Old Time Radio Shows

There is a revolution, of sorts, going on amongst professional comedians. Comics have always been at the heart of revolution and political discourse. Some of the earliest professional comedians, court jesters or "Royal Fool" were the only voices allowed to make fun of the King. Of course, that meant that the King would be the only one allowed to laugh (out loud) at the jokes, but that did not make them any less funny. A few scholars have pointed out that joke telling is becoming a lost art because we are getting more and more of our laughs from internet memes. A proper joke takes time, it is a small story which needs characters introduced, a situation and often conflicts developed, and then the punchline delivered. The explosion of social media means that everyone is on the same page. Rather than developing the involved story a joke requires, a simple meme with a picture and a few words will have to do. Since we are already on the same page, we all get it. During the Gold...

Sherlock Holmes is, without a doubt, one of the world's most famous people who never lived. He is listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as "the most portrayed movie character", having been played by at least 70 actors in more than 200 films. The character was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a Victorian-era physician who studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh under Dr. Joseph Bell. One of the most influential lessons Bell passed on to his students was the importance of closely observing a patient before rendering a diagnosis. To demonstrate the utility of this practice, Bell would call a stranger into the lecture hall and by observing his manners, clothing, and other factors, deduce the person's occupation. Demonstrating these skills led to Bell being credited as "the Father of Forensic Science". After graduating, Conan Doyle started a practice with a classmate in Plymouth but chaffed at working with a partner. Although he didn'...

 In 1949 today, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS. Featured is the first episode, titled "Mind in the Shadows." Charles Russell plays the starring role as the insurance investigator with the action-packed expense account. The series continued on for fourteen years with the title role later being taken on by Edmond O'Brien , John Lund, Bob Bailey , Bob Readick, and Mandel Kramer when it ended in 1962.

Today in 1942, "Junior Miss" starring Shirley Temple was broadcast on the CBS Radio Network for the first time. The broadcast appears to be no longer in existence, but please enjoy the following few remaining rare recordings of " Junior Miss "

 Today in 1949, the future teen singing idol, Ricky Nelson, first performed on his parents' radio show, Ozzie & Harriet .

Here's some great Radio Mystery Theater Advertisements:

One of the longest-running programs on the air, Breakfast Club , with host, Don McNeill , was simulcast on TV  beginning this day. The telecast of the show was a bomb, but the radio program continued on as one of the longest-running programs on the air.  Despite its popularity, few broadcasts of this series exist.