Old Time Radio Shows

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...