Children's Radio Theatre

[happyfilmluvguy]

What sort of shows did children listen to during the Golden Age?

I have a very small few which they would have listened to, including Batman, Superman, Rin Tin Tin, The Lone Ranger, and the Cinnamon Bear. What other shows were broadcasted for the younger ages?

 

[CharlieH.]

Archie Andrews! I love that one...

 

[Fletch]

Little Orphan Annie, Chandu the Magician, Jack Armstrong (the All-American Boy), Let's Pretend, Uncle Don, Captain Midnight...

 

[LizzieMaine]

Most childrens' programs were of the blood-and-thunder adventure serial type, which upset and concerned many parents -- some of the violence on children's radio by the 1940s was so outrageous that campaigns were mounted against it. One 1945 episode of "Superman" featured a crazed Nazi villain screaming "DIE SUPERMAN DIE" at the top of his lungs as a ferocious battle raged, no doubt inducing more than a few nightmares, and this wasn't the worst example of such excess.

There were a few kids' programs that avoided the blood and thunder, though. Most of these, like "Uncle Don" on WOR, were local features, but there were also network programs like Ireene Wicker's "The Singing Lady," which featured songs and stories for younger kids -- she was sort of the Fred Rogers of radio, and long after her network career ended she was still being heard over WNYC in New York as late as the 1970s. There was also "Coast To Coast on a Bus," which started as a local feature on WJZ in the late twenties before becoming a Sunday morning institution over NBC, with Milton Cross as the master of ceremonies for a troupe of kids who would perform songs and act in skits and sketches.

 

[dhermann1]

I used to like Big John and Sparky. I don't even remember anything about it, except that I loved it.

 

[ClayBob]

Like Lizze said in her post there seemed to be lots of adventure serial types. Personally I have been checking out Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police. If anyone is interested all 178 episodes of this serial are available to listen to and/or download here

http://www.otrfan.com/otr/sg/speed_gibson.html

Kinda hokey these days but for a barely pre WWII program it was very telling of things to soon come.