01-25-2010, 04:24 AM | #1 |
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
Let’s talk about old time (and some new) radio shows
Does anyone have any favorite radio dramas or comedies? I listen to a lot of old time radio, and thanks to iTunes have learned to appreciate shows such as The Whistler, Suspense, and X Minus One. Overall, I prefer shows that were before my time, but one favorite contemporary “radio” drama that keeps me coming back for more is Decoder Ring Theatre’s Black Jack Justice; the adventures of hardboiled detective Jack Justice and his partner, Trixie Dixon: Girl Detective. The stories are done in a humorous noir style, by which I mean you can almost see the shadowy and oddly angled black and white scenes coming through the speakers. You can download all of the episodes for free at http://www.decoderringtheatre.com/blackjackjustice/, but of course they do encourage donations.
What are your favorite radio shows? |
01-25-2010, 04:54 AM | #2 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 9,707
Karma: 32763414
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Krewerd
Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
|
Radio dramas... I don't think I've ever listened to one... At least, not on the radio.
There was one radio program I'd always listen to when I was a child (just after going to bed). The commentator had a really "used" voice and he'd read poems made by listeners, alternated with some nice music (soft-soft pop...) I'd always fall asleep (or mostly so) by his voice alone, so soothing. |
01-25-2010, 05:28 AM | #3 |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
Posts: 71,510
Karma: 306214458
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norfolk, England
Device: Kindle Voyage
|
I'm rather fond of comedy on BBC Radio, of which the best is probably I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue, "The Antidote to Panel Games". The 52nd series just finished — it's been going since 1972!. It was chaired by Humphrey Littleton until his death in 2008. It now has a new regular chairman, Jack Dee.
Perhaps my favourite round is "Sound Charades", which led to the spin-off series, Hamish and Dougal |
01-25-2010, 05:38 AM | #4 |
Home Guard
Posts: 4,729
Karma: 86721650
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard
Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6
|
I used to listen to the CBS Radio Mystery Theater with E.G. Marshall back in the Seventies.
<creaky door opening> "Come in. Welcome. I am E. G. Marshall." |
01-25-2010, 05:50 AM | #5 | |
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
Quote:
|
|
01-25-2010, 05:55 AM | #6 | |
Wizard
Posts: 4,395
Karma: 1358132
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3
|
Quote:
Some other fav BBC radio comedies: Hancock's Half Hour (my all time favourite!) Clare in the Community Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Ed Reardon's Week 16 Storeys High Round the Horne |
|
01-25-2010, 06:02 AM | #7 | |
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
Quote:
Last edited by WT Sharpe; 01-25-2010 at 06:10 AM. |
|
01-25-2010, 06:07 AM | #8 |
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
THHGTTG is my all-time favorite, although I've only heard the original run of the show. I'm not familiar with any of the others you mentioned.
Last edited by WT Sharpe; 01-25-2010 at 06:11 AM. |
01-25-2010, 07:12 AM | #9 |
When's Doughnut Day?
Posts: 10,059
Karma: 13675475
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Houston, TX, US
Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad
|
Just fyi, there was this thread on this subject last summer: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49845
|
01-25-2010, 07:38 AM | #10 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Yes, that was the thread that I started. I'm a huge fan of radio shows, and have hundreds of GB of them on disk. The nice thing about radio is that it doesn't use much storage space, so you can fit huge amounts onto an iPod!
Must admit that comedy from before my own time doesn't really appeal - I've always found comedy to be a very "generational" thing. The BBC have done excellent radio versions of some of its classic TV comedy shows - Dad's Army, Yes Minister, Steptoe and Son, etc; all wonderful! Drama is more my thing. I'm a big fan of all the old detective ad SF shows, both British an American (although I do still find it very odd, when listening to, say, the 1940s "Sherlock Holmes" stories from the US, to hear Dr Watson suddenly going into rhapsodies about "Petri wine", or whoever happened to be sponsering the show at the time ). In case anyone doesn't know, "Internet Archive" (www.archive.org) hosts a massive collection of old (mainly American) radio shows. And it's all legally downloadable, too! |
01-25-2010, 07:40 AM | #11 |
Reader
Posts: 11,504
Karma: 8720163
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G
|
I used to like "Lenin of the Rovers"; a BBC comedy about one man's attempts to set up a communist football team. Alexei Sayle played Ricky Lenin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin_of_the_Rovers |
01-25-2010, 08:17 AM | #12 | ||||
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
Quote:
Not that that's ever stopped me before! Quote:
There are a few old comedy radio shows that I like. The Jack Benny Show is one of them. While the character of Rochester is at times painfully close to being a minstrel show knockoff, I do enjoy the way he was always getting the best of every verbal exchange with the show's white star, something actors of color rarely did in those days. Fibber McGee and Mollie also have their moments, as does Duffy's Tavern, but as a rule, I agree that comedy is highly generational. Another comedy that stands up well in my opinion is Our Miss Brooks. Quote:
One of my favorite old time radio detectives is Boston Blackie, who always seemed to be on the verge of getting himself arrested for the very crime he was trying to solve. Rogue's Gallery is another one of my favorite private eye detective shows. What made Rogue's Gallery unique is that at least once in each episode, Richard Rogue would get knocked out, at which point he would have an encounter on Cloud Eight with his alter ego, Eugor, who usually managed to provide a hint to the solution of that episode’s mystery. (And you thought TV’s Mannix got a lot of hard knocks to the head! Well, actually, he did.) Quote:
Last edited by WT Sharpe; 01-25-2010 at 08:42 AM. |
||||
01-25-2010, 08:28 AM | #13 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,248
Karma: 35000000
Join Date: Jan 2008
Device: Pocketbook
|
I have a problem with most old American Radio shows, in that what you find is mostly over-compressed Mp-3's that sound like they were recorded on Edison's original cylinder machine.
As to comedy shows, you might try Bergen and McCarthy. Edgar Bergen got away with lots that would have been censored at the time. Downright modern.... |
01-25-2010, 08:31 AM | #14 |
Hi There!
Posts: 7,473
Karma: 2930523
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Device: iPad
|
I'm with Sweetpea, never listened to a radio show. But I know a guy and his wife who collect and sell (but mostly collects, you should see their house) antique radios. Look here http://radioattic.com/gallery.htm?st...thedral_Radios
Last edited by DixieGal; 01-25-2010 at 08:33 AM. |
01-25-2010, 08:58 AM | #15 | |
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
Quote:
Thanks. I've heard some of the Bergen and McCarthy shows, but none of the really racy stuff I heard rumors about, such as the shows with Mae West that led to ultimate ban from radio. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Troubleshooting clock shows the wrong time | hoermal | Amazon Kindle | 16 | 08-19-2010 06:28 AM |
Free - Freaks Talk Back: Tabloid Talk Shows and Sexual Nonconformity | nboshart | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 1 | 06-05-2010 10:27 AM |
Free Old Time Radio Shows | cdnirene | Ectaco jetBook | 2 | 02-02-2010 06:24 PM |
Seriously thoughtful Anyone else like old radio shows? | HarryT | Lounge | 32 | 07-02-2009 08:14 PM |
What We Talk About When We Talk About Reading | Dr. Drib | Reading Recommendations | 1 | 05-17-2009 07:37 PM |