Now you folks are talking about when I grew up, in the '40's. There was, of
course, "The Shadow" who in reality was LaMont Cranston. There was "Johnny Dollar", a P.I. kinda show that started with him reading his expense account. John (The Duke) Wayne starred in "Sgt. Preston of The Yukon". And "Tennessee Jed". It started with someone saying, "There he goes, Tennessee, Git em", followed by A rifle shot and "Got em…dead center"
"Captain Midnight" was a crime vs hero show. You could send off for a secret
code ring, and at the end of the show they'd give a message in the secret
code. And, yes, I had one. The sponsor was "Ovaltine" a chocolate powder
that mixed with milk.
"Mr District Attorney" was a crime show, where no one had a first name. Jay Joston played the part of the D.A. who was always referred to as "The Chief", Vicky Volla was "Miss Miller" and the head investigator was "Harrington". It always opened with "…and it shall me my duty, as District Attorney, not only to prosecute to the limits of the law, all persons accused of crimes, perpetrated within this county, but to defend, with equal
vigor, the rights a privileges of all it's citizens".
There was "Gangbusters", a show about the F.B.I., Another FBI show was, "The FBI in Peace War" which was suppose to take you through real cases. "Gunsmoke" that did not star James Arness, "The Gene Autry Show (with Dale Evans) was on Saturday morning. "The Inner Sanctum" always started the show with a very creaky door, that took forever to close, then did with a slam. "The Outer Limits" was another spooky show. On Tuesday evening was "The Eddie Cantor Show" a song and dance show. It always closed with him singing, "I love to spend each Tuesday with You….. as friend to friend……. I honestly do…." Perry Como had a show, too. The Bob Hope Show was another. They always had a guest, like Crosby or female singers. The Jack Benny Show was a comedy (with Eddie Anderson as "Rochester"). Jack would play his violin, and he was good til he started hamming it up. Fred Allen had a show, and sometime during the show you'd go down "Allen's Alley" to meet his guest. Who can forget George Burns Gracie Allen or Amos Andy ??
Comedy shows abounded with "Fibber McGee Molley" who lived at 79 Wisful Vista, and his famous closet. And Molley's "t'aint funny, Mcgee !" "The Little Immigrant". Which was a comedy that starred J. Carroll Nash (he was the Italian soldier in "Sahara"). It started with a letter to his mother, in Italy, and ended with him signing, "Luigi Basco, The little immigrant". "Thunder Road" (later a movie) was about the boys in the country who made moonshine and run it to the big cities. It was drama/comedy and lots of car chases with squealing tires.
There were serials on in the late afternoon, "Jack Armstrong (The All American boy)", which was sponsored by Wheaties. "Sky King", "Smilin' Jack", "Terry The Pirates", "Superman" who was "faster that a speeding bullet, could leap tall buildings in a single bound, more powerful than a locomotive….. Look…up in the sky… it's a bird".....etc.
Some of the serious stuff was "The Lux Radio Theater", which as mentioned
was sponsored by Lux Soap. Proctor Gamble had a story kind of show
too, something with the word "Ivory" in it. Can't remember that one...
I can't believe I am actually remembering all of this…… I lived this stuff, back then.
Around 1100 the soaps started.. "When A Girl Marries", "As The World Turns", "Stella Dallas", "One Life To Live", "Young Widow Brown", "The
Sands Of Time", and others. Kept the stay-at-home moms glues to the radio.
There are more, I'm sure, but my brain is tired…. And my eyes are misty.
Hope this helps, Lucky…..
Charles