Radio Classics (Ch. 148): Old Time Radio Comedies & Dramas

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Radio Classics

Classic radio dramas & comedy

Channel 148Radio Classics is the home for the quality programs from The Golden Age Of Radio. Before television, before audio books, before podcasts, great storytelling dominated the realm of radio. It's where imagination ruled. Superman, Dragnet, Gunsmoke, plus comedies from Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, George Burns & Gracie Allen all originated on radio. Those ageless shows (and so much more) can be found on Radio Classics. Timeless stories and laughs from the past for today's SiriusXM listeners.Connect with

Shows, Schedules & Info

Featured Show

When Radio Was

Radio Spirits' nationally syndicated radio program hosted by old-time radio expert Greg Bell.

All times listed EDT
Romance of the Ranchos

Romance of the Ranchos

Next Airs Sunday at 9 am
30 mins

This historical drama told tales of early Southern California in "the days of the dons". Stories were based on records from

This historical drama told tales of early Southern California in "the days of the dons". Stories were based on records from Title Insurance, the show's sponsor. History was made as land changed hands and purposes, causing listeners to think twice about the stories behind their own West Coast land the in mid-1940s.

Blair Of The Mounties

Blair Of The Mounties

Now Playing
30 mins

TBD

TBD

Counterspy

Counterspy

Next Airs Today at 10 am
1 hr

Counterspy, created by Phillips H. Lord, aired on the NBC Blue Network (later known as the ABC) and the Mutual Broadcasting

Counterspy, created by Phillips H. Lord, aired on the NBC Blue Network (later known as the ABC) and the Mutual Broadcasting System from May of 1942 to November 1957. Don MacLaughlin played David Harding, chief of the "United States Counterspies", a fictional counterintelligence organization. As the series aired during WWII and the Cold War, the plot generally followed real American concerns like the German Gestapo and the Soviet Union.

Rocky Fortune

Rocky Fortune

Next Airs Today at 11 am
30 mins

Rocky Fortune aired on NBC from October 6, 1953 through March 30, 1954 with Frank Sinatra starring as "that footloose and fa

Rocky Fortune aired on NBC from October 6, 1953 through March 30, 1954 with Frank Sinatra starring as "that footloose and fancy-free young gentleman" whose fortune was as rocky as his name. The unsponsored "sustainer" series was broadcast during the low point in Sinatra’s career and aired for only 26 weeks.

Boston Blackie

Boston Blackie

Next Airs Today at 11:30 am
30 mins

Boston Blackie was created by Jack Boyle, a hard-drinking opium addict who served three prison terms. While in prison, Boyle

Boston Blackie was created by Jack Boyle, a hard-drinking opium addict who served three prison terms. While in prison, Boyle began writing true-crime confession stories that were published in The American Magazine under the byline 6006, his convict number. Boyle's stories were collected in his 1919 book, Boston Blackie, and inspired a popular series of B-films, the radio series and a 1951 video version.

Burns & Allen Show

Burns & Allen Show

Next Airs Today at 12 pm
1 hr 30 mins

George and Gracie first performed on air over the BBC while touring England after an NBC executive rejected their act insist

George and Gracie first performed on air over the BBC while touring England after an NBC executive rejected their act insisting that "Gracie’s voice is unfit for radio." Burns and Allen won a regular spot on The Robert Burns Panatella Program February 22, 1932 and moved into the top spot when Guy Lombardo left the series. The Burns and Allen Show aired through May 17, 1950 on radio and for another decade on television. Jack Benny and George Burns were best friends in real life and often were guests on each other’s programs.

Red Skelton Show

Red Skelton Show

Next Airs Today at 1:30 pm
30 mins

The Red Skelton Show came to NBC on October 7, 1941 after years as a mainstay on Cincinnati's powerhouse station WLW. Red sc

The Red Skelton Show came to NBC on October 7, 1941 after years as a mainstay on Cincinnati's powerhouse station WLW. Red scored with radio audiences as Junior, "the mean widdle kid," a character he originated in vaudeville. Some of his other memorable characters included Deadeye, J. Newton Numbskull, Willie Lump-Lump, Bolivar Shagnasty and Clem Kadiddlehopper.

The Whistler

The Whistler

Next Airs Today at 2 pm
2 hrs

The Whistler whistled its way onto the airwaves beginning May 16, 1942 and its eerie 13-note theme set the tone for West Coa

The Whistler whistled its way onto the airwaves beginning May 16, 1942 and its eerie 13-note theme set the tone for West Coast radio mystery for the next decade. "I am the Whistler and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak."

When Radio Was

When Radio Was

Next Airs Today at 6 pm
1 hr

Radio Spirits' nationally syndicated radio program hosted by old-time radio expert Greg Bell.

Radio Spirits' nationally syndicated radio program hosted by old-time radio expert Greg Bell.

Academy Award Theatre

Academy Award Theatre

Next Airs Today at 7 pm
30 mins

Academy Award Theater was a half-hour dramatic anthology series presenting radio adaptations of movies that had been nominat

Academy Award Theater was a half-hour dramatic anthology series presenting radio adaptations of movies that had been nominated for or had won Academy Awards. While the show was a success with critics and audiences alike, it went off the air after only nine months and 39 episodes.

Crime Classics

Crime Classics

Next Airs Today at 7:30 pm
30 mins

Crime Classics featured "true crime stories from the records and newspapers of every land from every time" culled from direc

Crime Classics featured "true crime stories from the records and newspapers of every land from every time" culled from director Elliott Lewis' voluminous personal library of true crime cases. The CBS series ran from June 15, 1953 through June 30, 1954.

Dragnet

Dragnet

Next Airs Today at 8 pm
1 hr

Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. One

Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. One of the most popular police dramas in the history of broadcasting, Dragnet aired on NBC Radio from June 10, 1949 through February 7, 1957 and on television from 1952-59 and 1967-72. Dragnet introduced a new era of documentary-style realism.

This Is Your F.B.I

This Is Your F.B.I

Next Airs Today at 9 pm
30 mins

This Is Your F.B.I. came to the Blue Network on April 6, 1945, created, produced and directed by Jerry Devine, a former chil

This Is Your F.B.I. came to the Blue Network on April 6, 1945, created, produced and directed by Jerry Devine, a former child actor. Like Philips H. Lord before him, Devine got special permission from bureau head J. Edgar Hoover to dramatize older cases using fictitious names and locales. Frank Lovejoy was the program's first narrator, followed by Dean Carlton and later William Woodson.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

Next Airs Today at 10 pm
1 hr 30 mins

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar told the story of the freelance insurance investigator with the "action-packed expense account."

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar told the story of the freelance insurance investigator with the "action-packed expense account." Radio’s last great detective series, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar ended its run September 30, 1962 during the final week of network radio drama.

Screen Guild Players

Screen Guild Players

Next Airs Today at 11:30 pm
30 mins

Screen Guild Players

Screen Guild Players

Dennis Day Show

Dennis Day Show

Next Airs Tomorrow at 12 am
1 hr

Born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty in an Irish family in the Bronx, Dennis Day first became known for his tenor voice as a rep

Born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty in an Irish family in the Bronx, Dennis Day first became known for his tenor voice as a replacement singer on Jack Benny's radio show on October 8, 1939. Benny and Day would remain friends and colleagues the rest of their lives. "A Day In The Life Of Dennis Day" aired on NBC from 1946-1951, while Day also regularly appeared on Benny's show singing, telling jokes, and performing impressions.

Jack Benny Program

Jack Benny Program

Next Airs Tomorrow at 1 am
1 hr

For more than 20 years, Jack Benny reigned as the king of radio comedy. His show ran on nearly every network from 1932 to th

For more than 20 years, Jack Benny reigned as the king of radio comedy. His show ran on nearly every network from 1932 to the mid 1950s. How he turned a miserable, self-absorbed cheapskate into a beloved icon ranks among the great achievements in entertainment history. Benny revolutionized the way humor was played on radio by introducing the situation comedy and by giving most of the best lines to his supporting cast.

Suspense

Suspense

Next Airs Tomorrow at 2 am
1 hr

Suspense debuted on June 17, 1942 as a sustaining summer replacement, returned that fall and continued in the CBS lineup Sep

Suspense debuted on June 17, 1942 as a sustaining summer replacement, returned that fall and continued in the CBS lineup September 30, 1962. "Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills" is recognized as one of the finest dramatic series in the history of broadcasting.

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3 am
30 mins

This medical drama was based on films by the same name. Lews Ayes as Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie face

This medical drama was based on films by the same name. Lews Ayes as Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie face everything from pushy administrators to personal drama and ethical crises in the halls of Blair General Hospital in New York City.

Chase & Sanborn Hour

Chase & Sanborn Hour

Next Airs Tomorrow at 4 am
1 hr

This was a long-running comedy and variety show on NBC - it ran in several formats from 1929-1948. Some seasons featured mus

This was a long-running comedy and variety show on NBC - it ran in several formats from 1929-1948. Some seasons featured musical variety broadcasts, comedic skits and big-name hosts like Eddie Cantor and Haven MacQuarrie. Between 1937-1948, Edgar Bergan starred and hosted with his dummy Charlie McCarthy and the show was known as the Charlie McCarthy Show.

Screen Guild Theatre

Screen Guild Theatre

Next Airs Tomorrow at 5:30 am
30 mins

This film star-centric variety revue aired in various forms on various networks from 1939 - 1952. It drew the biggest celebr

This film star-centric variety revue aired in various forms on various networks from 1939 - 1952. It drew the biggest celebrities in Hollywood with its charity slant - appearance fees that normally would go to performers went to support housing for aging film stars. Stunts, songs, and film adaptations were all a part of this popular series' material.

Let George Do It

Let George Do It

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7 am
30 mins

Let George Do It, stars Bob Bailey, who plays George Valentine who was a detective whose cases came from the newspaper.

Let George Do It, stars Bob Bailey, who plays George Valentine who was a detective whose cases came from the newspaper.

The Black Museum

The Black Museum

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7:30 am
30 mins

This crime drama was first produced by the BBC in 1951, and aired in the US the following year. Narrator Orson Welles told t

This crime drama was first produced by the BBC in 1951, and aired in the US the following year. Narrator Orson Welles told tales of this "mausoleum of murder," with ordinary objects and the murder mysteries behind them.

Fort Laramie

Fort Laramie

Next Airs Tomorrow at 8 am
1 hr

Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier. The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of

Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier. The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire and the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry. Premiering in January 1956, Raymond Burr starred as Captain Quince-a soldier who followed orders and a leader who lived by his own rules of fairness and honesty.

Pat Novak for Hire

Pat Novak for Hire

Next Airs Tomorrow at 9 am
30 mins

Pat Novak for Hire was broadcast from San Francisco and debuted in 1946 as an ABC Sunday night West Coast series. Ben Murphy

Pat Novak for Hire was broadcast from San Francisco and debuted in 1946 as an ABC Sunday night West Coast series. Ben Murphy starred as the hard-boiled Novak during the West Coast run, but Jack Webb made the role his own when series was revived on February 13, 1949 over the entire ABC national network.

Screen Director's Playhouse

Screen Director's Playhouse

Next Airs Tomorrow at 11 am
30 mins

The Screen Director's Playhouse featured adaptations of famous movies and called upon the screen directors to introduce and

The Screen Director's Playhouse featured adaptations of famous movies and called upon the screen directors to introduce and highlight their work. After each show, the director and stars gathered around the microphones to reminisce about the actual making of the film.

The Chase

The Chase

Next Airs Tomorrow at 1 pm
30 mins

This NBC thriller ran for about a year from the spring of 1952 to the summer of 1953. Each unique story entails suspense, ac

This NBC thriller ran for about a year from the spring of 1952 to the summer of 1953. Each unique story entails suspense, action and, of course, a protagonist on the run. The series often featured guest stars who were announcers or actors for other suspenseful series, and many of the scripts were also used in other dramas like The Clock and Inner Sanctum Mysteries.

Dimension X

Dimension X

Next Airs Tomorrow at 2 pm
30 mins

Dimension X aired over NBC from April 8, 1950 through September 29, 1951 featuring "adventures in time and space told in fu

Dimension X aired over NBC from April 8, 1950 through September 29, 1951 featuring "adventures in time and space told in future tense." The series adapted stories by the modern masters of science fiction adapting works by Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Clifford Simak, Theodore Sturgeon and many others.

X Minus One

X Minus One

Next Airs Tomorrow at 2:30 pm
30 mins

X-Minus One premiered on April 24, 195 and was a revival of Dimension X, NBC's earlier science fiction anthology series. X-M

X-Minus One premiered on April 24, 195 and was a revival of Dimension X, NBC's earlier science fiction anthology series. X-Minus One ran until January 9, 1958 and was rerun during the 1970s as part of NBC's Omnibus series.

Dangerous Assignment

Dangerous Assignment

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3 pm
30 mins

Dangerous Assignment premiered over the NBC airwaves on February 6, 1950 and starred Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, globe-

Dangerous Assignment premiered over the NBC airwaves on February 6, 1950 and starred Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, globe-trotting government troubleshooter. Dangerous Assignment was later revived as a 1953 syndicated series starring Lloyd Burrell.

I Was A Communist for the FBI

I Was A Communist for the FBI

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3:30 pm
30 mins

The 1952 syndicated series starred Dana Andrews as real-life undercover agent Matt Cvetic, whose book of the same title prov

The 1952 syndicated series starred Dana Andrews as real-life undercover agent Matt Cvetic, whose book of the same title provided the inspiration for the radio series and a Hollywood film. Growing out of the communist paranoia of the McCarthy era, the Cold War drama featured red spies portrayed in the same stereotypical manner of the Nazis during World Ward II propaganda programs.

Escape - Radio Classics

Escape - Radio Classics

Next Airs Tomorrow at 4 pm
30 mins

Radio's greatest series of high adventure debuted over the CBS network on July 7,1947. Escape's protagonists faced life-and-

Radio's greatest series of high adventure debuted over the CBS network on July 7,1947. Escape's protagonists faced life-and-death situations each week, as the show careened from classic adventure to Western drama to science fiction. The program was broadcast as a sustainer (unsponsored) series during most of its seven-year run.

The Adventures of Frank Race

The Adventures of Frank Race

Next Airs Tomorrow at 5:30 pm
30 mins

Frank Race is an attorney whose life is filled with intrigue following the war. The adventure series aired from 1949 to 1950

Frank Race is an attorney whose life is filled with intrigue following the war. The adventure series aired from 1949 to 1950. Starring Tom Collins and then Paul Dobov.

Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator

Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7:30 pm
30 mins

Film star William Gargan came to the NBC airwaves in 1951 as the star of Barrie Crane, Confidential Investigator, a reworkin

Film star William Gargan came to the NBC airwaves in 1951 as the star of Barrie Crane, Confidential Investigator, a reworking of his earlier Mutual radio series (and NBC television program) Martin Kane, Private Investigator. When the producers of the earlier program objected to the many similarities between the two series, changes were made in Gargan's new series, which was quickly retitled Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator. The series aired on NBC from October 3, 1951 through June 30, 1955.

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Next Airs Tomorrow at 10 pm
30 mins

Radio’s greatest adult western told the story of Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal, "the first man they look for and the last they w

Radio’s greatest adult western told the story of Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal, "the first man they look for and the last they want to meet." Gunsmoke grew out of a request from CBS founder William Paley for a "Philip Marlowe in the Old West," and featured grimly realistic stories set in the vicinity of Dodge City, the "Gommorrah of the West," with William Conrad as Dillon.

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel

Next Airs Tomorrow at 10:30 pm
30 mins

Have Gun, Will Travel debuted on television on September 14, 1957 and moved to radio November 23, 1958. The program was an

Have Gun, Will Travel debuted on television on September 14, 1957 and moved to radio November 23, 1958. The program was an oddity, a western that began on television and moved to radio, featuring an ethical anti-hero whose mysterious origins were left untold until the fifth and final TV season.

Ginny Simms Show

Ginny Simms Show

Next Airs Tuesday at 12 am
30 mins

The singer and actress gained popularity performing with Kay Kyser And His Orchestra before striking out on a solo radio car

The singer and actress gained popularity performing with Kay Kyser And His Orchestra before striking out on a solo radio career. She often welcomed GIs onto her show during and after World War II.

Fibber McGee & Molly

Fibber McGee & Molly

Next Airs Tuesday at 12:30 am
30 mins

The husband-and-wife vaudeville team of Jim and Marian Jordan began their radio careers in Peoria on a bet from Jim’s brothe

The husband-and-wife vaudeville team of Jim and Marian Jordan began their radio careers in Peoria on a bet from Jim’s brother. The Jordans were heard as The O’Henry Twins and The Air Scouts before Don Quinn created Smackout in 1931. Quinn revamped the show as Fibber McGee and Molly in 1935 when Johnson’s Wax signed on as sponsor.

Curtain Time

Curtain Time

Next Airs Tuesday at 1 am
1 hr

This half-hour anthology program invites listeners to "attend the evening's performance" at a simulated theater. Featured pe

This half-hour anthology program invites listeners to "attend the evening's performance" at a simulated theater. Featured performers in these light dramas included Olan Soule, Harry Elders, Nanette Sargent, and Maurice Copeland

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Next Airs Tuesday at 2 am
2 hrs

Based on the popular characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes began on coast-to-coast

Based on the popular characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes began on coast-to-coast CBS radio in 1930. By the late 1930s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes had moved to the Mutual Broadcasting Network and the series was forced to rely on invented new adventures, having run out of Doyle stories to adapt.

The Alan Young Show

The Alan Young Show

Next Airs Tuesday at 4 am
30 mins

This sitcom aired from 1944-1949, first as a summer replacement series for Eddie Cantor's show. Then, after signing on as a

This sitcom aired from 1944-1949, first as a summer replacement series for Eddie Cantor's show. Then, after signing on as a regular on the Jimmy Durante show, young scored his own show with Tums as a sponsor. Today he is best known as TV's Wilbur Post, who talked with Mr. Ed the horse.

The Abbott and Costello Show

The Abbott and Costello Show

Next Airs Tuesday at 4:30 am
30 mins

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello made their radio debut on CBS’ The Kate Smith Show as replacements for Hollywood-bound Henny You

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello made their radio debut on CBS’ The Kate Smith Show as replacements for Hollywood-bound Henny Youngman. The former burlesque comics reintroduced and preserved the classic comedy sketches of vaudeville in their films and radio and television series. The Abbott and Costello Show debuted as a 1940 summer replacement for Fred Allen and later aired from October 8, 1942 through June 29, 1949.

Great Gildersleeve

Great Gildersleeve

Next Airs Tuesday at 5 am
30 mins

The Great Gildersleeve featured one of radio’s greatest casts of comedic players. The Great Gildersleeve aired until March 2

The Great Gildersleeve featured one of radio’s greatest casts of comedic players. The Great Gildersleeve aired until March 21, 1957, with Willard Waterman taking over the title role for the final seven radio season and three television seasons.

Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show

Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show

Next Airs Tuesday at 5:30 am
30 mins

The Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show grew out of the popular Fitch Bandwagon series. Phil Harris played himself, continuing the

The Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show grew out of the popular Fitch Bandwagon series. Phil Harris played himself, continuing the egotistical, smart-alec characterization he had perfected during his years as Jack Bennys' bandleader. Alice Faye, Phil's movie star wife, recreated her real-life role as a film star turn devoted housewife.

Mercury Theatre On The Air

Mercury Theatre On The Air

Next Airs Tuesday at 6 am
1 hr

Created by Orson Welles, this weekly hour-long show presented classic literary works. The series debuted on CBS on July 11,

Created by Orson Welles, this weekly hour-long show presented classic literary works. The series debuted on CBS on July 11, 1938. After the renown (and accidental panic) of "The War of the Worlds", which aired about 6 months after the series began, Campbell's Soup signed on as the sponser and the show became the Campbell Playhouse.

Escape

Escape

Next Airs Tuesday at 7 am
30 mins

Whenever you listen, you’ll always hear the world’s most beautiful easy listening music & great melodies that you can hum al

Whenever you listen, you’ll always hear the world’s most beautiful easy listening music & great melodies that you can hum along to!

Blackstone, Magic Detective

Blackstone, Magic Detective

Next Airs Tuesday at 7:30 am
30 mins

This magical mystery show aired from 1948-1949 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Ed Jerome starred as Harry Blackstone, a s

This magical mystery show aired from 1948-1949 on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Ed Jerome starred as Harry Blackstone, a skilled magician who told his tales of adventure and escape in flashbacks. At the end of each episode, Blackstone would perform and describe a new magic trick for his kid listeners to practice at home. Ted Osborne and Fran Carlon also starred as Blackstone's friends John and Rhonda.

Dark Fantasy

Dark Fantasy

Next Airs Tuesday at 8 am
30 mins

Dark Fantasy originated from the Oklahoma City studios of WKY and ran from November 14, 1941 through June 19, 1942. The fina

Dark Fantasy originated from the Oklahoma City studios of WKY and ran from November 14, 1941 through June 19, 1942. The final 25 episodes of the series were aired on a sustaining basis over the NBC network.

Hall Of Fantasy

Hall Of Fantasy

Next Airs Tuesday at 8:30 am
30 mins

Dark, supernatural forces lurk around every corner in the Hall of Fantasy. The frightening mystery serires aired first for a

Dark, supernatural forces lurk around every corner in the Hall of Fantasy. The frightening mystery serires aired first for a short time in 1946 on a Salt Lake City station, featuring voices by Richard Thorne and Carl Greyson and stories written/adapted by Robert Olson. A few years after the team parted ways, the series was reimagined on WGN in Chicago when Greyson and Thorne found themselves working together again, with Thorne doing most of the writing and adapting.

The Weird Circle

The Weird Circle

Next Airs Tuesday at 9 am
1 hr

This horror series consisted mostly of adapted supernatural tales from greats like Edgar Allen Poe and Robert Louis Stevenso

This horror series consisted mostly of adapted supernatural tales from greats like Edgar Allen Poe and Robert Louis Stevenson. It aired for two seasons from 1943-1945, first on Mutual and then on NBC's Red network.

Man Called X

Man Called X

Next Airs Tuesday at 10 am
30 mins

Wherever there is mystery, adventure, intrigue, in all the strange and dangerous places in the world, there you will find--T

Wherever there is mystery, adventure, intrigue, in all the strange and dangerous places in the world, there you will find--The Man Called X! Debonair British actor Herbert Marshall stars as FBI agent Ken Thurston, "the man who crosses the ocean as readily as you and I cross town; he is the man who fights today's war in his unique fashion, so that tomorrow's peace will make the world a neighborhood for all of us." The Man Called X debuted over CBS on July 10, 1944, moved to NBC in 1950 and continued through May 20, 1952.

Night Beat

Night Beat

Next Airs Tuesday at 1 pm
30 mins

Frank Lovejoy is heard as Randy "Lucky" Stone, a hardboiled reporter who covers the "nightbeat" for the Chicago Star. Randy

Frank Lovejoy is heard as Randy "Lucky" Stone, a hardboiled reporter who covers the "nightbeat" for the Chicago Star. Randy Stone wandered the back alleys and bars of Chicago, searching for both crime and human-interest stories. Nightbeat premiered on February 6, 1950 and ran until September 25, 1952.

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Next Airs Tuesday at 1:30 pm
30 mins

Richard Diamond, Private Detective premiered over the NBC network on April 24, 1949 and ran through 1952 starring Dick Powel

Richard Diamond, Private Detective premiered over the NBC network on April 24, 1949 and ran through 1952 starring Dick Powell as "radio's singing detective." Powell had first achieved movie stardom as a baby-faced crooner, and later matured to hardboiled roles, including Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in the 1944 film Murder My Sweet.

Adventures of Sam Spade

Adventures of Sam Spade

Next Airs Tuesday at 3:30 pm
30 mins

Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade walked out of the pages of Black Mask and into his own CBS radio series of July 12, 1946. Howar

Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade walked out of the pages of Black Mask and into his own CBS radio series of July 12, 1946. Howard Duff starred as the hardboiled detective for the first three seasons. Lurene Tuttle was Sam's secretary Effie Perrine and Jerry Hausner was his lawyer Sid Weiss. CBS dropped the series in 1950 when Hammett ran afoul of Congress' Un-American Activities investigators, but the show was quickly revived by NBC.

Father Knows Best

Father Knows Best

Next Airs Tuesday at 7 pm
30 mins

NBC's Father Knows Best depicted the lives of the Anderson family, an average American family living in an average American

NBC's Father Knows Best depicted the lives of the Anderson family, an average American family living in an average American town. Robert Young starred as Jim Anderson, the easy-going and sensible father. Young was the only cast member to survive the transition from radio to television.

The Aldrich Family

The Aldrich Family

Next Airs Tuesday at 7:30 pm
30 mins

The character of Henry Aldrich was introduced in Clifford Goldsmith's 1937 play, "What a Life". Ezra Stone originated the ro

The character of Henry Aldrich was introduced in Clifford Goldsmith's 1937 play, "What a Life". Ezra Stone originated the role of "America's favorite teenager" on Broadway and portrayed the role for nearly a decade on radio. After being featured in short skits on variety shows, The Aldrich Family debuted as Jack Benny's summer replacement on July 2, 1939. The series moved into its own NBC timeslot on October 10, 1939 and continued until April 19, 1953. Stone received his draft notice in the summer of 1941 but continued as Henry for the next season. Norman Tokar replaced Stone the following season, followed by Dickie Jones and Raymond Ives. After completing his military service in 1945, Stone returned to the role he had originated and was heard as Henry though the early 1950s when Bobby Ellis took over the role on both radio and television.

Lux Radio Theatre

Lux Radio Theatre

Next Airs Tuesday at 10 pm
1 hr

The Lux Radio Theatre was one of radio's most popular series attracting Hollywood's top stars and boasting a lavish budget.

The Lux Radio Theatre was one of radio's most popular series attracting Hollywood's top stars and boasting a lavish budget. The Lux Radio Theatre began in 1934 featuring dramas from Broadway, but there was not enough material to support the show. In an attempt to reverse the slipping ratings, the show was moved to Hollywood in 1936, where there was plenty of material and talent.

Six Shooter

Six Shooter

Next Airs Tuesday at 11 pm
30 mins

The Six Shooter aired started movie star James Stewart rode the radio range from September 20, 1953 through June 24, 1954 as

The Six Shooter aired started movie star James Stewart rode the radio range from September 20, 1953 through June 24, 1954 as Britt Ponset, "the Texas plainsman who wandered through the western territories, leaving behind a trail of still-remembered legends."

The Cisco Kid

The Cisco Kid

Next Airs Wednesday at 12:30 am
30 mins

The Cisco Kid rode onto the Mutual airwaves on October 2, 1942, in a series that starred the versatile Jackson Beck. Cisco a

The Cisco Kid rode onto the Mutual airwaves on October 2, 1942, in a series that starred the versatile Jackson Beck. Cisco and his partner Pancho rode off the Mutual trail on December 14, 1945, but the characters returned to the airwaves two years later in a new version that was broadcast over the Don Lee Pacific Coast Network. Jack Mather and Harry Lang (later replaced by Mel Blanc) portrayed Cisco and Pancho in the later series, which ran for a decade.

Our Miss Brooks

Our Miss Brooks

Next Airs Wednesday at 1:30 am
30 mins

Eve Arden portrays Miss Connie Brooks, an overworked and underpaid teacher of 10th grade English at Madison High School. Our

Eve Arden portrays Miss Connie Brooks, an overworked and underpaid teacher of 10th grade English at Madison High School. Our Miss Brooks called her radio classroom to order beginning July 19, 1948. The final bell rang for Our Miss Brooks on July 7, 1957.

Hopalong Cassidy

Hopalong Cassidy

Next Airs Wednesday at 2 am
30 mins

Hopalong Cassidy's millions of fans got a New Year's Day present in 1950 when William Boyd brought the famous Bar-20 Ranch o

Hopalong Cassidy's millions of fans got a New Year's Day present in 1950 when William Boyd brought the famous Bar-20 Ranch onto the Mutual radio range. In 1950, Clarence Mulford's classic cowboy was heard on 152 radio stations, seen on 63 television outlets and appeared as a comic strip in 155 newspapers.

Philo Vance

Philo Vance

Next Airs Wednesday at 3 am
30 mins

Philo Vance was the most popular fictional detective during the late 1920s and early 1930s and influenced the creation of ma

Philo Vance was the most popular fictional detective during the late 1920s and early 1930s and influenced the creation of many later detectives. S.S. Van Dine's legendary creation was first brought to radio on July 5, 1945 in an NBC summer series starring Jose Ferrar and was also briefly portrayed by John Emery.

Mr. & Mrs. North

Mr. & Mrs. North

Next Airs Wednesday at 3:30 am
30 mins

This mystery series aired on NBC and CBS from 1942 to 1954, originally starring Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin. The title cha

This mystery series aired on NBC and CBS from 1942 to 1954, originally starring Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin. The title characters were a married couple of amateur detectives who somehow always managed to solve crimes that stumped professional police and detectives.

Michael Shayne

Michael Shayne

Next Airs Wednesday at 6 am
30 mins

Detective Michael Shayne was created by Davis Dresser (writing under the pen name Brett Halliday). "Dividend of Death," the

Detective Michael Shayne was created by Davis Dresser (writing under the pen name Brett Halliday). "Dividend of Death," the first of more than 60 novels featuring the Miami-based private detective was published in 1939. The adventures of the "reckless red-headed Irishman," played by Wally Maher, came to radio October 16, 1944 and aired for 3 years.

Mr. District Attorney

Mr. District Attorney

Next Airs Wednesday at 7 am
30 mins

Phillips H. Lord, creator of Gang Busters, worked with creator/writer/director Ed Byron to develop this series, which is ins

Phillips H. Lord, creator of Gang Busters, worked with creator/writer/director Ed Byron to develop this series, which is inspired by the early years of New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey. It aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952. The nameless title role was played by several actors throughout the run: Raymond Edward Johnson, Jay Jostyn, and David Brian. A key figure in the show was the D.A.'s secretary, Edith Miller (played by Vicki Vola).

Adventures of Harry Nile

Adventures of Harry Nile

Next Airs Wednesday at 7:30 am
30 mins

This series is one of a few modern series featured by Radio Classics. A creation of writer Jim French, Harry Nile first came

This series is one of a few modern series featured by Radio Classics. A creation of writer Jim French, Harry Nile first came to radio in 1976 and continued to be adapted into the late 90s as part of the "Imagination Theatre" productions. Harry Nile, a former Chicago cop turned private detective, was played by Phil Harper for more than 20 years.

Candy Matson

Candy Matson

Next Airs Wednesday at 1 pm
30 mins

Candy Matson was a hard-as-nails private eye who also happended to be beautiful. The show, set in San Francisco, was on the

Candy Matson was a hard-as-nails private eye who also happended to be beautiful. The show, set in San Francisco, was on the air from 1941 to 1942. Starring Natalie Masters.

Phillip Marlowe

Phillip Marlowe

Next Airs Wednesday at 1:30 pm
30 mins

Phillip Marlowe

Phillip Marlowe

American Portraits

American Portraits

Next Airs Wednesday at 2 pm
30 mins

This series explores the lives and stories behind American historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson and mo

This series explores the lives and stories behind American historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson and more.

Columbia Workshop

Columbia Workshop

Next Airs Wednesday at 2:30 pm
30 mins

Also known as the CBS Radio Workshop, this was an experimental anthology series that pushed the envelope of defining art wit

Also known as the CBS Radio Workshop, this was an experimental anthology series that pushed the envelope of defining art with its creative use of sound. It featured many New York actors and scripts by some of the country's best writers. It aired in various forms on CBS from 1936 - 1957.

The Mysterious Traveler

The Mysterious Traveler

Next Airs Wednesday at 3 pm
30 mins

The Mysterious Traveler was one of radio's greatest omniscient storytellers, introducing tales of mystery, science fiction a

The Mysterious Traveler was one of radio's greatest omniscient storytellers, introducing tales of mystery, science fiction and horror from the typewriters of writers/producers Robert A. Arthur and David Kogan. The Mysterious Traveler rode the Mutual rails from December 5, 1943 through September 23, 1952.

Strange Dr. Weird

Strange Dr. Weird

Next Airs Wednesday at 3:30 pm
30 mins

This supernatural fantasy series aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1944-1945. The 15-minute show can be considere

This supernatural fantasy series aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1944-1945. The 15-minute show can be considered a lite version of "Mysterious Traveler," as it also starred Maurice Tarplin and shared a writer.

Forecast

Forecast

Next Airs Wednesday at 5:30 pm
30 mins

CBS radio's audition slot, where the network tested potential shows - Duffy's Tavern and Suspense both debuted on this progr

CBS radio's audition slot, where the network tested potential shows - Duffy's Tavern and Suspense both debuted on this program.

All times listed EDT

Greg Bell

From his native Illinois to a number of Rocky Mountain years in Colorado and Idaho, Greg Bell has done it all in radio—program director, news director, sports director, anchor, and reporter. Bell’s goal with Radio Classics is to take you back to the time when the family gathered around the radio.

All times listed EDT
9 am

Now Playing

Romance of the RanchosThis historical drama told tales of early Southern California in "the days of the dons". Stories were based on records from Title Insurance, the show's sponsor. History was made as land changed hands and purposes, causing listeners to think twice about the stories behind their own West Coast land the in mid-1940s.
9:30 am

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Blair Of The MountiesTBD
10 am

Now Playing

CounterspyCounterspy, created by Phillips H. Lord, aired on the NBC Blue Network (later known as the ABC) and the Mutual Broadcasting System from May of 1942 to November 1957. Don MacLaughlin played David Harding, chief of the "United States Counterspies", a fictional counterintelligence organization. As the series aired during WWII and the Cold War, the plot generally followed real American concerns like the German Gestapo and the Soviet Union.
11 am

Now Playing

Rocky FortuneRocky Fortune aired on NBC from October 6, 1953 through March 30, 1954 with Frank Sinatra starring as "that footloose and fancy-free young gentleman" whose fortune was as rocky as his name. The unsponsored "sustainer" series was broadcast during the low point in Sinatra’s career and aired for only 26 weeks.
11:30 am

Now Playing

Boston BlackieBoston Blackie was created by Jack Boyle, a hard-drinking opium addict who served three prison terms. While in prison, Boyle began writing true-crime confession stories that were published in The American Magazine under the byline 6006, his convict number. Boyle's stories were collected in his 1919 book, Boston Blackie, and inspired a popular series of B-films, the radio series and a 1951 video version.
12 pm

Now Playing

Burns & Allen ShowGeorge and Gracie first performed on air over the BBC while touring England after an NBC executive rejected their act insisting that "Gracie’s voice is unfit for radio." Burns and Allen won a regular spot on The Robert Burns Panatella Program February 22, 1932 and moved into the top spot when Guy Lombardo left the series. The Burns and Allen Show aired through May 17, 1950 on radio and for another decade on television. Jack Benny and George Burns were best friends in real life and often were guests on each other’s programs.
1:30 pm

Now Playing

Red Skelton ShowThe Red Skelton Show came to NBC on October 7, 1941 after years as a mainstay on Cincinnati's powerhouse station WLW. Red scored with radio audiences as Junior, "the mean widdle kid," a character he originated in vaudeville. Some of his other memorable characters included Deadeye, J. Newton Numbskull, Willie Lump-Lump, Bolivar Shagnasty and Clem Kadiddlehopper.
2 pm

Now Playing

The WhistlerThe Whistler whistled its way onto the airwaves beginning May 16, 1942 and its eerie 13-note theme set the tone for West Coast radio mystery for the next decade. "I am the Whistler and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak."
4 pm

Now Playing

Burns & Allen ShowGeorge and Gracie first performed on air over the BBC while touring England after an NBC executive rejected their act insisting that "Gracie’s voice is unfit for radio." Burns and Allen won a regular spot on The Robert Burns Panatella Program February 22, 1932 and moved into the top spot when Guy Lombardo left the series. The Burns and Allen Show aired through May 17, 1950 on radio and for another decade on television. Jack Benny and George Burns were best friends in real life and often were guests on each other’s programs.
5:30 pm

Now Playing

Red Skelton ShowThe Red Skelton Show came to NBC on October 7, 1941 after years as a mainstay on Cincinnati's powerhouse station WLW. Red scored with radio audiences as Junior, "the mean widdle kid," a character he originated in vaudeville. Some of his other memorable characters included Deadeye, J. Newton Numbskull, Willie Lump-Lump, Bolivar Shagnasty and Clem Kadiddlehopper.
6 pm

Now Playing

When Radio WasRadio Spirits' nationally syndicated radio program hosted by old-time radio expert Greg Bell.
7 pm

Now Playing

Academy Award TheatreAcademy Award Theater was a half-hour dramatic anthology series presenting radio adaptations of movies that had been nominated for or had won Academy Awards. While the show was a success with critics and audiences alike, it went off the air after only nine months and 39 episodes.
7:30 pm

Now Playing

Crime ClassicsCrime Classics featured "true crime stories from the records and newspapers of every land from every time" culled from director Elliott Lewis' voluminous personal library of true crime cases. The CBS series ran from June 15, 1953 through June 30, 1954.
8 pm

Now Playing

DragnetLadies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. One of the most popular police dramas in the history of broadcasting, Dragnet aired on NBC Radio from June 10, 1949 through February 7, 1957 and on television from 1952-59 and 1967-72. Dragnet introduced a new era of documentary-style realism.
9 pm

Now Playing

This Is Your F.B.IThis Is Your F.B.I. came to the Blue Network on April 6, 1945, created, produced and directed by Jerry Devine, a former child actor. Like Philips H. Lord before him, Devine got special permission from bureau head J. Edgar Hoover to dramatize older cases using fictitious names and locales. Frank Lovejoy was the program's first narrator, followed by Dean Carlton and later William Woodson.
9:30 pm

Now Playing

Boston BlackieBoston Blackie was created by Jack Boyle, a hard-drinking opium addict who served three prison terms. While in prison, Boyle began writing true-crime confession stories that were published in The American Magazine under the byline 6006, his convict number. Boyle's stories were collected in his 1919 book, Boston Blackie, and inspired a popular series of B-films, the radio series and a 1951 video version.
10 pm

Now Playing

Yours Truly, Johnny DollarYours Truly, Johnny Dollar told the story of the freelance insurance investigator with the "action-packed expense account." Radio’s last great detective series, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar ended its run September 30, 1962 during the final week of network radio drama.
11:30 pm

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