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Books About the Golden Age of Radio

1. Sound and Fury By Francis Chase Jr. Harper, 1942 Francis Chase Jr. wrote his "informal history of broadcasting" at a time when broadcasting meant one thing: radio. With our lives now bombarded by television, satellite radio, the Internet and cellphones, it is difficult to imagine the technological breakthrough that radio represented and how it transfixed listeners. "Sound and Fury" beautifully captures the significance of radio's arrival and conveys a deep appreciation for the creative geniuses -- Fred Allen, Jack Benny and countless others -- whose radio shows were a watershed of American entertainment. Chase is astute in his appraisals of the earliest radio pioneers, and he wisely perceives that President Roosevelt's "fireside chats" in the 1930s heralded a serious new role for a medium that had once been thought strictly meant for diversion. The people Chase writes about, many of whom have been forgotten, and the conversational narrative style of the book, almost make it seem that you are listening to a great radio show. 2. A Tower in Babel By Erik Barnouw Oxford, 1966 The first of the three volumes in Erik Barnouw's towering "A History of Broadcasting in the United States" takes the reader back to the late-19th century, when scientists experimented with technology that would allow them to send sound electrically through the air. His descriptions of the earliest efforts of Guglielmo Marconi, Reginald Fessenden and other inventors bring those brilliant men to life and clearly explain the complex science involved. Though it has been used as a textbook, "A Tower in Babel" is also a model of historical storytelling and provides a fine underpinning of modern broadcasting. 3. Raised on Radio By Gerald Nachman Pantheon, 1998 Gerald Nachman was hooked on radio from an early age, and his love of the medium comes through on every page of "Raised on Radio." He describes the book as "a kind of memoir in that many of the shows within these pages were more real to me than my own life." Each chapter is devoted to a particular type of show -- the chapter called "Saddle Sore" discusses western dramas like "The Lone Ranger," while "Nesting Instincts" deals with domestic comedies. "Fibber McGee and Molly," he tells us, "seamlessly blended vaudeville high jinks with radio's cozier atmospherics." In addition to conjuring what it was like to sit at home and feel riveted by the stories emanating from the big box that dominated the living room, Nachman interviews many of the old radio writers and performers, who only enhance the sense that there was a certain magic in that vanished time. 4. Crosley By Rusty McClure Clerisy, 2006 Crosley is a highly recognized name in Cincinnati, not just because the Reds baseball team used to play at Crosley Field but also because two brothers, Powel and Lewis Crosley, built a radio business that helped spawn an entire national industry. Powel was the inventor, Lewis the businessman; together they made fortunes early in the 20th century selling auto parts and manufacturing radios. In the 1920s, the Crosleys started a small radio station, WLW, in Cincinnati -- and that's when the story turns fascinating. The book relates how a single company, and a city not located on either coast, could play a central role in radio's development. In 1934, calculating that if stations had stronger signals, then the Crosleys could build radios that were less expensive but still received broadcasts, the brothers were temporarily given permission to turn WLW into a 500,000-watt powerhouse. Author Rusty McClure, writing with David Stern and Michael A. Banks, excels in placing the brothers' pioneering accomplishments within the context of U.S. society in the 1920s and '30s, and the book sheds welcome light on the lives of two important but underappreciated figures of American business. 5. On the Air By John Dunning Oxford, 1998 John Dunning's "encyclopedia of old-time radio" is an invaluable resource about the performers, shows, sponsors, history and influence of the medium. We start alphabetically with "The A&P Gypsies" ("exotic music with a nomadic motif; one of radio's earliest, most distinctive programs") and end in "Zorro" country, finding along the way engagingly written entries that reflect a savviness about the shows themselves and their significance to audiences at the time. And Dunning is thorough: The entries include vital information about when and where shows were broadcast, who starred in them, who led the orchestra and other details that any radio fanatic will relish. Essays spread throughout this dense volume provide a commanding overview of the complexities of an entire industry at the height of its influence. From Wall Street Journal
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New Podcast

It's been a long time since we've had a Sherlock Holmes show on the podcast, so the Rathbone/Bruce show The Adventure of the Superfluous Pearl from, of course, The Definitive Sherlock Holmes page has been added at:http://otrtimespast.blip.tv/file/1420375/
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The House is Haunted

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all my lj friends!I'll be offline until after the holiday, so here is my annual "holiday spirit" post.If you're looking for some online resources to help "set the mood" for the holiday, I have compiled a list of favourite/useful links. I began collecting these (mostly free) Halloween resources a few years ago, but have updated it quite a bit this year & added some really fun sites, so please check it out. Enjoy!Lost In The Web:The Book of Halloween (period book recounting origins & traditional celebrations in the UK & Europe): http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/boh/boh02.htmA page of links to sites that discuss the history of Halloween & its customs: http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/history.htmHalloween traditions from around the world: http://www.jackolanterns.net/traditions.htmHalloween superstitions: http://www.halloweenhowl.com/halloween-superstitions.shtmlSome General Halloween websites:Halloween News (articles, links, tips, fairly comprehensive & looks pretty utd): http://www.halloween-news.com/net/index.htmlHalloweenMagazine.com (general info/tips/cards/links): http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/Halloween.com- www.halloween.comThe Halloween Database- http://www.halloweendatabase.com/Halloween Online: http://www.halloween-online.com/Halloween link lists: http://www.halloween.com/links/directory/, http://www.darklinks.com/dhauntweb.html,Happy Haunting!In the Haunted House (commercial haunted houses):This site bills itself as the most complete listing in/for the country (beware, annoying but closeable pop ups): http://www.horrorfind.com/Haunted_Houses/A few back-ups, in case it's an empty boast: http://www.hauntworld.com/ (easy to search) or http://www.hauntedhouse.com/search/Haunted_Attraction_Directory/A site devoted to commercial houses, dark rides, & their tricks: http://www.halloweenproductions.com/The best haunted house I've ever been in (though the website SUCKS as it doesn't really tell you much about the place, just ticket info, etc): http://www.edgeofhell.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1DoomBuggies (a site devoted to Disney's Haunted Mansion ride/s): http://www.doombuggies.com/I DO believe in Spooks! I DO! I DO! (TRULY haunted places):Haunted Places Listings for all states & around the world- http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/Haunted Places in the Twin Cities: http://twincities.citysearch.com/roundup/40468/ or http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2774 (or for ghost hunters: http://twincitiesparanormalsociety.com/)Haunted Places in MN- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntmn.html (or for ghosthunters http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/10/25/72164065 or http://minnesotaparanormalinvestigators.com/hauntedmn.html)Haunted Places in WI- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntwi.htmlHaunted Places in IA- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntia.htmlHaunted Places in Kansas City: http://kansascity.about.com/od/entertainmentattractions/a/HauntedKCMO.htm(or for ghost hunters: http://www.ghost-investigators.com/Haunted Places in MO- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntmo.html (or for ghosthunters http://www.missourighosts.net/ or http://www.hauntedmo.com/)Haunted Places in KS- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntks.htmlHaunted Places in NE- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntne.htmlHaunted (& Weird) Places in IL- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntil.html (or if you'd prefer COMMERCIAL haunted attractions: http://www.hauntedillinois.com/ )Haunted Places in OH- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntoh.html or http://www.forgottenoh.com/haunted.html (or if you prefer COMMERCIAL haunted attractions: http://www.scaryohio.com/home.htm)Haunted Places in OK- http://www.prairieghosts.com/oklahoma.htmlHaunted Places in AR- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntar.htmlHaunted Places in TX- http://www.texasescapes.com/FEATURES/Texas_ghosts.htm or http://www.hollowhill.com/tx/tx.htm (or for ghosthunters http://www.lonestarspirits.org/hauntedtexas.html)Haunted Places in DC- http://godc.about.com/od/pictures/ig/Gallery-of-Ghost-Stories/ (or for ghosthunters http://www.dchauntings.com/)Haunted Places in MD- http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntmd.htmlHaunted Places in NYC- http://gonyc.about.com/od/halloween/a/haunted_newyork.htmHaunted Places in NY: http://www.essortment.com/travel/hauntedplacesn_skfn.htmHaunted Places in Sacramento, CA- http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/38986/haunted_sacramento_the_ghosts_and_spirits.html?cat=8 or http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/ghosthunting/hauntedcities/SacramentoCalifornia.php.Haunted Places in Canada- http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i261-10_Most_haunted_Places_to_Visit_in.html(Winnipeg- http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_3360.shtml)Haunted places in the UK- http://www.haunted-britain.com/ or http://theshadowlands.net/places/uk.htm or http://www.ghosts-uk.net/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=0&start=610 (fyi- these people want you to sign up)Haunted Places in London- http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/london/lonpages/london.htm or http://www.spookystuff.co.uk/HauntedLondon.htmlGhosthunters site for Sheffield- http://www.sheffieldparanormal.co.uk/Haunted Places in Gloucestershire (Cotswolds): http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/focus/2003/05/ghost/ghosts_meredith.shtml or http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/gloucestershire/glosshire.htm or http://www.mysteriouspeople.com/Cotswolds_mystery2.htmHaunted Places in the Midlands & Eastern England (Surrey): http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/surrey/surrdata.php& 101 British Ghosts: http://www.mysterymag.com/hauntedbritain/?page=article&subID=5&artID=273Pretty UK ghost site: http://www.headlesshorseman.co.uk/British Ghost Hunters: http://www.hauntedbritain.co.uk/Spook Searches (large sites that list haunted places by state/area. PLEASE NOTE- most of these do NOT verify submitted stories!):The Shadowlands: http://theshadowlands.netReal Haunted Houses: http://www.realhaunts.com/Historic Hauntings (A Collection of Articles on Ghosts, Hauntings and the Unknown)- http://www.prairieghosts.com/haunt_history.htmlHaunt Your Own HomeThe Monster List of Halloween "do it yourself" projects: http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/How to make a Haunted House: http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/mischalloween/a/091100a.htmProfessional Props: http://www.thehorrordome.com/ or http://www.spookyfx.com/Ghost Lit (If you like your ghost stories a little less local & more literary):Horror stories & poems: http://www.horrormasters.com/Literary Gothic: http://www.litgothic.com/index_fl.htmlThe Haunters & the Haunted 57 ghost stories from literary works, folklore and myth: http://www.bartleby.com/166/Victorian Ghost Stories (a nice little selection): http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/ghost-stories.htmlAmalgamated Brotherhood of Spooks library (a good variety & some hard-to-find stories): http://www.amalgamatedspooks.com/library.htmlThe Ghost Stories of M.R. James: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8486 or http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9629The Moonlit Road (ghost stories of the South): http://www.themoonlitroad.com/index.htmlThe Little Colonel's Halloween (a fictional account of a typical period celebration): http://www.littlecolonel.com/books/Holidays/Chapter11.htmDark Poetry (scroll down a bit): http://www.geocities.com/anadreams/hallpoetry.html or http://thingsthatgoboo.com/scarypoems/darkpoems.htm or http://www.horrormasters.com/Themes/DarkPoetry.htmSomething Visual that's not too Abysmal:Instant Gratification (stuff to watch online):Thomas Edison's "Frankenstein:"Edward Gorey's "Dracula" (stop motion animated feature using Gorey designed toy theatre- ADORABLE!):Vincent Price reads the RavenThe Walls Keep Talkin'The Skeleton in the ClosetBetty Boop's Halloween Party:Mickey Mouse in "The Haunted House"Lonesome GhostsDonald Duck's HalloweenEgyptian Melodies (for & :Broomstick BunnyHyde & HareA Witch's Tangled HareMonster Mash1965 SHINDIG Halloween Episode, starring Boris singing the Monster Mash, Lurch singing & dancing to his namesake tune, the Lurch, and three other songs by Jim Doval & the Gauchos, & The Wellingtons.ThrillerDisneyland's Haunted Mansion Super 8Home-Rental Horror:A Horror movie fansite w/ list of the best 100 ever: http://www.best-horror-movies.com/100-greatest-horror-movies.htmla list of lists of horror movie choices for different occasions: http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/8287.aspThe annual Halloween movie recommendations of Brian Showers: http://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2008.html(see also http://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2007.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2006.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2005.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2004.htmlhttp://www.brianjshowers.com/articles_halloweenfilm2003.html )Lights OutIf you like Old Time Radio, there is a wonderful webgroup here: https://timespast.ning.com/ , & if you choose to join the “OTR before 1962” group: https://timespast.ning.com/group/OTRbefore1962 , there is an AMAZING collection of Halloween Radio shows (available only to group members, but well worth joining if you like OTR) here: https://timespast.ning.com/group/OTRbefore1962/forum/topic/show?id=1535737%3ATopic%3A37241Or for streaming shows, Horror Old Time Radio (beware: annoying commercials): http://www.live365.com/stations/radiobonesMonster Mood Music:Evil Online:Halloween Radio (3 different tracks): http://www.neverendingwonder.com/halloween.htmThe 13th Track (online music & ordering info for Halloween recordings) http://www.13thtrack.com/Haunted Radio- http://hauntedradio.50webs.com/Share the Scare:A blogsite with many WONDERFUL Halloween songs, stories, & sounds to share (search back a little): http://davesworld56.blogspot.com/Another fantastic blogsite with a Halloween count down, cool songs & a lot of fun comic art: http://armagideontime.blogspot.com/"Spook Party" & "Ghoul-Arama" (two super-ghoul original mixes complete w/ cover art for your own cd)- http://scarstuff.blogspot.com/2006/04/various-ghouls-spook-party-scar-stuff.htmlMake Your Own Spooky Music: (Halloween musical suggestions for your own mixes):a list of lists: http://userpages.chorus.net/burleigh/music/h_playlists.htmlrock mix suggestions: http://userpages.itis.com/burleigh/music/my_hsongs.htmlclassical: http://music.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/0010_halloween/playlist.shtmlfree downloadable midi & wav files: http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/music.htmSing Your Own Spooky Song:Pumpkin carols: http://www.geocities.com/heartland/4175/pcarolli.htmlBooed Food (recipes):elegant entertaining: http://www.perfectentertaining.com/halloween/silly snacks:http://www.masterstech-home.com/The_Kitchen/Recipes/Recipe_Indices/Seasonal_Recipe_Indices/HalloweenRecipesIndex.htmlGhoul Treats: http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/halloween/goulish.htmplenty of pumpkin recipes: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook.htm#recipeA Slice of Halloween (pumpkin carving sites):The Pumpkin Nook: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/hween/carve.htmPumpkin Carving 101: http://www.pumpkincarving101.com/Pumpkin Masters: http://www.pumpkinmasters.com (more commercial but fun free patterns)More free carving patterns: http://www.jack-o-lantern.com/Tips for creating a new pattern: http://wls.wwco.com/garden/patterns.htmlVirtual pumpkin carving:Carve & Post it: http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swfCarve & Email it: http://www.theoworlds.com/halloween/Dressed to KillAn excellent page of costume idea/planning site links, including several for wheelchair users: http://www.costumepage.org/hallocst.htmlLast minute/inexpensive costume ideas you can put together yourself:Pretty Easy: http://papa.essortment.com/easyhalloweenc_rdfm.htmalso easy & lots of ideas (including costumes for those in chairs): http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htmcool site w/ one annoying pop-up: http://www.costumeideazone.com/Easy, 3-colour face paint costume ideas: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/family/33402089.html?elr=KArksUUUUMartha Stewart goes buggy: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=59bac137bf22f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=related& tongue in cheek: http://members.tripod.com/disneyitis/LATE_H_COSTUMES.HTMArt in the Blood (my fave Halloween artists):s320x240the paintings of John Atkinson Grimshaw: http://john-atkinson-grimshaw.chez-alice.fr/Page1.htm or http://www.bridgemanartondemand.com/index.cfm?event=catalogue.artist&artistID=2565The Haunted Studio (Lewis Barrett Lehrman): http://www.hauntedstudio.com/Gallery1.htmDandelion Halloween Cards (Lori Preusch): http://www.dandelionpress.com/halloween.htmlVintage Halloween Postcards: http://halloween.lisamorton.com/cards.htmlOld Haunts- Vintage pictures of Halloweens gone by: http://oldhaunts.blogspot.com/Halloween collectables chronicled on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintagehalloweencollector/Momento Mori Miscellany:Mysterious Memorials (odd gravestone inscriptions): http://www.bbchistorymagazine.com/memorials_2.aspFrightening Fun:Halloween Hangman: Halloween Hangman created by The Dimension's Edge, Inc.s320x240Monsterise Your Name: http://www.i-mockery.com/halloween/bag/monster-initial-generator.phpHope some of these might come in handy &/or help get you into the Halloween Spirit. Happy Haunting!
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At a time when much of the television news revolves around the analog to digital change and reality television hijinks, YouTube has made some news of its own. The Google-owned video Web site has moved to put full-length television shows on its site for the first time.

Historically, YouTube has hosted a bewildering and attractive variety of video clips, the vast majority of which have been less than ten minutes in length. YouTube announced on Friday that it had finalized a deal with CBS to offer shows such as Star Trek, MacGyver, Beverly Hills 90210, and The Young and the Restless.

In some ways this new offering is more of a change in length and legality than an abrupt left turn. There have been small segments of television shows on YouTube almost since the beginning, but these also adhered more or less to the ten-minute time limit and were not sanctioned by the owners of the content. Often, such segments were removed after the copyright owner complained about their inclusion on the site. That will no longer be the case, at least for the content covered by the deal with CBS.

YouTube also said that it was in negotiation with other providers of lengthier content, specifically mentioning other television networks. This announcement follows on the heels of the introduction of their TheaterView product, which is aimed at the provision of a higher quality online viewing experience. It is not too far a stretch of the imagination to assume that these two new services are somehow related.

The new services also put YouTube head to head with Hulu, competing directly for the full-length television show viewer. Hulu currently has more of this sort of content than YouTube, but YouTube has the lion’s share of the Web video audience. It is estimated that YouTube has 100 times the viewers that Hulu has. With viewership being the key number in this marketplace, and with a business plan that now includes full-length television content, YouTube (and Google) are positioned to make a serious run at their competition. . (From BLORGE)

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Hercule Poirot in Halloween Party

. When a little girl claims to have witnessed a murder at a Halloween party, her news is ignored as the fanciful rambling of an imaginative child - that is, until the little girl turns up dead! Hercule Poirot must unmask a murderer amongst the things that go bump in the night.
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Latest Podcast

The latest podcast is up. It's episode two of The Fantastic Four. This particular show leads directly into episode three, so I might make next week's podcast episode three. Haven't decided yet.Have a listen here:http://otrtimespast.blip.tv/file/1316142/
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calfkiller cowboys podcast

I am rounding up and posting westerns in a new podcast called calfkiller cowboys. All the content will be available by rss feed and can be subscribed to on iTunes or any rss feed reader. I had done a lot of selections in the past on the original calfkiller OTR podcast and had several request to single out the westerns. You can visit the page here calfkiller cowboys. It is still under constructrion, but the feeds are ready to subscribe to, and all the content there now and in the future will be iPod, Zune, ect. ready, or available for direct download. Robert
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Blog post about Old Time Radio TimesPast

Here is an email received from NING Hi! My name is Nick, and I'm a community advocate at Ning. I edit the Ning blog (blog.ning.com), and I wanted to let you know that we recently featured your network. We try to feature as many active and unique networks as possible. We also write about upcoming releases and share tips and tricks to help Network Creators get the most out of their networks. You can read the featured blog post about your network here: http://blog.ning.com/2008/09/get-nostalgic-for-old-time-radio.html I hope you enjoy it! Thanks, Nick
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A List of My Collection

Adventures of SupermanAlien WorldsAldrich FamilyBlack MuseumBox 13Captain MidnightChickenmanEarth SearchGreen HornetInner SanctumLet George Do ItMan Called XNero WolfeNightbeatNightfallOperation LunaOrbit ZeroPhillip MarlowePlanet ManQuiet PleaseRed Planet MarsReturn to Paper PlatesSam SpadeSpace PatrolSuspenseTarzanThe AvengerThe SaintThe ShadowThe Story ladyThe Tooth FairyThe WhistlerTom CorbettWorld Adventurers ClubWorld in PerilX Minus OneYours Truly, Johnny Dollar
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OTR TimesPast Podcast 5

The latest show is a Batman story from the "Adventure" group, along with some interesting info I picked up on some failed Batman pilots.You can find it here:http://otrtimespast.blip.tv/file/1253905/
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"War of the Worlds" By H.G. Wells, adapted by Howard Koch, starring Leonard Nimoy, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Wil Wheaton, Meagan Fay, Jerry Hardin, Dwight Schultz, Armin Shimerman, Tom Virtue, and John de Lancie. Join actors from Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation as they recreate this classic radio thriller. The breathless pace and convincing details make it clear why the 1938 broadcast of an "eyewitness report" of an invasion from Mars caused a nationwide panic in 1938. Originally performed by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre of the Air, WAR OF THE WORLDS is truly the mother of all space invasions, offering a rare combination of chills, thrills and great literature. Includes an interview with Dr. David Stevenson, professor of Planetary Science at CalTech. The Links are in the share box on main page left bottom. It is in two parts.
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OTR TimesPast Podcast 4

The latest podcast is an episode of the 1945 Father Brown series entitled The Mystified Mind. If you're not a member of the "Whodunnit" group, and you'd like to hear it, pay a visit to the podcast:http://otrtimespast.blip.tv/file/1229487/
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OTR TimesPast Podcast 3

The third podcast, the unaired Conan episode, is up. Calfkiller has given me some software to aid in resizing images. Unfortunately, I've been so busy with work the past week, I haven't had a chance to do anything about it. When I have a little more spare time, I'll make the necessary adjustments to the earlier podcasts.http://otrtimespast.blip.tv/file/1199990/
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favorite shows

i really enjoy The Green Hornet,Lone Ranger,Dragnet,and most OTR comedy shows...i also enjoy old sporting events from the days of radio,baseball and football games especially!
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