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Random Rarities 6

an OTRCAT.com original collection of rare never released shows from the golden age of radio including A & P Gypsies!

Random Rarities 06

59 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 14 hours, 5 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
15 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from April 30, 1933:

"A and P Gypsies 1933"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.


Most of the programming during the Golden Age of Radio was live. Recording technology was expensive and unreliable, and the recordings that took up a lot of room.

Big radio studios could and did wind up with closets as cluttered as Fibber McGee's (not that Fibber McGee and Molly episodes are rare; the sponsor insisted on recording each episode).

Time was not always kind to the recorded disks tucked in the closet, nor were the studio staff members who were occasionally assigned to clean out the closet. Fortunately there would sometimes be someone who recognized the importance of preservation between the closet and the dumpster. Sadly, when you are saving treasures from the garbage collector, the treasures are not always well organized.

In Random Rarities 6 there are rarities from the closets of WLW Cincinnati among others. There are a number of news clips from the War years, beginning with America's entry into WWII, to one of the first mass draft board inductions in the Cincinnati area (with enthusiastic draftees), coverage of the Ohio River overflowing its banks in 1945, and other incidents.

Other treasures include an audition from Doris Day at the WLW studio. Some musical treasures (not definitely from WLW) a pair of songs from Rosemary and Betty Clooney recorded nine years apart. The popular A & P Gypsies also appear in a Depression era recording, and WLW gets back in the act with the "Victory Polka".

WLW was owned by industrialist and radio manufacturer Powell Crosley Jr., and one of his was to build a series of high-powered shortwave transmitters in support of Voice of America.

Of course, this is just a sample of the great episodes in Random Rarities 6!

Howard Hughes

Most of the programming during the Golden Age of Radio was live. Recording technology was expensive and unreliable, and the recordings that took up a lot of room.

Big radio studios could and did wind up with closets as cluttered as Fibber McGee's (not that Fibber McGee and Molly episodes are rare; the sponsor insisted on recording each episode).

Time was not always kind to the recorded disks tucked in the closet, nor were the studio staff members who were occasionally assigned to clean out the closet. Fortunately, there would sometimes be someone who recognized the importance of preservation between the closet and the dumpster. Sadly, when you are saving treasures from the garbage collector, the treasures are not always well organized.

A&P GypsiesThe A and P Gypsies, 1933, NBC Red Network. Announcer Milton Cross and conductor Harry Horlick present a half hour of delightful semi-classical music on behalf of the early grocery chain (at one time the largest retailer in the US, the grocery stores grew from the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company).

The Almoco Exchange, 1945, WCPO Cincinnati. A local buy-and-sell program, listeners could write in describing items they had for sale (or wanted to buy) and interested listeners could later write to the station (please don't call the station) to get information about the ad.

Aunt Jenny's Real-Life Stories, May 1946, CBS. Aunt Jenny tells us how to deal with "leftover Monday" before getting started with the soap opera story.

Cincinnati Country, 1941. Invigorating Bluegrass harmonies and fun poetry with renditions of "You are My Sunshine" and "Bye-Bye Betsy".

Cliché Club, June 1950, ABC. A distinguished panel, including Readers Digest editor Carol Lynn Gilmer and publisher Bennet Cerf, have to guess a cliché after hearing a story.

Deacon Moore and the Jasper Junction News, February 1944, WLW Cincinnati. A spoof of small-town gossip and newscasting.

The Clooney Sisters, 1945, WLW Cincinnati. Before big sister Rosemary got her big break and went on to record "Mambo Italiano" and star with Bing Crosby in White Christmas (1954), she sang on local radio with younger sister Betty.

Cloud Nine, 1950, WBBM Chicago. Compelling fantasy, and a little music, just get off the elevator at Cloud Nine.

Raymond Knight of The Cuckoo HourCollect Calls, 1943, WLW(?) Cincinnati. A call-in quiz show hosted by Ruth Lanz, sponsored by Cincinnati's leading furrier, Lowenthal's.

Raymond Knight Cuckoo Program, 1937, Mutual. One of the few early radio comics who did not have a vaudeville background, Ray Knight got his start when Bertha Brainerd asked him to come up with something "cuckoo". On his popular segments was his "Firing Squad", after lambasting a person or issue, everyone in the studio would express their opinions with paper pop-guns.

Doris Day WLW Audition Recording. As a teenager, Doris Day wanted to be a professional dancer, but her dream was cut short by a car accident in 1937. While recovering, she began singing along with the bands on her home-town station, WLW Cincinnati. Eight months later, the station hired her as a vocalist until she was hired away by bandleader Barney Rapp.

Eggs at Eight, 1952, KVOO Tulsa. Three-quarters of an hour of pure silliness in the Heartland. This episode includes a merciless send-up of Dragnet.

Erskine Johnson in Hollywood, December 1949. Johnson interviews film star Rhonda Fleming and tries to get her to choose which of her costars is a better lover, Bob Hope of Bing Crosby

Evening at Crosley Square, 1945. Music and laughs from the Crosley Corporation, the media company which owned WLW Radio and manufactured Crosley Automobiles.

Fans in the Stands, 1942. Pregame fan interviews at Cincinnati's Crosley Field.

Finders Keepers, April 1945, NBC. Happy Felton challenges members of the studio audience to catch the cast in mistakes and win prizes.

Gems of Poetry and Music, December 1942, WSAI Cincinnati. A "highfalutin" radio hostess does her best to answer her critics on the air.

Highways in Melody, 1945(?), NBC. Paul LaValle leads the Cities Service Orchestra in filling our evenings with great music.

Invitation to Learning, CBS. A panel discussion of great books, in this episode, we learn of On the Nature of Things by the Roman poet Lucretius.

Jazz Jesters, September 1941. Mirth and Melodies

Walter Kiernon of the Cliche ClubMaggie's Private Wire, August 10, 1945 ("False V-J Day"), WEAF New York. Maggie McNellis dishes all the latest gossip from Hollywood, Broadway, and points in between.

The Mitch Miller Show, July 1961, CBS. With his finger on the pulse of the entertainment business, Mitch and his guests meet at Sardi's Restaurant in the Theater District to discuss the latest trends.

Monitor, Christmas 1965, NBC. One of the last great weekly radio extravaganzas, Monitor presents a recording of the late Lionel Barrymore as Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol".

Moon River, 1945, WLW Cincinnati. Late-night program of poetry and music sponsored by Southern Cross Mattresses.

Partners in Defense, October 1941, WLW(?). Although America has yet to enter the War, the Ohio Employment Division has a number of Defense Jobs for qualified applicants.

The Phil Brito Show, 1945, Mutual. Phil opens the show singing the hit "It's Been a Long, Long Time" ("Kiss me once, then kiss me twice, then kiss me once again…").

Police Blotter, 1957, ABC, AFRTS. Sergeant Brad Peters investigates "Murder on the Fourth Floor".

Portia Faces Life, 1944, CBS. A compelling soap opera set on the background of the ongoing Second World War.

The Tex and Jinx Show, November 1947, WNBC. was a popular morning talk show from New York covering showbiz gossip and Cold War news.  

News and WWII News, 1941-1945.

Tizzie Lish Show, 1952, ABC Audition. Bill Comstock's character from the "Ranger Andy" children's program tries her own show where she reads from her diary and gives a recipe for "Atomic Pudding".

Travel Time, May 1941, WLW Cincinnati. "Person on the street" type interviews of arriving and departing passengers at Cincinnati's Union Terminal.

The Victory Polka, October 10, 1943, WLW Cincinnati. Local band leader and harmonizing girls bring a spirited rendition of the Andrews Sisters hit.

The Voice of America, September 23, 1944, WLW Cincinnati. Announcing new short-wave transmission facilities outside of town, build by the Crosley Corporation to help spread pro-American messages.

The Voice of Firestone, 1951, NBC. The Firestone Orchestra backs up contemporary opera greats.

We Hold These Truths, December 15, 1941, covered by the Combined Radio Networks. The Roosevelt Whitehouse had been planning a national celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Ratification of the Bill of Rights for some time, including a Presidential Proclamation designating December 15 as "Bill of Rights Day". Norman Corwin was commissioned to create this all-Star, all-network radio celebration, not realizing that the broadcast would occur just a week after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

We the People, 1949, NBC. Gulf Oil sponsors this discussion program which supposes the "Interplanetary Football Championship", interviews the astronomer who discovered the planet Pluto and the physicist who discovered the meson particle, and hears a romantic story from singer Lauritz Melchior of how he met his wife with a parachute.

Young at Heart, 1947 Audition Program. Alan Reed hosts an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island for the young and the young at heart.

Your Son at War, 1945, WLW Cincinnati. Service men and women from Cincinnati serving around the world are recorded at or near their bases, talking about their service and the folks they miss back home.

The episode celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Mickey Mouse will delight aviation buffs with an eyewitness report of Howard Hughes' flight of the "Spruce Goose". Ray Knight on The Cuckoo Show, one of radio's earliest comedies, tries to outsmart the Internal Revenue Service

See also Gypsies in Old Time Radio and  Random Rarities 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1314, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 2122, and 23.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    COMMENTS

    I am reviewing a disc with 6 different program items. My favorite was the first one-The A & P Gypsies from 1933 doing songs of the time like "Let's have another cup of coffee". The second program was The Cuckoo Program ,a light comedy of jokes program. The third was station i.d.s from Cincinnati in 1940. The 4th program was a quickie called Travel Time about travelling in 1941. The 5th was a short music program called The Jazz Jesters. The last was Partners in Defense, a short program about pre-war preparations. All in all, a disc that had a little bit of everything. What could be better?

    Dan Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    59 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 14 hours, 5 min
    59 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 14 hours, 5 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 59 shows - total playtime 14 hours 5 minutes
    2. A P Gypsies 330000 Its Just A Memory.mp3
    3. Almoco Exchange 450704 Wcpo.mp3
    4. Aunt Jennys Real Life Stories 460506 Marriage Of Conven.mp3
    5. Carl Deacon Moore 440200 Wlw.mp3
    6. Cincinnati Country 411209 440200.mp3
    7. Cliche Club 50061.mp3
    8. Clooney Sisters 450500.mp3
    9. Clooney Sisters 540620.mp3
    10. Cloud Nine 500314 Paris.mp3
    11. Cloud Nine 500321 Arizona.mp3
    12. Collect Calls From Lowenthals 430302 430908.mp3
    13. Cuckoo Program 370214 Income Taxes.mp3
    14. Doris Day 1944 Wlw Auditions.mp3
    15. Eggs At Eight 510900 Dragnet Parody.mp3
    16. Erskine Johnson In Hollywood 491216 Guest Rhonda Fleming.mp3
    17. Evening At Crosley Square 450819 441022.mp3
    18. Fans In Stands 420400 Wsai.mp3
    19. Finders Keepers 450416 A Glass Of Water.mp3
    20. Gems Of Poetry And Music 421230 Telling Off Writer Wsai.mp3
    21. Highways In Melody.mp3
    22. Invitation To Learning Nature Of Things.mp3
    23. Jazz Jesters 410902.mp3
    24. Maggies Private Wire 450910 Enrico Caruso Jr.mp3
    25. Mitch Miller Show 610715 Guest Jonathan Winters.mp3
    26. Mitch Miller Show 610720.mp3
    27. Monitor 651225 A Christmas Carol W Lionel Barrymore.mp3
    28. Moon River 451027 15 Th Anniversary Wiw.mp3
    29. News 411207 America Enters War.mp3
    30. News 420300 Draft Induction In Cumminsville.mp3
    31. News 450306 Cincinatti Flood.mp3
    32. News 450412 Death And Funeral Of Fdr.mp3
    33. News 450508 Ve Day Announcement Truman.mp3
    34. Partners In Defense 411015.mp3
    35. Phil Brito 450909 Wlw.mp3
    36. Policeblotter Afrts 11 Murderonthe 4 Thfloor.mp3
    37. Portia Faces Life 440607 1400 CBS.mp3
    38. Station Ids 400000 Cincinnati.mp3
    39. Tex Jinx Show 471104 Walt Disney.mp3
    40. Tex Jinx Show 541124 Fred Allen.mp3
    41. Tizzie Lish Audition Pgm 2.mp3
    42. Travel Time 410510 Wlw.mp3
    43. Victory Polka 431010 Wlw.mp3
    44. Voice Of America 440923 Dedication Wlw.mp3
    45. Voice Of America 440923 Wlw.mp3
    46. Voice Of Fireston 510611 Voice Of Firestone.mp3
    47. Voice Of Firestone 531130 25 Th Anniv Program.mp3
    48. We Hold These Truths 411215.mp3
    49. We People 490126 Life On Mars.mp3
    50. WWII 431223 Cincinnati Christmas Memorial For Workers Killed.mp3
    51. WWII 440915 Posthumous Silver Star.mp3
    52. WWII Commerical Fur Sale.mp3
    53. WWII Commerical Hallmark Cards.mp3
    54. WWII News 440520 Homecoming For Pilot Jim Gentile.mp3
    55. WWII News 450814 Vj Day In Cincinnati.mp3
    56. WWII PSA Mail Prints.mp3
    57. WWII PSA WWII Join Wac.mp3
    58. WWII PSA WWII NBC Is Patriotic.mp3
    59. Young In Heart 471204 Treasure Island Audition.mp3
    60. Your Son At War 450000 These Are Your Sons 1945 Wlw.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    59 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 14 hours, 5 min
    59 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 14 hours, 5 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 59 shows - total playtime 14 hours 5 minutes
    2. A P Gypsies 330000 Its Just A Memory.mp3
    3. Almoco Exchange 450704 Wcpo.mp3
    4. Aunt Jennys Real Life Stories 460506 Marriage Of Conven.mp3
    5. Carl Deacon Moore 440200 Wlw.mp3
    6. Cincinnati Country 411209 440200.mp3
    7. Cliche Club 50061.mp3
    8. Clooney Sisters 450500.mp3
    9. Clooney Sisters 540620.mp3
    10. Cloud Nine 500314 Paris.mp3
    11. Cloud Nine 500321 Arizona.mp3
    12. Collect Calls From Lowenthals 430302 430908.mp3
    13. Cuckoo Program 370214 Income Taxes.mp3
    14. Doris Day 1944 Wlw Auditions.mp3
    15. Eggs At Eight 510900 Dragnet Parody.mp3
    16. Erskine Johnson In Hollywood 491216 Guest Rhonda Fleming.mp3
    17. Evening At Crosley Square 450819 441022.mp3
    18. Fans In Stands 420400 Wsai.mp3
    19. Finders Keepers 450416 A Glass Of Water.mp3
    20. Gems Of Poetry And Music 421230 Telling Off Writer Wsai.mp3
    21. Highways In Melody.mp3
    22. Invitation To Learning Nature Of Things.mp3
    23. Jazz Jesters 410902.mp3
    24. Maggies Private Wire 450910 Enrico Caruso Jr.mp3
    25. Mitch Miller Show 610715 Guest Jonathan Winters.mp3
    26. Mitch Miller Show 610720.mp3
    27. Monitor 651225 A Christmas Carol W Lionel Barrymore.mp3
    28. Moon River 451027 15 Th Anniversary Wiw.mp3
    29. News 411207 America Enters War.mp3
    30. News 420300 Draft Induction In Cumminsville.mp3
    31. News 450306 Cincinatti Flood.mp3
    32. News 450412 Death And Funeral Of Fdr.mp3
    33. News 450508 Ve Day Announcement Truman.mp3
    34. Partners In Defense 411015.mp3
    35. Phil Brito 450909 Wlw.mp3
    36. Policeblotter Afrts 11 Murderonthe 4 Thfloor.mp3
    37. Portia Faces Life 440607 1400 CBS.mp3
    38. Station Ids 400000 Cincinnati.mp3
    39. Tex Jinx Show 471104 Walt Disney.mp3
    40. Tex Jinx Show 541124 Fred Allen.mp3
    41. Tizzie Lish Audition Pgm 2.mp3
    42. Travel Time 410510 Wlw.mp3
    43. Victory Polka 431010 Wlw.mp3
    44. Voice Of America 440923 Dedication Wlw.mp3
    45. Voice Of America 440923 Wlw.mp3
    46. Voice Of Fireston 510611 Voice Of Firestone.mp3
    47. Voice Of Firestone 531130 25 Th Anniv Program.mp3
    48. We Hold These Truths 411215.mp3
    49. We People 490126 Life On Mars.mp3
    50. WWII 431223 Cincinnati Christmas Memorial For Workers Killed.mp3
    51. WWII 440915 Posthumous Silver Star.mp3
    52. WWII Commerical Fur Sale.mp3
    53. WWII Commerical Hallmark Cards.mp3
    54. WWII News 440520 Homecoming For Pilot Jim Gentile.mp3
    55. WWII News 450814 Vj Day In Cincinnati.mp3
    56. WWII PSA Mail Prints.mp3
    57. WWII PSA WWII Join Wac.mp3
    58. WWII PSA WWII NBC Is Patriotic.mp3
    59. Young In Heart 471204 Treasure Island Audition.mp3
    60. Your Son At War 450000 These Are Your Sons 1945 Wlw.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    59 recordings on 15 Audio CDs. Total playtime 14 hours, 5 min
    59 recordings on 15 Audio CDs
    total playtime 14 hours, 5 min

    Random Rarities 06 Disc A001

    1. Cliche Club 50061
    2. Doris Day 1944 Wlw Auditions
    3. Highways In Melody

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A002

    1. Invitation To Learning Nature Of Things
    2. Policeblotter Afrts 11 Murderonthe 4 Thfloor
    3. Tizzie Lish Audition Pgm 2
    4. WWII Commerical Fur Sale
    5. WWII Commerical Hallmark Cards
    6. WWII PSA Mail Prints
    7. WWII PSA WWII Join Wac
    8. WWII PSA WWII NBC Is Patriotic

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A003

    1. A P Gypsies 330000 Its Just A Memory
    2. Cuckoo Program 370214 Income Taxes
    3. Station Ids 400000 Cincinnati
    4. Travel Time 410510 Wlw
    5. Jazz Jesters 410902
    6. Partners In Defense 411015

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A004

    1. News 411207 America Enters War
    2. Cincinnati Country 411209 440200
    3. We Hold These Truths 411215

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A005

    1. News 420300 Draft Induction In Cumminsville
    2. Fans In Stands 420400 Wsai
    3. Gems Of Poetry And Music 421230 Telling Off Writer Wsai
    4. Collect Calls From Lowenthals 430302 430908
    5. Victory Polka 431010 Wlw
    6. WWII 431223 Cincinnati Christmas Memorial For Workers Killed
    7. Carl Deacon Moore 440200 Wlw
    8. WWII News 440520 Homecoming For Pilot Jim Gentile
    9. Portia Faces Life 440607 1400 CBS
    10. WWII 440915 Posthumous Silver Star
    11. Voice Of America 440923 Dedication Wlw
    12. Voice Of America 440923 Wlw
    13. Your Son At War 450000 These Are Your Sons 1945 Wlw
    14. News 450306 Cincinatti Flood
    15. News 450412 Death And Funeral Of Fdr

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A006

    1. Finders Keepers 450416 A Glass Of Water
    2. Clooney Sisters 450500
    3. News 450508 Ve Day Announcement Truman
    4. Almoco Exchange 450704 Wcpo
    5. WWII News 450814 Vj Day In Cincinnati
    6. Evening At Crosley Square 450819 441022
    7. Phil Brito 450909 Wlw
    8. Maggies Private Wire 450910 Enrico Caruso Jr
    9. Moon River 451027 15 Th Anniversary Wiw

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A007

    1. Aunt Jennys Real Life Stories 460506 Marriage Of Conven
    2. Tex Jinx Show 471104 Walt Disney

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A008

    1. Young In Heart 471204 Treasure Island Audition
    2. We People 490126 Life On Mars
    3. Erskine Johnson In Hollywood 491216 Guest Rhonda Fleming

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A009

    1. Cloud Nine 500314 Paris
    2. Cloud Nine 500321 Arizona

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A010

    1. Voice Of Fireston 510611 Voice Of Firestone

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A011

    1. Eggs At Eight 510900 Dragnet Parody

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A012

    1. Voice Of Firestone 531130 25 Th Anniv Program
    2. Clooney Sisters 540620

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A013

    1. Tex Jinx Show 541124 Fred Allen

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A014

    1. Mitch Miller Show 610715 Guest Jonathan Winters

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Random Rarities 06 Disc A015

    1. Mitch Miller Show 610720
    2. Monitor 651225 A Christmas Carol W Lionel Barrymore

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