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Seeing Ear Theater

Seeing_Ear_Theater.jpg"Between 1997 and 2001, at the height of the dot-com bubble, the Sci-Fi channel decided to invest some money into producing a number of original audio stories under the banner of Seeing Ear Theater, essentially a “next generation” of radio plays for a modern audience. A talented team of script-writers, excellent actors and sound effects people crafted a series of remarkable episodes, breathing life into the stories of both classic writers, like Harlan Ellison and Frederic Brown, and modern writers, like Neil Gaiman and J. Michael Straczynski."

 

 

  1. Kindred - Part 1 of 4 (10.7Mb)
  2. Kindred - Part 2 of 4 (13.6Mb)
  3. Kindred - Part 3 of 4 (6.1Mb)
  4. Kindred - Part 4 of 4 (14.8Mb)
  5. History of the Devil - Part 1 (10Mb)
  6. History of the Devil - Part 2 (8.4Mb)
  7. History of the Devil - Part 3 (7.8Mb)
  8. History of the Devil - Part 4 (7.6Mb)
  9. History of the Devil - Part 5 (9.6Mb)
  10. Snow Glass Apples - Part 1 (12.3Mb)
  11. Snow Glass Apples - Part 2 (8.9Mb)
  12. An Elevator and a Pole - Part 1 (13.2Mb)
  13. An Elevator and a Pole - Part 2 (12.8Mb)
  14. The Martian Crown Jewels (16.1Mb)
  15. The Time Machine - Part 1 (13.8Mb)
  16. The Time Machine - Part 2 (14.8Mb)
  17. Black Canoes (25.7Mb)
  18. Titanic Dreams (10Mb)
  19. The Moon Moth - Part 1 (10.8Mb)
  20. The Moon Moth - Part 2 (14.4Mb)
  21. The Lucky Strike - Part 1 (7.2Mb)
  22. The Lucky Strike - Part 2 (10Mb)
  23. A Good Knight's Work - Part 2 (NO PART 1 AVAILABLE) (4.1Mb)
  24. The Jaguar Hunter - Part 1 (8.4Mb)
  25. The Jaguar Hunter - Part 2 (6.6Mb)
  26. Fire Watch - Part 1 (5.9Mb)
  27. Fire Watch - Part 2 (7.6Mb)
  28. Facade (11.1Mb)
  29. Legend of Sleepy Hollow (3.5Mb)
  30. A Dry Quiet War - Part 1 (8Mb)
  31. A Dry Quiet War - Part 2 (6.3Mb)
  32. Diary of A Mad Deity - Part 1 (4.8Mb)
  33. Diary of A Mad Deity - Part 2 (5.7Mb)
  34. Child's Play (16.5Mb)
  35. In The Shade of the Slowboat Man (11.9Mb)
  36. Greedy Choke Puppy (8.5Mb)
  37. The Nostalgianauts (9.9Mb)
  38. Knock (10.1Mb)
  39. The Man Who Could Work Miracles (11.1Mb)
  40. Breakaway, Breakdown (8.3Mb)
  41. Emily 501 - Part 1 (5.7Mb)
  42. Emily 501 - Part 2 (3.7Mb)
  43. Marilyn or the Monster - Part 1 (6.3Mb)
  44. Marilyn or the Monster - Part 2 (4.1Mb)
  45. Sorry, Wrong Number (6Mb)
  46. Jumping Niagara Falls (9.1Mb)
  47. Feel The Zaz - Part 1 (6.2Mb)
  48. Feel The Zaz - Part 2 (8.7Mb)
  49. Neil Gaiman's Murder Mysteries - Part 1 (8.9Mb)
  50. Neil Gaiman's Murder Mysteries - Part 2 (8.4Mb)
  51. Propagation of Light in a Vacuum - Part 1 (5.4Mb)
  52. Propagation of Light in a Vacuum - Part 2 (5.4Mb)
  53. Meet The Neighbor (2.9Mb)
  54. Orson The Alien (13.2Mb)
  55. The Wheel - Part 1 (5.7Mb)
  56. The Wheel - Part 2 (6.1Mb)
  57. Daughter Earth - Part 1 (4.3Mb)
  58. Daughter Earth - Part 2 (4.2Mb)
  59. Other Worlds (5.1Mb)
  60. Times Arrow, Time's Spiral (7.9Mb)
  61. Alice In Wonderland - Part 1 (6.8Mb)
  62. Alice In Wonderland - Part 2 (5.9Mb)
  63. The Flat Edge of the Earth - Part 1 (7.9Mb)
  64. The Flat Edge of the Earth - Part 2 (6Mb)
  65. The Country Doctor (4.7Mb)
  66. The First (and Last) Musical on Mars - Part 1 (7.2Mb)
  67. The First (and Last) Musical on Mars - Part 2 (6.3Mb)
  68. The First (and Last) Musical on Mars - Part 3 (6.2Mb)
  69. George and the Red Giant - Part 1 (5.1Mb)
  70. George and the Red Giant - Part 2 (5.3Mb)
  71. The Bigger One (3.4Mb)
  72. Too Late - An Experiment in Sound (3.4Mb)
  73. The Signal-Man (6.8Mb)
  74. A Clean Escape (6.8Mb)
  75. Herd Mentality - Part 1 (6.1Mb)
  76. Herd Mentality - Part 2 (6.5Mb)
  77. Death Of Captain Future - Part 1 (7.4Mb)
  78. Death Of Captain Future - Part 2 (5.5Mb)
  79. Think Like a Dinosaur - Part 1 (5.8Mb)
  80. Think Like a Dinosaur - Part 2 (5.5Mb)
  81. Wanted In Surgery (10.6Mb)
  82. The Oblivion Syndrome (11.3Mb)
  83. Monkeys Paw (4.2Mb)
  84. The Tell-Tale Heart (5.5Mb)
  85. Into The Sun (5.8Mb)

 

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Johnny Carson's Hafl-Century of NBC Comedy

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Hosted by Johnny Carson, this two-hour retrospective reviews 50 years of classic NBC radio and television comedy performances. It aired Thanksgiving Day in 1982 as a special with Carson presenting comedy excerpts from a variety of comedy genres and explains his take on each. Included are satirical sketches from Saturday Night Live, the irreverent comedy of Bob and Ray; and the topical comedy of humorist Will Rogers. Also included are excerpts from the radio series "The Lucky Strike Program" starring Jack Benny and "Maxwell House Coffee Time" with George Burns. Performances by Victor Borge, Fred Allen, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Lucille Ball, Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, Ernie Kovacs, Steve Allen, W.C. Fields, Mae West, and Flip Wilson, among many others.


Johnny Carson 821120 Johnny Carson's Hafl-Century of NBC Comedy.mp3

 


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The BBC usually made available just the last episode in the podcast feed, and if you wanted past episodes the only option was to listen at the on-line archive while streaming. Now the archive is also available for download. The rss feed links below will show all episodes and downloadable mp3 links. 


Broken Down in Five Subject Feeds:

BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - Culture

In Our Time Archive – Culture

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of ideas. Topics in the Culture feed include: architecture, the Renaissance, writing forms (like the novel, the sonnett and biography), as well as a multitude of specific persons.

Podcast feed: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iotc/rss.xml




BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - History

In Our Time Archive – History

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of ideas. Topics in the History feed include: The Wars of the Roses, specific battles, a multitude of historical personages, as well as the history of tea.

Podcast feed: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/ioth/rss.xml




BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - Philosophy

In Our Time Archive – Philosophy

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of ideas. Topics in the Philosophy feed include: just war, rhetoric, great thinkers (Confucius, Popper, Socrates) as well as specific works of philosophy.

Podcast feed: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iotp/rss.xml




BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - Religion

In Our Time Archive – Religion

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of ideas. Topics in the Religion feed include: fundamentalism, prayer, the Devil, paganism, the Holy Grail, and the Spanish Inquisition.

Podcast feed: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iotr/rss.xml




BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - Science

In Our Time Archive – Science

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of ideas. Topics in the Religion feed include: genetic engineering, artificial intelligence (and regular intelligence), quantum gravity, oceanography, aliens and cryptography.

Podcast feed: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iots/rss.xml

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BBC To Open Vast Radio Archive Online

The Telegraph

The BBC is to introduce a new radio website, codenamed ‘Audiopedia’, to contain virtually its entire archive of speech radio programmes going back to the 1940s.

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BBC radio 4 presenters James Naughtie and John Humphries reading the papers during the Today Programme Photo: ROGER HUTCHINGS


The service is being developed for launch “within the next 12 months”, said Tim Davie, director of BBC Audio and Music. "Audiopedia", its working title, may yet become its formal name, he added.

 

“The BBC is working on how best to present Audiopedia at the moment but most people will probably access the new on demand content via other pieces of related content they are already listening to across the BBC website,” he explained.

 

The website will represent the biggest release of BBC programming on demand since the iPlayer was introduced in 2007.

 

As well as searching and listening to the archive, "Audiopedia" users will be able to share programmes with their friends.

 

The BBC is in the process of digitizing its audio and TV archives. Currently around 20 hours a week of Radio 4 archive is being added to "Audiopedia". Davie the process was being run at a “small cost to the tax payer” and that the website will be “porous” to other broadcasters’ content. More......

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Well, it has been over 12 months since this article was released, does anyone have any updated information on the progress of this undertaking?
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Kiwi6 - Free File Hosting with Hotlinking.

kiwi6-logo-64.pngKiwi6 is a free file hosting service that has some features I like. One is registration is easy, just have an email address and create a password. Can create folders. Can upload 5 files at once up to 100mb each. But the best thing is you can hotlink the file, which means you can put that link in your post at Times Past and will be able to play the file or download from your post directly. No going off-site to download or stream file, and no waiting so many seconds either.

After you upload a file, just use the Direct Hotlink for the file for your post here at Times Past or your web site.

You can sign up here.


TIP: If you use a browser that has tabs, you can open up Kiwi6 in an extra tab and start another 5 files uploading.

 

Here is an example I uploaded and how function in your post.

 

SNT 1950-01-07 The Late Edwina Black (William Dinner & William Morum)

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Twilight Zone

show538.jpgThe Twilight Zone "Radio Dramas" is a nationally syndicated radio series featuring adaptations of the classic television series The Twilight Zone, launched in October 2002. Many of the stories are based on Rod Serling's scripts from the original Twilight Zone series, and are slightly expanded and updated to reflect contemporary technology and trends (e.g., the mention of "cell phones" and "CD-ROMs" which, of course, were not around when the television show aired in the 1960's). In addition to adapting all of the original episodes aired on the 1959-1964 TV series, the radio series has also adapted some Twilight Zone TV scripts which were never produced, scripts from other Serling TV productions, and new stories written especially for the radio series. Taking Serling's role as narrator is Stacy Keach. A different Hollywood actor, such as Blair Underwood and James Caviezel, takes the lead role in each radio drama. In addition, several stars who appeared on the original TV series, such as H.M. Wynant, Orson Bean and Morgan Brittany, appear, although purposely not in the roles they originated on television. The series features a full cast, music and sound effects and is produced in the flavor of classic radio dramas but using today's technology.

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Pumpkin FM - Old Time Radio Network

 

pumpkinfmfp3.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710xMost Old Time Radio enthusiast already have a huge collection of shows collected or downloaded to listen to, but sometimes it is just nice to listen to the radio around the house, while working, or just relaxing. Whatever the occasion, a favorite streaming internet radio station to listen to is the Pumpkin FM Old Time Radio Network. They offer not one, but eleven great old time radio channels for your entertainment. Each channel plays a mix of the best British and American classic radio shows.

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Lux Radio Theater - South African

11032206270?profile=originalHere is a collection of South African Lux Radio Theater shows. Most all of these are excellent quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Shows:  Lux Radio Theater - South African.zip

 

Lux-SA_67-11-13_916_Sacred_Flame.mp3
Lux-SA_68-06-05_xxx_Dodo_In_Love.mp3
Lux-SA_69-06-16_The_Well_Dressed_Man.mp3
Lux-SA_69-10-06_The_Sound_of_Murder.mp3
Lux-SA_69-10-20_Trap_for_a_Lonely_Man.mp3
Lux-SA_70-03-02_xxx_Non_Stop_To_Victoria_2.mp3
Lux-SA_70-03-16_The_Late_Edwina_Black.mp3
Lux-SA_70-xx-xx_xxx_The_Man_Upstairs.mp3
Lux-SA_71-03-08_xxx_Goodnight_Mrs_Puffin.mp3
Lux-SA_71-07-12_xxx_Hallelujah_Corner.mp3
Lux-SA_71-12-13_xxx_Home_And_Beauty.mp3
Lux-SA_71-12-27_xxx_Waters_Of_The_Moon.mp3
Lux-SA_72-01-23_xxx_Camile.mp3
Lux-SA_77-xx-xx_xxx_Sellout.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Brief_Encounter.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Home_at_Seven.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Man_Upstairs.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Night_Was_Our_Friend.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Non_Stop_to_Victoria.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Out_of_the_Rain.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Public_Prosecutor.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Return_Journey.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Sailor_Beware.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Stranger_in_the_House.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Take_Care_on_Wednesday.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_The_Desperate_Hours.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_The_Meyerling_Affair.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_The_Night_Run.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_The_Story_of_Jacqueline.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_Youre_Not_The_Woman_I_Married.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_An_Act_Of_Mercy.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Ask_Me_No_Questions.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Autumn.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Brief_Encounter.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Collection_For_Mis_Kitterege.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Dark_Victory.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Desperate_Hours.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Five_Finger_Exercise.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_In_The_Day_The_Unicorns_Dance,mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Jane_Eyre.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Lame_Dogs_In_The_Living_Room.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Mr._Harringtons_Washington.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Portrait_In_Black.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Quadrille.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Robber_And_The_Priest.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_Sixteen_Lives_Of_A_Drunken_..>
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_The_Gift.mp3
Lux-SA_xx-xx-xx_xxx_The_Rose_Without_A_Thorn.mp3

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The Elvis Presley Story

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The Elvis Presley Story, produced and directed by Ron Jacobs, was first distributed by Watermark in 1971 as a 12-hour program. Following Presley's death in 1977, the original was updated and an additional hour was added making the story a total of 13 hours.

The Elvis Presley Story was written by Elvis biographer Jerry Hopkins and narrated by long-time Los Angeles media personality Wink Martindale. This shows are packed full of interviews and music.

The show being done in 1971 except the last added hour, the music recordings you can tell are from some of the original recordings. Quiet entertaining.

 

The Elvis Presley Story (1971) part 1

 

(more)

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The Lives of Harry Lime (HQ Set)

HarryLime.jpg?width=300The Lives of Harry Lime (original British title The Adventures of Harry Lime) was an old-time radio program produced in London, England during the 1951 to 1952 season.

Orson Welles reprized his role of Harry Lime from the celebrated 1949 film adaptation of Graham Greene's novel The Third Man. The radio series is a "prequel" to the film, and depicts the many misadventures of con-artist Lime in a somewhat lighter tone than the character's villainy in the film.

Most episodes would begin with "The Third Man Theme" being played, abruptly cut off by an echoing gunshot. Then Welles would speak:

"That was the shot that killed Harry Lime. He died in a sewer beneath Vienna, as those of you know who saw the movie The Third Man. Yes, that was the end of Harry Lime ... but it was not the beginning. Harry Lime had many lives ... and I can recount all of them. How do I know? Very simple. Because my name is Harry Lime."

Although often cited as a BBC production, the series was one of a number produced and distributed independently by the prolific Harry Alan Towers. Only sixteen of the episodes were acquired and broadcast by the BBC in the UK. It was the first time that the BBC broadcast episodes of a dramatic series that it did not produce. The full series was syndicated to radio stations in the U.S.

All  The Lives of Harry Lime (HQ Set).zip

Singles

 

Harry_Lime_51-08-03_01_Too_Many_Crooks.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-08-10_02_See_Naples_and_Live.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-08-17_03_Clay_Pigeon.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-08-24_04_Ticket_to_Tangier.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-08-31_05_Voodoo.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-09-07_06_Bohemian_Star.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-09-14_07_Love_Affair.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-09-21_08_Rogues_Holiday.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-09-28_09_Work_of_Art.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-10-05_10_Operation_Music_Box.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-10-12_11_Golden_Fleece.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-10-19_12_Blue_Bride.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-10-26_13_Every_Frame_Has_a_Silver..>
Harry_Lime_51-11-02_14_Mexican_Hat_Trick.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-11-09_15_Art_Is_Long_and_Lime_Is_..>
Harry_Lime_51-11-16_16_In_Pursuit_of_a_Ghost.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-11-23_17_Horse_Play.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-11-30_18_3_Farthings_for_Your_Tho..>
Harry_Lime_51-12-07_19_The_Third_Woman.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-12-14_20_An_Old_Moorish_Custom.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-12-21_21_Its_a_Knockout.mp3
Harry_Lime_51-12-28_22_Two_Is_Company.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-01-04_23_Cherchez_La_Gem.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-01-11_24_Hand_of_Glory.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-01-18_25_Double_Double_Cross.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-01-25_26_5000_Pengoes_and_a_Kiss.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-02-01_27_Dark_Enchantress.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-02-08_28_Earl_on_Troubled_Waters.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-02-15_29_Dead_Candidate.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-02-22_30_Its_in_the_Bag.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-02-29_31_Hyacinth_Patrol.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-03-07_32_Turnabout_Is_Foul_Play.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-03-14_33_Violets_Sweet_Violets.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-03-21_34_Faith_Lime_and_Charity.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-03-28_35_Pleasure_Before_Business..>
Harry_Lime_52-04-04_36_Fools_Gold.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-04-11_37_Man_of_Mystery.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-04-18_38_The_Painted_Smile.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-04-25_39_Harry_Joins_the_Circus.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-05-02_40_Suzies_Cue.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-05-09_41_Vive_Le_Chance.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-05-16_42_Elusive_Vermeer.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-05-23_43_Murder_on_the_Riviera.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-05-30_44_Pearls_of_Bohemia.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-06-06_45_A_Night_in_a_Harem.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-06-13_46_Blackmail_Is_a_Nasty_Wor..>
Harry_Lime_52-06-20_47_The_Professor_Regrets.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-06-27_48_The_Hard_Way.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-07-04_49_Paris_Is_Not_the_Same.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-07-11_50_Honeymoon.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-07-18_51_The_Blue_Caribou.mp3
Harry_Lime_52-07-25_52_Greek_Meets_Greek.mp3

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The Enduring Popularity of Sherlock Holmes

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The ever-lasting popularity of Sherlock Holmes has contributed to hundreds of works based on the character. You can find old time radio shows, full cast dramatizations, stage and screen adaptations, readings of short stories and books; if you can think of it, it has been done. Even two episodes of Star Trek The Next Generation, the popular TV series, featured Sherlock Holmes.

If you have ever listen to audio recordings of Sherlock Holmes, or any audio book for that matter, the narrator, or what I like to call the storyteller, makes all the difference in how enjoyable the story is. Take for example narrator David Ian Davies from One Voice Recordings. The magnitude of distinctly unique voices he performs of the characters creates a magically ensconce and elegant listening experience. Listen to this sample from Audible.com of "Sherlock Holmes and the Shakespeare Globe Murders" narrated by David Ian Davies: Listen

Whatever has sustained this fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the enduring popularity of Sherlock Holmes will continue no doubt. Is it his savvy logical reasoning, his ability to take on almost any disguise, or his forensic science skills to solve a problematic case. Anyway for all of us Sherlockian enthusiast, it is not just another detective case to be solved, with Holmes it is an adventure.
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Saturday Night Theater

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Saturday Night Theater was a long-running radio drama strand on BBC Radio 4. The strand showcased feature-length, middle-brow single plays on Saturday evenings for more than 50 years, having been launched in April 1943. The plays featured in the strand included stage plays, book adaptations and original dramatizations. For most of its history, programs ran for 90 minutes and were largely entertainment-centred, such as thrillers, comedies and mysteries.

Saturday Night Theater was noted as the major drama of the week on BBC Radio 4, until it was scrapped as a program strand in 1996. Shorter plays continued to be broadcast on Radio 4 on Saturday evenings from 1996 until the relaunch of the channel's schedule in April 1998 by James Boyle, when single dramas were removed from the Saturday evening schedule. Since 1998, the main weekly play on the station has been The Saturday Play, a daytime program that runs for 60–90 minutes.

There have since been campaigns to bring back Saturday Night Theater, but in the context of BBC budget cuts, that have included the 2010 axing of Radio 4's Friday Play (established in 1998, when Saturday Night Theater was abolished), any return looks unlikely.

 

 

Several episodes are back in the OTTR library now.

 

Saturday Night Theatre

 

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I fulfilled a bit of a dream on Friday - I went and got myself a first edition of The Hound Of The Baskervillles!

Although I don't believe it's the best plotted Holmes story or novel, and I'm not a massive fan of it's ending, it's STILL my favourite ever book. It's opening and it's scene setting could literally define crime fiction, and it's as evocative of it's time and place as anything I've ever read.

As a child I had (and still have) an illustrated & abridged version of Hound Of The Baskervilles, published by Moby Books. Although I can't factually say it's the first book I ever owned, I can absolutely state it's the first book I ever fell in love with.

At round about the same time, I first heard The Hound in audio form! I borrowed a Listen For Pleasure double tape from Radlett Library, read by Hugh Burden. I guess I'd have been about 7 or 8 years old! I borrowed those tapes regularly. Those actual cassettes now belong to me too! It was pretty common for Hertfordshire Libraries to periodically sell off old stock in those days (and probably still is). Because I'd borrowed them so many times, when they were put up for sale the sweet librarian lady actually put them to one side until she next saw me! I remember rushing home to get 10p from my mum, so I could buy the tapes I must have already listened to a dozen or more times!

Moving forward approximately 35 years; I had zero intention of actually purchasing a first edition when I entered Colin Page Books (in Brighton, Sussex) on Friday.

Although it's a specialist antiquarian bookshop - they also do a lot of bargains too, and from the outside table I'd picked up an 80p Ted Allbeury!! That was the only reason I went into the shop last week. However, once inside I thought I might as well have a look. They had a first edition Jennings (Anthony Buckeridge) in a locked cabinet that caught my eye, so I asked to see it. The brief conversation that followed led me to ask if he had any rare Chandler's or ACD's; At this point I was told about the first edition of The Hound they had in stock.

More out of interest than anything else I asked how much it was and I was slightly surprised at the seemingly good price. I've looked into them in the past (on a few occasions), and I either simply didn't have enough money or I just thought they were TOO expensive. Most of the time it was simply I couldnt afford it. Even after I knew the price Colin Page was asking, I still didn't think I was actually on the verge of buying it - but then the guy actually offered to show it to me!

As soon as I picked it up I knew it was possibly gonna end up coming home with me.

Published by George Newnes, Southampton Street, Strand, 1902. For a book that is now 109 years old, it was in really good nick.

I had a good look at it and said I'd think about it. The chap was very friendly and he wasn't at all pushy. He clearly knew that selling one of these wasn't an everyday occurence. He asked me if I'd ever spent that much on a book before. The straightforward answer was no!!

As soon as I left the shop I googled first editions of The Hound and double checked what the current going rate was. I already half knew this one was really pretty reasonable! Less than 10 minutes later and I was back in the shop asking to have another look. I double checked that it wasn't missing any of the 16 Sidney Paget pictures (plates) and asked if there was any room for negotiation on the price. He offered to knock £100 off. I said yes and took the little terror home!

I'm very very pleased with it.
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Here is a couple of dramatizations of  short stories by L'Amour from the podcast of nostalgic-radio.com. Just passing them along in case you missed them. Nostalgic-Radio has a lot of interesting content.

Folks far and wide know that the Cactus Kid can handle a pistol with the best of them. But for all his skill and coolness under fire, there's jut one small weakness he can't seem to overcome - and it may prove the death of him.


Louis L'Amour - Love and the Cactus Kid
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It had been many years since Lona Markham's father sent her from the rigors of ranch life to a convent school. Now she's returned to a wary, careworn man who hardly seems like the father she remembers. The ranch she's set to inherit someday is shadowed by brutish Frank Mailer, the man Lona's promised to marry--and haunted by the mysterious Black Rider, who watches the Blue Hill Ranch from a distance. Some say the Rider is a ghost, but all Lona knows is his presence makes both Poke Markham and Frank Mailer uneasy.

Then one day the enigmatic stranger reveals himself to Lona. Lance Kilkenny has ridden to this rugged country to repay an old debt to Lona's father. When he exposes a cold and daring scheme to cheat her of the Blue Hill Ranch, Lona Markham is plunged into terrible danger. But Kilkenny has a cool head and a fast gun hand.

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A 1954 dramatization of Paul Brickhill's best-selling novel about World War II. The documentary series focused on the 617 Dambusting Squadron and is full of air force adventure. There were 26 half-hour episodes, and the cast also featured Charles "Bud" Tingwell Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16 &17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis. The Mohne and Eder Dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley, while the Sorpe dam sustained only minor damage. All 26 episodes in excellent condition

 

 

Background

During the height of World War II it was the target of British Bomber Command to damage and destroy as much of Germany's industry as possible. After all, it is industry that is at the heart of any war effort. After in depth studies and many attacks of the industrial areas in Germany, the British soon realised that after an attack, the factories were soon rebuilt and more importantly dispersed over a wider area which made them more difficult to attack again.

It quickly became apparent though that there were limitations to where industry could be located. All industry requires power and therefore it must be located within a reasonable distance from a power source. This changed the way in which Bomber Command thought about attacking Germany's industry. Instead of attacking the factories, attacking their power sources was a much better strategy. The main advantage of attacking power sources is that many more than one factory uses the same power source. Destroying one power source would therefore lead to disruption in many factories and industries.

Bomber Command's attention then turned to which power sources to attack to give maximum damaging impact on the industry in Germany. Three sources of energy were identified; coal mines, the Rumanian oil fields and the hydroelectric dams. Two of these were quickly discounted. Coal mines were relatively easily repaired or rebuilt and the RAF possessed no aircraft with a suitable range to attack the oil fields located in far east Germany.

Despite the problems with the other two targets, the hydroelectric dams of Germany's Ruhr Valley were probably the best targets. These dams supplied water and power to the industry of the Ruhr Valley which was the heart of Hitler's war machine, as well as controlling the water levels in canals that transported materials to and from the factories. Huge resources of coal and iron ore saw the Ruhr Valley grow into the heartland of the country's industry during the early 20th century. Along with many large cities in the surrounding area, the dams were built during the growth period to cope with the inevitable power and water requirements. It was estimated that one quarter of Germany's water was consumed by this industrial area.

Of the 20 massive dams constructed in the Ruhr Valley, six dams were selected as targets with three of these being the primary targets. The Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe dams were the three primary targets. Between the Mohne and Sorpe, they held back 76% of the total water available to the industrial valley, one of the main reasons they were two of the primary targets. If breached these dams would bring the whole industrial valley to a stand still, causing massive damage to the steel industry devastating production of tanks, aircraft, guns and locomotives which were all vital to Germany's war effort.

 

 

Mohne Dam
Mohne Dam



Ironically, attacking the dams in Ruhr Valley was not a new idea. In anticipation of war, Britain began looking at industrial targets in the Ruhr as early as 1937. The dams were high on the target then, but these plans were shelved because of one major problem which eluded Bomber Command. How do you hit and breach a dam? - A problem which was far more complex than it appeared, especially over 60 years ago. Read More Here

 

 

 

All in One Zip File

Dambusters.zip

 

 

Single Episodes

 

Dambusters_1954_ep01.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep02.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep03.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep04.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep05.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep06.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep07.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep08.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep09.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep10.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep11.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep12.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep13.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep14.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep15.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep16.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep17.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep18.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep19.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep20.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep21.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep22.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep23.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep24.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep25.mp3
Dambusters_1954_ep26.mp3



Film

The Dam Busters (1955)

Download Movie Here

Dam_Busters_1954.jpg

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The Carter Sisters Show

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The Carter Sisters, (better known as their later moniker, The Carter Family) were an American singing quartet consisting of Maybelle Carter and her daughters June Carter Cash, Helen Carter, and Anita Carter. Formed during World War II, the group recorded and performed into the 1980s.


In the 1920s through the early 1940s, Maybelle Carter was part of the historic country music trio The Carter Family with her cousin Sara Carter and Sara's husband A. P. Carter. Maybelle's contribution to the group was singing harmony to Sara's lead vocal as well as playing guitar. Maybelle was married to A.P.'s brother Ezra Carter and had three children: June, Helen, and Anita.


In March 1943, when the original Carter Family trio stopped recording together after their WBT-AM contract ended, Maybelle Carter formed "Maybelle Carter & the Carter Sisters" with her three daughters June, Helen and Anita. Maybelle's daughters had frequently appeared with The Carter Family on their radio broadcasts of the early 1940's. The girls were young when the new act began: June at age 14; Helen, 16; and Anita, the youngest, at age 10.


The group was said to have been a mix of traditional songs of the original Carter Family with pop, gospel, and vaudeville comedy. Each daughter made her own contribution to the band.


  • Helen: vocals, guitar, and accordion
    Anita: vocals, guitar, and bass fiddle
    June: vocals, autoharp and comedy (June struggled with pitch problems and soon began to focus more on her
    comedic addition to the group than her singing.

The group (originally from Poor Valley, Virginia) made their first move to Richmond, Virginia in 1943. (They were reported as having kept their travel low key, with their father Ezra driving the group in a van to and from their destinations.) The new group first aired on radio station WRNL in Richmond on June 1, 1943. This broadcast would serve as their first commercially sponsored program and their first radio debut as "Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters." The girls' next big break was offered to them by "Sunshine Sue" of WRVA-AM. In September 1946 the group was asked to be a part of The Old Dominion Barn Dance on WRVA. The show had just begun and started small, however by the end of its first year was selling out its 1,400 seat theater twice a night, every Saturday. The group soon became a headliner for the show. Having spent five years in Richmond, the girls were yet again offered a job opportunity, this time in Knoxville, Tennessee.


In 1948, towards the end of their time in Richmond, the girls were offered the chance to work for WNOX-AM in Knoxville. They accepted and were then played on both the evening show, Tennessee Barn Dance; and the daily show, Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round.



Carter Sisters.zip (All Shows)


  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_01_first_song_-_cimmaron_audition.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_02_first_song_-_country_girl.mp3
  •  carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_05_first_song_-_no_vacancies.mp3
  •  carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_06_first_song_-_eight_more_miles_to_louisville.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_08_first_song_-_plain_old_country_girl.mp3
  •  carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_13_first_song_-_stay_a_little_longer.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_14_first_song_-_wish_i_had_a_nickel.mp3
  •  carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_15_first_song_-_sugar_hill.mp3
  •  carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_17_first_song_-_divorce_c.o.d..mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_18_first_song_-_an_old_fashioned_hoedown.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_19_first_song_-_skip_to_my_loo.mp3
  •  carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_20_first_song_-_oklahoma_city.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_21_first_song_-_cindy.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_22_first_song_-_sourwood_mountian.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_23_first_song_-_a_feudin_a_fussin_and_a_fightin.mp3
  • carter_sisters_4x-xx-xx_24_first_song_-_the_beautiful_morning_glory.mp3


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Cape Cod Radio Mystery Theater

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Cape Cod Radio Mystery Theater is a local, grassroots theater group founded in 1982 with the purpose of helping to revive and extend the American genre of Radio Mystery Theater. Through a series of original radio mysteries and thrillers set on Cape Cod, the group’s programs have been heard on more than 225 NPR stations and distributed nationally across bookstores, libraries and the Internet

 

 

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The Beatles: The Days In Their Life

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Below is some tracts from a podcast I ran across, but to see the full post and more information about the complete 30 hour broadcast click here.

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 1

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 2

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 3

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 4

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 5

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 6

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 7

The Beatles: The Days In Their Life vol 8

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Mickey Spillane - Kiss Me Deadly

KissMeDeadlyNovel.jpgFrank Morrison Spillane (March 9, 1918 – July 17, 2006), better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American author of crime novels. He was known for the series of novels featuring his signature detective character, Mike Hammer, among other works. More than 225 million copies of his books have sold around the globe. Many of the Mike Hammer novels were made into movies, including the classic film noir Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and The Girl Hunters (1963), in which Spillane himself starred. In Kiss Me Deadly, Mike Hammer is driving south to New York city when he found a woman standing in the road. He picked her up, and learned she escaped from a sanatorium. Soon a dark sedan cut them off, the men attacked Mike and knocked him out. The now dead woman and Mike are placed in his car, then it is pushed over the cliff. What happens next? Read by Stacy Keach. (from boxcars711)

 

Mickey Spillane - Kiss Me Deadly Part 1


Mickey Spillane - Kiss Me Deadly Part 2

Mickey Spillane - Kiss Me Deadly Part 3

Mickey Spillane - Kiss Me Deadly Part 4


The Film


KissMeDeadly.jpg?width=320A 1955 film noir drama produced and directed by Robert Aldrich starring Ralph Meeker. The screenplay was written by A.I. Bezzerides, based on the Mickey Spillane Mike Hammer mystery novel Kiss Me, Deadly. Kiss Me Deadly is often considered a classic of the noir genre. The film grossed $726,000 in the United States and a total of $226,000 overseas. It also withstood scrutiny from the Kefauver Commission as being a film said to be designed to ruin young viewers, leading director Aldrich to write against the Commission's conclusions.

Kiss Me Deadly marked the film debuts of both actresses Cloris Leachman and Maxine Cooper.


Download Movie Here


11032208889?profile=originalMickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, with Darren McGavin in the title role, is the first syndicated television series based on Mike Hammer, the hard-boiled private detective created by novelist Mickey Spillane. The series (produced from 1957 through '59) had a run of 78 episodes over two seasons. Episodes were filmed in black and white and filled a half-hour time slot. The show followed the adventures of New York-based gumshoe Mike Hammer as he regularly played judge, jury and executioner to an assortment of bad guys.

There is several episodes available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL550EE94E70AD5980&feature...

Tnmh_title_card.jpgThe New Mike Hammer was an American television series based on the exploits of the fictitious New York-based private detective Mike Hammer. The show starred Stacy Keach and was essentially a continuation of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, an earlier television program featuring an identical core cast. In fact, similarities between The New Mike Hammer and Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer are so close that many often group the two shows together under the same "Mike Hammer" umbrella.

There is an episode on YouTube "The New Mike Hammer - Satan, Cyanide, and Murder (1984)" here


Interview with Stacy Keach

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Calfkiller On The Move


You may not of noticed, but I am bringing content from the old Calfkiller blogs and making part of, or available, to the Times Past community. The content I have posted on the Calfkiller blogs will be easily available here.
Have been asked often about the name Calfkiller. Some even said the name scared them. I am from the Cumberland Mountains area of Tennessee and one of the rivers here is called Calfkiller River. The name was taken from a Cherokee Indian Chief from this area of Tennessee, called Chief Calfkiller.

In the beginning old time radio had always been an interest to me and friends would ask for links to help in finding shows. The Calfkiller web page, or blog, was started just for friends to view links to content when I ran across something of interest. The name Calfkiller was easy to remember for anyone in the area and was just used for simplicity for just a few friends from the area. This was in the late 1990's, about the time Napster appeared.

Over time Old Time Radio started to make a come back, and search engines improved, mp3 players became more and more popular; and so did traffic to the Calfkiller blog. So I guess old Chief Calfkiller's name lives on in reference to Old Time Radio.


I started Times Past here on Ning shortly after they came on board as a platform, actually one of the first to sign up. I knew the interface had the potential to be a perfect place for the hobby of Old Time Radio. A lot better than anything I could ever come up with. It has been hard to move completely away from the Calfkiller blog, it has been a good refer for Time Past.

Now the Times Past community is growing with new members almost every day. Not just Old Time Radio fans, but also admirers of content from the post-era of Old Time Radio. I am thankful for the UK and others keeping the entertainment of radio alive today. There is some very creative and imagative minds writing and producing; as well outstanding actors from the UK keeping us old timers entertained, along with a whole new generation of new listeners.

I would like to thank all the members here at Times Past who have contributed content for all of us to enjoy, as well as contributors of the genre from other web sites who make content available. Whether any of you know or not, you are helping to preserve this content for future generations when we are gone.

Robert
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