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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 September 3, 2026
Episode 523: The Whistler: A Concerto For Death
This week, John Tefteller and radio historian Dr. Joe Webb continue our 10-week Whistler series. We’re in 1948 today with a story that follows a gifted violinist whose obsession with owning a rare instrument drives him to commit an unthinkable crime. But while week after week people tuned into Lights Out! to hear villains getting their gruesome comeuppance, The Whistler reminded listeners that getting what you want always comes at a price, dealt by our old friend, “the fickle finger of fate.” John and Joe take a look behind the scenes at one of the more unusual chapters in Whistler history. They explain how sponsor Household Finance Corporation requested a toned-down version of the series, resulting in a second production of the same script with a different cast, a softer narrator, and a less cynical feel.
Recent Episodes
Tuesday September 1, 2026
Episode 522: The Horn Blows At Midnight Part 4
We are continuing our run of The Jack Benny Program as we get even closer to Jack’s much-anticipated radio adaptation of The Horn Blows at Midnight. In this February 1949 episode, Jack is taking violin lessons. Guest Claude Rains shows up. He is locked into the contract to play opposite Benny in The Ford Theater adaptation, and naturally, it’s a last ditch plea to get Jack to “throw” the program. This is a hilarious show, well-written, a well-established weekly tradition for American radio listening fun on Sunday evenings, and still holds up great today.
Thursday August 27, 2026
Episode 521: The Whistler: A Present For Ricky
This week, John Tefteller and radio historian Dr. Joe Webb continue our Whistler series with a story about Clyde (no, this has nothing to do with the Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show). He is a jealous ballroom dancer who believes his young wife is about to leave him for her new dance partner, Ricky. Determined to stop them, he puts together “the perfect plan” to commit murder and pin the crime on his unsuspecting rival. But, as the trademark of this series goes, one small detail threatens to bring the entire scheme crashing down. John and Joe discuss the career of radio actor Marvin Miller and share some behind-the-scenes insights into the way these programs were written, including how scripts were sometimes adjusted on the fly during live broadcasts.
Tuesday August 25, 2026
Episode 520: The Horn Blows At Midnight Part 3
We continue our run of The Jack Benny Program as we get closer to Jack’s much-anticipated radio adaptation of The Horn Blows at Midnight. In this episode, Jack gets pressure to call off the show, first from the producer of The Ford Theater, Fletcher Markle, and then the powerful studio executive Jack Warner (one of the legendary Warner Brothers). Jack Benny, known behind-the-scenes for his strict adherence to the script, has a rare extended adlib as Jack Warner loses his place and the show goes off the rails. It was live radio after all. The cast is delightful, as usual, and includes Rochester (Eddie Anderson), Phil Harris, and Mary Livingstone. This is a sharp, extremely well-written radio comedy, and the Jack Benny Program at the absolute top of its game.
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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.