Holiday Spirit from 1937, 1938, and 1939 as served up by Old Time Radio!
Christmas Time is here again. A time when us older folks reconnect with the child we once were. Moments from past Christmases relived, smiles and tears remembered. Longing and gratitude and the laughter of those we’ve lost.
At least that’s what happens to me. Every Christmas that passes magnifies the memories of Christmases from a lifetime ago.
Old Time Radio like this helps me through the bittersweet nostalgia for days that no longer exist.
At Halloween the thin boundary between living and dead dissolves so that ghosts, goblins, and the sins we thought long buried come back to feast on our fright filled souls.
Day of the dead, all souls day, two thousand years ago the Pagen Celts called it Samhin, we call it Halloween. The time when ghosts, ghouls, and costumed children all wander the streets looking for their favorite tasty treats. The children want candy, the others from beyond the grave want to feed on your sweet, sweet, sinful soul.
The earliest peoples knew this, huddled around the first campfires now lost in memory the shamans told of ghosts and the risen dead shambling across the earth to restore cosmic justice through black magic, revenge, and terror.
Tales of horror and supernatural evil are as old as mankind, spoken tales of terror and vengeance from beyond the grave are older than memory but never go out of style.
A fact that made the Horror Genre a natural part of Old Time Radio.
Scary shows were perfect for dramatic radio. Arguments can be made that the situation comedy and variety show genres were better suited for television. But horror shows peaked with radio, nothing being scarier than those fears we carry with us in our imaginations. A theater of the mind permits our own deepest fears to chill us to the bone.
Halloween 2025 Features:
The Witches Tale
Lights Out
The Whistler
With Special Appearances by Orson Welles and Agnes Moorehead
Old Time Radio was dog eat dog, CBS and NBC scooped up the all the best stations and biggest talent, leaving all the little local stations in the dust.
Not all the independent stations wanted to let NBC and CBS run away with their audiences
In 1934 WGN and 3 other independents, WOR in New York, WLW in Cincinnati, and WXYZ in Detroit entered into a program sharing agreement. They called themselves the Mutual Network but they were more Mutual than Network. There was a coordination committee, but the real power was with the individual stations who maintained their autonomy as equals.
It was a bottom-up business model. Socialized Radio that shared shows for a several hours a week, but also did their own local thing with the lion’s share of their airtime.
From these humble beginnings, Mutual would grow to cover the entire country and compete head to head with NBC and CBS.
Voices from 1939 talking with one of the Greatest Voices on Old Time Radio
In 1939 Orson Welles was only 24 years old but a veteran of Radio. He’d been a regular on The March of Time and was enjoying a very successful run playing the Shadow.
These excerpts are from the Campbell Playhouse in 1939, previously named Mercury Theater of the Air.
These interviews were a regular feature of the Campbell Playhouse. And were meant to deepen the audience understanding of that week’s Radio Play.
1939 SoundScape part 10, Radio highlights originally broadcast live May 22 through June 4, 1939 Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
Radio highlights originally broadcast live March 22 through April 5, 1939
Curated clips of live broadcasts from popular radio shows of the day.
History through the eyes of people as they lived it, reported by radio.
In today’s soundscape:
Nothing about the war in this one, things were quiet there and we were more than happy to pretend the bombs and blood wasn’t real. We will soon find out different.
The violent wedding of Andy Brown!
Georgie Jessell kills it with the comedy on the Fed Allen show!
History through the eyes of people as they live it, reported by radio.
Voices from the past alive again because you’re listening now.
In today’s soundscape, you can hear the dark cloud of war gather.
Earlier in the year, as evidenced by When Radio Ruled Soundscapes 1939 parts 1, 2, and 3, Old Time Radio was trying to ignore the European turmoil. In this episode they’ve stopped trying.
The Columbia Workshop in particular forshadows the horrors to come. You’ll see.
Thank God for Jack Benny. This episode has its dark moments. They make a good laugh more important than ever.
1939 was a year where everything changed. An uneasy peace became all out war. Society and culture and government were questioned as never before. The evil inside the human race made itself known that year, as ferocious as in the past but applied with an improved efficiency.
Radio was there to witness it.
And I got to Live 1939 second hand through these radio voices from the past.
In my OTR collection I have hundreds of hours of 1939 broadcasts. I listened to them in Chronological order to research the documentaries, the year 1939 as seen through comedy, drama, music, and of course news broadcast at the moments the history happened.
Here are curated highlghts of that journey for you to experience. This Soundscape delivers January 24 – March 2 1939 as seen by Old Time Radio, presented by the following voices from the grave, alive again because you’re listening:
1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the death to come on land, sea, and in the Air
Seems obvious now, but at the time lots of people thought the first great war had been so terrible it could never happen again. I wish they had been right.
The Soundscapes for 1939 series is the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.
Here is part 2, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 12 to January 23, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.
Highlights include
Do we have a free press or don’t we?
Better food with less kitchen time!
Mutiny on the Bounty descendants on Pitcairn island.
For the Previous 2 episodes, The Year 1939 – Politics and the year 1939 – Culture and Technology, I listened to almost 1000 hours of OTR in chronological order. I got to hear 1939 unfold through broadcasts from the day and learn what the podcasts should be about.
As I go, I create a best of collection of clips I might possibly use in the podcast that isn’t written yet.
This results in a rather large number of clips, 36 hours for the year 1939, history from those living it.
1939 was the year the country woke up to the horrific scale of the war we all saw coming.
The Soundscapes for 1939 series will tell the story of optimism to pessimism, of hope to resignation, compromise to confrontation through a tapestry of OTR clips.
Here is part 1, Curated clips broadcast chronologically January 1 to January 12, 1939. The early, hopeful days in 1939.
Highlights include
Goodbye 1938 hello 1939
How to have happiness in marriage?
A Great Playlet “Rose by Any Other Name” starring Melvyn Douglas
There was no happy ending for 1939. The whole decade was spent clawing our way out of financial disaster, now we got a humanitarian disaster beyond imagining as slaughter continues world wide.
But Life doesn’t hold still! This episode features the cultural, technological, and social changes that occurred over the noise of the war in 1939!
1939 as told through the Radio Broadcasts of the day!!
The dreaded war finally begins with the German invasion of Poland. Neville Chamberlain is forced to grow a spine. Winston Churchill returns to Government. Franklin Roosevelt Hates War. And some Really Hot Swing Licks by Artie Shaw.
We’ve got both reassuring fantasy and unsettling reality in this episode. On one hand we’ll hear old friends Donald Duck and the Seven Dwarfs in a fairy tale setting, and we’ll hear our soon to be enemy, Nazi Germany take over the real world Austria.
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use in order to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits to create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the scripts. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 25 through December 11, 1938.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Agnes Moorehead
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingstone
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Cast of Family Doctor
Featured Songs Include
They Say – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra
My Reverie – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra
Who Blew Out The Flame – Helen Forrest with the Artie Shaw Orchestra
Pocketful of Dreams – Phil Harris and His Orchestra
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live November 2 through November 6, 1938.
Starring:
Fred Allen
Harry Von Zell
Portland Hoffa
Orson Welles
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
Bill Goodwin
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Ray Noble
Jean Arthur
And
The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Fred Allen’s Tribute to November!
Sound Poems from Columbia Workshop!
Jean Arthur Tells Charlie McCarthy about Goldilocks
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of show biz from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live October 23 through October 31, 1938.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Lionel Barrymore
Clark Gable
Robert Young
Frank Morgan
Don Ameche
Judy Canova
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Dorothy Lamour
Madeleine Carroll
Don Wilson
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone
Kenny Baker
Phil Harris
Andy Devine
and
Seabiscuit
FEATURED SONGS INCLUDE
Two Sleepy People – Dorothy Lamour
Hounds on My Tracks – Judy, Annie, and Zeke
What Have You Got That Gets Me? – Phil Harris and the Jello Gang
In this episode:
The Martians Invade America!
Edgar Bergen tries to Tell a Ghost Story!
Jack Benny throws a Halloween Party!
Seabiscuit races War Admiral!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of show biz from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Soundscape 1938, part 26, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 28 through September 13, 1938.
Starring:
Edward Arnold
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Robert Young
Meredith Wilson
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
Alice Faye
Frank Morgan
Father Flanagan
Cast of Family Doctor
Orson Welles
Judy Garland
Cast of Family Doctor
Cast of Blair of the Mounties
Featured Songs Include
There’s Honey on the Moon Tonight – Dorothy Lamour
Alexander’s Ragtime Band – Alice Faye
In this episode:
Frank Morgan tells Stories of his great Military Glory!
Hitler is being a Big Jerk again!
Czechoslovakia prepares to defend against the German Army!
The Reviews are in! The Mercury Theater is a Great Success!
Orson Welles yells at his Crew to shut up!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Soundscape 1938, part 23, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
This episode starts out solemn with references to the marauding Japanese and unreasonable bully Nazis but ends with lots of laughs thanks to Charlie McCarthy and Friends.
It consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live July 3 through July 31, 1938.
My personal OTR collection contains thousands of hours of old time radio I use to create the year by year historical When Radio Ruled documentaries, and as I listen to each episode I extract the most interesting and entertaining bits and create a best of reel as a reference for when writing the script. And that’s what you are about to hear, part of that best of reel, a one hour chunk of really great audio artifacts from 1938.
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live June 22 through July 3, 1938.
Starring:
Joe Lewis
Max Schmeling
Fred Allen
Art Moger
Portland Hoffa
Harry Von Zell
Orson Welles
Jack Benny
Don Wilson
Phil Harris
Mary Livingstone
Andy Devine
The Cast of the Lone Ranger
L.A. “Speed” Riggs
Georgie Jessel
Norma Talmadge
The Cast and Musicians of The RCA Victor Campus Club
Featured Songs include:
Honey on the Moon – Town Hall Quartet
You Couldn’t be Sweeter – Phil Harris
That Was Love Sez My Heart – Mary Livingstone
Rings on her Fingers – The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Joe Lewis versus Max Schmeling!
Speed Riggs reveals Tobacco Auctioneer Secrets!
Mary Livingstone Sings!
Hot Swing from The Campus Club!
And More!!
Please come with me on the time machine to the year 1938 and be entertained by these giants of entertainment from long ago, alive again through the magic of the theater of the mind.
Halloween approaches – the night when the boundaries between the living and the dead, reality and imagination dissolve. Evil witches mount flying brooms. Brain starved Zombies, restless spirits, supernatural spooks, savage monsters and all forms of malevolent miscreants shamble across the earth creating terror among the hapless and tasty human populace.
Above all, Halloween is the best time for scary stories. In that tradition welcome to When Radio Ruled episode 56, Spooky Halloween Special 2022.
The show is going to give you a couple of spine tinglers to get you in the spooky Halloween frame of mind. The first one is entitled “Til Dead” and was originally broadcast February 2, 1943. It is a great example of the Suspense Genre that was so successful throughout the era of old time radio.
The second story is called “The Hitchhiker” and stars Orson Welles. It’s a classic supernatural tale, full of tension and mystery. It was performed by Welles multiple times over the years by popular demand, this performance was broadcast September 2, 1942.
So hang the garlic in the door to keep away the vampires, put a crucifix in your pocket just in case, lock the doors and windows, shut out the lights and brace yourself for When Radio Ruled Spooky Halloween Special 2022.
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast November 8 to November 28, 1938.
Starring Bing Crosby, Jimmy Wallington, Eddie Cantor, Fibber McGee and Molly, Benny Goodman, Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd, Don Wilson, Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Mary Livingstone, Orson Welles, and more.
Featured Songs include Eddie Cantor, “Getting some fun out of Life”, Bing Crosby “I’m Humming”, Some smoking Benny Goodman Swing Instrumentals and the Benny Goodman orchestra featuring vocalist Martha Tilden “Mama that moon is here again”, Pinky Tomlin “The Lady who couldn’t be Kissed” and Phil Harris “You can’t stop me from dreaming”
This podcast is a montage of excerpts from old time radio shows performed live and broadcast September 5 to October 10, 1937.
Starring W.C. Fields, Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly, Al Jolson, George Jessell, Eddie Cantor, Bette Davis, Cecil B. DeMille, John LeRoy Johnston, Rudy Vallee, The Stroud Twins, Orson Welles, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Benny, Mary Livingston, and more.
Featured Songs include Al Jolson “Tootsie”, Eddie Cantor “Now’s the time to fall in love” and “Love is on the Air Tonight”, The Connecticut Yankees with an unidentified female vocalist (possibly Annette Hanshaw) “Basin Street Blues”, Eddie Cantor and Pinky Tomlin “Sweet Varsity Sue”
It sure has been a strange year – we could all use a dose of Traditional Christmas. And here it is!
Two Great Episodes from 1939!
Jack Benny’s Christmas Open House
A Christmas Carol (starring Lionel Barrymore)
Featuring: Jack Benny, Rochester, Dennis Day, Mary Livingston, Phil Harris and his Orchestra, Orson Welles, Lionel Barrymore, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Pat Brady, and more!
Before TV 