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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
Thursday April 23, 2026
Episode 485: Crime Classics: The Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln
This week, we take a more serious turn with Crime Classics and its 1953 episode that zooms in on a crime that had a tremendous impact on the nation, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Host John Tefteller, along with researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann expert Steven C. Smith, explores how this installment breaks from the series’ usual dark humor and leans into a somber retelling of one of America’s most tragic moments. The discussion digs into the historical details, including the often-overlooked role of Lincoln’s bodyguard, John Parker. We again look at Bernard Herrmann’s striking score, and touch on a bit of behind-the-scenes controversy at CBS over the timing of the broadcast.
Recent Episodes
Tuesday April 21, 2026
Episode 484: Abraham Lincoln
This week, we kick off a three-part series on Abraham Lincoln, to compliment our Crime Classics episode on Thursday. We’re starting out with a 1938 broadcast from The Mercury Theatre on the Air, starring Orson Welles; a dramatic, personal look at Lincoln’s life during the Civil War, built from a mix of theatrical storytelling and his own words, pulled from letters and speeches. You’ll hear the weight of the presidency, from cabinet conflicts to the enormous burden of holding the Union together and pushing toward the end of slavery. Welles captures both Lincoln’s strength and his humanity, while Bernard Herrmann’s score adds just the right emotional depth.
Thursday April 16, 2026
Episode 483: Crime Classics: The Seven Layered Cake Of Madame LaFarge
This week, we are serving up another dainty confection from Crime Classics. John Tefteller, along with researcher Karl Schadow and Bernard Herrmann expert Steven C. Smith, takes a closer look at this 1953 episode, based on the real-life case of a Frenchwoman accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic… hidden in a homemade cake. Like all Crime Classics episodes, it’s told with rye dialogue and narration, and Herrmann’s subtle musical score.
Tuesday April 14, 2026
Episode 482: Vic and Sade
If you like your comedy quiet and odd, we’re lining up two back-to-back broadcasts of the offbeat 1944 sitcom Vic and Sade, a show famous for its understated, throwaway humor. The first episode centers on Vic trying (and not exactly succeeding) to collect a $2 debt from a local merchant. In the second, the family is getting ready for an evening out, all heading in different directions, with the usual small talk turning strangely funny.
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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.