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.
Episodes
April 14, 2024 • 47 mins
Part 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.
Part 2: Kingfish and Andy design an Easter hat. Aired on March 30, 1945.
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April 7, 2024 • 43 mins
Part 1: Andy decides to run away from his income tax problems. Aired on March 9, 1945.
Part 2: Andy, the lecturer. Aired on March 16, 1945.
Part 2: Andy, the lecturer. Aired on March 16, 1945.
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March 31, 2024 • 44 mins
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: Kingfish is jealous of Sapphire’s old boyfriend. Aired on February 23, 1945.
Part 2: Andy files an inflated tax return to...
Part 1: Kingfish is jealous of Sapphire’s old boyfriend. Aired on February 23, 1945.
Part 2: Andy files an inflated tax return to...
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March 24, 2024 • 15 mins
In 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...
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...
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March 17, 2024 • 26 mins
Dragnet, “Big Broad,” aired on February 9, 2024. The names have been autocorrected to protect the innocent.
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March 10, 2024 • 26 mins
Dragnet, “Big Filth,” aired on February 2, 1954. So sayeth the Sergeant.
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March 3, 2024 • 25 mins
Dragnet, “Big Bid,” aired on January 26, 1954. That’s the fact, Jack. Sorry… Joe.
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February 25, 2024 • 28 mins
Gunsmoke, “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.
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.
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February 18, 2024 • 28 mins
Gunsmoke, “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.
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.
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February 11, 2024 • 28 mins
Gunsmoke, “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.
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.
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February 4, 2024 • 41 mins
This 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.
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January 28, 2024 • 54 mins
This 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.
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January 21, 2024 • 35 mins
Comedian 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.
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January 14, 2024 • 25 mins
Dragnet, “Big Bill,” aired on January 19, 1954. You can ask Sgt. Friday yourself!
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January 7, 2024 • 26 mins
Dragnet, “Big Switch,” aired on January 12, 1954. That’s a fact.
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December 31, 2023 • 26 mins
Dragnet 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.
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December 24, 2023 • 23 mins
Toby lives the dream of running away to join the circus. We suggest you not follow in his footsteps.
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December 17, 2023 • 59 mins
Orson Welles’s “A Christmas Carol,” which was broadcast on the Campbell Playhouse radio show on December 23, 1938.
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December 10, 2023 • 20 mins
A 1972 version of an age-old story, Hans must decide whether to win a race or help someone in peril.
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December 3, 2023 • 35 mins
This 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
“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
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