283 episodes

Radio collector John Tefteller presents the best of mystery, comedy, horror, and adventure stories, produced by the the greatest writers, directors, composers, and stars.

The Good Old Days of Radio Show John Tefteller

    • Arts
    • 4.9 • 16 Ratings

Radio collector John Tefteller presents the best of mystery, comedy, horror, and adventure stories, produced by the the greatest writers, directors, composers, and stars.

    Episode #283: Cornell Woolrich: The Lie

    Episode #283: Cornell Woolrich: The Lie

    Today Mickey Rooney stars as an expelled student who discovers the brutal murder of his stepmother and, assuming it was committed by his father, frames himself for the crime. However, he soon realizes his father is innocent, and he has taken the rap for the true perpetrator. This is the 10th and final tale by mystery writer Cornell Woolrich, and another incredible dramatization from the radio series "Suspense." Joining us one final time for this series is researcher Dr. Joe Webb.
    Joe Webb's Blog Post: https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/02/1949-04-28-lie.html
    Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
    Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
    If you don't do Facebook, we’re also on Gab: https://gab.com/OldRadio 
    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

    • 47 min
    Episode #282: Nightbeat

    Episode #282: Nightbeat

    Nightbeat was a noir-style suspenseful melodrama from the early 1950s, and a vehicle for the actor Frank Lovejoy. We featured Frank Lovejoy in last Thursday's episode, so we're showing you his showcase series, where he played a newspaper reporter searching the night for unusual human interest stories. This is the first episode of this series, which was created at a time when NBC was attempting to innovate to combat television and the recent CBS talent raids. 
    Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
    Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
    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

    • 33 min
    Episode #281: Cornell Woolrich: Papa Benjamin

    Episode #281: Cornell Woolrich: Papa Benjamin

    Today's story is a grim departure from Cornell Woolrich's usual man-on-the-run suspenseful mystery, as we plunge into the gloomy world of New Orleans, voodoo, and jazz music. This is an extraordinary production of the Cornell Woolrich story, "Papa Benjamin," about a bandleader who steals an unholy rhythm, and gets a curse put upon him, which leads him to the edge of madness. Dr. Joe Webb is here with us again to discuss this story as our journey through the work of Cornell Woolrich nears its end.
    Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
    Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
    If you don't do Facebook, we’re also on Gab: https://gab.com/OldRadio 
    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

    • 41 min
    Episode #280: Fred Allen

    Episode #280: Fred Allen

    Another East Coast vintage comedy program this week. Fred Allen was far, far more mainstream than the programs we featured for the preceding two weeks, and he is probably best known for his "Allen's Alley" segment. But like Henry Morgan and It Pays To Be Ignorant, many of these jokes tended toward topical and regional. Though this type of humor was considered bleeding-edge at the time, it unfortunately pushes Allen's shows more into the area of historically interesting. Enough of the jokes do still make sense to make this a fun, timeless show to listen to.
    Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
    Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
    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

    • 34 min
    Episode #279: Cornell Woolrich: They Call Me Patrice

    Episode #279: Cornell Woolrich: They Call Me Patrice

    It begins with a train wreck, and an unhappy woman who assumes the identity of a burn victim. But how long can she continue this charade? That's the premise of today's story by mystery writer Cornell Woolrich. Our very special guest researcher Dr. Joe Webb is with us again to discuss this episode of the radio series "Suspense" from 1946 which stars Susan Peters, whose own tragic backstory lends a dark undertone to this story.
    Joe Webb's Blog Post: https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/09/1946-12-12-they-call-me-patrice.html
     
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Peters
     
    An interesting post from Library of Congress about Susan Peters's TV show: https://blogs.loc.gov/now-see-hear/2023/02/discovering-tvs-miss-susan/
     
    Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
    Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
    If you don't do Facebook, we’re also on Gab: https://gab.com/OldRadio 
    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

    • 48 min
    Episode #278: It Pays To Be Ignorant

    Episode #278: It Pays To Be Ignorant

    Like last week's Henry Morgan Show, we are again featuring zany East Coast comedians. This week, a "lost" episode of It Pays To Be Ignorant from February 16, 1945. This one is another onslaught, machine-gun round of rapid-fire Dad jokes, some of them hitting so fast, by the time you get it you are halfway through the next one. We are happy to be able to save and resuscitate this weird brand of long-forgotten comedy.
    Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
    Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
    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

    • 32 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
16 Ratings

16 Ratings

OliviaKel ,

Fabulous Shows!

This is such a great podcast. So many fabulous shows and John, the host, is excellent, and with an encyclopedic knowledge of old radio. The selection of shows is a vast treasure trove. Thanks for preserving history and sharing with all.

mpc1112 ,

Simply Awesome

Thank you, John, for sharing this awesome collection and your knowledge and talents with the podcasting world!

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