First published 1998
John Dunning examines American radio's peak decades through comprehensive documentation of 1,500 programs from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. His approach organizes shows alphabetically while providing complete broadcast histories for each entry, including network affiliations, time slots, sponsors, cast members, producers, directors, writers, and theme songs. Dunning goes beyond basic facts to capture the atmosphere of individual programs, describing the bone-crunching sound effects of horror drama Lights Out and profiling key figures behind iconic shows like Amos 'n' Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Lone Ranger, and Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour. The book includes broader thematic entries such as news broadcasting, featuring biographical sketches of prominent figures like Lowell Thomas and Edward R. Murrow. This reference work doubles the coverage of Dunning's earlier volume Tune in Yesterday, offering radio enthusiasts and historians a comprehensive resource on the medium's golden age.
Genres: history, 20th-century, american, non-fiction
Vibes: comprehensive, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: reference-work
Period: 1930s, 1940s, 1950s
840 pages · Hardcover · Oxford University Press