Before Netflix, before the internet, before televisions, society satisfied their hunger for rich entertainment by listening to radio shows. The Golden Age of Radio in America lasted from the 1930s through the 1940s until it was displaced by the television towards the end of World War II.
During its heyday, radio shows, controlled and produced by advertising agencies, drew the biggest names in entertainment to provide their voices and talent: Bing Crosby, Orson Welles, Bela Lugosi, Gene Kelly, Groucho Marx, Lucille Ball, and more. Listeners sat rapt by their radio sets as stories of action, suspense, romance, and comedy took their minds off the harsh reality of war.
Decades later, the creative minds at the Sci-Fi Channel–at that point still a relatively young yet popular channel on basic cable–breathed new life into the medium by launching the Seeing Ear Theatre.
The Sci-Fi Channel’s revival of vintage radio dramas was extremely well done, highly creative, and deserves nothing less than total appreciation. Stars such as Steve Buscemi, Alfre Woodard, Bebe Neuwirth, Clancy Brown, and dozens more used their acting skills to make each story unforgettable.
So sit back, relax, and let the stories of the Seeing Ear Theatre take you away to another time and place. With enough interest, perhaps radio drama can experience a modern renaissance.
Seeing Ear Theatre Appreciation Blog 