Legendary radio collector John Tefteller presents the best of mystery, comedy, horror, and adventure stories, produced by the greatest writers, directors, composers, and stars.
Episodes
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Today we're bringing you the first in a series of interviews John did with personalities who were instrumental in the great old time radio revival of the 1970s and beyond. John sat down with Harvey Tow (better known to L.A. radio fans as Cousin Zeno) for a look back at his decades in vintage radio. Harvey talks about getting his start as a collector in the mid-’60s, hosting on stations like KCSN Northridge through the ’70s and ’80s, and how he managed to rescue a set of Lux Radio Theatre rehearsal discs straight from a former engineer. One of those recordings, The Pied Piper starring Frank Morgan, is featured in this episode. Along the way, Harvey shares memories of meeting legends like Bill Conrad and Roddy McDowall.
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Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
In today’s episode, we’re unwrapping a classic from Fibber McGee and Molly, originally aired December 21st, 1948. The fun kicks off when Fibber finds a mysterious card signed “Love, Elizabeth,” and immediately jumps to all the wrong conclusions. The truth, of course, is far more innocent. It’s a charming slice of holiday mischief, complete with those wonderfully earnest Johnson’s Glo-Coat ads. We also talk about how this script later inspired a similar episode featuring Molly.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Today’s show takes us to Christmas 1947 for a warm-hearted episode of Family Theater called “Substitute Santa.” We’re back to packed department stores, a frazzled manager scrambling to find someone — anyone — to fill in as Santa, and an owner who’s way more worried about a $4,000 mink coat giveaway than spreading holiday cheer. The star is character actor Frank McHugh, and the show is hosted by Ray Milland. And because this is family theater, woven through the story are reminders about prayer, the Nativity, and what the season is really supposed to be about.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
On today’s episode, we’re rolling back to December 18, 1949, for the traditional The Jack Benny Christmas Show. It’s Christmas week on CBS, the stores are packed, and Jack and Mary are just trying to finish their shopping without losing their minds. Naturally, that means running into every character in Benny’s universe; Rochester, Phil Harris, Dennis Day, and a few crazy store clerks. The whole thing is sprinkled with Lucky Strike jingles, plus a running gag about the hit song “Mule Train,” which was absolutely everywhere that year. After the show, John digs into some fun history, including a surprisingly early use of the word “smog” to describe L.A.’s air.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Today we’re celebrating Thanksgiving with something special, particularly if you're any kind of a "Disney-phile." It's a rare 1938 NBC radio broadcast marking the 10th anniversary of Mickey Mouse! You’ll hear Felix Mills and his orchestra, visits from Donald Duck and Clara Cluck, and even a personal appearance by Walt Disney himself. The show takes us from Steamboat Willie all the way through the triumph of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. A perfect slice of radio and Disney history to enjoy with your Thanksgiving leftovers.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Today as we're nearing Thanksgiving, we’re taking a trip into radio fantasy, a 1945 broadcast of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. We've presented several versions of this, The Lux Radio Theatre being closest to the original animated film. This one’s got an interesting backstory: it was mislabeled as a 1943 Mercury Theatre production, but it’s actually from This Is My Best, a CBS series hosted by Orson Welles. The episode stars Jane Powell as Snow White, with Welles doing the narration.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
Today we have another tale from The Whistler. A woman named Helen waiting for her missing brother to be declared dead… when suddenly, a man shows up claiming to be him. From there, it’s a tense psychological battle full of suspicion and hidden motives. A great listen for anyone who loves the shadowy, double-crossing world of vintage radio crime.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Today we have an unusual episode for you. We’re taking a swing back into Hollywood’s golden age with the biggest radio show adapting popular movies at that time, Lux Radio Theater. This episode features a rehearsal recording (never broadcast) of the radio adaptation of Wonder Man, a comedy/fantasy starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. There’s lots of goofing around here, along with those Lux Soap commercials that kept mid-century America’s underthings so dainty. After that, we bring you a collection of some rare behind-the-scenes recordings we found deep in the vaults, including producer William Keighley’s 1945 audition to replace Cecil B. DeMille as host, a 1947 interview with him, and a recording for a 1948 Lever Brothers banquet featuring Greer Garson, Margaret O’Brien, and Jimmy Durante. A fun, interesting peek behind the curtain of a legendary radio program.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Today we’re dropping into another moody mystery from The Whistler. This one’s called The Affair at Stoney Ridge, originally broadcast on June 17, 1946. It’s a story of passion and quiet dread, as a young woman named Myra heads back to her family farm after a failed romance, only to confront her deceitful fiancé, Jodie. This is a suspense tale full of secrets, manipulation, and plot twists, enhanced by fantastic performances by veteran radio actors, Peggy Webber and Edmund MacDonald.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Today we’re going back to 1942 for a wartime drama from The Cavalcade of America, one of radio’s most unsung A-list anthology series. This episode, In The Best Tradition, stars Orson Welles and was originally broadcast in honor of Navy Day. It’s pure patriotic storytelling, tracing the proud history of the U.S. Navy from its founding in 1775 to the modern age of steel and ordnance. You’ll hear about heroes like John Paul Jones and Commodore Oliver Perry, the invention of the mighty Dahlgren cannon, and even a moving scene set during the attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s a powerful slice of history, mixing courage, innovation, and sacrifice; the perfect listen as we honor Veterans Day.
Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/
Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297
Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD