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Ask anybody you know to name old time radio stars.
Jack Benny and Orson Welles will lead the list. Their names are still well known when time has brought obscurity to other old time radio stars.
More than just radio actors, Jack and Orson defined the art form and set standards of quality that everybody else tried to live up to.
Orson Welles is known best for his "War of the Worlds" broadcast that panicked a nation and illustrated the great power of theater for the ears.
Jack Benny was the greatest comedian on Radio, and part of the fabric of American culture for decades.
In 1940 these two legends, Welles and Benny, drama and comedy, crossed over and appeared on each-other's shows.
On March 17 Orson Welles guest starred on Jack Benny's show and on March 24 Jack returned the favor and joined Orson on the Campbell Playhouse.
And here they are! Orson and Jack are ready to entertain you all the way from 1940!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
December 24 – December 31, 1939
The Holiday Season 1939, Christmas Eve to New Years Eve.
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
When Ma knits She's Nuts!
Some Day you'll find your Bluebird!!
Crack-Shot Higgins Goes Hunting!!!
And More!!
Featuring:
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Dennis Day
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Andy Devine
Shirley Temple
Nelson Eddy
Orson Welles
Cecil B DeMille
Fred Allen
The Merry Macs
Wynn Murray
Edward Arnold
Lucille Ball
Connee Boswell
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
And More!
The very best Swing Bands at peak of their skill and Creativity playing live for our entertainment.
Innovative use of instruments and musical arrangement that extend the boundaries of musical theory.
Structured arrangements that made room for improvisation.
The very best musicians in America playing the best they ever played.
Featuring:
Paul Whiteman
Louis Armstrong
Tommy Dorsey
Artie Shaw
Duke Ellington
Benny Goodman
And more!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
December 3 – December 10, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Smoking is good for the Nerves!
It is so near Christmas!!
Robert Armbruster plays a good milking tempo!!!
Charlie McCarthy, Detective!!!
And More!!
Featuring:
Cecil B. DeMille
Cary Grant
Carol Lombard
Kay Francis
Fibber McGee and Molly
Edward Arnold
Connee Boswell
The Shadow
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Mortimer Snerd
Dorothy Lamour
Geraldine Fitzgerald
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Orson Welles
Mary Wilson
Winston Churchill
Dave Fleischer
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
December 3 – December 10, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Murder on the Gridiron!
Buttering Jack up for Christmas Presents!!
Broadcast from Bergen's Hospital Bedside!!!
And More!!
Featuring:
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Phil Harris
Dennis Day
Orson Welles
Fibber McGee and Molly
Harlow Wilcox
Edward Arnold
Connee Boswell
Baby Snooks
Hanley Stafford
Rudy Vallee
Dorothy Lamour
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Vera Vague
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
November 26 – December 3, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Thanksgiving is more than Just Turkeys!
Someday We'll Be Very Proud of Our Son!
McCarthy and Doogan Christmas Shoppers!
A Reunion of the Old Blarney!
And More!!
Featuring:
Rudy Valee
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Donald Dixon
Dorothy Lamour
Loretta Young
Orson Welles
Fay Bainter
Nan Sunderland
Fibber McGee and Molly
Connee Boswell
Edward Arnold
Arthur Treacher
Robert Armbruster
Maureen O'Hara
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
November 19 – November 26, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
In today's SoundScape:
Mary's Thanksgiving Poem
Jack's Turkey is an Ostrich!
The Deacon chisels for a living!!
Remember Abe Lincoln this Thanksgiving!!!
And More!!
Featuring:
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Dennis Day
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Cecil B. DeMille
James Hilton
Lawrence Olivier
Edna Best
Fibber McGee and Molly
Edward Arnold
Connee Boswell
Fannie Brice
Hanley Stafford
Raymond Walburn
Andy Devine
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
November 12 – November 19, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Churchill Summarizes the First Ten Weeks of War.
Mexican Jumping Beans from Your Skelly Man!
Falling in Love in 30 Minutes!!
Should We Ignore Racial Differences???
And More!!
Featuring:
Winston Churchill
Captain Midnight
Harlow Wilcox
Fibber McGee and Molly
Edward Arnold
Marlene Dietrich
Maxie Rosenblum
Connee Boswell
Fanny Brice
Meredith Wilson
Hanley Stafford
Rudy Vallee
Dorothy Lamour
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Donald Dixon
Mortimer Snerd
John Garfield
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
November 9 – November 12, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Duffy Knows all the Angles!
Jack Benny sees the Dentist!!
Jean Arthur meets Mortimer Snerd!!!
And More!!
Featuring:
Ed Gardner
Edward Arnold
Connee Boswell
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Dennis Day
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
The Shadow
Rudy Vallee
Dorothy Lamour
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Vera Vague
Mortimer Snerd
Jean Arthur
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
November 5 – November 8, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Jack and Phil are incompatible!
Casting the Boys as The Women!
Three Banana Splits and Now I'm a Bride!
Doughnuts!
Jack and Jill!
And More!!
Featuring:
Orson Welles
Mary Astor
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Dennis Day
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Andy Devine
The Shadow
Cecil B. DeMille
Barbara Stanwyck
Captain Midnight
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fred Allen
Wynn Murray
Portland Hoffa
The Merry Macs
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
October 29 – November 5, 1939
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Jack Benny's Costume Party!
Fibber and Molly Visit the Auto Show!
Where is the Perata Treasure?
Mortimer Snerd gets his big chance!
And More!!
Featuring:
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Dennis Day
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Andy Devine
Cecil B DeMille
Loretta Young
Mariam Hopkins
Captain Midnight
Fibber McGee and Molly
The Green Hornet
Edward Arnold
Maxie Rosenbloom
Connee Boswell
Nelson Eddy
Edgar Bergen
Mortimer Snerd
Charlie McCarthy
Dorothy Lamour
And More!
Happy New Year from Old Time Radio of the 1930s!
Featuring:
Jack Benny
Mary Livingston
Don Wilson
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
Edward Arnold
Dennis Day
Phil Harris
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
and More!!
Holiday Spirit from 1937, 1938, and 1939 as served up by Old Time Radio!
Christmas Time is here again. A time when us older folks reconnect with the child we once were. Moments from past Christmases relived, smiles and tears remembered. Longing and gratitude and the laughter of those we've lost.
At least that's what happens to me. Every Christmas that passes magnifies the memories of Christmases from a lifetime ago.
Old Time Radio like this helps me through the bittersweet nostalgia for days that no longer exist.
Starring Santa Claus and The Christian God
Also Appearing
Don Wilson
Mary Livingstone
Jack Benny
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Kenny Baker
Rudy Vallee
Fred Allen
Shirley Temple
Nelson Eddy
Orson Welles
Eddie Cantor
Dennis Day
Robert Young
Baby Snooks and Daddy
Lionel Barrymore
Reginald Owen
And More!!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
October 23 – October 29, 1939
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Gildersleeve throws a Halloween Party!
The Question of the Week!
The Great Frederick Knocks Off Important Dough!
Carol Lombard Married Some Chump!
And More!!
Featuring:
Captain Midnight
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fred Allen
Harry Von Zell
Portland Hoffa
Peter Van Steeden
Wynn Murray
The Merry Macs
Billy Rose
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Nelson Eddy
Dorothy Lamour
Clark Gable
And More!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. Radio highlights originally broadcast live October 15 through October 22, 1939.
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Fibber McGee and Giidersleeve Argue!
Henry Aldritch combs his hair!
Arthur Miller's first Radio Show!
America's Town Meeting of the Air explains the European War!
The New Machinery of our Century!
Jack Benny finds a Gold Cigarette Case!
Boxer King Kole Eats Canvas!
And More!!
Featuring:
Orson Welles
Cecil B DeMille
Fibber McGee and Molly
Harlow Wilcox
Ezra Stone
Captain MidNight
Helen Hayes
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Dennis Day
Kay Kaiser
Fred MacMurray
Joan Bondell
And More!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
The concept of Thanksgiving is as ancient as ancient can be. Harvest festivals dedicated to the god or gods currently in fashion as thanks for abundance and the survival it would provide.
But like so many things, Americans have made thanksgiving their very own with traditions and customs created and nurtured here in the good old USA.
FEATURING:
Lionel Barrymore
Edward Arnold
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
Nelson Eddy
Cecil B. DeMille
Mickey Rooney
Don Wilson
Amos 'n Ady
Wally Brown
Dinah Shore
Winston Churchill
And More
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day. Radio highlights originally broadcast live October 8 through October 15, 1939.
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
What the Jack Benny cast did on Summer Vacation!
Dennis Day Joins the Jello Cast!
Orson Welles takes us to Tangiers!
Bert Lahr visits Fred Allen!
Andy Devine visits Jack Benny!
And More!!
Featuring:
Jack Benny
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Mary Livingston
Phil Harris
Don Wilson
Dennis Day
Orson Welles
Paulette Goddard
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fred Allen
Portland Hoffa
Wynn Murray
The Merry Macs
Bert Lahr
Andy Devine
And More!
Old Time Radio highlights originally broadcast live October 1 through October 8, 1939.
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
A tapestry of History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today's SoundScape:
Charlie McCarthy's in Need of Cash!
Mozart has been dead for many years!
Edgar Bergen Firefighter!
Constance Bennett has a Bridge Party
Charlie McCarthy Fire Chief!!
And More!!
Featuring:
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Nelson Eddy
Dorothy Lamour
Edward Everett Horton
Constance Bennett
Robert Armbruster
The Shadow
Winston Churchill
Orson Welles
Cecil B DeMille
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fred Allen
Harry Van Steeden
The Merry Macs
Wynn Murray
Ned Sparks
Vera Vague
Charles Laughton
And More!
At Halloween the thin boundary between living and dead dissolves so that ghosts, goblins, and the sins we thought long buried come back to feast on our fright filled souls.
Day of the dead, all souls day, two thousand years ago the Pagen Celts called it Samhin, we call it Halloween. The time when ghosts, ghouls, and costumed children all wander the streets looking for their favorite tasty treats. The children want candy, the others from beyond the grave want to feed on your sweet, sweet, sinful soul.
The earliest peoples knew this, huddled around the first campfires now lost in memory the shamans told of ghosts and the risen dead shambling across the earth to restore cosmic justice through black magic, revenge, and terror.
Tales of horror and supernatural evil are as old as mankind, spoken tales of terror and vengeance from beyond the grave are older than memory but never go out of style.
A fact that made the Horror Genre a natural part of Old Time Radio.
Scary shows were perfect for dramatic radio. Arguments can be made that the situation comedy and variety show genres were better suited for television. But horror shows peaked with radio, nothing being scarier than those fears we carry with us in our imaginations. A theater of the mind permits our own deepest fears to chill us to the bone.
Halloween 2025 Features:
The Witches Tale
Lights Out
The Whistler
With Special Appearances by Orson Welles and Agnes Moorehead
Boo!!!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
September 21 – September 28, 1939
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Tap Dancing on the Radio!
Charlie McCarthy back to School!
Funny stories from David Niven
Women can be Boss and make the Men Like It!
And More!!
Featuring:
Major Bowes
The Teddy Powell Orchestra
Orson Welles
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Dorothy Lamour
David Niven
Anita Louise
Robert Armbruster
Fibber McGee and Molly
And More!
Early American entertainment included the circus, the minstrel show, vaudeville, broadway revues, all popular forms of the variety show.
And it was talent from those stage shows that created radio.
But radio wasn’t the same as the stage.
Radio was different manifesting new possibilities for entertainment.
An opportunity to entertain with new formats.
The situation comedy was one such format, brand new, a child of radio, never before seen in the history of man.
Although the situation comedy format is only a hundred or so years old, there is still a mystery surrounding who was the first and when.
My research indicates three radio shows have claim to be the first situation comedy. But the early recordings that exist casts some doubt on each claim.
That is, according to my definition of Situation Comedy.
If you know others who might be the first, or have recordings I have failed to discover, or want to argue a different definition of SitCom, please let me know in a comment on BeforeTvBlog.com.
FEATURING:
Sam ‘n Henry
Jim and Marion Jordan
George Burns
Gracie Allen
Fibber McGee and Molly
Groucho Marx
Chico Marx
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
And More!!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
September 10 – September 21, 1939
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Fibber and Molly Celebrate their Anniversary!
George G. Nathan Talks Eugene O’Neil!
Smoking Hot Swing Tunes!
And More!!
Featuring:
Orson Welles
Cary Grant
Fibber McGee and Molly
Don Ameche
Edgar Bergen
Charlie McCarthy
Dorothy Lamour
Nelson Eddy
Robert Armbruster
Fred MacMurray
Helen Broderick
George G. Nathan
Myrt and Marge
Louis Prima’s Orchestra
And More!
Click Here to Drink in 1939 with Your Thirsty Ears!!
The first generation of radio talent, performers, directors, and writers came from the worlds of vaudeville, minstrel shows and Broadway revues. All forms of variety theater, so it isn’t any wonder that the variety show quickly emerged as a common Radio format.
Here are the three Old Time Radio shows from the 1930’s I feel best exemplify the variety format, and the reasons why.
I expect you, dear listener, might respectfully disagree with my choices. Leave me a comment on my blog, BeforeTVBlog.com, I’d love to hear your opinions.
Meanwhile, give a listen to:
Al Jolson
Fred Allen
Portland Hoffa
Rudy Vallee
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Don Ameche
Dorothy Lamour
Nelson Eddie
Jimmy Dorsey
Bob Burns
And More
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
August 27 – September 5, 1939
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Picking up Girls with Alan Mowbray!
The Most Fateful Broadcast in History!
On the Boat with Edgar and Charlie!
Nutrition with Vera Vague!
The Invasion of Poland!
And More!!
Featuring:
Dorothy Lamour
Don Ameche
Donald Dixon
Alan Mowbray
Robert Young
Meredith Wilson
Alice Faye
Louis B. Mayer
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
John Steele
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Vera Vague
President Franklin Roosevelt
Fibber McGee and Molly
And More!
Sometimes an actor playing a character becomes so popular with their audience that it becomes more than a character, it becomes a persona that the actor inhabits.
Such was the case with Vera Vague, a creation of actor/writer Babara Jo Allen.
Vera Vague was a constant presence on Old Time Radio, man-hungry, misinformed, and most amusing.
Guest Starring:
Edgar Bergen
Charlie McCarthy
Don Ameche
And
Rudy Vallee
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Donald Dixon Tries to Tell a Joke!
Charlie McCarthy Interior Decorator!
Charlie McCarthy Astronomer!
Charlie McCarthy Coin Collector!
Charlie McCarthy Boy Scout!
Charlie McCarthy Talent Agent!
And More!!
Featuring:
Don Ameche
Dorothy Lamour
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Donald Dixon
Kay Frances
Josephine Hutchinson
Mischa Auer
Beatrice Kay
Nelson Eddy
Vera Vague
Joan Blondell
And More!
Fred Allen and the people you didn’t expect to meet 1939.
Fred Allen was famously a control freak on his radio shows. Although he used a staff of writers, it was just to generate ideas and jokes that would be incorporated into the final script that Fred always wrote personally.
Each minute of those shows were a reflection of Fred, including his frequent on air conversations from many folks from many walks of life.
I, personally, am grateful to Fred for helping me to appreciate the lives lived by folks in that past by allowing those folks to tell their own stories.
I think you will also enjoy those real life stories.
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Meet a Real English Butler!
Edgar Bergen Gets Airsick!
The Pie Eyed Piper of Hamlin!
And More!!
Featuring:
Cecil B Demille
Charlie McCarthy
Dorothy Lamour
Don Ameche
Edgar Bergen
Andrea Leeds
Donald Dixon
Vera Vague
Ida Lupino
And More!
Old Time Radio was dog eat dog, CBS and NBC scooped up the all the best stations and biggest talent, leaving all the little local stations in the dust
Not all the independent stations wanted to let NBC and CBS run away with their audiences
In 1934 WGN and 3 other independents, WOR in New York, WLW in Cincinnatti, and WXYZ in Detroit entered into a program sharing agreement. They called themselves the Mutual Network but they were more Mutual than Network. There was a coordination committee, but the real power was with the individual stations who maintained their autonomy as equals.
It was a bottom-up business model. Socialized Radio that shared shows for a several hours a week, but also did their own local thing with the lion’s share of their airtime.
From these humble beginnings, Mutual would grow to cover the entire country and compete head to head with NBC and CBS.
Old Time Radio highlights originally broadcast live June 29 to July 9, 1939.
Chronologically curated clips of live broadcasts from popular shows of the day.
History told by the people living it, as reported by radio.
In Today’s SoundScape:
The Making of Wizard of Oz
Meadow Mouse Grabs 40 Winks!
Charlie and Edgar visit the Grand Canyon!
Featuring:
Judy Garland
Harold Arlen
Robert Young
Bert Lahr
Ray Bolger
Frank Morgan
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Donald Dixon
Dorothy Lamour
Jackie Cooper
Alan Mowbray
Cecil B DeMiille
H.V. Kaltenborn
The Green Hornet
Tony Galento
Voices from 1939 talking with one of the Greatest Voices on Old Time Radio
In 1939 Orson Welles was only 24 years old but a veteran of Radio. He’d been a regular on The March of Time and was enjoying a very successful run playing The Shadow.
These excerpts are from the Campbell Playhouse in 1939, previously named Mercury Theater of the Air.
These interviews were a regular feature of the Campbell Playhouse. And were meant to deepen the audience understanding of that week’s Radio Play.
FEATURING:
Orson Welles
Dorothy Hall
The Warden of Sing-Sing Prison
Laurence Olivier
Noah Beery
Jane Allen
Pearl Buck
Anna Mae Wong
John P. Maquand
George Jean Nathan
Gertrude Lawrence
Mary Astor
Paulette Goddard
Edna Furber
And More!!
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
The Town Hall News!
A Newsreel Camera Man!
Fred Allen Bad Mouths Jack Benny!
Life Begins at 40!
And More
Featuring:
Cecil B DeMille
Dr. Ronald W. McCorkle
Fibber McGee and Molly
Harry Van Steeden
Fred Allen
Portland Hoffa
The Merry Macs
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Andy Devine
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Edgar Bergen
Charlie McCarthy
Don Ameche
Ginger Rogers
And More!
In public, Eddie Cantor was known as a charming clown with a side of song.
In private, Eddie Cantor was a concerned citizen who dedicated much of his personal time and wealth to Jewish charities and causes. The more he saw the rising hatred directed at the Jewish people, the more he felt the need to ease their burden.
Radio Priest Father Charles Coughlin preached we should give the Germans benefit of the doubt. Communism was just as bad. And did you notice all those Commies are Jews?
Not subtle, but effective and a message that would meet with brave resistance from Eddie Cantor.
A real life Radio Feud with national political implications.
Also appearing:
The Mad Russian
Baby Snooks
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Royalty are just regular folks!
Jack Benny with the Hollywood Gossip!
The Patent Office is Your Friend!
Frank Morgan talks Wizard of Oz and World Fairs!
A Big Dose of Great Swing Music!
And More
Featuring:
Cecil B Demille
Fibber McGee and Molly
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Don Wilson
Kenny Baker
Orson Welles
Zasu Pitts
The Green Hornet
Barney Rapp and His New Englanders featuring Ruby Wright
Baby Snooks and Daddy
Frank Morgan
Connie Boswell
Doris Day
Phil Harris
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Andy Devine
And More!
Edgar Bergen was also Charlie McCarthy but Charlie McCarthy was one of a kind. The cutest little obnoxious guy on the radio. A big personality in a tiny package.
Charlie McCarthy took radio by storm and Edgar Bergen rode his coattails to fame and fortune. Actually Bergen rode his own coat tails, but it was so easy to forget they were the same person. Charlie seemed to have a life of his own.
Given his first big radio break by Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen himself doubted the wisdom of a ventriloquist act on Radio. But audiences couldn’t resist Charlie McCarthy and history was made.
This episode features some of the biggest stars in Hollywood cavorting with our wooden protagonist, Charlie McCarthy, thanks to Edgar Bergen and Chase and Sanborn!
FEATURING:
Joan Blondell
Constance Bennett
Fred MacMurray
Helen Broderick
Anita Louise
David Niven
Loretta Young
Charles Laughton
Clark Gable
John Garfield
Geraldine Fitzgerald
1939 SoundScape part 10, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 22 through June 4, 1939
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Youth committing crimes!
American Freedom!
The Death of John Brown!
Jack Benny: Ladies Man!
Interviews with Civil War Veterans!
Airmail to Europe!
Featuring:
Cecil B Demille
Courtney Riley Cooper
Fibber McGee and Molly
Harlow Wilcox
Orson Welles
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
The Green Hornet
Baby Snooks
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
And More!
17 year old Wynn Murray already had two Broadway hits on her resume when she joined The Fred Allen show as the resident Female Vocalist in 1939.
Fred Allen’s decision to bring a famous female vocalist onto his show in 1939 was a recognition that female singers were now in vogue.
Singers like Connie Boswell on the Good News Program, and Charlie McCarthy’s Dorothy LaMour were part of their show’s ratings success.Those Shows broadcast from Hollywood so those singers came from the film industry.
Fred Allen broadcast from New York City so he had access to Broadway Talent, and Wynn Murray was one of New York Theater’s most promising young shining stars.
SONGS:
Sing For Your Supper
Great Day
Johnny One Note
Comes Love
I didn’t know what time it was
Blow Gabriel Blow
The Man with the Mandolin
What’s New
Stop it’s Wonderful
Stormy Weather
SoundScape part 9, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 4 through May 21, 1939
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s SoundScape:
Mother’s Day 1939 with Jack Benny!
Where are the real high class professional crooks in America today?
As a Lover, rumor has it, Jack Benny is a regular Caveman!
Featuring:
Robert Young
Connie Boswell
Frank Morgan
Fannie Brice
Orson Welles
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Leslie Howard
Don Wilson
Cecil B DeMille
The Family Doctor
Fibber McGee and Molly
Ida Lupino
and
Kenny Baker
Charlie McCarthy is really Edgar Bergen. Or the other way around. It was a ventriloquist act.
On the radio.
Go figure.
But you can’t argue with success and the Charlie McCarthy show was more than a success, it was a cultural phenomenon.
The Kids loved Charlie McCarthy, so did the parents and Grandparents.
The biggest Movie stars didn’t have time to do radio.
Except for the Charlie McCarthy show.
They all wanted to do the Charlie McCarthy show.
Starring:
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Maureen O’Sullivan
Jackie Cooper
Kay Francis
Andrea Leeds
Tony Galento
Ida Lupino
And
Vera Vague
Also Appearing are:
Alan Mowbray
Don Ameche
Dorothy Lamour
and
Donald Dixon
Radio highlights originally broadcast live April 6 through April 30, 1939
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s soundscape:
A Tribute to Man’s Best Friend, my Dog
Pearl Buck Talks China with Anna Mae Wong and Orson Welles
Jack Benny’s 7th Anniversary on Radio!
And more!!!
FEATURING:
Robert Young
Kitty Carlisle
Meredith Wilson
Lionel Barrymore
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Cecil B DeMille
General Hugh Samuel Johnson
Errol Flynn
Fibber McGee and Molly
Orson Welles
Anna Mae Wong
Kenny Baker
Eddie Rochester Anderson
Gertrude Lawrence
and
Eddie Cantor
Close harmony groups were popular in the 1920’s, 30’s,40’s and 50’s. The Merry Macs were among the most successful and were certainly the longest lived of all the Old Time Radio harmony groups.
Close Harmony singing evolved from the Barbershop Quartets of the 1880s and 1890s, but with a jazz age sensibility. Closer harmonic chords and experimentation with tempo and rhythm are some differences between the two styles of harmony.
The Songs you’re going to hear are all recorded from live broadcasts in 1939:
Mister Zip Zip Zip
Stumbling All Around
She’s my Sweetheart
Do You Ever Think of Me
Moonlight Bay
Wizard of Oz Medley
Jingle Bells
Little Drink Do Harm?
Mister Daily Star
Oh Johnny
Radio highlights originally broadcast live March 22 through April 5, 1939
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s soundscape:
Nothing about the war in this one, things were quiet there and we were more than happy to pretend the bombs and blood wasn’t real. We will soon find out different.
The violent wedding of Andy Brown!
Georgie Jessell kills it with the comedy on the Fed Allen show!
And more!!!
This episode features:
Cecil B DeMille
Loretta Young
Spencer Tracy
Father Flanagan
Fibber McGee
Robert Young
Leo Carillo
Orson Welles
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Phil Harris Orchestra
Mary Livingstone
Mr. Distrct Attorney
Amos ‘n Andy
Fred Allen
Portland Hoffa
Peter Van Steeden
Harry Von Zell
And
Georgie Jessell
Cecil B. DeMille was a legend, a trailblazer, and a person of ambition and talent.
In this episode, DeMille talks with others like him, movers and shakers who have risen to the top of their chosen fields.
Greatness, talking with greatness on the Lux Radio Theater.
DeMille’s guests include:
Father Flanagan
H.V. Kaltenborn
Grand Duchess Marie
The Daughter of William Jennings Bryant
General Hugh Samuel Johnson
Captain of the Largest American Steam Ship
Barbara Stanwyck and George Arliss
The Playwright Zoe Akins
The Author James Hilton
Floyd Gibbons International Reporter
And More!!
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
In today’s soundscape:
Mary’s Springtime Poem!
Ed Sullivan wants to know! Is Jack Benny the real Jack Benny?!
And more!
This episode features:
Orson Welles
Laurence Olivier
Noah Beery
Cecil B DeMille
Clark Gable
Claudette Colbert
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Columbia Workshop
Fibber McGee
Zasu Pitts
Fred Allen
The Merry Macs
Don Wilson
Ed Sullivan
And More!!
In 1939 Dorothy LaMour was the leading lady on a show that was neck and neck with Jack Benny for number 1 in the ratings.
Not bad for a lower class girl who dropped out of school at 14 to support her family.
Now, at only 25 years old, her ambition and talent had paid off handsomely.
Also Featuring Don Ameche and Rudy Vallee. Charlie and Edgar also make an appearance.
Popular songs and Novelty Tunes from America’s girl next door, Dottie Lamour singing:
Go Fly A Kite
One Cigarette for Two
All In Favor Say Aye
ChatterBox
Dream Beside Me in the Midnight Glow
An Awful Lot of Dreaming to Do
Begin the Beguinne
When you Came into my Heart
I Spell Love with You
A Boy Named Lem and a Girl Named Sue
Sing a Song of Sunbeams
What’s New?
Two Blind Loves
I’ll Remember
What’s New?
Two Blind Loves
I’ll Remember
Oh Johnny
Are You Having Any Fun?
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s soundscape:
Baby Snooks and Daddy visit the 1939 New York’s World Fair!
An Irish Ghost Story entitled “Faith is Not always a Lady”!!
A Gentle Reminder to Always Remember to Lux your Stockings!!
This episode features:
The Family Doctor
Cecil B DeMille
Jimmy Cagney
Fibber McGee
The Merry Macs
Jimmy Stewart
Robert Young
The Phil Harris Orchestra
Columbia Workshop
Zasu Pitts
Lionel Barrymore
Orson Welles
Warden Laws of Sing-Sing
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Kenny Baker
Barbara Stanwyck
Sara Roosevelt – the mother of the President
Frank Morgan
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
Robert Montgomery
And
Connee Boswell
These Interviews were a regular feature of The Lux Radio Theater, a show that presented radio versions of current Hollywood films.
At act break host Cecil B. Demille and an expert guest would comment on the radio play so far.
Sometimes the guest would be from the rich, famous and powerful classes, we’ll hear those in part 2.
This episode presents the common working men who did the jobs that week’s story was about. Some of these jobs no longer exist, but they were important in their time.
FEATURING, ALL THE WAY FROM 1939:
The Oldest Man in Hollywood
A Cross Country Bus Driver
An Associate Professor of Psychology
A Theatrical Stage Doorman
A Youth Crime Expert
A Doctor Detective
An Los Angeles County Sheriff
The Commissioner of the U.S. Patent Office
The Author of “Life Begins at 40”
A Genuine English Butler
I had thought Dorothy Lamour to be just another pretty face who had a technically good voice but was somewhat interchangeable with the other bright, young, pretty songstresses of old time variety radio in that Dorothy’s songs were good enough but stylistically the same you heard on other popular shows.
Then I discovered this musical treasure trove and was forced to completely re-think my opinion. There are things Dorothy does with these classic songs that make them personal and unique.
Songs:
Ain’t Misbehaving
It Had To Be You
Comes Love Nothing Can Be Done
If I Didn’t Care
I Got a Right To Sing the Blues
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Melancholy Moon
Day In, Day Out
Melancholy Lullabye
Many Dreams Ago
1939 was a year where everything changed. An uneasy peace became all out war. Society and culture and government were questioned as never before. The evil inside the human race made itself known that year, as ferocious as in the past but applied with an improved efficiency.
Radio was there to witness it.
And I got to Live 1939 second hand through these radio voices from the past.
In my OTR collection I have hundreds of hours of 1939 broadcasts. I listened to them in Chronological order to research the documentaries, the year 1939 as seen through comedy, drama, music, and of course news broadcast at the moments the history happened.
Here are curated highlghts of that journey for you to experience. This Soundscape delivers January 24 – March 2 1939 as seen by Old Time Radio, presented by the following voices from the grave, alive again because you’re listening:
Fibber McGee
Harlow Wilcox
Orson Welles
George Kaufmann
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
The Phil Harris Orchestra
Andy Devine
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Nelson Eddy
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Don Ameche
Dorothy Lamour
Maureen O’Sullivan
The Family Doctor
The Billy Mills Orchestra
Helen Hayes
And more!
Charlie McCarthy was created by Edgar Bergen based on a wise cracking newsboy named Charlie from the neighborhood.
High Schooler Edgar Bergen sketched the design for Charlie.
More than a little obsessed, Bergen decided to bring his Charlie to life.
Bergen built Charlie’s movable body but paid woodworker Theodore Mack $35 to carve Charlie’s head.
Edgar named his completed dummy Charlie McCarthy after newsboy and woodworker.
None of this carpentry could be seen by the radio audiences. Didn’t matter. On the Radio Charlie was just as real as any other voice.
The little boy con man Charlie sparring intellectually with his exasperated father-figure straight man Edgar was what they loved.
Didn’t matter that Edgar was them both. Charlie was the star.
Charlie had been with Edgar since the beginning. Mortimer didn’t appear on Radio until 1939
Mortimer Snerd was created by Edgar Bergen sometime during 1936 or 1937. He appeared in his first film, a short called “A Neckin’ Party” in 1937.
In my research I have yet to uncover what motivated Edgar to create Mortimer.
I can only conjecture that Edgar welcomed a creative change of pace, or might have wanted to get out from under Charlie’s shadow, at least for a little while.
Whatever the reason, Mortimer was created by comedy genius Edgar Bergen and became a great foil for Charlie McCarthy.
With Appearances By:
Don Ameche
Dorothy Lamour
Donald Dixon
Jean Arthur
and More!
1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the death to come on land, sea, and in the air
Seems obvious now, but at the time lots of people thought the first great war had been so terrible it could never happen again. I wish they had been right.
The Soundscapes for 1939 series is the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.
Here is part 2, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 12 to January 23, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.
Highlights include
Do we have a free press or don’t we?
Better food with less kitchen time!
Mutiny on the Bounty descendants on Pitcairn island.
How Jack Benny saved Fred Allen’s life!
Featured Performers include:
America’s Town Hall of the Air
Orson Welles
Kenny Baker
Jack Benny
Mary Livingston
Don Wilson
Phil Harris Orchestra
Cecil B Demille
Fred MacMurray
Paulette Goddard
Floyd Gibbons
The Family Doctor
Artie Shaw Orchestra featuring Helen Forrest
Eddie Cantor
Fanny Brice
George Arliss
And more!
Connee Boswell was one of the first white artists to integrate the jazz and swing experimentations of black New Orleans musicians into popular music.
The tempo, rhythm and pitch changes she and her sisters introduced to close harmony arrangements fused together Classical, Jazz, Swing, and Blues as never before.
The work she did on the radio and on the screen as well as behind the scenes as writer and arranger changed the sound of popular music and influenced directly or indirectly every vocalist since.
SONG LIST:
Jumpin' Jive
Scatterbrain
Any Umbrellas?
Shuffle Off to Buffalo (with the Boswell Sisters)
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Stop, it's Wonderful
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Don't Worry About Me
Begin the Beguinne
Oh, Johnny!
Ain't Ya Comin' Out?
Rancho Grande
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Heaven Can Wait
My Little Skipper
My Last Good-Bye
Goody Good-Bye
For the Previous 2 episodes, The Year 1939 – Politics and the year 1939 – Culture and Technology, I listened to almost 1000 hours of OTR in chronological order. I got to hear 1939 unfold through broadcasts from the day and learn what the podcasts should be about.
As I go, I create a best of collection of clips I might possibly use in the podcast that isn’t written yet.
This results in a rather large number of clips, 36 hours for the year 1939, history from those living it.
1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the war we all saw coming.
The Soundscapes for 1939 series will tell the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.
Here is part 1, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 1 to January 12, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.
Highlights include
Goodbye 1938 hello 1939
How to have happiness in marriage?
A Great Playlet “Rose by Any Other Name” starring Melvyn Douglas
Other Feature Performers include:
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Jack Benny
The Phil Harris Orchestra
Andy Devine
Cecil B DeMille
Errol Flynn
Joan Blondell
Mae Robeson
Robert Young
Meredith Wilson
Orson Welles
Kenny Baker
Henry Morgan
Fanny Brice
And more!
There was no happy ending for 1939. The whole decade was spent clawing our way out of financial disaster, now we got a humanitarian disaster beyond imagining as slaughter continues world wide.
But Life doesn’t hold still! This episode features the cultural, technological, and social changes that occurred over the noise of the war in 1939!
FEATURING
Dick Powell
The Teddy Powell Orchestra
Orson Welles
Fibber McGee and Molly
Cecil B. DeMille
Mrs. Sara Roosevelt
Jack Benny
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Tony Galento
Mary Livingston
Lou Gehrig
Fred Allen
Harry Von Zell
Don Ameche
Connee Boswell
Bert Lahr
Judy Garland
Fran Morgan
Dorothy Lamour
Dinah Shore
Bing Crosby
Jane Withers
The Yacht Club Boys
And More!!
1939 part 1 is about crisis, murder, cruelty and destruction through the radio broadcasts of the day. Hitler, chaos and some really hot Jazz licks.
FEATURING
Mary Livingston
Jack Benny
Fibber McGee and Molly
Orson Welles
Pearl Buck
Anna Mae Wong
Franklin Roosevelt
Daddy and Snooks
Cecil B Demille
H.V. Kalternberg
Winston Churchill
Nelson Eddy
The Artie Shaw Orchestra
And More!!
We’ve got both reassuring fantasy and unsettling reality in this episode. On one hand we’ll hear old friends Donald Duck and the Seven Dwarfs in a fairy tale setting, and we’ll hear our soon to be enemy, Nazi Germany take over the real world Austria.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Mickey Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Goofy
Walt Disney
Snow White
The Wicked Queen
Donald Duck
The Seven Dwarfs
In this episode:
Orson Welles is Ebenezer Scrooge!
Jack Benny, Movie Star!
Jack is Building a new Beverly Hills Home!
God Bless You Mr. Chamberlain!
Donald Duck is Making Trouble!
Don’t Buy an Apple from the Wicked Queen!
The Disney Gang meets the Seven Dwarfs!
CBS News Reports on the European Crisis!
Why Doesn’t Britain do Something?!
And More!!
This Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live December 25 through December 29, 1938.
Starring:
Don Wilson
Mary Livingstone
Jack Benny
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Kenny Baker
Andy Devine
Phil Harris
Joan Bennett
Cecil B. DeMille
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Walt Disney
Robert Young
Bill Stern
Frank Morgan
Featured Songs Include:
Whistle While You Work –Snow White
The Digging Song – The Seven Dwarfs
In this episode:
Jack Benny throws a Christmas Party!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!
Walt Disney talks with Cecil B. DeMille!
Bill Stern talks about announcing Football Games!
And More!!
This Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live December 11 through December 22, 1938.
Starring:
The Cast of Family Doctor
Fred Allen
Santa Claus
Robert Young
Lionel Barrymore
Reginald Owen
Jack Benny
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Don Wilson
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Andy Devine
Hanley Stafford
Fanny Brice
In this episode:
Fred Allen interviews Santa Claus!
Lionel Barrymore Narrates “A Christmas Carol”!
Jack and the Gang take the Train Cross Country!
Baby Snooks goes to the department store!
It’s Christmas in 1938!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of show biz from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Soundscape 1938, part 31, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 25 through December 11, 1938.
Starring:
Orson Welle
Agnes Moorehead
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingstone
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Cast of Family Doctor
Featured Songs Include
They Say – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra
My Reverie - Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra
Who Blew Out The Flame - Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra
Pocketful of Dreams – Phil Harris and His Orchestra
In this episode:
Some Smoking Jazz From Artie Shaw!
Jack Benny has a bad cold!
Flash Benny Football Hero!
The Benny Gang Visits New York!
Jack’s Annual Christmas Shopping Trip!
And More!!
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 17 through November 24, 1938.
Starring:
Louis B. Mayer
Father Flanagan
Don Wilson
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Jack Benny
Kenny Baker
Cast of The Family Doctor
Robert Young
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
Mickey Rooney
Louis Stone
Faye Holden
Cecelia Parker
Ann Rutherford
In this episode:
Louis B Mayer talks about the Movie BoysTown!
Kenny Baker Plays a Cannibal!
Baby Snooks Gets a New Car and Daddy gets a ticket!
The Hardy family show us the true meaning of Thanksgiving!
And More!!
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 10 through November 17, 1938.
Starring:
Cast of Columbia Workshop
Lionel Barrymore
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Peter Van Steeden
Fred Allen
Portland Hoffa
Harry Von Zell
Rudy Vallee
Joe DiMaggio
In this episode:
Lionel Barrymore prays for peace!
Jack Benny Steals Phil Harris’ Girlfriend!
Fred Allen talks Taxes on False Teeth!
Song of the Vice Presidents!
Rudy Vallee interviews Joe DiMaggio
And More!!
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 2 through November 6, 1938.
Starring:
Fred Allen
Harry Von Zell
Portland Hoffa
Orson Welles
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
Bill Goodwin
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Ray Noble
Jean Arthur
And
The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Fred Allen’s Tribute to November!
Sound Poems from Columbia Workshop!
Jean Arthur Tells Charlie McCarthy about Goldilocks
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of show biz from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 23 through October 31, 1938.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Lionel Barrymore
Clark Gable
Robert Young
Frank Morgan
Don Ameche
Judy Canova
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Dorothy Lamour
Madeleine Carroll
Don Wilson
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
Phil Harris
Andy Devine
and
Seabiscuit
FEATURED SONGS INCLUDE
Two Sleepy People – Dorothy Lamour
Hounds on My Tracks – Judy, Annie, and Zeke
and
What Have You Got That Gets Me? – Phil Harris and the Jello Gang
In this episode:
The Martians Invade America!
Edgar Bergen tries to Tell a Ghost Story!
Jack Benny throws a Halloween Party!
Seabiscuit races War Admiral!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of show biz from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Soundscape 1938, part 26, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 16 through October 23, 1938.
Starring:
Adolf Hitler
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Andy Devine
Winston Churchill
Orson Welles
Robert Young
Judy Garland
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
and
Joan Crawford
FEATURED SONGS INCLUDE
Zing Went the Strings of my Heart – Judy Garland
and
Bumpy Road to Love – Judy Garland and the Good News Company
In this episode:
Hitler is still getting away with pushing Europe around!
Jack Benny upgrades his old Broadcast studio for a brand new facilitie!
Joan Crawford and Robert Young in a Haunting Radio Play!
And More!!
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live September 15 through October 10, 1938.
Starring:
Cast of Blair of the Mounties
Cast of Columbia Workshop
Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom
Frank Morgan
Fanny Brice
Cast of Family Doctor
Cecil B. DeMille
Ephraim Zimbalist
Neville Chamberlain
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingstone
Don Wilson
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Eleanor Powell
In this episode:
Jack Benny’s back on the Radio and Nazi Mind Games!
Neville Chamberlain says everything’s going to be alright!
Fanny Bruce and Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom make with the funny!
And More!!
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 28 through September 13, 1938.
Starring:
Edward Arnold
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Robert Young
Meredith Wilson
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
Alice Faye
Frank Morgan
Father Flanagan
Cast of Family Doctor
Orson Welles
Judy Garland
Cast of Family Doctor
Cast of Blair of the Mounties
Featured Songs Include
There’s Honey on the Moon Tonight – Dorothy Lamour
Alexander’s Ragtime Band – Alice Faye
In this episode:
Frank Morgan tells Stories of his great Military Glory!
Hitler is being a Big Jerk again!
Czechoslovakia prepares to defend against the German Army!
The Reviews are in! The Mercury Theater is a Great Success!
Orson Welles yells at his Crew to shut up!
And More!!
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 1 through August 28, 1938.
Starring:
Cast of Blair of the Mounties
Orson Welles
Al Jolson
Irving Berlin
Cast of The Shadow
Seabiscuit
Charlie McCarthy
Nelson Eddy
Edward Arnold
Edgar Bergen
Ella Logan
Rudy Vallee
Featured Songs Include
Marie – Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
My Bonnie – Ella Logan
Heatwave – Ethel Merman
My Lucky Star Medley – Rudy Vallee and his Orchestra
Automobile Theme Song Medley – Rudy Vallee and his Orchestra
In this episode:
Irving Berlin Sings!
Charlie McCarthy becomes a banker!
Big League Woman’s Softball!
Rudy Vallee Sings Jingles about 1938 Cars!
The Munich Crisis!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This episode starts out solemn with references to the marauding Japanese and unreasonable bully Nazis but ends with lots of laughs thanks to Charlie McCarthy and Friends.
It consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live July 3 through July 31, 1938.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Edward Arnold
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Spencer Tracy
And
Fay Bainter
In this episode:
Nazis and Japanese as Villains!
The War Goes On in the News!
Lots of Columbia Workshop!
Lots of the Shadow!
Spencer Tracy meets Charlie McCarthy!
And More!!
Peace on Earth Good Will Towards Men
A Celebration of Christmas through Old Time Radio!
Featuring Two Great Radio Christmas Time Broadcasts
Casey Crime Photographer – Christmas Shopping from 12/19/46
The Lone Ranger – 3 Wise Men from 12/24/54
With Songs and Excerpts from War Time Radio Christmas Broadcasts!
Starring
Franklin Roosevelt
Fibber McGee
Lionel Barrymore
Bryce Beamer
Bob Hope
And More!
Songs Include
Little Town of Bethlehem – Dick Haymes
Merry American Christmas – Dinah Shore
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Bing Crosby
Oh Come All Ye Faithful – Bing Crosby
Merry Christmas, may you feel Peace, may you share Goodwill
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live June 22 through July 3, 1938.
Starring:
Joe Lewis
Max Schmeling
Fred Allen
Art Moger
Portland Hoffa
Harry Von Zell
Orson Welles
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Andy Devine
The Cast of the Lone Ranger
L.A. “Speed” Riggs
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
The Cast and Musicians of The RCA Victor Campus Club
Featured Songs include:
Honey on the Moon – Town Hall Quartet
You Couldn’t be Sweeter – Phil Harris
That Was Love Sez My Heart – Mary Livingstone
Rings on her Fingers – The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Joe Lewis versus Max Schmeling!
Speed Riggs reveals Tobacco Auctioneer Secrets!
Mary Livingstone Sings!
Hot Swing from The Campus Club!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live June 4 through June 19, 1938.
Starring:
The Cast of Colombia Workshop
Fred Allen
Ray Smith
Portland Hoffa
Harry Von Zell
Peter Van Steeden
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Phil Harris
Don Wilson
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingston
Joan Bennett
Featured Songs include:
Cry Baby Cry – Town Hall Quartet
Serenade in the Night - Connie Boswell
Don’t Be That Way – Meredith Wilson Orchestra
Second Hand Rose – Fanny Brice
In this episode:
Jack Benny and Joan Bennett Shoot their Movie!
What’s a Mikado? Kenny Baker wants to Know!
Fanny Brice sings one of her greatest hits!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Soundscape 1938, part 19, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 26 through June 1 1938.
Starring:
Robert Young
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
The Cast of Columbia Workshop
Georgie Jessel
Mary Livingston
Don Wilson
Kenny Baker
Phil Harris
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Andy Devine
Agnes Moorehead
Orson Welles
Fred Allen
The Mighty Allen Art Players
Featured Songs include:
I was a Flora Dora Baby – Fanny Brice
Love Please Don’t Tell on Me medley – The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Rochester plays Leading Lady as Jack Benny rehearses for his new film!
The Shadow Confronts The Creeper!
A Vox Pop parody from Fred Allen!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This turkey filled audio feast is made up of two broadcasts from the World War two years, the first from 1942 the second from 1944.
During the big war, Thanksgiving had an extra emotional impact. So many families had empty chairs where sons and daughters used to sit but now were stationed all over the globe doing their duty to protect those who sat around the thanksgiving table.
Some of those chairs would be occupied by strangers, locally deployed servicemen who couldn’t get home to their families.
The prayers were extra solemn, and the thanks were sincerely given.
Turkeys weren’t rationed, but they were scarce and expensive. The military was determined that servicemen abroad should have a traditional thanksgiving, and so many turkeys were sent to the troops abroad that the birds were scarce and expensive back home.
Our first Thanksgiving episode plays on the turkey price increase, as our favorite housewife, Gracie Allen buys a live turkey planning to fatten it up for the big day’s dinner.
From November 17, 1942 The Burns and Allen show presents “Gracie Buys a Live Turkey”
Then we move onto a more serious look at wartime thanksgiving with the Command Performance thanksgiving special from 1944.
Command Performance was broadcast domestically but was aimed at the soldiers overseas. The show took requests from servicemen for guests and songs and did their level best to deliver.
Performers were honored to be requested by the servicemen and volunteered their time to appear on the show and do their part for Armed Service morale.
Lionel Barrymore hosts, and Dinah Shore the southern songstress who was America’s Sweetheart in 1944.
Patriotism and entertainment, brought to you by grateful American radio stars.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 18 through May 25 1938.
Featuring:
The Cast of Cavalcade of America
Robert Young
Joan Crawford
Frank Morgan
The Cast Of The Columbia Workshop
Georgie Jessel
Mayor Jimmie Walker
Josephine Starr
Ned Wayburn
Norma Talmadge
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingston
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
The Cast of Blair of the Mounties
The Cast of the Green Hornet
In this episode:
A Chemistry Lesson From Dupont!
Joan Crawford in a Radio Play by Arch Obler! Bring your hankies, it’s a tear jerker!
Jack Benny is on a Diet!
Teddy Roosevelt tells us how to Raise Our Chldren!
The Germans want to Invade Czechoslovakia!
And More!!
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 5 through May 18 1938.
Featuring:
Judy Garland
Robert Young
Frank Morgan
Una Merkle
Clark Gable
The Cast of the Green Hornet
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingston
Don Wilson
The Cast of the Lone Ranger
Fred Allen
Featured Songs Include:
Judy Garland – You’re in God’s Country
Judy Garland – How Deep is the Ocean
Norma Talmadge – How’d You Like to Love Me
Town Hall Quartet – You Couldn’t be Finer
In this episode:
Fred Allen and Company Mock Jack Benny and his new home.
16 Year Old Judy Garland Sings Her Heart Out!
Frank Morgan discusses his career as a Gigilo!
And More!!
When Radio Ruled #87 – Halloween 2023
Old Time Radio Ghost Stories from 1938.
The Devil and Daniel Webster
Dracula starring Orson Welles
With Guest Appearances from Fibber McGee and the Ghost of Harry Houdini
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live April 20 through May 4 1938.
Featuring:
The Cast of the Lone Ranger
The Cast of Blair of the Mounties
Fred Allen
Harry Von Zell
Charles Atlas
Winston Churchill
The Cast of Columbia Workshop
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingston
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
Portland Hoffa
Featured Songs Include:
Stop and Reconsider – the Town Hall Quartet
Crazy People – The Merry Macs
In a Little Red Barn – The Merry Macs
The Jonah Song – Town Hall Quartet
You Couldn’t Be Cuter – Town Hall Quartet
Good Night Ladies – The Merry Macs
DixieLand Band – Town Hall Quartet
Shade of the New Apple Tree – The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Lots of Musical Numbers!
Fred Allen tears a phone book in half!
The Unique Musical Stylings of the Merry Macs!
Winston Churchill speaks about Art and Politics!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live April 3 through April 18, 1938.
Featuring:
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Mary Livingston
Kenny Baker
Phil Harris
Fred Allen
Portland Hoffa
Harry Von Zell
Harry Morgan
Robert Taylor
Fanny Brice
Featured Songs Include:
Dear, Dear, What Can the Matter Be? – The Merry Macs
I’m Coming Home – The Town Hall Quartet
The Gypsy in my Soul – The Merry Macs
Why? Because! – Judy Garland & Baby Snooks
College Swing – Judy Garland
Cryin’ for the Caroline – Judy Garland
In this episode:
Jack Benny Goes to Oxford, if he can find it!
The Jack Benny/Fred Allen feud heats up!
Judy Garland sings and Swings!
Harry Morgan and Fanny Brice as Napoleon and Josephine!
And More!!
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live March 24 through April 3, 1938.
Featuring:
Gabby Hartnet
Frank Morgan
The Cast of the Lone Ranger
Georgie Jessel
Jack Benny
Harry Von Zell
Abe Lyman
Bob Ripley
Fred Allen
Orson Welles
Robert Taylor
Connie Boswell
Louis B. Mayer
Adolf Hitler
The Cast of The Shadow
Weber and Fields
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Featured Songs Include:
Thanks for the Memories – Connie Boswell
Thanks for the Memories – Baby Snooks
Second to None – Georgie Jessel
This Time Its Real - Kate Smith
Gypsy in my Soul – Connie Boswell
In this episode:
Jack Benny Broadcasts from New York with Guest Fred Allen
Georgie Jessel Fills in for Jack Benny on his show!
Louis B Mayer congratulates England
And More!!
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live March 14 through March 23 1938.
Featuring:
The Cast of Blair of the Mounties
The Cast of The Lone Ranger
Eddie Cantor
Jimmy Wallington
Orson Welles
Agnes Moorehead
Georgie Jessel
Joe the Chimpanzee
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Harry Von Zell
Fred Allen
and
Portland Hoffa
Featured Songs Include:
Medley of Hits - Eddie Cantor
Circus Day – Georgie Jessel and Cast
Let Them Keep It Over There – Eddie Cantor
In this episode:
Austria is absorbed into Nazi Germany!
Eddie Cantor Celebrates 25 years in Showbiz!
Fred Allen interviews an Ice Lady!
And More!!
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live March 9 through March 13 1938.
Featuring:
Eddie Cantor
Gloria Swanson
The Mad Russian
Deanna Durbin
Bobby Breen
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Andy Devine
and
Phil Harris
Featured Songs Include:
Broadway has Gone Hawaii medley – Connie Boswell
My Man – Fanny Brice
and
Sweet Leilani – Georgie Jessel
In this episode:
Germany marches into Austria!
Fannie Brice sings her greatest hit, My Man!
Jack Benny tries Andy Devine for murder!
And More!!
The Soundscape series is a happy side effect of the research phase for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary Podcasts.
I listen to hundreds of hours of old time radio shows in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live February 27 through March 9 1938.
Featuring:
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Dorothy Lamour
Rosalind Russell
Eddie Cantor
Jimmy Wallington
The Lone Ranger
Norma Talmadge
Josephine Starr
Georgie Jessel
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingston
Leo Robin
Ralph Ranger
and
Cecil B. DeMille
Featured Songs Include:
Romance in the Dark – Dorothy Lamour
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans - Eddie Cantor
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – Deanna Durbin
Orange Blossom Time – Bobby Breen
I Double Dare You Medley – Georgie Jessel
Thanks for the Memories violin instrumental – Jack Benny
and
Momma That Moon’s Here Again – Eddie Cantor
In this episode:
Charlie McCarthy moves into the world of high finance when Edgar Bergen raises his allowance
SeaBiscuit and Stage Hand run one of the greatest races in the history of the Santa Anita handicap.
Leo Robin and Ralph Ranger try to talk Jack Benny out of playing their latest hit.
Don Wilson Celebrates his 15th anniversary on the air!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
The Soundscape series is a happy side effect of the research phase for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary Podcasts.
I listen to hundreds of hours of old time radio shows in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference for writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live February 20 through February 27, 1938.
Featuring:
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Gladys Swarthout
The Cast of Dick Tracy
Eddie Cantor
Norma Talmadge
Josephine Starr
Georgie Jessel
Smith and Dale
The Cast of The Shadow
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingston
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
and
Andy Devine
Featured Songs Include:
I see Your Face Before Me – Dorothy Lamour
Dipsy Doodle – Charlie McCarthy and Gladys Swarthout
and
Thanks For The Memories - Kenny Baker
In this episode:
Georgie Jessel explains how Vaudeville shows worked and stars in some fine examples of Vaudeville Comedy.
Charlie McCarthy Sings!
The Jack Benny gang presents the conclusion of Submarine D1!
And More!!
So please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live February 17 through February 20, 1938.
Featuring:
Jack Benny
Robert Taylor
Maureen O’Sullivan
Jack Conway
Meredith Wilson
Fanny Brice
The Cast of Dick Tracy
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingston
Kenny Baker
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Orson Welles
Norma Talmadge
Sigmund Romberg
Josephine Starr
Charlie McCarthy
Don Ameche
Edgar Bergen
Featured Songs Include:
Rosemarie - Kenny Baker
What This Country Needs is a Song – Georgie Jessel
One Alone – Josephine Starr
In this episode:
Jack Benny and Fanny Brice, two superstar legends, in a comedy sketch that really brings the funny!
The Jack Benny Gang parodies the deep sea thriller, Submarine D-1!
Georgie Jessel delivers classic patriotic schmaltz!
Edgar Bergen redecorates Charlie’s bedroom behind his back!
And More!!
So please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
The Soundscape series is a happy side effect of the research phase for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary Podcasts.
I listen to hundreds of hours of radio shows in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference for writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast February 13 through February 17, 1938.
Featuring:
Georgie Jessel
Buster Crabbe
Norma Talmadge
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Barbara Stanwyck
The Cast of Dick Tracy
Cecil B DeMille
Jimmy Starr
Eddie Cantor
Jimmy Wallington
Freddie Bartholomew
Deanna Durbin
Robert Taylor
and
Jack Benny
Featured Songs Include:
Secret of Love - Buster Crabbe
Lovelight in the Starlight – Dorothy Lamour
Thanks for the Memories – Charlie McCarthy, Barbara Stanwyck, Don Ameche and Dorothy Lamour
and
What are you doing the Rest of Your Life? – Eddie Cantor
In this episode:
Olympic Swimmer and movie Tarzan Buster Crabbe sings!
Charlie McCarthy needs an increase in his allowance! Who can date starlets on fifty cents a week? It requires at least a dollar!
Charlie McCarthy and Barbara Stanwyck speak southern!
Jack Benny visits the Good News program to fix what’s wrong with the show!
And More!!
So please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
The Soundscape series is a happy side effect of the research phase for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary Podcasts.
I listen to hundreds of hours of radio shows in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference when writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast February 6 through February 13, 1938.
Featuring:
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
Josephine Starr
Gus Edwards
Eddie Cantor
The Cast of The March of Time
Frank Morgan
Fanny Brice
Jack Benny
Robert Taylor
Mary Livingston
Featured Songs Include:
Rhythm in your nursery rhyme – Georgie Jessel
School Days – Georgie Jessel
Summertime – Deanna Durbin
In this episode we get to meet the great vaudeville producer Gus Edwards
March of Times dramatizes the Roosevelt Second to None Naval policy, and the purge of German Army by Adolf Hitler.
Jack Benny and Robert Taylor play a Violin and Cello Duet, complete with vaudeville comedy patter.
Frank Morgan and Fanny Brice bring the funny, pint size Josephine Starr brings a voice as big as all outdoors, some incredible 3 part close harmony, and more.
So please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
I listen to hundreds of hours of radio shows in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference when writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast January 30 through February 06, 1938.
Featuring:
Josephine Starr
Eddie Cantor
The Cast of The March of Time
Jack Benny
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Phil Harris and his Orchestra
Mary Livingston
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Marlene Dietrich
The Stroud Twins
Featured Songs Include:
What are you doing the rest of your life? – Eddie Cantor
Stormy Weather – Maureen O’Connor
Oil Gusher – Raymond Scott and his Orchestra
Always – Deanna Durbin
Bie Mir Bist Du Schoen – Kenny Baker
Keep Muddling Through – Don Ameche and Dorothy Lamour
My Heart is Taking Lessons – Dorothy Lamour
In this episode, Charlie McCarthy gets a dog. What is life without a dog? We hear some recreated current events of 1938 from March of Time. There’s a great radio play love story featuring Don Ameche and Marlene Dietrich, the same Marlene Dietrich who later flirts with both Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen. This episode is a lot of fun.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Clips originally broadcast January 26 through January 30, 1938.
Featuring:
Eddie Cantor
Dorothy Wade
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Nelson Eddy
Boris Karloff
The Stroud Twins
Dorothy LaMour
Norma Talmadge
and
Georgie Jessel
Featured Songs Include:
Rosalie Medley – Eddie Cantor
Ave Maria – Deanna Durbin
Bie Mir Bist Du Shoen – Dorothy Wade
The President’s Birthday Ball – Eddie Cantor
Someone for Everyone – Kenny Baker
You Took The Words Right Our of My Heart – Dorothy Lamour
In The Solemn Hour – John Carter and Nelson Eddy
and
You’re a Sweetheart – Georgie Jessel
This episode features both comic and dramatic scenes starring the legendary Boris Karloff in one of his earliest appearances on Radio.
First Karloff spins a tale of murder and suspense with the help of Don Ameche. Then Karloff shifts gears to bring the funny with Charlie McCarthy. This one is a good one folks.
So please take the time machine with me to the year 1938 and be entertained by these voices from the past, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Clips originally broadcast January 16 through January 3, 1938.
Featuring:
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
Josephine Starr
Eddie Cantor
Pinky Tomlin
Bert Kalmar
Harry Ruby
Lee Wiley
Don Ameche
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Nelson Eddy
Alice Brady
Dorothy Lamour
Featured Songs Include:
Bei Mir Bist Du Shoen – Georgie Jessel
When You Dream About Hawaii – Georgie Jessel
The Doll’s Song – Josephine Starr
Bei Mir Bist Du Shoen – Eddie Cantor
Mama, I wanna make rhythm - The Galley Sisters
Love Walked Right In - Kenny Baker
Broadway’s Gone Hawaii – Dorothy Lamour
So please take the time machine with me to the year 1938 and be entertained by these voices from the past, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Clips originally broadcast January 5 through January 16, 1938.
And it’s a good one, too! Lots of classic comedy and infectious songs coming your way!
Featuring:
Eddie Cantor
Pinky Tomlin
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingston
Phil Harris
Ned Sparks
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
And - The Mad Russian
Featured Songs Include:
Bei Mir Bist du Shoen – Pinky Tomlin & Eddie Cantor
I love the Girls Medley – Eddie Cantor
Bei Mir Bist Du Shoen – Phil Harris and his Orchestra
Rosemarie – Nelson Eddy
Down with Love – Loretta Lee
You Started Something – Don Ameche
Bob White What You Gonna Swing Tonight – Eddie Cantor
And - Rosalie – Kenny Baker
So please take the time machine with me to the year 1938 and be entertained by these voices from the past, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
The Soundscape series is a happy side effect from the research phase of the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentary Podcasts.
The creation of the historical documentaries begins with research. In my collection of Old Time Radio Shows I have hundreds of hours of recordings from 1938. I arranged all these radio shows by order of date broadcast and then listened to them one by one until I had listened to the entire year January 1 to December 31. As I go through the listening process I take the most interesting, entertaining, or informative clips and assemble them onto a “Best Of” clip reel from which I will select the Old Time Radio excerpts to include in the historical documentaries.
The script isn’t written at this point, so these clip reels contain much more material than can possibly be used in the finished documentary. The 1938 clip reel was almost 36 hours long. I used less than 3 hours in the final documentaries.
But these best of reels are so much fun to listen to! A whole year condensed into a day and a half! It seems a great waste to not share these selected clip with fellow Old Time Radio enthusiasts, thus the Soundscape series of When Radio Ruled was born.
So here is the first hour of the newest clip reel, excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast January 1 to January 5 1938 .
Featuring:
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
Man Mountain Dean
Josephine Starr
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris and His Orchestra
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingston
Andy Devine
Eddie Rochester Anderson
Don Ameche
Charley McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Dorothy Lamour
Margot
Eddie Cantor
Deanna Durbin
Selected Songs Include:
Getting Some Fun Out of Life – Cast of the Georgie Jessel Show
I want a gay cabellaro – unidentified female vocalist
Rolling Plains – Kenny Baker
I want a new romance – Dorothy Lamour
In the still of the night – Deanna Durbin
In the previous episode, 1938 part 1, we looked at the political situation across the world. The coming confrontation between countries trying to provoke war and countries wishing to avoid it. How Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Franco, and Stalin created fear and suffering. How the USA, Britain, France, and the smaller democracies tried to keep free and out of war through appeasement and diplomacy while building up their defenses just in case.
To tell the truth, last episode was dark. Not a lot happened to be optimistic or hopeful about. Kind of a Bummer.
Invasions and threats of war are the dark cloud over the whole year. This episode is about some of the distractions used to forget about the scary stuff going on in Europe and Asia. What a relief it must have been to forget the Hitlers of the world and talk about the Joe Louis fight or the Seabiscut race. The first full length animated movie! Is baseball still baseball if its played at night under artificial light? Can a car really go that fast? Did you hear about the latest thing those scientist invented? What will those eggheads think of next?
The Year 1938 as presented through Old Time Radio!
Featuring:
Eddie Cantor
The Cast of March of Time
Adolf Hitler
Orson Welles
Georgie Jessel
Neville Chamberlain
Jack Benny
Judy Garland
Winston Churchill
And More!
The Jack Benny show made Phil a huge star. Even though Phil would go on to do more films and have his own radio shows, and tour the country with his band, and appear on television and build a real estate empire he would always be known first and foremost for his Jack Benny years.
What you are about to hear are a series of musical selections Phil and his orchestra played live on Jack Benny’s Jello program in 1938.
Some are instrumentals and some feature Phil’s distinctive vocals, but all of them bring a joy and a bounce that will carry you through your day. So much fun to listen to. Enjoy Phil Harris and his orchestra playing live from 1938.
SONG HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE
Bei Mir Bist Du Shoen
You Couldn’t Be Cuter
Pocket Full of Dreams
Jungle Beat
What have you got that gets me?
Franklin D Roosevelt Jones Instrumental
I got Rhythm instrumental
Jeepers Creepers instrumental
Born Edward Israel Iskowitz in 1892 to a poor family or recent immigrants, through sheer tenacity and talent street urchin Eddie Cantor became a show biz giant for half a century. Starting out in vaudeville in 1907, starring on Broadway, a movie star in both silents and talkies, and a radio and television pioneer.
For three Generations Every household in America knew the name Eddie Cantor as well as they knew their own names.
Eddie was many things, actor, songwriter, comedian, humanitarian, patriot, Union president, father, and all around thoughtful, decent, kind, and generous human being.
Old Time Radio’s Jack Benny show was a sitcom disguised as a variety show.
The cast used their real names, or rather their real stage names, but they all played characters unlike themselves. Characters of diverse comic points of view, each character contrasted with the others. Each funny in their own way and all together a delightful mix of contrasting attitudes and motivations.
Jack Benny was the center of this comic universe. He portrayed a cheapskate, self centered scardy cat who imagined himself a rugged ladies man.
Jack’s real life wife, Mary Livingston, played Jack’s sassy gal pal, boy crazy but not easily impressed by the rich and famous.
Band leader Phil Harris was cast as a drunken, womanizing, musical man about town. More talent than brains and care free.
Tenor vocalist Dennis Day presented as a simple minded momma’s boy. Innocent and child like.
Announcer Don Wilson was the adult in the room, often the object of fat jokes, but treating all with affection and respect. Almost a big brother figure.
The formula for the show was to move back and fourth between the world of putting on a half hour musical/variety radio show and the interpersonal world between the characters.
As you might expect, these characters endeared themselves to their listeners. It was fun listening to the real Jack Benny playing the radio character Jack Benny who was portraying some character in a radio play. It was fun to hear radio Phil Harris pretend to not know anything about music. It was funny when radio Dennis Day believed everything he was told, or Radio Mary recounted the story of a disastrous date.
These moments were broken up with songs from Phil and Dennis, sometimes Mary, and comical Jello commercials from Don. Sometimes sketches with guest stars who in most cases also played themselves in encounters with radio Jack Benny, like the time Barbara Stanwyck rehearsed a radio play with Jack or the time Orson Welles came by to give Jack acting lessons.
In truth, the characters the cast portrayed became so well known and loved that they could stand alone, outside the variety show world.
In early 1940 Jack and his writers did just that. For an entire month, the Jack Benny radio characters were sent on a fictional ski vacation to Yosemite.
The Jack Benny Radio shows February 4, 11, 18, and 25 1940 presented the trip to and the adventures at Yosemite starring the Jack Benny Gang.
Although presented episodically because of Jack’s half hour time slot, these four shows are a single radio play running approximately 80 minutes. It is a radical break from the Jack Benny formula, and adds layers of nuance to the characters as these actors get to really act in the longer more sustained narrative involving these characters.
And that’s what you are about to hear, the entire radio play cut together with commercials etc. edited out in order to focus on the story and maintain pacing.
Believe me, this is good stuff. Jack Benny and the Gang go to Yosemite parts 1, 2, 3, & 4.
Best known today as the third angle in the Bob Hope Bing Crosby road pictures romantic triangles, or perhaps as the sarong wearing eye candy in several other films, Dorothy Lamour started out as a big band singer.
Appearing weekly on the Charlie McCarthy show afforded Dorothy opportunities to remind audiences of her musical roots, and her lovely expressive voice.
And that’s what this episode is all about. For your enjoyment, Here is a delightful collection of tunes sung live by Dorothy Lamour on the radio in 1938.
SONGS INCLUDE:
My Heart is Taking Lessons
I see your Face Before Me
Broadway’s gone Hawaiian
Romance in the Dark
You took the Words Right out of my heart
Love Light in the Starlight
Two Sleepy People
I want a new Romance
There's Honey on the Moon Tonight
The ladies love Charlie.
Featuring:
Rosalind Russell
Ella Logan
Barbara Stanwyck
Marlene Dietrich
Edgar Bergen
The Fred Allen material you are about to hear is from his radio show, Town Hall Tonight, in 1938.
Fred Allen was unique in the radio world of corny set up/punchline type snappy patter his former vaudeville and current radio peers like Eddie Cantor, Ed Wynn, Georgie Jessel, the Marx Brothers, and others favored.
Oftentimes Fred’s comic voice is compared to that of Mark Twain. All American and homespun wisdom disguised as jokes.
Fred ‘s wit focused on social commentary, gently poking fun at the foibles and eccentricities of human nature. Fred was gruff but mostly cheerful with a small town attitude, advocating common sense but tolerant of the mistakes of others.
Two of Fred’s greatest strengths were his ability to relate to regular people, and his improvisational skill. Very comfortable going off script and usually much funnier off the cuff than what was on the script.
These two factors influenced the head writer of Fred Allen’s show, a fellow by the name of Fred Allen, to put himself in situations on the radio where he could interact with people from all walks of life. And that’s what you are about to hear, Fred interviewing regular, not in show business folks, in a segment of his show entitled “I know You Didn’t Expect to Meet…..”.
The unexpected folks interviewed live in 1938 for this Podcast are:
- A Detective that investigates crooked card games
- A dancing instructor
- An Ice Lady
- A mail order physical fitness instructor
- A tobacco auctioneer
- And a Macy’s Department store Santa Claus
Baby Snooks was an iconic and wildly popular character through the late thirties, the war years and the end of the forties, into the fifties.
Fanny Brice had joined so many other Vaudeville greats who jumped to radio when Vaudeville collapsed and died. Al Jolson, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor, Connie Boswell, Fred Allen, George Jessel, and so many others had a journey from Vaude to Airwaves but they didn’t have to reinvent themselves to do it.
Fanny became so identified with Baby Snooks that a whole generation grew up loving Snooks but ignorant of the Fanny that decades before spent thousands of glorious nights getting laughs, singing, dancing and basking in the love of the rich and powerful New York theater goers in the greatest theater town in the world.
Anyone born after 1936 never got to see that Fanny. The great Fanny Brice who was a legend before Snooks. The great Fanny Brice who for a time outshone every other star on the great white way.
Judy Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922, and soon revealed a talent for song and dance. Her first public performance was when she was just 2 and a half years old, singing jingle bells at a Christmas pageant.
Her father was a successful vaudevillian with Judy and her sisters following in his footsteps, touring a singing act “The Gumm Sisters” in the waning days of Vaudeville.
When sound came to movies, so did song and dance acts like the Gumm sisters. The act moved to the big screen in early Vitaphone musical revues with seven year old Judy sometimes billed as Baby Gumm.
Fast forward to 1938, now 16 years old and being groomed for film stardom recently starring with Mickey Rooney in the very popular “Love Finds Andy Hardy “.
Judy, as a rule, did not appear on radio. She was too busy and important for that.
Except for The Good News program, which was created by Judy’s film studio MGM to feature MGM stars, movies, songs, and to convince their listeners to see MGM films in the theater.
As one of MGM’s newest stars, Judy dutifully appeared on a handful of the Good News programs in 1938 as their musical guests.
This collection of songs is from those appearances, 16 year old Judy Garland and her magnificent voice performing live 1n 1938. You are in for a treat.
“College Swing”
“Crying for the Caroline”
“Could you Pass on Love” with the cast
“You’re in God’s Country”
“How Deep is the Ocean”
“Why! Because!” with Fanny Brice as Snooks
“Heal thy Heart to me”
“Zing went the Strings of my Heart”
“The Bumpy Road to Love” with the cast
Its time again to celebrate the holiday season and all it stands for with a Christmas stocking full old time radio yuletide magic.
This very special episode stars Phil Harris, Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Don Wilson, Kenny Baker, Joan Bennett, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Rudy Vallee, Andy Devine, and many other makers of Christmas magic
And magic it is. The magic of celebrating Christmas with old friends from 1938. The magic of our imagination. The magic of the golden age of radio. The magic of Santa Claus. The magic of the Jesus story. The magic of the subtle changes within ourselves, all of a sudden thinking and acting more like santa than scrooge. At least for a little while.
Bie Mir Bist du Shön
This song shot up the charts, appearing in the top ten on January 8 1938, going to number one two weeks later and staying in the top spot from 5 to 10 weeks, depending on your source.
And it went international before that was really a thing, becoming a massive hit in Germany and Poland as well as the United States.
Dozens of established recording artists, Like Kate Smith and Benny Goodman, rushed to record their own version of the song.
This incredible popularity made singers on the Radio of every style cover the song , and that is what you are going to hear, Radio greats interpreting this song each in their own style and bringing something new to it each time.
You are about to hear “Bie Mir Bist du Shön” performed by The Andrew Sisters, Pinky Tomlin, Phil Harris, Georgie Jessel, Eddie Cantor, Little Dorothy Wade, Kenny Baker, and child star Bobby Breen.
Our Old Time Radio Thanksgiving menu is made up of:
A first course of The Good News show from Thanksgiving eve , November 24, 1938.
Featuring:
Robert Young
Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks
And the cast of the very popular Andy Hardy movies, including star Mickey Rooney, in an original radio play.
Followed by an Entre of The Jack Benny Show from just after Thanksgiving 1937, November 28, entitled “Jack Cooked the Turkey” where the gang talks about their thanksgiving day.
Appetizer and desert provided by Fred Allen, courtesy to the cold open you just heard and the cold close to come.
All in all a delicious and satisfying audio thanksgiving experience with zero calories.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast December 14 to December 30, 1937.
Starring : Dr Arthur C. Christie, Dr Gilbert W Hague, Dr Kingsley Roberts, Rudy Vallee, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Cecil B DeMille, Slim Hoffman, Brian Ahern, Madge Evans, Fibber McGee, Myrt and Marge, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Jack Buchanan, Winston Churchill, Marlene Dietrich, and more. Featured songs include Rudy Valle “Down with Love”, Gracie Allen “I love you from Coast to Coast”, and Marlene Dietrich “Lilli Marlene” As always, this Soundscape consists of “best of” Clip Reels I compiled from Old Time Radio Broadcasts as I do research and writing for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentaries. This episode begins with a visit to a Town Hall debate show focusing on how to fix United States health care. I’m sure the arguments will sound familiar.
You’ll also get to hear Gracie Allen sing and Winston Churchill reminisce.
Plus a bunch of other great stuff from 1937.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast December 13 to December 22, 1937.
Starring Fibber McGee, Eddie Cantor, Rudy Vallee, Mary Livingstone, Jack Benny, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, The Seven Dwarves, Snow White, Cecil B. DeMille, Walt Disney, Pinky Tomlin, Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, and more. Featured songs include Eddie Cantor “Getting some fun out of life”, Rudy Vallee “Oh, Promise Me”, and Pinky Tomlin “I want to be in Winchell’s Column” As always, this Soundscape consists of “best of” Clip Reels I compiled from Old Time Radio Broadcasts as I do research and writing for the When Radio Ruled Historical Documentaries. The highlights of this soundscape are Snow White and the Seven Dwarves with Charlie McCarthy and Jack Benny and Fred Allen going at it in a fine example of their radio feud.
Halloween approaches – the night when the boundaries between the living and the dead, reality and imagination dissolve. Evil witches mount flying brooms. Brain starved Zombies, restless spirits, supernatural spooks, savage monsters and all forms of malevolent miscreants shamble across the earth creating terror among the hapless and tasty human populace.
Above all, Halloween is the best time for scary stories. In that tradition welcome to When Radio Ruled episode 56, Spooky Halloween Special 2022.
The show is going to give you a couple of spine tinglers to get you in the spooky Halloween frame of mind. The first one is entitled “Til Dead” and was originally broadcast February 2, 1943. It is a great example of the Suspense Genre that was so successful throughout the era of old time radio.
The second story is called “The Hitchhiker” and stars Orson Welles. It’s a classic supernatural tale, full of tension and mystery. It was performed by Welles multiple times over the years by popular demand, this performance was broadcast September 2, 1942.
So hang the garlic in the door to keep away the vampires, put a crucifix in your pocket just in case, lock the doors and windows, shut out the lights and brace yourself for When Radio Ruled Spooky Halloween Special 2022.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast November 29 to December 12, 1937.
Starring Cecil B Demille, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Rudy Vallee, Tommy Riggs and Betty Lou, Frank Case, Andy Devine, Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Kenny Baker, Don Wilson, Fibber McGee, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Nelson Eddy, Mae West, Pinky Tomlin and more.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast November 8 to November 28, 1938.
Starring Bing Crosby, Jimmy Wallington, Eddie Cantor, Fibber McGee and Molly, Benny Goodman, Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livingstone, Orson Welles, and more. Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor, “Getting some fun out of Life”, Bing Crosby “I’m Humming”, Some smoking Benny Goodman Swing Instrumentals and the Benny Goodman orchestra featuring vocalist Martha Tilden “Mama that moon is here again”, Pinky Tomlin “The Lady who couldn’t be Kissed” and Phil Harris “You can’t stop me from dreaming”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast October 18 to November 7, 1937.
Starring Fibber McGee and Molly, Edward G. Robinson, Pinky Tomlin, Jimmy Wallington, Eddie Cantor, The Cast of the March of Time, Ben Davis Jr., Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Kenny Baker, Andy Devine, Don Wilson, Cecil B. Demille, John R. Kissinger , and more. Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Can’t stop me from dreaming”, Eddie Cantor Medley of hits and “Doe to Doe”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast October 18 to November 7, 1937.
Starring Fibber McGee and Molly, Edward G. Robinson, Pinky Tomlin, Jimmy Wallington, Eddie Cantor, The Cast of the March of Time, Ben Davis Jr., Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Kenny Baker, Andy Devine, Don Wilson, Cecil B. Demille, John R. Kissinger , and more. Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Can’t stop me from dreaming”, Eddie Cantor Medley of hits and “Doe to Doe”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast October 11 to October 18, 1937. Starring Fibber McGee & Molly, President Franklin Roosevelt, Eddie Cantor, Pinky Tomlin, Benny Goodman, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Clark Gable, Dorothy LaMour, Nelson Eddy, The Stroud Twins, Cecil B. DeMille, Jimmy Starr, Madge Evans, Fred MacMurry, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “Laugh Your Way Through Life” and “Keep it Over There”, Benny Goodman “The Old Apple Tree”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast October 11 to October 18, 1937. Starring Fibber McGee & Molly, President Franklin Roosevelt, Eddie Cantor, Pinky Tomlin, Benny Goodman, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Clark Gable, Dorothy LaMour, Nelson Eddy, The Stroud Twins, Cecil B. DeMille, Jimmy Starr, Madge Evans, Fred MacMurry, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “Laugh Your Way Through Life” and “Keep it Over There”, Benny Goodman “The Old Apple Tree”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast September 5 to October 10, 1937.
Starring W.C. Fields, Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly, Al Jolson, George Jessell, Eddie Cantor, Bette Davis, Cecil B. DeMille, John LeRoy Johnston, Rudy Vallee, The Stroud Twins, Orson Welles, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, and more. Featured Songs include Al Jolson “Tootsie”, Eddie Cantor “Now’s the time to fall in love” and “Love is on the Air Tonight”, The Connecticut Yankees with an unidentified female vocalist (possibly Annette Hanshaw) “Basin Street Blues”, Eddie Cantor and Pinky Tomlin “Sweet Varsity Sue”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast September 5 to October 10, 1937.
Starring W.C. Fields, Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly, Al Jolson, George Jessell, Eddie Cantor, Bette Davis, Cecil B. DeMille, John LeRoy Johnston, Rudy Vallee, The Stroud Twins, Orson Welles, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, and more. Featured Songs include Al Jolson “Tootsie”, Eddie Cantor “Now’s the time to fall in love” and “Love is on the Air Tonight”, The Connecticut Yankees with an unidentified female vocalist (possibly Annette Hanshaw) “Basin Street Blues”, Eddie Cantor and Pinky Tomlin “Sweet Varsity Sue”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 29 to September 5, 1937.
Starring Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Pinky Tomlin, Fibber McGee and Molly, Benny Goodman, Eddie Stanley, Ida Lupino, and more. Featured Songs include Don Ameche, Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “Have You Got Any?” Pinky Tomlin “The Love Bug” and “Stop Breaking my Heart” And The Benny Goodman Quartet, a super group made up of swing and jazz legends Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman, with an especially hot version of “Vibraphone Blues”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 22 to August 27, 1937.
Starring Harlow Wilcox, Fibber McGee & Molly, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Glenda Farrell, Edgar Bergen, Dorothy LaMour, W.C. Fields, American Refugees from Japan’s invasion of Shang Hai,and more.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 22 to August 27, 1937.
Starring Harlow Wilcox, Fibber McGee & Molly, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Glenda Farrell, Edgar Bergen, Dorothy LaMour, W.C. Fields, American Refugees from Japan’s invasion of Shang Hai,and more.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast August 8 to August 15, 1937.
Starring Pinky Tomlin, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Nelson Eddy, Edgar Bergen, W.C. Fields, Wendy Berrie, Benny Goodman, Eve Sully and Jesse Block, Robert Armbruster, Dorothy Lamour, Alice Brady, and more. Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Cowboy Medley” and “Seven Stages of Man”, Benny Goodman “Remember”, Eve Sully “Swing, Benny, Swing”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast July 11 to August 8, 1937.
Starring Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Gladys George, Edgar Bergen, W.C. Fields, Robert Armbruster, Dorothy Lamour, Pinky Tomlin, Fibber McGee and Molly, Harlow Wilcox, Bruna Castagna, Eddie Stanley, and more. Featured Songs include Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down”, Pinky Tomlin “I Guess I’m Just a Country Boy at Heart” and “That’s What You Think”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast July 11 to August 8, 1937.
Starring Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Gladys George, Edgar Bergen, W.C. Fields, Robert Armbruster, Dorothy Lamour, Pinky Tomlin, Fibber McGee and Molly, Harlow Wilcox, Bruna Castagna, Eddie Stanley, and more. Featured Songs include Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down”, Pinky Tomlin “I Guess I’m Just a Country Boy at Heart” and “That’s What You Think”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast June 21 to July 11, 1937.
Starring Cecil B. DeMille, Don Wilson, Phil Harris, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, Jimmy Wallington, Pinky Tomlin, Don Ameche, Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, Sonya Hennie, W.C. Fields, Dorothy Lamour, Robert Armbruster, Zasu Pitts, Hoagy Carmichael, and more.
Featured Songs include Mary Livingston with the cast of the Jack Benny Show “The Love Bug”, Pinky Tomlin “As Far As Your Concerned”, The cast of the Charlie McCarthy Show with Hoagy Carmichael, “I love you like my old felt hat”
Eddie was a multi-talented entertainer who was a huge star in vaudeville, and on broadway, and in silent film, and in radio, and in talking pictures, and in television.
Eddie Cantor is a true show biz Legend with a vast body of work spanning decades.
But this podcast is going to focus on Eddie Cantor the singer of songs old and new as recorded live on the Eddie Cantor radio show in 1937.
Eddie’s musical recording career began in 1917 and he had several hit songs throughout the 1920’s.
When these songs were recorded live on his radio show in 1937, Eddie Cantor was still a very popular singer, selling out concerts and charting records in addition to being at the very top of the radio ratings.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast June 13 to June 20, 1937.
Starring Pinky Tomlin, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Joan Blondell, Rogers & Hart, Jack Benny, Don Wilson, Kenny Baker, Phil Harris, Cecil B. DeMille, Helen Wills Moody, Fibber McGee and Molly, Rudy Vallee, Fanny Brice, Charles Winninger, May Robson, and more.
Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Ragtime Cowboy Joe Medley”, Don Ameche “A little of you on toast:” Rudy Vallee “We danced the night away”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast May 31 to June 11, 1937. Starring Fibber McGee and Molly, the Cast of Texaco Town, Pinky Tomlin, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Rochester, Kenny Baker, Mary Livingston, Phil Harris, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Constance Bennett, Ray Middleton, Natalie Bucknell, Cecil B. Demille, Errol Flynn, Frances Farmer, Chico Marx, Groucho Marx, and more.
Featured Songs include Pinky Tomlin “Tetched in the Head”, and Dorothy Lamour, Charlie McCarthy and Don Ameche with a Gilbert and Sullivan Medley.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast May 23 to May 30, 1937.
Starring Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, Mary Boland, W. C. Fields, Fibber McGee and Molly, Cecil B. DeMille, Louis Vandenecker, Bing Crosy, Zasu Pitts, Bob Burns, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Jack Benny, Kenny Baker, Mary Livingston, The Phil Harris Orchestra, Don Wilson, Josephine Hutchinson, Jose Iturbi, and more.
Featured Songs include Dorothy Lamour and Charlie McCarthy “Let’s call the whole thing off”, Bing Crosby “How Could You?” and “Time on my hands”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast May 9 to May 23, 1937.
Starring Don Ameche, Warner Janssen, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Dorothy Lamour, W.C. Fields, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Fibber McGee and Molly, Cecil B. DeMille, Rudy Vallee, J.B. Priestly, Kenny Baker, Jack Benny, Andy Devine, Don Wilson, Carole Lombard, Mrs. James Roosevelt (FDR’s Mother), Maurice Evans, Kate Smith, Phil Harris, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “How You Gonna Keep ‘em Down on the Farm after they’ve seen Paree?” , “Margee”, “Wake up and Live”. Kenny Baker and Jack Benny “Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.” Rudy Vallee “My Little Buckaroo”, Kate Smith “They Can’t Take That Away From Me”, Phil Harris “Nobody”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast April 30 to May 6, 1937.
Starring Fred MacMurray, Gracie Fields, Louella Parsons, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livingston, Andy Devine, The Hindenburg Disaster, Herbert Morrison, The Lord Mayor of London, Rudy Vallee, and more.
Featured Songs include Gracie Fields “I Never Cried so Much in Me Life”. And Mary Livingston with Andy Devine “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast April 11 to April 29, 1937. Starring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Eddie Cantor, Ella Logan, Ted Weems and his Orchestra, Harlow Wilcox, Fibber McGee and Molly, Rudy Vallee, Pinky Tomlin, Judy Starr, Alice Marble, Johnny Burke and Russ Brown, and more.
Featured Songs include Ella Logan “You take the high road”, Rudy Vallee “Good bye boys”, Pinky Tomlin “The Love Bug”, Judy Starr “I’ve got my love to keep you warm”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast March 11 to March 28, 1937.
Starring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Ben Bernie, Fibber McGee and Molly, Duke Ellington, Harlow Wilcox, Albert Sullivan, Rudy Vallee, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor “There is anything that love can’t do” and “I’m on a sit down strike for love”, Some Great Duke Ellington tune with Ivey Anderson on vocals.
Judy Starr “Swing Swing your mother in law”. Rudy Vallee “This Year’s income taxes medley” and “Mr. Paganini”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast February 21 to March 8, 1937. Starring Father Coughlin, Douglas Fairbanks, Erroll Flynn, Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Bobby Breen, and more.
Featured Songs include Rudy Vallee “Let’s Go Slumming” and “Here in the Moonlight”. And Bobby Breen “Trust in Me”.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast February 1 to February 21, 1937.
Starring Gary Cooper, The Cast of the Lux Radio Theater, Cecille B. Demille , Faye Gillis, Kay Kyser Orchestra, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Wallington, Rufus Le Maire, Gene Raymond, Anna Sten, Father Coughlin, Leslie Howard, Rudy Vallee, and more.
Featured Songs include Kay Kyser “Hey Hey Your Cares Away” and “I don’t want to get well”. Eddie Cantor “Gee but you’re swell”, “That’s the Baby for me” and “My dream of the Radio”. Rudy Vallee, “Social Security Song” and “You’ll love me someday”
To my knowledge, the earliest existing recording of Boris Karloff on old time radio. The Tell Tale Heart
A conversation with Charlie McCarthy
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast January 17 to January 31, 1937.
Starring Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Andy Devine, Mary Livinston, Buck Jones, The Cast of The March of Time, Cecile B DeMille, Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, The Charioteers, Phil Harris, Eddie Cantor, Basil O’Connor, Jimmy Wallington, Charlie Butterfield, Irving Berlin, and more.
This one is a short subject, about 10 minutes long, starring Jim Jordan as Fibber McGee as in Fibber McGee and Molly. Classic Fibber and Molly episodes featured jokes, gags, and situations that often repeated from episode to episode and became running gags that listeners looked forward to each week.
One of my favorite running gag is because Fibber can ever admit ignorance on any subject, When invariably asked if he knows anything about this or that occupation, Fibber not only knows all about it, he used to do it professionally and was the best ever at it.
And he bragged about his professional success using alliteration to great comic effect.
You’ll see what I mean.
Here, just because why not, is Fibber’s resume, 1937
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast January 10 to January 17, 1937.
Starring Eddie Cantor, Jack Benny, Don Wilson, Phil Harris, Mary Livinston, Andy Devine, David Niven, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray,
Cecile B. DeMille, Rudy Vallee, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Pat O’Brien, Pinky Tomlin, and more.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast January 1 to January 6, 1937.
Starring Eddie Cantor, Cecil B. DeMille, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livinston, Kenny Baker, Don Wilson, Al Jolson, Harry Von Zell, Jimmy Wallington, Edith Head, opening day of the 75th Congress of the United states, Tony Martin, Dinah Shore, and more.
Featuring:
Charlie McCarthy
The Cast of Gunsmoke
Jack Benny
Bob Hope
Bing Crosby
Dinah Shore
Edgar Bergen
And More!
Guest Starring, all the way from 1937 were:
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Janet Gaynor
George Burns and Gracie Allen
President Franklin Roosevelt
Fibber McGee and Molly
Eddie Cantor
Jimmy Wallington
Cecil B DeMille
Fay Gillis
Rudy Vallee
Sully and Block
Benny Goodman
Irving Berlin
Helen Wills Moody
Ronald Coleman
Douglas Fairbanks
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy
The Cast of Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”
Glenda Ferrell
Bette Davis
Don Ameche
Mae West
Fred Allen
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Mary Livingston
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Portland Hoffa
Duke Ellington
The Year 1937 as told by Old Time Radio
Featuring:
Jack Benny and The Cast of “The Jack Benny Jello Show”
The Phil Harris Orchestra
The Cast of Lux Radio Theater Production of “The Gilded Lily”
The Cast of the March of Time
President Franklin Roosevelt
Eddie Cantor and the cast of Texaco Town
The Cast of Fibber McGee and Molly
Father Coughlin
Pinky Tomlin
Winston Churchill
Refugees from the Sino-Japanese War
Rudy Vallee
Dinah Shore
Marlena Dietrich
Orson Welles, Agnes Morehead and the cast of THE SHADOW
Featured Songs from 1937 Included:
Eddie Cantor “Things Look Rosy Now” performed live January 10, 1937
“The Social Security Song” Rudy Vallee live February 18, 1937
“You Can’t Take It With You” Eddie Cantor Live January 31, 1937
“Down By The River” Dinah Shore Live January 3, 1937
“Keep it Over There” Eddie Cantor Live October 13, 1937
“The Trouble with Me is You” Eddie Cantor Live January 17, 1937
“The Object of My Affection” Pinky Tomlin Live January 17, 1937
Marlena Dietrich singing “Lilli Marlene” Recorded, 1937
Kay Kaiser’s Orchestra doing “I don’t want to get well” live from Chicago, February 1937
Two Great Episodes from 1939!
Jack Benny's Christmas Open House
A Christmas Carol (starring Lionel Barrymore)
Featuring: Jack Benny, Rochester, Dennis Day, Mary Livingston, Phil Harris and his Orchestra, Orson Welles, Lionel Barrymore, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Pat Brady, and more!
Starring Charlie McCarthy GUEST STARRING Edgar Bergen Don Ameche Dorothy Lamour Clark Gable Alice Marble Carol Lombard Mary Boland May Robson Sonya Henie Zasu Pitts Bruna Castagna Glenda Farrell Bette Davis Mae West special cameo appearances by Nelson Eddy and Jack Benny music by Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Kay Kaiser
SONG LIST:
Cast of Chase and Sanborn Charlie McCarthy Show – Have you got any?
Pinky Tomlin – The Love Bug
Benny _ Goodman – Vibraphone Blues
Pinky Tomlin – SAtop You’re Breaking my Heart
Al Jolson – Toots Toots Tootsie
Eddie Cantor – Now’s the time to fall in love
Unidentified Female Vocalist – Basin Street Blues
Pinky Tomlin & Eddie Cantor – Sweet Varsity Sue
Eddie Cantor – Swing is here to Sway
Eddie Cantor – Love is in the air tonight
Pinky Tomlin – I Told Santa Claus to Bring Me You
Eddie Cantor - Some Fun Out of Life
Rudy Vallee – Orange Blossom Time
Pinky Tomlin – I want to be in Winchell’s Column
Rudy Vallee – Down with Love
Marlena Deitrich – Lili Marlene
Pinky Tomlin – Just a Country Boy at Heart
Jack Renard – Salute to the US Navy
Pinky Tomlin – That’s what you think
Pinky Tomlin – Rag Time Cowboy Joe
Eve Sully with Benny Goodman – Swing Benny swing
Pinky Tomlin – Seven Ages of Man
Ted Weems and his Orchestra – You can’t have everything
Benny Goodman – Dayton takes a holiday
Benny Goodman – Caravan
Benny Goodman – Sometimes I’m Happy
Benny Goodman – Minnie the Moocher’s Wedding Day
Old Time Radio! Songs from 1937.
Dorothy Lamour, Charlie McCarthy, Bing Crosby, Eddie Camntor, Pinky Tomlin, Rudy Vallee, Don Ameche, Hoagy Carmichael, and more!
Take a walk down Memory Lane! Broadcast Live April and May 1937.
Ella Logan – Scottish Medley
Rudy Vallee Show – Swing your mother in law
Rudy Vallee – Goodbye Boys
Pinky Tomlin – The Love Bug
Fibber and Molly Show – Slap That Bass
Rudy Vallee – Got my love to keep me warm
Gracie Fields – Never Cried So Much
Charlie McCarthy Show – Instrumental “too good for words”
Eddie Cantor – How you gonna keep them down on the farm
Jack Benny Cast – Gonna write myself a letter
Eddie Cantor – Margie
Rudy Vallee – My Little Buckaroo
Kate Smith – Can’t take that away from me
Phil Harris – Nobody
Eddie Cantor – Wake up and Live
Music from 1937! Lots of Rudy Vallee and Eddie Cantor but also Dinah Shore, Duke Ellington and more! Includes the Social Security song!
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. With Don Ameche, W.C. Fields, Bette Davis, Rudy Vallee and more!
A BeforeTV Production. Copyright 2019.
Old Time Radio Christmas! Featuring Bing Crosby, Jack Webb, and OTR Chistmas shows from the 1950s. From 1952, Fibber McGee and Molly in "Wimpole's Christmas Present" and from 1953, Dragnet "Big Little Jesus".
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast November 29 to December 31, 1936.
Starring Eddie Cantor, Parkyakarkus, Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Harry Von Zell, Rudy Vallee, John Gunther, Ed Wynn, Amos ‘n Andy, Kenny Baker, Jack Benny, Cecil B. DeMille, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Don Wilson, Gabriel Heatter, Walter Houston, Billie Holiday, and more.
Excerpts from Old Time Radio originally broadcast October 4 to November 11, 1936.
Lots of Eddie Cantor, if you like that sort of thing. Featuring Cecil B. DeMille, Lou Gerhig, and Carl Hubbell.
A Montage of Old Time Radio Excerpts originally broadcast from August 24 to October 3, 1936.
Starring Cecil B. DeMille, The cast of the Major Bowes Amateur Hour, The cast of the Jello Summer Show, Eddie Cantor, Irene Ryan, Walt Disney, The 1936 New York Giants, Mickey Mouse, The 1936 New York Yankees, Donald Duck, the 1936 Chicago Cubs, Stoopnagle and Budd, the 1936 Chicago White Sox, President Roosevelt, and more.
Featuring - Franklin Roosevelt, Rudy Vallee's Fleischmann's Yeast Hour, Bob Hope, Amos 'n Andy, Nick Carter master detective, Jack Benny, Duffy's Tavern, Bing Crosby
A montage of excerpts from Old Time Radio shows Broadcast May 27-August 19, 1936.
Featuring Your Hit Parade, Fred Allen, Dick Powell, Myrna Loy, Al Jolson, Stoopnagle and Budd, the 1936 Democratic Convention, Cecil B. DeMille, D.W. Griffith, The Joe Louis - Jack Sharkey Fight, Lionel Barrymore, Jessie Owens, Amos 'n Andy, Walter Houston, and more.
Another of the When Radio Ruled Soundscape series, featuring Fred Allen, Jack Benny, and dozens of others
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast from August 28 to December 31 1935. Featuring stars like Al Jolson, Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Little Orphan Annie, Jack Benny, Porky Pig and dozens more.
This Soundscape Montage was developed as part of The When Radio Ruled Documentary about the year 1935. These excerpts are offered without commentary for your entertainment and education.
So here are the voices of 1935 – Voices sadly now silenced – Great performers alive again because you’re listening now.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows broadcast in 1935, Spanning from January 1 to August 27 1935. Featuring stars like Jack Benny, Lum ‘n Abner, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Ed Wynn, Bing Crosby, Will Rogers, Al Jolson, Franklin Roosevelt, Senator Huey P. Long and dozens more.
This Soundscape Montage was developed as part of The When Radio Ruled Documentary about the year 1935. These excerpts are offered without commentary for your entertainment and education.
So here are the voices of 1935 – Voices now silenced – Great performers alive again because you’re listening now.
My Christmas Gift to You.
Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Judy Gasrland, Fred Allen, Frances Farmer, Suspense, Challenge of the Yukon, Sgt. Preston and his wonder dog King, and much much more.
1936 - The clouds of war are certain on the horizon, financial need still widespread at home. Through it all we laughed, we loved, we survived, and we listened to the radio.
1935 America - Huey Long, FDR, Max Baer versus Joe Lewis, the Nazi and Facist threats grow.
An Audio podcast, Historical Documentary.
Radio helped to hold the country together during the great depression. The new President Elect uses Radio to spread his message.
Before TV America got its comedy, tragedy, sitcoms, musical variety, comedy variety, music, news, information, fiction, nonfiction from the Radio.
This documentary series is a chronological look at the great golden age of radio and the coming of age of the United States.
Episode 1 - Beginnings to 1929