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 March 24, 2026
Episode 476: The Shadow & Blondie
Today, John Tefteller sits down with Jerry Haendiges, one of the true pioneers of vintage radio collecting and preservation. Jerry takes you back to the very beginning, when he was literally rescuing transcription discs from radio stations in 1965, back when a lot of places were just tossing them out. He talks about the formation of SPERDVAC (one of the major groups dedicated to saving radio drama), and why digitizing rare recordings matters, especially if we want younger listeners to ever discover this stuff. Jerry also breaks down how he went from collector to key player in syndicating classic radio to stations all over the U.S. We also play full broadcasts of The Shadow and Blondie, two of Jerry’s favorite shows.
Recent Episodes
Thursday March 19, 2026
Episode 475: Crime Classics: Your Loving Son, Nero
This week, we continue our look at the brilliant and often overlooked series Crime Classics. Host John Tefteller is joined again by experts Karl Schadow and Steven C. Smith to spotlight the August 1953 episode “Your Loving Son, Nero.” They dig into the “quadruple threat” talent of Elliott Lewis and the unforgettable music of Bernard Herrmann, who made a small ensemble sound like a full orchestra. Then we hear the episode itself, a darkly fascinating (and sometimes surprisingly funny) take on Emperor Nero and his relentless attempts to get rid of his mother, Agrippina.
Tuesday March 17, 2026
Episode 474: The Leprechaun That Didn't Listen
Ready for a little St. Patrick’s Day time travel? Today we are bringing you a 1949 broadcast made for St. Patrick’s Day, hosted by Ray Milland and starring Edmund Gwenn as the storyteller. The story is a whimsical fable called “The Leprechaun Who Didn’t Listen,” and it follows Johnny, a young leprechaun (played by Alan Young) who just will not take advice from his elders or teachers… and keeps paying the price for it.
Thursday March 12, 2026
Episode 473: Crime Classics: Twenty Three Knives Against Caesar
We’re kicking off a brand-new ten-week series, this time diving into the 1953 program Crime Classics. Host John Tefteller is joined by two guests, researcher Karl Schadow and biographer Steven C. Smith, to explore how producer Elliott Lewis created one of radio’s most unique historical crime dramas, and how composer Bernard Herrmann managed to make it sound epic using only a handful of musicians. This week’s featured episode takes us back to Ancient Rome, 44 B.C., for a stylized retelling of the assassination of Julius Caesar. The story blends real history with just a hint of satire.
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.