When Radio Ruled

By Mike Gillett - the BeforeTV Project

A look at Old Time Radio and the world around it. A chronological look at the original mass media.... more

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FAQs about When Radio Ruled:

How many episodes does When Radio Ruled have?

The podcast currently has 126 episodes available.

When Radio Ruled episodes:

January 02, 2024 When Radio Ruled #96-SoundScape 1938 part 22
The Episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live August 1 through August 28, 1938.
Starring:
Cast of Blair of the Mounties
Orson Welles
Al Jolson
Irving Berlin
Cast of The Shadow
Seabiscuit
Charlie McCarthy
Nelson Eddy
Edward Arnold
Edgar Bergen
Ella Logan
Rudy Vallee
Featured Songs Include
Marie – Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
My Bonnie – Ella Logan
Heatwave – Ethel Merman
My Lucky Star Medley – Rudy Vallee and his Orchestra
Automobile Theme Song Medley – Rudy Vallee and his Orchestra
In this episode:
Irving Berlin Sings!
Charlie McCarthy becomes a banker!
Big League Woman’s Softball!
Rudy Vallee Sings Jingles about 1938 Cars!
The Munich Crisis!
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.
Click Here For SoundScape 1938 part 22 (you won’t be sorry)!!
...more
1h 4min
December 26, 2023 When Radio Ruled #95 – SoundScape 1938 part 21
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.
Starring:
Orson Welles
Edward Arnold
Charlie McCarthy
Edgar Bergen
Spencer Tracy
And
Fay Bainter
In this episode:
Nazis and Japanese as Villains!
The War Goes On in the News!
Lots of Columbia Workshop!
Lots of the Shadow!
Spencer Tracy meets Charlie McCarthy!
And More!!
Click Here to Enjoy SoundScape 1938 part 21!!
...more
1h 3min
December 19, 2023 When Radio Ruled #94 – Old Time Radio Christmas 2023
Peace on Earth Good Will Towards Men
A Celebration of Christmas through Old Time Radio!
Featuring Two Great Radio Christmas Time Broadcasts
Casey Crime Photographer – Christmas Shopping from 12/19/46
The Lone Ranger – 3 Wise Men from 12/24/54
With Songs and Excerpts from War Time Radio Christmas Broadcasts!
Starring
Franklin Roosevelt
Fibber McGee
Lionel Barrymore
Bryce Beamer
Bob Hope
And More!
Songs Include
Little Town of Bethlehem – Dick Haymes
Merry American Christmas – Dinah Shore
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Bing Crosby
Oh Come All Ye Faithful – Bing Crosby
Merry Christmas, may you feel Peace, may you share Goodwill
Click Here to Enjoy the Holiday Sounds of Old Time Radio Christmas 2023
...more
1h 21min
December 10, 2023 When Radio Ruled #93 – SoundScape 1938 part 20
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.
Click Here to Ear Hear SoundScape 1938 part 20 – it is a good one!
...more
1h 5min
December 04, 2023 When Radio Ruled #92 – SoundScape 1938 part 19
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live June 4 through June 19, 1938.
Starring:
The Cast of Colombia Workshop
Fred Allen
Ray Smith
Portland Hoffa
Harry Von Zell
Peter Van Steeden
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Phil Harris
Don Wilson
Kenny Baker
Mary Livingston
Joan Bennett
Featured Songs include:
Cry Baby Cry – Town Hall Quartet
Serenade in the Night – Connie Boswell
Don’t Be That Way – Meredith Wilson Orchestra
Second Hand Rose – Fanny Brice
In this episode:
Jack Benny and Joan Bennett Shoot their Movie!
What’s a Mikado? Kenny Baker wants to Know!
Fanny Brice sings one of her greatest hits!
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 19, from When Radio Ruled, offered without further commentary for your entertainment and education. But mostly for your entertainment.
Click Here to Ear Hear SoundScape 1938 part 19
...more
1h 5min
November 27, 2023 When Radio Ruled #91 – SoundScape 1938 part 18
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 26 through June 1 1938.
Starring:
Robert Young
Fanny Brice
Hanley Stafford
The Cast of Columbia Workshop
Georgie Jessel
Mary Livingston
Don Wilson
Kenny Baker
Phil Harris
Eddie “Rochester” Anderson
Jack Benny
Andy Devine
Agnes Moorehead
Orson Welles
Fred Allen
The Mighty Allen Art Players
Featured Songs include:
I was a Flora Dora Baby – Fanny Brice
Love Please Don’t Tell on Me medley – The Merry Macs
In this episode:
Rochester plays Leading Lady as Jack Benny rehearses for his new film!
The Shadow Confronts The Creeper!
A Vox Pop parody from Fred Allen!
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.
Click Here to Hear 1938 SoundScape part 18!
...more
56min
November 19, 2023 When Radio Ruled episode #90 – Thanksgiving Special 2023
Todays turkey filled audio feast is made up of two broadcasts from the World War Two years, the first from 1942 the second from 1944.
During the big war, Thanksgiving had an extra emotional impact. So many families had empty chairs where sons and daughters used to sit but now were stationed all over the globe doing thier duty to protect those who sat around the thanksgiving table.
Some of those chairs would be occupied by strangers, locally deployed servicemen who couldn’t get home to their families.
The prayers were extra solemn, and the thanks were sincerely given.
Turkeys weren’t rationed, but they were scarce and expensive. The military was determined that servicemen abroad should have a traditional thanksgiving, and so many turkeys were sent to the troops abroad that the birds were scarce and expensive back home.
Our first Thanksgiving episode plays on the turkey price increase, as our favorite housewife, Gracie Allen buys a live turkey planning to fatten it up for the big day’s dinner.
From November 17, 1942 The Burns and Allen show presents “Gracie Buys a Live Turkey”
Then we move onto a more serious look at wartime thanksgiving with the Command Performance thanksgiving special from 1944.
Command Performance was broadcast nationally, but was aimed at the soldiers overseas. The show took requests from servicemen for guests and songs and did their level best to deliver.
Performers were honored to be requested by the servicemen and volunteered their time to appear on the show and do their part for Armed Service morale.
Lionel Barrymore hosts, and Dinah Shore the southern songstress who was America’s Sweetheart in 1944.
Patriotism and entertainment, brought to you by grateful American radio stars.
Click Here to Hear an Old Time Radio Thanksgiving
...more
1h 2min
November 13, 2023 When Radio Ruled #89 – SoundScape 1938 part 17
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 18 through May 25 1938.
Featuring:
The Cast of Cavalcade of America
Robert Young
Joan Crawford
Frank Morgan
The Cast Of The Columbia Workshop
Georgie Jessel
Mayor Jimmie Walker
Josephine Starr
Ned Wayburn
Norma Talmadge
Don Wilson
Jack Benny
Mary Livingston
Phil Harris
Kenny Baker
The Cast of Blair of the Mounties
The Cast of the Green Hornet
In this episode:
A Chemistry Lesson From Dupont!
Joan Crawford in a Radio Play by Arch Obler! Bring your hankies, it’s a tear jerker!
Jack Benny is on a Diet!
Teddy Roosevelt tells us how to Raise Our Chldren!
The Germans want to Invade Czechoslovakia!
And More!!
Click Here to Listen to SoundScape 1938 part 17!
...more
56min
November 06, 2023 When Radio Ruled #88 – SoundScape 1938 part 16
This episode consists of a curated collection of Old Time Radio Clips originally broadcast live May 5 through May 18 1938.
Featuring:
Judy Garland
Robert Young
Frank Morgan
Una Merkle
Clark Gable
The Cast of the Green Hornet
Jack Benny
Phil Harris
Mary Livingston
Don Wilson
The Cast of the Lone Ranger
Fred Allen
Featured Songs Include:
Judy Garland – You’re in God’s Country
Judy Garland – How Deep is the Ocean
Norma Talmadge – How’d You Like to Love Me
Town Hall Quartet – You Couldn’t be Finer
In this episode:
Fred Allen and Company Mock Jack Benny and his new home!
16 Year Old Judy Garland Sings Her Heart Out!
Frank Morgan discusses his career as a Gigilo!
And More!!
Click Here to Ear Hear SoundScape 1938 part 16!
...more
1h 11min
October 30, 2023 Spooky Scary Halloween 2023
When Radio Ruled #87 – Halloween 2023
Old Time Radio Ghost Stories from 1938.
The Devil and Daniel Webster
Dracula starring Orson Welles
With Guest Appearances from Fibber McGee and the Ghost of Harry Houdini
Click Here to Hear These Ghost Stories from 1938!
...more
1h 31min

FAQs about When Radio Ruled:

How many episodes does When Radio Ruled have?

The podcast currently has 126 episodes available.