Old Time Radio Finds New Fans 50 Years on

Turn back the clock a few decades to a timetelevision.
when fresh milk was still delivered to theWhat happened to all of those wonderful old time
doorstep's of the nation in glass bottles, whenradio shows and why would anyone want to listen
sliced bread was a recent innovation and whento these shows today?
pop-up toasters were the height of sophisticationIt's been over 70 years since Amos n' Andy hit
... back to when times were simple ...the airwaves, nearly 50 years since Fibber
...there was old-time-radio.McGee's junk-filled closet crashed down on
Of course, we call it "old-time-radio" today butanyone that happened to open the door, and
back in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, radio was theover 40 years since Johnny Dollar filed his final
newest, most popular and powerful mediumexpenses claim, so why would anyone want to
around. Radio was to the 1930s what the Internetlisten to decades-old radio shows when we have
was to the 1990s.literally hundreds of TV and cable channels to
The years between 1959 and 1962 are oftenchoose from, and an endless selection of movies
referred to as the Golden Age of Radio -- andon the big screen, not to mention online
radio programs that were broadcast during thatentertainment with all its interactive bells and
period had significantly more variety than radiowhistles?
programming today.One of the primary reasons is nostalgia for the
The shows captured the hearts and imaginations"Good Old Days". Old-time-radio shows enable
of Americans from coast to coast. It was a timelisteners to take a pleasant stroll down memory
when families would gather 'round the radio in thelane to when times were simple. For the older
living room -- that "magic box" that had thegenerations it brings back memories of when
mysterious power to snatch laughter, tears,they were younger, and for todays youngsters it
drama, thrills and adventure out of the air andprovides a wonderful insight into just how much
bring it into our homes.lives have changed over the years.
The Golden Age of Radio started in 1929 with theAnother reason why the old time radio shows are
debut of radio shows like The Goldbergs, Trueseeing a renaissance is the amazing variety of
Detective Mysteries, National Farm and Homeshows that were recorded during radio's golden
Hour, and the Rudy Vallee Show. It continuedperiod. There are thousands of old time-radio
through into the 1930s when shows like Fibberprograms to appeal to every taste, mood and
McGee and Molly, Lux Radio Theater, The Aldrichage group, covering everything from surreal
Family, Bob Hope, and the Al Jolson Show hit thecomedy through to spine tingling thrillers.
airwaves.Finally, there an ever increasing desire for
By the 1940s radio broadcasting was in full flow.wholesome entertainment. Old-time-radio shows
Shows like Abbott and Costello, Escape,offer a refreshing respite from the vulgarities,
Suspense, This is Your FBI, the Judy Canovaprofanities, sex and violence that punctuate
Show, You Bet Your Life, and The Adventures ofmodern-day TV, movies and other forms of
Phillip Marlow dominated the airwavesentertainment.
By the time the 1950s came around radio had aFortunately, over the years many people have
serious competitor in the form of television, butcollected and restored these old shows so that
many high quality shows could be heard everythey can be enjoyed again as much by older
night of the week. Gusnmoke, Dimension X, Taleslisteners as a new generation coming to them for
of the Texas Rangers, Dr. Kildare and Thethe first time. Ironically, it was the growth in
Sixty-Four Dollar Question were heard bypopularity of a brand new technological medium,
countless millions.the Internet, that really helped to make these
As the 1950s came to a close the glory years ofclassic radio shows available to a wider audience.
radio were coming to an end. In September 1962So, whether it is for nostalgia reasons, for
the last episodes of Suspense and Yours Truly,wholesomeness, or just for plain entertainment
Johnny Dollar were broadcast. It was the end ofvalue, old-time radio shows are becoming an
a glorious era. An era that exploded into the publicincreasingly popular alternative to today's
consciousness in the 1920s, but had finally beenmainstream media and one that is well worth
cast aside in favor of the new visual medium ofchecking out whether you're 9 or 90.