Before Adventures in Odyssey existed, Focus on the Family was already experimenting with creating audio drama. One production they aired in 1986 is called Gone Fishing and follows the character Larry Turner as he skips work to go fishing, and bumps into another man who gives him a talking-to. You can hear this episode for free on the Official Podcast. Plus, we hear an interview with Chuck Bolte, who voices Larry in this episode and would later go on to play George Barclay. Chuck talks about how he got involved with Focus on the Family and got the actors together for their early productions. He also discusses plenty of fun memories of working with Hal Smith, the first voice of John Avery Whittaker. Check out the podcast.
Bob Smithouser has co-hosted the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast with Jesse Florea for over ten years. But now this month's AIO Club episode, Out to Sea, marks Bob's debut as a script writer on the AIO team. If you're a club member you can hear the show now. In this episode Whit, Eugene, and Wooton are visiting the Florida Keys for an ocean getaway when they suddenly land in a boatload of trouble. Bob has been interviewed in this week's edition of the podcast, along with co-writer Phil Lollar. Bob discusses his background growing up near the ocean, bringing back Captain Quidd from Aloha Oy! (Album 19), and the differences between the early drafts and the final show. He also discusses receiving feedback on his script, rewrites, bringing Phil Lollar on board, making cuts, crafting the surprise ending, and more. Plus, a surprise guest shows up. Check out the podcast interview. Actor Townsend Coleman, the voice of Odyssey's favorite spy Jason Whittaker, was just interviewed on an episode of the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast. Townsend discusses his experience recording the live show on the Focus on the Family cruise last year, interacting with the listening audience, and the time he rappelled out of a twelve-story apartment building with nothing more than a garden hose. He also talks about being a contestant on a game show, how action scenes differ from other scenes, Drake the Cosmic Copper, being emotionally impacted while recording the Album 65 episode The Toy, Jason's future, and more. Check out the podcast interview. It's been precisely one year since fans joined the Focus on the Family cruise in the Bahamas to celebrate 30 years of Adventures in Odyssey and 40 years of FOTF. During the cruise the Odyssey actors performed a special live show, which featured appearances from Whit, Connie, Eugene, Jason, Wooton, Dale Jacobs, Jules Kendall, Grayson Smith, the host Chris, Philip Glossman, and many more. Some months back the Official Podcast released a video with highlights from the cruise, including the first 15 minutes from the live show. Whether you were one of the lucky ones on board the cruise or not, now is the perfect time to think back and reminisce about Adventures in Odyssey's 30th birthday celebration. You can watch that video below. The full live show is available for members of the AIO Club. On the latest video edition of the Official Podcast, writer and director Marshal Younger talks about what inspired the Album 65 episode The Sandwich Initiative, which features the Parker family. Marshal discusses how, many years ago, his three-year-old daughter decided she wasn’t going to eat her breakfast. This set off a multi-hour standoff between father and daughter that later inspired the Odyssey episode. Watch the video podcast to witness the battle of wills as well as an incredible story from an Adventures in Odyssey listener. You can check out the video below. The Washington family hasn't appeared together on Adventures in Odyssey since Album 50, which is over ten years ago. Marvin recently returned last year on the AIO Club episode Unfair Game, and now Ed is back in the Album 65 episode The Toy. The voice actor behind Ed Washington, Mark Christopher Lawrence, was just interviewed on the Official Podcast. Mark discusses his style of stand-up comedy, performing at churches, getting recognized for his voice, and the most engaging Odyssey fan he's ever met. He also talks about his latest episode, memories from recording in the studio, tips for aspiring comedians and much more. Check out the podcast interview. This month the Adventures in Odyssey Club released a new exclusive episode called Beyond Repair, in which Pastor Wilson Knox tries to help a conflicted young woman, Alicia, who decides to visit her father in prison. The episode is affiliated with the ministry of Prison Fellowship and project Angel Tree. Now the Official Podcast has just put out an interview with Patti Hammonds, senior manager with Angel Tree. She talks about the true story that inspired this episode, why a Christmas show is airing in October and how we can share Jesus' love by helping others. She also discusses the kids involved with Angel Tree, the importance of second chances, and sharing the gospel. Plus, we hear a preview of Album 65. Check out the podcast interview. Andre Stojka, the voice of John Avery Whittaker, appears this week on the Official Podcast to read to us the first three chapters of The Traitor's Treasure, the first book in the new Young Whit series. In this book we learn that "something sinister happened decades ago to disgrace the Whittaker name. Can ten-year-old Johnny discover the truth—and find the traitor’s treasure—before they are gone forever?" You can already purchase The Traitor's Treasure in stores and online at Amazon, Focus on the Family and Christianbook. The sequel, entitled The Shroud of Secrecy, will be released in April 2019. While you listen to Mr. Whittaker read, you can follow along for yourself using the preview provided by Google books. Feel free to read along as Andre Stojka introduces us to the world of young John Avery Whittaker on the Official Podcast. If you are following along, just note that he doesn't read the prologue at the very beginning, but rather starts at Chapter 1. Longtime Adventures in Odyssey writer and director Bob Hoose was recently interviewed by the hosts of the Official Podcast about a new AIO Club episode, A Predicament of Biblical Proportions. Bob and Candi Cushman, the founder of Bring Your Bible to School, discuss religious freedom, the emotional connections that drama creates, and the changes to the episode script from draft to draft. They also talk about the show's similarities to the Album 42 episode Called on in Class, the creation of the character Buddy Norman, the importance of faith and more. Check out the podcast interview. But the Official Podcast isn't the only place to find Odyssey interviews. The AIO Blog also had a chance to interview Bob Hoose earlier this year. In that interview Bob talks about his favorite episodes and characters, and sheds light on an upcoming story arc featuring Morrie Rydell. You can listen to that interview here. John Avery Whittaker, the main character of Adventures in Odyssey, is a fascinating person when you think about it. Whit served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, founded the Universal Press Foundation, and has made his mark on Odyssey as an inventor, teacher, spy, and owner of everyone's favorite ice cream shop and discovery emporium, known as Whit's End. Now Focus on the Family is embarking on the release of a brand-new book series to delve further into Mr. Whittaker's past. The series is entitled Young Whit and so far we have information about its first two volumes. The first book, The Traitor's Treasure, has just been released and is now available from Amazon, Focus on the Family and Christianbook. In this story Whit attempts to solve a mystery involving missing Confederate gold from the time of the Civil War. It is written by longtime Adventures in Odyssey writers and producers Phil Lollar and Dave Arnold. You can hear an interview with both of them on the Official Podcast where they discuss their inspiration for this exciting new project. The second book in the series, called The Shroud of Secrecy, will be released in April 2019 and is available now for preorder from Amazon and Christianbook. |