Escape and Suspense!

Last Week of Guiding Light

Guiding Light will end its seventy-two year run on September 18, 2009. Two years ago, for their seventieth anniversary, they did an interesting episode about series creator Irna Phillips and Guiding Light's early days on radio and television. Anyone interested in old time radio will enjoy watching their re-enactments.

This episode is posted in five parts on YouTube, but they are worth the time to watch.

Bill Cosby and Lights Out

Below is a clip from Bill Cosby's 1966 comedy album Wonderfulness in which he talks about an episode from the radio series Lights Out. (He also briefly mentions Suspense and Inner Sanctum at the very beginning.)

"Chicken Heart" is one of Cosby's most famous monologues, but even if you have heard it before, take a few minutes to appreciate his childhood reminiscences about waiting for the radio to warm up, being terrified by Lights Out, and smearing Jell-o on the floor to keep away monsters. (Better still, buy his album because the sound quality of this clip is not the best.)

Cosby's monologue is based on the Lights Out episode "Chicken Heart" which aired on March 3, 1937. (*update -see comments below about this audio file.)

Download LightsOut_1937.03.10_Chicken_Heart

 Below is a video clip:

Rev. 12/14/08

Woody Allen's Radio Days

For those of us who grew up in the age of television and the internet, Woody Allen's 1987 film Radio Days is a window into the bygone era of radio. Allen's nostalgic masterpiece recounts many of the legendary stories of radio, while also depicting the importance that radio played in his family's home.

Not long ago, I met a young man in his early twenties who was stunned to learn that people once listened to shows and stories over the radio. ("You mean like plays and stuff?") He thought that my fellow dinner companions and I were making this up, so I recommended that he watch Radio Days.

Well, many of us who appreciate the golden age of radio didn't actually experience the era. Fortunately, Woody Allen did, and he put his storytelling skills to work to show us what we missed. The clip below comes from the beginning of the film.

The Jack Benny Program - Thanksgiving Turkey Dreams

Happy Thanksgiving!

For your holiday entertainment, here are a couple of surreal Thanksgiving episodes from The Jack Benny Program. Aside from the usual jokes about Jack Benny's cheapness and vanity, both of these episodes involve unusual dream sequences about turkeys.

"Jack Dreams He is a Turkey" begins at the supermarket butcher counter where Jack attempts to find a turkey that fits his budget.  Ultimately, he discovers that the cheapest turkey is a live one, but after Jack brings it home, he has doubts. His guilt about having to kill it causes him to dream that he is a turkey. This episode aired on November 11, 1943.

. Download JackBenny.1943.11.21_Jack Dreams He is a Turkey

In the second half of the episode "Turkey Dream," Jack has a strange dream wherein he is tried for murder by a court of turkeys and then eaten.  The trial also includes the bizarre, but catchy, song about the "Turkey of 29 pounds." The episode aired on November 30, 1947.

.  Download JackBenny.1947.11.30_Turkey_Dream

Back of the Mike

Here is an amusing little snippet of film that demonstrates how sound effects were created for radio. It is an excerpt from a 1939 film called Back of the Mike that was produced by the Jim Handy Organization for the Chevrolet Motor Company.

If knowing how these sounds were created ruins the magic for you, then don't watch. Otherwise, enjoy this interesting, and chuckleworthy, look at radio actors and sound technicians.

To watch the complete version of Back of the Mike, click here.

Ambience Helps Vintage Radios Shows Come Alive

See these folks in the photo? They only have a tiny radio up on their mantle but they also have a big roaring fire going, drinks ... and possibly s'mores.  These people know how to listen to the radio.  On top of that, they are dressed nicely.

Radio is helped by ambience.  You don't have to go the extremes that these people are to enjoy your radio show but it does help if you can listen to it at a time when you can give it your attention.  Surroundings can do a lot to add to or take away from your enjoyment of your vintage radio shows.  If nothing else, please try to dress nicely.   

Back When Your Radio Was Bigger Than Your Dog

When was the "Golden Age of Radio"?

I could rattle off lots of facts, dates and bits of trivia about this or I can just show you this picture.

   

Note that this radio is twice the height (and width) of this portly dog. 

This radio has a lamp, a vase of flowers, a clock and little ceramic figures on top of it.

If this isn't specific enough, then let's just say that the term "Golden Age of Radio" commonly refers to an era between the late 1920's and and the late 1950's. "Old Time Radio" and the "Golden Age of Radio" are both terms referring to this general time period. The close of this era is considered by most to have occurred with the final broadcasts of Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar on September 30, 1962.

Lastly, if you are interested in the hefty radios of the past there is a very good site devoted to antique radios at www.antiqueradios.com. Be sure to ask their Mystic Radio a question!

Brief Facts on Escape and Suspense

Suspense ran on CBS from 1942 to 1962 and broadcast over 900 episodes, most of which are still available. You can read Wikipedia's brief summary of the show by clicking here.  The other namesake of this blog, Escape, ran on CBS from 1947 to 1954 and broadcast over 200 episodes.  Most of its episodes are still available as well. Read Wikipedia's brief summary of Escape by clicking here.

For more information about Suspense pick up a copy of the book Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills by Martin Grams, Jr.. You can purchase this book through Amazon.com.

Why Should You Listen to Vintage Radio Broadcasts?

Why should anyone take the time to listen to radio shows that are at least fifty years old?   

Aside from the fun of them, there are lots of reasons! Writers, screenwriters and actors would do well to study these broadcasts for what worked and what didn't work.  Anyone interested in the power of storytelling and how to keep the attention of an audience should pay attention to how these shows were set up and paced. History or English teachers may find audio material to use in their classes. Travel writers, tour guides and travel agents just might pick up some hints for making their stories more intriguing as well.  Stuck in bed with a bad cold? Try listening to vintage radio broadcasts instead of watching television. They're better for you. On a long car trip? Bring your vintage radio broadcasts with you for entertainment on the road!

There are some drawbacks to Old Time Radio.  Some episodes have become so dated over time that they don't bring much enjoyment to the modern listener. Aside from that, they are not racially balanced, feminist or gay friendly by modern standards. These shows are indicative of their own time. They addressed some of these issues but in their own ways.

It is important to note that both Suspense and Escape had female scriptwriters. Suspense was a showcase for actresses and provided them with parts that ran the gamut! Escape can be easily criticized for portraying stereotypes of foreign cultures without the sensitivity that we would expect today.  Yet, at the same time, they openly addressed issues of racism and colonialism in episodes that are still true and compelling. These are some of the reasons why Suspense and Escape can still command a modern audience.

Now you know the benefits and the limitations of vintage radio.

The Old Time Radio Community Can Be Confusing-Here's Some Help

Old Time Radio sites can be confusing, if not overwhelming. Sometimes, the thick fog of nostalgia around these sites can be a little suffocating to newcomers. Do any sort of quick Google search and you will pull up all kinds of sites related to Old Time Radio. A lot of stuff has just been dumped onto the Internet. Unfortunately, not all of it is good.

Purveryor's of Old Time Radio often sell DVDs, CDs or even cassette compilations of comedy shows, mystery shows, detective shows, etc. as a way to get people interested. They also sell them packaged as "the scariest shows", "the best detectives", the funniest moments" etc.  The episodes picked for these are often the most well known but not always the best. Don't be fooled, dig deeper for some of the gems! 

Do a little searching on Ebay and you will see how much material is available beyond what is offered on compilations, free OTR sites and paid subscription services. Once you find a radio series that you like, you will probably also find that there is a reasonably priced DVD available on Ebay that contains all of the episodes from that series.  This is the case for Escape, Suspense, Quiet, Please and other radio thrillers.

If you are researching Old Time Radio, there are many books available on this subject. A number of these are put out by specialty publishers and have limited availability. I will mention the book Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills by Martin Grams Jr. because it is relevant to this blog.  If you have recommendations for books that discuss a particular radio thriller covered in this blog leave them in the Comments section below.

Thanks!

Tired of the Everday Routine?...Welcome!

"Tired of the everyday grind?  Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure?  Want to get away from it all?...We offer you....ESCAPE!"

No matter how many episodes of the radio series Escape that I listen to, its introduction still grabs me and pulls me in with the promise of a great story and high adventure. The radio series Suspense, introduced by the sounds of bells and "The Man in Black", really wasn't quite as catchy but it too made a promise. One that would keep you in....SUSPENSE!

This blog is dedicated to the pursuit of escape and suspense through vintage radio broadcasts.  Aside from the two series mentioned in the title of this blog, this includes Quiet Please, Beyond Midnight and others. 

Although I am not old enough to have personally experienced the "Golden Age of Radio", I often heard about these shows through my parents.  When I was a kid my mother bought me a cassette tape of "golden moments" from the Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy shows that I listened to until it was worn out.

Many years later, I rediscovered old radio shows through my job. Looking for something to listen to in the afternoons, I subscribed to an Old Time Radio website. When I found Suspense, I was hooked.  Fortunately, the ambience of my office lent itself to the eeriness of the broadcasts. Alone, in the back room of a law library, in an office that could be featured in a (corporate-style) remake of Hitchcock's Rear Window, these shows really came alive. (In fact, Mel Brooks' ode to Alfred Hitchcock, High Anxiety was filmed in the hotel across the street!)

I've kept notes on what I have listened to and this blog is the result of that. I've picked out the very best, the humorously awful and the most unusual episodes for comment.  I don't consider myself an expert on every detail of the history and production of Old Time Radio. I am just a fan who has listened to way too many episodes of both Escape and Suspense.

This blog was created because I was interested in people's thoughts, opinions and memories of certain episodes.  I also wanted to create a simple way to introduce these shows to people who are new to them. 

The Internet has made it possible to enjoy these shows again in a group forum.

Enjoy!

In the Public Domain

The audio files of radio shows that I post on this site are believed to be in the public domain. I do not own the copyright to any of the shows posted on this site. It is believed that these shows do not have copyright protection.  There are numerous other sites with similar notices that offer audio files of these shows for free as well.  If you feel that one of the shows that is posted here is protected by copyright then please contact me and I will remove it.

Here are some places on the Internet that offer free old time radio shows:

The Internet Archive has every episode of Escape and Suspense available for download.

OTR Network Library  A treasury of free radio downloads.

Zoot Radio  Requires signing-in but the services are free.

You can also find a long list of sites offering free downloads at this website, OTRDays.com.  Most of these sites are about Old Time Radio in general.  A few are devoted to specific genres or specific shows.  As you can see there are numerous sites offering free downloads, information and discussion forums about old time radio on the Internet.

There are also Old Time Radio subscriber services where for a nominal monthly fee you can access thousands of shows and download as many as you want.  The fee is to cover the costs of providing the website and service, not for the shows themselves because they are believed to be in the public domain.

Last but not least, is Ebay where there are numerous people selling their collections of Old Time Radio shows under the premise that these shows are now in the public domain.  You can buy DVDs that contain the entire collection of shows for a radio series at a reasonable price on Ebay.