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RadioClassics

Classic radio dramas & comedy

Channel 148RadioClassics 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

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All times listed EDT
Defense Attorney

Defense Attorney

Next Airs Monday at 11 pm
30 mins

Defense Attorney

Defense Attorney

X Minus One

X Minus One

Now Playing
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.

Let's Pretend

Let's Pretend

Next Airs Tomorrow at 12 am
1 hr

This award-winning children's radio program, which adapted popular stories like "Cinderella", "Rumpelstiltsken" and "Sleepin

This award-winning children's radio program, which adapted popular stories like "Cinderella", "Rumpelstiltsken" and "Sleeping Beauty", aired for almost 20 years on CBS.

Mystery Is My Hobby

Mystery Is My Hobby

Next Airs Tomorrow at 1 am
30 mins

Glen Langan starred as the lead character Barton Drake in this detective series that aired on Mutual Radio from 1947 to 1948

Glen Langan starred as the lead character Barton Drake in this detective series that aired on Mutual Radio from 1947 to 1948. Drake is an author and amateur crime solver fascinated by the minds of criminals. This series is full of good ole "whodunnit" storylines.

This Is Your F.B.I

This Is Your F.B.I

Next Airs Tomorrow at 1:30 am
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.

Tales of the Texas Rangers

Tales of the Texas Rangers

Next Airs Tomorrow at 2 am
30 mins

Tales of the Texas Rangers was broadcast over NBC from July 8 1950 through September 14, 1952 and was later revived on telev

Tales of the Texas Rangers was broadcast over NBC from July 8 1950 through September 14, 1952 and was later revived on television. Western film star Joel McCrea portrayed Ranger Jace Pearson in NBC's Tales of the Texas Rangers.

Night Beat

Night Beat

Next Airs Tomorrow at 2:30 am
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.

Broadway is My Beat

Broadway is My Beat

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3 am
30 mins

Broadway Is My Beat debuted over CBS on February 27, 1949 and continued through August 1, 1954. Anthony Ross starred as Clov

Broadway Is My Beat debuted over CBS on February 27, 1949 and continued through August 1, 1954. Anthony Ross starred as Clover during the first two seasons, with Thor taking over the role on July 3, 1950. Homicide detective Clover pounded the Broadway beat for five years in one of radio's last great detective series.

The Line-Up

The Line-Up

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3:30 am
30 mins

This CBS cop procedural pulls back the curtain on crime fighting in San Francisco. The Shadow's Bill Johnstone starred as co

This CBS cop procedural pulls back the curtain on crime fighting in San Francisco. The Shadow's Bill Johnstone starred as cool-mannered Lt. Ben Guthrie, foil to hot-tempered Sgt. Matt Grebb. Director Elliot Lewis was one of the busiest men in radio, having a hand in the Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show, Suspense, Broadway Is My Beat, and many more.

Fort Laramie

Fort Laramie

Next Airs Tomorrow at 4 am
30 mins

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.

Hopalong Cassidy

Hopalong Cassidy

Next Airs Tomorrow at 4:30 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.

Burns & Allen Show

Burns & Allen Show

Next Airs Tomorrow at 5 am
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.

Jack Benny Program

Jack Benny Program

Next Airs Tomorrow at 5:30 am
30 mins

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.

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Next Airs Tomorrow at 6 am
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 Tomorrow at 6:30 am
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.

Adventures of Philip Marlowe

Adventures of Philip Marlowe

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7 am
30 mins

Raymond Chandler introduced readers to Philip Marlowe in his 1939 novel The Big Sleep. Humphrey Bogart, Robert Montgomery an

Raymond Chandler introduced readers to Philip Marlowe in his 1939 novel The Big Sleep. Humphrey Bogart, Robert Montgomery and George Montgomery portrayed the hardboiled detective in films before Van Heflin took over as Marlowe in NBC’s 1947 summer series.The Adventures of Philip Marlowe returned September 26, 1948, as a CBS series and starred Gerald Mohr. CBS Chairman William S. Paley was a big fan of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, and his request for a "Philip Marlowe in the West" led to the development of the legendary western Gunsmoke.

Police Headquarters

Police Headquarters

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7:30 am
30 mins

This police procedural series was syndicated on NBC stations in 1932. It features quarter-hour stories typically based on tr

This police procedural series was syndicated on NBC stations in 1932. It features quarter-hour stories typically based on true crimes.

Casey, Crime Photographer

Casey, Crime Photographer

Next Airs Tomorrow at 8 am
1 hr

Jack "Flashgun" Casey was first introduced in the March 1934 issue of Black Mask, the classic pulp fiction magazine. Created

Jack "Flashgun" Casey was first introduced in the March 1934 issue of Black Mask, the classic pulp fiction magazine. Created by pulp wordsmith George Harmon Coxe, Casey appeared in dozens of stories in Black Mask, which were later collected into six books. Flashgun Casey came to radio as a CBS sustaining series on July 7, 1943. The series was renamed Casey, Press Photographer in 1944 and became Casey, Crime Photographer on September 12, 1945.

Rogue's Gallery

Rogue's Gallery

Next Airs Tomorrow at 9 am
30 mins

Rogue's Gallery came to the Mutual network on September 27, 1945 with Dick Powell portraying Richard Rogue, a private detect

Rogue's Gallery came to the Mutual network on September 27, 1945 with Dick Powell portraying Richard Rogue, a private detective who invariably ended up getting knocked out each week and spending his dream time in acerbic conversation with his subconscious self Eugor (Rogue spelled backwards). The series was revived as a 1947 summer season with Barry Sullivan in the lead and returned in 1950 for two sustaining seasons starring Chester Morris, the original Boston Blackie.

The Third Man

The Third Man

Next Airs Tomorrow at 9:30 am
30 mins

The Third Man was an adventure series starring Orson Welles as Harry Lime, the character created by author Graham Greene. It

The Third Man was an adventure series starring Orson Welles as Harry Lime, the character created by author Graham Greene. It first aired on the BBC in 1951 and was then syndicated for American radio in 1952.

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

Next Airs Tomorrow at 10 am
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.

Mutual Radio Theater

Mutual Radio Theater

Next Airs Tomorrow at 11:30 am
30 mins

The Mutual Broadcasting System took over and renamed the Sears Radio Theater in December 1979. Hosts Lorne Greene, Andy Grif

The Mutual Broadcasting System took over and renamed the Sears Radio Theater in December 1979. Hosts Lorne Greene, Andy Griffith, Vincent Price, Cicely Tyson and Leonard Nimoy shared duties by presenting productions with different themes each night of the week.

When Radio Was

When Radio Was

Next Airs Tomorrow at 12 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

An American Gallery

An American Gallery

Next Airs Tomorrow at 1 pm
30 mins

Each episode featured the work of a different American artist, mostly musicians, across all genres. The narrator was often a

Each episode featured the work of a different American artist, mostly musicians, across all genres. The narrator was often also a celebrity, such as Bing Crosby speaking about Louis Armstrong and jazz.

Michael Shayne

Michael Shayne

Next Airs Tomorrow at 1:30 pm
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.

Studio One

Studio One

Next Airs Tomorrow at 2 pm
1 hr

Studio One

Studio One

CBS Radio Workshop

CBS Radio Workshop

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3 pm
30 mins

The CBS Radio Workshop aired from January 27, 1956 through September 22, 1957 and was a revival of the prestigious Columbia

The CBS Radio Workshop aired from January 27, 1956 through September 22, 1957 and was a revival of the prestigious Columbia Workshop from the 1930s and 1940s. The CBS Workshop regularly featured the works of the world’s greatest writers. including Ray Bradbury, Archibald MacLeish, William Saroyan, Lord Dunsany and Ambrose Bierce.

The Unexpected

The Unexpected

Next Airs Tomorrow at 3:30 pm
30 mins

These frightening 15-minute tales always ended with a - you guessed it - unexpected twist. Barry Sullivan, Virginia Gregg, a

These frightening 15-minute tales always ended with a - you guessed it - unexpected twist. Barry Sullivan, Virginia Gregg, and Lurene Tuttle appeared in this syndicated series in 1948.

Great Gildersleeve

Great Gildersleeve

Next Airs Tomorrow at 4 pm
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.

Life of Riley

Life of Riley

Next Airs Tomorrow at 4:30 pm
30 mins

The Life of Riley featured the comic misadventures of riveter Chester A. Riley. Riley was a devoted family man with a talent

The Life of Riley featured the comic misadventures of riveter Chester A. Riley. Riley was a devoted family man with a talent for flying off the handle and a penchant for being worse. Movie star William Bendix played the title role of the lovable hardhat throughout the series.

The Weird Circle

The Weird Circle

Next Airs Tomorrow at 5 pm
30 mins

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.

The Hermit's Cave

The Hermit's Cave

Next Airs Tomorrow at 5:30 pm
30 mins

This horror series aired in multiple iterations from 1930-1944. It consisted of standalone tales told by "The Hermit," a mys

This horror series aired in multiple iterations from 1930-1944. It consisted of standalone tales told by "The Hermit," a mysterious, cackling storyteller. It was first broadcast on a Detroit radio station before moving to Los Angeles, where the show would be produced by William Conrad (creator and voice of Gunsmoke's Marshall Matt Dillon)

Boston Blackie

Boston Blackie

Next Airs Tomorrow at 6:30 pm
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.

Box 13

Box 13

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7 pm
30 mins

Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holiday, a fiction writer and retired reporter with a taste for adventure. The show was also produced

Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holiday, a fiction writer and retired reporter with a taste for adventure. The show was also produced by Alan Ladd's company, Mayfair Productions. Sylvia Picker portrayed Suzy, his scatterbrained office manager.

Escape - Radio Classics

Escape - Radio Classics

Next Airs Tomorrow at 7:30 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.

Mr. District Attorney

Mr. District Attorney

Next Airs Tomorrow at 8 pm
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).

Damon Runyon Theatre

Damon Runyon Theatre

Next Airs Tomorrow at 9 pm
1 hr

This anthology series dramatized the stories of fiction author Damon Runyon and aired in various forms from the late 1940s t

This anthology series dramatized the stories of fiction author Damon Runyon and aired in various forms from the late 1940s to the mid 1950s. John Brown starred as "Broadway," a fluent "Brooklynese" speaker who spun tales of old Manhattan.

Crime Classics

Crime Classics

Next Airs Tomorrow at 10 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.

Bold Venture

Bold Venture

Next Airs Tomorrow at 10:30 pm
30 mins

The Hollywood husband-and-wife team of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall set sail for adventure in the syndicated series Bol

The Hollywood husband-and-wife team of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall set sail for adventure in the syndicated series Bold Venture from 1951-1952. Bogie portrayed Slate Shannon, owner of a run-down Havana hotel, with Bacall as his "ward" Sailor Duval, a stubborn and flirtatious young woman whose late father had "willed" her to Slate for her "protection." Together, the duo found "adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance in the sultry settings of tropical Havana and the mysterious islands of the Caribbean" aboard Shannon’s boat The Bold Venture.

Inner Sanctum Mysteries

Inner Sanctum Mysteries

Next Airs Tomorrow at 11 pm
1 hr

Inner Sanctum's sinister host welcomed listeners "through the squeaking door to another night of horror." The show’s "squea

Inner Sanctum's sinister host welcomed listeners "through the squeaking door to another night of horror." The show’s "squeaking door" was one of radio’s most-remembered openings and was inspired by the creaking hinges on a sound effects door at the radio studio.

The Green Hornet

The Green Hornet

Next Airs Wednesday at 12 am
1 hr

The Green Hornet debuted over the Detroit station on January 31, 1936. The Green Hornet was well-served by his valet Kato an

The Green Hornet debuted over the Detroit station on January 31, 1936. The Green Hornet was well-served by his valet Kato and a supercharged roadster, the Black Beauty. Al Hodge portrayed The Green Hornet during the series' first seven seasons, followed by Donovan Faust, Robert Hall and Jack McCarthy. The show ran on radio through December 5, 1952.

Life With Luigi

Life With Luigi

Next Airs Wednesday at 1 am
1 hr

Longtime Hollywood character actor J. Carrol Naish became a radio star in his own right after nearly two decades toiling in

Longtime Hollywood character actor J. Carrol Naish became a radio star in his own right after nearly two decades toiling in the background in such films as Beau Geste, House of Frankenstein and the Batman movie serial. The native New Yorker of Irish descent finally won fame as "the little Italian immigrant" who each week wrote of his American adventures to his mama in Italy. Life with Luigi aired from September 21, 1948 through March 3, 1953 on radio, and the radio cast briefly did double duty in a short-lived 1952 television version.

The Alan Young Show

The Alan Young Show

Next Airs Wednesday at 2 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.

Red Skelton Show

Red Skelton Show

Next Airs Wednesday at 2:30 am
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.

Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show

Phil Harris & Alice Faye Show

Next Airs Wednesday at 3 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.

Duffy's Tavern

Duffy's Tavern

Next Airs Wednesday at 3:30 am
30 mins

Millions of radio listeners visited Duffy's Tavern each week, but Duffy himself was nowhere to be found. Although he dutiful

Millions of radio listeners visited Duffy's Tavern each week, but Duffy himself was nowhere to be found. Although he dutifully phoned Archie the manager each week, he never once dropped by. Duffy's Tavern first opened its doors to radio listeners on the CBS audition series Forecast on July 29, 1940, and then opened for regular business on March 1, 1941.

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Next Airs Wednesday at 4 am
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.

Adventures of Ellery Queen

Adventures of Ellery Queen

Next Airs Wednesday at 4:30 am
30 mins

It was either the best hook in Detective Fiction or the biggest gimmick. A Mystery Writer, Ellery Queen, who is great at cre

It was either the best hook in Detective Fiction or the biggest gimmick. A Mystery Writer, Ellery Queen, who is great at creating puzzles, spends his free time solving the puzzles of actual murders. The writer character was less “hard boiled” than many of the pulp detectives of the time. Most detectives had an adversarial relationship with the police who often accused the private eyes of committing the crimes. Ellery’s dad, Richard Queen, was a police inspector as well as his son’s sidekick.

Romance of the Ranchos

Romance of the Ranchos

Next Airs Wednesday at 6 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.

I Was A Communist for the FBI

I Was A Communist for the FBI

Next Airs Wednesday at 7 am
1 hr

I Was a Communist for the FBI--I walk alone. The 1952 syndicated series starred Dana Andrews as real-life undercover agent M

I Was a Communist for the FBI--I walk alone. 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.

Screen Director's Playhouse

Screen Director's Playhouse

Next Airs Wednesday at 8 am
1 hr

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.

Suspense

Suspense

Next Airs Wednesday at 9 am
30 mins

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.

Adventures of the Thin Man

Adventures of the Thin Man

Next Airs Wednesday at 9:30 am
30 mins

Adventures of the Thin Man

Adventures of the Thin Man

The Adventures of Frank Race

The Adventures of Frank Race

Next Airs Wednesday at 10 am
1 hr

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.

Dr. Christian

Dr. Christian

Next Airs Wednesday at 11 am
30 mins

Dr. Christian

Dr. Christian

The Falcon

The Falcon

Next Airs Wednesday at 11:30 am
30 mins

Michael Waring was a freelance detective who was also known as the Falcon. Waring's detective techniques were a cross betwee

Michael Waring was a freelance detective who was also known as the Falcon. Waring's detective techniques were a cross between Ellery Queen and Richard Diamond. He had a certain eye for detail but was frequently on the outs with the police.

Adventures of Harry Nile

Adventures of Harry Nile

Next Airs Wednesday at 1 pm
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.

The Whistler

The Whistler

Next Airs Wednesday at 3 pm
30 mins

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."

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Next Airs Wednesday at 3:30 pm
30 mins

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.

Fibber McGee & Molly

Fibber McGee & Molly

Next Airs Wednesday at 4 pm
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.

Ozzie & Harriet

Ozzie & Harriet

Next Airs Wednesday at 6 pm
1 hr

Bandleader Ozzie Nelson and his vocalist wife, Harriet Hilliard, debuted in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet on October 8

Bandleader Ozzie Nelson and his vocalist wife, Harriet Hilliard, debuted in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet on October 8, 1944. The show featured the home life of "America's favorite young couple" and their sons, David and Ricky. Initially, David and Ricky were portrayed by two actors, but in March 1949, the kids persuaded their Dad to allow them to appear in the radio series and later on television.

Words At War

Words At War

Next Airs Wednesday at 8 pm
30 mins

Words At War

Words At War

The Chase

The Chase

Next Airs Wednesday at 10 pm
1 hr 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.

Charlie McCarthy Show

Charlie McCarthy Show

Next Airs Thursday at 4 am
30 mins

Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen developed his Charlie McCarthy character in high school. Bergen performed with the newsboy dummy

Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen developed his Charlie McCarthy character in high school. Bergen performed with the newsboy dummy while attending Northwestern University and eventually left college to tour vaudeville. With the decline of vaudeville during the Great Depression, Bergen moved into night spots like New York’s trendy Rainbow Room but feared his friend wouldn’t be appreciated by high society. So he gave Charlie a monocle and top hat and a "man about town" was born. Following a three-month guest stint on Rudy Vallee’s show, Edgar Bergen was signed as headliner of The Chase and Sanborn Hour. The series premiered May 9, 1937 and ended the next three seasons as radio’s top-rated series.

Screen Guild Theatre

Screen Guild Theatre

Next Airs Thursday at 4:30 am
30 mins

This film star-centric variety revue aired in various forms on various networks from '39 - '52. It drew the biggest celebrit

This film star-centric variety revue aired in various forms on various networks from '39 - '52. 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.

Dragnet

Dragnet

Next Airs Thursday at 5 am
1 hr

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

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.

Truth Or Consequences

Truth Or Consequences

Next Airs Thursday at 8 am
30 mins

Truth Or Consequences

Truth Or Consequences

Information Please

Information Please

Next Airs Thursday at 8:30 am
30 mins

This intellectual quiz show aired in various forms from 1938 to the late 1940s. Correct answers and facts were only half of

This intellectual quiz show aired in various forms from 1938 to the late 1940s. Correct answers and facts were only half of the entertainment value; personalities are what made the show unique. A sense of humor and ability to turn a phrase often illuminated stars more than their recollection of facts. The rotating "fourth chair" guest spot would be filled by personalities from theatre, film, music, radio, politics, etc.

The Quiz Kids

The Quiz Kids

Next Airs Thursday at 9 am
30 mins

The Quiz Kids

The Quiz Kids

Behind The Mike

Behind The Mike

Next Airs Thursday at 9:30 am
30 mins

"Radio's own show" first ran in 1931 as a 15-minute show, then revamped in 1940 as a half-hour program, hosted by Graham McN

"Radio's own show" first ran in 1931 as a 15-minute show, then revamped in 1940 as a half-hour program, hosted by Graham McNamee. Episodes could feature interviews with inventors, producers, show runners and actors, sharing behind-the-scenes stories of how radio shows get made.

Let George Do It

Let George Do It

Next Airs Thursday at 1 pm
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.

Command Performance

Command Performance

Next Airs Thursday at 4 pm
1 hr

Command Performance aired between 1942 and 1949 on the Armed Forces Radio Network, which meant it was transmitted exclusivel

Command Performance aired between 1942 and 1949 on the Armed Forces Radio Network, which meant it was transmitted exclusively to American troops overseas. Though produced in California, troops abroad sent requests and ideas for performers, music, and sketches. The show featured some of the biggest stars of the day like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Judy Garland and more. CBS created a spinoff series called Request Performance, which aired from 1945-46.

The Abbott and Costello Show

The Abbott and Costello Show

Next Airs Friday at 9:30 pm
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.

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
11 pm

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Defense AttorneyDefense Attorney
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Now Playing

X Minus OneX-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.

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