Radio's Golden Days
By Just Between Friends
To listen to an audio podcast, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to download and subscribe to podcasts.
Podcast Description
Radio's Golden Days salutes Radio from a by gone era. Sit back and enjoy the sounds of a simpler time on this edition of Radio's Golden Days. Copyright Notice: I do not own the copyrights to any of the shows available on this site. I believe that many copyrights have expired, and that many of the shows are in the public domain because they were never copyrighted. I do not sell the recordings or charge for access to my site. The purpose of this site is to bring the exciting world of Old Time Radio to a whole new generation of listeners using the new technology of the Internet. I am not and would not try to deprive the original creators of any money due to them, and we will remove any recording from our site that is shown to violate a copyright. For more information about copyrights for Old Time Radio shows, go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/publicdomain/ This Podcast was created using www.talkshoe.com
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
CleanF.B.I. "Peace and War" The Fence 8-01-1952 | The FBI in Peace and War was a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewsis Collins' book, The FBI in Peace and War. The idea for the show came from Louis Pelletier who wrote many of the scripts. Among the show's other writers were Jack Finke, Ed Adamson and Collins. Airing on CBS from November 25, 1944 to September 28, 1958, it had a variety of sponsors (including Lava Soap, Wildroot Cream Oil, Lucky Strike, Nescafe and Wrigley's) over the years. Martin Blaine and Donald Briggs headed the cast. | 8/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
2 |
CleanF.B.I. "Peace and War" - The Traveling Man - 6/10/1953 | The FBI in Peace and War was a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewsis Collins' book, The FBI in Peace and War. The idea for the show came from Louis Pelletier who wrote many of the scripts. Among the show's other writers were Jack Finke, Ed Adamson and Collins. Airing on CBS from November 25, 1944 to September 28, 1958, it had a variety of sponsors (including Lava Soap, Wildroot Cream Oil, Lucky Strike, Nescafe and Wrigley's) over the years. Martin Blaine and Donald Briggs headed the cast. | 8/19/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
3 |
CleanYours Truly Johnny Dollar - The Johnson Payroll Matter - 9/21/1958 | Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar As you will hear at the end... The program was broadcasted over The United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. | 8/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
4 |
CleanYours Truly Johnny Dollar - Milford Brooks III - 12/7/1948 | Dick Powell as Johnny Dollar - 1st epsiode of the new series on the Columbia Broadcasting System. | 8/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
5 |
Clean9/05/42 Let's Pretend - "Elves and the Shoemaker" | Let's pretend is a game we play... so it was on Saturday morning radio during the 1940s on the Columbia Broadcasting System. | 8/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
6 |
Clean8/29/42 Let's Pretend - "The Little Mermaid" | Let's pretend is a game we play... so it was on Saturday morning radio during the 1940s on the Columbia Broadcasting System. | 8/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
7 |
Clean8/22/42 Let's Pretend - Why is the Sea Salty? | Let's pretend is a game we play... so it was on Saturday morning radio during the 1940s on the Columbia Broadcasting System. | 8/14/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
8 |
CleanLife Of Riley - 2/26/1946 - School Play | The Life of Riley, with William Bendix 02-26-1946 School Play | 3/6/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
9 |
CleanFather Knows Best - The Spooky Cemetery 10/26/1950 | Father Knows Best - The Spooky Cemetery 10/26/1950 The radio version of Father Knows Best stars Robert Young as Jim Anderson, and was the forerunner to the classic TV show of the same name. June Whitley plays his wife Margaret, with Jean Vander Pyl later taking the role. The kids act very similar to the way they do on the better-known TV show. Daughter Betty is played on the radio version by Rhoda Williams, Ted Donaldson plays Bud, and Norma Jean Nilsson is great as the littlest Anderson, Kathy. Of course, to Father, Kathy is "Kitten" and Betty is "Princess." Bud is just Bud. | 10/2/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
10 |
CleanHenry Morgan Show - 9/2/1946 | Henry Morgan Show - 9/2/1946 This was the Premiere show on the ABC Radio Network. | 9/28/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
11 |
CleanThe Great Gildersleeve - 5/16/1941 | The Great Gildersleeve - 5/16/1941 Audition Program for Johnson Wax. | 9/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
12 |
CleanFibber McGee and Molly - January 2, 1945 | This episode is entitled "The Diamond Stick Pin" | 9/16/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
13 |
CleanA Christmas Carol (1953) | Radio's Golden Days Presents: A Christmas Carol from 1953, starring Sir Laurence Olivier. ***Copyright Notice: I do not own the copyrights to this Classic Radio Show. I believe that many copyrights have expired, and that many of the shows are in the public domain because they were never copyrighted. I do not sell the recordings or charge for access to my site. The purpose of this site is to bring the exciting world of Old Time Radio to a whole new generation of listeners using the new technology of the Internet. I am not and would not try to deprive the original creators of any money due to them, and we will remove any recording from our site that is shown to violate a copyright. For more information about copyrights for Old Time Radio shows, go to http://tiny.cc/WOLI3 | 12/22/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
14 |
CleanIt's A Wonderful Life (1947) | On this edition of Radio's Golden Days we turn back the clock to 1947 and we tune into Lux Presents Hollywood and It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. | 12/21/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
15 |
CleanMartin and Lewis Show - 11-09-1951 - Guest: Danny Thomas | Martin and Lewis Show - 11-09-1951 - Guest: Danny Thomas | 11/9/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
16 |
CleanThe Les Paul Show - 6-30-50 | This program is entitled - Tiger Rag. This program is in honor of Les Paul who died on August 13, 2009 at the age 94. | 8/14/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
17 |
CleanYours Truly, Johnny Dollar - The Rat Pack Matter - 4/23/1961 | Bob Readick stars in this episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. | 6/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
18 |
CleanRocky Fortune - Football Fix - 2/02/54 | Frank Sinatra as Rocky Fortune in Football Fix. | 4/28/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
19 |
CleanRocky Fortune - Pintsized Payroll Bandit - 10/27/53 | Frank Sinatra as Rocky Fortune in Pintsized Payroll Bandit. | 4/8/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
20 |
CleanYour Treasury Dance Show | Your Treasury Dance Show with The Musical Gems of Wally Gingers and His Orchestra. The program was recorded LIVE for the ABC Radio Network. It was recorded at the Sunnybrook Ballroom, located on US Route 422 between Pottstown and Philadelphia, PA. "The Sunnybrook Ballroom - The Largest Ballroom East of Chicago." | 1/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
21 |
CleanAmos and Andy - Andy's New Wife - 10/08/1943 | One of the most beloved and popular radio programs in the history of radio is probably the one that is least spoken of because of its controversial connotations in today's society. And an additional irony is that the series was a comedy, a genre that most people think of as harmless. The series began as Sam n' Henry, but was later changed to Amos n' Andy. What gives the series its "off limits" tag is that the two characters are based on the minstrel blackface comedians that were so prevelant in Vaudeville. | 1/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
22 |
CleanRocky Fortune - Starring Frank Sinatra - Oyster Shucker - 10-06-1953 | Rocky Fortune appeared on NBC for only a short run of 25 or 26 shows. The lead character, who goes by the name of Rocky Fortune but whose real name is Rocko Fortunato, was played by Frank Sinatra. Rocky, always ready with a wise remark, seems to be a magnet for trouble, most often with the variety of odd jobs he takes. There is frequently a beautiful woman involved, some good girls, some bad. Rocky's a tough guy who stays just inside of the law but we get an occasional glimpse of a soft heart beneath the hard exterior. It's a character that Mr. Sinatra plays nicely. Employed or not, Rocky possesed a variety of skills. During the course of the series, he worked as a process server, museum tour guide, cabbie, bodyguard, chauffeur, truck driver, social director for a Catskills resort and a carny. He could also fake enough bass to play at weddings and bar-mitzvahs. For most of the series, Rocky received his job assignments from the Gridley Employment Agency, usually referred to as just "the agency". The only recurring character, throughout the series, besides Rocky himself, is the long-suffering Sergeant Hamilton J. Finger - a solid, although not-too-bright cop who works out of what is frequently referred to as "the Irish clubhouse," who seemed to be constantly running into Rocky, whether he wanted to or not. At about the same time, November 10, 1953 to July 9, 1954, Sinatra also starred in a musical show on NBC called To Be Perfectly Frank. And, no matter how you look at it, Rocky Fortune was really just another chance for the ever-ambitious Sinatra to be himself, and to promote his career | 1/6/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
23 |
CleanA Christmas Sing with Bing (CBS) - December 24, 1961 | A Christmas Sing with Bing (CBS) Broadcast December 24, 1961. and sponsored by the Insurance Company Of North America (INA). The first tune is, "Joy To The World." The program includes a Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy excerpt from December 24, 1955. Charlie "recites" "The Night Before Christmas." Bing Crosby, Ken Carpenter, Paul Weston and His Orchestra, The Norman Luboff Choir, Sam Pierce (writer, producer), Bill Morrow (writer, producer), Jo Stafford, Edgar Bergen, The St. Michael's Choir, Murdo McKenzie (director), Kathryn Crosby. | 12/22/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
24 |
CleanBing Crosby Show - 11-28-1951 | Bing Crosby Show sponsored by Chesterfield. Guest include Dinah Shore and Louis Armstrong. | 12/21/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
25 |
CleanRocky Fortune - Starring Frank Sinatra - 12/22/1953 | The Plot To Murder Santa Claus | 12/20/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
26 |
CleanDuffy's Tavern - Is there a Santa Claus? - 12/21/1945 | Duffy's Tavern starring Ed Gardner with guest Elsa Maxwell. | 12/16/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
27 |
CleanPhlico Radio Time - Starring Bing Crosby - 12/25/1946 | Philco Radio Time - Christmas Show | 12/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
28 |
CleanJack Benny Show - An Old Fashion Christmas Party - 12/20/1936 | Jack Benny Show - An Old Fashion Christmas Party - 12/20/1936 Jack Benny had been only a minor vaudeville performer, but he became a national figure with The Jack Benny Program, a weekly radio show which ran from 1932 to 1948 on NBC and from 1949 to 1955 on CBS, and was consistently among the most highly rated programs during most of that run.[2] With Canada Dry Ginger Ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on The Canada Dry Program, beginning May 2, 1932, on the NBC Blue Network and continuing there for six months until October 26, moving the show to CBS on October 30. With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933. Arriving at NBC on March 17, Benny did The Chevrolet Program until April 1, 1934. He continued with sponsors General Tires, Jell-O and Grape Nuts Flakes. Lucky Strike was the radio sponsor from 1944 to the mid-1950s. The show returned to CBS on January 2, 1949, as part of CBS president William S. Paley's notorious "raid" of NBC talent in 1948-49. There it stayed for the remainder of its radio run, which ended on May 22, 1955. CBS aired reruns of old radio episodes from 1956 to 1958 as The Best of Benny. | 12/10/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
29 |
CleanThe Roy Rogers Show - Lefty Roberts - 11-13-1952 | Roy Rogers, was a singer and cowboy actor. He and his wife Dale Evans, his golden palomino Trigger, and his German shepherd Bullet were featured in over one hundred movies and The Roy Rogers Show ran on radio for nine years before moving to television from 1951 through 1964 | 11/18/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
30 |
CleanThe Falcon - Murder Is A Knockout - 2-20-49 | The Falcon radio show was loosely based on the series of popular detectives movies with the Falcon character created by Michael Arlen. . The Falcon radio show debuted 1943, and aired for the next ten years on various networks. This radio version of The Falcon featured a somewhat rude and shadowy detective, weary of police. | 11/17/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
31 |
CleanFather Knows Best - A Carnival In Town - 10-30-52 | The radio version of Father Knows Best stars Robert Young as Jim Anderson, and was the forerunner to the classic TV show of the same name. June Whitley plays his wife Margaret, with Jean Vander Pyl later taking the role. The kids act very similar to the way they do on the better-known TV show. Daughter Betty is played by Rhoda Williams, Ted Donaldson plays Bud, and Norma Jean Nilsson is Kathy. Of course, to Father, Kathy is "Kitten" and Betty is "Princess." Bud is just Bud. | 11/16/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
32 |
CleanLes Paul Show - Audition Show - March 30, 1950 | Short-lived, musically memorable NBC radio show by the virtuoso guitarist/recording innovator, his vocalist wife Mary Ford, and their bass/percussion partner Ed Stapleton | 11/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
33 |
CleanSunday Night Edition: CBS Mystery Theater-The Mission of Atropos-10-19-1976 | The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (or CBSRMT) was an ambitious and sustained attempt in the 1970s to revive the great drama of old-time radio. Created by Himan Brown (who had by then become a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries The Adventures of Nero Wolfe and other shows dating back to the 1930s), it aired on affiliate stations across the CBS Radio network. The series began its long run January 6, 1974; the final episode ran December 31, 1982. The show was broadcast nightly and ran for one hour, including news and commercials. Typically, a week consisted of three to four new episodes, with the remainder of the week filled out with reruns. There were 1,399 original episodes broadcast | 10/19/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
34 |
CleanBurns and Allen - Getting Frank Sinatra To Leave Town - 11-07-46 | Burns and Allen are one of the most beloved couple in old time radio. They got started, like many of the greats of old time radio, in vaudeville, which is really just the touring popular entertainment in America prior to movies. Gracie was the sparkplug of the act, always the center of attention. George played the foil, the guy vainly trying to make sense of the ditzy world of Gracie. By the early 30's, Gracie was probably the best known woman on radio. Gracie often sang in a voice that showed she was also an excellent comedienne songstress.By the early 40's, Burns decided that their act needed a change. He decided that the audience knew Gracie's and his reactions well enough that it would be possible to play off them, and create situations something like screwball comedy, but with the Burns and Allen touch. Jack Benny and Burns and Allen worked much the same way with their comedy. Vaudeville's snappy patter and give and take jokes, good even if the audience didn't know you, could be developed into running gags and put-downs based on character. Burns was always astute when it came to comedy - he lead the brainstorming sessions that wrote the shows, and carefully edited his writers with the final word on what was cut and what stayed. Elvia Allman play Gracie's friend Tootsie Sagwell and Gale Gordon and Hans Conried made frequent appearances. So in 1942, George and Gracie became, in their characters, the perfectly normal husband and wife that is, if Gracie's non sequiturs and impulsive behavior could be considered perfectly normal. For Gracie, of course, it was perfectly normal, and the American public continued their love affair with her.The shows had names after the sponsors, such as Maxwell House Coffee Time, or The Ammident Show - it was the Burns and Allen show to the public. Other fine radio actors were a part of the fun. Mel Blanc did the happy postman, and was also famous for his zany characters on The Jack Benny Show, and his own Mel Blanc Show. Elliott Lewis, a veteran of many radio dramas, played many of the "bit" parts on the Burns and Allen shows of the 40's | 10/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
35 |
CleanSunday Night Edition: CBS Mystery Theater -The God Killer - 10-12-76 | Tonight: CBS Mystery Theater -The God Killer - 10-12-76 The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (or CBSRMT) was an ambitious and sustained attempt in the 1970s to revive the great drama of old-time radio. Created by Himan Brown (who had by then become a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries The Adventures of Nero Wolfe and other shows dating back to the 1930s), it aired on affiliate stations across the CBS Radio network. The series began its long run January 6, 1974; the final episode ran December 31, 1982. The show was broadcast nightly and ran for one hour, including news and commercials. Typically, a week consisted of three to four new episodes, with the remainder of the week filled out with reruns. There were 1,399 original episodes broadcast | 10/12/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
36 |
CleanYour FBI - The Would Be Movie Star - 8-02-1946 | This Is Your FBI, crime drama Broadcast History : April 6th, 1945 - January 30th, 1953, ABC. 30m, Fridays at 8:30pm. Equitable Life Assurance Society From New York, CA. 1945-47 Cast : Mandel Kramer, Karl Swenson, Santos Ortega, Elspeth Eric, Joan Banks, Helen Lewis Narrator : Frank Lovejoy, Dean Carlton Announcers : Carl Frank, Milton Cross Orchestra : Nathan Van Cleave, Frederick Steiner Producer-Director : Jerry Devine Director : WIlliam Sweets Writers : Frank Phares, Lawrence MacArthur | 10/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
37 |
CleanCBS Radio Mystery Theater - Much Too Much - 5/02/1977 | The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (or CBSRMT) was an ambitious and sustained attempt in the 1970s to revive the great drama of old-time radio. Created by Himan Brown (who had by then become a radio legend due to his work on Inner Sanctum Mysteries The Adventures of Nero Wolfe and other shows dating back to the 1930s), it aired on affiliate stations across the CBS Radio network. The series began its long run January 6, 1974; the final episode ran December 31, 1982. The show was broadcast nightly and ran for one hour, including news and commercials. Typically, a week consisted of three to four new episodes, with the remainder of the week filled out with reruns. There were 1,399 original episodes broadcast | 9/23/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
38 |
CleanBoston Blackie - Ep. 1 The Rockwell Diamond -06-23-1944 | Chester Morris plays Boston Blackie, â??a modern Robin Hood, a little on the gangster side, wise to all the tricks but always reversing to do a lot of good.â?? Boston Blackie is especially apt at slipping the rug out from under them and making the police look like foolish lollygags. Smart Boston always solves the mysteries before his arch nemesis, harebrained Police Inspector Faraday. | 9/22/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
39 |
CleanThe Jack Benny Show - 01-07-1945 - 1st Show with The Vault Aneheim Azu | January 07, 1945 First Show With The Vault Aneheim Azuza.... On Sunday evening, January 7, 1945, Anaheim's war news weary residents sat down again to listen to the nation's favorite radio entertainer, Mr. Sunday Night himself, Jack Benny. Heard locally on KFI radio at 4:00 PM (for New York broadcast at 7:00 PM EST) and sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes, this night's broadcast would be like no other before and forever change our community of Anaheim. On this show, Jack's writers conceived three new characters and devices that were to remain among the most popular in broadcasting. We learned about penny-pinching Jack's underground "vault" with its outlandish protection systems as well as meeting a young Sheldon Leonard playing the gravel-voiced "Race Track Tout." The third "bit," intended as a once-used throwaway line, will be long remembered by three Southern California communities. . | 9/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
40 |
CleanYours Truly, Johnny Dollar - Big Red School House - 4-04-1950 | Johnny Dollar played by Edmond O'Brien Co-starring Bill Conrad, Virginia Gregg and Vic Perrin. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama about a "fabulous" freelance insurance investigator "with the action-packed expense account." The show aired on CBS Radio from January 14, 1949 to September 30, 1962 | 9/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
41 |
CleanGang Busters - The Case Of The Cowboy Killers - 8-28-1948 | American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet, on July 20, 1935. After the title was changed to Gang Busters January 15, 1936, the show had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957. | 9/11/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
42 |
CleanYou Bet Your Life 10-26-1949 - Secret Word: Radio | Groucho Marx had been a sensation in vaudeville and movies as part of the Marx Brothers, but his radio career didnâ??t take off until 1947, when producer John Guedel convinced him to host a new quiz program called You Bet Your Life. The game itself was fairly straightforward: three couples were brought onstage, asked four questions and given $20 to wager as they chose. There was also a â??secret wordâ?? which could net contestants extra money, and a jackpot question for the most successful couple. The key to the showâ??s success was the quick-witted Groucho. Rarely at a loss for words, Marx freely engaged in unrehearsed banter with the contestants and announcer George Fenneman. In 1948, You Bet Your Life received a Peabody Award, which cited Groucho as â??the Dean of all wise-crackers in this country.â?? You Bet Your Life ran on radio from 1947 to 1956, over ABC, CBS, and finally NBC | 9/7/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
43 |
CleanBoston Blackie - Ep. 2 Fifty Hunter Street - 6-30-44 | Chester Morris plays Boston Blackie, â??a modern Robin Hood, a little on the gangster side, wise to all the tricks but always reversing to do a lot of good.â?? Boston Blackie is especially apt at slipping the rug out from under them and making the police look like foolish lollygags. Smart Boston always solves the mysteries before his arch nemesis, harebrained Police Inspector Faraday. | 9/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
44 |
CleanDragnet - Ep - 318 - Big Close 9-20-55 | Dragnet - Ep - 318 - Big Close 9-20-55 | 7/10/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
45 |
CleanThe Case Of The Surprised Safecrackers 1-8-49 | American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet, on July 20, 1935. After the title was changed to Gang Busters January 15, 1936, the show had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957. | 7/4/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
46 |
CleanPHILCO RADIO TIME (1-29-47) Starring Bing Crosby | PHILCO RADIO TIME (1-29-47)Starring Bing Crosby with Guest Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. My heart goes crazy*; Tumbling tumbleweeds; Road to Morocco (w Hope, Lamour); Road to Hollywood sketch; You keep coming back like a song | 4/25/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
47 |
CleanBulldog Drummond - "White Star and the Ringer" - | Bulldog Drummond - "White Star and the Ringer" CAPTAIN HUGH "BULLDOG" DRUMMOND, Britian's immensely popular two-fisted adventurer was, in many ways, the response to the American hard-boiled school, appearing in a slew of stories, novels, movies and radio episodes | 3/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
48 |
CleanYours Truly Johnny Dollar - The Howard"Yankee Pride Matter" - 10/14/50 | Yours Truly Johnny Dollar - The Howard"Yankee Pride Matter" - 10/14/50 The opening is familiar among fans of Old Time Radio: "the man with the action-packed expense account...America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." And if we still weren't sure, he always told us himself: "Yours truly, Johnny Dollar." Opening on a Friday night, February 18, 1949 (The Paricoff Policy Matter), right at the start of television's golden age, this radio show brought us a high-powered insurance investigator who worked chiefly for the Universal Adjustment Bureau, a clearinghouse for the many insurance companies. The series starred Charles Russell as Johnny Dollar, the smart and tough detective, whose trademark it was to toss silver dollars as tips to busboys and bellhops. Appearing on CBS Radio, Johnny Dollar was heard each week flying off to a different town filled with danger and possibly murder as he tried to get to the bottom of insurance fraud. There were rarely any recurring characters except Dollar; despite sometimes romance and friends, the character was generally a loner. These early episodes, however, tended to be flat and the character of Dollar too dry. So at the start of the 1950 season, Charles Russell was out and veteran film actor Edmund O'Brien stepped in as the second Johnny Dollar. The series during the O'Brien years improved with scripts by expert crime writer such as E. Jack Neumann, John Michael Hayes, Sidney Marshall and Blake Edwards. The character took on the stereotype of the American detective developed by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Dollar was more hardboiled; his softer side rarely appeared. O'Brien left in 1952 and John Lund became Dollar number three. With Lund in the role, the character as developed by O'Brien remained. In 1955, radio actor Bob Bailey, fresh from his long run as George Valentine in LET GEORGE DO IT, stepped into the role as the fourth Johnny Dollar (there was an audition show with Dick Powell in 1948 that is not counted). It was with Bailey that the series really blossomed. Changing to a 15-minute format five times a week, and under the sharp eye of the new producer/director, Jack Johnstone, the scripts got much deeper into characterization and plot. And Bailey's depiction of Dollar had shades of a gritty street fighter, yet bright and sensitive. With a strong cast (many of the same veteran radio actors appearing in different roles) and excellent directing, the portrayals were much more real. And exciting; listen to such serials as "The Open Town Matter" or "The MacCormack Matter." Even while radio drama was already declining, this was radio acting at its best. The sound effects, some of which were canned, fit into the scripts so well as to produce some very exciting adventure/mystery. But doing a daily show live was taxing, so by the end of 1956, the series reverted to thirty minute, once-a-week episodes. But the power of the show continued, due a lot to the continued presence of both Bailey and Johnstone. Gradually, however, toward the end of the 1950's, the show began to sound tired - some of the scripts were weak and even Bailey did not always seem excited. Bailey left the show when it moved to New York production studios and initially Bob Readick filled Johnny Dollar's shows. However, that was only a transistion that lasted six months. In June, 1961, Mandel Kramer came to the role. He was perhaps the second best of the Dollar portrayals. Kramer's Dollar displayed more cynical humor than Bailey's. Johnny Dollar remained sensitive yet tough and with Jack Johnstone continuing as producer, the series remained poignant right up to its demise. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar has the distinction of being the last dramatic radio series from the golden age of radio. As with the close of Suspense, radio drama sounded its death throes. Among many old time radio fans, Johnny Dollar is usually viewed as the division between original radio drama and the resurgence of nostalgia w | 3/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
49 |
CleanMy Favorite Husband - The Cugat's Tenth Wedding Aud Anniversary - 7/05/1948 | The Cugat's Tenth Wedding Aud Anniversary - 7/05/1948. My Favorite Husband began as a radio sitcom on CBS Radio. The show starred Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as Liz and George Cooper (Liz and George Cugat in early episodes). The couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the ficticious city of Sheridan Falls, and were billed as "two people who live together and like it." The main sponsor was Jell-O, and an average of 3 "plugs" for Jell-O were made in each episode. The program ran from 1948 through 1951, throughout which 124 episodes were aired | 3/4/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
50 |
CleanCommand Performance : Dorothy Lamour & Abbott and Costello 4-19-42 | Broadcast History : March 1st, 1942 - December 20th, 1949 Special Services Division of the War Department Armed Forces Radio Service from 1943. October 7th, 1945 - April 21st, 1946, CBS. 30m, Sundays at 9:00pm. Spinoff Series ; Request Performance, Campbell Soups Announcers : Paul Douglas, Ken Carpenter Creator : Lous G. Cowan Producers : Vick Knight, Maury Holland, Cal Kuhl Director : Glenn Wheaton Writers : Melvin Frank, Norman Panama | 2/29/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
51 |
Clean1946 Mercury Summer Theatre - Around The World In 80 Days - | The Mercury Theatre was a theatre company founded in New York City by Orson Welles and John Houseman. They had initial success in the theatre, then went to radio in 1938 as The Mercury Theatre on the Air, a series that included one of the most notable radio broadcasts of all time, The War of the Worlds. In addition to Welles and Houseman, The Mercury Theatre troupe included Joseph Cotten, Martin Gabel, Alice Frost, Ray Collins, Paul Stewart, Virginia Welles, George Coulouris, Agnes Moorehead and Everett Sloane. Much of the troupe would later appear in Welles' films at RKO, particularly Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons. Other future stars of the stage, screen, and television, like Betty Garrett and Norman Lloyd, also appeared in productions in smaller parts. | 2/28/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
52 |
CleanStan Freberg Show - Musical Sheep - 7-14-1957 | The Stan Freberg Show was a weekly radio comedy show that ran on the CBS Radio Network for only fifteen episodes in 1957â??58. The show, starring comedian Stan Freberg and featuring the vocal talents of Daws Butler, June Foray, and Peter Leeds and the musical direction of Billy May, ran in the 7 p.m. timeslot previously occupied by The Jack Benny Program. The show was produced by Pete Barnum with sound effects by Bill James and Gene Twombly. Despite its short run, the show managed to develop some running gags and stock jokes, from Freberg's ambivalence toward Madison Avenue (faux advertisements for "Puffed Grass" and "Food", as well as the classic sketch "Gray Flannel Hatful of Teenage Werewolves") to the overwhelmingly popular interviews with a sneaker-wearing Abominable Snowman. By the thirteenth episode, it was clear that The Stan Freberg Show was suffering from a lack of advertiser interest (perhaps helped by Freberg's werewolf comparisons). CBS canceled the series after fifteen episodes; according to Joe Bevilacqua, it was the last American network radio show to devote itself purely to comedy. | 2/27/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
53 |
CleanThe Martin and Lewis Show - Guest Lucille Ball - 4-03-1949 | The Martin and Lewis Show - Guest Lucille Ball - 4-03-1949 The Martin and Lewis Show was the first time that the world had a real taste of the comedic dynamic duo, composed of the venerable Dean Martin and the wacky Jerry Lewis. When Dean and Jerry met, Dean had been trying to make it big as a crooner for over ten years. Jerry, coming from vaudeville parents, naturally wanted to be a performer since he was a wee one. When they were both in their 20s, the boys were introduced by friends in New York City and began performing together. Each helped smooth out the others rough edges. Dino helped Jerry relax on stage, and Jerry helped bring out Dinoâ??s comedic side. The duo performed at nightclubs for several years. They were working their way through the big clubs when NBC announced a talent hunt. They were looking for rising young performers for television and radio. Some of the Network executives caught a nightclub act of Martin and Lewis. They were instantly won over by their chemistry. They tried them on television, but radio was a more popular venue, so they moved them on over and made plans for The Martin & Lewis Show. | 2/25/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
54 |
CleanThe Avenger - Death Meets The Ghost - 11-02-1945 | The Avenger - Death Meets The Ghost - 11-02-1945.he Avenger is an Old Time Radio show aired by the South African Broadcasting System in the 1940s. It featured a biochemist crime-fighter by the name of Jim Brandon. Mr. Brandon had two inventions which assisted him in the fight against crime. Mr. Brandon was able to pick up telpathic thought flashes and had a diffusion capsule which allowed him to become invisible | 2/21/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
55 |
CleanSuspense - "Sorry Wrong Number" 5-25-1943 | Suspense - "Sorry Wrong Number" 5-25-1943 - Staring Agnes Moorehead Suspense is one of the classics of old time radio. Some fans have special favorites in the thriller/chiller/macabre genre, but all will agree that Suspense did it best. The guiding light of this show was William Spier, who developed the formula into a human drama that attracted the finest of Hollywood's elite as well as the cream of radio's great actors. | 2/20/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
56 |
CleanFibber McGee and Molly - Fiber Builds A Doghouse - 1/2/1940 | Fibber McGee and Molly premiered in 1935. The program struggled in the ratings until 1940, when it became a national sensation. Within three years, it was the top-rated program in America. Few radio shows were more beloved than Fibber McGee and Molly, and few play as well a half century later. The programâ??s lovable characters included Mayor LaTrivia, Doc Gamble, Mrs. Uppington, Wallace Wimple, Alice Darling, Gildersleeve, Beulah, Myrt, and the Old Timer. 79 Wistful Vista was one of Americaâ??s most famous addresses and Mollyâ??s warning to Fibber not to open the hall closet door (and his subsequent decision to do it) created one of radioâ??s best remembered running gags that audiences expected each week. | 2/19/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
57 |
CleanGunsmoke - Audition Program - 6-01-1949 | Gunsmoke is one of those long-running classic Old-Time Radio shows that everyone knows and remembers. It's also one that is still respected for its high values, in all aspects. Gunsmoke first aired on the CBS network on April 26, 1952, billed as the first adult western. It was set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870's. The main character, Matt Dillon, was played by William Conrad. On August 6, 1951, William Conrad played the lead in a show entitled "Pagosa" in the series Romance, where he played the part of a reluctant sheriff in a tough Western town. Although not a true audition, Conrad's character role is very close the that of Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. It was one of the "stepping stones" toward the production of Gunsmoke. Other regular characters were Chester Proudfoot, played by Parley Baer; Kitty, played by Georgia Ellis; and Doc Adams, played by Howard McNear. | 2/18/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
58 |
CleanLum and Abner 2- Episodes | Lum and Abner, an American radio comedy which aired as a network program from 1932 to 1954, became an American institution in its low-keyed, arch rural wit. One of a series of 15-minute serial comedies that dotted American radio at its height as America's number one home entertainmentâ??others included Amos 'n' Andy, Easy Aces, The Goldbergs, and Vic and Sadeâ??Lum and Abner included various elements of each but yielded something as singular as the others and became somewhat more of an institution. Lum and Abner - 2 Episodes - Lum will hire an architect and Lum will have the water analyzed. | 2/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
59 |
CleanThe Red Skelton Show - People Who Brag - 12/05/1951 | Red Skelton first appeared on Radio in 1937 as a Guest on Rudy Vallee's "Fleischmann's Hour". Then he was on NBC's "Avalon Time" which featured Red Foley and Red's first wife Edna Stilwell. In 1941, Raleigh Cigarettes offered Red Skelton his own show and "The Red Skelton Show" premiered on NBC Radio. Ozzie Nelson was Red's orchestra leader and Harriet Hilliard (later Nelson) was the lead singer and Junior's mother. Soon listeners became avid fans of Red Skelton's first comedy characters. Red was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1944, discharged in 1945 and returned to NBC and "The Red Skelton Show". In 1949 the show moved from NBC to CBS where the show aired until May 1953. | 2/14/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
60 |
CleanThe Shadow - Sabotage - 1/16/1938 | The Shadow - Sabotage - 1/16/1938 | 2/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
61 |
CleanThe Shadow -Deathhouse Rescue - 9/26/1937 | The Shadow -Deathhouse Rescue - 9/26/1937 - The Shadow is a character created by Walter B. Gibson. | 2/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
62 |
CleanDuffy's with Guest Bing Crosby - 12-07-1943 | Duffy's with Guest Bing Crosby - 12-07-1943 Duffy's Tavern, an American radio situation comedy (CBS, 1941-1942; NBC-Blue Network, 1942-1944; NBC, 1944-1952), often featured top-name stage and film guest stars but always hooked those around the misadventures, get-rich-quick-scheming, and romantic missteps of the title establishment's malaprop-prone, metaphor-mixing manager, Archie, played by the writer/actor who co-created the show, Ed Gardner. In the show's familiar opening, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," either solo on an old-sounding piano or by a larger orchestra, was interrupted by the ring of a telephone and Gardner's New Yorkese accent as he answered, "Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat. Archie the manager speakin'. Duffy ain't here â?? oh, hello, Duffy." Duffy, the owner, was never heard (or seen, when a film based on the show was made in 1945 or when a bid to bring the show to television was tried in 1954). But Archie always was â?? bantering with Duffy's man-crazy daughter, Miss Duffy (played by several actresses, beginning with Gardner's real-life first wife, Shirley Booth); with Eddie, the waiter/janitor (Eddie Green); and, especially, with Clifton Finnegan (Charlie Cantor), a likeable soul with several screws loose and a knack for falling for every other salesman's scam. | 2/12/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
63 |
CleanThe Saint - The Chiseling Chimpanzee - 12-10-1950 | The Saint was first brought to life on the radio in 1940 by Terence De Marney (aka Terrance De Marney) on Radio Athlone. It was then a five-year wait before NBC picked up the option, and featured Edgar Barrier as Simon Templar, alias The Saint. Later in 1945, Brian Aherne took over the role when the show switched over to CBS. Then in 1947, probably the most famous Radio Saint of all-time, Vincent Price, added his golden voice to the role. Vincent Price was once quoted as saying the most difficult thing about the show was coming up with new and unique ways to get conked on the head. After a large number of episodes, Price finally left and his replacement Barry Sullivan only lasted a few episodes before the show was cancelled. It was resurrected due to public demand, with Vincent Price returning to save the day. In 1951, Tom Conway (George Sanders' brother), of The Falcon fame, played The Saint for the last few episodes, with Lawrence Dobkin stepping in for a single episode when Conway was unavailable. Between 1953 and 1957, Tom Meehan starred as The Saint on Springbok Radio in South Africa (in English) with fresh adaptations of the original Charteris stories. It wasn't until 1995 that the Saint returned to radio with new episodes, with Paul Rhys portraying The Saint in three scripts taken directly from the orginal Charteris stories. Dec 10, 1950: The Chiseling Chimpanzee | 2/12/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
64 |
CleanDragnet - Benny Trounsel (#9) -Thursday, August 4, 1949 | This Episode: Dragnet - Benny Trounsel (#9) Originally aired: Thursday, August 4, 1949 -A police informant is killed, and Friday and Romero have to find out why he had high-grade heroin in his pockets. | 2/11/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
65 |
Clean7 PM hour of WJSV AM from September 21, 1939 | WJSV portion of The Broadcast Day On September 21, 1939, radio station WJSV in Washington, D.C. transcribed the 7 PM hour of their broadcasting day. This program features Ask-It Basket (quiz - 30minutes) and Strange as it Seems (True Stories - 30 minutes). This is a perfect example how LIVE radio sounded in 1939 | 2/10/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
66 |
Clean6 PM hour of WJSV AM from September 21, 1939 | WJSV portion of The Broadcast Day On September 21, 1939, radio station WJSV in Washington, D.C. transcribed the 6 PM hour of their broadcasting day. This program features The Amos and Andy Show (15 minutes), The Parker Family (15 minutes) and Joe E. Brown (30 minutes). This is a perfect example how LIVE radio sounded in 1939 | 2/9/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
67 |
CleanOur Miss Brooks - Putting The Touch On Miss Brooks - 10-24-1948 | Eve Arden played the fun-loving but sometimes frazzled English teacher at Madison High School, Our Miss Brooks . Probably the most famous teacher ever on radio, Connie Brooks was a wonderful combination of sincere and smart, and Eve Arden played her perfectly. From the very beginning of the radio run in 1948, Our Miss Brooks became a favorite of women, high school kids and parents across the nation. This Episode is called "Putting The Touch On Miss Brooks" - 10-24-1948 | 2/8/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
68 |
CleanGuest Star - from 1947 - featuring Milton Berle and Frank Sinatra | "Guest Star" was a 1940s-1950s public service program created by the US Treasury Dept featuring "Guest Stars" to promote sales of savings bonds. This episode features Milton Berle and Frank Sinatra from 1947. | 2/7/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
69 |
CleanAmos and Andy - Marriage Proposal Mix-up 11-17-1944 | Tonights Program: Marriage Proposal Mix-up 11-17-1944. Amos 'n' Andy was a situation comedy popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s. The show began as one of the first radio comedy serials, written and voiced by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll and originating from station WMAQ in Chicago, Illinois. After the series was first broadcast in 1928, it grew in popularity and became a huge influence on the radio serials that followed. | 2/6/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
70 |
CleanMartin and Lewis with - Guest Bob Hope 12-21-48 | This program aired 12-21-48 and was the Audition (Pilot) Program for NBC. The Martin and Lewis Show was the first time that the world had a real taste of the comedic dynamic duo, composed of the venerable Dean Martin and the wacky Jerry Lewis. When Dean and Jerry met, Dean had been trying to make it big as a crooner for over ten years. Jerry, coming from vaudeville parents, naturally wanted to be a performer since he was a wee one. When they were both in their 20s, the boys were introduced by friends in New York City and began performing together. Each helped smooth out the others rough edges. Dino helped Jerry relax on stage, and Jerry helped bring out Dinoâ??s comedic side. The duo performed at nightclubs for several years. They were working their way through the big clubs when NBC announced a talent hunt. They were looking for rising young performers for television and radio. Some of the Network executives caught a nightclub act of Martin and Lewis. They were instantly won over by their chemistry. They tried them on television, but radio was a more popular venue, so they moved them on over and made plans for The Martin & Lewis Show. | 2/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
71 |
CleanSounds of the Big Bands with Bill Alexander | This program original aired on April 26, 2003. This program was produced for a regional radio station. All of the commercials and station reference were removed. I do not own the right to any of the music played in this program. | 4/26/03 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 71 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Amazing!
I enjoy music from the 30's and 40's. It's impossible not to get in a good mood when you listen to it. I recently visited a radio and tv museum which inspired me to search for old radio broadcasts. This is an amazing resource. Today's entertainment doesn't compare to this golden era of feel good radio that is such a huge part of American history. This is the ultimate "retro" experience.
Listeners also subscribed to
- The Podcast from Yesteryear
- Robert (Robertowiz)
- View In iTunes
- Old Time Radio
- Dean Pearson
- View In iTunes
- Flashback Express
- Nolan Kenner
- View In iTunes
- "Fright Night Theater" | Blog Talk Radio Feed
- Old Time Radio USA
- View In iTunes
- Free
- Category: Arts
- Language: English
- © This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
