The Good Old Days of Radio Show

This week, we wrap up our 10-part Crime Classics series with an unusual true crime story. John Tefteller is once again joined by researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann expert Steven C. Smith to take a last look at what made this show so unique. This 1954 episode leans into the series’ signature mix of dark humor and true crime, telling a gritty tale of a heist gone wrong on the streets of Baltimore. It’s clever, a little twisted, and very much in line with what Crime Classics did best. Along the way, the conversation highlights Bernard Herrmann’s unforgettable music, and the show’s almost literary style. It’s a fitting finale; dark, smart, and a great sendoff to one of radio’s most creative series.

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We're on the final week on our Crime Classics series on Thursday, and today we’ve got a fun late-era episode of The Phil Harris–Alice Faye Show from March 1954 to feature the comedy work of Elliott Lewis. The police are after Phil for something, and of course he is hiding under the porch. All of the usual over-the-top Harris-Faye madness ensues from there. You’ll also hear RCA Victor ads up front, plus a few interesting notes about changes behind the scenes during the show’s final season.

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Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

This week, we dive into another famous true crime story, Crime Classics brings us “The Bloody, Bloody Banks of Fall River.” Host John Tefteller is joined by researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith to unpack this 1950s take on the Lizzie Borden case. The episode walks us through the tense, tightly wound world of the Borden household, leading up to the infamous murders and the trial that followed. It’s a familiar story, but Crime Classics gives it a unique edge with its dry narration and psychological focus. We also take an in-depth look at Bernard Herrmann’s score, which uses just a few instruments to build tension. It’s a perfect example of how this series could take a well-known case and make it feel fresh, unsettling, and gripping.

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Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

This week, to enhance our Crime Classics episode from last Thursday, we have a Robert Bloch story that was talked about in that episode called, “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper,” presented on the Molle Mystery Theater. This story takes the infamous killer out of Victorian London and drops him into modern-day Chicago… with a twist. What if Jack the Ripper never died? What if he’s been staying alive all these years through something darker? The story follows Sir Guy Hollis, a man obsessed with tracking the killer, as his search leads him closer and closer to the truth.

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This week, we step into the foggy streets of Victorian London with Crime Classics, and possibly the most intriguing real-life unsolved mysteries of all time, “Good Evening, My Name Is Jack the Ripper.” John Tefteller, along with researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith, takes a closer look at the Whitechapel murders, focusing not just on the crimes, but on the lives of the victims and the fear that gripped the city. Along the way, the discussion highlights the often-overlooked people behind the scenes: sound effects artists, assistant directors, and others who helped create that immersive atmosphere.

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Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

Today, we conclude our Lincoln-themed series through the lens of time travel, from The Mysterious Traveler, with a story about a physicist and a historian attempting to project a modern mind into the past, hoping to prevent Lincoln’s assassination. The plan is to influence events from the inside… but things don’t go as expected. In true radio fashion, the story takes a sharp turn that flips the entire mission on its head.

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Today we’ve got a mystery for you, and we’re asking help from all amateur and professional researchers in our audience: help us figure out this episode of Lights Out! We know it’s an early one, and that’s about it.  It comes with no confirmed title or air date. Instead of the usual supernatural chills, this one leans hard into gritty crime drama. It follows a gang of bank robbers whose plan unravels into a chain of double-crosses, jealousy, and murder, as each one tries to come out on top. As you’d expect from Lights Out, it all builds to a dark ending, with the final moments centered on a condemned man facing his fate.

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This week, we take a more serious turn with Crime Classics and its 1953 episode that zooms in on a crime that had a tremendous impact on the nation, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Host John Tefteller, along with researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann expert Steven C. Smith, explores how this installment breaks from the series’ usual dark humor and leans into a somber retelling of one of America’s most tragic moments. The discussion digs into the historical details, including the often-overlooked role of Lincoln’s bodyguard, John Parker. We again look at Bernard Herrmann’s striking score, and touch on a bit of behind-the-scenes controversy at CBS over the timing of the broadcast.

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This week, we kick off a three-part series on Abraham Lincoln, to compliment our Crime Classics episode on Thursday. We're starting out with a 1938 broadcast from The Mercury Theatre on the Air, starring Orson Welles; a dramatic, personal look at Lincoln’s life during the Civil War, built from a mix of theatrical storytelling and his own words, pulled from letters and speeches. You’ll hear the weight of the presidency, from cabinet conflicts to the enormous burden of holding the Union together and pushing toward the end of slavery. Welles captures both Lincoln’s strength and his humanity, while Bernard Herrmann’s score adds just the right emotional depth.

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Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD

This week, we are serving up another dainty confection from Crime Classics. John Tefteller, along with researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann expert Steven C. Smith, takes a closer look at this 1953 episode, based on the real-life case of a Frenchwoman accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic… hidden in a homemade cake. Like all Crime Classics episodes, it’s told with rye dialogue and narration, and Herrmann’s subtle musical score.

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Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD