Old Time Radio Shows
The Shadow Radio listeners first heard the sinister laugh of The Shadow on July 31, 1930. This 80th anniversary treasury includes two never-before-released shows starring Orson Welles and Margot Stevenson - "Revenge on the Shadow" and "The Hospital Murders"- from previously lost transcription records. The Shadow's concealed confrontations with mad scientists, evil mystics, and political players…his menacing meddling in the affairs of religious cults and gamblers…his enigmatic escapades all over the globe, from Broadway theaters to exotic Egypt still thrill after 8 decades!
Dragnet Set in Los Angeles, and starring Jack Webb as the stoic Sergeant Joe Friday, Dragnet is perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama of all time, having made extensive runs on both radio and television. Webb, also the producer of the show, took the series to new highs, insisting on realism in every facet of the program. The dialogue was clipped and sparse, taking its cue from hard-boiled crime fiction à la Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. The stories were fast-paced but thorough, making sure to chronicle every step of the police work from start to finish. As a result, Dragnet draws listeners deeply in to its world of gritty crime and dedicated cops, guaranteeing an exhilarating audio experience.
Abbott & Costello It's Time to Smile True fans know that these stars of vaudeville, movies and television also had their own successful and long-running radio program.
Their vaudeville style was well in evidence on the air, complete with wild wordplay and their quick and clever covering up of flubbed lines. Since all comics need a good set up to deliver a joke that really pays off, Abbott & Costello brought in some of the best supporting characters in the business, including Mel Blanc, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Artie "Mr. Kitzel" Auerbach, and burlesque compatriot Sid Fields - all of whom can be heard in this set. Whether the gag is about dancing lessons, movie parodies, odd jobs, or other nonsense - it's all confusion, all commotion, and all funny!
Classic Radio's Greatest Western Shows This collection contains twelve of the greatest western shows ever broadcast during the golden age of radio, including many first episodes from their series. You'll hear William Conrad as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, John Dehner as the man called Paladin on Have Gun-Will Travel, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans on The Roy Rogers Show, Gene Autry on Gene Autry's Melody Ranch, Raymond Burr as Captain Lee Quince on Fort Laramie, and Jack Mather in The Cisco Kid, plus the Western favorites Red Ryder, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Wild Bill Hickok, Frontier Gentleman, Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, and Frontier Town.
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Inner Sanctum Mysteries Taking its name from a popular series of mystery novels, "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" debuted over NBC s Blue Network in January 1941. It featured one of the most memorable and atmospheric openings in radio history: an organist hit a dissonant chord, a doorknob turned, and the famous creaking door slowly began to open. Every week, "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" told stories of ghosts, murderers, and lunatics. Produced in New York, the cast usually consisted of veteran radio actors, with occasional guest appearances by such Hollywood stars Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and Claude Rains. What made "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" unique among radio horror shows was its host, a slightly sinister sounding fellow originally known as Raymond. The host had a droll sense of humor and an appetite for ghoulish puns, and his influence can be seen among horror hosts everywhere, from the Crypt-Keeper to Elvira.
Classic Radio Spotlights: Lucille Ball, 11 Original Radio Broadcasts This collection showcases Lucille Ball's amazing spectrum of radio work, from comedy to mystery and everything in between. Long before I Love Lucy, Ball worked her way up Hollywood's ladder, appearing in films and many radio shows, including dramatic roles in which she could show her acting chops. In the summer of 1948, she accepted the role of Liz Cooper, a zany housewife who found herself facing comical situations, in the radio comedy My Favorite Husband. In the series, Liz Cooper's husband, George Cooper, was played by veteran actor Richard Denning. But Lucille Ball also acted in episodes of the radio mystery Suspense and in Lux Radio Theatre's adaptations of Broadway plays.
Richard Diamond Private Detective: Surplus Homicides Dick Powell established himself as a silver screen icon in the 1930's as the apple-cheeked crooning sensation in countless Depression-era musicals. But, the 1940's found him playing every tough guy from Philip Marlowe, to Richard Rogue…to Richard Diamond, Private Detective.
Powell's portrayal of Diamond, and his flawless chemistry with Virginia Gregg as the detective's socialite girlfriend Helen Asher, brought the series' admiringly clever scripts to life. Flippancy and fast quips flew between Diamond and ulcerated cop Lieutenant Levinson (Ed Begley), who really did like Rick in spite of the aggravation he caused. But, that was child's play compared to the suffer-no-fools contempt the P.I. had for the boundless idiocy of Sergeant Otis Ludlum (Wilms Herbert).
Classic Radio's Greatest Science Fiction Shows This collection contains 13 of the greatest science fiction shows ever broadcast during the golden age of radio - including two episodes each of Dimension X, CBS Radio Workshop, and X Minus One, plus three episodes of Suspense and Escape. Radio's finest actors perform before the microphones, including William Conrad, Parley Baer, Joseph Cotton, Hans Conried, Paul Frees, John Dehner, and Peggy Webber. You'll be entertained by stories from such master science fiction writers as H. G. Wells, Aldous Huxley, Graham Doar, Mary Shelley, H. L. Gold, and George Steward. Relive 13 of the best classic radio sci-fi shows from yesteryear and the legendary stars that made them great in this incredible collection.
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