OT: Before the TV years - the Radio Days
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binapiraeus — 12 years ago(September 17, 2013 08:44 AM)
Must have been a great feeling, just listening there to your favorite broadcasts of mystery or comedy, without just staring into that boob tube all the time, but using more of your own imagination instead!
Let's be realists, let's demand the impossible. -
Patricia91 — 12 years ago(September 17, 2013 01:15 PM)
Well, actually, you usually stared at the radio. No multitasking then - you concentrated on what you heard, although you could sew, iron, wash the dishes and listen, too. And, yes, you did use your imagination to set the scene, imagine what the characters looked like.
Today's multitaskers think they are efficient, but they would do a better job if they concentrated on one thing at a time. -
bess654 — 12 years ago(October 10, 2013 03:46 PM)
I discovered classic radio a few years ago when I subscribed to satellite radio.
I like most of the comedies like Fibber Mcgee and Molly,Our Miss Brooks,My Favorite Husband,Phil Harris and Alice Faye,Duffy's Tavern,etc.
I'm even enjoying the detective shows which were never really favorites on tv.
I've gotten used to turning off the tv and turning on the radio instead. -
MsELLERYqueen2 — 12 years ago(October 15, 2013 09:26 PM)
I know that some of the old mysteries (radio plays) are on archive.org.
Hope that helps!
~~
Jim Hutton: talented gorgeous hot hunk; adorable as ElleryQueen; SEXIEST ACTOR EVER -
binapiraeus — 12 years ago(October 15, 2013 09:57 PM)
Yes, I know, thank you - I brought a whole lot of cassettes with me from my trip to L.A. years ago, with everything from Orson Welles, Vincent Price, Bogey&Bacall to W.C. Fields and Abbott&Costello - if you listen to those, the Radio Days REALLY come alive again!
Let's be realists, let's demand the impossible. -
amyghost — 12 years ago(October 17, 2013 03:56 AM)
I have a friend who has hours of downloads of Jack Benny's old radio shows, which are great. And he's also picked up some of Bob and Ray's shows; their stuff is frequently hilariousit's easy to see how they were such a big influence on MAD Magazine in its early years.
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babel_on_5 — 12 years ago(October 21, 2013 10:49 AM)
I grew up in the final days of OTR, the mid-50s and vaguely recall listening to it, though I can't remember what or details. My dad and mom introduced me to some of the comedians who moved on to TV (Jack Benny, Fibber McGee & Molly, Lum & Abner) as having been on OTR.
In 1979 a series of OTR tapes were made available, and I began collecting them then. I really like the sci-fi, mysteries and history programs the best. I have complete collections of The Green Hornet, Shadow, and Sherlock Holmes (various actors) and to be honest I enjoy listening to them more than watching TV.
It's easy to understand why the "Golden Age of TV" writers stood head and shoulders above anything that's come since. They understood how to draw verbal pictures and characters; they had to.
Included is a link to OTRCat, which has a huge library of OTR disks at a very reasonable price, plus episodes available for listening to or downloading. I have nothing to do with OTRCat other than being a very satisfied and repeat customer.
http://www.otrcat.com/
Don't aim for the towers. Aim for the trolls! KILL THE TROLLS!!!
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binapiraeus — 12 years ago(October 21, 2013 11:47 AM)
Thanks a lot for that link - I'm sure there are many people who would love to get a chance to listen to those old radio gems! I've got quite a nice collection myself, with the "Hitchhiker" series and other thrillers, comedies collections and so on (many big bookstores in the US and even in Europe sell them too); it's really an experience QUITE different from watching TV, it requires not only attention, but also imagination
Let's be realists, let's demand the impossible. -
Paladin_nites — 12 years ago(October 21, 2013 12:16 PM)
He has a remarkable library and I've never had any problems with him.
here is another fine site to peruse
http://www.mediaoutlet.com/old-time-radio-nbsp-c-23.html
Best
Paladin
"Nothing but a silent mass of impenetrable vapour hiding its dead" -
binapiraeus — 12 years ago(October 21, 2013 01:30 PM)
Hey,thanks, that's a great site too - I think we should all return once in a while to the good old radio 'feeling', it's a very good exercise for our brains; and, of course, brings us back all those voices of our favorite old movie stars!
Let's be realists, let's demand the impossible. -
Thor-Delta — 12 years ago(October 22, 2013 04:16 AM)
I've always wanted to get into old time radio, but can never seem to find the time. Last night and the night before, however, I listened to a some old time programs for a novelty. I'm going through the "singles and doubles" page L-N on the Internet Archive.
Plan to listen to some more tonight. (well, technically early morning).
Among the things I listened to last night was a 15-minute program from 1940, called "Lives of Our Greatest Artists". Sponsored by a "kosher meat" company, the episode did a biography of Al Jolson, focusing on his religion. It is apparently the only episode to survive (I think it was a local series in New York City rather than a network series).
It's easy to find old time US radio series, but as an Australian I'd like to hear some old time Australian radio, with people like Jack Davey, Terry Dear and such, but such recordings are very hard to find. As was also the case with the US, the early Australian television series were often based on radio shows ("Australia's Amateur Hour", "The Pressure Pak Show", "Leave it to the Girls", "This I Believe", "Give it a Go", "Oxford Show", "Hillbilly Requests", "Any Questions?", "The Quiz Kids", "It Pays to be Funny", "Divine Service", "Swallow's Parade", etc).
We're not fighting! We're in complete agreement! We hate each other! -
binapiraeus — 12 years ago(October 22, 2013 07:16 AM)
I see the 'old radio bug' has already got you! I hope you'll also find your old Australian favorites, which are definitely more different to find than the American shows But maybe at a bookshop or even an antiques shop they can help you!
Let's be realists, let's demand the impossible. -
Paladin_nites — 12 years ago(October 22, 2013 07:24 AM)
Here you go!
http://www.australianotr.com.au/
Best
Paladin
"Nothing but a silent mass of impenetrable vapour hiding its dead" -
Thor-Delta — 12 years ago(October 22, 2013 09:38 PM)
Ugh, Australian websites are so difficult to navigate, all of them are difficult to navigateI can't seem the find recordings of the shows which interest me on the site.
We're not fighting! We're in complete agreement! We hate each other! -
rnigma-1 — 12 years ago(December 07, 2013 02:40 PM)
Speaking of Australian radio, it was enlivened by a Texan named Grace Gibson, who moved Down Under in the mid-'40s and produced Australian versions of American radio shows. Her company survived well into the 1980s, because the Aussies didn't throw radio drama under the bus to concentrate on television as the American networks did in the '50s and '60s.
In the Gibson version of "Gunsmoke," the marshal was named Matt Morgan, not Dillon (and the Aussie actors got to imitate the boss's Texas accent). I've also heard her versions of "Inner Sanctum," "The Clock," and "Dangerous Assignment."