This makes me sad..

http://news.yahoo.com/old-time-radio-con......201.html

I agree, it does the same for me.

I had actually stopped doing my 'Golden Age of Radio' themed show for senior centers because I realized fewer and fewer residents were old enough to have this shared memory. It wasn't like a 'medicine show' that relies on a culturally recognizable 'standard', and is just more visually exciting regardles of whether or not you actually ever saw a genuine old time medicine show (although I've met numerous folks who had seen one - they lasted into the 30's and 40's!). The appeal of old time radio was, I think, much more dependent on having been there.

Fortunately, even for those of us who weren't "there" for it originally, but have come to love those old radio shows, many of them are still available. I've downloaded so many, the old Superman shows, the Gunsmoke radio shows, etc., etc., too many to list - not to mention all the old Bergen and MCarthy shows of course.

There are a few like us who are much too young to have experienced the 'golden age' who just love the feel of the radio shows. I do remember the "CBS Radio Mystery Theater" back in the 70's. And of course I never miss "A Prairie Home Companion".

I actually write, among other plays, old time radio shows that are staged with live sound effects and music. Some of them are published through Dramatic Publishing. We do one live on television annually. Radio on television. They're actually popular among the younger folks as well as the older folks. I even won an Emmy for one of 'em. Don't mourn. Old time radio isn't dead. It's just real laid back.

-Philip

Don't think that the Medicine Show stereotype is well known anymore. Gone are the days of Bonanza, and other TV cowboys, Gunsmoke and movies that occasionally had a brief interlude with the medicine man, mostly a drunk or grifter. People don't know it was the "kerosene road or trail" just like the circus was the "saw dust trail". This is a very limited market and others who used to do medicine bits say their business picked up 80% when they dropped it to be a magician. I loved the old radio days, I caught the tail end. Got to face it, I guess I am just getting old, but I'll keep the flame glowing.

You're right Dr. Solar, I hadn't even thought about that. I can remember in old television shows (well, old now, not so when I was a kid) and movies, you could see a bit with a medicine show, or one of the characters was Dr. so-and-so from a medicine show, it wasn't frequent, but not uncommon either. But in newer programs or movies that depict the period, it's not a character they even bother with any more.

Oh! I definitely remember that! The CBS Radio Mystery Theater with E.G. Marshall - I loved that program! I used to knock myself out to make sure I was able to listen to it when it was on. Needless to say, it's one of the radio show series I definitely downloaded and saved.

Big John and Sparky, the radio program was No School Today on Saturday mornings. I didn't know he was a vent when I was a kid listening. Not until a few years back when I ended up with a photo of them both.

Doc

I hand out a “SNAKE OIL” medicine bottle with my advertising on the label; I leave it on desks, counters and tables of my clients and they never take it away; it is an interesting conversation piece and is more attention-grabbing than a business card.

For those still interested in old time radio, here's a site on the net where you can listen to programs;
http://www.nostalgiadigest.com/those%20were%20the%20days.htm
They also have a magazine called "Nostalgia Digest" that comes out four times a year, five dollars a copy or 17. a year to subscribe. I just ordered a back issue, Summer 2011 to check it out. There's supposed to be a store that carries it locally, I'm going to check and see if they have it to pick up the current issue.