Retro Old Time Radio

Through much of the first decades of the 20th century, the Marx Brothers were a rising act in vaudeville theaters. In the early days of talking movies, they made the transition, and became film stars. In the early 1930's the brothers broke into radio. Their radio show featured Groucho and Chico as they tried to run a law office known as Flywheel Shyster and Flywheel.   Sadly, only one or two compl...

Actually the first episode of My Favorite Husband, starring Lucille Ball and Richard Denning. The first show sets up the premise of the series. A married couple who have been happily married for 10 years, and still seem to be actually in love. The Cugat's flashback to moments of their wedding day, as they prepare for their anniversary. Liz, the well to do socialite, and George, the up and coming b...

  The school is to raise funds for a local charity, and the key students and teachers, namely our usual cast, are meeting to discuss the event. The problem? How to drum up support for the planned auction. Radio spots? Handbills? Hang a sing on a zepplin? Frogs on leashes that drag signs? Forget the brainstorming for PR, there seems to be a shortage of quality items to auction. Where, oh where migh...

The actual game takes a back seat as Groucho chats it up with the contestants. Groucho is always hilarious as he talks with the regular people on the show. First up is a weather man named Aldrich, and a cashier of a drive in movie theater named Winnie. Next is a body builder from Philadelphia, and the wife of a New York policeman who say the secret word. The final couple are identical twins, Jean...

A classic show with two classic comedians. Prior to the show, Eddie Cantor makes a phone calls to get Jackk Benny on his show. He has to wait  until Jack takes care of some important business at the local drugstore. As the show begins, Eddie chats with announcer, Harry Vonzell about how stingy Jack is, then keeps giving Jack the brush off. Hattie McDaniels joins the teasing by commenting on both R...

As Throckmorton P. Gildersleeves and Judge Hooker complete a game of checkers, LeRoy has a question. He  wants to take the day off of school so he can go to the circus. Fortunately for him, he has two fine examples in these two pillars of the community. A kid listens to the advice from such outstanding citezens. Too bad, they get on a tangent, talking about their old schoolboy days, and all the cr...

This is something totally different from what I've ever posted in the podcast. Summer is the time for baseball, and the ultimate in baseball is the World Series. This is a long show, nearly 2 full hours. Enjoy play by play commentary as the Yankees fight it out with the Giants in Game 3 for the 1936 World Series.   The announcers do a top notch job of reporting the plays. The sounds of the crowd r...

  As Jane and Irma talk, Irma realizes that she knows nothing about Al's background or relatives. And this is the man she plans to marry. Al has to call his friend Joe, who knows just about anything. Even after the phone call, Al is a little unclear about his family roots. Irma manages to find a letter that was in Al's pocket, and assumes the worst. It's really from his mom, and to set things righ...

In the far flung, futuristic year of 1965, an exciting adventure into space is about to begin. At least that's the way it appeared to folks in the mid 1950's.   As a crew of astronauts blast off from the Australian Outback on a trip to the moon, join them in the cockpit of the rocket to experience the stresses of lift off. Despite the joy of being weightless, the crew is faced with some serious is...

  Or, Who Stole The Elephant From Billy Nose?   Town Hall Tonight begins with Peter VanSeeten's Orchestra, and the Ipana Troubadours singing, I Feel a Song Coming On. The Latest news of the week presents shorts about a psychiatrist who tends to the mental health of a college student, the leap year social tradition of having women initiate marriage proposals, and buying things on credit. Can  you d...

Here's a classic old episode that seems to be mislabeled in most archives, and show listings. The date that it is usually listed as November 17, 1935. Here's why this is the wrong date. The sponsor is Chevrolet. Beginning with the 1935 season, Jello began it's long run as sponsor. Chevrolet started around the end of January, or the beginning of March 1933. There's a gap there where no shows are li...

In this episode it's that time of year for the kids to start back to school. Mornings in the Anderson home are becoming hectic as everybody competes for bathroom time. Will Jim ever get to shave? He has that important meeting to get to and time is running late. Besides bathroom frustrations, the latest news is in, the family car is missing. Well, maybe the car isn't stolen afterall. It was just le...

Jack is missing, as he is getting a shave. The scene changes to his ordeal with the Italian barber. Johnny Green plays, Anything Goes. Jack plugs his latest film, then Mary gets in an old gag of misunderstanding words. A nervous and apologetic Kenny Baker makes his appearance. Kenny sings, A Rose in Her Hair. Such a nice start, and what a stinker he would become in later shows. Jack notices the si...

A special presentation and documentary to commenorate the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the Marines who fought it. The actual air date is unknown. Most likely it aired on more than one ocasion. It's earliest possible date is sometime in 1955.   The show is a short and quick one, so there are a few bonus tracks added.   Happy 4th of July.   Bonus Tracks Lucky Millander, vocals by Trevor Bacon. 1942. Are...

After an opening song, Colonel Stoopnagel and /Bud talk about sponsers, and observing the stars. After a commercial, and musical interlude, a continuing saga continues to keep Stoopnagel out of the White House. Colonel Stoopnagel is happy to see that his votes are not rolling in, and relieved to be avoiding being elected. A song, Louisanna Hay Ride.  . Afterward, Bud and Stoopnagel talk about vari...

A lengthy interview by well known news man, Walter O'Keefe. Discover some of the history of actor and comedian, Alan Young. At the time of this interview he was the star of the television program, Mister Ed. Listeners to the Retro Radio Podcast have heard Alan Young as featured in his own radio program. I would play him more often, but there arn't many of his radio shows out there, and I'm pacing...

Walter Wenchel, Josephine Hutchinson. Emilia Airhart was due to appear tonight, but she hadn't reached her destination yet. Maybe next week? Walter Wenchel, colorful reporter newspaper man, and film star recreates his role about a big city newspaper, big stories, and romance. Josephine Hutchinson plays the part that Joan Bennet played in the film. Walter, as Walter Burns, is a big newspaper editor...

Opening is a little choppy before Don and Jack tease each other about recent New Year's Eve celebrations. Mary and Frank Parker tell about their celebrations with an interuption by a man wanting to sell a bulldog. The bulldog gag, of course runs through the show. Don Besser plays, but it is chopped. Jack introduces the play. Frank sings, but it also is snipped. The play begins. A spoof of the famo...

The Johnson Wax Company presents Jim and Marion Jordan, as Fibber McGee and Molly. Today Fibber has somehow been put in charge of the circus, and won the job as human cannonball. Meanwhile, he and Molly tour the midway to see the attractions. One character they encounter is a fast paced talking woman who chats it up with Fibber. The lady is voiced by Molly. The orchestra plays, Hallelujah.   As Fi...

Don and Jack talk about gift exchanging this Christmas. They are joined by Frank Black, Mary, and even Don Besser. Jack shows off a little for his dad by playing violin, If I Had a Million Dollars. He talks about his orchestra days in the Barrette theater in Waukegan, and some of the folks he played with. All have gone on to be famous in their fields, whether he really played with them or not. Jac...

Due to spotty preservation, this episode is the only one I can find in this series in the Superman program. Sponsered by Kellogs Pep. The story thus far deals with a flaming meteor that crashed onto a nearby farm. As Clark Kent investigated, he became weak and dizzy. Fearing a doctors exam would reveal his secret identity as Superman, he is reluctant but Perry makes him go anyway. His impervious s...

Chase and Sandbourne sponsers a musical show that features Frances Langford as host, and vocalist. Spike Jones shows his serious band leading ability when he provides the musical back up for Frances, but he also gets the chance to shine with his own unique style. Show announcer is Ken Carpenter. These early shows were often in military hospitals where injured soldiers and sailors were recuperating...

Through some record skips, Don and Jack joke around about going to the movies. Frank Parker, and Don Besser prove they can jump into the jokes, in a pinch. All that pinching turns into a running gag for the evening. Jack wants to get some new tallent for the show, and has Mary call an agent.    As is typical for these old programs, the music is snipped. After what would have been Don Besser's song...

​After some interupted starts to the show by a listening couple who keeps switching off the radio, Stan encounters June Forray as Miss Jupiter. She is slightly disgruntled that she wasn't invited to be in the Miss Universe pageant. With a musical interlude by Peggy Taylor, the classic from the 1930's, Dancing Cheek to Cheek, The radio couple keeps trying to change channels. After a short act from...

The audio is a bit scratchy in spots, it skips in spots, and the musical numbers have been snipped. Other than that, it sounds pretty good. Don teases Jack about his acting ability. The conversation turns to comparing baby pictures. After the snipped number, Jack introduces the play. It's based on a popular movie of the day, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. The play begins after another snipped nu...