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Old Time Radio (OTR)

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Look through this lens and go back in time ... pick your favorite decade ... is it the 30's? ... the 40's? ... maybe the 50's? Look around; you are in the golden age of radio.

Recently added: Time Travel with OTR and OTR Search Engine

Have an opinion on OTR? Take a minute to voice your choice in the polls and offer your feedback. Click here for the OTR Survey

or contact the Lensmaster by email ----->

Contents at a Glance

Did you ever think of OTR as time travel...
OTR focused search engine
Favorite Comedy Shows
A favorite episode
Top stars of OTR
Favorite OTR Genre?

OTR - the secret of time travel revealed...: The Claim - follow these easy instructions and I guarantee that you will find yourself in a different time period. You will walk the streets of small town America in the 1950's. You will hear the Manhattan street sounds in 1949...

OTR focused search engine

OTR Search Engine: Search engine that is focused on Old Time Radio. Also can do parallel Google search.

Favorite Comedy Shows

...the best comedy shows from the golden age of radio (OTR)

We know many radio stars better from television and movies, but many of the classic comedians got their start or popularity in radio. I've found that you can't judge a show on a single sample. You need to hear the show over a stretch of episodes to get to know the characters and appreciate the flow of the show. My favorite is Fibber McGee and Molly. It felt as fresh as improvisation, and as comfortable as next door.

This list has room for more! What is your favorite comedy show? Please vote or give feedback on comedy at the OTR Survey lens - Favorite Comedy Show
OTR Survey - favorite comedy show

Fibber McGee and Molly - The story of this show reads like the story of radio. Jim and Marion Jordan are Fibber McGee and Molly.

A favorite episode

If you were recommending an OTR series to a friend, is there an episode you could recommend that captures the essence of the show?

For Fibber McGee and Molly I'd recommend Night School, November 14th 1944. This episode captures much of what I love about the series: McGees malapropisms, Mollys ad-libs, Teenie (my favorite character), trading barbs with Doc, the signature hall closet gag and a war effort message about inflation.

Click here for the OTR survey where you can post a favorite episode. OTR Survey

Top stars of OTR

The best of the best ...

With thousands of shows or series presented (Dunning lists some 1,500 in his encyclopedia), and hundreds of thousands of episodes aired how do you pick the best? One at a time, and we are starting with Orson Welles.

This list has room for more! Who is your favorite star of OTR? Please vote or give feedback on the Stars of OTR Survey lens - Favorite Stars of OTR OTR Survey - favorite stars of otr

Orson Welles - he had a perfect radio voice, consummate acting skills, powerful writting style and a shrewd director's sense which made every show he touched a special event.

Favorite OTR Genre?

What is your favorite?

I enjoy sampling all the old radio shows. There is pleasure in all the genre. If pushed to pick, I narrow my preference down to comedy and detective shows. If I have to pick just one, it's the detective show, because "I love a mystery"!

What is your favorite genre? Please vote or give feedback on your favorite genre at the OTR Survey lens.

Click here for the OTR Survey - Favorite OTR Genre

Listen to Old Time Radio shows

Free!

There are a number of sites that will let you sample and even download some great examples of old time radio shows. If you don't find what you are looking for here, send a note to the lensmaster - we may be able to help.

ZooT Radio - Free Old Time Radio Downloads: Nice site with forums for fans and advice and lots of episodes to download for free.
RadioLovers.com - Shows to play or download: Listen to hundreds of old time radio shows online for free: Abbott and Costello, Superman, Groucho Marx, The Avenger, Gunsmoke, Sherlock Homes, and many others. These vintage radio shows are in mpg format, so no special software is needed.
Old Time Radio Fan :: Free Old Time Radio Shows: Free Old Time Radio detective and mystery shows in streaming MP3 format.
Jack Webb and UFO audio: Here are some audio files that are related to Jack Webb or Project: U.F.O. All the files are in MP3 and can be played with any MP3 player.
Quiet, Please: Click an episode's summary to go to the article for that episode, where you can also download the MP3 audio for existing episodes.

Lum 'n Abner

Fresh from the Jot 'Em Down Store . . .

I originally resisted Lum & Abner. Too corny. Too boring. Dead slow! A friend suggested I listen to a full story arc. Great advice! This show was meant for daily listening. Start in anywhere, but listen to a couple of weeks of episodes. After the characters get to know you, they'll make you feel right at home at the Jot 'Em Down Store.

Lum &Abner: Pine Ridge Arkansas welcomes you!
The National Lum & Abner Society: With so many fans, is it any wonder that they got organized?
Lum & Abner's Friday Night Sociable .. episodic log: Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
A visit with radio humorist Chester Lauck (Lum Edwards): An old fashioned telephone emits several long and short strident rings.
LUM: By grannies, Abner, I believe that's our ring.
ABNER: I doggies, Lum I believe you're right.
LUM: I'll see. Hello, Jot'em Down Store. . . . This is Lum and Abner!
Music theme swells-"Evalena."

Thus began each episode . . .

Orson Welles

Genius, legend, icon . . . all true!

Orson Welles is probably most identified with "The War Of The Worlds" because of the near hysterical effect the show's realism had for some listeners. If that show had never aired, his position in radio history would still have been assured. A perfect radio voice, consummate acting skills, powerful written style and shrewd director's sense made every show special. From "The Shadow" to Mercury Theater" the shows he did became Welles classics. Here are some great web compilations and references on the man who mastered stage, film and radio.

The Estate of Orson Welles: A comprehensive compilation of Welles work.
Wellesnet - a Welles Web Resource: A web site and a blog dedicated to Welles.
The Mercury Theatre on the Air: The finest radio drama of the 1930's was The Mercury Theatre on the Air, a show featuring the acclaimed New York drama company founded by Orson Welles and John Houseman.
Welles Quotes: Welles was a columnist's dream, a talk show host's perfect guest. He could always be counted on for a literary, clever, often self-effacing one liner.

Fibber McGee and Molly

... visit 79 Wisful Vista ...

Everybody remembers the closet but there was so much more to Fibber and Molly. One of the longest running shows, its classic stature led to Radio Hall of Fame recognition. When I make my top 10 list, it's sure to be there.

Radio Hall of Fame - Fibber McGee & Molly: "Few radio shows were more beloved than Fibber McGee and Molly, and few play as well a half century later."
Fibber Mcgee & Molly .. episodic log: Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
FM&M History Summary: Fibber Mcgee and Molly History Summary from BookRags
Script from a FM&M Episode: Generic Radio Workshop Script Library
Series: Fibber McGee and MollyShow: Fibber and Doc Dine Out
Date: Feb 19 1946Announcer: And now, Johnson Wax presents one of America's best loved situation comedies, Fibber McGee and Molly. This time, Fibber and Doc Gamble decide ...

Old Time Radio - a cross-section.

A sampling of great shows from different genre.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar has the distinction of being the last dramatic radio series from the golden age of radio.
Johnny Dollar - from Thrilling Detective: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
Gunsmoke: Radio's Last Great Dramatic Series: Another radio show that went on to make televison history.
Gunsmoke Radio Episodes
Amos n' Andy: A brief history of Amos n' Andy on radio.
Amos And Andy .. episodic log: Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
Life With Luigi .. episodic log: Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs
Escape: Wikipedia
Jack Webb: JACK WEBB'S RADIO SHOWS

Reference Material

Looking into OTR

Want to research a show? a star? an episode? Looking for some shows to lesten to?

Radio Hall of Fame History: The National Radio Hall of Fame and Museum is sponsored by the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, Illinois.
Old Time Radio Logs: Jerry Haendiges' Radio Logs. Don't let the annoying graphics and sounds deter you, they are great radio episode log references.
Plot Archives: One OTR fans valiant attempt to offer plot lines, mostly Science Fiction, Horror and Adventure.
ZooT Radio - Free Old Time Radio Downloads: Zootradio.com is dedicated to bringing Old Time Radio to the masses. Nice site with forums for fans and advice and lots of episodes to download for free.

On the Air : The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio

by John Dunning

If you only have one reference book on old time radio, this should be it. No other book comes close to providing the breadth of coverage on stars and shows, and the depth of information on the production and airing of radio shows from the golden era. A great resource and great reading!

Blog Posts on Old Time Radio

Old-Time Radio Hour, Conway version, to air soon
Old time radio show to support the Gateway Theater
Bluegrass Legend Bobby Osborne on WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour
Greality: Independent-published books, old-time radio, cute vegetarians ...

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Mike N. Apr 27, 2008 @ 6:22 am | delete

I listen to the old radio shows for a couple of reasons. First for the story content (I prefer mystery and drama or comedy, depending on my mood)as it helps me to relax. Secondly for the topical references. Some of these shows could be used to help teach American culture in high school or college. The commercials showed how much Americans depend on consumerism. There were certain slang words which would have to be explained and the content of the shows showed our feelings or attitudes at the time