Épisodes

  • Captains of Industry: The Story of John Wannamaker|Inspirational Biography

    Captains of Industry: The Story of John Wannamaker|Inspirational Biography
    Nov 17 2025
    This January 2, 1938 episode of Captains of Industry tells the story of John Wanamaker, the Philadelphia merchant who transformed American retail. Beginning as an ambitious young salesman, Wanamaker dreamed of a store built not just on commerce, but on fair dealing, trust, and hospitality.

    His innovations — fixed prices, money-back guarantees, employee education, and designing stores as places of experience rather than mere counters — reshaped how Americans shop. From a rented storefront to a grand emporium filled with marble galleries, tea rooms, and music, Wanamaker’s vision turned buying and selling into something more human — a relationship between merchant and community.

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    Related:
    John Wanamaker: A Retailing Innovator

    http://www.maykuth.com/Archives/wana95.htm

    A Short History of the Life of John Wanamaker:

    https://web.archive.org/web/20181014181113/http://wanamakerorgan.com/john.php

    Stories of Great Christians: John Wanamaker:

    https://moodyaudio.com/products/john-wanamaker



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    14 min
  • Adventures in Research: Heart in the Skies

    Adventures in Research: Heart in the Skies
    Nov 9 2025
    This May 19, 1953 episode of Adventures in Research tells the story of John James Audubon — the artist and naturalist whose devotion to studying and painting birds resulted in one of the most celebrated works in American scientific and artistic history: Birds of America.

    From his early fascination with woodland songbirds to the years he spent traveling, sketching, and refining his craft, this broadcast traces Audubon’s lifelong effort to capture birds as they truly appear in nature — vivid, life-sized, and full of motion. His determination would carry him across continents and through hardship, driven by a belief that the beauty of the wild should be preserved and understood.

    This short dramatization blends biography with atmosphere, presenting Audubon not only as a painter but as a man who saw the natural world with both precision and awe.

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    Related links:
    The National Audubon Society
    https://www.audubon.org

    Birds of America Digital Collection
    https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america

    John James Audubon Biography:
    https://www.nps.gov/people/john-james-audubon.htm

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    18 min
  • Jimmy Stewart Sings the Joys of Bachelorhood

    Jimmy Stewart Sings the Joys of Bachelorhood
    Nov 3 2025
    The Old Time Radio Snack Wagon celebrates its 100th episode by returning to one of its very first subjects — the incomparable Jimmy Stewart. This time, we catch the beloved actor in a rare comedic turn from a March 10, 1948 episode of Philco Radio Time with Bing Crosby. In this lighthearted broadcast, Bing and Jimmy spar over Stewart’s bachelor status, trading sharp quips about marriage, women, and independence.

    The exchange soon gives way to Stewart’s own tongue-in-cheek musical number, “The Wolf of Wolf Creek Pass,” offering listeners a playful look at the legendary actor’s sense of humor and self-deprecation.

    Though Stewart was considered one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors at the time, life had other plans — he would marry Gloria Hatrick McLean the following year, remaining devoted to her for 45 years.

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    8 min
  • Guest Star: Fear|Suspenseful Audio Drama

    Guest Star: Fear|Suspenseful Audio Drama
    Oct 27 2025
    This week’s Old Time Radio Snack Wagon features a chilling episode of Guest Star, a U.S. Treasury Department program promoting savings bonds. In this 15-minute broadcast, acclaimed actress Ida Lupino stars in Fear, a taut psychological drama about a woman convinced that someone is following her—though no one believes her story. As her terror mounts, listeners are drawn into a suspenseful world where reality and delusion blur until the truth is revealed in one unforgettable moment.

    Produced as part of the Defense Bonds campaign, Guest Star often spotlighted top film and radio talent in short dramas or light comedies. This episode stands out for its dark tone and Lupino’s commanding performance, demonstrating why she became one of the era’s most respected and versatile actresses.

    Original Air Date: August 2, 1953

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    18 min
  • Adventures of Babe Ruth: Feud with Tim Daly, Umpire

    Adventures of Babe Ruth: Feud with Tim Daly, Umpire
    Oct 20 2025
    In this episode of The Adventures of Babe Ruth, the Bambino faces one of his toughest opponents — not a pitcher, but an umpire. When a long-simmering feud between Babe Ruth and umpire Tim Daly boils over during a crucial late-season game, tempers flare, fans riot, and the “Sultan of Swat” finds himself caught between pride and responsibility. What follows is a tale of sportsmanship, humility, and redemption — told with the flair and energy that made this U.S. Navy–produced series a hit among young listeners.

    Though inspired by real headlines, Feud with Tim Daly is pure radio fiction — a dramatized look at the legend of Ruth as a moral hero and ambassador for the game. The episode captures the spirit of baseball’s golden age, where the crack of the bat echoed alongside lessons in fairness and self-control.

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    18 min
  • The Unexpected: Cargo Unknown

    The Unexpected: Cargo Unknown
    Oct 13 2025
    In this 15-minute mystery from The Unexpected, Lyle Talbot stars as deep-sea diver Tom Stevenson, a man drawn into a web of deception and greed when a mysterious widow offers him a fortune to recover lost treasure from a sunken ship off the coast of Hawaii. But as the dive grows darker and the truth rises to the surface, Stevenson learns that fate—and fortune—can turn in the most unexpected ways.

    Produced in Hollywood and syndicated across the country, The Unexpected ran during 1947–1948, offering compact dramas with twist endings reminiscent of Suspense and The Whistler. Cargo Unknown is a sharp example of the series’ flair for irony and moral surprise, delivered with brisk pacing and atmospheric sound design.

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    20 min
  • Family Doctor: Once to Every Boy|Family Drama

    Family Doctor: Once to Every Boy|Family Drama
    Oct 6 2025
    In this episode of The Family Doctor, titled Once to Every Boy, mischief finds the Maynard twins when they decide to buy a cigar, pretending it's for their father. What begins as a seemingly innocent errand from the local drugstore quickly spirals into a secret experiment gone wrong. Soon, both the town doctor and minister must step in as the boys learn firsthand the consequences of their actions.

    Produced in 1937, The Family Doctor was a syndicated drama series that combined gentle humor with small-town lessons, reflecting everyday dilemmas of American life. This episode shows how even common missteps were handled with compassion and understanding in the world of old-time radio storytelling.

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    17 min
  • Queen Lucille's Court|Classic Comedy Skit

    Queen Lucille's Court|Classic Comedy Skit
    Sep 29 2025
    This April 1, 1943, segment of Kraft Music Hall pairs Bing Crosby with a rising comedy talent who would one day become one of television’s most iconic stars—Lucille Ball. At this point in her career, Ball was a hardworking film and radio actress, known for her quick wit and growing comedic presence.

    In this sketch, she plays a regal “Queen Lucille” in a playful routine filled with wordplay, royal suitors, and plenty of laughs. Lucille Ball’s radio appearances like this one helped showcase her timing and charm long before I Love Lucy made her a household name. These performances built the foundation for her future reign as the “queen of comedy.”

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    10 min