Old Time Radio Blog

This is Episode 404 of what is often regarded as the best show from the Old Time Radio era. Gunsmoke set the standard in many ways including the quality of the scripts, exceptional acting, and production quality. For example, the sound technician recorded star William Conrad walking in cowboy boots on a wooden deck built exactly like an old Dodge City store front deck, just to have an authentic sound for any time he needed to have Matt Dillon walking on a wooden deck.

X Minus One was one of the better science fiction anthology series that aired during the late 1950's. The series frequently featured stories by writers who eventually became legends in the genre and often covered popular themes such as robots, space travel and Martian invasions. In this story, an unexpected twist could likely leave you chuckling at the ol' switcheroo.

This episode seems to be from the time when Jack and the gang were in the zone. They're loose and having fun together, just kind of riffing off each other, ribbing on all their standard things. There's even a short play on 1938 saying goodbye and welcoming in the "tiny nudist newcomer, 1939." A fun half-hour to ring in the new year.

When Mel Blanc got his own radio show, he had already become world famous for being the voice of Bugs Bunny (among many others). While this series was funny on its own merits, you can't help but recognize that much of the writing was centered around giving Blanc a chance to show off his voice talents. There are several inside jokes in each episode, such as how the lodge president talks about dispatching his wife. Still and all, the show is quite enjoyable.

The Great Gildersleeve, with his distinctive laugh, was a character originally created by Harold Peary while on the Fibber McGee and Molly show. On that show, the character had a pretty loose biography and was either married or not, depending on the needs of the writing staff. On his own spinoff, he's a bachelor tending to his recently orphaned niece and nephew. I have to say, this show is just plain fun

NBC ran the Rocky Fortune series for 25 episodes beginning in October 1953. This show was a "sustaining series," which means the network paid for all production costs so they could take care of Frank Sinatra's growing superstardom. Each episode features Frank as a detective in the style of the day...part hardboiled and part comic relief. I hope you enjoy.

In theory, You Bet Your Life was a quiz show. In reality, it was a half-hour of Groucho Marx ad libbing off the contestants answers to his ice breaking questions. If you can listen to this show and not laugh, you probably have no pulse.

This is Episode 36 of what is often regarded as the best show from the Old Time Radio era. Gunsmoke set the standard in many ways including the quality of the scripts, exceptional acting, and production quality. For example, the sound technician recorded star William Conrad walking in cowboy boots on a wooden deck built exactly like an old Dodge City store front deck, just to have an authentic sound for any time he needed to have Matt Dillon walking on a wooden deck.

As one of the original radio sitcoms, Fibber McGee and Molly holds a special place in radio history. This episode features a visit by the McGee's war worker friend/lessee and their part time maid Beulah. Little known fact: Beulah was played by a white Jewish man.

Henry was sometimes just a little too clever for his own good. Some very good examples on this episode. In my opinion, it's a shame there aren't more of his shows available.

When Mel Blanc got his own radio show, he had already become world famous for being the voice of Bugs Bunny (among many others). While this series was funny on its own merits, you can't help but recognize that much of the writing was centered around giving Blanc a chance to show off his voice talents. There are several inside jokes in each episode, such as how the lodge president talks about dispatching his wife. Still and all, the show is quite enjoyable.

The Great Gildersleeve, with his distinctive laugh, was a character originally created by Harold Peary while on the Fibber McGee and Molly show. On that show, the character had a pretty loose biography and was either married or not, depending on the needs of the writing staff. On his own spinoff, he's a bachelor tending to his recently orphaned niece and nephew. I have to say, this show is just plain fun.

NBC ran the Rocky Fortune series for 25 episodes beginning in October 1953. This show was a "sustaining series," which means the network paid for all production costs so they could take care of Frank Sinatra's growing superstardom. Each episode features Frank as a detective in the style of the day...part hardboiled and part comic relief. I hope you enjoy.

In theory, You Bet Your Life was a quiz show. In reality, it was a half-hour of Groucho Marx ad libbing off the contestants answers to his ice breaking questions. If you can listen to this show and not laugh, you probably have no pulse.

During World War II, most of America's best and brightest entertainers got together each week and put out a show specifically for the fighting men overseas. The show's motto: Presented once a week, every week, until it's over, over there.

Our Miss Brooks was a series that aired first on radio and then both on TV and radio. Unlike many of the co-media series of the day, however, the Our Miss Brooks radio show was simply the audio from the TV series. In this episode, we find the usual cast of characters creating their typical mayhem, centered around Madison High School English teacher Constance Brooks, ever chasing after relatively clueless Biology teacher Mr. Boynton.

This is Episode 454 of what is often regarded as the best show from the Old Time Radio era. Gunsmoke set the standard in many ways including the quality of the scripts, exceptional acting, and production quality. For example, the sound technician recorded star William Conrad walking in cowboy boots on a wooden deck built exactly like an old Dodge City store front deck, just to have an authentic sound for any time he needed to have Matt Dillon walking on a wooden deck.

When Mel Blanc got his own radio show, he had already become world famous for being the voice of Bugs Bunny (among many others). While this series was funny on its own merits, you can't help but recognize that much of the writing was centered around giving Blanc a chance to show off his voice talents. There are several inside jokes in each episode, such as how the lodge president talks about dispatching his wife. Still and all, the show is quite enjoyable.

As one of the original radio sitcoms, Fibber McGee and Molly holds a special place in radio history. This episode features quite an interesting session with Bill Thompson (as the Old Timer) who was obviously ad libbing his particular delivery as they did the show, cracking up Marion Jordan (Molly McGee). It's also neat to hear the embedded commercials by Harlow Wilcox...and sometimes they way they are hijacked by Fibber, who ends up doing an even better commercial.

NBC ran the Rocky Fortune series for 25 episodes beginning in October 1953. This show was a "sustaining series," which means the network paid for all production costs so they could take care of Frank Sinatra's growing superstardom. Each episode features Frank as a detective in the style of the day...part hardboiled and part comic relief. I hope you enjoy.