And I still listen to the program…
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I just found your blog via The Simple Dollar and I can barely even type I’m so giddy. I cannot believe that you have all of these episodes here! I’m 30 years old and grew up listening to this gorgeous Christmas program every year. My mom is huge fan of “old time” radio and she shared it with us as kids. I’m beside myself- this is such a gift. I’m going to play the first few installments for my little girl this weekend. Ohhhh! Thank you! I can recite so much of the story. I got shivers just hearing the announcer’s voice. Thank you, again!
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I grew up in Salem, Oregon listening to this radio program on KEX. Thank you for collecting this information on the Cinnamon Bear. I went searching for it this year because I wanted to share the program with a friend. As a child I looked forward every year to listening to the program. The family would stop everything to turn on the radio and listen. I now live in Wyoming and wondered if the program was available. Thanks again. Merry Christmas.
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Thanks for this wonderful story. It’s great and I’ve linked you up to my website for my visitors to enjoy. BTW, do you like listening to music from the 1920s, 1930′s 1940s? There’s a radio station here in Reno that plays great stuff from that era every Wednesday and Sunday nights that you can listen to online. I highly recommend you tune in. It will become your favorite, I swear! Details with link here:
http://tinyurl.com/982364
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My son (age 7) and I listen to these every year on 103.3 radio (portland, oregon area). He has a big note on the radio, and he even had me put a daily reminder in my phone “in case we are out and have to listen in the car, Mommy”. We enjoy these so much! Happy Holidays!
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I wanted to say thank you for posting the cinnamon bear. My family and I have just finishing listening to all of the stories and everyone really enjoyed it. Even the kids (7, 8 and 10 years old) enjoyed it and looked forward to listening to it each night. This will be come a Christmas tradition for us.
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What a wonderful discovery-my wife must have heard me discussing this earlier today. But did any of the readers out there actually meet the Cinnamon Bear? I did as small child while my mother was shopping in downtown Portland at the Lipman Wolf & Co.department store. He scared the cinnnnnamon out of me!!!!
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I first eard this in 1945, and have never tired of it.One time in the summer me and my steel crew guyslistened to this while on my boat. I have played this for the neighbors (young and old) while in the yard around a campfire. I am now living in the Philippines and we play this at our christmas dinner on the ocean. It is available on CD. Try radio spirits. com
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The Cinnamon Bear is available on CD. Try radiospirits.com
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Am I mistaken, or does the Cinnamon Bear introduce himself as Paddy O’Sullivan in episode one?
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He introduces himself as ‘Paddy O’Cinnamon’. I love this show and listen to it every year. What a fun tradition!
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Back in the ’50′s I listened to The Cinnamon Bear on the radio (we didn’t have a television) every day after school. I have looked for it ever since and when I found it on the internet, I was so excited. I listen to it every year now again and I am 64 years old so you don’t get too old to enjoy it! Thanks for sharing!
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In the very early 1940′s, as a young child I sang the Cinnamon Bear song on Riverside, CA’s KPRO Radio Station and received a $25.00 War Bond. It’s a lot of fun to be listening to my favorite childhood’s Christmas story again. Thank you for making it available.
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My Dad used to play this for me when I was a kid (from about 1979 to 1984) on his old reel to reel machine. When he put them on audio tape we would always listen to the final episode while driving around looking at xmas lights and staring up at the sky to see if I could see Santa. Pure magic. Well tonight I just played the 1st 3 episodes for my 8yr old daughter and she cannot wait to hear episode 4 to see if they can find the silver star in the root beer ocean!
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Thanks for posting this! Great memories of listening to this in the 70′s while living in Portland. We all gathered around a 1941 Zenith radio to listen in. I have that radio now and really want to get it working again. Merry Christmas!
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I remember this well….living in Portland as a kid, rushing though dinner to lay on the couch and listen to the Cinnamon Bear! I am 45 and still remember this story from childhood. It was great hearing it again and remembering the fun!
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Thank you for The Cinnamon Bear. I used to listen to the story every year, along with the rest of the town, Aliance, Nebraska, every year. I have been looking for it for at least 50 years. Thank you for preserving it, and sharing it with us. What a great Christmas present!
Evelyn Dawursk
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