The advent of the VCR has made the movies of the 1930s and 1940s available to a contemporary audience, but radio shows from that era have remained elusive. This wonderful collection sets out to rectify that problem, offering 60 shows from that golden age of radio. The range of entertainment--the set contains 20 hours of material--is breathtaking, running the gamut from comedy routines (Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First") through mystery serials ("The Saint" with Vincent Prince) to variety shows (Jack Benny's "Money or Your Life") and radio plays (Orson Welles's infamous 1937 "panic broadcast" of the "War of the Worlds")...

Now long out of print, John Dunning's Tune in Yesterday was the definitive one-volume reference on old-time radio broadcasting. Now, in On the Air, Dunning has completely rethought this classic work, reorganizing the material and doubling its coverage, to provide a richer and more informative account of radio's golden age...

The Smithsonian Institution and Radio Spirits are proud to bring you The Best of Old Time Radio Starring Jack Benny. These original recordings have been digitally restored and remastered for superb sound quality and pure listening enjoyment. This collection also includes a 60-page historical book filled with rare photographs and a foreword by Irving Fein, Jack Benny's personal manager and producer...