Promoting and Enjoying Golden Age Radio
dnyhagen
it. I love the culture, the pure entertainment value, the innocent
democracy of the era, and the exquisite ephemera, promotions, talent,
innovation, and human values of the Golden Age Radio Era.
I hope this Group can become a vehicle by which we can share, promote,
and expand interest in Golden Age Radio culture, entertainment, and
preservation.
The extraordinary talent this era produced has yet to be replicated in
our culture. The values that this era promoted -- and represented,
intentionally or out of pure innocence -- reflected the very best of
American and International culture through 50 of the most difficult
years in modern history.
This is not -- repeat NOT -- an OTR group. Nor will it ever be an OTR
group. There's nothing 'Old Time' about either the culture or pure
entertainment value from this era. It's as valid today as it was in
it's own era. The era from 1920 to 1970 developed some of the greatest
talent, writing, and sustaining cultural values of modern civilization.
It's my personal opinion that the term 'OTR' is an insult to the
great entertainers, innovators, writers, and democratic patriotism this
era produced. We'd do well, as a society, to rediscover some of these
values today.
I quite frankly resent what the promotion of 'OTR' or 'Old Time Radio'
has done to the hobby of collecting, restoring, archiving, and
preserving Golden Age Radio recordings and ephemera. I feel I'm not
alone in this unease with either the term 'OTR' or what it's come to
represent. It's my intent to continue to promote Golden Age Radio in
the manner in which it deserves; with respect, reverance, conscientious
stewardship of this extraordinary body of work and it's contribution to
our civilization.
If any of this strikes a chord with you, I want you to feel that you've
found a real home to share your enjoyjment of the recordings, ephemera,
culture, memories, and values of this era.
Let's keep it light and nonjudgemental whenever possible, but please
feel free to share any passions you care to share about this
extraordinary era and the enduring legacy it's left to those of us
lucky enough to have either enjoyed it firsthand, or rediscovered the
magic of this era.
Best Regards,
Dennis
HearMeRoar
I discovered Golden Age Radio quite by accident, while searching on
Bear Share for audio books. My artist search turned up some unfamiliar
titles, so I downloaded some, listened to them, and the rest is
history. It was the beginning of a love that takes my mind back to a
kinder, gentler time when the war drew people together--to work as a
whole to make things better, rather than the current "what's in it for
me" state of mind. The complexities of todays world have moved in and
shoved aside the time we once used to immerse ourselves in the
enjoyiment of friends & families, being a good neighbor, and good,
entertaining, wholesome entertainment.
I just finished listening to a marathon 28 episodes of Hedda Hopper,
which incidently, could turn out to be one of my favorite shows--the 28
episodes left me wanting more. It was amazing to me, how everything
she said in her closing comments, are word for word appropriate to
today's world.
I think this will be a great group!