Remembering 1955
Step back into a year of tremendous change, when the world balanced on the edge of a new era. 1955 saw the gates of Disneyland swing open for the first time, the FDA approve the Salk polio vaccine, and the USS Nautilus send the historic message "Underway on nuclear power." It was also the year many beloved radio shows signed off for good, including The Jack Benny Program, marking the twilight of the Golden Age of Radio. This 51-episode collection captures the sound of that pivotal year through the voices that defined it.
Collection Highlights
- Moments from the transition to television: Hear the very last radio broadcasts of legendary programs like The Jack Benny Program and Bob Hope, alongside early television refugees such as Gunsmoke—which premiered on CBS in September, even as its radio creators doubted the small screen could capture the show's scope.
- A cross-section of 1955's greatest stars: From the comedy of Our Miss Brooks and Amos 'n' Andy to the drama of Suspense, Dragnet, and Lux Radio Theatre's production of War of the Worlds, this collection features top-tier performers like Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, and the Grand Ole Opry cast.
- Rare glimpses of history in the making: In addition to entertainment, the set includes news reports covering the Warsaw Pact signing, the Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked by Rosa Parks, and the start of the Vietnam conflict—plus a special United Nations radio birthday party for Julie Harris.
- A complete audio portrait of an unforgettable year: With over 20 hours of programming, you'll hear the last radio hurrahs of Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Break the Bank, and Dr. Sixgun, as well as the rise of new TV favorites like The $64,000 Question, all woven together through the authentic sounds of 1955.
Track Listing
Show all 102 tracks (20 hours, 32 min)
- aa550300 Kingfish Sapphire Both Rent Cottage Out
- aa550711 Kingfish's Day At Coney Island
- American Adventure 551027 Thebattle
- Americana 550205 017 Notable Books
- Bergen McCarthy 551104 Hellish Dreams
- Bergen McCarthy 551111 Gossip
- Bing Crosby 550117 (15 min.)
- Bing Crosby 550118 (15 min.)
- Bob Hope 550407 629 Maureen Ohara
- Bob Hope 550414 630 Debra Paget
- Bob Hope 550421 Bobs Last Radio Show Jim Backus
- Cisco Kid 550906 327 Hermit Of Tall Tree Mountain
- Dinah Shore 550304 Chevrolet Hold My Hand
- Dragnet 550201 e285 Big Bird
- FMM 550117 1075 Appetitekiller Pills
- FMM 550120 1078 Planning a Sleigh Ride
- Ft 550112 403 Stranger In Town
- GG 550000 00x Vacation Time
- GG 551020 00x Floyds Inheritance
- Grand Ole Opry 550709
- Grand Ole Opry 550716
- Guest Star 550327 0418 Desiree
- Guns 550730 ep172 Tap Day For Kitty
- Guns 551225 ep194 Twelfth Night
- Jack Benny 550417 2830 Hope Benny Double Date
- Jack Benny 550424 2831 Renting Maxwell To A Movie Studio
- Jack Benny 550522 924 Trouble With Twombly Sound Effects Man
- Lux 550208 War Of The Worlds
- lux550208 910 War of the Worlds
- News 5502xx SYN Common Virtue Battle Iwo Jima Anniv Tribute
- News 551231 MBS KHJ News Gabriel Heatter Virgil Pinkley
- News 5512xx AFRTS VA Hospitals Christmas Crosby Shore
- News 55xxxx UN Radio The Birthday Party Julie Harris
- Our Miss Brooks 550313 280 The School Board's Psycholoogist
- Our Miss Brooks 550327 282 Mr Boynton's Moustache
- PAF 550000 Getting People for Wedding
- Sp 550108 119 Prison Planet
- Susp 550510 597 Going, Going, Gone
- Susp 550531 600 Beirut By Sunrise
- Susp 550614 602 Whole Towns Sleeping
- Susp 550712 606 Kaleidoscope
- X 1 550818 014 Courtesy
- X 1 550915 018 The Castaways
- X 1 551103 023 Hello Tomorrow
- You Bet Your Life 551123 Face
- You Bet Your Life 551207 Chair
- YTJD 551212 283 Lansing Fraud Episode 01
- YTJD 551213 284 Lansing Fraud Episode 02
- YTJD 551214 285 Lansing Fraud Episode 03
- YTJD 551215 286 Lansing Fraud Episode 04
- YTJD 551216 287 Lansing Fraud Episode 05
- aa550300 Kingfish Sapphire Both Rent Cottage Out
- aa550711 Kingfish's Day At Coney Island
- American Adventure 551027 Thebattle
- Americana 550205 017 Notable Books
- Bergen McCarthy 551104 Hellish Dreams
- Bergen McCarthy 551111 Gossip
- Bing Crosby 550117 (15 min.)
- Bing Crosby 550118 (15 min.)
- Bob Hope 550407 629 Maureen Ohara
- Bob Hope 550414 630 Debra Paget
- Bob Hope 550421 Bobs Last Radio Show Jim Backus
- Cisco Kid 550906 327 Hermit Of Tall Tree Mountain
- Dinah Shore 550304 Chevrolet Hold My Hand
- Dragnet 550201 e285 Big Bird
- FMM 550117 1075 Appetitekiller Pills
- FMM 550120 1078 Planning a Sleigh Ride
- Ft 550112 403 Stranger In Town
- GG 550000 00x Vacation Time
- GG 551020 00x Floyds Inheritance
- Grand Ole Opry 550709
- Grand Ole Opry 550716
- Guest Star 550327 0418 Desiree
- Guns 550730 ep172 Tap Day For Kitty
- Guns 551225 ep194 Twelfth Night
- Jack Benny 550417 2830 Hope Benny Double Date
- Jack Benny 550424 2831 Renting Maxwell To A Movie Studio
- Jack Benny 550522 924 Trouble With Twombly Sound Effects Man
- Lux 550208 War Of The Worlds
- lux550208 910 War of the Worlds
- News 5502xx SYN Common Virtue Battle Iwo Jima Anniv Tribute
- News 551231 MBS KHJ News Gabriel Heatter Virgil Pinkley
- News 5512xx AFRTS VA Hospitals Christmas Crosby Shore
- News 55xxxx UN Radio The Birthday Party Julie Harris
- Our Miss Brooks 550313 280 The School Board's Psycholoogist
- Our Miss Brooks 550327 282 Mr Boynton's Moustache
- PAF 550000 Getting People for Wedding
- Sp 550108 119 Prison Planet
- Susp 550510 597 Going, Going, Gone
- Susp 550531 600 Beirut By Sunrise
- Susp 550614 602 Whole Towns Sleeping
- Susp 550712 606 Kaleidoscope
- X 1 550818 014 Courtesy
- X 1 550915 018 The Castaways
- X 1 551103 023 Hello Tomorrow
- You Bet Your Life 551123 Face
- You Bet Your Life 551207 Chair
- YTJD 551212 283 Lansing Fraud Episode 01
- YTJD 551213 284 Lansing Fraud Episode 02
- YTJD 551214 285 Lansing Fraud Episode 03
- YTJD 551215 286 Lansing Fraud Episode 04
- YTJD 551216 287 Lansing Fraud Episode 05
