Product Description

Intended for both the casual listener and the serious hobbyist or researcher, this one-volume handbook includes a descriptive log of more than 2,000 different programs, with casts, announcers, network, length of program, duration of appearance, availability, and, where appropriate, story lines; categorized logs of more than 4,500 programs, organized by type of program; separate characters covering each type of program, with historical information and guidelines for researching and understanding each category of old-time radio programming; descriptions of the better-known premiums offered during radio's Golden Age; a history of the networks; a chapter on resources available for those interested in acquiring old-time programs, reference material, and/or memorabilia; and indexes of over 8,000 performers and program titles.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1074592 in Books
• Published on: 1993-06-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 825 pages

From Booklist
In a recent article in Reference Services Review, Eleanor Block, head of Ohio State's Journalism Library, points out that the experts do not agree on dates for the golden age of radio. She adopts as a definition, "from the beginnings of broadcasting through 1960." More importantly, she critiques the three radio reference books (now out of print) that old-time radio (OTR) buffs have found most useful: Buxton and Owen's The Big Broadcast, 1920-1950 (Viking, 1972), Dunning's Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925-1976 (Prentice-Hall, 1976), and Terrace's Radio's Golden Years: The Encyclopedia of Radio Programs 1930-1960 (A. S. Barnes, 1981). Buxton and Owen is particularly useful for its inclusion of information about producers, directors, writers, and music directors and its photographs of performers. Dunning includes only dramatic, comedy, and variety programs and provides extensive critical comments as well as photos of performers. Terrace is useful for its inclusion of sponsor name, announcer's opening lines, and nearly 100 photographs.

The range of material covered by the Handbook of Old-Time Radio--capitalizing on more than 12 years of research, including using the NBC archives at the Library of Congress--means that this volume supplements (but does not supplant) the three titles previously cited. This volume covers from 1926 (when NBC was incorporated) to 1962. It consists of three parts. The first, a brief history of networks and broadcasting, is unique--nothing like it is found in the other three books. Part 2, a unique tabulation, consists of category logs listing more than 4,500 programs organized by program type (e.g., comedy, soap operas, quiz and audience participation, news, sports, religious, and, unique to this volume, armed forces and foreign broadcasting). Each category log is arranged in three columns: program title, network, and number of episodes available. The third part, "Program Descriptive Log," briefly describes more than 2,000 of the better-known programs, providing for each such information as the year of first and last show, performers, length of program, and story line. The handbook concludes with directory information (public collections, OTR fan clubs, dealers); a selected, annotated bibliography; a performer/name index; and a program index.

These four sources differ in the amount and variety of information given and its presentation, as examination of them for their treatment of such favorites as "Fibber McGee and Molly" and "Bell Telephone Hour" will quickly show. Public and academic libraries and old-time radio buffs will enrich their radio-history collections with the comprehensive Handbook of Old-Time Radio.

About the Author
John D. Swartz (PhD, University of Texas), Chief of Psychological Services, Central Counties Center for MH-MR Services, Temple, TX, was previously Associate Dean for Libraries and Learning Resources and Professor of Psychology and Education, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX. Robert C. Reinehr (PhD, University of Texas) is Associate Professor of Psychology, Southwestern University. Both have been fans and collectors of old-time radio programs, premiums, and other radio-related memorabilia for many years. They contributed the article, "Radio Program Recordings," to the "Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound in the United States."

Customer Reviews

An Undiscovered Treasure
OTR fans don't skip over this book! While not as detailed in specifics as Dunning's this book covers a wider range of programs including foreign versions of US show & US airings of foreign broadcasts. It also has a long section listing shows by catagory. You will find quite a few shows that aren't listing elsewhere and if details are lacking its generally because they just don't exist. All in all an excellent reference.