Notice the radio is the same one as in the photo below. Isn't this an interesting advert? Radio was a major form of 'media' in the old days and kept folks informed on a daily/hourly basis of what was going on in the world.
When I was a girl our major form of 'media' entertainment was the radio. Women and men use to listen to 'soap operas'. They were called soap operas because many of the programs were on-going stories and were sponsored by soap companies. Many of the detective and cowboy programs were sponsored by cigarette companies. The radio in the photo is a replica of the one we had in our home. It was a 1942 Zenith AM Shortwave. I wish I could say it was ours but alas, I can not. It surely does bring back memories. Late at night on weekends and in the summer I would tune in to the BBC in England. I could also listen to broadcasts all over Europe as well as South Africa. It was amazing.
My father use to tune in to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights and I can still hear Roy Acuff and Little Jimmy Rodgers in my head.
For the U.S. there was WMBD/Peoria, WLS/Chicago, KOB/Albuquerque, KOMA/Oklahoma City, there was a really good one from LA that I can't remember anymore. There were AM stations all over this country and this little honey could get them all.
I still listen to old time radio programs located here: http://www.archive.org/details/radioprograms
Look for the alphabet bar, pick a letter, and have fun. You might have to search a while until you find something you like. Some of my favorites were the mystery shows, Gunsmoke, Cisco Kid, Inner Sanctum, Sherlock Holmes, etc.
WARNING:
LISTENING, RATHER THAN SEEING, REQUIRES IMAGINATION.
I hope you'll give listening to the radio a try sometime. Wouldn't that be a novelty for children in our high tech society. . . and if you live alone it's a lovely way to spend an evening instead of watching the telly. It stretches the imagination.
Make a bowl of popcorn, a pitcher of Kool-Aid, turn down the lights, tune in and enjoy.
3 comments:
What a cute radio! I love this idea. I have yet to sit down with the kids and listen but I plan on doing it tomorrow after church.
Last night we were watching The Otherside of Heaven, and there is a part at the end were the missionary is going home, the whole island is sad a puts on a party for him. Once the party starts to settle, a very large Tongan carries out a radio for everyone to gather and listen too. As this part plays out on the screen, you can hear gunfire, and horse hoofs and some dialogue that ends with a "high di oh Silver and away!" and Morgan turned to me and says, "Mom, we have that movie, the Lone Ranger".
I just thought it funny that we have watched enough of the OLD ones on TV to know that when she hears it on the radio, she can identify it :)
Our kids kind of have an inkling. We like to listen to book on tape whenever we take road trips, even if it is just to Calgary or Great Falls.
Hank the Cow Dog was a good one because they did the voices.
We listened to the Twilight Series last and I have the Fire of the Covenant Coming from the Library.
Radio is really very cool to listen to. I love books on tape and have had to force myself to start actually 'reading' again. I have read about 8 books so far this summer but evening is still old time radio. I'm tickled to hear Morgan knows who the Lone Ranger is.
I have discovered Have Gun Will Travel and it's a hoot to listen to. Some of those old timeys are pretty dramatic.
I love those Hank the Cowdog stories...do you have them Cheyenne?
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