Remembering 1949: A Year of Atomic Secrets, New Beginnings, and Radio Gold
Step back into a pivotal year that straddled the end of one era and the dawn of another. 1949 was a year of stunning paradoxes: the Soviet Union shocked the world by detonating its first atomic bomb—"Joe 1"—even as the Berlin Airlift secured a triumph of humanitarian logistics. In the skies, a B-50 Superfortress became the first aircraft to circle the globe non-stop, while on the rails, the California Zephyr offered passengers a leisurely "Vista Dome" journey across the American West. On the airwaves, it was a year of seismic shifts, as the renowned CBS Talent Raids lured The Jack Benny Program away from NBC after a legendary 16-year run. This collection of 58 vintage recordings—spanning over 26 hours—captures the sound of that extraordinary year, from the birth of Dragnet on NBC to the debut of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar on CBS.
Collection Highlights
- Radio's Golden Age in Transition: Hear the echoes of the CBS Talent Raids with Jack Benny's first CBS broadcast after his long NBC tenure, plus classic episodes of Our Miss Brooks, Richard Diamond, and the early Dragnet story "The Werewolf."
- History Behind the Headlines: News reports and special broadcasts bring the year's dramatic events to life—including Winston Churchill on writing, the Kentucky Derby call by Clem McCarthy, and the solemn announcement of the Soviet atomic test.
- Unforgettable Stars and Stories: Enjoy rare appearances by Al Jolson and Bing Crosby on Opportunity, USA, Groucho Marx on Kraft Music Hall, and a Christmas episode of The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show featuring Jack Benny as Santa Claus.
- A World in Flux: The Chinese Civil War reaches its climax as Mao declares the People's Republic, the NATO Alliance is signed, and President Truman's "Fair Deal" faces an uncertain future—all reflected in the cultural and news programming of the day.
Track Listing
Show all 116 tracks (26 hours, 4 min)
- aa490130 The Antique Piano
- Affairs Of Peter Salem 491219 035 Horrible Hitch
- Amos Andy 491106 Guest Rochester
- Archie Andrews 491217 Xmas Shopping At Stacy's Dept
- BB 490202 212 Mary Asks Blackie Get Cousins Song Published
- BB 490406 221 Duke Murders Jo Jo
- Bergen McCarthy 490119 10th Anniversary Show
- Bill Stern 490128 483 W Jerry Colona
- Bing Crosby 490126 Abe Burrows
- Bob Hope 490405 413 Jack Kirkwood Tom Sawyer Sketch
- Bob Hope Show Christmas Seal 491219 Put Em In Box Tie Em
- Bob Ray 4908dd Bobs Drive Through New Hampshire
- Boston Blackie 490615 218 Professor And Rufus Rob Bank
- Box 13 490529 (41) The Treasure Of Hang Lee
- Break The Bank 491005 The Blains
- Burns Allen 490120 615 Cesar Romero Steals Bill's Gir
- COTY 490216 0614 Double Cross
- CP 491025 398 Marilyn Maxwell Jack Carson
- Crime Correspondent 491021 Chair For Dino
- Crime On Waterfront 490224 Aud 1 B Murder Of Mrs Lattimore
- Dragnet 490617 e003 The Werewolf
- Duffys 490615 328 Bob Crosby Sings Archies Girlfriend
- Escape 490305 070 Conquerors Isle
- Favorite Story 490528 089 Time Machine
- FMM 490419 0584 New Fire Truck
- GG 491005 333 Double Date With Marjorie And Bronco
- Grand Ole Opry 490402 Red Foley Wesley Turner
- Green Hornet 490201 Poor Substitutes For Prison
- Guest Star 490417 0108 Edward Arnold
- Hollywood Byline 491210 01 Guest George Jessel
- Jack Benny 490403 2027 American Hea
- Kraft Music Hall 490526 Waiting Robert E Lee Groucho Marx
- Lets Pretend 490403 The Princess and the Pea
- Lone Wolf 490104037 Golden Santa
- LR 490812 Desert Adventure
- Martin Lewis Show 490522 008 Arthur Treacher
- Mysterious Traveler 491011 225 The Last Survivor
- News 490130 NBC Living 1949 State American Humor Fred Allen
- News 490404 AFRS VFW Golden Jubilee Show
- News 490507 WHAS Kentucky Derby Clem McCarthy
- News 491102 Winston Churchill On Writing
- News 49xxxx NBC The Passing Parade Empire State Crash
- Opportunity Usa 490516 Guests Al Jolson And Bing Crosby
- Our Miss Brooks 490320 033 Poetry Mix-Up
- Phil Harris Alice Faye 491225 Jack Benny as Santa
- Philip Marlowe 490409 028 Name To Remember
- Pillsbury House Party 491006
- QuietPlease 490522 e101 The Oldest Man In The World
- Red Skelton Show 490211 238 New Deadeye Best Show
- Richard Diamond 490820 018 The Jean Cooper Murder Case
- Sam Spade 490116 B121 Betrayal In Bumpus Hell
- Sdp 491031 E041 Remember The Night
- Sealtest Variety Theater 490707 041 Hal Peary
- Susp 490203 326 Backseat Driver
- Tom Mix 491216 Mystery Of Magic Mesa
- Whistler 490123 346 Impulse
- You Bet Your Life 491116 Grass
- YTJD 490904 018 Expiring Nickels And Egyptian Jacket
- aa490130 The Antique Piano
- Affairs Of Peter Salem 491219 035 Horrible Hitch
- Amos Andy 491106 Guest Rochester
- Archie Andrews 491217 Xmas Shopping At Stacy's Dept
- BB 490202 212 Mary Asks Blackie Get Cousins Song Published
- BB 490406 221 Duke Murders Jo Jo
- Bergen McCarthy 490119 10th Anniversary Show
- Bill Stern 490128 483 W Jerry Colona
- Bing Crosby 490126 Abe Burrows
- Bob Hope 490405 413 Jack Kirkwood Tom Sawyer Sketch
- Bob Hope Show Christmas Seal 491219 Put Em In Box Tie Em
- Bob Ray 4908dd Bobs Drive Through New Hampshire
- Boston Blackie 490615 218 Professor And Rufus Rob Bank
- Box 13 490529 (41) The Treasure Of Hang Lee
- Break The Bank 491005 The Blains
- Burns Allen 490120 615 Cesar Romero Steals Bill's Gir
- COTY 490216 0614 Double Cross
- CP 491025 398 Marilyn Maxwell Jack Carson
- Crime Correspondent 491021 Chair For Dino
- Crime On Waterfront 490224 Aud 1 B Murder Of Mrs Lattimore
- Dragnet 490617 e003 The Werewolf
- Duffys 490615 328 Bob Crosby Sings Archies Girlfriend
- Escape 490305 070 Conquerors Isle
- Favorite Story 490528 089 Time Machine
- FMM 490419 0584 New Fire Truck
- GG 491005 333 Double Date With Marjorie And Bronco
- Grand Ole Opry 490402 Red Foley Wesley Turner
- Green Hornet 490201 Poor Substitutes For Prison
- Guest Star 490417 0108 Edward Arnold
- Hollywood Byline 491210 01 Guest George Jessel
- Jack Benny 490403 2027 American Hea
- Kraft Music Hall 490526 Waiting Robert E Lee Groucho Marx
- Lets Pretend 490403 The Princess and the Pea
- Lone Wolf 490104037 Golden Santa
- LR 490812 Desert Adventure
- Martin Lewis Show 490522 008 Arthur Treacher
- Mysterious Traveler 491011 225 The Last Survivor
- News 490130 NBC Living 1949 State American Humor Fred Allen
- News 490404 AFRS VFW Golden Jubilee Show
- News 490507 WHAS Kentucky Derby Clem McCarthy
- News 491102 Winston Churchill On Writing
- News 49xxxx NBC The Passing Parade Empire State Crash
- Opportunity Usa 490516 Guests Al Jolson And Bing Crosby
- Our Miss Brooks 490320 033 Poetry Mix-Up
- Phil Harris Alice Faye 491225 Jack Benny as Santa
- Philip Marlowe 490409 028 Name To Remember
- Pillsbury House Party 491006
- QuietPlease 490522 e101 The Oldest Man In The World
- Red Skelton Show 490211 238 New Deadeye Best Show
- Richard Diamond 490820 018 The Jean Cooper Murder Case
- Sam Spade 490116 B121 Betrayal In Bumpus Hell
- Sdp 491031 E041 Remember The Night
- Sealtest Variety Theater 490707 041 Hal Peary
- Susp 490203 326 Backseat Driver
- Tom Mix 491216 Mystery Of Magic Mesa
- Whistler 490123 346 Impulse
- You Bet Your Life 491116 Grass
- YTJD 490904 018 Expiring Nickels And Egyptian Jacket
