Yeah, that stupid song has been going through my mind for the last week. AARRGGHH!!!!

Actually I'm not really putting down the show, nor anyone who likes that type of format, it's just not my favorite. As for sophisticated, I would liken it somewhat to J.R. Ewing in Dallas. Larry Hagman was funny in "I Dream Of Jeannie", but he considered the show simple and boring. For him it was much more fun to be the bad guy, and I guess since he was a conniving crook I guess that made the show more "adult."

It seems most shows on radio or TV have more holes in the stories than slices of swiss cheese. The detective sees the piece of paper in the suspect's jacket, and the color of ink gives him a hunch that proves he's innocent, then he suddenly gets a thought and drives across town to recsue the girl just as the real crook was about to shoot her . . .

In the case of Harry Lime, it seems he's always the conniving crook that somehow spends his life either traveling on the Super Chief, or a cruise ship, or is dining out at a fancy night club, and every person he casually sits with just happens to either have $10,000 in his pocket or is on his way to collect it -- and of course HAS to tell Harry about it. The entire rest of the story depicts Harry as shuck-and-jiving his way into getting the money himself, while the other person appears clueless. Next week, same story, different names -- except for Harry, who never gets the dough but never gets caught either. He's "sophisticated" because he never raises his voice and never flinches, kinda like James Bond.

I have a variety of radio shows collected over the years, but I have to say that War of the Worlds is the one that drew me to old time radio. Like reading a book radio let you imagine the characters and the sets creating a story, unlike movies, that are unique to your own mind. In my view the "Spook" and " Crime" shows were a very popular genre at the time. Lucky me , as they are my favorites! Nothing compares to siting in a dark room with just the radio light glowing and a scary tale being told by our friend with the creaking door. And maybe a bowl of popcorn. On the other hand I`m just as happy listening to Amos and Andy or Lum and Abner and their unbelieveable shenanigans. I imagine that the radio was a great comfort to many at the end of a long workday and to most familys a way to stay in contact with the world. It was also a form of advanced technology that helped them believe that we were advancing at a faster pace than our forefathers. Its no wonder that there were so many good programs because the format of radio spurred the imaginations of many, and with imagination comes creativity. Long live radio.

I lean toward the D-Day recordings. When compared to our modern immediate-coverage news cycle, listening to this hours long broadcast unfolding is interesting for many reasons.

It was, almost without question, one of the two or three most momentous events of the 20th century and probably one of the more important events in human history.

To have the ability to hear the rather cautious reporting is hypnotizing. No one, including the announcers, thought the day would ever come and to them the outcome is very uncertain.

It's real drama, and we have the benefit of hindsight to know the outcome. But it receives my vote as the most important broadcast.

I agree -- I have the CBS version, and I have heard parts of the NBC as well. This gives a lot of insight not only into the actual events of D-Day, but of the way people were thinking back then, and the way news was reported. An interesting contrast is the periods between news updates; back then they repeated the key elements of the story, and when they tried to get a signal from Europe, there were several periods of silence as they tried to make contact. Today you see certain video clips looped over and over again. Another item that I actually think is funny, is how the news media was intrigued with the event -- giving you every detail as soon as it's known and explaining everything as to its importance -- then suddenly at 10:00 am they abruptly stop and say the news is finished and they'll break in if need be. Huh? It's time for the SOAP OPERAS!!

One other comment on this, at least in the CBS version, is that someone discussed what the kids in school will be hearing 100 years into the future. Whether books or recordings, or some other means, the children will learn about what happened on June 6, 1944. Well, it's been well over 60 years, and unfortunately I think a lot of the story has been forgotten or suppressed. I wish our kids WOULD hear it and understand what happened that day. Events like this should never be forgotten -- ever.

I couldn't agree more. This was radio at it's finest. These people were very intelligent broadcasters telling us what we needed to hear. There is absolutely no comparison to today. I wonder if people could stand such long and thorough in depth news analysis these days.
I doubt it.

Not now, with all the damn commercials and product placement, no time for an analysis of anything, no matter how in depth.

Jerry

Was Benny Goodman's '38 Carnegie Hall concert ever broadcasted? It was a pivotal moment in Big Band and Jazz history, when they became legit.

Jerry

I certainly don't mean to say the very popular Fred Allen comedy show was among the most significant shows ever. I do think it's very interesting that fast paced, short bit, TV's Rowen and Martin's Laugh In is (was) little more than a flower powered, Go-Go-ized Allen's Alley. The fact that Laugh In was (is) considered a revolutionary new idea is strong evidence that the radio comedy show and, by association, drama were completely forgotten by 1968...

I still get slightly lightheaded when I hear Amelia Earhart's rare interviews. Encouraging other women to fly a Wasp Motor in what was a man's world of the day! She was intelligent courageous, and many years ahead of her time.

While not a big Jack Benny fan, the one Program that was a standout for me featured Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. In a strange and crazy way, the program worked really well and brought out the best of all three of them. Benny's regulars did a great job on that show too!

My third nomination goes to Bob Sievers of Station WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana when the Air Force "accidentally" broadcast a message tape on the Emergency Broadcast System indicating a State of National Emergency. In was a defining moment in Sievers Career and he handled the whole situation live on the air with amazing professionalism. Sievers passed away on Sept 4, 2007.

It's a tough decision, but I immediatly thought of the Lux Radio Theater. "Laura" is my favorite, but "Sorry, Wrong Number", "Key Largo", and "Kiss of Death" come in close. Screen Directors Playhouse is great too. Try "Criss-Cross" or "Woman in the Window".

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned "Radio Mystery Theater" which stayed on the air into the 1980's. I too was born after radio 'programs' had died, but even as a kid I sought them out on oldies stations, etc. I listened to mystery theater well into adulthood and thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe it wasn't the best radio show ever, but it was great to be able to listen to 'real' radio long after it was virtually gone.

"The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown"
"Until next time, Pleaaaaasant Dreeeams!"

Dragnet "The Big Little Jesus." Christmas show from 1953 featuring a missing statue of the Child Jesus from a Nativity scene, and the kid with the little red wagon. Adapted for TV in both the b/w 50s and color 60s series of shows.

The Goon Show "The Old Punch Up The Conker." "What time is it, Eccles? Wait, I've got it writted down on a piece of paper ... !

Agreed. Definitely a classic!

You guys have named all the most classic one-time broadcasts. For me the ongoing "feud" between Jack Benny and Fred Allen
is classic great radio.