Sound Recordings, Fixed Copies, and Phonorecords of American radio Dramatic Compositions from 1930s–1960s
Our collection preserves the golden age of American radio drama, documenting three decades of audio storytelling that captivated millions of listeners before television. Each recording represents a Fixed Copy of a Dramatic Composition, meticulously cataloged and preserved according to archival standards established by the Library of Congress and the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives.
Early experimental drama, regional broadcasts, sponsor-driven content
National networks solidify, anthology series flourish, Hollywood talent recruitment
Patriotic programming, war bond drives, peak audience numbers, prime time dominance
Sophisticated adult drama, noir detective shows, prestige productions
Declining budgets, format changes, eventual migration to television
Macabre tales of supernatural terror narrated by the cackling witch Nancy
Creaking door mysteries featuring psychological suspense and twist endings
Radio's outstanding theater of thrills with Hollywood stars
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!
Terror by darkness with innovative sound effects and dark imagination
Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half-hour of high adventure
Countdown to tomorrow adapting stories from Galaxy Science Fiction magazine
The man with the action-packed expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator
The story of the violence that moved west with young America and the story of a man who moved with it
Tales of terror and the unexplained
Crime solving and intrigue
Future worlds and space exploration
Frontier adventures and cowboy tales
Humor and situation comedy
Anthology and continuing dramatic series