Old Radio

Imagine a dozen voices singing "Happy Birthday" in a sepulchral, raspy Vincent Price voice.   Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was born on this day in 1911 and would forge a career in broadcasting, television, and film. The gothic ghoul who oozed cool graced the airwaves of such programs as Lux Radio Theater , Suspense , Escape , and Hollywood Star Playhouse . Check out the titles of the programs brought to life by Price's mid-century appearances on Suspense : "Fugue In C Minor," "Hands of Mr. Ottermole," "Rave Notice." He also starred in literary chillers "Occurrence At Owl Creek" and Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum." The Yale-educated Price started his acting career in Broadway and didn't waste much time busting into film, starring in the 1953 flick "House of Wax" alongside Frank Lovejoy and Phyllis Kirk. Price may be the only person born today who has won a "Grim Reaper Award" and ...

February 7: Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens We salute the author of A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak House, David Copperfield, and many other classics because so many of his works were adapted into radio plays. If you can recall sitting on the floor with the fire crackling nearby, your mom sorting her coupons at the coffee table, and radio actors giving voice to great Dickens dramas, here's what you're remembering, specifically: A Tale of Two Cities on Lux Radio Theatre , 1942, 1945, and 1946 Great Expectations on Theatre Guild , 1953 David Copperfield on Theatre Guild , 1950 A Christmas Carol on Campbell Playhouse , 1939 Dickens' work was also presented on Suspense , Richard Diamond , Escape and Lights Out . Imagine turning on commercial radio today and hearing classic literature instead of gossip about Miley Cyrus or the latest hit song by Justin Bieber.