THE RADIO HISTORIAN
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NBC RADIO BROADCASTS - 1933 - 1952

After moving to Rockefeller Center in 1933, NBC became the major producer of the country's entertainment radio programs over its two national networks during radio's "Golden Age" (1930-50). Here are some images of radio programs being broadcast during those years:

Rudy Vallee rehearsing his orchestra at the NBC Times Square studio.
The talented violinist Rubinoff was heard on network radio for more than two decades. Here he leads his Chase and Sandborn Orchestra.
Arturo Toscanini led the award-winning NBC Symphony Orchestra from 1937 to 1954, except for 1941-44 when Leopold Stokowski took the podium.
Eddie Cantor with announcer James Wallington, 1932.
A broadcast of "The Aldrich Family" over the NBC Blue Network.
"Eno Crime Clues" was one of network radio’s earliest detective mystery programs. Here, the actors surrounded a single microphone, with sound effects in the background.
The director of "Eno Crime Clues" cues the actors from a podium. The program was broadcast from 1931 to 36.
A broadcast of "G-Men", a "true crime" drama that debuted in 1935 and the next year became the popular series "Gangbusters".
"Mr. District Attorney" was a crime drama that aired on NBC and ABC from 1939 to 1952. One actor is inside an isolation sound booth.
Comedian Phil Baker starred in his own series, "The Armour Jester".
A rehearsal of "The Parade of Progress", 1939.
"Hobby Lobby" celebrated ordinary people with unusual hobbies. Here are Henry and Nancy Barken tap dancing and playing the trumpet while upside down, 1938.
A control room scene of "Cavalcade of America", 1940.
Gordon McRea hosted the popular "Railroad Hour", 1952.
"Now Is The Time" was acted, announced, produced, directed, and engineered entirely by women, 1944.
"The Guiding Light", a daytime soap opera, was first broadcast in 1937.
Actress Faye Wray appears on another soap opera, "Keeping Up With Rosemary".
A broadcast of "Pepper Young's Family"
Actors and the sound effects man during the broadcast of "Stella Dallas", another daytime serial, 1938.
A broadcast of "The National Farm and Home Hour".
NBC sound effects technicians demonstrate a variety of effects devices.
This NBC sound effects technician needed three arms to manage all of the effects required for this program.
Sound effects for a broadcast of "The March of Time".
Repairing a tympani drum in the NBC studios.
The broadcast of the 1931 Beverly Amateur Golf Tournament in Chicago. The engineer is wearing a backpack shortwave transmitter, so the reporter O.B. Keeler can broadcast from anywhere on the course.