Google Podcasts
Podbean
Stitcher
TuneInVintage Radio For Modern Listeners.
The Good Old Days of Radio Show is a podcast that presents the period of American radio commonly known as “The Golden Age”. During this time, audiences were thrilled by comedy, mystery, suspense, and horror, produced by the some of the greatest writers, directors, composers, and famous stars of the time.
In this show we present the best of these radio shows. Each show is carefully selected by record collector John Tefteller as an outstanding example of this classic art form.
Subscribe and listen
The Story Behind The Good Old Days of Radio Show.
In 1992, John Tefteller brought the first Good Old Days Of Radio Show to the airwaves on local Southern Oregon station, KOPE-FM. For three hours every Saturday and Sunday night, thousands of listeners of all ages tuned in to hear the show, earning it ‘the highest rated radio program’ in its time slot.
Latest Episode
Tuesday July 21, 2026
Episode 510: The Bob Burns Show
We’re headed to Camp Elliott in 1943 for a wartime broadcast of The Bob Burns Show, also known as The Arkansas Traveler. This episode has a little bit of everything: Bob Burns’ down-home humor, a sketch about military training, and a real treat for Spike Jones fans performing the rarely heard “Zip Your Lip and Save a Ship,” a song that was never commercially recorded. You’ll also hear the kind of sponsor messages that instantly transport you back to the 1940s, complete with musical commercials for Lifebuoy Soap. As John Tefteller explains, this recording survived thanks to a thrift store discovery on original transcription discs.
Recent Episodes
Thursday July 16, 2026
Episode 509: The Whistler: The Croupier’s Wife
This week, we’re joined once again by radio historian Dr. Joe Webb for a new 10-week series, this time dedicated to the popular thriller series, The Whistler. We’re starting off with a rare episode that few listeners have ever heard. Originally broadcast in 1946 from Chicago’s WBBM, “The Croupier’s Wife” was recently rediscovered, making this a lost-and-found treasure. The story follows a quiet casino roulette dealer whose life takes a dangerous turn as he and his ambitious wife become entangled in a scheme driven by the promise of easy money. After the drama, John and Joe explore the fascinating history behind this regional production, discuss writer Stuart Novins, and share the remarkable and tragic story of actor Everett Clarke, whose life ended in shocking circumstances years after his radio career.
There is a show notes website! Dr. Joe has created a site dedicated to this series! https://sites.google.com/view/whistlershownotes/home
Tuesday July 14, 2026
Episode 508: The Stan Freberg Show
Today we wrap up radio’s most creative late comedies with the final broadcast of The Stan Freberg Show from 1957. By this point, Stan Freberg had already made a name for himself as a voice actor and hit recording artist, but his radio show proved he was also one of the sharpest satirists of his generation. This farewell episode plays like a greatest hits collection, bringing back some of his funniest musical parodies and sketches, taking aim at everything from television westerns to advertising and network censorship. It’s a fitting sendoff for a show that was clever and in many ways ahead of its time. Unfortunately, even Freberg’s brilliant writing couldn’t stop the tide as television rapidly took over American entertainment.
Thursday July 9, 2026
Episode 507: Country of the Blind
Today it’s a 1947 episode of Escape featuring a radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic story, “The Country of the Blind.” Starring the versatile Paul Frees, it’s a social commentary dressed up as an eerie adventure story. It follows a mountain climber who stumbles into a hidden valley where everyone has been blind for generations. Certain that his ability to see will make him extraordinary, he quickly discovers that the people around him don’t see it that way at all. In fact, they believe he’s the one with the problem.
What Listeners Say
Meet Your Host
John Tefteller has been collecting vintage radio programs since 1971. He is one of the foremost collectors of records and original radio transcriptions in the world.
John grew up in Southern California, and for decades he scoured flea markers, thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales, and private collections for records. Over the past almost 50 years of hunting, John amassed one of the largest private archives of vintage records and radio recordings.