Halloween Comedy Capers | Old Time Radio (original) (raw)

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Halloween had a resurgence in popularity in the early 20th century America and after the sugar rations of WWII, Trick-or-treating came back into favor in America and in media including radio shows.

33 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 15 hours, 5 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
16 Audio CDs

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2025 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

In ancient times on the British Isles, the Celtic peoples celebrated the festival of Samhain. The festival, which was about halfway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, signified the end of the harvest and the beginning of "The Dark Half" of the year. During the eighth century, Christians in Britain co-opted Samhain as Allhallowtide, a three-day observance centered on All Saints or All Hallows Day, a "time to remember the dead, including martyrs, saints, and all faithful departed Christians."

At Samhain, the division between everyday life and "the Otherworld" was particularly thin. This meant that spirits and fairies had an easier time coming into our world, often accompanied by ghosts of the dead. This belief carried over to Allhallowtide. All Saints Day, November 1, became a time to revere those who had passed from this life while All Hallows Eve, shortened to "Hallowe'en", became the time to deal with the spooks from "the Otherworld".

Dealing with spooks and monsters is serious, sometimes frightening business, especially when you consider that a mistake can cost your very soul! While ghosts, spooks, and monsters are doing their best to scare us, the best way to scare them off is with happiness and laughter. So when we hold a Halloween Party, take a kid Trick-or-Treating, or stand around an autumn bonfire with friends, we are doing more than just having fun, we are keeping the monsters at bay!

According to Smithsonian, Trick or Treating began in the Middle Ages as people would dress up as spirits and demons and go to houses begging for food and money. During the 1920s, the holiday was popularized in the United States. After the sugar rations of WWII, Trick-or-treating came back into favor in America and in media including radio shows.

• The Chase and Sanborn Hour, October 30, 1938, Bergan decides that he will not throw a Halloween party for Charlie this year after so many windows got broken last year. Instead, he'll tell everyone a ghost story, if they will just let him! Historical Note: This is the program which was playing on NBC while Orson Welles was scaring the nation with his War of the Worlds broadcast on CBS.
• Fibber McGee and Molly, October 24, 1939. There is a fun party going on next door to the McGee's at Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve's. As part of a gag, Fibber sneaks into Gildersleeve's garage and lets the air out of the tires. What he doesn't know is that Gildy's car is at the mechanic's shop, so he pulled Fibber's flivver into the garage to protect it from Halloween pranksters.
• The Jack Benny Program, October 29, 1939. Jack is throwing a Halloween Masquerade party at his house for the gang. Everything should go well, Jack has asked Dennis Day's mom to help get everything ready. Wait a minute, doesn't Mrs. Day hate Jack?
• Fountain of Fun, October 25, 1942, WLW Cincinnati, sponsored by Milky Way Candybars. Host Bobby Jellison (later playing "Bobby the Bellhop" on I Love Lucy) is the soda jerk at the Fountain, and he is getting ready for the boss's Halloween party. This gives us plenty of opportunity for WWII jokes. Note: Jellison was the subject of Bobbywood: The Longest Death Scene at the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival.
• The Great Gildersleeve, October 31, 1943. Gildy knows that it is a waste of time to ask Leroy to stay out of mischief, but he hopes that he can stay out of jail! Leila Ransom talks Gildersleeve into holding an old-fashioned Halloween party. Somehow, both Leila and Eve Goodwin get invited to Gildy's party, so just imagine the fireworks! Is it Halloween or the Fourth of July?
• The Jack Benny Program for Lucky Strike, October 31, 1948. Jack takes the Beaver Troop out for Trick or Treating, and they ring the doorbell Mary Livingstone's, Dennis Day and his mother's, Phil Harris and Alice Faye's, and Don Wilson's (there are five of them, is it enough to tip over Don?)
• Our Miss Brooks, October 30, 1949. Walter Denton is planning on inviting Connie to his Halloween party, what she doesn't know is that he is planning to hold it at Connie's place! It is not such a bad idea, especially since Mr. Boynton is coming too.
• Fibber McGee and Molly, September 15, 1957. Fibber has come up with a way to take the frustration out of raking autumn leaves, and it works as well as his other schemes.
• Truth or Consequences, October 30, 1948. Mrs. O'Sullivan's consequence is to be blindfolded and taken to a haunted house in Milwaukee. What she doesn't know is the haunted house is her own living room. The other part of the gag is having Boris Karloff dress up as a fortune teller.
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, October 31, 1948. Ricky and David are going Trick or Treating, but Ozzie is determined to find some ghosts at a nearby haunted house.

See also: Comedians in Suspense (Scared Silly Spooksters)

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2025 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

Instant DownloadMP3 CDStandard Audio CDReview

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You have reached the maximum number to down votes in this page. * ## MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.

33 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
total playtime 15 hours, 5 min

1. Filenames of old time radio shows which are dated as yy-mm-dd. For example:
   
   This episode from the series "Fort Laramie" was broadcast on February 5, 1956 with the episode title "Squaw Man"
2. Aldrich Family 401031 Halloween.mp3
3. Archie Andrews 481030 Halloween Party.mp3
4. Bergen 381030 Charlies Halloween Partymadeline Carroll.mp3
5. Bergen 441029 Halloween With O.welles.mp3
6. Blondie 481027 474 Blondie And Halloween Spirit.mp3
7. Bob Hope 381101 Martha Raye.mp3
8. Charlotte Greenwood Show 451028 Halloween Party.mp3
9. Father Knows Best 531029 Halloween Blues.mp3
10. FMM 351028 Halloween Party.mp3
11. FMM 391024 Gildersleeves Halloween Party.mp3
12. FMM 531030 0760 Trick Or Treating With Teeny.mp3
13. FMM 570915 Performing Autumn Chores.mp3
14. Fountain Of Fun 421025 Box Of Cigars.mp3
15. Gildersleeve 431031 Halloween Party.mp3
16. Gildersleeve 471029 Halloween Party.mp3
17. Jack Benny 371031 Devine Farm.mp3
18. Jack Benny 381030 Throws Halloween Party.mp3
19. Jack Benny 391029 Masquerade Party.mp3
20. Jack Benny 401103 Halloween Party.mp3
21. Jack Benny 411102 Halloween Celebration.mp3
22. Jack Benny 431031 Jack Pretends He Is Going To Brazil.mp3
23. Jack Benny 481031 Jack Goes Trick Or Treating.mp3
24. Jack Carson Show 461030 Halloween Date Brazilian Girl.mp3
25. Life Of Riley 441029 Halloween Haunted House.mp3
26. Luigi 511030 150 Trick Or Treat.mp3
27. Maxwell House 401031 Ruined Suit.mp3
28. Maxwell House 411031 Halloween.mp3
29. My Favorite Husband 491028 060 Halloween Surprise Party.mp3
30. Nebbs 451029 Halloween Surprise.mp3
31. Our Miss Brooks 491030 064 Halloween Party.mp3
32. Ozzie Harriet 481031 E 05 Haunted House.mp3
33. Philco Radio Time 471029 Boris Karloff And Victor Moore.mp3
34. Truth Or Consequences 481030 X00 Boris Karloff.mp3

• MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!

33 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
415 MB – total playtime 15 hours, 5 min

1. Filenames of old time radio shows which are dated as yy-mm-dd. For example:
   
   This episode from the series "Fort Laramie" was broadcast on February 5, 1956 with the episode title "Squaw Man"
2. Aldrich Family 401031 Halloween.mp3
3. Archie Andrews 481030 Halloween Party.mp3
4. Bergen 381030 Charlies Halloween Partymadeline Carroll.mp3
5. Bergen 441029 Halloween With O.welles.mp3
6. Blondie 481027 474 Blondie And Halloween Spirit.mp3
7. Bob Hope 381101 Martha Raye.mp3
8. Charlotte Greenwood Show 451028 Halloween Party.mp3
9. Father Knows Best 531029 Halloween Blues.mp3
10. FMM 351028 Halloween Party.mp3
11. FMM 391024 Gildersleeves Halloween Party.mp3
12. FMM 531030 0760 Trick Or Treating With Teeny.mp3
13. FMM 570915 Performing Autumn Chores.mp3
14. Fountain Of Fun 421025 Box Of Cigars.mp3
15. Gildersleeve 431031 Halloween Party.mp3
16. Gildersleeve 471029 Halloween Party.mp3
17. Jack Benny 371031 Devine Farm.mp3
18. Jack Benny 381030 Throws Halloween Party.mp3
19. Jack Benny 391029 Masquerade Party.mp3
20. Jack Benny 401103 Halloween Party.mp3
21. Jack Benny 411102 Halloween Celebration.mp3
22. Jack Benny 431031 Jack Pretends He Is Going To Brazil.mp3
23. Jack Benny 481031 Jack Goes Trick Or Treating.mp3
24. Jack Carson Show 461030 Halloween Date Brazilian Girl.mp3
25. Life Of Riley 441029 Halloween Haunted House.mp3
26. Luigi 511030 150 Trick Or Treat.mp3
27. Maxwell House 401031 Ruined Suit.mp3
28. Maxwell House 411031 Halloween.mp3
29. My Favorite Husband 491028 060 Halloween Surprise Party.mp3
30. Nebbs 451029 Halloween Surprise.mp3
31. Our Miss Brooks 491030 064 Halloween Party.mp3
32. Ozzie Harriet 481031 E 05 Haunted House.mp3
33. Philco Radio Time 471029 Boris Karloff And Victor Moore.mp3
34. Truth Or Consequences 481030 X00 Boris Karloff.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

33 recordings on 16 Audio CDs
total playtime 15 hours, 5 min

Instant DownloadMP3 CDStandard Audio CDReview

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