Adventures in Odyssey, commonly abbreviated AIO or simply Odyssey, is an Evangelical Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series created by Phil Lollar and Steve Harris for Focus on the Family in 1987. The Adventures in Odyssey logo This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... Radio drama is a form of audio storytelling broadcast on radio. ... Radio comedy, or comedic radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve sitcom elements, sketches, and many other forms of comedy found on other mediums. ... Phil Lollar serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... Steve Harris serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... Harold John Hal Smith (August 24, 1916 - January 28, 1994) was an American character actor and voice-over artist. ... Katie Leigh (born December 16, 1958) is an American voice actress. ... Will Ryan is a voice actor originally from Cleveland, Ohio. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Dave Madden (born on 17 December 1931 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian–American actor most famous for his role as Reuben Kincaid on The Partridge Family. ... For the football (soccer) player, see Allan Young. ... Earl Boen (born November 7, 1945 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Townsend Coleman (born May 1954) is an American voice actor. ... Steve Burns (born March 4, 1956) is an actor known for his voicing of characters Rodney Rathbone and Robert Mitchell in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Corey Burton (born August 3, 1955), is an animation voice actor. ... Jonathan Taylor Thomas (born September 8, 1981) is an American child actor and former teen idol, perhaps best remembered for his roles of middle child Randy Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement and the voice of the young Simba in Disneys The Lion King. ... The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... The graphic identity of Focus on the Family is intended to recall old time traditional values. ... In the television industry (as in radio), syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast programs to multiple stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Evangelicalism, in a strictly lexical, but rarely used sense, refers to all things that are implied in belief that Jesus is the savior. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Radio drama is a form of audio storytelling broadcast on radio. ... Radio comedy, or comedic radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve sitcom elements, sketches, and many other forms of comedy found on other mediums. ... Phil Lollar serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... Steve Harris serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... The graphic identity of Focus on the Family is intended to recall old time traditional values. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

The series centers on the fictional town of Odyssey; in particular, the owner, employees, and patrons of an ice cream and discovery emporium called "Whit's End." Episodes range from purely comedic episodes to extremely melodramatic arc episodes, but nearly always feature thematic and direct references to the Bible. Characters openly discuss Christianity in the context of individual episodes, and certain episodes present reenactments of Bible stories. Odyssey is the fictional setting for the Christian-themed radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ... Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ... Customers are waiting in front of a famous fashion shop for its grand opening in Hong Kong. ... Missing image Ice cream is often served on a stick Boxes of ice cream are often found in stores in a display freezer. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Emporium is an old-fashioned term for a Department store and for marketplaces or trading centers in ancient cities. ... Whits End is the centerpiece of the radio series Adventures in Odyssey, founded, owned, and operated by John Avery Whittaker. ... The word comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humor with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In literature, a theme is a broad idea in a story, or a message or lesson conveyed by a work. ... For referencing in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Citing sources. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Bible stories, Judeo-Christian parables retelling some portions of the Bible, have long had a place in family religious worship, spiritual instruction, literature, and the cultural underpinnings of many Christian and Jewish societies. ...

Now beginning its 48th album, 20 years AIO has spanned 630 half-hour radio episodes, 13 pilot episodes, 17 animated videos, 15 books, and numerous edutainment computer games, in addition to related merchandise and the Passages spinoff book series. The show can be heard on hundreds of radio stations in the United States, Canada and around the world.[1] The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... Edutainment (also educational entertainment or entertainment-education) is a form of entertainment designed to educate as well as to amuse. ... Software redirects here. ... In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. ... The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... For other uses, see Book (disambiguation). ... A radio station is a site configured for broadcasting sound. ...

History

Beginnings

The idea of AIO began in the mid-1970S with Steve Harris, then Coordinator of Promotion with Focus on the Family's Broadcasting Department. The VP of Focus on the Family along with other production staff were discussing ideas for the upcoming Christmas broadcasts when Steve Harris suggested a radio drama. Harris, with consent of Focus on the Family executives Mike Trout and Bobbie Valentine, decided to produce a Christmas-themed radio drama called "Spare Tire" for airing during the 1983 holiday season. The drama, which featured only two actors, was a "smashing success", ¹ and paved the way for a second and third Christmas drama, the 98 "House Guest" and the 98 "Gone Fishin'". Both of these dramas included actor Hal Smith, who would later portray AIO main character John Avery Whittaker, and Chuck Bolte, who would portray George Barclay. For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Events Roman emperor Nerva succeeded by Trajan Tacitus finished his Germania (approximate date) Births Deaths January 27: Nerva, Roman emperor Apollonius of Tyana, Greek/Roman philosopher and mathematician (b. ... Events Roman emperor Nerva succeeded by Trajan Tacitus finished his Germania (approximate date) Births Deaths January 27: Nerva, Roman emperor Apollonius of Tyana, Greek/Roman philosopher and mathematician (b. ... Harold John Hal Smith (August 24, 1916 - January 28, 1994) was an American character actor and voice-over artist. ... John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... The following is list of characters from the radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ...

In the spring of 1986, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson interviewed Bruce Wilkinson on the subject of media influence in modern society. Wilkinson persuaded Dobson that complaining about media programming was not enough -- that Christians should produce their own programming as a replacement. Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... James Clayton Jim Dobson, Ph. ... Dr. Bruce Wilkinson is a well known Christian teacher and book writer. ...

In response, Dobson called on Steve Harris to launch a radio series. Focus on the Family hired Phil Lollar, a filmmaker and screenwriter, and Harris and Lollar began to work on creating the program, but disagreements abounded concerning the show's format. Initial plans for a variety show faded; eventually, the two decided on a "30-minute weekly drama/comedy program set in a small town, centering on the problems, foibles, antics, relationships, and goings-on of the people with the town."^[2] Phil Lollar serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... A variety show is a show with a variety of acts, often including music and comedy skits, especially on television. ...

The two then established the setting, disagreeing on Oregon or Ohio (but selecting the latter). Lollar named the town "Odyssey" after seeing William F. Buckley's United Nations Journal: A Delegate's Odyssey on his bookshelf. Next, the name of the program's main character was chosen: John Avery Whittaker. "Whit's End" was created, and Lollar wrote detailed histories and descriptions of Odyssey, John Avery Whittaker, and Whit's End. By mid-1986, Focus on the Family approved the show's description, and hired a new writer, Susan McBride. In early fall, Focus on the Family decided to finance a 13-episode test series, Family Portraits, which would determine whether the idea would fly or fail. Harris, Lollar, and McBride wrote the pilot episode, FP1: "Whit's Visitor" during November 1986; it was produced by Focus on the Family's Bob Luttrell in December 1986, and aired on January 5, 1987. Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Greater Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Odyssey is the fictional setting for the Christian-themed radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ... William F. Buckley may refer to: William Francis Buckley, U.S. Army officer and CIA operative William F. Buckley, Jr. ... John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... Whits End is the centerpiece of the radio series Adventures in Odyssey, founded, owned, and operated by John Avery Whittaker. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ...

Focus on the Family received over 4,000 positive responses from listeners, fueling the show's development. Joe Glauberg, a staff writer for Happy Days and Mork and Mindy, was brought in to help generate creative direction. The final Family Portraits episode, FP13: "A Simple Addition", aired on April 13, 1987, leaving the entire summer for Harris and Lollar to move the series from testing stage to full-time production. For other uses, see Happy Days (disambiguation). ... Mork & Mindy was a sci-fi-based American sitcom broadcast from 1978 until 1982 on the American Broadcasting Company. ...

Over the summer of 1987, production moved, along with the rest of Focus on the Family, from Arcadia, California to Pomona. The new show, called Odyssey USA (OUSA), retained only two main characters from Family Portraits: John Avery Whittaker and Tom Riley; the pilot, 1: "Whit's Flop", premiered on November 21, 1987. Basic Info Arcadia is a city located in United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Pomona is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, in the eastern San Gabriel Valley. ... John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... Tom Riley is a film, television and theatre actor, born in Maidstone, Kent, England on April 5, 1981. ...

The First Decade - 1986 to 1996

The first major change in Odyssey USA occurred in April 1988, after only 24 episodes of the new program. Focus on the Family Broadcasting VP Mike Trout argued that the inclusion of "USA" in the program's name would alienate listeners outside the United States (and, in particular, in Canada). Thus, the show's name was changed to Adventures in Odyssey. (All back episodes of OUSA were relabeled.)

The program also gained recurring characters, a feature that Family Portraits lacked (other than Whit). Most important were the introductions of Connie Kendall, Eugene Meltsner, and the Barclay family, as well as more appearances of Tom Riley. A few Family Portraits episodes were rewritten and aired as AIO episodes with similar stories but different characters. Connie Kendall is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Eugene Meltsner is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Will Ryan. ... Tom Riley is a film, television and theatre actor, born in Maidstone, Kent, England on April 5, 1981. ...

The program also took many creative leaps and bounds almost right from the start. The show saw 29 albums released in that time starting with "Family Portraits" and ending with "Welcome Home." Within that time many story arcs were introduced including the infamous Blackgaard saga,and the conversion of Connie. The Blackgaard saga, named after villian Dr. Regis Blackgaard, is the defining story arc of the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey. ...

The first decade -- lasting through December 1996 -- saw production of 372 AIO episodes Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

The Second Decade and on

After 10 years of non stop production, the format and schedule of production needed a change. Therefore, a break was called and from December 1996 to September 1997 production halted on Adventures In Odyssey.

When the show came back there were three significant changes.

First, was that Hal Smith had obviously passed on and Paul Herlinger took over the voice of John Avery Whittaker. The First Decade had ended with Whit making a very welcome return to Odyssey and it seemed the perfect place to step back and brain storm about where the show would go from there.

Secondly, almost all of the normal child actors were not brought back including Kurt, Isaac, Oscar, and Lucy. The only surviving "child" was Rodney Rathbone. Other main characters were brought back such as Tom and Connie. All of the old story lines had been wrapped up and it was time to introduce new characters or flush out the newer ones such as Jack and Jason, to make the show more fresh and hopefully more accessible to new listeners.

Finally, production turned into a system more like television complete with a season premiere and finale.

There was also a hiatus from November 1998 to September 1999, though four new episodes aired in the spring of 1999.

Officer David Harley

One of the most controversial decisions made on the show was involving a character by the name of Officer David Harley played by Will Ryan (who also voices Eugene Meltsner). Will Ryan is a voice actor originally from Cleveland, Ohio. ...

He made his first appearance in the third AIO episode, "Lights Out at Whit's End." His final appearance was on an unreleased 2 part arc called "The Return of Harley."

His character was one of a local Police Officer that was not too bright but with a good heart and good intentions. His appearance on the show caused a large amount of response from parents concerned about how his persona would send the wrong message about real police officers and his character was later dropped with little or no explanation as far as the show plot goes.

The majority of the shows that Officer Harley appeared in were later re-recorded and re-aired under different titles with another character, Harlow Doyle: Private Eye who was again voiced by Will Ryan. Other episodes had the character of Eugene replacing Officer Harley. If an episode was not redone, it was not released at all.

Later on when a demand for the original episodes to be re-released came up, an album called "The Early Classics" was released in 1992. It featured many of the original episodes with new intros and outtros by Chris along with the re-recording of other episodes to remove Officer Harley. The currently available Adventures in Odyssey albums contain only 3 episodes with Officer Harley. The other episodes are only available on the out of print "Odyssey USA" and "Adventures in Odyssey" albums, along with individual tapes that were only available for a short time after the original broadcasts. Tapes from the original release are now something of a collector's piece.

The main lesson that people learned was that Focus on the Family listened to their listeners by removing Officer Harley and later bringing him back in the form of Harlow Doyle.

Whither Whit?

The most significant change to AIO came in 1994, when Hal Smith died of a heart attack. With that, the voice of the AIO main character was gone. Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Harold John Hal Smith (August 24, 1916 - January 28, 1994) was an American character actor and voice-over artist. ... Acute myocardial infarction (AMI or MI), more commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease state that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. ...

Of course, a number of yet-unaired episodes had been recorded, giving the AIO writers time to plan a course of action. Starting in episode #274: "First-Hand Experience", two of the show's main characters, Eugene and Bernard, left on a trip to California. This six-episode arc, which followed Eugene and Bernard's trip, gave the writers over a month to decide the fate of Whit back in Odyssey. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Eugene and Bernard arrive back in Odyssey in episode #280: "Gone . . .", learning that Whit has taken a position in Israel with the Universal Press Foundation's Missions Board, and that due to the urgent nature of the vacancy, Whit is scheduled to leave that day. Eugene and Bernard race to the airport, only to find that Whit has just departed. The episode uses several clips of Whit from past episodes, in addition to clips of a tape Hal Smith sent to the AIO staff shortly after the death of his wife, to create the scenes with Whit.

Whit returned to Odyssey in 1996; since that time, he has been voiced by Paul Herlinger.

New Directions

• The "Split" era

The "Split" era refers to a time period in AIO history when the producers were searching for a new Whit. In 1994, After Hal Smith died, the character of John Avery Whitaker was sent to the Middle East so the producers could find a new actor to play Whit. Two characters took over running Whit's End and to help fill the void Whit left. Jason Whitaker, Whit's son, who was in occasional episodes took front and center to help fill Whit’s absence. He portrayed the adventurous side of Whit. He also possessed Whit's inventing skills. Whit's wisdom and faith were found in a new character, Jack Allen. Jack and Whit were lifelong friends, and Jack took over Whit's "grandfatherly" attributes, aiding the kids in moral dilemmas and being the spiritual leader of the gang at Whit's End. The attributes of Whit were split between Jason and Jack and the show continued on.

• Departure of Will Ryan

Between 2000 and 2005 the character of Eugene was nowhere to be found. While he was involved in the Novacom saga, he never actually spoke during these shows. Only things about him were mentioned, like the fact that his apartment had been ransacked (Plan-B; Missing in Action). This absence of Eugene was due to the absence of Will Ryan, the actor who played Eugene. Eugene and Will Ryan returned in 2005 in "A Most Intriguing Question." The absence of Eugene was explained by saying that he and Katrina had toured the world. Eugene has been on the show steadily since that date.

• Novacom and new directions

The Novacom saga was a major series in AIO. The saga lasted between 2000 and 2002. It dealt with the evil doings of a TV company named Novacom, Andromeda (the parent company), and all of their minions such as Dr. Charles. They planned on using mind control to rule the world. During this saga, Whit opened a new Whit's End in Connellsville. Many new character were introduced then cut after the series ended in the spring of '02. During this series, Robert Mitchell (Mitch), who was allegedly murdered, but later found to be alive, was introduced and he and Connie became a couple. Cal Jordan (Alex Jefferson's cousin) was also introduced. Jason Whitaker became a more prominent character, but after the end of the Novacom series, he returned to his minor role that he had before the series began. Cal and Mitch exited soon after the end of the Novacom series as well. Aubrey and the Shepard family also were cut after this Novacom saga. Another major outcome from the saga was the tone of the show. The Novacom series was very mature for the usually young audience (8-12 yrs. old.) While the Novacom saga is a favorite of many Odyssey fans young and old, AIO has been quite different ever since. In general the tone has been much more light hearted with little of the intrigue found in during the Novacom days.

• Changing of Connie

Connie Kendall has had several personalities during the AIO history. Early on in the series, she was a very rebellious teen. She had a lot of spunk and rebellion as many teens do. After she became a Christian in the early 90s, she was still spunky, but better behaved and more intent on doing God's will. After the Novacom series and her failed relationship with Mitch, she has become very different. In great contrast to her early days, Connie went through a whiny weak stage. The current Connie is normally a mellow, calm, level-headed Christian who occasionally relapses into her spunky self.

Whit's Partner

Walker Edmiston voice of the beloved Tom Riley and Bart Rathbone died on February 15th, 2007. Walker was a man loved by those who knew him, and his character was loved around the globe. A tribute to Walker Edmiston and his characters on AIO is available from the March 21, 2007 edition of the AIO podcast.

Errors

Lucy Cunningham-Schultz

Lucy is explained to have two last names because her dad died in a car wreck, but in all reality, two writers in two different episodes gave her completely different last names and the error wasn't discovered until later.

Structure

Format

AIO is atypical in that it does not fall cleanly into either comedy or melodrama category, and episode plots range from the farcical (e.g., #440: "I Slap Floor") to the extremely serious (e.g., #499, "Exit"). In all, approximately one-third of all episodes fall in the purely comic category, a third in the purely dramatic category, and the remaining third are hybrid. However, all episodes are written to convey some moral, and a Bible reference verse, and are written to be both entertaining and acceptable to all age groups. This article is about the use of the moral in storytelling. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ...

Most radio episodes are written to fit in a half-hour broadcast window, though it is not uncommon for a single episode to span multiple half-hour segments, divided into numbered parts (each carrying their own production number). To date, there have been 64 multi-part episodes, with the four-part "Plan B" the largest (episode #484, #485, #486, & #487). Major storylines, as with other melodramas, span numerous episodes. The Novacom saga, for example, spans 29 episodes, originally aired over a 20-month timeframe. 64 (sixty-four) is the natural number following 63 and preceding 65. ... Look up Month in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Initially, each AIO episode began and ended with a short story segment, usually around two minutes total, involving the program's host, Chris. (Chris seemed to exist in both the real world and in the fictional AIO universe.) These "wrap-arounds" introduced and highlighted the subject of the episode; at the end, Chris would give the Bible verses supporting the theme of the particular episode, as well as production credits and, occasionally, contact information for Focus on the Family. Eventually, it was decided that these wrap-arounds had become so elaborate that they detracted from the main story and Odyssey plotline, and starting in 1991, Chris's role was reduced to a brief introduction ("Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey!"), followed by John Campbell's AIO music theme. However, Chris retained the role of concluding each episode with a recapitulation and biblical reference. In multi-part episodes, Chris introduces the later segments by introducing select informative soundbites ("Last time, on Adventures in Odyssey . . ."). This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Another change to the introduction came shortly thereafter: Chris's welcome statement was overlaid onto the musical theme, followed by a welcome from main character John Avery Whittaker, after which a selection of soundbites from the episode were juxtaposed to create a (usually) comedic preview of the episode. John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

This format has remained, albeit with a few minor changes. First, beginning with the 1994 episode "Second Thoughts", various characters followed Chris in welcoming listeners to the program (a change originating when the character of "Whit" was absent from the show from 1994 to 1996). Second, beginning with episode #144, "Someone to Watch Over Me", the AIO theme and welcome sequence was moved to follow the opening scene in select episodes, similar to most modern-day television melodramas and sitcoms. Third, voice acting credits were added to engineering credits read by Chris at the show's conclusion. Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

The only other experiment regarding the AIO format began with episodes #428a, "The Eternal Birthday" and #428b, "Imaginary Friend", two quarter-hour episodes designed to air within the same half-hour time slot. Each "half-episode" was independent of the other, and generally tended to the comical because of the limited development possible in a shorter time frame. After ten such "splits", the idea was abandoned (AIO fans claimed splits catered to a declining attention span among youth.) [3]

The current format, for most episodes, is thus:

1. Musical theme
2. Chris's introductory welcome
3. Introduction from a character
4. Soundbite preview of the episode
5. Episode, with two commercial breaks
6. Chris's conclusion, with episode summary, moral take-away, Bible reference, and voice, engineering, writing, and production credits

The timespan of individual AIO episodes also varies greatly. The shortest episode is 223: "Real Time"; the episode covers events that take place in approximately twenty-two minutes of Odyssey time (the actual episode is 22 minutes, 51 seconds long). However, other episodes contain events in Odyssey that may occur over more than a month, for example, 182: "The Scales of Justice" and 202: "Timmy's Cabin".

Broadcasts

AIO is broadcast through thousands of radio stations in the United States and Canada. Station finder In addition, online broadcasting occurs through OnePlace.com Listen online. Many stations rerun episodes daily (synchronous with one another); new episodes are aired on Saturday mornings, at 10:00 AM.

Releases

See Album list for more information.

AIO is in a relatively unique position. Most radio dramas were popular before the advent of inexpensive and convenient recording and playback formats, and back episodes were never released. AIO, however, began near the end of the cassette tape era, and Focus on the Family decided to use that medium to create albums of AIO episodes, a decade before the custom became popular of releasing TV series on DVD. The early albums contained six cassette tapes, with two episodes per tape, and were the primary release format through 1992, with most of the first 208 episodes released exclusively on cassette (a few remain unreleased to this day). The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... Typical 60-minute Compact Cassette. ... The graphic identity of Focus on the Family is intended to recall old time traditional values. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

In 1993, the 16th AIO album, Flights of Imagination, was released for both audio cassette and on four CDs. Dual-release, on both cassette and CD, was the tactic used for all albums from 16 to 45 which are available on both audio cassette and CD. Since then Focus on the Family has since gone back and reissued albums 1-15 in CD format as well including an extra album of never before released episodes. CD redirects here. ...

In 2006 Focus on the Family said that album 45 would be the last album to be released on both cassette and CD, limiting future releases to CD only.

Themes

AIO reflects the beliefs and stances of its parent organization, Focus on the Family, a U.S.-based interdenominational, evangelical non-profit organization. All episodes are based on a certain scriptural reference, though the inclusion may range from simply the Chris's thematic summary at the end of the program, to the religious topic being discussed throughout the episode. Some episodes deal with general moral principles, such as honesty or trust, with little reference to Christianity in particular (for example, #158: "A License to Drive"). Others, however, concern doctrinal topics such as Christology, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, and so forth (for example, #357, "The Search for Whit, part 3"; #330, "The Time Has Come"; and, #122-#123, "Castles and Cauldrons, parts 1-2", respectively). Most, though not always all, of the protagonists are Christians, and prayers and church events are regularly included in episodes. However, denominational issues are not considered. For example, most Christian characters attend churches with such nondenominational names as "Odyssey Community Church" and "Odyssey Bible Church". The graphic identity of Focus on the Family is intended to recall old time traditional values. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ecumenism. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The word evangelicalism often refers to... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... Honest redirects here, For other uses, see Honesty (disambiguation) Look up honesty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Trust is the belief in the good character of one party, presumed to seek to fulfill policies, ethical codes, law and their previous promises. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Christology is a field of study... For other uses, see Salvation (disambiguation). ... There are various opinions and definitions for Spiritual Warfare, however it can be summed up in the following quote: Some speak of [Spiritual Warfare as being] the struggle between good and evil. ... This article is about the religous people known as Christians. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ...

In addition, the principle of Biblical inerrancy is ascribed to most of the protagonists, especially John Avery Whittaker. As such, references to and re-enactments of Bible stories are regular, and interpreted as factual. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Biblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position... John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... Bible stories, Judeo-Christian parables retelling some portions of the Bible, have long had a place in family religious worship, spiritual instruction, literature, and the cultural underpinnings of many Christian and Jewish societies. ...

Some serious topics dealt with in AIO include:

• Death and the afterlife, in #211 & #212: "The Mortal Coil, Parts 1 & 2" & #241: "Forever...Amen"
• Abortion, in #134: "Pamela Has a Problem"
• Espionage and terrorism in #290 & #291: "A Name, Not a Number, Parts 1 & 2
• Spiritual warfare in #122-#123: "Castles and Cauldrons, Parts 1-2"
• Mind control and ethics in the Novacom saga
• Creationism versus evolution in #68: "Choices"
• Addiction in #288: "The Twilife Zone", #350: "The Time of Our Lives", and #537, "My Girl Hallie"
• Bigotry in #129: "Not One of Us"
• Guardian angels in #144: "Someone to Watch Over Me" & #540: "The Girl in the Sink"
• The Underground Railroad and slavery in #314, #315, & #316: "The Underground Railroad, Parts 1 - 3"
• Separation of church and state in #214: "The Living Nativity"
• Historical revisionism in #308: "Subject Yourself"
• Frivolous lawsuits in #306: "A Victim of Circumstance"
• Divorce in #592: "Now More Than Ever", #597: "Out of Our Hands", #603: "The Family Next Door" & #615: "Only by His Grace"
• Adoption in #605 & #606: "The Chosen One Parts 1 & 2"

For other uses, see Death (disambiguation), Dead (disambiguation), Death (band) or Deceased (band). ... For other uses, see Afterlife (disambiguation). ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... Terrorist redirects here. ... There are various opinions and definitions for Spiritual Warfare, however it can be summed up in the following quote: Some speak of [Spiritual Warfare as being] the struggle between good and evil. ... Mind control (or thought control) has the premise that an outside source can control an individuals thinking, behavior or consciousness (either directly or more subtly). ... Creationism is a religious belief that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe were created in their original form by a deity or deities (often the Abrahamic God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam), whose existence is presupposed. ... This article is about evolution in biology. ... For other uses, see addicted. ... A bigot is a prejudiced person who is intolerant of opinions, lifestyles, or identities differing from his or her own. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about a 19th-century slave escape route. ... Slave redirects here. ... Constantines Conversion, depicting the conversion of Emperor Constantine the Great to Christianity, by Peter Paul Rubens. ... In Parson Weems Fable (1939) Grant Wood takes a sly poke at a traditional hagiographical account of George Washington Historical revisionism has both a legitimate academic use and a pejorative meaning. ... In courts, a defense or claim is termed frivolous if it is presented in spite of the fact that both the party and the partys attorney knew that it had no merit and it did not argue for a reasonable extension or reinterpretation of the law or no underlying... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. ... For other uses, see Adoption (disambiguation). ...

Characters

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (November 2006)

Main article: List of Adventures in Odyssey characters

• John Avery Whittaker, commonly known as "Whit", voiced by Hal Smith (1987 - 1994) and Paul Herlinger (1996 - present)
• Connie Kendall, the oldest Whit's End employee, voiced by Katie Leigh
• Eugene Meltsner, voiced by Will Ryan (1988-2000, 2005-present) (recently returned to AIO after 5 years)
• Katrina Shanks-Meltsner, voiced by Pamela Hayden and Audrey Wasilewski, Eugene's on-again, off-again girlfriend for many years who finally became his wife after a turbulent courtship
• Lenord Meltsner, Eugene's dad who was recently found.
• Bernard Walton, the town's window-washer, voiced by Dave Madden (actor)
• Tom Riley, the town's farmer, and good friend of Whit, voiced by Walker Edmiston (1987 - 2007)
• The Barclay family, including parents George and Mary, daughter Donna, and sons Jimmy and Stewart along with cat Ferguson (once belonged to Donna's friend Karen, who died of cancer) and dog Normal. The Barclays eventually left Odyssey for a small New England town called Pokenberry Falls, where George took a job as pastor of the local church.
• Jack Allen, childhood friend of Whit and current owner of the J & J Antique Shoppe, voiced by Alan Young
• Jason Whittaker, Whit's son, voiced by Townsend Coleman
• Bart Rathbone, manager of the Electric Palace, voiced by Walker Edmiston (1987-2007)
• Wooton Bassett, local postman, voiced by Jess Harnell
• Rodney Rathbone, Bart Rathbone's son, founder and leader of malicious gang The Bones of Wrath.
• Lucy Cunningham-Schultz, ace reporter and writer for The Odyssey Owl school newspaper and freelance writer for the chief city newspaper, The Odyssey Times. Voiced by Genni (Mullen) Long.
• Dr. Regis Blackgaard, the villain who attempts to take over the town of Odyssey. In the series he is supposedly killed in a tunnel explosion; however, his character appeared in a later episode, in which he communicated with a character named Aubrey inside the Imagination Station. It was revealed that this was due to a virus which had gotten into the machine, and it was destroyed for good. Voiced by Earl Boen.
• Edwin Blackgaard, Regis's twin brother, owner of the Harlequin Dinner theater as well as the Electric Palace. Voiced by Earl Boen.
• Chris, the show's announcer, voiced by Chris Anthony

See Character list for more information. See AIOHQ.com Voices for a list of credited AIO voice actors. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... The following is list of characters from the radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ... John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... Harold John Hal Smith (August 24, 1916 - January 28, 1994) was an American character actor and voice-over artist. ... Connie Kendall is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Katie Leigh (born December 16, 1958) is an American voice actress. ... Eugene Meltsner is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Will Ryan. ... Will Ryan is a voice actor originally from Cleveland, Ohio. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pamela Hayden is an American actress, best known for providing various voices for the animated television show The Simpsons (1989). ... Bernard Walton is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Dave Madden. ... Dave Madden (born on 17 December 1931 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian–American actor most famous for his role as Reuben Kincaid on The Partridge Family. ... Tom Riley is a major character on the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Jack Allen is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Alan Young. ... For the football (soccer) player, see Allan Young. ... Jason Whittaker is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Townsend Coleman. ... Townsend Coleman (born May 1954) is an American voice actor. ... Bart Rathbone is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy serial Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Ed Walker (sometimes credited Walker Edmiston). Rathbone is known as a cheap and schemish businessman, always plugging The Electric Palace, an electronics store he manages, pushing questionable sales promotions, and launching... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it more accessible to a general audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Jess Q. Harnell (born December 23, 1963 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA), is an American voice actor, best known for portraying Wakko Warner and Walter Wolf on Animaniacs. ... Rodney Rathbone is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Steve Burns (I). ... Regis Blackgaard, often referenced with his proper title as Dr. Regis Blackgaard, is the perennial villain of the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey; he is voiced by Earl Boen (who also voices Regis Blackgaards identical-twin brother Edwin Blackgaard). ... This article is about biological infectious particles. ... Earl Boen (born November 7, 1945 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Edwin Blackgaard is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Earl Boen (who also voices Edwin Blackgaards identical-twin brother Dr. Regis Blackgaard). ... Earl Boen (born November 7, 1945 in New York City) is an American actor. ... The following is list of characters from the radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ...

AIO unquestionably centers on John Avery Whittaker, founder and proprietor of "Whit's End". "Whit", as he is called by most friends (Eugene Meltsner a notable and consistent exception), is a widower with a varied history, a history that often plays into episodes. After serving with the United States Navy in World War II, he was involved as a consultant with the National Security Agency. Later, he founded the Universal Press Foundation, an encyclopedia company, and became an elementary teacher. He and his late wife Jenny moved to Odyssey approximately ten years before the setting of the pilot episode of AIO. John Avery Whittaker, known to most friends and fans as Whit, is the main character of Adventures in Odyssey and the namesake of Odysseys most famous attraction, Whits End. Categories: Actor stubs ... Whits End is the centerpiece of the radio series Adventures in Odyssey, founded, owned, and operated by John Avery Whittaker. ... Eugene Meltsner is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Will Ryan. ... Alternate uses: see widow (typesetting). ... USN redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... “NSA” redirects here. ...

Helping Whit at "Whit's End" are his two main employees, Connie Kendall and Eugene Meltsner. Connie appeared in Odyssey in episode #4, "Connie Comes to Town", as a junior-high student. After graduating in episode #405, "The Graduate", she decided to continue to work at "Whit's End" full-time. Eugene, who first appeared as a college student in episode #51, "Connie, Part 1", began an internship at Whit's End while attending Campbell College. In recent years, his fellowship with the college has given him less opportunity to work at Whit's End, and the sensitive nature of his research caused him to flee Odyssey in the midst of the Novacom saga. After much soul-searching, Eugene returned to Odyssey in episode #564, "A Most Intriguing Question (Part 1)". Connie Kendall is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Eugene Meltsner is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Will Ryan. ...

The rest of the most prominent supporting characters include:

• Tom Riley, voiced by Walker Edmiston: a local farmer and former Odyssey mayor who is old friends with Whit, and his known for his relaxed, honest approach to all things. He owns and operates the "Timothy Center", named for his late son.
• Bernard Walton, voiced by Dave Madden: a friendly janitor known for his metaphorical antics. Serves as a common-sense foil to book-smart Eugene.
• Jack Allen, voiced by Alan Young: a childhood friend of Whit, who, along with his wife, Joanne, owns the "J & J Antique Shoppe"; known for being somewhat reticent.
• Jason Whittaker, voiced by Townsend Coleman: Whit's youngest son, who, similar to his father, is a former employee of the National Security Agency. Jason is known for his good looks, intelligence, and strong pro-technology tendencies that often conflict with the views of Jack Allen (with Allen serving as a common-sense foil to technophile Jason).
• Bart Rathbone, voiced by Walker Edmiston: scheming manager of the "Electric Palace", known for his half-baked entrepreneurial ideas, constant attempt to promote his store, and multiple ill-fated campaigns for the Mayorship of Odyssey.
• Rodney Rathbone, voiced by Steve Burns: the none-too-smart son of Bart Rathbone acts as local bully and head of the eponymous bad-boy gang "The Bones of Rath".
• Edwin Blackgaard, voiced by Earl Boen: identical twin brother of perennial villain Dr. Regis Blackgaard, a good-natured but egocentrical Shakespearian actor who owns, manages, and stars in the productions of the "Harlequin Dinner Theatre".
• Wooton Bassett, voiced by Jess Harnell: a recently added character, is the postman serving "Whit's End". He is known for his juvenile personality and obsession with comic books (especially the fictional "PowerBoy" series, which he writes in secret).

Tom Riley is a film, television and theatre actor, born in Maidstone, Kent, England on April 5, 1981. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Bernard Walton is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Dave Madden. ... Dave Madden (born on 17 December 1931 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian–American actor most famous for his role as Reuben Kincaid on The Partridge Family. ... Jack Allen is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Alan Young. ... For the football (soccer) player, see Allan Young. ... Jason Whittaker is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Townsend Coleman. ... Townsend Coleman (born May 1954) is an American voice actor. ... “NSA” redirects here. ... Bart Rathbone is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy serial Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Ed Walker (sometimes credited Walker Edmiston). Rathbone is known as a cheap and schemish businessman, always plugging The Electric Palace, an electronics store he manages, pushing questionable sales promotions, and launching... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Rodney Rathbone is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Steve Burns (I). ... Steve Burns (born March 4, 1956) is an actor known for his voicing of characters Rodney Rathbone and Robert Mitchell in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Edwin Blackgaard is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey, voiced by Earl Boen (who also voices Edwin Blackgaards identical-twin brother Dr. Regis Blackgaard). ... Earl Boen (born November 7, 1945 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Fraternal twin boys in the tub The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and usually, but not necessarily, born on the same day. ... Regis Blackgaard, often referenced with his proper title as Dr. Regis Blackgaard, is the perennial villain of the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey; he is voiced by Earl Boen (who also voices Regis Blackgaards identical-twin brother Edwin Blackgaard). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it more accessible to a general audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Jess Q. Harnell (born December 23, 1963 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA), is an American voice actor, best known for portraying Wakko Warner and Walter Wolf on Animaniacs. ...

Plot arcs

See Plot arc list for more information.

• Connie

The first multi-part plot arc of AIO concerns Connie Kendall. Connie, a teenager from California, moves to Odyssey in episode #4: "Connie Comes to Town", and takes a job at "Whit's End". Through the first season, there is a significant amount of tension between Connie's areligious belief and the Christianity of Whit and Tom. Over time, Connie softens to Christianity, and becomes a Christian at the end of the two-part episode "Connie" (#51 & #52). Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is...

• Blackgaard saga

Main article: Blackgaard saga The Blackgaard saga, named after villian Dr. Regis Blackgaard, is the defining story arc of the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey. ...

The "Blackgaard saga" is the definitive AIO storyline, with its roots first mentioned in #19, "Recollections", and its encore in #424 & #425, "Blackgaard's Revenge, parts 1 & 2". Thus, the saga was broadcast over a total of 11 years. The saga includes the 11-part Darkness Before Dawn series, originally broadcast in 1995. Encore may be referring to one of the following: Adobe Encore, a software program by Adobe Systems intended for authoring DVDs. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ...

The saga recounts the ongoing battle between John Avery Whittaker and his nemesis, Dr. Regis Blackgaard, over two different items: first, a computer program Whittaker developed for the National Security Agency named "Applesauce", and second, a mineral found beneath "Whit's End" that forms the active ingredient in the enzyme TA-418, a chemical weaponizer. “NSA” redirects here. ...

• Barclay saga

Another ongoing storyline in AIO concerns the Barclay family's direction following father George Barclay's unemployment. In the Barclay saga, George Barclay is led into the ministry, and the Barclay family eventually moves from Odyssey to the small town of Pokenberry Falls.

• The Search for Whit

Roughly a year following John Avery Whittaker accepting the position in the Middle East, a series of strange, unclear messages reach Odyssey, essentially making it seem evident that Whit has disappeared and may be in danger. Jason and Eugene embark on a mission to find him, and eventually do (presumably because the producers found a suitable recast for Whit's voice). A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

• Eugene And Katrina

One of the most popular plot arcs in AIO concerns Eugene Meltsner's relationship with Katrina Shanks. Eugene and Katrina's relationship was plagued by numerous miscommunications and misunderstandings, which were largely a result of Eugene's lack of experience when it came to matters of the heart.

• "Meltsner Arc"

Eugene has stumbled upon clues to find his father.

• Malachi's Message

A mysterious man named Malachi comes to Odyssey and claims to be an angel. Seemingly, this story arc was inspired by the popular CBS-TV drama Touched By An Angel. This article is about the supernatural being. ... This section contains a list of trivia items. ...

• Novacom saga

Main article: Novacom saga

The largest continuous plot arc attempted to date, the "Novacom saga" spanned 29 episodes originally aired over a 20-month timeframe, and concerns the attempts of the Novacom Corporation to brainwash Odyssey and, eventually, the world.

The Novacom series begins with a number of episodes that introduce the Novacom corporation to Odyssey. Novacom is a media conglomerate, and buys a number of television and radio stations in the Odyssey area. Many of the television programming they run is controversial and violent, which quickly puts Whit and most of the protagonists of Odyssey at odds with Novacom. Later it is found that Novacom is trying to mind control the people of Odyssey and the world.

Over time, an increasing number of voices claim that Novacom is up to no good.

Special show types

In addition to normal shows, which involve characters in the Odyssey fictional universe, a few other formats are frequently used (in, perhaps, 10% of episodes). These divergent formats are usually connected to Odyssey by such devices as inventions of John Avery Whittaker, for instance.

BTV

BTV is a television show in Odyssey that is hosted by Bernard Walton. BTV episodes consist of several different segments that focus on a common topic. Usually the topics deal with something Biblical, the episodes that are included in the BTV series are: A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ...

• 298: I Want My B-TV
• 317: BTV: Envy
• 345: BTV: Compassion
• 383: BTV: Thanks
• 410: BTV: Forgiveness
• 434: BTV: Redeeming the Season
• 439: BTV: Grace
• 461: BTV: Obedience
• 515: BTV: Behind the Scenes
• 622: BTV: Temptation

KYDS Kids Radio

Kids Radio is a radio station run out of Whit's End. While it doesn't necessarily broadcast continually it has been used to tell many stories. A few of the broadcasted shows have included The Twilife Zone (a parody of The Twilight Zone, an idea which started much earlier through normal characters' dream sequences and turned into a Kids Radio program), The Jimmy Barclay Show, Candid Conversations with Connie, "Ask Mitch", (later changed to "Ask Docter Wise") and O.T. Action News. A radio station is an audio (sound) broadcasting service, traditionally broadcast through the air as radio waves (a form of electromagnetic radiation) from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device. ... The Twilight Zone title. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ...

The idea behind KYDS "Kids Radio" began in episode #36: "Kids Radio". Brad Dillard, a local youth, convinces Whit to allow him to use some old equipment at "Whit's End" to produce a radio station for kids' programming. Though many of the children of Odyssey express interest, Brad cannot convince enough others to actually work on the production. Brad's father, seeing his son overworked, asks Whit to discontinue the station's operation, and he sadly does so.

However, Whit decided the idea was a good one, and in episodes #114: "The Big Broadcast", and #141: "Over the Airwaves," he reintroduces "Kids Radio" as a medium for conveying biblical truths to the children of Odyssey.

"Kids Radio" is an interesting plot device, as it plays into AIO in numerous, but very different, ways. For instance, several episodes of AIO are nothing more than a half-hour length "Kids Radio" program. Usually, the AIO episode begins as normal, after which a character (usually Connie Kendall) introduces the "Kids Radio" program to Odyssey residents. In this way, real listeners skip through the Odyssey fictional universe and enter a second-layer fictional universe, such as The Twilife Zone, a "Kids Radio" program. (For example, the pilot episode for The Twilife Zone is the only content of episode #288: "The Twilife Zone.") Actress Katie Leigh portrays Connie Kendall's wrap-around of the broadcast of The Twilife Zone, as well as Rodlyn Serly, the host of The Twilife Zone who is fictional even in Odyssey. Thus, with these programs, there is a double-layer of fiction. Beginning of the Odyssey The Odyssey (Greek Οδύσσεια (Odússeia)) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to the Ionian poet Homer. ... A television pilot is the first episode of an intended television series. ... Katie Leigh (born December 16, 1958) is an American voice actress. ... Connie Kendall is a major character in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Beginning of the Odyssey The Odyssey (Greek Οδύσσεια (Odússeia)) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to the Ionian poet Homer. ...

Other AIO episodes contain "Kids Radio" programs, but from the perspective of the Odyssey fictional universe. For example, episode #294: "Unto Us a Child is Born", concerns the playwriting, directing, recording, and live-radio drama on "Kids Radio" (live in the Odyssey fictional universe, not in reality). The same is the case with episodes of Candid Conversations with Connie, sports programs, and others. Beginning of the Odyssey The Odyssey (Greek Οδύσσεια (Odússeia)) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to the Ionian poet Homer. ...

It is implied that "Kids Radio" is not in continual live broadcast, as characters sometimes use the studio (located in Whit's End) to conduct private conversations, as in episodes #335 & #336, "Love is on the Air, Parts 1 & 2". Whits End is the centerpiece of the radio series Adventures in Odyssey, founded, owned, and operated by John Avery Whittaker. ...

The Imagination Station

The Imagination Station is undoubtedly the most often-used plot device, outside of the major characters and "Whit's End"/Odyssey as a whole, in AIO. Indeed, it is almost a character itself, having evolved throughout the AIO storyline and playing a major role in most AIO plot arcs. The Imagination Station is one of John Avery Whittaker's inventions. People can use the station to experience historical and biblical events in a seemingly more-immersive version of virtual reality. The general concept is similar in many respects to the Star Trek holodeck. The station is typically used for educational and for other productive reasons however on one occasion the fictional corporation Novacom attempted to exploit its technology to enslave the entire world. In the video series episode "The Knight Travellers," the Imagination Station is used by the villain as a mind-control device, redesigned as the "Manipulation Station". To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A plot device is a person or an object introduced to a story to affect or advance the plot. ... This article is about the simulation technology. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series and media franchise. ... A holodeck on the Enterprise-D; the arch and exit are prominent. ...

The Room of Consequence

The "Room of Consequence", another of Whit's inventions, was introduced in episode #236, "Into Temptation". The idea is that just as the Imagination Station allows individuals to step into the past, the Room of Consequence allows them to see a possible future, usually extrapolated from the decisions the person is making in the present. Unlike the Imagination Station, the Room of Consequence does not appear to allow for significant interaction with the future environment.

The Room of Consequence plays a much smaller role in AIO than the Imagination Station, with only ten episodes including it to date.

The Transmuter

The Transmuter is another one of John Avery Whittaker's inventions. Just as The Imagination Station allows a person to experience the past, and The Room of Consequence allows a person to see a possible future, the Transmuter allows a person to experience the present from another person's point of view. This lets you experience events from a perspective you normally wouldn't be able to see. It debuted in episode #419, "Another Man's Shoes". The Transmuter is described as bearing a resemblance to the weight scales in a doctor's office. Digital kitchen scales. ...

Related products

Video series

• 1) The Knight Travellers
• 2) Flight to the Finish
• 3) A Fine Feathered Frenzy
• 4) Shadow of a Doubt
• 5) Star Quest
• 6) Once Upon an Avalanche
• 7) Electric Christmas
• 8) Go West, Young Man
• 9) Someone to Watch Over Me
• 10) In Harm's Way
• 11) A Twist in Time
• 12) A Stranger Among Us
• 13) Baby Daze

New Video Series

• 1) The Last Days of Eugene Meltsner
• 2) Escape from the Forbidden Matrix
• 3) Caves of Qumran
• 4) Race to Freedom

Book series

Focus on the Family has released several different fictional book series based on Adventures in Odyssey.

Original series

1. Strange Journey Back
2. High Flyer With a Flat Tire
3. The Secret Cave of Robinwood
4. Behind the Locked Door
5. Lights Out at Camp What-A-Nut
6. The King's Quest
7. Danger Lies Ahead
8. Point of No Return
9. Dark Passage
10. Freedom Run
11. The Stranger's Message
12. A Carnival of Secrets

Passages Series

1. Darien's Rise
2. Arin's Judgement
3. Annison's Risk
4. Glennall's Betrayal
5. Draven's Defiance
6. Fendar's Legacy

Mysteries in Odyssey

1. The Case of the Mysterious Message
2. The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen

Merchandise

Trivia

• The names of the Barclay family are all based on the movie It's a Wonderful Life: George is based on the character George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, Mary is based on Mary Bailey, played by Donna Reed. While the adults' names are based on the fictional characters' names, their children's names, Donna, Jimmy and Stewart, are based on the names of the actors Donna Reed and Jimmy Stewart, respectively (Stewart's middle name is Reed, putting the actors' last names together). The last name is a close approximation of Bailey. The relation between It's a Wonderful Life and the Barclays on AIO is so close that they made a 1-hour Adventures in Odyssey episode (It's a Pokenberry Christmas, Parts I & II) with the plotline and many of the quotes from the movie. Also AIO characters have alluded to It's a Wonderful Life. See List of references to It's A Wonderful Life.

• An AIO episode, #248, "Terror from the Skies", is based heavily on the radio broadcast The War of the Worlds by Orson Welles. The episode features Edwin Blackgaard, owner of the "Harlequin Dinner Theatre", producing a radio broadcast dubbed Terror from the Skies. Like The War of the Worlds, it uses news bulletins tell about an alien invasion. In Blackgaard's broadcast, a meteor lands near Odyssey. The meteor breaks open and several hideous aliens emerge, who capture and eat several people, before encountering the National Guard. The National Guard try to defeat them, but to no avail, as the aliens are not affected at all by the weapons. All appears to be lost, until the aliens succumb to the simplest weapon: water, which affects them in a way similar to acid. This is an homage to the way the aliens in The War of the Worlds succumb to viruses and bacteria. Terror from the Skies is confirmed by Edwin Blackgaard to be simply a dramatization, much like the way Orson Wells confirmed his to be.

• AIO Episodes #122 and #123 "Castles & Cauldrons, Part 1" and "Castles & Cauldrons, Part 2" were the first episodes to have a parental advisory from Focus on the Family founder/chairman Dr. James Dobson due to the heavily dramatic and spiritual nature of the episodes. The episodes portrayed spiritual aspects of fantasy role-playing games (RPGs). The scripts were carefully reviewed by AIO and Focus on the Family staff members prior to airing. These episodes are highly controversial, even among Christians. Castles and Cauldrons is a reference to Dungeons and Dragons.

• On the compilation album, Grins, Grabbers and Great Getaways, episode #36, "Kids Radio" was labelled "KYDS Radio" (apparently using KYDS as the station's call sign). This is a play on words as the station was run "by kids, for kids". The AIO website and later releases of the episode changed the name to "Kids' Radio". Although, most fans refer to it as "KYDS Radio".

• The AIO cartoon series as a whole is ranked #6 on The Top Christian Cartoon Series List.

For other uses, see Its a Wonderful Life (disambiguation). ... Jimmy Stewart, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American film actor beloved for his persona as an average guy who faces adversity and tries to do the right thing, an image which was largely reflected in his own... Main title caption from Dallas. ... For other uses, see The War of the Worlds (disambiguation). ... Photo of a burst of meteors with extended exposure time A meteor is the visible path of a meteoroid that enters the Earths (or another bodys) atmosphere, commonly called a shooting star or falling star. ... “Green people” redirects here. ... The United States National Guard is a reserve forces component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ... James Clayton Jim Dobson, Ph. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... The original Dungeons & Dragons set Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) published by Gary Gygax and David Arneson in January 1974. ...

Cast

• Chris Anthony (Host)
• Amber Arnold (Brooke Myers)
• Landon Arnold (Cousin "Scrubb" Moseley)
• Natalie Babbitt (Jenny Roberts)
• Parley Baer ("Uncle" Joe Finneman)
• Tracy Bassett (Julie)
• Camilla Belle (Aubrey Shepard)
• Brooke Bellessi (Traci Needlemeyer)
• Kendre Berry (Marvin Washington)
• Carol Bilger (Mary Barclay)
• Earl Boen (Dr. Regis Blackgaard, Edwin Blackgaard)
• Chuck Bolte (George Barclay)
• Erin Bolte (Melanie Jacobs)
• Sage Bolte (Robyn Jacobs)
• Steve Bridges (Jesus and various other voices)
• Courtney Brown (Tamika Washington)
• David Buller (Billy MacPherson)
• Steve Burns (Rodney Rathbone, Robert Mitchell)
• Corey Burton (Cryin' Bryan Dern, Brock Peterson, Walter Shakespeare, Mr. Burton, Jesus, and many other voices)
• Sara Buskirk (Courtney Vincent)
• Jordan Calloway (Marvin Washington)
• Niles Calloway (Xavier Washington)
• Joseph Cammarato (Oscar)
• Nathan Carlson (Richard Maxwell)
• Chris Castile (Nick Mulligan, Zachary Sellars)
• Townsend Coleman (Jason Whittaker)
• Randy Crenshaw (Lance Lincoln, Don Iowa)
• Aria Curzon (Mandy Straussberg)
• Jim Custer (Young Whit)
• Joe Dammann (Eric Myers)
• Jennifer Day (Brenda Perry)
• Walker Edmiston (Tom Riley, Bart Rathbone)
• Kyle Ellison (Sam Johnson)
• Jeff Ellison (David Straussberg)
• Gabriel Encarnacion (Lawrence Hodges)
• Bernard Erhard (Armitage Shanks)
• Blake Ewing (Nathaniel Graham)
• Joan Gerber (Audrey Nelson, Vivian Birch)
• Brandon Gilberstadt (Jared DeWhite)
• Andrew Gillespie (Henry Thomas)
• James D. Griffin (Jimmy Barclay)
• D. J. Harner (Jana Whittaker-Dowd)
• Jess Harnell (Wooton Bassett, Bennett Charles)
• Pamela Hayden (Katrina Shanks, Doris Rathbone)
• Caroline Hennessy (Ellen Shepard)
• Paul Herlinger (John Avery Whittaker)
• Jerry Houser (Jerry Morton, Jellyfish, Ben Shepard)
• Matt Hurwitz (Mr. Jefferson)
• Azure Janosky (Donna Barclay)
• Danielle Judovits (Aubrey Shepard)
• Kris Kachurak (Dwayne Oswald)
• David Kirkwood (Henry Ross)
• Mark Christopher Lawrence (Ed Washington)
• Katie Leigh (Connie Kendall)
• Phil Lollar (Dale Jacobs)
• Donald Long (Jack Davis)
• Genni (Mullen) Long (Lucy Cunningham-Schultz)
• Erin Love (Erica Clark)
• Dave Madden (Bernard Walton)
• Maggie Malloy (June Kendall, Mary Barclay)
• Kenneth Mars (Captain Quinn, Fred Holstein, Sir William)
• Kyle Massey (Marvin Washington)
• Paul McCusker (Philip Glossman)
• Brad McMurray (Steven Schmidt)
• Diane Michelle ("Doc" Morton)
• Erin Morales (Jesse Morales)
• Curt Morse (Curt Morse)
• Bill Myers (Mike Mulligan)
• Nicole Myers (Lisa Mulligan)
• Jennifer Naimo (Mrs. Jefferson)
• Christie Nimitz (Tasha Forbes)
• Natalie O'Hare (Jenny Whittaker, Mary Hopkins)
• Jordan Orr (Grady)
• Corey Padnos (Trent DeWhite)
• Adam Pavlakovich (Cal Jordan)
• Sarah Pilgreen (Bethany Shepard)
• Scarlett Pomers (Sarah Prachett)
• Chad Reisser (Monty Whittaker-Dowd, Digger Digwillow)
• Peter Renaday (*Saint Paul, *Saint Patrick, *John the Baptist)
• Lydia Reissmueller (Marsha)
• Will Ryan (Eugene Meltsner, Harlow Doyle, Officer O'Ryan, Officer David Harley)
• Lauren Schaffel (Liz Horton)
• Danny Schmittler (Danny Schmidt)
• Mark Shillinger (Charles Edward Thompson)
• Hal Smith (John Avery Whittaker)
• Christopher Snell (Arthur Dent)
• Fabio Stephens (Curt Stevens, Tony)
• Kara Stokke (Cheryl McCormick)
• Shawn Svoboda (Rusty Gordon)
• Travis Tedford (Alex Jefferson)
• J Karen Thomas (Elaine Washington)
• Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Dylan Taylor from the video series)
• Audrey Wasilewski (Katrina Shanks)
• Janet Waldo (Maureen Hodges, Joanne Woodston Allen)
• Alan Young (Jack Allen)

Natalie Babbitt is a US author and illustrator of childrens books. ... Parley Baer (August 5, 1915 - November 22, 2002) was an American character actor in film, television, and radio. ... Belle in The Ballad of Jack and Rose Camilla Belle Routh (born October 2, 1986) better known as Camilla Belle, is an American actress. ... Earl Boen (born November 7, 1945 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Steve Bridges is an American comedian, impressionist, and actor who developed himself as a master impressionist as a member of the comedy group The Groundlings. ... For other persons named Courtney Brown, see Courtney Brown (disambiguation). ... Steve Burns (born March 4, 1956) is an actor known for his voicing of characters Rodney Rathbone and Robert Mitchell in the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. ... Corey Burton (born August 3, 1955), is an animation voice actor. ... Jordan Calloway (born March 18, 1990) is an actor. ... Townsend Coleman (born May 1954) is an American voice actor. ... Aria Noelle Curzon (December 8, 1987) is an American actress who has a varied career in film, television, stage and voiceover. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Actor/Voice actor. ... Joan Gerber is an American voice actress, born July 29, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan. ... Jess Q. Harnell (born December 23, 1963 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA), is an American voice actor, best known for portraying Wakko Warner and Walter Wolf on Animaniacs. ... Pamela Hayden is an American actress, best known for providing various voices for the animated television show The Simpsons (1989). ... This page is being rewritten at Adventures in Odyssey/temp. ... Jerry Houser (born July 14, 1952) is an American character actor and voice actor in film and television. ... Matt Hurwitz is an American public address announcer for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. ... Danielle Judovits is an American voice actress who is also known as Danielle Judovitz and Danielle Judouits. ... David Kirkwood, 1st Baron Kirkwood, PC (1872 - April 16, 1955) was a socialist from the East End of Glasgow, Scotland, viewed as a leading figure of the Red Clydeside era. ... Katie Leigh (born December 16, 1958) is an American voice actress. ... Phil Lollar serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... Dave Madden (born on 17 December 1931 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian–American actor most famous for his role as Reuben Kincaid on The Partridge Family. ... Kenneth Mars (born April 14, 1935[1] or 1936) is an American television, movie and voice actor, perhaps best known for his roles in several Mel Brooks films, the most memorable being the insane Nazi playwright of Springtime for Hitler, Franz Liebkind, in 1968s The Producers and the relentless... Kyle Orlando Massey (born on August 28, 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American actor and singer. ... Bill Myers is an American Christian author, film director and producer. ... Jordan Orr (born January 5, 1995 in Sarasota, Florida) is an American child actor and voice actor. ... Scarlett Noel Pomers[1] (born November 28, 1988) is an American actress who works in television, film, theatre and music. ... Peter Renaday (born June 9, 1935 in Louisiana as Pierre L. Renoudet) is an American voice actor. ... Will Ryan is a voice actor originally from Cleveland, Ohio. ... Harold John Hal Smith (August 24, 1916 - January 28, 1994) was an American character actor and voice-over artist. ... Travis William Tedford (born August 19, 1988) is an American actor. ... Jonathan Taylor Thomas (born September 8, 1981) is an American child actor and former teen idol, perhaps best remembered for his roles of middle child Randy Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement and the voice of the young Simba in Disneys The Lion King. ... Janet Waldo (born February 4, 1918 in Grandview, Washington) is a former actress and voice artist. ... For the football (soccer) player, see Allan Young. ...

Notes

1. ^  Phil Lollar, The Complete Guide to Adventures in Odyssey (Focus on the Family, 1996), p. 3. ISBN 1-56179-466-X
2. ^  Ibid., p. 4.

Phil Lollar serves as a writer, director, and producer for the radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. ... The graphic identity of Focus on the Family is intended to recall old time traditional values. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

See also

• List of Adventures in Odyssey episodes
• List of Adventures in Odyssey characters
• Odyssey (fictional town)
• Whit's End
• Christian video games

The following is a list of Adventures in Odyssey radio episodes, albums, videos, books, and merchandise, including initial radio episodes from the series Family Portraits. ... The following is list of characters from the radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ... Odyssey is the fictional setting for the Christian-themed radio program Adventures in Odyssey. ... Whits End is the centerpiece of the radio series Adventures in Odyssey, founded, owned, and operated by John Avery Whittaker. ... Christian video games refer to Christian-themed computer and video games. ...

Sources

• Cast Reference
• Voice Reference

External links

• Whit's End, the official site
• Find a broadcast station
• Official listing of all AIO products (PDF)
• AIOHQ
• The Soda Fountain
• AIO Wiki
• Listen to AIO Online at Oneplace.com
• The Odyssey Scoop
• VideosForFamily.com's Adventures In Odyssey - With interviews from the cast, stories and more
• The Town of Odyssey (The ToO)
• AIO Video Series at: Christian Cartoons Online
• The Unofficial Adventures in Odyssey Podcast