BEFORE WE HAD T.V.

Then there's Homer Simpson - go figure!

Well, both the wife and I were practically raised on TV...funny story, she actually learned to walk because she wanted to change the channel and there was nobody else around to do it.

Big Simpsons fans, but not a lot of new TV that we like. I find myself listening to the radio more, coincidentally. I like Stern and Coast to Coast, and a few local shows here in Toronto, all talk radio.

I think TV shows (especially the sitcoms) were better written in the 70's, like Barney Miller, Sanford and Son, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and all that ilk...could not get away with any show written like that today for all the 'political correctness'. And watching them in reruns nowadays, the messages regarding prejudice being 'a bad thing' are very clear. I'm sorry, but 'Will and Grace' just kinda misses the mark as 'cutting edge'...and what message do we get from 'Friends', for their astronomical salaries? Our sitcoms today suck...I watch none of them, although I liked Titus when it was on, heh. Everything I like seems to get cancelled

Bah...at least I get some movie channels, lol, save money on DVD rentals...

I can relate, Cav.

thinking back to before T.V. there was of course Radio but the main thing was in those days people did not have the sit around free time as they do today, i can remember in the evenings maybe an hour or at most two listening to radio programs. life was a damn sight harder in just day to day living. nostalgia is great but only if you omit the reality.

My family kept the radio on from waking til bedtime. Country music and soap operas by day and The Great Gildersleve and Lone Ranger by night.

I think you just should read books

I missed out on radio by a few years but thanks to modern technology I'm catching up via a company that reproduces the old shows on CD and cassette. If you are interested, you can find them at http://www.radiospirits.com/. Even if you are not in the mood to buy what used to be available for free, perusing the titles might bring back a few memories.

I find I am drawn most to the westerns, particularly a lesser known series called Frontier Gentleman. The sci fi is good, but the mysteries are too easy and the comedies -excuse the blasphemy- are not as funny as you might remember. Fibber McGee is an exception. Not because it is particularly funny, but the relationship between Fibber and Molly has an affectionate familiarity that has not been duplicated in television sit coms since.

In retrospect, most old radio shows had these dyn-o-mite lead-ins and the body of the show would be formula stuff. I still enjoy Gunsmoke, Dragnet, The Whistler and X-Minus One, among others. I have programs bought from Radio Spirits, plus, a local AM station replays the old shows on the weekend. It is hosted by Stan Freberg and sometimes Fred Foy helps out.

The latest catalog from Radio Spirits is featuring a two CD set of Stan Freburg's show. I must now reveal the depths of my callow youth and ignorance, for beyond the name I know nothing about Mr. Freburg. Any recommendations?

Stan Freburg did lots of advertising. For instance, an airline ad which began: "Hey, you, with the sweaty palms". He made his name initially with a series of records. These records were sometimes pretty entertaining. "St. George and the Dragonette" is a take-off on Dragnet. A second Dragnet take-off is "Little Red Riding Hood". "Day-o" is a take-off on the Harry Belafonte song. "John and Marsha" consists of the voices of a man and woman who each say only the other's name throughout; we "read" the story they tell by the emotion put into the saying. He has one of a record exec. recruiting a kid to sing rock 'n' roll. (What's that sharp stick for?) In the course of the kid's singing he gets repeatedly poked with the stick to get the proper sound into his vocalizing. I am sure these recording are still around somewhere. I never listened much to his radio show. Just wasn't interested.

Egadzooks- Does that take me back!


http://freberg.8m.com/

That's a great website, phoenix. I'm learning about Freberg all over again.

i remember my favorite radio host(before TV), Dr. Demento.

The Shadow knows.

A couple of years ago, they ran "The Shadow" on this oldies radio show. It REALLY took me back. I LOVED that show!

Lamont Cranston was actually a closet pinko, but he managed to avoid Senator Tailgunner's committee by projecting the image of the All American Boy Crime Fighter . . . that, and the heavy political muscle of the sponsor . . .

We were all pinkos back then - So some were thinking - except for them and their buddies, and some were not too certain of their buddies.

edgarblythe- Not me- "I Led Three Lives" (a very early TV show) had a great effect on my philosophy of life! I thought there were commies everywhere!

As a small boy, i was very much impressed by the Commie witch hunt, in the same way that the liddlies are frightened at Hallowe'en . . . i went into my grandmother's bedroom once, and caught sight of the popular women's magazine Red Book, and trembled in fear for some time, of the thought of my grandmother being found out and taken away . . .

Setenta- That is fabulous!

(To coin a '50's phrase)