Listening to Serials

[LizzieMaine]

A lot of the most enduring radio programs were aired in a serial format -- 15 minute or half-hour episodes aired daily or weekly over long periods. How do you like to listen to these types of programs -- do you sit down and listen to them all at once, one episode after another until the story's done, or do you string them out by listening to only one or two episodes a day?

For years I used to listen to one episode of "Lum and Abner" every night while doing the dishes -- and it took me quite a while to get thru all the existing programs that way! Since then I always prefer to listen to serials in daily doses rather than in bulk. How bout you folks?

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I have a copy of Les Miserables in serial. I actually have not listened to it, but I would say I'd prefer listening to it daily as well.

Even though they technically aren't serials, continuing episodes that Jack Benny and Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy did were very good. Like when Charlie sued Fred Allen. I really liked how they would end an episode and you would need to tune in the next week to find out the conclusion. I think the Lone Ranger is like this in a few episodes, isn't it?

Another serial I have, though not complete is Journey Into Space which is mentioned in another thread. The first two episodes got me interested, but too bad I don't have the remaining. I think serials on radio as well as on film are a really good way to keep a person glued to their seat until the next week. Television seems to be the only media now that still follows this format. Too bad.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Listening to cereals? Rice Crispies does the trick. Snap! Crackle! Pop!


.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I'd rather listen to a story than sit in front of the tube, especially when I'm trying to compute on the old PC. I like to conjure up my own visuals sometimes rather than sit through mind numbing commercials and the overly dramatic special effects fests of TV land.

 

[The Reno Kid]

I usually like them one at a time. Certainly no more than two or three at a sitting.

 

[Sunny]

Another serial I have, though not complete is Journey Into Space which is mentioned in another thread. The first two episodes got me interested, but too bad I don't have the remaining.

Ooh, I didn't realize you had only the first two. Look here --> Operation Luna at OTR Fan It gets quite a bit more hair-raising, believe you me.

For that matter, since we're finally discussing serials (thank you, Lizzie!): All Serials on OTR Fan

These are true serials - a single story told in multiple parts - as distinguished from shows that had continuing storylines but each episode was complete in and of itself. On OTR Fan, there's I Love a Mystery/Adventures by Morse, all three Journey Into Space stories, Tarzan, Superman, Chandu, and of course the five-parter Johnny Dollars. (Oh! Johnny!)

I must confess to being a bit of an OTR junkie. In my defense, I've always had low self-denial when it comes to something I really, really enjoy. I'll read new books for hours on end, far into the night; I have done the same with radio shows, serials or no. Since I can listen to some shows at work (though not comedies), it's especially hard to limit my... consumption, if you will.

However, I'm pleased to report that I've been listening to the third Journey Into Space series ("The World In Peril") one episode a day. Boy! it's been hard! Each Monday the week's batch of five is made available. But I'm pacing myself. It's definitely more rewarding.

 

[melankomas]

i create playlists allowing me to listen to serials for hours as i work, but not hear the same program redundantly. once i created a playlist that mimicked the programs' original order. by this i mean i listened to the end of programs, when one might hear an announcer encouraging the audience to "stay tuned for Our Miss Brooks", and placed an episode of Our Miss Brooks next on the queue. it took a very long time to compile that list, since i only added to it from time to time.

 

[Fred]

Most of my OTR listening is of a random nature.

I suffer from waking in the middle of the night & not being able to get back to sleep.

I use one of those now antiquated 8cm cd mp3 playes, load a series on to a disk & when ever I cant sleep put a show on. It helps relax me enough to sleep. However often I fall asleep during one episode & wake up to another, meaning the twist at the end of the tale is a little more twisted than was originally intended!

I mainly listen to the Mysterious Traveller & tend to just work through the couple of disks I have with it on one show at a time.

I've a draw full of disks with OTR shows covering all genres but I just keep going back to the Mysterious Traveller. The sealed book is also a fave of mine, but its hardly surprising when the stories were used for both series!

 

[r lush]

I love listening to old radio serials! My mom would rent them at the library for long drives when I was a kid. I love the mystery and horror serials! Gunsmoke is fun too. Recently I discovered that you can download tons of them for free online. My ipod is full of em. Here are some sites that I found to download from...

Old Time Radio

Free Old Time Radio Shows

Free Old time Radio Shows - All Shows

The Shadow - Old Time Radio (love this show!)

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Ooh, I didn't realize you had only the first two. Look here --> Operation Luna at OTR Fan It gets quite a bit more hair-raising, believe you me.

My hair is already touching the ceiling.....thank you!

I'll be able to find out the many continuing conclusions.

I did not know Adventures By Morse was a serial. I have but one episode. The larger numbers in my collection are The Shadow, Jack Benny, Lux Radio Theater, Boston Blackie, Box 13, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, The Great Gildersleeve, Quiet Please, X Minus One, The Whistler, and Lights Out. It sounds like a lot but believe me, the remaining shows are very very sparse in numbers. I need more radio shows....
Especially serials.

Are there any serial detective stories? I think that would be a good theme to tune in to.

 

[nick1909]

Carlton E Morse did two adventure/mystery serials. "Adventures by Morse" and "I Love A Mystery." Some of the story lines only ran for three episodes, while others ran for ten.
So in answering the question of how I listen to serials, whether all-at-once or one at a time... It really depends on the length of the story line. Some of the story lines in The Adventures of Superman were ridiculously long and it would be nearly impossible to devote enough time to listen to them at one sitting.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, however, I enjoy listen to all five episodes at one go!

 

[melankomas]

My hair is already touching the ceiling.....thank you!

I'll be able to find out the many continuing conclusions.

I did not know Adventures By Morse was a serial. I have but one episode. The larger numbers in my collection are The Shadow, Jack Benny, Lux Radio Theater, Boston Blackie, Box 13, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, The Great Gildersleeve, Quiet Please, X Minus One, The Whistler, and Lights Out. It sounds like a lot but believe me, the remaining shows are very very sparse in numbers. I need more radio shows....
Especially serials.

Are there any serial detective stories? I think that would be a good theme to tune in to.

there are several, from Sherlock Holmes to Gregory Hood (The Casebook of Gregory Hood was created by the Sherlock Holmes writers when Rathbone left, but the range of programs is actually fairly broad). i suggest you start by examining http://otrcat.com/detective.htm

 

[Lancealot]

The Shadow - Old Time Radio (love this show!)

That's my favorite as well. Thanks for the link.

Speaking of serials I enjoy the Superman Serials they run about 15 minutes and the story is ussually parts.