ULTIMATE OLD TIME RADIO - Old Time Radio very best classic shows

Happy New Year Jack Benny

12/29/2019

We have a couple of classics to celebrate the New Year...First we have First show of 1945 which featured 2 of Benny's greatest skits, His Vault gag and the Train station announcer (Mel Blanc) …"and Cucamonga!" Both became long running jokes on the series.

Next we have episode a year later where Jack and the gang celebrate NYE...Hilarious! I believe mid-1940's was the best era of the long running show creating many of Jack's best gags.

ENJOY!

Fibber McGee and Molly celebrate the Holidays

12/15/2019

Fibber McGee and Molly was one of the most successful comedy shows of the golden age. Long adored by audiences The Johnson Wax Program with Fibber McGee and Molly showcased the talents of real life couple Jim and Marian Jordan. Getting their start in vaudeville and terribly successful, they'd eventually move their talents to the new medium radio in 1924 trying different formats and character names, they'd eventually meet Don Quinn longtime writer for the pair, together they would create the show which began in Spring of 1935. It took a few years to settle into the characters of a wisecracking tall-talesman Fibber and his lovely enduring wife Moly. Quinn and the Jordan's would be come full partners in the show and it would be a top ratings winner through out the end of the 1930's and 40's.

Filled with many zany characters (Gildersleeve, Doc Gamble, Wallace Wimple, Mrs. Upington, Old Timer and many more) and some of radio's most famous gags (Fibber's Closet!) the show introduced us to the life of the town of Wistful Vista, Wisconsin which Don Quinn took pains to keep as real as any character on the show.

Here are 2 episodes that showcase the talent and simple story telling this team did so well...From mid-December, they start our holiday fun with the McGee's...Enjoy!

Merry Christmas 2019

12/9/2019

It's the holiday season again and for the next couple weeks I thought it would be fun to post some fun holiday themed episodes from some of my favorite shows like Fibber McGee and Molly, My Favorite Husband with Lucille Ball, Chase and Sanborn Hour with Bergen and McCarthy, My friend Irma, The Falcon, Joan Davis Show, Vic and Sade, Lum and Abner, The Red Skelton Show and many more.

But first I wanted to start this Christmas with special selection for kids of all ages...

First... Airing during the holiday season of 1938 Jonathan Thomas and Christmas on the Moon ran as a daily serial between Thanksgiving and Christmas for 26 episodes. The story follows 6 year old Jonathan who finds out that Christmas may not come this year because Santa has been kidnapped and is being held on the Moon! Jonathan is aided by silly characters all trying to save Santa and Christmas. Here is the first episode of the series I will post more episode on LISTENING TO OTR...Pull the kids up and listen to the whole series and see if Jonathan can save the day!

Happy Thanksgiving 2019

11/23/2019

During this Thanksgiving season I want to highlight some wonderful Thanksgiving themed episodes from some of our favorite shows. See these coming in the coming days LISTENING TO OTR!

To start us off...Here is a special episode of the popular variety show Command Performance airing for the troops on Thanksgiving day 1944. The show was hosted by Lionel Barrymore featured Dinah Shore and comedian Wally Brown and had a fun featurette of Fanny Brice as Baby Snook being a real turkey to Daddy.

Command Performance was called "the best wartime program in America" though most American's never heard it. The show was created for the entertainment of the troops overseas during World War II. All the talent that appeared on the show worked for free and attracted the absolute biggest stars from Radio, Stage and Movies. The shows were created from letters of actual service men requesting to hear their favorite girl singer, radio comedian or Big Band. It appeared exclusively on the Armed Forces Radio Service a short wave network broadcast out to troops all over the world. Known for it's annual Christmas Eve Holiday show, the 1942 show was heard by the services men and the audience at home as well a first for the series. When the War ended so did the show.

Top 5 Detective Shows on Old Time Radio

11/13/2019

One of the most popular genre of radios golden age was detective stories. Mystery stories intrigued listens through out the entire 30 years, private investigators, police detective, private detective and people of all walks solved crimes. These shows gave listeners just enough clues to solve the crime but not before they could have their favorite detectives figure out the whole crime and tell them the facts. Characters created by some of the greatest mystery writers like Dashiell Hammett, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Raymond Chandler. The shows were full of famous actors’ form screen, stage and radio, played some of the most well-known sleuths on radio. Dick Powell, Alan Ladd, Basil Rathbone, Jack Webb, Bob Bailey, Howard Duff, Gerald Mohr, and John Lund.

Here is my list of the 5 Best Detectives of the Golden Age of Radio...

5) Yours Truly Johnny Dollar

“America’s fabulous freelance insurance investigator” started a long run 1949 on CBS starring Charles Russell as Dollar Edmund O’Brien, John Lund, Gerald Mohr, Bob Bailey, Bob Readick and finally Mandel Kramer would all play the “man with the action-packed expense account”. The show played until 1962 and with Suspense was the last shows from golden era. The Bob Bailey/Jack Johnstone era was considered it’s best run the show went from weekly 30-minute show to a 75-minute broken into daily 15-minute serial episodes. Bailey played Dollar less like a gumshoe Detective but more like true investigator. The most unique part of the show was the listing of expenses incurred during the investigation which made it unique to other shows of its kind.

4) The Adventures of Sherlock Homes

Created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Homes was pretty much the most perfect character to transition from novels to radio. Homes tended to explain things a lot talking to his friend Doctor Watson which pretty much how radio worked. Starting in 1935 and running until 1955 (though BBC would continue Sherlock radio stories for years and years to come) had many distinguished British actors but most famously Basil Rathbone as Homes and Nigel Bruce as Watson who played the characters in 16 movies. The series used the novels in the beginning but later ran out of stories so original plays were created. A format of Watson as narrator telling the thrilling exploits of his genius friend was adopted. Ever clever Homes was the intellectual Detective and always solved the mystery.

3) Box 13

Starring movie star Alan Ladd Box 13 ran for a short time from 1948 to 1950, Ladd played Dan Holiday a retired newspaper reporter who was writing a novel he ran an ad reading “Adventure wanted-will go anywhere, do anything-Box 13”. This ad brought in all kinds of mystery and adventure. Ladd was a veteran radio actor and did a great job as Holiday. Less episodes then most on this list but all are top notch Detective stories.

2) Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Dick Powell was the perfect actor to play the wise cracking singing detective. Running from 1949 to 1953 (On NBC, ABC and CBS). Diamond was funny and less gritty as other detective shows of the era. Powell who was known for being song and dance man in movies brought the right flair to the character of very ex-cop. His relationship with girlfriend Helen Asher and Lt. Walt Levinson highlighted his sarcastic wit and made show less gritty and more lighthearted. The shows character was created by a young Blake Edwards (Pink Panther Movies) in first radio writing gig. Diamond often played the piano and sang each week which made the show different from other Detective series.

And #1 Detective show of old-time radio….

The Adventures of Philip Marlowe

Famously created by Raymond Chandler Phillip Marlowe ran on radio form 1947-1950 cast first by Van Heflin but famously switching to Gerald Mohr. Mohr was right actor for the role and his distinct voice was perfect for the character. The opposite from Richard Diamond this show was tough and hard-boiled detective, the lines ran like classic detective lingo. “Listen good” and “Get this straight Mister” this was an action show and Marlowe was a tough guy through and through. This was Detective story telling at radios very best!

Here is one of the very best shows for series!!!!

Let me know what do you think are these Top 5 is someone not on the list you think should be???

Give me your comments and look for future posts on LISTENING TO RADIO of other great detective shows!

Groucho on the BIG SHOW

11/12/2019

The up and down career of Groucho Marx is remarkable. Wildly popular on Broadway and in films with 1930's along side his brothers. Groucho didn't fair as well on radio taking awhile to find a vehicle for his quick wit. The show did come along that showcased his talents and made him a star again, YOU BET YOUR LIFE. A simple game show which had Groucho interviewing all types of common people was a hit on NBC. So NBC made sure his star made the rounds on show and no show showcased as well as THE BIG SHOW, NBC showcase of talents that came all long as TV started to steal the Radio audience.

A Tribute to my Dad

1/6/2018

This beautiful Blaupunkt radio was a staple in my family home growing up. It sat most of my life in our kitchen on top of the refrigerator and we listened to music and news mostly from WJR-AM "The great voice of the Great Lakes"...We'd wait for school closing on snowy days and catch OTR shows that local stations would rebroadcast.

As a tribute to my Dad (who past away in 2016) I have a couple of my Father's favorites as a child...Enjoy!

ONE MAN'S FAMILY

1/6/2018

The Big Show

3/13/2017

As Television captured the attention of American families in the early 1950's NBC radio made the last great attempt to save radio listeners in the form of a All-Star Review called The Big Show. Several year before the Big Show premiered NBC had all it's biggest talents raided by William Paley and CBS. Stars like Jack Benny, Amos & Andy, Burns and Allen, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Harold Perry etc...all switched networks by Paley helping these star save tons of money through tax loopholes that NBC would not grant. The once all might NBC was now in real competition by CBS radio and TV was causing ratings to drop so they created a BIG show, 90 minutes of the most talent and exciting stars (they could book)...they brought on Broadway darling Tallulah Bankhead as host with her deep husky voice, dry comic delivery and air of sophiscation, she bantered with likes of Bob Hope, Grouch Marx, Ed Wynn and Jim Durante while introduces top singers from all arenas of music. The show was the most expensive radio show in the history of the medium and after 2 years proved disappointing in the ratings....if the show was produced a decade before it would have been a hit but with TV and the changing American taste it didn't stand a chance.

I think it had some really great moments from likes of Groucho Marx and Bob Hope so I think it's really worth listening too. Here is a great episode with a great segment with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah!! Enjoy!!!!!