Classic Radio Theater
246 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★★ - 24 ratingsHudson 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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Episodes
Amos ’N Andy
April 14, 2024 13:00 - 47 minutes - 64.5 MBPart 1: Andy is hired to represent a famous clothing company. Aired on March 23, 1945. Part 2: Kingfish and Andy design an Easter hat. Aired on March 30, 1945.
The Great Crepitation Contest of 1946
March 24, 2024 13:00 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBIn celebration of April fools Day, we again proudly and noisily 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 officia...
Dragnet- Big Broad
March 17, 2024 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBDragnet, “Big Broad,” aired on February 9, 2024. The names have been autocorrected to protect the innocent.
Dragnet- Big Filth
March 10, 2024 13:00 - 26 minutes - 36.3 MBDragnet, “Big Filth,” aired on February 2, 1954. So sayeth the Sergeant.
Dragnet- Big Bid
March 03, 2024 14:00 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBDragnet, “Big Bid,” aired on January 26, 1954. That’s the fact, Jack. Sorry… Joe.
Gunsmoke- Jesse
February 25, 2024 14:00 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MBGunsmoke, “Jesse,” aired on August 29, 1953. 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- Gone Straight
February 18, 2024 14:00 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBGunsmoke, “Gone Straight,” aired on August 22, 1953. 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- Boy
February 11, 2024 14:00 - 28 minutes - 39.6 MBGunsmoke, “Boy,” aired on August 1, 1953. 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.
Oklahoma!
February 04, 2024 14:00 - 41 minutes - 57.3 MBThis adaptation of the wildly successful musical was released in 1956. Oklahoma! was the first musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein and was based on a 1931 play titled, “Green Grow The Lilacs.” It is set in farm country in the Oklahoma Indian Territory in 1906. The original Broadway production opened in 1943 and has been revived numerous times. A film version was released in 1955.
My Fair Lady
January 28, 2024 14:00 - 54 minutes - 74.1 MBThis adaptation of the musical stars Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews was released in 1956. The Broadway musical won six Tony Awards. The story follows Eliza Doolittle who takes elocution lessons from Professor Henry Higgins in the hopes of losing her “vulgar” cockney accent. The plot of My Fair Lady was based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion, which many of us were forced to read in high school.
The First Family featuring Vaughn Meader
January 21, 2024 14:00 - 35 minutes - 49.3 MBComedian and musician Vaughn Meader made a name for himself in the 1960s imitating President John F. Kennedy. His success came to an abrupt end with the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, and his career never rebounded. He spent his later years performing country and blue grass music in his native Maine. Meader passed away in 2004 at age 68.
Dragnet- Big Bill
January 14, 2024 14:00 - 25 minutes - 35.4 MBDragnet, “Big Bill,” aired on January 19, 1954. You can ask Sgt. Friday yourself!
Dragnet- Big Switch
January 07, 2024 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36 MBDragnet, “Big Switch,” aired on January 12, 1954. That’s a fact.
Dragnet- Big Listen
December 31, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MBDragnet was an American radio series, dramatizing the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. It ran from 1949 to 1957. Dragnet, “Big Listen,” aired on January 5, 1954.
Toby Tyler In The Circus
December 24, 2023 14:00 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBToby lives the dream of running away to join the circus. We suggest you not follow in his footsteps.
Orson Welles- A Christmas Carol
December 17, 2023 14:00 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBOrson Welles’s “A Christmas Carol,” which was broadcast on the Campbell Playhouse radio show on December 23, 1938.
Hans Brinker & The Silver Skates
December 10, 2023 14:00 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBA 1972 version of an age-old story, Hans must decide whether to win a race or help someone in peril.
All Time Comedy Hits
December 03, 2023 14:00 - 35 minutes - 49 MBThis collection includes legendary skits. Does the humor hold up today? Discuss. “2000 Year Old Man" by Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks “John and Marsha” by Stan Freberg “The Sweepstakes Winner” by Frank Fontaine as John L.C. Savony “What It Was, Was Football” by Andy Griffith “St. George and the Dragonet” by Stan Freberg “It’s In The Book” by Johnny Standley “The Bees and The Birds” by Yogi Yorgesson
Alice In Wonderland
November 26, 2023 14:00 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBThis version of Alice In Wonderland was released by Disney in 1969.
Gunsmoke- Hickock
November 19, 2023 14:00 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBGunsmoke, “Hickock,” aired on July 25, 2023.
Gunsmoke- Wild West
November 12, 2023 14:00 - 28 minutes - 39.2 MBGunsmoke, “Wild West,” aired on July 18, 1953.
The Longest Day
November 05, 2023 14:00 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MBIn honor of Veteran’s Day, we are proud to present The Longest Day. This recording is a condensed version of the 1962 film about the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944. The film was based on the non-fiction book by Cornelius Ryan which was published in 1959. The cast of The Longest Day includes some of the biggest stars in movie history such as John Wayne, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Paul Anka, Robert Mitchum, and more.
Gunsmoke- Grass
October 29, 2023 13:00 - 28 minutes - 38.8 MBGunsmoke, “Grass,” aired on July 11, 1953.
The War of the Worlds
October 22, 2023 13:00 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBOrson Welles- “The War of the Worlds,” which aired on October 30, 1938. 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 even took commercial breaks.)
Bunky the Monkey
October 15, 2023 13:00 - 10 minutes - 14 MBBunky the Monkey wants to see the world! That silly monkey. This was released on Robin Hood Records, which was founded in 1956 and sold to another company in the 1960s.
A Day of Fun at the Circus
October 08, 2023 23:59 - 19 minutes - 26.3 MBBack when animal abuse was entertainment and outdated terms for little people were the norm. You know, the good old days! It’s so bad, you won’t be able to stop listening. This was released on Robin Hood Records, which was founded in 1956 and sold to another company in the 1960s.
Black Beauty
September 10, 2023 13:00 - 39 minutes - 53.5 MBBlack Beauty, from the Golden Records Great Literature Series, Classic Story Teller, 1966. Based on the classic 1877 novel, Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell.
Dragnet- Big Steal
September 03, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 37.2 MBDragnet- Big Steal Aired on December 29, 1953. Before color was invented.
Dragnet- Big Brink
August 27, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 37.3 MBDragnet- Big Brink Aired on December 15, 1953. Please don’t smoke Chesterfields, even if Sergeant Friday tells you to.
Dragnet- Big Pick
August 20, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 37 MBDragnet- Big Pick Starring Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday. Aired on December 8, 1953. That’s just a fact, Jack.
The Voice of Will Rogers, Part 2
August 13, 2023 13:00 - 22 minutes - 31.1 MBThe Voice of Will Rogers, Part 2 1- Government Spending, April 7, 1935 2- Pilgrims and Pioneers, April 14, 1935 3- Inheritance Taxes, April 28, 1935 4- Mother’s Day, May 12, 1935 5- Congressional Record, May 12, 1935 6- Supreme Court, June 2, 1935 7- Last Broadcast, June 9, 1935 On August 15, 1935, Rogers and his pilot, Wiley Post, were killed in a plane crash in Alaska.
The Voice of Will Rogers, Part 1
August 06, 2023 13:00 - 21 minutes - 29.4 MBAugust 6, 2023 The Voice of Will Rogers, Part 1 Will Rogers (1897 - 1935) was an Oklahoma ranch boy whose ambition was to be the world’s greatest performer with a lariat. He went on to become a best selling author, a popular movie star, and the most widely read newspaper columnist at the time. He’s best known for the quote, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” 1- Timely Topics, a recreation of a Zigfield Follies monologue, without an audience present 2- Address to Traffic Chiefs, 1922 3- Unempl...
W.C. Fields
July 30, 2023 13:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBSkits from the legendary W.C. Fields, recorded for a radio series sponsored by Lucky Strike in the early 1940s. 1- Promotions Unlimited 2- The Swim to Catalina Island 3- The Pharmacist
W.C. Fields featuring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy
July 23, 2023 13:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBSkits from the legendary comedian W.C. Fields featuring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, the puppet. Yes, puppet. On the radio. These originally aired in the early 1940s, and many early shows were lost to history. 1- The Skunk Trap 2- Children 3- Old Friends and Old Wine 4- Feathered Friends 5- Moths 6- The Snake Story 7- The Temperance Lecture (specially recorded for the Armed Forces)
Lore of the West with Roy Rogers
July 16, 2023 13:00 - 13 minutes - 12 MBLore of the West with Roy Rogers, George “Gabby” Hayes, and Trigger. Released in 1949, these songs and stories taught kids how to break broncos, rope cattle, and lots of other things a cowboy should know. You know, basic life skills. Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye, was a famous Western singer and actor, known as the “King of the Cowboys.”
The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson
July 09, 2023 13:00 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBThe Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson This is a radio adaptation of the 1927 film, The Jazz Singer, which was broadcast on The Lux Radio Theatre on June 2, 1947. The film and this radio show both starred Al Jolson, one of the most famous and highest paid stars of the 1920s. The Jazz Singer signified the end of silent movies as it was the first feature length film to use synchronized recorded sound. The story follows Jackie Rabinowitz, a Jewish boy who runs away from his strict religious fathe...
Gunsmoke- Kite's Reward
July 02, 2023 13:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBAired March 5, 1955, back when tobacco companies could sponsor programs for kids.
Gunsmoke- Crack-Up
June 25, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBAired February 26, 1955, back when tobacco companies could sponsor programs for kids.
Gunsmoke- Kitty Lost
June 18, 2023 13:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBAired December 25, 1954, back when tobacco companies could sponsor programs for kids.
Down In Allen's Alley, Part 2
June 11, 2023 12:00 - 30 minutes - 27.4 MBFred Allen was a radio humorist on air from 1942 to 1949. These are two selections from his show. 1- “Living 1949. The State of American Humor.” With Fred Allen and Ben Grauer, broadcast on January 30, 1949. 2- “Fred Allen salutes Jack Benny.” Recorded at a Friar’s Club Roast and broadcast on November 9, 1951.
Down In Allen's Alley, Part 1
June 04, 2023 12:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBFred Allen was a radio humorist on air from 1942 to 1949. These are four selections from his show, which often featured a question for his fictional guests. 1- “Were you a prodigy and did you display any exceptional talents as a child?” Broadcast on January 28, 1948. 2- “What was the outstanding event of happening in 1947?” Broadcast on December 28, 1947. 3- “How is the housing shortage affecting you?” Broadcast on October 7, 1945. 4- “Was your family income higher in 1944, and if it was, wh...
Dragnet- Big Cab
May 28, 2023 12:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBDragnet- Big Cab The names may have been changed, but this episode aired on September 15, 1953. That’s a fact, Jack.
Dragnet- Big Bop
May 24, 2023 12:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBDragnet- Big Bop The story you are about to hear aired on September 1, 1953. Those are just the facts.
Dragnet- Big Lift
May 21, 2023 12:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBDragnet- Big Lift This episode aired on September 8, 1953
Jack Benny vs Fred Allen- “The Fine Art of Feudsmanship”
May 07, 2023 12:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBJack Benny vs Fred Allen- “The Fine Art of Feudsmanship” Part 12: Biography in Sound from May 1956 Part 13: The Jack Benny Show from March 27, 1938 Part 14: The Fred Allen Show from June 26, 1949, “The Mohawk Loan Company” Part 15: The Fred Allen Show from May 26, 1946, “King For A Day”
Jack Benny vs Fred Allen- “Jack Allen and Fred Benny?”
April 30, 2023 12:00 - 29 minutes - 26.5 MBJack Benny vs Fred Allen- “Jack Allen and Fred Benny?” Part 8: Jack’s Eulogy for Fred from March 18, 1956, the day after Fred’s death Part 9: Command Performance from May 9, 1947 Part 10: Camel Comedy Caravan from June 11, 1943 Part 11: The Big Show from November 5, 1950
Jack Benny vs Fred Allen- “Jack & Fred at Xmas”
April 23, 2023 12:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBJack Benny vs Fred Allen- “Jack & Fred at Xmas” Part 5: Command Performance from December 25, 1943 Part 6: Command Performance from December 25, 1942 Part 7: Command Performance from December 25, 1944
Jack Benny vs Fred Allen- “The Feud Begins”
April 16, 2023 12:00 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBJack Benny vs Fred Allen- “The Feud Begins” Recorded in 1968, Jack Benny looks back on recordings and shows with Fred Allen. Part 1: How It All Began Part 2: Town Hall Tonight from March 25, 1938 Part 3: The Jack Benny Show from January 15, 1950 Part 4: The Jack Benny Show from August 3, 1950
Fort Apache starring John Wayne
April 09, 2023 21:56 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBFort Apache starring John Wayne. This radio dramatization of the film aired on August 5, 1949.
Gunsmoke- Monopoly
April 02, 2023 12:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBGunsmoke- Monopoly 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. Aired on May 22, 1954