O. Henry Episodes
An American short story writer who was also known for his poetry and non-fiction.
July 8, 2026
HUMOR: THE CLARION CALL by O. HENRY (NEW)
1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Show Notes – “The Clarion Call” by O. Henry Summary O. Henry’s The Clarion Call is one of his sharpest, most ironic crime tales—an urban cat‑and‑mouse story set against the bustle of early 20th‑century New York. It follows Detective Barney Woods, a man with a strong sense of justice and an even stronger memory, as he crosses paths with Red Halloran, a smooth‑talking criminal who once loaned Woods $1,000.00 to help him get back on his feet. When Halloran bumps i...
June 17, 2026
O. HENRY STORIES: THE BADGE OF POLICEMAN O'ROON
⭐ SHOW NOTES “The Badge of Policeman O’Roon” by O. Henry at 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales A 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Presentation Narrated by Jon Hagadorn Episode Summary In this charming slice of early‑1900s New York, O. Henry introduces us to Policeman O’Roon — a proud Irish patrolman whose badge is more than just a piece of metal. To O’Roon, it represents dignity, authority, and the hard‑earned respect of the neighborhood he serves. But when a moment of embarrassment threat...
May 27, 2026
THE COMPLETE LIFE OF JOHN HOPKINS by O.HENRY
🎙️ SHOW NOTES O. Henry — “The Complete Life of John Hopkins” 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales In this light, witty New York sketch, O. Henry introduces us to John Hopkins, an ordinary working man whose imagination is far livelier than his circumstances. What begins as a simple moment in an everyday life quickly blossoms into a humorous exploration of how a single impulse — a whim, a daydream, a sudden change of mood — can send a person spinning into an entirely different version of themselves....
May 10, 2026
A CHAPARRAL PRINCE by O. HENRY
🎙️ SHOW NOTES — “A Chaparral Prince” by O. Henry at 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales (Reviews appreciated) In this lively tale set against the dusty edges of the American Southwest, O. Henry introduces us to a young man whose pride, imagination, and sense of chivalry far exceed his circumstances. “A Chaparral Prince” follows a would‑be hero who dreams of noble quests and romantic triumphs, even as he navigates the rough‑and‑tumble realities of frontier life. What begins as a simple encounte...
March 22, 2026
AN O.HENRY DOUBLE PLAY! AFTER TWENTY YEARS and BRICKDUST ROW
“After Twenty Years” — Summary Set on a quiet, rain‑slicked street in early‑20th‑century Manhattan, After Twenty Years explores loyalty, fate, and the unexpected turns life can take. Two friends—Jimmy Wells and Bob—made a pact twenty years earlier to meet again at the same spot, no matter where life had taken them. When the night finally arrives, one man keeps the appointment… but the reunion that follows is not the one either of them imagined. O. Henry delivers one of his most famous twist endi...
Feb. 15, 2026
THE FURNISHED ROOM by O. HENRY
"The Furnished Room" is widely considered one of O. Henry’s most somber and haunting stories. Unlike his more lighthearted or humorous tales, this one leans heavily into urban loneliness and tragedy. The story follows a weary young man searching the boarding houses of New York City’s Lower West Side for a woman he loves—an aspiring singer named Eloise Vashner. He has been searching for five months. He rents a "furnished room" from a cold, ghostly landlady. The room is dilapidated and smells of ...
Jan. 16, 2026
A COSMOPOLITE IN A CAFE by O.HENRY
From THE FOUR MILLION by O. Henry O. Henry's "A Cosmopolite in a Café" tells of the narrator meeting E. Rushmore Coglan, a man who claims to be a true "citizen of the world," free from hometown ties. Coglan boasts of world travels, dismissing regional pride and judging people individually. However, when a stranger insults Coglan's hometown of Mattawamkeag, Maine, Coglan fiercely defends it, revealing his profound local loyalty and leading to a fight, thereby exposing his hypocrisy and proving t...
Dec. 21, 2025
MAMMON AND THE ARCHER by O. HENRY
A young man of means expreeses frustration to his wealthy father over not being able to find alone time with the girl of his interests due to her busy social schedule. His mother believes that chance will bring them together while his father sees different options. A great o.Henry classic!
Nov. 30, 2025
WHISTLING DICK'S CHRISTMAS STOCKING by O.HENRY
This was the first short story penned under the name O.Henry- and its a great classic, offering a tale of a wanderer named Whistling Dick who, finding New Orleans no longer friendly to hoboes, hits the road for better chances, and finds himself the new owner of a young ladie's stocking which was accidentally dropped from a passing carriage. Its a story that will immerse you in life along the river at the dawn of the 20th century and keep you in suspense as trouble approaches a sugar cane plantat...
Nov. 16, 2025
A DEPARTMENTAL CASE by O.HENRY
An ex-Texas Ranger, Indian fighter working as a commisioner of a small office in the state govenrment is approached by a down and out woman who is seeking financial support which her nw dead father, a Texas hero, had denied,hoping that whatever had been promised to him could be passed down to her. Conversation led to her sharing her name and the commisioner related that yes, her father and he had fought together and been close friends for years. She also shared the fact that her bum of a husgand...
Sept. 7, 2025
SPRINGTIME A LA CARTE and THE MARRY MONTH OF MAY A DOUBLEHEADER FROM O.HENRY
Spring has arrived, and in the bustling city of New York in 1905 or so minds were turning to other than business pursuits. Two great stories from O.Henry that illustrate what NYC was like in those formative years- with ice delivery wagons, coal furnaces, gum-chewing shop girls, and single women trying to make it on their own. Please stop at our website at www.bestof1001stories.com and sign up for our free newsletters- where I give you the backstory on some of our shows and stories. Very interes...
Aug. 10, 2025
O.HENRY DOUBLE PLAY: DOUGHERTY'S EYE OPENER and LITTLE SPECK IN GARNERED FRUIT
Big Jim Dougherty was a sporting man, but he hadn;t been much of a husband to Del. After three years of marriage she finally had to ask him to take her out to dinner. She dressed to impress. A great New York in 1905 short story. "The Kid" was a successful bantam weight boxer, just married in NYC, with a loving wife for whom he would do anything- and that's just what she asked him to do. But finding a fresh pear in New York in the winter was no easy task. Join us at www.bestof1001stories.com an...
May 4, 2025
AN O.HENRY DOUBLE-HEADER TOBIN'S PALM and THE COMING OUT OF MAGGIE
Tobin's Palm From O' Henry's 'The Four Million': Two young sons of Ireland , John and Daniel (Tobin) head for Coney Island Amusement Park in order that good palm John can relieve Daniel of his worries over his girlfriend's not having arrived yet from...
March 2, 2025
AFTER 20 YEARS and LOST ON DRESS PARADE A DOUBLE TREAT FROM O.HENRY
Two great short stories from O.Henry! AFTER TWENTY YEARS- A cop walking the beat at night passes a man standing quietly in a passageway and they exchange greetings. The man tells the cop he is waiting for an old friend to show up- they had grown...
Feb. 19, 2025
O.HENRY DOUBLE FEATURE: THE SLEUTHS AND WITCHES LOAVES
The Sleuths- A man comes to New York City to find his sister whom he knows is in need of financial help but is led astray by ineffective and expensive detectives. Wictches Loaves-An older woman who owns a bakery takes pity on a regular customer who...
Dec. 4, 2024
THE HERBINGER and ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS by O.HENRY
In The Harbinger, a run down man and his two unemployed pals sit on a park bench and devise a scheme to rob the married man's wife of a one dollar bill so they can buy themselves a beer at the local pub. In One Thousand Dollars, a spoiled young man is...
Aug. 28, 2024
A RULER OF MEN by O.HENRY
On the streets of New York our narrator runs into an old buddy named Kansas Bill who he hasn't seen for a long while. After a few beers his old pal,shares a whopper of a story about how he got himself involved with an Irishman who planned to rule a...
May 10, 2024
BEST OF 1001 (#13 OF 447) CONFESSIONS OF A HUMORIST by O.HENRY
1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Stories by O.Henry
March 27, 2024
ROSES, RUSES, AND ROMANCE and THE COMPLETE LIFE OF JOHN HOPKINS O.HENRY
1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Stories by O.Henry
March 24, 2024
WHILE THE AUTO WAITS and A COMEDY IN RUBBER O.HENRY
1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Stories by O.Henry
Feb. 7, 2024
HEARTS AND HANDS and BURIED TREASURE by O.HENRY
1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Stories by O.Henry
Nov. 5, 2023
GIRL and JEFF PETERS AS A PERSONAL MAGNET by O. HENRY
1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Stories by O.Henry