Old Time Radio Shows

The War Department created the Armed Forces Radio Service on May 26, 1942. The directive brought together separate attempts at broadcasting by and for military personnel. Some of these projects had mission significance, but largely they were attempts on the part of soldiers to entertain their barracks mates. In 1954 Television was added to the service, as well as a less than flattering moniker (AFRTS, "A-Farts"), which has held on even after the 1994 renaming as "The Armed Forces Network". Hollywood began providing free or extremely low priced programming to the AFRS from the very beginning, and this tradition was strengthened after Pearl Harbor. The explosion of patriotism as America entered the War explains this to a certain extent. It is also easy to believe that despite the very public pedestal radio celebrities perched, most held genuine affection and admiration for the boys in uniform. No name is more connected with performing for the troops than  Bob...

It is impossible to chronicle the birth of the Fred Allen-Jack Benny radio feud without going into the life and background of Fred Allen . At the age of fourteen, Fred Allen opened a book that would forever change the course of his life . Working as a stock clerk at the Boston Public Library, he picked up a book on the subject of humor. Not only did this literary work put him on the path of comedy, it also sparked a passion that culminated in a book collection. By the time of his death, Fred Allen’s personal library contained thousands of volumes written on the subject of comedy. Beginning his career in vaudeville, Allen soon learned that his comedic skills greatly outweighed his juggling ability and he decided to use the juggling act as an anchor for his comedy. He also appeared in a few short films, before getting his break on radio. At the age of thirty-eight, Fred Allen landed a job, as host of  The Linit Bath Club Revue . The show premiered on October 23, 1932 ...

In the mid 1950's the British Light Programme service had the idea that a Science Fiction radio series would be popular. The assignment was handed over to producer Charles Chilton. Chilton didn't have any background in science, or science fiction, but the general thought was that if he could produce a successful western from London (Riders of the Range had six seasons, ending in 1953) he should be able to handle a trip to the moon! Originally scheduled for eight episodes, Journey to the Moon proved to be somewhat tedious listening through the first four episodes, as the "groundwork' was established for a moon launch using the best guesses of the potential technology from a 1953 perspective. Once the mission "got off the ground, following the launch of the spacecraft in episode 5, the popularity soared as well, and the series was extended to 18 episodes (the network re-recorded the original series for overseas distribution in 1958, as Operation Luna. This time...

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 ...

It had been a few very good years for Humphrey Bogart. With the success of The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca , Warner Bros was finally letting the actor loose to explore his versatility. Bogie was incredibly dedicated to his craft; in over 80 films he never arrived late to the set or unprepared with his lines. Unfortunately he was in an unhappy marriage with a woman he cared deeply for. The final tipping point for the "battling Bogart's" came when production began on his 1944 project, and adaptation of Hemingway's To Have And Have Not . The female lead was given to a sultry model from Harper's Bazaar named Betty Perske. Betty took the stage name Lauren Bacall, and after Bogie saw her screen test he told her "We're going to have a lot of fun together." To Have And Have Not was the story of an American drifter running a charter boat service in the Caribbean, facing forces that are greater than he is while remaining true to his ideals and t...

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...

Mitch Miller is probably best known for his "Sing Along with Mitch Miller" record albums and his television show, "Sing Along with Mitch". What many people do not know is that Miller had a weekly radio show, The Mitch Miller Show . The 45-minute show did not feature music, it was an interview show featuring a diverse group of people from actors to authors to comedians. The show began with Miller--also called "The Beard"-- asking questions of the guests and, as the show continued, the interview eventually turned into more of a conversation. Broadcast from Sardi's Restaurant in the New York City theater district, it was almost like the listening audience was eavesdropping on a private conversation. Miller started his musical career as an oboist with the Syracuse (NY) Symphony Orchestra at 15 years old. After high school, he studied music at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, graduating in 1932 with honors. After a stint with the Roche...

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...

December 8, 2012: Hanukkah starts tonight at Sundown. While Christmas radio shows were staple broadcasts during the golden age of radio , here is a rare Hanukkah themed old time radio shows from Eternal Light from 1948: See also: Presidential Hanukkah Recordings .

The USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300) is the lead ship in her class of Maritime Preposition Ship. The Maritime Prepositioning Ships carry enough ammunition and equipment to support an Marine Task Force for 30 days, allowing for the rapid deployment of men, knowing that their equipment will meet them in theater within days of call up. It is one of the few vessels in the Navy inventory which went against long standing Naval tradition to be named for a person who was living at the time of commissioning. This is all the more appropriate when you consider that Bob Hope's first war-time performance was at sea. Hope was on board the RMS Queen Mary in September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland, beginning WWII. In order to help calm the panicking passengers, hope volunteered to give a special performance, singing "Thanks for the Memory" with rewritten lyrics. Bob Hope would be best known for his work to entertain the troops. John Steinbeck , who was a War Correspondent during the War,...

Is Santa Claus a Suspect?  Are your Christmas Cookies Safe?  Listen to the Gumshoe Christmas and find out! Detective Christmas Collection/Gumshoe Christmas Collection - Crime never takes a hoilday and neither do our favorite old time radio detective. Crime never takes a holiday, and neither do our favorite ols time radio Radio Detectives . That doesn't mean they won't find time for some holiday cheer in between the bullets and bad guys. On The Falcon , a stolen fur coat is a Christmas present that leads to murder. What? No murder? Boston Blackie breaks up a jewelry store robbery , and almost gets in too deep himself, much to the delight of Inspector Farraday. Casey, Crime Photographer and ace reporter Ann Miller are Xmas shopping and see what appears to be a crime, but it is a frame up that could end them! The next year they cover a mysterious benefactor who gives out Christmas money on Bum Blvd. The events begin to melt even Casey's tough newspaper heart......

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,...

W. Leonard Evans organized the first radio network devoted to airing programs that reflected Black life and music. On January 20, 1954, the National Negro Network (NNN) claimed forty founding affiliate station members. While programming was aimed at a Black audience, network staff was composed of both Black and White employees. Evans maintained that a “mixed” or “interracial” staff performed better and was more successful in bringing in revenue. Evans believed the time was right for a Black network and Black programming. His plans included the broadcasting of Black sports and Black news. Initial programming included musical variety shows and soap operas. The soap opera,  The Story of Ruby Valentine  was very popular. It was an adaptation of the long running Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) network’s radio soap opera ,  We Love and Learn .  The Story of Ruby Valentine starred Juanita Hill, Ruby Dee and Terry Carter. Other programs included Black college con...

In the old time radio broadcast of Time Out's "Looking For Keys" (broadcast from 12-24-1945): Felix Knight sings the sadness away and the Novatones carry out their mission for instrumental tidings; Allen Prescott does his wit and wisdom on looking for your keys. we all have placed them somewhere, we would soon forget. Well Mr Prescott makes sure we all know ourselves what was to come. man I would have hated to be the brunt of his routine...he could get mean. But you always knew where you stood with Allen.

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...

It is quite difficult to say these days of wireless internet and cable TV what we have and did before technological advancements came over. What we did after preparing, eating, and putting away dinner; what we did after all house chores were finished... Well, at present, we rarely see family that eat dinner together, more so sit down and do stuff together. That wasn’t always the case, though. Because once, there was radio! Golden Age of Radio The so-called Golden Age of Radio had its beginnings way back during the First World War, when United States President Woodrow Wilson utilized radio to send message to the people of America. Then, the period is said to have come to its end on September 20, 1962, when radio programs Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense went on-air for the last time on CBS. There may be resurgence of interest in radio when the CBS Radio Mystery Theater aired in the 1970s, but this was not, in any way, comparable to the six decades of suspense, laughter, and d...