Radio Shows by Years

The Saturday Children’s Hour

NorwayChildren shows

Norwegian Lørdagsbarnetimen (The Saturday Children’s Hour) was one of the longest-running children’s radio show in the world.

Radio Theater

NorwayAnthology showsPolice showsDrama shows

Norwegian Radio Theater was one of the longest running drama anthologies in the world - produced from 1927 until 2021.

One Man’s Family

United StatesSoap operas

One of the longest running American radio soap operas spanning 27 years and 3,256 episodes.

Calling All Cars

United StatesPolice shows

Police drama reconstructing the true cases of Los Angeles Police Department and hosted by Chief James E. Davis of LAPD.

The Lone Ranger

United StatesWestern shows

The Lone Ranger and his faithful companion Tonto, fight injustice wherever they find it.

Lux Radio Theatre

United StatesAnthology showsDrama shows

Radio anthology series that had unique approach to the genre - instead of digging up unknown short stories or adapting classics they took up Broadway and Hollywood.

Grand Central Station

United StatesDrama shows

Grand Central Station in New York City, the place where trains from whole United States arrive bringing the passengers and their stories.

The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

United StatesDetective shows

Radio adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle stories about a famous detective.

Suspense

United StatesAnthology showsMystery showsDrama shows

One of the longest running suspense and mystery anthology radio series that ran from 1940 (or rather 1942) until 1962 and had the biggest stars of Hollywood appearing in different episodes.

Inner Sanctum Mystery

United StatesHorror showsMystery showsAnthology shows

Anthology series that presented stories of mystery and suspense, not to mention the creaking door that were not fixed throughout the 10 years of program original broadcasting.

The Orson Welles Show

United StatesDrama showsMystery showsAnthology showsVariety shows

One of the few anthology radio shows directed and hosted by Orson Welles. The show presented a wide range of material, from drama to comedy, poetry and commentary on current events.

Duffy’s Tavern

United StatesComedy shows

Duffy’s Tavern is a place where the elite meet to eat. Well, almost. It is a bar on the New York’s Third Avenue, where typical characters don’t appear too often.

The Adventures of Nero Wolfe

United StatesDetective shows

Nero Wolfe is an eccentric - he never leaves his house, drinks lots of beer and is a gourmet cook. But when it comes to crime he is the best.

The Mysterious Traveler

United StatesMystery showsHorror shows

Mystery and supernatural anthology series featuring Mysterious Traveler, who each week arrived by train to another place, where strange and unexplained things have happened.

The Second Mrs. Burton

United StatesSoap operas

One of the six soap operas that ran until 1960 when the last such shows were cancelled by American radio networks.

Murder at Midnight

United StatesAnthology showsHorror showsMystery shows

Radio series of macabre and supernatural stories surrounding people, who think murder is the way ahead.

Five Minute Mysteries

United StatesMystery showsDetective shows

Is five minutes enough to set up the perfect mystery and then solve it? Find out for yourself...

Box 13

United StatesDetective shows

Journalist turned crime writer puts and ad hoping to find inspiration for his novels. He gets more than he bargained for.

Dragnet

United StatesPolice showsDrama shows

The everyday hardships of Los Angeles Police Department officers, who face criminals in the streets of City of Angels.

Murder by Experts

United StatesDetective showsMystery shows

Anthology show presenting stories of murder and suspense written by the best writers of detective and crime stories.

The Story of Dr Kildare

United StatesDrama showsComedy shows

Young Doctor Kildare is an idealistic surgeon working in one of the New York City hospitals, where every day he deals with life-changing decisions.

Dimension X

United StatesSci-fi showsAnthology shows

Science fiction anthology radio drama series containing different stories in each episode. Among the authors were Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury.

2000 Plus

United StatesSci-fi showsAnthology shows

Science fiction anthology series presenting short stories by the most popular scifi authors of the era.

It’s Higgins, Sir

United StatesComedy shows

Average American family suddenly learns they have inherited a British butler.

Whitehall 1212

United StatesDetective showsPolice showsMystery shows

Old time radio show presenting true stories from the world-famous Scotland Yard’s Black Museum.

The Archers

United KingdomSoap operasDrama shows

The longest running radio drama in history, still going five days a week, few decades later.

Space Patrol

United StatesChildren showsSci-fi shows

Commander Corry and Cadet Happy of the United Planets Space Patrol keep the space lanes a safe place and rush to help anyone in trouble.

The Black Museum

United KingdomPolice showsMystery showsDetective shows

Old time radio shows presenting true crime cases from the dark corners of famous Scotland Yard’s Black Museum.

Hancock’s Half Hour

United KingdomComedy shows

Comedy show about misadventures of Tony Hancock, who is constantly haunted by bad luck no matter what he does.

X Minus One

United StatesSci-fi shows

A science fiction anthology radio drama series containing different stories in each episode. Among the authors were Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick.

The World in Peril

United KingdomSci-fi shows

Third in the Journey into Space trilogy - Jet Morgan and his crew return to Earth only to learn that Martian ships have already reached our planet.

Fort Laramie

United StatesWestern showsDrama shows

Captain Lee Quince and his 400 men in Fort Laramie are guarding Sioux warriors in nearby reservation, facing all the hardship of life in the Old West.

The Matysiaks

PolandSoap operas

Polish soap opera that is among the longest continuously running radio shows in the world - the story of Matysiak family is broadcasted every week since 1956.

The Hunt for the Culprit

West GermanyPolice showsDetective shows

German radio series based on the similar idea as American show Dragnet, where real cases were used as basis for the scripts.

Navy Lark

United KingdomComedy shows

The misadventures of HMS Troutbridge frigate crew, not the finest in Royal Navy.

Jeziorany

PolandSoap operas

One of two long-running Polish soap operas - continuously broadcasted since 1960, it took audience to small village somewhere in Poland.

Men from the Ministry

United KingdomComedy shows

Two civil servants run the General Assistance Department, created to help any ministry that is overloaded with work. At least that was the idea, in practice they cause more problems than solve.

I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again

United KingdomComedy shows

British comedy show in style similar to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, full of parodies and absurd humour.

Ellery Queen’s Minute Mysteries

United StatesMystery showsDetective shows

Ellery Queen was a fictional detective who appeared in the books, on the radio and on TV. The Minute Mysteries was one of the forms of the show.

Embassy Lark

United KingdomComedy shows

British embassy in Tratvia each day faces different challenges, but the dedicated staff is always ready to make things worse.

Green Eye Theatre

PolandDetective showsDrama showsMystery showsAnthology shows

Polish radio anthology series that covered wide range of themes and genres - from crime and mystery to sci-fi and even horror.

All Gas and Gaiters

United KingdomComedy shows

There is only one person Bishop Cuthbert Hever can’t stand, but unfortunately for him, that person is the dean of his cathedral.

Parsley Sidings

United KingdomComedy shows

Horace Hepplewhite is a manager of small British train station, but his ambition to run the place strictly by the book clashes with the reality of incompetent staff and rural character of Parsley Sidings.

Poszepszynski Family

PolandComedy shows

The Poszepszynski family is not a typical family, but in many ways it is - comedy show created as a parody of the popular The Matysiaks soap opera.

Radio Mystery Theater

United StatesAnthology showsDrama showsMystery shows

Radio drama anthology similar in style to classics like The Mysterious Traveler and The Whistler, but produced in 1970s and early 1980s and with more broad variety of genres.

Beyond the Silver Screen

PolandComedy shows

What is the best way to summarize a movie? Certainly, not the one Jedrek is using.

The Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise Show

United KingdomComedy showsVariety shows

The radio adaptation of TV programs of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.

Radio Active

United KingdomComedy shows

British comedy show about a... unique radio station full of unique characters taking on all of the taboo topics.

Anything Legal

United KingdomComedy shows

Two city gents are made redundant and decide to establish a company of their own. The problem is, they have no idea what they could do.

Murder on the Orient Express

United KingdomDetective showsMystery shows

Hercule Poirot climbs aboard the Orient Express, but everywhere he goes the mysteries are following him.