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PODCAST · fiction

Classic Radio Theater

Hudson River Radio's own Big Jim Wheeler is thrilled to share his personal collection of classic radio shows from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s! Jim grew up on a farm in upstate New York, where TV shows were scarce, and where radio was king. It was a time where families would gather around the radio to hear the latest episode of their favorite shows.

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  1. 183

    Superman with Batman & Robin- The Scarlet Widow, Part 4

    Chapters 10 and 11, the final part of this story line, aired in October 1945.

  2. 182

    Superman with Batman & Robin- The Scarlet Widow, Part 3

    Chapters 7 through 9 aired in October 1945.

  3. 181

    Superman with Batman & Robin- The Scarlet Widow, Part 2

    Chapters 4 through 6 aired in October 1945.

  4. 180

    Superman with Batman & Robin- The Scarlet Widow, Part 1

    Chapters 1 through 3 aired in September and October 1945.

  5. 179

    Fibber McGee & Molly- Molly's Toothache

    Fibber McGee & Molly, “Molly’s Toothache,” aired on May 25, 1948.

  6. 178

    Fibber McGee & Molly- Making Cologne

    Fibber McGee & Molly was a very popular radio sitcom on NBC, running from 1935 to 1956. The stars of the show were played by husband and wife team Jim and Marian Jordan, who had started their radio careers in the 1920s. Fibber McGee & Molly, “Making Cologne,” aired on May 18, 1948.

  7. 177

    Superman with Batman & Robin- The Meteor From Krypton

    This story line aired as two episodes on September 24 and 25, 1945.

  8. 176

    Deputy Dawg (Part 2 of 2)

    Deputy Dawg was a Terrytoon Cartoon character, a company based in New Rochelle, New York, until 1972. He was originally developed to be a character on the Captain Kangaroo Show, but was instead developed as a separate series. Deputy Dawg ran from 1960 to 1964, with the title character being a deputy in Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee as the show progressed.Li’l WhooperSeize You Later, AlligatorThe Yoke’s On You

  9. 175

    Deputy Dawg (Part 1 of 2)

    Deputy Dawg was a Terrytoon Cartoon character, a company based in New Rochelle, New York, until 1972. He was originally developed to be a character on the Captain Kangaroo Show, but was instead developed as a separate series. Deputy Dawg ran from 1960 to 1964, with the title character being a deputy in Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee as the show progressed. Welcome, Micha MouseLaw and DisorderShotgun Shambles

  10. 174

    Superman with Batman & Robin- Dr Bly's Confidence Gang, Part 4

    Chapters 12 through 14, the end of this story line, aired the week of September 17, 1945.

  11. 173

    Superman with Batman & Robin- Dr Bly's Confidence Gang, Part 3

    Chapters 8 through 11 aired the week of Spetember 17, 1945.

  12. 172

    Superman with Batman & Robin- Dr Bly's Confidence Gang, Part 2

    Chapters 4 through 7 aired the week of September 10, 1945.

  13. 171

    Superman with Batman & Robin- Dr Bly's Confidence Gang, Part 1

    Chapters 1 through 3 aired the week of September 4, 1945.

  14. 170

    Dragnet- Big Jolt

    Dragnet, starring Jack Webb. “Big Jolt” aired on October 5, 1952. The original Chesterfield Cigarette advertisements are truly horrifying!

  15. 169

    Dragnet- Sixteen Jewel Thieves

    Dragnet starring Jack Webb. This episode, “Sixteen Jewel Thieves,” first aired on August 18, 1949. That's a fact, Jack.

  16. 168

    Gunsmoke- Drop Dead

    Gunsmoke- “Drop Dead,” aired on September 20, 1952.

  17. 167

    Gunsmoke- Home Surgery

    "The story of the violence that moved west with young America, and the story of a man that moved with it, U.S. Marshall Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad."Gunsmoke- “Home Surgery,” aired on September 13, 1952.

  18. 166

    Amos 'N Andy

    Part 1: Sapphire’s new boss proposes marriage. Aired on August 4, 1952.Part 2: Andy believes his girlfriend is looking for a husband. His marriage proposal does not go as planned. Aired on August 25, 1952.

  19. 165

    Amos 'N Andy

    Amos ’N Andy was a radio sitcom that aired from 1928 to 1960. The titled characters were Black, but were played by the two white show creators Freeman Gosden (Amos) and Charles Correll (Andy). The show had a brief stint on television from 1951 to 1953 where the title characters were played by Black actors.Part 1: The Kingfish is bequeathed a weekly allowance for help care for his Great Dane. Aired on June 30, 1952.Part 2: Uncle Harold leaves Andy $25,000 on the condition he never marries. Aired on July 7, 1952.

  20. 164

    Arsenic and Old Lace with Boris Karloff

    Arsenic and Old Lace is a comedy thriller based on a true story. A New York newspaper drama critic discovers his two aunts are insane murderers! It aired in 1952.

  21. 163

    Our Miss Brooks

    Our Miss Brooks was a radio sitcom that aired from 1948 to 1957. It was adapted for both television and a movie of the same name. This episode aired on December 5, 1949.

  22. 162

    The Great Crepitation Contest of 1946

    For our annual celebration of April fools Day, we present “The Great Crepitation Contest of 1946,” the championship farting contest between Lord Windesmear and Paul Boomer. Although nobody is certain, this recording was most likely done in 1940 by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation sports announcer Sidney S. Brown and CBC producer Jules Lipton as an in-house joke. Someone at Columbia records pressed the recording onto a set of two 78 rpm records, including album art. The official release was nixed by CBS brass, but a few premium copies made it out to the public. Enjoy!

  23. 161
  24. 160

    Terry And The Pirates, Episode 1

    Terry And The Pirates was adapted for radio from a 1934 comic strip of the same name by Milton Caniff. The radio show ran from 1937 to 1948. It was later adapted for TV in 1953. Terry and his associates fought villains throughout the Orient.

  25. 159

    The Great Gildersleeve

    The Great Gildersleeve was a radio sitcom that aired from 1941 to 1958. It was a spin off of the popular radio program Fibber McGee and Molly. This episode aired on November 20, 1949.

  26. 158

    Fibber McGee & Molly- Selling The House

    Fibber McGee & Molly, “Selling The House,” aired on May 4, 1948.

  27. 157

    Fibber McGee & Molly- Goin' Fishin'

    Fibber McGee & Molly was a very popular radio sitcom on NBC, running from 1935 to 1956. The stars of the show were played by husband and wife team Jim and Marian Jordan, who had started their radio careers in the 1920s. “Goin’ Fishin’” aired on May 11, 1948.

  28. 156

    Hansel & Gretel

    Hansel & Gretel is an old German fairy tale. The Brothers Grimm published a collection of fairy tales in 1812, including Hansel & Gretel, that they compiled from various sources, bringing the story to the masses.Hansel and Gretel are brother and sister who have been abandoned in the woods by their lovely parents. They were taken in by a witch who intended to cook and eat them. So, one could say this is a both a lesson on wandering alone in the woods and also a cooking show. We won’t ruin the twist ending here, even thought it’s over 200 years old.This version was produced by Tale Spinners for Children, who released stories for young audiences on vinyl records in the 1960s.

  29. 155

    The Pajama Game

    The popular musical “The Pajama Game” is a staple in school and community theater productions. The plot revolves around romance and labor issues in a pajama factory. The musical premiered in 1954 on Broadway and in 1955 on London’s West End. This version stars the original Broadway cast. John Raitt, father of musician Bonnie Raitt, was known for playing many lead roles on Broadway and in film. He plays the lead character Sid Sorokin. Babe Williams is played by Janis Paige, one of the last stars from The Golden Age of Hollywood. Vernon Hines is played by Eddie Foy, Jr., whose 60 plus year career spanned from vaudeville and theater to film and television.

  30. 154

    Dragnet- Big Look

    Aired on May 11, 1954.

  31. 153

    Dragnet- Big Stop

    Aired on May 4, 1954.

  32. 152

    Dragnet- Big Lift

    Dragnet was created and produced by Jack Webb, who also starred as Sergeant Joe Friday. His goal was to create a show that was realistic, so he attended police academy classes and did ride-alongs with the Los Angeles Police Department as part of his research. The cases in the shows were based on actual cases handled by the LAPD. Dragnet was broadcast on NBC radio stations from 1949 to 1957. It overlapped with its TV version which ran from 1951 to 1959 in black and white, and was brought back to TV in color from 1967 to 1970.  “Big Lift” aired on April 27, 1954. As always, please don't believe the cigarette ads.

  33. 151

    South Pacific

    The hit musical South Pacific by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II premiered on Broadway in New York City in 1949 and ran for 1,925 shows. It is based on the 1947 book “Tales of the South Pacific,” by James Michener and follows the story of a nurse based in the south Pacific during World War II.

  34. 150

    The Edgar Bergen Show with Charlie McCarthy

    This episode of The Edgar Bergen Show with Charlie McCarthy aired on November 9, 1952, and features Marilyn Monroe as their special guest. Charlie was a puppet, and having puppets on the radio seemed to make sense at the time.

  35. 149

    The Edgar Bergen Show with Charlie McCarthy

    This episode of The Edgar Bergen Show with Charlie McCarthy features Edward Everett Horton and Abbott & Costello as guests. It aired on May 3, 1942. Charlie was a puppet, and having puppets on the radio seemed to make sense at the time.

  36. 148

    Orson Welles- A Christmas Carol

    Enjoy Orson Welles’s production of the beloved “A Christmas Carol,” which aired on Christmas Eve in 1939.

  37. 147

    The Doctor Prescribed Death with Bela Lugosi

    The Doctor prescribed Death aired on February 2, 1943. Boris Karloff plays psychiatrist Antonio Bacile, who believes that a suicidal person can, instead, be convinced to murder someone else.

  38. 146

    Gunsmoke- Johnny Red

    “Johnny Red” aired on August 13, 1955.

  39. 145

    Gunsmoke- Ben Tolliver’s Stud

    "Ben Tolliver’s Stud” aired on July 23, 1955

  40. 144

    Gunsmoke- Twenty-Twenty

    Gunsmoke, the story of the violence that moved west with young America, and the story of a man that moved with it, U.S. Marshall Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad. From a time when westerns were popular, and cigarette companies could advertise on children’s shows. "Twenty-Twenty” first aired on July 16, 1955.

  41. 143

    Don Adams Live?

    Don Adams performed live at the Las Vegas Sands Casino in 1967. Adams is best known for playing Secret Agent Maxwell Smart on the hit TV series “Get Smart,” which ran from 1965 to 1970. He was also the voice of “Inspector Gadget,” in the 1980s.

  42. 142

    Peter & The Wolf narrated by Captain Kangaroo

    Peter and the Wolf is a symphonic tale written by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The story is a Russian folk tale with different animals and characters being represented by different musical instruments. This performance is narrated by Captain Kangaroo, a/k/a Bob Keeshan, who was a beloved children’s TV host from 1955 to 1984.

  43. 141

    Wildcat starring Lucille Ball

    The musical Wildcat opened on Broadway in New York City in 1960 and starred Lucille Ball in her only starring Broadway role. She was 49 at the time and had wrapped up her hit TV show, I Love Lucy, three years prior.  Lucy plays the lead role of Wildcat Jackson, who comes to Centavo City in search of striking oil and making it rich.

  44. 140

    Orson Welles- The War of the Worlds

    It’s time for our annual rebroadcast of Orson Welles’ “The War of the Worlds,” which aired on October 30, 1938. This legendary broadcast is one you don't want to miss! (Spoiler: It did not create the mass panic of legendary tales. Orson said it was fiction in the broadcast, and they took commercial breaks.)

  45. 139

    Inner Sanctum- The Vengeful Corpse

    Inner Sanctum, also known as Inner Sanctum Mystery, was a popular radio program that aired from 1941 to 1952. The stories had a good mix of horror and good humor. This is the show that established the creaking door as a scary sound effect. There were over 500 episodes broadcast, but only around 200 are known to still exist.“The Vengeful Corpse,” aired on September 12, 1949.

  46. 138

    The Doctor Prescribed Death with Bela Lugosi

    The Doctor prescribed Death aired on February 2, 1943. Boris Karloff plays psychiatrist Antonio Bacile, who believes that a suicidal person can, instead, be convinced to murder someone else.

  47. 137

    SUSPENSE- House in Cypress Canyon

    *Extra Scary!*“House in Cypress Canyon,” starring Robert Taylor, from the radio series SUSPENSE. This episode is widely considered one of the most terrifying shows broadcast during the Golden Age of Radio. A couple moves into a new rental house, and finds blood running from beneath a closet door… This episode aired on December 5, 1946.

  48. 136

    SUSPENSE- Fugue in C Minor

    “Fugue in C Minor,” starring the legendary Vincent Price and Ida Lupino, from the radio series SUSPENSE. It’s a great story about a pipe organ that was built throughout an entire house, and the reason it plays on its own. This episode aired on June 1, 1944.

  49. 135

    Lights Out- Oxychloride X

    Go get your pumpkins and start carving! It's time for SCARY CLASSIC SHOWS!Lights Out was one of the earliest radio programs focusing on horror and the supernatural. It ran on several networks from 1934 to 1947 before making the transition to television. This episode, “Oxychloride X,” was broadcast on January 26, 1938.

  50. 134

    Lights Out- Rocket From Manhattan

    Halloween is approaching, so we figure it's time for some SCARY CLASSIC SHOWS!Lights Out was one of the earliest radio programs focusing on horror and the supernatural. It ran on several networks from 1934 to 1947 before making the transition to television. This episode, “Rocket From Manhattan,” was broadcast on September 20, 1945, and is set in the distant future year of… 2000!

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Hudson River Radio's own Big Jim Wheeler is thrilled to share his personal collection of classic radio shows from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s! Jim grew up on a farm in upstate New York, where TV shows were scarce, and where radio was king. It was a time where families would gather around the radio to hear the latest episode of their favorite shows.

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Hudson River Radio .com

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Classic Radio Theater have?

Classic Radio Theater currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Classic Radio Theater about?

Hudson River Radio's own Big Jim Wheeler is thrilled to share his personal collection of classic radio shows from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s! Jim grew up on a farm in upstate New York, where TV shows were scarce, and where radio was king. It was a time where families would gather around the...

How often does Classic Radio Theater release new episodes?

Classic Radio Theater has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Classic Radio Theater?

You can listen to Classic Radio Theater on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Classic Radio Theater?

Classic Radio Theater is created and hosted by Hudson River Radio .com.
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