"Radio Days" Ended 45 Years Ago

The last chapter of network dramatic radio programming came to pass with the final broadcasts of both “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” and “Suspense” on September 30, 1962. Many series have kept the art form of radio alive, among the first and most ambitious being “The CBS Radio Mystery Theater” (1974-82), produced and directed by Himan Brown.

The Archive of American Television, in capturing long-form career interviews with early TV on-camera and production talent, also captured stories about America’s “Radio Days.”

Among the interviewees who talked about the Golden Age of Radio (with links to the interviews available online) are:

Steve Allen (performer)
Buddy Baker (composer)
George Balzer (writer)
Cliff Barrows (music director)
John Conte (announcer/performer)
Alexander Courage (composer)
Richard Crenna (performer)
Louis Dorfsman (CBS graphic designer)
Ralph Edwards (producer/host)
Ruth Duskin Feldman (performer)
Albert Freedman (producer)
Larry Gelbart (writer)
Seaman Jacobs (writer)
Lamont Johnson (performer)
Don Knotts (performer)
Mort Lachman (writer)
Richard Lewis (producer)
Art Linkletter (announcer/host)
Mitch Miller (conductor)
Rita Moreno (performer)
Robert Mott (sound effects specialist)
Anne Nelson (executive)
Don Pardo (announcer)
Abraham Polonsky (writer)
Larry Rhine (writer)
Andy Rooney (writer)
Rose Marie (performer)
Aaron Ruben (writer)
Bob Schiller (writer)
Mel Shavelson (writer)
Hazel Shermet (performer)
Doris Singleton (performer)
“Buffalo” Bob Smith (performer)
Frank Stanton (executive)
Fred Steiner (composer)
Leonard Stern (writer)
Rachel Stevenson (producer)
Robert Trout (news correspondent)
Bob Weiskopf (writer)
Alan Young (performer)