Old radio show fans?

[NemoNautilus]

Hi, all. I’m working on some ideas for old radio show style scripts. Anybody else a fan of classic radio?

Some of my favorites are Jack Benny, Duffy’s Tavern, and Rocky Fortune starring Frank Sinatra. Comedy and comedy-adventure. Yeah, the writing’s corny but it’s fun.

Looking forward to discussing script elements and writing with the like-minded.

(“Radio, what’s that, grandpa?” Get off my lawn!)

 

[purplishy]

I have some notes in my ideas folder for a story modeled on the old adventure serials of the 30s and 40s. Probably a sci-fi tale with ray guns and corny sound effects like Flash Gordon, or maybe a mystery/western like The Perils of Pauline.

This is the same rich history that gave rise to Indiana Jones and Star Wars and so much of our modern pop culture. I think these tropes will be recognizable to modern audiences even if they're not familiar with the source material. More like this, please

 

[oggbashan]

UK based:

Dick Barton: Special Agent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Barton


ITMA (It's That Man Again - Tommy Handley)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_That_Man_Again

The Navy Lark
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Navy_Lark

The Goon Show
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goon_Show

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Round the Horne has been re-revived as a stage show, and is excellent. The jury is still out on whether the BBC top brass didn't understand the risque jokes and Polari and other gay content, or whether they figured there was enough plausible deniability to let it air anyway:

I'm Julian, and this is my friend Sandy. Oh, good morning Mr Horne. Welcome to Bona Law.

Horne: Will you take my case?

JULIAN: Well, it depends on what it is. We've got a criminal practice that takes up most of our time.

HORNE: Yes, but apart from that - I need legal advice.

SANDY: Ooh - isn't he bold? Time has not withered nor custom staled his infinite variety.

JULIAN: What is it you've done?

HORNE: (shyly) I don't like to say.

JULIAN: Oh, you can tell us. Sand and me have handled the most bizarre briefs - nothing could shock us.

 

[NemoNautilus]

BBC seems to have maintained a much better tradition of radio plays than the US. I should listen to more of that. I’m familiar with some of the Big Finish shows.

 

[Rustyoznail]

When I was doing long drives for work, I downloaded the Old Time Radio podcasts. They are good, and the detective ones helped later with the noir stories.

And The Goon Show... Lunacy at its English best.

 

[NemoNautilus]

This is an interesting article about scripting a radio play.

http://www.transculturalwriting.com...ds/radiophonics/How_To_Write_A_Radio_Play.pdf

I think, objective #1 is don’t overuse narration, and there is no non-verbal/physical humor. It all has to be done through dialogue. Action through exposition, is that the right terminology?

 

[Rustyoznail]

This is an interesting article about scripting a radio play.

http://www.transculturalwriting.com...ds/radiophonics/How_To_Write_A_Radio_Play.pdf

I think, objective #1 is don’t overuse narration, and there is no non-verbal/physical humor. It all has to be done through dialogue. Action through exposition, is that the right terminology?

The Goon Show used sound effects to achieve great comical results.

 

[Dudeqwe]

Huge fan of the shadow. Also green hornet and the old sci for stuff.

 

[PennameWombat]

My favourite: The Curse of the Flying Wombat from I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again.

The Curse of the Flying Wombat is a 13-part serial of the British radio comedy series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again. It was written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie.

Somehow that series made it to the US back in my youth. But, no, other than that and chasing down the original The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series) radio serials weren't my thing. So I'd not have much to add. But I always like namedropping my Flying Wombat crew.