Golden Age of Radio Online
January-February Wednesday 1-1 Honest Harold "New Year's Barn Dance" 12/27/1950 Superman "Happyland Amusement Park" Part 6, 7/19/1940 Thursday 1-2 X-Minus One "Target One" 12/26/1957 Frontier Gentlemen "Charlie Meeker" 2/9/1958 Friday 1-3 The Falcon "Case of the Raw Deal" 12/10/1950 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Bennett Matter" Part 1, 2/24/1956 Saturday 1-4 Our Miss Brooks "The French Teacher" 3/4/1951 My Favorite Husband: George's Mother Visits - Part 1, 3/4/1949 Sunday 1-5 My Favorite Husband: George's Mother Visits - Part 2 Mysterious Traveler "The Man who Died Twice" 2/24/1948 Monday 1-6 Meet The Meeks "Community Hall Party" 1/10/1948 Burns & Allen Show, guest: Caesar Romero - Part 1, 1/20/1949 Tuesday 1-7 Burns & Allen Show, guest: Caesar Romero - Part 2 Casey, Crime Photographer "The Miracle" 1/15/1948 Wednesday 1-8 I Was a Communist for the FBI "The Dangerous Dollars" 7/9/1952 The Adv. of Superman "Lighthouse Point Smugglers" Part 1, 7/22/1940 Thursday 1-9 Family Theater "Where the Heart is" 1/5/1949 Night Editor "Lucky Day" Friday 1-10 Escape "The Sure Thing" 1/17/1950 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Bennett Matter" Part 2" 2/25/1956 Saturday 1-11 Hopalong Cassidy "Peril at Pier 19" 4/7/1951 Vic and Sade "Vic's Lodge Robe Needs Altering" 7/23/1943 Sunday 1-12 The Weird Circle "Murders In The Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe" 1/2/1944 The Unexpected "Jailbreak" 5/1/1905 Monday 1-13 A Day in the Life of Dennis Day "Bank Loan" 12/10/1947 My Friend Irma: The Book Crook - Part 1, 1/19/1948 Tuesday 1-14 My Friend Irma: The Book Crook - Part 2 The New Adv. of Nero Wolfe "Case of the Killer Cards" 1/12/1951 Wednesday 1-15 The Saint "Simon Takes A Curtain Call" 1/14/1951 The Adv. of Superman "Lighthouse Point Smugglers" Part 2, 7/24/1940 Thursday 1-16 The Adv. of Frank Race "The Count Treffano's Crest" 1/15/1950 Cruise of the Poll Parrott "The Treasure Hunt" Part 1, 9/25/1937 Friday 1-17 The Green Hornet "Matter of Evidence" 1/20/1948 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Bennett Matter" Part 3, 2/26/1956 Saturday 1-18 Lum 'n' Abner: Going To Washington DC, 1/16/1949 The Life of Riley: Free Medical Advice - Part 1, 1/30/1946 Sunday 1-19 The Life of Riley: Free Medical Advice - Part 2 Adventures of Philip Marlowe "The Black Halo" 1/15/1949 Monday 1-20 Alan Young Show: Alan Makes A Record, 1/23/1945 Life With Luigi: Cold Season - Part 1, 1/17/1950 Tuesday 1-21 Life With Luigi: Cold Season - Part 2 The Whistler "Treasure Hunt" 1/21/1946 Wednesday 1-22 Sherlock Holmes "Adv. of the Second Stain" 1/30/1955 The Adv. of Superman "Lighthouse Point Smugglers" Part 3, 7/26/1940 Thursday 1-23 Behind The Mike: Script Writers, 1/12/1941 Cruise of the Poll Parrott "The Treasure Hunt" Part 2, 10/2/1937 Friday 1-24 The Shadow "League of Terror" 1/9/1938 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Bennett Matter" Part 3, 2/26/1956 Saturday 1-25 Exploring Tomorrow "First Contact" 5/10/1905 The Third Man "Amnesia" 5/5/1905 Sunday 1-26 Creeps By Night "The Strange Burial of Alexander Jordon" 4/27/1905 Blackstone, the Magic Detective "Vanishing Pearls" 1/30/1949 Monday 1-27 The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show, Guest: Jane Wyman, 2/2/1947 The Great Gildersleeve: Fibber McGee & Molly Visit - Part 1, 1/10/1943 Tuesday 1-28 The Great Gildersleeve: Fibber McGee & Molly Visit - Part 2 Inner Sanctum "The Creeping Wall" 1/8/1946 Wednesday 1-29 Cisco Kid "Claim Jumpers" 1/26/1954 The Adv. of Superman "Lighthouse Point Smugglers" Part 4, 7/29/1940 Thursday 1-30 The Henry Morgan Show" Morgan's Around the World Listening Post, 6/4/1947 Cruise of the Poll Parrott "The Treasure Hunt" Part 3, 10/9/1937 Friday 1-31 Suspense "If The Dead Could Talk" 1/20/1949 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Bennett Matter" Part 4, 2/27/1956 Saturday 2-1 Red Skelton "Tax Problems" 3/12/1950 Fibber McGee & Molly: Cleaning Closet, Gracie Allen - Part 1, 3/5/1940 Sunday 2-2 Fibber McGee & Molly: Cleaning Closet w/ Gracie Allen - Part 2 Defense Attorney "Thomas Richards" 3/13/1952 Monday 2-3 Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show: Unpaid Bills, 2/19/1950 Duffy's Tavern: Archie's Philiosophy - Part 1, 2/9/1949 Tuesday 2-4 Duffy's Tavern: Archie's Philiosophy - Part 2 Philo Vance "Butler Murder Case" 2/15/1949 Wednesday 2-5 The Adv. of Sam Spade "The Sure Thing Caper" 2/9/1951 The Adv. Of Superman "Lighthouse Point Smugglers" Part 5, 7/31/1940 Thursday 2-6 Pat Novak For Hire "Watch Wendy Morris" 4/30/1949 Cruise of the Poll Parrott "The Treasure Hunt" Part 4, 10/16/1937 Friday 2-7 Mystery Is My Hobby "Jeff And Peggy Kill Peter Wade" 4/28/1905 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Crystal Lake Matter" Part 1, 8/13/1956 Saturday 2-8 Our Miss Brooks "Burial Grounds" 11/5/1950 The Aldrich Family "The Broken Toy" Part 1, 11/11/1948 Sunday 2-9 The Aldrich Family "The Broken Toy" Part 2, 11/11/1948 Murder at Midnight "Death's Coblet" 10/21/1946 Monday 2-10 Jack Benny Program: Dreams of the New York Symphony, 2/17/1952 Burns & Allen Show "Happy Marriage Contest" Part 1, 2/7/1942 Tuesday 2-11 Burns & Allen Show "Happy Marriage Contest" Part 2 Sherlock Holmes "Clue of the Hungry Cat" 10/26/1946 Wednesday 2-12 Hopalong Cassidy "The Phantom Bandido" 2/5/1950 The Adv. Of Superman "Lighthouse Point Smugglers" Part 6, 8/2/1940 Thursday 2-13 Escape "The Killer Mine" 2/11/1951 Cruise of the Poll Parrott: The Treasure Hunt - Part 5, 10/23/1937 Friday 2-14 The Hermit's Cave "The Black Band" Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Crystal Lake Matter" Part 2, 8/14/1956 Saturday 2-15 Dimension X "Pyrigi's Wonderful Dolls" 8/4/1950 X-Minus One "Prime Difference" 1/2/1958 Sunday 2-16 Chase: Pennypinching Boarding House Owner, 2/8/1953 Calling All Detectives "The Super Comet Train" 7/26/1948 Monday 2-17 Life of Riley "Telephone Story" 2/13/1944 Lum & Abner "Abandoned Baby" Part 1, 2/6/1949 Tuesday 2-18 Lum & Abner "Abandoned Baby" Part 2 Tales of the Texas Rangers "Logger's Larceny" 2/4/1951 Wednesday 2-19 Request Performance "Reconversion Of Karloff" 2/3/1946 The Adv. Of Superman "Candy Meyer's Big Story" Part 1, 8/22/1946 Thursday 2-20 The Whistler "Legacy of Death" 2/14/1943 Cruise of the Poll Parrott "The Treasure Hunt" Part 6, 10/30/1937 Friday 2-21 Gangbusters "The Horse Hijackers" Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar "The Crystal Lake Matter" Part 3, 8/15/1956 Saturday 2-22 Life With Luigi, Guest: Mario Lanza, 11/29/1949 My Favorite Husband: Liz's Birthday - Part 1, 11/25/1950 Sunday 2-23 My Favorite Husband: Liz's Birthday - Part 2 Have Gun, Will Travel "Road to Wickenberg" 11/30/1958 Monday 2-24 Archie Andrews "Double Date" 10/19/1946 Meet The Meeks: Stray Puppy - Part 1, 11/8/1947 Tuesday 2-25 Meet The Meeks: Stray Puppy - Part 2 Crime Classics "Lethal Habit of Marquis Debrinvilliers" 5/26/1954Lux Radio Theater version of Casablanca with original cast members
If clips above will not play, Click here. Access the entire old time radio library as a subscriber, ten-day free trial. Or try the homepage RadioSpirits.com If you cannot hear programs because your computer does not have the latest Flash Player, you can get it free from get.Adobe.com/flashplayerNote: Turner Classic Movies had a marathon showing of all of "The Whistler" movies followed by Red Skelton's "Whistling In" movie trilogy and even a Lum & Abner movie
32 page American Flyer Trains by A.C. Gilbert for 1948 presented by Superman!
Fred Foy 1-hour interview (Lone Ranger, Sgt. Preston, Green Hornet)
Note: radio episodes of Chandu The Magician had no relation to the Boris Karloff movie of the same name, in which Karloff plays Chandu as a villain
Have a suggestion for a radio program you'd like to hear? Email: whenradiowas@gmail
Paul Harvey...stand by for news!
Paul Harvey delved into the forgotten or little-known facts behind stories of famous people and events. Harvey's widely known The Rest of the Story has been broadcast since 1946, similar to the weekly story segment of Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel. Substitutes when Paul was away or ill included Mort Crim (1980-84), Gil Gross, Doug Limerick and Paul Harvey, Jr. Paul Harvey 1966 broadcast (more audio on Paul Harvey page). KEX radio Morning Update archive (2007-2009, including Paul Harvey) ABC Radio Networks has notified affiliates that ABC News Radio's Gil Gross and Doug Limerick will fill the three daily slots of Paul Harvey News & Rest Of The Story. Gil Gross also has a 2-hour interview program. Paul Harvey reads a letter from God
Robert L. Ripley's radio series ran from 1930 to his death in 1949. Music was provided by 1930s band leader Ozzie Nelson and vocalist Harriet Hilliard--who later became sitcom stars, believe it or not!
Peg Riley on "The Life of Riley" (ABC Radio: 1944-1945; NBC Radio: 1945-1951) was played by Paula Winslowe (1910-1996), who had previously been the voice of Bambi's mother in the Disney animated movie, and later played Mrs. Conklin in the TV version of Our Miss Brooks (1953-58) as well as reprising her (uncredited) role as Bambi's mother in Disney cartoon short No Hunting (1955)
Want to get away from it all? We offer you Escape
Turner Classic Movies is doing movies based on radio series this year including Fibber McGee, Gildersleeve, I Love A Mystery, The Whistler, Crime Doctor, etc.
Blake Edwards created Richard Diamond for radio, then later the hard-boiled private eye tv-series "Peter Gunn"
Jack Benny Show broadcasting live
Part 2 of Jack Benny broadcast
Jack sneaks onto Groucho's quiz show as a contestant
Beverly Sills died 7-2-07 from cancer complications. Beverly Sills spoofing opera on the Danny Kaye Show
Gracie Allen vs. the Tax Auditor
(he leaves in confusion) Gracie Allen was born in 1895 but her birth certificate was lost in the 1906 San Francisco Fire/Earthquake so she always gave 1906 as her birthdate
Miss a recent broadcast? You may be able to "hear it now" on your computer for up to a week after broadcast, check the archives
Ripley's Believe It Or Not (1932 clip)
Origin of the term "Pot-head" for a drunk in Korea
This is Wally Ballou reminding you to Hang by your thumbs.
I love a mystery so welcome again through the squeaking door
Note: Stan Freberg hosted "When Radio Was" for 10 years, after previous host Art Fleming passed away suddenly. His final broadcast as host was 10/6/06. The new host from then until June, 2007 was Chuck Schaden. Greg Bell, program director and host of XM Radio’s very popular old-time radio channel, "Radio Classics", has been named as the new host. Chuck Schaden has interviewed some of the radio stars (recorded in the 1970s, see broadcast archive).
Superman 1950s TV intro, now a major motion picture
See banner below for the two radio episodes available to hear today online
The Shadow: Greatest Radio Adventures is available (40 episodes, 20 hours), episode list on Shadow page 2
Also - The Shadow: The Lost Shows (no episode title list available) and The Shadow 3-Hour Collection (18 episodes), plus other Old Time Radio series on tape or CD produced by Radio Spirits in association with the Smithsonian
Fun fact:
Jimmy Stewart's The Six Shooter only lasted one season (he wouldn't accept a tobacco company as sponsor), and he made the Hitchcock movie "Rear Window" the same year.
Walter B. Gibson co-created and wrote the Shadow novels. When he left The Shadow magazine after asking for more money, he became head script writer for radio's Nick Carter, Master Detective for awhile.
X Minus One/Dimension X had no big-name guest stars because most of the weekly budgets were used to purchase broadcast rights to the latest sci-fi stories
Morton Downey "The Irish Nightingale" was a popular singer on 1930s radio (and TV host of 1950s Star Of The Family), heard alternate nights on a 5-day a week radio broadcast from his New York nightclub. His son Morton Downey, Jr., went instead into talk radio with a spoof of bombastic Wally George on a California radio station - when he left radio in 1988 to do a TV-version of his show, the Sacramento station replaced him with someone named Rush Limbaugh.
Print version of this page (no background or graphics) for months of:
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January-March 2012...April-June...July-September...October-December 2012
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November 2003...October...September...August...July...June...May...April...March...February...January
December 2002...November...October...August-September...July...June...May...March-April...February...January 2002 (with organ music background) or January 2002 (silent)
December...November 2001, or here for Previous Months before thatNote: in 1943, NBC sold its Blue network, creating the American Broadcasting System (the name was changed to American Broadcasting Company the following year). The Columbia Broadcasting System promptly dropped the call letters of its New York radio station WABC (which ABC snatched up)
Jack Benny vs. the Floor Walker (Frank Nelson)
For those interested in more trivia facts about radio drama, we suggest the book, "On The Air: An Encyclopedia Of Old Time Radio," by John Dunning. The publisher is Oxford Press. It is one of the many books used in radio drama research.These programs are made available by a guy who's nuts about old time radio and a retired CBS executive: More
1 large roast beef
Possible alternate webcast available:
All programs heard are supplied by & available from Radio Spirits.
The show titles shown on this banner are for a nationally-syndicated version of this program with different radio shows 7 days a week.
Click here for the When Radio Was upcoming national schedule courtesy RadioSpiritsRadio classics are also available on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio
Carl also produces the Twilight Zone radio series based on TV's Twilight ZoneBack to Monstervision.org or Scifans
Email: scifanscom
Ripley's is back on cable TV, believe it or notClick here to stop the background music from Keytrax. More music from Keytrax
Gracie Allen's Roast Beef Recipe
1 small roast beef
Take the 2 roasts and put them in the oven. Turn oven on. When the little one burns, the big one is done.
In addition to starring in both the radio & TV versions of "Life With Luigi" J. Carrol Naish portrayed Dr. Daka, the first villain to go up against Batman on the silver screen, in "The Batman" (1943 serial). He also appeared in two episodes of Lux Theater after it moved to TV
Life Of Riley was originally co-created by Gummo Marx for his brother Groucho as The Flotsam Family. But the sponsor saw William Bendix in a 1942 movie and cast him instead.
Marcus Brace Beemer (born in 1903) and John Todd (born as Fred McCarthy in 1877) played The Lone Ranger & Tonto on radio. They also both had to lie about their age to serve (separately) in WW1. Beemer was too young (15) to enlist and Todd too old (30). The War Department says Beemer was the youngest U.S. serviceman in WW1; he was wounded while serving in France. By the way, Arthur Godfrey was almost killed in an auto accident in the 1930s, yet learned to walk and fly his own plane. When he was turned down for WW2 enlistment as a Navy flier due to the old injury, he asked friend FDR for help. The President told an Admiral to accept Godfrey since he couldn't walk at all yet was serving as Commander in Chief!
The greeting "How" may not be a Hollywood invention. There is an actual Indian greeting "A-Hau," which means Peace be with you or All is well. The first Texas Rangers used muzzle-loading single-shot rifles. But their first hand guns were actually a 5-shot revolver, not a 6-gun!
Jack Benny was born on Valentine's Day, and Robert L. Ripley was born on Christmas Day, believe it or not! In 1974, Jack Benny & George Burns were cast in The Sunshine Boys but George became ill and was replaced by Walter Matthau, then George got better and Jack suddenly died.
In the 1930s, comic strip Terry & the Pirates had many storylines in which Japan (changed to "the invaders" by nervous newspaper editors) attacked China and then Pearl Harbor. This storyline was also adapted for the radio series Captain Midnight, also before the real attack on Pearl Harbor! Fran Stryker wrote the life output of Shakespeare every 15 weeks: How he did it
NBC/GE chimes (G-E-C musical notes, for General Electric Co.) NBC's special alert 4 chimes (used for Hindenberg crash, Pearl Harbor, and WW2 bulletins)
Fun facts:
When a pitcher, catcher & umpire get into an arguement, it's called a "rhubarb." This term dates back to live radio drama when angry crowds would be represented by 5 or 6 actors saying "rhubarb" over and over. Nick Carter, Master Detective predated Sherlock Holmes by a couple of months--the American detective appeared in his own Street & Smith magazine just before the first Holmes appearance in Strand Magazine. Walter B. Gibson, co-creator of The Shadow in print, wrote for radio's Nick Carter during WW2.
Countdown to blast-off X-5,4,3,2,X-1...Fire
It's Sunday night and time for Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy
Who is it? The Fatman...The Falcon...The Green Hornet strikes again
The Shadow knows in 1939, in 1941 and 1948...the end
The Jack Benny Program presented by Lucky Strike. There's always room for Jello...Sold: American!
Welcome to the Hermit's Cave...Duffy ain't here
Welcome to the Black Museum (Orson Welles) That was the end of Harry Lime
I'm the first person they look for and the last they want to meet
Henry? Henry Aldrich...Hi ya, Baldy!
I carry a badge. Hi-Ho Silver. I am The Whistler. Yes King, this case is closed. A tale calculated to keep you in Suspense!
Join the new 1940 Flight Patrol with Captain Midnight. Flash! Ethiopia surrenders to Mussolini
Turn your lights out, everybody. If you are easily frightened, turn your radio off now.
It is I, Digby Odell, the friendly undertaker By golly, I believe that's our ring. Don't open that closet. Heavenly days!
Mr. Keen, tracer of lost persons. How do you do? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar
This is your FBI
Suspense radio series history on WikipediaWho're you gonna vote for?
I wonder what The Lone Ranger would sound like in Jamaica
There was even a radio version of Doc Savage By Lester Dent
Lester Dent bio on YouTube
Or click here to join Raymond in the Inner Sanctum
Prefer comedy? Check out 1940s radio's Spike Jones Show
(guests include Groucho Marx, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone & Boris Karloff)
CBS Radio Theater (these are big MP3 audio links so save it to your computer or ipod if you are on a slow dialup) series by Hyman Brown, creator of the original Inner Snctum radio series
Sherlock Holmes Vs. Dracula (broadcast date unknown)
Some of the above clips are from archive.org/details/oldtimeradio
Frothingslosh is brought to you by the news
Harry Shearer's LeShow, a little news, a little music, a little satire
Paul Harvey's commercials: ForeverHotWater (mp3)...Audibel (mp3)
Paul Harvey files
Previous Paul Harvey website
© Bill Laidlaw. All rights reserved. That was the President of the U.S., Hoobert Heever. The bees know
