Old Time Radio Shows

  We wanted to write this blog post for a long time, but we kept putting it off. Procrastination is often the reason we are late to get things one, but sometimes we are late for reasons which are beyond our control. Simply being late has led to some interesting situations in the plot of the episode, but keep in mind that many of the broadcasts during the Golden Age of Radio were broadcast live, so being late was a real possibility which happened on many occasions. Fred Allen , who was in seemingly constant warfare with the network and his sponsors anyway, was notorious for allowing his show to run over its allotted time slot. This happens on live programs because of the actor's timing or because the studio audience laughs longer than the writer and director expected. Sometimes the actors and director can pick up the pace, or the program might be allowed to run a few seconds over, but in Fred's case, given his reputation with the network, when it was time to ring the NBC Ch...

Old time radio featured many spy-themed shows , which were popular during the Cold War era . These shows often depicted heroic spies and agents who worked to protect their countries from enemy spies and espionage, adding to the cultural fascination with the world of espionage and intrigue during this time. Spy shows were popular in the 1950s for several reasons. Firstly, the Cold War was in full swing , and the fear of Soviet espionage and infiltration was widespread. As a result, there was a heightened interest in stories and characters that dealt with the world of espionage and intrigue. Spy shows offered a way for listeners to vicariously experience the world of espionage and feel a sense of excitement and danger. Additionally, radio was one of the primary sources of entertainment during this time, and spy shows offered a way for audiences to escape the anxieties of everyday life and engage with exciting stories and characters. Many of these shows also featured strong, heroic prot...

Those of us who grew up in the Rock and Roll era don't really appreciate what a labor intensive endeavor the Big Band sound was. In both cases, the music found its audience over the radio, but the delivery was completely different. Rock and Roll has similar roots with Big Band, both coming to us through the "whitening" process of African American Jazz and Blues. Rock was usually the product of a four or five person band who would cut a record and then a disc jockey would play it on a local radio station. Big Band music was performed live over the networks.  Although the Big Bands made "more expensive" music, it was the sound of the OTR era, especially the War years. Rather than the four to five piece combos that formed Rock Bands, a typical Big Band Orchestra would have 17 or more individual players. However, the publicity usually went to the band leader whose name was on the outfit. To a certain extent, the players of the individual instruments were interchan...

We know that the airwaves after WWII were littered with corpses, but the collection of bodies were nowhere near as interesting as the collection of hard-boiled gum shoes who seemed to keep tripping over them. There are as many theories as to why hard-boiled detectives became so popular as there were producers and sponsors willing to cash in on the trend. They were as cheap to produce as they were popular, and since they were an outgrowth of the pulp detective fiction of the 1920's and 30's, there was plenty of material to use. As uniform as the hard-boiled detectives seem, each was played with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies. One of the most successful and long lasting hard-boiled dicks was Brett Halliday's Michael Shayne . Halliday was actually one of the pen names used by Davis Dresser, but Halliday was not the only writer to use the name. Shayne appeared in 77 novels, 300 short stories, a dozen films, a TV series and a number of radio iterations. Dresser apparent...

 "The world's greatest living radio actress.” That is how none other than Orson Welles described radio legend Mercedes McCambridge . The renowned actress earned this high praise by starring in such popular radio shows as The Guiding Light , Pretty Kitty Kelly and Big Sister . Her cross-over success in film and television came from her roles in All the King’s Men , A Farewell to Arms, Bonanza, Bewitched, Charlie’s Angels and a voiceover in The Exorcist. Over the course of her career, she would share the screen with Joan Crawford , Orson Welles , and twice with Elizabeth Taylor . For her work in All the King’s Men, her very first feature film, Ms. McCambridge won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Acting seemed to be Ms. McCambridge ’s destiny from early on. Born Carlotta Mercedes McCambridge in Joliet, Illionis in 1916, she attended Mundelein College on a drama scholarship. Her sophomore year, Mercedes performed in the Verse Speaking Choir, a group of sixteen women who...

It is extremely serious business when a nation employs spies in order to gather secrets. Even more important than gathering secrets from other nations is protecting the nation's own secrets. In many ways, counterintelligence is the business of spying on spies. As such, it is the most intriguing and dangerous part of the espionage world. During the Second World War , the services each had their own intelligence service. The Office of Strategic Services was created to coordinate intelligence operations behind enemy lines. All of them went after spies working against the Allies in the various theaters of the war, while domestic counterintelligence came under the jurisdiction of the FBI. While looking for a wartime counterpart to Gangbusters, writer/producer Phillips H. Lord took on the inky world of Counter Intelligence with David Harding, Counterspy . The United States Counterspies were a fictional agency of the Federal Government which combined the roles of the FBI and the O...

Programs, such as Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club , would not have lasted very long without their sponsors. breakfast time was a great format for the big name corporations to get their wares out to the listening public. Aunt Jemima slipping out of the bottle onto warm, buttered pancakes. The “snap, crackle and pop” of Rice Krispies. These were samples of the fare being offered to the morning crowd, starting their day off just right with a delicious wake-up meal. Boardrooms all over America were figuring on how to find the perfect fit for their product line to be commercialized. One of the big leaguers in the day was Frosted Flakes. Kelloggs had its name in a few of the popular programs of the time. Many folks today that enjoy the sugar-coated corn flake owe their tastebuds to the old-time radio morning shows. Kelloggs was one of the pioneers of using the morning radio slot to figure in their cereal line. “Tony the Tiger” can still be remembered with his famous, “it’s Great” approach...

In this first part: enjoy this classic radio broadcast from the radio soap opera, Pepper Young's Family Episode #61.  The Pepper Young family are selling their property and Sam has some good news. "I know you're going to be excited about it... they're gonna put up some kind of home or group of cottages for retarded children!" Sams is going to make some good money selling the lumber and was hired to run the home while Edie will invite the children to their home for supper. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element

"Transcribed" means the entire show is/was written down as recorded and broadcast. To complicate things, in British English, a transcription would probably be a written record of what was said in the show. In America, During the golden age of radio and in the age of heavy censorship, extensive records were required by the government. In addition they needed to be able to demonstrate to advertisers that their copy was read/delivered as paid. For example Johnny Dollar uses the phrasing--"The transcribed adventures of the insurance investigator with the action-packed expense account."

When radio's Sherlock Holmes dug into the case at hand, he was as obsessed as a hound-dog on the trail of the scent and as determined as a shark heading towards its quarry. Holmes stuck to it until all possible avenues had been traced. He was a detective’s detective. So what...or rather who created this paragon of detail and pursuit? As a doctor and writer, Sir Doyle prescribed (like that?) his character of  Sherlock Holmes  to stay committed to the task at hand...and find the answer. The unique aspect of England’s leading private detective was he found answers where no one even noticed...or dained to perceive a clue. Holmes was a complex mind that harbored cliches for clues and eloquence for action. The radio audience became entranced by Holmes ability to locate the thread in the bizarre location and the drop of wine that “should not have been there”. America developed a following for the non-Tarzan who was as quick with the wit as he was the reveal of the potential cold...

Maybe Saint Patrick didn't actually banish the serpents from Ireland (there weren't any snakes on the island to banish!) And as it turns out the Irish don't really drink beer that has been dyed green! None the less Americans take time every March 17th to celebrate the Irish; if not the true facts of their homeland, at least we celebrate their marvelous sense of humor! Radio would never have gone anywhere without a sense of humor! Parades are all well and good, but we think a better way to pass the time while we're waiting for the corned beef to boil is to listen to some   free St Patricks radio shows  to enjoy. Remember when SPAM wasn't the bad stuff that got into your computer? SPAM never was a good thing (it isn't all that great boiled with cabbage and potatoes) but Hormel certainly brought us a load of fun with  George Burns and Gracie Allen  on  St Patrick's Day . Most of the episode is dedicated to Gracie's romance with Artie Shaw, but there ...

For all the glitter of Stardom and the dreams of making it big in the entertainment world, the streets of Hollywood (and the halls of Radio City, for that matter) are littered with the crumpled dreams of forgotten stars and starlets. It is not our role in these reports to pass judgement on the dreamers and their ambition. We can only hope that despite some of the horrific episodes in their lives, these celebrities found some of the joy that their performances brought to us. Mercedes McCambridge had been called "the world's greatest living radio actress" by Orson Welles , among others. Though far from unattractive, McCambridge didn't seem to have the bombshell good looks required for a Hollywood A-list leading lady. She did find success in character and supporting roles. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in All the King's Men (1949), and was nominated again in the 1956 Liz Taylor/Rock Hudson/James Dean classic Giant . It is easy...

We genuinely hopes that you have as much fun listening to the great radio shows we bring you as we do in finding and researching them. Most of the us were born well after the golden age of radio. All of us  are "television babies", so the image of sitting down in the living room, waiting for the tubes of the big console radio to warm up is an image we can only imagine. (The Cat did share memories of napping happily over the warm tubes, but he wouldn't say how many of his nine-lives ago that was.) Most listeners enjoys  old time radio shows from MP3 files  played on the computer of through their iPods or other mp3 storage and  mp3 player devices . Smart phones and most Feature phones will have mp3 play-back and storage, so enjoying your radio shows were ever and when ever you want is easier than ever. The problem is just a matter of learning how to load your radio shows into your mp3 player. Actually, the process is a very simple one that a twelve year old c...

There are a number of factors pointing toward the End of Time occurring on Dec 21, 2012. The most prominent is the Mayan Long Calendar. The ancient Mayans developed one of the most sophisticated cultures in pre-Columbian America. The Mayans were also the most accurate time-keepers and astronomers of the pre-technological era. One of their greatest achievements was the Long Calendar. The Mayans recognized several different cycles in the Heavens, including the 365.25 day solar year used in the Gregorian calendar and a 260 day Tzolk'in cycle. Another important cycle is the 584 day cycle of the planet Venus. Times when more than one cycle ended at the same time were understandably auspicious. The Solar calendar and the Tzolk'in cycle align every 52 years or 18980 days, for example. The longest of these cycle alignments is the so-called Long Count Calendar, is based on a cycle that began on August 11, 3114 BC. This cycle will end on Dec 21, 2012. In fact, as far as the Mayans a...

Suspense!  was one of the most well produced, acted, and written dramas on radio, as well as one of the most prolific. There were an estimated 945 episodes broadcast, most of which have survived. During the twenty year run, probably the most exciting times were from the late 40's and early 50's under Autolite Autoparts sponsorship. Pitchman Harlow Wilcox wasn't as big part of the show as he had been on  Fibber McGee and Molly , but his over the top plugs for sparkplugs and car batteries were entertaining and informative. The direction and production by Anton Leader,  Gunsmoke  co-creator Norman Macdonnell, and Elliot Lewis were all of the highest quality. An important feature of the program that all three directors made the most of was the use of famous movie actors and comedians, and playing them "out of type". It is a bit of a shock for audiences to hear  Lucille Ball  or  Bob Hope  as potential murderers, but  Suspense!  made it...

The now famous sound of the creaking door was first heard January 7, 1941 on the Blue network. Creepy sound effects combined with humor set the show apart from contemporary mystery-thriller programs.  Inner Sanctum  was the creation of Himan Brown. Using creepy, yet comical sound effects and banter,  Inner Sanctum  took its listeners to the other side. The other side included going into the minds of lunatic killers, entering into the realm of the supernatural and encounters with ghostly apparitions. In early broadcasts, host Raymond Johnson accompanied by ghastly organ music, opened each episode with a cheesy joke. Johnson’s sarcastic wit and chilling melodramatic voice kept listeners on the edge of their seat in anticipation of the story that was about to be told. Creator Himan Brown was no stranger to radio and he knew exactly how to enthrall an audience. In 1935, he produced the first radio soap opera ,  Marie, Little French Princess . The same year,...

The Norths lived a normal life in Greenwich Village. Everyday, Mr. North went to work as a book publisher, while Mrs. North stayed home and enjoyed her cats. However, when the bodies started appearing in close proximity to the couple, Mrs. North was determined to uncover the truth and catch the killer. Even if this meant she had to drag Mr. North into the web of intrigue. Mr. and Mrs. North  first appeared in print during the 1930’s. Created and written by Richard Lockridge, the couple first debuted in the  New York Sun . Later Lockridge revived the couple in a series of short stories that ran in  The New Yorker . Originally, the Norths were just ordinary people dealing with the difficulties of domestic life, until Lockridge joined forces with his wife, Frances. Together, the couple redefined the Norths and transformed them into amateur sleuths. The novel,  The Norths Meet Murder   published in 1940 was an overnight success. The success of the nov...

Paul Frees is one of those talents that is great fun to investigate. Even a short search of Paul Frees will have you saying "Really, that was him?" Frees was born in Chicago and started his acting/radio career in 1942. Like so many, he was interrupted by WWII. Frees was drafted and fought in Normandy during the D-Day Invasion . After being wounded in action he attended college, but cut his education short when his wife became ill. Returning to radio, his versatile voice talents were put to work announcing and sometimes starring on Suspense .  These duties were shared with his friend and fellow talented Voice,  William Conrad . Frees explained in an interview that he would announce when  Conrad  was starring in the episode, or involved with another project, and vice versa.  Both possessing memorable basso profundo voices, they made an effort to sound like one another in the announcements. Frees also did a lot of work on sister program  Escape . ...

Charles Bickford, a U.S. actor born in 1891, held several jobs at a young age, before entering the world of burlesque on a dare in 1911. Burlesque eventually led Bickford to Broadway, where he starred alongside James Cagney in  Outside Looking In , in 1925. Shortly thereafter, he enjoyed success playing the role of Macready, in the 1928 Broadway production of  Gods of the Lightning . The character Macready was based on the life of anarchist Ferdinando Nicola Sacco, who along with Bartolomeo Vanzetti, were tried and executed for armed robbery . Bickford’s intense, durable and dominating physical features, paired with his stern, authoritarian voice landed him several film, radio and television roles. After he was contacted by Cecil B. DeMille, Charles Bickford accepted a studio contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM.) It was not long before he became dissatisfied with the work and the studio. Reluctantly, MGM executives released the disgruntled Bickford from his contract o...

A working definition of Christian Missionary work is "One who is to witness across cultures." The term Missionary comes from the Latin term  missionem,  "to send forth". Many churches have sent their representatives out into the world to spread their message and to do good works in the name of the church. Radio has always been a valuable missionary tool. There is anecdotal evidence that radio sets came into the homes of many  Fibber McGee and Molly ,  Buck Rogers , and  Suspense!  fans so that a senior member of the family could enjoy the gospel music and sermons of a favorite radio preacher. And in many cases these religious were very entertaining, although there are cases where the spiritual leaders found themselves embroiled in scandal. It is not the purpose of this article to pass judgment on these scandals, but merely to report where appropriate. Father Coughlin The Catholic Hour  became part of the NBC line-up in 1936 with the c...