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The Aldrich Family was a popular teenage situation comedy that was heard on radio and seen in films, television and comic books. The creation of playwright Clifford Goldsmith, teenager Henry Aldrich was an endearingly bumbling kid growing awkwardly into adolescence. Episodes revolved around Henry’s misadventures with girls, his family and his friends. Portrayed on radio by 20-something Ezra Stone, The Aldrich Family launched as a summer replacement program for Jack Benny in NBC’s Sunday night lineup, July 2nd, 1939, sponsored by Jell-O.

The CBS Radio Workshop aired from January 27, 1956, through September 22, 1957, and was a revival of the prestigious Columbia Workshop which aired from 1936 to 1943. Creator William Froug launched the series with the powerhouse two-part adaptation of Brave New World and booked author Aldous Huxley to narrate his famous novel. Enjoy 12 of the greatest episodes from this award-winning drama series.

The Whistler was one of radio's top mystery programs airing from May 16, 1942, until September 22, 1955. Sponsored by the Signal Oil Company, The Whistler (Bill Forman) was an ominous narrator who knew the killer's every move even before they did. The stories followed an effective formula in which a person's criminal acts were typically undone by their own missteps.

For over half a century, Jack Benny was one of the great comics of stage, screen, radio, and television. On his long-running radio and television programs, Benny was depicted as a miser who hoarded every penny he made. Year after year he denied he was older than 39 while honing his persona of a vain and devious penny-pincher in stark contrast to the warm and generous human being he was in real life. Benny knew he could be funny by following one simple rule: let others deliver the punch lines.

The Golden Age of radio had incredible Western shows that kept Americans glued to their radio sets. Families gathered around their living room radios to hear Western heroes catch the bad guys and save ladies in distress.

Convinced they could build on the success of the already released motion-picture series, MGM Studios hired Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore to reprise their screen roles as Dr. James Kildare and Dr. Leonard Gillespie in a syndicated radio series. Kildare was the compassionate, caring physician at Blair General Hospital, New York City; Gillespie a crusty, lovable diagnostician. Kildare reminded listeners each week in the opening signature.

The Golden Age of Radio had incredible detective shows that kept Americans glued to their radio sets. Families gathered around their living room radios to hear their favorite Hollywood stars voicing fiction’s most famous gumshoes. This collection includes Philip Marlowe, Dragnet, Nick Carter, Philo Vance, Boston Blackie, Richard Diamond, Johnny Dollar, and many more.

The Golden Age of Radio had incredible mystery shows that kept Americans glued to their radio sets. Families gathered around their living room radios to hear their favorite Hollywood stars in spine-chilling radio mystery and horror. In this collection of 16 episodes, you’ll hear Suspense, Inner Sanctum, Escape, Mystery in the Air, The Whistler, Lights Out!, and many more.

Reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart’s character Rick Blaine from Casablanca, Rocky Jordan was banished by enemies from St. Louis and relocated to Cairo, Egypt. Now living in Northern Africa, Jordan owns and operates his gin joint (the Café Tambourine) and finds an assortment of mystery and intrigue while unwillingly moonlighting as a crime fighter. Cairo’s Police Chief, Sam Sabaaya, is an Egyptian Muslim who strictly adheres to the law. Often times, when a crime is committed, Jordan is the prime suspect - forcing him to solve the crime so he can clear his name and save his neck.

When real life husband and wife George Burns and Gracie Allen worked together in vaudeville, George was the comic and his wife Gracie had the straight lines. They switched their roles upon discovering that Gracie’s delivery got a bigger laugh than George’s punch lines. Eventually, they starred in a show as husband and wife, The Burns & Allen Show, which became a huge hit and eventually made a successful transition to television.

Horatio Black was known to friend and foe as Boston Blackie - an ex-jewel thief and safecracker constantly suspected of crimes he did not commit and forced to play the role of detective to clear his name. His girlfriend, Mary Wesley, assisted Blackie from time to time, as did his pal Shorty. Forced to defend himself against the accusations of New York Police Inspector Faraday, Blackie always managed to stay one step ahead of the cops in solving a crime. The wisecracks exchanged between Blackie and Faraday made the program an enjoyable mix of comedy and mystery.

Initially launched as Barrie Crane, Confidential Investigator on NBC in 1951, the series soon made a name change to Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator. It starred movie and film veteran William Gargan as hard-boiled New York-based private eye Barry Craig. Gargan had been playing Martin Kane, Private Detective on both radio and TV. In the summer of 1951, Gargan cleared the decks for his role as Barrie Craig. Gruff, blunt and sardonic but with a good sense of humor, Gargan was perfect for the genre and in the role of Barrie Craig.

Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve was a popular character appearing regularly on The Fibber McGee & Molly Show. On August 31, 1941, the character landed his own situation comedy show, The Great Gildersleeve, becoming radio’s first spin-off. Gildy moved from the town of Wistful Vista to Summerfield, where he raised his orphaned niece and nephew, Marjorie (originally played by Lurene Tuttle and followed by Louise Erickson and Mary Lee Robb) and Leroy (Walter Tetley). The household also included a cook named Birdie (Lillian Randolph).

Created by Blake Edwards (of "Pink Panther" fame), Richard Diamond, Private Detective came to NBC radio in 1949 starring film actor and crooner Dick Powell. Powell had recently played 'Philip Marlowe' in the popular RKO film "Murder My Sweet" and jumped at the chance to play a suave detective on radio. Richard Diamond was a light-hearted New York-based private eye who enjoyed ribbing the cops and singing songs to his millionairess girlfriend, Helen Asher (played by Virginia Gregg).

The character of Jack “Flashgun” Casey was first penned by former newspaper and advertising executive, George Harmon Coxe, Jr. in the March 1934 issue of Black Mask, the legendary Pulp Magazine. Casey was a cameraman who took photographs that accompanied reporter’s newspaper stories. His keen eye for detail served him well with solving the crimes he was assigned to photograph. “Flashgun Casey” was an instant success with the Black Mask readers and soon made the leap to the silver screen and to radio.

Versatile actor John Dehner had a long career (1940-1989) playing countless roles in all media. He appeared in more than 250 films and in thousands of radio and television shows. He began his career as an animator for the Walt Disney Studios, but his love for performing found him work at KFWB in Los Angeles. Dehner possessed a deep, resonant voice and soon became one of the most sought-after actors during The Golden Age of Radio. Presented for your enjoyment are 12 of John Dehner's finest radio performaces, carefully selected for this exciting collection.

Johnny Dollar was America’s fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Enjoy 16 of his greatest cases from radio’s golden age!

Michael Shayne, “the reckless, red-headed Irishman”, was a popular hard-boiled detective created by crime novelist Brett Halliday. Mike settled in Miami just after WWII, making crime pay by fighting it with a license and an attitude. Like Mike Hammer and Philip Marlowe, Shayne was a loner. The backstory on Mike is that he was happily married, but suddenly his wife is tragically murdered, and that hit him hard. Grief-stricken, Shayne loses himself in his work as a private eye, prowling the dark streets of Miami seeking out his style of revenge on injustice.

Suspense mixed mystery, suspicion, and dangerous adventure like no other. Featuring the biggest names in Hollywood, it stirred your nerves to offer you a precarious situation and then withhold the solution…until the last possible moment! Conceived as a potential radio vehicle for Alfred Hitchcock to direct, Suspense was a radio series of epic proportion. It aired on CBS from 1942 to 1962, and is considered by many to be the best mystery/drama series of the golden age.

This collection contains episodes of The Jack Benny Program, The Aldrich Family, Gunsmoke, Suspense, Fibber McGee & Molly, Dragnet, Have Gun - Will Travel, Mystery in the Air, The Kraft Music Hall, Escape, and many others. Relive the best radio shows from yesterday and the legendary stars that made them amazing in this incredible collection.