Classic Streams: Old Time Retro Radio

The Shadow is the name of a collection of serialized dramas, originally in 1930s pulp novels, and then in a wide variety of media. Its title character has been featured on the radio, in a long-running pulp magazine series, in American comic books, comic strips, television, serials, video games, and at least five feature films. The radio drama included episodes voiced by Orson Welles. Originally cr...

Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by Jack Boyle. He was originally a jewel thief and safecracker, but he became a detective in adaptations for films, radio, and television. He is known as "an enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend." Boston Blackie is a complex and interesting character. He is a thief, but he is also a good person who helps...

"Suspense" was a radio drama series that captivated audiences from 1940 through 1962 during the Golden Age of Radio. Often subtitled "radio's outstanding theater of thrills," this program was a shining example of suspense thriller entertainment. It specialized in delivering heart-pounding stories, typically featuring some of the leading Hollywood actors of its era. With an...

Abbott and Costello were a legendary comedy duo who made their name on radio, film, and television. They were the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and early 1950s, and their work is still enjoyed by audiences today. Their most famous routine, "Who's on First?", is one of the most well-known comedy routines of all time. The duo's popularity waned in the early 1950s, but their...

Johnny Dollar was a fictional private investigator who appeared in a radio drama of the same name. The show ran for 12 years, from 1949 to 1961, and featured 809 episodes. In each episode, Johnny would be hired by an insurance company to investigate a suspicious claim. He would travel to the scene of the crime, interview witnesses, and follow every clue until he solved the case. Johnny was a compl...

The Life of Riley is an American radio situation comedy series that aired from 1944 to 1951. It was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. The series follows the life of Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. Riley is a bumbling but lovable character who is always getting into trouble. He is married to...

Have Gun - Will Travel is a Western series that aired on CBS from 1957 to 1963. It follows the adventures of Paladin, a gentleman gunfighter who travels the Old West helping those in need. The series was created by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow, and starred Richard Boone as Paladin. The show was a critical and commercial success, and spawned a successful radio version. It was one of the few shows in t...

The radio version of Space Patrol aired from October 4, 1952 to March 19, 1955, for a total of 129 episodes. The same cast performed on both the radio and television versions. The writers, scripts, and directors were also the same for both versions. However, the radio broadcasts were not limited by studio sets and could therefore be more expensive in scope than the television programs. This allowe...

Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by Jack Boyle. He was originally a jewel thief and safecracker, but he became a detective in adaptations for films, radio, and television. He is known as "an enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend." Boston Blackie is a complex and interesting character. He is a thief, but he is also a good person who helps...

"Suspense" was a radio drama series that captivated audiences from 1940 through 1962 during the Golden Age of Radio. Often subtitled "radio's outstanding theater of thrills," this program was a shining example of suspense thriller entertainment. It specialized in delivering heart-pounding stories, typically featuring some of the leading Hollywood actors of its era. With an...

Abbott and Costello were a legendary comedy duo who made their name on radio, film, and television. They were the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and early 1950s, and their work is still enjoyed by audiences today. Their most famous routine, "Who's on First?", is one of the most well-known comedy routines of all time. The duo's popularity waned in the early 1950s, but their...

Johnny Dollar was a fictional private investigator who appeared in a radio drama of the same name. The show ran for 12 years, from 1949 to 1961, and featured 809 episodes. In each episode, Johnny would be hired by an insurance company to investigate a suspicious claim. He would travel to the scene of the crime, interview witnesses, and follow every clue until he solved the case. Johnny was a compl...

The Life of Riley is an American radio situation comedy series that aired from 1944 to 1951. It was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. The series follows the life of Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. Riley is a bumbling but lovable character who is always getting into trouble. He is married to...

Have Gun - Will Travel is a Western series that aired on CBS from 1957  to 1963. It follows the adventures of Paladin, a gentleman gunfighter who travels the Old West helping those in need. The series was created by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow, and starred Richard Boone as Paladin. The show was a critical and commercial success, and spawned a successful radio version. It was one of the few shows in...

The radio version of Space Patrol aired from October 4, 1952 to March 19, 1955, for a total of 129 episodes. The same cast performed on both the radio and television versions. The writers, scripts, and directors were also the same for both versions. However, the radio broadcasts were not limited by studio sets and could therefore be more expensive in scope than the television programs. This allowe...

Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by Jack Boyle. He was originally a jewel thief and safecracker, but he became a detective in adaptations for films, radio, and television. He is known as "an enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend." Boston Blackie is a complex and interesting character. He is a thief, but he is also a good person who helps...

The Shadow is a fictional character published in the United States of America by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter B. Gibson, The Shadow has been adapted into other forms of media, including American comic books, comic strips, serial...

The Fat Man was a popular radio detective drama show that aired in the 1940s and early 1950s. The show was created by Dashiell Hammett, author of The Thin Man. It starred J. Scott Smart as the title character, a detective who started out anonymous but quickly acquired the name "Brad Runyon". The Fat Man originated on ABC radio in 1946 and ran until 1951. In 1948, it was one of the top 10...

Abbott and Costello were a legendary comedy duo who made their name on radio, film, and television. They were the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and early 1950s, and their work is still enjoyed by audiences today. Their most famous routine, "Who's on First?", is one of the most well-known comedy routines of all time. The duo's popularity waned in the early 1950s, but their...

Johnny Dollar was a fictional private investigator who appeared in a radio drama of the same name. The show ran for 12 years, from 1949 to 1961, and featured 809 episodes. In each episode, Johnny would be hired by an insurance company to investigate a suspicious claim. He would travel to the scene of the crime, interview witnesses, and follow every clue until he solved the case. Johnny was a compl...

The Life of Riley is an American radio situation comedy series that aired from 1944 to 1951. It was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. The series follows the life of Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. Riley is a bumbling but lovable character who is always getting into trouble. He is married to...

Have Gun - Will Travel is a Western series that aired on CBS from 1957 to 1963. It follows the adventures of Paladin, a gentleman gunfighter who travels the Old West helping those in need. The series was created by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow, and starred Richard Boone as Paladin. The show was a critical and commercial success, and spawned a successful radio version. It was one of the few shows in t...

The radio version of Space Patrol aired from October 4, 1952 to March 19, 1955, for a total of 129 episodes. The same cast performed on both the radio and television versions. The writers, scripts, and directors were also the same for both versions. However, the radio broadcasts were not limited by studio sets and could therefore be more expensive in scope than the television programs. This allowe...

Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by Jack Boyle. He was originally a jewel thief and safecracker, but he became a detective in adaptations for films, radio, and television. He is known as "an enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend." Boston Blackie is a complex and interesting character. He is a thief, but he is also a good person who helps...

"Suspense" was a radio drama series that captivated audiences from 1940 through 1962 during the Golden Age of Radio. Often subtitled "radio's outstanding theater of thrills," this program was a shining example of suspense thriller entertainment. It specialized in delivering heart-pounding stories, typically featuring some of the leading Hollywood actors of its era. With an...