Favorite Old Time radio shows - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Alan Brady's Hair · 11-02-2018, 10:46 PM

I've been listening to the old time radio station on Sirius lately, and have enjoyed a lot of old shows. Some favorites:

Comedies:

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Aldrich Family
Burns and Allen
The Charlie McCarthy Show
Damon Runyan Theatre
Duffy's Tavern
Fibber McGee and Molly
The Great Gildersleeve
Halls of Ivy
It's Higgins, Sir
The Jack Benny Program
The Life of Riley
Life with Luigi
My Favorite Husband
My Friend Irma
Our Miss Brooks
The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show
The Stan Freberg Show

Dramas:

Dragnet
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
The Shadow
Sherlock Holmes
Gunsmoke

Anthologies:

Arch Oboler's Plays
Suspense
Screen Directors Playhouse (abridged versions of popular movies, usually with one or more of the original stars)
The Screen Guild Theater
Lux Radio Theater
X Minus One

A question: I heard a comedy that I think starred Dennis Day. It was kind of like a Fractured Fairy Tale, about a knight who was afraid to be brave. I think that it was part of an anthology series that tried to teach good values. Anyone know what that was? [Edit: It was "William the Terrified," on a show called Family Theater.]

treky · 11-03-2018, 02:05 AM

back in the 80s a lot of radio stations used to play the old radio shows from the 30s 40s, and 50s (when they were fighting a losing battle with TV). A local station where I was living at the time played them on weeknights and I recorded them on cassette. I also subscribed to a mail-order company back then that sold them on cassette, so I have a lot of them on tape and I listen to them all the time.

MA · 11-03-2018, 05:39 AM

Does The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas count?

dakert · 11-03-2018, 11:17 AM

I was a fan of Abbott and Costello and back in 1978 I saw a Abbott and Costello on radio LP at the record shop. I got into the radio shows after that

treky · 11-04-2018, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

People make fun of Edgar Berger being on the radio because you can't tell if a ventriloquist is moving his lips. His shows were funny, though. The show I've heard recently that I think is even more unlikely starred Blackstone the Magician. A magician on the radio!

Edger BERGEN not Berger. His daughter is Candace Bergen of "MURPHY BROWN".

Coffeecup · 11-10-2018, 08:34 PM

Several years ago, I attended a lecture where the host talked about and gave the audience cds of old time radio shows. Some were so so but a few I really did like. Where does one picked up Sirius radio and do you paid to listen??

Sal · 11-11-2018, 07:26 PM

You don't need Sirius. Save your money! I can give you some links for free:

OTR.net

Old Radio Programs

Times Past

Internet Archive

ROK Radio - Live Feeds

OTR Library

Coffeecup · 11-16-2018, 12:12 AM

Thanks to you all. I will look into the links and see- oops- hear what I can find.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 11-16-2018, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

back in the 80s a lot of radio stations used to play the old radio shows from the 30s 40s, and 50s (when they were fighting a losing battle with TV). A local station where I was living at the time played them on weeknights and I recorded them on cassette. I also subscribed to a mail-order company back then that sold them on cassette, so I have a lot of them on tape and I listen to them all the time.

How can you listen to radio ONLY shows when you've grown up with TV?? It would be like watching a TV show but turning the picture off & just listening to the audio!

As a novelty hearing 1 or 2 might be nice but not many different ones.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 11-16-2018, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

You just fill in with your imagination. It's like the difference between watching a ballgame or listening to the same game on the radio.

Right, I can understand that but the vast majority of people would rather watch a game that simply listen to it.

However if you were on the road taking a long road trip or something I can understand listening to a radio show.

broadmoor · 01-07-2019, 12:29 AM

I always assumed 'transcribed' meant that it was not broadcast 'live,' but recorded (sometimes before an audience, sometimes not) on a transcription disc for later airing. Became more common after the war, with Bing Crosby and "Philco Radio Time" somewhat leading the way. Although, there were numerous syndicated shows, going back to the early-30s, recorded on disc, and peddled around the various stations across the country. Usually of the juvenile-adventure variety. Probably a fair number of discs were made, for distribution. One of the reasons I think the survival rate for those type of shows is also much better, compared to their 'live' network counterpart shows, which in most cases weren't even preserved to disc at all. Hence, we have near-complete runs of things like "Speed Gibson" or "Jerry at Fair Oaks," while with the first several years of the "Lone Rangers" series, nothing exists.

It's a real shame more shows from the 1930s don't survive. I'd always wanted to hear a bit more from the very popular radio comedy stars of that era, like Joe Penner, Ed Wynn, Jack Pearl, Eddie Cantor, and such.

TSMIV · 01-07-2019, 01:02 AM

Quote:

I always assumed 'transcribed' meant that it was not broadcast 'live,' but recorded

Yes that's one definition of transcribed.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transcribe

Sherlock Holmes radio shows with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were really good. Another favorite is Lum N Abner.

11-02-2018, 10:46 PM	#1
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,822	Favorite Old Time radio shows I've been listening to the old time radio station on Sirius lately, and have enjoyed a lot of old shows. Some favorites: Comedies: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet The Aldrich Family Burns and Allen The Charlie McCarthy Show Damon Runyan Theatre Duffy's Tavern Fibber McGee and Molly The Great Gildersleeve Halls of Ivy It's Higgins, Sir The Jack Benny Program The Life of Riley Life with Luigi My Favorite Husband My Friend Irma Our Miss Brooks The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show The Stan Freberg Show Dramas: Dragnet Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar The Shadow Sherlock Holmes Gunsmoke Anthologies: Arch Oboler's Plays Suspense Screen Directors Playhouse (abridged versions of popular movies, usually with one or more of the original stars) The Screen Guild Theater Lux Radio Theater X Minus One A question: I heard a comedy that I think starred Dennis Day. It was kind of like a Fractured Fairy Tale, about a knight who was afraid to be brave. I think that it was part of an anthology series that tried to teach good values. Anyone know what that was? [Edit: It was "William the Terrified," on a show called Family Theater.]
	Last edited by Alan Brady's Hair; 12-15-2019 at 12:17 AM.

11-03-2018, 02:05 AM	#2
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	back in the 80s a lot of radio stations used to play the old radio shows from the 30s 40s, and 50s (when they were fighting a losing battle with TV). A local station where I was living at the time played them on weeknights and I recorded them on cassette. I also subscribed to a mail-order company back then that sold them on cassette, so I have a lot of them on tape and I listen to them all the time.
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

11-03-2018, 05:39 AM	#3
MA Member Moderator Forum Idol Join Date: May 20, 2017 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 127,094	Does The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas count?
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11-11-2018, 07:26 PM	#7
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,149	You don't need Sirius. Save your money! I can give you some links for free: OTR.net Old Radio Programs Times Past Internet Archive ROK Radio - Live Feeds OTR Library
	__________________ LIVE TV - Updated By Request - April 2026 ANTENNA TV ME TV ME TV TOONS Zerostream - LIVE TV Guide

11-03-2018, 11:17 AM	#4
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,410	I was a fan of Abbott and Costello and back in 1978 I saw a Abbott and Costello on radio LP at the record shop. I got into the radio shows after that

11-10-2018, 08:34 PM	#6
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,176	Several years ago, I attended a lecture where the host talked about and gave the audience cds of old time radio shows. Some were so so but a few I really did like. Where does one picked up Sirius radio and do you paid to listen??

11-16-2018, 12:12 AM	#8
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,176	Thanks to you all. I will look into the links and see- oops- hear what I can find.

01-07-2019, 12:29 AM	#11
broadmoor Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 10, 2010 Location: texas Posts: 489	I always assumed 'transcribed' meant that it was not broadcast 'live,' but recorded (sometimes before an audience, sometimes not) on a transcription disc for later airing. Became more common after the war, with Bing Crosby and "Philco Radio Time" somewhat leading the way. Although, there were numerous syndicated shows, going back to the early-30s, recorded on disc, and peddled around the various stations across the country. Usually of the juvenile-adventure variety. Probably a fair number of discs were made, for distribution. One of the reasons I think the survival rate for those type of shows is also much better, compared to their 'live' network counterpart shows, which in most cases weren't even preserved to disc at all. Hence, we have near-complete runs of things like "Speed Gibson" or "Jerry at Fair Oaks," while with the first several years of the "Lone Rangers" series, nothing exists. It's a real shame more shows from the 1930s don't survive. I'd always wanted to hear a bit more from the very popular radio comedy stars of that era, like Joe Penner, Ed Wynn, Jack Pearl, Eddie Cantor, and such.