November 3, 2002

4:27 PM

Who knows the evil that lurks in the hearts of men?The Shadow knows. Radio serials and dramas take me back to driving along with my grandfather, listening to tapes he made of his favorite programs growing up. It's still a nice way to wile away some time.
posted by FunkyHelix (11 comments total)

Thank you for this post,Brother FunkyHelix.

I was just at dinner with my gf's mother who has two sons in their late 50's early sixties. She was mentioning ti me how her boys used to love listening to The Shadow and other serials.

When I was around 14, there was a college station that would play stuff like this and great old Burns and Allen comedies. I got interested in the form after that. I remeber one year for Xmas my Dad bought me a tape of The Hitchhiker. I was amazed at how all it took was sounds on a tape to give me the complete heebie jeebies.

If you ask me, this is a form which merits revival.
posted by jonmc at 4:44 PM on November 3, 2002

you sure know how to make a guy feel old! I listed to them in the original...and I am not your grandfather.
posted by Postroad at 4:51 PM on November 3, 2002

mean 'wile', i was stiiiiill thinkin'...
posted by quonsar at 5:47 PM on November 3, 2002

"Ghhhoosssttt stories... Weeiirrrdd stories... And murders too! The Hermit knows of them all! Turrrnnnn out your lights!"
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:01 PM on November 3, 2002

Ahh...fantastic post. I could spend days listening to this stuff. In fact, I probably will.
posted by frykitty at 9:48 PM on November 3, 2002

If you ask me, this is a form which merits revival.

True. I think This American Life is a nice step in that direction.
posted by jragon at 9:51 PM on November 3, 2002

Fun stuff, FunkyHelix, thanks - and the pulps were a good companion to the shows - this page on the Shadow has some particularly good stuff.
posted by madamjujujive at 9:59 PM on November 3, 2002

For Sci-Fi buffs, Ultimate SciFi provides a pretty good webcast.

Old Time Radio is greatly underappreciated. It makes wonderful entertainment for long car drives.
posted by Galvatron at 10:56 PM on November 3, 2002

Thanks FunkyHelix. I had heard about the old radio shows from TV shows and movies when I was a child. One day I found a delete bin full of cassette tapes of old radio shows selling for $1.49. I fell in love with the several tapes I bought and then I forgot about them untill tonight. Just grabbed a bunch of "the Shadow" and my girlfriend and I have been listening to them over the last few hours. Great stuff!
posted by arse_hat at 12:39 AM on November 4, 2002

Thanks FunkyHelix. I have always been curious to hear a few episodes after reading about this particular series coutless times in biographies and such like.
posted by lucien at 5:33 AM on November 4, 2002

Outstanding! I'm going to make an audio CD for my mom, who listened to these when she was a little girl (she's 68). I despair, however, that my evil chuckle wont ever come close to Orson Welles' Shadow. ha ha ha ha ha ha HA HA HA!
posted by Scoo at 8:23 AM on November 4, 2002