Legacy Radio Theater - Old Time Radio Classics

Jeff Regan, Investigator, which aired on CBS Radio from 1948 to 1950, represented a crucial evolutionary step in Jack Webb's career between his hard-boiled waterfront detective characters and his legendary creation, Dragnet. Unlike his previous protagonists Pat Novak and Johnny Madero, who were tough guys taking whatever jobs they could get, Jeff Regan was a fully licensed private investigator working for Anthony J. Lyon's Internat...

Escape stands as radio's premier anthology series of high-adventure drama, airing on CBS from July 7, 1947, to September 25, 1954, and earning recognition as one of the medium's finest achievements in escapist entertainment. The series was conceived as radio's answer to exotic adventure fiction, offering listeners a weekly journey into extraordinary circumstances and life-or-death situations. Each episode began with the iconic intr...

The Mysterious Traveler (1943–1952) was one of radio’s most chilling and versatile anthology series. Hosted by the eerie, unnamed “Mysterious Traveler,” each episode invited listeners aboard a dark, late-night train bound for strange and unsettling destinations. With stories spanning crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural, the show delivered unexpected twists and spine-tingling suspense.

Written by the accla...

Box 13 stands as one of radio's most innovative detective series, presenting a fresh approach to the mystery genre during its syndicated run from 1947 to the early 1950s. Created by film star Alan Ladd's own production company, Mayfair Productions, the series broke new ground by featuring a protagonist who actively sought out adventure rather than having cases thrust upon him by circumstance or profession. Ladd played Dan Holiday, ...

Broadway's My Beat stands as one of radio's most atmospherically rich and literarily ambitious police dramas, airing on CBS from February 27, 1949, to August 1, 1954, and establishing itself as a unique entry in the crime genre through its poetic sensibility and vivid evocation of New York City's theater district. The series followed Detective Danny Clover of Manhattan's 16th Precinct as he patrolled "from Times Square to Columbus ...

Suspense, which aired on CBS Radio from 1942 to 1962, stands as perhaps the greatest achievement in radio drama and the undisputed master of the thriller genre during broadcasting's golden age. Created and produced by William Spier, who insisted on exceptional production values and superior scripts, Suspense earned its reputation as "radio's outstanding theatre of thrills" through meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering co...

The Whistler stands as one of American radio's most distinctive and enduring mystery series, running for thirteen years from May 16, 1942, to September 22, 1955, on CBS Radio. Unlike other detective shows of the era that featured recurring protagonists, The Whistler was an anthology series that presented self-contained stories of crime, guilt, and inevitable retribution. The show's most memorable element was its omniscient narrator...

It’s football fever at Madison High, and Connie Brooks finds herself caught up in the excitement — and the chaos — surrounding the big game against Clay City. Between Principal Conklin’s overblown pep talks, Walter Denton’s endless school spirit, and Mr. Boynton’s mild-mannered charm, Miss Brooks can barely keep her head in the classroom. But when a mix-up threatens to derail game day, she has to think fast to save the school’s pri...

Gunsmoke (1952 – 1961) was one of radio’s greatest adult Western dramas, bringing the American frontier to life with grit, realism, and unforgettable characters. Set in Dodge City, Kansas, during the late 1800s, the series followed U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon as he upheld law and order in a rough, often violent cattle town.

Unlike earlier “cowboy” shows, Gunsmoke was written for adults, blending a...

The Mysterious Traveler (1943 – 1952) was one of the golden age of radio’s most atmospheric anthology programs, blending mystery, suspense, crime, science fiction, and the supernatural into half-hour stories with a sting in the tail.

The series was created and written by Robert Arthur and David Kogan, and hosted by Maurice Tarplin, whose smooth but unsettling voice invited listeners to “ta...

Escape stands as radio's premier anthology series of high-adventure drama, airing on CBS from July 7, 1947, to September 25, 1954, and earning recognition as one of the medium's finest achievements in escapist entertainment. The series was conceived as radio's answer to exotic adventure fiction, offering listeners a weekly journey into extraordinary circumstances and life-or-death situations. Each episode began with the iconic intr...

The Adventures of Philip Marlowe stands as radio's most faithful adaptation of Raymond Chandler's literary hard-boiled detective, airing in two distinct incarnations that captured different aspects of the character's complex persona while establishing the standard for sophisticated detective drama on the airwaves. The series began on NBC on June 17, 1947, under the title "The New Adventures of Philip Marlowe," starring Van Heflin a...

Box 13 stands as one of radio's most innovative detective series, presenting a fresh approach to the mystery genre during its syndicated run from 1947 to the early 1950s. Created by film star Alan Ladd's own production company, Mayfair Productions, the series broke new ground by featuring a protagonist who actively sought out adventure rather than having cases thrust upon him by circumstance or profession. Ladd played Dan Holiday, ...

Our Miss Brooks stands as one of radio's most groundbreaking and enduring situation comedies, premiering on CBS on July 19, 1948, and establishing a template for workplace comedy that would influence television sitcoms for decades to come. Starring Eve Arden as Constance "Connie" Brooks, a sardonic English teacher at fictional Madison High School, the series broke new ground by presenting a working woman as its central character—ne...

Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator represents a fascinating evolution in radio detective drama, airing on NBC from October 3, 1951, to June 30, 1955, during the waning years of the Golden Age of Radio when the hard-boiled detective genre was beginning to feel formulaic and stale. Starring William Gargan, who brought unique authenticity to the role having actually worked as a private detective before entering show business, the...

Broadway's My Beat stands as one of radio's most atmospherically rich and literarily ambitious police dramas, airing on CBS from February 27, 1949, to August 1, 1954, and establishing itself as a unique entry in the crime genre through its poetic sensibility and vivid evocation of New York City's theater district. The series followed Detective Danny Clover of Manhattan's 16th Precinct as he patrolled "from Times Square to Columbus ...

The Whistler stands as one of American radio's most distinctive and enduring mystery series, running for thirteen years from May 16, 1942, to September 22, 1955, on CBS Radio. Unlike other detective shows of the era that featured recurring protagonists, The Whistler was an anthology series that presented self-contained stories of crime, guilt, and inevitable retribution. The show's most memorable element was its omniscient narrator...

Gunsmoke stands as perhaps the greatest achievement in radio Western drama and one of the finest examples of mature storytelling in broadcasting history, running on CBS Radio from April 26, 1952, to June 18, 1961, before transitioning to an equally successful television run. Created by producer Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston as a response to CBS chairman William S. Paley's request for a "Philip Marlowe of the Old West," t...

Escape stands as radio's premier anthology series of high-adventure drama, airing on CBS from July 7, 1947, to September 25, 1954, and earning recognition as one of the medium's finest achievements in escapist entertainment. The series was conceived as radio's answer to exotic adventure fiction, offering listeners a weekly journey into extraordinary circumstances and life-or-death situations. Each episode began with the iconic intr...