Customer Reviews

The Great Radio Heroes

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If you are a fan of oldtime radio you need this book in your collection. It is an update on Harmon's 1967 book of the same title and is indeed a far superior volume as I have both. From The Shadow to The Lone Ranger most of our old favorites are in there along with photos and inside details that will fascinate you. The price is a bit steep but well worth it. You will not be disappointed.

From the beginnings pf commercial broadcast radio through the 1940s, radio was the dominant entertainment medium in the United States. For those who lived through those years, Mr. Harmon's chapters evoke memories of a simpler time. Few of the chapters were devoted to a single character; mostly, they discuss certain types of character -- aviators, reporters, and heroes of the Old West. Mr Harmon was a fan of the old shows, and many of his chapters were built from fond memories, though he did have a good collection of audio files of the old shows.
To the older reader or the serious collector of Old-Time Radio shows, Mr. Harmon's coverage is entertaining, since he covers classic shows like The Shadow, The Lone Ranger, Captsin Midnight, and Jack Armstrong. To readers unfamiliar with the programs, the writings are imformative, giving a perspective on some of the shows, and may perhaps entice some younger reasders to try to find recordings of the old shows to hear what they were like. In the book, Mr. Harmon touches upon Radio Premiums -- novelties a listener could send for, using s proof-of-purchase of a sponsor's product, but the coverage was not that detailed; more depth was reserved for two of Mr. Harmon's books on the subjrct.
The era of Old-Time Radio has passed, but this provides something of an insider's view.

I have a collection of old comedy radio shows which I am fond of but I came across this book by author Harmon who has written a couple of other books I had read ("Great Radio Comedian" & "Great Movie Serials"). I am not as big a fan of the "thriller', "drama", whatever genre it may be called for the radio but I decided to read the book out of curiosity. Very pleased. Finding out where some of the heroes originated and were adapted for radio or if they were started in radio and their fame spread and learning who had played many of the characters turned out to be a great read. I actually looked Mr. Harmon up because I would have liked to write him a fan letter but. I found, unfortunately. that he had passed away a couple of years ago. Definitely recommended if you have any interest in old time radio.