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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.
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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 June 30, 2026
Episode 504: The Edgar Bergen Show
We’re taking a look at a weird piece of broadcasting history, a 1955 episode of The Edgar Bergen Show from the twilight years of network radio. If you’re expecting classic Charlie McCarthy, you may be surprised. By 1955, radio entertainment was on life support, and many longtime stars were experimenting with new formats to stay on the air. In this version of the show, Edgar Bergen serves more as a host and disc jockey than a ventriloquist, introducing interviews, pre-recorded music, and feature segments instead of the comedy that made him famous. You’ll hear a conversation with Admiral Felix Stump about military affairs in the Pacific, and even a discussion of Shakespeare. This broadcast offers a rare snapshot of a medium in transition, as radio legends adapted to a changing entertainment landscape and the television era began to take over.
Recent Episodes
Thursday June 25, 2026
Episode 503: Death Is A Joker
We’re returning to early Inner Sanctum this week to bring you a 1944 episode starring the incomparable Peter Lorre. Lorre plays a comedian who becomes convinced that he committed murder. As the story unfolds, paranoia takes over, leading to the kind of outrageous plot twists that made Inner Sanctum a radio favorite. This version comes from the Armed Forces Radio Service and includes a special introduction and narration by Peter Lorre himself, a feature not heard on the original network broadcast. As an added bonus, the recording concludes with a brief teaser for still lost episode starring Boris Karloff.
Tuesday June 23, 2026
Episode 502: The Record Collectors
Tuesday is occasionally reserved for the bizarre, and we’ve got that for you today. The CBS Radio Workshop was an experimental program, often with programs that defied conventional tropes. Originally broadcast in April 1956, “The Record Collectors” is an over-the-top satire hosted by John Dehner. The program introduces two eccentric (and fictional) record collectors who are convinced that music peaked with 78 RPM records. As they spar with real-life musical guests including Margaret Whiting and Lynn Murray, they take aim at all the latest innovations of that day, including high fidelity sound, LP records, and just about everything else.
Thursday June 19, 2026
Episode 501: On Borrowed Time
Today we bring you Boris Karloff. He’s appearing here on Great Scenes from Great Plays in a strange fantasy, in which he plays Mr. Brink, the personification of Death himself. The story follows an elderly grandfather who discovers a way to trap Death in a magical apple tree. This will be the second time we’ve presented this story, but with a completely different cast. You can find the other version here, from the Screen Guild Theater, starring Lionel Barrymore, Agnes Moorehead, and Vincent Price.
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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.