The Top 100 Classic Radio Shows

So NOT what I thought it was. It sounded like this was a book full of stories and information about the old radio shows. It's not. It has just very basic info for each show. Almost just like advertising/promo blurbs. I purchased this for my father and was really disappointed when we got it.

My first experience with golden age radio shows was listening to a 1970s sampler album. This is much better. With the sample shows via enclosed CD or download, and with just the right amount of detail and teaser-like descriptions provided for each show, it’s a great introductory survey of golden age radio. I love the “Did You Know” feature!The book is written by two authors who are truly subject matter experts for this topic. The book's layout is nicely done with attractive artwork, great photos, and a convenient table of contents. Even casually browsing the pages makes me want to pull up a sample of one of the shows and enjoy an episode!It is the perfect book for someone who is new to the genre, or as a handy reference for the hobbyist interested in discovering shows they may have not yet encountered.

I give it three stars because while the authors included most of what would be considered the top 100 radio shows by a lot of radio historians, they also missed a few shows that should have been included instead of others. I really don't understand why they included an obscure show like "The Adventures of Archie Andrews", based on the comic strip, but didn't include "The Easy Aces", a show written by and starring Goodman Ace who was a respected radio and TV writer, and his wife Jane. While not as well known today as "Fibber McGee and Molly", the quality was on the same level and also as with "Vic and Sade". But the most egregious omission was Arthur Godfrey Time in the Variety category. Godfrey was THE giant of radio from the mid-forties to early fifties, equivalent to Oprah in TV. They should have also included a category for soap operas, and included soaps like "One Man's Family", "Ma Perkins", "The Romance of Helen Trent" and "Just Plain Bill", which were some of the longest running radio shows. They did include "Stella Dallas" in the drama category, but that was also a soap opera. The selection of shows on the CD's are ok, and it does have an episode of "The Eddie Cantor Show" which I don't think are available on CD, but for the episode of "Suspense", I really wished they would have selected "Sorry, Wrong Number" which was the most famous episode of that series.

I am disgusted and dismayed that the authors omitted Gene Autry's Melody Ranch program on CBS Radio. Autry's Melody Ranch program always beat Roy Rogers Show in the ratings and was much more popular on radio than Rogers. How could they omit Gene Autry? Blasphemy!!!The authors proudly proclaim that Rogers has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, wow, but Gene Autry is the ONLY star who has FIVE stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.I hope to return the book or sell it. Do not like it.

Am a big fan of Old Time Radio Fibber Mcgee and Molly and The Great Gildersleeve shows are what got me started. I was expecting a paperback book was really surprised when it is a hard cover book. This is one hobby I really enjoy doing. I listen to 2 shows of the Great Gildersleeve every night and enjoy them immensely prefer these shows than whats on tv now and they always make me laugh.

If I had a coffee table, this book would be on it permanently. Instead, it is on my bookshelf, prominently displayed and within easy reach for my enjoyment at any time. Great collection of old time radio show information featuring most of the most popular shows of the time. Brings me back to my childhood, when I had my ear to the radio and not my eyes to the TV. Great book for old radio fans!

The book itself is entertaining, but you have to go to a website to download the episodes in the book. I did not see a means to download them as a block of files. It will be tedious to sit and download them individually.

Wow! Ok so I bought this as a gift for my father who enjoys his classic radio shows. I thought they were only CDs of the programs. I way so wrong. It is a gorgeous 224 page book full of radio program history! My dad was so happy to receive this. Wonderful book!

This book is pretty much a must have for fans of OTR. Excellent deal. Concise, informative writeups about the 100 shows,with interesting bits of trivia.